I'm here and I'm f*@#$ng angry. Popped over to a friend's place yesterday and she had a big fat black eye, thanks to her husband :mad:

I'm so incredibly angry!!!

Grrrr. :mad::mad::mad:

Nice.. hope she reported him to the cops, although knowing what I know about women, I doubt it.

Julia! :hug:

Some of the rage comes from feeling so utterly helpless to fix something like that, and the tragic thing in that situation is that you can't do anything to change your friend's situation.

Is she safe now? Is she going to stay with him? The most important thing you can do for your friend is to give her support - and to do what you can to see that she is safe. I bloody hate violent people.

Kel plant another bunch of vegetables now - it's a perfect time for your late-summer crops.

Vonni I play just about anything - very badly :D - and I often make up stuff. It's something I really enjoy doing, and I cannot wait to get my new keyboard!

I didn't weigh in this morning - I will do it tomorrow. I came home from work last night feeling really sore and tired, but knowing I needed a big meal of protein and vegetables. I ate chicken and a HEAP of green veges - and I know that if I jumped on the scales today I would weigh heavy from "food weight". But tomorrow I'll weigh-in and see if this plateau has begun to move.

Incidentally, on my "virtual walk around Australia" I will pass through Kalgoorlie this week, and head south towards Norseman.

No wonder I'm tired :D

She hasn't reported him, and she won't leave him. Part of the reason I'm so mad and sad about it is because I've been through it myself and know exactly what she's going through.

It's damn frustrating knowing that all I can do is to be there for her.

97.3
only 300grams gained with stupid week so i am actually not sad about that could have been worse
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE i think am too busy to be on computer anymore this week
life is insane

Got home from work at 10pm last night - no housemate. Very unusual! Sent her an SMS - no response. About 20 minutes later the phone rings, the police telling me she is with them and is very upset. The copper is telling me they are going to bring her home, and then tells me they had to drag her off the train tracks - twice!

I suggest to him that he might like to take her to hospital instead. And then I ask to speak to her. She is hysterical: "these c*&#s are trying to stop me from standing in front of a train". I listen for a few minutes and then ask to speak to the copper again.

This time I say to him: You WILL take her to the hospital and you WILL tell them she stopped taking her medication about a week ago.

He doesn't disagree this time.

The poor woman. She is taking anti-anxiety and anti-depression medication and stopped one of them quite suddenly - it haunts me that if the coppers hadn't seen her on that train track last night… *shiver*.

What is it about Christmas that seems to bring out the sadness, despair and hopelessness in people?
:(:(

Ani, how do you find all the nutters?

OMG Ani that is so awful for you and her. I hope everything goes ok with her. Let us know how everything pans out. Are you ok? It must have been upsetting for you.

gosh that puts stuff in perspective doesnt it
no matter what problems we have others have the same and or worse and dont cope with them it is so sad and silly but life i guess
are you ok ani?

My workmates are so nice - at least three people invited me over for Xmas eve or Xmas day because they don't want me to sit at home with my cat and no family. Not sure if I'll go, but it's very nice of them to ask.

Hope you all had/have a lovely day and a happy and successful 2009!

Happy Christmas everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Christmas day.

Gen I'm glad people are offering to share Christmas with you. I know what it's like - I've been quite happy to spend Christmas on my own several times - this year I've shocked everyone by accepting an invitation to lunch.

My housemate is on the Indian Pacific and is on her way to Sydney, so I'm back on my own again. And yes, I'm OK - thanks for asking :D.

No calorie counting for me today. I am planning to be as sensible as possible, but no pressure to avoid food or to demonise it.

I start work at 6am tomorrow, so back on the wagon then :D.

This turkey (me!) that has allowed herself to fatten up for Christmas is here wishing all her buddies a very merry Christmas and hope you all have a wonderful day!!

I have also received multiple invites for Christmas lunches, snacks and dinners...I have refused all! I am just looking forward to a whole four days off, by myself, to get this packing FINISHED!!! I have less than two weeks left here now and I am really starting to stress...and procrastinate more!!! Ugh!

