My first week was really good and I lost 1kg. Weeks 2-3 were not so great because I had a knee injury and a conference which involved catered meals all day every day. When I went back to the gym on Tuesday this week I wasn't feeling confident but I did it anyway and I'd lost another 1.2kg.

WOOHOO!!!

The best thing of all though is how good I'm feeling. My moods have improved, I'm feeling positive and I just feel more healthy without having junk in my system.

I'm not doing any specific diet plan and I'll eat something if I want it which is also good. In the weekend I had KFC ... not something I do often anyway but I really felt like a burger. They gave me 1 piece of chicken and fries free with the burger ... I didn't even touch the fries and I had maybe 1/4 of the piece of chicken and then gave the rest to my dog. Result: I didn't feel guilty about having KFC because I enjoyed what I ate and didn't overindulge.

God it's good to be changing my habits. Thank you ladies for sharing all your ups and downs, I find it really comforting and motivating to read about you all.

Hi guys
Well I haven't been on the computer for ages as I have been extra busy in the house. Since quitting my job I have made an effort to every day clean the house...I mean cupboards,walls and generally sorting out all my stuff that just seemed to be shoved into the cupboards because I had no time to organise. I have only one cupboard left in the whole house and gee I feel great. I have thrown away, given away and we are having a massive garage sale next weekend...I think I will make about 1 million dollars the amount of stuff that I actually did not want. I think this purging has been good for me...its like a weight in itself lifted from me. I am a bit of a hoarder and so is DH (not a great combo). Even the kids had baby toys still in the toy box(they are 16 and 14)definitely not babies.

So diet wise I have been too busy to care about too many "illegal" goodies. I only snuck one tiny egg and felt so bad that I had to walk an extra half hour to compensate...tragic eh!

Great to hear you are finished your studies for the moment Lindor...I know how that feels...it will be worth it in the long run though...kinda like our diets.
Keep going Kathy..maybe your body was getting used to the lo-carb thing and starting to store so maybe adding some different food into your diet will help your metabolism and your weight will soon drop I'm sure.
Little Kiwi you are doing great as well...resisting eating all the KFC is no mean feat..you are strong..keep it up.
Married and angel...just think about what keeps you going...I was inspired by all your reasons you are losing weight...with that attitude you certainly will succeed. I hope I havn't missed anyone...keep going girls..we will make it

I am still walking daily with my friends and actually today got an eliptical(spelling?) and could only do about 10 mins and the sweat dripped. I am working towards a goal by the end of July to have lost another 10kg as we are going to a wedding....I will not look fat in the photos(again). I hate looking at the photos later where everybody else looks great and me..well...yuk..can anyone relate???

Enough rambling..time for bed...tired from too much cleaning. Oh sorry about our chat on Tues Lindor...we had visitors over Easter so thought it might be rude if I got on the computer instead of having a wine with them...ooppss

Keep going girls....leeny xxx

Oh..i can totally relate about the yucky pics thing. I really dont want that to be me anymore either.

We can do it.

Yay I found some other aussies. How are you all. My names Rachel and I came across 3 fat chicks whilst on another forum (for PCOS). Just what the dr ordered. I have been stalled with my weight loss for a while and I need to keep the momentum going. It would be great to be able to join in some chat and check in with you guys.
I'll tell you about myself. Im 38 have 3 kids. 6 year old twin dd and 3 year old ds. Im a SAHM, and most the time I feel like a single mum as my hubby's a fisherman and spends months away at a time. Its taken me 2 years to lose these 12kg, joining the gym was the catalyst , about 5kg came off thru excercise alone. Then 10 months ago I had a tummy tuck (2kg gone there). I think that improved my self image so much it spurred me on to lose another 5kg. Im a gym junkie now and would go everyday IF I could, but normally make it in 4 days. . Im going to Melbourne with some girlfriends in 2 weeks so Im aiming to lose another couple of kg by then. Hope I didnt bore you with my life story. Hope to catch you all soon

Hello people!!! And welcome to the Aussie Chicks thread Rachel!!

