Weigh In Wednesday

It's been over a week since my last post, but that hasn't been in avoidance, more like a preoccupation...  You see, the exam period has started (first exam was this morning) and I have been in study mode, which means locking myself in the study and having my head stuck in textbooks and online resources.

I have studied so much lately that I feel as though I haven't seen B in weeks, other than at meal times or for a quick coffee break... However, my last exam is on Monday (with my second one tomorrow... chemistry... yay...)

Now, usually at this time of high stress I want comfort foods... namely chocolate, however, I have to say I have been pretty bloody good!  We are still doing Lite n' Easy and it has been a blessing not having to worry about food.  All we need to do is heat it up.  Of course there have been a few things that we don't like, but we have at least tried them and now will choose the alternative option.

We are about to head into our 3 week of doing LnE, and as I didn't post last week, I realise that you all have no idea about my weigh ins! haha!! So, here is a quick little update.

As our LnE week starts on a Friday night (dinner being the first meal), Wednesday kind of comes into the middle of that, but last week I lost 500g. Which I think is awesome for only a few days.  This morning I weighed in and I have lost another 1kg, meaning so far I have lost 1.5kg.

It is such a relief to see my weight going down, but in truth, I think the part I am enjoying the most is the convenience.  It is also great knowing I am eating nutritious and balanced foods, and not feeling like I am missing out.

I really can't wait until exams are finished.  I am just feeling so exhausted at the moment, and in truth, I think that sheer stubborness is holding a cold at bay, so I have a feeling that I will be sick next week, but I will be trying to get some Vitimin C into me this week to help out!

Getting Back On Track... And It Feels Awesome!

I have been meaning to write this post since Friday, but have just not managed to do it.  Admittedly, I have been focussing on uni and getting my final report done for biology and with exam starting next week I think it will be heads down, bums up... and probably an iritiable and stressed out student!

However, we started on Lite n' Easy on Friday after our first delivery.  I was hoping to have some photos to pop in here, but the delivery came while I was at work. At the moment, I am doing 7 days of lunches and dinners and so far I am loving it.  It has really taken the hassle out of everything (especially as yesterday I had to work in the morning with a baby shower in the afternoon and barely anytime to get lunch, but B was able to quickly get it ready as I ran around the house getting ready). I have left off breakfasts as I usually like to have porridge or cereal anyway, so it works out well.

I do have to confess that I have had a bit of chocolate as I have been more than a little hormonal, but not as much as I ususally would (we have put the rest of the chocolate in the freezer as I really hate cold chocolate - so I would have to really want it lol!) and yesterday I did have 2 cup cakes at the baby shower, but overall I have been sticking to it and I have already had more fruit & veggies than I usually would - and I love it!

I have decided to keep my weigh ins as Wednesdays, so that it just stays as that in my mind, plus I like the idea of weighing in with everyone else. I think I am still a 12WBTer at heart!

As for exercise, I really need to get back into it, and so far I have been all talk.  However, months ago I did sign up to do the 5km run for the Mother's Day Classic (this coming Sunday), and I have decided that I will still be participating, however I have emailed them and asked them to switch me to the 5km walk for a couple of reasons; a) I haven't been training and I wouldn't be able to run it and b) I don't want to push my knee and do any further damage to it.  I think that a walk would be a good way to see how I go and I am hoping the fun atmosphere will help break my exercise drought.

I have also decided that after my exams are done (or perhaps even before lol) that I want to start going to the gym 3 days a week.  I think right now I want to try and do the C25K.  It has been playing on my mind a bit since my previous post on running. I would love to be able to run in a fun run... I think that in a way, it would be one of those moments that I know that I could accomplish anything, as I have always told myself that I could never run.

I have also considered maybe trying to do another fitness test like in the 12WBT... but I am unsure.  I do like that it would be a great way to measure results, but I am still undecided.

Blogger Challenge Week 12: Celebration

WOOOO HOOOO!!!  Week 12!!!  You have made it!!!

It is an amazing thing to get to the end of a such a challenging program and know that you have given it your all.  Let’s be honest, everyone has down times, but there are also all of those triumphs you have had along the way.  The fact that you have made it to the end, is such a huge feat in itself and you should be so proud and recognise all of your hard work!!

