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Monday, October 29, 2007

Do you think there's a convention on?

Well guys, I'm getting the feeling that there is a big out of town convention being held at the moment - and the audience you ask? I think it's being held especially for that special part of our psyche called 'motivation'. It seems to me that there's an awful lot of us in Blogland who can't find our motivation at the moment and I reckon it's because they've all left town to go to the Motivation Convention. Now while this makes life incredibly difficult for us right now, we need to focus on the positives from this situation. When the convention is over, all our motivations are going to return with a vengeance filled with new vim, vigour, ideas and staying power. Now won't that be good!

But far out, I bloody wish this convention would finish soon!!!

So yes people I'm struggling too. I haven't fallen off the rails but I'm just hanging by my fingernails - and it's bloody lucky I wear false ones or I'd never be able to stay on. I haven't had a really bad week - in fact the weekdays were pretty good food, water and alcohol wise but a fair few drinkies on the weekend, constant munchies too and whilst I didn't go wild with the biscuit tin, bread bin or cake box, I just ate my way through a heap of fruit - but it was still all extra points. So it's Monday again and I'm back up on the rails and just trying to take it a day at a time. What's disheartening for me is that if I don't stay virtually 100 per cent on track then not only do I not lose, I actually start to fluctuate upwards some days. And as for exercise - well I just can't seem to get going. I'm going to try and push myself to do something this week as I know that once I get going I feel great and it becomes self perpetuating.

And now since everyone says they like to see photos on posts (and I'm no exception) but couldn't think of anything exciting to take a photo of and I was at work with limited resources - so here's the best I could come up with.



Me in my office wearing my "Miss Moneypenny' glasses. Bit of story here - when I bought these glasses (just magnifiers) I referred to them as my Miss Moneypenny glasses as I thought I looked like the famous Miss Moneypenny of the James Bond movies. Now as some of you may know the actress who played Miss M died recently and when I checked out some of the old pics on google - guess what she didn't even wear glasses. But for me the name stays with these glasses! And yes my hair looks flat and boring but get a root perm next week (could say something cheeky and naughty here but will restrain myself)


And this is a view of my office - note that I'm a bit of a plant lover and my walls are adorned with pictures of places we've been on holiday. I tell people that these pics remind me of why I'm here - so I can go there!!! Also note the water jug and glass - such a little angel aren't I?

Ok sweet ones, nothing else exciting to report so I'm off to walk with Zanna - isn't that a clever girl? Have a good week and if anyone sees signs of that convention ending please let me know and I'll lay out the red carpet and hang up a sign to welcome my motivation back!!!

Love
Z xx

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Anyone got Hair Fertiliser

Well after the response to my wig photos, it would appear that I need to fertilise my hair and get it to grow real fast so I can shed 10 years off my age!! Thanks for all your lovely comments - it's quite weird - when you put the wig on and look at yourself in the mirror it looks very false and wiggy, but when I saw the photos I was pleasantly surprised. I was at R, my hairdresser's on Saturday and took the wig along and she shortened the fringe a bit for me and thinned it out a bit on either side so it's even better now. So it's been well worth the money - it's given me a plan of what I want to do with my hair for a while - you know that it won't stay in any one style for too long - I get bored and want a change either in style or colour!

So anyway my real hair - is now being allowed to grow with just strategic trims but meanwhile has gone really blonde - good colour for summer and since I'm now quite golden after my solarium visits, the two blend quite well (even if I look 52 instead of the 42 I could look!!) Here's a couple of pics:


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Bloss wasn't around to the best I could do was take a picture of myself in the robe mirror in our bedroom.

