tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7982767457219102112024-03-14T11:49:31.525-07:00Looking For My FeetTraveling down the road of weight loss and fitness, looking for my feet...one pound at a time.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579487808570823782noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-1734014420137989762015-11-21T00:32:00.000-08:002015-11-21T00:32:01.616-08:00Love Your Lungs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphcJ3WRSKUENG_X7gobTrqf7VDzjN_t-W8HdAvKY4HKibUMn7yaE5wpLAY8k47-ynUd1fwpw2f3a-GyHclrcVNFy8BGGYf6VQAfbxi6EdHMYh7U-MU824HO1SgjHrwuc2LJu5IsOESXVA/s1600/Love+your+Lungs+.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphcJ3WRSKUENG_X7gobTrqf7VDzjN_t-W8HdAvKY4HKibUMn7yaE5wpLAY8k47-ynUd1fwpw2f3a-GyHclrcVNFy8BGGYf6VQAfbxi6EdHMYh7U-MU824HO1SgjHrwuc2LJu5IsOESXVA/s200/Love+your+Lungs+.png" width="200" /></a></div>
November is Lung Health Awareness Month in many parts of the world. It is generally a time of increasing awareness about lung health and "encouraging everyone to stop and think about what they can do with just one breath" (from <a href="http://lungfoundation.com.au/get-involved/events/lung-health-awareness-month/" target="_blank">Lung Foundation Australia</a>).<br />
<br />
In October, a lovely lady by the name of Heather reached out to me as a blogger and asked if I would consider doing a post about lung health.<br />
<br />
Of course, I said yes. But then life got in the way and I kept putting it off and putting it off. So I'm just now getting to doing this.<br />
<br />
Heather is not just someone who is passionate about lung health. Heather is a survivor.<br /><br />You see, Heather has just reached her 10 year cancer-FREE anniversary! *round of applause*<br />
<br />
Amazing, right?<br /><br />From <a href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/heather/survivor/#intro" target="_blank">Heather's website</a>:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: #cfcbc7; color: #323130; line-height: 28.9px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Without treatment, I wouldn’t live past 15 months. In November of 2005 my doctor said I had malignant pleural mesothelioma. He said “cancer”, but all I heard was that I might not be able to raise my three month old daughter, and my husband might become a widower after just six and a half years of marriage. I learned that my father, a man who worked in drywall construction, had unknowingly exposed his own little girl to asbestos through his work jacket. Treatment options were limited and there was no guarantee. Today, I’ve outlived my original prognosis and continue to raise awareness of this terrible disease.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfcbc7; color: #323130; font-family: 'Klinic Slab', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 28.9px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
In Heather's case, it was Mesothelioma that she had to conquer. She battled it, she beat it down, she won the war and she's using that journey to spread support, advice, and information to people all around the world.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKBzhyphenhyphenFZRrkNu_nVtOgLXjUydoxwEN9sgGK5kXuCkhjT6dNOjFQTtH2uNrA6k7AvwsvdV9ZV2WSyjBG7ffdGBhowANim2xbu6Qf7FFg3ltEeKbni3W5GDLEtTVx44a7_ELnNN5IwGpNyk/s1600/IMG_8856+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKBzhyphenhyphenFZRrkNu_nVtOgLXjUydoxwEN9sgGK5kXuCkhjT6dNOjFQTtH2uNrA6k7AvwsvdV9ZV2WSyjBG7ffdGBhowANim2xbu6Qf7FFg3ltEeKbni3W5GDLEtTVx44a7_ELnNN5IwGpNyk/s320/IMG_8856+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Although there are other causes of Mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos is by far the most common. Asbestos was historically "widely used in building materials, insulation, fire proofing, and sound absorption. When asbestos is disturbed, it sends up fibres into the air that can be easily breathed in. Once the fibres are in the lung......the body tries to break the fibres down and remove them, leading to inflammation." (from <a href="https://cancernz.org.nz/assets/Uploads/IS-Mesothelioma-Jul2013.pdf" target="_blank">this mesothelioma fact sheet</a>).<br />
<br />
Exposure to asbestos can also cause something called asbestosis - "a disease that causes shortness of breath, coughing, and scarring of the lungs" (from <a href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/" target="_blank">Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance</a>)<br /><br />The sad thing is, asbestos is still legal to use in Canada and the US. I won't profess to knowing all the ins and outs of the regulations around this but I'll admit that it concerns me that the use of asbestos is still legal. In NZ and Australia, I'm happy to find that the blue and brown varieties of asbestos are both banned and NZ has even gone so far as to ban the use of the white variety.<br /><br />Sadly there are still entire communities contaminated by asbestos mines and I fear that we shall see many more cases like Heather's in the future. And if you're a cigarette smoker that is exposed to asbestos? You're "50 to 84 times more likely to develop asbestos related diseases" (from <a href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/" target="_blank">Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance</a>) .<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79mA0lOwBrcpSEMU-UVYE77RXoJpM1dYME3PNcaMMVSFed55_W524rFwl76z3OreEBVDUrOxceJ1klpJ1TIo0Fy9-29d14LRlBquLE2whASRHPq2B5BOD_jFj5L6ssg86mQYR-dl4gdvb/s1600/IMG_4395+%25281%2529+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79mA0lOwBrcpSEMU-UVYE77RXoJpM1dYME3PNcaMMVSFed55_W524rFwl76z3OreEBVDUrOxceJ1klpJ1TIo0Fy9-29d14LRlBquLE2whASRHPq2B5BOD_jFj5L6ssg86mQYR-dl4gdvb/s200/IMG_4395+%25281%2529+%25281%2529.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBnRoy5OycfLjyjclNxktXDeGwZDW1hutHK1BcdZd3NV0-nP8JmQhzw8E_YgCY4C1Fm3LVloKySmOKTIZnNIXRhAa_PvhFAd8Qr0gD195XgTfU-h76fMoKO9KE_4ETgHuIC1kf79uO18x/s1600/IMG_9459+%25281%2529+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBnRoy5OycfLjyjclNxktXDeGwZDW1hutHK1BcdZd3NV0-nP8JmQhzw8E_YgCY4C1Fm3LVloKySmOKTIZnNIXRhAa_PvhFAd8Qr0gD195XgTfU-h76fMoKO9KE_4ETgHuIC1kf79uO18x/s200/IMG_9459+%25281%2529+%25281%2529.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<br /><br />I admit I'm still learning a lot about this horrible disease and I thank Heather for contacting me. I've been doing a lot of reading about this and many other lung issues (?) over the last little while.<br /><br />My own son has asthma. In the first few years of his life he was hospitalised many times for pneumonia and we ended up having to have a nebulizer at home in case he was struggling. I am thankful every day that it was "just" asthma and that, in comparison to the journey of Heather and so many others, we have been very fortunate.<br /><br />I'd like to encourage each and every one of you out there to go and read more on <a href="http://www.mesothelioma.com/heather/survivor/#intro" target="_blank">Heather's website</a> about her journey. Also take the time to read up on Mesothelioma if you or someone you know has been in contact with asbestos at any time.<br /><br />But don't forget your own lung health even if you haven't been in contact with asbestos. Keep an eye on those lungs. Look after them. Practicing deep breathing, exercising regularly, hydrating yourself.....all of these help to keep your lungs healthy.<br /><br />Have any questions, look for your local Lung Health website. Ask your doctor. Ask your local public health nurse.<br /><br />Asthma, lung cancer, mesothelioma (which is different to your "run of the mill" lung cancer), COPD.....all parts of Lung Health Awareness month...and all important.<br /><br />Do your research. Look after yourself.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHP9ANetweOvJXBJktf2JCiDY073zkjt3qetZjeqZgdPG80UzSMlyAtPeSBA3yw22BK41ERNxKVp96VRa-L0FzohI_64QB35I_PGNnSy9z9V-psVIFgficd2WxlNwD3o_6bY2ou-LsGU4d/s1600/Healthy+Lung+Month.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHP9ANetweOvJXBJktf2JCiDY073zkjt3qetZjeqZgdPG80UzSMlyAtPeSBA3yw22BK41ERNxKVp96VRa-L0FzohI_64QB35I_PGNnSy9z9V-psVIFgficd2WxlNwD3o_6bY2ou-LsGU4d/s640/Healthy+Lung+Month.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="background-color: #cfcbc7; color: #323130; font-family: 'Klinic Slab', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 28.9px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579487808570823782noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-51513551352626539102015-10-14T20:57:00.004-07:002015-10-14T20:57:47.290-07:00Addiction"If I say 'ADDICTION', what is the first thing that pops into your head?"<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That is the question that I posed in a couple of places recently on Facebook. In my own head, I was pretty certain what the answers would be - something related to drugs, alcohol, smoking - and sure enough, those were mentioned.<br /><br />I was surprised, though, how long it took someone to come up with "food", "sugar", and the like.<br /><br />To me, those are every bit as bad an addiction as drugs, alcohol, or smoking. I know that the results are different, that the threat to personal life is different, but addiction is addiction.<br /><br />I don't know that I could say that I'm addicted to food. I mean, I eat food and I have this insane need to eat on a couple or few times a day so that I don't keel over in a massive heap somewhere and give some poor guy a coronary as he tries to help me up. I don't need that kind of guilt. But yeah, I eat. I just don't think I'm addicted to food. I just like it. A lot.<br />
<br />
Sugar, on the other hand, is a different story. If you had told me 6 months ago that I was addicted to sugar, I would have laughed in your face. And then chugged a Pepsi. Because sugar.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfXsKU9lj4wU6s8V30_kGrTR29cJaWkMaHyMhozdgBmBqoOelwWB2C1ZsnKg2aGLc_ImwJQRn4sHvLzgsTIrkQkp1bLMAwf5Mo1f3Slhak-cEEjJYEiGioGCopAxy0fZjIR16BzAVIClF/s1600/v-can-green3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfXsKU9lj4wU6s8V30_kGrTR29cJaWkMaHyMhozdgBmBqoOelwWB2C1ZsnKg2aGLc_ImwJQRn4sHvLzgsTIrkQkp1bLMAwf5Mo1f3Slhak-cEEjJYEiGioGCopAxy0fZjIR16BzAVIClF/s200/v-can-green3.png" width="150" /></a>In July 2013, my son asked me to quit drinking energy drinks. Y'know.... V, Red Bull, Monster, Lift Plus. He was 9 at the time and had noticed that I was going through, easily, 3 to 6 cans (big cans!) of energy drink a day. He'd watched something on TV about them and realised that they're not good for you.<br /><br />Now, I didn't honestly think it was an issue. I would have told you that the reason I could go through so many of them a day was because A) I was fat so they didn't affect me the same way, B) they didn't affect me at all, I just liked the taste, C) I don't care what they were doing to me because yum, or D) a combination of those.<br /><br />But what do you do when your 9 year old is standing there looking at you with a deadly serious expression on your face like, " you need to do what I'm asking or this is going to be worse than when I found out that Santa is just you being a martyr"?!<br /><br />I'll tell you what you do. You QUIT THE DAMN DRINKS!!<br />
<br />
So I did.<br />
<br />
I had the most excruciating headache for 2 weeks but suddenly I was sleeping better, had MORE energy, was in a better mood, and lost almost 4 kgs!<br />
<br />
So then he says (the kid's going to be a wheelin' dealin' S.O.B when he's older)...."I think you should give up the fizzy drink too mum". <br /><br />Nope. That'll have to wait. <br /><br />And so I waited. Until April or May of this year. I gave it up cold turkey. Another horrible headache, another couple of kilos lost. I did really well for about 3 months and then I got this AMAZING thought...<br /><br />"I bet I'm at the point now where I could just have a Pepsi when we go to a movie."<br /><br />So I did. <br /><br />And then... "I bet I'm at the point now where I could just have a glass in the evening."<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhdKsXm6LbLyHCq8tqGVb1B7Gsrw32FTvaMgg1F2xadcSrQvPoSZ30asQF7TgLvVLtnu_PTw8sY8Qeojt6ZnQ4_yNtqEUtVSYuN3hrFcEfY_yVWgXtJjiQRlc4QOnc7sOov3hVjcnXdWs/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhdKsXm6LbLyHCq8tqGVb1B7Gsrw32FTvaMgg1F2xadcSrQvPoSZ30asQF7TgLvVLtnu_PTw8sY8Qeojt6ZnQ4_yNtqEUtVSYuN3hrFcEfY_yVWgXtJjiQRlc4QOnc7sOov3hVjcnXdWs/s200/download.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
So I did. <br /><br />Here's the thing about addictions though.....you can't do that! Now, ok, me saying "oh I'll just have one" is a lot different than an alcoholic saying that but besides the potential for life ruination and potential destruction, it's about the same.....it sends you down that slippery slope again where you find it hard to quit. <br /><br />Hi. My name is Meg and I'm addicted to sugar. <br /><br />So when I re-started this whole journey I realised I couldn't keep drinking the fizz. I quit cold turkey again. <br /><br />It took about 3 days to rid myself of the headache this time because I just started pounding back the water.<br /><br />I feel great! More energy, sleeping better, better hair and skin. I've been drinking plain water or, if I get a bit of a sweet craving, some water flavoured with ACTUAL fruit.<br /><br />Can I ask something of all of you? Just picture me down on my knees, begging, big eyes....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr8aBsLm2d4j1_XxeAXUUmaGii_SA1KjGJ4K4H3F-63cRClT8b9pH9xbiNmwta543wRqqyZBBnUn_62cX4YjzMS-9l2k9DetDSXqO6DellFgxNQsqK5nA4AvPzELaJ8Z_73atHe3Xe5M0/s1600/Puss_in_Boots_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr8aBsLm2d4j1_XxeAXUUmaGii_SA1KjGJ4K4H3F-63cRClT8b9pH9xbiNmwta543wRqqyZBBnUn_62cX4YjzMS-9l2k9DetDSXqO6DellFgxNQsqK5nA4AvPzELaJ8Z_73atHe3Xe5M0/s200/Puss_in_Boots_1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br /><br />If you drink energy drinks or fizzy soda/pop drinks, can you quit them please? They're sooooo bad for you! Especially the Diet ones filled with Aspartame. Drink water. Drink fruit flavoured water (with real fruit not flavouring). You'll be glad you did!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579487808570823782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-50454189734140161902015-09-26T21:55:00.000-07:002015-09-26T21:56:32.375-07:00New beginnings. Again. When I look down the side bar of this here blog o' mine, I can see just how many starts and stops there have been in the last 6 years of my journey.<br />
<br />
