In so much PAIN!

I just got back from the doctor and have plantar fasciitis.  Basically, no running for the next 3-6 months.  I can't believe this is happening two days before I leave for fat camp.

I am going to get a second opinion but I am really depressed and in a lot of pain.

Up 10 pounds! (4.5kg)

I can not believe that I am going to have to go to fat camp to lose the weight that I have put on on holiday.  And, if I am being honest, a few that I put on before I left.  That sucks.

I weighed myself this morning at my sisters and I am up 10 pounds exactly for the month of June.  Ok, so this takes into account a lot variables, but NUMBERS DONT LIE.

The plan is to be super good this week - drop 2 pounds before I go.  Paula's scale is notoriously tough so take another 1 pound for that.  Lastly, my body must be totally bloated from the flights.  Give myself another pound.  :)

Stay positive and get back on it.

Sugar addiction 30,000 feet in the air

I use to NEVER get on an airplane without a candy bar. I was actually pained at the thought of not having access to sugar while flying. I talked to my counselor at fat camp and I haven't done it since. Good.

But I am sitting in the Dusseldorf airport with some cookies and realize I have been sugar snacking for the past week. I am terrified to get in Paula's scale tomorrow.

One week until fat camp.

My 10 pound present

I couldn't figure out how to reward myself for weight loss for the longest time and then it FINALLY came to me. For every 10 pounds I lose I would get a charm for a charm bracelet. When I hit my goal weight I will replace the watch I lost last year.

Since I lost 50 pounds I get five charms but they are too expensive to buy in Australia so I have been waiting until I get to the USA. Then there is the added pressure of which charms to buy? I had decided on a "lucky" theme so I could wear it to the races and when I go to Vegas. Or when I want to "get lucky.". (just kidding Mumma- ignore that comment.). Ok not really kidding. :)

So I am walking through London today and find Tiffany! Yea! And the cost is ok and they have all my lucky charms and I would have it to wear to Ascot tomorrow.

I can't wait to lose my next 10.
I feel lucky already!

Holiday Walking

I spent the day yesterday walking the streets of London.  All of this walking added up to more than 17000 steps!  That is over 8kms!  My personal best so far on the corporate challenge.  Also, it was a beautiful day in London - possibly the nicest Brit day I have ever seen!  I actually got a little sunburn which I didn't even know was possible on the pastey isle.

The bad news is that my ankles took the brunt of that - London has always been a difficult city for me to walk in.  I think I took a half bottle of Advil to prep for today.

When in Hong Kong...skip the dessert

As I get ready to leave Hong Kong, I will leave you with a few bullet points that sum up my trip from a nutrition/diet/exercise perspective:

- it is impossible to count calories in HK, about the only thing you can know is if you are eating clean or not
- there is a tropical depression off the coast which has not turned into a typhoon - the rain has not stopped since I got here and has hindered my exercise

 - BUT... I have walked even in the rain - yesterday according to my pedometer, I walked over 12,000 steps (that is 6km)
 - Skipping sugar has not been easy until yesterday - Nick and I went for Shanghaiese food and they brought a red bean soup for dessert.  I passed...Nick had a bit of a go.  I wish that was for dessert everyday.  I would be able to say NO every single time!

Lastly, there is a real party atmosphere in HK and I think I have had more drinks in the last 4 days than I have in the last 4 months.  Last night I was drunk on ONE champagne.  My goal for London is the only alcohol should be when I am winning at the races.

Vacations are fun

But bad for the waistline.
Two days in Hong Kong.
Two nights of going out in Hong Kong.
Two nights with dessert, drinking calories and tempting food.

The good news is there is lots of walking and my morning and afternoons have been pretty healthy.  My evenings have had calories, calories and more calories.

Kelly and I out on the town.

I am going to weigh myself tomorrow to keep it real.

Bring on 50!

It was four years ago that I was about to turn 40.  And, I was literally crying every time someone brought up turning 40.  I didn't want to leave my thirties.  I didn't want to be old.  The day I turned 40, I put on my tshirt that read "Cougar" and walked down Waikiki Beach.  I did stop crying on my bday because what else can you do?

Well, since starting my new healthy lifestyle, I have started looking for women older than me that look hot because as soon as I get to my goal, I am going to wear a bikini around all the time.

I think I have found my perfect pinup - she looks better than she did at 30.  Julia Louis Dryfus is 51 - this is a recent picture of her.  I just saw her interviewed last week - GO JULIA!

