iDiet

[a weight loss story]

*kathrynoh at nemesis dot com dot au*

::30.6.06::

Updates

I rang the gym about the dodgy spin instructor. They were really pleased that I bothered to give them feedback and also said they'd had some other complaints about him. I don't think I'll go back to that class anyway. I didn't like his style.

Since I've got my car, I prefer going to Vic Gardens (the branch of gym closer to home) than the gyms in the city after work anyway. It's a bit more hassle but if I'm heading out of the city after 7.00 pm, the trams are infrequent and it's really cold. If I come straight home from work, I can drive over to the gym, do my stuff, jump in the nice toasty warm car to come home and do all my showering and stuff here. I can even walk home from work first, increasing my exercise quota.

Arrrgghh... my stomach is a battleground at the moment. Take my advice, do not fool with laxatives. They are the toys of satan. My bowels are churning. I felt dodgy before I went to the gym tonight but things settled down when I started working out. Still I didn't feel like I was running at full capacity. Later I had to go over to my son's place and he talked me into taking him to the shopping centre to get Guitar Hero for the PS2. He went to EB games, which does games trade ins but you need photo ID. He doesn't have photo ID (the lil nerd reckons he doesn't need it cos he don't drink!!!) so I had to organise all that. We were at the counter and I came over all sick. I ran out of the shop, convince I was going to throw up but couldn't find the toilets. I couldn't ask for directions because I was too scared to talk. Finally, I saw the toilet sign and ran off, down a long, long corridor. By the time I got to them, the feeling had passed but I've been woozy ever since.

I did yoga tonight. Even the big, Rugby player looking dude in my class was more flexible than me. I didn't like the class and not just because I'm crap. They had us squished in like sardines - you had to avoid hitting or being hit by flailing limbs most of the time. Plus there were no mats so I had to go in the dancey-aerobics class next door mid-session and get one. Instead of ending the class feeling calm and relaxed, I felt irritable and icky.

Anyway, I knicked Pirates of the Carribean off Andrew (after a few poor attempts at Guitar Hero) so I'm going to curl up in bed now and imagine I'm stuck on a tropical island with Johnny Depp.

well done on your great loss! & i'm glad u complained about the spin instructor, he sounds awful!

By Blogger Kt, at 7:51 am  

especially in a class like yoga they should limit the amount of members allowed to participate. How can you stretch in a box? I don't remember your name being Jack Inabox.

By Blogger Jadey, at 5:57 pm  

The poo issues don't sound too good, think i'll stay away from the laxatives. I've never tried them, and now I never will!
Have fun with Jonny Depp!
Bri

By Blogger Briony, at 7:37 pm  

Aah, a girl after my own heart - Johnny Depp.....yummo!!!

By Blogger Jaykay, at 8:06 pm  

 

Weigh In - 70.5 kgs

Woohoo! That's a whopping great 1.5 kg loss! Go me! I'm the man! One lousy half a kilo (approx 1 pound for all you non-metric folk) and I'm at goal!

See how excited I am? I'm using coloured fonts. I never use coloured fonts. I thought I'd weigh in today and again tomorrow then move to Saturdays after that. I'm so happy. I think after being sick for so long then going back to 6 days a week cardio, my metabolism has gone crazy. So long as I get that 0.5 kg loss next week, I'll be happy.

I've been thinking that maybe 68 kgs might be my ideal weight now though. Mainly because all the cardio equipment at the gym has that as the default weight so I would have to adjust the machines. Yeah, I'm that lazy.

***

I had been planning to go for a run this morning but then I realised I want to go for a long run tomorrow and I'm meeting with Deegee for a run on Sunday. I think three days in a row will be too much for my little legs to handle. The alternatives are to go for a long run this morning then have a rest day tomorrow or to go to the gym after work and do some cardio plus a yoga class or run today then rest tomorrow and have a long run on Sunday.

Thinking about it, and since I'm still having poo issues, I might go to the gym after work and have a run plus the yoga class. That branch also has a dvd library so I can get out some dvds to watch tonight. Then make Sunday my long run and have Saturday as a rest. That works for me since I've got other stuff to Saturday anyway. I love it when I work out a good plan.

Yesterday I felt something I haven't felt for months - hot! It was such an unseasonally warm day and I've finally got around to buying a little heater for my poor heated office. I love that heater. It's so much more comfortable working without my coat on. I even took off my jumper for a while and managed in just 4 layers of clothing! At lunch time I wandered over to the park and sat in the sun. Why can't it always be like this? Hurry up summer with your glorious weather and daylight savings.

***
You know what rocks? Black and Green (I think that's the right name) chocolate. I've heard people like Dietgirl and YP talk about this chocolate on their blogs and saw it at my local organic shop. Man, it's like they've distilled the essense of goodness from the chocolate and concentrated it in one tiny bar. I felt like every taste bud in my mouth was having an orgasm as I ate it. What makes it even more special is, because the flavour and satisfaction are so intense, you can happily eat part of a small bar then realise you've had enough and put the rest in the fridge for later. Well I could and I never do that with chocolate.
***
You know, I used to think I was unco-ordinated and lacked flexibility because I was fat. Now I realise I'm just unco-ordinated and lack flexibility.

Congrats Kathryn - that is huge. well done.

By Blogger Cinders, at 8:26 am  

You go girl! Wohooot! It's getting really close. =D
Well done.

By Blogger Moody, at 8:42 am  

WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - well done on a fantastic loss and so close to goal now !!
Well done - hope that your runs are all good and have a great weekend.
Me

By Blogger Me, at 8:55 am  

Great about the loss. I don't know what you are expecting from a long run on Sunday, but bring the crash cart.

By Blogger Ruune, at 9:19 am  

Wow - thought something big must be going on for their to be big red font!! You sound just full of optimism and alertness. If that is what weight loss brings then bring it on baby - once I've had the baby that is!!

By Blogger Jules, at 9:29 am  

Yaaaaaaaaaay. What a fantastic loss. Go you. So close to goal you sexy girl.

And watch out for that chocolate. It is so yummy it is difficult to stop at one, or two, or twenty pieces LOL.

And there is nothing wrong with a 68kg goal. Lovely number that. Hope to see it on my blog soon too :D

By Blogger Margaret, at 11:29 am  

"Mainly because all the cardio equipment at the gym has that as the default weight so I would have to adjust the machines."

Funny stuff! Good job woman! I'm proud o' you.

By Blogger Martalu, at 12:25 pm  

GO KATH!!! That's brilliant!! You are so, so close now - you'll be there very very soon. Can't wait to add you to the "At Goal" section on my side bar.

Green & Black organic chocolate is da bomb, I agree. I don't know whether it's because it's so rich that we can stop at just a little bit, or whether we have such good self control now!! (a bit of both I think!)

Have a great weekend!

By Blogger philippa_moore, at 1:07 pm  

Woohoo...nearly there!!!
Congratulations!

By Blogger Leighanne, at 2:47 pm  

WOOHOOO Great loss hunny! That's wicked.

I love your last line there - too funny

By Blogger Jadey, at 4:04 pm  

500grams. My god you are so so sos so close!!

Congrats on the huge loss!

By Blogger Ang, at 6:02 pm  

Fantastic Stuff! Well done that woman. There is nothing like pulling a big loss out the bag.

Sadly - I cannot stop at just a bit of Green and Blacks. In fact on last week I gorged on half a huge bar. Whoops.

By Blogger Lainey, at 6:49 pm  

woohoo! that is a killer result, well done! and once the poo issues are resolved, you might even get to 68 next week ;)

G&B's rules! I can eat a wee bar of the dark stuff and be satisfied. not so much restraint with their milk and white bars though... hehe!

(PS i read your story on that chicago thingy, i loved it!)

By Blogger Shauna, at 7:08 pm  

Woohoo!!!!!!!!!

What a fantastic loss Kathryn - it's goal next week for sure!

*fingers crossed*

By Blogger Ails, at 8:37 pm  

 

::29.6.06::

Adventures in Poo!

The laxative didn't work (but I did find out the correct spelling). I feel like I have a ticking time bomb in my belly now. I got to the gym after work and was warming up for my PT session when I felt the need so ran to the loos but it was no dice. I tried my hardest cos with the money I pay my PT there's no way in hell I'd excuse myself mid-session just for a poo. It would be literally money down the drain.

Arrghh - we had a new Spin instructor tonight. He came in dressed like he was taking part in the Tour d'France (that's the big bike race, yeah?) - fully co-ordinated cycling gear from the cap on his head to the shoes and that included his drink bottle.

The class started and he got off the bike and came over to me. He turned my resistance back to zero then told me to pick up the pace. I was like dude, where's your spin instructor licence? Well not really cos I only thought of that one now but seriously, in every class I've ever done the one thing they tell you over and over is NEVER spin with no resistance.

Sure I might not have been going as fast as he'd like but it was the frigging warm up.

Then every track we did but one was a sprint. Boring. And, for the non-sprint track we had to do this standing and sitting in groups. The girl beside me and I got in trouble cos we didn't know what group were in. It was very high school PE class.

Even worse - all but two tracks were these latino dance mixes. Then we had Vogue by Madonna (that was for the sit, stand group thing). I hate that song so much.

Oh yeah, and toward the end of the class, he asked if anyone wanted their water bottle topped up. I've been in classes where the instructor will go fill your bottle so you don't have to get off the bike but he was using his own water bottle for the top ups. Gross.

I'm thinking of ringing the gym tomorrow and putting in a complaint. I don't want to be a whingy bitch but I think with the resistance thing, if that had been my first class I could have end up injuring myself.

money down the drain! priceless! :)

i say ring up and complain! every instructor i've ever had says no resistance is dangerous. and what a jerk to single you out like that. urgh.

By Blogger Shauna, at 10:55 pm  

I would complain, too! What an obnoxious man... and you are totally right to be grossed out by the refill situation. Cuz you wanna drink his backwash? Gross, gross, gross!

I hated PE. It sucked. I'm convinced if they revamped the PE program kids would get thinner again. It's not conducive to making kids enjoy exercise.

By Blogger Mae, at 12:55 am  

I would definitely be ringing in to complain - he sounds like a real dork !
Hope your next class is better.
Me

By Blogger Me, at 8:57 am  

I would definintley complain! I mean seriously - I suppose that's why RPM can be good because instructors CAN'T just do their own thing. I know you can spin with no resistance (used for warm ups and recovery) so not worried abpout that , but you shouldn't get told off and you should have the control over your resistance not him! Plus water bottle issue = EWWW sick

By Blogger Jadey, at 3:58 pm  

The gym definitely should be told about that Spin guy - filling water bottles that way is just not on! Ewwww. Let us know that the gym says if you do!

By Blogger Ails, at 8:33 pm  

 

::28.6.06::

The Best Dinner Ever, a PB and Health Issues

Tonight I cooked the best dinner ever. It was like heaven wrapped paradise with a side of rapture. Yum. The stupid thing is a guy I worked with last year gave me this recipe and I didn't make it until today. That's many dinners I've missed out. And, because I'm the kind, sweet (cough), adorable chickie babe I am, I'll share it with you:

Lemon Coriander Chicken

2 tsp olive oil
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 small red chilli (I had none so used a little chilli powder)
4 tsp chopped coriander
salt and pepper
2 chicken breasts, skinned and scored (I used one but it was huge. I reckon it came from the Dolly Parton of chickens)

Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl (I added a little garlic as well because I'm addicted), add the chicken and leave 30 minutes at least.

Grill for 8 minutes each side, basting with leftover marinade.

Mediterranean Roast Vegie Couscous

2 tsp olive oil
400g butternut pumpkin - diced into 3 cm cubes
4-5 button mushrooms cut in half
1 zucchini diced
1 red capsicum diced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Combine vegetables in a baking dish, toss through oil and spices. Roast 40-50 mins tossing occasionally.

Make up 1 cup of couscous according to packet directions. Mix with roast vegetables and serve with chicken and rocket leaves.

I didn't actually make the couscous because I didn't have any so I made a bed of wilted silverbeet (ie. boiled the crap out of it) , then added the roast vegies and half the chicken. I'm having the rest of the chicken for dinner tomorrow. Woohoo!

Make it, make it right now. Don't wait. You'll regret it like I did. Better and easier than takeaways and far less calories. I reckon this will be cooked to death in my house now - esp in summer. In case you hadn't realised, I'm in lurve.

And now to my PB. The fastest I've recorded myself running is a 7 minute or so kilometre. So tonight at the gym, I was doing speed intervals - 5 min fast, 5 min recovery x 2 - I got through the first fast 5 mins and realised I was mighty close to a km so I kept pushing myself and did it in 6.15 mins! I'm giving myself a pat on the back for that one - because I'm proud of myself and because I really need to stretch out my muscles.

I went to the doctor yesterday. Not because I'm ill but because she's putting me on this care plan with Medicare - I get up to 5 visits with those health practitioners not normally covered. That means I'm off to the podiatrist and the dietican for free! Well there has to be some perks to diabetes.

