Eeeeek! The photo that started it all!

Hooray!  Happy New Year everyone!  I have greeted the day with a massive hangover.... actually it really isn't that bad!  I REALLY did not stick to my 2 glasses rule last night!  It was a relatively quiet night for us at Chez Laffin.  The food was awesome and I certainly can't complain about the company!  Hubby and I watched both lots of fireworks with the kids and then we went to bed.... I think.... lol

Stepping on the scales this morning provided me with a FABULOUS boost to my day.... now 114kg!  I am pretty happy about that!  One kilo down, nineteen to go!

Last night I made the decision to put on my big girl panties and share with you the photo that broke my heart!  Feel free to shield your eyes from the horror!  Never again will I look like this in a photo!  We were having a great day at the beach (with the exception of the close encounter with a Black Tip Reef Shark) and hubby wanted to capture the moment.  I am so very grateful that he did!

 

It wasn't until I saw this photo that I discovered that my butt had decided to creep halfway up my back!  (And my boobs had decided to head in the complete opposite direction!)  Luckily my gut had grown so big that it was slowing their southerly migration!  Thankfully my thighs were covered in this pic because the tops of them look like I had been hit by a hailstorm!  And I am talking golfball sized hailstones!

 

The person you see in the photo is not the person I see in my mirror!  Clearly there is something being lost in translation.  I see myself as an attractive, intelligent and totally fabulous person.  Obviously the mirrors in my house are rigged!  Maybe it is like the way you can still read a word if the first and last letters are in the right place, even if the centre letters are mixed up. Rgiht?  I think I am seeing the way I used to look and the also the person I want to be but totally getting the reality part mixed up!

 

 

I need to head off towards the fridge... not to make any bad hangover food choices.... but instead to slurp down my sixth litre of water for the day!  I can practically feel all those toxins escaping from my body!  Who knew that you didn't need something greasy to feel better after a night on the turps?!  I had a multivitamin, some leftover San Choy Bau and gallons of water.  I will be honest.... I FEEL GREAT!

 

And then.... I saw the photos I took last night.... ahhh well... we had some fun! Vamp it up much? lol

 



Brand New Day

I am feeling pretty damn proud of myself right about now!  Not only is there an open bottle of champagne in the fridge... from yesterday, not breakfast!  I did not even finish my second glass.  I left it on the bench when I served dinner and totally forgot about it.  By the time I got into the kitchen ... hubby had cleaned it up and the glass was loaded into the dishwasher!

By the way... the lamb roast was divine.  I sliced some fresh garlic, stabbed the flesh and inserted the slivers.  I then made a paste from lemon juice, olive oil and YIAH Harissa Seasoning and slathered it all over the leg.  After a few hours slow roasting in the barbeque.... it almost melted in our mouths!  Add some dry roasted potatoes, homegrown butternut pumpkin and green beans and we were all set.  I have given you a sneak peek of the roast before... unfortunately... there was no after pic.

The day began with an invitation to a New Years Party, which we politely declined.  This is the first time in too many years to count that the whole family is actually home at the same time.  It will be a quiet one for us, with maybe a few people attending.  I have decided on Tapas for tonight.  Bite sized healthy choices will be the name of the game.

I am still undecided on the exact menu but I suspect that I will be zipping into the kitchen each time I get inspired... to whip up another little delicacy.  I have already marinated some kalmata olives in YIAH Mediterranean Olive Oil and Chimchurri Seasoning.  I have a few zucchini flowers in the garden that look like they are desperately in need of stuffing and serving.

Hubby managed to locate some octopus in the freezer for me so I will be marinating that and throwing it on the barbeque a little later!  I seriously need to do some research first though... hello internet!

Homemade tortillas will also be on the menu!  They taste so much better than the store bought ones!  And I also like the fact that I can make white, yellow or purple ones!  As the rain has decided to return this morning, I will need to keep the kids amused.... delegating tortilla duty!

I had better go and get started... or we will be starving tonight. *Heads into the kitchen fantasizing about pork ravioli and quinoa tabouli......

Struggle Town

You wouldn't believe it!  I am ALREADY struggling!  I walked all the way down to the Boy Shed to get the bottle of Champagne so I could weigh it.  Now it is pouring with rain and I can't return it!  So.... do I or don't I?

As my hubby it currently roasting a leg of lamb in the BBQ... along with a selection of vegies... I think my calorie intake will be well and truely covered for today.  (The roast was decided on before the Blog! And when he offers to cook... I accept... three times per year) 

On the other hand.... if I DONT have a glass.... I am going to think about nothing else until I do!  Maybe having only a glass or two, rather than a bottle or two is the key!

