Yet another diet...

So this time it's Slimming World, even though I don't live in the UK. Slimming World works on the basis of red days (higher in protein), green days (higher in carbohydrates), healthy extras (to balance each day and ensure good nutrition) and syns (for all the little extras like chocolate, sauces, condiments...basically anything that isn't a "free" food or healthy extra). I won't explain it all here as there are so many websites that do that so much better than I could.

All I can say is that after 2 1/2 weeks I have lost 2.4 kilograms without ever feeling hungry or deprived. It simpy is the easiest program, although not the easiest if you live outside the UK I must say. As I don't have access to the syns values, healthy extras lists and free foods for Australian brands, there is no question that a little extra guesswork is required. Not to worry though as it seems to be working very well so far.

I also had a Polar F55 Heart Rate Monitor delivered today in an effort to really get myself organised with my walking and overall fitness. It's been an expensive week all round as I also needed new runners. Given the issues that I have as a result of my flat feet and tendency to roll my feet in when I walk, it was really important to get the right type of shoe. The salesgirl at Athlete's Foot helped me out with their special analysis machine and recommended a few pairs to try. I settled on the Brooks Ariel and after some extensive research on the net when I got home, I was happy to learn that I had bought the best shoe on the market for my feet issues. Happy, happy girl!

So I am all set to get fit, healthy and slim. I'm aiming for 3 hours walking per week across 4 walks. This is based on the program put together for me by the Polar HRM, which I took out for a trial today. Love it, love it, love it! It really opened my eyes to just how much I was "in the dark" with my walking program and it has given me a whole new focus. We'll walk to the school to vote tomorrow and then complete a 40 minute walk after that. At this stage, I'm also thinking a day of walking around the Melbourne Zoo on Sunday might be a great way to slip in some extra exercise for the week. Let's hope that the weather stays nice.

For all those Lite N Easy fans, I recommended Lite N Easy to my sister on the Gold Coast. She is determined to lose weight before her wedding in September so she decided to give it a try. She's been on the program for a few weeks now and is consistently losing weight without any problems, so it's definitely worth a try. I'm sure I'll give it another go soon but for the moment, this Slimming World program is working for me.

On a separate not, a very big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my baby nephew Kai. I hope you had the very bestest of birthdays today!!

On the road again...

So I'm almost one full week back into Lite N Easy. I had about three weeks off all together whilst I was in Qld and I ended up back at 72.2kg. I was really happy with that as I ate anything and everything that I wanted whilst I was away, so I can't complain.

So I started again last Friday and I have lost 1.3kg already, with two more days still to go this week. That brings me back to 70.9kg, only .9kg off the lowest weight that I had reached on the day before I left for the trip. Hopefully it won't be long until I'm under 70kg and burning through the 60's!!

For anyone who's thinking about trying Lite N Easy, it really does work!

Time passes so quickly!

It's hard to believe that today is the last day of Week 9 on Lite N Easy! That means another official weigh in tomorrow.

I was down to 71.5kg this morning, which means a total loss of 4.2kg since I started 9 weeks ago. I'm really pleased with the result so far and I look and feel so much healthier already. My clothes fit much better and I can look in the mirror without feeling really awful about what I see. Instead, I feel quite proud of what I have achieved so far, and excited about the prospect of finally being under 70kg soon.

I think I'll aim for about 65kg and then re-evaluate when I get close to that. Being at the bottom end of a size 12 would be fine with me. Whilst being a size 8 and 52 kg may have been fine when I was 24, at 34 I would look just too thin. In fact, if I was honest with myself, even at 24 I looked too thin at 52kg. Not to mention the amount of work and vigilance that would be required to maintain that weight...no thanks!!!

Another Lite N Easy Update

Today I started Week 7 on Lite N Easy. It's hard to believe that it has been six full weeks so far. I'm definitely in a routine, which to be honest can be both good and bad. The routine can definitely create boredom however it also keeps everything pretty simple. I'm still loving the dinners and the Sweet Beef Curry, Satay Chicken, Oriental Beef and Beef Stroganoff are some of my favorites.

So how much have I lost? Certainly not as much as I would have hoped, but still a very respectable 3.2kg as of this morning's weigh in. Given that I have not done any exercise at all during that time, it really is a good result. The weight loss has certainly slowed down though, with a loss of only 200grams this week. I really need to get out and exercise but it is so dark and cold by the end of the working day that walking really isn't an option. Might be time to consider using a gym.

Getting a little bored....

I'm well into Week 4 on Lite and Easy now and at my weigh in on Friday morning I had lost another .3kg, bringing me to 73.3kg.

