Blog Closed!

I am no longer using this blog anymore, it is full of negative feelings and I want to be free of that. So I have set up a new blog for the start of my new round of 12wbt where I will be successful!

Peace out!
xoxoxoxoxox
If anyone wants the link to my new blog just FB inbox me as I doubt I will be back here!

It's been 2 weeks since my last confession ;)

I keep forgetting to update my blog. 2 weigh ins have passed by since my last post. In week 2 I lost 1.6kg and week 3 I lost 400grams.

 I haven't been able to fit in much exercise unfortunately. For the last 3 weeks I have been completing a full time course and then when I got home from there I was straight into cooking dinner and taking the kids to their sports. Then I headed straight to work. I really haven't had any time to stop and smell the roses, it's been pretty full on lately. And that is not likely to stop anytime soon. I start full time work on Tuesday for 10 weeks (yah yah yah) and I am keeping my part time night job also. So once again I am just going to have to rely on clean eating.

Speaking of clean eating, I have been doing really well, there have been a couple of crappy days but overall I am pleased with my efforts. I am enjoying the foods on Shannan's challenge but I so miss being an official member of the 12wbt. So much so that just tonight I have registered my interest for round 4 this year :)

In other news I am missing my spunky 14 year old terribly. He has been at Mt Hotham with his school for a ski camp since Monday. He is due home at about 9pm Friday night, but as I will be at work and I am sure he will be exhuasted I won't see him until Saturday :( This camp is a reward for kids who excell at sport and show great behaviour at school. And he most certainly deserves this reward <3

Week 1 of Shannan's 8 week challenge.

I was so happy to stand on the scales this morning and see a decent loss. My clean eating and getting back to the gym had paid off. Yahhh! It has given me the kick start I needed again :)

Tomorrow I start my new training course so I won't be heading to the gym all week, therefore, I will have to make sure my eating is 100% clean. My plan is to be as prepared as I can be by making my lunch and snacks the night before, as the mornings are pretty chaotic around here.

A little bit of visual motivation

The re-launch

So it's no secret that I bummed out big time with 12wbt rd 2 2012, I am sure it happened to lots of members at one time or another over the previous rounds and on different weight loss programs.  However, the difference with me is I am still hanging around. I may have gained 7kg but I am certainly not throwing a tantrum about it and giving up altogether. I am still here fighting with my head and it is definitely a hard battle to win. But I am determined to do it.

So that brings me to Shannan Ponton's 8 week challenge which started on Monday. My friend Raelee signed up before so we can now support each other on this journey even more. My goal for the 8 weeks is to lose as close to 10kg as possible and I figure I should do that quite easily as my body will be detoxing from all the crap I have been eating and drinking recently. Weigh in day has now moved from Wednesdays to Sundays and I am really enjoying the basic quick meals on the menu plans, although I think C-Dog is missing the fancy 12wbt meals, so I might have to throw a couple in every now and then!

In other news I am really excited about starting a training course on Monday, it will get me out of the house and stop the 'boredom eating'.  I am a bit concerned about it being in a male dominated field and I really really hope there is another female in the group. If not though I am sure I will cope. Being at the course will also put another halt on me going to the gym that I have just got back into. But my plan is to utilise my lunch break with a walk/jog every day :)

Ohh Ohhh Ohhh I nearly forgot. Yesterday I found out the date for Hollie's grade 6 graduation December 12th. Now for some primary schools the grade 6 graduation is quite small and a quick quiet affair. Well not for my kid's school. It is a pretty big deal with a reception venue hired, a 3 course meal served, boys in suits, girls in formal dresses with their hair and make up done, parents and teachers also dressed up. The children mostly all arrive in limos or fancy cars of some description. Hollie has already been looking for a dress to wear and I am finding it a bit diffcult to help her chose one. I am finding being 12 is such a hard age for dresses. Some are just too young and others are just too old. There doesn't seem to be that in between age styled dresses. Or maybe I am just being a prude with the 'too old' ones she has shown me?! Anyway this got me to thinking of what dress will I wear and how hard it was to chose one for the 12wbt finale a little bit ago. So this is just another incentive to lose some more weight so my options are almost endless :)

Hollie just loves Taylor Swift and showed me these 3 dresses. While I think they are all gorgeous I am just not sure the styles are appropriate for a 12 year old??

