Carly: This time of year is notorious for piling on a kilo or two. Is there anyone out there that actually feels better in early January than they did in early December?! Well, some of our clients do, and it’s a testament to their committment that they’ve actually LOST weight, rather than pile it on!

Brooke for example, one of our star online personal training clients lost 600g over the Christmas week. She only missed her exercise on Christmas day and still enjoyed a delicious Christmas lunch. BUT, she was back on the wagon on Boxing Day.

There is something in this for us all. Weight loss is not about being perfect. As humans, perfection is something we always strive for, but very rarely attain. And especially when it comes to losing weight. We want to do everything right, and by the book. We want every meal to be perfect, with the right number of calories, the right proportions of proteins and carbs. Not too much fat, no alcohol, 60 minutes of exercise every day. And yes, this is what it takes to lose weight.. if you do it most of the time.

But the occasional treat, the occasional rest day from exercise and the occasional red wine is not going to make much difference to your overall weight loss efforts. It’s when that glass of red turns into 10, and when the treat turns into a whole packet of tim tams, or that day off exercise turns into a week, that things turn haywire.

So relax, enjoy yourself. Have a treat then get back on the wagon. Have a day off exercise and enjoy the downtime, then jump right back on the wagon and work hard! Remember you’re human, do the best you can, and stop trying to be perfect!

Here’s to a great 2009 - on the wagon!

Carly: It’s two days before Christmas, and here I am, still working! It feels like everyone is on holidays, the roads are quiet, the phone has stopped ringing, the email enquiries have stopped coming in - it’s awful! At least it’s giving me some time to catch up on the admin side of things.

At the moment I’m working on the 4-week menu plan for our inaugural Boot Camp recruits, with the first camp starting on January 19th. It’s very exciting, and I’ve been coming up with some fantastic exercises and routines for the boot campers - it won’t be easy, but it WILL be fun!

I have plenty of other things to do to, and I’ll be working hard over the Christmas break (whilst sitting on the balcony at Bow Hill…. aaahhhh!) putting together programs and processes for 2009. There is so much in store, in terms of website upgrades and extra benefits for our clients. It’s going to be a huge year….

We’ve been busy in the last week, considering everything is winding down. We signed up several new clients last week, all gorgeous women looking for the support and structure that Fitgirls provides. I can’t wait to start working with these women, and helping them to achieve their goals (and change their lives in the process). I think I must have the best job in the world.

To all of our subscribers, clients and friends - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you in 2009!

Carly x

Jenny: Well, this time next week most people will be comatose in a lounge chair having stuffed themselves with turkey and Christmas pudding.  I must admit I’ll probably be one of them.  It’s the one day of the year that I don’t think about what I’m eating.  And I really enjoy it!  And I don’t beat myself up about it.  Let yourself enjoy the day and eat and drink what you want, but know that the next day you’ll be back on the wagon again.  I find that if you prepare yourself mentally for a big day of eating, and know that it’s just for one day, you don’t suffer the guilts.  And being extra good in the food and exercise department the next day comes easily when you’ve planned for it.  Try it.  Tell yourself that you’re going to be far from perfect on Christmas Day, but that it’s only for one day.  In the whole scheme of things, it’s not going to make a lot of difference!  And let’s face it, what normal person is going to sit at the Christmas table and say “no” to pudding??  Not me.

Jenny:  Please let it be over soon!  December is the craziest month, and I’m sure everyone turns a little crazy.  Our December this year is particularly crazy - my son’s 21st, my mother’s 80th birthday, my daughter’s graduation from medical school, various Christmas dinners and functions with Brett’s work, Christmas drinks catch ups with friends, Christmas shopping, Christmas Day lunch and dinner at my house for 24 people, all while trying to operate a new business.  I feel tired just thinking about it!  And it makes me want to reach for the biscuit barrel…  but I won’t!  I work too hard all year to break down at this time of year, just because we all go a bit, well, crazy! 