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Look a bit washed out in this one - but I think it's the fact that I'm taking it myself and so the flash is really too close.
Now Kirsty had a good idea - she (like me) always reads the section at the end of the Slimming and Health magazine where they investigate a celebrity's shopping trolley. She listed what favourites you'd find in her trolley and invited us all to do likewise. So here goes
Weightwatchers Sour Cream - love this stuff - great on rice crackers with some salsa, and yummy with microwaved jacket potato.
Crunchy Combo Sprouts - you can buy these little punnets in both Coles and Woolworths now - a blend of sprouted peas, lentils and mung beans. Absolutely delicious in salads and if I get the munchies - sometimes a handful of these does the trick.
Gluten free Rice Crackers (the larger square ones) in original flavour. These are quite hard to get but are so tasty - the gluten free doesn't matter to me but I just love the taste. See above with the sour cream for how I like them.
WW Individual Ice Creams - love them all but my favourite is Cookies and Cream for only 1.5 points - a lovely after dinner treat
Seedless Grapes - I always have fruit and yoghurt for morning smoko - usually an apple or mandarin, a small Nestles yoghurt and 100g grapes
Wholemeal English Muffins - my favourite weekend breakfast - a poached egg (love them done in the microwave in the poacher gadget) served up in a muffin
WW Tuna - usual work day lunch for me is a massive salad - everything chopped up in a large containers - lettuce, tomato, all colours of capsicum, celery, radish, cucumber, crunchy sprouts, sugar snap peas, avocado, spring onion with flaked tuna or salmon, or maybe chopped up leg ham or chicken and occasionally a sprinkling of WW grated cheese.
Heaps of Fresh Vegies - I love vegies especially asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, bok choy, cabbage, brussel sprouts and then of course all the salad vegies I need for my lunches.
Frozen Vegies - for the nights I can't be bothered or have no time the prepacked bags of ready to microwave steamed vegies - not cheap but so quick and easy
Diet Pepsi or Soda with a Twist - for when I'm being a good girl and not having any alcohol - I'll have a couple of glasses of one of the above while I'm preparing and eating tea.

OK that's my top ten - carry on with Kirsty's challenge and tell us yours.

Haven't had a bad weekend - but not that good either - a few glasses of Sauvignon Blanc (a Marlborough NZ one) - those NZ Sauv Blancs are just so irresistible - so crisp and fruity and this one was on special - down from $17 to $9.99 so had to buy a couple didn't I? Foodwise I've been OK but it's the add on of the wine that does me in. Anyway Monday morning - back on the straight narrow again.

Will post again on Wednesday - Day 14 of the Kiwi Countdown challenge.

Till then, ciao babes

Love Z xx

Friday, October 19, 2007

So what do you reckon??

Ok guys - some pics of me with my wig on - verdict please!!









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Oh.... how could I have forgotten - I was the recipient of a very special award this week, courtesy of Maria - thankyou Maria - this makes me feel very special. Now I think I get to award it to some people - and that's hard as every single one of you out there affects me in your own way and to me deserves to be called fabulous - but I'm going to say - Chris H for your absolute dedication to blogging, Beckie (who is now private) in celebration of how good things are in your life now, Briony (also private) for the world that is just about to unfold for you, Anne for the demons you are conquering yet still living a wonderful life, Livy for the sheer interest and variety you bring to your posts and finally Julie 'cos you seem to me like my kindred spirit.


So here it is - and congratulations and thank you my friends for the wonder and support you bring to my world! Wear it with pride!


Have a wonderful weekend everybody and go forth and multiply you totally fabulous bloggers!

Love Z xx

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Day 7 of 50 day Challenge

UPDATE
Saw the doctor this morning - he's not sure so putting me through a few tests - first up had a cardiograph - that was all clear, then sent me for blood tests to check for helicobacter - should know those results by the weekend. Then if I'm still not right I've to have a gall bladder scan next week. Meantime he's put me on medication which should settle things down. Felt absolutely dreadful by the time I'd had all the tests - it was after 1pm and I hadn't had any lunch. So before going back to work I stopped off at home and ate my salad for lunch. Once that was down I felt heaps better and have felt much better all afternoon and still feeling not too bad tonight. So here's hoping it's going to clear up on it's own.


So far so good with my challenge - it's been a good week - I've managed to keep reasonably well on target with all my KRAs (work jargon - Key Result Areas!!)

7/7 Water - 2 Litres
7/7 On Points
7/7 Track
6/7 No alcohol
4/7 Exercise

Exercise is down because it rained one morning, I was hung over one morning and I've been not well again. Starting to feel like a 'moaning minnie' with my health lately. But in the early hours of yesterday morning wakened with a heavy head and the feeling that something was stuck in my throat/oesophagus which in turn made me feel quite nauseous. Still feeling like it today so have been lucky enough to score a cancellation with my doctor at 11.15am this morning so will see what he has to say - thinking it's either a recurrence of gastric reflux which I have only had once in the last five years (although this feels quite different - no pain as such) or maybe my gall bladder. But no point in trying to self diagnose - I'll see what the doc has to say.

