Things Not To Like 1

I think I need to remind myself of reasons why I don't like being overweight. This will hopefully motivate me a bit more.

* I developed varicose veins after this recent pregnancy. With my family history, it's very likely I would have gotten them during pregnancy irrespective of weight, but I can't say that being 20 kilos overweight would have helped.

They hurt and aren't very attractive. Nor are the charming support stockings I'm supposed to wear and almost never do as long as the discomfort's under control.

Target Pants

Oh how I like and dislike Target pants.

I like them because they are reasonably cheap (usually anywhere between $20 and $40 on sale) and go up to a size 16 in their normal range, which is a generous fit.

I dislike them because the quality is often not superb (while good for the cost though) and some of the pairs I have been wearing recently are a bit old-ladyish. Truly. And they don't even have pockets, which is a pain in the arse and means I have to take a handbag everytime I leave the house.

The other day I went and tried on about 10 pairs of jeans from their clearance rack and a handful from the regular section. I am not about to spend a fortune on something that will hopefully only be worn for a couple of months. And I found a great pair of black cord pants that skimmed the thighs nicely but were loosish at the waist. These were a size 16, but all the jeans I had were a bit tight if anything. Then I caught sight of the label - this pair is from the Plus One section. So it's a size 16, but obviously 16 from the big girls section is cut bigger than a regular 16. Which is stupid if you ask me. I bought them anyway, even though I would have liked a smaller pair, because that section doesn't go any smaller than 16.

And a pair of jeans I had a fight over with an insolent teenage checkout chick and ended up abandoning, seemed a bit snug at size 16. I even drove to another store to buy them there rather than go back to the original one. To find that they only had a handful of pairs and none in 16. So back to the first store, only to find that all 3 pair of size 16 jeans in this style had gone! In three days! I looked at the 14 and they actually seemed kind of big. Big enough for me to get into. So I bought them and brought them home (I had had enough of Target at this point) and they do! Amazingly but true.

And some of the other size 16 grey Target pants are so loose now that if I don't wear a belt, they start sliding down and draping over my feet annoyingly. And I could pull them off without undoing the buttons. But I haven't lost that much weight, so I think I must have STRETCHED them out. That's the only possible answer. Because I am not a size 14 yet. Nosireeeeeeeee.

Week 3 Progress 91.6

I can't really pretend this is any surprise to me - the scales were indicating in the high 91 kilos this week and I ate way too much chocolate and didn't do enough exercise. I think if I hadn't done 42 minutes on the cross-trainer and eaten grilled green beans for dinner, I wouldn't even have been at 91.6.

So this is a gain of 0.8 kilos, but I found the 90.8 a bit unbelievable anyway. Apparently you have to work hard and eat less to lose weight and I don't think my behaviour last week indicated that.

Finding it easier to go for longer distances on the XT. And after a while, I don't want to stop but there is usually a small child or two who needs me to do something.

Week 2 Progress 90.8

I don't know how this happened. I thought it might actually show a gain today or at best staying the same as I have hardly done any exercise this week compared to last and eaten a chocolate ice cream plus a fair bit of chocolate.

That Dress

This is how I used to dress. I had an amazing Howard Showers blue and white gingham dress in a similiar pattern that I bought one year on holiday. My friend had to talk me into it, I wasn't even sure that it looked that great, but it was only $40 on sale.

On the flight home, there was a stopover at another airport for about half an hour and as there was about 10 degrees difference to the temperature at my destination, I changed clothes. Out of the grey pants and tshirt and thin jumper I was wearing, into this light cotton dress. Now I don't often remember reactions to me, but I have a very clear memory of people, who had been on the first flight with me and not paid any attention (which was fine by me!) turning around and STARING. It must have been the dress.

Anyway, it's worn out now and in a cupboard somewhere, but I'd like to be able to wear this summer's version from the David Jones catalogue. And as you can see, it's hardly skinny skinny territory. Just nicely rounded.

But still about 20 kilos away.

First post

Another start to another weight loss attempt. But this time I really really want it to happen all the way to goal. I can't spend the rest of my thirties overweight. Pregnancy and breastfeeding and work-stress-induced weight are not excuses anymore. I want to get back into the kind of clothes I wore seven years ago. And if you told me that it would be seven years, I wouldn't have believed you.

I have started eating a more healthy way - essentially leanish protein (I do love chicken skin!), vegetables, some fruit, wholegrains. Nothing outrageous, except for the chocolate, which I adore. And I'm trying to exercise 5 times a week which isn't as easy as it sounds with two little ones on hand. The cross trainer is back in use, but yesterday for instance, I could only manage a half hour walk in the neighbourhood and trust me, that wasn't very fast at all.

This blog is to keep me on track so that I monitor my weightloss and progress. I also hope that the additional support from the online community will help me do it!

Start weight: 96 kilos (I think?)
Start change weight: 93.6 kilos
Current weight 92.0 kilos

The 93.6 is from about 10 days ago.