Sunday 21 December 2014

2014 Wrap Up

So 2014 is almost over and we are heading off tomorrow for 3 relaxing weeks at the beach!!! I can't wait it is my favourite time of the year. I LOVE Christmas and relaxing at the beach. We are camping at a caravan park with my parents and my brother, his partner and daughter will join us for some of the time too.

I thought now was as good a time as any to do a bit of reflecting. Whilst I haven't achieve all I set out to in 2014 I am still pretty happy with where I am at.

Weight Loss
First and foremost let me get this chapter done.................as you know I haven't had the loss that I had last year and I have struggled all year. Well actually not really I started the year around 87kg I got down to 84kg but majority of the year I have sat around the 88/87kg mark. Whilst my goal was to hit the magical 70kg mark. I am super happy with being able to maintain my weight for 12 months!!!! I know that by doing this slowly and healthily I have made life changes and not been on a diet.

Fitness/Running
I completed my second half marathon knocking about 30min off my time from last year. It was much more enjoyable this year as I ran with a great friend of mine and we stayed together the whole way. I also got to watch another great friend cross the finish line and give her the biggest hug. (even if she was cursing me at the time) During hockey season I worked hard on my fitness and speed. This year I was defnitely the fastest and fitness I have been since I was about 14!! I joined a wonderful community of Facebook called Running Mums Australia. It has grown into a huge community of mums who run. From people starting out to marathons and ultra marathon runners. I have learnt so much from these wonderful supportive ladies. I also finally went to my first Parkrun event. Oh how I wish I was in Perth at 8am every Saturday morning. The last 10 weeks we have been doing group fitness. I have worked on my strength and core muscles. I went from not being able to do 1 push up on my toes to doing 20!!!!! I can hold a plank for over 90 seconds and I can do sit ups!!!! (& burpees)

Me
Towards the end of the year we started our little fitness group in town. We would meet twice a week to do some circuit work. It was so much fun and on average there was between 6-8 of us most sessions. What this did was make me realise how much I was to pursue and career as a personal trainer. However to study you need money as nothing is free. So I have just last week started working as a casual Bank Teller which is what I did before I had kids. I love that it is casual so I can fit it in with my kids life.

So what are the plans for 2015?????
Well it will be a year of changes.............Bugalugs starts kindy :( which means my baby will be out of the house 2 days a week! I'm not too sure that I am ready for that. Actually I know that I am not ready for that!!! I will be working which will be a great distraction. I plan to start my study. I will be taking part in Ride for a Cure in October. Which is a 200km bike ride over 2 days raising money for the Harry Perkins Institute of Cancer Research.  I was inspired by friend who participated this year. I am excited for us to raise lots of money to help fight this horrific disease.

I will send some of the holidays making a plan of attack for 2015. I love having holidays at this time of the year so you have lots of time to work out a plan for the new year ahead. When I get back I will let you know what the plan is. I am really hoping to get back into the mind set I had at the start of 2013.

Thank You for putting up with me this year. My not so regular blog posts and my abundance of sweaty selfies.

Wishing everyone a very Safe, Happy & Merry Christmas and an Awesome 2015!!!!


Wednesday 19 November 2014

The Ups and Downs of the week that was.

I know it's only Thursday but I feel like it has been a busy week already and tomorrow is going to be another busy one.

I looked into getting my Certificate III and Certificate IV on Fitness which would enable me to do what I love and hopefully make a bit of extra $$$. I spoke to a great company that are VERY VERY  understanding of the fact that I live in the middle of nowhere. They are really flexible in their learning structure. I can do it by correspondence and go to Perth when I can fit it in to do practical assessments, I can call tutors whenever I need to, I can do it all at my own pace over a 12 months time frame. PERFECT?!?!?! Well it was until I asked how much this perfect plan would cost. Let's just say it aint cheap. But I was still thinking it was doable as long as I could raise the money myself. (not take it out of the family budget)

So remember I said I had applied for a job? Well..............I was hoping more then ever I would get it as I could use that money to fund my study. Cos let's face it who just has $6000 laying around. Yep that's right 6000 big ones. I got an e mail yesterday to say that I had been unsuccessful. To say I was disappointed was an understatement. I think I was more disappointed that I didn't get an interview. And I could see my dreams of studying and getting qualified going down the drain. :(

I have not had the greatest week food/weight wise either. I have had very little energy and seem to be eating us out of house and home. I went to group fitness on Tuesday and again today. I was so thankful for these girls as had it not been for the commitment we have all made I would not have gone. Especially today. All I wanted to do was sit on the couch, watch trashing TV & eat trashy food!!!!

BUT I had a fantastic morning. We decided to record our results for Push Ups, Sit Ups & Plank. We do each exercise for 1 minute. Except today for the plank we all kept going to see how long we could hold it for. We are going to do it again in 4 weeks so we can see how much we have progressed. I got a HUGE surprise. Here is what I did today

Push Ups
15 toes 6 knees
TOES!!! Did you see that???   15 PUSH UPS ON MY TOES!!!!!!!

Sit Ups
22

Plank 
1:30
Yep 1 MINUTE 30 SECONDS!!!!!

It totally made my day and week. Love seeing these Non Scale Victories and it helps put things into perspective. It's a great incentive to keep on keeping on.

Also harvest is ALMOST over which means hubby will be home more. I really want to get out running again and I am planning to switch from evening runs to morning runs. Also get my puppy trained to run with me.

So thanks for listening to my ramblings again. I said I would blog more and I am going to keep that promise.


Monday 10 November 2014

Finally!!!!!!

OK so before I start put the kettle on and settle down with a cuppa..........it's been a while and there is lots to catch up on. Go on I'll wait......maybe go to the toilet while you wait for the kettle to boil. ;)

Waiting

Waiting

Waiting

Welcome back I told you I would wait :)

So I have just realised that my last blog post was on 30th July. Well what has happened since then........
Firstly we lost the hockey grand final this year :( We were beaten by a better team on the day. I think we partied harder then we did last year when we won.

Anyway moving on from that. We held our half marathon again this year and it was another great turn out and we had a terrible head wind but were lucky to finish before the rain came in. We raised almost $1000 and it was a great community event.

I have started meeting some local ladies at the oval to do a bit of a circuit work out twice a week. It is great to do it with other people as it help keen you on track and it goes quickly when you are talking/laughing together.

