My New Gadget

Well I popped into a weight watchers meeting the other night to pick up a few things.  I could have bought them online and had them delivered along with my "At Home" kit, but I get a discount by going to a meeting being a lifetime member.  So off to the meeting I went. 

I got a few cookbooks, I do already have some Weight Watchers cookbooks, but with the new plan I decided to get some of the new books.  My favourite purchase though was the pedometer and today I set it up and started using it.

Here is what comes in the pedometer box.  The pedometer obviously, an instruction booklet, a warranty card, a cord to hang the pedometer around your neck and a clip that you slide the pedometer into to attach to your belt.  

When you start up the pedometer, you enter the time, your height, your weight and whether you want kg or pounds.  It automatically calculates your stride rate depending on your height but you can add that manually if you prefer.  I let it do it automatically and it seem to be very accurate, so I stuck with the auto stride rate.  I have been wearing it all day and have done 6152 steps so far today.  Being that it's night time and I am now on the couch writing my blog, I will probably not be doing a great many more steps today.  I did go for a 40 minute walk today so I did think that I would do more steps than that, I'm surprised that I did so few.

I still have not received my "At Home" kit, but as I had planned on starting this last Monday, I have been sticking to the program slightly, well more the old program until my kit arrives and I can officially start.  I have taken my before and after shots already.  I add those tomorrow, but I will do my measurements as well as my official weight in for my official start day.

Thanks for sharing my journey...

A Versatile Blogger Award

Woo Hoo, I won an award, my very first!

Thank you so much to Manda from  Mandas Rambles for awarding me with the Versatile Blogger Award. Thanks so much Manda!

This award comes with some rules though and here they are…

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post
2. Tell us seven things about yourself
3. Award seven recently discovered new bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and let them know they’ve received the award

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Rule 1. Thanks again Manda! 

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Rule 2. Seven things... Gosh it's harder to think of things than I thought.

1. I'm allergic to peanuts

2. I have a son

3. I love snow.

4. I am a work at home mum with my own business.

5. I LOVE chocolate.

6. I really love chocolate, LOL

7. I always wanted to be a travel agent (never happened)

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Rule 3. Now to pass this prestigious award on to seven other deserving new bloggers! I'm a a very new blogger so am not really sure of many new blogs, but I'll give it a go. Here’s my pick in no particular order…

1. SAHM and Marine Wife – New blogger I just found, writes about lots of things and has cooked a yummy dinner! (see I'm a dieter, I focus on food, LOL)

2. Lungs Behaving Badly – Not a new blog, but certainly a blog worth following, very heartfelt blog.

3. My Organised Life – Blog about S, getting her life organised.

4. Seven Cherubs – Not so new, but s blog by Naomi about her family and life.  Love it!

5. Cooking for Oscar –  A fantastic blog for those with children (or themselves) with food intolerance's, not brand new but still great.

6. Becoming Brea – A blog about a first time mum's journey through motherhood

7. The Pink Coffee Cup – Not sure if this is a new blog or not, but it's a great read.

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Rule 4. Will go and do that now.  Congratulations bloggers!

My Secret Life As A Blogger.

Bit of a hectic day today, just didn't stop.  I was going to post my before photos today, along with some photos of some things I bought from Weight Watchers today, but will do that tomorrow, I'm just too tired tonight.

When I first decided that I really needed to drop this weight and get healthy, I had mentioned to a friend that I would start a blog to document my journey and most of all get some followers, some supporters to help me stay accountable!  I think my friend thought that was a bit weird, writing a blog about losing weight.  So today I was chatting with her on the phone and I said that I had signed back up to Weight Watchers yesterday and should have my kit in two weeks at the longest.  She then said that I would then have to start my blog.  I stupidly told her that I had already started my blog and she said that she would go and follow.  I almost had a panic attack! LOL, I don't want her reading my blog.  I don't want any family and friends reading my blog.  Stupid I know, but until I lose the weight, I don't want anybody I know reading it, well unless they read it not realising that it's me.  I sort of feel that I can share more with all of my anonymous followers and supporters and cyberfriends, things that I am just too embarrassed or ashamed for friends or family to know.  I just want this to be my place to come and be my little escape, my own little secret place.   My friend asked what was the point of doing a blog if nobody would read it!  I said well people will read it, just my new "cyberfriends", my followers, my supporters.  I said that I had a couple of dozen followers already and she was really surprised.  She wondered why anybody would read, much less care about my weight loss journey.  I explained that I enjoy reading others blogs, their successes, their failures, their challenges.  I enjoy reading to give me encouragement, I get inspired, to know I'm not alone out there, that others are going through the same, or have been through the same and to support others.

Does anybody else have friends or family that just don't get blogging or why you blog?  Does anybody else keep their blog a secret from friends and family?  Am I the only weird one that does that?

