Taking a Break

Ok - I suppose I should have said something before now but Im taking a break. Life is good but very busy and Im in the process of taking a few things out of my schedule to make room for study, other commitments and family.

I am now at 99 kilos and will be running the City to Surf at the end of August - I will keep you up to date on those things :)

Im still floating about and love reading your blogs so I look forward to that.

Take care and see you soon xxxxx

Im So Naughty!

For not posting for a little while! Im so sorry :) Life has been manic at the moment - and In a totally good way! I am flat out on a number of committees and I have also decided to go back to school and study. I am doing my Cert III in Aged Care and then when Lainey starts school I will do my RN at uni! I really want to wor in aged care and have bitten the bullet and started the training.

But apart from all of that how are things going on the weight side of things. Well my last official weigh in was 14th May and I was down to 103.0kgs. Today I have weighed in at 100.8gs. So I have now lost 16.9gs and feeling fab! I also think I have lost more centimeters off my body but will do a measurement in the morning.

I am still at the gym three mornings a week - although I have been a bit sporadic in the last two weeks due to children being sick. But I also have the treadmill at home and am loving the handiness of that. Winter is definitely a harder season to be active in so I try and find alot of incidental exercise. The kids and I are walking to school at the moment - when its not wet and thats some great exercise too.

So Im still here and working hard - I now need to set myself a 10kg goal - look at it in smaller pieces to get to my main goal. Im also still in training for the City to Surf run in August - Im hoping I do ok!

I hope you are all working hard in these colder times too. Keep it up and I would love to hear how you are doing.

Its My Birthday!

Happy 33rd to me today!! Another year and this year I feel I am in much better shape than last year. I feel fitter, I am dealing with all my health issues and I am happier..but it has all taken some hard work.

As my birthday present I received from my darling family a treadmill. I love it - and Im so lucky! Now I can work out on my off gym days - or if there is some reason I cant get to the gym then I can use the treadmill. Its perfect!





My weight is going well...my scales are broken but I know in myself I havent gained any - and I think I may have come in under the 100kg mark - but lets wait until I get new scales before we get excited!

My medication is working a treat - I feel great....but I still need the counseling and will be going sometime within the next fortnight.

So tonight I am going to enjoy some birthday cake - after all its only your birthday once a year!

Quick Catch Up

I hope you have all had a good week. I have had a much better week and am starting to slowly feel better. I have starting taking anti-depressant medication and I think so far my doctor has gotten the dose right. I have also been in touch with a councilor and so I am on the right track!

On the weight front I have lost another 900gms - so now I have lost 14.7kgs. Mike has also weighed in with some success this week and is 200gms off 20 kilos. So proud!

So thats the wrap up for this week. Still working hard - but being kind to myself. Now I just need to get back into sewing. I havent sewn in ages and its been because of everything else happening. So I really need to get back into it. It will make me happy I know!

I hope you have all had a good week and have a great weekend.

Time to Deal With the Emotional

One of the things I was determined to do this year was fix myself physically and emotionally. As many of you can see I have the physical underway but the emotional has reared its ugly head again.

I was taken to hospital in an ambulance two weeks ago with what they now think was a panic attack. I have been estranged from my family for a while now and I recently found out some information about them that I have found hard to process.

Basically all of this has culminated in me seeing my doctor and I am now taking some medication and will be seeing a therapist in the near future. I am hoping to finally deal with the baggage I have and hopefully move forward happily.

As for my weight I have pretty much been hovering around the same weight of 103.7. Thats fine - I have not been to the gym as much (I also have a sick son so some late nights have been had)as I would like but I am being conscious of what I eat and so that's been working well. I would like to have lost more weight but we will have to see what weigh in day brings. As long as I dont gain Im happy. I also have to be kind to myself - I have enough stress and pressure without hating myself for weight issues.

So as I always say - onwards and upwards :)

Catch Up

Well, after a week minus the internet (self imposed) and a very busy schedule I thought I should check in!

Check in - 26th March
Bust: 118cm -12cm
Waist: 109cm -24cm
Hips: 116 cm -21 cm
Upper Arm: 34 cm -10cm
Thigh: 57 -16cm
(minus figures are a running total.)

So in total now I have lost 83.5 cm from around my body - thats almost 33 inches.

I have also lost another 1.9 kilos which makes my total now 11.6kgs all up. I am 100gms off ten percent of my original body weight!

My BMI is now 37 instead of 40.7.

