Showing posts with label Progress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Progress. Show all posts

15 August 2009

Progress pic, some goals and a pumpkin pie

OK, I know. You can't really SEE much of what's going on under all of my layers here, dontchya love layers :) But for me this is progress. If you look at the detail, I'm wearing a skirt, Yay! And said skirt is technically above the knee, double Yay! This is progress, people, outfits are getting more colorful, the smile is getting wider and that's how things are getting measured around here these days.

So the whole not having a job thing kinda sucks. I seem to be over my curl up on the couch and block out the sun phase and have moved on to..... hmmmmm now what? Last year I gave up my career as a cardiac nurse to pursue some stress free happiness, the art school job came along and was a perfect fit, I stopped searching aimlessly, and settled into a sort of routine. I felt like I had got somewhere, made some progress, but now it doesn't really feel like that because here I am back at square one.

I'm taking this as a hippy dippy sign from the universe that I wasn't quite on the right path, that I needed to have a little wander along to see if I was headed in the right direction, and while it was nice and sunny, it was not leading me to where I am destined to go, wherever that is!

No doubt something will happen, it always does. Meanwhile I thought I'd just focus a bit more on healthy living while I wait for that gold nugget to drop out of the sky and into my bank account.

The gorgeous Hanlie who is always such an inspiration, is extra so this month. Embarking on a month of raw foods, Hanlie's green smoothies and sprouting bonanzas have got me thinking more and more about about my diet, and I've decided it's time to cut the crap and ditch the sweeties.

I work really well with goals, but I also don't work too well with total restriction, so I've set myself some goals this week, that aren't too obsessive, have some planned exceptions but are still a challenge. In case you were wondering, here they are:

  • No processed sugar (except for two slices of pumpkin pie today, as part of the best pumpkin pie in the world competition, more on that later)
  • No processed foods (except for one bowl of ramen noodles)
  • Exercise daily
  • One Yoga class
So there you have it. I've been working on the no sugar, no processed foods, exercise daily goals for a while now, years in fact, and it feels good to be working on them all at the same time. For me I think it's important to keep in mind my long term food/life/fitness goals and keep chipping away at them consistently. I may not be a clean eating, yoga doing, muscle bearing machine as yet, but I'm taking steps towards the idea, and that is a start.

The Pumpkin Pie thing is a long story, one I plan to elaborate on further over at NinjaEats, but I'll tell you this, my dear friend Chicorolls and I have had a lot of trash talking going between us about who can bake the best pumpkin pie. Today we are going head to head in an attempt to out bake each other, the oven mitts are off and the spoons are out!

Happy weekend lovelies :)

28 July 2009

Progress, it's all in the outfit.

Image: Bill Brown

Now that I have said my farewells to the Scale, I've been thinking more and more about how to measure my progress. I really need achievements to be proud of to keep me going in this whole thing and while I don't need to be a number on the scale anymore I do want to see myself moving forward.

I've been taking tape measurements since the start of this adventure back in November and I have found this to be a good way to see how things are changing.

By far the best way for me really is in the clothes. Having gone from a baggy sized 18 pants being tight, to falling off when I run is surely a triumph worth celebrating. Being able to once again button up my favorite red winter coat really does put a smile on my dial, and watching my all time fattest pair of shorts get so baggy in the arse you could call me MC Hammer, is pure bliss.

I really wanted to post a progress pic today but after running around the house trying a gazillion self portraits, I've conceded defeat. I'll await the return of The Boy for a less arty shot.

So there you have it, progress measured in a way other than the scale. Here are some numbers for those of you that get into that kinda thing, the first number being the starting point and the second number where I'm at today.

Bust: 115/114cm
Waist at belly button: 114/105cm
Waist at narrowest point: 95/89cm
Hips: 127/121cm
Upper Thigh: 76/72cm
Knee: 49/47cm
Upper Arm: 36/34cm

Total centimeters lost so far: 31cm. That's more centimeters than on the 30cm ruler I used in primary school!