We all know how hard it is to stick to a healthy eating and exercise plan over the Christmas break.  But you can do it!  Don’t deprive yourself completely - make some boundaries and stick to them.  I’m off to a function tonight, and I would love to have a couple of champagnes, so I’m going to, and I’m going to enjoy them.  But I’ll be in the studio early in the morning to do a half hour on the rower to burn off those extra calories.  It’s all about balance.  I will probably pass on dessert (when you do it so often it becomes habit), but if that chocolate mud cake is calling your name, cut it down the middle and enjoy just half.  Eat it slowly and savour it.  Ok, it’s not as good as not having it, but it’s better than eating the whole thing!  Another trick is to not think about all the functions and temptations coming up in the next couple of weeks.  It’s too easy to say “blow it” and start gormandising and put on 3kg in the 3 weeks before Christmas.  Approach each meal separately and think only about making healthy choices for that meal.  Before you know it, you’ve had 5 great meals, and then you can afford to have that glass of bubbles or half piece of mud cake at the next meal.  But remember to try if you can to fit in some extra cardio the next day to burn it off.  Your hips will be thankful!  What’s that Christmas saying?  “Eat, drink and be merry!”  I prefer my Christmas saying “Eat well, drink a little and be healthy!”  Try it, and enjoy…..

Jenny:  Once again we find ourselves saying farewell to a beautiful, strong, talented and YOUNG woman who has given in to the ravages of breast cancer.  Just 14 months ago, Kerryn McCann, a super fit 39 year old Olympic marathon runner, was healthy and expecting her third child.  She had discovered a small lump in her breast, but like so many busy women, put off seeing a doctor about it for a few months.  This was enough time for the lump to grow and spread.  Once she had been diagnosed she put off treatment for 3 weeks due to being pregnant.  After surgery where a relatively small lump of just 2.5 cm was removed, and chemo treatment, she was given the all clear.  However, the cancer had been aggressive and had already had a chance to spread (I’m told it is much more common in younger women to have the more aggressive tumours - mine also was around 2 cm and very aggressive).  By September the cancer had spread to her liver and brain.  Breast cancer has no favourites - it does not care who it strikes!

Kerryn’s death serves as a reminder to be breast aware - constantly!  Any small change must be seen by a doctor IMMEDIATELY - not tomorrow or next week or next month, especially if you are under 50 and are told you’re too young for a mammogram.  Your life literally depends upon it!

Our love and support goes out to Kerryn’s husband and three children - it is a sad loss but hopefully her passing will remind all women to be more vigilant about self-examination.

RIP Kerryn.

Jenny:  This week saw the end of an era within our family.  Chloe, our trusted, beautiful, loyal, placid and intelligent German Shepherd, passed away.  We, as a family, had to make the difficult, but right, decision to have her put down.  She was almost 13 years old and in the final stages of heart failure.  She had been particularly unwell for the past couple of months and the vet clinic had become her second home.  However, her health continued to decline, and our hearts bled to see her so miserable. 

We had Andrew, the wonderful vet from Glenelg Vet Clinic, come out to the house, bringing the vet nurse (whose name escapes me, but who seemed almost as upset as me!) and agreed with our decision to end her pain.  The next few minutes were quite surreal for me.  I was the only family member with her due to the vet not wanting to wait until the evening due to her being so uncomfortable.  Andrew explained the process in detail to me, but things did not go entirely to plan.  Chloe’s veins had started to shut down, so she had to endure quite a few minutes of poking with the needle to find a suitable vein, but even though it must have hurt her a lot, she just sat quietly and watched the vet do his work.  It was almost as if she knew what was happening.  Charlie and Hugo, who I had kept inside, had found a way out through a broken flyscreen, and who would normally jump all over Chloe with excitement, came out and sat quietly next to me and watched the whole proceedings.  Once again, I felt they knew what was happening, and just wanted to be with her in her last moments.  With the two little dogs next to me, I hugged Chloe from the back around her girth as she sat and had Andrew administer the drugs.  I pressed my face into her neck and told her what a beautiful dog she was and how much we all loved her.  I know she was listening to me and understood.  I then felt her body slump and go completely still and I knew she was gone.  Charlie and Hugo moved over to her, gave her a little sniff, and then ran off to play.

Andrew and his nurse gave me a few moments with her and then we made arrangements to have her privately cremated.  Her ashes are ready for me to pick up and we will keep them until after Christmas when we will have a little family ceremony at Bow Hill on the River Murray.  Chloe had so many happy holidays at  Bow Hill, so it was an easy choice to decide to scatter her ashes there. 