I didn't really do the last round of 12WBT. I am not sure what is happening with my weight. Well actually I do. I got down to 84kg but then 1 or 2 weekends away and it was back up. So at the moment here is how it goes. Monday 88.1kg (that's the last 2 mondays) but normally around 88kg by Friday I get it back down to 87.1kg or 86.8kg somewhere around there. but hen the weekend happens and up we go again. This has been happening the last few months. I am not exercising anywhere near as much as I was during hockey or training for the run. I am focusing a bit more on strength training and all round fitness.

I also did something I promised myself I wouldn't do. I bought some shorts in a bigger size. All but one pair of my shorts are size 14 and while they fit they also produce a muffin top!! They are comfortable but I am not comfortable with how they look. Jeanswest had 40% off  so I ordered 2 pairs of size 16 shorts. I have realised that I was caught up in sizes just as much as I was caught up in the number on the scales. After a friend told me she has clothes in her cupboard ranging from size 16 to size 8 I had a bit of a light bulb moment when I realised it's about the fit and being comfortable rather then the number on the tag.

During the last month or so I have been thinking about what I am going to do once my little Bugalugs heads off to school next year. I have applied for a casual job to keep my mind ticking over and earn some of my own money. I have plans for that money..............I am going to get qualified to be a Personal Trainer. It is not a cheap course but I feel better using 'my' money to pay for it.  Doing fitness with the girls has made me realise how much I want to do this for a living. I really enjoy it. I finally know what I want to be when I grow up.

I am at a bit of a loss with the whole weight loss thing. On one hand I am thinking this is the size I am meant to be and I am pretty happy with the fact that whilst I have yoyo'd a little bit this year for the most part I have kept 20kg off for almost 18months. But I also know that I can reach my goals I set so long ago and losing another 20kg it totally achievable. It will be harder but it is totally doable. I am not going to make any GRAND statements about cutting out this or that or setting massive goals. I am just going to keep an eye on what I put in my mouth and do my work outs. Maybe try and get in a few more runs once harvest is finished and hubby is back to working normal hours.

Oh and if you remember when this whole 'Becoming Nikki' project started I had a little deal with my brother. Last Christmas I fit into a pair of size 12 shorts and a size 10 top. By fit I mean I could get them on and done up. I don't know that I could have sat down without popping a button but a deal is a deal. As part of the deal Rob was going to pay for me to get a maple leaf tattoo. Something I have wanted since 1998 when I spent a year in Canada as an exchange student. Well pay day finally came and I couldn't be happier.

And here it is!!!!
I added in the kids initials and it is on my lower back 'tramp stamp' but I LOVE it!!! Another reason to lose weight and be comfortable in a bikini. I want to show this baby off. 

Right so now we are all caught up and you have had a cuppa and a bit of timeout whilst reading my ramblings. I plan to get back into my blogging so look out for some more 'me' time and a cuppa catching up with a friend. Although I promise they won't all be this long. 

Wednesday 30 July 2014

Looking Forward/ Looking Back

Hey There...............remember me.............I know it's been a while.............a month to be exact!! What have you been upto??  I could spend this post telling you about my last month which included an AMAZING holiday with great friends, talking about the hockey games we have won & lost, telling you about the running I have been doing or the wonderful new recipes I have found.

But that is in the past and I am moving onwards and upwards as I start another round of 12WBT on Monday. So time to set some goals!!!!

36hrs Later..................

This post has been sitting here open for a day and a half as I was procrastinating putting my goals up here. I have done it a lot in the past and never really met them in the time frame I have set out. So I was feeling a little deflated.

Then I went on a run last night. Always a good way to clear the head. I felt crappy all day so was just going to do a little 3km run so that I could feel a little better. I decided to do my 1km time trial for this round of 12WBT. It was hard but I pushed myself and I SMASHED it. 4min 53sec!! I was shattered afterwards but decided to do a little detour on the way home and ran an extra km.

I was thinking of how far I am have come in the last 18months. Here are a few stats.

January 2013                                                  NOW
1km time trial 8min 25sec                                4min 53                 3min 32sec faster

Total body measurements 448.5cm                   398cm                   50.5cm lost (although don't think I was                                                                                                             measuring properly in the beginning)

Weight    106.6kg                                             85.6kg                  21kg REMOVED

Size 18/20                                                        14/16                   I was 18/20 in fat section now I'm 14/16                                                                                                     in normal section


Sometimes you have to look at how far you have come to see where to go to now!!!

So as far as goals for this round go..............
Of course I am still determined to hit the 80kg!!! I am also planning to run our local half marathon again at the end of September. So I will be training for that. I was just going to do the 10km run but I have decided why not. So I will be training for that. Along with the pointy end of the hockey season. I will try and blog more to keep me accountable and on track.

I am excited by the new recipes and option with this round and I am determined to make the last half of 2014 as great as the first half of 2013 was!!! Bring on summer and being comfortable in bathers!!!!





Monday 30 June 2014

Bit of a catch up

Hey, it's been a while so I thought we should catch up. Put the kettle on, make yourself a cuppa grab a biscuit and I will fill you in on what has been happening. (it actually won't take that long my life is not that exciting)

So the last few weeks have been busy with the usual normal family 'stuff'. You know school, homework, 3yr old tantrums at the supermarket. All the usual Mum things. We get very busy in winter with sports. We have footy training Tuesday, hockey Wednesday & my hockey training Thursday night. Then hockey pretty much all day Saturday and footy Sunday morning.

I also organised and went to country week hockey. For those who don't know this is a competition in Perth were each association send teams to compete over 3 days. Usually all the girls from our area stay at a hotel together and it's a great weekend away. This year however was a little different and I stayed at my sisters house and had my 3yr old tag along for the ride. I was very fortunate to have a lovely family friend look after her on the Friday for the day and then my sister and brother shared the rest of the babysitting duties while I was playing 6 games of hockey over 3 days. It was a great weekend as always but I must say next time I will be staying with the girls!!

