Time for reflection

Yesterday I did one of those things on Facebook that you will all have seen and possibly done; what does your name mean in Japanese? I am not sure how it does it but so many times when you do these kinds of things they come out very close to who you are! Mine said the following;
'You are an incredibly generous person and always find a way to get on well with other people. You also can't help but feel responsible for those around you and try to help them out whenever you can. You handle setbacks well because you know that it's only by learning from your mistakes that you grow as a person.'

I am hoping that those of you who have never met me have realised that whilst reading this blog that I am always honest; those of you that have met and spent time with me will know that is what I am - honest. My reason for starting the blog was to try and help at least one person with something that I write and I know from comments that at least one person has been encouraged to do something that they might have ignored had they not read what I'd written plus also to make sure that I was 'walking the walk'!

I have thought about this post for some time and I was going to do two separate posts to discuss a couple of topics but I realised that they actually intertwined so I'm just going to do one post! 

This year has been an interesting one. I won't say difficult as I know that for some of you reading this your struggles this year have been huge; much more than anything that I have been through.

This time last year I weighed 10 pound less than I currently do and at my lowest weight, approximately 5 weeks later, 15 pounds less than I currently do. This may not seem a lot to some of you but for me I can really tell it in my clothes! So I have struggled with my weight all year; I am not the heaviest that I have been but I do need to take control. I know why I have struggled and I hope that someone might take some positive from the comments that I am about to make. When I started on my last serious weight loss journey, just over 4 year ago, I had a destination to go to; a friend's wedding. It was my goal and I was much more successful than even I thought that I could be. The problem that I have had since is that I have had no 'real' goal, apart from maintaining my weight. 

Last year I went on holiday with my best friend, Hannah, so I suppose that was a goal; I needed to still look good in my bikini! Since then, apart from being within 5 pounds of my goal weight at the beginning of December (my WeightWatchers goal anniversary), I really haven't had that one thing to aim towards. . . that is until now!

Around this time 11 years ago I was participating in the Cycle the Nile challenge; something that still makes me really proud to have completed. At some point on that trip my room mate, Anne, and I bought belly dancing outfits and 'talked' about trying to do the Moonwalk the following year. It never materialised but, a couple of months ago, I had a 'Tessa Moment' with regards to doing the Moonwalk. On Tuesday this week entries opened for the Moonwalk 2016'; at 9am I was straight on it signing up! The theme is carnival. I have already got some fantastic ideas to decorate my bra! For those of you that do not know the premise of the Moonwalk, it is a marathon distance, 26.2 miles, power walk. The mission of the charity is to 'raise money, raise awareness, get fit and have fun!' Walk the Walk came into being 15 years ago when 13 women power walked the New York City marathon in their bras to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. To date the charity has raised in excess of £79 million for vital breast cancer causes. 

The Moonwalk covers so many bases for me! Since I acknowledged the lump that I had in my armpit and faced my fears I have wanted to do something whilst I am fit and healthy to raise money for breast cancer causes. I enjoy walking; if my mother reads this she will have one of those laugh out loud moments as she probably never thought that she would hear me saying that! Plus there will be added benefits for me . . . I will be forced to take control and will need to train for the event. 
                                  
I also have plans for an outfit!! I did a bit of Google searching for carnival outfits and found this! Wouldn't it be great to customise my bra and wear some shorts that look a bit like this?! I'm also thinking a head-dress as well!?! Three friends have also signed up and I have created a group name of Tessa's Moments, of course!

To pull this outfit off I need to be fit. . . my stomach will never look like that but I can try!! 

So with this in mind I have had to reassess what I am doing. I posted a couple of weeks ago that I had started Insanity. I have to admit to failing miserably!! I did not get passed week 1; I just could not start week 2. The thought of it filled me with dread! I need to do exercise, obviously I have been walking to and from work most days and a couple of longer walks at weekends but I have to do something else. . . and something, more importantly, that I enjoy. I've said that I own several exercise DVD's and even which one I love the most; really I should have read what I was writing!!! I have always said that exercise should be enjoyed. . . so with that I got my Kettleworx (kettlebell) DVD's out. I love it; 20/25 minutes of exercise 3 times a week. Totally manageable! I have also been using my rebounder if I haven't done my 12000 steps a day then I get on my rebounder and do them. It's another great form of exercise.

So what's the goal? Initially, it's to lose 7 pounds in the next 6 weeks (Christmas party!); if it's more great but as I always say I'm setting a realistic target. I need to post each week about how I'm doing! I need to use this as my confessional or meeting or whatever you want to describe it as!

Moonwalk 2016 here we come . . . fitter, healthier, smaller and raising money for good causes plus doing it with great friends and maybe meeting some new ones along the way. . . 

So I'm trying to learn from mistakes that I have made this year and encouraging anyone else out there reading this that if it's gone 'a bit wrong' then start again. Are you back where you started and are feeling despondent? Don't . . . try and learn from your mistakes and start again. . . take one day at a time and congratulate yourself when you get successfully through that day. That's what I'm doing!!! I've managed 8 days in a row! Wow!!