30 Day Shred Challenge Completed!

I'm writing with so much relief this morning; and so much pride.  I completed my 30 Day Shred Challenge this morning.  I started out on the 2nd of April; and endured 30 of Jillian Michael's kick-ass workouts and I came out on top.  I can not begin to describe how much this challenge has meant to me; how much I've learned about myself.  And yes, it's the second time I'm completing this, but the first time was different - I did it, I went through the motions and when I was done, I was done.  This time was so much different, because I started out with the mindset that I'm going to change my body for the better, I really worked hard, I've put in my everything in every single workout just because I wanted to be stronger, be fitter and bettered the body I live in.

 Big thing I wanted to proof was that the number on the scale did not matter as much as I thought it would or should.  For 2 solid months now I did not lose a single gram, in fact - since the beginning of the challenge I have gained 900 grams.  But my body has changed.  I look leaner, and most importantly I feel stronger.  After my c-section I never thought I would ever be able to feel my stomach muscles again, but my core is growing stronger.  So strong in fact that this morning I was lying on my back, I lifted my 15kg boy in the air, sat upright and stood up - all with him still being held in the air.  So strength training is a definite must in my future.  This cardio-bunny has come a long way.

Here's my results for the 30 Days!

 
 

Ready for my next challenge Monday - Reboot Detox!

It's Monday, but it's okay!

Urgh what a rough time!  Last week Monday hubby's wisdom tooth was pulled.. in the dentist chair... pulled... so he was in a lot of pain this week; so much that infection kicked in and he is man down for a whole week thus far.  Then I started with yucky sinusses on Friday... getting worse over the weekend, so much so that I didn't feel well and barely breathed this weekend.  Between the two of us, I have no idea how we managed to keep it together and still looked after our almost 3-year old.  We only almost had a blocked toilet after little mister tried to dispose of a whole pack of wet wipes... and poor Jade, our cat, was fed more than usual... but the good thing is our house is still standing and everyone's alive!

I took this weekend off from Killian so had two rest days instead of only one.  I just completed day 26, with a little less vigour than usual, but at least I managed it.  If all goes well I do hope that I'll be completing it on Friday.  So fingers crossed!

My planning for Reboot next week is going well.  I stocked up over the weekend on a whole lot of Paleo foods and researched a lot and tried putting a list together of meal-ideas.  This week I'm trying to do a sort of warm-up for the 30 days, and have started with a Paleo breakfast and lunch today.  I'm looking forward to the challenge, although I'm a bit scared to tell you the truth!

Then something that has bothered me for a while now... why is it that people generally think that because you're overweight that you don't eat healthy, you don't exercise and you don't feed your family proper, nutritional food.  I'm so fed-up for comments from family and friends implying that we don't live a healthy lifestyle.  This when in fact that I've already lost a bucket load of weight over the past 16 months, exercise 5 - 6 times a week and if you looked at my food diary you would think I'm a skinny girl... and yes I feed my family the same foods that I eat!  I can't help that I lose weight much slower than the average Joe...  I can't help that even though I pack my hubby a healthy breakfast and lunch every single day to take to work, and give him a nutritional dinner at home that he eats and drinks stuff behind my back that's out of my control and that he does not exercise.  And yes, my boy is a picky eater, but I make sure that he eats at least one piece of fruit or vegetables with his dinner every single night; and I make sure he eats out of all 5 food groups.  I'm proud that I have a healthy, active boy with no signs of being over or under weight.  So I wish people will just take their assumptions and shove it and concentrate on their own families!  *vent over*

I'm going to make this week a good one!  I've got a lot to look forward to!  Completing the 30 Day Shred on Friday - I'm so looking forward to it.  And then on Saturday I'm off to tick two things off my bucket list: 1.  Meet my special friend and weight-loss buddy, Jess and 2.  See Bon Jovi live in concert :-D  Now that's loads to smile about.  So the sinus-pains better bugger off, I have no time for it!

Blood Test Results

On Tuesday afternoon the nurse at the doctor's office phoned me telling me that my results are in and the doctor wants to see me - appointment schedule for late yesterday afternoon.  It was a hellish long 2-day wait and I was so nervous because with so many tests it could be anything ...

So yesterday I sat in front of the doctor with baited breath fearing the worst, but at the same time hoping he has some answers for me.  And answers he did have.  All my tests were fine with the exception of one and that is my insulin resistance test- apparently I'm borderline insulin resistant - not quite there yet, but close enough to make my weight-loss journey a challenging one.

