Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Oh and happy easter :)

I'd love to say I've had a great day with food... but that would be a lie. Went well until I felt deprived after dinner, even though salmon quiche is now probably my favourite dish (7 points per serve (serves 4)... with pastry!) and just started eating. I'm so sick of it. I don't even want what I eat, I just think "oh well, another wasted day, may as well do it right."

I've realised too that I'm sick of the same old thing. I'm sick of counting points. I want to just eat when I'm genuinely hungry - healthy, filling food. I'm fine with eating roughly the same thing each day (that's how I originally lost 18kgs), so I'm thinking I'll just stick to a few alternatives (of the same points values), but not have to constantly count points all day.

I like that it's the end of March tonight... I feel like tomorrow can be a new start - if I want this enough. I thought I did... so why aren't I doing anything about it? I read on the WW message boards this morning, a lady had a comment at the bottom a post... "only track on the days you want to lose weight." Wow. Never thought of it that way. It kinda sparked something with me. That it's just one day you have to eat healthy for. And then you do the same thing the next day. While it's necessary to have a long term goal in mind, it can be daunting (when that goal ends up being 2 months down the track). But one day is easy. And then you just repeat that. In a WW mag once I remember reading "success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." So true.

Off to Brissy tomorrow. Will try and avoid supper tomorrow night, so that I can at least have one good day before a potentially bad weekend. Tomorrow will be easy - I'm at uni from 9-11, and then I'm driving home (5 hours) and then another 5 hours to Brissy. I don't eat when I travel, so it won't be a problem. I won't have access to the net until Monday night or perhaps Tuesday morning, so will be back then. And hopefully with a positive report.

Have decided to take 2 friends and my mum out in our canoe for my 22nd birthday, and then have a picnic lunch and girly sleepover. I like the idea of doing something active and fun for my birthday, rather than a huge feast. I'll provide the picnic and then work something out for dinner, so that I can control points (the friends I'm taking should be impressed too, as they are both dieters from way back lol). I don't want to feel sick and sorry for myself on my birthday... yet it will be hard to deprive myself too! Might have to eat 0 point veggies and soup to save as many points as I can for the evening!

Anyway, better start packing. Been slack all afternoon... talk soon! Oh and happy easter :)

Monday, March 29, 2010

And I was going so well!!

ARGH! After an easy day with food, I got hungry after uni in the afternoon (after I'd eaten a delicious roast beef and salad bun). I had a hot cross bun, and then began dinner. We had kangaroo sausages and curried veggies - both of which I won't be having again any time soon, as I suck at cooking! The sausages tasted tough, yet raw, and the veggies tasted like overcooked zucchini. I was so disappointed, and thus, felt like eating, and here I am now, after raiding the pantry and going over my points by 100. I'm a hopeless case. And I was going so well...

So my new plan, beginning tomorrow is not to count points daily, but weekly. 19 points per day equates to 133 per week. I've found that I have to eat this many per week (no less), but I still haven't mastered listening to my hunger signals. So, I will eat a) only when I'm hungry, and b) only healthy, filling foods. I will track food as I go, but not plan my day out like I have been (though I'll plan dinners to be no more than 8 points, and preferably 6-7). At the end of the day, if I'm well over 19 points, I'll keep a close eye on my points the next few days, to make sure it's not a habit. At the end of the week, if I have any points left over, I'll treat myself (e.g. if I have 3 points left, I'll make a batch of pikelets worth 3 points, or get a WW dessert). I won't go from Friday to Friday though (as I don't want to eat saved points right before weigh in in case there are a lot). So I'll began counting on a Saturday (meaning I eat any saved on Fridays post weigh in). This also means that if I feel hungrier on the weekend, I can tighten my belt through the week. All saved points will disappear Sat morn, 12am, and the 133 will begin again. Hopefully this week work!!

I'm a little depressed over my binge, so I'll leave it there tonight. Back tomorrow! Hopefully after a better day...

Saturday, March 27, 2010

I have never felt this tired!

Ok, prepare for the melodrama: I have never felt this tired!

I couldn't sleep last night. Managed a few hours and woke up again at 4am. I spent an hour and a half trying to fall asleep, trying everything I could think of. I think the problem was that I was thinking too much and too hard. Anyway, at 5:30am, I couldn't take it any longer and got up.

It was quite calm and relaxing being up so early; I felt like I was the only one up in the world.

Had a cup of tea and a hot cross bun, and was still hungry, so had delicious french toast with maple syrup. But... it was SO good that I kinda scoffed it, and then proceeded to eat an apple and a snack bag of rick snacks. It was 8:30am and I was sitting at 8 points eaten, and 11 to go. Usually when I eat that much by that early in the morning, the rest of the day is a blow out!

