Day 14-17.. Walking, walking walking..

Hello my lovely friends and readers.

I am writing this with my eyes half closed and feeling rather ill. I woke up like this and cannot wait for the baby to have a sleep today so that I can sleep.. I hope you week has been great and you have continued to get fit and fab with me.

3 days ago I started the exercise plan of me getting back into shape and living healthy.. There is a nice walking trail near my house and to my surprise I really enjoy walking it.. There are plenty of trees, lots of quiet time and my pram glides with ease. It is about a 3km trail and for 3 days straight I have woken with an enthusiasm to walk.. It is really changing my mind set and instead of loathing the thought of exercise I am really excited!! I feel really bummed that I cannot go for a walk today (Since I feel like the walking dead) But  I will sleep soon and dream of walking!

So as I end this rather short rambling of a tired/sick/insane mind, I encourage you to go for a walk.. It doesn't matter if you are slow, fast, if you waddle or stride.. It is time to wake up and smell the fresh air xoxo

Day 12-13 Full of flavour

Hi my lovely friends and readers..

I cannot believe it has been almost 2 weeks since I have started my get fit and fab journey. I am already starting to feel the changes, my clothes are fitting better and I am feeling so much more energetic!!

I was talking to a friend today who started her journey yesterday and we were talking about the foods we ate, what we consider treats and what we added to our food.. Now I love to cook, I love to eat  but I HATE bland tasteless food!! I will add things such as sweet soy to my stir fry, I will have a little light sour cream on my sweet potato or Quiona chicken bites, I love mayo on chicken with salad and I love marinaded!! Some of you may be gasping now as you read this, particularly if you are seeing a nutritionist or a personal trainer as most of those things are a no no to you..

I look at food and flavours this way.. If I am going to to change my lifestyle so that it is healthy and I am eating the right foods then I need to enjoy it.. I cannot see the point starting something that I am going to hate and only give up after I have lost weight or after a few months, I need to change my lifestyle not just my waistline!! I can almost guarantee if we loathe the food we are hating we will go back to the way we were and that is eating junk! I know that during the day I am making the right choice, I am eating the right foods and adding flavour will not heart me but help me in the long run.

So in the short I am saying enjoy your food, don't be afraid to add flavour and enjoy all the new and wonderful dishes that your healthy lifestyle can come up with!!

Day 10-11.. Fat Parents = Fat kids

 *Please note that this blog post is about statistics and about those who *do* eat unhealthy and are obese because of the food they eat and lack of exercise. It is not about those who are overweight due to a medical condition, genetics, or anything else that is out of their control*



We have all heard the saying *Fat Parent = Fat kids* Well I also want to say *Unhealthy parent = Unhealthy kids*  Although the statistics are high, some are blessed with great genetics. That does not mean that we are doing the best for our children. If we eat junk our kids will eat junk that will slowly poison their body leading to things such as diabetes, high cholesterol, lack of vitamins etc.

I was talking to my husband the other night and said that I am glad that I have decided to change my eating habits, not just for me but for our kids and especially Miss 14 months old. I told him that I did not want our baby to become a *MacDonalds Kid* Meaning that I don't want her growing up thinking that it is okay to consume junk food on a regular basis, I don't want her thinking that junk food is okay to have all the time and I don't want her growing up fat and/or unhealthy..

You see I have to change me to change my family. I am the grocery buyer, I am the one that cooks dinners, I am the one that chooses what we eat when we are out most of the time.. If I don't look after myself the whole ship goes down! It really is one thing to be responsible just for yourself but when you are a huge influence to those who you care for you have even MORE reason to look after yourself, to eat healthy and to choose *good* foods.

Here are some facts that You can find at Monash Uni

Obesity in Australia

• Fourteen million Australians are overweight or obese.
• More than five million Australians are obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² ). READ MORE
• If weight gain continues at current levels, by 2025, close to 80% of all Australian adults and a third of all children will be overweight or obese. READ MORE
• Obesity has overtaken smoking as the leading cause of premature death and illness in Australia. READ MORE
• Obesity has become the single biggest threat to public health in Australia.
• On the basis of present trends we can predict that by the time they reach the age of 20 our kids will have a shorter life expectancy than earlier generations simply because of obesity.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are 1.9 times as likely as non-indigenous Australians to be obese.

Also you might find this article at Better health interesting about Obesity in children..

Now that I am eating healthy the kids and hubby are enjoying new foods, new tastes and a variety of meals instead of the same thing each week. Buying and cooking healthy gives you a diverse range of things to make and makes dinner time interesting and yummy each night. Not only that you are giving your kids a healthier start to life. So put down the burger, chuck out the chocolate and join me on a healthy family life style xoxo.

Day 9- Shake it baby *Fad diets*

Hello lovelies..

