My Weight Loss Journey so far & mini goals ahead

Today I've been thinking about lots of different things associated with my weight loss journey. Whilst I'm happy that I have lost nearly 15 kilos I'm not all that happy with the time its taken me and the ups and downs of the journey. Without putting too much pressure on me I think I could have done better and made better choices a long the way.

I've worked it out that with a 15 kilo loss, I have lost approximately 200 grams a week. Now that is a square tub of butter and I know that I am so much healthier without me carrying all of this around, but I did expect to have lost nearly double this amount in this time.

Today I decided that I need a new goal to help me focus on, one that is achievable but also a little bit of a stretch. I'm off to Melbourne at the end of March for the Formula One Grand Prix and I have a few F1 tops I need to get into. They are a smaller size than I take now and whilst they fit me around the shoulders, bust and upper stomach they are tight around my hips and lower stomach. I so want to be able to wear these and have them lose when I go to Melbourne.

I've been thinking about how much I'd love to weigh in Melbourne and that would be 90 kilos, however I'd have to lose 11.5 kilos in 17 weeks and a few days, to get there and I'm sure that is not achievable given my results so far.

So after thinking about this my news goals are:-

1. To be 98 kilos by the end of December which is about 300 grams per week. I'm yet to weigh in this week but will on Saturday.

2. To be under 93 kilos by the 25 March 2009 when we fly out to Melbourne. This is nearly 400 grams a week over 13 weeks. Surely if I stay focused I can do this....

Exercise is an vital part of any weight loss journey but it is going to have be a vital part of the success of this plan if I am to succeed. In need I will need to force myself to exercise 60 mins a day 5 days a week, like my GP wants me to.

I have been reading my low GI book the past few days and I came across an interesting article which I will summarise as follows:-

If you don't build exercise into your daily life then you will not be able to change your body shape. You can lose weight on any diet without exercise but you are then more inclined to put it back on the moment you slip up with your food or go off the tracks....

The People most likely to keep their weight off
are those who raise their activity levels and make
exercise a natural part of life...

Exercising whilst losing weight will help you to maximise fat loss and makes you leaner faster. Now that's got to be a good thing, I think...

Fit people burn more fat, even when they are not exercising.

Fit people need less insulin to do the job of maintaining healthy blood glocose levels.

Losing weight and exercise will also help to reduce your blood pressure, cholesterol, risk of heart diease and diabeties.


These have all got to be good reasons why I should continue to lose weight and increase my exercise...

Carlton

Blog Gender Analyzer

Just thought I'd have some fun, its been ages since I've taken a funny off someones blog.

I thought it would be interesting to follow a link on Jo's blog to also find out if my blog shows my gender, well I'm lucky it does but only just at 57%.

Results

We guess http://carlton1968.blogspot.com/ is written by a woman (57%), however it's quite gender neutral.

If you want to give it a go there is the address - Genderanalyzer.com

The joys of job hunting

I haven't been happy working where I am for a while and it doesn't help that these people have been stuffing us around, so I've decided to find another job. Working from home is great but I do miss working with other people and roaming around the shops at lunch time etc....

I've spend the past month or so thinking about this and what I want to do, do I want to go back to the Finance Industry, to I want a change and go into administration/office work. Well originally I decided I wanted a change and applied for a few jobs, however, I didn't get anywhere with these, not even a phone call, or feedback that I should stay in the finance industry. I even showed interest in a temp jobs doing, filing, photocopying, faxing or basic office work and whilst I realise I've got a lot of finance industry, you still have to do these things in this industry too, however I didn't even hear back from this agency.

So I decided to go back to the finance Industry. I had a interview last week for a Lenders position which was a very basic position but paying pretty good money, unfortunately I think I said a few things in the interview that went against me so I didn't get the position. Oh well I've learnt from that and will not make that mistake again.

I've been talking to another agency and they have a pretty good job going with a top 5 Bank and this position whilst not as senior as the one I last held, actually pays more than I was getting. Got to love that... Things are looking good for this job. I've already had the interview with the Agency and yesterday I had an interview with the Bank. I got pretty good feedback via the Agency today and tomorrow I'm going to the next stage of the Psychological test. This test can take up to 4 hours to do. It makes me laugh that I have done this kind of job before and I have had 22 years experience in the Finance Industry but I have to do these tests to see if I have the right personality to work in this industry. Well if it comes back as a negative I've wasted the past 22 years!!!!!!!

