Cate's Diary

Sam- I went back on my original program but only weighed my food for the first week or so & then didn't bother. I think it took me about 5 weeks(?) Once I decided to do it it was easy. It was the deciding that was the problem. It's all in our heads!!
Kannadew is a darling & yes, I think wedding bells are a strong possibility in the not too distant future. She deserves love, just as we all do. Nice to see you back Sam, even if you may think it's for the wrong reason. It's all a learning experience Sam & we are all constantly learning, xo Cate
Chelle- Deja vu? It's nice to see you again & good that you have not put your weight back on. That's an achievement. You just pressed the pause button, that's all. There is a lot of activity at the moment & I had better do a quick catch up. I have been away all day & have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow as well. Talk soon, xo Cate
Today-
Tai Chi in the morning, followed by lunch with my 2 favourites, including our teacher, whose birthday it is today. I gave her the lovely card I had bought & put a poem in it. She seemed quite touched by it which was lovely.
Shopped then a haircut. I went quite short & wispy. My hair is silver.I like it that way. The hairdresser said my hair seemed particularly healthy & soft. I put it down to the oil I am having these days in my food. I often have avocados with boiled egg & vinaigrette. Love it!
I then bought a scarf/hat all in one, similar to one I saw in Hobart but in a beautiful deep red pattern. Black & deep red are my new 'colours.'
I got home late afternoon & then stewed all of my apples. After our dinner of 'chop suey'(no noodles) we had warm apple & yoghurt.
2 years down the track my favourite food is still 'chop suey' & yoghurt & fruit. Cohen's style!!
OK- time to look about. Cheers to all, Cate
 
Hello Beautiful!!!! :beating:

..That haircut sounds AMAZING!!!...I love when I see my grandma's hair all silver and short!! She loves it too..makes her feel so fresh and vibrant!!! ;)..just like you!!!

I have to tell you Cate...You are just HEAVEN SENT!!!..That last post you wrote in my journal was SOOOO TOUCHING!!!...The fact that you even mentioned me alone out loud to your doctor was astounding because YOU are the one who motivates me...haha.

..That day I remember I was feeling really really down...and something was wrong with me, and I clicked the little icon on my I-phone to be able to read the forum, and I saw the MOST TOUCHING comment from you...and my tears were wiped away!....:grouphug: Thank you, Cate!!

...I am truly excited for you and your tai chi!!..I just myself started getting back into my Power Yoga and I'm loving it!!..Don't you just feel so relaxed and happy afterwards...?!!? :D!

...You are such a Gem, and that card that you got your teacher was so sweet!..That's the reason why people love you...because you have a true warmth and caring nature that can not be bought, can not be learned, but is a pure natural gift!!... ....and you have made me FEEL SO SPECIAL too!!...

...thank you Cate...!!! I LOVE YOU!!!! :beating:!
 
Ooo....Alta. I don't know quite what to say. I think it's time I started really believing that I can actually make a difference in other people's lives. I truly am lost for words.
Having faith in yourself is the biggest battle we face in life. It seems to have a snowball effect. You start believing in yourself & it seems to radiate out to others. I am loving my life & absolutely loving the positive re-inforcement that I am getting back from what seems like just giving out a part of the inner me. I am benefiting as much as anyone. I have never felt more loved nor loving. This is the best time of my life. There is no point saying "if only' about the past because that's pointless. I'm very glad that I have over-come my fear at showing who I am for fear of rejection & am embracing being accepted with open arms in return. Thank you my dear friend Alta, sending you much love in return, xoxo Cate.
Weight-Up a kilo & I put it down to the bread that I have been eating occasionally. I probably have not been drinking enough water either. It's much harder to when the weather is so cold & the water from our tanks is freezing. My nutritionist wanted me to try Burgen bread so that I am eating grains, but it bloats my stomach & gives me wind, both of which I do not like having at all. My belt has come out one notch this week. I do not like the feel at all. Easily fixed. No bread for the next week at all & I'll see what happens. I will drop a couple of kgs easily by also cutting down the starchy carbs if this does not work.
Today- Funeral at 2pm.
I had better hop on the bike & then do some weights which will then inspire me to do some housework. Haha....hopefully. The sun is shining today which is great but it is not very warm. This is an under-statement! I'm dressed for the funeral so don't want to get sweaty. I might change first perhaps into the daggy tracky dakkies. I'm procrastinating.....Alta, kicks me up the bum & said "Cate, go change now & get moving!" LOL!
Cheers for now, Cate.
 
