Trouble in paradise

Weigh in this morning. Put on 0.4kg. Relieved.

Made a list of why and how. 10 drinks over the five days in Singapore/on the plane is the equivalent of eating around a loaf of bread!

Now is about the time I realise that this is all too hard and divert my focus.

This time I won't. I'm back on track.

Water and steamed rice... Yum

Singapore would have to be the best place in the world to be at the moment.

We were at Level 33 (a bar ... 2 beers is the answer to your text Alex...it was hot) overlooking the GP track, amazing harbour, light show... amazing+, when the qualifying rounds started... OMG what an unforgettable sound. It gave me goosebumps... so exciting.

So ... alcohol... I've had 4 drinks since arriving Thurs night. Omelettes and toast for breakfast at the enormous buffet - food generally pretty good - minced chicken and steamed rice, steak sandwich, steamed fish and vegetables. Snack may have been cheese and water crackers and a glass of Moet but by a resort style pool with friends, it was perfect. Lots of walking. And lots and lots of water.

I've brought my protein powder with me and will have a shake before we are out today. Went to the gym at the hotel this morning. My husband took a photo as proof - not my best side, sorry - so it's not going up for the world to see!

Lunch planned with unlimited 'flowing champagne'. Mmmm might be a bit tricky. What's my strategy? I'm sure there will be lots of flowing water as well!

And my first Grand Prix tonight. Can't wait.

Week 2 Weigh in

Minus 0.3kg.

Didn't 'ring the bell' for me. That's what I get for having a great birthday weekend. I was ready to have my cardio session with my beautiful new pink boxing gloves but it was time for a chat with my trainer, Alex.

We went into the 'Results Room' and I was half expecting to come out 5 kgs lighter with an arm amputated, but that didn't happen. We talked about not being 100% focussed (I know... still can't stay focussed eventhough I'm doing this blog! It's helping). How I can improve my weight loss? I'm actually feeling fitter and slimmer, so that's great. I'd had a good few days but no accelerator day and the positive is that I've lost 0.5kg in 2 weeks. This is great as I'd been piling this amount on very week prior to knuckling down. An accelerator day would have really helped but thought it best not to be too grumpy as there were a few family things on.

I'm flying to Singapore this afternoon for a few days to see friends and the Grand Prix. Looking forward to it and Alex has given me a few strategies for staying on 'track' (Grand Prix joke). I'll keep up the blog, get to the gym in the hotel, drink a lot of water - it's 32 degrees and do lots of walking.

Off to the gym

I didn't make it to the gym this morning as I had a big proposal to complete for this afternoon. It's now done, so I'm leaving the office early and going to the gym. I've only ever been twice in my life after work, as I find it best to go before I actually wake up in the morning!

It's very easy for me just not to go after work even with the best intensions. I'm tired and hungry.

My trainer Alex may well have a heart attack. I'm only really going because I told him I would in a text message. Why did I do that? I'm sure once I'm there, I'll be glad I went and once I'm done I'll feel fantastic.

Happy Birthday

Had a perfect day with my husband. He'd drafted the itinerary and put it it my birthday card! Lots of walking (3 hours) around Cockatoo Island on the second last day of the Biennale and a fantastic dinner and play at the Opera House.

My neighbour said that chocolate on your birthday doesn't count when she gave me some fantastic salted caramels. I decided that a couple of glasses of wine were OK too. My husband ate all of my birthday cake (a sculpture of handmade chocolates and toffee) for me after I blew out the candle. I made some good food choices and some bad food choices. Am I feeling guilty about it? No.

First Challenge weigh in

Lost 0.2kg.

Let's just say I was disappointed. I thought that I'd lost more. I'd been 'pretty good'. I should really throw out the bathroom scales that I have at home.

It just goes to show that I didn't  have a 'perfect' week. I didn't stick to the food plan I'd made when I was out, didn't add up my macros every day when there was a variation to my plan, didn't do four hours of cardio or drink anywhere enough water. I didn't do my PT session on Monday and even though it was moved to Wednesday it was enough to get me left to my own devices for a few days. Dangerous.

