Oh man I am so missing my routine.

I am feeling better but still not running at 100%.  Talking about running I did a smashing work out on Monday.  First one where I felt well enough to push myself since I hurt my calf muscle again.

It felt so good to be back in the gym ~ it was like visiting an old friend  and having loads of belly laughs.  I felt so happy for the rest of the day.  When I work out I eat well.  When I don't work out I tend to fall off the wagon.  There you go I said it out loud.

Sadly there is an elderly gent that is at gym every single day of the week.  He always comes up and says "Hellow" I have never not seen him at gym.  I think his name is Doug.   The last time I went to gym 2 weeks ago I noticed that I hadn't seen him for a week.  Monday I realised he still wasn't there.  I asked one of the trainers and he is really really sick.  Doug is inspirational.  He just gets up and goes to gym every day.

He keeps strong and healthy and he is in his 80's.  I hope he gets well enough to get back in the gym.  I miss his daily chats as short as they might be some days.  I miss his "hellos".

Being sick and having hubby home and working and doing school excursions ~ I am so out of sorts, routine and healthy food options.

I will admit that I still haven't been eating as well as I should.  I have even had a glass of wine or two this week.

And yesterday I was running to catch the school bus as they where waiting on us.  Just took off to do a little jog and "Boing!!!" I heard my calf muscle go again.  I can still walk which is so much better than the previous two times but that is it I'm over it.  So tomorrow I am off to have scans done and get to the bottom of this.

I want to be running again and I want to be able to get into the 60's by Christmas.

I have my rooster for the next 2 weeks full on but at least I can start planning my eating better around it.  Although I am not sure about my exercise part of it.  The gym challenge has fallen off the wagon.  Its week 7 and I just can't keep up with it due to the lack of exercise.

So I am still 76 kilos and need to pull my finger out and get working.

76.4kgs

I am as sick as a dog with some sort of virus thing.  I knew with everything going on in my life that I wasn't eating properly and then with my calf injury, I wasn't getting to the gym.

I know the food eating is the main factor  With work etc and not having my routine I wasn't eating clean foods so bam! I am so sick.  Lets hope hubby doesn't get it because we all know about man flu being so much more painful for men!

I was really surprised that my weight wasn't through the roof  It's been so long since I have weighed myself and its that time of the month as well.  I few lunch dates and dinner's out and my weight is still around the same

Today I am going to share a Facebook comment from the lovely Kelly who has lost a stack of weight on the Michelle Bridges program and has gone on to be a PT and motivator.


10 signs you emotionally eat
1. You eat when you arn't hungry
2. You feel hungry suddenly for no reason
3. You turn to food after/during emotional times
4. You eat when bored
5. You eat until you are uncomfortably full
6. You eat alone & are embarassed about what/how much you eat
7. You eat without thinking & realise how much you have eaten when you're finished
8. You feel disgusted, depressed & guilty after eating
9. You arn't satisfied after eating
10. You always think about food

Re-capping my week.

Woow another week has flown by so quickly and so much has happened.

Didn't make it to gym once last week and now have two weeks of my gym challenge that I have to catch up on.

Brodie was sick with a cold and chest infection and I was still limping around.  Worked 4 days Brodie was home 4 days and as of Thursday my husband is now home for 5 weeks until he starts the new job.

Lots happened last week with hubbies work - I won't go into it as its happened and we have to move forward because that is the reason why he left.

We are also down to a one car family and I must say its already driving me nuts.  As I need my car when I want my car!

I woke yesterday to a terrible sore throat and I am only function at 50% and my mouth is full of ulcers  so I am guessing that due to the stress, not eating right my body is so very run down.

Today I made it to gym just to try out my leg as I walked to school today including the hill that always gives me troubles and I realised I wasn't hurting.  Gym was OK only burn 275cals in 1 hour but I wasn't well or there to push myself.  Just to see what I could do.