It is just passed 10pm here but as promised I will share my thoughts on weight loss shakes/fads/diets etc..

I have always been about choosing good foods, eating smaller portions, exercising and not eating junk to lose weight. I also don't agree with spending money to lose weight when you don't really need to and all that money can go on a new wardrobe!

Diet shakes, diets such as the chocolate diet (Oh yes there is one out there), Herbal life, The Atkins diet etc are nothing but a short term fix for something that you are trying to make long term. Sure you will lose weight really fast, but is shakes and pills something that you can maintain for a lifetime or even should you have to maintain it for a lifetime? We are made to eat, our bodies crave the vitamins and nutrients that we get from vegetables, fruits, meat , etc.. Why then do we insist on a quick fix?
I was going to say they might be good for the short term just to get you started, but what about when you come off it, don't you think real food will make you put the weight back on??

Some things to remember are you need to have calories to lose calories. When going off a fad diet you will put weight back on. If you are not having a proper daily intake you will eventually stop losing.. You will get sick if you do not have enough nutrients in your body and a shake cannot provide what real food can. Think of it this way.. Breast is best for babies as breast milk is a natural source of nutrients for the baby. As an alternative there is formula *Breast milk supplement* While formula gives the baby what it needs to a degree it cannot ever be as good as breast milk. It is the same as if you bought the top brand shake, it may give you what you need to a degree but is no where near as good as real food..

So put your shake down, look up some healthy recipes and enjoy food as you enjoy your life. Food isn't bad, it is to be enjoyed. We just need to make the right choices..

Day7-8.. Emotional eater

Hi bloggers and readers..

Sorry that I did not blog about weight loss supplements yesterday, by the time I knew it my day had gone! Also I won't be posting about them today either as another topic came up but I promise to give you all my thought tomorrow xoxo

Today I am having a rather emotional day. There have been tears, there has been sad thoughts and there have been the cravings for something sweet, anything really, as long as it isn't good for me!! I have even been contemplating the philadelphia frosting or the dessert cream sitting in my fridge but I can safely safe that they are still in there for now, haha..

It is funny how our brain works, how the chemicals in our body want anything but goodness to eat. I have always been an emotional eater and also one who eats out of boredom, because it gives me something to do. I guess you could also say that I have been a social eater too, when I am around other I feel the need to have food.. Wow looks like I just like food whatever the situation!! The key is to only eat when you need to, when you are really hungry, but to know when you are really hungry and to have water first as your body just might need hydrating..

What kind of an eater are you? Emotional, bored, social? Would be interesting to know who else out there likes to grab for the chocolate bar or the packet of chips!!

On that note I am off to go have some fruit.. Good sugar!

Top 10 lowest GI fruits

Here are some top 10 fruits that are low in GI.. Courtesy of Lose baby weight

Top 10 lowest GI fruits

1.     Cherries – Cherries are the lowest GI fruit of all with a score of just 22. They are also high in fibre and they contain protein, which means that a portion of cherries is the perfect afternoon snack as they will keep you full without raising your blood sugar.
2.     Grapefruit – Most citrus fruits are low on the glycaemic index and grapefruit is the lowest of all, with a score of 25 – another reason why grapefruit makes an excellent breakfast!
3.     Apples – Apples are also fairly low on the GI, with a score of 38. They are naturally high in fibre and low in sugar, making them a great snacking choice.
4.     Pears – Pears are just as good for you as apples – they also have a score of 38, and are also high in fibre and low in sugar.
5.     Plums – Plums are a great fruit as you can serve them in so many different ways – and the bonus is, they are low on the glycaemic index with a score of 39.
6.     Peaches – Peaches are fairly sweet, so it may be surprising that they are fairly low on the glycaemic index – with a score of 42, a snack of a few peaches will ward off hunger pangs without causing a blood sugar spike.
7.     Oranges – Oranges are fairly low on the GI, with a score of 44. However, it is only oranges that have a score of 44 – clementines and tangerines have a higher GI score as they are sweeter.
8.     Grapes – Because grapes are naturally sweet, you might be surprised to find out that they are considered to be a low GI food with a score of 49.
9.     Kiwi Fruit – Kiwi fruit is one of my favourite fruits as it is sweet and very flavourful – and it still makes the cut as a low GI fruit, with a score of 53.
10.  Banana – Bananas are the ultimate in fast food – they are healthy, full of fibre and other vitamins and they are still considered a low GI fruit, with a score of 54.

Day 6- Tempted

Yay yesterday was day 6, almost a whole week of breaking the habit!!

