Cate's Diary

Hi Cate,
Just popping in to say hi!
I just read your last post and I LIKE YOU!
I love that you wrote that to Niyah. I love
directness!

Hope all's good :)
 
Hi Cate

You also know what to say to make us feel better. Between you and Niyah we are in safe and caring hands here!

I hope your MIL is ok, helluva thing to have to keep quiet about. It does make it hard for you as far as your husband goes. But she certainly has a lot of faith and trust in you.

Excuse me commenting here, but is the 5kg something you really have to shed or is it muscle weight etc. Do you think the number on the scale is the ultimate determining factor or is the important thing how you feel and look? Because it seems to me that you are looking amazing and certainly feeling it too? I wonder if the cohen goal weights are realistic for everyone, they don't take into account individuality. My consultant didn't give a goal, she said how much would you like to weigh and wrote it down!

With regards to the walking, I am walking on the treadmill almost everyday now in the late afternoon or early evening, just in case it makes me hungry. But I am worried about the "apron" too. I hope it shrinks significantly. Otherwise support pants work well!;)
 
I love this forum!

I do, I really do! I love this forum & my forum friends!
I love how it makes me feel. I love being able to help anyone achieve their goals & to believe in themselves. It never feels like I do much but it seems to help & that makes me feel really good. In return I am made to feel good about myself, get offered as much support as I give & am making very valuable friendships. What's not to love about that?
Niyah-You're very welcome. I meant it! You often have already said what I would have said in other diaries( but more eloquently!). I know that you often offer support when you are really needing it yourself. You're a brick! xo Cate
28+- Gee, I felt good when I read your post. I think we're inclined to forget how something as simple(?) as "I really like you" can make you & others feel. I felt really good when I got home & read your's & Niyah's posts. We should say things like that more often. I love honesty too & I am not as afraid of revealing the "real me" as much as I used to be. I am affectionate & loving & am proud of it, rather than being embarrassed to show my feelings as I once was. Thank you 28 xo Cate
Yesterday-
My MIL's doc (also mine) seems to think it's a benign cyst or polyp & is not worried but has sent a sample off for testing. I was then 'allowed' to tell my husband.
Tai Chi-
Was lovely as usual. My teacher told me after class that I was really doing well. I am finding it feels more natural each week.
Haircut-
Quite short again. I love having my hair cut. 2 young women were there having their hair coloured & it was identical to mine! Silver! Funny. It was actually called "aged" something. It really made me laugh.
Sue-
I think a couple of kg's would be muscle weight but I just feel that I need to go down at least 3 more kgs so that I have a little leeway. I am inclined to put weight on fairly easily. 3 more kgs would mean the difference with wearing slim fitting tops without a little belly showing I think, especially for Summer. I don't feel bothered or obsessed though. I feel pretty damned good actually. As Niyah says I actually feel quite joyful. I love that thought & will always remember it. No-one or nothing can affect my inner joy. Happiness can be fleeting but joy is there forever.
I am full of joy & love!
YS-
Rang briefly last night from Trieste & was a bit sooky. When things don't go 100% his way he's inclined to be like that. I hope he grows up & gets over it. Life is never absolutely perfect. He messed up plane times & was blaming the world- well Italy, the Internet cafe, the phone line....etc!
I'll ring him tonight so I catch him before he leaves London for Sth Africa.
I had better go. My DIL just rang & I have been on the phone for almost an hour. Luckily I came back to look at the computer because I hadn't submitted this post.
Cheers for now, cate
 
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Was just wondering how your YS is going. Mine takes off this Sunday morning for London then Belgrade. He's basically only landing in London at the moment then soon onto next plane. I'm pretty nervous about it, although trying to keep relatively calm as he's been OK lately. My husband is out doing a hike with him today and tomorrow - hopefully they have some good dad/son chats. YS at least now has accommodation for London when he goes back later and lift up to Yorkshire for wedding sorted out. All arranged by his cousin thankfully. Then he's off to Poland for a couple of days, then home.
 
