Ohhhh SOOO rusty at this!! August 17, 2010

Well there WAS a time when I was considered the “Queen of the Blogs”  not so much anymore though.  It’s been a whole month and I haven’t blogged.. well spank me!!  lol

Ok so if you’re reading this for the first time go and read some previous ones  lol  and if this has popped up in your inbox.. thanks for subscribing!

I pulled/tweaked my hamstring last week being a stupid showoff.. my sparring partner was being cheeky and lifted the pads to my shoulder height to tease me… and I managed to kick them too!!  lol  But just as my PT said “be carefull…”

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  AND I had a Zumba class to go to that night too!!

M, my PT told me to rest till Monday so it would be ok, but Erin’s cough got worse over the weekend so it’s now Tuesday and I’m still at home having missed yesterday and this morning’s gym sessions.  And what about the Monday night Zumba classes I’ve picked up??.. well monster cramps took care of me wanting to go ANYWHERE near that!!

“BUT what about the Zumba discs you have in the lounge for you to do?” I hear you ask… did you not hear me say MONSTER CRAMPS??!!!  lol

So the upshot is .. a gain this week.. it will come off.  I’m still struggling to take back control of my mouth and my eating habits.   Jo mentioned Joy’s pearls of wisdom.. I deserve better than to fill myself up with sugar.  And with the help of a few great friends and fellow challengers I’m getting my butt sorted again..again..again..

So the Queen of falling off the wagon has dusted off her crown, hammered out the dents and is whistling the wagon to get on back here.. ’cause God help me!!  I’m along for the ride AGAIN!!!

Bex in 16′s  :( ( soon to be Bex in smaller jeans AGAIN!!)

An update…. July 16, 2010

It’s been a while, I seem to have lost my verve for blogging… too much getting it out on Facebook I suspect… I assume most people see it all on there!!  :)  After the Boot Camp with Phyllis (or the 112 Challenges as was mistakenly printed on the notice lol ) I got my fatter butt into gear and lost 1.7kg last week.  This week the gym has been shut down and despite regular walks, shuffles round the block, excercise sessions with the 3 kids ( Oh boy WHAT a mission) and even the odd DVD workout thrown in I really don’t think that I’m going to be repeating THAT spectacular number next week!  Monday the gym reopens.. I’ll be first in line when it does

I’m another year older tomorrow, I keep telling the kids I’m 3  and in some ways I am… well almost 2 actually.. I started the challenge in Oct 2008.  Sooo the healthier fitter me is almost 2 now.   lol

Bex

Holding steady at 108 June 18, 2010

Well, on Monday I got a phone call that re-rocked my world.  I’d laid a complaint in the early 90′s about a thing that happened to me as a young girl.  The police contacted me on Monday to see if I still wanted to go ahead as they’d now got a good idea where the  (insert rude words here) is.

ARRRRGHHHHHHHHH!!!  Yes I am going ahead with the prosecution, and as I’m a strong-willed woman I’ve decided that I don’t need chocolate (much) and won’t drink to help me through this.  Drinking helped a little with Dad but I need all my wits about me now  Plus, drinking and stuffing myself with chocolate got me up to 111kgs.  I weighed myself on Tues and again this morning (I know, once a week sigh) and I’m sitting on 108.

So, Monday I’m off to the gym again, I’ve almost managed to kick the cold I’ve got, I’m up to date with my supplements and almost back on top of my water consumption…. (pauses to swig on water bottle..  lol  )  See my halo??  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

So my line in the sand got scuffed a bit by circumstances out of my control… however, I didn’t go and get sloshed nor stuff my face completely with chocolate!!  Yay!!  I’m getting there!

We’re getting the bookings made for the big ride in January now, and looking at backpacks and riding gear for the winter so we can still all go out and keep up some level of fitness.  Every now and again I think,”Hang on… I HAVE to go tramping before that!”  :( sigh.  Steve’s 40th present from me is an overnight tramp.  I hate tramping, even more than I hate celery!!!!  lol And I agreed to go on this tramp only because it’s his 40th.  If it were any other birthday he’d be outta luck!!!

I’m planning to go for a ride tomorrow with Steve and the kids too, I haven’t been on a ride since before I had my legs done, should be good

Catch you later

Bex

Ok, that’s over with… June 13, 2010

Well my Dad passed away on June 6th. I was able to,with the help of many friends, spend the last week of his life with him in Wellington.  I ate, I drank, and was, at times, VERY merry.  He passed, surrounded by people who loved him and whom he loved in return.

His funeral was a true testimony to him and his diverse range of interests and family.  He was a biker, and a till his health failed him LOVED his Harley.  He was escorted to the Crematorium by at least 50 Harleys and It was AWESOME to see, hear and feel.

I’ve not weighed myself yet… and don’t think I will for a while, the clothing I took up for the funeral had to be replaced by some new and, unfortunately large,r clothing.  I’m done with the guilt.. the recriminations and the bad self talk about “letting Dad down” by eating uncontrollably.

I’ve come down with a sore throat so no gym tomorrow, possibly for the rest of the week.  However and Steve’s watching me type this too, NOW is the time to stop.  So you… my faithful followers and friends are witness to this, it all STOPS here.

As of tomorrow morning I’m “unpacking” my Challenge kit as if for the first time, I’m back on the challenge and looking forward to the detoxing… yes I said that LOOKING FORWARD to the detoxing.  (Shakes head) Yeah, I know it sounds crazy… but if I’m detoxing… I’m doing it right!

Looking forward to continuing the journey with you .

Bex in larger jeans

Soon to  be smaller Jeans

YAY I’m back to the gym!!! May 27, 2010

I’m about to head out the door for my regular 3rd day of gym for the week.  My whole aspect on life has changed again.  I’m still waiting for the call from Wellington, still checking the airlines every morning to see what flights are available, and still mentally rearranging my days to go when I have to… BUT (and Oh MY has my BUTT gotten big!) I’m in a better headspace.  I’m not so stressed nor felling depressed.

I tell you just what I am feeling is though, my abs, my glutes, thighs, deltiods, etc  lol  get the drift!!  :)

Thanks everyone for the support.. I really appreciate it.  I’ve been wandering in the wilderness of my own making, and thanks to those who’ve flung me lifelines

Confession time.. I now weigh 105 kg.  I’ve put on 15kg since November.  I’m going to loose it by November too!!  6 months.  Watch this space.

Waiting, waiting, waiting…. May 6, 2010

I’ve made the decision to book tickets to go to Wellington to see Dad despite the fact the he could die any day now.  I’m going up for his birthday on the 17th.  Feeling a little jealous because my aunt is going tonight (Thursday)!!  lol

I’ve also made the decision that although we’re on “hold’ I’m still going to carry on with life as normal.  It was driving me nuts just hanging round waiting.  I’m half planning how I’m going to handle every situation where ever I am, at the library, shopping, at school… planning what I’m going to do when I get the call.

Do I leave the kids at school? Go home pack for them and me while leaving Steve to book tickets?  Bring them back home? Who do I  call first (Mum {separated from Dad for well over 30 years}, brother who’s taking the funeral, sister, brother in Oz)?  Do I call my brother who’s a chef in Australia?  What’s the time difference?  Is my sister going to want a lift to Wellington?   SEE!! it’s doing my head in!!

What I HAVE done is packed a bag with the kids clothes in it for the funeral.  I’m keeping my clothes ready in another bag and ready to head off, all the while doing my (almost) normal routine while my legs are almost healed.

There’s always washing to be done, dishes, meals etc to organise, next week I’m getting back to Playcentre with Lachy, rooms to tidy and vacuuming to be done, normal routine life.  I’m finding I’m coping a lot better now that when I first got the shock of seeing how bad he was.  I’m in constant contact and getting regular updates from Dad’s wife

Life goes on and as  lots of people have said to me  Dad wouldn’t want me to go and wreck all the great work I’ve put into getting myself healthy and fit.  Time to get back on the wagon.

Bex

Just a Quickie… May 3, 2010

Hi all, just a quick note to say I’m still here, healing well… brilliantly coloured still and boy oh boy am I ITCHYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dad is still holding on, though he’s getting weaker and weaker.  I’m heading back to Wellington for his Birthday 17th May.  I’m hoping to surprise him for the day  We’re living kind of half packed at the moment.. I’m not promising to be anywhere at the moment as it looks like Dad could go at any time in the next few weeks.  Ant plans are made on the proviso that they could be abandoned as soon as I get the call.

I’m still not eating 100% on the program nor  even 80.  I’m much closer to 70, getting a great breakfast and lunch in then falling away come dinner time.  I’m not perfect, I’m no angel… but I’m working on it all the time

I’m really looking forward to my legs being pain free and being able to start more of the exercise I’m used to.  At present the muscles in my inner thighs are purple and I feel like I’ve pulled them… that’s why I’m not walking as much or running lol  Looking forward to THAT being gone!!  lol

I’m LOVING being able to get into the chat room and listen to the calls too

Bex in compression tights and slightly saggier jeans

Forget Joseph!!…. April 23, 2010

I have the most technicoloured legs out!!  The surgeon drew on my legs with Vivid, just to make sure he had the right veins, and I joked with him that I’d better not let Lachy see them or he’d start drawing on them too!!  lol  That was Tuesday, tonight, Friday, well!!  I’m impressive to say the least!!

Soooooo looking forward to the finished product

So as to Damian’s question, what would I have done differently, I like Joy, would’ve asked for help, and much sooner, I would’ve listened when the advice was given and acted on it.  I would forgive more and let more things go.  I’d move more love more and hate less.  I’d start to treat myself the way I deserve to be treated as a woman who is worthy of love, who has an opinion that matters, who is worth being around and listening to.

I had a good friend tell me last night that I’m much ‘softer’ now, I’m not protecting myself so much anymore.  I’m trusting more, and trusting myself to say what I want and what I need.  I’m also learning to look to myself for the answers, to be my own expert, rather than finding a “big person’ in my life to slavishly follow.

I no longer seek approval, well not as MUCH!!  lol  It’s still nice to know that you are appreciated and loved    I really appreciate the comments you ladies (and the odd guy) have left on here for me, I appreciate the support and encouragement, it means a lot to me

I’m feelin the love

Bex in compression tights tonight (and on the way to smaller jeans!)

New legs tomorrow… April 19, 2010

I’m off to Hospital to have my legs “Done” tomorrow, bit nervous really.  I’ve not been feeling the greatest in the leg department for the last few months.  They’ve not actually hurt until recently (the varicose veins) But that’s all going to change

I’ll have to walk for at least 30 mins a day over and above my normal walking around the house so I’m told.  Recovery is about 10 days, Steve’s taking the rest of the week off to help out at home.

We went off to Wellington last week to see Dad again, the cancer is progressing at an alarming rate, he doesn’t think he’ll last another month.  We discussed his wishes, and he told me about the arrangements he’s made.  Although it was a fraught and sad time I was eerily calm and nowhere near as emotionally fragile as I had expected to be.  I didn’t get drunk ( did eat lots though) and sadly I didn’t do much excercise either.

So, Now I’m on Broadband I’m going to be able to listen in to the calls   Yay!!!! (not tomorrow’s one though but that’s the Power of Food Seminar & I’ve been to 3 of them )now the operation will be over there’s nothing stopping me relaunching myself!!

Time to start again from scratch, cut out the things that I’ve added in to my eating as I’ve sadly got the taste for chocolate again ( not even the 80% cocoa stuff, the unhealthy stuff ) One small victory for me and my taste buds is that I’ve kicked the coke habit… lol  the COKE cola habit!  lol

I’ve downloaded the calls I missed with being on Dialup when the format for the webcasts changed, and I’m planning to take my iPOD with me tomorrow and listen to them in hospital

I’m missing my routine of excercise and missing how great I felt about myself, I’ve put on weight and some of my jeans no longer fit me!!  EKKKKK Time to shift arse again!!  I can see how the foods that I’ve started to add in are affecting me, I have black/purple bags under my eyes again and my skin is breaking out.  All signs I’m abusing my temple!!  Time to clear it out and get it pure again!

Watch this space for a better report next time

Bex

I’m such a wuss! November 26, 2008

I’m heading to the gym tomorrow, dragging my heels, not just because I have to take my sick 8 year old with me (she has the sniffles) but because we’re doing the dreaded ladder.

My trainer, who I’ve been with for at least 3 years on and off, brings this one out at the end of each term as she’s increased out cardio warm ups weekly and intensity of follow up work outs.  She lays a fabric ladder on the floor to set out the length of our stride.  we start with doing press ups in each rung hole (along the side) and move over two spaces till we get to the end.  repeat 3 times.  then we do lunges two rungs apart 3x (that’s not so bad as I’m 6 foot tall with long legs) then squats in each rung 3x.  (feeling sympathetic yet?)  then squat jumps over one rung 3x then we go sideways, step in and out of each rung at a run 3x. There’s more but I’ve forgotten it (or blanked it out) lol

It’s a killer workout.  the next day we can’t get our sore asses on the loo cause it hurts so much.  and the way our routine’s set up at the moment I”M DOING IT AGAIN ON MONDAY! 

But, I keep telling myself, I paid to have this privilege.  I’m getting a smaller pair of jeans…  OUCH, moan groan, smaller jeans, ouch, smaller jeans..

I constantly remind myself that everytime I do this it hurts less as the muscles are used to it..  That’s what I keep telling myself!  Smaller jeans, and did I mention smaller jeans?

Keep smiling!

Bex

First out of the gate. November 21, 2008

Well here it is..  my first foray into the world of blogging.  This Challenge has had me learn several new skills in the last week, as we all have, the technical ones to say the least.  The iPOD, heart rate monitor, down loading stuff, blogging, oh and not to mention the eating….  isn’t that why we’re all here?

Today’s my, (I should say our) 16th wedding anniversary, and I got the most romantic day and two kind of romantic gifts, a sports bra and a new pair of running shoes!  Ain’t that all you ever wanted girls!  We’re heading over to Diamond Harbour tomorrow…  no diamonds for me though!  I get to go for a walk in the park!  Oh well, at least this way I’ll be around for the next 16 (and more) anniversaries.  And I’ll be able to see the kids grow up as well as keep up with them!

That’s it for starters.

Bex.

Laddered out! November 26, 2008

Well I did it, got one Ladder out of the way, smaller jeans, smaller jeans, not feeling the effects of it yet but I know I will!  I’m optimistically hoping that since I’ve done it before that it won’t be THAT bad…  I live in hope ( smaller jeans, smaller jeans! lol) 

I think I’ve got the hang of blogging too, as long as you tick the box that says “Stick this blog to the front page”  EVERY TIME the newest one goes at the top.  So if you want to read my blogs in order you’ll have to check the date of the first 3 or 4 cause they’re out of order.  Ya learn a new thing every day!  I’m still trying to work out how to get the clock accurate, and find a weight slider like a few others have as well…. and find a page that I like, I think this green one I started out with may be just a tad too green…  a little lurid!

But it’s fun! Ain’t it?

Bex

A big busy weekend and a Ladder tomorrow! November 29, 2008

Wow, Saturday was busy, sort of..  My Husband, Steve, had a birthday and was at a conference from 9 till 3.  I had a messy house, 3 grumpy kids and an expectation that I would get his birthday cake made and down to him at church for 12:30.  I checked the ingredients, and because Steve can’t tell one nut from another I had to go get half the ingredients first.  (he thought the Hazelnuts were Macadamias and it needed pineapple, ginger, icing sugar…)  Anyhoo, he’d alsoleft his lunch behind, and our son needed to go to bed.  So I got the ingredients, got the cake in the oven then delivered the lunch (minus cake to everyones disappointment) then got Lachlan to bed.  Then the girls and I started to tidy, thier grudging help procured by the threat of NOT going to Christmas in the Park that night.  Steve’d already said he didn’t want to go and would stay home with Lachlan.

Man they were grumpy!  anyway they managed to get the toys up and I vacummed and mopped then I’d said to them that we weren’t going because they’d spent the whole afternoon SCREAMING at each other.

Steve comes home 10 minutes later andsays he wants to go now! ARRGGGHHHHHHHH  Lucky for him I hadn’t told out friend that we weren’t coming yet so she still had spaces saved for us!  Anyhoo, I turned into TURBO MUM, made bacon avocado and salad wraps, got drinks sorted, santa hats found, while Steve got the rest of the paraphernalia a family with a small child needs to spend 6 hours at the concert would need.  All this whilst the girls’d given Dad his cards they’d made and we’d all sampled the cake  which was YUMMY!

So we got there, he took the kids for a swim  (aaawwww) and I sat and yacked to our friends.  Then they came back, we ate, the girls wriggled around the Boy climbed all over me (who needs a jungle gym when you’ve got MUM?)  then the concert started.

You may be wondering where this dialogue is rambling off to..  there is a point to it I assure you!  Usually when we’re at a thing like this, the first thing I do is stock up on Coke and head for the hot chips, and back again a few hours later.  Well this tine I didn’t take any Coke.  And I didn’t have any hot chips!  Smaller jeans, smaller jeans!  lol  Steve even commented on  the fact that I’d not gone for the chips!  And some friends of friends noticed the slimmer version of me!  Nice.

I’m sticking to the life change and of for another ladder tomorrow!  Yay me!

 

P.S.  Did you lot know that there are 27 odd bloggs set up and only about 7 of us actually doing them so far?  GET ON WITH IT!!!!

BEX.

BYE BYE Ladder! December 1, 2008

Well I did it again today!  Yay me!.  Funnily enough it didn’t hurt as much as it did the first i’d done it 4 weeks ago.  That’s cause the muscles’ve gotten used to it my trainer tells me (not cause I’d been wimping out!)  I said to Steve that I wasn’t feeling too bad on Thursday night but was expecting it to creep up on me on Fri.  Well Friday night there was some stiffness but it was gone on Saturday but I’d other things on my mind then!  It wasn’t till I was in bed last night that I realised I wasn’t sore.  Nice.  But I did it again today, and added some stairwalking to it too.  Now THAT’S going to twinge later! But… smaller jeans!

The gym closes for the holidays on Thursday next week and I have to do something else. I’m not going to join another gym for two months so I have to be motivated and keep up my own programme.  I’m going to ask my trainer to set up a programme for me to follow.  I can’t just stop…  that would be a disaster!

I do have a mountain bike with a child seat on the back but will have to strap Lachlan in who doesn’t like it and screams the whole time.  That’s motivation for some HIT ain’t it!  I might ask some friends if they’d like an extra child for an hour a morning!

I’m mad at myself for eating at the three birthday parties we had yesterday.  Cream puffs at one and scones with cream on them at another.  I’m out for a walk tonight.  Lachlan (17mths) is Dairy Intolerant and has just weaned himself 2 weeks ago.  So for the past 2 years I’ve been dairy free so it wouldn’t pass through my breast milk and make him scream with stomach cramps all night, now he’s not feeding any more the most important reason I had for not eating dairy has been removed, and now I don’t consider myself important enough to actually stop because it’s no good for my weight loss.

See what I have to contend with!  sometimes I just want to slap myself and say “Get your S##T together woman!”  I’m worth it.  One part of me sees it, why can’t the other?! (unfortunately the part that can’t see it is often in charge of the hands that are stuffing the food in my gob!)  Don’t you just want to kick me?  I DO!

Here’s looking forward to my walk tonight and my next gym session tomorrow morning and no more split opinions! 

Smaller jeans everyone!

Bex

Tiny loss! December 2, 2008

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!  only 200grms lost!  I’m gutted!  Well, that goes to show you just how much weight cream puffs and scones with cream and jam on can cost you!  I’ve also been having slices of the birthday cake too, but I’d thought with all the fruit and nuts it it would’ve been ok.  Well I was wrong wasn’t I.

The practice nurse where I’ve been weighing myself weekly for the last 3 years is proud of the change in me.  She pointed out that in the past i would’ve eaten at least 6-8 of each of the forementioned items not just 2.  Still had an impact on my loss though.

My shorts are fitting better this week and she pointed out that muscle weighs more than flab so not to get too down on myself.  I think she was trying to head off a binge cycle too.  I have binged though, I’ve drank a whole bottle of water since I got home from the Doc’s!  lol.

I’ve a meeting with the naturopath tonight (as have some others) but it’s at 5pm.  Not a good time but needs must.  Steve’s going to leave work early so I don’t have to subject the other 3 I’m meeting with tonight to my three kids.  Ain’t he sweet!

My middle child announced that she was going to be sick in the middle of breakfast this morning so I’ve kept her at home, now at 10.30 she’s suddenly fine, doesn’t feel like throwing up at all and would like her breakfast thank you very much!  I’d planned to go for a power walk this morning and now can’t go just in case she actually does throw up!  I’m in the middle of stripping beds and am about to put on some loud music and vacuum and mop, that’s a good start for some exercise!.  I might do some step ups on the porch later too.  I can always go for a walk after our meeting.  I’m also around tossing the idea of listening in on the call tonight too.  We’ll see.

Later.

Bex

 

An Addendum…

Middle Child (bless her canniving heart) just wanted to stay home and play, so by lunchtime I’d got her uniform on her and pushed her out the car door as I sped past the school gates…  well not quite like that but I did have her at school by 12.  then had my lunch, and went for a walk around the Travis wetlands…  at 1pm… on a sunny day in 25degree heat, what am I insane!!  Any hoo I DID get some exercise in after all.  And ‘gatecrashed’ the call.  (I think Damian’s accent is cute, that’s my excuse.  And Steve can listen too so we’re on the same page when he needs to remind me that I DO know this stuff… I can’t say I don’t know anymore!)  So I’ve had the BIA explained twice to me now.. does that mean I only have to listen to the call on my iPOD three more times or four… i wonder…  Nice to meet most of the Christchurch crew,(one was missing) and to meet our nutricionist who is gifting us his time.  awww ain’t that sweet!  We appreciate that! 

Off to the gym tomorrow… no ladder Yay..  it could be something just as hard though!

Smaller jeans everyone!

Bex.

Tummies today! December 4, 2008

Well I discovered one reason for the small loss late last night.  Then we did tummies and arms at the gym today.  My poor tummy has been cramping all day and not just from the exercise if you know what I mean!  My eating’s been good today, drinking not optimal but I’ve polished off 4 750ml Pump bottles. and I’m on the 5th.  It’s been stinking hot in Christchurch today, 26 degrees at 6:45 was the last time I looked.

Alannah (middle child who cried wolf, or should that be ralph? lol) went to school with nary a whimper this morning, but Lachlan couldn’t settle till 11:30 last night.  Poor wee man woke up covered in dried snot (EEEEWWWWWW!)  and has been sneezing, that required a few phone calls so I could leave him with a different friend than normal today whilst I was at the gym.  Man am I blessed with great friends who’ll happily watch my kids!  I return the favour too.

Listening to Damian last night was interesting, and I must admit that when he said that 6 to 8 kg of skeletal muscle was optimal (or something to that effect) my eyebrows rise into my hairline.  Steve was writing notes on my BIA results and he laughed.  you see I’m the one who asked what does having more that 8 kg mean for me… I’ve got 9.25.  I’m just on 6 foot tall and yes I’ve got a large frame. Whew  it’s ok he said.  I was having wild thoughts of having to reduce the skeletal mass somehow… cut off an arm perhaps?  lol.

No gym tomorrow so off for a walk!

Bex

Snotsville! December 8, 2008

Lachlan’s been sick since Thursday, we’ve gone through 2 boxes of tissues so far and counting…  He slept from 9:30 till 2:30 on Friday, the house was spotless!  Then he was out of action on Saturday and Steve was away on Sunday leaving me at home with 3 sick kids on Sunday!  So I did house work on Fri, Walked a little on Saturday and sat on my kiester on Sunday in between separating the girls and wiping snotty noses.  They were all still a little snotty this morning but I know there’s no other kids at the gym today so I took  ‘em with me!

I have a tendency to eat when the kids are sick, I don’t really know why.  Or should I say I’ve never actually thought about it.  I suspect that it’s a coping mechanism, sick needy kids and a frazzzled Mum.  Maybe I’m medicating myself?  A psychiatrist would have a field day with me I’m sure!

Anyway, I’ve found the last few weeks interesting, terrifying, enlightening, inspiring and expensive.  I’m having trouble with the cost of the vege’s and yes I’ve considered a garden… the list of excuses it too long to start now!  Why does eating fresh wholesome veges cost so darned much!  Anyhoo mustn’t moan (too much)

I’m feeling proud of myself in some areas of my journey and not so in others… I’ve asked my trainer for a programme to follow while she’s closed over the holidays, and to borrow some of her equipment.  One of my friends (the same one who looks after Lachlan while I’m at the gym) has some gym equipment in her garage so I’m going to ask her if I can use that… and do the stuff on the programme, and take it with me when we go away after Christmas.  That’s the plan.  Now you know about it too so ask me how I’m going once in a while!

It’s nice to see a few more blogs up and going too.  Keep at it.

Just something for a laugh….  I did some weeding of the cobblestones today ..(that in itself is worth a laugh!) but when I stood up  my jeans stayed down!  Around my ankles that is!  I’d washed my 18′s so was wearing my 20′s and they fell off me!  LOL  maybe I should do some more weeding and see if the kilos fall off too!!!!

SMALLER JEANS!

Bex.

A bigger loss that expected but more than I deserve. December 10, 2008

I’ve been eating chocolate, I ‘fessed to Damian last night.  He’s not happy with me, I’m not happy with me and Steve’s not happy with me.  I’ve lost 7oo grams this week and it’s more than I should’ve so I feel like I’ve been given a reprieve.  And I mustn’t stuff it up.

I’m doing the excises, less that I want but there’s been little time where Steve and I are actually together the last few weeks for me to leave the kids with him so I can do extra.  The days I’ve had sick kids at home I could do some more but I’ve gotten in the habit of doing housework and then playing on the computer or reading.  I need a few ideas for exercises to do at home.  The girls’ skipping ropes are too short, I need to get my own.  and there’s only so many times I can run around the house!  I can do step ups on the porch… and vacuum and mop and hang washing on the line…  any more idea’s?

It’s my last gym session tomorrow.. I’m sacred.  I know that in the past I’ve just sat on my keister and not done anything over the holidays, (my trainer had 2 boys so she shuts down over the holidays) so I have to do something myself.  I’ve done a few walks by myself and will be roping in a few friends to do more and following the plan worked out by my trainer. 

I know it’s coming off, I just need to stop shooting myself in the foot and believe that I’m worth it.

Daniam(bless him) gave me an alternative to my chocolate cravings but it’s full of  artificial sweeteners so I’ll steer clear of that and limit myself to what Phyllis calls the “God” bite.  That’ll limit my chocolate consumption even more as I’ll only eat it when Steve’s got some and he doesn’t hear it’s siren call like I can.  (lucky guy!)

Good to see more blogs being used.

Keep it up!

Smaller, much smaller jeans everyone.

Bex

A busy few days. December 14, 2008

I’ve had a headcold for the last 9 days, runny nose and headaches.  I’ve had the girls off school with it on different days too BUT I’ve been exercising as well.  Not as much as I think I should’ve been but I’m still doing it.  Thursday was my last gym session till mid Jan.  I’ve set things in motion there.  And instead of taking the car to drop off the girls at various things in the past two weekends I’ve been walking them.  Yay me.  I’m working hard on the chocolate business, and Steve FINALLY made me breakfast.  A week of small wins!

It’s been great reading other peoples blogs and having a laugh with some of them and a cry with others. I really appreciate the honesty others are showing and the support we’re giving each other.  It’s heart warming to read.

My challenge for tomorrow is to do the shopping.  May not seem too big a deal for some but it is really for me… You see We get paid monthly and I’m cr#p at budgeting.  I buy the cleaners, nappies etc for the month in one go and then the food for the first week.  this shop’s normally… wait for it…$600.    Then there’s the stuff at the health food shop… $100 and filling up my car $100 and then there’s more… and more… and more.  Anyhoo, I’ve gotten into the habit of having Mac’s for lunch after doing the BIG shop to cope with the amount of money I’ve just spent… (hey I never said I was sane did I?) and the stress of knowing that we’re going to be on the bones of our arses for the next 3 weeks.  And to cope with the stress I buy some chocolate to make myself feel better then freak out again about spending the money on chocolate for ME , then buy something else to make myself feel better, then freak out about the money then ….   SEE WHERE I”M GOING?????

So I’m going shopping tomorrow armed with a shopping list, and the knowledge that petrol costs’ve gone down, and this month the mortgage payment was less and we’ve only got 3 birthday’s to do  (2 to go to and buy presents for and one to have here at home) before the next pay and am surprisingly NOT so stressed.   Yes Christmas is in there too and we’re off for a weeks holiday in Nelson and there’s Alannah’s birthday too but we’re prepared.  I’ve been putting away Christmas club vouchers all year and they’ll cover Alannah’s party food so I’m sweet.

Now all I have to do is keep the excises going and my halo should be shining so bright that my family’ll need shades!

 

I was babysitting for a friend last night and her husband who hasn’t seen me for 3 weeks told me it’s time to go shopping for some new clothes as I look like I’m wearing my Mum’s clothes like a kid would for dressups!  I hope he wasn’t commenting on my fashion sense rather that I’m wearing clothes that’re 4 sizes too BIG.  You know that song “all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth”?  Well all I want for Christmas is two new Tees.  Preferably in my size! lol  Nice of him to notice though!

