Bad week, Not in the sense that I wasn't motivated or up to speed. It is just life had other plans. I went to gym on Monday and Tuesday, but the rest of the week was a bust. Felt all sickly and nausious  on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday I was so busy preparing forthe weekend's events.

But even though I did not get in my exercise I still stuck to my determination not to give in to weakness of any kind.

I had a Birthday Party on Friday night, a Baby shower on Saturday Afternoon and then a get together with friends on Saturday Night.

What I am trying to say that with all that food and lovely delicasies, I was bound to be tempted. BUT, I held fast, ate selectively  and walked away satisfied and content.

The thing we have to remember is this: YES we are going to be tempted and YES there are going to be times when you have no choice but to eat what you are given whether it is fattening or not. YES, YES. YES.... HELL YES.

What you decided is this: If you had no option other than pastries and cakes, then firstly limit the amount, depeneding on your taste, sweet or sour, select your food selectively and wisely.

Secondly opt for the lesser evil... Instead of three glasses of champaigne, drink two and then water or something less damaging.

YOU DECIDE - - -

It is not a sin to cheat, it happens and there is NO (and I mean NO) judgement, and maybe cheating is the wrong word. Cheat: trick, swindle, defraud, take advantage of, dupe, con, double deal, deceive, Fall of the wagon, lose the plot, there are so many out there. It is what you do afterwards that matters. You have to decided how much you are worth and even if you use any of those words, maybe straying from the plan is part of a reward system and there is nothing wrong with that. Let it pass and then get back on track.

I have used the rewards system excuse soooooooooooooooo many times it has bitten me in the ass more times than I can remember or care to mention.

Once bitten, I tended not to get back on track. This time I am determined to stick to my guns. I am worth my end result. I have the will power and I am going to hold onto my goal - NO MATTER WHAT. I am not perfect and I know there are going to be days where I fail hopelessly.

So, even though I did not go to Gym and I lacked the energy to exercise at home, I did not go all out and eat some of the delicacies that are floating around in my kitchen.

So girls and boys, HOLD FAST to your dreams and desires. I am worth it and so are you. don't let anyone push you into straying from your path or journey.

 And remember: Revenge is a bitch and so am I. If anyone wants to mess with my journey, my revenge is to stick to my plan, feel great and look F*^%$# awesome at the end of it... LOL

Well, I eventually got off my but, picked myself up by the scruff of my neck and forged ahead full speed. My main aim was to get fit and stay healthy.

That meant losing weight, eating right and changing - NO! BREAKING bad habits.

So firstly, no more bad foods, sugars, alcohol, lasagne and spaghetti bolognaise (SIGH). and so on and so on and so on.

Well since 1 January I have lost in total 14kg and although the cm loss is not as much as I hoped - I feel fantastic.

I injured my right ankle in 2010 and since then blossomed in girth, but over and above that I seem to have developed peripheral neuropathy in my feet.

Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) is the term used to describe disorders of the peripheral nerves.  PN is a deterioration of the peripheral nerves, those farthest away from the spinal cord and brain. This means I have a problem with my feet on a daily basis.

As a result I made one excuse after the other about how my painful feet are a hinderance for me to do any form of ecercise.

Well I just decided to hell with this. I go to gym every day and I can't wait to get home in the afternoon, shed my work clothes and rush off to my daily rush. I got so addicted especially after I saw how different I was feeling. My instructor worked out a programme for me and I googled left, right and centre...........

six weeks later I had lost 11kg and 24cm.

I vary my routine and adapt my exercises to accomodate my feet. If I can't do a sit up, I don't just give up, I find an alternative that will work just as well. Squats just slay me, but once again find something else that will do the same job. What I have learnt is if one thing does not work for you - find another.

The site below is fantastic, full of inspiration and at first I was a bit daunted at the pictures of all the skiiny people. I am a big boned girl and will NEVER look like any of those girls, besides at my age, who would want to. So have at it girls.

http://skinny-thoughts.tumblr.com/

So What Now!

Ok – so we philosophised ourselves to death, but how far did that get us? All I can say is that I lack motivation, don’t know where to find it! And really, really, need to get my act together. We have some time left to save this, so lets make the most of it!!!! Did we start in October last year? Seven months left!

Two Steps

This was me 2008 - Casual Day - Needless to say I've blossomed since then, but watch out 2011.

