Week 3 - 12 week body transformation

Week three is here which means I am 1/4 of the way through this twelve week commitment. I think I am getting to the stage where I am having to push myself a little harder. Old habits start to creep in but I am determined to pick myself up again when I fall. (NZ Toffee pops you are so good but I think our love affair has to end!)

We had a friends party on the weekend and I am waiting to see the results tomorrow. I now see once you have got your eating to a healthy place how much it hurts, even just that one day, to relax too much. I also know that I own all the choices I made on Saturday and it is a very valuable lesson to have learned this early on. Basically for my health and energy levels it just isn't worth even that one day off. Other people may find that they can and have no effect but for me I think my body needs this lifestyle, to be whole and heal as part of the Multiple Chemical Sensitivity journey.

I have really struggled with tiredness these last few mornings so I am reminded at the end of my workout to give myself a pat on the back. I know that some days I just have to get up as soon as the alarm goes to not give my body or brain time to realise what is going on. I know that I can push through this and I am choosing health and fitness over tiredness and slump.

I am still totally loving the food. This week includes lasagne and pizza. Two of my favourite foods! I am excited to see how to make a smarter choice but still enjoy family favourites. Lasagne last night was a HUGE hit with Quack declaring it his new all time favourite this morning. The leftovers are happily at work in Bubbas cooler bag - so can't be too bad folks!
We have found with a with minor tweeks here and there that the whole family is eating, and for the most part, enjoying the evening meals. Weekend breakfasts have been a hit in our house too with all the favourites in a lighter and/or more enjoyable way.

I do see this as a lifestyle change. Michelle is teaching me tools for life. Whether it be her workout prescriptions, nutritional plans or her mindset teachings. I feel better in myself and empowered to know I am making small changes that are sustainable in the long term. I'm not cutting our food groups or training eight hours a day. This is able to work for my life and my family and I think most people would find it is easier than you realise.

The number one point is YOU have to be ready and want this. If you're not you will find a million excuses throughout the twelve weeks to not eat right and not exercise. I still stumble and trip but the main thing is I am determined to not stay down but to get up again. Found this on pintrest this morning and it will be my mantra for this week.

 

So after an extremely hard week in life, fitness, health and friendships I will get up again and I will carry on. WWW here I come and whatever number you show me I will own it and I will get on with it. Moving towards my goal is one step at a time.

12 Week Body Transformation - week 2

Yay! I made it! Its week two and I am ready to hit the ground running. The exercise is good ( even if at the time it doesn't feel nice or look pretty) and the food is YUM!!

I had banana, cottage cheese and cinnamon on toast for breakfast - thought it was a bit weird sounding but is surprisingly delicious. A wrap coming up for lunch and Pumpkin soup for dinner. I'm sure I'm eating more than I used to and feeling my body thank me.

Monday morning never felt so good. I am looking forward to Wednesday, not for the number but to see the rewards of my hard work.

I found these two today and think it sums it up quite nicely:

So I will continue to eat myself well, eat more energy and exercise my body fit.

Wake Wee Weigh Wednesday

So its only been 3 days on the 12WBT challenge and today we have our first weigh in. I have managed to lose 500gm. I was a little upset to begin with but after so tough love and wise words of friends and family I have realised that my journey isn't anyone elses, and therefore we wont have the same results.

So how am I finding it?

LOVE!!

I love the program.

• It takes the hassle out of having to sit down and work out good meals and the calories that they have.
• The exercise plan seemed a LOT with 6 days but I am finding getting up earlier to work out leaves me in a much better place for my day.
• I have a WHOLE bunch of support. Everyone is here doing it together and there is lots of encouragement and people to bounce ideas and questions off.
• The food is LIFETIME-able. The nutrition plan does NOT cut out food groups. I am eating so much more than I used to but so much better than I ever have.
• The program will give you what you put into it. There are preseason tasks which even in the first days have been my power. I know what I WANT. I know MY GOALS. And most importantly I know my EXCUSES.

So here is to a strong finish to a good first week. As Michelle said on her video link tonight its sometimes about reaching in and unleashing your inner mongrel and my favourite:

"It doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't even have to be pretty. You just have to get it done!"

Life must change

After a few months of up and downs I am back.

Here are a few catch ups and a few newies.

My laptop has been helped by Squeak, as in it wont log on any more. So its mobile or borrowed of current.

My health is frustrating. Multiple chemical sensitivity is going to be a long journey of finding how to get well and protect myself in our broken environment.

