Make 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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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 HERE. 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.

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.

I'll post weight progress updates to my Progress page as I carry on, and hopefully some pictures to go with it.

In an attempt to challenge myself even further, I have joined the 2014 edition of Go The Distance, 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.

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?!

Here's to a Happy & Health 2014.....for everyone!

Looking Forward

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.

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.

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.


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!

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.

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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.

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.

What are some of the habits that you find hard to break?

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?!

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.

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.

For real this time.....I promise!

*sigh*

Yeah. 11 months ago I posted saying I was back. I was back, and excited, and motivated, and ....stuff. And then, I vanished.

Shocked?

Probably not. I wouldn't blame you if you were one of those people sitting there thinking, "Ah! The Oreos won again".

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

WRONG!

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.

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.


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?