Alex, 42, weighed 146.1kg when he started the Second Chance Challenge with stepdaughter Jesikah in a bid to ensure neither of them suffer any longer.
Update 10
Whoops! Didn’t find the time to enter my diary this week!
Update 9
Whoops! Didn’t find the time to enter my diary this week!
Update 8
My personal trainer had Jesikah and I run 4km up a hill and I took it at a running pace all the way. This is something I haven’t done for 25 years and it felt so good to be able to do it!
I am currently third on the leaderboard and I have now qualified for Finale. People have started to dub me the ‘dark horse’ of the competition, so who knows, maybe I can win?
Jess and I went did some filming for the SBS show Insight and we also had a story and photo published in the Central Coast Express Advocate. So overall, it has been a good week!
Update 7
I have been giving exercise everything I’ve got. I did boot camp on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (running, step ups and boxing at 6am) and a cardio session in the afternoon as well. I have also been going to our regular daily workout, which adds up to around 10-12 sessions every week.
I cracked the 120kg mark this week and haven't been this weight since the early 1990s. It feels great and has boosted my motivation more than ever. I just want to stop feeling tired all the time because of the early morning workouts combined with work etc. Oh well, at least after Finale I will have eight months to lose the remaining 35kg that I want to shed so I can become a personal trainer by early 2010.
Update 6
Well, what a tough week! I've managed to fit in so much without losing sight of my goal. I've done boot camp twice, have been to the gym every day except the weekend because of work. I also had the filming session in Sydney. Shattered!
I got to meet Meal Replacement ambassadors Sam again and Alison for the first time and they reinspired me all over again. I am now even more determined than ever so the leaders of the Second Chance Challenge better watch out over the next few weeks because I can feel a big turnaround and shake-up happening.
Look out world I'm on my way!
Update 5
Due to a back injury, I had to miss out on the last three days at the gym. I have been taking muscle relaxants and pain killers and hopefully, I will be fit as a fiddle tomorrow. I knew all the training Jesikah and I did before had done us both good, but I was disappointed to find I had only lost 1.7kg after all that effort. The only thing I could put such a small weight loss down to was an increase in my muscle mass. We’ll see next time when I step onto the scales. After all, this is pretty much crunch time and I know that Jesikah and I need to go at it pretty hard if we are going to reach Finale.
So, until next week, dear diary!
Update 4
Hey all! I just wanted to let you know that both Jesikah and I are going well and both of us are doing the hard yards at the gym. I have now lost more than 10kg and I’m feeling great! My colleagues at work have given me lots of praise because my weight loss is starting to really show now. My energy and vitality have been renewed and there is a bit of a spring in my step. I love walking wherever I can now. I can’t wait to reach my goal of a 30kg loss.
So, until next week...
Update 3
Well, week three has been a real turnaround for both Jessica and I. We finally found a gym that will suit us down to the ground. The manager/trainer of our new gym is so sweet and she couldn't do enough for us. She gave us a great deal with our monthly membership costs, too, and included some free boot camp sessions (ouch!) and boxing classes (yay!) plus use of the private, personal trainers’ room where we can do some step work, push-ups and stretches, etc.
I have told her to feel free to absolutely smash me, because I really want to be down to my goal weight of 85kg by Finale. She assured me that she will do just that if that's what I want. She also told me it will hurt big-time! In return, I promised that I would do whatever it takes, because I want to return to the real me. Let’s see how we go!
Update 2
Well, what a week! Feel a new energy at work, I feel like I should be running everywhere (although I know I can't do that just yet!).
I have been nibbling on vegetable crudités between work calls and sipping away on my Meal Replacement Soups. In fact, salad is now my best friend and I have even started to like tuna again! My boys are all back on the mend after having a cough (they have now passed it on to me!) so that's just another challenge before me.
I went to the gym for an hour and did a spin class plus I will be buying a treadmill and X-trainer this week so I can do some workouts from home and then do some tone-up work at the gym once a week. We’ll see how we go.
I am still in a very positive and focused frame of mind partly because I lost 5kg – I must finally be doing something right! That's all for now – see you next week!
Update 1
Well it's the end of week one and I have survived it! I faced temptations head on and just said ‘no!’ Actually, I found that the next time I was tempted, it was a little easier to say ‘no’ once again.
I was a bit worried that I had too many calories left over at the end of some days, even though it felt like I was eating too much food in general. But Roula at The Biggest Loser Club (God bless her cotton socks!) came to the rescue and advised me this was pretty normal and I should just follow my meal plan as closely as I could. Obviously this worked because I lost a whopping 3kg – woohoo!
I have been feeling on top of the world since I started this new journey and have found a new energy in me that I didn't know existed. Eating healthily has never felt so good.
Well, I am looking forward to week two now and I am aiming for an even bigger loss next week. Bye for now!