Back Again LLL

Hi All,

I am back from my wonderful holiday. We saw some amazing places, some man made and some God made, guess which were the best?

We ate and ate, I had decided to forget about diet and enjoy everything including food. I ate far too much breakfast but surely yoghurt and fruit can't hurt too much. For lunch we had crackers and fruit and for dinner whatever the restaurant we chose had on offer. Often the offer was pork and potatoes, this is usual in some countries. Added to that each day we had an ice cream or usually gelati and if we missed a day we had 2 the next day to make up for it. You see what I mean when I say I forgot about the diet.

We also walked and walked and when it wasn't on the flat or hill, it was up or down steps and steps and steps. Each day we walked miles and miles. I made it up the tower I was practising for 241 steps. That afternoon we found a tower and it had 103 steps, I made that too. Another day a tower had 306 steps, I made that too. Then the Ice Cave, what I didn't know was that it had 700 steps after 40 mins uphill walking. All of those are only the up so the same down.

Coming home I put on a long sleeved blouse and the bottom button didn't do up. What I had forgotten was the pouch around my neck hanging to my waist with passport and credit cards etc in it. That had me a tad worried.

My weight when I got home was about 62 1/2 kg. Not bad about what it had been the week we left, now after everything has settled down I am 61.2kg, I think that is 100g more than the week before we went.

So I am happy that input equalled output, but that required a LOT of walking and I won't be doing that now.

All that is a good outcome from a wonderful holiday. Now I have to get the right mind set to continue here. My next goal is 60kg, after that I will consider how much more.

Strange lessons learned from being sick (Manda)

So, an update: I've lost a few kilos!

Unfortunately, I lost them after being really quite sick. I had a fun intestinal bug that went on and on. So before I go into the lessons I've learned, let me say: intestinal bugs are not at all a good strategy for losing weight. In addition to the fact that no weight loss or "ideal body" is worth getting sick for, I actually gained weight over the first few weeks of being sick (not just because I was unable to exercise: pre-diagnosis, I somehow managed to think I was just hungry, so ate more than usual! What a silly brain I have.)

But I did eventually lose weight. Here is what I learned:

1) It is easy to eat small portions when your food choices are mind-numbingly monotonous.
My doctor said I'd get better faster if I avoided wheat, dairy, fruit, most meat, most vegetables, caffeine and alcahol. So for the last three weeks, I've been eating rice and friends. Rice and rice cereal, rice milk, rice crackers, unflavored chicken and fish, plain pumpkin, some soy milk, spinach, rice, lactose-free yoghurt, eggs, gluten-free bread, and rice. Oh, yeah, and rice.

Before I got sick, my dinner portions were about double what they needed to be. I just kept feeling hungry! But now I'm not eating as much, I don't feel like I need to eat as much. (And when I prepare another bowl of rice cereal, I don't feel like I need to eat at all. But I do). Hooray!

2) When the consequence of deviating from what you plan to eat is a terribly ill feeling for the entire next day, you are quite likely to stick to your plan.
I guess this is obvious. So, why can't I remember this when the consequence is only slightly delayed: the emotional pain of not being able to fit into any of my pants?

So, in summary: was sick, getting better, eating more healthily, thankful. Hopefully I will remember these things when I can eat freely again!

Steady as she goes (HJ)

Knowing that no-one's around to check on my progress (or lack thereof) I thought I'd post just to let nobody at all know that I've bounced up to 76kg again, but I've held it steady for a couple of weeks now.

I think I need to do some exercise.

Or maybe eat better choices...

or less of it.

The problem being, I like food.

And I bought marinated pork spare ribs for dinner tonight.

HOW did that get past the "I'm going to start eating healthy choices" censor?

But I'm not getting heavier.

AND My Beloved, the LBD and I all went for a walk last night after work.

THEN I walked to the post box to post some letters today.

Rays of hope, maybe?

Another weigh in LLL

Hi All,

Another week and I haven't been particularly careful of what I have eaten, what with helping clean a house and pack up for removal and getting around to thinking about a holiday, who cares. Well actually I do but at times I don't get sweets made in time to set for dinner, so we have ice cream. I can't make anything today as we will be away for the next 2 days, and that is how things are going just now.

