12WBT Preseason task 3 - Goal setting

It's goal setting time!

Do you make New Year's Resolutions and don't stick to them?  I'm guilty of this too, and often it's because we don't make specific resolutions - just general, "lose weight", "get fit" etc.  But because they aren't specific, we don't have any clear plan as to how to achieve them.

One thing Michelle advocates in the 12WBT, but I have also seen many times in corporate training etc, is to make your goals SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Based).

Due to the set-backs I had during Round 2, I really didn't achieve any of the goals I had set for myself.  So some of my goals are the same as previously.

MY GOALS

By the end of the 12 weeks:

1. Lose 8 kg
2. Lose 25 cm (this is a combination of my waist, chest, hips, and both thighs).

3. Jog/Run 5km without stopping (average minimum speed of 9km per hour)

Longer-term running goals:

• Complete the City 2 Surf in 2012
• Complete the Gold Coast half marathon in 2012
• Complete the Disney half marathon (or full marathon) in either 2013 or 2014 - this is a much longer term goal, but involves travelling to Florida! 

12WBT Preseason task 2 - Get real

Pre-season Task 2 - what excuses to you make to avoid exercise?  To eat junk?

I'm too tired?  Too busy? It's just the one time?  I'll start the diet tomorrow?  1 bad meal won't kill me? 

Well I have used all of the above.

I was reading back over my posts from the start of Round 2 yesterday, and realised that I used a lot of the excuses I identified at the start of the round during the round.

Michelle did a really useful video and explained the different types of excuses we use - internal excuses, external excuses which are in your control, and external excuses which are out of your control.

A lot of my excuses are going to be the same as those I identified at the start of Round 2, so I apologise for any re-hashing! I obviously need to focus on how to overcome them!

INTERNAL EXCUSES

The Excuse: I'm too tired
Why I use it: At the end of last year, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, (which ironically enough, is not related to my weight).  Suddenly, it was like I had my perfect excuse.  "It's not my fault I"m always tired".  "I can't be expected to get up early".  Yes, I do have sleep apnea, but I now have a special retainer, which has significantly reduced my sleep apnea (gone from 14 episodes an hour to 7 episodes an hour).
The problem is, I'm still always tired.  My sleep specialist thinks I have idiopathic hypersomnalence (that's a whole other post in itself).

I also have to accept though the role healthy eating and exercise play.  I don't get enough vitamins, I do have low iron levels.  AND, I also stay up far too late, sometimes working, but other times doing nothing productive.

How to "get over it": Keep in touch with my doctors about my sleep disorders.  Stick the diet plan so I’m eating a balanced diet, take iron tablets and vitamins.  Go to bed earlier.  Set my alarm and GET UP when it goes off.  Realise how much time I waste in the day and how that could be put to better use.

The Excuse: I'm don't have THAT much weight to lose / I look okay etc. 
Why I use it: I have already lost a lot of weight, and now I am in my healthy weight range.  I wear fairly small clothes (I'm very short so even at my heaviest when I was obese, I was only a size 12-14).  People I work with say that I don't need to lose more weight. 
How to "get over it": Remember that it's how I see myself, not how others see me.  Acknowledge that I have come a long way but I'm not at my end goal, and in the past that has what has caused me to start putting weight on again, feeling like I have never achieved the final hurdle.  Pull out the clothes I want to fit into, and also my "fat pants" to remember I never want to go back to my heaviest weight.  Also keep in mind I'm not doing this just to lose weight, but also to increase my fitness and improve my health.

The Excuse: I'll start tomorrow.
Why I use it: Because I don't want to face the challenge ahead.
How to "get over it": Repeat to myself "Tomorrow never comes"!

EXTERNAL EXCUSES WITHIN MY CONTROL

The Excuse: I'm busy at work.
Why I use it: I have a full-time job as well as doing some consulting work, and am working on my PhD. 
How to "get over it": See the "I'm Tired" excuse - I will get home and waste a lot of time. Yes, occasionally there will be days where I work 12+ hours (and occasionally up to 18!) but these are few and far between.  If I don't feel I have time to go to the gym, put on my sneakers and go for a jog outside - some exercise is better than none!

