I think I'm back?

You may have noticed that I have added a couple of posts over the last few days... I have been thinking about coming back and posting again... but thought I would wait for some kind of milestone... looks like I can't wait that long! lol

 

So, how about an update?

 

I have been keeping things really quiet lately as I really was sick of posting stuff up only to "fail" or at least fall behind. After 3 months or so, I finally feel as though my head is in the right space.  Things seem to be falling into place, at least weight loss and uni wise.

 

Over the last few months I have had a chance to really think things through, with no pressure, no goals and no obligations. It took a fair bit of soul searching, but I have finally come to peace with my new way of life and how I can fit things in/work things out.

 

In early January after a little holiday I signed up to Weight Watchers again, and this time, it's working!  My goals have been simple with my weightloss:

• no comparing myself to others
• taking it slowly
• not getting worked up on "the right way", just doing what works for me at the time
• aiming to lose 500g a week, but not beating myself up if I don't make it (hasn't happened yet lol)

Before uni I was exercising everyday, now that uni has gone back I'm not doing any.  While this isn't ideal, my experiences from last year proved that it's just not going to happen... and that's ok, so my focus will be on my diet.

I am breaking my weightloss down into 5kg mini goals. To me this is much more achievable, as you all know I have struggled to lose 5kg in one hit in a long time.

Rather than aiming for my healthy BMI range weight of 75kg, I have decided to aim for 85kg, as that was a weight I was able to maintain for a long time.  I am even thinking of just maintaining at that weight for 6 months or so, to let my body, brain and mindset catch up.

Anyway, onto the stats that I know that you all want to hear.  Since the 9th of January, I have lost 3.6kg, which is more than the 500g a week!  Pretty happy with that! So far I have even lost 11cm in a month.  I am due for more measurements as of this week.

So, sticking with my no pressure rule, I will stick with updating when I can, with no set routine. 

Hope to see you all soon!

Sustainability - I love it!

My poor garden has been neglected for probably about 6 months... since the last time I planted really... and today I finally pulled all of the dead/overgrown bits out of it as well as trimmed down the rose bush and the lavender. This left me with a lot green waste that I can't really put into the worm farm... mostly because they are struggling to keep up with what is in there at the moment.

 

After a year of having the worm farm, the bottom tray is finally full of worm castings... I honestly didn't think that it would take that long.  While we still add bits and pieces to it (at one point I even added extra worms to help them get through everything...) we are still throwing out a bit of waste simply because the worms cant process it all... and in all honesty, we don't really produce that much green waste!

 

About a month ago I actually entered a FB competition through Tumbleweed to win a composter, a tumbler one in fact.  I didn't win.  But since then it has been on my mind about how much we could add to it...

 

Fast forward to today, and I have all of this green waste and a garden that is struggling to soak in water (hydrophobic soil would you believe! haha) and as a novice gardener, I took to FB to ask my lovely friends what could be done, and most of the responses was to add more organic matter. Now I currently have some from the worm farm, but once that is used I will have to wait another year...

 

So I have spent all afternoon doing research on composting, how it works, best bins/set up and how it can best be used for our household.

 

We don't live in a big place.  We don't have a lot of scraps, particularly fruit and veggies (I am trying to work on this though lol) which is what composting uses (it is a little more complicated than that with green and brown wastes), but we do have a few weeds and the garden has green waste, so we don't need a particularly large compost bin.

 

Now you can pick up a bin a Bunnings for only $30... the thing with this is that while it is cheap... it doesn't suit how B an I are because we simply don't have time (or the inclination) to aerate it manually... which is why I think that a tumbler would be the best option for us. The bin that I have found is the Maze Roto Twin Composter I think suits us, as it's compact and wont take up much space in the back yard, it looks stable, it has 2 compartments (a big selling point for me!) so I can have one "curing" and another that I am adding to. I also really like that it's easy to spin (looks easier than the long tumblers) and it would be fun to get Miss 4 to help me too.