Ahh ....younger sons & us, their mums. We have to laugh whenever we can Niyah & try our hardest to be hopeful. They probably don't realise quite how lucky they are to have our unconditional love. I'm hoping that ours realises how lucky he is to have the love of the young girl that I truly love. I hope so! We can only do what we can, xoxo Cate
Today-
Great day!
Did 3 sets of weights for the first time I think. 6km bike, then 360 reps altogether. Then after lunch we went & cut & carted wood for about 2 hours.
Am about to ring our YS before he flies out of the UK. I won't have a contact number in Sth Africa.
Cheers for now, Cate
 
Just looking in to see how you are.

I am pleased that it doesnt look as serious as you feared for your MIL. It was wrong for her to want you to keep secrets from your husband.

You are doing so well with the exercise side of things. Having started walking at my maximum weight I can confirm that it is not nearly so daunting as it sounds (exercise of any kind can seem a step too far if you are very big). I found that the key thing was to ignore all the people who said that you have to walk briskly for it to be of any benefit. It was of tremendous benefit for me and when I was big I didnt ever do anything briskly.

I also wish that I had started doing resistance work earlier than I did. I didnt start doing that until I had lost a reasonable amount of work.

Isnt that the way with life - we can look back and see the ways that we could have done things better....

Many of us have an apron to remind us of where we have been. I would like to have mine sorted out - but am even more desperate to have my boobs sorted out first. The fact that they are a cancer risk as they are makes them more medical than cosmetic. Then I get to thinking - if I sailed through the emergency op I had last year and have a boob reduction - why not get the tummy sorted out too.... After all - it is only down to the fact that I eat so very healthily even now (ok with more calories in maintenance) that the gallstones (that I know I have) do not bother me so I dont need surgery for them...

I know what you mean about people thinking that we have always behaved quite as we do now. That was one reason why I stopped listing my food and exercise as a daily diary entry. Compared to "normal" folk I am pretty good - but not as good as I was...

I also know exactly what you mean about getting spread thinly... Feel free to join any time that you like or remain fully over here (or even just dive in once in a blue moon to say hello). We like to keep up with our friends - and then the "mother hen" in us likes to try to help people when we can - and it all takes time which is by definition limited.
 
Hi Omega & anyone else reading my diary. I probably will pop over & join in soon & will stop listing what I eat here I think. I don't want anyone to think that I'm on the Cohen's weight-loss program & cheat. My maintenance is going to be almost 100%, but without weighing my food & with some extras. I'm going to minimize the extras though. It is much more important to me to stay slim than it is to eat sweets or rubbish. I, too have gallstones & have chosen to avoid the foods that upset them, like fried fish & fatty lamb. So far, so good. I can cope with my little "apron" as I don't fancy getting out in a bikini. Weights are helping reduce my stomach generally so it should improve I think.
I feel so fit which I love.
Today-
We have spent most of the day getting wood. This is really great exercise & is very physical. We are both very tired tonight. I did not need to go for a walk. I have done much walking uphill, carrying wood, downhill dragging, lifting & throwing branches onto a pile for burning. I can do so much more than I have ever been able to. I feel so strong.
YS-
Accidentally left the phone slightly off the hook & we couldn't get through. I left him a msg on facebook & sent him an email, after checking with telstra last night. he rang about an hour ago from Johannesburg. He had paid for a transfer which was not there & was waiting for them to ring back as they said they didn't have a driver to come get him & said to catch a taxi. When he asked who would pay they said him. He sounded good. When I told him that I knew 2 lovely girls in Jo'Burg he wanted to know more but I then had to say that I hadn't heard from them for a while. He does not have much spare time anyway. His tour starts tomorrow I think & he flies out soon afterward.
Hi Luvbug & Starfish if you read this!
My hands are a bit stiff from the wood gathering so will finish for today.
Cheers for now, cate
 
Good morning/evening everyone!
I woke up this morning feeling pleasantly lazy. You know the feeling. The sun is shining, the day is stretched out ahead of me & I can do what I like. I was going to go the market but I can't be bothered. I have to go into town tomorrow to have a swine flu injection so will just do my shopping at the supermarket & may take my MIL somewhere or if it's a really nice day I might go watch the last day of the Tour of Tassie cycling race in Westbury. In fact, that sounds the most fun. I'll do a fair bit of walking around town as well.
Today- is weights day again- Yay!!
Mind you, I'm not even dressed yet. I had better get my a... into gear & go have a shower. The washing is on, the dishes are to be done, dinner to be magic'd(?) out of thin air....Mmmm. Tuna salad is always good!
Cravings- Zilch. I am loving not craving anything. I couldn't care less about sweets. I'm loving my yoghurt & fruit. Mm mmm.
Be back later in the day. I might go for a walk down through our bush today, following the track made my our neighbour.
Hope all are healthy & happy, cheers for now, Cate
 