SIX YEARS!! And honestly, I'm no further ahead than I was in April 2009 when I first started this blog...or this version of it.<br />
<br />
I can also see that I had moderate success after our move to New Zealand. I didn't have a car so I had to walk everywhere. I joined Weight Watchers (again) and I started to lose weight. I was going swimming regularly and I got some semblance of control on the things I was eating.<br />
<br />
And then.<br />
<br />
Well.<br />
<br />
And then in July 2012, I got a horrendous staph infection in my left leg that ran from hip to my ankle...but mostly knee to ankle. Aside from the week in hospital, I spent another month or so not doing a whole lot other than sitting around and eating. 'Cos...y'know....I could.<br />
<br />
I never got the motivation back. I never gathered myself and said, "Hey Self...you need to get your fat ass out there and DO something". I never said "Self, those 40kgs (88 lbs) that you lost are coming to find you again and each one you let through is attaching themselves to your hips like Klingons on the starboard bow of the Enterprise".<br />
<br />
Nope.<br />
<br />
I kept on keeping on.<br />
<br />
And y'know what? 3 years later I'm STILL saying "oh but I got an infection in my leg".<br />
<br />
THREE YEARS!!!! Seriously? What the eff is wrong with me? WHY am I still clinging to THAT old excuse?<br />
<br />
I've been swimming in a pool ONCE since I got that infection because I'm scared. We're pretty sure that's where I picked up the bacteria that made me so sick and I'm scared to get it again. But you know what? I miss swimming! I love the water. I was born to be in the water. I float without even trying, always have. Even when I wasn't a narwhal, I floated. So, yeah, I miss being in the water.<br />
<br />
I miss putting my headphones on and walking for miles (or ...kilometres, as it should be). Just being alone in my thoughts with the music drowning everything out. I miss that.<br />
<br />
So WHY am I still hiding behind the same lame old excuse?<br />
<br />
Because it's the only one I've got left. Being tired, lack of time, kids activities, housework....it's all bullsh*t. But clinging to that old excuse? It's my default comfort setting.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing though. I'm tired of being fat and unhealthy. I'm tired of being tired all the time. I'm tired of not being able to find nice clothes, touch my toes, go for a bike ride with my kids, run up a flight of stairs without dying.<br />
<br />
I sit with my laptop and watch old school friends (Dave, Richard) of mine post on Facebook about their gym adventures and I'm so proud of them. One day, I hope that they'll see my stuff go by and think the same thing. 2 years from now is my 20 year reunion in the UK. I want to go. I want to go and show my husband where I went to school, maybe even some of the places I grew up. I want to see all the people I went to school with. More than that? I want to be able to fit in the plane seats comfortably without having to ask for a seatbelt extension.<br />
<br />
Over the last 3 or 4 years I have stopped and started too many times. I have done it because some random person made a rude comment. I've done it because I thought my husband was embarrassed to be out with me. I've done it so that I wouldn't shame my kids when I show up at their school events, the fattest mum in attendance.<br />
<br />
I've never done it for me.<br />
<br />
And that? That's the key. If I do this for ANYONE other than myself, I'm doomed to fail. I've never liked people telling me what to do or think.<br />
<br />
I don't want to be skinny. I don't care about skinny.<br />
<br />
I want to be healthy.<br />
I want to strong.<br />
I want to be fit.<br />
I want to be able to do so many things that I just can't right now because of my health and my size.<br />
<br />
I want..........to succeed.<br />
<br />
Step 1: Make the conscious decision that this is for me and no one else.<br />
<br />
Check.<br />
<br />
Step 2: Sign up for an awesome deal at the local gym AND schedule in time to go at least 3 times a week.<br />
<br />
Check.<br />
<br />
Step 3: Get back to my blogging and set up my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LookingForMyFeet" target="_blank">FB page</a> again. Not so that I can have people fawn over me. I don't want that. So that I can be accountable. To myself, to you, to whomever is out there reading.<br />
<br />
Check.<br />
<br />
Step 4: Set goals.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lookingforfeet.blogspot.co.nz/p/goals-successes.html" target="_blank">Check</a><br />
<br />
Step 5: Weigh myself. 166.7 kgs (366.74 lbs) *gulp* GAH! Run away!!! Oh. Wait. I don't run. Walk away...quickly!<br />
<br />
Check.<br />
<br />
Step 6: DO IT. Just friggin' DO IT!<br />
<br />
This step is going to be a constant work in progress and is going to need your help. Yes. You. Sitting there reading this. Poke me. Prod me. Ask me if I've gone for a walk today. INVITE me for a walk today! Encourage me.<br />
<br />
I'm doing this for me. Not you. Not anyone else. But the encouragement is still vital.<br />
<br />
Righto.<br />
<br />
New post in a few days. Weigh in weekly.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579487808570823782noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-20221945612880495362014-01-07T20:13:00.002-08:002014-01-07T20:13:36.391-08:00Make it so!Well the holidays are over. The "official" holidays, that is. I'm very lucky to still be off work until the 20th of this month. It really is one of the best things about working for a Non-Profit Organization in this beautiful country of New Zealand. We shut down for 3-4 weeks every year at Christmas time and, because Christmas coincides with Summer in this part of the world, I get to enjoy what should (theoretically) be a lovely season without being stuck in an office the whole time. <br /><br />I say 'theoretically' because if I'm being totally honest, the weather this summer not really lived up to my expectations. Large parts of the country have had torrential rain and flooding, not to mention winds. The sun has been rather absent. <br /><br />I can't complain too much. I was in one of the few places over the week of Christmas to actually get the opposite of what the weather folk had predicted. We were promised rain, rain, and more rain. We actually got lots of sun, sand, and summer fun.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQ4v1YyyFJWomC-l7olypzXQiiTj6SzrDLsrMPMImxIqknv8_YF5ymLDiEQulXcU5KP-doguBz_JdIBCGp7cYHgq3Y4DpECF9aVQtNq4uqdSnGC9WqqR1R1AYAbNGlmDHPCAHSGMQiomx/s1600/DSC04136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQ4v1YyyFJWomC-l7olypzXQiiTj6SzrDLsrMPMImxIqknv8_YF5ymLDiEQulXcU5KP-doguBz_JdIBCGp7cYHgq3Y4DpECF9aVQtNq4uqdSnGC9WqqR1R1AYAbNGlmDHPCAHSGMQiomx/s1600/DSC04136.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Since then, however, the weather has gone rather downhill and other than the odd day here or there people have been rather unhappy with Mother Nature. NOTHING compared to many of you back in North America and Europe though. I really feel for you with what you're dealing with...and my thoughts are with you all. Stay safe!<br /><br />Anyway, I made it through the holidays relatively unscathed. As we were away 'glamping' (camping in a cabin that consisted of a double bed and 2 bunks), we didn't have the big Christmas dinner and all the desserts. Our dinner was basically steak and french fries. Excellent!<br />
<br />
Since coming back, it's been a lovely time of relaxation and refreshment but it is coming to an end. We have officially begun the Biggest Loser Challenge that I mentioned <a href="http://lookingforfeet.blogspot.co.nz/2013/12/looking-forward.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. I am incredibly stoked to say that we have 16 people taking part! Quite aside from the $80 that will go to the winner at the end of the 3 months, that is 16 people who are committing to making a big change in their lives, to getting fitter and healthier, and (as is the case with many of them) to lose some pounds. I am SO excited to be part of the challenge and to be doing it with this amazing group of people. Stay tuned....I'll update occasionally as we get through the next few months. <br />
<br />
I have to say, I was absolutely HORRIFIED when I did my
initial weigh in for the challenge. After all the progress I made when I
was on Weight Watchers, losing all those kilos, I never wanted to see
that weight again. But I'll be the first to admit that since I quit
going to WW and since I landed myself in hospital 18 months ago with a
Staph infection in my leg, I have not been good. It has been an absolute
shit year or so and aside from my apparent inability to resist the call of the yummy foods, I have tended to eat whatever isn't nailed down when I'm having a hard time. <br /><br />I'll post weight progress updates to my Progress page as I carry on, and hopefully some pictures to go with it.<br />
<br />
In an attempt to challenge myself even further, I have joined the <a href="http://fatgirlvsworld.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/recap-renew.html" target="_blank">2014 edition of Go The Distance</a>, courtesy of Fat Girl Vs The World. I'm determined to make it stick. I cannot carry on the way I have been. I am hoping that 2014 will prove to be every bit the year I want it to be, and I am going to work hard to make it so.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinabqQkPumgHXUl6caXAAJO1EjJbDeFmMtNhCbh9IN2h8NExWRLVi20endPJxI8nLpzsnZTaZWk-KdOA6qlYe4Iu7u8OgLarP-em3zSP2eh4R5hWvqGZQKdHOVpooeCh1WLZ2DTkvx1rz9/s1600/make+it+so.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinabqQkPumgHXUl6caXAAJO1EjJbDeFmMtNhCbh9IN2h8NExWRLVi20endPJxI8nLpzsnZTaZWk-KdOA6qlYe4Iu7u8OgLarP-em3zSP2eh4R5hWvqGZQKdHOVpooeCh1WLZ2DTkvx1rz9/s1600/make+it+so.png" height="244" width="320" /></a></div>
So how have all of you started your year? Did you make resolutions or, like me, did you just decide to flag the resolutions and just DO IT?!<br /><br />Here's to a Happy & Health 2014.....for everyone!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579487808570823782noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-42087212345148966382013-12-07T01:12:00.002-08:002013-12-07T01:12:54.310-08:00Looking Forward<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZqrZz-xY5X7mpGPVPJtvKxXwsWs0z-fGr02KULEljR8Xmaiov-OG9nbBWCHZG_1CwihkdTVTFHCeW0-DDS8cO2BbFF1kVJCvWIj6vQnlngUq2Nq3V3GjuXVy8Gn1emtq3IWTfdsNS7Pa/s1600/Biggest-Loser-Workouts-Are-Great-Lose-Fat-Not-Muscle-Mass-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZqrZz-xY5X7mpGPVPJtvKxXwsWs0z-fGr02KULEljR8Xmaiov-OG9nbBWCHZG_1CwihkdTVTFHCeW0-DDS8cO2BbFF1kVJCvWIj6vQnlngUq2Nq3V3GjuXVy8Gn1emtq3IWTfdsNS7Pa/s320/Biggest-Loser-Workouts-Are-Great-Lose-Fat-Not-Muscle-Mass-2.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<br />
So I sent out a mass message to a bunch of my local people the other day - a bit of a look to the future, if you will.<br />
<br />
I wanted to see who might be interested in joining a Biggest Loser type challenge, starting in January. I wasn't expecting much of a response but I was pleasantly surprised to find that 9 of those people jumped at the chance, and 2 of us have roped in our husbands as well. <br />
<br />
We'll each chip in $5 and then take a picture of the number on the scale. At the end of March, whoever has lost the biggest percentage of weight will win the money in the pot. <br />
<br />
<br />
It's really a win win for all of us. We all get to get healthier and lose some weight, and one of us gets to win some money. Motivation, and winning! WOO!<br />
<br />
I'm really looking forward to this challenge because it is where my natural competitiveness (which seems to have developed in my adult years) will come into play and will do far more than any self motivation (which I seem to lack BIG TIME) has done for me lately. Hopefully we can keep doing this throughout the year and it will do us all the world of good.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
**********</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMsrZY2FNG81fqvori05U-RzlWmVy3qjwL0L-Cw8-BL8FYv0PdaHy8wm5ruVEL63aAUfOCO9BOeOTEQ3V9SX-I_fRhbdnnIdhKkFlJoHa6vArrb0_BnzGYcM9Q881PpeJ3DC7b6vE14sE/s1600/30ad8961c8b9421f187ec112f7a9dc6d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMsrZY2FNG81fqvori05U-RzlWmVy3qjwL0L-Cw8-BL8FYv0PdaHy8wm5ruVEL63aAUfOCO9BOeOTEQ3V9SX-I_fRhbdnnIdhKkFlJoHa6vArrb0_BnzGYcM9Q881PpeJ3DC7b6vE14sE/s1600/30ad8961c8b9421f187ec112f7a9dc6d.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I found this picture on Pinterest and thought it was great. For me, food has always been there to fill a hole. Happy, sad, angry, lonely, frustrated, and bored - food is always there for me. From what I gather, it is that way for a lot of people. <br />
<br />
Years ago, I got into the habit of munching on things in the evening while watching TV. Boredom food. Restlessness food? Anyway, it's a habit I still battle. <br />
<br />
What are some of the habits that you find hard to break?<br />
<br />
The other reason that this picture jumped out at me is because of the exercise part. For YEARS, my mother has been telling me that aside from fitness and health, exercise can be good for my mood. And for years, I have brushed her off because hey, who really wants to admit their mother is right about something?! <br />
<br />
But she IS right. A simple walk, or a run (if you're that way inclined - I am not), can do wonders for your mood and lift your spirits. <br />
<br />
So.....challenge time. I want each and every one of you to go out and DO something this week. At least 4 days of the week. I will, too! It doesn't have to be something new, just DO it! And work on breaking some of those habits. </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579487808570823782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-51649558253417899662013-12-03T02:33:00.001-08:002013-12-03T02:33:11.476-08:00For real this time.....I promise!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dulO7ufgFgYV7rU5oeEgdqkrL66FZEyOA1MJhxCc30OAlCTHWO-ffgpwS-wXVnDkiLoitSXv5Q-n693iLA4YbJPi3jP-pyh7AMEJIGdlt6oj56K_95z3WTiuPSHH6z-Md5Xe80f0jmt_/s1600/suck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dulO7ufgFgYV7rU5oeEgdqkrL66FZEyOA1MJhxCc30OAlCTHWO-ffgpwS-wXVnDkiLoitSXv5Q-n693iLA4YbJPi3jP-pyh7AMEJIGdlt6oj56K_95z3WTiuPSHH6z-Md5Xe80f0jmt_/s320/suck.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
