Slippage?

As you may know, for the past few weeks, I have struggled with food going down.  Dr Winnett took some fluid out of the band just over a week ago  and this seemed to help a bit for the first few days but after that, I have hardly been able to keep a thing down.  Things other than shakes, water and jellies that is.  It has been a struggle.  And hasn’t been a lot of fun.

I haven’t had a lot of energy to go and do a lot because I haven’t been keeping much down and I have been quite irritable.  I imagine that this is my body’s way of saying ‘feed me’.  I’ve had a lot of suggestions from a lot of people ranging from ‘don’t have yoghurt or butter as it’s dairy’ to ‘have maxalon as it will make you feel better’ but, it’s not an illness that I have so I can eat all the dairy I want and maxalon won’t make a different as it’s possible that there is something wrong with my band… I have a Gastroscopy arranged for Monday and it can’t come quick enough.

I remember when I was reading up about the band, I came across something saying that if your band was either too tight or to loose, you would end up eating the wrong this.  This is so true.  When it’s loose, pretty much ANYTHING will go down!  Mine was like this after I had my Surgery up until I had my first fill.  I was enjoying steak, bread (including bread rolls), pizza crust – things that shouldn’t get past the band but do when you don’t have enough fluid.  Now that it’s too tight, I am scrounging for things that I can eat.  My faves so far are a few teaspoons of Pavlova and cream or mushed up strawberries.  These foods do not give me the required amount of nutrients per meal but they do taste good and they don’t make me vomit!

I’m not really worried about what the outcome will be on Monday after I have had the Gastroscopy.  I am aware that my band may have slipped which may mean I’ll need surgery to fix it.  Like I said, I am not worried about the outcome of what Monday will bring – more just getting it fixed.  I’ve been quite bad over the last few days where I have considered going to Hospital to be hydrated.  I feel SO icky.

So, there’s my whine.  I don’t have a lot to say other than the above!  I’ll keep you updated on what happens on Monday.  Fingers crossed things are good.  I think what might happen (and I have read it happening in other cases) is they remove some of the fluid to see if it fixes itself up.  I suppose I’ll know more come time after the procedure has been completed.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have – I am lucky to have had no bumps in the road so far during my journey – let’s hope it continues to be that way!

Steph xo

Kazz's story

Kazz's story :)

So I will start at the beginning....in 2006 I weighed in excess of 170 kilos. Back then I was always sick. Whether a virus, kidney infections, chest infections, flu or whatever....ALWAYS sick (bit sad when the receptionists at the medical clinic know you by name because you are there so regularly!) Anyway in May of 2006 I caught bronchitis. I was off work for 7 weeks (most of this unpaid) and I didn’t even have the energy to take a deep breath to cough. Anyway I lived alone, and it gave me a LOT of time to think. I was barely able to care for myself, local family support was limited and financially it was a real drain. It gave me plenty of time to think and I realised if something didn’t change I would going to end up confined to my home on a pension. Besides the bronchitis life was obviously hard in lots of different ways. I had very severe fluid retention in my feet and calves, I fell over a lot, walking was a struggle, climbing stairs was ridiculously hard...life in general was just that.....HARD.

I decided as soon as I was well enough I would join weight watchers. I signed up on August 6, 2006 to weight watchers and weighed in at 170.9 kilos. I slowly started to follow the weight watchers plan. By December 23, 2006 I had already lost 20 kilos. I was ecstatic. In February 2007, I joined curves. I attended Curves for 10 weeks. In that entire time I was following the plan and working out three times a week and managed to lose a whole 700 grams!! I eventually ended up with a slight neck injury from their equipment, when I explained the injury they made no effort to check my form so I quit.

For a little over a year I really accomplished not much. My weight stayed around the 150-155 kilos mark. I didn’t feel I had the answer and I felt I was in the “too hard” basket. In early 2008 I joined Fernwood Womens Gym, but I wasn’t in the right head space. I had a trainer I didn’t click with and she wanted me at the gym 6 days a week. It felt like a job I just didn’t want to do. It didn’t take long and I was avoiding the gym, avoiding her calls and by the end of May 2008 I had cancelled the gym and paid out my membership. Over the next few months the same thing happened, my weight fluctuated and I knew if I didn’t do something I was going to end up back over 170 kilos again.

