Friday 5 April 2013

From sad and flabby to totally happy!

It would have been seconds after I wrote my last message (reporting that I had nothing to report) that I had something to report...

I once again had a visit from TTOTM... this is 3 months in a row, and trust me to always get it the week of a milestone weigh-in...  But seriously, once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence and three makes it a conspiracy... (or in my case a miracle)  I would hesitantly say that I think I am nearly back to being normal... (well in that department anyway)

I am sure I will get used to TTOTM and the signs that it's coming - I should have realised something was up when the day before I dedicated all of my snacks to chocolate... and I generally don't crave sweets - I love cheese and salami - it's my kryptonite - and yes I just used a Superman reference!! (I am feeling kind of super today!)

I did my measurements and time trial today (I will do the other stuff tomorrow)  I have lost 28cms this round (106cms in total - thats a whole lotta fat!!!) 

I also did my 1km run this morning in 5:15 (that's about 30 seconds better than last time)  although I was completely wrecked at the end of it... bu that's the idea right - give it everything... Geez, do you remember when I started?  I walked 80% of the 1km and it still took me just under 10 mins...  and it really wasn't that long ago, 20 weeks.  

Back then I never thought of all the amazing things I had waiting for me, to be honest I didn't think it was possible. If you guys are just starting out or having a slow start - just keep going - you will be utterly amazed at how much better your life and health will be - it just kind of sneaks up on you - ninja style, then HEE-YA you're fabulous!

To my own disbelief I am now looking at what I need to do to maintain my weight... No I haven't reached goal weight yet, but I'm not far off and I want to be prepared - I can't believe I have nearly lost 31kgs - that will be over 1/3 of my body weight gone... I am so much less, yet so much more than I was than when I was 92kgs...

My friend who is doing this program too (a mum from the school) is doing so well - Even though I have hardly any time to do any socialising at the moment I see her diligently walking the oval and she is doing it quicker than when she started, and she seems to be walking taller too - even though she is already as tall as an Amazon warrior.  She has so much amazingness in store I am nearly jealous. Nearly!

Anyway I must end here - I have 2 assignments due next week and I need to pull out my arsenal of JFDI weapons to get them done...

Thursday 4 April 2013

If I were a Zombie I'd Eat you the most!!

I really dont have much to say...  But I did want to share my new work out top!!

Very me I think!

I will be doing my fitness test and measurements tomorrow so hopefully I will have more to add - in the YAY column.


Monday 1 April 2013

Happy Easter!!

Well I survived the Easter break with out too much damage...

My darling husband gave me a Pandora  bracelet with 2 charms, one graduation cap, and one fairy tale novel (I have an obsession with Grimm Bros tales) No chocolate!!  I was very happy. I did get a few little bits of chocolate from friends and one huge bunny from my Dad but I can eat it all slowly and over time... I'm doing pretty well with temptation these days!

 I even went for a 4.5km run on Easter Sunday!  Take that know it all Doctors!!  It didn't hurt a bit! 

 Although having 9 days off of training saw the return of Evil Haze... God I hate the bitch!

I'm not sure if I am the only one who does this... but I was jogging along talking to myself (sometime aloud, I'll admit) And I was having a very encouraging conversation... things like 'Suck it up, you can do this.' and my now infamous catch phrase of, 'Just keep going.' When things took a bit of a turn for the worse...

'Wow, my hip is really starting to hurt, (it does this occasionally)
'You know you could always say your finger hurts.' to which I replied, 'But it doesn't - you big liar pants.'
 'OMG, this entire time I have been running into ahead wind, no-one would blame you if you stopped.'

Then I realised what was happening and said to myself, 'Oh, it's you, I guess you're back!'

So we were having  a very heated conversation, which strangely enough, even though I had agreed to stop about 200mts from home for a cool down walk I ended up sprinting it just to piss Evil Haze off.

Ha! Take that Evil Haze! 

Anyway now for the BIGGEST NEWS I HAVE HAD FOR AGES...

I am now officially in a HEALTHY BMI range!

I had a sneaky weigh in this morning and I am 64.5kg (hopefully stays here or drops by Wednesday)  Pretty happy with that, only 4.5kgs to goal weight..  Fingers crossed I can get there by the end of the 12 weeks, but it doesn't matter - I'm going for round 3 anyway!  I am thinking of doing lean and fit... so I can try to learn to maintain my weight without going crazy the minute I reach my goal weight....


So how was everybody else's Easter?

Wednesday 27 March 2013

Feeling Nostalgic...

Tomorrow we have to hand in an assignment at uni... it is a photo story - of ourselves and needs to contain at least 6 images of ourselves to send to prospective employers (schools).  OK so don't get me started on my beliefs about the un-professionalism of this task... we will be her all day, however it is a graded assignment so I started to look through pictures today.

I realised that I have may have a slight problem completing this assignment as I don't look like the same person anymore...

As I was looking through the images I thought... what would I like to show a school? 'I know - me in the P&F committee!'. (That's me in the centre)

 BLERK!!! TOO FAT CANT USE THAT~!!




I know what about me looking pretty at my wedding...


 OMG WHO IS THAT WHALE?


Quickly has 8 year old take a picture (as he utters - finally I get to take a picture of you when you aren't just wearing your undies!)


OMG WHO IS THAT SKINNY PERSON!!  IT'S ME!!! I am totally using this pic! - now madly running around trying on different clothes to get pics taken!!  I had to  check with my husband to make sure I actually do look like this in real life!!!  HAHAHA - I love my life - broken finger and all!

Sunday 24 March 2013

Sidelined by a finger...

There is a perfectly good explanation as to why I haven't kept you up-to-date with my goings on... I swear!!

Ok, so I have no excuse for last week, other than I have a 600gm gain and I was more than a little apprehensive about telling you all...

I know why - I have no excuses - I am owning - and although I was disappointed in myself I didn't get down about it and go on a food binge.. Even if I did want to!

I had too many chai lattes (skinny) but still - these are my weakness at uni and I have 2 study partners with who we take turns in buying them for each other... so I would end up with 2-3 lattes a day... plus I only exercised 2 days that week...

So I started Thursday with renewed determination... And I exercised everyday (taking Tuesday off) and then last Friday it all went a little pear shaped... or more massive purple sausage shape...

At PE class I was playing basketball and... I dislocated my finger... my right index finger (and I am right handed)!!  It was VERY painful - I had sharp pains in my finger and after icing it I taped it and realised nothing can be done about a dislocated finger (if its was back in place)  so I came home...

Wow was my finger aching... I had to take pain killers to get to sleep... So Saturday morning I decided I needed to make sure it was ok and took myself off to Gawler Emergency department... Where I was immediately taken in for X-rays...

Yup true to form (and as my luck would have it) It was broken!!  But not just broken, I have something called tendon avulsion (well that's what I think the Doctor called it)Where the tendon has snapped... and now I need surgery - BY THE END OF THE WEEK!!!

I asked about exercise and the Dr suggested that I dont do anything till I can speak to the orthopaedic surgeon...  Apparently orthopaedic surgeons dont work weekends... so I will be calling up at 9am to find out what I can and cant do... All though to be honest, I haven't wanted to do anything anyway... except eat chocolate - I have been wanting to do that.  But I will be strong and I will do what I have said to heaps of people on the Face book page - just stick to the diet until you can get back into it...

So I have busted out My fitness pal..again... and I am sticking to my 1200 cals (not 1300 any more) as I am not exercising I figure 1200 should be enough...

Any way typing has been very hard... this post has taken me over 40 minutes to type... and I shudder to think how long it is going to take me to write a 2000 word essay I have due this week...



Thursday 14 March 2013

So close to my goals..

This week was HUGE - Not only have I been so flat out I feel like I am barely treading water but I have been kicking some serious arse too!!

I lost 2.1kgs this week!!! OMG RIGHT?  So what's differen?? I increased my calorie in take from 1200 to 1300 and due to being incredibly flat out at uni I have managed to miss a few training days too... So less exercise and more food = more weight loss (So weird)  I am now 66.0kgs!!  1 kg to being in a healthy weight range for my height and only 0.1 away from having a healthy BMI!!

Who would have ever thought that I could do it - honestly, not me!  But here I am doing it... I really am, I really can! 

PLUS.....

On Public holiday Monday I got my butt out of bed at 6am and ran (without stopping) 9.15kms!  AND I did it at a 7:45min km pace! Admittedly, I was shaky legged and a wee bit light headed when I stopped moving but wow did I feel good to get that done on a 40 degree day! (that's why I was up so early) I only had to jump over 1 brown snake - thankfully it was dead... but even still spooked the begeezers out of me!