*sigh*<br /><br />Yeah. 11 months ago I posted saying I was back. I was back, and excited, and motivated, and ....stuff. And then, I vanished. <br /><br />Shocked?<br /><br />Probably not. I wouldn't blame you if you were one of those people sitting there thinking, "Ah! The Oreos won again". <br /><br />For the record, they didn't. The Pepsi Max, energy drinks, and chips won. They ganged up on me, pinned me to the couch, and proceeded to jump down my throat. Over and over and over again.<br />
<br />
See, I thought I had my head sorted out. I thought that I had conquered all the shit that had built up in there and had mastered some semblance of control over my life. It was July 2012 when I landed in hospital with a nasty infection in my leg (otherwise known as Cellulitis) (otherwise known as OMG KILL ME NOW THIS F***ING HURTS!!). After being released, I had to take it easy. And it was then that my motivation started to slip. <br /><br />If I had to sit around and do nothing, dammit! I was gonna make it worth my while. It was delicious. But it UNdid all that work I had put in before. All that weight that I lost, all that health I gained, undone. <br /><br />So in January this year I said I was back. But I was not ready. I was studying, working full time, parenting full time, volunteering for various things......too much going on that I was not willing to step down from, and therefore was not willing to dedicate any time to my health. <br /><br />Fast forward to May and we got a call asking if we'd take in a wee foster child. Of course we will! I don't have ANY good reason to say no, let's do it! He was with us for a month. He was a challenge but he was sweet. Unfortunately, he was like yet another full time job and my health started to suffer. Toward the end of May, I lost the plot. Literally. Sobbing like a fool on my bed as my poor husband looked on in confusion, wondering what he could do to help. <br /><br />In the end, the boy went elsewhere, I stepped down from a couple of volunteering gigs, and tried to put myself back together. And anything I couldn't reassemble? Well, there's food to cure the guilt from that, right?<br /><br />WRONG!<br /><br />So here we are, just a few weeks out from Christmas 2013 and I'm still heavy, still unfit, still unhealthy, and still miserable with myself. I'm not a good role model for my children. But I want to change all that. I want to get back on that track that I was on before. So I will. With your help, and help from some local friends. <br /><br />Just tonight, when my brain was doing the whole "haha! sleep is for the weak!" act, I sent out a message to some local people asking if they'd join me in a 3 month, Biggest Loser Challenge. Let's see what happens.<br /><br /><br />How are all of you? Are you still trucking along, getting healthy? What tips do you have for someone like me that is just trying to get back on track?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579487808570823782noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-85980545456955054282013-01-09T14:35:00.004-08:002013-01-09T14:35:41.183-08:00The Return of Jabba the Hut<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDj9Yq86J67H58Fa529PRF0K127MfXBX91c1s0F7z5-3gAKC3kEF4tkik0xE7x262RXU4F8GizVZeLUWcL3HlPzyCEOT1dSYLDnyOZN7tXsiv194qoPjRPYGY65_gZTFMGTuHsiWFGZEEg/s1600/170px-The_shining_heres_johnny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDj9Yq86J67H58Fa529PRF0K127MfXBX91c1s0F7z5-3gAKC3kEF4tkik0xE7x262RXU4F8GizVZeLUWcL3HlPzyCEOT1dSYLDnyOZN7tXsiv194qoPjRPYGY65_gZTFMGTuHsiWFGZEEg/s1600/170px-The_shining_heres_johnny.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shining_%28film%29">Wikipedia</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm baaaaaccckkkkk! <br /><br />Ok. I know that's not me over there and I know I'm not quite at Jabba the Hut size and I know that Jack doesn't say he's back. But it was either a creepy picture of him or one of Arnie. I don't like Arnie. <br /><br />Right. <br /><br />Anyway, I'm back. I need to be back. It is imperative that I return to this, my most comfortable of spaces so that I may be publicly flogged for my transgressions in order for my life path to return to where it should be. <br /><br />Or some such crap anyway. I really have a hard time coming up with words to describe why I need to return to this space. All I know is that is important in this moment.<br />
<br />
A year ago I left this blog. I needed to dedicate the time to my family. I've done that. A year is enough. I'm bored. <br /><br />Not really. I'm just at the point where I have a little bit more work/life balance. I'm only working ONE job instead of 3. That one job takes up only 16 hours a week instead of 50. And although I am now studying as well, I do find I have more of a handle on what my priorities are. <br /><br />This means that not only can I incorporate blogging back into my life, I can also actually enjoy it again. I hope. <br /><br />So, I'll have more of an update on WHY it is so important for me to be back here....but that will have to wait until later in the week. Right now I have to go and study. <br /><br />I hope that some of you are still around. And if you're not? Well, I'll never know anyway. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07579487808570823782noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-30079118547810314292012-02-09T13:08:00.001-08:002012-02-09T13:11:56.114-08:00Endings<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">Hi Everyone,<br />
<br />
I've recently reached a very difficult decision to close down this blog AND my FB page. I want to be able to spend as much time as possible with my husband and children in between my 3 jobs, his job & his studies. In order for me to do this, I can't be worrying about when my next update on this page or post on my blog is going to be coming. <br />
<br />
Thank you all for your support throughout my<span class="text_exposed_show"> journey so far. I'll continue to check in on those of you who have blogs/pages but I will disappear from a week today. <br />
<br />
If you're looking for me on FB...my profile is at facebook.com/chuzzlewitz ...just tell me who you are :)<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
Maggie</span></span></span></h6>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-58490142950739570752012-02-07T00:44:00.000-08:002012-02-07T00:44:08.082-08:00OvertimeI propose a change. It will be a change for busy women everywhere. It will be thing of beauty that allows us to not only be with our families, enjoy a day of work, get some exercise without feeling guilty and have a chance to relax. <br />
<br />
A 30 hour day. 8 hours for working, 8 hours for sleeping, 8 hours with the family, 2 hours for exercising and 4 hours for relaxing. <br />
<br />
Deal? DEAL!!<br />
<br />
Gah! It's been so dang busy in my life lately and I haven't had much chance to sit down and put any words in this wee space. It is still busy but for this one night only I have some down time because I managed to get myself a bit more organised.<br />
<br />
I wish I could say I've been a good girl. Truth be told, I've been fairly good but I haven't put any extra effort in. <br />
<br />
My father was here visiting for 10 days which I have to say is the best start I could possibly have had for 2012. We did a lot of touring around in the immediate area and even ventured a little further out to see a bit more of the upper South Island of NZ. I don't think I lost anything while they were here but I did manage to maintain my weight by counteracting the amount of food I was eating with a fair bit of walking.<br />
<br />
Since then? Well, the kids are back at school after the summer holidays, I am back at work after almost a month off (most of the non profit organisations shut down over summer) and am now working 3 jobs on a soon to be 7 day a week basis. How's that for crappy grammar eh?<br />
<br />
Aside from my office jobs, I have been employed as a swim teacher at the Sports Stadium. I am LOVING it! I teach preschoolers the basics of swimming, get to enjoy their cuteness (mostly) and then get to give them back. Awesomeness! There are a few perks to this job. Half price lessons for my own kids, half price gym membership for me (here's hoping I'll actually USE it), and free recreational/fitness swimming for myself and the family. I love being in the water, and I float beautifully, so I am loving this whole deal. Maybe one day in the not too distant future, I'll be able to be employed solely by the stadium! <br />
<br />
<br />
My "Go The Distance" challenge is going ok. I keep forgetting to wear my pedometer so I can only enter my walking that I do purely for the purpose of the challenge, which sucks because I reckon I'm easily walking another 3 or 4 kilometres on top of that, just from my bimbling around.<br />
<br />
This week sees me back on track as far as food is concerned...but shhhh, I haven't told the Doritos that are hiding in the cupboard. I might have to send them to live with someone else!<br />
<br />
In a couple weeks, I'll be able to get to the gym in the evenings, or to the pool, because my hubby will be working back in town on a permanent basis. This will give me that little bit more freedom. Right now, about the only time I get to do any actual exercise is walking the dog.<br />
<br />
Can't wait to catch up on all your blogs! Hope you're all doing awesome! <br />
<br />
Here's to 2012 staying awesome!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-46291469555831854662012-01-11T02:04:00.000-08:002012-01-11T02:04:43.303-08:00Fit Date 011.12/149.4'Allo! It's that time of the week again where I donned my weigh in clothes, trekked down to the centre and sacrificed myself on the digital scale altar. I have to admit that my stomach doesn't churn in quite the same way as it used to, which is a nice change. Now I just heave a sigh, say a little prayer for success and step on the platform.<br />
<br />
This week wasn't nearly as active as I had hoped it would be, but it wasn't too bad. I would have been happy to break even or lose just a small amount. As long as the number wasn't going UP, I was fine. And I was rewarded for my efforts with a LOSS!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Start Weight (Dec 28, 2011): 152.3 kg (335.06 lb)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Weight Last Week (Jan 4, 2012): 150.6 kg (331.32 lb)</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Current Weight (Jan 11, 2012): 149.4 kg (328.68 lb)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Loss this week: 1.2 kg (2.64 lb)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">TOTAL Loss: 2.9 kg (6.38 lb)</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Just 1.4 kg left to lose before I hit my mini goal of wanting to be at 148 kg by February 1st. YAY for mini goals!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">* * * * * * * * * * </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, I was recently tagged by Leigh over at<a href="http://poonapalooza.blogspot.com/"> Poonapalooza</a> in a little "getting to know you" exercise. I'm supposed to provide 11 random facts about myself and then answer some questions that Leigh has laid out. Afterwards, I am meant to tag 11 other people. I'm going to skip that part, but I'll play along with the questions and the random facts. Feel free to click away now, but you never know...you might learn something!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u><b>11 Random Facts</b></u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>1.</b> Some women collect shoes or handbags and go all gaga when they see them in stores or pictures of them online. For me, it's books. Books, books, books. My favourite inanimate thing. Ever.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>2.</b> I have often thought that I was a twin and that she is out there somewhere in the world being hidden from me. Preposterous? Perhaps. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>3.</b> I always thought that spiders would be the most annoying pest to have in my house. Now, after a year of living in a house that seems to be a safe haven for wood cockroaches, I actually permit and enable the spiders to take up residence in my home. I have only one rule for them...they are not allowed to hang down from the ceiling in the middle of the room. Should they be caught doing this, they shall be evicted. To date, only one rebel arachnid has tested the boundaries. I made an example of him. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>4.</b> While I have always been fond of movies, of just about any genre, I have recently started re-watching all the 80s movies which I now realise were not fully appreciated in my more youthful years. As I re-live my youth through the classics like Labyrinth, The Goonies, Princess Bride and anything that the amazing John Hughes touched, I am once again reminded that I have been considerably slack in the parenting department when it comes to these things. Thus, I am relishing subjecting them to hours upon hours of movie goodness. Age appropriate of course. Mostly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>5.</b> I have a horrible talent for dreaming up the "next best thing". Horrible because the ideas usually come to me in the middle of the night, interrupting my sleep and occasionally that of my tolerant husband and also because by the time I look into it online in the morning, I discover some brainiac already came up with it. Two years ago. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>6.</b> I have a dream that one day I will wake up and have all the talent and awesomeness of a CSI or Criminal Minds agent. Being that amazing without having to do years of study would certainly fit in with my life right about now. It could happen!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>7.</b> As a teen I had a friend who could stick her tongue behind her teeth and make it ripple, like waves. Despite many hours in front of a mirror trying to figure out how to do that and wiggle my ears, all I managed was figuring out how to flare my nostrils. Much to the delight of my children, I'm now a pro at that. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>8.</b> I can also stick my fist in my mouth. This was also courtesy of the same friend in my teen years. She had a rather wider mouth than I did and could do it much more easily but the two of us and our friend Kelly took great pleasure in doing it in front of my mother. That one simple act was enough to provoke my mother's gag reflex which in turn made us giggle and do it some more. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>9.