2/8/03

Hello everybody, how are you all? Thanks for stopping by to have a look at my brand spanking new journal. My name is Jo and I am 20. I live in Melbourne, Australia. On Wednesday I went to my first Weight Watchers Meeting and joined myself up. Today is my third day of the program and so far it's going really well. My mum has also joined up with me and we each have about the same amount to lose. It's great to have the company and we are even finding it fun being healthy and going walking together for exercise, but even though I have support at home I still feel like I need this journal. I don't think I'll ever be able to speak up at the WW meetings about obstacles I am facing when my mum is sitting near there with me. So this is my outlet for that and here I am!

A bit about me: I am a music student studying at one of Melbourne's music college's. I'm a singer and also play guitar, piano and clarinet but the singing is what I focus on and the rest is very much on the side. I also teach singing part time which is great. Most of my students are little children. Part of my decision to lose weight is based on my music. It is really hard to be a singer and be overweight, I have learned. You get denied things, you get judged before you even open your mouth to sing a note. It's wrong but it's true. Especially someone like me who wants to someday work in musical theatre. I want to audition for some amateur theatre companies but judging from my experience nobody wants their lead romantic heroine to be overweight. This is not the main reason I want to lose weight, but it is one of the things I hope to conquer when I do.

Basically I realise that I actually do have a choice about the way I live my life. Yes, I am unhappy with my weight. Yes, I would like to wear pretty clothes and not feel out of place among girls who can wear those clothes. Yes, I want to be healthy. Well, guess what? I CAN be! I'm really excited about the choice I've made and I garuntee this will be the last time I ever try to lose weight, because after this try I am not going to be overweight anymore.

Before I sign off, I just want to explain my journal title to you all. I can't remember the last time I have worn nice clothes that were actually fashionable. At the moment I am a size 20 and the largest size that things like capri pants come in is size 16. In my wardrobe I have 2 pairs of capri pants - one yellow, the other pink with little flowers on them. They are a size 16 and I bought them 2 summers ago with the hope of losing enough weight to fit into them. They are still sitting in the plastic bags they came in with the tags on. So my first mini goal is to fit into those capris and wear them this summer (its winter in Aus. right now. Summer starts Dec 1.). I just know I can do it. Every week I am going to try to put them on and watch them get easier and easier until they actually fit. So that's why this journal is my own personal little journal down the road to capri's :)

Signing off,
Jo

Hi Jo, :wave:

Welcome to DT and to the Journal's forum.

Of course YOU WILL SUCCEED .. and how fortunate you are to share this wonderful journey with your mother.

I am sure you will find much support and encouragement here at DT ..... all of us here ... like yourself are working towards achieving our weight loss goals IN A HEALTHY AND PERMANENT WAY -- using different programs to meet our goals.

Again welcome to DT and I look forward to hearing about your success. Always, Monica :wn

2/8/03
INSPIRATIONAL SONG OF THE WEEK

Every week I would like to post the lyrics to a song that I feel is inspirational and uplifting. If anyone has any suggestions for a song they would like me to post, please feel free to email me at rainbow_garland@diettalk.net

Here is this week's song:

"SURVIVOR" Destiny's Child

Now that you're out of my life I'm so much better
You thought that I'd be weak without you but I'm stronger
You thought that I'd be broke without you but I'm richer
You thought that I'd be sad without you, I laugh harder
You thought I wouldn't grow without you, now I'm wiser
You thought that I'd be helpless without you but I'm smarter
You thought that I'd be stressed without you but I'm chilling
You thought I wouldn't sell without you, sold 9 million

I'm a survivor, I'm not gonna give up, I'm not gonna stop, I'm gonna work harder.
I'm a survivor, I'm gonna make it, I will survive and keep on surviving.