My day started off after a rather sleepless night of Miss 14 month old waking up 5 times and then refusing to settle once in our bed!! I had to get up early and go into the city and so I was rather frazzled.. I got dressed and the girls and I left to go to the Social Mums say event http://kidsbusiness.com.au/events/social-mums/social-mums-say-19th-january-2013/

When we first walked in there my eyes were hit with a long table of chef quality cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake and red velvet cupcakes.. Now these have to be my most favourite cakes but I knew that I had to take a stand. Naomi went and got some cake and instead of fully depriving myself I ate a small corner of it. I was satisfied after that, knowing that I had the tiniest bite and that I did not need or want anymore. The rest of that day we ate healthy chicken and salad and drank only water!

The event was wonderful and I got to talk to a few women about my weight loss journey and they shared their story too.. They asked me what I thought of protein shakes, and diets such as the chocolate diet etc and I told them that I was totally against them.. I will give you more information about the why in my next blog...

So with day 6 over I was quite happy that I did not overindulge and even though I felt like fast food for dinner we had wraps  :-D

Have a great night, looking forward to tomorrow xoxo

Day 5- Be prepared!

Hello lovely bloggers and faithful readers..

Yesterday marked day 5 of being fit and fab and I can tell you that it was a struggle!!

It started really good in the morning as I ate a healthy breakfast, drank plenty of water and went to have a shower as I was to go into the City, do some jobs, have lunch with hubby and then do grocery shopping as the cupboards were bare!! I was about to have my shower and I realized that I left the pram in hubby's car and was stuck at home! (First hiccup for the day..) Then as the day progressed and I was in between breakfast and lunch I became hungry and went to get a piece of fruit. I went to the fridge and there was none left as I was meant to go grocery shopping (2nd hiccup of the day) and so as my mind went into fight or flight mode I foolishly went and had a small packet of biscuit shapes (3rd hiccup of the day.) They were bland, I longed for fruit, but I was hungry!!

Eating a small packet of shaped threw my day out a little and as I had nothing much at home for lunch (Because I was meant to be out) I ate way too much cheese with my salad (4th hiccup for the day) and then for a snack at night because my husband mentioned that icecream was on special I had a small bowl of porridge late at night (5th hiccup for the day.) Now I know I did okay yesterday but I could of dome better and didn't do all that great..

The things I am proud of however are-

1. I ate a small packet of shapes instead of a box

2. I had a little extra cheese instead of Red rooster

3. I had porridge instead of 4 slice of toast

The point here is be prepared, always make sure that there is fruit and healthy food in the house. Do not let the cupboards and fridge get empty even if you plan to go shopping as you don't know what hiccup may occur!

Day 4- ???

Well hello again, hasn't this week gone so so fast??

Yesterday was day 4 of being healthy again and feeling better about myself.

I woke up yesterday morning and felt so good and already felt my body shape changing. I vowed to not weight myself for a month because I wanted my journey to be primarily about health, not about weight. But because I felt so good I was curious as to how much weight I has *lost* So I pulled my scaled out from under the bed and weighed myself..

Big Big Mistake!!

Right there and then I felt like a deflated balloon, yes I had lost some but nothing compared to how much I thought, or how good I was feeling. That is when it dawned on me that I did the exact opposite of what I am trying to do, and that is to encourage others to be healthy, and instead I made it about weight and instead of being happy with the changes I have made, I felt depressed because the numbers on the scales were not what I wanted.. Crazy hey?!?!?

So back under the bed went the scales, making me even more determined to keep them under there for the rest of the month.. I shall not be defined by numbers but continue to make myself a better me. Hope we can encourage each other on this journey as we go from trial to triumph!!

Day 3- Food glorious food

Hello lovely people.

Well yesterday was day 3 for me and it went really really well, well mostly well!!

I had a healthy breakfast consisting of home made fish fingers and some fruit, was really yummy and really filling. It carried me through until lunch when I had a salad wrap, mmm mmm mmm. I am loving all these healthy foods and wonder why on earth did I put so much junk into my body to begin with? I am also making sure that I drink plenty of water and sometimes I feel like a fish but it helps fill up my tummy and I am less likely to go looking for food.

After dinner was finished last night (Fish and salad) and the kids were in bed I decided to see what was on TV.. I flicked on to No reservations with Catherine Zeta Jones and my eyes lit up.. I saw the most amazing spaghetti that I had ever seem, perfectly cooked beef, fluffy potato, decadent sweets and so much more.. My stomach growled and all of a sudden I felt HUNGRY!! Quickly I turned the channel over and it dawned on me how the advertizements for food really do work, they make us want to go out and but that Big Mac or chocolate Sunday. And now especially in the next 21 days (As it takes 21-30 days to form a habit) my eyes and my taste buds still get excited over images such as the one above.. Don't you agree??

So as I take another sip of water I smile with my glass raised up high and I say to us, strong, determined, focused us.. We can do this!!

Day 2- Still smiling

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good night wherever you are in the world..

