Weigh-in-Wednesday: 31st October 2012

An early post for me as I'm off to work...

Had a big week with my sister in hospital and my girls' birthday party...I ate lunch at the hospital almost every day, enjoyed some cake and pizza at the party...so I knew I wouldn't have a big loss this week...but it's ok because I had two big losses in a row...

So this morning, I stepped on the scales and...

SW: 80.7kg
CW: 68.4kg
WIR: -400g
TOTAL SHED: 12.3kg

Happy with the 400g shed...need to up my water intake. I have also started a new project...but will leave that for another post.

Enjoy your day :)

My new toy...

I was a very spoilt girl this year and received a spin bike from my family for my birthday! My brother is manager at WorkoutWorld Penrith and I have purchased a lot of equipment from him over the years!

He's helped me set up an awesome home gym and I love my new bike...I look forward to having my first workout on her on Monday!

The last piece of equipment I'd like to purchase is a full rack of free weights (1kg - 10kg). I'm saving up and hopefully soon my gym will be complete!

I love working out at home! I've got some awesome equipment and enjoy getting up early and working out before the kids wake up. It's my me time and I now get cranky when I miss a workout....(come to think of it, that would explain the foul mood I'm in at the moment!!!)

Missed a few workouts this week, so look forward to getting back into routine on Monday and smashing it in my gym!

Weigh-in-Wednesday: 24th October 2012

Yep...a weigh-in Wednesday post on a Friday.

My sister has been extremely sick, so my week has consisted of driving back and forth from the hospital. She's still in until at least Monday, but hopefully she'll be feeling better very soon.

Due to this, I haven't had a chance to jump on here and update my blog.

So...

Wednesday I was exhausted as I had been at the hospital until 10pm the night before. I almost forgot to weigh-in, as I was dead tired and I couldn't remember what day it was.

Luckily I remembered just before eating breakfast, so I jumped on the scales and was very happy with the number staring back at me...

SW: 80.7kg
CW: 68.8kg
WIR: -800g
TOTAL SHED: 11.9kg

I haven't fit in many exercise sessions this week, so will be interested to see how the scales react next week.

My amazing birthday cake!

Yesterday my daughter turned 4...and today I turned 31.

Unfortunately we've spent most of the last two days at Liverpool Hospital, as my sister is very ill. When we got home tonight, my hubby wanted to do something special for me...so he made me a birthday cake...

...fresh FRUIT cake!

I absolutely loved it!

My family have been extremely supportive of my journey and I received some amazing birthday gifts...

• my family all put in together and bought me a spin bike...
• my beautiful sister-in-law bought me a WW magazine subscription and the brand new WW 2013 calendar...
• and my gorgeous husband made me the best cake ever!

I love all my family so much and I know I would not have achieved so much over the last few months without their love and support. It's been a pretty tough year emotionally...and they have been there whenever I needed a hand, a chat, a hug or a shoulder to cry on.

I have the most amazing family in the world :)

My miracle pants...

Today is my baby girl's 4th birthday and this morning I searched through my wardrobe searching for a pair of 3/4 pants to wear...and was excited to find that everything was too big!! YAY!!

So hubby pulled out my miracle pants...threw them to me and said "Here, try these on."

Now let me explain a little about my miracle pants. I was only just thinking of these pants yesterday and was upset as I thought they had been thrown out. You see, thesemiracle pants have not fit me in 5 years...but I kept them, as encouragement to keep going...but earlier this year, looking at them made me depressed, as I couldn't even pull them up past my knees and it would take a miracle to be able to fit into them again...

...hence the name miracle pants.

Well, I thought hubby had tossed them out, as he knew how upset I was the last time I saw them...but in fact he had hidden them...waiting for the perfect opportunity to reunite us.

"Here, try these on."

I looked at him, a little stunned as I realised my miracle pants were still in the house...and a little smile crept onto my face...

Should I?

Do you think?

I pulled them up...past my knees...past my thighs...and what do you know?...

THEY FIT!

A huge smile broke out on my face as I realised my miracle pants were on! I did a happy dance and was so excited!

You couldn't wipe the smile off my face all day and I loved being back in them. They felt great on...and they are a SIZE 10!

So in the end, it didn't take a miracle to fit back into my miracle pants...

...it just took a lot of focus, determination and hard work!

Weigh-in-Wednesday: 17th October 2012

I had a few sneak peaks at the scales this week and I knew I was getting very close to the 60s...

