The Clothes Line Diet...

It's a book written by Karen Gatt - who managed to lose 67 kilos, ( 147.7 lbs) and she started out losing the weight by simply eating sensibly and by making healthier choices...
As well as walking around the clothes line in her backyard...

Because walking around the clothes line was all she was capable of doing.
And she admits that some days, even that was hard to do.
She eventually shed the weight and ended up writing a book about her struggles - and it's a very interesting and inspiring read, with some great tips and recipes.
The Clothes Line Diet ( <-- go here to check it out)

Anyway, I was thinking last week, that sometimes it's nigh on impossible for me to get out of the house and do any regular consistent exercise, because I often end up working 12-18-or even 24 hour days.
And when I have the little ones or special needs kids in care, there's no chance in hell of getting out there and working up a sweat.
None.
I mean we can play and we can dance and we jump rope, skip around the yard, play tag etc... but when you're going at 3-4 year old speed, it makes it hard to get the ol' heart rate up... you know what I mean?

So... I've been walking around the backyard every chance I get - and it's a lot further than just around the clothesline...

See, I've got a huge backyard and from the patio, straight down to the back fence and garden shed it's about 75 steps.
So if I make a round trip, it comes in at 150-152 steps, all up.
And for every 2 steps, I'm basically covering a yard.

Not a huge amount, I'll grant you that... but for the last week, I've been making the round-trip at least 10-20 times a day - or more if I can.
And hey... it all adds up in the end, doesn't it?
Which is far better than adding up on my end.

Hey, we do get out for a walk around the neighborhood whenever we can, but if I've got kids in care, I just can't do it...
So the Old Guy and I only manage to get out for a "real" walk once or twice a week - and that isn't good enough, as far as I'm concerned.

So your assignment boys and girls, should you choose to accept it...
Is to do the math and tell me how far I've travelled if I do the "circuit" even 10 times a day.

I tried... I honestly did... but I'm sad to say, I'm one of those people who have to take off their shoes to count past 10.
And if I need to count past 20, I have to invite someone over.
I really do.

So can you help?

I'll even send you my unwanted Almond Roca's...

Good to the last drop! / Day 9

Day 9, of the 30 Day Throw Down:

Breakfast: 3 Weetbix, with blueberries and organic milk, 2 cups of coffee, black.

Morning tea: A piece of whole grain toast, with homemade lemon butter (lemon curd), and an apple.

Lunch: Crab Salad on a turkish roll, with red and green bell pepper strips and a couple of small kiwi fruits.

Afternoon tea: fruit salad with a bit of yogurt and chopped walnuts.

Dinner: 2 Canneloni, filled with spinach and ricotta cheese, green salad, and a small piece of garlic bread.

We ended up going for a walk after dinner last night, but I'm not sure how far we actually walked.
We walked fairly briskly - and we were gone for about 45-50 minutes or so, with a quick stop off at the playground, so that I could swing on the swings for a few minutes!
(Something I never get to do, when I have the kids around)

~~~~~

COFFEE !!!

My day started off right this morning, because the Old Guy brought around his coffee machine thingie last night, (after he figured out how to work the dang thing and how to make a normal cuppa, as well as fancy schmancy cappuchino's) and he left it here.
At MY house!

I joked with him last night, telling him that he needed to come around first thing in the morning - so that he could surprise me with my first cup of the day, because I didn't know how to work it .... So he DID!
At 4:45am!

I had just gotten out of bed, 'cause I smelled something good wafting down the hallway... and when I came out, this was waiting for me!
Wooo Doggies... I love this man!

Oh c'mon.. hurry up!

The way to a man's heart may be through his stomach, but the way to this girl's heart, is through her coffee cup - and he knows it!


Squinky-eyed, bad bed hair, and still half asleep, but Oh my stars!... What a lovely way to start the day!!

Crab meat from the 2 gorgeous crab legs I bought at Costco.

Our lunch, yesterday.

Doesn't it just look mmmm, mmmmm GOOD???

The back is feeling absolutely GREAT today, 'cause my magician-slash-chiropractor worked absolute wonders yesterday morning, even going as far as using the industrial strength massager on me! (tho I was a bit worried as how my arse must have looked, jiggling like a frog in a blender!) And I think the additional walking has helped, as well... so I plan on keeping it up!

I'm off work all day today, (2 kids off on holiday, and the other 2 are sick) so I think I might just settle down with a book... after I get some more laundry done.

Oh, and maybe after I have another cuppa....

Because my mama didn't raise no fools!!

Coffee anyone? - and day 7 & 8

Day 7 of the 30 Day Throw Down:

Breakfast:
Malto Meal, yogurt with blueberries and raspberries, and several cups of coffee with organic milk.

Morning tea:
fruit and crackers and a little Jarlsberg cheese

Lunch:
English muffin toasted, topped with chicken salad and grapes

Afternoon tea:
A couple of small pieces of beef jerky and a glass of iced tea - mainly because I was working in the garden and couldn't be stuffed preparing anything.

Dinner: A Caesar salad wrap from McDonald's
Mainly because I was too worn out from working in the garden, and my back was literally killing me.

