Disheartened...

So I was crap last week, but have been on the wagon again this week and very pleased to have recorded a loss of one kilo this week.

On Monday I injured myself - tore the cartilage in my knee while running - which has seriously affected my training regime.  My hopes of being an Olympic athlete have been dashed as I hobble around trying not to wince with each step. :(  By the time I have it surgically repaired and recover enough to be able to run again I'll have missed the whole summer-daylightsaving thing that makes running even more enjoyable.

I've got my fitball and resistance bands ready for some serious resistance training and can still do abs, arms and back but am really upset about the intense cardio that will be missing from my regime for a few months.

Plus I took a photo for my before and after shot on the 12WBT page, and although I have already lost more than 20kgs, I still look like a fatty.  Sigh. I know that's why I'm doing the program and in 10 more weeks I'll be at least 10kgs slimmer and almost at my goal, but today I feel like eating worms...

Phoenix
:(

Uh-oh injury...

So I dusted myself off and climbed back on that horse - appreciating the support and wisdom of my fellow 12WBTers.

It was an absolutely stunning spring day in Melbourne yesterday - clear blue sky and just a whisper of wind.  Woofy and I ran 8.5kms down the to beach and back and enjoyed every minute.  When I got back I felt fantastic - pious and buzzing with adrenalin.  Calories on target.  All good here.


This morning off I went again following Mish's outdoor regime.  On the last run home, I heard a nasty pop and my knee collapsed. :(  Very, very painful.  Because I didn't have a phone or anything with me - and I could see my front door - it took me 20 minutes to shuffle and hop the last 300 metres home.

I can't stand, walk or bend my leg, which is making most things quite difficult.  Now I am confined to the couch with a suspected torn cruciate ligament and only a laptop and a dog for company.  Feeling very sorry for myself.

Fell off the horse... :(

I was going along gangbusters.  Feeling all 'gung ho' in the lead up to the start of Round 3, I was down 3kgs and flying high!

Kickoff day last Monday and I smashed the prescribed Mish outdoor workout, recorded my 1200 calories on CalorieKing...  Then something happened.  I fell in a hole.  I got very stressed at work and didn't have time to record my measurements or do the fitness test.  I have a pinched sciatic nerve that is making running difficult - well, let's be honest, not just running, but walking and sleeping too.  I had bad tummy cramps for a few days and my trusty fur trainer is being VERY naughty because she's used to being trained hard every single day and suddenly her routine went out the window...  I ate ALL the peanut M&Ms in the office that I normally serve to clients.  Don't know why.  I normally don't even think about them and am not a compulsive eater. 

So at the end of the first week, I am still at the start.  I haven't lost or gained anything, which is definitely a good thing given my incredibly poor form.  I very quickly swapped my obsession with peanut M&Ms for the Sookie Stackhouse novels (anyone seen True Blood? - it's based on this series of books).  Mind candy like this is definitely a lower calorie alternative than peanut M&Ms, but it doesn't build much lean muscle.  I've read nine of them in the past 2.5 weeks.  And now I'm in love with a fictional character.  Who is a vampire. Sigh...

So.  I've done my shopping and preparation for the week ahead, measured and weighed myself and recorded all the details online (yeah, I will do it again on Wednesday so I'm in the right sequence with everyone else) and am sitting here in my exercise clothes being tormented by the dog who is DESPERATE for a run to the beach.

I am SO determined to be at my goal by Christmas.  And I know after last time (12WBT - Round 1), that all I have to do is stick to the plan.  One day at a time.  And in 11 weeks I will be almost there...  It's not that hard.  And I CAN do it!

Wish me luck!

And good luck to everyone else in Week 2!

Phoenix

Calorie credit card

I've given this some careful thought.

Imagine if there was a calorie credit card.  It would work like a regular credit card.  You'd have to apply and 'they' (the calorie credit card vendors) would assess your risk profile and decide whether or not to approve you for a credit card based on your performance history.  They'd even allocate a credit limit.  The idea is that you could make an application to lose a certain amount of weight and look a certain way and - if your application was approved - you could use the credit card to make it happen immediately!  Then you'd have to eat and workout daily for a specified number of calories for a defined period of time to 'pay' for your new body! In our culture of instant gratification surely this would be highly sought after?

I took the running dog for a 6.5km run this morning (480cal) which resulted in her acting like she had been sprayed with fly spray - dancing around like a nutbag and woofing when it was time to work - for the rest of the day. She's finally settled down for a snooze now.  Although the Chinese acupuncture has cured most of my running-related injuries, I still have the that annoying shooting pain through my lower back, glutes and the top of my thigh.  And going up and down stairs is a problem.  So is walking, come to think of it.  I tried to run through it, but that turned out to be a short term solution - and I'm paying for it now. 