I have also been to visit a physio recently. I have been having pain in my lower back. Mostly when I stand for a long time and after hockey. I have been twice now as it is hard to make regular visits when you live 2.5hrs away. He has given me stretches to do everyday and I am definitely feeling the difference. Now I need to strengthen my non existent tummy muscles. Basically my muscles at the top of my back, butt & hamstrings were so tight that my lower back was doing all the work. Also my core is not strong enough. I HATE sit ups always have. But they might just have to become my new best friend. This getting older & healthier thing is not all it's cracked up to be!! ;)

12wbt.....................................................Well.........................I have not been the greatest with my nutrition. Sound familiar??? I think I say that every couple of weeks. There are 3 weeks to go so I am determined to make the most of it. Today is Tighten Up Tuesday which means sticking to the plan!!!!!

The exercise is going well. I am on day 9 of 30 for 30. This is 30 min of exercise for 30 days. So far so good. Sunday I didn't get out and exercise but I did a LOT of housework and sometimes that is more of a work out then any run or training session. It is great thought because it is making me find the time. Like yesterday for example I got home from a day trip to Perth at 4:45pm. Usually by the time I unpack the car I am ready to drop on the couch and not move. But yesterday I unpacked the essentials, got changed and headed out to run around the sheds.

We are off on holidays on Friday and I can't wait!!!!! We are heading north to camp on the beach with great friends. We will be 'bush' camping which means no toilets, camp showers & generator power. It also means fresh air, beach, freedom, fishing, fun & camp fires. I went to Perth yesterday to shop for the trip and we will stop on the way up to buy fresh fruit & veggies. I am determined to keep up my healthy eating and fitness while on holidays. Nothing like a bit of beach running. Might even try and come up with some games to get the kids involved.

So that's about it really............I am looking forward to heading to some warmer weather for a week and spending some family time together.


Tuesday 10 June 2014

Farm v Town v City Running.

On Sunday afternoon I went for a run in the town where my parents live. It's a small county town and they just happen to live at the top of a pretty big hill. Anyway it was about 4:30pm on Sunday afternoon and whilst I have been running here before it was always earlier in the day so you come across the occasional runner or walker. I have to say I got some strange looks as people where coming home from the local footy game or out in their front lawns with their families.

Anyway it got me thinking about how different it is to run on the farm, in a country town & in the city. So here is how it compares.....

Farm Running
Well pretty boring as there is no one around except some sheep and the occasional Kangaroo. But you can wear what ever you like as no one sees you. You don't have to worry about being on the right side of the road. You don't have to cross the road. You do have to climb over the occasional gate and dodge the sheep pooh. It's quiet which is great!!! I don't have to drive to a park or running track. I can run around the sheds if I need to because the kids are home & hubby is at work. The air is fresh (except for the sheep pooh) and I love the freedom of living and running out here.

Town (my parents town) Running
There are footpaths most of the time. There is a massive hill at the end of the run. People................people who aren't running who look at you like you are an alien. People who are walking into the local shop trying to work out who this person is running and why don't they know you because they know everyone in this town. You have to cross lots of roads but luckily there isn't much traffic so mostly not a big issue. Running past people sitting on their front verandah drinking, eating nibbles & generally having a good time while I am a sweating, puffing mess. I do get to look at some beautiful gardens and houses.

City Running
Most of my city runs have been around the bridges and the beautiful Swan river. I have done a few runs around the streets near my sisters house. I love running around the river. There are a lot of other runners & walkers. You can run on the grass or the path. It's flat (other then going up to the bridges) and mostly smooth. I do put more effort into what I wear. The shirt that rides up exposing my muffin top is definitely a farm only top. I love when you make eye contact with another runner. I love being surrounded by other people doing the same thing. I do hate that there always seems to be that one old man walking along smoking and I always run past just as they breathe out a big cloud of smoke. (that never happens on the farm) It has taken a while I actually feel comfortable and confident running with other runners around. I even overtake people now which is something I never thought would happen. Although most of then are finishing their runs and I am at the start of mine. ;)

So which is my favourite........................

All of them! Any run is better then no run!!!


Monday 2 June 2014

Week 4 Wrap up

Wow 4 weeks has gone by very fast!!!

Week 4 on 12WBT is when you re-measure & redo the fitness test to see what non scale related progress you have made.

Perhaps my biggest excitement this week was taking 11 seconds off my 1km time trial!!!! When I did it I thought I had only knocked 4 seconds off. But once I looked at it I realised I had knocked 11 seconds off. Very stoked with that!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

So how did week 4 go well.............it was very much like week 3 in that I was unorganised and unprepared on the food front. I didn't follow the plan but I did use the recipes. I used the excuse that I worked most of the week but that's just an excuse as if anything that should have made me more organised. And to be honest when I work it is only a couple of hours a day. And that is no excuse for what I ate on the weekend!!!

 So here is the true confession of what I ate over the weekend.
Saturday - Breaky - Toast
                   Lunch - A couple of party pies, little red sausages & lollies (picking while the kids had party                                     food. Then we had Chicken pieces & salad. (chicken was coated in a yummy flavour)
                   Tea - KFC 2 pieces of original & some chips, A very yummy piece of chocolate caramel slice                              thingy

Sunday - Breaky - Toast
               Lunch - Squid rings (very yummy) & a couple of chips pinched off Lochie's plate & an onion ring
               Tea - Hot Chicken Roll & some chips at the footy followed by a caramel sundae from Maccas on                         the way home.

My only saving grace was that I didn't eat at all between meals. But with all those calories why would I need to????

My exercise goal for last week was to run a total of 20km. I just missed out as I did 17.3km. I was very proud of the way my exercise went last week. I made the effort to get out there when I really didn't want to and when hubby didn't want me to. I am really enjoying running again and finding it easier and easier.




I am making a good start to this week. As I type this I have pumpkin roasting in the oven ready to make Garlic Pumpkin Soup, I have chicken marinating in the fridge to make a few batches of Chicken Tikka Masala, I am making Cauliflower Soup &  Woolworths even had containers for half price yesterday so I can freeze it all in portion sizes so I can just whip it out and eat it when I need to. On those footy & hockey training nights.

So there is week 4 done & dusted!!! Weigh in tomorrow..............very nervous after my weekend blow out.

Monday 26 May 2014

Week 2 & 3 Wrap Up

We are starting week 4 already!!! Where did that time go?!?!? So last week I forgot to do a week 2 wrap up so this will cover the last 2 weeks.

