How Girlie are you Quiz

You Can Hang With the Guys and the Girls

You've struck a good balance between girlie and laid back. You can keep it casual but when you dress up, you are as girly as the next girl.

How Girlie Are You?

Hey I think I've done this right for a change. Thanks Tina.

Everything going well with foot except Mark is getting progressively grumpier with all that he has to do around the house. I sometimes wonder who he thinks does all this stuff normally... the fairies.

OK guys next time I mention that I am thinking of having foot surgery remind me of this Christmas/New Year period or make sure that the children have left home and therefore most of the husband causing stress have left as well. Silly isn't it?

Take care.

Why Do I Do This?... and How Can I Stop This?

Lying around gives you lots of time to think and ask questions of yourself.

Why do I always wait until I hit rock bottom before I do the push off from the bottom (curtail my excesses), get tired and sink again? Then it all starts again.

Why?

Is it all too hard, do I forget how good it feels not to be fat, am I addicted to food - especially the food that is not good for me.

Some conclusions:
1. There is no secret to being slim
2. Start slowly (which is hard because that is when I am the most enthusiastic).
3. Be honest about what I eat.
4. Persevere.
5. Work out the best food plan for me and my lifestyle.
6. Go easy on myself.
7. An exercise plan that combines cardio/resistance is the best for me.
8. I mustn't cut my food intake too severely because my body tends to think that it is starving.
9. Prepare myself - research research research!
10. Don't blame my genes.
11. Dont overdo the exercise.
12. Understand that I will lose a lot at the beginning but the weight loss will even out and plateau.
13. Dont compare myself to others.
14. Dont obsess over what I perceive to be my problem points.
15. Visualise me when I am slimmer, healthier etc etc.
16. Mix up my diet and exercise so that my body doesn't know what is going to happen next.
17. Question why I want to reward bad days/moments with food.
18. Remind myself to STOP and think before proceeding along that pathway.

I know I can do this but I don't know I can maintain this. 2006's goal for me will be maintenance.

Merry Christmas

Doctor's visit went well. He removed stitches from foot that is black and blue and swollen and put steristrips on. No other bandages just a sock now. Mark came with me but we have different memories of what the doctor actually said so I am going to ring this morning and just double check. Dont have to go back to see him until 25th January.

Walking with crutches has not improved a great deal - my hands, shoulders and right leg are quite sore after dr visit due to the amount of distance I had to walk to get there. Mark dropped me off as near as he could and went and parked the car while I waited at a bus stop. Dr has signed a form so that we can apply for a disability parking sticker (god I feel old).

On the way home he stopped and bought a live christmas tree which is still sitting in the loungeroom undecorated as no one has had time to do it. Jess has now finished work for the year so she may have time today or tomorrow - hopefully before people arrive on Sunday.

Apparently plans for us to go to Queensland for a couple of weeks are still steaming ahead. Girlfriend rang yesterday with the suggestion that perhaps we could all go to the Magic Millions (horserace) but I must have sounded doubtful because she rang back 10 mins later and said that after talking to her DH they decided not to bother. I did say that I didnt mind it if they went and took Mark but she said no. I feel like a party pooper but then again if I had my way I would also not be going to Queensland. Tackling strange bathrooms on one leg is not fun.

I am so looking forward to the New Year. Not wishing this year away but hopefully I will be up and while not exactly running, back at the gym and walking Lucy in the wonderful mornings again. Thinking I may somehow be back at WW either next Thursday or the following Thursday (I think I will aim for the second thursday).

While I dont think I have gone overboard in the last week I have not been watching what I eat or tracking either. I find it too hard to constantly have to ask someone else to do things for me. When Mark went grocery shopping the other day asked him to buy me some WW meals as I thought that this would be easier for me. Best intentions aside - he bought me Lean Cuisine all fish meals (no vegies). Thought they were the same. Not to worry - fish is good for me. I have eaten a few choccies lately - Jess is a preschool supervisor and received a lot of choccies from the children and parents - she also has a stronger willpower than me. Friends dropped around with freshy baked scones yesterday - oh I could go on and on but I am stopping here.

