Another week gone

Well today is the last day of the holidays for me. Back to work on Monday and I am actually looking forward to it - being inactive is driving me stir crazy. This holiday has virtually been visits to the physio (and let me say here traction feels wonderful).

Shock last night when I got on the scales at weight watchers. Have been struggling all week to keep within points allowance and had estimated that I was over 20 points for the week. Got on the scales and the weight loss was 1.1 kgs for the week. I made them weigh me on the other set of scales too as I thought something wasnt right. The only thing I can put it down to is that I overestimated the dining out meals points (but I know I didnt count everything I ate as it all became too tedious). Anyway a loss is a loss.

The lovely thing (in my mind anyway) is when the physio straps me into the traction belts she tells me everytime how little I am as the belt goes around my hips and has to be tucked under again! LOL.

I am so glad Wal and Adro won last night and didnt they look great. Jess and I were a little disappointed with some of the others. On the US show when they all came back they seemed to have lost more and toned more then the Aussies. DH watched it for virtually the first time and was amazed that some had lost quite a lot of weight and still looked large. Maybe the timeframe was different. Id like to see them all again in 6 months at perhaps another reunion just to see how they are going. Adro surely must be an inspiration to his family. Jess was telling me that apparently he was seen jogging in the next suburb recently as when he jogs where he lives he gets mobbed. Dont know whether this is true or not but it couldnt happen to a nicer guy.


I am trying to change my mindset about losing weight. This time my journey has been different from any other time. Before I have followed the WW menus religously which in hindsight was not a good thing to do. I thought it suit my regimented style (a life of lists) but in reality it set me up for failure once I reached my goal as I went straight back to eating anything and everything. This time Ive done it myself, tracking as best I could, but eating meals I devised myself.



Alcohol still remains a problem and have decided that I wont imbibe at all during the week as that one little glass usually led to two. Not enough water being drunk daily which is an ongoing problem at home but no so much at work. Have started to slowly change my family's eating patterns (as regards to what they eat). I dont care how slim they are though I do tend to nag about eating the chicken skin etc.


Not much movement happening. Cant go to gym and am not allowed back at pilates this week. Physio wants me to wait another week before I try it again. Walked up to letterbox at top of the street the other day and I swear, if Id had my phone with me, I would have rung Mark and asked him to come and get me. Leg really started to ache. Tai Chi starts again on the 6th so hopefully I am well enough to stand by then. If not I will sit and try to do some of the exercises that way. Am thinking of trying swimming again but will have to check with physio first. I WANT TO GET BETTER!

Another question (thanks to everyone who gave me answers last time)
Have decided to get a mini tramp and duly circled one in the Rebel Sports catalogue for around $80 and gave to son and said this is what I want for Mothers Day, maybe you and your sister can go halves. Have seen a rebounder in the KMart catalogue and wonder what the difference is. Can anybody tell me?

Things I have achieved this week:
1. New kitchen installed in 1999. Coating on doors peeling off where heat affected. Also doors (white) have yellowed. Have been doggedly chasing kitchen company since last November and they have been fobbing me off quite well but someone came yesterday and they will replace all the doors and drawers free of charge.

2. Sent my first grocery order in online for delivery tomorrow. Took me a long time to do but got there eventually and have now set it up so next time will not be so arduous.

3. Foxtel arriving today for a 2 month free trial. I will be able to watch the rugby to my hearts content for 2 months.

Busy weekend ahead - going into the city to watch rugby with Mark and then off to have dinner in Surry Hills with friends from Queensland. Housewarming tomorrow night at Arncliffe (another trip across the harbour for us). Sunday rest and prepare for work on Monday.

Cleaning lady starting next Wednesday. Yay!

Have a good weekend everyone, catch up during the week with you all.

A Gain and I'm Having a Moan

I had a gain this week of 200g. I know this is not much but it is something I am having difficulty with at the moment.

Without eating any chocolate whatsoever this week I was 29 points over. We have been out a lot and I am finding it extremely difficult to monitor what I eat and drink when we go out. No the drinking usually isnt too bad and I try to go for the best dish I can find on the menu - yesterday went with Mum to RSL for lunch (not my choice) and had the vegetarian fettucine in nap sauce which looked the best of a bad lot and a diet coke. My problem is that we went out again last night to friends for dinner and I couldnt exactly order from a menu and it was pasta again. Mark said to ask them for a really small serving (this was after they had served) but I felt it was rude to do that - stupid I know! The dinner was for their eldest son who is off to Iraq in a couple of weeks for 6 to 9 months so I felt my dietary problems didnt really amount to much at that particular moment.

