Monday, 12 August 2013

Finale & The Fall Out!!!

This weekend gone saw the finale in Adelaide for the first time and 1500 crazy 12WBTer’s descended on the little country town for some fun and frivolity.  Finale weekend is always a great time as we get to catch up with friends made at previous finales and also online, some for the first time.  It is an amazing experience being in the same environment with people who all want the same thing, just to be happier, healthier versions of themselves.




I was fortunate enough to spend some quality time with some good friends from home, but also some lovely ladies from up north.  In my opinion they are the heart and soul of the 30+ crew.  Yes you Cathy Sheargold and Sarah McGee.  Also, at our Friday night drinks we were blessed to have the support crew from the 12WBT come and join us.  This was fantastic because so many of us have spoken to them online, but we now got to meet them.  For me the chance to have a chat with the amazing Amelia Burton, Lisa Donaldson (my biggest supporter outside my wife) and also Heather Howell, was great and set us up for an awesome weekend.  Thank you ladies for joining us, it meant a lot to us all.

The lovely Amelia Burton, oh yeah and ME.


Now, this post is not about the finale, what happens at finale stays at finale, so you will have to bear with me.  The reason I have mentioned finale is because this weekend has made me realise a few things about the last round.  I am open and honest with the fact that my last round was not a success and I have had battles with my mindset.  My nutrition was crap and the exercise not the best.  I can handle this, I own it and it is nobody else’s issue but my own to deal with.  I think the issue for me was meeting so many people on the weekend that told me they follow me and that I inspire them or was the reason they took up running or cycling.  The reason I say this is hard to put into words but I will try anyway.

the always supportive Amazing Lisa D & buddy Patrick


I have wrestled with this all weekend and I find it hard to sit here and type this up knowing I am going to put it out there.  In all honesty I consider myself a bit of a fraud.  The definition of fraud is shown below.  When reading that it seems very harsh and probably not the correct word to use as I have in no way deceived anyone, cheated or intended to gain an advantage.  I have put on weight this last round, but have not really mentioned it.  I buried my head in the sand and just went about my business.  People telling me I inspire them and they follow me made me embarrassed as I was not the person they think I am or the one they were being inspired by.  I am extremely embarrassed to think that this last round I put on 9kgs.  WTF???  How do you do that? That is a huge gain in anyone's eyes.

Fraud:
  • Deliberate deception, trickery, or cheating intended to gain an advantage
  •      An act or instance of such deception.
  •         Something false or spurious: his explanation was a fraud
  •       Informal a person who acts in a false or deceitful way.


So as you can see the above statement will show you just how hard it might have been for me on the weekend speaking to people knowing you had wasted 3 months.  I will not say I have failed, as this would not be true.  I still ran a half marathon in that time, which would not have been possible 12 months earlier.  What I did learn was that I can’t let up at any point and think I have this under control.  I am still in need of the program (maybe just the accountability, discipline and support) to some degree.  Yes it is something that I need to do by myself, but I also need to be part of an environment that is providing me with the correct vibes.  Thankfully both Julie and I are determined to smash out this round.  Back to the same way we were in our first round.

So sitting here writing this, wondering if I have the balls to post it, is a daunting thing.  I have in the past blogged about my mindset battles, but the last 12 weeks was more about just being lazy.  Yes I had some illness to deal with but that should not alter the mindset of what you put in your mouth.  I am using this post as a bit of a detox so to speak.  I am openly apologising to all those people that watched me, follow me, are inspired (for whatever reason) by me.  At no stage was I trying to hide from anyone the fact that I had put weight on, not been following the program this round, or doing anything to deceive anyone.  If you feel this way I truly apologise.  What I can promise to you is that I am going to smash this round.  No doubt about it.  I will be training diligently 6 days a week.  I will be staying within my calorie allowance on all days other than those that I am doing my bike rides.  I am allowing myself to blow way out on these days as I will be burning in excess of 3000 calories on each of these days.  I will also be drinking the minimum quantity of water needed.

Part of the problem.....Good burger though @ the Goody


This is my shout it out loud that Michelle asks everyone to do each round.  I own my decisions the last 3 months and vow to correct them and some this 3 months.  I need to get back on track and I will be at goal before Christmas.  Now that is what I put out there for everyone.  It has been hard to type this up but I can say having got it out there and written it up I now feel a sense of relief.  If you are reading it, I suppose I have been brave enough to post it.