Have a good one folks :)

I didn't end up going - one of the invitations was the hot married guy inviting me to his parents in law's place along with the wife and kids. Now there's one way I *don't* need to spend christmas hehe.

Hi Everyone.:hohoho:

Matt took me outside last night to show me the lights when he turned them on. Along with the usual icicle lights was a light sign saying Merry Me. Then he produced a ring. lol. Was so sweet.

How has everyones day been? I have been very good as far s food.

BBQ ham, egg and tomato for a late late brekky - 11am lol. And a small pkt chips and very small serve of trifle. 3 coffee one west coast and about to have salad and bbq steak. and then dessert having a very small slice of healthy pavlpva (hmmm healthy?)

I dnt have any family here but i do have my kids and matt. Our place usually a drop in for friends thaT DONT HAVE FAMILY, CAUSE WE are THEIR FAMILY. I love spending the day with those we love and like well. I'd rather that than count the minutes until we can leave family that we dnt really like lol.

anyhows have a good one xxxx

So did you say yes Vonni? Don't tell us half a story :p

I would HATE to know how many calories I have eaten. Let's see:

• Breakfast - the usual - about 400 cals.

• 2 x diet ginger beer - 70 cals

• 1 x prawn cocktail - 126

• Asparagus with bacon and breadcrumbs - 160 cals

• Chips & cashews - 150 cals

• Pork, ham & turkey - 200 cals

• Fruit salad with ice cream - 240

• Ferrero rocher chocolate - 72

• Mixed lettuce - 30 cals

• Roasted tomato with pesto - 80 cals

• Greek salad - 150

• 1/2 glass champagne - 50

• Coffee & tea - 40

OK - 1768… not too bad! It just felt like I ate, and ate and ate (well that's because I did). The trouble is I am a little hungry now, so might need to eat something light for dinner.

But it's all good - I had a lovely day with my closest friend, her partner and her parents, and I know with absolute certainty that tomorrow is back into the calorie counting and working to get the next little bit of weight off.

Hope everyone else has had a happy and safe Christmas Day :).

Congrats Vonni! Must be the season - my roomate and her boyfriend went back to her parents in NY for Xmas and she called me Xmas Eve to tell me he proposed. They've been dating for 4 years, and she was desperate to get engaged, so she's happy. I'm glad she's happy, but I don't like the bf, he treats her like crap and is a moody bugger!

My diet will be good today because I didn't go shopping and it's Xmas day so no shops open haha. Feel like Scrooge because I didn't do anything "Christmassy" and just stayed home alone. Did speak to the family back home which was nice.

.Hey guys we had a great xmas. despite the fact we all have been sick .. with the flu.. i got up at 3 am xmas morning becuase i couldnt sleep from all the coughing and sneezing.. so i started slicing turkey and ham .. and cutting up the fruit.. lol... was on my feet all day and didnt sit down.. but the minute i did i couldn't get back up.. :) lol....

For lunch we had prawns
then ham turkey with roast potato and pumpkin (my mil did in goose fat ) they were delicous.. ( but i bet really bad) yorkshire pudding and veggies ..

for afters there was xmas pudding.. fruit ( watermelon ,honey dew , rockmelon ,strawberries ,cherries ,fresh pinapple ) mince pies and a icecream log from home ice cream .. curtard and cream... lol.. i had a small amount of pudding with cream and some cherries.. For dinner we ate some of the left over fuit..


We all had a great time.. kids were good all day .. We spent the afternoon of xmas eve putting together their trampoline..(. it takes up half my garden we couldnt beleive how big it is.. lol) and we were both grumpy putting that together but it meant we had a really good xmas..

Yesterday i spent the day on the couch with a box of tissues.. lol today my plans are about the same.. JOhn wanted to get KFC last nioght but i peeled myself off the couch and made up some mash spuds and gravy and served it up with the left over turksy and ham and some mixed veg it was like having christmas dinner all over again.. YUM!!