I'd think I'd have a shocking calorie credit card rating.  What would happen if you injured yourself and couldn't make the exercise calorie repayments?  Or if you ate too many hot chips on Fathers' Day? Would there be some sort of Grim Calorie Reaper who would just materialise at an inopportune moment and slap kilos onto your otherwise svelt body?


Better off doing things the old-fashioned way.  Exercise and watch what you eat.  Harsh - but the only thing that is guaranteed to work.

Still hungry after my 430 calorie dinner of gluten-free pasta with chicken, bacon,corn and home-made pesto made with goat cheese and walnuts. It was late and I was in a hurry - OK? Luckily I have a freezer full of tasty, but calorie-controlled, easy access meals that I prepared earlier.  Think I'll have a diet sprite and put myself to bed with a hot water bottle to soothe my sore bits...

Despite how it may appear - I AM losing weight.  Down 3kgs in the past two weeks so far!

OMG - I have ribs!

No, I'm not kidding - I felt them. 

For the first time in more than 15 years I can feel my ribs.  At least that's what I think they were.  Without a past-life regression I can't be sure, but I read Who Weekly and I'm pretty sure that's what those hard symmetrical lumps in my previously soft and cuddly body are.

And here I was convinced that I was held together entirely by fat and wobbly bits...

Might go back to the gym now.  Next step will be to be able to see actual bones, rather than just feel them!

The Great Procrastinator

I have a friend who is afraid to finish her photo albums because she believes that if she finishes them she won't have anything else to do in the world and she'll die.

I spend most of my time getting my life in order.  Sorting.  And making lists and plans.  I'm such a control freak that I like to feel that everything is in order before I actually DO anything.  I'm sure everyone can see where this is going... Maybe instead of being super-organised like I've always thought of myself, I'm actually a Great Procrastinator?  Sometimes I worry that I never actually get anywhere, but I think the reality is that as quickly as I tick one task off my list, I add another item to the bottom of what seems to be a never-ending and quite overwhelming list of things to do and achieve.

I like the way this 12WBT program plays to my strengths - or are they weaknesses?  Whatever.  It plays into my obsessive task orientation, but to my own benefit.  Mish sets a task  - I do it. Tick. I record what I eat and how many calories I burn when I exercise. Tick.  Gee keeping track of your calories sure keeps you honest! I'm sticking to the calorie limit, protein loading (mostly due to my gluten and lactose intolerance) and guzzling my body weight in water and herbal tea daily, but two weeks back on the strict wagon and I'm still hungry almost all the time.

Thank the good Lord for Balsamic Glaze! Only 10 calories per dessertspoon and it sure gives steamed vegetables and salad and - well just about anything but cereal - a tasty zing!   See, at 45 years old, I've finally worked out if you follow the program you lose weight and if you don't - you don't lose weight.  It really is that simple. It comes down to a choice about how much you want it.  Do I want to lose weight, or do I want to keep putting that off for another day? With another cunningly crafted self-sabotaging excuse about why I can't start today, why I need to eat just enough to prevent any weight loss (I'm not silly enough to put weight on!) or why I can't possibly go to the gym again this month...  Might as well just keep going.  One step at a time.  I mean I'm already hungry and don't want to undo the good work I've done.  And soon I will reach my goal.

Pass the ginger and lemongrass tea please...

The running dog

Pic of running dog after a big run.  Been to the beach, had a bath and blow-wave, then took her pigs ear and went to have a snooze on the bed...

When I first started Round 1 of the 12WBT, I never thought I would actually enjoy exercising.  I lived in fear of burpees and jogging, but now I actually enjoy them.  I've discovered that secret adrenalin rush that fit people boast about and the rest of us think is just a figment of their food-deprived imaginations.  It's actually real and makes you feel amazing for the whole day.  So, I've become addicted to running - and as a result my trusty four-legged training buddy is way over-trained and now insists on vigorous daily workouts and running in addition to her normal dog-walks, games and accompanying me to the office.

But it seems that my body can't keep up with my enthusiasm - or my dog - and I've injured myself so that I can't really run at the moment. Or walk actually...  Strained muscles it seems.  And a super tight ITB that is pulling my knee out of alignment.  And I was getting so that I could do about 8kms at a time.  :( So now I'm stressed.  The running program and the diet I've been following were working really well for me and I don't want to just get fat again because I can't exercise properly.

