Off Topic? - Not this time!

I seem to say so much in a blog post that by the end of it there are soooo many different topics going on that I am not even sure what the post was supposed to be about!

Do you ever have that?

This week I am sticking to topic, and the topic is... #MyBlackmores!

It's been a week since the token almost nude 'Before' shot... and I promised I would up date with results, well I didn't update THAT post with results... But I did weigh and measure in on Monday, after a week on the program and I had lost 1.2kg and about 20cm's... Now I say Had because on Monday that was my loss... it may be less, but is hopefully more, by now!

20cm's is an 'about' simply because at the time of initial measurements I had to under take the 'string and ruler' technique and on Monday I found my sewing tape to measure off properly, so I am allowing for variation due to mis-measuring the first time!

I am THRILLED with my result, even more thrilled at the fact that I did a 20 minute interval work out on the treadmill the other day, between walking (5km/h) and jogging (7km/h) I covered 1.83km's in that 20 minutes and it was only in the last minute of running that my ankle started to ache and hurt a little! Huge improvement and HUGE deal for me regarding ability to exercise, gain fitness and lose weight!

I have booked myself in to a 'walk date' this weekend and I will be walking between 6 and 13 km's depending how we all pull up at the half way point!

So back to my experience on the program.

I find having a Menu Plan, Exercise Plan and Diary really helpful.  Although, I haven't actually used any of the recipes yet, a bunch of people in the #opmovesomekilos group have and claim they are somewhat delicious.  I have found it a helpful way to establish a base for portion control.  Such as eating a 150g NOT 300g of Steak for dinner!
It has given me some idea on different varieties of foods to consider, especially when it comes to breakfasts and lunches, which I always struggle to spend a little time preparing because I don't want to think about it!
The exercise plan I have sign on for gives me 3 rest days a week, I expect that I will add exercise to those days as I get further on but for the moment I am happy.  It gives me some variety and a combination of strength, toning and cardio workouts.
The diary is by far the best part.  You record what you eat and the exercise you do and it gives you a breakdown of calories and even a breakdown of key minerals and vitamins so you can see at a glance where you can improve on your diet and exercise. 

I do have some issues, as the type of person who cooks with a 'in the fridge? Use it' motto, I don't tend to follow recipes a lot, which means inputting all of my meals by individual ingredients, and while that is possible and you can save 'combo's' for ease of adding them (eg. the way you take your coffee/tea) When you cook like I do, you never have 2 meals that are remotely similar in the makeup.  So I am forever changing ingredients from one thing to another and I don't want to have to weigh 8 different ingredients before I start cooking a meal just so I know I am not going too far over my intake... In addition to that, When I do weigh it all up and add it, it is recorded as 1 serve, with no option to change the food you input to a dinner for 4 or 6 or a recipe for muesli bars into 24 individual bars.  Which means working out how much you ate ie. 0.04 of the recipe (muesli bars) as your actual intake, rather than just 1 serve... (I do hope that makes sense)
So there is a whole lot of math in there that I just can't don't want, to do!

I have been doing it to date, because well... I need to keep up with it until I am confident in my ability to not 'over serve' myself.
I have been under or on target for Calorie intake on all but 1 of my days so far, and I am not feeling hungry or like I am missing out, I have cut back from 2 sugars in my hot drinks to 1/2 a sugar because I have a better diet I can taste the minimal sugar in my drinks and I find it sickeningly sweet to eat even a small amount of chocolate now. 
With July coming up FAST, I am even more aware because it happens to be the families big 'birthday' month with 6 birthdays in my close family this month, I can see I am going to need to pick up on the exercise pace to cover all those birthday cakes and desserts!

If you have any great dessert recipes that are low sugar/carbs please share!
I would love to add some desserts into my menu!

As promised... here I am, in my undies!

So on Monday I officially started doing the My Blackmores Program, along with a bunch of other gorgeous women from OperationMOVE, which I have been really slack with this year!

You can check out who is taking part and all the relevant social media info for them over at Kate Says Stuff. It is with HUGE thanks to Blackmores and Kate, for giving me a free 3 month membership.  They offer you a free 14 day trial if you are interested, or you can try you hand at WINNING a full 3 month membership over at The Shake thanks to Kate and Blackmores again!

