2010 - Fingers crossed that THIS is the year!

Yet again....

...I am re-starting my weight loss journey.  I have had a few months off whilst setting up a new business (not that THAT is an excuse)

I have been really busy so hopefully now I will have a little more time to devote to myself and my own well being.

 

Fingers crossed

Feeling lumpy!

Somedays I feel so good but sadly yesterday was not one of those days. I have a wedding to go to on the weekend and thought as I have lost several kilos that I might buy a new outfit. Wrong!! Maybe I didn't make good choices but everything that I tried on just made me look short, lumpy and dumpy. Which I suppose if I am truthful is what I am but hell no, I don't have to accept that. So I am feeling a little bit blah at the moment and will just have to have a dig around in my wardrobe to find something half suitable. I do have an outfit in mind but would have really liked something new. Que sera, sera! I just have to suck it up and go forward. PS~ one good thing about the whole sorry episode is that I got lots of steps in trudging round the shopping centre, so yay for the exercise!

Bit 'n' bobs

This week I have decided to not just write about my weight loss and/or lack thereof. I need to write down a little bit more than just that but sometimes I think to myself that everything is all related in a round about way. I think that the way that you are feeling about life in general can and will affect how you approach your eating/exercise/water drinking or whatever you have decided are your tools for the journey!

LOL That is all sounding so profound and deep and meaningful

I have been trying to work a bit more consistently on visualizing good and positive things. I found a photo of me taken about 7 years ago and I thought to myself ~ Wow I look good in that piccy (not a thing that occurs very often at all, I might add.) I will try and scan it and post it on here sometime soon (scanner not hooked up to computer atm.) Anyway I have decided that is how I want to look again and have put that picture in my mind each night before I go to sleep... and for some reason I have had in my head that I wanted to lose a kilo this week. My weigh in day is Sunday morning and I had a little peek Friday morning and my weight was 200g up from the previous weeks' weigh-in, so I honestly thought that I had no chance of losing it or much more by this morning, especially seeing it is the wrong time of the month for me as well.
BUT imagine my surprise this morning when I stepped on the scales and I had lost exactly one kilo.... wonder if I could be so lucky for it to happen again next week

So as well as the weight loss I am also putting in my mind each night a thought that my second son finds himself a good job. I am not really sure that you can visualize on someone else's behalf. Hmmmm... second hand visualization???

Anyway the good thing is that my son was home for the weekend (he is staying with his sister in the city at the moment whilst he is working as a factory hand... not a great job or one that he really enjoys but nevertheless a job!) My oldest son came home for the weekend too, so it was great to see them. I love having my family around, even though the boys come bearing dirty washing!

So back to the story - Brad (child #3 - son #2) bought his new gf home with him too and I am so happy for him, she is such a cheerful, pleasant, sweet girl. He has not had a gf for a couple of years since being terribly hurt by his last one who was a nasty piece of work and real manipulator and always trying to drive a wedge between Brad and the rest of the family. Sigh... a long story which doesn't need to be told here. So after that he seemed to be a bit of a lost soul for such a long time and very wary of letting another girl get close. He has always enjoyed the company of his friends but they were becoming too much of a 'thing' for him and nights out drinking with the boys were just happening way too much for my liking.

My daughter told me to chill out and said that she felt sure from talking with him that he would grow out of it and that he was getting tired of their silly antics at times. Well it all came to a head a couple of months ago when after a night out with a couple of friends he was involved in a series of stupid incidents, which although it didn't involve anything illegal or anyone getting too hurt (luckily) did end up with him getting a nasty burn on his arm, a lump on his head and his friend losing his license. Needless to say I was bitterly disappointed in him and very worried about the path he appeared to be heading down. It took me a couple of weeks of trying to talk to him before he finally calmed down enough to actually have a conversation with me (and I calmed down enough to make it not sound like a lecture!) Thinking back though I do believe that it was the turning point. And whilst I don't want to be a wowser and don't object to him enjoying an odd drink or two with his mates, I really don't want that to become a way of life for him. He is only 19 and having alcoholism in the family line makes me feel that he might be genetically predisposed to his drinking becoming a problem. I told him all this and he listened and said that he didn't want it to become an everyday or even an every week thing either. So he had a few weeks of staying home and not spending so much time with his mates, found the job in the city and moved up that way (he had had a period of a couple of months with no work previous to the drinking incidents too...)