I really want to try for 10kms on Sunday - the weather will be cooler so hopefully the run will be easier too - but I just need to see how much sleep I get between now and then (only been getting 5-6 hrs a night with all the study) And truthfully I am completely knackered!

Now, I need to fill you in on a bit of a secret... I got hit on by a much younger guy!  STOP LAUGHING!! I really did!!

When I told him I was old enough to be his mother, he replied, 'No Mum I know has a body like that.' (I am totally blushing as I write this too)  Ok, so I was very flattered, more than a little flustered - it's been so long since a guy has been so openly checking me out I wasn't sure how to react... 

I lamely said, 'Sorry, but I am married' and pointed to my wedding rings OMG! - I totally forgot that I have had to move them on to my pointer finger because they no longer fit - and he said he didn't believe me!! Sooo terribly lame of me!!!  Anyway - Needless to say I was HUGELY embarrassed and left beet red!!

Well I must be off... I think I have about 400pages of academic text to read... I'm suddenly feeling very tired... again...

Saturday 9 March 2013

Getting Tarted Up - I Feel Like a Princess!

So, here I am all tarted up and ready for a softball presentation night...  Ok it's not a great picture but I am in a dress!  And other than that one time I got married...  This is the first time I have worn a dress in years... Ok I LOVE IT!!  I love the dress but I love the way I feel whilst wearing the dress, all girly and pretty...  and slim!!  I felt slim last night...  I cant remember ever having that feeling before...  I guess whan I was slim I didn't know any different but now I do, it feels amazing.  I felt like Cinderella must have done after years of wearing rags, (complete with the sore toes from walking in heels and everything.)

We had our big softball final yesterday, and we got thumped!  But at least the high point was the only time I got to bat I made it home ( I think I was the only one on the team to get home...) But although I was disappointed I think I was a little bit relieved as I have so much homework piling up its crazy...

Anyway here is our team photo from yesterday, I am at the back with the white cap on - excuse the sweat but this was taken after a 2 hour game in very humid 33 degree weather and 1009 calories burnt later...



Thursday 7 March 2013

7 minutes...

Ok, so I have been SWAMPED with uni work...  I am up at 6am and in bed at 11pm studying or doing family life stuff (shopping, groceries, washing etc etc...)  I feel as though I have no time left for exercise but I do!

I find myself with pockets of time here and there but I have no exercise gear... but hey if I use these little pockets to fit in some exercise it adds up over the day.  No it's not ideal but hey its better than nothing!

So what can you achieve in 7 minutes?

Lots and lots of push-ups... but if you aren't dressed for it you could try tricep dips, squat holds etc etc... HA!  Who can hold a squat for 7 minutes???

 ME!!

Today I held a squat for 7 minutes and I pulsed the last minute!!!  Here is a pic of me holding the squat!  Addmittedly it is a PB for me and it was during a bootcamp session I managed to fit in this morning...

But at least I have found a way to exercise... I will try and get my study friends to get pics of me doing sneaky exercise to post for you all to see how nuts I am!

An as a note to end on I wanted to let you all know that we finally got the results for my oldest sons treatment... and we got a tentative ALL CLEAR!!  We will know for certain in 4 months time but the specialist said, 'We couldn't want for better results at this stage.' 

SO YAY US!!!




Monday 4 March 2013

My letter to Michelle Bridges and her team

Hi guys,

I just wanted to share with you all the letter I sent to Michelle and her team... 

***

Hi Michelle and Team,

I wanted to write a letter to let you know about something major that has occurred in my life since starting the 12WBT.

First, however, I need to provide you with a little bit of background information so you can truly appreciate how marvellous and miraculous your program has been for me.

About 10 years ago my husband and I started 'trying to conceive'. All our friends fell pregnant quickly and we smiled for them but felt terrible that it wasn't happening for us. I gained weight.

I have had an irregular cycle most of my life making it hard to time the right time to try... Eventually I fell pregnant (about 3 years later) only to lose the baby at 12 weeks. My irregular cycle turned into no cycle at all and the only way we could conceive again would be to try IVF. I gained more weight.

We did 5 rounds of IVF, saw several specialist and spent over $20,000 only to fall pregnant once and then lose the child at 12 weeks again. I gained more weight.

I was emotionally, physically, and mentally drained and we decided that we would not try again but instead spend the IVF money on children that needed it - we fostered 2 wonderful children (that are still living with us now) and have fostered 11 other children over the years.

Last year we decided to give the IVF one more chance. And it worked first time, every time - all three times except that I lost the baby all three times at the 12 week mark. I had nothing left to give, we both made the incredibly painful decision to stop trying IVF. I went into a kind of mourning period, eating and depression set in and I gained even more weight. I maxed out at about 92kgs.

When I signed up for this program, if I want to be honest, I had no intention of following through with it. I just knew something had to change or my health issues were going to kill me. I was in bed every second day with debilitating migraines and I looked ill all the time.

I took the program one day at a time and one and a third rounds later I am 23kgs down and haven't had a migraine for that entire time. My mental health as well as my physical health astounds me, I get comments every day on how well I look and how healthy I am. Plus the most amazing thing has happened - for two months in a row I have got a period. Ten years, untold thousands of dollars and at least 10 doctors couldn't do for me what Michelle and her team have done for me in 16 weeks.

Who knows maybe a naturally conceived child is in my future, maybe not - either way I am happy, healthy, and fit, and there isn't enough money in the world to replace that!

So with my sincerest and most heart felt appreciate I want to thank you all for changing my life in more ways than you can ever know.

Sunday 3 March 2013

My Life: A Juggling Act. Scene 1

Have you ever seen those juggling street performers? Or sometimes on TV they may have a juggler who has 5 things in the up in the air, one of them is a sword, perhaps another is an egg, and you think to yourself there is no way that they can possibly fit anything else into the mix, then BOOM, the 'helpful' assistant throws a stick of dynamite in there...

Well that is my life at the moment... Except the sword is my children, the egg is my diet, then there are all the other parts I need to keep going...  Well, the BOOM would be my Masters degree...  I started back at uni last week and I dont think my feet have touched the ground since...

Intensive uni means instead of a 3-4 course per week full time load we do 5 courses per week and as we are Masters students we are expected to do at least 3 hours homework per contact hour at uni...


I have 11 contact hours, plus the 33 hours homework means I will be spending 44 hours on uni, which leaves precious little time for anything else...  I am tired just thinking about it! But it's only for 18 months!!! ONLY... ARGH!


Needless to say the first ball I dropped was the exercise ball...  I hadn't done any structured exercise until yesterday (I had 3 days off)   I was itching to get back into it but somehow I kept making and finding reasons not to...  Until yesterday!

I got up at 7am on a Sunday (that's my only sleep-in day) and I ran 7kms without stopping, sprinting the last 500 metres!  I felt great - it was great (a bit slow 57 mins) but I have decided I am going to get the distance first then work on my speed.. 

I had quite a bit of fuel left in the tank after my run too - so at some stage this week I am going to try for 10kms - I can't even imagine it!  Mind you I didn't think I would get to 7kms either!!  I am hoping for a bit of a reprieve from the SA heat though... for the past month or so it has been in, or around, the mid 30's  every day (with the exception of 2 days) and the forecast is for more of the same for the entire next week...  Which means I need to get my training in early - not easy with 2 kids who need to get up and ready for school but aren't old enough to do it without supervision...

I think I will have to be getting up earlier to get something done before Matt leaves for work, but I guess that depends on how much homework I can get done during the evening... and what time I get to bed... but although I think the exercise ball may drop more than the others I will make sure that the diet ball stays in the air...

It was suggested that I should up my calorie limit from 1200 to 1300 to see if that helps increase my weight loss... I tried it for 2 days and unfortunately it hasn't made any difference, but perhaps I need to go longer?  I am just worried that it will be counter productive and actually have a worsening effect (as in I gain or maintain my current weight)  I only have 2kgs to lose to get to a healthy BMI... That's scary! (Scary good)

I have attached a picture of me at the park on the weekend with my amazing 91 year old Nana, who still does Yoga!!  She occasionally teaches the class when the instructor goes away!





I wish I had more pictures of us together but I assume, like the rest of you, I never wanted to be in photos...
















Monday 25 February 2013

Conquering a mountain!