Yesterday-
Didn't go for a walk or do my weights. I rode my bike & then went & did some gardening. I had a visit from my BIL who does disability support work. He was taking a client for a drive. His client was disabled from a car accident, would be mid to late 20's, in a wheelchair, cannot talk, nor feed himself. He is a joyful person though even though he cannot do anything for himself at all. He sure can smile! It was a nice visit but left me with a similar feeling that I used to get doing the work myself. If everyone had more dealings with young people who are severely disabled from car accidents they would think more & be much more careful when they drive.
My mum-
Just rang & she told me that she was unable to get out of the bath last Sunday. She had her emergency beeper thing next to the bath & rang them. She told me she just got the shakes & panicked. My brother has made her promise not to have a bath again- just to have showers. I wish he would let me know when these sorts of things happen.
Today-
I'm about to head to town to have a swine flu vaccination. I am in my exercise gear & am keeping my options open re the 8km walk or watching the end of the Tour of Tassie bike ride. Both are not far away- 11km or 22km.
I had better get going soon. daylight savings started today so I have been awake for hours. My phone changed automatically & I had changed it as well so my poor LH was up, getting dressed at 6.10am instead of 7.10. Whoops!
Then my MIL rang hinting that she would like me to take her to see Mao's last dancer today! I told her that my LH wants to see it too & he's at work. I wish she would ring her daughters, instead of me sometimes or, better still, that they would ring her more often.
Weight-
Stable only, not moving down. It is because of my w/e off I know plus I didn't drink enough water yesterday. It's ok.
I'll be back this afternoon folks. Hope all are enjoying their week-end, cheers, cate
 
Phew!
Went & had the swine flu vacc, then to the MIL's, then shopping, back to MIL's, then watched some of the Tassie Tour in Westbury, then home.
Exercise for today-
5km bike, followed by 3 sets weights (360 reps,) followed by a 1.25 hr walk through our steep bush. I just got back, read 28's post :))) and thought I would quickly type in here as my LH has been gone all day, is currently at his mother's & then off to a golf club meeting so won't be home until 7'ish when we'll have dinner.
I have had a lovely day!
I wore my Nike runners walking through the bush & my ankles are aching. I had better stick with my hiking boots I think.
I had better go cook some vegies for dinner.
Cheers, Cate
 
Whoops-
I nearly forgot to post in my own diary.
Today-
Sprung out of bed early to try to get used to daylight savings. I did some housework & some paperwork & then after lunch went for a 1&1/4hr walk down to the highway & back, picking up rubbish from the side of the road. Luckily a neighbour came along & took one big bag-full off in his car with him. He said he's been meaning to stop & pick up the rubbish for ages. Me too but decided to go do it today. It's a walk of about 3.5kms I think. I was puffed by the time I got home & struggling with a broken bag that kept spilling stuff out. A job well done though. It is another absolutely beautiful day in paradise.
Nothing much to report today. I also did about an hours gardening before lunch. I need a wheelbarrow. It's really good exercise carrying buckets of mulch but it takes so long.
I'm going to transfer all of my exercise notes into an exercise book so that I can keep a good, easy to read log of it all. It's another way of being accountable to myself. I like doing stuff like that.
OK- Hope everyone is remembering to be kind & caring to themselves, xoxo Cate.
PS We only have one crack at life (unless you're a Buddhist) so make the most of it. Be happy & healthy.
 
Hi Cate,

Your diary is keeping me inspired for sure. Knowing that you are up to the Life After Cohens part and to see how you are going is really insightful and I am looking forward to this time for me with great anticipation. I don't know anyone doing Cohens right now apart from me, so to find you all here has been like being a part of Team Cohens!!

By the way I love Tasmania. I have friends in both South Hobart and Lilydale, north of Launceston.

You mentioned gardening in your response in my journey post! Yes! I am loving getting my feet on the grass and hands into the weeds and soil! We've just moved into this rental property after selling our house and I have chosen a couple of meters of garden to start growing some herbs and tomatoes!

