Yeah Vonni, that is amazing are you going to be studying full time??!! wow congratulations!

Ani - walking tour of italy would be amazing, hubby and i did the top part of italy as part of a contiki tour and italy is one of the places we would go back to in a heartbeat, so amazing so much to see (so many dodgy souviners) i would still love to go and do the bottom half of italy and greece and and and and.... ho hum

me me me me me - i lost 1kg!!!! my scales are dodgy though... they are digital and when first hopped on they said i was 90.5kg and then i hopped again about 30 mins later and they said 91kg, hubby said i can go with first weigh in (love that guy) and then he hid the scales, he is six foot four and i have no idea where he put them as i wanted to see what they said now as i always used to go with best of three but now it is first weigh in and that is that so here is the dancing carrot party i wished for last week..
i understand that some of the weight lost will be fluid etc but as i was pretty good with the water the last couple of weeks i think i can honestly hope for another loss next week.... thanks gen for the calorie info it really honestly is what did it.... being more accountable and being able to SEE what damage my cravings do made a huge difference

Kel I would take your first reading. Your body weight can change heaps throughout the day, after you've eaten etc. As long as you weigh yourself at the same time each week, you'll get a good idea of how you're going.

I always weigh myself first thing in the morning - it's usually when I'm at my lowest.

Congratulations on dropping a kilo! YAY!!!

All this weight loss news and new career prospect news is awesome! Congrats guys

Babysat for my friend last night. We talked about what she said, she apologised for offending me but still can't remember saying anything. I accepted her apology but her comments have damaged our friendship regardless and only time will tell how it all pans out.

Once again here in Christchurch, it is FREEZING. Getting to the gym in this weather is so hard, all I want to do is get home and pump up the heating. However, I really must go tonight as I haven't been since Monday.

My sister gave me the munchies after telling me that she's been having porridge for breakfast recently with pieces of dried apricot and toasted coconut and sliced almonds. I made up a batch for dessert last night and it was so delicious. Just have to make sure not to add too much golden syrup to it

Yum yum what you had to eat sounds yum littlekiwi.

WTG Ani on yr reward goal. I know you will get there.

Kel that is amazing. Congrats on yr loss. You know when people say they've had a loss it's usually a morbid thing. lol. not here...

Maybe I need to count. I know I said I'll be good this week but..... At least one thing. I haven't had any chocolate. And i make sure my cheezels are not eaten all at once, the packet lasts me all week now

Have to fly. Knitting to do, washing to do and dishes to do. Then get ready for work.

Oh yeah, Kel the course is classed as full time and most of it is done at home though, so I really need to be diciplined in my study habits. I will be drawing up a study plan in the next few weeks when I see my work load.

One week each semester I have to be on campus full time, and one day a week via videolink through the local TAFE. 2 weeks 1st semester fulltime clinical placement and 4 weeks the following 2 semesters. After that, it's anybodys guess, but at least I have 3 to work through. Going to family daycare to interview care providers next week. The long day care centres I need to have her in permanent days, yet I only have one set day a week. The other times studying or working full time will have to be family day care so I may as well start with that. I'm sad, she is so little But it will all be for the best

Vonni

MY GOD!!!!!!! You ladies can talk. It's hard to catch up with everything you are doing.You all seem so busy.Or maybe I am here too early in the morning to take it all in. I will come back later today and read through, if I can kick the the kids off this puter.
Little kiwi, stop sending your weather up here my feet are flipping frezzing.
Mary

Gah, I didn't go to the gym yesterday! I finished work at 5:30 instead of 5 and by then it was pitch black outside and I just couldn't muster the strength to go.

Hope you are all doing better than me!

Another good day for me. I walked for an hour, ate 1650 calories and drank 2 litres of water. Hopefully I can do it again today.

Got another busy day at work, but very few plans for the weekend. Just the usual domestics and hopefully a bit of gardening.

LittleKiwi do you walk to the gym? It's so hard to get motivated to exercise when it's that cold, isn't it. Someone suggested I go swimming the other day - pfft! When it's 5ºC outside? I think not!


Ani

yeah was -1 here the other day. bugger that for a joke. I aint walkin at that time in the morning for nothing. I am a cold fish and cant stand the cold. Matter of fact I hole up like a hermit in winter. Perhaps I should use that time to do indoor exercises and in summer show off a brand new me??

von

I'm here! I've been stupidly busy at work - a shift shorter than 9 hours is a treat! Making healthier choices, but still dropping the bass after lunch.

I'm so proud of you girls - everyone seems to be in such awesome moods. (mostly).

