A Post-Christmas Post (HJ)

I wasn't going to weigh-in today. I was going to leave it a week. But then my curiosity got the better of me - so here it is.

I missed a couple of rows this week, and was pretty slow for most of the ones I did do.

I put on 100 grams. I'm happy with that - actually I'm not, but it's better than it could have been.

We're away for three days starting tomorrow, so I'll have to work out an alternate exercise plan. Hoping you all have happy numbers for Wednesday and that Manda doesn't get hit with a gain after her lag-time.

Weigh-In Wednesday Recalled by (Manda) on Friday

Merry Christmas, everyone! 

I got swallowed up by a giant Christmas bubble, and only burst free today. With all my church duties I didn't have time to blog, but I did get on the scales on Wednesday, and here is the verdict:

Last week: 72.7

This week: 72.6

Change: a loss of 100 grams

Total loss so far: 3.4 kilos

A loss! How on earth did that happen? I exercised twice but ate a lot. I wasn't looking for good news.

But it's still the same today. I expect I might add a little once my Christmas food catches up to me (sometime this weekend, as my weight changes always seem to happen with a three-day delay), but despite that, I'm feeling good.

Took advantage of boxing day sales and bought some clothes... sized medium, 12 and 12! Hooray!

While I celebrate, let me just say that your picture is amazing, HJ! Well done, and I hope you are feeling good :)

Hip Jen and the Crazy Scales (Givinya)

Last week, I was 67.4 kg.

This morning I was sad to see I was up to 69.7 (gain = 2.3 kg) and then in disbelief, I got on the scales for a second time, and they said 67.2 (loss = 200g)

So I think all my weigh-ins have been for naught! Hippomanic Jen gave me a set of bipolar scales!

Maybe I should take measurements instead of weighing? You can SEE the results in Hip-Jen's recent pics, can't you?

I'll be attacking the problem of the measurements over the next few weeks. Stay Tuned.

Weigh-In Wednesday (Femina)

Last week: 74.6
This week: 74.3
Loss: 300g

It's tiny, but exciting! I feel like I've started the weight-loss train rolling again. I've been eating less crap and more salads, I went to the gym once and did three walks to the local shops (20-25 minutes each way).

Apart from Christmas Day and a birthday party in the evening on Boxing Day I don't have lots of celebratory eating planned... and neither of those things will be in my house so I won't be faced with tons of yummy leftovers. This all bodes well for a non-blowout Christmas.

I'm on leave from work for three weeks after today so I hope to get back into the gym a bit more. It usually takes about 5 visits before I start actually enjoying it.... but motivating myself through the 5 no-I-don't-want-to-be-here-I-really-hate-this visits will be the tricky part!
.

1.3kg / 7 days - RESULTS

OK, now Femina's back from the gym I can share (sorry it took a while, but I had some things to do in the kitchen).

This week I have slaved. I have taken my poor body to its limits of exercise endurance. I have not spent as much time blogging or reading because I was rowing.

So now it's time for some results.

Remember the photo I posted at the beginning of Operation Skinny Cow? Well I told myself I shouldn't try taking another one until I'd lost eight kilos, then I should be able to see the difference. Same clothes, same Jen - Look at the difference!

I like this photo. It explains why people can tell that I've lost a little weight. More importantly, I look like I always thought I looked like in my head, then would get shocks when I looked into mirrors. Boy, isn't it great when body image and mirror image are close to each other! I particularly like the way my 3/4 pants now have vertical 'empty' creases, rather than horizontal 'can only just hold the quantity of flesh within me' creases. Yes, you too could see a marked difference if you lost about the same amount as me. Take the photo - even if no-one but you ever sees it.

So the hard results.

Remember, I had 1.3 kilos to lose to get down to my second reward level of eight kilos loss.


Are you ready?



Are you sure you can handle it?




Okay, okay, I'll get down to it... drumroll please...


Around my bust I lost one centimetre, resulting in a total loss of of five centimetres since the 18th October (i.e. 2 months).

I lost half a centimetre around my ribs under my bust. Total loss three centimetres.

I lost nothing around my waist (but it did have a big drop a couple of weeks ago), but that's still a total loss of 5.5 centimetres, which is pretty good.

My tummy was a big winner this week with a reduction of 2.5 centimetres - hooray, at last I'm winning on the belly front! Total loss 6.5 centimetres.

My hips lost 1.5 centimetres, which brings them to a total of 6.5 centimetres. Cooking on gas!

I didn't really think it was possible to lose 2.5 centimetres around the top of my arm, but I've done it! Okay, so that's the total loss. 0.5 was from this week's effort.

I also lost a whole centimetre from around the widest part of my thigh, which means that there are 3.5 extra centimetres of fabric in my trousers than I currently need.

So I've lost heaps and heaps of size this week. All that remains is to let you know whether I've made the 1.3 kilos.

Here goes...

The number of kilograms lost during this week of determination and pushing through my boundaries of physical stamina... point four. Yep, that is not a typo. I've lost the same amount as I did previously with hardly any effort. Isn't it good that I'm losing weight at such a steady, sustainable rate? I couldn't help but laugh. The good news is that I should be within my healthy weight range. I'm going with the theory that I've built muscle this week.

The heading for this post that I would have used if I hadn't wanted to create suspense.

"My mother stole my one point three kilos"

Bad Mother!

The good thing is that I'm not distraught. It's too hilariously funny to be distressing. And I like the photo comparison. I am winning.

Femina, have you been to the gym yet?

Well all my little bovine friends, I've done my weigh-in.

I'm not posting results until Femina comments that she's been to the gym (she told me to nag her), so until then I'm trying to type with a poker face. Is it working?

I didn't get my second row done on Thursday. There was a carol service and I didn't make the time before hand (I would have needed a shower and didn't have time for both) and it was too late to start after.

But I made up for it with two rows yesterday. This means that I did the 11 sessions that I had aimed for - totalling 12,800 repitions in the week. I thought that was quite impressive.

I'm going to go back to normal now. I was really pushing my maximum exercise limit. I came off a horse some years ago and did something nasty to my tailbone. Let's just say that the time limit on my rowing sessions towards the end of the week has been less about how my arms, legs, back or cardio-vascular system has been going and more about whether my backside can take the weight anymore as I roll back. Actually, it forced me to find a new feet position and that in turn exercised some different thigh muscles, so it may not be a bad thing.

Waiting for Femina to comment.

I'm chicken (Louisa)

Didn't weigh in last night...granted I didn't get home in time for the meeting but I could have gone to a later one. I didn't. I'm chicken. I have the most pathetic reason in the world, I only went to the gym twice this week and one swim and I wanted to go to the gym three times.

Pathetic.

Ate a burger for dinner instead. Classy.

Bring on Christmas!

1.3kg / 7 days (Day 6)

I've done my 45 minutes for this morning, planning another session for tonight.

I'm back to feeling good having rowed. I think the lighter day yesterday may have helped. I also think that not dreaming about being an international spy on a plane hijacked by Nazis might have helped. Sleep is much more restful when you're not plotting to pull down the new Nazi government without crashing a planeful of young children or getting yourself shot.

So it might be an 'up' day today. Looking forward to Saturday - eyes on the prize.

LUNCHTIME UPDATE
I visited my Mum today. She bought a little baby rowing machine last week on our shopping trip, and has been slowly building up the number of minutes she can do (at twelve minutes twice a day now she's doing really quite well).

She's been reading about my struggles to get my 1.3 kilos in a week. This morning it is a week since she's been rowing. She very gleefully told me that SHE's lost my 1.3 kilos. So if I don't make it, I know where it's gone.

"Congratulations Mum," Hippomanic Jen said grudgingly, I mean, with great support and encouragement.

Weigh-in Wthursday (Manda)

Thanks, Wfemina.

Last week: 72.4
This week: 72.7
Change: a gain of .3
Total loss so far: 3.3

Gaiiiiin. (And it might have been a little more than .3, as I weighed myself before brekky this week and can't remember if I started that the week before or not)...

Dad's birthday, staff Christmas lunch, honey-joy freakout, women's film night, girls' pamper night, seniors' Christmas lunch... all of which were within one week and all of which I happily ate through.

Bad Manda.

So this week, I'm going to start trying again and stop using Christmas things as an excuse.

The good side is that the damage isn't too bad, and I'll go to the gym again (missed it this week for Dad's birthday). Stay positive, Manda!

Weigh-in Wthursday - scary but not terrifying (Femina)

Thanks Manda for "Wthursday"... it's useful to have another day in the week!

Last time I weighed I was 73.5. Actually that's the last time I officially weighed - I've weighed myself at various times over the last fortnight, with sometimes alarming results (don't weigh yourself at the end of the day right after eating a bowl of risotto, that's all I'm saying).

Anyway, today's weight was 74.6. Ouch. To be honest, though, it's not as bad as I expected given what I ate while my parents were here, and given that it's... uh... Lady Time right now. Oh, and given that we had the most amazing staff Christmas lunch yesterday!

