On August 1, 2010, I walked the Taupo Half-Marathon (21.5 Kilometres) in a time of 3 hours 38 minutes. To complete the half marathon was a goal I set myself at the start of my second (back to back) 12-Week Challenge with Outlook For Life. During my progression through the challenge, I set myself another goal to complete the half-marathon in under 4 hours. So as you can imagine doing it in 3 hours 38 minutes was just awesome.

 

Having completed my second 12-Week Challenge – I am 24kg less than when I started and although having a full hip replacement only 18 months ago, my fitness level has enabled me to compete in such an event in Taupo. In retrospect, if I asked myself “was it really hard work?”, I have to honestly say no not that hard and this is due to the support and encouragement I had from both Ginny and Andrea.

 

Now let’s be frank; I like so many others, have already been down the track of losing weight, putting it back on and then repeating the cycle again and again. For me the difference this time has been my commitment to the 12-Week challenge. The combination of Ginny working with me on my nutrition and both Ginny and Andrea challenging me on a weekly basis with the exercise programme is the reason that I can now stand before my family and friends, healthier and fitter than I have been for a very long time. Now when my four year old grandson takes off – I can keep up with him. And when my son-in-law tells me we are going to climb Mt Kinbula in Sabah in December in 2010, I feel confident that this is another challenge I can accept and achieve.

 

The 12-week challenge wasn’t just fitness training & nutrition. I attended a healthy cooking demonstration and consequently my husband and I have discovered some fantastic recipes that we both enjoy, which are nutritionally well balanced. We also attended a talk by James Baxter (Podiatrist), which was very informative and certainly helped us with our walking regime and the half-marathon. This and a myriad of other activities were part of the Outlook For Life Challenge.

 

But for me, first and foremost, the programme has provided the opportunity to meet some wonderful people and make new friends, who like me are waging the same war to lose the weight and make a change for life and stick to it. Whether you attend the fitness session at the start of the day at 6am, or later at 5.30pm – enjoy the work-out and have a good laugh whilst you are at it. You are most definitely a better person at the end of the session and this feeling stays with you.

 

I have 4kg to go to achieve my goal weight – then I will have won the battle to lose the weight. The challenge ahead is to keep peace with myself, make sure the weight does not come back and retain my fitness level. Ginny and Andrea have been fantastic mentors; they have given me such amazing encouragement throughout the challenges. I know with their continued support I will continue to achieve and set new goals for myself. The next? Walk the Taupo Half-Marathon again, this time under 31/2 hours!

 

With support and belief in myself, I know this and other challenges I can acheive.