While I was there, I asked her about an issues that's been bugging me for a while. Well probably 3-4 years off and on. Sometimes when I stand up, I get dizzy spells. Lately it's been getting worse - I get bad nausea as well. It goes away quickly but feels awful for those 30 seconds or so. To make it worse, I stand around like a stunned mullet which isnt' a good look at work... or the gym... or anywhere really.

So anyway, she took my blood pressure sitting down then again standing up. It dropped significantly when I stood up so that's the problem. My blood pressure has always been low and now it's bottoming out! She told me to drink more water and I said I drink 3-4 litres a day plus herbal and green tea. I can't drink any more! I don't want to drink any more. My bladder is worse than a crying baby of a morning.

She also told me I need more salt. I don't often cook with salt or add it my meals, except with eggs or tomatoes. She also said to drink sports drinks when I exercise - which would also help with the woozy post-workout sugar lows I get. I've never had sports drinks before - I've always thought of them as a bit of a wank, plus I don't want extra calories. But since I *always* follow doctor's orders, I went to the supermarket after the gym and got one. It's Powerade Lite which seemed to have the least calories. Hopefully it will help with the cramps I sometimes get too.

Okay, you can stop reading now if potty talk distresses you (I often wonder who stops reading after warnings like that - they make me want to read more!)

Lately I've been having poo issues, not major ones but enough so that it gets uncomfortable when I run, even causing stomach cramps. It's okay at the gym with the toilet handy but running outside can be a problem. Yesterday it all got too much for me so I went to the supermarket and - for the first time in my life - bought a laxetive. The check out girl asked if I wanted a bag. WTF. No, I want to walk the streets with a laxetive in my hands so the whole world knows my bowels are bound.

I don't get this - I drink litres of water, I live on fruit and vegies - like 3-4 apples a day without other fruit, I drink green tea with lemon for breakfast. I should be as regular as a clockwork, instead I'm as regular as a Melbourne tram. So I got home and within 5 minutes, there was no need for outside assistance - all was well. Then, this morning, I intended to go for a run before work except, damn it, my stomach felt like concrete again.

I'm going to take it tonight. I want the pipes cleaned out properly. Hopefully it will do the trick.

Congrats on your PB, you muct be rapt!

Despite drinking lots of water and eating well, my boy has similar poo issues. Or rather had. He takes Russell Setright's Fibre Clear with red clover. He just has it with water and it wouldn't be the most pleasant drink, but you can also mix it with juice, a protein drink or milk. It contains something called 'slippery elm', which even sounds like it would counteract the problem.

By Blogger CaramelKitKat, at 11:17 pm  

LMAO! As regular as a Melbourne Tram!! Im sorry, Im not laughing at the condition which prompted the description, but as a Melbournite I feel your pain! (well, not quite)
WooHoo on the run time! You continue to inspire me.

Cheers
Louisa

By Blogger The Knitting Nerd, at 11:57 pm  

Thanks Kathryn, you start with a yummy chicken recipe and finish with poo issues.. Well done on the PB and is the Medicare doc thing applicable to everyone? I'll have to look it up. Have a great day.

By Blogger Cinders, at 8:26 am  

Well done on your PB. Hope your stomach issues clear up soon !
Take care and have a great week !
Me

By Blogger Me, at 8:49 am  

Great PB, that is a fantastic time. And as I have been catching up on posts I have to comment in dot form

- way to go on the wish jeans, that is a huge achievement.
- I love potty talk, keep it coming (well it will with the laxatives anyway LOL)
- My training for the C2S is pretty non-existant except for the huge amounts of walking I am doing. It is unlikely I will run any but there is six weeks to go and anything can happen in that time.
- Thanks for the recipe. It does sound devine. I will print it out tomorrow at work (printer here died) and will make it on the weekend. Yummm
- Tea towel thieves should be made to do everyones dishes for a week.
- You are great!!!

By Blogger Margaret, at 1:54 pm  

Try some bran for breakfast. My best friend swears on it. Although I often need the herbal laxetives to help, even though I do eat bran...

By Blogger Shawn, at 2:19 pm  

Try this as a remedy, it wors wonders for most people that I've recommended it to:

As soon as you get up have a large glass of warm water with half a fresh lemon squeezed into it. You should feel the need to "go" within about 15 mins.....

Try not to use the laxatives, they can cause a lot of tummy pain and bloating (due to the forced muscle contractions). This in turn can cause your bowels to get lazy after a while which will make the problem worse in the end :-(

Hope this helps :-)

Beki

By Blogger Sekhmet, at 3:12 pm  

Congrats on your PB thats an awesome effort!!

By Blogger Ang, at 6:01 pm  

Ohhh...poor baby. I hate poo issues. Normally I'm really regular, so when I'm not it throws me all off. For me, milk and dairy triggers it. You might try keeping a record of what you eat just before you start to feel like concerete.

What works for me is to eat a big serving of fruit. Cherries especially, or melon. It works for me really well. Salad does, too. Once it goes in, it wants back out rather quickly and pushes whatever is in its way out with it!

By Blogger Shaunta, at 12:26 am  

That chicken recipe sounds just devine - I won't run out and make it now, but it definitely is on the table for tomorrow night! :)

Congrats on the running - I'm always so impressed with everyone's running efforts, and yours is fantastic!

By Blogger Ails, at 8:23 pm  

 

::27.6.06::

Woohoos and Weigh Ins

My tea towel has been returned. I love speaking up for myself. It works. I think my main problem with speaking my mind most times is not that I won't/can't do it but that I don't know my mind. That makes it hard.

I also spoke up to my hairdresser because my red highlights have completely washed out! She asked me what shampoo I used then said Pantene was the absolute worst! I bet if I'd said Loreal or Garnier or whatever, she'd have said the same. I know reds never last long but it's only been a week. What makes it worse is that I paid extra for a treatment to make them last longer.

Today I registered for the Queen of the Lake fun run. It's the weekend before the City 2 Surf but I figure I'll be running anyway so I might as well do it. This is the first time I've registered for a fun run as a runner not a walker. Even when I've intended running, I've registered as a walker in past fun runs so I don't come dead last. Not this time.

Oh yeah, I have a question (or two):

Have you ever changed your weigh in day? And if so, why?

Do you think it's made a difference to your attitude?

The reason I ask is that lately I've been eating far, far, far too much on the weekends. I've never been a weekend eater before but now it's getting out of hand. I'm thinking if I change my weigh in day from Friday then I won't have that feeling of the weekend being free time. At the moment, free time = Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

I thought I'd change to Sunday morning but would like to know I can go out and have dinner or a few drinks on Saturday nights -- I mean you can't be a stick in the mud *all* the time -- so a Saturday morning weigh in would stop the Friday binges, give me Saturday night as free night (which is when I intend doing my long runs so will need a few extra calories) and I want to do a low calorie day on Sundays (which happens to be my exercise rest day).

Sounds good on paper - well, monitor - but I'd like to know how it's worked for other people. Is it one of those mind games that helps you do better or is it just like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic?

Well done on speaking up about your hair. It's by no means nuclear physics, I don't see the need for your hairdresser to make you feel silly or inferior. I hope they're going to redo them or give you a refund. Or you could try DIY with Fudge.

By Blogger CaramelKitKat, at 10:41 pm  

So glad you got your dishtowel back. Ah - the little things.

I've almost always been a Monday morning weigher and it's been a Monday since Jan 05. However, I did dabble with Saturday morning weigh ins on two occasions and if the truth be known- which it will be, it was quite successful.

It meant that I was restrained on a Friday night and if I had a loss on the Saturday, I was motivated to keep on track for the rest of the weekend but also could indulge a bit more on the Saturday night too.

I would go for it. A change is as good as a holiday....

By the way, on the running - well done! Don't berate yourself for not doing 10k! That's your negative inner voice that just need to shut the fuck up.

By Blogger Lainey, at 10:53 pm  

I've never changed my weigh in day its always been Tuesday. I've thought about it - doing it on a Friday before the weekend so I'd have a low weight, or doing it after the weekend to force me to be good - but you know what? I think weekends are the time when you're allowed to have a couple of naughty lapses with your friends and family... if you change it would it stop you enjoying your weekends as much? If you think it will, is it worth it?

By Blogger Kenz, at 10:53 pm  

good on you for sticking it to those moronic flatmates!

i used to be a monday weigher but found it so depressing. wednesday morning works for me, it's a good compromise. i can get in a few good days before teh weekend, then if the weekend blows i have time to recover before i get on the scales.. hehehe

By Blogger Shauna, at 12:06 am  

Good for you for speaking out! I need to work on that, too. I'm such a pleaser--I hate to upset anyone. It's ridiculous.

About the weigh-in thing--I say weigh-in when you want, and eat what you want even if it's the day before weigh-in...as long as you're hungry and you aren't binging. Even if you have a gain the first Sunday morning, it will even out in the end to a general downward trend :)

By Blogger Shaunta, at 2:00 am  

Congratulations on registering as a runner! You'll have to let us know how it goes. . . .

By Blogger drstaceyny, at 2:13 am  

While you're speaking your mind - I'd be asking for a free re-do from the hairdresser. A week is not right, no matter what product you use.

By Blogger Sue, at 8:20 am  

I weigh in on Mondy morning which suits me because most of the time it does act as a hand brake to stop me over eating on the weekends (not that it always works but at least it's there to try to work !)
I have heard lots of bad reports about Pantene products and how bad they are for your hair so I don't know if she was trying to pull a fast one on you. But it is a shame that you paid more for them to stay in longer and they didn't - maybe you could talk to them about that and get them to do them again maybe at half price or something.
Good luck for the fun run before the C2S !!!
Take care and be good !
Me

By Blogger Me, at 8:22 am  

Well done on registering for the Queen of the Lake - now that you know you can run the distance perhaps you can work on your time?

Hairdresser's and their stupid shampoo philosophies really shit me. They always critisize so you can spend a million bucks on their products. I've been using Pantene for years and the minute I switch to something else I get dandruff (yuck!). I can't believe your hair has already washed out.

By Blogger Cinders, at 8:48 am  

My hairdresser told me the same thing about Pantene but I think she had a point. I switched to a more expensive brand and the state of my hair improved by heaps. I can feel and see the difference so god knows what's in Pantene!

As for weigh ins, yes I've been guilty of changing my weigh-in day around as well. I'm going to change it again when I come back from my blog hiatus as my current day just isn't working for me.

By Blogger Sarah, at 9:46 am  

I weigh in Sunday mornings and have Sunday as my freeday.

I know alot of people who get the weekend binges weigh in on Monday to keep them honest over the weekend.

Changing your weigh in to suit you does work. You just need to figure out what you want from it.

WOOHOO on getting your tea towel back. Where a link to this Queen of the Lake thing? I need to do something one day.

By Blogger Jadey, at 1:52 pm  

hairdressers really do seem to have an issue with pantene! not sure why!
i weigh in mondays coz it makes me a bit better over the wknd
but will change to friday soon as thats when the meeting suits me.

By Blogger Kt, at 4:49 pm  

 

Quotes and Brilliant Ideas

Today I read a couple of quotes (these are from Every Woman Has an Eating Disorder - notes on a Geneen Roth Workshop) that nicely sum up what I tried to say in my post a few days ago:

If the goal of human life really is just to lose weight (or be thinner) and this is why we live our lives, we would not get to the end of our lives and leave our bodies behind.


and
I wasn’t suffering because I was fat; I was fat because I was suffering.

I hate it when someone is more eloquent than I am.

But this is my brilliant idea - how would you like to pig out as much as you want and not put on weight? I think I can make a fortune with this one. All I need to do is invent a time machine so you can go back and enjoy great meals from your past. The beauty is they contain NO calories because you've already eaten them. Pure genius!

Oh yeah, i'll order one of those machines!!!
Bri

By Blogger Briony, at 1:41 pm  

HAHA! Me, too!

By Blogger Shaunta, at 3:26 pm  

Oo ooo ooo!! me me me!!! Can i please go back to Greece two years ago where I ate like a PIG and ate about 5 courses of the most delicious greek food ever? *sigh* Those were the days!

By Blogger Kenz, at 10:04 pm  

Oh! Oh! Please put me down as a beta tester for that machine.

I like Geneen Roth a lot. She's doing a long weekend workshop near me in a few months and I'm seriously considering attending. Having said that, boy that second quote is painful because it's so true...

By Blogger BethK, at 10:11 pm  

 

::26.6.06::

Eating is not a hobby

After yesterday's post, I thought I'd look at some of my issues. A really big one for me at the moment is that since I've been sick, I've been restricted in what I do. I get bored. I hate watching tv and the internet is only entertaining for so long. But eating is not a hobby! Next weekend, I'm going to plan ahead so I don't get bored. I will get new hobbies like sorting out my MP3 folders.