The weight loss has definitely slowed down but I am proud to say that my resolve has not crumbled. I have not touched any junk food since starting, not even a single piece of chocolate, and chocolate was a daily indulgence before Lite N Easy. Other than the two meals out that were outside my control, I have stuck rigidly to the program in order to give myself the best opportunity of success. I am getting a little bored though...there are only so many times that you can have a "small bread roll" as a snack. Thankfully the dinners are truly delicious, so the thought of a delicious dinner each night gets me through the day!

Exercise is definitely the missing link and I really need to get motivated and get out walking. It will push the weight loss along much more quickly, not to mention the obvious health benefits. I just find it so hard to get excited about walking but I know in the long run it will be worth the effort.

Anyway, enough for now. It's after midnight and I think it might be time for some zzzzzz's.

Sticking to it...

Dinner at a friend's house last night was really delicious. Savoury lamb shanks that just melted in my mouth, creamy mashed potato, beans, carrots and a really nice red wine to top it off. Mmmm, mmmmm!!

On the way home, my boyfriend decided that he was starving hungry and had to stop off at McDonald's drive thru for something to eat. I am so proud of myself! I didn't let my resolve crumble. I didn't order anything even though it meant smelling the cheeseburgers in the car all the way home. And it was so worth it...this morning I had lost a little more weight and I was right back on Lite N Easy, as motivated and determined as ever.

I'm really determined to do it right this time. It won't be quick but the variety in the food options is really helping me to avoid temptation. I haven't had chocolate cravings in more than two weeks and I'm starting to feel a little less hungry now. I guess my body must be slowly adjusting to the lower calories. I really feel like I'm going to succeed this time...I just need to keep my mind focused and remember all the benefits of a healthier, more attractive body. This time I'm sticking to it!!!

Two weeks in and still going strong!

In fact, today is the start of Week 3 on Lite N Easy and yes, I'm still going strong. Total weight loss as of this morning was 2.1kg! Not bad for two weeks. That brings me down from 75.7kg to 73.6kg.

I find that I start to feel better physically from about 72kg. Anything under that and I start to have more energy and I'm less tired. My clothes fit better and I feel better about myself overall. It's also a bit of a danger point though for exactly the same reasons. It's easier to lose motivation when you don't feel quite so bad about the weight that you're carrying.

I guess that's partly why I'm so determined to stick with Lite N Easy. Even if I start to lose motivation, the boundaries are clear...I can eat only what I am given and nothing more. There are no grey areas. There is no room to cheat. I cannot sneak some chocolate and kid myself that it really won't matter. It's black and white because either I'm on Lite N Easy or I'm not. It's too expensive to be half hearted on a delivery program of this nature.

It's been a hectic week from a work perspective so having everything prepared for me has made things so much easier. No need to think about food or what to have next...just heat and eat at the right time.

We're off to a friend's place for dinner tomorrow night so unfortunately that meal will be outside my control, but it's only one meal so it shouldn't have too much impact. I guess the proof will be in the pudding as they say ;-)

My Virtual Model - Before (75.7kg) & Target (60kg)

Getting skinnier by the day!

I bet the suspense is just killing you...what was the final weight loss for the week? I know, I know, it's keeping you awake at night and you just can't concentrate at work...

So time for the big reveal! Bit of an anti-climax really as although it was an absolutely FANTASTIC result, the official weigh in on Friday morning hadn't changed from the day before. Which means a whopping 1.5kg loss for the week, bringing me from a start weight of 75.7 down to 74.2. Woo Hoo!!

You could have knocked me over with a feather when I weighed myself this morning...another .3kg GONE!!! I'm now at 73.9 and I'm so incredibly happy with the results :-)

Lite N Easy really is so simple as there is very little to think about. You just eat what they give you and that's about it. The biggest challenge for me is that I'm a real night owl and I'm often up reading resumes and sending emails for my recruitment business well after midnight. Of course, that means that I tend to get really hungry as dinner may have been 4 or 5 hours earlier. I've realised now that I need to keep something aside for just before bed because I just can't sleep when I have a growling, hungry stomach. That may be why I'm a bit too hungry during the day as I have to space the food out to last me until late at night.

Being a little hungry hasn't been too unbearable but it does mess with my head a bit, particularly now that I'm on the second week. Today I feel like I want to rush out and buy some KFC and scoff down some chocolate!! The thing about Lite and Easy though is that you can't trick yourself. In the past I would have had some chocolate or M&Ms and convinced myself that I was still within the calorie limit for the day. Now I know that if I eat anything other than what has been provided to me, I am definitely over the 1500 calorie limit, so there's no way I can kid myself into thinking that I can eat extra food.

