tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56196435686365605332024-03-13T23:12:59.719+13:00The Trials and Tribulations of a Beached WhaleGruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-80051108050106044362016-01-02T15:14:00.000+13:002016-01-02T15:15:43.203+13:00Auld Lang Syne<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Auld Lang Syne</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Its been six months since I last wrote in my blog and I have
too many excuses why I stopped writing.
And that’s what they are just excuses – but there was a bigger
underlying reason. I was embarrassed. I lost my mojo big time. It was winter and I just couldn’t take
everything I had learned over summer and autumn and use it to my advantage in
winter. I went back to the normal cold
wet miserable I want to eat pattern that was part of my normal life and I didn’t
care. I started putting weight back on
and the thought of exercising just make me feel blah. I made so many excuses why I couldn’t.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had lost momentum.
It’s kind of like giving up smoking.
I can take two or three goes to finally kick it in the butt (please
excuse the pun) for good. I am been
smoke free for nearly two years now and it took three goes over five years to
get through the barrier. I’m not there
yet – I still crave one now and again especially if I’m stressed and even now I
think about starting up again as it would help with my weight loss but I know
its something that won’t happen. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I came to realise that I just wasn’t in the right head space
during this time to continue all the good work I had accomplished between
January and June. I put back on 7 of
those lovely 12 kgs I had lost. Stink huh.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It wasn’t all bad I must admit. I joined a gym and fell in
love with CENTERGY. Centergy is a one
hour session of mixed Pilates and Yoga.
My sister Katrina started dragging me along with her and within a couple
of weeks I was hooked. I never ever
thought I’d be into doing Warrior One or Upside Down Dogs or Child Pose but I
love it. Its amazing how much I noticed
the changes within my body after 10 weeks.
Boy does it make you sweat. It
ended up being the highlight of my week and I think I have only missed two
sessions now since I started. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A new year is underway and I know that with it I have to get
myself back on track. And no I’m not
doing a New Years resolution type thing. I’m just doing a Kick in the Butt. Take Two. If at first you don’t succeed….. However it gets said moment in time and
getting my mojo cranked up again.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So part of the change is that I am getting rid of the Beached
Whale hat. It’s too negative. It maybe one of the “downer” things that put
me out of kilter so I am changing my blog name to reflect something that’s truly
more me – its who Ive been for the last few years and why I didn’t feel
positive enough about starting my original blog with it is probably one of the
things that has been holding me back.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Im going to leave all the old blog pages up here as they are
still a part of me and still represent a slice of my journey and to change them
into the new blog just wouldn’t seem right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So without further ado we bid farewell to the Beached Whale
and hello to <a href="http://feelinggruvie.blogspot.co.nz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Feeling Gruvie</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-43938485928435649582015-06-03T12:56:00.001+12:002015-06-03T13:11:35.779+12:00BootsnAll<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are my favourite pair of boots that I own. I adore them but I cant wear them. Why? because of my body. I carry too much weight which in turn puts too much pressure on my lower back when I wear heels that are more than just a couple of centimetres off the the ground. So much so that by the end of the day if I wear any high boot or shoe I am usually limping from the weight being distributed into my lower back and feet. So I keep my heels small and thick rather than talk and spiky. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBS24RVO1_L_9KKou0yMJuv0aVJombDwTKHnahyQ_RwuqJGrQwJMDfSMRdM-T3U4aL88tr6tvoaNFZDPTN8NuOf4wtYnsbQQZVHFhtI-VdWfE3p9g7jRUN1Yf2R7oNEqunizXHBK6Q5Ua7/s1600/purple+boots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBS24RVO1_L_9KKou0yMJuv0aVJombDwTKHnahyQ_RwuqJGrQwJMDfSMRdM-T3U4aL88tr6tvoaNFZDPTN8NuOf4wtYnsbQQZVHFhtI-VdWfE3p9g7jRUN1Yf2R7oNEqunizXHBK6Q5Ua7/s1600/purple+boots.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Drool Drool Drool</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Heaven help me if I even think about wanting to buy Stilettos. One day I will be able to wear these luffy things again and strut my stuff again. In the meantime I have a wardrobe full of another 15 pairs of boots I can still wear instead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Right now I'm daydreaming of more boots for winter so I best blink and get on with the real topic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A year ago today I was in Hamilton for the week spending some I guess you could call it on a working holiday. I had spent Queens Birthday in Edgecumbe catching up with a mate and wanted to stay in Hamilton for the week so I could attend a concert on the following Friday. So I managed to get my Manager to approve me working from the Hamilton office for the week and talked my girlfriend Tanya into letting me crash at her place for a few nights.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On the Wednesday she talked me into attending boot camp with her. I said yes - but oh boy was I in for it. I nearly died - in fact Tanya nearly died from the evil looks I was giving her as I was being tortured with running and stretching and push ups and sit ups and all those other horrible things. The worst thing was it was in public. Boot camp was held at the side of a park by Hamilton Lake. So EVERYONE in-sundry could see the big flat flabby me making a fool of herself trying to keep up with the other inmates, I mean trainees.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Karina at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SoVoceNZ?fref=pb&hc_location=profile_browser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Só Você (Only You) - Health & Fitness</a> was so lovely and oh so patient with me. Tanya kept cheering me on even when I was way way WAY behind the rest of the group. By the end of the session I was shattered. I could hardly talk, let alone walk back to the car. I think it would have been fairer if they had called me an ambulance to take me away.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today it's a totally different story. I love boot camp. I am currently going two nights a week and a third session on Saturday morning. There are so many things that have changed with my body and my mind since I first started with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/MSP-Soul-Fitness/150567811675957?fref=ts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MSP - Soul Fitness</a> that its so enjoyable to be there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I can do squats and hold them now - never used to be able to even bend my legs. I would always "use my back as a crane". Now I can squat for both exercise or just for picking up something from the ground (well it depends on how tight my trousers are lol) and pull myself back up again without even a big sigh.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can do triceps dips. You know those god awful things I told you about a month or so back where you have to lever your body up and down with your hands holding onto a box or bench behind you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFI4EulzPcJELPdkHuaWBCFOJg2HQacDpFzlQhjbR6TmUu67MpPKOKV6aY2wIZgilnXlnfE_XiigwUo3KzfJUVC3vWyNxG-fl5kHElbizZn-CLhahVkAy9GB9VBgSMNjg3eaJ4rc2-o2u/s1600/blogger-image--1540713017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFI4EulzPcJELPdkHuaWBCFOJg2HQacDpFzlQhjbR6TmUu67MpPKOKV6aY2wIZgilnXlnfE_XiigwUo3KzfJUVC3vWyNxG-fl5kHElbizZn-CLhahVkAy9GB9VBgSMNjg3eaJ4rc2-o2u/s200/blogger-image--1540713017.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These horrible things</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I can jog - heck I haven't jogged since I was forced to when doing the Cross Country event up Moonshine Hill Road back in college days. But yes I can now jog. I so shocked myself a few weeks back when my body just decided that a fast walk just wasn't fast enough anymore and it clicked into second gear and started going faster. Albeit it is a very slog jog but I can maintain it for the times when required.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I think the biggest change in my fitness though is that all the torturous things that Ness and Henry put me through three times are week are getting easier. The original 5kg kettle bell I was having an affair with has now been bumped up to a minimum of 8kg or 12kg depending on which exercise we are doing. I can do the kettle bell squat with the 12kg but not really coordinated enough to use it with the swings so cut back down to the 8kg for that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In fact Ness actually came up to me last week during a workout and took the "light" set of weights off me and make me use a heavier set (I think it was 15kg weight on the bar instead of 5kg lol). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And you know what. I'm usually one of the first to arrive at Bootcamp (usually a good 10-15 min early). I'm usually the first one to initiate the walking warm up (laps up and down the gym) each session and I think the only thing I can't get myself down to do yet is Bear Crawls. Tis bad enough seeing my butt up in the air each time Ness takes a photo of me pushing the weight sleigh lol. Though she did compliment me the last time I complained that my butt was nowhere near as big as what it was when I first started.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwjHW5r4AJ6-Zlz_h4QGNAkyHQtan4Lf-bcXUAg-HTwSTGDYRrITGW_cAWVy6QMXAUhM9dckde_48NFgHV9SBHRU1kdKvReOYVDyP_OoY_F-Z-3eEio-XGYow4WntWghTWLk-ayfHpnv3/s1600/sleighweight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwjHW5r4AJ6-Zlz_h4QGNAkyHQtan4Lf-bcXUAg-HTwSTGDYRrITGW_cAWVy6QMXAUhM9dckde_48NFgHV9SBHRU1kdKvReOYVDyP_OoY_F-Z-3eEio-XGYow4WntWghTWLk-ayfHpnv3/s200/sleighweight.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">See thats my big butt on the right</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oh and I can kind of "Plank" too </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRZTkN9gViyUwejLvV-Na_8de_mDeYH6Htm4CKSEzY36wvYCVXhDPb8X0nQ0KRJ5Ezg7XoPrk0MhFnvkOCLatMDSNdI4McPqpSLDFCuzi1Jan116bVi36U9yoIiRlwJ02s7pJqLimzYLn/s1600/planking.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRZTkN9gViyUwejLvV-Na_8de_mDeYH6Htm4CKSEzY36wvYCVXhDPb8X0nQ0KRJ5Ezg7XoPrk0MhFnvkOCLatMDSNdI4McPqpSLDFCuzi1Jan116bVi36U9yoIiRlwJ02s7pJqLimzYLn/s1600/planking.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm a Plank in disguise</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- just not that straight yet - but boy its one hell of an achievement so far don't you think.