It is so strange to get up in the morning and not see her looking through the back door waiting for someone to come out and give her a morning hug.  I guess it will take a long time before that feeling goes.  As for Charlie and Hugo, I know they’re looking for her and wondering why she is hiding from them.

So, RIP beautiful girl - you will be missed so much!

Jenny: It’s my baby boy’s 21st birthday today - this time 21 years ago I had just been rushed to the operating theatre to have Kent delivered, 8 weeks early, by emergency caesarian, due to my Grade 4 placenta praevia.  Needless to say, it was a very tense few weeks as he was very small with very immature lungs.  But he grew and thrived and now he’s 21, an apprentice carpenter, and in a solid relationship with the love of his life, Stacy.  Without a doubt, he’s been the best son in the world - he’s never caused an ounce of bother, has always had a fabulous group of friends, and just loves his family.  Apart from the fact that he was a bit adverse to opening school books or keeping his room clean, he’s been the dream son.  He played a very big part in getting our studio open on time.  He spent hours painting, drilling, patching, building, hanging… and all without a grumble.  Do I sound like a proud mum??  Yep, I am - Happy 21st Kent.  You’re the best!!

Jenny:  A big thank you to everyone who attended the Fitgirls studio launch last night.  It was so wonderful to have our friends, family and clients show their support.  It was a great night complete with pink champagne, pink cruisers (but no pink beer!) and healthy snacks.  There were some speeches and presentations (Carly made a beautiful speech thanking everyone who had helped to turn this derelict building into a great studio, followed up by Heather - our very first client - who showed everyone what can be done in 12 weeks with Fitgirls!)  I then presented my son Kent with an electric drill for all of his help over the past few months.  He’s put in so many hours at the studio, and I feel so proud that he has wanted to give up his time to help his mum and sister set up this business.  (I personally wouldn’t want someone to give me an electric drill, but he was thrilled - it’s a boy thing!!)

Luckily our beautiful new brochures arrived in time to give out to everyone who attended.  Thanks to our friends at Adcorp for their amazing work in putting this brochure together in record time.

The night finished up with the drawing of the raffles ($133 will go to the McGrath Foundation), and the stayers having a chin up competition!  It was just a fabulous night - and a great start for the new Fitgirls studio.  We’ll be posting some photos of the night early next week, so make sure you have a look.

Carly: Yeeha!! We officially opened on Monday and we’ve already had some of our clients come in for training. The studio functions well and I can’t believe how much room there is. We had one of our poor girls running from one end of the studio to the other for 4 whole minutes and she was about ready to pass out - that’s when I know I’m doing my job properly!

Thought you might like to see some pics anyway……

Me and Mum

Our waiting area…..

And the studio!

Carly: I’ve been spending a lot of time recently with a very inspirational woman I know. Without going into too many details, I wanted to share her story because it’s one worth telling. Her name is Sue.

One year and two months ago this 44 year old woman got on the scales and realised she was nearly at the 100kg mark. It had crept on slowly but surely, and not only was a lot of weight to carry, but it was a burden on her life, her relationships, her happiness and her self-esteem.

I saw this woman on Saturday night at a party. She is over 35kgs lighter now, and a different person. She is wearing size 8 clothes, her hair was long and beautiful, her shoes were new and sexy, and she did NOT STOP smiling all night. She flittered around like a beautiful butterfly, and that’s exactly what she is - no more cocoon for her.

It got me to thinking about the ways that being overweight can influence a person’s life. I mean, yes, you are living, yes you may be coping. But really, deep, deep down, are you happy?! Is this all that life has in store for you? Are you actually going to ACCEPT that this is the way things will be for the rest of your life? Do you accept not fitting into your jeans? Do you accept feeling tired, lethargic and miserable all the time? Do you really? I mean, deep down inside, do you really want to live life this way?

I asked Sue what made her wake up one day and say, NO MORE!! What caused her to make the decision to change her life once and for all?

She said she was just sick of being so unhappy. Life is there to be lived, not to be endured.

If you are carrying an uncomfortable amount of weight, hold a mirror up to yourself and ask if this is the life you want. If it’s not, take action now. Take the first step. Go for a walk, say no to the chocolate muffin, make the decision right now to take control.

Life is about choices. Choose you.