He's home again!

Bouncing about and eager to get out in the garden! Even the vet is amazed at the transformation in just a few hours!!

I think the little sh!t gets his jollies out of scaring me!!

Oh Lindor you poor thing going through all the ups and downs with yr little companion. Don't know what I will do when princess gets sick. She's been to the vet twice in her 15 yr life. Once for desexing after 3 puupy litters and once whewn she waslimping really bad. She is getting thinner now though and the winter is being cruel to her old bones. maybe yr little doggy DOES get jollies out of giving u grief. Much love xox

Thanx Vonni...it is hard when we let ourselves get so damned attached to our little critters!

I just got back from walking my normal bike route! I figured if I could do one and a half of my walks yesterday - 8.3km - then I could throw on an extra 500metres and walk the bike route! Well, bugger me! I didn't factor in those horrid hills that I struggle with on the bike!! I think I only just managed to get through my gate today!! And, for the first time in years, I have chub rub between my legs!!!

Tomorrow will just be my normal walk I think :lol:

Lindor We got another puppy last week. so cute her name is Bella. if u follow this link you should be able to go to my photos and see http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...3477197&v=wall

And Gen good luck with the surgery. You must keep us updated. take yr comp to hospital with u and let us go through it with you xox

Vonni, I am not a Facebook member, but I did see your home page (if that is what it is called there?) and saw your puppy there...very cute! :D

Mista is great today! I mean, I actually think he is the best he has been for a couple of months! They practically did nothing at the vets yesterday (for $350 mind you!), but monitor him and do his bloods. He didn't get anti-seizure meds because he had come out of the seizure himself, they didn't give him IV fluids because it could have compromised his heart failure, although they did canulate him, they didn't need to sedate him because he was pretty flat when he came in. All he got was one diuretic injection and a dozen diuretic pills to come home with but I am not to use until after he has been seen again tomorrow. And he got half a dozen diazepam pills for me to administer should he have another seizure - umm when I say 'for me to administer' I mean give to the dog and not me! :lol:

Four days is going to fly Gen! But won't it be so good once you are done? Initially maybe a bit of discomfort, but how is this going to change your life!! And I like Vonni's idea of taking your computer with you! Maybe you can keep a blog of sorts from your surgery and how it alters your life, eating habits, and your way of thinking afterwards?

I am planning to do my 6km walk this afternoon, although I am feeling quite sore from yesterdays efforts! I'm thinking if I can do 6kms every afternoon for the next week I might try the 8.8km walk again next Saturday and see how I feel after that! Dixie has been put on the back burner for now it seems. I seem to prefer walking at the moment because I can plug my ears up with my MP3 player and just go for it. It is illegal to use such devices on a push bike here and I am aware of a few people who have been pulled up by the police for it! So I ain't gonna risk it!

I need to work on my food issues again! I so have to stop eating! That is my next project!

I spent the weekend scanning in old family photos - realized I only have ONE picture of me and my mum together. I knew we didn't have many of the whole family because she always took the pics and avoided the camera, but I didn't realize I don't really have any nice pics. There is one of me with her and dad at my graduation that is nice.

Sad :(

Dad went away for the weekend so it's been lovely and quiet, but kept thinking I should turn the tv down so i didn't wake mum up last night.. doh.

On the good news front, I did pass the 10kg lost mark. My scales are being weird and weigh different every time I get on them, so I tried 2 other sets of scales and took the weight on the one that was the most reliable each time I got on.

Gen that is sad that you've only got one picture of you and your mum together. Makes me think that I really should get more taken with my mum.

Well done on hitting that 10kg mark, it must be a great feeling.

Lindor I'm so pleased to hear that Mista is ok again! Our doggie did the exact same thing - was so sick that we actually called the vet to come and do the deed and the morning that the vet was to come she was prancing around like nothing was wrong! Ratbag.

I don’t really know what’s going on with me at the moment but I think it’s stress related. Tough times with the relationship, stress with money especially with a holiday coming up so soon, stress with my dad and nana both being ill.

The upshot is that my diet has gone to pot – I’m eating anything not nailed down and bugger the consequences. I’ve hardly been to the gym and have struggled to exercise more than once a week.

I’m putting weight back on at an alarming rate, my clothes are feeling tighter. I feel depressed and miserable. I know exactly what I’m doing wrong, every time I eat something I know that I’m doing more damage but I just can’t seem to stop.

Several times over the past few weeks I’ve tried to get back on track but have failed. My head’s not in the right space and I just don’t know what to do.


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I wish I knew how to get you back on track.. when it's good it's good, and when it's bad, it's awful, isn't it? We are all or nothing types here! Can you go to a WW meeting and at least promise yourself to do the tracking for just one day? After one you can reassess.

I seem to have the mind set that if I exercise I have every right to binge!!

