You are Perfect!

Hey You!  Yes you. You reading. Did you read that? If you didn’t…go and do it. Now! Just do it! Trust me =)

...Now, how did it make you feel?  I came across this the other day and immediately related to it.  This made me think, who wrote it and did they have any idea how many people would see it? How many people’s days they may change? This person certainly made me stop and think; will they make you do the same?

I love the concept that we are all perfect because we are not perfect.  I mean, what is perfection anyway? Everyone was born with a different set of genes. Fact. Why is it that we believe that to have the perfect body we have to be tall, slim and tanned? Well, who cares, really? It’s not at all realistic! So I chose to ditch that belief! And you can too! How?  By believing that you are perfect! 

Your body responds as it should.  If you look after your body by feeding it well, exercising, sun screening when you are outside, clothing it and cleaning it, you will be rewarded with a healthy functional body.  On the flip side, if you choose to feed it foods laden with chemicals, salts and fats; you choose to expose yourself to other harmful chemicals, rays from the sun, etc etc, it will suffer.  BUT! The choice is yours. You can choose healthy, or you can choose unhealthy. Either way, you perfect body will respond accordingly.

So you are perfect, and I am perfect.  I want to be the best version of myself and I work hard at it every day.  I stopped wanting attention from people who hurt me and put me down.  Ain’t nobody got time for that! I have stopped hating on my body, my face, my personality and my quirks.  We all have insecurities and things about ourselves we wish we could change, but we can’t.  Instead, we have to embrace them as what makes us unique learn to love them!  I can see now that without my unique features, I would not be ME!  I am happy and confident with who I am and consciously put a smile on my face, it certainly does draw people in! To those who hate on me, I say “Meh”, and shrug my shoulders. Whatever, I don’t need your negativity; I no longer let the haters bother me. In the end, they’re only hurting themselves.  I am happy because I love the new me.  The new Liz embraces her flaws and sees them as what makes her unique and special.  I am unique and special, because I am different.  I am perfect, and you are too!

Liz Xox

What do you want?

Last month I headed up to Brisbane for the very first 12WBT Summer Festival.  It was a fantastic weekend but this question, asked in a mindset class by Michelle Bridges, has been constantly playing on my mind…”What do you want?”

Good question! My initial thought and gut reaction was “to be happy”.  Michelle then talked about recognising what it is you want, and then explained how to get it.  I thought to myself, I need to dig a little deeper, WHAT exactly will make me happy?  What do I want out of life?  Family? Friends? Career? Travel?  Anything else?  Ask a child this question and they will tell you straight away exactly what they want, “I want the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Lego set, the really big one!” Yep that would have been my answer as a child.  In more recent years, I have had many wishes, hopes and dreams around weight loss and travel.  But as Michelle said next, it isn’t as simple as recognising what it is you want (say weight loss), having one super healthy meal and then crossing your fingers, wishing/hoping and praying really, really hard and the next morning you are skinny!  

Unfortunately life just doesn’t work like this.

So how do you get what you want? You make a plan and STICK TO IT!  That is how I lost my weight.  I set myself multiple realistic goals from the beginning.  My first goal, that was to walk every day for a week.  Once I had achieved that I moved on, for example I will cut all fast food out of my diet for a fortnight.  This then progressed to, 80%-90% of my diet will be fresh, healthy and clean foods; I will lose 5kg; I will lose 10kg’s etc. etc.  Can you see how I did it now?  Did you notice the positive talk I use? “I can” and “I will”.  I believe that if you want something badly enough, you will make it happen.  If you don’t truly want it enough, you will come up with a million excuses as to why you have not achieved whatever it is that you said you wanted. 