Ok so here are my latest measurements:

Check in - 23th April
Bust: 115cm -15cm
Waist: 107cm -26cm
Hips: 112 cm -25 cm
Upper Arm: 33 cm -11cm
Thigh: 61 -12cm
(minus figures are a running total.)

I have put on some measurements around my thigh but to be honest the muscle definition around there is really good since I have been running and doing weights so it doesn't bother me - they are more toned and I actually have a defined butt now too!.

I have also lost another 1.3 kilos which makes my total now 13kgs all up.

I am super happy with everything and am really starting to see the difference when i put clothes on and what not. I find I have so much more definition than before.

So its onwards and upwards as I continue. I go back to the doctor this week to see if my blood pressure is ok after halving my meds but i feel really good so hopefully that's going to be ok.

End of School Holidays Catch Up

Well today is the last day of the school holidays and wow has it been busy.

My weight has fluctuated over the holidays and i put that down to the food I have eaten at certain times. I gained weight over Easter and have been working to get rid of that.

I weighed on on Friday and I am now officially 106.0 kgs. Which means I have now lost exactly 10% of my body weight from when I started.I gained 2 kilos over Easter so I have lost 2.1kgs since then and am now at my lowest weight ever. So I am exceptionally happy about that.

I have been maintaining the gym at a rate of 5 days a week although I am varying the exercises and time spent. Never less than one hour but due to muscle soreness I have been changed my weight routine or not doing it at all. I have realised I cant do weights every day and apparently thats not good for you so I will do it every second day. I am running well on the treadmill and am working towards the City to Surf - I have a friend writing a programme for me. I am also working my heart rate at about 155BPM constantly whilst doing cardio so thats a bench mark for me.

I haven't measured myself recently as I felt a bit down about the whole weight gain thing and didnt want to rub it in so to speak . but I did go and buy some new bras during the week and Im down to an 18D. I havent been an 18D in about 14 years. Im amazed. So I splashed out and bought some really pretty lacy numbers. Mike loves them! And so do I - I feel sexy wearing them and so I should - I cant remember the last time I got to buy some bras off the shelf with the nice stuff on it!

The biggest news of all is that my doctor has HALVED my blood pressure medication! I am now on 75mg of Karvea and I am so darn proud of myself. I have to go back in a fortnight to have my BP taken to see if its working but even being allowed to try it is amazing. I am so happy and know that I need to keep up my work to maintain a lower BP. Its a great motivater and a reality check as to why I really started this in the first place.

This week we are back into school routine and normal life. I will be getting up again at 5.30am for the gym - wow thats going to suck! But I will be fine. back to salads for lunch and a less naughty food routine.

I hope you are all traveling well and thanks for staying in touch - i love to hear about your successes as they motivate me too!

Take carexx

Some New Goals

I have been kind of hovering around the same weight for a few weeks now and have decided that some new goals might be in order to help motivate me.

So here they are:

Not a new one but a reaffirmation to start with...

Weigh 97.7kgs by June 3rd (my birthday)
I have 9.2 kilos to go in 7 weeks. Im not sure if I will do it but I can only aim for it and go for broke. That will be 20 kilos lost.

Run the 4km Distance in the City to Surf on 28th August 2010
Dont care if I dont win it (like I would anyway LOL) but I want to give it a go - so I need to focus my workouts towards training for that too.

Only Drink Water
I need to recommit to drinking water - no matter where I am.

Check Food Portions
I have been slack and whilst I dont think I am eating a great deal more - I need to start recording it again - its the only way to get over the hump.

Nothing earth shattering but enough to get me remotivated.....

Forgive Me?

Forgive me blog reader for I have sinned - it has been 12 days since my last entry!

Wow times flies! We are in the throws of the school holidays and very busy ones at that!

Easter has come and gone and yes - I ate chocolate. That combined with a hormonal moment and some emotional decisions (nothing heavy) being made and you have yourself the first weight gain of this whole exercise.

I find the holiday hard going. Normal routine is out the window and food is relaxed and more taken in. We also travel alot in the holidays and stay with family and they dont what what we eat and so its hard.

I am now only 900gms above my lowest weight so thats good that I am getting back into control. I gained almost 2 kilos. I could kick myself to be honest. I think of when I was eating and realised I dont even like what Im eating. It made me feel ill. I can really see how one can so easily fall back into the old ways and pile on the weight again.

