Why O Why

I hate this merry go round of weight. I know all the things l need to do. I know that it needs to be a lifestyle not a diet. I know, l know, l know but l don't DO!!!!!!

On the scales yesterday l hit 90 kilos again!!!!

I am trying to look over the past few weeks to try and understand what is happening.
First of all l had my hubby home for 2 and a half weeks. This mean't l didn't go the gym as often, more lunches out and he always had a cold beer waiting for me at the end of the day.

Add Easter on top of this and it add's up to about a kilo a week.

So once again l need to sit back and review my diet. I was strong last night. My husband offered me a cold beer, white wine or a red. I managed to resist all three offerings.

It is just a learned habit, it will take me six weeks to create my new habits again of limited alcohol. I also have to increase my water. I finding it extremely difficult to drink water in winter.  I will try having my T2 herbal teas hot to see if this helps the situation. Sometimes the whole ritual of making tea keeps my hands and mind busy during those hard times of temptation (3 and 7 pm).

I guess this blog allows me to show the true challenges you l face with weight. I managed to lose all my weight and regain it all as soon as l relaxed. Being fit and healthy is a constant process that you can not switch off. I am hoping with a new school term l can try and find the balance again of finding time for me. I have the house up to a pretty good standard now, if l just do a little bit each day it will stay that way, which means l can spend more time on me.

On a mission

Finally have the drive to get up and do something about my weight. I have been losing only around 200 grams a week. I am now deciding that this week l am going to kick arse. I find it easier to do one full on week and then go back to slow mode. When you have a lot of weight to lose, which in my case l do. It can be hard to keep the momentum going. Breaking it up allows you to deal with the mental challenges you face whilst trying to lose weight.

Some of you may be asking "What mental challenges?" For me they are never ending. I have had a life long love affair with food. It has been there and helped support me through some of the most difficulties times in my life and it has also been there to help me celebrate the happiest. I use food to show love to my friends and family, providing them with nourishment for the body and soul. When food represents all these things to you it becomes very difficult to lose weight. As soon as l am stressed or tired l look for food to help pick me up. If l am not prepared and don't have my protein shake in my bag, or a handful of nuts. I find myself very quickly at the vending machine getting myself a bar of chocolate. I know that this won't help me in the long run. But right then and there in that moment l can not think of anything else other than that bar.

So to deal with the mental challenges l acknowledge my weakness and remove as many of them as possible. I ensure that l stay away from vending machines at my times of desperation and always make sure l have healthy snacks on hand.

I believe power is knowledge. I am the biggest geek going around and love having data that l can analysis. I have been wearing my body bugg again and linked my myfitness pal app to the program. It has allowed me to see what activities allow me to burn calories during the day, track my nutrient intake. Which  l was very surprised about the results. I thought that my diet was healthy. However l have been consuming most of my calories lately from fat and salt. My protein in take has also been down. It is amazing how when l read those facts it made sense why l felt run down. When you lift heavy weights you need protein to help with recovery. I am making a concerted effort this week to up my protein and reduce my bad fats and see if this makes a difference to the way l feel.

Plus no more grog during the week. I thought that l could go back to have a couple of glasses every second or third night, but l haven't quiet worked out to only have two glasses. I always lose count and by then l think, oh well may as well keep going. So again acknowledging my weakness, grog is out during the week.

So here's to another Monday pledge, l have been moving in the right direction again, l started off at 90 kilos at the beginning of the year and l am currently at 88 kilos. So this week my aim is to be 85 kilos by this time Monday. It's only one week, and then l will go back to slow motion for a few weeks again.

Let the hard work begin

Well today was crazy, l blew my food consumption yesterday, again. Really have to work on conscious eating. I often find myself stuffing food in my mouth and l am not even aware of it. For example, making dinner l find that l chop and the cheese for the boys and instinctively pop a couple of pieces in my mouth while l do it. Those couple of pieces quickly add up to over 300 calories before l even sit down for dinner and it doesn't even register that l have eaten anything.

I am not sure if the hypnotherapy sessions are working. However l am finding that l am not as hungry. I also haven't gotten to that starving level l normally get to if l don't eat often. I am also feeling fuller sooner during eating. So they may be working. I will continue with the six week program of hypnotherapy as it doesn't require much effort and l actually think it helps me to go to sleep at night.

I am loving wearing my body bugg again. It stops me from treating myself with food after exercise. I always think l have burnt more calories than l actually have, and then think it is okay to eat more during the rest of the day. However the body bugg brings me back down to earth with the truth.

So in saying all of that, today l have managed to keep to my calorie goals and getting a session in at the gym all while working for part of the day and getting in a few quality hours with the family.

