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 21, 2010
Weigh In (Emily Sue)
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)
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)
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.
.
Friday, August 13, 2010
What the? (HJ)
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 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.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Comments on this blog
Sigh. I really hate having to crack down on comments and to block non-members but it's become simply ridiculous. If you are not currently a member of the blog and you would like to be, please drop me an email at reachingforgreen@gmail.com.
.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
I think I'm back (Emily Sue)
So... remember all my grand plans? Fit by 40? C25K? Ahem... yeah, not doing so well. Actually I was doing well on C25K (and by extension, on Fit by 40) but then I injured my ankle and by the time it finally healed my motivation had packed up and moved north to a little beachside cottage. Who could blame it, really?
But anyway, now I'm back. I just did Week 1, Day 1 of C25K and I didn't die so I reckon that's an excellent start. It was hard but not so hard as it was the very first time I did it so I suppose that means I haven't lost ALL the fitness I gained... just MOST of it. Still, I'm pretty pleased to have dusted off the treadmill and actually done something. Feel free to motivate me (ie, nag).
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Heading in the Right Direction! (HJ)
And as these things go I felt brilliant after rowing on Thursday and then had to push myself the whole way through Friday. Why aren't the results the same every time? I'm rowing later in the day today, because I didn't feel like getting all hot and sweaty first up this morning.
But the really good thing is that (even with all the muscle-building rowing I did) I lost 800g. That's very nearly close to a whole kilogram.
So, the results stand at 79kg and going down!
Oh, and the good news is that I wasn't being overly careful what I ate.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
I weighed. I rowed. (HJ)
I weighed. 79.8kg. Not quite the 80kg that I've been hoping I don't tip over, and I think a little heavier than my last attempt. But I didn't mention numbers last time, and I didn't write it down in my trendy spreadsheet that tracks my weightloss (or lack thereof). So I'm claiming 100g off my last previous recorded weigh-in, even if I think it was actually a 300g increase from memory.
On the good side - after holidays; starting rowing; getting a bad chesty cold that stopped me rowing; going to a church meeting where I essentially ate and sat; and then a food-fest visit from one of my favourite Victorians (although we DID walk - aren't we good?) I am back on the rowing machine.
I have done my 30 mins for three days running now.
I am very proud of that.
Even if for a few days there I couldn't raise my hands above my head without pain.
And of course, that would be making me heavier. All that muscle developing as the fat starts to drop off.
And while I would like to get back into my skinny clothes (I'm stretching my fat clothes at the moment), and I would like to look skinnier, and I would like the numbers on the scales to head in a downwards direction, what I really want is to be able to walk without puffing and feel stronger in body and mind. And that is starting to begin to commence to happen.
So for this week I am content. (as long as I don't contemplate how on earth I managed to put on nearly 12kg without thinking about it - or, more to the point, without doing anything about it)
But I rowed. Peace and Serenity to you all this lovely Saturday morning...
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Reality
By my scale, that gives me a 16 - 18 kilo loss.
I was gobsmacked to buy size 10 jeans (OK, granted they were a big make, but I will take what I can!) and wear a youth's medium sized T shirt on the weekend.
Reality came back when I was fitted for a new bra - 14F.
Somethings never change.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
I weighed (HJ)
Less than the horrible round number I never want to reach.
But still more than I was when we started this thing. *sigh*
I am pleading a bad cold which hit my lungs, making exercise impossible. I was needing a rest after such heavy tasks as walking up one flight of stairs and hanging out a load of washing.
I have a meeting this weekend, so there won't be any weighing. But I will be trying to be good, and I'll also be hitting the rowing machine when I return. I was getting a good 20 minutes in before this cold. I hope it won't take long to get back to that.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
So I'm still not weighing in...
But (and this is a big but - perhaps even bigger than mine) I have been trying to eat better (although with no actual plan) and I have started rowing again.
I started with 5 mins with stretches fore and aft (and sideways too), and have been working it up slowly. After hitting the 10 minute mark with no total muscle stiffness-to-the-point-of-pain I've jumped up to 15 and then 20 minutes this morning. I'm aiming to get back to my 30 minutes, preferably 3 or 4 times a week.
On the other hand, I haven't been walking regularly. The LBD did enjoy one afternoon out, but I haven't got enthusiastic again. I must because it does wonders for my mental health; the LBD enjoys it; and it is after all physical activity.
When I'm up to doing 30 mins on the rowing machine I'm going to start pestering my Beloved to fix my bike's brake so that I might be able to do some of my everyday trips on bike rather than car. My town is only about 10 minutes in the car to anywhere - and the time wasting part is getting into the car and finding a park at the other end. I can walk to town in 30 minutes, and the bike is somewhere between. Exercise that is incidental to daily routine is much better for me - and it would be excellent to be riding a bike that has brakes on both the front and rear wheels, rather than just the front (particularly when I consider the hill I live on).
So whilst I'm still holding out on the actual weighing thing, I am doing some things that might help in the reduction of Jen prior to that deadline. Two more Saturdays to go...
Had one of those moments earlier this week. Was going to a funeral and wanted to wear my good suit pants. They are very snug. Mum suggested yesterday that I probably shouldn't be wearing them, because I might split the seams (thanks, Mum) but I had nothing else good enough to wear to a funeral. So there definitely needs to be less of Jen. I'm just hoping by weigh-in day I'm under the scary big round number that I don't want to think about.
Fingers crossed.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
And the whole holiday was not about food... (HJ)
As an international traveller I can tell you lots about complimentary breakfasts.
1. Continental Breakfast - either the hotel is cheap, or I am. Dry toast and soggy cereal and maybe a croissant if you're lucky. Why bother?
2. English Breakfast - toast and eggs and bacon and baked beans and maybe a grilled tomato. Pretty darn good!
3. Asian Breakfast - all of the above, plus various noodle and stir-fry dishes, roti canai (an indian bread with yummy sauce stuff), pancakes, danishes (in one place bread and butter pudding!?!) A choice of omlette or eggs the way you like them (boiled, fried, scrambled), rice porridge etc, etc, etc. Really yummy and lots of it and you don't actually need lunch.
4. American Breakfast - the last hotel we stayed at had a buffet Amercian breakfast. I was interested to see what it included to make it different to the Asian ones we'd been having. The main difference was that the food was cold and there wasn't as much choice. I don't know if the food being cold was done on purpose, but srispy cold hash browns don't really cut it (and I LOVE hash browns).
Anyway, I'm giving myself three weeks before I think about getting on the scales, because I DON'T WANT TO KNOW. Okay with everybody?
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Not weighing in until I'm home (HJ)
See you all later!!
Hippomanic Jen
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Weigh In Wednesday (Emily Sue)
Today: 72.4
Difference: 500g gain
Yeah... I've started eating again. :) I have, however, mostly just been eating normal meals and not a lot of snacky stuff so I think this is just bouncing back to 'normal' after the too-busy-to-eat thing. And it's 400g less than I was a fortnight ago so I'm still happy.
Hmmm... and exercise. Still haven't done any, apart from a half hour walk yesterday with a friend. This week - I swear!
Hard-Core (Manda)
NO MORE!
Inspired by the success of Eizelby, I've decided not to "try" any more, but to actually do it! This means changing the way I think (I've found "I feel better if I don't snack much" and "I will feel better after this party if I have only had one dessert" to be working so far). It means eating more salads as meals, rather than something I only get to after two other courses. It means eating "3/4 serves" at dinner as the food is delicious and I tend to go overboard (and what I feel to be 3/4 is probably a real serve anyway).