</b> I consider sarcasm to be another language. I happen to be fluent in it, which is fantastic considering I spent years of schooling learning French, and a bit of German and the only thing that has remained in my brain is the sarcasm. I also do sexual innuendos and snide remarks with flair. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>10.</b> I've never been allowed to donate blood because I lived in the UK for too long during that whole "my cow thinks it's a chicken" phase of the 90s. I'm seriously considering fighting that ruling. First of all, I've never thought I was a chicken, I'm a cow through and through. Secondly? Quack.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>11.</b> I can't sing. Or rather, I can sing...but not well. Does that stop me from doing it? NOPE! Full volume, singing away in the shower, the kitchen, the car....I have a diva living inside me and she thinks she's Beyonce. I haven't got the heart to tell her that she's more like the bad auditions on American Idol. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So that's the 11 random facts, now for <u><b>the questions:</b></u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>1. What was your favourite food when you were a child?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I can't honestly remember. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it probably wasn't vegetables. Or stew (gag). Maybe mac 'n' cheese.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>2. What is one of your favourite quotes?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">"Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life, and when it comes, hold your head high, look it squarely in the eye and say, 'I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me.' " ~ Ann Landers</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>3. What is your favourite body part?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I can't say that I really have one right now because I struggle with my body image so much at the moment. I like the length of my legs, the broadness of my shoulders and my hair, but I'm working on loving the rest!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>4. If you could stay a certain age forever, what age would it be and why?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Um. I'm going to say none. I'm actually enjoying getting older and moving forward with my life. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>5. If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">For fitness/healthy living/weight loss? Jillian Michaels. She scares the shit out of me but I think she'd get me to where I need to be. For general life purposes? Dr. Phil. Say what you will about the big bald fella but he's awesome!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>6. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Shemar Moore. One night only. Me, him, beach, cabana, oil, strawberries, whipped cream, awesome music. Obviously in this scenario neither of us is married or otherwise attached, which also means that in this scenario, after one night he would love me so much that he wanted to be with me forever. It's meant to be! He's just in denial. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>7. What celebrity do you get mistaken for?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Erm, not so much mistaken for, but I've been told I bear an ever so slight resemblance to the girl who plays Penelope Garcia on Criminal Minds. The fact that I would love to have the confidence to dress the way she does is just gravy. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>8. What would you name the autobiography of your life?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 Steps Forward, 6 Steps Back. I'll let you draw your own conclusions from that.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>9. What was the first thing you bought with your own money?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't know! Probably a CD. I would have been a teenager and earning my money by babysitting. So it would have been a CD or some such thing that I didn't need. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>10. What was the last experience that made you a better person?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Gosh, I don't know! Not bitch slapping the last waitress that completely ignored me, the fat woman, in a restaurant in favour of concentrating on my rather good looking husband? Yeah, I'll go with that!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>11. What was the last movie, tv show or book that made you cry or tear up?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">"Soul Surfer". I haven't read the book but I watched the movie the other night and it was amazing. The courage of that girl to keep going despite all that happened to her...it really spoke to me. It showed me that I can DO this. I can do anything I put my mind to. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">* * * * * * * * * *</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So there ya have it folks! My facts, my answers, my weigh in. Have a great day, and come on over and visit <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LookingForMyFeet">me on Facebook</a> won't ya?</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-42429487007558204532012-01-09T21:38:00.000-08:002012-01-09T21:38:51.127-08:00Please don't feed her that!I watched her that morning. I've always liked watching her dance and twirl, the smile on her face stretching from one ear to the other. So I stood and watched as she paraded around the room, first in circles and then back and forth across the floor space.<br />
<br />
That morning was different though. That morning, the smile wasn't as big, the parade not as flamboyant, the eyes not as sparkly.<br />
<br />
I wanted so badly to march in, scoop her up and ask what might be wrong. But I stood and watched some more.<br />
<br />
I watched as she walked from the bed to the dresser and stood in front of the mirror. I watched as she sucked her stomach in, pushed it out, sucked it in again.<br />
<br />
Then I heard, in the faintest whisper: "I don't think I'm fat".<br />
<br />
And my heart broke into a million pieces. <br />
<br />
You see, she is my daughter and she's only 9. Since the day she was born, she's only ever known her mother to be overweight, but she has always been a healthy weight. A tall, slim 9 year old built of solid muscle, there isn't anything remotely fat about her but somehow, some way, it has crept into her consciousness that she might be.<br />
<br />
And that breaks my heart.<br />
<br />
When I hear that some little boy at school has told her she has a fat bum, I want to wash his mouth out with soap. When I see her and her friends flicking through magazines and looking at the celebs with their personal trainer bodies and perfectly tailored clothes, I want to rip them out of their hands and scream "they aren't REAL!!".<br />
<br />
You see, I've always tried to foster a healthy body image in my daughter. I haven't been the best role model as far as eating and exercising but I'm trying to remedy that. I have always attempted to make sure she knows that being healthy and strong is important, not the size of your body. We've talked about beauty vs brains (<i>she happens to have both</i>), healthy eating, everything in moderation, blah blah blah.<br />
<br />
So WHY was she standing in her room, in front her mirror and talking about being fat?<br />
<br />
Because already society's ideals have started to permeate that little brain of hers. She watches tv and hears the girls on shows going on about being skinny. She sees the pictures in magazines. She hears the older girls at school obsess about their appearances and their bodies.<br />
<br />
<b>It needs to STOP!</b><br />
<br />
I can't shelter her from everything, nor would I want to. All I can do is offer a different perspective on it all and hope it sinks in.<br />
<br />
I don't want my daughter to be like me. I want her to make smarter, better choices. I want her to grow up to be smart and beautiful (<i>inside and out</i>). But mostly I want her to be healthy; I want her to be strong. I want her to be what she has always been......<br />
<br />
.....AMAZING!<br />
<br />
<b>We need to stop feeding our girls the same old bullshit!</b> The magazines and the celebrities and the fashion industry need to stop promoting the "<i>you must skinny</i>" ideal and start promoting the "<i>you must be healthy</i>" ideal.<br />
<br />
Whether that means you're a size 2 or a size 16, I really don't give a crap.<br />
<br />
Be healthy. Be amazing. Be fit. Be strong. Be true to yourself and your body.<br />
<br />
But whatever you do, stop feeding that bullshit to my daughter because this little girl? She's awesome and she doesn't need to worry about being fat....she needs to worry about having fun and when her next sleepover is gonna be!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXz609hCxXCZ_zXHuMd4cAY8xWaIfZ8uQZO4qP8W4PhYPQhia0U48_AuOMP-Xp5WO6lCVIQaJCPWEB79ChTh-628g9sVhUQ4nI9Gk61gzbc8CugVoJX6GP7Ykzhiqm-SBfuNfFY9mVJ4I/s1600/Ashlee+pics+Sept+2011+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXz609hCxXCZ_zXHuMd4cAY8xWaIfZ8uQZO4qP8W4PhYPQhia0U48_AuOMP-Xp5WO6lCVIQaJCPWEB79ChTh-628g9sVhUQ4nI9Gk61gzbc8CugVoJX6GP7Ykzhiqm-SBfuNfFY9mVJ4I/s400/Ashlee+pics+Sept+2011+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-7117479748095281642012-01-08T01:07:00.000-08:002012-01-08T01:07:07.709-08:00WINNING! But not like Charlie Sheen!One of the bad things about getting older is that sometimes the memory starts to have, well, let's call them lapses shall we? Now, I'm only in my early 30s, but already I have trouble remembering things. My boss calls this "<i>Some-zheimers</i>". My mother has "<i>All-the-damn-time-zheimers</i>" but we try not to tease her too much about it. You know what I'm talking about right? Get up from the couch, walk the 15 feet to the kitchen and proceed to stand there with a dumbass look on your face while you consider the options for WHY you are there?<br />
<br />
Happens to me multiple times a day.<br />
<br />
*sigh*<br />
<br />
So, needless to say, I forgot that I was meant to be doing<a href="http://lookingforfeet.blogspot.com/2011/12/up-for-grabs.html"> the draw for that book, "<i>The End of Overeating</i></a>". Yesterday. More than 24 hours ago. Can I use being blonde as an excuse? It works for Paris Hilton!<br />
<br />
I finally remember 20 minutes ago. At 9 p.m. New Zealand time. I can't even honestly remember why I remembered. HA! See? "<i>Some-zheimers</i>"!<br />
<br />
I took all the entries (10 of them, including my more-forgetful-than-me mother) and wrote them down on ugly yellow pieces of paper. Yeah, I like to kick it old school once in awhile. And then? Then I remembered that I had no impartial person here to pull out a name for me because my husband left to go back to work today. <br />
<br />
So I did what any good mother would do. I went and woke up my daughter.<br />
<br />
WHAT?!? After all those months of screaming, pooing, screaming some more and keeping me up half the night, I figured it was about time I was given the chance to wake HER up for once. So I did.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgekrTw05JGjEnQQcxpxFBp-s8CnQzzru90E764YNqm39GPT2OIogOQo3ooYTF2-bx1ifbXxmct2rcedMD_WtEjY_-Uh0dFRCtm1bg50izx-T8Gb-ipWa0tNVTSc7ljQTT4IomJcWPT4/s1600/boy+%2526+dog+%2526+book+draw+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgekrTw05JGjEnQQcxpxFBp-s8CnQzzru90E764YNqm39GPT2OIogOQo3ooYTF2-bx1ifbXxmct2rcedMD_WtEjY_-Uh0dFRCtm1bg50izx-T8Gb-ipWa0tNVTSc7ljQTT4IomJcWPT4/s320/boy+%2526+dog+%2526+book+draw+008.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>She wasn't nearly as UNimpressed as I'd thought she would be. It was kind of a let down actually. Maybe next time.<br />
<br />
I think it might be a reflection of how used to my kind of crazy she is, when she doesn't even question WHY her mother has woken her up and handed her a bowl of paper. She just blindly goes along with it.<br />
<br />
"Ok, now pick out a piece of paper for me and hold it up for the camera once you've unfolded it."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9g0FyACIFVYaf5FkVQP7XXD9CLh4Zl6M74-qmzL7D4HLmwAWaUE9HDPHm5F0uwe51UfnHKcz5iO_KhErBytKdjYEisOviGYK4SX5x18FktltSx8gFYXedkag9p8r19cfYvcEAlbuoFYE/s1600/boy+%2526+dog+%2526+book+draw+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9g0FyACIFVYaf5FkVQP7XXD9CLh4Zl6M74-qmzL7D4HLmwAWaUE9HDPHm5F0uwe51UfnHKcz5iO_KhErBytKdjYEisOviGYK4SX5x18FktltSx8gFYXedkag9p8r19cfYvcEAlbuoFYE/s320/boy+%2526+dog+%2526+book+draw+009.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>She started to giggle right about then, as I'm sure the ridiculousness of it all was hitting her. Or maybe she was just tired. Either way, I'm not sure whose hands were shaking more as I zoomed in to take a picture of the piece of paper so y'all could see who actually won.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFzsoTrZM6mFTVLrluSSBqUJ3Omy0FibD8Eg_J1UDXhyphenhyphenbjwJ044tLExQS0RA28p8GcSKm0gj32GQp-7YtB7G8rApWhzTcLZq25AS9_4SzOSIFp7IM53_m88Cyj9ILklr7M1-8RzIb-lE/s1600/boy+%2526+dog+%2526+book+draw+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFzsoTrZM6mFTVLrluSSBqUJ3Omy0FibD8Eg_J1UDXhyphenhyphenbjwJ044tLExQS0RA28p8GcSKm0gj32GQp-7YtB7G8rApWhzTcLZq25AS9_4SzOSIFp7IM53_m88Cyj9ILklr7M1-8RzIb-lE/s320/boy+%2526+dog+%2526+book+draw+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Congratulations to Lorne from<a href="http://ladybugbeauty.wordpress.com/"> Ladybug Beauty</a>! If you <a href="mailto:lookingformyfeet@gmail.com">email me</a>, I'll get that book out to you ASAP. <br />
<br />
As for the rest of you, bring your friends along to this here party, and the fun over at my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LookingForMyFeet">Facebook Page</a> and pretty soon I'll be having another giveaway. FUN right?!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-88594583078316605872012-01-04T01:29:00.000-08:002012-01-04T01:29:57.881-08:00Fit Date 004.12/150.6Hello my lovelies! This has been a sensational week! What a way to start off 2012; just fantastic!<br />
<br />
As I said in my previous post, I have signed up for the <a href="http://fatgirlvsworld.blogspot.com/p/gtd.html">"Go The Distance 2012" challenge</a>. A year long challenge where we all set a goal and do our damnedest to achieve it. And, as also previously mentioned, I set myself a goal of completing 2400 km on foot. This will be done by walking, running or on the elliptical. I'm off to a good start so far, logging just over 25 kms in the last 4 days.<br />