My weight is up as if you didn't guess, today 62.1kg a bounce that doesn't worry me. I will see what happens in the next week.

Thanks for checking up on me.

Being wise (Emily Sue)

Sigh. Here's the thing... although I haven't mentioned it on this blog before, I have struggled for years with disordered-eating thinking. That doesn't quite work grammatically but it's what it's called, so I'm going with it. It's not technically an eating disorder although there have certainly been times when I've matched the criteria for an EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified). This is something I'm working on and have been for a while. (Working on getting better, I mean. Not working on developing an eating disorder. Just wanted to be clear, there...)

Anyway, I've realised lately that reporting my weight and exercise on here is not helping me at the moment. Ironic, given it was partially my idea in the first place, but there you go. Sadly, logging my food intake on My Fitness Pal is also not a great idea so I'm taking a break from that too - rather ungraciously, because I really liked it, but the things we like aren't always healthy.

So I'll still be reading, and encouraging you all (I'm saying "you ALL" optimistically, assuming that someone will join LLL eventually...) but I won't be posting for a while.
.

That time of the week again. LLL

Hi All,

The weeks are still flying by way too fast. After Sat post my weight bounced, which I expected after that drop. It stayed there til today when I weighed at 61.6kg so that is another 200g. Well very unexpected, but I will accept that.

What I really want to say is something quite different. As I have been walking lately, I have been thinking about where I am now as a comparison to where I was last Oct when I started here.

Now I can walk for my usual 22 mins at a brisk pace - when I started I strolled around one block and then had to stop frequently to let the pain in my leg subside. I had to push through the pain barrier to walk even 1 block and then I had to come home and rest my leg.

I can now do 16 sets of steps - then if I absolutely had to go upstairs I did, but it was often one leg doing the work.

I can now row for 5 mins - then I didn't even think about rowing. When I did start I would only use my legs for 1 min and then it was a push.

I can now see where I will probably be, after 15 months I don't expect much more improvement and I still have to rest at times. I am also using my leg warmer as the cold weather isn't helping the pain level.

On top of all this which I consider a long road there is also the weight loss and that stands at about 10kg.

So for me the last 9 months have been a good progress, and I will continue along this road and see where I end up.

Thanks for your encouragement and support.

Braggarts can really steal your thunder (HJ)

I weighed this morning.

30 April was the last time I actually reported anything, and that was that I'd bumped up to 76kg again.

Today, after a whole month of avoiding the scales, I am at 74.3 kg, which is a drop of 1.7 kg from there, and a 1.3 kg drop from my last recorded weight prior to the post-Lent splurge.

I'm happy.

I haven't yet got the elimination diet off the ground, despite reducing the usual suspects in a general fashion. Really need to get to the place I can commit to it for a few weeks, but there's so much going on and I've had a couple of "stuff it, I don't feel like cooking, let's get takeaway" moments.

I also got up early Wednesday morning to Zumba before the day hit me. Haven't managed any exercise since. Really need to borrow some motivation, if anyone has any spare.

But things are happening. This is very good.

Strange things are happening LLL

Hi all,

I can't resist, maybe someone out there can tell me what is happening. It started 5 days ago, remember my last post, I hadn't been walking constantly and had started again. Well today is day 5 of strange happenings.

My weight had settled around 62.6ish, then on day 1 it dropped to 62.4, day 2 = 62.2, day 3 = 62.0, and that is where I reported. Since then day 4 =61.9 (yea I broke the kg barrier.), and today being day 5 = 61.8. How?

My weight has been stable for a couple of weeks, my eating has been the same, and my exercise has been the same maybe a little less. Don't get me wrong I am stoked but would like a reason for all this happening. The slacks that I found in my drawer (I thought I had thrown out long since) that I squeezed into are now loose.

Don't expect anything great next Thursday it has all happened for this couple of weeks.

Weigh in LLL

Hi all,

Don't the weeks fly by fast! It seems every time I turn around it is time to report again.

