Starshots Photography Experience 3 December 2011

I was super lucky and very grateful to have won a Starshots Photography photo shoot in August 2011, as part of the 12WBT Round 2 2011 program.  I waited until December 2011, when I was looking my best, to get the photos taken.  It was my reward to me for a year of commitment, consistency, determination and hard work.  My shoot included 4 different costume changes so I had some planning to do… what kinds of images did I want?  I met with the Starshots Knox City Staff to go through my ideas the week before the shoot.

Image 1 Outfit

I wanted a pic in my workout gear and I wanted my stomach in the image.  I have never had the confidence to show it in public and now was the time.

Image 1 Pose

I love a pic of Michelle Bridges and I wanted a pose similar.

Image 2 Outfit

This was a no brainer.  I wanted a pic in my 12WBT Round 2 2011 Brisbane finale party dress.  It was such a special moment for me and I wanted it captured forever. 

Image 2 Pose

I loved the pic of Michelle Bridges in the August 2011 issue of Women's Weekly on the couch.

Image 3 Outfit

I wanted a pic in the dress I would wear to the Round 3 2011 Sydney finale party.  I was at goal weight and have eyed that dress off in French Connection all year hoping that one day it would fit.  It FINALLY fit and it was now mine.

Image 3 Pose

I left this one to the photographer.

Image 4 Outfit

I had no idea.  The consultant asked me who I like and what I like.  I said I love Lady Gaga and her eyes lit up.  They had never done a Gaga themed shoot and the time had come to do it.  Fishnets, a black corset and a disco stick… hmmm do I really have the confidence to do this??  We'll soon find out!

Image 4 Pose

I took along some pics of Gaga that I love.

The Big Day

The 3rd of December 2011 was the big day.  I had never had professional photos taken and I was so nervous about the 4-hour photo shoot ahead of me.  The Starshots Photography Knox City staff were amazing at making me feel relaxed and look fabulous!  It was so much fun.  This video is a summary of my wonderful experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XznYbwxctIk

Break-through Moment

Now, you will all want to slap me when you read this but… looking at the 80 photos that were taken on a big screen TV brought so many tears to my eyes as I could not believe that I was looking at me.  How can I look like that??  I don't look like that!  My legs aren't that thin.  My arms aren't that defined.  My collarbones aren't that obvious.  The staff had to remind me that it is me… how embarrassing is that??

YES THAT IS YOU SPLASH!!!  It is YOU!!!  Wow what a break through moment for me.  A huge moment looking at the proofs where I finally began to understand what I look like now.  I think I am normal now.  I am happy being normal.  I don't see the "skinny mini", "tiny" or "little" person that my family, friends and work colleagues see.  I see me as just like them.  But thanks to this photo shoot I'm finally starting to understand what I really look like now.  I'm glad the brain is starting to catch up to my body.

Having said that, I still cried and was shaking when I picked up the final prints as, once again, could not believe it was me.  Yes, you can slap me now.

Professional photos are a fantastic reward when you reach your ultimate goal.  You will feel fabulous and maybe have a break-through moment like mine.

Thanks to Michelle Bridges and the 12WBT Crew for a wonderful prize.

R1 2012 PST 2

What are my problems?

1 - I can't be bothered getting out of bed so I have a debate in my head regarding whether I should get up and train or not.

2 - I don't care anymore.

3 - I'm already at goal and can slack off.

4 - I try to talk myself into a bad situation such as not training or eating something that is not on my plan.

5 - I don't have time to get to the gym.
6 - It's raining or too hot outside so I cant go for a run.
7 - I have had an illness since October (and still have it) that basically doesn't allow me to train as my body is always tired and weak (sometimes a little and sometimes a lot).

How am i going to solve them?

1 - Stop thinking and implement "Planarama" like I did all year in 2011 http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2011/07/planarama.html .

2 - Stop thinking  like that because deep down I know this is the best I have ever felt and I do actually care about and love myself now.

3 - What a load of rubbish.  "Planarama" is my lifestyle so JFDI.  Look at old pictures that disguast me as a reminder of what slacking off will do.

4 - Stop thinking and analysing and stick to the plan.  It's my lifestyle now.

5 - Do one of my "No Excuses" at home workout that I developed so you save on travel time.
6 - Do one of my "No Excuses" at home workout that I developed as the weather doesn't affect it

7a - Stick to 1200-1400 calories of food per day when I can't exercise as what I eat IS in my control.

