I’m in week 4 of the USN 12 Week Body and Lifestyle Challenge. I always get nervous for my weekly measurements and weigh-ins because I have that worry that I may not have lost, or perhaps it’s “stopped” working.

I’m working my ass off… quite literally and it’s hard work. It really is taking discipline and determination, preparation and lots of inner pep talks. It’s not easy, but I am motivated for the end goal.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say this wasn’t difficult, but I suppose if it were easy; we’d all have fabulous bods.

This keeps me going:

I have to stand there in a bikini and step on the scale and then have the calipers take my body fat measurements. Nothing quite like having your fat squeezed between cold metal “fingers” to really make you feel “good.”

I had to ask Trevor and Gareth from USN to tell me the results again because I almost didn’t believe I heard properly.

I have lost 6% body fat in week 3, bringing me to a grand total of 10% body fat lost in 3 weeks.

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

I’m down on the scale too, but not by too much – again it’s because I’m gaining muscle mass and it’s not a true reflection just yet.What is important is the inches I’m losing and how I’m feeling in my clothes.

All the hard work is really paying off.

Week 1 was amazing. I lost 3.2% body fat. Week 2 was disappointing because I only lost 0.8% – after all that hard work and I was a little very discouraged, but I didn’t want to let myself down and carried on doing the challenge.

Well… that paid off didn’t it? 6% this week.

I spoke to the USN guys, Jono Cloete my personal trainer and my best friend Karolina Sky (who is my BFF and fitness guru) and they have all told me the same thing… The first week you shock your body and lose. The second week, your body almost rebels against you, like it’s in denial and hardly loses anything. Week 3, your body is like “Sheesh, she really is serious about this. Fiiine, I’ll start shedding the weight…”

It’s amazing for me to see what Karolina has been telling me for years  – that I need to keep going and only after week 3-4 will things start showing. I normally start these exercise and healthy eating plans and do well for the first 2 weeks, but when I don’t feel like there is a difference, I get annoyed and I give up.

Sorry K… you were right and I can almost hear the “I told you so” 🙂 It’s like this: “When someone tells you the ‘sky is blue’ and you only see the ‘sky is green’… it takes your own realization to realize the sky is in fact blue!” Yes… it’s been one of those moments.

I am feeling amazing and I’m thrilled to see it’s working. I can’t wait to see and feel the results by week 12.