My Journey

Moved - Again !

2007-08-22T21:14:00.001+10:00

I have been off and quietly blogging in the last few weeks. Privately to see if I could do it regularly again - to see if I could muster the same drive that I once did. I realised that I needed to blog, and needed to get back in contact with people I had completely abandoned in my own selfish way.

But blogging I am and I have dropped all my old posts from both blogspot journals into the one wordpress blog so that all my meanderings are in the one place. And meanderings they are. Therefore I am now at www.mmeanderings.wordpress.com. It's a simple place. I can't muck around with the code, I don't know how to make it prettier, cleverer, I don't know how to add fancy things to it. And that is just the way I need it. It is a receptacle for my thoughts and my plans. And yes, it will be mainly about getting back into shape and losing the weight I have gained back, but it will be a little more. I don't have many people to talk to - to get things off my chest - so my little space on the web will have to be it.

I will be closing the blogspot blogs shortly - no point me clogging up the whole internet LOL.

I have moved

2007-02-02T11:31:00.000+11:00

Whilst I have been quiet publically lately, I have been slowly getting myself back into a better frame of mind, and in a position to finish the job I started almost 2 years ago. To do that I decided to start with a new blog. I will be taking the time to print this one out soon - all 360+ posts of it!!! - but feel the need to start afresh.

Thank you for supporting me during the last couple of years.

New Blog - The Letters of My Life

What Next?

2006-12-04T20:13:00.000+11:00

Way back in April 2005, when I started my journey, it was all about weight loss, better health, and having no expectations of when that would happen. This worked really well for me. I lost a reasonable amount of weight. I learned to do things in a healthier way. And I was able to meet and make some really great new friends. So when 2006 started I decided I would set myself some specific goals. How much weight I was going to lose. When I was going to lose it. What size I would be etc etc. As the year progressed I passed milestones that made me realise I wasn’t going to hit those targets. And try as hard as I could – I couldn’t help but let it mess up my head a little. I feel ashamed. I feel like a failure. I feel like a fraud in many many ways.

2006 just didn’t work out the way I had planned.

Even though it is not an excuse I have had many personal challenges this year. Family challenges, health challenges, time challenges, and financial challenges. All of which I will carry with me in the new year to some degree. Some are improving already and should be easier to deal with, and some are in the process of becoming a lot worse. I have made a deal with myself that whatever happens I can face it and I will face it head on. I will make sure my family is with me, we have a roof over our heads, and we are all safe. Anything over and above that will be a bonus. And I am sure it will be well over and above that but I am making sure my priorities are straight.

*****

I am really looking forward to Christmas this year. Christmas to me is not about the religion but more about the spirituality that is around at that time. People seem to be more giving, more open, and more forgiving. And it is forgiveness that I am giving myself this year.

I forgive myself for not being perfect. No-one is and as long as I am being the best I can be, for more days than I am not, then I am doing a good job.

I forgive myself for not being a perfect friend. I know and understand that I am not the only person in the world who has issues and is busy. I know and understand that those who are counted as my friends, and count me amongst theirs, know and understand this too, and our friendships will survive and grow in the new year.

I forgive myself for not reaching my weight goals. I have managed to maintain a reasonable amount of my loss of 2005. This is a good thing. And shows me that with a bit of adjustment in the mental stakes, and a large dose of planning, I will be able to shake myself off and begin the new year with a new purpose and go back to the origins of the journey. That is – improve myself in many ways, have a goal to work towards that is healthy, and work towards those goals. When they arrive – they will arrive. Do not put pressure on myself.

*****

Now back to the original question. What Next?

Well for me what comes next is a new year, a new start, a new gentle focus, and a new chance to learn a little bit about me and what I need to go forward in a healthy safe way.

I am going to find a yoga class that I can go to regularly and learn a little bit more about it. I have definitely been bitten by the bug (thanks to Shiny Ruby and Mary) and want to do something that is good for my body and give my mind a workout too.

I am going to get back to walking at work. After the Global Corporate Challenge finished it was like I put the brakes on and have not walked seriously since. That was October 25th and I can feel the effects on my fitness. And I need to do my exercise at lunch again as my time planning will shift next year with Darcy starting school. It will take some adjustments and I am sure I will have to modify things as I go along, but I am positive that I can make it work.

*****

So now I come to the end of my diatribe. I want to wish everyone a very joyous Christmas and a safe and happy and successful start to the New Year. I am looking forward to the Sydney Bloggers Christmas Picnic on Saturday (which follows the Kindy Christmas concert on Friday and proceeds Darcy’s 5th Birthday Party on Sunday, and his Kindy graduation on Monday) and will be heading to the park to have a load of fun and to try and remember how to keep a hula hoop up on my hips! LOL. If it is possible that any Blogger from Sydney does not already know about, or has forgotten about the Picnic, please head over to Mary’s Blog where the details are. If you are interested (and please come – the more the merrier) please email Mary for the details.

I will be heading off to Adelaide next weekend so will continue to remain off air until the new year when I will come back, re-introduce myself and my goals, and hopefully make 2007 a more successful year all round.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours.
M xx

My poor head

2006-10-23T09:32:00.000+10:00

It would have been easy for me to skip the scales today. I am at home with a killer headache after having a surprise migraine last night. I haven't had a migraine in at least 10 years and this one smacked me hard. It came from no-where and within a minute every step I took had me feeling like I was going to vomit. My head felt like it was going to explode. And even thinking made everything hurt. So I went to bed and hoped like crazy I would fall asleep so the pain would go away. With a bit of medicinal help - I did just that.

It topped off a pretty crazy weekend. The boys had the last of the catch-up immunisations on Friday and to say it didn't go well would be an understatement. Oscar completely lost the plot and I had to hold on to him so hard that I think I hurt him with my grip. He had 3 injections and even though the Dr is very good, and I had bought a local numbing agent for the boys arms, I think it still hurt going in as Oscar was moving the whole time. He screamed the place down and when I came out to the waiting room to give Oscar to Mark (who had come straight from the airport to the Dr's) I said to all the waiting patients giving me sympathetic looks "see, I wasn't murdering him".

Then the fun started with Darcy. I had to chase him around the waiting room and when he hid under a big chair where I couldn't reach him, I had to lift the chair off him, whilst keeping my foot on his leg so he couldn't run away. Then the only grip I got on his was his ankles so that is how I carried him into the Dr's room. He was doing that laughing crying thing and it was just about tearing my heart out but I kept making a game of it. Then when the needle was going in I kept telling him I would tell him when the Dr was going to do it, but then said "oops I forgot - the Dr has finished". Darcy looked up at me and said "well - that didn't hurt at all" HELLO what do you think I was telling you!!! LOL

Darcy had no reaction at all to the injections but Oscar has been off all weekend. He screamed and cried in his sleep, he wouldn't play, I had to be in the bed with him so he could touch my face (this is after he decided he did love me after all which happened sometime around midnight on Friday) *sigh* It was a busy weekend.

But it is Monday now. I have the day at home. And I decided it wasn't enough to stop weighing so I went to a local chemist (equivalent to the one I go to in the city) and I weighed in there. 900gms off thank you very much and I got some migraine medication whilst I was there. I tried to buy some chocolate but the girl behind the counter said I couldn't have any as some chocolate actually makes headaches worse!! Not sure if I believe her but as I sit here sucking on my sugar free lollies I bought I am actually sending her some silent thanks :)

Weigh in - Week 2

2006-10-23T09:21:00.000+10:00

Weekly Breakdown
Food I ate
This week wasn't as brilliant as planned, however, I kept two meals out of three right on track so when I had a bit extra it didn't make me go over points, or not too far over anyway.

Liquid I drank
At least 3L of water per day. NO diet coke (week two now!!). My downfall has been the amount of wine I drank.

Exercise I undertook
I moved in excess of 80,000 steps for the week. And I went for my first swim in months. It was very hard!!

Things I did last week - checklist
I will continue my focus on filling my day with healthy, fresh, food. - done
I will ensure that each exercise outing is done with more intensity than last week. - done
I will reduce the frequency and size of the indulgences (but not cut them out altogether) - needs work

Things I will do this week
I will continue my focus on filling my day with healthy, fresh, food.
I will add two new exercise sessions this week. One yoga, one something else.
I will not have any wine until Sunday - when I can have 2 glasses maximum

Alrighty Then

2006-10-16T20:30:00.000+10:00

DG had a great post just a short while back about how much motivation we have when we are doing a 'Week One'. I have just completed a Week One and I am literally bouncing around with energy and joy that I lost weight in, what I thought, was a far reflection of the work I put in. So now all I need to do is keep a tight reign and make sure I keep the focus on as I know that Week Two is usually bounce-back week. I am pretty good at week twos. At the beginning of the week. When I think I can do anything and achieve everything and work my tail off, then fall down harder than a Springbok faced with an All Black front line (sorry Linda LOL) when it comes to the end of the week and the scales haven't shifted or *gasp* they have bounced back up a little.

I have a feeling this week will be different. I accept that it is normal for Week Two to have a bounceback. But I am not going to help it bounce by screwing up everything I worked for last week. I will continue to focus, laugh, play, eat, make mistakes, learn from said mistakes, and just keep going - knowing that if I do so, it will all straighten up again in Week Three.

That being said, I am about to line up the bike in front of the TV so I can watch the Biggest Loser and be a loser at the same time ;D

Dad Update
My Dad is amazing. He is doing so well and healing faster than he, or the Dr's expected. He is back to eating real food - only small meals, but meals all the same. He is walking and doing some sitting up and generally feels really good. He will stay in the hospital for the full period of time to ensure that it is all doing what it should but so far so good :)

Links to check out
If you are in Sydney please remember to check out Mary's blog for dates for the Sydney Bloggers Christmas Picnic as well as other fabulous event dates coming up

Linda is on the hunt for your bras. No - not because she has run out of her own but for a great charitable event. If you have any bra you no longer need please visit her blog for the details on what to do next.

There were heaps of other things I had read lately (yes I have been keeping across you all via Bloglines) but now I can't remember any of them. I shall pop by again for a reminder..

Weigh in - Week 1

2006-10-16T20:07:00.000+10:00

Weekly Breakdown
Food I ate
Even though I did indulge in a few things outside of plan, I managed to keep each day on or below points

Liquid I drank
At least 3L of water per day. NO diet coke (yay me). And only had a couple of glasses of wine on Saturday.

Exercise I undertook
I moved in excess of 80,000 steps for the week.

Things I will do this week
I will continue my focus on filling my day with healthy, fresh, low point food.
I will ensure that each exercise outing is done with more intensity than last week.
I will reduce the frequency and size of the indulgences (but not cut them out altogether)

Shake Shudder HUG

2006-10-12T20:13:00.000+10:00

(typed up last night but fell asleep before I hit post - on the lounge again!)

Today is the end of day two of me not drinking diet coke. I decided that I needed to give it a break as I was drinking far too much to be considered healthy (4-5 cans during the day at work and if there was a bottle at home 1.25 litres at night). It had got to the point where I was drinking no water at all and just buying more and more d.coke. So I stopped. And I take my hat off to anyone who has a serious substance addiction because coming off d.coke has been hard. Pathetic isn't it.

Day one started well with me feeling really positive and drinking loads of water and the ocassional cup with a splash of cordial in it. I perhaps could have been considered 'bouncy'. But after lunch that all changed. I was craving it and I got the biggest headache behind my eyes. I got sleepy and cold and I was getting goose bumps on my arms and legs (it was a 33 degree day). I took some headache tablets and that helped a little but I was getting dizzy and I got the shakes at about 3.00pm. I drank 3 litres of water during the work day (only 4 cups of which had cordial in it) and I ate really well but it was hard work as I was trying not to eat my d.coke craving.

Today was a bit better. Even though I am used to having a can for breakfast the real cravings don't kick in until lunch time. I still had a headache today but a lot more bearable than yesterday. But by 3.00pm I had eaten all the food that I had brought with me and when I got home I must have opened the fridge about a hundred times looking for 'something'. I ended up eating 1/4 of an avocado with a tablespoon of pinenuts - scraped right out of the shell, and 4 celery sticks covered in cream cheese. I also ate all of Oscars left over steak (about 1/3 of a small steak) so I suppose I did OK. After we picked Mark up from the airport we had a little late surprise Birthday party (it was his birthday on Monday) and I did help to eat some of the mini mud cake. But in the end I still did not go over points for the day (yaaay me)

It is days like these that I need a good hug.

And I got one.

When I was coming back from my walk at lunch time I went through Pitt Street Mall and this guy was there giving away free hugs. No one was hugging him so I went right up to him with my arms out wide and gave him the biggest hug.

It felt really good.

Please note that the film clip has music in it which is fantastic so turn up your volume, and I am not in the film clip - this was done a little while ago and sent to me by Cath a couple of weeks ago. Which is how I knew who he was. I encourage everyone to hug a stranger, and there is no one stranger than me LOL.

My Dad

2006-10-12T08:22:00.000+10:00

I'm cross I didn't post this last night but I fell asleep on the lounge - with the 2 little cyclones and when I woke up at about 10pm and put them to bed I was only good for falling into bed myself.

So, my Dad survived the op (whooo hooo) and a mere 24 hours after he has already been moved out of I.C.U. and into a ward where I here he has been back-chatting the nurses. That's my Dad :)

Thank you all so very much for your good thoughts. I truly believe in the power of good thought and I appreciate the time you took to pass some his way.

Now onto the gory bits. 18 months ago (or there-abouts) they found a tumour in Dad's colon. It was small, completely encapsulated, and needed no chemo after removal. It was a clean operation but as they needed to do a by-pass for the bowel (into a bag) it was never-the-less a tricky one. When they sent him home he became very ill as the fitting for the by-pass was not sealed and waste was leaking into his stomach. This caused him to nearly die and he ended up staying in hospital an extra 4 weeks and losing 25kgs. NOT a good way to do it.

Anyway move forward 18 months and they find another tumour. The plus side to having a bag is you can see instantly if there is something wrong. Dad saw some blood and went straight to the Dr. The tumour, again, was small and apparently fully encapsulated. However this operation was different to the last. Instead of just removing the tumour (which was the size of a pea) they removed the colon, half his lower intestines and then sewed the lot up.

That's going to hurt for a while.

But he is alive, he can still play with and talk to his grandchildren. He can still heap shit on me (which is our normal way of showing how much we love each other). And he is happy about that. I am not sure how he will deal with the mental side of things after his body has healed but knowing him he will be cracking jokes about it in a few short weeks.

This is why I had been a bit quiet this last month. I thought it so unfair after what he and my Mum have already been through and I started feeling sorry for myself as I am not ready to be an orphan yet. Then I realised that not taking care of myself, not eating properly was just setting up my children to have the same problem with me in years to come, and that is what made me take myself to task and start doing healthy things again.

And, to be fair to me, Mark has been working in Melbourne during the week for the past 4 weeks so weekdays have been very hectic for me and when the weekends came around the last thing I wanted to do was sit in the study and 'compute'...

OK. I better finish this before someone walks behind me and wanders what I am up to :D
Have a wonderful day.

Firsts

2006-10-10T20:36:00.000+10:00

I think it is fantastic that at age 38 I can still list off things that are 'firsts' in my life. Not just first in relation to my children - of which are many and brilliant - but in relation to me. This year alone has seen so many firsts that I am going to try and remember them all and list them here.

It is the first year I have had 'girl friends'. I have always been a 'guy friends' kind of girl and also been very happy with my own company, but having friends who are girls and who share things and open up their lives has been wonderful. And the fact that these people are now not just words on a screen. They are flesh and blood and have their own accents and ideas and histories. This is a great first.

It is the first year since I was 18 that I walked into a pub alone. I am happy to report I have done it several times since LOL.

It is the first time I have done Nordic Walking - not something I am continuing long term but it was a great experience.

This year was my first City 2 Surf. And it was fantastic and will not be my last. As luck should have it I received my certificate in the post today and I have scanned it so you all can see what a clever little bunny I am. :) (later)

It was the first time I hula hooped. Now this was a real eye opener and something that I am continuing and plan to do as long as I can. It is fun, and funny, and challenging and a great way to let yourself go in a childish - free kind of way.

I became an Avon Lady. I am supposed to say Avon Representative but that doesn't make me laugh as much.

It is the first time EVER that I have attended a Yoga class. I went to a BRILLIANT workshop run by Shiny Ruby. I went with Mary and Little Grover was there too, along with a number of other people I didn't know. I had the best time and really got into it. I think I fell a little in love with something I never understood before.

It is the first time I strained/torn an intercostal muscle doing said brilliant yoga workshop. LOL. I thought I had cracked a rib and after thinking I was having a heart attack and where every breath I took in and out felt like I was tearing small pieces of flesh from the inside I went to my Chiro (after I had been to the Dr who diagnosed a cracked rib) who tested the area and reset the intercostal muscle and I am happy to report that the pain I had been experiencing almost instantly melted away. That is a first I don't want to repeat again. BUT I will be going back to Yoga because that was fantastic :)

It is the first time I have weighed myself at a chemist. Yep I have decided that weighing in a slightly public area is what I wanted to do and rather than go to a ww'er meeting I picked a Chemist in the city and will walk there every Monday lunch and get my weight. This is why the starting weight is a bit higher than I would have expected but it is middle of the day, fully clothed versus morning, sans clothing weight. It is just a snapshot.

This year is the first time I registered to do a Tri-athlon. Yep, I am always inspired by Sue and when she did hers I went hunting at the time and couldn't find anything appropriate for me to do, but after following a link from Phil's post about her Tri training I ended up finding a great "Enticer Tri" that I will do in February 2007. Doing a Tri will be on my list of firsts for next year :D For you Tri enthusiasts out there this one is very little - 250m swim, 10k ride, 2.5km run. As you know the limit of my running is only about 2 light poles so this is the area I will be working on. But I am so excited that I have something to train for. It will help me to be a bit more disciplined about getting out there and doing it. (and anyone who wants to do it with me is more than welcome to check it out!)

It is the first time I have purchased a Dixie Chicks album!! Yes that's what I thought too, but they have been in the press a lot lately in regards to the statements made in 2003 at a concert in London, and I have been so impressed by the way they have handled themselves with the media here. I may or may not agree with the sentiment expressed by them, but what I like, what I respect, is that they can articulate WHY they said it and not apologise for standing up for what they believe in. The single that has been getting the most attention "Not Ready To Make Nice" has some words in it which I think are really great.

I'm not ready to make nice
I'm not ready to back down
I'm still made as hell
and I don't have time
to go round and round and round

They might have intended it to have one meaning but for me it can just as easily mean my relationship with my weight. I am not ready to make nice with it. I am happy with my body (sort of) and my self but not with my weight and I am not ready to back down and I am sick of going round and round and round so it is forward I go from here.

This year will be the first time I do archery, have a Christmas picnic in Sydney, and many other things. And next year I am going to continue to have firsts. Hopefully the reaching goal first will be amongst the mix ;D

Did you notice that the bulk of my firsts have all got to do with other bloggers - gotta love them all *mwah*

What have you done that is a first in your life this year?

(N.B. If you have any good vibes, prayers, wishes - please send them my Dad's way. He is currently in theatre having a pretty major op and I just want him to come out of it. Everything else we will deal with later.)

Confessions (Weigh Day - 1)

2006-10-09T23:30:00.000+10:00

Fact:
Closing my mouth on the blogs does not equal closing my mouth to food.

Fact:
I am not giving up, I am going to pick up where I left off (well I am going to pick up quite a few kgs heavier than where I left off), and I am going to take it a day at a time.

Fact:
It is going to take me a little while to get back to a regular routine of blogging, reading, commenting, supporting, but I will do it. And I will do it in a safe and balanced way.

Fact:
It feels good to be here :D (Thank you)

Hello God…It's M

2006-09-12T09:52:00.000+10:00

Over the years I have been known to pray to God. It is usually late at night. It is usually in the toilet when I am by myself, or in bed. It is very rarely in a Church. It has usually been a tough sort of a day where I have thrown my arms up in the air and thought "I have had enough!" But after reading a fantastic and fascinating book entitled "eat, pray, love - One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert, which I was stunned to have received for my birthday by a very special friend (and yes you are) I have realised that the words that come out of my mouth, what I think they mean in my head, and what they could be interpreted as are completely different things.

And before I get into the specifics I want to clarify what I mean by God. The following is an excerpt taken from "eat, pray, love" and is entirely the authors words. How she managed to take them from my head and put them on paper I still don't know but they capture what I feel about God perfectly.

"Now, this was a first for me. And since this is the first time I have introduced that loaded word - GOD - into my book, and since this is a word which will appear many times again throughout these pages, it seems only fair that I pause here for a moment to explain exactly what I mean when I say that word, just so people can decide right away how offended they need to get.

Saving for later the argument about whether God exists at all (no - here's a better idea: let's skip that argument completely), let me first explain why I use the word God, when I could just as easily use the words Jehovah, Allah, Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu or Zeus. Alternatively, I could call God "That," which is how the ancient Sanskrit scriptures say it, and which I think comes close to the all-inclusive and unspeakable entity I have sometimes experienced. But that "That" feels impersonal to me - a thing, not a being - and I myself cannot pray to a That. I need a proper name, in order to fully sense a personal attendance. For this reason, when I pray, I do not address my prayers to The Universe, The Great Void, The Force, The Supreme Self, The Whole, The Creator, The Light, The Higher Power, or even the most poetic manifestation of God's name, taken, I believe, from the Gnostic gospels: "The Shadow of the Turning."

I have nothing against these terms. I feel they are all equal because they are all equally adequate and inadequate descriptions of the indescribable. But we each do need a functional name for this indescribability, and "God" is the name that feels the most warm to me, so that's what I use. I should also confess that I generally refer to God as "Him", which doesn't bother me because, to my mind, it's just a convenient personalising pronoun, not a precise anatomical description or a cause for revolution.

Of course, I don't mind if people call God "Her", and I understand the urge to do so. Again - to me, these are both equal terms, equally adequate and inadequate. Though I do think the capitalisation of either pronoun is a nice touch, a small politeness in the presence of the devine."(eat, love, pray - Elizabeth Gilbert, p13)

And before you think this book is all about God, it isn't. It's got a lot to do with sex and gelato too :)

So now I realise that there is no way I can colour up my prayers, no beautiful strings of words that I can use that changes the core message I am giving. And they are as follows:

Dear God. If you can just make me a millionaire when I wake up in the morning, I promise I will finally get around to doing that budget and promise not to screw up all my money as I have done in the 38 years that have already passed in my life.

Dear God. If you can just make me skinny when I wake up in the morning, I promise that I will maintain this new temple of loveliness by eating healthily, exercising properly, partaking of essential nutrients, and ensuring I get enough sleep and sanity to carry this through.

Dear God. If you can just see your way clear to making me the most knowledgable being on Earth so that any job I may want, or any question I may be asked, I will know the correct answer in order to get what I want.

Yep, pretty shallow aren't they.

But now I have realised that my shrug of my shoulders in the morning when yet again I woke up to find nothing had changed was just a cop out because I was receiving the answers loud and clear each day. The answers went a little like this.

Dear M, If you construct a budget, live within your means, and continue looking for ways to improve your life, and the life of your family, POW, you will wake up one morning with riches beyond your wildest dreams.

Dear M, If you eat healthily, exercise properly, partake of essential nutrients, and ensure you get enough sleep and sanity to carry this through, POW, you will wake up one morning in a body that is healthy and loveliness in all its glory.

Dear M, In order to attain knowledge to gain "what you want" you first need to know what it is you want.

Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. LOL..

It means I had the answers inside me all along. I have the ability to have my prayers answered, or my goals reached. Because really all my prayers are, are a spoken version of my goals said in a different context. I was asking someone else to achieve my goals for me. I was asking someone else to take all the responsibility away from me. I was trying to take the easy way out. Ask someone to do something - blame them when it doesn't happen.

I know I have taken huge steps to address my prayers/goals. I have started to understand that I need to take the reigns of my life in my own hands and see how far I can go.

And I plan to go far :D

P.S. If you want to know all about the sex and gelato part of the book, I highly recommend you check the book out at the library. Mmmmm gelato….

*******************************************

And in other news:

Jay Kay has attacked her 'letter' she was given and it is brilliant. With all the Running she is doing she definitely has the RRRR's to show for it.

Big hugs to Rae who has miscarried her first baby at 10 weeks. I am a bit late with the news but send out my sincerest condolences for her loss :(

I had a great weekend in Adelaide. It rained a lot so didn't get out for my beach walks but did walk for a few hours around their new IKEA store, and a few more hours around the Royal Adelaide Show. Spent great time just lazing about with the folks and my family and reading (hence the post above). It was great and I can't wait to go back again in November.

Thank you to all you lovely people who sent me cards and good wishes for my birthday. I am still feeling special :)

And a big well done to everyone who is maintaining, losing, fighting to minimise the gains. You guys are sensational and you provide me with new motivations each and every day, in very different ways. And I can see that with Spring now upon us the levels of motivation are starting to climb again. Whooo Hoooo. Now if it will only stop raining in Sydney long enough for me to get outside LOL.

