2014 Health & Fitness Challenge: Week 11-12 – Finish & Results

At the beginning of this year, I started a fitness/health challenge to refine some of the goals I had already achieved.  Over the last couple of years, I’ve been making small sustainable changes and changing the way I think about food and exercise and by doing this challenge, it both cemented what I knew and challenged me further.

1. First picture is before I started to make small changes to my health
2. Second is after I started moving more and eating consciously
3. Third is 6 months later, and after I completed the 12 week challenge with the wonderful Lauren from Phyzique

I’m thrilled with the results! But not so much because of the centimetre losses (although that is fantastic!); it’s more because doing the challenge helped me realise   how little I need sugar and salt in my diet. And refined carbs. But — oh — I still love bread! And I still indulge on a brownie or chocolate fondant sometimes.

I kept a food diary for the 12 weeks to help me really see what I was eating.  Below is week 11 and 12 (minus the snacks – which were often nuts, natural yoghurt/fruit/carrot & cottage cheese/energy balls etc – with the odd brownie).

I eat:

more raw foods and less processed

more veges and (a little less) fruit

more grains, nuts, lentils & beans and less refined carbs

more natural yoghurt with berries and less sugary flavoured yoghurts

more lean white meat and less processed red meat (like sausages)

more good fats and less refined sugar

more water and less salt

Week 11

Exercise 

3 Group PT Classes

2 x 8 km Runs

Week 12

Exercise 

3 Group PT Classes

1 x 6 km run

Results

Weight Loss

Lost: 6kg of fat

Gained: 1.4 kg of muscle

Overall weight loss: 4.6 kg

Centimetre reduction

Arm: 2cm

Waist: 3.5 cm

Chest: 4 cm

Gluteus: 4.5 cm

Thigh: 2 cm

I’m not far off from my physical goals (still so much to achieve fitness and running wise!) but more importantly, I’ve turned a corner and made changes that will stay with me for life. And in turn, these changes have a positive impact on our family too. Onward.

Wore this Sacha Drake Grecian Dress as a finale!

Necklace by Kellie Christie

Other Posts in this series

Week 1: 5 years in the making

Week 2-4: Write it down

Week 5-6: Keep Asking Why 

Week 7: A dress

Week 8-9: About Fitness

Week 10: Set Backs

Week 11-12: Finish