But I wasn't going to let that happen. We went to Church at 10am, and arrived home just before 12pm, so by then it was lunch time, yay! Had a WW frozen meal, because I got 3 vouchers for half-price meals (in the current mag and at my meeting). It was beef cannelloni, and at 5.5 points it wasn't cheap on points. It wasn't that great either :( which is a pity because it looked so nice on the box! (I also bought sweet and sour chicken and cottage pie - cottage pie is a favourite, hopefully s&s chicken will be good too.)

After lunch I was full, and feeling really tired so I went and layed down and slept for 3 hours! I had my fan on, but I woke up feeling hot and groggy, and while I feel cooler now, the grogginess is still there :( I hate that feeling.

Had 2 big glasses of water (already drank 9 glasses today - it's so hot!) and a hot cross bun, and will prepare dinner after 5pm, and then I still have enough points for a blueberry smoothie. Yay! I knew I didn't have to overeat, especially after how good I was making up those points yesterday! Thanks solely to my nana nap this afternoon!

Tonight's dinner is a chickpea patty and salsa and salad. I love chickpea pattys, and they're only 2.5 points, bonus!

I feel a hectic week coming on. I have an assignment I haven't started (genuine technical difficulties) that is due Tuesday, so that'll be Monday night's agenda, and Tuesday is a long day at uni (3 hours morning, 4 hours afternoon), plus Bible study. Wednesday settles down, but on Thursday I head home at 11am, and as soon as I get home, I have to jump in the car for more travelling to Brissy for Easter! Long day.

I can't wait to stop feeling so groggy and yuk. But at least I can feel good about continuing to eat within my points today!

Skim milk cappuccinos...

It feels great to have successfully completed a 16 point day, to make up for yesterday! And surprisingly, it wasn't a struggle at all! I planned, tracked, and ate 0 points foods when I was hungry, and actually had plenty to eat!

I began the day with weet bix, as it's low in points and very filling. I can always rely on weet bix to get me through to lunch time. I did my washing - had to hand wash everything because our washing machine has broken down - it is so hard hand washing towels! They get so heavy! After that, I began other housework - washing up, cleaning up the kitchen, vaccuming, mopping and cleaning the bathroom. I really worked up a sweat, and actually felt really great because of it.

Around 11:30am we went to the shopping centre, and I had sumo salad and a skim milk cappuccino for lunch. I just love a good skim milk capp. We did the grocery shopping, and when we got home I had every intention of beginning an assignment... until I found I couldn't open the template we had to use to complete it! So I'll have to do it at uni on Monday (it's due Tuesday night). I wasn't too worried, lol, and made some cupcakes instead (for my housemate, not for me!) They're cute little chocolate baby cakes with white choc icing and white choc flakes. But surprisingly not tempting, since I saw how much full cream milk, butter and oil went into them!

Had a lazy afternoon after that, watched 'In her shoes' with Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette and Shirley Maclaine - a real favourite of mine actually. I had a delicious dinner of toasted roast beef slices with mayo and cheese on an open salad sandwich. And a blueberry smoothie, of course!

Didn't weigh myself this morning, but will tomorrow morning, just to make sure me eating 3 points over, and then making up for it today has worked - I'm sure 3 points probably wouldn't have caused any weight gain anyway, but I'm so glad I decided to eat only 16 points today - I just feel heaps better about it. And there'll be times when I get to goal that I will either unintentionally, or intentionally eat over my points, and it's a good practice to make sure I exercise more or eat less in the days following to maintain. Something I haven't done before!

Tomorrow is another lazy, relaxing day, but it'll be great to have 19 points again! Might start with french toast with maple syrup for brekkie - yum!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

2.2kg loss!

Had my meeting today and recorded a 2.2kg loss! YAY! 64kgs - 5 to go!

So on the downside, I ate 3 points over today. BUT it was a conscious decision, and I stopped at 3 over. I baked 6 cupcakes for 1 point each... and had 3 left after tea. I was still hungry, and decided to eat them all (so I wouldn't have to deal with them tomorrow), knowing that I could either reduce my points each day, or exercise to make it back. It was sort of a mini binge, but at least I was in control. I can't ruin my good efforts, and I don't want to. And I guess it will also be an incentive to crank up my exercise and wear my points pedometer to make back my points. I really need to have a perfect week, as next weekend is the conference... eek! But it'll be fine.