Had a lovely weekend - the boys stayed over on Friday night and they're just both so much fun now - Josh now into playing board and card games and Curtis happy to play with toys for hours at a time. We all (Bloss too!) went for a walk on Saturday morning then their Dad picked them up. At night we went to the company awards night. We had a great time - I had a few wines (and since I hadn't had any for a while I had a buggar of a sore head on Sunday) but I also danced up a storm so managed to work most of it off. Foodwise I was excellent - there were nibbles like spring rolls, party pies etc and I just didn't touch them, then entree was trays of antipasto and once again I left alone. It was a buffet for mains and I had one potato, vegies and a piece of chicken with little or no sauce, and a piece of rare roast beef. And sweets - I have no idea - by the time they were available I was off being a social butterfly - lots of people to catch up with and I didn't gete round to having any.

So what does all this translate to - a loss of 900g this week so very happy about that.


This is me ready to head off to the Awards Dinner


A close up

And yet another one - pity my eyes are half shut - and no I'd had no alcohol at this point!

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Don't think I've much else to say at the moment. Things getting a bit hectic at work so will have to dash. Another area of the plant is having some process issues and have manned up accordingly but need someone to coordinate this influx of people and the attendant issues like accommodation, expenses, rosters - and my name was the one up in lights! (Actually the manager of that area apparently requested me - we've worked together in the past and he knows I'm an organiser)

So toodles my friends and have a great week - I'll update if the doc tells me anything spectacular!

Love
Z xx

Friday, October 12, 2007

Faffing around on Friday

I pinched this little fun quiz from Lauren's blog (and I was only lurking - sorry Lauren, next time I'll stop and talk) 1.YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet & current car) Miffy Rav 2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Cherry Garcia Brownie 3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Red Dog 4. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (Last 3 letters of one of my dog's name and first two letters of my other dog's name; use whatever names you like also and where they came from) Mitza 5. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) The Black Chardonnay 6. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Walter James 7. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) Nielson Nice 8. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) Spring Lily 9. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) Grape Safety Bootsie (are they an article of clothing?) 10. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) Toast Pandanus 11. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) The Travel Lightning Tour Pleased to report that I've been on track so far - and still in the right frame of mind for the weekend although I do have a company do to go to on Saturday night - Bloss celebrates 25 years with the company. This afternoon I go to pick up Josh and Curtis who are staying overnight as their Mum and Dad are going to the Silverchair/Powderfinger concert tonight. So looking forward to a fun evening with them. OK - have a top weekend everyone. Love Z xx

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Can't quite reach it!

You know that space you need to be in to eat healthily without thinking about it and be focussed and embrace exercise with joy.

I started off the week with great intentions and was great for a couple of days then life got in the way and I wandered a bit. Not too far since I've stayed the same this week but I'm annoyed with myself - that's a waste of a week. But anyway another one has started - me with a gastric bug so I'm actually sitting up in bed typing this and drinking lots of fluids - water mostly. I've had a funny tummy with the associated trips to the little room since yesterday but since I wasn't sick or in pain I just ate as normal but then last night I had to get up a couple of times in the night and again first thing this morning and so decided that I'd give my tummy a chance to work out it's problems and stay home and just have fluids for 24 hours.

We had another full on week with Josh's 6th birthday on Wednesday and on the weekend with our visitors from WA - it was so lovely to finally meet Bloss's brother. His wife I had already met but hadn't got to know her properly and the same with their children - only the younger two came (12 and 15) but top kids. So there was a lot of sitting around on our deck talking and drinking cups of coffee and then later in the day glasses of wine. Then on Wednesday the dog was sick - she had been off colour on Tuesday night and when I got up to walk with her at 5am on Wednesday she just wasn't well - we only walked a little way and she kept stopping and looking at me and finally stopped right in front of me as if to say ' Hey ma, I can't do this today' so we headed for home. I came home from work mid morning and took her to the vet and a couple of needles, some medicine, and $100 later she was OK thankfully - he reckoned it was gastric - do you think that's where I got mine!!!! But at least I did get up and walk 3 days last week so things are improving.

I think I'll set myself up with a bit of a challenge. I've worked out that it's 50 days tomorrow till we leave for NZ so that's a nice round 'make a difference' kind of a number. I won't aim for a specific weightloss - my aim will be to to be on points, track, exercise, drink lots of water and leave off the alcohol till then and I know that I'll then get an accompanying satisfying loss on the scales.

