I have moved on.....

........from my desire to cling to my Walkman (cassette, not CD, and no, I am not kidding.)

Andrew bought me this thing (I believe it is called an Ipod?)

So I am dragging myself out of the '80's. (But maintaining a tenuous link by downloading all the '80's dance remixes I can, to run to.)

I spent a "happy" few hours last night attempting to figure it out out with Itunes, but managed it eventually.

And I genuinly WAS happy this morning.

I ditched the kids at childcare and then did interval runs for 5km with my iPod blaring. Let me tell you, the dance remix of the '80's classic "Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong" fair had me sprinting........as a result I am now on a post exercise high..........

Jeez, it is so much easier to just do it in comparison to worrying about not doing it.

The 2009 BellyBelly New Years Body Transformation Challenge is ON!

Last year it got me off to a wonderful start with my weight loss, so the least I can do is run it this year.

I will be using to get get my arse back on track so that I can get to my goal weight by April!

Fat Arse

Enough said. Too much. Of everything.

Will weigh in tomorrow to survey the damage.

So this is Christmas..............

We have had a wonderful couple of days over Christmas. Truly one of my best ever Christmas times.

The kids had an absolute ball, it has been gorgeous weather so their Chrissie Pressie of the "Wade & Shade" pool has been a huge hit.

No stress, just relaxed easy living and spending a lot of time with Olivia, Charlie and Lexie.

And Andrew and I too. He has been amazing over the past week or so.......wrapping, shopping, cooking.......it has been a Christmas of love, laughter and teamwork!

The Sunday Morning Walk.......

I walk every Sunday morning at 8am. Come hail or shine.

It started off with just me & Marisa, and has recently become more and more of us. I arrived this morning and found there were 7 of us no less!

It used to be an hours trundle, and fairly leisurely at that.

But I have since pushed it out to an hour and a half, and much of that is a jog. We even run up the steps to the Giants Cave at Morialta. Twice.

The turning point is the Morialta Falls, which never ceases to take my breath away. Their beauty is amazing, and even more wonderfulis the fact that I live a mere 5 minutes away from this breathtaking spot.

I am a lucky girl.........

Dignity, grace & poise.........

"Grace isn't a little prayer you rattle off, before receiving a meal. Grace is a way to live your life, every day..."

Anglophile Weight Widget.....

........to the right.

It is not a sexy thing, particularly.

But I realised today that the last time I was as low in weight as I am today was over 15 years ago.

When I was automatically thinking in Stones not kilograms.

So the Kilograms to Stones conversionthingy to the right is for me, and for any other Anglophiles out there........

I wish........

I could go and do this retreat............................

The Hoffman Process

If I had 10 days where I thought the kids and Andrew wouldn't miss me, I would be there like a shot!

It is run in both Victoria and in Byron Bay.......I'd be going to Queensland for sure!

So please, can the universe send me the time and resources to get to go on this retreat, please?!

Moving in the right direction........

Another 600g GONE overnight!

Very happy.

I have done 3 days of just Kate Morgan shakes, lots of water and then a high protein low carb dinner and whilst I felt like crap for the past 3 days, I know feel bloody great, almost like I have detoxed.

Plus I did fitness tests and beep tests on Tuesday night, as well as weights and cardio on wednesday morning.

Plus my period has come and gone since last week, hence the massive shift on the scales.

And I know I shouldn't be so concerned about the actual number on the scales, but lets face it, as a nearly 40 year old woman on a diet, then it's hard-wired........and I am smug in the knowledge that my muscle % and body fat % and hydration levels are all moving in the right direction too.........

600g...........

Lost
Overnight
Don't want it back thanks!

High Protein Low Carb Meals

All of the below meals "fit" into the way in which I know I need to eat for my energy levels and for weight loss. So here is my list.......I may even bother my diminishing arse soon to actually type up recipes, but for the moment, they are my memory joggers only.......

~ Crunchy Vietnamese Salad (with tuna, beef, chicken or prawn)

~ Chilli con Carne

~ Chicken kebabs

~ Butter Chicken

~ Greek Lamb and green been salad

~ Beef Strog

~ Egg White Frittata

~ Steak and mushrooms

~ Veal Casserole

~ Turkey Bacon and Eggs

~ Sweet Chilli Chicken warm salad

Needless to say, none of these are accompanied by any of the usual rice, pasta, spuds, bread, noodles etc.

I should also point out that whilst I am most certainly am an advocate of high protein low carb diets, that I am NOT a fan of Atkins. My diet is not high in fat. (Most days I only have about 18g of fat. And the carbs I do eat are all in the form of plenty of fresh fruit and veg.

The carbs I am actively avoiding are processed high GI carbs, such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes.........

I am still eating around 100g of carbs a day, all made up of vegetables, salad and fruit..........

Keep it Simple.........

Well, I think I need to get strict on myself again.

The past few days have been SHOCKING in terms of food.

Too much temptation, too much "flexibility"!

I am keeping up with the exercise really well, but there seems little point in busting my chops running intervals up Addison Avenue if I then waste the impact by sharing pizza and eating a Magnum........

Andrew, bless him, ran me a lovely hot bath this evening, in which I pondered.

I then realised that if I go back to basics, to what I KNOW keeps me on track (through lack of choice!) for a few weeks, then that will give me some peace of mind, and help me feel less out of control over the looming Christmas period.

So, for the next fortnight I am back on Kate Morgan shakes for both breakfast and lunch, with a high protein dinner.

Fruit for snacks, and that's it.

I entered my proposed plan into Calorie King, and it works like a dream in terms of all of the numbers.

So as of tomorrow I am back to basics, and keeping it simple.

I am quite looking forward to the relief of not having to make choices to be honest..........

Only the best........

...........for me!

Having a SHIT week foodwise. Totally out of control. I think it is due to menopausal hormones raging. I just want my period FFS!

But.........Lynda, my personal trainer got won a huge award of "Community Fitness Instructor of the Year"

And this write up was in an article in our local paper about her, which is pretty impressive.......

So despite being crap myself this week, I am glad I am working on this whole fitness bizzo with the best.

Getting a bit Christmassy.......

Well, we bit the bullet and took the children to see Father Christmas today at our local shopping centre. They were as good as gold, and they all looked adorable, and I just feel so proud of my little family.......

My general sense of wellbeing and loved upness comes from, I think, being in a very good place weight loss wise (I have been an angel both food and exercise wise this week). And for the fact that Christmas is fast approaching.........

Last Christmas (hark of George Michael?! LOL) I was a blimp, and I was ashamed of myself when I saw this photo:

So it is very nice to be in a place this Christmas where I am feeling SO SO much happier in my health & fitness. I am not there yet, but I know I will get there..........

So yeah. Feeling a bit Christmassy..............