Saturday 31 December 2011

New Year, New Me and New DRESSES!

Sarah here :)

Well, Bernie and I started our New Year with a workout with Lesley and Toni from the Perth Crew. It was a fantastic morning where we decided that Bernie's new nickname is Rocky (much better than my previous one from earlier in the week!) and she held a plank for 1 minute! Lesley was standing over her not letting her give up and it was FANTASTIC! We did some shuttle runs, kettle bell exercises and push ups (I managed 31 on my toes!!!) so all in all a great start to the year.

Lesley, Toni and I went on a little shopping expedition which saw me buy a RED dress for our Perth Crew dinner in a few weeks (size 14!!!!), a gorgeous maxi dress for our school ball which is at the start of Feb (I think the 11th) and new bathers (again, SIZE 14!!!!!). We all had success in the dress department and it was so nice to go shopping with supportive girls!

For the end of 2011, I completed the WA Marathon Club's NYE Run along the Swan River near Burswood. I did the 4km run in under 31 minutes which was smashing my expectations (hoping for 35!). I didn't stop and it was a battle for the last 2 km but I just refused to let my mind take over. Tania came alongside me and ran the last 1.5km with me and it was GREAT to have some Perth Crew support.

Then it was off to see in the new year with the runners and walkers plus a few extras at Peta's house. What a FANTASTIC night! I had such a fantastic night with the girls (and a few blokes putting up with us!) and I really couldn't have asked for a better end to the year.

So what is next for me in 2012?

It's all about STRENGTH.

Strength is not giving in to the temptations around me
Strength is not giving up when the going gets tough
Strength is saying NO when I need to
Strength is not allowing other people to dictate how I live my life
Strength is putting myself first
Strength is persevering
Strength is taking a risk

This week Bernie and I have some cool workout plans, which we will VLog about next Friday, so keep an eye out (it's sure to be entertaining and probably have lots of giggling again!). Lesley is going to help me buy a new bike and then I start a 6 week triathlon training course on 10 January so BRING IT ON! Tomorrow is a Perth Crew workout at my place in the morning and Tuesday we are tackling the DNA Tower.

That's it from me for now, but stay cool and stay tuned :)

Sarah

Friday 30 December 2011

Bernie reflects

Oh my goodness. How is it New Years Eve already? It doesn't feel like 5 minutes has passed since I was last thinking that, and anticipating the year ahead (2011 was going to be awesome... I had my wedding ahead of me, my honeymoon - and i'd decided I was finally going to lose all my excess weight and be a slim bride).

Oops.

Well, granted I lost about ten kilos (waved between 4 of them) - am currently 9 kilos down from where I was this time last year. Alas, I was not a slim bride, but I was a happy, happy bride, marrying a man I love. I feel very blessed. But regarding my weight loss... I'm trying to figure out where it went wrong. Why did I not achieve as much as I'd wanted?

Had I set my sights too high? - no.
Had I done the wrong thing? - sometimes.

Let's face it. I did the 12WBT challenge, and at times I did it with gusto. I saw results. But other times? (2011 was an emotional roller coaster) I cut corners. I didn't make time - and I made excuses.

2011 saw me feeling exuberant. Or saw me feeling so so tired.

But oh my goodness. This year I WANT it. This year, I want to be a success story - like our Noala, our Sarahs, our Rebecca, and so many others in PERTH CREW who have done so damn WELL. This coming year I feel a fire in my belly. This year, I want it, I need it. I am GOING to lose those 30 excess kilos. I am going to exercise, do the reading, and eat clean. I am going to participate. I am going to make my health my priority. I HAVE UNRESTRAINED ENTHUSIASM! (hear me roar!).

So, yes. Will leave 2011 with a quote from pg. 7 of my seriously tattered 15 year old copy of "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul" (oh yes... 2012 sees me turning 32).

" After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if
    you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own
    soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you
    flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure...
That you really are strong,
And that you do have worth. "

That section of poem comes from the chapter on relationships. This year, I am focussing on my relationship with myself. I think my metaphorical garden will have lots of sunflowers in it.


HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! xx

Thursday 29 December 2011

Oh Yes WE DID!!!!

We made our first ever video blog :)

Watch it...seriously

It will be an epic 6 minutes of awesomeness :)

It's true...really...


Click here to watch :)

Sarah and Bernie

Monday 26 December 2011

Sarah's Christmas Ramblings

Well Christmas has meant one thing this year...so much food to avoid! The last two weeks of school were the last weeks of Round 3 and I kinda fell off the wagon big time. There was food EVERYWHERE! I wasn't training properly and I was putting absolute crap into my body. So what did I learn? My body does not like that food anymore (if it ever really did!)

So, Christmas day comes around and we have a heap of food in our house. Thankfully I didn't do too badly, even went for a walk in the late arvo before gearing up for the second family do for the day, this time with heaps of extended family. I stayed away from the alcohol in the evening because after 3 glasses at lunch I felt a bit ill.

Boxing Day is TODAY and I decided to make the most of my new Kettle Bell (awesome present from my mum!) and designed a workout for the morning. I did about 25 minutes inside and then headed out for my walk (about 25 minutes around a circular loop my street comes off).

Here is my workout as shared with the 12WBTers on the forums

Warm up (1 minute each exercise)
Ice skaters
Ski jumps
Burpees
Knee ups

Circuit 1(20 reps) - 6 kg KETTLE BELL
Kettle bell swing squats
Squat press
Reverse lunges with kettle bell

Cardio blast (1 minute each exercise)
Ski jumps
Burpees

Circuit 2 (15 reps) - 4kg DUMBBELLS
Dead lifts
Bicep curls
Chest press

Cardio blast (1 minute each exercise)
Knee ups
Butt kickers

Circuit 3 (12 reps) 6kg KETTLE BELL
Stationary lunges with kettle bell
Kettle bell twists
Single arm kettle bell swings

Abs (20 of each)
Medicine ball crunches
Bicycle crunches
Side planks (15 secs approx. each)
Plank (as long as I could hold it but didn’t time)

Cardio - 3km walk

It was a BIG workout but I felt TERRIFIC afterwards! I am looking forward to our Perth Crew workout on Wednesday in Kings Park, my walk with Nat tomorrow and the NYE run and hang out with the Perth Crew to see in the new year - how can you go wrong?!?

Hanging out with Bernie on Wednesday for the Workout so I'm sure we'll be back with new ramblings soon...and on our agenda is finding Bernie a gym! Since I am on holidays I am making it my mission to help her find one - more workouts for me!

2012 is going to be MY YEAR! I am going to eat clean, train hard and have fun! I have a trip to America next December which is a great long term goal to aim for.

Until next time...

Sarah