Summer - Autumn 2010/2011 challenge #4

[~Jayne~]

Hey Girls,

I HAVE DECIDED ON AN APARTMENT!!!!!!!! Finally! Well, to be honest, I had a big decision to make between 2 apartments. The one I didn't chose came purely down to the fact that it was more expensive & had NO furniture in it. The landlady said I could go shopping & buy anything I wanted for the apartment if I signed a 2 year lease. Alan is adamant he only wants to sign 1 year at a time. I'm happy to sign 2, but he wasn't. Plus, I had to shop for a dining table, computer table & chair, 2 kids beds, lounge, coffee table & tv cabinet. Was just a bit too much to shop for all at once & I want to move in next week as well. So on a technical side, I really only had a proper option of 1 apartment. I still have to stop for 2 double beds & 2 tv's, but apart from that we are set to move in. I would like to replace the couch, but I know I'm pushing it already asking for 2 tv's. The kitchen is all open plan & there is a marble centre-island breakfast bench complete with a wine rack! Hello!!!!! The only cruddy thing about the apartment is that the dining table is on carpet. I know I don't have babies, but I do have kids & accidents sometimes happen & the carpet is cream. So a big sheet of durable plastic is a MUST!

** APPLETREE: Close your eyes! **

Ok, for those of you who wanted the recipe - I'm sorry, but it's something I just made up on the spot. I *think* this is what I did. I creamed with a hand mixer thingy 2 eggs, 100g of butter & 3/4 cup of sugar. I then added 2 cups of SR flour, 3 heaped tablespoons of nutella & I just added milk as I was blending until the batter was smooth & fluffy. Then either just bake in a cake tin or muffin pan like I did until they are cooked through. Perhaps 15 minutes? Super duper easy! Quite delicious too. I only made them because I LOVE nutella myself & my kids wanted to try it, I knew they wouldn't like it, & they don't, so I figured I would use some up making cupcakes rather than having it staring at me begging me to spread it on hot toast every morning! I can't eat bread like that because it makes me feel so ill. lol.

ONYX _ Landlords have the most crud times for inspections hey? Mind you, we have never had an inspection here. Bugger that you will have to move, or you're quite happy to? Hope DS is back to bouncing tomorrow, I don't do spew, I'm scared of it. I hope you get a break tomorrow to head to the gym.

BELFIE _ Take your time darl! You are sick, your body needs to rest & heal. There is no point stressing yourself over exercise whilst you are sick like that. I would be watching very closely what you were eating & portion sizes, but ditching the exercise entirely. I hope you are better soon honey. Rest up!

KRYSTALS _ So proud of you for making time tonight to get out walking, but slightly stressed you went out at night on your own!!! Hopefully your neighbourhood is safe. I hope your little man is back to smiling tomorrow.

APPLETREE _ It takes me about 45 mins to do 5km on the cross-trainer. I don't go at a bat outta hell pace, but I keep it really consistent. About 6.2km/hour. I have it set on the easiest setting, purely because my knee is giving me grief, but this setting has given me really big bicep muscles & really toned up my thighs. I'm scared of setting it higher & ending up like a bodybuilder. lol. Alan changes the intensity, but he is bulking muscle. I think my muscle tone is actually quite good, I just need to trim the excess fat. KWIM? Did you find the recipe for the risotto? It's super easy to make, but I highly recommend frying up some leeks with the onions & adding some grated zucchini, just to beef up the veg content. I think bacon would be really great in it too. Yum!

RAUPE _ Where are you my dear? lol

ASH _ How was your day?

Well, that is all from me. One very happy girl who now has an apartment. Complete with a cleaner twice per week - thank you very much!!! lol

xx

[Astrid]

Hi Ladies - sorry not the best on personals, will see what I can do though.

Jayne - congats on finding an apartment, so jealous of the cleaner. I am ignoring your recipe

Belfie - bummer about being sick. Hope you get better quickly

Onyx - vomit = fun (not). Hope you get your gym time in

To everyone else - hope it is all going well for you.

