Kathryn made a comment on my last post about how frustrating it is to lose and gain the same kilo over and over. I’ve been carrying this disturbing image of a rotating kilo ever since.
So, where does the bloody thing go?
I know when I gain that kilo, it likes to wrap itself comfortably around my hips to create that unsightly muffin top.
But what about when I lose it?
It can’t be holidaying in the fridge, for I’m sure I’d notice it. And it’s not relaxing in my undie drawer, there’s just no room. I guess it’s probably skulking under my bed, waiting to slide back onto my body under the cover of night.
Or maybe the kilo is clever enough to distribute itself around as random grams of fat. Maybe my healthy home made muesli now contains fat bombs that slip away from my stomach to find their favourite hip resting place. Maybe there are fat drops in the shower head that stick to my arse while I’m showering.
I’m going to have to come up with a subterfuge. Perhaps I should lose the kilo while working in Auckland and then try to sneak home so it doesn’t hitch a ride on my butt. Or ride very fast and hope it scatters behind me, hopelessly lost and gone forever.
Or introduce it to Kathryn’s kilo so they can fall in love and run away together…
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Motivation Monday
What’s motivating me today? The scales.
I’ve got all this stuff lined up nicely:
I’m exercising well and regularly. I’m being challenged in this area and really enjoying that.
I’m doing my usual no drinking of alcohol in October – and this year I’m extending it until after the duathlon in November. I definitely feel better and can really feel the benefits when I exercise.
I’ve got my head around how I want to approach food – BUT I’M NOT DOING IT CONSISTENTLY.
Today I weigh exactly 100 grams more than I did at the start of August. 83.9kg.
Okay, we all know I’m great at maintaining. But in that time I’ve only strung 2 weeks of losses together. The last 7 weeks have been up and down each week alternately.
Too annoying.
I know the way I want to approach eating is right. But I’m still not getting my head into it properly. I know that it’s not going to be an overnight change. But I would like to see some success to encourage me.
I am definitely not going back to tracking points. It drives me nuts!
But I am going to keep a food diary for a few weeks. What I eat, when and where.
Why?
To better identify my ‘weak’ times – what time of day do I snack when I don’t need to, which days to I have more trouble controlling, which locations cause me more problems – home, away on business or at the caravan? And then I can be more on my guard against them.
One thing I do know – I need to stop letting myself off. It’s this sort of thing:
It’s been a hard two days in Auckland – I deserved some cheese and crackers (and a little piece of brownie) while I wait at the airport to fly home.
Mmmmm, that black pudding, mushrooms and eggs on savoury French toast sound great. We only go out to brunch once a week, so I may as well have it.
If you look hard enough, you can find a reason to let yourself off every day. And there’s your eating shot all to hell.
So, I’m also going to write a few simple rules at the front of my food diary. Like:
Brunch – healthiest option only. If there’s no fruit muesli and yoghurt on the menu, its poached eggs on toast with grilled tomatoes on the side.
Airport lounge – a cup of tea and a piece of fruit in the evening, or cereal and fruit in the morning.
Caravan – Craig can eat cashews. I can’t. Find some rice crackers.
It’s a long process, this learning thing!
I’ve got all this stuff lined up nicely:
I’m exercising well and regularly. I’m being challenged in this area and really enjoying that.
I’m doing my usual no drinking of alcohol in October – and this year I’m extending it until after the duathlon in November. I definitely feel better and can really feel the benefits when I exercise.
I’ve got my head around how I want to approach food – BUT I’M NOT DOING IT CONSISTENTLY.
Today I weigh exactly 100 grams more than I did at the start of August. 83.9kg.
Okay, we all know I’m great at maintaining. But in that time I’ve only strung 2 weeks of losses together. The last 7 weeks have been up and down each week alternately.
Too annoying.
I know the way I want to approach eating is right. But I’m still not getting my head into it properly. I know that it’s not going to be an overnight change. But I would like to see some success to encourage me.
I am definitely not going back to tracking points. It drives me nuts!
But I am going to keep a food diary for a few weeks. What I eat, when and where.