2010/10/22
OMG (Oh my goodness)
I can’t believe it. I weighed myself this morning and I have lost a total of 4.7kg in the past two weeks. I am out of this world. I found myself walking different this morning, doing my daily tasks differently. I can’t see where the weight has dropped off (I feel as if it is all in my head –), but I feel thinner and more confident. I decided when I started this journey not to focus on the big goal, but rather smaller and more achievable ones. I am not on a diet as in “Do not deviate off the road” If I want to stop and sightsee at something that takes my fancy then so be it. I will however be in control of how much sightseeing I am doing.
I also started walking last night. Due to the fact that my foot has been in so much agony the past few months I battle to walk for long distances and sometimes I battle to walk at all. Especially at night – after a long days slog. I started the treadmill, got my latest “Twilight series” book and started walking. 23 minutes later I packed it in, but felt satisfied. However, my foot decided on some major and intense revenge, when I couldn’t sleep due to the pain.
This morning when I got up (With more of a jumpstart than yesterday –I have to admit) and I weighed myself I felt that it was all worth it. I am not one for major physical jerks, dumbbells and so forth, but the walking will at least get me to a level where my fitness at least improves and that for me is more of a bonus than the whole weight loss saga.
At work we are very safety conscious and our motto is: “THE TWO STEPS TO SAFETY – WHAT CAN HARM ME AND WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT”
Well I’m looking at my health the same way. What can harm me (lots of cakes, chips, pasta etc) and what can I do about it (Don’t eat all those fattening, artery clogging, health risking foods or I can change my mindset and think healthier and thinner) I will never stop eating pasta, but I won’t heap my plate the way I used to, or I will slim down what I put on the pasta. Of course there is no substitute for some foods – cheese for example. Love the good old toasted sami, pasta dripping with melted cheese, just plain cheese on it’s own – MMMMMmmmmmmmmm. So now instead of having a cheese sami I might have some fruit and cheese. I prefer savoury foods to sweet and I think that is why a diet has never really worked for me. All the shakes etc are all sweet. But while I might be compromising on some muchies without compromising on what I feel like eating at the end of the meal I feel more satisfied by the fact that I’ve eaten properly compared to feeling dissatisfied about having stuffed my face because I could.
Furthermore I am not one for log sheets of what I’ve eaten and spreadsheets and diaries to make me feel guilty about what I’ve allowed to pass my lips.
So peoples, hang in there, all good things come to those who wait and for those who persevere in the face of adversity – BONUS.
You gain strength and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face … You must do the thing you think you cannot do – Eleanor Roosevelt

Getting Square

2010/10/19
I was watching the movie “Legion” with Denis Quaid and Paul Bettany the other night and the one character says ”If you don’t wake up tomorrow if it turns out that today is your last day on earth, would you be proud of what you’ve done in this life, because if you ain’t, you better start getting square” that really got to me and I remember the first time I watched the movie that it made an impact on my life. Hold on to your skirts - Now don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying go all religious or over zealous with your faiths or what and whoever you believe in. We all believe differently and the point is that we need to make the most of the life we have. I want to have a good ‘today’ and tomorrow I want to be able to say that “Yesterday was a good day, I am proud of what I achieved”
I am so proud of myself, health wise, because I want my last years on earth to make a difference and the only way I can do that is by being as health as I can be for my “height” Ha, Ha. I know that there is a joke out there that goes: “I’m not over weight, I’m under tall”. As I can’t get away with being under tall and I don’t want to be overweight. I have taken the bull by the horns and got off my lazy ass and slowly but surely I am starting on my new health regime. (Baby steps)
We had a ladies lunch last week and I amazed myself at my constraint. Normally when someone else cooks and the food is to die for I try to eat as much of the good stuff as I can. I had a divine potato soup for a starter instead of a creamy puff pastry fishy starter, Main course was wild pig (I think) stew, rice, various veggies (some laced and dripping with sweet, sugary, creamy saude), salads and gravies. I scaled down to just some meat, a small portion of rice, two small portions of veggies and salad. Deserts of course consisted of a gorgeous looking milk tart, a hot desert, fresh fruit salad and custard. I opted for just the fruit salad. At the end of the day I was content with what I ate and walked away satisfied and not craving for more. What had happened is that I had changed my mindset and convinced myself that I only needed so much and no more.
Now if I am full I stop eating, regardless of what is left on my plate. The food does not get wasted, it gets recycled. (sons, husbands and dogs work well for this purpose).
To date in the last week I have lost nearly 2kg. Now I know a lot of you might think that I might be on a starvation diet, but I’m not - I am merely making a conscious effort to change my habits.
If and when I feel like binging and trust me I do. (I eat when I am stressed, when I’m bored, when I’m moody and emotional, any excuse will do.) I open the fridge door, look at all the cheese and spreads and cherries and fizzy drinks and either take a bottle of water of opt for fruit.
As mentioned before I am not a morning person and with our EARLY work schedule I have bad eating habits. No I take this back I HAD bad eating habits. I am now eating a special K breakfast bar for breakfast with a cup of coffee or a bottle of water. For lunch (which I also normally did not eat) I am having a plate of special K cereal. By the time I get home I normally want to devour the whole fridge – door and all. Now I can easily wait until I have made supper and I find myself now looking for healthier meals.
Mark loves salads and in the heat we live in it is a nice healthy option. Our only drawback is that we don’t have a wide variety of Fresh and healthy looking salad goodies to choose from, but I make do. Charl my son, and I both love pasta and the easiest meal for us would be 2 minute noodles, macaroni and cheese or anything related.
My all time favourite meal is Lasagna or Spaghetti Bolognaise the way my mom taught me. Rich and spicy. I hate having to think of everyday evening meals, I find it such a bore. I love catering and baking and inevitably end up cooking up something delectable and orgasmic to take to work. Now, I find myself looking for easy healthy meals and GOOGLE IS MY BEST FRIEND. I don’t always succeed, but I can still cook up a storm that is not detrimental to my health and the health of those around me. I am not going to die if I do eat a piece of chocolate cake; I now just eat smaller portions or fewer portions. I don’t beat myself up if I crook, I just drink more water (which by the way I absolutely loath, hate and detest, and that doesn’t even cover how much I don’t like water), BUT if I want to do more with my life and with those around me, if I want my last days on earth to count for something. I want a better quality of life and if I have to give up some of the finer things in life then so bet it. I might lose on the swings, but I’ll win on the roundabout.
I battled with Bronchial Pneumonia a couple of years ago and since then if someone walked past my office building and they had the sniffles and snotters I would get sick. As a result I have a menagerie of vitamins that I take each day to counteract this vile onslaught. Basically it consists of an immune booster, multivitamins, hair and nail growth vitamin etc. Then at night I take Calcium and Magnesium vitamins or enhancements. I haven’t taken for two weeks now and I have found that the vitamins are causing me to have serious munchies. Now I’m not saying ‘Stop taking Vitamins’. I’m saying (as any good dietician most likely would) find your vitamins and minerals and the immune boosting nutrients you need from the food you eat. For me taking a vitamin pill has always been the easy and yes the LAZY route. But I have to make a change and look elsewhere. Keep in mind that our bodies are very different and what works for me might not necessarily work for you. So I leave you with the message I started with: “If you don’t wake up tomorrow if it turns out that today is your last day on earth, would you be proud of what you’ve done in this life, because if you ain’t, you better start getting square”