:seeya:
 
Team Cohen's-
I like it, Shine, I like it! Gardening is great & you don't need much space. There is always room for herbs especially. They cope fairly well being in pots too. I have lots of chives, mint, Vietnamese mint, parsley, coriander, oregano, perpetual spinach, beetroot,(1st time) cabbages, (1st time)& garlic & I just got some more seedlings- parsley as mine seems very slow, a lettuce mix & zucchinis. It's too early for tomatoes here. We had a frost today & the wind is coming straight off the snow. It is so cold! I dragged my thermals back out.
Today-
I went to a new Tai Chi class as we think we'll do wood again tomorrow. It was good but maybe not quite as much fun/social as my Wed class.
Afterward I went for a 30 minute brisk walk.
90 mins exercise today.
I'm tracking my exercise and have kept a record since I started in July. It's great to look at & I have charted how many minutes a day I have averaged. I'll keep track of it I think. I transferred it to an exercise book yesterday & will continue in that.
Weight-
Still stuck on 2kgs over top of GW range. I feel really good though.
Whoops-rain- washing on line!
Bye, Cate
 
I say "me too" so many times when I pop into your diary...

I keep a log of everything including exercise in a spreadsheet which goes back to Spring 2007. I know that you will find your exercise log interesting to look back on. It can be interesting to see what my pedometer stepcount was for any given day... Whenever I doubt my own eccentricity I think "how many miles did I walk each day in August in Greece last summer" or "on Christmas day" or some such similar....

I rarely got enough time for my garden this summer - just tomatoes and courgettes. The tomatoes are still growing - but quite a few are green. Still it is nice to be able to currently eat our own tomatoes. We always think that they taste better...

As for the gallstones - I am currently pretty pleased to have them. They are really good for reminding us not to eat some of the things in maintenance that we might have been tempted with (and would have been bound to make life tougher for us).

I am still floating a couple of pounds above my zone too - so have changed my food plan and increased my water too. It is much better to address these things when it is just a couple of pounds...
 
Omega- Ha ha re gallstones. That really made me laugh as I'm glad I'm not the only wacky one who's grateful she has gallstones. That is so funny. They're a great handbrake on eating fatty foods. I said "me too" this time & laughed out loud!
I can't find my pedometer. It's very frustrating. I'm going to have to start turning out drawers & cupboards. It will click soon, hopefully, where the heck I put it! It used to fall off all the time so I got a little jack of it but I want to try again. I want to know what speed I'm walking.
It's time I got moving. We're cutting & gathering wood today & I'm not dressed. It was nice to have a sleep-in though. I think I slept for about 9 &1/2 hrs.
Catch you later, Cate
 
cate said:
Omega- Ha ha re gallstones. That really made me laugh as I'm glad I'm not the only wacky one who's grateful she has gallstones. That is so funny. They're a great handbrake on eating fatty foods. I said "me too" this time & laughed out loud!
I can't find my pedometer. It's very frustrating. I'm going to have to start turning out drawers & cupboards. It will click soon, hopefully, where the heck I put it! It used to fall off all the time so I got a little jack of it but I want to try again. I want to know what speed I'm walking.
It's time I got moving. We're cutting & gathering wood today & I'm not dressed. It was nice to have a sleep-in though. I think I slept for about 9 &1/2 hrs.
Catch you later, Cate
Click to expand...

LOL - We'll have all the Cohen's crowd wishing that they could develop gallstones when they next pop into your diary...

I'll make you laugh about pedometers too. I am currently wearing two. One of mine certainly robs me and counts too low. The other sometimes resets. I hate it if I have no reading for the day so I am wearing one on each hip... That way I have a backup if the good one resets....

I need to get a new one - but the kind that I like best are currently almost permanently out of stock and I have tried two others that go unused.

I use a nappy pin to pin them to my clothes so that I do not lose them if the catch fails. It is a big safety pin and they lock so are perfect for the job... One of my friends (also in her fifties) announced that she needed to buy some nappy pins for her pedometer when she saw my use for them...

Cutting and gathering wood is both a useful task and should provide you with some good exercise... Have fun.