Another of my issues is not speaking out so I started working on that tonight. I put up a sign in the kitchen saying - Whoever took my tea towel, please return it. Who steals someone's tea towel anyway? Maybe the same person who stole my sister's cake of soap from the bathroom.

So that's what happened to my first year uni housemates! Within a few months it turned into using a toilet bag between your room and the bathroom, having a locked tucker box each and a bar fridge in my (locked) room. We had some great times, but I don't miss share living. Now that you are living with your sister is there any chance that you and her could find a smaller place?

By Blogger CaramelKitKat, at 12:42 am  

I guess taking up knitting isn't an option?

By Blogger Sue, at 6:38 am  

Yikes, i'm so glad I don't have to cope with all of that. At least I know if the tea towel goes missing that it was DH that did something with it and I can give him a roasting!! LOL.
Have a great week.
Bri

By Blogger Briony, at 8:54 am  

 

::25.6.06::

Victories and Thoughts

Way back on the 7th Janurary when I first started running, I went to Albert Park to do a few laps:

I wasn't even sure if I could make 2 laps of the lake but was determined to
try. The first time around I did some running and some walking. They have
markers every 500 metres and I thought to myself, I'd really love to be able to
run the whole 500
metres without stopping. When I got to the 2.5 km point, I
thought bugger it, I'll give it a go. So I started running and running and
thought the next marker would never come. Then I say it and I was like - woohoo!
I did it. Then I was like - shit, I'm going to die. So I walked some more and
ran some more.

Second lap around, I thought well I ran 500 metres last time, I'll try it
again. I ran the 500 metres and when I got to the marker I thought I'd just keep
going for a little bit. Then a little bit more. My legs were so heavy and I was
going at the slowest jogging speed ever but I told myself to just keep going.
And, woohoo! I ran a whole kilometres without stopping. I did it.



I finished that post by saying:

Before I left, I said to the lake - "I'll be back and one day I'll run you without stopping." The lake was just like - "whatever". But that day is coming.
So yesterday I did it. I ran a full lap of the lake. I probably could have done it sooner but I didn't have my car. Let me tell you, it was the hardest 5 km run. I think I've overdone it this week. I've had 2 weeks of being sick and doing NO exercise so instead of having an easy week, I've done 6 days straight of hard cardio plus two PT sessions.

I had to run to the loo after I'd finished the lap and was debating with myself whether to do a second. I didn't feel all that well but figured even walking a second lap was better than nothing. But, as I walked out of the toilet block, it started raining so I headed to the car instead.

I should have felt fantastic, knowing I'd achieved something that had seemed so impossible to me at the beginning of the year, but I didn't. Instead I felt a huge burden of guilt and disappointment because I'd only done 5 km. I should have kept on going and made it 10.

Of course doing another lap in the rain probably wouldn't have been good for my cold.

On the way over to the lake, I got stuck in bad traffic (damn Disney on Ice - I shake my fist angrily at you) so I had lots of time to think and kind of had a bit of an epiphany. I'm an emotional eater and I've always thought of that as a bad thing but maybe it's not all bad, maybe I do it for a reason. See I'm kind of slow and simple about some things and that includes realising what's going on with me emotionally. I think I'm fine but there are storms brewing below the surface.

The emotional eating is like a barometer of my mental state or, I guess, a culinary mood ring. Instead of seeing these eating phases as some kind of monster I need to fight, I should look at them as a symptom of something greater. I've always figured eating is my issue, using food to deal with my feelings is the issue but yesterday, I had this blinding flash:

The issue is the issue.

It's not about food or weight or controlling my urges. It's about finding out what's really going on and tackling the cause, not the symptom. And not doing it because I want to lose a few kilos either. Doing it because I want to be strong and healthy on the inside. Just like the eating is a symptom of something deeper, the weight loss should be a perk of fixing everything else.

It's taken me a long time to realise this, that I've had everything arse up. And I don't know how to go about fixing it. It's so much easier to control the externals - to do the exercise and eat the right food - than to try to unwind the big mess tangled up inside. Even when I saw my shrink, I only did it because I thought dealing with that stuff would help me loss weight.

From now on, I'm going to change my focus. Weight loss is all well and good - and don't worry, I'll still obsess over it all but the more weight I lose, the more I realise it doesn't bring happiness. I mentioned in a previous post about getting so many compliments about my weight loss last weekend. I felt like that should have given me a real lift, but it didn't. Not because I'm one of those people who hate compliments - bring them on - but because every time someone mentioned how I'd done so well and how I should be proud of myself, inside I kept thinking "no, I'm not doing well. I've been trying to lose these last 5 kilos for months". Of course I didn't say that out loud. I smiled and thanked them but I felt like a fraud.

Lately too, I've been thinking a lot about plastic surgery - watching tv shows and reading magazines. Plastic surgery worries me. I have this feeling you could start and never stop. Once you start on a quest for physical perfection, for being just a little bit better, there is always something more you can do. The technology is out there to fix *everything* if you have the money and the inclination but should you fix it?

We get old. Our bodies fall apart and, eventually, you die. You can slow down the process but you can't stop it. You can improve the quality of the life you have but in the end the results are the same. Our social ideal of beauty centres around youth but every year, every day we move further and further away from it.

I guess in some ways that is totally depressing but the way to fight it is be happy with who we are at this present moment, to reject the idea of perfection. Love the flabby belly and the not so toned bits. Enjoy the wrinkles and the grey hairs. Celebrate who we are, not the person we *could* be.

What an emotional rollercoaster of a post kathryn! Ha ha!
I was cheering you on, then I was depressed that I was going to die, then I was loving my wrinkles and feeling uplifted!

Kudos on the running .. you're my inspiration! Cheers.

By Blogger The Knitting Nerd, at 1:55 pm  

Aren't women just like that? It's genetic I think. It's impossible to take a compliment without our brains trying to knock us back to our places. Like our heads are saying "uppity woman, who does she think she is? She still has...however much...left to lose. She can't take that compliment!"

I'm so proud of you for the run. Really. It gives me hope. Because I can't run at all. Less than three minutes, and then I my heart rate is so high that I'm afraid I'm going to have a stroke. But I'm getting there. Slowly. Surely. I think you rock!

By Blogger Shaunta, at 2:22 pm  

I totally agree with you - losing weight doesn't necessarily make you happy, neither does it solve your problems - they are still around unless you have dealt with them but it does mean that you are thinner when you have to deal with them. I was quite upset when I realised that losing weight wasn't going to solve my other problems because I had always said "When I am thinner - this won't be so bad" - but it is unless I've dealt with it.
I think you were wise not to run the second lap of the lake especially in the rain but I can completely understand how you would have felt guilty about not doing it - sometimes you need to remember that less isn't necessarily not good enough.
Have a great week and look after yourself !
Me

By Blogger Me, at 2:45 pm  

Be proud of what you have acheived. Never forget your past but look forward to the future. Plastic surgery isn't the way. Love yourself with yout imperfections.

By Blogger Jadey, at 5:03 pm  

Celebrate who we are, not the person we *could* be

What a great quote!

By Blogger Kt, at 6:50 pm  

Congrats in doing that run!!!!

By Blogger Leighanne, at 9:59 pm  

Great post Kathryn :)

You've done so well with your 5K run so don't think anything otherwise, do you hear me? ;)

You're so right - the issue is the issue, and I think that hits the nail on the head for alot of us. The easy bit is the healthy eating and exercise, the tough thing is dealing with the deep-seated stuff which caused us to use food self-destructively in the first place. All the best working through them Darl.

By Blogger Ails, at 10:11 pm  

Wow, a lightbulb moment here for me too! Instead of shrugging my shoulders and going 'bloody emotional eating' I need to stop and think - 'What am I avoiding? What should I be thinking about and dealing with instead of stuffing food in my mouth?'
Thanks.

By Blogger Sue, at 1:06 pm  

oh man... what a great post. and well done on conquering the lake!

i read this article by eve ensler, you know the Vagina Monologues chick. it was all about women and our quest for perfection, the diets and the fancy creams and plastic surgery - just all the goddamn ENERGY we devote in this pursuit; so much time and money.

she was saying she was just as guilty of this as anyone, but imagine the things we could do with all that money and energy instead of using it to obsess about our flabby bits... think of all we could achieve and/or put back into the world instead. it really gobsmacked me... not entirely sure if my priorities are sound, you know?

anyway sorry if that was a bit of a tangent but your post really got me thinkin'! hope writing it felt cathartic for ya somehow :)

By Blogger Shauna, at 7:24 am  

"The issue is the issue"

What a great line. And so true. Great post Kathryn.

And whoo hooo on running the full lap. I am sure the lake waved when you left and thought to itself "She'll be back - as soon as she gets out of the Disney on ice traffic"

By Blogger Margaret, at 1:46 pm  

 

::24.6.06::

Guess What I'm Wearing?

My wish jeans! Woohoo! I hadn't tried them on for ages and this morning as I put away my laundry, I spotted them and thought I'd give them a try.

When I bought the wish jeans, I only thought about getting a cheap pair in a size 12 that I could use to test my size. The thing I didn't consider is that they are UGLY. Damn it. But at least they fit.

Yesterday I left work early and went to the gym. I thought it would be nice and quiet and it was - but the gym is in a shopping centre. And it's school holiday time. When I got changed, I realised I'd forgotten my socks so I had to run through the crowded food court - complete with Ronald McDonald show on the stage - to the sport shop to buy some. In my gym clothes.

After my workout, I went to Ikea. Yum, I love their Swedish Meatballs. They had a late lunch special with meatballs, a packet of biscuits and soft drink for $6.50. I'd planned to NOT eat the biscuits but I tried one and damn they are good. I had about 6 in the end. Curse Ikea and their fine biscuits.

Then I went to Preston Market. I've only been there once in the past 4-5 months because of the car thing. First up I went to the bakery section. The ladies asked me if I'd dyed my hair and commented on my weight loss. Then they asked me all about Andrew. It was really sweet that they even remembered who I was. They must have thousands of customers.

I bought so much food I could barely carry it back to the car. I think I had about 4 kgs of apples alone - I eat so many of them and the Pink Ladies were around $2 a kilo so I had to stock up.

Today the plan is to go over to Albert Park for a run. Tomorrow I'm going to do a huge cook up then do a Body Balance class - I need to stretch out my tired old body.

Body balance - thats the one class I have been too scared to try!

By Blogger Ang, at 1:32 pm  

Congratulations on the wish jeans! I bet it felt great slipping them on!

You have made me wonder if I need a pair of wish jeans...

By Blogger Unknown, at 3:57 pm  

Congratulations on getting into those jeans, even if they are ugly...lol

Hope you enjoy your run at Albert Park:)

By Blogger Leighanne, at 4:14 pm  

I put on my starting jeans yesterday...a pair I bought on my first day of nondieting, the pair that are so huge, yet still barely buckled over my belly, that started it all. And now they are so huge, I can't wear them anymore. I can pull them off without undoing them!

Sweet Victory, eh? Good for you and your 12s!

By Blogger Shaunta, at 5:24 pm  

ahh freedom! Don't you love the freedom that having a car gives to you. (LOL my word verification is rudze I laughed)

By Blogger Jadey, at 6:06 pm  

congrats on the wish jeans!!!!

By Blogger Kt, at 6:09 pm  

how cool that those ladies remembered you? :) and good on ya with the jeans. that RULES :)

By Blogger Shauna, at 9:43 pm  

Who cares if they're ugly - they fit!

By Blogger Sue, at 6:16 am  

YAY for fitting into your wish jeans - good for you !!! **does a little jiggle of happiness because I can remember how I felt when I put my size 10 jeans on **
Have a great week !
Me

By Blogger Me, at 2:47 pm  

 

::23.6.06::

Weigh In - 72 kgs

Down a measly 100 grams this week, but I'm not too worried because I've done an arseload of gym work and sometimes it takes a while to show up on the scales.

I'm worried I'm getting sick again though - not feeling too good this morning. I just can't get sick. It could be because I had a lousy sleep last night though.

Maybe I'll leave work early today, go to the gym and to the market then come home and nap.

My ipod was at work - woohoo! I found it under some papers.

Seriously, I don't know how I'd survive without my ipod. I can't afford to replace it and I need it to keep me going.

And chuck some mega-doses of echinacea and vitamin c down your throat...

By Blogger Sue, at 9:01 am  

Glad you found your iPod - mine is now an essential item for running on the tready... can't last five minutes without it! :o)

By Blogger beakus, at 11:21 am  

Great that you found your iPod. Much too precious to lose!
A loss is a loss remember.
Hope you don't get sick. Leaving work early sounds like a good plan.

By Blogger Suzy, at 11:53 am  

WOOHOO - I was so panicked for you when I saw your iPod was missing. I'm so glad you found it.

Start chewing VitC and Echinacea as much as you can. 3000mg a day at least! of Vit C. HOpefully it will ward off any nasties or if it's too late for that at least boost your metabolism so you can get rid of whatever there is bugging you quicker, and it won't get too bad.