I do really want this job, its perfect for me, perfect location and good money... I'm feeling pretty happy about how this is progressing at the moment. If for some unknown reason I don't get the job, I will continue looking and have a few other options up my sleeve they are just not as good as this one or as good a fit for me. Even the Consultant at the agency said this to me....

One of the down falls about working from home and losing weight is that I can wear anything I like cause no one seems me and that none of my business clothes fit me anymore and are way too big. They so need to be replaced and money is tight right now. I have managed to fit into a suit that is a few years old, which is great and I did go and buy some new pants and a few new shirts. The good thing is that whilst the Finance industry is a business attire industry you don't have to wear suits to work everyday.... I don't want to have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe of clothes but I also realise that I do need to look like I fit into the business attire circle. What I have in my wardrobe will have to do for now and I'm sure that once I've been paid my first pay cheque I will get a few more pants or suits... I do have plenty of tops/shirts to wear. I do like the idea of wearing suits especially in Winter cause its easier when you visit clients and you look smart. However no point buying heaps of them cause I will be a smaller size in winter and I will have just wasted money.

The pair of pants I bought to wear to work are a size 16 (they do have elastic waist) and I'm currently wearing a size 20 top/shirt. Pretty happy with that. My suit is a size 18 pants (no elastic) and a 20 Jacket.... When I started this weight loss journey I was wearing a size 22 pants and a 24/26 top, depending on the top itself.

Weigh In Results....

Well I've done my exercise for the day. I walked to WI today which is a 30 min walk and then I walked back the long way which is another 60 min walk, so I've done 90 mins all up.

I also lost 1.1 this week which seems me back down to 101.5 kilos, which I'm very happy about considering the stressful week I had. I'd love to be 99.9 this time next week but I think it might be a bit of a stretch, but hey I'll have it as a goal and see how close I can get too.. LOL....

I am also very happy that I didn't emotionally eat this week, actually I wasn't really tempted too. I must be getting my mojo back and making progress on this journey. Something to remember next time I'm tempted to emotionally eat.

Test Results are in................

Breast screen rang this morning to tell me that my results were negative, yes that's right NEGATIVE..... Yay, I don't have breast cancer and that I didn't need to go and see them this afternoon. Breastscreen will now continue to monitor the size of the lumps via mammograms every 2 years and if they don't change in shape or size things will continue as normal. If they do change then another biopsy will be needed. I can live with that. Needless to say I can't remember the last time I was this happy.... I'm also happy cause I didn't have to drive the 45 min drive to RPA and find parking. They are going to post me a copy of the Dr's report and also send it to my GP so she has a copy of it as well.

I also wish to acknowledge Jenny my Breastscreen Nurse Counsellor who is an absolutely lovely and caring person. I was pretty upset when I walked into the Centre on Monday and she couldn't do enough for me. She also held my hand during the core biopsy. Whilst Jenny will never read this, I just want to thank her so much you made the whole journey so much easier....

Thanks everyone for your kind words and thoughts during this past week. I really do appreciate it.

Brad too the day off today to go to the appointment with me and was disappointed that he didn't get to see where RPA is. Mmmmm not sure about his thinking there. We ended up walking around a shopping centre buying stuff that we probably didn't need to... Oh well.

Its also my cat Zac's 7th birthday today and he is being spoilt.... I've had him since he was 6 months old and it doesn't seem like 6 1/2 years have gone past. Time fly's when your having fun I guess.

Blood tests results are in...

A few weeks ago I went and had some blood tests done to see how things were going, well results are in and they are pretty good. I'm no longer pre-diabetic and no longer have to take B12 vitamins, pretty happy with that result.

1. Fasting Glucose was 5.0 (3.0 - 5.5) she's happy with this.
2. Cholesterol was 5.0 (3.1-5.5) mind you my GP wants to to be below 4 and we are going to work on that via a low GI diet.
3. Triglycerides is 1.5 (0.5 - 2.0) she also wants to get this down too.
4. HDL Cholesterol is 1.0 and she wants it below 1.0
5. LDL Cholesterol is 3.3 (0.0 - 3.5) she also wants this below 2.
6. Vitamin B12 is 313 (120 - 800) she's happy with this.
7. Full blood count is normal
8. My Phosphate is low at 0.77 (.80 - 1.60) and this can be increased by increasing my vitamin D so looks like supplements of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus are in order.

My GP is pretty happy with my results and wants me to continue with a low GI diet until my waist measurements gets below 85 cm's, wants me to continue walking 60 mins per day and to incorporate food into my diet to bring my cholesterol down. Looks like a dramatic change in my diet is required. I need to make the following changes:-

• Increase plant foods,
  
• Only eat good oils i.e. Olive Oil, Canola oil or avocado.
  
