Non scale Victories....

What can a Non Scale Victory have to do with the back end of a couple of cars you ask??

A month or so before I started my first Round of the 12WBT, I found myself in a pickle. Leaving the shopping center rather late, I came back to my car and found the only other car in the carpark, parked SO close to my car that I couldn't get in the drivers door. It also dawned on me that I was in no way capable of either climbing through the back of the car or getting across the console from the passenger side. Thankfully I had the kids with me and my learner driver WAS able to get in and move the car forward so I could drive home.....just a little embarrassing.

Well today it happened again BUT there was more people around (Extra embarrassing) AND no handy skinny extra driver with me to get me out of my bind. Now I accept it was partly my fault, as you can see I am fairly close to the line also (I am the red car) and the angle of the shot actually makes my car look closer than it was. The other driver was probably concerned about the concrete pole on the other side of their park. Thinking like a fat person, I started to freak out just a little....but then I remembered I was not so fat anymore...funny how you have to "remember" that hey! SO with a bit of a wiggle and sucking ALL the way in.....I got in bloody car. I seriously sat in the driver seat thinking bugger me how did I do that?? Grinning like a goof ball at the same time I must add.

SO in a week when the scales have once again been fickle....I am grateful to have a timely reminder that thing are changing: that I AM changing....AND it is making life easier!!

cheers

Lynda

Triathlon Tuesday

What a day.......

I was not able to complete my Tri over the weekend and planned to do it today BUT also wanted to wait till I had my HR monitor back. (I sent it away last week to be repaired) Thankfully it came back yesterday so all was GO for today. I am still rated as a beginner as far as exercise goes....but I really want to try and push a little past the distances expected: They were 800m swim, 5km walk/run, 10km Bike ride. Last round I completed the tri at the gym, but now that I am more comfortable on the bike I decided I really wanted to do it all outside....so the plan was to walk to pool, swim, walk home & jump on bike. I was not entirely happy about splitting the walk but for practical reasons it was the sensible thing to do.

Set off in a good but possibly apprehensive state of mind....I have very good at the self talk thing....very good at talking myself out of thing actually. But did the 2km to the pool in around 20min. Met my mum, who was planning on paddling around while I churned up & down the pool. The swim leg was the one I was most unsure about and honestly I would prefer to do it last.....one of the reasons is the way being in water makes me feel. I HATE that heavy feeling you get when you get out....HATE IT. Does my head in, just like being on the treadmill.....ANYWAY I did my 16 laps and thought, well it is only 4 more to have done the whole 1km...so off I set. I could really feel my neck tightening up...so had to switch between strokes but I got it done. I jumped in the shower to rinse off. While in there I realized I was feeling extra strange, in fact my head felt SUPER heavy and I felt like I was going to tip over. This of course completely freaked me out.......and I started having one of those conversations in my head. You know the shall I shan't I convo's. Debating whether to walk home or not. I have to admit I bailed & got my mum to drive me home. And once I got home I started the whole "you have let yourself down conversation" Thankfully I rallied, and figured I could head out for more walking and stay close to home, basicly I applied the 10min rule. I started out very slowly & cautiously but thankfully I found my legs and started chewing up the km. I was aiming for 3, so that with the 2 I did at the beginning, I had my 5....but decided on the fly to see how far I could go. I cranked out just over 5, which gives me a total of just under 7km walking. The bike was HARD. Legs very very tired! I have been riding 12km regularly, so I knew I could do more....I just didn't know if I could today after swimming & walking. It was slow, awkward & laboured...but I managed to complete 13.5km. 15 would have been nice but I was running out of time.

So the stats for the day are

Walk: 1.93km - 21:22 / 154 Calories
Swim: 1km - 51:40 / 221 Calories
Walk: 5.01km - 1:06:23 / 456 Calories
Ride: 13.49km - 1:08:33 / 477 Calories

21.43km / 208 min /1308 Calories

Pretty happy with that....who knows what I will like tomorrow....but for now sleep.


cheers

Lynda

PS Cautiously optimistic about weigh in day....will let you know 1 way or the other tomorrow afternoon

Bill's gone......

What a week.....

Those of you who follow me on twitter will have gained the impression that I have had an ordinary week. I am sorry if I have been vague, but for a lot of reasons I have felt the need to internalize most of my thoughts & feelings. That is actually a WEIRD frame of mind for me....coz I talk!! I mean really talk....especially when I am upset or nervous.....(You guys who are staying with me in Sydney better get your listening ears ready!!)So as twitter is so VERY limiting in a character sense, I figured a nice long blog post might be the best way to get it all out!!

The week started off on Sunday with news that 3 elderly people whom I love & respect dearly were all really struggling. In one case it was simply an old age thing (94 years old), another The prostate cancer he has been battling for 10 years is finally taking over....the other heart issues. Both of the gentlemen are in their 80's, both in fact celebrated their 60th wedding anniversaries this year within weeks of each other. They have all valued & encouraged me over a number of years and just the thought of their passing has me in tears.