As per my promise on various social media on Monday, I am here to share my token 'before' photo... in my underwear!  Look away now if you are about to eat or drink ANYTHING! Bahaha

Weighing in at 103.8kg (sorry about the cracked mirror)

I weigh in on Mondays and will update here with my new weight then, hopefully I will see some pretty awesome changes over the next 12 weeks!

I am currently doing the Weightloss program with an intermediate walk and tone exercise combination. 

What it has shown me so far is that if I eat regular healthy meals, I don't feel hungry and I eat better.  I don't snack on junk because I am more aware and I never leave it until I am REALLY hungry and just grab that sugar packed snack because it is easy!

The exercise program requires little or no equipment and I can do most things in my home, or around it!  I do have a treadmill and though my program tells me to walk outside as a SAHM to a 4 year old 5 days a week, it is hard to get a brisk 30 minute walk in at all let alone outside!  Also my Ankle injury is still healing and walking on uneven bush surfaces will not work well with it!

So far I am happy, the program has made me more aware of what, when and how I eat.
And although I knew I wasn't eating well before, this has given me the kick I needed to really focus on getting on track.  My overall goal is to be a healthier version of myself.  I will be losing weight as part of that journey because I have some health issues that can be *helped* by losing weight (PCOS)
I will also be gaining fitness, and increasing my energy and motivation. 
I have an ideal goal weight of around 70kg's, however, if I make it to 75/80/85 and feel happy with where I am I will try and maintain what feels right for me. 
Given that I was around 80kg and a size 12-14 when I left high school almost 15 years ago, as a relatively healthy teenager.  I think I might be happy with that!

Feel free to comment with any words of support :p

I understand that my before photo probably isn't what a lot of people will find attractive, but you need to know I love who I am, I am not ashamed of it and I am proud of what this body has achieved for me to this point in my life! 
On to *smaller*? and better things...

Love, Laughter and Happiness
Katie

Single Parenting 101...

I don't presume to have any of this worked out after all I am a married woman who, thankfully, doesn't have to single parent 24/7, or even 24/6 or 5, 4, 3... you get the picture!

My husband leaves home between 7.30 and 8am, and gets home between 5 and 5.30 most week nights and doesn't work on the weekends.

What right do I have at claiming any knowledge of single parenting?

Well last night my hubby was at a friends house, he left the house at a regular time before I was out of bed, as I have sick children who didn't attend school...  he is expected home... well he isn't.  He will get here when he gets here.
Before the kids go to bed? after? Who knows but going by experience it will be after I am in bed also.

To get on the track of my daily journey...

1.  Do get up and make breakfast INSTANTLY the moment your child asks... dire meltdowns are likely to ensue if you do not!

2.  Do not single parent while suffering menstrual cramps and depressive downers... it will only make you feel worse!

3.  Do spend all day laying on the couch and encouraging your child/ren to play computers/TV's/Playstations/Tablets... in the hopes they leave you in peace and quiet for 2 minutes!

4.  Don't get any quiet because they constantly fight even though there are plenty of those items to go around!

5.  Do feed and water said children regularly

6.  Don't feed them the only food you have in the house... it is bound to be WRONG and tantrums be encountered!

7.  Do search the entire house for the only cup the 4yo will drink out of.

8.  Don't tell her to find it, it only causes tantrums even though she was the last one to use it and the only one to have any inkling as to where it might be now!

9.  Do be absolutely filled with gratitude when hubby gets home much earlier than expected and takes charge of the bedtime routine.

10. Don't get so absorbed in watching TV shows until way later than you should have gone to bed... when you get up the next morning you start to re-live the entire mess!


I am envious of the people out there who do this alone.
Envious of your strength, courage, conviction and perseverance.

Certainly not envious of the job you do day in and out, as I realise all to well just how easily I have it compared to others!

Do you have a Single Parenting 101 tip?

Please add to my list. 
10 does not equal 101... and adding a second party to number 9 sort of cancels out the single parenting factor!

Thankful Thursday - Time to Blog

Things have been a bit manic here these past couple of weeks.

First there was ensuring preparation for Easter, then there was preparing for a wedding, then there was sick children, GP visits and complete madness!

