A long time ago.......

........in fact 15 years ago (the last time I lost a considerable amount of weight) I wasn't really weighing myself much at all, it was just coming off naturally through a lot of exercise. And from memory (it is a bit hazy) I got down to about 10.5 stone, in the Imperial measure.

I just worked out that that was 147lb. which in metric is 66kg. Which would be bloody marvelous.

Funny to think that I maintained that weight easily but never appreciated it at the time. I had so much other shite going on then.

Definitely something to aim for.

Standing Proud Today

Another Tuesday, another range of morning tea temptations resisted!

I dropped Olivia and Charlie off with Kieren & Kat for a play in the park whilst I nipped off to the GP surgery with Lexie (who I suspected had Chicken Pox, but it turns out she doesn't, thank God.

On dropping them off, Kat immediately said, "Lucy, have you lost weight?"

Our GP said straight away "Lucy, it looks like you have lost some weight?" WOOHOO!

Then eventually I got back to the park, and Di was there too, and she just winked at me and said "Looking good there Lucy".

So I am feeling very very proud of myself. I evidently need that external confirmation, but hey, that's OK.

I also feel calm. Hence these arty images of proud symbolism.

Calm in as much as I forget to make my Kate Morgan shake before we left the house this morning, so instead of heading to Hungry jacks or the OG Bakery, I nipped to Coles and bought a yogurt and an apple instead!

And I have been listening a lot to both Slim Forever, and also my "Think Slim" MP3 program has been replaced for me, and so I have been listening to that too.

So I feel calm, serene, proud, and quietly confident.

Survivor.........

Well, the exercise bike thing is a revelation to me. For $80, it was money well spent!

I have used it at least once a day so far, twice on some days.

It is just so EASY to hop on, do 30 mins (at around 29km per hour), then get off, knowing that I have done the days exercise. No need to get changed, no need to find sunglasses, trainers or dog lead, just hop on.

In fact, most days I have been doing more than 30 mins, as I have been cycling in front of the TV in our upstairs retreat, watching my DVD of Survivor Season 1. That is a bit embarrassing, and I know it is no longer the latest and greatest in reality TV, but I love watching it again, and love the "evil" Richard!

And an episode of Survivor on the DVD is about 42 mins........so me and my mate Rich Hatch have been losing the belly together!

And the funny thing is, the tag line.....Outwit, Outplay, Outlast........it exactly matches some of my feelings too.

Been a bit slack.........

Not REALLY bad or anything, just not as focused. Slip here and there.......

I had a friend over yesterday for a play date lunch with her two littlies, and didn't feel I could just sit there with a shake whilst they all tucked into lunch, so I ate lunch with them, determined to have a shake for my evening meal. But then Miss Olivia was playing up at bedtime, so I didn't get round to it. So ended up eating a Chuppa Chup and a handful of nuts instead.

This evening was good.......weekend dinners are always so much easier.......all of us eat together and usually off the BBQ, so I pigged out on salad and steak and grilled mushrooms and an egg.......I'll admit to being cranky with hunger today. I had a lie in and missed my breakfast shake and it sure makes a difference..........by 5.30pm I was pulling my hair out at the kids...........so a big healthy non carb BBQ made me feel heaps better..........

Cannot wait for my exercise bike to arrive!

And I have set up more of my scrap booking area........I know have a laptop specifically set up just for journalling. I must nip out tomorrow and buy a printer. And also transfer all my fancy fonts over to the "Scrappy Lappy"!

Keen as mustard.........

Oh my god........I must be getting keen! I just organised one of these exercise bikes to be delivered!

Andrew and I have chatted about it over the past few days, and in all honestly, as much as I love walking the streets, it is so so hard to get out of the house now that Andrew is back at work, due to the kids.

So, whilst I know that the world and his dog all get home fitness equipment with every good intention, and then it gathers dust, I figure that this may be my avenue to exercise that is convenient.

Lets face it, without it, any real exercise is just not going to happen with any meaningful regularity!

Weighed in today.........

............and I lost 3.1kg!

I am so relieved that all my hard work has paid off.

And I am happy and proud of myself. (To the point where the first thing I did when I walked out of the chemist was phone Andrew, and the second thing I did was race home to update this blog!)