I have to admit I have fallen into old habits. Not the ones you are thinking of but the habit of using 12WBT as a recipe guide. I haven't been following the eating plan properly and I can give you a list of excuses but that's all they are EXCUSES!!! It all comes back to poor time management and poor preparation. But this is a new week which means time to get back to being organised!!!



I have been watching the mindset videos and I have been watching what I eat and cut back on snacking so it's not all bad news.

I did manage to not cook 3 different meals most nights. And I have found some great new things to have for lunch. Lunch is where I really struggle. If I have left overs that's awesome, easy and quick. But if I have to make something I generally don't feel like what is on the menu plan especially with the cooler weather. I am craving soups and warm lunches but am not organised enough to make it before hand and quite often these things take a while to cook.

I had a 100gram weight loss in week 2. And a 1.3kg weight loss in week 3. Pretty happy with that and it gives me the motivation to keep it up. I am still hoping to hit 85kg by my birthday which is in 2 weeks. I need to lose 2.7kg to get there.

I did fall into a little trap over the weekend. I played hockey on Saturday afternoon and then I did the 12km HBF Run for a Reason on Sunday morning. I used this as an excuse to eat Pizza Saturday night & too much pasta Sunday night.

My Diet Coke addiction is going OK. It just seems to be the weekends when I 'slip up'. I find it hard when out and not drinking to find something to drink that isn't water or soft drink. So still struggling a bit with that one.

My exercise has been great. I have to say that it one part I am not slacking on. I am really enjoying running again. I am making the time to get out there and run even if it's running laps around the sheds and driveways. Yes I ran 6km on a 900m track around the sheds and driveways.

Anyway Onwards & Downwards (on the scale)

Keep an eye out for my re cap of yesterdays fun run.



Wednesday 14 May 2014

Quality Over Quantity

I used to always think that you HAD to exercise for an hour. It was always an hours walk. Half an hour was a waste of time and 45 min was OK but in my head it had to be an hour. This was also an excuse as if I didn't have a spare hour I wouldn't go.

Then I started running and have had it in my head for the last little while that anything under 5km wasn't worth it. Given that it takes me around half an hour to run 5km I had it in my head that I needed a spare half an hour to 45min. (time to shower afterwards)

I have realised just in the last week or so that this was also creating an excuse as to why I couldn't go for a run. Well yesterday I got home from work at 4:45pm and while I had tea to cook, kids homework to supervise, washing to bring in etc etc etc I put it all on the back burner. I walked in the house got changed told the kids I would be just outside running laps around the house.

3.5km & 20 min later I was done. Because the fairies weren't going to come and do all those jobs for me while I was running. I am really starting to think that fairies don't exist.

I had a bit of a light bulb moment. As tends to happen when I am running because it's about the only time of the day that is when I can think without someone climbing on me, talking to me, whinging at me etc etc etc.




As with everything in life from time with kids to food to clothes to appliances. Exercise is no different. 20 minutes of running is better then sitting on the couch all night feeling guilty for not getting out there. It's better then trying to squeeze in an hour when you don't have an hour and running around like a mad chook for an hour or so afterwards trying to do all those other things you need to do.

I will remember this next time I think I don't have time. And one of the best parts about running in the afternoon is that I usually have at least one of the kids join me on their bike. At the moment it's Miss Molly on her brand new bike. She will whizz past me with a big smile on her face and ask me how many more laps. Love seeing this healthy lifestyle rub off on the kids.
She loves a post run/ride selfie too! 

Sunday 11 May 2014

12WBT Week One Wrap Up.

WOW as I went to write this I saw that this will be my 100th blog post!!!!! Not too sure what to say about that but thought it was worth a mention. I might have to do another post this week in honour of that. But I will have to have a think about that one.

So onto what I came here to write about.

12WBT Week One!!!

Where to start???? Well it was a great week I got up Monday morning did a wee, stood on the scales, got out the tape measure and recorded all my stats. I had done the fitness test on Sunday afternoon. So I was pumped and ready to get going.

Weigh In day was Wednesday and I woke up excited to see what a difference I had made in 3 days. Only to find that my scales wouldn't work!!! I was not happy at all. It was one of the few times I have been happy that I weigh myself ever day so I used my weigh in from Tuesday. Which showed a 1kg loss!!! While I was in town that afternoon I got a new battery hoping that was the problem as I really didn't want to have to buy a new set of scales. I like my scales and I am worried if I get new ones they will give me a different weight.

I had to work this week cleaning at our local primary school. I had done this 12 months ago and now I just do as relief. So knowing I was working all week you would think I would be organised. Well you no. Being out of the house from 2:30pm until 5pm through my evenings into a bit of a blur. Combine that with seeding which means hubby leaves the house at about 4:30am and returns any time after 8 or 9pm. (he usually gets home just as I am all settled to watch a show that he doesn't really like)

While I had all of my meals planned out I hadn't really planned the family meals for the week. And while some recipes are for 2 serves you need the second serve for lunch the next day. I know I could double the recipe but some are not so kid friendly. Taking all this into account I had one night where I made 3 different dinners!!! Sausages and veggies for the kids, casserole for hubby & a beef & barley dinner for me. Not really something that you want to have happen every night of the week.

Thursday saw me have baked beans for breaky followed by Chicken Tikka Curry for lunch. Luckily I had hockey training that night and was out in the fresh air........(I will leave it at that)

I have to admit I didn't follow the exercise plan at all. I chose to go running instead. I had hockey training Thursday & hockey on Saturday so that covered those work outs. I do need to get more exercise in and that's this weeks goal.

Over the weekend I ate off plan as I had hockey all day Saturday and then we were out for lunch yesterday. I still tried to be good or probably more mindfull of what I was eating. I did over indulge in drinking yesterday and I have gone over my one a week Diet Coke limit. But I still felt like I made good choices.

I am pumped for week 2 which means new recipes, exercises & of course weigh in on Wednesday!!!! It's 4 weeks until my birthday and I have set myself a mini goal of getting to 85kg by my birthday!!!!!!

Sunday 4 May 2014

Round 1 kicks off & here are the starting stats.

Here we go again............Day 1 of 12WBT.

So here are the starting stats. They are a little scary and I am a bit embarrassed but here goes

Weight: 90.1kg
I have gained about 6kg I was hovering around the 84kg mark for quite a while but the kg have slowly crept back on.

Measurements in cm
Chest: 107
Waist: 109
Hips: 117
Arm: 33
Leg: 62

I will update my weight every week and do the measurements every 4 weeks.