38 Today :D

2006-09-08T01:11:00.000+10:00

Yes folks, today I am 38 years old. And I have so much to be thankful and grateful for. The least being the delicious cake I shared with my 3 favourite people. To ensure we had enough for a taste and a sing-along, but not enough for me to keep eating, I bought a mini marble mud cake from Michele's. Yummmmm

And the reason for partaking of this delicacy prior to the actual day?? Good question. The answer is that at 9:50am this morning I will be flying over to Adelaide to spend the weekend with my Mum and Dad. By myself. With no children. Or husband. I think it will be WONDERFUL.... Not that I won't miss them. A little. (ok a lot!) But I know that I will enjoy it because it is only 2 nights. 2 nights of blissful peaceful sleep where I know I won't have to keep my 'ears' open even when sleeping. 2 nights when I am pretty much assured of waking up without little feet curled up under my ribcage (though I actually do love that!). 2 days of being able to walk on the beach without having to think out and plan the entire trip to make sure I have enough nappies, cream, wipes, toys, snacks, sunscreen, hats, etc. Don't get me wrong, I would not change my life in a heartbeat (unless it can be the same but with more money LOL) and I do realise how incredibly lucky I am to have such special people in my life, but I am still happy that I have this opportunity to re-charge my batteries. Do batteries recharge better when soaked in wine? Hmmmmm wine....

Now what have I been up to?

KUTA
This is going really well and I am happy to report that the scales are going down, the energy is going up, and the belief in myself is increasing. I still need to maintain the focus and after a brilliant week 1, week 2 and week 3 are a little slower, but I am still going and am determined that I will not let up.

GCC
Nope, this hasn't finished yet. We are on day 105 and I have walked 1,779,841 steps, Avg 11km/day, Total km (based on 65cm gait) 1,147kms. We are currently in Alaska getting ready for our trek across North America. The Challenge finishes on 25th October and I don't think we will reach the finish line in China but I think we are still doing OK. We are still in the top 10 of our company and in the top 100 of the entire challenge. I should get some good stepping done in Adelaide, walking Mums dog, and the Royal Show is on and we will be walking around all the pavilions.

Avon
Ding Dong. I am now an official Avon Lady. And I am really enjoying it. I think because I can take the piss out of myself and have been hamming it up a little I have endeared myself to a few people and am beginning to make this little venture work. It is only my 2nd campaign (see the 'official' speak is already sneaking into my vocabulary LOL) and I think I am doing OK. It has been great for getting those extra Saturday walks as I wander around the neighbourhood and I have met some nice people too that were lucky (or unlucky) enough to be in their yard / garden / drive way when I walked past. We shall see where it leads :)

My New Love
No I haven't traded Mark in for a new model. I got myself a fantastic exercise bike courtesy of Mary. After doing an honest assessment of my lifestyle and my evening habits I realised that I needed to do something extra but it had to be something that I could do sitting on my tail. The TV workouts are still good, and I need to work them back in, but sitting on a bike and pedalling for half an hour is just brilliant. Actually it's bloody hard work. I can't believe that I can walk for 14.7kms and suffer only the indignity of sunburn and a couple of sore toes, but 20 minutes on the bike makes me look like I have never exercised in my life before!! It sure is a reminder that the body gets used to particular exercise and movement and we need to shake ourselves up from time to time. So biking it is for me - for now. I am endeavouring to get on every day. 30 minutes one night, 10 minutes the next, and I will build up from there. It has been fun and I can see it is something that will be easy to keep up.

Okey dokey I need to go to bed. Thank you to all you wonderful people who have been checking in on me, sending me emails, catching up with me in 'real life' and for making me feel special with little birthday surprises. *mwah* to you all. I am packed, I have an Avon book with me (hey you never know!) and a great new book that I am desperate to begin.

I can see it is going to be a great weekend. See you all next week :D

K U T A

2006-08-22T22:19:00.000+10:00

I don't want to post a negative post, so I won't.

Hooping
As you may have already read at Mary's and Shiny Ruby's blog, hooping was an absolute blast and I enjoyed myself so much. Sure I stood right at the front with the floor to ceiling mirrors pointing out each and every flaw in my hooping technique, but after a few minutes and many false starts I could look at my reflection without bursting out laughing. Really it was all I could do to catch my flying hoop before it flew off and hit someone else (and I do need to apologise to Emilie and Sarah - sorry guys you copped more than your fair share). Two hours and a lot of sweating and laughing later I am now the proud owner of my very own hoop. My hoop that will help sculpt my abs and build up my core muscle control. My hoop that makes me smile as I think about it and makes me want to get out and move my butt. And my arms. And my legs. My hoop that I am having a little bit of an obsessive affair with. LOL. If you haven't already been to check out the photos of the day I highly recommend a visit to the set provided by Mary and the set provided by the extraordinary Bunny. We are all there in our hooping gloriousness. (thanks guys for taking the time to take and post the photos)

If you want a giggle, or are interested, there are a heap of great hooping links that Bunny provided below. Just checking out Fat Boy Slim's new video is guaranteed to get you remembering (with glee or horror) your own hooping experiences as a child.

http://www.youtube.com/group/learnhooptricks
http://www.hoopnotica.com/
http://www.groovehoops.com/newreel.html

Archery
If by now you are slightly interested in joining us in a new learning experience this is the heads up to say that Archery will probably be the next target (eww that was a bad pun) and more information will be forthcoming. Can't wait to see what damage I can do with a sharp pointy object LOL.

Issues
I have issues at the moment. Issues that are getting me down. That I fight through. That I am happy with. And that get me down again. It is just a bit of a struggle balancing all I need to do with all I want to do. I found myself in the last week and a bit drinking a wee bit more regularly than I should be, and in greater quantities than is healthy. This led to a bit of a introspective look at myself, my reactions to people, my feelings towards myself that really should have been solved with a kick up the arse rather than allowing myself to go in deeper. So kick up the arse I am getting. Or KUTA for short. Instead of being all talk and no action I am adopting a new policy of no talk and all action. At least for a little while. After discussing my issues at length with a real person (not a blogger *gasp*) we have buddied up to help each other out of very similar slumps. This involves complete honesty. No judgment. And me doing instead of saying. I am in KUTA Day 2 at the moment and so far so good. I am relearning some pretty basic habits and whilst it is hard making this a top priority again I am sure that within a week or two of constantly reminding myself that I am worth it and practicing the good habits that I need to make, I will be back on top of it again. And if in the meantime, my house gets cleaned, the laundry gets done, all the bills are paid, and children go to sleep on time and stay asleep all night - in their own beds, I will be a very happy camper indeed. I will probably be asleep and it will all be a dream but I will be happy. ;D

So following on from that I won't be posting for a while - but no time frames or restrictions. If something BRILLIANT happens you will all be the first to know (all million of you LOL). I will be reading and commenting where I can after I have done my exercises in the evening and all other chores are done. I am not going to lose my grip on where you are all up to in your lives because you are all too motivating and inspirational for me to just let go.

Here is to KUTA. And a great big one at that!

The Race & Recovery

2006-08-15T21:15:00.000+10:00

The morning did not start off exactly to plan with little Oscar deciding that today he was going to be sick. I am sure it had a lot to do with the copious amount of sugar he consumed at his party but also the peak of a cold he had been carrying around. So a morning vomit in our bed was an indication that all was not well (and dammit I had just changed the sheets!!) After I showered and dressed in my super cool outfit for the walk he vomited on me again. I was starting to get concerned that I would not have an outfit to wear. After seriously considering my pj pants I went with an old winter weight size 16 trackie pants. They were hot but they did the job.

Linda and I headed in to the registration line up as I had lost my bib and met up with Michelle there. I am so grateful that they are as calm as they were as I was starting to get a bit worried that we would miss the race altogether as the line seemed to take FOREVER. However, after a rough start we were ready to join the throng as the 4th gun went off. We shuffled together until we past the start line (about 10 minutes after the first person in our group) then we found a little space to pick up the pace. As I looked forward the road dipped away and the sheer number of people took my breath away. It was fantastic to be part of such a big group and just getting out there and doing my own thing. After a short jog through the William St tunnel (which I thought would never end by the way LOL) Michelle broke away to continue her running and Linda and I strode out as the space freed up even more. It was so easy walking with Linda. We may be different heights, have a different walking style, but we think so similarly that it was a real hoot. Linda would see a gap 2 or 3 gaps ahead and just make a jogging bee line for it, and I would follow or make my way around a different way. There was never any pressure to keep up, or stay by each others side. We just walked comfortably together.

The atmosphere was electric. Helped by the numerous bands lining the route entertaining us all. My favourite bit was as we came up to the top of Heartbreak Hill and noticed the 7km marker. We had done it in just a couple of minutes over an hour. That was pretty good. There was a garage on our right with a group of people on top. As we rounded the corner they pressed play on their CD player and the music from Chariots of Fire starting blaring out with the visual of all of them starting to run in slow motion. It was hilarious and really helped to keep the spirit up and keep moving. There was never one moment when I considered giving up. Sure if the course had been shorter I would have been happy to stop but I was in this for the final. I felt pretty good all the way. My big toes hurt (???) and I got a bit of chafing under my arm due to the backpack - but that was it.

The stats came out in the paper today and Linda and I finished 1 minute apart but that 1 minute made a difference in our finishing positions. Out of the 53,000+ people who actually finished Linda came in 36,576 and I came in at 36,582 (sorry about the typo in the earlier email Linda LOL) Our own time showed that we finished in 2hrs and 10mins. That's roughly 20,000 steps in my length.

And the best thing?? My recovery. On Monday morning I woke up with the only pain being that of the sunburn I received to my shoulders and chest, and a little hip flexor stiffness. Other than that - nothing. I was so happy. I got ready to go to work and take the boys into kindy but whilst we were at kindy Oscar was sick again and spiked a temperature so I turned around and took him home again. I made sure to ring half a dozen people at work though to tell them that it was not the results of the walk keeping me home. I really wanted to go in and show off but that will have to wait until next year now. Today was pretty good too. Again the only soreness I am feeling is in my hips so a visit to the chiro has been scheduled in.

It was the best fun and I have learnt enough on what I need to do to make it better for next year. So who else is in :D

(Blogger won't let me post photos anymore - after it had lost the ones I did put on here. I will update tomorrow)

The Dinner

2006-08-15T21:10:00.000+10:00

More than anything I want to say "thank you" to all the bloggers who came to the dinner. There were a lot for whom the dinner was the first time they had crossed the line between cyber and real. And that is hard. It takes guts to be able to walk into a room of people that you don't know and stand there and introduce yourself and hug and greet people that you know so well - but don't know at all. I had a great time and great conversations that have helped to give a 3D personality to a relationship that is all about support.

And it was a bit of an eye opener to sit back and reflect that it has been almost a year since I first met Mary and Cath when we did the Diabetes Walk for a Cure. I still remember the feelings of wanting to text and dip out, even though I organised it!! And I was only meeting 2 people. I had a great time during the meal and managed to get to meet and talk to everyone there. Some more than others but you get that in a big crowd.

Cass, Stella, Nicole, Kathryn and I sat at one table and it is incredible that you can learn so much about people in such a short space of time. I had a delicious meal (though found out later that not everyone had the same result) of pasta, neapolitana sauce with ricotta. Yummmmo. But dinner was not all about sitting in one spot. We all table hopped and chatted and it is really funny that the only 2 people I really didn't have a chance to talk to much was Mary and Cath. But as we catch up the most I think I can survive and will have to hold on until Sunday when we meet up again for the Hula Hooping Lesson. What fun that will be!!

The guys at the other table: - Bron, Jodie, Linda, Sarah, Michelle, Mary and Cath I had already met, but Briony, Tamara, Melissa, and Marion (Cath's Mum) were new to me and lovely to meet. I had spoken with almost all by email previously so it was great to jump in and talk to them for real.

After dinner some of us headed to the Fortune of War for a few more drinks (as if I needed any more by that stage LOL) and I had to admit after a little while my yawning was embarrassing even me so I made a move home. Sitting with Linda at the dining table going over the plan for the next morning was a good chance to enjoy the silence (boy am I getting old) and get my mind around the fact that I would be walking almost 15kms in less than 10 hours time. Goodnight!

(The lovely ladies in the photo are: L-R Kathryn, Linda, Briony, Sarah, Nicole, Cass, Michelle, Me (right at the back), Melissa, Stella, Bron, Cath, Marion, Tamara, Mary)

The Party

2006-08-15T21:00:00.000+10:00

I was never more happy when Saturday dawned clear and warm. It meant that I had half a chance of fitting in 16 kids and 18 adults without having to play muscial chairs. With not enough chairs LOL. The day was BRILLIANT. Even when people starting arriving 15 minutes early (note to everyone - don't ever come 15 minutes early - those last 15 minutes are crucial!!)

Linda was smart and jumped ship to meet up with Mary before the fraccas but I have to admit, it was a pretty fun party to hang around.

The kids ran and ran and ran some more in the soccer field we set up in the back garden and the plethora of soccer balls meant there were no fights. Everyone played games, the piniata was a hit (even though I made it so well that nothing fell out and I ended up having to rip it in half LOL).

The "Go For Goal" game I created drew lots of laughter and I got heaps for taking a photo of Darcy dressed in nothing but his undies and Wellington boots. I say if he wants to dress like Astro Boy, let him :) I try to make sure he is at least dressed when we leave the house LOL.

After gorging on as much fairy bread, fruit, party pies and ice cream cake as they possibly could, the party broke up and the clean up started. It didn't take long and Linda timed her entrance perfectly (thanks for helping with the dishes). Marks parents were here for the party too and they had the best time. It was great seeing them interact with the boys as they don't see that much of them.

When the boys went for a lie down at half past four it gave me a chance to get ready for the bloggers dinner. I didn't know it then but found out later that the boys didn't wake up for the rest of the night. I hope Mark knows how lucky he is that the ONLY babysitting duty he has had to do involved doing nothing *mutter mutter mutter*

I am glad my little man had a wonderful day, and very happy that everyone who came seemed to have a great time too. Lots of laughing and playing and being silly. Just like life should be ;D

The Difference a Day makes

2006-08-08T08:59:00.000+10:00

Yesterday (before lunch)

I tried to gain weight this week. Really put the sort of effort in that I should be directing the other way. It started off by me eating my way through the pantry and finishing off EVERY piece of birthday party stuff that was left over from filling the goodie bags and the piniata. I ate packs of crisps, freddos, freddo heads, lollies, lollypops and I am sure there was more. I shudder to think that the party hasn't even happened yet and I need to shop for food for the day. It then spiraled into an anger filled frenzy and when I couldn't find anything else I set about making cheese and bacon pancakes - just so I could have something to eat. I mean I COULD have eaten the fresh fruit I have. Or I could have had vegetables or better yet, just drunk water but Nooooooooo. I needed to punish someone and who better than me, because I am there. * sigh *. I don't understand it. My anger was not towards me. It was for someone else. But I get frustrated and know there is no point getting angry at them so I direct it inward. Luckily for me there was also this intense desire to walk this weekend and walk I did. So when I got on the scales I was shocked to see they registered a "no - change" leaving me at 77kgs. Part of me wishes it had jumped 5kgs to put the fear back in me and the other part is just grateful that it stayed the same. I am a very positive person, naturally, and usually jump out of bed being able to see the sunshine and accepting that I will get where I want (physically, emotionally, financially) but this weekend knocked me for a six and I have to admit that when I got us this morning I wasn't really sure of anything anymore.

Yesterday (after lunch)

Before I started my blog I had friends I could count on less that one hand. One girl from work - MF and a couple of other Mums I met at the ante-natal classes. And those Mums were all skinny and beautiful and whilst I know that they didn't keep inviting me around because I made them look good, I always knew that I kept myself a little apart from them. Then the blog started. Along with the increase of confidence in myself as I changed physically I grew mentally as my friendships with people on-line grew. It started with comments left on blogs. A bit of a one way conversation but just what I needed. Then, like in real life, closer bonds formed with a few that really clicked for me. The blog comments started turning into email conversations. Real two way conversations. Soon the blog did not necessarily necessitate the beginning of a chat. An email would just appear, or I would just send one to say Hi and on it went. This has now developed where I am comfortable enough to pick up the phone and ring someone to have a chat and forego the internet altogether. Or not. There is no pressure, there is no obligation, so when we talk, when we meet up - it is real and it is FUN.

So anyway yesterday I received such an email. Out of the blue and a great wake up to me that the world is not just about me and that other people have the same angers, needs, wants, as me and also need a place to vent when the blog seems just a touch too public. I am so grateful that I have friends like this now and know that it has made me become the better person that I am.

So on to Today

Today is completely different. Today I woke up with an expectation of joy and happiness and excitement. Because today is not about me. Today is about my baby Oscar who turned 2 this morning. As I lay in bed snuggling with both Oscar and Darcy whilst Mark got ready I was smiling thinking about how excited the boys would be when we went out the back and they discovered the 30 odd balloons I blew up last night and the table covered in presents. We all raced out the back as my Mum rang to say Happy Birthday. I knew it was only 5.45am in Adelaide so appreciated the gesture. We opened the present from her and Dad whilst she was on the phone. Oscar managed to yell Thanks Oma almost at the same time he was yelling WOW as he ripped the paper off to reveal "Charlie the Talking Grill". How hilarious. It is a small BBQ that has eyes and a mouth and talks as you press down the sausage or the burger and when you take the Ketchup or Mustard out of their holders, they speak to you. He LOVES it. I am so happy for Mum that she got to share that with us. I love my speaker phones - it makes sharing this stuff so much easier.. Then it was back to the ripping of paper and as the Wiggles books and plate set were revealed we got more WOW's and the smiles just kept on going.

I feel really lucky today.

And I am going to take that feeling and run with it. :D

Exercise Plan (Mon 07/08 - Sun 13/08)

2006-08-07T06:00:00.000+10:00

07/08 - 40 min to and from city, 45 min lunch walk - DONE
08/08 - 40 min to and from city, 45 min lunch walk, TV workout - only the walks
09/08 - 40 min to and from city, 45 min lunch walk, 30 min tramp - only the walks

10/08 - 40 min to and from city, 45 min lunch walk, TV wourkout - only the walks

11/08 - 40 min to and from city, 45 min lunch walk, 30 min tramp - only the walks
12/08 - Nothing but party stuff then bloggers dinner - that counts :)
13/08 - City 2 Surf - whooo hoooo (hopefully I will click over 30,000 steps!) - DONE but only 27,000 steps for the day

TV Workout for this week

Programme - (using a dining chair) 100 x inner thigh squeeze, 100 x outer thigh squeeze (repeat until commercial)

Commercial - (using skipping rope & coffee table) 2 min skipping, 5 Tricep Dips, 5 Pushups (repeat until programme)

Programme - (using a dining chair) 100 x inner thigh squeeze, 100 x outer thigh squeeze (repeat until commercial)

Commercial - (using skipping rope & fitball) 2 min skipping, 50 crunches on the fitball (repeat until programme)

Repeat for 30 minutes

"If you are going to do it - do it like you mean it"

Exercise Plan (Mon 31/07 - Sun 06/08)

2006-07-31T22:58:00.000+10:00

31/07 - 50 min to and from city, 45 min lunch walk, 30 min TV workout - DONE
01/08 - 40 min to and from city, 45 min lunch walk, 30 min tramp - modified but DONE
02/08 - 45 min lunch walk, 7km walk home - modified but DONE
03/08 - 40 min to and from city, 45 min lunch walk, night off, ?? walk delivering Avon books LOL not all done
04/08 - 40 min to and from city, 45 min lunch walk, 30 min TV workout DONE
05/08 - 1 hour powerwalk before boys tennis - not done but did walk during the day
06/08 - 1 hour powerwalk before boys swimming lessons - not done but did walk during the day

TV Workout for this week

Programme - (using a dining chair) 100 x inner thigh squeeze, 100 x outer thigh squeeze (repeat until commercial)

Commercial - (using skipping rope & coffee table) 2 min skipping, 5 Tricep Dips, 5 Pushups (repeat until programme)

Programme - (using a dining chair) 100 x inner thigh squeeze, 100 x outer thigh squeeze (repeat until commercial)

Commercial - (using skipping rope & fitball) 2 min skipping, 20 crunches on the fitball (repeat until programme)

Repeat for 30 minutes

"If you are going to do it - do it like you mean it"

Weigh Day - 31st July

2006-07-31T22:49:00.000+10:00

Reading blogs, for me, has always been about support, learning & motivation as well as a great way to have a laugh and to share a tear. And sometimes it is not even the post itself that sets of a light bulb moment, but a series of off-tangent thoughts that occur because of it. Take this post of Katey's for example. In it she stumbles across some old ww'er books and removes them (very ingeniously by the way) from her house as this is not the tool that she is choosing to use in her quest for better health. And as I was silently applauding her for her actions I started thinking that I had some old books lying around and went hunting.

A friend had given me her weeks 1 - 12 booklets when she moved across to Sure Slim and I have to admit that in the past year and a bit I haven't looked at them very often and never at length. But on Friday I went through each one, page by page and started recalling my excitement when I first began back in April 2005. I looked at the ways to move more (most of which I am doing) and how to fill up a day full of healthy foods without feeling hungry (most of which I had forgotten or become too lazy to do!). I also stumbled across a recipe for Mushroom Cream Pasta. It sounded delicious so I wrote up a shopping list and on the way home bought the ingredients to make it. It was so easy. Whilst the boys were eating their dinner I made mine, made a salad, poured a glass of wine and sat at the dining table and had a great meal. I perhaps mis-measured the chilli and will take better care next time but it was great. This kick started a whole weekend of planning. I got my walks in on Saturday and Sunday, I did housework, I played with the boys, I went out on Saturday night (and had a FANTASTIC time. Am so glad I was given a cab charge as the fare home was $65.00 !!) and I made a shopping list for Monday morning for my weeks worth of food at work.

That didn't stop me putting on 400gms over the last 2 weeks though so I am tackling this week beginning at 77kgs. I am neither happy nor sad at this weight, just disappointed that I let a bit of lazyiness set me back a few weeks. AND I have noticed that when I put weight back on it all sits on my stomach. Everything else still looks OK but I feel bloated, I feel sluggish, and I am not as 'flat' (not that I will ever be flat LOL) as I was a couple of weeks ago. So armed with my weeks exercise plan, my determination to get excited again, and complete faith that I will get there, I am ready to move forward.

And to help me with that I have joined Paulene's new 12 week **Spring Slimming Challenge**- and whilst I initially thought I would not put my name in due to my 2 dismal performances previously, I have done so now, and I am setting myself my own personal 12 week goal of losing 5 kgs. It won't be easy, and I am not going to jump of the Harbour Bridge if I don't make it (not unless they strap me onto a Bungy Cord anyway LOL) but it is something I am seriously going to work towards. There is heaps going on in my life at the moment, but there always will be and I can't sit around and let every one of these things become the excuse of mucking around my good habits.

Hmmm that's a thought. What are my good habits? I shall ponder this and make it the subject of another rivetting post ;D

Recipe - Mushroom Cream Pasta

2006-07-31T22:34:00.000+10:00

Serves 1 @ 6.5 points each

Ingredients

4.5 100g tagliatelle or fettuccine
0.0 75 g buttom mushrooms, sliced
0.0 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
0.0 1/4 tsp chopped red chilli
1.5 1/2 cup light evaporated milk
0.0 2 tsp cornflour
0.0 1/2 tsp water
0.0 1 tbs chopped parsley
0.5 2 tsp grated parmesan

Method

Cook pasta until al denta.
Meanwhile, lightly coat a non-stick frypan with cooking spray and add mushroom. Cook until soft. Add garlic and chilli and cook for 1 minute. Add milk and heat until it bubbles. Combine cornflour with water and add to mushroom mixture. Bring to the boil and stir until thickened.

Stir through parsley and season with salt and black pepper. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with salad.

My comments

I added a bit too much chilli and completely left out the parsley (oops). It was still yummo. I used a whole packet of pasta (500g) so upped the whole recipe to cook for 5. Then proceeded to eat nothing else for 2 days.

A photo

I have one but cannot load it..

A whole lot of .... Stuff

2006-07-26T18:33:00.000+10:00

** Long post warning **

My post tonight is going to be a little disjointed. Which is probably fitting as that is how I am feeling of late. Not disjointed as if I had been drawn and quartered in some medieval torture routine but just that I feel like a lot of things are going on in my life, and in the lives of others, and sometimes I feel I have too many thoughts in my head and they get so jumbled that I need to put them all down and get them in order. Not all of them are bad, in fact some are brilliant - anyway here goes.

My life is generally very good. Mark and I both work and get paid well for our time. This puts us in a very lucky category. However over the last few years we have been living every so slightly above our means and it is all catching up with me. I like to have certainty and whilst I can happily live with a controllable debt, when it gets too high I start to panic. I worry about what would happen if I lose my job - or worse if Mark were to lose his. We have ourselves locked into a couple of things we can't change readily (rent, leases etc) but I am working through the smaller things to slowly build up a snowball effect of paying off debt and whilst it is still in the infancy of planning I can see that we can work our way out of it. It will take some changes to our (and by this I mean HIS) spending habits but if we can lock in an agreed budget and make it flexible enough to still have some fun but focus on debt reduction I think we can do it without turning into a couple of Scrooges.

**Edit** Had to remove my 'secret spy' story as may have unwittingly caused some problems. Oops. If you took down the details and are going to follow it up please don't use my name and please don't say that I put it on the internet. Silly me.

I am also looking at being the local Avon lady. LOL. No seriously. There is no one in my area doing it as far as I can tell and after discussing it with Mark last night we have worked out a plan of walking on the weekend that will allow us to do deliveries etc. I have sent in an email requesting a phone call and information and it has almost been 24 hours (their promise of reply) and so far no phone call. So I may still back out of this one but my Mum used to be an Avon lady when I was at school and from memory she made pretty good money. So there is nothing to lose by making a phone call.

AND I have scheduled in a date to go to the Blacktown Trash & Treasure (which runs every Sunday) to offload a heap of stuff. In the past everything we have grown out of, tired of, needed to make some space from etc we have donated to charity. Which is cool. And probably still my preferred option, but I think that it could be because I am too lazy to organise to do something myself. We don't have a garage or a suitable front space to have a garage sale and the markets around my way charge an absolute bomb to have a stall. I am hoping by culling the childrens toys that they have grown out of and the piles of other collections I will be going a long way to decluttering the house as well as adding a few dollars to the debt reduction project.