~~~~~

Day 8:

Breakfast:
Oops. I forgot to eat it. I did have half a pot of coffee though, while I feebly attempted to clean the house. With organic milk.
Not clean the house with organic milk... because that would be stupid.
I had it in my coffee.
Duh.

Morning tea:
Ditto

Lunch: We were at Costco, so I just had me some samples of Asian chicken soup, bread with olive dip, and some seared salmon. Oh, and some meatball thingies.
And then I made the rounds again.
And then the Old Guy and I shared a slice of pizza from the food court.
Because we were at Costco, baby!

Dinner: I was too stuffed from the Costco samples to eat much of anything, other than a small handful of Blue Diamond Smoked Almonds.

~~~~~

Now... to bring you up to speed.
I had the day off yesterday, due to my back... and I was hoping that I could get in to see the chiropractor.
He did have a spot available at 10:30, but that totally conflicted with my hair appointment -
so I'm going in to see him at 10:15 this morning.
Because my hair is more important than my back pain.

See, I've got this great gal who comes to the house to do my hair, and there ain't nobody who can do it like Sue can.
She's just fantastic.
She never yells at me for chopping at it, or for waiting 7 months to re-color it or have it cut, or anything.

She knows what I like (even when I don't know it myself) she knows the tricks to coloring my hair that makes the gray just disappear... and even when it starts growing in again, it's hardly noticeable and it just blends right in.
( unless I leave it 5 or 6 months, and then I've got to admit - I'm not fooling anybody and I look more like a skunk, than I do anything else.)

And I have to say, I always look great when she's finished.
So yesterday, even though I may have looked great, I still felt pretty damn awful, from the back pain.

My dear Old Guy has been very solicitous and caring with the whole back thing, so when he said, "Hey, since you have the day off, why don't you come along to Costco with me - while I buy that DeLonghi Magnifica coffee maker I told you about? I checked it out The Good Guys, and Costco is almost $500 cheaper ! It will be fun, and it'll get you out of the house!"

Well... I said yes.
Grudgingly.
I didn't really want to go, but to just say "no" seemed kind of unfair and mean, with me having the rest of the day free and all...
And in light of everything he's done for me, since I did my back in on Sunday.

So off to Costco we went... and I have to tell you, the drive was terrible.
I was writhing and moaning and couldn't sit comfortably, so we weren't 10 minutes down the road before the Old Guy had to have started seriously regretting his invitation.

Not that he ever said anything. And knowing the Old Guy, he probably didn't even regret it at all.
Because my guy is fantastic that way.

He kept patting my leg during the drive, and saying stuff like
"gosh, I really love your hair"
"Do you know how much I love you?"
"How does your back feel? Are you comfortable?"
This is great, you being able to come along like this."
"Isn't it great, you having the day off and us going to Costco together?"
"I love spending the day with you, babe."

So I did m level best to smile and chat and say nice things back, but I have to admit I just wanted to grump and groan and I wanted to be back home in my own little bed.
Where I could grump and groan and thrash around to my hearts content.
But how can you ignore or yell at a cute little puppy, when they look at you with those sweet, soulful, loving eyes?

So anyway, we got to Costco, and the Old Guy ended up buying his super duper, "it does everything but mop the floor and make the toast" DeLonghi Magnifica coffee machine.
Which looks a leettle bit complicated to me, with it's self-cleaning nozzles and de-scaling fozzles and stuff - but I'm sure he'll figure it out.

We had debated stopping off at Miz K and Mister R's place on the way home, (they're in the Costco neighborhood, the lucky ducks!) but I figured that Miz K was still at work since it was only a little after 3 o'clock and that Mister R was probably busy running around visiting friends, and doing important manly stuff (he's on shore leave)... So we didn't.

We should have though, since Mister R spotted us driving down the road and got his feelings hurt that we hadn't even called. He called Miz K - who then attempted to call me on my mobile, but phone-phobe that I am, I either didn't have it turned on, or the battery was flat. Or something.
I think it's just on vibrate, but try as I might, I just can't get the stinkin' thing to ring.
I keep it in my purse, but maybe I need to start carrying it in my pocket or something, so I at least feel it vibrate, and so I don't miss important calls from folks that I think the world of.

So anyway, if I can't figure my bloody mobile phone out - you gotta know that figuring out a super-duper coffee machine ... Well, it's way down on my list of things that I'm capable of learning.

But as soon as we got home... Omigosh!!! The Old Guy was like a kid on Christmas morning, getting into that "Delonghi Magnifica" coffee maker box, and reading the (about 40 pages long) coffee making instructions !!

Ooohing and ahhhing, and rattling off names like " long white and short white. Latte's and Lotto's and short blacks. Long blacks and cappuchinos and thingamajiggers.

Frankly, I didn't give a rats arse. Because I hurt. But I did my level best to seem interested.
I really did.
And I think I pulled it off pretty well, considering the back pain and all.

If they gave out Academy Awards for "acting like you give a sh** when you really don't give a sh**" ability, I swear I would have won yesterday.
Hands down.
No doubt about it.
Because "I just want the coffee, sweetheart... and please don't bother telling me how you made it.

But yesterday? When it came to the Old Guys happy, smiling face, and his practically palatable excitement over his new coffee machine?
Well, I have to admit that he almost always makes a bad day seem just that little bit better.
Or even a lot better.
There's just no resisting him - Or his excitement.
Because when my Old Guy smiles, the whole world smiles with him.

See, I know that I've got it good, and I know too, that God well and truly blessed me... when it comes to the Old Guy.
He really did.
I'm blessed... and love my guy to bits.

But it's now 6am.... and I have no danged coffee !!!
1,200 bucks and I'm still coffee-less!