Thought I couldn't breathe without you, I'm inhaling
You thought I couldn't see without you, perfect vision
You thought I couldn't last without you but I'm lasting
You thought that I would die without you but I'm living
You thought that I would fail without you but I'm on top
You thought it would be over by now, but it won't stop
Thought that I would self destruct but I'm still here
Even in my years to come I'm still gonna be here

'Coz I'm a survivor, I'm not gonna give up, I'm not gonna stop, I'm gonna work harder.
I'm a survivor I'm gonna make it. I will survive and keep on surviving.

After all of the darkness and sadness
Soon comes happiness
If I surround myself with positive things
I'll gain prosperity.

I'm a survivor......

Welcome back Jo..great to see you again. Im glad WW is working well for ya. I look forward to seeing your posts and your progress. I know you can do it! Take care and have a super week. :flower:

Hi! I'm so jealous that you can sing - that's a talent I just don't have. Hope WW is going well for you.

~niki

Hi Jo-- welcome to the journals..
i just read your entries and had to tell you that your outlook on weight loss and your spirit is great!! You can do this.. and you sound like your ready to begin your journey!!

Journaling is so theraputic and my journals have gotten me through some rough spots of my weight loss plan. I love your idea of posting lyrics that are inspirational and motivating! music is one of my greatest loves. I love to sing but I am by no means a performer.. not even at a karioke bar!! Being over weight definately makes being a singer/performer harder. People unfortunatly judge us on our outer appearance and not our inner beauty. You are definately a beautiful person!!! i am rooting for you and will drop in often to see how you are doing. keep it up! with your great attitude you WILL succeed! and i cant wait to see you get to your first goal(size 16!!) you will do it:)

hugs Lisa

Jo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i am so happy to see you back, i need the aussie support and was really sad when you left.
i am really happy for you that you have joined ww and i look forward to supporting you every step of the way to goal..
i have missed you!
hugs bell :)
p.s hows the Melbourne winter treating you?

3/8/03

Hi everyone, once again. Special thankyous to Lisa, Monica, Niki, Lindasue and Bell for your posts! It makes all the difference to have your support and your words of encouragement!

Monica - Thanks for the welcome and the empowering words! Its nice to meet you and I'm looking forward to following your progress too! Together we will succeed!

Lindasue - So great to see you again! I visited your journal and I'm so glad to see you are still going so well! You go girl!

Niki - Thanks to you also! I must admit I really am so thankful to be able to 1) get so much love and enjoyment out of singing and 2) be in a position where I can make music for a living. What I mean by that is that I have been accepted into my course, which only takes 8 singing students a year, I've been lucky enough to land my job as a singing teacher..luck has just been on my side. Lots of people don't get that much oppurtunity. Looking forward to chatting with you more! What sort of music are you into?

Lisa - Hi! Don't you worry, I am finding journalling very theraputic! About a year and a half ago I guess it was, I was a regular at DT but unfortuneately I didn't make it that time. Never mind, this time I will get there and it's great catching up with all the old faces and the new ones too! Nice to hear that we have the interest of music in common. I totally agree with you, music is a beautiful love to have.

Bell - Woo Hoo! AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE! Great to see you're still here maintaining your beautiful bod :) Melbourne weather is FREEZING thanks for asking! How's QLD? I bet it's still 30 degrees even in winter haha. Looking forward to hearing all your news!

Well, everyone congratulate me! I displayed immense will power tonight. Go me! Tonight I went back to the studio where I teach, at 6pm to help record a choir for a church album one of the other teachers is organising. It was great fun, but for dinner they put on a big spread of pizzas!!!! They smelt soooooo good! There was this one with a ton of melted bruschetta cheese (how do you spell bruschetta?) and all this other great stuff and I felt like I could practically taste it! I love italian food with a passion, you don't understand! But did I have a piece? No. I sat down with my home packed turkey sandwich and my tub of low fat vanilla yoghurt and my big bottle of water and had my own little healthy picnic. Then they opened bags of lollies and chocolate biscuits and i wished I'd brought some rice snacks or something with me because I felt really self conscious not taking any. I've just got home now (Its 1:30am) and I'm practically having fits, but I am proud to say I resisted every crumb of that junk food tonight, I feel like someone should throw a parade for me!