7b - set my alarm early as if I am going to get up and train.  Assess how my body feels when my alarm goes off  and make the decision then, don't assume I won't be up to it as I have managed 7 x 30min really light training sessions in the last 3.5 months.  That is better than nothing!

http://www.12wbt.com/round-1-2012/forums/task-2-get-real-no-more-excuses/topics/dont-get-slack-splash

Round 1 2012 Preseason Week 1

Stats

Heaviest weight 109.6kg

Ideal weight 62 to 65kg

Last week's weight 60.9kg

Today's weight 61.7kg

Body fat 26.7%

This week I gained 0.8kg

49 week weight loss 47.9kg (43.70%)

Summary

I was spot on with my prediction last week.  I gained some of the weight I lost last week so I'm nearly back up into my ideal weight range.

No training at all this week so I'm doing a terrible job of the 100 Push ups and 200 Sit ups challenge that Mish set on Facebook!  My main goal is to be 100% healthy by Week 1 of Round 1 so I can do the whole 12 weeks of Lean and Strong properly.  Bring it on!

1 Million Kilo Challenge

I started a team in the 1 Million Kilos Challenge so feel free to join that too for the recipes as its free! And it's a great challenge of contributing to Australians losing 1 million kilos.

Team name is Splasharama.

http://www.1millionkilochallenge.com.au

Message me on my Facebook page with your 1 million kilo challenge screen name once you request to be in my team so I know who you are :)

R1 2012 PST 1

Hi everyone,

I'm Splasharama and here is a 2 minute video intro…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kglIk0sSNmY

This one did have music background but not sure if it is working?? It works on my iPhone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ldDZJSwo04&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I'm 34 years old and a single Melbourne girl that works full time.  I changed my lifestyle in February 2011 after reading the Crunch Time book over Christmas 2010.  I joined Round 2 and 3 of 2011 and I'm back for my 3rd round to get lean and strong!

After losing 48kg last year I am happy with my size but I want a six-pack and guns to go with my little black dress!

My best advice is - If you do exactly what Mish says, you will get results.

All the best for Round 1 2012!

Splash

http://www.12wbt.com/round-1-2012/forums/task-1-introduce-yourself/topics/introducing-splasharama?page=1#post_180999-row

But what if the clothes don't fit??

Thanks to Karen for asking a question that has led to this blog post.

But what if it doesn't fit??

As an obese teenager and adult I dreaded clothes shopping.  I would take the largest sizes and roomy styles off the rack and walk to the change room thinking "But what if it doesn't fit?? But what if it doesn't fit??  what if it doesn't fit??  what if it doesn't fit??  Aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!".  It usually didn't fit and I would get upset.  I wouldn't get upset in public, I would act totally cool and pretend I didn't like the piece of clothing.  I'd get upset once I got home.  I hated clothes shopping with my friends because I knew the clothes wouldn't fit so I pretended I didn't like anything so I wouldn't have to try things on.

As an adult when a cool clothing store for larger sizes opened up I was so excited!  Finally I get clothes that fit in styles I love.  The only slight problem was they were made for tall people and I am 155cm on a good day :)  So most of the tops were too low cut for me.  But at least I could put a funky outfit together in this store when I had to.

I don't know what fits me

I used to HATE clothes shopping with my friends.  Especially because I knew their clothes size.  When the shop attendant would ask "What size are you?" they would reply with "Umm I'm not sure".  I wanted to scream out "You're a size 12 and always have been!!!!!"  But I would smile graciously and let them have the conversation.

Then, finally for the first time in my life, in July 2011 I finally fit into mainstream sizes.  I thought to myself "Clothes shopping is going to be awesome!"  Boy was I in for a shock!  It was just all so confusing, like a whole new language.  Here's an example:

Me - "Could you help me for a moment please?"

Shop Assistant (SA) - "Sure, what size are you?"

Me - "Umm, I don't know."

SA  - "How about we try a 14"

Me - "Oh, ok"

I would take the size 14 and walk to the change room panicking in my head "what if it doesn't fit?? what if it doesn't fit??  what if it doesn't fit??  what if it doesn't fit??  Aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!"  I would try the clothes on, get some assistance, get the right size and then either buy it or leave it and walk out.

 

I was totally shocked that even though I fit into mainstream clothes sizes, not everything looked good on me.  "I must still be too fat to wear them" is what I would tell myself and go back to the store when I was another 5 kilos lighter to try them on again.  Clothes shopping was not fun at all.  Here's some facts & tips for when you get to this disappointing point:

1. You are not the same size in every store
2. Just because the size fits, doesn't mean the style suits
3. Take someone that will be completely honest with you, do not trust the shop attendant
4. If you have never been a healthy weight before, you won't know what looks good on you and it could take months to work it out

5. Just because you have always loved that style, doesn't mean you will look like a supermodel in it

6. Be patient and find the styles and colour that you both like and suit you (it has taken me three months and I still have some learning to do).
7. When you find a style that suits, remember it or the store and keep shopping there

I pretend I don't know what fits me

So for most of Round 3 2011 I was a size 12-14 average.  But do you think I could take just a size 12 into the dressing rooms??  Hell No!   My mind would go into panic mode "what if it doesn't fit?? what if it doesn't fit??  what if it doesn't fit??  what if it doesn't fit??  Aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!"

