Never ending journey.....

.... 76.2kg..... no change there then!  Although sometime last week the scale read 77kg, so I guess 76.2kg is good!

Devoured an entire bag of toffee popcorn last week wtf...... why.... because I can.  A good reminder that the band is a around my stomach and not my brain.... and that I must not give in to that  evil nagging voice telling me "go on, eat it, once won't hurt", all the sweets, chocolate, crisps are known as sliders and the band has no impact on these at all, I could eat sliders all day long and not feel blocked but I MUST NOT!   Just goes to show the lapband is not a fix, but a never ending journey on which I must always stay on top and focused!

Received a letter from the Dr saying my recent blood test shows a low level of Vit D and that I must start taking a tablet.  Vit D is essential for strong bones, muscles etc and the best source is from natural sunlight..... you can tell therefore that it is Winter here in Perth...... but next week I'm in Bali with lots of sun - hopefully!

Do you remember that I mentioned Rich and I were expecting a child-free weekend last week as Harvey was at camp and Holly at friends?  We were planning on going to the city for the evening..... alas was not to be.... Harvey wouldn't do the "sleeping over" part of camp, so I was dropping him off each morning at 7.45am and picking him up at 8.30pm..... ho hum!

Tonight I'm supposed to be out for drinks with friends, although what was a girlie night out is now with hubbie's too....., problem is I have a 10yr old and no-one else does!  Tomorrow is the weekend, we are off to the Perth Food & Wine show...... (have you noticed how my life seems to be focused around food and alcohol?!?!?!?), and after that we are booked in at Perth Winterwonderland for some iceskating, so should be fun.  Dinner at friends on Sunday (food again...), and then I'm off work next week.

Not feeling a huge amount of restriction from my band, so think I may have a small fill when I get back from Bali, hopefully loose a little more before my UK trip.  Anyway, hope everyone is well....x

... feel the burn

..oh dear... 76.6kg this morning.... another slight gain... can't seem to stop eating, everything and anything, if its covered in chocolate or comes from a crisp packet even better!!!  Making some really bad food choices.... my head's just not been in it this week, maybe its the cold weather!!!  MUST GET BACK ON TRACK!!!

Feel the burn...... went to an XtendBarre class this morning, and wow felt like my calves were on fire!!  I think I'll sure ache tomorrow, no pain no gain!  Have just booked 10 sessions, so as to keep me motivated, as much as I love zumba, I think a change would be good for me, especially as it involves lots of toning! Funnily enough I wore a Tshirt that I bought when we were in Sydney back in Feb, when I tried it on it was too tight, but fit me today so although I've gained a little I must be doing something right.

A friend passed on fab recipe to me "Coriander prawns with sweetcorn & coconut mash" - was so delicious:  367cal - 40g protein per normal size serve.  If you want to know more let me know and I'll email the recipe.

Only a few weeks before we head to Bali, so looking for some family downtime in the sun - it can't come quick enough!

Rich and I are off to a "Carwash music" and dancing night this evening, both kids are on sleepovers which makes a change so are having a night out, looking forward to it.

Hope everyone is well....xx

Same old, same old......

Same old, same old,  bit late updating this week.... not much to report really!  I weighed in on Friday at 76kg, which means I've gained 1kg, although TOM was around so I normally gain then anyway.  However, if I'm completely honest I've not had the best of weeks foodwise!  Haven't tracked anything, and have drank far too much wine - so this week I'm back on track!

Does anybody else self-sabotage??  eg.  I usually buy Freddo Frog choc bars for the kids snack tin as I'm not overly keen on them, but this week bought mini crunchies, my all time fav choc bar.... why did I do that?  I ate 3, one after the other whilst watching a dvd yesterday!  Despite having my band I still at times have no self control.

I'm having a dry week (well at least up until Friday lol) and will track everything I am eating on MyFitnessPal, and see if the scales move.  Do you recall how my weight plateaued around 80kg for weeks on end, I have a feeling the same is going to happen with 75kg...., I think the only way I'm going to loose is if I have more fill and then I'd feel too tight!!  Will have to see!  Would love to be at goal 70kg for my trip back to UK in Sept.

Have you heard of Thermomix....?  I went to a demo party at the weekend and was really impressed with it, love the idea of using fresh produce/ingredients all the time and not bothering with any processed or packet foods - considering whether I'd get my money's worth out of it, or whether it'll be another kitchen appliance that ends up in the cupboard?  Its really expensive to buy out here $1939, although I believe is alot cheaper in the UK - now would I use it? ...x

..... the illusive green zone

.... the illusive green zone.... where have you gone?!?!  You will recall that due to a stressy few weeks my band tightened and I went back to the Dr for an unfill whereby she removed 0.2ml from my band (just for a second imagine what a small quantity that it is - would it be a drip from a tap....?) anyway although it was lovely to not be tight and stuck, I was then able to eat anything and everything and pretty much did lol! Having not been able to eat much other than liquid, I managed to eat all the mash, liquor and a quarter of the pie from this man-size serving:

Food Porn eh!  Anyway 5 days later I was back at the Dr for a smidgen more fill...... she added 0.1ml, anything more and I would have been back to when I was too tight and couldn't eat anything.... I have to be a little careful still but think its still too loose, but can't have anymore as it'll be too tight.... oh what to do!!

We have had to look through some past photos to identify jewellery etc for our insurance claim following the burglary, and I put together a few pics of pre and post band.... its funny I never felt as big as I look pre-band days, some not so great pics:

Pre-band

Pre- band

and here are some more recent one's post-banding - I feel so much nicer and healthier and look it too - don't you agree?:

Post band

Anyway, hope everyone is travelling well...x

...its tight in here....