Congratulations to dear Jodie - I am so pleased for you and your husband. Keep well and safe.

To everyone else, thank you for the support you have given me in the last couple of months - as I said before I am so looking forward to the new year. I am enthused again.

Merry Christmas and will talk to you next week.
:o)

I Hate Crutches

Im home alone today - everyone has gone to work. This should be interesting. The plastic chair is in the shower recess, Jess has made my lunch (vegemite sandwiches)and left all her "Sex in the City" DVDs for me to watch.

The op was very good I think. A bit of pain on Friday (nuked with drugs) and that is all. I have so many bandages on my foot it looks like a rugby ball. In hospital, the physio and I agreed that I failed crutches. I hop instead of gliding. Going up stairs is a real worry but going down isnt too bad. I kind of wish I could have stayed in hospital longer - everything was a bit easier there as the bathroom, bed etc are set up for sick people (although I know Im not really sick). It was just easier.

The surgeon visited me on Saturday morning before I came home. They were able to take the bone for the bone graft from my foot rather than from my hip which meant less pain. Also as well as a general anesthatic I had an ankle block which didnt wear off for over 12 hours and negated a lot of the initial pain.

Im afraid my goldfish is treading water at the moment. Im at the mercy of my family and I dont want to put Mark under anymore stress than he already is under. He cleaned, washed and shopped on the weekend. I know it is good for him to realise what I do, rather than come home and find it all done, but he just gets grumpy which in itself is stressful.

On a brighter note, I got a letter from Weight Watchers last week or the week before letting me know about the new "No Count" system and also I received my copy of the latest mag through the post. Once again this has inspired me to think about going back to WW sometime next month. I am also interested in the e-tools concept. I have been subscribing to the american weight watchers for a while now and am curious about it.

My gym membership is on hold for 6 weeks but hopefully I can get back into it before I go back to work in late January/early February.

I see the Dr on Wednesday to take the stitches out and then hopefully it will only be another 3 or 4 weeks before I am up and about. Have to flex my operated foot continually so that the achilles tendon doesnt shorten otherwise I wont be able to walk when the bandages do eventually come off for good. Mark is taking me to work on Wednesday for the Christmas lunch plus I have to process the pays for the casuals. There are stairs involved so not looking forward to arriving.

Oh well, I'll read a few posts and then attempt to have my shower without killing myself.
:o)

Im in a Holding Pattern

Hi guys, this may be my last blog for a while because I have had to stop taking my arthritis medication last Monday because of the impending op and I am slowly seizing up. Just about every joint is aching and some are starting to swell. And here was I thinking that the anti-inflammatories didnt really do anything. My right hand is the worse swelling-wise.

With everything that is going on at the moment I forgot about weigh in last night. I wont be able to go next week because I will be in hospital so goodness knows when I will be back in the swing on things.

So, I am officially going into a holding pattern until my life returns to normal. But I will still be reading everyones posts, continuing to be inspired by you all and I will keep in touch as much as I can. Once I can go back on the meds I should be okay again and then I have to work out an exercise routine for a person who cant walk or drive at least until the end of January.

Once I am up and off again, I will be back to Tai Chi, Pilates and Body Balance plus the gym 3 times a week and two walks around my neighbourhood a week to check out everyones housesa and gardens.

My friends are plotting how to get me a wheelchair so that I can go out with them on New Years Eve and Jess wants me to get one too so we can go shopping together. She has a vision about taking me into any shop she wants to and I wont be able to walk out but the image of that shopping expedition seems a bit pathetic to me so I think I will stay at home and plot my pre-recovery and post recovery.

Everyone, have a wonderful stressfree Christmas and New Year.
May Santa bring you everything your hearts desire or that you need.
Be kind to yourselves and if you have a lapse dont beat yourselves up, move on.
Talk to you all soon
:o)

Christmas is coming

It's hot and I havent gone to the gym as planned as I was late leaving work and it is Jess' actual 21st today and I have to cook spag bol plus friends coming to drop in more presents and drink champers. Mark coming home early from work to be master of ceremonies. (He asked yesterday how long this birthday actually goes on for.) We've had 4 pre-birthday days, today is the actual and then apparently there are post-birthday days. LOL.