So walking is still going strong, but I ruin all that hard work by pigging out when I get home!

Gah!!

Actually Gen (I can't believe I am about to ask this!), would you recommend the optifast diet for weight-loss wannabes like me?

I'm sick so there goes my duromine start grrr. Gen I bet yr nervous? But you will be fine. thinking of u xox

Lindor, I would actually. It's sucky, but doable. They have soups, bars, and shakes. The only ones I would recommend are:
- Optislim berry crunch bar
- Tony Ferguson shakes - butterscotch, double chocolate, banana, all the ones I tried were good.

Even if you mixed with skim milk and crushed ice to improve flavor, it's so easy and you don't have to think about food all the time. And I leave my 2 cups of veggies for dinnertime to have a stirfry.

Oh Gen I am thinking of you. Hope everything goes really well. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

glad yr ok Gen. Much better when that plumbing works hey? lol. Bought an awesome dress for the hens night next weekend. I look curvy sexy lol. will post pics when i get pics

I MADE IT!!!

Finally under 100kg. Next goal is 94, hope it doesn't take as long to get there as it took to get here!!

That's awesome Barb, well done! Doesn't matter how long it takes as long as it's going down and not up!

Von, yes we need pics!

Where on earth are Ani and Lindor? Hope they are okay.

I'm here...needless to say I have fallen off the wagon again!

Well done Gen on getting through the surgery! Must be a huge weight off your mind? Good luck with the rest of the journey too :)

Well done Barb on making 100kg! What a feeling huh?

I've decided with today being August 1st, I am officially climbing back up on that wagon (for the 100th time, I know!). With 5 months of 2010 left I aim to drop 15kg before years end!

I am resetting all my tickers and starting fresh!

I am going to alternate walking and cycling every day - I have cycled 8.8kms today already.

I am going to attempt to have set meal times with just fresh fruit or vegetables as between meal snacks.

I am going to drink a minumum of 2lt of fluid a day!

I AM GOING TO LOSE 15KG BEFORE 2011!!!

So glad to see you back Lindor :) Good stuff on the bike ride, how long did that take you!?

It takes me 35mins to do that 8.8km route Gen...average speed is 15.5kph and today I got to a top speed of 39.5kph (there is a nice down hill stretch - which goes with that nasty up hill that I so hate!)

I am going to stick to my 6km walking route too for a while, that takes just over an hour and I am comfortable with that for now.

I might re-assess distances for September.

I haven't been too good with my food in-take today, I really need to go shopping but I hate shopping on weekends...too many people! And with it being a long weekend, I ain't shopping tomorrow either. Shopping is checked in for Tuesday afternoon after work.

Bet you're looking forward to getting home Gen!

Barb congratulations on making it to the 90's! That's a great effort and I totally agree with Gen, it doesn't matter how long it takes as long as you get there in the end :carrot:

Sounds like the surgery went well Gen which is great to hear. Hope you have a nice smooth recovery and get to go home soon.

Good to see you posting again Lindor! Don't feel bad for falling off the wagon, the important thing is that you're getting back on and it sounds like you've got a good plan.

I've finally had some good news in that my man is now employed once more. PHEW! It is a massive relief and I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and now I'm ready to think about taking care of myself again.

I had a delicious salad for lunch today and will have the same tomorrow. Tonight I'm going to go and check out a different gym as I'm moving office soon and don't want to have to drive to town every day if I don't have to. The potential new gym is one of those 24 hour jobbies that is staffed part time and you have a swipe card to let yourself in and out.

Has anyone heard anything from Ani? It's unlike her to be MIA for so long. Hope she is ok.


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So much for my plans!

I just walked 8kms!!

And I did a little shopping!!

Fortunately I walked to the shop just to buy some milk, and knowing I'd be carrying my shopping back home again on foot, I stuck to buying just milk...and a 600ml bottle of diet coke!

:D

Wooo Lindor 8km is awesome!

I am very proud to say that I went to the gym tonight and did 60 minutes cardio :D

Good girls! :)

Off weightloss, I'm really annoyed to see the release date for the movie of Tomorrow, When the War Began has been put back to September 2 - I'm gonna miss it by a couple of weeks! I loved the books and was looking forward to seeing the movie. I will have to hope it gets released in the US (but I doubt it) or wait for the DVD!

Does anyone have Ani's email or phone number or anything?

hey girls notice when we stress out we eat? and usually the wrong things? Hmmm you do know that stressed spelt backwards is desserts?

I've had a bit of a wake up call today.

I found the results of my lipid studies that were done a few months ago. I assumed, because the doctor hadn't said anything about them, that they were normal.

