Welcome Baby Aidan!!

Our newest addition to the family was born on Monday 24th November by cesarean. Everything went okay, although I had a bit of a complication with my placenta being adhered to my bladder. Afterwards my wound got infected, but that is another painful story in itself!

Aidan was 7lb when born - the smallest out of all 4 the kids. He also didn't look much like the others, although over the weeks he has grown more to look like them. He has also gained a heap of weight, so no longer looks like a little skinned rabbit, but a chubba bubba!

Since my last post, we also bought a house, which we moved into the week after Aidan was born. We had it painted throughout as well, and unfortunately the painters weren't finished when we moved in, so we were confined to living in 3 rooms for over a week, with mattresses for the kids on the floor in the lounge - what joy!! Thankfully that is all over now & we are settled in, although we still have a lot of furniture to purchase.

49 Sleeps to Go!!

I can't believe I have been so lazy and haven't posted since August!!! Very slack indeed! So much has happened since then!

I have been booked in for my caesarian on Monday 24th November in the afternoon. Therefore, there is only 49 sleeps until Bubs #4 arrives! I can't believe it, and can't imagine how our lives are going to change with a newborn once again in the family. Oh, how I am going to miss my lovely sleep!!! My darling friend Chris is doing me the honour of coming in with me for the birth (since Greg can't due to his fainting problems!!!).

It will be interesting to see how Owen is going to react to the baby. He has become very clingy of late, and I don't think he will be happy to share his Mum with someone else! He turned 16 months old yesterday, and he is still not walking!!! He is quite happy to crawl along, and will stand when he wants to, but is showing no interest in walking at all. I guess he is so spoilt by his older brother & sister doing everything for him, that he doesn't really need to!

Callum has had the most amazing growth spurt the last few weeks. He is only 7yo but I have had to buy him size 10 t-shirts & size 8 shorts to fit him. He wore his summer school uniform to school today (the first day back after school holidays), but it looks like it has shrunk on him because he has grown so much!! He is now reading chapter books every night in bed, and is really enjoying it. It's funny to think he couldn't read when he started school last year, and now he is reading big long books. The kids definitely are growing far too quickly!

Paige has also FINALLY had a growth spurt. She is such a little dainty thing, and finally seems to be growing! She is such a great helper to me, especially with Owen, but her messiness drives me absolutely insane! She takes after my sister in that regard!

We have been busy house hunting, and made an offer on a gorgeous 4 bedroom house in Yarraville last month, however, we didn't trust the lying Real Estate agent (who was the biggest bitch I have ever met), so when she told us another offer was made against ours, we didn't believe her, so the house was sold to someone else. It was a terrible shame, as the house was just perfect for us in a convenient location. In a way I was glad the bitch didn't get any of our commission though!!!

So, we are back to the drawing board, and have been to about a hundred "open for inspections" in the last few months. There is nothing that suits us since we have very specific requirements - must be a single storey due to my ankle, must have 4 bedrooms, or if a 3 bedroom house then it must enough land to add a bedroom on, must have 2 living areas & at least 2 toilets. We would have to pay close to a million dollars for something that fits the description in the areas we prefer to live in, or we have the option of buying something huge in the area we live now, and pay cash outright without having a mortgage. We are currently weighing up our options & trying to decide what to do. Of course we are in no rush - the longer we take the more interest we earn on the money sitting in the bank!

And as for my weight, well I am not talking about it!!! I have 7 weeks til the baby arrives, and then I will give myself a couple of weeks before I go back to my meetings. I know I will be on Weight Watchers for the rest of my life, but am ready & raring to go!!! In 2010 I will be at my goal weight & loving it!!!

Only 14 Weeks To Go....

I can't believe I am already 24 weeks along. Where has the time gone? This must be the fastest pregnancy ever!! Only 14 weeks to go, since I will be having a caesarian when I am at 38 weeks (yay!).

In regards to weight gain, I have already put on 9.9kgs (ARRRGGHH!!). Considering I put on less than that throughout my whole last pregnancy, it is quite a shock, but I am trying not to be too worried about it. I know this is my last pregnancy, and once this bubs comes out, it is back to my Weight Watchers meeting & onwards to goal weight. And my reward at the end will be a boob job (once I am finished breastfeeding) and a tummy tuck.

Life has been crazzzzzzy in the weeks since I last posted. A longtime friendship ended over a disgusting email that was sent. My Mum (aka chief babysitter) & Dad went away on a long trip to Queensland in their caravan. I settled my Compensation claim last week for my car accident 3 years ago, so now we are in an extremely financial position to be buying a house, and can pay cash outright for one if we wish to live in the area we are now in. Callum has been busy with birthday parties (he has too many friends at school!!!), Auskick & basketball. Owen has been sick with colds, and is just growing up too quickly before our eyes. He is now standing on his own!! Paige has been busy with school (she was made Class Representative this term) & ballet, and even had a ballet exam last week.

Life is REALLY REALLY good!!! It's so nice to be in such a happy place at the moment!

And my ankle... well, it is shit! Still causing me grief & even locked up on me a couple of weeks ago, so much that I had to resort to using crutches to get around! I am back seeing the physio weekly, which really helps.

Just counting down the days until this baby comes out, and then it is going to be so busy with the end of the school year, all the end of year work functions & celebrations, Paige's Birthday, Christmas time & then holidays at our van in Ocean Grove with 4 kids including a new born & a toddler. Busy, busy, busy!!! And I just can't wait!!! WHOO HOOO Roll on summer!!!!

Onwards and outwards......

15 Weeks Pregnant, 2.7kg Weight Gain

Wow, I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is flying. I will be 15 weeks gone this Friday already and before we know it, we will have another baby in the house! I am sooooo not looking forward to the sleepless nights again, especially since I have only been enjoying a full night's sleep for about 7 weeks. Thankfully I am passed the dreaded first trimester, and the morning sickness has gone. I am still feeling a little tired, but otherwise feel terrific. And, I would just like to mention that I am HUGE already! They say with subsequent pregnancies you get bigger & show earlier, which is definitely the case with me!
In total since conception of the baby, I have gained 2.7kgs. I am going to battle to keep the gain at a minimum, and am going to start exercising daily very soon. I have gone back to the physio after a short absence, and am experiencing terrible ankle pain, so once that is alleviated, I will be back on the treadmill with a vengeance.
In other news since I last posted (over a month ago!!!).........
Our little baby Owen turned one last week. How quickly does time fly? He is just a little happy darling all the time, and brings such joy to the family. Paige & Callum still adore him, and are so brilliant with him. I can't wait for him to start walking!!!! I have also weaned him (how very sad). He was biting me a bit too often, so he had his last breastfeed on Sunday, and from now on, he's a bottle boy, not a boobie boy!! (photo of him eating donut cake on his birthday following)
I have a new car!! A Kia Grand Carnival - definitely a 'Mum's Taxi". It is lovely, although HUGE, but I have not had any trouble parking it as yet, although I did back into the garage door the other day (oops!). The kids love it, as it is an 8 seater, and they get to sit in the seats way down the back. It also has a roof mounted DVD player, which was something I put on my list as a must for our new car (a blessing with long trips!).
Well, I usually sign off with "onwards and downwards" (as in the scales going down), but will sign off today with "onwards & outwards" (because that's where my belly is going!)!!! Couple of photos of Callum & Paige with Owen....

A "Bump" in the Road on My Journey to Fabulousness!

Wow, I had forgotten all about my blog!!! So much has happened in the last 2 months since I have posted. We moved house 3 weeks ago to a different suburb and a much, much bigger house. Owen has turned 11 months old today, and he FINALLY has his own bedroom, and is now sleeping right through the night (absolute bliss!).
And as for my weightloss journey, it was not going too well on my own. As I had suspected, I did not have the willpower to do it without the support of my Weight Watchers Meetings. So, I had decided to go back to the meetings, when I found out I was pregnant!!! Yep, Baby #4 is on the way.
I am currently 10 weeks pregnant, and feeling absolutely exhausted & terrible. Bubs is due 5th December, which means since it is a caesarian, I will be having it mid November. So far my eating has been okay, but I would definitely like to up the anti on my exercise, which I will do once the nausea passes. I would definitely like to limit my weight gain, as I did with the last pregnancy.
Will try & post more regularly!!!

