Thanks for the welcomes, ladies. I'm glad all the fuss over the 'festive season' has died down... not that I didn't love spending time with the family, but our office is overflowing with sugary goodies and it's good that that'll stop now!

Lol @ the '1000kgs' leeny. Actually that jolted my silly brain into kg mode, because before that I'd become accustomed to thinking in lbs and other imperial measurements... so I was O.O, interpreting your S/C/G as in lbs!

My goal is... get fit. I figure, controlling exercise is the key to controlling my weight, since when I exercise I feel like eating better too. So I want to work on my stamina and get stronger and hopefully the excess 15kg will drop off or at least some of it change from flab to muscle. Guess we'll see!

Since you did a nice breakdown PerthChick, I'll copy you To do ^... I should...

- get up a bit earlier and do 20mins stretching/jogging/walking...
- start running, increasing by 1-2mins a week... so this time next year, I'll be loads fitter
- go to the gym every day, even if just for 20 mins, to keep me on track and focused
- find any excuse to walk places to get more incidental exercise

I would really love to get fit enough to do the city to surf run again (I'm a Sydney chick). I did it once, when I was 9, so hopefully I can still do it now, 10 years on!

I had a good day yesterday - walked for an hour, ate well, and then spent the whole day in the garden. I moved plants and things around, and started to build a cat enclosure. My fluffy things won't be impressed, but they're just going to have to get used to it I'm afraid.

I also bought a small water feature to sit on the back verandah and put baby fish in it.

Today I'm going to walk for an hour, then build the other 2/3rds of the cat enclosure. I've got my meals planned out for the day, and just have to make sure I am more disciplined with drinking water.

Senorita it's good to hear from you. I like your goals - they're manageable. It always concerns me when people set impossible goals for themselves … I worry they're setting themselves up to fail.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

:-)
Ani

Another good day for me yesterday. I didn't walk, but I spent at least 7 hours finishing off the cat enclosure - so it was a day's hard work. I ate around 1600 calories, but I'll admit I could have drunk a little more water.

OK - today: I'm going to walk for an hour, water my plants, eat sensibly and then of course I have to go out to a NYE party tonight. Fortunately it's not a private party so there won't be food everywhere :-), and I'm not a big drinker so I'm not worried about over-indulging too much.

Weigh-in day for me tomorrow - the first of the year - and I am confident I will lose weight this week. I've set myself the goal of getting to 93kg by the end of January, and I'm really determined to reach it.

I'll report in with my weigh-in results tomorrow. I hope everyone has a happy and safe new year.

:-)
Ani

Its good to see we have a few new people joining us on this adventure
Its been very hectic in my house this past couple of weeks. I've had my bestest friend visit from country Victoria. She's moving to Makay in a few weeks so I'll not get to see her for a while (boo hoo). My sister made a flying visit for Christmas lunch this year. Last year she stayed in Melbourne and it was miserable for all of us. I didn't realise how much I missed her till she wasn't around.
Our Christmas was vern nice. My kids got spoiled as usual, and Dh and I did quit ok too! I always tell everyone not to get us anything because they buy for the kids but we still got stuff.
I thought I was going to have to spend NYE in the emergency dept. The kids were playing cricket yesterday and my Ds hurt his arm. Last year he popped his elbow out and I thought he had done it again only this time it was the other arm. We iced it and watched it for a couple of hours but it didn't swell so he went to bed. Today its all fine, thank goodness!
I weighed last Wednesday and was 91.5. Not to bad considering! I weighed aagain this morning and I'm 91.8. My goal for this year is to take better care of myself. That includes losing around 20kg. I don't care how long it takes as long as it goes. My first mini goal is 5kg. So I'd like to be 86kg by Feb. I think I can do it with all of the support you ladies give. I also need to sort out a fer emotional problem I seem to be having. i believe that if I do this then the weight loss will become a whole lot easier for me.

Well best be off for now. I hope no one is suffering to terribbly from over indulgence last night!

Hey Barb, it's great to hear from you. I'm glad that Christmas and New Year was good for you :-), and happy that you managed to maintain your weight. Good on you! And good luck with your plan for getting into the 80's - you can do it, and we'll give you all the support we can.

I had a huge surprise this morning - I jumped on the scales and was 94kg. To appreciate how exciting that was you have to know I was 95.9kg a week ago. Clearly all my hard work has yielded some decent results.