Something really nice happened to me while I was at the studio. I got the job there through my singing teacher, who now isn't my teacher because I get taught at school, but we are close friends. I guess thats why she gave me the job, because something just clicked when we met. Anyway I was chatting to her about Weight Watchers tonight. I feel like she is a "safe" person to talk to about it because she is 33 and gorgeous and has a wonderful figure, but when she was a bit younger than I am now she actually lost a heap of weight with Jenny Craig so she's been through the same thing. Anyway she was chatting about how I was going and we figured out that she was the same starting weight as I am and that she lost almost the same amount as I have to. We were saying how it is like angels have set us up to be friends so she can help me through it. She said if things ever get tough to give her a call or come over to her house and chat and she'll be like a support person. Isn't that nice. And she's going to send me all positive vibes. She also said that I had a glow about me like I look empowered. I thought she was only just saying that but then one of my other friends from the school who doesn't know about Weight Watchers, said a simalar thing. So I came home tonight feeling great. It's like all the little pieces have fallen into place for a successful weight loss journey this time. Does anyone ever feel like that? Like all the angels or spirits or whatever you call them, are on your side.

I also dug out my Richard Simmons video "Sweating to the Oldies" which hasn't seen the light for ages, and I did the workout! So all in all it's been a fantastic day!

Signing off with lots of love,
Jo

jo- way to go on resisiting the pizza!! i am 1/2 italian so i have it in my blood.. i love pizza.. its my favorite food but i have resorted to making my own and i put healthy stuff on it and dont us e any oils or anthing so it isnt greasy like at the pizza parlors.
i am glad that you found someone in "real" life to support you as well. its hard when the people around you dont understand or dont support you or if u feel uncomfortable talking to them about it it makes it so much harder. luckily my bf is very suportive so is my mom and i am comfortaable talking to her about my weight. Isnt it so motivating actually knowing someone who has been where you are and has gotten thru the weight loss proccess?!?
it is so nice to have someone to talk to.
take care:)

Hi Jo, :wave:

WAY TO GO WITH YOUR WILL POWER AND DETERMINATION :up:

You should give yourself a tremendous PAT ON THE BACK for your excellent planning .... it is so difficult when out with others to watch them feeding their faces ..... or having alcoholic beverages (because I am a diabetic I am not allowed alcohol) ... as I sip ice water:water: with a slice of lemon. LOL I have nursed a glass of water until the ice has melted .....

You know if you like to bake ... there are countless recipes for desserts that you can enjoy. If I know what you like I will be happy to post some recipes in your Journal ..... I have become a collector of recipes .... I go to the library and check out various cookbooks ... love the ones with pictures .... lol I can lick the pages (just kidding lol) and not have to worry about caloric or nutritional values .....

Make it a great day .. and have and make it a fantastic weekend. As always, Monica :wn

Jo,
thats so awesome about resisting all that pizza and lollies. that really shows some determination and willpower!
what a nice thing for that other teacher to say to you, and i would take her up on the offer of chatting with her about any struggles etc that you come up against whilst losing.
All is good here in Brisbane, 5 degrees in the morning but still gets to 20-25 during the day so i cant complain...still working night shift..cant wait til Riley is at preschool next year and maybe i can work some day shifts. moved into our own house last November, got my license in November. lots has been happening.So what exciting things have you been doing?
hugs bell :)

3/8/03 Continued...

Hi everyone once again, hope you're all having a great day. I am! Slept late today seeing as I got in so late (or so early this morning I should say). Thanks to my cheer squad for the beautiful messages. It is so lovely to log on and see all this support coming my way. It means a lot.

Lisa - Yes, It is really great to talk to someone who looks so beautiful and is so healthy, when you know that it is all the result of a weight loss journey. She lost all that weight when she was about 17 and she is now 33 so it is also proof that you can maintain the weight once it comes off. Thanks for your homemade pizza idea. Reading your post made me think that it would be easy to make a nice healthy pizza to fit into the WW points plan. What do you usually put on yours?