Long term goal: get to 68 by September.
Short term goal: If I get to 73 before April 6, I get a massage.
Last week: 74
This week: 73.2!
I lost some weight for the first time in a while! Now to keep going.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Long time no being accounted for! (Eizelby)
To refresh your memories of where I left off, I was about 2kg within sight of my goal weight. Since then I managed to get through summer camp season with maintained weight loss, and in December hit my goal weight of 65kg – which was very exciting! I then somehow lost another kilogram, and sat at 64kg for about a week before starting a slow, steady gain again.
However, despite a recent birthday binge and general disregard for healthy eating habits, the scales have been kind to me. I do suspect that this reflects loss of muscle due to a decrease in my regular walking, but it’s still somewhat encouraging.
So, where to now?
I’m currently sitting at 66kg – one kilo above my original goal weight. Having tasted 64kg for the first time in ages, I think with a bit of self discipline I can maintain that weight in a long-term capacity. That is my new goal!
How do I plan to achieve this?
Starting fulltime work and gaining a boyfriend in the past few months have culminated in me pretty much farewelling regular exercise, and saying hello to poor eating habits, such as drinking daily iced coffees and making pizza at midnight. No more I say!
To reach and maintain my goal weight, I will …
- join the dance studio which has branches both near my house and workplace
- get off my tram 3 stops early and walk the rest of the way EVERY TIME
- redevelop the magical habit of saying “no” to yummy things
- not eat after dinner – this does wonders for the waist and leaves me feeling great in the morning!
Goals and rewards
My goal is to lose 2kg, and to generally get a bit fitter than I currently am. My reward is feeling great, and a new pair of jeans.
Weigh In Wednesday... on Thursday (Emily Sue)
Today: 71.9kg
Difference: 900g loss
I am ashamed to say this is almost entirely due to being busy/stressed and having neither the time nor the energy to eat very much at all... but you know what? When I see a number like 71.9 after seeing numbers in the 74s, I'm going to blog about it anyway!
Also, it's time for me to try running again to see how my ankle holds up. I've been a bit scared to try, to be honest, because it was pretty painful last time I tried and I'm afraid of injuring it again. However, I'm going to need to start again some time, and gently strengthen it... so feel free to nag me. :D
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Weigh-In Weds (Givinya)
So this morning I put my contact lenses in and hopped on the scales (there's nothing sillier than having your weight plainly displayed in huge numbers but not be able to see them, then bending over to see them and bumping your naked ass on the edge of the vanity because you've chosen to weigh in before your shower "to give yourself an edge", har har har!) and the numbers were a huge surprise: 61.7kg.
1.7kgs to my goal weight!
Then I hopped off, went to the toilet and got back on again.
64.7kg.
Scientifically impossible, still encouraging, but NOT 1.7 kgs to my goal weight.
I then drank three sips of water and the scales read 65.7 kg. So. You know. All I can really do is rule out the possibilites that I am over 80kg or under 50kg, that's the best I can tell you.
In terms of oscillating numbers, they've been hovering around the 65s and sometimes breaking into the 64s this week, with a few depressing days of 67s and 68s. I've never really watched my weight before, but I assume that the ole one about retaining fluid must be correct if those (average) readings are correct.
But I'm not able to blame anything on the time of the month, cos that's not happening for me. Which is a very good thing and must not be sniffed at.
Speaking of oscillating numbers, my blood pressure is high again, but I just got my (currently low) dose of medication increased so we're not worried. I'm still reading labels and finding that if you stick to fruit and veges with some clever choices of bread and other foods, it's EASY to stick to a healthy number of mg of sodium a day. If however you do something RADICAL like eat a rissole, well say goodbye to all your good work. The western diet sets us up to fail, I tell ya!
Plan:
- stop eating so much bread, woman! What happened to the 2 slices of heavy grainy stuff a day?
- stop cooking with cream and parmesan. In particular, stop making this.
- stop enjoying food.
Ha! Like that's ever going to happen!
Anyone want to come over to my place for a risotto party?
Weigh In Wednesday (Emily Sue)
1. The staff retreat where I ate:
* Bacon and eggs
* Filet mignon (which is wrapped in bacon)
* Chips
* Chocolate
* Lemon meringue pie
* A fantastic risotto
* Jelly snakes
* Ice cream (to which we added Maltesers, Smarties and pieces of chocolate)
* Tim Tams
* A huge BLT with chips on the side
2. Five days off work, where I ate such things as:
* Banana cake
* Choc chips (from the packet)
* Dark chocolate brownies
* McDonald's bacon & egg muffin and hash brown (okay, two hash browns)
* Chocolate
I feel like a ticking time bomb... :)
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Coming to a screaming halt (HJ)
Got up the courage to weigh in this morning. Not good.
Really not good.
You know how I was unhappy to reach my heaviest ever?
It isn't anymore.
And you know how I was never going to be on this side of a certain round number ever again?
Well, let's just say that I'm one mouthful away from hitting the next round number up.
I need a plan. It probably involves exercise and better food choices.
So I had dessert at church tonight to celebrate.
I hope that wasn't the mouthful that will tip the scales the last remaining little bit.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Weight Loss is a health hazard (Rhubarb Whine)
In an effort to remain thrifty and not spend money on clothes, I have kept the pants and shirts that are too big for me, to wear around the house and make use of them. I've dropped 2 clothes sizes, so some of them are rathaer baggy.
Last night, in my elasticised bali pants, I caught my left toe in the hem of the right leg which trailed on the ground because the waistband kept slipping past my hips. This means my feet were tangled. I pitched forward head first into the laundry wall. I handed on my knees, and my husband, seeing my flight, lunged forward and grabbed me by the arm.
I now sport 2 very black and bruised knees, a bruised imprint of a hand on my inner left arm and a bump on my forehead right between the eyes.
I am *so* going shopping, thrifty can go and get knotted.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
I wonder... (HJ)
I had put a weightloss ticker on my blog, but haven't updated it. It still shows that I've lost 6.0 kilos.
I wonder what would happen if I updated it to show that I've put on a couple of extra kilos from where I started?
Things to ponder.
*sigh*
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Inching Downwards (Rhubarb Whine)
However.
It didn't happen.
Since the last update, I seem to have dropped yet another 5 kilograms. My sum total of loss is now 15 kilograms (ish) depending on whose scale you believe. I'll go with mine, it weighs lower than my GPs).
That puts me in the bracket of people who often look at themselves and say "I need to lose weight, I want to lose some weight", which is far better than the bracket I have left behind, which was "You need to lose some weight, I want YOU to lose some weight, your health is compromised".
I am happy with that.
I have reached my initial goal, which was the number issued for health reasons. My own number.
My next goal is only a few-ish kilos away, that's my pre-pregnancy weight.
Then I am aiming for the 'this is what I used to weigh' weight.
And a shopping trip.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Falling off the wagon, and progressing (Givinya)
A few weeks ago, the numbers were above 65kg: 66-point-something to 67-point-something.
Over the last week, my numbers have consistently been 65-point-something.
And now, sometimes, I see some interesting 64-point-somethings.
Funny what a little bit of success can do to your resolve - I'm heading back onto that wagon now.
