I was given my entry form a couple of days ago to submit for the 12 week transformation challenge as run by Club Physical Gyms in New Zealand, as I have reached the end of the challenge!  And having read the entry form, there is no way I will be submitting my entry.  They have a clause which reads:

“I agree to give my full and unrestricted permission for Club Physical to utilise my photos and details of my entry for advertising and PR purposes and newsletters should it wish.  There will be no time limit on this.  I understand that by completing this entry and I am in agreement.  This is a condition of entry…”

What????  They can use my image, and details of my entry (including name, etc) for as long as they want, with no restrictions?  LIKE HELL!!!  Imagine, walking down the street and there on a giant billboard is my former flabby self, with my current hot look as well.  And my name plastered all over it.  NO WAY!

Besides, what do I gain by entering?  Check out the prizes (my comments in brackets).  Please note, you only win one of these prizes, not all of them!

• One week with a new car (eh?  I already have a new car, and would have to pay extra parking for a 2nd…)
• Two nights in a lodge in Whitianga.
• Hubbard Food packs (oh, I can barely contain myself, free cereal?  Oh please!)
• Pro-active nutrition packs (sounds awful)
• 12 month subscription to Fitness Life Magazine (I don’t read or like fitness magazines)
• $50 voucher for lunch at Cornwall Park Restaurant
• Nutrition Packs from MAXX Essentials (Who, what? ew!!!)
• Nutrition Packs from PVL (again, sounds like something the army would issue…)
• Four x Irene’s Beauty Treatments (oh great, I can get a wax, every guys dream…)
• River Rat rafting adventure (that one is kinda cool)
• 6 x Private Training sessions  (nice prize, but I prefer cardio, not into weights so much, injured myself pretty badly doing private training)
• Those who reduce waist by 10kg or more get free makeover photo shoot (yes, so they have nicer images of you to plaster all over their advertising etc)
• 3 x 12 week transformation challenges for friends (I won’t recommend the challenge per se, see my further rant below)
• 2 nights in Absolute Lakeview (motel?) Taupo (not really my thing, travelling there will cost as much as the prize value)
• And of course MEDALS (Bronze, silver or gold…woop woop)

I have to say, none of those prizes would justify me giving total and unrestricted use of my image to a company to promote themselves.  10 years from now I could see my former bulging self in a newspaper advert.  Jerry might sell his soul to Subway, but there is no way I am selling mine to a gym company.  As such, I am not submitting my entry.

Oh and get this – the prize ceremony (at one of the gyms on North Shore) requires you to pay a $5 entry fee as well!!  Marketing gone mad…

So, what do I think about the 12 week transformation challenge?

Positives

• I have lost over 16kg (35 pounds) in 12 weeks
• I now have a healthy lifestyle

BUT, I must point out, that had I joined the gym, and purchased private training sessions, this result would have been identical.

Negatives

• To enter, you must sell your soul to the gym
• COST = $895.  Had I joined the gym and paid for the 12 x 30 minute sessions, would have cost $360 (training) and $250 or so (membership) = Total $610.  What was the other almost $300 for?  A book!  Apparently there were group sessions with other contestants available, just not at the particular gym I went to…riiight.  So yes, a great marketing ploy to get more $$ for gym.
• My assigned Trainer did not even understand the program or how it worked:
• - Entry form requires before and after “Lifecycle Fitness Scores”  I have never had this so my entry wouldn’t work anyway
• - Did not know to take my photo holding newspaper, which had I entered would have voided my entry (while still giving the gym unrestricted access to my soul)

My trainer was a top guy (Steve) and I am grateful for his investment in me, without his input, I would not have got off to the start I did.  As he pointed out, he gets nothing from the gym for my 21 week challenge, but I got 12 x 30 minute sessions of his…however, I did pay through the nose for that, so I fully understand why some of the trainers may not be so up to speed with the challenge guidelines, given how little there is in it for them.  He is young, and I did end up getting pretty badly injured from working out, but hey, I was in terrible shape before hand, so I guess that was inevitable.  I would still happily recommend Steve to anyone, he has a great sense of humour and does get results.  It is not his fault the expectation from the slick marketing of the 12 week transformation challenge far outweighed the actual implementation of it.  Slick marketing, poor execution.  And they can’t blame the gym, they have been awesome.  It is just the challenge is a marketing ploy, nothing more, and having to sell your image to enter it is plain over the top.

Conclusion

The 12 week transformation challenge is nothing but a huge marketing ploy to get people to one of the many Club Physical Gyms that dot the landscape.  The execution of the program is nowhere near as strong as the marketing of the program, and I fail to see how they justify the extra cost than had I simply joined the gym and paid for training.   And the conditions on the entry form are totally unreasonable, with prizes that cannot justify selling my soul to them.  So all in all, the 12 week transformation challenge gets a huge thumbs down from me.

