Kristine's 2017 Diary

[Kristine..]

Dear Diary

Tuesday 28th February
Week Five
Start: 87.70. Today: 81.0 Kilo. Loss to Date: 6.70 kilo
Less than 19 kilos to Goal!

Had an interesting Second Visit to the Clinic yesterday. Always good to meet up physically even though our modern world provides lots of cyberspace opportunities the actual meeting is always a lot more satisfying

Sunee said that once I get my work rosters, she has lots of hints for managing the Eating Plan while working rotating shifts

After the Clinic I went past IKEA, they have little vacuum flasks for $9.99 and I need to get a bit of a kit organised. However, they had a run on the flasks and very unusually for IKEA, that particular shelf was empty!!

But, I have a Spotlight Coupon for 40% off so we will go to the Frankston store and get a Thermos while we are out today. I may still get an IKEA flask next time I am there, these things last for years and our old 2 litre Aladdin flasks do come in very handy when going out for the day. They are also good for cold drinks and food and as I am not thrilled about staff room fridges a flask or two maintains hygienic independence!

I bought some blade steak the other day, not realising how leathery it would be, and have since rediscovered the pressure cooker lurking in the back of the cupboard.

How amaze me! Just ten minutes in the pressure cooker (with vegetables) and that blade steak literally came apart under the fork! And the broth was quite amazing. Just delicious!

Mike, meanwhile, cooked fish & chips in the Sunbeam and we are actually delighted with that mini oven, hours of fun, who would have thought!

Weight wise, I feel that the journey has now begun. Four weeks down and in the zone, in the groove. If I didn't tell people there isn't anything which has noticeably changed as yet and of course I am still wearing the same clothes, but I am starting to feel a bit less heavy, a bit less of the belly bag sitting on my lap. It's all the bit lesses which add up .... or add down, and while it is fun to monitor there is only one figure I am interested in and that's the weight at the end of the run

Aiming for 62.5 kilos. Less than 19 kilos to go!

Lotsa love
Kristine

[Kristine..]

Dear Diary

Sunday 5th March
End of Week Five
Start: 87.70. Today: 80.4 Kilo. Loss to Date: 7.30 kilo
Less than 18 kilos to Goal!

After receiving a Note from my Clinic that feedback after my 2nd Blood Test indicated that I was not drinking enough, I have focused more on the drinking

I thought I was going OK but obviously not

I draw the five bar gate at the bottom of my daily Food Sheet (1111 then strike through - no font strike through option but you know what I mean) but yesterday I found a 1 litre water jug at the back of the cupboard and drank two of those plus the usual water at intervals throughout the day

I have woken this morning with a water headache, so I shall have to be care-ful how I drink all this water. 3 litres is a lot and yes if spread out over a 12 hour day perhaps not all that much, but just something else to remember.

Sunday is measuring day, and this week the arm, chest (ribs) and waist showed a reduction. Not a lot but when I look down The Bulge is certainly not as bulgy as before, and significantly less flobby. Yes, flobby. Flab is one thing, flobbiness is quite another!

For the coming week I have set myself a few Challenges:

• 3 litres of water each day, and given that I have a new job coming up, I need to find a consistent way of managing the water
• No cooking oils, sprays or other sneaky fat or oil intakes: I have good quality non-stick cookware and Cohen's 2016 used no sprays at all, with excellent weight loss. The loss is somewhat slower this time (yes, I am 11 years older) but this time I have been using (allowable) spray Olive Oil. So this week in a controlled experiment, no cooking sprays.
• Fish at least two meals: During Week Three I had 3 x Fish Meals and a good loss of 1.5 kilo.
• Turkey as well as Chicken meals: Turkey has more protein than Chicken, is very lean, and although more expensive per kilo, at the size of these meals the extra cost is negligible. I like chicken but tried a pack of turkey breast this week and found it worked well with the pressure cooker / curry / soup and certainly makes a change from chicken and salad or steak and salad.

I have bought a Dura-Vac (vacuum food jar thingy) to take soup to work and the Turkey will probably hold it's texture better than the Chicken if kept in a Thermos for four or five hours.

OK, Forumites, I hope to post a good Commencing Weight for Week Six tomorrow. Beautiful day here in The World's Most Liveable City, we shall stroll to Woolworths at some time during the day. There is an Aldi two train stops from us, I don't think I have ever shopped at an Aldi store so today we might amuse ourselves and take the train and see what Aldi has to offer. If not, we shall have a walk along the beach. Hmmm. Aldi or The Beach? What a tough choice!!!