Weigh In Wednesday (Emily Sue)
Last week: 73.4kg
Today: 72.8kg
Difference: 600g loss
Yay. It's still impossible for me to run on my ankle but I'm able to walk without limping and with only a twinge of pain if I go too far or too fast, so I'm currently trying to find the balance where I walk enough to do me good but not so much that I re-injure the ankle.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Weigh In Wednesday.... sort of... (Emily Sue)
74.5kg
Okay then. I've managed to gain 1.1kg in a day? Well, I did have an exceptionally good hot chocolate in the morning, and a couple of choc wheaten biscuits in the afternoon, but 1.1kg?? Insane... and my scales are not crazy like others I could mention.
I think I'm calling this a No-Weigh Wednesday because I have no idea what I really weigh. I'll be back next week to see if I can lose a kilo overnight instead of gaining it.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Wit (Manda)
Last week, I weighted 73.2
Today, I weighed 73.4, which is a gain of .2 and a loss of 0
Next week, I hope to weigh: 72.8
Will Manda reach her achievable (but-only-if-she-stops-eating-lots-of-chocolate) goal? Will planet earth still be turning in a week? Tune in next time to... Operation Skinny Cow.
Oh THANKS! I think. (Givinya)
Firstly - wow. You have more money than I do sister.
Secondly - what? You think I NEED new clothes before I start? What are you saying about my current clothes?
Anyway. Bygones.
She was recently doing a clear-out of her wardrobe and instead of sending her old stuff off to charity, she decided to give it to me, given my dire clothing situation.
There's some really nice stuff in there! She's getting rid of it because she doesn't fit it anymore, and this means there are some really nice tops and lined skirts, perfect for work clothes in there.
Problem is, they are H-U-G-E on me. Just ballooney.
Some tops I can wear without them showing too much chest. Some skirts I can wear without them dropping straight off my hips and onto the floor. The rest will go into storage and possibly passed on to charity if I never get large* again.
So that was a nice gesture.
Or was it?
What are you supposed to think when a friend gives you clothes because "you might fit them better than I do" and then you realise they are all quite largely large?
If she had grown too skinny for them, I'd be offended. But I assume she has grown too big for them, so offense cannot really be taken.
Or can it?
--------------------------------------------------
* large = pregnant? Possibly? Maybe? Hopefully? Twould be nice.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Damp Spirits Add to Weight (Givinya)
However, discouraged by the last few months of good eating and exercise resulting in no actual LOSS despite feeling fitter, thinner and healthier, I have been eating too many treats.
Whether this has resulted in the scales now saying that another 2kg has come out of nowhere or whether the scales are being their usual cantankerous selves, I do not know.
It is wise to remember that each day we are supposed to drink 2kg (L) of water, and presumably excrete the same, and therefore fluctuations within 2kg are to be expected. I guess. I made it up, but it sounds reasonable.
Well. It rained through the roof of our pergola tonight and drenched not only acres of clean dry folded clothes, but it also drenched my spirits as well. Perhaps when my spirits dry out in the sunshine tomorrow, I will weigh less.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Almost ready for market (HJ)
His idea was that if he didn't put on any weight, he wouldn't be eaten for Christmas dinner.
I think that if I was a duck, I'd be a sitting duck for the dinner table (or a dead duck, if you prefer).
If I were a cow, I'd be fetching a pretty darn impressive price at the weekly sales.
I have lost 0.3kg this week. I think it's probably just muscle loss, because we've been having a week of prayer at 7.15 am all week, and that cuts into my normal row-shower-eat time. There's no point rowing if I can't shower afterwards. I don't belong to a church that uses incense and scented candles, and boy, wouldn't they need to be strong if I hadn't showered after rowing!
I also couldn't say that I've been eating well, either. No siree.
I have, however, done my first lot of 11 sets of stairs today and I didn't die. Is good.
For some reason I don't feel terribly motivated by those 300g going missing, possibly because the actual number is still not worth getting excited about (or mentioning in cyberspace).
Hope that you all are getting some happy numbers, or at least feeling better about your exercise levels.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Blobby blobs of blobbiness
And in a Burst Of The Ironic, I ate much of this whilst lying on the couch watching The Biggest Loser.
.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The dog ate my homework (HJ)
Had a long story about how good I was with the exercise last week and how my weight had gone up, but that was okay, because I was feeling better in myself, and as if the number on the scales matters.
Then the computer ate it and then wouldn't let me make any posts on Saturday.
This week my exercise rate is not as great and my eating has been atrocious.
I promise I won't post the recipe for a killer chocolate cake that you can make in a large coffee mug in about 5 minutes with the aid of your microwave. No mixing bowls, only a mug and a couple of spoons. It is particularly nice still warm, served with ice-cream.
The only good thing is that I've been sharing with my Beloved, so it's not the WHOLE mug cake I've been eating.
You girls, keep up your exercise, I'm off to... (hesitates longingly)... go to sleep.
Weigh-In Wednesday (Givinya)
Weigh in Wednesday (SJ)
600g down. Cool. Now if I just alter my eating a bit better I should start losing more [hopefully].
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Ouch. Ouch. Oh, and... ouch. (Emily Sue)
You know what they say about assumptions, right? Indeed.
So, I'm nursing a stuffed ligament and unable to exercise at the moment. The doctor said I could swim or ride a bike. Swimming is out since I don't actually know how, and bike riding is out for now because it would involve a fair bit of ankle movement which, frankly, is way too painful... even today, four days after I injured it. I am, therefore, sitting on the lounge with my foot up, watching DVDs. NOT conducive to weight loss or fitness. Sigh.
And ouch.
.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Congrats to ALL
We've had so many posts in the last week. Well done, Cowgirls!"
Indeed. Well done to everyone! This is about making an effort and giving each other support, and that's what's been happening for the last few weeks. We totally rock. :D Let's keep going!
Manda would love to share some good news...
C2272S (HJ)
I have now got myself a goal. Near Kuala Lumpur there are the Batu Caves, which we are visiting in April. The brochure says that they have 272 steps. That's alot of steps.
When I was being interrogated by the nurse prior to surgery she used the "Can you do 4 flights of stairs" test to check whether I was fit or not.
Obviously I am not.
And four flights is only about 64 steps.
Bother.
So, I'm in training. As well as attempting 3 x 30 minute rows a week (which I have actually been doing for two weeks now), I have to work up to 16 x our internal stairs. Precisely.
Initially I thought it was 17 times, but I was counting the 16 step treads, not the 17 risers. In a little mathematical fluke it turns out that 272 is actually 16 x 17, so it still works out an even number. However, I'm working on being able to do 20 x internal stairs so that I'll know I'm right for the day in airless cave conditions.
At the moment I can do 5. And then sit down for 5 minutes with my feet up. But hey, I've got 10 weeks 'til we go, so I should be able to make this. Each week I shall increase the number by 2 sets of stairs, thereby hitting 17 by week 7 and 20 for week 9. (And then I'm going to have to work in hotel staircases for the week we're away before we get to K.L.) This is what I call my C2272S programme.
I will also need to push up my walking, because that is also something we'll probably be doing alot of.
So, my plan for this week (which actually started on Saturday):-
1. Row three times (yep, already did Saturday and today, so that's on track)
2. Walk three times (better get into that, because the LBD hasn't seen my walking shoes for weeks)
3. Do 5 flights of stairs at some point during the day every day (already did that yesterday - when I first realised that I needed to train for stairs - and today I did 2 lots, plus an additional three individual sets incidental to doing some washing downstairs)
Did you notice my total lack of any sort of weigh-in? Sort of bounced. Back to a nasty number. I'd love to say it was because I did heaps more exercise than normal and built muscle. It wasn't. I had a few eating incidents.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Two steps forward, one step back (Emily Sue)
So, today I decided I need to start Week 5 again and actually get serious about it this time. I've just done Day 1 (still sweaty and everything) and it wasn't easy. I certainly managed it better than I would have two weeks ago but I still had to push myself to finish, which just confirms for me that taking a step back and repeating a week was the right decision.
