The fat lady has sung!

I can't beleive that I'm done. It's finished....unbeleivable!!!! When I started on my journey on January 15th this day seemed lightyears away, and it has been a tough road. Days of hunger, fatigue, aches and pains, but overall it's been fantastic. I feel better than I have ever felt before in my life, and I know it's because I've worked hard for it. All my sacrifices, all my time and all my determination has given me results that I have yearned for for so long, I feel good, I look good and I'm motivated to keep going, staying healthy and fit forever! This truly is only the beginning, but a great one that have taught me so much about myself, and my habits, and about what works and what definitly doesn't work, and my biggest lesson has been this one:

Where there's a will, there's a way! Just beleive that you can do it, you can change and jump in with all you've got!

My last assignement of the PCP was to go back to Week 1 and do the workout I did back then. I was truly surprised, wow, was that really all i did in the beginning. I didn't feel like I had done anything when I was finished, and it took me about 5 minutes to complete. Back in Week 1 I felt it was hard and I remember I dreaded what was ahead of me. So it really does work. I got stronger, tougher and fitter through it all, and I really feel like I'm at my peak...at least close to it. I beleive we can always strive to be better, you never reach the goal, not completely, but I sure feel like Iron Woman right now, and I'm proud of what I have achieved. It felt impossible at one point, but now I'm here. It's finished...I can't beleive it. 3 months has passed, and my confidence is better than ever...move aside world here I come!!!!!

So as I sign off for the last time it's with my two least favorite exercises: The dips and the Push Ups, sorry guys, I just never fell in love with you!!!!!

As the saying goes: It's not over til the fat lady sings, well she just sang: Sayonara my friends!

Observation in the gym!

Patrick gave me a homework assignement. I was to go to a gym and observe the people there to see what their muscles looked like compared to mine. Ok, I have to say that this made me a bit uneasy. I don't like to look at other people when I'm in the gym, but we all do it right. I always feel that everyone else looks so much better than me. This time was a bit different, I went into the gym with more confidence than I normally have, feeling fit myself. Still I think a lot of people looked better than me. Of course everone in there are different. Some are very slim and fit, some were very bulky and fit, and most are there to change like me. So in all I felt at least as fit as everyone in there, and I felt that my muscles looked good and very natural looking. I felt I looked more lean and had muscles that weren't too obvious. The most fantastic result for me during this prosess is that I have gained my confidence back. Before I would feel very small going to work out in a gym, feeling that everyone was better than me, but now I don't care about everyone else, because I feel good, I know I'm fit and I feel like I've found my place.

So move over people, here I come!!!!

Springtime..

Ahhh, spring is here bringing with it sunshine and warm weather. I have been enjoying my garden again, and have just planted flowers outside. So nice, it just transforms our whole house.

It does something to my whole being, and I feel more alive. Getting rid of all the layers of clothes, enjoying barbequing again( finally a break from cooking), and seing the kids playing in the pool. It's such a wonderful time of year.

I can't beleive though that it's only two weeks left of my PCP prosject. It's been so much better than what I could ever imagine, and now I can't wait to see what comes after. That's when my responsibility really begin s, without anyone telling me what to do or what to eat, then my learning truly begins, and I have a lot of faith in myself. It will be great!

Bring it on!

Ok, I have to say I feel great when I put clothes on, go shopping or just look in the mirror these days. At day 1 I never expected to be where I am now. It has been and still is a lot of hard work and disipline which was harder in the beginning, but I still have to grab myself by the neck sometimes and stop whatever I'm about to do...But in the end it's worth it if you get results, and now is the time where I can really see they are coming. I feel awesome and more confident and for that I am so grateful.

My weight hasn't gone down at bit and that truly surprises me when I look at my body, because it is totally changed. It makes all the horrible ab exercises, excrushiatingly hard shoulderpresses, davincis and lunges worth it. I will love to do them anytime now just because I know they work. And as goes for eggwhites....well I used to hate them, still don't find them tasty, but I will eat them everyday if this is what they do....Bring it on, I'm ready!!!!!

Ok, so my stomach looks a lot better....

Ok, my body has changed so all my hard work is paying off after all. My stomach is getting defined and my love handles are completly gone. My legs are definitly tighter and my arms look great, at least to me...