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com0Lyall Bay, Wellington, New Zealand-41.326947 174.795344-41.3507925 174.7550035 -41.3031015 174.8356845tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-22462826742701909012015-05-19T16:47:00.000+12:002015-05-19T21:02:38.296+12:001Potato2Potato<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3 Potato 4</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5 Potato 6 Potato</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7 Potato More</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">well that's what I remember as a kid as to how the song goes.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyway what does 7 or more potatoes have to do with me and my journey.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, I'm trying to work out how many potatoes could actually be inside a standard sack of spuds. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That's a ten kg sack of spuds not just a 2, 3 or 5 kg bag but </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a whopping ten kgs. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Do you know how heavy one of those bags are to lift and throw into your shopping trolley? Almost heavy enough to need a man to do it for you.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoG_QAxyNtB0ar9s-avTuCc2PDJmcbTvUE-fzQ62jXF70_WHeLaoealOOTpKC_5xnypDxQ0Xt1BslpwLT81VOxIUitzycyK4Vi0bkwJSv5mjhM7SjXbuv1uD1N2Er7q7JuW3YR6huBd85/s1600/tenkgs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoG_QAxyNtB0ar9s-avTuCc2PDJmcbTvUE-fzQ62jXF70_WHeLaoealOOTpKC_5xnypDxQ0Xt1BslpwLT81VOxIUitzycyK4Vi0bkwJSv5mjhM7SjXbuv1uD1N2Er7q7JuW3YR6huBd85/s200/tenkgs.jpg" width="200"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span><font face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif">So why am I fixated today on a 10kg sack of spuds?</font><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because thats how much weight I have lost so far in my journey. <br></span>
<br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In fact its actually more than that - I hit 11.3 kg lost in total this week.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And why didnt I celebrate hitting the ten kg mark? - because it went by without me even realising it.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I got hit with a bad reaction to the Flu Jab last week on Monday morning and by the mid afternoon I was feeling hot and flustered and by 5pm I was in bed snuggled up with a box of tissues and thats pretty much where I stayed until Saturday. So my usual weigh in didnt happen because I just didn't have the energy to even bend down to turn the scales on. </span><div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So when I did manage to jump on the scales on the Sunday morning instead, it was to find that it was reading 130.0 kg. I had to reweigh myself a good two or three times because I didnt believe it. I truly thought my scales were wonky.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I decided to leave it, thinking that maybe there was an issue with me "over resting all week being in bed with the bad cold" and not being normally active and tried again on Monday morning and low and behold it within a hundred grams or so it was the same weight showing on the display.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So in ten days I had lost 2.2 kg - Im still in shock lol. I guess the plateau I was so stressing over last month has finally stopped and my body has decided it was fine and dandy again to lose a bit more now.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So overall its been 125 days and I have lost 11.3 kg.</span></div><div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Im so proud of myself.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Im so proud that I have kept on this road.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Im so proud that I haven't quit on myself or on my supporters.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But most of all</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Im really starting to actually see the difference in my body now.</span></div><div><font face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif">Everyone has seen the changes in my face as picked up in my last blog but there are now other things I'm noticing with the rest of my body. <br></font>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My rings are getting way to loose on my fingers now that I think Im just going to have to take them off and put them away til I can afford to get them resized.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Under my arms isnt as saggy baggy anymore - this Ive noticed because my bras are feeling a bit looser.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My upper core isnt looking like Im totally bloated. I can see a little change there and also my butt has lost some of its padding.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Time to see if you can spot the changes from the beginning photo I took in January. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8aChUkEYmhhVv5w5v8O2TIp6SxZXsjSLey2hlpMshvm4ZJkIkvy6qon8rE4FB4sdR1C4rAb619unpYfnWOpPMB-AUT8CtF9bpEPp5t9MBhnGCyiQnUPWB9jaLlB17FzDaPULray1m9NW/s640/blogger-image--1614135994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8aChUkEYmhhVv5w5v8O2TIp6SxZXsjSLey2hlpMshvm4ZJkIkvy6qon8rE4FB4sdR1C4rAb619unpYfnWOpPMB-AUT8CtF9bpEPp5t9MBhnGCyiQnUPWB9jaLlB17FzDaPULray1m9NW/s640/blogger-image--1614135994.jpg"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8aChUkEYmhhVv5w5v8O2TIp6SxZXsjSLey2hlpMshvm4ZJkIkvy6qon8rE4FB4sdR1C4rAb619unpYfnWOpPMB-AUT8CtF9bpEPp5t9MBhnGCyiQnUPWB9jaLlB17FzDaPULray1m9NW/s640/blogger-image--1614135994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLjoWhPsC1YOFB7iIWSaaICCxuh5umjPJj6148RsjgeYCEnz6unOCA3M1uhMRkHHOTlUrIBpzcDLcixNPhT0gwDgb8rsm7WRQ6bOqJcfrtgBbp5Dz8436yoiorHeS5WIi55irFEGBh6GM/s640/blogger-image-1759739528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLjoWhPsC1YOFB7iIWSaaICCxuh5umjPJj6148RsjgeYCEnz6unOCA3M1uhMRkHHOTlUrIBpzcDLcixNPhT0gwDgb8rsm7WRQ6bOqJcfrtgBbp5Dz8436yoiorHeS5WIi55irFEGBh6GM/s640/blogger-image-1759739528.jpg"></a></div></div><br></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There's a little difference there don't ya reckon? And I'm not talking about my hair colour ok lol</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Arent I amazeballs :)</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So how many potatoes are in a 10 kg sack of spuds? About 80-100 depending on their size. </span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiC_PhyphenhyphengQHHQzvrPCJxXBrkButrMUeD-X5TZIJlNHO38R6Qk6b7Dn9drqyOxG_ZkJhBzIvjy-ELsqt1fPXFzsEJEWItVNavphnVZ-j5LQmtN-lIMPZnZm9phKKKYE8sVlnQ8p07tNrwrb5/s1600/coach+potato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiC_PhyphenhyphengQHHQzvrPCJxXBrkButrMUeD-X5TZIJlNHO38R6Qk6b7Dn9drqyOxG_ZkJhBzIvjy-ELsqt1fPXFzsEJEWItVNavphnVZ-j5LQmtN-lIMPZnZm9phKKKYE8sVlnQ8p07tNrwrb5/s200/coach+potato.jpg" width="200"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-8372470581436144232015-05-08T13:47:00.000+12:002015-05-08T13:47:03.801+12:00Darth Vader's Wife<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For nearly a year I have been living a semi secret life in the dark as Darth Vader's Wife and only a handful of people know but I've decided that it's time to come clean as such and let you all know about this. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sometime in 2012 I began snoring really bad. I it wasn't your normal every day, or I should really say, every night, snore but one that was bad enough that it started causing some unpleasant times between my then partner and myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Over the next year or so I tried all the different remedies I could afford. From sprays and foams to drops and mouth guards. Medicinal or herbal or old wives tales. Some would work for a while and give a small amount of relief and others did nothing but eat up my little bank balance. In the end himself even resorted to wearing ear plugs at nights and there were times when even these didn't work. He would get so grumpy (and rightfully so) and I would end up crawling into the cold spare bed in the night and crying myself back to sleep.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I went off to my doctor and after some minor testing and discussions she said I could have OSA - Obstructive Sleep Apnea. She filled off a form for a referral to The Respiratory team at Wellington Hospital.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A couple of months later I received a letter back from Wellington Hospital saying that the waiting list to see the specialist was over 6 months long and that I probably wasn't bad enough to warrant a referral anyway so they were declining my request. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was pretty disheartened, and poor himself was pretty grumpy still and I would spend my days at work really tired and fatigued (and shirty) because I wasn't getting enough sleep.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">By January of 2014 himself and I had parted company. One of the reasons for our break up was my "lack" of trying to find another solution to my snoring issue.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In February last year I realised "oh crap" my drivers license had expired because my birthday had been and gone. So I went off to renew it (you do get a couple of weeks or so grace period after expiry date to get it sorted) but they told me I had to complete a full medical if I wanted to keep my heavy trade licences as it had been over ten years since I did the last medical.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So back to my GP I went who decided that my sleep apnea was BAD enough and that she would not issue me with a tick on my medical and sent off a letter to the Respiratory Clinic with a recommendation that they do make an appointment for me as she was revoking my licenses for heavy trade driving. And Yup i was pretty upset about but realised it was the only way that we could push for a referral to the specialist. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And within a few weeks a miracle happened and I received an appointment with the Specialist for a month or so into the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So long story short I went off to my specialist appointment who said yes I could well have OSA and he would send a referral to <a href="http://www.otago.ac.nz/wellington/about/services/wellsleep/" target="_blank">WellSleep</a> who would complete an overnight sleep study.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So the time came for my sleep study and off I went. I arrived in the early evening and was taken downstairs to a hospital room all ready and waiting for me, with dinner provided and a tv to keep me out of trouble.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When I had eaten and got changed into my jammies they hooked me up to a whole lot of diodes and wires and left me to sleep the night away. There were at least 8-10 diodes glued to my head alone - but the technician promised faithfully that the glue would come out next time I washed my hair lol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">All the diodes and wires were connected to a central unit which was then plugged into a port on the wall. I felt so silly. I looked even sillier.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3yHrSqMNpiXPoxtD-wjORKM_jRFvrKyvTWwbthQERoP9XGpJ_bHWY_ieQ-22cLjWNIOb8YtVC45St-FXnRJpI2mUjJXdOmQrUZ41SMS7AbbQuJteHVYGBjw-ZqPYpl0yjl-m-Eb0hj7O/s1600/IMG_1524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3yHrSqMNpiXPoxtD-wjORKM_jRFvrKyvTWwbthQERoP9XGpJ_bHWY_ieQ-22cLjWNIOb8YtVC45St-FXnRJpI2mUjJXdOmQrUZ41SMS7AbbQuJteHVYGBjw-ZqPYpl0yjl-m-Eb0hj7O/s200/IMG_1524.