So for the last three weeks, I have been pondering this question and think that I can finally answer it.  I WANT TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO BE THE BEST VERSIONS OF THEM SELVES.  I decided that I am passionate about this and that this should not necessarily be related to health and fitness (although it is definitely a part of it).  I thought, well I want to inspire the children I will one day teach…but hey, I still have two years of study, ok, what can I do to get the ball rolling? What action can I take NOW? For weeks I have been thinking about how I can fit this into my daily routine...I mean, I study and work full time, which rarely leaves me with much free time!   However, after much excitement, many thoughts and constant changes of mind, my good friend Emma cemented the idea for me.  I would start a blog!  This way I was reaching more people than those I came into physical contact with on a daily basis.  So that is why I am writing this now, in hopes of inspiring someone out there to be the best version of themselves.  So to you, my reader, I ask you…what exactly do you want, and how do you plan on achieving it?  Trust me, you can do/be or have anything you want, as long as you are willing to WORK FOR IT!!

Liz Xox

Myself and 12 Weeker Kylie at the festival, after the mindset class =)

The New Me, The Best Me!

Hi guys!
Recently I have connected with many 12 weekers both online and in person. Those in person especially are gobsmacked that I have lost 30kg. So I have shared this a few times and had great responses, so I thought I would throw it out to the world and hopefully I will inspire someone along the way!

I don't even know where to begin to be honest! But I posted this on facebook the other day, I met some amazing people in Brisbane at the round 4 finale! I also learned there that 30+ crew was kilos, not age! (...Der Liz!!) I've lost 30kilos, I started at 100kg...I have never really admitted to being this heavy before, basically I just didn't want to accept the truth of triple digits.

Well...my name is Liz Christie. I'm 21 and live in Adelaide, South Australia. I've lost 30kg, gone from 100kg, to 70kg. I'm aiming for 65kg, however really, I would just like a flat stomach! And yes, I am willing to work for it!! Just over a year ago I started. I was 20, and hated myself. Literally. I couldn't look in the mirror without wanting to throw up, or cry. I hated watching everything my friends could do, while I sat out because "I'm not into that" or simply any one of the hundred stories I came up with to get out of things that made me uncomfortable.

So I started walking, just 30 mins a day to get myself into a routine. I was still eating crap, but my fitness slowly started to build, so I joined the gym with my friend, and decided if I was paying for my membership, I was going to do it right by eating well too. I started just by reading Mish's books and watching her vids and DVDs - (some brilliant ones on YouTube!) Then later, stumbled upon the 12wbt.

So that's how I started...the rest I like to think of as amazing moments, or milestones - ones everyone deserves to experience, everyday. Not blitzing a marathon, or climbing a mountain, just small, every day wins, ones which now make life so much more enjoyable. So here is a (condensed) list I've compiled!!

1. Realising that My body can do a lot more than I gave it credit for

2. Realising I have collarbones! I also have a pointy chin and no, I do not have chubby cheeks thankyou very much!

3. No longer being plus sized

4. Not worrying about wether or not a chair, shaky bridge, table etc. is going to collapse from bearing my weight

5. Being able to clearly see my eyes without fat rolls in the way

6. Being able to comfortably cross my legs, sitting on a chair

7. fitting comfortably in an airplane seat

8. Wearing jeans and totally rocking them!!

9. Wearing a bikini on the beach for the very first time

10. Going shopping and coming home happy

11. Walking into shops I would never have dreamed of entering - Bardot, pilgrim, lorna jane...without fear of being judged

12. Walking down the st and smiling to myself as I glimpse my reflection in shop windows

13. Walking into shops like Bardot, pilgrim and lorna jane AND THE CLOTHES FITTING!

14. Going shopping and buying clothes without bursting into tears

15. Going shopping and knowing that what ever I choose, will fit me

16. Being less self conscious...in general

17. Having more confidence. Being able to accept compliments. Walking into a room full of people I don't know and striking up a conversation (I went to the Brissy finale a couple of weeks ago, without knowing anyone!)