But I am human. And I live and learn and I can see the error of my ways. But having said that I also need to live. I am a sociable person and at times - especially during the holidays - I like to eat out, eat with friends and eat the odd piece of chocolate. Changing your lifestyle cannot include barring things for me. It simply wont work.

I have increased my gym time. I go now for about 1 1/2 hours - and do a full 60 minutes of cardio and about 20 minutes of weights. I have found that I love the gym so much and although during the holidays I havent gone as much as I would have liked - I have managed to go enough.

The end of this week sees the end of the holidays and thr return of routine for another 12 weeks.

I am only 900gms up and so Im super proud of my effort to get back.

I have also decided its time to set some new goals - so more on that to follow.

31st March - Catch Up

Nothing much to report - just wanted to touch base. I am continuing at the gym and loving it - I love nothing better than going early - its a reat start to the day.

I have lost some more weight but I will wait until weigh in day to make it official but I was happy enough with my weight to give myself the morning off today. I had an awful nights sleep and Lainey had been very very unwell and so I am feeling a little drained. Mike is too as its the last 2 days before the school holidays and well thats always manic! But I will be back to it tomorrow :)

Just as a side note I have a muscle in my abs that I seem to have pulled - I am having problems doing crunches - so I am just watching that. A days rest will no doubt do it the world of good anyway.

I hope you are all traveling well and I would love to hear your progress :)

Oh - and a couple of Easter eggs isnt going to kill you!

26th March - Check In

This morning was weigh in day and I was anxious to see how a week solid at the gym had effected my weight loss. Lainey has been really ill this week and so many times I could have turned to food but I didnt - and Im really proud of myself.

So heres the stats from last weigh in a fortnight ago:

Check in - 12th March
Bust: 118cm -12cm
Waist: 114cm -19cm
Hips: 119 cm -18 cm
Upper Arm: 34 1/2cm -9 1/2cm
Thigh: 63 1/2cm -12cm
(minus figures are a running total.)

So in total now I have lost 68.5 cm from around my body - thats 27 inches.

I have also lost another 1.6 kilos which makes my total now 9.7kgs all up. Thats 1st 7.4lbs or 21.4 lbs and thats in 11 1/2 weeks.

My BMI is now 37.4 instead of 40.7. That drops slowly but surely - but its still a drop of 3.3

Here is this fortnights results:

Check in - 26th March
Bust: 118cm -12cm
Waist: 109cm -24cm
Hips: 116 cm -21 cm
Upper Arm: 34 cm -10cm
Thigh: 57 -16cm
(minus figures are a running total.)

So in total now I have lost 83.5 cm from around my body - thats almost 33 inches.

I have also lost another 1.9 kilos which makes my total now 11.6kgs all up. I am 100gms off ten percent of my original body weight!

My BMI is now 37 instead of 40.7.

So there you go - I lost a massive amount of cms off my thighs - that I can tell with out the tape measure...I am really proud of myself and just have to keep on keeping on.

20th March - A New Twist

To keep it fresh I have joined our local gym. Now its in the rec centre and its a self service kind of affair. You get a pin code and can go in there 24 hours a day if you want.

I didnt know that much about it until Mike joined and I went and had a look - wow! The equipment is awesome! There is a treadmill (with auto incline) a cross trainer, a rowing machine and 2 bikes - one is recumbent. There is also half a room full of weights gear, dumbells, fit ball,s mats and medicine balls...and then a squash court!

All over the walls are posters and exercises you can do - its such a great resource.

And the membership is a tiny - $77 for 6 months..... amazing - you can come and go when you please and 9 times out of 10 there is noone else there.

I loved it this morning (my first go) and I cant wait to go again. I am going in the mornings for a number of reasons...obviously I cant take the kids so I need to go when mike is home and early is good. I also hate working out at night - Mike is the opposite and loves it. So i go early and he goes after tea.

Today I did 15 minute interval training on the treadmill (jogged at level 8), cross trainer and the recumbent bike and in between all of those I did some weights and core strengthening. I of course also did warm up and cool downs and stretches.

I listened to my iPod and sang along! Noone else there to laugh at me !!

I am so happy I joined.

3 Months On....

This week marks 12 weeks since I started this new way of life.

I have achieved so much in that time and I am so proud of myself.

First and foremost I have lost 10.1kgs. I am so super proud of that effort.

I have lost about 70cms off my entire body. Another effort to be really proud of.

I am way more active than I was 3 months ago and workout 5 out of 7 days in a week on average.