Lotsa love
Kristine

[Soon2BSlim]

Hi Kristine

It's interesting that you got feedback about your water intake from the clinic. I didn't (when I was going through the clinic) and know that I didn't drink as much as I should have. Is this something new? How much were you drinking before?

Love your updates and the fact that you always have a plan about how to tackle your weight loss Looking forward to seeing you hit the 70's very soon

Louise

[Kristine..]

Dear Diary

Monday 6th March
Day 36: Start of Week Six
Start: 87.70. Today: 80.00 Kilo. Loss to Date: 7.70 kilo
Less than 17 kilos to Goal!

I AM NO LONGER OBESE!

Yep, According to Better Health Victoria, and our very own Ticker Factory, I am now OVERWEIGHT but no longer, OBESE.

I can feel this amazing breakthrough in my head! Yes, it is one of those light bulb moments when the view on the world changes.

As of today, even with 17 kilos to go, I am now Downhill Racing! Watch me fly!

***

WATER: Louise, neither had I ever previously had a comment made about water intake, but the day after the Blood Test, Sunee was passing on the response so the turn around time from arm to laboratory to clinic to me was quite impressive!

I think it was as much about management as about the volume of water

I tend to drink at least a full glass before and after each meal & snack. I figure that is 12 glasses but I was using a smaller glass than usual … 12 cups x 250ml is 3 litre, but 12 glasses x 170ml is only 2.04litre.

I was drinking but not sipping. I am not much of a sipper but this is about hydration of the cells and ensuring there is sufficient water in circulation so that the kidneys do not have to drain the bowels for kidney function

So I have now set myself up with the 1.2 litre jug and larger 200ml glass, and pour and sip 2 x jugs full plus have extra drinks while preparing the meals and tidying up afterwards.

I also make espresso coffee in my ancient 2 cup Pezzetti stove top each morning and flask that for drinking during the day, make 1 x soup meal each day and seem to drink another glass of water each time I walk past the kitchen …. That sloshing sound has to be me!

Anyway, the last two days of jug at elbow and taking mouthful rather than swigging, has achieved a much higher water consumption but rather interestingly, reduced the urgency to hurtle down the passage to the WC every, it seemed, twenty minutes or so!

So maybe I am actually reaching hydration and the overall system will settle into a steady jog.

I have two weeks before Starting The New Job and I certainly don’t want to be That Woman who is always leaving the training room …. a sensitive bladder would make me unfit for the role. I will make the day’s Water Wise Goal not less than 3.5 litre so that I am Water Ready for the new position (and smaller size Uniform)!

Lotsa love
Kristine

[Soon2BSlim]

Wow!! Congratulations on not being obese any longer, Kristine! That's a great milestone to reach

I'm so looking forward to watching you fly downhill from here

You're a wonderful inspiration - thank you for coming back to the forum and posting your journey.

Louise

[Kristine..]

Dear Diary

Saturday 11th March
Day 41: Latter Part of Week Six
Start: 87.70. Today: 79.40 Kilo. Loss to Date: 8.30 kilo
Less than 17 kilos to Goal!

Thanks for looking in, Louise and your kind words! In Jessy's Diary today she reflects upon the last time she weighed less than 70 kilos, which got me looking through my records and the morning (19th March, 2011) I went to the Allan Carr Easy Way To Stop Smoking Workshop I weighed 68 kilo.

By 27th May, 2011 I had hit 78.80 kilo and the struggle began.

From the 2006 Program through to 2011 I had not struggled with the weight even though I put on and took off, about 15 kilo in 2008 ... but that is a whole different story in itself!

So here I was, a non-smoker with a weight problem!

After months of endless deprivation, the last time I weighed 68 kilo was the morning of 12/10/2011,

After that, my weight has caused me much unhappiness. It is always in my mind and I have made many attempts to lose 'some' weight.

But of course, losing 'some' weight is a fool's game.

The only way to get a grip on this is to get a proper Program and Just Do It!

I have made a start reading Dr Beck's book, I have loaded it to all my Kindle devices ... the actual Kindle No #1 Son gave me, the old iPad with the Kindle app and the slightly less old iPad, also with the app. It can also be read on Mike's Kindle, so there is no escaping Dr Beck, I am even tempted to get it on Audio as well!

