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 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!

Crazy? Yeah Maybe :)

It's about time in this journey to make some NSV goals (along with the scale goals aswell of course).  There are the clothing sizes, inches lost etc, however I feel the need to go outside my comfort zone.  And this goal/challenge will do it.  I have entered the following:

This will take place Queens Birthday Weekend.  So at the beginning of June!  It is at the gym I now go to, and is aimed to get women into lifting weights.  My friend Kate reminded me, that once in a hypothetical situation that weight lifting would be my sport of choice if I was to enter the olympics :)  Who knows where this could lead! 

There are 3 lifts to do. 

Squat

The starting position must be completely upright, with the knees and the hips fully extended and with the chest up. The hips are lowered until the top surfaces of both of the legs at the hip joint are lower than the knees, and then the bar is lifted back up. The bottom position is identified by A) the apex of the crease in the shorts formed as the hips are lowered, B) the surface of the top of the patella, C) the plane formed by a straight line between the two, and D) the dipping of the hip end of that plane below horizontal. The finish position is the same as the starting position, and the athlete must return to it before the bar is racked. When the finish position is secure, the bar must be walked back into the rack and successfully replaced.
Any halt in the upward motion of the whole bar, identified at its position on the back rather than at its ends, constitutes a missed attempt, as does any change in position of the feet against the floor during the squat. Any deliberate attempt to lower the bar counts as an attempt.  The squat will be done in the cage and no spotters will be necessary.

I found this pic - good motivation :)

Bench Press

Spotter will assist lifter in getting the bar out of the rack. The spotter will guide the bar over mid chest. There may be communication with your spotter to signal you are ready. The lifter must touch the bar to the chest, then move the bar back up to full lock out position (elbows in full extension). The spotter will then assist to get the bar back in rack position. If the bar touches the rack before the spotter grabs it, there is no lift.
The butt must be in contact with the bench and the feet must be on the ground at all times.

Ground to Overhead (aka Clean and Jerk)

Two hand overhead, anyhow. The most efficient way to accomplish this will be with a clean and jerk. You must lift the barbell from the ground to overhead and finish in a stable, unmoving, locked out position. The athlete’s elbows, shoulders, hips and knees must be locked out and unmoving, and the athlete must wait until the judge gives the audible and visual cue to lower the weight. The bar must be dropped in a controlled manner, with the athlete’s hands on the bar past the hips, for the lift to count.

As can be seen from the above pic, technique is all important.  I am just learning the clean and jerk movements - it's hard!!!  But I will be in that competition - just watch me!!!!

I am loving exercise in general at the moment, the motivation is definitely there too, not in previous years when quite often the pic below described how I felt a lot of the time about working out. I love when it is just easy to want to work out.  I want to stay on this train!!!  Crossfit training rules :)