More of a POBGPAD than a JFDI kind of gal

I have made no secret that I am doing the Michelle Bridges 12 week body transformation (12wbt) program. I am on my second round now and enjoy the results I am getting. It is NOT like biggest loser, with me standing on the scales crying every time I drop 500gm or getting voted out of my own house (although that may be up as an option if my PMS keeps getting bad, but that's a WHOLE other post). You can lose huge amounts on 12wbt if you want, but I have found that a slow and steady approach is a better way for me to go rather than the hell for leather, train until you puke (ok, YES, I tend to puke when I train anyway but running and I have NEVER been good friends. Especially after lunch) crazy lose-weight-so-fast-you-leave-fat-droplets-behind-you kind off thing. Soooooooo...
A mantra of sorts on the 12wbt program is JFDI, which means Just Fucking Do it. Ok. Fair enough. That works. Sometimes. But not always. I have had people say it to me and they mean to be encouraging but they have sometimes, quite unintentionally, come within a whisker of me shoving a brick up them sideways. Seriously. Tough love DOES have a place but not for everyone and not all of the time. I am also a quite simple soul and really, I need a BIT more direction than JFDI. JFDI what exactly? Go for a run? Or eat a chocolate eclair? I tend to subscribeomorrowe to the view of "put on (your) big girl pants and deal" or POBGPAD for short. Nowhere near as catchy as JFDI, but it's early days. Could be the new black!
Anyway, this is what I tend to keep in my head when my resolve to go for a walk falters or I just want to fill the bath with chips and gravy and then jump in and swim around in it. POBGPAD. Seriously. And when I look at my old knickers (size 28) those a fairly huge FARKING big girl pants. Not only were they once knickers, they can now also double as an emergency tent or backup parachute. With Big girl pants that huge, there isn't much you can't deal with. Really.

Another shameless spruik for money and support!! Or speak to me, big kahuna!!!

Hi everyone
Well, most of you now have heard me talking about the Kokoda Challenge, which I am doing in July this year and I have promised is to get more info out to you. Soooooooo...

What is it??
It is an endurance bushwalking event. With three  other adventurous souls in my team, I will be walking a 96km course that encompasses more than 5000 metres of elevation and 12 creek crossings through the Gold Coast Hinterland. On average only half of the teams entered make it to the finish line as a complete team, despite this we hope to get there within the 39 hours. It isn’t a relay – we all start together and finish together, unless someone withdraws due to injury or on medical advice. We are one of the 34  “all ladies” teams taking part this year. So far, 358 teams of four have signed up. You can find more info here https://kokodachallenge.com/

Why do it?
Well, those of you who know me well know I just can’t resist a big kahuna of a challenge. So for me it is the challenge of taking on something hard and that will push me so far outside my “comfort zone” I will probably end up a little bit loopy. Also, it raises money for the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program which is a 14 month early intervention program is helping young people from a variety of backgrounds to gain confidence, direction, new friends and the skills to overcome any obstacles that life throws at them. As I am married to a teacher who has dealt with his fair share of “at risk teens”, a program like this can go a long way to getting someone back on track. https://kokodachallenge.com/kokoda-challenge-youth-program

How can you help?
Besides not openly pointing and laughing when you see me in hiking shoes, what helps the most is money. My team need to raise $1500 by mid June. All donations over $2 are fully tax deductible. If a business is interested in making a donation, it is still tax deductible BUT we are also offering to put those who give us donations a “plug” on our team t shirts, plus plastering their names all over our FB page etc. $250 and over will get a business name on the front of the shirt, $100-$249 will get  a business name printed on the sleeve or the back.

How do I make a donation?
You can donate online. This is our team page http://kokodachallenge.com/team-profile/aim-train-lemurs-3200 where you can get info on us and donate. The form that will come up will give you the option of either doing a bank deposit or using a credit card. If you choose to do a bank deposit, PLEASE make sure that you mention our team name “Aim Train lemurs” in the reference line, so the money is put against our fundraising total. Also, send me an email that you have done a deposit this way so I can make sure it gets registered properly. You don’t need to send me bank details, just your account name, the amount you deposited and when.


Lastly, THANKYOU for reading this and please feel free to pass it on to anyone you know who may want to help. This is a great cause and I am really, really excited about doing this challenge.
Em