When I look back over the wasted time and unhappy attempts to make a change over the last six years, this time really has to be it.

It is just lovely being slim: I hate being fat. The choice is a no brainer so if Cognitive Therapy will help me with this life choice then I will do it!

As luck would have it, I have been invited to a House Warming BBQ in two weeks.

When I RSVP to the Hosts this is what I wrote:

Thanks for the Invitation and just a quiet word about Me And Dr Cohen and how this may affect your Catering:

I am just past the 8 kilo down and by 25th March would expect to be more than 10 kilo down, so going well on this wonderful program

However, the program has no tolerance for deviations and can't be interrupted, so:

• I am not drinking anything except plain tap water or plain Soda water (I will BYO)
• I will bring a couple of skewers with the meat & veg portions then I know what's for my dinner!
• I will bring my own crispbread and also an orange for my desert

So when planning for catering, this will be it for me, the lovely cheeses and delicious pates and dips will have to wait until I have completed the program

But you can offer me a black espresso before I head for home!


So is this Dr Beck's early influence? Making a plan, letting them know, protecting myself from any possible social pressure? Quite possibly. I now have Two Good Doctors by my side, Dr Cohen looking after the practicalities and Dr Beck looking after my state of mind.

We made a formidable team!

Lotsa love
Kristine

[jessy]

Nice post lovely ... I hear you about hate being fat ...wanting to be slim.... your on your way now, a working project.

I hope this next 10 kg's is just a skip and a jump.

I think I will down load the Becks book and put it on my I pod... can only help , thankyou for the heads up

Dr Beck on You tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE-6D-9FjDs enjoy

[Kohinoor]

Hehe,

Good on you, Kristine !! I am sitting here with a big dopey grin on my face as I read your words. This is you "on a mission" - just like back in (when? was it 2005?) those times on Somersoft.

Your words then told me "Outta my way - girl on a mission coming through" - not in those words of course. You chose MUCH better words than I was trying to verbal you with....

But hey, it was those same "no-nonsense, this is already a done deal" messages back then. A joy to read, and surely an inspiration to others who might be wondering HOW does one really do this Cohens thing?

If someone were to ask me that question, I'd send them right over to your Diary, to hang on your coat-tails and "get it done".

Looking forward to seeing that slim, blonde chick once more. She's a-comin' - should be along in just a few short months I reckon.

Koh

[Kristine..]

Dear Diary

Monday 13th March
Day 43: Start of Week Seven
Start: 87.70. Today: 79.20 Kilo. Loss to Date: 8.50 kilo
Less than 17 kilos to Goal!

Well, last week seemed to drag, weight wise. But this morning, with only a small change from yesterday, I realised that across last week I shed 0.80 kilos!

In the old weight, that's 1.76 lbs, not too shabby at all!

More importantly, even though the Official Taker Of Measurements is in absentia, when I look down, the Bulge is definitely deflating.

The Bulge has been the most embarrassing feature of my obesity.

If my phenotype did the Boobs and / or the Bum thing, well I wouldn't be looking at it all the time. But the Bulge! The Bulge! Every time I glance down, to the desk to the bench top, to my feet, there is The Bulge!

The Bulge is like The Bludger, always outstaying it's welcome, always On The Bot, always demanding more.

So, my door mat now says: Bludgers Are Not Welcome Here!

Instead, slim, trim, pull your weight, visitors are welcome.

So as The Bulge shrinks back into oblivion, my resolve to seriously kick butt on this diet, increases.

My weighing and measuring is keener, sharper! My condiments are carefully chosen throughout the day (a life without spices is no life at all!) and the water! Oh My God, the water!

I now not only have an IKEA 1.2l water jug on a little tray on the sideboard with a clean tea towel, a set of three markers and a clean glass, I also went to Spotlight and bought a cotton crochet doily to drape over the jug (reminiscent of milk jug doilies but alak! without the beads!)

I figure I have to be able to see how much water I have drunk and how much is still to go, each day

By filling the jug, putting it in it's own formal but decorative little water station, and moving the markers each time I refill the jug I can clearly see that 3+ litres has been drunk each day.