Yesterday-
I didn't get inspired at all & did very little exercise. The funeral was not very good. It was flat & instead of being a celebration of a long life was actually incredibly boring. I don't think I have ever been to a funeral that was so devoid of emotion. The wake afterward was similar. I did get to catch up with his grand kids though who were little tackers when I saw them last & that was nice.
Sleep, sleep & more sleep.
I was really tired last night & slept for 10 hours!
Today-
I got stuck into some housework & then went for a 40 minute walk, followed by 2 sets of my weights. I felt so positive & healthy after that that I did a little Tai Chi & then had a tuna salad for lunch, even though it has been very cold & rainy. It rained lightly during my walk but I enjoyed it still even though I didn't wear a rain-coat.
"Feel the fear & do it anyway"
I can really recommend this book. Check it out sometime. If you can get it from your library to make sure that you would benefit from it first before buying then do so. I have borrowed a copy from a Tai Chi friend but I will try to find a copy second-hand if I can. I have taken copious notes in the mean-time. My friend said the Beck Diet Solution book that I lent her for her weight-loss group is proving very helpful. I will ask her next week if she would like my help with the group, in any capacity, as she seemed a little unsure about how it was going when I asked her on Wed.
I don't think I have given the cold the flick yet as I have had a head-ache all day. Actually I have had it for a few weeks on & off. Ahhh. The Winter we have to have.
It's Kannadew's birthday today. I have sent her my birthday wishes.She is a really good friend that I met through this forum & I am very grateful for that.
I am going to go drink some more water & take some paracetamol. I may pop back later, but bye for now, Cate
 
Whoah- Got a shock when I got on the scales today & was 1.5kg over my upper limit!! Then I thought back on the last few days. It can't be what I have eaten. I had tuna salad twice yesterday & fruit & yoghurt for breakfast. I was in the shower thinking about what it could be & then I remembered it happening once before. I did quite a lot of exercise yesterday & I had done very little the 2 days before that. I remember someone telling me something about your muscles/lactic acid/fluid retention(?!?!) Also no BM yet. I had one slice of Bergen fruit bread w/o spread but with a little marmalade(all low GI) Possibly I am still not drinking enough water. I have been drinking more herbal tea but you weren't meant to count it as water on the program for some reason so I shouldn't now I guess.
I'll be back later. No bread for me today. I have been eating a banana a day as well. I'll cut that out too. I did not like seeing that on the scales at all. I won't let it upset me though. I'll deal with it!
Cheers, cate.
 
I cleaned my house- de-cobwebbed. vacuumed, changed sheets, dusted, cleaned bathrooms etc. Phew! Then I went for a vigorous 40 minute walk. I came back hot & sweaty & drank a water bottle, then collapsed into my chair with the newspaper & another water bottle.
I am really looking forward to doing weights tomorrow. I love them. Well....all except lunges. They hurt the top of my feet.
I would be quite happy if we didn't have visitors tomorrow night but at least the house is clean & tidy. It's my YS's gf & her mother's partner's son who is soon to return to Wales. At night at home I am content to sit in my chair & just watch tv. It's nice that she wants to come stay & keep in touch with me though.
I'm tired tonight & when I get tired I sometimes also get grumpy. I had better say goodnight. Our AFL team the Saints are playing tonight. My LH is snoring in his chair already after his golf game today & a few drinks afterwards. He'll wake soon & then probably stay up late watching Le Tour De France. He is a sports nut.
'Night, Cate
 
Had a very busy day really after a sleep-in. I rode my exercise bike & then did my weights. My DIL rang to ask if it was ok to bring the kids up to bath them so we stayed inside until they were bathed & fed & then the 2 of us went & cut & loaded a load of wood for them as they are almost out completely.
I have done 2 lots of dishes today & more house cleaning, washing, tidying etc & have just showered & changed & am sitting in my chair feeling tired but good.
I'm looking forward to our visitors now that I am not tired & grumpy like last night. They are both good company & it's really nice that they want to come visit.
I am working in the op shop tomorrow & am not sure what I will do with my visitors. I might leave a key with them to lock up & then hide the key somewhere.
I have a sore muscle from our wood gathering I think. I am getting much stronger though thanks to the weights. I am looking forward to my next visit to the exercise physio. I would love to go to a gym. It's a pity there is not one close. I think I am getting a bug. The exercise bug!
I may not be back until tomorrow night. I hope everyone had a great week-end.
Cheers, cate.
PS Dropped .5kg since yesterday. Will work on that this week. I aim to lose another 1kg in the next few days by cutting down on carb's
 