Anyway I just wanted to post this because I've been posting a fair bit of "I'm running and losing weight and I feel fantastic and the world is totally rosy!!" stuff... and while it's partly true, it's not the whole story.
Also, for dinner last night I had toast with honey followed by three Choc Wedge ice creams...
.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Is it Wednesday already? (Givinya)
So, if the scales are to be believed, I'm still above my goal weight.
If the evidence of your eyes is better, then you'd see that I'm looking pretty fit and healthy until I turn side-on and then you'd see the spare tyre that's giving me grief. I believe that after having children, I can't expect to have a supermodel-tummy.
In fact, supermodels who have had children say stuff like, "Yeah, that last 5kgs were really hard to lose - I had to really work at it." Which means there's not a whole lot of hope for me, without my personal trainer, chef-prepared menus and without five child-free minutes a day in which to even walk the stupid dog.
But without the spare tyre, I could fit into my skinny jeans. See, there's motivation.
Right - to business. I've been having fun with my New Approach To Bread - keeping to 2 slices of Grainy Lawson's bread a day has been awesome! The white-bread blowout of Saturday was not greatly satisfying, and I don't have cravings to go back there.
But I have a new challenge: SALT. My blood pressure is taking a little hike upwards, and while I sort my medication out (I have essential hypertension following pre-eclampsia in my first pregnancy) I thought that decreasing my salt intake wouldn't be a bad idea. After all, if I started limiting salty foods, I'd find that the fatty foods would also be limited.
I need to know how much is too much. I found this out on The Vitamin Update:
"An amount of about 500 mg a day is considered adequate to maintain the body's salt concentration. Intake should be no more than 2.4 g of sodium per day which is the amount found in around one teaspoon of salt. ... In Australia, the recommended intake is 920 to 2300 mg per day."
500mg sounds like it's ideal but unattainable - otherwise why would they concede 920-2300mg?
And The Better Health Channel had this:
"The National Health and Medical Research Centre’s (NHMRC) suggested dietary target advises that Australian adults should aim to consume no more than 4g of salt a day (or 1,600mg of sodium) in order to prevent chronic disease. ... Nutritionists recognise it may be difficult for many people to reduce their salt intake to the ideal level, given our current food supply."
The average of 1600mg might be a good starting point. I need a figure in my mind when reading nutrition information.
I thought it was kind of 'Nutritionists' to acknowledge that it can be hard to eat well, "given our current food supply."
Again from The Better Health Channel:
Heart Foundation advice is that all Australians should at least reduce their salt intake to less than 6g of salt a day (approximately 2,300mg of sodium a day) as a first step towards reaching the recommended levels. This is approximately 1½ teaspoons of salt.
Okay, so if I find 1600mkg is hard, I'll aim for 2300 to start with, and go from there. I'll let you know if I'm anywhere near this (because I am already following many of the healthy eating tips on both those pages linked above) or if I'm not, and how hard it might be to cut down.
Dunno if I am ready (Swift Jan)
It's been a REALLY long time. Sorry.
I'm still not sure if I am ready to jump in yet. I think that when I am ready I want to REALLY knuckle down & lose the kilos. I dont feel like I can do that during the school holidays. But, soon school will go back & maybe then I can deal with all this.... horribly ugly flabby bits.
I have never been this big in all my life and its, well its terribly depressing.
Here's a confession. The day before Libby was born the anaethetist weighed me. He had to. I didn't want to. I really didn't want to. But he had to..... the scales said 3 numbers. yep thats right 3 numbers :( Ok so after Libby they are back down to 2 numbers again, but they are high. Its humiliating & I hate myself for getting here.
It seems so incredibly daunting to need to lose close to 40kgs. Thats so much. I think I might cry.
So you might see me around these parts again a bit more regulary in the coming weeks. I'm gonna need lots of encouragement.
Finally something happening! (Emily Sue)
Last week: 73.4kg
This week: 72.7kg
Difference: 700g loss
I did my very first run OUTSIDE yesterday, which was scary and a bit harder too. It was two 8-min runs with a 5-min walk in between, only I did a 9 min run and a 6 min 40 sec run... then my body refused to run one more step. Next time it's a 20 minute run with no stopping, which terrifies me somewhat.
Also, I've stopped craving chocolate all the time. I've gone from a chocolate bar 5 times a week (yes, really) to one every 10 days or so... not because I'm restricting myself; just because I haven't felt like it. Bonus!
.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Too Much Good Cheer? (Rhubarb Whine)
Where was I?
Oh yes, just slipped under an '0'.
Well, I am just sitting on the 5 that's under the '0'.
Which is very good but very sslllooowwwwwwww....
Do you think tim tams, wine, cheese, chocolate, cheese, chocolate, champage, pate, chocolate, cheese and wine have anything to do with that?
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Blowout Weekend (Givinya)
- larger-than-necessary meals
- white bread (just my little rule, not an indiscretion if you like it, okay?)
- party food
- party food
- party food
- spinach & feta filo triangle for lunch
- minimal exercise.
Not too bad I guess, but I feel so totally Off The Wagon.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Here we go down, down, down (HJ)
Or the fact that I rowed on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday morning this week, so I must be makin' muscle.
My trendy eXcell spreadsheet is having conniptions, though. I only weighed last week and didn't enter the value, so the poor little computer is having to work out everything in negative numbers as I've set up the whole thing to report, well, you know, weight loss. And this week (because I didn't put in last week) is a significant increase on all three charts (compared with last input values; compared with my original first grade weight loss; and compared to where I started.) Ouch.
But it is a start, and as usual, if I've had a little success I can build from there.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Weigh-In Wednesday (Emily Sue)
I'm now halfway through Week 4 of C25K and I'm continuing to be amazed that I can actually do it. Week 4 looks like this:
Brisk 5 minute warm up walk
Run 3 minutes
Walk 90 seconds
Run 5 minutes
Walk 2 1/2 minutes
Run 3 minutes
Walk 90 seconds
Run 5 minutes
That's pretty hard core for someone who could barely manage the "run 60 seconds/walk 90 seconds" sets of the first week. I'm running at quite a slow pace still (between 6kmh and 7kmh, depending on whether I'm at the end or the beginning of the workout) but speed isn't important. I can build up to that later if I want. The important thing is... I'm doing it, and I am just totally STOKED about that. Although there were walking bits in between, I have still run for 16 minutes twice this week. That's awesome.
.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Femina's identity crisis
I don't want to talk about it! (HJ)
She has demonstrated attention to the duty of her exercise progam, despite the fact that she's not that sold on exercise. I've been empathising with the latter part of that statement and trying to ignore the former.
However, just as if I were a flighty and untrained young horse refusing a fence she (being better motivated and more disciplined) has given me a lead over the unattractive obstacle that is 'starting to exercise again'.
So I'm entirely thanking her for her example and how it has resulted in my having rowed 4 times this week, walked once, and having done one row for next week first up this morning.
But (and there's always a butt - in my case a larger one than this time last year), having decided that I didn't want to get on the scales, curiosity got the better of me during the week and I couldn't help myself.
Ouch.
Can't work out if it is my heaviest ever, because my heaviest ever was worked out on different scales. I don't want to think about it too hard.