Well this morning Carolyn (who is looking awesome!) and I climbed Mt Lofty...  Wow it was hard!  I didn't realise how unfit I was... and to think before lofty I thought I was really fit)...

I huffed and puffed all the way, but still managed to keep up a lovely conversation with Carolyn who encouraged me to get all the way to the top!  YAY!! Boy is it steep!

Although I burnt 300 more calories than Carolyn during the trip (proving my unfitness yet again) I still burnt 971 Calories and according to my Fitbit I climbed 163 stairs... although I am sure that the 4km vertically upright walk was more than that...

I guess the Adelaide Plains aren't renowned for their hills... So I haven't got many training facilities in my immediate vicinity... but I will have to find something to train on...

I think we reached the top in about 58mins - stopped for a photo session, helping 2 other girls take their conquering pictures too then headed down... then helped a lady at the bottom who had cut her knee, and by helped I mean I jogged to my car and got the first aid kit then a big stretch...  All up from car door to car door we took about 2 hours...  I know we could have jogged the way down but Carolyn has a sore knee and I had new shoes that hurt like buggery (but aren't they pretty...)  


So here is our picture from Mt Lofty Summit...  I hope Matt doesn't see it - I pinched his drink belt!!






Rocking the skinny jeans!

Shopping is addictive... well it is when you haven't bought yourself any clothes other than track pants and over sized sweaters for so long you can't remember how to walk in heels!

For the past few days I have shopped up a storm... the credit card is on melt down!   Today I bought my first ever pair of skinny jeans!! And they are size 10's!!!  I can't wait till it is actually cold enough to wear them!  Plus I am totally going to be buying boots this year - ones that zip up at the sides... I have never been able to get boots that fit!

Also I bought a dress that is possibly my finale dress...  It was from Cue so it isn't cheap but it's sooo cute - it's sort of like a 1950's style pin up girl dress... so I am going with that...  I am trying to find killer red heels to go with it - and I want to get my hair done in 50's glam style...  but I'll just have to do a bit more research...

Here are a couple of change room pics I took of the dress, it is navy with black patterns through it,  you'll have to imagine the red shoes and the hair do...  Also it isn't zipped up at the back all the way - but you'll get the idea...  Plus the pleats at the front need ironing...  It is a size 12 because My boobs wouldn't get into a 10 but my waist would... not the worst problem to have...


So, I also bought a new pair of runners - I got professionally fitted and spent a butt load and I will upload pics of them with all my new exercise gear next post... I will hopefully have conquered the Mt Lofty summit climb tomorrow with my bestest frenemy Carolyn!!  It's going to be pretty hot (33) but I know I can do it... Carolyn has busted her knee so is only going to go as far as she can... I hope there is someone else at the top that can take my picture!!

I have been really struggling with my weight loss the past few weeks... the weight isn't coming off as quickly as it has in the past and it wasn't until today that it actually dropped below last Wednesdays weigh in...  But I will not let it beat me - I am sticking to my 1200 even yesterday when I was out at breakfast and lunch time and we went out for tea, I must say I was very proud of that effort... But I know my shape is changing again...

But a few weeks ago when I bought size 12 shorts (that are now too big) I also bought a few size 14 tops... Still dont want to wear anything too tight around the middle plus the girls are completely gone...  I dug one out to wear yestrerday thinking that i would have to do a lot of gut sucking in as it was a bit... firm... around the middle, only to find that it was actually loose around the middle now... and that was only 3 or 4 weeks ago... so although the numbers aren't dropping I am sure the cms are... either way I guess I will find out week 4...

I am actually a bit nervous about next week... I start back at uni this Friday and it was my habit to eat and study, and I haven't really done much studying on the 12 week program so I am hoping that it wont be an issue... my main issue is going to be finding time to exercise, study full time, look after the kids, and the farm...  I guess I will be fighting Matt in the morning for treadmill time...


On a completely different subject Rowanne suggested (thanks so much for the advice) that my stubborn mid section weight issue might be due to my PCOS... and that perhaps a naturopath  might help...  I have no experience with naturopaths and know very little about what it is that they do... can anyone help out with info as I am keen to try anything that isn't surgery... But like I was explaining to a friend today, it's not like I've been losing weight for years and its just stuck there, it's only been 4 months and I am not even in my healthy weight range yet!

BUT my Wii Mii isn't quite as fat any more.  I hadn't been on the Wii for a long time and when I jumped on it last week it shrunk... It was pretty funny... It did however tell me I had lost a lot of weight quickly and perhaps I should slow down a bit or be at risk of being unhealthy... Ummmm isn't being fat unhealthy?!?!

Oh and a few amusing things have happened lately...  I will tell them chronologically as it is easier that way...

Last week I went into the office at school as I had received a call telling me to go in and pick up some stuff for the P&F.  So I went in after a sweaty workout and initially Sarah, the lady who called me, didn't recognise me... I just thought she was busy and couldn't talk, I often pop it to talk to the ladies in the front office...

Then when she did she was in complete shock... then the other ladies in the office came to look at me... it was hugely embarrassing in a very cool kind of way...  Especially when one of them bowled me over with an over-enthusiastic hug.  Meantime Leanne, (who is currently on her first round of 12wbt), now works in the office and was smiling, I just knew she was happy for me, but at the same time picturing it being her getting checked out too!  (You will Leanne, you are killing it!)

On Saturday we WON our softball game, and making it into the finals too (my first ever win) The umpire and I got talking about the 12WBT program and she asked me all about it so I had to write it all down for her... She said she was going to look in to joining up for the next round!

Yesterday, whilst trying on myriad of dresses, a beautiful Asian gentleman was helping me and looked me over and said, 'You be a size 10, I know, I been doing this a long time.'  Even though I told him my bust was too large he grabbed size 10's for me to try on... only to end up having to get me 14's that didn't fit my waist... in frustration he sighed, 'You Aussie girl have too big bust for my Asian dress, you better find Aussie designer to fit up top.'

Then, today when I was explaining to a shop assistant, (who was amused when I said I didn't know what size I was) that I had lost a lot of weight, I ended up showing her the 12wbt online page, my before and after pics, how to use myfitnesspal app and explaining all about it... She said she was going to sign up to the 12WBT program as soon as she got home!

So all up it has been a very busy week and so gratifying too - but when everyone asks me what my secret is... I tell them the 12wbt, the facebook support page and a whole lot of hard work and effort.  The only miracle cure for being fat is to start doing it now!



Monday 18 February 2013

Goals and Excuses

It's been a while since I've updated my blog...  I had a bout of the gastro (as my Nan would say) so I haven't had too much to report on...

Before the gastro bug hit I managed to get to my 5km running goal - non stop, it was my second last zombie 5k training session...  I think the fact that it has been so bloody hot here, and that I really didn't want to finish my Zombie training is why it's taken my until today to SMASH MY PB!!

I did my final zombie run (to run 5kms without stopping) in 41 mins...  I did 5.4km in 39mins!!  That's about 7 1/2mins per km...  However there is a price to pay... I am sweating up a storm at the moment and I smell BAD!!  Thankfully there is no-one but the dog here to smell me, and she seems to like it! EWWW

Thankfully we had a bye on Saturday so there was no softball, I wasn't sure how well I would cope with fielding and gastro...  But at least I didn't need to let anyone down by not being able to attend, instead I cooked up a bunch of bacon and egg sandwiches, and sausage sizzles for the boys cricket team and managed to make a profit... always good for a fundraiser...

Sunday was a huge disappointment for me...  I had made a whole heap of chocolate treats and protein muffins for a picnic/work out finale gathering at the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide... it had been a lot of drama and hassle to organise it all but I was glad it was finally here...

Unfortunately it was a 38 degree day and at the last minute we had to cancel it for fear of people getting too hot or sick in the heat...  my sad picnic basket is still on my bench waiting for an outing...  But the kids didn't seem to mind too much - they get to take the chocolate balls to school...

I had a wonderful Valentines day, I got some beautiful earrings from Matt, who 'Doesn't believe in Valentines day presents', yet always manages to get me something and I made some chocolate treats and purchased 2 doz roses to give to the ladies at the P&F meeting that was held that night!!

They all seemed to appreciate the gifts and it was nice to be able to do that for them...  It was the first time since last year that most of the ladies had seen me... So they were all shocked to see how much weight I had lost...  Which was nice, except some people can't seem to be happy for other people... It gets a bit much...  Admittedly I am now the fittest person on the committee and I get that jealousy comes into it too, I know I would have been jealous the situations were reversed and they had come in wearing size 10 pants from the size 18's...