So I would always take a size 14 as a back up.  Did I ever buy the size 14?  Rarely.  I found that if size 12 was too small, the size 14 was usually too big so I would lose a couple more kilos then go back and buy the size 12.

Mind in Slow Motion

It takes so long for your mind to understand what your body is doing and to "catch up" to it.   Understanding what "space" I took up throughout 2011 was the hardest thing ever.  I wish I could have appreciated me sooner.

When I was in the 80 kilo range people would say I looked fantastic, I got given all the "Skinny Mini/Tiny/Little One" nicknames but in my head I was still a big fat blob that couldn't move.  When I was obese I thought the majority of people I would come across day to day were in the healthy weight range or a size 10 to 14.  Now that I am happy with my size I understand that unfortunately most people I come across day to day are either overweight or obese.  You may think it is really horrible of me to say and I don't mean to offend anyone.  I thought that now that I am at goal weight I look like everyone around me.  But hearing "Skinny Mini/Tiny/Little One" every day drives me crazy as I think I'm normal now.  But in reality, I am smaller than most of them now and it's really sad to say that because technically I am still overweight as my BMI is 26.

Back to clothes shopping…

So what if it doesn't fit??

I am a size 10 shorts and size 14 dress at FCUK.  I am a size 10 dress and size large top at Portmans.  I'm in between sizes at Alannah Hill and am yet to be able to buy anything from there.  I'm a size 10 dress and 12 jeans at Jay Jays. I'm a size 10 dress and 12 shorts & jacket at Review.  I'm a size 10 pants and size 12 jumper from Esprit.

My point is,  I am yet to find a store where I am the same size in most of their clothing range.  So who cares if the size you take into the change room doesn't fit?  Walk an extra 20 steps back to the rack and get another size - this will also burn calories so it's a win-win outcome :)

Appreciate what you are

Looking back, I regret not appreciating my size sooner.  For 7 months all I saw was a shrinking number on the scales that was not my goal weight.  I wish I had of appreciated that that shrinking number also meant a shrinking body.  I wish I had of began appreciating it at 85 kilos instead of at 65 kilos.  But I'm making the most of it now :)

These pics are from a shopping spree on 30 October 2011.  

The far right dress is what I wore to the

12WBT Sydney finale party 10 December 2011.

My brain needs to catch up to my body

I just had a light bulb moment (& this isn't meant to offend anyone so apologies in advance).
I just went to click on the link http://www.1millionkilochallenge.com.au/10-week-challenge
to check it out and possibly register. Its a free weight loss challenge initiative.  Then I thought "you have no weight to lose, you can't contribute to this".

Now THAT is something I have not come across before!!!  

I have been over weight all my life so i have always been interested in weight loss articles/programs/promotions. Now they don't apply to me and I keep forgetting.  I have started getting into the fitness & strength  articles/programs/subscriptions  so my mind is slowly shifting and adjusting to the here & now me :)

A weird and exciting moment for me so I thought I'd share :)

Oh, and if you can't afford the best program in the world to change your lifestyle (www.12wbt.com) then maybe give the 1 Million Kilo Challenge a go.  What have you got to lose??

Moments to look forward to with 12WBT

I took a step back in time to reflect on the last 12 months.  Where am I now and what did I experience on the way.  It took about 5 months of consistent healthy eating and exercise to make a noticable difference to my life. 
I have put together a list of wonderful moments I have experienced and blogged about each month thanks to 12WBT.  Hopefully you will experience some lovely moments too on your journey to a fitter and healthier you.

June 2011
http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2011/06/compliments-everywhere.html

July 2011
http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-fit-into-jayjays-jeans.html

Aug 2011
http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2011/08/12wbt-round-2-highlights.html

Sept 2011
http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2011/09/weather-doesnt-influence-my-moods.html

Oct 2011
http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2011/10/westfield-model-for-night-281011-yes-me.html

Nov 2011
http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2011/11/work-christmas-party-26-nov-11.html

Dec 2011
http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2011/12/48-kilos-gone-in-9-months.html

Jan 2012
http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2012/01/hmmm-word-inspirational.html

Hmmm the word "Inspirational"...

This one is for Jacqueline.  Thanks for "inspiring" me to write down these thoughts.