I do expect next week to be better as my anxiety and stress levels have decreased quite a lot (hey... and my parents have just gone home again... coincidence???) and so I'm less likely to comfort eat. Now I just have to get back to the gym again. I was loving it for a while there but since I took a break from it I'm finding it very hard to whip up the enthusiasm to go. I'm sure the enthusiasm will come back after I've been a few times so I guess I'll just have to ignore my own whinging and force myself to go. :)

1.3kg / 7 days (Day 5)

I've had a lighter day today. I did 40 minutes tonight. And even that was pushing it.

We'll have to see what happens tomorrow. Technically I only have to do two rows on either Thursday or Friday (and that was only based on 30 minute rows, so I'm ahead of the game in terms of minutes already).

End in sight. Can I make it?

I feel like one of those marathon runners who is about to collapse within sight of the finish line.

Down Up Down (Givinya)

Last week, I was 68.6kg. This morning, I was 67.4kg (loss = 1.2kg). I have no idea what's going on. But each day I drink buckets of water because it's been so hot. I guess some of the fluctuation could be due to drinking, peeing and retaining all that.

Am enjoying the support from Skinny Cow even though things are a bit up and down. Thanks for putting up with me.

Hey, it's Wednesday! (Femina)

What do you know? It's Wednesday! I've been on leave for the last few days and only came back to work today, therefore my brain thinks it's Monday... and to confuse things even further, someone who usually only works here on Fridays came in today for our staff Christmas lunch, so when I'm not thinking it's Monday today I think it's Friday.

In short, I'm very confused and therefore didn't even think about weighing in this morning. I only weigh in the mornings so it will have to wait until tomorrow. (See how I resisted the temptation to write "it will have to weight"?? Ar ar.)

Hope everyone else is having a good Skinny Cow week. See you on Wthursday.

1.3kg / 7 days (Day 4)

I rowed for 45 minutes this morning. I was a little stiff in the shoulders after yesterday's effort, but it wore off as I went.

When I went to grab some fresh vegies at the supermarket I fantasised about bakeries and Chicken McNuggets and fries dipped in Sweet 'n' Sour sauce. I did not have them.

I decided that next week I'm going back on the antihistamines so that I can eat whatever I want over Christmas and New Year. I won't be eating everything that's offered - I'll try to be selective, but it's CHRISTMAS, people!!! This is dangerous because I know I'm very capable of eating everything in sight and putting back on all the kilos that have gone. It is not going to happen.

I sat down at lunch time and my treat of a handful of chips turned into a 1/3 of a packet. They were goooood. And crunchy. And salty.

Then I fell asleep in my lounge chair.

I've just spent a few minutes staring at my happy fabrics that will soon become new clothes trying to get some enthusiasm for exercise.

I just don't know when to push it, and when my body actually does need a break.

At least I'm sleeping well.

EVENING UPDATE:
I did another 40 mins on the rower. I took it easy to see how much I could do. I'm feeling a little better about life now and I'm not so stiff. I'm going to bed.

HJ's 1.3kgs in 7 days (Mon)

I've been working on my 1.3kg.

Saturday I started out with a 45 minute row immediately after my weigh-in and reporting. I followed it up that night with another 20 mins. At the end of that time I was starting to get sore muscles across my lower back and didn't want to push it, or I might not have been able to keep rowing for the rest of the week. Sunday morning I didn't have any stiffness, which was good.

I've been doing 10-15 mins at the beginning on the next-heaviest level up (i.e. setting 2 of 12). Last night I sat down to do my Sunday row and discovered that I had left the machine on level 2. That might have been why I was struggling by the 20 min mark on Saturday night. I did my 45 minutes before bed. Hubby and I had also done a 20 minute walk to see a waterfall in the morning after church (wrong shoes have given me a couple of blisters, but I walked).

This morning I was up early and got my 45 minute rowing done. I walked 25 minutes down to the church and back again. Tonight I've done another 46 minutes on the rower.

I'm feeling good and strong in the mornings. It is easier to pull my tum in during normal walking, sitting, etc. I'm hardly thinking about it, but every now and again I become aware that I am doing it. This evening I'm a little tired for some reason.

The odd thing is that the flesh over my tummy and hips has gone soft. I can feel the muscles or bones underneath it, but the top fat layer seems to be spongy. I'm hoping that this means that the fat deposits are emptying, and that on Saturday I'll be able to report a good belly circumference (as well as meeting my ridiculous target).

Onward and upwards.

My Personal Race into Next Week (HJ)

OK - So I'm not going to presume the scales were broken...

This week I've lost: 1 kilo
Total loss: 6.7kg

Amount to lose before I get my next reward: 1.3 kg.
Can I do that in a week? I'm not certain, but lets give it a go!

It might be an unrealistic weekly goal, although I have done it before. Generally, my weightloss plan was to have loose goals that included losing 2 kilos a month, with a balance month in between to make certain that it was sustainable loss (and a little extra time over Christmas to make up for overindulgence). It was achievable, and therefore likely to keep me motivated (I do much better emotionally when I'm ahead of the game).

My plan was achievable and sustainable as opposed to when I've tried to lose at a fast rate over a small amount of time. That has never worked in the long term. But for one dedicated week to get down to my next goal I'm very, very tempted. Yes, reaching my April goal by Christmas could be really motivating (yep, setting low goals does wonders for my self esteem when I meet them early!?!).

So my plan is that I'm going to aim for rowing once a day for this week, and twice on 4 out of the 7 days. This may just give me the extra fat burnin' power.

The celebration for me this week is that I've got under a large, unspecified round number that I'll be glad never to see again. This weightloss is for good.

I'm also at my lightest since March 2006 (and bearing down on it at a great rate of knots). I'm also within reach of the top of my BMI / healthy weight range (they are the same for my height). I'll certainly be able to get to that this week - even if I only lose what I had been thinking of as my usual 0.4 kg.

So I have a goal range for this week. I want to lose between 0.3kg (to get within my healthy weight range) and 1.3kg (to get to my next goal). Both are considered a win. One is a slightly unreasonable goal as an incentive for additional exercise and treat avoidance.

Tune in same time, same place next week.

Oh, and I won't be posting until Femina has been to the gym. (he, he, he)

Something wrong with the scales? (Louisa)

I think there must be something wrong with the scales. Apparently I lost 1.3kg this week!

Total loss, 6.1kg.

Trying not to imagine what the loss would have been were it not for the cupcakes(!!) though I am thrilled to have done a 1kg+ loss this week!

Maybe, just maybe, I'll meet my (revised) Christmas target of an 8kg loss...

Weigh-in Wthursday (Manda)

I haven't had the best week. It's been a mammoth week at work, due to my responsibilities as party-organiser (definitely not one of my strengths) on Saturday and service-organiser (a lot closer to home, but still a big job) on Sunday, and playing at a Carols night on Sunday night, right when I was ready to drop dead.

It really affected me. I couldn't sleep properly, was terrible at basketball on Tuesday (the ball literally slipped through my fingers four times) and I ate more than I should have on Tuesday... and Wednesday.... and a little too much today at a special lunch.

That will probably catch up to me next week. For now,

Last week: 72.9
This week: 72.4
Change: a loss of .5
Total loss so far: 3.6 (ohhhh, I hope it lasts the week! Better get back to the gym)

What I'll do this week: stop eating when I know it's time to stop. I didn't gym on Tuesday, which I decided not to do because of the exhaustion, and it was a good decision. But that doesn't mean I can pig out on whatever I feel like while I rest!

About to face the music

Just about to go weigh-in. Letting you know for the sake of accountability. After this week's cupcake debacle I am not expecting good things my friends...but need to stay motivated...and honest!

On a positive note today I looked in the mirror and for the first time didn't think I looked 9months pregnant! Yay...let's not talk about how long ago it was when LP was born... *sigh*

All Gone (Givinya)

It's all gone. Along with my homey security, all the good times past and my dreams for the future here, my entire weight loss is gone. This morning I weighed 68.6 kg.

I've been drinking lots of purified water and just not peeing it out. I'm off my food and have a sore throat and swollen glands. My nose and eyes are watery too. And I'm the shape of a heffalump.

It's sorta funny, really.

MAJOR Whoops! (Louisa)

I made some cupcakes for the weekend. Figured they were worth about 3 points each. That's ok.

Nope.

5 points WITHOUT the icing.

Crap!

I had one for breakfast.

There go my hopes for a decent loss this week. The 3 x gym visits and 1 trip to the pool to do laps have just been covering my cupcake covered a**

DOH!!!


** UPDATE: my vanilla cupcakes are worth 4 points without icing. I am never going to be able to enjoy cupcakes again. Oh I am so sad... **

I checked the scales three times... (HJ)

Femina, you are not allowed to read this until you've been to the gym.

Seriously.

Go.

(And it had better be a good session, or I'll send you back!)


O.K. down to it - I am flummoxed.

Weight Loss this week: 1.2 kg
Total weight loss: 5.7 kg

I was expecting my usual 0.4kg. I would have been happy with my usual 0.4kg. I checked the scales three times to make certain that it was not my usual 0.4kg.