2010/10/19
I was watching the movie “Legion” with Denis Quaid and Paul Bettany the other night and the one character says ”If you don’t wake up tomorrow if it turns out that today is your last day on earth, would you be proud of what you’ve done in this life, because if you ain’t, you better start getting square” that really got to me and I remember the first time I watched the movie that it made an impact on my life. Hold on to your skirts - Now don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying go all religious or over zealous with your faiths or what and whoever you believe in. We all believe differently and the point is that we need to make the most of the life we have. I want to have a good ‘today’ and tomorrow I want to be able to say that “Yesterday was a good day, I am proud of what I achieved”
I am so proud of myself, health wise, because I want my last years on earth to make a difference and the only way I can do that is by being as health as I can be for my “height” Ha, Ha. I know that there is a joke out there that goes: “I’m not over weight, I’m under tall”. As I can’t get away with being under tall and I don’t want to be overweight. I have taken the bull by the horns and got off my lazy ass and slowly but surely I am starting on my new health regime. (Baby steps)
We had a ladies lunch last week and I amazed myself at my constraint. Normally when someone else cooks and the food is to die for I try to eat as much of the good stuff as I can. I had a divine potato soup for a starter instead of a creamy puff pastry fishy starter, Main course was wild pig (I think) stew, rice, various veggies (some laced and dripping with sweet, sugary, creamy saude), salads and gravies. I scaled down to just some meat, a small portion of rice, two small portions of veggies and salad. Deserts of course consisted of a gorgeous looking milk tart, a hot desert, fresh fruit salad and custard. I opted for just the fruit salad. At the end of the day I was content with what I ate and walked away satisfied and not craving for more. What had happened is that I had changed my mindset and convinced myself that I only needed so much and no more.
Now if I am full I stop eating, regardless of what is left on my plate. The food does not get wasted, it gets recycled. (sons, husbands and dogs work well for this purpose).
To date in the last week I have lost nearly 2kg. Now I know a lot of you might think that I might be on a starvation diet, but I’m not - I am merely making a conscious effort to change my habits.
If and when I feel like binging and trust me I do. (I eat when I am stressed, when I’m bored, when I’m moody and emotional, any excuse will do.) I open the fridge door, look at all the cheese and spreads and cherries and fizzy drinks and either take a bottle of water of opt for fruit.
As mentioned before I am not a morning person and with our EARLY work schedule I have bad eating habits. No I take this back I HAD bad eating habits. I am now eating a special K breakfast bar for breakfast with a cup of coffee or a bottle of water. For lunch (which I also normally did not eat) I am having a plate of special K cereal. By the time I get home I normally want to devour the whole fridge – door and all. Now I can easily wait until I have made supper and I find myself now looking for healthier meals.
Mark loves salads and in the heat we live in it is a nice healthy option. Our only drawback is that we don’t have a wide variety of Fresh and healthy looking salad goodies to choose from, but I make do. Charl my son, and I both love pasta and the easiest meal for us would be 2 minute noodles, macaroni and cheese or anything related.
My all time favourite meal is Lasagna or Spaghetti Bolognaise the way my mom taught me. Rich and spicy. I hate having to think of everyday evening meals, I find it such a bore. I love catering and baking and inevitably end up cooking up something delectable and orgasmic to take to work. Now, I find myself looking for easy healthy meals and GOOGLE IS MY BEST FRIEND. I don’t always succeed, but I can still cook up a storm that is not detrimental to my health and the health of those around me. I am not going to die if I do eat a piece of chocolate cake; I now just eat smaller portions or fewer portions. I don’t beat myself up if I crook, I just drink more water (which by the way I absolutely loath, hate and detest, and that doesn’t even cover how much I don’t like water), BUT if I want to do more with my life and with those around me, if I want my last days on earth to count for something. I want a better quality of life and if I have to give up some of the finer things in life then so bet it. I might lose on the swings, but I’ll win on the roundabout.
I battled with Bronchial Pneumonia a couple of years ago and since then if someone walked past my office building and they had the sniffles and snotters I would get sick. As a result I have a menagerie of vitamins that I take each day to counteract this vile onslaught. Basically it consists of an immune booster, multivitamins, hair and nail growth vitamin etc. Then at night I take Calcium and Magnesium vitamins or enhancements. I haven’t taken for two weeks now and I have found that the vitamins are causing me to have serious munchies. Now I’m not saying ‘Stop taking Vitamins’. I’m saying (as any good dietician most likely would) find your vitamins and minerals and the immune boosting nutrients you need from the food you eat. For me taking a vitamin pill has always been the easy and yes the LAZY route. But I have to make a change and look elsewhere. Keep in mind that our bodies are very different and what works for me might not necessarily work for you. So I leave you with the message I started with: “If you don’t wake up tomorrow if it turns out that today is your last day on earth, would you be proud of what you’ve done in this life, because if you ain’t, you better start getting square”