But I got comments like, 'Oh don't lose any more weight - you'll look too thin, You're looking a bit too thin now...'  Of course I'm not - I am still 4 kgs overweight for my height for crying out loud!!!  And that is the top end of the healthy range...  I need to lose another 9 kgs in total to get to my goal of being in the middle of the healthy weight range for my height...

Unfortunately I am getting this a lot at the moment, Rosa, the lady who own/runs our local IGA told me yesterday, 'Your fading into nothing, you need to stop losing weight or you'll make yourself sick.'

Seriously, I am pretty sure that the doctor's that made the healthy weight ranges know a bit more than these people... PLUS I STILL have a spare tyre of flab around my midriff... Why can't I move that stubborn sucker???

I lose weight from everywhere but the tummy... its very frustrating, especially as the girls (my boobs) have started to get smaller again... I am assuming I lose weight like a piano accordion, that is to say that I lose weight starting at my toes and my head and then eventually I get to the middle... which it has to be soon...  my poor shrinking boobs...

Actually,the other night whilst Matt and I were basking in the Valentine's night after glow, he made the comment that it was like being in bed with a different woman, so I asked him what exactly he meant by that, and he said now that I have lost weight our sex life was 'pleasantly different'...  of course I did the chick thing... Does that mean it wasn't before??  to which there was some serious back pedalling until I busted out laughing... I'm so not good at the chick thing...

Oh, and in other news...   I have booked and paid for my Melbourne Finale flights and accommodation!  YAY, Plus one of the girls from the softball team has joined the 12WBT too and is going to be my roomie!!

So that's 3 people I have 'inspired' to join the 12WBT program!  2 ladies from school and 1 from softball...  I also have another ladies joining the next round from Matt's work and I am working on getting a few of the bootcamp ladies on to it too!  Starting a weight loss revolution in Two Wells!!  HOORAY!  The bootcamp is booming too - It went from me and 1 other to 11 regulars and growing! It's heaps more fun with more people, we got to play stuck in the mud the other day...

Do you remember stuck in the mud?  It's like red rover but if you are tagged you have to stand frozen with your legs apart and you are stuck until someone dashes under them?  It was that except when we were 'frozen' we had to hold the squat position...  SOOOO MUCH FUN!!!

Oh and I got a Valentive's Day gift from Michelle Bridge's!!! 

Well... on the 14th my prizes from being in the top 20 arrived... I was very excited... but for some reason I haven't been able to open any of them...  I guess I didn't feel worthy... I don't know, Matt said I was being silly but still...  So this morning I used the new Philips earphones on my final Zombie run...  They are really good too - feel like your not wearing anything at all, which is better than the Apple ones I was using before and shoving them back in a few times every time I ran...

I might get the Fitbit out and play with that later today... It was on my Xmas list and I didn't get one so I guess that makes Michelle, Cupid AND Santa!!  Oh I wonder what I'll get for Easter?? (Hopefully fitter)

Any way I really must go and shower before I funk up the entire house! Plus I need some breakfast too!



Tuesday 12 February 2013

Disappointing loss...

I really thought I was in for a big loss this week...  Last week on Thursday I was 69.9kgs... and today... I am still 69.9kgs...

It doesn't quite seem fair... But I guess if I hadn't weighed my self on Thursday I would be ok with a 400gm loss...  Although I have been running a lot - I think I have done about 15kms since last Wednesday, plus 2 boot camp sessions, softball training and a killer softball match... 

Maybe it is just one of those body shape changes things... I have had that in the past, you know, where you are losing cms but not kgs...  One thing is for sure though - Carloyn is going to get to her goal before I get to mine unless something starts to move...

I think I will (once again) go back to basics, drink my 2 litres a day and exercise everyday except for 1... 

I have a couple of new recipes I would like to share with you for your accelerator days (or as we like to call it, Bacon day)

They are fairly similar, as the both are 'muffins'...

The 1st one is called Prosciutto and egg muffins (serves 4)

Line your muffin tin with prosciutto to make the 'muffin case' (use very finely sliced prosciutto) If using a non stick muffin tray you wont need any spray as the oil from the prosciutto will keep it from sticking.

In a jug, mix whole 2 eggs and 2 egg whites, salt and pepper, and 25gms of diced spring onions then pour into the prepared cases

Bake at 175 degrees for 15-18 mins or until cooked through

Can eat hot or cold...


The second recipe is much the same but serves 12

Mushroom and Fetta Muffins

Line your muffin tin with prosciutto to make the 'muffin case' (use very finely sliced prosciutto) If using a non stick muffin tray you wont need any spray as the oil from the prosciutto will keep it from sticking.

In a jug, mix 4 whole eggs and 4 egg whites, salt and pepper, 40gms of chopped feta, 80gms chopped mushrooms, 50gms chopped spring onion and 150ml low fat milk.  Whisk and pour into the prepared cases.

Bake at 175 degrees for 18-20 mins or until cooked through

Can eat hot or cold...

Sunday 10 February 2013

Michelle said my name!

Sooooooo, last night... We all gathered around my laptop and watched the count down... technical difficulties... Delays... Family disperesed but not me, I sat in front of my PC and watched and waited...  Madly making sure my fellow SA members watching from home were having the same technical difficulties....

Waiting...

Waiting...

 Waiting..

OMG there's a test pattern... are you getting a test pattern?  Yep - ok good!!

My family had long since grown bored and the kids went to bed...

But I persevered... then I heard the big booming voice!!

Ok, so lets cut to the chase...  I didn't win overall, or 2nd, or 3rd, or blogger of the round - but I totally am a WINNER! Huge congrats to the ladies (and gentleman) who did win - and for all the others in the top 20! PLUS a huge congrats to everyone for just getting through the 12 weeks!!

The way I look at it is that I lost 21kgs and 78cms PLUS I got top 20 and I found out last night that I won $1000 worth of prizes too!!! What about that is bad? NOTHING!!!  WOW WOW WOW

PLUS next weekend is our SA CREW round 4 finale picnic and workout - which is the total embodiment of everything the 12wbt stands for - a healthy picnic and exercise with the family = AMAZING!

So if you are near botanic Park in Adelaide next Sunday at Noon come and find us for a great celebration and a free workout session!

For this new round I have made a pact with some of the other 12wbt'ers and my hubby that - no matter what - I am going to be at that finale party to support and represent the SA CREW in Melbourne!

I have checked my frequent flyer miles and I have enough to get to Melbourne and home!  Plus, I might even manage to have enough miles for accommodation too - now I just need to figure out what to wear and where I can get my hair done!! Plus the small details like what to do with the kids... Hubby has a half marathon on the Sunday... looks like a call to Granddad might me in order...

But, I'm not going to sweat the small stuff - it will sort itself out - Now I am focussing on the goal for round 1, 2013...

I have 11kgs to lose and 12 weeks to lose it in...  Carolyn (a fellow 12wbt'er) and my self are in a race to see who can get to there goal first... luckily I have a secret weapon (Zombie training) so I will be getting my runners on and pounding the pavement like a woman possessed!  Plus, I want to get to 10kms without stopping by the end of the round... - I figure if I can get from the couch to 6kms in one round another 4kms should be a cakewalk... even if it is a very sweaty, hardcore cake...

Oh, and HUGE NEWS - yesterday I made it to home base AND my hit (with my shiny new bat) got 2 others home!!  I wont tell you how I stuck out in the next innings but I will tell you that I also got someone out on 2nd base and my throws helped get out 2 others too...

I also wont tell you that lost the game - or that I spent the afternoon in hospital with my coach who got hit with a bat because none of that is as important because I got to home plate!!!!!!

Anyway I would love to know who else is going to go to Melbourne??  Will I get to meet any of you there?  I hope so!!


Friday 8 February 2013

Brisvegas...

Well today is the day everyone is gathering in Brisbane for the finale party - geez I wish I could be there!  I would love to meet the girls I have been facebooking with and the girls who have supported me via the forums...  If you are in Brisbane please have a huge dose of fun for me!! 

Well after all the rigmarole my sons appt was postponed for 2 weeks!!   The specialist is on holidays and wanted to see us personally - I hope its not a bad news thing... Nope pushing that thought out of my mind - of course it is a good news thing - he just wants to deliver the news himself....

So instead of going to Brisbane... I am off to softball...  Yeah I know - it's no where near as exciting or as impressive but I will be watching online, my family and I are having a finale 'party' with me!  So we will be there cheering you on too!