I had always felt I needed a “personal” approach and knew exercise was going to be key to this. I had two options (As far as I could see). There was a local contours I could join which was a 5 minute walk away from my house or I could rejoin Fernwood which was in the city and not local to work or my house. So I wrote a email to Fernwood and spoke to Contours. I changed my mind so many times over the next few weeks. It changed on practically a 20 minute regular time frame. One minute Contours and the next minute Fernwood. I was leaning towards Fernwood as I knew I needed a “personal” approach but Contours was local. Eventually Fernwood wrote back to me and offered me 1 free food coaching session per week for a year. So I went in and saw their Membership Consultant. I explained I felt the pervious trainer was too hard core for me and that I felt I was in the “too hard basket”. She felt I would work well with Fiona a trainer there and the next thing you know I was signed up and committed!!! I went home and made some decisions. Firstly I was going to commit myself 100%. I was only not going to attend my PT session if I was on deaths doorstep and I was not going to say “no” or “I can’t” in a session. I also decided I would give up complete control, if my trainer wanted me to do something I would put enough trust into her to simply do it.

My first session with Fiona was on August 18, 2008. At the very first session Fiona came and got me. I was on the cycle and as I got off I stumbled, she asked me if I do that often – which back then I did. And she basically told me straight away that my balance was something we would work on. We then chatted and I explained that the gym felt like a “chore”. So one of the initial focuses was just to get me not to “hate” the gym. I had committed to one PT session per week and in the beginning that was the only time I attended the gym. Just once a week I came in did my PT session and went home. I enjoyed the sessions, I liked having that 30 minutes a week spent with someone who was on my side and where the focus was me and my journey. Slowly over time I increased my time at the gym. Initially I did a longer warm up. Then I started to come a extra day per week.Before I knew it I was going to the gym three times a week. I wasn’t doing fitness classes but I was managing 30 minutes on the bike and treadmill. Slowly I started to increase my PT sessions, by mid 2009 I was doing 3 sessions per week and loving it. My sessions were a mixture of boxing and weights. By this point I had lost another 20 kilos and was at around 130 kilos. And in the midst of what turned out to be a SEVEN month plateau. Complete self doubt that I could get lower than 130 kilos had overtaken me. I truly didn’t think I could lose any more. I was eating well and doing 3 PT sessions per week – it made no sense. In around June of 2009 I decided that “something was missing” – I had no idea what was missing but I felt like I was missing part of the puzzle to obtain the weight loss. At that stage I decided I was going to make this “my passion”. I signed up for google alerts, reading books, journals, weight loss forums....absolutely anything I could get my hands on – and what I found was that I was absolutely interested in nutrition, exercise, healthy living, organic foods.  I still was on my plateau, but I was enjoying the healthy lifestyle. December 2009 Jillian Michaels (who to say is my idol is the understatement of the year!) released a new book. Being a gal who has PCOS this book was all on how our hormones are our metabolism and if we balance out the hormones then the losses would happen. The ultimate theory to it all was to eat unprocessed foods. My trainer, Fiona also lent me “inner beauty, outer health” by Joanna McMillan and I was hooked. I realised for me I needed to go back to how things were in the 1950’s. No microwave, no fangdangled processed meals and treats – just going back to eat things and cooking things my Grandma would have made.

So out went the microwave oven (I still don’t own one!) and I started to cook and eat towards a more organic lifestyle. At the start of 2010 i weighed 135.8 kilos – by Christmas 2010 I was under 105 kilos! I was ecstatic. Thirty kilos in a year seemed more then enough. Over that I really enjoyed the weight loss process and even the gym. I always had a goal to do fitness classes. By the end of 2010 I was pretty much doing all classes except body attack and body step. I was not only doing them I was doing them back to back or doing a class followed by a PT session – yes ME!