What's worse is that it was an additional 100g this morning.
SO, 10 kg to 'stalling weight' and that's about all the goal I've got the energy for at this point.
*Big sigh from Jen*
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Run run run (Femina)
Finding the motivation to exercise has been a bit harder now that I'm back at work, as is finding the motivation to eat properly and not just have cheese on toast for dinner. I'm still working out whether I would rather exercise at night or in the morning. My head says in the morning but when my alarm goes off my body gives my head a smackdown and tells it to mind its own business. Unfortunately I also don't really want to exercise when I get home from work, so... yeah, still working that one out.
Aaaaand... I'm still heavier than I was when I started. Okay, it's probably muscle gain but boy, it's very discouraging to do loads of strenuous exercise and put on weight. Sigh. I'll just keep running...
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Keep on Walkin' (Givinya)
We have our own version of MT and AT at our place, but it's not quite as waistline-killing as the MTs and ATs you have at my in-laws' places.
They are all skinny people and have NEVER needed to worry about their weight, any of them. They eat SMALL helpings of healthy main meals, probably because MT and AT fill them all the way up.
They drink cordial, tea, coffee or juice. And they eat cakes, sweets, slices, muffins and cupcakes, usually with icing.
Drat them. The reason I don't have that stuff in the house is because I have no restraint.
And umm, In-Laws, just because it's all home-baked doesn't mean you're consuming LESS sugar and butter. No siree Bob.
So the other day I got on the scales and saw another 67-ish number (sigh). Then today I get on the scales and see 64.9 again! Greatly encouraged, I went for a long walk with the naughty dog. (To school and back, unencumbered! 11 minutes there, 10 minutes 48 seconds home!)
When I got back I had a shower, and with the water I sweated out and the clothes I'd discarded, I was sure I'd weigh less but the scales said nearly 3 kilos more!!
Wha-?
Yes, Hip-Jen's psychotic free scales are determined to remove the last shreds of my God-given sanity.
Smoochy Girl came to join me, and we had another weighing-in session similar to last time. Her weight remained steady, while mine fluctuated every time it was my turn to step on the scales. By the way, she used to be 9.4 kilograms, and now she's 12. Humph. Weight gain is exciting for the little ones.
So what do I know? That I am not gaining weight as quickly as my little girl (good.) That I might be possibly 64.9ish kg. Or 67ish. Or 66ish. Or something. But not 74ish, like 6 months ago, but then, losing weight after a baby is hardly an achievement. For me though, not gaining like a blimp while breastfeeding is an ahcievement, so I will feel happy about that for the time being.
A note about the bread: I am loving my new approach to bread! Most days I'd have zero or one slices, and on the days I have two I am SO GLAD I have my heavy grainy bread! I love it!
Now I am back after the Christmas Food At The In-Laws' Debacles, I can get back into the things I was loving before Christmas - my grainy bread, my walking, and my healthy eating. And not having rubbish food on the house!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Thanks, Femina and Manda (HJ)
I only did 15 minutes...
On the easiest setting...
and I didn't really push it at all...
but I rowed.
I'm not game to get on the scales, though...
I think I'll leave it a week...
But I rowed.
The problem with not getting on the scales is that I can't see the damage...
This helps me ignore the weight gain...
Which is really not what I need...
But, hey, I rowed.
Good things happen when I row.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Weigh-In Wednesday (Manda)
Today: 72.2
Change: Up .6
Like I said. It could be a lot worse!
This time next week, I'll be on beach mission. The aim is to not pig out on lollies the whole time (as they're likely to be more available than anything else) and to drink lots of water. Won't have much control over the food available, but will be active all day...
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Exercise update (Femina)
Yesterday I completed Week 2, Day 2 of C25K. I'll do Day 3 tomorrow or Thursday, and I haven't yet decided if I'll go straight to Week 3 or do another couple of days of Week 2. I've been able to do the program as written but it was a real struggle so I think another couple of days of it might be good before stepping it up to the next level.
I don't want to run more than three times a week as I have a slightly dodgy knee and I'm scared of injuring it so I've been trying to find something to do on a couple of other days each week. I have ZERO upper body strength and therefore swimming would be perfect... well, except for the fact that I don't know how to swim. Tricky. However, I remembered a dusty set of unused DVDs on my bookshelf, bought during a brief period where I thought about exercising. The DVDs are Jillian Michaels' Beginner Workouts and (now that I've finally watched them) they're great. Unlike many other DVDs, they really are designed for beginners so she teaches you how to do the exercises properly, notes things to avoid and gives you alternate exercises if you can't manage some of the cardio stuff. I did the 'Frontside' workout because it's mainly upper body stuff and I can feel it after only one session. Heh... actually not even one session - I could only manage 30 minutes of the 40 minute workout, but that's way better than nothing at all.
Also, Jillian Michaels (trainer from the US Biggest Loser) is awesome. Awesome, I tell you.
So here I am... running (well, jogging) and actively seeking out something to do on non-running days. Yeah... I'm starting to scare myself.
.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Changes (Manda)
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
In which Femina discovers muscles she didn't know were there...
I'm doing it on a treadmill, which is probably a little easier than outside. I've been advised to set the treadmill at the lowest incline to better approximate the outdoors. I'm not sure how to approximate dogs chasing me, cars whizzing by, uneven cement tripping me up and various other outdoor hazards. Maybe I'll leave those for now.
Anyway, so today I have just finished W1D3 (Week 1, Day 3), which means I have completed Week 1! (You're meant to do the C25K sets three times each week.) Only 8 more weeks until I can (hopefully) manage a half hour run. On Week 1 you alternate 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking so I can't even imagine jogging or running for a full half hour but I guess I'll get there.
So, no weigh in today, just an exercise update. I feel GREAT that I'm managing to achieve each day's C25K exercise goal... but boy, I'm feeling it! Apparently there are muscles in my legs. Who knew? It's not like I've ever used them before.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Too Much Daily Bread (Givinya)
But she was, in fact, referring to the word "obesity." And I couldn't believe it. She looked great when I saw her 15 years ago, and looks the same today! I'm thinking this is a girl with some weight-loss suggestions!
One of the steps in her action plan was to limit herself to 2 slices of bread a day. Ack! I knew that people say that overindulging in bread is their main pitfall, but I've always been a bit "pooh-pooh" about that.
Then I started to realise how many slices of bread I was eating each day. My word. Two slices a day was worth a try.
I started trying to limit myself to 2 or 3 slices of bread. And I sometimes did okay with that.
Now that is not my only Bread Problem. Until I left home to go to Uni at 17, I had hardly ever tasted white bread. I remember gagging on its soft white slipperiness once when I was about 8, because I'd only ever eaten wholemeal bread. I was proud of that! Boo to white bread: sometimes I call it "duck food" and sometimes I call it "colon packing." Now that I've married a man who responded to a similar not-white-bread-eating upbringing by eating heaps of it to make up for lost time, that's all I eat! Why? Gurk!
What if, I thought, what if I bought myself an expensive loaf of something very grainy, very filling and very healthy, stored it in the freezer, and ate 2 slices of it a day?
Now THAT was a great idea. Frozen bread is great in the toaster, and frozen bread is fantastic for sandwiches. And look at this! When my poor family is eating this for lunch:
I am eating THIS!
I truly am the lucky one!!!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
I might not die (Givinya)
She said that next year when Nat goes to school, I'll be able to walk him there and back. And because I will be pushing a double stroller, it would be excellent exercise up the hills there are in both directions.