Decision made..... I am going to try something new!  Not stressing that wine will go off in the fridge if I leave an open bottle in it!  One glass before and one glass with dinner!  ONLY!!!!!!

And.... there goes the cork!  I must admit.... it isn't tasting as wonderful as it usually does!  I guess that sour taste is from my lack of willpower!  I am going to lose this weight with moderation... so this is a good start!  After all.... I am not a contestant on The Biggest Loser!

Less alcohol and a smaller plate for dinner!

I did tell you it would be a warts and all journey...... so I would appreciate your continued support!  I have already received so many beautiful messages!  For that.... I sincerely thank you!

I would love to receive your feedback on my Blog entries.... to start YOU off.... What are YOUR challenges when it comes to losing the kilos?  Is it the glasses of your favourite alcoholic beverages?  Is it your partner's food choices?  Is it eating alone? Is it your Achilles Heel in the food department... ie. chocolate or sweets?  Please feel free to share!

I am off now to write my menu plan for January.  Shopping for food is something I do constantly!  I simply can not resist gorgeous vegies or a new ingredient!  I also love a food challenge!  Trying to recreate authentic cuisine from around the globe is my Achilles Heel.... because it isn't until halfway through a recipe that I realise there is a lot more fat or carbs involved!

My sister has been a great inspiration to me throughout the years.  She ALWAYS used to have a monthly menu plan!  It saved her a great deal of time, and money, when it came to the food budget.  When I am done, I will be sure to post mine.  I am thinking that I will do my weeks by cuisine... for example... Asian one week, Mediterranean the next.  I will definitely have to do an Aussie week at the end of the month... with the 26th January being Australia Day and all!

The Big WHY??

One of my mentors taught me about having a BIG WHY?  This is what drives us to succeed.  It is the reason we pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off and keep striving towards our goals.  Without a BIG WHY.... we have no direction.

My BIG WHY for this Blog... BE FABULOUS!  I want to LOOK fabulous, I want to FEEL fabulous, I want to BE fabulous and I want to INSPIRE fabulous!  For too many years I have been complacent to be ordinary and unamazing!  This way of living... is no longer enough for me, or for my family!

What is it that finally makes us do it?  Is it seeing the unflattering photos? Is it the ill-fitting clothes?  Is it the triple digit number when you jump on the scales?  Is it watching our children cry because one of their friends called you the F word? Or is it knowing your health is so badly affected that you can barely struggle out of your recliner? Or maybe... as is the case with me... ALL OF THE ABOVE!

Of course, in the situations above I am referring to losing weight, but this Blog is intended to be so much more than that!  Hopefully you will share my journey and be inspired!  I will be pulling no punches!  I will be presenting myself and my journey to FABULOUS... warts and all! 

So here I am, all 115kgs of me!  I know that being 6ft 1inch tall may have something to do with that... but I am no longer willing to use it as an excuse!  If people tell you things enough times, you really DO start to believe them!  Fact is... I was the same height when I was 95kg.  (Which is my goal weight)  I am sure that the medical professionals will tell me that I should be less, however... 20kg is a suitable level of achievement for a start!

So, let's talk about that 20kg... What is it?  It is the weight of 227 DVDs (I won't be watching).  It is also the weight of 28 pairs of running shoes (1 pair of which I intend to use very regularly... for walking).  Most importantly... it is the weight of 13.75 bottles of champagne I will not be drinking!  Don't get me wrong... I don't think I can go cold turkey on the alcohol but I am certainly going to limit my intake!  I am thinking... no more weekday drinkies for me.... only the weekends!  This should severely limit me as I usually work weekends....

Ah work.... now that brings up some interesting issues!  Did I mention what I do for a crust... pardon the pun!  I am a Consultant / Leader for a Gourmet Food Party Plan (Direct Sales) Company.  Food is my life!  (Preparing it, not consuming it!)  I will be using our products in my recipes that I share, as they are healthy (herb and spice blends) so I thought I would give you fair warning. 

My upsized figure was not a food related consequence... I can honestly attribute most of my excess kilos to my beloved Coke (the drinking kind) and the fermented juice from those wonderful Semillion Savignion grapes, and all their beautiful flavoured cousins (both red and white, bubbles or flat).

So let's get this party started!  Thanks for investing the time to check out my Blog.  Please feel free to share with any friends you think may be interested, who may need to be inspired or just want a bit of a giggle ... not to mention... a healthy recipe or two!  I look forward to sharing my FABULOUS ideas with you along the way!