Life will always have something going on

What a week. (total understatement!)

I'm back in Melbourne.

My dear father-in-law Hughie passed away on Tuesday.

My husband is organising everything for the funeral,
with lots of help from the family.
And, may I say - what a LOVELY family he has.
Actually, I will say, What a LOVELY family I have.
This week I have been fully embraced by the in-law's as a daughter.
Not a daughter-in-law...
A thick as blood true blue daughter.
I feel loved.

Now, even though I've had a hell of a week (pardon my french)
I have stayed committed to living a healthy lifestyle through it all.
Because even though I have a perfectly good excuse to "give up" or at least "pause" on the weight-loss,
ya know - just temporarily,
but this week I've looked back and didn't like what I found.
I noticed that I have become a person who is VERY good at finding any excuse.
To start again later.
Perhaps tomorrow...
Monday's a good day....
Next Monday, lol

But here's the truth:
Life will always have something going on.
But the bigger truth is this:
There's no excuse worth living unhealthy.
No more excuses.
Yeah, yeah - I know this week life has thrown me a big one.
But I've found this week that I can
and I will
rise above life's curve balls.
I will live the life I'm meant to live!
I AM meant to live healthy.
It's who I am.
I am a new creation
and I no longer have ANY excuse.

Okay, okay, so I have been drinking a little bit this week...
I'm not perfect and never will be.
But I haven't been drinking excessively, and I've been eating small meals,
(it helps to be with my husband 24/7 - he's what I'd call a "skinny eater")
and I've been walking every day!
And, surprise, surprise:
My body feels good!
Taken care of properly, ya know?
It's the least I can do for myself during this hard time.
I deserve it :)

So, now to play catch up with my 12WBT challenge, here are my goals for the next year:

Overall Weight-loss Goals

Lose 18kg (get down to 59kg)

Fit into Size 10 jeans

1 Month Goal

Lose 3.5kg

Run 10km

How:

Eating less!!!

Run 3 times a week, starting with 60min run/walk,

building up to 10km distance within that 60 minutes.

Map it out on walkmyrun.com

3 Month Goal:

Lose 10kg

Run 21km

How:

Keep training, keep myself in check,

and book my first 1/2 marathon.

6 Month Goal:

Get to my goal weight of 59kg.

Run 1/2 marathon weekly (by myself, not in fun-run).

How:

JFDI

12 Month Goal:

Maintain my loss, keeping my weight at 59kg

Celebrate with a nice Family photo for Christmas 2012

JFDI

Easy Peasy :)

Peace out!

PS

I lost 1 kg this week! YAY!
(American translation, 2lbs!)




I only have one more year in my Twenties! (I'm 29).
I'm a stay-at-home mum to three gorgeous children.
My son is 10, and I have two girls, 7 & 4.
I also have a perfect husband (sorry ladies, it's true!)

This year, is my year.
All my kids are in school full time.
I'm going back to Uni, at QUT!
I'm taking the pledge to become an Aussie Citizen!
And I'm re-claiming my body back.
Because I deserve to be healthy and happy.

I signed up for this a week ago, and I've already lost 1kg!!!
In seven days!!! STOKED! Ready for more

Gardening photo's

I want to share with you my favourite hobby.
Gardening.
I started out gardening for a couple reasons.
My first reason was to save money (grow instead of buy!)
However, I realised within a year that this will NEVER save me money.
Each time I visit bunnings, I spend more than I would ever at coles.
Oh well.
Now, I garden for JOY, health, and taste.
The taste of a fresh tomato and fresh garden herbs....
compared to supermarket produce...
okay - There is NO COMPARISON!
It's worth the time, $ and effort, believe me!!!

Okay, before we begin, please remember I've been out of town for 3 weeks, and only back for about 2 weeks, not enough time to get this garden going again. It's messy.

In fact, the back yard has been completely overrun with weeds, as shown, and is in bad need of some attention. I'll show you anyway, just to show you the potential gardening site I have available, if I'll ever get around to tidying it up.

Okay, here's the mess:

I had to put the net up because bush turkeys and possums are killing me!

Kitchen window, my pride and joy. I just re-planted it with new chives and baby basil plants. It'll look full and lush next month. Yay!

 While I was at it, I re-planted this one at the back window. It has thyme on the left, parsley in the middle (not looking so good at the moment though, uh oh) and lemon thyme on the right. 
If you don't have lemon thyme growing, DO IT! It's amazing :)

  My Chookies :) 3-4 eggs a day.

 

Front stairs landing. Strawberries with runners, new seedlings, and Coleus flowers.

My newest garden. The next step is to build a border, and cover the black with nice pebbles. Pretty!

This front garden, with good sun and little possum trouble, has been an in-ground garden for Four years. After coming back from holidays, it was completely over-run with weeds, and I realised that I had to do something about it. Initially I thought, it needs to be raised so the weeds can't creep in. Then, 7pm at night, I had this vision of this black tarp sitting in the garage I could lay down. I immediately got to work ripping out the weeds, at night LOL. Hey, when inspiration and motivation hits, nothing can stop me :)

We all make Mistakes

HAHAHAHA....

It's happened again.
Dieting Yo-Yo.
I had 5 wonderful,
alcohol-free,
exercise filled,
self-controlled,
healthy and happy days...

Then came the weekend.

Bugger.

Mistake #1.
I didn't get up to walk "Because it's Saturday."
THAT is a bogus excuse.
Never again.
My alarm will be set to 6am EVERY DAY.
Not just every week day.
Every day.
Even if it's just a walk, it's good for me.
It set's the tone.