As I say in my side bar I'm hoping to have my first ever blogger meeting when I'm there with Chris H and Anne and anyone else they manage to round up. We haven't quite firmed up the schedule yet but it looks like we could be in Palmerston North on Monday 3 December (Chris I'll email you soon and sort out what we'll be doing) and Anne - hoping madly that you're around then too. I'm not sure where all the rest of you are - I still do a fair bit of lurking from time to time - so if you lurk too - come out the woodwork and maybe we can catch up briefly. At this stage I think we'll be in Auckland for a couple of days, then down to Taranaki, then to Palmerston North then probably back to Auckland for another day or so. Leave me a comment if you'd like to catch up or email me on anni.porter@gmail.com .

Ooohh getting quite excited at the thought of another trip - maybe this will kickstart my A into G!!!

Just bought a wig on Ebay - I'm toying with the idea of letting my hair grow a bit - haven't had longer hair since I was 14 - my face shape then (round) and the fact that my hair is so fine and not really plentiful meant it looked pretty ordinary. Anyway thinking I might persevere and try something a bit different and my hairdresser suggested getting a wig to give me some idea of whether or not I'd like it.

I got this one for $22 - don't think it's me - it seems to sit further forward on my head with my hairline - but I'll take it with me to R next time I go and maybe she can trim a few bits - don't care if it's U/S at the end of it, if it gives me any ideas on whether or not to try something different. R, my hairdresser has suggested a look like Susie Elelman who is apparently on one of the morning shows - she looks like this




So thinking this might be good - she obviously has fine hair and not a lot of it so similar to me. Might be the go - we'll see.

All right sweet ones - -I've waffled on long enough - wish me a leg up for the coming week (no not over - get your minds out of the gutter!) so I can reach that good space.

Love
Z xx

Monday, October 01, 2007

Pretty Ordinary

That's how my week has been. A 200g loss this week but it could and should have been much more. I haven't been particularly bad but then again I haven't been that good either and I'm not one of those people who can get away with half arsed effort. I've been so tired this week - not lack of sleep tired but an overwhelming lethargy and fatigue. I suspect most of it's psychological - just the post holiday let down but I also think my thyroid might be a little bit out of whack again so I'll give it a week or so to see if it settles down again otherwise I'll go and get some blood tests done and see if my medication needs changed. Anyway in the meantime I've decided to take the advice both myself and others gave to Livy - who's also struggling at the moment - and fake it till I make it. I started off today on the right track and got up at 5am and went for my walk with the dog. Needless to say once I was up (bit of a struggle to get out of bed!!) it felt great - lovely mild misty morning - light now - but no-one around but Zanna and I. I'm hoping that once I've done it for a few mornings I'll get back into the swing and start feeling more like my normal self. A funny story to share about our grandson Josh- who turns 6 on Wednesday. He was having a chat over the fence with the next door neighbour Rob (who works at the same company as us - as does Josh's dad (No 1 son) – tells him that his birthday is coming up and he’s having a party. Says to Rob to check his shift roster and see if he’s on days off so he can come. Then says that well it doesn’t really matter if he can’t come, he can just drop the present off on the way to work!!! DIL could hear all this from the laundry and was mortified!! It's been quite a busy week - hairdresser on Monday, solarium on Wednesday ( like having a little bit of colour and I had some from the holiday so just touching it up so to speak), a jewellery party on Thursday, out for dinner with my colleagues from work on Friday night, solarium again Saturday morning, then lunch with two friends, then home to prepare dinner for friends who were coming that night. Yesterday I spent creating DVDs of the holiday - I use a programme which allows me to create musical slideshows using all my photos and the music that I think fits - or reminds me of the holiday. San Francisco was easy - If you're going to San Francisco (The Byrds) San Franciscan Nights (The Animals) San Francisco Days (Chris Isaac) San Francisco Bay Blues (Eric Clapton) and I left my heart in San Francisco (Tony Bennett). I really enjoy doing these and it 's a great way to relive the holiday. Some nights I'll come home and say to Bloss - I think I might nip off to Las Vegas tonight - pop the DVD in, turn up the volume and I'm back there! The week ahead looking quite busy too - couple of visits to the solarium (only go for 10mins but it's in town so there goes at least an hour), Josh's birthday on Wednesday so having tea with them, then on Friday Bloss's brother, wife and two teenagers from WA are arriving and staying till Monday - Bloss hasn't seen him in about 15 years - I've never met him although we talk happily on the phone. So that's pretty exciting! Then Sunday we have Josh's birthday party. And of course there'll be touring around and eating out with our visitors. Just read all this and thought - neither wonder I'm tired!! But usually I can take this level of activity in my stride - gosh maybe I'm getting old!!! Nahhh!!!! OK good people - stay good!! Love Z xx