In October 2010 I even had Jillian Michaels comment on my photo on facebook. 2010 had been a great year. And some of the biggest accomplishments happened at Christmas time last year. Firstly I flew on a plane! I had not been on a plane for 8 years. My sister lives a 6 hour drive from me and I had always caught the bus to her place because I thought the plane wasn’t do-able. Anyway so I decided to tempt fate and fly over and TA-DA I easily fitted in the seat and needed to TIGHTEN the seat belt – no seat belt extensions for this chickadee. Then my sister told me Christmas Afternoon would be at the beach – normally this would be a EEK situation! But I was prepared – board shorts and a bathing top with a tank top. For the first time in well over 10 years I went swimming! No sitting on the sidelines of life this Christmas Day. I was in the water for well over a hour and even went back another couple of times before coming home.

2010 really put the stepping stones into place for what a great year 2011 was going to be. Mid February of this year I was heading off in a plane again! This time to Sydney where I met up with my trainer and her best friend. On the Saturday night we went out to dinner and then CLIMBED the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Once again the fears set in, would I fit in the outfit you have to wear, would I manage the climb okay.  The outfit fitted! I didn’t have a heart attack climbing the bridge! I climbed it and enjoyed it, spectacular views with lots of laughs – it was definitely a highlight.

In March of this year, I was told I was PT Client of the Month at the gym (only the second person to get that ) and to top of the month I finally went under 100 kilos! Suddenly I was a double digit girl. WOW. Several years earlier my doctor had told me the most I could hope for was to get down to 100 kilos but I had beaten that! I was getting close to normal. I seriously couldn’t believe it!

Not too long ago, I got a email from Lorna Jane (the fitness wear company – I had submitted my before and after pics as part of a competition). Lorna Jane is writing a book and they want to include my story in it. ME! In a book! Seriously things like this don’t happen to me. To see I was dumb struck to be asked is the understatement of the year. I have slowly moved from the girl watching on the sidelines to the girl things happen too.

Last weekend, it was 5 years since I started this journey. I organised a dinner (all but one person I had met during the last 5 years which shows you how much more sociable I have become), I had 17 friends attend, I wore a gorgeous long and low cut dress (which in itself got lots of comments!). A number of friends (who I hadn’t seen for a few months) said they didn’t recognise me and I was like a butterfly emerging. I was told I was beautiful and gorgeous. Me the girl who once weighed 170 kilos who was once ashamed of herself – was now looking and feeling pretty.

I have kept chipping away at the weight loss. Its not easy. So often I want to throw it all away and go eat KFC and not exercise. But the happiness I get on a daily basis cannot compare to the feeling KFC gives me. I now weight 87.6 kilos. My ultimate goal weight is 70 kilos (but I will be happy with anything between 70-77 kilos). My goals for the rest of the year is to get to 77 kilos by Christmas and with luck 70 kilos by next June. But I am not in a rush. I don’t mind only losing 400-500 grams per week. Excess skin will be a issue for me, which is partly why I am not in a rush. But I will get there...simply by not giving up.

I would like to thank Steph for sharing my story. I am a big believe in giving back. When I commenced my weight loss for the majority of that time I didn’t have a reference point, I didn’t know anyone who had lost 80 or 100 kilos. I would have loved someone who I could ask for advice and their experience who had lost similar numbers that I had to lose. So getting my story out there and being a support in the weight loss community is a important goal for me long term.

If you have managed to read all of this....congratulations! Its quite a long read, and if you want to follow more of my journey please feel free to visit me at http://kazzsjourney.blogspot.com

Thank you for sharing your story, Kazz :) it is so inspiring and I am amazed at your results.  Well done xo

If you'd like to share your story, feel free to Email me - movingforwardlookingforward@gmail.com - if you wish to remain anonymous, this can be done.  Karen gave me written permission to use her story and her photos (just in case anyone was wondering!).

