I think this has to be a World Record ladies and gentlemen..........

Chocolate free for 1 whole week :)

OK ..................so maybe not a World Record, but a pretty big achievement for me, no chocolate since last Saturday!!  I did buy some low fat, low sugar, no taste ice cream - I'm not really a fan of ice-cream, even the full fat variety. Well needless to say I haven't eaten much of it ....the kids will polish it off for me though I'm sure!  I won't be wasting any more $$'s on it that's for sure!

I've finally (after a few weeks of thinking about it) made some 'overnight oats' and they're currently sitting in the fridge, I hope they turn out ok, I made 2 - what the hell, if they taste like crap I can feed them to the kids lol!  The recipes I found were here The Yummy Life  it is FULL of great looking recipes, it's saved to my favourites now so I dare say I'll let you know if anything else that's taken my fancy!

My fridge is looking mighty healthy too, full of salad and vegies, the freezer is heaving with a variety of lean meats ...even hubby remembered that I'd told him 'There's to be NO chocolate in this house!' on the phone before he came home, he didn't even slow down as we walked past the mint slice and choc montes lol!

Since I've been a bit of a fail on the old 'sugar free September' .....well ok MORE than a bit, it was a total flop, I didn't even make it out of the stalls really did I....so I have decided to just go back to basics.  To eat clean healthy food about 90% of the time (more if possible) and to make sure I do some exercise after work, whether it be a joggle, a DVD workout, just a bit of circuit training on the home equipment, something .....anything!

Tastes like watered down cordial!

Having said that, I have started taking a 'supplement' called D-fine8, I purchased through ASN, I'd seen a lot of good feedback from people taking it, saying they felt they had much more energy (of course it's packed with caffeine!) but I knew that I needed to try something, I had my first drink this morning, its kiwi-berry flavour and it really just tastes like very watered down cordial.  I'm not sure how I'll go with it but tomorrow I'll take as I intend to through the week, 1 serve prior to breakfast, then 1 serve pre-workout, I'll keep you posted on how I go with it!

Well folks that's about it for tonight I think, I didn't realise it had been so long between blogs, I'll try to not leave it so long.  There have been over 100 views this week, so I know someone out there is reading!

Cherrio for now!

Feeling pretty good.................what's wrong with me?

Well, my food today has been AWESOME (so far lol)!

I had 2 slices of rye with Vegemite for breakfast this morning, a sandwich of 2 slices of rye with a boiled egg mashed on it for lunch and have yet to raid any cupboards or fridge since I got home from work ......amazing achievement for me hahaha!

Ok, I know that is 4 slices of bread today - but it was rye bread, so I'm sure I can forgive myself.  I have some turkey mince almost defrosted for dinner tonight.  Not sure what I'll do with it yet...turkey mince something (maybe meatballs) with salad...who knows?

I saw a post on FB last week about someone who took chicken breast, dipped in egg then rolled in quinoa flakes, well I didn't have any flakes - I'll buy some next time I go to the bigger supermarket (it's over an hour to drive there!) and stock up on a few 'essentials'.   Ok so in lieu of the quinoa, I used oats flakes, then baked in the oven for about 30 minutes.  OMG  it was YUM!!!  I'll definitely do that again - except with quinoa lol.  That was last nights dinner, with salad ....it really was delicious!!

I'm feeling pretty fab today, to be honest!  I haven't done any exercise but they say weight loss is 80% food and 20% exercise (or is it 70% food and 30% exercise - depends which weight-loss guru you follow lol).  We all have to start somewhere, so I figured I'll try again with just getting this compulsion to eat anything and everything under control first, then add in the exercise!

I've been seeing a little gadget that I really want to buy .... looks pretty awesome to me!  I know they're available on ebay BUT then I have to wait FOREVER for it to arrive from China, so I think I might see if I can get one from either "Home" or "Robins Kitchen" next time I'm in the big smoke (hopefully in a week or so).

Ok lovelies, I think thats your lot for today :)

Have fun, Happy weight loss :)

I'm not losing weight - oh it's ok I'm just in "Starvation Mode" ...............