Not only that but I did my measurements this morning. Since starting this weight loss journey 20 weeks ago, I have lost 11cm from my waist and hips - and a decent amount from everywhere else too. That makes me happy :-)

I'm now going to have to rethink my goals. I'm now into my 3rd lot of losing 5kg, and my motivation and intent is as strong as ever. I have another 4kg to lose in order to reach my 3rd goal - and I have set myself a target of losing it by 12th March (that's at around 1 pound/week).

I want to say thank you to everyone in here. You inspire me, give me wonderful suggestions and guidance, make me laugh, and keep me accountable. People like leeny and Lindor, who have both lost a significant amount of weight, remind me that we can all do it if we stay focussed and patient.

I'm looking forward to 2007, and to sharing this journey with you. By the end of this year I want to lose a further 18 - 25kg. I don't really care how much, because it's all part of a long-term journey.

:-)
Ani

Okay I haven't been here for awhile but you know how it is New Year and all.
I'm recommitting myself to this journey and keen to get my life back under control.
I'm planning to be sensible about my weight loss this time around.
My goals are to not eat after 7.30 pm and to only weigh once a week.
I'm addicted to my scales and know I need to break the cycle of weighing everyday.

Congratulations Ani. You must have been doing the happy dance after seeing that on the scales

Chaarli. Your just like me. I can't start the day without jumping on the scales either. Its a hard habit to break!

Hope everyone has a great day. My kids are naging me to get going so better be off.

XX
Barb

Hey Chaarli, great to see you back here and with a plan :-).

Barb, how's it going? I've been for a walk this morning, done 40 situps, and a set of dumbell exercises for my arms. I'm a bit concerned that I'll be all flabby when I lose this weight, so I'm trying to do some toning now. I'm looking forward to nudging 80-something kilos too - but I'm a bit behind you … I'm not expecting to get there until March or April

Has anyone heard from Britt? Seems like ages since she has been in here.

I'm setting myself a challenge for January - aside from the normal stuff I am doing, I want to find an hour every day where I am doing something active. When you work in front of a computer it is so easy to lose track of time, and spend the whole day sitting … so I'm going to find an hour every day where I get up and do stuff.

I hope everyone has a great week.

:-)
Ani

Congrats Ani, that's awesome! Very motivating to see everyone's new year's goals!

I weighed in at 98kg this week - so that's a total of 7.6kg down from 5 weeks ago, which I'm very happy with. I've JUST started to notice my work pants getting very loose, so that's encouraging too.

I underestimated my parents - they went shopping and bought a whole lot of healthy food for me, filled up my water bottles for me in the fridge, helped come up with great meals, and came walking with me and the dogs.. so I lost 3.2kg in the 2 weeks I was there!

Goals for this year:
1. Stick with it, whatever happens. Every day is a new day, and falling down for one won't kill me, as long as I get back to it the next day. This is for the rest of my life.
2. Celebrate any loss. I've been lucky with an average of 1.5kg/wk, but I know that will slow down.
3. Drink at least 2250ml/water per day.
4. Walk at least 30 mins at least 4 days/wk.
5. Accept that when I'm travelling, I won't be able to control my food intake, but I can make healthy choices and ask for modifications.
6. Lose at least 25kg in 2007.

Augigi that's an awesome result - you go girl. It was wonderful to read that your family supported you in such practical ways too :-). Isn't it great to leave the 100.something behind!

I had another pretty good day yesterday, although I was really slack with my water consumption AGAIN! My tummy muscles are sore after my situps (my kittens shredded my last Swiss Ball and I only got a new one yesterday), but I don't mind the *sore muscle pain* - it means I'm doing some good somewhere.

Today I am going to walk for an hour - and then vacuum and mop floors. I start back at work today, so can't spare too much time.

Three months ago I bought a new pair of Size 18 pants, and I couldn't fit into them. They are now almost falling off me. What does everyone else do about clothes while you are losing weight? I don't have enough spare money to buy clothes that will end up in the Good Sammies bin in a few months from now. Any suggestions?

