I'm here Lindor… just taking a break and trying to catch my breath after the frenetic last month of moving and uprooting my life.

Hasn't been a particularly good week for me in terms of weight loss. I started out at 88.9kg and I have a terrible feeling I'm going to be above that on Monday. But I'm here giving myself a slap around the head (metaphorically, of course), and I plan to put the weekend to good use!

Hopefully if I work hard enough and get my head right I will at least be able to stay at 88.9 for Monday's weigh-in and not let the team down.

What does everyone have planned for the weekend?


Ani

I bought a second hand bike on ebay, and just picked that up! Haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid, but looking for ways to exercise that won't stress my achilles, so here I am. Bought a helmet, now just have to figure out how to reassemble the wleels and chain, since I took them off to fit it in the car. I think I'll get it serviced on Monday - only $60 for them to check it all over, sounds like it'd be worth it to test the brakes , clean the chain, adjust the seat etc.

Other than that, I'm going swimming tomorrow morning with my training buddies, and on call for work both afternoons (but secretly hoping they won't call!).

Have had a brilliant week foodwise to make up for last week, and snuck on the scales for a very pleasant reading this morning! Hoping I'm under 90 for Monday!!

I wore a Tshirt I haven't fitted for 4 years today - it is special to me because i bought it the same day I met my ex-boyfriend, and it has the name of the town we met on it (I was travelling, so it was a souvenir). Sniff, good memories.

I had lost my computer for most of the week and have been re-loading everything over the past two days.

I have been asked if we can go surfing tomorrow so unless something else crops up we are going south and will be surfing the day away.

As for my weight this week I am a little frustrated. I have been really unwell since the early hours of Wednesday morning, I have only been able to eat 1/2 a cup of veggies on Wed night, nothing Thursday and then a slice of toast last night, and nothing today so far. I have been trying to keep fluids up but that makes me feel worse. SO HOW MUCH HAVE I LOST SO FAR THIS WEEK?........ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. If I was pregnant I wouldn't mind the nausea so much but I am not and I am sick of this. Wouldn't be so bad if the weight was coming off either.

Jennylee

It's so easy to slip back into old habits. For the last month, since I moved house, I've been falling back into some of my old and familiar habits - not all at once, and not in a way that is even really noticeable.

For me the 'danger zone' has been a lot more subtle than that: walking 3 times a week instead of 6, eating the odd extra thing because "it won't hurt", not drinking enough water… and while I haven't gained weight (or maybe gained a kilo), I haven't been committed to losing any either.

I lost sight of my goals, and of my reason for wanting to lose more weight.

I've felt really restless: my best friend is overseas, my mother is still in hospital, and I'm not yet settled into a new routine here.

At least I'm still here. Didn't fall off the wagon completely - but the main things that have kept me from totally stuffing up are a) the fact that I threw out my big clothes - all of them - about four months ago, and b) knowing that I am part of Aussie Chicks. In a strange way you girls keep me accountable.

I woke up this morning feeling bloated and hideous. It's time for me to realise that I'm only part of the way through my journey towards getting healthy, and to rise to the occasion. I'm not quitting - I refuse to do that. So it's an attempt to get back to the basics for me for the next three months.

So I'm setting myself one small goal - and a reward for reaching it.

• To lose 4.4 pounds (2kg) in the next 4 weeks. If I make it by 21st May I am going to reward myself with a day trip to a town in WA I have never been before.

And I'm starting today. I have lined up a friend to go for a walk around the river this morning, and after that I'm going to do some work in my garden.

This afternoon, while I'm watching the footy (and probably watching my beloved Freo Dockers get thrashed), I'm going to do my dumbell exercises.

I will drink at least 1 litre of water - and more if I can force myself.

I will eat no more than 1800 calories!

Truly, I am my own worst enemy sometimes. Don't get me wrong - I am really proud of losing 16-odd kilos. Every kilo you drop is worth a pat on the back. But 16kg isn't the deal I promised myself when I undertook this journey last August.

So hopefully I can get back on that wagon and get to work on the next bunch of kilos.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.