Yes, I know it's total rubbish........but it's amazing how many people actually believe this to be FACT!!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/761810-the-starvation-mode-myth-again

http://www.healthscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=512:are-you-in-the-starvation-mode-or-starving-for-truth&catid=102:jeff-novicks-blog&Itemid=267

Energy Balance

Energy balance is important for maintaining a healthy weight. The amount of energy or calories you get from food and drinks (energy IN) is balanced with the energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting, and being physically active (energy OUT):

To maintain a healthy weight, your energy IN and OUT don’t have to balance exactly every day. It’s the balance over time that helps you maintain a healthy weight.

You can reach and maintain a healthy weight if you:

• The same amount of energy IN and energy OUT over time = weight stays the same (energy balance)

• More energy IN than OUT over time = weight gain

• More energy OUT than IN over time = weight loss

• Follow a healthy diet, and if you are overweight or obese, reduce your daily intake by 500 calories for weight loss

• Are physically active

• Limit the time you spend being physically inactive

SIMPLE!!!

I agree that when you've restricted your calorie intake for a while your metabolism may slow a little BUT aren't 'cheat days/meals' supposed to counter act that?  As they say - keep your body guessing, as human beings we'll become used to anything over a long period of time and adapt to it!

Holy Moly ....almost 300 views ....who looks at this crap...?

OK so I'm a bit shocked.......I thought I'd better get my arse into gear and write something on here ....so I log in and I'm up to 297 views ......that to me,  is just CRAZY.....it's just me ........drivelling sh!t you know!!!

So, the reason I felt compelled to write tonight .......ashy bines .....or should I say ashy slimes, as someone just called her hahahahahahahhaa....much more apt I think!

Sorry if you're a fan of hers, she's just well ....a skinny money hungry, plagiarising bitch!  A comment was made about her opening a 'clean eating cafe' .....this is the same women that warned the world of hidden dangers in salad "don't eat too much lettuce, it's very high in sugar" ....that statement says it all.......yet there are still those that idolise her.....why?  She has done nothing but copy and paste info that can very easily be gathered online then she slapped her name on it and claimed it as her own ......then had the audacity to charge people their hard earned cash for it!!!

I'm sorry but if I'm paying out money for someone to share their knowledge - I'd much rather they actually have some (knowledge that is!).  Or someone who says look this was me *insert pic of larger person* I stopped eating foods X, Y and Z and did L, M and N exercise and this is me now *insert pic of smaller person* this is what worked for me, you may be different......you know that sort of thing.  There are still those out there who spout the same crap about don't eat this or that and seem to know EVERYTHING there is to know about health, fitness ......even when things are working for you, they still have to tell you how you're 'doing it wrong', yet they're the size of a small truck ............

So my eating has been ....as always....a little hit n' miss, nothing new there ....I was talking to my mega gorgeous, princess, baby girl ...who isn't well at the moment - and after chatting for a fair while I said ok sweetie I have to go and eat a huge hamburger lol.....her respond was 'hmmm  that's healthy Mumma'....lol, as I was about to tell her how good I've been and hadn't eaten chocolate for the past 3 days I remembered that I'd just eaten 2 mint slice biscuits .....damn you husband with the packet of chocolately goodness!!!

Next Paragraph has Graphic Content - Eating Whilst Reading is NOT Recommended 

Princess, baby girl was telling me how the doc has ordered blood, urine and stool sample tests.....I (as a nursey) was giving her practical advice on how to collect a stool sample ......which had us in hysterics .....practical Mumma was saying 'so put an ice-cream container into the loo to 'catch' the poo then open the sample container and use the little pooper scooper to collect some poo and put the lid back on the sample bottle' to which I hear "Oh Gross Mumma!"........Then we'd talked about her going to get her blood test done tomorrow morning and how she might be able to do the urine sample whilst she was there, Silly Mumma said "You could always try and do the stool sample if you could guarantee you were only going to do a little nugget poo....mind you just imagine the pathologists face if you did and whopper and have to walk out holding it, looking like a big brown banana shooting up out of the specimen jar saying "sorry but I can't seem to get the lid on"....I couldn't speak for a while as I was laughing so hard....... I'm sorry baby girl .....it was just too funny not to share :D  I love you xx