Going It Alone....

A loss of 400g for me this week. Disappointing, but I suppose any loss is a good loss. I haven't exercised this last week due to TTOM & feeling exhausted, but will get back on the treadmill this week for sure. And I have also eaten like a horse, although I haven't eaten anything naughty at all. I didn't even give into my chocolate cravings!!! I want to get under 110kgs within 2 weeks (so that's 1.5kgs to lose) and under 100kgs as soon as possible. My reward for getting into double digits is going to be a nice pair of expensive sunglasses, so I can throw my cheap $12 pair from the Fremantle Markets in the bin!

I have made a big decision & decided not to go back to my meetings. I really dislike the new leader & the whole time I am at the meeting I find I am criticising her in my head, and not even listening to what she has to say. She doesn't let the group input their stories, tips, etc like the old leader did, and overall, she is just not very personable. I am so disappointed, as I love the people there, but I just can't bring myself to go anymore, as I really hate it. Soooooo, I am going to give it a go with WW online - all the same tools I have now (online tracker, etc), but just not the meetings & weigh ins. I will weigh myself every Thursday morning still. However, if I find after a few weeks that I am slacking off & not as serious doing it this way, then I will head back to the dreaded meetings, because nothing is going to stop me getting this weight off!

This weekend is a long weekend thanks to a public holiday on Monday & we are heading to our Van in Ocean Grove. The weather is going to be lovely & hot - cannot wait!!!!

Onwards & downwards.....

Grumpy with a Capitol G

Yep, TTOM has arrived with a vengeance & I am soooo grumpy!!! It doesn't help that I have been doing controlled crying with Owen this week, and so I am very exhausted. I know it will all be worth it in the end though, although I must say that I do miss waking up & finding Owen snuggled in between us in bed. Maybe I could put Greg in the cot & sleep with Owen? hmmmmm.......

My ankle is causing me grief, clicking painfully in the ankle joint more often than not. Very annoying!

Anyways, eating & drinking going well, exercise non existent at the moment - something I will get back into when this dreaded TTOM disappears!!!!

Onwards & downwards.......

60 Weeks on Weight Watchers!!!!!!

This week is my 60th week on Weight Watchers! WOW!!! I am so very proud of myself for having stuck with it.... for the duration of my third pregnancy, throughout ankle surgery, rehabilitation & the related pain & suffering that went with it. Okay, so I thought I would be further along than only 20kgs gone, but this is a life time & lifestyle change, and it is not something that can be done overnight.

Unfortunately last week I gained a kilo. We now have to weigh with our shoes on at our meetings (for Health & Safety reasons), and my Birkenstocks weighed 400gms, so I gained 600gms, which was pretty good considering the atrocious weekend I had away.

This week I lost 700gms. I had been expecting a bigger loss (the scales throughout the week were showing a better result), but I am about to get my period any second now, and it has bloated me (and I feel crampy, cranky & just plain shithouse!), so I can hopefully expect a very nice loss next week, if I keep to my excellent eating, terrific water intake & regular exercise.

In regards to my shite ankle, I have made an appointment to see my surgeon at the end of March to find out what action we will take due to the painful clicking in my ankle joint. Ah, the joys!

A Bad Weekend...

We went away for the weekend to lovely, sunny Cobram. The weather was HOT and it was great to spend time in a fantastic pool with the kids.

Unfortunately, my eating was atrocious! I had all the best intentions, and even made sure to pack lovely ham & salad sandwiches for lunch for the journey there (was also good to save money as well). However, after arrival at our apartment, hubby arrived back from the shop armed with icecreams for us all. Why couldn't I have said no to my Almond Magnum!?!? It all went downhill from there & here is a list of the BAD food I ate on the weekend...

• Almond Magnum (8 points!!!)
• 4 slices Margerita pizza
• 4 glasses white wine
• 3 small packs of chips
• Speciality meat pie
• Beesting pastry (filled with custard, cream & honey & topped with almonds!!)
• Bag of chocolate sultanas
• 2 pieces of Coconut Ice

I was so utterly disappointed in myself! I was tired and emotional from a terrible week of looking after a sick baby, but it was still no excuse!

I have realised today just how much I use food to make me feel better. I received some terrible news this morning that I may need to have more surgery to correct a clicking problem in my ankle joint, and all I wanted to do was sit down and eat (and cry too!). I was soooo very close to grabbing a pack of Chocolate Chip cookies I had bought for my son, but knew I would devour the whole pack, and yes, it would have made me feel better, for 5 minutes, but I still would be faced with the daunting proposition of surgery (and the scales at weigh in!!). Instead, I grabbed a bag of grapes & made myself a nice skim coffee.... very proud of myself (although those cookies were calling out my name from the cupboard!!).

So, I am expecting the worse at weigh in this week. Hoping I stayed the same, although I know I don't deserve that result. At least I didn't add to the gain by devouring some cookies today!!

Onwards & downwards.....

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Had a great loss of 1.3kgs this week. I am feeling really motivated & in the right "head space" at the moment, just like how I felt when I first began WW almost 2 years ago. I have my "mojo" back! Yahoooo!!!

I have tracked religiously this week, exercised like a woman possessed, and made the best food choices. And I feel fantastic because of it!

Unfortunately Owen has been sick the last couple of days, and not sleeping at all during the night, so I am exhausted, but hopefully will catch up on some sleep in the next few days.

Onwards & downwards.....

First Week Back & A Great Motivating Loss

I had my first weigh in this morning & had a terrific loss of 2kgs! Total gone now is 19kgs. If only every week was like the last. This week I have signed back up to WW Unlimited, and now I have access to my invaluable WW online tracker to keep tally of my daily/weekly points. I am lost without it!

One disappointment is our new leader at my meetings. The last leader left at the end of the year, and she was so bright & bubbly & just basically terrific. This new one is so dull & lifeless and just such a big change, so I am going to find it a challenge to stay at the meetings with her being the leader.

I am feeling soooo very motivated & it's great to be back into it. BRING IT ON I say!!!

Back Into It.. FINALLY!

I am FINALLY back into WW seriously & getting a move on to be rid of all this weight. Over the Christmas holidays I did everything I shouldn't have done - no exercise, eating everything in sight (including the dreaded donuts for brekkie freshly delivered to our front door every morning!), and drank too much! Of course, nothing is as refreshing as a nice cold beer on a hot summer's day!

We had a glorious time! A whole month of relaxing. The kids had an absolute ball, although their behaviour left a lot to be desired, but what do we expect when they are going to bed at 10pm every night!!

It took us all a week once home to get back into our proper routine, including 7pm bedtimes. Callum started back at school last week - my big Grade 1 boy!! And Paige started Prep last Monday!!! She was so excited, and is loving it. It is only half days this week, so she might not be loving it so much once she has full days next week!

Owen is growing so very big, and is eating three meals a day plus snacks now. He has started sleeping through the night with the help from controlled crying, but we are still having problems getting him to settle by himself when he initially goes to bed for the night.

I started back at WW last Thursday & was pleasantly surprised I had only gained 4.7kgs in the 7 weeks I hadn't been to my meetings. I was expecting far worse, but still, I have a lot of work ahead of me to reach the goals I have set myself this year, which are:-

• Goal 1: Get back under 110kgs


• Goal 2: Reach 25kgs Lost (106.9kgs)


• Goal 3: Reach 30kgs Lost (101.9kgs)


• Goal 4: Get under 100kgs & in Double Digits (This is my BIGGEST goal!!)