 

One other thing that I have been thinking a lot about lately was purchasing a little bin for our sink, so that I could put scraps into it straight away, but what has held me off was the smell... how gross would it be...

 

However during my research I found out that there are actually bins designed for fruit and veggie scraps, including this one at Composting Home, basically it can use a liner that is also biodegradable.  What appealed to me on this one was that it was lined... it wouldn't be as messy AND it would be easier to take out to the composter.

 

However, while I was on their site, I came across this Bokashi composter, something that I had heard of years and years ago, but never really looked into... but O.M.G!!!  This thing is amazing!!! You can add practically ANY food scraps to it! In this one you can add cooked meat, dairy, and even processed foods like pizza and pasta!! Imagine the small amount of garbage you would have by using this!!  The foods ferment in the container, helped by the microbes/spray which also reduces odor.  This can then be added to your garden (not my style) or added to your compost (my style!) where it can then further breakdown and then be added to your garden. I love that practically anything can be added to this, this is definitely my style!!

 

I have never had a compost heap, but I have always wanted one, even from when I was little :) I think that teaching Miss 4 about sustainable living also helps to promote how to help our planet for future generations.  We already have separate bins for recycling, grow some of our own food (when I don't neglect the garden lol), and she helps to feed and "bath" (aka add water) the worms.

 

The other thing is that if on the off chance we actually produce more organic matter than we need, it's definitely something easy to get rid of... both my sister and aunt are avid gardeners!

 

Now... to see if B likes this idea too... haha!!  Hopefully this is something I can implement... I have to admit I am actually more than a little excited! :D

EDITED: On a side note, as I was having issues with my plants getting enough water, a friend showed me this site where you can use empty plastic bottles to help keep your plants well watered!  Something else I am going to do!!

 

Whirlsie's Banana & Date Muffins

 

Whirlsie's Banana & Date Muffins

ProPoints™ Value: 3
Servings: 14
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 25 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

My own recipe

Ingredients

1 cup(s) Coles , Milk, Lite
12 individual fresh dates     
4 medium bananas
1 tbs honey
2 medium egg(s) 
4 serve(s) Beerenberg , Sauce, Apple                
2 cup(s) plain flour    
2 tbs artificial sweetener powder
3/4 tsp table salt, iodised    
4 tsp baking powder    


Instructions

1 - Blend milk, dates, banana, honey, eggs and apple sauce together in blender
2 - Combine flour, splenda, salt and baking powder together in bowl. Mix well.
3 - Add wet mixture to dry mixture until just mixed.
4 - Spoon mixture into greased muffin tray
5 - Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes in a preheated 200 degree oven

Slapped in the Face by the Wii Fit Balance Board

Since my last post I have finished uni and all my exams, but I am still a little torn about whether or not I want to continue blogging.

 

However, over the last couple of days things have happened that I have wanted to write a post about, so I have decided to come back, write when I want to write and not push it... so lets see how that goes! I am still concerned about having this all public, and falling off the wagon again for all to see, but maybe it could be my driving force? Who knows...

 

Anyway, now I figure I should tell you all what I have been thinking/doing.  I think I mentioned before that my goal was to get back on track once uni was over, so that I would have a bit more free time to dedicate to building up some routines.  Initially I had said that I would start on the 1st December, it seemed like a good place to start and it would give me a week to ease into it all...

 

However... I started yesterday! lol!!

 

I am feeling much more calm about everything, and able to focus on it all, so I figured, why wait if I am feeling like this... better just get on with it!

 

Not long after my last post I decided to jump back on the Wii, the Wii Fit Balance Board told me that it had been 665 days since my last weigh in... and in that time I had put on 22.8kg... Initially I was mortified... but leave it to a computer to tell you what you need to hear and give you that slap in the face!  Funnily enough, it was actually a really good motivator!

 

I used to use the Wii as my main source of exercise when I was single with a mortgage and a limited budget... and it worked really well!!  In fact, that day a few weeks ago when I first jumped back on, I remembered just how much I used to love it!