I have had success this week. The scales tell me today that my weight is 62.0kg. That is a drop of 900 g in the week. I do know that last week it was up so the drop isn't that dramatic. However I wanted to be below 62 when we left for holidays and I should do that in time. I still have 3 weeks to go.

This is surprising as I have overeaten on 4 consecutive days, and on 3 of them didn't do any exercise, so I don't deserve the drop.

I have at last made my 2 tshirts that were the 5kg loss reward. These thing take time, but I have them now and that will be good for holidays in Austria in summer. I have made 4 long sleeve shirts for now and I still have a pair of slacks to go. I am making progress.

Well that is all for now, another week full of possibilities now starts and it will be interesting to see what I can do with that.

So, does simply reporting that I haven't been near the scales count? (HJ)

I want to support you all.

Really, I do.

But I had a bad week and there is NO WAY I'm going near the scales.

So I'm here.

But not reporting anything interesting.

If only God hadn't invented cakey-things...

That Time Again LLL

Hi Again all,

I have nothing to report. Weight 62.9 so up again. I will only claim to be in that hard spot a few weeks before an overdue holiday. We now leave in 3 1/2 weeks. I still have sewing to do for that and winter. At the moment winter is winning with the cold. I now have 3 new shirts as of today. I would like to make 2 short sleeved shirts and 1 pair of slacks in the next couple of weeks.

Life has been busy with various activities and filling in spots for some others, which just makes it harder.

I am in a place where weight doesn't matter. Having said that I am still walking daily, my leg isn't happy if I don't, so I do. I have started rowing again to help out, so maybe some of the gain is muscle rebuilding. I also have a toothache, I went to the dentist and he exrayed and drilled and couldn't find anything wrong, so the tooth has 1 week to settle down from no problem, and then the dentist wants to see me again and maybe take it out. Giving a little healing time before we go overseas.

When you add all this together, you can see why weight doesn't matter, but having said that I am still eating correctly, when I get really frustrated I eat 6 almonds.

That is all for this week. Generally I am happy and managing well.

I didn't weigh in. (HJ)

Early start today, so I didn't have time.

But last week I was .5kg lighter than the last time I reported. This was good.

But SOMEONE has piked and not reported this week.

I think she needs more comments for motivation. (or maybe it's been a bad week?)

Remember me? (Emily Sue)

Yeah, it's been a while. I can't even be bothered looking for the last time I weighed in... I think I was a bit under 69kg. And then stuff happened, which caused eating to happen. This was combined with a knee injury (which I still have) that made exercising pretty nigh impossible. Soooo.... there was weight gain. I got back up to 71kg, despite having assured myself that I would never be over 70kg again. Apparently I lied. I'm getting back on track now and have started to lose some of that weight.

Weight at about three weeks ago: 71kg
Today: 69.8
Difference: 1.2kg loss
Running total (from a 77kg start weight): 7.2kg

I'm okay with that. 1.2kg in three weeks is great given that I can't exercise much. And given that I'm still kind of slackish with what I eat.

Goal this week is to fill my freezer with pre-cooked meals so I just have to heat them up at dinner time. When I get home from work is when everything falls apart because I don't feel like cooking but I'm usually very hungry, so I'll eat whatever rubbish I can find. Sometimes it's not actually rubbishy food, but I'll eat past the point where I'm full. That's not helpful. So, off I go to make some soup and casseroles. :)
.

Weigh in LLL

Hi All,

Exhaustion has set in but that is ok as the house is clean. The heavy stuff for this week.

I am not worried about the extra 100g that has found me this week. It was mothers day and my husband bought chinese for sunday lunch and my daughter made a delicious dessert, so that all added on and then I was given a chocolate by my daughter. It is delicious as well and is lasting not too long. So with choc each day I don't expect a drop as yet. However one more sitting and the choc will be gone. It is a long time since I was able to sit and eat choc when I wanted.

So this week is 62.8 and now I start another week with another chance to loose some more.

