Green Thumbs

After months...hang on make that years of crying "I want a vegie patch" "I'm sick of paying too much for food we throw out" my lovely husband to be planted me a vegie garden!

We have tomatoes, snow peas, lettuce, zucchini, baby carrots, beetroot and (if they survive) eggplant.

This piccies were taken a week or so ago and everything has grown heaps since then and yesterday we started a second bed with brocolli and a heap of herbs!

I can't wait to start harvesting!

The Longest Journey in WW History

Sometimes, especially on days like today, I feel like my weight loss journey must be the longest in weight watchers history! It has taken me since February 2010 to lose 12.1 kilos! i can't help but think that I should be down at least 20 kilos more than this.

Yeah you guessed it - I gained again! A kilo this time.

I know that I didn't exercise enough - that was weather driven, but I need to get over that and find some alternatives!  I know that I drank too much alcohol and ate too much crap, actually I ate too much in general.

Sometimes I think that I don't take this commitment to myself seriously enough, that I get too caught up in a moment or evening and stop thinking about what is going into my mouth.

Don't get me wrong I'm not down on myself, I'm still pretty proud of what I have achieved thus far and I do feel good.

I need to refocus again - set some new goals - health and otherwise.  I need some encouragement and most of all I just need to get back to basics.  Write my menu plan in advance each week, keep up the running and kick this 15 kilo goal in the butt!!

But most of all I have to keep believing that I am bloody well worth it!!

Image from - http://www.freeimages.co.uk/galleries/backdrops/moods_emotions/slides/long_road_journeyP1011607.htm

Weigh In Update

Well I gained .1 today.

I have to say I'm a teeny bit disppointed but not at all surprised. I knew that it was going to be tough to get a loss this week as there was probably some residual gain from my holiday eating.

For the most part I did work hard to stay on track but had an over indulge last night at a new Greek restaurant we have discovered and it wasn't so much the food but the alcohol that I had with it.

For those Brisbanites or people visiting and looking for a cheap, healthy option check out Little Greek Taverna at West End. My favorite was the Greek salad, but it is all excellent!!

I really want to get back on my losing streak so this week I am going to concentrate on:

1. Sticking to points and I'm actually going to aim points under my allowance!
2. Walk every morning - any evening exercise is a bonus
3. Restarting my Think Slim transformational keys

I hope everyone else has a successful week and I look forward to reporting a loss next week!

PPS - the photo is from our NZ trip - I just really like it x

I Ate Cake

I Ate Cake!

It Gave Me a Tummy Ache!

It was so Soft and Creamy!

Altogether Dreamy!

And Now My Butt I Have to Shake!!

Eye of the Tiger!

I feel like Rocky tonight!

Because tonight I fought some major demons.

You know the ones...

Like the one that tell you not to go for a walk, to go straight home and worry about it tomorrow!  The other one was trying to tell me not to worry about cooking dinner tonight, it's Friday, you're supposed to have takeaway!

BACK OFF!!

I said and went for one of my best ever walks....oh and by the way, slipped a wee bit of running too!

BACK OFF!!

I said again and cooked up chicken and vegies instead of piling up on fish and chips.

At the shops another Demon tried it on..."mmmm should get some chocolate for dessert its 3 bars for $5 - cheap as". You know what....I walked away with my chicken and cat food and had the loveliest dinner, I feel deliciously sleepy  from my run/walk and rather chuffed with myself and the decision I made tonight!!

I'm just a girl and her will to survive!!

Friday Foughts (Thoughts)!!

I really like this guy...Craig Harper!! I don't often comment on his blogs but I always read them and goddammit he always makes sense.

Have a read of his post today...Craig Harper....I have fallen into this trap a few times, couldn't exercise without my ipod, fancy food and supplements etc, but now I just try to keep it simple.  I get my protein from natural sources, I walk and move as much as I can and I've cancelled my dusty gym  membership.

I like him because he's an Aussie and he speaks with that Aussie no bullshit approach.  I think he genuinely cares about improving the lives of others.

I'm not big into seminars and alike, but I am keen to do one of his if he comes to Bris Vegas!

Have a read and let me know what you think about getting back to basics!

.8 is Great!!!

Weigh in last night and was really chuffed with a loss of .8!  Even more chuffed because for the last couple of weeks I have been weighing in on Saturdays, so technically it was only 5 days in between weigh-ins! Could I have lost another 200g in 2 days and make it a nice round kilo - who cares!

