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 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!

Reset time!

Since my last post - a bit more down, but now think Im on the up.  I'm being positive.

After writing my last post, I realised I had got into a bad state - quite depressed about everything and a tad overwhelmed and maybe expecting too much of myself all at once! 

Thanks for the kind words and support from all.  I needed to step back and re-evaluate everything.  Im already on anti-depressants (which have done me wonders over the years - they do help to balance me).  However, I need to be stricter with my food - not neccessarily worried about portion size (thats pretty good), its what Im putting in my mouth.  Since the loosening of the band this has improved - however I still have an addiction to sugar.  I can stop for a while but I keep going back to it for comfort.  But does it make me feel better - thinking about it - short answer.....NO!  It affects my moods, my sleep and probably does not do much for my stress.  Up until now, it has been my comfort, my feel good food and always there, along with the caramel machiatos from Starbucks. I realise - I'm talking like an addict! Its like alcohol, cigarettes or drugs - sugar is my addiction!

NOW is the time for change - after a reality check email from my Crossfit coach - who says it how it is, and stated how bad my skin was looking at an event at the weekend (this clearly being due to reaction to sugar and dairy) - it was time to seriously take a look at my nutrition.

So starting back on the food diary monitoring everything I eat, cut out sugar, no more visits to Starbucks (that will save me money too!)

I am also struggling staying well - getting colds/viruses every couple of weeks.  Went to the docs who have taken blood samples to see if Im lacking in something.  Has anyone else with lapband found this?  I thought I would be more well post surgery, but cant escape the cold every couple of weeks.  This time of term Im seriously run down so also probably not at my best immunity.

Im going to go back the Paleo way - this worked a lot the first time I tried it (30 day challenge).  My goal of losing 10 kilos in 10 weeks not quite the success I wanted - since I plateaued - Ive started losing again.  Im at a 3-4 loss and with 2.5 weeks left - I would be quite excited if I made the 10 kilo mark.   I don't think I factored life into the equation.  I was talking to a friend today and we both said how great it would be to be locked away in the Biggest Loser house for 3 months without other influences/interuptions.

My next goal from this reset is to be at my best for 'barbells for boobs' on October 29th at my crossfit gym (this workout is done at gyms all over the world).  The workout is 30 clean and jerks in a row with a cap of 15 mins for the workout.  Proceeds from the event go to breast cancer research.  This gives me FOCUS - my word of the year :)

Finally some pics from Fight Gone Bad 6 - held at the weekend (with my bad face ;))
I did the womens intermediate version and got a score of 243 - improving from my last attempt.  Fight Gone Bad consists of:
Three rounds of:
Wall-ball, 20/14 pound ball, 10 ft target (Reps)
Sumo deadlift high-pull, 16 kg (Reps)
Box Step Up, 20″ box (Reps)
Push-press, 15 kg (Reps)
Row (Calories)

Psyching myself up for the sumo deadlift

Step Ups

Push Press

Row

Wall ball - trying to hit the pink target!

Straight After 3 rounds - alive...just!

Mmm, some of the sweat and t shirt marks I left behind!

Onwards and Upwards!!!

When the effort pays off!

Just a quick post.  The school ball was on Saturday night.  This time last year, I went to the ball also.  This time last year - I was probably at my biggest, and another couple of months from starting this whole process and five months from surgery.  One year down the track - all the effort I have made over the last year is finally showing :)


2010



2011

Me and Fiona 2010

Me and Fiona 2011



When it is a good thing to reach 40!

40 kilos lost that is!  Finally another mini goal.  I went to the dietician on Tuesday a few weeks shy of my 6 month - a - iversary for the check up on how things are going.

She was very pleased with my progress, and even though I said I felt I could be doing better and sometimes make better choices, she pointed out that I was still a perfectionist, but to remember it is ok not to be perfect all the time.  Hmmmm, some habits die hard.  I do feel better about myself now and my progress to date.  However, over the months since surgery I have also had confirmed for me again and again that it is a journey and not a short one.  The lap band is a tool, and as long as you use it appropriately - all good :)  The dietician was supportive of the Paleo eating way as well.  As she put it - can't really go wrong with fresh veges and animal protein.  Im still limiting the sugar and especially the bread. Im the first to say I used to be the bread queen - but now I do not even miss it.

Anyway, stoked to be over the 40 kilo hump.  Now have lost a total of 41.2 kilos (90.6 lbs).  Also now in the 120's - weighing in at 128.7kgs (283.1lbs).  Yay!

As my husband and I are going to Melbourne in the next school holidays, next goal is to get to 50 kilos lost by October 8th.  I have also got a self imposed ban on clothes shopping until then (essentials negotiable).  From all I have heard Melbourne has fabulous shopping - CANNOT WAIT!


So what weighs 41.2 kilos?

Some sort of compressor

Water Cooler/Ice Maker

This much cannibas!

This fish

And this wardrobe!

Again some adult people weigh this much too, but not healthily!

The crossfit is going awesome!  Apart from the flu last week, Im going 3 times a week.  I love it and missed it so much when I was sick.  Such a positive place to be.  Im getting stronger and stronger, and maybe even a little more coordinated ;).  Have managed to get my name on the leaders boards for the Shoulder press, clean and jerk, back squat, bench press and another one can't remember at present - love it! :)

Hope all is well in blogland.  Im reading lots of blogs and have been trying to comment, but something isn't working for me there and it errors and wont let me.  Been happening for a couple of weeks. Can anyone help with this?