Monica - Thankyou for your recipe offer, I would love to try some new ideas! I just love to cook and bake! I am trying to sit here and think of which desserts to tell you I like but I'm having a hard time narrowing it down hahaha. You are welcome to just send me your favourites I'm sure I will love them. How do you cope with desserts being diabetic? Also if you have quite a few weight watchers recipes, do you have any recipes for pasta bakes? I just love pasta and I'm feeling a bit deprived :)

Bell - I knew QLD was still nice and sunny even in winter! Continuing on from what i've just asked Monica about the pasta bake, do you remember that recipe I posted back when I used to have my old DT journal? I remember you saying you made it and you loved it. It was a pasta bake with tuna and celery and it tasted like a cream based sauce but it was just made with skim milk? If you remember it do you still have it somewhere because I was thinking I would like to make it but cant remember the exact recipe? As for news with me, I also have my licence. I got it the day before Xmas Eve just gone. I honestly don't know how I got along without it. Now I can go out whenever, not have to worry about how I'm going to get a lift home etc...do you feel the same way? Woo hoo us independant driving girls!

Well, haven't really got too much news to pass on since this morning. I have to rehearse some songs this afternoon because my band at school is performing for my college open day on Aug 10th. I also might get on the piano and work on a song I'm writing.

I'm really anxious for Wednesday to come around so I can go back to WW for my first weigh in. The week seems to be going to slow :) I'm really excited though because tomorrow night I am going over to a girl from school's house and she is giving me a facial and a haircut and colour. She is a hairdresser and beautician part time as well as doing the same music course I am doing. She has been saying for ages she would love to give me a makeover. So I'm getting the full works tomorrow night all for free, just because she loves doing it. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Lots of Love
Jo

Hi Jo,

Later on today I will post two or three pasta recipes ..... I have a pasta cookbook .....

Insofar as desserts for diabetics .... lol I have a cookbook for that as well as creative cooking lol by ME. I like to try different things sometimes my concoctions turn out :super: and other times like :tomato: ........ I promise I won't give you any of the :tomato: recipes -- don't want to ruin my image. LOL. Take care and make it a great day. As always, Monica :wn

Jo-- i am glad that you mentioned your weigh in was wesnesday because i was curious about when it was. As far as the pizza goes... i used low fat mozzarella cheese and chicken breast with peppers and onions on it. it tastes great to me and i am still eating healthy veggies and chicken for some protein!! it is great that your friend is offering to give you a make over. its a wonder what a cut and color can do for someones self sesteem as well! when i get a haircut i just feel so different!! i love that feeling. and i love the compliments too.. i wont lie!! lol. have a great day jo... and i cant wait to hear about your WW meeting.. feels so far away doesnt it!!!

hugs Lisa

MACARONI AND CHEESE ....... Serves 6
8 oz. small elbow macaroni (approx 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups Low-Fat Cottage Cheese *
1 tbspn all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups Low Fat Milk **
1/2 tspn salt
1/4 tspn pepper ***
1/4 tspn cayenne pepper
6 oz. shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese (about 1 1/2 cups) ****
6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tbspns Dijon mustard
2 tbspns plain breadcrumbs
1 tspn vegetable oil

* I use Nonfat Cottage Cheese to lessen fat content
** I use Nonfat Milk to lessen fat content
*** I use White Pepper
**** I use Healthy Choice Shredded Cheese


Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish; set aside.
In a food processor (or blender) process cottage cheese until smooth; set aside.
TO MAKE THE SAUCE: In a large saucepan, place flour over medium heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until well mixed.
Bring to a boil; add salt, pepper and cayenne until well mixed.
Cook stirring constantly until slightly thickened.
Add 1 1/4 cups Cheddar Cheese, green onions and mustard until well mixed. Cook, stirring until cheese is melted.
Add macaroni; toss gently to evenly coat. Spoon into prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, then breadcrumbs.
Drizzle with oil and bake for 25 minutes or until slightly browned.
[/list=1] [list]
Total Calories 421
Total Fat 10 grams
Carbohydrates 50 grams
Cholesterol 34 milligrams
Sodium 736 milligrams
Protein 24 grams


FETTUCINE WITH FRESH SALMON --- Serves 4
1 cup Low Sodium FF Chicken Broth *
1/3 cup dry white wine **
12 oz. skinned, boneless Salmon Fillet, cut into 1/2 inch slices
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 Red Pepper, diced
1 tbspn No Salt Added Tomato Paste
1 tbspn Lemon Juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, finely chopped
5 oz. fresh Spinach Fettuccine ***
5 oz. Fresh Fettuccine ****
1 1/2 tspns cornstarch
1/4 cup FF Sour Cream *****

* I use Swanson's Reduced Sodium FF Chicken Broth
** I use White Cooking Wine
*** I use Contadina Spinach Fettuccine
**** I use Contadina Fettuccine
***** I use Daisy Sour Cream

In a skillet combine broth and wine over high flame. Reduce to low flame. Add salmon. Cover and cook until salmon is just opaque. Remove salmon and set aside.
TO THE SAME SKILLET add green onions and red pepper; cook UNCOVERED until pepper is tender. Add tomato paste and lemon juice; simmer for one minute. Add dill until well mixed.
Cook fettuccine according to package directions.
In a small bowl combine cornstarch and 1 tbspn water until well mixed. Increase flame to medium high; bring vegetable broth mixture to a BOIL. Add cornstarch mixture, cook STIRRING CONSTANTLY, until mixture is slightly thickened. Reduce to low flame.
Add salmon; cook until heated through. Remove from heat. Add Sour Cream until well mixed.
Drain fettuccine; place in a large serving bowl. Add Salmon mixture; toss to evenly coat.
[/list=1] [list]
Total Calories per serving 419
Total Fat 8 grams
Carbohydrates 50 grams
Cholesterol 111 milligrams
Sodium 242 milligrams
Protein 29 grams


LINGUINE AND BROCCOLI with PEANUT SAUCE -- Serves 6
1/2 cup PLUS 2 tbspns Creamy Peanut Butter *
1/4 cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce **
2 tbspns Oriental Sesame Oil
2 tspns White Vinegar
1/2 cup FF Chicken Broth ***
8 oz. Linguine
3 tbspns vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks fresh broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large Red Pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large Green Pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
8 green onions, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup packed cilantro
* I use Skippy Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
** I use Kikkoman Low Sodium Soy Sauce
*** I use Swanson's Reduced Sodium FF Chicken Broth

TO MAKE PEANUT SAUCE In food processor (or blender) combine peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegar; process until smooth; gradually add broth and process until blended and smooth. Set aside.
Cook linguine according to the package directions.
In skillet, heat oil over medium high flame UNTIL HOT. Add garlic -- cook for approximately 1 minute; add broccoli, red and green pepper; cook stirring constantly until VEGETABLES ARE TENDER . Add green onions and cilantro.
Drain linguine; place in large serving dish. Add vegetables and peanut sauce; tossing gently to evenly coat.
[/list=1] [list]
Total Calories per serving 410
Total Fat 20 grams
Carbohydrates 38 grams
Cholesterol 0 milligrams
Sodium 623 milligrams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Protein 15 grams


I haven't made these dishes in a long long time . .... my favorites though in the pasta cookbook. I especially like the Fettuccine with Salmon .... because it is important for me to have salmon as often as possible ...... for the omega3 fats. In fact, lol it made me decide to make this recipe again .....

I hope you enjoy them ..... if you want more ... just ask. As always, Monica

Hello,


wishing you the best on weigh in. i follow ww too and i love it.
it is a sensible healthy plan and easy to follow./ i dont go to meetings though.

well take care.