Otherwise, I had a pretty good day, it was a bit boring after my meeting, as I felt really lethargic, and haven't done any homework or housework! At least I still have 2 days of weekend left. Have to finish an assignment this weekend, due next Tuesday. Our washing machine broke today, so will definitely be behind with washing my clothes and towels and stuff. Planning to really get motivated tomorrow and be super-productive, so I can relax without feeling guilty on Sunday.

Here's to working those 3 points off!!

Tiger toast!

Well here I am, the night before WW weigh in tomorrow morning and I've done it! I've managed to go 9 days straight eating healthy and 7 of those eating 18 points for a fast start! So proud of myself! This morning I was super happy to see 63.8kgs on the scales! Can't wait to see what I am tomorrow, but at least I know I've lost 1.2kgs this week! I'm stoked with that achievement :)

Had tiger toast for brekkie (vegemite and strips of cheese) and a blueberry smoothie for brekkie. Went to uni for barely 1.5 hours, and then came home and prepared another smoothie (I'm addicted!) with a open salad sandwich with homemade hommus. Dinner tonight was delicious too - tandoori chicken with mint and cucumber yoghurt, rice and salad. Enjoyed all of it, and it was quite filling too!

So the plan for the next week or so is 19 points daily. Then comes challenge number 1 - easter weekend! We always buy fudge on the Saturday before Easter at this quaint little shop at the conference. I didn't realise it was 3.5 points per 50g! I think I usually buy about $10 worth which is probably between 250 and 500g, so think of all those points! This year I plan to just buy $5 worth; the lemon cheesecake and strawberries and cream (my favourites!) - it'll put me over points, but if I spread it out over 2 days, don't have any easter eggs on Sunday and remember that I only do this once a year, it should be fine!

Just watching the Biggest Loser - love love love this show! So inspirational. I think I want Phil or Lisa to win. It's funny how you become so fond of the contestants, they have just come so far on their journeys! The finale will be a great night :)... and sad too, as the show will be over till next year!

Can't wait to report tomorrow on my success this week!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

On a roll!

Wednesday's over... where has this week gone! I'm glad that I only have 2 hours left of uni tomorrow and then my weekend starts, yay!

Today I began with scrambled eggs on toast with ricotta - a funny combo the first time I had it, but it is really delicious. I used some mixed herbs (thyme, oregano and basil) when I scrambled the eggs and that really made it! I was full up after that, and it kept me going for about 3 and a half hours. I had air popped popcorn, an apple and 2 vita weats at uni for snacks, but was starving by the time I got home around 1pm. Wanted something different for lunch so used 1/4 cup of chickpeas, 1 tsp of wholegrain mustard and a dash of lemon juice and magic bullet-ed it all together into hommus! Put that on a multigrain bun with baby spinach, rocket, tomato, beetroot and ham. YUM! Had my usual favourite with it - a blueberry and cinnamon smoothie. Possibly one of the best lunches I've had in a while!

Tonight for dinner I made a Shepherd's Pie. I only wanted to use 100g of heart smart mince, so I fleshed it out with grated carrot, zucchini and capsicum. I probably went a little crazy with the carrot, as that was mostly what I could taste when I ate it! Was good though, always like mince and mashed potato. I was going to have a blueberry smoothie for dessert, but I was way too full (and only 5 points used for dinner!) so I'll just have a cuppa with cinnamon later.

Well I'm certainly on a roll - this time last week was day 1 again, so that feels good! Weighed myself again this morning and it's the 2nd morning in a row I've been 64.4kgs. It will be interesting to see tomorrow, just because my weight for the last 4 days has been: 64.5/64.5/64.4/64.4 - haven't altered much at all. Would love to be 64kgs on Friday morning. We'll see!

Might do some exercise tomorrow morning or afternoon, as I'm missing it! I do a home circuit with aerobics, hand weights, squats, lunges etc etc, and it's pretty intense - that sounds good actually. Will see how I feel.

Bring on weigh in Friday!!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Slow and steady wins the race

Had a delicious day foodwise today! Began with a quick weet bix and cuppa for brekkie, as I was running a little late (had to be at uni by 8am). For lunch though, I had a toasted tuna, mayo and cheese sandwich with salad, and a blueberry smoothie. As I have to go back to uni at 2:30pm today, and won't be finished until 7pm, I made a batch of WW friendly pikelets to hopefully keep me full until I get home. I ate them with 1/2 a cup of blueberries (I should have put the blueberries in the pikelets, but didn't think of it until I'd made them!). At only 3.5 points for 6 pikelets, this has definitely become a favourite!

Dinner will be leftover pasta, veggies and fetta - looking forward to that!