<br />
Which is why, when the wonderful Tex (<i>my WW leader & friend</i>) reminded us this evening of the S.M.A.R.T way to set goals, I was able to sit comfortably in the knowledge that although the challenge is a year long thing, it is broken down into smaller, more achievable targets.<br />
<br />
Do you know what the S.M.A.R.T way to set goals is? I had pretty much forgotten until Tex reminded us this evening.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>S</b> pecific </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>M</b> easurable </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A</b> chievable </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>R</b> ealistic </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>T</b> ime </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In the past, I have been guilty (<i>multiple times</i>) of setting goals so lofty that while they may be specific & measurable, they are certainly not achievable or realistic. Or I try and squeeze a goal that would be realistic in six months into two. <br />
<br />
I know I'm not the only one. I've seen others do it. "I'm going to lose 10 kilos in the next month". Yeah ok, you might...if you're on <i>The Biggest Loser</i> or if you spend 5 hours a day working out every day for the next month. Or if you're lucky. But for most people, it just isn't a realistic goal. And all too often we find ourselves overextending. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">It's good to have dreams. It's good to have goals. But as Tex so nicely reminded us tonight, it is important to stay grounded and make sure that when you set those goals, you have a shot of meeting them. Shoot for the stars, but make sure those stars are a little closer to Earth than Pluto. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">* * * * * * * * * *</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I had weigh in tonight. After my week of walking, swimming, drinking water and tracking what I eat, I am happy to say that I am now 1.7 kgs lighter than I was last week. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Start Weight (Dec 28, 2011): 152.3 kg (335.06 lb)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Current Weight (Jan 4, 2012): 150.6 kg (331.32 lb)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Loss this week: 1.7 kg (3.74 lb)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">TOTAL Loss: 1.7 kg (3.74 lb)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">* * * * * * * * * *</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Have you seen this picture making the rounds on Facebook and Pinterest? I forget who first posted it, but it spoke volumes to me and everyone else who has seen it so far. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_29dNRWt9WBuZZDGTqEfMG_SyL2Ubi5Kn7EHUUsC71V67wxpzOD0dSL8WxWa4zxc0wPC6CAYl_tzounsSakH8QTVU7FpP8QOTx6LiJ3mAFCBh5FL_DqqUfFoSVoU8zwC8Ctm2SPo46iU/s1600/375466_337085379652841_115423665152348_1281395_1796900238_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_29dNRWt9WBuZZDGTqEfMG_SyL2Ubi5Kn7EHUUsC71V67wxpzOD0dSL8WxWa4zxc0wPC6CAYl_tzounsSakH8QTVU7FpP8QOTx6LiJ3mAFCBh5FL_DqqUfFoSVoU8zwC8Ctm2SPo46iU/s320/375466_337085379652841_115423665152348_1281395_1796900238_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Certainly thought provoking isn't it?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here's to another great week folks!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-5773481649457815972012-01-02T01:40:00.000-08:002012-01-02T01:40:38.069-08:00I Had a DreamI had a dream. It was awesome.<br />
<br />
There I was, walking through a field and I heard music. The next thing I know, I see Fred Durst standing in front of me with a microphone and he starts to sing. To me. Yup. I dreamed that Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit stood in front of me in a field full of cucumbers (<i>yes, cucumbers</i>) and sang "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MSqF_rQ6Mw">Behind Blue Eyes</a>". Oddest dream I've had in awhile and I have yet to figure out what significance it has.<br />
<br />
Hm. Yes. Well. <i> </i><br />
<br />
Anyway. I've been having the oddest dreams lately and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Last night was a good one though. I woke up with a new determination and a huge smile on my face.<br />
<br />
You see, in my dream I was crossing the finish line of a 10K. I'm not sure where, I'm not sure when. But I was running, I was crossing the finish line and there were still people behind me. I wasn't yet at my goal weight (<i>can't have everything be awesome in your dreams, eh?</i>) but there I was. Running.<br />
<br />
In reality, this is a long way off. Not impossible, but in the relatively distant future. I am currently too heavy and have knees that belong on an 80 year old. If I tried to run very far now, I would seriously hurt myself. Not to mention the black eyes that would come from my boobs bouncing around. But I'm happy to think that at some point in the future, I could be running a 10K.<br />
<br />
The thing is, I know it is possible. I know I could do it if I put my mind to it. And now it's a goal that I'm going to set for myself to achieve before I'm 40. That's 7 1/2 years. Plenty of time.<br />
<br />
Not all our goals need to be immediate. Not all our goals need to be achievable in the next year. Remember that movie "<i>The Bucket List</i>"? Well, I've now added "Run a 10K" to my own bucket list. Even if it takes me til the year I turn 40 to get there, I will do it.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">* * * * * * * * * * </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday saw the beginning of a new challenge for me. In the past, I halfheartedly signed up for Robby's "Go The Distance" challenge. It was a monthly thing and I don't think I made it past the first couple weeks. I always let something else get in the way. No more. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday I signed up for "<a href="http://fatgirlvsworld.blogspot.com/p/gtd.html">Go The Distance 2012</a>". It's the same basic premise but will go for the whole year. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I have challenged myself to complete 2400 KM in 2012. I will do this walking, running (eventually) or on the elliptical. I'm very, very excited about this and can't wait to see where this year takes me and the transformations I will see in my body. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Come along and join us all won't you? There are some awesome people doing this. You can too!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-42506512949025363792011-12-31T03:02:00.000-08:002011-12-31T03:02:00.815-08:00Fit Date 001.12/152.3Today is the first day of a new year. Today is the first day of MY year.<br />
<br />
My year to be fit. My year to be strong. My year to be healthy. MY year. <br />
<br />
For the last two years I have hummed and hawed, I have upped and downed and upped again, I have quit and restarted more times than I can count and more times than is even reasonable. I have cheated and I have lied to myself.<br />
<br />
I have walked a path, but not the path that I was meant to walk. Instead, the path I have traveled has run through, around and sometimes parallel to where I want and need to be. My compass has been broken and the nasty lady in the GPS machine just makes me want to scream.<br />
<br />
And so, I go in circles and occasionally pass through Chocolate Town by way of Pizza City. Sometimes I'll take the scenic route through Redemption Pass where I track religiously and make it a point to workout but there's just so long that my limited attention span can manage and I drift away back to the Big Greasy.<br />
<br />
I've decided the tourist life isn't for me though. Sure the towns and cities are nice from time to time with their promises of deliciousness but I think I crave the quieter life. I think that deep down inside me has been a lingering urge to commune with the fruits and veggies, swim in the water and walk with the fit folk.<br />
<br />
Excuses became such a deep seated defense mechanism that it has been hard to overcome them but, much like when I am trying to drive a manual transmission car, I have been slowly stripping away the gears. Sure, they're still there and of course they'd work if I really want them to, but for all intents and purposes they are now useless because of the strip job I've done on them. Pointless, useless excuses that no longer have a place in my life.<br />
<br />
Motivation has been hiding out on Pie Crust Beach and getting itself a tan, which would be fine if it didn't make me so dang jealous when I burn. The thing about motivation is that when you think you've got it, you have to keep hold of it. Sometimes, the motivation you've got is actually just a big idea disguised as something more socially acceptable. In this kind of journey, your motivation needs to the right kind. What I thought was a journey driven by motivation to be health, fit, strong and thinner for myself turned out to be something else.<br />
<br />
I've done a lot of reflection over the last few months while my husband has been working in another city and I've been eating well, eating poorly, eating well and eating REALLY bad again. During this reflection time, I realised that I was trying to lose weight to be more attractive for my husband, to be better looking for my kids (so they wouldn't be embarrassed), to prove to OTHER people that I could do it. But rarely did I say "I'm doing this for ME". <br />
<br />
Well, screw that.<br />
<br />
2012 is MY year.<br />
<br />
This is my year to be healthy.<br />
<br />
This is my year to be strong.<br />
<br />
This is my year to be fit and awesome.<br />
<br />
Because I want to for me. Because I NEED to for me. Because if I don't do this for me, it will never ever happen.<br />
<br />
2012? This is MY year. And I'm gonna kick ass.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">**********</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The draw is still open to win a copy of "The End of Overeating". Just email lookingformyfeet@gmail.com and I'll enter you. Draw finishes January 6th, 2012 at Midnight PST. Open to readers worldwide. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">**********</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-29087940488349773962011-12-25T22:00:00.000-08:002011-12-25T22:04:03.264-08:00UP FOR GRABS<span style="font-size:130%;">As a little Boxing Day token for all of you, I have got a copy of "The End of Over Eating" up for grabs.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MelQyDJLC6Z6t00mdKu5Nanh6Cn4KJxfR4KcCB6Qi8i2jOvw4dBnK-Cz7uFJ-F6nz6mxyRRjEKrM_wiLQLaXoQqBu95GA79o1adRFL8DQHPJ8phlD4I-SIN4faiQP7oRkWVvjktxw68/s1600/ofoe.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MelQyDJLC6Z6t00mdKu5Nanh6Cn4KJxfR4KcCB6Qi8i2jOvw4dBnK-Cz7uFJ-F6nz6mxyRRjEKrM_wiLQLaXoQqBu95GA79o1adRFL8DQHPJ8phlD4I-SIN4faiQP7oRkWVvjktxw68/s320/ofoe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690313399373704866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">If you would like to win this book, please just send me an email at:<br /><br />lookingformyfeet at gmail dot com<br /><br />with the subject line "OVER EATING BOOK" and I will enter you in the draw.<br /><br />I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would love to share it with all of you!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-63828454586412131772011-10-27T07:00:00.000-07:002011-10-27T07:00:10.485-07:00Y'all are better than a pair of Spanx!Being fat is hard.<br />
<br />
It's hard on your body, your mind, your emotions, and your health. Your self esteem can hit rock bottom, your emotions can take a dive into a never ending whirlpool. There will always be someone judging you because of your weight. Someone, somewhere, will always be ready with a rude or snarky comment about your weight and your appearance. Some of those people will do it under the guise of "just trying to help" when, in fact, they are doing more harm than good.<br />
<br />
Being fat is hard.<br />
<br />
Losing weight is hard.<br />
<br />
It is also hard on your body, your mind and your emotions. Just stepping into a gym can be a real challenge to your pride and your courage. As an overweight person, it can be very disconcerting and overwhelming to see all those machines being used by a bunch of fit and trim gym bunnies when you have NO bloody idea what you're meant to be doing. New habits have to be learned, old habits scrapped. Exercise upped, food consumption lowered.<br />
<br />
Losing weight is hard.<br />
<br />
BUT!!!<br />
<br />
Losing weight is not nearly as hard when you have a good support system.<br />
<br />
I've had a hard time losing weight anyway, but it was infinitely harder when I was trying to do it in secret. I frequently run into people who have said they don't want their friends, family, partners, children etc etc knowing that they attend Weight Watchers meetings. When I was doing the same thing, I totally understood. Now? It baffles me.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
I'll tell you.<br />
<br />
Weight management programs no longer have the same stigma attached. Celebrities the world over are promoting these programs in the hopes that you and I will sign up and use them. If Fergie, Kirstie Alley and Valerie Bertinelli can lose weight like that, in the VERY public eye, why can't we?<br />
<br />
Personally I'm at the point where I would rather have every single person I know be aware of the fact that I am trying to lose weight, than wonder if I'm ever going to bother.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
I'll tell you.<br />
<br />
I can't do this without support. I tried. I failed. Miserably.<br />
<br />
<b>Secret Squirrel Slimming Scenario:</b> Go out for dinner with friends, tell waitress you're going to order a salad. Friends look at you as if you've just grown a third head out of your nose and wonder aloud why you're not ordering the normal 6 course meal that you would have previously. You can't bring yourself to tell them that you're going to Weight Watchers and trying to be healthy and lose weight, so you backtrack on the salad and end up ordering garlic bread, steak and chips, mushrooms, dessert, and beer. At weigh in the next week, you've gained 2 kilos.<br />
<br />
<b>Satisfactorily Slimming with Support:</b> Go to a BBQ at a friend's house and show up holding a beautiful garden salad and a fruit platter. Instead of wondering what demonic creature has taken over your body to prevent you bringing 5 kilos of sausages and a cheesecake, the friend thanks you, congratulates you on your efforts thus far, and brings you a cold glass of water.<br />