The weather is simply stunning at the moment.  Beautiful sunny late winter days.  It makes me feel so good to feel the warmth of the sun.  I do get a little bit down with dark raining days.  I am a Spring early summer kind of chick!

So thats about it in my world.  Sad that I didn't get to Queensland for the finale of the Michelle Bridges challenge.  Glad to have a happy household again although we are all sick and today I went to our local Viet cafe for lunch with my main man.

I had to try this today - Its Vietnamese coffee...... Super sweet & strong.

The Secret to Weight Loss

Eat less, move more?

But I guess you already know that.........

Round 3 of the Michelle Bridge 12WBT

Life this week has been busy and full on.  But we are all happy and reasonably happy!

This week saw me start working at Matchbox which is super exciting for me.  I adore home wares and its right up my ally.  I had been tossing up the idea of going back into Tupperware and I had been approached only a week ago for me to rejoin.   However, at the time I just couldn't see myself working a bit here and a little bit there.   Although I am only a casual at Matchbox - I have a 2 week roster so I have an idea of when I am  scheduled in.

The downside is that I am working over lunch time.  Sometimes starting at 10am and working until 3pm.  So it is totally "Not" awesome for my diet or my tummy.  So far I have managed but my weight has gone up rather than down in the last week.

Last week also saw me damage my calf muscle again.  It's weird because I am reasonable OK to walk while I am at work.  It must be something to do with the flat floor.  Actually I thought standing on my feet for so long and walking around that I would burn the calories.  Sadly its so not happening.

So I haven't been to gym this week - I had planned to go today however Brodie and I ended up at the Doctors because he has a chest infection and I have a sinus one.  

I plan on doing some water aerobic tomorrow or just like gym work until I feel confident that I can put some weight back on my calf muscle.

Today is also the opening of Round 3 of the Michelle Bridges 12wbt.   Right at this very moment, I haven't thought too much about setting goals etc.  Mainly because I just feel so utterly exhausted.

I might also have to come to the realisation that this body wasn't built to run...........

Sadly today I realised that I forgot to measure myself and take my end of challenge photos and upload them before the close of Round 2.   I kind of lost the plot towards the end.  Maybe I was just too focused for the first 8 weeks but then again the last few weeks have been a pretty emotional time in my little house.

While I wait for the next round to start - I still have the challenge at my gym.  Thankfully, I can take my time in completing the required events before the 10 weeks are up seeing I am injured.  Can't wait to get back in the gym!  No I really do mean it.

So if you have been thinking of joining up to the Michelle Bridges challenge - Just do it - I may be the best impulse buy you make this year. 

Round 2 final week. 76.2kgs

Yes,  My weight is back up but I am ok with it.

This is such a strange way for me to feel.  Like I didn't make my goal of 69kgs but I am Ok.  I can see myself at this or less by the time Round 3 is completed in December.  I can see myself being a size 12 or less.

I know I have the strength to do it.  I have amazing friends (including you cyber ones) and family. Plus an awesome exercise support crew with Matt and the team at my gym.  I know I can do it and I will.

I honestly can't wait for Round 3 to open.  Registration starts next week.  If your thinking about doing it "Just do it".  You will gain your health and maybe live a few decades longer.  If your not interested in the weight loss side of things.  There are 2 other groups which just focus on being lean and strong.

My goal next round is to be at 65kgs (Oh my even just typing that). I have lost over 8kgs this round probably more but I haven't been following the menu this week and I am up a kilo.

It feels good to try on size 12 jeans today!  Heck they were tight around the middle but just! I am so close I can feel it.  My hair dresser was amazed at how much my body shape has changed and how healthy my hair is now from eating whole food and clean foods.   So even though the scales didn't make it to 69kgs.  I feel so much better.  I must remember this daily and make it my mantra to stay on track for the next round.

If I make it to 65kgs next round (far out Brussels sprouts) I will only be within 5kgs of my initial goal weight.  It will also be the weight I was when we went to Bali in 1997! ( I actually gain 5kgs from training before we went).