I can't believe I'm already at day 7. After blowing out last Tuesday, I thought I was just destined to never lose this weight again. I'd struggled for all of February and half of March trying to lose this weight, but never succeeding past about the 2nd or 3rd day. But here I am, 6 great days behind me, and 5.4kgs ahead of me to lose! Weighed in at 64.4kgs this morning, so the numbers are slowly declining, and each day I wake up feeling so much better about myself. Hopefully by Friday I'll be 64kgs or less... and getting back into the 63's would be a miracle! But slow and steady wins the race.

To tell you the truth though, I've found sticking to my points a lot easier when that's all I've given myself to think about. Until Friday I'm on 18 points (for a WW fast start), and I'm not doing anything planned exercise (except incidental, uni classes and walking around campus - which I actually do a lot of, especially Tuesdays). This is just for this week, and I guess giving myself permission not to worry about when and where and what and how regarding exercise just takes a little bit of worry away. I am at the stage where I think I need to challenge my body, and get it puffing again, but I'll start this weekend. Besides - weight loss is mostly about what's going into your body (food) and I'm fairly active around the house during the day anyway.

A few challenges coming up in April - I'm away for 3 days at a conference, and all food is provided, so the plan is to watch my portions, stop when I'm full, choose wisely, and avoid things that I know will be calorie-laden. For example, at morning and afternoon teas, they always have a selection of cakes and cookies that are to die for! It will be hard, but it's only 3 days out of my life, and I plan to walk each morning while I'm there.

The other challenge is my 22nd birthday! What I really want is to enjoy a delicious lemon tart and icecream from a quaint little cafe in the city. And I'm going to do it and not feel guilty! For the rest of the day, I want to be sensible with my food, and just a little relaxed, but not binge (because it would suck feeling sick on that day of all days!). I will think of all my favourite low point meals and have those instead of just busting out all the bad guys.

Well off to uni once again, more tomorrow!

Ahh Monday.

Ahh Monday. Always a sigh when it comes around again. Back to uni and reality!

Felt hungrier today, but that always happens when I'm about to hit a week being "good." I wasn't willing to give in and go over my points for that hunger though! I instead filled up on 0 point salads and soup to curb that hunger! Success!

I began the day with a blueberry smoothie and a new discovery - a toasted sandwich with ricotta cheese, salmon and peas! Sounds a bit out there, but it was delicious. I actually intended to have this combination on a baked potato, but I forgot to check the potato and it burnt a little. Ah well. Enjoyed 2 cups of air popped popcorn for a 1 point today too.

When I got home from uni today I was starving, and decided to use up a few of my points by making some ginger and date scones. I altered an existing recipe so it was low fat, and for 5.5 points I enjoyed 3 very filling scones with a little butter, yum! I've figured out that if I ever bake something I should just bake enough for me to eat right then and there, so I'm not tempted by it later!

Dinner tonight was left over veggie soup made into a pasta sauce over 100g of penne pasta. Before WW I had no idea about serving sizes, and what shocked me the most was how little a serving size of pasta actually is! 100g is about the amount of pasta I can fit into my hand. I reckon I used to eat maybe 500g of pasta for a meal? No wonder I was overweight!

I have 100g leftover for tomorrow night, and I think I might make a bit of a pasta salad with carrots, mushrooms, capsicum, onion and broccoli with 1 tab of mayo and 30g of feta cheese (4.5 points).

Well I'm off to have a cuppa (with cinnamon - try it, amazing!) and clean up before watching Biggest Loser! Night!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

A lazy Sunday

Still feeling great, even though weekends are always harder to stay on track because there seems to be more time (to eat!) because there's less to do! During the week I'm always craving the weekends and when they roll around, I get bored! A two-edged sword!

Today has been a lazy Sunday. I began the day with french toast. That was ok, but I sort of wish I hadn't spent 5.5 points on them. I mixed an egg and 1/4 cup skim milk together and then dipped pieces of a multigrain bread roll (I cut it into 4 slices, but it was still thicker than bread) into the mixture and put them on the breville sandwich toaster. I served them with 1/2 cup blueberries, 1 tab of maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I think they would have been better using actual slices of bread, and not getting the plate so soggy with the blueberry juice. Next time I won't go to the supermarket on a Friday night, so I have bread in the house, and I'll put the blueberries on a paper towel to soak up the extra juices before I serve it. I feel like a bit of a food critic when I analyse and review my food - would be a fun job! But very hard to stick to points of course!

