DAY 9

Let's not talk about this mornings weigh in shall we....there's good reason that "they" all say not to weigh everyday and this morning was it. Back up to 103.5 sigh....

So onward and upward.... or downward as far as the scales go.... he he.... that even made me laugh. Oh that reminds me I told Vicki about the weigh in dilemma and she kind of looked at me and without saying anything said "well what did you expect" She then actually said that all women do it (weigh everyday) and those that say they don't are lying and will lie about other things too. I decided to add that they are also not real blondes either! Never mind...I actually thought it was clever.

Which brings me to, apart from having a bitch of a day trying to sort out daycare for my baby....(long story am totally over it) I had my first real workout with Vicki. FINALLY!! It felt so good, I've still got it apparently. I did 2km at a fairly leisurely pace on the exercise bike, then chest press, lat pull downs, and thigh extensions plus an ab exercise with the usual static core type floor exercises and stretches for the cool down.

One of the best things about training with Vicki is that she makes it so much fun, or like tonight lets me vent and rave on about crap in my life, that I don't even think about how many reps I'm doing or how heavy the weight is that I'm pulling or pushing. But she watches every rep like a hawk and knows exactly how many I've got left in me so that I get the ultimate best out of every set. All these routines that tell you to do 3 sets of 15 reps or whatever can be a waste of time if you have the ability to do one or two extra in the 3rd set, or worse make you feel inadequate if you can't complete the correct number. If you do a couple of perfect form reps in a set where you've completed more but average reps before, even the best weightlifters are going to find that set tougher. Does that make any sense? At least I know what I'm talking about.

Tonight I have that very familiar feeling of slightly shaky arms, I can feel the warmth of blood through my muscles which I can only describe as a comforting feeling ha ha that would sound weird to non weight trainers but very familiar to other weighties.

Why oh why have I waited so long to get back in the gym and why oh why have my weights all sitting stagnant getting dusty and rusty all lonely by themselves all chucked in the corner of my sunroom for so long????

Today's diet
Well, this morning is a bit of a blur for some reason, I couldn't remember what flavour shake I had, and I couldn't remember if I'd taken my Hydroxycut, when Vicki asked me (shame on me), and I ain't gunna go through the bin to see the used sachet either.

Lunch was Mediterranean Tomato or was it Cream of Chicken soup? ;-)
I do remember I had two slices of Swiss cheese wrapped around two spicy chicken tenderloins leftover from Sunday night. I was cranky and hungry. Oh and don't tell Vicki, but I had 4 cookies don't laugh but they're Paradise brand low fat for arvo tea with my cuppa plus some almonds. James bought the cookies for himself and thought that at least he'd try to do the right thing and get low fat ones.

Tonight's dinner was from the TF cookbook and was scrummo! Rosemary Lamb Backstraps baked with ratatouille - tin of crushed tomatoes, eggpplant, zucchini, onion, garlic, red capsicum. All pretty low fat and low carb. Good winter fare.

DAY 7 & DAY 8

I didn't post yesterday as I was in, well let's just say a mood. Nothing that not being married wouldn't fix ;-)

But anyway...yesterday I weighed in at 103kg a loss of another half a kilo total of 3.2 awesome. It's all been relatively easy so far.

This morning's weigh in was a little strange, I got vastly varying readings 103.1, 102.7 and 102.8 in hindsight I should have taken a 4th, lets just say I'm under 103 and somewhere in the high 102's.

I went to mother's group this morning which is always let's say "entertaining". It was at Rachael's house which is always very comfortable. I managed to slip on one of the baby rugs on the floor with a coffee in hand and landed on the barrier surrounding the combustion heater. This reminds me that my brain is ahead of my sluggish body and I still move like an elephant or with all the grace of an Aardvark!! Just a few bruises and especially to my ego! I always fear I'm going to fall over with the baby in hand, but I suppose I would move that much more carefully when carrying him.