In fact, during the week I sat down to work out that with the number of weeks to my cousin's wedding (excluding a couple of weeks over Christmas), losing at a rate of 0.4kg a week, I could get to my next goal and buy a pretty dress to wear with weeks to spare. Now I'm almost half-way there. That's three week's worth of loss. In a week.

I'm so flummoxed that I'm not yet excited about the 1.2kg. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll get there, but just at the moment I'm wondering how on earth did that happen? I mean, for the first few weeks of eating well and doing some exercise it is not uncommon to lose larger amounts, but I'm in the groove now and was happy with my weekly 0.4kg.

Last week I was feeling great and slim and the numbers were 'normal'. This week I'm feeling good (but haven't noticed that I'm significantly more slim) and I've done really, really well. I just don't get it, and understanding things is very important to me.

When I was a teenager and in my early 20s I used to bounce back to my normal weight without trying. If I stopped eating bad foods (not trying to eat well or lose weight, just reduce the frequency of chocolates and deep fried stuff) and maybe did a little exercise, any weight I had put on would slide off without any particular effort. Big Christmas - no hassles, I'll be back to normal by January. College food caused me to put on a bit - don't worry, there are 12 weeks over Christmas that I'm on Mum-food and it'll be gone.

I hit my late 20s and this ability stopped. Without warning. And I've slowly been accumulating kilos ever since.

Probably two factors.
1. I used to ride my bike 5 km each way to school and back. Then at uni I had no car, it was walk/bus/bike. Then I started working and had a private motor vehicle to go wherever I needed to go.
2. We ate pretty well at home - as much as we wanted, but lots of vegies. Take away was very rare. Then I started college with chips twice a week. Then I was working and had my own wages to buy food for lunch or dinner and chocolate.

So what has changed?
1. I'm rowing for 30 mins most mornings, and I'm slowly upping the speed and intensity.
2. I'm on a limited diet eating lots of vegies and not having take away or desserts too often.

Should this be enough for me to be losing spectacular amounts? Particularly when I have friends who are struggling with Skinny Cow? I say 'No'. It is not fair.

What help can I offer to them?

...Approximately None. (Sorry, it just had to happen today - put it down to flummoxedness)

Although, I'm taking Mum to buy a little rowing machine next week. :)

Another week, another weigh (Louisa)

I was feeling nervous this week girls...in fact let me share my patheticness (??) with you!

I was due for a weigh in and was feeling OK about it. Realistically aware the loss wouldn't be huge because I weighed in the morning and on a different day last week and would be weighing in the evening this week. That was Wed. At the gym. After my workout.

Wed night come home and say to the hubs "I really feel like eating those Tasty Jacks I bought today for Sunday".

Hubs "We have Tasty Jack's?!?!?"

It's important to note two things here...
1. Hubs is VERY supportive of my quest...he's not a saboteur...just a pain in the bum because he's so super skinny, but that's hardly his fault!
2. Hubs has been longing for Tasty Jacks for about a month now...so it wasn't really fair of me to mention it...though perhaps that was my subconscious being not-so-subtle

Of course, out come the Tasty Jacks (again, I should note that I was the one who got them after HH saying "You just want me to say we should eat them!") and I ate a third of the packet.

Gah!

Then went to Mother's Group on Thurs and was met with a feast of epic proportions.

Double Gah!!

Driving home from Mother's Group on my way to WW and really wasn't sure if I could face seeing that I had gained weight so...enter my patheticness.

I drive near my gym.

I detour to drive past my gym.

I go into my gym, hand over LP to the manager (who is pregnant and clucky) and get on the scales there!!!

Satisfied that it won't be an entire disaster, and just before getting a parking ticket for being parked in a clearway (how desperado is that!) I went off to WW.

Loss 0.4kg.

I'm cool with that.

No weigh in for me (SJ)

I dont want to know.

Sorry I have fallen off the wagon big time. Last time I weighed I was 88.8kg.. which is a significant gain. Infact the fattest I have ever been.

I pop in from time to time to see the progress of y'all. Sorry I cant contribute... I am too meh about it.

You ar eall doing GREAT though!! Keep up the good work :)

Wow Wednesday (Givinya)

As you know, I haven't been trying very hard at all. I've been down in the dumps and eating some very unwise stuff. But a few days ago, my scales said 66kg and this morning they say 67. So overall, I think that's progress!

Last week: 68.0
Today: 67.0
Total loss so far: 2.4
Despite: suffering from pathetestablishmentarianism

I'm going to have to get back on the wagon for good soon. I promise I will. Today's reading will help to encourage me, I think!

Weigh-In Wednesday (Femina)

Oh my goodness.  I've been weighing myself all week and nearly every day my scales read 74.1, which would have been a loss of 400g (with which I would be entirely happy).

This morning I weighed myself and the scales read 73.5.  That's a whole kilo lost! I'm actually slightly skeptical since this is the first day I've been under 74.1... but who cares? My scales said 73.5 (and I weighed twice, just in case) so I'm taking it as fact.

Admittedly, I have been a little better. Still not entirely committed, but definitely better. I've been to the gym twice and I've been trying to eat less crap and more salads.  There has been some ice-cream but it was low fat... in any event, I do feel I'm more in Skinny Cow mode than I was previously, so it's all good.

So.... yay! I lost a kilo! :)

Weigh-In Wednesday (Manda)

Last week: 73.6
This week: 72.9
Change: a loss of .7
Total loss so far: 3.1

What did this week: Three lots of excercise (hooray!), better eating and more paying-attention to what I was eating.

What I'll do next week: Three lots of excercise, continuing the Evil Pump Class on Tuesday (not to be confused with the Fun Pump Class on Saturday) with the lady who makes you do it properly and stacks more weight on to your bar once you're already in position so it's too late to change it back. Also not overeating at the first of the parties (the Sunday Club Christmas Party for church, complete with yummy pizza).

Incidental Incentive: Bathing-suit shopping. I went yesterday, and it was a lot better than expected! But I truly have lost all my weight from my back (and a little from my bum) - I've gone down one-and-a-bit bra sizes in the back, and zero cup sizes. Here's hoping that will come eventually, too!

Pathetic-ness overcome (Femina)

Okay, pathetic-ness isn't a real word, I know. Here's what happened: I went to the gym this morning feeling only slightly motivated. After about 15 minutes I walked out of the gym area to take a toilet break... and decided I couldn't be stuffed to do any more exercise, so I got my bag from the locker and went out to my car. I unlocked it, sat down and then thought, "Oh come on, that's a pathetic effort!" I went back in to finish - and my reward was, I ran into a friend and we motivated each other to do a decent workout. (And now we're going off to have a nice, low-fat lunch!)

The Unofficial Reward (Manda)

I should own up to what I've been thinking of as my "unofficial reward" - a pair of jeans I bought six months ago under the influence of a good salesgirl, my boyfriend and my own pair being rather baggy at the bum. 

You know you they say to buy them tight as they'll loosen up when you wear them in? It only works if you can get into them in the first place.

I can officially put them on and do them up (hooray!) though admittedly with a pretty healthy muffin-top at the waistband. Thus they'll be my unofficial reward - here's hoping that they'll fit properly when I'm at goal...

The redistribution of ... er... fat? (HJ)

I have some happy numbers, but I was expecting to lose more centimeters. I've been feeling so slim that I was expecting more. Maybe it's just that new shirt I was wearing.

I've lost another 400gms this week. That's a sustainable rate of loss and I'm happy with it. I've heard that a kilo a week isn't actually good - it's too fast. Mind you, I have no problem with that in the weeks that it actually happens.

That's 4.5 kilos overall, and I'm quite happy with that. We started about a month ago, didn't we? I'm impressed with myself.

The part that amuses me is that I also measure my circumference at strategic points, which gives me an idea of what size of clothes I'll be headed for. The thing is, some of the points are difficult to get straight or find the exact same place every week.

I'm going with that theory because some of my measurements go up and down. Of course, some things (bust and tum?) are going to work up to a certain point, then do a drastic reduction about 13 times a year. That could explain the fact that I've lost nothing around my tum in the same week my waist took a 2 cm dive? Or that I've stacked on 2 cm in the bust this week?

It almost seems as if one week I'll lose a significant amount from one place, to find that the very same number of centimeters have been redistributed across a few of the other places. Matter is neither created, nor destroyed and all that. Except that every bit of me has lost centimeters during the last month, so maybe despite the fact that the universe resists the destruction of matter, I'm winning.

I'm particularly impressed with my waist measurement. I always used to have a waist. It's coming back, and I like that concept. I don't know if all the TV stations have been airing the latest health warnings we've been getting about women's waists should definitely be below 88 cms and better still below 80cms. Today mine is right on the 88cms and that is the best it's been since January 2005. I feel healthier already.

P.S. my parents and grandparents have provided a solution for my 'don't work out your weight in pounds' thing. In the 'olden days' they used to weigh people in stones. There are 14 pounds to a stone, so it would end up a much, much smaller number. I like that concept. Therefore, as of this morning I weigh about 11 & 1/4 stone. Nah, it doesn't work for me because I have no point of comparison. Worth a try, though.