Ani

It's so easy to slip back into old habits.
OH yeah this is me. I feel like I am getting no where fast!I am today in a 'poor me' mode. Just feeling fat, flabby, and really yuck.And just P'd off with the world And to top it all off I was thinking about a change of diet. I am doing weight watchers, and was thinking of swapping to counting cals, just to find that most of the stuff I have in the cupboard is in kj's. I will have to have a look around and find kj's on the site.
16 kg's Perth Chick You do indeed deserve pat's on the back.
You have just made me feel better, and I am getting off this chair, doing the dishes that have been sitting on the bench for the last 2 hours(self drying lol) and going to the gym. Might even get this body into the spa.Have a need to do something I don't normally do today. Just for me!!!!!!!
Have a great day

Hello I am another aussie who has found this site- My name is Vanessa, 31 years old, single mum to Liam, I live south west of Sydney - I joined a gym at the beginning of the year- and have got used to juggling work, working out and being a mum, and I am now looking at ideas for my diet...

What do you do? Weightwatchers? Lite and easy? Tony Fergusons? Any suggestions on what is working for you?

Before I was married I lost a lot of weight on Lite and Easy but I cant afford that anymore, I choose to join a gym, which I think is a better way to spend my money... I want to lose weight using everyday foods because I still have to prepare meals for my 3 year old...

Anyway I hope I get to get to know you all better...

Hi Vanessa, welcome. There are lots of threads here about different types of programs. Personally I think WW is great to get you started and give you an idea about which foods are "good" and "bad" for you. I started on WW (online only, no meetings) and lost about 10kg in 12 weeks. Then when my membership ran out I came to CK - better diary, better boards, and it's free!!

THe most important thing is drinking water, and tracking what you eat - everything you eat. Whether you choose WW or CK, it's all about keeping track. I like CK now, it's much easier than WW as you don't have to calculate points, and my HRM tells me what cals I burnt with exercise so I can enter that. Things like Lite N Easy don't teach you how to cook or eat properly.

Welcome Vanessa, weight loss is a trial and error thing I find. Sometimes what works for one person doesn't always work for another.

The main things to do, I find, is to stick to low fat foods, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, low fat cuts of meat and then LOTS AND LOTS of water. I love my water so that isn't generally too hard for me to do.

Then trying to get exercise in in your day is the next important thing.

Good luck, there are lots of people here to help you out.

Take care,
Jennylee

Welcom Vanessa - you've stumbled across one of the friendliest groups on the internet!

Meanwhile, back in Kylieland, things are not going to plan. In fact, it seems there is no plan. I was on what's known as a 'post-conference high', where saving the world seems possible, and you just can wait to get back into activity. Yeah, I knew it wouldn't last. My walls came tumbling down earlier today, and I feel miserable again. I know I should see the doc, but I dont want to. I'm a bit embarrassed, and I don't know if she'll just say "what are you on about?" like it's not bad enough to be something. or something. I dont know.

Back onto IsoWhey tomorrow, the best thing for me. That way, chocolate and fizzy drinks are no longer options. God damn I'm so mad.


Kylie

to Mumtoliam. These guys are a wonderful bunch. Always ready with a virtual hug when down, advice when confused and funny when on a good day. Even when feeling crappy we still manage to bring a smile to someones face somehow. And JennyLee is right, you will learn over time to do what is right for you. We are all different and our bodys work in different ways. And yep as they both said - lots of water. I find that over the past few weeks I haven't been drinking much and I am hungrier than usual and not losing well.

Ani, Mary and Kylie I wish I could reach through and give you a big squeezie and soak up some of your sadness and despair

"Just feeling fat, flabby, and really yuck.And just P'd off with the world" Mary we all have days like this - and it's a horrible feeling.

I feel terrible when I see you all down. I'm hoping some of my "I had a great weekend" vibes can buzz on down the data lines to you all.

JennyLee how are you feeling? Any better? Have you been to see Doc? It's odd that you even feel unwell with fluids. Do u have a tummy bug perhaps? Isn't it weird how people are so different.... When I'm sick, I am ravenous and would eat the crutch out of a low flying duck if I could.

Lindor??? Is everything ok? Where are you? Are you lost? Or studying your math ready for tomorrows ticker.

