Garden update

Time for a walk around the garden!

I've been in and pulled out some of the summer vegies (beans, tomatoes, zucchini and cucumber) and have carried bucket load, after bucket load of broken down cow manure to top up the beds. Into them I've planted: brocoli, brussel sprouts, sugar snap peas, beetroot, shallots, onions, cabbage and two packets of sweet peas - my favourite flowers in the world!!! You can just see them at the top of the first photo!!

 

Can't wait for them all to get bigger and start harvesting again. This weekend I'll take out the climbing beans and the only remaining zucchini and cucumber - which probably died in the frost this morning anyway. I'll move the trellis from the climbing beans over for the sweet peas!! I can already see how beautiful they will be in spring - hopefully reminiscent of the sweet peas mum used to grow in Warwick!!

 

Still to be planted - Cauliflower and Kale!!

location location

From today, all 12WBT posts or posts relating to my weightloss journey can be found via the 'Turkish Delights meets 12WBT' tab at the top of this blog. My reasons for this are revealed in the first post found at the new blog!

Enjoy!

12WBT Round 1 Finale - Melbourne

What an amazing weekend in Melbourne!! I happily finished off Round 1 7.1kgs lighter and 26cm smaller!! Not quite the 10kgs I was aiming for, but I was thrilled anyway.

 

So Friday morning I collected Hayley (way too early - got my times mixed up) and we headed to the airport.

 

 

In Melbourne it was absoluetly freezing and we shivered like crazy while we waited for the gorgeous Michelle Maz to pick us up to take us to the Crown Promenard where we were staying. When we got there and had checked in we basically got changed and went out again for drinks with the 30+ 12WBT Facebook group. It was kind of sureal seeing all these people that we know on the net but haven't seen in real life before, but it was heaps of fun!

Hayley and I at drinks!

 

Saturday morning we were up bright and early, downstairs waiting for the rest of our crew to head to the group workout. All the Melbourne girls were volunteering to help out so Hayley and I went with them - even though it was only just light outside!

 

While Michelle and the others all got training on what their job was and how to do it, a small group of us walked back up the road and found a little cafe to have breaky in. Knowing we had a big morning ahead of us we knew it was important to fuel our bodies in preparation!

My delicious coffee!

 

Back at the group workout it started to rain and we weren't sure whether we would risk working out in the cold - I certainly didn't want to get sick!!! Where is that JFDI attitude I hear you ask....well it made an appearance!!!

 

And then the sun came out! And the jumpers came off!

 

Our group photo with Mish!

 

We then high tailed it back to the hotel, showered, ate subway and dried our hair ready for our makeovers.

Before

 

Hayley and I scored big time with our makeup and hair stylists!!! Tenille Larcombe did our hair and Bec Woodrow did our makeup. I couldn't have been happier with the result!!

During  - with Tenille...

The back - stunning wasn't it!!

Halfway - Hayley with make up done, me with hair done....

After!!! Super happy!

Awesome sparkly eyes and fake eyelashes!

 

I was super excited to get my new dress on, Marko had been unable to get the zip up at home but it wasn't that it didn't fit like I thought but just that his big man fingers couldn't work the zip. The lovely Tania (who shared our room) and Hayley got me into it!!!

Dressed for the party!

 

With my makeup stylist Becc (cause she had to see me dressed and do a little touch up)

 

With Tenille!

Full length shot!

Close up....

Posing for the professional photographer with Hayley!

 

Honestly I have to say it was an inspirational experience. Watching the top 10 go up on stage and the winners announced. It was just wonderful. Can't wait to get into round 2 and achieve more of my goals!!

such a slack blogger...

Despite my best intentions I don't think I will ever be a frequent or prolific blogger. It's just the nature of my insanely busy life.

So, another post, another update....what's new for the Turkalj's???

Still no baby news unfortunately, however we are continuing to have considerable fun practicing...sorry that's probably too much information... hehehe.

The vege patch is going great guns at the moment. I have blanched and frozen nearly 2kgs of green beans in the last 2 weeks which is very exciting. I also picked a delicious looking cucumber today and there are 5 more baby ones growing. The vine is a true fighter...it never really took off but after rain it suddenly gets it's mojo on and produces a crop of cucumbers, which is very exciting. On our recent trip to Stanthorpe I took some runners from Mum's strawberry patch and they are doing really well so far. I've also planted snow peas ready for winter and plan to plant broccoli and cauliflower in the next few weeks. Carrots are in! The incredible zucchinis have declined and I'll be pulling out the only remaining plant this weekend. I'll also be knocking on pumpkins to see if any are ripe enough to harvest.

 

 

 

 

Work is going well for both of us, although our trip to the farm in Stanthorpe reminded us how much we miss home - home being the Warwick-Stanthorpe area. We have a huge soft spot for the farm as we were married there. We both would love to live close to Mum and Dad when they move back, particularly as they age and need someone close by but at the moment reality is that we need to stay where we are, and for the moment that is working out just fine.

