My Journal... (Oct 2009 - Dec 2009)
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Email me at... slimming4health@dodo.com.au
Curent Weight Loss Progress
Weight Watcher's Starting Weight : 119.2kg
Lowest Weight Achieved: 89.5kg (Lost 29.7kg)
Immediate Pre-Pregnant Weight: 94kg
Pregnancy Gain: Up 27kg to 121kg
Restart Weight: 111.4kg (2wks post birth)
Weight Watcher's Goal Weight: 76kg
Personal Goal Weight: Pending
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Me & my boys :)
Love my boys!!
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Thursday 31st December, 2009...
Woah what a month it's been!!
Apologies for my absence but there has just been SOOOO much going on....not least of all computer problems galore!
As you know we lost everything last month when we had to reformat our entire computer due to a virus (that arrived the very next day after our antivirus had expired I might add!)...we lost so many photo's, documents and email addresses :( Then just when we got things up and running again....we ran into more problems. After many attempts to fix the issue it turned out to be a dead hard drive! So we had to replace that too and now *touch wood* everything seems to be running ok. I have still lost the photo's of course and once again all my email contacts....so as the note above says....if you'd like to be on my update list for this website please drop me yet another email at slimming4health@dodo.com.au so that I can add your address, for what will hopefully be the last time ;)
It's certainly been the month for dead things. In the last 2months we have had to replace our washing machine ($120 second hand job), our microwave ($80 cheapy model for now), our hard drive ($100), our pool pump ($250 - originally $750 I might add - thank god for Ebay) and now our dishwasher is also on the way out! Aaaargh!!!!!
I am so ready for 2010!
A new month, a new year, a new decade a new beginning!!!
Since I was here last I have had another weigh-in and I did lose another 0.6kg so that was nice :) I have not been back to WW since Xmas and all but a quick check on my home scales this morning saw me still in the 107's so I'm thrilled with that :)
I just had a quick look at my stats page and I see I started this year at 103.2kg. So that is actually a gain of 4.2kg over the course of this year but anyone who knows what I have been through this last year (on a personal level) will know that it could have been 10 times as bad as that. Overall I feel that I have pulled myself through the darkest year of my life, with not too much damage done, and I am coming back stronger than ever in 2010!
Seriously....I LOVE a new year but a new decade as well!!!!...WOOT WOOT!!!!!
Happy New Year Everyone :)
Farewell 2009.......Bring on 2010!!!!
I'll be back in the new year to update both the boys pages with all the Xmas and New Year news and photo's :) (For those of you who follow me on Facebook you will also see our Xmas pic's there already).
Otherwise I am ready for a fresh start in the new year and to kick some weight loss ass....who's coming along with me?? :))
TFTD: "Breathe deep. the year is coming to an end & just think: your heart is one year stronger, your bones are one year tougher. we survived & we’re alive. it’s beautiful. the year may have been ups & downs, broken hearts, broken homes, broken bones but it will soon be behind us. take everything that has happened in & let it feed your soul to make it strong. learn from the past. You can and will grow stronger!!!
Cheers P
Some Funny Holiday Hints *wink*
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a Christmas buffet table knows nothing of the Holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake ? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost . I mean, have some standards. Unless it's been soaked in rum for a year. (My mother's recipe)
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand and wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"”
**Due to a recent computer crash I lost my address book (and SO much more!) Could those of you on the update list for this site please email me again so I've got your address to set it al back up again?? Thanks!! :)
Thursday 3rd December, 2009...
Oh my Gawwwwddd!!!!
Can you believe it's December already!??
I am so NOT ready for Xmas to be just around the corner this year!
As you can no doubt see from my lack of updates around here I have been CRAZY busy! We've had a couple of HUGE weekends, had out of town visitors, I've been working extra shifts and family life has kept us busy busy busy!
Between a SEVERE financial strain of late and my altered work hours I've not been able to attend or afford to weigh in at WW in the last two weeks. However for the purposes of keeping up to date I weighed in on my home scales this morning and was thrilled to see 108.0kg on the scales. That is of course the same as my last WW weigh-in but considering my scales always weigh heavier then theirs I'd even say it was a loss.
