What on earth is Operation Skinny Cow?

Operation Skinny Cow was born after a few of us in Blogland decided it might be nice to lose some weight and/or get a bit fitter. We decided it would be even nicer if we encouraged each other along the way.

You can read about how it started in this post.

If you want to be part of the fun and add your own posts to this blog then send an e-mail to Emily Sue at reachingforgreen@gmail.com and she'll set you up as an author.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Weigh In (Emily Sue)

Last week: 75.5kg
Today: 74.2kg
Difference: 1.3kg loss
Running total: 2.8kg loss

The bods on The Biggest Loser would be devastated with such a 'tiny' weight loss. I, however, am living in the real world and I think it's pretty darn awesome. :D

Thursday, August 26, 2010

And she doesn't even know she can do this...

Okay, I've got a confession to make.

It's actually Hippomanic Jen here, but I've just been setting up a profile and permissions for my Mum to exist on line and be able to comment.

And she could post too, if she can get past the technology. We'll have to see about that.

Now I just need to let her know her username, password and profile name, and show her how it all works.

Preferably before she next logs on to see what's happening in the world of Skinny Cow.

The good thing is that she's now getting over the dog bite she acquired before Easter, so that she is starting to exercise again. So we'll have to see how things go.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Weigh In (Emily Sue)

My first weigh in after my first week of Weight Watchers...

Last week: 77kg
Today: 75.5kg
Difference: 1.5kg loss

Woo hoo! Now I was going to qualify it and say that last week when I weighed in I had my period and so I was heavier anyway and it's the first week and you always lose more in the first week blah blah blah, but a friend pointed out the other day that every time I talk about an achievement or something positive I then downplay it with something negative. So I'm just going to say, "I lost 1.5kg this week" and leave it at that.

I also rediscovered exercise this week and have been on the treadmill three or four times. It's not so bad, really... okay, I don't love it yet but I do feel better for it. Perhaps one day I'll be able to exercise without having to force myself, but hey... whatever. Just so long as I do it.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Well, you see, there was this camp... (HJ)

Actually was pretty good, though. Didn't have seconds. Refused cakey-things and bickies until lunchtime Sunday when I accidentally ate two pieces of cake (I got one for my Beloved, then it disappeared - I presume I ate it).

This week's loss is 300grams. I'm not complaining, it is a step in the right direction and came with an additional centimeter off my waist - that's got to be good.

I've been reflecting on a time in my life when I lost weight without trying. I was sick and the doctor told me to avoid sugar, artificial colours and flavours, preservatives, white flour products and some fruits like citrus, pineapple and tomatoes. I probably took it further because I was not keen on grainy or wholemeal flour, therefore why would I bother eating them?

I probably ended up the skinniest I've been since I turned into an adult. I don't know, though, because I didn't possess scales and wasn't aiming at losing weight - I was aiming at gaining energy to exist. However, my interview suit skirt (that I haven't been able to wear for many, many years - not even when I got married 18 kg ago) was big on me.

And that's the marvel. I was doing approximately no exercise, because walking from the letterbox or up the stairs at work was almost too much for me at the time.

So really, if I cancel out rubbish food my weight should slide down.

So why do I eat rubbish?

THAT, my friends, holds the key to this whole thing.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Sometimes good intentions are not enough (Emily Sue)

So don't get me wrong - Operation Skinny Cow is great and I have no intention of leaving. However, I'm realising that posting every three months and never actually changing my habits is - for some bizarre reason - not really working for me. Go figure.

This morning, inspired by a friend who did the same thing last Thursday, I joined Weight Watchers. It's not that I don't know how to eat properly, nor do I want to give up on the OSC support, but given that it will be TWO YEARS in October since we started this blog and I am now heavier than when I started... well, it seems I'm not doing so well on the 'motivating oneself' thing.

Today's weigh in: 77kg
Healthy weight range: 66-53kg
Goal weight: 64kg (that may change, but it's what I got to last time and it was a good weight for my body shape and height)
Motivation: pretty high... well, it's Day 1! :D

I'm going to meetings on Saturdays so I'll update after I get home each time.
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Friday, August 13, 2010

What the? (HJ)

I have been pretty good this week eating-wise. There have been a number of times (make that lots and lots of times) that I have said an internal "no" to food I did not need.

I've also been back into the Weet Bix and fruit for brekky, rather than toast (the problem being what I put on the toast - plus the fact that Weet Bix is better fibre) and trying to make all the food I eat reasonably healthy (except the Smith's Original chips - They are the splurge I have allowed myself in small doses when I could be going for something worse).

There were a couple of factors involved in this motivation-wise:

1. I recently went over the nasty number I'd been wanting to avoid. Thereby reaching my heaviest ever (and I've been doing that consistently over the last little while - getting to my heaviest ever, that is. And there's plenty more kilograms on the scales to keep increasing that little number if I so choose.)

2. On the 9th October I'm down to be a model in the fashion parade for our church Spring Fair. I would like to avoid wearing clothes with a one and an eight in their size. It would also be good if they looked okay. (Not holding my breath on that as the lady at the shop who does the choosing doesn't always manage to find flattering colours and styles for me. Apparently everyone under the age of 40 looks good in black, whereas I possibly at a stretch could have got away with it at 20, but mid-way through my 30s my skin simply does not want to play with borderline shades, and I turn into a ghost. I need the soft, clear colours that she doesn't stock. But moving right along...)

3. I found out that next year some of the girls from my year at school are planning a reunion. So by an unspecified time next year there needs to be a lot less of Jen.

4. Hubs has recently had some health investigations that have made me wonder if I would do so well. Perhaps I could be little healthier in my exercise and eating patterns.

So my plan was to take off 1.1 kg in a week to get back under the hideous number.

Then next goal to loose 4 kg (preferably before the Fashion Parade - a little under 2 months. Possible?).

Then another 4 kg before the end of the year.

Then another 4 kg before easter next year.

That will get me back to "stalling weight" where I was before loosing my weightloss mojo. It also gets me out of the "overweight" scores for BMI. I will try to maintain this for a few months, then decide whether I should try for another 4 kg. (That's still 4 kg off my original goal of wedding weight, but I'm willing to revise that goal in light of the fact that I bounced last time, and the time before that, and the time before that...)

So imagine my surprise when I got on the scales this morning and had lost 2.3 kilograms?!! 2.3. That's a whole lot more than I was planning! That means I only have 2.8 kg to go before the week of the Spring Fair, making it more possibly possible. Possibly.

The even better thing is that I've taken off 2.5 cm off my waist. That means that clothes will fit so much better, my risk for heart disease and diabetes are heading down, and it will be less likely that people will accuse me of pregnancy.

I think this has put me in an excellent head-space to head off to our Youth and Family Camp. I will be healthy. I will refuse seconds. I will try to be good at snack-times and for dessert. Try? Now there's a recipe for success!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Over the top with Jen. (HJ)

I don't want to admit what's happened this end.

I don't want anyone to know.

I weighed.

It was nasty.

Then I went to a church morning tea.

There were pikelets and lamingtons.

And then this afternoon I found out that they are planning for my class' 20 year reunion next year.

That should be motivation, surely?

I really need to do something.