So, food today

Breakfast
Shake, Strawberries & Cream Flavour
Multi V
Hydroxycut (I've been forgetting to take these

Mid Morn
Definitely not on the TF menu - Rachaels banana cake

Lunch
TF Soup - Mediterranean Tomato
a few almonds

Arvo
2 Slices cheese (umah)

Dinner
Baked Veal Roast
Baked carrot & zucchini
steamed broccoli

DAY 6

This is going really well!!! 103.5!! I knew it would be good news. Total 2.7kg

My size 22 jeans are way too big they were always a bit loose but they are now falling down!!

I'm not eating enough of the allowable extras that I'm supposed to through the day and I do get hungry at times. I'll have to make sure I fix that.

Breakfast
Shake (chocolate)
Multi V

Skim milk hot chocolate at Gloria Jeans

Lunch
Soup (cream of chicken)
Slice of low fat cheese

Pre-Dinner snack
Celery

Dinner
This was awesome! I made Shepherds Pie using turkey mince instead of beef, love turkey mince I use it for everything that requires mince, and topped it with cauliflower notatoes. Yummo!

I went to the chiro this morning and got straightened out a bit. I have to go again on Wednesday as I have a problem with my left arm coming from my shoulder where the tension in my muscles is pressing on some nerves and it's affecting my digital strength - like gripping and pinching things, I notice it when I squeeze pegs, or grip a pen to write, even typing feels a bit weird.

I also had a pedicure in one of those nail places. I tried a new place which I'm liking better than my usual place, pedicures became a regular for me while I was pregnant for obvious reasons. Now I still have them done. A nice little treat every 3 weeks.

When I was losing weight before, everytime I lost 5 kilos, I used to buy myself a piece of jewellery with a star pendant or something starry about it. I use stars as "my symbol" rather than a crucifix or cross.

I think I might start doing that again. Or maybe I'll do a facial or some such thing. However I would like to have something to show for it.

DAY 5 -

104.1!!!!YAHOO can you believe it! That's a total loss of 2.1kilos in 5 days!!!

I'm on a roll now.


On Wed night I decided that the frozen schnitzel and pies we were eating for dinner were just wasting all my hard work through the day, so I scoured the TF cookbook I bought and chose about 5 meals to cook over the next 5 days. Very simple when you dissect them. The main thing I noticed with these meals is the extensive use of herbs and spices. This obviously changes the taste of your average piece of meat. The other reminder is portion sizes every meal has the amount of grams per protein serve you should consume whether male or female.


So it was off to the supermarket yesterday which was made so much easier because my baby boy can now confidently sit up in the shopping trolley seat! I bought a special seat cover cushiony thing to make him safe and comfortable. He loved it! He's such a laid back little guy, I'm sure some babies would freak being put in a shopping trolley for the first time. He thought he was the ants pants.


I had most of the dried herbs & spices, I just had to get some cayenne pepper, but forgot to take my list with my and decided to buy my third jar of paprika instead!! Doh! Don't trust your memory once you have a baby....


One of the most interesting parts of the TF meals is that instead of potatoes they use cauliflower!! called notatoes. You cook it and mash it just like potato, with light cream cheese and a little garlic & salt and put it on top of shepherds pie and such.


Last night I wanted to try a recipe of Vicki's website. Crustless Quiche. It was awesome!!! Very easy to make, and James absolutely loved it. Here's the link to the receipe.

http://www.fitnessforfemales.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=53


The only things I did differently were 4 whole eggs instead of whites and added capsicum. It was great. The two things not really allowed on the TF program is the flour and breadcrumbs, but I figured 1/4 cup flour wont hurt too much in the long run and next time instead of breadcrumbs I can use their Simply Fibre as they suggest in one of their recipes for schnitzel instead of crumbs.

Back to the supermarket today for fresh herbs and more vege's. Tonight I cooked lean cut rump steaks, with red onion, tomato, parsley and basil salsa sort of thing, and notatoes (instead of mashed potato) and asparagus.

Shake for breakfast
Soup for lunch, and a little bit of left overs from last nights dinner

Can't wait to get on the scales tomorrow!