Good luck in round 3 people and I look forward to catching up in Sydney as buff as GregP who looked amazing on stage on Saturday night, and pretty good at the workout as well.

16 comments:

  1. Greg I was one of those that meet you and have been following you. I am doing the ride to conquer here in Adelaide. I admire the fact that you are open and honest. I too did not have a great round but have more focus now to make things happen. It was lovely to meet you at Friday night drinks.

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    1. Likewise lovely to meet you. Good luck on your ride and come and say hello when we are in Adelaide pedalling together.

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  2. Thanks for the honesty Greg. I know how hard that must have been to put out there and I applaud you for it. I think sometimes knowing that the superheroes like yourself are also human makes it a bit easier for the rest of us mere mortals to accept our own flaws. You are a star and I can't wait to read about you smashing your goals this round, on and off the scales!

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    1. Thanks for the feedback, but I am no superhero, just a battler like everyone else trying to get to the end goal. Thank you for the feedback it is appreciated.

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  3. do you Greg that you are awesome - in spite of what you feel about the 9 kilos - you are not a fraud - you went thorough a growth period where you learnt more than you knew before - and sometimes we all need a reminder that weight loss and management is not actually a straight desending line. Rather I think it is a a group of learnings and challenges that we all must make to succeed. The plus is that you have learnt what you need and are going to grab hold of it with both hands.
    You are awesome, you are a star and most importantly you are human and you are now back in the drivers seat ... I look forward to hearing about the next bit!!
    Keep going you are doing great

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    1. Thanks Carol for the feedback and I also look forward to smashing out this round.

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  4. If everything was perfect all the time, we wouldn't strive to better ourselves.

    I've let things get out of control though round 2, and this time I WILL learn from my mistakes, and remind myself that I am only human, I have messed up, but I am dusting myself off and moving forward. Sounds like you've got the right head-space now too.

    All the best for this round Greg!



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    1. theshrinkingwalrus thank you very much for your comments and good luck to you as well.

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  5. Greg I think you are awesome for putting this out there. Of course you are still an inspiration to people....look at the total of what you have accomplished...yes you've had a slip up, but one that can be fixed. You've caught it. You aren't back where you started. And you know what, you are human. We all face challenges and it is refreshing and motivating to hear someone else openly admit they have struggled. I keep telling myself that to change 30 years of thinking the way I have thought can't just change over night. I try to own my choices as you are owning yours by posting this. I think anyone who has been where we have been will want to give you a pat on the back and say good on you. Looking forward to hearing about how you and Julie smash this round!!!

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    1. Thanks Emily. Your comments and feedback is appreciated and I am also looking forward to seeing how Julie and I go this round.

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  6. Greg, I saw your post through the Vic 12WBT page, and I think you are amazing, just in this post. It takes a lot of balls to write something like that - being honest is so, so very hard. You are inspirational just in that post - so I can see what people have been inspired by what you have been writing!

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  7. Greg, please take the time to remind yourself that you are human. We all slip up, you are there for so many of us when we slip up, time for us to now remind you that we have your back when you slip up. Looking forward to watching you smash your goals this round and celebrating the next 12 weeks with you in Sydney. xx

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    1. Can't wait for it Sez xxx

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    2. Thank you Sarah for the comments and I also look forward to the 4 of us getting together again for a celebration in Sydney.

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  8. Mate I'm playing a bit of catch up here so I've just read this post. Yep, being called an inspiration can be a big mantel on your shoulders, on anyone's shoulders, but know that people see the you who had the guts to get up and go, the you that has the gumption to try anything once, the you that raises money for charity through your fitness, the you that has been such a support to so many, the you who has come so far. They don't expect you to be perfect, heck we all slip, I gained last round too, but I'm using it as a wake up call jolt by lightening lesson that I need to be ever vigilant. All I'm saying Leitchy is you are human, and for that and how far you've come, despite last round and how hard you're being on yourself, you're still a bloody inspiration. And that's a good thing. Now get your butt into order and smash these next 12 weeks with me.

    Carol
    www.finding-carol.blogspot.com

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