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Jan 17, 2013

My 2nd Goal... Almost There

When I started 12WBT at the end of August last year (keep going to say this year, LOL), almost 5 months ago, at over 84kg (185 lbs), my first goal was to get back into the 70's (kg's that is) (154-174 lbs).  I achieved that and then as soon as I was 79kg, my next goal was to get into the 60's (kg's that is) (132 to 152 lbs).

Well I am so excited.  I am almost there.   Today I weighed myself and I'm 70.1 kg (154.54).  I have just 200 grams (0.44 lbs) to go until I reach that goal.  I will do that this week, so for next week's 12WBT Wednesday weigh in I will be there.

Next goal is to get into the 50's (kg's that is) (110-130 lbs).  I actually only want to get to 58kg.  I'll be happy to have my weight at 58-60kg.  My weight fluctuates depending on that time of the month, so to be 58-60 is my goal.

Slowly but surely I'm getting there.  But will be thrilled when I hit the 60's again.  I haven't been there in a long time!

Jan 8, 2013

Hamilton Island Buggies

The main mode of transport on Hamilton Island are the very cute golf buggy.  I guess they are not for golf in this instance so they are just buggies.  They are usually four seaters, with two seats at the front and two at the back, that are in the backward direction.


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This back seating that points out the back of the buggy rather than facing forward can create a bit of embarassment.  Well I feel they do anyway.  Say you are driving along and there is a buggy in front of you.  And you are reasonably close to them.  Not driving dangerously close, but just following each other along at a safe distance.  As the driver of the buggy you have no option to look forward (although I can tell you from experience, on Hamilton Island, people do not always look ahead whilst driving!!!).

Anyway when there are people in the buggy in front, that are in the back seats, facing you.  It's kind of like you are watching them, they keep looking at you, like "what are you looking at"  LOL.  If it's kids, they will make funny faces or constantly wave (which is fine when you wave back once, but when they continue to wave for the next 5 or so minutes you are following them, it gets a bit old, LOL).   So I find driving the buggy, with people in the buggy in front, who you don't know to be a bit uncomfortable.


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The buggy parking is tight, like they are really small spaces.  But that's ok as they are only little vehicles.  Don't let the size fool you though.  They can still be dangerous vehicles and I'm surprised to be honest that there aren't more accidents.

The buggies have seat belts, which is good, makes them a little safer and you do have to be a licensed driver.  Some people do ignore this and you see kids driving, but not often!   It would be a nightmare if there were kids driving everywhere, so at least this is restricted to adults only, which is bad enough!  As you can see from the photos, there are buggies everywhere.



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The problem's arise with the drivers.  I do enjoy sitting at the Marina Deli or outside the bakery and observing some of the nightmare drivers first hand.  People seem to be in holiday mode (or vacation mode), they seem to have a false sense of security with this little open air, slow moving vehicle, that it can't be dangerous, cause some damage if they run into someone, or slam on their brakes suddenly and the buggies driving behind run up their behinds.  People seem to just be in their own little world sometimes.


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Once afternoon I was sitting at the Deli having a coffee.  It was a really busy day on the island, so there were a lot of people in the street (another danger, people just seem to walk out into the street, maybe forgetting that vehicles do drive down it).  There were buggies, pedestrians, tourist, holiday makers, adults, children everywhere.    I was watching two women in a buggy driving up the road.  They were driving quite slowly and did have about three or four buggies driving along behind them (quite close too).  All of a sudden, outside the deli, they just slammed on the brake and came to a complete stop in about one second.  The poor drivers behind were so very lucky to run into each other.  These two women were completely oblivious to what they had just caused!  Just after they stopped, the first buggy  went to go around them (remember, these women were not in a parking space, they were in the middle of the road, as they simply just stopped), the woman driver jumped out of her buggy and was almost collected by the poor guy who went to drive past (buggies don't have doors, so it's very easy to just jump out).   The woman, getting a bit of a fright and looking back and noticed the line of chaos she had just caused proceeded to step back in the buggy and took off, not caring about the other buggies that were coming along and almost ran into her as she suddenly took off up the road.