• Goal 5: Reach 35kgs Lost (96.9kgs)


• Goal 6: Reach 40kgs Lost (91.9kgs)


• Goal 7: Reach 45kgs Lost (86.9kgs)


• Goal 8: Reach 50kgs Lost (81.9kgs)

I would REALLY love to be 80kgs by the end of 2008, and even less if I really work hard at it. And you know what - I AM GOING TO DO IT!!! I cannot imagine what it would be like to tell people that I have lost 50kgs!!!! Just amazing! And I cannot even imagine how good I would look & feel.

Anyway, this week I have been struggling, not with eating but just with tracking, as I haven't had access to my online tracker, and I am absolutely LOST without it! I will be rejoining WW Unlimited tomorrow, so I will be able to track 100% again, which is what I need to keep me in line. Good news also is that hubby is back into it again as well, which makes it so much easier for me without any temptation.

I'll update tomorrow with my first week's weigh in results. I had a sneak weigh in this morning & it is looking good, so will have to keep my fingers crossed.

Onwards & Downwards.....

Our little Christmas darling, Owen (who also played Baby Jesus at Christmas Eve Mass!)

Our three gorgeous kids!

A very excited Paige on her first day of school

Big Prep Girl Paige & Big Grade 1 Boy Callum.

Week 22 - Next Goal Reached!!! YAY Under 110kgs FINALLY!!

I had a terribly disheartening week, the week before last. After putting in a lot of effort, I gained 200g, and was very upset & confused by it all. I was aware TTOM was on its way & affecting my emotions, but I was ready to chuck in the towel.
However, I kept plodding along & this week had a loss of 600g to FINALLY get me to the one goal I had been waiting a year on reaching - getting under 100kgs. I now weigh 109.9kgs.. whoo hoooo!
We are heading off the Gold Coast this weekend for a 5 night holiday. Although I will not be tracking, I plan on making wise food choices, and doing lots of swimming & walking to work off any extra treats I may be consuming. And when I return I am going to look into swapping from Points to Core, just for the extra flexibility over the Christmas period, especially when we will be down the caravan in Ocean Grove over January.
Onwards & downwards.....

Week 19 & 20

Whoops, didn't even realise I forgot to post last week, silly me!! Last week I had a gain of 200g, which I was so happy with. I totally pigged out all Cup Day, and basically just ate for the sake of eating, which was something I was disappointed in myself about. But Wednesday I was good as gold, which is why I think I had only a small gain.
This last week I have been fantastic. I have even started exercising every day again on the treadmill. I am taking it easy, and slowly getting back into it, by doing 3 x 10 min stints at 4.8kph. I have been checking my weight every morning before my shower, and it has been showing a brilliant loss....... until THIS morning. Last night we had Burritos for dinner. I always try & have a light dinner the day before weigh in, and I know that Mexican always makes me weigh heavier the next morning, so I am disappointed I gave in to the kids who wanted Burritos last night. At weigh in today I lost 800g, and was so bitterly disappointed. I really wanted to get under 110kgs today. My lowest weight last year on WW was 110.2kgs, and I just wanted to break through that barrier and get to my next goal (of being under 110kgs).
It just goes to prove how a battle with weight is psychological - I was driving home from my meeting and planned that I would stop at the Supermarket to buy a family size block of Cadbury Fruit'n'Nut, and I would sit in the car & scoff the lot before picking up my daughter from Kinder. Fortunately, I instead stopped at a cafe with bubs, had a lovely skinny latte & a vegetarian roll instead. I didn't pick a low fat option as I think I needed to give myself a little treat, but it did make me feel better, and was a much better option than a full size block of chocolate.
So, although I am still feeling down, I know this will pass. 7 weeks until Christmas, and that's at least 5kgs I could lose before then! I can do it!!!
Onwards & downwards......

Family Pictures Update

Callum played his first game of basketball last week. The night he received his uniform he wanted to sleep in it!!!

Paige made herself a kangaroo outfit out of paper! And then wore it out when we went out for dinner that night! Very cute!

I love this picture of Paige & Owen!!

Week 18 - Total of 21kgs Gone Forever

Had a great loss this week of 1.3kgs. Was a bit shocked as we went out last night for Greg's birthday (which is today) and I had a gourmet pizza, wine & mud cake with ice cream as well. I also went out for lunch, although I did have a salad. Anyway, not complaining & totally happy with the result. Really going to try & get exercising, as my ankle is improving daily.
I now have only 900g to go to get under that damn 110kg mark!! I was only 200g away from it last year, and it just seems to be where I get stuck! It's a bummer that I won't make my 100kg mark by Christmas, but I am going to bust my bum to get as close as possible! It's not a race anyway, as I am in this for the long haul, for the rest of my life, so I happy plodding along.
We had a lovely weekend down Ocean Grove, and are heading back there again for this long weekend (Cup Day). Greg has to work Monday so will be driving back for that, but the kids have days off school & Kinder, so we will relax & hopefully there will be plenty of sunshine! The big challenge for me this week will be Tuesday - Melbourne Cup Day. We are coming home early from the caravan & having friends over for the day, so there will be lots of champers & food! I am determined to be good! God bless Yellowglen Jewel champagne - low calories & low alcohol! Have just bought 6 bottles of it from Coles!!!
Onwards & downwards (and hopefully downwards under 110kg next week!!!).

Enough is Enough!! Time to Get Serious!

A gain this week of 300g! I am thankful, because I expected the damage to be a lot worse. Let me confess to my sins.
On Sunday at Owen's Christening, I let myself be a little naughty with some Mars Bar Slice, chocolate cake & trifle, but I had planned for that, and so was okay about it. But on Monday my Mum dropped in left over trifle (what the hell was she thinking????) and of course, I ate it ALL! Then Tuesday I had some girlfriends over from work for a morning tea/lunch catch up. My intentions were good, as I prepared by making up a platter of breads, ham, cheese, low fat dips, tomato, cucumber, avocado, which I consumed along with the following:- mini sausage rolls, mini quiches, hot dogs, caesar salad, scones with butter, and banana cake. Not only did I eat all of that non stop all day, I ate it all night as well, and washed it down with wine!!!
Yesterday started badly by me having a coffee with another scone, but I felt so terrible I got up & put all the left overs in the bin, and was well behaved the rest of the day.
So, today is a new day, a new week & time to get serious. There is absolutely no way I can make my Christmas goal of getting under 100kg, as that would mean I need to lose 12kgs in 8 weeks. However, I can at least lose another 5-7kgs. AND I WILL DO IT!!!
I am going to get back on the treadmill this week, and ease myself into it, and track every morsel of food that enters my mouth! And this horrible photo below (taken last Sunday at the Christening), I am sticking to the wall infront of the treadmill, to remind me why I need to do this!
Onwards and downwards........

Week 16 - A Disappointing 500g Loss, But Total Overall 20kgs!

At my meeting this morning I had a loss of 500g. I was so extremely disappointed, which I don't understand, because I was so naughty on the weekend (chips, lollies, champers!), so I should be thankful it wasn't a gain! Our WW leader also reminded us all of what 500g is - a tub of margarine, and when you think of it like that, it makes it seem like a lot! I have to also remember it took me the last 3 weeks to gain 1.1kgs, so it might take just as long to lose it again!
AND I am know back to my 20kg goal. I was 131.9kgs when I started on WW, and I am now EXACTLY 20kgs less. Gotta be happy about that!
The leg is still rapidly improving. Saw the physio for the first time this morning (I have cancelled my last 2 appointments with him!) and it was extremely painful. I'll be seeing him twice a week now for the next month. I cannot wait until I get back on my treadmill!!
We have Owen's Christening this Sunday and we're having a BBQ with family & friends. I am going to start saving up my points now so I can have some little indulgences! Some dessert and of course, some champers!!!