That’s enough for now.

No chocolate for me!

Smaller jeans

Bex

Resistance training December 17, 2008

I did some resistance training on Monday…  pushing a shopping trolley loaded to the gunnels and walking past the Coke, chips, chocolate, brandy snaps, Christmas cakes…  Now THAT’S resistance! 

Tuesday morning I strapped Lachlan into the kiddy bike seat and went for a bike ride with Steve.  Ok it was only on the road, (we’re both mountain bikers) but I’d not ridden with an extra 10 kgs on the back for a while.  I kept up a steady 15km speed (on Steve’s bike computer) and we rode for 50 minutes.  I forgot to put on my heart rate monitor though!  Oh well.  I’ve also got that programme from my trainer and the gym equipment.  I’ve had to borrow a skipping rope ’cause the girl’s ones are too short!  Lachlan’s been pulling the rope around using the handle as a microphone!

I’m pleased with this weeks loss for once and I feel like I’ve earnt it FINALLY!

Smaller jeans.

Keep up the great work.  It’s nice to hear and see more stories too!

Bex

“Look Mum! There’s a loony!” December 18, 2008

When I blogged about taking Lachlan on the bike I neglected to mention that he’s 18 months and OBSESSED by trucks and ducks.  Unfortunately he always misses the first consonant sound and often (quite often) all that is heard is “UCK!  uck. Uck!”  So when I’m walking him in the stroller it’s quite obvious that I’m talking to him saying “truck” or “Look at the ducks” as you can see the stroller in front of me, however…  when you see me coming at you on the bike and my son is eclipsed by my magnificence (snicker snicker) I must look and sound quite loony.  “Look there’s a truck!”  as if I were pointing it out to you.  On Tuesday, Steve was accompanying us so he had my water bottle and Lachlan’s sipper cup in his bike backpack. ( And just as a side note, I was stuffed by the ride and he said he could’ve gone all day at the speed I was going! Cheek!)

Anyhoo… this morning there was no accompanying male to put the sipper cup in his bag, and I can’t wear it cause it’d hit Lachlan in the head.  I don’t have panniers or a basket on the front. ( I even had to put the house key in my bra strap!)  I don’t have clothing to wear on the bike that has pockets obviously!  However I do have a cage on the bar to put my water bottle in.  Well today I put my son first and sacrificed my bottle cage to my son’s sipper cup!

So what a sight (and sound) I must’ve been! 

Mountain bike? Check! 

Helmet? Check! 

Biking gloves? Check! 

Sunglasses? Check! 

Bike Pants? Check!

Super duper sweat wicking exercise top? Check!

Gym shoes? Check! 

Sipper cup? Check!  What! 

Sipper cup!  Double check! 

And all the while she goes, ”Ohh Look at the truck…duck..bus..dog!”

Ergo……

“Look Mum! There’s a loony”

Hope you’ve exercised your funny bone reading this, I sure have!

Bex

Merry (very merry hic!) Crisshmasss! December 24, 2008

Well I’ve had my first gain.  And it’s a boozy!  2kg.  So much for my planning over Steve’s work do.  I ended up drunk. I’ve NEVER been drunk in my life!  I had 6 200ml bottles of Linduer Fraise. ( I can hear Damian saying “Bex what are you doing!”)  Every time I had a glass of water and put it down on the table and looked away it got emptied.  Still no-one was forcing me to drink the wine.  Steve did tell me I was cheating every time I had a glass of water, but as I said I was doing the swallowing!

So what now?  Well I’ve kept up the eating as per the programme, Phyllis said that an overindulgence will stop your weight loss for 7 days so I figure that on Saturday it’ll fall off as I’ve been eating really well since Sunday morning.

Even though I’ve got the exercise equipment at home I’m finding it a lot harder than going to the gym.  But I’m keeping going.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas and a happy New year.  We’re off to Nelson on Saturday so no weigh in for me for two weeks.  and It should be all off by then, and then some!

I’m baaaa-aack! January 4, 2009

Hello, miss me?  We had a blast in Nelson.  Not too much eating off the programme, fish and chips one night but I proceeded it with a massive salad of greens, red onion, capsicum, avocado, feta, and cucumber.  MMMMM  much nicer than the fish and chips.  I had 5 chips, I know ’cause not only I counted them but Steve and the girls did too!

We had pizza one night too,  thin crust, that’s it’s only nod to being healthy I think!

We spent time on the beach at Tahunanui, and also drove to Kaiteretere.

We also went to the Centre of New Zealand.  Up and up and up and up!  I pushed Lachlan in the stroller.  He’s 11kg, the stroller’s 9 and I had 5 750ml full water bottles in the stroller too.  No wonder I looked like I’d run a marathon when I got up there!  Lots of people doing the same walk commented on how hard it was, and even harder with a stroller!  Steve would’ve pushed it if I’d let him but I wanted to do it myself!  and I did. 

Two days later we went for what we thought would be an hours walk around the airport’s perimeter fence, half way round the nice paved walkway stops and you’re left with this nice rutted track in springy grass that ups the resistance nicely (sarcasm there folks!)  it took 2 hours and the girls were staggering by the time we got back to the house where we were staying. We’d left at 10am and it was a lovely sunny day too, 25 deg  which made it a bit harder for them too , poor things.

I did no programmed exercises but we did do a lot of walking to the beach, chasing Lachlan along the beach, round the animal park etc.  So with my eating mostly on track and some intensive walking on those two occasions I’m quietly optimistic.

I’ll weigh myself on Wednesday and see what damage I’ve done.  Forward from here!.  Well done to those who managed to loose weight and those who stayed the same, I, who’ve gained, salute you!

Bex.

Whew! It came off! January 7, 2009

Yay it came off! That boozy doozy of a 2kg gain came off!  Yay!  A loss of 2.1kg this week, or should I say past 2 weeks. 

I’ve been a real slack arse and not actually used the exercise equipment that I’ve borrowed, and have only been for a few walks. But it’s come off.  I can just hear Damian and Phyllis telling me to get of my chuff and do some more exercise!  This week I’ve got Steve home so I can leave the kids with him and go for a walk.  I did take the girls with me to go to the Doc’s to weigh in this morning and they rode their scooters, I power walked into a nor’wester!  (for those of you who haven’t experienced a Chrictchurch Nor’wester, well it’s HOT and blustery) plenty of resistance there!. It’s gusting to 50 km’s and at 9:00 am it’s 25 deg today.

Tomorrow is Alannah’s 6th birthday, and instead of going to McDonalds for dinner, we’ve changed our eating to such a degree that she CHOSE to have chicken wraps for her birthday tea!  Ain’t that something!  We’re having her party on Saturday and she’s chosen 2 “junk foods” (her words, they’re doing this at school too) and 4 “healthy choices”.  She chose water over juice or fizzy, and asked for fruit kebabs with grapes, watermelon, pineapple and marshmallows.

So this programme is having an impact on my whole family, the nurse who’s been weighing me every week for the last 3 years and watched my struggles told me this morning that in the last few months she’s noticed a real difference in my bodyshape.  I have more energy, and less pimples! 

And guess what?  I need SMALLER JEANS!!!

Haha

Bex.

Penance for eating at McDonald’s January 9, 2009

Well so much for not eating McD’s.  We went to Lollipops Playland and the kids had a blast.  Then at 1pm in 35 degree heat we went to McDonalds for lunch.  We then came home and sat around panting and sweating and spraying each other with a spray gun until about 3:30.  Then I did my penance.

We’re in the process of building a playhouse, well Steve is.  It ‘s been along time coming and he’s decided to build it now, well, it has a concrete floor.  I should say it’s GOING to have a concrete floor… It’s quite a big one.  18 square meters.  Each load of concrete is mixed in a wheel barrow, 7 shovels of builders mix, 1 of concrete, and 2.75 liters of water and mix.  We aren’t hiring a concrete mixer, and it all being done by hand.  Steve’s done 6 loads, I’ve done 10.  Each load only does 1/4 of a square meter.  That’s my penance, and there’s more to do today in 35 – 40 degree heat.  Well if anything it’s working that McD’s off!

And on a lighter note… I’m having no problems having my water allocation for the day either!  funny that!

Cooler weather and smaller Jeans!

Bex.

I’ve lost 10 minutes! January 12, 2009

Shall I explain that?  I’ve been walking around the Travis wetlands here in Christchurch, pushing Lachlan in the stroller.  The last time I did it it took me 60 minutes.  This time it took me 50!  I’ve been worried that I haven’t been keeping my level of fitness up with my sporadic and varied methods of exercising.  This is confirmation that I haven’t done damage.  Now I just need to do it again and again and something else and some more and…  you get the picture!  My gym opens on Monday next week and I’ll be standing outside the door waiting.  I’ve discovered that if I have to go somewhere to do the excersise that I’m more likely to actually DO it.  I’ve had the stuff here and I’ve only touched it to vacuum under it.  I’ve also recovered from mixing the 20 wheelbarrows of cement, and much faster that I expected to, I must be fitter that I think!

I’m looking foward to Wednesday and being weighed and seeing the other Christchurch Challengers.

More later.

Bex

Yay smaller jeans and boo a 2.1 kg GAIN January 14, 2009

Well I’ve had another gain, put back on the 2.1 kg I lost last week.  But weirdly can now fit into a pair of shorts that I couldn’t fit last week.

I know what I’ve done to put on the 2.1kg this week.  and I know how to get it off.  I’ve just done some skipping with my eldest daughter and some pushups with my 18 month old son and some situps with a medicine ball and my youngest daughter.  Now they’re all trying to do the lateral crunches on the mat.

I’m heading off for the Wetlands walk again tomorrow morning before going to do the monthly shop  and take Lachlan for his first haircut.  should be fun.

So, I got my smaller jeans, just not with an accompanying loss.

Bex.

Yayhooo! the gym opens tonight!!!! January 19, 2009

My husband heard me say that to a friend this morning and he lookedat me and said “Who ARE you and what have you done with Rebecca?”  lol

I can’t wait for the gym tonight.  I NEVER thought I’d say that EVER, and never thought I’d get below 120kg.  I bumped into another friend today while I was going for a walk with my kids, them on scooters and Lachlan in the pram (resistance training!  That thing weighs 20kgs) she asked me how much I’d lost and was amazed when I told her how much I weighed now.  We’ve had many a conversation on weight, and knows how hard I worked to loose weight to have Lachlan.  I’d said I’d be ecstatic at 125.  Now I’ve passed that by 10 kg.  I’m delirious.

I’ve been doing something everyday since Wednesday, and I’m determined to keep that going.  Only 2 weeks till school starts back then I can get back into my routine!  yay.

I’d love to go to Hamner but like Desi I simply can’t afford it, so to those who are going, enjoy it!

I’m off to the gym, yay.  (picture me dancing around with glee)

Oh and I got me some smaller jeans too! yeha!

Bex

 

POSTSCRIPT>

The jokes on me… Gym opens TOMORROW NIGHT!  oh well.  Off for a walk!

Bex.

Finally ….the gym! yay! January 21, 2009

Monday was funny.  Here I am sitting outside the gym, the windows are all closed, Manuella’s dog isn’t running around the yard. (my gym is in ger garage out the back of thier house)  Where IS everyone?  I text Manuella.  “When do u reopen?”

“tomorrow @ 5 C u then!” comes the reply.  AARRRRGH!  Just as well I’d already done a walk with the kids earlier!  Haha.

So last night I went at 5 and I enjoyed myself SO much.  Such a change in my thinking!

I’m taking the kids to Orana Wildlife Park today, it’s a big walk, and if Steve doesn’t have to trot off to Inverchargill to fix some trains, I’ll be at the gym tonight too.

I’ve lost 2kg this week.  Not all of the 2.1 I gained last week but a good effort I think!  Here’s hoping that I can loose 2kg next week too!

Bye for now.

Bex

Just say no! Ain’t that easy, is it? January 25, 2009

Well I went to Orana Park, with two extra kids, and Steve left for Inverchargill to re-rail some derailed coal wagons, so no gym on Wednesday night.  Thursday we had several visitors, the last one offered to have my kids while I went to the gym at 5:30 to 6:30.  After asking her if she was mad… she took my eldest and youngest with her to her place and I took Alannah with me to the gym.  She would’ve taken Alannah too but she’s only got a 7 seater and has 4 kids herself, the youngest being 8 WEEKS, which is why I asked her if she was mad!

That sorted, I made myself a salad to take to her place and eat after gym, fed Alannah and off we went.  It was great.  It was effortless, I kept in the fat burning zone, made myself work harder and enjoyed it.  When I mean effortless, I mean I didn’t have keep saying to myself “Get ON with it”  I just did it.

I got to Tracy’s and was eating my salad when I hear this thud and blood curdling screams from outside.  Erin’s come off the scooter and landed on her elbow.  I’m a teacher right, I’ve done first aid training, so I feel her bones, get her to wriggle her fingers, then I tried to get her to straighten her arm out.  She shrieks and that’s when I decide to take her off to the after hours. (Again)  So I rang another friend, who also has four kids and beg her to have Alannah and Lachlan overnight because the last time I had Erin at the after hours we were there 4 hours, and it was only 11 days ago for a similar thing, a fall but on the other arm.

That sorted, I pack up my kids from Tracy’s while trying to bolt the rest of my salad, put my steak back in the chiller bag, I hadn’t cooked it yet, and head off for the overnight drop off.  I’d packed Lachlan’s pj’s to go to Tracy’s because he often falls asleep on the way home from her place so I didn’t have to worry about nappies or jammies for him.  Alannah borrowed some of my other friend’s daughter’s clothes.

We got to the after hours at 8pm and left at 10:45.  Arm not broken but bruised.  We sat ans sat and sat.  We’d made a slight detour on the way and picked up my current book and Erin’s MP3 player but we were still bored and tired.  At 10:00 I was starting to nod off a little and I thought I’d better get up and get moving around so I was alert enough to drive. So I did, I paced and paced and paced.  Then I thought “Buggar it” and had a can of Coke. 

Not the best of choices but I don’t drink coffee.

Next day Erin’s in the pool at a friends house playing on a boogie board putting her weight on both arms no problem.  As if it never happened, as if she hadn’t been screaming blue murder the previous day! GRRRR  Ah well, I’d rather’ve taken her and been told it’s nothing than have not taken her and it WAS something!

Saturday Tracy and her family came over so her husband could help Steve build the playhouse.  Rob and I have a slight competitive streak over who can drink the most Coke.  Mostly I consume more, this time I can proudly say we were both winners on the day.  He drank the whole bottle and I had NONE!!!!!!!!  That’s a huge win for me.  I didn’t touch it!  Even asked him to finish it off so I wouldn’t.  I’m proud of that!

I’m off to the gym tomorrow again YAY and taking the kids for a walk as well.  GO ME!

If any of you have been wondering why you don’t hear me on the calls.. it’s because at 8:30 I’m still yelling at my kids to settle down and go to sleep!  And I don’t think you need to hear that, do you?

Bye Bex.

So I’m crazy am I? January 28, 2009

Well I have been told I’m crazy, yesterday I took 2 extra kids grocery  shopping with me because their Mum’d been up with their 8 week old brother since 2am ( Boy do I remember THOSE days) and today I’ve got 4 extra kids in the house.  Does that make me crazy?  Ok maybe a little.  But both these women have helped me out, most recently on Thursday  while I took Erin to the After Hours.

Having a network of friends is SO important and vital for sanity some days.  My network has been there for me and I for them.  They’ve all cheered me through this process and told me off when I’ve fallen (or in one case leapt with willful abandon!) the wagon.  If they are real friends they’ll support you and not sabotage your efforts, they’ll forgo the chips and Coke, or chocolate, or dessert with you.  Now that’s REAL friendships  and I’m very proud to say I’ve a few of these.  This challenge is all about new things, new thoughts and new ways that will enhance our lives.  I’ve had to reassess some things in my life this past few weeks, and also some friendships.  That’s been tough, but I’ve come to the conclusion that the more time I spend with my supporters the easier life is.  So, I’ve chosen to spend less time with my less than supportive friends and NO time with those who sabotage my efforts (which is hard ’cause sometimes I do it to myself!).

I’ve had a good loss this week and having been back at the gym for a week just shows me that I CAN do it, and really well too.  I’ve lost 1.3kg this week.  that’s 10.2 kg on this Challenge.  Since I had Lachlan 19 months ago, I’ve lost a total of 34.3kg.  Pretty good effort I say!

Bex

ahem, YES I am crazy. January 31, 2009

I had 9 extra kids on Thursday that makes 12 running around the house and I came home from the Buskers Festival on Friday with 3 extras and another family arriving for tea, and another arriving for (ahem) dessert.  Good thing I’ve got a dishwasher!!!!

There’s a reason I’m mentioning the numbers of kids…. you’ll see.

I desperately want to go to the retreat, really really want to go!  I’ve begged and pleaded and then a friend suggested I try logic.  Well ok, I’ll give it a go I thought.  So she suggested I show Steve how serious I am by forgoing a few luxuries and putting the money in the savings account to replace the price of the weekend.  Two years she figured.  I laughed.  Then I checked it out.

Well, I buy The Healthy Food Guide @ $5.50, Mindfood @ $9.90, Next @ $7.70 and hair dye @ 12.50 every month.  I also buy the Little Treasures mag every 2 months.  total in a year….$456.00  It’ll take more that two years with that alone and giving up the hair dye… EEEKKKK just doesn’t bear thinking about!  SOOO  …. I’ve also said I’ll forgo, Valentines, Birthday, Anniversary, and Christmas pressies for the year.  Now I’m into pressies in an a BIG way, it’s my way of giving and receiving love.  So It’s a big thing for me.  and you know what….?

He’s thinking about it! AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Maybe I should start charging $1 dollar a day for the extra kids hmmmm….?  At this rate it won’t take me long!

Anyhoo  SCHOOL STARTS ON MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I’m a little happy about it!  can you tell?

I’ll be back to the gym in the mornings, and I can’t wait, Ill be able to go for walks in the afternoon’s with Lachlan snoozing in my resistance machine, and take more kilos off and more time off my walk around the Wetlands.  Yay!!

I’m taking up Phyllis’ chalenge to drop a few dress sizes before the next seminar, which in my case is on March 3rd.  that gives me 4 weeks.  Here I go!

Smaller Jeans everyone!

Bex 

YEHAAAA I’m going! February 1, 2009

Yehaaaaaa!!! I’m going to the retreat!  Yay!  Watch out Hanmer here I come!  Due to the generosity of some friends and some promises I’ve made, (read my previous blog) all bar the hair dye (Thank God)  Steve’s agreed to let me go to the Retreat in Hanmer.

Gotta get to bed, gym and school in the morning!

More later.

Oh dear, I’m going to need smaller togs! haha

Bex.

I’m melllttttiiinnngggg! February 4, 2009

I’m melting away!  I wish it was as easy as getting wet like the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz but…  hehe and I do mean butt….!

I’ve had a great loss this week and I’m just fizzing at the bung to get to the seminar to show off to my Christchurch buddies.  and to Damian and Phyllis and am kind of ok about joining in with the exercise session with Lee- anne. Kind of.  I’ve taken up Phyllis’ challenge to drop a dress size by the seminar date, and I’m on target.

I went for a walk on Monday before I picked the girls up from school, I’d already been to the gym that morning.  (see my halo shining? snigger snigger)  and went to the gym yesterday morning.  I’m aiming for a walk today before I pick up the girls again today and then I’ve got gym tomorrow.  My body seems to like the gym.  The spirit is weak but the body is strong, usually it’s the other way round!  haha.  I’m liking the results on the scales and in the jeans department.  I’m DEFINITELY going to have to get new togs for Hanmer.  I wonder what I have to give up to earn them?

Come on ladies and gents!  Let’s get smaller!

Bex

I’m on fire. February 7, 2009

I’m so psyched about being sooo close to the 110′s  I’ve got 2.6 to loose to get to my next mini goal.  Wed and Thursday arvo’s I did a walk before picking up the girls for school, Thursday morning was gym too.  Yesterday I was a couch potato, I wore my heart rate monitor all day, did the dishes, washing fed the kids, tidied the house but basically slobbed out all day and burnt 1560 KCAL before bed.  Today I was up and out by 8:30 with Erin on her scooter and did an hour’s FAST walk and miracle of miracles RAN a whole lamppost!  That’s a HUGE achievement for me!  I haven’t been wearing the pedometer, so wasn’t quite sure how far I was going so tried out the www.mapmyrun.com website.   WOW!!!!!

Give it a try!  I found that the 4 walks that alternate through are between 4.2 to 4.8 kms long and I do it in an hour.  pretty great.

I’m working on getting a new pair of togs, my old ones are 6 years old, they’ve given up the ghost and are 22′s.  I now wear 18′s!!!!!!!  Steve doesn’t want to but me new togs for me to be too small for them in 6 month’s time.  I understand where he’s coming from (his wallet hehe) but I felt like walloping him!  I deserve a new pair.  and if he suggests I look on trademe for second hand ones he’s going to be sleeping in the garage for a while!

I’ve thrown myself whole heartedly into the challenge now, if you thought I was pretty on to it before, you should see me now!  I can’t wait to see 110 on the scales, and if I keep up the walks and the gym, I figure, (barring a plateau) 2 weeks and I’ll be there.

The last time I weighed this much was when we got married 16 years ago.  At my biggest I weighed 161kg 9 months pregnant with Alannah and on Wednesday I was 112.6.  I’m feeling SO great.  I’m frantically looking for the booklet that I recorded my measurements in on the first week so I can check my measurements but to no avail, YET.

I can hardly believe this and that I’m letting you lot know this too, but I’m actually LOOKING forward to the session with Lee-Anne now.  I know!  Me.  Looking forward to some exercise!  Steve’s flabbergasted,  and quite frankly I am too.  hehe

Keep up the hard work everyone.  (or Phyllis and I’ll kick you up the bum!)

Bex  ;P

Eensey weensey teeny weeny 100 GRAMS!!!!! February 11, 2009

ARRRGGGGHHHHHH only 100 grams off on the scales! Bugger! Ah well my muscles are getting bigger.   I’ve been for 3 more walks and had 2 more gym session since I last blogged.  Got gym tomorrow and I’ll go for a walk before picking up the girls from school.  I’m NOT giving up.  I mentioned the dreaded plateau last week and it’s bitten me in the bum!  I should’ve kept my big mouth shut!  haha

Looks like I have to delay my haircut for another 2 weeks, that’s my treat for getting to 110kg.  Something to reward myself for all the hard work and it showing up on the scales.  I’ve rewarding myself for my hard work so far by buying a new charm for my charm bracelet, it looks like a Pandora one but my friend imports a MUCH cheaper version and I’ve now got a handbag (I love shopping), a cot, 2 girls and a boy, a cat and some pink and green beads.  Maybe I should see if she can get me a pair of JEANS!!!! ( haha) or a treadmill or jogging shoes, or scales haha.

Keep up the good work people!

Smaller jeans

Bex.

I got some NEW TOGS!! February 13, 2009

Yesterday Iwas feeling annoyed with not loosing enough weight and when I feel like that I get bloody minded and used to go stuff my face with McD’s or chips and Coke etc.  So instead of doing that I stole some money from my daughter’s bank account and went shopping (don’t worry I’ll put it back when we get paid tomorrow!)  I decided that I did need a hair cut, so went and did that, then trotted off to Farmers to see what was in their sale, (lots but nothing I liked) then went down to the Warehouse.  I thought I’d just check out the togs on sale and see if any fitted me…. well!  I found a 20 tank top and an 18.  then some 20 shorts and an 18.  Tried on the 20′s they fitted but were a little loose.  So I tried on the 18′s thinking I’d get them on hold and pick them up on payday as they were $40 and I only had $30.  They were a bit tight but I’m loosing weight so thought “What the hell!” and took them up to the counter with a BIG grin on my face!  I’m buying 18′s!!!!!  I looked at the tag on the top and saw a yellow sticker, $10:98 Great!  The shorts were $18:90.  Cool, I had $30.  When the top was scanned itread $2:98.  I asked the girl to check that it’d read that right.  Yep $2:98 they just hadn’t been re-stickered yet.  Then she scanned the shorts.  $2:98!

So now I have size 18 togs that cost me $6!  Bargin and yay!  So today I went back and found a pair of size 16 shorts to put away for summer!

Now if only I could fond some $2:98 jeans….

Bex

Busy busy busy weekend! February 17, 2009

Wow I’ve had a hellishly busy weekend, with no exercise. I babysat on Friday night till 1am, sat up with Lachlan from then till 3am, got to sleep at 3;30 then he woke up at 6;00!  Steve took him out to the lounge and I slept for another 45mins.  I got up and out to do the groceries and was back just on 11.30, unpacked them and we all had lunch.  Then I took Lachlan and Alannah to buy shoes what a mission!  I met Steve at the Library at 3pm and had a (Gasp) hot chocolate.  We then rushed home and made Bacon avocado, and salad wraps to take to the Chinese Lantern Festival in town.  We left at 4:30 and met some friends there at 5:00  We looked at lanterns and got pushed and shoved and prodded, and even had a complete stranger ask to have photo’s with our son.  It was jampacked!  By 7:30 the kids were frazzled and Lachlan was crying in the Mountain Buggy and we were getting frozen so we decided to call it a day and headed home.  Erin asked for a hot chocolate, and we pulled into Coffee Culture on our way home.  Steve had a mocha and the kids had fluffies, Lachlan got a huge ring of chocolate around his face from the cocoa on the rim of his cup!  So cute.  and yes I had another (gasp) hot chocolate!.

Sunday morning at 2am this time, Lachlan’s screaming and writhing, so off to the lounge I go.  resettles at 4am.  Steve’s up at 6;30 with him and I get up at 8.  Wow a sleep in!  haha  Steve leaves for church at 9 (he’s operating the sound desk so goes in 90mins early for the practice) While I’m in the middle of getting the kids through the shower conveyor belt (no really it feels like it!) some the same family we were out with last night ask us if we want to go to Ferrymead, A heritage park, with FREE TRAIN rides Wahoo!  So I’m frantically making sandwiches and trying to find some cord Steve needs for church and get it all sorted for church at 10:30.  whew.  After church, at 12 we race off to Ferrymead, and spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around, looking at old houses, playing with old phones, (Yes that’s really a phone, you have to dial it!) riding on the steam train, and the steam tram, and the tractor and loosing our eldest, and finding our eldest until 4pm when the park shuts.

Then, just cause I’m crazy I say to our friends, come for tea….  So they did, on a Sunday afternoon…  not normally a problem but we discover the BBQ’s out of gas, were out of pasta for the BBQ’d vegie salad we make and we’ve not got enough sausages for the kids.  Ok.  5:00 and I’m in the local supermarket while Steve’s taken the house gas bottle off and put it on the BBQ.  Disaster averted!

So 7:00 rolls around and I’m wondering just why I’m so goshdarned exhausted.  I just can’t work it out can you?……

Monday morning and I’m off to the gym, did my extra hour’s walk in the rain.  and today I’ve done the gym again but no extra walk.  I did however join a friend for lunch at the mall and NOT eat MacDonald’s.  I’m sure they’re feeling the loss in profits now!  haha

So I’m slightly apprehensive about tomorrow’s weigh in.  We’ll see.

My smaller Jeans are a little too tight but MAN I look GREAT in them!

Bex.

and the winner is….. February 18, 2009

the scales. I put on a piddly little 100 grams. I’m plateauing.  Today I’ve been on 2 one hour walks, both 4.5kms long and I’m stuffed!

Lachlan was up AGAIN last night, I tried to put him down but should’ve waited for the fart.  Once he’s farted he goes to sleep.  I should know this by now.  Ah well.

I’m going to take a leaf from Debbie Cook’s book and change my protien amounts and keep up the walks.  I’m excited about seeing Damian and Phyllis on the 3rd and can’t wait for the Retreat.  Must keep positive about the scales moving a little in the wrong direction and get them heading in the right one!  The Practice Nurse who weighs me said she’s noticed in the last 3 weeks that my legs and thighs are firming up.  So all that walking is working somewhere!

By the way, my smaller jeans were a hand me down and were free!  Much smaller than $2.98!

Bye for now Bex.

Zzzzzzzz YAY! February 19, 2009

Yay I got a full nights sleep last night, Lachlan did a man sized fart when he woke up though!  I thought it was his father! hehe.   

 Boo I’ve hurt my foot somehow.  I woke up this morning stiff and sore in strange places, particularly and peculiarly the top of my right foot.  I limped around doing stuff, getting the kids ready to get out the door all the while wiggling my foot in different directions…it felt like it needed to click.  Ever had that? 

