The Diva and the Pineapple.

So I did the Discovery Walk the Talk and there were thousands of people ahead of me, good news is that there were thousands of people behind me too :)

Faizel has this cool application on his cellphone, its called Sports Tracker and he makes sure that our training sessions and events are recorded each time.

He always sends me the stats and yes, Faizel is the one who takes all the pictures. Its like having my own paparazzi following me everywhere. This time I was spotted in the crowds with a "Peculiar Pineapple"...

I completed the Discovery WTT 8km course in the following times for the last 3 years respectively:

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2007 - 01:58
2008 - 01:31:53
2009 -01:29:03

I managed to shave off a whole 2 minutes 50 seconds from my previous year's time. My average pace was 9 min 29 sec per km as opposed to last year's 10 min 5s per km. I was so focused and intent on improving my time, that for a short while I was walking by myself ahead of Faizel and my family. They caught up with me when I reached the hills. From the attached stats, one can see that even though my fastest lap was 8min 20 sec per km in 2008, my lap times in 2009 was more consistent, except for at the start when one needs to find a gap to walk lest you make someone fall.

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The 8km event was fun to do and yet still challenging, and if I look back to where I've been and where I'm at now, I've come a long way. This is one way of staying positive, when all other progress, like losing a few grams seems so negligible. This week, I lost 400g, putting me now at 84.05kg. Another way to stay positive, is to think positive. I'm gonna think "sexy, gorgeous, voluptuous Diva"...I already have the paparazzi following me and my 2 seconds of fame on TV :)

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W

Battle of the Scales...

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Another week gone, another 450g down, I'm at 84.45kg, officially. Today, I had to wake up really early (and for those of you who know me, will know that I am NOT a morning person) to go to the gym, to weigh myself on the "official scale". I was at gym last night and forgot to do my weigh-in on the "official scale", but I did weigh myself on the "Virgin Healthzone scale" (just to accumulate points of course). I was shocked and started justifying why the scale suddenly went above 85kg, it was frustrating because as much as I had good food over the weekend, I had worked my backside off (you may take that literally) trying to increase my fitness levels.

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I actually went to gym twice last week, completed a 10km run/walk and had a 45 min squash session but yet, the weight loss is slow. Now one might argue that I'm building muscle (I know I am) or that it was the time of day that I weigh myself, use water retention as another reason or even mention that I was layered with too many clothes on the "Virgin Healthzone scale". But, just to confuse things a little more, I weighed myself on Faizel's little mechanical scale too over the weekend, and it said 82kg! Faizel congratulated me and said that its been a good week, but I was sceptical and was proven right...its not over until the Fat Lady has sung, or more appropriately, its not over until the Fat Lady gets on the "official scale"...

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So why do we do this to ourselves? We have this love-hate relationship with scales, we love the ones that show us what we want to see, and hate the ones that don't OR, we just don't get onto them at all. So, the battle may be lost on the scale, but the war is won by my reducing waistline!

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W

Absence makes the heart grow fonder...NOT! (It makes the hips grow wider)

Hi All,

I've been quiet for a while now, and not as diligent as I should be when it comes to the updates. Thanks to everyone who has enquired about my status and also motivated me to continue, I do appreciate that you're expressing an interest in my cause and in my life.

From my last update, I informed you all that I would go for the Vitality Health Assessment and a Zumba class. I kept true to my word and did both. From the results of the assessment, you'll see that I still have a long way to go in terms of getting fit and healthier. Not everything is doom and gloom, I thoroughly enjoyed the Zumba class and loved the rythms and the hips swaying and the busts moving seductively (picture Beyoncè and her most daring dance moves here).

I've been absent from gym for a while after my Zumba class and my absence made me pick up a little weight. I'm currently at 84.9 kg. I have started following a new work-out plan that incorporates cardio and weight training, this specially adapted for me by my biokineticist.

Yesterday, 12 July 2009, I completed my second Pirates 10km race. It was a good route, with uphills within the first 5km and then downhill for most of the second 5km. I didn't go as fast as I wanted to, but did keep a steady pace...jogging that is. I even managed to run uphill and have a conversation with Faizel and other passers-by (and they do pass me). The thing I enjoy most at these races are the camaraderie amongst all the people. The bonding between family, the people you often meet at other races, people on whom you've made such an impression, that they still remember you after a year (even if you don't remember them at first) and can compliment you on your weight loss (Thanks Linda!) and most of all, the organisers, cheering you on, getting excited when they see you working hard at it and shouting "Good on you girl, keep it up". My time for this 10 km is: 1h 44 min. On 26 July 2009, we'll be doing the Discovery WTT, its going to be fun because most of my friends will join me in the walk.

Till next week (I promise)...

W