Under 13 Stone!

So today I hopped on the scales and I am 82 Kgs and that means under 13 stone!!! I am so happy, the smile that appeared on my face just doesn't want to disappear.

Now I know to a lot of people, 13 stone sounds like a lot of weight, especially if we take into account that I am only 1 metre 56 centrimetres tall - or about 5 foot, 1 and a half. But to me, this is a triumph and a turning point! I have really been looking forward to this day. Because my final goal weight is 65 kgs, or under 10 and a half stone (10 stone, 3 pounds something). So to be under 13 stone means that I have less than 3 stone left to lose until I get there. Actually, I have 2 stone, 9 and a half pounds to go.That feels achievable and like it is not too far away... So I say, bring it on.

Up until recently I was quite resistant to tell people what my goal weight was. I think because I thought they would laugh at me or tell me it wasn't possible or that I was being unrealistic. And you know what, part of me felt that too. If I did mention it I would say, I want to get to under 11 stone if it is possible. I always added 'if it is possible' on the end to cover myself because I secretly doubted that it was possible. So I was recently at the gym talking to this trainer, an Australian guy (so I can relate being Aussie myself), and in his typical matter of fact way he delivered a profound message to me. We were discussing my weight loss, or lack of due to the plateau I had been experiencing. I told him how much weight I had already lost but that I wasn't ready to stop losing, that ideally, I wanted to get under 11 stone (65 kgs to be exact 'if it is possible'). And he turned to me and said, 'anything's possible. Whatever you set your mind to you can achieve'. I felt like I had been hit by a brick. It was the first time I had ever told someone my goal and been met with that reaction. He didn't doubt I could achieve it, didn't think it was even out of the ordinary. He just said, if you want it, you can get there. And that is when I realised, I can. Stop thinking I might get there, start reinforcing that I will get there. Because a big part of feeling and being normal, is accepting that I can be like everyone else. And ultimately, that is what I long for, hence my name - Little Miss Normal.

But anyway, back to todays triumph and that magical 82 kgs appearing on the scales. This has motivated me to drag myself to the gym later, after having some lunch, despite feeling low in energy and at that time of the month that I am achey and sore. But I know it will make me feel better anyway, exercise always does. Plus, today is my day to do weights with cardio. I never thought I would enjoy weight resistance training, but you know what, as Diet Girl has mentioned in her blog, it really is fantastic. It makes you feel good, strong and healthy, and it really gives results. I only started doing it at the beginning of the year, but I am really loving it. And I have been finding myself even becoming converted (slowly) to the exercise bike. My most loathed piece of exercise equipment because of the boredom, the sore butt and the fact that as a teenager I had one and used to ride on it endlessly to lose weight but to no avail... However, this time, in the gym (with the varying intensity) I am finding that the trainer is right - it is a good form of cardio, it really works my legs like nothing else and I even manage to build up a sweat despite being pretty fit these days. So the bike has become part of my routine. Like with everything else in life, this weight loss journey has been opening me up to new things, forcing me to try things I wouldn't normally try and along the way I have taken on board many of them, incorporating them into my life because they are good for me and/or I enjoy them - ideally both.
Ok, well time for lunch and then later on the gym.

Little Miss Normal (feeling decidedly more normal today)