Hi Jo,
that tuna bake recipe is one of my faves and i have made it quite a few times. i will dig out my recipe book later and find it to email you!
facial and haircolor and cut for free sounds like a bargain to me thats for sure! what color are you going to get? i have colored my hair so many times over the years i dont have a clue what my natural hair color is anymore lol...
i agree with you re the driving...i was so scared to learn to drive for so long. now i just feel like i have always been driving and cant believe i waited so long.... independance is awesome!
I will be thinking of you for wednesdays weigh in but will check in with you before then.
hugs bell :)

A make-over, how much fun is that? I love watching those shows where they make people over especially when it is a huge transformation. Did you take before and after pics?

Congratulations on being strong and sticking to your WW plan. That's great that you have "in-person" support from someone who has been in almost your exact same position and has had so much success with her weight loss.

What kind of music do you write? I love listening to all kinds of music. I love the piano. It's the only instrument that I can "sort-of" play. I was better when I was younger, haven't played in such a long time, but really love listening to others play - Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Ben Folds. Good luck with your band practice and upcoming performance!

Hi guys I'm really sorry for not posting for the last couple of days. I have been so sick in bed, today is the first day I have been well enough to get out of bed apart from going to the doctors. My weigh in is tonight and I will go to be weighed but won't stay for the meeting I don't think as Im much better but still not 100%. Thankyou for all your lovely posts. I think I will have lost some weight this week because I have only managed a bowl of cornflakes and a couple rice crackers in the last 3 days. I have some sort of flu bug.

I will answer all your posts when I am feeling better
Love Jo

6/8/03
Hi everyone! Woo hoo just got back from my first weigh in at WW. I had a huge loss! As I said I am finding it hard to know how to feel about my loss because it really was too much to lose in one week. But I am mostly ecstatic because it wasn't my choice to not be able to keep anything down for almost 4 days, I may as well look at the benefits of being so sick. haha

I lost 4.1kg or 9.02 lbs!!!!!!! And it was sooo nice hearing my compliment from the lady that does the weigh ins. She said "Wow! Fantastic effort!" and I explained to her about being so sick and she said "Never mind, there are up sides of being sick too I guess!" I'm sure next weeks loss will be more "normal".

I made sure to get out the tub of margarine from the fridge and that was 500g. So 4 of those tubs is what I lost this week. It was so satisfying to see it in that light.

Thankyou to my wonderful friends who posted:

Monica - Thanks so much for the pasta recipes I am sooo looking forward to especially the macaroni and cheese. I am such a cheese addict! And don't worry even if you did send me one of those not so nice recipes I would still pretend I loved it and not hold it against you! :)

Lisa - The makeover was great except for it being the afternoon when I was just starting to get sick so I wasn't feeling the greatest. But she did a fantastic job the haircut is great. I have this funky chin length cut thats cut all textured so it has that cool messy sort of look and a side fringe. It is also cherry red. Pretty cool! Thankyou for your yummy pizza ideas.

Minnie Mouse - Thanks for posting! Yes, the Weight Watchers plan is wonderful isn't it!? I have just found out this week about saving points so I'm excited because I realise that if someone asks me out to dinner I don't have to be scared of the food and cancel, I can plan for the week and save the necessary points.

Bell - Yay! I cant wait for the tuna bake recipe. So glad you still have it! Havent checked the email yet but will asap. Re: makeover (see Lisa's section ! haha). I feel exactly the same way about driving. Independance rocks. All the women who're independant! THROW YOUR HANDS UP AT ME!!! hahaha. Hey Bell, being a fellow Aussie, have you been watching Australian Idol? What is your opinion on the show and the judging?

Niki - Totally forgot the before and after pics I'm sorry to say! As for the music that I write it tends to be very middle of the road if you know what I mean. I just write whenever I get inspired. Eg. if someone annoys me, if I like someone etc..I just get on the piano and write. And yes I love Tori Amos and Fiona Apple too and I like Ben Folds Five but dont know heaps of their stuff.