By Blogger Jadey, at 3:31 pm  

So glad that your ipod showed up Kath!!

Keep up the great work darl - and I'm with the others, get some echinacea post haste!!

By Blogger philippa_moore, at 5:54 pm  

wohoo! it's alive! so glad you found it. have a good weekend :)

By Blogger Shauna, at 7:32 pm  

A loss is a loss so you are doing somethingright. Good news on the IPod. Nurse yourself a bit this weekend so you don't get sick again..

By Blogger michelle, at 8:44 pm  

 

::22.6.06::

My Exercise Motivation Tips...

More to re-inspire myself than anyone else:

  • Say to myself "I love going to the gym" even if I don't mean it. I can brainwash myself into thinking it.
  • Don't get into inner dialogues with myself. When I'm having that "I don't want to go to the gym ... but I should go..." shite happening in my brain, it's like trying to control two squabbling toddlers. The best thing to do is tell the voices to STFU. They'll still be arguing by the time I finish my workout.
  • Don't say "I *should* go to the gym" or "I might go to the gym" - say "I'm going to the gym". You don't wake up of a morning and think "I *should* go to work", you just get up and go. If you start to question it, you'd chuck a sickie and stay in bed. Same with the gym.
  • Get a crush on a cute guy at the gym.
  • Have a playlist of good songs on the ipod that are "gym only".
  • Get rid of tv and only watch favourite shows at the gym.
  • Put on daggy workout clothes before leaving work so you have to go to the gym to get changed into something decent to go home.
  • Wear dodgy knickers and have the comfy ones in your gym bag for after the workout.
  • Pay huge personal trainer fees so that you never miss a session.

I did go to the gym tonight but I had to really push myself. And I did a stupid thing. Normally I pin my locker key onto my towel but tonight I forgot. When I finished my workout, I found my key in the toilets. I realised I didn't have my ipod on the way home -- YIKES!!! I phoned the gym and they couldn't find it in my locker (I remembered the locker number I had - aren't I a dag) . Either someone stole it or I left it at work - no money or anything else taken so I'm really hoping it's at work.

I planned to go for a run before work tomorrow. Now I'm going to have to listen to the boringly annoying sounds of nature rather than Hard Rock!


Bugger, I hope you find your ipod! Enjoyed your short story, by the way.

By Blogger Sue, at 6:25 am  

I like your list too, especially the 'get a crush'. :)
My biggest motivation is not getting the third degree by gym-buddies when I missed some classes. *rolling eyes*
I hope you find your ipod back at work!

By Blogger Moody, at 6:30 am  

 

::21.6.06::

News

I got my car back from the mechanic today - it ended up needing a new battery on top of everything else. Damn it. Still it's good to have wheels again. When I got home, I changed and headed to the gym. Usually I go to Fitness First in the city but tonight I went to Victoria Gardens. It's so nice to just run, do your workout then head home instead of hanging around the city in the freezing cold waiting for a tram because they never seem to run that often after 7 pm.

While I was there, I got the timetable for both the Richmond gyms - they have heaps of weekend classes which rocks - I hate going into the city on the weekend and it's too hard to get to Richmond on public transport. I think Saturday morning I'll go to boxing class then head over to Albert Park for a run.

In un-diet related news, I got an email tonight about a short story I'd written - asking if it could be included in an anthology. I hadn't even sent it to them - the editor had seen it on a website. Woohoo - this gives me such a boost because I've been working on my novel for so long which is a gruelling process without any immediate gains. Sometimes you wonder if you are just wasting your time. Anyway, if anyone is interested, the story is here - but be warned it's an "adult" story with explicit content.

That story was incredible. Not for the feint hearted, but I like someone who pushes an envelope...

'Scuse me, it's bedtime ;)

By Blogger The Candid Bandit, at 11:52 pm  

Hmmm... I couldn't access your story from my work so it must be a rudie. Well done.
How exciting that you have wheels again.

By Blogger Cinders, at 8:15 am  

Ooh, I read this story a while ago when you first set up your writing site!! Fantastic news!! I hope it's the start of something big for you.

By Blogger philippa_moore, at 12:17 pm  

Congrats big time on the story....these things really seem to help with the old confident boost. Will have a read at home tonight cos I don't want to be caught at work reading explicit stories 8-). Have fun with your car.lb.

By Blogger Learning Leaders, at 12:55 pm  

Don't think I should have read your story at work......

By Blogger Jaykay, at 3:31 pm  

hehe, i like ;)

By Blogger Kt, at 6:18 pm  

 

It looks like my holiday will be delayed - I spoke to my sister last night - she said August and early September are out for her. Damn it, I need to defrost now. Still it gives me more time to work on my Bali Beach Body Blitz.

I had a huge day of exercise yesterday. Let me tell you, if you turn up early for an hour long Cycle class, killing time on the stepper is a BAD idea. I got home too stuffed to move. The Cycle class was hell - not so much the exercise but suffering through an hour of really shite music plus I couldn't hear the instructor over the music and she kept muttering. In the end I just did my own thing.

I'd planned a run before work this morning but woke up with a sore leg so decided to wait and see how I feel tonight. I might leave work early, pick up my car then go to the gym. My mechanic rang yesterday - it's all going to cost more than I'd expected so I asked him if he could leave off servicing it for a fortnight but he'd already started doing it! What the hell... I'd not told him to do that. But, of course, he couldn't find all the other things that were wrong if he hadn't started the service. And, how's this for sucking... the reason for the flat tyre was that someone had stabbed it with a screwdriver!!! People are arse, they really are.

Why are people so mean?? Why would anyone want to put a screwdriver in a tyre that they have no idea who it belongs to? Just angers me no end!! (getting off soapbox now).

Must be great to have your car back again though.

By Blogger Jaykay, at 4:58 pm  

 

::20.6.06::

Holiday?

Yesterday my sister emailed me: she's thinking about heading to Bali in July or early August and wanted to know if I felt like going with her. All I have to pay for is my airfare and poolside cocktails. Mmmm.... had to think about for all of five seconds.

Well actually have to talk to my boss today to work out about having time off work and that type of thing, so haven't been getting too excited.

Woohoo, the last time (well the only time) I went to Bali, I was huge! We went to the markets and all the women kept telling me they had clothes for me, then they'd pull out something that was like a size 18 and try to squeeze my size 26 body into it.

Now I can go shopping for cheapie clothes and know I'll get stuff that fits even with teeny Asian sizing.

And it will be warm... so warm! I can lie on the beach and beside the pool and not have to worry about 19 layers of clothing!

But, don't worry, I've also been thinking about where I'll be able to run and if we'll have a gym at our hotel. Also, what do you eat in Bali that isn't covered in peanut sauce?

Update: my boss is fine with me taking hols. Now I just need to organise the dollars.

I'm so jealous. Bali is one of my favourite places in the world, I've been 12 times!!! There's plenty to eat, be adventurous. So many good fruits and grilled seafoods and yummy healthy stuff, or else go for the Nasi Gorengs they're awesome (though probably a little oily!) I can't wait to go back when I will be able to fit into cheap boardies that aren't the guys XL sizes. You'll have a ball. Enjoy!!!

By Blogger Kenz, at 11:14 pm  

Lots of steamed veges!

By Blogger Sue, at 6:12 am  

 

::19.6.06::

Random Thoughts and My Weekend

On Friday, my mum came over to visit for the weekend. I met up with her in the city at lunch time. I forget how slow my mum is... walking around the city I had to keep stopping and waiting for her. Even when I did this exagerratedly slow walk like one of those old Chinese women who had their feet bound. In the end, I left her sitting on a bench while I ran off and did my errands because otherwise it would have taken all day.

After that Mum decided she didn't want to go shopping but I talked her into going to Target because I needed a pair of Hello Kitty PJs. They are the coolest. I got home and put them on then called the RACV to get my car fixed. I didn't think the RACV would fix my car because they have a disclaimer on their site about not fixing existing faults but I rang them and they were okay with it. The man pumped up my tyres - he thought they'd been purposely let down - and got me on the road, so I took the car to my mechanic for phase 2 of the Get The Car On The Road Plan. Woohoo.

Things I can do when my car is going:
  • Go to Albert Park and fulfill my dream of running around the lake (when I started running, I went to Albert Park and totally surprised myself by running a WHOLE km without stopping. At the time I swore I'd come back to do a lap of the lake).
  • Go to Preston Market to do my shopping
  • Drive around singing loudly

Sure I could do all that and more on public transport, but it would be damn painful.

Friday night, my family went to the footy - boring. I went out for drinks with my friend, Sugar Lips instead. Then we came home and watched Wolf Creek. How funny is that movie? Sure it's meant to be a horror movie but we couldn't stop thinking John Jarrat was going to make a coffee table or decorative water feature out of the victims!

Saturday morning I went for a run at Princes Park with Deegee and Steph from the Ausrun forum - the inaugural meetup of the Northern Running Group (NRG). It was great to meet them and go for my first outdoor run since getting sick.

I spend most of the afternoon at the hairdressers getting red foils. She did the colour and it didn't take so she had to bleach my hair down and redo it. Very time consuming.

Yesterday I did nothing. I had planned on going food shopping but I'd sent Andrew down to the ATM with my keycard on Friday to get money to pay the RACV man and he'd not given it back to me. He does that every time I send him somewhere with my keycard. Luckily, I had most of the food I needed because I'd offered to cook a family dinner.

I made chicken pinwheels - chicken mince, cheese and bacon rolled in pastry. Very delicious and not diet friendly but it's so hard to cook for my mum because she doesn't eat most of my staple foods - garlic, spices, capsicum... Now the pinwheels themselves would have been okay if I'd showed some restraint but, stupidly, I decided to precook them to save time later. That meant I had a huge plate of yummy pastries sitting in my fridge all day... and you all know where this story's going. Damn me.

I also made my fave dessert - baked pears. They are so delish and so easy. You just cut pears in half, take out the core. Top them with some honey and a splash of booze (I used cointreau because it's the only booze I have) and, if you want, you can put other stuff - chopped nuts etc but I didn't. Cook them for about 10-15 mins and serve with icecream (or custard or yoghurt or whatever).

I think I'm developing a problem - there is a very funky clothes shop near my house, the place I got my red dotty dress and I laybyed my new black dress. Well now they have the cutest top in the window, white with cherries on it. So far I've resisted the urge to go in and try it on. I mean, I've got car repairs to pay for. I can't keep buying clothes.


The singing loudly might cause SOME issues on public transport! Or maybe you'd just blend right in...
When your car is fixed, you'll be able to drive quickly past that shop and not be tempted by classy clothes.

By Blogger Sue, at 1:36 pm  

Dont forget to take your $2 to AP for the new parking meters... That was good of the RACV guy.

By Blogger Cinders, at 2:25 pm  

oh, lovin the sound of your new pjs!!!!
hair sounds rather funky too!

By Blogger Kt, at 4:43 pm  

But buying clothes is the BEST bit about losing weight. (ok maybe not the BEST, but its definately on the top 10)

By Blogger Ang, at 4:50 pm  

Unfortunately the money you saved not eating tons of junk food is put to new clothes - the wallet never wins, but at least the waistline does :)

Have a great week and I hope it doesn't take too long for your car to be back on the road!

By Blogger Ails, at 8:21 pm  

I say buy the top, otherwise it will just call to you until someone else buys it and then you'll be pissed off!
Bri

By Blogger Briony, at 8:43 pm  

 

::18.6.06::

Party

The party last night was loads of fun - caught up with heaps of old friends and got so many compliments I thought my head would explode! A few people didn't recognise me and I had to tell them who I was. Everyone wanted to know what I was doing and how I'd lost weight. I guess if I'm going to get compliments, last night was the right place: hanging out with a bunch of old friends who haven't seen me since I was at my biggest weight.

I ended up leaving just after 11.00 though - I'm too old for partying hard nowadays and I'm still getting over this damn cold, plus I felt like I'd talked to everyone I wanted to talk to and the night wasn't going to get any better so no point in hanging around.

I had quite a few glasses of champs but am not feeling too bad for it. Had some carbs and a heap of water when I got home so that helped. No photos - but a friend took some and said she'd email them to me.

It's weird, getting so many comments and compliments. Nice but a few minutes after you meet someone you haven't seen in years, you move on talking about other things and catching up. It's like after that initial impression, it doesn't really matter what you look like. I don't know if I'm explaining what I mean well but it really reinforced the idea that I'm doing this for me and not for anyone else's approval or opinion of me. What matters is the feeling I get when I achieve my goals.

Sure it's great to turn up at a party ... or wedding or other big event... looking fabulous and knowing you are at your best, as well as looking MUCH younger than your old friends (btw. I used a Renew face lift mask, a cheapie from Priceline, before I left and it worked a treat at reducing those lines on the face) but at the end of the night, you have to go home and keep going with it all.

Compliments are nice but really they are the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.