Any way, I wanted to bring up something I have recently noticed about myself... I still think like a fat person...  OK so how exactly does that differ from a skinny persons thinking...

It's quite simple - it comes down to self esteem...  Being over weight has really crashed my self esteem, but it's getting better...  I still wait for others to pass down shopping isles because I dont think we would both fit, and as I was the fat one I would always let people pass first...

I still look at other fat people and smile a sympathetic smile trying to convey, 'Hey, I know and I understand.'

I still look at the same type of cover me up clothes - even though the pretty things will fit me now...

I think this is my next big hurdle to over come.  My mind set.  I have got the right mind set for diet and exercise but day to day life is different.  I look forward to going to uni and not being the fattest one in the class.  I am not the fattest Mum in my kids classes any more - in fact the cricket coach commented on how good I was looking! (and he's cute too)  Hell my youngest sons teacher in a part time underwear model!!!!  It's a school of hotties! Wow, my mind went totally off topic there...

Anyway I was thinking (whilst sitting on the bottom of the shower...again) that perhaps we are a product of society, and by that I mean we are a society of consumers, we eat fast, play fast, and live fast...  When I was a kid (back in the 70s - shh) I used to ride to and from school everyday - at first my Mum would ride with me, with my brother strapped into a seat at the back of her bike, then I rode myself , and then I rode with my brother - this was 3kms each way - nowadays we would catch a bus or we would drop off our kids... Hell, my Mum didn't learn how to drive until the mid 80's - we only had one car so why would she!?!

After school we would do dancing lessons, or sports practise or we would play in the street till we were called in for dinner - then after dinner we would watch an hour of TV and head off to bed... There was no homework till high school, so we weren't stuck to a computer or behind a desk... The only cartoons on TV were on Saturday mornings and if you got home from school in time you might catch the Brady Bunch before heading off to play...  On the weekends, after sport, we would meet up at the park where would only stop playing for food (a vegemite sandwich and an apple) there was no elaborately filled lunch box with every sort of chocolate or lolly available to man...  We would save or pocket money and buy a mixed bag of lollies for 50 cents and it would last us all week...

I sometimes long for the simpler days, especially for my kids... My year 5 student has to do minimum of an hour homework a day and my year 3 has to do 40 mins...  Then when they finish they dont want to go outside and shoot hoops or ride their bikes up and down the street, they want to play Wii or on their ipads, of go on facetime with their mates... 

I know times are changing, but when I look back over my class photos from primary school maybe one out of 30 kids were over weight, now my kids class photos are full of over weight kids... it's now about 6 out of 30.... and as parents it is our responsibility to ensure that our children are healthy.  To say 'NO.' to them when they ask for crap food rather than giving in and buying them Maccas because it's easier...

Sure a takeaway meal every now and then is ok - but every now and then isn't once or twice a week - it's once or twice a month...

-- OK End Rant --

I have actually been scared to go over 1200 cals (even by 1 calorie) so for the last 2 days I have pushed myself to go over, just by 5 cals or so - I just wanted to prove to myself that the world wont fall down and I wont suddenly gain back the 21kgs I have lost...

I am also using this new round as a way to integrate the program into my life, rather than making it my life... I need to know I can do this on my own, and I can maintain it after the program is over...  I still have 11kgs till goal weight - which I hoping to get to by the end of the round, but during this time I am also going to readjust my life - it's kinda like what I imagine getting out of rehab is like...

Well I better get going - I have a softball match to play... yikes... I will be thinking of you all tonight and looking for your faces in the crowd!



Thursday 7 February 2013

Goodness Gracious Me!!!

WOW, well the end of the round has been and gone and I slayed it like Buffy!  For the round I lost 11.7kgs (14.3%) and 78cms!! But in total (including pre-season) I have lost 20.9kgs... That's a lot of bags of potatoes!

I am super proud of my efforts, and of course true to form the day AFTER weigh in day I dropped below 70kgs... So I am taking it as outside goal achieved...

On to more exciting news...  what could be more exciting than that??  Well, I will tell you!!

I just got an email congratulating me on making it to the TOP 20!! WOW WOW WUBZY!! 

Unfortunately I can't go to the finale, as the Friday before hand is when we get the results of the chemo back so I need to be here to celebrate with my son! (fingers crossed)

However I feel the burning need to mention something that happened to me today, something that has renewed my faith in the human race - I mentioned on the SA Face book page that money was a bit too tight to stretch to a trip to Brisbane, not wanting to mention my sons appt., and before I knew what was happening the amazing SA Crew 12wbt'ers had raised a couple of hundred dollars to send me to Brisabane! - I mean who does that?!

If you ladies read my blog please know that you have touched my heart more than I have the words to express - you are all champions to me and our finale picnic and workout at the Botanic Gardens is totally where I want to be - with the people that have supported me to get this far!  You ladies are above amazing! Sarah Gorman and Ra Gee you have the hearts of lions! Lizzi, Carolyn, Kirsty and  Wiley Kylie - Thank you for everything!




Monday 4 February 2013

Exceeding Expectations

I have attached a pic of my from when I started the Michelle Bridges program (warm up round 4 2012) and till now to show you the difference... YIKES! I didn't take a side on shot at the beginning - wish I had thought of it at the time though...

I also had some professional pics taken of me in real clothes, not just underwear - and when ! get to goal weight I will get some professional pics taken wearing clothes too (it helps to have photographer friends)

I think it is fair to say that the program has exceeded my expectations and that has been down to a few key things...

1. I'm starting with the most important one too - The support this forum page and the Facebook page have given me had been astounding - my friends call me a bitch for losing weight but you guys tell me I'm amazing... I honestly would have given up if I hadn't made myself be accountable to you all...

2. Making the program work for me - I make up my own recipes, I love to cook and do food things... but I stick to the 1200 cals daily. Same with the exercise, I don't follow the given exercises, instead I zombie run, do boot camps and have joined a team sport, this works for me and I can continue this after the program (although I am doing another round)

3. JUST KEEP GOING! It's become my mantra (and I've had a few) No matter what happens, if you fall down, get injured, fall off the wagon, dust yourself off and just keep going - don't stop, don't stop, don't stop! The only person you will hurt by stopping is yourself!

4. The only person stopping you from doing this is you! Don't listen to the evil you telling you to slow down, stop, or your muscles hurt - You can do it (f you just keep going)

****

I have some more bloggy type stuff to tell you all too...

So at the start of this round, not sure if you remember, but I was paying out my husband for his love of running - I think I called him crazy.... Then I went for my first "run" I made it 20 meters - holding my boobs and the puppy (who'd of thought you'd need a sports bra?) Then ended up in bed for the next day with a massive headache...

Well 16 weeks later (today) I just ran 5kms with out stopping!!! I did 6.2kms in total but a solid 5 kms in the middle - I just kept going... I didn't think I would ever get there.... I would hoping to get to 1km by the end of this round, but I guess the zombie training has paid off...

I have been working on slowing down my run, pacing myself and getting further - I've been monitoring my heart rate and slowing myself down to keep it at a sustainable limit, but I thought at the most I would get to was 2 kms... WOW! I cried when I got home (and have started crying again now) I'm just really proud of myself, and i know it sounds uppity, but I really have worked super hard to get here, and.... **blinking tears away**

I'm just super proud of myself and my family, they have been so supportive...

Argh! I'm a blubbering mess!!!


**Sucking it up**

So, I have decided - and told my husband that I will be doing the City to Bay this year... it's 12kms so I have a heap of training to do before then, but hopefully by then I'll be 10kgs lighter and much more able to make the distance!

Saturday 2 February 2013

What a difference 12 weeks can make!

 So, it's nearly the end of the round, so in anticipation I took my before and after pics...

I think I'm looking a bit hot in my SIZE 10 Valentine's Day undies and SIZE 12 bra  (shhh don't tell Matt, it's a surprise)

Thursday 31 January 2013

OMFG I DID IT!

When I started this round I had a total disbelief that I could actually achieve my goal of losing 20kgs for the round, but guess what - I DID!!!

I MADE MY GOAL WEIGHT FOR THE ROUND TODAY!!!! WOO HOOOOOOO!!!!! I celebrated with a PT session and a 5km run! No more junk food celebrations for me... 20kgs lost for the round!

I am so happy right now - plus I just tried on my goal pants... TOO BIG!!! HAHAHA!

Now it's a race to see if I can reach my outside goal (of getting to 70kgs)

Tuesday 29 January 2013

What is happening to me?!?