After some research on the net I have learned that some of the symptoms are:

• Weight gain, particularly around the middle.  Hell yes!
• Difficulty concentrating (brain fog).  Another big yes
• Lethargy.  Yup yup
• Hunger.  Yes from time to time
• High blood pressure.  Occasionally, but suffered with high blood pressure when I was pregnant.

When the doctor told me about it, a light bulb went on in my head and I immediately told him, well I've got a plan of action ready for it and I told him all about The Sleek Geek Reboot Challenge and I told him that I was toying with the Paleo idea as well.  He agreed and mentioned Tim Noakes and said that it's definitely the right approach to take for me right now.

So that's what I'm going to do as soon as I'm done with my 30 Day Shred challenge, right after my special Jozi trip to visit my superdee-duper friend and the Bon Jovi concert coming up.  Challenge set to commence 13 May for sure!

After the challenge the doctor told me to phone him and let him know my results and if the results wasn't good enough, he's going to put me on some sort of experimental drug.  I didn't ask him more about it, because at that stage my brain was already in overdrive planning.

So dearest blog readers... I can't be a Chocoholic no more!  No no no... I don't want to become diabetic and it's still in my power to reverse and that's exactly what I'm going to do.  

From now on I'm a Healthaholic!

Level 2 Results

I sure am losing centimeters!  Which is fabulous news as I'm still battling the scale.... I did a quick step on the scale this morning and seems I'm actually up from the beginning of April... so I am flummoxed that my body is still changing.  Just goes to show a diet can make you lose weight, but doing the right training changes your body.  I am thrilled that my body is changing for the better, even though the scale does not agree... so I say screw the scale!

Okay this is what the measuring tape is showing me this morning:

And picture results as follow:

Today Level 3 Day 1.  Going to give it my all and finish strong! Yeah!

Yay me!!!

I just finished Level 2!!!!   

Thank goodness, I was getting so fed-up for this work-out!  Still don't like Level 2 at all, and still suffering through it, but I do feel that it made me stronger.  So bring on Level 3!

Doctor's Appointment Update

Oh man, I've got a cool doc!  He really listened to what I had to say and he really believed me when I explained to him how hard I'm trying.  He went through some print-outs of my food diary, and checked out my weight-loss charts since January 2012, and he even took a look at my blog and commented on the results I got during the 30 Day Shred.

He asked me if I'm feeling excessively tired, and I told him I am, but also that I think it's normal for a full-time working mom with no domestic to feel the way I do.  He also asked me about my menstrual cycles and a couple of other things.

So we're going to be very pro-active about this.  Tomorrow morning I have to go back for the bloods because for some of them I need to fast, and for one of them I need to rest for 15 minutes before they take the bloods.  He decided to test the following:

• Lipogram (I think this is just a full Cholesterol test)
• Glucose
• Insulin Resistance
• Thyroid Profile
• Hirsutism Screen (I have no idea what this is)
• Prolactin (something to do with regulating your immune system)
• Full Blood Count

I'm extremely scared for the bloods, because I usually get dizzy and get close to fainting. They never find veins in my arm, so they have to draw the blood out of my hand, and that's why the doctor himself is going to draw the blood tomorrow.  And with not being able to eat beforehand and no coffee in my system, I'm definitely going to be feeling yuck to start out with.  But it has to be done, and therefor I'll put on my big girl panties tomorrow!

Half-way!

Wooohooo, I just completed Day 5 of Level 2, and that means I'm halfway through the challenge.  Today was just so much better, I'm not as sore as I was yesterday, so I was able to push a little bit harder during my workout today.  I got to go a bit deeper into my squats and lunges, even did half of the plank twists this time, and I did the cardio circuits with more vigor and bigger movements.

Before my workout, while eating my lunch I read through my old blog posts, reading all the motivational quotes I left myself and it reminded me why I'm on this journey, and I think that also helped me to push harder today.  Today I burned 258 calories vs yesterday's 227, so I'm ecstatic and I know I'm improving and that I'm going to succeed in doing the rest of level 2.  Tomorrow I'm doing day 6 and Sunday I'm taking a rest day, so I'm finishing level 2 on Thursday!

So true what they say and a great reminder for me today:

Being halfway with the challenge, I think I'm putting myself at the 50% mark here, but I know I'm going to push through to 100% and I can't wait to say I did it!