Holding Pattern (Givinya)

Over the last few weeks of freaking out and eating stupid, I'm still 68kg. Haven't lost any, but haven't gained any either, and I see that as a good thing. Must ... get ... motivated ...

I made it! (Louisa)

Hi girls

I weighed in today despite the many obstacles, foremost my will to do it. In the end I decided that I could do with either being encouraged or kicked in the butt!

I was encouraged!

1.1kg loss this week. I did weigh in the morning and normally do it in the evening but I am taking the loss none-the-less and will just factor it in to next week's weigh...or will just start going in the morning from now on :)

Total loss so far, 4.4kg!

All this means is that soon I'll be able to fit into some of my pre-pregnancy clothes...but hey, it's a start!!

Hope you all enjoy the weekend :)

May I start again? (Femina)

I think I need to call this Week One for me. It may have been obvious that my heart hasn't been in this up to now, despite the fact that it was partly my idea to start this blog. I have been under some stress (go the comfort eating) and have been particularly unmotivated to exercise. I'm back at the gym now and I actually want to start eating better, so this feels like the start of a proper effort.

Additionally, I have just bought new scales because my last scales, despite being digital, only measured in half-kilo increments. This meant that unless I lost a full half-kilo it didn't show any loss at all (on the up-side, though, it also didn't show any gains unless they were a full half-kilo... hmmm... maybe I should use those when I've had a bad week...) My new scales measure in 100g increments so I'm getting a much better picture. Unfortunately, the new scales show me as about 2kg heavier than the old scales... which makes me think the old ones were crap, since the scales at the gym also weighed heavier.

So, given that I've been giving this only half my attention up to now AND I have shiny new scales, I'm declaring a "do-over" and starting in earnest from now. No, really. :)

Starting weight: 74.5kg
Goal weight: ummm... probably around the 64 mark. That's the lowest weight I've been and I was happy with my size at that weight. Really my goal is to fit back into my size 12 clothes (whilst still being able to breathe) and to lose the wobbly, wobbly tummy.

The Plan:
Gym workout three times per week
Bring my lunch from home instead of buying it (ooh, and a money saver too - win win!)
Eat breakfast - I'm very bad at this. I usually sleep late, spend time stuffing around and then realise I'm about to be late so I rush to the car without breakfast and end up buying a muffin at 10am because I'm starving.

The Rewards:
Since I want to lose roughly 10kg I think I'll reward myself at each 2.5kg, because that's nice and neat and also more achievable than waiting until the end.

First 2.5kg: Flowers. This doesn't seem like much of a reward but I live alone and I never bother to buy flowers for my house... however, I get such a lift from seeing them that's it's a good reward for me.

Second 2.5kg: Candle holder (and candle). I love candles and I've been eyeing off a couple of gorgeous glass candle holders, but have resisted buying them because I really don't need any more. I don't need them... but they would be a great reward.

I haven't decided yet on rewards for the other two milestones.

Of course, if I'd thought of this last night I could have been organised enough to make my lunch today... oh well! The supermarket does a good green salad and it's a decent walk down there too so off I go...

Weigh-In Wednesday (Manda)

And it's owning time.

Last week: 74.1
This week: 73.6
Change: a loss of .5 kilos
Total loss so far: 2.4 kilos

What did this week: a whole lot of not-as-muching. Not as much excercise, not as much stopping myself snacking, not as much counting.

What I'll do next week: as-much.

Fun with the Scales (Manda)

In response to Femina's recent post about scales and the continuing saga of my new electronic ones:

I thought I was the only one conducting a... "scientific experiment" this week. But the upstairs bathroom has had noticeably more traffic of late, and this morning I found out why. My Dad, all decked up in his bike-riding outfit, was on his way upstairs when he remarked: "Those new scales are pretty snazzy... Have you been weighing yourself before and after you use the toilet?"

Why yes, I have. 

...Have you?

"Yep."

Mystery solved. 

Too much information? 

(Then don't read this bit: the results are in and I average a half-kilo difference between before and after.)

In which I gained 2.5kg in 15 minutes... (Femina)

I finally went back to the gym this morning (yay!) and had an assessment prior to the workout.  I stepped on the scales and they displayed my weight as roughly 2.5kg more than my scales at home. Ouch.  I know all scales are different but still it was a bit of a shock to see a number so much higher than what I'd seen about 15 minutes earlier when I weighed myself at home.  (Fortunately my scales at home still said what I expected, so it's all good.)

Tell you what, though... gaining 2.5kg in a quarter of an hour is a heck of a motivator.  It was a good workout! :D

Lurker Warning...

I just thought I'd better warn you guys that we have a lurker. She's scary and has followed via links from my blog to this site.

She is known to be very straight (read vicious) in giving me her opinion about whether my hair-style and clothes look good or not, whether I need to lose a bit around the middle... and whether I'm allowed to have cheesecake this week.

Thankfully she has no blogger profile, so cannot comment on this blog (thanks Femina for that added security of not allowing anonymous commenters) - but she is watching us!

It's my Mum. Say hello to Mum, everyone!

Whoops!

I forgot to come back on Thurs with my update. 1.7kg loss over the past 2 weeks. Feeling good about that, shame about the chocolate I've eaten this weekend...

Struggling (Givinya)

I am falling off the wagon with the moving thing.

Mr de Elba hasn't told the people who call him boss about the move yet, so I can't blog about it! Argh! Without blogging as my outlet, I'm munchin thru some pretty ghastly food.

300 grams - better than a chair with three legs ...

Hello girls - better late than never ....

Well I did do the Wednesday weigh - in and 300 grams was gone. This is a good thing :) And I am happy as it is still stepping in the right direction.

I have added weights to the pro-active list now. MIC has moved the weight bench to the back deck. Being the encouraging boy he is he has set up two weight ranges - one for him and the piddly tiny ones for me.

I love the weights. I only do three kinds - here are the technical descriptions ...

1) the lying down on you back pushing your arms up holding the weight bar.

2) the siting up with legs pushing the leg thingo out then up.

and my least fav ....

3) lying on your tum doing the leg curl thingo back towards your butt.

Why do I love weights .... cos I like to feel strong. After all the wee lads are not so wee anymore and I like to be able to fling them round a bit .... MIC tells me I am pressing all of 10kgs ...

Anyways I won't ever be HUGE !!

Congrats to all of you who have done so well this week - you are an inspiration ! And the girls who stayed put - well your determination to move forward is awesome !!

Best to all - le

Celebrate with Meee!!! (HJ)

I've reached my first goal of 4 kg! Actually, 4.1kg (9 pounds!), but the main thing is to reach one of my interim goals. One quarter of the way along my total goal route.

So I now graduate my Grade 1 weightloss, with the aim of maintaining it over the Christmas Season.

Best yet, I'm now eligible for a massage!


And I don't know how I did it, because I had a few pig-outs on chippies, and only did 3 small rowing sessions. (I tell ya, it's those non-green veges and fruit that stack on the weight!)

I don't know how I've gone from sold on rowing to putting it off. I used to feel good and was sleeping better, and any excuse I was on it in the evening, even if I'd rowed in the morning. I did 20 minutes the other night and could have continued, but couldn't be bothered. I need a mind-set transplant. Mind you, the last couple of row sessions have got me back to sleeping OK, so it doesn't take much. (and I never should have said that, because now I won't sleep tonight)

It might be easier to walk a couple of days a week now. I might have found myself a walking partner - which means I have to set aside the time.

This coming week:
- back to 4 rows and 4 walks (30 mins each)
I will try to control chippie pogging - no hassles for today - Hubby finished off my packet last night. Still on the elimination diet, so there's no chance of other naughties. This might be the secret to the no effort weightloss I'm currently experiencing.

I hope this week is going well for everyone else. I'll exercise if you will! :)

Bovinity, here we come!

My Bad (Louisa)

I actually hate that expression but it seems appropriate given my long absence in updating here!

Currently my "weigh-day" is Thursday so I'm a day late and actually a couple of hours early as I'm not off to get weighed until 5pm. Argh! the anticipation!

According to the gym I have lost 1.4kg this week BUT I've been weighed in the morning and today will be weighed in the evening so am feeling quite nervous that I am not going to like what I see tonight...

wish me luck!!!

What have I been eating? (Givinya)

This morning I noticed I have an ENORMOUS muffin-top spilling out over the waistband of my favourite 3/4 jeans.

It must have come from eating too many muffins.

Then as I turned around, I caught sight of my thighs.

Crikey.

I don't remember eating the dugong.

Weigh-In Wednesday (Manda)

So, in response to last week's trouble with reading the scales, I bought an electronic set. Thus, I can be completely sure of myself when I say

Last week: 75

This week: 74.1

Change: a loss of .9 kilos 

Total loss so far: 1.9 kilos

What I did this week:

I struggled a bit more with party food on Saturday, but got over it and back on the... wagon? I exercised twice, one short of the three I had planned. I'm finding that exercising is helping me sleep (thus the theory in Femina's post).