AND all the while I am working on trying to find something I am passionate about (there are many things) that I can turn into a work at home business (the options dwindle here) so that I can balance working, being a mum, organising school pickups and drop offs, housework, everything. I will work something out and luckily have a few people who have gone that road before me to bounce ideas off. We shall see.

There are other things too that have gone a long way to driving me crazy lately. (sorry if I repeat anything I have previously discussed)

Back in February I accidentally transferred some money via the internet to a wrong account. I know who the money went to, the banks confirm the recipient says they got the money, my initial phone calls seemed to suggest they would pay me the money back and then it all went pear shaped. I went through the official bank track and trace and the recipient chose not to reply. I engaged a lawyer to have the money returned. The lawyer sent a letter to the recipient. No response. We have now signed court documents and a hearing will be set for the next few weeks (I think). If the recipient does not turn up we automatically win our claim and our costs. If they then still don't pay the court ordered amount we will be sending in the receivers. How much money did I transfer? $1340.00. Not a huge amount but not one I am prepared to let go. I am just thankful that the lawyers don't want any money until after settlement and that Mark can get the receivers to go in for free. I just can't understand the stupidity of the woman who got my money. We know who she is, she knows we know who she is, we have had dealings with her in the past (which is why her account details were in my online banking) *sigh* It really frustrates me.

Which leads me to my next gripe LOL. As you know I have been a busy little bunny and have finally completed my tax and my Child Care Benefit (CCB) bulk claims for the last 3 years. Whoo Hooo I am thinking. I will get some money in and really kick start this debt reduction thing as well as buying a couple of 'essential' items. (shoes ARE an essential item LOL) Last Friday I received a rejection letter on my claims stating that the Family Assistance Office (FAO) had no record of the children ever having been in an approved child care. WTF!!. After numerous phone calls (which I have to say were the most polite & helpful calls I have had with Centrelink / FAO. They were brilliant and I am so impressed with them) it turns out that I have done everything correctly on my forms but because the Child care centre has failed to put in utilisation reports for my children they rejected the claim. The good thing is once the child care centre does it I will get my money. The bad thing is the horrible woman from the gripe above used to be the child care centre owner for the first two claims. She has now erased all her records and I can't get this information from her. The FAO said they have sent her a letter and a form to fill in but if she doesn't, it means we will have to go to some arbitration with Centrelink to see if I can get my money. *bugger bugger* As the money involved is approx $800 - $1200 for the two years it is something worth fighting for. AND in order to claim the 30% Child Care Rebate in my tax this year, I need to have the CCB statement for the 2004/2005 financial year complete. *sigh* lots of silly little things to think about.

Anyway

I have also been doing lots of fun busy things. Oscar is having his soccer party in 3 weeks. The same weekend as the City 2 Surf. We have made the piñata (which looks sensational by the way). Darcy & Oscar helped me stuff it with little bags of lollies and little toys. The goodie bags have been filled. The games are almost complete. I will take photos as I made a game where I drew a soccer goal net on a huge piece of cardboard. I then blew up a photo of Darcy and Oscar and put it in the front as if they were the goalies. On the day the children will get little soccer ball cut outs and like "pin the tail on the donkey" they will get spun around and try to get their ball in the goal without touching the goalies. It is hilarious. Doing this stuff has been good for me as it gives me a chance to sit and unwind and concentrate on something that is a lot of fun.

Last Saturday I met up with Mary and Cath to do our Ferry walk. We headed off from Circular Quay at 8:12 and headed into Neutral Bay. As none of us had looked at the map it was a bit hit and miss with the direction we walked but we worked it out in the end and stumbled across some beautiful homes and little hide away wharves. About half an hour in the sky opened up and we got hammered. We stopped at Cremorne rather than continue to Mosman and waited for the Ferry whilst Cath entertained us all with her skipping prowess. It was incredible ;D Topped off with a decadent breakfast it was a great morning and the only highlight of that weekend which was then overtaken by the cold monster who crawled up my nose. Charming LOL.

This Saturday I am going out. By myself. To a party. Whoot. ;) One of the girls from work who moved to WA early last year, is coming back for her 30th. I really miss her and we speak almost every day on the phone so I am looking forward to putting all the crap behind me for the night and just having fun. I am hoping that the snot monster (who is subsiding by the way) would have vacated the premises by then and allow me to relax without having to take a trailer load of tissues with me.

Anyway

I have noticed on a few blogs lately that the old checklists have come back in again. The plan for exercise for the week and marking them off as they are done. This is a brilliant idea and one that I am now going to steal. I am finding that I am doing my walk in and out of the city. And now my lunch walk to the post office. Along with my incidental walking this is getting me to the region of 15,000 - 17,000 steps a day BUT I have to put my hand up and say that some of it should not really be considered exercise. I am not pushing my heart enough. I don't sweat enough. I have stopped doing any sort of resistance training. So I am going to have a look at my schedule, and my stuff (again!) and work out a plan for the next week. Then I can update it as I do it, or modify it as life steps in and forces changes. I think I need to have a plan to work towards as it is becoming increasingly easy to do nothing.

That being said a look over my Global Corporate Challenge has thrown out these interesting facts. Over 63 days I have:
Walked 1,042,400 steps. Yep that is over ONE MILLION steps !!
Averaged 16,546 steps per day
Walked 667 km's. This is based on a fixed 65cm gait where mine is more naturally 75cm to 85cm when striding.
Provided 17.25% of our teams total.

I know a lot of us are walking/jogging/running this amount of steps a day but to track it and see the numbers climb is really a buzz. I think after the challenge is complete I will continue to track it and see if I can do a month on month challenge of increasing my average - even if it is only by 1 step :D

*** deep breath ***

Wow. You might all be bored stupid by now but I feel so much better. Thank you.

******

And before I go I wanted to let you all know about a new Australian company launched last Friday. The Organic Baby Food Company Ltd is the brainchild of a friend of mine and her sister and they have been working their tails off to get it off the ground. They launched at the Organic Food Expo to great interest and have now launched their website. The aim is to have the food ready to order on line from September, and in stores such as David Jones, Harris Farms and others early in the new year. If you want to keep on top of the news coming from this site regarding foods available, stockists, or you want to put forward a stockist you think should stock the range, please go to the site and register yourself as well as taking the time to have a look around. It is great to see someone who is passionate about what they believe in and providing a product that has been requested by the consumers.

Missing In Action

2006-07-25T09:13:00.000+10:00

As I sit surrounded by an ever growing pile of gunk filled tissues, and the colour of my nose resembles that of a strange flying antlered beast, I thought I would quickly write and say sorry for my lack of both posting, and reading and commenting lately. This week I am doing my own job at work and also acting as a PA for a big cheese so am busy and finding it hard to catch up on bloglines. After work is taken up with cajoling resisting children to go to bed, taking drugs, and falling in a stupour on any soft suitable surface in the house.

I am fine, just feeling a bit sorry for myself, but ever hopeful that this will pass in a couple of days and I can get back to a more normal routine. (is my life ever normal LOL)

Keep well, keep moving, and I'll do a HUGE catch up in the next couple of days. xx

Congratulations to Missy Vas on the birth of Lila Marie

Weigh Day - 17th July

2006-07-17T10:54:00.000+10:00

Friday
I love it when:

The air is so cold that when you walk in the morning you get ruddy red cheeks and your eyes sting but you feel so alive.

I go shopping at lunch and try on a gorgeous skirt in a size 12 and I love it, but it is too big, so I put it back.

I decide to buy sexy lingerie instead of a skirt and get some great Elle Macpherson Intimates - red & white (goes with all my red stuff!)

The house is tidy and smells of roses and I can walk all the way from the front door to the back door without tripping over one toy.

I can say I have finally signed off on 9 years of tax, 3 years of Child Care Benefit, and officially enrolled Darcy in school - whooo hoooo.

Saturday
I love it when:

We go shopping as a family and the whole day is fun and we all come home with balloons.

I show Mark the skirt I wanted to buy in a different store, and they have a size 10 available to try on. And it FITS. (And so what if I had to wait 15 minutes for someone appropriate to come and strip the mannequin of the skirt. I wanted it and I wasn't taking no for an answer LOL)

I drop the boys off at a friends for babysitting (so I can wear my new clobber out) and they wave bye bye and don't cry or make a fuss.

I receive compliments from people and they are genuine - and yes I thought I looked hot too ;-)

Sunday
I love it when:

I get home after a great night out with 3 sleeping boys and remember to wash off all my makeup before I hit the pillow.

The boys throw tantrums all day because they didn't get enough sleep the night before (well I don't love it but it is a great reminder that we are all together)

I have paper mache up to my elbows as I set about making a soccer ball piniata for Oscar's birthday. Crafty stuff is so much fun. And messy LOL.

Monday
I love it when:

I get on the scales for my weekly weigh in and I lose 200gms. Yaaaay. Now 76.6kgs and inching closer to that goal.

I look over the last 12 weeks as Paulenes 12 Week Challenge draws to a close and see that I have lost 2.2kgs. It may not be much but it is in the right direction and I am very happy with that.

I know that tonight I can sit in front of the p.c. and catch up on all my blogland buddies :D

*******

Event notification

We are doing a walk on Saturday morning (22nd July) meeting at Circular Quay at 8.00am. We are going to catch the 8:12am ferry to Neutral Bay and then proceed to walk to the Mosman wharf. Approximately 2 - 3 hours. Then catch the ferry back to Circular Quay. All are welcome.

******

Around the blogs

My heartfelt sympathies go out to Emily & Jonny today who lost their baby at 16 weeks over the weekend. It is so incredibly sad. *hugs*

If you are planning to go to the c2s dinner and have not yet notified Mary, please do so in the next couple of days so we can lock in our booking - cheers.

Shiny Ruby is looking for people to sign up for a 2 hour hula hooping lesson in the city. It should be a tonne of laughs so if you are in Sydney and want to give your hips a bit of a workout head on over to her blog and let her know of your interest.******

Happy Birthday Daddy *mwah*

Job Vacancy

2006-07-14T15:02:00.000+10:00

I have just been advised of a job vacancy in the city. It is not with the company I work with but is for the company my DH works for. If you are interested in getting more information, or putting forward your details please send me an email and I will forward it onto the relevant party.

Please note this is no guarantee of a job. But if you are interested what do you have to lose?

Location: CBD - near Wynyard
Hours: Standard Business
Job: A shared P.A. type of role
Functions: Typing correspondence from dictaphone, standard typing, some phone work, basic secretarial / P.A. type roles.
Salary: Current incumbent who has left was somewhere in the region of $40 - $50 but that is something you would need to discuss as that is 3rd hand information only
Required: Urgently (they have been left in a hole with the girl who left)

So, if you are interested, flick me your name and contact email address (via email) and I will pass them on.

****

I will be back for a more 'me' related post tonight :D

Weigh Day - 10th July

2006-07-10T16:18:00.000+10:00

If I was doing a letter of the alphabet today to describe where I am I would have to pick the letter 'o'.

Overwhelmed:- It seems that at the moment I am overwhelmed by a lot of things. There is so many 'big picture' things going on - the housework, finances, weight, schooling for the boys, that I am in a constant feeling of "will it ever all just be alright?" and that feeling has made me feel a little strange this week.

On my own:- Even though I have a lovely family there are times lately that I feel like I am on my own, and everything needs to be done by me. This is frustrating to me and I feel like sometimes I would be better off by myself so that I don't rely on other people to do things. But I know I don't mean it and I always feel guilty afterwards for thinking like that.

Old:- I never thought I would ever say these words but I feel old at the moment. I think it is because of the other two "o's" but I am starting to feel my age. (I am ONLY 37!)

Honesty:- (well it sounds like it could start with an 'o'). After having a wonderful chat with a friend from over the equator I thought long and hard about honesty and what it means to me when I apply it to myself. I feel that I am not always honest to myself. And I am not honest by omission. If I am being less than I need to be, or I feel less than I think I should be, I disappear and don't write. (And in real life I go quiet). I can be supportive of others but I am far less supportive of myself. What a strange existence this is to live in. So I decided to be honest and admit to myself that I am overwhelmed at the moment and set a plan of action in place to tackle it. Being scared of the big picture is very normal and what I need to do is break it down into little pictures and tackle each one, one at a time.

Housework: Tackle one room at a time before the inspection on Friday. We will not be evicted because there are some toys on the floor or because the toilet paper rolls the wrong way.

Finances: Tackle one credit card at a time - don't think about the sum total (even though I could probably buy a couple of great small cars with it)

Weight: Well I have broken the back of this one but I need to focus on each week and not think about birthdays, anniversaries (10 years this year), Christmas etc. It will come when it comes.

Schooling: Accept that it is still going to cost an arm and a leg to have Darcy in before and after school care and trust that I will be able to work out a way to pick him up before school locks him in for the night (I am having nightmares about this already and he doesn't start till February)

On top of it:- Today I stepped on the scales and it has shown me a loss of 300gms. Whoo Hooo. So I am finally out of the 77's with a jump to 76.8kgs. I had a good week. Not a perfect week, but a good one so I am happy that I know there is still room for improvement, but that there was room for a loss as well. This sent me to work in a great frame of mind and during my lunch time walk today I broke a personal best record and jogged 6 light poles. Go me :). I think I may start timing these little runs and start with a time and build up from that from now on. Thinking about it the run was probably not more than 2 minutes in total so I have a very good base to build on LOL.

Global Corporate Challenge
I can't believe it is 47 days in and our team has walked over 4.5 million steps. Incredible! We are currently in Germany and visiting places I remember fondly when I was there in 1992 & 1999. This came hot on the heels of drinking my way through Italy and visiting all the wonderful islands in Greece (though the challenge only - have not been there in real life). Ahhh it is warm in Europe today. 30 degrees. I can just feel it...... Which helps when trying to work out how to keep the teams motivation up. We have slipped out of the top 50 overall and are only just managing to stay in the top 10 for our company. I have sent a suitably witty and hopefully motivating email to the team so we will see what happens this week.

Things I did well this week
I did not drink alchohol (even though I could have murdered a bottle of bourbon)
I kept up my walking even though I felt quite unwell for most of the week
I finally decided on a theme for Oscars birthday and I have sent out the invitations.

Things I will do better this week
I will not eat pizza.
I will not eat pizza.
I will relax and not look at the bigger picture this week.

Weigh Day - 3rd July

2006-07-03T18:48:00.000+10:00

OK. After a bit of post drinking, eating my weight came in this morning at 77.1kgs which is a loss of ANOTHER 100gms. As I looked at the scales I thought that I could get really cross or be really happy. I choose happy. Happy that it is a loss. Happy that at this rate I will be able to save up and afford a new wardrobe by the time I need to buy more clothes LOL. But if it decided to drop away quickly, I would be happy with that too.

Yesterday was not the quiet recovery day that I would have hoped. With swimming lessons scheduled in at 8.30am there is not much chance of a sleep in so it was up and all cylinders blazing early. And it was OK. Having crawled into bed at 9.30 the night before and having made sure I had heaps of water to drink minimised any hang over I may have suffered. However, as the day dragged on and my boys decided that this was the day they were going to argue, fight, not listen, not sleep, play loudly, I became more and more tired. I just prayed they would go to bed early and stay asleep. I should have kept my thoughts shut. Mr Oscar decided he would not settle at all but after some investigation I realised that his 2 year old molars are coming through which explained the entire days behaviour. Long story short (really - is this short!!) I ended up sleeping the entire night on the trundle with him and now have an extremely sore neck to show for it. It would have been ok if he just slept the entire night, but he constantly either touched my face to feel if I was still there or he would get up on his arms and legs and put his face right above mine and look into my eyes. Which was ok until his brain made the connection then he fell asleep again causing his head to crash into the bridge of my nose. *ouch*

But that is what happens when you have little wee bairn…

Global Corporate Challenge
There were a couple of personal challenges I set myself within the official one. One was to walk over 15,000 a day and other than a few notable exceptions I have done this, and the second is to make sure that my average for each month is higher than the month before. In May my average was 14,081 and in June it was 16,997 so I have a task ahead of me but I think I can do it. By October it may start getting a bit difficult but I won't know until I give it a go.

What I did well last week
I had 3/7 perfect days
I had a brilliant week socially
I drank a good amount of water

What I will do better this week
I will plan for post drinking days better
I won't drink alcohol this week
I will spread out the housework so I am not doing it all on Friday night

A Day at the Races

2006-07-03T18:36:00.000+10:00

In November 2003 I went to the races with my friend Mel. It was the Nivea Visage Ladies Day at Rosehill and I was so excited about going out. I hadn't been out in a long time and we had decided we would get glammed up. But that raised an interesting problem for me. What do I wear? I was at probably my heaviest (but had not yet realised it) and literally had nothing except for jeans, trackies and my uniform. None of which would suffice for a day out. So off shopping I went. Full of excitement and hope that I would magically tranform into a chic magical creature. It was not to be. I did find a reasonably attractive outfit made up of a straight, long length chocolate brown skirt and a sheer white shirt. They were both purchased from TS14+ and a size 16 which meant in real terms they were a 20. I was heartbroken and bought a fancy, expensive, brown fascinator (those things you wear on your head at the races that are not hats) with feathers and fluffy bits everywhere so that the attention was not on my body. Suffice to say there are not many photos of that day that I would be happy sharing, even though the day itself was an absolute blast, but here is one of my favourite. (yes the colour pink featured heavily on that day too!)

(Blogger won't let me insert suitably hideous photo)

Fast forward to Saturday 1st July 2006 and Mel and I are back at the races for the "Pink Day". It was hysterical and I had a brilliant time. We sauntered in through the members entrance "???" and wandered around about half an hour before official opening time. During this period we chatted to all the staff we bumped into and snagged ourselves a couple of free hot pink feather boa's. It was a glorious day and our table in the sun was just was I needed to let the cares of the world go by and just enjoy the spectacle that is a day at the races. We bet small, drank big, and laughed and chatted the whole day. The day had a few highlights. One was when Mel went off to the first aid centre to get a bandaid for a fashion injury (a blister LOL) and came back with goodies. A sparkly pink hat with bright pink hair attached, and a huge pink afro for each of us. I tried mine on for good measure (a picture of which is in the previous post) and fell about laughing. It then stayed packed away until I was picked up by Mark where I proceeded to wear it all the way home. :D

A second highlight was meeting David Hyliander from The Biggest Loser. I had seen David earlier in the day but actually met him in the bar when buying our last drinks for the day. We chatted for a while and had our photo's taken and several big hugs were exchanged. I think we were all a little pickled by then LOL. It was great talking to someone who has a high profile and hear about his life and how things are going now that he is not on the show every day. As he is now the official face of BetaLife I am sure we will be seeing more (or less) of him in the near future.

This day was so different in the way that I felt about myself and how I looked. I don’t have a great full length shot but will take one another time but I felt confident, and it showed in the way I interacted with people and how I felt the entire day. Not once did I look at another person, wistfully thinking "I wished I looked like that". Even when the filly in the red and white polka dotted dress took her breasts for a walk past my table and the stallions all ogled her and didn’t even give me the once over, not even then. :D

When too much pink is never enough

2006-07-01T21:27:00.000+10:00

I am way too tired to do a halfway decent post now and the numerous Red Bull Vodka's and bubbles and bubbles of (cheap) champagne are now playing a merry tune in my head. And for some strange reason the tune of "Send in the clowns" is resonating loud and clear.

Oh - maybe this is why

More tomorrow

*crawls off to bed*

Swish swish

2006-06-29T12:14:00.000+10:00

Do you know the feeling that you get when you almost do something really silly like walk into a lamp post and you manage to stop just in time but you give yourself a real shock and hope like heck that nobody was watching because you feel really embarrassed. Well imagine that was me, and that situation was caused because I was bending over as I walked trying to see if it was true that my legs were not rubbing together making little 'swish swish' sounds as the denim rubbed together. *blush* I am so vain sometimes but I had to check it out. Just lucky I didn't bump my oversized head at the same time though :D

******

It is Thursday and it has been 3 mornings in a row that I have not weighed. The scales taunt me as they are placed near the foot of the toilet so are unmissable in my daily routine, but so far so good. Eating has also been on-track. It hasn't been without it's moments but sheer will has kept me from raiding the newly stocked snack box in the lunchroom. And making a bit pot of pumpkin soup has helped with the munchies at night as I find it really satisfying and a mug is only worth 0.5pts so goes a long way.

******

I am home today as I booked a day off work to go to Centrelink to claim the 2003/2004 Child Care Benefit and cross off a task on my to-do list. As it was my first ever visit I figured it would take me hours so brought snacks, a drink, and a huge new book that I thought would be good to get into but it took the total sum of 5 minutes to go in, be served, and out again. It was fantastic. And it has left me time to catch up on tasks around the house that have been neglected. I have updated my blog and replaced the blog links in my sidebar. Thank you for the emails that requested this to be done. I had not realised that it was being used to jump around the blogs but on reflection that is of course how I found most of my favourites.

******

The City 2 Surf is not far away now and I am getting excited about the prospect of meeting up with old friends and beginning new friendships with others. Look out in the next couple of weeks for an email with dinner details.

******

I am going to the races on Saturday with a friend. It is a 'pink' day. Should be hilarious and I promise to take photo's and post when I get back. As I should be satisfactorally inebriated at the time I am sure it will be a highly articulate post - not LOL.

Weigh Day - 26th June 2006

2006-06-26T16:32:00.000+10:00

I always knew that this journey would come with lessons. Things that I needed to learn. Things that I would get wrong along the way - and learn from them to make it easier the next day, the next week. And along the way I am learning that there are things that I don't like too much about myself. Little things like I procrastinate too much. I don't always do what I say. I break promises to myself too quickly - when I would never think to break a promise to someone else. That I still react to boredom, anger, & sadness by eating too much of the wrong types of food. And I don't necessarily like those lessons. However, I am also learning some pretty great things about myself. I don't give in and I won't give up. I can be counted on by other people. I can re-learn good habits. I am able to just get up and go when I know I need to. I don't hate my body any more.

I don't hate my body any more.

This is a really big one and one that I think shows that I am growing a healthy mind as well as a healthy body. I actually like my body. Sure there are bits that I don't love but all in all when I wear clothes that are right for my shape and age - I look GOOD. And now I know that I can rely on my body to break into a sprint when I want to make the bus - and it responds correctly. I know that if I wanted to go for a 2 hour walk - my body has the physical ability and stamina to do it. I know that it will do whatever I want now. And that is great. Unless my only motivation for sticking to the plan in the first place was that I hated my body. Which I did.

I think this is why it is harder for me to put 100% in all the time now. It doesn't mean it can't be done though I just have to find a new motivation that works as well for me.

Todays weigh in saw another small loss - another 100gms to take me to 77.2kgs (note not kms this time LOL) and I deserve a smack around the head for that. As a daily weigher I was enjoying watching the scales go down, down, down and by Wednesday morning it had registered a loss of over a kilo. So I rationalised that I could afford to have a Freddo frog. And then some snakes. And when cake was offered - well I was losing weight - why couldn't I have a slice. Because then you put it all back on you dolt!!

So what do I do about it? Exactly the same as last week. Plan, plan, plan. I have all the food I need at work and I have each nights meals organised. All I have to do is reheat and do very little preparation. The food is great tasting, healthy & all within points. I have included snacks and treats and so have no need to feel deprived. I will just keep going. I know that these lessons are important and need to be learned, but dammit I am ready to graduate. NOW. LOL. Just have to get out of detention first ;D

Global Corporate Challenge
Still hooning on well. Finally got out of Russia (felt like we were there forever) and now we are enjoying the delights that Greece has to offer. It has been fantastic reading about the places that before I only heard about from Argy. Seeing the photos made me feel warm too as they are enjoying beautiful Summer weather. Ohhh it would be lovely to just jump on a plane and spend the next few months in Greece. My favourite bit of info from Greece could have come from Sitia where the local dish of "Chohlious" sounds devine until you realise it translates to Fried and Boiled Snails, but instead comes from Olympos. It was there I learned that Nike was the ancient goddess of victory (that's it I am getting Nike's next time) However it is not as interesting as the fact I learned in Lindos. Did you know that a donkeys eyes are placed so that they can see all four feet at once!! Very handy when you are the official Lindos Taxi.

Things I did well last week
I had 2 / 7 days of great eating within points
I had 3 / 7 days of moderately OK eating - but over points
I forgave myself for my crappy eating and plan to have a great week this week

Things I will do better this week
I will keep my focus going
I will not weigh myself daily (this will be a first so lets see if I can do it)
I will blog more regularly as I got caught up in other stuff last week.

Weigh Day

2006-06-19T12:17:00.000+10:00

Todays weigh in saw the teeniest of losses being 100gms to take me to 77.3kms (??? /lbs). With all the walking I have been doing you would think the weight would be falling off me. Not so. Unfortunately I have been shovelling it in as fast as I am walking it off so am thankful at least that the activity is maintaining my weight.

Every week I say to myself "This week will be better." Every week I know that if I can control my food intake the weight loss will show. However all I ever did was talk about it and nothing changed.

This week will be different.

"Why?" I hear you all ask in hushed tones. ;)

Because this time not only have I talked about it, I have moved my tail and done something about it.

I have planned out an entire weeks eating.
I have shopped and brought into work the ONLY food I will be eating during work hours this week.
I made a tonne of spag. bol. on the weekend that will keep me in emergency dinners for weeks.
I bought some pre-packaged evening meals to get me back to portion size control.
I bought some extra vege's to bulk out the meals.
I am committing to one week.
I can do one week.
It is only one week.

Then after this week I will think about what I do for the next week.
One meal at a time.
One day at a time.
One week at a time.

