Cate's journey part 2 :)

Cate

Cate

Long term member
Hi, I've been around the forum since early 2007. My original diary (part 1) is at http://weight-loss.fitness.com/cohens-lifestyle/10636-cates-journey-join-me.html (if you have a spare day or so to catch up with it!)

My story.
In a nutshell I had gradually gained a lot of weight throughout my adult years. At the age of 53 I became determined to change my life for the better and to become fit & healthy. I wanted to feel good about myself. I wanted to be able to play with our grand-kids & to try to make sure that I would see them grow up.

I lost 36kgs on Cohen's in 2007 & have maintained my weight fairly well since then. I also threw in a job that made me feel unhappy & stressed.
I have managed to turn around some very negative thinking & self-esteem issues (the usual for most of us) etc but find I have to constantly work on it.
I saw a counsellor a couple of years ago & found that really helpful. She didn't think that I needed her after a few sessions but I know she helped me move in the right direction. Perhaps just making the decision to see her meant that I was open & ready for change.

I have read a lot of self-help books, post motivational sayings & quotes daily (in the Cohen's section of the WLF forum) and try to do whatever makes me feel better about myself. These days that has to include daily exercise. I have tackled many new things this year & have pushed my boundaries. I take a stand and speak up more. I express my feelings and emotions more, without worrying so much about letting others see who I really am. I have made many new friends. I was so scared that people wouldn't like me if they really knew me. I'm happy with what I have achieved so far. I feel I have come such a long way in 3 years.

This year-
I have had more trouble this year sticking to the maintenance guidelines and I have found myself often slipping back into old bad habits. I could give you all the excuses under the sun (deaths, illnesses etc) but basically making excuses means that you are not planning to change & bad things will always happen. I am hard on myself & still my own worst critic. We just spent 2 weeks away & I gained 3kg. I won't make any excuses. Pizza & alcohol almost daily will do that!

My goals-
I am currently sitting at about 8kg more than I would like to be & am feeling really unfit. The 2 weeks away, in a dim pool hall, without much exercise has me feeling very unfit & fat again. My goal is to gradually lose that 8kg & to get back into a daily fitness routine. I want to be a fit & healthy woman as I approach my 60's. It matters little what others think about how fit or fat I am. It's what I think & feel that matters.

I admit I'm a chatterbox. Once I start typing sometimes I have trouble stopping. I type like I talk! I'm open and friendly. I am emotional and loving. I also get hurt easily and I would love to change that. What you see is how I am. I have many lovely friends in this part of the forum & have received a lot of support over the years & hope that I have also given it. I think it's time I joined you over here :)
Cheers, Cate.
 
Hi Cate
I've read bits and pieces of your journal over the last year or so.
Well done on the weight loss, and its great that you are keeping on top of the maintainence. I read a study that said holiday weight gain is how alot of people end up overweight. They put a bit on on holiday (like your 3 kg) and then just maintain the new amount til the next holiday when they do it again. Its cool that you're planning to take care of that straight away.

Anyway see ya round

Anna
 
I am in the same boat as you. I am here to wish you the best of luck! What is your diet like on a typical day? What do you eat? How often do you exercise and what kind of exercise activities do you do?
 
Anna- Hi & thanks for making me feel welcome. I can't believe how bad that extra 3kgs is making me feel & they have to go! I feel that I am in a danger zone and that is not a comfortable feeling. Thanks for your visit. Cheers, Cate.
Akani- Hi. I eat lean meat & salads mostly, lots of vegies, don't eat fried food or junk, 3 pieces of fruit each day. I try to eat low-carb. One of my downfalls is that bottle of wine I like to share with my LH in the evening. My exercise before our holiday was a 60-90 min walk a day or riding my stationary bike, followed by light weights but lots of reps(240.) I was doing weights 2-3 days a week. Once again I have just got out of that habit and I need to get back into it. I'll get there! We live a long way from a gym(40km)so I need to motivate myself. Thanks for visiting my diary. Cheers, Cate

It rained all day yesterday & my husband was home. We had a really lazy day I'm afraid but ate healthily. I am going to hop on my bike today & do some weights. I'll start off with only one set to ease myself back into the habit. I may go for a walk instead as I just realised our newspaper is down on the corner (1.5km away.) It's very hilly where we live so it's a good, hard walk- all uphill on the way home. I have the 3 grand-kids(GK's) staying the night so don't want to be too tired. I'm down 1kg thank goodness. I won't have any wine tonight. It's about time I really re-committed to this!
Bye for now, Cate.
 