Here are my fitness test results

1km time trial: 5min 29sec
Push Ups:  10
Wall Sit: 37Sec
Plank: 30sec
Sit & Reach: -15

I have been really good with my water intake and avoiding Diet Coke. I had said I would have one a week to start with. On my way home from hockey on Saturday I brought a 600ml bottle. I had 2 sips of it and that was it. Then at the pub on Saturday night I had a can. That was going to be my one for the week. But I still had the bottle in the car from the afternoon with 2 sips out of it. Then yesterday after an interrupted and stressful food shopping trip I bought another bottle for the 1hr drive home. Again I only had a few mouth fulls. I finished that bottle off last night. So I am getting there slowly. There is an almost full bottle sitting in the fridge looking at me and while I should just throw it out I want to challenge myself and see how long I can leave it in there without giving in.

I am off to make an interesting lunch. It includes Zucchini and I am not a fan unless it is in a zucchini slice or something. So wish me luck!!!!!  Look out on Facebook for my weigh in results on Wednesday and next Monday I will do a wrap up of week one.

Wednesday 23 April 2014

You know I love to share.............

In the interest of sharing & caring I thought I would share with you all my goals for this round of the 12WBT and beyond. I know that over the last 15 months I have set lots of different goals some I have achieved and others I have not. This time around I have tried to make them realistic and achievable. Something I can build on as the year goes on. 

Over all goal weight loss for the next 12months 20 - 30kg 

One Month Goal 
85kg 
1 Diet Coke a week. 
2lt of water a day

How will I achieve it??
No exercise excuses. Follow the meal plan and NO EXTRA SNACKING!!! 
Use water bottles & maybe add lemon when I'm struggling

3 Month Goal
79kg
No Diet Coke
Run out a full game of hockey without asking to come off (this doesn't mean not coming off it just means not putting my hand up because I can't breathe or speak to ask to come off. My team mates will understand this)

How will I achieve it??
being accountable!!! Blogging more.

Training hard and putting in the extra effort. Try different training other then just running.

6 Month Goal
75kg
Run my second half marathon in a better time & head space. No walking

How will I achieve it??
Training, training, training.
Not letting myself fall off the wagon. Stay committed to the programme and not let self doubt and good times throw me off course.

12 Month Goal
70kg
Run or work out 5 days a week NO EXCUSES
Be strong enough to go it alone.

How will I achieve it??
not too sure just yet I will get back to you one that.



These are all very similar to my goals I wrote on my fridge back in January. Just a little more specific and with a time frame attached. And as you can see they aren't all weight loss driven. There are a few other areas that I need to work on. The evil Diet Coke has made it's way comfortably back into my daily life.

 Once this round starts I will blog every week with a recap of the week and go back to sharing my weekly weigh ins. You know how much I LOVE to share.

How do you set goals?? I am always open to suggestions of how others achieve and reach their goals and succeed.

Sunday 6 April 2014

Surviving my first Fun Run!!

I haven't posted for a while and basically that is because there hasn't been a whole to write about. Mostly just boring everyday stuff cooking, cleaning, washing, folding, school stuff & we started hockey training. Yippee 2 hrs a week where I HAVE to exercise & I get to get out of the house!!!

Life was pretty uneventful until today. I did my first 10k Fun Run today. To give you a bit of brackground. I only got back into running at the end of January after a few months of not much. Then to make me actually have something to train for I signed up for my first official fun run.

A few weeks into my 'training' I had a small tear in my hamstring. I was told to rest it for a week. NO RUNNING! So what did I do?? Played Tennis.......cos you don't run when you play tennis right?!?!? Especially when it is Women's Double Championships. I lasted right until our last game when I felt it 'go'. So that meant 3 weeks of no running. One day I am sure I will listen...............well maybe.

Fast forward to today and I found myself standing at the starting line with 2500 other people. I was in the last starting group feeling very lonely and out of place but keen to get going.

All ready to run! 

Off I head feeling confident and scared at the same time. Before we hit the first km mark I have realised 2 things. 1. I need to wee & 2. I don't think that I will ever get used to running with this many people. 

First things first I need to wee!! And my hockey girls know when I have to go I HAVE to go. I did stupidly stop to have a drink at the first water station and nearly choked on it. But that was not the problem it was the cup of tea I had before I left the house that was making every tree or bush look appealing. I was starting to get desperate and as I had never run this course before I had no idea how long it was until I would get some relief. Bit different to running on the farm where you don't even need a tree or bush let alone and actually toilet. 

Finally after about 3 and a bit km there it was!! I have never been so happy to see a toilet!!! 

Problem 2.............People.............fast, slow, talking, groups taking up the whole path etc etc. I spent the first 3km wondering what the hell was going on. I over took a few people then would find someone to sit behind thinking "yep this is a good pace" then they would slow down or speed up. Then I would try to overtake people without getting in others way or cutting in infront of the person I was overtaking. OMG when did running get so hard and require so much thinking???? 

The good news is that once I had done my wee I didn't have to worry too much as the crowd had thinned out. Then the next 7km was a case of me passing people then them passing me then me passing them & them passing me etc etc etc. I ran up until 6km (minus the wee break) from then on it was walking and running.More running then walking. I tried to run the whole of the last km but it was hard work!! It didn't help seeing people who had obviously finished a lot earlier leaving. However some of them were great and offering support & encouragement. 

 The best part was about 10 meters from the finish line I spotted my hubby and little girl. Was so nice to see them and have someone to high five before I crossed the finish line. I looked up as I crossed the line and the clock said 1hr 15min. (my official time will be a little under that as we crossed the start line a few minutes after the clock started.)  My goal was to be under 1hr 20min. So I was stoked. 
My shirt was dripping with sweat & I was exhausted but it was all worth it! 

Now I have about 6 weeks to get ready for my next fun run. The HBF Run for a Reason. It's a 12km run which I am hoping to do in under the 1hr 15min I did today. However that won't be my biggest challenge for that run. My biggest challenge will be running through the Graham Farmer Freeway Tunnell!!! I almost hyperventilate just driving through it. I have no idea how I am going to run through it other then it will be the fastest part of my run!!! Have I mentioned that I am VERY Claustrophobic. 