After the big loss of last weigh-in I was scared I would not be able to maintain it but it seem I have so I am most happy about that :))
I really hope to be able to weigh in next week so at least I'll be able to make it official then :) I found out last time I was there that my leader is retiring! :( Gayle is so so lovely and supportive and caring and I'll be so sad to see her go :(
On December 1st we put up our Xmas tree with the boys which they LOVED! They love getting the hand carved tree decoration out of the advent calendar each day and really....aren't kids just the magic of Xmas!? Their excitement and awe is contagious :))
Although I am working extra shifts until then, I have two weeks off over Xmas and New Year which I am SO SO looking forward to!!
Now If I could just win the lotto so I can make even a start on my Xmas shopping. Last year I was completely finished by October....this year it's December and I've not even begun!! Not to mention the fact I have all my family, my sisters and their families and my Dad coming for Xmas this year......anyone know the recipe for a money tree?? *wink*
At least I feel all things weight loss are going ok. Slow progress these last two weeks but given that I lost the 2.4kg last weigh-in (which would usually take me two months or more) and I have maintained it....I can feel my clothes becoming loser once again....and my Green Coffee 800 is working wonders on my appetite.....I feel I am like the tortoise....making slow but steady progress :)
TFTD: "Success comes in cans, failure comes in can'ts!!!!!!"
Cheers P
Wednesday 18th November, 2009...
Still pinching myself over yesterdays mega loss :)
Has been a long, long time since I've had a week that good!
According to my stats page my last loss of that size was back in May 09 and the last time I was this weight was in June. It's been a rough couple of months since then but I feel like I may finally be dragging myself back on the right path once more.
The coffee.....was it the reason?? (see entry Thurs 12th below)...well I don't know?? I have CERTAINLY had a reduced appetite so I guess that was it's goal. Either way I'm sticking with it again this week and see if it continues to influence the scales :)
Already I am feeling my clothes loosen once again so that feels really good.
I'm eager just to be back closer to 100kg again and then to move back to the 90s once more. One meal, one day, one week and one kilo at a time :)
Simon and I enjoyed a lovely 17th anniversary yesterday :) The highlight was quite possibly our feral neighbours being evicted, arrested and dragged off by the police. At long last!!!! What a lovely scene that was to watch *snicker*
Tonight I am working...again....but then I have the rest of the week off, unless I am called in for an extra shift. So looking forward to some days off as I think I am STILL trying to recover from my massive weekend.
Planning a bit of a quiet one this weekend - give my body some rest and recovery. At least that's the plan *tee-he*
Have a great hump day everyone!!
TFTD: "Your body is the baggage you must carry through life - the more excess the baggage the shorter the trip!!!!!!"
Cheers P
Tuesday 17th November, 2009...
Well I did it!!!
I achieved my goal this week of not weighing in on my home scales even once.
I knew I'd had a good week. After a MASSIVE weekend which didn't really leave a lot of time or desire for eating....combined with the slimming tea I told you all about last entry....
Well......
Drumroll please *wink*
Yep I lost alright!
I lost 2.4kg this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah not too shabby huh? tee-he
And it was actaully exciting to go there today not knowing what I would see for once. And boy was it worth the wait :))
Today is also a special day for another reason. While we usually only celebrate our wedding anniversary now, Simon and I always do a little something special for today's anniversary also....17yrs together as a couple today! Wow how time flies when you having fun! Love ya Si! xoxo
TFTD: "Happy 17th Anniversary Simon!!!!!!"
Cheers P
Thursday 12th November, 2009...
And so another work day rolls around....ho-hum :)
I'm feeling ok though.....have been flat out this morning getting heaps of little niggly jobs done and out of the way so hopefully I'll feel a little less stressed!
Thankfully we are now all, FINALLY healthy once more. Talyn kept up his vomiting for 6...yes SIX straight nights. Then to add insult to injury our washing machine packed it in on Monday. Went out in protest I guess against the week of six loads of soiled/vomitty bedding every day!! *tee-he*
Finding a new or good second hand washing machine is yet another of those jobs I have to get around to doing now too. Awesome. Grrrr!
Well I weighed in again this week....two weeks in a row...wahoo!
Sadly I also gained again too. Two weeks in a row. 0.1kg each week.
So yes...it's only 0.2kg up over two weeks but....GOD DAMMIT!!!!!! I wanted to go down! And I was sure after the gastro I would but.....such is life for me and my weight loss.
So this week I'm coming back with a new FEIRCE FOCUS!!