On the flip side, the gym branch I went to (Lower Albert St Club Physical) is a good gym.  The club manager (Linda) is one of the nicest, welcoming people you could ever meet, and is one of the unsung heroes of the gym.  In fact, all the staff are great.

So, my final verdict.  Join a gym – my one is great, and I recommend it.  But forget the 12 week transformation challenge, as it is purely an expensive marketing gimmick – you can get the results you want without the challenge itself.   Getting involved at the gym, using the classes available, and getting to know the trainers (all very encouraging) and gym staff (such nice people) will give you all the motivation you need to get into shape, and will cost you far less than the 12 week challenge.

My challenge is over in 8 days time.  The great thing for me is that from an over all perspective, I don’t really consider myself to be on a challenge, rather, I am now living a lifestyle that promotes healthy living with ample exercise.  So my challenge may finish, but the gym work and exercise will continue.  No more fat bird!

I feel great, and can wear clothes I have not worn for a long time.  Lucky I am not too worried about fashion, I am a few years out of date!  I tried some of my old fat clothes on.  That really hit home how far I have come.  I could not keep my pants up and the shirts, you could have fit two of me in them.  It looked plain ridiculous.  Yet 11 weeks ago, those clothes were starting to become a little too tight!

So yes, the weight loss has been tremendous.  Better yet is the change in lifestyle, which has resulted in me having more energy, a better general state of mind (I feel much happier in and about myself), and no longer feel self conscious walking down the street.  The self confidence eroded so slowly, I did not notice it going, but now that I feel confident again, it is easy to see how far I had slipped.  I am thankful I have had this opportunity.

Turning back the clock 11 weeks, if someone had said to me, in 11 weeks time you can be 15kg – 33 pounds – lighter, and feel much better with healthier skin, and it would only cost me $500, I would have paid it ten times over.  And never believed it possible.  But here I am.  Not quite at the finish line of the actual challenge, but already feeling like I have conquered.

To anyone struggling out there with weight, and the host of negative emotions and feelings that come bundled with it, never give up on yourself.  I know what it feels like to be in a state where it seems there is no hope, no way back.  But there is.  It happens one step at a time.  And the journey, although having ups and downs, gets progressively easier.

My 12 weeks is almost up.  The new lifestyle I have is not only something I can maintain indefinitely, I enjoy it a heck of a lot more than I did back in the day.

Rant ends.

OK, so today I decided to weigh myself before SPIN class.  This is not an official weigh in but hey, scales are scales!  My starting weight just over 10 weeks ago was 265 pounds – 120 kgs.   Because I had held of weighing myself for a couple of weeks, I was a little nervous.  What if I had put on weight?  What if I had hit a plateau?  It is a strange thing, even now that I can fit clothes I have not worn for years, I STILL FEEL FAT!  This is a mind set I must address, or it will eventually lead me back to that reality.  I wonder how many other people who lose a lot of weight still have the mental baggage and still feel fat?  I will do some reading on this subject over the next while and see what I can find.

Gotta change the mindset

Back to my weigh in… today I was 236 pounds or 107 kgs.   Not bad, that is a loss for 10 weeks of 29 pounds or 13 kgs.  I have to say I am happy with that.

Oh yeah, and SPIN class was awesome.  The instructor has been pushing us hard, especially the regulars, and often jumps off his bike to tweak our resistance higher.   I really work up a sweat, and today I gave everything I had and boy, did I feel great afterward.  Must be getting fitter by now!

So it seems no posts have gone up for a couple of weeks.

I blame my computer, but apparently, it was my own fault.  I have no idea what went wrong, but my last 2 weeks of posts are g o n e.  So I will just give an update…

Easter break is upon us, so SPIN class today was a great way to blast out some calories before the 4 day break.  Sean the SPIN class instructor was back after a few weeks in the US, and to be honest, I had not been to SPIN class since he left, instead doing my own workouts.  So today was tough, I was wheezing, my nose was running.  But I survived. I pushed through and felt great at the end of it.  It amazes me how much fitter I am than when I started this challenge 7 weeks ago.  It started hailing on the way to the gym (yes, hail, and lots of it) so I ran to the gym.  Yes, RAN!  And although it was only a 5 minute run, I was not in the least bit ‘puffed out’.   Have booked a couple of SPIN classes next week as well.  Beats personal training and so far, I have not been injured in SPIN, where-as those three injuries in a week have put me off personal training a little.