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Carbs are the devil!!!

hi cate,
wow, you are now a certified health nut! so good, you've really sustained big
changes by adopting new behaviours... so hard to do, but so required!!!

it sounds to me like you might be wheat intolerant? if you bloat so much from bread and it causes you to retain fluid... well, that's what it sounds like, sudden weight gain like that. do you think that's possible.

i've heard before that we're not actually built to consume wheat. it's much too heavy a grain and too hard to digest. i reckon i'm allergic too. i notice my moods improve when i'm off bread, and i have no rashes... when i eat bread i become a rash!

personally i doubt it's lactic acid buildup that caused your temporary weight gain. it requires seriously strenuous exercise to have that kind of impact. not to say you're not doing a lot... i'm sure you are... but the fact that you're not training for the olympics (unless i missed one of your earlier posts...) makes me doubtful of that.

oh! look at the time! it's 8:14 here now. i've been on this site for an hour! i must shut off now and get on with my day... time for breakfast. YUM!

28+1 xxx
 
I love the way you can choose to do whatever you please! I miss those days. However, I also confess that I do enjoy being busy and driven by the moment - in a kind of a way!!!!

Hope you had a good day at the Op Shop.
 
Hi 28+1 & Niyah & anyone else reading my diary. I'm in training for the geriatric olympics, didn't you know? I'll find out more on Wed when I go see the nutritionist again & might try different breads. I don't want to eat bread particularly but I should apparently. Fancy being scared of eating bread! I haven't had any trouble with the occasional home-made pizza or rice. We very rarely have pasta but I must try it again.
My day in the op-shop was good. I come home really tired always but it's very productive. I seem to do a lot of nail-hammering-in & rearranging. Our wood-gathering was a bit strenuous obviously as my back is aching a little. I remember lifting a log that I shouldn't have. It was just the 2 of us in the op shop today, so that was good!
Our visitors left about an hour after I did this morning. As far as I can see the 20yr old boy only had a can of Red Bull for breakfast!! He'll be lucky to reach 50!
I'll be back in the morning as I have a day at home. Yay!!
Our YS was in Paris & had a ball watching the cyclists ride in yesterday. One day.....
Cheers for today, Cate.
 
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I love my life!
I am glad that I can choose what I do. I am quite used to not wasting money & we can survive on one income. Just like thinking about whether I really need to eat something I also now think of whether I really need to buy something. It has made me appreciate things a lot more. We don't actually need much. I am not going tolook for a job any more.I feel much better having decided that. No stress.Phew!
Yesterday-
Would have been my late sister's 60th birthday. I kissed her photo before I went to bed and went to bed thinking of her. I was not sad but felt that I had her with me in my heart. Her photo sits on my dressing table along with a small luggage lable in her hand-writing & a badge saying "Cancer sucks" that an Oncologist was wearing at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore and I said that I would love to have one. I have really good memories of my sister, her husband, her friends etc. She helped make me stronger.
Today-
I have pottered about doing housework at my leisure. Prepped lots of vegies ready for my LH's day off tomorrow. Te he. I have some pasta sitting out on the bench, dropping a strong hint. He's at golf at the moment. He plays with the younger brother of our friend who was killed in the car accident week before last & also another guy who's brother is also a friend of ours. His GF rang us last night to say he's been rushed to hospital in an ambulance feeling dreadful. I hope he's ok. My LH & older son play 8-ball with him on Tue nights. There will now be room in the car for me & my LH really wants me to go which is sweet of him.I had better make the effort & go. The team ask after me often apparently.
Another friend of ours had a heart attack 2 days ago. He's much younger than us but smokes & used to drink heaps.
The 50's are a perilous time! Life is to be enjoyed but we are mad not to do everything we can to try to be healthy & fit.
Lunch- Was a tuna & avocado salad with a small bread roll. I felt so incredibly full that instead of hopping on my bike before doing my weights I headed off into the cold in my hiking gear & walked for 45 minutes, very vigorously. I then got back home, had a very big drink & then did 2 sets of my weights, doing the maximum number of rep's. I have an appointment to see the Exercise Physiologist Wed of next week. Excellent! I love it!!
Nutritionist- I am seeing tomorrow after Tai Chi.
What a life!
It's time to go sit in my chair & check out if my son is about on FB briefly before reading today's paper. I will have to go have another shower as my walk & weights made me very hot & sweaty. T.M.I -sorry.
No- I'll go shower & change now so I don't stiffen up & also I won't pike & not go out! I won't have to drive tonight so will have a couple of glasses of wine probably (after eating some protein first of course)
Cheers for now, Cate.
 