As for the body laser cavity results. Well have lost a 1 cm off my waist and half a cm of each thigh. So l will go again this Saturday and see the results of two sessions. They say the second session provides greater results. Hmmmmm, well l have to wait and see about that next Saturday.  

Slowly moving in the right direction

I am slowly moving in the right direction. My diet is slowly returning to my previous style. Trying to cut our the sugar and processed food slowly. I have to say since cleaning up my diet my energy levels have been through the roof. It wasn't easy, the first three days l felt completed drained, but on day four woke up with all the energy of a child waking up on Christmas morning.

Today l tried something a bit different, fat cavition. They use this ultrasonic laser and rub it over the area you choose, which doesn't hurt a bit, feels like a nice warm massage. However the next step hurt on my outer thighs, not on my tummy. They use this vacuum machine, they only go over the area twice but it bloody hurt. It has left some bruising but so far it looks like the results may be worth it. After the vacuum you need to stand on a vibrating table for 15 minutes and then you are done. I will keep a close eye on the measurements to see if it makes a difference. I have another session next Saturday, ouch!!!!

In the meantime the kids are returning back to school and the youngest is starting Kinda this week. I am sad that school holidays have to come to an end. However l am looking forward to getting back into a routine and starting my new healthy lifestyle habits. It will be nice to finally get into a routine that l know wont change.

At present the aim is to go to the gym Monday - Friday. I have to first wait for Cricket season to end to be able to go on Friday after work. I also have to wait till my middle child has full weeks at school to be able to do Wednesday. But by the end of February l should be able to make this happen.

I am hoping returning to the gym and moving towards my old diet will help me get back to where l was. A fit and healthy women. I am 34 in a couple of weeks and l know it becomes more difficult as you get older, so l feel so urgency to get to where l want to be, as maintenance is always easier than full transformation.

New program

I am a bit excited. I needed something to kick me out of my current diet and exercise rut. So after lots of research l have decided l am going to try the Shortcut to Shred by Jim Stoppani. It is the one program that sounds like me. Scientifically tested  and hardcore weight lifting. I guess you can say l am not the typical female. I love nothing more than lifting weights. I find great pleasure in the art form and l am looking forward to seeing my muscular physic return. It will be a full on six weeks, but well worth it.

The one thing l am using to help motivate me is my family. If l can show my husband the results l have gotten he will give it a go. Plus when l am eating clean the rest of my family is, due to the simple fact that l am the one who provides them with all of their food.

I am deeply concerned with keeping my children healthy and fit. I notice how easy it is to let my middle child sit and play the xbox all day. He is happy, he is not annoying any one and he is quiet. So each day l have to remind myself to drag all the boys out at least once a day. During the school holidays l have been trying to be a good role model on how to be physically active. Rather than kicking the children outside while l sit on the computer, l have been going out with them gardening, playing cricket, riding our bikes, walking to the shops etc.

So this year l need to be a good role model for my children which includes being a healthy weight.

2014 and l am still on the same Merry Go Round

Well last year was a full on year for me. I completed my University degree and l have begun working as a Casual Relief Teacher. During this crazy year l let go completely of my eating and my exercise. So l now begin 2014 at 88 kilos.  I now have to begin the long journey of getting back to where l was, maybe even better than where l was.

I am an emotional eater. I love food and the escapism eating gives me. I am currently trying to find a reputable weight hypnotherapist in the area, but struggling to filter the good from the rubbish. I am hoping hypnotherapy might be able to provide some insight into my emotional eating.

I am also a gym member again. I have always loved the gym and have missed not having time for exercise.   It is frustrating at present that l can not go to the gym due to school holidays, but l am trying to do as many physical activities possible with the children. Walking to the shops, go for bikes rides, using the slip n slide or playing just dance.

I have been wearing my Body Bugg again and the one thing l am noticing is how much alcohol effects me. Every time l drink (even just one glass of wine) my sleep efficiency decreases. Generally my sleep efficiency is around 94% when l drink alcohol it has dropped to as low as 70%. So l am going to work on reducing my alcohol consumption. At present l am trying to do four weeks with three alcohol free nights, and then slowly work up to my goal of just one night with alcohol. The thing l love about the body bugg is that is allows you to see what your body does. Each person is different, l am sure many people could drink 1-2 glasses of wine and find that their sleep is fine. However for me it just doesn't work.

I have also started up with My Fitnesspal again. It is a easy enough app that gives you results.

I am looking forward to 2014 and all  that it can bring. I am looking forward to starting new routines and healthy habits that l can continue so l do not constantly have to go on this Merry Go Round of weight.