I can do that, right?!

I have been watching a bit of the Olympics on Foxtel and I find myself getting caught up in the excitement of each event. I am not fazed if an Aussie is winning or not, just to watch any nail biting events is enough to get me cheering. Yesterday afternoon I was watching the water polo Australia VS USA. I had to leave for work before it finished but it was so exciting and they made it look so easy. It got me thinking of what events I could try out for next Olympic games ;)

I could become a hockeyroo, I played a bit of hockey in high school, and Jeremy is representing his school today is a hockey tournament. Tennis was my all time favourite sport as a kid, I won heaps of trophies for it and I had everyone guessing with being a leftie, I would definitely make that team!!! Handball is another sport that interests me. I was a champ at handball at primary school, (although the Olympians play it differently to how I use to play it). Or there is Rhythmic gymnastics, that looks very similar to calisthenics and I did that for a few years and I am awesome at watching and supporting Hollie and her team at her cali comps. There are just so many sports that I could chose from that I could compete in. Judo is another one, I have heaps of skill and experience at playing 'tackles' and 'stacks on' on the lounge room floor with the kids. I have always wondered what the big deal with boxing was and why the heck it would be an Olympic sport, that was until I have participated in a few boxing classes at the gym. OHMEEGEE the adrenalin you get from punching at someone is freaking awesome, I could totally do that sport to win a gold medal! And the final sport I could totally win multiple medals at is table tennis. I am so epic at the sport, I kick everyone's butt in this house. Me being a leftie makes me even more awesome at this sport. And I own a table tennis that's folded up in the garage with dust all over it. Too easy.

So in saying all this I have all the experience and skill level needed to be the next Olympian. Right?!
Now, where do I forward my Australian Olympic Team uniform order request to?

Around this time last year...

I was sifting through all my family cruise photos and I had a light bulb moment about my weight. I knew it was time to do something about my health. I was adding the holiday snaps to facebook and an advert for 12wbt.com came up on the side. I took a look at the site and read about the program. I found some stories on members who had lost an incredible amount of weight. I knew this program could work for me. After I joined 12wbt I found out that I wasn't actually overweight, I was severely obese! What a kick in the pants that was. I knew I was fat but I didn't realise I was THAT fat!

Today while at Hollie's calisthenics competition it really hit home at how many kilos and centimetres I have actually lost. I didn't struggle to climb the stairs at the theatre, I fitted comfortably in the small theatre size seats with room to spare on either side of my seat (last year I had to squeeze my butt into the seat and I could feel myself oozing out the side of my seat and touching the person next to me). This morning when I put on the clubs uniform (tshirt and jacket), I could zip up the jacket with room to spare. Last year I couldn't even get the zip to meet together.

Another thing that just about brought me to tears happened last night. Yesterday it was my first borns birthday, he turned 14 and while I was wishing him a happy birthday with a kiss and a cuddle, he cuddled me back and was able to wrap both of his arms completely around me. He even managed to squeeze me hard and lift me slightly off the ground. I actually don't recall a moment when any of my kids have been able to fully hug me. It felt so good <3

Also with it being Jeremy's birthday yesterday and Callum's tomorrow (Monday) it made me think of how old I am (I can never remember) LOL. I will be turning 37 in October and definitely want to be entering my 40s as the best version of myself.

Last night at work I received a FB inbox from a charming person that calls themself KarBare, she (I'm guessing) wrote

'NicoleF, I am so glad you have failed at losing your weight, I knew you wouldn't be able to do it for long. I am actually surprised you lasted this long in the first place. I can't wait to see you stop posting altogether as I know you will be up to your original weight in no time, or even heavier. Have a good night :) KarBare.' 

WTF?? I have no idea who KarBare is but obviously she has some major issues. I tried finding her from the profile through the inbox but I'm assuming she has blocked me as FB just takes me to an error page.

What KarBare doesn't realise though is that she hasn't upset me or stopped me from my journey, infact her message has done the opposite. I am now more determined than ever to prove her wrong along with all the other haters. I have lost 20kgs before and most certainly can lose another 20kg.