Catch up soon

Kylie

if you go to the gym little kiwi wouldnt you get warm then? I'm lucky my gym used to be accross the road (for real it takes me longer to get to the front door at shopping centres from the carparks then it used to take me to get to the gym) then the gym closed and i bought one of their eliptical trainers and it is out the back now, however last week i only got to go on it twice, once was only 13mins the other time was 20mins though... just depends what Jemima is up to... walking works for us but we are lucky that we can go for a walk at 3 or 4 in the afternoon...
i do live in brisbane though so most likely dont know the meaning of cold...

if i fail at this 'dieting' thing it will be the fault of M&Ms i suck at resisting them... but always seem to work them in to my calories for the day so I guess that is "OK" but still not a cool habit to get into.

Dont think I drank enough water today it was at least 1.25L though...

what happened to the June challenge??? what was it again??? hehehehe I did yoga today Jemima even did a bit she didnt sleep or cry through all of it just wanted a feed when they were doing "the grand old duke of york" and then slept so i could do mummy yoga and slept through the baby dancing.... oh well next tuesday more baby yoga somewhere different and different time so we will see how that goes... yesterday i went for a walk and the day before, I think i have exercised everyday in june.... we should add to the challenge that we drink 2L of water as well.....

hubby is hovering so I think that means it is time for me to go.....
have a great weekend.... i am craving hungry jacks dont know why.....

I'm not doing very well with keeping up with you lot am I? Sorry

Anyway, just wanted to check in and let you know I am still struggling to get back on the wagon...although I'd have much rather be checking in to say I am doing fantastically and I can see all the weight falling off already!!!

I have only managed to stick solidly to my walking this week...yup all four days of it!

Not doing at all well with the food...it is all or nothing when it comes to putting food into my mouth! I can't seem to settle with a 'portion'. And I get sooo p*ssed off with myself afterwards! But, it is that anger and that bloated feeling afterward that motivates me to walk to work the next morning!

Water intake?? Zilch!!! Bugger it, I am back on the diet coke too!!

I've really let myself fall right off the wagon haven't I?

So, how do I get back on again???


Kylie, good to see you drop by! How is it all going? Weight loss, life etc?

And LittleKiwi...have you tried doing some exercises at home on those days you don't get to the gym? I used to do step-ups in front of the TV - no special equipment, just my three step ladder. Ani also got me onto resistance band exercises, they are not too expensive to purchase and surprisingly do make for a good workout! What about a quick walk around the block before getting into the car to come home from work? I don't have a gym where I live so I have had to use these methods. Worth thinking about???

I had just one thing planned for the weekend and that was to make at least one post here...mission accomplished (although I will try for more)

Now to find my book and kick back on the couch!

Have a good one ladies

Hey girls

to answer Lindor - weight loss...what is that? :P I am too afraid to jump on the scale now. I would be heartbroken to see it go back up above 90kg. I am choosing better food, but like I said, after lunch iced coffee and chocolate bars on special at work are doing damage! I made some killer pumpkin soup, and I'm eating that for lunch most days. Not much water, but I'm missing that, so I'll get back into it.

Life is rolling along smoothly. he drugs are doing wonderful things - I am human again. bf is so relieved -he says I'm 'back', and I am too. I dropped out of uni, but not permanently. I feel bad saying that, knowing how hard some of you have struggled to get in. I initially dropped two subjects, to take the pressure off, but ended up dropping out of the other two. I will have them removed from my record on medical grounds.

I am having trouble with my career decision too. I took up my management/international studies degrees to make myself more appealing to the army recruiters. (looong story). Anyway, I am now quite sure that business isn't my thing. I would love to get involved in international aid work, but I'm not sure where, or how. I know that I'm not happy about the state of the world, and I want to help make good things happen. But after that, its a grey area.

On a whim, bf and I are looking at flats in Perth. It sounds so lovely over there, and I have family there, in Freo. Ani, where are the good places? It probably wont eventuate, but it's nice to dream for a bit.

So that's me for now. Fairly stable, weight-wise and emotionally. Only problem is that I haven't been going to the gym. at all. for months. Its such a waste of money - I need to get back to it. I need some encouragement though.

Hey Kylie

Why don't you have a look at the Medecines Sans Frontiers website? It's one of the best International Aid agencies in the world, and you might get an idea of the kind of qualifications you'll need. They, and other agencies, love doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers - and it helps if you speak another language.

Another excellent place to look is Volunteers Abroad.

Places in Perth are all expensive, but anywhere around Freo - Hilton, Murdoch, Bicton, Coolbellup, East Perth… you might pick something good up reasonably cheap.

Lindor what can we do to help you? What about coming up with a food plan or something, or counting calories? I know they are fairly boring - but if you get the 'essentials' sorted out, maybe the motivation will follow.

