The Hits: My fat-loss challenge

Sarah and Martin from The HIts

A note from Martin: Sarah has insisted on taking over the column this week so she can bleat on about her favourite topic - herself.

Yes, it's true, I'm taking over the column but I'm not talking about my favourite topic ... that would be chocolate. This is like the anti-chocolate topic: fat loss.

Three months ago, I decided to enter a fat-loss challenge through a fitness group in Hawke's Bay called Extreme Fitness. Embarrassment was the main emotion felt when I went for my first weigh-in. I wasn't so ashamed about my weight (I've been seeing the same number on the scales for a few years now) but more the expanse of tape needed to measure around my waist and hips, and just how far those dreaded calipers had to stretch. I almost cried but like the trainer told me: "It can only get better from here."

Shortly before this plunge into the world of fat loss, I'd also committed to running my first half marathon. I'm not one to do anything by halves ... other than marathons, of course! I added weight training and other cardio to the running and soon the weight started to fall off. I could feel my pants getting looser and was feeling really good about things until the second weigh-in.

After four weeks of a reasonably strict diet and daily exercise, I'd lost only 1.5kg. Again, I felt like crying but was reminded this was a fat-loss challenge and it made sense that I hadn't lost that much weight as I had gained muscle.

That took some time to get my head around. When someone is looking slimmer, the first thing you ask them is: "So how much weight have you lost?" We really need to stop doing that.

I think we almost need to throw away our scales because those numbers mean little compared with measurements and fat percentage. If you're feeling good, you're fit and you're healthy, that's what you need to focus on and I think I'm finally at that point.

The 12-week challenge has just come to an end and, while I didn't win, I feel like I did. In the past three months, I have committed to and run two half marathons, lost 12cm around my waist, 10cm round my hips and, most importantly, got rid of over 5per cent body fat. I still have a way to go but I'm on the right track. If you too feel like you need to change something in your life remember, it all starts with the first step.