So although my markers perform as an abacus, they are, in fact, plastic Christmas cookie cutters, there is a star, a circle and a tree, and these are moved from one side of the tray to the other, as the water is taken up during the day.

There is no particular reason for choosing these cutters except that there are three of them and they were in the scramble drawer when I opened it.

Thanks Jessy for looking in, and your alacrity in downloading the Beck Diet Solution! I have read the whole preamble and Introduction and must now write up the Advantages of Losing Weight responses before I go further with the book. I have never been good at writing down goals, afraid of the ridicule of others should they discover them I guess, but this time I shall do as the Doctor says: Buy index cards, write down Advantages!

Thanks Koh for looking in, yes I went to the Information Session at the Mitcham Clinic in November 2005 and started the program Saturday 4th February, 2006. The Diary ran from February through to Maintenance and I continued to post updates for a while after that, through to December 2008.

I actually looked up my Somersoft Diary the other day https://www.somersoft.com/threads/an-investment-in-reduction.24215/ , even though the Forum is now closed it will still be in cyberspace for some time to come.

Y'know, Koh, we can be as determined as all look-out, but without the right tools for the job our determination can be short lived.

I know that Cohen's is the right weight loss program for me, and my ongoing maintenance is a matter of record

However, we also need the right tools for life long maintenance, when the glamour of being slim and slender wears off, when people no longer comment on how great we look, when life bowls us a curve ball .... or two! we need bigger guns at our disposal. We need a fundamental change in our view of the world, and not just the adoption of a position, and therefore left vulnerable to attack.

I have asked my GP, I have consulted a fully qualified Dietitian, I have bought very expensive books on Paleo Diets and on Oestrogen Diets, thought long and hard about it all, and realised that it is only Cohen's which will work for me and just as importantly, have the respect of those around me, to realise that I am serious and committed to achieving my body weight goals.

I am also serious and committed to maintaining my new body weight

I like being slim. I don't like being fat and I don't like the eye flick I get when people sum up my bulge and general misshapen appearance.

I start the New Job next Monday, and these new people in my life won't even get to meet The Incredible Bulge, they will have to judge me on my performance and not on my appearance!

Somersoft were heady days, indeed, but the world turns and we with it!

Lotsa love, Koh
Here's to a great week losing body weight!
Kristine

[Kohinoor]

Hi champ,

As always, you make a lot of sense. The whole Cohens thing has such an interwoven bunch of possibilities that I actually am amazed at how well it does work.

Re "keeping it off", I recall your story (about the franchise) - and that is life, isn't it? Other things can take away our focus, leading us to concentrate on just one or two important factors - the rest can end up going out the window (maybe not even intentionally).

But hey, something you said had me wondering if you had ever read this post:-
http://newyouforum.com/forum/showthr...075#post257075

If you have seen it, that's good - I would be interested in your opinion of the theory. Has it worked (or not worked) for you? Have you deduced your body type, and chosen whether you should avoid one type of food or another. You have a very enquiring mind, so I would really love to hear from you on that.

See, I can't dispute it, nor verify it (funny that... ) but you could !!

FWIW,
Koh

[Kristine..]

Dear Diary

Friday 17th March
Day 47: Late in Week Seven
Start: 87.70. Today: 78.9 Kilo. Loss to Date: 8.80 kilo
Less than 17 kilos to Goal!

Been a very quiet week, weight wise, the scales seem to be asleep.

However, and let me share this, today I was walking along the shopping strip, minding my own business, running a few errands as you do, when I came across one of the shops open for inspection prior to Auction.

OK, well, I'm always curious about property so I stepped in and was then surprised to hear the Agent say that there was an upstairs residence and I was welcome to go up and look.

So, I climbed the stairs. And my knickers fell down inside my jeans. Have you ever tried to look all grown up and serious when your undies are not where they should be? I was wearing tee shirt & jeans, a cross-body bag and, very glamorously, an old rucksack (I was going to call in to the Post Office on the way back), sunglasses and the usual runners and socks.

Except, and only I knew, that appearances were deceptive!

I had no opportunity to surreptitiously rummage and hitch until I got to the Post Office and was checking my PO Box on the side wall, then a quick hitch and twitch and I was able to smoothly enter the Post Office to collect some packages from behind the counter.

Now, I know we all get hung up on the weight thing, but when your reasonably new Jockettes suddenly roll over and die, you havta think that maybe something else is happening that the scales don't pick up on!