And I have been fairly flexible with my eating/adherence to the Kate Morgan program. So now I know I can be that flexible and still lose. Or I can be 200% strict and lose more.

It is SUCH a good feeling...........


I spoke to Tony at length about it all this morning. He was so positive and encouraging.


He echoed a lot of my own thoughts (ones I had not verbalised to him) around how it is finally "my time". And how the mental hurdles are much more difficult than the nutritional ones. And how my biggest hurdle is most likely my fear of failure. Which I am NOT going to allow to get in my way this time...........


It really is a case of mind over matter, which is cliched for a reason........because it is true.......

Hanging out for........

.....WEIGH DAY ON THURSDAY!

I have had a few slip ups for sure, but I am pretty sure I will show a good loss.

I feel like I have pooed out about 5kg if nothing else! (Go the psyllium husk!)

So I am looking forward to Thursday for my weigh & measure at the chemist.......

Plus Size Fashionista Shopping Links......

Australian Online Stores

Annalise Fashion
Curvi
Entitled
Jenny & Me
Sara

Shops (with outlets in SA)

Autograph
City Chic
CrossRoads
MaggieT
My Size
Taking Shape

Interational Sites (that DO ship to Australia)

B & Lu
Igigi
Kiyonna
Size Appeal
Torrid


Brands to look for on Ebay (those that annoyingly do not ship to Australia)

Evans
Nordstrom
Old Navy

Plus Size Fashionista

Not that I plan to be Plus Size for much longer.......I am an 18/20 currently, but a 12/14 would be better.

But let's face reality here.......whilst I would be totally content at a 12/14, these days, that it still considered "large" for fashion, which is, to my mind, utterly ridiculous............

A fashionista is a woman who always looks current and cutting edge, even when
her clothes are vintage 1975. A fashionista is as comfortable in Kmart as she is
in Chanel.

That is me.

I realised how much I love clothes and looking fantastic when I recently started searching for some new work clothes.

It is never the SIZE that is an issue for me......by the search for the some times elusive perfect "look".

Please note it is never elusive in my mind.......I totally know what looks fantastic and classic with what, and which pieces I need.

I then I go to all shops to find them...........all shops slim and plus, to hunt down what is in for me this season.........

And I realised how much I love doing it when I realised how much I have missed it since restricting myself to the "Mummy Wardrobe" of jeans and t-shirts.

I haven't shopped for ME for ages........& I have missed it.

So I will add to this post as I go along of websites and images of my look.......and of course HANGBAGS & SUNGLASSES!

Working Girl.......

Now that Christmas is done & dusted for another year, time for me to get out and secure another job.

My contract at Business SA has come to an and, and whilst it was lovely to have the break over Christmas with Andrew and the children, for the sake of my sanity and our bank balance, time for me to job hunt I think.

So have spent a productive few hours making a fair few enquiries.....

Hope it doesn't take too long.

In an ideal world I want 2 days a week (Mondays and Thursdays) working from 9.15am to 4.45pm. In a nice office between home and childcare. With intelligent peers who are good company. At a fantastic rate of pay.........

I don't ask for much, ha ha! (But I DID manage to secure all that when I worked for Business SA, so it is not an impossible request........

Wish me luck.........

The First Fence........

Shocker yesterday. Well it wasn't too bad, but it was off plan totally. And I allowed myself to drop the ball, so I am am cranky with myself about that.

We had friends round, and it was all a bit manic and I ended up missing a shake and having bread and butter with dinner as well as some Cheds....followed by a stack of toffees. Eeek.

And I noticed I avoided writing on here and checking out the BB Body Transformation Threads too........a sure sign that I was feeling un-motivated and guilty.

SO, fully back on the wagon today!

God love Marica.......she sent me a gorgeous email after reading this blog, so she has pepped me up a bit.

There are so many people who really want me to succeed.

I refuse to give up at the first fence!

Ceasar & Scrapping.........

I was so good today......I listened to my hypnotherapy CD on and off ALL day, which I am sure helped.


We had a gorgeous family dinner this evening......I am LOVING having Andrew still home on leave, it is really wonderful.


As such he played with the children whilst I cooked lean chicken fillets on the grill, with some lean bacon, some hardboiled eggs and some shaves of parmesan.


Along with some homegrown cherry tomatoes and some chunks of low fat cheese.....all tossed with lettuce and grated carrot.............& voila!