I've lost a total of 6kgs during this round of the Michelle Bridges 12WBT and 16cm when I measured. I know I have become leaner and put on muscle since switching to the Lean and Fit program. I can now run for 11.5 minutes, I can do the rolling intervals beginner running and hills interval beginners running programs which is a HUGE deal for me. I'm going to Melbourne for the finale of this round and am trying to decide if I can afford to pay for the next round or not. I know its worth it as the accountability of weighing in each week is really what keeps me on track. I'm really very proud of what I have achieved with my exercise this round and although I would LOVE to say I've lost 10kgs this round I'm thrilled with my total so far...and I still have 3 weeks to go!

 

Beginning round 1-February

 

 

 

Week 9 - April 

 

Craft wise I've been a slacker...I have two half finished crochet cardigans and have started smocking a dress for the beautiful Miss Jemima for when she is a little older and walking around. Can't post picks because her Mama will see before I'm ready so you'll have to wait. I did finish my shaggy quilt and do some adjustments to pants that were too loose. My machine is due for a service though and is being tempermental as a result so I'll drop it to the super sewing shop I found in Singleton tomorrow.
 

 

My fnished Shaggy Quilt

Hmm...that's the important developments...for now!

Battle of the wills

One of the hardest parts of a weight loss journey is the battle you wage with your mind. It is this battle, how prepared you are for it and whether you have a strategy or not that dictates how successful you are. This is how it has been for me, a woman who at 178cm was 139.9kgs - probably in the morbidly obese range.

I don't know if it is the same for people who have less to lose, but I know from conversations with the 12WBTers in the 30+ to lose group that this is the biggest challenge we face.

Our mind tries to convince us that we are happy the way we are...why bother with exercise and depriving the body with the things it craves. It's that little voice when you are running on the treadmill that says 'I can't do it, I won't be able to run for 5 minutes, stop now, my legs hurt, my feet hurt, stop, stop, stop'......Every day I face that voice. This round I'm doing the advanced lean and fit program and in seven weeks I have increased the time I run on the treadmill from 3 minutes to 10 minutes. A huge success for me! But EVERY day is about my mental strategy when I get on to that treadmill.

I focus on the first 2 minutes. Once I get there and the little voice starts nagging me, I play the game. 'Just another minute' I tell the voice. Then at 2 minutes that voice starts telling me that 'I'm not up to it today' or 'it hurts too much'. So I concentrate on each minute. I tell "the voice" 'Its ok I'll stop at 5 mins'. When I get to 5 minutes I just keep focusing on that next minute. Before I know it I'm to 9 minutes and by this stage I KNOW that I can make it to 10 minutes. Next goal - 15 mins.

I have not won the battle with that doubting voice. I have 34 years of listening to that voice rather than rejecting it's view of my life and what I can achieve. I will get there, I will get to a place where that voice controls me less and my will power is stronger!!! I just have to keep fighting and keep the reinforcements coming!!

Week 3 - wrap up

It amazes me how quickly the weeks go!! Must be something to do with how busy I am!!

Week 3 came and went and I've done fairly well - I hope.

This week I:

• Went to the gym before work each day
• Ate well
• Smashed out an awesome SSS (super saturday session) with my new mate Hayley
• Successfully ran on a tready for 5 minutes!!!! Jaw dropping stuff for me!!

And tomorrow I will see if my hard work paid off.

Tomorrow - Wednesday - is weigh in day and I'm excited to see how I have gone. I'm very proud that after the flash flooding event during which I consumed excessive amounts of wine, dip and biscuits did NOT derail me at all. Very proud....


I'll be back to report tomorrow night and with a better post.

Night!

24/2/13 - week 2 wrap up

What a slacker I've been.

Well in blogging land anyway.

This week I:

• worked out EVERY day before work, then did the SSS with Mandy and Jess on Saturday.
• kept my calorie count in control
• and I lost 2.2kgs!!!

And then Saturday hit....OMG.

I take complete responsibility.

We were at the Nelson's when the wild weather hit and the anxiety from having been in similar situation in the Roma floods and the loss of a beautiful woman in last February's flood had what can only be discribed as a post-traumatic-stress type reaction. Unfortunately despite all my hard hard work, my default setting is still to fill that emotional pit with food. So I drank four glasses of wine, at rice crackers and dip. Admittedly the boys helped eat the crackers and dip so I guess it could have been a lot worse, but it has made me realise that as long as I'm in control its all good.

As soon as there is a situation I can't control with strong emotion (negative) attached I still default back to my emotional eating habits of the past.

So what to do?

I am not sure, but I sure as hell am not giving up. No fricking way!!! I think I just need to have a plan in place for next time, because there will be a next time. Another situation in which I automatically revert to that old behaviour. I'm not sure what I'll do to try and head off this situation next time, but i'm thinking I need some affirmation/Mish sayings on cards for in my wallet or something like that. Something easy to carry on me at all times that in times when I need a swift kick or reminder that 'Hey, that's not who you are anymore Em, you are NOT going to eat that'.

Whatever I decide I need to do it soon, because while I am not giving up, the situation did shake me. I just couldn't believe I was still capable of such mindless eating.

So I'll see it as a learning experience and move on. And keep on JFDI-ing!!