~~~~

News Flash!

I showed this post to the Old Guy this morning, and that pic above, isn't his machine at all.
Like it matters.
But I guess it does to him, so here's the actual coffee machine he bought yesterday.
Notice the difference?
Neither did I. ;-)

You can open your eyes now.

Well, I hate to tell you, but if you've been holding your breath, waiting the chance to see me in my undies, you can let it out now.
And if you've been squinking your eyes shut, dreading the moment when I bare my bvds'... you can open your eyes now
You've been granted a reprieve.


Why?
This is why...

Not that this is me... but this is the actual position I'm in right now.

Besides, I don't wear pink pants.

Yet.

I will when I'm older, though.

Like 90.

See, the thing is... I spent most of the morning working and weeding in the yard and everything was great, right up until the end. I was almost done, and just picking of the last of the weeds for the compost pile, when something went "pop" in my lower back... and that was the end of that.

I can't stand upright, I can't take a deep breath, and I've been sitting around all night with a pack of peas on my back. But did I eat those peas? No... you can bet your sweet bippy that I did not.

I had McDonald's for dinner. A healthy(er) choice of course. Really. A Caesar Salad wrap and a glass of iced tea.

And for dessert, I had 2 extra-strength Nurofen.

We'll see how it goes tomorrow, and if I can stand up straight enough to take a full length photo, instead of just a pic of my knee caps, maybe I can post that potentially gag inducing pic after all.

Don't hold your breath though.

Day 6... Gardening, and Goodbye

Well, I'm into day 6 of the 30 Day Throw Down... and I'm hanging in there. It's getting easier and easier to make better - and healthier - food choices, and I kind of feel like I'm on a roll here.
It's feeling natural and it's feeling good, so things are changing... you know what I mean?