I won't lose it in my original time frame but I will definitely do it :D and if I work my butt off it will be still in 2012. As I have said in previous posts I am not going to solely focus on the big number but the little loses instead, I am still going to reward myself for every 2.5kg lost. I have had to change my rewards however, as money is extremely tight at the moment (hopefully not for long though).

• M new rewards are  
• 84.5kg - Entry fee for Sussans Fun Run
• 82.0kg - Dusk candle
• 79.5kg - Movie ticket
• 77.0kg - Nice top
• 74.5kg - itunes album'
• 72.0kg - Jodi Picoult Book
• 69.5kg -  concert ticket money
• 67.0kg - make up
• 65.0kg - ink

ohh ohh ohh

I have a big goal to set my sights on. This evening I got an early bird email to register for the Sussans Womens fun run in November before the general public. I get a discount for competing in it last year. I did this event by myself and had so much fun, it was a great atmosphere. So I definitely want to do it again this year. I haven't been this excited about exercise in a while.

Rumble Jumble.

While I haven't got back into proper exercise yet, (I think I am close to a month of not entering my gym), I am slowly working my way back into it. I have got back into walking around my neighbourhood. Walking is the way I started my journey back in September and I enjoyed it so much, so I thought I would start back with basics. Also it is pretty much all I can fit in ATM as my diary is full with specialist appointments, sports duties, finalising costumes for Hollie's first calisthenics competition on Sunday (every year I leave them till the last minute!).

 I have been dealing with Hollie's anxiety levels for a week. She has been stressing about her braces coming off and being fitted for a plate. She was quite emotional on Sunday about it as Monday was her appointment date. She was more concerned about the unknown and she didn't know how Dr Scott was going to get the braces off. And then there was the mould and how she remember what it was like when she got it first done several years ago (OMG that was a nightmare back then!).

Thankfully her appointment went without any dramas (there were a couple of tears when the glue was being scrapped off) but other than that everything went smoothly. Now she goes back tomorrow to have her purple sparkly plate fitted.

Also Jeremy had an appointment with Dr Scott and is scheduled to have his braces put on in September after footy season. I can also expect Callum to need them in the next few years too. All thanks to my crappy teeth!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I'm still on the lookout for a job and I'm still applying for 10 a day but I haven't had many interviews, okay, I have had 2 this year!!!!

Thankfully the footy season is coming to an end, although there are still finals to be played also, Callum's team has definitely made the finals, but Jeremy's team need to win the next two matches to make it. And while Hollie's calisthenics season is about to begin at least it is not every week, I think she has 6 competitions this year between this Sunday and November. So not so bad in comparison to footy.

But I wouldn't change any of it for the world. <3

Oh and my current job sucks balls! We have just got a new store manager, the 3rd one in 2 years (!!!) and he has already earned the name Hitler! We have uniform inspections at the start of every shift to make sure skirts are at the appropriate level, name badges are worn, shirts are clean, tattoos are covered, mobile phones are not being used. Everyone has always followed the correct procedures (well maybe not with mobiles as all previous managers have been VERY relaxed with them especially for my area of work as most of it is done when the store is shut. The tattoo issue has just come and if we have tattoos showing they now need to be covered at all times even when the store is shut. I'm sort of ignoring that rule as I wear a cardigan anyway and I mostly wear it all the time but some nights it does get warm in the store and I either pull up my sleeves or take off my cardi. My supervisor is quite relaxed but if the store manager is still there when I am I will just have to sweat it out with my cardi on :/

Anyway it is time to have dinner - Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni before the sport taxi service starts and then I head to work!

Failing scares me!

I always fail!
I do this every time!

This always happens!

It always ends the same way for me!
I can never stick to anything.
It's the story of my life!

 found this little doozy today and it sums up me to a tea. I have been on endless amount of 'diets', most just lasted 10 days before I gave in. I have never completed any courses that I so 'desperately' wanted to do. One of the courses I did, I got so close to passing with very high results until I decided I didn't want to do it with only 14 days left of the course! I quit my full time job just 12 weeks in as one of the other staff members were giving me a hard time.

I promised myself when I decided to join my first round of 12WBT that I would never quit at my new lifestyle/weight loss journey this time. I promised myself that I would embrace change and I would reach my goal weight. I promised myself and my family that I would succeed no matter how long it takes me. I promised myself that I would be determined, that I would believe in myself (hence my Believe tattoo) and that I would try my hardest at all times. Most importantly I told myself that the journey wouldn't be easy but it would be worth it, because I AM WORTH IT!