===
Margaret
 
Hi Omega & anyone else reading my diary.
Pedometers & nappy pins
I actually had the thought to attach mine with a nappy pin as it fell off twice during the day & luckily it's bright yellow as I spotted it before even noticing that it had fallen off. What sort of pedometer do you like Omega as I think I will buy another? I don't think the one I have is very accurate.
Today-
We got wood for hours & hours & I am pooped. I asked my LH if he minded going to 8-ball on his own. I don't much like the local comp that he plays in over Summer. The team he plays tonight has 2 total drongos in it.I am going to go soak in a bath very soon. My left arm has been really aching since the H1N1 vaccination on Sunday. I'll be pleased when it stops aching. It hurts when I roll onto it during the night. Better than swine flu though I'm sure!
It felt funny not going to Tai Chi today. I'm glad i went yesterday. a week without Tai Chi would not be right.
I forgot to tell my LH but my teacher said that my TC was coming along really well & asked if I would like to go to a Master Class next month. Her teacher is coming over to Tas & running a 6hr master class. I said yes. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. This new Cate says yes first, thinks more about it later but sticks with the initial decision.
Gee I feel good.
Time to watch Inspector Rex. I know, I know I'm a Rex tragic.
Cheers for today. Daylight savings- I love it. It's 7.25pm & I don't have any lights on yet. Love it!!
xo Cate
 
Hi Cate

I wish we got daylight savings here in queensland....

It sounds like you are keeping well and the TC sounds great...my physiotherapist has been incouraging me to join this type of exercise too.

Anyway i'd better toodle off to my diary and unload my weight loss woes:(....never ending it is.

Keep well and I hope you enjoyed your bath and Inspector Rex:)

Hugs - Sam:)
 
Hi Sam & anyone else reading my diary,
I love Tai Chi. It makes you feel really blissed out!
I had a shower instead as I thought I might go to sleep in the bath. My LH was fairly late home but I stayed awake & stayed up reading.
Today-
Our OS has been up here & he & my LH have been getting wood, while I gardened. I planted out the lettuces, parsley & zucchini. I built a new bed & had to fill it before putting the zucchinis in it. My back is hurting a little from our wood gathering exercise yesterday. I often lift & drag branches that are much too heavy for me rather than wait for my LH to do it for me. stubborn & silly I know! It will be ok but am being a bit careful. I haven't done my weights today yet but have done about 1.5hrs of gardening, including carrying lots of mulch in a big recycling tub as i still haven't bought a wheelbarrow.
Weight- still stuck on 2kg over my upper limit. I have not been following Cohen's 100% since Melb but will have to click back into gear. I have been eating so healthily I thought but have been eating lots of bean shoots, thinking they would be ok, but apparently you have to think of them as starchy carbs. Not happy Jan. I love them & just didn't click bean sprouts=starch/carb. Ouch! No wonder my weight had crept up. I have been eating them a lot for about a year. If they count like rice or sweet potato I would rather the rice! Maintenance is tricky but is doable. Still learning.....always will be learning. LOL!
My LH is home & we both need a pot of herbal tea so I'll go make it.
Funny story-
Our OS just told us a story. His brother went with their mutual friend(a woman) recently to an Aussie pub in Edinburgh & there is a map on the wall where you can put a pin on where you come from. He looked at where we live & saw that someone had already marked it. It was our older son & his best mate! Our older son didn't know this woman friend then. It's sheer coincidence. She lives in Glasgow.
I might still do my bike & weights today after a rest or may just go for a good walk. I found my pedometer & have it pinned on. Ahhh. Just checked it & it's flashing & says 68 steps. I don't think so! Oh well. It must need a new battery. I don't think I'll bother as it's not very good.
Cheers until later, Cate
 
Hey Cate

Just popping in to say hi and been reading up on your diary. I have posted something in my diary to you as well:)

Funny about bean sprouts hey?!? Who would have thought as they seem more like a salad vegitable than a carb, strange but good to know for when I get to maintainence land! Wow only 2 kg's till top goal- that is NOTHING and you have done so well to maintain for as long as you have and not go back to old habbits. A big pat on the back to you- you really are an inspiration to the rest of us Coheniets who have not yet finished :)

Thanks again for all your wonderful advice and for your constant presence on the forum, we would be lost without our vintage (not meaning old but well learned) Coheniete Cate!

xx London Darling
 
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