Mmmmm. So, I've got lots of things to improve on this week.

The moment of truth

I had an important function at Parliament House to attend on Wednesday night. It meant a new outfit and (new) hair - both very quickly on Wednesday afternoon.

After hair, I went to David Jones to quickly grab something appropriate. Walking around the racks I don't think I've ever felt so depressed. I was in the 'fat lady section' and everything was 'for old fat ladies'. It was all awful. I ventured out of the section and everything else was just a 'smallish' 14 or 16. Right now, I'm definitely an 18.

It was the realisation of what I'd let myself get to. How much weight I'd put on. I won't mention the struggles in the change room with things that were just too tight.

I went into two change rooms. One was lit so brightly that I just wanted to run screaming to my car and go home. The other was quite dim and it made the extremely boring grey suit (think Penny Wong), that I came home with, look OK. It is so dull however that it is an incentive to lose weight so it doesn't fit me for too much longer.

I really just felt like crying.

Image: Pinterest

Shopping Tour

Did the Shopping Tour at Coles. I've done a few and it was really to remind me of what's available and especially what's new. Jenny was full of fantastic tips throughout the tour and it was great! I recommend it to everyone.

I took lots of notes and left with a basket of new interesting things.

Things I need to do:
Vege/fruit smoothie in AM
Large mushroom filled with mince
Mushroom hamburger (mushroom instead of bread)
Cauliflower mash

What I learnt:
1/4 of avocado is ok
Preferably milk and yogurt (not so much cheese ) as dairy
12 almonds are ok
Smoked salmon frittata made in cupcake moulds
Ribeye and porterhouse steak is preferable to scotch filet (too much fat)
Lamb is not great
Chicken breasts preferable to thighs
Almond milk is good
Might as well drink full cream milk because of sugar content in skim milk

Things I'd forgotten:
Smoked salmon
Rockmelon and prosciutto
Green tea spikes metabolism
Batch cooking in my slow cooker using packaged sauces

Exercise Plan

To reach my goals I've been advised to do at least 4 hours of cardio a week and plan this out...

Monday AM  PT Session 1/2 hour (weights) + 1/2 hour crosstrainer/treadmill/bike/rower
Monday PM  1/2 hour walk

Tuesday AM 1/2 hour crosstrainer/treadmill/bike/rower
Tuesday PM  rest

Wednesday AM  1/2 hour crosstrainer/treadmill/bike/rower
Wednesday PM  1/2 hour walk

Thursday AM  PT Session 1/2 hour (cardio) + 1/2 hour crosstrainer/treadmill/bike/rower
Thursday PM  rest

Friday AM 1/2 hour crosstrainer/treadmill/bike/rower
Friday PM  rest

Saturday AM  1 + 1/2 hour walk
Saturday PM  rest

Sunday AM  rest
Sunday PM  rest

Total  = 5.5 hours

This gets me to the gym every weekday morning and around the Bay Run on Saturday mornings.

Now, I just have to do it. I was tempted to put in that I'd get to the gym after work as well, but that has only ever happened twice in my entire life, so I didn't want to set too many unattainable goals at this stage ;-)

Whirlwind weekend

It was a big weekend for the first weekend of the 'Challenge'. It could have been easier and I would have preferred to be more focussed on planning food, but it was all last minute going out stuff.

On Friday night I went to see The Sapphires (Do yourself a 'feel good' favour). Had dinner at an Italian restaurant and had grilled atlantic salmon on a bed of rocket and pear. Drank water. Easy.

Saturday, up at 5am to be the first at a polling booth and got prime real estate for the local government election posters etc. Then lots of walking throughout the day. Then, I had a function I'd forgotten about in the evening - steak and steamed vegetables and just left all the other stuff on my plate.

Drank one glass of champagne.

Not too bad.

Sunday, a lovely family lunch at Drummoyne Sailing Club with one of my brothers back off to live overseas. More grilled atlantic salmon and salad. Drank water. Easy.