Happy Easter to you all, may you have a great (and indulgent free) break!

After being sick for days, I finally feel better – I even went back to the gym today having missed 3 days last week (hey, 2 days at the gym is still better than most people manage!). Even though I was sick, I still managed to do plenty of walking, even if I spent half of it sneezing and coughing. To get sick so soon after being injured in the gym (THREE injuries in a week…my trainer must want me dead!)..really wasn’t part of the game plan.

Better now at last

Gym today was good, although I had no time with my trainer, and even though he knew I normally trained on the Monday, did not attempt to make a time with me. Guess he is busy enough! Not sure if I will carry on training with him, as I am moving to more cardio based workouts, and I hardly need a trainer for that. I will get the trainer to write me out a new program and fill out new measurement forms for me (since he lost the old ones – so organised..not) as my 12 week transformation challenge gives me 30 minutes per week with a trainer. Two weeks ago, I got 15 minutes because he double booked. Last week, I was sick, but did let him know. So I will just use my half hour times to get a decent program prepared (hopefully he is over trying to kill me and it will be a suitable program).

I did weights today, mainly the upper body, though hit the abs and legs a little. My injuries are pretty much better, although my knee is still a little sore. I also did quite a bit of walking – at least two hours – wandering around the inner city looking at buildings (exciting past times I have eh!!).

I have not weighed myself since my last weigh in – when you feel sick, the last thing you want to do is see scales – and I might not stand on them for a while now. I know I am still getting smaller as clothes that I could not fit into before are almost becoming too big now. It really feels good to be in better shape, and although I had a terrible week or so, things are back on track now.

What can I say…I have been busy.  Relatively behaving, although I can’t say I have been pushing as hard these last 9 days.  I have been to the gym every day – apart from today.

My body has been in protest.  First, it was my knee, was getting really sore.  Explained to the trainer that the exercises were hurting it, so eventually he realised I wasn’t trying to get out of exercise (I am paying for it, if I didn’t want to do it, I wouldn’t!)…so hurting me to put any weight on the knee when im bending the leg.  So we focused on upper body.  And would you believe it, my elbow went out – some muscle I have never heard of.  And just as that gets right, my neck goes out.  My body is breaking down!  Now my neck is starting to come right, I wake up sick today – and I very rarely get sick.  So wondering if I need to eat more vege and started taking vitamins again today.

I will go to the gym again tomorrow, do some cardio and light weights.  Have been taking it a bit easier this week, might not be a great weigh in.  Oh, I should post my last weigh in results…

Things have been running too smoothly.  Or so it would seem.  Today I woke up with a sore throat and runny nose – winter must be coming – I had the sniffles.  As if that would prevent me going to the gym.

bad days happen

I had a one hour session with my Trainer, but after a few exercises, my knee started to really hurt – resulting in a slight limp and no more leg exercises.  Great – so we can focus on the upper body.  Getting through an exercise and bang – some muscle near my elbow goes pop.  Found a few more exercises that did not require elbow or knees, but eventually, after 55 minutes, had to call it quits.  My body seemed to be in break down mode today.

As in any journey, there are good days and bad days.  Today was definately not one of the good days in terms of my weight loss challenge!  So rested up for the rest of the day and hopefully will be OK to do some cardio work tomorrow.

Check out my new weight loss ticker. I will update it each week from now on!

Wow, another week of the 12 week transformation challenge draws to a close. Soon I will be starting week 6, so nearly half way through the program. Weight loss this week is looking up – a quick revision of my diet has helped. By cutting down about 15-20% on my food intake, I have noticed I am a little more hungry at times! However, I still seem to have the energy needed to work out like there is no tomorrow! I have added 20 min per day cardio to my workouts – so cardio days (Tuesday.Thursday) have gone from 45 minutes to just over an hour. I add 30 minutes cardio to my workouts on Mon/Wed/Fri as well.

More Cardio for me!

My trainer wanted me to jump on the scales today, midway through my one hour session with him (on that note, get personal training if you want to see results, its better than working out alone). So on the scales I leapt, and he couldn’t quite believe the results. Almost 2kg (4.5 pounds!!)) since Monday at 2pm. Wow. Given last week I barely lost a pound (0.5 kg), it looks like my body has stepped up a gear. I so know what it must feel like for contestants on the Biggest Loser when they hit a wall. And when they burst through it and pull out the big results. So looks like weight loss is well on track meaning no yellow line for me! hehe.

I feel really good this week, even if slightly hungry. It is nice walking down the street and not feeling self conscious about my weight. I no longer feel people are looking and me and silently passing judgement. Ah, the paranoia of the over weight. How I miss it…NOT!

