I've been too busy to blog, but a lot of that time has been off the couch. My son is playing in a basketball tournament all weekend so I have been watching a lot of sport, but still manage to fit a little in for myself.

I have been cycling a bit, I find it a bit gentler exercise but my heart rate is still up at 75% for most of my ride. Tuesday I managed 13.4km, then Wednesday I did 2.4km on the elliptical and a 1.3km walk with some flights of stairs included. SMASHED my 30km at 31.75km with 2 days to go. It feels good to be on my way.

I set myself a new goal this week, still in preseason, to exercise 35km (my week runs Saturday to Sunday at the moment). Saturday was spent in 2 basketball stadiums watching many, many games, but my pedometer reads 8km. Of course I'm not including any of this on my tally, but at least I know I was moving. So it is Sunday morning and I got out of bed a little earlier than I normally would and cycled 13.1km on the bike tracks around home. I try to keep my bike in a hard gear so I am pedalling quite hard all the time, rather than coasting when there is a downhill stretch.

This weeks exercise tally 13.1km off the couch... and counting.

(Have packed my sneakers and socks so if I get a chance I can go for a walk during the day. It seems really quite funny that I am enjoying challenging myself to move, when only a couple of weeks ago I couldn't even imagine exercising!)

Since my bike had a flat I asked if anyone in my family would like to come for a walk after tea on Sunday. Surprise, surprise, hubby, both kids and Ben the greyhound all decided to join me. It was no marathon, just a 2km walk around the park, but it is progress.

No training on Monday, but I did get my bike tyre repaired (thanks Honey x) and am ready to ride the trails again. And we lay-by'd a fancy schmancy new mountain bike for my son for his  11th birthday coming up in March. He is probably going to be my most important fitness buddy as I embark on this journey, and his lil' BMX just won't be able to do the kilometers that we are hoping to tackle.

To make up for yesterdays lack of exercise I set my alarm for an hour early and did the cardio burn program on our cross-trainer. This is my first time using our new toy (my hubby has been on a significant fitness campaign for a while now, it wasn't purchased just for me) and I found out just how hard you have to work.

More than once during the program I thought I wouldn't be able to finish, but I decided I wasn't going to give in to that excuse that I was too unfit. Instead I referred to the solutions I had filed in my head and remembered that I was taking baby steps and this was the first one. I had Michelle in my ear telling me that I was transforming my body and it wasn't going to be easy and she wouldn't give up on me. So I dug deep and decided that I wouldn't quit on me either, and I finished the program. It was bloody hard and I was sweating like a pig, but I DID IT. I finished what I set out to start and completed another 2.25km on my way to 30km this week.

Then, just because I felt so good about my efforts I parked further away from the Post Office this morning and walked to get the mail. It was not a hike - just 0.8km return - but at a brisk pace and with a hill it all adds up.

Sunday evening walk 2km off the couch

2.25km on the cross-trainer and 0.8km walk instead of a sleep in... Up to 15km and counting

And no doubt when I get home from work we will go for a bike ride so that's more km's -

Yeah me!

Pulled my bike out of the shed for day 2 of my 30km goal, cycled about 2km and got a flat tyre... grrrr.... walked back the 2km with bike in tow. I guess I will have to pull out my pedometer and get some walking in instead.

Still, that's another 4km off the couch... Up to 10km and counting

When I read Michelle's warm-up challenge for week 3 'Set yourself an exercise goal' I thought to myself  "No problem, I can do this. After all, any exercise that I do is more than I have been doing." Then I read on and was flabbergasted to see the challenge was to exercise for 30km. Is she crazy? 30 KILOMETERS!

After I caught my breath I had a think and took a long hard look at myself. I know I can do this, it will be difficult, but nothing worthwhile is easy. So I took the first step and dusted the cobwebs off my bike. My son and I cycled for 6km on the gravel tracks near home. Tomorrow I will do it again, only go a little further and pedal a little harder.

I'm off the couch and moving - for me, this is a great start.

Pre-season Task 2 - "Take Control - Set Your Goal"

This was a whole new concept for me, actually setting SMART goals and thinking ahead as to how I might reach them. Now, I have a real lot of weight to lose so rather than focus my energy on kilograms I have set myself goals that relate to improved fitness and health.

At 12 months my goals are to finish a short triathlon - swim 300m, ride 12km and run 3km

weigh under 100kg

and join a mixed basketball or netball team

Considering I have not jogged since I was a teenager it will take considerable effort for me to achieve these goals, but I'm ready to jump back into life and take charge. Starting now.

So today I got off the couch. My husband and I took the kids to the local heated pool for a swim - now I do use the word 'swim' loosely because my technique leaves a lot to be desired but at least I am moving. It is rather embarrassing when your 10 year old says 'I'll race you Mum!' and you are still finishing your first 25m when he has completed his 50m and then catches up and overtakes you on his next lap.

I swam 10 laps of a 25m pool = 250m and walked another 4 laps = 100m

TOTAL: 350m MORE than I did yesterday, or last week, or probably even last year.

I'm off the couch and moving!

 Pre-season task 1 - "Get Real - No More Excuses"

This was a great video, well done Michelle! It really made me think about the choices that I make to sabbotage my own success, my excuses, and how I can overcome them. Looking at all of the excuses I have listed - and believe me there are many - the ones that have the most impact are my internal excuses. There is not a single external excuse within my control or not that I cannot deal with. But when it comes to inside my head, well, that is a whole other story. I feel empowered after taking the time to really think about what has been holding me back and writing it down, setting it in stone, no longer denying that I had no power to control things.

You know what? The excuses I used that hurt the most to communicate to myself were the most ridiculous. 'I don't deserve to improve' and 'I don't want to disappoint people when I fail'. Just looking at those words now makes me angry. How could I make myself feel like that for 20+years? Is there any possibility that I would think someone I loved did not DESERVE to improve themselves? No way, everyone should strive to be their best. How would I feel if my kids decided not to try something in case they THOUGHT they might fail and let me down? Disappointed and sad, afterall, I try my hardest to encourage them in all they do.

I have wasted a whole lot of my life concerning myself about how others perceive me, and all the while I was my own harshest critic. It is time to take a step back from inside my head and start to believe that I deserve to be the best I can be, and improve I will, with lots of hard work, love and support from family and friends, and even more hard work. I know now that I can never disappoint those who really care about me as long as I am trying my best... afterall, that is all I can do. But my best is going to be a new best, a determined best, an honest with myself best, a two steps forward one step back best. This is not an easy road that I am choosing to take but I'm gonna tackle it head on anyway.

For a long time I thought I was ready to change my nutition and exercise habits, but only now, with my excuses set in stone I am ready to change my attitude.

I did it! I signed up for the 12WBT!

A little hestitant? Check!

Nervous? Check!

Anxious about starting to ....wait for it.... exercise? Check!

BUT

Excited? Check!

Ready to put in the hard work? Check!

Got my pit crew in my corner? Check!

(Theres nothing like the love and support of family and friends, and they are all on my team xx)

Am I serious about changing my bad habits for a healthier outlook? Absolutely!!

I have come to the point in my life, very sadly, that I can only watch my children play sport and not participate myself. I am so unfit that I am puffed doing a supermarket shop and urgh, dare I admit it? I can't reach to paint my toenails.

Enough is enough!

Its time I got OFF THE COUCH.

I want to step back INTO LIFE.

Ready or not, here I come.