Happy Australia Day

Steve did this computer collage with some old photos he found of the kids. Good memories.





Jo (standing) and from left, myself, Jo and Kazz. From our lunch last Saturday. Awful photo of me. I had come straight from Curves and still had my hair up (Yuk!!)



Aarrggg. why does Blogger never put things were I want when I upload photos. Enlarge the collage. There are some great pics.


I just realised I haven't been here to update my weigh in last week. Another good week. I lost 1.2 kgs which takes me to 19.8 kgs lost. Still another 6 kgs to go to get to where I was and I kick myself every day realising where I could have been. But that's life. Full of bloody ups and downs, especially on this journey.

I am in the 2nd week of my Curves free trial and am loving it. I know it's not for everyone but I truly believe it is for me. Number 1 is the fact that I can go anytime I want. That is so important with my busy life. I don't feel like I am taking away time from my family because I can go during the afternoon, especially on a Friday when I finish early and the kids are at school. Every staff member I have encountered has been friendly and helpful and most of all interested in ME!!

They are about to start a Biggest Loser challenge which I am really interested in, especially as I finish up ww next Tuesday. The only hurdle is the joining fee. I have to see the manager on Friday and work this out. I can't afford a joining fee so if they want my business, they need to waive it. So I'll keep you updated on that front.

No meeting for me tonight because of the holiday so I'm going back to my old meeting on Thursday. Wonder if there are any familiar faces still there.

I had a lovely catch up with some ww friends last Saturday. We met at the Chinatown food court and I had vietnamese soup full of noodles, chicken, prawn, calamari and pork and cold rolls. I have no idea how much we have lost between us but it is a lot of weight. Kazz blows me away every time I see her. She has lost over 45 kgs and is a gym junkie - LOL!! Even though she weighs more than me, her body is looking so toned and it is testament to what you can do if you put your mind to it. Kazz is in the black singlet top in the above photo.

School goes back tomorrow. How quick did these holidays go!! Nikki starts high school and is really looking forward to it. It is a whole new chapter in both of our lives and I can't help but feel the slightest sadness. She is growing up way to fast for my liking.

I'll be back later in the week to update my weigh in and what is happening with joining Curves.

Feeling Good

Thank you all so much for your comments about the gym. I really appreciate the feedback.

I started my 2 week free trial at Curves on Friday. The staff were lovely and I honestly told her that I was gym shopping but she made me feel very welcome. She told me to look around and find something that suits me and my lifestyle. Didn't push Curves down my throat which was good. I loved the concept but I knew I would. The big plus is being able to go when I want not work around classes. And as for cardio, it's up to you how hard you work on the recovery boards. I really feel like I need toning and weight resistance more right now. I have a treadmill at home and walk with a friend who pushes me so I feel I am getting a reasonable amount of cardio.

I'm going to use up my 2 weeks and then try another couple of gyms and make the decision after that. I have cancelled my ww membership. I have a couple more meetings before it expires. Tuesday night should be interesting. The state manager is going to be at our meeting this week and I am going to have a talk with him. I sent an email 10 days ago now telling them my feelings about the new format and still haven't heard back. Pretty disappointing and it only makes me happier about my decision. They just don't care!!!

I have had a great weekend. Why do they go so quick?? The kids had friends over for sleepovers and on Saturday Nikki and I did shopping for all her high school supplies. This was an eye opener. I've never had to buy stationery before. It's all part of the fees in primary school but not in public high school. So with books and new uniforms this week it's an expensive time.

Today we went to Marion which is a big Westfield in Adelaide. We walked around there for 2 hours and I felt good. All 3 kids were whinging about how tired they were. Wusses!!!!! Jarryd saved his christmas and pocket money and bought a remote control helicopter which he is very pleased with. The girls spent their money in their favourite store - Diva which is a jewellery chain but really groovy and cheap jewellery.

Then I walked 40 minutes with another friend so I have definitely had my exercise for the weekend. My eating has been good so I am looking forward to weigh in on Tuesday night. I am in a weight loss facebook group with some friends who are having friendly competitions to see who is the biggest loser each week. Watch out girls, I'm going to beat you this week - LOL!!

Well I didn't win lotto this week so it's back to work for me tomorrow - BUGGER!!!!
Have a great week everyone.

Big Decision

If you are friends with me on facebook you already know this but after 18 months, I have decided to stop going to Weight Watchers meetings.

I still wholeheartedly believe in the concept of ww and will be following the programme but I have become very frustrated with the new meetings format. We are now down to a 20 minute meeting and I just don't think I am getting my moneys worth. I have always wanted to rejoin a gym but with money being tight, it was meetings or gym, not both. I needed the meetings in the past, I needed the accountability but something has changed. I have the most wonderful, supportive friends on facebook, most of whom I have met through the ww forums. I belong to a couple of facebook weight loss groups and have accountability there.