Anyhoo, I got to the gym and straight on the treadmill, started on 4 then a minute later 6, then 7 then after 5 minutes of warming up I …wait for it…. I, I ,I RAN!!!!!  I ran for 2 minutes and 35 seconds on 8.5.  Why 35 sec?  My trainer hadn’t started exactly on 9:00 so I was watching the clock and she hadn’t called Time yet.  So I kept on going (what!  am I MAD!)  Everyone in the gym has been very supportive, one woman especially.  She always pushes me to extend myself, it’s been great.  So I ran on a foot that didn’t quite feel 100 % but you know the weirdest part?  I didn’t feel it.  and I ran again 25 minutes later for another 2 minutes.  But DON”T tell Lee-anne!  it was only 2 mins! haha  Yeah my foot’s still a little sore now but I’ve found where it’s sore and it’s muscle so I’ve been giving myself a massage.  And NO I won’t get Steve to do it ’cause I’ve got REALLY sensitive feet and I’m extremely ticklish!

Keep working hard!

Bex

Oh and I have taken my measurements, But I did them in May last year (i don’t know why I didn’t do it when we started!) and since May I’ve lost 55.5 cms.  I know I’m shaping up cause I can see muscles in my calves and thighs too.

It’s mooooving!!!! February 25, 2009

I’m on the downward trend again! YAAAHHHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! Friday I did a 90 min walk, Saturday I went to a lingerie party had 2 glasses of wine.  I also had some bread with cream cheese and smoked Salmon on it. Mmmmm.  Sunday morning 8am I was out for a 70 minute walk with my eldest on her scooter.  Monday Gym and a walk before the picking up the girls, Tuesday gym and another walk.  Today 1.5kg off!  I’m not going for a walk this morning as the twins I look after have so very generously given Lachlan nits and I’m dying my hair as a precaution. (EEEWWWWWWW!)  So I’ll be going out at 1.30 for a longer walk before I get the girls today.

I still can only manage to run for 2 minutes on the treadmill but can walk for an hour or more at a fast pace.  I’m always in awe of the “Yummy Mummies” whom I see running with thier mountain buggys.  I just can’t seem to get the nack.  I’ve seen them running with one hand on the handle and the buggy goes where they want it to!  I just can’t do it yet!  Ah well something else to learn!

I have 1.1kg to go to my mini goal.  I want to get there by next Wednesday. So I’m about to put on some hard rock music and vacuum and mop the floors with my hips swinging! 

Keep working hard!

Bex in smaller jeans!

May I say how great you are looking? February 28, 2009

I got asked that 10 times yesterday at Alannah”s school picnic.  4 teachers and 6 parents commented.  What a buzz!  I’d had a REALLY bad day on Thursday, after Alannah throwing a MASSIVE 30 min screaming fit on Wednesday morning she threw another one on Thursday morning only it was a 45min one!  I got to the gym and thrashed the living daylights out of the punching bag!  So much so that I can still feel it in my arm muscles now!  After that I was great, got home showered, picked up Lachlan and the twins whom I look after.  We had lunch, I got ready to go shopping for more sport socks and smaller undies (mine are too big they fall down when I’m running hehe!). 

I dropped the twins off and was nearly at the mall when my cell phone goes.  “Come get the twins, they’ve got live nits in their hair!”  ARRRGGGHHH!!!! I’d done their Mum’s hair on Tuesday night after school and she’d done theirs on Wednesday morning, She’d also put in the conditioner and combed their hair that morning.

So I go get them at 1:20 and treated them with the solution and then spent an hour scraping nits out of the girl’s hair .  I’m PMSing, I’m annoyed, I’m tired (another late night /early morning with Lachlan and his farts) and I really want to go shopping!    So the twin’s mum comes back from work and she does her son and is amazed at how well her daughter is sitting still so she offers them a treat.  Off to the 2 Dollar shop.  Mine go too as I’d done theirs on Tuesday night too.  So we leave for the mall at 4:45 on a late night.  BAD MOVE!!!!  They go to the 2 dollar shop, and McD’s for an icecream.  BAD MOVE!!!!!  I decide that i deserve a treat too.  So I go and but the socks then we sit down for Mc D’s for tea.  No healthy options for me.  Straight out fat.

So Friday, here I am at the picnic and these people are all telling me how wonderful I look.  Great timing!  then last night we played Mama Mia on the big screens at church and had dessert.  Me too.  Soooo  I’ve just been for a 6 km walk, and RAN 10 lampposts this time and it took an hour.

I gotta get to my mini goal!  But I won’t by slipping back into the old habits!!!!  Get it sorted Bex!

Smaller jeans and undies next !

Bex

Rude word! Rude word! Shin splints! March 2, 2009

Well after skiting about being able to run…. I”m showing signs of developing shin splints from the walking and running I’m doing.  My trainer has told me to lay off for a week and we’ll reintroduce it S-l-o-w-l-y.  ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!  Ah well I can still get out on my bike with Lachlan on the back.  As I said on Wednesday night, if I want to feel what it was like to be the weight I was when I started the Challenge… I just need to pick Lachlan up.  Actually I’ve lost more than him now…

But I enjoy the walking and my bike hasn’t got a very comfortable seat   Ah well.  If I want to get to my minigoal by Wednesday, I’d better move it!

I wore a pair of shorts to Church yesterday, and got lots of shocked looks from people who’d not noticed just how much I’ve changed in the last 15 weeks.  It’s really noticeable now.  I keep asking Steve to take a picture and send it in for the Before and “Work in Progress” photo but things keep getting in the way, so probably the only ones to see it’ll be Christchurch and Blenheim And the Retreaters.

Ah well.  I’ll ask if it can go onto the cooking with Damian DVD’s as a trainer.  I’m sure Phyllis said something to that effect anyway.

I’m so excited!  tomorrow night is the seminar for Christchurch and the Thurs I’m off to pick up a Retreater at the airport then on my way to Hanmer with all the fruit and vegies for us to eat.  3 more sleeps! (as my kids are saying!)  Steve’s taking them up to Auckland to see their grandparents on Thurs too.

Bye for now, I’m off to see if my tyres need pumping up!

Bex

I made it! Not only the 6:30am session….. March 4, 2009

….but I made my minigoal too!  YAAAAHHHOOOOOO!  109.9kg. 

I made the 6:30 am training session with Damain and Ray Kelly.  And did some running, Ray warmed me up slow and showed me how to stretch out my shins so they don’t hurt.  I actually enjoyed it.  (Wow I never thought I EVER say that!)

Last night’s seminar was great, and 10 people signed up for the next 112 day challenge.  Lots signed up for the Health club too.  I am SOOO excited about the retreat I can barely sit still!  And as for my minigoal, I cried when I was telling Steve about it.  I’ve not weighed this little since before we were married.  16 years ago.

I’ve got so much swirling around in my head at the moment that I can’t think straight and I’ve lots to do so I’ll add to this later today or tonight.

Bex.

Wow. Wow. Wow. What a weekend! March 9, 2009

What a weekend!  I’ve finally got the bags unpacked, the washing out, the kids to school and my 500 cal gym session done… so now I can blog.

First thing…  If you can, start saving NOW for the next one!!!!!!!!!!!!

You will not regret it!  Ray’s got me running, well shuffle jogging but now I’ve a better idea of the technique and I’m going to metaphorically run with it!

It’s been AMAZING getting to meet the other challengers face to face present and future ones too.

 Having Damian and Ray and Phyllis “on tap” so to speak has been inspiring, and challenging ,  I’ve been reminded why I signed up, it’s for my health, not my decreasing waistline.  (That’s just an added bonus! )

The mindset sessions with Phyllis were eye opening, getting us to look at our lives and what we’ve been putting off because we’re too big, too unfit, too shy, too…..(fill in the blank)  She challenged us, encouraged us and inspired us.

 Ray’s sessions were challenging too!   extending us, and giving us tools to take ourselves further.  He showed us the next step in our programs and helped set goals for us.

 Damian’s cooking was superb, as was ours!  Looking at the fresh food made me drool!  His one on one session was fantastic and very helpful.  It was a relief to see I’d brought my age a little closer to my actual one ! Whew!  There’s a way to go yet though!

I can’t express how much having the opportunity to go to the retreat meant to me without using the words inspire, challenge, awesome again. 

I’m fizzing about the next one now!  I can’t express just how wonderful it was to meet the other challengers and put faces to names.  I feel blessed to be able to share in some milestones and goals and minigoals reached.  I’m in awe at the dedication people showed and how everyone threw themselves into the experience and milked it for all it’s worth.

Start SAVING NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Waiting in anticipation for the rest of my life….

Bex in smaller jeans! 

My T-shirt’s not so snug today! March 11, 2009

Haha!  While we were in Hanmer, Renee and Cat found some awesome T-shirts on sale in the Information Centre.  Renee was so pleased with it she showed me and a few others, I was so inspired with it I went down and bought one, then she showed Phyllis, and Gary and Dawn and Debbie and Gillian And Grant and all of a sudden Gary (Phyllis Husband) was off with orders from several people to buy theirs too.  The T-shirt reads I am SO worth it.  Mine’s the largest they sell.  An XL  I used to wear an 4XL.  The XL fits me and was quite snug on Saturday, well it’s not so snug today.  And I feel great.  Thanks to Cat and Renee for sharing their great find!

 

As this Challenge draws to a close, I’m feeling positive about the changes I’ve made and the ones the whole family’ve made too.  I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to learn the skills that Damian, Phyllis, Ray, Lee-Anne and every other person involved in the Challlenge have passed on.  I’m looking forward to continuing through to the next one and meeting more like minded people.

More Later.

Bex

Feel the fear and do it anyway… March 16, 2009

I crossed a bridge today (no that’s not my fear) and I survived.  Steve’s away for a week and I’m at home with all 3 kids.  (No that’s not it either)  Today I mowed the lawns.  That’s all.  Now, I’m petrified of lawnmowers.  In Intermediate School I had a Workshop Technology teacher who did such a great job of showing us just what machinery could do to the human body that I’ve been too petrified to ever mow lawns.  Machines that have blades and motors make me want to vomit I get so scared.  Now the one thing that this challenge has really brought home to me is that I can do anything I put my mind to…  mow lawns,  loose weight,  run, work an iPOD, blog (haha)and even get healthy.

I also went shopping today, as well as doing my 500 calorie workout, but my shopping trip was just so overwhelming that I’m putting another one off.  Phyllis would ask me what I’m deferring and why.  Well, I’m completely blown away by the sheer range of clothing available to me now I fit 16s!  I’m SO used to shopping at K-mart, Farmers and the Warehouse, that to go into other shops just puts me in a tailspin!  What a thing to have happen!  I just don’t know where to start!  Maybe it’s a good thing as I’m still getting healthier and my clothes are getting smaller!   Did everyone hear Steve’s wallet breathe a sigh of relief then?

I’m looking forward to the next Challenge, continuing with the others and keeping in touch with those who aren’t able to continue.  I’m looking forward to meeting the next lot of Challengers and looking forward to Waiheke Island too if it doesn’t clash with Lachlan’s birthday.  Ah well there’s always the one after that!

Bex  in much smaller jeans with grass on my shoes!

I’m inspired by Erin. Aged 8 March 18, 2009

I don’t think that I mentioned in my last blog that Erin competed in the Weetbix Tryathon on Sunday.  I’m so inspired by her, she’s been busting her guts to do it since she was 5.  You have to be 8 to enter, and so she did.  She went in with a team, she rode and another friend swam, and another one did the run.  Alannah who’s 6 will be able to do it next year as they’ve lowered the entry age to 7.  On Monday morning Erin and Alannah were fighting over which of their friends was going to be in THEIR team.  haha.

So I’m going to, in the next year,…..complete either a triathlon or duathlon.  Gulp!

I am, going to do the City2surf in 2 weeks.  12kms.  I’m walking it and Erin will be accompanying me on her scooter.  Yay us.

Bex

Back in the swing of things. March 22, 2009

Well I’ve been to see the podiatrist as suggested byDamian.  Surprisingly it cost less than anticipated (yay! ) and I’ve now got orthotics in my shoes.  I didn’t turn into a granny overnight (hehe no offence Dawn) and I’m much more comfortable.  I have to take shorter strides which feels WEIRD!  If I feel like I’m shuffling well, apparantly I’m doing it right!

So, now that Steve’s back from his weeklong Mountain bike trip, I can stop being so lax with my food choices and get back on track.  I do know why I choose to eat badly when he’s not here, it’s comfort.  I know there lots of people out there nodding away agreeing with me.

I have to make myself see that CHOCOLATE is NOT my friend!  Especially now that I’ve cleaned out my wardrobe and there ain’t any fat clothes left!  I’m going to another clothes swap on Friday night and I’m looking for 16′s NOT any bigger clothes!!!  I’ve forgotten about a pair of REALLY nice pants I’d grabbed at the last swap, found ‘em this morning and I’m gutted!  I have to take ‘em back for the next one as they’re TOO big!  What a problem to have!

So off to the gym tomorrow I go, orthotics in shoes, not a walker frame in sight, nor a wrinkle (don’t look too close!) , nor a grey hair (there better NOT be I just dyed it! lol) and a better grip on my eating.

Smaller jeans everyone. (I know it’s working!)  

Bex

Sorry Guys, it was me. March 25, 2009

For those of you who were on the call last night,  Phyllis mentioned 2 people who gained.  I have to put my hand up and say sorry, it was me.  I put on 1.4kg and got my bum kicked by Phyllis.

So what now?  Do I wallow in self pity, (well actually yes for about 10 mins) then I got mad and am now firmly on track.  Sweet sugary food creates cravings for more sweet sugary food.  So I’m detoxing again!  I know this about myself, when I get close to success about anything in my life, I sabotage myself.  Stupid eh!  Good thing I’ve got Phyllis to kick me up the bum when I need it.  Now i just have to remember the feeling and use it as inspiration.

I’m doing a 12km walk on Sunday.  So if I don’t have a big loss I’ll be surprised!

Smaller jeans everyone.

Bex

I got me some smaller jeans… March 28, 2009

and some purtty tops and 2 new T-shirts last night.  I went to another clothing swap, this time I cane away with HEAPS of stuff.  The last one was 21 Nov and I’ve dropped 10kg at least since then!

So Steve’s wallet is breathing a BIG sigh of relief over the clothes but about to scream when I put my hand out for compression pants!   I went to Stirling Sports yesterday and tried a pair on.  I was not sure I could even get my calf into them, but, calf… knee… thigh.. bum… waist…!!!!!  next check… walking… and WOW  BREATHING TOO!!!!!!  Not once did I hear any stitching split, or the fabric warp or anything!  I nearly cried!  The compression pants were recommended by Damian and Ray.  They’ll help stop my stupid ankles swell up after exercise and help prevent more varicose veins (uugghhh!)  I also noticed that Di was one of the people who seemed to NOT be suffering after Ray’s hellish ahem harder workout (she slept in hers I think)  I know she’s pretty fit to start out with but I’m sure the pants helped her muscles recover faster anyway.  I’ve also talked to some other people who play some sport (OK I’m gonna name drop here… Julie Seymour) and my cousin who’s just signed up to play netball for the Tactix.  The’ve recommended the Shins SHE brand as they last longer. 

Well… on the website they’re 139.99 (gulp) and at the sports shop they’re 189.90  I wonder if I can pick up a pair at a clothing swap?  LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I’m off to do the City2Surf tomorrow, no compression pants, but orthotics in my shoes to prevent my shins getting so sore and a determination to burn at least 750 calories while I’m doing it!  Yes I plan to do a little running whilst I’m pushing the stroller.  I WILL get that worked out!  I WILL!  I WILL!  Ask me tomorrow night how I went! lol

Bex

2 hrs 10 mins and 1791 cals burnt! March 29, 2009

And NO blisters!  City2Surf conquered!  Yay!  Erin on the scooter was a great idea, she kept ducking throughthe crowds and I had to try and keep up with her!  I managed to talk to Maree ( a friend accompanying us) and breathe and walk AND even managed to do some running WHILE pushing the stroller!  Yay me!  My heart rate was up in the 140′s the whole time!  and at 3;45pm as I’m writing this I’ve burnt a further 1000 cals.

So I’m off to the gym tomorrow, kinda like not much happened today, not too sore and keen to (gulp) do it again.  Not too sure if I’m up to the SBS marathon (even the half) in June, doesn’t it mean by definition that you have to run?  Being a marathon I mean?  Ah well.  I’ll give the REAL woman duathalon a go though!  Now where’s my gel seat, gel pants and cushion?  lol!

Well done to Gillian, Debbie Renee and who ever else did the Real woman Duathalon down south.  Well done to Ali and I and any one else who did the  City2Surf.  Well done to those who got off their keisters and did some exercise this weekend.  We all deserve a pat on the back and a nice foot rub! lol

Have a great week, and smaller jeans!

Bex

All gone, whew! March 31, 2009

Well the weight I put on last week came off and another kilo to boot! Yay! 2.4kg this week.  I’ve already been told by my friends that I don’t need to take the car into town to go to the movies etc…  I can walk in!  oh haha.    I went to the podiatrist who said the orthotics are doing their job and I don’t need to see him again unless I start getting uncomfortable.  (Did everyone hear the wallet sigh in relief again?  ) 

AND... dun dun dah!  Steve’s going to BUY ME SKINS!!!  Oh catch me I may faint!   He’s going to buy them off the website where they’re 40 bucks cheaper.  I may have them in time for the SBS half marathon in 2 months! lol

Thanks to everyone who’s been replying to my blog, it’s quite a nice feeling knowing what I’m writing is being read.

Ali challenged me a while ago to discover what my reason for sabotaging myself was.  Here it is… fat = unattractive = sexually safe from male attention = Rebecca’s safety net.  I know, I know,  married with 3 kids, yes I must have  at least 3 times been intimate.  But as an 8 yo and then at 10 and again at 12 I wasn’t ready for that, and as I got older and fatter no-one bothered me.  So there it is in it’s baldest state.  I get freaked out when I notice men noticing me, and start eating to make myself unattractive (in my twisted reasoning) to them.  I’m VERY aware that I’m starting to be noticed, and well, I AM 6 foot tall, I’m telling myself that they’re admiring my height, dress sense, and (bottled) red hair…  that they don’t want to jump me or hurt me!  and besides that I pack a mean right hook nowadays!

So that’s it for this one.

Bex in smaller jeans and a new FREE top! (Wahooo!) 

It’s not only the weight that’s falling off…. April 2, 2009

I lost my wedding rings in the shower this morning.  I heard this THUNK and thought “What the heck was that!”  (well Ithought a few stronger words than that actually hehe)  I looked around in the shower, looked on the shelf to see if I’d knocked the soap off or the shaver’d fallen off the suction cup again. Then saw my rings on the floor of the shower. 

I tell ya I had hysterics!  I was laughing SO hard!  So the weight’s coming off my FINGERS!!  It must be all the blogging!  Yes, yes I know, it’s fluid too.  But my fingers?  Not a place I’d'v thought could get thinner.  My wrists are smaller, I can put my fingers all the way around them, my daughter can get her hands ALL the way around my waist too now.  I never thought of these things as benchmarks before.  Too focused on the jeans size! lol  I’m definitely healthier. 

I went into Riccarton Mall today to meet my sister who’s a builder, (The mall’s expanding and she’s working there ) I went at lunch time and you know what?  I took my own salad!  Yep a self confessed Mac Donalds-aholic took her own salad.  I did buy fries, for Lachlan and I ate 3.  yes 3.  I ate my salad then had the fries and you know what?  They were gross.  Yep.  Gross!  Yahoo!  I’m cured!  I made the choice to make the salad, I put it in a chilly bag and carried it into the mall with me.

I’m making better choices all the time.  I’m choosing to be healthy, I’m choosing to get out of bed and go to the gym after dropping the kids off at school.  I’m choosing me.  I’m choosing to have to go to another clothing swap in 2 months because the stuff I got on Friday has become too small!  I’m choosing to go for an hour’s walk before I get the girls from school.  I’m choosing to  not let my past dictate how I respond in the present and future.  I choose life (whoops, that’s the Wham! T-shirt hehe)

I choose to eat healthy, exercise regularly and provide a positive role model for my kids.  And while I’m doing all this choosing… can I choose the Porshe 911 too?  lol!

Steve’s turning 40 next year and want’s to spend it tramping.  I can’t think of a worse torture, I’m like a cat, I love to be comfortable, pampered even,  but I’m choosing to (gulp) go tramping with him.  I’m planning to get my tyres fixed on my mountain bike, teach our 6 year old to ride her bike (yes 6 and ”I’m never ride my bike!”) and get us all out in the forest.  Steve goes out on his Mountain bike 2 – 3 times a week rain hail and yes snow too.  Even darkness doesn’t faze him, he straps a light to his head and off he goes!  I’d like it to become a family thing. Well  maybe not the night rides or snow…lol

All these changes and plans.  What a future!  And all because Steve won the free tickets to Damian’s Seminar.

Amazing.

Bex in smaller jeans and looking for a jeweler to size my rings!

I never thought I’d say this….. April 5, 2009

but we didn’t win the Easter Raffle at school and I’m SO relieved!!!  Here’s why…

On Thursday evening my 16 year old cat had a stroke.  It affected his balance and he could stand up but would stagger sideways and fall over.  I got a friend to come and look after the kids while I rushed him to the vet (Steve was out mountain biking)  The vet said it was one of two things, either he had thrown a small clot from his heart or he’d thrown one from the fluid in his lungs.  She gave him a diuretic injection and said the prognosis wasn’t good.  I took him home and called my husband again to come home.  For the next few hours I had my cat on my lap, carried him to the dirt box and to the water bowl etc.  By 11 he couldn’t stand up at all but could drag himself around.  I had to take him to the after hours vet and have him put down.

Now some people aren’t attached to their animals at all, some are mildly attached and for some, like me, he was my baby before I actually HAD babies.  When we moved from Wellington to Christchurch he came with us.  I was devastated.  On Friday morning before school we buried him in his favourite spot.  A friend of mine said come see me for the day I’ll keep you company and keep and eye on your eating.  So I went to meet her in the mall  (to help her do her groceries) but her son fell asleep and she couldn’t make it straight away.  So I bought a Chocolate  croissant and ate that.  Then I texted Phyllis who told me to choose to be strong and make the right choices. Then went to get some milk and nappies and a chocolate bar. and ate that.  Then I sat and waited for my friend all the while thinking about the 3 loads of washing and how grumpy my son was and wondering why he was spitting out his food, and the dishes etc. and not thinking about the cat.  So I decided to go home and do the washing and the dishes and clean up the house.  When I got home the bill for my orthotics was in the mail plus an account fee thank you very much, so I walked to the Podiatrists to pay it. And kept walking and walking and walking.  I did a 9.5 km walk in 90 mins and finished up at school in time to see another friend with a HUGE basket of Easter eggs.  She’d won 3rd place and the way I was feeling I knew if we’d won anything I either had to give it away of I was going to be really blowing the day!  So I went into the office and asked it we’d won then and when was told sorry no,  I cheered!  YAY!!!  I don’t even like chocolate as much as I used to any more, I can really taste the fat in it, so why did I make that choice.  Habit I guess.

Anyway I’m about to go for another walk in a minute, I’m just waiting for Steve to get out of bed.  Lachlan has tonsillitis, Erin has Bronchitis and Alannah has just developed a chesty cough.  And on top of it all I’ve got really bad cramps this month too.  I better get some exercise endorphins going!  Time to make some of those choices I was talking about in my last blog to offset the bad choices I made on Friday.

Bye for now.

Bex

Gearing up for Easter Camp… April 7, 2009

Every Easter churches all over the South Island have camps.   Steve is an engineer and an “ideas man” (anyone seen “The Castle”  lol).  We’ve been involved in youth ministry for the past 18 years in one form or another.  When we moved to Christchurch we got involved with the local church and the youth and Easter Camp.  Now, we aren’t officially doing anything with OUR church BUT… Steve dissappeares EVRY Easter at least 2 weeks before it, every day after work till midnight some nights to tinker, and build bridges, ramps, put up fences, make spa pools towable, and erect shower blocks and put up huge tents etc. 

And every year the kids and I get “all area passes” so we can spend time with Steve.  It’s great, we get to go on ferris wheels (yuck, I HATE heights) and water slides and face painting and get fed and go to the main events which are HUGE concerts then a message then more music.  We have a blast.  We go out there first thing in the morning, they put the clocks foward again to cover the noise ban after 10pm, and leave at 8pm camp time (7pm real time)  I pack clothes for the day, warm to start off with and lighter for during the day, togs and shower stuff for after the water slide which enevitably ends up being a mud slide, and NO FOOD!  As I said we get fed for free!  Yay!

Well not so yay this year.  The camp caters for 4000 campers (12 to 18′s)  and camp parents.  and 500 staff.  SOOOO that means all meals are based around BREAD!  Burgers, pizza’s, hot dogs, etc.  There’s muffins and cakes and slices with every meal.  They ALWAYS have a cold meat and 3 salad accompnyment but VERY small portions.  There are “mission” tents where you can buy hot chips and toasties and donuts etc and the profits go to specific missions.  So why am I worried?

I’m going to have to be VERY VERY strict and VERY VERY prepared.  I’m making myself some Salmon Hash cakes to take for lunches and Lasagnes for dinner.  The food they have there is avaliable ALL the time in the staff tent.  I’m going to be spending a lot of time AWAY from there this year, when in the previous years I been in there a lot because it’s warm and dry and I can get the kids (whichever one at the time needs to be asleep) asleep in there.  Or I could just stay at home.

Anyway this may all be moot, I’ve started to get a sore throat, Lachlan’s got viral tonsillitis,  hope I don’t come down with it!

And thanks for the kind words about my cat.

Bex

Well it isn’t tonsillitis… April 9, 2009

it’s strep throat instead. Oh yay. That explains why I’ve been feeling like I’ve swallowed cut glass.  Thank God for penicillin and paracetamol!

Yes I’ll still be going out to Easter camp with the kids, I’ll be drugged up and wrapped up too.  Great thing about strep throat – I won’t want to be eating lol!!  Part of my challenge for the weekend knocked off!

Hope everyone has a great weekend and one full of good family time and healthy eating!

Bex

I spoke too soon… April 13, 2009

Why didn’t I get my jaws wired shut!?!?!?!?  Penicillin and paracetamol worked great, I made my lunch and Dinner and took them with me, and ate them.  BUT ate a WHOLE LOT of other stuff as well.  Even picturing Phyllis and Damian sitting with me didn’t stop me.  I’ve had a major blow out and will spend the next week working extra hard to get if off.

I’m ashamed of my lack of self control and am waiting for my kick from Phyllis ( although I’ve been doing it a fair bit myself!)  I can’t even say as Desi has that I made the decision to eat and take the consequences, as I just ate.  I did wear my HRM and burned at least 25oo each day but would’ve consumed MUCH more than that. 

I’m sitting here typing this and listening to my 3 kids coughing too, each one has a different sound.  OH dear off to the Doc’s again.  Gym tonight and try to get 3 sick kids out for a walk. 

Bex with a big target on her bum waiting for some hefty kicks.

I’m astonished! April 14, 2009

I actually had a loss this week. 200 grams.  Well blow me down!

So what have I done about my appalling eating over Easter?  Well I’ve been to the gym Monday night, walked for an hour this morning with the girls on their scooters and Lachlan coughing in the stroller and been to the gym again tonight.  All 3 have been 500 cal workouts.  I’ve got groceries to do tomorrow morning, a walk to fit in and another gym session.  I’m aiming to go to a Pilate’s class on Thursday morning and another gym session that night.  Manuella, my trainer, is closed next week, but her husband’ll still be taking his Pilate’s classes on Tues and Thurs morning.  So I’ll be doing them and going for walks and doing some interval training in my yard.

I’ve been eating to plan and I’ve really noticed the difference from the weekend.  I’m not painfully bloated and SO tired. 

Well that’s my plan and I’m sticking to it.  Join me won’t you?

Bex, very chastised and with renewed purpose.

YAY! I got me some Skins! April 16, 2009

Finally!  I got ‘em!  uhuh all right uhuh!    But what a performance!  I’d checked them out on the web and found a dedicated site.  I’d checked out what I wanted and even looked at the price.  $139.99.    They’re 189.99 in the shops.  All shops!  So that’s what I told Steve.  Plus $10 for p&p we figured.  Well last night we went to buythem.  When you go to another part of the site to actually purchase them it tells you they are in AUD (Australian Dollars) AND they’d gone up 10 bucks.  So that’s 149.99 AUD.  We looked at an exchange site and it came out to $184.79 and then there’s the p&p as well.

So I went and bought them from the shop this morning. YAY  I’m looking forward to wearing them tonight to gym and the next few years too!

Lachlan has finally been put on some Penicillin, the Doc suspects he’s actually got Strep C which wouldn’t show up on the throat swabs.  He’s finally showing some improvement!  Yay.

That’s all for now.

Bex in Skins!

What are Skins? you ask. April 17, 2009

Skins are a brand of compression tights.  They can be worn running or cycling etc etc.  They are sewn to the contours of your muscles which helps them support them.  They are supposed to aid in your muscular recovery and help your muscles get rid of the build up of lactic acid after exercising.  Because my ankles swell up after exercising and I have hideous varicose veins they will help in reducing them.  They wick the moisture away and stay warm in winter and cool in summer.  Damian and Ray and Di ‘Lucky Legs’ wore them at the Retreat.  Di put hers on after Ray’s hardest workout and, to me anyway, seemed to recover A LOT faster then the rest of us.  Ok she was fitter too but she slept in hers and I’m sure it helped.  Damian recommended I get them to help with the swelling and vein problems.