Week 15 - Gain of 1.1kgs

Unfortunately I had a gain this week, which was disappointing, but I must admit I did let out a sigh of relief, as I thought it might have been more! I haven't tracked for over 2 weeks, and had MANY evening snacks and glasses of wine, so it was to be expected. In the past I probably would have given up now, disheartened by gaining, but now it just makes me all the more determined to keep on track. Going to work really hard at sticking to my points 100% this week, so I can have a really good loss & get things moving again. Only 10 or so weeks until Christmas, and I don't think I will make my goal of getting to 100kgs by then, but I am going to give it a bloody good try!!!! Onwards & downwards.......
My leg is still rapidly improving every day, so much so that I am shocked that it is just over 2 weeks since I had surgery! I have a feeling that things are really going to be great now that plate has been removed (fingers crossed). The following photos show one of the x-rays that were taken on the day of my surgery (before the front plate was removed), and also one of my puffy yukky ankle taken this morning... lovely (not!).

Week 14 - Still Recovering, No Weigh In

It's been a week & a half since the ankle surgery, and I think I am finally starting on the road to recovery. The last 2 days have been good ones, and I have been able to hobble around the house a lot less without crutches.
Last weekend was one of the worst couple of days I have had for a long while. I was in extreme pain & spent a lot of the time in tears, and when I wasn't in tears I was in bed sleeping ALL DAY LONG! Unfortunately I can't take any strong pain killers due to breastfeeding! The problem area was not the incision itself, but the area all around it to one side, which was where the bone nearly came through the skin originally at the time of the injury.

I was really angry at myself for having the surgery & putting myself & my family through the hassle of it all, but now that I have improved since then, I am thinking that hopefully there will be a light at the end of the tunnel, and my ankle may eventually improve & I may be able to some day in the future have ONE day where I don't feel any ankle pain at all!
I had an update with my doctor last Tuesday (a week after surgery). The nurse came in before him to change the dressing, and I nearly vomited from the pain of it, not to mention how the blood popped out of the incision! I was used to how my leg looked with my scar and was horrifed to see it all raw again! It was a terrible moment! When I explained the pain & stress of the past weekend to the doctor & how it was not the incision giving me the greatest pain, but the section of skin beside it, he explained that because they had to pull the flap of skin open to get to the ankle joint, it had obviously inflamed the areas that were previously a problem for me.
I am back at the physio next week to get the ankle moving. NOT looking forward to the pain of that at all. And I am also going to attend Weight Watcher NO MATTER WHAT as I am so off track when I am not accountable (especially with the wine & evening snacks), although I don't think I have gained anything (fingers crossed).

Sooooooooo, I have been at home over the school/Kinder holidays with the kids and have been housebound & unable to walk! Fortunately my Mum has been fantastic as always, and has had the kids overnight a few times, and has taken them out heaps. The kids have been great helps to me, especially helping with Owen, God bless them! I am not looking forward to next week when we are back into school, kinder, swimming lessons, ballet, etc!!! Greg has been the most wonderful husband - he has been working a full day at work, then coming home cooking dinner, bathing the kids, washing the dishes, then tidying up, as well as doing the groceries & any other running around that needs to be done. I am a very lucky woman to have such a wonderful man, and such beautiful, helpful kids!

By the way, Owen turned 4 months old on Thursday - Happy Birthday to him!!! He's just such an incredible little darling!

Below are photos of my poor ankle. The first one taken about 5 days after surgery, the next photo taken (by Paige, aged 4!) after a week & my dressing has been changed. The sorest spot of all is that little dark patch of skin that is visible (where the bone nearly came through when I had the car crash 2 years ago). That patch of skin has blistered and is extremely painful to touch!

Home From Ankle Surgery... Ouch!

Yesterday I had the long awaited surgery on my ankle to remove metal ware. It apparently went very well, and I was able to come home the same day at my request due to breastfeeding Owen. I was told I could feed him straight away after the surgery, so I thought I might as well come home & do that, rather than being up all night expressing at the hospital anyway. We now have a stockpile of breast milk in the freezer that wasn't needed after all!!!
The downside of my surgery was that I had an arthroscope (camera) to look at the damage in my ankle joint. The surgeon informed me that the cartilage in my ankle is very badly cracked, and unfortunately that is something that cannot be repaired, so it will give me terrible grief on the long term with severe arthritis. Of course that is something I did not want to hear, but I have to now concentrate on the short term and make the most of my recovery now & also look at ways I can prepare for what is to come in the future.
Last night's sleep was a terribly broken one, as I found it difficult to get comfortable with my leg elevated on a pillow & beanbag. I have to have rest for the next fortnight, and keep the leg up at all times. Today was a lot more painful, but I rested as much as possible.
Have had a couple of days of "comfort" eating - Thai green curry last night for dinner, McDonald's burger & chips for lunch today, and chocolate tonight in front of the TV. However, tomorrow I am back into it 100%.
Onwards & downwards .... with lots of rest....

Family Portraits

These are the black & white portraits we had taken a fortnight ago. I hate having photos taken (which is why you won't find me in many), but I was extremely happy with the way these three poses turned out. Aren't the kids gorgeous??

Week 12 - 10kgs Gone... Whoo Hoooo!!!

I am extremely happy to report a loss of 1.2kgs this week. I got myself back on track, resisted any temptation the hubby threw up at me, and without exercise I managed to crack my 10kg goal & receive my little star on my bookmark. I am over the moon. The official total since starting WW in April last year is 20.6kgs, so I am nearly back to the weight I was in November last year (which was my lightest on WW), when I was about 6 weeks pregnant.
After the horrible week last week, I was very disheartened with myself and thought there was no way of achieving my 20 week Christmas goal of reaching 100kgs, but I am happy to report I am only 300 grams off target!! YAY!!
I have just recovered from the flu, although I am still a bit stuffed up & phlegmy. And can you believe it is now only 5 sleeps now until my ankle surgery? Unfortunately I have started to loose sleep over it. I am just panicked at what an inconvenience it is going to be with me on crutches, and little things like how am I going to get Owen from his cot to the lounge room whilst trying to hop & hold a crutch in each arm? ARRGGHHH just don't want to think about it!!!
Speaking of my darling 15 week old baby, he is just a delight! We are very fortunate to have such a happy smiley & adorable little man in our family. Yes, we are all still besotted by him!!
Anyways, I am happy that I have been able to still have a loss even though I can't get on my beloved treadmill because my "good" foot is still sore & the physio still wants me to rest it. It will be a big test this week when I am in hospital, and then when I come home I will want "comfort" food (and probably lots of wine!!!). I will TRY and be strong!
Onwards & downwards, and here's to a new ankle with less metal in it!!!

A Horrible & Depressing Week 11

Have had the worst week on WW that I can remember since starting in April 2006. My bad ankle started playing up, and then my good foot got really painful with a condition called plantar fasciitis - an inflamation of the band of tissue that runs from the heel to the toes, common in women who have just had a baby, who are overweight, and who do walking or running as exercise! Yep, I'll tick those three boxes!!
So, for 3 days I was unable to even walk or wear shoes. I saw my physio twice & he taped the foot, but advised me exercise is out the window. This was not what I wanted to hear, especially 2 weeks before my ankle surgery and when I am travelling so well on the weight loss journey! And what I did I do - I overate, stopped the water intake, and stopped tracking my food completely.
I knew I was in for a gain (my home scales confirmed this!), so I didn't go to my meeting on Thursday. Sure, I had a physio appointment & the mother-in-law coming to visit, but I know I could have made it in time to at least get weighed (even if I had to miss the meeting), but I found all the reasons in the world not to go. And I can't begin to describe the guilt & disappointment I feel within myself. It's the first meeting I have EVER missed. I always make it a point to attend even if I expect a gain, because it gets me back on track again.
Anyway, I started afresh on Friday and have been struggling to keep within my points, but have finally got the "mojo" back. It's disappointing not being able to exercise, but if I can eat perfectly, then I should still be able to lose a little each week. I WILL DO IT!!!
Anyway, a great weekend foodwise for me, but unfortunately we've had a sick household with all 3 kids full up of colds. Have had baby Owen at the doctors today as he has a horrible cough, and I am sick with a runny nose & head pain as well. BUT I am still on track & guzzling down my water.
We have also bought a brand new PC, which is so very fast & makes everything more enjoyable. And I have started expressing milk to make sure the baby has enough milk when I have surgery next week - talk about leaving things to the last minute. I am going to have to express 1 - 2 feeds a day between now & then, and I am panicking about it! And don't want to even think about the surgery as I feel like vomiting when I do - the thought of having to go through all the pain & recovery again, as well as being on crutches is an absolute nightmare!
Anyways, I'm so happy within myself to be back on trackand I'm hoping this week that I have at least maintained my last weigh-in weight - I think it is a little too much to ask for a loss!!!
Onwards & downwards.....