So two sizes down in pants and a slim waist, it can't get better than that, or can it Patrick...

Love-hate relationship!!!

Ok it's official. I hate the plank.....you said I would Patrick, but at the time we did 30 sec reps, now we have 90 sec. It's incerdible that 1,5 minutes can be that hard, but I said it: IT IS SOOOO HARD!!!!

Back in the game!

I'm back in the game. Even though I only flew for two hours and didn't cross any timelines on my way, my body feels totally jetlagged. But I pushed myself and said enough days wandering off the tracks, and I completed my workout. it feels fantastic to be back in the project 100%, and being back on the diet feels invigorating in a way. It's not difficult although I feel that I'm eating like a horse. That was one of the difficulties on holiday, to eat regulary and enough. I didn't eat unhealty or stuffed my face with sweets, I only had trouble finding food at the right times.

So on I go on my lonesome since both my co Pcp ers have taken a break. I hope it's not me guys, I know I'm a smelly fish at times, but hey it can't be that bad....


I look forward to the last three weeks on the journey to my better life, and I will give it everything I got. They say nothing comes for free, so here comes all my blood, sweat and tears!

Oh la la...

Ok, I'm on holiday in Mexico. And I'm NOT doing great with the project, it's not possible to be 100% true to the PCP while in Acapulco. Not so much because of willpower, which I have lost a little bit this week as well, I have to be honest, but just because it's bloody hard to get the right food to the right times....impossible and with people hardly understanding what you say, I ca tell you all that getting an eggwhite after my workout wasn't easy....I have been doing my full workout everyday, and for that I'm very proud, but for the diet that has been neglected a lot....Sorry!!!! I still am commited to completling the PCP, but I just have to be strong from next week and take my losses with a brave smile...It just couldn't be done, but I haven't strayed too far off course though...I have stayed on course with the breakfast, snacks have been whatever we'd find, lunch pretty good, but dinner I have to admit wasn't the smoothie, and I did have some carbs....I know I shouldn't have, but I stayed off the french fries....so until next week...hasta luego!!!!

Yet another setback!!!

The hits just keeps on coming....my way! Just when I have gotten rid of the flu, then I go and cut my hand, so now I can't use my left hand for anything....typical. But at least there are other things I can do, but it's not optimal for my workout....legs and abs are just some parts of the body, but what about the rest?

Hopefully I'll be back to normal in a few days....working out on a beach in Mexico...ahhhh...doesn't sound so bad does it?

Well, next blog I'll keep you updated on how that goes.....hasta la vista, baby!!!

A treat or a threat?

I was just told that we could have another indulgence in the diet. This time from 5-700 calories. I was very surprised by my reaction to this, because last time I planned for a week what I was going to treat on. this time my reaction was that I didn't want to do it. I just thought about how many hours I would have to work out to get it off again. I did have a cookie that I have been eyeing for a while and a handful of small licorice pieces, but what it did was make me throw up. It was a small amount of the calories that I could have had, but it ended up making me loose my lunch, so it was a complete disaapointment. So I have definitly changed a lot, since I started on this journey. Before I ate these things every single day, but now it makes me sick to think about putting them in my mouth. I would much rather have a handful of raisins or grapes...Funny how that happened!!!!

Yesterday I went to the Houston Rodeo. I had my smoothie dinner before I left, but five hours at the rodeo left me quite hungry. Everyone around me was eating all these yummy foods, but nothing that was part of my diet. I searched desperatly after something I could eat, something green, but nothing was found. It left me so frustrated at the choices of food at these events. They had nachos, hot dogs, pretzels, nuts, pizza and that sort of thing, but nothing remotely healthy. No wonder people get overweight in this society.....When i got home I had a salad, but woke up this morning with the worst headache...

The body is amazing...

No not my body, but THE body. I mean it adapts to anything really. I started out at one point and have now reached another, and now I couldn't even consider to move back. With all the changes, and ups and downs I've been through, I'm still amazed at where I am today. My body is changing in so many ways. It's definitly slimming and tightning, but also smoother skin, better digestion, better habits and less cravings, more willpower and an understanding of making choices...the right ones!!!!