My sister and Dad will be in Melbourne tomorrow so that we can go out for lunch for her 30th birthday. I'm a little nervous as it will require a meal off the Lite N Easy program and I will have to adjust the rest of the day to accommodate for the extra food. I've decided to just have the Lite N Easy scheduled lunch for dinner and keep the extra frozen dinner for some other time, which should minimise the calorie impact. And I will definitely be trying to pick the healthiest thing on the menu, even though I would rather a big plate of chips!

I'll let you know how it goes..there may well be a battle of epic proportions raging in my head tomorrow!

Lite N Easy Update

Hard to believe, but I've lost 1.5kgs in the first 6 days! I'm looking forward to weighing myself officially tomorrow to see the final total for the week.

Have I been hungry at times on 1500 calories? Absolutely! It doesn't seem like quite enough food but then eating more is obviously what caused me to gain weight in the first place. It would be nice to get through the day without feeling quite so hungry between meals, however it's certainly working and that's what matters to me at the moment. At least I can be certain that it's a healthy and nutritious diet and I'm eating plenty of fruit and vegetables which I generally tend to avoid.

Let's see what tomorrow brings!

Starting over!

Yes, back on the weight loss path again! I started Lite N Easy again on Thursday after about three years since I last ordered from them. Even though I promised myself that I would wait at least one week before my first weigh in, I just couldn't resist this morning. To my surprise, 1.2 kg lost in only two day! Of course, most of that will be fluid loss but it's still a good feeling.

For the non-Aussies, Lite N Easy is a weight loss program where your breakfasts, lunches, dinners, fruit and snacks are delivered weekly and you just add skim milk for coffee, cereals etc. The food really is quite delicious (particularly the frozen dinners) and it is calorie controlled and full of the necessary nutrients for a healthy diet.

Of course, there are drawbacks and my biggest complaint is when the delivery is missing items for a particular day. That was the main reason that I stopped ordering from them last time. There were just too many errors in the packing of the orders and one week I ended up with completely mismatched orders that made it impossible to put together a week's worth of meals. Today I was missing the bread roll to put my smoked chicken and tomato on and I've noticed that I'm also missing yoghurt for later in the week. If they could get that right, it really would be a dieter's dream, albeit a little expensive if you need to use it for more than a few weeks.

On a separate note, Big Brother starts tonight. I know, I should be embarrassed to admit that I'm a Big Brother fan, but I really do enjoy watching it for some light entertainment. Hopefully this year's series is full of surprises and the people are really crazy...it always adds to the entertainment value!

Anyway, that's enough from me. I'm off to heat up my dinner...I'm thinking either Satay Beef or Sausages with Onion Gravy. Yum!!

Stuff and nonsense...

Day 6 back on Weight Watchers and still doing well. We went out for dinner and to the movies on Friday night and I had grilled fish and steamed vegies and took some Freddos to the cinema for portion controlled treats. I made hot potatoes with low fat bolognaise and chickpea sauce last night...added some low fat cottaage cheese and a tiny sniff of parmesan and it was absolutely delicious! That will definitely be a new favorite on the menu.

I know I'm not supposed to weigh myself between meetings but I just couldn't resist. I've lost just over half a kilo so hopefully by Tuesday's weigh in I might be closer to one kilo. That would be a nice start!

I've managed at least 1.2 litres of water each day and even made it to 1.8 on one day. This is such a huge achievement for me as it is simply unheard of! A little bit of diet cordial certainly helps, but I really want to stay focused on keeping my water intake up as everyone says that it really helps with the weight loss.

I've started doing the Dr Wayne Dyer "Meditations for Manifesting" CD. I've only done it twice so far and only the morning "Ah" meditation but I feel really relaxed afterwards. If anyone else has tried any of Dr Dyer's meditations and has had success in manifesting something that they desired into their life, I would love to hear about it in the comments section. If you haven't tried it, I definitely recommend giving it a go, even if just for the relaxation if nothing else. Karma kitty seemed to like it...he feel asleep next to me on the bed, right next to my head. He must have liked the "aaahhhhh" sound too.

Enough from me for today...I'm off to have some soup and toast and then to a game of bowling to increase those points. Catch you next time!

Bits and pieces...

Okay, so being back on Weight Watchers is going well so far. I'm on No Count and it's Day 3 and I've only had one little treat (a plain Freddo for 1 1/2 points). I haven't really found it too difficult even though I've been working from home. I find that I'm more likely to snack on junk when I'm working from home, perhaps because the food is readily available. I'm trying to save most of my 21 points for the weekend so that I can treat myself a little when I'm out.