Why?
To better identify my ‘weak’ times – what time of day do I snack when I don’t need to, which days to I have more trouble controlling, which locations cause me more problems – home, away on business or at the caravan? And then I can be more on my guard against them.
One thing I do know – I need to stop letting myself off. It’s this sort of thing:
It’s been a hard two days in Auckland – I deserved some cheese and crackers (and a little piece of brownie) while I wait at the airport to fly home.
Mmmmm, that black pudding, mushrooms and eggs on savoury French toast sound great. We only go out to brunch once a week, so I may as well have it.
If you look hard enough, you can find a reason to let yourself off every day. And there’s your eating shot all to hell.
So, I’m also going to write a few simple rules at the front of my food diary. Like:
Brunch – healthiest option only. If there’s no fruit muesli and yoghurt on the menu, its poached eggs on toast with grilled tomatoes on the side.
Airport lounge – a cup of tea and a piece of fruit in the evening, or cereal and fruit in the morning.
Caravan – Craig can eat cashews. I can’t. Find some rice crackers.
It’s a long process, this learning thing!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Motivation Monday
What's motivating me today? The ride yesterday.
Well, not the actual ride, but the way it felt when I finished. I was absolutely knackered, absolutely everything hurt and it was absolutely fantastic!
I set myself a really hard target and got so close to it the minute and half really doesn't matter that much.
I'd forgotten how good that feeling is - setting your sights high and knowing you worked like hell to reach them.
So, time for another target - my duathlon times. Forget about pissing about with whimpy targets like just finishing the damn thing - I know I can do that.
The distances? 2.5km run/20km cycle/5km run
Target one - no walking, not even in transition
Target two - one hour and 50 minutes (I really want to type two hours there, but I'm not letting myself)
Well, not the actual ride, but the way it felt when I finished. I was absolutely knackered, absolutely everything hurt and it was absolutely fantastic!
I set myself a really hard target and got so close to it the minute and half really doesn't matter that much.
I'd forgotten how good that feeling is - setting your sights high and knowing you worked like hell to reach them.
So, time for another target - my duathlon times. Forget about pissing about with whimpy targets like just finishing the damn thing - I know I can do that.
The distances? 2.5km run/20km cycle/5km run
Target one - no walking, not even in transition
Target two - one hour and 50 minutes (I really want to type two hours there, but I'm not letting myself)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The body hurts
This morning Craig and I did our 50km ride at Waikanae. I did it in 2 hours and 1 minute, and Craig came in about 10 minutes after me. Last year it took us 2 hours and 30 minutes.
The improvement isn't quite as dramatic as it sounds - last year we did it on mountain bikes with knobbly tyres. Still on mountain bikes this year, but with road tyres, which makes a huge difference. The other big difference - a lovely still day today, whereas last year the northerly was gusting 100km an hour!
Still, very pleased with our times.
Has been another great weekend - weather at the caravan yesterday was lovely, so we just pottered about and spent a fair bit of time lounging in the sun. Came straight home after the ride this morning so Craig could watch Bathhurst. I've done a bit of gardening and some snoozing on the couch.
Our time at the caravan always feels like a holiday - the weekends just seem longer somehow.
The improvement isn't quite as dramatic as it sounds - last year we did it on mountain bikes with knobbly tyres. Still on mountain bikes this year, but with road tyres, which makes a huge difference. The other big difference - a lovely still day today, whereas last year the northerly was gusting 100km an hour!
Still, very pleased with our times.
Has been another great weekend - weather at the caravan yesterday was lovely, so we just pottered about and spent a fair bit of time lounging in the sun. Came straight home after the ride this morning so Craig could watch Bathhurst. I've done a bit of gardening and some snoozing on the couch.
Our time at the caravan always feels like a holiday - the weekends just seem longer somehow.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
The good times continue
Still loving this hard-arsed exercise lark. How could I have forgotten how great it feels to push my body and then push my mind to push my body even further!