Week 10 - 800g Loss, 9.1kgs Gone

Had a good loss of 800 grams this week. Extremely happy that I am only 900g away from my 10kg goal (which will be over 20kgs in total since starting WW in April 2006).
I have really battled this week to stay on track. I think I am just so exhausted and it would be easier to fall back into old habits, so I've really had to work at it. However, the results are proof in the pudding what exercise and a bit of will power can do!!
Not much else to report, except I desperately need SLEEP!!! And hopefully next week I will be celebrating receiving that extra star on my WW bookmark to show 10kgs gone.
Onwards and Downwards.....

20 Week Christmas Challenge

I have posted the spreadsheet for my Christmas challenge (to lose 16kgs in 20 weeks) in the sidebar to the right -->> and will update it weekly. So far I am 100g ahead of my target to reach 100kgs by Christmas. I have this spreadsheet printed out & stuck on the wall infront of the treadmill to spur me on!

Week 9 - Loss of 700g, Total 8.3kgs

Phew, had a loss today, which was such a shock! I weighed heavier on my home scales this morning than I did last week, so was expecting the worst, but ended up with a 700g loss. Extremely happy about it, and have now learnt my lesson in regards to weekend binges, and am not going to make that mistake again this week. Still on target for my "20 Weeks Until Christmas" goal. I just can't imagine how good it would feel to be under 100kgs... can't wait!!!

I've been working hard on the treadmill, and aim for at least an hour a day, although sometimes I can only manage 15 mins, due to either time restraints or ankle pain.

Only 1.7kgs from my 10kg loss mark, so aiming high this week! Onwards and downwards!!!

Some recent photos of the kids following...

Why Oh Why Are the Weekends So Hard???

We have just come home from our weekend down the coast at our caravan in Ocean Grove. I really struggled with spending time at the van last year when I was on Weight Watchers. The whole mindset we have around being there is relaxing, drinking and eating!
The weather this weekend was absolutely gorgeous (so much so that I had to put sunscreen on the kids!), but I was just out of control!!! I had a McDonald's burger for lunch yesterday, helped myself to handfuls of the kids' corn chips yesterday & then had a couple of glasses of wine last night to wash it all down. Today I had a huge lunch (although not a bad one), and then helped myself to more chips!!! I am so frustrated & disappointed in myself. AND I also did absolutely no exercise!
At Christmas time I usually spend about 4-6 weeks down there with the kids during the school holidays, so I am really going to have to set myself some boundaries & rules, and find a meeting nearby that I can attend to keep myself in control!!

Week 8 - Shock.... 600g Loss!!!!

Well, I am extremely happy as I have lost 600g this week. I have no idea how after the huge weekend I have had. It must be the hard work I put in over the following 3 days to make up for it. I am so pleased with myself, and am definitely on track for my goal to be at 100kgs by Christmas, which would mean a grand total loss of 32kgs since I started last year! My only concern at the moment is that my surgery may slow things up a bit since I won't be able to exercise, but we'll just have to wait & see.
I am also back on the green tea. I have missed it, and since it was part of my WW routine last year, I am getting back into it. Whenever I feel like I am hungry, I have a cup of green tea, which seems to cure the hunger.
Mum is currently on holidays, so wasn't at the meeting today. She'll be back in 4 weeks time (in time to help me out with the kids when I have my surgery), but she is doing heaps of walking to keep the weight down. Her only downfall when she is away is the alcohol intake - must be where I get it from!!!

I have been terrific with my exercise this week. I have made an effort every day (when my ankle can handle it). And foodwise (except on the weekend) I have been brilliant. Hubby has finally got his act together after weighing in last week at his heaviest, so although he is not 100% on track like he was last year, he is cutting back & I am sure it will make a difference in the long run.

Bubby Owen is great & thankfully my weightloss hasn't affected my milk supply at all. That is the one thing I am paranoid about, and why I am drinking loads of water - just to ensure nothing happens with it!
49kgs to go to goal, 14kgs to go until my goal at Christmas.... onwards & downwards.....

A picture of me from Last Christmas 2006 that I have just found on my parents' digital camera. I was pregnant here & weighed about 115kg, and thought I looked pretty good after losing about 20kgs. I am about this weight now, so the sight of this photo has definitely spurred me into action! YUK!

Expecting the Worst!

My home scales are showing a kilo gain, and it's all because I let loose on the weekend when we had friends over for dinner. It started when I was given a bottle of Domain Chandon by one of them.... oh dear! And then of course I had to try the fruit crumble (with cream & custard) for dessert. My Mexican dinner was all healthy, but I just ate too much of it! And then on Sunday the trend continued! I even had to have some more fruit crumble (with cream & custard again of course!!!!). Soooo, I am preparing myself for the worst at weigh in this week, but in the meantime I am in damage control & trying to minimise the gain as much as possible before then!
I have also received in the mail today the forms & information in regards to my surgery in 5 weeks time. I feel sick when thinking about it. I am just sooooo not looking forward to being on crutches again! I just pray this is the last surgery I will need, and hopefully I will be walking without a limp in the near future!
Onwards & downwards......

Week 7 - Another Kilo Gone

This week we had my Mum's 59th Surprise birthday party. It was a great day. We had a BBQ lunch, and I totally blew my points for the day on champagne, 2 slices of cheesecake, a piece of chocolate cake (although I made a low fat one) and party pies. I knew I was going to have to work hard all week to counteract it, so I made sure I exercised, and saved points throughout the week to balance it out. It obviously paid off with a loss of a kilo this week. I am extremely happy that I have lost 7kgs in 7 weeks!
As of last Monday, it was 20 weeks until Christmas. I have challenged myself to get to under 100kgs by then. That means I needed to lose just over 16kgs in 20 weeks, which is VERY doable. I have lost 2 kilos so far, which means just over 14kg in 18 weeks now - I am on a mission!!!

Week 6 - Loss of 1kg, Total 6kgs

Weighed in this morning with a loss of 1kg. Very happy to have a total of 6kgs done & dusted! Only 50.6kgs to go (OH MY GOD!).
This week I have been on the treadmill each & every day, and I finally worked myself up to 60 minutes yesterday!! Very proud of myself, although my ankle is a bit sore from it today.
Speaking of which, I went to see the Orthopaedic specialist today and I will be having surgery in approximately 4 weeks time to remove the plates from my leg! I am glad something is finally being done, but at the same time, I am panicked that I will be immobile and back on crutches again!! So I am madly trying to pick a date for the surgery, and organise babysitters, helpers for ferrying the kids to school/kinder, etc.
Another week ahead, and hopefully another kilo down the drain - onwards and downwards!!!

Week 5 - I've Found My Mojo!!!

I've had a brilliant week! It's all come back to me - counting points in my head; making wise food choices; wanting to exercise, etc. etc. And I feel so good because of it! My clothes are starting to feel looser! The treadmill is just wonderful - I cannot rave enough about it!!
I had a great loss of 1.7kgs this week which brought me to my 5kgs - and I received my bookmark. I am now only just over 3kgs from what I weighed when I fell pregnant, which I think is just brilliant!
My goals for this month of August are as follows:

• to get below 115kg


• to exercise for at least 15 minutes a day


• to track every morsel of food that enters my mouth

Another exciting thing this week is I have found Yellowglen Jewel champers, that is only 4.5 points for an ENTIRE bottle. I've sampled, and although not as nice as the original, it is a fantastic drop for a low joule alcoholic drink.