Anyhoo I wore them last night at the gym and they were very comfy and supportive!  I was trying to talk to Steve as I was rushing out the door but he was too busy staring at my butt to listen that I just had to laugh!   Nice byproduct that! 

So, That answer your Question?

Bex in Skins and smaller baggy jeans! (again )

Holey Skins Batman! April 20, 2009

And I do mean hole! I found a hole in my Skins, after I’d worn them on Thursday night, in the waistband. :( I could see where whoever’d sewn them up just missed the fabric.  So back to the shop they went and I should get a new pair early this week.  Good thing I’d filled in the warranty!

So my weekend was ok.  Spent Saturday culling the kids toys and books etc.  we now have 2 baby rattles instead of 12! lol.  We’ve kept a small selection of toys in the younger age appropriate range for visiting friends and babies but got 2 boxes for toys for the next garage sale! YAY!!!  

Steve and I went out on Saturday night for a Thank You dinner put on by the organisers of Easter Camp.  Spit roast mmmmmm  I had a spoonful of roast veggie salad, some red cabbage and some roast lamb.  Then we went to another place just Steve and I and I had a glass of wine and he had a beer.  It was nice to just spend some time together.  Sunday we had friends over for lunch, I made Tracy and myself a really nice salad and the rest of the family had cheese ham and pineapple toasties.  Not much exercise was to be had over the weekend so…  I’m about to wrap up the still coughing Lachlan and get the girls out on the scooters.  Manuella’s closed this week.  I don’t think the other Mum’s at Mike’s Pilate’s class would be too happy to hear Lachy’s cough tomorrow so I’m going to flag it and try go on Thursday.  Lots of walking this week!

Bex

Pilate’s… OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! April 21, 2009

Man oh man!  Well I went to the Pilate’s class today, Lachlan’s cough has eased but Alannah’s grumbly now.  Any how… OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!  I’d MUCH rather do Manuella’s last week of term class than do that again.  Manuella’s get progressively harder as the term passes.  I’m feeling it NOW and you usually feel the workout 2 days later!  Good thing I’m going back on Thursday! lol

So yesterday, I chased Lachlan up and down the house for 45mins, jogging the whole time.  My heart rate up in the 140′s the whole time too.  Steve paced it out for me, it’s aprox 25 meters and I did it at least 50 times!  So now all I have to do is add in the squats and crunches and push ups etc and I’ve got an indoor interval training setup!  I actually picked Lachy up and ran with him for a bit too!  Man did he laugh! 

So I lost 800 grms this week.  Now under 105!  another minigoal knocked off!  300 more grams and I’ve dropped 20kg on the 112 day challenge!  YEEEHA!  I’m STILL getting lots of compliments on my losses.  I had one person say to me today that she thought I must be near my goal weight now.  No way!  I still got 14.8kg to go!  I can wait for the next minigoal to be knocked off!  90′s here I come!

On a less happy note, I looked at how much the SBS half marathon was going to cost and Steve’s vetoed it.  It’s $60 and in this climate that’s A LOT.  So we, as a family, are going to do our own 10 km walk that weekend. (I know we just spent $190 on the Skins , but they’ll last a few years)  So don’t look for me at the SBS I won’t be there, but I’ll still be doing a heap of exercise that weekend!

Bex  lighter and brighter in belted jeans! 

Whew, it’s NOT Glandular fever. April 24, 2009

I’ve got a virulent virus that’s left me tired, dizzy and with two huge white spots on my tonsils.  (The Doc called it “cheese”!?!)  So here I am actually WANTING to do some exercise for once in my life but being told to rest. AAARRRHHHGG!!!!!!!!!!!!  If it wasn’t so funny I’d cry!  I know that if I push myself I run the risk of actually getting sicker and taking MUCH longer to get healthy.  I find it horribly ironic that now that I’m the healthiest I’ve been in my life, I’m succumbing to more and more bugs!  I’m actually feeling guilty about NOT exercising for the last 3 days, and I’m going to walk down to the library tomorrow and then off to the gym on Monday.  I’m not looking for a loss this week, I’ve not exercised enough (I think)

So, who’s going to Waiheke Island?  Anyone got room for me in their bag? lol

Bex

A loss is a loss is a loss! April 28, 2009

Yay 200 grams off this week. Didn’t think I’d loose any this past week as I’d spent most of it on the couch.  The weird white patches are still there on my tonsils but the lassitude is passed and I’m feeling SO much better.  I went to the gym yesterday and this morning and both were 500+ cal workouts so I’m pleased with that.

I looked at my Weight Ticker and realised that there’s more on the lost side than there is on the TO LOOSE side!  Wow.  That feels great, I’m still getting so many compliments on my losses.  School started back yesterday and a friend who hadn’t seen me for a few years bumped into me there as her daughters were starting there.  She didn’t recognise me at all until I spoke to her! lol  I’ve been wearing the Skins instead of my saggy baggy gym gear and all of a sudden it’s REALLY noticeable how much I’ve lost.  That and the Skins hold a LOT in too! lol

I’m 100 grams away from the 20kg mark on the Challenge!  If I’d weighed myself at home I would’ve just stripped off, but I weigh myself at the Doc’s so I don’t think the Practice nurse would like that very much! lol  I was tempted though!   I’m looking for a kilo next week all going well.

I asked Steve what we were going to do when I hit the magical 90′s, he said we’d go out for a slap up meal!  We both roared with laughter at that!  I asked for another charm for my bracelet.  I’ve seen a Stirling silver dress with pink crystals on it.  It’s very cute.  He said “How come EVERY reward you’ve got for loosing weight is costing ME money!”  Then he said “Anyway, shouldn’t it be a pair of jeans?”

So there it is, me looking for a pair of jeans for my charm bracelet to mark off the next milestone in my journey.   I’ve seen a spots shoe one too…  HHMMMMmmmmmm

Bex in smaller jeans, on the look out for jeans!

Photo’s….and tears May 2, 2009

We had family portraits done 2 weeks ago that we picked up this morning. Man it’s hard to get 3 kids looking in the same direction at the same time!  And to get Alannah actually smiling!  Oh well the family one wasn’t too bad, Steve actually had his eyes open and he doesn’t look pissed for once! lol  There’s a reason I’m telling you this…  I put the photo in a frame on the bench right next to the one that was taken when Alannah was 3 weeks old.  I was 155kgs and it was 6 years ago.  I nearly cried when I look at that photo and the difference in me now.  I now weigh less than I did when we got married and I can really see the difference in our wedding photos too.

It’s really strengthened my resolve seeing these pictures of myself.  I hate photo’s, I can see the scars on my face, the way my cheek is pulled slightly awry by the dog bite I got when I was quite little, the scar on my chin I got falling off my scooter, the one on my eyebrow I got when I fell over and my sunglasses frame cut me, and my teeth.  My yellow cap that needs replacing.  These are all cosmetic things, it’s funny that I sometimes don’t see the smaller size tag on my clothes, the looks my husband gives me more and more often (those I’m ignoring sometimes! lol), I don’t hear the compliments that people are giving me.  I just hear that voice that says “Your fat, you’re scarred, you’re ugly and you’re dumb”  (I’m crying now)

I was going to say this Challenge has given me back my life, but it hasn’t.  I don’t want my life back.  I hated it.  What it has given me is the life I SHOULD HAVE.  The life that I deserve and that my children and husband deserve to have with me.  It’s changed Steve’s thinking too, he’s looking at his food choices and asking himself “What am I getting out of this?  What goodness am I and my body getting?”  We’re both looking at what we feed the kids, at what they need for their growing bodies.  I tell ya, it’s a challenge.  And one we’re willing to take up!

Bex.

Scales and celebrations, another mini goal! May 5, 2009

YYYAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I lost 1.5 kg this week!   Total on 112 is now 21.4kg!!!  Yahooo!  No wonder those clothes I got at the clothing swap don’t fit me any more!  I’ve now lost a whopping 44.9kg since Lachlan was born  on 27 -6- 07

The 112 Day Challenge has made a huge impact in the state of my health both physical and mental  (and the Aaah Tea’s on my hormonal! lol Seriously try the Tantrum Tamer for PMS.  It works!) 

I’ve hit another minigoal, to loose 20kg, the next one is get under 100kg.  I’ve got 3.2kg to get there! 

I can’t wait!

Bex in saggy jeans with a face splitting grin!

Rollercoaster… May 12, 2009

Well after such a great result on Tuesday and feeling so wonderfull I crashed, big time.  I’ve been in touch with lots of people on facebook so it seems such a long time ago that I last blogged.  And for me .. a week is a long time lol

Wednesday night we had the Tea tasting here at my house so I did heaps of cleaning Mon Tues and Wed morning,  Thursday I went to the gym and did a killer workout and came home with my period.  Great!  And for some STUPID reason I sat and stuffed my face for the next 2 days.  Friday morning I did go and do the same killer gym session at a friend’s house but, I still ate.

So for those of you that think I’m some wonderful guru, Sorry I ain’t.  I have bad days too!  

I went off to the gym today full of dread, we’re doing Tae Bo all this week and I’m SO un-coordinated it’s funny.  I’ve got a sore bum from the kicking and sore abs from the laughing so hard at myself.  I’m off to do it again tomorrow and this time we are actually doing the class full speed .  We were  just getting the basics right today!  My problem is that if someone says “right foot forward” I actually have to stop and think which is which!  An getting it in time!  HAHA  So I think I’ve actually completed Phyllis’s challenge for this week!

So I don’t know if I’m going to have lost any weight this week, but I’m back on track again.  I got a phone call from a friend who sells the charms for my bracelet.  She’s got the pink crystal covered dress charm for me.  I don’t deserve it yet.  But I’m going to get it and leave it on my dresser until I’m in the double digits!  Not long to go now!

Bex

More rollercoaster-ing… May 12, 2009

I’ve had a HUGE gain.  The 2 days sitting on the couch eating have put on 1.8kgs this week.  I also have the period from HELL and quite painful bloating .  A friend of mine had a disaster and it reminded me of a similar disaster in my life and I sat and tried to hide from the feelings by stuffing my face.  Trying to pushfeelings back down into their tight little box with Chocolate chippie cookies just don’t work I tell ya!  I know these are all excuses.

So I’ve been to Tea Bo yesterday and did the beginners demo tape, that was hilarious as I’m seriously uncoordinated, and TODAY!  Oh my gosh, we did 40 mins of kicking and punching, WELL!  I thought my backside was sore yesterday!  It’s almost as bad as the Ladder was!  (I’m also anticipating a big kick from Phyllis )

Last week showed me just how much I still need to work on my coping strategies and how far I still have to go, it’s also showed me just how easy it was for me to just leap back into the old pattern.  HOWEVER!  I have got back on track AGAIN!  And the weight WILL be off next week and I will be continuing my downward trend scaleswise that is! 

I’m SO looking forward to the time when I’ve stopped loosing weight and the estrogen that the fat’s been holding is out of my system and I’m NOT so hormonal! (Damian told me at the Retreat that as we loose weight the estrogen that is in the fat is released into our bodies mucking up our periods and making our moods swing.)  I can’t recommend the Tantrum Tamer tea enough!  Neither can my poor hubby! lol

Here’s to another healthy week of life changing exercise and eating.

Bex

Best laid plans….. May 15, 2009

Well I’m sure I’ve lost the weight I put on last week.  I’ve been drinking the Aaaah Tea’s Detox me tea, and as Jo V put it, peeing like a racehorse too!  No more bloating and food all on track.  I HAD planned to go to the gym yesterday morning as usual and then meet the other 112′s at the Ceroc dancing lessons.  BUT…  Lachlan has Steve’s head cold and possible tonsillitis AGAIN.  And Erin tells me she’s got a headache.  So She stay’s home and I don’t make it to the gym in the morning.  Not so much of a problem… I plan to go to the 5.30 gym session, come home, have a quick bite, then a shower and go to the dancing…

Then I get a phone call at 4.30 from Steve, there’s a problem at work and he’s going to be late…. No not sure when he’s going to be home.  Well 7.20 he got home, I missed both the things I’d planned to go to BUT…..  by 5.30 I’d already burnt 2000 calories.  So not a complete loss.

Today’s payday, we get paid monthly remember… so a marathon effort today!  My trainer is holding an advanced class of Tae Bo tonight… Steve’s normal night for Mountain biking…I might have to have a word with him…

Later!

Bex

A not so lazy Sunday morning… May 17, 2009

I went to the movies last night, saw Wolverine.  I loved it, I quite like Hugh Jackman   I also liked the 3 previous X-Men movies.  I went out for a hot chocolate afterward and got home late and got to sleep around 12:30.  Lachlan decided to sleep in till 7am!  wow  So I get him up and ask his sister who’s 9 on Sunday next week to give him his breakfast and head out for a walk.

I did 8kms on the beach into a head wind and burnt 750cal. Skite skite!  and now at 3:10 I’m reading 1773cals.  Not too shabby!  There is a reason for this rambling, really there is.  I have found that if I do exercise in the morning I burn more cals during the day.  And it sets me up for the day, I have more energy and I’m not knackered  by 5 – 6pm  Now I’m the first to say I haven’t been getting up at 5:30am etc and excercisisng, don’t forget I have 3 kids and one doesn’t sleep through the night very frequently..  So i go to the gym when the girls are dropped off at school.  I admire those people who, after facing a whole day at work, go to the gym on their way home or are able to get up after dinner and go for a walk or run.

At church this morning I had 5 people tell me I look “Stunning”  and another said I was looking “healthy”  another 2 said they thought I must be at my goal yet.  They were shocked when I said I’d still got 14 odd kgs to go.But then they said they admired my hard work.  Well, that made me smile.

I plan to be at the gym tomorrow…however my nose is feeling really weird and my eyes are dry and burning.  Head cold?  God I hope not!  I’m taking loads of Vit C and other things to boost my immune system.  I can’t cope with the house if I’m sick, well I can’t cope with the mess that accumulates when I’m off sick!   That reminds me… 2 weeks ago when the “Swine Flu” hype was at it’s peak, Alannah was asking Steve about it.  He was telling her about the symptoms etc. and how bad they’ve been for some people.  then he said but you know what’s worse than the swine flu?  no we couldn’t think of anything.  MAN FLU!!!!!!!!!!!!  I nearly wet myself laughing!  He said “When Daddy get’s sick he comes home and goes to bed but when MUMMY gets sick she still get’s you two out to school, does the dishes and the washing  and looks after your brother, and picks you up and keeps the house going”  We laughed.  Then he said “So what is worse?  MAN FLU!!”  So true!

Well I’m off now, not to go excercise or anything like that…  It’s time to de-nit the girls AGAIN!  Oh the joys!

Bye

( I bet you are scratching now! lol)

Bex

Battling with myself…again. May 20, 2009

It’s Wednesday night, Steve’s out for tea and I want chocolate.  Nothing so unusual about that is there?  Well for me, now, yes.  I’ve actually GOT chocolate in the house this week.  For Erin’s 9th birthday party on Sunday.  I bought it yesterday and it’s for Sunday.  GROAN!  Why didn’t I buy it on Saturday night!

I lost 1.4kg this week, 500 grms short of what I put on last week, so there’s more to loose this week coming up.  I’m vieing with another to help keep us motivated and it’s working so far… sort of.  I went to the gym on Monday morning and Manuella’s reinvented the LADDER!  ARRRGGH!!  She’s included duck walking.  Get down into a squat and walk forward 25meters, lift your legs straight up NOT swing out to the side, and if you drag the ladder you have to do it again.  well, OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!  Then Tuesday morning was Tae Bo again,  kicking and punching and I’m having trouble getting up and down off chairs and the loo…lol

So I did some REALLY hard work and got a good result on Tuesday morning, not all of the gain off but still 1.4.  So why do I want to sit and eat the chocolate now!  God, I don’t know!  I listened to Deirdre last night and Steve was listening in from the lounge, he thinks she’s great, and wants to know more.  He reckons it might help him sort me out!  I’m trying to sort me out too! 

Listening to Damian last night the one thing that REALLY struck me was that one thing off the plan could stop your weight loss for a few days.  I know about the booze, but wasn’t so conscious of the food thing.  Dumb eh!?!  I just thought it put the weight on rather than stopped the process.  AH well ya learn a new thing everyday eh?    So when I stuff my face with a packet of chocolate chippie biscuits, they not only make me put on weight they stop me loosing the weight too.  Bugger.  AND they don’t help me deal with the feelings that I was trying to hide from or suppress either.

What a jumble tonight!  Well it’s been a couple of days since I blogged and my computer has been going R E A L L Y slow, and I’ve been having trouble getting in to the rest of the blogs.  Thank God I still have my cellphone and can text people!

I’m off to the gym tomorrow morning with Lachlan as my friend who normally looks after his has sick kids.  This should be fun, he watched me trying to to Tae Bo on Tuesday.  I’m sure he thinks I’m crazy!  lol

AND as I said on my status line on Facebook today, it’s been hailing off and on today, unfortunately for me it’s often been on me!

Rambling Bex

Oh! and on a lighter note (both scales wise and levity )  I’ve had to buy myself smaller pj’s.  I got out my winter flannelet (unsexy) jammies and wore ‘em to bed on Friday night.  I got up on Saturday morning and walked 5 steps to the door and the bottoms fell off!  LOL  They were 26′s.  I bought 18′s.  I could’ve done with 16′s (!!) but I like my jammies a little loose, BUT NOT SO LOOSE THEY COME OFF BY THEMSELVES!!! lol  Funnily enough Steve didn’t mind them falling off!  lol

Bex

Winning so far… May 21, 2009

Thanks guys, I’m winning so far.  (Read my previous blog to explain that one) I went to the gym and did a gutbusting 700 cal burning workout this morning!  The chocolate biscuits and the slab of chocolate and the choc chips for the cake are all still there, in their packets, unmolested by me! Thursday night and counting down to Sunday!   As Jo V said, I’m now looking at everything that I consume and thinking is the momentary pleasure worth the halt in weight release!

I had cereal for breakfast and carrot, capsicum and hummus then an apple and feta cheese for lunch.  The kids and Steve are having home made fish and chips for tea and I’m going to scoff a salad with avocado, capsicum, crunchy beans, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes and feta with salmon.  All drizzled with lime infused avocado oil   MMMMMMM 

I don’t have gym tomorrow so the plan is to go for a fast walk in the morning after dropping the girls off at school.  It’s been weird here the last 2 days weatherwise, so I’m hoping for settled (at least) skies!  Steve want’s me to stay home in the warm tomorrow as I’m battling the headcold too.  We’ll see.  I might end up running the length of the hall again!  Actually that seems like a better idea, inside in the warm and Lachlan can join in too!

Some of the Christchurch gang are going dancing again this week, as with last week, I’d planned to join them… however I’m sneezing all over the place now.  Darn headcold!    So enjoy folks.  Sigh. I wish I was there!

Bex

Problem solving and planning. May 23, 2009

Well I spent Friday morning vacuuming, tidying, bringing in wood,mopping and folding washing etc.  No exercise per se.  My friends arrived at lunchtime and left just on 3pm then Alannah and Lachlan and I sat and watched Night at the Museum. Then dinner and after watching Project Runway ( Korto SO should’ve won!) I toddled off to bed.  I wear my HRM monitor all day and I was surprised when it showed 2000 cals!  I must’ve been moving quite a bit with the housework! lol

So this morning, it’s dark outside, raining and blowing a gale AGAIN!!!!  I’d said to Steve that I wanted to go out for a walk on the beach this morning as tomorrow is Erin’s 9th birthday and I won’t be able to go out first thing.  So I’m getting dressed to go for my jaunt when I notice it’s raining.  Bugger!  I vacillate between going out and climbing back into bed for a cuddle.  I’m still not over the headcold, and I don’t have a rain coat that I can wear exercising.  Then i decide to go!  I went out to the lounge, found my polyprop, (which was in the NEXT load of washing waiting to be folded) and then tried on Steve’s mountain biking shell jacket.  It’s a wind breaker type and longer in the bum and on the arms for biking.  Well neither of us thought I’d get it on, or get my arms into it.  ( I’ve got REALLY bad batwings!)

Well we were both wrong!  Not only did I get it on BUT It fitted really well AND there was some room in it!  It’s a M and I’m in between an XL and a L now! Wahoo!  So off down the beach I go, head wind and all.  1hr and 8mins and670 cals burnt!

We’re out to a friend’s house for tea, so Steve’s making me a salad now to take with us.  Then I’m going out to another friends party.  She’s made vodka jelly shooters.  Get the idea?  Well I HAD been going to have 1 glass of wine.  But NOW I’ve really thought about it… Erin’s birthday lunch is pancakes and bananas and bacon.  Then there’s the cake.  So I’m NOT drinking tonight, I’m having a palmsized pancake, 1 rasher of bacon then a salad and planning to have a transparent slice of cake! LOL

So wait for the next installment to see how I go!

Plus I’ve the added incentive of being behind in the minigoal stakes and also lagging behind a certain other challenger!

All fired up now!

Bex

I’d rather not loose weight THAT way Thanks! May 26, 2009

What a weekend!  Well we went out to the friend’s house for tea, they’re having baked stuffed spuds, I get Steve to make me a salad and we were taking Mountain bread for me.  He forgot the Mountain bread but the salad was HUGE and more than enough so I ate most of it and took some home.  Yay me!

I went to the party, ate carrots with hummus dip, and almonds, had a vodka jelly shooter and whipped everyone on Singstar!  lol  I left the party at 11:40 and drove a friend who’d been drinking home, got home and asleep at 12:30.  Then at 5:00 Alannah get’s up to go watch TV.  I send her back to bed, next thing it’s 6:00 and she’s asking me if she can go watch TV again.  I make that noise you do when you are 3/4 asleep but some response is required, you know the one  “MMMpppHHH”  Next thing I hear is Steve screwing up paper in the lounge to light the fire and him saying “NO!” as Alannah asks if we can open Erin’s presents yet!  He comes back to bed and we lie there for 5 minutes then I get him to use his cellphone and ring our housephone to get the girls to come down and open Erins presents!  lol  I thought Erin would answer the phone as 99.9% of the calls would be for her birthday but Alannah got there first.

She opens her Nana’s card first, $40 Ozzie money.  She say’s it’s Australian!  How does she know that?  It’s written on it Dad!

Then She opens our card.  Her passport is in it.  She looks at it, looks at the money and her face lights up.  I’m going to Australia!  She starts bouncing up and down on the bed.  Then we give her her Aunty’s card.  Inside is the itinerary.  Brisbane!  What’s in Australia Erin?  Thinking.. thinking …screaming!  AUSTRALIA ZOO!!!!!!!  Her aunty is taking her to Oz for 8 days in July.  Lucky girl!!

So then it’s showers, church, friends over for the pancake lunch.  Tracy and I had salads the others had pancakes bacon, the kids had nutella, peanut butter etc  and the second round had ice-cream.  They all went outside to play for a while then it was off home.  Lachlan decided at 4:15 he needs a sleep so off to bed he goes ( I should’ve KNOWN something was wrong!)  So we get tea ready and are feeding the kids when Lachy wakes up.  I go down to his room and he’s coughing.  Nothing unusual about that, he’s also crying.  So I sit on his bed turn him to face me and give him a cuddle… BAD MOVE!!!!  He promptly spews down my left arm!  So I yell BUCKET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  and Steve comes running with an empty ice cream container, but not fast enough to catch the one that goes down my right arm and all over his bed!  LOL

So into the shower we get, all clean and dressed, me in my jammies and dressing gown and he goes again all over me and himself.  I’ll stop now!  lol  So he was up most of the night and so was I.  Steve got a callout at midnight and was off to fix trains so I had to deal with the poor guy myself.  Fortunately we’d managed to teach him to get it into the bucket by then!  lol

So yesterday instead of going to the gym and repeating the gut busting workout of Thursday, I spent the day with a cling-on on my lap on the couch!  He alternated between grizzling, drinking water, spewing ,dozing and sleeping.  Poor mite.  I hadn’t had anything to eat since the salad on Sunday arvo, so I snuck away at 1:30 whilst he was dozing on a mattress by the fire and had a salad.  Then at 3:30 it was MY turn!  Oh boy!  But I ws only going for 2 hours, Poor Lacky was 18!  So I’ve managed to have some breakfast this morning, but I’d much rather NOT loose weight THAT way I tell ya!

So no gym for me this morning, however Lachy’s in his bed so I can go do the vacuuming etc, I’ll put on some music and get grooving!

1.4kgs off this week.  I’ve taken off all the weight from the binge 2 weeks ago now, and as I’m keeping strictly to plan now I’ll be under 100 in 2 weeks!  I’m 102.1  I can do this!!!!!

Bex

GOSH! I feel like Cinderella! May 27, 2009

Wow guys!  I’m blown away by your generosity and the outpouring of support.  Thanks so much.

Steve asked me after the call if I did think I was an inspiration to others and how that made me feel.  I said I didn’t think I was THAT much of one BUT then I thought of the people who’ve come up to me at school and said that they’ve decided to do something about their health and started exercising too.  And there’s you guys too.    As much as I’m inspiring you, you are inspiring me in so many different ways.  It’s fantastic.

Thanks again.

Bex

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!! May 28, 2009

Oh and did I say THANK YOU???  T o all those who have given to the cause (lol)  THANK YOU doesn’t seem enough!  I’m now going to be able to come!

I’m so excited I can’t THINK STRAIGHT!!!  I’m humbled by your regard and blessed that so many have been able to help.  I’m eternally grateful!  All those who wish for a personal thanks can line up for a big hug and a sloppy kiss! lol  I’m going to be bouncing ALL over the place for the next 5 weeks!!!!

THANK YOU!!!!   THANK YOU !!!!!  THANK YOU!!!!

from an ecstatic and overwhelmed BEX

No marathon this weekend, or even our version of one… May 29, 2009

Well I’d planned to go on the SBS marathon on Sunday, but we’d decided not to do it as it was $60 bucks to sign up.  So we’d  planned to do our own version and go for a long walk on Saturday or Sunday.  

As you know if you’ve been following my blog, Lachlan’s been sick this week.  He still has the runs, a chesty cough and he’s having his 2nd sleep of the day.  Not normal for him though, he’d given up his sleeps before he got the gastro bug.  Erin started coughing yesterday, andher throat was so swollen this morning that it sounded like she couldn’t breathe.  Doc says it’s croup.  So No walk for us as a family this weekend.  I haven’t been to the gym ALL WEEK!!!!  and am feeling really hemmed in!  I haven’t even been able to go in the evenings because Steve’s had trouble at work and has had to work late.  (Mustn’t complain… at least he still has a job)  I’ve been wearing my monitor during the day and I’ve been burning between 1500 to1800 cals a day.  And as I said on the call on Tuesday I’ve had Sunday arvo till Tuesday morning not eating.  Hope there’s no “bounce back” as Daniam said!

So what am I going to do?  Off up the beach for the next 3 mornings.  Sunday should be interesting… sleet down to sea level.  Better pull out the thermals, and NO I can’t fit Steve’s ones YET! lol

I feel like I need to explain to you all just why I felt like I didn’t deserve to go with your help to the retreat.  STOP ROLLING YOUR EYES!!! lol  I was given help to get to the last retreat by some friends and I felt very blessed then.  Now I’m getting help again and I feel for the people who have gone without things to afford to go this time.  I appreciate all that has been done for me and apologise for sounding ungrateful.    I explained this to a friend last night and it helped me come to the conclusion that I need to accept this and be happy.  You have done a great thing for me and I need to stop feeling guilty or I’ll start to stuff my face thus letting everyone down.

SO,  deep breath,  I’m absolutely ecstatic and blown away, and eternally grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me.  Thank you so much   Enough said.

Bex

Preparing for some snow, beach walking and meandering thoughts. May 30, 2009

Hey, I gotta skite again, up and out on the beach this morning.  80 mins and 750 cals burnt!  Walking fast on soft sand.  Boy oh Boy are my buns sore! lol  I wear my HRM all day, turn it on when I put it on and turn it off when I go to bed, just to see how well or poorly I’m doing.  Well I’ve done 1500 to 1800 everyday this last week as I haven’t been out to exercise. 

Today, so far, I’ve burnt 1830 and it’s only 3:30!  I’ve put out 3 loads of washing and vacuumed the living areas as well as brought in 10 arm loads of wood to keep us warm in the predicted SNOW tomorrow!  As you might have guessed we like pretty close to the beach, so snow here is a bit of a rarity.

I’m pulling out my longjohns to wear on the beach tomorrow with some other trackies over the top.  Maybe I should wear the Skins and trackies.  Hmmmm.  There must have been some wild weather out at sea last night because the beach was littered with crabs, shellfish and huge strands (?) of kelp.  Also some plants and HEAPS of wood.  The seagulls were SO busy eating that they didn’t even take off when I got close!  But Mother Nature wasn’t the only litter bug evident,   I saw 3 hubcaps (all from different cars) plastic fizz bottles galore; some even had barnacles on them, a child’s left sneaker, a tennis ball with kelp growing out of it, some plastic bags and a tyre.  Yes I did clean up a bit too! 