All Good Now - You Can Eat Again :)

As you might know - well, anyone who actually knows me or has bothered to read my profile, will know that I run an aged care facility.  I announced to my excited residents today that we would soon be taking delivery of some new scales, ones with hand rails - for frail little oldies to hang onto and feel safe whilst having their weight checked - then I added that it even had a height measure that could be recorded at the same time.....I saw their faces light up then one of my dear old ladies said "I think I've shrunk too much lately" so I promised her that if the number on the scales was too high we could just deduct it from the weight and add it onto her height - they all seemed delighted at the thought of this!!  Of course we shall all be 6 foot tall and weigh only 50kgs according to our scales....but that's ok .......how cool would it be if we could really change all that stuff!!  What weight/height would you choose?  I think I like my height ....well ok 163cms isn't very tall...I know ....maybe I could be 168cms.....and about 50kgs, then I'd be happy......well I probably wouldn't be.....it's not really in our nature to be happy with what we have is it?  Take my hair - well no don't ....or I'll be bald ......but hair for example - my sisters got curly hair, I have straight, I was paying a fortune for perms and body waves and she was paying about the same to have hers chemically straightened!!  CRAZY!! 

I have to say I still kind of feel like I'm talking to myself most of the time.....so if there really is someone out there reading my posts...please let me know ....even if you just comment on your favourite post so far...let me know a little about yourself if you like, let me know if you're a blogger so I can have a read of yours too.....basically just let me know there is someone out there lol

Cherry Pip for now .....I'll be back again soon ......oh and if I have offended anyone with the comments about ashy slimes .....tough titties, we're all entitled to an opinion!!!

Yes I'm still here ...........

Ok, so I haven't been around for a few days.....the headache I spoke about on Sunday stayed with me until yesterday ....ya .....go me :(

I literally came in from work, dosed up with meds, looked at Facebook until I couldn't keep my eyes open then flopped into bed....so nothing exciting to write about really.

Had a bit of a late finish at work today ....but not to worry I still feel pretty good....well at least compared to earlier this week!!

We've got a few things that are a bit up in the air with life at the moment, so that sense of insecurity is a bit of a worry ...oh well some things we just have no control over!

My eating has been all over the place, mostly because I was just forcing food into me so that I could take some heavy duty pain killers ......yes, don't take your pain meds on an empty stomach ...its not good for your stomach lining!

I did see something that I thoroughly enjoyed reading last night ....thought I'd share ....because if anyone is still reading this blog (apart from me) they must have a bit of a strange sense of humour too ....so you might get a bit of a giggle (and a bit of an insight) out of it!
http://reembody.me/2013/09/10/the-6-most-shockingly-irresponsible-fitspiration-photos/

OK you VERY QUIET people ............I'm done for today ................over and out!

My poor head.................

*Sigh*

I kept waking up this morning, probably very conscious of not oversleeping, I didn't want to be the one who was late for the walk lol!

I finally got up at about 8ish (I think) and the walk went really well, we all laughed and joked and before we knew it we were back at Mellies, we all piled into hers for a well earned cuppa, my second of the day - I didn't quite manage breakfast when I first got up!

I got home and did some washing ....boring.....so I decided to watch the rest of 'Top of the lake', pretty good, I've just come to the computer and edited last nights post (sorry to anyone who 'read' the unedited version lol), so I decided to write up now as my head is starting to ache again, although I've been guzzling water like crazy!

It's been a pretty quiet day......thank goodness..........my early morning surprise was however stepping onto the scales.....check out the 'numbers' page to see my progress .....very happy considering how much I've strayed off track this week!

Well toodles for now, I'll be back again tomorrow ........unless something 'exciting'  happens that I need to share with you all :D

Oh dear ...it seems I've been lead astray ..............lol!

Deary, deary me!

My day started early today ....5.45am....WTF??  I struggle to even wake up at that time on a work day .....but today being a Saturday I was of course awake super early with a bursting bladder ......damn all that bloody water I drank at work yesterday!!

I was at work to grab the float for our fund raising day and helping everyone set up by 8am, there was jam and relish and pickles and BBQ's and chairs and people everywhere it seemed, then the first order came in ....an egg and bacon muffin and guess what we'd forgotten ......to turn the BBQ on!!!  So the very first customer of the day waited patiently while we heated the plates and then watched in horror as the egg and bacon turned a lovely shade of .....well.....black lol!!

Setting up for  a busy morning!

So he waited again, watching as we carefully cleaned the BBQ and started again!!  Then the orders rolled in steadily throughout the morning, a bacon and egg muffin here and and a snag on bread there....and before we knew it Petie (my neighbour, best mate and work colleague) had burned her hand, our handy man was looking like a deer caught in the headlights, hardly able to comprehend the most simple of request (like toast more buns!) and another staff member (Darling Roz) was grabbing every single passing person and coaxing them into purchasing 'something ......well anything' before she'd let them pass!

By lunchtime we'd packed up and made the tidy sum of $750.00!  Not bad for a few hours work!!  We're very lucky to have a supportive community and I'm sure their cupboards are heaving at home, filled with every sort of jam imaginable!  Thanks to everyone who has helped with donations big or small, without you, none of this would be possible and thank you to my amazing staff who gave up their days off to help and the residents who sat down there with us helping to sell the raffle tickets and lucky numbers board!

So, I came home and did get to spend a little time with dear, sweet hubby before he took off to work again (won't see him now until next Saturday *sad face*) .  The plan 'was' going for a walk with Petie and another friend, Mellie, however things went a little awry, causing me to be lead astray!!

Mellie couldn't make our walk so we rescheduled until tomorrow morning (9am), then Petie suggested we have a few drinky poos instead of going for a walk - of course I protested (well, ok not very loud and not for very long..............in fact, I think I recall saying to her "sounds like a plan"!)

So, I have several vodka's under my belt now, I couldn't possibly be drunk though, as this is all going very well (until I get up tomorrow and have to edit the crap out of it of course!).  I did however eat quite well today .....I had oats and strawberries with almond milk, a handful of pistachios (thanks #1 son!), a pear and some skinless chicken and salad for tea - to soak up some vodka tonight!

Overall I've had a pretty good day, lots of giggles, trumpets and the wonderful Katy Perry (apart from farewelling poor hubby for another week - that sucks!), tomorrow will be a good day, lots of water will be swallowed (I hear it's good for a hangover!) and a good breakfast will be had before walking (hopefully it will stay down and there will be no technicolour rainbows on our morning walk!) and there may very well be a nanna nap after lunch (or straight after the walk depending on how I feel!)......there will however be no drinky poos tomorrow!  Tomorrow is a new day .................a new start lol ......yes .......again!!!

Not too bad a day but the night is still young ....

I have had a great day today, you know when you just wake up and feel fab and want to smile at everyone?  I know it doesn't happen to me very often either ....but today was my day!  I have laughed with my 'Oldies' at work, giggled with the clients I've seen today, had a great time with my staff - even if one of them jinxed me into banging my head on the flexible hose tap in the kitchen - something I have NEVER done before - Grannie Annie :), my day was super hectic and I was an hour an a half late getting home ......but I was still smiling at the end of it all .....albeit a little knackered lol!

Bush Tomato Kanga Bangas
 (approx 200calories)

So food wise......I attended an 80th Birthday Party for one of my clients this morning and ate ............NOTHING!!  I know AMAZING!!  For breaky I had my yummy oats and strawberries, no morning snacks, lunch was salad, a slice of triple smoked lite ham, a slice of lite swiss cheese and a small handful of almonds.  This afternoon I've had 1 serve of light n' crisp crackers and I'm just about to go and have a salad and a couple of bush tomato kanga bangers :)

Oh, the days confession .............come on .........you knew there had to be one in here somewhere ha ha ha ......I had a very thin slice, really more of a slither than a slice of caramel mud cake, ok before you think I caved totally....just before I left work a colleague came over with a small plate filled with cakes and yummy treats, it was from my Birthday Girl - just for me!  How lovely was that?  However, I thought it would be much kinder (to my waistline) if I left it for my Saturday staff to have to be tempted with ...so it's in the fridge ladies, please help yourselves ....not really ....PLEASE!!

So, really not a bad day at all ....not a great day but it was almost a great day and it's all about those tiny steps isn't it ......god I'm so full of crap lol!!!

Tomorrow is election day here in the great land of Oz .....so we're holding a fundraising breakfast - bacon and egg muffins $3 or a snag on bread with onions $2, bargain!  There will also be a ton of home-made jams, marmalades, tomato relish and mustard pickles, a lucky numbers board $100 prize and a fruit raffle!!  So a busy morning it will be - smiling and chatting and taking their money!  I'll try to remember to take some photos of us all set up and I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow ....I just have that awful feeling that I've forgotten something .....I hope that goes away soon or I'll never sleep tonight .............no sleep and an early start = a very crabby MJ!!

So, hopefully I can fill myself up with yummy food and stay away from anything too 'bad' .........hahahaha...I do have some Chobani in the fridge for later and lots of fruit too .....although as I was typing this my lovely #1 son just came in with a bag full of 'stuff' for me ...........................stuff = a 1.125lt bottle of Smirnoff, a giant bag of Red Rock Deli chips, a family block of Cadbury fruit n' nut (my fav!), a bag of sweet chilli lime snack mix and a big bag of pistachios .............so I might split the bag of pistachios up, into smaller hadful bags and mix in some almonds too ....the other 'stuff' is just too dangerous to be around lol, I might have to get him to hide it somewhere hahahahaha .......wish me luck.......'cos boy o boy am I gonna need it!

Slacking off already........

So, I didn't take long did I?  Already falling off the wagon before it's even started it's journey, of course anyone that knows me will know that this is perfectly normal for me lol!

Ok, so maybe not quite that bad ......but yesterday a snickers AND a milky way .....today ......I can barely type it ....3 slices of pepperoni pizza ..........and 1 slice of ham and pineapple lol

Arghhhhh....what is it that goes on in my head???

Crazy .....so tonight a full grocery shop was done .....fridge is heaving with fresh green leafy goodness and healthy treats.....so tomorrow ........dodadodadoad...deja-vu.....................again .......................weird ;)

I was flicking through Facebook posts today and became quite pissed off actually with how many posts there were of people who had posted before and after photos ....that showed obvious weight loss, like so much a blind man could have seen it ...then the postee writes, "oh I don't know why I bother, this is my four week before and after photos but I don't see any difference"......W T F ??  I personally think they ONLY post those comments so that everyone will say 'Oh no don't be silly I can see heaps' etc. you get my drift .......why not be proud instead of fishing for more compliments .....I don't know maybe I'm just a bitch ....or it could be just hormones :P

The next thing that annoys the crap out of me is how some women get on their oh so high horse yelling about "clean eating" and how they couldn't possibly eat a bowl of pre-packaged muesli because it's soooooooooooooooooooo bad for your body BUT they then harp on about the latest 'fat burner' (eg. Define8, Oxylite, Oxyshred or Black Bombs seem to be the most common) I just don't understand how these things fit into a clean eating plan at all .....don't get me wrong, I don't care if people want to take these BUT I do care when these same people jump on others screaming 'that's not a clean food'.....it's just crazy ...practise what you preach!

Said no woman .........EVER!

I am planning on doing a big joggle tomorrow afternoon with a couple of friends, we're all going to 'attempt' to keep each other honest in the exercise arena.  I know that once we're into a bit of a routine we'll all be fine with ......it's just getting to that point lol!  It HAS to be done though ...I ran in from work and went in to get  out of my uniform and changed 3 times into clothes that used to fit me ...now I have a huge jelly belly hanging over the top of everything .....and yes I mean EVERYTHING .....even that pair of size 14 FAT JEANS that I keep hanging onto ......for 'just in case' .....I've had those babies for about 7 years now ......how crazy over 7 years of my weight going up and down like this .....it's just got to stop!!!  I don't need to be bikini perfect, hell I'm almost 44 ..................BUT I just want to feel comfortable in this old skin of mine again.....so I'm still on track .....I just stopped to view the scenery for a couple of days :)

Big bags under my eyes.....too tired

So I struggled to get to sleep last night ...I thought at one point I was sharing my bed with a mozzie ....I was sooooooooooo itchy!!  Anyway, I finally got to sleep, after much tossing and turning, sighing and stretching....probably in the very early hours of the morning.  I was VERY conscious of the fact that I'd set the alarm for 5.30am .....................on a MONDAY ....I know ...crazy, right??  But I was going to leap out of bed, full of the joys of spring and gusto and then pump out an hour of hard core cardio before work ........yeah right!

I did however get up at 5.30am........then jump back into bed after hitting snooze on my phone, it was charging on the other side of the room lol  I finally got up about 6.15ish....made a cuppa, facebooked and played a couple of games, answered a couple of messages...then BAM it was almost 7am!!!  I'm actually supposed to be STARTING work at that time ....not just 'thinking' about it....oh well dived into the shower, got dressed and left....luckily number 1 - I'm the boss of my section and then number 2 - I live about a 45 second drive from my work lol!  So I did get to work .....only a little late .......and no workout :(

So breakfast, a late one ...due to my complete laziness this morning.....was oats made with water (yuk), with mixed frozen berries (double yuk).....1 mouthful and my face was almost turned inside out ....now I remembered why those berries had remained in the freezer for the past 4 weeks - they are SO SOUR!!  That was washed down with a cup of black coffee (by then coffee # 4, 1st white coffee drank half, tipped the rest away, made a fresh one, drank half of that , made a quick short black as I was running out of the door, then this one) so I decided no more coffee for the rest of the day, I showed amazing restraint and had a couple of green teen teas and 1 peppermint.

I just realised I haven't drank any water today .....might have to remedy that ....oopps!  Lunch was a couple of tins of salmon - the tiny ones ......and that was all.......then tonight (because I've done some shopping) I'm having salmon steak with salad, hubby just home from work today too ...so he and the boys are having steak and chips .....never been much of a big meat eater and chips I can take or leave...I'd MUCH prefer MY meal!!  Lucky that :)

So exercise today NIL...there won't be any tonight, I'm just too knackered, can't stop yawning and after last night I'm in need of a few decent hours kip!!  So nothing too exciting today ......oh I ate a peach ...a big fat juicy as peach ....just before .... YUM!!!

Sugar-free September

I jumped on the scales this morning and groaned....nothing new there!  Why can't losing weight be easy?  Why can't we just dream of that super dooper fabulous body and wake up with it in the morning?  I know that would be amazing ....right?

Sadly you and I both know that just ain't gonna happen baby!

So I guess that brought me here, I want to be one of those people that you haven't seen for ages and you say "Wow you look FABULOUS!, You've lost sooooooooooooooooo much weight, you look sooooooooooooooo fit!!!"

Since the powers that be have decided that we can't dream our fat assess away, we can't just watch the Insanity DVD and have the fat fall from our bodies.....we actually have to do it ...we need to get all sweaty and feel like our lungs are about to burst open in our heaving chests!  We have to monitor every morsel of food we put into our mouths, ensuring it's 'clean' and not packed full of those dreaded E numbers or other nasties!  Well I guess that's what I have to do then .........."sigh"

So why not join me, help me stay on the road to fit n' fabulous and stay away from those sugary treats and savoury temptations!

Today is day 1, wow I am getting a distinct feeling of deja-vu ...I've been here before...this time it's different.  I need this, I have to have this....I know there's a slimmer, fitter version of me hiding inside me somewhere, just begging to be unleashed!

So today I start with 'Sugar-free September', I'd love to take the credit for this but sadly I can't, credit where it's due, this was thought up by the amazing Kiera Sanders, on her Facebook group 'Get fit and lean for life' , it's a group of amazing women, some who are at goal weight, some who are just starting and many that are somewhere in the middle.  If you're in need of inspiration, I strongly suggest you join :)

I hope to post daily, to tell you all about my highs and lows but mostly to keep me accountable, hope you enjoy the journey and giggles along the way!

MJ x