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don't I look hotstuff</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">During the night they came in and out a few times (especially when I woke up to go to the toilet - they had to come and "unplug me lol) and in the end plugged me up to a machine to assist with my breathing to see the difference in before and after results. It was a really restless night. More so because of the hospital bed rather than being stuck to the wires.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the morning, after brekkie, in came the verdict. The results showed that I stopped breathing at minimum once every minute in my sleep - that's at least once every 30 seconds. If you equate that to an eight hour sleep session - thats 960 times a night I stop breathing in my sleep. So the diagnosis was that I had severe <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obstructive_sleep_apnea" target="_blank">Obstructive Sleep Apnea</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2khrL4hhQGQqJo28NRMkBGsNzp65evZwVC1SO3LcSzv8vQRpcQwTS3goM4YurRn9-MOCZ0v2Ha9TOzkV2551iGs8Zb_g9CDZHQ00tpAXs8Oqd1c-kHN85uF3d2EY8RAe5dfZKTibOPiF/s1600/IMG_1139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2khrL4hhQGQqJo28NRMkBGsNzp65evZwVC1SO3LcSzv8vQRpcQwTS3goM4YurRn9-MOCZ0v2Ha9TOzkV2551iGs8Zb_g9CDZHQ00tpAXs8Oqd1c-kHN85uF3d2EY8RAe5dfZKTibOPiF/s320/IMG_1139.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So now every night when I go to bed, I first put on the blue chin strap which holds my mouth closed at night - and not its not to stop me from dribbling lol. Then I put on my makeup I mean my mask, over the top and plug the mask into the hose which connects to the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) therapy machine which forces humidified air into my nose and down my airways to keep them open so I can get a proper nights sleep.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZkOG6fmAIijZUC6B7bgbHCLhGlftzzp92a7iWzmQyy1hyOQSoAcv3wz0cAe7qC4P6xEQGdgBzrOZPzwdQCfEX3NVbPNptZbrPFWidII0mZZ5lUQAQj3_nzOZdMVcG8BPm1tbst25dx8q/s1600/IMG_1135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZkOG6fmAIijZUC6B7bgbHCLhGlftzzp92a7iWzmQyy1hyOQSoAcv3wz0cAe7qC4P6xEQGdgBzrOZPzwdQCfEX3NVbPNptZbrPFWidII0mZZ5lUQAQj3_nzOZdMVcG8BPm1tbst25dx8q/s320/IMG_1135.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The machine itself the hospital leases to me for free BUT I have to pay for parts. A filter replacement every month is $10 and I had to go and purchase a new mask a few weeks back because it split and that was over a hundred dollars. If the machine needs repairs I hate to think how expensive that would be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have to sleep attached to the machine every night and it goes everywhere with me. It could have had its own passport when I was away in the US and Canada over Christmas/New Year - though on the positive side I don't get stung for extra baggage for it as its medical equipment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now I may nor may not lose the use of this machine once I lose all the weight I want to get rid of. Losing the weight will be an added advantage to my throat as there will not be as much weight on my neck forcing my airways closed at night. I will have the opportunity to be retested once I get down to under 100 kgs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But for now we assume that for the rest of my life I'm going to be Darth Vaders Wife. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With a face like this Im sure to find myself a man right? lol.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikK0QO1IbdqFs6jGF1jbjXFhUZGPRFFQkwiv9q_I2HHrq4Lxwum3CB6IrDj28as-lJwQp9OzAbaW0znAVvMqwnXmkzJj9u992zm5ZFYjkWlRNXhhDYRYvP6NVFEqVBv_itvPIBPKQYJq79/s1600/IMG_3323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikK0QO1IbdqFs6jGF1jbjXFhUZGPRFFQkwiv9q_I2HHrq4Lxwum3CB6IrDj28as-lJwQp9OzAbaW0znAVvMqwnXmkzJj9u992zm5ZFYjkWlRNXhhDYRYvP6NVFEqVBv_itvPIBPKQYJq79/s320/IMG_3323.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gawd I'm gorgeous</span></td></tr>
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Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-78387970710752597782015-04-22T12:02:00.000+12:002015-04-22T12:10:37.383+12:00Accentuate the Positive<div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">OK so I'm bouncing around in a bit of a rut </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I need to focus on some of the positive changes that have happened and I set myself a challenge to find 10 good things that have happened to me since I started on this roller coaster ride.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1). The biggest change is that I have lost 8 kg in 100 days. That by itself should be cause for celebration. The fact that I haven't lost any weight in the last 20 of those 100 days shouldn't scare me off. I just need to change my focus, try some new ideas and re-gain some traction right? All the ideas I've put together in my <a href="http://abeachedwhale.blogspot.co.nz/2015/04/hang-on-help-is-on-its-way.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last post</a> will help I'm sure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2). I have lost at least three centimetres off me butt, a good two centimetres off my neck, some around the area under my breasts, two and a half centimetres have gone off my hips but nothing on my tummy girth. Clothes are starting to feel looser in some places but not that lose that I have to get smaller sizes yet. My tummy is still in the way for that just yet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3). It's really funny but the circumference of my feet have shrunk. I know this because there are some pairs of my shoes that are now too big and Ive had to go and throw them aside to deliver to an op shop and go buy some new ones - well that's not a bad thing is it? New shoes mmmmmm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4). Everyone is commenting on the changes they have seen in my face. That I have lost some of the puffiness and my skin is looking a lot healthier. Can you notice the difference in the last four months? </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">April 2015</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5). My nose is skinnier. Seriously. It is. I know this because my glasses keep slipping off the bridge lol. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6). I'm not scared about going to boot camp anymore. In fact I'm really starting to enjoy it. I can do the whole 45 min without quitting though I'm not up to jogging or running pace, I can do a good quick walk. In fact 7 weeks ago I couldn't even attempt to do a triceps dip like in the photo below but I managed to do five at boot camp on Monday night. I even got a high five from my trainer. That was sweet </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7:). I can walk up the three flights of stairs between our four floors at work without stopping. I still get a bit puffed when I make it to Level 11 from Level 8 but it doesn't last or hurt like it used to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8). In fact I'm doing a lot more walking. The longest I've achieved is 4.93 km and that took 40 minutes. I turn on Map My Walk and "start my workout", find the AP for The Sound radio station and off I go. Walking is a good way of clearing the mind. I usually don't try to think about anything or anyone, though I wouldn't call it meditating but it's just a sense of mindfulness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9). I'm still having a love affair with Daf. You remember her. My luffly bright yellow push bike. Her and I have had some great excursions. Best one was 11.5 kms. I try to get out on her even now in the autumn but the winds just keep getting in the way and so I'm only getting 3 or 4 km rides in now but even so with all the friction from the headwinds I sure I burn more calories lol In fact my app tells me that I have logged 338 km of walks and bike rides since 12th Jan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And finally number 10). It took me a while to think what number ten was and the. It dawned on me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm feeling a lot happier within my own self and more positive towards life in general. Sure I still have some stresses happening especially with not having any luck selling my house and pressure coming from the bank and a couple of workmen that I haven't been able to pay for the work they have completed on the house but that aside I am beginning to love myself again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">HOLD THE PHONE</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I put on my favourite dress this morning so it would give me a little lift and holy cow. I put on the dress and then the belt and realised that I had gone down a few notches. Actually I've gone down three notches from the original one I used when I first wore the dress a year ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">High fives and a head swell for me and ......</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So ill leave the last word to the most wonderful Aretha Franklin</span><br />
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Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-91732773948925692532015-04-21T16:07:00.000+12:002015-04-21T16:07:22.348+12:00Hang on Help is on its way<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So for the last three weeks or so, I've been pretty down that my weight loss hasn't been moving much from the 133kg mark- oh did I forget to tell you that I had made it down 8 kg - oh dear I'm sorry I forgot to yell out that achievement. I made an 8 kilo loss in 80 days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyway over the past three weeks I've been fluctuating between 133.3 and 133.9 kg's without much success in moving in any lower. While It hasn't depressed me, its put me in a bit of a blah head space which in turn stopped my motivation to blog. Which is really wrong because I should be able to blog the bad as well as the good - its what a blog is there for - to give me the space to express all the trials and tribulations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My exercise had petered of somewhat due to the change in weather - sometimes a bit too windy or wet to bike and walk these days and I was being a bit naughty and having little treats too often.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I decided that I needed some more support.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">First things first - off to the Doctor for a check up last Friday. (Side note - she heads off on maternity leave in a couple of weeks and I don't like her replacement, so maybe its time to actually make the move to a local doctor and forget travelling back out to the Hutt).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dr Liz recommended signing me up for a <a href="http://www.sportwellington.org.nz/greenprescription/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Green Prescription</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A Green Prescription is a primary health initiative where GPs and practice nurses write a referral for a patient to access support for increasing their physical activity. The Green Prescription is run by Sport Wellington and their support staff provide 3-4 months of phone support to assist me in finding enjoyable physical activity options and fit the activities into a routine and get me into the mood to make exercise a habit. Which is going to be great to find alternative things to do during winter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another great thing about this Green Prescription is that they will do a referral to Wellington City Council for me to get a <a href="http://wellington.govt.nz/recreation/recreation-support-and-advice/leisure-card" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leisure Card</a> (through Wellington City Council) which gives me 50% discount off the admission to the local swimming pools and the Spa Pool (ahhhhh sigh) and 20% discount off the associated fitness centre memberships.