-I'm back to my morning exercise sessions
-I'm not weighing in AT ALL at home and
-I'm starting a herbal weight loss supplement also
You'll notice I've updated the goals box to the Left of this line...and also my Goals Page is all up to date so I can work towards achieving al my goals one by one :)
Now...let me talk more about those one at a time shall we? :)
Ok so at LONG LAST I am getting back to my early morning work out sessions. It's the only time I can guarantee and hour to myself child free out of each day so I just gotta drag my tired butt up and out of bed and just get on with getting it done. I'm back to my usual hill walking routine and I almost, I say almost, do enjoy it so long as I can crank tunes on my beloved iPod :)
This week so far:
Wed - 50 min hill walking session with 12 hills
20 dips
20 push-upsThurs - 40min hill walking session with 7 hills
I had to come back early today as Simon had an early start but it was still worth getting out there. I was really tired from very little sleep (as usual for me this year)....and I won't get home from work until midnight tonight.....but still I MUST JUST DO IT! :)
Now the next point was about not weighing in at home. Any of you who have followed my journey know how bloody impossible this is for me!! I am a daily weigher, often more than once a day, but at minimum every single day. But....I'm sick of it!
I'm sick of avoiding weigh-ins because I know I will gain. I'm sick of seeing that I'm doing well so feeling I can slack of....or worse still see that I'm doing back and think what's the point?? So....as of today I have not weighed in at home at all for two days now. Tee-he That is huge for me!! I was going to have Simon hide them again but I figured what's the point?? Be strong Paulene....you CAN do this!
And lastly....the herbal supplement. It is being sold at my nail/beauty salon and the girls there were having amazing results. One had lost 5kg in two weeks and another 2.5kg in I think the same time. They also said they noticed MASSIVE increases in their energy levels and MASSIVE drops in their appetite. They swear they did not change anything else about their diet or lifestyle but to add in the supplement. So I thought....Sheeet....I'll try that!
It's called Green Coffee 800 - Asian Wisdom for Healthy Weight Loss. You get 18 coffee sachets in a box for $35 and have one sachet a day which works out at $1.95 a day/a coffee. Now the other thing is I don't drink coffee....EVER ....as in I've never had a cup in my life! But I just made mine on 1/3 cup of hot water and just skulled it down.. simple :)
So here's what the box says:
GreenCoffee800 Formula is a "drug-free" dietary supplement that was developed from a blend of herbal extracts. When used with a healthy diet plan it curbs your appetite and stimulates your body to burn fat and calories. The herbal extracts and minerals used in this product have been gathered from all over the world to make this all natural diet supplement. GC800 contains the anti-oxidant qualities necessary to cause thermogenesis which increases the metabolism of fat. Chromium and Vanadium increase carbohydrate burn and metabolic rate, and Panax Ginseng helps to maintain energy levels while dieting. Another ingredient, Heartleaf starts the fat burning process while curbing the appetite.
So...what do you think????
TFTD: "You cannot be hoping without acting and wishing without doing!!!!"
Cheers P
Saturday 7th November, 2009...
Oh my Gawd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It seems I'm starting entries that way a lot more of late!
tee-he
I have good reason though. I have just got through the WEEK FROM HELL!!!!
On Monday Talyn came down with a nasty gastro bug.
On Tuesday Caleb came down with it.
On Wednesday I came with it.
On Thursday Simon came down with it.
It was about that time that this household was brought to it's knees :((
Having EVERYONE sick with no-one to turn to for help was excruciating for us all. Our friends couldn't help for fear of getting sick themselves and we have no family to help out either so....suffer through it best we could is what we did :)
The best part is it's almost over. We are all pretty much good today for the first time this week.
Talyn still vomited over night last night....as he has EVERY SINLGE NIGHT this week. And I'm talking full bed changing, boy showering, mountains of washing, 2 and 3 times a night sort of vomiting.
We really thought last night would be his first night without it. And he did get past his usual 9pm vomit time...but only made it to midnight then again at half past midnight with vomits :(
So....fingers crossed tonight could be our first vomit free night!!!!!
And let's not forget that after my last entry I trotted off to have my gums peeled back and some jaw bone removed for a surgical dental removal in the chair. Oh was that a picnic...NOT!!!! snicker. I've taken both my own stitches out now and I have to go back on Tuesday to have it checked but THANKFULLY it seems to be healed ok?
Needless to say I'm sure you can all understand my absence this last week at least :)
I did manage to weigh in quickly on Wednesday night....just before my gastro kicked in unfortunately *wink* and I registered a 0.1kg gain. I can live with that :)
Hell .... after this week I think I can live with almost anything!!!
