An apology to all my Sparkfriends!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

The title says it all really - I need to apologise to all of you! I have neglected you terribly. I haven't kept up with my friend feed, I haven't visited your pages and I haven't sent you any goodies, BUT I have thought of you often and wondered how your journeys are going. Please forgive me and be patient with me while I catch up, as I intend to do!

Somehow I lost momentum in logging on and being the good sparker that I was, I broke my exercise streak and I made some poor choices about food and exercise but I didn't derail completely - I made lots of good choices too - it seems that my hard work to change my habits over the last 12 months is beginning to pay off!

As I settle back into sparking I can feel that I've definitely moved into a new phase on my journey. I am still fully committed to my goals, ready to put in the work but somehow I'm more relaxed about it all - maybe it's just the confidence that comes with experience - I know what I need to do to get results, I know that I can do it, I know I will reach my goal and now I know that I no longer need to weigh every spinach leaf, that I can estimate fairly accurately and I can (& do) make good choices most of the time!!

Wherever you are on your journey, keep moving forward, edging nearer to the you that you want to be and be prepared for the surprise of reaching your goals and living the life that you deserve!

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100 Days Exercise Streak

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Woohoo! I made it! One hundred days of exercising every day!

When I joined SP I wasn't exercising at all. I had bought a treadmill and used it inconsistently - I would use it for a week or two and then not for a month or more - I'm guessing you know the pattern! And when I did climb on it was only for 10 minutes a day at the slowest speed!! It's hard to imagine that now!

After joining SP I became more consistent but it was still stop/ start. Initially all I did was walk on the treadmill because that's all I COULD do - don't know whether to be embarrassed to admit that or proud that I've turned it around...

Now I have outgrown the treadmill (gotta go - sorry! ). I walk outside, swim, use the elliptical machine, stationary bike, aerobics step, SP videos ( I LOVE these!!) and do my strength training and make sure I do something every day. My target is a minimum of 10 minutes, some days I struggle to do that , other days I do a couple of hours. Either way I always feel better for exercising!

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9 Months to Create a New Life...

Monday, June 04, 2012

...no, I haven't had a baby but I have DEFINITELY created a new life - mine! I can't believe how my life has changed in such a short time - thank you Sparkguy, SP staff, Sparkfriends, teammates, well, everyone here really - people I don't know or have never met have held out the hand of friendship and supported and encouraged and motivated and inspired me - it's pretty humbling!

So, what's different now?
I drink water (instead of fizzy drinks)
I get my freggies - more than 5 a day (used to struggle to get even 2!)
I eat healthily (used to eat toast and little else!)
I exercise consistently - target is just 10 minutes a day but I usually do more - latest streak is 87 days!
I move more freely - I can bend and twist and reach and climb stairs and have a spring in my step!
I walk more quickly and can keep up with a 'normal' pace (used to struggle with both speed and distance)
I swim regularly (was too embarrassed to go previously)
I go out in public with my head held high (used to avoid going out and want to be invisible)
I don't let what I think others must think of me stop me (used to not do things for fear of failure & ridicule)
I can buy clothes on the High Street (used to need plus size shops)
I wear clothes 5 sizes smaller
I accept and forgive slip ups (used to let them derail me and beat myself up)
I have a sense of achievement every day (used to focus on the things I hadn't done)
I give myself rewards (and compassion!)
I am motivated (used to seem too big a task to even start)
I have a much better quality of life
There are other things I'm sure, basically I think, act and feel differently - I am lighter, not only physically but mentally - I feel free!

The 'me' I want to be is still a work in progress but I'm doing well and am pleased with all that I've achieved so far. Happy 9 month SparkVersary to me!

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It's Here... My New Toy has arrived

Thursday, May 31, 2012

My 2 in 1 Elliptical Cross Trainer & bike arrived today - woohoo!
Got my first workout getting it up the stairs and then a mental workout figuring out how to put it together lol

All successful though so have had a couple of sessions on the elliptical and a session on the bike - loving it!!


Re request for picture...
...haven't got a photo 'cos my phone has gone off for repair :( but here's a link
www.amazon.co.uk/Confidence-Elliptic
al-Cross-Trainer-Bike/dp/B000QZ54MS/re
f=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338541485&sr=8-1

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Goal, but no fireworks...

Sunday, March 18, 2012

maybe I expected too much, maybe I attached too much importance to it... I've finally reached my first goal and thought it would feel different, thought I'd be dancing, euphoric, but no. Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased, of course I am but it's only one pound that makes the difference between reaching your goal or not and that one pound really isn't any more important than the others I have lost. It's the cumulative effect of losing all of them that makes the difference to my life, it's the freedom from the many restrictions of an extra 53lbs that make me want to dance, that keeps me motivated and excited for the journey. The best thing about reaching my goal was setting a new one, not to focus on that last pound and shout GOAL! but because I have a taste of what life could be, and I want more!!

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