SUE CANAL Blog

When I signed up for the Ultimate Fat Loss Package with Get Active Online, I had been unsuccessfully “trying” to lose weight. My pattern was a well practised repetition of making a plan, following it for 3 days and going off track, then feeling like a failure and having some food and wine to feel better. I ate healthy foods, but was eating too much and not exercising. Instead of weight loss what I was achieving was weight gain and a pattern of failure so I felt terrible. I lead a busy life and just wished I could have someone else do it for me. I knew enough was enough when I weighed myself and was almost 68kg! A 7kg weight gain and my clothes were tight and I was tired and run down. It was about then that I received an email from Hilds talking about getting in shape for Christmas. As a former customer of Get Active Online, I remembered how well I had done during the 9 weeks I had followed the program in the past, until I quit before the 12 weeks were up.... It was almost 12 weeks until Christmas so I thought what better time than now to get in shape for Christmas and my holiday to New Zealand. But what would make it different this time?

When I received my program it was so great to have all the thinking already done for me. Being aware of my pattern of quitting I decided I needed to plan for success. I developed a business plan all about me (which was weird as I was used to being all about everyone else). Key learning 1 – “Put yourself first”, no one else will and you must schedule in exercise and plan your meals to succeed. My plan was developed in a powerpoint with a vision, mission, outcomes and strategies and I included lots of pictures that represented what I thought was slightly unachievable (I did this as an experiment – if it works for business it can work for me). I kept my personal business plan in a folder with my program and various success stories that eventually helped me realise what I was doing was very much achievable. It helped me stay focused each week and when I was feeling bad I read over my folder for inspiration and to remind me to keep going. Hilds was there all along the way encouraging me at every step and helping me to refocus, challenge myself and know I could do it.

I followed my food and exercise plan each week consistently, but not perfectly. Key learning 2 – “Be consistent and flexible” - don’t expect to be perfect (that’s not necessary and sets you up for disappointment!). If things don’t work out as they often don’t, just reset the compass and start afresh. Each week I measured myself and weighed in – some weeks were disappointing but most weeks I was amazed at my progress. It took a while for me to see in the mirror the results I was feeling in my body. I was stronger, standing straighter and my hips weren’t aching any more. Wow! People were commenting that I looked really well and I was learning so much about myself mentally during exercise sessions. I had to coach myself to keep going and “just do one more hill” and then “one more rep” – it was learning in practice that “the journey is so much more important than the destination” (Key learning 3). In the last few weeks my mind was still not convinced I was going to get to my goal. I still had 3 kgs to go and logically couldn’t understand that it was possible.

Remembering my tendency to allow my mind to convince me it was “too hard” I was “too tired”, it “wasn’t possible’, or whatever other excuses I used to make – I made a firm resolution to “just do it”, stay focused on my goal and follow my program no matter what the outcome actually was. It was then I realised I had already achieved success because this was my greatest learning – “keep going until you reach your destination”.

The last 2 weeks were quite hectic leading up to Christmas. I wasn’t sure I would look good in my after photos (especially in a bikini!) and wasn’t sure I would be “successful”. On the last day I was astounded that I weighed in at 61.3kg – a 7.3kg loss in 12 weeks. When I reviewed my after photos I was so impressed that I actually looked like “that” in a bikini and had made that transformation in just 12 weeks. The program has changed my attitude and behaviour to food and exercise so that healthy living has become a way of life, not just a temporary change to reach a goal. It was all thanks to the program Hilds designed for me which I then put into action consistently. I can’t recommend Hilds highly enough and honestly if I can do this at 44yo anyone can!!

Posted By hilde on Friday 20th January 2012 @ 15:21:25

Updated : Wednesday 25th January 2012 @ 18:20:15 | Words : 853 | Views : 498 | Comments : 0

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