I've also managed to drink 1.2 litres of water each day, mixed with the 4.3.2.1 herbal supplement. This is a lot for me as I generally don't drink even one glass! I figure it makes sense to aim for two 600ml bottles each day rather than set myself up for failure by expecting to go from nothing to 2 litres immediately. I can already see a change in my skin...it looks clearer and brighter than it has for some time, so that's an added benefit.

On a completely different topic, the information pack and photo arrived today for the little girl that I have sponsored through World Vision. I am so excited about sending her a letter and adding a little extra hope into her life. Looking at her photo today reinforced to me yet again that I am very fortunate and that sharing that fortune with someone who knows only poverty and hunger is the least that I can do to show my gratitude.

I have been listening to Dr Wayne Dyer's CD's and Podcasts any chance that I can get. He really is very inspirational and so positive about life and our inherent ability to determine our own future and happiness. Great listening if you get a chance!

That's probably it for me today. Keep smiling and don't forget to take the time to think of 5 things that you are grateful for today! Share them in my comments section...I'd love to know what others are grateful for.

Let's try again...

I joined Weight Watchers again this morning and this time I'm starting at 73.7kg. Not as bad as I thought but still disappointing that I let all my hard work unravel. Not to worry...we can only live in the moment.

I was very disappointed when I joined my new meeting this morning. I knew that I needed to sign up as a new member again due to the time lapse and I had a free registration coupon so that wasn't a problem. But here's the sting!

Despite having 8 pre-paid coupons left (which are valid for 12 months from date of purchase), I had to pay cash for a meeting fee and give up a pre-paid coupon as well! I basically paid twice for the one meeting!

The leader argued black and blue that she was right, even when I pointed out that nowhere in the terms and conditions does it say that a rejoining member must pay twice for the first meeting simply because they have pre-paid coupons remaining. Sure, if I was an active member and I missed some weeks I would have to forfeit a coupon as "back pay" to keep my membership active, but not when I am rejoining all over again after a lapse. In other words, if it weren't for the free registration coupon, I would have paid the registration fee of $33.00 plus $17.95 cash for a meeting fee plus a pre-paid coupon worth $17.95!

I was seething through the whole meeting and was so close to demanding my money back and walking out. I decided though that my health was more important than some unfriendly leader and I tried to get as much from the meeting as I could.

After the meeting I rang WW and they were so lovely. I was put through to someone who could actually address the problem and she took the time to fully understand what had happened. As I had expected, it was the leader's error and the lovely person at the State office is sending me a free meeting coupon to replace the one that I incorrectly had to pay today.

Now that is what I call the best and worst of customer service in action! Big thumbs up to the Call Centre and State office team. WW have retained a happy member due to their empathy and willingness to address an issue.

I must say that until now I have been very lucky with meetings and with leaders, so if you are thinking about joining WW, it's definitely worth it!

Back on track...again...

It's time to get serious...time to get back on the weight loss band wagon and face the fact that I need to take responsibility for the damage done over the last few weeks.

I weighed myself this morning after many weeks of avoiding the scales and eating anything and everything that I wanted. I have to admit that 70kg is probably less than I thought I would weigh given how much junk I have eaten, and it is a good round number to start from (and yes, I am somewhat rounder than I was a few weeks ago...lol).

I just let all the hard work and dedication go. I think I was so focused on the huge task ahead with resigning from my job, renovating and moving house and setting up a new business, all in a matter of a few weeks. On top of that, my boyfriend's mother has been quite ill which has added some additional worries for us both. Mind you, apart from the resigning part, I'm still in the middle of the rest of it, but I can't let that be an excuse any more.

No one can keep this under control for me. It really is something that I need to stay focused on myself, no matter what twists and turns life brings. Even though I have only put a few kilograms back on, I don't feel as good about my body or as confident as I did a few weeks, and I miss that feeling of being in control.

So I'm back on track today! I'm using No Count for the simplicity factor and so far today I haven't had any temptations or used any points. Let's hope that's a sign of good things to come.

No Count is my new best friend!

I have to say that I'm loving this whole No Count shebang. It is so much easier than counting points and my food choices are ultimately healthier and less processed than on the Points program. I also find that I spend much less time thinking about food during the day as it's a much more natural way of eating. Don't get me wrong, the Points program definitely works, but No Count is the way to go for me at the moment.