So in saying all that, this little road map definitely shows my journey right about now. Although I am closer to the end of 'Struggle Street' but 'Boring Bvld' does keep raring its ugly head. I have made it to 'Challenge Chase' and I did enjoy spending time there. I am actually quite excited about getting back there shortly. I just need to get back in the driver's seat and head on the road trip to my destination 'Awesome Avenue'.

The story of your life isn't the path that you have already travelled - it lies in the moment you raise your foot to take the next step.

What's changed?

Why am I struggling more with my weight loss in 2012 than I was when I started in 2011?

Why does it all seem too much and too hard now than when I first started?

Why are I constantly thinking about the wrong food choices whereas from September in 2011 I found my food choices a breeze?

Surely it is meant to get easier not harder?

Why have bad habits crept back in at full force?

Why did I break my 200+ days of being coke and chocolate free?

These questions plus many many more have been going around my head all day today, and the disturbing thing is I have NO FREAKING IDEA why I have gone backwards.

What happened from about February to suddenly turn things around so much? Since then everything stopped working properly - my thoughts, my care factor BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Who in their right mind loses just shy of 25kg and then just goes BLAH???

Why am I so good at offering advice to others but I can't take it on board myself?

It would be so much easier if I can figure out why my brain isn't cooperating anymore rather than playing these stupid ridiculous mind games with me. I used to be a great sleeper and would be sound asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, now I find myself tossing and turning thinking about all the crappy things I did or didn't do during the day. Most often than not I cry myself to sleep. Then I come up with a plan to sort it all out but when the next morning comes I am back to square one again.

I've always been known and the 'carefree' and 'funny' girl, and quite frankly I am neither of these atm. Lately I've been wearing my pretend carefree and funny face just because it is easier to push the real faces and feelings out of the public eye.

I just wish I could figure out what's changed?

Sally the scales.

Yesterday was weigh in day. I wasn't looking forward to standing on the scales as I was only really starting to get back into the full swing of eating properly and exercising again. So after opening my eyes and checking what the scales (I've decided to call them Sally Scales) had to show, I was quite surprised there wasn't another gain showing. And while I also didn't have a loss, I was semi pleased with that Sally did have me in tears. So as of yesterday I am sitting on 87kg.

100 reasons why I want to lose weight!

I have been making up this list for about 3 weeks now, the first 20 or so came to my mind instantly and I was going to stop there but I thought I would leave it for a few days and come back again. Then I got to 50 and again I thought I was done so I left it for another week. When I came back to my list I had another writing spurt and got to 95. There was no way I could stop at 95, so this morning I made it to 100. I might even keep adding to it at a later stage.

  1. For me.
  2. For my health.
  3. For my family.
  4. To feel better.
  5. To be able to buy nice clothes.
  6. To be able to buy any clothes I want.
  7. To look better.
  8. To look nice in photos.
  9. To not hide from the camera.
10. To not cringe when my husband touches me.
11. To not be embarrassed about my body.
12. To not embarrass my children about my body.
13. To be healthy.
14. To fit into my clothes comfortably.
15. To not have people judge the food I eat.
16. To have more energy.
17. To be a healthy role model to my kids.
18. To be able to clothes shop online.
19. To lower the risks of heart disease, stroke etc
20. To not keep the family cycle of obsesity going.
21. To look good naked.
22. To show those who have doutbed my efforts that I can and I did do this.
23. To not be self conscience.
24. Because I deserve it.
25. To not be asked if I am pregnant.
26. To wear bathers with confidence.
27. To wear a bikini.
28. To buy nice sexy lingerie.
29. To not be the fat friend.
30. To lower my risk of cancer.
31. To be able to run.
32. To not be heavier than my husband.
33. To go on a clothes shopping spree.
34. To stick to something I have set my mind on.
35. To feel comfortable in my own body.
36. To add more years to my life.
37. To be able to not worry if a seat will hold me or I will fit into it.
38. To have a smaller firmer butt!
39. To be able to walk into any boutique store and know their clothes will fit me.
40. To have an inpsiring 'before' and 'after' photo.
41. To finish this journey I have started.
42. To inspire others to lead a healthy lifestyle.
43. To enter my 40s as the fittest and healthiest person I can.
44. To have a BMI under 25.
45. To have my weight in the 'healthy weight range'.
46. To show my kids (especially my daughter) a positive body image.
47. To be able to wear crop tops with confidence.
48. To get rid of my chubby tummy and spare tyre.
49.  Because I can.
50. To say I am happy with my body.
51. To get my body fat under 22%.
52. To never cringe at the word F-A-T.
53. To not have rolls of fat.
54. To be more postitive.
55. To prove everyone wrong.
56. To feel comfortable in knowing I can do any activity - sports, rides etc.
57. So people won't stare at me because of my weight.
58. To get a regular sized towel around me.
59. So I can fit into smaller jeans.
60. Be less self conscious about my body when I’m with other people.
61. To build muscle.
62. To stop whining that I need to lose weight.
63. To make exercise fun.
64. I want one chin.
65. I want to be strong.
66. I want to get on with life and stop obessing over losing weight.
67. I want to enjoy Summer and not wish Winter would hurry up to wear clothes that cover my body more.
68. When I am at my goal I could find a new New Year’s Resolution.
69. To show my husband that this is not another 'fad diet' that I will fail at.
70. I want to see my toes when standing up straight.
71. To be proud of myself.
72. To help control my asthma more effectively.
73. I want to feel comfortable with the lights on during 'intimate times'.
74. To be able to own a 'little black dress'.
75. To get smaller boobs!
76. I want to be able to stand in front of a mirror and like what I see.
77. To not have thighs that rub together.
78. Have a flatter stomach.
79. Feel sexy.
80. To feel excited about the future.
81. To look younger.
82. To feel younger.
83. To not feel like the biggest person in any room or at any function.
84. To feel inspired to dress better/nicer.
85. To wear size 12 clothes comfortably.
86. Be in control of my eating. Eat to live not Live to eat.
87. Prove to myself I can do it.
88. I want to know I am nurturing myself daily.
89. Regain confidence.
90. To get off the 'yo-yo' dieting mentality.
91. To show everyone that I will not gain the weight back.
92. I want to look great for my daughter's Grade 6 graduation at the end of the year.
93. I want to feel in control of my life.
94. To feel better mentally and emotionally.
95. To inspire others.
96. To show people I can walk the walk and not just the talk.
97. To say good bye to being the 'fat chick' who is sketched in my brain.
98. To reach the goals I set.
99. So I can sit on my husband's knee and know that I am not hurting him.
100. BECAUSE I AM WORTH IT!

This was a hard and heart wrenching list to make but I am proud of it <3

If this isn't a reward and motivation then I don't know what is!

Today a friend (Hi Raelee if you're a stalker yet!) mentioned to me that her husband is going to buy her a $1000 piece of Tiffany and Co jewellry when she reaches her goal weight, that's so freaking amazing and such an incentive for her as she adores her Tiffany bling! I have no doubt that she can achieve this goal <3

So I told Clint about Raelee's reward and he said he had one already planned for me but he didn't want to tell me about it until I was at my goal. But seeing as he mentioned it I just had to know straight away!!!

He said once I hit my goal of 65kgs he is taking me to ....

OHMYGOD!!!!

I have been dreaming about going to Paris since I got married nearly 15 years ago. It is on top of my travel wish list with the USA coming in a close 2nd.

With such an incentive like this I want to get rid of 22kg as quickly as I can <3

Here's to clean eating and mean training :) :)

10 ways to recharge your motivation.

Tonight I found a really cool site that offers snips and tips for general life stuff and everything in between. I can't stop reading through it, even though I should be in bed at 3:17am!!!
This is a gem I just found :)

People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.
-Zig Ziglar

Achieving goals is not a matter of possibility, it’s a matter of motivating yourself to focus on the right things. You know you should be doing something, but sometimes you just don’t feel like doing anything. This stagnation can last a long time if you don’t head it off and take action.

Here are some daily motivation tricks that work for me:

1. Get started!

This is by far the most important tip in this article, because in the end, all of the other tips in the world won’t make as much of a difference as this simple and timeless instruction: Sit down and start! Do you feel the push-back of laziness? There’s no better way to overcome it than to just start. Reading more about motivation won’t help. Reviewing your to-do lists won’t help. Only doing actually helps get the momentum going. And the only way to do something is to just start.