Things to remember for next time: 
No cups of tea before hand
Wee before you start no matter how long the line up is
Stop to drink unless you want to choke 
Find a way to not chafe under the arms

Also one last thing to remember before doing a big run.............If you get your hair coloured the day before don't wear a white hat. And it was a borrowed hat. Ooops!!  

Sunday 16 March 2014

Reality Check

So time for a reality check and update. Since I stopped posting my weekly weigh in results things have been pretty below average. Basically I have been yo-yoing between around 88kg and 90kg. When I last shared my weight it was 87.2kg.

This is around 5kg more then my lowest weight last year. I got down to around 84kg. As you can imagine I am noticing my clothes are tighter and not fitting as nicely. Did someone say Muffin Top!!


I know what the problem is.............FOOD!!! I love food and while my diet has improved and I am trying lots of different yummy foods I just can't seem to get my mind back into the place it was this time last year. I can't seem to stop snacking or be satisfied with what I put on my plate.

I am back exercising so that is helping but I need to STOP snacking!!! I have been doing a lot of baking lately for the kids lunch boxes and I have been pretty good at not eating wheat I am baking. I tend to put it straight into the freezer to avoid me eating it. I have been snacking on things like hard boiled eggs, leftover cold meat from roasts, BREAD, mountain bread covered in margarine & honey is one of my current favourites.

After dinner also seems to be my other down fall. We are eating earlier so that we can eat together as a family. Previously Mark and I would eat at about 7:30pm once the kids were in bed. Now we are eating at 6:30pm with the kids. It's great and I love it but I find that at about 8pm I feel hungry again. Actually not that's not really true I think it is more that I am bored.

That is part of my problem during the day too. If I am busy I don't snack but as soon as I stop I feel like I have to have something. And once I have one thing to eat I tend to have a bit more. Old habits are sneaking back in!!

So what now????????? Well I don't really know but I do know that I don't like the way my clothes are fitting and I am the only person who can change that. I also know that I have done it before so I can do it again.

Thursday 13 March 2014

Decisions...........Decisions?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

For the last probably 2 yrs there is something that has been on my mind. And very recently I can not stop thinking about it. One day the answer is yes the next the answer is no. It not a decision that can be taken lightly as it will have a massive impact on not just my life but my whole family. It's not just my decision it is something hubby and I have to be in total agreement about or it will never happen.

So what is the BIG decision??? Well if you haven't already worked it out...........Do we have another baby or not?? We already have 3 beautiful, healthy, mostly happy kids. We have Lachlan 7, Molly 5(almost 6) & Amelia 2 (almost 3). I know some of you think that I am crazy for even contemplating it and maybe I am. I think I am crazy most days but that is a WHOLE other blog post.

The thing is if we are going to do it I feel like we need to do it in the next probably 6 months. For a few reasons: We aren't getting any younger, (I know 33/34 is not old and a lot of people haven't even started their families at our age) we don't want a bigger age gap then 4yrs, because of the weird school age cut offs in WA we want to have it in the first half of the year (which gives me until September).

I come from a family of 5 kids so there are a lot of us, we are loud, we fight, we laugh, we drive eachother crazy but there is nothing better then when we are all together and the cousins are all playing together even though they range in age from 18 to 2. They all get along and the older ones are great babysitters with the younger ones. I do have one sister who isn't really involved in the family but that is a whole other story. So it is just 4 of us and our families who get together for Christmases, birthdays etc etc

So what are the pros & cons...........There are too many to list as I am sure you can imagine things like finances, daily life, possibility of twins, starting again etc etc. And very selfishly it would mean things like weekends away either for hockey trips or just us as a couple would be no existent. It's hard enough getting someone to look after 3 kids let alone 4.

Thing is I just don't feel like I am DONE. Hubby goes back and forth too. I ask him and he says he doesn't know so to me that means yes there is still hope. And at the moment it is consuming me. To the point where last night I dreamt that I had a baby boy.

Maybe I was always be 'clucky' and maybe one more will always be how I feel. But I think you know when you are done and I am just not there yet. Although ask me at about 5pm on any given day and the answer is sure to be Hell YES I AM DONE!!!! Or at 6am on a Sunday after a night out. Oh that's right no more nights out with 4 kids.

Am I crazy??  I guess time will tell............

Thursday 6 March 2014

Work (out) / Life balance

This is something I was struggling with a few weeks ago before a small hamstring tear made me slow down and REST. In the few weeks for before that hubby was leaving for very early (5am) and I was having to do my running in the evening. Which was working fine. I would leave the house between 5:30 & 6pm for about 45 min. Whilst I was gone hubby would give the kids their tea and a bath. I would be home in time for bed time. All was good.

Until the kids started asking if we could eat together again. This is something that we kind of lost over the holidays. Talk about mothers guilt!! I love running at the end of the day as it gives me that break you need at the end of the day. It clears my head and is the only time of day I don't have someone with me.

It got me thinking though. I am one of the first people to say happy wife/mum happy life. And that me taking care of my health is for the benefit of the whole family. But at what cost?? Is it worth missing out of having dinner with the kids or spending time playing out on the trampoline with them???
 This V's
This 


So how do you strike the right balance?? That is a question that will probably never be answered.

Now that hubby is back to normal hours I can work out in the mornings. I do struggle to get out of bed early. I used to be a morning person and had no problem getting up early. Just ask my cousin who was NOT a morning person. She was a night owl and I was an early bird which made sleep overs interesting. I used to be one of those annoyingly happy people in the morning. Now once I'm up I'm all good it's just the getting up that I struggle with.

Now that winter sport is starting to happen......well my hockey training has started and football is likely to start before we know it along with dancing on Wednesdays. It means no family meals for 3 days a week. So I guess it's early morning runs for me. Which I guess gives me a chance to clear my head and start the day off on the right note. I mean I am the first to admit I can get out of bed grumpy but I have never come back from a run grumpy.


Thursday 13 February 2014

Is there such a thing as trying too hard???

I have had a fantastic week. I have been on track with my running even fitting in a run on Wednesday at lunch time. Wednesday is normally a no run day as I am at kids dancing all afternoon and not home until just before 8pm.