I found breastfeeding made me so hungry, so not the best for losing weight. A baby that only sleeps in the pram, used to be my mummy way of losing weight, going for multiple long walks each day.

Well thought AF was coming, but not here, not sure of my dates though, as I have not been keeping track. Hope it comes in the next week. We are not trying, DH has had the snip, so hopefully it is just me getting confused.

Diet wise, have not started my tracking sheet. Will get one printed out today (assuming I can kick DH off the puter that has the printer). Doing what I can to think twice before eating. Had a good dinner last night of chicken legs and salad. Did have something sweet with my cuppa, but I divided up the pack first so I only ate a few rather than just mindlessly munching on the whole pack.

Must drink more green tea, have found in the past I tend to lose weight when I drink the stuff.

[Phteven]

Astrid, I fail at personals too. I dropped out of my baby buddies group because I couldn't keep up. If you don't feel like doing them there's no pressure.

Anyway... all about me. I made it to the gym this morning for the new pump. They said that back track was hard but it wasn't so bad it was the lunges track that murdered me. I ran for 20 minutes afterwards so I feel ok about taking yesterday off now.
My lower back is a bit sore, I think it was the throwing up in a freezing bathroom wearing tiny PJs that did it because I felt ok the night before and woke up feeling very strange. I hope it doesn't get any worse.

[danniellabella]

I've really gotta post in here more.
The batteries in my scales have been flat since the end of January, so I haven't weighed myself since then. The other night I decided to get my wii fit out to weigh myself, not sure how accurate it is, but I think it's fairly accurate...I've lost 4kg since Jan!

All from just eating better. But I still have another 2-4kg to go to get to my goal, so I'm walking to work more regularly (approx 5km).

I also did my measurements the other day for the first time since January, I've lost between 2-4cm from thighs, butt, hips, waste & bust (DH wasn't so happy about the loss from the bust though!)

[belfie]

Anyway... all about me.

tehehe this gave me a giggle! Good on you. Hope your back feels better soon.

D'bella - congrats!! That's awesome!

Jayne - wooooo hooo on the apartment that's awesome. And hey, when you don't need those cleaners one week, get 'em to just pop over here ok?

AFM still sick yeah same old same old... BUT, I've signed up for a diabetes australia Life Program thingo. It's a free health coaching program for ppl who meet enuff diabetes risk criteria (which I do - dad has type II, i had GD+ insulin both preg & am VERY apple-shaped - waistline way into the high risk category), so I'll get some phone coaching sessions to help me keep on track! I'm always up for s'thing free, and s'thing free that helps me get fitter/healthier quicker.. HELL YEAH!

[~Jayne~]

ONYX _ I had a giggle too! Loved the humour! WTG on the class today & then the run afterward. Yes, I would say you have definitely redeemed yourself for not getting any exercise in yesterday.

DANIELLABELLA _ That's awesome on losing that weight in between Jan & now. I used to use my WiiFit as my scales too - I do believe they are pretty good. Thinking I might need to hunt out my WiiFit actually............. hmmm Good idea! I have NO idea where it is in storage - so that will be fun.

BELFIE _ I sure will let my cleaner know that you are patiently waiting, but I'm almost 100% after cleaning our place twice per week we will use her up to the very minute! Its going to be a bit weird though, like I don't know what to do with a cleaner. Do I just open the door & let her go for it or do I need to tell her what requires cleaning??? This is all foreign to me! Plus, what if I don't like the job that she is doing? What if she isn't cleaning to my standards? I'm a bit panicked, I have never had a cleaner!