My final question to you this week is how will you be celebrating your final week?  What will you be doing to reward yourself? (You might like to refer back to the Week 3 post on rewards). Tell me about what you have done, add pictures if you can!

This is the final post in the blogger challenge, I would like to thank you all for participating and I hope that you have all had as much fun responding to these questions as I have in putting it all together.  I hope that you have achieved all that you have wanted to achieve through the 12WBT program! Thanks once again, it's been a blast!! 

If you are a little confused about what to do, please read through the blogger challenge instructions (opens in a new window).

To link your answer to this blog post, just click the add your blog button below. From here you paste the link for your actual post (not your blog).This weeks Blogger Challenge will close at 11:59pm on Wednesday 9th May 2012.

Weigh In Wednesday

Well, for once I am actually posting my weigh in on Weigh In Wednesday! haha! It's about time I got myself sorted :)

Now, my weigh in went as expected - it went up.  Now, I'm not upset by this because overall I have been trying to make healthy choices when I was out and about (like having something filling for breakfast (scrambled eggs and ham on toast) rather than banana bread or french toast with bacon and mayple syrup), but we have been trying to eat what we have in the freezer to make room for our Lite n Easy order that's coming on Friday. So, anyway, my weight is 101.5kg - which I guess is my starting weight for LnE.

I have also been trying to drink a lot more water lately as well, and I have even installed an app on my phone that reminds me to have a glass of water. It probably seems silly, but it does help.  I have also started placing a 600mL water bottle on my desk while I study which has also been helping.  I just need to get back into the routine, as I used to easily drink 2-3L of water a day.

I have been thinking a lot about learning to run since my last post.  I think that it's something that I really want to do. I even had a quick look at my C25K app on my phone last night to look at how it progresses.  I am unsure if I can use a treadmill, but I do remember the physio mentioning the cross-trainer... I wonder if I can use that for the C25K... anyone know if it can be done

Well, I have a lab report due on Friday... I really should get stuck into it!

Learning to Run

It has been on my mind for a few months now, but I think that I want to be able to run... maybe not 10km, but it would be nice to be able to run a full 5km in a fun run or something... In fact, it was actually one of my major milestones for this rounds 12WBT - which just didn't happen...

A 12WBT friend of mine, Dhitri, recently posted about learning to run... and it has gotten me thinking once again about trying... and it has also brought up a lot of excuses that I have been using lately (more about this later though), however there is one legitimate one...

"What about my knee??"

As you know, I had a minor tear in my cartilage over a month ago, and while I can walk around with no problems now, I still need to wear my brace at work as I am on my feet all the time. I am only working a couple of days a week, but I can really feel it at the end of the day.  Now, my physio has told me to use an exercise bike (which I haven't - and that's where the excuses come in too - and I know I really should be using it!) to help build strength.  The trouble is, the last time I went to the gym to do these exercises, my knee was reall aching afterwards... and that worried me.

I have heard wonderful things about running.  That it just clears your mind, it's a good way to de-stress, that the endorphins you get are amazing, that it can really boost your weightloss efforts, that it can shape and tone your body in the most amazing way...

Yet - I am almost too scared to try it! What is that?! Why be scared to try something new? Is it because I am scared I will fail? What I won't complete it?

A few other things holding me back are:

• location - where do I run? I don't want to do laps of an oval cos I think I would get bored... and my place is located on a BIG hill... and probably not the safest area really... am I silly in not wanting to learn to run on a hill?
• having to go somewhere else to run... I know - even I am telling myself to suck it up!!
• wanting to learn to run on a treadmill in a gym... for some reason, I feel this is better than running where everyone can see me huffing along... Am I being silly?
• feeling like I can't do it... I'm not good with learning - I want to be great straight away... now I know that's silly! haha!!

I have had the C25K app on my phone for a while now... I would love to start using it... I love that I could be running 5km in 9 weeks - it almost seems impossible! such a short amount of time!!!

I wonder if I could tackle the hills around home then... haha!

Looking Back...

I'm being a little naughty (I should be working on a scientific report right now... haha!) and I am writing a post on something I have been meaning to write for the last week...