What I'll do next: Keep the exercise up, with the added bonus of buying a sports top along the way (ooh, and a proper sports bra! Good thinking!)

Humph. (Givinya)

This week, starting on last Weigh-In Wednesday, I've been in a completely different place.

Last Tuesday, my biggest life goal was to lose weight.

Starting last Wednesday, my biggest goal has been basic emotional survival.

I've been violently opposed to moving, distraught about moving, accepting about moving, tentatively excited about moving, terrified about moving and absolutely sick in the guts about moving.

When it all comes down to it, I don't want to move. It's a truly bad idea.

I have exercised zero times, had a few nights of weight-decreasing worrying, had a few days of Dammit I'll Eat What I Want To, and a good dose of I-don't-care-how-fat-I-get.

Net result: 68 kilos, after the mindless drinking of water first thing in the morning. Approximately the same, maybe a slight gain.

I've just had a phone call from the beautiful kindy teacher at Sonny's new kindy for next year, asking if we are moving or we aren't moving ... because someone else really needs the kindy place if we're moving ...?

I got off the phone and collapsed in a puddle of tears. If I play it safe and pull him out (of the nice kindy that was supposed to make up for all the crap I've had to put up with from this year's ghastly kindy teacher) well, that is really beginning to cut ties with this place that I love in a very real way.

I talked to Mr de Elba and we decided to keep him in kindy for Term 1. We can't envisage being ready to move before Easter anyway. At least it will keep him out of my hair 3 days a week for packing and stuff. And I get to feel like I've sent him to the lovely kindy at least for a few months, even if there's nowhere with a spare place for him for the rest of the year in Toowoomba.

I guess in that case, he can have a "gap" year, like a lot of school-leavers have before starting Uni.

Ha ha ha haa aa a a sob sob sob ...

Oh it's wednesday again....

I forgot to weigh last week... I forgot to weigh again this morning. Oops! I will attempt to in the morning...

If my lack of wanting to weigh in is any sign... I am probably not going to be doing well on the scales!

Weigh in- whatever!

Sorry, very unmotivated at the moment...

Weigh-In Wednesday (Femina)

Actually I'm going with Weigh-In Tuesday, because I weighed myself yesterday morning and I'd lost a kilo, but when I weighed myself this morning I'd stayed the same.  So clearly today's weight is wrong and yesterday's was right. The vital stats are:

Starting weight: 72kg

Weight two weeks ago: 73kg

Weight last week: 73kg

Weight this week: 72kg

Loss: 1kg

Obviously I've just lost the kilo I put on two weeks ago so technically I'm back where I started, but hey - a loss is a loss and I'm definitely counting it.

I haven't been to the gym or done any exercise for over a fortnight - which, as Manda pointed out to me this morning, may be one of the reasons I've had more episodes of insomnia lately.  In any case, I do need to get back to it, so I have my gym clothes with me and plan to go straight after work today.  Ask me about it - I need accountability!!  I'm having a re-assessment at the gym next Tuesday and I'm going to get them to take measurements too (they only do that if you ask for it) so I can start using that as an indicator. The assessments are 5 or 6 weeks apart so unless I do absolutely nothing for the next month I'm sure to see a difference next time they take measurements.

Would you like a coffee? (Givinya)

Whose bright idea was it to have no sugar in drinks?

Now that I've promised you that I won't be having sugar in my drinks, I tend to decline them altogether. No point chugging down something I don't like is there? Whenever someone asks me if I'd like a coffee, I can honestly reply "No," because I know that I simply won't enjoy it if I accept.

Eating healthy is getting easier. The healthier I eat, the less rubbish I crave.

I was going to tell you how I used to have no trouble staying thin. I used to (until Sonny Ma-Jiminy was born) have the most revolting panic attacks. In those ghastly years, I'd often be unable to eat much, but force down a little bit of whatever I could manage. I'd feel sick a lot of the time and when it was really bad, I'd have vomitting and diarrhoea to make it all that more tricky.

I always wanted to have a little more on my bones, but couldn't keep it on. But the panic attacks were so bad that I never really cherished my skinny cow-ness. I always said I'd rather be fat and happy.

And now I am! Congratulations, me.

So now, although I hope to lose weight, I acknowledge that I'm better off not having those ghastly attacks.

Now here's an interesting thing. Big life changes going down here at the de Elbas. It looks like we may have to move house and follow a great job opportunity in Toowoomba. Exciting in many ways, but totally devastating to leave the place we love so much. And guess what else ... panic attacks!

They've been mild and intermittant, but over the first night after hearing the news of Mr de Elba's job offer, I lost a kilo.

When I get my head around this huge thing, I'll be relying on blogging a lot to help me process this - it's a big thing for me to contemplate! And if you're a praying person ... I'm going to need a lot of prayer!

Holy Cow!

Some photographic funnies for your comment.

Would one of these win the vote for maybe being added to the explanation under our header, or a changeable photo in our side-bar? Are there other caption options? Should I keep looking for a better photo? Comment and I'll see what we can do!

A: Or should the caption be "Look at me, look at me!":-




B: For those weeks where motivation has simply not been available:-

C: When worried about whether our clothes look good today:-

D: When someone else has just posted really good results:-

E: On those days we don't feel very bovine and definitely don't want it recorded for posterity:-

F: And, just because it's me:-

Here's to our increasing Bovinity, Cowgirls!

Although I was asked this week if I was pregnant... (HJ)

After being asked if I was pregnant on Thursday night I was a trifle concerned about my obvious weight gain. I should have remembered that I probably haven't seen that particular acquaintance since the beginning of the year when I had lost a bit of weight (before putting it all back on).

But then again, I have done a grand total of 10 mins rowing and no walking.

I have probably had more naughties than planned. Due to the fact that the elimination diet restricts what I can have, I've been having golden syrup on my rice porridge and almost daily small serves of plain potato chips (craving salt - or any flavour at all, really). Obviously it's the non-green veges and fruit that stack on the weight! ;)

But then again my naughties of chocolate, cheesecake or other temptations have been out of reach, so maybe not.

I'm tempted to go into numbers, but like Givinya I don't want to be compared with others because, frankly, one of us has to lose out!

Loss this week:
1.5kg (3.3 pounds* - he, he, he)
2cm off my waist
2.5cm off my tummy (so I'm actually less pregnant-looking than I was a week ago)

These results could well include the expected monthly fluctuation.

Loss overall:
3.7kg (8.1 pounds* - now isn't that spectacular!)
This means I only have to lose 0.3 of a kg to reach my first celebration milestone!
2cm around my ribs under my bust
4cm off my waist
3.5 off my tum
3cm off my hips
1.5cm off around the top of my upper arm.

The plan for this week:
So, obviously the elimination diet is working (actually, as it is not designed as a weight-loss diet, the authors do suggest that I increase my calorific/fats intake if I were to find myself losing weight - yeah right! ), but I will continue to have golden syrup on my porridge and small serves of potato chips.

I will get back into the groove of exercise, but honestly, I'm still feeling the post-cold lethargy and a little light-headed and shaky (possibly from the additional Ventolin to help me breathe). Small amounts of rowing are probably best because I can stop immediately if I begin to feel dizzy/shaky, rather than having a 10 minute walk home.

So I'm having another gentle week, and hope to lose 300 grams, which would result in a massage.

*WARNING:
Do not under any circumstances take my cheeky method of working out what I've lost in pounds (because the larger number makes me feel good) and applying it to your current weight or how much you have to lose. One is horrifying, the other is depressing and both are de-motivating. Just. Don't. Do it.

Mozzie motivation

I lost a bit of weight this week... by getting my hair cut shorter. Ok, had to think of something to put here, other than the usual biking.

I am doing a bit more of the exercise bike each day while the girls play in the sandpit or swings. If it was easy to get inside, I could sit there while they had a bath, but sometimes they are out quick, so it would be a waste. There are mozzies under the house too, so I have to pedal faster so they don't land on my legs.. good incentive?

Le Wednesday

Howdy thar girls .... Just asked my dear friend - the arty one - to whizz up a pic for the posts ...

I have another for right royal days with a crown ... have to save that for 'big loss days'.

Anyways the damage this week was 0.7kg off. I am very cool with this.

I am keeping up the wee morning walks and have done a 200 metre slow jog. I am going to work on extending this metre by metre until we are off and running the whole darn thing.

If you feel like you might want a post pic from the arty one just pop over to the Third and enter the six days of aussie creative give aways ....

We are on day four and the arty one is the feature tomorrow.

So this week I will aim to :

a) increase the speed of the morning walk

b) rediscover the weight bench

c) drink more water.

Hope to hear from you all soon - le xoxo

Error of Measurement? (Givinya)

Hi All. I think I need to start NAMING NUMBERS. I wasn't going to do that in case anyone with bigger numbers than me felt thingy about it, or if anyone with smaller numbers than me made me feel thingy. But I'll just give them to you and you can choose not to feel thingy.

