Excellent weekend

This last week has been tracking well. In particular this weekend.

Saturday was a nice and lazy day at home, played some computer, relaxed and had an overall lovely day. Ate good food all in all as well, nothing crazy, a couple of choc coated coffee beans was the extent of the indulgence.

Sunday. Personal training day. Up and at them quite early (I can't seem to sleep in really late any more, even if I stay in bed late I wake up at 6am) read a few things from the readers (have a massive backlog on my non-fitness / crafty reader) and then mooched off to the other side of town for PT. I train Sundays' at lunchtime, across city once a week. I drive for an hour to get to personal training because a) I have an AMAZING trainer, b) I get to train with my Mum, c) I have coffee with Mum after and then visit Dad to spend the rest of the day with them, which truthfully wouldn't happen otherwise because they live on one side of the city and I live on the other. d) I occasionally score home cooked dinner. SCORE!!!!!

Today was a long one. Training: I have to say even though I had to stop at one point during the kettlebell workout and have a lie down because I thought I was going to puke, I had the best work out and felt GREAT afterwards. How do people work out how much water to drink during training, if I'm just running / biking I'm fine drinking when I'm thirsty, circuit training though, I'm dying of thirst the whole time, but if I drink more I just want to puke >< ???

I train for about 40 minutes, start on the tread mill and then do 30 - 35 mins of circuit. It's something different every week, high intensity and flat out the whole time. A really great workout, I train with usually Mum and another girl, I am the heaviest and also the most unfit, this is improving though. I almost fell off the treadmill when I looked at what speed I had put in for some "fast walking / jogging" and it was over a km/hr faster than what I had been able to manage previously. Obviously I need to make sure I'm up'ing my speed more regularly at home and paying less attention to the numbers and just going with what "feels" right.

I also think I had an amazing work out due to my new support garments. I found a really wonderful lingerie store down the road from my training studio and lo and behold they sell bras in my size and fitting, which after not being properly fitted in over 14 years turns out to be a 20FF, or US 42FF. I thought I was a 24DD, oh how wrong I was :P

I almost fell over when she told me the size, and the fit is wonderful, my underwires actually sit on my sternum... who would have thunk it ... GO, get fitter properly people the difference is mind blowing. (the price for large size bras blows my mind too, I forgot that they were over $100... ) I kind of hope my cup size drops a bit so I can shop at regular stores again or I'm going to cry. At least now I know where I can go to get decent bras for at least working out, which is the most important thing at the moment. My rib cage is smaller than I though though which was a nice surprise :)

I was up .3kg last Wednesday at WI. This week I intend to get that back off. I'm quite enjoying the Propoints plan to date, however I have been less than focused, I will work to rectify that this week and next. I've been tracking really well and haven't gone through all my points yet so should see some good progress this week, if not then the fact that I have to take all my pants in again is good enough for me.

Hope everyone had great weekend, here is to a good week

Car blogging again

Blogging on the drive home tonight. I should make more use of this time, I tend to nap.

Today I did good and I did bad.

I had killer chocolate cravings all day, in the end I gave in. The nutella on corn thins just wasn't cutting it. I tried the choccie frog, that lasted me through to the evening and then I craved again and got a kit kat. Crapulent. It was very tasty, I didn't need the big one though and I didn't need all off it. I need to learn to share the bad food so I don't consume it all myself.
I have learnt from it, which is the main thing and I didn't eat the chocolate mousse I ordered with dinner. I did eat all of mega salad which was possibly somewhat excessive yet tasty and fortunately mostly just vegetables. I only drank 3.4 ltrs today, just not as thirsty today, was nice to not have to pee on the hour though. Lol

So good, didn't eat mousse, bad that I bother buying chocolate I didn't need. Tomorrow I will take more fruit for afternoon tea to cover the sugar craving, need to take some hot choc mix to work too as I'm out and that usually helps too.