• Limit my eggs to 3 per week (easy cause I don't really eat them),
  
• Only have chicken without the skin (already do)
• Drink skim milk
• Only have 3 serves of red meat a week.
• What the sugar in yogurt.
• No butter, dripping. lard or cream. Of this I only have cream and then its low fat, but I can do without it.
• Increase my eating of fish, seafood, beans
• No offal including sausages.
• Snack on nuts but only Walnuts and Almonds.
• Limit take away and if I do have it ask for it to be cooked without oil.
• I can not have anything deep fried.
• Have oats for breakfast and introduce Psyllium Husk or Metamucil into my diet.
  

Look out Brad food at home is about to change dramatically.

I was also given a referral to see the Dietitian, however as all of my high risk elements have now gone I now need to pay for these appointments and can't get bulk billed. I'm not happy with the Dietitian so far, she has changed the appointment twice now and I am now meant to see her on Monday but there is still not guarantee that will happen. She is meant to ring me on Monday to confirm. If she wants to move it again, then I cancel it all together and see how the tips from the GP, weight watchers and the low GI book I have go.

I've done my exercise for the day, cause I walked the 30 mins to the GP's office and then walked home the long way which takes an hour.

Now I just need the Biopsy results, which I get tomorrow to be negative and I'll be happy.

And the waiting begins - hope this week goes quickly

I didn't sleep all that well last night, and it wasn't because of thinking about Friday and my results. More because I sleep on my right side or my stomach and I couldn't last night cause it hurt too much. Think I might have a bit of a stroll later this morning before the forecast rain comes and take it easy today. Unless its urgent work can wait a day till I'm feeling a bit better.

I don't have much else to day right now cause I haven't actually been up all that long so I better go and have some breakfast etc...

Hi to everyone and hope you all have a good day.

Edit:- 11.48 a.m. I've just been for a 45 minute stroll to the post office and back to get some parcels that I wasn't home for yesterday. Its a bit overcast today and is forecast to rain later on.

I've been thinking about the past few days and am really amazed how strong I have been especially with my eating. I haven't emotionally eaten once. Whilst some of my choices yesterday were not great (I had to use some points from my weekly allocation) that was more because of the lack of healthy food around the Hospital. Mind you if I'd turned left out of the hospital instead of right, I would have been able to walk up to King St Newtown and there are lots and lots of great places to eat there, but then again my mind wasn't really with it at lunch time. I really can't believe that they have McDonald restaurants next to Hospitals cause their food is crap, even their healthy menu is not really that healthy....

I'm also amazed how comfortable I have been being half naked around complete strangers. I have pretty big breasts and not once during the process have I felt uncomfortable.

Whilst the mammograms do not hurt, they can be uncomfortable for between 10-20 seconds when they compress the breast to take the picture, I'd much prefer the biopsy process as you don't feel a thing (thanks to the local that they give you).

Breast Screen update

I've just gotten home from picking Brad up and from being at the RPA (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital). I ended up being at RPA all day (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). I found out from the first mammogram they found 1 lump in my left breast and 3 in my right breast. Today when I had a 2nd mammogram and the lump they thought they saw in my left breast isn't there anymore, so that's good news but the 3 in my right breast were still there. So then I had to have an ultrasound to see if they were fatty cysts or if they were hard. Unfortunately they are hard. This afternoon I had a core biopsy's done on the 3 lumps in my right breast. They think the lumps are not cancerous but I have to wait until Friday to find out for sure.

Oh and yes I did let Brad all about it as I had to explain to him why I was late in picking him up. He was really good about it all and didn't even get mad that I had kept it from him until today.

Testing

Just thought I'd test my new signature and see how it looks.

I'm pretty happy with it...

WI Day - they just seem to come around so fast some weeks.

Yes today is WI day and I had a loss, it was a small loss but a loss is a loss. I only have myself to blame that it wasn't a bigger loss. I did do some exercise but I didn't really stick to my points that well.

I now weigh 102.5 kilos.

I decided today that I would change from the Points plan to the Core plan. I've tried Core a few times and haven't had that much success with it. This time is different as I need to follow a low GI diet and Core and they seem to fit together nicely.

So today I have planned my food and eaten mostly core food. I did have a few little treats before I decided to switch to Core and used a few points. The good thing is that we did some exercise this afternoon and I earned enough exercise points to equal out the points I used today.