I'm not saying that I will NEVER have a chocolate bar ever again, or NEVER want a bowl of cheetos, but I will think more about it, plan an occasional indulgence rather than have it whenever and in unlimited portions. I will think about consequences and what it actually does to my body, maybe even make decisions to eat stuff that does something for my body instead....

I feel I'm growing and becoming stronger day by day....


So I still stand b my statement, THE BODY IS AMAZING, maybe even mine.....?!?!

Going to lunch!!!!

Today I went to a birthday lunch with my lunchclub. I thought I couldn't eat, but my friends are so considerate these days that they make food I can eat. It was delicious, and eating with others makes the food taste even better.

I think it's so nice because everybody are so interested in what the project is, the consept of it, and wants to know my progress. I feel stronger as well, so even if everyone had a gorgous cake, I wasn't even tempted. It felt so good!

I feel like I'm on my way to a change in lifestyle, it doesn't just feel like a temporary thing anymore. It's not hard to stay on the diet, and it just feels natural to me now. Of course I won't miss my dinner smoothie after these six weeks are over. A proper dinner with my family will be sooooo nice. Now I just cook for them and drink my dinner in peace.....

But I do enjoy the fact that I can keep my social activities alive and well even on this project...it means so much to me to be able to feel part of something, it keeps my focus off what I can't do or have...

Go away cold!

This was the week where things really was going to take off, and I was so ready for it. I was on a roll, and that's usually when something goes wrong....and so it goes! Yesterday I woke up sick, and today even more so. This is just so typical. I had really gotten into the workout routine and the diet had started to get easier for me. Today my body doesn't want to move in any way, everything aches....and my appetite is non-excitent....I have gotten through breakfast and lunch, barely....kinda like forcefeeding, so not the amounts I'm supposed to eat. But with a stuffed nose, nothing tastes like anything...oh, I wish my cold would go away, fast!!!!!

Go away cold!!!!!!

Tested!

I can honestly say that eing social on the PCP is the hardest part. I have been tested to the max this last week. We went to our lovely neighboors last weekend, and I thought I can just eat my food and that will be ok. But not so, everything else looked sooooo good. I actually had to go home and sit in my kitchen and eat alone, then I went back and everyone had dessert....it got to be an early night for me.

Then again this Firday, we were invited home to a colleague of my husband. I brought my salad and felt really good about it. Even thought it tasted delicious when I ate it at the party. I felt really strong with my altime favorite food, indian, and pepperoni pizza right in front of me at the table. But again, by the time the chocloate cake came out, I started panicking....my solution was to tell everybody about the project and I got really good supportgroup...that sure helped.


Today we were again invited to some other neighboors and I had to say no, it's just so hard, even though I can eat, I just get so tempted by everything around me....

That's what I won't miss after we are done.....

Reconnecting with old friends!

For a long time my friends have been on me about signing up for Facebook, but I thought it was hard work and something I didn't need. But yesterday I caved in and signed up, and voops all of a sudden I had reconnected with a bunch of my friends worldwide. It's fantastic really. Everyone under the same roof so to speak. And so little work involved and so so addictive....I was on there chatting with my friends for hours yesterday, I loved it!

Don't know if I'll have time for the PCP now, Patrick....haha, just kidding of course! But definitly something fun to do during my sets of agonizing ab repetitions....or I should really say after a gruelling workout...my muscles are screaming these days, but I love it!!!! That's another thing that's addivtive....but it's worse things out there to get addicted to than Facebook and working out isn't it....so I'm good!

By the way, I'm so excited to see what week 6 will bring of hopefully good surprises on Thursday!!!!!

Fantastic workout!

I just had the most amazing workout! You know when you have one of those mornings where nothing seems to be working for you. You just want to stay in bed all day and do nothing, well that was me when I woke up, but I got up, had my breakfast and got my workout clothes on and went out in my garden. I stood by the pool in the sunshine, got my music on and started jumping, and at once my mood changed. It was fantastic! The exercises are quite hard and many of them, but today I did them all with a huge smile on my face.

