Here we go. It is week 8 and I’m going to reassess my goals again. Here were my goals from last month and little comments:

• Lose 1.5kg – Weigh in is tomorrow, I’m hoping that I get this goal. I am already 1.1kg down beyond my goal weight and starting to see things take shape.
• Finish 10km run at Gold Coast in 1hr 20mins – Done! 1hr 7mins. SMASHED!
• Do a chin-up to prove I can do them – Well still haven’t really done 1 but have attempted jumping chins and able to get the reps out although not so graceful.
• Keep working with heavier weights wherever I can – Done!
• Complete new website layout! – You’re looking at it!

My goals for next month are:

• Maintain weight lost
  I have started upping my calories having extra snacks. As you may have read, have been struggling with that and listened to the live video today and might try adding calories in my main meal. Going to be tricky but we will see. I have also found more nutritious and higher protein snacks to get me by.
• 15 push-ups on toes
• Keep working with heavier weights. Try to chest press 1 set with 8kg dumbbells with good form.
• Buy a pair of size 6 pants (0_0)
• Get body fat to 18% based on my scales (not entirely accurate but at least a gauge until I get it done properly)

I hope to accomplish this in the next 4 weeks. I’m worried I may not get there in terms of certain strength goals. I am feeling a lot of un-love from some friends in terms of how they see me. I keep getting the whole “just eat whatever you want, you deserve it”. It was precisely this mentality that got me to my lowest point in the first place and the whole point of why I took up this challenge, to cultivate good habits. I don’t deny myself treats, I negotiate, I lay by, I do everything I can to make sure I eat clean. It appears that some of my guy friends (in particular) can’t get it that I can’t live the way that they do. I am a person that can put on weight in the blink of an eye, even with exercise (important point to make is that I was the same weight for 2 years (overweight BMI) trying hard to look good but never worked because of my nutrition and lifestyle, then slowed down exercise and got heavy). I just hope these friends don’t sabotage the hard work I have put in the last 5 months because I will get mad. I still can’t believe after all this time, I still get this sort of crap from my friends. They just don’t get it. I think it might be time to move on. The point now isn’t weight loss. It’s about living clean, being healthy and strong as I can be. I just want to look and feel great!!

Enough of the rant because it just makes my blood boil. Now I leave you with some pretty pictures!

A bit behind with the blogging challenge but here it goes.

BLOG CHALLENGE # 4 – The things I want to say to me

I’m not sure where you are right now?

Are you on top of the world. Do you have that awesome – wish you could bottle it – on top of the world feeling?

Or are you struggling? Do you know you deserve better and you are trying to find your way forward?

I want you to write yourself a letter entitled “The things I want to say to me”

Use your letter to help you remember how awesome right now is. Encourage yourself. Pat yourself on the back.

Or if you are struggling confirm to yourself how much you deserve better. Be kind but tough to yourself. Reestablish the reasons why YOU DESERVE this. Find that fighter within.

The biggest rule is … you have to build yourself up in this letter. Not knock yourself down.

You guys inspire me soooo much! I can’t wait to read your letters!

Dear Lindsay,

Congratulations on getting this far. Really, the drive and determination is a real inspiration. I can’t believe you have done this and it is really paying off. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’ve proven that you can do anything you set your mind to. You know you can run 10km in over an hour. You can do 10 push-ups on your toes and heck your back isn’t as bad as it used to be. Everyone is so impressed with your commitment and the results you have achieved. I think it is time to let go of your perfectionism and just keep doing what you are doing. Give yourself a hug and pat on the back. You deserve the results you have achieved today. Smile and soak up the compliments.

Love,

Me.

I took part in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon 10km run that they have as part of the event. It has to be one of the best organised running events I have taken part in on my second outing. This year they split up all the running events so that the longer distance events were held on Sunday and the shorter family events on Saturday. My colleague, Pam and I drove down after work on Friday as our event was on Saturday morning. Got a little lost on the way down (meaning we missed the exit and had to navigate through Robina). It was funny and didn’t dampen our mood. Just increased our hunger! Checked in, ate and rested.

Morning of the race, alarm goes off. Snoozed about 2 times before realising I had to get up. Got ready. Pam had set the alarm using the clock in the room. It never rang! Thank goodness I had set my phone! Got fed and drove down to Southport. Parking NO PROBLEM! Ah, I think it was a great idea they separated the events. We had heaps of time to wander over to the start line and warm up. 7.45am gun fires and we are off. Well… walking pace. Too many people. Stuck in the pack. Weaving through people. I ended up losing Pam at around the 2.5km mark as I get held up by the slower runners. Then BAM. Stitch! Ahhh, I was somewhat relieved it didn’t happen earlier but pissed it even happened because the pace I was at was really good. Anyway, had to slow down a few times and at the 8km mark, I’m looking at my watch, 55mins. Argh RUN FASTER! The moment I did, stitch kicked in again. Tried deep breathing, not working. Annoyed. Keep shuffling and walking. Last KM, picked up the pace and ran through the pain. I see the point to turn in to the finish line. I see the sign, 270m to go. Start running faster and get slowed down AGAIN by the slower runners. Squeeze past and make it to the finish line. AH. I thought I was going to pass out in the last hundred metres because I pushed really hard. I checked my watch. Heartrate was maxed out to187! Amazed. Check time. 1hr 8mins. WOW. I never ran that fast for a 10km run EVER. Best run ever. I think I could’ve been faster if I didn’t have my stitch problem. Anyway, after seeing all my friends who did the half doing so well, I feel like I want to do that too but at the same time I am so over running! LOL. Dilemma! Oh well, we will see….