I can do this. I WILL do this. :D

Global Corporate Challenge
We are currently in Russia. To be more precise we are in Verkhneimbatsk which is just 30 kms north along the river from Borodino (our last stop!) With a local dish speciality of "Saddle of Reindeer" I am sure I won't be visiting soon. Though the thought of using vodka to cleanse and tone my skin does sound rather appealing. Two famous men are known in Verkhneimbatsk. Rudolf Nureyev (famous ballet dancer) was born on the Trans-siberian train in March 1938 (must have been going through Verkhneimbatsk at the time), and the Russian President - Vladimir Putin - who has started a fashion trend in the region with the locals having his scowling face tattooed on their bodies as a sign of respect. Lets hope they all had a good meal of Reindeer and Vodka first LOL.

What did I do well last week
I kept up my walking and increased my daily average steps.
I broke through the 30,000 step mark (still really happy about this)
I faced some issues at home and have begun to work through them.

What will I do better this week
Track & stick to my food plan
Track & stick to my food plan
Track & stick to my food plan

30,026

2006-06-17T19:17:00.000+10:00

I did it. I cracked the 30,000 step mark in one day. Whooo Hoooo.

Soon after the Global Corporate Challenge started our team realised that if you walked more than 30,000 steps in a day you were asked for a 'please explain'. As JC was getting these almost every day I committed to getting one each month of the challenge. So knowing I had the Nordic Walk this morning, I decided to walk home afterwards. 10kms home after 2 hours of walking. My feet are sore now. Which is why as soon as the pedometer clicked over 30,000 I came in here and logged my steps. Anything I get tonight now can just go towards tomorrows total.

Whooo hooo I am stoked.

And did I say that my feet hurt LOL.

The walk this morning was great. The max was supposed to be 17 degrees but that wasn't even reached by the time I got home. It was very very brisk when we started but after an hour I was warm enough to take of my jacket and my fingers no longer felt like they would snap off. Cath came along for the first time, and Bron and Sarah were on their second outing like me. Unfortunately Mary couldn't make it (and I really hope your head is feeling better now Mary *hugs*) but we will catch up with her again soon. As it was not raining we were able to stop and did a lot more strengthening and co-ordinating exercises that were both challenging and fun. I can really feel the difference in how my body felt after a 2 hour session versus a 1 hour one last time. My arms are sore and my hips and abs know that they have had some exercise today. I am hoping my hot shower and stretches I have already done will mean my body will be kind to me tomorrow.

So, now to finish tidying up. Try and wake my boys who have been asleep on the couch for the last 2 hours and see if they want dinner or just straight to bed. And then snuggle in for some world cup action.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.

Have I already said that my feet are sore ;D

My Walk - My Sydney

2006-06-15T20:46:00.000+10:00

With all the walking I have been doing you would be forgiven for thinking that I love it and that it is the easiest thing in the world for me to put on my shoes and walk out the door. Well it isn't. Most days I build up an excitement and it is pretty easy to get dressed and go out, but with the change of weather and the temperature pretty icy it is harder and harder to just 'want' to do it. Sometimes I think I hate it. Hate the fact that I need to walk. Hate the actual stepping into the lift to go outside. Hate the thought of being cold. BUT. After I finish I feel fantastic. I feel bouncy and clear headed, and I feel good about myself. It is this feeling that I hold onto as I put on my shoes and I remind myself of how that feels. And that good feeling far outweighs the 'oh do I have to' feeling and so out I go.

Today, for instance, there was no one in the office to walk with. So my decision was do I walk alone or do I not walk at all? I chose to get myself dressed and, after reading CKK's post about 101 things to do in 1001 days where one of her points was to "be a tourist in my own town", I took the camera for a walk with me. AND to make up for the times I stopped and took photos I actually ran. RAN. I ran a distance of 5 light poles. Then another 4 light poles. Then I did a little run in the Botanic Gardens. And on the way back to the office I ran from the fountain in Hyde Park to the first path cross over. I even did a little happy dance / run in the office when I was waiting for my lunch to heat up. I feel FANTASTIC. LOL. I should go walking on my own more often ;D

And the photo's. Well here they are. I am so lucky that I live somewhere as beautiful as Sydney and the walk today took on a whole new dimension as I viewed it through the lens. (and I would have had more if I had not had the camera on 'movie' instead of 'photo' for the beginning of my walk oops)

St Mary's Cathedral

Blogger won't let me post any more photo's. Will keep trying.

Trackback
Points: 25
Water: 2.25 litres at work +
Steps: Currently 16,435 , Final - TBA

Trackback

2006-06-15T19:06:00.000+10:00

Things I did well this week
I drank heaps of water thanks to Cottee's Light Apple Raspberry Crush. Yummmo
I walked my tail off.
I appreciated the people in my life.

Things I will do better
I will cut out the extra's and bites I have been putting into each day.
I will cut back the diet coke
I will not raise my voice as much when I am tired and frustrated

Wednesday 14th June
I finally set up bloglines today to try and make my blogging as efficient as possible. Once I set up a favourite that meant whenever I was visiting a blog I wanted to add to my list, I could just click on - this made it a lot more simple and will now ensure that I don't 'forget' to visit. However there were a couple of blogs that would not let me set up as a link. So Paulene and CM I will have to be more vigilant to visit you. LOL

Oh and you guys have to see this. Chris had this link on her blog and I just absolutely cacked myself. If you are a fan of Drew Carey or Richard Simmons - this is for you. Just give it a bit of time to warm up then watch the screen in the top right corner.

Global Corporate Challenge
Today is day 21 and according to the GCC website I have walked 341,167 steps, 218kms, and have kept an average of 15,508 steps per day. We are currently in Chilung, Taiwan and only 2kms till we hit Tokyo. I am pretty happy with this. Our team has been keeping in the top 50 overall and top 10 in our company but we have slipped back a little as so many teams are averaging over 22,000 steps a day. I know how hard it is for me to get that many in one day per week so I can't imagine how they are fitting it in. Good on them. I am just happy to be pushing myself.

Steps: 23,329

Tuesday 13th June
Purchased a new product today. A Vapour-Plug by Sudaclear. It works like a vapouriser without the water. As both boys have had a stuffed up or runny nose the last couple of days I thought I would try it to see if it helped with the night time stuffiness and coughing. It did. I really like this and now that Oscar is mobile at night it is a bit safer than putting a water filled vapouriser in the middle of the room.

Steps: 15,691

Monday 12th June
As today was a public holiday Mark took Darcy to see Cars at the movies. Darcy loves them and the movie was brilliant by all accounts. The movie was at 10.00am so they were out of the house by 9.30am. I had already done a million loads of washing and wanted to go for a walk. So I put Oscar in the pram and decided to surprise Mark and Darcy by walking to the Movie Theatre. In Chatswood. 10kms away. It was GREAT!! I made good time. There were no stairs. It was sunny. Cold - but sunny. And it was such a good surprise. I was considering walking back but thought better of it as I needed to get home to do another million loads of washing.

This is when we discovered that the hot water system had blown up and was flooding the backyard. So no hot water. No shower. No bath. Bugger. When it is freezing cold washing yourself with a flannel dipped into a sink full of boiled water just really isn't the same as luxuriating in a bubble bath. LOL.

Weighed in at 77.4 so maintained for the week.

Steps: 18,752

Sunday 11th June
I don't want any more children. The two I have are enough for me and I love them both. But there was something sad about giving the cot away and seeing it in another childs room. I am so happy that I am able to do it, and that someone else will get good use out of a piece of furniture that has many many years left in it. But my babies have slept in there. My babies have laughed, played, cried, been sick, been happy in it. Lots of memories. And now I will set about making new memories out of a new piece of furniture. Which I am sure will be as great as the others.

Steps: 14,796

Saturday 10th June
The morning walk with Mary and Cath was cancelled. My lovely DH decided to get absolutely rat-arsed last night and I made the decision that I would drive the boys to tennis this morning. With double demerits and a really strong 'no drink driving' rule in my house I could not let him drive. But next Saturday is the Nordic Walking so looking forward to catching up and walking then. AND Mark is on a strict dry policy for Friday night.

I made a lamb roast for dinner and had heaps and heaps of vegetables and it was sensational (if I do say so myself). It has been over a year since I did a roast but with the visitors compliments still ringing in my ears I think the next roast will be a little sooner in coming ;D

And we had great shenanigans with the big bed sleeping. I heard Oscar give a little cry about 10.00pm. And ignored it. As I usually do. Then I heard another one about 15 minutes later. A bit more insistent. So I thought I would investigate.

I opened the door slowly and crawled in the pitch black room.
I felt over the bed to see where he was - no body in that bed.
I patted down the carpet around the bed - no one there.
I widened my search wondering where the heck he could be and couldn't find him.
I heard another little cry.
From under Darcy's bed.
Way back wedged up against the wall and bookcase.
I pulled him out.
He was still asleep.
I put him back in his bed
I crawled out and pulled the door shut.
Then absolutely pissed myself laughing telling Mark about it.

Steps: 10,934

Friday 9th June
My baby boy slept in a big bed for the first time tonight. We are giving away the cot to friends of ours and we decided that this weekend would be it. Instead of buying a new bed (which we will later) we pulled the trundle out and made that up for him. He was so proud and we had lots of cuddles. He only rolled out once and I replaced him before I went to bed.

Oscar is growing up - (He is 22 months old)

Steps: 17,281

Thursday 8th June
I made Mary's Vegetable and Barley Soup tonight and it was sensational. What a great way to have a filling meal at such low points. I think that I will make it again and perhaps add a chicken and use the stock I make instead of the vege stock. It will bump up the points a bit but I think it will be even more tasty (because I am such a carnivore)

Steps: 17,241

Age by Chocolate

2006-06-14T13:31:00.000+10:00

I just picked this up from Sweet Rainbows blog..

*******

Don't tell me your age; you'd probably tell me a fib anyway-but the Cadburys Man will know!

YOUR AGE BY CHOCOLATE

DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!
It takes less than a minute .
Work this out as you read ...
Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out!
This is not one of those waste of time things, it's fun. :D

1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate (more than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)

3. Add 5

4. Multiply it by 50 -- I'll wait while you get the calculator

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1756 ....If you haven't, add 1755.

6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number

The first digit of this was the number of times you really want to eat Chocolate(i.e., how many times you want to have chocolate each week).

The next two numbers are

YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it is!!!!!)

(Apparently this is the only year (2006) it will ever work, so spread it around while it lasts)

The first of the babies

2006-06-13T14:49:00.000+10:00

I am so excited. The first of the babies have arrived. And there are photos :)

Kellee has had a son, Toby. And Katey has just given birth to a little girl, Natalia Raine.

Congratulations guys, I am so excited and happy for you. That's two down... Next !!

Whoooo Hooooo

Brrrrrrrr

2006-06-07T20:06:00.000+10:00

The weather has turned decidedly frosty, and wet, and in my house the room that houses the pc has no heating. I live in an old house, with high high ceilings and whilst this is brilliant at keeping the house temperate during the summer months it is an absolute ice-box in the winter. Therefore I have been spending my evenings snuggled up under the quilt watching TV in front of the heater, usually after a mammoth effort to keep my steps above 15,000. After reading Sue's post about averages I realised that I too slacken off on days when I know other days have kept my average for the week up, so I made a deal with myself to hit a minimum of 15,000 a day regardless of high days . With the rain it has been tough but so far I have done it.

-- Happy Birthday Nat *mwah*

-- The Nordic Walking part II is booked. If you are available in Sydney on Saturday 17th June at 8.00am please feel free to come along. Mary has the details on her blog and if you could respond to her there so we could let Anja know how many people are going.

-- Sydney Bloggers dinner meet. Due to the wonderful Melbournites who are coming to Sydney to partake in the City 2 Surf we will be having a dinner on the Saturday night before. 12th August. It is some way off but if you are going to be in Sydney for that evening and would consider coming, keep an eye out on the blogs for the information that will be coming out, and if you want to be in the email loop when it comes out, drop me a line with your email address and we'll make sure the info is sent out.

*******

Rundown since last post (Geez has it been that long!!)

Wednesday, 7th June
I walked home the entire 10kms today. I was unsure if the weather would be kind but it remained fine enough to do the walk. It took me 1.5 hours exactly and helped me to reach my current step total of 21,093. The total count was also assisted by a bout of sales shopping at lunch where I scored a couple of new handbags (of course which I 'desperately' needed!!) The total will climb only a little before bed as I am committed to catching up on my blogs. I know I will have to move a little to keep the circulation going but with gloves, dressing gown, ugg boots (yes I do own a pair) and a beanie I am doing my best to keep warm. And looking mighty fine too LOL.

The view over the bridge tonight - approx 4.10pm. Stunning

The view as I was about to head into Balls Head Bay. The sun setting on the clouds. Approx 5.00pm

Points 18 + dinner. Should be 23
Water 2.75L
Steps 21,093 & counting!

Tuesday, 6th June
A great day for ducks as it was 16 degrees and wet all day. I went for a walk at lunch around Hyde park and even though I had my umbrella and a sort of water proof jacket on - I got soaked. Pretty happy that I did the walk though. But then utter madness took me over and I decided to walk to Broadway in the evening. 5 minutes into the trek and the sky opened up and a deluge dumped on top of me instantly soaking me through to my undies and socks!! I figured I was too wet to hop on the bus so walked the entire way. I was never happier to get home and strip and put on a warm pair of pj's. I think I need to buy a raincoat..

Steps 16,401

Monday, 5th June
Weighed in this morning at 77.5 which is 300gms up from last week. My exercise has been brilliant but along with the extra activity has come the extra appetite. I am not being as strict with myself, in fact I am practicing no strictness at all and whilst I know the cold weather can do this - there is an awful lot of cold weather still to come so I need to reign it in a bit (that reign bit was not intended to be a pun but I laughed anyway :D ) On the positive side my legs are looking a little leaner and I feel like I am recovering from an exercise day better than before.

Steps 18,663

Sunday, 4th June
I wasn't sure how I was going to walk enough to get my steps up today so suggested to Mark that we go shopping in the City. And walk there! I pushed the pram, Mark strapped on the backpack and with children in tow off we set. It was a brilliant walk topped off by lunch at the Lowenbrau and bumping into Mary and Daniel in Myer. After a weird 1 second of worlds-colliding feeling it was really good to have these two parts of my life meet. Other than Mark promising to have a beer with Daniel to tell him what I am REALLY like LOL. We were planning to walk home but a blow out in the region of Oscar's nappy had us scuttling for the nearest train and the quickest route home. It was a great day.

Steps 17,109

Saturday, 3rd June
The morning walk was pre-planned not to go ahead as inclement weather was forecast. Lucky for me it turned out beautifully and I just had to work out where to walk. So I strapped Oscar in the pram (poor boy is getting quite a lot of fresh air lately) and I walked the 5km to Darcy's tennis lesson. Mark drove and I met up with them there. It was a beautiful walk. I didn't realise there was a national park so close to home (in that direction) and I took a couple of photos. It never ceases to amaze me that I can live so close to one of the largest cities in this country and still feel like I am in the middle of no-where. Lovely.

Steps 17,989

I've got shovels!

2006-06-02T20:13:00.000+10:00

"If you can't get through the mountain, go around it. If you can't go around it, go over it. If you can't go over it, sit down and ask yourself if getting to the other side is all that important. If it is, set about digging a tunnel"

Well stand back, because I am getting to that other side and I have shovels!!

This quote was in my daily flip calendar yesterday and it summed up this whole weight loss journey to me perfectly. There are so may ways to get to the final destination. Some will take longer. Some will take more effort. Some will take a few side trips. But if it worth it to you, you will find a way. **Edit. Briony must have the same flip calendar and posted the same quote yesterday - clever girl. Just so you know that I didn't copy. LOL**

I have had a great week. I know I am raving a bit about it but this Global Corp Challenge has been so good in pushing the barriers to what I thought I could do and making me want to keep up with our group. Yesterday I walked home from work but instead of just walking straight home (7km) I took a little detour and did the Balls Head Bay loop (3km) so walked a total of 10km. It took 1.5 hours so I am pretty happy with that. My step total for the day was *drum roll please* 20,016!! A New Record for me... Whooo Hoooo. And one I don't plan on doing more than once a week as I was so knackered and my knees and toes hurt afterwards. But I must be getting fitter because today nothing hurt at all.

So, if it is dry tomorrow morning I will be heading into the city for our Saturday morning walk which will take care of my steps for the weekend but if it is wet I need to come up with another option. And this has been the subject of some conversations at work this week. What can we do if it is wet? Most of us are building our steps by walking to and from work, or the station, walking at lunch, and going for a walk or run after work. This is only pleasant when it is dry. So I came up with one option. On Tuesday we headed into the QVB and went walking up the spiral stairs. There are 220 steps (including the straight bit in front of the lift) from the bottom to the top. So we went up and down 8 times. That's 1760 steps. My legs burned and my heart raced. It was brilliant :D But not really enought to get the 3 - 4,000 steps we need at lunchtime. I can go to the gym and hit the treadmill but what other options are there? Suggestions welcome.

So on that note I shall set about adding some more steps by doing a lap of the hall / dining table each time I change a load of wash, and doing knee lifts whilst I do the dishes LOL.

It's all fun ;D

Trackback - 2nd June
Points: 25
SP: ?
Exercise: 30 min mini tramp

Trackback - 1st June
Points: 20
SP: 0.5
Exercise: 45 min walk shopping (easy) 1.5 / 10km walk (hard)

Trackback - 31st May
Points: 22 (PLUS Gloria Jean Baked Raspberry Cheesecake appx 12 pts - bugger)
SP: 3 + those others
Exercise: 30 min walk to City, 1 hr walk shopping, 30 min walk to Broadway

Trackback - 30th May
Points: 17.5
SP: 1
Exercise: QVB Steps, 30 min walk to Broadway

Weigh in - Challenge W5

2006-05-29T19:46:00.000+10:00

Last week I moaned about the injury I had and conveniently left off any indication of the weight gain that came with the gorging that accompanied the lounge sitting self-pity session. Which I did. But am happy to report that with all the activity I have been doing this last week I have pegged that back to arrive at a net difference of a 100gm gain. This brings me to the topic of todays post - issues.

As much as I am a lot happier and healthier today than I was a little over a year ago (and the 10 years prior to that) I still have some issues with self-esteem and fear that I have to work on. From embarrasement issues of posting a gain after 3 weeks of really good tracking and exercise, from feeling like a failure when I do overeat - even though I know that I am not, to fear of entering a pub by myself. Yep. Even though I had a fantastic night on Friday night with Cath and Mary it did not come without its hassles.

I arrived at the designated destination smack right on time. 6.00pm. It was a pub, a nice local in Newtown called the Botany View Hotel. I knew that there were some stairs I had to go up and the stairs were near the pokies. But. I walked past the pub first and had a quick sneak in the window and I couldn't see any stairs so kept walking. Then I turned back and had another look at through the windows and kept walking. Then I stayed outside. For half an hour. Half an hour of being on the phone with Mark whilst walking up and down King Street. Me saying that I was coming home and Cath won't mind. Him saying turn the heck around and walk through the bloody door. LOL. It has been like that for years. Even when I was going out with Mark when I was 18 and meeting up with him at the pub after work. I would phone ahead and make sure he would meet me outside as I would not go in by myself. So I sms'd Cath to find out if she was already there. And she was. So with a deep breath I said goodbye to Mark and barrelled inside and up the stairs. And then it was great and I had a fabulous time.

What have I learnt from this? I know that weight loss has been a great thing for me and I am a lot healthier and fitter BUT it is not the panacea for everything that is wrong or that I have issues with. These things still need to be worked through. And as long as I understand that, I know I won't use these issues as triggers for putting the weight back on again.

Oh and for the sharp eyed KT, yes I have dyed my hair. A few weeks ago I tackled it with a box of Garnier something or other in a dark chocolate brown. I really like it. And what I also did was comb my hair straight, look in the mirror, grab a pair of really sharp scissors, and cut my bra stap length hair straight across at the shoulders. *Gasp* LOL I have curly hair so the fact that it is probably about as straight as David on Big Brother doesn't really matter. And it will grow back. Eventually ;D

Fitness Challenge Wrap Up - Week 2
5.00am starts are not working for me at all. With Darcy's tonsilitis and all night waking games I am bordering on the edge of severe sleep deprivation. Getting out of bed at 6.00am is difficult enough. So I am switching to an evening workout. I know that working out after eating is not ideal but my only time will be after the boys are in bed and a workout under these conditions is still better than no workout at all. And I am sure when things settle down I will be able to reassess the workout times.

Global Corporate Challenge - Week 1
This has been great fun so far and being able to track where I have been and where I am going next. I have another team of guys we are tracking against and they took us over this morning so the pressure is on to get back on top LOL. For the 4 days to Sunday I have stepped 10,346 / 18,058 / 13,189 / 10,067 for a total of 51,660. Which is an average of 12,915 per day. Not bad but something I can improve on this week.

The destinations have been good too. We started in Australia (Perth) and so far our combined total has walked us through - and remember we don't count water distance - Nias (Teluk Dalam, Gunung Sitoli) and Sri Lanka (Pottuvil, Kalmunai, Batticaloa). Each destination has information relating to the climate, environment, trade and other intersting facts. Wish I could link directly into the site but cannot without a login and password so have linked to Wikipedia if anyone is interested. It has been an eye opener and I am looking forward to seeing where we are going next :D

What I did well last week
I got back into it after a week of not exercising or eating well
I met up with new people (Bron) and did some fun activities
I smiled a lot more and relaxed about things I could not change

What I will do better this week
I will eat more vegetables (in the form of soup or otherwise)
I will eat 3 pieces of fresh fruit a day
I will drink more water

Trackback - 29th May
Points: 14.5
SP: 1.5
Exercise: 40 min walk around Hyde Park, 30 min walk City to Broadway, UPW 47min

Sticky

2006-05-27T18:35:00.000+10:00

Any company that has a slogan "Let us make you sticky!" deserves your attention. (more later)

I have had a huge weekend so far and I can't believe there is still one day left. That is what happens when I go out on a Friday night. For some reason it tricks my body into thinking Saturday is Sunday and then Sunday is this extra day tacked on the end. It is fantastic. And also shows you that I don't get out much LOL. (photo to prove I don't always wear 3D glasses!)

Friday night was great as I went out to help Cath celebrate her 26th Birthday. Which is today. Happy Birthday Cath. ssssshh I meant to whisper that. Ooops :D It was great and involved a lot of laughing, talking (you can confirm that with Mary as I didn't really let her get a word in LOL), and topped off a great day of exercise with a grand spanking total of 18,005 steps logged at the end of the day. Some of which was when Mary and Daniel acted as bodyguards and walked me to the station. Thanks guys. I was tired but it felt so good. I had started the day with a walk around the park near the Sydney University, across the road from the Broadway Shopping Centre and as my camera is still a new toy I took a few pictures, a couple of which I shall bore you with now :D

Then it was Saturday and the morning of our Nordic Walking expedition. With poles at the ready we prepared to do battle with any malingering runner, walker or cyclist who dared get in our way. Luckily the heavens opened up and scared all but the most keen of Nordic Walkers - oh that was us! - off. We walked one round of Centennial Park and then retreated to the cafe for a body warming drink - skinny hot chocolate being my choice. Yummmm. Anja was fantastic and felt badly for the weather so has offered us a make up lesson. Which we will be taking her up on. After some discussion is had with dates I believe Mary will be posting the information and anyone who was unable to make it today and would like to come, please come along as it was a hoot. After a bit of uncoordnated action at the beginning I felt like I got the hang of it and once you break out in a bit of a stride you can start to feel it in different areas. The back of the arms, the thighs, calves, and my abs can all feel it now and I hope will not be too sore tomorrow. An hour flew by as we chatted and laughed our way through the lesson. We took photos (as you do!) and the photos show us at the beginning with our poles, the end, and then Anja with her partner Andreas. What a couple of hotties ;D

So what is this about Sticky then?

Well, Mark and the boys picked me up on Oxford Street (as Mary, Sarah, Bron & I had headed in a City-ly direction) and after changing into a dry set of clothes thoughtfully provided, we headed into Bondi Junction. There I witnessed a most fascinating site. Two guys proceeded to roll together blobs and globs of hard candy together to make one HUGE 10kg roll that was made up of greys, black, white and red. They kept convincing us that at the end there would be a Koala hidden in the middle. This amused Darcy no end and at the end they had produced these amazing candies that did indeed have a koala hidden in the middle. I have never seen anything like it and it was brilliant.

So now it is 6.35pm. I am currently on 13,088 steps for the day. The boys are sitting having their dinner in an almost well behaved manner. And I have had a wonderful discussion with a very special someone (thank you *mwah*). And it wasn't Mark LOL. It has been a great day. What could I possibly do to make it any better???

Answer - drink loads of champage whilst watching a DVD sitting in a hot bubble bath. That is my plan :D

Teamwork

2006-05-25T21:49:00.000+10:00

OK so that's long enough for my mug shot to be top of the page. ;)

All along this journey I have made sure that I was doing it for the right reason. For me. That way if I didn't eat well, or if I was slack on the exercise front I had no one I could blame or justify to myself that as I wasn't doing it for myself - I may as well not do it. So along I go.

But, being part of a challenge that involves a team is something that I think will be very good for me. Today is the first day of the Global Corporate Challenge and along with 6 team mates I aim to clock as many steps a day as I can in order to walk around the globe, starting in Perth and ending up in China. I had set a personal goal of walking a minimum of 10,000 steps a day but aiming to increase this to 15,000. I pretty much calculated that during a work day this would be no problem. A 45 minute walk at lunch, a 30 minute walk after work, and general activity should cover it. But at home this is another matter.

