Cate's Diary

[Cate]

True, Llama. My brain wasn't working too well this morning. When I lost that 36 kg way too fast it was an average of 6 kg (not 9) a month, which was unhealthy enough. I'll never do that again as it stuffed my metabolism.
I'm really excited. C's twins are about to arrive at her house & she has her older two children hiding in their new rooms ready to take videos & pics. They are going to be over the moon!

 

[liza3]

1 kg a month sounds like a great plan and it is so good to think about where that will get you in the long term. Nice and steady and not too much too fast is definitely the way to go!
Oh I didn't know the twins hadn't seen their new rooms yet--will be so exciting for them!!

 

[Emilyrose]

That's so exciting for C's twins. I'm so glad you had such a lovely visit with them and you got so much stuff sorted out in the house. All these little things add up!

Archie was happy to see us but he has no problems with these kennels. He had happily walked off when we dropped him off.

This made me giggle. Archie's a teenager now!

 

[Cate]

1 kg a month sounds like a great plan and it is so good to think about where that will get you in the long term. Nice and steady and not too much too fast is definitely the way to go!

I think breaking it down to 1 kg a month should make it feel less daunting. I feel positive about it. I'm going to talk to my GP about it when I see her soon & ask her for any suggestions.

Oh I didn't know the twins hadn't seen their new rooms yet--will be so exciting for them!!

C sent me some photos & videos when they saw their rooms & they were so excited. L was very quiet, but you could see he loved his room. I gave him all of D & R's matchbox toys & H an extra lot of hearts, which C put in a pretty little wooden box. H was over the top excited! She's very dramatic.

That's so exciting for C's twins. I'm so glad you had such a lovely visit with them and you got so much stuff sorted out in the house. All these little things add up!

They do. It was a really rewarding visit. I am so grateful that we get to share C's life & family.

This made me giggle. Archie's a teenager now!

Haha. He is! During the night he's a baby though.

---

G has gone to golf & I'm not sure what I will do today. I think I'll get out in the garden & start tidying up.
From a Tasmanian gardening guide-
MARCH
PLANT: Garlic cloves and seedlings of celery, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, winter lettuce, silverbeet, spring and salad onion, chives and leeks.
SOW: Beetroot, carrot and parsnip early in March only. Then turnip, English spinach, broadbeans, peas (frost-free districts only), Asian leaf and root vegetables, spring and salad onions, lettuce and into vacant beds, green manure crops.

I also should do some housework as we have friends coming for lunch on Monday.
Edit: I just read the first 3 pages of my diary. I want that enthusiasm back again!
Edit #2: I took Arch into town to the offlead dog park as a treat instead, did a little gardening & a little housework & feel like a snooze.

 

[Llama]

That's so many things you can have g(r)owing over winter!

 

[Marsia]

That's so wonderful you got to see the reveal on video of the room makeovers! The little box of hearts is such a treasure!! I love your new goal of losing slowly and carefully. I really hope you can get back the enthusiasm you had in the beginning of your diary. I was feeling particularly happy just for experiencing life on planet earth this morning, and I love that you were singing the Happy song in your head to yourself!

 

[liza3]

Oh that's fun going back in your diary Cate--I just had a read of some of your entries from back then--what a treat to have this record going back that far!
Good luck with the planting for the winter garden. I know I am supposed to be able to do lots here as well but all I ever seem to end up with is the kale that over-winters but that is such a treat for me to have first thing in spring. Where I grew up, it was way too cold for anything to over-winter so this always feels a little miraculous!

 

[Cate]

That's so wonderful you got to see the reveal on video of the room makeovers! The little box of hearts is such a treasure!!

C sent me lots of photos yesterday & the kids looked so joyous!

I love your new goal of losing slowly and carefully. I really hope you can get back the enthusiasm you had in the beginning of your diary. I was feeling particularly happy just for experiencing life on planet earth this morning, and I love that you were singing the Happy song in your head to yourself!

I hope I can find that enthusiasm too. Of course, it helped that weight was melting off me quickly. It was crazy. I think I lost 10 kg in that first month.
I just played the Happy song again. It's so catchy. I might include some dancing as part of my daily exercise. I'll do a playlist today. That will be one of the songs. I would love to learn to do the Nutbush dance & I might also learn to do the Macarena. They would be a fun thing to do every day! I just looked at a video on YouTube of Nutbush. If I can learn that & do it every day it would be a great workout on its own!

Oh that's fun going back in your diary Cate--I just had a read of some of your entries from back then--what a treat to have this record going back that far!

It is, Liza. I'm glad I started my diary way back then.

Good luck with the planting for the winter garden. I know I am supposed to be able to do lots here as well but all I ever seem to end up with is the kale that over-winters but that is such a treat for me to have first thing in spring. Where I grew up, it was way too cold for anything to over-winter so this always feels a little miraculous!

I'm going to have a look at my seed packets today & see what I have. I hope I have Kale!

The 5% challenge on MFP hasn't started yet & I'm not sure how it will work. It doesn't have me inspired yet. Maybe I will start a challenge here after all. I may challenge myself. I'm raring to go! I'll look to see if there's any update on how it will work.....
I don't think I'll be able to get into it. It doesn't appeal. I would rather do my own thing. I just sent a message to the "team leader" letting her know.
I'm starting my challenge tomorrow-
April.
Lose 1kg.
Weigh myself every week at least once.
Log everything on MFP.
No alcohol.
30 minutes of actual exercise every day, minimum. This will probably include dance & I think I'll get my also get my weights out.
At least 1 game of golf every week (except the first week as our course is closed. I'll be playing twice in the 2nd week.)