Speaking of tomorrow, who's weighing in? I can't wait, as I feel good the past few days as Several months ago I bought jeans in 2 sizes. The 1st of my jeans no longer stay up and i finally fit into the next size down

Have a great day tomorrow all. Hope things get better for all who are having a hard time.

Vonni

Kylie, the doctor might say that, given their ignorance about psychological issues. Why not get a referral to a counsellor/psychologist, and just go talk to them? It's bulkbilled if you have a plan from your GP. There doesn't have to be something massively "wrong" for you to feel blah, or struggle with your journey through life. You have a lot of responsibility, and big goals - it can help to discuss things with someone objective.

I went swimming today for the first time in a few years, in the outdoor pool at North Sydney - gorgeous! It's right under the harbour bridge, so good views! Very salty though.. ick. I managed 20 laps, although it took me 45 mins. Very slow in my old age, plus my cap kept falling off, so I was trying to breathe through a curtain of hair! Annoyed that my whizbang heart rate monitor wouldn't work in the pool, it's definitely meant to. Ah well.

I hope weigh in is good tomorrow - I feel very confident this week after an angelic food & exercise week! Going to call the osteo tomorrow as well to get some treatment on my foot - has been a month now that it's been stuffed, so I don't think it's self-curing!

augigi- Maybe a silly question but what is CK?

ARGH!!!!!! I've had a **** week. I went to the gym on Wed, forgot my shoes. Went home and haven't been back since. I pigged out all Thursday and gave myself such a bad migrane that I didn't get out of bed till Sat morning. Then ate noodles and drank eight LITRES of Pepsi Max over the next two days. What is wrong with me? I've been doing so well.

All I can do is start afresh tomorrow and keep going. Next time this happens, try and stop the rot earlier. I also didn't go for weigh in on Sat, as I still wasn't 100% and didn't feel right driving.

Sorry Vanessa, it's calorieking.com.au - free to join for aussies, great food diary and database etc.

How good was weigh in today....wait for it....I'm under 90kg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 89.8 to be exact! So I lost 2.4kg this week, which is my biggest loss since I started apart from week 1, I think. Very happy!

Firstly, sorry I have been AWOL over the weekend. I've spent most of the weekend flat on my back with back pain again. It hurts to sit up here for any duration. I'm putting on a brave face this morning because I have to go to work shortly, and I am trying to convince myself the pain is not too bad!

So, this morning I weigh in at 84.0kg! Somehow I managed to lose 900g???? Might be because I skipped dinner last night and went to bed instead?

It was another poor dieting week, but like Ani, I seriously need to turn myself around! And this is the week I am going to do it...for me and for the Aussie Chicks Team!

I have also decided to set up a reward system for me...of which I receive nothing until I reach goal!! For every good day I will deposit up to $7.50 ($2.50 each for calorie intake, exercise and water). For every bad day I lose up to $15.00 ($5 each for too many calories, no exercise, not consuming at least 2L water).

As I reach other achievements like a full week of good days, or making a 5kg loss, I will deposit other little bonuses. Don't get me wrong...money is not exactly the motivation here. I have never really set myself a reward for reaching goal. Yeah, I may have said a holiday or something before, but in my mind I have never really worked toward anything. So I figure while the jury is still out on what I want to reward myself with, I can at least be saving for it in the form of rewards for my efforts!

Now, for our team thing...

Humour me here ok, at the moment my brain is a little doughy with the pain drugs I am on (that's my excuse anyway!)

I know we don't all weigh in on the same day and I am not asking you to, but I need you to make it very clear to me when you are reporting a weigh in and what your new weight is. I don't want to stuff up by deducting too much or not enough.

And Vanessa, welcome to the group! We have a little thing that we have just started - A Team Effort - where we have totalled up all our starting weights, current weights and goal weights and we are working toward a combined goal weight. It is explained in a little more detail if you flick back a few pages - are you interested on being in on it as well?

Gen, I'll deduct your amazing loss along with mine now

Alright, sorry for the lack of personals, but I gotta run ( with my back! I wish!). I might try and pop in this afternoon if my back copes ok with the day.

Have a good one ladies!