<br />
I have invited just about every single person on my friend list to "Like" my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LookingForMyFeet">Facebook Page</a>. (you should too! plug plug!)<br />
<br />
I have shared the link to this blog with all the people close to me and some not so close.<br />
<br />
Both of those locations detail my efforts AND list my weight.<br />
<br />
Am I embarrassed by my weight? HELL YES! Am I doing something about it? DAMN STRAIGHT!<br />
<br />
But I have had nothing but support from the people in my life. And for that I'm grateful because it makes this soooo much easier.<br />
<br />
I blog partly because someone out there might be inspired by me to do something about their weight and their health. I blog because it's nice to be accountable to more than just friends, family and Facebook. I blog because I need the support, and I like to provide it where I can.<br />
<br />
Your support system is every bit as ESSENTIAL as your exercise routine and the food you eat. Let the people in your life know what is going on with you. Swallow your stupid pride and tell your partner that you have 20 / 50 / 70 kilos to lose. Suck it up and tell the people who love you that you NEED their support because you want to be healthy.<br />
<br />
As for you all out there reading this?? Spanx have got nothing on you.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Thanks for all your support!!</span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-43360038305850758702011-10-21T23:13:00.000-07:002011-10-21T23:13:57.472-07:00"Real" WomenRecently a picture has been circulating on Facebook that has provoked some very intense feelings in many people. It is a comparison of two very different body types, in two very different times. Some look at it and agree wholeheartedly with the attached caption, some partially agree but have other thoughts to add to it, and others are vehemently against the implied message.<br />
<br />
I fall somewhere in there; perhaps a mix of all three.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpD-uGkSzbYQy1j7qFEX03DSlvulWmQOHy-goR4EL-vhDAhYqAP-eFmooLWVSji6TxLU1S3JH-ap6sBgzinfXSY_A5wSg4bL5nTEn2UfJfdI9vDNlsWmcpV3IvYQosaKzEhjO72dv3fM/s1600/305155_1907663946444_1687187827_1417303_1596360615_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpD-uGkSzbYQy1j7qFEX03DSlvulWmQOHy-goR4EL-vhDAhYqAP-eFmooLWVSji6TxLU1S3JH-ap6sBgzinfXSY_A5wSg4bL5nTEn2UfJfdI9vDNlsWmcpV3IvYQosaKzEhjO72dv3fM/s320/305155_1907663946444_1687187827_1417303_1596360615_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I suppose that it would largely depend on who you are as to which camp you would fall into. Perhaps you are a person that really does prefer a woman on the very thin side. Maybe you're one who craves a little more meat on a woman. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What I'd like to address mostly is a comment which I've seen people post when they see this picture:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><blockquote><b>REAL women have curves!</b></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Do they? Is there a rule book somewhere that dictates that the only way you can be considered a "real" woman is to have curves? I've not seen one, and I challenge anyone to show me such a thing. And if there is, what constitutes curves? Again, you have to rely pretty heavily on public opinion as to what curves are considered "proper" curves to make up the aforementioned "real" woman. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used to be one of those people saying "Real women have curves". Every time someone skinny looked my way and commented, rudely or otherwise, I would bring out the old catchphrase as if it were a shield that could protect me against the world. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used to be quite comfortable in saying "Men don't want stick insects that are going to break, they want something with a bit of meat on their bones". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used to be......ignorant. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Plain and simple ignorance. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Every time you say "a REAL woman has curves", you are implying that those women who don't, aren't. Every time you utter that one simple phrase, you are doing exactly the same thing to those women that many have done to you when they comment on your weight. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the guys who originally shared that picture, and whose name still shows under it with each share, is a father. When he posted it, he added the comment:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I would hate for my daughter to grow up thinking she is supposed to look like a stick</b></span></span> </blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>figure.</b></span></span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I can understand that, I don't want my daughter to grow up thinking she HAS to be SKINNY either. Society places a certain pressure on women to be a certain size, that isn't necessarily appropriate for every woman's body type. But that's a post for another time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I re-posted that picture, I did so with the disclaimer that I was NOT talking about women who are genetically predisposed to being very thin. I have a couple of friends who fit into that category and yes, they are very thin and next to me look like waifs, but NO they are not anorexic/bulimic, NO they do not need to "go eat a burger", NO they are not starving themselves. Actually a couple of them can out eat me!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I re-posted that picture with my agreement that "this is more attractive than this", I was referring to those women that you see on many of the fashion runways and magazines nowadays. The women with bones jutting out everywhere and sunken faces. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is a difference between the two. There is a vast difference between the way your body is meant to be and the way that some women starve and overwork themselves to MAKE their bodies appear. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">**Don't get me wrong, I realize that anorexia & bulimia are horrible diseases and CLEARLY I have never suffered from either. I wish that women didn't feel the pressures that they do to look a certain way that pushed them to those points. **</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Real women. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What are they?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Are real women curvy? Are real women straight up and down with boyish figures? Are real women very thin or very muscly?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Real women? They're just women. All body types, all shapes and sizes and colours and ethnicities. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Real women are everywhere. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Re-define REAL. </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Change the way your mind works, change the things you say. Telling a thin woman that "real women have curves" or that she needs to "go eat a burger" are just as hurtful as telling an overweight woman that she's "gross" or needs to "staple that stomach".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We'll talk about re-defining sexy another time, but for now...go hug a REAL woman. Find the closest woman and give her a hug because no matter what she looks like, she's real. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">**********</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Come "Like" my Facebook Page and get updates, fun stuff and the chance to win things! <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LookingForMyFeet">Click HERE!</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-47984502302415492602011-10-19T20:41:00.000-07:002011-10-19T20:41:36.243-07:00Yet again<div style="text-align: left;">The problem with having a bunch of posts started and ready to go in your blogger storage facilities, is that many people (such as myself) never go back and finish them. Or, like me, by the time you make it back to finish them, you can't remember what the heck you were waffling about in the first place.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Or. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Or. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Or.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Yeah, whatever.</div><div><br />
</div><div>HI! How are y'all? I've missed you.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I hit another snag in my life where it felt like everything was piling on and re-joining Weight Watchers and keeping up my blog were waaaaaayyy at the bottom of an ever expanding list of priorities. I just barely managed to post on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LookingForMyFeet">Facebook page</a> on a semi regular basis.</div><div><br />
Then, I went to a women's retreat run my friend's Baptist church. I spent a whole weekend talking, laughing, playing, and having fun. I came home feeling more at peace with myself and my life than I have in a long time.</div><div><br />
</div><div>It really helped.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Then I saw an article in our local paper about an amazing woman here in town who just lost almost 50kgs and she looks AMAZING. Inspiration walking.</div><div><br />
</div><div>THEN!!! (yes, this will end soon, just hold on!)... then I had coffee with Tex, my long lost Weight Watchers leader and friend. We sat and had a good natter til we both realised we were meant to be heading to work. It was that final kick in the backside that I needed, that final push to say YES.</div><div><br />
</div><div>And so here we are. My weight loss, NAY! My HEALTH is back at the forefront, my blog & facebook page along with it. So, at the risk of sounding like a </div><div><br />
</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmb-_Hf7dCK6Yt99QKI0tzWp8AiXBRKfDyVDH87ej9y_W_POzNu4L_RQTKlQyr9ngyigP6gwO7mjL7e7IvQVL2w_mqmY0b-DxROAWHBA5uUnlOO46IOZd36MWCxZmWSBFQ1U2-yHsvkw/s1600/broken+record.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmb-_Hf7dCK6Yt99QKI0tzWp8AiXBRKfDyVDH87ej9y_W_POzNu4L_RQTKlQyr9ngyigP6gwO7mjL7e7IvQVL2w_mqmY0b-DxROAWHBA5uUnlOO46IOZd36MWCxZmWSBFQ1U2-yHsvkw/s200/broken+record.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">my big </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhls7aDhh76bDmwtIPT0k24G_P4tsjaA8hm6xkSMItEuIwcga3IV5JGgVSYWtiMCfbwajCsUUQ2UUxLbNn-aVM4uTgNokSIMA3DfVJiwq7LVcQkZhEXjo9FdugenEn7lrHfmGPUkscLs3s/s1600/fat_ass1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhls7aDhh76bDmwtIPT0k24G_P4tsjaA8hm6xkSMItEuIwcga3IV5JGgVSYWtiMCfbwajCsUUQ2UUxLbNn-aVM4uTgNokSIMA3DfVJiwq7LVcQkZhEXjo9FdugenEn7lrHfmGPUkscLs3s/s200/fat_ass1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">is BACK on the</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBidMqdUC7Que9mvZKVbwIKXT4G7VRwqdstuPpLGupxMjCyR3LG7RimD4BDOQRAxJwiqIj6-LrRGF5-Cn11QFqAJabJcscpzIh1wM9FrNrVfex3_VVOJ0qi3QEVndvGwXjEWuFO88z8V0/s1600/wagon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBidMqdUC7Que9mvZKVbwIKXT4G7VRwqdstuPpLGupxMjCyR3LG7RimD4BDOQRAxJwiqIj6-LrRGF5-Cn11QFqAJabJcscpzIh1wM9FrNrVfex3_VVOJ0qi3QEVndvGwXjEWuFO88z8V0/s200/wagon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I did a scary thing this week. I went and joined a social netball team with a bunch of other ladies on a Tuesday evening. The practice made my body hurt and feel really tired. And yet, invigorated. I haven't felt like that in a long time. I'm looking forward to the games, although I feel like my skill level is FAR below everyone else's. I haven't played netball since I left school....so about 15 years. And I wasn't that great to begin with. So, this will be a adventure, if nothing else.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday, after my coffee date with Tex, I RE-joined Weight Watchers. That was scarier than the netball. I know that I had my reasons for leaving in the first place, but I still felt like a total failure walking into that room, signing all the papers AGAIN, and then standing on the scale to find I was 10 kgs heavier now than I was back in April or May when I stopped going. All that kept running through my head was "You FAILED". But I shut it all down because I know that while I might have failed in some small way by walking away all those months ago, I am WINNING now (yeah, just like Charlie Sheen)....all because I have started again. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>New starting weight: 150.0 kgs (330 lbs)</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Small goal: 140.0 kgs (308 lbs) by Christmas)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Ultimate goal: 75 kgs (165 lbs)</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: blue;"><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">So, there you have it. An update. The first of many. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Come by and check out my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LookingForMyFeet">Facebook page</a>. I just ran a contest on there for the people who have clicked on that adorable little "Like" button at the top...and when we get to 250 fans, I will run a bigger one. I have a great prize in mind. And at some point in the not too distant future, I have business that will be running a contest through here and you WILL want to be in on it!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">So how is everyone out there doing??? Update me on your lives...leave your blog links again, so I can come say hi!!</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-86492116324380836192011-08-22T19:13:00.000-07:002011-08-22T19:13:57.412-07:00Thoughts in Picture Form<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I came to do a post today and couldn't believe it has been a month since I last posted. Just ridiculous. I do apologize. I really am a huge slacker. In soooo many ways.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anylazy, I wanted to share some thoughts with you but I've decided to go with pictures.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0MDzhM-H4QVqPDEtHJgJrODvhmT8J90_qMoXp1XP81yyMH8U5k1MpG4bOz1s2JaSgW416yQmpivslGrNZBdqM2scCSfZbcOWzqzGKH3O0SoRvVhm-GGgibWO51dLcOPMAVGndSLHBOc0/s1600/27536752_hVVs5xFQ_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0MDzhM-H4QVqPDEtHJgJrODvhmT8J90_qMoXp1XP81yyMH8U5k1MpG4bOz1s2JaSgW416yQmpivslGrNZBdqM2scCSfZbcOWzqzGKH3O0SoRvVhm-GGgibWO51dLcOPMAVGndSLHBOc0/s320/27536752_hVVs5xFQ_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is just one of the things that I need to print and put on my fridge. I keep quitting, for stupid reasons, and then I have to start over.</div></div><div><br />