It made me think of all the trash I’ve been putting into my body the last few years!  UGH!  But I’m sure anyone approaching me from behind would’ve thought I was nuts, because the whole 80 minutes I was out there, well a few less as I passed other walkers, I was chanting 99, 99, Come on 99!  LOL

Enough for now, it’s time to get the washing in and light the fire.

Bex

I get to put my new charm on my bracelet today! June 2, 2009

I did IT!!!! 100.0 kg exactly!  Not 99.9 though, the nurse wouldn’t let me strip off to weigh!  lol  She said it would be cheating. 

Sunday morning Idid 90 mins on the beach, no snow and burnt 800 cals.  Monday morning I went with a friend and kept HER heart rate up but mine wasn’t there yet.  But I was counting it as a soft day.  Back to the gym this morning and did the gut buster again and my HRM is reading 932cals in the 3hrs  15 I’ve had it switched on!

YAY  99 next week!

So I get to put the dress charm on my bracelet as I’ve reached 100 kg.    YAY!

One happy Bex

Stealing Steve’s mountain biking gear… June 4, 2009

Well, I’ve stolen Steve’s shell jacket (last weekend) and said to him I wanted to go to the Warehouse and buy some of their exercise gear this morning. (Because it’s cheap but it will fit me)  I’ve been wearing a size 26 cotton sweatshirt over my gym gear in the mornings and a XL sized polar fleece and STILL freezing.  Both of them now wrap around me side to side.  He rolled his eyes at me and snorted!  “Gym gear from the Warehouse!  Here try this on.”

Out came the polar fleece biking top with the corona of light appearing from behind it and an angelic choir singing!  lol  Anyway, I put it on.

That’s it.  I put it on.  A MEDIUM!!!!!  I put it on.  HA!  MINE NOW!!!!!!!!

He needs to go get himself another smaller one!  If I can fit his M’s then he must need Smalls!

So I was also looking at the T-shirt I was wearing , it’s a super-duper sweat wicking T-shirt that looked like sausage casing on me when I’d finally lost enough weight to put it on.  It hangs off my boobs now and isn’t pushed out by my guts!  HAHA Nice image there! NOT!!  I could fit one of the kids into it with me! lol  I’ll continue to wear it though because it has real sentimental value for me.  Anyway, the polyprop top keeps it nice and snug at the moment!  I also love the fact that because it’s a biking top it’s longer in the bum than at the front, gotta keep the assets warm!  lol

So I’m going to stay with my sister-in-law on the Wednesday night before the Retreat, I can’t wait to see her face when she sees me. (Hi Julie ) She reads my blog too so knows how much I’ve lost and what I’m up to.  She hasn’t seen me for nearly 2 years.  She’s seen pics from last Christmas but I’ve lost another 15 kg since then.  I actually weigh less than when we first met! lol

So, I now have 2 new tops courtesy of Steve’s mountain biking wardrobe, Hmmmmmm,  I wonder what else I can pinch… 

Bex

An almost empty beach June 6, 2009

My travelling companions and my view!

This is my Start/Finish line.

My turning point, 6ks.

I hauled myself out of bed again this morning to go for a stomp down the beach.  Usually when I get there there are a few others out already.  Today I got there  at about 7:45am there was NO ONE!  I had the whole beach to myself.  I brought my camera to see if I could show Steve how far I go down the beach as he often rides down it in the evenings too.  I turned around at the same landmark last weekend.  Today I chose one further up the beach and went for that.  Little did I know it was the next Surf Lifesaving club up the beach.  When I got back to the dunes to go back to the car, I checked the trail map.  It’s 12ks!  Wow.  When I’d arrived there was a frost over everything and the sun was just coming up, when I left there were still frosty patches around!

What can I say, Christchurch is a beautiful place!

Bex

Driven to drink….tea that is! June 8, 2009

I babysat on Saturday night, go home at 12:30am and fell into bed like a felled tree!  Lachlan woke up at 6:30am and I was up for the day!  I really would’ve liked just 30 minutes more but Steve had to be on the other side of town at ( to do some work, so I got up and went out on beach.  Saturday’s walk was 1hr 50 mins and burnt 960 cals.  I decided to have an easy walk so only did an hour and burnt 600 cals.

I got home and spent the rest of the day shivering, despite wearing 4 layers of clothing, and cruising the pantry.  I couldn’t work out why I kept going back and back to the pantry.  I wasn’t hungry just wanted SOMETHING!  So I drove myself to drink tea.  The Tantrum tamer tea was first, then 2 hours later the destress me tea, then the minty lemon.  I couldn’t work it out.  Then when Steve was about to leave for his mountain bike ride at 4 pm I found something….  There were chocolate chips left over from Erin’s birthday cake in the pantry.  OH DEAR!!  I ate 5 and gave the rest to the kids, Erin asked me if i wanted any more and I told her to “GO AWAY!!!!”  So this was about 4:30 and the kids were still bouncing off the walls at 8pm!

Steve made corn chowder for himself and the kids, I made myself an omelette with mushies and red onion and capsicum in it.  He looked at my tea and said mine looked much nicer!  I had to agree!  So after dinner I still WANTED something.  Bananas on toast.  What the heck is going on!  I was full so didn’t eat anymore food.  I made myself ANOTHER destress me tea and sat on my hands.

So I discovered what was going on then I got up this morning…  I thought I no longer HAD that kind of craving anymore!  Ah well I didn’t succumb to them so I’m SO proud of myself.  Went to the gym this morning and did Tae Bo.  Several wins I think!

I’ve decided that if I’m under 100 this week, (and I really should be!!!!) I’m going to be brave and go try on some size 16 jeans.  The 18′s I got at the clothes swap are too big.  AND I’ve had to get Steve to put 2 new holes in my belt!! 

I can’t WAIT to weigh myself tomorrow morning!

Bex

AHHH Bugger! June 9, 2009

100 grams ON!!!!  Darn it!  Got a bad one this month.  Enough said.

I’m meeting Jo V face to face tomorrow for the first time, funny to have spent so much time ‘talking’ and yet we’ve not met face to face yet!  It’s amazing how this Challenge has brought all of us so close and some of us may never actually do the face to face thing!

For those who aren’t continuing on to the next Challenge and want to keep in touch, there are a few Challengers on Facebook.  I’m quite happy to keep in touch with anyone who wants to keep chatting to me!  I’m on Facebook, and anyone who isn’t on fb and wants to contact me can either make a comment on here and I’ll reply email to you.  Or when you go to the Question and Answer page and run the cursor over my name (if you can find it!  lol) a square with information pops up.  On the bottom of that square says email.  And hey presto!  There I am!  I’m not going to put my email on here as I had a look at my spam filter on the blog.  One of my posts is getting spam in Russian!??!!  Weird!  I’m glad the filter is doing it’s job.  lol!

In a previous blog I said Julie hadn’t seen me for 2 years, she sent me an Email to say it’s been only one year since we were up for Nana’s funeral.  WOW  A lot has happened in a year!  But I’m still 30kg lighter than when she saw me last!  lol

That’s all for now.  I’m off to make the Salmon Hash Cakes.  Yummmmmm

Bex

Rising to the challenge. June 11, 2009

I met Jo V face to face yesterday, we spent so much time yacking and were so involved in our conversation that I didn’t see my husband and 3 kids walk past us in the mall!  Conversely THEY didn’t see us either! lol

I went to the gym today faced with doing the dreaded ladder, Squats lunges duckwalking etc, and all with a really sore tummy and girlie problems.  I had a quiet word to my trainer and she put me on the machines for the whole hour.  She’s read a few new books, (Ray’s included) and has come to the conclusion that intervals are the way to go.  So I had to do sprints on the magnetic bike, the rowing machine, the treadmill, the punching bag and the speed ball!  Whew!  then she had me on the weights machine.  I was lifting SO much on my legs that I’ve given myself some bruises.  Then she puts me on the one that you push the weights out from the knees up under your chin position.  I was pushing out 42 kg and she said that’s pretty pathetic!  !!!!!!!!!!!

Some people in the gym are doing more than that!  So I did!  Not sure exactly how many kilos I was moving but I did it!  Ten times!  Maybe that was Manuella’s intention all along, but I did it! 

So now instead of having a sore butt on Saturday I’m going to have sore hamstrings!.  Good thing I’m going out for a beach walk!  I’m hoping for good warm (haha) weather on Saturday as our school is having a “Community Fun Day” and I’m having a “Going out of Business” sale on my jewellery.  I’m hoping to come home with my stock all gone and not be sick for the next 2 weeks as I have done in the past.

That’s it for now.

Bex

Missing a few days… June 15, 2009

Sorry, about that.

Friday I did housework, several loads of washing in and out on the line and folded, I found my kitchen bench again, (it regularly disappears!) vacuumed and mopped before my friends arrived for our lunch and study.

Saturday morning I was out at 7:30am on the beach with a nearly high tide so I was forced onto the soft sand!  I did 1hr 9 minutes and burnt 700cals.  Pretty good!  Then I came home defrosted in the shower and grabbed my jewelery and gear for the School Community Fun Day.

I sold some gear which was great so I wasn’t out of pocket for the table.  But it took a big chunk out of the day, I got home again at 3pm, we raced off to the library, home by 4pm then it was dinner and get ready for bed for the kids. 

I’ve mentioned before how I’m on Facebook, well I play this game called Farm Town (along with a few others on the Challenge) and I’ve become addicted to it! lol  I spent a few hours on the computer on Saturday night!  I need to do some chair exercises whilst I’m on it I think!

Sunday I decided to stay home and help Steve get the girls through the shower and ready for church, Erin’s 9 and does her own hair but Alannah’s is nearly waist length, full of ringlets and usually full of knots so we can only comb it in the shower when it’s full of conditioner.  Steve won’t even attempt to do their hair, it’s my job he tells me! 

So off to church and home for lunch.  Steve goes out for his bile ride at 2 this time, usually it’s 4pm.  So I spent the afternoon chasing Lachlan around the house!   (As well as playing Farm Town) 

My friend who usually looks after Lachlan while I’m at the gym is sick today so I decided to go tonight and went to get the groceries done.  I’m about to go and see Richard the Naturopath and pick up some Premula, I’ll let you know how it works!

Steve made a really nice meal last night with chicken, kumura, pumpkin and tomatoes, red onion and garlic.  It was kind of like a vegetable bake, YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM  He wants me to send the recipe in to Damian for approval and share it with you lot, nice isn’t he!

See, nothing really of note this time, just a quiet few days!   Manuella has told me I REALLY need to come to this session today, I wonder what she’s got in store for me! :0

Bex in saggy jeans.

Double digits!!! WAHOOOOOO and ouch! June 16, 2009

99.2 kgs!!!  I’ve made into the 90′s!!!!!!!  Double Digits!YYYAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday’s blog said that Manuella said I shouldn’t miss the gym session, well I went and ouch!  That was the 5:30pm session then I went again this morning and double ouch!  lol  I’m used to having more recovery time between sessions…but it’ll do me good for the Retreat I guess.

I also said in my last blog that my friends came over for lunch on Friday, I didn’t mention that one of them brought a packet of Black Forest Tim Tams with her.  My big skite is that I had one.  Just one, whereas in the past I’d've scoffed 2 or 5!  I know that should read I had none!  But I’m celebrating the fact that I had one and insisted that she take the rest of the packet with her when she left!  It’s a huge thing for me!  Looking forward to the time when I can say I had none AND wasn’t tempted either! lol  She was going to leave the packet at my house for my girls to eat.  I told her with complete honesty that if she left them here I’d eat all 4 that were left.  She said she’d hide them in their room… I said I’d STILL find them so she took them away!  Whew!

Another win today too…  in 2 weeks time the Ladies Ministry at Church is having a pamper Day, and a local Catering Company is doing lunch.  I’ve contacted the organisers and arranged for the panini to be swapped for a wrap, and the slice to be replaced with some fruit!  Go me!  And organised it for 2 friends who are also trying to loose weight as well.  Forward planning is a great thing!

I talked to a friend last night at the gym who is now wearing 10′s and asked her if she has any 16′s she want’s to part with.  Turns out she has and she’s going to have a look for me today.  She’s the one who i got 95% of the clothes off at the last clothing swap.  Can’t wait!  Me 18′s are hanging off me and Steve’s had to put 2 new holes in me belt!  Wahooooo!!!

Bex in saggy jeans, waiting for 16′s!!!!  LOL

I’m SUCH a chicken, and I LOVE “Red Spot” sales! June 19, 2009

I was sitting with Lachlan at the mall on Wednesday waiting for him to finish his McD’s (no I didn’t have any), I was sitting facing Max  who had 50% off their sale clothing.  I was sitting there looking at this shop that I’ve been wanting to go into for YEAR and YEARS and I sat there and looked at it.  And looked and looked.  I’m STILL not going into these shops and trying on the 16′s because I’m too chicken!  I’ve got a pair of shorts from Jay Jays and a pair from Pagani.  They were given to me by another friend who’slost weight too.  One pair dosen’t fit and one pair does.  Not only fits, I can breathe when I have them on!  lol  It’s just too bl**dy cold to wear them!  lol

Despite the fact that I can do them up and breathe I’m still too scared to go looking for the clothing to adorn this glorious body I’ve discovered!  LOL  I found these hard things around my chest today, I’m told they’re ribs!  Chortle chortle!

I love Farmers Red Spot sales too!  I went into Farmers and asked a friend who works in the bra and underwear department if they had any sports bra’s in the red spot sale.  Just thought I’d check.  AND THEY DID!!!  The last sports bra I got Steve bought me for our wedding anniversary in November just gone.  Well it’s too big now, so I had to buy a new one.  Down from $69.95 to $14.50!!!!!!!  I was meant to have it!!!  It’s a ‘racing back’ which instead of going straight down from my shoulders to the back strap goes in like a “Y” between my shoulder blades.  It feels weird but oh boy does it do the job!  LOL 

I’m off on the beach tomorrow morning again, I’m really liking the time in the mornings to get my thinking done.  Fantastic scenery and for the last 4 weeks the weather, although cold, hasn’t been wet.  That may change tomorrow but WHO CARES!!!  I’m going!

Bex waiting for a call about her next smaller sized jeans!

Saturday morning fashion show NOT!!! lol. June 20, 2009

Well that’s us, me and Lachlan.  Me after the 1hr 20mins and 900 cals burnt this morning.  Before the shower! lol! That’s Lachlan, photo courtesy of Erin, he’s 2 next Saturday.   

And that’s after the shower and breakfast!   Without any product in my hair to tame it either! lol

YEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! June 22, 2009

I was given a pair ofsize 16 jeans on Sunday by the friend who’s also lost heaps of weight.  Well I can get em on, do up the button, do up the zip.  AND BREATHE  and sit down in them with out being cut in half!!!!! lol

I spent ALL day walking round with a HUGE grin on my face all day.  The hard work has really paid off.  I’m not going to get to goal by the end of this challenge, but that’s ok.  I’m getting smaller by the week and I’m getting healthier by the day. 

Lachlan is 2 on Saturday, and I’d set myself a goal at his birth.  I wanted to loose 50kg by his 2nd birthday.  Well with the help of Phyllis, Damian, Ray and YOU I’ve nearly made it.  Just the weigh in tomorrow and we’ll see if I’ve reached another goal in my journey.

My catch cry for the challenge has always been “Smaller jeans”,  but now I’ve modified it.  Now it’s “Nothing tastes as good as smaller jeans feels!”

Ain’t that right!???!!!!

Bex

Just a small loss but… June 23, 2009

…it’s a HUGE total!  I lost 200grams this week. I’m 99 kgs.  It takes my total on both Challenges to 25.5kg so far.

I can’t lift that amount of spuds and yet I used to carry it around all day, every day!  25 kg is what my younger daughter weighs.  A whole small person!!!!!  I’ve been asked 3 times in the last 2 days if I would go back.  The answer is a resounding NO!!!!!  I’m going to employ the “Traffic Light” system to my weight and focus on my health.  I love feeling like I do now and don’t want to EVER go back to the woman I once was.  Sure I’ll have slip ups along the way, and I’ll do what I’m famous for!…  Get up, dust myself off, and get back on track.

All the chocolate and Coke and chippies in the world can’t compare to my smaller jeans and healthier fitter body!!!

NOTHING tastes as good as I feel now!

Bex

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! June 27, 2009

Well for those of you who aren’t on Facebook, here’s the new me!  Still weight to come off but even if I do say so myself…WOW!!!

I went to a “Pamper Day” today and got some more new clothes, I went in my size 16 jeans (which I’m STILL buzzing about) and my new ‘do’. 

I had it cut off yesterday morning and went darker than I have gone before.  I got SO many compliments, and got quite a thrill when several people had to pick their jaws up off the floor when they saw me! lol  THEN……

I tried on several tops etc. and found one in particular that I liked.  So I tried it on, and it was a little snug but looks great!  So I decided to take it.  When I took a look at the label I almost wet myself!!!!  It’s a ……14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m wearing size 16 jeans (that are falling down), and a size 14 Ignite (Farmers) top!   YEHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!  So I immediately put it back on and went and showed EVERYONE!!! Telling everyone in earshot what size it is!!!lol

I went for a shorter walk this morning because of the “PamperDay” and I did a session of Pilates there too!  I’ve burnt 2650 cals so far today!  lol  Must be the jumping up and down with glee! lol  I’m planning to do a longer session tomorrow morning, today’s was 45 mins 5kms  2.5 in soft sand and because the tide was coming in the other 2.5 was done on the forest track with some running thrown in!  I only burnt 452 cals.  But I’ve done 2200 since then! LOL

I’m getting REALLY excited about the Retreat now that Lachlan’s birthday is over and the Pamper Day is done.  I can’t wait!

Bex in saggy 16 jeans and size 14 top! lol

I missed a whole number! June 30, 2009

Wow, I skipped 98 all together!  I’m 97.8.  I’m having trouble telling people just what my weight is as I’m SO used to putting the biggest numbers first.  So I’m likely to say 98.7  if asked.  LOL!!

I’ve now lost 26.7 in the 2 Challenges.   Within minutes of putting my new look on Facebook I had 4 people pop up and comment, even my brothers!!  Now THAT is amazing   I have a silly grin permanently fixed on my face.  Yesterday I suffered a consequence of loosing weight… my pants fell down on the treadmill while I was sprinting!! LOL  I managed to grab them before I got tangled in them and kept running!  lol  And yes I’m going to be wearing the same pants on the Retreat, so I’ll be holding on to them!  (No they don’t have a drawstring!)

I’m at home with a sick Erin and a tired Lachlan who got 4 hours sleep last night (and strangely enough so did I) so no gym for me this morning, I figure I’m going to be doing lots over the weekend so I’ll manage!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Bex in saggy jeans and track pants too!! lol

Where to start?????? July 7, 2009

Ok, well there’s the silly grin on my face on Wednesday night as i put on my size 14 top to fly to Auckland in, then there’s the even bigger grin as I check myself out in the glass windows at the airport.  Then there’s the jubilant text sent to Steve, Jo Verry and Karen Lloyd as I sit down in the airplane seat and my ass fits the airplane seat and DOSEN”T touch the arms!! EVEN IN ECONOMY!!!!!!!  Then there’s the giggling as I read Steve’s reply, “Smaller jeans, smaller butt.  And I bet you got that ridiculous grin on your face again too! “

Then there’s the meeting Jule and Ben again, and their reaction and praise for a job well done.  Next is the expression on my Mum-in-law’s face when she see’s me. phew  And that’s all BEFORE the Retreat!  lol

So Jo V. picks me up and we head to the Ferry terminal, we bump into Ingrid and discover that there’s no 1pm ferry, no problem, off we wander for lunch.  So we head back and there are 11 other people waiting there as well!  Kisses and hugs for friends well met again and intro’s for new friends just met.

Then the chaos begins, onto the ferry, trailing our bags like ducklings, choosing the seats, sailing, off the ferry and waiting on the dock for a pickup.

WOW!!  The resort is BEAUTIFUL!! Phyllis you outdid yourself again!!  Big hugs from Damian trying to ignore the camera pointed in our direction!  lol

Showing off the before and after version!  So proud of where I’ve come to from where I was!  Meeting SO many new people, renewing contacts with other people.  The whole atmosphere is one of excitement and joy! with just a hint of trepidation over the exercise load thrown in ! lol

I must stop now and thank Phyllis, Damian, Ray, Emily, Katy, Gary, Elsie and Cush for their fantastic efforts and time over the weekend.  Without the effort these people put in there wouldn’t have been such a wonderful time had!! You guys did a FANTASTIC job and I am enormously grateful for your efforts!!

The food was wonderfully prepared and cooked, the talks were amazingly delivered and the exercise was just great.

Meeting the other challengers and the people who’d chosen to come on the retreat was awesome, it was fantastic to build up relationships with new people and meet others that I’d met on here before.

I feel blessed to have met such wonderful people over the weekend.

I think I’ve run out of superlatives! lol  I had an awesome time when I could, what I managed to attend was fantastic.  Phyllis’ message on the deferred life was fresh and I got something new out of it each time I heard it! (Now that’s the mark of a great teacher! )  I have 2 new vision boards hanging in my room adorned with a wetsuit and dolphins…my reward for reaching goal weight.  I have the great news that I’ve knocked a few MORE years off my biological age and increased my muscle mass whilst shedding 12kg of fat!!  WAHOO!!

I thoroughly enjoyed EVERYTHING I got to do, yes even Ray’s step climbing interval session!

Thanks to those who brought me cups of tea and checked up on me, yes I’m on the mend,  slowly but surely.  I’ve been to the Doc, well the Flu clinic, and yes it’s the flu.  I couldn’t be tested for THE flu as that needed to be done in the first 72 hours but the Doc said I had it!  I can assure you the only sign of a piggy is the pigtails in my daughters hair!! lol  I won’t be sprouting a tail and starting  to oink any time soon!  lol

Didn’t Phyllis look great in her interview last night!

More later.

Bex

Wow 92kgs July 12, 2009

Well the scales I borrowed to weigh myself last week went down to 92 kgs, that’s because I hadn’t eaten anything in about a week though!! lol   I’m on day 11 of the swine flu and can get up from the couch without the room spinning and everything going black round the edges!  YAY!! 

Erin flew out to Auckland yesterday and as Steve’s come down with tonsilitis I had to drive her.  Well I came home and had to have a nap!  I think the Doctor might let me come in to weigh myself tomorrow, not too sure so the scales will be consistent.

I’ve been living on bananas and manuka honey for the past few days and am slowly getting back into actually eating real food.

I think I’m doing the next challenge but my brain has been so scrambled the past week I’m not sure!  lol  I’ll get back to you on that one!

I’m looking forward to getting healthy again, being this sick really sucks!  I can’t even face the thought of going to the gym!  Good thing Manuella’s on holiday next week too!  lol

I got a letter from the IRD last week saying they’ve underpaid my Working for Families payment, nice!  So I’m trying to decide whether to go and buy myself some new clothes or running shoes.  I’m more inclined to get the shoes as I can go to another clothing swap if need be! 

That’s it for now, just a few rambles

Bex

Well that’s the longest gap to date… July 21, 2009

miss me?  lol

Where to start?  Well, I’m almost all better now, still feeling tired after doing anything physical, (walking the kids to school makes me need to sit down for a few minutes to stop shaking) I only cough in the mornings and if I don’t talk too much my throat dosen’t hurt!! lol

I went and bought myself a pair of running shoes, I decided that I could always organise another clothing swap, but you can’t really swap runners! lol  I was feeling pretty good so went and tried some clothes on… size 16 too big, I got into size 14′s!!!  YAY!!!!!!!  The next day was payday so I went to do the groceries and ended up leaving 1/2 them behind as I nearly passed out, so I spent the next day at home doing nothing!

I’m managing to get things done and then have a rest then do some more, not my usual method of operation but it’s getting there!

I’m SO grateful to Phyllis and Damian for developing this program and handing me the tools to get a life.  I can’t help think WHAT would’ve happened had I not been as fit and healthy as I was when I got this Flu.  I would have ended up in hospital I think.

I’m dedicated to sharing the word… join up for your life!!

I lost 4.8 kg in 21 days with not eating and the tail of some hard exercising, I’m 93kg now.  I’ve decided to re-set my goal to 85kg for this challenge.  My BIA goal is 79.9kg.  It seemed to be impossible to reach when I signed up 8 months ago weighing in at 124.5, now it seems not only reachable but liveable too!

OH and I have had a small gain today, 0.03gramms.  I got my wedding rings back today, sized down 7 sizes!

That’s all for now

Bex

New pants! July 23, 2009

I’m going to a funeral this afternoon and went to the Warehouse to try on some pants.  I grabbed what I thought were a pair of 14′s  and a few other styles of 14′s to try.  Well some of them were TOO big!!!!!!  the 14′s in some styles were too big!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The last time I was wearing 14′s was when I WAS 14 possibly 15.  I can’t believe this!! I never thought I’d EVER be able to do this!!

Well the pant’s I likes were massive on me so Iwent and grabbed a 12.  I got into them but only just did them up.  Then I looked at the label of the ones that were TOO big, they were 18′s on a 14 hanger!! lol  NO WONDER!!!!!  lol 

Oh my goodness, I got my legs and bum into 12′s!!!  Just not my tum!! lol  It won’t happen overnight but it will happen  (as the ad used to say!)

We had glorious weather here yesterday so I washed the sheets and towels and 2 loads of clothes.  No problem getting them on the line but taking them off!! Oh Boy!! I walked to school, picked up the girls, walked home, got in the washing and folded it.  THEN I had a nap.  Sad.

I love my new skinnier body, well I should say healthier, but I’m not back to health yet!  lol  At least I can still laugh!!

I’ve got a friend bringing over some 12′s, 14′s and 16′s tomorrow morning,  I CAN’T wait!!!!

Jo, BRING IT!!  We are going to get there together!

Bex with a HUGE grin and smaller pants!

Back to the gym….OH BOY!!! July 27, 2009

Well I made it to the gym today, 27 days after getting the Swine flu I finally feel able to DO things!!

So Igot on the treadmill, walking on 4 for 4;35 mins and I had to get off!  I was shaking!  So I sat down.  On a magnetic bike, and did 4 mins on that.  My heart rate didn’t get into the fat burning zone at all (I think, I haven’t actually checked yet it’s still running) but I was feeling the effort.  I did a REALLY quiet session and then felt ok when I left.  That’s a HUGE improvement!!  Saturday morning I was feeling ok so I went and did 10 minutes of gardening, then spent the rest of the day shaking!!!

I’m a little tired now but feeling physically fine, Thank God!!

I’m SO over being sick!! I’m SO over feeling unfit!!  I WANT MY FIT HEALTHY BODY BACK!!!!!!!  I never thought I’d ever say that I’m missing the gym or being able to actually exercise but I have!!!  Ain’t THAT a turn up for the books!

I’m LOVING reading the new blogs and meeting the new challengers, it’s fired me up all over again!

Bex in her size 16 saggy jeans, (still waiting for the others to arrive ) eagerly awaiting smaller (again  lol ) jeans

OH good grief!! What now!!! July 30, 2009

On Saturday I got a phone call from my Mum who was FINALLY out of hospital after having her shoulder fixed.  As she and her husband (not my father) are both in wheelchairs 80% of the time Mum told me she would be staying in until the physio told her she could go home.  So that was a week ( I think) before the Retreat.  A few days after her operation she had a stroke.  I was on my way to Waiheke so she didn’t tell me, then I got the Flu so she didn’t tell me.  She told me on Saturday,  She’s recovered almost completely now, slurs a little when she’s tired and lost some of her mobility in her left leg. 

So ok, I thought, she’s 63, not too bad recovery-wise.  I can’t do anything about it, couldn’t do anything about it then anyway either.  Keeping in close contact with her now.

Then on Tuesday night at 6:30 Tuesday night Dad rings me with the results of the tests he’s had done.  Dad has Cancer.  He has a tumour in his gullet that is preventing him from eating solid food.

OH JOY!!!  He said his Doctor hasn’t rushed him into surgery so it can’t be that bad!!  He and the Team of doctors are going  to decide whether to have surgery or radiotherapy and chemo.  I got off the phone to Dad and 15 mins later was on the phone to Damian for the webcast.

What a few days!!

On a better note, I managed to run for a minute on the treadmill today and do some more in the circuit that my Trainer has for me.

AND yesterday my friend turned up with the CLOTHES!!!!  3 rubbish bags and 2 boxes of clothing ranging in size rom 10 to 20.    I managed to score 36 items of clothing that fit me!! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!  I got skinny jeans!!!!!!  Whoop whoop!!

Steve (my husband) is ecstatic as HE didn’t have to buy them!!  lol  Since I started the 1st Challenge I’ve come down from a 20/22 to a 14!! and I’ve only bought about 10 items of clothing along the way.  I’ve been SO blessed!!

So that’s been MY roller coaster of a few days. 

Bex in skinny jeans!    YE HA!!!

Thanks Guys. August 3, 2009

Thanks for the support Guys, I appreciate it!

I spent Thursday washing all my new clothes, hehe, 7 loads of washing on the line as it was a warm Nor’wester and perfect washing weather.  Towels etc too.

Friday I had several friends come over, a never ending stream it seemed, all to have a look at the clothes left, and everyone of them left with something! 