Well, it's down to the wire now... 1 week and one day to go... what could possibly happen to stop me now?!?... Come on, this is me we're talking about, we all know something has to happen... but I'll get to that in a minute...


Today the kids went back to school!  Hooray, not just for the serenity factor but it was like my coming out party too... The thinner me anyway, and I couldn't have planned it better if I tried...



When we arrived I had lots of compliments (yay) and I even had one mum come up to me and say - I saw your facebook post and I wanted to let you know that I have joined up too - She said she was telling me because she was doing the say it out loud task and she knew I would understand - and I totally did.  I was so excited for her...  If she can have the same turn around I have had she is going to be the happiest woman in 12 weeks time!



PLUS - on the way out my ex- best friend (who I use as motivation to prove how good my life is with out her) drove past me in the car park and did a double take! IT WAS AWESOME!  My hubby was with me and he was cracking up laughing at her reaction, apart from the fact that she swerved out and nearly ran him over -  but that feeling -, ahhhh - it was worth every bit of pain, sweat and tears - and totally felt as good as I thought it would... God, does that make me shallow... pftt don't care - I so earned that feeling!

 So really, after a start to a day like that what could possibly happen to de-reail the stopping all stations Haze-train??

Well, let me tell you!  So, in case you haven't read my earlier posts, you may not be aware of the fact that I have PCOS, and out of all the bad things about it, there is an upside for me, I NEVER EVER get my period... EVER.  When I did my IVF treatments I had to take drugs to get one, and I wasn't overly impressed by the whole affair either...

Anyway, about a 2 or so weeks ago I got really crampy, and I got tender breasts... and I rushed out and bought a pregnancy test, miracles happen right?  Nope, it was a single line only... no miracles for me this month...  So this crampy thing has been going on for the past 2 weeks and I wasn't sure what to make of it... I assumed it was just something to do with the weight loss and my body readjusting... Then I craved chocolate, after 16 weeks I saved up one of my snacks and had a chocolate last night - and it was GOOD...


OK so I know the signs are all there and they are all really obvious, but delirious me continued on in my own little world... Until... I was doing a zombie run this afternoon - and let me tell you I was KILLING it!!  I did 5 x 5min free form runs (with no stopping with 3 min walks in between) Totally zombie proud brag moment... I was on my last run when I got a terrible shooting pain under one of my ribs... I assumed it was a stitch, I never get stitches, W.T.F man...

But I got home to find out that it was TTOTM (for me M stands for millennia) It explains sooo much - like yesterday I had a meltdown moment when I got on the scales and saw that I had put on 200gms! and I haven't cheated on diet or exercise...  Plus I got all teary during my Zombie run the other day - I was  bawling my eyes out while I was running because one of the people who tell the story had a loved one die... And today when I was running off that 200gms I started to get all teary when I realised I had nearly lost 20 kgs and I was so close to my goal...

So now I can explain the gain I dont feel so bad, I was dreading having to tell you all about it... But I am hoping after the accelerator day, and the run I did today I will be at least even or even a bit under last weeks weigh in...

I'll let you all know tomorrow!

Friday 25 January 2013

A week of highs, lows and everything in between

I'm not sure where to begin...I have had a week of high highs, and low lows, and one silly incident that could only happen to me...  I guess I will start with the bad first...

I was made to feel bad by some people I considered friends, without going into details let's just say I was down for a few days before I decided to 'Take back the power' (well that's what Dr Phil would say)  I was giving in to other peoples perceptions and starting to believe them - well, that had to stop!  I felt a downward spiral approaching, you know the one, the self loathing that's followed by bad eating and pity parties in front of the TV?!?!

So I sucked it up, got back on top of things and kept to my diet and exercise routine and things started to come good...until my husband and I made the decision that  has been coming for a while... we will have to sell our farm :(

It's only a relatively small hobby farm (14 acres) but we've been here for 8 years and in that time we have planted a full orchard, and just put in our own olive trees to make our own olive oil.  So by the time everything comes good we will no longer be here...  But it's the little things that have me down again, like the boys height marks on the wall that we have made every month.  It's the kids hand prints in the concrete slab of the shed, the 2 oak trees growing in the front garden that I gave Matt for our wedding present, and (here's the killer) the Mulberry tree my Mum bought me to plant in our chook pen just before she died... (blerk I still dont want to think about it)

But the work has become too much for Matt, as he already works a lot (and is away for work a lot) and when he has a weekend or holidays he is stuck with all the handy man jobs that I can't do... plus with me going back to full time Uni soon and then working, all the stuff I currently do wont get done either...  We have been left with no time for ourselves or each other so we made the hard decision to sell...

I dread the thought of moving back into suburbia... our current house is 7 bedrooms so there is the down sizing thing too... Plus we still have all the work we to do to get the house to a salable condition, which is going to take 6 months to complete, so we cant just up and move and get it over with...  <insert big sigh here>

So there's my lows... Now for my highs...

I finally did a Zombie run on the road, so I was able to track exactly how far I can go now - 8.7kms!!

Ok, so that's a jog/walk combo and it takes me 1:20hrs but still it's a far cry from the girl who had to hold her boobs in place to get 50 meters and then have a head ache for the next 2 days! 

I have done 2 zombie runs this week plus 2 PT sessions, softball training was cancelled and we have a bye this week.... so I haven't done much else, because (here comes the silly Hazism) I dislocated my shoulder doing star-jumps!!!

I know, I know, it could only happen to me right!?  But it's not as bad as it sounds... I was doing a round of 50 (x3) star jumps at bootcamp, when as I was raising my arms I heard it pop, but I was in the swing of things and when I bought my arm back down it popped again... I crunched and ached through the rest of the session but I just assumed I had wrenched it some how...  It wasn't until it became increasingly painful and I lost full motion of it that I realised when I had done...  so after a terrible sleepless night it is still aching but I have nearly the full range of movement back but now its just really, really sore!!

But hey, that's the bad and the ugly, now for the good news...

I got an email from MB saying that I was in the top 15% of Round 4'ers  with an 11.95% loss  - That's pretty cool hey!?  Although if we count warm-up and pre-season it's about a 20% loss which is way cooler!

Another bit of good news is that I am only about 1kg away from  my initial round 4 goal of losing 20kgs before the next round begins, admittedly I secretly wanted to get to 70kgs but 71.2 was my initial goal and I am so close - if I can get to 71.2 or below I will be very proud of myself - haters be damned!!! 

Which means as of last Wednesdays weigh in I have only got 7kgs to lose to get to my healthy weight range... I know it will take me a month or two to get there but I was really happy when I realised I was closer to being in the healthy weight range than I am to being in the obese category (which is where I was when I started)

So here's to us getting to our goals!

Friday 18 January 2013

Rocking a size 12!

Yesterday sucked!  It's been a long time since I have felt the way I did.  I usually let drama and B.S. slide off me but yesterday was crappy!  I don't know how many times Evil Haze told me to 'Pick up that bag of chips and sit on the couch,' or If you drop out of the 12WBT it wont matter,'  and I don't know how many times I considered eating badly for the instant gratification...  Eventually I decided that if I were to cave like that I really would be letting the haters win...  And I'm all about the proving them wrong...

So after what seemed like a never-ending day filled with drama and discord I showered, got into my PJ's, picked up a book and read for 4 hours straight...  I sometimes like to escape into a fantasy world where the drama happens to others and I am but a mere spectator - no I didn't go for a run, no I didn't take it out on the treadmill but hey, it's better than eating crap!

I finally got to bed at about midnight and slept through till 7:30am - Ahhh!   A little bit of sleep and a good read left me all refreshed and ready to start a new day with a new, positive outlook.

Dad rang, he got his Dr's results and he has type 2 Diabetes...  He wants my help to lose weight and start eating healthy!  So I drove around to his place, we talked it through and we went and did his groceries together.  I was so proud of him!  Even though he is on the pension and cant afford to buy a lot I managed to talk him into buying light and low fat things and showed him how to work out calories etc.

After we finished our groceries I stopped off at Big W and Target to buy some cheap 'interim clothes'  I really dont have anything left that fits but as I want to lose more weight I needed some cheap clothes that would get me through the next month or two...

I looked through all the racks of clothes but didn't like much - until I realised I was in the 'big girls' section!!  I don't need to go to the 'Big' section anymore!!!  Woo Hoo so I grabbed a bung of size 14's and headed for the change rooms - THEY WERE TOO BIG!!  OMG I am a size 12!!!  I took a pic in the change room of me wearing a 'Stretch' size 14 top and size 12 pants!  Yes, I know the top is too clingy (at the moment) and I didn't buy it - But I did buy 4 pairs of size 12 pants!!! OH YEAH!!