Week 4 - 900g Loss, Total 3.3kgs

I have worked really hard this week to make up for the 300g gain I had last week. I had one night where I had a points blow out with a couple of wines, and too many Snakatas, but I have exercised all week to combat that & stuck within my points every other day. When I weighed in today for a loss of 900g, I was really disappointed at first. I guess I am expecting to have big weight losses like I did when I started on WW last year. However, I have to drum it into my head that any loss is a good loss, and my body is still recovering from pregnancy and the caesarian, and I am also eating like a horse because of my breastfeeding. My body could also be adjusting to the shock of exercising after doing none for so long. So, I am going to be more leniant on myself. As long as I lose, then I should be happy!
For the last 2 weeks we haven't had home scales, which has been killing me. I like to weigh myself before my shower each morning so I can see how I am going, and if the scales are heading in the right direction. Fortunately today I exchanged my faulty scales for some new ones - YIPPEE!

Small Gain - Yippee!!

I had a small gain of 0.3kgs this week. Silly me had 2 large cappuccinos before weigh in, so that definitely could have equated to 300 grams!!! I am extremely happy because I ate & drank whatever I wanted to on Saturday, but then worked really hard all week to counteract it, and it has obviously paid off. If I keep it up this week, I am sure I will have a big loss. Still, I have lost 2.4kgs in three weeks whilst eating like a horse, which is an excellent effort!
The big catastrophe of the week was that our home scales broke! I hate not being able to weigh myself every morning and know where I am at. I was expecting a huge gain this week, which is why I wasn't caring that I had the coffees before weigh in, but if I had of been able to weigh myself this morning I would have seen that wasn't the case, and just restricted myself to my cereal for brekkie.
I have been making an effort to get on the treadmill every single day, even if it is only for 10 minutes. Unfortunately last night I was unable to due to the incredible pain in my ankle causing me to limp badly. It was the final straw and I have booked in to see the orthopaedic specialist to have the metal ware removed from my ankle ASAP. It is going to be extremely difficult being on crutches with a newborn, but I have to have it done, and the sooner the better!
Unfortunately the baby has been sick the last couple of days, and hubby has been home sick for 4 days now. I am exhausted due to the extremely broken sleeps I am having trying to comfort the baby, and am so very proud of myself for not turning to bad food for comfort, which is so easy to do when tired and stressed.
Here's hoping for a very good loss next week to make up for this week. Onwards & downwards!

Week 2 - Loss of 1.5kgs, Total 2.7kgs

I have really struggled this week. I just want to eat & eat & eat. And if anything "naughty" is in the house, then I will devour it! Luckily when I scour the cupboards and the fridge in search of something, there are only good options for me to chose from. I was not confident going to my meeting this morning, especially with 2 nights this week eating out (although I made good choices), but to my surprise I had a loss of 1.5kgs! I couldn't believe it! Obviously the breastfeeding is assisting my weightloss (and the reason for my increased appetite of course), but if this keeps up, then I am breastfeeding Owen until he is 18!!!!!
We were very lucky this week & were able to purchase $39 airfares to the Gold Coast!! So we are going back to Qld for 5 nights on December 1st, and we have booked the same gorgeous 2 storey penthouse apartment in Broadbeach. The kids are very excited, as they absolutely loved our trip to Qld last year, and they can't believe they will actually be flying in a plane this time (we drove to Qld last year). Owen will be 6 months old by then, so at a cute age to be taking to the pool & beach, etc.
I remember when we went to Qld in November last year, although I was still overweight, I felt great because I had lost 22kg. And I wasn't worried about getting in my bathers at the pool and the beach. This time, I want to be nearly at 100kgs (10kgs less than last year) - that's my goal anyway. Hopefully this time I won't be coming back from Qld and announcing I am pregnant like last year!!!
We are still continuing to plan out our dinners for every night of the week from all my Weight Watchers recipe books. We had some lovely ones in the last week - "Lemon Chicken & Couscous" from "The Ultimate Family Cookbook" and "Bombay Chicken with Spinach Rice" from "The Extremely Contented Tummy Cookbook".

Week 1 - Loss of 1.2kgs

Well, the first week is over, and unfortunately I am not finding it as easy as I have in the past. I am just so very hungry with breastfeeding! I have been making wise food choices though, and it has obviously worked - resulting in a 1.2kg loss this week. Our new treadmill is wonderful, and although I struggled with it initially due to my sore ankle, I am now up to 20 minute stints on it, and hopefully that will improve now that I am back to seeing my physio again (after having a 6 week break due to Owen's birth).
I have been sitting down every Sunday for the last 2 weeks and planning out the whole week's dinners by picking recipes from Weight Watchers Cook Books. It has just made life so much easier without having to pick my brain day to day deciding what to have for dinner, and we are eating such a huge variety of delicious dinners - it is wonderful and something I hope to continue.

The Beginning of Being Slim.... Again.....

Started back at Weight Watchers today, weighing in at 121.6kg. Was more than I had hoped for, but since I have been eating like a horse for the last couple of months, I expected to be 10kgs or so heavier than my last weigh in before Christmas last year. I weighed 113.1kg when I fell pregnant, so have gained a total of 8.5kgs.
My Mum has joined up with me, and she has a total of 12kgs to lose all up. I wish!! I have 56.6kgs to get to goal, which as previously said, I am going to do by Christmas 2008. WHOO HOOO!
Our new treadmill arrived last night & it is wonderful! Will start exercising on it tonight - no excuses not to exercise anymore!

Weight Watchers.... Take 2....

Baby Owen was born on Monday 4th June at 11.51am, and he is perfect in every way. See my BABY BLOG for details.


It has now been 3 weeks since his birth & today I have started back on Weight Watchers with my hubby. I will be going back to my meetings this Thursday for my official weigh in, so will update all my stats & figures then. I am extremely happy to be getting back into it!
We bought a treadmill on the weekend, which should be delivered early next week, so there will be no excuses not to exercise, rain, hail or shine! Because I am breastfeeding, I am on 32 points, which seems like a lot, but I am eating like a horse, so should have no problem consuming all the points anyway.
My first goal is 20kgs by Christmas! BRING IT ON!

My Two Precious Babies

Paige's Ballet Concert last December was "Alice in Wonderland" and all the littlies were "lollies" that danced around Alice in a couple of the scenes. I finally got around to getting the photos done and they arrived this week. Isn't she absolutely gorgeous?

Callum's first school photos arrived yesterday. He looks like such a big boy and so very handsome. I was disappointed he wasn't giving a big smile, as he has so many teeth missing, it would have been very cute. I just love this photo though.

I Am A Goose!!! and only 26 Sleeps til the Baby Arrives!

I was just having a look at the settings for this blog, and noticed I had 51 comments that I had not even noticed, that needed moderating and then publishing! I am a goose!!! For months people have been leaving comments & I didn't even realise!! ARRGGH!! Anyway, I have sorted them out & have now published them. Apologies to those who read my blog who thought I was being rude!!!!
I have also given into temptation and weighed myself this morning. I have officially put on 12.3kgs since falling pregnant! I'm a bit disappointed with it, but know I will lose it after the baby is born.
For some strange reason I have woken up this morning all gung-ho about WW and weight loss, and I am soooooo looking forward to counting points again & seeing my body shrink. I am not going to worry about it for the time being, as I am just eating what I feel like and when I feel like it, and plan on doing so until for another 26 days.

Taking a Break until Bubs is Born....

I am taking a break from this blog. I am stressing myself too much about my weight gain whilst pregnant, so am concentrating more on eating healthy (okay, with chocolate added in now & then), and what weight I gain I know I will lose when I return to my Weight Watchers Meetings when the baby is 6 weeks old. I am missing the meetings terribly - just the people & the support received there, so can't wait to get back into it. And at least I KNOW I can do it, as I was doing it easily before this little alien started growing inside me.
I am still updating my baby blog, so you can check out my pregnancy blog for my updates.
So, until I return in approx. 12 weeks time.... Adios!

