Why a blog?

Two reasons for starting a blog.  My first reason is a lifestyle program that I have embraced and feel ready to document my feelings as I tackle challenges.

Nine weeks ago I signed up for Michelle Bridge's 12 wbt program. I signed up on the Sunday before the program started on the following morning. Wow, what a decision that was, scary but needing to do something serious about me and my weight.

Since having 3 children quite closely together and putting their needs first, my weight has steadily increased. This increase of weight has affected me in many ways - health, self worth and ability to participate in many family activities.

I have tried many many weight loss programs over the years and the crunch really came in May 2012 when I had knee surgery and was told to lose weight or I'll be having a knee replacement before I'm 60.

Setting my goals for this 12 week challenge were difficult. I didn't know much about the program, didn't know what I'd be faced with as far as exercise goes. Knowing this 12 weeks was going to fall over Xmas and New Year, I set my goals very simply to lose 10kg.

It's now the beginning of week 9 and I've lost 11.3kg, 50.5cm off my body and my fitness is improving every week. I've reassessed my goals and set a weight loss goal to lose 16kg by the end of week 12 and to be able to run around the WHOLE oval.

Guess what!!!! This morning I upped my running to 4mins, 2 mins walk and I was able to run around the whole oval!!! Time to reassess goals again.

At the beginning of 12 weeks my fitness test was;

1km time trial 9.57 mins
wall sit 1.01 min
sit ups in a min 28
sit and reach 0cm

Yesterday at week 8 my fitness test results were;
1km time trial 7.44 mins
wall sit 1.46 min
sit ups 36
sit and reach 2cm

I will be signing up for the next round and will have more defitinitive goals for that round.

My second reason for setting up a blog is that my gorgeous 20 year old daughter Brittany, is heading off on an adventure next week.  OMG next week!!!  She has been accepted as an exchange student to study at University of Limerick for semester 1 and will then spend 2 months travelling around Europe.