Cars, babies, parks, family, friends - what a weekend!

Happy Father’s day to all the Dads out there (especially mine).  I hope that everyone had an amazing weekend.  Mine was brilliant :)

I went and signed off on the new Car yesterday.  I am SO excited!  At the moment, all of the kids are quite squashed so it will be great when they have a bit more room to move around.  The car should be ready on Wednesday which is great as that’s my day off :) I took the older 2 for a drive in when we signed the paperwork yesterday and they are very pleased.  I wonder what the twins will think?

My eating has stabilized a bit since I had the .3ml removed from my band.  I have found that I have still kept vomiting a bit and burping a lot so, I am going to stick with a liquid diet until next week when I have my gastroscopy to confirm that everything is okay. 

Yesterday afternoon, I caught up with baby Sage, Andi and Matt. It was so nice to see all of them (especially Miss Sage – love to have snuggles).  Charlotte got to have a cuddle of Sage and hasn’t spoken about much since.  I am trying to get through to her that we are not having any more babies!  I hope she understands soon!

Matt is an Isagenix consultant.  He’s personally experienced an amazing transformation from using the products so I thought I’d give them a go.  I’ll weigh myself in the morning and then again on Monday next week to see what the results are!  When he gave me a sample of it yesterday, I was almost full of a serve and didn’t get the bloating feeling that I do with other brands of shakes.  I like the idea that it’s nutritionally balanced so I know that I am getting what I need and it’s quite low in KJ too – just a tad over 1000kj per serve. I shall let you know how I go!  Isagenix is a new product in Australia but is very well known in America – here is the link for Matt’s website http://www.getleanandfit.isagenix.com and his Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matt-Layton-Get-Lean-and-Fit/220775557969537.  I shall keep you up to date on how I go!

I went to the Park today to catch up with Dad for Father’s day.  It was nice to run after the kids in the Sunshine.  I am amazed at the amount of energy I have at the moment.  Going to parks and places like that no longer worry me – I actually enjoy the idea of getting up and following the kids around – playing with them rather than watching from a distance.  It’s days like today where I realise how far I’ve actually come.  I have also had to move my seat in the car a few notches forward as it’s no longer comfortable having it all the way out.  That was a strange sensation!

I’m going to try to get to the gym a bit more this week than what I have been in the last few weeks.  I have been so busy and it’s been difficult to find time but, I’ll do my best.  The Weather has been beautiful of late so if it keeps up, some early morning walks to the train station might be in order :)

I went hunting for some photos of myself from this time last year.  These photos were taken on the 16th of Septemer 2010.  I look SOOOOO different.  Shane Crawford is still stunning though :)

I hope everyone has a fantastic week xo

P.S - good luck tomorrow, Loddell.  Enjoy your first day of work xo

WEIGH DAY! 74.1kg down in 393 days!

It’s been a busy few days! 

To start with, it’s my second week at work where I am working 4 days rather than the 3.  This might not sound like a lot to some but for me, it’s huge!  I took 4 a total of 4 and a half years off in work beginning in 2007.  I returned last year in March and since then, I have done 3 days a week.  Adding the extra 2 days per fortnight has been a bit of a challenge but I think I’m starting to adjust.  Considering I had yesterday and today off, it has made things a little easier!

I went and saw Dr Winnett today.  My and has been giving me some grief over the past few weeks.  I haven’t been able to keep much more than liquids down for most of the last week.  It’s been tough as sometimes even the liquid wouldn’t stay down.  It’s been so unpredictable that I have spent the last week with an empty cup on my desk at work just in case I need to be sick.  Well, today that seems to have changed!  He took .3ml out of my band and it’s made a massive difference.  So much so, I was able to keep my tiny serve of Nachos down :) and considering that, it means now that I am going to be relying on will power a lot more than what I have had to in the last month say.  I am not going to have certain foods just in case they DO stay down.  I don’t think I want to know!

I got weighed today as well :) Here are the stats…

‎I am 168.9kg

I lost 7.9kg over the past 6 weeks. 