Cholesterol: 8.6 mmol/L (normal is 0 - 5.5)
LDL Cholesterol (that's the bad one): 6.65 mmol/L (normal is 2 - 3.4)

This has really shaken me, and I am annoyed that the doctor has not said anything about this! I will definately be asking if there was anything abnormal about the bloods he took a few months ago when I see him next!

I have done a bit of googling and as a result have stocked my cupboards with grains, nuts, oats and all the stuff they say lowers cholesterol absorption! Can anyone tell me if they also lower cholesterol levels (rather than just absorption)?

As a little bit of punishment I pushed myself to cycle 10.5kms this afternoon, and I only allowed myself one stop up that dreaded hill!!


Glad you are home and comfy again Gen! I had no idea John Marsdens book was being made into a movie! I loved that book too! I might have to treat myself to a trip to the cinema! Or hire the DVD later! :lol:

Glad things are looking up for you and the boy, Julia. Vonni is right, we eat too much of the wrong stuff when we are stressed (and I had picked up on the stressed/desserts thing a while ago Vonni, but I had forgotten about it until you mentioned it there). :D

Anyway, time for a nice healthy, filling salad for dinner!

Julia - congrats on the job! That must be such a relief. Hope you can get back into the diet now :)

Oats and whole grains can lower your levels, the beta glucans are good for that. As long as you eat plain oats and not the crappy sugary ones, dammit ;). You can get things with "plant sterols" in them, the Flora proactiv light type margarines. Adding some fibre is good - psyllium husk/benefiber type stuff in a glass of juice in the morning.

Exercise can increase good (HDL) cholesterol and lower bad (LDL).

Honestly, the main thing you can to to reduce cholesterol is to lose weight, so all the usual things like unprocessed healthy foods and regular exercise are the cure. With dietary changes alone (and no weight loss) you can lower cholesterol by about 10% max.

The other option I am shocked your dr didn't discuss is medication - statins are very effective at lowering cholesterol reasonably fast. Then again, if doc didn't even tell you the numbers were high, I shouldn't be surprised!

So the 'Uncle Toby's' flavoured oats are a no no? Damn! Should have read this before breakfast! As of tomorrow, plain oats it is!

I was pretty proud of the fact that I have stuck to eating breakfast since first losing weight back in 2006! It has been the one thing that has never changed since taking on that 'lifestyle' change then.

Thanx heaps for your advice there Gen! I appreciate it! My last cholesterol check was in 2005, before I lost any weight, before I even thought of dieting, and those results were on the upper level of normal then! So yeah, seeing those results yesterday after losing a good deal of weight (and gaining it back again) was a huge shock! I remember when being tested in 2005 I was expecting seriously bad results because I was living on CRAP!

Anyway...I know now and I must act!!

1.5kg is nothing to scoff at Gen...well done!

I've stuck to my 'cholesterol conscious' weight-loss plans today...apart from the flavoured porridge this morning!

I have walked 6kms this afternoon and I just enjoyed a simple vegetable pasta meal - one that I slapped together so I know exactly what went into it.

I miss Ani!

And where is Amy?

You're a good girl, Lindor!

I just broke the 100km mark on Dixies odometer!! Pretty sad really, considering I have had her for nearly two months now! But, a milestone none the less I guess! :lol:

I did 10.5kms on Dixie this afternoon. I am still on track with my food intake, and keeping a very close eye on the cholesterol content of everything!

Now Gen, I am not sure what area of nursing you do, but maybe you can shed some light on eGFR results for me. When I saw my results earlier this week, I also noticed that my eGFR was in the high 60's to low 70's. My understanding is that suggests stage 2 Chronic Kidney Disease? Creatinine was within normal range though. Again, my doctor has not mentioned these results to me either!

My concern is my father is a Type 2 diabetic and I know I am very likely to be following in his steps in my current physical condition! And I know CKD, among other things, is a common co-morbidity with diabetes.

And, just so you know the pressure is not on you alone, I am seriously considering seeing a random GP to ask them to do all the tests again (although they won't know it is 'again') and then discuss the results with me!

Am I sounding like a typical hypochondriac yet? :^:

You tend not to worry about GFR if other numbers are normal. The "e" part of it is "estimated" - it's worked out from an equation so it's not especially accurate.

http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/cgi/content/full/2/6/1352

I wouldn't hesitate to go to a GP that will communicate with you and explain test results - no point doing tests if they don't explain the results.

Thanx for that Gen :)

I've walked 6kms this afternoon, and I am now sitting here enjoying a nice tuna salad and potato.

I have a bit to do in the garden this weekend, so that should keep me busy enough to keep me away from the food for a little while!

I weigh in on Sunday and I am hoping I will show a loss. I'll be disappointed if I don't! But, I am still determined to get on top of this weight-loss and healthy eating thing.