That day again LLL

Hi All,

Well that time of the week has arrived again, doesn't time fly. I wasn't expecting much to happen this week as the diet went out the window. I have had cheesecake twice this week for different reason. Both times I could have said no, but didn't. Then yesterday the electricity man cut the power from 5.35 - 7.40 p.m. Now everyone knows that is tea time and they were saying it would come on again at 9 p.m. So that meant take away or starve. None of the above is good for a strict diet. Does that all sound like excuses?

I have weighed today and the total is 62.7kg and that is a drop of .2. Better than I expected or deserved. So I will continue slowly, my present aim is to be at or below 62 by the end of June when we go on holidays. It is possible.

For other activities my daughter pinned in some blouses for me to sew, which I have done and now have 5 blouses that fit, and feel much better. Tomorrow we are going away for the day and I will buy some t shirting material to make me 3 new long sleeve tops. I am in the process of new slacks.

So that is me for the week. I wish you all a good and healthy week to come.

So now I'm REALLY back... (HJ)

... to 76kg.

400g post-Lent splurge.

But the good news for my weight loss is that I really need to check out the allergies again because life is getting ridiculous.

And I happen to know that elimination diets are really quite good for weight loss, even if I don't make the time to exercise!

Thinking about starting Monday, because I really need to see if the hayfevery nose and eyes, itchy inner ears and sore throatiness have anything to do with what I'm eating. I'm suspicious due to a couple of 30mins after eating chocolate mucous attack incidents.

That's entirely forgetting the itchy spots which are currently within the parameters of what I'm prepared to put up with, but are definitely present.

The other option, of course, would be to vacuum and dust the house and wash the dog.

That's also down for some action on Monday. I LOVE public holidays!

On the Way Again LLL

Hi All,

Last week I did get all my eating out of the way I even had some toasted Sultana Bread just to get the taste again. The Easter Bunny did bring me a Mars Bar which I ate, so by Monday a.m. I had no excuse not to start the diet again.

Tuesday we had a business trip away and we took lunch so I could control my eating. I felt on tuesday that the taste in my mouth had changed so maybe something was happening. Well was it.!!

I have redeemed April for loss. I had been around 64.2 for most of the month and last week was down a little. Well, drum roll please, today I am 62.9kg, having lost 1 kg in the last 2 days. This is what should happen with this diet but in Oct it didn't so I wasn't expecting it this time. I am doing more exercise now than I was then. So in April I lost 1.3 and that helps make up some that didn't happen in March.

I will stay on this phase of the diet for 2 weeks so I still have some time to go yet.

Yesterday I started looking at winter clothes, well my jumpers, of the 3 I regularly wore, 1 I have pulled apart and am reknitting SMALLER and the other 2 are out. But, I found in the bottom of my camphor chest a couple of jumpers that haven't been worn for years. So I can now sport a couple of new one, no one will remember them.

My blouses and slacks are still a sad story, til I get sewing.

So until next week all you Skinny Cow Girls, I am a very happy girl.

Lent. (HJ)

I've never been from a tradition where you give things up for lent.

But I do believe in trying different things that might put me in a space where I'm more open to what God might be doing, so I decided to give it a go. Now, I don't believe it has to be food. It's anything that we don't think we can live without: maybe reading or TV or buying things. Anything that could get in the road of a good relationship with God.

When I thought about it, though. I realised that for me at this time it is food. So I gave up added sugar for Lent. Not cheating with all the fake sugar products, but still allowing fruit and other naturally occurring sugar.

I survived my birthday, two conference/seminary things, two family get-togethers, and my niece's dedication without succumbing to temptation. I was doing quite well, really.

Yesterday I said 'no' to hot cross buns on the same principle, not going to break my Lenten fast with only two more sleeps to go, only to be informed by our former Minister (who has Catholic family members) that Lenten fasts finish on Palm Sunday.

Like, last Sunday.

So protestants can't be trusted with Lenten fasts. We really don't know what we do.

Oh, and I forgot to weigh-in. Next week. But I haven't put on any extra weight with all the activities above, so it shouldn't be too bad.

The weather has been splendid! (GdeE)

Hello all!  I am back.  Happy Easter to all!