If I knew how to insert emotions I would do so, but you will have to just imagine my response (here).

Koh, thanks for looking in and yes, I noticed previously on Maintenance that if I was indulging then to stick with boiled sugar sweets with no fat such as jelly snakes, or the very intense, dark chocolate.

My favourite chocolate since whenever was always the dark chocolate, but since 2006 Cohen's my taste has changed and even though I still enjoy dark, strong, chocolate I don't enjoy it as much as I used to, unless it has something else with it such as a fondant or cream filling.

My downfall is seriously anything to do with wheat.

Bread, pastry, pasta, pizza, anything to do with wheat. I really enjoy eg egg sandwiches and who doesn't like ham off the bone with fresh crusty bread, slathers of butter and gorgeous mustard or pickles on the side?

But these things have to be occasional treats now (when I have finished 2017 Cohen's), not weekly Saturday lunches.

That Food Pyramid that we all know and love so well, with it's disproportionate emphasis on grains and cereals, has done us all significant mischief!

When I consulted the Dietitian, she gave me a chart and told me to follow the Food Guidelines and eat the recommended daily amounts and all would be fine.

I followed her advice, adding, among other things across the day, 30 gram of meusli to my morning yoghurt and yup! very quickly put on 5 kilos.

I firmly believe that small serves of fresh meat, vegetables, and fruit with basic crispbread and minimal non-fresh products is the only way I will be able to maintain my weight in the long term.

In other words, the diet my Mother provided for us, bought and cooked the same day, only the smallest number of prepared or processed foods eg tins of sardines, packets of Vita Weat, boxes of plain Weet Bix, full cream milk, all eaten at single serve sizes eg 2 x Weet Bix, not half a dozen just because two look a bit skimpy and don't fill up the bowl!

Buying, preparing and cooking for myself on this Program is just the easiest thing.

If the serving is 100 gm raw weight, there is no arguing with that.

I have a bag in the freezer which has the offcuts. Eventually there will be a serving of tiny bits making up the weight for a curry or a Thai beef salad or a couple of meat balls

Usually, I wouldn't want to 'waste' it and just eat whatever amount was there, but now I eat what is prescribed for me and it is more than enough.

Is my body shape Gynaeoid, Android, Thyroid or Lymphatic? I have looked at all the diagram and really, I don't know.

But what I do know is that this time around, I am taking a lot more notice of the bio-chemistry of this Program and how the food and water works with my body so that I can Maintain body weight indefinitely and not just for the 5 years or so that I previously managed to do.

Think I got off track a bit there

Humour me, it's the water sloshing about in my brain which is distracting me!

Lotsa love
Kristine

[manilamommy]

Hi Kristine,
How interesting your thoughts are on the "proper diet" and what we have all have been brain-washed to believe. The food pyramid, wheat and grains as foundation of our diet, calorie counting, eat less and exercise more... so confusing!

Contrary to all that, here we are on our Cohen bus, and losing weight consistently. And its just the specific weight of food, not exercise, but clean food. Ive been trying to analyze how this prescription is able to create an environment in our body to fast-track fat burning. Its probably all with hormonal regulation. Keeping Insulin levels low, so the body is in fat breakdown mode.

Ive been reading some books on the science of obesity. I love Dr. Cohen and his program, but I think there's a missing link somewhere. Why are there so many graduates who re-gain? Why do we all, at one point, experience the big/ugly meltdown of carb-fest binges? Whats the secret of being able to maintain after getting to goal weight when our bodies are trying very hard to re-set back to our fatter version? A very interesting theory is discussed by Dr. Jason Fung (he's a Canadian Nephrologist) in his book, Obesity Code. Im still mid-way through his book, but its very enlightening. Basically, he feels that regulating hormones (ie. insulin) by means of intermittent fasting and clean eating (cutting excess sugar, processed carbohydrates) during non-fasting periods which will promote weight loss. I suppose its similar to our EP. We eat just enough to satiate without triggering too much insulin, hence weight loss.

Sorry for rambling. Im trying to process things in my brain.
Cheers, MM

[Kohinoor]

Hi Kristine,
Good to hear (read) that things are just humming along, complete with little "incidents" that remind you of changes not seen on the scales. Ain't it great?