A kind of cross between a Nicoise and a Ceasar Salad! It was bloody delicious!

I did use a bottled 99% fat free dressing with it.....I am not a real fan, but I buggered about with it a bit and added some white vinegar to take away the sweetness and added it on the side.

A good day. And I scrapped 3 pages of my beautiful Lexie girl. So I am happy........

Temptation Resisted......

We had a Mummies Group park date today, at the Gums. It was lovely to see everyone again after a few weeks off over Christmas.

Usually it is a Bakers Delight feast of goodies, and today was no different. But I took skim milk iced coffee and cut fruit for us all, and don't faint, but nothing else passed my lips!

I am amazed at myself to be honest! It wasn't that I even struggled mentally to resist......it was easy. I am sitting here 4 hours later thinking "How the @#$% did that happen so easily?"!

I realised just now that I have been listening to a hypnotherapy track of mine quite regularly, and so maybe that is working? I have had it for years, but I am never sure if it actually works:

Slim Forever - For Women - Subliminal Self Help

But I have a suspicion it DOES actually work!

Either way, I am going to just get into the habit of listening to track six all the time.....it is pleasant enough, and it certainly cannot hurt!

I got me some new inspiration............

...........to SCRAP again........

Those photos and those beautiful children of mine aren't going anywhere, so bless Andrew: he has just helped me move ALL my desk, my albums, my crates of scrapping stuff into the spare room and helped set me up in there.

I have spent a GORGEOUS few hours sorting out photos, organising my desk, setting up my stereo. And I completing three BEAUTIFUL pages that I am so so proud of.

Thank you Andrew, you sweet man.

The biggest bonus (apart from Olivia Fiddle Fingers not being able to get in there and trash my stash!) is that scrapping is one past time I cannot do whilst eating! (Greasy peanut fingers and photos don't mix!)

So instead of picking on crap in the evenings I am going to scrap.

I have always scrapped with someone else.......but I actually really enjoy doing it solo......so here is to losing weight and adding my gorgeous family to my beautiful albums......

Give me 10 good reasons...

Here goes: 10 good reasons...........to lose the lard. 10 good reasons to diminish. To diet. To eat less and move more. To gain slimness. To stop wobbling. You get the drift...

1. I would like the reality to match the image in my mind......in my head I have a sexy figure like Cat Deeley. However, when I catch a look at myself in the mirror, I realise the Dawn French (bless her) look is closer to the mark. Just not as funny. At all.
2. I have a gorgeous and slim husband. I want us to "match"!
3. I really want my children, particularly my girls, to grow up without any food issues. I need to shift this weight now so that Olivia and Charlie and Lexie can grow up with memories of a healthy Mummy who is active and happy.
4. I want to just get the weight loss thing DONE.  I just want to move on already. Thinking about & getting cranky about my shape is just such a waste of time. I just want to change that, so I can focus on more fun stuff.
5. I want to be able to move to my full potential......I am sick of my saggy "3 babies in quick succession belly" restricting me!
6. I am vain...I hate photos of myself with a chubby face...I want to upload to Farcebook gorgeous pretty snaps of myself!
7. So far, through my whole life, I have achieved everything I have set out to achieve. I do not want health and my weight and my body shape to be the thing I "failed" at.
8. I want to like food again, rather than seeing food as "the enemy".
9. Sex is bloody fantastic, but sex is even better when I am happy about my body...
10. I love a project to work on....what better project than MYSELF!

Walking the streets.......

I know we live on 96 hectares of bush, which Perry dog loves to walk in. But you know what? I just prefer the streets round our house! I love perving on other peoples houses and front gardens and the views from the streets up the top oof the hills are heaps better than walking in the "bushy park".

So Perry my love, the streets get the vote for the moment.

I have just pulled my daggy old shorts and t-shirt on and walked for 20 mins & didn't even break a sweat, so I reckon a 30 minute walk each day at least would be the go.......

Brunch..............

Still going OK. I have felt less hungry today.

Mum came over for a second "little Christmas" and we did a BBQ brunch.

But I took control of my slim husband with the racing metabolism and made scrambled eggs my way (no butter) and only gave him spray oil for the BBQ (not normal veggie oil) for the ham, and left the mushrooms plain (instead of a gob of butter on each one!) and did a big pan of just cooked home grown cherry tomatoes instead of letting him loose with the butter.......