I'd be guessing Ani is in, or on her way, to Bali now? I hope she has a great time, and I hope we see her when she gets home again :)

And Amy?? Where are you?? I want to know how your cycling is going! :)

Lindor you are an inspiration! You're doing so well, good on you :cheer3: I've got to say, your GP sounds hopeless! I'd be finding a new doc asap. One with better communication skills!

Good to hear that you're recovering well Gen. 1.5kg is definitely nothing to sniff at. Patience grasshopper!

I still can't seem to get into any kind of routine with regards to diet and exercise. My holiday is now only 10 days away and it's kind of a matter of why bother trying now when I know I'm not going to watch what I eat while I'm away. Very silly I know.

I miss Amy and Ani too! Come back ladies!


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Julia, you'd feel much better on your holiday if you were "good" for a week beforehand?

Changed my flights home to business class... lots of money but I could hear my mum in my head telling me to just do it. Dad had given me some money for flights and for some work I did for him here, and given that I need to be able to walk around etc so as not to get a clot, I thought bugger it. Looking forward to it - think I have a seat upstairs haha! I'm easily amused.

OK off to an auction next door to sticky beak, talk to you all later. Hoping to drag my arse for a walk today.

Julia, can I recommend just taking small steps if you find it hard to make that commitment to routine?

Start with just a small walk every day, don't worry about anything else yet. And lets face it, is a small walk going to be that difficult while on holiday?

I have set a time every day for my exercise...4pm every afternoon. I have marked it in in my small diary, and I cross it off when I do it! It kinda makes it like an appointment that you have to keep...and why should doing something good for us be any different to keeping an appointment with the doc or tax consultant? Yeah, there are days when I think, I can't be bothered! But for some reason, with it written down, the thought of not crossing it off motivates me to go!

I have walking and cycling as my main (only) forms of exercise. Walking takes longer than the cycling. So if I need to go shopping after work or something, I plan to do that on a cycling day (or I could switch a cycling day with a walking day) because I know it isn't going to get dark before I have done it. And If I was stuck in the dark, I'd rather be on my bike than on foot!

The only reason I have got stuck into the food side of things is because I did get quite a scare with my cholesterol levels! I had no idea my eating habits were that bad! Thinking back now, yeah, I was eating a lot of cheese and fatty foods!

I want to see you succeed, and feel totally happy with yourself to Julia :hug:

This constant thinking of our weight and health does weigh heavily on us!

Didn't see your post Gen. Well done on that huge loss!

And how cool for business class! I'd be pretty chuffed with going 'up stairs' too! :lol:

I've seen surgery reports for gastroscopies mention hiatus hernias a lot. Mostly the surgeon does nothing for them - only when they are symptomatic or particularly large. Was nice of your surgeon to repair yours opportunistically.

I bought a size 16 top yesterday, thinking it would be good in a few weeks.. fits me now!

Took my gorgeous niece for a big walk today.. she's 3 (but lazy!) so I pushed her in the pram.. she's heavy!

I've just got back from a 10.5km bike ride! And what a ride it was!! :lol:

For a little bit of the way (up that dreaded hill!), I had what I believe was someone like a personal trainer! The little fella, who told me his name was Jayden, would have been four or five years old. He was riding his little push bike up the hill with his Mum next to him on foot. When he spotted me coming up behind them he shouted 'beat you up the hill!' and off he pedalled! When I said I was too old for racing he slowed down and pedalled next to me and kept saying 'push, push, push'.

Well, if it wasn't for that little fella, and his Mum chuckling behind us, I don't think I'd have made it up that hill with no stops at all!! And that, my friends, was the first time I have ever made it up that hill without stopping!

I weighed in this morning and have recorded a loss of 3.5kg! Not unusual for a first week of trying, and I am very pleased with that result too!

For the next week, I plan to continue as I have this week:

• eat carefully
• drink no less than 2lt of water a day
• exercise every day - alternating walking (min 6kms) and cycling (min 8.8kms)

I would like to see at least another 1kg drop off by next Sunday.

Oooooh Gen you'll love business class! Who are you flying with? The one and only thing about flying business class is that you know what you're missing when you have to go back to economy :dizzy:

That's so cool that you're seeing such great results so quickly. You must be chuffed :D

Lindor congrats for beating that hill mate, that's awesome news :bravo: What a cute wee cheerleader you had! You're doing so well, I'm really proud of you!

I had a horrific weekend food wise - went to McDonalds not once but TWICE and had a Magnum ice cream last night! :censored: My work uniform is back to being just as tight as it used to be and I've gained back most (if not all) of the weight I lost recently.

Lindor you're so right and I would recommend the same to someone else - I need to start small, just do somthing. So today I'm going to do something revolutionary ... I'm going to the gym :fr: haha! I'm going to set myself the goal of going to the gym for the next 4 nights in a row. Even if I just walk on the treadmill for 20 mins that's better than nothing.


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