If the challenge had not started today I would have clocked up less that 6,000 steps. Which is all I could muster in the last couple of days. But today I just felt like I couldn't let that happen. That I would be letting the team down if I didn't at least hit 10,000. So whilst it was nice and sunny this afternoon I put Darcy in the stroller and set off for a walk to North Sydney to post some DVD's to my folks and the inlaws and then wandered around and up and down hills until I had clocked up 7,000. Doing some shopping and general stuff got me to 9,000 and I have walked up and down the hallway and around the dining table to clock up the last 1,000. So I have met my first minimum target.

I am pretty happy with that and it has shown me (once again) that I can fit extra movement into my day. I just need to want to badly enough.

So off to bed now to try and get a few hours of sleep in before what I am sure will be a repeat of last night, and the night before, and the night before that and anything coming close to beauty sleep will be a mere figment of my overly active imagination :)

3D Imagery

2006-05-25T19:42:00.000+10:00

Seriously, how sensational do I look in this photo! All I can say is thank goodness the boys are in bed, and Mark is out for the evening so no one will be able to see what I look like. LOL. Except you lot of course. And to make matters worse I will actually have to wear my own glasses either over the top or underneath - can't work out which is more comfortable at this stage. All because Medium is in 3D tonight. Hope I don't get nightmares. Or you either ;D

Photo courtesy of my new little camera. I had talked about buying a beautiful Canon Digital SLR which is about $1400 odd and when Harvey Norman had their you-beaut interest free no repayments thing going on I figured it would be the best time to get it. Then when I got there sanity prevailed and I realised that I don't want to get into more debt right now so I flung my $270.00 of vouchers on the counter and said "what can you do me for that" (great English huh!). And for my money I received an Olympus FE-115, a 64mb memory card, a camera case, a SanDisk Card Reader, a batter recharger and 2 rechargable batteries. I was pretty happy with that and whilst I will continue to save up for the Canon, right now this will do the trick.

Expect to see more dodgy photo's regularly now :D

The Letter "S"

2006-05-24T10:50:00.000+10:00

Another Blogging game....If you want to play, let me know in a comment and I'll give you a letter. The rules are, you take the letter given to you and you have to come up with 10 words that start with that letter and how it pertains to your life in some way. ( I got this from Sarah)

Here's mine:

Special - Most days of my life now I feel special. I feel like I have been given a gift with the opportunity to make my life better, to allow me more years to spend with my beautiful boys, so even though some days are not great, I still feel special.

Soul Mate - Even though there are times when he frustrates me beyond belief I know Mark is my soul mate. We have been through the most incredible, and the most sad things together and he is someone who I can see myself growing old with. Growing more gorgeous and fitter with too :D

Stretched - Is how I feel with my time at the moment. I know there are many things I need to be doing and I get a bit lost when I can't seem to get on top of it all. But I also know that by focussing on my health I am allowing myself to be more energetic, more able to keep on top of the rest (well this is what I keep telling myself anyway LOL)

Sisters - I have two sisters and even though we live far apart (Sydney/Adelaide/Canada) I love the fact that our relationship has never been stronger.

Simple - Is my approach to weight loss. I don't often succeed in keeping it simple but I do try. Energy in is less than Energy Out equals Weight Loss. So I eat better food (most of the time) and exercise well (most of the time). It isn't easy but it is simple.

Smiley - Is how other people often see me. I like to be positive, and I like to smile. It makes me feel good and is a heck of a lot better than being grumpy all the time.

Salivating - Because on the way home today I walked past the bakery and the smells of the fresh donuts just about drove me crazy (but I didn't stop and get one).

Sexy - Sexy to me is not about being as skinny as I can be. Sexy is being happy with the way I look. Being confident in my actions and in my poise. Sexy is accepting that I can be many things - all at once - but only when I want to be. It is about my control and my ability to be out of control.

Sunshine - is the most wonderful thing in the world on an Autumn or Winter day. That feeling of heat on your face or your back as you are walking is what keeps me going out.

Support - Every day I am grateful for the support I continue to receive on this (to steal a phrase from Shauna) lard-busting journey of mine. It has made the difference between it being a diet and being a change I am making to all areas of my life. A diet does not address the mental and social issues surrounding obesity and weight gain. Having somewhere to go, to talk about mundane day to day issues, as well as talking about the bigger picture, has allowed me to evolve as a person. Every kg of fat that has disappeared from this body has been replaced by tonnes of compassion, empathy, tolerance, understanding, and humour. And the beauty of that is it weighs nothing :D

*** Edit ***

Your letters

A B C D E F G H K L M P R T W

Tonsilitis

2006-05-24T10:28:00.000+10:00

I am home today (as well as was most of yesterday) and will be for the rest of the week as my poor little Darcy has tonsilitis. This is, of course, the only thing that excuses him from snoring like a freight train and minimising any sleep I was lucky enough to get.

So time to blog - yaaaaay :D

Weigh in - Challenge W4

2006-05-22T18:29:00.000+10:00

Things were a little tough last week and I have learnt that I do not respond well to an injury and being forced to rest. After the walk and races last weekend I expected my legs to be sore. What I didn't expect was to learn that I had sprained/injured my right calf muscle. And then I didn't expect to be an idiot and do a little sprint across an intersection when the lights changed and hear the muscle go 'pop'! Bugger.

I then spent the week sulking. Instead of using my brains and finding ways to move that did not require my legs (toning, sit ups, upper body resistance exercises) I spent the week on the couch eating. I bowed out of the regular Saturday walk and took the time to catchup on things at home. I could have blogged and received that instant hit of motivation and positivity that I normally get when reading but as the exercise equipment is all set up in the study I boycotted that room. I know. DUMB.

But my leg feels better today. I went for a slow steady walk at lunch on the treadmill and as long as I kept my gait short it was OK. I also walked to Broadway and whilst the hill tested the muscle it came up alright so I am happy with my first day. I am building up to the Nordic Walking adventure on Saturday and will be fighting fit for that.

Work is really busy at the moment and evenings are spent doing a little bit of exercise, getting the boys into bed, and then crashing myself. I am not blogging at all during work (I finally get it!) so am not getting around as often as I want to :( but I will build up to that again too.

Fitness Challenge Wrap Up - Week 1
I will take progress photos tonight even though I know they will be the same or worse than last week. I refuse to let this set back make me pack it all in together. I need to spend a bit more time on my preparation and in learning the exercises instinctively so I don't have to keep looking at my notes. I know this takes time so perhaps I am being a little hard on myself. I know one thing for sure. Week 2 will be better than Week 1.

Things I did well last week
Rested my calf muscle to allow it to heal

Things I will do better this week
Track every day
Maintain a 20 point average
Smile a little more :)

Track back
Points: 20
SP: 6
Exercise: 30 minute walk on treadmill (slow), 30 minute walk to Broadway (slow)

Weigh in - Challenge W3

2006-05-15T06:01:00.000+10:00

This morning saw my first '3-in-a-row-loss' for some time with 500gms down to take me to 77.1kgs. It feels good.

Waking up at 5.00am this morning to do the first of my fitness challenge workouts didn't feel as great as it was cold, and early, and cold. But I shuffled quietly into the study to do my workout (via the bathroom of course) and happy to say that I have so far survived. I know it has only been approximately 15 minutes since I finished but all the same ;D

I had a quiet Mothers Day yesterday, on request. I've got a bit of a cold and I pulled up sore after Saturday so after swimming lessons were complete, and grocery shopping organised all I wanted to do was to have some quiet time alone. This never actually eventuated as my children don't quite get the concept of "mummy time" LOL. I did sneak in an accidental 2 hr doze so am feeling a little more alive today. Hopefully a day at work will give me the extra rest I need :)

Trackback - 15th May
Points: TBA
SP: TBA
Exercise: 47 min weights (hard)

Trackback - 14th May
Points: 18
SP: 0
Exercise: Nothing

Wonderful people

2006-05-13T23:41:00.000+10:00

Today has been a wonderful and unexpected day. And a very long day. It started off with the now regular Saturday morning walk around Sydney with Mary and Cath. I would have thought a 7.30am start on a weekend would be hard to do but it is surprisingly easy and the absolute best time to do it - before it gets really crowded. As I was packing a little extra weight today (courtesy of Oscar in a backpack) we avoided the particularly stairy area of the Rocks and headed into the Botanical Gardens for a wander around Mrs Macquaries Chair. It was spectacular. Walking along the water is so peaceful, and beautiful with all the trees. I walked as fast as I could but felt that I was slowing the pace of the morning down. Carrying the extra 12+kgs put a lot of pressure on my knees - especially when climbing stairs - and I felt that I had more difficulty in breathing and talking during a steady climb. I was never more happy than when I could sit down and unstrap the weight and just walk away from it. Wish I could do it with the rest but I know I will have to work for that :D

I made it home with 45 minutes to spare to shower and frock up for a day at the races. Mark had been invited to Royal Randwick for what I thought was just an industry affair. It turned out to be a major event to raise money for The Shepherd Centre which works with children who are deaf or hearing impaired with an aim of helping them to learn to speak and to communicate in a hearing world. It was a great day. We were on a table with some really interesting people, had great conversation, great food, and watched some fantastic horseflesh go thundering past. A win on the ponies would have been nice, but our table did OK by winning a bottle of champagne per person. Got to be happy with that! So adding to the 14,568 steps for the walk this morning, I probably walked around for 3 of the 5 hours we were there so I am sure if I had worked out a way to wear my pedometre I would have clicked over the 20,000.

My plan for this evening (once the boys were in bed) was to post and finally catch up on last weeks news and posts from around the grounds, but after just having hung up on a 4 hour phone call I am not sure I will last another 5 minutes. I will remember to stretch, to minimise the expected soreness tomorrow, then I will fall happily onto my nice, soft, pillow and ..... z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z

Trackback
Points: 22
SP: 2
Exercise: 2hr walk around Sydney (hard), 3 hours of general walking - in 3 inch heels! (easy)

Happy but sad

2006-05-12T22:18:00.000+10:00

My Mum went home today and I am really sad. My heart hurts and I did a bit of 'feeling sorry for myself' eating when I came home from the airport. It wasn't too bad (2 x ww Divine Boysenberry Ice Creams, 2 x sakata mini packs, 1 x freddo frog) and then I had my dinner. I am feeling a bit ill at the moment but slowly drinking water hoping it will go away by the time I go to bed.

But I am happy too. Happy that Mum had a great time, happy that the boys reacted comfortably with her and the visit, happy that my laundry is now washed, dried, folded AND put in wardrobes!! Finding socks and undies has never been easier LOL. We have already had a webcam call tonight so that was a nice way to catch up. But now that she has gone I can focus on setting up my equipment and room for my challenge and getting all my program worked out. I think it is good that I have something to focus on.

So back to playing with Blogger to see if I can set up tables and the information for my training program. And planning to go to bed early so I can get a good nights sleep before a good walk in the morning. So I shall take today as it was, and plan to do better tomorrow :D

Oh, and yes I bought a bikini. I tried on 6 pairs of speedo's and ended up buying a very simple pair in navy. Boyleg pants with a little retro patterned belt thing, and a top that ties up at the back and at the top. The clip ones were a little too snug in a size 12 and as I am unsure whether my ribcage will lessen in size anymore I did not want to be stuck with bathers that I would never wear. So these will suit me fine and I can just keep tightening them up as I get smaller. They are a size 12 and whilst I would be very uncomfortable wearing them in public, they actually don't look that bad. I will be taking photo's on Sunday night but will not be posting them until the end of the challenge when I hope to have a succession to show visible improvements. I have found a picture of the style but in a different colour - and on a much fitter body ;D

Trackback - 12th May
Points: 25.5
SP: 10!
Exercise: None

Trackback - 11th May
Points: 19.5
SP: 6
Exercise: 1hr walk in the foothills (hard - and hilly!)

Back It Up

2006-05-12T19:30:00.000+10:00

A while ago Daniel talked about the importance of backing up your work regularly if you do not want to suffer the pain and frustration of losing all your work. As I was googling for something entirely unrelated I can across a site for Blogger Tips and Tricks and a particular post on Backing up your Blog. In it they mention the Blog Collector site which allows you access to a free download you can use to completely back up your blog and save it in a pdf format. It allows you to synchronise your back up as you add more blogger entries, or to entirely re backup your blog.

I am on broadband cable and the download took a long time but I think it is pretty cool. The only thing was that the free download only let me read 63 of my posts even though the table of contents showed all 318 (sheeesh I write a lot LOL). I can upgrade, 2 levels, and at the top end - for a cost of USD 198 - it will import images and links. I am still not sure if it will import the comments, but it is a far easier (albiet a more expensive) solution to getting a backup than the Blogger way of changing your template and stripping out the text that way.

Isn't it amazing the things we learn along this road ;D

Different Channels

2006-05-10T20:36:00.000+10:00

It is funny how in life you can be stuck in a rut without even knowing it, until someone comes along to tip you unceremoniously out of it. And thereby shake up your world. Take television for example. Over the course of months, even years, Wednesday night has become a favourite of mine to veg out in front of the TV. As long as it is on Channel Ten. Mindless mirth and merriment courtesy of Thank God You're Here, followed by dry wit and self congratulations mixed with a teensy bit of humility courtesy of House and finished off by a frenzy of activity and forensic fantasy delivered by NCIS (Abbey is a particular favourite of mine). BUT put a visitor in my house who has an equal love affair of Wednesday night viewing on a different channel and chaos reigns supreme.

Which way do I go. Do I forfeit my shows and keep Mum company whilst she watches hers, or do I retreat to an unheated section of the house with a teeny tv but access to the p.c. so I can blog whilst watching? Yep, I chose the latter.

Like exercising for me, like eating healthily for me, sometimes, even though it is more polite to change my plans, or easier to do so to keep the peace, it can be better to just do what I need to do.

So I did. And every commercial I go out to say hello to her even though she is snoring quietly in her chair :D

Trackback - 10th May
Points: 21.5
SP: 2
Exercise: 1 hr (hard)

Trackback - 9th May
Points: 20 (Pumpkin & Spinach curry - yummmmm)
SP: 8.5
Exercise: 1.5 hrs (hard - including over 300 stairs)

Trackback - 8th May
Points: 20.5 (including sensational Chicken & Mushroom Risotto)
SP: 1
Exercise: 3 hrs gentle walking around Sydney and Aquarium

Recipe - Chicken & Mushroom Risotto

2006-05-10T20:03:00.000+10:00

Total pot = 42 points. Divide up as appropriate

Ingredients

400gm chicken thigh fillets, diced
200gms button mushrooms
1 red onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic
300gms Arborio rice
40 mls olive oil
1 tbs butter
1.2 litre vegetable stock
1/4 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
80 gm parmesan, grated

Method

1. Heat oil in a heavy based saucepan and add garlic, add chicken to the pan and toss until cooked, try not to brown chicken too much. Remove from pan.
2. Add butter to saucepan, when melted add onion and Arborio rice and cook for two minutes until rice is translucent and each grain is coated in butter.
3. Add white wine and reduce by half, add mushrooms and then add stock one ladleful at a time until all stock has been absorbed stirring constantly, this will take about 25 minutes.
4. Return chicken back to saucepan and stir thoroughly and ensure risotto is thick and creamy - not sticky - add torn basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve immediately

My comments

This was sensational. I don't cook risotto much, must be about 5 years since the last one, but this was very filling and the only warning I would offer is to serve it into appropriate sizes from the pot before you eat as you will go back for more if you put it all in the middle of the table. ;D

Credits
Recipe taken from the ABC - Peter Milosevic's Chicken and Mushroom Risotto - and modified slightly by me.

Recipe - Spinach and Pumpkin Curry

2006-05-10T19:55:00.000+10:00

Serves 4 @ 0 point per serve

Ingredients

2 medium onions, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp minced chilli
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1kg pumpkin, peeled, cut into small pieces
1/2 cauliflower, cut into florets
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp vegetarian stock
150g baby spinach, chopped coarsley
1/3 cup fresh coriander
1 tbs flaked almonds, toasted

Method

Coat a pan with cooking spray, heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring until softened. Stir in the garlic, ginger, chilli, coriander, cumin, turmeric. Stir for 30 seconds.
Add the pumpkin, water and stock. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Stir in the spinach and coriander. Cook, stirring until spinach has just wilted.
Just before serving, sprinkle with the almonds.

My comments

As a meal on its own it is very light and great for those days / weekends when you have over indulged a bit. By adding cous-cous or rice (make sure you add appropriate points) it becomes a very filling meal. I always forget to add the almonds, and feel it does not suffer for it. I added cauliflower into the recipe this time and thought it was a great filler.

Credits

Recipe taken from Weight Watchers Hong Kong site and modified slightly by me.

Weigh in - Challenge W2

2006-05-08T08:57:00.000+10:00

Today has seen an 400gm change in the scales to take me to 77.6kgs. With the exercise I have been doing this week I would have liked to see a bigger number but have to admit that the clothes I am wearing at the moment are really comfortable and I can see that I am smaller across the hips and thighs so am happy that the exercise has been helping to shape those areas.

It has been a busy weekend with walks, parties, lunches, dinners and generally catching up with loads of people. But this week will see some time for a break as I have taken a weeks holiday from work to spend the week with Mum. She will be flying home on Friday so want to have as much time as possible.

Today we have kept Darcy out of kindy and will be taking him to the Sydney Aquarium shortly, and tomorrow we will keep Oscar out. It is easier on Mum with only one cyclone at a time and it gives the boys a good day to get one on one attention. Then on Wednesday I am planning to spend the day mooching about Bondi Junction shopping for some bikini's for my before shots. Makes me cringe just thinking about it but I am getting my mindset right that at the end of my fitness challenge that I will look hot in those same bikini's. Well, at least I won't look horrible ;D

Week in review
What I did well
I tracked everyday - no matter what I ate/drank
I exercised well and made each opportunity count
I made quality time for my kids, my mum, my friends, and Mark

What I will do better
I will eat three pieces of fresh fruit a day
I will up the amount of vegetables to fill me up and keep hunger at bay
I will try to keep the housework under control by doing little bits each night

Trackback - 7th May
Points - 21 (plus several big handfuls of delicious salty dutch licorice - yummmmm)
SP - 2
Exercise - None

Me Sore

2006-05-06T20:28:00.000+10:00

Too sore to write a sensible post.

See Mary or Cath for reasons why.

Why my fingers hurt because my feet do makes no sense to me at all.

But I am happy. Tired but very very happy.

Trackback - 6th May
Points: 20
SP: 2
Exercise: 2+ hour walk around Sydney (Aaaaah so that's why I'm tired LOL)

Trackback - 5th May
Points: 23
SP: 8
Exercise: None

Trackback - 4th May
Points: 30
SP: 7.5
Exercise: 30min hard

Who needs an ipod anyway?

2006-05-03T17:28:00.000+10:00

I hear voices.

Your voices.

All the way home I could hear this medley of voices saying "Do it Anyway" courtesy of Kate & Mary as I contemplated how sore my legs would be after I walked home, "Make it Count" courtesy of Cath as I watched my form and crunched my butt muscles as I strode up the hill, "No Excuses" courtesy of Nat as I rounded the top of the stairs and stood looking over some tree tops at the city skyline puffing and panting like someone sorely in need of a drink, a bath, and a massage.

And somehow these voices blended together to vaguely sound like Dory out of Nemo "Just keep walking, do it anyway, just keep walking, make it count, just keep walking, no excuses" LOL

So, no ipod for me.

And in spite of all the frustrations I have felt lately, in spite of some difficulties with life in general, as I walked over the bridge and breathed in the very fresh air (laden with petrol fumes but never mind that) I had to remind myself, once again, that I am indeed a very lucky girl. :D

Now where is that drink, that bath, that massage ??

Trackback
Points: 22
SP: 4.5
Exercise: 7km walk home

Planning is my key

2006-05-02T15:54:00.000+10:00

Mary and Suzy have both made posts lately about finding the key that allows you success in your daily exercise routines. That it needs to be something that you enjoy, and something that you can fit in to the rest of your life, in order for you to love it and keep going with it - even once at goal.

I have thought about this a lot over the last couple of days as I continue to plan for the start of my Fitness Challenge. Initially I was planning on hiring a treadmill for 12 weeks, then after speaking with the very cute Buzz (not of the Lightyear variety) from Workout World decided instead to buy one on a payment plan.

Then I thought about it some more.

Whilst I would love to own one again, it is not practical in either a dollar or a space sense. I don't need to buy anything else. (This does not include shoes or handbags LOL) I just need to use what I already have. So with that approach the weights bench, and weights that have been slowly rusting to death under the house have been attacked with the WD40 and a bucket of hot soapy water and will be brought up into the house once Mum leaves (they will be put where the spare bed currently is). Then I will be able to do my weights routine in the mornings (5.00am !!) without waking up the boys, and I will do the treadmilling for the Couch to 5 km programme at the gym at lunch time. I will use what I have. I will do what I enjoy.

I am really looking forward to this challenge, and whilst the focus will be purely on my fitness, my strength, and on my shape for those 12 weeks, I will still be very interested in what my weight does along the way. I have my workout printouts holepunched and ready to go. I have the Cto25K workout in the folder. I have the printout ready for the Global Corporate Challenge. I am just itching to start. Or maybe that is a reaction to the prunes I have eaten today LOL.

Looking forward to a good week :D

Trackback - 2nd May
Points:20
SP: 2
Exercise: 20 min treadmill (hard) 10 min spin cycle (medium) 30 min walk to Broadway (hard)

Trackback - 1st May
Points: 20
SP: 2
Exercise: 30 min treadmill (hard) 30 min walk to Broadway (hard)

Weigh in - Challenge W1

2006-05-01T08:13:00.000+10:00

Today has seen an 800gm drop to bring me back to 78kgs. I have a long way to go before I hit 'virgin weight' again but I am making inroads.

This weekend saw me very angry at lots of times. Angry at myself. Angry at Mark. Angry at my house. Anything really. And angry might not really be the best word. I suppose I am just frustrated. Frustrated that plans get changed and mucked up when I finally put into place a plan of action for me for exercise on a weekend. And I know that if I looked deeply enough I still could have done something - ANYTHING - to move myself in a manner to burn off energy, but I didn't. I did eat but I was not out of control.

So I am happy with the loss I had.

It is the end of week one of the challenge and I am racing my ladies in the tickers. Who will get to the end first? What odds shall I place? LOL. Whichever one gets to the end first I know one thing - the other one won't be far behind :D

Week in review
What I did well
I tracked everyday - no matter what I ate/drank
I journalled every day and wrote down what I was feeling
I got in control of my work

What I will do better
I will exercise everyday
I will maintain better control with the types of food I eat, especially on weekends
I will speak up when I am angry so that it does not build up

Trackback - 30th April
Points - 19.5
SP - 2
Exercise - None !

Trackback - 29th April
Points - 25
SP - 5
Exercise - None

Trackback - 28th April
Points - 26
SP - 6
Exercise - None

M's Recipes

2006-05-01T00:00:00.000+10:00

Mushroom Cream Pasta 1 @ 6.5pts

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto 42 pts for entire pot

Creamy Pumpkin & Bacon Soup 4 @ 1.0pts

Spinach and Pumpkin Curry 4 @ 0.0pts

Mixed Berry & Apple Strudel 6 @ 1.5pts

It's too good to be true

2006-04-28T08:27:00.000+10:00

I've often heard the saying "If it's too good to be true - it probably is" and have it built into me to avoid at all costs things that fall under this umbrella. Things like magic diet potions that can turn you from your normal, albiet overweight, self into Elle McPhearson in 5 days with no dieting and exercise. These things still turn my head, and I read all the ads, spam, literature that comes across my desk, but my brain and my heart now understand this is false and I just won't buy into it.

However there are some things that probably fall into the catagory of 'Used To Be' too good to be true that are now coming true and I am finding it hard to break through and accept that I am allowed to have all these things - AT THE SAME TIME.

I am allowed to:
be free of back pain
fit into nice clothes
to enjoy my food
have treats
say no to chocolate
say yes to chocolate
enjoy exercise
have off days
have fantastic days
look good for my age
look good for ANY age
be sexy
be daggy
be myself.

I am taking it one day at a time but I do believe I can have it all. :D

Trackback - 27th April
Points: 22.5
SP: 2
Exercise: None

As a side, my Mum said I was looking 'hip' this morning (do people still use that term LOL) I am wearing my boots (yaaay finally it is cold enough), my black jeans, a black high neck knit top, and over the top of it all my retro type print wrap dress that I bought at TEMT with Mary. Even though wearing dresses over jeans is just, like, so 2004, I seriously think it looks good ;) Wish I had a camera.

Virtual Model

2006-04-26T22:10:00.000+10:00

Playing around with Virtual Model today (I promise I have done my work first Linda LOL) I saw the difference in what my face and my shape look like in this Virtual Progression. The first shot is where I started at 95kgs. The second is now at 78kgs and the last is where I will be at goal. Even though the differences in the last two are small I think they will be significant and ones I will notice in my clothes. For example, there is more light between the legs, the bust is noticeably smaller, the face looks younger, the lines look leaner. Just wish my body was as lump and bump and flab free as these guys LOL.

I will be taking a similar but 'real' photo for my Now shot before I start my 12 week fitness challenge. After I have finished I will take a real photo for the Goal shot. Then it will be very interesting to see if they look like the above shots at all.

Today has finished on a great note. I have finished all the laundry folding and preparation of Mum's room. Didn't quite get to put all the clothes away but know that I will have time to do that tomorrow after work.

We had the soup with some toast and butter (lite of course) and finished it off with the last of the Strudel and Ice Cream. I feel decadent but satisfied. I feel good. I like feeling good. Remind me of this when I am not feeling good LOL.