 

[Marsia]

Wow, I would join the Macarena/Nutbush challenge! K is out scoping out a goth all ages music night right now, but I bet she'd love to do it with me, too. We just made a whiteboard of goals and wishlist of things to do before we move. Change must be in the air!! Happy seed sorting!

 

[Cate]

Hi, M. I have looked at YouTube videos for both. The Macarena looks easy, but Nutbush will be much harder for me. I really want to learn them both though! I hope you & K do join in. It will be fun. Yay for K checking out a music night! Change must be in the air. I forgot about the seed sorting. I think I'll leave any planting until I can start pulling out tomato plants. I'm having a good day. I took Archie for a longish walk after lunch. Lunch was veggie fritters with some yoghurt & chilli jam. We are having friends come for lunch tomorrow & will be having West African rabbit with accompaniments & fresh fruit salad & ice cream. They are heading off around Australia & then back to California for their Summer. We met them through R at one of his backyard music afternoons. I really love D. It was incredible when we were showing them around our house a few years ago when she spotted a dream catcher in our bedroom that she had made probably 25 years ago. We were both gob smacked. Some friendships are meant to be. She only sold them up our way once. It is Native American style. I'll take a photo of it sometime & share it with you.

 

[liza3]

I like your dance challenge idea. I remember a similar dance that was going around at the beginning of covid, but I can't remember the name of it--I tried to learn it but it seemed to hurt my knees in my attempts to.
Your April goals look great!

It was incredible when we were showing them around our house a few years ago when she spotted a dream catcher in our bedroom that she had made probably 25 years ago. We were both gob smacked.

That is a very cool!

 

[Llama]

The dreamcatcher incident is such lovely serendipity!

 

[Cate]

I like your dance challenge idea. I remember a similar dance that was going around at the beginning of covid, but I can't remember the name of it--I tried to learn it but it seemed to hurt my knees in my attempts to.

I just fell down a big rabbit hole looking for the most popular dance during covid!

Your April goals look great!

Thanks, Liza. It's day 1 Off I go!

That is a very cool!

Very.

The dreamcatcher incident is such lovely serendipity!

It is & serendipity is one of my favourite words.

---

Day 1.
I'm feeling enthusiastic!

 

[Emilyrose]

Glad you are feeling enthusiastic, Cate. Off you go, my friend.

 

[Cate]

Thanks, Em. That's sweet.
I didn't say earlier, but I had an awful night's sleep last night. I'm not sure why. We had a nice lunch with D & Z & I am currently drinking a glass of no-alcohol red wine. I want it gone really as it's awful stuff. I won't buy any no-alcohol wine again. I'm going to turn this into a mulled wine tomorrow & drink it over the next 2 nights. Ugh. I'll get more imaginative with my evening drinks. I love diet ginger beer & with a squeeze of lemon, it's even nicer. I'll play with tea a bit more & mix them up.
Day 1- pretty successful. I won't weigh again until the weekend I think.

 

[Llama]

I am currently drinking a glass of no-alcohol red wine. I want it gone really as it's awful stuff. I won't buy any no-alcohol wine again. I'm going to turn this into a mulled wine tomorrow & drink it over the next 2 nights.

If it isn't nice even when you jazz it up a bit please just pour it down the drain. Nobody benefits from it going through your body first as opposed to going down the canal right away. It still has calories, and if you're not enjoying it it'll probably just lead to you making up for it with extra/nicer food or drinks.

 

[liza3]

Glad your day 1 went well and now you know not to buy that non-alcohol wine again...
I second llama's idea of just pouring it out if it's no good.

 

[Marsia]

Day 1 of Nutbush for me. I just did it once just now because today is a big cleaning day, so if I have energy I'll do more tonight. It's really fun and reminds me of the video from grad school I used to lose weight the first time. I am not so coordinated, so the Macarena looks like the harder one for me. (I didn't do the transition right where you turn in a new direction any of the times they turned, so there's something fun to work towards!). It's so nice hearing that you are enthused about things again! I feel really glad to be concentrating on health and happiness again!!

 

[Cate]

If it isn't nice even when you jazz it up a bit please just pour it down the drain. Nobody benefits from it going through your body first as opposed to going down the canal right away. It still has calories, and if you're not enjoying it it'll probably just lead to you making up for it with extra/nicer food or drinks.

Glad your day 1 went well and now you know not to buy that non-alcohol wine again...
I second llama's idea of just pouring it out if it's no good.

I was exaggerating when I said it was awful. It just wasn't delicious. I will put it in a saucepan with a piece of a cinnamon quill, some star anise & lemon & heat it. I won't add any honey or alcohol. It will just give it some nice flavour.

Day 1 of Nutbush for me. I just did it once just now because today is a big cleaning day, so if I have energy I'll do more tonight. It's really fun and reminds me of the video from grad school I used to lose weight the first time. I am not so coordinated, so the Macarena looks like the harder one for me. (I didn't do the transition right where you turn in a new direction any of the times they turned, so there's something fun to work towards!). It's so nice hearing that you are enthused about things again! I feel really glad to be concentrating on health and happiness again!!

Yow! Day 1 & I didn't do any dancing!
Concentrating on health & happiness will be my new mantra. I let feeling fat get in my way yesterday. I wanted to hide when D wanted to take photos. This is not a good feeling & I must fix it.
Day 2.
Digging up the rhubarb bed today, piling it with manure & replanting. We had much-needed rain during the night- 55mls!
I'm going to stick with 1450 cals per day just for this week & then reassess if needed after I weigh in at the weekend.

 

[liza3]

Heath and happiness is a great focus!
I've always hidden from any cameras coming out--they make me feel super self-conscious. The Rhubarb plan sounds like a good amount of exercise and fun!