I was nervous weighing in this morning, as I desperately wanted to see a 69.something looking back at me.

My alarm went off at 5:30am and I nervously approached my scales...and I was over the moon when I saw 69.6kg flash in front of me!

After four very long years, I'm finally back in the 60s! My journey is in no way complete...I've still got a lot of work to do...but my biggest obstacle was been over come...I'm out of the 70s.

SW: 80.7kg
CW: 69.6kg
WIR: -1.3kg
TOTAL SHED: 11.1kg

It's my birthday on Monday and I could not have asked for a better present! I'm so proud of myself for putting an end to emotional eating and remaining focused on my goals.

My headless lunchtime visitor...

I was preparing lunch today when I heard a loud knock at the door and a shout for me to get a shovel...

Um...what?

So I opened the roller door to see a friend of my neighbours in my driveway screaming at me to grab a shovel...

"Why?"

"You've got a brown snake in your front yard?"

A what???

Oh yes...you read correctly...a brown snake in my front yard...AND I LIVE IN SUBURBIA!

I ran to my shed and couldn't open the damn thing as hubby had locked it, so in a panic ran to my neighbours house...knocking and screaming for a shovel! (...thank goodness I've been working on my running!!!)

"This isn't a long-handed shovel. You're going to have to help me get it?"

"Are you serious? There's no way I can do that."

"It's eaither you help, or this snake will end up in your garage...then we're up s**t creek."

Oh man...

Well...I won't share the ordeal...but I had to pass the utensils as my saviourdecapitated the brown snake. 

Thank god for my saviour! Thank God he saw it make it's way into my yard and thank God he disposed of it for me!

I've never seen a 'wild snake' before and I hope I don't see another ever again! I was worried about snakes at my daughters school (as she's just moved over to a semi-rural school...and it's our first summer term there)...and instead a snake visited me at home...

Bring on summer??!! :(

Oh yeah...and I finally had the stomach to eat my lunch around 2:30pm...snake anyone...joking, joking!!!

Pizza perfection...

Being from an Italian background, I love my pizza and pasta...and tonight I tried my hand at making my own pizza dough!

The pizza dough recipe came from the Weight Watchers Takeaway at Homecookbook and then I added my own toppings...ham, mushroom and light mozzarella cheese.

The pizza was delicious and my kids loved it! It's definitely a winner and I know I'll be making these quite often. I found the dough to be quite crispy and my hubby...also known as the pizza maker extraordinaire...suggested that I add less oil next time round.

So here is my tweaked...

Pizza Base Recipe
ProPoints: 8
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
- 1 sachet dry yeast (7g)
- 1 tsp caster sugar

- 3/4 cup warm water
- 2 1/4 cup plain flour

- 1tsp salt

- 1tsp oil

Directions:

1. Place yeast, sugar and 3/4 cup warm water in a jug. Whisk until yeast has dissolved. Set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Sift flour into a large bowl. 
3. Add the flour, salt, yeast mixture and oil into a mixer fixed with a paddle hook. Mix until the dough forms, is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl. (Alternatively, place on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.) 
4. Place in a large oiled bowl. Cover and set aside in a warm place for at least 1 hour or until doubled in size.
5. Top with your favourite toppings.

Got my skates on...

I went roller skating yesterday...for the very FIRST time!

I wanted to reward myself for shedding 10%, 10kg and competing in my first triathlon...and I didn't want the reward to be food related.

So, I told hubby and the kids that I wanted us all to go roller skating! With three first timers and hubby who admitted he wasn't very good at skating...this was going to be one interesting and hilarious event!

We went to a brand new skating rink that has opened about 20 minutes away from our house...and I have to admit...I was nervous! I was nervous about staying upright...and how on earth was I going to look after the girls if I couldn't even stand up?

Well...there was nothing to be worried about! The staff were amazing and very encouraging! They showed us a few basics...like how to get back up after a fall...and gave the girls a 'skate mate' (a triangular frame with wheels that they use to help teach people how to balance and skate).

Thank goodness for the skate mate! I used one skate mate with my older daughter and my hubby was with our younger daughter! I skated tandem around the rink with my princess until we both got our confidence...then she used it by herself and I attempted to skate without an aide!

We had an absolute ball! I have to admit...it wasn't as scary as I first thought...and I didn't fall once...must have been beginners luck! The four of us laughed and laughed...and enjoyed being active as a family! I've had a bit of an emotional week...and it was just what I needed...to have fun!