Despite finishing my studies for a bit I actually feel I have had a huge week!

For the first time in over thirty consecutive days, I took a day off from cycling on Wednesday...and I think I will do that regularly every month. I just found myself feeling really tired and achy, but with the day off I did feel better and ready to take it on again the next day.

I don't know what sort of effect the cycling is having with regard to my weight loss, although I do feel it is helping a bit, I am actually enjoying it and it is making me feel good. Which, Kathy, I think is what is keeping me going with my fight. I feel so much more alive and full of energy. I feel more mentally alert too. My body feels good, hair feels softer, face is less pimply, my dry elbows have softened up too. My period is more 'comfortable' too. I used to get horrendous cramps - Panadine and Neurofen alternately every two hours for the first two days. Now, I find I only need a couple of doses of Panadine on day one.

Then of course, there are the obvious reasons to keep going, most of which Angel listed. I also remember the fear of having a heart attack...had many a restless nights sleep fearing that that night was going to be the night I had it. I would lay there with my hand on my chest counting my heart beats, panicking if I even imagined a change in it's beating. Now, I figure if I don't have that heart attack on my bike, then I am unlikely to have it while at rest - I don't know if that is fact or not, but in theory it sounds good

Angel - I hope Hubby gets home soon for you. I am a single person on this thread who spends most of my time at home alone. But don't feel sorry for me, I often wonder if I could cope with it any other way. I enjoy being alone, the peace and quiet, being able to do what I want without having to answer to anyone. And I actually think it helps with my dieting...I only have to think about the food I need rather than what others might need/want too.

Leeny - when are you coming to my place to clean it?? Well done for surviving Easter with just one small egg - it is a tough time isn't it??? I made it through too, with no chocolate!!! Although the temptation was well and truly there!!! My only problem not is I have a shelf in my fridge full of easter goodies to go with the part packet of Tim Tams that remain in my freezer. I am a hoarder too - can't bring myself to just through the bad stuff away.

Good luck with the garage sale too, they are good little money makers. I often think I should get all my crap together and have one myself.

Rachel - Again, welcome!! We only have a small group here at the moment, but would really love to see it grow, so spread the word! We try and have a regular chat session every Tuesday evening - 6pm WA time. We don't always make it, but we do try. Often it is fun chatting in real time with each other.

Well done with your weight loss to date! I think if I had a gym here, I'd be at it everyday too. But I have to make do with my exercise bike in front of the TV. If someone told me three months ago that I'd be exercising everyday now, I'd have laughed in their face. I am actually amazed that I am enjoying like I am.

Well, I have waffled on enough. I'll be trying for chat again on Tuesday, so hope to see some of us there. Fingers crossed to for Monday weigh-ins

Take care all

Hi all, another aussie chick here, I am 29 with a 4 month old bub and at the moment am a SAHM. I have stacked on the weight although I have never been a normal size, lol
I just went and bought some new scales, hopefully I can bring those numbers down a bit.

Welcome Liamsmummy!!

Good to have you aboard too.

Good luck with your weight loss battle, we are all in it together and can help carry others through. Post as often as you like about whatever you like. We are quite open here...I find it keeps us focused.

As mentioned to Rachel, we try and have a chat time on Tuesday evenings - errr, 8pm for you I think (someone else will confirm that I am sure) - so please feel free to join us there too.

Keep at it and all the best

Welcome to the new girls who have joined us. Its nice to have new people to chat with along with us girls who have been here for lets see 18 pages now. lol...

I've had a bad bad bad bad bad week. I got the taste of sugar/carbs and my addiction set right back in. Sad, cause it took so long to take 2kgs off and now they are back.

I did eat well at dinner tonite tho, with a lovely mound of farmers market veges, much better than the stuff purchased at Coles or Woolies. I'm going to make an effort to get to the farmers markets more regularly. The food is cheaper and of course fresher, cause its the farmers who are selling their own produce.

Its also that time of the month this week, well it has been since last Sunday and today it seems to really get into the swing of things. Having a light pain free period was too good to be true I guess. Any way, tomorrow is a new day and time to get back on track.