I'm home alone tomorrow and Thursday as the boi is interstate for work. I plan on getting in a nice quick run in the morning before he leaves and then another in the evening to pass some time. Might have to check out some tv shows I have saved up as out home Internet seems unhappy and the modem is having issues (need to get it replaced actually might try remember to do that too)

Of course most important thing tomorrow is I have my Weightwatchers meeting. I think I lost this week but I'm not sure. My lunches are back on track but my pre-planning has been arse. Another thing to add to the list of goals to work on. Bit by bit. All good. I feel good, my skin is great and I'm eating healthy.

And now we are almost home I'm going to go pass out. We always get home so late on Tuesday nights. This is why I hate Wednesdays so much. Hehehe.

Cute cat picture for amusement. This is Scruff, aka Fuzzy or teddy bear. She like to sleep on a vision in-between my keyboard and my screen and also kill things on screen if I'm playing video games.

Blogging from the car

I have been meaning to post for a while. I've just not been bothering to turn on the Pc when I get home. Which is good for moving myself as once I'm on the Pc I get a bit distracted from everything else., not so good for blogging. I have blogger on the iPhone so I will make use of this whilst the boi drives us home (and back to work again).

The last couple of weeks I've been getting into twitter more and I'm really enjoying it. Moving a bit away from the facecrack (deleted farmville hehe) and I've also been using twitter to meet new people either finishing starting or at some point in between of the get healthy and lose weight journey. The support and camaraderie of the twitter community is something pretty special. I'm really glad I found it and started getting involved. Everyone I've interacted with so far has been really friendly, welcoming, funny, open, honest and so many other great things. So a thank you to everyone I've met so far and will meet.
Since finding twitter I have also found a few really amazing motivational tools. The one I have joined for December is the #DecGTD (link coming one I'm on a Pc). A group of people from all over getting together to support each other and work towards "going the distance" each person has chosen for the month. I am aiming to get in 20 miles on the treadmill and outside. I hope I can go future but after the injuries of the last 2 months I want to start back with something achievable then evaluate and push next month based on how well everything holds up.
Doing the #DecGTD challenge has got me really ex iced about getting my walk / run in as often as possible and I'm looking more forward to it even when it has been a stinking hot and humid day.

I think I need to do some more reading up on twitter and such. There are more acronyms than I deal with day to day and I'm in IT. I'm sure there are easier ways to do some things. All fun though.

The last week for me was a bit slack food wise. I have worked out missing lunch (because I didn't pack it) is the worst thing I can do. I forget to eat or eat very late then mess up dinner and that was the issue last week. I was a slack arse and that's not going to keep flying Have to get back to it. Fortunately all back on track now. I made up q bunch more breakfast muesli and made sue all lunch veggies were fully stocked so all back on the go. Have mega sanga packed again and ready to rumble.

Other random thoughts.
- I actually managed to forget it's snake season. I'm an idiot.
- I've found a new path to do my runs not near the places they like (my old route was more trail and close to water but not very busy)
- I need more ice packs for post run
- I love the new chai tea drink I found!

Okay off to start a new week. GL to everyone in meeting and blowing their goals out of the water. My aim this week is to run no matter the weather, keep up my water intake and remember to ice after running so I don't become a cripple. nothing worse than not knowing which leg to limp on because they both hurt. Lol.



The view from my runs and why I needed a new route.

New WW Propoints - Day 1.

Well my Wi day is not until Wednesday but everything online was updated this morning. So on i logged to track and I've found out my new "rules of food".

I have daily 46 Propoints®, and the additional 49 a week. So today I tracked and re-jigged some of my recipes. My Muesli works out at 9pp a serve, quite respectable I think considering how long it keeps me going for, it's Vegan, high protein, fibre and a good dose of good fats from the seeds, not to mention good fibre as well. Basically a rocking meal to start my day with. I got some apricots and mango and will add them tomorrow morning along with the apple just to change it up a little, I think I might have some mango for dessert tonight as well.

So day 1 breakdown:

Breakfast:

Bircher style muesli

Green Tea

Morning Tea:

3 corn things

Yoghurt Top muesli bar

Lunch:

Mega grainy bread with; Roast Pork, Cheese, pickled onions, lettuce, tomato, carrot, alfalfa, capsicum and cucumber.