Work is a treadmill that never stops. Once you are working, you have to take short cuts with all sorts of things that both cost money (meaning you have to keep earning it!) and also push against the direction of health and peace. You have more time with your partner and loved ones, too.

Never mind, some of us are stuck in that treadmill!!! But on my occasional escapes from it, I have really, really loved it.

You have got so much mental energy to put into getting your life sorted, it's amazing! My life is making do with the short-cuts for now, but at least keeping weight under control is a big one that I'm determined to stick with!
 
Hi Niyah, You have to do what you have to do. The day will come when you are able to choose to do other things a little more often than you do now. We always manage. I don't like feeling stressed & cope much less with stress these days. Deciding to even stop looking for a job again has taken a lot of my stress away. We can manage on one income & have adjusted. I seem to have found a good balance of days home & time away & time spent with my husband. I still have to be careful that I don't fit too much into a day & end up exhausted at the end of it. You don't need paid employment to feel tired that's for sure.
Yesterday-
I really did lots of exercise. I even hopped on the exercise bike again in the afternoon & did an extra 5kms in 10 min's. I briefly tried to see if I could ride as fast as the sprinters in Le Tour. A moment of madness. The answer is, of course, no! I also helped our OS move the load of wood from our ute to his & then my LH & I carried a ute load of wood inside. Methinks I might have over-done the exercise yesterday perhaps, although I felt great at the time.
Today-
My LH had the day off so I left home a little later & was running late for the rest of the day. I am still short of breath & chesty & I think perhaps I ahven't fully recovered from the cold I have had for about 3 wks or more.
Tai Chi is starting later each week & finishing later, but today was even later again & accidentally went over by 15 mins. I had to sit down towards the end as I was quite dizzy. It's very hard to have deep, even, slow breaths when you are suffering from asthma. Another woman had to sit down as well & she's in her 30's & is quite fit.
I went out with my LH to 8-ball last night & it was quite hot & stuffy inside, I encountered some strong perfumes & cigarette smells & also just going out in the cold, damp night air is not too good for my lungs. I enjoyed the night though & had some fun. I caught up with quite a few people.
After Tai Chi today we went to our usual lunch place & it was shut. We then drove to another cafe, waited for the others & then we were very late ordering lunch & were discussing how hard it is to remember things that are organised on the 1/4 hour when I looked at my watch & saw that it was 1.43 & I was meant to be at the Nutritionist's appointment at 1.45. I had to ask them to hold my lunch & that I would be back in about 1/2 to 3/4's of an hour.
I was 5 minutes late for the appointment which I really dislike. I am always early. I felt really bad about it. I explained what had happened & she believed me thank goodness. I have always thought being late is so rude & inexcusable.
We basically went over everything that we had first visit. She thinks that the extra 1kg would be from my increase in exercise when I told her what I have been doing in the last few weeks. We discussed low GI further & I have some more info on that & advice about books & an info sheet. We discussed oils & I am going to have some polyunsaturated oils as well, like Grapeseed oil, rather than only Olive Oil. She seemed really happy with my diet & does not think that I need to see her again unless I wish to sometime which I was happy about. We discussed exercise as well & I feel really good about how my diet & general health is. She looked at my new cholesterol figures & says they are now really good as well.
I told her that I really don't want to eat bread regularly as I don't actually like it much. I love the Bergen fruit bread, toasted but told her that 1 slice would only lead to me wanting a squillion slices & I don't want to go there. She laughed & said to give bread a miss then. I prefer rice, pasta & muesli. I am going to continue eating legumes as well.Hommous got the nod. I love hommous!
I didn't get back to the deli to eat my lunch until 2.30. It was delicious but I was a bit too hungry & light-headed by then.
I have raced around a lot & after my late night last night I feel quite flat & tired. I won't tackle anything more today in the way of exercise and tomorrow I will go for a good, long walk. I need to allow a lot of time between things so that I am not rushing about. I think I learned another valuable lesson today. Always learning....
Somewhere in there I did some supermarket shopping, fruit shop shopping, went to the library, dropped in at the MIL's, called in & got my free-range eggs.......
I'll catch up with everyone tomorrow. I wouldn't say I'm grumpy as such or feeling negative at all, just over-tired. Early to bed tonight, xo Cate
 