Saturday I decided to forgo my normal walk on the beach in the morning and we walked to the library in the afternoon in the sunshine.  Ah Bliss!   We had friends come over for dinner and had 6 kids and 3 adults in the house!! Fortunately we’ve got a BIG dining table!! lol

Sunday morning I had a dilemma!! What to wear to church!!  lol  I’ve had a grin on my face about my new clothes for DAYS now!!  (Not just the new clothes but the SIZE of them!  )  I had a few wags come up and introduce themselves to me as if they’d not met me before lol.  On the other side of the coin I also had a friend’s “well meaning” Mum tell me not to loose any more weight because I was “fading away”!! Sheesh!! There’s no pleasing people!!  lol  I’m NOT listening to her!  I’ve set my weight goal at 85 and as you can see on my ticker, it’s still not in the healthy BMI range of 25 and under.  So there’s room for me to go further if I choose!  

I’ve had a rough night with Lachy last night and he’s coming down th a clod, ah well, so no gym for me is morning but I’ll be there at 5:30 tonight when Steve gets home.  lol  We usually kiss on the way pass each other on nights like this, him on the way in and me racing out!  At least I’ll have dinner ready for him to serve!  lol 

Lucky old Lachy has had a sleep already, I put him back to bed at 8:45, I’m looking forward to him having another this afternoon so I can have a Nana nap too!! lol

I’m looking forward to the Christchurch  Catch up with a few others tomorrow night before the call, I haven’t seen them since the retreat, and I’ve been told I look really different again since then!!  Plus I get to show off some more new clothes!!  lol

That’s all for now.

Bex in smaller jeans grinning inanely!

Rough call and a binge. August 8, 2009

Hey all.  I had a late night call from my Dad on Thursday night to tell me all about what’s happening with the Cancer.  In the next couple of weeks he’s having laproscopic surgery to check out the site of the tumour, at the same time he’s having a stent inserted to deliver the Chemo.  It goes from one side of his chest to the other under his skin and ends up in a artery that’ll deliver it directly to where it needs to go.  Then there’s 6 weeks of chemotherapy.  Then Surgery to remove any cancerous cells.  He’s 63 and I’m scared for him.  Feeling like this threw me for a tailspin.  My Mum endured several years of off and on chemo when I was a teenager and it really as  hellish.

So on Friday I ate, and ate and ate.   I had chocolate, and licorice.  Then we had pizza for tea then chocolate self saucing pudding.  I enjoyed every mouthful of it and it was nice.  I went for my first walk on the beach this morning  since I got the Swine Flu and whilst I’m not back to where I was I sure burned off some of what I ate!  I’m not expecting a loss this week.  I’m expecting a gain.  I AM however back on track today and feeling more in control of my eating and coping mechanisms.  It just goes to show ya, (and me) that it can only take one thing to throw me.  So learn from my experience, don’t get complacent about just where you are in your journey.  It takes work and focus.

This has served as a refocusing point for me.  I still want to be able to get into these fabulous size 14 jeans next week!!!  lol

Later!

Bex

Well, I shouldn’t have asked, should I!!!???? August 10, 2009

Good grief!!! 

So I went for a walk on the beach on Saturday morning to help work off some of the Friday binge!!  (Yay me)  I SOOO wasn’t wanting to go but when I did… well It mas great, I was rewarded by being in time to see the racehorses being  excercised on the beach!  Wow

Then I came home had a shower did some computer stuff, chased the kids around and got ready to meet Phyllis for my interview.  That was great, sitting with Phyllis and talking about just how much weight I’d lost, how far I’d come and yes IDID tell her about the pizza!!  lol (but not on camera)  That was all great, I went home to go to the Library and get some books out, Steve had walked there with the kids.  So Ipull into the carpark and there’s Alannah sitting on the seat outside the Library waiting for Dad to get Lachlan into the stroller and go home.  I walk over to the Library doors to hear the sound EVERY parent dreads, my son screaming the house down in pain.

He’d got his right hand thumb jammed in some heavy, metal doors.  It was swelling in front of my eyes.  The librarian was giving us towels and wet tissues to try and bring the swelling down.  I didn’t have the carseat in the car so Steve walked Lachy home and Erin went with them on the scooter, Alannah and I went to get some milk on the way home.  We got home first and Erin told me that Lachy screamed the whole way home.  My first instinct was to take him to the After Hours but Steve got him to sit down and wrapped his hand in a cold pack that was wrapped in a towel.  So Lachy settled down and his thumb was a little red but twice it’s normal size.  He’s a thumb sucked my son, and he’s a right handed thumb sucker, so he would try and put it in his mouth, then take it out and ask me to kiss it better.  Nearly broke my heart.

We’d given him Panadol earlier in the day as he’s got an ear infection so we couldn’t give him that so we gave him baby Neurofen.    He settled down and Steve said we’d look at it in the morning again.  So Sunday morning at 6am when Lachy was crying in pain again I gave him Panadol and we came out to watch TV.  I rang the Healthline and answered several questions to be told that it would be a good idea to get it X-rayed in the next 24 hours.  It was still swollen and red.  So off he and I go at 8am.  We’re seen by a triage nurse, the regular nurse and then the Doc at 8:45  Who sends us to get an X-ray which dosen’t open till 9am.  Sigh.  So once the X-rays are done there’s more waiting and then…

I get to see the X-rays of my son’s fractured thumb.  It’s fractured the whole length of the top bone in his right thumb.  (Sob sob)  They can’t splint it as it’s his right hand on a right handed kid, and it would only aggrivate him.  If it was his fingers they’d splint them with it’s neighbour, but not thumbs.  So here I am with a son with a big thumb slowly going purple, and I’m off to the Library to discuss what they can do with the door to stop this happening to someone elses child. 

He’s still using his right hand, just not the thumb and he’s still playing and running around.  Whew.

What a weekend!

Bex

Managed Monday, missed Tuesday, August 12, 2009

and spent Wednesday mope-ing.   Feeling a bit weird lately, finding it really hard to get on track to the 80%  as have a lot of others.  I’ve had a few left field zingers and I’m not reacting well.   

I’m SO good at encouraging others and giving them advice to get them going!!  lol  Well I need to kick myself in the bum and get going!!  lol

I went to the gym on Monday, missed it on Tuesday with really awful girly problems and spent this afternoon with my son on my lap whilst I tried to get stuff done on here!! Good thing I’ve got long arms and a bigger lap now!!

 

I’m not going to make it tomorrow morning either so am making the commitment to go tomorrow night.  I’m also going to go for a big walk on Friday.  Saturday is payday (15th of every month) so I’m going to go and fill a trolley to overflowing for the month.  then sit down and enjoy the company of friends.

Dad’s health has thrown me for a loop, I nursed my Mum through similar stuff when I was 14 -16 and it was me, Mum and my 8 year old brother.  I’m sort of feeling a weird kind of  dislocation with my life at the moment. 

So all the more reason to get myself up and eating properly.  I’ve just been swabbed for Strep throat AGAIN!!!  So I’m getting a whole raft of supplements and multi’s sorted to help boost my immune system and help healing.  I’m also getting my water intake back up as it’d dropped a little too.

So here’s to a more positive week.

Bex

Friday on my mind August 14, 2009

Well it is Friday actually.

Skipped the gym all together yesterday. 

Found more ulcers on my throat today, yech!  it’s cold and rainy so am staying inside in the warm today.  The swab for Strep A came back as normal but last time it took 3 days and the swab came back positive for Strep C.  The mulitvitamins etc are on their way!!

I’m feeling more positive now, had some down time and sat thinking about the choice I have to make.  Do I sit and stuff my face because I’m feeling a bit freaked out?  Or do Istill want to wear these AWESOME jeans next week!!  lol   Not really a hard choice to make!!  lol

I’m going to the gym on Monday.  I AM going.

I’m looking forward to hearing more from people in their blogs and keeping in touch more often.

I’m not really back to my normal self yet, but I’m getting there!!  Watch out!!

Bex

 

I had a burst of energy after my blog and spent the next hour cleaning, tidying and vacumming.  All the while dancing around singing at the top of my lungs to Pink!!  I’m coming baaaaccckkkkkk!!!  YEEEEE—-HA!!!

Wahoo. I’m on my way!!!! August 17, 2009

Went to the gym this morning, we had a boxing session, and noone wanted to box with me!!     lol  They could all see that I was almost back to full strength so they were too chicken!!  haha.  In the end the lone bloke in our Monday morning class said he’d take me on.  lol  My usual partner Jo, wasn’t there, she’s just as strong as me and we’ve always sparred together, and partnered up on the other circuits that M has for us.  Jo’s blind so Iget a bit of stick about beating up the blind chick!  lol

Anyway, 600 cals and 60 mins later, I’m drenched with sweat and very happy!! I’m getting better!! Yipee!!  I also ran for 5 mins on the treadmill too.  Big achievement for me, I used to be able to do 8 mins on 12.  5 on 9 is ok by me for now! 

So I’m off to the gym for a different session tomorrow, going to feel the abs and arms tomorrow!!   Bring it on!! 

 

Went to the mall and caught up with Nicole too on Saturday, that was a hoot!!  Scored some more clothes as she kindly passed me on some of her pants.   Also went and bought a belt at Pagani.  My first purchase from a regular sized clothing store.  So proud!!  lol I’ve been showing it off to EVERYONE today!!  lol  I got called Skinny Minnie by at least 6 people today!!  lol  I tell ya, it’s great to hear!!

As you can read, I’m in a pretty great mood today, long may it last!!

Bex

Rollercoaster again!! August 22, 2009

Well last weekend Idecided to bid on Trademe on a pair of gorgeous boots.  Size 12 American, 11 New Zealand.  Yes my feet are big, I’m 6″ tall don’t forget.   3and 3/4 inch stiletto heels, black shiny leather with cute straps and shiny buckles on the side.  Almost knee high on most people. (Very girly) I  checked the measurements that were given and measured my feet ankles and calves.  Yes!!  They’d fit.  Well I told Steve my top bid was $70 and won them for ( gulp) $91.  So they were to arrive on Wednesday.

As you may or may not have read I had a great day on Monday, it continued on Tuesday with another cracker Gym session, meeting Jo V for 2 quick hugs and a few words and the anticipation of these boots arriving on Wednesday.

So Wednesday lunchtime I got home from a morning at Playcentre with Lachlan to find the boots in a courier bag on the porch.  I tell ya I squealed like a little girl on Christmas morning!!  lol  Then cried as I couldn’t get the buggers done up over my calves!!!!!!

The measurements were inaccurate!! Bugger!  So I have to relist them with accurate measurements.  And hope I get the money back, or I’m in deep trouble.  (Nah not really, Steve’s a sweetie really.)  Steve said to relist them and to remember this if he has the same trouble when ordering stuff of Trademe in future. Whew!

So Wednesday afternoon saw me asking EVERYONE I knew at school how big their feet were!!  lol

Thursday morning another great session at the gym, then a coffee meeting with some friends which I walked to and then walked down to the school to pick up the girls.

Friday was a cleaning and tidying day  and today I went out and did another beach walk to start the day.

I’m meeting Linda from Greymouth at the Airport briefly this afternoon, I can’t wait.

Tomorrow morning is another walk on the beach then back to the gym on Monday.  I’m back baby!!  AND LOVIN IT!!!!!

Honesty is the best policy. August 25, 2009

As much as it hurts to say this..  I’ve had a gain this week.  I had a whole bottle of wine on Thursday night after I’d had a conversation with my Dad about his up coming surgery and chemo.  The result is that the hard yards I’d put in over the week at the gym and walking etc haven’t registered.  They may have limited my gain though.

I’m not coping well with Dad’s illness and I’ve been eating chocolate and rice crackers (not together!!) these are not on my list!!  Or any-ones list for that matter.  I’m making choices based on how I feel and if I’m feeling bad I eat bad.  I thought I’d kicked that habit!! Darn it!

Dad has surgery tomorrow to see where and how big the cancer is, the Doctors suspect it’s spread to his lymph system.  Depending on the outcome of this he’s going to have chemo in 3 week cycles for 4 months then surgery to remove the tumour (s).  Now comes the even scarier part, for cardiac patients the recovery time in hospital is 7 -10 days.  They are keeping Dad for 14 – 16 days  and most of that in ICU.  I’m a little freaked out.  The Doctors have told him it’s the best kind of cancer in the best place.  Well THAT’S good news!  (Yeah right!)

So I’m keeping up the exercising and the walking and the water.  I just need to get a handle on my eating again.  This week has shown me that I STILL have work to go and I need to get my head sorted!!!

No more wine for me!!  Maybe a little whine once and again though 

Bex in tighter jeans

Feeling the love… August 27, 2009

Thanks Guys, your support has been awesome and so timely!

Dad came through the op well, so well he was texting me this morning saying “tis only cancer, not a firing squad”  LOl  gotta love the man!!  lol

Your support meant a huge amount to me and I was bouyed by it all day, my eating was 99.9% under control and the only thing I drank all day and (evening too) was Adam’s Ale.  (water)  lol

It’s going to be a tough few months coming up and I’ve registered the most common comment that you ladies made.  I’m not doing Dad or myself ANY favours by eating off my plan and getting down on myself.  Funny it took 9 of you to make me see that!   I’m feeling more optimistic about the chemo, just getting a contingency plan sorted has made it all seem much simpler.  I can be up there in a day if needed. or less if I have to fly (and pay through the nose to do it)

I’ve come too far and worked my butt off (figuratively AND literally) to let it all slide now.  Even if I maintain my weight for a few weeks, that’s be better that LAST weeks dismal effort!!  lol  I actually weigh MORE now that when Istarted this 3rd challenge. BUGGER!!!!  I’ve put a hole on one of the gloves at the gym bashing the stuffing (literally again!!) out of the punching bag annoyed at myself for being such a slack arse to polish off the bottle!!

Ah well. Onwards and upwards, well… actually onwards and DOWNWARDS!!!  Gee I crack myself up sometimes!!!  LOL

Bex

Wonderfully sunny weekend!! August 31, 2009

Hi Guys, spoke to Dad over the weekend, he’s feeling really good and optimistic.  He’s got an appointment today with the whole team to go over the results of the op and all the scans etc.  He’ll have a start date for the chemo today too all going well.

What a wonderful few days of sunshine we’ve had here in Christchurch, 18 to 19 degrees some days, it’s been awesome to have the house opened up and the breeze flowing through the house.  I’m definitelya sunshine worshiper!!  LOL  There’s NOTHING like the sun shining to put me in a great mood.   Lachlan’s cold is almost gone, YAY, but I’ve got it now, boo.

I went out on Saturday night with some of the other Challengers to have a catch up with Cush on Saturday night,  Was great to see Phyllis, Paul, Ali, Di and Jo again.  Great to meet Michelle for the first time and really nice to have Richard walk into the coffee shop and join us too.  

Sunday I spent nursing endless cups of lemon and ginger tea and blowing my nose!  I’m taking today off the gym as I’m still under the weather, but what’s new huh?  I’m aiming to get there tomorrow.  Not so sure what the scales are going to do tomorrow, but I’ll face that as it comes.  I may be actually able to get to listen to the whole call tomorrow night!!  My computer locked me out last week, and as you’ll have heard I managed to get onto the call just as Phyllis mentioned the wine!!  lol  2minutes after that the battery in my phone died!! ARRRGGGHHH!!!!!

So we’ve got a new phone battery now and the computer is working properly today!  Can’t wait for tomorrow nights call.

Catch you then

Bex

Down down down…. September 1, 2009

YAY!!!  lost 2.5 this week, been drinking at least 3 ltr water a day, spent SO much time running to the loo I didn’t find time to eat the wrong stuff!!!!  lol

Thanks to those who’ve reached out to support me with Dad’s health and my own stupid coughing, sneezing stuff.

I’m now showing a loss for this challenge, 2kg though.  I’m 1kg off my original goal and 6 of my reset one.  OH wow. 6kg to go!!

I’m gobsmacked!

Bex

“I’ve grown accustomed to her face..” September 5, 2009

There’ll be points to those who can tell me where THAT line comes from!!    lol

Well I’m still sick, got what feels like a sinus infection coming on now, bugger!  I’ve asked my PT to be my friend on Facebook and she’s sending me messages saying how the others in the class are missing me and she’s expecting me on Monday.  I’ve not been at gym at all this week.  Chugging back the water in hopes that the no gym but lots of fluids will at least loose me 1.1kg then I’ll be an 80′s girl!!

Anyway, back to the quote…  I’ve gotten used to seeing my thinner face now, so much so that when I look at my blog picture I can REALLY see the difference.  I still stand and stare at myself in the mirror, NAKED (!!!) and am amazed to see the changes, namely bones lol.  And for a former fatty to look at themselves in the mirror naked, well we all know how much of a breakthrough THAT is!!!!!!  I’m still startled by the glimpse of the thinner me in windows as I pass them. 

AND!!!  OMG THIS is HILARIOUS!!  I went t o walk past Steve a few weeks ago as he was sitting on the end of a row of chairs at church.  Without looking up he moved back to let me pass and for a second was shocked when I sat next to him.  He didn’t recognise me momentarily!!

Here’s looking forward to seeing an 8…. leading the way on Tuesday!!

Bex

The 8′s at the WRONG end!! September 8, 2009

Ah well.  90.8 loss of 200 grams.  I’ve got a sinus and chest infection so haven’t been to the gym all week.  Drunk loads of water though, at least 3 ltr every day.  I finally managed to get the tablets Damian suggested last week.  So far… I don’t reek of garlic!!  3 of them 3 times a day!!

Isn’t it impressive what a difference the week of inaction has made on my loss!!  From 2.5 to .2  wow.  Just goes to show you, you have to move it to loose it!!  I’m improving day by day now, I haven’t coughed as much today.  My diaphragm is REALLY toned though!! It’s had SUCH a workout over the last week!!  lol

Planning to start on Saturday back on the beach, yes I know it’s Tuesday and I probably could go to the gym on Thursday, we’ll see.  So far every time I’ve said “I’m aiming/planning/want to go to the gym on such and such a day…” something goes wrong!!  So I’m NOT planning to go to the gym, I’m going to the beach instead!!  lol 

And yes, I probably will be ringing in to the call tonight, I still haven’t sorted out the problem with my link.  It just won’t connect.  So I’ve asked Phyllis to make sure she mutes me tonight!! You lot don’t need to hear me coughing my lungs up!!  lol

Catch you later! 

Bex

Triple triathlon treat… September 10, 2009

Well.  I’m signing up for a series of triathlons.  The first is on the 4th OCTOBER!!!!!  Next one is 1st November and the final one on 6th December.  EEEKKK!!!!  Steve’s looked at them and said he thinks that I can do them in my sleep, AWWWW  Ain’t that sweet.  He reckons I won’t be pushing myself at all, I reckon that since it’s my first series, I’ll be fine.  I think that if I’d seen these before I got sick I probably would’ve agreed with him… now not so sure.

Anyway, me!  doing a triathlon!  Well who’d've thunk it!!??!!  Certainly not me 2 years ago or even a year ago and even when I first signed on last year.  But now??

BRING IT ON!!!!!

I’ve discovered SO many things about myself over the course of the last 10 months…  one of the most surprising is that I actually… gulp.. LIKE to excercise.  No really!!  I really miss it if I can’t go to the gym.  I don’t do any exercise around home, I usually go for walks on the beach on Saturday and Sunday morning, and we walk as a family to the library on Saturday afternoons.  I’ve found that I actually really enjoy going to the gym and get weirdly grumpy if I miss it for reasons other that illness. Like if one of the girls is sick home from school and I can’t go, that kind of thing.  If I’m sick it doesn’t annoy me so much. lol

I’ve also discovered how much I actually like the whole and fresh foods, why didn’t I do this years ago!!  I also know that I had to be in the right space to get this message though, I’ve seen it in my friends, they see my results and ask the questions.  When I tell them how it is, I see them closing off, the veil come down, the walls going up and the self talk starts.  I’ve been there!! 

I really urge all of you to spread the word, look how it’s helped you.

Something to think about.

Bex

Yay Gym tomorrow!! September 13, 2009

Well it’s Sunday afternoon, Lachlan’s asleep and Steve’s taken the girls on their bikes to the forest for a blat.  I’ll get my turn when he gets back!

I’m going to go to the gym tomorrow I am, I am!!!  I can’t wait.  I’ve decided to get up at 5:45 on Wednesday and Friday mornings and go to the pool to prepare for the triathlon, the first one is only 100 meters swim but it’s been a while.   I can probably do it without the training but, hey, it all helps

We’ve had some glorious weather the past few days and I’m finally, nearly, almost, 100% again.  The sunshine has helped too. Steve’s glad I’m feeling better, apparently he’s sick of hearing me cough and moan that I can’t go to the gym!!  lol  I’m sure that the fact I’ve been able to get back on top of the housework this last week is a factor too!!  lol

He fixed my mountain bike yesterday and we rode to the Library (me with Lachlan on the back) and it was ok.  I didn’t raise a sweat.  Our younger daughter FINALLY gave up on the 12″ bike (WAAAAYYYY too small, she’s 6 1/2) and got on the bigger one, so here she is wobbling down the foot path yelling “I’m riding it, I’m riding it!!” with Steve and I adding “FINALLY!!!” under our breaths!!  lol  Now we can go for rides as a family!  YAY!!!!

So that’s about it for now.

Bex

Great week so far… September 17, 2009

Yay I made it to the gym on Monday, ripper workout.. 600 cals burnt!!!  Then went for a walk after it to the Post shop and went for a slow bike ride with the kids after school!!

Tuesday was another great work out, not so many cals burnt but BOY could feel it!!  Wednesday morning… I was in the pool at 6am!!!!  I did the 100 meters in about 15 minutes so I just kept on going for another 30 mins.

I’ve also been offered a road bike for $50 so we’re looking at that, looks great.  I’ll continue to do some training with Lachlan on the back of my mountain bike so when Triathlon day rolls round….  I’ll be much faster on the road bike!! Hehe  well that’s the plan anyway!

I managed to run for 5mins on the treadmill on Tuesday… not bad for someone who’s had a chest infection for 2 weeks.

I’m still not up to the level of fitness that I had before I went to Waiheke Island… but I’m getting there!!  I’ve decided to focus on the training for the Triathlon and my health rather than the scales as it’s doing my head in!!  300 grams away form my first set goal of 90kg!  Good grief!!!!!

Anyway, off to get the kids sorted for school and get my gym shoes on…

Bex

Sunday…. rest day!! September 20, 2009

Wow, another great workout on Thursday morning, I’m so lucky that I have a friend to look after Lachlan for me while I go be a gym bunny!  lol

Friday morning I was in the pool at 6am again and Saturday morning I had the whole family at the pools by 8:45.  I did lengths with my HRM on while Steve played with the kids.  Then later that afternoon I took Erin (9 1/2) with me and rode a 10km circuit on my mountain bike as the road bike needs it’s tyres pumped up a bit and we don’t have the right fitting on our pumps!!  So as it was we did pretty good time ( I thought) 40 mins. 

I went to the clothing swap last night and came away with another great haul, several tops, 2 jerseys, a shrug and …… a dress!! ( Gasp!!)  Not something I’d normally choose to wear.  But I CAN now!!

Anyway I was wearing my HRM all day even whilst getting changed in and out of LOADS of clothes… when I took it off  and read the summary it said ONLY 9 mins in the fat burning zone!!  Bummer.  I’m going to have to go and do the circuit today by myself and burn some more fat off!!!!!!!  (woops, NOT focussing on scales this week)  Ummm I mean get fitter!!!!  lol

So… this week Monday, Tuesday gym, Wednesday swim, Thursday gym, Friday swim, Saturday bike and Sunday will be a rest day.

Here’s to seeing an 8 on the right end on Tuesday this week!!!!!!  (oops NOT focussing on the scales!! )  I mean here’s to being healthier this week!!!  lol

Bex

I should KNOW better by now!!!! September 22, 2009

@&%$*&%#@$^&**)&!&()@%&^$  Another gain!!   1.6kg….   1 glass of wine (this time) and 3 slices of pizza on Friday.

I’ve been working my ass off literally for the whole week and one meal negates the whole thing!!  ARRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Ok.  Been and done a really great workout today already.  Will be in pool just after 6am tomorrow morning, and will take Lachy out on the bike as well in the afternoon.  Thursday will be at gym, not sure what the workout is then but Friday will be at pool again and biking.  I will get there!!!

There’s one way to look at this… I’m a shining example of what NOT to do!!

NO more wine AT all. ( Hang on didn’t I say that last time!)  Yeah I did.  1 glass this time. I thought 1 wouldn’t make such an impact. Well I’ve learnt that it does.  So no wine now, not a moderated amount, or half what I had before. NONE, nada, zip, nothing.

A very peeved Bex

Wednesday was good, Thursday was a bust… September 27, 2009

Steve left for Greymouth at sparrow’s fart (really early for those of you who don’t know what that means! ) on Wednesday morning, so I didn’t make it to the pool.   We went to Playcentre and had a great time, then came home and hosed the boy down!!  lol He was covered in paint, sand and playdough!  He was also tired out of his tree so he went to bed and I couldn’t get out on the bike   I had to wake him up to go and get the girls from School, and straight after that I took 2 of them to go and buy a present for a party on Saturday.  (Alannah went to a friends place to play )

Thursday’s gym day but not this week…Lachy woke me up at 6:40 yelling “Mummy poo!!!  I done poo!!!”  by 8am I’d changed 9 of them!!  What fun!!  lol  So we stayed home!  That night I went to a seminar with “Parenting with Confidence” on Raising girls and signed people up for the Toolbox (Parent training) course so I couldn’t do a “make up” class for missing the morning gym session.

I got home and in bed at 11pm on Thursday night and was up at 5:40am Friday morning to get into the pool before Steve went to work!

Lucky for me I got to sleep in on Saturday morning and got up at 6:40 to get in by 7am.!!  lol

Today, with the daylight savings time.. not sure what the time actually was but I finally got the road bike under me and rode 11kms in 30 minutes.  Not bad!!  But blimey!! the road is VERY bumpy and I’m used to big mountain bike tyres to absorb the bumps!!  lol  ouch!!  lol

So I can do the 100m swim (Breaststroke) in 6 minutes now, the bike was 30 minutes and I know I can do a 6km walk in 60 minutes so that makes it 15 mins for the 1.5km walk.  Under an hour I reckon for the Triathlon on Sunday next week.  Hmmmm  We’ll see!!

As it’s school holidays now the gym is shut during the mornings and M and her family are off on Thursday for something… so I’m going to be gyming on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night.  I’m aiming to get in the pool on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and ride on Tuesday and Thursday.  Saturday is my day off, ‘m going to be at the Women’s Expo with Damian and Phyllis most of the day, then the Tri’s on Sunday! 

Wish me luck!!

Bex

I got a nice compliment from my hubby… September 29, 2009

Sitting on the couch last night after I’d come home from the gym, Steve says to me..  “You know, I’d given up on doing anything with you.  Going on walks that kind of thing.  Doing active stuff as a family”  Awww, ain’t that sweet.  What he really meant was he’s pleased I’m getting fitter and want to do stuff with him and the kids.

I lost 8oo grams this week, half of what I put on last week, still not enough though.  I’ve stopped saying it’ll all come off next week as it hasn’t this time.  I’ve become a yo-yo and it’s getting tedious!!

I’m heading for the gym at 7pm tonight, will be back by 8.10 and I’ve found that I really prefer to go in the morning!!  lol   As part of my morning routine it sets me up for the day, it’s become automatic, something I do like brushing my teeth!!  lol  Those who’ve known  me for a few years can’t believe the change in me.  I can’t either.

There was a comment in the 112 news about a Challenger loosing their motivation and I’m in that boat a bit too.  I’m hovering around my goal and doing the yoyo thing, so was hoping that the whole training for the Tri would take care of that, yeah, I’ve bumped up the excersise but the eating’s not as firmly in hand as it used to be.  So just a warning, don’t do what I do, do as Damian says!!  lol

Bex

What a pain in the arse!!! October 1, 2009

Well on Tuesday night I missed both the call and the gym, I got the tummy bug Lachlan had had earlier last week.  I’m no longer worried about the rest of the weight gain from the previous week!!  lol  I’m quite sure I lost it!!  lol

However, this means I’m not allowed in the pool for 10 days from Tuesday… yes, I can’t do the triathlon.

fortunately, there is a Duathlon on the same day run by the same people simultaneously! WHEW!!  A quick, panicked phone call and I’m enrolled in the Duathlon now.  Double WHEW!!!!   I’m still going to walk this one but in the light of me managing to run the 1.2km the other day on the treadmill, and with the encouragement of some of my own personal cheerleaders (thanks Ladies ) I’m going to run the next two. Gulp!

I saw a pair of padded bike shorts in Savemart the other month and went back there on Tuesday to see if there were still there… no such luck, seems every other clever woman in Christchurch has had the same idea.  lol  And I’m not buying a new pair…  so I had an idea.  I’m now fitting Steve’s Super-duper Mountain bike riding tops (fleeces) and his shell jacket… so why not try his bike shorts on too…  So now’s the time to tell you that he’d been strangely unforthcomimg on suggesting this himself… lol  and guess what?  Yep  They fit!!  So when I told him this he nearly cried !!  lol  He reckons that he’ll get girl germs!!  lol Never mind the fact that we’ve been married for nearly 17 years!!  lol

So I now have a pair of padded shorts to put on over my Skins on Sunday!!  Yay!!