My island bench even have a wine rack in it!! I am sooooooooo loving the idea of it. I was up last night pacing like a little kid trying to figure everything out! We need to buy 2 double beds with mattresses, one queen matress, 1 (hopefully 2) TV's & some curtains. She has given us a tiny budget - so I'm trying to work with it as best I can. I'm hoping to take the kids curtains from one of their rooms from here, Jess' queen mattress (cos that is most comfy! Ours is crapola) & our TV from this apartment. I'm hoping to get them super cheap from our current landlord so I just have to buy the kids beds & mattresses & curtains for our room plus the living room. I really wanted to replace the couch, because it just looks dirty. I know it's not, but it's like a woven black & white colour so it looks kinda grey, but dirty grey? Anyway, I'm thinking of getting a few black polar fleece blankets to throw over the couch it a bit of a jazz up. Eeeek! I can't believe I have finally decided! Yay!

Oh & being that this is a fitness/weight loss thread, I should report that I have just finished a 5km workout on the cross-trainer. I have 900g to lose every week for the next 3 weeks. One of those weeks will be AF week too, so I really need to be super careful over the exercise & food intake.

[belfie]

Oh & being that this is a fitness/weight loss thread, I should report ...

Cleaners. I'm just about to sack mine. have tried both independant and agency. Usually I just tell 'em what I want them to do. I made the mistake this time of not pulling them up when they spilled some bleach on my bathmats and now wish I had. They did it again recently so I actually deducted money - was annoyed they were just being sloppy and the bathmat was a new one I bought to replace an earlier one they'd wrecked. Grrrr but partly my own fault for not warning them the first time. So my advice.. feedback IS a gift. So if they don't do it to your standard, then tell 'em, just tell 'em nicely. I am quite sure you're able to do that. I'm best of mates with one of my current ones (it's a pair that do it) and we're friends on facebook - I guess I consider it to be about the job not the person. Incidentally the sacking is not to do with the quality of their work, it's us restructuring our expenditure (huh sounded a bit fancy pancy lol).

Ok back to health & fitness now. For those of you being healthy. And fit.

[Sopdet]

Hope all are well & going great on their journeys.

Woohoo!!!!! I have officially dropped a pants size and can shop in normal shops again!!!!!!! Have on my spanky new jeans that look hawt! Off to a burlesque workshop this afternoon which should be interesting, need to start getting the hair & makeup done shortly, will be in proper gear for this workshop so am a bit excited, picked up a new pair of thigh high stockings yesterday (cute white ones with red bows at the top).

[~Jayne~]

Oooh Sopdet - you are sounding VERY SPUNKYLICIOUS!!!

Thanks Belfie for the advice, I'll put it into practice I'm sure! I am planning on asking them to do the bathrooms, toilets & vacuum the carpets. Occassionally give the oven a clean. Basically all the jobs I can't stand!!! bahahaha

& because we are health related in here, I had a small can of baked beans with 2 slices of very thin toast for lunch! Quite a healthy lunch & surprised myself by wanting toast too!

[krystals]

Don't you hate it when you go out shopping looking for something specific??? I didn't find a thing!!!!! Well I found a warm comfy snuggly sleepsuit for DS at target 30% off, but that's ALL I bought! The good news is, (after reading your post appletree!!!) I went into Witchery and tried on some size 12 skinny jeans! Holy crapolla they fit?!?!?! They looked shocking, and my mummy-tummy looks like it's going to inhale the top of them, but they fit!!!!!!!! I didn't get them, but it gave me some confidence to try jeans on in other stores! (not that I bought any even then...there's a pair on my dresser that WILL FIT EVENTUALLY!!!)

So after that I decided that even though I was depressed about not finding anything to buy for myself, I wouldn't indulge in a visit to donut king, but would treat myself to a skim hot chocolate instead. Hubby and I had already made the decision to eat at home before shopping- both to save money and to beat temptation off with a stick!!!

SOPDET, that sounds amazing!!!!! Have you done any workshops like that before??? Well done on dropping a dress size!

hahaha, at those failing personals.... I always start strong.... but then faaaaaaade.