</div><div>I get sick of starting over so I quit again. It's a never ending circle.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Are you sick of starting over? Shall we stop quitting, together??</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6PIOfG-jGiLtLLaa0lWOQODVXuJeBq9xYgbQRbLRbKmP2i0FB0GFqqDk23se3z4ttODs-JPAK4xGSU5JTAsm336-mMg0JRGnba-40VQO8YUWiwJMS4zBPwoeYr1ov7etyvmzaufCKDU/s1600/27534478_WDcHNmn8_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6PIOfG-jGiLtLLaa0lWOQODVXuJeBq9xYgbQRbLRbKmP2i0FB0GFqqDk23se3z4ttODs-JPAK4xGSU5JTAsm336-mMg0JRGnba-40VQO8YUWiwJMS4zBPwoeYr1ov7etyvmzaufCKDU/s320/27534478_WDcHNmn8_c.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those delicious chips that I love so much? That ice cream that screams my name from the fridge? The cookies and fudge and brownies that pin me down and jump down my throat and then proceed to settle on my ass?</div><div><br />
</div><div>They.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div>Aren't.</div><div><div><br />
</div><div>Worth.</div><div><br />
</div><div>It.</div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another one to go on the fridge perhaps? I'm sick of feeling like crap about myself because I've sat an munched on something that, sure, was delicious at the time...but wasn't worth the exercise that I should have done (but didn't) to burn it off.</div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MZ4TinCvONvY5pLmqeITIrJcdHNGEz4HqH1wjEiYO3eVY-NdbsvRWeS0YC435qtGLfa6S4om4rOyGfkZrRYkZfXlOv8XOxtapu7kbELXzWq8ZYM6-zQBvxxgYIEfgIq87urXZ2y6zZ4/s1600/27161220_aGu07lcj_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MZ4TinCvONvY5pLmqeITIrJcdHNGEz4HqH1wjEiYO3eVY-NdbsvRWeS0YC435qtGLfa6S4om4rOyGfkZrRYkZfXlOv8XOxtapu7kbELXzWq8ZYM6-zQBvxxgYIEfgIq87urXZ2y6zZ4/s320/27161220_aGu07lcj_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Criminal Minds, CSI, The Mentalist, Glee, American Idol, Big Bang Theory, Survivor, Next Top Model, etc etc etc.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Somehow, many of us have the time to sit and watch these shows. We have the time to sit and watch hours and hours of television but then in the same breath will turn around and say "I don't have time to exercise".</div><div><br />
</div><div>You know what? I have a life to live, I have two young kids and I have a gorgeous husband.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I do not have time to be fat. Enough of this shit already. I'm 32 but most days I feel like I'm 62. I want to get to 62 and be able to say, "I feel like I'm 32!!"</div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a couple visuals for you:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvckGMV9M2RNM9XAz4pnG4dTfaLxH42LDncEKyn9FXjuJTJ2T0Q8P4lGbX57zG6jAMiftBOQ0FJ5ETtaxkP2E39b8_JaDisWCdCc1ns4lqF4lMKcVqV2OeW7Ibscrl4ihwtgTRC9Wg0sc/s1600/25305325_BJVTjVGk_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvckGMV9M2RNM9XAz4pnG4dTfaLxH42LDncEKyn9FXjuJTJ2T0Q8P4lGbX57zG6jAMiftBOQ0FJ5ETtaxkP2E39b8_JaDisWCdCc1ns4lqF4lMKcVqV2OeW7Ibscrl4ihwtgTRC9Wg0sc/s320/25305325_BJVTjVGk_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkb8CeXrtu8lUthBAMOnGe5lpImdcN8ICUPyIqn19LVF86jb-KJdCjt3dO34qSvLY-w8KWxTZFCIP0f66SMeJpO6Lm-ePuThddjZGFQb-dYp__LuFvUKLkfX9DqXbjjFo5bd_Dr7UdfA/s1600/25304869_NzhiV0yA_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkb8CeXrtu8lUthBAMOnGe5lpImdcN8ICUPyIqn19LVF86jb-KJdCjt3dO34qSvLY-w8KWxTZFCIP0f66SMeJpO6Lm-ePuThddjZGFQb-dYp__LuFvUKLkfX9DqXbjjFo5bd_Dr7UdfA/s320/25304869_NzhiV0yA_c.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">Um. Ew! I know which one I'd rather look like inside. I know that in THIS case I'd rather be lugging around a ton of bricks than that ugly looking fat.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">And last but not least:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_EpHQGeMdcJGcJ_CbNkKvUgxikpF7mskNIev_aEJDkuexXafrFUTYCmXMhgZuThq37PNgw03SzWwCgcbiLwr7nvAtbtz0qzvBIPWMCpSOqJiN69jp4XN86hPo5vKe2Z9gIDCMPgSlcg/s1600/27163734_nGGVZmtG_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_EpHQGeMdcJGcJ_CbNkKvUgxikpF7mskNIev_aEJDkuexXafrFUTYCmXMhgZuThq37PNgw03SzWwCgcbiLwr7nvAtbtz0qzvBIPWMCpSOqJiN69jp4XN86hPo5vKe2Z9gIDCMPgSlcg/s320/27163734_nGGVZmtG_c.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><br />
</span></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-86114311792995001772011-07-17T02:08:00.000-07:002011-07-17T02:50:48.577-07:00Random thoughtsNot attending Weight Watchers meetings is not good for my weightloss efforts.<div><br /></div><div>Not having the support of others doing the same thing, meeting with them every week is bad for my weight loss efforts. </div><div><br /></div><div>The rainy, cold weather affects my weight loss efforts in a negative way. </div><div><br /></div><div>Blah. Blah. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.</div><div><br /></div><div>How often do we all make the same damn excuses? How often, in the attempt to make ourselves feel better about our perceived failures, do we blame external sources for what really is our own doing?</div><div><br /></div><div>Me? All the time. But I'm getting better at it. </div><div><br /></div><div>What's really at fault is my lazy, fat ass. Sitting on the couch watching tv or fooling around on Facebook. Eating chips and chocolate. Not going for my walk because it's raining or I'm tired. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I said in my last post, I had a plan. A plan that I have since put into action. My gym membership is renewed and my brand new fridge is full of yummies. </div><div><br /></div><div>What I need now is music recommendations for my walks. What do you listen to? What keeps you walking at a good pace?</div><div><br /></div><div>I asked a question recently on my Facebook Page about when y'all weigh in, because I was trying to find a new day. Looks like Monday is going to be my new day til I go back to WW. So, tomorrow I will weigh in in the morning. I will post it here. I might even take a picture. And then I will work my butt off to lower the numbers for next week. Sound good??</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-18389201932345674172011-07-03T01:58:00.000-07:002011-07-03T04:03:22.835-07:00A Delicious Hiding Place<blockquote>If your own mind turns against you, where are you going to hide?<div> ~ <a href="http://www.livingwisdom.co.nz/">David Riddell</a></div></blockquote><div><a href="http://www.livingwisdom.co.nz/"></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I listened to David Riddell talk this morning. He was talking about relationships and negotiations and balance of power but one of the other things he talked about briefly was depression and anxiety. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since the age of about 18 I have struggled with depression. At 20 I was on anti depressants and sleeping medication to help. Through the years I have tried all sorts of medications, home remedies, mental exercises and the rest. Some of it has worked, some of it has made me feel like a creature from "Night of the Living Dead". I have come up against some family and friends who consider depression to be "all in the head" (well ...duh) and I have been supported by others who realise what a real and serious issue this can be. </div><div><br /></div><div>At a couple of points in my life, it has felt like I could not possibly get any lower emotionally and that there isn't anything or anyone in the world that could pull me back up and "rescue" me. It has impacted my marriage, my parenting, my friendships and my own sense of self. </div><div><br /></div><div>It has not been constant. There have been weeks, months and YEARS when I am fine. I'll be happy as a pig in mud and then something (I'm not yet sure what) will trigger something that will send me down a slippery slope into what can only be described as a dark place. Sometimes darker than others. </div><div><br /></div><div>This has been the case for me for a few weeks now. I'm just not the same. I'm just not.....happy. </div><div><br /></div><div>So I take you back to the quote at the beginning of this post. <b>Where do you hide when your mind turns against you? </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Given what kind of blog this is, I'm sure those of you with an IQ above 50 can probably imagine where I'm going with this. </div><div><br /></div><div>Some of you dive into bed, some into projects, some into exercise. </div><div><br /></div><div>I dive into food. I am, and always have been, an emotional eater. </div><div><br /></div><div>I stopped attending Weight Watchers a few weeks ago because it was $20 a week we just couldn't spare at the time. I stopped exercising too. I stopped doing anything good and started eating everything bad. Why? Because it made me feel better. The only thing that would have made me feel better, I thought, would have been crawling into bed and sleeping. </div><div><br /></div><div>The other day I realised that I was STILL doing this all wrong. When I started to feel crappy again, I should have eaten more veggies, exercised more and drank more water. Instead, I sat on my ass, ate chips & ice cream and drank litres of Pepsi Max full of aspertame. </div><div><br /></div><div>So instead of continuing down that same path, I reworked the budget a bit the other day and cut back some stuff and then I marched myself into the gym and made an appointment. For tomorrow. My gym membership is back on track as of this week and I'll be getting a personal program made up. </div><div><br /></div><div>My menu plan is done for the week:</div><div><br /></div><div>Monday - Beef Stroganoff</div><div>Tuesday - Meatloaf</div><div>Wednesday - Chicken Cordon Bleu</div><div>Thursday - Sausages with mash & cheese</div><div>Friday - Sausage pie & veggie</div><div>Saturday - Pasta</div><div>Sunday - Beef roast </div><div><br /></div><div>My exercise plan is in progress but I need to get out there and enjoy the limited winter sunshine. </div><div><br /></div><div>As delicious a hiding place as it has been, I need to get out of it and get out of my head. From now on, I want my answer to the question "where are you going to hide" to be "I'm NOT going to hide". </div><div><br /></div><div>So how about you?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-8731777201010460082011-05-16T09:00:00.000-07:002011-05-16T09:00:01.231-07:00The Official "200 Sit Up" Challenge Post<div style="text-align: justify;">Alright y'all. I got a couple responses on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LookingForMyFeet">my Facebook page</a> about this, and a couple comments on <a href="http://lookingforfeet.blogspot.com/2011/05/on-road-againsing-it-with-me.html">my last post about it</a>, but it was the weekend and I'm going to assume that instead of just deciding it was something you can't do, that you were all away and thus didn't comment. So consider this post your official sign up for joining me on The "200 Sit Up" Challenge.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><center><a href="http://www.twohundredsitups.com/index.html"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/macinvic/twohundred468x60.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center><center><br /></center><center><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;">Here's the dealio:</center><center style="text-align: justify;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sunday, May 22nd - </b>Perform the initial test outlined on the 200 Sit Up site. Click <a href="http://www.twohundredsitups.com/test.html">HERE</a> for the test link. </center><center style="text-align: justify;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;">Once you have determined how many sit ups you are able to do, then decide on 3 days per week when you are going to do the program. </center><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;">I have selected Monday, Wednesday and Friday - - just to make it easy. </center><center style="text-align: justify;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;"><b>Monday, May 23rd - </b>This will be the official kick off date for the challenge but it doesn't mean you have to do anything this day...stick to your chosen days. </center><center style="text-align: justify;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;">Some of us may feel like we have to repeat week 5 and/or week 6, just like it says on the site. This is better than forcing yourself to complete it in the 6 week time period, so if you need to take longer...please do!!</center><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;">Six weeks will take us to <b>Sunday, July 3rd </b>. </center><center style="text-align: justify;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;">I will post regularly on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LookingForMyFeet">my Facebook page</a> to see how y'all are doing, and I hope you'll fill us in. </center><center style="text-align: justify;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: justify;">I am hereby calling out all you lurkers and hoping that you will join us. Please leave a comment with your blog link (if you have one) so that we can all see how you're doing.....often the best support we have is each other!</center><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;">So far we have:</center><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: center;">Me</center><center style="text-align: center;">Nikki</center><center style="text-align: center;">Rach from <a href="http://sweetasnzgirl.wordpress.com/">Sweet As NZ Girl</a></center><center style="text-align: center;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: center;"><b>WHO ELSE WILL JOIN US??? GET THOSE CORE MUSCLES GOING!</b></center><center style="text-align: center;"><br /></center><center style="text-align: center;"><br /></center></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-18620485173146949982011-05-14T02:37:00.000-07:002011-05-14T21:34:19.106-07:00On the road again.....(sing it with me!)<div style="text-align: center;">POP QUIZ!!!