Lots of Love
Jo

7/8/03

Hi there everyone,

It's about 7.45pm here and my mum and I are just getting ready to make some healthy burgers :) Yum yum, looking forward to that!

I'm feeling much better today and am ready to go back to school tomorrow. Feeling a bit flat tonight though because we are getting news coverage on the Bali Bombing trials and they have just found the first suspect, Amrozi, guilty today and he has been sentenced to death. Everyone seems to be really happy about it and I just can't understand it. Not that I don't think he shouldn't be punished for what he did, I certainly do and I'm glad he's been found guilty but I don't believe in the death penalty, I don't think it is our place to take life from someone, especially when the whole point of the killing is to prove that killing is wrong. And he seems really thrilled to become a martyr so it seems to make more sense to take that glory away and make him stay in jail forever. Most of all, I keep remembering last year when the bombings happened and me and a friend went and saw all the flowers on the steps of Parliament House. Everyone turned P.H. into a shrine and there were bouquets and teddy bears and letters and messages and people standing praying and crying and we just stood there and read all the notes and cried ourselves. I just think of that and think isn't there enough killing in this world already?

Well off I go, to make the burgers.
Much love,
Jo

PS. Can get the capri pants all the way on now but they are skin tight and cannot do up zip or buttons, at all!!! Can't even get the button and button hole to meet hahaha. Oh well I'll get there.

Great progress with the capris - you'll be zipping and buttoning in no time!

8/8/03

Hi everyone!

Had a really great day today. I met my friend at school this morning that gave me the makeover on Monday night and we walked over to the shopping centre near school and did some clothes shopping. Do you know how fun it is to shop for clothes when you have just lost 9lbs in one week hahahaha.??!!! VERY FUN! My size 20 jeans are like sacks they look awful (well they look good because I'm not used to seeing them loose!). So I was thinking when I sing on Sunday I won't look very nice in my old saggy jeans. I just wanted to buy a nice outfit and not spend a lot of money, but clothes being usually my major enemy, I thought to myself because I am still a big person at the weight I am now, I will probably find nothing to fit at a good price, I'll probably have to spend more. I happened to mention this to my friend and she said "No probs Jo, we'll find you an outfit!" so she came with me this morning. She is not only good at makoevers she is verrry good with clothes!! She found plenty of really funky clothes that I would never have thought of on my own. Anyway so she gets out a pair of size 18 3/4 length kakhi pants and i thought auuggh no way are they gonna fit me. I didn't want to tell her I wouldnt be able to fit them so I just thought I'll try them on and when they don't fit, I'll tell her I absolutely hate them and so she won't ask me to show her. But would you believe it? They fit! So we put them to the side (and by the way they are really funky, they are the coolest pair of pants I've ever worn!) and we went searching for the top half of the outfit, we found this white shirt with extremely thin light pink pinstripe lines and instead of buttons, it has like a corset effect across the front with these two ties that cross cross over one another and then you tie it at the top. You have to wear a singlet top underneath the shirt. Since I already have a singlet top at home, we just grabbed one to try on with the outfit and once I put the whole outfit on, I was amazed at how nice I looked with my new hairdo from monday and my smaller sizes (the shirt was a 16!) and such stylish clothes. And with the help of my friend we added this cool necklet that was only $7 its only dress jewellery but it looks great!. So all together, the pants were $30 and the top was $20 and the necklet was $7. So for $57 I got a great ensemble for sunday and I'm thrilled.