My whole family is eating better food and benefiting from it - Mike is down 13 kilos.

I have taken control of my high blood pressure, varicose veins, cycle issues and general lack of fitness. My cholesterol is lower and I have alot more energy.

I have refused to let past emotional issues dominate my daily life - and I am mentally healthier for that too.

I am happier, healthier in myself and I have happier and healthier relationships with the people around me.

But...

I still have a long way to go - I am 1/4 of the way through my journey ...

I have 1.6kgs to go to have lost 10% of my starting body weight.

I have 12 weeks to loose another 9.9kgs to reach my halfway goal.

I need to continually change my exercise routines to keep them stimulating and fresh - I am joining the gym this week.

But for the moment I am basking in the glory of my achievements! Yah for me :)

12th March - Check In

I thought I would check in this morning. I have been n a plateau lately and I wanted to see if I could use the motivation of checking in to spur me on.

I am loving zumba and its a hard workout - I thought it was just dancing but you can really see what they are getting at...its great so thanks to Tassy for putting us all onto that one :)

Ok heres the last stats:

Check In - 3rd March
Bust: 119cm -11cm
Waist: 116cm -17cm
Hips: 119 1/2cm -17 1/2cm
Upper Arm: 36cm -8cm
Thigh: 63 1/2cm -10 1/2cm
(minus figures are a running total.)

I have also lost 1.1kgs in the last fortnight - making my total 8.1kgs. I have put on some measurement around my thigh and bicep but that would be muscle as I have more defined muscle in that region. I have also lost another 1cm of both my hips and my waist.

Check in - 12th March
Bust: 118cm -12cm
Waist: 114cm -19cm
Hips: 119 cm -18 cm
Upper Arm: 34 1/2cm -9 1/2cm
Thigh: 34 1/2cm -12cm
(minus figures are a running total.)

So in total now I have lost 68.5 cm from around my body - thats 27 inches.

I have also lost another 1.6 kilos which makes my total now 9.7kgs all up. Thats 1st 7.4lbs or 21.4 lbs and thats in 11 1/2 weeks.

My BMI is now 37.4 instead of 40.7. That drops slowly but surely - but its still a drop of 3.3.

I am so happy with all of this and there are so many other benefits that just loosing weight. Every aspect of my life has improved and thats whats important. Mike is also doing so well - he has now lost just over 11kgs! So about 20kgs between us!

11th March - Zumba-ring Along

Im still here! Life is so busy at the moment! But I thought you should know I am loving zumba and getting better at it every time.

I have also done my induction at the gym so when I get around to doing it I shall join up!

I am off on a sewing retreat this weekend and have baked a cake and some muffins for the first time in ages. It felt good to bake but I wonder how long I will last before I sample something......Just have to remember to be sensible.

Feeling great right now - really happy with food and exercise - back on track me thinks :)

Tell me how you are going...I love to hear your successes too :)

8th March - Zumba!

Ok...so I am at a plateau....weight is stable...exercise is same old same old. And I guess 11 weeks in one would expect that in a way.

So Im changing it up. I am going back to documenting everything I eat. I have started doing the Zumba workouts and I am this week joining the gym.

I need to up the water again and cut out the (albiet decaf) coke and coffee.

I really want to get off this little step. And horray for me for recognising it. I would now traditionally say oh well that's great, cheat and lie top myself about what Im doing and summarily put all the weight plus more back on.

Im only 3.6 kilos off my first target and in some ways I would have thought I would have reached it now. Almost 3 months, a quarter of my challenge time into this change and Im not even 10% of my body weight down.

So hence the steps to get off the plateau.

So heres what I have eaten today:

Breakfast was one serve of Guardian cereal and 200mls of hi-lo milk.
Snack - 40gms sultanas
Lunch was 40gms tuna and salad - balsamic vinegar dressing- and a plum.
Snack - 40gms sultanas
Dinner - 3/4 cup spag bog sauce, 3/4 cup whole wheat spaghetti, salad with dressing.
Snack - 100gms no fat yoghurt and tinned peaches.

All I have drunken today is water.

I zumbaed for 30 minutes.

What Do You Think...

November 8th 2009



March 4th 2010

3rd March - How Long??

Oh my - I cant believe it has been so long since I last posted. Isnt it funny how life gets in the way sometimes!!!

Ok - so where to begin...