Wednesday morning Elsie left us.....the Funeral is Monday and I am VERY pleased to have been asked to assist with afternoon tea. It will give me something to focus on...I will need it! Rolled up in this sadness I guess is also knowing that Bill & Vic will not be far behind. I feel so grateful to have known these people and pray daily that I will be able to live by their example.

Weigh in day SUCKED.(and until I heard about Elsie I was very miserable about it, funny how life puts things in perspective) I GAINED 1.8kg!! GAINED almost 2 kg in a week?? Uugghh I had predicted with it being T.T.O.M. weigh in would suck but really, even I had not predicted that. I checked again on Thursday & I had LOST 1.1kg overnight.This morning I had LOST another 400g.... Now I KNOW I can fluctuate that much over a week....but I have NEVER had to actually record that...just this month it happened on a Wednesday. I know it is not a "real" gain....but it still bites!

Wednesday was a really really sucky day....coz THEN we noticed that our old and much beloved dog Socks was not well... We actually lost him for an hour, we thought he had gotten out which is one of his favourite tricks. While searching the house for him we found a very large vomit...and that was when alarm bells really started ringing for me. We eventually found him (after dark) tucked away under a bush in the back yard, pretty much comatose. We finally got him to wake up, and stand up but it was obvious he was not well. Off to the Vet at 9pm, sent home with antibiotics & an electrolyte solution. Our dogs sleep inside, well they are always inside so I found it a little strange and very disconcerting when he asked to go out at 4.30am then would not come back in. He curled up on their outside bed, and I decided to leave him in peace. Thursday morning we found him once again curled up way back in the garden....over the course of the morning, he would not eat or drink and he just slept & slept....appeared very groggy if I ever tried to check on him. 1pm I had had enough...being a warm day I was very worried about his hydration levels. Back to the Vet....this time they kept him for tests. Those tests confirmed the Vets suspicion that he was suffering from Pancreatitis and he would require hospitalization and IV fluids. (I had NEVER heard of dogs getting this, but I have since found out that I know 3 dogs that have had it....) I was told to expect that he could need to be in care for up to 3 days....THANKFULLY when we went to visit him at 8pm last night we found a very different dog, fluids and pain relief had worked wonders (Pancreatitis is excruciatingly painful I am told) This morning he held down the few bites of breakfast they gave him, and he ate a whole bowl at lunch!! Star patient it seems...good enough to be released late this afternoon. MAN it has been scary and it is great to have him home. Though I think I am driving him mad checking on him all the time. I always knew we would be sad to loose Socks. The Vet told me today his breed has a life expectancy of 12-15 years...and he is 13, so it is coming. This week has really bought home to me what an important part of our family He is....and I spent most of it thinking that this was it...that I would not get to bring him home....so glad we have some more time!

So thus ends the week....I am hoping for a much more peaceful weekend....STARTING tonight with a good night sleep....I have been up 3 or 4 times most nights this week. I have a headache now.....and I know it is simply a you need to sleep & de-stress kinda headache!

Thank you to everyone who has sent me messages of encouragement....I really do appreciate it

cheers

Lynda

Week 7 Recipe Comp.....

I LOVE bacon & eggs, it brings back so many childhood memories of visits with my Grandparents. Was not sure if I would be able to give the up completely so I had to find a new & better way of eating it!! I am now good at getting this served up super quick…..very much a fav of mine!!

Lunch (292 Calories)

Egg & Bacon Salad with Crunchy Garlic Croutons



Ingredients
50 g of Gourmet Lettuce
20 g of Baby Spinach
70 g of Tomato (Chopped)
70 g of Cucumber (Chopped)
50 g of Capsicum, Green or Red (Chopped)
1 egg, large (53g)
50g of Shortcut Rindless Bacon (Cut into thin Strips)
1 Slice of Wholegrain Bread
1Teaspoon of Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon (5g) of MasterFoods Tuscan Seasonings (This contains, garlic, salt, pepper, Rosemary & Parsley)

Method
1 Chop bread into 4 fingers, then cross cut each into 4 so that you have 16 croutons.

2 Place the teaspoon of oil in a small bowl with a good shake of the Tuscan Seasoning. Toss the bread around in the oil making sure that each one gets a good coating.

3 Heat a small non stick fry pan till it is nice and hot & toss the croutons around till then are golden & crispy. Set aside. (These can also be baked in the oven if you like but it seems like a waste to turn the oven on for just a few min)

4 Crack the egg into a cup & beat well. Pour into the still hot fry pan and swirl it around till egg covers the whole bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Reduce heat. Left Undisturbed for a few minutes the egg “Pancake” will cook through. There should be no need to flip it. Remove from pan & set aside to cool.

5 Place bacon in the pan and cook till brown & crispy. (Set aside to cool just slightly)

6 Roll the egg Pancake into a tube, and cut it into ribbons.

7 Place the lettuce, tomatoe, cucumber, capsicum, bacon, egg ribbons & finally croutons in a nice size bowl, grab a fork & tuck in!!