Ohhh...I can't wait for those kind of compliments. We're visiting family we won't have seen since the spring, and I'm hoping for a significant enough change in myself that they notice.

By Blogger Shaunta, at 10:03 am  

I understand where you are coming from but icing is pretty sweet though! :)

By Blogger Kt, at 12:10 pm  

Why is everyone talking about cake today, it's making me hungry. Can't wait to see the photos.
Bri

By Blogger Briony, at 1:46 pm  

Very true, but damn doesn't the icing taste good ;)

By Blogger Ang, at 6:41 pm  

It also shows that they must be true friends - they're not stuck on how you look, more interested in the rest of your life.

By Blogger Sue, at 8:35 pm  

"compliments are the icing on the cake" - well said, that's it exactly.

Having said that, all of those comments are bloody well earned and deserved!! You are looking seriously fabulous. But knowing that you're doing it for yourself, and have truly changed your life from the inside out, and knowing that there's no going back - well, that's just the best, I think.

Have a great week Kath!

By Blogger philippa_moore, at 11:32 pm  

YAY for compliments from people who haven't seen you for a while.
Good for you and keep up the good work !
Me

By Blogger Me, at 9:20 am  

Glad to hear you had a good night. (I must investigate the Renew face lift mask...)

By Blogger Cinders, at 11:13 am  

Glad you have a great time!

You are so right about the compliments - they're a good short-term thrill but it is the things we achieve for ourselves in the long-term that are what counts.

By Blogger Ails, at 8:20 pm  

Bloody oath they are the icing... but did you lick that icing up? I hope you basked in the glory!

By Blogger The Candid Bandit, at 10:11 pm  

 

::17.6.06::

Party Time

I've got my hair done, complete with red bits. I've got the face painted and I'm wearing the pretty party dress. I'm about to head out the door. Must admit, I'm as nervous as hell and wish I had some kind of human handbag to take along (instead of just the vintage op shop one I had to fix with superglue last night). I'm telling myself I can have fun and I can have self control. No getting shitfaced because I can't handle the hangovers.

Good luck to everyone taking part in the Run to the G tomorrow. Knock 'em dead, girls!

I know we've seen the dress, but a photo of the whole ensemble please!

Have you tried Alcodol? They're magic pills which need to be taken before and (now here's the trick) while you're drinking. They're about $20 for four nights' worth, so for the cost of a drink they're a bargain. I had weekend school to attend with my boy's 30th on the Saturday night. One very pissed parrot went to bed in the wee hours and while I did fall asleep in class on Sunday, I didn't feel one bit sick. Much preferable to driving the porcelain bus.

Here's to a great night out!

By Blogger CaramelKitKat, at 6:51 pm  

Have a great time tonight Kathryn!

By Blogger Jaykay, at 7:38 pm  

Im with CKK I want to see it all baby! I bet you look amazing! Pink slippers too? LMAO

By Blogger Jadey, at 7:38 pm  

First things first...you looked sensational in that red dress! What a piece of classic beauty this red polka dot dress is!!!

I'll be up tpmorrow morning making coffee thinking yours will be the first blog to read to know how the night went!

Thank you for being so supportive to me all this time. I wont forget that you know :)

By Blogger Argy, at 7:46 pm  

Hanging out to hear about your night.. Hope it's been a goody.

By Blogger Cinders, at 11:23 pm  

I hope you had the best night and your nerves went away quickly. Can't wait to see pics of you all dressed up with the new hair :)

By Blogger Kathryn, at 11:35 pm  

party on! hope you have a brilliant time!

By Blogger Shauna, at 3:43 am  

 

::16.6.06::

Weigh In - 72.1 Kgs

Arrrggghh.... 1 kg gain this week. No miracles for me. When I got on the scales this morning, I was thinking I really, really want a loss this week. Then I realised I might want it, but I hadn't wanted it more than the slice of pizza the other night, I hadn't wanted it more than the snack size Boost bar the other day. I hadn't wanted it more than the handfuls of dried apricots. So my motto for this week is: how much do I want this?

We are so much at the same stage - so close and yet we just can't seem to get there! Oh well, we are still fabulously gorgeous, so I guess that's a thought to keep us warm in winter...

By Blogger Sue, at 8:33 am  

You are so fabulously gorgeous (I love the way Sue thinks LOL) but I think you want it. You want it bad. And you'll get it - and watch out any pizza that gets in your way.. :D

By Blogger Margaret, at 8:36 am  

Have a great night and look forward to seeing some pics of you with your new black and red hair. You'll get there.

By Blogger Cinders, at 9:01 am  

I went through a stage like that too, where I had to really ask myself how much did I want to get to goal. A trick I learned was every thing I considered a treat I would think twice about. I would look at it and say "is this chocolate bar (or whatever?) worth putting off goal for another week?!" If the answer was no, back it went!!

You will get there, I know you will!!!

By Blogger philippa_moore, at 9:06 am  

I agree with the others, you ARE fabulous and you WILL get to goal. Remember how far you've come, and give yourself a pat on the back - and stay away from the pizza!! haha.
Have a great weekend. Can't wait to see your hair.
Bri

By Blogger Briony, at 11:36 am  

awesome post! It really made me think :)

By Blogger Kathryn, at 4:57 pm  

I did that exact same thing int eh supermarket last night. Passed the choclate and biscuit section thinking 'Mmm, I'd like some of that but not more than I want a loss this week!'

www.livejournal.com/users/kiwirevo

By Blogger Sandra, at 11:26 pm  

I thought I was the only person who could binge on dried apricots... (Don't know whether you binge on them to the extent I do, but the reference to handfuls sounds horribly familiar...)

By Blogger YP, at 5:16 am  

 

::15.6.06::

Gym

I went back to the gym tonight for the first time in forever. I'd forgotten how much I love it. Plus I got a free Nudie juice because they were doing a promotion - cranberry and raspberry. Yum. That would go so well with vodka!

I ran into my personal trainer and made an appointment for Monday. She told me to rest up over the weekend and I said I had a BIG party on. Big mistake. Now she's told me I'm not allowed to cancel Monday's appointment because she'll know I'm hungover.

My mum turns up for the weekend tomorrow so no gym but lots of running around. Well not running around with her because she hardly walks, which frustrates the hell out of me, but running from work to her hotel and stuff like that. Then maybe some shopping. She has to take pics of me in my party dress on Saturday to show the folk back home.

Last night I dyed my hair - Starry Night, although less poetic folk would call it Black. This time I used a permanent dye because the others wash out too easily. This one was very messy and globby. And it burnt, which is always a good sign. Today I decided black is not enough colour for me so I made an appointment for Saturday to get some big chunky red bits put through it. I have to go to the hairdressers for that because it's much too complicated for me.

Weigh in tomorrow. I'm expecting a gain unless a miracle happens.

Starry night, love it! Blacks a hard one for a lot of people. I love red chunks so can't wait to see it :-)

By Blogger Mary, at 7:28 am  

It does go really well with vodka :D


And I think the red chunky bits will go great with your dress..

By Blogger Margaret, at 8:34 am  

 

::13.6.06::

Life

I walked to work this morning then, about an hour later, got up to go to the coffee shop and was aching all over. I could hardly walk from the pain. I had a Lemsip in my bag but the effort of walking upstairs to the kitchen nearly did me in. The rest of the day, I felt woozy and out of it.

I got home tonight and had a short nap and now I feel a million dollars. I don't know if I'm getting better or if it's just the Lemsip kicking in. If I feel this good tomorrow, I'm going to the gym for a light workout. I'm supposed to have a personal training session on Thursday but I might put that off - I don't want to pay for a session if I can't push myself.

I think the best move is to keep to light workouts for the rest of the week, have some early nights and take things easy. Fingers crossed this killer cold is finally leaving me.

Hiya

I hope you are feeling better. What a nightmare. It's been dragging on for ages. I think you are right to put off Thursday's PT session till you get the best out of it.

I meant to say as well. That dress is effing amazing! You look so good and fresh in it. And those cheekbones! You really look hot.

By Blogger Lainey, at 9:13 pm  

Hey Kathryn - just catching up on everything. A few comments about a few of your previous posts starting with the Grundies...that's what I used to call the granny undies or stepins...I totally understand what you mean and had an escape plan like you - tell's a lot about our character 8-) Emotional eating...there with you too. Have been very busy at work lately and in my new job have to deal with staff management which overwhelms me at times. I have to be tough but am really just a softee and then I worry about things and I catch myself in a state of panic ready to flee to the chip machine and suddenly snap back to reality and think you know that chips won't solve that problem...food for thought so to say. Mostly - faaaaantaaastic photos. What a beautiful dress and how gorgeous you look in it. It must feel great. Hope you get back into tip top health soon.lb

By Blogger Learning Leaders, at 8:10 am  

You really are having a lousy time with your health lately - hope that your plan for the rest of the week is all it takes to get you right as rain again !
Take care and look after yourself !
Me

By Blogger Me, at 8:34 am  

Sounds like you're on the improve but try and play it a bit safe for the rest of the week. Remember - party, party, party.

By Blogger Cinders, at 10:00 am  

damn @ cold, I got wiped out last week from it! poor thing, I think the early nights, lots of fluid and easy movements are a great idea ;D

I totally agree with you on the PT and putting it off til you can really pushy yourself in them.

I hope you feel better soon Hun

By Blogger Dee, at 10:07 am  

ohh sounds like u are getting better...*touch wood*

i think postponing the pt session is a good idea if you still aren't feeling up to scratch!

By Blogger Kt, at 12:58 pm  

What a bugger your cold has been. But hopefully it is on it's last legs and you can get yours moving the way you want again.


And re the svelte belt. Just read about this on KT's blog and am really curious. I have a couple of undie options but this sounds like something I could use to hide the belly wobbles under a fitted dress.

Have a cracker day :D

By Blogger Margaret, at 4:09 pm  

i am just easing out of that really tired, everyting aches part and into the cough that sounds like you just smoked a packet part. Almost over I hope for you too - it sucks!

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:22 pm  

I'm gonna say it again...take it easy! I say this because I pushed myself last year and was sick for 3 weeks in bed. Just worried about you hon and hope you get better real soon.

By Blogger Mary, at 8:47 pm  

Hey there!
If I were you I wouldn't try anything too much while you're still sick, I made that mistake a few days ago by trying to go for a run while I had tonsilitis. The aches in my whole body have lasted me DAYS now... it's just not worth it! Just tell yourself how good it'll feel to get going when you can apply yourself 100%!
Get well soon!

By Blogger Kenz, at 7:49 pm  

 

::12.6.06::

Still Sick

I can't believe how long this cold is going on for. I feel like I've been sick for months. It's just not going away. I'm getting plenty of rest, taking vitamins and drinking tonnes of water but nothing seems to help. It's so damn frustrating - I can't even remember the last time I exercised. I keep thinking I'm getting better then I'll wake up the next morning with a sore throat and it's back to square one. If I'm not better in a few days, I'll go back to the doctor and see what's going on. I feel like I've wasted the whole long weekend, sleeping and lazing around doing nothing. Sure that's the best thing to fight off the cold but it's not good for me.

Yesterday I really had a huge pig out. I have no idea why... I just couldn't stop eating. Luckily most of it was healthy food so I didn't go too far over my calories but it's still not good.

I think I'll have a problem with food for my entire life. I can tackle the weight problem but, regardless of my size or weight, the food thing will still be there. It's weird how this emotional eating stuff goes. You'd think it would be easy - I'm angry with X so I'm going to eat a chocolate cake. But, for me at least, it's never that simple. The emotional triggers are so buried under a mountain of layers that I have no idea what triggers things off.

If it was simple - I had a fight with someone or felt angry with them and couldn't express it, then the solution would be simple. But often I don't think at the time that I'm going through any kind of emotional stress. I try to analyse my feelings but come up with nothing but I feel hungry or I feel like eating. Then maybe afterwards, days or weeks later, I realise there were things wrong.

I think this is why so much of what I read - books and articles - about emotional eating are so unhelpful. They talk about being upset for clear, concrete reasons. If I could see what was triggering the problems, I could head them off at the pass. I could take myself out of the situation.

But then again, if all these emotional issues are clear cut and easily identified, if I could identify and express what I'm feeling, then maybe I wouldn't have the food issues to start with. It's all too easy for "experts" to tell you to have a bubble bath instead of eating but I've had years and years of experience at putting up fences and hidding behind them.

At the moment, I think I have this belief that I *can't* lose weight while I'm sick. Sure I've been losing a bit but I don't really believe it. Part of me wants to be nurtured and looked after. I want to take to my bed - sleeping and indulging, but another part of me is angry and frustrated. I feel guilty too - I should be able to tough this out, I should be out running and pumping weights not malingering.

The food issues become so much more pronounced too when I can't exercise. I can't overindulge then work it off at the gym - I have to try to eat well. Then I try too hard and that results in overeating.

Sometimes I wish I could just turn my brain off. My son came over to visit the other day. He'd had a cold too and I asked him how he was feeling. He said he was fine - he'd gone to bed for a couple of days and got over it. Curse him and his simple solutions.