Do you have a short-term goal in mind for weight loss? Something like 5kg? I find that without a goal, and a plan for getting there I tend to get a bit lost. I don't think Diet Coke is that bad is it? I read somewhere that it may increase your cravings for sweet foods, but on its own it's OK.

I've been a bit 'off-plan' the last few days. I'm not sure why either - but I've eaten above my calorie limit, and I'm not looking forward to getting on the scales tomorrow.

I think part of my sabotage is a bit of a 'food panic'. I don't have any money at the moment, and my food supplies are running low. It's almost like I'm panicking that I'm going to run out of food - well it's the only thing I can put it down to anyway.

Hopefully people will pay me this week, and I'll be able to go mad in the stupidmarket.

Anyway, must go for my walk, and try to have a productive day today… or at the very least not do any more calorie damage to my week.


Ani

I have been thinking all day about what to say in regards to motivation to lose weight. I have been thinking that if you ask for motivation you must really want to lose weight..... but ...... no one else can do it for you......
YOU have to make a commitment for YOURSELF to just do it.
And definately have to be ready for it to take ages..... have to be able to see the light LONG TERM, minigoals definately help but even just knowing that the Final goal is a long way away but IS coming helped me. I worked out that if I lost 500grams a week (which is not that unachievable for anyone exercising and trying to eat well) then i would be at goal weight by 28 January 2008 that is forever away, especially when none of my clothes fit me now but it is coming I know that January 2008 will get here and when it does i will be a size 12/14 and not a size 16/18.
To reach that goal sooner I have to work harder, when I reach that goal it is not over, but weightloss will not be a focus of my life... food will not be an issue I will know what my body needs and when and how I can treat it, and what to do when I abuse my body to keep it healthy.

Calorieking is helping me at the moment, I can now SEE what damage certain portion sizes and foods do to my daily calorie intake and that my body doesnt need as much as I was giving it, and that it all adds up! Having something to aim for each day and being accountable to myself is helping me.... would that help you??? Be accountable, you are the one that puts it in your mouth you are the one that wears it on your hips unless YOU are the one that works it off.... if you are not going to work it off dont eat it, if you want to eat it, EAT IT but then dont eat something else......
for example this weekend I have had KFC and bacon and eggs but am still eating within my calorie allowance! I lost weight last week and I was not hungry!!!

I get myself drinking water pretending in my mind it helps flush the fat out.... know it is not entirely true but it helps.....

the only other thing that has gotten me back on the wagon BIGTIME this month is this little statement....

"If hunger is not the question....... then eating is NOT the answer"

so everytime I have been honest with myself and know I am not hungry.... i just grab a bottle of water and walk out of the kitchen to find something to do and get into that water before I have a chance to think about all the yummy things in the kitchen I want but dont need....

I've abandoned keeping my food diary while I'm on holidays - mum keeps cooking things I don't know what she put in it, so it was a bit of guess work anyhow. Well, that's my excuse. Also been craving (and eating!) chocolate, due to the monthly evil goblins. Never mind. I have been walking every day, and have done some skipping and some resistance band workouts. Well, one. Heh. I MISS my training and training buddies though, and it's bloody COLD in Melbourne! Also have realised moving back with the parents for the next few months is NOT going to be viable - they annoy me too much, and I revert to being a sulky, sullen teenager. I hate it, but I can't seem to stop it.. sigh.

Kylie, I'm so glad you feel better!! I found that I only realised how bad I'd been, once I started feeling better! Very glad you can take a break from uni and reassess your goals - once you're thinking better, it's much easier to realise what was contributing to you feeling like crap. I realised when I left my job that it's just not worth being miserable. I have to say, volunteering in any capacity is great for making you feel good about yourself, and there are tons of things you can do as a volunteer, even without formal qualifications. Could you defer for a while to do that? Maybe ask at uni about opportunities for volunteering work? Do try to make time for exercise, it's the other thing that made me feel a thousand percent better.

I won't weigh in til I get home next week, because Mum's scales weigh differently than mine and I'll get excited or depressed, depending on how they come out! I'll just try not to do TOO much damage on holidays, and remember that food isn't the same as fun. I did finish my uni paper, although it was closer to 4000 than 3000 words, so that's a relief. No more papers for at least 8 weeks, and hopefully I won't have the useless lecturer next semester.

Congrats Vonni on getting into nursing!! I do think it's just such a versatile career. Yes, there are definitely negatives, and it's not paid as well as it should be, but it's so rewarding and it's something you become, rather than something you do. Every nurse I know IS a nurse, it's not the job they do but who they are. There are so many opportunities to go into any area. Let me know if you need any help, I was a tutor at uni, and I *love* anatomy & physiology haha.