To All the Newbies

Hi all! Well it's the start of 12wbt round 1 2013. I hope all the newbies are getting into the swing of things & are having fun with the program. I've just weighed in for the week at 62.3kg so I've maintained my goal weight for 4 months in a row. Technically I'm still in my week 11 of last round since I missed two weeks on holiday so I'm yet to switch to the Lean & Fit program. However I have started trying the new recipes that have been added this round & they've been absolutely delicious so far!

I have some advice for all starting the 12 week body transformation:
1) Try everything once, even if you're convinced that you won't like it--- you might just be pleasantly surprised. I was absolutely convinced that I disliked avocado, sweet potato & various other foods before I started the program but after cooking them in the program recipes I realised they actually tasted great. Clearly I'd just either been too young to appreciate the foods previously or I'd eaten them in the wrong form. So just give everything a go at least once because you may find a new favourite food.

2) Never compare your results to those of others. It's such an easy thing to do (and I must admit I've found myself staring wistfully at the progress pictures of the other lean & strong ladies) but the logic behind it is flawed. Different people have different genetics, different fitness histories, different starting weights & are altogether at different stages of their journeys. Turn all your focus to your results & your small victories. It doesn't matter if so-&-so lost 1.5kg this week and you only lost 600g. Any loss is fantastic & you should be giving yourself a pat on the back. Even if you don't have a loss there's no reason to feel discouraged. If you've started eating healthier food & exercising you've made great progress---- though it might not show up on the scales just yet you're definitely having a positive effect on your health. Keep it up!

3) The scales are not an accurate measure of fat-loss at all. They not only weigh your fat but also your muscle tissue, bones, retained fluid etc. Please do not pin all your hopes on that one little number because it can fluctuate for so many reasons- TTOTM, post-workout fluid retention, lack of bowel movements (dare I say constipation), muscle gain etc. I can certainly attest to this as my weight has fluctuated between 60 & 64kg since I reached my goal weight yet my body fat percentage has been decreasing. A much better way to measure your progress is by way of your monthly measurements (after all this is what you actually see rather than that little number on the scales). It's also very helpful to see the differences between your before & after pictures so I suggest that you all take a before shot (even if its embarrassing right now, you'll be glad you did when you can see the improvements you've made!).

4) Try to have fun with the program. Don't make it a negative thing you 'have' to do. In the end its your attitude that will determine what you get out of it & if you'll be able to stick to it. Remember as well that's its not a quick fix--- you won't just lose the kilos by signing up, convincing yourself that its not working (without trying it) & then giving up. It's a program that requires commitment, dedication & hard-work for the entire 12 weeks---- because putting in effort is the only healthy & sustainable way to lose weight and create a healthy lifestyle for yourself.