I've got to get better soon - how long can one frigging cold go on for?

Don't be so hard on yourself honey, you're sick and exercise isn't good for you when you're sick. I think resting up for the weekend is just what you needed, but you feel guilty because you're not doing anything. You are doing something, you're helping your body to get better. I think your trigger is that you're pissed off with yourself because you can't exercise and you're worried about gaining weight, but you won't because you know to eat healthy and drink lots of water. Give yourself a break babe and go with the flow. Take care of yourself and try not to push too hard. That way it won't be too long before you're back to normal and then you can exercise all you want.
(which is a LOT because you're a machine!!).
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Bri

By Blogger Briony, at 2:23 pm  

Take some vitamin C, or better yet buy some oranges. Lots of water. Dayquil. And take care of yourself...you body and your spirit. Don't beat yourself up, Kathryn. I'm not entirely sure how much 38 km translates into in pounds, but it sounds impressive! You are an inspiration to me.

By Blogger Shaunta, at 2:55 pm  

So sorry you are still not well. Good idea to go to the Dr and see what is going on.
Hope things improve for you soon xx

By Blogger Suzy, at 2:57 pm  

Firstly, *long, low wolf whistle*, you look hot, hot HOT in that dress! I hope you feel like a million bucks in it. The necklace is perfecto and the slippers top the look off nicely. Have I missed a photo of you in your wish jeans??

Does it really matter if you don't lose weight when you're sick? Why not wrap yourself up in a doona, defrost a container of minestrone you had the forethought to make earlier and plonk yourself in front of Veronica Mars for a couple of days until you're better? If I have a cold I cannot shake I always give a hot toddy a go (I was actually prescribed this by a doctor when I was 15 - thought it was v cool). I use a good slug of scotch, juice of one lemon, big teaspoon of honey, cloves if you have them, and boiling water to fill the cup. You should dress yourself in natural fibres with lots of layers, jump in bed, drink the hot toddy (guaranteed you will be out like a light shortly) and while you sleep you sweat out all the bad stuff. It sounds a bit kooky, but it always works with me, I get up feeling HEAPS better, which is handy because you need the energy to wash sweaty pjs and sheets.

I understand completely - I too will always have a problem with food. An older relative of mine was a drug addict and has been off smack for 20yrs. While he recognises that it cannot be a part of his life (nor does he want it to be), he STILL gets the urge to use and says there's nothing like the feeling when you're on it. I think food will always be drug-like for me - which is a right pain in the arse as I have to eat some things, some of the time. I think Sue has posted about this too. It's great to be aware of it, but all you can do is try and control it. Forever.

By Blogger CaramelKitKat, at 2:28 am  

I'm trying to be sensible about my cold - I'm on my second day off work now. We're so conditioned to 'soldier on' that this simple act of caring for ourselves feels almost impossible!
I like what you're saying about emotional eating - it really isn't simple at all.

By Blogger Sue, at 5:36 am  

You've gone to the doctor by now yeah?

I think I will always have an issue with food too so that is why I can't have junk in the house etc. If it's there, I'll eat it. But I think we have learnt so much over the year that we know how to work with it better than ever before.

And I know that guilty feeling when not being able to exercise. Stop it right now you hear! Don't be hard on yourself. You really need to rest and let your body recover. You've come too far and achieved so much that I think your body will be fine with some time out. It probably needs it??

Take it easy babe...

By Blogger Mary, at 8:44 pm  

 

::10.6.06::

Dress

I thought I'd posted these photos on here earlier today then I went offline and moved my PC and my keyboard stopped working and I've had dramas galore. When I finally got back online, I realised I'd posted them on my other blog... oops. These are some shots of me in my spunky red dress...

Scary movie me

This is my very funky red polka dot dress. Check me out, I look like I'm out of some old B grade horror movie! Or maybe just overawed at the fabness of my dress.


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

You can see the full effect in this photo plus my pink flurry slippers. I think they are a great look together. I might go for this look more often. My legs look awful stumpy in this photo - I think it's got something to do with the camera angle, esp since the front one looks much bigger than the other.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
I just posted this pic cos I like it. I am wearing my svelte belt (see below) which is why have no rippling bulge beneath my boobs.
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
This is the alternative dress for next Saturday night. I put it on layby today. You can't see it very well in the photo and the furry jacket doesn't come with it - that's an extra $190 that I can't imagine spending. My sister took the photo in the store so I could forever regret not buying it. I told her she was like the devil on my shoulder. She thinks she's the angel... phhht, I think not.

SO FOXY! :) you look fantastic!

By Blogger Shauna, at 2:16 am  

Oh, WOW!! You look fantastic!! The polka dot dress is just gorgeous on you.

The fur capelet thingy is very easy to pick up cheap - I've seen them at some outlet stores in Richmond.

You should be so proud. You're looking wonderful.

By Blogger philippa_moore, at 7:42 am  

Crikey, you're so close to your goal now.
You look great in those photos. I say you need to find a furry jacket like the one in the photo, it just looks fab on you.
And I love the polka dot dress.
Hope you're having a great weekend.
Bri

By Blogger Briony, at 4:39 pm  

Great photos and I love that polka dot dress, gorgeous :) I saw those Svelte belts today at Myer when I was checking out the sales - great idea but I was just wondering, do they cause a muffin top (and bottom)? Hope you are enjoying the long weekend, Ails x

By Blogger Ails, at 5:49 pm  

hello! very nice i reckons... aren't sisters bad influences sometimes?

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:21 pm  

Foxy Lady *Hendrix style*! You are looking so gorgeous Kathryn and I really love your style. I love your hair too :-)

By Blogger Mary, at 8:41 am  

OMG the photos are fantastic you're like some screen siren from yesteryear I love them! I've totally gone all into that 1920s look lately. Look super duper hot.

And omg @ how thin you are!!! mucho jealous of those GORGEOUS cheek bones.

ps pink furry slippers are always great with any dress ;D

By Blogger Dee, at 10:05 am  

Love the dress and your hair! You're going to knock their sox off at the party next week.

By Blogger Cinders, at 10:51 am  

Terrific!! I totally see you as a bit of a Betty Page kinda gal. If I had the face I reckon I'd love to be too.

Stumpy legs? Are you serious? They are so far from looking stumpy.

Knock 'em dead!

Have you got a pair of 1940's high heels like the ones in target right now?

By Blogger The Candid Bandit, at 12:13 pm  

Fantastic red dress! I love it! So retro :)

By Blogger Shaunta, at 2:57 pm  

What a fantastic dress. You look sensational. I love these dresses and have been eyeing them off for a while now. You look so GOOD!!

Love the hair too - the style really suits you.

By Blogger Margaret, at 4:06 pm  

*love* the red dress! :)

By Blogger Kat, at 6:50 pm  

 

::9.6.06::

Shopping

I went shopping today and got a Svelte Belt (as used by KT). It doesn't do miracles but it helps.

I also got a pair of woollen slouchie sox. They are so warm, my toes are toastie *sigh*.

This Svelte Belt takes me back. Is it just me or did anyone else's mother make them wear "step-ins" when they were younger? "Suckin' ya gut in undies" or "plastic pants" we use to call them.

I'd always bitch and moan because they were so much the opposite of sexy and Mum would be like - you have to wear them or your stomach sticks out too much. You just knew you'd never get lucky if any guy saw you wearing them. But then maybe you'd not get lucky if anyone could see how much your gut really stuck out either. It was a double edged sword.

My trick, if I thought some guy was interested at the end of the night, was to run to the loo and put them in my handbag (thank god we used to carry those jumbo sized doctor's bags in those days). You had to pick your moment - too soon and you'd be revealing your ginormousness, too late ... and it would be too late. Once they'd slipped a hand up your skirt, the goose was cooked.

And damn it, I just realise what a tart young thing I must have been. No wonder Mum made me wear those step-ins. It wasn't to suck my gut in at all. I bet it was meant as some kind of modern day chastity belt.

God, they sound awful!

By Blogger Sue, at 8:11 pm  

I had a huge pair or sucky in pants that were the size of cycling shorts! I remember once on holiday I pulled a young man who was staying in the room next to mine. I had to make an excuse to nip back to my room so I could remove the skin tight knickers at the right moment!

Ahhh- the memories!

By Blogger Lainey, at 8:41 pm  

Ohhhhh, littlegrover beat me to the Bridget Jones undies comment! Not fair ;) But it's so true - the chance of meeting a boy is directly proportionate to the ugliness of the undies!

By Blogger Ails, at 11:44 pm  

Bwahaha, this all sounds so complicated. Never heard of a Svelte Belt??

By Blogger Mary, at 8:45 am  

Sounds a bit like a pair of Nancy Ganz pants. I have two pairs of those, I hate the bastards as they're phenomenally uncomfortable but the best thing about them is that they stop me eating or drinking too much. The moment my gut starts expanding in them, they start to cut into me!

By Blogger Sarah, at 9:18 am  

LOL at the chastity belt! Moms are smart that way, aren't they? :)

By Blogger Zara, at 9:44 am  

 

Weigh In - 71.1 kgs

I didn't expect to lose anything this week. That .4 kg loss was more due to getting my period than effort on my part, I feel. Not that getting your period isn't an effort. Still, look at it - 1.1 to go. Like a ball flying through a pair of goal posts.

Excellent - now don't get on the stupid scales again tomorrow...

By Blogger Cinders, at 9:00 am  

Whoo hoo, getting closer and closer!

By Blogger Mary, at 9:15 am  

Nearly there, nearly there.

By Blogger Me, at 12:46 pm  

1.1... oh my freaking GOD! so close!

By Blogger Shauna, at 7:43 pm  

Great loss! And so close to goal! You go girl :) Have a great weekend!!!!!

By Blogger Ails, at 11:45 pm  

 

::8.6.06::

Update

I'm trying to book my flight to Sydney and the Virgin web site is having problems... grrr! I'm also checking out Jetstar although trekking out to Avalon airport doesn't sound fun.

I think I'll fly back on the Monday so I have a day to recover (and shop) while I'm in Sydney. Any suggestions, esp funky shops that have different stuff? No point going to Myer in Sydney... or Sportsgirl or Just Jeans or whatever.

In answer to CKK's question - I'm not sure if my health is worse because of the weight loss. I do know I feel the cold ALL the time now. I can't remember being cold like this before, not even when I lived in Hobart. Sure sometimes you'd go out and the wind would cut through you, but this is constant. Even inside with two heaters running.

I did get sick a lot when I was overweight. I'd have a cycle where every second or third year, I'd get every bug going around.

I really don't think smoking helps either. I'm quitting in August - my doctor and I had a talk. She wants to put me on tablets that stop the cravings. I know I need to quit before I do a half marathon - after all you can't stop for a cig break half way (although I did see a few walkers on the Mother's Day Classic with cigarettes - tsk, tsk).

Partly because of the plan to quit the fags, I'm really thinking of dropping my goal weight to 60-65 kgs (from 70). I still want to lose the fat from my belly - stubborn lard that it is - and I also want to have some leeway because when you quit, your metabolism slows down.

I've got a few questions for ex-smokers about quitting: what do you do at work when you're bored? And, say you are at party and people are bugging you - what do you do if you can't go out for a smoke? Surely it's rude to say to your friends "let's go outside and bitch aboutthese annoying people"?

I'm still not convinced that when you lose weight, you feel the cold more. When I was bigger, I sat around more and covered up my body. Now, I'm wearing skimpier clothes and running around a lot which exposes me. Like you pointed out, there's lots of factors of why you might be sick again. Either way, I hope you get better real soon!

Shopping!? Newtown, definitely :-) King Street and Enmore Road. What kind of clothing are you after?

By Blogger Mary, at 7:42 am  

Kathryn, I smoked forever! (other than when I was pregnant) but finally kicked the habit about 2 1/2 years ago. Cold Turkey. I think I was just ready to give it away. I started to get really conscious of how I was probably smelling and I would really feel self conscious about it. Funnily enough I still crave it when I'm out and I often 'go out' for a ciggie with my friends/colleagues just to get away from my desk/people. I just stand there and say, "geez, I wish I still smoked", but that is really the last thing I would want. My hubby smokes and it sh*ts me but he'll get his wake up call eventually. I know of someone who had success with those tablets and I've also heard of a hypnotist who also has a 100% strike rate based in Prahran. Now if only I had that kind of willpower when it came to food... Good luck K, it isn't easy but if you are serious about your half marathon it would really be wise to give 'em away. Tip: Don't tell anyone if you can avoid it coz there is nothing worse than being nagged...

By Blogger Cinders, at 8:56 am  

I went cold turkey when I gave up smoking. A night partying hard, drinking and smoking hard made me feel so sick the next day that I couldn't even face the thought of a ciggie all day!! Made me realise that I wasn't doing myself any favours.