So I am going to put my money to better use and join the gym again. I have a 2 week free pass to Curves so I am going to check that out tomorrow. The positive of a gym like Curves is that I can go anytime which really appeals to me. Time is limited and to be able to do a 30 minute workout anytime is a great idea. On the down side, a few people have said it might become boring doing the same thing all the time.

I used to belong to a gym that has aqua classes which I loved. I can go back there but the classes I could go to are only on at night and most nights I have committments. Anyway I will do the 2 week Curves free trail and see how I feel after that.

I've had a couple of mini blowouts with my food this week. The night time munchies are my problem area but I have eaten less during the day to try and make up for it. Time will tell when I get on those scales next Tuesday. My ww membership is paid up until 2/2 so I will continue meetings until then. And I figure, if I realise I can't do this alone, there is no shame in going back to meetings. I probably will go back when I have 10 kgs to go because I have always had the goal of getting to Life Time membership.

I can't believe there is less than 2 weeks left of these school holidays. Where is that time going? Nikki is very excited about going to high school. We have to go and get a heap of stationery this weekend for her because it's not supplied.

Ok I'm heading to bed. This post was meant to be a very quick one - LOL!!

Thanks so much for all the support I get here and on facebook. It really means so much.

Easy Dinner

Because I am home alone tonight, it would have been so easy to get take away.

But I didn't. I got some prawns and made cold rolls.

Yummo and so easy. I put in vermicilli noodles, prawns, bean sprouts, snow peas, cucumber and corriander and added some sweet chilli sauce. I stuffed them full and was surprisingly very full after 3.

A Fresh Start

Life is good!!

I love the start of a new year to get everyone inspired again. In my case and a lot of friends I have met it's weight loss.

I lost 25 kgs in 12 months. Then over the last 6 months put 7 of that back on. Yes I am still 19 kgs down, but it could have been 30.

No regrets!! I'm just determined I'm not going back there.

I have the most wonderful support group on facebook. I belong to 2 groups of girls that are dedicated to losing big amounts of weight this year. I want to use this blog to do the same this year. But it's going to be about family too because I love looking back over this blog and seeing the kids grow up in front of my eyes.

Maybe that should have been my new year's resolution - To blog more!!

As I said the groups of girls that inspire me and motivate me are endless, and I really feel 2010 is going to be a big year in terms of weight loss. What I also like about these groups is that we are going to keep a tally of total weight lost. I remember being blown away when I went to Melbourne last year for the Run for Kids, we tallied up the total amount lost of all the ww girls and it was amazing. Can't remember the total amount so if anyone reading this can remember, leave me a comment.

I have had a very good start to the year. I weighed in last Tuesday and had put on 2.8 kgs from the last weigh in before christmas. Now that is a lot but believe me it could have been a lot worse. I back into it 4 days before I weighed and I was at least another 3 kgs heavier. Goes to show what eating crap and no exercise can do very quickly.

But that's over. I am looking forward to seeing the result this Tuesday because I have been pretty spot on with my food. I had a big night last night drinking but I only ate fruit during the day and although they were bringing plates of fried food out at the party I stuck to pita bread. mussels with tomato and bacon and chicken skewers that were char grilled. The scales looked good this morning.

It's been in the 40's here for the last 3 days in Adelaide and we still have today and tomorrow predicted to be 43. Walking is out the door. Still 34 deg at 9pm last night. I will try and see what I can do on the treadmill later.

The kids have been at Steve's mum and dads all week and are coming home on Monday. Back to cooking again. Bugger!! It's been nice not cooking every night. Steve and I had a few meals out thanks to the Entertainment book so it's been a lovely week.

Stay cool to those in heatwaves. I love getting comments as most bloggers do. I would love some support from anyone who reads. If you lurk, please say hi. I can see I get people reading from many overseas countries but don't comment. I would love to know your story or your blog.

I'm off for a swim. It's 41 and the shade has just come over the pool.

Happy New Year!!

Thought I would start the new year off with some photos of our last month.
Jarryd has inherrited 2 guinea pigs. Boy do they grow quickly.

Stansbury back beach. There is so much bird life and it's lovely to go down and feed the birds.

The girls riding their ripsticks.

Ashleigh on xmas day.

We bought the kids a trampoline.

I bought Steve a signed and framed Essendon print off of ebay. Unfortunately it arrived the day before xmas with broken glass so I had to race around and get someone to fix it.

Jarryd with his Bakugan he got from Santa.

I don't mind this photo of me for a change. We had a mate's 50th at our place the week before xmas.

Steve and I at my work break up.

We took the kids to see Santa. I think it might be our last year :(

I hope 2010 is a very special year. We have a Cairns holiday to look forward to in March.

Unfortunately my weight loss efforts have gone backwards the last few months so I need to refocus and get this journey finished.

Well as usual blogger isn't putting the comments next to the right photos but I hope you get the idea of what has been going on in our lives.