I caught a comment from MM that I thought I would like to respond to, and I wonder if you (K) have actually found the same in your past? Here's MM's comment:-

Why do we all, at one point, experience the big/ugly meltdown of carb-fest binges?

See, I am wondering if this is like "I have lost something and want to have it again" and I likened it to smoking. I had tried several times to give up, but have a wife who was going to continue on - thus I always awoke to the smell, and I just kept on.... until she got crook - so crook that she ended up in hospital for 5 days. And when she came out, she didn't want to start up again (which was great in my eyes) except that the "urge" would hit now and then.

But, there was one important thing that we did that worked for us - we never did throw out that opened packet of smokes (almost full too) as some would say to do. Instead, they were "there if we wanted one".

So, we DIDN'T feel deprived - they were always THERE !! We gave ourselves permission to have one (but outside, not in the house) and neither of us ever did have one. We threw out a very sad-looking almost-full packet of smokes about 18 months later.

Is there a key there, Kristine? What do you think? Does one "give yourself permission" to have something you would like to have once on Maintenance? Rather than a mind-set of "You CAN'T have xyz", could it work as "You CAN have xyz if first you eat protein, and it will be a once-a-week treat..." Could something like that help to avert any bingeing?

Waddaya reckon? Do you have an answer for MM that helps? Can the Maintenance rules actually "set you free"?

Hugs,
Koh

[Kristine..]

Dear Diary

Thursday 23rd March
Day 53: Late in Week Seven
Start: 87.70. Today: 77.9 Kilo. Loss to Date: 9.80 kilo
Less than 17 kilos to Goal!

Sorry to have missed posting, I am absolutely shattered .... in training for a job I have never done before, up at 5:30am, spinsting for myself for a few weeks while vintage is underway .... I would love to be posting but I don't have the luxury of time right now ... maybe once training is completed I will be able to catch up a bit here

Cooking my lunch while cooking my dinner is interesting, I have had to rethink my preparation and work through a few issues. Thermos and chiller blocks make for an interesting combination.

Drinking as much as possible but the air conditioning is a killer, my eyes are so sore yet the air conditioning is so cold in the training room that we all wear cardigans and jackets!

Working, eating, in and out of the room, everything governed by the roster .... welcome to the real world!

Got some homework to do, hope you are all going well and I will catch up with the Diaries soon!

Lotsa love
Kristine

[Kristine..]

Dear Diary

Wednesday 29th March
Day 58: In Week Nine
Start: 87.70. Today: 76.7 Kilo. Loss to Date: 11.0 kilo
Less than 15 kilos to Goal!

Well, I have now passed the Two Month Interview Weigh In Date.

No Blood Test for this period and because of the New Job, no Interview for me, either! A reported 4.60 kilo loss over the four weeks. No measurements as the Chief Measuring Person is busy Vintage-ing!

Looking forward to the coming four weeks. I would expect not less than four kilo and would hope for about six kilo. When I can, I am drinking as much water as possible but there are days when the amount I can reasonably drink is short of the goal.

I am taking the Crumbed Chicken + mixed Salad to work each day. I can cook this the night before and it travels well in a small insulated lunch box with a chiller block.

I don't like using communal fridges, mugs etc so taking the lunch complete with fork, thermos of coffee and refillable water bottle suits me fine.

However, I am still quite overwhelmed and need to just chill out when I am home ... next week I will have a bit more time to make more of a contribution to the forum and to read all your updates!

In the meantime, I have to admit I am quite pleased to find and wear some clothes I had forgotten ... unfortunately by the time a Cohenite remembers x, y or zed at the back of the wardrobe there is only a brief wearing period between being too fat to fit into it through to the item now being too big to wear properly!

What a dreadful problem to have!!!

OK, keep on losin' and I shall be back later!

Lotsa love
Kristine

[Soon2BSlim]

It sounds like you're extremely busy at the moment Kristine, with very long days. Well done for sticking to the plan even with the challenges of life

You're doing a brilliant job with your weight loss and it's really inspiring to read your diary. Thank you for posting even when you are time poor. I look forward to your updates.

And yay for smaller clothes in the back of your cupboard! It's like shopping but only without spending money - win win!!

Keep up the good work xx

Louise

[aPpLe*]

You write so well, all kinds of emotions I feel along with you.

Good luck on your journey, I can relate, I am back where you are.

[Kristine..]