Here I am again roughly 13 points over for the day and I will spend the rest of the week trying to peg that back.

Good news is we are entertaining tomorrow night at home and I am in control of the menu so I will be able to pick things that suit me like marinated atlantic salmon, new potatoes and a salad. There will be a tart for dessert but not for me.

Note to self: get mineral water to make spritzers.

Problems:
How to go out as much as we do and stay within my points.

Goal:
To learn how to eat only, say half, of a "bad" meal when I am out.

Question:
1. Need new shoes - thinking about Rykas (?)from Athletes Foot. Does anybody have these shoes and are they any good?
2. Want to buy a mini trampoline to exercise on. Does anybody have one and are they beneficial?

I missed my dentist appointment this morning by 45 minutes. Unbelievable! My mind is going on me. It was written in my diary correctly but infused into my mind wrong. Oh well there is always next school holidays.

Cleaning lady is coming this afternoon to talk about cleaning house for me. Now dont laugh but I have to go and clean my house before she comes.

Oh also made a meatloaf which I got off a WW forum for dinner last night (still fed the children)and it got the thumbs up from the kids especially Jess who normally doesnt like meatloaf. Its estimated points value per serving was 5.5 and it was really yummy and easy to make.

From the kitchen of LEANORA_96
Servings 4

Ingredients:
500g extra lean ground beef
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup grated low-fat tasty cheese
1/2 cup fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1 small onion chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbs parsley
2 tsp Italian Herbs
1 tbs tomato sauce
1 tbs worcestershire steak sauce (I used just plain worcestershire sauce)
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180C and lightly grease a loaf pan
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl andmix thoroughly
3. Press mixture in prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour

There was a special note - wheat bran is a good substitute for breadcrumbs.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

City to surf

Made a decision this morning. Am going to enter the City2Surf this year. I havent done it since I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arithritis but except for the back am feeling really good at the moment. Registration is in June so have a bit of time up my sleeve to drop the final 3 or 4 kilos to my own goal weight, build up my strength and get prepared to start the 10 week training program. It will only be the Fun program and I will probably walk the course rather than run it but all going well I will be there.

My back is feeling better after 3 physio visits and am now doing stretching and strengthening exercises one to two times a day. Taking it slowly with no gym, pilates, tai chi, yoga or balance.

Have cleaned out under my bed of the bags of clothes (they are now all in the family room)and boxes of teddy bears. Have made the difficult decision to send my teddy bears to Lifeline or somewhere. They are just taking up room at the moment and I am sure that there are small children out there who would love them as much as I do. The clothes are even harder. I didnt realise I have so many tops. The throw out pile is small, the charity pile is small and the stay pile is growing daily. Am going to go through it again today to try to be a bit more ruthless.

Had vacuumed under our bed as best I could and when Mark came home from work he and Gareth actually moved the bed and vacuumed where I could not reach for which I am really thankful.

Ironing lady's husband came last night and picked up the excess ironing which was once again a great relief and I am going to try to contact someone today about helping me clean the house. This should give me more time out in the garden (where I want to be on the weekends we are home).

Hope everyone is enjoying their short week. The weather is glorious.

Goal reached!

Funny thing happened this week. I got back into the range for my Weight Watchers gola weight. I lost 1.2 kgs this week.

Now how I lost it I will have not idea. My points were way over, I have not exercised at all because of my back being so sore (am back at physio again so hopefully that will get better soon but it is a slow process). Admittedly I did try to reign in the point overload during the last 3 days.

Anyway my WW weight is 63kgs - I would like it to be a little less but the good news is that if I keep it under 64 kgs I dont have to pay. So that should be another incentive.

So far Easter has been horrendous points wise and I have even got to Easter Sunday yet!

On the home front, Mum has announced she is moving to Queensland to be near my eldest sister which should be good for her. Whether it actually happens or not only time will tell. She rang to tell me on Thursday all excited and then rang back yesterday stressed out. I think that this may be one of her "tyre kicking" exercises (she used to drag us around looking at houses she had no intention of buying, for something to do) that has now progressed too far, or further than she intended it to progress, and she cant back out of it without looking foolish. ES will be good for her as, while ES is very active, she will be able to monitor Mum herself and not have to rely on us. Hopefully Mum will settle down and behave when she gets up there. If not ES will know first hand what we have been going through. Seems to be happening really quickly. Should know on Tuesday if house offer has been accepted and then Mum will send up cheque and the legal things will be completed and Mum will be off.

Keep your fingers and toes crossed that all goes to plan.
:o)

Soppy Stuff

Just a short one, hear me Julie, a short one.