After migrain medication has not helped my specialist has taken me off it 6kg heavier.

The meds have contributed to my weight but I also havent looked after myself in the exercise department as I had been wallowing in my oh woe MCS me.

My eating and exercise habits have to change (enter Michelle Bridges 12WBT).

I have signed up for the next round of the 12 week body transformation challenge. I know some friends have done this current round with great results.

I am looking for a lifestyle chance not a quick fix. So Monday 27 August marks day one of my next twelve weeks of the rest of my life.

I will document the twelve week changelle and review the program here as well as other bits of life that creep in too.

Looking forward to hearing all my lovely dedicated followers cheer me on and hoping to make some new friends along the way.

here is more info on the 12 week body transformation program. You can also find it on Facebook and twitter too.

The Farm

A few weeks ago we left our five bedroom, 3 bathroom, study and two living spaces to move to a 3 bedroom house.
Why? Because:

1. The landlords put the house on the market without us being notified until months later when first we saw it advertised and then second a for sale sign was banged out front.
2. The house was in need of some TLC and the landlords weren't prepared to come and do it. Whether they were too busy or it wasn't a priority I'm not sure but it didn't help us.
3. It was cold! Seriously it was colder inside than it was outside. Great in summer, not great in winter.
4. My health has been under some serious testing these last few months. Constant migraines and absolutely no energy are just the tip of the symptom iceberg and I just couldn't cope with up keeping a house of the size any more.

So we have down sized and country lifestyles instead. We now have a far more manageable house size and around 3 acres of land - which is so in my dream world of sheep, chickens, pigs, cows, ducks, dogs etc, etc.

I am totally smitten by peace and quite and fresh air. I said to Bubba the other day that life is just to great here to go back to city. I actually don't think I could handle it anymore. I was so made and designed for the country lifestyle. I can't wait to get our animals and gardens happening and enjoy the fruit of our hard work out here.

I have been through numerous tests and am ongoing multiple testing for my health at the moment. I have had upteen blood tests to test for everything under the sun and have started down the path of CT and MRI scans to rule out, or find, anything that is affecting my brain.

My CT came back clear which is a relief but my doctor is amazing and is doing everything he can to get to the bottom of my health concerns so that I can get back to enjoying a normal life. I am still awaiting my MRI results as I have only just been to the John Hunter hospital to have these done.

It is so nice to sit out in the sun and enjoy our new views as I try and escape what has become my normal for now. I try to do every day with as much smile and as much energy as my body will permit me as there is no point sitting around crying and feeling sorry for myself.

Most people wont even know the load I deal with daily as I'm not one to moan about my circumstances when I know there are others out there dealing with their own stuff and often much more.

The rural church that is in front of our property.

We are blessed with an abundance of fruit trees at the farm. We have oranges, lemons, limes, apple, apricots, grapes and passionfruit that I can so far identify. We are looking forward to getting our own vegetable and herb gardens up and running and enjoying the freshness of home grown.

Another biggy that I am trying out at the farm is to eliminate as many chemicals from our lives as possible. One of the reasons I am having so many tests right now is to rule out any serious illness or life threaten diseases before we move onto the path of environmental.

After doing a lot of research, thanks to a good friend over here who dealt with very similar symptoms and lack of enjoyable life, we are looking at a possibility of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity which will usually lead to Chronic Fatigue. There is a very good reason to believe that all the hype around the Paritutu Dioxin Dump in New Plymouth, New Zealand, is a little more true than the so called "government research" would say ( You can read more here and here to get a better picture). This would account for a Mutliple Chemical Sensitivity and why I never had migraines, among other symptoms, until the last three to four years when I moved into a property in this area.

We are very glad to have found somewhere that we can be chemical free and have found an amazing doctor who is open to working with an environment specialist to work through this, providing that the can't find any other medical reason for my symptoms.

So for now we will keep working on why I have the symptoms I do and hope to get to the bottom of it but we are doing everything in our power to try and eliminate the stress that my mind and body are under.
So welcome to our farm and we hope to be a little more chemical free and self sufficient everyday that we are learning more about how to go about it. 

Tuesday Tutorial - Crochet grannys part 2 learning to square

With the completion of Jaybugs granny blankie. I thought I would start a Tuesday tutorial for my squares and the way I border joined them. Part 1 is here - a few tips and beginners readings.