Then, without indication, without stopping, this woman did a Uturn, she did not look for the cars that she almost collected as the did the turn and did not worry about the buggies directly behind her that again almost ran into her due to her sudden turn.

It was unbelievable.  The then went to the side to park, where she tapped the buggy in front of her as she tried to squeeze into a parking space.

There is a run down on the day in the life of a buggy driver on Hamilton Island.  Now I will say that not everyone is like that woman.  Most people are pretty good.  But some, really, makes you wonder what they would be like behind the wheel of a real car!  Scary thought!

Jan 7, 2013

Up, Up and Away

This is the first time that I have done a blog post using the Blogger iPad app. I don't seem to have a great handle on it, I can't get the writing off centre (I normally post with the writing to the left) and I can't seem to work out how to add a caption to the photos.

Anyway please excuse me if anything looks a little odd over the next week or so as I blog whist away on holiday, without a computer, using my iPad. Now back to my post.

Very exciting! I am having my first holiday of the year. It is to one of my favourite places Hamilton Island in the Queensland Whitsundays (in Australia for those outside of Australia and don't know where Queensland is)

We arrived a couple of day ago, flying with Jetstar on an unevntful flight. A lot of people don't seem to like Jetstar but to be honest, I've never had a problem with them. You can check in 48 hours before the flight, you can get your boarding pass via SMS, no more paper (unless you want paper). I think this is the handiest thing! How often are you away and check in for your homeward bound flight and you have to somehow find a printer, maybe from the hotel or maybe you just have to line up at the airport (which is fine if you have luggage, but a pain of you don't have checked bags). Anyway, the service I've found at the airport and on board to be fine, planes are nice and clean. So I jut take the cheapest flight, wether that's Virgin Australia or Jetstar, I'm happy with either.



Whilst at the airport, my son had to visit here!





This is a bit of a tradition for us on our trips to Hamilton Island. We always stop at Krispy Kreme at the airport whilst waiting for our flight and pick up a box, yes a whole box of original glazed donuts. This time there was no way I was going to have a box of donuts sitting there and resist. So instead of a box, we purchased one glazed donut for my son in a bag and he was generous enough to let me sniff it! They had some cute Christmas designs too that I would love to have tried. But sniffing was the closest I was going to get to a Krispy Kreme on this trip!







It wasn't long before our flight was boarding and we were on our way.

Continued next post...

Jan 2, 2013

Hamilton Island Here We Come

Boarding the plane was different this time. It was the first time I have used the SMS boarding pass. Have to say that I was impressed. It was quick and very easy. You just open the SMS that Jetstar sends to you when you do online check in and at the boarding gate there is a machine. You just place your phone with the text message on the screen into the machine and it spits out a paper boarding pass and off you go on to the plane.

We were sitting in the forth row. Just my son and I. I had the aisle and son had the middle seat. We were hoping for the window to remain empty but were not that fortunate! Just before the doors shut, a rather odd looking man came and sat down. He proceeded to online chat on his mobile almost until the plane took off but before this he picked his nose. Oh my goodness, I almost threw up as he then proceeded to roll it in his fingers for the next 10 minutes! I would look back to my magazine, then glance over and he was still rolling! What is wrong with people and public behavior these days? I had a similar experience at the Dr's recently too. He the proceeded to bite his nails along with pick his teeth for the rest of the flight! I was pleased when the flight was over!

We know we are getting close as the water down below has become a beautiful bright blue colour!

Water from the plane

Flying into Hamilton Island, you come in between two mountains, with water at both ends of the runway. Here is a few photos of coming in to land, with the Yacht Club and Hamilton Island Harbour/Marina on one side and Dent Island on the other. Dent Island is a golf course and golf club, that's all that is on the island and when staying on Hamilton Island you get there by boat. It's a lovely place for lunch, with amazing views.