Some cucumber spears

Jarrah hot chocolate

Afternoon Snack:

Banana

Dinner:

Jarrah Hot chocolate

5 bean mix with bamboo shots and salsa quesadilla with light sour cream 1/4 avocado and some more salsa on top

Maybe a Mango for dessert?

I was a bit excited about the sour cream (love it) and probably a bit over the top with cheese (new pack and it moved a bit faster than I liked so I've written off all my points for the day. 46 done and dusted.

Had I replaced some of the beans with green beans and peas and some more corn then probably could save some points. Also moving the 1kg bag of cheese into a container rather than pouring over the stove would save me about 4 pp. Sour cream, well it's light and it's my fav, and I have points, it's dairy. Considering I'm edging more and more towards Vegetarian / Vegan I may as well love it whilst I still buy it :P

Doing well this week all in all, looking forward to my HUGE salad with chicken tomorrow night, it has become the usual Tuesday fare. Lots and lots of salad little bit of chicken from the Turkish Takeaway place. Works out at about 5 points (if that) total, there is a tiny amount of chicken, maybe half a breast and then a few cubes of feta. and it ROCKS!

I hope everyone else starting on PP is doing okay. I'm not overly fussed or worried about the change, it's something new and interesting if nothing else.

It's basically a focus on low GI foods, I know how to eat like that already, just working to incorporate the vegetarian slowly into my diet now. I've decided for the rest of this week I'm not having meat in my daily sandwich i'm having char-grilled eggplant instead. Something with a bit of body, flavour and not just salad vegies which I already have 3 inches of in my sandwich (can hardly close the container).

The Wednesday we see how we go :)

Food options and changes

Over the last few months my diet has been undergoing a some what drastic change. Fortunately the change hasn't happened all at once and this has meant it has been much easier to fall into new patterns and habits.

In my last post is discussed Michael Pollens' food rules very briefly, in main part it all comes back to... "eat food, not too much , mostly plants". After some of my requisite thinking and digesting time I have come to the conclusion that with the research he has completed coupled with that detailed in the China study and other food and disease related studies I have to agree. As a non-religious, scientist by training and fairly logical person the proof is there the testing makes the correlations, I don't feel a need to try and argue with it. Animal products are killing us. In particular the amazingly high amounts consumed are what marks a western diet and it's what is causing the rampage of the diseases of affluence through our society.

So to get back on topic, the thing I've drawn from ally his is part of the reason I have problems is really I eat far too many animal proteins and products. I've not yet gotten to the point where I have given them up completely. I still have milk in my proper coffees, yoghurt in my baking and occasionally for dessert. A slice of cheese in lunch and maybe some meat. Proportionately though nothing compared to previously. Milk goes off in the fridge now, even in the little 600 ml cartons. Yoghurt also tends to die before getting finished. The biggest difference is the switch in dinner. A standard now is a plate full of steamed vegetables a grain and maybe a piece of steamed fish although vegetables and grains is generally enough.

Over the last few month I have also worked on increasing my fluid intake and slowly detoxing from coffee. Where 4 years ago I would be drinking 4 to 6 large strong coffees a day, I now have fewer than one a day usually 2 a week. I now drink about 3 ltrs of green tea a day, 3 ltrs of water and perhaps a cup or two of a jarrah drink if I have a bad chocolate craving and a normal black tea at some point in the evening. I'm finding if I do t drink enough I feel horrible and the more I drink the better I feel during the day. Although I did have issues with my back teeth floating for half the day at some points.

My favourite breakfast at the moment is a home made Bircher Muesli mix. Recipe (well an approximation and it changes every time a little bit depending on supplies) below:

Izzys' home made Bircher style Muesli

1.5 cup rolled oats
.25 cup steel cut oats
.25 cup sultana raisins
.25 cup flakes almonds
.25 cup LSA mix
1 tbls chia seeds
2 tbls craisins
6 macadamia nuts chopped finely
6 brazil nuts chopped finely
6 dries apricots diced finely

Chop everything to snapping dice and then mix. I have about 1/2 cup of mix with apple juice on it (enough to cover the mix in the bowl, maybe 150ml?) the I put it in the fridge overnight to let it soak in. In the mornings I grate 1/3 of a granny smith apple ver the top and mix in.
Other options are to top with yoghurt for more protein, use milk in the morning if you prefer a more cereal consistency. Add different fruits or use a different juice, orange is also really nice.