Mistake #2.
Beer
I've gone ALL week without it.
I decided to "just have a few" because it was the weekend.
Again, bogus excuse.
I'm trying to lose weight!
I shouldn't be drinking.
PERIOD.

Mistake #3.
Over-indulging when eating out.
Again, I've gone all week doing good.
Eating small, healthy portions.
Not overeating.
And feeling great.
Just because I'm at a restuaunt does NOT give me a licence to stuff my face.
And besides, it feels gross.

URG!

Okay. Today's a new day :)

I'm Yours God

I had another 50-min walk this morning, 6am.
Just my MP3 player and me.
Everyday, from now on.
Why not?
I love it :)

It clears my head and gets my priorities set for the day.
It gives me time to pray and meditate about what would God have me do today.

After all, "my" agenda isn't so important that I can't change it for God's.
And the peace that comes from doing what He wants me to do,
instead of just going with the flow, floating along mindlessly out of habit.
Or even rushing around trying to cross things of my never-ending "To-Do List"....
I must rise above.

Today, I'm yours God.

Getting High

I am in love with health!
It beats drinking too much beer
and being lazy
and eating too much.

Yesterday I had a friend over for lunch,
so although I made healthy choices for food,
I did over-indulge
and felt a bit sick (full).
After only two day of not feeling that,
it felt GROSS!
How was I ever addicted to that full feeling?
It feels gross.
Anyway...
due to the extreme heat in Brisbane
I took the kids to the movies.
It was our third movie this holiday.
(Tin Tin, excellent movie btw!)
I always ALWAYS have a small popcorn to share with the kids when we go.
Yesterday, with the gross full tummy,
I got the kids frozen yogurt, I had a few small bites of theirs,
and I drank a bottle of  water :)
That is a victory!

However, I did end up on 1400 calories, (goal is 12-1300)
But I also had no exercise.
so I jumped on the bike and went for a night ride!
It was amazing.
I was free!
Full orange moon rising over the horizon,
Lovers cuddling and kissing all along the river, enjoying the romance of the scene,
and it really did get my cardio level up!
A bit unexpected.
I forget how much your heart  rate can jump when you're not going slow so the kids can keep up.
It was amazing.

And to continue the momentum,
this morning I got up with my alarm (6am) to go for a 45 min walk.
(remember, I decided not to run in the morning because it makes my appetite skyrocket all day!)
and now I feel AWESOME!
I feel high!
I have extreme amounts of energy, and I'm ready for the day!
And I am not hungry yet either!
I'm also typing a million miles an hour :) lol

I hereby commit to walking 45min every morning.

Today I'm taking the kids to the park, picnic lunch,
Perhaps I'll finally get to that Yoga video, that I've been talking about for a week, while the kids take their afternoon rest.
Then I'll cook a healthy dinner from Michelle Bridges Crunch Time Cookbook!
And perhaps another bike ride :)

YAY HEALTH!
Have a blessed day!

(PS. See, I don't need a gym membership after all!)

VICTORY

Day 1
I DID IT!
I woke up with my 6:30AM alarm!
And put on my "gym" clothes
(I quit the gym in Oct )
and hit the road!
My plan, as outlined in my diary last night:
Warm-up walk 5 minutes [Check]
Jog 10 minutes, turn around, and come back 10 minutes. [kinda... jog/walk for 20 min total anyway...]
At home, do 50 push ups and 50 sit-ups. [not]
Yoga stretch.[not]

I will do a Yoga dvd later this arvo.

The point is:
I AM dedicated!
I know it's only day 1, and I only got through 1/2 of my ambitious plan,
but that was still a HUGE step for a girl who hasn't worked out in like 3 months.
Stoked!

(Note to self: Don't plan on running at 6:30am - in Brisbane it's already like 28 degrees and hot! Walk in mornings, Run at night, after the sun goes down.)

Breakfast:
1/2 cup OJ
Small decaf tea
1 Mango :)

VICTORY!

The Plan

Weight Watchers
Track points
Exercise daily
Blog once a week
Basics.

I'm back!

Since I put away my "Diary of a Yo-Yo Dieter" blog, things haven't been the same.
I put back on every ounce of fat I had lost :(

But the good news is:
I am happy!
I've spent the last year or two working on my heart.
My relationships.
My mind and emotions.
My spirit.
Contemplating my life,
my talents,
and where I want to go.
Now I'm confident, and I am ready!

I start University in a month.
I also start a hard-core weight-loss challenge in Feb.
(Michelle Bridges 12WBT)
And ALL THREE OF MY CHILDREN WILL BE AT SCHOOL THIS YEAR!!!
YIPPEEE!!!!
Sorry kids....
I do love you, very very much.
But mummy needs her brain back :)

So Diary of a Yo-Yo Dieter is back.
Except, no more Yo-Yo.
I am 29.
In December 2012 I'll turn the big Three-Oh
30.
THIS is the last diet I'll ever start.
It is now MY LIFE.

Healthy.
Mindful.
A bit extreme (I'm doing a half marathon!)
Confident.
Dedicated.
Full of Love, for my God, my self, and others.
And ready to finally find the skinny me.

Goal: 130.
Weight today: 171.4
Weekly goals:

• Lose 2 lbs.
• Exercise 5 times
• Eat healthy, smaller portions
• No more second helpings!
• Blog to keep accountable
• Pray every day for success
• Do my best!

*Sigh*
It's great to be back... home.