DAY 4

104.9KG AND COUNTING!! - A total loss of 1.3kg

Anyone who says these meal replacement diets don't work or are no good need to be shaken! Obviously it's not ideal and doesn't work for everyone but for those like me that are all or nothing types then it's definitely the way to go.


I was reading the TF magazine last night and on the cover was a girl (lady) that lost a staggering 101kg - holy heck that's almost all of me now! Just imagine how amazing she must feel! I haven't weighed him recently but I reckon my baby must weigh about 10kg. I can hardly manage to hold him for more than a few minutes yet I'm carrying three of him around with me all day everyday. No wonder my body hurts all the time.

DAY 3

This morning I weighed in at 105.1kg that's a total loss of 1.1kg!

Happy Dance!!!!

I visited my friend Rachael this morning and I always feel obliged to take "a little something" when I visit people. Just the way I am. So it was to Bakers Delight we went I bought 4 x choc coconut scones just to see what they were like and whilst they filled the spot over coffee, I have satisfied myself that they weren't worth the money or the calories! Their savoury pull aparts however....yummmmmm. Maybe next time I'll take her an apple or a carrot lol!!

Rachael is out to lose a bit of weight too, she's only got about 5kg to lose and was very excited to report that she's lost a kilo in the last week. Great going Rach, keep up the good work. She's getting married to her long time partner soon and she showed me the dress she bought today, really lovely and it will suit her beautifully, it's an ivory two piece with a simple straight skirt and a boned bodice that laces up at the back. Very elegant. Rach is doing the sensible diet thing and watching what she eats and recognising her portion sizes. Ya see that doesn't work for me. I have to cut right back and then reintroduce foods as I go.

I'm under no delusions that the weight I'm losing now is just fluid, but if it's there it's there to be lost. Anything that makes me feel better and keeps me going has to be good right?!

DAY2 + More stats

This morning I weighed in at 105.7kg that's a loss of 500gms! Half a kilo!

I know what you're saying yeah but what will it be tonight or tomorrow. I need the motivation of seeing those scales move everyday. Even if they move up I need to be informed. I'm like that with everything. I don't want any surprises at the end of the week.

I also measured myself today for two reasons. One obviously as stats to keep a track of cm's lost and also to order some new workout pants from the very lovely Kate McKraken's website. Her exercise gear is unreal and is basically made to order. She also has sizes up to 26 which is pretty much unheard of! You can choose colour, leg length - which is very important for me being 6ft tall with an inleg of 34" you can also choose your "rise" from crutch to waist. I hate low riders, just wasn't built for them so I choose a high rise plus there is a fold down waist band on her pants which can be adjusted to suit.

http://www.kurvaceous.com/index.php?cPath=1

Bust: 115cm
Waist: 96cm
Hips (or the widest part): 133cm
Thigh: 73cm
Arm:

I'll re-take these every three months.

Today I had:-

Too many cups of tea

Breakfast
Tony Ferguson Shake - I've decided that the QuickLoss meal replacement shake just doesn't cut it. TF Shakes are more filling and they have such a vast array of flavours that it's fun to look forward to want you get. I wrote above that I don't like surprises and now I'm going to contradict that by saying that I keep all the shakes in a bag and make it like a lucky dip to see what flavour I get. Plus I can have their soups for lunch.

Mid Morn
Berry Splash drink
Multi V
2 x Hydroxycut

Lunch
TF Soup Creamy Field Mushroom

Arvo Tea
Cuppa Tea
4 family assorted cream biscuits (whoops - I had the poohs because I was hungry and haven't yet organised good snacks - self sabotage at it's best)

Dinner will be (here we go again)
Chicken Schnitzel
Oven Baked Chips
and some sort of green vegetable

At TF today I also bought one of their cookbooks. This has relatively easy low GI dinners.

James said he weighed himself today as well and at 95kg (173cm tall) was shocked. He says he's not getting any younger and seeing as his dad died too early in his life of a heart attack and his mum has type 2 diabetes he had better start doing something now as he wants to be fit and healthy for our son.

So we've agreed that once we've eaten the not so good food in the freezer that he bought the other day, we'll start doing dinner the way we used to when I was training before. All sounds good.