I have lost 74.1kg down in 393 days!

Goodbye 170s FOREVER!

He wants me to have a Gastroscopy on Monday next week  so he can just check that everything is okay.  I am sure it is especially after spending the afternoon with my ‘loosened band’ but, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

I’ve been looking for a new car over the past few weeks.  I have sat in so many cars and each one I’ve sat in, I’ve realized that this time last year, I wouldn’t have been able to do it!  I wouldn’t have fit in any of them.  I remember that it was around about 12 months ago that I wasn’t able to fit in my Mother’s Car or my friend’s 4wd.  I am going to have to have another go at sitting in their Cars to see how much I’ve changed.

I am feeling fantastic :) I can’t remember when I felt like this.  I am wearing clothes that I haven’t worn in almost 4 years.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy!  I think I say that a lot but, it’s not.  I put SO MUCH work into losing this weight.  I don’t sit on my butt and expect it to happen on it’s own.  I am the one who goes to the Gym, I am the one who says no to the things that I know I can eat but know I shouldn’t, I am the one who is putting in the effort – the band just assists when regulating meal sizes.  And I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, having a lap band is not the easy way out.  It is actually a lot harder than not having one!  You have to put so much thought into everything that goes in your mouth.  It’s hard work but it’s something that I am so glad I did.  I hate to think where I’d be now if I hadn’t had it.  I often wonder if I’d be here at all…

What’s on for the next 6 weeks? To start getting into a routine where I can go to the gym in the morning, to make sure I continue to say NO to all those bad but oh so good foods, to try and relax a little more, to enjoy the Spring Weather, to study hard and to enjoy my life as everything seems to be going so well :)

Twits

The subject heading is used with all due respect!  I just wanted to provide a list of fantastic people who I am following on Twitter!

I first started using Twitter after I appeared in Mx.  It’s amazing how many people want to be your friend on Facebook once you’ve had your 15 minutes of fame!  I started using Twitter so that those who want to read up on my activities can do so without viewing the rest of my private life! 

Here are some of the amazing people I follow (in no particular order…) and I have taken their ‘about me’ also and added it below so you can see what they’re about :)

@fatheffalump - Living with fattitude!

@weightloss_web - Our goal is to inform you of as many weightloss options available http://www.helpingmeloseweight.com

@HAEScoach - Health at Every Size (HAES) & Wellness Coach. Quals: BSc (HumBiol), Post Grad Dip (SocSc), currently studying Masters (Nut & Dietetics) http://www.uhn.com.au/profile/kerrybeake/wellnesslifecoach

@TheWeightSaint - The Official Richard Simmons Twitter! http://www.RichardSimmons.com

@fatfeistyfemme - Fat / Body Image Activist, and campus speaker. Founder of FatGirl Speaks, The Fat Experience Project, BelliesAreBeautiful.com, DykeTees.Com and TechnoDyke.Com.

@withoutscene - SOC & WOST grad student, fat, feminist, queer, social justice oriented-gal. Internet extrovert. Personal blogs: http://badassfatass.blogspot.com AND http://finessingthefuckyou.blogspot.com/

@TheMommyologist - Parenting humor blogger who is bringing Mom Sexy back. Freelance writer for Babble & CBS CT. I also like to believe that I invented the Crystal Light martini. http://www.mommyologist.com/about/

@elizabeth__o - Nova Scotia, CanadaI'll probably tweet about feminism, body politics, social justice, tea, cats, clothes, books, and music.