And having a trainer - brilliant! He's not the red-faced spitting drill sarge type, but he really does motivate me. And of course I lap it up. He has only had to explain to me once that doing an exercise to 'failure' really means till you physically can't do it any more, not that it hurts a bit and you don't feel like it...
Of course, I am trying to dish it straight back at him. Well, he did tell me that he doesn't embarrass easily. That's pretty much a challenge right there, isn't it? If you don't want to hear that one of my aims is that my thighs don't wobble during sex, don't ask me what my aims are, fool.
And having a trainer - brilliant! He's not the red-faced spitting drill sarge type, but he really does motivate me. And of course I lap it up. He has only had to explain to me once that doing an exercise to 'failure' really means till you physically can't do it any more, not that it hurts a bit and you don't feel like it...
Of course, I am trying to dish it straight back at him. Well, he did tell me that he doesn't embarrass easily. That's pretty much a challenge right there, isn't it? If you don't want to hear that one of my aims is that my thighs don't wobble during sex, don't ask me what my aims are, fool.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Motivation Monday
What's motivating me today? Me!
I feel great. Yesterday at the gym was one of those breakthrough days - I ran a bit further, rowed a bit harder and grinned like a maniac through my weights programme.
I feel fit and trim. Not the fittest and most trim I've been, but a definite improvement on how I felt a few weeks ago.
I'm looking forward to exercise this week. I'm especially looking forward to the 50km ride this weekend.
Just generally, I'm looking forward.
I feel great. Yesterday at the gym was one of those breakthrough days - I ran a bit further, rowed a bit harder and grinned like a maniac through my weights programme.
I feel fit and trim. Not the fittest and most trim I've been, but a definite improvement on how I felt a few weeks ago.
I'm looking forward to exercise this week. I'm especially looking forward to the 50km ride this weekend.
Just generally, I'm looking forward.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Life keeps changing
It has been a really tiring couple of weeks as Craig has been closing up his business. Very stressful for him, coping with that, and migrating himself, his staff and his major client - to the same company I work for!
So now I get to call him the new boy and threaten him with the fact that I usually do all the process/systems training with the new staff. It has been decided I won't in this case, but no doubt I'll get to act as the after hours help desk.
This is a very good move for him, as he was really over running his own business and competing in such a tight market. Despite the stress of change, I can already see him starting to relax and enjoy his work again.
Luckily we don't have to work in the same offices - that would be just a bit too much time together.
We're going to have another nice quiet weekend at home and give the garden a good tidy up. Off to the caravan next weekend and our 50km ride at Waikanae. Will be interesting to see if having road tyres on our bikes improves the times much compared to last year. Must put the bike computer back on my bike so I can pace us properly.
BIG NEWS OF THE WEEK: Jake has booked his tickets home and will arrive in NZ on 2 December. I'm not allowed to tell his mates, though, as he wants to surprise them by turning up at some concert that's on here the next night. Can you imagine how excited I am that my boy will be home in a couple of months? Even if he is sporting this new addition to his body:
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Paddling muscles required
Have survived my first proper session with Karl - although some of it was learning the routine, so I probably wasn't pushed as hard as I will be when I go right through properly. Will put the programme on my sidebar when I can remember what's in it!
My favourite part - having someone else to push my stretches for me...
Oh, and I really love going to the gym during work hours because there is hardly anyone there.
He's given my some great upper body work, which I'm rapt about for two reasons - my shoulder still needs strengthening, and Craig and I are about to buy a couple of these:
My favourite part - having someone else to push my stretches for me...
Oh, and I really love going to the gym during work hours because there is hardly anyone there.
He's given my some great upper body work, which I'm rapt about for two reasons - my shoulder still needs strengthening, and Craig and I are about to buy a couple of these:
No, not the small child - the sit-on-top kayak!
They only weigh 18kg, so we can carry them the 100m from our house to the beach, and also they're easy to put on top of the ute when we go away.
So we'll be one of those couples that arrive at the camping ground with all the flash gear - caravan, mountain bikes, kayaks. You know, the people that make you go "Oh sure, you really use all that stuff! We know it's just for show!".
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