And should you not have seen the good news already Philippa has reached her goal. Having done this from home, moving states, going through international holidays, ups & downs with work, and the highs that come with living life the way she wants to, Philippa is a fantastic example of how you can live life and whatever it throws at you, and still lose weight and achieve your goals.

Trackback
Points: 19
SP: 3
Exercise: 4km walk around Balls Head Bay (hard), 30 walk up and down the hallway (medium). Total of 10,156 steps.

Energy

2006-04-26T11:24:00.000+10:00

It has been a long time since I could honestly say that I had a lot of energy during the day. The sort of energy that lasts through the dinner/bath/bed routine of the kids and keeps going to allow me to get the house in order before bed. Well during the last couple of days my energy has returned. And I feel like I am positively bouncing around at the moment. And it feels GREAT!

It is easier to get up in the morning. It is easier to focus and make dinner and not pick. It is easier to get those horrid tasks finished today rather than leaving them for tomorrow. It is easier to just put my shoes on and move. I don't know what it is. Whether it is the renewed focus, the good food I am having, the lack of junky food, or the Blackmores Sugar Balance I am trialling, but whatever the cause I am happy for it to continue. I can't remember the last time I was so organised to the point of cooking dinner last night, having dessert (fantastic Mixed Berry & Apple Strudel), and having dinner reading for the next couple of nights as well. We will be having Creamy Bacon & Pumpkin Soup tonight which is an absolute winner on these cold nights. I know I had a day off tomorrow, and one today, and this does make it easier to plan and to get things done, but I am hoping I can keep it going during the rest of the working week too.

Today I am having off to finish up all the laundry and finally get the clean clothes in the wardrobes. I need to clear them all off the spare bed because my Mum is coming to visit us tomorrow and will stay for a couple of weeks. I am so excited. I haven't seen her since Christmas and it will be great to be able to catch up and just hang out together for a while. She will be spending a few days with her very good friend in Emu Plains who flew over to spend a few weeks with Mum when she was recovering in hospital and I think Mum is really excited that she still has the opportunity to come over and spend some time with her too.

So all good things happening here. It is 11:35am and I have been for a 4km walk, I have cooked, I have cleaned and I am going to make myself a delicious lunch (mountain bread wrap with ww cream cheese, smoked salmon, lettuce, cucumber, tomato) and enjoy the next hour in front of the pc reading blogs until I get back into my chores. :D

Recipe - Creamy Bacon & Pumpkin Soup

2006-04-26T11:14:00.000+10:00

Serves 4 @ 1 point per serve

Ingredients

1 - 1.2kg pumpkin (any variety)
1 cup water
1 onion, finely chopped
pack ww bacon, finely chopped
2 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon curry powder
freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Cut up the pumpkin and place in steamer (or pot) with 1 cup water. Cook until soft.
2. Place pumpkin and water in a food processor. Process until smooth.
3.Place onion and bacon in a 2-litre microwave save dish and cook on high for 3 minutes. Add the milk, curry powder, and pumkin. Cook on 70% (medium-high) for 6 minutes or until hot.
4. Return to the food processor and process until smooth.
5. When serving sprinking with black pepper if desired.

My comments

This is an absolute favourite in our house. The whole pot is HUGE and is only 6 points. Serve with salad or vegetables for a low point lunch or with some protein and bread for a substantial meal. Bacon can be omitted for a vegetarian dish.

Recipe - Mixed Berry & Apple Strudel

2006-04-26T11:08:00.000+10:00

Serves 6 @ 1.5 points each

Ingredients

425g canned apples
300g bag frozen mixed berries, defrosted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons caster sugar
4 sheets filo pastry
cooking oil spray
1 tablespoon almond meal
6 scoops WW Vanilla Ice Cream

Method

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. Line base of a baking tray with baking paper. Combine the apples, berries, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a bowl.
Lay one sheet of filo flat on a clean tea towel. Coat with cooking oil spray and sprinkle with almond meal. Repeat with the remaining filo sheets, layering them. Transfer to tray
Place fruit mix at one end of the pastry and roll up lengthways to enclose fruit. Cut slits in the top of the roll, coat lightly with cooking oil spray and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and crisp. Accompany with a scoop of the ice-cream.

My comments

Check that the many month old filo pastry in the freezer is ok to use before you use it. Recipe will still work with filo in little bits and pieces but presentation is not as nice.

Ensure you have 6 people to eat this recipe or cut into 4 and allow 2 points per serve. Is very yummy :D

Fear

2006-04-25T23:05:00.000+10:00

Fear is not the thing to dread
Disrespect for fear should be feared instead.

During this journey I have to admit to being absolutely shit-scared that something would happen in my life and I would put myself in a situation where I allowed myself to gain back all weight lost and more. This fear, whilst not obsessive, was a way that I ensured I stuck to points, exercised appropriately, and did all the right things. Then I stopped being afraid. I realised that I could keep in control of my food and live my life and still be able to lose weight, or maintain when the time came.

But there is a difference between being unafraid and being blase. I fell into the blase catagory. The "she'll be right" mentallity that can serve well at other times does not always do so with weight loss. Each day I would pick at something extra and say "I'll walk that off" or I would eat something purposefully saying to myself "I deserve that" when really I had no intention of doing anything extra or would conveniently forget that I had to do it. The result of this has been an increase in weight to 78.8 yesterday. This is the weight I will begin with on Paulene's 12 week challenge and for me personally as I now wake up to what I have been doing and refocus.

I am still unafraid about gaining all my weight back. I won't give that fear the power it thinks it deserves, but I have stopped being blase. I UNDERSTAND the consequences of my actions and at the moment the only consequence I will accept is a legitimate weight loss or improvement in shape and/or fitness. So to ensure I get this consequence I have to be prepared to take the actions that will get me that result. And I am. And I am doing it. Every day.

Trackback
Points - 23.5
SP's - 6
Exercise - 30 min walk at Balmoral (easy), Total of 8,771 steps.

Simple Things

2006-04-24T22:30:00.000+10:00

On day 1 of Paulene's 12 week challenge and day 1 of my renewed focus on my food I have remembered so many things that I can't believe I have allowed myself to forget. Like

the taste of a really fresh orange
the feeling of the beads of sweat racing each other down my back after I have finished a walk
the satisfaction that comes with taking back control
the simple joy of making a wrap for lunch with fresh ingredients and LOVING it
the full feeling that comes with drinking enough water (you would think I would remember this one!)
the soreness I get in my legs when I have walked hard
how it is not always simple to say 'no' but it is do-able

And in view of my new simple approach I have reverted to a basic simple Blogger template. The less complicated I make everything the more likely I am to continue with motivation, and gusto, and the more time I have to exercise. I don't think anyone has this exact one but sorry if you think I am copying ;)

I know it is only Day 1 but It's been a good day :D

Trackback
Points - 19
SP's - 1
Exercise - 45 min @ lunch (hard), 20 min walk to and from mall (easy), 25 min walk to Broadway (hard) Total of 15,940 steps.

(Blogger and my pc have both been playing up so I drafted all my posts and posted them when possible)

Expo Expose

2006-04-24T09:50:00.000+10:00

I had a great time catching up with Mary and Cath on Saturday and as soon as I saw them the thought popped into my head "why don't I do this more often?" quickly followed by "d'oh because you have kids you silly girl"

I enjoyed the Fitness Expo but was very happy that we did not have to pay to get in. It was not worth paying $17.00 for. That being said I took away one really great piece of information from it. And that was worth the entire visit. And that was that I already have everything I need to success in my weightloss/fitness goals. I have workout DVD's. I have a mini-tramp. I have access to a gym. I have the ability to walk out my front door and find hills, paths, and palks to walk on/in/around. I don't need the latest gadget. I don't need to follow the latest fad. Yes ensuring that I don't get bored is a key to continuing and keeping up my motivation but really I question whether I am bored or lazy sometimes ;D

So armed with bags and bags of information and samples, Mary and I said our farewells to Cath and then sat on the boardwalk around Cockle Bay wharf eating our very sensible, healthy & delicious lunch (yes it is possible for those words to not be mutually exclusive). The sun was beautiful and it was so calm and lazy feeling. Fantastic. Then after Mary hopped on the train home I met up with Mark and the boys by the Opera House and wandered off into the parklands with a couple of balls and flying gizmo's to play with. It was beautiful. There was a great tree that both boys played in and tried to climb. Darcy and I lay on the grass and looked through the canopy of the tree pretending there were Baboons jumping from branch to branch. Darcy insisted they were trying to do poos on us so we kept having to roll out of the way LOL. Oscar kicked the soccer ball around with Mark and I think he was trying to 'pick up' as he kept kicking into a family group where there was a very cute little girl about the same age. *sigh* It begins already LOL.

So all in all, a great weekend.

Oh, and I bought new shoes. I think they are the ugliest pair of shoes ever to be created for a womans foot but after I tried on about 5 pairs I had to admit these were the most comfortable. I only tried on shoes that were specifically for my gait and foot shape and also were for fast walking or running!! so I knew all shoes would be appropriate, but I ended up getting a pair of Adidas Adistar Control Running Shoes. This picture is off the web but my colour is completely different. Imagine grey and lime/green. Should stop me looking at my feet when I run though.

Am very happy it is Monday and looking forward to hitting the gym :D

Happy Birthday Mum

2006-04-24T08:42:00.000+10:00

Today is my Mums birthday and to be honest I never thought she would still be here for me to embarrass myself with another terrible live version of "Happy Birthday" over the phone. But she is. And I did. And she loved it :)

I want to thank everyone for your continued support and concern with my Mum. A few lately have asked how she is and I have grappled with the answer. Not because I don't know it but because I have been a little afraid to say out loud in case I jinx her. But after talking to Mary about it on the weekend I felt really good - and I realise that my saying anything, or nothing, won't affect the way she is.

So how is she? Really good actually. She is now in her 6th month or 4th cycle of treatment. At the end of each treatment cycle she has scans to measure the mass and see if there are any new growths. So far there has been no growth, no changes. Which is excellent. She is in no pain and only infrequently has to take some medication to help her sleep at night. She is still getting out and about but has learned to pace her activities as she does get tired more easily. So instead of Bingo and Cards each week, she alternates. She is quite the social butterfly LOL. Her hair is still there, and whilst it does start to thin by the end of a cycle, it starts to grow back in the 3 weeks she has off before the next cycle begins. In fact the only thing that hurts her sometimes is when they put the needle into her vein to allow treatment. As it is done in her hands, and each successive cycle starts to corrode the veins, it gets harder to get a good line and she ends up with big bruises. The option of putting a line directly into her chest has been discussed and will probably be taken up. She is no bikini model so she is not put off by the asthetics and if it means she can have full use of her hands all the more reason to do it.

So in a nutshell, she is doing well, still has plenty of time to win the lottery and leave it to me before she drops off the perch. ;)

Monday on my mind

2006-04-21T10:46:00.000+10:00

It's a Friday and that is a good thing. Even though I know that lifestyle changes don't start 'tomorrow' or 'next week' I am happy to admit that I have made a committment to put these last couple of weeks of excesses behind me and start afresh on Monday. Why Monday? Because I don't like saying tomorrow, or next week (as they invariably never arrive) and on Monday I will have my new shoes. On Monday I will have my food plan for the week in my hot little hands. On Monday I will fill my recently cleaned out tub in the work fridge with all the good things I need. On Monday I will happily go to the gym and crank up the treadmill and see how long it takes me to fall off. On Monday it is my Mum's birthday and if there ever was a better reason to keep on my health and fitness path she is it. On Monday I will have my mind set in a positive frame that will not allow the disruption of my routine to allow me to fail. As much as I LOVE public holidays I have allowed the break to be a huge excuse not to stick to my plan. So now it is over and even though there are holidays coming up they will not interfere with me.

I am really looking forward to going to the Fitness Expo in Sydney tomorrow with Mary and Cath. If you are in Sydney and want to catch up with us we will be meeting at 10.00 (see Mary's blog for more specific info).

Have a wonderful weekend. Especially those who are sneaking away for romantic get-aways with their husbands. You know who you are :D

Clippings

2006-04-20T07:27:00.000+10:00

Whew. With work piling up to the level of the lawn that is currently my armpits LOL (actually ewwwwww. *note to self* Get the whipper snipper out) I have been keeping my head down and bum up. Unfortunately this doesn't do anything for my heartrate or muscles. I will be buying new shoes on the weekend because it is driving me insane that I can't go for a decent sweat inducing walk. INSANE I tell you. So I will ride it out this week and try to minimise any gain caused by inactivity.

Back to it I am afraid. But before I go I did a bit of hunting after my last post started a cross Tasman debate about the proper slang for a Swimsuit. Found this at Australian World Map:

Togs

plural noun a swimming costume. Compare bathers, cossie, cozzie, costume, swimmers, swimsuit.

Contributor's comments: All over Queensland and in New Zealand.

Contributor's comments: As a Queenslander I always used the term "togs" or "swimming togs" but moving from state to state, especially in WA, I have been almost ridiculed by the use of the word - and now I don't know what to call them!

Contributor's comments: 'Togs' was also used in the Top End of the NT, certainly in the 1950s-'70s. None of the other synonyms (bathers, cossie, etc.) was used - we all wore togs when swimming.

Contributor's comments: Togs is basically the only term I've heard used in Queensland for "swimming outfit", despite southerners insisting that we have been known to call them swimmers or bathers. The only other acceptable term is bordies or boardshorts since the demise of DTs.

Contributor's comments: I have lived my 50 years in WA and as kids we always called bathers "cossie" or "togs".

Contributor's comments: My Dad, from Adelaide, mostly uses togs or trunks for "swimming costume". My kids now refer to swimmers as "trogs".

Contributor's comments: I grew up in Qld and togs were what you swam in. On moving to the NT in the mid 70's togs was often used to describe your clothes in general. On moving to SA & then WA there is no way I would use the word outside our home as people look at you as if you have just been beamed down from a passing planet. Swimmers or bathers is now the go.

Contributor's comments: We used to use this term for swimming costumes when I was growing up in South West WA.

Contributor's comments: Intrigued to see your map includes the ACT - where I found that the only people who used 'togs' were Queenslanders, and everyone else used either 'cossie' or 'swimmers'.

Contributor's comments: I grew up in coastal western Victoria, around Lorne in 1950s & 60s. Togs were definitely the only things anyone wore when going swimming.

Contributor's comments: I've heard `togs' very occasionally in Melbourne, but it's usually `bathers', and if someone says `cossie' you know the speaker is a recently arrived Sydneysider.

Contributor's comments: There are an array of words used to describe togs. Possibly more because of the lack of universal acceptance of the alternate names. Common terms used include speedos, DTs (abbreviation of "dick togs"), sluggos, swimmers.

Contributor's comments: You should extend the coverage of this word into northern NSW - down as far as Byron at least. My family are from the Tweed, they & theirs use "togs".

Contributor's comments: Anybody that calls 'swimmers' 'togs' in the Illawarra or Shoalhaven region is likely to have their head punched in.

Contributor's comments: As a Queenslander swimming gear was always called "togs".

Contributor's comments: During my high school years I moved from Ipswich Queensland were "togs" meant swimming attire to a grammar school in Melbourne where "togs" meant any sporting attire. At the very first cricket training we were told to go and get into our togs for training. I was confused so I went slowly to see what others were changing into. Then I put on my cricket clothes when it was obvious the coach didn't want us to go swimming!

Contributor's comments: Since coming to the West Island from NZ, I have (like your other correspondents) almost been ridiculed out of the use of the word "togs" which was used exclusively on the other side of the Tasman when I was a kid. I'd never heard the expression "costume" for what one wore in the water, for example: the first time I was invited to "bring my costume" to a family sporting event, I wondered whether clown or fairy??? I notice that 'cossie' now seems to be fairly common in NZ, but usually in a semi-joking way! "Togs" must still be what everyone thinks of themselves as wearing!

Contributor's comments: In Perth during the 50s and 60s I NEVER heard this term; they were universally "bathers" or "bathing suit" (for girls).

Contributor's comments: Clothes you wear for swimming: "Have you brought your toggs to the beach?"

Contributor's comments: Wrong wrong wrong, togs is most definately not used in Darwin, to use such a term would invoke considerable laughter by the masses and the majority saying ... What!? ... are you a Queenslander or something? After all what is a tog?

Contributor's comments: It was always togs in our family in Geelong. Wasn't till I got to high school and for some weird reason not many other people called them togs. And I changed to calling them bathers to save the embarrasment.

Contributor's comments: Known as togs on King Island in the 60s early 70s.

Contributor's comments: Cossie was the name for swimming costumes when I was growing up in the Riverina, however, my brothers used the term togs for theirs.

Contributor's comments: As a child growing up in Williamstown (postcode 3016) in the 50s & 60s those things you swim in were always called "togs" but now togs is almost a forgotten word and most people I know refer to them as bathers.

Contributor's comments: In Orange all my friends called their swimming gear togs or scungies, for small ones but not shorts or boardies, but my wife from Sydney and our children in Newcastle call them swimmers. Some friends in Victoria call them bathers. Togs could also mean other types of clothes eg: 'sporting togs' for sports uniform, and you were told to get dressed by 'get your togs on, we're going out', etc.

Contributor's comments: 'Grab your togs, we're going swimming', comment used regularly at the height of summer in East Gippsland.

Contributor's comments: I can't believe one of your Riverina contributors called togs "cozzies". In SW Riverina they were always togs, but just across the border in Swan Hill it was also sometimes togs and sometimes bathers. I agree with other contributors that people in Perth seem to find the word togs completely ridiculous. It's such a good word though that I'm not giving it up, despite the protests from the kids.

Contributor's comments: [Melbourne informant] Always used as a slang for bathers in our house, usually when in a hurry - "get your togs on - we're heading down the beach"

Contributor's comments: used in the Brisbane area.

Contributor's comments: I attended a Christian Brothers school in Perth. Most of our teachers were from the eastern states and always referred to bathers (swimming costumes) as togs. Apart from the use of that term at school, I have not heard the expression here in WA.

Contributor's comments: I arrived in Brisbane in 1961 from UK. It was always togs used by everyone I knew. It used to be swimming trunks in UK, but I have never heard that here. I lived at postcodes 4122, 4152 and 4151 for 25 years before coming here.

Contributor's comments: This word is purely a Queensland/ Northern Rivers term - I have not heard it used at all since relocating to NSW and am looked at strangely when I use the term.

Contributor's comments: I grew up in country NSW, of mixed parentage (NSW and Victorian). We all wore togs for swimming. We moved to Queensland in the fifties, and were relieved to find that the incredibly twee expressions "cozzie", "swimmers" and "bathers" were not in use.

Contributor's comments: I am amazed to hear togs described as a Queensland term. I grew up in Melbourne where we always swam in togs (the only other use of the word was in "work togs" for special work clothing). "Bathers" was used only as a very formal term. We were amazed to hear a big boofy Sydneysider use the hilariously effeminate term "cossie". When I moved to Queensland (Mackay and Redcliffe) in the 1980s, togs was unknown except as a rare term for clothes in general. The Queenslanders all wore "swimmers".

Contributor's comments: Funny no mention of togs in Canberra. Coming originally from Sydney/North Coast it was swimming costume or cozzies, but I recall togs creeping in. That seems to be a Melbourne usage, and maybe it came with the big Public Service transfer from Melbourne to Canberra in the '60s. I well remember the first terylene racing swimsuit and, from then on, it was definitely speedos!

Contributor's comments: It's always been togs for me living in Queensland.

Contributor's comments: swimming costume: "Put your togs on for a swim."

Contributor's comments: Swimming costume: "Grab your togs, we're going for a swim."

Contributor's comments: bathers, swimmers... typically said by fathers: "Get your togs on so we can go swim in the dam."

Contributor's comments: As a kid growing up in Richmond in the early 60's, the "only" word to use was togs. I knew of no other at the time. I think that words such as bathers or swimmers came into common usage in later years.

Contributor's comments: Definitely "put your togs on to go for a swim" in Albury, now my children do that in Sydney!

Contributor's comments: In Melbourne in the 1940s and 1950s we used the term togs. My Dad did grow up in a number of places in Australia inclucing Western Australia and Thursday Island. Mum was a Melbourne girl.

Contributor's comments: I was born in Melbourne, Victoria and lived in the Victorian countryside for a few years and have called my swimming clothes - togs - always, I've never used any other word.

A leap of faith

2006-04-18T12:27:00.000+10:00

One of the things that I am most grateful for at the moment is friends. In a society where not everyone lives with or near their extended families it is heartening to know that friends can step in and fill that void.

This Easter weekend was one of the most busy and most enjoyable I have had in a long time. After thinking we would be spending the whole weekend at home Mark received an invitation from a work colleague for our family to join his at their holiday house in Copacabana on the NSW North Coast on Friday and Saturday. Only his parents would be joining them so would only be a small group. As they had 3 children of their own and Mark got along with his colleague well he accepted. Then told me. To be honest I was extremely nervous about going. I had not met any of these people, yet would be spending two days and one night with them and was most certainly expected to go to the beach with them. I was not sure I would be able to handle that so I purposefully did not pack my bathers. What an idiot!!! They were a lovely family with whom I clicked with straight away. They were our age, grew up and married in Adelaide and moved to Sydney about 10 years ago. Had three great kids who were cheeky but polite and really great with my boys. The wife has lost about the same amount of weight that I have, and has the same amount to go. And when we went to the beach (she in her bikini & sarong, and me in my tracksuit!!) I could see that her body was so similar to mine - and it didn't look that bad. It didn't look that bad. I was such a doofus. I ended up getting in the water with my clothes on and we all laughed about it but I have learned a valuable lesson and I think I am better for it :) After a fun and relaxed couple of days filled with backyard sports, shopping, beaching and walking we said our farewells with the promise to meet up again.

Monday was great fun as a girlfriend and I went to the show. It was fantastic. I sampled every ware in the Food Dome. I sampled every wine available on offer in the 6 or so wine stalls. I got very giggly - as you do, then proceeded to walk very slowly around all the fruit displays, the art and craft, the flowers. Then headed off to the showbag pavilion to battle it out with about a million other people. It was such a scream and without having to worry about children it was wonderful fun. The boys were happy with their showbag and I was happy with mine :D

Now it is a short working week and time to reign in the Easter excesses and recover some ground.. Looking forward to a good week :)

I am Globally Challenged

2006-04-13T15:01:00.000+10:00

Whooo Hoooo.

We are in. The team we put together to represent The Big T in the Global Corporate Challenge has been accepted. The Big T are promoting this challenge and had offered to pay half the $700.00 entry fee for the first 3 teams presented, and any others case by case across the business units. As we were first we got in. The teams are made up of 7 so we still each needed to commit to paying $50.00 but as we can do that via payroll deduction it minimised any impact felt by parting with the money. The entry fee gets us a sports bag, pedometer, drink bottle and a host of other sponsers goodies which are a surprise. I LOVE suprises. LOL.

The challenge starts on the 25th May and finishes on 25th October. That's 22 weeks!!! The aim is to do as many steps as possible during each day and enter your steps in their website. The average is taken from all team members and as you walk you progress around the world. If you know of any other teams in it, you can flag them and monitor their progress compared to your own. Perfect for ultra competitive people like me :D All that practice I have had with the Walking With Attitude site will come in handy now. I am going to aim to walk 15,000 a day and as the City to Surf falls within this period I am sure there will be some days where I hit 20,000. Can you tell I am excited about this. :D

And this challenge ties in really well with something else I have been thinking about. On Monday I received an email from my gym with a link to their first newsletter. It was brilliant. Really well laid out, lots of information, great downloads of classes etc. Anyway, they had a section on all of their Personal Trainers and what each person specialises in. I had been thinking about booking a session with a trainer to redo my program so this was good information for me. THEN. They had a discussion article where they talked about '12 week challenges'. They said that it is completely possible to change your body shape and get great results in a 12 week period. Without supplements. Without drugs. And without becoming a body builder. This interests me a lot. Even though I fit into size 12 Witchery jeans (which I am wearing now whoooo hoooo) they give me a very unsightly muffin look which I am covering up with a looser fitting shirt. There is a huge difference between being a flabby size 12 and a toned size 12. I want toned.

I have been thinking a lot about surgery lately. I figured if you cut out my gut and my butt I would be at goal and probably lower. Then I stopped and realised that I have not really made a concerted effort to try and tone up on my own. A couple of half hearted efforts that last a couple of days will not cut it. So I am going to commit to 12 weeks of a committed, monitored program. I am going to hire a treadmill for the 12 weeks so that I can focus on weights and swimming in my lunch times. And I am going to give the gym a list of the goals I want to achieve and get them to choose which trainer would be best suited to helping me achieve these goals. I am going to start on the 15th May which will mean the 12 weeks finish the week before the C2S. This should be perfect as one of my goals will be to jog/run for 5kms.

What I would like to achieve

To be able to jog/run continuously for 5kms
To be able to jog/run without wetting my pants (aaaah the joys of childbirth)
I want to know what my body fat % is and to get it down to a healthier level
I want to tone up the flabby areas of my body which are (but not limited to) my stomach, inner thighs, knees, underarms and bust
I want to have defined muscles, but not be muscle bound
I want to have lean muscles
I want to lift my butt and bust to where they should be

So what I do now after this ramble? I am going to print out the list for the gym and drop it in on Tuesday when I go swimming. I will make an appointment for a couple of weeks prior to kick off date so that I can run through the program and really understand what I am supposed to do. And I will make sure that my little feeble mind does not see the time before the challenge starts as a free for all in the eating department. Because it is not.

I wish everyone a safe and happy Easter break and hope that you all get to spend some quality time with people you love. And a special good luck for Sarah who is getting married tomorrow.