 

Both yesterday and today I have done at least a half hour workout, using both the Wii and the Xbox, although I have to say that I am leaning more towards the Wii... I think I just feel a little more comfortable with it, and at the moment I am really loving the step programs.  Yesterday I burned 397 calories, and today another 382... and it barely felt like a chore! (BONUS! haha)

Another really big motivator is feeling how much my body is struggling with not only exercises, but also in basic stretches and flexibility.  Not only does it feel a bit 'tighter' but there is a lot more fat in the way. At least I can see/feel the comparison.

 

Food wise, I spent Sunday afternoon organising my Menu Planner app on the iPad again, worked out what I wanted to have for dinners and lunches this week and then used it to help me sort out my shopping list (it automatically builds it for you based on your recipes/meal plan, and then I just delete what I already have).  Yesterday I was right on target for calories, and it looks like today will be the same... at this stage at least! haha!  In my shopping, I did also buy a fun pack of Freddo Frogs and I have popped them into the freezer so that they take longer to eat, and its more of a conscious decision to eat one.

I have also gone back to using Calorie King, it's actually kind of nice to come back to my old faithful... all of my recipes where there from before as well as the lists of my favourite foods. Plus, I know it, I know how it works and can just quickly sort it all out on the computer or iPad.  I love that its all correct and not entered in by the public, I have had a few burns from My Fitness Pal where the data entered was incorrect.

 

Before my exams were on, we basically lived on take away, so I need to tell you all that my weight has gone up... again!!! As of yesterday morning I am 107.9kg... crazy stuff!! However, at least I am feeling more relaxed and a lot more in control, which I am loving. Here's to the weight going down!!

 

At this point in time I have decided to pull down the Goals and Progress sections, as it wasn't working for me in the past... although that may have just been my mindset, but also because it's going to need an overhaul and a fresh start.

Should I Stay or Should I Go??

It is currently T-16 days until my final exam... the last of my final exams actually and I have been thinking a lot about my weightloss and what lies ahead in between all of the studying.

 

I have to admit, I have been considering falling off the blogging wagon for a little while... maybe trying to lose some weight on the quiet...

 

Mostly because I am sick of failing and having it all out there as public knowledge...

 

I don't know if this is the right approach to it all, but I do have to admit that I am still feeling very alone in it all... mostly because this is the position I have put myself into... and let's be honest, the weightloss journey can be a lonely one... especially because only you can do it and commit to it.

 

I look at where I was, where I have ended up and I know that it can be done, because I have done it before.  I have inspired friends and family to lose weight and be healthier... and I can't help but admit that at this point in time, I am actually a little jealous of them... haha!! Ironic huh?!

 

I really miss the local Healthy Inspirations, that closed down not long after the GFC.  The support and community of women there were helpful, uplifting and so supportive.  While I wouldn't want to do their meal planning again, I do miss that atmosphere and the easiness of the exercise.

 

I was committed!

I had time!

I had energy!

I was fit!

I was unstoppable!

 

I want to be there again...

 

 

Checking in....

I have a little bit of time before my anatomy lecture, so I thought I would do a quick post to let you all know that I am still around.

I'm a bit all over the place at the moment, I want to just get on with this whole weightloss thing, but it always seems to just get pushed to the side when everything else comes up. I don't want it to be this way. I want to get back into it and I want it to be how it was before... Eating better, regular exercise and feeling great.... Oh, and fitting into my clothes!!!

Sadly, I just don't think it can be like that again. I finally understand how people struggle when they have a family and how many time restraints there are, not to mention just feeling exhausted!

I don't want this to be my excuse though, I am far too stubborn to give up and to let it beat me... I figure as long as I am trying to do what I can and make better decisions the better I am in general.

Poor planning = piss poor performance

And this is where I am at he moment. I haven't done any meal planning, I've been busy with a little money to do a proper grocery shop and overwhelmed by Uni atm (exams in 3 weeks and I'm not doing so well!)