I thought she was mad.
But she isn't. She is just a Mum who happens to run half-marathons, and has never experienced grinding sacro-iliac dysfunction pain upon walking down to the corner and back again. Or occasional blacking out due to blood pressure medication. Or Lazy Wretch Syndrome, which I seem to suffer from most of the time.
So I told my husband and he thought it was a great idea and went about proving that a man who has never given birth and who gets as much uninterrupted sleep as he pleases every night and who doesn't have to push his body through 12 hours of non-stop servanthood under the rule of some
But I started thinking. He told me about a short-cut that eliminated the long grinding hill I was worried about. And I did some calculations and worked out it is only about 1.2 km (unfortunately without any 'loading' for the hills) making it sound EASY.
Let me cut and paste from my blog entry today, telling you about my progress on this walk:
First Walk: Nat was asleep one afternoon and I took Anna-Lucia and Joseph in the double stroller. I walked down the hill, through the forest, down the next hill and across to the roundabout. I could see the school from there, and found that immensely encouraging. But the children were beginning to cry and I was concerned I wouldn't make it home if I bit off more than I could chew, so we turned around and came home. Uuuuuup the hill! I lived. Great work, Me!
Second Walk: We didn't go further, but it included more challenges. Nat was with us and didn't want to ride his bike (a) down the hills, in case he went too fast and got out of control, or (b) up the hills because they were too steep. So it was quite pointless him even having his bike, but he flatly refused to go without it. Joseph wasn't dressed warmly enough and when the breeze turned into a wind, he got quite cold and grizzled a lot of the way home. And Anna-Lucia saw Nat on his bike and moaned 75% of the way, "I neeed my biiike!" Those words must have been said over a hundred times. When I replied that it was a bad idea because she couldn't even push the pedals, she said, "You can push me with a broom!"
Then she demanded to get out and walk, tripped over the stroller wheels, scraped her knee and OH! the DRAMA! A bleddercut on the knee!
And although she sat down and would not budge two houses from home and Nat decided he couldn't possibly push his bike up the last little bit, I did make it back, alive, with three children, one bike AND my dignity, which is an important factor in the longevity of this Mad Walking Idea.
Third Walk: This morning I was awake early and once Joseph and Anna-Lucia were awake too, I decided to try the walk again, this time unencumbered by a 4-year-old and his bike. I dressed the children warmly and took off. This time we made it all the way to school and back. Oh my! The hills! But I made it, I made it! Alive! It only took me 25 minutes (do remember that this is sans Nat).
I can do this. We have five more weeks to practice before school starts. By then, I hope to be pushing the double stroller up those hills a little easier, and I hope to have Nat a little more independent on his bike.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Weigh-In Wednesday (Femina)
This week: 74.0kg
Uhh... right. Okay then. I'm a little baffled by this since I have spent the week eating well AND I used my treadmill three times, but there you go. Just one of those things, I guess, and I'm sure it will sort itself out next week (just in time for my Christmas blow-out). My weight tends to go up and down daily so monthly trends are more useful for me anyway... thus, I'm not concerned yet. If this happens every week then that will be a different story! :-)
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Weigh-In Wednesday (Femina)
This week: 72.8kg
Given the ups and downs of the past month, weight-wise (and emotionally, to be frank) I'm pretty happy with this. I'm also happy to be weighing in BEFORE today's Seniors' Christmas Lunch at work, where I get to be an honorary senior and eat lots of delicious food, and also BEFORE I go to have dinner with friends tonight. Yay, timing! Hehe.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Copy Copy Copy (Givinya)
Before pregnancy: I can't remember exactly, possibly 68 or 69 kg? I was getting lumpy and dumpy and I was not fitting into my jeans well.
During pregnancy: I did lose some fat from my upper body, and only went up to 74.4 kg.
After Joseph: 64.0 to 65.0 kg. Fitting into jeans better, but eating an enormous amount. Mostly healthy foods, but probably too many choc-chip biscuits.
Goal: 60.0 kg, unless I get there and decide that 58.0 or 59.0 would be healthier. (A BMI of 22 [58kg-60kg] has suited my frame better over the years and made me feel healthier than the current BMI=24. But hey wow - it's currently 24! That's supposed to be good! So why do I feel like a blancmange, and look so appallingly jubbly and rotund over the belly - and I'm not talking just baby stuff - there's too many muffins in my muffin top! I feel I shouldn't be complaining about BMI=24, but it's not suiting me one little bit!)
I was talking to a friend yesterday. The essence of my question for her was: at what point does a girl with a body shape like a barrel (thinnish arms, shoulders, neck, and from the knees down, but with an embarrassingly rotund middle) get some expert weight-loss help, e.g., from a Program?
Her reply contained the idea that anybody can lose weight - they just have to want to. She said she has known people who say they want to lose weight but they never do, and these were the people who never really wanted to.
Excuse me?
I'm sorry, but I just don't buy that.
I have never ever been able to control my weight. When I was having revolting panic attacks and unable to keep food down for weeks on end, there was nothing I could do to increase my weight. And now that I am shaped like a barrel, I have found that despite eating a healthy diet and swimming 0.5 km regularly (back when I was free to do so!) I am completely unable to decrease my weight.
My weight does its own thing. And at the heart of this not-checking-in-with-Skinny-Cow thing is my total lack of belief that trying to lose weight will be worth the time I spend on it.
Hence the choc-chip cookies.
Accountability-copying (Manda)
Last post (months and months ago): 71.8
Last week: 71.6
This week: 71.6.
Is it a plateau...? or am I maintaining well?
Only time can judge...
Weigh-In Wednesday (Femina)
So, I've realised that's what I need to do. Weigh in here every week even if I've eaten nothing but chocolate for the past seven days... and even if I'm the only one doing this and the only one reading it. It's not about public humiliation; it's about being in a routine and being accountable.
Today's weight: 72.8kg
Last time: uhh... no idea. I forgot to check before starting this post.
Goal weight: 64kg
See you again in a week! :-)
Thursday, October 29, 2009
wake up!
21 cm!
Yes, I did celebrate with a milestone purchase. Oh yes indeedy I did.
And, I just snuck under another '0' number.
Sweet.
I am so terribly sorry for going! (Givinya)
About a month ago (like THAT counts) my post-baby weight was 65kg. Proving what I said - pregnancy agrees with me. That would leave only 5kg to my goal weight. Remember I started at 69ish, okay 70ish, okay once I got pregnant I was 71ish and headed on up to the high point which was 74.4.
And I swear I started feeling thinner except for the Growing Joseph Inside - losing fat from my upper body and possibly elsewhere, not that you'd notice with the Growing Joseph Inside.
Then the Growing Joseph Inside became the Growing Joseph Outside and once the metaphorical dust had settled, I found I was in fact 65ish.
Wow.
Now here's my problem. Breastfeeding makes me RAVENOUS and it doesn't take the weight off like they say. They lie.
Watch me head on up, unable to curb my desire to eat a double-sized portion of food each meal of the day.
Depressing. So depressing that I've been avoiding Skinny Cow, and so depressing I will backdate this post an hour so as not to bump Rhubarb's post from the top of the page because let's face it, she's putting in effort and getting huge results, and we all want to be encouraged by that! Go Rhubarb!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
the shrinking of rhubarb
I picked up everything in a size 'M'. It fits. Something went back for being too big. Even my DD cup bazookas went into an 'M' dress.
I am in awe.