Most mornings I eat breakfast at about 6 am. This keeps me going until I have a break at about 10 or 11 with maybe a rice or corn thin to help soak up some of the 2 ltrs of tea and water I drink when I get to work in the mornings. Without all the liquid this would happily get me through to almost lunch time at 1. Morning tea is generally fruit and a muesli bar or some corn thins and a hot choc so not a major meal.

So that's a bit more about my food. It's all a work in progress. I will still happily eat a 100gm block of Lindt in one sitting and love it, the difference is it's a $5, 100gm block. Not a $2 250gm block and I savor it, taste ever mouthful. Then I keep on eating good.

Surviving and enjoying life at the same time.

Once again I find myself on a journey. Really I've only been taking the train in one direction until now. I've also found that really I stopped paying attention to the scenery a long time ago. I've peaked out at my top weight. This is the second time in 2 years. Lost 15 kg last time and it's come back. Not to mention it wasn't enough to begin with.

134.3 kg. The heaviest I have ever been. Twice. Now I plan on checking out the details and the scenery on the way back down. I don't want to lose this weight instantly. I don't want to starve myself completely.

Recently I have done a hole lot of reading. Michael Pollen's books gave me a bunch of things to think about. So I did. Then I started reading a few other books and thinking about them too. The end of Overeating, a really interesting book kind of depressing. Then the China Study, really eye opening. All this reading and thinking was all leading in one direction really. More plants, less processed foods and very little meat. As Michael Pollen stated at the end of In Defense of Food; Eat Food, not too much, mostly plants. The guy makes a very interesting point. Reading the China Study I can see the evidence, the scientist in me believes and reads and understands. Meat and animal derived proteins are what is killing people eating the "western diet". The thought that the food I eat can have more impact on my life and the issues I experience health wise than even my genes and the toxins I'm exposed to scared my damn socks off. I don't think I've read anything so immersive, and so scary in my life.

I have a plan. Well I don't know if it should be called that really but, i have joined up with WW after quitting I. Digust whenthey closed all the meetings I could get to. I've found another and even though I have issues with some stuff the support and regular meetings mean I can cheat for too long. This is my thing to keep me accountable. The next part of my plan is personal training, I go once a week, not a really huge amount granted. This is to keep me focused on exercise, also I get to see my mum once a week and catch up as we train together. Final parts of the plan. Food. Of course and plan of this kind is food focused and last thing blog. Somewhere some time to have a spot to let it out and make sense of my relationship with food and how it affects my life. A detail of my trip back down the train line. Maybe someone else will get some kind of inspiration from it or find something that can help them. Regardless, the blog is for me to talk it out.

Food is something which I think needs a discussion all it's own. I've changed my views on food quite radically in the last few months. I'm still working a lot of it out myself.
Currently a day for me is a Bircher style muesli. Home made lots of seeds and the apple juice and grated apple. Some fruit and corn thins for morning tea, lots of green tea and water all day. I drink about 3 Lyra of green tea. 2 Lyra of water and then maybe 2 other drinks. Usually coffee or hot choc. Lunch is a sandwich. About 3 incus high, a slice of cheese maybe some meat although this is becoming less common and every salad veg you can think of and some extras. Afternoons tend to be some vege sticks and dip. Dinner is vegetables some kind of grain and maybe fish or chicken or occasionally kangaroo.
I've cut down on my milk consumption dramatically. From using over ultras of milk in less than a week to maybe finishing a 600ml before it goes off. Meat is slowly going too. I'm working on changing and increasing vegetable consumption and the pulling back in the meat. The first change was to increase the fish. Next step is move away from more meat, probably lunch and maybe reduce the frequency over dinner.

So here's to a new start again and focus on why is the best for me.