Kids are outside bouncing around.

So much for my good intentions…

I've been eating everything that isn't nailed down, and not even caring what's going on - and I don't know what that's all about. What is it about Christmas that makes everyone think of food?

I'm fully expecting to gain up to a kilo at Monday's weigh-in, and that will be a poor effort.

Today's plan is to aim for a bit of self control, and to try and eat within my calories. I'm working 9-5pm all weekend, so there are no excuses for pigging out.

Gotta wonder how well I will do at maintenance when I can't even control myself for a WEEK over Christmas.

Honestly!

I did say yes. We have a long way to go but i do love him. And Ebony misses him like crazy. I have some what ifs, but then i think bite the bullet and do it. I know he can't 'provide' for me in the traditional sense of marriage, but i can contribute equally to the finances with my work. prob is i dont have much patience with his kids. oh i do be civil, but they are sooky and it drives me nuts. I'm a bit of a tough love kind of mum.... any of the kids come with a little bloody finger and i'm - yr still breathin? you'll be right off u go and play lol.

Ani I sent you a PM

Congrats Vonni :)

I managed a good diet controlled day yesterday...making up for that apparent slip up today though!!!

My main airconditioner has sh!t itself again!!! Pouring bucket loads of water all over the place!! Really pee'd off because it has already ruined a bookcase and a stack of books!! How many complaints to I have to make about the one freakin' airconditioner!!!

So, I am confined to my bedroom again as it is the only remaining functioning airconditioner in this hellhole of a flat!!

Two weeks, one day and I am out of here!!!

vonni - i'd marry him just coz he is funny and cool enough to think of "merry me" love it! congrats congrats that is so exciting and a big positive step that is so nice!

merry christmas everyone!!!
to tell you the truth i am kinda glad everyone has taken a pause on the diet for xmas, i was a little worried i'd be the only one to have let go a "little" still didnt go overboard though.......

new years i am really ready to continue not being that bad and really make some commitments to routine and stuff, which includes diet and exercise and organising and cleaning... boring but i need to do it in order to get better in lots of ways.....

mwah mwah mwah i have to go and make dinner for the family, steak and wweight watchers chips and some veges

i have just planted more stuff in the garden and HOPE that this round i get at least one big tomato i can eat - they were all eaten by bugs this time... the grape and cherry tomatos were awesome but i want big ones!! then i dont have to get them from the shops...

Even though I know I have gained weight over Christmas I have decided to laugh it off and get on with the business of losing some more. What's a kilo or so in the scheme of things?

I sat down last night and set my goals for January & February 09. They are fairly small by most people's standards, but in general they represent me chipping away at this weight and getting a little bit more fat off my body. I'm setting myself the task of dropping 6 -7kg in 2009 and I don't mind if it takes me all year to do it.

Today it's going to be hot in Perth and busy at work - absolutely no excuse for not drinking plenty of water, and there are no excuses for not eating properly either.

I haven't been drinking enough water, and I've eaten too much most days, so it's time for me to settle down and get it right. So this week I have set myself the goal of drinking at least 2.5L of water/day. If I make it my reward will be to pick up my keyboard from layby next Monday - if I don't, I will make myself wait until next payday.

OK - better stop waffling and get ready for work!

Somehow I have managed to GAIN 1.6kg in the last two weeks :o. I know some of it is water weight, but still - :frypan:

OK - so this week I am going to try and get down to 73.5kg again. And to do that I will work on these simple goals:

1. Try and eat less than 1600 calories EVERY day.

2. Try and drink 2.5L of water EVERY day.

3. Walk at least 10,000 steps EVERY day.

I HATE having to lose weight that I have already worked hard to lose. I know it's my own fault, but at the moment I am struggling with finding the desire to keep losing. Somehow the attack on my housemate last week (I found out the next day that she had been assaulted and raped, which was why she tried to kill herself) has triggered something in me - and I'm in a place in my head where I am REALLY struggling.