Lots of Love
Jo

jo your shopping trip sounded fun. i love when i put something on that i think isnt ging to fit me and i freak out because it DOES and it looks good too at that! wait til you fit into those capri's! you will be so excited!
the smaller your clothes the cuter they make them which sucks but it gives you incentive to keep going and to fit into smaller sizes. i hate shopping sometimes because even if the clothes look cute on the hangers when i put them on they just dont look right!!! well soon we will be able to throw on whatever we want and look FABULOUS!! keep up the good work:)

12/8/03

Hi everyone

Thanks Lisa for your post, I totally agree with you about the smaller the clothes are the cuter they make them. This is definitely true. At the moment in Australia it looks like the trend for spring will be stripes. Quite a few popular stores have launched a spring stripes range of clothes. I am trying to resist looking because I already have my capri's as a goal I don't think I should buy a new pair of expensive pants even if they do have cool black stripes!

As it turned out with my new outfit it was too cold on sunday to wear it for the concert so I had to wear my baggy jeans after all. It didn't matter, I still felt great. And I was able to sing as my flu improved in time. I'm going to wear the new outfit out to dinner tomorrow night instead. I'm a bit worried though about going out because I didnt get to pick the place. It is a belated dinner that the jewellers i used to work at before I started singing teaching is throwing me as a going away. I left a few months ago but at the time a lot of people were on holidays and we never got to have a going away for me. So they want to have a night for me and they have a present for me which I'm pretty excited about :) Anyway, I'm worried because they just went ahead and organised the night and booked a Mexican restaurant. I'm going to find it hard to be healthy. Mexican is not my fave at the best of times, and especially not when I'm trying to eat well. Apparently according to my WW books, the bean burritos are pretty ok so I might have one of those. Also Weds is the only night they can do the dinner so even though I'm not that fussed about whether we have one or not, they really want to give me one so I felt I had to agree. Only thing is Weds is WW night so I have to miss my weigh in this week. Oh well, next week's great result will make the 2 week wait more fun i suppose.

I made a lovely dinner tonight. It was low fat tuna mornay with rice. I'll have to post the recipe.

Capri's update: They are still skin tight but I can get them all the way on and although I cant do them up, if I hold the fabric, i can at least get the ends to meet where the zip and button are. Last week i couldnt do that.

Lots of Love
Jo

Hi Jo,

If you go out for Mexican food .... if you have a soft taco (ask for a corn tortilla instead of flour tortilla ... fewer calories and more fiber) ..... remove the cheese ..... add salsa to it ..... ; refried beans high in fiber .... rice is okay as long as you eat half of the portion (the restaurants here always give you so much rice .....)

You know you were saying you have the capris .... well you are going to lose weight so maybe if you have the incentive for those striped pants .... you will become closer to achieving more than one goal .....

YOU ARE DOING JUST GREAT ..... DON'T FORGET TO GIVE YOURSELF A BIG PAT ON THE BACK ...... Our successes take time ..... BUT WE HAVE MUCH TO CELEBRATE WHEN WE HAVE LOST THOSE UNWANTED POUNDS OF BLUBBER :cheers:. Make it a great day. As always, Monica :wn

14/8/03

Hi All,

Thanks Monica for your post. As it turned out all your Mexican food tips were unused as we had to cancel the dinner. I went to school on Wednesday morning and started throwing up before my first class, and had to go home sick and cancel the dinner. I was also too sick to go to my WW weigh in which I was more disappointed about. Feeling much better today and will go back to school tomorrow yet again! I must have caught another bug with my immune system being down from my flu? And anyone would think, monica that you are encouraging me to spend money on more clothes hahahaha! But then again maybe you're right, the more money I spend on clothes the harder it is for me to back out right? :)

I dread to think how much weight I have now lost with a new sickness on top of the flu. And I was just starting to get back to eating normal meals again too. I dont want to lose too much weight at once because I am worried it will fly back on again. It is really weird that when I get serious about actually losing weight, I happen to get sick and lose my appetite and weight starts falling off me. Why couldnt this happen before! hahaha

Lots of Love
JO

that new outfit sounds gorgeous Jo....if the striped pants are the ones off the ad i say add them to your goal outfit..they are so nice...wouldnt mind a pair myself!
hope you are over your tummy bug- there is a lot of that going around here at the moment too.
hugs bell :)