Week 42 - I'm Sick... Boo Hoo for Me!!!

My weigh in days are on Thursdays, so on the scales I hopped yesterday, only to discover a gain of 1.8kgs. How this was possible I do not know - growth spurt of the baby? Scales misfunctioning? Fluid retention due to the hot weather & me consuming litres upon litres of water?? Anyway, weighed myself today (Friday) and it showed a loss of 200g (2kgs less than yesterday), which is a more realistic figure and the one I will be using, thank you very much!!!

Wednesday night at work I had the sneezes, and sure enough I woke up the next morning with a feeling in my throat like I was chewing razor blades, and sore sinuses. Hubby worked from home today and looked after Paige & did the school runs for Callum so I could stay in bed IN DAY! How it is possible to sleep ALL day & still need more sleep is something I don't understand. I am up just now for a shower, updating this blog & then heading back to bed. Managed to get to the Doc today who claims I have a sinus infection and gave me a prescription for some antibiotics that are safe during pregnancy. I have opted not to take them as I prefer to be drug free, just in case.

Forgot to mention that at my second ultrasound last week we found out we were having a boy! It wouldn't have really worried us what we were having, but at least now we can get a little bit prepared! I have already bought some little blue outfits, bibs, socks, etc - hopeless! I am really starting to look forward to having a little baby in the house again - the smell of the baby, the gorgeous little noises they make, the bond that you have when breastfeeding. Can't wait!! Only 15 more weeks to go!

Will get some fat tummy pics on here in the next week or so.

Onwards and downwards......

How Did It Get So Hard???

Reading back on my blog, I found weight loss with Weight Watchers so very, very easy. How did it recently become so hard?? I absolutely hate not having complete control over my body whilst pregnant!! Don't get me wrong, there is nothing more wonderful in the world than being pregnant & feeling a little one grow & move inside you, but it just drives me insane that I am having cravings I can't ignore or control!!!
Anyways, I lost 100g this week. I am thankful considering I gave into my chocolate cravings a few times, and have had a few wines as well (which I won't be doing anymore!). Will start the exercise regime ASAP to shift this extra 5kgs!
Onwards and downwards (slowly, slowly wins the race....)

Frustration & Disappointment....

Arrghhh, I put on 900g this week. I am so disappointed, as I tried really hard this week. I just can't seem to stop eating - it's like I have worms (and yes, I do realise that I have 22cm worm inside me!). I am back at the weight I was when I conceived in August - over 20 weeks ago!! It just fills me with dread to think I worked so hard to get all this weight off and now it just seems to be piling on so easily!!!
Oh well, today is a new day and I cannot let it get me down. I am looking forward to getting into a routine next week with the kids off to school/kinder and will start exercising!
So, my goal is now to get to 110kg before the baby is born - surely that is achievable!?
Anyways, following are pictures of the baby taken from my scan this week - first one is front of skull, second one is tiny foot. Not very clear, but cute anyhow.

Back On Track & Feeling Great!!!

Yesterday was the first day I tracked all my points properly and I even did a small amount of exercise by having a very small walk and doing a bit of gardening and cleaning. And it feels good today to know I am FINALLY back on track! The scales were even kind to me this morning, so I will work on it to ensure a loss on Thursday!
Going to try to go on another small walk today, and will get back on track next week with exercise when school & kinder start - only 7 sleeps to go!!!

Going Backwards!! Gain of 4.2kgs

I am absolutely devestated this morning. I have put on 4.2kgs in the last 5 weeks!!! Time to pull in the reins and get serious! I really wanted to maintain my weight of 110kgs throughout the pregnancy, or at least for the first 30 weeks, so I am bitterly disappointed.
I am going to get serious with my exercise plan once the kids are at school/Kinder. I am planning on exercising at least 5 days a week as follows:

Mondays - walk
Tuesdays - aqua aerobics
Wednesdays - walk or swim
Thursdays - aqua aerobics
Fridays - Rest day (or swim)
Saturdays - walk (or rest day)
Sundays - Rest day

Anyway, I am trying not to be too hard on myself (although that is difficult) cause I have to remember I have a growing baby in me!
Speaking of school/kinder, only 11 sleeps until Paige starts "big girl" Kinder and Callum starts Prep. I am having terrible dreams about Callum starting school - I keep dreaming I have forgotten to pack him lunch, or he is late on his first day at school with the wrong uniform on, etc. I will be glad when it is all over & we are in a routine.
Onwards and downwards (well at least 4kgs downwards!).

Home From My Month Long Holiday

We arrived home yesterday from our holidays and at first I was extremely happy to be home, but now I think I am dreading the thought of getting back into a routine, and Callum starts Prep in 2 weeks time! It's all going too quickly and the kids are growing up too fast!!!
I am now 21 weeks pregnant & my belly is growing too quickly - I feel enormous! I have my "official" weigh in this Thursday, but had a sneak weigh in this morning and have put on over 3kgs since the week before Christmas, which isn't too bad considering I have eaten what I have liked, not exercised, and hardly touched any water. Back on track today & counting points, so hopefully the damage won't be that bad by Thursday's weigh in.
My Mum started on WW a couple of weeks ago, and there are some changes to the program I am a bit confused about, so hopefully I will be able to work out what they are on the WW website.

Week 34 - Only 4 Sleeps to Christmas

It's been a while since I have updated my blog, so I thought I had better not be a slacko and get an entry done before I head off on holidays for a month after Christmas.
I am still not tracking my points!!! I do the sums in my head and make very wise food choices (I have gone crazy on apples and drinking water!), so I am happy with the way things are going. The last 2 weeks I have had small losses, but I am happy I am only 800g off my next goal of getting under 110kg.
I am now starting to feel much better with the pregnancy. Although I still have days of feeling sick and tired, most days I don't even remember I am pregnant - until I feel the baby kicking. I am now 16 weeks along, which has really flown. I honestly still think I am denial and don't really believe I am having another baby. I'm not sure when it will really sink in.
In 2 sleeps time Paige turns 4 - I can't believe my baby is such a big girl now. We have had a busy 2 weeks with ballet concerts, Kinder concerts, Kinder farewells and Christmas parties and birthday parties. The kids and I are heading down the coast to our caravan for a month after Christmas. Greg unfortunately has to work, so will be commuting back & forth now and then. I cannot wait for a month of no work & relaxation!!! Just have to watch the points and make sure I eat healthy!!! My biggest worry before I was pregnant was limiting my alcohol intake when on holidays, but at least I don't have to worry about that now that I can't drink!!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a great NEW YEAR!!

FINALLY Back on the Wagon!!!

At last week's weigh in, I put on 400g. I was quite happy with that considering I had consumed 2 bowls of cereal, a bread roll and a bottle of water before weigh in. However, not happy that the scales are heading in the wrong direction.
I have just felt so tired and sick with this pregnancy, that I can't be bothered with anything at the moment. However, Sunday night in bed I made a promise to myself that I would begin tracking again from the next morning. And I woke up feeling much more happier with myself due to the fact I knew I was going to be back on track again. I need to track to see how I am going, and I know when I was in Qld I felt lost without tracking (after doing it for 6 months), so I am looking forward to getting back into it.
Well, after only one day of tracking I feel fantastic! I feel in control and am back to making wise food choices when thinking about how many points something is.
I was going to start my exercise regime this morning with aqua aerobics, but unfortunately yesterday I pulled a muscle in my bad ankle and could hardly walk! Visited the physio this morning, so it is much better, but am going to spend the morning icing it rather than working it.
I can't believe it is only 20 sleeps until Christmas! And only 18 sleeps until my baby girl turns 4 year old!!! Where did the year go??? It's good to know I am over 20 kilos lighter than I was last Christmas!