2007 - At my (previously)
heaviest weight

When I went back onto Calorie King I was going through all of my old profile settings and came across some photos.  One was my original before photo... when I was at my heaviest of 99kg and the second was my 'after' photo where I wasn't at my goal weight (never reached it lol), I was still 10kg from reaching goal.

My 'after' photo - in Paris
& on top of the world

There is about 18 months difference between the photos, and I can remember how I was feeling both times the photos were taken.  At my heaviest, I remember feeling so self concious.  I was with friends who I know loved me for me, but at the same time, looking back, I know that I was miserable.  I wasn't happy with who I was, I was battling depression, I felt frumpy, and just felt like I filled the room - and not in the good way.  The 'after' photo I was in Paris.  I was living my dream of going to Europe.  I felt like I was on top of the world.  I felt like I could do anything! I wasn't battling depression anymore and all of my health problems had disapeared - I could do anything!!!

Close to my lightest weight
of my weightloss journey

I don't have any photos of me at my lightest weight, but I do have one at a friends party when we were playing pool.  I am only a couple of kilos off my lightest at this point.  Maybe it's just me, but I can see the differences in my smile - I am just so much happier and more content within myself... I love feeling this way... the power of the mind is amazing!  This photo was taken in April 2010 - it actually doesn't seem that long ago. It is amazing how much can change in such a short time!

I'm working on a new me...

But, here I am now.  At my heaviest weight ever... but I am determined to make all of the changes in my life work for me... rather than have me running around with no idea what is happening.  I actually don't have a photo of me at the moment, but I think what I would like to do is to have a current "before" photo, you know, starting fresh and all of that. 

I have learned a lot over the last 5 years, and I know that this will help me with my current weight loss journey... I can't wait to feel on top of the world again!!  I have even more going for me now than I did back in 2008! I have a wonderful new family and I am living my current dream of going to uni!  Big changes can take a lot of getting used to - but I know that I can do it!!!

Making Things "Easy"

B and I are time poor... we have lots on in our lives and generally aren't that great at managing it all - at least time wise. So, we have decided to cut out "one more thing" and have decided to go on Lite n' Easy for a couple of weeks.

I have used it in the past and I quite liked the food and the convenience of it all. One of the things I loved the most about it was (when I was single and living on my own) was the variety!  I found it so hard to have a good variety in my diet and stick to a budget.

We have decided to do lunches and dinners only, as breakfasts are generally pretty easy anyway.  I will be doing 7 days worth and B will do 5 days worth as he has work lunches that he attends.  We always have a family dinner at his parents on sunday nights, which means that my extra dinner will become his 6th, so in planning, it seems that it will work.

One aspect of starting LnE that I am really looking forward to is lunches!  I have become quite slack in getting my lunch sorted, and I have been buying my lunches when I am at uni or work. I was concerned about he money aspect of it all, because, let's face it, LnE isn't exactly cheap... and does cost more than a weekly grocery shop.  But when I actually sat down and thought about it, I realised that we were buying groceries, buying lunches and then having take out on top... so I think that we might actually save a little money... who would have thought!!

I also love that it is calorie controlled.  Now, I am proud to say that I haven't had chocolate since I made the commitment a few days ago, however, I still haven't really been counting my calories.  Last night was a special night out for B and I, so we did both splurge a bit, but this morning I did make a healthy breakfast choice, so that's a good sign I think.

For the next week we will be eating what we have in the pantry and freezer to make room for our LnE delivery, so I really don't think the next week will be the healthiest week... but I am ok with that... I am just so relieved to have something easy coming up... especially with my final exams being 3 weeks away!

I have mentioned before that I am not the greatest with eating fruit... and I remember having the best eating habits with LnE in the past... so I am looking forward to having a more balanced diet and more energy... with less stress!! For myself, I will be on the 1500 calorie plan, although if I exercised 3 times a week for up to 20 minutes LnE calculated that I should be on 1800 calories... while that sounds awesome, I don't think it's really for me, so for now I will be sticking to the 1500 calories. Calorie king currently has me set to 1640 calories, so this will be fine.