And just for a change, I really enjoyed shopping, I had grown to hate it - and before now I predominately bought all of my clothes online... This is AWESOME - I went from a day of disaster yesterday, to a day of delirium today - Now when my friends want to go out for shopping and coffee - I CAN GO!

Wednesday 16 January 2013

Weigh in day week 9

So today I only had a 400gm loss :( - I think the issue is now that I am not eating enough... plus I am being a big old slacker in the water drinking department too...  It is on my list of things to do better at. (It's a bloody long list too)

On Monday (or day after embarrassing bee sting) I was fine and I got up to exercise to find my hubby on the bottom of the shower (yes in my spot too) but he was sick, really really sick... I turns out he is allergic to bee stings...  So I got him out of the shower and I was very worried about him, so all plans of training went out the window.  Plus he refused to accept it was an allergy or go to the hospital...

I ended up playing nursemaid all day - without the sexy outfit - and got nothing done.  Very disappointing and not at all going to cut it.  By the late afternoon he was out of bed and moaning on the lounge so I decided that he wasn't going to die and I took the kids and the puppy for a 6km walk into town and back, admittedly I bribed them with icy poles in town if they came with me but we all went for the walk and I managed to burn just over 200 Cals - so the day wasnt a complete waste!

Tuesday we walked around the city shopping and today I had softball practice (did I mention how much I am now loving softball?)  tomorrow is going to be 41!!!  So it's a pool party polooza with the both of the kids having friends over for the day... and Friday I WILL go for a Zombie run BEFORE my PT session if I can get all the kids down to the oval with me (I have 5 kids sleeping over Thursday night)  But I really need a big cal burn day and I need it NOW!!!

Did anyone else LOVE accelerator Tuesday??  OMG I ate sooo much and was so full it was amazing!!  We had snapper on the BBQ and blue swimmer crabs for dinner and it was AMAZING...  If only seafood wasn't so darn expensive - I spent $53 for seafood for 2 adults and 2 kids... But it was super fresh and super yummy... and I am not buying take out any more which would have probably been about the same so I shouldn't complain!

How was everyone elses weigh in this week?  3 weeks out from out goals.... YIKES  I really do need to up my game!!!

Sunday 13 January 2013

Entry 57 - Jan 13 2013

I have got another embarrassing tale to tell you all, but I will leave it until a bit later to fill you in... I have other things that I need to get out of the way first...

I mentioned the other day that I am organising a local bootcamp to get everyone involved... Well it is now happening - every Friday and every Monday, which means I kind of have to attend... But I am replacing my one on one session with the PT for 2 bootcamps - financially it works out the same but I got far bigger DOM's with my one on one session... I will just play it by ear and if I think that the bootcamps aren't enough for me I will switch to a PT session instead...

Don't get me wrong, at the moment I get DOM's every second session and I still struggle to get through them but they are getting easier each time - even though the work outs are getting harder! Tomorrow I must go for a run first - I haven't done a run for about a week and a half (not including the 1km time trial) so I am feeling like my life as Runner 5 (zombie training speak) is being seriously neglected...

Speaking of DOMs... Yesterday was my 3rd game of softball, (797 cals burnt for the game) but I only got up to bat once (and struck out) the other team KILLED us, even our best players were struck out... but I played second base and ran around a lot then was sent into right field because they were all such big hitters... I was running around like a mad thing - and loving it!

I have been askedif I would like to be trained as a pitcher, something I never really thought about, but yesterday I got out there after the game and practised pitching - and today I can barely lift my right arm! OMG I didn't know how much a pitcher used their tricep muscles... I think I am going to have a big bulging right arm if I dont start working out the other one too!... Or as a friend said I will be a lopsided Popeye!

Well today, once again, I am entirely grateful for my day off, especially due to the fact that it rained a lot this morning, highly unusual for SA this time of year, but we are very glad for it that's for sure! Anyway once the rain cleared we decided that we really needed to go and tend to our bee hives - we are newbie bee-keepers so we are learning as we go too... (here comes the embarrassing story)

We noticed that one of our hives had stuck their frames to the base board with honey comb, this is something we needed to clean up...

So of we trekked all decked out, determined to not get stung again (this has been happening a bit lately, last one was on my cheek bone as it got under my veil). So I was prepared this time, I had long pants, long shirt, veil and long elbow length leather gloves - nothing was going to get me today!

We got the smoker fired up and everything was going smoothly - even though we had some seriously ticked off bees... you can tell when they are angry as their buzzing sounds different.

Anyway, we were doing really well and had scraped the base of the first frame clean when a felt a crawling up my leg - but I couldn't do anything I was holding a bee laden frame with thousands of bees all over it..

Me: 'Maaaattt, There is something crawling up my leg...'
Matt: 'You'll be right, it's probably just an ant, just keep going.'
Me: 'Seriously, the only ants down here are bull ants and I don't want them up my pants, I have to put this frame back in and get it out,'
Matt: 'Next time tuck your pants into your socks.'
Me: ''
Matt: 'Ok, just get the frame back into the hive and get it out'
Me: [rushing to get the frame back in whilst walking like a cowbow so I don't squash the ant into my crotch area] (which is where the thing had crawled to by this stage)
Matt: 'Pull down your pants!'
Me: 'Wow Babe, so romantic... OUCH!!!'
Matt: [trying desperately not to laugh] 'You ok, was it an ant?'
Me: 'NO IT WAS NOT AND IT GOT ME RIGHT ON MY &*^%'

So you get the idea... I got stung on the rude bits by a bee! But then a few bees fell into Matt's glove and stung his wrist (that's what you get for not wearing the right gloves Mr Smarty Pants!) But then I got stung on the shin through my trackie pants, so we gave up - we will have to do it again next weekend... (I am totally wearing Jeans tucked into socks next time) At least the honey that we got was delicious, but totally not worth the price!

So, now the issue is that I have a sore (you know what)....which I am hoping it is better by tomorrow because at this stage I can't walk without it hurting let alone do a boot camp or a run!!

And on that incredibly embarrassing note I am off to cook dinner!

I hope you are all having a good rest day too!! Take care all and fill me in on what you are up to!

Entry 56 - Jan 2013

Mini Milestone fitness test and measure up done!!

Man did I find some excuses not do my 1km time trial till this morning - and I still found some, but none of them were going to stop me today.

I had done everything yesterday and had some good improvements - I knew they weren't going to be as good as my first mini milestone because I think if I lost that many cms again I would be see through... but I haven't yet gone over 1200 cals and I have been getting in some good exercise, although I still haven't done any additional MB workouts... I am going to do those next round, or once I get to my goal weight.

But I am still zombie running, not for a week though as it is too hot, so I have been swimming, softballing and bootcamping... all things I have grown comfortable with, in fact, if I tell you all the truth... I started the bootcamp, I convinced the PT to run them but I organised the times, date, attendees, and I have even designed posters to put up around town and I will be handing them out as flyers at the bootcamp so that people can recruit their friends and work mates...

I am ground zero and I have the get fit bug. Sorry folks, I am afraid it's contagious and it's spreading quickly! Plus I figure the more people attending the less likely I am to pike out, so it's purely selfish motivation!

On other BIG NEWS my oldest has finished his chemo! It's such a big relief, for him and me, although probably for him more - his specialist is on holidays and we will get the results on the 7th March. However we were told all early signs are positive and once the drug have all passed through his system we will know more for sure! YAY US!

Anyway to the stuff you all really want...(yeah right) Here are my results :


Total Loss: 64cms
Total Weight Loss: 17kgs
Wall Sit: 43 second improvement
Push-ups: 4 more from toes and 10 more from knees
Sit and reach: 3cms better
Time Trial - (6:11:7) 23 seconds better than last time (1min 23seconds better over all)

BUT BEST OF ALL...

I REACHED ONE OF MY OWN GOALS - I ran the entire 1km WITHOUT STOPPING!!

There were so many times that I wanted to stop (my heart rate was 198 when I finished) but what got me through was the thought of writing this exact message. I thought of what excuses I could give other than I just couldn't do it - and even though I knew you would all understand.

I just didn't want to let you all down, plus the kids were at home waiting to see if I made it - what sort of an example would I be to them and to you all if I just quit? I wanted to show them and you that if you really try hard you can and will achieve your goals!