I had a great day with the Easter preparation, hubby and I went shopping with a good friend and got him all sorted for his first Easter with his daughter.  She is 7/8 and has been spending every other weekend with him since she was old enough to be away from her mum, but he had never had her over the entire Easter weekend before!  It was a great day shopping, laughing, enjoying company and spoiling a friend in need.

I am thankful for friends, for being in the position to help friends, and for being the type of person who will help friends when needed!

The WEDDING, oh, the wedding!

How wonderfully special are Weddings?  So much joy and love and emotion!

I had everything ready except my own clothes! So I had a brilliant Idea to make myself some new pants on the morning of the wedding!  It pushed the timing and the organising to the MAX but I pulled it off, without a hitch and all dressed in new pants, we are all in the car and on our way.  We stop to buy some tissues and lunch about 30 minutes from home, with 15 minutes still to reach the venue, when I suddenly had a sinking feeling that I hadn't put the children's clothes in car!  They are the flower girls and ring bearer... I had spent hours making some gorgeous dresses for the girls and a vest and bow-tie for the little man... and I had left them all at home! We had an hour before 'start time' and WAY more than an hours travel time to get the clothes and get to the venue...
WTF am I going to do? How did this happen? ARRRGGGGHHHH!

So we continued to the venue all the while making phone call after phone call that went straight to message bank! 
In the end I rang my grandmother, who drove to my house, broke in, got the clothes and then drove to meet my husband, who I had decided had to be the driver to collect the clothes because I was an absolute mess, and there was NO WAY, I could drive that distance safely and make good time!

I am thankful for,  understanding and helpful people:
My Nan - for almost killing herself to break into my house and deliver the clothes to my husband
My Hubby - for driving the most awesome time, safely, to fix my fuck up and safe his sister's wedding, from ME!
The Photographer - for keeping the Bride constantly in the loop and holding her departure off until my hubby got back with the clothes!
The Bride - for being understanding and absolutely amazing.
The Groom - for the same reasons... shit could have gone so wrong!

The Guests - who seemed to be very accepting of the delay.

The weather that started raining on us all at the time the ceremony *should* have happened, but broke shortly before the clothes arrived for my children.

My Children for being absolutely gorgeous and so very well behaved, especially given the sicknesses they had just recovered from!

Is that enough Thanks?

I am also thankful to have a new brother in law (although really he has been for a while in my eyes)
I am thankful I have the knowledge and skills to create clothes for my children.
I am thankful that people had faith that I could do it, and that my mistakes are seen as just part of the drama that goes with a wedding!

I am thankful for not completely losing my shit until we arrived home late that night.

and Because it is Thankful Thursday I am Thankful for Leigh at Six by the Bay for allowing the link up!

If I manage 12 posts this year it will be a miracle!

You know the one where you have been sooo busy, but have really done nothing?

Yup that one!

Maybe it is just that I haven't been able to come up with anything to blog about, in what? Over a month!!!

So lets try...
The one where you know it is going to rain, you know your roof is a bit of a sieve, and you still manage to not get to all the leaky bits BEFORE they leak...

How about...
The one where you totes know how fricken awesome you are, but the world just isn't turning on your terms!

Or...
The one where you are part of this fantastic bloggy fitness connection #operationMOVE, and you sprain your ankle playing your first game of Netball in FOREVER and can't walk for 3 weeks!

Then...
That one where you realise you said YES to doing something wonderful and awesome and magnificent for your equally, awesome and magnificent SIL, and less than 2 weeks before it is needed it still isn't finished?

and don't forget...
The one where you KNOW it is going to rain, you are completely out of clean clothes and you still work on that SIL thing and don't get any washing done on what promises to be the last nice clothes drying day for about a week... yes, YES... That was yesterday!

But then there is...
The one where your heating is by wood heater and you have no firewood to speak of and you really just keep putting off making the phone call to BUY it because there is 15 ACRES of bush out there god damn it!


It is THANKFUL THURSDAY over at Six by the Bay so I am playing linky,
and I am thankful for the cool, wet change we are experiencing, because we need it and I am over the Summer Heat, yes even in TASMANIA!!!  :D