@_FatWaitress_  - Detroit, MIAn idealistic diatribe written by a fat feminist. http://www.fatwaitress.com

@axisoffat - Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliFat, fancy and frothing at the mouth http://www.axisoffat.com

@cyenne40 - Melbourne, AustraliaSupport, information and advice for problem gamblers. Advocating gambling reform NOW. (...oh, and other stuff too) http://www.cyenne.com

@awesomefrances - Sydney, AustraliaI'M A BIG FAT DYNAMO. http://corpulent.wordpress.com

@whoozqueen - MelbourneCrafter, Plus Size Fashion Advocate, casual photographer and a lover of witty banter. http://oohsome.blogspot.com

@TheRotund - Orlando, FLWriter, Editor, Maker http://www.therotund.com

@AbigailNussey - MassachusettsSci fi writer, soprano, size activist, and scientist with degrees in math and physics writing her first and second novels. http://tinyurl.com/ANWriter http://nusseymagazine.com

@katejames - Melbourne, AustraliaI'm a writer, editor, whistler, skeptic, happy fatty. http://katejames.net

@definatalie - Gold Coast, AustraliaI am fat, foul mouthed and use caps lock a lot. http://www.definatalie.com

@Nicholosophy - Gold Coast, AustraliaNicholosophy is a way of life. I write how technology, politics, and fat acceptance / body image play a role in my life. http://www.nicholosophy.com

@mymilkspilt - Australiateacher, mother, shirker of housework, feminist, blogger, lactivist, fond of biscuits and sweet black tea. living fat and mildly frantic in melbourne australia http://mymilkspilt.wordpress.com

@ChubRepublicMel - Fatties taking over the world, one fatshion swap at a time.

@FatStigma - A Global Initiative@doc_samantha @mymilkspilt @awesomefrances @red3blog linking you to material related to fat shame and stigma #fatstigma

@Doc_Samantha - MelbourneSenior researcher and Public Health Sociologist @ Monash Marketing. If I wasn't on twitter so much I would be a Professor by now. http://tiny.cc/f3qlb http://www.drsamanthathomas.com

So start following – you might learn something :)

P.S - my Twitter user ID is @iamabeetle and if you have anyone that you're following that is interesting, feel free to add them here :)

A rant...

2 blogs in 2 days!

I have a few things to write about – or should I say whinge…

I can’t STAND it when people bitch about people behind other people’s backs.  I believe there is a difference between bitchiness and fact.  I also believe that if you’re going to say something behind the person’s back, don’t say it unless you are prepared to say it to your face.

I’ve found myself in some extremely difficult positions in the last few weeks and some of the situations have really tested my morals and my beliefs.  Most of these have been formed by past experiences and mainly ones that I have been a (I hate this word) ‘victim’ of personally.  It’s important that you stay true to yourself and what you believe in.  It’s important you weigh up the pros and cons of a decision you make and I think too much (possibly too much at times) but I know that when I’ve made a decision, I’ve thought it through and I’ve made sure at the core of what I’ve decided is what I believe in and what I stand for.

Sure, there have been more than a few times that I’ve lost friends from standing up for what I believe in but these ‘friends’ would have never put me in that position in the first place if they truly knew who I was.  I have always believed that everything happens for a reason and if a hurdle is thrown  in your way, you jump over it and if you can’t jump, you find your way around.

When I think about some of the situations that I’ve experienced in the past few years, I realised that if there wasn’t such a thing as ‘social networking’, things may not have been so bad.  The person would have had to phone the person or meet them face to face to tell them what they thought rather than chat about them behind their back.  You wouldn’t find out who went where with whom on what day so easily and you also  have to fight the battle of being non-judgemental every time you open up your lap top or resist temptation to write what you really think.  Social networking has really turned a lot of us into keyboard heroes. 

Recently, I was made aware that I was being talked about in a way that I really didn’t like.  I heard it from someone who doesn’t really know me but was quite concerned about what had been said.  It really hurt.  And considering I don’t even know this person although I know this person knows a fair bit about me, for some reason, it hurt even more.

 I am past the point of worrying what people think about my weight as I know I am doing something about it and each week, I lose an average of 1.3kg however, when they pick on me for what I look like in certain clothes or a running commentary about my wobbling and jiggling when I walk, I get pissed off.  I am a ‘person in the making’ and I am proud of my progress.  If people had the balls to talk to ME rather than behind my back, they may not have so much to say because to say it to one’s face is totally different than saying it behind their back to others.