Onwards and forwards :D

M is for

2006-04-11T08:30:00.000+10:00

M is for

Monday which is weigh day which showed a loss of 400gms. Now 76.6kgs. I am happy with the loss but extremely annoyed at myself as I know I am eating too much. The exercise is fine. And yes, I am perhaps more hungry because of it but I seemed to have lost the ability to say No to myself when it comes to food. So this week it is back to basics for me. Tracking, planning, water and exercise. I know it is Easter on the weekend but I still have to try.

*******

M is for

Mallory
Valarie
Emily
Meetzahs
Just
Served
Us
Nine hundred and ninety nine
Pizzas

Which is the little ditty by Dr Suess that has been going around and around and around my head as Darcy learns his planets and what order they come in. In case you have forgotten, which I did and have to admit to never knowing off by heart as I do now, they are

Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto

*******

M is for

Madness which reigned supreme at the Kindy Easter Bonnet Parade yesterday. Oscar wore a hat I had made for Darcy when he was two and looked very cute. It was a paper mache (sp) balloon that we had painted to look like a big Easter egg. And after the parade I gladly gave it away to a Mum who expressed great love of the hat. It has been hanging around the laundry for two years and I am happy to see the back of it. Darcy wore his requested balloon hat which ended up being a Wallabies beanie with blown up water bomb balloons pinned all over it. It was hilarious. And easy to make.

*******

M is for

My work load which has gone through the roof this week and for the next two weeks. One of my bosses staff is on leave and I have picked up all the backup work. This will keep me busy busy busy and I must admit I am enjoying the speed of the day. I am also remembering that I have forgotten a lot of the work so all the work processes have come out again. I feel like a newbie. :)

*******

M is for

Me. Who will keep plodding on and who is very happy that the next three weeks are all 4 day working weeks. Whooo Hoooo.:D

Reg Grundies

2006-04-07T10:20:00.000+10:00

You know, it still makes me smile when I get up in the morning and put on my size 12 bonds undies - and they fit. :D

Walking the Walk

2006-04-05T20:05:00.000+10:00

Following on from yesterday, I walked the walk today and made it from work to Broadway in 28 minutes. (I would have taken longer doing it on my head but chose to use my feet - thanks Sue LOL). And I beat the bus I would have caught at Central so was very pleased with that. Am thinking about walking into work now but will see if I can beat that very silly idea out of my head by morning.

***

In the last few weeks there have been a lot of bloggers in Melbourne, Michelle, Ails, Jadey, & Beki to name a few who have done the Kokoda Memorial Trail stair climb. And even though it is 1,000 steps of a seemingly agonising climb I have been secretly (and not so secretly) jealous that I don't have 1,000 steps of my own to climb in such beautiful surroundings. Then Linda posted about her climb at Mt Warning and that was it. I went off on a serious Google mission to find my own. And find it I did.

The Blue Mountains are a magnificent part of our Country and are riddled with walks of all gradings and lengths. I found a brilliant site which lists all walks, with their gradings, accesses, expected timings, lengths and what sort of views etc to expect on the way (listed below). Mark and I will go in the next couple of weekends and take the boys on their first bush walk. We will tackle an easy to medium walk of about 2 hours. As we will both be walking with the boys in backpacks (12kgs & 18kgs respectively) we think this will be a good place to start. Then I will plan to tackle the Giant Stairway. One of the girls at work said she would come with me and I think it would be great to go it as a group. I have 3 other seats in the car that I can fill so will let all know when I am going and anyone who is interested in coming along for the drive/walk/drive is more than welcome. Please provide own first aid and resuscitation kits. Only kidding. I am sure they have them there. Well at least I hope so LOL. I thought it a good walk as it is downhill to start and if you feel you can't make it up there is a railway to take you back up. Though I plan to walk it back.

But before I do I will have to go and buy new shoes as the special blister bandaids I bought weren't worth the money it cost me as not only did it not protect the blisters I already had but when I peeled my socks off tonight the bandaid had a huge hole in the middle where a brand new blister has appeared. Dagnabbit !! Will have to survey my shoe collection to see if I have anything suitable to walk home in tomorrow. Perhaps a pair of backless Ferragamo's ;D

Blue Mountain Links

The Giant Stairway

List of Popular Bushwalks

Specific information on a few of the walks

Myth Busters

2006-04-04T20:50:00.000+10:00

I like the show Myth Busters where they take an everyday thought or myth and break it apart until it is either proven or completely demolished. Today I busted a myth of my own!

As has become my habit I now walk to Central before getting on a bus to Broadway. Broadway is not that far away but somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind I figured it was quicker to go by bus which gave me that time I needed to do a bit of grocery shopping before I picked up the boys. I was happy because I was getting that little extra incidental exercise in, but still sticking to my time schedule.

Well.

Today I walked with JC as she has decided to start walking from work to Ashfield. She'll start off slow and then increase the distance until she can walk the entire 10kms. Apparently my little jaunt over the bridge has inspired her. So we walk to Central together then I get on the bus and off she strides. When I got off the bus at Broadway and walked back to the main intersection to cross the road I bumped straight into her... It took the SAME time to walk up that damn hill as it did to catch the bus. And I thought the bus had moved quickly tonight. Not too many traffic lights. So with that myth well and truly busted I have now set myself up for walking all the way to Broadway each evening - except when I walk home of course. In fairness it is only a 25 - 30 minute walk so I should be able to do it standing on my head, and with the cooler weather heading our way it probably would be a lot more comfortable to walk with my sweats on rather than my uniform. All in all a win win situation I think :D

Weigh In - 2006/10

2006-04-03T09:46:00.000+10:00

Happy Anniversary to me,
Happy Anniversary to me,
Happy 1 year on this weight loss journey anniversary to M,
Happy Anniversary to me.

Today I could concentrate on the fact that I am not yet at goal after 1 year (12 months, 52 weeks, 364.25 days). I could concentrate on the fact that my weight loss over this period averaged out at 356gms per week after initially starting out at 1kgs per week. I could bemoan the fact that I am still going. But I won't

I will CELEBRATE the fact that I am still going.

I will celebrate that I :

am 18.5kgs (40.7lbs) less than when I started
have lost 19.37% of my body weight
now wear size 12 witchery jeans instead of either size 18 maternity jeans or size 36 mens.
look younger today than I did one year ago
have got off the bus opposite McDonalds every morning for a year and have not gone in there once for breakfast
have noticed the girls starting to perk up again after all the gym work I have been doing
can notice muscle definition in my arms and in my torso
can keep up with the fast ladies
have met new people I am proud to call my friends
am not afraid to do things and go places I would not have thought to do before
have taken ownership for myself and have taken steps to get fitter and healthier
can make an informed decision about food
know a binge or a blowout occassionally does not undo all the work I have done
am able to keep going, through ups and downs, great days and not so great days - I can just keep going.

And keep going is what I am going to do.
With a great big smile on my face :D

Happy anniversary to me, and if I keep losing weight at my average I will reach goal in as little as 27 weeks and I am prepared to take that long to be the best I can be (thought if it comes by quicker I won't be complaining LOL)

What goes down, must come up

2006-04-02T20:55:00.000+10:00

No not my weight - that must stay down - forever, FOREVER. LOL

I had the best start to the weekend ever. DH took DS1 off to tennis whilst I packed up the goodie bag to take to Jodies. My theory was that if I packed enough enticing food and games and toys for the boys, then they would leave us alone for at least 5 minutes to have an adult conversation. I put in sandwiches, sausages, fruit (nectarines, grapes, watermelon, rockmelon), fruit bars, cheese sticks and little muffins. And I super filled a bag of toys to keep them entertained for hours. Or so I thought. It always takes a visit to another house to make me realise how talkative, inquisitive, exhasperating my two boys are. Jodie was the most gracious host and did not make me feel like we invaded her home (which we did) and we had a great time. I am so grateful that she invited us into her home, in the midst of her own eventful week (she can fill you in on this) and we spent quite a few hours talking, looking at baby stuff and more talking. And oh, if you ever go there for a meal, pre-order the baked potatoes - yummmm, though it comes with a word of warning, it is very hard to stop at six. ;D

When I drove out the driveway I thought I would have a nice peaceful drive home as I was certain my two would be asleep by the time I turned the first corner and I could drive the rest of the way without listening to Aladin for the millionth time. I could not be more wrong. Only 10 minutes in and DS1 started complaining of having a sore stomach. Sore to the point where he started screaming and crying. Then he would calm down and start to fall asleep before it all started again. I pulled into a servo to get some lemonade hoping it would cause him to burp and perhaps release some gas but that didn't work. I rang DH and made arrangements to collect him and head to the Dr's. I am not normally a panicked person but the sounds coming out of this young child was almost more than I could bear. By the time we reached the clinic DS2 had fallen asleep so DH and DS1 headed in. 5 minutes they were back with instructions to go to North Shore Hospital Emergency to request an apendicidis check. So off we went and OMG was emergency busy. 5.00pm on a Saturday and all the sporting injuries were in. A busted arm courtesy of netball, a broken wrist courtesy of soccer, and a broken ankle courtesy of rugby. That's it my kids are playing chess!!

We were taken out of the main waiting room pretty quickly and into the childrens emergency waiting room. After a few questions and prods and instructions to get a sample we were left alone. For 4 and a half hours. 4.5 hours of reading stories. 4.5 hours of keeping DS2 (who is 19 months old) entertained by competing in a "who can jump higher contest". 4.5 hours of being asked "can I eat something soon please" to which the reply was always "we need to see a Dr first to see if it is OK". 4.5 hours of numerous trips to the toilet as T.O.M. hit unexpectedly and I was unprepared (isn't it always the way). Anyway I digress, I was never more proud of my boys as they played, read, and actually behaved themselves so well during this time. After 4.5 (that .5 is very important!!) hours had passed and the Dr had not yet come to see us, DS1 had not complained of pain for more than 2 hours and I made an executive decision that we were going home. I explained to the Nurse that I felt DS1 was OK now and unless the urine sample we sent in had something wrong with it we were leaving. She checked the form and said it was all fine - thanks and have a good night.

Please don't get me wrong. I am extraordinarily happy that I have access to a good hospital, and nurses, and doctors. I just think there is something amiss with the system that allows only 1 Doctor on, in the childrens emergency section at a time. By the time we left our section was very full and after I advised another mother her cardigan was on inside out we said goodbyes and wished them luck. I think they were in for a long night. We, on the other hand, headed straight for McDonalds (for the boys of course - we ordered pizza LOL) and went home for a very late night.

So that was the down bit. The up bit was getting to enjoy every second of todays Autumn weather. What a cracker. 23degrees. Sunny. Little bit of wind. The perfect day to go to the beach for a brisk walk, hit the shops for some wool (DS1 loved the crochetted rug at Jodies and placed his order for one in Buzz Lightyear colours), put together a flat pack IKEA shelving unit and watched the Australian Grand Prix. Yep it was a top day :D

*** Edit

Blogger has been playing up for me lately and I am finding quite a few blogs that I read I am unable to comment on. Sometimes I can't comment at all and sometimes I can only comment if there has been a comment left already. It is really strange. So if I have your email address you will see my comments there until Blogger settles down.

Still going

2006-03-31T09:37:00.000+11:00

In many ways I am like my Father. I like to solve problems on my own and when I am faced with something that either confuses me, or upsets me, or needs me to work though a problem, I keep very quiet and try to work things through rather than open up and let people know how I am feeling. It is a strange paradox because when I do articulate my problems I find that the very act of getting them out of my head usually presents me with the answer. And if I can't solve it, then those that are around me usually can. It is a strange little thing. And it doesn't mean that I am necessarily upset or confused in all facets of my life. But what it does do is makes me not want to write. I want to talk, but not to write.

This week has been a very good one for me in relation to exercise. I have been excited about it. I have wanted to do it each and every day. On Monday I went on a walk around the park with the 'fast ladies' and am happy to say that I am now able to keep up with them, and talk, and we have cut the walk down from a 45 minute round trip to just over 35. On this walk I got a small blister on my left foot.

On Tuesday I went for a walk to the Opera House. Just so I could run up the stairs and back down again. When I got to the top of the stairs I held my arms up in a little victory salute then dropped them quickly when I realised the pleasant walk down Macquarie Street I had just taken was all down hill. What the!! So the walk back to the office was a little tougher. It was a long walk so I won't do that during lunch again but will have to find some closer stairs. On this walk I got a small blister on my right foot.

On Wednesday I went for a swim at lunch and really concentrated on my form making sure I used my legs when I did freestyle. I am quite lazy in this regard and would be happy just using my arms but when I use my legs I go faster and I can feel it in my chest as my breathing becomes a little more difficult. Its a good feeling and alternating this with laps of using the kickboard was a lot of fun. As DH picked up the boys in the afternoon I decided I would walk home as well. We have worked out it is roughly just shy of 7kms. As I walked down George Street my feet really started to hurt - even though I had strapped both my heels and the inside of my shoes. When I turned left on Grosvener I had to walk up the hill on my tip toes so my heels would not rub too hard. After I had climbed up the steps leading to the Bridge I realised I was being ridiculous. I was only going to do myself a real injury. So I stopped. And took my shoes off. I contemplated throwing them off the bridge but sanity prevailed and I tied them to my backpack and walked the rest of the way home in my socks. I took an hour and 15 minutes which is 15 minutes longer than last time but all things considered I think I still did good. A foot rub and spray later in the night removed most of the pain and I am happy to report my feet are back in working order now. Still sporting massive blisters so no closed shoes for a while though.

On Thursday I swam at lunch. And every night this week I have done my evening exercise routine. I am feeling pretty good about the whole moving thing.

Eating is another story but after speaking with Philippa yesterday I am going to change a few things and see if it improves. I have not been tracking but keeping an eye on what I eat. I find that I am eating so much better during the day as I am not thinking "oh I have spare points I better eat some chocolate LOL". I am having fruit, dairy, vegetables. All the good stuff - just smaller portions and only eating when and if I am hungry. However the nights are still a problem. It is my problem and I need to work out a solution that allows me to eat, feel satiated, and not crave sweet stuff - which is what is happening.

My weight is great. Not gaining, definitely still toning, down a little from the last weigh in. So I am not upset about this.

This weekend I am going to catch up with Jodie and I am taking my boys with me whilst DH goes into work for a few hours. I am looking forward to it and hopefully having 2 cyclones in her house won't scare her too much and she will still enjoy the rest of her pregnancy LOL. I promise to leave her house in nearly as good condition as when we arrive ;D And Mary has found a couple of great activities/events to go to in Sydney so I am looking forward to catching up with her and trying my hand as some new exercises.

Now just a little on The Biggest Loser. During this series I have fluctuated between enjoying the show and absolutely cringing everytime they acted like children, but the last few shows have been excellent. I have picked up some really good tips re training and exercising ideas, especially the show when they trained at the beach. I was reminded once again that it does not have to cost money to get a really good workout. Just go to the beach with a couple of empty bags (to fill up with sand) some containers to use as markers and crawl, carry and run yourself into a sweat. I will be using some of these ideas. And I have been reading a non-official site which reports on the previous days shows and I absolutely cracked up when reading about the brick episode. Warning could make you laugh out loud.

So I still have some work to do but I can't beat myself up too badly about it as I am feeling quite insignificant in light of the tragedies people are facing every day. In the news. In my Country. In my State. I feel very lucky that I have the ability to whinge about blisters because it means I can afford shoes. I am grateful that I can complain about overeating as it means I have food on my plate. I know that I am still important - to me especially - and that is why I am not going off the rails. I am still treating my self well. It's just when it comes time to sitting in front of the PC I have usually watched the news by then or heard of some new disaster and have lost all inclination to write. This is just a 'patch' I am going through and I am very grateful to the support you guys have showed in showing your concern. Don't worry you will be the first to know if I decide to do something crazy. Like shave all my hair off for charity........

Little Scalliwag

2006-03-21T23:35:00.000+11:00

When I bought the biscuits last week I was sure they were called Golliwog but after doing some searching I think they were called Scalliwag and I just didn't notice. Shows how much attention I was paying at the time. LOL

I had a great day today. I met Linda this evening as she is in town tomorrow for her work. Just getting out of the house and heading into the City on a 'school' night was a real buzz for me. As she was landing late I thought there would be the possibility of going out to eat so I made sure to snack lightly all day and save up points for the evening. And I am so glad I did. We ended up at Bar 333 where I had the most delicious Vege Burger where the patty was made from Spinach and Ricotta. Yummmmm. Served on crispy Turkish bread with lettuce, grilled beetroot, and mayo it was sensational. I only ate about a third of the chips that came with it as we were talking so much they went cold and I lost interest. See there are very good side effects to talking ;D Then it was a walk back to the hotel so say our farewells and a quick stroll back to the train station. It was a great way to spend a Tuesday night.

I also did a little shopping today. After 2.5 years of use and with the battery now having to be sticky-taped to the phone I thought it time to replace my gorgeous little Samsumg T500. It was a really girly phone with lots of flashing diamonds and girly features I am sure I used very little after the fun of it wore off. So. I decided that I didnt't want to spend a fortune and even though I love some of the phones with a camera and an MP3 player I really only use the phone to talk and to text. So I bought the Sony Ericsson Z300i. It was cheap and it has some great features I really love. Like the little crystals you can stick on the phone to make it personal and sparkly LOL. And that you can change the back and front covers. It came with a purple and a blue, I have the blue on, but you can order Style-Up kits to change the look if you want. At approx USD24.00 for each one I can see that you can quickly spend more than the cost of the phone so I will wait till the Dodgy Brothers stalls bring out the after market ones. Though I am very tempted to use the service where you upload your own photos and design your own covers, then they manufacture them and send them out to you. Will have to put some thought into that I think. Perhaps a before and after photo??

Tomorrow is Wednesday - my early day and I am crossing my fingers that it won't be raining in the afternoon because I am really looking forward to walking home again. Maybe I should do it anyway :D

Weigh in - 2006/09

2006-03-20T20:13:00.000+11:00

The scales showed a number of 77.9 this morning which is a 1.6kg gain since last weigh in. This gain can be attributed solely to last week with the bulk of the damage done on the weekend. Whilst this is not a confessional I am going to list what I ate this weekend. And I am sure that I will add to the list as I remember different things. This is not being done as a punishment or as an attack on my self worth, but merely as a reminder that if I eat like this on a regular basis I will put on all the weight I have lost so far. As a side note I have to confess to thinking about food a lot lately. Every trip into the supermarket, the petrol station, the newsagent, is an assault on the senses and I am afraid that this weekend I gave in big time.

In no particular order:
1 whole block of snack chocolate (the smaller one)
apple scroll from Bakers Delight
grilled ham and cheese sandwiches (nothing low fat - lots of butter)
bourbon
meat pie with sauce
chips
chicken nuggets
bourbon
wedges
crisps
lollies
bourbon
golliwog biscuits
choc covered mother earth fruit bars (several)
custard
ww caramel sponge pudding (both)
ww irish cream mousse (both)
cheese
lemon macadamia shortbread biscuit (cafe size - HUGE)
part of McDonalds happy meal
bourbon

that was just the weekend on top of which I had chinese twice last week, and champagne (which was consumed during a fanstastic get together with JayKay - I had so much fun. It was like we were old comfortable friends. Well maybe not so old LOL), oh and a bag of milk bottles. And heaps of good healthy food too.

BUT

It is not all bad.

My exercise was exempilary which I think went a long way in keeping the numbers down.
I bought clothes on the weekend - all size 12 or medium. All will fit a little less snug with 2-3 kgs off my body but all fit.
My fitness has improved with my ability to last a whole weekend with very little sleep, 2 active hurricanes who have social lives to rival Queen Elizabeth, and a husband who spent the weekend more drunk or hungover than not.

BUT

It can be a hell of a lot better.

And it will be.

Starting now. (written at 8.05am and still going well at 8.14pm)

***

Stuff.
I have booked my appointment with the accountant to do my tax. Work was very good at sending copies of 9 years of group certificates to me quickly so I can do this and get it finished.
I have received new birth certificates and have found my passport (I have a Dutch one so need to show this for most Government related things) so as soon as the tax is done I can go to Centrelink and sort out the Child Care Benefit stuff. And anything else that comes up during that discussion.
I have done a major junk clearout and hard waste has removed that this weekend.
I have received my Harvey Norman Vouchers so I can buy a digital camera so I can take photos of the excess furniture and other things to put on Ebay.
I have booked DS1 into school for next year.
I have booked DS1 into before and after school care for next year. (I still haven't quite worked out how to work enough hours and pick up both children from different schools before they close for the day. I am sure it will come to me)
I have finished the laundry (yaaaaaaay - pity it all starts again today)
I have forgiven myself for my eating transgression and will aim to be more consistently good.

No Weigh - again

2006-03-13T08:12:00.000+11:00

But it is not because things have fallen off the rails and my life is a pile of poo poo. Nope. It is because it is going really well in lots of areas and I aim to keep the ball rolling from last week and finish off the jobs I started.

It didn't take me long (about 5 minutes) to realise that even remotely blaming blogging for my lack of results at work lately was just a cop out. I still managed to fluff and fart about for a couple of days before I really got back into the swing of working for my pay. But like I did with chocolate and junk food, I needed to move blogging out of my scope in order to focus on other areas. And I did. I am happy to say that the horrid wretched project that I am working on is so much closer to completion and I know if I can get rid of it this week, then work will become a much nicer place for me to be at again.

Other tasks that I had been putting off (for 9 and 4 years respectively) got a great push along this week with me speaking to both the Australian Tax Office and Family Assistance Office to start on the long road to catching up in both of these areas. It looks like I can stave off jail time at this stage but need to keep my focus on so that I can minimise any fines that I am likely to incur. Even though I am but at the beginning of this task I feel so much better for finally just doing it!

Exercise has been fantastic last week. I changed a few things around that were not working and the result has been that I feel great and energised in relation to moving my butt. The main thing I changed was boxing on Tuesday. I realised that for the two weeks prior I did no exercise on Wed, Thu or Fri because I was so sore from boxing. So this week I moved it to Thursday and the result was that I gymed Mon & Tue, walked home from the city on Wed (whoo hooo - great walk. Took me an hour and I am so pleased with that), boxed on Thu, then had a free day on Friday. Sat and Sun there were loads of incidental but no planned exercise. This week I will continue on this plan but on Wednesday I will be catching up with Jay Kay on Wed night so will work in an extra long walk on another day.

It's funny though. I changed the boxing because I needed to in order to ensure I got in enough exercise for the week. But I fell out with a friend because of it. She felt that I was ruining her gym fun because she only wants to go on Mon, Tue, Wed and does not want to do the boxing on Thu. She won't go alone as she doesn't want to box with someone she doesn't know. I am happy that I stuck to what I needed to do and accepted that she will do whatever she wants and it is not my fault. We have recovered a bit but still have some work to do.

Eating has been excellent and bad. Excellent from the minute I wake up till the minute I get home and then it takes a dive. Each day I make improvements and I know that I am reacting to stresses that are currently centred around the home, and I know that eating fixes those problems as much as it fixes my weight problems - it doesn't!! But I am working on those as well.

So, this week will continue the momentum I started last week in regards to the focus on catching up, and finishing unfinished business. But this week I will start to build back in some more time for me. I like blogging and I miss it. And I need to work out a balance in everything, but I can manage another week to really get myself going then look out - two weeks of mindless drivel is going to have to find its way out somehow LOL.

Oh and to finish off, a big thanks to Philippa and Linda who put up with me for some rather mammoth phone calls last week. It was brilliant and kept me sane at a time when I really needed someone to talk to. *mwah* to both of you. And for all the rest of you buggers who keep me honest too :D

Right. I am going to have a great week. And as we inch closer and closer to the one year anniversary I am going to continue to inch closer and closer to goal. And I hope you do too...

No Weigh

2006-03-06T08:12:00.000+11:00

I have used a no-weigh pass today. Will be back next Monday with a proper weigh in.

I will be using my time this week catching up on a lot of areas that have slipped over the last few months. Work for one. I seem to be using blogging as an excuse not to find time to work and I need to stop that before I find that leaving work is not my choice anymore. Therefore this is the last time this week that blogger or the internet with be open to non-work related functions at work.

The house also needs a lot of work. Since cleaning out the study I have not progressed to sorting out the boxes and time spent at home needs to be spent catching up the house, and exercising, rather than sitting in front of the pc talking about exercising.

So I wish everyone in blog-world a successful, happy week this week and look forward to catching up on all the news next week. And hopefully my weigh in news will reflect a successful, happy week too :D

Meaning of Life

2006-03-01T14:07:00.000+11:00

Courtesy of www.hetemeel.com. Thanks to Mary for the link.

*****

Daily wrap-up (Wednesday 1st Mar)

Follow Exercise Plan - Morning (half) Lunch (yes) Evening (will do)
Stick to 20 points - Looking like it so far :)
Track all food - Yes
Drink 3L of water - Yes
Blog my daily results - Yes
Do something just for fun - Doing my Dictionary picture

Daily wrap-up (Tuesday 28th Feb)

Follow Exercise Plan - Morning (no) Lunch (yes) Evening (yes)
Stick to 20 points - Yes (19.5pts)
Track all food - Yes
Drink 3L of water - Yes
Blog my daily results - Yes
Do something just for fun - Went to boxing (exercise is allowed to count as fun!!)

I couldn't do it - until I did it

2006-02-27T20:26:00.000+11:00

Mark and I spend a fair bit of our weekend time driving around looking at houses. Usually when the boys have finally fallen asleep and we want them to stay asleep so we drive around for an hour or two. After these drives we are either really excited about biting the bullet and going out to buy something or totally depressed that we are never going to be able to afford to buy anywhere decent and close to the city (which is where we want to live).

