WOW! I don't believe it.

I have a route that I follow from my house that is 5.86km long. I run/jog all but two very steep hills of it and it used to take me around 50 minutes. On Saturday I did it in 45min, Sunday was 44min 30sec, Monday was 43 min 10 sec and this evening I knocked another massive 1min 40 sec off to complete it in 41min 30 sec! It is so rewarding to see my level of fitness improving and my enjoyment of exercise continue to grow.

This journey frustrates me sometimes!

After being really good for two weeks, including eating my yoghurt only at an enormous morning tea at work TWICE, running and walking for exercise, I only lost a mere 100g at weigh in tonight. Sometimes I think "I way as well as have the pies, cakes and biscuits at the morning teas" but then I say "No, I don't need them and then the results would have been even worse!"
But it is sometimes hard to stay focussed and motivated when you don't get the results for your efforts.
Never mind, try again next week.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE!!

Well, I did it again and I'm not proud of it. I missed Weight Watchers for 2 months and put on 3.3kg! It always starts with a valid reason for not being able to make a meeting and then I give myself an excuse to slacken off. I then put on a little bit of weight so I don't go back the next week and so it goes on and on and on. Last week I got off my backside and faced the music recording a whopping gain of 3.3kg. However this week, despite a spiral fracture in my toe which means I can do no exercise and am crutches, I lost 0.7kg. I CAN do this and I WILL do this. I need to stay focussed and look at how far I have come and concentrate on the goal of the future. Watch up for more regaular updates in the future and keep kicking me up the b_m when I need it.
Thanks

I SWAM!!!!!!!

I don't believe it, but for the first time since my children have been born I swam with them. While we were in the Riverland on the weekend my friend and I took the kids to the local pool and I actually got in the pool with them. I wore a pair of bathers with board shorts over the top (still a little self-consious) and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. To see the smiles on Brianna and Chloe's faces made it even more worthwhile.
I have added two photos, one with Karina and one with Karyn. It was great to see them and their faces when they saw me for the first time 33kg lighter.


This is Karyn, a great friend that I taught with at Berri.

This is Karina, who lived across the road from us.

A little disappointed?

Well tonight was weigh in for me and I must say I was a little disappointed to only record a loss of 0.4kg. Whilst I realise that any loss is a good loss and I did weigh in in the morning last week, I have also worked really hard at my exercise this week and thought that all of that effort may have shown a little more on the scales.
Never mind - total loss now comes to 33.5kg with only 6.2kg to my personal goal of 80kg (and 11.2kg to my ww goal weight).
I am a little nervous about seeing my two good friends on the weekend who have not seen me since Christmas 2007 (and don't even know that I have been losing weight). I'm sure we will have a great time and I may even swim with my girls for the very first time!!
I will fill you in after the weekend

Pleasantly surprised!

Well weigh in for me was Friday morning, as my Thursday night meeting was closed for New Years day, and whilst I have really stepped up my exercise over the last two weeks, I refused to deny myself anything I wanted over Christmas and New Year. It was all about the portion size. I allowed myself a small piece of pudding with custard and 1 mince pie and enjoyed a lovely vegetarian pasta when we went out for dinner on New Years Eve. So when I weighed in Friday morning and lost 1.2kg I was extremely happy. This loss if for the last two weeks as our meeting was closed the week before also, for Christmas Day. This puts me at 86.6kg with a total loss of 33.1 and only 11.6kg to go. For the first time EVER I now officially weigh less than my husband!
The last two weeks have been busy spending time with the girls and sale shopping! Chloe talked me into buying a lovely white dress from Wombat, which I'm really glad she did, and it was great to buy the next size down for work pants and shirts. This means that what used to be a size 24/26 is now an even 14.
On the exercise front I am surprising myself with how much I am enjoying challenging myself. I am trying new walks with very steep hills and walking for much longer. Two new walk have the following stats:
walk 1 - 9500 steps, takes 1 hour 12 mins and burns 595 calories
walk 2 - 11500 steps, takes 1 hour 20 mins and burns 677 calories.
On a personal front I am very anxious and excited to be returning to the Riverland for a holiday on the weekend. I will be seeing my two best friends, whom I haven't seen since last Christmas when I was 33kg heavier, and I haven't told either of them I have been losing weight this year. I think they will be surprised!
More news in a few more days

How did I end up here?

It's hard to remember where it all started but I think it was somewhere around the age of 11 when i was diagnosed with SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) an auto-immune disease which left me needing large quantities of cortisone steroids right through puberty. As a teenager with body image issues, life saving medication with weight gain as a significant side effect did nothing for my self esteem. Although my weight gain at this time was considerably influenced by the medication, I also believe that I used this as an excuse to over eat.
When my two daughters were born, during my 20s, I was required to have both children in a city hospital as my weight posed too high a risk for a country hospital.
Since the birth of my second daughter in 1998 I have tried a variety of diets and fads but I never had my head in the right place. In January of this year I made the decision that my weight had held me ransom for too much of my life and it was time for me to take control. The difference this time was that I had made the decision to do it for myself, not for the doctor, Mum, husband etc. I joined (rejoined) Weight Watchers and was determined that this time it would be different. Although the journey so far has not been without hiccups, I am so proud of myself to have lost over 30kg and my goal weight is finally in sight.
The biggest changes for me have been my attitude to exercise and the choices I make for food. I used to find any excuse not to exercise where as now it is a priority at least five times a week and I love it, and I now choose to eat healthy, filling foods that make me feel great.
I look forward to sharing the continuation of my journey with you and introducing you to my fabulous family along the way.
Merry Christmas to you all.