Take Care out there, and if you have started a program, stick with it, it gets easier every day.  Eat well, it helps!

I have been on the 12 week transformation challenge now for 31 days.  One month.  Just over 1/3rd of the way toward the finish of this challenge.  It isn’t really going to finish as such, it is more the begnning of a new chapter in my life – the healthy chapter!  There have been ups and downs, although to be honest, way more ups.  Weight Loss is a little slower than I hoped, but 6kgs (13.2 pounds) is not bad going, and if i extrapolate that out over the 21 week period, I will lose 18kg or 40 pounds.  Which isn’t bad at all, although I want more!!

I'm spending more time on the Exercycle

I have decided to stop posting my daily food and exercise regimes, as they have become a little repetitive and whats th epoint writing the same thing every day!  So instead I will write about the experience and the changes happening in my life as a result of getting in shape.

Today I managed a one hour workout, and then a 15 minute run at the gym.  I am feeling smaller now and some of my old clothes are actually TOO BIG!  Woot!  The greatest thing about what I am doing, is that I can do this forever, this is a lifestyle change I am happy with.  True health can’t be found in a quick fix diet or fad weight loss pill.  It comes from regular exercise, and sensible eating.  It isn’t hard.  Sure, it was hard to begin with as I took my rusty overweight body and kick started it into action.  But now, I feel better when I eat right and when I exercise.  I was a bit skeptical about using a personal trainer, but that has worked out quite well.   He is fun, and even said my face is getting more ‘handsome.’  Who could complain about comments like that?

I am not sure why I call it ‘weigh-in’ as the weight is only a small part of the equation. At least, I am telling myself that after a fairly disappointing result this week. Current weight now 251 pounds (114 kg) down only 1.1 pounds (0.5kg). At least it is still weight loss. However, there is a brighter side of the weekly measurements. Although over the four weeks I have only lost 13.2 pounds (6 kg), the better result is my body fat percentage. When I started four weeks ago, it was 35.3% – yes, over 1/3rd of me was jubbly fat! That percentage is now sitting at 18.67%, so I have nearly halved my jubbliness in four weeks. In the last week alone, it went from 20.49% to 18.67%, so it isn’t as if I am sitting around doing nothing – in fact, I worked pretty hard last week. I am pretty rapt with the body fat percentages, although I do want to see faster weight loss, being as impatient as I am.

Weigh ins are never fun!

Over the last four weeks, my stomach has gone from 46.5″ (118cm) to 43.7″ (111cm). So I am getting smaller. And although I am now in week five, I believe I will get to my target by the end of the 12 week transformation challenge. I decided to change my routine a little and make Friday my weigh in day (so no weigh in until next Friday now) and Monday my 60 minute personal training session. I will do my training session this Friday as well as next Monday, so if I don’t see some better weight loss by the end of it, ARGH! I have also decided to cut back on my meals a little, by reducing the size about 10-15%. Although I have been eating to plan, I want to see if this will have an impact.

My comments to Steve, personal trainer, after my workout with him last Friday, was that it didn’t hurt too much.  WRONG THING TO  SAY!  He made sure this week I would feel the burn!  And feel the burn I did.  I could barely lift my arms over my head by the time he was finished with me.  I thought my arms had turned to jelly.  I have to say it was a great workout.  I recommend people get a personal trainer to help them on their weight loss journey, as you will really get pushed beyond where you think you can manage.  The zone where you make ‘real’ progress is not the warm up, but the last few reps that you are struggling to get out.

This is how I felt after my workout

Steve was funny today – my workout started with me having to piggy back him THEN do steps – he weighs 68kgs, and I had to do three reps of 10 per leg steps!  It must have looked totally hilarious to anyone looking on.  Later in the workout, he forgot how to count.  ONly 4 more..3 more.. 2 more..ok… 2 more..now 2 more.. 1 more.. good.  Hmm.  Hold it for 5 seconds… 5….4…3…2…..2….2….2…..1  or 5…..4…..3…..2….long pause of 10 seconds…..2…..  All in all, a fun workout, but one I am still feeling tonight.  As he said, no workout over the weekend, so my muscles have a couple of days to recover.

I won’t bore you with the whole routine today, suffice to sya, there was a lot of focus on the upper body strength.  Hence the arms of jelly.  Also noticed my right knee has a bit of a twinge, will have to be careful on this.

I have found the last few days pretty tough going.  My motivation had waned, and I was struggling just to get the basics done.  I guess there are going to be good times and bad times!  I am not sure what was causing the decline in motivation – was I bored with the routine?  Was it the disruptions to my routine that caused me to feel like this?  Perhaps it was the change in weather, with Autumn now in full swing, gale force winds and loads of rain.  I do not know the answer, but thankfully, I woke up today feeling much more on top of things.