So my friend said she was going to try and find my blog.   I really hope that she doesn't find me!

Thanks for sharing my journey...

Monnie  xx

Decision Made

Well after much debating the decision on which program through Weight Watchers has been decided.

I decided to go with WW ProPoints At Home program.  It comes with a phone consultation each week, along with the tracker to write it all down and all of the program information in hard copy.  I decided on that over WW Online as I do like the idea of the phone call and the hard copy.  As I am a lifetime member and also would like to use some of the online features, including the iPhone app, I joined the etools as well, which is $16.95 a month.  It is only slightly different to WW Online, with Online including the program material.  So I have the best of both worlds with hard copies of the program and then being able to use all of the online features.

Only downside of At Home is that it has to be sent out.  They say up to 14 days for it to arrive, but I have read of people getting it in about 7 days, so hopefully this time next week I will have it.  Through Etools I was given my daily points allowance and it has a calculator.  I know ProPoints is supposed to be different to the old Points Value system, with the online calculator it is quite easy to work out the points.  So I have started the program now, but I won't officially start until I receive the kit.  I have tracked my points today and I still have 4 PP left.

Anyway I took before shots today, they are not great, hideous in fact.  I am very embarrassed to put myself out there, but I will.  I still have to do my measurements, which I will do tomorrow also.

Thanks for sharing my journey...

Monnie  xx

What To Do?

I have been online for a couple of hours, looking at information about Weight Watchers new Pro Points.  I am going to do the program at home, but I have two choices, there is an at home pack called "ProPoints at Home" for a one off $279, where they post a pack out to you.


The At Home Ultimate Kit includes:

• Program handbooks
• ProPoints Finder/Booster will help you determine the ProPoints values for food and exercise
• Passport to Success booklet to track your weight-loss journey
• Plus, you can visit a Meeting with your 2 Free Meeting passes and interact with other Members on their weight-loss journeys for support and inspiration – without paying Meeting fees!
• One-to-one support via email, phone, fax or post
• 12 Weekly progress cards and reply paid envelopes
• Weekly correspondence
• ProPoints Guide
• Eating Out Guide
• My Journal
• Sturdy holder for all your program material - exclusive to AT HOME Members!

 

Then there is the Weight Watchers Online program which is an ongoing $29.95 a month.  This includes access to their electronic tracker, online calculator, online recipes etc.

The thing is, I would really like to have the written tracker rather than the online one.  In saying that I am not completely sure how the online works and there is an iPhone app too, so I may be able to track that way.  I do like to have the paper guides to read though, not just read online.  I like to be able to sit down and read the booklets.  If I do the ProPoints at Home, then I won't be able to start tomorrow as I had planned.  If I do the online then I can join today, read up on tonight and be ready to start in the morning.  I could always go to a local meeting and get the some cookbooks and the shopping guide, calculator etc.

So, what to do?  Which to choose?  You would think that I would have worked this out by now.

Today I have actually been very good.  We went out for our usual Sunday all the family breakfast.  I walked there.  Something that I used to do all the time, but lately along with the 10kgs I have gained, I have become a touch lazy and no longer walk anywhere.  My rule has always been that if we are going somewhere close by, then we walk, but lately that has just not been happening and that may be some of the reason for my recent weight gain as well.

Anyway I will let you know tomorrow what I have ended up doing, WW online or WW ProPoints at home.

If anybody has done online or at home please let me know how it is, I would love to hear about it.

Thanks for sharing my journey...

Monnie  xx

Two Days Until Lifestyle Change

I am not saying that I am about to start a diet!  I am beginning a lifestyle change as that is what I need to do, I need to change my lifestyle to become healthier.

I have to be honest,  I weighted myself this morning, something that I haven't done in a long time and I was not going to do it until Monday morning, when I was going to weigh in and do all of my measurements.  But I couldn't resist, I thought I would just hop on those scales this morning.  Well what I saw to start with was fine, I couldn't believe it, I was about 10kgs (22 pounds) lighter than about 6 months ago.  I wondered how that was as my clothes were tighter, in fact I had to go up a clothing size since we went to Disney World and New York on vacation in September 2010 and the bigger clothes are now tight too!  I actually lost weight on that vacation from all of the walking, but I knew I had put it all back on and more since September, so to be 10kgs lighter, had to be wrong!  So I hopped on the scales again and there it was, worse than I had expected.  I was shocked, completely shocked, in fact I was depressed.  I couldn't believe I have let myself get to this state, when Dr's have told me that I have to lose weight.  I was 84kgs (185 pounds)!!!!!  Here I thought I was 75 to 80kgs (165 to 176), worse case scenario and I am 84kgs (185 pounds).  This is so much worse than I thought.  Who have I been kidding all of these months!  Thinking that I wasn't that big, or fat and that's what I am, I'm fat and I am grossly overweight!