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There's also some other added value like receiving discounts on theatre tickets or museum entry fees or other recreation and leisure services.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The other thing Im off to do is a 10 week Wahine (that's Maori for Woman) Wellness Course run by the team at MSP Soul Fitness (where I do boot camp). It starts tomorrow night and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">covers everything from health checks, education, nutrition, and physical activity sessions as well as some inspiring and motivating speakers. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ive even given up Toastmasters for the next five meetings (Toasties is held fortnightly) so that I can attend this course. Its free for the Wednesday night sessions and then i just pay $2 for the exercise sessions I attend - which will be my normal Monday night and then maybe the 7.15am Saturday morning session if I'm feeling motivated.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So thats the plan of attack - I think, no <b>I KNOW </b>that this is going to help. As always Ill keep you posted.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-71022279466643794452015-03-25T13:10:00.005+13:002015-03-25T13:10:51.870+13:00Another Brick in the Wall<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have lost NO friggen weight in the last two weeks. After such a great start I've hit my first Brick Wall. For two weeks now I have gone up and down like a yoyo on the scales that I know something isnt right in my life right now but I just cant pin point it to one specific thing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Someone tried to tell me that I'm just retaining water but its not that simple really is it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So the things I do know that have gone a little skew-wiv are</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yes I have been a bit less active due to the weather - I cant get out and bike every day right now because its either to wet or too wild, so that means I don't get to walk as much either. I try to compensate by walking down the stairs at work as much as I can and walking around the block a few times at work and keeping up with my Monday boot camp as well as when it has been fine enough out to walk or bike I do it but it hasn't been enough, so the time has come where I have to give in and join a gym.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Foot intake - Its Autumn, its getting colder so its like i need hotter food - not hot as in spicy but hot as in warmth. So its my body telling me that just like the change in seasons, its needing a change in what it is getting - so out with the salads and in with the hot meals, the heavy meals, the comfort food. STOP already tummy. Im trying to make a change here and you aren't helping. Someone get me a hypnotist already. How do I stop wanting takeout, or toasted sandwiches or baked potatoes, or pies, or chips, or or or all those other luffly hot stuff we tend to draw towards at this time of the year. I did a crockpot chicken and veges on Sunday. I ate it Sunday for dinner, Monday for lunch and dinner and theres still at least 4 more servings sitting in the fridge but im bored with it already. Ive got no room in the freezer so I guess Ill just be chucking out leftovers. Its so hard sometimes trying to cook for just one person.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Stress is rearing its little head again. I need to stop procrastinating about the fact that my house hasnt sold through this new great online real estate company. The bank is breathing down my neck because I cant pay the mortgage while its empty and the luffly man who gave me a deal to do some painting and recarpeting and hold off for payment until the house is sold is now starting to get antsy and I dont blame him - its been four months.<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Water consumption is down because its not so hot anymore and im starting to notice that Im not drinking as many cup fulls of water a day.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So yes putting it down in words has given me an insight into what I need to do to get myself back on track.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Go suss out a gym or two to see which is the right fit for me.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Find some more inspiration for eating right</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Go give in and talk to a real real estate agent and organise for the house to go under Tender</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Keep up my fluids.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Remember.....</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But I also need your help - what have I missed? what other ideas do you have that I don't?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Please leave me a message below with your thoughts and ideas and give me some inspiration.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-6321875663063281182015-03-10T09:45:00.000+13:002015-03-10T10:13:35.488+13:00Its just a blue day<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A year ago I was in a pretty bad space.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">January saw the beginning of the end as far as I was concerned. I was trying to cope with being diagnosed with severe depression, my weight had ballooned. My relationship with my partner of five years had fallen apart. I had moved out and through the kindness of the most dearest friend, Mal, had found somewhere to live until I could sort myself, or my relationship out and I was a blubbering mess.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the beginning of March my relationship was over and it wasn't my decision, but the decision was made because of an open letter I wrote and published on Facebook explaining what I was going through, what I was feeling and how I wasn't coping. It was a letter to Jason and to my friends, acknowledging I was sick and needing help, an outpouring of all my thoughts and feelings, the good and the bad, a way of bringing all my anxiety out in the open, a way of repairing. It was to me all a part of my healing process. Unfortunately Jason didn't think so and made the decision that he didn't want to try to heal our relationship and it was over. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZWz0_GHNWZ6McAidZKqDTpRootxNRo5tl-9b612s1i4knrCnqfR1vHjvSlP2VEal1I-oH8-2OvlH9J9mUmR82Lb9RjBHjU4sNmG1xeT0QTAwUf_bTgPZjYjHX7Bhi3Vnp6X7ZJONbqKX/s1600/Jo+March+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZWz0_GHNWZ6McAidZKqDTpRootxNRo5tl-9b612s1i4knrCnqfR1vHjvSlP2VEal1I-oH8-2OvlH9J9mUmR82Lb9RjBHjU4sNmG1xeT0QTAwUf_bTgPZjYjHX7Bhi3Vnp6X7ZJONbqKX/s1600/Jo+March+2014.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Me in March 2014 - check out the false smile</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn't think that life could have gotten so awful. I wasn't suicidal or anything like that but I couldn't think straight, I couldn't sleep or eat properly, I lived on a never ending supply of bourbon. I started smoking a bit again - not regularly but when I felt that emotionally wrenched I needed the calming influence of nicotine. How on earth I coped at work I don't</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> know. There was a lot of running behind closed meeting room doors when I would start crying for no reason. A lot of mindless walks around outside trying to calm down and clear my head.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mal was a godsend. He was always there when I needed to borrow his shoulder, to cry on or for a hug. He never gave me advice or told me what I needed to do, but he listened to all of my outpourings. He put up with me cleaning his flat, cooking for him and making him do the dishes. Mind you I was trying to put him in training for when his luffly lady Jackie would be arriving from England to live with him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blue Day by the band Mi Sex was my song. Every time I played it, I cried, I blubbered. But it was my mantra. I played this song over and over and over and over again. I'm surprised Mal never shouted at me for playing it so much. I'm sure it, and me, got on his nerves more than once or twice.</span><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">It's hard to make believe everyday</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Things are not always the way they should be</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Words come easy if you-ou try</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Hidin' in the shadow of your eyes</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">And I tell myself it's just a blue day</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">And it's hard to see it any other way</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">And I tell myself it's just a blue-ue day</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Siftin' through the thoughts that lead you on</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Find the door that's open, now you're gone</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">We softly say to our-ourselves</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">If we could be anybody else</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">And I tell myself it's just a blue day</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">And it's hard to see it any other way</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Blue day-ay</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Blue day-ay</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">When you fin'ly see the change in me</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">It's hard to understa-and</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Why can't you see I'm just the same</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">As any other man</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">I can't seem to shake it off</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">It follows me around</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Blue day-ay</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Blue day-ay-ay-ayay-ay-ay</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">And I tell myself it's just a blue day</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">And it's hard to see it any other way</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">I tell myself it's just a blue day</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">And it's hard to see it any other way</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">And I tell myself it's just a blue day</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">So hard to see it any other way</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Blue-day-ay-ay-ay</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">(I tell myself it's just a blue day) </span><img src="http://assets.allmusic.com/images/transparent.png" style="background-color: white; border: none; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; max-width: 100%;" /></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A year ago last week was the Newtown Festival and there I bumped into Erin. She was one in my extended circle of contacts. We had met through a dating website of all places and was one of my friends on Facebook. She came up to me and gave me a big hug. Told me not to worry, that everything was going to be alright. It might not seem like it right now but it would be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then she said "Oh and if you want something to take your mind off things why don't you come and help out at Roller Derby". I think i remember saying something like "Yeah right - like I'm going to get on skates again in this lifetime".