I made a couple of changes this week, taking raw vegies and boiled eggs to work for snacking on - I definitely feel fuller and the "need" for processed foods in lessening!

We are going to NZ in 7-8 weeks for my Grandma's 90th! I'm a bit excited about seeing all my relatives again, its going to be a bit of a reunion and a heap of us from Oz are going. Best of all its given me an event to use as motivation - My goal is to be under 100 kilos by then! So stay tuned for the next exciting chapter as my fat suit shrinks!!

PS - Do you have any good breakfast ideas? They need to be easy and transportable - I tend to stick to vegemite on toast and think I need to add some nutrients in to start the day

Living for The Weekend

I had one of the best weekend's ever, this weekend just gone!

My lovely boyfirend and I finally got to spend a whole weekend together!  We packed our bags and headed to the Ekka - the Brisbane Exhibition or annual show/fair for those not local to Queensland!

We had a total blast - well I did! I didn't eat very much junk - 1 Dagwood Dog and 1 ice-cream and boy did we walk. Both of us had sore legs yesterday!  Yesterday we took future mother-in-law for Yum Cha and wine in the sun by the river!

It was just awesome to spend some time together!!

Me and A Lovely Llama

Lovely Boyfriend and Beer

Ekka View

Spare a thought for this boy -1332 kilos!!

Kids!

Check out my Ticker and Tips!

Hi Guys, I had a happy result this week with a 300 gram loss...only 100g shy of 400 I needed to get to my 10 kilos. But it has made me even more determined to keep an eye on what goes in my mouth and what exercise I do during this coming week!

A couple of tips I've used this week (although I must say I haven't kept 100% on track with a few vino's slipping in!) have been:

• Telling myself I know what the birthday cake in the office tastes like so I don't have to eat any
• Having a glass of wine and then filling the glass with water, strangely it feels like I'm still drinking wine
• Drinking Hot Chocolate with skim milk instead of dessert

Anyway better run, hooked on Trial and Retribution at the moment! Will post some piccies over the weekend!

My Focus

Hi Everyone,

Monday morning is here and I thought that I'd quickly put my goals and focus for this week into cyberspace before I start work.

My focus is to lose at least 400g to take me to the the 10 kg mark.

I am in no way expecting a loss a big as last week's 3 kg (I just had top say it again) but I am determined to not gain any of it back.

My menu plan is set at 21 points per day, saving 2 each day for wiggle room (you know, in case I need a little extra).

As for exercise, I didn't do any except for housework and ironing (Diminishing Lucy you read right - I've taken a leaf out of your book after reading how nice and easier it is to do it all at once) over the weekend. But am getting myself into gear as of today.  See list to the right!

Love to you all xx

PS - I watched "My Life in Ruins" yesterday (while ironing) - great feel good flick!! Highly recommend it!

My Savoury Muffins

A few weeks ago I posted this pic of the yummy 2 point muffins that I made and have continued to make for the last couple of weekends.  Some of you asked for the recipe and I apologise for being slack, but I proise to make up for it now with it here:

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups of flour

110g 97% fat free sundried tomatoes

250g bacon bits (real ones, not the freeze dried crap)

1 zucchini - grated

120g feta

1 medium onion - diced

Wet Ingredients:

3/4c low fat milk

1 egg

1/4c fruit chutney or 3/4 crushed pineapple

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celcius.

Sift flour into large bowl and add all dry ingredients - mix well.

In a small bowl or jug combine wet ingredients.

Create a well in dry ingredients and slowly add wet mixture while stirring, make sure wet mixture picks up all dry ingredients.

Spoon into a greased muffin tray and bake for approx. 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Bon appetit!

Feeling Alright - Uh Ah!

Tomorrow is weigh in day and I have to say I am feeling quietly confident and do you want to know why?

Because I have been doing everything right!

I've stuck to my exercise plan - and actually snuck in a bit more during lunch breaks and by doing some extra housework (crazy I know!)

I've stuck to my points for the week - actually I've gone slightly less with 22 out of 24 - to leave myself some wiggle room in case I need it!

I've planned ahead and not snuck anything extra in!

Best and hardest of all - I've not even had one sip of alcohol! (How long can it last?)

Weight loss gods - I'm in your hands now!!

PS - people are starting to notice ;-)

Sunday in Pictures

It was a glorious winter's day here in Brisbane today and I had to get out and amongst it. I have a feeling I'll be working late tomorrow and won't get my walk in so thought I'd go for a ride today. The tyres on my bike are flat so I took lovely boyfriend's out on the Moretan Bay Cycleway! Look out pedestrians!