TFTD: "The definition of insanity is doing this week what you did last week and expecting different results!!!!"
Cheers P
Thursday 29th October, 2009...
Oh.
My.
Gawd!!!!!!!
I just finished a 15hr shift and I am EXHAUSTED!!!
I went to my usual 2.30pm - 11pm shift but ended up doing a double on overtime and instead left there at 5.30am this morning. All afternoon, all evening, all night and all early morning. What a massive MASSIVE shift that one was.
And not only have I had no sleep - but now I have to go to the dentist in an hour for that "gum peeling, bone cutting" disaster that they call a surgical tooth removal.
I'll be off my face half the day in a sleep deprived high...then throw in some heavy duty dental pain and some pain relief and ......
Oh.
My.
Gawd!!!!!
TFTD: "Sleep is for the dead!!!!"
Cheers P
Wednesday 28th October, 2009...
Ah hump day...half way through the week :)
In my case it's sort of like Friday today as tonight is my last shift for the week (unless of course I am called in over the weekend). I'm working a Mon/Wed this week instead of my usual Mon/Thurs. Having said that I also told them I am able to work Mon/Wed/Thurs between now and Xmas so hopefully I may be able to bring in a few extra dollars before the silly season :)
The downside of this week was that it meant I wasn't able to weigh-in. I didn't get paid until today so could not go to Tuesday mornings group and I'll be working for tonight's group. D'oh!
I did look on my scales this morning though and it looks like I would have had a loss of anything up to about 0.5kg I'd guess. My scales are a little different to WW one's.
So.....now all I have to do is hang in there, maintain my course and HOPEFULLY I'll still have a nice loss to look forward to next week. I hope :) I have managed to finally get things slowly moving in the right direction of late so I'd like to keep that momentum!
Tomorrow morning I have to go and have a surgical removal of broken tooth roots. It's my second to back tooth on the top so fairly big roots have snapped off inside the gum. In the Dentist's words, he will be "peeling back my gum, removing a piece of my bone so that they can then dig down deep enough to retrieve the broken tooth roots, then stitching it back up and dressing it etc". Oh. My. Gawd!!!!
I guess I've got to look on the bright side....I won't be eating much tomorrow! *Tee-he* It's being done at 8.40am and I've got mince out for tomorrow night's dinner so at least I'll have a soft spag bog to try if I feel up to it :)
Anyhoo...on that note....best go get the boy to school for another day. Happy Hump Day all!!
TFTD: "We are the sum total of our actions!!"
Cheers P
Thursday 22nd October, 2009...
At last I've managed to upload our recent family portraits :)
Now they are only a photo of the photo's for now ... so not best quality but you get the general gist *tee-he*
Tuesday 20th October, 2009...
Hoorah!
Another loss :)
0.7kg down this week and I'm happy with that!
TFTD: "If you want things to go your way, go after them!!"
Cheers P
Monday 19th October, 2009...
As my facebook status this morning said...."Good Morning Monday..I still f*cking HATE you!" tee-he
Oh what another massive weekend!! Last weekend I had 3hrs sleep Friday night and 3hrs sleep Saturday night. This weekend I did not sleep from when I woke up 6am Friday until I finally fell into bed at 2am Sunday morning!
Oh deary deary me.....they may say sleep is for the dead but you sure feel like the walking dead when you don't get enough of it!!
I have to weigh-in tomorrow morning - whatever the result! I worked at weigh-in time last week so couldn't make it so want to be sure to get there this week. I may gain a little after my big weekend....I may not?? Will see what I see when I see *wink*
Simon and I had a lovely date night on Saturday night. Our lovely neighbor, Norma, was kind enough to watch the boys for us to go out :) They do love having Norma stay with them, throw themselves into her arms when she arrives and they are always good boys for her at bedtime which is a relief!
We went out to a new Asian restaurant that we were dying to try and it was spectacular!!! It was our first dinner out since my birthday in June so I didn't exactly eat 'diet' as such but we enjoyed every morsel of our two course dinner. We shared each others to get more variety too but were both WAY too full to even be tempted by dessert. As much as Simon wanted me to try the deep fried ice-cream! I mean really??? Who deep fries ice-cream?? hahaha
After dinner we went for a night stroll on the beach then went to our local for two drinks each before returning home and carrying on until 2am.