I would love to get down to 60kg...unfortuantely my food and alcohol intake prevents me from doing this, no matter how much running I do!!

By Blogger Jaykay, at 7:40 pm  

My story was almost identicle to Linda's. I gave up almost 2 years ago because I got sick of feeling the way I did. Smelling the way I did and coughing up my entire lungs every morning.

I decided to do it. Then gave up cold turkey. Previous attempts failed because I 'believed' I had an emotional attachment to the fags. Like you, I associated times, places and moments that fags fit really well into.

I guess my mind just said "This is a-fucking-nuff". But I prepared. I did it when there were no events coming up. Basically, I made myself a bit of a miser for two or three weeks. I refused to stand outside with my 'normal' group of smokers.

Kathryn, you know as well as I do that it's about breaking abouts. Weightloss or any kind of addiction is about removing things that tempt us, until we are stronger to face them.

My father stopped by buying a big bag of apples that went everywhere with him. If he felt like a smoke, he had an apple. It worked and he had another guy at his work do the same thing.

Ultimately I think your attitude is what helps. August you say? Change your mantra from "I love smoking" to "I hate smoking". I guarantee by the time August rolls around you'll be ready.

Im very proud of you.

By Blogger The Candid Bandit, at 12:10 pm  

 

Sick ... Again

I had the day off work sick again today. I so don't need this - I need to work to get money to pay for car repairs and dental visits; I need to get well so I can go back to the gym. Hopefully I should be okay to go to work tomorrow.

I swear, half the problem is that the air conditioning doesn't work in my office. I need to buy a heater to take in so I don't freeze to death during the day. The other half the problem is that my house is so cold, it's painful to leave my bedroom. Hurry up, summer!

Maybe I need a weekend in tropical Far North Queensland? Oh yeah, talking of hols, I've registered for the City To Surf and there is going to be a get together the night prior.

Might seem like a silly Q, but did you get niggling sickness that you couldn't kick when you were (let's not sugar coat it) fat? My aunty lost 40kg+ a few years ago, prior to which, other than being overweight, she was very healthy. Now she gets every little bug that goes around and it takes her ages to shake them. Her doc said that it's not uncommon as people who lose lots have a weakened immune system until their body gets used to the new weight. Sounded a bit funny to me, but maybe there's something to it??

By Blogger CaramelKitKat, at 10:40 pm  

Mmm, or it could be that you do more now that you've lost all the weight? I find that because I run around more, I'm more exposed to all the elements and get caught in rain etc. I hope you get better real soon babe!

By Blogger Mary, at 7:32 am  

 

::7.6.06::

The Awful Tooth

When I was a young, unemployed, single parent with NO money, I had to go to the free dentist who gave you two options - get your tooth pulled or suffer the pain. On top of that, my teeth are chipped and stained and generally yucko. I used to have fantastic teeth. I used to smile without shame.

Today I rang a dentist to make an appointment. After everything was sorted, they told me their prices. Holy moley, not cheap.

So I rang another dentist and this time the actual dentist answered the phone - not a reassuring sign - and he asked me about my immediate tooth problem (plus lots of inquisitive, non-dental related questions that made me rather uncomfortable). He thought it didn't need filling as I'd thought. More like root canal plus a titanium post then a crown.

On that basis, to get my whole mouth fixed will cost in the vicinity of $1,895,673.99, give or take a few dollars.

All I wanted to do was get my most troublesome (and visible) tooth fixed before my friend's party in 2 weeks time not spend the GDP of a small nation.

I went to lunch feeling totally depressed. At least it didn't lead to a binge - nothing stops emotional eating like the feeling of NEVER wanting to open your mouth in public ever again.

I'd made appointments with both dentists then realised I had to cancel them. I hate cancelling appointments. I feel like I have to have some justification. Then it hit me - I don't need to justify, I don't need to explain. I just have to cancel. That lifted some of the weight off me.

I made an appointment with a dentist close to home, who is significantly cheaper (ie. $110 a filling vs $200 plus a free initial consultation vs $90). I'll see what they say and work out how I can afford it. I've got to do something. Teeth don't fix themselves.

***

Car update: I called RACV and they will sort my car out. I didn't think they would cos it says on their web site that they won't fix stuff that happens before you join. It's going to cost me $170 but I trust then whereas I've had bad experiences with mobile mechanics in the past. And I'll be all joined up (I dunno why I ever let my membership lapse cos I'm a total airhead at locking my keys in the car).

I'd actually checked out Coles Online before all the comments but didn't like the lack of info on food. I like to see the food in real life before I buy. Plus they didn't have the icecream I want on there - the Peters Lite and Creamy in individual serves. I'm fussy about these things. I did realise that I can go to an independent supermarket that is only about 10 minutes walk from home and get icecream there as well.

I still need to pay the big bucks to get my wheel bearings fixed once I get the car tyred up - my friend reckons it will be around $800 (but then again, I have no idea what he based that on) so I'll still be without a car for a while. Then, woohoo, I can go running at Albert Park again! That will rock.

I did love Beck's idea of getting a scooter though. I'd love one!

***

Anyone notice how little I've been talking about weight loss this week? Mmm maybe that's because I'm too sick to exercise but well enough to eat like a piggy. I'm pretty sure I'll gain this week.

owie, sounds expensive!!!

By Blogger Kt, at 7:16 pm  

Ohhh I hate going to the dentist too. But as a result I go for checkups religiously in the hope of catching anything nasty before it becomes very nasty (and expensive).

Four months ago I broke a filling. Having my teeth drilled is my idea of hell, but I bravely psyched myself up for it. The hole in my tooth felt HUGE (they always do when you're feeling them with your tongue). I was imagining all sorts of things.

When the dentist looked in my mouth, he said "It's a clean break and there's no decay underneath, so I won't need to drill you - I can just put a new filling on top."

Then he charged me £20 (I was prepared for £60 at least).

(Where is my point? Simply that sometimes things aren't as bad as you predict. Even dentists.)

By Blogger K, at 8:53 pm  

Good on you for sorting out the teeth. I have a mouth full of fillings and I was very grateful to find a fab dentist in NZ. Since living in the UK, I registered at an NHS practice through work but they were bad. I'd been complaining about a sharp painful tooth for more than a year and finially decided to see my NZ dentist when we were back in Feb. $700 for 2 appointments to sort out my problems but he couldn't believe they kept telling me that one tooth was fine! It was a filling that had chipped and a big hole developing underneath. He suggested they might have been waiting for it to turn into a root canal for practice! My lesson - will go see my NZ dentist next holiday as well. Who cares that it's on the other side of the world!
www.livejournal.com/users/kiwirevo

By Blogger Sandra, at 3:08 am  

I hate the dentist, you poor thing, i feel for you! By a tattslotto ticket this week and hopefully you can win your way to a root canal...yay, just what we all dream off!!! Good luck mate.

By Blogger Madamx81, at 1:54 pm  

 

::6.6.06::

Pills and Pissiness...

This morning I went to the doctor to see if I could get off my diabetes medication. My test results are all perfect but she wants to take things slowly - halve my dosage while I monitor my blood sugar levels for the next 6 weeks - before I drop them completely.

She also confirmed something that I suspected - sometimes I feel whoozy after a hard gym session and it's because of the medication. Well really because medication + exercise puts my blood sugar too low, which isn't something you normally have to worry about with type 2 diabetes. She thinks this will be even more important if I run the half marathon.

***

I've been ringing around trying to find a way to get my car tyres fixed up. It's basically going to cost a million dollars to get anyone to come out and do it. Maybe I should just start jacking the car up in a short skirt and see if some nice man comes to help... I'm so not feminist when it comes to things that get your hands greasy (well apart from hot chips).

All I need is a frigging tyre... and yes, I know that walking is great incidental exercise but I want to buy frozen foods sometime this decade and there is no frigging way I'm waiting around half hour for a tram while my low fat icecream melts away. And I'm doubly sick of being ripped off by the local milkbar cos diet coke is too heavy to lug home. They charge $4.50 for a 2 litre bottle. That's just plain daylight robbery.

Damn it. This is as frustrating as hell. I'm sick of having a useless pile of junk sitting outside my house, rusting away. I've not had a car for months and I'm so over it. I'll get the damn thing going if I have to strap it on my back and carry it to the tyre place.

Sometimes I wish I had a nice mechanically minded boyfriend. Life would be so much better. Oh yeah, that's another thing that is pissing me off. Since my sister moved to Melbourne, people keep offering to set her up with dudes. No one ever offers to set me up with dudes. Ever. Well once, years ago and that was a frigging disaster. Note: don't set your friends up without checking the dude is still single first.

I asked my sister about this and she said it's because I'm unapproachable. What the hell? I'm all the approachable. I'm sweet and fluffy like a little kitten. If I'm unapproachable why does every frigging tourist in this town ask me for directions?

Oh yeah, I'm pissy about something else too. My agency is so frigging inconsistent with paying me. They have this airy-fairy system where sometimes I get paid on the Tuesday and sometimes on the Wednesday. That is so wrong. It says I get paid on the Tuesday on my payslip so I *should* get paid on the Tuesday. Not around the Tuesday. Not somewhere in the vicinity of Tuesday. When I ring them, they just say the payday is Tuesday or Wednesday, so why don't they put Wednesday on the payslip? No one minds being paid a day early.

Now I'm off to my Novel class to hand in my assignment. I printed it out on Saturday and have valiantly resisted the urge to give it one last read before I hand it in. The road to writing hell is paved with "one last reads"... well maybe purgatory. A purgatory of thesaurus and moving commas. Once that's done, I'm going home to have bed rest.

PS. Am I the only one tempted to check the birth notices for today to see if anyone was sick enough to name their child Damien?

welldone on perfect test results, hope you are off the meds soon!
thats pretty rude re your pay, they need to sort it out!!
I take a backpack to lug dc back from the supermarket.

By Blogger Kt, at 7:22 pm  

Hooray for your great test results! I hope you get to drop the medication sooner rather than later.

Hmm, I used to get the I'm "unapproachable" shit all the time when I was single so I remember the frustration all too well. How does one get "approachable"? I guess it also depends who you want to be approached by!

I didn't check the birth notices today but I did go and see the Omen remake! I wouldn't bother with it if you've seen the original, it's a note for note imitation.

By Blogger Sarah, at 7:30 pm  

Good news on your test results... Hmmm... I think it would be hilarious for someone to name their child Damien today... sick, but hilarious...

By Blogger Cinders, at 7:56 pm  

Have you thought about doing home delivery shopping on line? Both Safeway and Coles do it and it only costs $5 I think. Means you don't have to lug anything at all!!

If I lived closer I would come over and take your tyres to the servo to get pumped up (is that all they need?). Sorry I couldn't help!

By Blogger Jaykay, at 8:48 pm  

Okay, well since both Dan and I don't have a license, we do most of our grocery shopping online. For most things we shop at Coles Online. For fruit/veg, I started to shop at greengrocer.com.au because Coles Online sucked at the fresh stuff. Both service Melbourne too. Maybe give that a go? It saves heaps of time too so you have more time to do other stuff :-)

By Blogger Mary, at 9:08 pm  

Re tyres, go to a nice local non-franchise based mechanics and get them to drive around to your place to pick up the tyres. You often get much better service from local independents.

By Blogger Ruune, at 11:04 pm  

Babe, Safeway delivers. I'm sure of it!

But, I know how crap it is to not have a car!

On a completely kinda related note, I could absolutely, totally see you on a scooter. Fabo, stylish, paint-it-whatever-colour-your-love, scooter. With a little lift up seat that you could put your frozens in!

Tres Cool.

That is really superb about going off your meds. REALLY terrific.

Note: I just read everyone elses comments, Safeway and Coles do deliver. So you can shop instore and walk out empty handed. You just chose delivery times. But Mary's idea sounds terrific!

By Blogger The Candid Bandit, at 12:09 am  

Good news on the test results - hopefully you will be off the meds soon and then won't have the issued with exercising.
Hope you manage to sort something out with the tyre for your car - that really sucks.
Have a great week !
Me

By Blogger Me, at 8:54 am  

 

::5.6.06::

Warning

I read somewhere recently that the government are thinking of introducing warnings on chocolate, much like you get on cigarette packets - chocolate can make you fat and unhealthy - that kind of thing.

That would have to be one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. I mean, der! Is there anyone in the world who doesn't know that? When you eat chocolate you know you are making an unhealthy decision. You make the choice and you deal with the consequences.

What I'd like to see are warnings on the sneaky crap, the shite sold as "health" food like health bars that contain more fat and more sugar than a bar of chocolate but, because they contain dried fruit somehow they are able to be marketed as a healthy option (note: does that mean Cadbury Fruit and Nut chocolate is also a health food?)

At the supermarket the other day, I saw a section labelled "Nutritious Snacks". It was filled with shite like chocolate coated muesli bars and those processed cheese and biscuit packs. On what planet is that crap nutritious?