I have been on track with my nutrition. I haven't been snacking and I have been having smaller portions. I even avoided the hot dogs my kids had for tea on Wednesday night on the way home from dancing.I have 2 eggs on toast when I got home. I had very yummy chicken salad for lunch Tuesday & Wednesday using the left over chicken from our roast chicken on Monday night. I even avoiding eating any of the yummy chocolate loaf cake I made for the kids lunch boxes this week. I may have licked the icing off my fingers when I was cutting it up.

So when I stood on the scales yesterday morning as I do every morning and saw that I had gained 400grams since Monday I was not happy to say the least!!!! I was FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like it's one step forward two steps back. I was down all day but didn't pig out and stuck to healthy food. It just really took the wind out of my sails as I really thought I was doing great.

When hubby came home he asked what was wrong and I told him about what was happening with the scales. He said "I know you don't want to hear this but maybe you are trying too hard." I didn't snap at him I thought about what he said and maybe he is right. Maybe I am trying too hard. Maybe I need to take it one day at a time and focus each day rather then look at the week or month or year.

I am sure if I shift my focus the weight loss will come. At the moment I am trying to focus on my running. I need to bump up my training so that I can do the 10km fun run I have signed up for in April. My goal is to run the 10km without walking. We are in Perth this weekend so I am planning to do the bridges on Sunday morning. I want to run as much of it as I can and see how long it takes me. I am hoping to be able to run at least 7km before I need to walk but it will just depend on how late my Saturday night is.

So that is where I am at at the moment. If I had written this post yesterday it would have been a very different post. But my wonderful hubby put things into perspective. He also left me a wonderful little surprise this morning when he left for work at 5am.

Roses & Tea my 2 favourite things 

Monday 10 February 2014

Inspiration can be just down the road........

There are lots of people who inspire me in lots of different ways. But recently a good friend of mine has inspired me in a whole new way. Michelle is doing an amazing thing for no other reason then to help others. She has registered for the 'The Sunsuper Ride to Conquer Cancer' a 200km ride over 2 days in October. 

She is doing it because she wants to help and what better way then to raise money for research so they can find a cure for this horrible disease. She has her new bike and has started her training. She will be making her own sacrifices along the way.  Being is a mum of 3 amazing boys who also works on the family farm, training takes her time away from these two things that she loves. She is a fantastic hockey player and is (at this stage) giving up playing for the year incase she injures her knee and can't do the ride. But these are small compared to what those going through cancer and their families miss out on and give up. 

"As we know there are many people struggling with cancer today
and although I can offer help I just always feel like I can't do
enough. Until now. I'm not a scientist and can't find a cure on my
own, but I can and will be participating in an event called The
Sunsuper Ride to Conquer Cancer® benefiting the Harry Perkins
Institute of Medical Research, Western Australia’s premier adult
medical research institute. Through this event, I can help prevent
other families from having to struggle with this disease."
This is a quote from Michelle in an e mail she sent out to all her friend and family. 

On Sunday afternoon we returned from a quick day trip to Perth at 4:30pm and Michelle was riding her bike past our house. Given that our houses are almost 20km apart and it was 38degrees I was again inspired by her determination. So once the shopping was unpacked and it had cooled down a bit I went out for a run. I had a great run and ran further then I have for a long time. I am inspired to run again and to make it a part of my life. 

If ever I feel like I can't be bothered running I just need to think of what Michelle is doing and think about all those who would give anything to be able to be healthy and active. Or have their family members be out there running with them. It is such a great cause and I am so proud to call Michelle my friend and offer her all the support I can. 

If you would like to donate to her ride please follow the link below. Her aim is to raise $5000. I am sure she will raise this and much more.  



Monday 27 January 2014

Not everything is a COMPETITION!!!!

As with most of my posts I get the ideas when I am running. This morning I was running and I was going along quite nicely until I thought that I was going quite nicely then all of a sudden I thought 'I can't do this'. For a change my body was saying 'Yes this is good' and my head was saying 'Are you kidding me'. I pushed through and managed to cross the first thing off my 'To Do List' I ran 5km without stopping!!!


But it made me think of the internal dialogue that goes on in my head. Then I started thinking about how it's a competition between your head and your body. Then it made me think about competition. Now don't get me wrong I love good HEALTHY competition I can get white line fever with the best of them. But I am not a hugely competitive person off the field.

My brother is very competitive. Growing up you couldn't just go and play a bit of basketball it always turned into a game of 21 with full rules. And it was never just a hit of cricket it was an Ashes series. My brother in law is much the same. I have been running with him a couple of times but he doesn't quite get that I am just running to run and enjoy some me time. I am not in a race, I am not trying to run it as fast as I can. Yes it's great when you get a PB but for me it's not the be all and end all. I know he has the right intentions but just needs to chill out and realise that not everyone wants to run their fastest time or push themselves or run at his pace. The main thing is that you are out there moving and enjoying it.

The other competition that I am really OVER is the competition between people who are losing weight. I have read a few quotes which say something along the lines of "The only person you are competing with is yourself". This is SO true. Everyone loses weight at different rates. For some people it seems 'easy' for others it is a real struggle. You really can't compare yourself to someone else. I have been envious when I see other people's before and after pictures and even more envious when I see the time frame they have done it in. It inspires me and gives me a kick up the bum when I go to reach for an extra piece of toast or that afternoon snack. I am not competing with these people. I am travelling along side them cheering them on looking for inspiration to keep going. If they can do it then I can too.

I have a few friends who have lost weight in the past year or so. I am so happy for all of them. They have all done it in their own ways and I know it hasn't been easy for any of them. They have all put in the time and effort it takes to lose weight. I have not felt like I was in competition with any of them. We all had our own goals and our own way of reaching them. I have been the most public about it but that is what has worked for me.

My theory with weight loss is 'Each to their own'. There is no easy way out and as long as you are doing it through healthy channels then that is all that matters. It's not a one size fits all kind of thing. And even more importantly IT IS NOT A COMPETITION!!!!!!!

See these are the weird and random thoughts I have when running. Funny how you start thinking of one thing and it leads into something completely different. I hope this hasn't been too all over the place or preachy. It is a post I have been wanting to write for a while but never really knew how to put it into words.

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Getting my MOJO back.

So for the last 6 months I have felt like I was treading water and not really getting anywhere. My legs were getting tired and I was ready to give up. Someone must have thrown me a life jacket because I seem to have my MOJO BACK BABY! 