Fortune favors the prepared mind

2010/10/11
We had our latest Photography Club Meeting last night. The project for the month was funny.
I am never short of subjects for photographs, but I found myself with a real challenge this month. Other than having someone pose for me I found very few genuinely funny photo opportunities.
It made me realise that the internet is abundant with funny pictures and video clips and yet trying to find one around us was more difficult than any of us in the club realized.
This got me thinking, what are we doing to contribute to the fun factor of those around us? Do I make other people smile and laugh and want to be in my presence? Do I instill in others a feeling of happiness and joy? Am I creating funny moments? OK! I don’t want to be one of those Utube moments or a FAIL Mail, but I want to make a difference, and I had a Eureka moment when I realized that once again it all starts with me.
I am lucky enough to be surrounded by amazing people both at work and at home. My husband Mark is the proverbial “Morning Person” He get up with a hop, skip and a jump in the morning, singing and whistling as he goes about getting ready for the day.
Me, Myself and I on the other hand is a whole different kettle of fish. Between the three of us, I wait until the last millisecond before I have to drag myself by the scruff of my neck and slowly make my way through my morning routine. By the time I get to work just before 06:00 I am barely awake and I can still feel the impression of the pillow on my face.
But then a change happens and I brighten up because I know that deep down inside I am responsible for people besides myself. I am in contact with so many people during my day and if I don’t make the effort to be happy I can be treading on someone’s moment of joy. Maybe all they needed to get doing for the day was a smile and a cheery welcome. Let’s be honest some people are more of a challenge than others. I know that I am also a challenge more often than not. But by making a concerted effort I can change all that. By putting others first I am actually getting more of a blessing than they are. I am paying it forward and getting is back in heaps.
To add to my woes my health and weight have been a reason for me to be unhappy. And I again realized that once again my happiness and peace lay in my own hands, so instead of grumbling and bemoaning my fate I am putting my foot down and saying no more. Mostly I am going tor try and put my foot on the treadmill more often, Ha Ha.
As today is the start of a brand new day and together with the promise of rain is the promise of a new beginning, a fresh start and a hell of kick ass future.
As I have said before I am going out of this world kicking and screaming………….. J
Fortune favors the prepared mind. --Louis Pasteur