:-)
Ani

Augigi. Your amazing! Your doing so well, keep it up and you will see that the rewards are so worth all the hard work and effort you put in

Ani. I take stuff in till it can't go in anymore (you know when it looks terrible and needs to go in the bin!) Then its off to the Good Will stores for in the mean time clothes! I can't really afford to buy new stuff every time I drop a dress size. If I did that my wardrobe would be bursting at the seams! I'm currently fitting into anything from an 18 to a 14, annoying really, why can't clothing sizing be standard! I've come from a size 22 (back when I was 123kg) and that was a squeeze! I refused to buy anything bigger.

I had an ok day yesterday. Spent most of it in the emergency room with ds. He fell of his bike and hurt his arm, again! We thought it may be broken but they took x-rays and couldn't find anything wrong with it. They're suspecting that he may have pulled his elbow (similar to dislocation). After 4 hours of waiting and watching he seems to be fine now. So no lunch yesterday, just a piece of cheese and 4 apricots before flying off the the gym. Had a nice piece of steak and salad for tea (don't you find it always tastes a whole lot better when someone else makes it for you!) But I spoiled it by having a HUGE freddo frog! Not to worry! Weigh day today. 90.9kg back on track now! Going the right way again!!
xx
Barb

Hey all

Sorry i have been MIA for a while. It seems i am all out of routine with the kids at home(and hogging the computer constantly). I am pleased to read we are all going in the right direction now. I get all out of sorts when my routine is non-existant....food is haphazard, exercise is hit and miss and life just seems to float along. I don't think my routine will get any better until the kids go back to school and maybe i may have a slight chance of normalcy(or sanity!!!).

I am eagerly awaiting Uni selection in another week and wondering if my life is about to be turned upside down(AGAIN or maybe thats STILL). My sister was visiting today and she is up to her last year and is revving me up with excitment or anxiousness...i don't know which. She states her weight went up when starting Uni....late nights, study etc etc. NOt Me i exclaimed...i intend to lose weight this year.....sooooo

Went to WW today and put on 1.3kg this week. I am not surprised it was not worse. Couldn't control the lips this year at Xmas...i have really been off the diet for about 3-4 weeks with all the parties, cooking and generally having a good time. Soooo Enough is Enough and today it starts again in earnest.

I did have a laugh to myself though(or maybe a cry). I was putting up the 2007 calendars and noticed that i must have started a diet 1/1/06 and wrote my weight down. I was 86.5kg and a thousand exclamation marks after it. I started again 1/1/07 and i was exactly the same. Pathetic really as i have dieted on and off all year. I spose it could have gone up back to where it all started(at 142kg YUK). I started this thread the same time and vowed and declared that 2006 would be my year. NOt so it seems....2007 it will be though. With all your great support i get i am sure we will all make the most of this year. Eh Thanks all for listening and hope we don't have too many dramas and reach our goal a lot happier and healthier....

I promise to type a lot more often i think should be one of my goals...xxxleeny

What are you going to study at Uni leeny? Good for you! I was thinking about enrolling to learn Italian this year - I've always wanted to try and learn another language, but it isn't something I'm terribly good at doing. But I would really like to try.

Barb, thanks for the tip about op shopping. I'll do that. Now that I can fit into a Size 18 I might go to the local Good Sammies and get some work clothes - then I can donate them back when I eventually drop another size. Hopefully I will be down to a Size 16 by winter time.

I had another good day yesterday - but again, water intake was disappointing. I'll try and work on that today. Today's goals are:

• Walk for an hour;

• Do 40 ab crunches;

• Do dumbell set for upper body;

• Drink 2 litres of water; and

• Eat no more than 1700 calories.

Of course I need to fit a day's work in around that too :-).

Hope everyone else is having a good week.

:-)
Ani

Good to see you haven't deserted us Leeny! I know exactly what you mean, having the kids home puts all routines on hold! Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending how you look at it!) I have Dh home at the moment so can leave them with him if I need to do anything without dragging them along!

I had a good day till I went and picked up the kids from nannas. They had a great day travelling through the Adelaide hills, doing all the touristy things. One of them was stopping off at a chocolate factory, so as you could imagine they came home laden with yummy goodies that mummy promised herself that she wouldn't even look at. By about ten last night I was feeling terribbly guilty and ill from all of the bullets I had gorged on. I really should try a little harder to keep the promises I make to myself!

I can totally relate to the kids home thing.
My routine is so out of whack with the school holidays.
What is good at the moment is they are screening Biggest Loser Australia over here at the moment and it's on everyday so it's really good motivation to see.