Yesterday was day 2 of me get fit and fab in 2013.. I would like to say it was easy and I breezed through the day but that would be lying.. Well the morning was great, I ate a healthy breakfast of cold chicken and some fruit, had plenty of water and felt really positive *All in the safety of my own house*

This is when the day got difficult.. I had to go but some school supplies for Miss 12 and also do the weekly grocery shop and so we hopped on the bus and went to our local shopping centre.. To get to Kmart we had to walk through the food court and that is when all my craving signals hit me! i saw muffins, hot chips, cooked chicken. Chinese food and so much more that were begging for me to pay them some attention for me to eat them.. My stomach growled as I quickly walked passed..

In Kmart as we were buying school supplies all of a sudden people were getting in my way, my body started turning against me, my head hurt, the room spun, I was getting irritable, impatient, hot, heart beating faster and the last place i wanted to be was IN FLIPPIN KMART!!

After buying most of the school supplies I suggested to Miss 12 that we come back another day as I had to make the list easier to read (Which was partly true) the other truth was so I could get out of there as quick as possible.. Naomi and I went and sat down and I decided to buy a sushi roll for a snack, it tasted so so good, like I had never tried one before.. although I had. It was so good that I felt as though I could devour 5 but refrained and drank a nice cold cup of water!!

Once i refueled I was able to conquer a week of grocery shopping with Miss 12 and Miss 14 month in tow.. I have to say I was proud of myself as I wizzed around the shop with the help of Naomi and bought the groceries and did not even feel the urge to walk down the chocolate isle.. I was even prouder when we walked out with a trolley of fruit, vegetables, pita bread and lean meats such as chicken and fishy goodness!!

Day 2- No coffee- Still Smiling

My new best friend

Good morning readers, passerbyers and friends, hope you all slept well..

I had a terrible sleep.. Little miss 14 month old decided to wake up a few times during the night so I eventually put her in our bed, uh oh bad idea!! She spent most of the time sitting up, then laying down, playing with my hair and then stroking my ear, kicking her Dad in the head and slapping me in the face!! Lets just say she was a wriggly worm.. On a bright note she eventually went to sleep and I got to stay in bed with her until 9.30!!

Now about my change of lifestyle.. I woke up at 3.30am because of the baby and I was having severe stomach cramps just above my pelvis, it felt like my muscles were contracting!! This lasted for an hour as I silently lay there in pain not wanting to disturb my husband who had already been woken.. I wonder what this could be, could it be my body spazzing out because of the shock of *good* food?? It would be interesting to know what you all think..

When I got up with the baby this morning I was surprised that I was not starving to death, I expected to feel as though I had been on a fast or something but instead I felt quite normal.. I decided to have a little bit of cold chicken, a few strawberries and a banana for breakfast along with my morning cup of water!! Mmm mmm bananas are so good.. They taste amazing and have the protein I need in the morning. Who else is a big fan of the banana? I think it is my new best friend  :-D

Day 1

Good evening bloggers

I have survived day one of my fat to fab transformation..
I am feeling a lot better today than I have in a long time and I put that down to the fruit, vegies and water that I have consumed today.. Instead of my body full of chocolate (mmm chocolate) heavy breads, fast food and soda it is now full of the healthy things that it needs to survive on..

I went for a walk today, my first in 2 weeks and within 5 minutes of leaving the house I realized that I had not walked for over 14 days and that my body had been in party mode since Christmas.. All of a sudden my walking turned into a waddle and I felt like a stuffed Christmas turkey!!

Going shopping was really good as I filled my basket with fruits, lean meat, eggs and these funny seeds pictured above.. I was looking at the health food and saw this packet and figured they looked good so they must taste good. Why I bought something that looks like parrot seed I do not know but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Turns out that pepita seeds are the inside of a pumpkin seed, oh yummo I remember eating them as a child!!

Well I must go and give my 14 month old (Anastasia) her bottle and then put her to sleep.. Armed with funny green seeds and water I shall conquer the night... Lets hope I don't dream of food all night long!!

New beginning

Hello bloggers and all those Mummies who will be joining me on my weight loss journey.. I hope that this blog will be a source of encouragement, motivation and a few laughs as I share my trials and triumphs over this year of 2013..

I have started this blog to not only share my experience but to give me a motivation to keep going, a reason, to share in what I am learning so that this is not only about me, but about those who also need a friend to encourage them along...

The photo above is of me taken this morning.. No make up, hair not done, looking rather shabby haha.. I am posting this and will be posting one each month because I will not be sharing my weight loss in numbers but by using the PANTOMETER! That's right my pants will give you all an indication of my weight loss!!

Now why am I not sharing my numbers? I am not because I want this to me more about health, about life and about becoming a better healthier me, not so much about going from fat to fab, although I cannot wait to wear nice clothes again!! It will also be nice to not have swollen feet, to breathe easier and to walk faster haha..

So welcome to my blog, sit back with a cuppa or water and enjoy the ride!!