EXTERNAL EXCUSES OUTSIDE MY CONTROL

The Excuse: Illness / injury
Why I use it: During Round 2 I had two bouts of tonsillitis, the first time I was sick for 2 weeks and the second time for 3 weeks.  Then there was also my great attempt to learn to roller skate (one of my Round 2 goals), and hurt my back, meaning for about 2 weeks even walking was painful.  In Round 3, I am getting my tonsils out, and have been told not to exercise for 2 weeks.
How to "get over it": Well, this is one of those time when you can't just ignore the excuse.  BUT, with my tonsils out, the short-term loss of exercise and pain will have long-term benefits.  Remember than the main part of losing weight is diet, and particularly after having my tonsils removed, I shouldn't be eating much!  Hoping that will override the lack of exercise during that period.

12WBT Round 3 2011 - Preseason task 1 - introduce yourself

I've signed up again for the 12 Week Body Transformation.  In Round 2, I really didn't achieve the goals I wanted, partly due at times because of my lack of effort, but also due to a mix of travel, injury and illness. 

So I'm back again and this time am going to smash it!

If you read my blog in Round 2 you probably know all the "introductory" stuff, but want to post all the pre-season tasks.

Pre-season task 1 - Introduce yourself

Who am I?
Kathy.  On the 12 WBT forums I am kathb73.  This comes from a combination of my first and last name.  The 73 is not my year of birth, but is based on what Sheldon Cooper (from The Big Bang Theory) says the "best number" is.  You can watch the clip here (I'm a huge Big Bang Theory fan)

Where am I from?

Sydney, New South Wales.  I was born in Sydney, but spent most of my life on the Gold Coast in Queensland, so still travel back there a fair bit as friends and family are up there.  I moved back to Sydney at the start of 2009.

What do you do?

I work full-time at a university.  I also do some part-time consulting and editing work.  In addition to this I've recently started my PhD.  In other words I'm a busy little beaver!

Why are you doing the 12WBT?

I lost a lot of weight in 2009 (just over 20 kilos) but never reached my goal weight, and was still very unfit.  For the first half of 2010 my weight stayed stable, in the 2nd half of 2010 I put back on about 5kg.  I've now finally lost that 5kg again!  But am basically back to where I was at the end of 2009.

I really want to get to my goal weight once and for all, and improve my fitness, which I have never been happy with.

I also love the fact I have made new friends from doing Round 2.

Other interesting facts
I'm a bit of a geek.  Apart from loving The Big Bang Theory I love Star Trek, and recently went to my first Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas.  (I'll be posting pics of that soon, here is one of me with my brother at the convention - no, I don't ordinarily wear a Star Trek uniform!)

I'm also a big kid so while I was in the US, also went to Disneyland and had a blast. 

Long overdue! Vienna, Austria - Part 2

I never ended up posting about my second half of my time in Vienna.  My previous posts about my Europe trip are:

Helsinki, Finland
Vienna, Austria - Part 1

Rust, Austria

After returning from Rust, I had 3 and a half days in Vienna (Sunday through to Wednesday afternoon). Some of this time was spent sightseeing, some was spent working (it was a work trip I added a couple of days of holidays to). 

As I mentioned in my Vienna - Part 1 post, I had been to Vienna last year, so I had seen the three palaces, St Stephen's Cathedral, etc.  What I love about Vienna is that you can see a lot in a short period of time, for example, last year I did see all three palaces in one day, as I only had a day and a half in the city.  However, there is so much to see at each palace you will never run out of things to see or do. 

Sunday and Tuesday were mainly spent working, but Monday and Wednesday I went sightseeing. 

Monday I did the most tacky tourist thing I could think of - Madame Taussads!  I have never been to a Madame Tussauds before, and the one in Vienna was open last year when I was here (it opened in April this year).  It is located at the Prato, which is an amusement park with the big Ferris Wheel - one of the iconic sights in Vienna.  I decided to walk there from my hotel - 6.5 kilometres and about an hour and a half later I arrived. (Ok, I admit, I stopped for a coffee and apple strudel break along the way). 