So after my shock this morning I went out for breakfast with friends.  We always go out for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings.  Saturday with friends and Sunday with family.  I had my usual this morning, an omelette with a little bacon, spinach, shallots, mushrooms and feta.  I also had some sour dough toast and hash browns.  I never eat all of the hash browns, my son (who is what I call a toothpick, as he is a perfect weight for his age and height, LOL) and I never eat the whole omelette, but I do eat the toast, yum, with lashings of butter and vegemite.   We also never have lunch after this breakfast as we have it late, so it's more like brunch than breakfast.  Here is a photo of my meal this morning

After Breakfast we went out to a fitness store for me to look at recumbent bikes and elliptical cross trainers.  I am going to get one and sit it in my living room (as ugly as that may look) and every night when I sit down in front of the TV, I will get on that machine for an hour or  I may do it early in the morning or both.  I mean lets face it,  I do have a lot of weight to lose.  Now to decide which machine to get.  I will do some research on google today and go back in the morning and get the machine, have it delivered on Monday ready for Monday night, my first day of my journey to become healthy.

Thanks for sharing my journey...

Monnie xx

The countdown begins

So Monday is the day.  It is the day that my new diet/lifestyle change will begin!  I am still not 100% sure what diet I will undertake.  Whether I will just make up my own with sensible eating and exercise of go back to Weight Watchers.  I think it will be back to Weight Watchers, but it would be Weight Watchers at home.

I am also thinking of getting an exercise bike to sit in front of the TV at night and peddle away on the bike.  I live in a great area so plan to do walking three or more times a week, but the exercise bike would be the best!   The Biggest Loser show is about to start again and last time I was on a diet I sat on the exercise bike watching that show every night and it was fantastic, very inspiring.  The sad thing is that I don't see myself as being like those on the biggest loser, I don't think I am big enough to go on that show.  The seem to mainly be people of 100kg + (220 pounds +).  I haven't weighted myself in a long time, but I have to be around  75 to 80 kgs (around 165 to 176 pounds) and I want to lose about 20kgs (about 44 pounds).  My goal is really to be about 58 to 60 kgs (around 127 to 132 pounds).  I have this illusion that I don't really eat that badly..... Well if that is the case, why on earth am I overweight.  I keep telling myself that it's all about exercise and my lack of it.  But when I still walked about three times a week I was still not the weight I should be, so my diet (food) is part of the reason for my weight problem.  I am just like those on the biggest loser!  I have a problem with my weight, I have a problem with my diet and I have a problem with my self esteem and I need to change my lifestyle.

So... Monday is the day, Monday it is.... Monday is the day my new life begins, my healthy life.  I am not just wanting to lose weight, but I am wanting to get healthy and I am going to do it.  I'm going to do it for myself and I'm going to do it for my son.  He needs his mum to be around as long as possible so I must, I have to lose this weight!

Thanks for sharing my journey....

Monnie xx

My First Blog Post

I have decided to start a blog.  I don't know that I am actually a diva, LOL.  Maybe we all have a little diva inside of us, but I just love the way it all sounded, "Diary of a Dieting Diva", the D's running together so well.  Will anybody read my new blog?... I don't know!   Do I want people to read it?.... Yes I do.  I need to lose weight.  I need to lose weight for health reasons (and because I really do not feel good about myself anymore), I am embarrassed by my weight and I don't like feeling this way anymore.

I have what's called a "Vertebral Artery Dissection", which is basically a torn artery in my neck, it's the one of the vertebral arteries that supplies the brain.  How did I tear this artery...  Well I don't know, I guess I will never know.  Many people know how it happened, a car accident, the chiropractor, hairdresser putting their head in the basin, on a roller coaster, some sort of neck trauma.  Sometimes it can be just spontaneous, from ongoing undiagnosed high blood pressure.  So as my blood pressure has been borderline high for a couple of years I expect that is what it was.

I am now on medication, blood thinners to thin my blood and try to prevent a stroke, which would be due to a clot forming around the tear or the scar from the tear and travelling to the brain.  I'm also on blood pressure lowering medication.  Both my Neurologist (who treats the tear) and my cardiologist who is treating the blood pressure, said I needed to lose weight.  If I lost 10 to 15 kgs (22 to 33 pounds) it would greatly reduce the risk of this happening again and naturally lower my blood pressure.  This was August 2010.  It is now January 2011 and I am very embarrassed to say that I have actually PUT ON 5kgs (11 pounds)!!!!!

So I am starting a blog.  To share my journey to lose weight and become healthy.  It is not going to be an easy task.  I love chocolate, ice cream, chocolate and oh.. I love chocolate!

So please follow me, ask your friends to follow me and please post and make me accountable.  If I am naughty and fall off the bandwagon, help me get back on.

Thanks sharing my journey....

Monnie  xx