31 March 2009

Finally, movement

Image: Ti H20

It's happened people, the number has moved, there must be something in this eating slower thing because I got on the scale this morning for my monthly weigh-in and I'd lost 2kg (4.4lbs) Yippeeee!! I'm trying not to make a big deal of this, trying to remember all my pledges to not get caught up in the numbers, but it's still a pretty sweet feeling to see that number getting smaller. So I deemed it time for an update of the numbers and here they are.

Starting point 13/11/08
Weight: 109.9kg
Bust: 115cm
Upper Arm: 36cm
Waist #1 (narrowest part): 95cm
Waist #2 (at belly button): 114cm
Hips: 127cm
Upper Thigh: 76cm
Knee: 49cm
Calf: 46cm

Today 31/03/09
Weight: 105.6kg
Bust: 109cm
Upper Arm: 34cm
Waist #1: 89cm
Waist #2: 104cm
Hips: 120cm
Upper Thigh: 71cm
Knee: 45cm
Calf: 44.5cm

"I'm pretty sure there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking"
Derek Zoolander

11 February 2009

Some Numbers and a Lifestyle Change

The last few weeks I've been thinking more and more about this whole lifestyle change thing. You know how it goes, you reach for a protein bar instead of a meal and "they" shout out, that won't work, you must change your lifestyle. I have to say, "they" are right. Considering all the pills, shakes, bars and strange mono diets that have passed my lips I should be a representation of the ideal body by now, but alas I aint.

I have tried this lifestyle approach in the past, worked out what I believe to be the perfect routine and then proceeded to do it, let's just say the whole macrobiotic, yoga, pilates, situation didn't last too long. Yesterday I realised where I'd gone wrong, I was imitating what I thought was a healthy lifestyle rather than building my healthy life.

I feel that despite the ups and downs of all my dieting and attempts at imitating Gwyneth Paltrow's diet and fitness regime, I have to say I'm really glad I've tried. In trying I've created the perfect trial and error testing ground, I know what works for me, whether that be weighing myself once a month or not restricting food groups.

The best thing is I can't fail now, because I'm creating this. If something doesn't work, it's not because I'm a big fat idiot who can't do anything right, it's because that approach wasn't right for me and in finding that, I'm getting closer and closer to what is right, and that's a good feeling.

Oh, and here are some new numbers....

Starting point 13/11/08
Weight: 109.9kg
Bust: 115cm
Upper Arm: 36cm
Waist (narrowest part): 95cm
Waist (at belly button): 114cm
Hips: 127cm
Upper Thigh: 76cm
Knee: 49cm
Calf: 46cm

11/02/09
Weight: 107.6kg (1/2/09)
Bust: 111cm
Upper Arm: 34cm
Waist #1: 91cm
Waist #2: 99cm/111cm- not sure of tape placement here....
Hips: 124cm
Upper Thigh: 72cm
Knee: 46cm
Calf: 45cm




"The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was"
Walt West

12 January 2009

Everyone loves a good before and after

So here I am upping the ante. I was inspired by by Giyen over at baconismyenemy, and her video post on CNN iReport. It takes some serious balls to shout out to the world like she has and it got me thinking, I gots ta get more serious here at Yo-yo No More. Although it makes me feel like pooping my pants, I'm going to start recording my measurements out here in the real world, eeeek. No-one likes a story without pictures so I am going to also post some progress pics.

I like the idea of starting from January, New Year, new life, clean slate. I found this glamorous pic of me treking through the rivers over New Year. Whilst the locale is beautiful and my wonderful Soul Sistah in the background is a stunning example of my genetic make-up at it's physical best, the headgear is somewhat embarrassing, hopefully it detracts from the similar shapes encircling my mid section.



So folks, here are some stats, starting from the day I started this very blog.

13th November 2008
Weight: 109.9kg (ahhhhhhhrgk)
Bust: 115cm
Upper Arm: 36cm
Waist (narrowest part): 95cm
Waist (at belly button): 114cm
Hips: 127cm
Upper Thigh: 76cm
Knee: 49cm
Calf: 46cm



18th December 2008
Weight: 108.5kg
Bust: 113cm
Upper Arm: 35cm
Waist (narrowest part): 91cm
Waist (at belly button): 102cm
Hips: 126cm
Upper Thigh: 74cm
Knee: 47cm
Calf: 46cm

Watch this space for monthly updates.

"He who is brave is free"
Seneca