... its tight in here.... they say that stress makes the band tighter, I can certainly vouch for that!!  Since my last fill around 8 weeks I've definitely had to be more careful with my food choices for fear of getting stuck, its not really how I'd like to go on indefinitely but figured I'd put up with it for a while.... due to a stressy few weeks (I'll elaborate later) the band tightened even more and I've really struggled, most of what I've been eating has come back up and I've been living on milk and soup for the last 5 days.... thankfully today I saw the Dr and had some fill removed - just finished lunch of bread and egg mayo - to eat again - delicious!

The upside is that I've lost a further 1.4kg this week and weighed in this morning at 75kg (11stone 8lb) - yeah!

So my stressy few weeks..... you'll recall hubbie got sick with a blood clot (he fine now), then Harvey had routine surgery and got slight infection (he fine now), then last Monday we were burgled.... :( they stole all my jewellery, money, cards, spare car keys, they managed to wrench the safe off of the wall and took the entire thing.... it housed our passports, copies of all credit cards and anything of value that wasn't in the jewellery box - gutted!  Last Wednesday, Rich slipped over and we spent the evening in A&E fortunately he didn't break his ankle just a bad sprain but he is still in pain and on crutches now.  Last Fri Harvey broke his finger.... phew!  The decorator came to hang the football mural paper in Harvey's bedroom, and managed to hang it in the wrong order...(bless), so that will now have to be reordered and rehung!

We are due to travel to Bali in July for 5 days hols, and now have no travel passports!  UK one's will take a minimum of 6 weeks, so we've managed to push forward our Australian Citizenship ceremony to Monday so we can then at least apply for our Aussie passports which only take a couple of weeks.  I'll post some photos of the ceremony next week - Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

Was at the hosp with Harvey on Monday so didn't make zumba and was at the dentist this morning so missed that class too - hopefully I'll get there tomorrow.  I have played netball this week and went Xtend Barre last night so not too bad.

Hope everyone is travelling well... speak soon...x

Happy Band Anniversary....

HAPPY BAND ANNIVERSARY!!!!  Yep its my 1yr band anniversary tomorrow...... wow what a year... and how quick that time has gone...!  Am I glad I had the band - hell yes!!, any regrets - none!! 

Today's weighin:  76.4kg (11stone 13lb) that's a yearly loss of:  24kg (3 stone 8lb)

just another 1.5kg (3lb) to get me to my amended goal, which if you remember the Dr changed a few months ago as she felt my original goal may be too low; or another 7kg (15lb) to get to me original goal.  I am soooo pleased with that, there is no way I would have lost anymore than 8kg without the band and then it would have all returned within a couple of months of loosing.   I am proud to say that I weigh 76.4kg and am probably the lightest weight I've been since my teens.

What's changed:  I really enjoy exercising now, I am not a gym fan and never will be, but I do so love zumba and try and go at least 3 times a week, I enjoy netball once a week (never thought I'd ever play a team sport again....), and have recently started going XtendBarre classes for toning.  If I don't exercise I feel sluggish and meh, its part of my weekly routine now.
One of the best parts has been revamping my wardrobe, passing on my size 22 clothes and restocking my wardrobe with size 14 and 16 - whoop!!  Buying a mini skirt to wear with opaque tights....and seeing my daughter roll her eyes lol, tight fitting jeans, clothes that I like and can choose to buy other than buying those that I don't particularly like but fit!  Wearing boots that do up around my calves, to go out and feel sassy is a great feeling.
The band is definitely a tool and not a fix, but if you work it well it does what it is supposed to do!  Up until my last fill, I could still eat any foods (albeit smaller portions) including bread, pasta etc, infact there was nothing that I couldn't eat - more recently I have to be a little more careful.  My social life hasn't changed I still drink wine (infact the band has made no difference to how much I can drink and my levels of getting drunk), I still go out to eat and will eat any cuisine, although I only order an entrée which is plenty..... so the band hasn't stopped me doing anything socially.
I LOVE my band!

 

An average kind of week....

Today's Friday weighin -77kg (12 stone), that's a total of 23.4kg (3stone 9lb) lost.... slow but steady!  Its very nearly my band anniversary....... wow so much change in a year - will upload some comparison pics then.  Still having quite a few stuck moments, think I'm eating too fast, although seem to be eating so little.  Am due back at the Dr in a couple of weeks, I think I'll get a smidgen of fill removed before we go to Bali, don't want to be having lots of stuck moments whilst on holiday.

Has anyone heard of "XtendBarre"??  A new studio has opened near to where I live so thought I might give it a go.  Its a cross between pilates and ballet barre work, apparently works all muscle groups, and is a great way to sculpt the body.  It seems more expensive than a normal workout class, but thought I'd try it out, would love to know if anyone has tried it?

Have been off work (carers leave) minding Harvey this week, so took the opportunity to paint his bedroom.  Did quite a good job if  I say so myself lol!  Just waiting for a friend to hang some wallpaper on one of walls and then he can move back in.  He's chosen a soccer theme.

Its my birthday on Monday, Rich and I are heading to the City for some lunch, but first we have to sit our citizenship test!!  Have been reading up about Australian history, politics etc.... assuming we pass, we then can become Australian citizens!!  Wow, its been a long journey from thinking about emigrating, actually doing it, getting PR and now citizenship - prob about 8yr in all phew!  The end is in sight, and means the kids will be able to travel between Australia and the UK without needing visa's and can live in whatever country they decide as they grow up.

It was freezing this morning, the temp has really dropped in the mornings and evenings, was about 15degrees earlier.  Not cold to alot of people, but now we have acclimatised to Perth weather bloomin freezing!

Hope everyone has a good week.....x