Day 18 (Jan18th)

Yesterday, I did a bit of 'research'...I have come to realise that the reason I fall off the wagon is clearly my nutrition & have figured it's because I'm BORED!! Bored with planning & preparing & eating the same old menu plan, So ....I have been surfing around on the 'weight watchers' website. They have some really nice vegetarian / fish recipes. I figure there would be no harm in sticking mainly with my clean IBO eating plan ( I would NEVER give up the exercise plan - love it tooo much!! ) & incorporating the weight watchers recipes to give me more food excitement...my problem is that I'm am not very imaginative with making up my own recipe / cooking stuff. I like to have it readily available to me on tap. Hence why I continually stray from 'the guidelines'.

So this has been an exciting breakthrough for me, I 'm feeling all motivated & stuff to make my own personal cookbook of cool 'legal stuff' to eat. Many years ago ( straight after the birth of child#2) I did the weight watchers (WW) 'points' program & lost all my baby weight...(had put on 30kgs), however was not happy that I still felt 'fat'. Today, I know it was because there was no weight training involved - just lots of walking while pushing the pram with a new born baby up & down hills!

I had a lovely tuna & egg salad for lunch yesterday - should have taken a photo but didn't. Sometimes I shudder to think I have to make another boring vegetable salad to have for lunch. Although I still had salad it was the veggies that were different! (DUH!!!) It would however seem that most of the WW 'dinner recipes' are based around a carb, which I find a little scary as IBO has taught me to base most meals around protein 'to feel fuller for longer', so the plan would be for me to find interesting , tasty recipes that fit mainly in with the IBO way as IBO is the plan that I feel safest with.

In fact after my first 12 weeks is over I'm considering purchasing another 'at home' exercise program as today is the day I give up my my gym membership that I don't use..I haven't been to the 'real' gym for about 12 months I reckon as I quite enjoy my IBO at home program & enjoy working out alone without having to worry about the 'mirror men' or the 'gym bunnies' who clearly go to the gym to socialise ( WHY else would the 'bunnies' wear make up to the gym??)...my 'local' gym has turned into a church for people who worship exercise but don't actually want to sweat while doing so. My goodness, after I finish exercising I look like an absolute train wreck - hair everywhere, red face, sweating - the works.. I actually get embarrassed to walk past reception when I leave! Anyhoo, that's enough rambling for this morning!

I'm baaaaaaaaack...**sigh**, the above picture represents how I felt when I stepped on the scales & did my measurements this morning. After a week off from my 'regime' I have put on 1.8kg !!!. Yes my nutrition was quite shit ( who eats smiths chips with tomato sauce & BUTTER sandwiches every day for lunch?) I did some exercise ( water skiing & walking) however clearly not enough to burn off the chip sandwiches & 500g packet of lollies (that I managed to inhale in 2 days )Needless to say I'm feeling very sorry for myself, have given myself a good lecture & put myself on an 'apple detox' for the next 24 hours, ready to start afresh on Monday. Just goes to show you must stay focused in order to achieve the goals you set . How come if I know this I keep repeating the same mistakes?
I read an article in last Sunday's paper about how the junk food manufacturer's deliberately make our bodies crave their products by having the balance of fat, salt & sugar 'just right' to trigger the crave in us. The article then went on to say in order to stop the cravings we should just not eat the product to start with...hmmm...

Day 7 & 8

Day 7:
woodbine walk today...here's a shot of hills 1 & 2

the hill is at the top of the shot...

Day 8 is weigh in day, although I have been good , I'm not feeling very confident...I know it's only been 1 week but I feel bloaty...*sigh*

Spent most of the day feeling irritated...didn't feel tired though - husband seems to think I am tired...Hmmm...

Day 8: Yay! A 600g loss! No cm change yet though..am feeling mentally slightly better than Day 7 but could not frag my ass out of bed, however as today is 'weights day' it's no big deal, 'cos I;m doing weights after dinner!

I'll be 'offline' for the next week as going camping....I may try & email my blog in, but not sure if it will work

Day 6

This morning I got up to do my weights session...before eating....I now know why you are not supposed to weight train on an empty stomach! I really struggled & it took me twice as long to actually do the session...I'm sure of it, so now, I think it works best for me to do cardio in the morning & weights in the evening ( much as I don't like exercising in the evening 'cos I can't be bothered after working all day.)

Day3,4 & 5...

Day 3 -rest day ( no exercise but still on the 'diet')
went to the shops & bought a 'tube expander kit ($9.99 - bargain!!). This will keep me training while I'm 'up the river' next week as it will otherwise be impossible for me to do weight training. Found some good exercises on the Internet to match my 'all over body workout' that I'm currently using to get myself 'conditioned' over the next 4 weeks. There is plenty of space for me to get my workout done & it's about a 7km walk to the 'town'.

Day 4 - when I woke up was feeling not so sore, but had trouble getting out of bed, however I did get up & did my 'servo walk' which is approx 3.5kms & takes me 30 mins. last night after work I did a warm up lap around the reserve & another weights session.
I have been on track with nutrition - this is the bit I'm soooooo excited about. if I just think 'one day at a time' then I seem to manage it better, which is fabulous ;)

Day - 5. Up early @5am this morning for my woodbine walk as it's cardio day, am having one of my favourite lunches today...Indian cottage cheese...oo ooo ooo recipe time!

Indian cottage Cheese
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup frozen spinach
120g chopped sweet potato or 1/2 cup lentils
1teaspoon (t) curry powder
sprinkle of garlic salt

1. whack it all in a microwave safe bowl & nuke it for 3 mins...Yummmmmm!

Unfortunately I wont be able to post a pic of it as I will be eating it at work, anyway it doesn't actually look very attractive, luckily its tastes good!

Day 2

Today , I have woken up hurting...I think it's a combination of skiing, paddling & the weights session yesterday. My arms & back are in a world of pain, however, I know this is good pain, therefore the battle continues....Also felt very tired today & actually had a 'nanna nap' late this afternoon, I woke up stiff but will be off for my 1 hour, 7km 'woodbine walk' (steep hills here) once it cools down a bit (at 7pm it's still 29 degrees here!!)


Another good food day today, even hit the shops for some more healthy vegies. I have also discovered ( to my delight) that my local Woolies is carrying frozen egg whites! Yipee!!! So I got me a carton of those suckers & popped them in the freezer while I try try and figure out how to cut the carton in 1/2 & defrost 1/2 at a time as I don't think I will use a full carton within the recommended 7 days. Also got myself a new 'handbag size' BPA free drink bottle. Purrrrfect size - no excuses to be without water @ all times :)



here's the new drink bottle & my new find @ woolies!

GO !!! - Day 1

Yay! its finally here! Happy New Year & Happy New Me!
Stats now done. It's weights day today. Have had a good food day and drunk plenty of water, was feeling very frumpy in mt swimmers up the river & didnt even attempt to get the wetsuit on. I put it away in the wardrobe. I t will be a few more weeks before I attempt to put it on! Am feeling very motivated and have realised I will need it take it one day at a time so as not to scare myself about this big challenge for the year...