DANIELLABELLA, are you a photographer??? I have an inkling I know who you are, and am a fan of yours on facebook! LOL

Oh, back to MEEEEEEE, we got home late(ish) from shopping and I was exhausted. So was bubs. So I fed him, put him to bed, and fully planned on getting into some comfies and watching a movie. BUT Instead I put on my exercise shorts, my shoes and a jumper, grabbed the dog and walked again. AND I ran for a km!!! I don't run. EVER. So this is big news. JAYNE, don't stress about me at night. I live in the middle of absolute nowhere. I have to worry about dingoes before I worry about stranger-danger!!! LOL

Wholemeal spaghetti with ham, mushrooms, parsley with egg and parmesan sauce. Sounds weird, but is a good alternative to creamy carbonara. I'm off to make it. Without the thought of exercise looming over my head like a dark cloud. Night!

[danniellabella]

DANIELLABELLA, are you a photographer??? I have an inkling I know who you are, and am a fan of yours on facebook! LOL

Yes. I am.

[krystals]

well, I guess your avvy might have hinted at that LOL.

I'm a douchebag And you have beautiful work x

[~Ash~]

Hey ladies,

Krystal - I can't really do personals from my iPhone coz I can never remember who said what lol - I did go for my walk on Friday, ad spend half the day pulling out weeds yesterday and have woken up actually feeling like I've been to the gym! My arms and legs are sore - love that feeling . Good work on avoiding donut king! Lol

Jayne - I did get my assignment done thanks, I'm study psychology and business as a dual degree - when I'm finished I will do postgrad in psychology only though . Your apartment sounds amazing!! You could always buy a darker rug for under the dining table too maybe? Did you end up with any gym memberships or anything to go with it?

We are going out to lunch today with DPs family - to yum cha I can't wait lol but I'm going to be good and have none of the deep fried things and mango pancakes for dessert lol

Going to try and get some more gardening done too - we have this cruddy little garden out the back that is just overgrown all the time with weeds - we have decided to make it into a fairy garden - and now that it's been a year since we decided I thought we better start lol - I should take some before and after photos!

Apart from that I'm impatiently waiting another two days to do a HPT - the wait is killing me! Starting to wonder how hard it's going to be to keep up the healthy lifestyle if I'm UTD - with DD I just lived off kfc potato and gravy

Take care everyone - I'll jump on the computer later to post proper personals!! Keeps up the good work though

**Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Raupe]

Hello again !

I've been real good yesterday food-wise, I hope I can keep it up today. I'll have my weigh-in tomorrow () to see the damage I have done... Ahhh so scared!!!

[belfie]

well i have moved my weigh-in day from Mondays to Sundays (for a whole heap of reasons) and I'm up .4kg ... which I kinda expected. So that pulls my loss so far back to 1.5kg.

I really think our bodies should have some kinda innate understanding that we're trying to lose weight here... therefore gain just ain't an option! Sure you ladies will agree with me on that one! Raupe GL for tomorrow and if you've gone up too, hey, we'll get back there.

Apart from that... sick. Really sick. So annoying. Coughed till i vomited overnight. Woke up about every hour coughing. Can't talk for coughing. And DH reckons he has a migraine this morning ... just when I sooooo wanted to go back to bed! bah whinge whinge sook whinge. There. That's better now.

[~Ash~]

Hello again !

I've been real good yesterday food-wise, I hope I can keep it up today. I'll have my weigh-in tomorrow () to see the damage I have done... Ahhh so scared!!!

Good luck today - I know you can do it!!!
Can't wait to hear how your weigh in goes tomorrow!


**Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sopdet]

Divvy and I went out for dinner last night and we shared an entree sized meal and didn't finish it. Go Us!!!!!!! (ok a lot of that could have been we were nattering so much and it went cold )

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Still here, in gippy for the weekend, had dinner for nan & pops anniversary last night and promised my little bro will take him and the girls to maccas so might get a salad will weigh in when I'm home. Was planning a walk but it's raining.


Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!