I am unsettled, unsure and not very motivated at all.

So… it's right back to basics for me. This is where I have to write a plan in the morning of what I am going to eat today - and stick to it.

me - 98.5kg
at least i am starting new years with a challenge
ho hum.

I'm too ashamed to tell y'all what I weighed in at this weekend. Let's just say it's by FAR the heaviest I've ever been in my life.

I weighed in at 96.6kg this morning.

Last night I unpacked from my two week trip to Darwin last month (no comments please :lol: ). I am ashamed, and VERY disgusted, to admit that the clothes I wore and bought while there are now a struggle to put on!! One month can do that?!?!?!

Anyway, it was a massive wake up call for me! I now have a home loan to pay off, my budget is now a little (LOT) tighter, I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW WARDROBE!!! And I'll be far from happy if I have to pay for a new wardrobe that is bigger than the one I have now!!!

There is no excuse!!! I am eating WAY TOO MUCH!! And it WILL STOP NOW!!!

My short term goal:

It is now exactly two weeks before my arrival in Darwin.

In those two weeks I want to have reduced my portion sizes considerably and not feel hungry as a result!

I want to be drinking ample water!

And I want to say I want to be down X number of kilos. But I know if I say I want to lose 1.5kg in that time frame I'll no doubt lose that amount in the next few days (water loss). But if I account for that and say I want to lose 3 or 4kg I'll be very disappointed if I don't. So I am just going to settle with losing some weight and as much as I can in a realistic manner.


Ok, the man in my flat has left (airconditioner repairman), I gotta get back to work! Airconditioner appears to be functioning for now...without the associated indoor waterfall that I have had the last four days! I look forward to a nice cool flat to come home to tonight :)

Just thought I'd pop in and say hi to all. Been a busy few days. TRying to sort my cyclone of a house before new year. I hate new years resolutions but I will make one.......... New Year = New ME. Once I was a neat freak but with all the work study and upheavals in my life i have let the house go badly. I got up at 5am the other morning and was ruthless in my plastics cupboard. And I swear I will not buy another decor or tupperware for the next 2 years at least lol.
Over the weekend i made a start on my office. I threw out 2 boxes (those file size ones) of rubbish, and I still have more crap to sort through. But i plan to finish that by wednesday night. Its a massive job so i aim to do a couple hours at a time, not all in one go.
Next to tackle is my appliance cupboard in the morning. What I havent used in the past 6 mths is going. I am appliance queen. I have
steamer
bread maker
wok
4 toasters (LMAO)
2 milkshake makers
popcorn machine
fairy floss machine
waffle iron
jaffle maker
sandwich press / grill
food processor and blender
handheld blender
beaters
mix master
2 electric frypans
hot dog warmer
coffee cup hotplate (keeps coffee hot after making)
egg boiler
slow cooker
omlette maker
cappacino machine
soda stream
Thats 27 appliances holy cow.

Not to mention my 3 dinner sets
a kazillion serving dishes
2 coffee pots / tea pots
plunger
37 coffee / espresso mugs (what the heck do i need 37 coffee mugs for????)

then after I have tackled my kitchen I am going through my 2 floor to ceiling craft cupboards and being ruthless. donating excess to the nursing home.

Fabrics have already gone to a friend who just started quilting. I havent used my sewing machine or overlocker in 2 years (used to make all the kids clothes before i go so busy)

Been through kids wardrobes and mine.

Linen cupboard is bursting so will do that to. (bursting AFTER I packed up all the blankets lol.) We have 2 doonas each one winter one summer. I have about 10 blankets, 8 lap blankets, 9 quilt covers (at last count)z.

Need I say more?> Thats why new year new me.

I make a goal for myself... NOT a weight loss one, but one of if i see something on special i will ask myself do i really need it? It's not a bargain unless its something i NEED.

Maybe if i start to declutter my house i will also be able to declutter my mind therefore make my weight loss goals more obtainable with a healthy mind.