One of the supermarkets is also doing a healthy lunchbox promotion for kids and again it's muesli bars and other crap. Most muesli bars are full of fat. They are not health foods.

I don't know why there can't be some kind of trustworthy food labelling system put in place. I spend hours checking labels at the supermarket because I have to know what's in my food. A lot of people don't, and a lot of people are getting conned by marketing - I know I used to. I'd buy foods that were "lite" or "light" or "30% lower in fat" thinking I was doing the right thing. Ha. Hardly. I would often buy this yummy "light" cheesecake/yoghurt dessert thinking it was a good choice. When I started counting calories and reading labels, I almost died. I dropped that light cheesecake dessert like it was a hot, fat soaked potato.

Another example is dips - I wanted some dip on the weekend to have with my carrot and capsicum sticks and had to scrutinise every label. There is a massive variation in the amount of fat and calories and you really can't tell by the claims on the packaging. The product can scream "healthy" or "low fat" in big, bright letters but that doesn't mean it's so.

I also used to look for the "Heart Smart" tick, then a friend (who works in food marketing) told me that you have to pay to have that on your product. The product does have to meet certain standards to get the tick but say brand X is healthier than brand Y - brand Y might still be pretty good for you but, because they've paid to get the tick and brand X hasn't, brand Y appears to be the better choice. Not so, my friends.

If the government is truly serious about combatting obesity, they could start by introducing some system of food labelling. I should be able to walk into the supermarket and get a trolley full of good food without spending hours looking around. We all know the villains - the chocolate, the big macs, the chippies - there's no need to label them. And we know the good guys - fruit and vegetables and unprocessed foods. What we need is something to clear up the grey areas in between.

Update: I got caught out by this very thing today. I'd bought Yoplait Lite instead of Yoplait No Fat. Huge difference in calories, damn it.

Yes I agree with you on the labelling. I feel like a dork attempting to read the labels all the time. (Duh get over it already ang)

I'd love to see a bright read warning label on chocolate. WARNING WARNING You going to make yourself fat. hehe.

By Blogger Ang, at 10:51 am  

Great post.

The government aren't serious, it's as simple as that.

My nutritionist friend used to work on Thursday Island where every second person has diabetes and many people die in their 50s due to poor basic eating and exercise habits. She wanted to setup a breakfast program in the schools which would involve parents, healthcare workers, community elders and local restaurants to not only give many kids their one nutritious meal for the day, but educate them in order to lessen the problems in the future. The QLD government would not fund this under diabetes (which has a healthy budget). Instead they said it fell under meals for kids who would not otherwise have them, and as all the kids eat, there would be no grant.

By Blogger CaramelKitKat, at 11:11 am  

i very much agree with this post, cadbury brunch bars and Nice n natural healthy nut bars are prime examples of this! you'd be better off to eat a better choice in choc bar like a pinky or turkish delight.

By Blogger Kt, at 3:37 pm  

I agree completely with what youve said Kathryn, I find myself doing the same thing reading every bloody label.. but your opening made me laugh out loud. Comparing chocolate eaters with smokers and saying "as if we dont all know chocolate is bad for us" .. dont we all know smoking is bad for us as well? Yet .. people do it.. (struggling quitter here) The bottom line I guess is you can give all the people all the warnings and information there is .. it still comes down to them getting off their butts and making the choice to be healthy. Something I'm still working on ;)

By Blogger The Knitting Nerd, at 4:15 pm  

What a great post and so so true. I have also spent hours checking out the fat content of "low fat" items only to find that it really isn't that much better than the regular item.
Have a great evening !
Me

By Blogger Me, at 4:54 pm  

One of the girls I work with (she's only 21 so I try to give her a break - sometimes her neck - LMAO) says "I want something healthy so I better eat the fruit and nut chocolate!! What a dick!
I laughed out loud when I read that you had written that here.
Thanks for the laugh. HOpe you're having a great week.
Bri

By Blogger Briony, at 8:44 pm  

I also spend forever in the supermarket reading labels. I agree muesli bars canbe a trap. I must admit I would rather have my unhealthy chocolate bar which I know to count than a healthy falsely labelled muesli bar.

By Blogger michelle, at 8:02 am  

Chocolate warnings? You've got to be kidding but I guess if people can also sue chocolate companies for something that is their sole responsibility (like smoking cigarettes)....bloody hell. We all know it's bad but this crazy western world allows for such stupid liability cases. Get off your ass and take responsibility for yourself I say. And yes, this is a pet issue of mine.

Ahh and the food labelling debate. The government are saying they are going to get tougher but when? Fortunately I've learnt how to read most labels now but still, it'll help if they didn't bamboozle us with lies. Most people don't know how to read labels.

By Blogger Mary, at 8:49 am  

You have just convinced me to look much closer to the labels when I go shopping!! Thankyou!!

By Blogger Leighanne, at 1:15 pm  

Aaaah, so so true. I spend so long doing my grocery shopping for this very reason. You've got to be so careful!

But then again, I actually enjoy reading labels :) I like hunting to find the best value for my points haha

By Blogger Jac, at 3:35 pm  

Excellent post. I reckon we should print this and send it to the Minister of Health.

Mat drink shitloads of orange juice per day (bought 800 calories worth).. and I keep telling him it isnt healthy to do so. He always says "Beck! It's orange juice! It isnt bad for you"

Sadly, because I am still fat, apparently I don't know this shit.

Once again, thank you for writing this.

By Blogger The Candid Bandit, at 4:56 pm  

 

::4.6.06::

Cars

A few months back, before I started working full time, the wheel bearings went weird on my car. Since I had no money to get it fixed, I stopped driving my car rather than risk having the whole wheel fall off or anything disasterous like that. I figured I could take it to the garage when I had the money for repairs.

So far, so simple. Except (stupid me) had a flat tyre around Christmas time and didn't take the spare tyre in to get fixed. So... when I went to move my car, it had a flat and NO spare. Basically, after months of stuffing around and dramas, I finally got a new tyre to replace the spare. I went out this morning to change the tyre and now my car has TWO flat tyres. This is just insane.

Did said car run over anyone's pet before the tyres went? I figure it's either the owner or some crappy karma.

Cars give me the shits. I couldn't care less what I drive, I just want to get from point A to point B without hassle. When this cannot happen with ease I get very cranky, very quickly.

By Blogger CaramelKitKat, at 9:51 pm  

Bwahaha, is the universe trying to tell you something? Walk. It's better for you and the environment :-) But then we want a car too but don't have a license. Oh well. Now is it license or licence? I get confused because I often see it spelt both ways.

By Blogger Mary, at 8:41 am  

 

::3.6.06::

Lies...

I got my scales this morning and they said I was up 2 kgs! I refuse to believe that. Sure I ate more than I should yesterday but not that much more. It wasn't like I had a family sized pizza washed down with a keg o' beer. Those scales had better learn to stop joking around or they will be seeing the inside of a trash compactor.

***

I've just done a massive cookup - Moroccan Stew, Chicken Meatballs, Chocolate Muffins (from a packet,not from scratch), carrot and capsicum sticks for my sister and I to snack on while watching the Punk Special on Rage tonight - I got a very yummy Thai carrot dip to have with them and some low fat pate and a Beef Stirfry.

My freezer is full now and I've run out of containers! I feel so domestic.

What a little chef you are...those meals sound delish!!!

Hope those scales are behaving today!!

By Blogger Leighanne, at 4:24 pm  

I'm very jealous of your cooking craze. I wish I could be that inspired. I'm too busy and tired at the moment to even bother boiling an egg!

A stern talking-to might be just the thing for the scales. It seemed to work with mine this week - they're being much nicer now ;)

By Blogger Els, at 11:31 am  

Yummo! You've inspired me to do it this weekend :-) Ignore the scales, especially if it's not your designated weigh in day.

By Blogger Mary, at 8:39 am  

 

::2.6.06::

Sick

I have to learn that being sick isn't a licence to eat shite. Instead of thinking - I'm sick, I need a treat - I should be thinking - I'm not exercising, I can't afford a treat. But damn that cupcake I had today was fine. I just could have avoided the lollies and the chomp and the kinder chocolate and all those slices of bread with my health-giving soup.

Tomorrow I might make my Faux Vietnamese Soup - it's a fantastic cold buster:

Heat some good stock (one of those tetra packs is fine). Add a shitload of garlic and ginger - I'm talking like half a cup of each. It's got to be enough that your muscus-blocked nose can smell it. Add soy sauce. Fish sauce would prolly be good too (I don't have any so I never use it).

Chop up some carrots in rounds, some capsicum, spring onion, etc. Add to the soup and throw in some chopped asian greens - bok choy or whatever is handy. Spinach will do if you have nothing else. If you have some cooked chicken then that is tops to throw in as well. It's good to make the vegies all decorative and pretty but that depends on how sick you are. Sometimes just making it to the kitchen is enough.

Serve with a huge pile of chopped coriander (cilantro for you Americans) on top.

Lately I've been keeping track of my food in Excel - I used to just track day by day but having each week laid out in a spreadsheet is mighty handy because I can see my eating patterns. Friday is my big, bad, over-the-top eating day. I think on one hand because it's my weigh in day. I'd like to think I don't pigout after weighing myself but the truth is coming out. The other thing is that I've had things on every Friday for the past few Fridays. Friday binging has to stop.

I've also noticed I've been posting a lot more recipes lately. That's a good thing - it means I'm getting more creative with my eating. I think a lot of that comes down to reorganising my schedule so I get home before 9 o'clock at night and just reheating whatever is handy. Not having a microwave makes you rely less on things like Lean Cuisine as well.

Hopefully this weekend I can get a big cook up done - I want to make more of the Moroccan Vegie Stew I made a few weeks ago. That was damn fine and a good base. I'd take a frozen container to work and add some parmesan cheese for my lunch or reheat it with some leftover meat at home. Every time I had it, I'd so something different so it wasn't like having the same old boring meal.

I also want to make some chicken meatballs. I figure they'd be good to freeze and pull out when I need a quick and easy dinner - added to a pasta sauce or a stir fry.

I think that will be enough cooking.

I track in Excel too and I agree, it's a great way to see patterns in your eating. Great to see you cooking so much and I'll look forward to seeing some more recipes, yum. I love winter food :-)

By Blogger Mary, at 10:13 am  

faux pho! that rules!

just catching up on a few days. hope yer doing okay over there in lovely oz...

By Blogger Shauna, at 1:17 am  

 

71.5 kgs - The Final Countdown!

Woohoo - that's a 0.8 kg loss this week. That puts my BMI down to 25. That makes me a "healthy weight". I think the last time that happened, I was about 2 years old.

I woke up this morning feeling sick as sick. I've only just got over the flu and now I have a cold and a sore throat. I so don't need this right now. I think I'll go into work for a couple of hours then home to sleep. Damn it, I wanted to go for a run this morning.

So so close to goal - well done on the loss this week. Not good that you aren't feeling well. Hopefully it doens't last for too long.

By Blogger Cinders, at 9:50 am  

That is absolutely fantastic! Yay you!

By Blogger BarbaraMG, at 9:59 am  

Congrats. Isn't it great that you are at the stage that you are pissed off for being sick because you want to exercise? Such a change from the stage where sickness is a good excuse to avoid exercise.

By Blogger Ruune, at 10:34 am  

Well done Kath!!!

By Blogger philippa_moore, at 11:55 am  

Congratulations on getting to a healthy weight! Not long now! Hope you fel better soon.

By Blogger YP, at 4:14 pm  

Congrats with the loss!!

By Blogger Moody, at 4:15 pm  

Congratulations on the BMI milestone!

By Blogger K, at 6:33 pm  

Well done on a good loss - especially this close to goal. Hope you are feeling better soon - it is lousy when you just get over one thing and something else attacks you - take care and look after yourself !
Me

By Blogger Me, at 8:41 pm  

holy crap! healthy BMI! well done! that is so cool :)

hope you are on the mend soon!

By Blogger Shauna, at 11:20 pm  

WOW that is fantastic Kathryn. Shows what cooking all that fabbo stuff is doing. AND when you are done walking/running all over Australia you will certainly be at your goal. Will be great to bump into you at the C2S if we can manage it - then after that I will watch the dust fly as you clever runners all leave me in your wake. LOL

By Blogger Margaret, at 11:35 pm  

Bloody fantastic Kathryn! I am so happy for you, whoot :-) I hope you feel better soon. Two bouts of sickness is certainly not fair.

By Blogger Mary, at 10:11 am  

Thanks for sharing, I will bookmark and be back again.

By Anonymous Podiatrist Melbourne, at 4:07 pm  

 

stats:

current weight:
76.6 kg

start weight:
110.1 kg

total loss:
33.5 kg

goal weight:
70 kgs

 

measurements:

boobs: 100 cm

waist: 81 cm

hips: 109 cm

thighs: 50 cm

 

Weekly Goal Lifestyle Changing Challenge-A-Rama

Week 1 - Drink more water

Week 2 - Cut out sugary treats

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