Six weeks ago I had a conversation with Emily Sue about food issues, and a few days later I had a conversation with another friend, B, about fashion issues.  During both conversations, I found that I was unable to conjure up any issues.

I had to admit that although I have lumpy dumpy bits and would love them gone so I could start looking good in clothes, I'm not all hung up about it.  I don't care about my appearance all that much, because I have an inherent belief in my worth, Fatty-Fatty-Boombah or not.  I don't have emotional issues with weight, food, clothes, makeup, hair or anything.  I just KNOW that I'm just fine with God, with my loved ones and with ME, whether I lose these kilos or not.  Losing the wobbly bits would be icing on the cake.

The only reason why I'm so keen on doing it is because when I want to do something, I want to do it - no mucking around and failing.

SO.  Six weeks holiday from OSC.  Who have I been talking to during that time?  I have a friend who has 4 children, and (by her accounts) puts on weight when pregnant.  Each time her babies are weaned, she says, "Right, now I will lose the weight," and she does.  She just does.  ("Wha-?")  She has got a lot of sensible, common-sense ideas, but the difference seems to be that it's more structured than my previous "It's healthy so I will eat it" approach. AND she is low-pressure.  I need that.

What have I been reading?  My friend gave me some books.  She picks ideas from each of them and does what feels right.  So I have done the same.  I've focussed on how my body feels energetic with a bit of protein in it, and how my carbs really need to be sensible.  This has meant switching to wholemeal bread and pasta, and not eating anything white.  Yum!  (No, seriously, yum!) 

Other things I have read:
This post made me think I was doing better than I'd previously thought.
This post intrigued me. "Nothing more to see here."  I thought I'd give it a go, and that brings me to:

What have I been eating?  I have steadfastly maintained that one shouldn't need to count kilojoules and all that palaver but that second link above?  It made me decide to give it a go.  I will let you know how things work out.  If the scales don't show any difference after a few weeks, I'll go and read that first link again and buy another pair of super-control Magic Knickers.  Whatever.

What have I been doing?  Well, as per the title of this post, the weather has been splendid!  This, coupled with the fact that my husband sort of -oops- slightly smashed various parts of our car up (an unblogged experience because what do you say?) leaving me with some carless school pickups has had us out and about, huffing and puffing up and down hills with a heavy double stroller.  Great exercise!  We also have a park at the bottom of our hill, and have gone there and back with the stroller too in the lovely Autumn weather.  I've been doing some weight resistance training with dumbbells and some modified situps as well.

I've also been spending some fantastic time in the water (which I love!) working up from 20 laps of our town's 50m pool (1km) going about 1.8km/h up to today's effort of 40 laps (2km) going about 2.4km/h, and finding that I've been needing fewer and shorter rests and breaks.  Which one day is CERTAIN to be horribly and unintentionally spoonerised, causing me to announce to an acquaintance or an in-law that I require fewer breasts and rakes.  I just know it is going to happen.

I can't go more than a few days with some exercise right now, and am loving it.  Bathroom scales be damned, I won't mind all that much if I never lose any weight and am doomed to carry this 4-month-ish belly around on my non-pregnant frame forever.  I am enjoying good nutrition and regular exercise, and that's good enough for me.

Weigh in LLL

Hi All,

I know I wasn't going to report today, but I changed my mind. I did weigh today and the result is 63.9kg, that is down a bit, 500g on last week.

I have been trying to get myself into the right head space to start the diet all over again. In March I lost a little and for April practically nothing. It therefore seems to me that I have put myself out of the zone for weight loss although maintaining has been good. So I need to start again, which isn't bad after 7 months. So my plan is to start again on Monday. I just know the Easter Bunny will bring me a mars bar, so I can have that eaten, and today we went for home made cheesecake, the shop was flooded in Jan and has only reopened last week. So that fix is out of the way. So for 2 weeks I will need to be strict on eating and exercising.

Last weekend I knew I would over eat although not by much and to compensate for that I did no exercise the combination wasn't good.

So a new plan for May, but I will get a head start and we will see what happens from now on.