I am finding updating this blog with the blogger iPad app to be very frustrating! Yesterday, with difficulty I was able to add photos throughout the post. Today the app is not allowing me to do this. So please excuse all the photos being at the end. I will fix this when I get home and move them throughout the post.



Dent Island from the air (golf course)


Another photo of Dent Island from the plane 


Hamilton Island approach from the plane





Dec 28, 2012

Naughty Consumption

I have developed this bad love of something new.  It's certainly not a daily indulgence, it's a once a week treat that I have been working it into my daily calories on the day I have it, so it has not affected my weight loss.  It counts as two snacks for the day as it's 230 calories per serve.

Fortunately this is only a seasonal drink, it is around only for the Christmas season.  This beverage will cease to exist on the 6th January, so from then I will not be able to have it any more....  thank goodness!  Well, until next year that is.  We go away on the 31st December, so really I only have another three days to indulge in another one before they finish.

What is this naughty consumption that I'm talking about you may ask?

Well it is none other than the Gingerbread Frappuccino from Starbucks.  I get it made on skim milk to reduce some of the calories.  But yes I do still have the cream on top, but I don't drink much of the cream.

Here it is....

Starbucks Gingerbread Frappuccino

Dec 27, 2012

Receiving Compliments

I don't know what it is, but I don't know what to say when people notice that I've lost weight.  Particularly people who I haven't seen for a while.  I guess they can see a big difference.  I've lost about 13 kgs now.  I guess that is a lot, but I still have about 12 kg to go and I don't know I know there is a difference in my clothes, I've gone down two to three clothes sizes.  But I just get embarrassed and say "Oh thank you.  I still have a bit to go".

At the Christmas Eve party the other day, there was someone there who I hadn't seen since I first signed on for Round 3 of 12WBT this year (2012).  That was back in August.  The round hadn't started, but I had signed on.  We were having lunch at a coffee shop with a few friends and we were talking about it and I hadn't seen any menus or exercise plans at that stage, so I was feeling very motivated that I was going to lose this excess weight that I was carrying but I didn't know how the program would be, if I would like it, or even if it would be a success or something I could maintain long term.  I didn't know anyone else who had done the program, I only found it whilst searching google for something, I'm not sure what.  I actually wasn't looking at joining a 12 week program.

Anyway when I saw her on Monday night she yelled across the room.  "OMG, dieting diva" (although she used my real name, LOL).  "Look how much weight you've lost, there's nothing of you".  Well all night, she kept saying, "I can't believe how good you are looking, I just can't believe how much weight you've lost, I keep looking at you, your face is different".   This is lovely to hear, compliments.  But I don't know.  I find it hard to hear.  I sort of get embarrassed.  I just say "oh thanks, but I still have a lot more to go".  Many are saying "from where?".

I was at the office the other day and my dad has been away for a few months.  He had noticed I'd lost weight before he left.  But I was standing at the office the other day, the day after he arrived home and he kept saying "you have just lost so much weight", "you are looking so good", "skinny minnie".  I haven't told my dad that I'm doing any sort of weight loss program.  I don't know why, but he and my brother are very very fit, very healthy.  Yes they have their treats, chocolate, ice cream.  But neither of them have ever been over weight, ever!  They have never even been on the high scale of normal BMI, they have always been thin (not too thin), but more towards the bottom of the normal BMI for their height.  They would never say anything about being me overweight but I'm sure they don't understand (I could be wrong)

Anyway, my dad just kept going on and it was lovely, he was being nice but again I felt uncomfortable hearing those compliments.  I said I still have a bit to go and he said "doesn't look like it".  He said you must have been working really hard!  And I just said "oh no not really", when in reality I have!

Not sure how everyone else feels getting these compliments about how they are looking.  Am I the only one that gets sort of uncomfortable, embarrassed by the compliments?  Guess I should just enjoy it, LOL.