My routine this week is this:

1300 jumpropes

4x20 squats/lunges

4x20 creeps/4x12 floorjumps

4x4-6 chest dips/4x 6-8 pull ups

4x 15 standing ovation/rowing

4x 15 forward shoulder raises/ da vincis

4x 15-17 leg ups/4x 25 sit ups

3x 8-10 v-sits/4x 30 sec plank

In addition we do an 8 minute ab routine off you tube.

So you can see that its a lot of reps and the muscles scream sometimes, especially on the last set it seems like they are saying " No more, please!", but it feels incredibly good when the workout is done, and I can't wait to do it again tomorrow!

Still hungry!

Ok, I'm officially older, but wiser and better than ever. I feel that with my participating in the PCP, I am absolutly doing something great for me and everyone around me. But after 5 weeks, I'm still hungry. Patrick keeps telling us the hardest part is over, and that from now on it will only get better. My cravings are all gone, but new ones has arrived. I never used to think about food, or feel hungry, but now thats all I do or feel. I never get full from my meals and can't wait until the next one, it's quite exhausting. I have gotten used to eating healthy, and I love the food I can eat or figuring out what I'm going to makew, but it's never enough. The worst time of the day is between lunch and dinner.....I can't stand being hungry all the time.....

This week my diet consists of:

Breakfast:

80 g carbs
120 g veg
1 egg
120 g yogurt

Morning snack:

70 g fruit

Lunch:

130 g veg
130 g protein
90 g carbs

Afternoon tea:

70 g fruit
1 eggwhite

Dinner:

50 g carbs
1 eggwhite
70 g veg

Night snack:

80 g fruit
100 ml milk


This week the exercise routine has changed a lot too, it's a lot harder, but that's the part I love. I might not get through it with a smile all the time, but I feel I'm getting stronger, and I just tell myself that You can do it!

I want this, the change for a lifetime...but the road to get there is so far a bit rocky, hopefully it will be smooth sailing soon, and very soon......PLEASE!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to me! I am so happy that our little treat came during this week, as it would have been very hard not to have any cake on this particular day. I have had the flu today, no wonder since I have had two kids with the flu this week. So my body is aching, cold and hot, and not really cooperating with me. So to be able to indulge in something I shouldn't have, is fantastic. I can't say that it tasted any different, but I sure felt more guilty about having it. So my first treat was 4 red licorice, my absolute favorite candy. I could easily eat the whole package, but today I felt ok with putting it away after 4. Very proud of myself for that!!!!

I baked my cake yesterday, and the smell was incredible, couldn't wait to eat it. But today was like an anti climax sort of. It's been in my sight all day, but I feel like I don't want to have it. I will of course, but just a little later. I am planning on sharing with my kids and my husband who has been out of town for almost a week. He comes home this afternoon, hopefully with a lot of birthday goodies for his wife....

It's been a really good day. My family has all called me from Norway. This is one of those days when I really miss having them around. I have gotten used to not having them there after 5 years abroad, but some days are harder to do without family.

Just had that birthday cake. It tasted yummy, but not as good as I would have thought. Was that what you meant Patrick? But I did enjoy getting cake on my birthday anyhow. It's not a real birthday without the blowing of the candles and everything. My kids sang happy birthday for me, and I opened my presents.

I am planning a movie night with my long missed hubbie. We are watching Nights at Rodanthe with Richard Gere and Diane Lane, I think one of the most romantic movies around, and lit candles everywhere...sitting next to my sweetheart again....can't get any better than that....

Friends and Family!

I want to say a special thank you to all my friends and family that stands behind me, and beside me through this project. It means the world to me to have wonderful people supporting me and beleiving in me. I have learned through these trying times, that without you I couldn't have made it past the starting line.

Lifechanges are hard, testing our strenght and sanity, it really shows what we are made of. My failures in the past has come down to willpower, without it we can't achieve anything, and now through great motivation, I have found mine. It was berried deep down, but now it's reach daylight, and I won't ever let it disappear again. This all comes down to having your support to begin with, and having you cheering me on in this great and difficult journey to a new and better existence.

I want to make better choices for myself and my family, and to learn how to find my confidence and true happiness. It has been and will continue to be an amazing adventure, the most important one so far in my life, and I am so lucky to have you all there with me. Thanks to you I am so motivated and so ready for this change.

Thank you, I love all of you so much!