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Erin explained that they were in need of people to be NSOs - that's Non Skating Officials, for the uninitiated. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I said "sure why not, I can come along and watch and see if I like it or not".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So plans were made that day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A year later, Erin and I met up at this years Newtown Festival in the same spot on the same day and you know what she was right.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdVptK9DLT6f5c7p19xjBZpPm4XJJ5tyXWjP1OGOdj3Md1hhNsSJ7VYyQJ4R1_g_n4OmQj_OoMCfJpDGQNbTO1nDnhUIIGlERtFP52W5oWXlLZDmhmBnxi0VHkN8B0v2KcRFfTaDSRQZU/s1600/Jo+and+Erin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdVptK9DLT6f5c7p19xjBZpPm4XJJ5tyXWjP1OGOdj3Md1hhNsSJ7VYyQJ4R1_g_n4OmQj_OoMCfJpDGQNbTO1nDnhUIIGlERtFP52W5oWXlLZDmhmBnxi0VHkN8B0v2KcRFfTaDSRQZU/s1600/Jo+and+Erin.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jo and Erin at Newtown Festival 2015</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Everything is alright.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've started losing weight - 7.2kg today (over eight weeks)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm still alive and kicking</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm managing to turn my life around again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went to watch Roller Derby and now I am an NSO for <a href="http://www.richtercity.co.nz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Richter City Roller Derby</a>. I play Scorekeeper or Jam Tracker or Jam Timer and blow the whistle and yell with authority (I love those bits lol),</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I managed to find myself somewhere to live. I couldn't live with Mal and Jackie when she arrived. It wouldn't have been fair on their little love nest no matter how welcome I was. I decided to stay in Lyall Bay which ironically was the place I used to live with my ex husband before we got married (something like 27 years ago lol). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know, I still miss Jason, a little part of me still loves him dearly and wishes that I could turn back time, but I know that is never going to happen. That we will probably never be friends is a certainty given the animosity over the last few months (but that's another story maybe for another time). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My year of mourning the loss of the man I wanted to grow old with is now over and a new day (purple of course lol) has begun. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also heard my song the other night for the first time in a what seems like forever now. I was at the bowling club last Friday night and it played on the radio. It wasn't until just about the end of the song when I clicked it was playing - and I said to myself "Thanks for that song Mi Sex - boy did it help me in my time of need..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And you know what....... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was just a blue day</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh and I haven't had another cigarette again.</span>Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-29789215865667847752015-02-23T13:37:00.001+13:002015-02-23T13:37:29.437+13:00Its the little things<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaa9qyoTYZ4U_JHUM4P-iPs2hYhLN1LfMraBGWb-WFe6qDAyIOyRRg7UzndQyd6RzfHrVlfM_sUI7czMdruqvbPLxPQZhO7PAHrJ31ac-8IQByEJpvr6KPSBJ1nL8nUa8xqk0dh5_td_zG/s1600/little-things-big-things.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaa9qyoTYZ4U_JHUM4P-iPs2hYhLN1LfMraBGWb-WFe6qDAyIOyRRg7UzndQyd6RzfHrVlfM_sUI7czMdruqvbPLxPQZhO7PAHrJ31ac-8IQByEJpvr6KPSBJ1nL8nUa8xqk0dh5_td_zG/s1600/little-things-big-things.jpg" height="320" width="259" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its the little things I've noticed over the last few weeks that have really started to make a change and I realise that Shit yes they were big things in my unhealthy life. Far more than the actual weight on the scales, these little things are starting to give me confidence to continue. Though the scales are telling me I have achieved a 5.4 kg weight loss over the last six weeks, its not always about the wins on the scales that matter, but the wins in your lifestyle changes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Friday at the stadium watching the Black Caps slaughter England I walked up the 30+ steps to Row X three times, that's three times without stopping. I could not have done that a couple of months ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today it was I walked up two flights of stairs between Floor 8 and Floor 10 of our building without stopping and without being winded. That's a first.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last Monday at Bootcamp I managed to do squats holding a 10 kg weight - I can't remember the last time I squatted (well without it being on the toilet haha).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And at Roller Derby scrimmage last week, we had to "take a knee". Take a knee means a Skater has been injured on the track and we go down on bended knee as a Health and Safety requirement until the Skater is able to be removed from the track. There was no way I used to be able to do this. It was just too hard for me to get down and then get back up again - in fact it was really embarrassing - but last week I did it. I managed to get down, stay down and get myself up. All without struggling and all without help. For me that is a biggie because its always been a hard thing to try to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And funnily enough my feet are changing. I have two pairs of Wedges that I cant wear anymore before the circumference of my feet has shrunk and the shoes are now too well baggy on me hahaha.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And lastly the shape of my face is changing so everyone says. I dont really see it myself as I stare into the mirror each day but those who havent seen me in a while saw a photo of me or the real me on Friday and commented that they could see that I had lost some of the puffiness in my face - what do you reckon?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZ8zjLm1Vbh4WtcRNhelezoRM3T7O7hn1WB7i299o071ckGyQcQocgLICtrS4IowGCyZR2ezKVp71huRZFjytLLiimetI604rfNwBxNd32PfCvu38Q3JjrVvccWrflztjwxiyclBI-vLB/s1600/Christmas+2014-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZ8zjLm1Vbh4WtcRNhelezoRM3T7O7hn1WB7i299o071ckGyQcQocgLICtrS4IowGCyZR2ezKVp71huRZFjytLLiimetI604rfNwBxNd32PfCvu38Q3JjrVvccWrflztjwxiyclBI-vLB/s1600/Christmas+2014-2.jpg" height="320" width="297" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christmas 2014</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBsohyphenhyphenrzNlx1AJf0Ofr0kCjyITjqSNBLZP0rkY9j0FSvPWQXeuNpsJuls9KBCK1sXWpD1nclrcShAJo07jtva8w0BtSHKPpGZVKb51ItsB4wGC0VDdEbDWait56kpaWdavIvowaKMrkDn/s1600/IMG_2965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBsohyphenhyphenrzNlx1AJf0Ofr0kCjyITjqSNBLZP0rkY9j0FSvPWQXeuNpsJuls9KBCK1sXWpD1nclrcShAJo07jtva8w0BtSHKPpGZVKb51ItsB4wGC0VDdEbDWait56kpaWdavIvowaKMrkDn/s1600/IMG_2965.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">February 2015</span></td></tr>
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<br />Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-29098674972836296182015-02-22T14:57:00.000+13:002015-02-22T14:57:12.152+13:00The Scales of Judgement<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; line-height: 28.7999992370605px;">Under the unforgiving Thanalan sun lie the ruins of an ancient temple half-devoured by the shifting sands of a timeless desert. </span><span style="color: #241f19;">T</span><span style="color: #241f19;">he Hall of Maat is where the </span><span style="color: #241f19;"><a href="file:///%20EgyptArt/egyptartsite.com/judgement.html">judgment</a></span><span style="color: #241f19;"> of the dead was performed. This was done by weighing one's </span><span style="color: #241f19;"><a href="http://www.egyptartsite.com/symlst.html#ht">heart</a></span><span style="color: #241f19;"> (conscience) against the </span><span style="color: #241f19;"><a href="http://www.egyptartsite.com/symlst.html#fm">feather of Maat</a></span><span style="color: #241f19;"> (truth and justice). The heart must not be heavier then the feather of Maat. This was not a physical weighing of the organ by living Egyptians, it was a ceremony that took place in the afterlife and was performed by the gods</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 28.7999992370605px;">These days we weigh ourselves against a different type of scale but still we judge ourselves wanting.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Weighing scales</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> (usually just "scales" in UK and Australian English, "weighing machine" in South Asian English or "scale" in US English) is a </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Measuring_instrument" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Measuring instrument">measuring instrument</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> for determining the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weight" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Weight">weight</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> or </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Mass">mass</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> of an object.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">A set of scales are a necessity when you are losing weight but they are not always a good thing to have around. Especially where you can get free access to them day after day hour after hour.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Its a fascination that one just cannot stop. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">We are told; </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Weigh yourself at the same time every time you need to weigh yourself - usually first thing in the morning (after your first visit to the bathroom). This is when you are at your most relaxed, most dehydrated and your most accurate weight.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">We are also told</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br /><b><u>DONT WEIGH YOURSELF EVERYDAY!!!!!!!!</u></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">I went and purchased my own set of scales recently because I didn't trust the scales at work - they kept fluctuating too much for my liking every time I stood on them and it was hard to work out if i was losing any weight or not. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br />So I went and purchased a set on special that did my weight, BMI and some other funky measuring that I haven't worked out. This way I knew that I would be getting an accurate measurement of how I was doing. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Thursdays are my official weigh in day and every Thursday so far except for this week I have lost weight. There have been six Thursdays and for five in a row I had steadily lost weight until this week where to my horror I had put on 700 grams. I didnt believe it. I had to weigh myself 3 times over a 15 minute period because I was so upset that I had put on this weight. I even made sure I went to the toilet again hoping that would help but nope.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">I went through my day quite disappointed in myself. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Now I know it happens, you gain weight to lose weight. You gain muscles to lose fat but honestly for the first time in this change of lifestyle it really got me down.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Friday being the next morning I jumped on the scales again and YAH i had lost that gain and more. Saturday, bloody hell weight gain again, and this morning, well it was the same weight as yesterday.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Now I know the rules DO NOT WEIGH YOURSELF EVERYDAY but i see these scales every morning sitting in my bathroom on the floor saying "Hi Jo wanna peek at yourself today?" and I cant say no. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Oh Crap</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Hi My name's Jo and I am an Addict. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic; line-height: 28.7999992370605px;"><br /></span>Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-36364544650621794902015-02-03T14:05:00.001+13:002015-02-03T14:05:44.079+13:00Weighing on my mind<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OMG My back</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Honestly was I stupid or what.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday I accepted and invitation to go and visit a boot camp style fitness group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/MSP-Soul-Fitness" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MSP-Soul-Fitness</a></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and participate in one of their sessions to see whether or not it would be a fit for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I got picked up by the awesome Robbie (who I know from Lyall Bay Bowling Club). He drove me over to the Marist St Pats Gym in Kilbirnie and introduced me to Vanessa and Henry who run the group. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MSP Soul Fitness is a casual fitness group. It runs Mondays and Friday evenings at 6.30pm, Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 6am and Saturday mornings at 7am for 45 min to an hour. You pay a fee of $5 a session or can buy a 10 trip ticket for $45.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I did it. I tried it out. At first it wasn't too bad - 5 min of casual walking, 5 min of stretches and lunges to warm up. I wasn't fast. In fact I was the slowest but it was all about "at your own pace". And you know what I wasn't the largest woman there. There were a mix of old and young, big and small, tall and short, all levels' all sizes and apart from being nervous being the newbie I felt ok about being there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then because it was a gorgeous day outside we went out to the rugby field where we were split into two groups. The first group (including lucky me) were told to run. Run or jog around the rugby field for ten minutes, including small sprints at the end of each lap. I didn't run, I didn't jog, i just walked it and Vanessa whispered to me i could be forgiven for not doing the sprints too - YAH me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I made it around the circumference of the rugby field 3 times in that ten minutes. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">A rugby field is </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">100m</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"> long and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">69m</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"> wide, so </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">calculating my distance</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">100 x 2 = 200</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">69 x 2 = 138</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">200 + 138 = 338</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">338 x 3 = 1014</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">therefore</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">I walked 1.014 km in ten min OMG that's the quickest I've walked. Usually 2km takes me half an hour.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">It didn't stop there.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">After a 2 min breather and a slug or two of water we swapped places with the other team and got to stand in front of heavens above - Barbells</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Right you lot Henry yelled out. You have ten minutes to do sets of four different exercises and you cannot stop at all during any one set. You can only stop at the end of each set. Away you go.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Ummmmmmmm</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Me?? Lift weights? Seriously? ohhhhhhhhhhhkay.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">So I did 10 reps of Front Deltoids Raises, 10 reps of Bicep Curls, 10 reps of Military Press, and 10 reps of Squats. Actually I DID IT. I did one set without stopping. WOW. I impressed myself. I tried again and ok this time it wasn't as easy. In fact by the third exercise I was struggling but I made it through and threw the barbell down on the grass. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Took a break had a drink and said yes I can do this. So I started a third set and UH HO my arms decided to protest and didn't want me to do anything other than actually lift the barbell up off the ground. I pushed my way through the agony and managed to do the third exercise but just couldn't get the energy to complete the fourth so I snuck my barbell down before Henry had a chance to catch me.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br />FARRRRKK I was had it. That took me 7 out of the 10 minutes to complete but others were still going and going good. What I didn't realise and I guess it irked me a bit was that I had been lifting 15kg. I would have hoped that someone would have come over and adjusted the weight for me being a newbie and all and explained how to lift correctly but they didn't. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">But there was still more to come.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Once the ten minutes was up then it was swappsies again for another 5 minutes of running - well walking for me. Off I went. Around the field yet again. My poor legs were killing me. I made it once around the circuit and then that was it, I was overdone. I went to Vanessa and said that it was time for me to head off - I had to be at Roller Derby Scrimmage in 15 min.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">So by the time I had done a 40 min boot camp session and spent 75 min doing Line Up Tracking and Jam Timing I was shattered. I dreamt of having a bath but knew that if I found one to go soak in I'd never get out of it again without help lol.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Home, snack, shower, bed, asleep by 10.15. Didn't even managed to watch the Phoenix play Melbourne.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Today I'm still feeling the pinch, especially in my back but I've decided I will go back, just not today. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br />I'm thinking once a week to start with as a good easing in period until the weather changes and I cant get outside to walk or bike and then maybe twice a week will be the go.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">Anyway I DID IT and I'm so proud of myself.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">And in the end I WASN'T STUPID or What. I was NUTS!!!!!!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span></span>Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-37584145165251482132015-02-01T19:58:00.001+13:002015-02-01T20:25:32.014+13:00She Shoots, She Scores, Goal!!<div>In a matter of three weeks In January I achieved three things. I lost weight, I managed to get back on my push bike and I pushed myself to bike eight kilometres without killing myself and I started walking again. Proper walking rather than the short slow amble to the Bowling Club and back again on a Friday night. </div><div><br></div>So now I need to actually set some goals. <div><br></div><div>Not soccer goals of course though that could be a long term goal in itself. Get back to playing soccer that is. It's been 26 years since I last put soccer boots on. </div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Like work goals lifestyle change goals need to measured SMARTly. specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-targeted.</span></div><div><br><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjxnYfXeijKduioRjLo4G51M6ZRHqnLbTTBn97-xEt7-J2TZ70d9Ty4HnPhqyn7J_cF2Kj2f6FIk4D7yANxtoENC35YU9iaBs4Ivs5RPJ6irwYZ-dWGquZHahJD9X2w_-K02o42DZFYgX/s640/blogger-image-647010760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjxnYfXeijKduioRjLo4G51M6ZRHqnLbTTBn97-xEt7-J2TZ70d9Ty4HnPhqyn7J_cF2Kj2f6FIk4D7yANxtoENC35YU9iaBs4Ivs5RPJ6irwYZ-dWGquZHahJD9X2w_-K02o42DZFYgX/s640/blogger-image-647010760.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So my goals for February are</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Lose 3 kg</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Achieve 9km on the bike</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Achieve 3km walking</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My plan to achieve these are</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">More veges more veges less meat and less takeout but also less calories. I am allowed 1500 calories a day + more if I exercise more but I need to try to keep within the 1500-1600 range and stop chewing up all the extra calories that I can use as a buffer when doing all my exercise. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Achieving 9km on the bike should be easy. I made 8.3 km on Saturday. So if I tackle it in increments by going for an extra 100 metres each time I bike I should be able to do it comfortably by the end of the month. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The same goes for walking. If I push myself to do an extra 100 metres every time I do a big morning or evening push I could achieve this pretty easily. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So they are smart (simple), measurable (weights and lengths) achieveable (they are not too hard) realistic (easy for me since I'm just really still starting out on this journey) and time-targeted (I've got til the end of the month). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So here goes ........ </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Fantastic February here we come </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My stats for the first day of February</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">weight 138.5 kg</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Neck 44.5 cm</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Left arm 42.5cm</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Right arm 43cm</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Waist 132cm</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Hips/Tummy 151cm</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Left thigh 72cm</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Right Thigh 73 cm</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div></div>Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-82307977667844074212015-01-30T13:44:00.001+13:002015-01-30T13:44:25.840+13:00Every Little Thing She Does<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is Magic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So sings The Police</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and its the same when motivating yourself in a goal. And it doesnt have to be a fitness goal, or a weightloss goal. It can be decluttering your home, or finishing a DIY project, or plans for a holiday. Every little bit helps.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And thats my mantra (for the moment).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every little thing I do is going to help me get to my weight loss goal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So this week the little things have been simple.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DONT TAKE THE BUS when you can walk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DONT TAKE THE LIFT - take the stairs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two months ago if I had had to walk from my office in Willis Street to the top end of Lambton Quay I would have caught the bus - at a cost of $1.97 and a distance of 1.3km.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I walked it on Tuesday and it took me 11 minutes and 259 calories consumed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday I took a half day from work and went to watch the Cricket - Black Caps vs Sri Lanka. We lost but that was not a biggie. Its a distance of 2.7 km from my office in Willis Street, to the Westpac Stadium on the waterfront. Usually I would have caught a bus to the railway station - at a cost of $1.97 and then walked the last 500 metres. Yesterday I walked it and it took me 28 min and i walked off 430 calories.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've saved nearly $4 on travel budget - its not much but in the bigger scheme of things it has been one of those little things that help (its helped cut down my budgeted spend on travel costs for this month)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've also pulled myself out of bed slightly earlier in the morning a couple of days this week and done walks along the beach front when its nice and cool. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTzxRmXRtZVrVBduA2yAoWRRj4SaRp4_HUXh_L3eDv4XOoACRGciiK0cQSAvrtNKSPw6HF7sHzMYcilzWOg9bnEpzKkCpP0jFgP8a1XyBraR0COxuE2IDiRrUu1LSFi44_EPb2q-niURl/s1600/IMG_2880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTzxRmXRtZVrVBduA2yAoWRRj4SaRp4_HUXh_L3eDv4XOoACRGciiK0cQSAvrtNKSPw6HF7sHzMYcilzWOg9bnEpzKkCpP0jFgP8a1XyBraR0COxuE2IDiRrUu1LSFi44_EPb2q-niURl/s1600/IMG_2880.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38HC47yAvocadt5-iqT1Wu8aS3b16gumH8OHTBbtPBi2nGucS8CcqbI8SLkVa6CXT7WJ07nPoDXT_gYXxHLn1FI-KBEMA602QQy_6xDrTMx_Q2dIlu-avFvBQIhieIUQQn1cIOFDUj2Tj/s1600/IMG_2903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38HC47yAvocadt5-iqT1Wu8aS3b16gumH8OHTBbtPBi2nGucS8CcqbI8SLkVa6CXT7WJ07nPoDXT_gYXxHLn1FI-KBEMA602QQy_6xDrTMx_Q2dIlu-avFvBQIhieIUQQn1cIOFDUj2Tj/s1600/IMG_2903.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not to mention getting out and enjoying our waterfront at lunchtime. I have a circuit which starts from of my office building, across two busy roads then a good walk through Frank Kitts Park, along the water front to Macs Brewery, up the steps, across the over pass and down the stairs on the other side and into Civic Square then on back to work. Thats a 1.2 km walk which is, apart from being a nice midday stroll - not to heavy, not too light, its also a great way to have a break from my desk and computer and get some much needed vitamin D.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You also get to see things like</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoCG1Pl3aMBzq7FjJkWjiGjsfvUSVb3Ii31KDey_Xlorph8lrQu-sgkwcnz05Ra1CPELMIrsAThMU6l4eNQebAEHmDm44MwhE2Vov01vXtM8jygLEe1WjytC4MBpfjPOI_4b59UtoCkZD/s1600/IMG_2888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoCG1Pl3aMBzq7FjJkWjiGjsfvUSVb3Ii31KDey_Xlorph8lrQu-sgkwcnz05Ra1CPELMIrsAThMU6l4eNQebAEHmDm44MwhE2Vov01vXtM8jygLEe1WjytC4MBpfjPOI_4b59UtoCkZD/s1600/IMG_2888.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The kids jumping off the wharf or</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWq3FGC0AC9H7vD-xIubHpz-v9-K-ICOzCq6Vrm7uuXF5IRt27lhoZTuT_Id2egvq03FpAWEksGhE8ZJJpo-EH6-XfByC0RRANFOEM6yTQrUFFU1ZXe1yPVzbTwJBceA-wS09eGtC1y7L/s1600/IMG_2906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWq3FGC0AC9H7vD-xIubHpz-v9-K-ICOzCq6Vrm7uuXF5IRt27lhoZTuT_Id2egvq03FpAWEksGhE8ZJJpo-EH6-XfByC0RRANFOEM6yTQrUFFU1ZXe1yPVzbTwJBceA-wS09eGtC1y7L/s1600/IMG_2906.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where else in the world is there a piano on wheels ready for you to play if you feel like it - with a view like that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lastly there's the stairs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now we take up the 8th to 11th floors (I'm on the 8th) of the State Insurance Building and I do know that taking the stair is really good for you rather than taking the lift. BUT I'm not ready to climb all flights of stairs up to my floor from the bottom yet. So to get myself ready to achieve that goal I make sure that every time I need to go up to any of our other floors I always take the stairs. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It may only take a minute to go up one floor but thats 30 odd calories per floor every time. So if i climb up and down those four flights of stairs at least once a day thats 100 calories each time - today I've done it twice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So remember. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It doesn't have to be a mammoth session at a gym. It doesn't have to be a 10km bike ride or run. Small steps are the best way to start and e</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">very little thing you do counts towards the bigger picture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>This weeks stats</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weight loss this week: 1kg<br />Total weeks since started: 3 weeks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Total weight lost since started: 3.8kg</span>Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-35538628891554674292015-01-26T08:03:00.000+13:002015-01-26T08:21:32.839+13:00You're the inspiration<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sitting at the hospital the other day waiting to see the Respiratory Specialist I was re-reading all the wonderful notes from my friends on Facebook about my courage and determination to do this and how I'm an inspiration to others. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guess what?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not an inspiration but I want to introduce you to two people who are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firstly my work colleague and dear friend Tanya who is more than anything the most awesome person you will ever meet.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighbz-Fw47H7Zri4yZTdMfN-HKGdRpWI1d3EvMDi3N1r7kqwYjdQOx95NM9rUkqiFpp9F7ZUyr7YP0ddq4ppJ8CNTJx-KE3CoHlEzoc7sh1xFT_eI0_1IvqxUtEtrfwruxgqFp6Q8vb67v/s1600/Tanya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighbz-Fw47H7Zri4yZTdMfN-HKGdRpWI1d3EvMDi3N1r7kqwYjdQOx95NM9rUkqiFpp9F7ZUyr7YP0ddq4ppJ8CNTJx-KE3CoHlEzoc7sh1xFT_eI0_1IvqxUtEtrfwruxgqFp6Q8vb67v/s1600/Tanya.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tanya came into my life 2 1/2 years ago when she attended the same work related audio conferences that I did. At that time we didn't really interact apart from my work sharing with her work any potential issues arising. A year or so later she had moved on and low and behold she was working for my company and in the same department I was. And our friendship just blossomed from there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now she is one of my besties and a woman who I look up to - even if she is shorter than me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In our team she is the Motivator, she is our Engagement Leader. In short (and I don't mean height) she is the one that helps us feel good and she does an amazing job. Her enthusiasm just rubs off on you to the point where you feel on such a high being around her - whether its work related or personal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She is the one who put me onto MFP and encourages me whether Im having a good day or a not so good day. If I'm feeling down or blue she knows exactly how to perk me up again. If shes feeling not so good I reciprocate. If we are both having amazeballs days (and yes that is a word cause we both say it is) then we High 5 each other.And it helps that she loves my jam and marmalade and I can bribe her with it lol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She sees the best in me when I lose my sight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She and I have a nickname at work - Peas and Carrots - because we go so good together. We have built that into</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And we do a lot of fun things for our team mates at work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a privilege to be called her friend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other person I want to introduce you to is an ex work colleague of mine, Chanel. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBdq9oJIkfq7x_vsz_BFQuL47f0omvNCDxEPK6iRj1pxAeXy_4YL-C7_ojibGK3F76bhZ7-RW_PBiz2kDQKY-iX7RuoZuyb-y-UFp8rPB1qi8osOBjIpK7LvCVTSV52YBBOvfVIvYA1vF/s1600/chanel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBdq9oJIkfq7x_vsz_BFQuL47f0omvNCDxEPK6iRj1pxAeXy_4YL-C7_ojibGK3F76bhZ7-RW_PBiz2kDQKY-iX7RuoZuyb-y-UFp8rPB1qi8osOBjIpK7LvCVTSV52YBBOvfVIvYA1vF/s1600/chanel.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chanel left Chorus a year ago and took off to pastures new in Australia. The past year for her has had its ups and downs but this woman has just shocked the world by announcing she lost over 26 kg over the past 7 months. That is why I call her an Inspiration. If I can aspire to do half as much as what she has done weight loss wise then I will be well on the way to achieving my goal. Her Facebook posts amaze and inspire me and I quote</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">" <span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><i>So my weight loss journey started at the end of June 2014 and what an experience it's been! </i></span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When I started I had an unhealthy mindset, believed I couldn't do it, I couldn't lose weight, I'd fail but at that time in my life I was in a very unhealthy relationship, 7 months later my whole world has changed. My mind is free of negativity, I believe in myself, I love myself for who I am, I no longer long for people to tell me I'm a good person because I can confidently say I know who I am and I'm damn proud of it.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This journey I've taken hasn't just been about losing weight, it's been about finding me and believing in myself, believing I truly can do anything!</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I've found a love for the gym, I've found a love for being healthy but most importantly I've found Chanel!</span></i></div>