And that got me thinking about the 'right time' to do anything and how we afford to do it. When we moved to Sydney and started living the good life we never in our wildest dreams thought we could afford to have a baby - until one came into our life. Then we decided we would never be able to afford to have two - until we were lucky enough to have another. We couldn't possibly afford to put them in child care and keep working - until we did it. I couldn't afford to join a gym - until I did it.

There are so many things we put off in our lives because we are so afraid of the consequences or on the changes to our lifestyle. We get in a very comfortable pattern and don't want to stretch ourselves incase it forces us to change our patterns and compromise on our time. Weight loss is like that. Even though being overweight is a very uncomfortable place to be physically, mentally it can be very comfortable. Knowing that you are not expected to go out means you can stay home and eat and watch TV and not do any physical activity. Making the decision to lose weight means changing your patterns, getting our of your comfort zone, and making compromises in your life. And I think that is why it took me so long to start it. I couldn't see how I could possibly fit in the time to exercise, or afford the correct food to eat - until I did it. No one can do anything without taking the first step. And once you do - you manage to make it work.

I may not reach my goal weight in the original time I thought I might but at least I am not going to sit here in six months time and ask myself "what if...." I will sit here in six months and say "look where I am now"

******

Daily wrap-up

Follow Exercise Plan - Morning (no) Lunch (yes) Evening (yes)
Stick to 20 points - No (22.5pts)
Track all food - Yes
Drink 3L of water - Yes
Blog my daily results - Yes
Do something just for fun - Potted a plant to have on my desk at work

Weigh in - 2006/08

2006-02-27T06:36:00.000+11:00

I know I have busted my tail this week. I know that I have eaten well. (There is always room for improvement - a bag of Chicco Babies really didn't need to be eaten!!) I know that I am smaller. But I wished that the scales would roar a huge loss at me instead of whimper out a 200gm loss.

But a loss is a loss, and if I keep going at this rate I will still reach goal. I will still be fitter. I will still be sleeker. My body is getting stronger but if the bloody scales don't agree with me next week I may have to go and buy new ones. Are you listening scales???? You are on warning.. LOL.

I'm up and ready to hit the week running. Not in my boots of course, they are still for walking around the house whilst I do the laundry - in my pj's. Thanks for all your wonderful comments I love my boots. And I am sure I will be game enough to wear them outside as soon as it is cold enough.

I am going to have a great week. Can't wait till boxing tomorrow :D

CFM or FMB's

2006-02-24T18:24:00.000+11:00

Even though I did not even think of this as I bought them, the comments about whips and chains abounded in the office (from the blokes) as I showed the girls my new purchase. 37 years in the waiting I am now the proud owner of a pair of long black boots (Via Spiga - Leilani). I hit DJ's again as I was determined to part with my Christmas Vouchers and I tried on a few pairs. None were quite right and the sales lady I had reminded me of a jersey cow as she proceeded to chew gum and shrug her shoulders through the ordeal. After working my way through the shoe department I found a shelf of plain, square toed, long black boots. There was a size 10 on display. I could put my foot in it. I could zip it up almost all the way to the top. They were so comfortable. A different sales lady came over and was the most helpful person. She showed me a trick on how to get the zip up completely. She showed me where there was a seam created to enable a cobbler to cut and insert elastic if I need. She explained how to tell a cobbler where I wanted the boots to be stretched if I wanted to. She was devine.

Then I looked at the price (I know I should have done this first). They were $519.00...

......marked down to $245.00 Whooooo hoooooooo. (For the accountants out there that is a saving of $274.00 or approx 53%)

So thank you Mum and Dad for buying the left boot. Thank you MIL & FIL for buying the right boot. And thank you me for choosing to spend the money on myself.

Now how to tell Mark I plan on wearing them to bed tonight. On second thoughts I am not sure he will mind ;D

****************

I also bought some lingerie today - another bargain. Beckie and Vanessa are putting a business together to supplier larger sized lingerie. Now that they have determined the excellent quality they are ready to begin their business. Vanessa has some samples (new) that she is selling so if you are interested head over to her lingerie blog to have a look at the photos. Beckie is still designing the official site.

****************

Edit: I have just come from Lucinda's blog and found that there is a planned Melbourne Bloggers Meet. I heartily encourage all available bloggers to take the plunge and meet some great supporters. Hmmmm what am I doing on March 30? LOL. You guys will have a great time.

My Cloud My Day

2006-02-22T23:39:00.000+11:00

I loved this idea when I saw it on Sarah's site. To make a cloud, and order it in a t-shirt, go to Snapshirts

***************

A day in the life of M.

Tuesday, 21st Feb

4.40pm. Walk to Central to catch bus to Broadway. It's good to stretch out the legs - they are getting a bit stiff
5.05pm. Try on a skirt in Sportsgirl. Saw it in the window and thought it might go with a top I have. It's too bulky and was a little too big. It was a 12.
5.12pm. Try on a couple of size 12 skirts in Portmans. Not sure how any of them will go with my top. All a little too big. I asked if their sizes were generous.
7.00pm. Watching TBL whilst getting the bath ready for the boys. When DH steps in to look after it I do crunches for the last 5 minutes of the show
8.15pm. Talk to my friend MF on the phone. Legs and arms starting to seize up a little but not feeling too bad.
9.30pm. Tidy up the kitchen. Wish I was asleep
9.45pm. In bed - good night.

Wednesday, 22nd Feb

5.45am. Alarm goes off and am reminded instantly of yesterdays activities. OUCH
6.15am. Have shower. OUCH - but feeling better already
7.15am. At work having breakfast. Wed is my early day so I can go home and have 'me time'. Tonight we had a visit from DH's cousin & his girlfriend who live in England. He is DS2's godfather and we love it when they can fit a visit in.
11.45am. Had an exercise rest day so hit the shops to try and find a skirt. (I am going to a wedding on 25th March and want to match a top and shoes I already have). As I have DJ vouchers I head there first. Nothing I can afford, or like, or goes with my top. Getting grumpy.
12.20pm. Step into Diana Ferrari. Did not know they had a store in the city. Very dangerous. Loved everything. Bought a dress (size 12 - whooo hooo) and now have different outfit for the wedding. Will go with black shoes I already have but tried them on with long black boots to see what it looked like. Fantastic. And had a little tear as it is the first pair of long boots - EVER - that I have been able to zip up to the top. Didn't buy the boots as they were the pointy toe variety and with size 10's I don't need my feet to look any bigger thank you very much. Am now on the lookout for long black boots.
12.45pm. Back in the office showing off my purchases. Can't wipe smile off my face.
3.30pm. Leave the office (my once a week special)
3.35pm. Hit Coles for the ingredients for tonights dinner. We had Pumpkin & Bacon soup - 1.5pts - (a recipe I got out of the ww recipe book going around on email - which I still have if anyone wants it sent) and Almond Chicken Salad with Asparagus - 2 pts - which I got off the SparkPeople site. Served with little dinner rolls I had a very tasty meal for 7 pts.
11.39pm. Guests are gone. Boys asleep. Kitchen tidy(ish). Still smiling. Time to Sleep.

I love my life :D

Dance like a Butterfly

2006-02-21T14:04:00.000+11:00

Entering a room full of suspicious looking characters, M spied an empty space in the corner. Deciding that was the place to be, M maneuvered past the straggling bodies and avoided direct eye contact with any of them. Once in position a familiar face appeared. "First time here" Juan asked with a casual glance at his watch which was resting on his incredibly toned arm. Was he waiting for someone? Was this a set up? Was this really a good idea? Panic was starting to set in and M looked across and saw the door was still open. Can she make it? No! The door closed with a definitive bang. Juan turned to her and said "It's time to begin........"

BOXING

Whoo hooo it was fantastic. I can say that now as I have recovered the use of most of my faculties and can stop making typing errors long enough to get this post in. My first boxing class. It went for 45 minutes and paired up with my friend MF we laughed and punched our way through the entire class. What a workout. I was absolutely, disgustingly drenched when I stumbled out of the class. But the kind of drenched that meant I worked it baby.. Worked it hard. I now just have to remember to bring a change of undies next time as sitting in my uniform all clean but squelching every time I move is just not a good feeling LOL. I think that may fall in the 'too much information' category. ;D

I am not sure which was harder. Being the boxer, or the boxee. Being on the receiving end of some of those punches really pushed my arms. Though the sequence of 8 uppercuts, combat roll on the floor, 12 jabs up high, combat roll on the floor, and 8 jabs really pushed both my physical and co-ordination limits.

I LOVED IT!

Same place, same time, same day next week. I am there :D

Weigh in - 2006/07

2006-02-20T09:46:00.000+11:00

Negative self talk is a very damaging thing to have. It is something that used to plague me a lot before I began losing weight and every now and then it sneaks in but is beaten back into place. These last couple of days, however, when I have not been doing as I should in either the eating or the exercising department it has come back with a vengence. It adds to the feelings of disappointment and hopelessness and is part of a self perpetuating circle. If I think it - so it becomes.

I read somewhere that if the negative self-talk starts I need to write it down. Just sit down and write down everything I am thinking. Do not alter it or try to pretty it up as the words go down. Then for every negative self-talk sentence I am to convert it to an equivalent positive statement. Doing this is supposed to free the mind of holding the self-talk in. So I did it. And I feel so much better. I realise that having negative feelings from time to time is normal, and will probably continue for the rest of my life. But it doesn't mean that I have to continue having them constantly or that I don't have the ability to turn them around. Because I do.

I realise that as much as I sometimes feel lazy and undeserving of my weight loss I know that I do deserve it and a 100gm loss is a 100gm loss. So this week I am going to focus more on the 'doing it' and less on the 'talking about it'. Then hopefully on next weeks weigh in I can talk about it with a huge smile on my face :D

Carrots

2006-02-17T18:33:00.000+11:00

Where do we find new ones? Argy ponders this question as she recounts all the wonderful goals she has achieved and the difficulty in finding a new carrot to dangle in front of herself, to get moving again towards her goal weight. I have this same difficulty. When I started I had one big carrot - get to my goal weight of 68kgs and this is still there. But along the way there were little carrots to entice me to keep getting closer to the big one. Walk without puffing, walk without chafing my skin to a bloody mess, buy clothes in a non big-girl section, drop a clothes size (or 4!), play with my boys instead of watching them, out-play my boys, jog the length of Hyde Park (it's only very small). All these carrots have been eaten and now only the big one is left. I need more little carrots.

So in light of Sue's amazing efforts with the triathlon I am setting myself a goal of going in the Sydney City to Surf in August this year. It is no where near as difficult as the tri as there is no bike or swim leg but it is 14kms and there are some pretty good hills to climb. What I am planning is to have the ability to jog for a km, walk for a km, etc till the end. This is an event that happens every year so this year will be my starting platform and then my goal will be to improve my time each year. I am not sure what training I would need to do other than get on the treadmill and start pacing it out so will start with that. And as treadmill walking/jogging is very different to pavement walking/jogging I am going to find some fun runs in the lead up to see how I go.

So that is my new carrot. And this is my new carrot patch - curtesy of DS1 who planted them himself :D

*Imagine picture here with just one carrot sprout. DH moved the computer and we can't find the cord to download the photos grrrrr*

Munch Munch Munch

2006-02-16T13:55:00.000+11:00

One of the best things about reading blogs for me is where it takes my thought process. Sometimes I can think about a particular post, or comment to a post, and it gets me thinking about how that topic effects my everyday life. Then this usually leads me off into tangents and invariably it becomes something that improves my life and / or me.

Eating in the evenings is such a topic. Michelle (WA) made a comment the other day that she finds this really challenging and was wondering how I, and others, deal with this problem.

I follow the points programme so one of the things I can do if I feel hungry at night is to eat and drink things that are zero points value. Like vegetable sticks, with zero point dressing if I need, corn on the cob, water, sugar free drinks. But listing them here is easy. Sticking to this list is a bit harder. Not because the act of eating is more or less difficult due to the food type but the inclination is not there. I was keeping my hunger at bay in the evening by drinking at least 1.5 - 2L of d.coke at night but once I had confessed this out loud to other people it suddenly dawned on me that this was not a very healthy thing to do. So I have cut out drinking it at home. There have been two side effects. I wake up craving d.coke and am extremely edgy until I get my first fix with breakfast at 8.00am and the second is that I am more likely to go on the prowl to find things to eat. Which I have been doing. Thank goodness that due to bad planning and sheer laziness on my behalf there is little food in the house so the damage has been minimal. And no money in my wallet (except for bags of 20 and 50 cent pieces and we all know the pizza guy would have LOVED to receive that) has meant we have not phoned out for food.

When I was allowed 22 points a day the extra 2 points were used for a sweet snack in the evening. Now I only have 20 I use them all up during the day. This then got me to thinking about the level of planning I used to do versus the lack of planning I do now in regards to my food. Even though I only have 20 points a day this still equates to the ability to have an enormous amount of food - good food, with a few treats thrown in. I have dropped the planning in favour of grabbing items that I now instinctively know the points of and have been eating out of habits. Newly formed habits I grant you but I think it is time for a shake up again.

When I started DS2 was 8 months old and not mobile enough to cause me issues in the evening and DS1 sat and behaved nicely at dinner time. I started by having frozen meals in the evening so would microwave and sit with the boys to have my dinner. Easy. Now that DS2 is 18 months and taring around like a Duracell Bunny and DS1 has slipped into behaviour patterns that are a lot more boisterous AND I have been cooking meals I find that I can't eat until the boys are in bed. By which time I am so hungry I start picking at the boys leftovers, picking at the grapes, then can't be buggered putting together a brilliantly balanced meal so I eat points but I don't add the extra salad and vegetables to it. This could all be solved by making large batches of great healthy food we can all eat and freezing pointed serves for me during the week. But like Kathryn I haven't had takeout in so long that I have no containers. Is this a good enough reason to get Thai on the way home - NO! but I will call in and see if I can buy a few of their containers. I am sure it will be cheaper than the Glad ones. :)

So I think I have answered Michelles query from me. I don't deal with eating in the evenings well and I think it will always be challenging but thanks to her question I have addressed what I can have and have written those items on a shopping list so if I get the 'munchies' I will at least have some healthy options to choose from.

P.S. I went swimming in my new bathers today and they are sensational. They are a size 12 one piece *gasp* and whilst I am a bit busty and popping out slightly they fit really well and I am so happy with them. I think I may add in a lunch time swim more often. :D

Funny Bugger

2006-02-14T09:08:00.000+11:00

These are the supportive type emails I receive from DH from time to time ;D

DANGEROUS: What's for dinner?
SAFER: Can I help you with dinner?
SAFEST: Where would you like to go for dinner?
ULTRA SAFE: Have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: Are you wearing that?
SAFER: Wow, you look good in brown.
SAFEST: WOW! Look at you!
ULTRA SAFE: Have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: What are you so worked up about?
SAFER: Could we be overreacting?
SAFEST: Here's my paycheck.
ULTRA SAFE: Have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: Should you be eating that?
SAFER: You know, there are a lot of apples left.
SAFEST: Can I get you a glass of wine with that?
ULTRA SAFE: Have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: What did you do all day?
SAFER: I hope you didn't over-do it today.
SAFEST: I've always loved you in that robe!
ULTRA SAFE: Have some more chocolate

Weigh in - 2006/06

2006-02-13T07:04:00.000+11:00

There is something so guilty and pleasurable in putting something called 'souffle' all over my body. LOL. If you can't eat it at least smother yourself in it :D

Back to business. Lost 300gms this week so down to 76.6kgs. Whooo hoooo. Going the right way.

Going to have another fantastic week this week. :D

I'll do that again :D

2006-02-12T21:34:00.000+11:00

After climbing out of a bath filled with Natio Spa - Rejuvenating Bath Salts and slathering myself with the Moisturising Body Souffle (thanks Linda) I can almost hear the muscles in my legs that have traipsed at least 20,000 steps on Saturday (forgot the pedometre - damn!) and pushed to the edge in the "Amazing Boat Race" saying "Thank you".

What a wonderful weekend I have had. On Friday I picked Linda up from the airport with both excitement and trepidation. The "what was I thinking" thought popped into my head for about one second and out again as I recognised a face that I have seen on the blogs for almost a year. I had brought along DS1 for protection and as he was instantly bribed with a thoughtful gift I knew the game was up and we were hooked. Luckily her daughter was as easily pushed over as she agreed the car I drove made me a suitable candidate to entertain her precious Mum. And so the weekend began. Filled with lots of talking, and laughing, and solving the problems of the world, I am sure I have made a friend for life.

The lunch on Saturday at Chinta Ria was fantastic and was hard to accept we have all known each other for such a short time. For us (Linda, Mary, CKK, Julie, Jodie, Michelle, and myself) it seemed like we knew each other a lifetime and the flow of conversation and laughter attested to the fact that we were having a good time. After lunch we headed off to Cockle Bay Wharf to watch the Dragon Boat Races where I promptly removed both my t-shirt and my shoes. No I was not acting out on an impulse to jump in the water to join the race, but to give myself the opportunity to catch a little sun (I did have a singlet under my top thank you very much!) However I caught quite a bit of sun and now sport a lovely tan of the reddish variety. Which will go brown by morning. Which Mark is extremely jealous of. Which he would be seeing as how he is a pale skinned, freckle faced, red head. *chuckle*

Then, not happy just spectating, we decided to hold a boat race of our own and Mary and I, with CKK and Linda, hopped into the paddle boats for a bit of a laugh. Bloody hell if someone had told me what a workout it would have been I am not sure I would have taken the challenge. LOL. But crashing (accidently!) into Linda and CKK made up for some of the pain. :D I was definitely a bit wobbly in the legs but considering Linda, Michelle and I had been walking all over Sydney since 10.00am it was justified.. And as a huge bonus I finally got to meet Daniel who joined us as we went our separate ways.

Then to finish it off Linda, Michelle and I headed into the QVB for a spot of window shopping until we headed back to the trains to take us whence we came.

Sunday has been spent doing the normal things I would do on a Sunday. Leisurely walk at Balmoral Beach, swimming lessons with the boys, drive around some of Sydney's great spots, lunch at Bondi (after travelling hours! out of our way to fill the car with petrol - DH's fault) LOL
I had a fantastic time.

I am so glad that Linda took the risk to book a flight to Sydney. I am pleased with myself taking the risk inviting her to stay with us and for Linda to accept it. I am grateful that we all took risks to meet up with each other. These things are really hard to do. The first time. Before Linda came up I was grilled (as was she) about the why's, who's, why's, what's, why's of what we were doing. It was very hard for people in my life not associate with Blogging to understand. I know that what we were doing was risky. I also know it was an extremely calculated one and one that I was happy making. I have known Linda - and most of the people who came to lunch - for almost a year. In that time it is very difficult to keep up a front on the blogs and your true self can't help to come out. If you are not yourself it would make it very difficult to succeed in a weight loss journey as you are hiding the core of the reason you got overweight in the first place. So I was very comfortable that the Linda portrayed in her blog is the Linda I would meet. And she was. I also am smart enough to know to minimise any risk. Things you need to do to ensure people are who they say they are. Linda needed these things from me too as she was putting herself in my hands for an entire weekend. For us this worked really well and if my children have not scarred her for life I am sure we will meet up again. :D

Life is a risk.

I choose to take risks (albiet calculated ones). Well you have to when you get a dodgy paddle boat ;D

Thank you guys for a great Saturday. I had a ball and have learnt so much more about you. Which I will not divulge on threat of death LOL. Looking forward to catching up soon

Google Me This

2006-02-10T13:25:00.000+11:00

As blogger is scheduling another outage today, and I am going to be busy having fun with Linda and other fantastic bloggers on Saturday & Sunday I thought I would do a silly little post today.

I often laugh at the searches people have done on Google and other search engines and end up at my blog. Here are the ones that have visited in the last 24 hours. I think some of them would have been a little bemused when they opened the site..

Sultana's as snacks
Pie & chips recipe
Sore butt
Office biggest loser
good arm exercises
My boys
Douglas Malloch
Be the best of whatever you are

I know there have been other obscure and hilarious ones in the past but can't recall them at the moment. I am sure you all get similar ones that make you laugh and wonder what people were looking for in the first place.

Things are going really well at the moment, and other than a bit of a marshmallow feast this morning I am still eating well. The balance thing is a tricky one to master but slowly slowly I am getting there.

I am going to have a great weekend and I hope that you all do too. A special good luck to Sue for her triathlon this Sunday. You are amazing and I can't wait to see a photo of you at the finish line. :D

**Edit** - as requested

With the statcounter I have (www.statcounter.com) there is a report called "Came From?" This shows me where people came from to my blog. Most of it is from other blogs that I recognise, and some that I don't. And very very few from search engines such as Google, or yahoo, or msn. I often laugh because I wonder what people would be thinking when they clicked the search result and it comes up with my blog. Probably along the lines of WTF?? LOL.

I don't go in often but when I do I have a bit of a look around. So that is interesting. Does that show the analyst side of me?? ;D

My butt hurts!

2006-02-08T19:41:00.000+11:00

A benefit of losing weight that I did not expect to find has been that my personality and my thinking habits have changed. The main trait I am talking about is my controlling one. I am not sure if it is because it is inherent in a Virgo's nature to want to control everything in their life (including the minds, actions, and thoughts of others) or if it because I am an anally retentive dag. I would plan things, write up lists, and if one thing were to happen to throw the list or the plan out - it would all be over.

Take my exercise plan for example. I have listed quite basic things that I wish to achieve in a week. I listed them with full expectation that each week would present me with hurdles to achieving the plan as set out and that it would take longer than one week to organise myself to achieving it all. In the past this would have made me chuck the list away, do nothing for a week, then in a moment of remorse rewrite the list on a Sunday night with great expectations for the following week. This time that hasn't happened.

On Monday and Tuesday I stayed at home and did not go to the gym. Therefore the planned exercise didn't happen. So instead of wallowing in self-pity because another week was ruined I did different things. I went to pick up the boys early from kindy and as it is on the roof of a shopping centre I took the opportunity to walk down the ramps to the ground floor, then found the stairs and climbed them to the roof. I initially thought this would take about 15 minutes and I would do 3 - 4 laps to fill in an hour. It only took me 5 minutes!! I did 4 laps in half an hour (I slowed up each lap) and then collapsed happily in the car until I caught my breath. Today and tomorrow I will be at work so will do weights at lunch, then back to do cardio in the afternoon. On Friday I have the day off so will drop the boys off at kindy, walk into the city, do weights, walk back to Broadway then go home.

I have the ability to make changes on the fly (whooo hoooo). This is so liberating for me. And whilst I will still aim to do all that I have on my list I am safe in the knowledge now that not doing it all is not going to be the end of the world :D

Oh and the sore butt bit. The cardio today was the rowing machine. All the treadmills were busy so I thought I would do rowing instead. After 20 minutes I was perspiring quite a lot and I was keeping the speed on the machine quite high. The guy two machines over was talking to the lady next to me and I don't quite understandy why he thought I would not be able to hear him when he asked the lady to see what speed I was doing as he was doing 2:30/500m so I must have been doing at least 2:20/500. Hilarious. And I was doing 2:19 thank you very much LOL. AND, to top it all off this extra exercise did not make me late to pick up the boys at all. I think I may have solved my cardio in the evening problem. Do it before I go home.

Thank you Barbara for your lovely words lately - and your BL-A link :)

Weigh in - 2006/05

2006-02-06T11:06:00.000+11:00

After an incredible week the scales posted a loss of 1.1kgs bringing me to a total loss of 18.4kgs. Earlier on in the week the loss was higher but a bit of rebalancing and a bit too much to eat on the weekend saw the gain pull back. Whilst I am not unhappy with the loss I posted I can see there is still room for improvement in my habits.

I enjoyed working to the exercise plan last week and will be working from it again this week. I did not do any of the morning exercises and will look at introducing it in at least a couple of days this week. Lunch time I achieved all targets and the evenings I probably achieved 50%. So with room to move I am happy to be starting another week.

The weekend was really hectic with Marks mother flying in. We asked if she could come so that she could play with & look after the boys whilst Mark and I got to the jobs that we just have not managed to complete in the last few weeks. We do try but as it is a bit hit and miss in the evenings with the boys going to bed I usually succumb to my bed as soon as I am able and another night passes without jobs getting done. So this weekend was a full onslaught and I am happy to say that we broke the back of it. It is always so satisfying to see a job (almost) finished. It's been a long time since I could see the walls in this room and am surprised to remember that they are yellow LOL. By the end of the week I will actually have a room that we can set up the exercise equipment in and have it safely out the way of little fingers. And if we have people to stay it will only be a matter of moving the equipment to one side instead of having to find another space for it completely. Very happy about that.

So I am on the way to losing my 10%. 1.5% gone - 8.5% to go :D

My weekly check up
3 x weights sessions - Done. I worked really hard but listened to my body too. By Friday I was so physically tired that I did not do the full three sets but still worked up an impressive sweat. Loving the weights at the moment.

2 x cardio sessions - Done. Tried a new machine that I will incorporate from now on.

Min 12,500 steps a day - Done.

Eat 140 pts for the week - Not done. I went over the points this week but only on the weekend so taking my bonus points into consideration probably did not go over all that much. SP's were a bit high (all on the w/end) so will be concentrating on this.

Plan my me time for Wednesday - Done.

Splat

2006-02-02T18:15:00.000+11:00

I think I just lost a big chunk of fat on the running machine.

Splash.

Oops think I just lost another blob near the treadmill.

Splot.

Gee I hope sweating in this heat turns into a nice lower number on Monday.

Melt.

Going to go and stick my head in a bucket of icy icy cold water.

*sizzle*

Aaaaaaaaah

Yes I know - I am strange LOL