Dec 26, 2012

Christmas Weight Loss

I had a Christmas/Birthday Party on Christmas Eve, then the big family Christmas lunch on Christmas day.

Our Christmas Tree (before the presents and I have lost the tree skirt, so apologise for the naked tree)


Christmas Eve

I did allow myself to enjoy some of the yummy food on offer and didn't deprive myself too much.  On Christmas Eve, I made this heaven Salmon Pate or sort of a dip.  It's thick and you spread it on a slice of bread stick.  It is SOOOO yummy, but as it's filled with mayonnaise and lots of butter it is NOT low fat or low in calories.   Well as it's my favourite thing and it's not something I make very often and I have been so good over the last few months on 12WBT,  I limited my calories during the day, knowing that I would be indulging for dinner.  I had three bits of dip on bread.  It was SOOOOO good.  I could have eaten the whole pot and it's one of those things that once started is really hard to stop.  But I did stop and I just enjoyed and savoured every mouthful.

For dinner there was lamb, salads and potato bake.  Well potato bake is another weakness for me!  I LOVE it.  So I did have some, but not my usual half the plate full.  I had just a small tablespoon full. A small piece of lamb and then half the plate of salad.  I then did indulge in dessert!  Pavlova!!!  Who can resist pavlova.  I got up and cut my own slice and I literally had a sliver.  The kept handing me a "small piece" to which I would say, no I'll have a really small piece and would pass that piece to someone else, just like a shaving was all I wanted.  So in the end I just said, "can I cut my piece".  Which I did and it was only about half a cm thick but it was enough to have about 3 mouthfuls with some cream and fruit on top and I got the flavour and it was really all I wanted.



Christmas Day

So I survived Christmas Eve.  Now it was time to survive Christmas Day!  Now my family are not known to skimp on the Christmas lunch servings!  We have roast turkey, baked ham, roast potatoes and pumpkin, asparagus mornay (my favourite), broccoli, peas, stuffing and lashings of gravy!   I again asked if I could do my own plate as I could see the serving sizes were just massive.  I just had a small piece of turkey, a smaller piece of ham, one small baked potato, once small piece of pumpkin, spoonful of peas, a dessert spoon of asparagus, a large floweret of steamed broccoli and instead of the usual, plate drowning in gravy, I just did a small drizzle over the meat.  It was about half the size of everyone else's, but it was plenty for me!

Then came time for dessert.  There is a little history there.  Growing up, my aunt always made the Christmas puddings filled with treasures that we would exchange for money, topped with brandy custard.  I on the other hand have a nut allergy, so I was never able to have it.  So I always had my own pudding, it was a chocolate chip steamed pudding with chocolate custard.  Over the years, people... family members, were getting jealous of my special pudding.  They wanted that too.  So slowly but surely the traditional Christmas pudding vanished and all that was served was the chocolate chip steamed pudding with chocolate custard (also filled with treasures).  So this year was no different.  We had steamed chocolate chip pudding with home made chocolate custard and served with home made chocolate and vanilla ice creams.  OH MY Goodness!  I can tell you my blogging friends, this is a dessert that is out of this world.  I was not going to miss out on my favourite dessert of the year!  So I again served myself.  I had just a tiny piece, about a 1/4 of the size of everyone elses.  A small spoonful of the chocolate custard, instead of the pool of custard everyone else had and then a teaspoon full of each of the ice creams, as apposed to the large scoop of each that everyone else had.

It was a spectacular couple of days.  Filled with lots of laughs, great company, great food and just a really festive time.

After the last two days I was not expecting to lose any weight today for our usual Wednesday weigh in.  But I have to say that even though I did indulge in some naughty things.  I did watch the calories, I did have small portions and I guess I didn't go overboard.  I am pleased to say that I still lost 400 grams this week! 

I hope that you have all had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.  Next challenge... New Years Eve and a holiday to Hamilton Island!

Dec 25, 2012

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.  Hope your holidays are filled with love, fun, family and joy on this festive season.


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