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)