I have had a few conversations with fellow 12WBT members about the word "inspirational".  I'm not a fan of the word.  It is really overwhelming and difficult to understand when directed at you.  It's still a tricky one for me to grasp.  However, I am more than happy to give credit to those that inspire me.  Just hear me out :)

Angela Wallace is the number one inspirational role model to me and has been since I joined Round 2 2011.  I followed her, Kate Mackie and Clinton Barker (followed Clint on the forums as his posts were funny and he was having great results).  To my great surprise Angela recognized me at round 2 finale workout and I was star-struck talking to her for 20 minutes with my sister at the party before the presentations.  I was totally flabbergasted to be sharing the stage with Kate & Clint an hour later.  I knew so much about them through the 12WBT virtual world and thought they were amazing in Round 2, yet I won the top transformation prize...  How does THAT happen???  Still makes no sense to me.

And just a little side story for you.  Whenever I hear 'I Gotta Feeling' by the Black Eyed Peas lyrics "I gotta feeling, that tonight's gonna be a good night..." and 'Forever' by Chris Brown lyrics "It's like I've waited my whole life for this one night..." I STILL get overwhelmed and teary as my mind takes me back to 20 August 2011 at The Hilton Ballroom Brisbane where I received that unbelievable honor from Michelle Bridges.  They were both Pump tracks in a class I attended a week after finale and I cried through both of them!  Luckily they were chest and abs tracks so I was lying down and nobody saw!!! 

Ok, back to the "inspiring" word.

I'm just a really determined individual that does exactly what Michelle Bridges says.  I don't find that inspiring, to me it's just what I do.  But then again, I used to do nothing so something has changed for the better.

I don't fight "the inspiring label" anymore (I used to but it takes a lot of energy to convince people that I am not inspiring and the conversation can go pear-shaped quickly!).  So now I just smile and say "thank you".  If they ask questions I answer them and I'm honest.  I tell them it's hard work, you need a strong mind and want to actually make a change.

After giving it a lot of thought I have come up with this statement:

"If the achievements during your personal journey, no matter how great or small, can influence just one other person to improve their lifestyle, then you are an inspiring person".

Don't fight it.  Just smile and accept it :)

Going Solo Week 6 Weigh In

Stats

Heaviest weight 109.6kg

Ideal weight 62 to 65kg

Last week's weight 62.4kg

Today's weight 60.9kg

Body fat 26.5%

This week I lost 1.5kg

Going Solo Week 1-6 weight loss 0.7kg

48 week weight loss 48.7kg (44.43%)

Summary

This week's loss is not a true reflection of where I am at.  I was at home ill yesterday. I slept all day and ate very little.  I would not have lost 1.5kg this week if I had of consumed my usual calories yesterday. Therefore I expect to put on weight by next week.

I only trained once this week. That's disappointing but it's out of my control at the moment so I am not beating myself up about it.

I have recruited more friends and colleagues to 12WBT Round 1 which is very exciting.  I can't wait for them to share the journey with us.  They are all nervous / excited and it's so cute to see!  

See you in pre-season!

12 Tips to Make It Happen

I got this from Craig Harper, a motivational speaker. It's raw and rough but oh so true. I have them on my wall at work as a reminder.
http://www.craigharper.com.au/

1. Don’t eat what you don’t need.
2. Stop doing what doesn’t work.
3. In most instances, the solution is you.
4. Getting offended is optional. As is getting off your fat arse. See how that works?
5. Changing fifty things at once is a bad plan.
6. Knowing isn’t doing. Do more.
7. Joining a gym isn’t attending a gym.
8. Being smart is not the same as doing smart.
9. Intentions aren’t actions. Stop intending.
10. You won’t undo three decades of bad choices in three weeks. Be realistic.
11. Be more committed to success than comfort.
12. Control your controllables and let go of the rest.

What are YOU waiting For??

I'm proof that if you do exactly what Mish says you will get results.  Stop thinking about it and just fricken do it. 

You have to commit to making a change,
it will hurt at times,
you have to plan every day,
you have to forget your old habits and create new ones,
you will accept that junk food is not real food,
not everyone will support you (and that is ok),
you will make great new friends and lose people you thought were your friends,
you will think you can't do it (but you can) and
you won't necessary like everything about it...
but what's the alternative?
Do you want to live like you have in the past? I certainly don't want to be 110 kilos again. 62 kilos suits me soooooooo much better.

It's the choices you make now that will determine the future. Choosing 12WBT now will have awesome outcomes in the future, beyond weight loss. 

You will be a fit, healthy, proud, confident, positive and glowing person. 