Here are some shots of the great views!

I had to tackle this narrow bridge!! I was a bit wobbly let me tell you!

I got home and could snack on the delicious muffins I made this morning - only 2 points each!!

Sh*t

Sh*t! I feel like SH*T!

I have eaten way too much tonight. Work social function and I just went out of control!

I can hardly move and I want to throw up!

F*ck! Sh*t! What happened to everything I have learned!  Now I'm really sh*tting myself before weigh in tomorrow!

Why can't I be more like my weight loss heroes - Lucy, Deb, Trisha and Lindsay!!

Friday On My Mind

Well actually it's here already and I'm snuggled up on my ownsome and thought it would be a good time to reflect on my week and let you in on some future planning!

Health wise - a good week, just middle of the road good. I exercise 4 times, walking - 2 x 50 minutes walk, 1 x 20 minute walk and 1 x30 minute walk.  I feel in the swing of that now and am planning to do a Yoga or Pilates class over the weekend.  As for eating - ok, couple of days over points, nothing too major and I lost .2 kgs. I've really boosted my vegie intake, I just love wine too much!

Mindset - I've noticed a definite change in the way I'm thinking about food, particularly cravings. Every morning this week, I've craved (I use the term lightly) a big huge fat savoury muffin and on the way to work I argue with myself - but the side that says "you can't eat anything you don't know the points value for" wins, it also comes up with such pearls like "it could be 20 points and that almost all your points for the day", "how much walking will I have to do to walk it off", "the food I have with me will be much more filling", "you didn't say no to cake yesterday to ruin it all today"!!

Uni - got results back from 2 assignments I submitted before Easter and got 89/100 for one and 94.5/100 for the other - needless to say - I AM STOKED!!

Work - Good week, been given the ok to take on some more responsibility and work a bit more autonomously - to fill you in - I have been working in a newly created role for the last 6 months, there is stacks to learn and we've been waiting to see what shape it would take.

Love - my man is a gem, has cooked healthy dinners for me all week and told me he wants to take me on  an overseas trip this year! Yippee!!

Future - we are looking at buying our own business, I'll keep working and Alex will run it! Looking at cafe/bakery type thing! Tres exciting!

All in all life is good and I am thankful and grateful to everyone who has influenced it!

It's as easy as ABC!

I've been feeling a bit disconnected from my weight loss commitment over the last day or so, just feeling a bit off kilter nothing too major. I read this blog over at Jack Sh*t, Getting Fit and thought I'd adapt to me.

So here is my ABC on why I want to lose weight!

A - Andrea, I'm doing it for me!

B - Bikinis, a teeny weeny polka dot bikini

C -Chocolate, I'm not craving it anymore

D -Dreams, my life long dream has been to be slim

E - Exercise, gives me more Energy

F - F*ck Me Boots - that FIT

G -Guilt, so I can be rid of it

H -Happier, a happier me is a nicer me

I - Important - this is the most important thing I am ever going to do

J - Jeans, so my bum looks hot in them.

K - Kids, so I have and run after them easily

L - Love, because I love myself

M - Mirror, to love my reflection

N - Norks - so they are a bit more of a regular size

O - Orgasms, so I can have more of them **blush**

P - Paranoia, to lose the paranoia that I'm not going to fit into a seat or that I'm the fattest person in the room

Q - Quick Fix, none here this is a change for life

R - Relationships, so they all improve

S - Sexy Lingerie, lingerie is not sexy in a size 20!

T -Thighs, to lessen the battle they have with each other when I walk

U - Use, my head, my body and my heart together to get where I want to be

V - Vegies, bright, colourful, fresh, healthy - just like me!

W - Waist - so I can see it!

X - X-rated, this goes with O!

Y - Yesterday, behind me

Z- Zzzzzzz, better sleep and no more nanna naps

Kitchen Dreaming!

We are renovating our kitchen! Woo-hoo!  For the last 8 months I've had no oven and only two elements to cook with, needless to say we're a bit over BBQ's and salad!

We met with our builder today and have all our white, well silver, goods and I can't tell you just how excited I am. We just have to choose lights and colours and we're there!

Now that we are so close I'm allowing myself to dream about what delicious, mouth-watering culinary creations I am going to make! All goal friendly of course!

Pizza -

Roast Lamb

Savory Muffins

Galaktoboureko (Alex's favourite - I have to teach myself this one)