Also, I know I haven't popped in here with my weekly weigh in, but I lost 100 grams.  I am ok with this as my weight jumped up by 2kg during the week, so being under is a plus.

I am finally starting to feel like myself again... and I am loving it!  i am feeling more in control of my eating and my mindset, I'm not sure if it shows to others, but I love having my confidence back!!

I went down town and bought a couple of tops for winter, so it's just nice having clothes that fit and make me feel pretty - even if they are larger clothes... it really does a lot for the mindset!

Blogger Challenge Week 11: Reflection

Only one and a half weeks to go!!!  Can you believe it?!

In week 1, I asked you to answer some introductory questions about yourself and why you had decided to do the 12WBT.  I think it’s a great opportunity to reflect on how you have done and how you feel about everything now that we are at the tail end of the program.

1. How are you feeling about the 12WBT program now that you have almost completed it?

2. Looking back on what you wrote in week 1, did you achieve all that you were hoping to?

3. Did you find that blogging was beneficial to your 12WBT journey? Will you continue to blog once this round is over?

4. Did your exercise go according to plan or  did you have to change it around compared with what you wrote in Week 1?

5. How did your greatest strength help you this round? Was it as you thought it would?

6. Did the fears that you outlined in Week 1 come to pass? How/how not?

7. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from this program?

8. In question 9 of the Week 1 challenge question, you wrote about your downfall.  How did you go with this challenge over the last 11 weeks?

9. What is your biggest achievement since the start of the program?  What are you the most proud of?

10. Will you be coming back for another round of the 12WBT?

If you are a little confused about what to do, please read through the blogger challenge instructions (opens in a new window).

To link your answer to this blog post, just click the add your blog button below. From here you paste the link for your actual post (not your blog).This weeks Blogger Challenge will close at 11:59pm on Wednesday 2nd May 2012.

Winter Garden

Miss 3 and I spent yesterday afternoon gardening, getting our winter veggie patch ready.  Now, I have to admit, there aren't many veggies that I eat whichwill grow during winter, so our garden will be relatively small.

Yesterday in Canberra was a very cold day... and made me a little more than grateful that this seasons gardening will hopefully be very low maintenance as I really don't want to be out there in the cold with wet hands from tolling through the soil.

Miss 3 holding the worms in our garden

About a week ago, Miss 3 and I ripped out the old (and original!) raised garden bed to get it ready for planting.  After ripping out the veggies, we mixed the remaining mulch through the soil (it's sugar cane mulch and I have since learned that it doesn't decompose that quickly - which is what I was told at the garden shop lol).  Then we placed a layer of worm castings from our worm farm over the top - worms included!!  Hopefully these helpful buggers will help our vege garden and reproduce to make more. Finally we placed another layer of soil over the top. We left this for a few days to let it all sit and settle.

The freshly planted winter veggie garden

Then, yesterday we went to the local Bunnings and bought a few different veggies that we will hopefully use in our winter cooking.  We have just planted:

• snow peas
• lettuce
• leeks
• onion
• shallots
• garlic

Miss 3 feeling proud of our efforts

In the other garden bed we still have lettuce, carrots and a couple of broccoli plants (which haven't done much).  I am leaving this garden in place for a few more weeks, and then I will replant it to look like the one above.  This way we will have a bit of a rotation system going, and onions and garlic will last for quite a while and we use a lot of them, so that will be great.

In my garden, in total I have the following planted:

• thyme, basil and organo
• capsicum (which won't last much longer in the frosts, so I will probably replant the lavendar in this pot)
• snow peas
lettuce
leeks
onion
shallots
garlic
carrots
broccoli
strawberries
potatoes
chives and parsely

I think the next step will be mulching the top of the freshly planted garden bed.  I am still learning about this, but I believe it helps the plants in the frosts.

And for a bit of variety - some flowers!

 

I made it!

I made it through yesterday without a single bit of chocolate... even though there is still plenty of chocolate in our house, and Miss 3's chocolate stash sitting on the counter.

Quite sad that I need to celebrate this achievement, but it's all about the small wins!

Also, last night Miss 3 and I had strawberries for dessert!  Although I had mine with Balsamic Vinegar... yum yum!