The girls are starting skating classes next Saturday...and we're going back next Saturday night for my younger daughters and my birthday (we're a day apart). I bet you can guess what my girls requested as their birthday presents.....

...you guessed right...a pair of skates.

...But guess what...

...I requested a pair of skates for my birthday too!

Fun times ahead!

Just keep swimming...

Image via HERE.

I've been back in the pool again for just going on two weeks and I love it!

I was never a 'sporty' kid, but mum put me into swimming as a child to help with my asthma. My brother and sister are both natural sportspeople...but I just never 'had it'. I was always big as a kid because of all the steroids I was on to manage my asthma. I could never run, I never played sports...I danced (for a few years) and I swam.

I swam until high school and then that stopped too.

But just like you can never forget how to ride a bike, I never forgot how to swim.

I love swimming and absolutely adore summer as it means I can get back into the water.

When I'm in the water, I'm transported back to my childhood. I'm a kid again and enjoy swimming lap after lap. I feel confident in the water and feel that I'm good at something. I may not be good at any other sport...but swimming feels like home. I'm relaxed in the water and all worries or stresses in my life disappear while I'm there.

At the moment I'm swimming two sessions a week and today I swam 1km! My brother has written a swimming program for me to follow and I'm loving it! He's got a mix of flippers / kick-board / pool bouy work, shorter distances, longer distances and sprints. It's a good workout and the time flies!

Now that I've rediscovered swimming, I don't think I'll be able to give it up again. I was chatting to two other swimmers this morning...the women I was speaking to swims 100 laps each morning (2.5km) and the man I spoke to swims 80 laps in the morning and 100 at night (total of 4.5km daily). He's lost a total of 75kg to date and is inspirational!

My daughters both do swimming lessons and I'm so proud of them. My eldest daughter cried for over 2 years and now swims beautifully. Her freestyle and backstroke are fantastic and she's just started learning how to breaststroke. My younger daughter is a little fish and looks forward to her lesson each week. I love that we are a family of water babies! My girls were so excited to see mummy compete in the triathlon on Saturday and enjoyed watching me swim...I love being a good role model for my beautiful daughters :)

Weigh-in-Wednesday: 10th October 2012

I had a great weekend...my first triathlon...such an achievement and still on a high.

Weighed-in yesterday...and I had a gain :(

SW: 80.7kg
CW: 70.9kg
WIR: +300g
TOTAL SHED: 9.8kg

I've written up my new exercise program and will be interested to see how the scales react with the different activity...

Monday - run
Tuesday - swim
Wednesday - weights
Thursday - run
Friday - swim & pilates
Saturday - run & cycle

I'm really sick of being in the 70s...so hopefully I can be 69.something next week!

A funny mood...and lunch...

Image via HERE.

As most of you would know, I competed in my first triathlon on Saturday. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and can't really put into words the high that I felt when I crossed the finish line.

...You see, I achieved something I never thought I would. I've wanted to compete in the Triathlon Pink for a few years, but never had the courage to give it a go. This year, I've shed 10kg, but I've gone through a tough time emotionally. I've had two miscarriages within 6 months, the last being only five and a half weeks ago. When I came out of surgery on the 31st of August, I was sore...sad...and never in my wildest dreams thought that I'd be strong enough to compete in a triathlon.

When I miscarried in February this year, I turned to food, which lead me to gain weight and stand at my heaviest (non pregnant) = 80.7kg. After my miscarriage just over five weeks ago, I've turned to exercise and blogging to cope. I knew I could either deal with my emotions with food (like I always have) and gain all the weight I've worked so hard to shed in the last few months, or stop the vicious cycle of emotional eating.

...and that's what I did.

I no longer search for food if I'm feeling down...I'll go for a walk, do an exercise session in my home-gym or come here and blog.

And that's why I'm here right now. I'm in a funny mood today. I don't feel like doing anything...there is a list of things a mile long that I should be doing but I'm avoiding all of them.

I should be programming for school, I should be doing my units for my graphic design course, I should be cleaning the house, I should prepare dinner as I'm tutoring tonight...but I don't want to do any of it.

Why am I in my funny mood?...

I return to work tomorrow after 7 weeks leave...and I'm s**t scared. I don't want to be asked questions about where I've been and what happened. I haven't been there in so long, and with only working there one day a week, I feel like a fish out of water. I miss the kids like crazy and am so excited to see them, but I'm not looking forward to seeing the staff. I don't want to talk about what happened and I just want to stay home in my protective bubble.