I read everything that comes my way - the newsletters from Weight Watchers in both Australia and USA, magazines, newspaper articles etc etc. Looking for that slight edge that will help me make sense of what I am trying to achieve.

But really, the most help comes from fellow bloggers. You are not experts but ordinary people (and I mean that in the nicest possible way) who are trying to achieve the same things that I am trying to achieve.

You all inspire me, I would miss you if you werent there anymore. You provide so many wonderful ideas, recipes and of course the all important motivation to keep going. Any problems - you help solve them, questions - the answer is usually there next time I look

I cant believe how lucky I was to find this medium to correspond with some really remarkable women (thanks M, you were the first one I found and it has grown from there).

I know some of you are talking about taking a break and I know that you are entitled to do this but please do not underestimate the impact that you have on others.

In other words, you guys really rock and my world would be less without you and no matter how many articles I read or television shows I watch nothing could possibly replace you.
:o)

Autumn

Wasnt all doom and gloom last night. Lost 100g which was better than staying the same (only just) or gaining (definitely).

Want to get back in the 63kgs because I then wont have to pay WW anymore as I will be in my goal weight range for Weight Watchers although not in my personal goal weight range which is a bit lower.

Big weekend coming up - may go to pub tonight to watch rugby but it starts at 5:30pm so may not make it on time and I really need to catch up with paperwork at home. I actually think that there are a few bills that I have not paid due to lack of time (I know that is not an excuse). I remember when I was younger that pay day was a big thing but I suppose that is one of the bonuses of growing older and having less money hassles, paydays come and go now virtually unremembered. This of course will change once we become pensioners and need to worry about money again.

Saturday is the last tai chi lesson for the term. This terms form has been rain and it has been a short sequence of movements but a bit tricky with lots of turning. When I practise the children think I'm cute (I think they are humouring me). The movements still dont come naturally and are a bit stilted as I have to think what I am doing but grace will come eventually I hope.

After tai chi may go into gym to have breakfast with Saturday morning ladies. I only know their first names and have known them for about six months, but I really enjoy their company between tai chi and pilates when we have breakfast.

No pilates this week as I am off the see Dusty at the Star City Casino (at least I think that is where it is at). Some girlfriends organised it and we are going to the matinee and then afterwards catching a ferry from Darling Harbour around to the Quay to meet the menfolk for dinner. They opted not to come to Dusty - a move that they may come to regret as I am sure that we will not be able to get the songs out of our minds and will be singing them for weeks to come.

Planning on getting stuck into the garden again on Sunday plus a trip out to Swanes at Dural, if I have time, to buy a few more plants to replace the ones that didnt survive summer. I love garden centres - they make me all enthused and this is a really big one.

Autumn is here in Sydney. The humidity is gone, the nights are cool. Daylight saving has ended and my body clock has gone back to normal - all's right with the world.

Hope everyone is enjoying this magic time of year - my favourite (just in case you didnt realise it).

Only four more working days (after today) before school holidays start and I get to sleep in (kind of) for two whole weeks. Big cleaning out plans afoot concentrating on my bedroom and getting rid of clothes that no longer fit me or I havent worn for a while. Hopefully I can talk DH into repainting that room too. If not I think it is time to call in the painters. Ive never known a man to procrastinate as much as he does - we are in the beginning of buying a new TV and DVD recorder but this will take months of research. Not me, I would have bought it last weekend when we visited the Sony shop.

Oh, have worked out my problems with my blog. Just cleared the cache and it is all good now. Thank goodness for blogger help.

O-oh spoke to soon. I have had to save this as a word document as it seems to be trying to disconnect me (or it might be those government nerds).

Have a great weekend
:o)

Duh!!!

Or should I say durr.

Took my measurements the other night and realised that the measurements I showed in my side bar were for inches not cms. Think I have converted and corrected. People must have thought I had the measurements of Minnie Mouse. Or, if nobody noticed disregards the above confession.

Secondly, thought I would activate plan manager in etools and took the quiz. It has automatically lowered my points to 18 a day rather than the 20 I was claiming. I actually knew that I should only be having 18 but I was working on the tried and true formula that if nobody else knew then it didnt count.

I think that this week may be a baaaad week, weigh-in wise. I was over to start with so heaven knows what the end result is going to be.

I dont seem to be able to check my blog at work anymore. I have a feeling we have gone over to "secure internet" whatever that is and my blog is not showing any updates since 17 March at work but at home it is okay. I also cant read recent comments. Curse you government nerds. As a result I am having trouble keeping up to date with the ya yas but I will soldier on grabbing any spare seconds I have a home to check up on you all.

Hope everyone is having a good week. Back after weigh-in.
:o)