Just thinking about points - I asked my Weight Watchers leader if she still tracks points for maintenance. She said she has to, otherwise her eating would get out of hand. I'm obviously the same - I stopped tracking, and thought I'd be ok, but let me eating get out of hand, and consequently, here I am - back on the weight loss wagon! I wish I could stop tracking points one day, but realistically unless I eat the same foods everyday, I probably won't be able to successfully maintain without it. I should be at my goal before going to America during mid-semester break, and maintaining over there worries me. I did successfully maintain during my Vanuatu trip in January, because I only ate when I was hungry, and it was great (I couldn't really track points). But for some reason, unless there's a special event, or a timed event (e.g. Vanuatu was 3 weeks) I can't seem to do that back home during everyday activities! It's like analysing the weird mind of myself! I'll just have to attempt to eat only when hungry in America, and try and walk a lot, and if I do put on a kg or 2, I'll just lose it when I get home!

I made 0 point veggie soup for lunch today - it was delicious! You add 1 cube of veggie stock to 1/2 litre of boiling water, then add 2 carrots, 1/2 a zucchini, 1/4 of a capsicum and 1/2 an onion and bring to the boil, then simmer 20 mins. Add spices and salt and pepper if you like. Puree mixture, and serve (or just puree half for a chunky soup). I found it in an old WW book. It's easy, and yummy and filling and 0 points (serves 2)!

Tonight for dinner I'm having a chickpea patty with mayo and salad. I've already had 2 blueberry smoothies today! Can't get enough :)

Haven't exercised for ages (except for at uni!) - I just decided not to worry this week, while I got my eating back on track. It just seems to worry me - when I do some, I feel great, but it still doesn't seem enough. And when I don't do any, that worries me even more. I will attempt to do something every day when I get back from Easter hols (and will attempt to walk during hols back home). But for now, not worrying is working. Sort of lol.

Can't wait for Biggest Loser weigh in tonight - though that's a little sad, that the only thing I'm looking forward to in my day is a tv show! Went to Church this morning, and that was good. Still trying to find a good Church in the area.

So Day 5 is going great. Still haven't been tempted by the choc muffins - just too high in points to even consider! This week should be ok... have an assignment due early and late next week, so should get a head start on them. Write again tomorrow!

Blueberries in a can

Another excellent day - I can't describe how good it feels not to gorge myself and to know that I'm losing weight! I weighed in today at 64.5kgs! I love the first couple of days when the numbers on the scales are constantly declining, as the body gets rid of retained fluid etc. I also love getting to goal! I know I shouldn't weigh myself every day, but I just curious this morning. Hopefully I can resist until next Friday - it will be exciting to see the results my good work brings! It could potentially be 63.5kgs, or even 63kgs! That would be unreal.

Had my pikelets this morning, and they were delicious! They also - surprisingly - kept me full until lunchtime! I had roast pumpkin, ricotta and chickpeas with salad for lunch, and at only 2 points, I had a ton of points left for the afternoon. Dinner was also low in points - 2.5 for tofu and 1.5 for 1/2 cup of rice (for a stirfry). I've discovered my newest love - blueberry and cinnamon smoothies for only 1.5 points! The best 1.5 points spent I have to say!

Take 1/2 cup blueberries from a can, 1/2 cup skim milk, several ice cubes, 85g strawberry or field berries yoghurt (Yoplait Forme) and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Mix together in a blender, milkshake maker or magic bullet, add a straw and tad-dah! Delicious.

Tomorrow morning I'm excited to make french toast with blueberries for brekkie! Pretty sure blueberries in a can are the best. Far cheaper than fresh ones, and you get the bonus juice for smoothies!

Have had a very quiet day, just finished the housework, watched lots of episodes of Friends, The Lizzie McGuire Movie (lame I know... but a feel good chick flick nonetheless!), Calendar Girls, I baked some 4 point double chocolate muffins (don't worry - I didn't have any, and I'm not tempted - my Auntie and Uncle and cousins are most likely visiting tomorrow so it's for them, and my brother and other housemate who are skinny and can and do eat whatever they want!) and chatted to my Mum for a bit. Very relaxing. Tomorrow I have to do a bit of homework, and I'm going to go to church in the morning. Haven't found one yet that I like, but there are plenty around, so I'll check some out in the coming weeks. Less than 2 weeks and I'm home for Easter hols too! Exciting.

In a great mood today, thankyou scales. Look forward to seeing the 5-9 on the scales, bring it on!

Friday, March 19, 2010

A women on a mission...