Well I managed to rest enough to get the back sorted out. I went to Perth on the Friday before the long weekend and went to the dentist for the finial filing in a long line of work and a partial scale and clean. Now my mouth is back to clean and checkups on a 6 monthly basis. Thats a great start.

I also went to the doctor. I have very odd cycles and I am tending to bleed to some degree for most of the month. I dont think anything is really wrong - I'm putting it down to hormones but in the spirit of having health issues seen to this year I have been and consulted my GP. I have now had blood tests and will be having an ultrasound on this weekend coming just to have a look - we will go from there...but my GP isn't overly concerned so that's good.

Saturday I mulled about and did some errands in the city waiting for the boys to come down - we stayed at my inlaws all weekend which was lovely.

I used their treadmill and cross trainer on Friday, Saturday and Monday. It was hard work but my back was great and the only injury was sore knees! But Im fine and its great to have a workout option down there as we go alot.

The only problem I have there is food choices. As I now eat quite different foods to them I sometimes find it hard to avoid temptation. So I have to be super super careful when I go there.

Monday we had lunch with friends and that was nice but again I had too much. At least i know now to work it off...

Tuesday I played badminton and then in the evening I played netball. I loved it - I haven't played netball on a regular basis since I was in high school and I loved it - I also had the stamina to keep up and my team won. So I have decided to play winter netball this year. I am so excited.

Now for the all important information - my official weigh in is a day later than normal as I have been so busy and have a sick son! So here we go:

Check In - February 16th
Bust: 119cm -11cm
Waist: 117cm -16cm
Hips: 120 1/2cm -16 1/2cm
Upper Arm: 35cm -9cm
Thigh: 63cm -11cm
(minus figures are a running total.)

And I have also lost - in the last two weeks - another 2.8 kilos - making my total weight loss 7kgs and a total of 63.5cms off my body.

Check In - 3rd March
Bust: 119cm -11cm
Waist: 116cm -17cm
Hips: 119 1/2cm -17 1/2cm
Upper Arm: 36cm -8cm
Thigh: 63 1/2cm -10 1/2cm
(minus figures are a running total.)

I have also lost 1.1kgs in the last fortnight - making my total 8.1kgs. I have put on some measurement around my thigh and bicep but that would be muscle as I have more defined muscle in that region. I have also lost another 1cm of both my hips and my waist.

So there you go - everything is traveling not too bad! I am about to join the gym and I also have the zumba dvds to look at - should be good to add some more variety.

24th February - On The DL

Ok...Mike says to me this morning - so you're on the DL...I didnt know what he meant...but The DL is the baseball term for the injured list...and he should know - hes played baseball most of his life!

And yes - Im on the DL.

I have been to the physio and she feels that I have over extended and have inflamed L 3, 4 and 5 and that was probably done by making my low impact aerobics a high impact session...that coupled with the fact that I already had an unstable spine (bulging disc in L5 S1)was kinda asking for trouble.

Where does that leave me - that leaves me needing to see her again a week Friday and then spending some regular time getting my back together again. I will be able to work out before then but I have neglected my back so much its going to take time.

So I am taking it easy whilst the inflammation goes away - lots of heat, lots of water (drinking that is) and rest. Which sucks.

Mike is doing wonderfully well and we now weigh the same! So now he is going to over take me!!!! I have been super careful about my diet whilst I cant move - so thats the only control I have at the minute.

But better to get it seen to then suffer and make it worse....

23rd February - Ouch!

Ok - I havent blogged for a few days so that naughty. but you will be happy to know I have been a good girl.

I have done aerobics Friday, Saturday and Sunday and even went out for dinner on Saturday night and have managed to loose that weight and some more on top :)

I weighed in this morning at another 700gms down - putting my weight loss at 7.7kgs. Thats great! I know its not my official weigh in but I thought I would check the scales after the weekend.

On a downer note though I have hurt my back. I live with a constant amount of back pain - I have a bulging disc at L5 S1. But I did something doing aerobics last night and now Im in alot of pain. I have a physio booked for this afternoon - which is a really positive step for me. Usually I dont go and just pray it goes away - but as a commitment to my health I am going this afternoon at 420pm. Hopefully they will be able to do something because it really hurts :(

Im also hoping they can do something because I cant afford major time out from working out. I dont want to put the weight back on.

So I will let you all know how I go. In the meantime its wheat packs and Voltaren tablets.

I hope you are all traveling well and I just love hearing about your successes...leave me a comment and let me know how you are going :)