On a side note - got assessed for adoption on Monday.  After three hours of questioning about our lives (quite intense), the social worker said she had no reason to not put us forward for approval to go on to the next stage of putting a profile together and going into the selection pool.  A long process, but its going forward!  Cute thing last week at school was that one of my students asked me if I wanted to adopt him - said it would be cool to have two lots of parents :) - oh how the teenage mind works!

My Dad

Tomorrow my Dad goes in for surgery.  An update on the cancer.  It seems to be contained as from the CT scan.  However, a length of his colon has to be removed along with his appendix.  He made the joke that he will no longer be a colon but a semi colon now.  Dad humour, but to his credit that was a good one.  While the recovery will take a while, it seems all going well he will be back to normal in time.

My Dad reassuring and settling my nerves before going down the aisle

Proud Dad with new son in law

Father of the Bride speech

I love my Dad.  He has always been the strong one and looked after me.  It is hard to see him in this position.  It has made me aware that my parents are aging.  It is scary.  Now it is my time to help look after him.  This event has truly made my family closer, and I'm glad to get leave from work  - going down home for a week on Sunday to help Mum while Dad is in hospital and then when Dad comes home.

It has been a hard couple of months.  As much as I have tried to not let it affect me at work etc, it has.  The students have been surprisingly understanding.  My mind will be on Dad tomorrow, so hope there is not too much chaos in the classroom ;)

Bad As.....

Weightlifting competition on Saturday.  I can now have weights on all lifts..woo hoo!  Get my t shirt for the competition on Thursday and now have to work out my starting weights and what ones to warm up on.

At the moment my best weights are:

Clean and Jerk - 40kg (88lbs)
Bench Press - 54kg (118.8lbs)
Back Squat -  57.kg (126.5lbs)

Looking forward to it and been doing a far bit of training.  Who knew I would be doing this a year ago??

Weight Loss...

The Paleo Challenge is in Week 3 now.  Have lost 2 kilos since my last weigh in.  Am feeling better (kind of detoxed)even with everything else going on.  So now I have lost 36 kilos (79.2 lbs).  More and more clothes dont fit properly.  My whole body is changing shape as well as getting smaller.  I have gained muscle with more exercise, but am finding some loose skin in places....yuck!  Have definitely found having coconut milk in my protein shake in the morning instead of milk satisfies me more, and it is yummy!

And finally...

If you need a good laugh and some light hearted stress relief.  Watch this!

 Loved it!

Under 300 pounds....Yeah Baby!!!

For the first time in well I don't remember, I stood on the scales last week at the clinic, and I had lost 34.9 kilos (76.8lbs).  Working and focusing on being successful with the lap band during the school holidays really paid off, with losing 3.2 kilos in 2 weeks :)  I was stoked!!!  Amazing how easy it was to focus on eating and exercising when there was no stress or work in the way.  YAY!  I haven't actually posted my weight before, but this is a milestone in the journey for me and that is what my blog is about.  So now I weigh 135 kilos (297lbs).  Onwards and downwards I say!!!

So what weighs in at or around 34.9 kilos?  Well there are some interesting things:

This boy

Drinks Dispenser

Baby Camel (awwww cute!)

This sculpture of Keith Richards (made entirely of chocolate!!!)

6 month old polar bear

Fish

Rice dispenser

And I know it's gross, but this tumor!

Crazy busy! And progress in pictures :)

I can tell the end of the school term is nigh.  Every time the last weeks finally appear, it seems to get just crazy busy!  Parent/teacher interviews, reports, assessments and all that marking that goes with it!  I'm swamped!  However, Im loving the weekends, where Im trying to do as little work as possible (with varying success) but at least having some form of social life.  This past week my little bro was up on a design conference and stayed a little longer to catch up with his big sis.  Good times.  My parents don't visit (My mum only twice, and my dad once in the nine years I've been here - one being my wedding!) So I love it when he comes to visit as he is my only other family member in the country.  Always good is that we manage to squeeze in a trip to the movies usually a horror.  This time was Saw VII 3D - because it is just not sick enough in two dimensions.  Blood splatter and guts everywhere....love it :)

Anyway, back to the weight loss.....

Another fill last week, after still feeling hungry and not getting full much.  The latest fill (a big one) has helped a bit, but feel another may finally put me in the green zone, so have got another next week.  To my surprise, when weighing in - I had lost 2.5 kilos!!!  Woo hoo, just when I didn't expect it.   So now I have lost a total of 32.9kilos (72.4lbs).

So what weighs about 32.9 kilos?

These child robots

This fish

Big dog

The weight of luggage allowed on this airline



And this seizure of cocaine!

I thought I would also put in some progress shots too.



MID - OCTOBER 2010

    

APRIL 1st 2011

The dogs thought since I was near the door, it was walkies time...bless :)

Am still doing the crossfit training, and truly am loving it!!  Short, intense, high weight low reps workouts that have you puffing afterwards.  My times are also not far from the others, so soon I will feel confident enough to do the classes with others.  Exciting!!!!