Part 2
I want to give a pictorial of my square pattern I used, please remember this is my first crochet how-to and it may be a little less professional than other online ones....

I used US crochet terms so if you use UK you may find it helpful to look at a crochet stitch conversion chart. If you are new to crochet knowing that there are US and UK terms is something worth knowing - that I didn't know for a few months into my learning to crochet and I couldn't work out why somethings worked and some didn't!


CH - chain stitch

SL - slip stitch
SC - single crochet
DC - double crochet

With a 4mm crochet hook and 8ply yarn:

 Start with a slip stitch

ch 4

 join with a sl to first ch to make a ring.
(As pictured)

ROUND 1:
ch 3 (counts as first dc), then dc twice into ring (makes 3 dc group as pictured)

ch 3 (makes corner)

3dc into ring, 3ch. 3 times

 Join last 3ch to 3rd ch of first 3ch with sl to join the round. (As pictured)

(you will now have 4 groups of 3dc and 4 3ch corners)

ROUND 2:
3ch (counts as first dc) 2dc 3ch 3dc into 3ch corner space.

*3dc 3ch 3dc into 3ch corner space 1ch** repeat from * to ** 2 more times

Join last ch to 3rd ch of first dc with a sl to join round.(as pictured)

ROUND 3:
3ch 2dc 3ch 3dc into 3ch corner space.

1ch 3dc into 1ch space of round 2 (as pictured) 1ch.

*3dc 3ch 3dc in corner space, 1ch, 3dc in 1ch space, 1ch**

Repeat * to ** twice more

Join round with sl to 3rd ch of 1st dc (as pictured)

Here I am going to show you how to change colour.

Remove hook and pull yarn tight through stitch to fasten off. (as pictured)

Take new colour and make a sl
slip sl onto hook (as pictured)

NB. if using one colour just continue from join to 3ch as first dc.

Join with sl to any corner space. (as pictured)

ROUND 4
3ch 2dc 3ch 3dc into corner space, 1ch, 3dc into space, 1ch, 3dc into space 1ch.

*3dc 3ch 3dc into corner space, 1ch, 3dc into space, 1ch, 3dc into space 1 ch**

* to ** repeat twice more

Join round with sl to 3rd ch of 1st dc.











You can make as many rounds as you like by 3dc 3ch 3dc in every corner and 3dc in every 1ch space of previous rounds.
Add 1ch between every corner group of 3dc group of stitches.

i.e. ROUND 5:
3ch 2dc 3ch 3dc into corner, (1ch, 3dc into space) 3 times 1ch.
*3dc 3ch 3dc into corner, ( 1ch, 3dc into space)1ch** * to ** twice more.
Join with sl to first dc.

Here are some of the different colour combinations I used to make different patterns.

Happy hooking everyone and please let me know if you have any questions or want some clarification on any of my explanation.

edit: If you are completely new to crochet I have most likely been of no help at all and you will find much more benefit here at Meet me at Mikes.  

See you next Tuesday for part 3 - how I border joined my granny squares.

Russian Fudge - Fast and Easy

I think Russian fudge is wonderful, delectable, marvelous and positively scrumptious, but it takes a long time of delicately stirring and gently boiling to get this amazing fudge. It is a work of art that takes the right person with the right touch to get Russian fudge just right.

I tried to develop different methods for passing the tedious thirty minutes of standing in front of the stove (although some husbands have been known to say this is the rightful place of a wife!)
I have tried my favourite CD to listen to, movie or TV drama but it is still thirty minutes of standing and hoping that you get it just right.

So I thought there must be a better way??
And I found it!

The microwave....

Here is my recipe for Microwave Russian fudge:

The first thing is a LARGE bowl or jug - I used to use a pyrex 2 litre jug but now I use the bottom of my Tupperware stack cooker (3 litre) and lid.

3 cups white sugar

1/2 tin condensed milk

125g butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1 Tablespoon golden syrup

pinch of salt

1. Place all ingredients into a LARGE microwave bowl.
2. Stir to mix and cook on high (I do 80% for my Tupperware bowl) for 12-15 minutes stirring every 3 minutes, So I just do 3 minutes stir, another 3 minutes etc, until it is golden and thickening.
3. Beat with electric beaters until thick.
4. Pour into a well greased slice of square pan.
5. Set aside to cool and set - if the temp is warm pop it in the fridge.

And voila! Russian fudge in no time at all!

WARNING! Russian Fudge is highly delicious and you may be caught eating far more than you should....