You won't be self conscious, you won't be uncomfortable in social situations, you will enjoy summer and going to the beach, you will fit in all the rides at the QLD theme parks, you will be comfortable in aeroplane seats, you wont get puffed out walking up a flight of stairs, you can join in with outdoor sports at family picnics, you can buy clothes in the styles you love instead of having to buy the clothes that fit but you don't really like, you can wear sexy stiletto heels all day long, your legs won't rub together, you will look and feel good in bathers/shorts/singlets, you will take up hobbies that you have always loved but were too large to participate in, you will be able to keep up with the energy levels of your kids, you will love yourself for the first time and you will discover your real personality shines through. 

That all sounds pretty awesome to me.

Stop thinking about it... Choose www.12wbt.com

 

 

Workout 7 Jan 12

I haven't trained for three days as I didn't feel well enough but I woke up feeling ok today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfr-3u47CJA

At Home Drop Sets

Pushups	30
Crunches	30
Pushups	20
Crunches	20
Pushups	10
Crunches	10

Butt Blasters Left	20
Side Planks Left	20
Butt Blasters Right	20
Side Planks Right	20
Butt Blasters Left	15
Side Planks Left	15
Butt Blasters Right	15
Side Planks Right	15
Butt Blasters Left	10
Side Planks Left	10
Butt Blasters Right	10
Side Planks Right	10
Butt Blasters Left	5
Side Planks Left	5
Butt Blasters Right	5
Side Planks Right	5

Star Jumps	50
Crunches	50
Star Jumps	40
Crunches	40
Star Jumps	30
Crunches	30
Star Jumps	20
Crunches	20
Push Ups	10
Star Jumps	10
Crunches	10
Push Ups	10

Crunches Total for Mish's Challenge 210

Push Ups Total for Mish's Challenge 80

303 cals

33 mins

Going Solo Week 5 Weigh In

Stats

Heaviest weight 109.6kg

Ideal weight 62 to 65kg

Today's weight 62.4kg

Body fat 27.0%

This fortnight gained 1.3kg

Going Solo Week 1-5 weight gain 0.8kg

47 week weight loss 47.2kg (43.07%)

Summary

Happy New Year!

Five weeks of going solo and wow I have yoyoed!  My aim was to drop under my ideal weight before Christmas (I dropped to 61.1kg on 21 Dec 11) so I could enjoy some treats… SOME TREATS not excessive white chocolate rocky road!!!  I was away at the beach with family for nine days around Christmas and the pantry wasn't that cleanly stocked.  However, I could have chosen not to eat certain things - that part was in my control.  Unfortunatley I chose to take the weak path rather than the sensible path.  I am back to planarama this week (http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2011/07/planarama.html) and it feels really good being back in control with a clean pantry.

The great news is that I am in my personal ideal weight range of 62 to 65kg.  It feels good and it feels normal.

I have managed 6 x 30minutes light training sessions over the last three weeks on days that I woke up feeling ok.  It felt GREAT to train!  Can't wait to get my health back to 100% so I can rip into the Lean and Strong program in Round 1 2012.  I am signed up and ready to go!

Virtual Fashion Parade

It's not too late to join.  Be a Model for a Week.

Next time you prepare to train, take a pic in your favourite gear and upload it to my Facebook page so you can join the catwalk of workout gear.  Here are the details:

http://splasharama.blogspot.com/2012/01/virtual-fashion-parade-2-to-8-january.html

Summary Chart

Workout 3 Jan 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9uJ9fPQpkY


5 laps jogging around the block
200 basic crunches

251 cals
37 minutes

Splash's Personal Workout Challenge January 2012

As you may or may not know, I have an illness that causes me to fatigue quickly and lose strength in my upper body. I have had it since October and I will hopefully be all better by the end of January 2012. I didn't train at all for about 2 months (my body just couldnt do it) and did 3 light training sessions before Christmas.

My January Workout Challenge is to be well enough to:
- Train for 30 mins or 250 calories for a minimum of three times per week.

After each work out I will blog or vlog my workout to stay accountable.

I have also committed to Mish's 100 Push Up & 200 Sit Up Challenges on Facebook to keep me accountable.

I have found it is easy to use my illness as an excuse not to train. Don't get me wrong, most days over the last 3 months I have genuinely not been able to. I only experienced 2 full days where I could actually function properly/normally for the whole day. All other days I would need to rest at some stage as my body would get tired and achy.

Excuses are behind me now. If I wake up feeling ok, I will train and get it out if the way! Evenings are not an option as my body is usually tired by 3pm.

What's your January Challenge? How are you preparing for 12WBT Round 1 2012? What are you committing to in order to conquer 2012?