What I am thinking at the moment is that in 4 weeks Uni will be done for the year, while I will be (hopefully) taking on more shifts, I think it will be less pressure and stress overall and I would like to spend the summer time focussing on weightloss and hopefully putting some routines in place so that when Uni comes back I can keep those going.

'Cos I Said Sew - My little Etsy Store

Hi All!!

Just a quick little post on the run!  I thought I would pop in and let you all know that I have decided to set up an etsy store!  This is to sell all of my crafty bits and pieces along the way, as I tend to get into a tangent and then have too much of what I make!!

So, pop by and check it out :D

'Cos I Said Sew

Weigh In!!

Look! It's Wednesday and I am actually here, writing a post about my weigh in this morning!!!

(Although I should be writing up study cards for anatomy... you know, attempting to be organised and all that...)

So, weigh in...

I haven't really tracked anything this week, and I still haven't done any exercise, but I'm just taking each day as it comes and trying to do the best I can... although I seem to be having massive sugar cravings atm... no idea why though... I have wondered if maybe it was something to do with the whole 'missing out' concept...

I lost 400g this week, which I am happy with.  I have aimed for 500g a week, and considering there was no calorie counting and no exercise, this is a good place to be in!!

I think though, I will get up early tomorrow morning and get a walk in before uni... I need to get this routine going again :)  I also might go for another bushwalk this weekend... I loved getting out there... will be good to do it again!

Also, I have updated the Progress page with measurements, and I have cheated a little and put up the photo of me at the wedding a couple of weeks ago.  I know it's not this weeks one, but at least there is a pic there!

Update

Ok, so now that I have gotten that little tangent out of the way, you will have noticed that I haven't updated for a little while... this is because I have had mid semester exams on all week, so it has been heads down, bum up for a little while.

I am happy to come in and tell you all that at weigh in on Wednesday I lost 1kg!! I was pretty happy with that!!  It was good to see that tracking what I was eating and exercising each day (mostly walking) helped.

This week has been a bit of a different story, not that I have done anything outrageous or anything, but there have been a couple of days where I haven't tracked and I haven't done any exercise at all...  I am ok with this as my mind has been on uni and I am taking this as a long-term journey... and these things happen... like the Tupperware party I had yesterday where we made scones... haha!!

Environmental Impact

Today on Facebook there was an interesting conversations going on when a company I like and follow (Cushie Tushies) posted the picture below

 

 

Ever since I was young (primary school age), I have had an interest in environmentalism.  In fact, my family used to make fun of me for being a "hippy" or a "greenie"... luckily I am far to stubborn to listen to the teasing and have always remained a bit of a "hippy". 

 

The thing is, over the years, I have kind of dropped off on the whole environmentalism thing, but there are a few fundamental aspects that I still follow.

 

In my mind, I am always looking for ways to reduce my impact... like using the Nude Food Movers so that I don't need to use plastic sandwich bags, or having a separate bin next to the rubbish for recycling and then teaching Miss 4 to know what goes into which bin.  There is also the worm farm, which means that I can put my food scraps and coffee grounds in there which will act as a compost and can then go into my veggie garden which reduces the amount of carbon emissions associated with not buying food locally.

 

Additionally, there is also the aspect of buying packaged foods, not only can these be worse for us nutritionally, but there are usually individual packets, which then mean more waste.

 

One of the really scary things I noticed was that each disposable nappy takes about 450 years to decompose!!  I find this so scary as I can't imagine the amount of disposables that could possibly be in landfill right now!!

 

This is one of the reasons why I love the idea of fabric nappies...  I have had friends use them in the past and they have told me about them, and then I met the founder of Cushie Tushies through the 12WBT and I have been following her page ever since... I had decided that when I had a baby that I would use these nappies, but after seeing this picture, it has really solidified it for me.

 

Right now, I feel like the biggest preacher, but the point of all of this was actually noticing how much I do to actively make a difference... I know that I am not perfect, and that there is a lot more that I can do, but it's nice to know that I am doing a little bit each day to help.