Actually no I bought some size 14 tops on the weekend without trying them on and when I got home and did try them on they were tight!!! I have noticed my clothes getting tighter but I was in denial. I have put on almost 5kg in the last few months. My lowest weight was 83kg.

I feel like my head is in the right place again and I am back to how I felt this time last year when I began this whole process. I am planning meals, exercising, setting goals, realistic goals with realistic time frames.

Weekly Menu Planner on the fridge
To Do List also on the fridge front and centre as a daily reminder
Using a smaller plate to control my portions

I feel like with school holidays and no real plans I have had the time to plan things out and get back on track. I have been menu planning and researching different things. I am going to do a  fortnightly menu plan and shop for that menu. I am hoping to stop those trips to the shops for a couple of things and $50 or $100 later you leave the shop. And more often then not it involves a 'little snack'. 

Here's to being more organised and back on track!!!!

CHEERS 

Monday 13 January 2014

2014 TO DO LIST

Well here it is my goal list for 2014!! It almost seems more like a to do list. Actually yep that's what I will call it.
MY 2014 TO DO LIST

1) Run 5km - At the moment I am really struggling with my running. My 5km walk/run go like this...Walk 1km, run 1km, walk 700m, run 1km, struggle to finish that km and then walk the rest of the way. I find it hard to believe that I used to easily run 10km a day. I know I can do it as this time last year I couldn't even run 1km. Time Frame: Mid March.

2) Get to 80kg - I have been saying this since August!!! As at today that is 7.9kg away. I want to do this in the next 12 weeks while I am doing the Symply Too Good 12 week mentoring programme. Time Frame: 12 weeks 7th April

3) Get to 75kg - This will put my total weight loss to just over 30kg. I started this time last year at 106.6. I would love to do this by my brithday. Which is 20 weeks away. Time Frame: 9th June

4) Get to 70kg - This is a hard one to put a time frame on. Knowing how this year went I am not sure what to put here. Soooooo I will say that I will commit to doing this by the end of September. This is when all my winter sport will finish and I can start the warmer weather feeling great. Time Frame: September

5) Run another Half Marathon - We are talking about running our local one again in October. But I am tossing up if I should do the City 2 Surf half. Only problem with this is it falls at the same time as hockey finals and I know how much commitment both of these activities take.

6) Drink more WATER - I have started but I am far from doing well at this.

7) Stop Snacking - This is something that has crept back in. I was really good at resisting snacking and picking off the kids plates but lately I can't help myself. I think one of the main reasons this happens is because we have stopped eating together as a family so I feed the kids at about 6pm and then we don't eat until about 7:30 once they have gone to bed. So while they are eating I am obviously hungry and picking. NO MORE!! Back to family meals.

8)Exercise 5 days a week - It's funny how during hockey season this was easy because I HAD to go to training 2 days a week. And I had to keep up the running on the other days. I also MADE the time to train for the half marathon. So I NEED to make time to exercise.

9) Be More Confident - I find it really hard to get used to my new figure. On the weekend I again wore bikini's on the beach. This time infront of people I knew and while there were other people on the beach. I even layed on the beach afterwards with my towel not completely covering me. But I still have a LONG way to go.

10) Less Couch Time - I am terrible for getting caught up either on here (computer) or watching TV. Especially if I am tired and have been up with a certain 2yr old all night or after a busy weekend I can spend my Mondays on the couch. So this year I am going to make more of an effort to get up and find other things to do. As my 2yr old is getting older I need to spend more time with her doing activities and entertaining her. I am sure once school starts in February she is really going to miss having her brother and sister home.

So there you go there is my plan for 2014. It feels like it has taken me forever to write this and if you have got this far then thank you for taking the time to read it.Hopefully I have put realistic time frames on everything. I think 2013 was a big learning experience and I feel confident that I now know what it takes to achieve my dreams. I also know what it is like to not quite meet your expectations.

 I am going to copy and laminate my list and stick it to the fridge as a constant reminder.


Wednesday 8 January 2014

Cutting through all the crap!!!

Well I have done it......................................I have signed up to do Symply Too Good 12 weeks mentoring programme.

I was tossing up what to do to kick start 2014 and after looking at various options I thought I would give this a try. I have 4 of these cookbooks and love that there are normal healthy family friendly recipes. Annette lost 35kg and has kept it off for 19years. She did this through making healthy changes to everyday meals. I like the idea of following someone who has been there, done that and keep it up (or off I should say).

There are so many programmes, diets & quick fixes out there that it can be hard to cut through the crap and find something that genuinely promotes good healthy weight loss. I am after a healthy lifestyle change and while I would love to lose the weight as quickly as possible (who wouldn't) I know that it isn't realistic. Also just because something works for one person doesn't mean it will work for another. It's all about finding out what works best for YOU.

In this whole 'journey' I am trying to cut through the bullshit and find what works for me. I figure if I try a few different things and take from them what works for me. I loved the 12WBT but I did find the menu plans hard to follow and far more involved then I was willing to commit to. I found some fantastic recipes that I still use now.

As far as exercise goes I am pretty happy to go it alone. Like with most things I know 'what' to do it's just a matter of actually doing it!!

So I will give this a try and let you know how it goes...................................


Sunday 5 January 2014

What do I want from 2014?????

What do I want from 2014??????? 

That's the million dollar question. On Friday it will be 1yr since I publicly stated on Facebook what I wanted to achieve in 2013. On Saturday it will be 1yr since I started this little old blog. So I will be spending this week looking at what I really want to achieve in 2014. 

We had a fantasticly busy festive season with all my family here for a few days over Christmas. Followed by a 50th celebration for New Years and then a wedding this weekend. Which has left very little time to reflect on my year and think about what I want to achieve this this year.

I know that I want to set big goals as well as mini goals to keep me going. I want to be realistic but also to challenge myself. I want to get back the drive and momentum I had 12 months ago. Where I chose water over diet coke. Where I chose salad over chips. Where I chose to exercise over watching TV. Where I knew that small changes would make big differences.

I am tempted to sign up for round 1 of Michelle Bridges 12WBT. I haven't decided yet if that's the path I want to take. I have however started to listen to the hypnotist recording again as I fully believe in everything he says. It's all common sense stuff. Calories in v's calories out.

So while I am working out where to go I will also look at how far I have come. The good, the bad and the ugly. The successes and the failures.


How do you set your goals? Do you achieve them?