The good ending (at this point in time) is that he now has his new girl (about 4 weeks now) and she is his main focus, they still go and see his friends but on the whole he seems to have a renewed contentedness and happiness about him. Next thing on the list is to help him find a job that he enjoys and also finds rewarding. I know he will get there and I suppose to a certain extent I also need to let go and let him get on with his own life. My kids do know that my hubby and I will ALWAYS be there for them if they need us. So the story continues.... you will have to stay posted on that one.

Other kids are doing ok and all doing well, so that is good.
A few little hiccups with the 16yo at school, mostly being a smart alec towards teachers etc. Being the youngest of four he always likes to speak his mind and make himself heard... just have to help him tone things down a level or two especially whilst he is still at school, I am sure in the long run his confidence will stand him in good stead.

I am feeling that a lot of stuff is falling into place at the moment and fingers crossed by the end of this year a lot of things.... personal, kids, financial, etc will all be sorted and heading in the right direction. I think that feeling a little more at peace within myself will also help with my weight loss.... sort of removing some of the barriers. I guess time will tell.

So... now that I have totally purged and unburdened so to speak (feel great to have actually written it ALL down) I thank you for reading my mini novel.

Hope that YOU have a good week with lots of positives 'cause I know I am gonna have a beauty!

Cheers
Sarah

Finally....

...some movement in the right direction. After three weeks of little or no weight loss the scales are moving albeit slowly. I guess I am happy about this. I sort of feel a little blah though. I know that I expect so much more of weight loss or myself really. I am always suckered in by promises to lose X amount of weight in a week etc.etc. ... I am sure you all know how it goes! Well enough of the wallowing. I have a busy week ahead and I really need to get on with my day. Good things: 1) Great hubby 2) Awesome kids 3) Fantastic friends (including online buddies!) 4) Weight loss this week (800g) 5) Exciting things happening or about to happen in my life... stay tuned! So here I am officially kicking myself in the pants... Chin up Sarah, you have so much that is positive. Have a great week and you go girl!!!!! Luv, Me x

Why the scales lie...

Thanks to my friend Maureen from the Bodytrim forum for the following information ~ Definately worth sharing:

WHY THE SCALES LIE.

We ve been told over an over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can't resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can't bring yourself to toss the scale in the bin, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence it's readings. From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale.

Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body's water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don't understand what's happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto it s water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water.

A biologist at Berkeley shared something very revealing on the low-carb BBS system about 4 years ago that helps us all through the erratic weight fluctuations you invariably encounter:

"Fat cells are resilient, stubborn little creatures that do not want to give up their actual cell volume. Over a period of weeks, maybe months of "proper dieting", each of your fat cells may have actually lost a good percentage of the actual fat contained in those cells. But the fat cells themselves, stubborn little guys, replace that lost fat with water to retain their size. That is, instead of shrinking to match the reduced amount of fat in the cell, they stay the same size! Result - you weigh the same, look the same, maybe even gained some scale weight, even though you have actually lost some serious fat."

This is what we have been telling folks. You lose inches but not pounds because your body plumps the fat cells. I tell them it is a complicated biochemical process that your body replaces the fat molecules with water and fluids until you exceed your bodies predetermined fluid level. Then your body will release a chemical that releases all this stored water and you get a sudden overnight loss of several pounds. Then the cycle starts over again with inches gone and the scales lag behind.

The good news is that this water replacement is temporary. It's a defensive measure to keep your body from changing too rapidly. It allows the fat cell to counter the rapid change in cell composition, allowing for a slow, gradual reduction in cell size. The problem is, most people are frustrated with their apparent lack of success, assume they have lost nothing, and stop dieting. However, if you give those fat cells some time, like 4-6 months, and ignore the scale weight fluctuations, your real weight/shape will slowly begin to show.

Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it s easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn t have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That's why, when it comes to eating, it s wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.

Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum.

Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it's packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it's stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it's associated water. It is normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you re prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.

Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it's wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you've had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It is the actual weight of everything you've had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you ve finished digesting it.

Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it's not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, it is likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. Generally, it's only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it's physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you're really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle.

This brings us to the scale's sneakiest attribute. It doesn t just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose "weight," that doesn t necessarily mean that you've lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you've lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you are just sitting around. That s one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.

Robin Landis, author of "Body Fueling," compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn't differentiate between the two. It can' t tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat. There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current.

If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn t appeal to you, don t worry. The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don't be discouraged by a small gain on the scale. Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride. It's a matter of mind over scale!

What's going on?