So NOW.....it's Monday!!!! Aargh!! I've got to work tonight, grocery shop with both the boys this morning (Eeeek!) as it's a pupil free day for Caleb today. I'm putting deviled snags in the slow cooker for Si and the boys to have for tea with rice and veggies while I take a frozen WW dinner to work for myself.
Last night Simon sent me out to visit a friend in the afternoon so he could cook us the most spectacular dinner! It was chicken mignon, baked potato (filled with light sour cream, chives, parsley, parmesan and a dash of sweet chili sauce) and also steamed veggies (peas, carrot and sweet potato) and OH MY!!!! It was sooooooo good ;) Anything you don't have to cook for yourself always tastes better as it's such a treat :) What a man I have!!!
Anyhoo....my shopping and housework won't do itself today so I best get moving.
Hope you all survive your Monday best you can *wink*
TFTD: "You can't do everything at once but you can do something at once!!"
Cheers P
Friday 16th October, 2009...
Aargh!!!
Way too long between updates.
I know I've been really slack around here of late and I know that's because I've had such little success on the scales either. When I'm doing well....feeling good....motivated and achieving my goals I can't wait to come on here and talk about it.
I guess during the slack times I wonder what to talk about so instead I say nothing.
But today I thought...dang it....I'll just pop in and say "Hi, still alive and here" :)
I have been so super ridiculously busy of late!!
Lot's of work....lot's of social outings...MASSIVE weekends....family fun.
Life is good :)
TFTD: "If you can't be good be good at it!!!"
Cheers P
Saturday 3rd October, 2009...
Aahh gotta love a fresh new page for a fresh new quarter of this ever-racing-by year :)
Can you believe it's October already!!!! Xmas will be here before we know it - Eeek!
I am looking forward to that though as we are having a family Christmas at home this year. Both my sisters and their partners/kids are traveling to our place to spend the silly season with us and we are SO looking forward to it. I can already predict a LOT of swimming, great food, truck loads of seafood, drinks-a-plenty and great company. Bring it on Santa!
It's a rainy Saturday morning here today.....first rainy day I can remember in god knows how long?? I was joking on Thursday that it could go ahead and rain any time it wanted to now that my lawns were freshly mowed and my washing all up to date...and it worked. Hmm maybe I should try to apply my skills to weight loss? Maybe I should tell myself I can go ahead and drop kilo's like crazy now - and I will! Yeah right!! :)
I do feel moderately more successful in that area of late at least. I've had two losses in a row now.....which I just checked up on the stats page and can now tell you that has not happened since the 12th and 19th of May. May!!!!! I'm so glad that this nightmare of a year is slowly slipping behind me and I can get on with moving forward and back on track with my weight loss goals.
I feel like I'm getting my life slowly back into order in a lot of areas. Simon and I have been doing some long overdue yard and house work around here. We've made a start on dropping and cleaning all the vertical blinds in the house, I'm getting ready to start window cleaning and wall washing. I have a HUGE mental list of all the long overdue cupboard cleaning, dusting, re-arranging etc jobs I'm going to tackle. By Xmas the house will be sparking :)) And for me that will be a huge constant niggling stress off my back!
We are enjoying the last few days of Caleb's school holidays at the moment. And he's had a ball thanks for asking :)) We've had beach trips, shopping, PS2, swimming, cinema trips, visits to parks and friends and just lots of time at home for the boys to play together. I took Caleb to see "Up" at the cinema last week and this afternoon Simon is taking him to see "G-Force" at the cinema.
Talyn hit a new milestone this week too....he finally moved out of his cot and into his big bed. He got up once overnight on his first night (and came straight in to wake us thankfully) but we didn't hear peep from him last night and he's still asleep now at 8am! I wasn't sure how his day nap would go yesterday but it went great. He knows the routine well....lunch, play, storytime then nap and he made no complaints but just lay down and dozed off :) So proud of him! I've got to get some updates done on the boys site tomorrow and I'll let you know here when they are done. I've also got to scan and post our latest family portraits - I LOVE the one's of the boys!!
Anyhoo...time to get this day started, get into the morning jobs and breakfast so we can pack this troupe up and do a mega-grocery shop. Enjoy the weekend all.
Don't forget.....an update email list is now available for this site. Just drop me a line at slimming4health@dodo.com.au to let me know you'd like to join the list. Then each time I update I'll drop you a quick one line email to let you know. This saves needless visits in between updates :)
TFTD: "Banish doubt - life is an attitude!!!"
Cheers P
