Sorry Lindor forgot to congrats to you as well. Keep up the good work...2 kgs this week is fantastic....we will all be good for one another...leeny

Hi everyone! Just found this thread, so thought I'd add my 5c worth (seeing as we don't have 2c pieces anymore, so I hope my contributions are worth the inflation rate).

I live in Western Australia, am 43 (44 in April) and am a primary school teacher. This year I'm teaching year 2, but usually prefer to teach year 4 or 5. I'm finding the adjustment to the younger grade a little difficult to cope with and I'm VERY glad that I am too well rooted in my new healthy lifestyle to end up binging because of the stress. That used to always be my solution.

I am married to a wonderfully supportive man, who loved me at my largest, so can't be too bad huh? No kids or pets - I'm allergic... to pet hair, not kids. I think I just manage to get all my nurturing done at school, so have never had the urge to have my own kids.

I started on my new lifestyle journey mid-January 2004 and have lost 85kg since then. Started at 160kg and am now floating around 75kg. Having another 'hormonal' week where the scales are not budging, which doesn't impress me, as I want to reach target by my birthday. My original goal was to have maintained a healthy weight for 12 months by my 45th birthday. I know that I am MUCH healthier, but I still have 4kg to lose before I am officially in the 'healthy' range. My ultimate goal is 68kg, and I know I'll get there, if not a little lower, I just have to be a little more patient.

I'm not following any program, or measuring or counting calories. Just basically MUCH healthier foods (very little processed food) and lots of exercise. I use the treadmill every morning and the exercise bike every afternoon/evening. I also try to do steps every other day. I'm planning to get some more equipment for my birthday that will work on my upper body and add some strength training. I have my own treadmill and bike as I am not a gym person and I find every excuse under the sun to not go out and exercise. With it sitting in the lounge room, staring at me every day, I just make myself get on. I'm not sure I would say I "enjoy" exercising, but I know that I feel bad if I don't and I know that it is showing results. I only got the exercise bike for this last Christmas and I have had SO many people say that I have lost a lot of weight since they saw me at the end of the last school year. I have actually only lost 5kg, but things have toned up quite a bit.

Well... that was probably a lot more than anyone really wanted to know, but I do tend to go on and on at times.

Hope to catch up with you all on a regular basis, but can't promise I will make sense if I have had a tiring day at work.

Take care,

Zelma

Zelma!! You are such an inspiration!!! I got so much out of reading just that post and seeing those amazing photos. I know now, that whenever I get those "I can't do this" days your story will be one thing I'll be thinking of to convince me that IT CAN BE DONE!!!

Well done on your fantastic efforts!!!

And thankyou for your 5c worth (although I think it is worth so much more!!)

Hi Lindor
See you are still awake or just up????
I have just got home from work I am off to bed.
Have a great day all

Got up at 5:30am to do a little job after going to bed at 2:30am...going back to bed now

I went to the gym today, and was all prepared to do my treadmill and bike workouts, but when I heard the annoucement for box circuit, I thought, hmm, thats something new, and it will shake up my workout. So I did an hour of that, wow what a work out. And then I took dd "swimming" for an hour. I am exhausted. But I feel good for it.

Well what a inspirational effort ZedAus.Yes your 5c was well worth it, I still have not been able to catch the exercise bug, but I helped my eldest Daughter move out of her old flat so dose that count, I forgot how hard it was to wash walls with sugar soap (boy did my arms get a workout, but they are in need of it lol). I totally understand not being able to post after work I work 12 hrs shifts and because I have been riding to work it adds around 1 1/4 hrs to my day .youngest Daughter just came in and its time to take her to school so bye for now. All be strong

I honestly didn't think that yesterdays workout was that big a workout. Yes I was tired, but I had put that down to the swimming with dd, cause being in the water is really relaxing for me. UNTIL THIS MORNING when I woke up!!! OMG, I am still in sooo much pain. My arms hurt, my chest hurts, my wrists hurt (I must keep up those strenthening exercises for my wrists), but most of all, my left butt cheek and thigh hurt. I could barely move my leg all day.

Next time, and yes I've decided to give box-circuit another go, I'll make sure that each time I run down the room and do my sit ups or push ups, I'll make sure I change sides that I'm getting up from. I never thought that I could get a work out getting up from the floor.