Hey cate ^_^ Great to see that people that have used this forum for years still come back for inspiration and support! Welcome back and good luck loosing the 8kg!

I really struggle with cutting out the wine--Would be great to hear tips on how you avoid the habit.

Hana xx
 
Hi Hana, I have stayed in the forum all along & that really helps maintain motivation and inspiration. About the wine- Hmmmm... it's a habit and one we should be able to snap out of. I guess we just have to want to lose weight more than we want that glass of wine. LOL. Easy to say, harder to apply. I'll tell you tomorrow how I go today. I'll have a diet lemonade tonight with some lemon juice in it. Diet drinks are so bad for you though. When I run out I'm buying some sparkling mineral water instead. Thanks for your visit to my diary Hana. Love it! Cheers, Cate. cate
 
Why are diet drinks still bad for you? I figured that diet ones were okay? Educate me! I just can't stop drinking--I don't know if it's a "student" thing but I drink almost every night and often when no-one else is drinking. Tonight I brought 2 small bottles (250 x 2) and figured I'd try and limit myself but ended up drinking both and then buying 2 more because the more I drink the more I want! A bit like food I guess..More you eat the more you want to binge. Guess this is a topic for my own diary and I'll stop clogging yours with my problems ;) Have a wonderful evening (or morning, I guess for you!) xxxx
 
I try to avoid processed food as much as possible and think that rain water is a much better alternative to any artificial drink. The jury is out on Aspartame. You read so much conflicting arguments about it so I have decided "If in doubt, don't." I have read that excessive Aspartame can trigger carbohydrate cravings so that is not worth the risk for me.
exercise for today-
Went for a 2km hilly, brisk walk & did 250 reps of my weights when I got home. I'm feeling good :D
xo Cate
 
Hi Cate,
I'm avoiding processed foods too, and I only drink water too now.
I just feel so much better for it!
Welcome back to the forum, I'm just new here, but it's great to meet you, all the best,
Jess
 
Hi Jess, Drinking water makes me feel great. I think a little diet soda or soft drink is ok, just for a change every now & then, but water is best. I wish you well too, xo Cate

This post is done with the help of my 4yr old grand-daughter :Angel_anim:-LOL!

Last night we had our 3 grand-children stay for a "sleep-over" and they were very good children for their grand-parents :Angel_anim::Angel_anim::Angel_anim:
They did not argue with us when we said it was bed-time, there were no tears at all :cry:!! All 3 slept right through the night until 7.15am :sleeping::sleeping::sleeping:
Wee Hoo !!!!! :party:
Because they were such good kids they can stay again very soon.
I am a very lucky grandma!
My grand-daughter said that they are very lucky kids to have a sleep-over, like they wanted to. Nice!
Sending everyone lots of love from the 4 of us :beating:
xoxo Cate
 
Today-
I feel like I am getting myself back on track. I have lost another .5kg and have been for a walk today & helped my LH get some wood. I ate yoghurt & stewed rhubarb for breakfast, had some crackers for a snack & just had fresh fish & salad for lunch.
My mood is better than it has been for a week or so.
I have made an appointment to see a new doctor in our local town. Lately I seem to have been a little short-tempered and out of breath and am wondering if there is something physically wrong with me. The hay-fever season is upon us here & my asthma has been bad. I also want to find a doctor that I like & can relate to before I ever really need one. I have been thinking about getting a referral to an allergy specialist and will discuss that too. Maybe not all tomorrow!
I need to do less typing online & instead spend more time outside I think so will head. My new iPhone has a great pedometer app & I am going to start using it daily. I'll start listing my steps. I'm looking forward to feeling fit again.
Bye for now, Cate
 
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