Dear Diary

Sunday 2nd April
Day 62: End of Week Nine
Start: 87.70. Today: 76.2 Kilo. Loss to Date: 11.5 kilo
Less than 14 kilos to Goal!

Well, here we are, back to Eastern Standard Time, a glorious Autumn day here in Melbourne but no more Daylight Saving!

And even though I think I am somehow not losing much weight, suddenly there is less than 14 kilo to go!

Not quite at the half way mark but my overall progress 2006 Program was 28 kilo in 25 weeks. 2017 Program has delivered 11.5 kilo in 9 weeks so generally I am very pleased with progress.

Getting out the cooler weather clothes clearly demonstrates that I am shrinking. Gosh, I even discovered some brand new scanties at the back of the drawer, I bought these about four years ago and soon realised I had bought a size (or two) too small for me at that time, but fitting perfectly now! What a bonus!

It will be good to move into winter and be able to wear nice knitwear, instead of shapeless pullovers and wearing a lot more than I need just to disguise the obesity.

And to wear some colours, and not just all that black!

I noticed my rings slipping around the other day. In 2006 I had to have my spectacles adjusted, a link taken out of the watch band, and stopped wearing some of my pretty rings as they had started to slip off!

I have small hands with knuckled fingers, rings have to fit over the knuckles and are always a bit loose around the third phalange anyway, but rings were literally sliding over the knuckles when I was washing my hands!

My new job requires hands on the keyboard for most of the day, and the decorative stones are simply flipping under the hand now, if I am going to keep wearing them I may have to do the old cotton wound around the ring trick or maybe even ask the jewellers for a spacer. None of the rings have sufficient dollar value to warrant resizing but I do like them all and want to be able to safely wear them.

Thanks Louise and apple for looking in.

One of the benefits of the Forum is knowing that other people are treading the same path. At my new job, I can look around and see other people doing the same job. I had forgotten how good that feels …. In fact, I don’t think I have ever had a job like this one, where we are all doing the exact same job at the same time! It is very liberating, empowering and exhilarating!

Of course, I am very much the New Kid On The Block and all the more experienced operators are quick to tell me how I should be doing it, but they smile while they tell me so it’s all good!

So, here we all are, weighing and measuring, and achieving great results!

Good on all of us, I say!

Lotsa love
Kristine

[Soon2BSlim]

Nice going Kristine! You are almost half way too!! What an awesome achievement so far.

It sounds like your new job is working out well as I guess are your meals. It really is about finding a new groove isn't it. What to eat and when so that it fits into your lifestyle. If you always had your meals at home at certain times and then have to fit it into working away from home and different hours, it's not that it can't be done, just that one needs to figure out how to make it work for you. Whatever you're doing, certainly seems to be a good thing!

I'm loving following your diary - it's so motivating. As always, thanks for posting!



Louise

[Kristine..]

Dear Diary

Thursday 6th April
Day 66: Mid Week Ten
Start: 87.70. Today: 75.5 Kilo. Loss to Date: 12.2 kilo
Less than 13 kilos to Goal!

Chilly morning in Melbourne yesterday

I put on a striped, long sleeved tee shirt which last winter made me look as if I was seven months pregnant.

Yesterday it hung straight down, not quite flowing but not drawing attention to any big bulge, either!

Mike’s back home today after four weeks working Vintage. I am sure he will be surprised at the change when he sees me waiting at the train station.

The daily chip, chip, seems like nothing much to us, but 12.2 kilo weighs as much as a two year old child that I am no longer carrying around – when someone hasn’t seen me for a few weeks, the change will be noticeable!

Thanks Louise for looking in: I have a picnic bag with the thermos of strong black coffee, water bottle, chiller bag with chicken salad, and apple already prepared, and zip lock bags with crispbread and cutlery

Ten minutes at morning break is not long enough to eat two crispbread plus the apple, so I have shifted the 2nd crispbread to pair with the going-home crispbread snack … I have bought a little pocket timer and set it for all the breaks … I will adjust to it but old habits of working from home and all time frames being a bit rubbery, die hard!

The only way to cope is to cook lunch when I cook my dinner, and to prepare the apple in the morning when I do the yoghurt & kiwi breakfast. It’s not a big issue but I have had to figure out how to do it. I don’t mind being up at 5am but if I’m not organised then the 7am starts will mean getting up at 4.30am which is a bit extreme!

Lotsa love
Kristine