Here's a standard day for me on No Count (today in fact!):

Breakfast: Rice Bubbles mixed with All Bran, skim milk & yoghurt, white coffee
Mid morning: Grapes
Lunch: Minestrone Soup & wholemeal roll (cafe), skim latte, diet yoghurt
Afternoon: Grapes, Nectarine
Dinner: Spaghetti with Spicy Bacon and Tomato Sauce

I haven't used any points yet but I'm thinking a single square of mint chocolate with a decaf coffee might just finish the evening nicely.

The one thing missing here is water. I've had about 400mls, which sadly is more than I usually have in a day. I just find it really hard to drink as much water as I should, but I wonder if perhaps it is impacting my weight loss. I lost only 300 grams at weigh in tonight, despite a great week on No Count. The food list above is pretty consistent with the type and amount of food I would be eating in a day, so the problem must lie elsewhere. Perhaps I should aim to drink at least 1 litre of water a day for the next week and see if it has an impact at next week's weigh in.

I NEED TO DRINK MORE WATER!!!

Chocolate...it's yummy for my tummy...

I confess...I have had a huge chocolate binge kind of day. Yep, triple deck mint chocolate by the truck load, as well as a KFC Twister and some chips. I definitely fell off the wagon today and I have no excuse other than the fact that I wanted to. Anyway, it's right back on track tomorrow and no looking back. No regrets as they say...


I figured that since this is the first post for the new year, I should mark it with the most recent photo so that I have a benchmark for myself. This was taken today at the Balgownie Winery cottages. I think I'm about 68.5 kg but I'm guessing as I didn't have any scales to weigh myself. Of course, after the junk food binge, well who knows which way the scales will head this week?

I'm almost half way to goal now so I'm going to stay focused and motivated and work harder than ever to get to goal this year. 2006 will be my year to get my weight, as well as my exercise and eating habits, under control.

Slimville, here we come!!! Oh, and make that a one way ticket please sir...

Time to face my demons...

I admit that I have been putting this off. The dreaded before photo...we all have one! This was taken back in May at my sister's 21st birthday and it's an absolute shocker. I put on another few kilograms after this but I don't have any photos, so this will have to do.

I can however happily report that at last week's meeting, I made it past my 10% goal with a total loss of 7.9 kilograms. Tonight I had a .3 kilogram loss so in total I am 8.2 kilograms down. I feel so much better for it, and I am even starting to fit into some size 12 clothes.

The dress I have on in this photo (right) is a 12. I was so excited when I bought it. I had to make a last minute purchase as the dress that I had planned to wear to the wedding was too big. What a terrible problem to have!! I'm about 70 kg in this photo, so I had lost about 7.5kg. My boyfriend was the best man, which explains the somewhat formal outfit that he is looking less than comfortable in.

I'm trying the new Weight watchers No Count program so I will update my thoughts on that after a week has passed. Today is day 2 and so far it seems great, but I think it would be tricky if you had to eat out. The other downside is that I'm not much of a cook and there aren't any processed or ready meals on the No Count list. Guess I had better brush up on those cooking skills (or marry a chef!)

Busy little bumble bee...

No time to write today as I'm madly packing for my China trip. I weighed in this morning and had lost 1.6kg (probably from nerves about the flight!). That brings me down to 70.8kg which is a total loss of 6.8kg. I feel much better and it's definitely beginning to show in my clothes.

Will update again when I get back. Wish me luck!

Up, up and away!!

Thankfully I'm not referring to my weight!

In just under 60 hours I'll be on a plane bound for Hong Kong once again and on my way to China. How do I know that it's 60 hours? When you're as afraid of flying as I am, you can hear every minute tick by, dragging you ever closer to your greatest fear. Tick, tock, tick, tock...

You may have noticed the free Fear of Flying course link on my blog page. This course is invaluable and I would highly recommend it to anyone afraid of flying. Not that I think I'm cured by any means, but at least now I understand that many of my fears about planes are simply unfounded. I'm hoping that once I'm on the plane, I can read the cheat sheet provided and feel at least a little more comfortable than I usually do. Here's hoping anyway!

On a lighter note (literally), I've officially lost 5.2kg and I have in my possession a 5kg bookmark. I've started to get a few comments about looking slimmer, which is certainly a boost to the ego. I have arranged for a low calorie meal on the plane (travelling business class so hopefully should still taste okay) and I'm determined to stick to healthy meals whilst I'm in China. I'm all set with some Weight Watchers Crisp Bars and some Fruities for snacking, and I will not let the buffet breakfast get the better of me. My sneakers and tracksuit pants are packed and I fully intend to use the hotel gym. The irony of course is that I can't make it 5 minutes down the road to my own gym, but I can travel to another country and walk on their treadmill. We humans are funny creatures...or is that just me?

Photos from my last trip: