Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 22

The little Year 9's were in at school today.  So cute, all keen and perfect uniform.  Long may it last!

Had the worst sleep last night, grrr.  I hate when I don't sleep that well.  Coffee was seriously on the agenda today!

On the way to work - dropped into Alicetown Espresso -  a new coffee bar very close to where I live and completely on the way to work.  Of course had the long black - was good, and quick service :)

Someone asked me what a long black was - I realise this is a coffee that has the name in Australia and New Zealand, not realising it may be different in the rest of the world.  So here is what a long black is: 

From Wikipedia :)

A long black is a style of coffee, most commonly found in New Zealand and Australia. It is now becoming available in the UK, predominantly in London.
A long black is made by pulling a double-shot of espresso or ristretto over hot water (usually the water is also heated by the espresso machine). A long black is similar to an Americano, which is made by adding hot water to the espresso shot; but a long black retains the crema and is less voluminous, therefore more strongly flavoured.
The order in which a long black is made (water first, espresso second) is important -- reversing the steps will destroy the crema from the espresso shot and make an Americano.


So at work I played Dean today - no longer Form teacher.  I visited classes.  Lots of walking around - its good to be out and about like that.  Will need to make sure am wearing good shoes if this is what Deaning involves!

Breakfast: Breakfast Slice and coffee

Lunch - Salad with tuna

Dinner - Thai Chicken Curry - coconut milk, chicken, curry paste.  Instead of rice I had egg plant - was delicious!

Snacks - Baby Carrots, nuts

Not enough water as left water bottle at home, and maybe a little much coffee at work.

Dog walk at beach.

Lots of work needed to be done - not going to bed until after midnight!  That has to stop!

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 21

3 weeks down! 9 days to go!  I have to say Im pretty used to the changes now, although with the pressures of school have made me start to crave coke zero - so far so good though - no crack in the wall :)

Monday - a full on day - first really as an official Dean.  The older year groups were in for timetabes etc, there was a lot of walking around school.  Lots of time in the Deans office, department meetings, and trying to get myself orientated, both with my classes and teaching them! 

With school I realise, I have to be organised!  My fabulous husband made a breakfast slice with eggs and lots of veges and chicken in it.  Kind of like a crustless quiche.  Divide it into 8 pieces and its lunch for the week!

After a full on day - managed to get lunch at 4.30 just before going to the gym.  I had salad with left over lamb - a bit of a pick me up before going to Crossfit.

Workout consisted of working on:

5 x 5 Thruster/Jerk then 5 Rounds For Time: 10 KettleBell Swings 24/16kg, 10 Lunge Steps with your kettlebell and 10 Hand Release Push Ups.

Results were: 
Thrusters – 15, 20,25, 30, 30 kilos
Metcon – scaled push ups – 7.51
After a very decent workout I went home to dinner - lamb with stir fry veges - yum!

From there it was off the the first Craftsman quiz of the season!  A snack there was chicken tenders and a long black - awesome.

We won the quiz - good start to the year!  Love the movie and tv quiz.  However, the long black left me wired, and hyper!  Not a lot of sleep for me tonight!

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 20

Ahh Sunday, a bit of a lie in, lovely.

Spent the morning with mother in law and hubby doing eye tests and getting her new cellphone plus
a bit more shopping :)

After not eating all morning, need a pick me up so while waiting for the ma in law I had the meat of gourmnet sausage roll plus long black.

Tried two black sheep (I think that is what it is called) for brunch.  Had what I could of a mixed grill (eggs, bacon and mushrooms) while giving away the hash browns, bread and sausages.  Had some water with it.  Lunch wasn't bad, but had  better.

The rest of the day was grocery shopping, stationary and doing school stuff, not the most exciting but are the things that don't do themselves.
Dinner was lamb and roast vegetables (kumara, onion, plus brocoli) - Yum!
Snacks were some nuts, blueberries and lots of water!

Exercise was dog walking to the beach - favourite time of day :)

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 19

Ahhh Saturday - not just any normal Saturday, but today marks a year since I had Lap Band surgery!  And what a year it has been!

At this point since the beginning of my journey in late 2010 - I have now lost 46.5 kilos (101.9lbs) - I've lost over 100lbs!!! My weight is at 124.4 kilos (273.7lbs) - still a way to go but at least it is in the right direction.

My clothes size is down to 18-20 on the bottom and 2XL (20-22ish) on the top.  At the beginning I was up near the 30-32 mark and at least 4XL.

Comparison picture:

                       

Food wise: 

Brunch was bacon and eggs - yum!

Lunch was Turkish Vege Salad platter at the mall - some parts couldn't eat as not lap band friendly and not paleo but what I could eat was good..

Had a fabulous shopping trip with Kate at the mall.  Clothes, shoes, nail polish, cosmetics, stationary amongst other things were bought - love to shop!

Avoided chocolate temptation at Butlers cafe where they always give you a free chocolate with a hot drink purchase - I kept for hubby when I got home :)  I get coffee - he got chocolate - win win!

Dinner was at the Working Mens Club where I had an appetiser seafood basket - yum!  And water of course!

No actual excercise today - just walking around the mall for 4 hours :)

Oh and what is about 101 pounds?

About 400 bananas

This pile of human fat

This fish

This pile of meat fat

This great dane



And this pile of books!



Whole9 30 Day Challenge - Day 18

Today was the first full staff day at school with meeting after meeting.  Did not seem to get any breaks - closest was 10 minutes to get a coffee.  It was to say the least Full On!  A little overwhelming after a long break.

Anyway - breakfast - scrambled eggs (3 eggs) plus coffee

Lunch - at 4pm - Tin tuna and salad (homemade)
Dinner - roast vege salad (seen below) - was delicious - put a little green curry paste and rosemary in the mix and was fab!  Nice and easy when I was just plain exhausted!

Drank a lot of water as well.  Had a couple of black coffees and a berry herbal tea.

So tired after school I fell asleep and napped  for a couple of hours!  I missed both evening gym classes, but once up again made effort to get the dogs to the beach for a walk- damn cold by this time but good to get out and move!

Day off Challenge - It's my Wedding Anniversary!

Four years ago today, I married my best friend.  One of the happiest days of my life!  Where has the time gone?  Heres to many more!

Only at work for the afternoon today for Deans training.  I was good most of the day but for dinner all bets were off.  It was time to celebrate my anniversary and have a few hours not worrying about what I ate.

So breakfast - Scrambed eggs with mushrooms

Lunch - was out at a cafe in Upper Hutt, catching up with a friend.  I ordered a zucchini slicewith salad and a long black.  Unknown to me when I ordered, when I started eating it, I realised it had cheese on top, bummer.  One thing you can't be 100% sure on at cafes is all the ingrediants.  Live and learn!

Dinner - We went to Uncle Mikes Kansas BBQ Restaurant in Petone after hearing some good recommendations about it.

Entree - Chicken nibbles with BBQ sauce

Dinner - Smokey Chicken with beans and coleslaw

Wine and Arnold Palmer - not as good as hoped - after not having sugar for a few weeks, it was just too sweet.  Disappointing.  The water was better! (Did I just say that?)

Dessert - Rocky Road Magnum - was alright but I think I had it as part of the celebration not because I actually wanted it.  (Who is this person, and where has Cassie gone??????)

Snack:  Nuts (Almonds and pumpkin seeds)

Lots of water!

Anthony got an impressive slab of pork ribs. 

After he got through the majority of that - no room for anything else!

Restaurant was great and very good value for money :)


No exercise today

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 17

First full day at work with the senior students for course approval.  I'm learning that I will need to be well planned to not fall off the wagon at school.  A good day, quite full on, but good to see the students again :)

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with mushrooms, capsicum, etc
Coffee

Lunch

Salad with leftover meatballs from last night

Could not take any of the free lunch - biscuits, fruit and breadroll.  Glad I had my salad.  Kept me honest :)  A warm day, also a lot of water

Dinner

Some grilled steak and salad (yum)


Managed to get to Crossfit.  Another decent workout.  Worked on Front Squat and got a PR in the 3x5 of 50kilos.  Pretty happy with that :)

Workout was: 
Front Squat or Clean 3 x 5

Then:
10-1 Hand Stand Push Up (I did press ups, just not at that stage just yet!)
1-10 Pull Up (I did body rows)

Also went to see Sherlock Holmes too - loved it - just as good as the first one!

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 16

I never sleep well before the first day going back to work - even if I go to bed early, my mind still races with all that I need to do, what is going to happen during the day etc.  I usually get up on the first morning shattered, wondering if I had even had a holiday - today was no exception. 

The work day was not too strenuous, it was a couple of hours in my new role as a Dean working with my co-dean and Head of house and the house leaders to plan the first part of the year.  Mainly it involved - getting to know each other, planning the first days for students, the first assembly, the leaders role, and Athletics day.  It was pretty productive, I must say and I left the meeting all excited and motivated :)

I have a new desk in the Deans office - thats exciting!  Once I get my own key I can move in and make that area my own (plus it is another place I can put my stuff...he he he).  There was a bit of organising, then looking at students results, and signing kids into courses, or on the other hand - taking them out as they didn't meet the entry requirements.  It got done, and I got to go home - pretty shattered.  This working business sure takes it out of you when you have just had a pretty decent holiday!

Anyway onto the food:
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, with ham and mushrooms
               - Coffee

Lunch - Homemade salad with lite chilli tuna (from a can, but looked reasonably ok to be able to eat on this plan)

Dinner - Salad with homemade meatballs - with the meatballs been made of lots of vege with mince- very tasty.

Snacks - Almonds, and sunflower seeds.

Drinks - A lot of water, and herbal tea.

Exercise was an hour long walk along the river bank on a beautiful Summers night with no wind :)  Both Anthony and I loved it, and the dogs well their enjoyment goes without saying really.

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 15

Ahhh, the holidays have all but come to an end.  Today was also a public holiday (Wellington Anniversary), so Anthony was off too :)

Not much to report on today really, was pretty chilled.  A bit of house work, moving around furniture, getting my new roll top desk upstairs so I can start organising for school.  While it got moved, the organising is honestly still a work in progress!

Exercise was a dog walk on the beach - got to make the most of the Summer days outside when you can.  And it always cheers me up - its my happy place, and Im pretty sure from the dogs point of view - also one of theirs.  Somewhere I definitely need during work time.

Breakfast:

Scrambled Eggs with mushrooms and bacon

Black coffee (French Moccona)

Lunch:

Leftover kumara salad (Yum!)

Dinner:

Chicken thigh and salsa - homemade salsa too - with avocado, tomato, red onion, coriander and lemon juice.

It was yummy!

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 14

My last Sunday of holidays - :(  Oh well been a good break!

Today we had a friends engagement party/bbq with rather onimous weather.

Breakfast was an omlette made by hubby - he has the knack being a trained chef, mine always ends up being scrambled eggs. Anyway, it was very good!

Have bought some Moccona french (mild) instant coffee to drink black - actually quite good.  Every day, I feel I am less likely to go back to drinking coffee with milk (although the odd mocha will probably appear).  Also got Cafe L'Affaire coffee which we grind - also good!

The engagement party was good, and I was impressed I avoided, chippies, dip, cheese boards, wine, etc.  How?  I sat well away from the food table - it actually works for me - out of sight, out of mind.  And I only drank water as well - lots of it

BBQ's are good on this challenge - grilled meat and vege = awesome!  The weather turned to crap but lucky they had a deck with cover to still do the BBQ

On my plate - lamb, a small bit of steak, chicken, salads, and roast onion/beetroot.  - was delicious!!!!

The salad I made was from a girl at the gym's recipe.  It is Fabulous!!!  So the recipe is below - EASY!  I will be making this for lunches this year - a big quantity so enough for a few days.  Was the best salad at the bbq!

Kumara Coriander Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 med kumara
• 2 avocados (chopped into bite size pieces)
• 1/2 cup almonds – roughly chopped
• 3 spring onions
• Grated lemon rind of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup oil (I used Avocado but you can use olive also)
• 1/4 cup coriander leaves
• Fresh Spinach
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop kumara into small cubes and roast. (I tossed the kumara in some coconut oil, about half a teaspoon of red curry paste, salt and rosemary before roasting, but you can do what you want)
2. While the kumara is cooking, lightly toast the almonds in a fry pan then set aside to cool.
3. Mix the lemon rind, lemon juice, oil, avocado, spring onion, coriander, salt and pepper in a bowl and leave to sit so the flavours can combine.
4. When the kumara is cooked and cooled mix ALL ingredients together. I put the spinach on the bottom then the kumara and avocado mix and sprinkled the almonds on top of it all. Yum.

Happy clean eating.

Needless to say - after the BBQ - not hungry at all.

Exercise was a small walk with the dogs - only about 10-15 mins.

Something to think about when trying to eat properly and what the crap stuff actually does to you.

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 13

owwww!  My arms ache!  Muscles are achy everywhere - must have definitely done a decent workout yesterday.

A bit of a lazy morning today - lovely day too. 

Breakfast was free range bacon and eggs - yum!  With a plunger black coffee - Cafe L'affaire - good coffee.

One of my favourite things is going to the hair salon - and today couldn't come soon enough.  I always find it relaxing. getting to read all the mags and doing very little for a couple of hours.  Plus on the bonus side - always come out looking better than I go in.  Also today - got compliments on my ankles - weird, but I took the compliment :)

Lunch was a Thai Beef Salad and water at The Empire - It is my favourite dish there, and once again did not fail to impress!

Dinner was Steak and salad - same as last night but oh so good.

Had some blueberries and almonds for snacks - no bananas :)

Lots of water, some coffee and some herbal tea for drinks.  All good.

A fairly quiet day on my front - but was nice - actually watched some tv and DVD's - don't get to do it that often!

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 12

A little bit of a lie in today - work starts back next week so Im now cherishing the chill out time.

I went into the clinic today, first time in a few months.  I had decided I needed a fill as Im having little restriction and am hungry.  I got .2mL fill.  I had a consult with the nurse about my eating, and told her I was doing the Whole9 30 Challenge.  Also that it was a form of Paleo eating.  She went all negative and said that it would mean that I was eating too much fruit.  I said I had to limit my fruit on the plan, and was having a banana usually in the morning along with some of the in season fruit at the moment.  I got told off big time.  Bananas are the worst fruit as they have the most fructose, so will make me gain weight.  I had recently read this in the Sweet Poison Book, but I thought that it would be alright for a kick start energy, but no - no more bananas!  I got the point.  Berries are a better alternative.  I also picked up a fill in menu planner that can help me become organised in food preparation.

However, a bonus - I had lost 5.4 kilos since Christmas Eve - pretty stoked with that.  I was down 0.8kilo from my last weigh in September.  So that is proof to me that with all the Christmas revelry, my changes with the Challenge are obviously working - yay!

A late breakfast of free range scrambled eggs with capsicum, mushrooms, and courgettes.  Feeling a little nauseated from getting the fill (I always feel that way for a few hours afterwards), the eggs were pretty good.  For lunch I made a beef stirfry using coconut oil - was really good.  It was one of those meals that I had to rummage through the freezer to avoid having something I was not allowed.  We need to do some shopping big time!

Anyway, was back to the gym today for a hard workout.  It was good.  Worked on bench press - achieving 50kilo for 3 reps, but then only got 1 lift at 52.5kilos. The workout was a killer, appropriately named Death by Push Up.  Do 1 push up in the first minute, 2 in the second minute and so on until you can't do all the press ups assigned in the minute.  Scaled with knees - made it to 17 plus 17 - almost to 18.  Pretty stuffed afterwards and arms are dead.  No pain - no gain though!

Lots of water was consumed - all day! No coffee though - not feeling the mood for caffiene!

Dinner was grilled steak and a lovely salad - very delicious!  Food always tastes great after the gym!

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 11

Today I returned home to Windy, windy (did I mention windy) Wellington.  Hubby had told me about the previous weekend where he had to batten down everything as wind speeds were around 160km/hr.  Not a fan of that type of wind!

The plane ride was a little bumpy but reasonably uneventful.  Last night I finished my book Sugar - the Sweet Poison. - a very good read and says in lay mans terms how bad sugar - especially fructose is for you.  The guy that wrote it lost 40kg over 2 years by merely not eating foods/drinks that contained fructose.  He used the rule of thumb - if it tastes sweet - then it will probably contain fructose and don't eat it. I recommend it :)

Anyway - After a breakfast of eggs, bacon and mushrooms, I had a long black at the airport along with the inner meat part of a sausage roll - I was really hungry at this point - was the best I could do.  There was lots of veges in it though - was good.  Long black was alright - just average - not the best one I have had.  I tried a black coffee on the plane - still tastes pretty crap, but I had to try it!

Lunch I had when back in Wellington and caught up with Kate.  We went to Elements and I ordered a salad with greens, a sprinkle of feta, roasted grapes and figs oh and walnuts.  After not eating sugar in the last 11 days - I couldn't eat the figs - too sweet.  My tastebuds must be a little more sensitive or something?  The rest was alright along with the long black :)

Dinner and a movie was in order to catch up with hubby.  Went out to Two Black Sheep in Lower Hutt.  I had a calamari salad.  It was pretty good.  It was nice to have a salad with iceberg lettuce and ingrediants I would use at home.  Calamari was pretty good too, although the Customhouse still wins first place.  Just had water with it - made for a cheaper dinner in all :)

For the movie, saw Tin Tin - wasn't sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised!  A good movie :)  Had a long black which was gross, and bottled water to wash it down.

Off to the clinic to get a fill tomorrow and have a consult with the nurse.  Other thing is I have to get organised to make sure I can last the distance with food preparation.

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 10

My last full day in Dunedin with the family before I return to Wellington to my other family :)  The visit seems to have gone quickly but I also miss my husband and fur-babies, and my so called 'normal' life.  

Today involved a lot of socialising and eating out.  It's tough, but someone has to do it.

I always look forward to catching up with my friend Julie and her girls - Charlotte and Madeline with Frances.  Today another school friend Rachael also joined- so was good times.  I first met Julie when I was at Uni doing my Anthropology degree and her, Frances and I did a couple of papers together, then also graduated with out BA's together as well :)  I have seen her daughters grow up.  Madeline now 14 was only a baby when I first met her, and Charlotte now 16 was only 2!  While that is very cool - I'm starting to feel old! :)

Anyway - met for Brunch at Starfish in St Clair right beside the Esplanade - on a truly beautiful Summers morning - absolutely stunning!

I started today's food with a Thai Beef Salad - nothing on the breakfast menu appealed - either too much bread, too bigger meals or things I can't digest like pancakes.  It - along with the now common long black were delicious!

A lot of catch ups and comments on how much I have changed since I last saw Julie and the girls 9 months ago.  I suppose it is true - I just am with myself everyday so don't see it much.  It was lovely and slowly Im learning to take compliments.  Amusing compliments included:  

Your boobs look bigger and more pointy (he he he).  

You sit more flatter than you used to - you used to be rounder.  

Your eyes have opened up a lot more - those eyelashes need some mascara now :)

You have collar bones now (I think I always have just quietly - just more hidden)

Look at your feet - they have shrunk too!

Your face is way more narrow than it used to be.

I found some older photos of me and Frances with the girls - just for comparison (and I know Julie you read the blog so just to see how we have all changed through the last few years)

 2006

 2006

 2007

 2007

2007

 Mid 2010 

April 2011 - Post-op

 January 2012 - Post Op

And a few other photos.....

 Me and Rachael 

 Otis enjoying his fluffy!

Also caught up with little bro and his girlfriend again - and had lunch consisting of smoked salmon on a salad with a kumara cake - quite nice, but kumara cake a little dry so took that one slowly with a sauce they had on it (not creamy) - didn't get a pic - would have explained it better - plus water and a long black (of course) - pretty good.

From there a little shopping then home to spend time with the parents.  A lovely salmon dinner was had (salmon - twice in one day - score!)  The salmon was grilled with lemon and lime on it and serve with salad - soooo good!

Had a few walnuts for a snack but that was my food - lots of yummy things - can tell Im still on holiday!

Exercise - none - too much else to do today.