Vonni xxx

PS Ani thank you :)

Vonni!! I could have used you to do my packing for me!! I wanted this move to be an opportunity to get rid of excess junk and unused items I have...I can't do it! I swear I wanted to do the "if I haven't used it in 6 months..." thing too!!

I have more that 20 huge packing boxes packed already, including one that I have itemised as "Bottom Drawer Junk"! Really!!! Why do I insist on keeping this crap??? :lol:

Oh how we love those bottom draws lol. :D

Vonni - you're welcome :).

I can't believe all those things you have in your kitchen. Do you actually use them? Lindor there's nothing wrong with 'bottom drawer junk' - even I have some of that, and I am NOT a hoarder by any means.

Hey Gen what's going on with you? I have heard that in the US portion sizes are crazy, but I'm sad to hear you say you're too ashamed to tell us what the scales said. Is everything OK with you?

It's gonna be 38ºC here in Perth today - any chance that might MELT some of this fat off me? ;)

New Year's Resolutions! Hmmm…

1. The Ice Queen melts. Well - that was bold! but I just might, maybe, perhaps let myself feel something. Even if it is a quiet little infatuation with someone. Or maybe not :D

2. To reach my weight loss goal of 67kg. It doesn't matter how long it takes, but sometime in the next 12 months I want to be there.

This time last year I was 82.6kg, and I felt proud of what I had accomplished. I feel pretty satisfied with what I've managed to achieve this year too. I'm still not where I want to be, but I'm definitely getting closer…

Not much going on - just been coooold here, sitting on my arse, eating as usual. It is hard with the lunches the boys buy at work every day too.

I have made big inroads into the food issue the past week - for some reason, I'm better when I'm on my own. The roomate went away, so I've been pretty good even tho i was off work for 5 days over xmas. I do need to start exercising, just a pain between my achilles and my other foot still sore after my stair tumble at the xmas party - wondering if I cracked a bone in my foot!

Let's just say I am almost 5kg over my previous highest weight!

vonni - no surprise to you guys my house is exactly the same, i have all those appliances but no coffee ones and dont want to part with any of them.... i am de cluttering at the moment too, benji is right into it and making storage room under the house, i bought him a mallet for xmas so hopefully he doesnt knock the house down

ani - reading what you weighed this time last year puts a heap in perspective to me, you have lost so much and still are motivated to lose more

gen - did you say you had an exercise buddy?

lindor - in the last month i have done so much yo yoing but have put on enough weight that i cant fit into clothes i could at the end of November.... tis the season hey....

i am certainly getting into the right mindframe to kick some serious slow and steady butt next year
i am weaning jemima so my boobs hurt BUT it will mean i will have my body back and feel in more control and also mean i can take a stronger contraceptive pill which will mean hopefully everything will be more regular and i will be able to be organised with everything and my body will no longer control me and my plans and my thoughts i will control it

Oops going through my kitchen today I do NOT have 37 coffee mugs, I have 46 LMAO. Man its getting worse, and I still have 3 cupboards to get through. My daughter is coming over on Thursday and we are going through my craft stuff.
Once upon a time i would donate to vinnies or the tip what i didnt want. This time I am boxing everything up and having a garage sale late Feb. Whats left I will dontae to vinnies or the salvos. The money I will put away for some new clothes come winter time. Hopefully will be a few kilos lighter and a dress size down. (fingers crossed).
Going back to Dr Monday week to find out whats going on with my thyroid. Dunno if I mentioned back a bit ago that I had bloods done and ultrasound. Well bloods were normal but Dr scrolled down and it had noters to retest, also she felt my thyroid was large. Ultrasound came back abnormal but don't know yet. The buggers didnt put report in with my disc grrrr lol. I'm one of those sneaks that look at report before taking to Dr.

Ani "maybe not"????? is that maybe not the infatuation or maybe not quiet? lol.