Now this all happened this morning and I’ve been in a really great mood, I get home and find an SOS on my home phone.  A close friend’s nephew has drowned in Australia and I’m to look after her children whilst she and hubby fly out for the funeral.  That’s fine, we basically live in each other’s pockets anyway.

What’s thrown me is the intense overwhelming urge to stuff my face with chocolate to quell the rising tide of emotion, that and the Tsunami and hearing from friends of  family members missing etc.  I’ve turned the TV off ( a rare occurrence in this household!! ) and no radio either.  I’m NOT ignoring the situation that’s happening in the world, just insulating myself from the emotion.  I can’t give in to the urge to eat, as I’m not that person anymore.  Doesn’t mean I don’t still feel this way, just means I’m NOT going to act on it.

 

So I’m off to put me son to bed and if he asks why Mummy is dripping all over him… well his mummy loves him very much.

Bex

Whew, what a weekend!! October 5, 2009

Well I burnt a measly 1500 cals on Saturday, standing and walking around the Women’s expo handing out leaflets and encouraging people to join the Challenge.  It was great to see Emily, Ali, Jo, Di, Ingrid and meet Rachel and Jess for the first time.  Also great to see Damian.   I finally got to have a Photo with just me and him too!!  lol

Rachel from Temuka came up on Saturday afternoon to do Sunday at the Expo so she stayed at my place, great to finally meet you face to face Mate!  

Sunday morning started at 6am, pulling on my Skins and thermals and Steve’s purloined biking tops (hehe).  We piled into the car after waking poor Rachel up to get her to move hers.. (didn’t quite think that one through  lol ) and we got down to the QEII complex at 7am to get the bike into the transition area before it was closed off.  Steve stayed in the car with the kids for a little while to keep out of the wind and cold… it was 8 degrees but brrrr!!! a COLD wind.  The race briefing was at 7.40 and we were told that for the past 8 years it had been raining on the first race of the series!!  Yay THIS time there were clear skies… and a Southerly on its way… boooo!  We did some warmups in a very small amount of space…  THAT was fun trying not to knock out the lady beside you…  lol and then…..  Off to line up for the start!!

So I did the first 500m walk pretty easy with my trackies over my Skins then in Transition pulled them off and put on Steve’s padded pants. (i’d forgotten to practice putting them on with my shoes STILL ON!!  lol)  I got on the road bike and fairly flew… I’ve been training on the heavier mountain bike with Lachlan’s 14kg on the back!!  lol  I passed about 40 other women and was passed by 7.  Not bad I thought.  I looked at the speedo on the way… 14kph into the headwind… and 29  with the tail…  lol.  Getting back into the transition, and running my bike in…. OH my goodness.. rubber legs!!  lol  The next part was the 1.5k walk and by the time I’d got the orange shell jacket off and turned into its carry pouch I was nearly done that bit!!  It was almost over before I knew it!!  lol

I had FANTASTIC support from Steve and the kids, they were there at the start line, at the fence into the transition, on the bike leg exit and re-entry and at the finish line   Ain’t that sweet!!

So the race started at 8.00, I was in the 5th wave starting at 8.05 and I got in at 8.59 by my watch… so my unofficial time 54mins  and by 9.10 I looked at my cals… 968 since 6.10am.  NOT bad!!!!  By the time I turned it off last night I’d done a 3000 cal day!

My next one is on the 6th November… I’m doing the triathlon (as planned the first time round)  and I’ve switched to running.  Gulp.  If you sign up to do the series walking you aren’t allowed to jog or run, but if you sign up to run you can jog or walk… The next one is a 4 km run and the final one on the 1st December is 5kms.

I felt really sorry for the ladies doing the Triathlon yesterday… peeling off their sweats and leaving their towels in the Transition area…brrr!  That’ll be me next time!!!  Another thing I noticed… was for the vast number of women doing the Series there was NOONE else there I knew!!

Anyway I managed to get to the Expo just on 10am, had another great day and came home and collapsed on the couch for the evening.

I’m trying to add pics.. they’re on a different camera to the ones I’ve loaded before… and for some reason they won’t appear!!

Bex

OK Official results..  2nd in my age group 30-39 out of 9.  6th in the category Duathlon walk.  and time…  46.47sec.  Wahoooooooo!!!!!!!!!

Another gain again. October 8, 2009

Put on 700 grams this week. Don’t tell me it’s muscle from the Duathlon because it’s not.

It’s the birthday cake from my sister on Wednesday, it’s the hokey pokey bicuits I made with Erin on Friday and sat and ate and ate and ate, it’s the chocolate self sauceing pudding that Alannah made on Friday night.  It’s ME putting BLOODY food into my mouth!!!! 

Yes I’m drinking the water, yes I’m eating the food on the list, and the vegies and fruit and nuts.  BUT and it’s an important one I’m STILL dicking around with what I can and Can’t eat.

Damian asked me where my headspace it at during the Expo.  It’s not screwed on right at the moment.  I’ve regained my taste for chocolate DARN IT!!!!!  All I can say is at least I haven’t regained the taste for Coke and Mc D’s too!!!!

I know I can have one something once in a week but I’m getting lazy and expecting the same results with out extra effort.  I’m driving myself crazy!!!

This 3rd challenge has been a real Challenge for me and so far I’ve nt stepped up to the plate and really committed!!!!!  I’m SO close to goal and I’m stuffing it up, I’m swanning round in my size 14 jeans thinking “this is close enough”

Well is it? Is it really?  I’ve put in heaps of effort so far and now I go and stuff around!  Arrrgghhh!!  No wonder I’m yoyoing!! 

The last time I weighed this amount, I was 15 or 16, I’ve been heavy all my life.  I’m on the ad, I’m at the expo, and I’m going to the seminars.  This is how I repay the faith shown in me!!

Anyway… rant rant rant.

So what am I doing about it?

No food off the program so far this week, I don’t do a food diary as anytime I put down a piece of paper , notebook, pad or ANYTHING like that in this house it disappears.  I’m going to get Steve to show me how to do a spread sheet on here and I’m going to write it all down,  and honestly too.  lol It’s not as if I’m never on here!!  lol

I’m already drinking 3 litres a day and exercising, so it’s the eating that’s letting me down.  I make healthy recipes from the book and then the kids are hungry still so Steve makes a self saucing pud, and I have some too, not because I need it or am hungry but because I think I can get away with it, i’m doing all the right things so it won’t show up on the scales.  Darn it I’m wrong, so wrong!!

My period turned up a few days early too this time round so I’m thinking Im holding water this week too… excuses excuses.  Holding water pah!!  Holding Sugar, flour, eggs, baking powder and cocoa more like!!!!!

Rant rant rant.  Stopping now.

Bex

Thanks again Guys October 10, 2009

It’s nice to know that I can vent and still get encouragement from you lot

Thanks.

I was pretty p*ssed off with myself in the last blog, hard to tell right?  lol  I sat on the couch with Steve the other night and told him that despite the lovely meal, and feeling full, (the Salmon Hash cakes) that I STILL wanted a plate of cornflakes and cow’s milk and sugar.  I was full, not hungry and knew I didn’t need it.. just WANTED it.  He said it’s just because it’s there isn’t it.  Yep.  Just because it’s there. 

Now WHY was it there you ask?  School holidays, baking with Erin and they were supposed to eat them NOT me.  I HAVEN’t had any… still want them though.  Not going to, the girls and Lachlan can have them for pudding tonight.  Not buying them again… Need to find a recipe for biscuits I HATE like peanut butter ones or something!!  lol  EEEWWWW!!!  Gag gag!!!  They’d be SOOO safe!!  lol

I’m SO NOT going to be making the Chocolate Cake that Damian is putting the recipe out for.  Not unless it’s for an occasion like a birthday where it’s going to be eaten by LOTS of other people so I can just have a sliver… 

Last night I was hungry after dinner.. still wanted the cornflakes… so had a drink, still hungry 15 minutes later so I had yoghurt and cranberries and slivered almonds… yummmm.  Much nicer and SO much better for me!

Off to the gym again on Monday YAYYYY!!!!!!! 

Oh and the Ground Effects catalogue  (Biking clothes) arrived in the mail last week…. girl’s padded bike pants…  Hmmm… on the wish list for Christmas  lol  Just like Cush said!!  lol

Bex

Glug, glug, glug. October 12, 2009

It’s 12.54 (at start of typing) I’ve done 7 loads of washing and hung them out, changed 6 nappies (3 of them poos) on 3 different children ( had 2 extra’s). tidied and vacuumed the lounge and kitchen, and drunk 2.4 litres of water so far today.  Yes I had breakfast and lunch too.  lol

Erin and Alannah were off to school quite happily this morning, Alannah wanted to show off the missing front tooth and Erin ‘s looking forward to hearing about a friend’s holiday in OZ.  Sun is out (hence the washing!  lol) and birds are singing.   

Over the weekend Lachlan knocked a big stack of DVD’s off the top of the TV so we had to pull it out and clean them up.  This lead to employing my sister (who’s a qualified Builder) to make some shelves, and cupboards for us to put the kids toys and books and paraphernalia in.  Exciting, we’re going to get our lounge back!!  lol  We also sat down and got a spread sheet worked out for my food diary, and like Joy and a few others, this ‘techno noddy’ can actually do it!!  yay!!  On Sunday afternoon, the girls went to a friend’s house to play, so we all biked over there.  Steve rode my mountain bike with Lachy on the back and I rode the road bike.  We dropped the girls off and Hubby and I went off for a blatt!!  Wahoooo!!!!  Felt good!!!  We went home grabbed some stuff for dinner then went back to our friend’s house for the first BBQ of the season

Steve said to me when we were dropping off the bikes and I was stripping out of his bike shorts (Again!!  HEHE) that he’s so proud of me, when we used to go riding together pre-kid days I’d get tired really fast and be bobbing up and down while I pedaled using my whole body.  Well not anymore!!  I fairly flew down a new stretch of road with a nice smooth cycle lane.  I understand why ‘tar babies’ ride so far out on the road now, it’s really bumpy closer to the curb!!  lol

So the weeks started really well.    Nice change.  As I had my mate’s kids this morning  I didn’t get to the gym so… I’ll be there at 5.30 tonight! When I woke up this morning at 6.30 I realised I could’ve got up earlier and got in the pool!  Ah well, that’s Wednesday and Friday’s job!

Must go, the washing machine’s summoning me and all the water’s catching up on me!!  lol

Bex

And this little(er) piggie went wee wee wee all the way home. October 13, 2009

Well I’m on my 3rd bottle of water so far today, it’s an 800 ml bottle so guess where I’m getting some extra excercise in today!!  lol  (Better not PMSL!!)  lol

Lost 1.3kg this week, food diary keeping me honest and another gym session done this morning.  I’ve had to hold off on the running for a few days.. Those with squeamish tummies may want to skip to the next paragraph here…  I ripped one of my toenails off yesterday by accident.. YOWZA!!!  Boy did it hurt!!  Good thing there are other things to do at the gym than running!!  LOL 

We boxed last night and  *sigh * No one wanted me AGAIN!!    My regular boxing partner goes in the morning so I didn’t have her. Ah well, I was in a good mood so one of the other brave ladies took me on.   LOL   We did tummy work this morning so I’m gunna feel it tomorrow!! 

Tomorrow morning will be in the pool at 6am. With a stickyplaster!  lol 

Catch you later!

Bex

Going, going, (almost!) Gone!! October 15, 2009

People, if you haven’t already taken your measurements… here’s why you should…

Feb 25th 2009.  Weight 111.1

There are the measurements and they are all losses. 25/2/09 to 14/10/09

Arm 5cm

Upper Arm Left 4.5cm

Chest 11cm    Cup size DD to C 

Waist 13cm

Abdomen 23.5cm  !!!!!!!

Thigh Left 8.5cm

Calf Left 5.5cm

Total loss 71cm !!!!!!!  Weight lost since then 20.6kg

Now that’s not when I started the Challenge, that’s when I last remembered to measure myself.  So if you haven’t done it already… what’s stopping you?  Hmmmmm?

A very happy Bex in MUCH smaller jeans!!  lol

I almost killed some old guy!!! October 19, 2009

I went for a swim on Saturday morning as part of the whole training thing … well I caused QUITE a stir.  Whoops!  My size 14 body fell out of my size 18 togs and one of the other swimmers (the old guy) copped an eyeful.  Needless to say he nearly had a coronary and swallowed some water…  lol

HILARIOUS!!!  He was fine, he told me so later, lol, gave me a wink and suggested it was time to get some new togs!!  lol  I only got these ones last year for the Hanmer retreat!  lol  Good thing they were SOOOOO cheap!  lol

So I went off to do a spot of tog shopping on Saturday, found a nice pair of tank top togs with a racing back and they had little shorts with them.  *Sigh* So I bought them and a pair of boardies that are more decorous!  lol

I also picked up a pair of excercise pants to wear in summer, my Skins are now SOOO loose!! (Skite skite!  lol )  I have to save up for a new smaller pair for next winter I think.  Let me know if anyone is interested in buying my large ones… I’ve only had them for less than a year.  Boy do they do a great job though!!  And if you don’t know what Skins are… Google them!!   Anyway back to my bargain pants, they’re a reputable brand that still had the original shop tags on them, I got them for$19 when the shop tags read $50!  Yehaaaa… gotta love a bargain!!

I met some new Challengers last night at the Christchurch Seminar, a good night was had by all.  It was nice to put names to the new faces and catch up with others .  I took a visual aide with me too, a pair of my old pyjamas. 3XL.  Well I can fit both legs into one on the pants… and I can fit ALL of my body into one half of the top.  Wow.  I’ll have to get Steve to take a pic to show you…if that doesn’t convince people this works… well, I’m stumped!  lol

Swam Saturday, (as you’ve read.. lol ) Biked on Sunday.  15km  in 40mins.  The next Triathon is a 15k ride, so the time is going to be nearer 2 hours for this one.   I hope!    Gymmed this morning, and Gym tomorrow too all going to plan!

Must go, it’s a nice day, and I’ve now got 5 loads of washing on the line and the machine has just finished.

Catch you later.

Bex

As promised… the proof’s in the pudding… or LACK of it!! lol October 20, 2009

Well, there’s the proof.  Both legs in one pant leg and buttons up on my side.  Impressive if I DO say so myself

Bex in smaller jeans, togs AND PJ’s  lol

I’ve been AWOL… October 30, 2009

sorry about that.

I thought I’d let the photos do the talking for a while, and I’ve been busy with other stuff.  I’ve been running a Parenting course (Toolbox Course 6 to 12 years) with an other Leader on Monday nights and training for the triathlon which is on SUNDAY!!! EEEKKKKKKKK!! And had visitors, and building cupboards, and shelves and and and… you know how it goes!

Steve and I went out on Friday night with the kids ALL at other people’s houses for sleepovers!! Ahh BLISS!!!!!!  We had several friends over at different times over Labour weekend too.

It’s been really busy   But I’ve still managed to do some excercise every day.. which has surprised me a little.. not too much though.  I was thinking that 2 years ago I would’ve said I’m too busy for this, I’ll go for a walk/run/ride tomorrow… not now, training and excercise has become my priority, helped of course by the desire to not make an ass of myself on Sunday with the Triathlon!!  lol

My Skins are now too big, so I’m passing them on… Steve bought me a new smaller pair of Compression pants.  They’re BSC, Body Science Compression, and slightly thicker than the Skins . They do the same job and they are a men’s M.  I tried on the Women’s 14 and they fit everywhere but the length of the crotch. I had to keep pulling them up!!  lol  Remember I’m 6 foot tall!! I’m LOOOOOOONG in the leg, arms, hips, etc.  But not in the tooth!!  lol

They’re pretty tight, so not sure whether to try and pull the new ones on after the swim on Sunday or go with the bigger Skins… and pull them up every 5 minutes while I’m doing the run?  I reckon it’s going to take about 5 minutes to get the new ones on with me rolling around in the transition area trying to pull then up!!! LOL!!!!

It’s a rest day excercise wise for me today… 13 straight days of doing something for at least an hour!  Whew!!  Tomorrow will be a nice quiet saunter just to gt the legs working… and then Sunday!  Well we’ll see

Bex in smaller pants 

Event #2 knocked off!! Whew! :) November 1, 2009

I forgot to look at my watch when I started this morning!!  I don’t know what time I actually got going and forgot to look at the darn thing when I crossed the line either!!  LOL  Fortunately Steve was taking photo’s so we’ve worked out I started just on 8.30 (time stamp on the photos) and finished just on 9.59.  So not bad!! 

I didn’t even TRY putting the new pants on in the transition… just grabbed the Skins, luckily I had packed both, and got moving.

I had trouble convincing my legs to actually RUN when I got off the bike so I powerwalked the 4kms with a few bursts of 2 minute runs thrown in.  I have a feeling that my trainer is going to be focussing on me getting off the bike and running at the gym now!!  lol  Ah well, it’s got to be good for me!! The upside of all this running and biking is that my calf muscles are getting really well defined now… as you can see in the picture above.

There were a few stands where different shops were touting their wares… I had a look at some biking pants… look VERY comfy… Steve had a look at them too… then we noticed the magic sign…  50% off!!  WAHOOOO!!!!!  So I am getting my VERY OWN pair of biking pants now!!  NO more boy germs!!! PMSL!!!!!  Unfortunately they didn’t have a zipzap for the credit card so Steve’s picking them up tomorrow as the shop is about 2 minutes from his work.  I’ve told him to feel free to but me a biking top so he can have his one back.. hint hint.. and that pink would be nice

I’m showing 9 bullets on the HRM (which means I’ve been in the fat burning zone for 90mins so far), and at 3.04pm 2110 kcals burnt in 8hr 38mins so far.  Wahoo!! 

I noticed that the house is a little dusty and needs a bit of a vacuum, *sigh* I guess it’s back to being a Domestic Goddess now… not a super duper triathlete in training!!  Good thing there’s another one in December!!  lol

Catch me later… if you can!!  lol 

Bex

Official time is….(drum roll please)… November 2, 2009

1hour, 30 minutes and 34 seconds. 1.30.34  Not bad!!  43rd out of 43 in my age group (30 – 39) and 145 out of 147 doing the Triathlon Run.

It’s year since I started this Challenge now, and I don’t think even then when I’d already lost weight and was looking to do more and get healthy, that I’d EVER contemplate a Triathlon.  Well look at me now!  ( No really, look, there’s a photo in the previous blog!  lol )

Here’s to better things

Bex

Wow I didn’t see that coming. November 10, 2009

Well, something I haven’t had to deal with for well over a year cropped up and reared it’s ugly head and off I went!!  Stuffed my face, tried to soothe my emotions with food and Snap a big gain bites me on the arse. literally!! 2.1 kg ON this week

I thought I was getting my hormones under control, not tightly reigned in but getting there, thought I was getting the emotional eating sorted and WHAMMO!!!!  off I went like a rocket.  I haven’t been so self destructive in a LONG time and I’m just shocked and ashamed of myself.

So what have I done about it so far… Well I went all out at the gym today, I confessed to Emily, and am waiting for the butt kicking from Phyllis   For the first tim in this challenge I actually thought about NOT sending in my weight or lying about it.  Then I thought it through, I’d just feel crappy about it and eat and feel crappy and eat and feel crappy….  get the drift. I needed to be honest with myself and others so I can be held accountable for my actions.

So next time you catch me on the blog or think of me.. send me a text or an email and ask me if I’ve eaten any Rj’s logs today.

I think Lachlan’s got Chicken Pox so I won’t be sending him to my mate’s house on Thursday like I normally do.. I wasn’t going to anyway as it’s Canterbury Show week and I’m planning to take him to the Show to see the trucks and tractors and diggers.  I’m going to the gym tomorrow night and it’s BOXING!!! YEHA!!!!!!  Then Thursday i’ll be out on the bike before Steve leaves for work.  Friday Steve’s taking Alannah tramping.. weather permitting so Erin and I will be out on the bikes with Lachlan on the back of mine.

And the whole time I’ll be chanting to myself… 2.1 on, 2.1 on, work it off work it, off 89.9 here I come!!!!

Bex

Nary a spot to be spotted… November 15, 2009

So Lachy doesn’t have Chicken Pox, not a spot in sight.  He does however still have a snotty nose so we didn’t go to Playcentre on Wednesday, so I went to the gym instead.  I took him with me, he gets really worried when I box with other people, not for me though… he tells me to stop hitting THEM!!  lol  Thursday was supposed to be tummies so I was all set for that untill I woke up… some naughty bugs had left knives in my throat!!  Arrrgghhhh!!!  Cough cough!  So I spent most of  Thursday at home, quick trip to the library to return a book that Erin had misplaced for 4 months… (in a box under the bed!!??!!) and lots of water drunk. 

Feeling guilty about not doing any excercise since Wednesday, but still not well…!!!!!!  I’ve got a rattly chesty cough now.!!  The Triathlon is on 6th Dec and I’ve reconciled myself to the fact that I’m going to be slow  but I WILL finish it!!

Alannah and Steve enjoyed the tramp, Alannah’s informed us that she wants to go for her birthday, not next year but the one after.  Just her and Dad though!!  We suspect it’s the “Daddy Time” that’s the major drawcard there!! lol. 

We’ve got something on EVERY weekend till Christmas now!! Whew!  And the first Christmas do is on Wednesday!  IN November!!

Anyway…. it’s kind of weird to see the clock stopped on the site and know that it’s the last time it’s ticking over for me… I have to carry this on for myself for the rest of my life…  not that I’m alone in this.. it’s just time for me to take a hold of the reins completely and not focus on the particular time frame.  That’s a scary thought for a small part.. not end date… no goalpost… no deadline (well there will be a DEAD line… just not for AGES!!!  lol)

Yes I am aware that there’ll still be support from other challengers and the office, my family and friends, and yes I’m aware that I’m not alone in this but I need to be in charge now.. no-one for me to be slightly rebellious against and have something off the plan just to prove what a badass I am to.  Time to step up totally.  Whew scary! 

And no, I haven’t had anymore RJ’s logs this week either!

Forgive the ramblings   That’s what the blog is here for though ain’t it!

Bex in smaller jeans

Whoa, whoa, I’m not going yet!! November 17, 2009

Hey Guys, sorry to give the wrong impression!!  Oops!!  I’m a repeat challenger which means that I get continuing access to the site for a few more months, in fact till August next year.

Although it’s nice to hear and read your comments that you’ll miss me   Gave me quite a big warm fuzzy that did  

So you’ll still see me everywhere!!  The clock ticking over no longer tolls for me (so to speak)  lol

Thanks guys.

Bex in smaller jeans and a silly grin.

Feeling fired up… November 20, 2009

hearing all the new challengers on the phone on Tuesday night was great..I remember what it felt like and how nervous I was when I started this phase of my journey a whole year ago.

 I’m pleased to say I’m no longer nervous about it! 

I’ve decided to get back on the excercise ”horse” so to speak despite the fact that my head is still stuffy… I need to keep the level of fitness up that I have otherwise the Triathlon in 2 weeks is going to KILL me!!  lol  I have the support of my trainer otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it.  I took Monday off and went to the gym on Tuesday night.  Lachlan still had a runny nose on Wednesday morning so no Playcentre for him  and we trotted off to the gym.  I’ve been working on my “batwings’ so I’ve been doing a fair bit of boxing and bag work… well Lachlan got some new shoes the other day after gym on Wednesday he put them on his hands and started to box the wall!!  lol  When I put that on my Facebook status Manuella, my trainer, thought it was hilarious and gave me a little pair of boxing gloves just for him!!  So he’s worked out how to put them on and it’s funny to watch him do his own version of the boxing circuit I’ve been doing!!  lol

All the work on my arms is paying off… I wasn’t sure if they were coming in but I put on a shirt that I haven’t worn in 3 months the other day… and I didn’t have to adjust the arms at all!!  They just slid straight in!! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!  I’ve got really nice muscles developing on my arms and a spectacular set of clavicles (if I do say so myself..  lol!! ) AND a new shorter haircut that makes my neck look REALLY long, AND no triple or double chin now so… I’m actually considering wearing short-sleeved tops!!  And that’s a BIG thing for me.  I really don’t didn’t like my arms.  My next project is getting my veins done

I’m really looking forward to seeing people in Wellington and Auckland and Hamilton and TK (and Cat from HK too) that I haven’t actually met face to face over Christmas and the New Year.  I’m looking forward to seeing those I’ve met before too!!  lol

Must go… Lachy’s loosing the plot.. time for him to go to bed.

Bex

Excited, nostalgic, and just a teeeensy bit jealous!! November 23, 2009

Hey guys and gals, I’m feeling all of the stuff above and a bit more too!!  In less than a week the next Retreat kicks off… oh to join you!!  ( I have been to 2 so don’t feel TOO sorry for me!  )   You lot that are going are going to have SUCH a blast!!  I really hope you enjoy it!!  Hanmer is such a beautiful place and the Retreat is an incredible, unforgettable life affirming and life changing experience.  Savour every minute of it!

 

Last week was great excercise wise for me, I had a loss which is great too..  I’m looking forward to the next Triathlon on the 6th Dec and got my sleepy arse out of bed yesterday morning at 6am and got on the bike for the first time in 2 weeks.  I rode 22.77 ks in 60 minutes (skite skite)  lol I mapped it out on www.mapmyrun.com handy site that.  (But MEGA slow on Dial up which is what I’m on!!  lol)  Today we did some more boxing and tomorrow is Swiss balls for the tummy.  Wednesday I’m in the pool at 6am all going well… then Lachlan and I are off to Playcentre to get MUCKY!!  Wahoo!!  THEN… I’m off to Woodend to meet Joy!   Can’t wait!!

Isn’t this time of the year crazy busy!!??!!  OMG!!!!  The best advice form me would be to carry a little container of almonds with you.  they’ll satisfy the urge to snack, the crunch can be VERY satisfying!! AND  drink ALL your water!!  It really does help!!

Must go.. there’s a decidedly stinky odour wafting up from Lachy’s nappy… PHOOOOWEEEEEE!

Bye for now.

Bex. 

Retreat envy… lol November 28, 2009

Well I met Joy on Wednesday, what a delight!!  I’m so envious of those going to the Retreat as I KNOW what a fabulous event it is!   Hope all there are enjoying it!

Training is going well, I’m planning to go to the pool at 6am on Mon AND gym at 9  I’m planning this for Mon and Tues, swim on Wed, swim and gym on Thurs and swim then ride on Friday.  Saturday I’ve got another Garage sale then the triathlon on SUNDAY!!!!  That’s the plan so far…I figure I put it on here I attract the positive energy and that propels me forward to carry it out.

We’re really looking forward to the trip at Christmas time I’m especially looking forward to meeting the other Challengers!   Dad’s surgery is going to be on the 16th Dec and so will be in the ICU the whole time we’re in Wellington.  Ah well.  At least I won’t have to worry about him being out when we visit!!  lol

Oh and for those who didn’t see it on Facebook… I went out yesterday (Friday) and bought a size 12 T-shirt!!  There’s hope for us all yet!!  I had  the biggest batwings you’ve ever seen!!  Well if I can get my arms into a 12 then you can too!!  I’ve lost 70kg in the last 3 odd years.. yep 70.  33.5 with this program and I’m now the healthiest I’ve ever been.  I’m SOOOO glad I did this and that you have made that choice too. 

Yes my skin is saggy in parts, and yes I’m considering surgery BUT it’s also coming back in on it’s own with the good fats and oils in my diet.  I used to have a triple chin and (as Joy told me on Wednesday) I have a nicely defined jawline now    There IS hope Ladies and gentlemen.   I’m proof and if a slacker like me can do it you can too!!  (Not that you’re slackers too!!  lol)

More later.

Bex

Does anyone else do this?????? December 5, 2009

ok, so it’s 4.15am…  I was woken up by Steve’s tummy gurgling and Erin coughing, poked him to roll him over (usually works) and got up to give Erins some cough medicine.  All good… Now however, I can’t get to back to sleep and for SOME STUPID reason I’m lying there thinking about all the things I’ve done or have to do in the next few weeks and for some even weirder reason started to compose my blog in my head… ( I know my sister-in-law will be having hysterics by now reading this)  So instead of lying there trying to get back to sleep, ( I have to be up at 6am for another Garage sale…) I’m going to empty my overflowing blog brain and try and get a few hours before I have to be up again!