I'm on a roll! And feeling great :) Walked back into my WW meeting with my tail between my legs, embarrassed and nervous that I didn't make it. But, my leader is lovely, and she really encouraged me. She kept saying: "We're going to get you to goal!" I felt really supported. One of the best decisions I've made all week!

I weighed in this morning at 65kg exactly, so that's a lot better than 65.7! Must of been retaining some fluid or something. So my goal next week is at least 64kgs. At WW I weighed in at 66.2kgs (after brekkie and in clothes and shoes) so my goal for next meeting is at least 65kgs. My first week with WW last time I lost 2.2kgs! So hopefully I will see a good result next week, especially because I'm only eating 18 points this week, instead of 19 (just for a "fast start").

I had a short afternoon sleep today, and woke up feeling groggy and more tired! Go figure lol. I didn't feel like grocery shopping, so we got takeaway for tea (instead of tomorrow night) - I got a BBQ Chicken and Mushroom Ciabatta Pizza from Dominos (only 7 points!) and it was delicious! It had some nice white cheesy sauce on it, a fair bit of chicken, and all the flavours just complimented each other nicely. It was about half the size of a regular pizza, but plenty to fill me up! I enjoyed eating a "whole" pizza myself (felt like I was eating a lot, but kept well within my points!)

Enjoyed a delicious lunch today too - I'm really enjoying my new diet, with all different foods and everything written out and placed on the fridge for ease. I had salad with salmon and feta cheese, and a balsamic/lemon/3-second-spray of olive oil dressing, YUM! I'm excited for brekkie tomorrow - I'm having pikelets and diet jam (I altered a recipe for 5-6 pikelets for 3 points because I LOVE pikelets). On Sunday morning I'm having french toast with maple syrup and berries - sounds too good! It definitely keeps it interesting mixing it up!

I'm excited for the weekend, to just relax and chill out (even though that's all I did today!). I'm also excited for The Biggest Loser Masterclass show starting in less than half an hour... I'm obbsessed! Or just a women on a mission?

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

I'm going to be a 50's girl!

I've had an excellent day today! The day didn't begin too well - I made the mistake of weighing myself this morning as I was curious, and abolsutely hated seeing the digits 65.7kgs peering back. I shouldn't weigh myself apart from once a week, because it definitely dictates my mood. I was depressed all morning, until I was inspired by a friend at uni who has just recently lost 3kgs, and is the lowest weight she's been since highschool. She was super excited, and it motivated me a lot!

We did fitness testing in our lab at uni, and it felt good to do some sprinting and get outside for a bit. I didn't enjoy testing our posture - having someone critique your body isn't fun! Unfortunately we have to do these labs... I'm just glad it's all over!

I went to the hospital this afternoon to visit my cousin who's just had a baby girl! She's gorgeous, and it was great to just sit and chat to my cousin for over an hour. As I was leaving I saw a cute little cafe, and went and had a skim milk cappuccino and sat and looked through the paper. It was very relaxing. I hadn't had lunch at that stage, and it was already 3:30pm, but I wasn't feeling hungry. I did have a delicious ham and salad bun when I arrived home at 4pm, just so I wouldn't be starving, and could wait a bit before dinner. I'm making marinated pork kebabs and a lite caesar salad. I've marinated the pork for about 24 hours, so hopefully it's delicious!

I'm enjoying listening to my body, and just eating when I'm hungry. I'm also really loving eating something different every day, and having my menu plan written out - I'm always excited to see what I'll be eating at my next meal! I had blueberries and yoghurt this morning, and it was lovely!

I can't wait to go back to Weight Watchers tomorrow; it's been too long! And this time, I'm sticking with it, and even when I reach goal, I'm going to keep going, every week to keep me accountable. At the end of June this year I'm off to America for a month, and my new, more realistic goal is to be 57kgs at home, and 59kgs or less at WW (you weigh in after breakfast and with clothes and shoes on at WW so you will always weigh more than at home). That gives me roughly 15 weeks, which means an expected weight loss of at least 500g a week, which is definitely achievable. The only big challenges between now and the end of June are Easter (the chocolate isn't a problem - I don't really care if I have it or not - but we go away for 4 days to a Christian convention in Queensland and food is provided) and my 22nd birthday mid April. I'm aiming to walk or run each morning during the convention, and just watch what I eat and make the best choices possible, and for my birthday I'm hoping to keep to my points, but treat myself to a lemon tart with ice cream and a skim milk cappuccino and just enjoy it, but not go crazy!

I feel different, and I know I always say that each time I get on a roll, but seeing the numbers rising on the scales, and knowing if I don't nip it in the butt this time, it'll get out of hand, and I refuse to keep putting on weight - I'm going to be a 50's girl, and I won't stop until I'm there!