So, I don't really need to stay home to eat well. And I certainly can't plan my days all the time.

Image: Pinterest

Actions speak louder than words

Are there any secrets to making this weight loss journey easier?

There are three things that I know work for me.

1. Have a protein shake when I get home from work/before dinner.

2. Plan my food and pack snacks/lunch if I need to be out and about.

3. Don't have that first drink.

Image: Pinterest

The Nine Week Weight Loss Challenge

I had my goal session for the Weight Loss Challenge on Thursday morning. The world's worst photo was taken and it really is only up from here!

We talked about the next nine weeks and how I'd like to lose nine kilos. Apparently, I need to do a minimum of four hours of cardio each week to reach that goal, so need to work on an exercise plan.

I've also lost 0.5kg in the past 3 days, but that's nothing to get too excited about.

I was feeling really drained on Thursday and decided to go to my GP for a check up. It had been a while and I thought perhaps I could compare any results with those after the challenge. Was it the first accelerator day that made me feel so bad or was there something else? Had all the usual tests and they came back "perfect", so I may have just been overdoing it. Any bad results would have been motivation to stay on track, but I'm going to have to use all the other reasons to lose weight.

I also saw my physiotherapist. Dave and his team at Sports Lab, Drummoyne (best ever) have worked wonders with my knees in the past and he needs to work on them and now my hips, if I'm going to be able to move for the next nine weeks. I also had a half hour massage on my hips/thighs - overcompensating for my bad knee and sore and inflamed. Oh, the joys of middle age. 

It was great to see Dave and I left feeling fantastic and walking normally (sometimes it's just too painful). Congratulations on the amazing new digs - they've moved into their new space. I've also got some non load bearing exercises to do and some Volarin to take. I haven't been to the physio since November, around the time my weight started to pile (back) on. It really is something I just need to do. 

Accelerator Day

It has been too long since I've had an Accelerator Day (very low carbs).  My husband was going to leave home for the day as I have been known to be a bit sensitive.  I have found it hard to concentrate and had to head off from work through peak hour traffic which made me a bit fragile. Looking forward to having an early night but it's not going to happen. It's been a really trying week dealing with IT problems at work and I'm drained, but my issues were resolved this afternoon.

I'm not sure if a menopausal woman should be allowed to eat so few carbs. To be truthful, I cried once, screamed at a service provider twice, swore at another and had someone turn down a lift as they'd rather catch the bus than be trapped in a car with me. So it hasn't gone very well. To say I've been a bit touchy is an understatement!

Gym this morning - boxing session with my trainer. '100 high' yeah sure... I'm old! But I did it!

I've got my Goal Session tomorrow for the Weight Loss Challenge.

Don't be so grumpy

On Sunday mid-morning, I was grumpy (and hungry). I was wondering how I was going to get through the day and stay on the program/not eat too much food and drink more wine than I should. 

It was Father's Day and I had lunch and dinner to prepare and the family to host. In hindsight I should have had a protein shake and I might have felt more human.

I walked outside and there in the sky above my house was this smiley face. 

Mmmm, maybe I shouldn't be so grumpy.

The boys in the back seat

If you read my second post about my journey/road trip, these two are on my journey with me – my trainer Alex and his boss Jeff from Vision Personal Training, Drummoyne. 

Gee, have they both got a lot to put up with and how do they look so good and be so cheery so early in the morning?

I just need to lose that fat old lady in the front seat next to me.

Monday morning

Lost 1.3kg. I've been on track so I was pretty happy. My short term goal was to lose 4kg in August and I've now done this. Yeah!

Food Plan for next week

Using the tools available I've completed my Food Diary for next week. Now I just have to double check it and then eat it all. Even planned my Accelerator Day – it's Wednesday. 

Alex, my trainer is going to be in a state of shock.

Spring has sprung

First day of spring + gorgeous weather + Jack Russell wants a walk = Bay Run.

P.S. As I go through my wardrobe of too tight exercise gear, I'm reminded that it's not a fashion parade.