Lindor I have several bottom drawer junk drawers. Matter of fact, and also several cupboards lol.

I cant believe the amount of board games i have to. Havent counted yet but will be sure to post my junk here as with my kitchen.

Gen lucky you. I find it's easier to keep warm than to cool down. Its sweltering here today. I had a bit of choc and that combined with heat and not enough fluids i ended up with a killer migraine. Rang Matt to come get Ebony and had a slepp for a few hours. Took the edge off it at least.

Kel, do you really want to store the stuff? Will you just slowly gather it back in the house? Get rid of it altogether lol. No temptation that way.

You will notice my ticker hasnt moved in weeks grrrr. But I just started my wii fit today and its so fun. Love the ski jump. It forces you to hold your squat and its fun, not counting seconds before you can let it go. It roused on me to when I put my foot down during a balance and stretch exercise lol. The step aerobics is fast paced. My wii fit age is 49 omg. so aiming to get that down to 40 within the month.

ps
'forgot to also mention the perculator hiding in bottom of pantry collecting moths

How did that happen? It's the end of another year today, and it has put me in a reflective mood.

I just had a look back over my weight loss, and found something interesting:

31st Dec 06: 95.9kg

31st Dec 07: 82.2kg

31st Dec 08: 73.6kg

31st Dec 09: … who knows?

People roll their eyes when you say this is a journey. And when people ask me how I have lost so much weight, they quickly lose interest when I tell them I count calories and exercise - they want a 'quick fix', not the thing they know will work. Not the "journey".

I'm not there yet, and I still have some things to learn about making regular healthy choices, embracing this new life which has made me smaller, fitter, stronger.

I already know I'm going to have loose skin, stretch marks, cellulite and more wrinkles - and for a while that got me down. I've really had to do some work to accept that my body will carry the "evidence" of how much weight I used to carry. For the most part I'm at peace with it now - a little disappointed that I did that to myself - but I can't change the past, so I'm not going to tie myself in knots about it.

This time last year I was on holiday from my 10-year job as a magazine publisher/editor. Had you told me that I would never go back to that job, that I would move house, be working at Bunnings and have had my first book published within a year, I would have laughed in your face.

Had you told me I would find a peace I didn't know, a calm, and a whole new side to my character that working with so many people has brought out in me - I would have thought you were on drugs.

And I definitely would have thought you were mad if you'd told me I would get in touch with my playful, silly side - my creative musical side, my "garden is a work of art" side.

All this just by unwrapping a few layers of fat!

I've lost a few friends along the way; people for whom my weight loss has been too confronting, too hard. But I've found a few friends too.

And I know this journey will continue all the way through 2009. I have prepared for it as best I can by setting out the 'roadmap' of where I want to go - and I intend to enjoy it, to learn, be challenged, confront my fears, and to laugh a lot.

Bring it on!

Ani...

When are you going to put it all together and publish a book on your journey?

The way you wrote your post there made it more than just a journey, you showed it as an adventure, something of a thrill ride with challenges and obsticals to get through.

And again...you have inspired me :)

Ha ha Lindor - who would read it? Mind you I have been toying with the idea for a while, but we'll see how it goes later this year.

I'm making myself a gourmet dinner tonight - well it's probably pretty plain for everyone else, but this is about me a) learning to prepare nutritious food, and b) changing my thinking, and trying to eat the best food I can.

Here's what's on the menu:

Salad one: shredded carrot and beetroot with walnuts

Salad two: Chopped lettuce, english spinach, spring onion, avocado and cucumber, drizzled with lemon and sprinkled with pine nuts.

Salad three: roasted sweet cherry tomatoes with chives

Protein: 80g of really yummy rivergum ham

Dessert: chopped watermelon, nectarine, grapes, cherries, and kiwi fruit.

YUM!

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone. I have to get up at 4am tomorrow to go to work, so there'll be no late night parties for me this year. It's going to be 39ºC here tomorrow and there's no way I want to work in THAT heat either sleep deprived or hungover :D.