I've got a fancy gym membership at a super-groovy gym down by the beach.  I've had the membership for years and it's cost me a fortune, but I hardly ever go there because of the love-hate relationship we have.  I love that's it's funky and new and well resourced - with great views - but that means that it's liberally populated with skinny young beautiful people who also appreciate the grooviness of the place.  I went to spinning last week and I was 20 years and at least as many kilos more than anyone else in the place. Sigh.  But I did manage to keep up.  Well, for most of the class anyway.

Back to the physio to get these muscles back in peak running condition...

Yummy Gluten and Dairy Free Lunch Option - (320cal per serve)

The big thing for me is being prepared.  I need to have my food cupboards and fridge properly stocked and a whole lot of yummy, healthy options for lunch and dinner ready to go, so that when I'm suddenly starving, I can easily make a good choice.

Did I mention I love to cook?  And I'm quite a good cook too.  Today I'm preparing a few things for the weeks ahead.  If you're not worried about the gluten and dairy, you can use cow's milk cheese in this too.

Here's a recipe for what I've made so far today.  It makes 12 serves and freezes well - which suits me fine as I can serve a whole family AND freeze individual portions for my lunch at work.  Enjoy!

Chicken and vegetable frittata
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 leek
1 packet (500g) frozen peas
I bunch asparagus
12 large eggs
400 g sheep's milk fetta or sheep's milk ricotta (or even Greek goat's milk yoghurt)
100g Manchego (hard sheep's milk cheese like parmesan)
1 cup fresh basil leaves
400g chicken (I use a whole roast chicken with the skin and bones removed)

Line large baking dish with baking paper.
heat oil in fry pan and cook chopped leek until soft.  Add the peas and chopped asparagus and cook for another few minutes.  Season as required.
Whisk eggs, add fetta (or ricotta, or yoghurt) and combine. 
Stir through basil, cooked vegetables and chopped chicken.
Pour into lined baking dish and grate the Manchego over the top.
Bake in medium oven for 30 mins or until cooked through.  It rises a bit and appears golden brown on the top when ready.

A new beginning in sight

Over the past year, I've lost more than 20kgs - 13 of them as a result of 12WBT Round 1.  I'm so proud of myself.  I'm feeling fit and healthy and have cleaned out all my old 'fat clothes' for good.  Sadly, I've been so overweight for so long, that I don't have any thin clothes, so I really don't have anything to wear!  I'm loving the new me, but I still have another 20kgs to go and have been hesitant to get carried away buying a new wardrobe when the job is only half done.  I've proven to myself that I CAN lose weight and I CAN keep it off.  Now it's time to finish the job and achieve my goal. So I'm back for Round 3 and ready to kick some major goals and say goodbye to those last 20kgs before Christmas 2010.  I'm not waiting for kickoff - I'm already into it!

So what did I learn in Round 1?  Hmmm.  Well, I learned it's not easy to lose weight and transform your body and your life.  If you do what you've always done, you get what you've always got  - no change.  For me, weight doesn't just fall off when I stop eating junk and walk around the block once a week.  I am gluten and lactose intolerant and allergic to a myriad of other stuff so am always careful with what I eat.  What I have found out is that I need to record (www.calorieking.com.au) everything that I put in my mouth, or I suffer from some wierd form of  'Calorie Amnesia' where I think that if I don't acknowledge that extra handful or two of nuts that I scoffed while making a cup of healthy green tea, I don't have to count them in my daily calorie total and am then genuinely surprised when I don't lose any weight!  I mean it's not like I'm eating lollies and chips - they're just nuts, right?  And nuts are good for you...  Same goes for gluten and dairy free dip with plain rice crackers.  Surely that pious combination can do no harm.  Wrong.  The deal is, if I follow Mish's strict 1200 calorie rule and record every mouthful - weight lost.  If not, no weight lost.  That bit is easy.

Exercise.  I need to do something every day.  That's every day, not every day that I can be bothered.  I have a trusty training partner who makes sure I get out every single day.  I think I'd struggle with the exercise even more without her.  She has four legs and a tail and boy does she love to run!  I call that interval training.  We run for as long and as fast as I can, then I beg for a few seconds respite and we keep doing it until she finally relents and lets me go home.  I must admit I actually enjoy it now.  I love the achievement of being able to run or jog for a sustained period of time, and I love how energised I feel for the rest of the day after a vigorous workout!

It's actually sounding quite easy.  Stick to a defined number of calories and exercise every day.  Surely it's not that hard after all.  And it's not.  I now know exactly what works and can measure it.  If I follow these rules I lose weight.  If not, I don't.  The choice is mine.  And I choose me.  I choose to say goodbye to another 20kgs before Christmas 2010.  One day at a time...

Imagine wearing a bikini for the customary family dip in the pool on Christmas day this year!  I'm going to hold on to that thought and go online looking for a bikini to lust after...