18. Being less self critical of myself - Learning to love myself for who I am, not who I want to be. Accepting myself.

19. Being able to look at myself in the mirror and feel elated, not feel disgusted

20. Realising that I deserve more out of life, to be happy - and realising this when I did (not 30 years down the track)

21. Being able to go out in public from walking down the street, to going to a party, and not feeling like I pull the attention for all the wrong reasons

22. Being confident enough to leave the house without make up on! (I used it as a mask)

23. Not wanting to go to bed as soon as I get home, because I have so much more energy now

24. Training is just another part of my day...one I've learned to love and really treasure

25. Being open with my family and friends, ie. not hiding my emotions inside myself - I'm working on it!

26. Having a clear and happy mind - I'm working on losing my heavy mindset

27. Being so damn positive in day to day life! The glass is half full baby!!

28. Realising that by putting others down, I wasn't making myself look any better - I try to see the best in everyone

29. No longer playing the comparison game when I meet someone new!! (You know the one, "it's ok, I'm slimmer", or, "oh damn she's so much prettier than me")

30. Enjoying having my photo taken. I'm not afraid to "look fat" in photos anymore, and not needing to delate those ones I don't approve of

31. Realising that the wardrobe I invested in 6 months ago (because I had shrunk out of my first new one) is now too big!

32. Being comfortable enough to go into a club and dance!

33. Learning to embrace my emotions and deal with them rather than suppress them

34. Being strong enough to no longer take crap from ANYONE!

35. When I am upset, angry or stressed, I train rather than eat

36. Keeping my head up with confidence and pride when I walk, and in turn enjoying the sun and fresh air on my face.

When I started, I literally had no idea how far I would make it. I'm so proud of my transformation, mind, body and soul. And the best part is I am now confident enough to admit to it!!!

Seriously, I live by this...BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF!! And to anyone just starting out on this journey, know that it will be hard, you will just want to curl up in a ball and cry, but you will also feel elation and pride, happiness and love. It is an amazing journey, but embrace the emotion. I spent so long fighting the emotions but the mindset lessons taught me to open up, and TRUST THE PROCESS!

I have gone from a size 18 to a SIZE 10!!!! Its an amazing feeling but an odd one too. It took me about 10 months to lose 30 kgs. Trust me I had so many ups and downs! Some weeks i'd lose a stack of weight, then the next i'd put it back on. But what I stood by, was to NEVER GIVE UP and JFDI. Don't get so caught up on the numbers, but enjoy the process. Enjoy doing new things, or things you haven't done in years. Enjoy the moment you can't wear your favourite top/jeans what ever it is, because they are far too big. Thats the moment you get to go shopping and feel awesome. Only to find a couple of months later, your new wardrobe is too big!

People now notice me, they notice my confidence and happiness the most, it is in the way that I carry myself. I have learnt so much about myself on this program, I have become the best me I can be. Everyone deserves to be happy, and to achieve this, you need to put yourself first. Non-negotiable!

Liz Xox

The picture on the left was taken in 2012, and the one on the right was Christmas day 2013...It just goes to show that if you put your mind to something, you can do incredible things! Xox

My first blog post...eeeeeek!!

*breathe in, breathe out...* (Yes I am a little nervous!)

Hi everyone!

Over the last year I have been on an incredible “journey” (for want of a better word) to change my life for the better.  I have learned a lot about myself through the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation.  I have completely transformed my world; mind, body and soul.  I have become a strong, healthy, independent and empowered young woman and I want to share this with the world! I am very active within the 12WBT community and have inspired many to start their journey towards being the best versions of themselves.  My next challenge is to inspire more people, if this blog helps to inspire one person, it will all be worth it! 

I am twenty one years old, live in Adelaide, South Australia and have lost 30kg.  Before I started to change my lifestyle, I was incredibly unhappy.  On the outside I was normal and happy, but my mind was a prison cell and at 100kg's, my body reflected this.  Literally, one day I decided that I had had enough. No kidding. It happened just like that. Well...nothing happened overnight, but the decision to change my life, that did.  I want to share with you my story, what got me to where I am, and what ever it is that my future may bring!

This idea is very new and scary to me, but I am determined to make it work! So please feel free to follow and share your thoughts with me! Happy reading!

Liz Xox