I have a way (weigh?) to go... but it's getting there. Now my skin needs ironing.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Slightly less embarrassing (Femina)
So, tonight I put an episode of Stargate SG-1 in the DVD player and hopped on the treadmill, determined to manage MORE than the embarrassing five minutes I managed last time. Having the treadmill level this time made a difference... I managed 40 minutes, mostly at 5.5km/h. Oh yeah. I have jelly-legs but I'm feeling very smug too.
However... I'm not weighing myself yet. Or at least, not disclosing it yet.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Well, that was embarrassing (Femina)
Three minutes into walking I got off briefly to find my water bottle (yeah, I've sort of forgotten how this exercise thing works) then got back on. Five minutes later my heart rate was up and I was puffing. FIVE MINUTES. Well, I suppose that five minutes of running will do that... oh, but wait, I wasn't running. I was walking... 5.5kmh. That's a brisk walking pace but not extreme.
Five minutes. Huh.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Moooo-ving on down (rhubarb)
A size down, my next goal is to get into the last of the clothes that are 'snug' that fit me 5 years ago. Almost there.
Motivate me!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
So I'm obviously back to eating...
This week I've put on 0.4 kg. It could be a temporary blip after a packet of Gaiety chocky bickkies over a couple of days and a good serve of corn chips last night. I have also continued the ice-cream because they had to take bone out to get the teeth, and I'm thinking that I need to keep my calcium intake up while it heals itself. We'll see for next week.
So I'm a good little cow-girl reminding all my friends that we all have bad weeks. And that doing some exercise is possibly a good idea.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Weigh-In Wednesday (Femina)
Last time: 71.9
Today: 72.6
Difference: 700g gain
Of course that's not an entirely accurate picture since in the last three months my weight has gone up and down a fair bit. I got up to 74kg at one point, which was more than enough to make me take stock and reign in the munching a little bit!
In exercise news, I have cancelled my gym membership because I was hardly using it and I can't really afford it. Plus my reasons for going to the gym have changed - I joined initially when I was at the tail-end of several months of depression and exercise was more of a depression-management tool than anything else. And it was great for that. Now, however, my mental health is loads better and the gym just isn't doing it for me. Instead, I have just bought a treadmill (it's being delivered next Tuesday) and hopefully the fact that I don't have to go out to exercise - in fact can exercise in my PJs if I want - will help me to be more motivated.
The food is another matter. Hmmm...
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Wisdom Teeth Weigh HOW MUCH??!!??
Last time: 74 kg
This time: 72.6 kg
Loss of: 1.6 kg
Total loss: 3.4 kg
Way to go to goal (68kg): 4.6 kg
They must have been some pretty weighty teeth! I've been eating wrong food and not exercising. Maybe I should get another lot out and see if I can duplicate the results (or not).
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sabotage! (Givinya)
"He's going to come home with two blocks of chocolate," I said out loud. And he didn't. Good man.
"And a packet of corn chips," I continued. And he didn't. Awesome.
"And at least three packets of biscuits." And he brought home four.
My only defense against eating crap is not having it in the house. Then he brings it into the house. Doesn't he love me? Apparently he must love me so much that he wants more of me - much much more.
I got mad, but kept my cool as I said, "Honey, I'm going to need you to take every pack of biscuits to work - I can't have them in the house, I need you to help me not pack on the weight."
"Okay," he said.
So please explain why today there is a pack of Mint Slices in the fridge, a pack of Caramel Tim Tams in the cupboard, and the packs of Monte Carlos and Custard Creams were both emptied out into a giant biscuit tin and placed in our cupboard.
Mr de Elba is not taking my weight loss seriously. Maybe I should show how seriously I am taking it by throwing the whole lot in the bin.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Manda
My plans have changed a little over the last month or so. I continue to aim to lose weight, but I am equally concerned now with developing good eating habits.
(Are you rolling your eyes? Stop that! Let me expand on it a bit first).
My biggest goal remains to break the hold food has in my head. This doesn't simply mean gluttony - it refers to the way I idolise food, waiting for the next morsel, daydreaming about dinner, an so on.
My housemate is obsessed with a book about Intuitive Eating. The thoery is, your body craves things it needs (or at least it will, once you start listening to it). So eating what you crave when you crave it - and not eating more than what will satisfy you - teaches you to eat the way your body needs you to. I'm not 100% sold on the theory, but it's not a bad idea: eating only what you need to eat, knowing that if you're hungry, you can get more later... satisfying cravings by having a little, rather than defying them by eating lots of other foods you don't crave.
So now, I'm eating when I'm hungry, and I'm eating the things I'm hungry for. Sounds simple, right? Well, in all my previous food habits (eat all you can and don't care about the consequences / eat exactly what will fit into the Weight Watchers plan and never anything else / eat mostly what will fit into the plan but be a tiny bit more relaxed) this has never occurred to me!
Weight: 71:8
Goal: 70
Weight to goal: 1.8 kilos
Time to get to goal: as long as I want! As long as I'm eating good food that I want to eat, I'm not too fussed about the timing.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Count me in, too (Femina)
So... I'm back! Yay! I have had some messy things going on over the past three months and chocolate has been my friend. As has bacon. And the occasional hash brown. Mmm, and sausages sometimes too. Ooh, and hot chocolate. Turns out my mother was right... some friends only pretend to be your friend but really they are bad news. Sigh. I now weigh more than at my last OSC weigh-in but still less than when this whole thing started so I suppose that's a good thing.
My goal for this week is to plan meals, shop and cook. I have plenty of junk food in my house but nothing that would make a nutritious meal so that's my first step. I recently bought a meal planner notebook so I'm going to start utilising that. I am generally pretty good at the meal planning thing so that might be a good kick-start for me. (Yeah - here's hoping.)
Exercise goals will come next week. One step at a time for reluctant little cowgirls. :)
I'm back, Cowgirls (Givinya)
Three weeks ago, I lost something huge, like 7kg or maybe more. This is how:
Giving birth to one stinkin' cute baby boy. Joseph Samuel is his name, and he accounted for 3.105 kg of the extra 14kg above my goal weight. See? Not all my fault.
Losing weight while flat on back
And the night after my caesarean as I lay helplessly flat on my back, I lost another 6kg or more. I have never lost so much weight so quickly while doing so little. How? you ask. I peed. And peed. And I peed and I peed and I peed and I peed and I peed and I peed and I peed. Well, I had a catheter in, so I didn't know I was peeing, much less how MUCH I was peeing until a midwife came for a chat and said upon leaving, "I'd better empty your bag - it looks like it's going to burst."
My bag? Oh yes, the catheter thing. Going to burst? Well, I had been very thirsty since the caesar, no - since falling pregnant late last year. And admittedly I'd had a lot to drink that afternoon in between feeding little Joseph. But also, I assume I'd retained fluid I hadn't noticed in my tissues, and it was all a-comin' out.
She emptied the bag into what looked like a two-litre jug, then emptied the jug. She emptied the bag again into the same jug, and emptied the jug again. Then she emptied the bag a third tine into this jug, not quite full this time, but lemme tell you, this wasn't the only bag-emptying-into-jug thing they did for me over that 20 hours.
I think I must have lost at least 6 litres in fluid, hence 6kg. While lying flat on my back.
And I've lost other bits and pieces of weight over the last 3 weeks, then gained it back with the incessant drinking you do when you're breastfeeding. And the breastfeeding itself - let's just say that parts of me are definitely making up some of the extra weight that's still on me.