So stop thinking about how hard the task is going to be or how long it’s going to take you. Just get started! Not starting is failing. Start telling yourself, “As soon as I start working, I’ll feel more motivated.” Because once you start, you’ll realize it’s not nearly as hard as you thought it would be.

2. Find and use your positive voice.

As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” Be aware of your self-talk and stay positive. Positive thinking can be amazingly powerful.

You have the choice to replace negative self-talk with a more encouraging and friendly voice. A voice that will consider your goal as not just a possibility, but a probability. A voice that does not look externally for validation before taking action, but rather uses self-belief as its driving force. A voice that realizes that any person who has ever achieved greatness had to do so against similar odds, and that all things are possible to those who commit to their vision.

Tell yourself over and over again that you can do it. Try saying, “I want to go to the gym,” “I am going to nail this presentation,” “I am going to have a great day,” etc. See what effect it has. Persist with this kind of positivity and eventually you’ll feel better about whatever it is you want to get done, and you’ll even start to fool your unconscious into believing it’s true.

3. Spend time with people who inspire you.

What better way to recharge yourself for improvement than spending time with someone who inspires you. They are smart, driven and motivate you to be better. Study their qualities. Study their habits. Surround yourself with them, talk to them, learn from them; they are already living and producing results at a level you admire and aspire to. Compare stories, successes and failures. Let their inner light guide you.

4. Start a friendly competition.

You can really raise your motivation with some friendly competition. We are all competitive in nature, take advantage of this by using it to fuel your motivation. Find a co-worker or friend with similar goals and turn it into a competition or game. The key is to find a way to make it fun. This will make the task or project seem less like work and more like play; and it will also encourage you to avoid defeat.

While you’re at it, mutually support each other toward your goals. Staying motivated on your own can be tough. A partner in crime always helps.

5. Think about how far you have come.

You have made so much progress, you just don’t realize it. Open your eyes and give yourself credit for all that you have accomplished. Think about it. Write down your past successes. Consider using a journal to keep track of them. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised when you review your results. It’s a great motivator to see how much you have improved and how far you have come. You felt at the top of your game before and you can do it again.

And don’t forget to be patient. The problem with many of us is that we expect quick results. Think long term. If you want to run a marathon, you won’t be able to do it overnight. If you don’t see the results you want, don’t give up, give it time. Think of your goal as a long-term journey, and your slump is just a little bump in the road. In the mean time, be happy with your progress.

6. Embrace failure as a positive learning experience.

Ask yourself: What have I learned from this? As Michael Jordan once said:

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Do not judge failed attempts and mistakes as an indication of your future potential, but as part of the growth process. Something does not have to end well for it to have been one of the most valuable experiences of a lifetime. When times get tough, take a deep breath, and know that most great things come when you least expect it. Being defeated is a temporary condition; giving up is what makes it permanent. And most people that gave up didn’t realize how close they were to success. Push through!

7. Review, refine and breakdown your goals.

Set and pursue S.M.A.R.T. goals. These goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. And don’t be afraid to set big S.M.A.R.T. goals either. Establish goals that inspire you even if they seem slightly out of reach at the moment. If you set goals that are too easy to achieve, you likely achieve far less than you are capable of. As Les Brown said, “Shoot for the moon, and if you miss you will still be standing among the stars.”

Break down your big S.M.A.R.T. goals into realistic, high impact tasks that you can track. The thought of accomplishing a huge task can be overwhelming. Try taking small bites at a time. Break down your large tasks into mini goals. Daily actions will yield greater benefits than biting off more than you can handle. When you start to see your progress you’ll feel more alert and ready to tackle the next step.

For example, if you want to change careers, that goal may be driven by several smaller goals like going back to school, improving your networking skills, updating your resume or getting a new certification; and each of these smaller goals is then supported by even more granular sub-goals and associated daily tasks. And it is these small daily tasks that, over time, drive and motivate larger achievement.

Also, make sure your goals are truly YOURS, and in line with your values. If you’re striving for someone else’s goals you are never going to be motivated to pursue them.