Hi Cate,
I must say that your diary is very inspirational.... You seem to have found a new life for your self since loosing the weight. It makes me want to loose the weight even more.
I can’t wait until i have lost all my weight and am more active and healthy!!

Thanks for the inspiration!
Jim
 
Hey big sista! Apologies for not dropping in the last month. Well, now that I'm so near the end, I'll definitely drop in more so that I can learn up all the wealth of knowledge accumulated on this site. I must learn from you - you are doing wonderfully on maintenance, something I want to be able to to do as well. The next phase looks a little scary due to the uncertainties involved. It is like so much additions and subtractions. I jolly well get my calculator ready ;)
 
Whoops! I almost forgot my own diary! I'll have to come back later as my laptop is almost flat & Windows keeps wanting to re-start for updates.
WillbeslimJim- I am so happy that I can inspire anyone. It makes my day! I'll pop back later & type in your diary. You'll be wishing you had chosen a different user name in no time at all! Welcome to our little part of the world! Cheers, Cate.
FlaMie- No need to ever apologise to me. Re-feed- scary? Psshh! You can do it. You have proved that. Now, old FlaMie might have had trouble but new FlaMie....No worries. It just takes a little more thought. Keep it as simple as you can. xoxo Cate
Be back later with my diary. Cheers, Cate
 
[FONT="Comic Sans MS]What I have eaten today in my maintenance land-
Breakfast- My favourite yoghurt Vaalia Lemon Creme with a banana, pumpkin seeds, walnut seeds & some Bircher muesli.
Lunch- Frittata with an avocado salad & a small bowl of yoghurt.
Exercise-
I went for a 45 minute walk & then got home & did my weights- 2 sets of maximum reps (of the weights I have been given by the exercise physiologist)
I have just picked my OGS up off the bus & he is playing a computer game beside me on my laptop. I want to keep a better eye on him as I saw him playing a game that looked like fun but had pretty foul language ("Motherf....." I really dislike that. It is not necessary to use it in an otherwise innocuous game) I thought I would use the opportunity to type in my diary so that it's not so obvious that I am keeping an eye on him. He's an honest kid & if I say not to I don't think he would.
The weights & the walking are getting easier every time which is great. I am thinking about them a lot & miss the weights on the off days. Tomorrow I may try for a really long walk, perhaps take a light back-pack.
I sent an email to our Cohen's clinic in Hobart & said they could use it if they wished to which I got a very nice reply.
Unfortunately this week they have closed the clinic due to the economic downturn. Any Tasmanian queries will now go through WA. What a shame! I gave it about 2 minutes thought before deciding I don't want the stress. I would prefer to do what I do now & just provide some support for free.
I don't have much to say today really so will say bye for now, Cate. [/FONT]
 

Dinner- almost the same as lunch! Funny really but if I enjoy eating something I don't care how often I eat it. Our grandson(just turned 10) ate exactly the same as us. He is only one of two in his class who eat olives. I love the fat black marinated ones. We ate cold Frittata with a little of a pasta dish(heated) my LH made yesterday accompanied by a salad made of mixed salad leaves, Rocket, semi-dried tomatoes, black olives, celery, spring onions & a little grated cheese(I do a mix of fresh Parmesan, Mozzarella & tasty,) dressed with a little low-fat Mayo & my own vinaigrette. Delicious! We then had a small bowl of yoghurt- GS had plain lemon Vaalia, I had mine with prunes added & my LH has Jalna Creamy vanilla with prunes. Then a pot of herbal tea- Jasmine, peppermint & lemon myrtle.
If I die tomorrow it will not be because of what I am eating or from lack of exercise. Eating unhealthily is no longer even faintly contemplated. I love having this new attitude. I'm not sure what clicked in my brain but am grateful that it did when it did. We can change the way we think.
OK- boring myself now! Cheers, Cate.
We are eating so healthily I feel we should live forever!
 