Well I thought I had a pretty good week food wise BUT the exercising still left a bit to be desired.  I didn't lose a thing this week - what an absolute bummer.  I really must not get discouraged because I know that often when I get to this stage (pleateau) I start to get discouraged and things go pear shaped.  Maybe I have lost some cm's (note to self:  remember to take measurements tomorrow!)  And if not I just need to toughen up princess and get on with it and see what I can do better this week.  Walk a little more, drink more water be exta careful of what I am eating.  STAY POSITIVE!!!  That is the real biggie.  I want to improve and continue on with my visualisation cos I think that is a biggie too.  I have so much other good things in my life, my husband, my gorgeous kids, my family and friends and lots of exciting and positive things about to happen.  I may not have lost this week but hey tomorrow is a new day, next week is a new week and we are almost starting a new month so lots of time to get there.  I WILL ACHIEVE AND I GIVE MYSELF PERMISSION TO TAKE MY TIME!  There... roll on the new week.

Cheers x

PS.  Did my measurements today (22nd of September) and I have lost 21cm over my body measurements: chest, abdomen, stomach, hips and thighs since I did my first set of measurements 6 weeks ago ~ so yay for  that!!

Sunday Snippets

First things first... gotta have my grrrr then get it out of the way.  I put on 200g this week, which when you look at the big picture is really not too much.  I guess I just got a little complacent with my eating, water drinking and exercise and let a few things slip a little this week. 

Tomorrow is the start of a new week though and a good week too ~ I can feel it in my bones.  I will make every effort to walk/exercise most days, I will drink 2-3 litres of water each day, I will make sure I leave my treats until free day.

My "to-do" for this week is going to be visulisation.  I will picture myself slimmer, healthier and of course happier.  So before I go to sleep each night I need to set my mind to how I will be looking and feeling in the not too distant future.  (I will be sure to report back on this!  Promise!)

I also need to make sure that I take my multivitamins everyday instead of the hit and miss pattern I have been following.

I have been reading the Jon Gabriel book and will work in some of his suggestions too.  Digestive Enzymes is what I will be looking for at the health food shop and even though my multis contain Omega 3, I might go and find some of them too.  Plus some live cultures (ala yoghurt).

I intend next Sunday to be posting an actual loss and reporting on an energized and revitalised and revamped me!

Catch ya then!

~x~

Happy Father's Day

Father's Day here in good old Oz Land.  My husband has gone to go-kart racing today with two of our boys.  They headed off at the crack of dawn (6ish) so I rolled over and went back to sleep.

Today is my "Free-day" on BT, oh I love them - the day of the week where you can eat whatever you want.  Strangely enough I don't always feel like a huge blow-out.  I do have my carbs though.  Had three digestive biscuits for breakfast ~ weird eh?     And will probably cook a roast for dinner tonight because that is what Neil would probably like for his FD dinner.

Weigh in this morning too.  I lost another 800g (which I think converted is about 2lbs)  so I am feeling lighter, feeling good, feeling happy.

I decided to come and post on here after my weigh in and breakfast so am still sitting here in my pyjamas so must head off and get dressed and actually get my day started.

Have a good week everyone!  x

Feelin groovy...

Remember that old song... whoa I am really showing my age here!

Well it is a beautiful sunny spring morning here, the sort of day that can make anyone feel good. I am off for a walk soon and my eating is going really well. 

Again I am singing the praises of Bodytrim, seems like it is nearly always time to eat.  Sometimes I forget to have my snacks in the proper time frame but all is good.  One of the mottos of the program is "Don't sweat the small stuff" - gotta love that!

My 19yo is off to a job interview for an electrical apprenticeship today.  I got my fingers, toes, everything crossed for him.  He is a good kid but since the company he was working for closed last December he has been rather unsettled and has had a couple of fill-in jobs but nothing to really take his interest or follow as a career.  I know it is a huge decision for a 19yo but I really want him to do something good.  Something he enjoys and something sustainable too, the cost of living is getting so high, he really wants to be able to support himself.  Anyway enough waffle about that.  Good luck to him and we will just have to see what next week brings!

16yo is trying to ring me from school.  What the???  He has rung home number and then hung up.  I have sent him a message but he is not replying.  I guess the ball is in his court now. He had Glandular Fever earlier this year and hasn't been feeling the best again this week.  LOL I gotta stop worrying but he is my BABY! 

Weekend is looking pretty good.  Kids and hubby all off doing there own thing so looks like I will be getting some 'Me' time.... me, me, me ~ gotta love that!

Well people that pavement is calling, so I will say ciao for now and be back sometime over the weekend to post my results for this week.

Bye