I went for a walk through Victoria Park this morning.  And later was SPIN class.  I actually enjoy this particular form of exercise torture.  And I must say today I pushed harder than any other SPIN class I have been to.   The instructor, Sean, really went hard.  He had us on level 9 (thats one off maximum resistance, I accidentally dialled 10 anyway) and kept us there for what seemed an eternity.  My legs were burning!  I heard grunting noises and wondered who it was (10 people in the class) before realising it was probably me!  It was an intense workout.  I really thought I was going to have to stop early, but just in the nick of time, he finally gave us the standing climb, which took some pressure off the legs.  We held that for a few minutes as well.  By the end of the class, I was totally spent.  Walking home was an effort, my legs felt rubbery!  If I wanted to know what it felt like to be a Rubber Chicken, today I found out.

So I did not do any crazy acts of self sabotage when the motivation dropped.  I even went to the gym, although it was an effort.  I ate properly (maybe a few too many raisins hehe).  So if that is the downside, then I am going to pull through with flying colours every time.  What was great today – people telling me I had lost loads of weight.  And sure enough, when I looked at an old photo, I was surprised at the fat face staring back!  Change is happening.  7 1/2 more weeks to go for the challenge and for me to hit my goal weight.  Onwards!

Have had a busy couple of days and as such have not updated my blog!  Still on track though, and getting into week four.

Tuesday Gym = 45 minutes of cardio (20 x trainer + 25 treadmill)

Wednesday gym = 45 minute work out – could have done more but ran out of time.

Will update more tomorrow when I have some more time!

Wow, here I am starting week four of the 12 week transformation challenge. Although I was hoping to lose weight faster, the weight loss I have had is considered very good according to my trainer. However, I am going to try eliminating protein shakes from my diet this week, on his advice. I have been fairly rigid in my food intake, but will reduce the portion sizes down a little this week as well.

It is all about portion control

Obviously I need to get the right amount of good calories, so I will not be starving myself, as any weight loss that comes from inadequate food intake is reversed the minute one starts eating normally again. I have not felt hungry that often during the challenge thus far, so maybe my portion sizes have been a little big. Or just maybe, my expectations for weight loss are a little high! Either way, week four, I have made it 22 days now!!! That is longer than any ‘diet’ or exercise regime I tried in the past. Finally, finally, I have found the way back to health!

Food Monday:

• Breakfast = Porridge
• Morning Tea = SKIP
• Lunch = corn + pineapple sandwich (whole grain bread x 2) + orange
• Afternoon Tea = SKIP (got a little busy)
• Dinner = Tuna + boiled frozen vege + brown rice (yay for rice cookers) – lazy man dinner tonight!
• Supper = Raisins (small handful)

I pushed myself very hard from Monday through to Friday last week, including an hour with my personal trainer.  However, Saturday I just walked, and Sunday, I walked even less, only 35 minutes with a jaunt up the stairs.  So not sure if this affects my weekly monday weigh ins but I really need to find a good non-gym cardio workout for Sundays.  If you have any ideas, let me know in the comments!

working out is starting to show results!

The results today were positive, although not as dramatic as they have been.  My body fat percentage, which started out at a crazy 35.3% (I was a flabby fatbird!) is now 20.49%.  Not bad for three weeks.  Weight loss for the week was only 3.3 pounds (1.5kg) bringing my new weight down to 252.4 pounds (114.5kg).  So progress is being made.

I wore a red t-shirt today (not a flattering color on fatbird) and it is not a size or two too big.  When I saw my reflection, I realised I still have a long way to go. For a moment, I experienced the old feeling of “oh no, the goal is too far away!) but then I reminded myself of where I was three weeks ago (heck, it has only been 3 weeks!) and that I felt great and was enjoying life a whole lot more.  The feeling quickly passed and I headed off back to the gym of r a workout where I decided to push a little harder.

So I worked out on the weights for about 50 minutes, with a variety of exercises.  Then I finished it off with 20 minutes on the exercycle.  And I rode hard.  The funny thing is, I am much fitter than I was , and although I am pushing myself harder than I could have even beared three weeks ago, I do not end up as puffed out as I used to.  For example, my heart rate on the bike went from 150 down to 110 in just 3 minutes.  Quick recovery.  But yes, my gym clothes still ended up covered in sweat!  I have to say, I do an awful lot of washing now!!  Thankfully, I am downsizing into some cothes I have not been able to wear for a couple of years.  Beats shopping for more clothes!