I didn’t really think that I’d changed on the inside as much as I had on the out until a while ago I realised that I’m not going to settle for being treated like crap.  I am worth more than that.  And I’ll do what I need to do to make sure that I protect myself and ensure that I am able to hold my head up high knowing that I have done and am doing the right thing for number 1 – me.  I won’t apologise for being me.  And I won’t apologise for standing up for what I believe in. 

Rant over :)

3 times a week? I hope I can...

It’s been such a busy week!  Where do start…

I guess I’ll start with a message I got on my blog today which made me feel bad.  It was from an ‘avid follower’ of my blog and they said the weight loss I have achieved so far has been great however, it seems since I have lost some weight I am far too busy to blog.  As it was anonymous, I can’t reply personally to the person so, I thought I’d do it publically.

I am sure everyone knows a bit about me by now but just in case, I shall write about me in a nutshell.  I work 4 days per week (I leave home at 6ish in the morning and get home around about the same time that night), I am studying for my Certificate IV in fitness (which is about 10 hours a week on top of my 2 and a half hour lecture per Monday) and on top of that, I am a housewife.  But my most important job is being a Mum.  I have 4 Children – Lachie (12 – year 7), Callum (10 – Grade 4) and I have 3 and a half year old twins.  Live is very, very, very hectic! 

I feel quite bad knowing that I don’t have the time to update my blog a much as what I used to .  I guess you could say there is a correlation between me losing weight to me blogging less as I have lost a fair bit of weight and have found other things that I can do to fill in the time where I was content to sit on the couch and surf the net.  I have more energy and enjoy getting out where previously I was a bit of a Hermit.

I love writing my blog and I did intend on writing tonight even without getting a friendly prompt.  I feel bad that I don’t get to writing something as much as what I used to but things have just been so busy around here lately, it’s been hard to keep up with everything!  I often think I have bitten off more than I can chew sometimes…

I am off to see Doctor Winnett on Thursday.  I am looking forward to it as I think my band is a bit tight.  I can’t keep any food down, I can only have liquid.  I have been having shakes today and I’ll do the same for the rest of the week.  Lucky I’ve got some Optifast left over!  My new scales arrived yesterday and I weighed on them.  It said that I am 171.2!  That means (if they are correct), I’ve lost a total of 71.8kg in 386 days!  It means that I am losing 1.3kg on average per week.  And it means that I am well on track to reaching my end of year goal which I have set at 150kg :) according to my iPhone app (target weight), if I keep going the way I am going at the moment, I’ll be 150kg on the 17.12.2011.  That would be a nice Christmas present.

I’ve been on Twitter a fair bit of late.  I check all these sorts of things on the way home in the train. I am going to compile a list of people who I find quite interesting to follow and start putting some links up to some really interesting articles about weight, public perception, medical findings and anything else that people are writing about.  There’s some very funny things to read out there!  My user ID on Twitter is iamabeetle – feel free to follow me if you’d like :)

I hope everyone has a nice weekend planned.  I am on the hunt for a new Car :) I have been looking at a few different types - a Kia Grand Carnival, Ford Territory, Holden Captiva and a Mitsubishi Grandis.  It’s going to be hard to work out what sort to get.  And because the Car required is to carry so many people, it’s hard to find out that suits!  I am enjoying the experience although it is going to be difficult to get past all of those nagging car Salesman!

I am hoping to spend some time with Trishy on Sunday as well.  It’s her birthday next week (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRISHY XOXO).  I have a few things to give to her that I’ve started putting in a bag so that I don’t forget them.  I also have the same for Carly – I have her birthday present here and I keep forgetting to bring it in!  I am also hoping to have some drinks next Friday night with the gorgeous Cath and Lucy.  It would be nice to get out for a few hours and relax.  I shall have to see how the rest of the week pans out as I am exhausted after the last few days –it’s been so busy!

Hope everyone is well xo and I shall attempt to blog at least three times a week –even if I don’t have anything exciting to say!