When I started: 69.4
Last week: 67.1
Today: 67.2

I remember you told me last week to weigh myself in the morning before I'd had breakfast. Well, I did, but first I had to put my contact lenses in so I wasn't squatting & squinting like Manda (heh, cool description Manda), but in my case I'd have to squat a VERY long way because I am so terribly short-sighted. And when I put my contacts in, I have to have my medication, because otherwise I forget and my blood pressure gets a bit high by midday. And when I have my BP medication, I also have a few vitamins, and so I need a drink to wash them down, which I did. I must have chugged 250mL before weighing myself and I wonder if I put on a cool quarter of a kilo before hopping on those scales.

So here's a continuation of my initial query about error of measurement. We're supposed to drink 2 litres of water a day, and pee some of that. That's 2 kilos we're expecting to gain and lose across the day. Also, we eat food, we -erm- get rid of yesterday's food, we put on clothes, we take a few layers of clothing off. So, when we see something like a gain of 100g or a loss of 400g, I'd like to know what that really means? Anything or nothing?

What's the smallest fluctuation that we can confidently call a fluctuation?

They say that a weekly loss of 1 kg is fine. But that is within the expected fluctuation of drinking and peeing, according to my calculation. How do we know if we've lost a kilo or if we've peed a lot, dehydrated or forgotten to drink water? Hm?

Well, anyway, it would appear that I gained 100g. Or perhaps I lost 150g, according to what I assume the scales would have said before I slammed down that glass of water.

At any rate, last night I noticed fat rolls, so I'm not all that encouraged.

So here's what I'll do this week:

1. Write a post telling you how I used to keep all the weight off, and why I'm okay with my fat rolls now (most of the time).

2. Push two fussy children in a double stroller around the neighbourhood three times this week, and I'll swim once.

3. This is a hard one: I'll stop drinking calories. I'm going cold turkey on sugar in tea and (gulp) coffee. If that means I don't like it, I'll just drink water instead. I don't usually have a lot of sugar, so there's no good reason why I need any at all.

Wish me luck!

PS my new scales haven't broken yet from me standing on them, like the old ones did.

Weigh-in Wednesday (Manda)

Last week: 76
This week: 75
Change: a loss of 1 kilo! Hooray!
Total loss: 1 kilo

This is officially the lightest I've been since about... year 10?

Meanwhile, I've come to the realisation that a non-digital scale - analog? - is perhaps not the most precise of tools (picture me trying to balance while squatting low enough to read the dial).

What I did this week:
- Exercised three times. 1 pump class, 1 basketball match (we were smashed), 1 "funfit" class
- Ate well. I stuck to my points values on most days, and ate a lot less from the cupboard. I didn't do much comfort eating.

What I'll do next:
- Keep excersing, aiming for three times this week
- Get better at sticking to the points for dinner (a few times I went over what I should have, simply by not choosing to check along the way).

Rewards:
- For 2.5 kilos, I'll reward myself with a 30-minute massage

- For 5 kilos, I'll reward myself with a facial
- For 6 kilos, the big goal, I'll reward myself with a lovely new dress in whatever size I happen to be.
- And then, for staying at (or under) 70 kilos one month after I reach the Big Goal, I'll reward myself with... ooooh, a day trip to somewhere splurgy.

(Note: Today is Femina's Birthday, and I'm about to eat cake. I am allowing for this, and won't let it put me off my Skinny Cow Goals.)

Edit: One set of scales had me at 75.5 to 74.5, but I decided to stick with the heavier scales until I buy a digital set.

No-Weigh Week (Femina)

Well, kind of a no-weigh week. So far I've maintained my same weight this week... but Wednesday is my birthday and tomorrow is a birthday brunch with a couple of friends. Oh, and on Thursday night at Bible study we're having ice-cream cake made for me by a 16-year-old boy - made as only a 16-year-old can. We're talking a layer of chocolate, studded with Maltesers, then a layer of Cherry-Ripe-laced strawberry, then a layer of Crunchie-encrusted vanilla.

So given that it's a part-ay week I think I need to admit right now that there's no point weighing in on Wednesday! :) I don't plan to go overboard, but there will definitely be cake.

Update:
Okay, I just bit the bullet and weighed myself. I weigh the same as last Wednesday. Given what I ate yesterday this is nothing short of a miracle. It was a GOOD birthday brunch. It wasn't good FOR me, but it was good. Chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce for morning tea (which, I'm ashamed to say, was in fact breakfast for me), a huge BLT for lunch with chips on the side, 1/3 of a piece of cookies-and-cream cheesecake (we weren't exercising restraint; we were just too full to eat more than that), several pots of English Breakfast tea... I have it black with no sugar so it didn't add to the calories, but normally I drink decaf tea so between the tea and the sugar I was completely wired and hardly got any sleep last night. Consequently, for my birthday today I look about 58 instead of 38! :) I don't care, though - it was a wonderful day with two very dear friends and I wouldn't have changed it for anything.

I have two more cakes and two birthday dinners to get through. I shall try to exercise more restraint because I'm feeling the effects today of yesterday's overeating.

Manda and Body Pump

There was once a time when I attended my gym once or twice a week. Pump classes were my favorite because they didn't require so much coordination - it's less along the lines of step/twist/pirouette/lift and more along the lines of lift/lift/lift/lift at various speeds. You choose how heavy you want the bar to be before each different exercise set, so you can pile on 5 kilos (yes, I am a bit of a sissy) for your strengths, and take it all off for your not-quite-as-strengthy-strengths (is anyone out there actually good at lunges?). It's great because you end up working as hard as musclewoman over there; perhaps she has more weight on the bar than you do, but who counts?

Anyway, I went back to Pump for the first time in a year on Saturday. On Saturday, I felt good. On Sunday morning, it had started to twinge. By Sunday night, my thighs were officially on fire. And they still are! 

There is still a silver lining to this story, however. Every time I stand I can remember how hard I worked on Saturday. My muscles will be happy with me after they decide to forgive me.

I love Pump.

Weigh-In Weekend (HJ)

OK, so the 'scrappy insurgent' is back with her weekend rebellion. (Yes, Femina, I believe you should know where that comes from.)

I have to preface this report by saying that my expectations before going were not high. I wanted to maintain my weight in the face of 2 days of Chaplaincy Affirmation days, then 5 days of state-wide church meetings. This means sitting down for hours, and being presented with really yummy food options. The whole time away I was visiting friends and staying with people I don't get to see very often - this means sitting down talking for hours and really yummy food options.

However, I did really well for the first bit. I walked my friend's dog in the morning before meetings. I avoided morning and afternoon teas, drank lots of water and kept my quantity of food under control.

Then I changed location, and went for a walk along the beach and a swim in the surf before meetings. I avoided most bad food, and kept the quantities under control.

Then I was the 'happy' recipient of a cold in the head (Thanks, Mum). Exit swimming or walking up the hill from the car park (I took the shuttlebus). I was eating/drinking anything I could lay my hands on to soothe my throat. Cough-drops, lollies, cakey-things - it was all fair game.

Then I had a fish & chips with ice-cream incident last night when I really couldn't be bothered cooking. Just to confirm that the ice-cream was not actually eaten with the fish & chips, in case you're wondering.

Needless to say I was not expecting the scales to be my friends this morning.

I lost 0.4 of a kilogram! I'm excited, despite the fact it's probably just loss of muscle tone. I did however lose some small amounts from my circumference at various points, too. So maybe not. I'm happy to live in the mystery until next week. Hopefully I'll be able to get some excercise in, although I'm still feeling pretty miserable. I also think that I should be kind to my body while it's fighting something off, so I'll aim for later in the week.

Where's the Pedometer?

I wish I had had a pedometer on me yesterday. In the morning, I did my Field Research in a paddock, traipsing round for an hour and a half, in the stinking heat. Sweat stinging my eyes.

Then I had to go while away 2 hours at the shopping centre, and I walked the length and breadth of it 4 times, not counting walking around in the shops themselves. I even pushed the trolley with the two girls in it up the ramp, did not use the escalator.

(I was searching for red shirts and white sand shoes for the girls' Christmas dance presentation, and being a penny pincher, it took a while - did not end up with the sand shoes but got 2 nice shirts for $8)

I am trying to think how long the centre is , I think maybe its about 1km long so I did a fair bit of walking yesterday...... good exercise.

Weigh Le Wednesdays

Hello girls.

First I must say I am inspired by the grand efforts documented here - and the honesty and joyful approach to what can be a sometimes daunting task.

My news is reasonable - 700 grams. Mostly due to my personal trainer MIC - my husband - who totally has me on the band wagon of good eating.

It is raining today so no walk for me. Poor excuse and lazy me as I do have a stationary bike I could jump on. MIC is trying to figure out how I could balance the lap top on the bike and pedal power it as an incentive to use the bike ... hmmm.

Anyways this week I must ...

1. Drink more water - so important - and now I am not at a desk Monday to Friday I am forgetting
2. eat a better breakfast - just any breakfast would be better - I often seem not to have anything till around 9.30am and I know this is a weight loss no-no
3. do something during the day with Darling Boy in tow.

Well that is be done for now .... many hugs all round to the great girls at OSC - le xox

What? It's Wednesday?