ANYWAY.
Return to Skinny Cow
Here I am, back at Skinny Cow. And weight-wise, it's an interesting time of life for me - twice before I have seen that I crave the most amazing amounts of food when I am feeding a baby, and the promise that "the weight will fall off you when you're breastfeeding" turns out to be no more than a FABLE for me.
So now, the rubber hits the road.
What will I eat when it's 2pm and I am craving 4 chocolate biscuits, 7 marshmallows, 1 whole chocolate cake and a drink of hot Milo with sugar?
Will a banana and an apple REALLY cut it?
Plan of Attack
Current plan of attack: I don't want to keep any/much bad food in the house. And I want to eat leftovers instead of junk when I'm craving, as they will be filling and healthy.
Good luck, me.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Undutiful Porker returns to Skinny Cow again
It's a pity that I didn't, really.
However, I have been paying a bit more attention to healthy eating and I've rowed a couple of times during the last few weeks. And I thought about going for some walks with the Little Black Dog.
The exercise was mostly spurred on after my pre-admission phone call from a nurse asking questions about my health issues and any medication that I'm on. When asked about my level of fitness I did confess to being at the bottom end of the fitness range. She needed more information:
Her: "Do you walk for half an hour each day?"
Me: "Well, that's my aim, but I haven't been meeting it for the last few weeks."
Her: "If you walk up four flights of stairs would you be breathless?"
Me: "Is there anyone who wouldn't be breathless walking up four flights of stairs?"
Her (somewhat impatiently): "Yes!"
And although I didn't challenge it at the time, I'm certain that even when I was at my fittest (during high school when I rode my bike for 5 km to school and back about 4 times a week) I would have been breathless if I tried to walk up four flights of stairs.
Even when I was at college and walked everywhere and did indeed have four flights of stairs to climb to get to my room I was breathless at the top of them.
However, at least the hospital know how out of condition I am. You would have thought that they could have worked that out when I confessed to my height and weight!
I work best from a position of strength. I'm 1.4 kilos down since my last weigh-in. Or maybe exactly the same weight, but I took best two of three attempts.
So I rowed this morning and feel all good.
I had a balanced breaky that include fruit and milk and toast and I feel all good.
Then I finished off the packet of cheese Twisties that lured me yesterday at the supermarket.
I have to work on my just-say-no control mechanism.
Onwards and downwards.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
What part of "Forever" do I not understand?
I had blogged on my site that I really needed to do something about my weight. I was going to slowly but surely get fitter and start eating less of the right kind of food (and obviously much less - or approximately none - of the wrong kind of food). It struck a chord with a number of people and so the Skinny Cow Co-operative was born.
And I was doing really well until Christmas time, where I started to bounce and bit and then the wheels fell off for me entirely in about March. *sigh*
So here I go again - only 0.6 of a kilo off my original starting weight. I've put myself back into First Grade Weighloss and am trying to summon up the strength to get back on the wagon.
The fact that I'm trying to summon up that strength does not bode well. You see, I will need to be entirely committed if I'm to get back into shape. I'm wondering if the thought of being a model for our Church's Fashion Parade in October is sufficient to get me back to 68kg.
I want to get back to 68kg.
At this point I'm not aiming for much beyond that, because that is the weight the wheels always fall off. Between now and then I need to get my head around it, but it's a good starting aim because it is achievable.
I will have to ignore the winter allure of custard and steamed pudding desserts every night, and the temptation to eat more because it's cold.
I'm guessing that in the week following the 19th August I might manage to lose heaps of weight. That's the date I'm getting all four wisdom teeth out and I'm guessing that eating is not going to be pleasurable for a bit.
So enough of the whinging!
This week I will:
1. Allow myself two desserts and two other naughties.
2. I will row three times
3. I will do a half-hour walk three times.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Weigh-In Wednesday! (Eizelby)
Today: 67.25kg
So: a loss of 2.75kg!
The last time I weighed in was over two months ago, so the amount is not impressive, but my lack of commitment to posting here reflects lack of commitment to weight management.
May and June were tumultuous months. I spent a few days sick in bed eating nothing but ice chips which helped with weight loss in May (I got to a little less than I am now), but once I got back onto food I dropped the ball and didn't care what I ate, walked less due to the cool and rainy weather, and generally wasn't living in a healthy way.
However, inexplicably, in the past few weeks I have been WANTING to eat better. I have been CRAVING vegetables and fruits more than ice cream! That never happens. I think my body has finally gotten fed up with my terrible eating habits and has decided to teach me good eating habits itself! Awesome! Weather has also been better and, due to my healthier diet, I have more energy to walk.
I am also finally getting on top of my low GI eating. I love that I can eat what I want: no cutting out chocolate, I eat it almost every day, just in little doses. That way, I avoid the sugar cravings. Cutting stuff out that I really love and crave always ends up doing more damage later on.
The end is in sight!

Saturday, June 27, 2009
A Moment of Weightlessness / Moment of Truth
My gain since last week equals zero.
Unfortunately my loss since last week also equals zero, and I'm hoping that this is the moment of weightlessness before my weight plummets to the floor.
I was looking at my trendy spreadsheet again. So many goals (good, achievable goals) that I've let slide by pretty much since Christmas. I know that if I go back to my 'normal' eating pattern I will slowly climb back up into the mid 70s. Am I okay with that? Not really.
So:-
1. I will row three times this week. Started off already with 25 minutes this morning.
2. I will walk three times this week. The LBD will be very glad about that, and it does do wonders for my mental health.
3. I will allow myself 2 desserts and 2 other miscellaneous naughties during the week.
4. I will try to eat more good food despite the apparent conflict between the government's 2 & 5 programme and avoiding itchy spots (i.e. fruit apart from pears is pretty much out on a daily basis).
To a certain extent, it is the conflicts between all the different schools of thought that trips me up with respect to good eating. Food apparently needs to be low in sugar, fat, salt, and carbs. It needs to have no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. Fresh may indeed be best, but it also needs to be low in the naturally occurring food chemicals that cause itchy spots. It needs to be Australian grown/made/owned, but also inexpensive. Also, apparently one serve of meat is plenty, four serves of grains are necessary, and 2 serves of fruit and 5 of vegetables are what we should have each day.
Is it any wonder that I am going through a phase of hating food shopping?
It doesn't help that my herb and shallot garden is struggling through the cold weather. I need these to make food at all interesting without going to the shops every two days. Maybe I need to bring the pots inside?
Off to make chicken soup... and a sponge cake (oops). I'm trying to get my sponge-making ability consistent. It has egg in it, so it must be healthy, yes?
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The Good News Is...
How would I have put on 7234.8 kilos (which, by the way, is actually 7.2 tonnes!)?
Well, I hit the zero instead of the decimal place when I was entering today's data into my trendy spreadsheet.
The resulting answer didn't look quite right to me.
Let's just say that it really puts the 1.5 kilos that I really put on into perspective.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Weigh In Wednesday (Femina)
Today: 71.9kg
Difference: 400g
This means that the enormous amount of Maltesers I ate yesterday hasn't hit the system yet. Maybe they won't... they were fundraising Maltesers after all and it seems wrong that my generosity should cause me to put on weight!
That's it from me today. No plans, no goals for the moment. I'm concentrating on other things in my life for a little while so any weight loss or gain will be by accident, not design. I guess it's a good experiment to see what happens when I eat reasonably normally (apart from the Maltesers) and don't exercise. I'll be able to find out if my 'normal' food regime is too much.