Well today is mostly positive! Even the negatives can make me laugh these days. I choose to be positive & I have chosen to be healthy & active. No regrets there.
My day so far-
Got our GS off to school after a good hearty & healthy breakfast for a 10yr old. 2 slices of Bergen bread toasted with olive oil spread, 2 eggs, 2 mushrooms, 2 slices of tomato & 2 slices of ham with a glass of unsweetened juice. He loves staying up here & he is so sweet. Last night he sat on my knee for ages again having his back scratched.....& head....& arms until my hands ached. LOL! He said that he whips through his Maths after staying here the night. He eats healthily at home too but not usually a cooked breakfast on school days. My DIL is a very good cook & they eat mostly organic.
Friends sick!-
I have rung a male friend in his 40's who I was told had a heart attack on Sunday. I spoke to him & he is in Launceston having extensive tests done trying to find out what is going on. He is in a lot of pain & feels terrible. His heart rate atm is only between 30-40 beats a minute & should be up around 60. He thought of us the other day when he looked inside a book & saw our names. Funny thing is I was looking for that book about 6 weeks ago & wondering who I had lent it to as I was going to read it again. He said he has read it 3 times! The book is called "The Tunnel Rats" by Stephen Leather. Great book. He says he feels lucky that he did get a warning that something is seriously wrong with his heart. We had a good talk about money not being as important as your health. He has been working extremely hard (big understatement) for about a year since becoming self-employed. He is used to having very little money & found it hard to knock back work when it was returning quite a lot of income. He's going to call in next week & borrow my other Stephen Leather books. "The Birthday Girl" is another really good one.
His partner has had major health scares in the last couple of years & they have also had some tragedy. They are a lovely family & I hope they get through this time strengthened & are able to find some sort of balance. I think they will as they are very strong & loving people. It would be impossible not to like them.
I then rang another friend who is 63 & went off to hospital on Monday night thinking he was dying. He has pneumonia & a really bad chest infection apparently & felt absolutely dreadful. He is starting to feel better thank goodness. He is planning to participate in an 8-ball final this w/e & I said to his partner that I will keep an eye on him & make sure he's drinking plenty of water. I told her I don't care if they ever think I'm an old fusspot. It's best to care for people than not.
Cross-roads-
I feel a general shift has happened in my life for the better. You can change your life but you must try to. I like making an effort for people. I no longer think that they would not care if I rang & that I don't matter. I am really enjoying friendships more than I ever have & I can put it down to putting more effort into it. Giving openly of myself. First I had to start believing that I am worthy to be someone's friend. It's incredible how good you feel when you realise that people do care about you in return.
STB-
I had almost given up on our new set top box. I had the phone in one hand, ready to ring the help-line & the box in the other & I just thought "This is not like me to be beaten by a contraption. I am going to give it one more go before I ring." I went over to the unit, unplugged it & then plugged it back in & tried for the umpteenth time & hey presto we're back in action. "
I do not like feeling beaten or giving up. Old Cate might have given up ages ago.
Exercise today-
I can feel another walk coming on I think. I had better do the dishes first though & some perfunctory housework, just in case someone visits. Ha ha. Actually once I have gone for a walk I have so much more energy & enthusiasm for almost anything & everything. It's a buzz! I can see how people get hooked on exercise but I'm glad that I did not ignore the Cohen's recommendations & do so when on the program as it makes you so hungry!!
OK Cate, get off your derriere & get moving.
Some affirmations for today- Choose any of them if you like, or not.
"I eat only healthy & nutritious foods,"
"I am healthy, happy & radiant,"
"I love the way I feel when I take good care of myself,"
"I am what I choose to be,"
"I have the power to choose happiness whenever I wish no matter what my circumstances,"
" I deserve to be loved"
I will choose "I am strong & healthy in body, mind & spirit."
Cheers for now, Cate.
 
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