And I bought a little tray of croissants that only had 4 on the tray, so I went without.........I kept eying off Charlie's as he wasn't keen, but restrained myself and gave it to Perry instead!

A good day..........starving now, but I am planning on diving into the air-popped popcorn any minute!

A bit proud of myself....

We all went over to Alice & Ben's for brunch.......the kids had a great time.

Alice & Ben dished up home made pancakes with maple syrup & ice cream.

The kids ploughed in, and I was SO tempted.

But I resisted and had a handful of grapes and my KM shake.

Bless Alice....I had told her about my weight loss challenge and of course she is SO supportive.

(The last time I went on a "diet" was when she and I went to Weight Watchers 7 years ago so that she could get to goal for her wedding!)

First Day is done......

What's the Lao Tzu quote?

"The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step."

My single steps started today.
I feel proud to have started and excited about tomorrow.

Excited...

Going Ok........hungry though.

But not miserable.

I realise that I am excited about all this.

I am distracted from the kids and Andrew because I am focused.

But happy knowing that I am FINALLY on the right track. I am FINALLY doing something about my health and figure.........

Must drink more water.

Mini Goals?

95kg ~ Mainicure
90kg - Pedicure
85kg ~ Eyelash Dye
80kg ~ Spray on Tan

Ready to go.........

OK, so I went off to the chemist and did the Kate Morgan registration......

I am now armed with all the shakes, the shaker, a wee membership card thingo and all of the information. Easy.

And then I stopped off to stock up on veggies and diet jelly.

And then came home and had my last pasta meal for some time!

Best of all I am now armed with the motivation...........

It all starts tomorrow.........

HOW?

I think, as a part of this process, I need to be really clear on the HOW.

So I am going to list all of my "tasks" that I know will keep me on plan:

• Stick to my prescribed plan
• Drink 3 litres of water a day
• Walk for 30 minutes 3 times a week
• Continue to read motivational success stories
• Utilise my weight loss Cd's (hypnotherapy)
• Create mini goals to reward myself

As of this afternoon I am off to my local pharmacy to join the Kate Morgan Weight Loss Centre. I think a real life person to check in with once a week will help "keep me honest"!

And the plan looks very prescriptive, which at this early start of the game, I know I will need.

Let's face it, I know exactly how to lose weight, but for over 30 years I have chosen not to. So I am trying to really establish the way in which THIS TIME I will sauced.

I think I need a big EARLY WIN to increase my motivation and get my inspired to maintain a weight loss program. Hence the shakes etc.

I also know that my MIND is so powerful. I need to re-program it to let go of a lot of the reasons I chose to eat too much.....

And I need to constantly stay present with this. I need to constantly remember these things:

• Time will pass regardless.
• I really want to live life to my full potential
• My health is my future
• Let my appearance reflect the gorgeous woman I am inside

Before Photos.....

OK.

I have entered Body Transformation Challenge!

I figured that I am really driven by recognition and competition, so why not. Let's face it, I have nothing to lose, only my wide arse!

So I have done the big scary weigh and measure.

And found some "before" shots that are truly horrific.

My Best Year Yet...

I just did my "Best Year Yet" goal setting for the year.

It has to be done. It all points to one thing. I think it's finally time to really get serious about losing weight. Gotta lose the lard!

I have had 3 babies in 3 years, and for the first time in what feels like ages, I am not pregnant or breastfeeding.

So I have the perfect excuse now to diminish this ample frame of mine.

I was tempted to do some before and after photos. I still might.

I have a stack to lose.

I just worked out from "The Biggest Loser" website that, for my height, I am most definitely obese (like I didn't know that?!) and I need to lose about 55kg.

I would like to end up at 70kg.
I kind of think that if not now, then when?

The time will pass regardless.

I think I just need to finally acknowledge that I am an intelligent and beautiful woman. And that I am perfectly capable of losing weight. I just need to get on with it and do it.

I just need to make the choice to lose it, to gain my health, and to begin to live life to its full potential. It's a mental game.

A mental game that I will win. Hopefully blogging about it will help?

Edited to add - since writing this post back in 2008, I have lost around 40kg. I am currently maintaining rather than losing. But not gaining either. I am happier than I have ever been.