Oh and I went shopping today, and I'm no longer a size 20...woohoo. 20 was a little big, I'm in the teens !!! happy dance happy dance I remember not being able to fit into size 22 a little while ago.

Great work kathyhegg here are some happy dances for you ,you are doing so well hope you butt and thigh are feeling better have a great day to all

Hi all, I'm Kylie, a lost Aussie, I live in England at the moment but hopefully you'll let me join!!!

I was 120 kilos early last year, and now I am 90 and aiming for ??? 60 ish ??? 58 ??? who knows!!! I am coming back to Oz for a holiday in June, and I really want to get to 80 by then, aiming for 75 at least by Christmas, and then goal in June 2007 for my 35th birthday.

I'm basically doign what you mob are doing, eating healthily, cutting out the junk food and the emotional eating, and exercising, a LOT! I have discovered a love of weight training, swimming, body toning classes and cardio! I like the gym! I used to hate exercise and now it's a compulsion.

I so miss some warm weather, it's so cold here at the moment, and snow is predicted, yuck!

Hi kykaree welcome the more the merrier you have been doing great well done and as I'm from SUNNY QUEENSLAND should I tell you it was 36 yesterday and its 32 now lol

Hi all and welcome to the couple of new ones I haven't met before. Its great to get on here and read everyones achievements this week. I am on a bit of a downer at the moment so I hope my mood does not lead me to the fridge. Actually my boss at work told me I was too fat...yes he actually said that...and as I'm sure you all know how that made me feel especially when I am trying to stay so motivated and trying to lose more weight. I needed to come onto here to gain inspiration and get my head focused back where it should be. After reading Zeds story I know I can achieve success as well. Stuff the boss eh!!! My eldest son is 16 tommorrow and I have just finished making a cheesecake as per the request for his birthday cake. Guess what...my favourite...we are having the family BBQ tonight and I guess lots more temptations I will be faced with. I suppose I can only do my best. Hoping all can stay motivated this week and great to see we are gaining more to our little family eh!!!xxxleeny

Hey Butter Ball...where abouts in Queensland are you from...I am from the Sunshine Coast...and yes I love it here...leeny

Hi leeny you work for a butt head, what do people thick that because we are overweight we are great targets or that we don’t know we are overweight??????? I hope the fleas of a thousand camels infest his arm pits
I live at Logan Reserve around half way between the Gold Coast and Brisbane
Well I hope the party is great,feels like only yesterday that thay were babys in arm a big hug for you and have a great time

Thank you all for the welcomes and positive comments. It is great to 'speak' with fellow Aussies about our trials and tribulations.

I am constantly amazed by the fact that I have been able to do this and by how I now look. I will often look twice in the mirror or at my reflection in a window as I still don't recognise that figure as mine. I have NEVER been this weight as an adult, so I didn't know what a waist looked like on me. It is a VERY good feeling.

Today hubby and I went into the city to look for something for Valentine's Day. I originally planned on getting a 'pinky' ring, but they were all too big. That is a first! Before I couldn't get most rings to go anywhere NEAR my fingers without alterations. I must admit that I almost cried when we bought a replacement engagement ring last year and it fit perfectly first time. My old ring was a cheap 'just for the moment' ring so it was simply wonderful to get this one. I ended up getting a necklace today, instead of the ring. I know I could have had the rings adjusted, but I wanted something I could wear NOW... I'm not a very patient person.

Summer may finally be poking its head up around here. Got to around 35 today and we're expecting 36 or so over the next couple of days. We haven't really had summer yet. We had the coldest December on record and the coldest January in 20 years, so the warmth is welcomed. So far I haven't felt the heat anywhere NEAR as much as I used to. In fact I was looking forward to some hot days as I have been FREEZING! I have lost my insulation!lol

Leeny - I'm not sure what I would say to my boss if he had ever told me I was too fat. I would have probably cried, but would have wanted to thump him one! I'm sure plenty of people at work thought it, but thankfully nobody said anything. Lots of people made comments outside of work though. Not sure what makes them think they should do that, but it hurts SO much.

Well, off to workout on the exercise bike. I'll try to get back on here again over the weekend.

Take care all,

Zelma