I feel so much positive and confident and while I am still over weight, I feel less judged by strangers.

I look back at the few photos of have of myself at nearly 100kgs and I do understand why people would be like that.   I do hate saying that but I was not in a good place.

So will I post my before and after photos?  In my undies or should I keep them to myself? That is the question!

I should also add that I am back at work and covering the lunch shifts. Which means I start either at 10 or 11am until 3 or 4pm.  No lunch or meal break.  It's tough and I come home starving.  If anyone has any suggestions that would be fantastic.  As we can't eat in the shop.

Also my husband finally quit his job of nearly 20 years yesterday and I have been on a bit of an emotional eating rollercoaster for the last 72hrs.  I am ashamed to admit that I still haven't won my battle with emotional eating. Hopefully I will find the answer soon on how to stop.

I'm still here!

The past week has been a whirlpool of emotions and exciting new things happening within my family life.

My goal to lose weight and regain my self esteem and re-enter the workforce, has always been the biggest priority.  So last week when i saw one of my favourite home ware stores advertising for a casual position, my heart jumped a beat.  The old me was saying "It's all too hard and if you go back to work you wont have time left for you!".   So I sat on it for 48hrs and then something happened!  I walked into the store to find out more about the position and what it involved.  

2 days later I had an interview with the area manager and a few days later I started training and as of next week I am on casual shifts which suit me fine.    18 months ago there is no way I would have had the courage to do it. Although I am still 15kgs over weight I felt it was time.

Then my husbands work took another rotten turn.  He is now the only person still at the company from the old owners.  The new owners have pushed or thrown everyone else out the door and replaced them with cheap and in experienced staff.  It's been a terrible time for his self esteem and blood pressure and then he fell apart last week.  Finally after 18 years he took some time off work.  My husband only takes holidays and all the years I have known him he has hardly taken any sick days.   It was good as it turned out a job he applied for weeks ago asked him to come in and he ended up with 2 interviews for this new company and fingers crossed he will be out of the "Hell hole" that he has stayed loyal with.  

Even if he takes the new one for 12 months - He will gain some experience its a proper 38 hour week type job not like the one he is currently in.  Currently he gets paid for 38 hours but works up to 60 hours for the love of the company.

So back to me!  With all the ups and downs.  Plus Brodie having some allergy testing done on Tuesday - I personally have felt really drained.  I turned up for my Monday Cardio class and my heart just wasn't there.  Skipped Tuesday, Worked Wednesday. Missed my cycle class on Thursday and did a "Half arsed" work out. Friday did a better workout.  No training on Saturday and did a cycle class today (Sunday).

My eating has been all over the place and with 2 weeks left of the Michelle Bridge Challenge I can see that I am so not going to make my goal weight of 69kgs.    Monday/Tuesday to weigh myself again.

My hip and lower back are giving me real grief at the moment and I have booked in to have some Osteo on Tuesday.  Sadly my health insurance extras has run out.  So it's going to be even harder on the budget until the end of the year.

I am not sure if I have posted about the fantastic Lasagna on the current menu of the Michelle Bridges challenge.  I had not eaten any pasta in the 10 odd weeks until this came up.  It is so tasty and I will check if I can share the recipe and will post it later.

One of my new 5pm loves. Onces upon a time it was wine-o-clock then but now I love flavored teas. Plus they are caffine free.

Last weeks weigh in up from 75kgs. 

I have signed up again for the next round of MB challenge.  I hope with the warmer weather that I will get more motivated to stick to the menu of the program.  While I have been 80% following the menu.  I haven't had huge weight loss numbers on the weeks that I have swapped food out for things that I do like to eat.

I think anyone who is thinking of joining - Just do it.  For $20 a week you get weekly exercise plan (You don't need a gym). Food menu plus loads more.  I would be lost without the cyber support that I have from the new friends I have made.  I never want to go back to the old me.  Each day is still a struggle in some way but always in a positive way.