Listening to my body...

Back to day one again, and had a great day! Listened to my body and only ate when I was hungry, and it turns out, I'm actually not as hungry as I ever think!

Began my delicious new diet today; had scrambled eggs on toast with ricotta for brekkie, and a cup of tea. Everyone at uni was complaining of hunger pangs around 10am, but I felt fine! I had 2 vita-weats with vegemite, 1 nectarine and 1 pear during the rest of the day, and found I was only really hungry at 4:30pm. Had 2 sushi rolls then, and then made healthy pizzas for dinner around 6:30pm. I was so distracted by 4 hours of uni, and then 3 hours working on an assignment that I hardly thought about food at all - and it was great! Such a sense of relief.

Even though looking ahead is tough, and my goal weight is just a speck in the distance, I will do this. I'm so determined. I refuse to be the weight I am. I can't wait to have more good days, and get to the one week mark, and then two, and three... I estimated that the earliest I could reach goal is end of April, and the latest, if I'm good, is the end of May. Bring it on!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

I gave up and ate cake.

I've had a shocking day, and honestly, it came out of nowhere. I must admit, I haven't been as motivated this week as I normally am when I jump back on the wagon, but I was going so well! I wasn't even hungry, but my uni work was frustrating me, and I just gave up and ate cake. I'm hopeless! I even half cooked a small amount of choc chip cookie batter and then ate it with ice cream... it was incredible, but what a low moment. I couldn't even wait for it to fully cook, so I took it out of the oven early and dug in. Who even does that? There was no food in the house, so I just made some cookie dough. Urgh. I feel gross.

Hopefully tomorrow will begin a new day, and another attempt at my weight loss efforts. I think I was getting really bored with eating the same foods everyday, so I've created, using Weight Watchers cookbooks a one week menu of heaps of different healthy foods. I made a shopping list and went out and bought the ingredients. Upon arriving home I began making dinner - Weight Watchers beef ravioli. I wasn't even hungry, and because of that, I couldn't enjoy it. I couldn't wait the 8 minutes for it to cook, and dug into an open bag of chocolate chips. Which were gross by the way, but once I start, I can never stop. Such a negative attitude!

After dinner I went and heated up a lentil/veggie patty, and it was just gross. It made me feel sick (you'd think I'd get the message after all this!) and I just lay on the floor, a horrible, fat, bloated mess. The only thing I knew would make me feel better was to go and have a long hot shower.

I feel a little better now; I'm really hoping tomorrow can be a new start. I wish my Weight Watchers meeting was on tomorrow; I just want to get back into it. I figure if I'm paying money, then I'll have to do this. Money seems to be a big incentive for everything at the moment. I'd love to join a gym, but once again, money is a huge constraint!

So I stuffed up, but I've brushed me teeth and it's game over for tonight. I just have to get over it, and move on, get back on the wagon, and once again get on with my weight loss efforts. As minimal as they may seem at the moment!

I CAN do this; I've done it before and I can do it again!!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Craving something sweet...

Day one of my journey and going strong! I always think the day after you decide to jump back on the weight loss wagon is either the easiest or the hardest... easy because you're pumped after the realisation that you can't bear to stuff yourself silly for another day and you really really really want to lose weight once and for all... hard because it would be so easy just to slip back into yesterdays mindset of "I'm not really that fat" or "Who even cares?" or "I'll start tomorrow." Today for me for easy up until now, which is why I made myself get on the computer and write about it! I've used up my Weight Watchers points for today, but am craving something sweet, just because it's after dinner I think! Cooked sweet and sour chicken with stir-fried carrots, beans, onions and capsicum and rice. Very yummy and filling! I love days like today when I can just spend between 5pm and 6pm cooking away, at my own speed, measuring and adding and taking away and creating a masterpiece... fingers crossed!

This morning I wasn't feeling hungry at all after last night's binge session, so I just had a cup of tea when I woke up. Didn't sleep real well last night either, so that added to the grogginess I was feeling. I knew I had to eat breakfast to 'break-the-fast' and begin the day well, but didn't want to eat when I wasn't hungry, so I decided to do Denise Austin's cardio blast DVD which goes for about 45 mins. It is a fun workout, with a warmup, kickboxing, interval training, retro aerobics and cardio dance. I wore my heart rate monitor, but only managed an average of 122 bpm. So it didn't really get my heart rate up high - or I didn't work hard enough - but I did feel great afterwards and was sweating a bit. I'm fairly fit, so perhaps this sort of thing just wasn't challenging enough. I enjoyed it, and it was physical activity though, so that contributes well to my weight loss efforts!