Life seems to be a little bit all over the place at the moment. After a few hassles with the people I work for and lack of money, I've decided to look for another job and go back to Banking. I saw a few Employment Agency's during the week and have a couple of interviews next week. Its funny cause they are both with the same Bank, its just one is full time and the other is a 6 month contract. I think I want the full time role as it is a floor below where I use to work for the Bank and easy to get to, the other one is in Parramatta and the parking can be a bit difficult to get.

As for my test results and seeing the dietitian, I've had to move both appointments to next Thursday. Will be interesting what happens then.

I also got a letter from Breast Screen during last week advising me that I have to go for some more tests on Monday (this is the reason I had to move my GP appointment). These tests can take between 2-4 hours. Apparently 1 in 20 woman are asked to come in for some more tests and then 1 in 10 are actually diagnosed with breast cancer. Just hope after the additional tests I turn out to me in the 9 out of 10 that are clear. As you can imagine I freaked when I got the letter and immediately started crying and thinking the worst. I'm now a lot calmer about it and sure I will be fine. Mind you I haven't told Brad about it yet and don't intend to until I get the results from Monday. I don't want him to worry unnecessarily. He is already stressed about work, RFB, money etc. He doesn't need the extra stress of my health right now. He will probably also go off when I do tell him but I hope he understands why I didn't tell him right away.

I've had a pretty successful day on Core today and can't believe that I feel really satisfied and don't need to eat anything else. The past few weeks I've been really hungry after dinner and pigged out, that's where I've gone over my points. Tonight's dessert was a tub of WW fruit and jelly which is 0 points.

Carlton

A plan is beginning to form with the help of my Dr....

I've started exercising again, yesterday we walked 2 and from the RSL and I even asked for no chips with my steak sandwich. I did have a few of Brad's but I did allocate points for them. If they had given me a whole serve I would have eaten them and I didn't have the points for them anyway. On the way home from my brothers Brad wanted fish and chips, which is fine. Normally I would have made bad choices at the fish and chip should however this time I made some good choices. Our fish and chip shop have a slimmers pack so I choose that. It is made up of BBQ fish, BBQ 4 prawns, BBQ 5 pieces of squid, some salad and either a bottle of water or soft drink. Its the first time I've actually tried it and it was so yummy and I was glad with my choice.

I had to go to see the Dr this morning as I needed to get some blood test done (check cholesterol, blood sugars, b12 etc). I actually like a Dr that will take the blood themselves instead of making you go to a pathology department. We also decided to test for food intolerance's and allergies.

You could say I'm getting the lot tested. Well I had a great old chat with the Dr and as I have a family history of Diabetes, heart problems, I'm overweight, high cholesterol, we are putting a whole health plan into place for me.

We spoke about:-
* the importance of exercise,
* eating a healthy diet,
* normal levels of cholesterol & then levels she wants me to be given my family history.
* diabetes (I already have pre-diabetes)
* arteries and how your cholesterol & weight affects how thin or thick your blood flows.
* seeing the Dietitian (another service of this medical centre)
* Low GI diets
* Focusing on measurements and not scales as much.
* what changes she wants me to make to my lifestyle

This is the first Dr I've ever been too that has taken an interest in me, my health and well being and wants to put a plan into place to help me get healthy and slimmer.

I also can't believe that I spend 50 mins with her. I've never spend so long in a Dr surgery before but I do love that she will spend the time with a patient and it doesn't matter how long it was. I was her first patient and she is booked solid today. She's now running late for the rest of the day lol.

I get some of the results back next week, the other the week after and I'm going to see the dietitian on Thursday Night. I want to see the dietitian to give me ideas of better food choices and options depending on the test results.

Our plan so far is:- *
For me to follow a low Gi Plan and cut out or at least down the surgery foods in my diet.
* For me to exercise 60 mins (can be broken down into small chunks) 5 times per week.
* For me to be very strict with my exercise and eating for at least 6 weeks (which will include Christmas I've just realise).
* For me to see the Dietitian for some ideas.
* For me not to weigh myself at home (put the scales away) and to focus on my waist measurements.

She wants it below 84 cm's and its 102 cm's today.

I'm actually feeling pretty good and excited about this right now. Some of the information we spoke about today I already knew but its great to be reminded about it and have a Dr interested in helping me with my battles.

Now I just have to speak with Brad about all of this when he comes home from work. We need to do this as a team and I need his support.



I bought the above t-shirt in Phuket and I love that it says "McShit" instead of McDonalds. The shirt is a little big for me now and makes me look bigger than I am in this photo.

Carlton