Week 30 - Welcome Back to Plateau Weight

Weelllllllll, I had a gain of 900 grams this week and am very disappointed in myself. I am back to the weight I was during my big plateau. But really, I should be thankful that it wasn't worse! Reasons I gained this week are:-

• I didn't track my points at all
• I didn't exercise at all (except for one small walk!)
• ate takeaway Indian (including the worst dish - Butter chicken) on Sat night
• ate takeaway pizza & pasta last night
• ate the biggest piece of cheesecake Sunday afternoon
• ate bowls of icecream nearly every night of the week
• ate a box of chocolate scorched almonds on Tuesday
• ate a couple of mini sized Mars Bars, Kit Kats and chocolate biscuits

The good things I did this week (and there was only ONE):-

• Drank lots of water!

Unfortunately my hubby has lost the plot also since our trip to Qld and has gained a significent amount. But we have both agreed to get back on trap and stop the nonsense!

In regards to the pregnancy, thankfully I am starting to feel less nausea. However the tiredness hasn't yet eased up and I am absolutely exhausted, especially with my 11pm finishes at work.

Week 29 - Loss of 1.7kgs WHOO HOOO!!

Had a brilliant loss this week, which I am absolutely stoked about. I was really hoping to get under 110kg this week, but I have to be thankful for the huge amount I lost, and I'll lose that measly 200g next week to hit that goal.
Unfortunately I haven't started exercising again since our Qld holiday, so I will try & do some this week. I just feel so "blah" with the morning sickness (or I should say 'all day' sickness) and am exhausted beyond belief, especially since I have started working until 11pm at night!
AND I didn't track this week. I tried to do it all mentally in my head, and was worried it would backfire for me, but obviously I am doing it right! However, I will get back to tracking, as I know I am stricter on myself when I have everything written down.

Week 28 - The Result from My 2 Week Qld Holiday!

I had a gain of 900 grams today! Absolutely devestated, but I can't expect to eat & drink what I want for 13 days and not gain anything. So really, I should be thankful it was under a kilo!
Feeling like crap with the morning sickness, so it is taking all my willpower to stay in control, but I am, which is a huge achievement! I am desperate to reach my next goal of getting under 110kg, so am going to work hard to get there in the next few weeks.
Once again, onwards and downwards!

The Explanation Behind My Plateau...

I'm pregnant! Yep, very unplanned and unexpected, but I am between 7-10 weeks gone. Will visit my Doctor later in the week and will probably need an ultrasound to confirm the exact due date.
The kids are over the moon, hubby is in denial, and I am still in shock!

I'm Baaaaacccckkkkkkk!!!

Well, back from our holiday to Queensland. And what a blast we had. Exhausting, but fun! And I had the best intentions of staying on track with WW whilst away, but after the first day it all went out the window! It was just too hard to keep track of points without my online tracker (never realised how much I rely on it!). So, unfortunately I just ate and drank what I wanted, although I tried not to go too overboard! I know for sure I consumed more than triple my sugar points per week in alcohol alone!
Fortunately we had heaps of exercise, with all the walking around the theme parks (Movieworld, Seaworld - twice, and Wet'n'Wild) and all the swimming & frolicking in the pool. The first week I attempted to get to a meeting in Port Macquarie, NSW, and when I turned up at the hall it was supposed to be in, there was no one there! I later found out they had changed the night of the meeting only the week before!!!
The second week I got lost on my way to a meeting on the Gold Coast, but eventually arrived and weighed in with a loss of 100 grams! To say I was stunned was an understatement!
However, home now and back on track!!!
Following is a picture of the kids on our first trip to Seaworld (we went twice!).

On Holidays Until 6th November!

GOLD COAST HERE WE COME!!!!

Week 25 - The Dreaded Plateau!!!

Weighed in this morning at my meeting and I am exactly the same as I have been the last 2 weeks at 111.1kg! I think it is incredibly strange I am EXACTLY the same and not even 100g more or 100g less. I have definitely hit the dreaded plateau everyone talks about!
Sooooo, what am I going to do to get things moving again, especially since I am on holidays in a week's time? I have read up on "No Count" today & honestly cannot see it working for me. I might try & see if I can bust this plateau with an increase of exercise and changing some things in the way that I eat and if all else fails, then I will jump on the "No Count" wagon. No alcohol for this week (I am on Day 4 of my No Alcohol Challenge!!!) might help to get the scales moving as well!
I was paid the nicest compliment today. I was chatting to one of the mothers at my son's Kinder who I haven't talked to before (besides saying hello) and after 5 or so minutes she said "I meant to tell you a few weeks ago that you are looking really great. You've lost a heap of weight, haven't you?". I was absolutely over the moon. It was so nice to hear it from someone who had no idea I was on Weight Watchers! Well, she knows now - I cannot help but sing the praises of WW and how it is not a diet, but a healthy eating lifestyle.
6 sleeps to go until our Qld holiday - WE CANNOT WAIT!!!

ARRGGGHHH Struggling......

Yes, TTOM is coming up & I have been a ball of grumpiness. Hubby seems to be slackening off a bit with Weight Watchers, and unfortunately he is leading me astray in the process. Why is it so hard to say NO when he asks if I would like a glass of wine? Fortunately I haven't been too bad, but just over my points, and due to the lack of exercise in the last week and a half, the scales are not being nice.
However, today is a new day & I am determined to get back to my old self (the one hubby calls the "Weight Watchers Nazi"). I really need to pull in the ropes before our holiday in 9 sleeps time, or all my hard work will be wasted. AND I really want to get as close to 100kgs as I can by Christmas/New Year.
A couple of challenges I am in -

• Kitty's 10kg New Year Challenge
• Bec's Commitment to NOT touch Alcohol - I am doing this until we leave for holidays (starting from today!!). Surely I can go 9 days without booze?? Can't I??????

Week 24 - Stayed the Same 111.1kgs

Absolutely over the moon as I stayed the same today - 111.1kgs! I was really expecting to put on due to constipation over the last 4 days, and was so stoked to weigh in the same! I am sure I am going to have a good loss this week and reach my goal of being under 110kg. I'll just have to keep off the pain medication to get my bowels back to normal!
It's going to be 33 degrees in Melbourne today! Unfortunately too windy so a yukky day! 13 Sleeps until we leave on our holiday - whoo hoooo!!!

A Painful Week

This week has unfortunately been a bad one pain wise. My shin has been playing up terribly, so much so that I ended up at the RMH Emergency Dept on Saturday night to get something done. However, after waiting 5 hours to be seen, I decided to go home and "self medicate" with lots of alcohol. I saw my GP on Tuesday, who believes I have an infection and am currently on a course of antibiotics, and I also had some xrays done for my Othopedic Specialist appointment on Friday morning.
So, due to my bad week, the alcohol content of the week has been rather high, and the exercise level has been low. In fact, the only exercise I had was 10 minutes of aqua aerobics which I had to stop due to the severity of the pain in my shin! Otherwise, I have been good on the food side, and have been tracking religiously still. However, not confident for my weigh in tomorrow at all. Oh well......

Week 23 - Loss of 800 grams

Weighed in this morning with a loss of 800 grams! I was a wee bit worried due to all the eating and drinking I had done on the weekend, although I did track everything that passed my lips, and saved points during the week to make up for it.
I must say that I absolutely love the online tracker - it takes all the hard and tedious work out of tracking, and carries over the bonus points for exercise, and any saved points, etc.
Unfortunately my shin is still playing up this week and causing me a lot of grief. I have been unable to do much exercise without great pain. I saw my Doctor this morning for a referral to an orthopedic Specialist, as I am sick of getting the runaround from the public hospital system. Every surgeon I have seen has given me a different opinion as to whether I need further surgery to remove the plates and pins, etc etc.
In other news, my parents have bought a new house this week!!! They have decided to sell and move closer to us kids as they currently live about a 50min drive away on a 1/4 acre block, and since they have retired and are away alot with their caravan, they wanted somewhere lower in maintenance. I am so very excited that I will be able to call in and have a cuppa with my Mum at any time, instead of it being a big excursion out to see them!!!
I had Callum (my 5yo son) take some pictures of me this afternoon at 111.1kgs. He didn't do a bad job at all.