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<span class="userContentSecondary _c24" style="background-color: white; color: #4e5665; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> "</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="userContentSecondary _c24" style="background-color: white; color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">So you can see how awesome she is and how she affects my own determination to achieve my goal. I couldn't ask for a better role model.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Although these two woman aren't even in the same city as me, I feel so close to them. We don't always talk, in fact I don't think I've actually verbally talked to Chanel since she left but we keep in great contact through other social media. I'm so looking forward to seeing Chanel when she comes home for a holiday mid this year. It will be great to see her new body in person.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">What Ive learnt is that I cant do this by myself. In fact you can't live life without it being affected by others in both good and bad ways. But what you can do is surround yourself by positive people whose positivity will rub of on you and make your soar to what you thought were unobtainable heights</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">To both of you ladies. Thank you. It's an honour and a privilege to know you and to share in your busy lives.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Thank you for being my Inspiration. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #4e5665; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">P.S. I have lost 3kg in my first two weeks. Hows that for being Inspirational.</span></span></span></div>
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Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-55385863582559622852015-01-20T22:05:00.000+13:002015-01-26T08:22:41.275+13:00Happy Birthday to meOn January 11th this year (2015) I turned 46 years old. I celebrated the day with family and friends. The sun was out in force, there was a little breeze here and there. The music was playing, the BBQ sizzling. It was a great day and yes we all pigged out on fantastic food and of course alcohol.<br />
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The following morning, my first day back at work after three weeks Christmas Holiday leave, I jumped on the scales and saw that I had hit 141.3 kgs (That's 311.5 pounds or 22.2 stone for those who need to understand it in non metric weights).<br />
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Now I've always been a big girl and there are physical and psychological reasons behind it (that I'll go into at another time maybe). I used to be 150+ kgs 8 years ago but I had managed to lose 28 kg after my ex husband left and our marriage broke up. (mostly through stress and not eating binges which isn't a great way to lose weight as we all know)<br />
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I managed to keep most of the weight off by having fits and spurts of joining a gym and giving up, walking and giving up because I had found a new man and I needed to keep the weight in check for him. And within reason it worked. I fluctuated here and there but kept my weight reasonably steady over 6 years at around 120 kg.<br />
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Until my 44th birthday that is. Until I broke my foot in 2012 (on my birthday yes and no there was no alcohol involved) and spent nine months on crutches without being active and then in 2013 (again on my birthday) my relationship fell apart and within three weeks I was single again.<br />
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So between not being active for nearly a year, giving up smoking after 30+ years and then trying to learn to live life again as a single person after doing all the grieving and soul searching and self pity and lack of self esteem that goes with a relationship breakup, not to mention the copious amounts of alcohol that can be consumed during frequent bouts of misery, I could be forgiven for putting on a little weight but hells bells I've put back on over 20kg.<br />
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So what the heck do I do. I can't afford to go to a gym. I'm a shocker at bag eating habits. Coke, potato chips and burgers are my friends. Jenny Craig, weight watchers and other diet help places are out of reach financially and I'm such a picky eater I couldn't eat half the meals/meal ideas they offer anyway. I brought myself a bike mid way through last year and its collected dust more than mileage. Good comfy sneakers sit idly in the bottom of my wardrobe.<br />
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I'm discussing my woes to my good friend Tanya (henceforth known as Ms Peas and I'll tell ya why later) and she suggests I try using the App My Fitness Pal to help with calorie counting and exercise. So I download it, play around, test and trial it and a week later I'm hooked.<br />
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All I had to do was fill in all my personal information. Height, weight, measurements etc and end weight goal and it gave me a max calorie intake per day to be able to lead me to my goal safely.<br />
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My goal?<br />
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To get to 99 kg in 52 weeks. To lose 42 kg by my next birthday<br />
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A big ask you say? I'm a big girl and big girls need big goals to strive to.<br />
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This is my story about how I give up on being A Beached Whale forever<br />
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So if you don't want to see the semi naked truth then please don't look any further. But I need to face the facts.<br />
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This is going to be a no holes barred diary. It's going to get graphic both visually and verbally. I May even no actually I will resort to a swear word now and again too.<br />
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I'd love for you to join me in my journey but if you're squeamish then I'll understand if you don't.</div>
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So there you go. You see before you the semi naked truth. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Underneath the cool clothes I wear to work to casually hide my bumps and rolls this is me. I look,at myself in the mirror and I cringe at what I see. I cringe that my stomach looks like a beer belly. I cringe that my underarms hang out of my bra strap. So now you can see too. Can see what I am at the start of my journey. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So here I go .........</span></div>
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Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-13655512386846361942015-01-20T21:58:00.001+13:002015-01-20T22:14:16.503+13:00Essential accessories to compliment the journeyAnd I'm not talking about clothes, jewels or shoes lol.<br>
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I'm talking apps and bands and wheels and oh yeah sorry shoes lol.</div>
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So number one on the list is MFP or My Fitness Pal. A food and exercise diary and much more. It's helping me to track and control what I'm eating, record and track my exercising and track my weight and measurement changes and much more. </div>
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There is also a great support community should you wish to participate.<br>
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I'd welcome you as a friend should you start using it yourself. You can find me there as user GruvieKiwi<br>
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Check it out at <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/">http://www.myfitnesspal.com/</a><br>
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Next is Map My Walk or MMW. The app logs your workouts. You punch in your workout type (I have the app running on my phone). Hit start workout and away you go. It logs time, distance, average speed calories burned etc. you can pause and resume when needed. Once you have finished your workout you log it as complete and share it to any social media site you like should you wish and it also can be synced up with MFP. I still haven't started utilising this as much as I can yet. So much undiscovered country here.<br>
<a href="http://www.mapmywalk.com/">http://www.mapmywalk.com/</a><br>
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Search me there under your Facebook contacts or Jo Moar<br>
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I have a new toy. A cheaper version of the Fitbit or Garmin<br>
My pedometer is called a smart band<br>
Half the price and just as good for recording steps and calculating calories burned.<br>
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Check them out at http://www.smartmobile.co.nz/<br>
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Then there are my wheels. My shiny retro bike called Daff. Daff because she is as yellow as a daffodil in Spring. Yes she has a basket and yes she has gears. I haven't fallen off yet touch wood lol<br>
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Next. yes shoes. Ya gotta make sure you have a decent pair of sneakers for when you pound the pavement through walking or for holding onto the pedals when your puffing away.<br>
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Lastly for now a decent set of digital scales and measuring cup/s for measuring what you are eating. It may start out as monotonous this having to measure everything before it goes into your mouth but it is the heart of calorie controlling.<br>
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Right. That's enough to get me started.<br>
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Ohhhh I forgot the drink bottles. Two at least. One for work and one for home. Keep them topped up with water all day and into the night. You're gonna need them<br>
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Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5619643568636560533.post-48068826962716406232015-01-20T20:36:00.001+13:002015-01-20T20:46:57.686+13:00The raw facts<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJu4AS-YTifsowcn74xi3uLX2-0GBURZKW1BRAjV07FI52UHlQ-DLdihXo7o6bKtbS95EQnwgI6m7Mc0vSL2QNTAm3fliJyuzDqEgBFr0k1i-b4218ppZCabM6V-b47am5DYJ4xocVNuqe/s640/blogger-image-2040352244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJu4AS-YTifsowcn74xi3uLX2-0GBURZKW1BRAjV07FI52UHlQ-DLdihXo7o6bKtbS95EQnwgI6m7Mc0vSL2QNTAm3fliJyuzDqEgBFr0k1i-b4218ppZCabM6V-b47am5DYJ4xocVNuqe/s640/blogger-image-2040352244.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div>I started this journey on January 12th 2015<div><br></div><div>I'm 170cm tall</div><div>I weigh 141.3 kg</div><div>My neck size is 45.27 cm</div><div>My waist size is 132 cm</div><div>My hip size is 152 cm</div><div><br></div><div>I am obese. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Gruvie Kiwihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06368039312615979143noreply@blogger.com0