How did Wednesday come up so fast?
I have not done a great deal the last week. A bit more on the bike, bit more fruit....

Tried out "Equal" and "Sweet and Low" for my sugar addiction, but can't take it! Ugh!
Coffee is just not the same. Anyone tried the others?

I worry a bit with all the artificial sweeteners, they are chemicals I guess, after all is said and done.

So maybe a bit of weaning is due... but its haaard!

Weigh-in Wednesday (Long dark hair, blue eyes)

This week I have lost 200 grams.

Yay!

OK - maybe that isn't the whole story.....

Last week I refused to weigh-in because I had had a bad week. Or should a say a really good weekend of socialising and overeating with zero exercise? Plus last week I had put on just a little bit of the weight that I have previously lost - NOT HAPPY JAN! So this week I have been better at eating less and much better at exercising and have lost what I put on and an extra 200 grams

Yay!

What I want to do this week

This week I am going to improve my will power. The reality is that there are always going to be summer rolls in the kitchen at work for the bargain price of $1 which support the children's charity. There are always going to be biscuits with coffee at my friends places. There will always be temptation but this week I am going to try to eat less of the things I know I don't need. I will let you know how it goes.

This week I am going to exercise on the weekend. I am generally good at walking after work but sit on my bottom all weekend. This weekend I am going to go for a walk on both Saturday and Sunday.

Weigh in Wednesday (swift Jan)

Last week:
Start Weight: 87.6kg
Last week's weight: 87.2kg
Loss: 400 grams

This week:
Start weight: 87.6
This week: 86.2
Total loss: 1.4kg

Woo HOO!! I lost 1 whole kilo this week!!!! How did I do that? I really dont know?!!!? But never the less, I did & I am chuffed!

Manda's First Post

I'll start off by saying that I've done this before... kind of.

In my last year at school and first years at uni, I had this nasty habit of eating chocolate bars for dinner. When I was encouraged to start Weight Watchers by a friend of mine (let's call her "Dietta" as she is likely to pop up in my tale from time to time) in 2005, I weighed in at 93.4 kilos.

That number was enough to spur me on for the good part of a year, and I lost 17 kilos by eating well and excercising (down to 76, the top of my healthy weight range). After I could no longer make the meeting I attended, I tried to join other meetings, but without the accountability of a friend, I didn't last, and I decided to keep trying on my own.

The bad news is:
I didn't quite keep to the points guidelines, and I exercised less. I stopped losing weight.
The great news is:
While I failed to lose weight, I didn't eat enough to gain any. I currently weigh 76 kilos. (Hooray!)

But I had never properly finished, and the nagging "almost there" remained on my mental cassette loop. So now, with accountability (in the form of this blog) in tow, I have decided to do it properly again.

My big goal: Lose 6 kilos (to 70) and fit into a size 10-12 (without sucking tummy in).
Currently: 175 cm, 76 kilos, and a size 14. And I have a big tummy!

How I'm doing it:
1) NOvember. In order to combat the YEStober I just had, I'm going to say no to the food people offer me, unless I am positive I can have only one and it won't be going over the points. These people include church and small group members (see femina's recent post) and my boyfriend. (I'll review this in ?cember).

2) Paying attention to my (Weight Watchers) Points Count and refusing to graze mindlessly.

3) Excercising. As people motivate me, I've joined a weekly basketball team. The excercise is fun and I don't need to force myself to do it. I'm also going to build up to a fitness class or two.

4) Prayer! I need to keep in mind that there are many more important things in God's eyes than my weight, but also I need His help to avoid obsessing about food (either eating it or not eating it).

Things to watch out for:
The kitchen cupboard. As of last month, I am residing once again with my parents. There are 4 shelves in their clever cupboard design:
- foil, glap wrap, boxes and cough lollies at the top
- chocolate bars, biscuits, lollies, cookies, and sweets at eye-level (there are about 25 different kinds of sugary food represented here)
- cereal, bread and salted nuts
- soup, rice, noodles and things that have long since passed their used-by date
It's the second shelf that is the problem. I wonder if they'll let me tape a curtain over it?

Ok, I'll talk about rewards later. This post is definitely long enough.

'Weight' just a minute ... (Givinya)

I actually wrote that post last night. I wasn't sure I'd remember to weigh myself today. I did again this morning, and this time it says I've lost 2.3 kilos! What's going on? Not being a person who weighs herself often (ever), I'm not sure what error of measurement I should be accepting.

I don't think I could pee the difference (2.4 kilos) overnight. That's all.

Should I be tentatively encouraged?

Weigh-In Wednesday (Givinya)

I swam.

I pushed the double stroller around.

I was run off my feet.

I did housework, I ran after children, I had a very busy day at work last Friday.

I ate fairly healthy most of the time.

(But remember I was on that retreat with all the food over the weekend.)

I denied myself so many snacks, and was proud of myself.

I felt like I'd lost a few kilos.

And I put on 100 grams.

It must have been the bacon.

(I guess a quick wee would sort out that extra 100 grams, wouldn't it?)

Weigh-In Wednesday (Femina)

Here are Femina's tips for gaining a kilo from one Weigh-In Wednesday to the next:

1. Work in a church. This is a vital step to gaining weight. Try to find a church where many groups meet during the week - eg, playgroups, women's Bible studies etc. Ideally, they will feel sorry for the office manager who is there on her own and will bring in treats from their morning tea. Muffins and slices are particularly helpful for reaching your weight-gain goals.

2. Try to have insomnia or some kind of sleep disturbance most nights. This will leave you fuzzy-headed in the mornings and too tired to eat a proper breakfast or make your lunch, leaving you free to buy a fattening lunch at a cafe.

3. Have a couple of emotionally wobbly days. Feed your emotions with coco-pops (yes, because I'm twelve) or a nice bacon and egg brunch. Or both. Feel guilty about it - hopefully this guilt will lead to more emotional eating.

4. Attend a funeral with the most awesome catering you've ever seen. Preferably it should be the funeral of someone you knew slightly well but not very well - this means you'll be sad but not so sad that you can't get stuck into the unbelievably good cakes at the morning tea afterwards.

5. Completely forget that you're meant to be eating better until after you wipe the last sweet, sweet muffin crumb from your lips. (Oops!)


Hmmm... yeah, not a great week for me. I'm not as distraught as you'd imagine though, because if I'm honest I can't say that I was really trying hard. Or, you know.... at all. I did, however, have a fantastic workout at the gym on Saturday; and I now have vegetables in my fridge again so I'll start putting in an effort this week.

Hope you all did better than me... but if not, at least you have company! :)

The bacon had my name on it too...

I was next to Givinya in the line. We selected the bacon, one after the other. The bacon was good. It was delicious!
So was all the chocolate, lollies, cake, biscuits and coffee!!

I was bad! I was very very bad. I dont care either.
I do however need motivation to get back on the skinny cow though.... c'mon Inspire me!

A must read

Hey girls

I just read this amazing post over at Her Bad Mothers Basement. I really encourage you all to check it out.

One of the main reasons I've joined the gym and WW is because I want to be an example to LP (who I fear has my metabolism) that it is possible to eat well and be a healthy weight. I want to show her that it can be done, properly. I did my Honours Thesis on the representation of women's bodies in the Australian media in the 1970s and during my research the message that came through to me is that while not all women have eating disorders, many have a disordered approach to eating.

At the same time I don't want to pass on to her my battle and this post has something powerful to say about the power of words and the message we send to our kids, both daughters and sons, about weight and how you need to be.

Hope you enjoy!

The bacon had my name on it

Hi Cowgirls! I totally loved that retreat that Swift Jan and I went on! Swift Jan did an AWESOME job of organising it - she's a wonder.

I wasn't planning on falling off the wagon, but I did, sorta. And the funny thing is, although I didn't crave sweet stuff and I didn't feel like I needed it, IT WAS THERE so I just had it. Hopeless. Not having junk food in the house is a large part of my defence system. Not all that infallible, is it?

And there was bacon for breakfast on Saturday morning. Grr. It was good though.

There was a fair bit of chocolate, and the sweet hot chocolate drinks were pretty awesome. I'm the sort of person who can eat 30g of chocolate and appear to immediately put on 3kg - I'm not sure how that works, but I think it's a verifiable fact.

I had the opportunity to watch the eating habits of my Skinny Friends. Their eating habits were a little like how mine use to be. They'd have smaller portions and get full quicker. Then they'd be back for morning tea. I've never been convinced that snacking is the way to go, so I've tried to avoid morning and afternoon tea, focussing on a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. The thing is, it takes a lot to fill me up.

There might be something in all that. I'll experiment with that this week.

But I'm dreading weigh-in Wednesday. Just so you know.

Thinking of you ...

Hello dear ones - welcome Louisa.

As I left for my walk early this evening I grabbed $2.60 and thought I'd 'treat me' to a chocolate bar on the way - it has been a longish day with a preceeding bad night.

Then I thought of you and OSC and put the money right back.

Thanks for will powering me along girls - hugs le

Joining the Fun

Hi everyone!