The next couple of days shouldn't prove hard to follow WW and fit in some exercise. I made a conscious decision this morning though that I will go back to WW meetings this Friday. I know I can do it by myself, but WW worked so well last time, while I was going to the meetings, and I think the support side of things is such an important aspect of any journey, and at the moment, I'm relying solely on myself. It's another cost, but worth it. Because this time when I get to goal, I'm going to stay there!!

See you tomorrow!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Just a pipe dream...

Well after being inspired by the movie Julie&Julia, I decided that I should also begin a blog! I do love to cook, but don't have to money - or the time or patience - to cook my way through a French cookbook for Americans. Though give me a few years and I'll most certainly change my mind. What I do know about is weight loss! I'm a weight loss/gain machine. In November 2008, I began my journey, finally kicking the junk food habit & getting on the treadmill, losing 18kgs by the time I went back to uni the following year, in Feb 2009. During that time I hardly ate anything, was starving all day, every day, and exercised like a mad women. Though I lost the weight, I do not recommend it!

I reached 65kgs, and then planned to get down to 59kgs a little slower after that. When I plateaued at 64kgs (I'd be really strict all through the week with my diet, and then binge on Saturdays because I was so hungry!) for months, what began was a vicious cycle of dieting, bingeing, exercising, purging and starving myself to lose those last 5kgs. After spending a month eating anything and everything in sight during Winter holidays in 2009, I came back to Uni 5kgs heavier. I joined Weight Watchers at 69ks, and lost almost 10kgs, getting me to my smallest adult weight of 59kgs (I'm 169cm by the way). And here I am again, at approximately 64kgs, though I can't bear to weigh myself for fear of the damage done over the past two days where I've practically eaten myself out of house and home.

So this blog is yet another attempt to lose this weight for good! I need to be accountable to someone, and even if I never get any followers, I can at least know these thoughts that I write can be accessible if someone where to read them... thereby making me accountable to them... there's some logic in that isn't there?

I feel fat and discusting and hopeless right now, and 59kgs seems like just a pipe dream. I wasn't hungry when I binged today, nor did I enjoy what I ate, and I certainly can't afford to constantly replace the food I now won't have this week. Which begs the question, why did I do it? And there, my friends, is the million dollar question! Pretty sure I have a problem... hard to admit, but I've heard that's the first step. It's definitely a rebellion thing - society (and our waistlines!) reveal we shouldn't eat past the amount of calories we burn in a day, so I do it, and the only person that suffers is me!! Which is why I have to lose this weight once and for all, for no-one else but myself. Not one person cares if I'm 64kgs or 59kgs, just me!!

Why 59kgs you ask? I felt good at 59. I felt skinny. I liked my body. I felt healthy. I was healthy! I enjoy the healthy food I eat. I wish junk food and temptation didn't exist. I so want to be healthy.

My goal for this week is to be 63kgs when I weigh in on Friday. I just have to be persistent! That's the key. I'm on 19 points with Weight Watchers (though I can't afford meetings at the moment, so I'm doing it myself... well trying!), which has worked well in the past. I usually eat:

Breakfast - 2 weet bix with 1/2 cup skim milk, 1 cup tea with a dash of skim milk & 1 sugarine tablet (I don't like artificial stuff, but I tried to go off it and replace it with raw sugar, and just didn't like the taste!): 2.5 points

Lunch - 2 pieces of wholegrain bread, a dash of low fat mayonnaise, baby spinach and rocket, tomato with salt and pepper, beetroot, 3 slices of 97% fat free deli turkey meat & 1 slice of super slim cheese (processed slices): 4 points

Snacks - 175g Yoplait Forme yoghurt, 8 almonds, 1 pear or apple, 1 nectarine or 2 plums or 1 peach, 2 vita weats with vegemite or 10 plain rice crackers: 4.5 points

Dinner - 7 points worth. I usually like to have protein (either meat, or vegetarian) with salad or veggies. For example, tonight I had a chickpea/lentil veggie patty with a dash of mayo and a salad.

Supper - 1 cup of tea with a dash of skim milk, 1 sugarine tablet and 2 gingernut biscuits: 1 point.

I usually try and exercise every day for at least half an hour, except Tuesdays, which are my rest days because my Uni timetable is hectic. I'm doing PE Teaching at Uni by the way, which is even more incentive to get healthy!

I will attempt to write each night, after Biggest Loser (the only tv show I watch consistently!). Weigh in is Friday mornings... can't wait to see results!

Goodnight :)