Weigh day again

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Yesterday was a lovely day, ideal for gardening but I spent it very quietly after a big night out on Friday night. We got home after two, which is quite a stretch for us these days. It was a fun night, and I don't regret it, but my gardening plans went right out the window. Luckily it all looks as lush as can be, gardens can forgive a bit of neglect.
On the subject of neglect, although Saturday Zumba didn't happen, I had made sure to get in 3 cardio sessions last week.
Friday didn't derail my weight loss so I am feeling just a bit pleased with myself. Fingers crossed that steady loss will continue for a good long stretch.
I'm not following the Spark diet, but am tracking and otherwise being pretty diligent about the SP approach, treating all the Sparkers out there as my coaches, and whaddyaknow, It is true, SP works!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CUBBYMAMMA 11/19/2011 8:59PM

Well, you've got to get out and shake your tailfeathers now and then Report Inappropriate Comment

RUARUGBYNUT2 11/19/2011 3:12PM

HI FIFI Whatever your doing is working fine, with the weight loss, take it easy after your big night out Russ Report Inappropriate Comment

MELINDAM85 11/19/2011 12:52PM

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Tracking food & ideas for menus

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Starting to make use of the SP nutrition tracker a bit more than before. I've been tracking lots of days, but not really planning my meals as I should. I figure if I get a little routine goinging it will make it easier to fit in more stuff in the day.
I wish the tracker wasn't so cluncky to use, but it gets me where I want to go eventually. Have been loading a few favorites and groupings to make life easier for myself. It takes quite a while, though! More of an effort because we use a metric system here in NZ, plus, my oh my where do all these strange foods come from? Are they REALLY foods? And...how come it is so hard to find fresh fruit and vegetables on the tracker? Or simple meats and other protein sources?

Anyway not to worry, this site is great, I can just take what Ineed and leave the rest, and that is a good thing.
Going home from work and it feels good to be thinking "What of all the delicious healthy choices waiting for me in the fridge will be my pleasure tonight?"
Compared to getting home and standing looking in the fridge with not a thought in my head.
Maybe preparing healthy food can be fun again like it used to be. I did get worn down by years of cooking for a family , and constantly being the one to have to manage the kitchen. Now I am being far more whimsical and beginning to cook what I want, and if I don't feel like eating, I don't prepare a meal. (Naughty Fifi. DH just has to fit in.)
Any thoughts or suggestions for me on planning menus etc?
Oooh, maybe we could get together and have a menu club, and share the effort of deciding what to cook? I suppose there is already a team for that? Or a recipe book. Oh, we could start a shared recipe book. It could be arranged by seasons. 52 weeks of menus. What do you think?
Anyway I'm off home now.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CUBBYMAMMA 11/19/2011 8:56PM

I'm trying to back off the tracker b/c I got crazy addicted to it and it takes a lot of time. But the flip side of that is that you are indeed hyper-cognizant of what you're eating. I've got so many groupings and recipes that I stored just to get nutritional value - and found over and over, yes, pretty much every bread recipe comes out the same nutritional value without me wasting time logging the recipe. Hoping that it's like training wheels - I'm taking them off with awareness and will try not to track everything unless ticker goes the wrong way... Report Inappropriate Comment

RUARUGBYNUT2 11/16/2011 12:47PM

HI FIFI I Too like Pudlecrazy only use it now when the scale starts to go back up north, but i did find it very useful in the beginning, have you seen all the recipes on the page when you get your Sparkpoints? Just click find a recipe & hundreds come up! Russ Report Inappropriate Comment

PUDLECRAZY 11/16/2011 4:24AM

I have really benefited from using the food tracker, even if it is cumbersome. I don't use it any more unless the needle on the scale starts moving up, then I go back to tracking. I find that if I put 'fresh' after a veggie, I don't get the list of a million packaged selections, which I never use anyway. Ex. asparagus, fresh The menu postings idea sounds lovely. I know I won't have time to really participate in coming up with a regular posting of menus or developing a cookbook, but it's a great idea. I just bought the cookbook - you would probably enjoy it. One of the things they have done was put a suggested menu by the main dish recipes. I plan to make the green curry chicken this week, take some photos and review the recipe in a blog. This will be my first recipe from the Spark Cookbook, as I just got it. With this respiratory infection, I am craving spicy. Report Inappropriate Comment

Birds, bees, flowers & trees (with pix)

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Spent much of yesterday gardening, and finally the sun came out. As we gardened, the local birds came out too. The tui in particular are enjoying our flowering flaxes, and even with my point & shoot camera I got a few shots of them.