8. Let the whole world know what you’re up to.

When you’re trying to do something you’ve never done before, it can take a lot of concentration and effort, and life can get lonely pretty quickly. To keep your motivation thriving, it’s important to let others know what you’re up to. Don’t be shy! Announce to the world that you are going to achieve a certain goal by a certain date.

Trap yourself. None of us want to look bad in front of friends, family and co-workers. If you’ve made a commitment to all of them, then the shame of saying you didn’t try will outweigh the effort of doing it. Hold yourself accountable, don’t just commit once, but commit to giving progress updates to everyone at least once a week.

9. Visualize your successful outcome in great detail.

Before we do anything our minds start seeing pictures of how everything might turn out. Close your eyes and visualize how great the events will unfold – see yourself smiling, hear yourself being positive and feel how great you will feel doing the task, leading the project, playing the game, attending the meeting. Form as clear a mental picture as possible. Do this every morning for at least five minutes. This is a surprisingly effective technique that will raise your motivation and enthusiasm, and get you into the right mood before you begin working each day.

Another great visualization / motivation technique is to post physical reminders all around you. Post a picture of your goal in a place you’ll see every day. Set it as your desktop wallpaper, or post it on your wall, refrigerator or bathroom mirror. The idea is to keep your mind focused on end result and keep your excitement going.

10. Spend some time every day working on a passion.

There are some things in life that you just have to do, even if you aren’t passionate about it – cleaning the house, paying bills, finishing that task for your boss, etc. But the dilemma of doing these things is greatly reduced if you spend a decent amount of time each day working on something you love – something you’re truly passionate about. Because subconsciously you know that regardless of what you’re doing, your passion is still part of your day. 

So make time to focus on doing something you really want to do. Take an hour break and work on something that’s meaningful to you. Engage yourself in a meaningful personal project, or pull the trigger on starting something you’ve wanted to do for a long time, but haven’t yet had the resolve to do. Do so, and your motivation and happiness will skyrocket.

STOLEN from HERE

I'm back!

After a terrible a few weeks I am back. I have re-focused on what I want and I know how I am going to get there. I am actually quite excited about the next few months.

After talking to some very dear friends to me - Hi Raelene and Judy!) I am now focussing on smaller more achieveable goals - 2.5kg at a time. I have set up some rewards for when I reach these goals. I have posted them over on the right side so that I can see them often at a glance. I will post it here also :D
                                                         
84.5kg - Dusk candle
82kg - Piercing
79.5kg - Ink
77kg - Movie ticket
74.5kg - Phone repaired
72kg -Manicure
69.5kg -Concert tickets
67kg -Make up (good quality)
64.5kg - Ink

Some goals I am going to achieve.

I have always struggled with my water intake, some days the only water I have is the amount I drank at a workout session. I always have good intentions of making sure I am having the correct intake but for whatever reason I don't follow through with it. However, that is going to change. Previously I would just use any bottle that is lying around the house, I have never had my own drink bottle before. So tomorrow I am going to buy myself one and I will have it with me at all times. It will be mine and noone will be allowed to even look at it. I am even going to mark on it like the one if the picture. My water intake is a major goal to achieve for me this round.

A friend posted this picture in my local CC12C group. I have joined in the fun of working on my abs. They have been negeleted for so long I know they will love this lol

Round 2 2012 - Week 1 Measurements and Fitness Test

Round 2 2012 - Week 1 Measurements

Weight - 84.1
 Chest - 103cm
Waist - 93cm
Hips - 109cm
Thigh R - 56cm
Thigh L - 57cm
Arm R - 28cm
Arm L - 28cm


FITNESS TEST - Week 1
1km time trial - 6 minutes 37 seconds.
Push Ups toes - 10
Push Ups knees - 35
Abominal strength - 1
Wall sit - 1 minute 15 seconds
Sit and Reach +11

                                                 These photos were taken yesterday, I weighed in at 84.1kg.

I changed my mind!

A few weeks ago I said I wasn't going to join Round 2 of the 12WBT, well I ended up joining again during the week. I so need this. I need to re-focus and I need to Just FUCKING Do It! I am up to date on the pre season tasks, I have looked at my excuses, and my goals. I need to work more on the organisation but I am going to succeed. I am going to lose 10kg this round. I am going to be harder on myself and I am going to be the best version of myself. I am going to make others proud and I am definitely going to make myself proud.

                                   I am worth it!