Image via HERE.

These feelings of anxiety have pulled at my emotional strings. I've found myself in the pantry the last few days and I stare inside at the contents. I've had the little devil on one shoulder saying "eat, eat" and the little angel on the other saying "don't do it, don't do it". I'm pleased to say that I've listened to the angel each time I've found myself inside the pantry but it's funny how my mind is trying to go back to the way I used to deal with things.

The funny thing is, there is quite a bit of 'junk' in the pantry at the moment. Not the usual contents. When I've been looking at all the stuff, it's not appealing. In the past, I would have ripped through it all and wouldn't have stopped for a moment to think what I was doing. Now I analyse...I think "Is this really what I want? Do I want to eat this crap?" and the answer is no.

So after a weekend of highs, I'm feeling nervous and anxious and have been faced with the old thoughts...

"Marianne, you did so well on the weekend! You DID a triathlon...but you are feeling like s**t...so go and eat...come on, do it."

I'm not going to do it.

I don't feel like doing anything today...and had no idea what I was going to eat for lunch...debating with my angel and devil again. Thank God for my beautiful daughter. She wanted to cook something (she turns 4 next week), so I helped her make lunch...

She made us bacon and egg sandwiches...with english spinach on mine. She had sliced bread on hers, I had a Helga's Sandwich Thin. It tasted great...was very filling...and only 6PP (226 calories). She saved me from doing something I know I would have regretted.

Going swimming training tonight...then off to bed early...it's a school day for me tomorrow :(

Wish me luck.

My Triathlon Pink results...

I'm still on a high after competing in my first triathlon on Saturday and still can't believe I actually did it!

Considering I didn't have a lot of preparation, I'm very happy with my overall time and splits. Definitely need to work on my running and have put together a new training program...in preparation for my next event!

Here are my results from Saturday...

Swim - 5:33 mins
Cycle - 17:57 mins
Run - 6:48 mins
TOTAL TIME: 30:18 mins

My swimming is definitely my strongest leg and I'm ecstatic to have placed 29th (out of 146) overall in the swim leg! I placed 58th overall, which is great for my first triathlon! It was an amazing experience and I look forward to my next event!

Triathlon Pink - Saturday 6th October 2012

Today I competed in my first ever triathlon! I loved every minute of it!

I created a video of my amazing day...I hope you enjoy it!

One more sleep...

One more sleep until I compete in my first ever triathlon!

I'm nervous and excited, especially because I've had less than 2 weeks of preparation for the event.

I had decided I wasn't going to take part in the triathlon, rather sign up for the Pink Fun Run instead...that was until some dear friends encouraged me to still enter and give it a go ;)

So, Triathlon Pink short course, here I come!

Some of us ladies in the SWSyd Crew are going to wear our team shirts, pink hats and tutus!

My girls wanted to dress up too...so here they are ready to cheer for mummy and the SWSyd Crew tomorrow!

Weigh-in-Wednesday: 3rd October 2012

Really stepped up the exercise this week in preparation for Triathlon Pink this weekend. I ran, swam and rode around the beautiful Vincentia and thoroughly enjoyed my time away with the family.

With no access to scales...I was a little apprehensive...

no scales = no sneak peaks

...and I really didn't know what to expect this morning. I knew I had stuck to my daily PP allowance and exercised every day...but you just never know how the scales will react!

Well, I'm one happy woman this morning!

SW: 80.7kg
CW: 70.6kg
WIR: -900g
TOTAL SHED: 10.1kg

I reached my 10kg milestone!

It feels great to be 10kg lighter!

Now onto the next milestone...

To be in the 60s...need to shed 700g...I hope to get there next week!

What a view!

This morning hubby and I went on a 6km bike ride. We're loving our time down the coast and the view this morning was amazing!

We're heading home this afternoon :(

I've had a great time away. While we've been here I've eaten really well and stuck to my daily PP allowance. I've gone for a swim, a run and a bike ride. Have gone for beautiful walks and accumulated more then 13,000 steps daily. I wore a costume on the beach and felt more confident in my own skin.

I've still got another 12kg to shed, but I'm concentrating on how far I've come...9.2kg down, fitness has improved immensely and I'm starting to run! I love my new lifestyle and I love the changes that have already occurred.

I have enjoyed our 'time-out' down the coast and it's given me even more determination to keep travelling on my journey and achieve my goals.