How did everyone else go? Does anyone want to share their before and 'after/progress' pictures?

Entry 55 - Jan 2013

Today I would just like to shoot the breeze with you all, there are a few things that I have been tossing up whether or not to put in my blog - but I figure if I can put a nearly naked picture of my me at my fattest up here why can't I tell you the balls out, honest truth??

When I first signed up for this program, I did it without telling anyone, whilst sitting in my office one night - hey who is going to know if I fail if I don't tell anyone??

Then I cried, I must have cried for a good 30 minutes... At the time I thought I was crying because I was so down on myself for being a fatty and admitting defeat before I had even started...

But in hind sight I think I was grieving... I know it sounds weird but I truly think I was grieving for the loss of my lifestyle. It wasn't a healthy lifestyle but hey, it was mine and I owned it!. I was renowned for begin a great cook, and cooking the most delicious and decadent foods, plus no-one quite cooks a roast like me...

I think that I had surrounded myself with food and food past times (baking, cooking, cake-decorating etc) in order to excuse the fact that I had become so big. How can anyone be around that much food and not eat it, right?? I bet a lot of you are the same, or are renowned for a food related activity... like going out to eat a lot, or being the take away king or queen...

It wasn't until about the 1st week in I realised this, and at the same time I realised I could still have the same 'food-type' recognition but instead of doing the best roasts I would make the yummiest low calorie food, food so good that you wouldn't even know it's low calorie... I also realised I didn't have to go without all the foods I loved.

I can still have a yummy roast meal - I just control my portion sizes - and if truth be told, I don't like them as much any more. In fact our tradition of having a Saturday roast (everyone comes here for dinner) has now changed to Saturday curry night. And not one person has complained - instead I get complimented on how the low fat curry tastes as good if not better than a full fat version! Although I did get a few complaints about the windy after effects...

My father is really very fat (XXL tops) He is English and they were raised poor, Angela's Ashes poor. But throughout his teens he was sporty, he actually played goal keeper for the reserve Manchester United team, well back in his day (50 years ago) all throughout my childhood he was active Dad and would run around with us, but his eating never changed. Salt on everything and potatoes (usually chips) with every meal. When I say salt on everything - I mean everything - he even has butter on toast with salt, salt on pizza, and salt on sausage rolls - everything!!

Then as he stopped being active Dad he started to put on weight. In my teenage years he had multiple heart attacks and triple bypass surgery later on, but still he hasn't changed his eating patterns. So, I grew up this way too. Although I was always playing a sport or doing athletics etc etc so what I ate didn't matter too much back then - not like it does now!

It scary to think that these little things influence our children so dramatically. I can't blame my Dad for my weight problems today, as I was also raised by my ultra clean eating mother, who even when I was a kid grew, she grew/raised our own veggies and fruit and eggs. But I think as all 'Daddy's little girls' know - you do what Daddy says, not Mummy... boy how that changed later on in life... But I have notices that my kids are changing too - tonight I have had a request for special sausages and Cauliflower mash (the recipe I wrote a few pages back) So I will make these and I might enter them in the competition too...

From very early on in life I had decided that I wanted to regret doing things rather than regret not doing them... In other words I was going to do everything, take on anything and never say, NO! This philosophy has been a tremendous amount of fun, a huge amount of trouble but something I have forgotten recently. However I don't think that when I decided to adopt this philosophy I included eating everything - and I ate a lot - but that is past tense and now I am healthy eating Haze!

I did some food shopping yesterday (I shop daily at them moment - but yesterday was just fruit mainly, I bought lots of berries, and berries are not cheap ($7.99 for a punnet of blackberries!) but I am still better off financially than I was before. I think it is because now I only buy what I need, not whatever I want. And without all the junk food and soft drinks our grocery bill has come down by about $200-$300 per week!!! Which is handy because over our Christmas/Birthday month we spent waaaaay too much... I will have to work on the spends too much issue shortly or I'm never going to get to wear my bikini in Borneo (Major 1 year Goal)

Speaking of stretch marks (did you like that segway?) is there actually any way to get rid of them? Or will I have these reminders of my fat forever? Also, has anyone had laser hair removal? (PCOS makes for a lot of unwanted facial hair) I was thinking of having it done but am a bit worried that it doesn't work, or you get scars from it... I think my tweezer fingers are the part of my body that gets worked on the most!

I must thank you all again for your posts - it is nice to know you are all still reading it (Sally I haven't heard from you for a while I hope you are still going strong!) And I loved Vanessa's comment about reading this blog from the start! You guys and gals warm my heart!!

Love to you all - and thanks for 'Listening'.

Entry 54 - Jan 2013


So Friday was a record breaking day of heat here is SA (48.7 degrees according to my neighbours weather station) - and we still managed to get 6 people out for a bootcamp (in the shade and with minimum cardio) Plus I got in 2 swims and burnt a total of 900 Cals for the day... It wasn't really too bad - as it was a circuit type bootcamp and it was a basic session (no massive weights or excessive sit-ups!) so I pulled up fine on Saturday... apart from my first softball game back after the break...

I assume most of you know that this is my second ever game... and that being said - I am not very good...

My goal for yesterday was to get to first base and to get one out... I managed to stop the ball and chuck it to first base to assist in an out, so I am counting that, and in the first innings I made it to 2nd base (before a bizarre rule i had never heard of got me out) Apparently your foot must be touching the base when the pitcher pitches the ball and if it isn't you are out... So I didn't know this and although my foot was close it wasn't deemed to be touching so I got out... I was mystified, embarrassed and a little bit cross too!!

I mean really - if the team didn't sit around drinking and smoking during practise I might have known that... Well I know now!

Anyway in the 2nd innings I made it to 3rd base before loaded bases made me run home (on a bunt) so I really had no chance of getting home safely - but luckily I got to get out of the heat for a little while - It was very hot (35) and not a skerrick of breeze to whisk away the sweat...

I was on second base again and I have now had it confirmed that of all the positions 2nd base runs the most - which I assume is why they put me there! I burnt 905 Calories for the game and then came home had a cold shower, some lunch, and slept for an hour, I woke with a pounding headache... too much heat I think.

So after all that today is my day off and I really think I need it as I have another bootcamp scheduled for tomorrow morning, nice and early so we can get it done before the forecast heat of 42 hits!

I was cleaning out my office today, before uni starts up again I wanted to do a complete clean out, I came across a photo my Mum took of my and the boys when they first came to live with us 8 years ago - it is terrible...

My mum passed away shortly after this picture was taken and I got so upset thinking that this is how she knew me (admittedly I got bigger than this picture too) I have attached this picand one taken in 2010, still not my biggest but I tend to hide from the camera so fat pics are hard to find.

I now have these up on my wall to remind me of what will happen if I ever get complacent about my health again...

I hope you all had great weekends and are all going to post amazing stats up for your next mini milestones!! I am not sure how I am going to go with my 1km but I aim to do it all in one go - no stopping, but it is going to be really hot here this week so I will try to get it done early one morning - probably Wednesday at this stage.

Good luck everyone!!!

Entry 54 - Jan 2013


So big news - today's post comes with photos!!! I have done half way comparison shots, I am now wishing that I had done a side shot from when I started - but I cried enough over the 1st one so... Anyway no paper in the house to hold but as it's not an official weigh in or picture I didn't think it mattered too much!

I am so glad I can see that my tummy is getting smaller (side view) because when I look down - it looks the same... I was beginning to despair. I thought I was losing weight everywhere but my tummy - but I was wrong!! And look at my butt!! (five words I can remember saying ever) it's like a little peach (no fuzz jokes necessary)

Just when I was getting a bit down on myself for not doing better or not losing more this picture is going to inspire me to keep on going, and yes I know I need to buy new bras and undies... maybe in a few weeks time... although I have been saying that for weeks!

Perhaps those of you that are feeling a little down on yourselves should do a comparison shot too? I would dearly love to see them - it's my favourite part of the site (apart from talking to you guys of course) seeing the transformations and thinking that will be me some day!

I have softball training tonight and I am going to try to get them motivated to put out the cigarettes and do a bit more training and a lot less chatting!!

P.S.

I have organised a beginners boot camp (for all my really unfit mum friends, and a few 12wbt'ers are coming along too - it's on Friday morning and it's going to be 42 degrees!! It will be like Bikram yoga (with out the yoga)

Oh and a BIG loss this week 1.8kgs!!! WOO HOO. Gotta love/hate my personal trainer!