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Q1) What do you get when you combine one overweight woman, a week of absolute complacency and non motivation, a week with an injured arm, another week of being sick, and absolutely no tracking of food?<br /><br />A) A gain of 2.1kgs (<span style="font-style: italic;">4.62 lbs</span>) in the space of 3 weeks.<br /><br /><br />Q2) What do you get when you take that same overweight woman, flip a magical switch in her head to restore motivation and remove complacency, and send her back to Weight Watchers meetings?<br /><br />A) ME....back on track, with a vengeance!<br /><br /><br /><br />Yes folks, that's right. I had a massive gain over 3 weeks. But I'm over it. I'm done. I'm not happy to go back there again. I've come so far that I am just NOT willing to gain it all back. I am currently sitting exactly where I was a year ago and that's just not ok. I know, I know...been there, said that. But if you could feel the pain in my thighs that I am feeling right now, you'd know what I'm talking about.<br /><br />So what have I been up to? Well, other than my eye opening weigh in on Wednesday, I've been busy. I have been tracking every single morsel of food that goes into my mouth. I can't believe that a year and a half in, I am still struggling to perfect this. You might think it should be easy. Prepare food, write it in the book with the correct points, eat food. Thing is, I still have moments when I don't think to write it in the book til much later and then I find myself guesstimating the portion size and corresponding points. I'm getting better though..and at least I'm still remember to write it down. I really need to start taking it to show Tex....keep myself accountable.<br /><br />Thursday evening I went to the gym with my friend KitKat. Y'know...the one who is often mistaken for being my daughter? Well, she's easily 50kgs (110 lbs) lighter than me but we did HER gym program. I modified it a little bit because there was a couple exercises that I just cannot do....yet. But in the end, I essentially did her program. Also? After watching Kazz from <a href="http://kazzsjourney.blogspot.com/">Kazz's Journey</a> talking about her rapidly decreasing time doing 1km on the rower, I thought I'd have a go. So I did. I managed 1km in 5 minutes and 10 seconds. Now I'll concentrate on cutting down that time and catching up with Kazz.<br /><br />Friday morning my thighs were screaming at me. I'm sure y'all know the kind of scream I'm talking about. "Oh my freaking gawd, how could you do that to me?! Are you insane?!!" I decided that it might be possible to alleviate some of the discomfort by going for a walk. A fast walk. So I did! I walked 6.1kms...in 45 minutes. I KNOW! I wouldn't have thought it was that far but I came home and plotted it out on Google Maps and turns out it really was that far! Now, when I started this journey, that distance would have been seriously uncomfortable. That speed? It would have killed me. Now it's just something I can do. NSV!!!<br /><br />Today is Saturday and I took the day off exercise wise because I had a netball game to go and coach and housework to do, but tomorrow I'm planning a very long walk and possibly a swim.<br /><br />I'm down to one and a half glasses of Coke Zero per day...and about 8 bottles of water in my fancy new<a href="http://lookingforfeet.blogspot.com/2011/05/tools-for-trip.html"> Bobble bottle</a>.<br /><br />As Randy Jackson would say: "Maggie is in it to win it!!!"<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">**********<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">In other news, I wanted to share a couple fantastic blog posts with you, by some very wise people:<br /><br />Kimberly over at A Spicy Boy, A Cat, and My Fat Ass had <a href="http://www.aspicyboycatandmyfatass.com/2011/05/information-on-aspartame-and-other.html">this great post about artificial sweeteners</a>. Well worth a read.<br /><br />Jack Sh*t has another round of his <a href="http://jackfit.blogspot.com/2011/05/wicked-widths.html">W.I.D.T.H (Why I Do This Here)</a> submissions up. They're inspirational, thought provoking and hey, you might even find a new blogger in there that has something in common with you.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">**********<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I am starting a challenge, to mix in with my other workouts. I found this great site called <a href="http://www.twohundredsitups.com/">"200 Sit-Ups"</a> and I'm going to take the challenge. I'm going to do my best to get to the end of the 6 week program and be able to do 200 sit ups. There's also, if you look down the side bar, "100 Push Ups", "200 Squats", "150 Dips" and coming soon will be "25 Pull Ups". I'm keen to do the push ups and squats but I think I'll leave the dips and pull ups for a while.<br /><br />Anyone want to take the challenge with me?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">**Edited to add: If you are interested in doing the challenge with me, I'll be starting on Monday, May 23rd</span><br /><br /><br /></div><br /></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-798276745721910211.post-53676675527162317912011-05-05T21:31:00.000-07:002011-05-06T03:59:58.531-07:00Tools For The Trip<div style="text-align: center;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;">"As I mentioned previously, the tools that allow for optimum health are diet and exercise"<div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote style="font-weight: bold;">~ <span style="font-weight: normal; font-style: italic;">Bill Toomey</span></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote style="font-weight: bold;"></blockquote></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hi y'all! I think I'm channeling a bit of my WW leader, Tex, with that opening. She says "y'all" a lot...makes me giggle every time.<br /><br />So how's everyone doing this week? There's been a lot of you out there who have been struggling in the same way I have. I'm curious to know how you've been managing lately.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Me? I'm still struggling....but I'm on my way. Let me introduce you to some of my Tools For The Trip:<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjo-ke1d7KcJMQebUs9qliNwr_EiFNZIaPnF1paVtG1ND4G43r_9SeryLsT2Wb9U2rKP04zGDwbTp_c_BgdJhYMYbqEiZng5dX7LPIhR2chBWS66lGbHH8XGxdQPjJ4ROeiSYzGfgHVI/s1600/LFMF+%2526+leaf+fun+096.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjo-ke1d7KcJMQebUs9qliNwr_EiFNZIaPnF1paVtG1ND4G43r_9SeryLsT2Wb9U2rKP04zGDwbTp_c_BgdJhYMYbqEiZng5dX7LPIhR2chBWS66lGbHH8XGxdQPjJ4ROeiSYzGfgHVI/s400/LFMF+%2526+leaf+fun+096.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603535117539409058" border="0" /></a>This here is my planning board. I used a permanent marker to divide it into days and write the days on and then I use a whiteboard marker for the dates and the planning. At the top of each day I write any evening commitments that might affect what we have for dinner and then underneath I plan out our dinner meals at least. During the school holidays I try to plan out lunches too, but it doesn't always work.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Part of this tool is my ever growing collection of Weight Watchers cookbooks and any other cookbook that has the nutritional info listed so that I can work out the points. I don't always use my cookbooks in my planning. Sometimes we have a week where convenience is going to be key and that's where meals of spaghetti, sandwiches, eggs & toast and salad come into play.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_vKW_E8h0FZD-J8GNZc5UlRupMrrYclIHAp3YaT3S3H_MXvNJ8AwwXP2pO9E1BNOEQXmMNcB2kEvkKrNgcS0krvhV2ixJRbCQ-tio3YjHcmtLdsinm0t94bGu62XpKlUaBZbWTEvOB4/s1600/veggies+001.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_vKW_E8h0FZD-J8GNZc5UlRupMrrYclIHAp3YaT3S3H_MXvNJ8AwwXP2pO9E1BNOEQXmMNcB2kEvkKrNgcS0krvhV2ixJRbCQ-tio3YjHcmtLdsinm0t94bGu62XpKlUaBZbWTEvOB4/s400/veggies+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603538325923044978" border="0" /></a>This is my latest haul from the most awesome fruit & veg shop here in town - and it's only part of it. I couldn't fit everything on the table.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I used to buy my fruit & veg from the supermarket, and still do occasionally, but this new shop is the bomb! This haul only cost me $30...which, in this country, is amazing.<br /><br />The kids and I are back to our "try a new fruit or veg every fortnight" gig, and pumpkin & persimmon are it right now.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEW-pcvDDM27UwjV45XcovtPBTTba3ReNGaXCGgmReVTkz6cUkyeYpQzxPlNq1xodKdXlPMnJ2iu8Zwslo-iyxufse-quJeMJLNSZYTWa8GePL3GVVdxnvUAFAXcWN7tfRVO4pMfh8hQ/s1600/tools+002.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEW-pcvDDM27UwjV45XcovtPBTTba3ReNGaXCGgmReVTkz6cUkyeYpQzxPlNq1xodKdXlPMnJ2iu8Zwslo-iyxufse-quJeMJLNSZYTWa8GePL3GVVdxnvUAFAXcWN7tfRVO4pMfh8hQ/s400/tools+002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603542393150543634" border="0" /></a>Um. If you haven't tried these things yet, then I highly recommend you get off your ass and go to the store for some. Right now.<br /><br />I'll wait.<br /><br />Ok.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Are they not the best things ever? And only ONE ProPoint each! Yummy!<br /><br />These have many benefits: they cure my craving for something sweet, they're cold and seem to curb any hunger pangs & they also keep my hands busy. Win, win, WIN! Try 'em!<br /></div></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaUSDK_C9gI9bF1gM7wdFR6LqER2-d6WFzzJ1-TGsV3kJQZiRIikG7CdZFXv4I9JqBJ9oRCPBuvmbDviDqWI2vaWMzcZFn12ws1PoLB5Z6dAJgn4I6ZgC52o5XK2ak7_6C6a5uZzaFnE/s1600/DSC01846.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaUSDK_C9gI9bF1gM7wdFR6LqER2-d6WFzzJ1-TGsV3kJQZiRIikG7CdZFXv4I9JqBJ9oRCPBuvmbDviDqWI2vaWMzcZFn12ws1PoLB5Z6dAJgn4I6ZgC52o5XK2ak7_6C6a5uZzaFnE/s400/DSC01846.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603545844041896050" border="0" /></a>Ok. So I can't claim any great insight into any of the things I've listed so far or will continue to list...and this is just the same. Water. Duh. We all know that water is an essential thing in this journey towards a healthier us.<br /></div><br />BUT!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The wonderful SuzieQ had one of these bottles at a meeting and I loved it, so I went searching. Finally found one yesterday.<br /><br />It's called a "<span style="font-weight: bold;">bobble</span>". It's BPA free, recyclable, has replacement filters and the filters last for about 300 bottles worth of water. I love it. And I'm getting a TON of water into me right now.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">My back teeth seem to be a bit confused right now, what with all the floating around, but I imagine they'll adjust eventually.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrJZnekcPWk-JK-YRAGguVb47oFmhzBgRi0baKBMjngdsSkhL58c8CGgur0VjhxZkzjbiyQtU4tth2N8dRwxwHe-jQHTMj-OzKD244zlERE2lhCU_Y6IoqZQMVlEOkoihoi3qgZOlHLo/s1600/tools+004.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrJZnekcPWk-JK-YRAGguVb47oFmhzBgRi0baKBMjngdsSkhL58c8CGgur0VjhxZkzjbiyQtU4tth2N8dRwxwHe-jQHTMj-OzKD244zlERE2lhCU_Y6IoqZQMVlEOkoihoi3qgZOlHLo/s400/tools+004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603549506498972050" border="0" /></a>Ahhh the evil pedometer. Have you got one of these?<br /><br />I have a love/hate relationship with my pedometer. On the one hand, I can earn extra ProPoints to use and track how active I haven't been during the day. On the other hand, it seems to do its darndest to keep that step goal away from me.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">A few weeks ago, I was all talk about winning this step challenge we were starting at WW and then, Murphy's Law being what it is, I hurt myself. And then I got sick. So, while I've been racking up some steps, it hasn't been nearly enough to even come CLOSE to winning the step challenge. Instead, I've challenged myself. Instead of 10,000 steps a day, I am aiming for 15,000 a day.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_BBZlFgj9iPRN8LlQTqdlwYqqx_bMVUFfMeFM-9zYdlzWl6FU6aH5bvj1Q9bY5ewiCU1O7ndwrb8sU5YkVWmQqPJdkOk7uARJ2MrqHhRtDu7YfrB0OY7HURYaJUa861Ik9M4SU40uIo/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_BBZlFgj9iPRN8LlQTqdlwYqqx_bMVUFfMeFM-9zYdlzWl6FU6aH5bvj1Q9bY5ewiCU1O7ndwrb8sU5YkVWmQqPJdkOk7uARJ2MrqHhRtDu7YfrB0OY7HURYaJUa861Ik9M4SU40uIo/s400/001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603551578389473058" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Last, but not least, is my beloved Points Calculator. I take this thing everywhere.<br /><br />I get some funny looks when I am standing in the aisles at the supermarket, busily calculating the points in cans of baked beans or bags of rice, but it is totally worth it. By taking this bad boy with me, I know there are less points in Basmati rice than in white rice. I know the budget beans are less than the pricey ones.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This way, I can buy something and be safe in the knowledge that I'm not going to get it home and find out it's going to use up a huge portion of my ProPoints allowance. I have one in my purse and one at home.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">So those are the basic tools that I find essential to my journey. Do I always make use of them? No. But I'm learning to. There's also my <a href="http://lookingforfeet.blogspot.com/2011/02/new-toys-new-adventures.html">wonderful bike, Greta</a>, and my feet for walking...not to mention my iPod and my friends.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">But the most important tool that any of us has in this whole thing, as corny as it sounds, is our brain. If we can't wrap our brains around the way things should be, if we can't come to terms with the things we need to cut out, tone down, amp up or bring in....then we'll never succeed. This is exactly the problem I've had for so many months now. Aside from becoming complacent, I don't think I ever really FULLY invested in the process. I talked a big game, but I never played by the rules. That's all changing. Right NOW.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote>"I think the hard thing about all these tools is that it takes a fair amount of effort to become proficient."<br />~ <span style="font-style: italic;">Bill Joy</span></blockquote></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">So....what are YOUR tools for success?<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3