I would also like to point out that Halle Berry is two years older than me.
Sandra Bullock older
Courtney Cox older
Selma Hayek older

Happy Queens Birthday!

How do super athletic people celebrate the Queens bday?  With a run around Albert Park Lake, of course!

I will admit that I wanted to spend my day off of work laying around on the couch.  But, my roommate basically kicked me out of the apartment and told me to go for a run.  So, I did.  I was watching the runners go around the lake and decided to give it a go. (I live at one of the apartment buildings at the bottom of this picture.)

(I did notice that one girl was running uglier than me!  She looked like she was crying while she was running.)

It is 4.69km so ALMOST a 5km.  I did it in about 45 minutes which is very good for me.  I was getting tired about 1km from the end but saw the end of the trail and just turned it up.

TURNED IT UP.

Too Many Books, Too Little Time

Paula emailed me today to ask me what I thought about Bob Harper's new book "The Skinny Rules."  I didn't know about it so I went onto Amazon.  From what I could determine, he is going back to the same rules of calories in/ calories out with a few extra tips.  I will get this book when I get back to the States because the little tips can sometimes really help.

I do think the best book is still Dr Oz "You on a Diet."  He also instructs, cal in - cal out.  And he believes that routine is what will make it easy for you.  Routine has really helped me and I do think that is key.

So here are a few of Bob's rules that he put on Amazon.  RULE #2!!!!  AGAIN!!  They keep telling us, but do we listen??? DONT DRINK YOUR CALORIES!!!!

RULE 1 - DRINK A LARGE GLASS OF WATER BEFORE EVERY MEAL—­NO EXCUSES!

RULE 2 - DON’T DRINK YOUR CALORIES


RULE 3 - Eat protein at every meal, making some kind of fish your go-to protein as often as you can. 


RULE 15 - Eat at least ten meals a week at home (and cook them yourself). Restaurant portions are usually 40 to 50 percent bigger than what you’d serve at home—the more you eat out, the more you overeat.  


RULE 18 - Go to bed slightly hungry. Denied fuel for more than five hours, your body will start burning its own fat and sugar.  


RULE 20 - Enjoy a splurge meal once a week.

Two Hours Later... Still Sweating

Tim has been telling me how hard his body pump class is for ever.  I assured him it couldn't be as tough as zumba.  :)  So, he invited me along to compare.  This has been going on for months and I would always find an excuse not to go.

Tonight I went.
First off let me say that Body Pump is just a 2012 way of saying 1986 aerobics with more pushups.
Second off let me say it is full on.  I am still glowing two hours later.
Third off let me say that it was a great class but I could not understand one thing the instructor was saying.  She was Kiwi with a bad sound system.

But, I followed along and got the main point.  The last couple of songs I was pretty tired.
Some of the highs were that I did a side plank which I wanted to try and never have.  Also that I was really able to do everything (with some modification) and got through the class.

Big thanks to Tim for bringing me along.

Almost There

I am so close to getting to my next goal of weighing 99kgs but I have been struggling lately.  After I ran the tan (yes, I rock) I ate and ate and ate all weekend.  Nothing would make me feel full.  Nothing satisfied any craving I had.

Then, to top it all off, I had told my lovely roommate that Sunday night was treat night.  (which it was with the Pookeys)  Which meant something small, like a mini Magnum, 200 calories.  Andrew bought me a Twix and I ate the whole thing.  UGH!  Again, it didn't satisfy anything but I just ate it.

I Fought the Tan

And I won!!!

As you read in my last entry, I was planning on a run this weekend.  Well, as soon as Bryan and Merilyn read that, I got a text from Merilyn saying "we are picking you up at 6:50AM".  They have been running the Tan on the first Saturday of the month with the Melbourne Runners group for 15 years.

Here is my ride - Bryan and Merilyn pick me up.

So, my alarm went off at 6:30 and by 7:00 I was at the Tan in the dark and cold.

My nemesis has been that darn long, big hill.  But not today.  Not only did I run the whole thing but I passed two 90 year old men on the hill!  In your face!

Technically, the Tan is less than 4k but I am calling it 4k at this point.  My time was a VERY SPEEDY 35 minutes.  My previous 4k times were in the 38-40 min timeframe.

Bryan and I celebrate our victory!

*Americans, the Tan is the Melbourne Botanical Gardens.  Very beautiful.