Work is very hectic at the moment still but come Friday it should start to settle down and then I just have to finish everything in three days before I'm off to my health spa (sorry,I meant hospital) to put my feet up literally. Note to self: get crutches organised. Asked at work today if they would consider installing an inclinator so that I could come to the Christmas party. Might just have to sit down on the grass and have people serve me down there if I cant manage the stairs.

Food wise - this week has been more off the rails than normal. You'd think it was my birthday the amount of cake I have eaten.

Have to get my Chrissie shopping done this weekend. Jess wants an iPod for Christmas but I looked at them on the web and they are way too expensive. Mind you I have one but it has been no end of trouble so I am going to try and talk her into a MP3 player. I know the iPods look cute but I really dont think they are all that reliable (from personal observations only). Garet wanted a season ticket to the Waratahs next year so that was easy. Now just have to get something for Mark and stocking fillers for the kids (they still insist Santa is real), have ordered the ham, Mark will do the seafood and I guess anything else that needs doing.

Ive got to stop buying tops in young people's shops. The sizing seems to be out to billyo. Goodness knows, how the teenagers with weight problems feel trying on clothes in these places - they probably feel even more of a failure because the shops dont have their size. What they dont realise is that the sizing is wacko. Or is it just me. I can fit into a medium or a size 12 most of the time now but the other day I had to take back 2 medium sized tops to "Cotton On" and exchange them for 2 larges and they just fit comfortably. Not good for the ego I can tell you.

Might go for a swim now, there is a westerly blowing and poor Lucy is a puddle on the ground behind my chair. Housework to do before I do though.
Hope everyone has had a good day
:o)
PS - Philippa, cant post a comment on your site. It might be my computer, gremlins or the heat who knows. Loved your photos.

It's Over

Still really busy at work but just had to let you all know that the party went really really well. Everything turned out perfect on the night and everyone had a ball.

The venue was wonderful, the staff great and food and grog flowed all night. The music was good (Jess burned CDs - Young music and old music) everyone danced and sang badly both young and old.

It was a really magic night and she got some awesome gifts and even though it cost a bomb it meant no cleaning up or work after the party. Once we paid and left that was it.

I was feeling really down on Friday - in the heat - had to drive to NOrth Sydney to get cakes (the cupcake cake on the stand I got over the internet was a BIG hit) took me nearly 3 hours and I was just about dead when I got home. Venue rang me to tell me that there was a party next door on the same night with a band and I thought oh great. When we got down to hotel on Saturday the band next door was setting up and it was really noisy and I did ask would it be possible for them to turn the sound down and the manager said she would ask them because it was loud in our bar but really loud in the bar they were working in. Anyway, to tell you the truth we didnt hear from them again. I dont know why but it all worked out in the end. My speech (which took me a year to write) went really well.

Weigh in on Thursday night was still the same again. No change. I seem to be on a bit of a plateau at the moment but I did not exercise last week so that could explain it. Back to the gym today.

My middle sister was told by her doctor last week that she was at least 10 kilos overweight (I think probably more). Her blood pressure is very high. I have been trying to get her to do something about it for nearly a year now. I love her dearly, and she was saying the other night at the party what she eats and how much walking she does and it does sound as if she is trying to do the right thing but it may be that her metabolism has slowed right down (which I know is not fair) or she is not being entirely honest about what she eats. She asked me the other night whether I thought she was fat and I could only look her in the eye and tell her that I loved her very much and it might be a good idea to lose a little weight. I dont want to hurt her feelings as she is very sensitive (menopausal too) and she would take offence.

I am so glad the 21st party is over. Jess' actual birthday is on Wednesday and she has requested spag bol for dinner (we offered to take her out but she said that we had spent enough money on her already). Mark has got out the bottle of Dom Perignon 1993 vintage champagne and the Tiffany champagne flutes (all given to us be a client) for this special occasion.

Thanks to everyone for kind thoughts. Hopefully I will be able to use my laptop in hospital so I can keep up with everyone. Havent had time to read your blogs lately and once I get over the backlog of work both here and at home I will be back in full swing.
Take care
:o)