I did a good thing tonight, lol
I was hungry (or wanting something sweet) and had one of those Kelloggs K time twists, strawberry and yoghurt flavour (127 calories and 1.1 gms fat) , yummy yummy pigs bummy, i'm so fussy and will not usually have anything with cooked or mushy fruit (fresh only) and yeah, so yummy, washing it down with my water, lol

Enough of this lurking and time to get involved!

I am 39 y.o., living in Sydney and have been working on losing weight for around the last 6 months or so. My diet still needs a lot of work but I have really got into the exercise and now do something almost every day.

I have not weighed myself for around 12 months so I really couldn't say what I weigh right now BUT I know from my clothes (and the postive comments I am starting to get) that I have lost weight - the clothes I wore 12 months ago just hang from me and make me look silly!

I love the idea of an online forum as encouragement and look forward to participating. Who knows, I might even weigh myself again and set a "proper" goal weight!

Welcome Girl from Oz!!!

Great to have you join our little gathering.

I can relate to the not wanting to step on the scales. It took getting on the scales in January to motivate me to lose weight.

I had not been on them in a very long time - I am talking many months too - and I was NOT happy with what I saw. I only got on them that time because I got back from a month long holiday that involved a bit of physical activity and I was in a living situation there that made it very hard to be a closet binge eater! I kinda thought I might have lost weight. I don't know what I was expecting as I had no idea what my initial weight was but I was disgusted with what I saw!!!

Since then I have been getting on the scales every week and I am pleased to say I have only gone down and not gone up in weight (a couple of weeks I have maintained the same weight).

Most of my motivation comes from this thread. Everyone is so determined, so honest and so supportive. We have our down times, but we carry each other through to fight another day. I hope you find the same qualities while you fight with us.

We have a weekly weigh-in every Monday, nobody HAS to do it but I actually look forward to it now. We also try to make it to the chat room every Tuesday night - 8pm your time I think. So feel free to join in there.

Wishing you all the luck in you battle

I am down another 1kg this week to 92kgs. I feel good and I am happy with that too.

Hope everyone else is doing well

Hi everyone and thanks for the greatwelcome. I have a question - I have never done the chat room thing so can someone shed some light on how it works? You never know if I get the kids really organised I may actually find I can join in.
On another note Im feeling great because I made it to the gym this morning. Its week 2 of school holidays here so its been hard to get there and I miss it!!
I did a spin class and afew weights and I have that exhausted , high kind of feeling which I love. Ive fallen off the wagon a bit but todays a new day.
Congrats Lindor on the weight loss - slow and steady wins the race. Id be so happy with another kg.
Must go , housework beckons aghhhh

Hi newbies...a big skinny welcome to you all. I haven't been on the computer for a few days and I got quite a nice surprise to see all you newbies...great
It is good to get inspiration from everyone else...we are all great of course..lol

I am back with avengence with my weight loss I have really "stuffed" around for about the last month. I just couldn't get my head around it...I think with quitting my job etc. etc. I just had to readjust to a new lifestyle and food was my comfort. Well no more...enough is enough as they say.

I am so sick of being on the "yo-yo" diet and am determined to finially suceed. I have lost over 50kg already you would think I could get my act together and lose this last 15kg. I will do it this time with all your help we will all succeed eh!!

Walking great, food great this week and I lost another 1.8kg this week. I have done a lot of gardening as well so I think that has helped. I find when I do a lot of varied exercise and use different muscles or cardio and when I really vary my food from week to week I have great losses. Maybe that will help you Kathy.

I am interested to hear about your Tummy tuck newbie as I was to have one done in March but had to postpone because of sickness. Please fill me in on the details as I will be having one in the next few months when my health improves and I lose some more weight. I can't wait and am looking forward to getting rid of all my excess "flab" as DH calls it. You can email me personally if you like or on here is fine. Thanks.

Enough rambling...keep on posting newbies(and of course us oldies now) you are great inspiration.xxxleeny