Day 36 - Week 6!

Well it's the final week of the challenge. Except, for me, the challenge keeps going! However, it's the last week of the official challenge for me ;) Well all up I've lost 5.1kg in 5 weeks. So, it's not too bad. I did hope for better though! I realise that the weight loss so far has been a good pace and realistic, and if I didn't have a particular time in mind as to when I want to reach my goal, it probably wouldn't matter too much to me! I mean, if I had an entire year to do it 1kg a week would be FANTASTIC because I'd easily make it by the end of the year to my goal weight (and probably beyond the 50kg I've put on the tracker...to me that's sort of a maximum, but I think I'd be reasonably happy there... at least fully clothed!)

Anyway, I will continue for the rest of March doing as I'm doing. April I will probably go the 30 day all raw challenge where I don't cook any food at all! At the moment I'm having something cooked every day, but I think for the final one month stretch to the 1st of May I would like to kick it up a notch higher. I will also probably try and fit in more cycling in April as well (which means I need to get in gear and accomplish a few more goals in March so I have the time to achieve this... which means finish sorting out the house pretty well, so I don't have to spend 1.5 hours a day cleaning over and above my usual chores).

However, for all that I'm still technically obese, I do feel A LOT better. While I would like to end my official obesity by the end of this week (which means losing 1.7kg) I won't beat myself up if it doesn't happen. The fact is, I do feel better about myself now. My tummy has definitely gone down a lot (as I said in an earlier post it was getting hard to bend over because my tummy got in the way, and I had never experienced that before except when I was preggers). I fit into jeans now (sure they're the biggest jeans I've got, but just five weeks ago I couldn't have done them up... even two weeks ago when I first put them on it was a struggle to get them done up... now they are feeling pretty comfortable). I imagine in another 5 weeks the jeans will be too big and I can fit into a smaller pair! Fortunately, I have plenty of clothes of various sizes so I don't have to worry too much about that ;) I still have the Levis I bought overseas 16 years ago (lol that sounds soooo long ago... but it doesn't feel it!) and that are still in good condition. However, I think to wear them I'll need to be under 50, cause I was in mid 40s when I bought them. Even then if I put on a bit of weight they'd get tightish! I think I have 4 pairs (I bought them in Barstow California for $25 each... in Australia at the time it would cost $110 for a pair of 501s... not sure what they cost now!)

Anyway, my ultimate goal is to fit comfortably in those jeans again! I don't think I've been able to wear them since early 1995 (that was the year I started going out with my husband and I put on a ton of weight, and even at my thinnest since then I've never been able to get back into my jeans). So, yeah, the year I turn 37 I want to drop back to the weight I was at 21! This isn't unrealistic, but it does call for a certain amount of dedication and hard work! However, it will be worth it :) And thinking about it really does motivate me! I'd love to rid myself of my "mummy tummy" which has been a real problem for me since I had kids, even when I did lose weight after my third child (got into the low 50s then and kept it off for awhile, but eventually it came back with interest added). The problem is my tummy is very stretched and saggy...and I'm hoping that when the body fat drops low enough, I can get rid of the fat pocket from under the skin and the skin will tighten up again. I did read somewhere that the skin SHOULD be elastic enough to do that. I have some doubts, but it's worth a shot. Otherwise it's a visit to the plastic surgeon and several thousand $$$$... eep... I'd rather avoid that if possible!

Anyway, I did finish the book I aimed to finish last week. Since then I've got a new job (only a smallish one though) but it was one I got without even trying, so I can't complain about that! There is another potential job though, which I am turning down. Waaaay too much effort for far too little reward, that one! Insane! I will do cheap articles if I know the content and can pretty much write off the bat, however, if it requires a lot of research there's no way I'll write a $5 article!

This week is also when I start writing for ME! I have vowed that the first 2 hours of my writing time will be dedicated to my own writing. I am also doing a writing course (self paced) that I have yet to really get stuck into, so I want to do that as well. I need to get that first assignment off, and then I can forget it for a couple of weeks until I hear back from them (all assignments except the first one can be sent in by email, but the first one I need to post back to the UK so it will take awhile before I hear anything back about it). So, I need to start writing a NEW book for ME this week! Once I've spent 2 hours on it and done some of my writing assignment, THEN I can do something for clients. I also need to start bidding on new jobs, which means getting together my portfolio (off my old computer). So, lots to do and I better get started! Today is also EPOC day AND I need to go shopping!

WELL! Today got thrown right out the window! It's 12:30 and I haven't done any of my own writing yet. I went on my ride, got home and checked the mail and discovered that my son had won a scholarship. I was so excited, I messaged my husband, rang my parents and chatted, and filled out all the forms I need (just need hubby's signature which I can't get until the weekend). Anyway, it's now 12:30 lol. AND I have EPOC, housework and shopping to do! I also want to do a bid for an Elance job which, if I win it, will pay me for a month (a reasonable amount for a month anyway). I really need to get stuck into work as my son's scholarship is for 50% tuition for school starting next year, and I still have to find the other 50% to pay ;) (it will be close to $5000 for the year... so not dreadful... but still, a definite challenge considering I'm fairly broke!). I then have two years before I have to worry about paying for my second child's tuition (I always said that I wouldn't send them to different schools, even if I have to pay full fee for the others, who I doubt would qualify for scholarships...they're not unintelligent, just not way above average). BUT it means really focussing on work, making sure I don't go into debt this year (with the Visa) and if possible getting some money put aside so I can pay easily when the time comes.

Ooh and I STILL have to pay school fees for this year (definitely not too bad at the school they're at now... at the last school it was $150 per child...this year it's $50 for each of the first two and $25 for the third). BUT it still has to come from my pocket which is woefully empty at the moment!

Well, I will do the bid for this job, then I will do my EPOC and housework. I will definitely do some writing today, but it will probably not be until after the kids get home from school. I'll also have to take the kids out for tea to celebrate!) Good for them, not so good for vegan mummy ;) ahh well!

Well, I managed to go shopping, but now it's 3:20 and the kids will be home soon, so for the most part today has been a bit of a wash! Well, that sometimes happens. It's just when it happens TOO frequently that it's a bad thing! The house is still messy, and I contemplated doing a bit of the housework, but my foot is quite sore and itchy from walking around the shops (stupid ant!) I am hoping it will be feeling better tomorrow! Of course, the day's still young ;) there is plenty of time to get some writing done, or at least PLANNING for the book I'm going to write. I did promise myself it would be my priority, though and I'd spend 2 hours writing before doing any other work related activity. It's sort of the "pay yourself first" concept. Usually I put my work behind other people's work and what I want to do doesn't get done. I need to turn it around and do MY work first!

Well! Had La Porchetta's for tea and I am STUFFED! I am not sure if it was completely vegan... but I had gnocci with a tomato based sauce. The gnocci may have had eggs for all I know! But I did my best. Of course, it was loaded with carbs and I am very full now! However, it's kinda good in weight loss to have a high calorie day as it errm helps kickstart you along sort of! So if I go back to eating well after that, I should end up losing extra weight. Or so I hope ;)