Not quite sure that I need yet another blog to keep up with but how can I resist? I am joining the fun!!

I joined a gym a month or so ago and WW became my friend last week! I lost 2.2kg in the first week so it was very encouraging! Just another 29kg to go! yes my friends, you heard me right! I have a personal goal for Christmas so will let you know if I get there.

It's funny how so many women are always trying to lose weight! I haven't been in this "place" for a while (which is not to say I haven't needed to be). I am so looking forward to seeing some results!!

Hope you enjoy a temptation-free (or at least overcome) weekend! Thanks for letting me join the club :)

Confessing ahead of time...

I am going away on a women's retreat this weekend. I intend to enjoy myself & I will NOT be counting calories.
You can whip be back into shape next week!! LOL :D

Weigh-in Wednesday (Long dark hair, blue eyes)

I wish I had bright news to turn up the vibe of our cow girl group here....but I don't.

It is all too hard this week. I have eaten too much and exercised not enough. I feel blah about the whole thing.

So I am not going to "weigh-in" today. I refuse to believe today is Wednesday, there must be a day or two before that day has come around again.

I will get back to you when I am ready for Wednesday - that just isn't today!

The Worst Gift Ever (Givinya)

I like the term Cow Girls! I looked for some pictures of cowgirls on the internet, and wow there are so many risque cowgirls out there! But they're all skinny, so I guess that bodes well for all of us.

Hippomanic Jen visited me yesterday on her way through to her fortnight away. She kindly gave me some scales that were a freebie from somewhere. I got on them and set them up. In return, they gave me an obscene number. (What a great gift, thxvrymchJen!)

Congratulations me. One more BMI point higher and I'm "obese."

Now call me a crazy fatwoman, but really, yes I am a little heavy but "obese"?? Wow. I decided to get Sonny Ma-Jiminy to take a few pictures of me on my phone to get your opinion on whether I really deserve that.

Here was his first attempt:






And here was his second attempt:





Then with Mr de Elba at work and Smoochy Girl too young for domestic usefulness, I decided I'd try to take some pics of myself.



It's fine if you pull a silly face or plaster on a whacky smile. Now I don't think I or any of you deserve the term "obese". Do we?

So here's my problem with the beast we call "BMI." I know I'm a fair bit heavier than I should be. But "obese"? We don't have any hope. I think you can create your own "obesity epidemic" by re-classifying the term "obese".

Well enough of that. I am two or three kilos away from my heaviest ever. I have 10 kilos to lose before I am back in the acceptable weight range. I have 15 kilos to lose to get to a weight I used to enjoy, but it was pre-children and I'm not sure I'm supposed to judge my body by pre-kids standards.

So what do I do? Aim to lose 10 kilos, then re-evaluate my goals according to the body I have at the time? I think that I'll know by then whether losing more is reasonable, healthy or achievable.

But wow - 10 kilos. That's a whole Smoochy Girl. I am feeling a little overwhelmed.

Hello Cow Girls ... (Le)

Nice to be here.

Done the weigh in .... blah ... maybe wine and ice cream cake are not the way to go. One kg on from last week .... 11 to go off now.

The ice cream cake was from Darling Boy's birthday - it is gone now and we do not do ice cream as a matter of every day living.

The wine was a single glass to celebrate my removal from the workplace.

So now back to goals ....

1) walk each morning - 30 to 40 mins (done for today - yah)
2) 30 grams of protein at breakfast time to set my blood sugar levels to even keel for the morning
3) Italian street walk after dinner three nights a week with the boys - you know the relaxed check out the hood walk that happens in the old country ... love the concept.

Thanks for having me along for the ride girls .... my best to each of you - le

Weigh-in-Wednesday (Dee)

Having only just started here, I won't do any measurements. I have yet to go measure all my problem areas too, so there is no data anyway. I know what I weigh, but weight is not the issue for me really, fitness is.

Yesterday, I mowed the lawn. It took about an hour, so that was some good exercise and a chore done to boot. At the steep part of the yard, I decided to do it the "hard" way, by pushing the mower straight up and down, instead of the easy way, across the slope, to get a bit of benefit from the chore.

Now today, everything aches! Boy, I am really unfit.

We made healthy icypoles yesterday, SPC Fruit Salad in Summer Juice (tinned fruit) blended with Nemo Yoghurt and put into icypole cups. (Ok, you don't need to use Nemo Yoghurt, any will do.. hee hee...). They were delicious.

Weigh-In Wednesday (Femina)

I finally got batteries for my scales and weighed myself this morning. Hmmm. I'm about 5kg heavier than I thought I was, and only 9kg off my heaviest weight ever (ie, the weight that sent me scurrying off to Weight Watchers a few years ago). I haven't put in a huge effort this week, but I might try harder now that I know what I'm dealing with! :)

One of the big barriers for me - and probably for a lot of women - is emotional eating. If you've read my other blog you'll know I've been struggling with depression. I'm fine now (feeling great, actually) but the depression was triggered by trying to deal with some significant trauma that happened when I was younger. I have a truly awesome counsellor and things are going really well, but the healing process can be long and slow and there are plenty of ups and downs. And unfortunately a 'good' week from a healing/progress point of view often means a pretty hard week from an emotional point of view... and then I want chocolate! I'm far more aware now of what are my triggers and I've been careful to eliminate chocolate and other junk food from my house. Unfortunately they still sell it in shops - perhaps I need to make a poster saying "Do not sell chocolate to this woman" and give it to all the local milk bars...

My goals for this week are:

• Go to the gym at least twice
• Walk in my lunch break at least three days this week
• Make poster for milk bars (just kidding)

Hope you all have a good Skinny Cow week!

Weigh in Wednesday (swift Jan)

Start Weight: 87.6kg
Todays weight: 87.2kg
Loss: 400 grams

Ok So 400g is ok. It's almost 1/2 a kilo. Almost. I must admit I havn't really been trying hard this week and I have had a few blowouts. But a loss is a loss! And the slower I do it, the longer it will last. Right?!

See you when I get back

All the best for Weigh-In Wednesday. I'll see you when I get back in a fortnight. I hope there's some happy numbers for you all.

Avocado's are healthy.. but..

Hi everyone, I have bitten the (low-fat) bullet and joined in the fun.

Time to get fit, or as Jen said, become a yummy mummy... we'll see on that one....

I have done two sessions on the exercise bike, felt a bit better the second time around. Today I started with a healthy lunch of wholemeal water crackers, with avocado, tomato and a tiny bit of cheese ( I looove cheese..... I will miss you, full fat cheese) Hang on.. sugar is my problem... come back cheese!!!!!!!

The about an hour later I remembered why I don't eat avocado anymore.......

I Can't Believe I didn't have my Camera!!

I walked up to my parents' house yesterday as part of my little get-fit plan. It actually means I get two 25 minute walks with a break in the middle to talk.

On the way home I pass an old farm where a dairy farmer keeps all his dry cows and any calves and the herd were right up at the fence... And some of them were skinny... And still had their winter coats, so they were all fluffy and cute... And I had the LBD with me so they were all looking my way.

There was one perfectly positioned. Skinny pelvis presented towards me and looking around with big, dark eyes to check out where the dog was. My caption - "Does my butt look big in this?" Where was my camera? What a lost opportunity!

I shall have to start haunting that paddock and wait for the cows to come back up to the fence.

A horrible thought (Givinya)

I've just had a horrible thought.

I realise I'm not too sure how this weight-loss-support blog actually works. I mean, we're a little community now aren't we? So can you please tell me where the lost kilos go?

I'm a bit scared that our Operation Skinny Cow might be a closed universe, and all the kilos YOU ladies shed will somehow magically come flying over MY way and land on my tummy and thighs.

And I've got enough of my own.

My husband went shopping ... (Givinya)

And there was a special.



THIS HERE is one of my obstacles, people! I have walked past that special all week. I figure that I don't need them. If they grace my pantry, I'd only eat far too many and regret it.

So with the willpower I do possess, I left them at the supermarket every single visit. And here they are in my pantry!

Now watch me battle with the willpower I don't possess.

Jelly-legs (Femina)

I went to the gym last night after work but only stayed for 25 minutes because I wasn't in the right head space for it (which is a nice way of saying I couldn't be stuffed), so I was determined to go back this morning and do a GOOD workout.

My gym is good in that they write a workout program for you and they reassess it (and you/your goals) every six weeks, so the program changes often. I've just started a new program and it's hard. I had serious jelly-legs when I walked down the stairs after it! It felt so great though, because I decided before I started today that I would be reporting back to Operation Skinny Cow at the end... this motivated me to work hard and not give up when I wanted to! And the great thing about that is that I discovered I am actually a bit fitter than when I started at the gym a couple of months ago. I'm still pretty unfit and my muscles are like pudding - I have very little strength - but I've definitely improved.

Hmmm... there may be something in this accountability thing after all! I still don't know what I weigh because I haven't bought batteries for my scales yet so I'm not sure what I'll be reporting on Wednesday, but I feel pretty good anyway. :)