As you know we’re heading for Wellington on the 19th of Dec.  My Dad has been going through Chemo for the last few months and has had his stomach surgery confirmed for the 15th Dec.  We’re still going up on the 19th.  Dad will be in the ICU the whole time we’re there and for several week after that too.  So that changes a few thing about what we can and can’t do. Not much but small things, ok I can handle that.   We’re staying in a Railway house and we’ll have no transport of our own so we’ll be training and busing everywhere, we can handle that too.  The Wellington Challengers are coming out to meet the me and the family on the Sunday afternoon too… can’t wait for that!!    We’re travelling up on the train and ferry, we’ve got plans to keep the kids occupied so not soooo worried about that either. Then on the 24th Dec were getting on the train at 8.20 am and we’ll arrive in Auckland at 6.30pm.  That’s going to be an interesting trip.  We’ve got activity books and ALL sorts of things planned for that too.  Now comes the long-winded story of what’s happening that’s been preying on my mind for the past few weeks…

When we go up to Auckland Steve and I stay with his Sister Julie I’ve mentioned her a few times in previous blogs ( Hi Julie) and she also reads this   Julie and I have been emailing each other almost everyday foe a few weeks to try and get the logistics sorted for our invasion.  As I said Steve and I stay at Julies, and the girls stay at Steve’s parents  (Ma & Pa from now on)   any way, because we’re arriving on Christmas Eve at 6.30 we can’t go and do our usual shop for nappies, milk cereal etc, .  Julie pointed this out in the start of the email flinging…  lol  so I sent her a shopping list.. with the wrong size nappies on it, lol  she ‘s returned then for a bigger size and Boy am I going to take a while to live THAT one down!!  lol  Then there’s the “what are we having for Christmas day.. and that da for dinner and breakfast as the kids eat cereals and Julie and hubby don’t.  and what milk ..  ALL these things that I haven’t thought off.  Then comes the news that Pa’s Sister-in-Law who lives in Oz has been given a month to live.. and Pa’s Mother isn’t very well either.   Ma and Pa may not be there at all  (they’d be in OZ) and we can all stay at their place instead…  then the time frame is cut shorter as she takes the turn for the worst… Pa is gong to OZ soon.. more emails.Julie get’s asked to feed a friend’s cat while they’re away and because she’s worried that there’s not going to be enough room at her place thinks we might be able to housesit for them… So we’re going house sitting when we arrive in Auckland.. more emails Then yesterday another email Pa’s S-in-L has been given 48 hours to live and so he flies off to OZ .  So he’s not going to be there at all for Christmas, he’ll be back on Boxing Day.  more emails….  and all through this Julie has been looking for places to tae pony mad Alannah for her birthday too.  So we’ve settled on Crystal Mountain in Swanson, pony rides mini farm and train rides too.  Even a crystal museum.  Busy.  All through this too I’ve been in touch with different challengers organising “state” visits!!  lol  Belinda’s so kindly offered her house for a BBQ on the 30th so I can meet up with Challengers from Hamilton and surrounding areas, and Cat from Hong Kong too.

AND whilst this has all been happening on the computer.. over the past few weeks, I’ve been kindof training for the last Triathlon in the series which is tomorrow ( Sunday.. I’m writing this on Saturday VERY early morning), i’ve also been running the household, meeting Joy and Danni..checking blogs and Q & A.. doing the end of year assembly thing, (one down 2 to go) shopping for easily transportable presents, trying to organise babysitters for meetings and events, think of more things to email Julie about, (logistics are what make my head spin!) have a wedding anniversary, Steve’s birthday, cope with a period a week early and generally stay sane.  I’ve also been to a session with Mike from NLP/GMF (Get Me Fit) who was on the call 2 weeks ago, meeting new challengers and trying to keep up with all the new challengers and keep my eating under control.

So it’s no wonder that my blog’s been neglected.. sorry.  But you can see why my head’s been spinning… 3 family members in dire circumstances.. big trip with 3 kids, lots of changes and things to think of. 

And..Man it’s REALLY hard to send a shopping list to someone else.. it’s bad enough when you forget something yourself but having to put the brand and size you usually buy on it too… Poor Julie, she deserves a medal (or at LEAST another trip to the Chocolate Lounge..wink wink)

Ok so that’s about it for now. It’s 4.56am Tine to spell check and publish then off to bed for an hour.

Bex  (in smaller pj’s this time lol)

Some times ignorance IS bliss… December 16, 2009

Dad’s undergoing surgery today, right now as I type actually.  He turned up on the doorstep on Sunday last week to say “Howdy” (he lives in Wellington and we’re in Christchurch) anyway, while he was here he told the girls they could have a ride with him on the bike.  He rides a Harley.

So they were SOOO super excited and jumping all over him and we were just talking about inconsequential things that I didn’t ask him about the surgery at all.  So anyway, he dropped by on Tuesday afternoon to say bye on his way home, still I didn’t even THINK to ask about the surgery.  Those who are my friends on Facebook will know I’m a bit worried about it.  And I am worried, or I was a bit worried about it untill this morning when I read my Aunts Status on Facebook.  The surgery is 12 hours long…  now I’m hoping that was just fat fingers on her behalf and she hit the 1 & 2 by mistake maybe it’s only 2 hours.  but they are removing 2/3 of his stomach.  I had no idea just how long the surgery was going to be and that they were removing THAT much!!!  Ignorance IS bliss. or should I say WAS.  And nope she didn’t hit both by accident..  it reads ’12 hour surgery to remove his cancer’. (I went back and checked)

Now, I’ve had a discussion with someone who shall remain nameless about just how much information I put on here.  Well sorry, this time I need to let it out or I’m going to sit down with a BIG BLOCK OF CHOCOLATE and eat it and cry.

I had another gain last week, 3 in a row now, ironically I’ve had more people in the last week notice just how much I’ve lost and more and more compliments piling up!!  I’m trying VERY hard to not fall into old patterns and eat because I put on weight.  I had 3 Christmas things on last week and stuffed my face… Where the heck has the “In control Bex gone”  if you guys see her give her a kick and send her back to me??!!!!!!  I don’t like the outta control Bex, she doesn’t fit my skinny jeans too well any more!!!!

Bye for now.

Bex

Official results Please…(drum roll) December 8, 2009

1hr 51 min and 44 seconds.  1:51:44  No bad!!!!  This was longer than the first two and I was supposedly fitter!!  lol 

The swimming was a breeze, my girls are an awesome cheer squad!!  Steve forgot the camera this time though!!  Nicole Bush was here for the weekend so she did the Tri too and she kindly took photo’s of me with her phone coming over the finish line   Thanks Nicole!!      The ride was great, head wind out and tail back!!  Just the way you want it if you have to have wind!!  lol   I got off my bike wobbled my way into the transition area and power walked the first half of the 5km run, once I’d done that I thought “Right, you are an exerciser (lol)  shift your arse and run!!”  Well I nearly passed out after running 10 meters, I started to wobble ALL over the place so I power walked the rest of the race too.  My heart rate was at 140 most of the time and by the end of the day I’d been in the fat burning zone for 2:21!!  Wahooooo!

Just a quick catch up this time, more later

Bex at 7am Tuesday.  (and yes I’ve had some more sleep! )

Whew, Busy week!! And another on it’s way! December 12, 2009

Wow, I had something on everyday last week, over and above my normal routine, Steve left early on Monday morning and arrived late Thursday night.  So I did it on my own… really proud of myself.  I even mowed the lawns.. on Wednesday late afternoon… in 29 deg heat!!  It was a BIG thing for me as I’m petrified of lawn mowers.

Yesterday, all 3 kids had an “end of year” something on, Lachlan had Santa arrive at a picnic in a Fire engine, Alannah had a “wheelie day” and picnic lunch then Erin had her Year 4 Parent’s assembly as well.  Lucky for me they all dovetailed into one another!!

Today, I’m waiting for it to be a slightly more civilised hour (it’s 7am) then am biking to a friend’s house, 20km to make chocolates for the kids teachers as end of year thank yous. (Steve’ll bring the kids over in the car.)  Then I’m going to bike home.

We’ve got Steve’s work do tonight and I’m going to get some hard work in before it!!  lol  Then tomorrow morning he’s off on a 2 day mountain biking trip.  The kids and I have a 5-year-old twin birthday then Carols in the Community (in which Erin is singing with the school choir)

Monday, there’s the WHOLE school final assembly (yawn), Tuesday’s payday so lots of things to do and Erin is singing with the choir again in a big mall.  Wednesday the girls finish school at 12.30 for the year.  Then it’s clean up and pack mode in our house!!  As Saturday morning (at sparrow’s fart) we embark on our adventure!!  Our House sitters will be bringing their 35ish son with them so he’ll be sleeping in Lachlan’s room.  Steve and I’ve decided to pack up the kids toys etc from the lounge and Lachy’s room and stack them in the Girls room so that gives Jesse and Tom some “Adult” space.

The gym is shut down from now in the mornings and there’s evening classes for another week then it’s all shut down untill January.

Busy, busy, busy!!!

Catch you later.

Bex

A not so busy week now…… December 14, 2009

Erin’s sick again… Lachlan’s sick again… and I’m coming down with it too!!!!!  ARRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I did bike out to Tracy’s place, we made the chocolates and fudge and then I rode home… Steve had the house key and he was expecting to beat me home so I just got on the bike and went like the wind… I got home at 12.10 and felt like a shower… so I looked at the house and thought..hhhmmm  and found a wIndow and climbed in it!!  lol  I wouldn’t've been able to do THAT a few years ago!!  lol  I mapped the ride, 14kms one way.  Whoop whoop!!  28km 

Steve’s work do was great, it’s fantastic how the crappy food that I would’ve gorged on no longer appeals to me!!  And unlike last year I didn’t drink nearly as much wine!!   Sunday morning I woke up with gritty eyes and a headache, I’d attributed it to the wine but I feel the same today… and I KNOW I didn’t have any alcohol yesterday.. so I suspect that I’m succumbing to Erin’s bg.  Darn it!!!!!

Dad’s finished his Chemotherapy and is booked for the Stomach surgery on Wednesday… he’ll be in the ICU for 5 days then moved out to the wards… so if I’m sick I won’t be able to see him!!!  RIGHT!!!!  Out with the Horseradish, Garlic and Vit C tabs!!!!!

So with Erin barking like a dog and her tonsils looking rather wet and juicy, as are Lachy’s, there’s no Assembly for me this morning.. I still HAVE to do groceries tomorrow but no transporting her to the mall to sing with the choir.  Sigh.  She was SOOOO looking forward to it!!  I’m hoping that she’s had the tonsil thing enough times now to get them whipped out!!!!!  I’m praying like mad we’re all going to be healthy enough to get on the train on Saturday too!!.

Must go, I’ve got a doc’s appointment soon and I need to start my lists, and dust, and clean and pack and …. well you know how it is.

Bex

Dad’s op….. December 18, 2009

Well it was bad news….  Dad’s tumour has attached itself to a major blood vessel leading to his heart.  It’s inoperable.  The surgeons have given him 3 to 12 months to live.  My step Mum will be meeting with the oncologist next week for a more definitive answer.

So now we know.   And now we can deal with it.  On Wednesday night when I heard the news I got drunk.  It only took 2 glasses of wine, I’m a cheap date!!!

It didn’t help, didn’t change the diagnosis or how I was feeling… won’t be doing THAT again.

So where to from now?  Well building memories for the kids, savouring moments with him for myself and helping the kids say good-bye.  AND keeping my eating under control…

I feel like crap at the moment physically, mentally and emotionally.  I’m back on the wagon as of this morning and am expecting to detox as well (Errgh!! ) Mentally I’m going to be listening to a few webcasts whilst on the train tomorrow and emotionally… well I’ve been getting lots of love from friends and family so I’m coming right on that front too.

Also physically I haven’t done any of my regular excercise since I rode out to Tracy’s last weekend… time to move my arse again!!

I’m not sure hen I can update this again, probably after Christmas..

So Happy Christmas, Blessings to you and your families and if you are travelling.. be safe!!

Bex

Just a quickie today… January 1, 2010

Dad is ok for now, he’s had a Stent placed in his throat to enable him to eat food with lumps in it (lol).  The tumour is still in situ and won’t be removed, but he’s at home and happy.  Mates of his are all rallying around him and are organising weekend Harley rides and overnighters so he’s a happy man!

I’d just like to say thanks for the support again Ladies and Gents, it’s been awesome.

So where am I at… about 96kg and about to get back on the wagon.  I’m heading out for a woggle (Thanks Gilly) tomorrow morning on the roads around Julie’s (my sister in law’s) house.  She lives on a hill so it’s going to be a good starter!!  Food is going to be under control and drinking lots of water too.

That’s all for now folks.

Bex in tighter jeans

Back on track…again January 5, 2010

Well it’s a new year, time to get back on track.  Went for a walk up the hills round Julie’s place, my HRM didn’t even register the increase in HR it was reading 68 whilst I was going flat out uphill and my heart rate was roaring away in my ears.  I did the walk in 45 minutes so decided to do some Pilates as well, only I thought I MAY be doing it a little too fast.. (definitely NOT as i found out the next morning!!! OUCH!!!) So at the end of one hour’s work my HRM reads 78cals burnt and highest rate is 74 beats.  Hmmm something not right here!!

I’m scared to get a new battery as when I take the back off ANY watch I’ve EVER owned and replaced the battery it goes wonky from then on.. not just me replacing the battery either, it happens when Steve replaces it or anyone else for that matter.  I have a weird electrical system apparently.  So not quite sure what to do about that.

Anyway, I saw 94 on the scales this morning, that’s encouraging, I’m not sending in my weight whilst on holiday as the scales aren’t the ones I usually use.  (Yes that’s an excuse I know)

Dad is sending me regular updates about how well he’s feeling, that’s great, I’ll just text his wife to see if she thinks the same too  LOL.  So that’s encouraging too, I’m going to spend the rest of his life building memories with the kids so they can remember a happy Grandad not a sick and dying one.  I’m also working on my own responses, wine and chocolate are NOT conducive to dealing with emotions!!  But we all know that anyway don’t we!   Nor are they conducive to weightloss!!  LOL

I’m looking forward to getting home and getting back to the gym again when it reopens.  I’m missing it.  I miss my gym bunny friends and working alongside someone else who’s moaning and groaning about the next excercise too!!  lol  I even miss it sooo much I gave it a go by myself.. I managed to hold a plank for a whole 30 seconds!!  lol

Got to go, we’re about to go for a walk.

Catch you later.

Bex

You guys gotta try ZUMBA!!!! January 19, 2010

So the weigh in today showed I’d worked off any weight I’d gained whilst away.  93.2 today. Not optimal but still not the 96 I’d seen on Julie’s scales. Whew!

You guys and gals gotta give Zumba a go!!  Seriously, IT”S SOOOOOO fun!!  I can’t recommend it highly enough! Well done Leanne for going up on stage when the leader pointed you out too!!  Atta girl!!   I’m not sure if the sore tummy muscles were from the shimmying or the belly laughing at my attempts to co-ordinate hip circling and tapping out the drum rhythm!!  lol  But definitely loads of fun!   And sweat!!  Oh boy did we work out!   Sad news about the HRM, I put a new battery in the rotten thing and it didn’t register the Zumba session at all!!!  I KNOW I was working hard, mu pulse was roaring in my ears and boy oh boy was I sweating!!  So it’s off to the knackers yard (the cost of getting it fixed is more than a new one I’m told )

Dad is back in action eating chocolate mousse last I heard lol.  I’m home again (sigh) bliss.. you never really appreciate your own bed until you have to leave it for 26 days. lol

So how’s the excercise gone since I got home on Thursday night?  None, zip, zero, nada, not one iota or scerrig to be seen.  And what am I about to do about it?? Well, tomorrow we’re getting the bikes out, Erin came home with tonsilitis and Lachlan was delirious on Sunday night, both on Antibiotics (Again) so we’re off for our first ride of the year.  Erin is doing the Weetbix Tryathlon by herself this year so she has to run, I’m going to go running with her as well in training for MY next event.. The Real Women’s Duathlon.  Both are in March. No Retreat for me in March, I’m doing the Duathlon instead as we stretched out finances a lot over Christmas and need to build them up again if a sudden trip to Wellington is needed

Gym reopens next week in the evenings (I hope) the girls go back to School on the 2nd and we’re ALL looking forward to being back in the routine!!  Lachy is hanging out for Playcentre, he misses the sandpit most I think!!  lol

So 2010 .. what does the year have in store for us??!!!!

Let’s find out together shall we.

Just a (pre-weigh in )quickie February 2, 2010

I’ve been making bad food choices lately, well for the past 2 months really, I’ve gone from 90.2 up to almost 96 (I’m guessing here, I haven’t weighed in yet)

So I’m going to treat today as the start of the whole shebang again, the girls go back to school today!!  YAYYYYYYYYY and my gym re-opens on Thursday.  YAY for routine. 

I know I’m fully capable of doing the excercise myself and I really should have been

I chose to take the time off, now I have to take the weight back off.

Let’s see just how much I’ve let myself slide.  Yes I’ve been away from home, Yes Dad’s really sick and has been given till December to live and yes I’ve been out of routine, but I’m perfectly capable of getting the right foods down my gullet and getting my arse out of bed while Steve’s still home and going for a blatt on the beach in the mornings!!

Ok, so this is the start of the rest of my life   Regular excercise and great food

Bex

New wheels!! February 7, 2010

For those of you who aren’t on Facebook and haven’t seen my latest status, we won an auction yesterday on Trademe , for a bike trailer.  It’s not a cargo trailer like on a car, it’s for kids, a little capsule that we can put Lachlan in.  So we went and picked it up this morning and I rode to church with him in it.  Pretty cool!!

We also went to a second hand Bike shop and got the girls new bikes.

So what’s all this in aid of?  Well Steve turns 40 this year, and his Dad turns 70 in January.  Steve’s a mad keen mountain biker and his dad Cyril is pretty interested in it too.  So Steve and 2 mates went down south a year or so ago and rode the Otago Central Rail Trail.  Cyril and Jenny (my mother-in-law) were at a craft show recently and saw a stand advertising the Rail trail.  Long story short… Cyril has decided that that’s what he wants to do in January.  So the original plan was for Cyril,  Steve and Erin (our 9-year-old who will be 10 by then) to ride the trail and Jenny would go with them and travel in the car that transports your gear.  That would leave me at home with Alannah (7 ) and Lachlan (who would be 3.5) for the week.

Now that annoyed me slightly, and I asked why we all couldn’t do it (turns out I’m fitter than some people thought I was lol ), and lo and behold so we are!  Steve was looking at busing down there and hiring bikes etc $35 an adult per day over 4 days.. hmmm. And if we all went it worked out at $150 a DAY just for Steve, the kids and I.  WHEW!!!!!!

So …. I thought why don’t we get a towbar put on the Odessy, and borrow a trailer (yes a car one this time lol ) and then we could take our own bikes.  Excellent!!  The towbar costs about $250 to 350 so we’re saving money there already!!  We’d already decided to get Erin a new bike as she takes after her Mum with mile high legs, and Alannah is showing the same perpensity too.  That just left Lachlan… he’ll be 3.5 when we go, and definitely not up to riding 40kms a day even if it’s really easy terrain, hence the trailer (yes the bike one this time).

Steve’s just taken Alannah out for a ride and is trying out the bike, MY bike I might add, with the trailer on it.  I’m aiming to ride it to the gym in the mornings for as  long as I can, weather permitting, it’s water proof but definitely NOT Christchurch Southerly proof!!

So now the girls have early birthday and Christmas presents.  When we were at the second hand bike shop yesterday getting the girls bikes Steve saw a bike that made him drool, it’s a fancy Mountain Bike and I won’t bore you with the details, needless to say, it may be his 40th Birthday Present if I can find a spare $1400 lying around!!  He’s making noises about me getting a new bike for my birthday… ergo HE’S getting a new one too see?  (I don’t think so!!)

Anyway, the gym opens tomorrow NOT Thursday last week as I thought DOH!! and so I went for a blatt with a friend and Lachy on the back of my bike.  I’m managing to be aware of what I’m eating, asking myself just what the heck I’m doing as I stand there with my head in the pantry after dinner scanning the shelves!!  And those who know me well will know I’m after chocolate again!!  Good thing there ain’t any there!!!!

I’ve gotten out of the habit of drinking all my water allocation so I”m going to step it up again. 

I was 95.1 on Tuesday, not the 96 I’d expected, I’ve 5.1 kgs to reloose and I’m at my goal.  It’s not the BIA goal but it’s where I’m aiming for.  I’ll reassess that when I’ve managed to get to 90 (or less) and keep it there for 8 weeks.

That’s the plan..

Oh and the girls and I did a 1km loop yesterday, run a lamppost and walk one.  Not bad for them They’re both entering the Weet-bix Tryathlon and I’m so proud of them, now we just need a little more training and we’ll be fine

Catch you later

Bex

Waiting, waiting, waiting….. February 12, 2010

I signed up for Broadband last Thursday and I was told the modem would be here in 5 to 14 working days… well it’s day 6 now so I’m getting excited!!  FINALLY!   It takes 7 minutes for the Dashboard page on here to load for my blogs…. you can imagine just how frustrating THAT is!!

Well it’s Friday, and I’ve ridden to and from gym 3 days now.  It adds 22 minutes to my work outs, 10 on the way there and 12 back!!  lol  It was drizzling yesterday, Lachy was as snug as a bug in a rug, and I got wet!!  lol  Yes I was wearing wet weather gear, but it’s not meant to block out that much drizzle.  Ah well, it won’t be raining in January 2011 on the Rail TRail!!  ( I hope)  I’m going to take photo’s on the girls camera of the trailer today and get them on here, it’s quite cool.  We get LOADS of heads turning and lots of kids going “Look!!  That’s so cool!!” as we walk through our school and ride past the other school on the way to gym

I’ve worked out why I’m standing with my head in the pantry again, I’ve been forgetting to take my supplements, over the holidays I was taking them with my breakfast.  Now I’m back at the gym, I have break fast, go gymming, THEN have breakfast, and forget the supplements!  I’m taking a magnesium tab to help stop the cramps in my legs and it also stops the sugar cravings… there you have it!!

Must dash, time to get the girls to school.

Bex

Still waiting, and where the heck did my last post go??!!????!! February 22, 2010

2 more working days, and if it’s NOT here I’m going to scream!!!!  I tried to get on to the call last week, I managed to get into the chat room, said hello to Danni, Debz, Joy and I had no sound!!  Not a peep!!  I’m sooo looking forward to listening to the calls live!!

My last post is Missing In Action!!  Not sure where it’s gone.  Anyway, Lachlan was sick last week so I stayed home on Monday morning and went monday night, he was better on Tues morning so I went with him on the bike again.  Thursday morning the girls wound me up BIG time and I couldn’t go to the gym for some reason (I’ve forgotten) and so I went that night.  I was still fuming about the girls and their fighting and blatant lying to me that I bashed the snot out of the punching bag.  I was hitting it so hard the windows were rattling in the gym!!!!  All sorted now though, no need to wonder whether you need to call CYFS

We went out on Saturday and bought new helmets for Alannah and Lachy.  He loves his so much it was very hard to get it off him so he could go to bed! 

I’m gymming and riding and it’s rubbing off on the girls too, Erin went for a 10km ride with me on Saturday morning.  Well done her!  Alannah needs to get her legs “in” They’re both doing the Weetbix tryathon on the 14th of next month. Alannah needs to be able to ride 3.5kms and swim and run, a bit of work to be done there.   Steve took them to the pools on Thursday morning at 6.30am for a training session.  And they LOVED it!

It’s things like this that give me a glimmer of hope, I can see that they aren’t going to follow the same path I went down.  They’re active, healthy and enjoying themselves physically.  This program has not only saved me but helped to shape the children into healthier, happier and WAY mor active children.

I’m actually looking forward to doing the Rail Trail, I’m blocking out the thought of Steve’s 40th Tramp that I’ve agreed to do… I HATE camping!!  I’m SUCH a creature of comfort I LOVE my shower and BIG soft bed!!  lol  The things we do for love.!!  ( You might point out that the accommodation on the Rail trail may not be up to my standards..but at least I’ll be able to SHOWER!!!  Ya can’t do that in a DOC hut!!  lol)

My jeans are starting to fall off my butt again YAY  It’s coming off again!  

We’ll see what the scales say tomorrow shan’t we!!?!

Bex in slightly saggier jeans

Yes I’m still here…but the Broadband’s not yet!!! March 12, 2010

Well hello again, yes I haven’t gone anywhere except slightly crazy.  Broadband not going to be connected for another 2 weeks.  Hope so, I don’t really want to change service providers!!  Anyway, Just after Christmas my HRM went bung, it died and wasn’t doing it’s job properly.  I  was using it as a measure of how much effort I’d put in and how much more moving I need to do by the end of the day.  Well as it’s not been working I haven’t been using it and it’s one of the tools I was using to keep myself on track.  That and the calls.  I can’t listen to the calls at all on Dial up so I haven’t been listening in.  I’m too chicken to dial in most times.  So I did last week after confessing to Damian and Phyllis I’ve put on weight, up to 95.8 now.

I’ve also been buying chocolate and eating it too. I’ve been adding in things that aren’t in the program as I was so close to my goal ( the one Damian’s set for me was still 10 kg away) now I’m much further away and regretting it!!  Sigh

I need to get my s#!t sorted AGAIN and get this weight off!!. I’m having my legs done soon, (varicose veins) and I have to walk at least 30 mins a day to help the blood flow and reduce the swelling.  That’s in place of my gymming and biking to the gym.  So I need to adjust my eating accordingly… again.

Our girls are about to do the Weetbix Tryathlon this weekend, I’m SOOOO proud of them, and I hope they’ll catch the bug and continue on with the same level of activity.

So that’s about it,  back on the wagon again, plan in place and things to move forward with.

Bex

SOOOOO proud of my girls!! March 16, 2010

They did it!!  Both of them tried their hardest and completed the Weet-bix Tryathlon on Sunday morning.!!  Alannah, (7) had caused Steve and I some worry as she’s not a confident runner, or rider and takes after me when I was a child, LOATHES physical activity.  She told me at the end of her race, that “even though I wasn’t first, it’s ok Mum”   AWWWWW.  Of course I told her no one came first, the important thing about this race is crossing the finish line!!  Then she said “OH!” and her face split in a HUGE grin!!  (She’d been trying so hard to be a good sports person!!  lol )

So, I’ve lost 400 grams this week, and LONG may it continue!!  I’m going to se the specialist about my legs tomorrow and set a date for the surgery.

I dialed in last week and will again tonight, and I’ll try and mute myself before my cell phone goes off again!!  lol

My HRM is on it’s way to get it’s insides checked out, and I’m not EVEN going there with the Broadband thing!!  lol

Progress!!

I also went to another clothing swap on Sunday arvo, scored some GREAT new clothes, you lot REALLY have to give it a go!!  It’s a great and CHEAP way of updating your wardrobe ESPECIALLY as you’ll be dropping sizes so QUICKLY!!  Sure saves the wallet!

I passed a milestone on Sunday too, we had the national HIGH of 30 deg, well I was wearing a singlet top under a shirt under a jersey, and my jeans… well by 11.00 I was sweltering.  When we sat down for lunch at 11.30, (we’d had breakfast at 6am)… I stripped of to my singlet!!!!!!!  Now those who have met me, ant those who know me well know I HATE my arms, I have the batwings, that are coming in , but they’re taking their own sweet time about it.  But I’ve become so comfortable in myself that I was out in PUBLIC in my singlet!!  Huge thing for me!!

Bex

It’s heeeeeerrrrreeeeeeeeeee!!!! April 8, 2010

Yay finally got Broadband, too long a wait.  I’ve been holding off blogging because I got the taste of broadband in Auckland and was getting just toooooooooo frustrated with how slow my dialup was doing this.  I don’t know how I did it to start off with!!

Ok, so what’s happening, I’ve dialled in to all the calls since I decided I was going to do that.. check

Sent  watch away to be fixed, needed a new transponder(?)… check, paid for watch… ah NO!!   I was told it was going to be ONLY $65 to get it fixed, then got a call saying that they’d forgotten to add GST and their handling fee on to the cost, so it’s now going to cost us $87… so it’s still sitting on the shelf at the shop.

My Dad came to visit us again 2 weeks ago and in the 3 weeks since I’d last seen him he’s lost another 5kg due to the cancer.  He’s not looking well and has absolutely no energy anymore.  So we’re off to Wellington for a week to spend some time with him again. I went slightly bonkers when I saw Dad, totally in a tailspin, couldn’t seem to function, ate crappy food and piled on MORE weight.  I emailed Damian and Phyllis for help, which they are.  I also reached out to some special friend and they’re helping keep me in check.  For 3 days I existed in a fog, washing was done and meals made but the washing wasn’t folded not pots washed, it was all I could do to just BE.

Dad won’t last till Christmas now, that’s plain to see and that fact rocked my world.  I’d been planning to get myself nice and strong and not go crazy with the food as comfort thing, but oh boy did that go out the window. 

So what now? Well we’re off to Wellington on Monday so I’m missing the next call, then when we get back I’m off to hospital for my leg op.  So 2 weeks of no calls, BUT and it’s a great BUT… I got broadband now so i can download the calls in an instant instead of 50 minutes!!  So I’ll be listening in on my iPOD

I’m taking my gym gear to Wellington so i can haul my carcass out on the beach too

The Queen of the Blog is back Bay-bee!!!!!

Bex

Getting better at it again. August 21, 2010

So who read the Bytes? That was fun… look for more where they came from.
We just got a new bike for me and a Trailgator ( Google it) for the Boy to go on when we do the rail trail. We just have to disable his brakes… he’s got a ‘backpedal” brake at the moment… lots of fun!! lol NOT!!!!