I wanted to walk, one - to get some much needed exercise in, and two - I like walking when I'm overseas in order to see more things.  I did however get the subway back to the hotel.  I expect the Madame Tussads in Vienna is smaller than a lot of the others .  I have seen photos before comparing celebrities to their wax figures, and some look completely unrealistic.  However, some of the figurines were so life-like it was eerie!

Here are a few of my favourite pics:

Having some needed therapy!

Too busy staring into his eyes to enjoy the coffee!

Will Smith is one of my favourite actors

In the afternoon I had a bit of a wander near my hotel (I was staying near the Parliament) and took some photos. 

Front of parliament

View of Parliament with Rathaus (City Hall) in the background

It is a sad state of affairs when one of the most famous churches in Vienna has to rent out advertising space to a mobile phone company!

Monday night I went on a booked tour - up the Danube Tower and to a Vienna tavern/winery. 

I wasn't too happy with the tour as we spent a lot more time at the tavern/winery which was indicated, and for a non-drinker (with the occasional exception - I'm sure I will indulge in a cocktail in Vegas!) this wouldn't have been my pick.  The views from the Danube Tower are incredible though - because it was summer it was still light when we were there, and I think it would be magical to go later in the night when it was dark to see all the lights. 



Viewing platform at Danube tower

View from Danube Tower

Tavern in the Vienna woods

Wednesday was my final day, I had to leave for the airport late that afternoon and had booked on a half day trip.  (I knew from my experience last year that it is not a good idea to check out of your hotel and then spend the day wandering around the city in 35 degree heat - you really are in need of a shower before getting on a plane)!  The tour (which I booked through Viator) was the Vienna Woods and Mayerling Half Day Trip - and I strongly recommend it!  We visited a historic monastry as well as the largest subterrarian lake in Europe. 

I was in awe at the monastery - the stained glass windows left me speechless.

 

The subterrarian lake is an amazing sight. It is naturally a constant temperature of 9 degree celsius, which was actually a nice way to escape the summer heat! We had a guided through an abandoned mine (it was a working mine before it flooded - forming the underground lake), before taking an incredibly peaceful boat ride on the lake.

 

I had time once the tour finished to enjoy lunch with two of the other guests I had met on the tour,  before heading back to my hotel to collect my luggage and begin my mammoth trip home! 

I'm still alive!

Yes - I'm still alive!!  

It has been FAR too long since I have updated this blog.    This will be a fairly quick post just to update everyone (if I still have any readers!) on what is happening in my life.

Travels
I have quite a few posts to write about my travels - including one more from when I was in Vienna which I still haven't posted.  I returned from Vienna in the middle of July, had two weeks in Australia, then went to the United States for 3 weeks.  (I returned the Saturday just past).   I have no plans for any more overseas trips for the rest of the year, which hopefully will be good for my health and my bank balance!  I will have some interstate trips as a lot of my family and friends live in Queensland.

Health
I arrived back from Vienna with tonsilitis, which was still affecting me when I went to the US.  I was just starting to get better when in the last few days of my US trip I got sick again - this time it is just a cold though.  Still, with my illnesses this year I have had tonsilitis 5 times, and finally have an appointment with an ENT on Thursday to see whether I should be getting my tonsils removed. 

I'm also trying to work out what is happening with my sleep - my sleep specialist thinks I have idiopathic hypersomnalence (which is another post in itself!) but I am yet to have another sleep test to confirm this. I have had to change the test twice so far, because everytime I'm meant to have it I'm sick!

12WBT
Round 2 of the 12 Week Body Transformation finished while I was in the US.  I didn't achieve most of the goals I had set for myself for Round 2 - a combination of being sick, hurting my back, travelling, and sometimes just a lack of effort!  Overall in Round 2 I only lost 3.5kg, but considering my lack of exercise for most of it and all my travelling, I'm still happy with this.

I have signed up for Round 3 which starts on September 12, so will be posting over the coming weeks about that.

Work
Work is busy, partly due to being away for 3 weeks.

Friends/family/etc
The phrase "you pick your friends but you can't pick your family" comes to mine - there has been a lot of family drama of late.  I'm trying make an effort to see friends more and be more social, as I have a tendency to retreat into my own shell when things aren't going well.

I hope everything is going well for everyone, and I look forward on catching up on everyone's blogs!