Note the yellow pollen on the top of this tui's beak:



They weren't the only critters harvesting the pollen:



This is a good year for cabbage trees. Their flowers smell heavenly



But not as good as my spring star, philadelphus

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

HANNAHV 11/23/2011 4:25AM

Stunning pics! Bees favourite are blue flowers....and that is a fact Report Inappropriate Comment

BEACHSANDPIPER 11/17/2011 5:19PM

The birds, flowers, and views are lovely. The world is a beautiful creation for all of us nature-lovers. Your camera work inspires me to try some pictures of my yard too. Take some more pictures of your flowers and vistas and post them. Almost makes it as though I'm there. I always wanted to go to Australia and New Zealand but never got the opportunity (it's so far away)! Who knows, maybe someday yet! Report Inappropriate Comment

TARAFROMTX1 11/14/2011 10:30PM

Love the photos!! Beautiful!! Report Inappropriate Comment

RUARUGBYNUT2 11/13/2011 4:10PM

HEY FIFI Love the photos, and envy you the wildlife in your neck of the woods! Russ Report Inappropriate Comment

PUDLECRAZY 11/13/2011 3:33PM

Lovely photos! I have to admit to feeling a little jealous of your spring as I sit here with the flu looking out on a bleak November day with the wind whipping around. I love that little tui. Report Inappropriate Comment

Weigh day

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Awake early and I plan to go back to sleep but sparking for 25 points as is my habit since I joined Sparkpeople. Anyway I found the low gravity spot in my bathroom and weighed myself

I lost a kilo since last week! Yay me!
How?
Sparkies, it was easy!
Tracking and thinking about my food and aquacise and Zumba and remembering to stop drinking when I had that first glass of wine. I even thought last night about whether to have more to eat and checked my nutrition tracker to see where there was some leeway.
I've taken a round about route to getting healthier and weight loss is just a part of that- and a very big part, and I am feeling now I am on my way.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

TARAFROMTX1 11/14/2011 10:38PM

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PUDLECRAZY 11/12/2011 3:39PM

Oooh, parTAY! I am so impressed! I gain at least a kilo when I go on vacation, and here you go losing weight. Way to go! Report Inappropriate Comment

RUARUGBYNUT2 11/12/2011 3:19PM

Russ Report Inappropriate Comment

DIVA-TO-BE 11/12/2011 2:58PM

Good for you! Making all the right moves, including Zumba! Congrats on your weight loss! Woo hoo! Report Inappropriate Comment

MOMMA_BEAR_69 11/12/2011 2:13PM

What a super attitude. CONGRATS on your weight loss. Keep up the great work. Report Inappropriate Comment

Spring thing

Friday, November 11, 2011

I had a good night last night and enjoyed watching all the talented young things in their cool clothes. No photos of the show, sorry, but here is one of the star of my garden at the moment, introducing...
philadelphus

which looks like nothing at all until right now when it produces the prettiest of flowers and the MOST delicious scent.

I stopped by it on my way to and from Zumba, and now I must have a shower, I'm getting cold sitting here.

Raining at the moment but bound to improve.
Have a good weekend, Sparkies.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

PUDLECRAZY 11/12/2011 3:43AM

I want to smell the Philadelphus! You have a great weekend, too. Report Inappropriate Comment

RUARUGBYNUT2 11/11/2011 8:20PM

HI FIFI The Philadelphus is fabulous, isnt spring the best season for flowering plants,5month wait for me [so jealous] Russ Report Inappropriate Comment