Breakfast:
Steel cut oats, topped with an "individual portion" size thingie of butter and a little brown sugar, a small berry and banana smoothie and straight black coffee.

Morning tea:
an apple and a chunk of cheddar cheese

Lunch:
Ry Vita crackers (2) with butter and Vegemite, another banana, and a glass of organic milk.

Afternoon tea:
Salad roll, with lettuce, tomato, cukes and grated carrot. Black coffee

Dinner:
Veggie and chicken breast wrapped in a tortilla, with mayo and mustard - but I was too tired to eat the whole thing, so I shared it with the magpies. (it made a nice change from the worms and bugs I turned up while gardening, I guess)

~~~~~

I managed to put in a couple of hours in the front garden yesterday, and I have to say I'm definitely making headway there. I can see a huge difference... and my hamstrings and tushy are telling me that I just about worked my arse off.
If only wish it were that easy, eh?

Today, I've got about 20-40 Agapanthas, (the damn things have multiplied in their pots, so I'm not exactly sure how many I've actually got) 6 geraniums that I've started from cuttings, and maybe a dozen lavenders (ditto on the lavenders) to get in the ground, so by the end of the day, the front yard should be looking pretty "put together"... and then I can start on the back.

I've still got about 30 geraniums, as well as probably 50 lavender cuttings to get in the ground, so I just hope I haven't waited too long in the season, to get them going.
I know I should have gotten them in in the fall, but hey... what can I say?
I'm lazy.

~~~~~~~~~

I don't know how many of you read Mandy's blog,

The Old Dairy

but I found out this morning, that Mandy's husband Greg went to be with Jesus on Thursday.

We knew that the end was coming, and bless her heart...Mandy has held up amazingly well under the circumstances, continuing to make life as normal for her children and as comfortable as possible for Greg.

But it's still a bit of a shock that such a loving and vibrant husband and father has passed away.

My heart goes out to Mandy and her children.

Today is Father's Day here in Australia, so

please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers, at this trying time.

Day 4 and 5..

Yay for the weekend!

I'm more than ready for it this week, let me tell you! It's my regularly scheduled "on" weekend, but the kids I would normally have, aren't coming... so I have today and tomorrow to myself. And I still get paid for it! How good is that?

Which now gives me a chance to run the whipper-snipper over these legs of mine, and see if I can't find some Spackle, to cover the varicose veins and the dimples in my knees!

Okay... now on to the boring shite -

Day 4, of the 30-day Throw Down...

Breakfast: A small bowl of Malto Meal and a bran muffin, with a banana, and half a pot of coffee.

Morning tea: bell pepper strips, rice crackers and some Jarlsberg cheese

Lunch: Tuna salad on an English muffin, carrot sticks and celery.

Afternoon tea: a slice of whole grain bakery bread, with Vegemite and real butter, apple slices and craisins

Dinner: Four Cheese Ravioli, with fresh tomatoes, onion and capsicum.

(I did get a bit peckish around 8:30, so I had about 6 little Kirkland Signature brand Organic animal cookies, with a small glass of raw milk. I only ate the heads, so you'll be pleased to know that no calories were consumed during the eating of these cookies.)

~~~~~~

Day 5...

Breakfast: 3 Weetbix topped with a sliced banana, a bit of yogurt and organic (raw) milk and a couple of cups of coffee - no sweetener- and organic

Morning tea: cheese, crackers and watermelon

Lunch: Ry vita sesame and rye crispbreads (3) with real butter and Vegemite, and 2 kiwi fruits

Afternoon tea: raw veggie sticks and a cup of coffee

Dinner: various salady things (lettuce, cuke, tomato, olives, etc) and shredded cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla

~~~~~

I totally meant to post yesterday ... I really did.

But with one thing after another happening, and some pretty big drama's going on involving one of my placement children, I didn't have a minute to myself .

And by the time I had dinner over and done with, all I wanted to do was crawl into bed.

Day 3 - a tip, and an admission

I'm hanging in there with the 30-Day Throw Down. It's not as easy as I thought it would be, because I'm constantly having to stop and think... but I know that it'll become easier with time and I know that we can do this thing.

So, for your viewing pleasure... here's what I ate yesterday.
(Lord have mercy, but you're gonna get sick of this by day 30, aren't you?)

Breakfast:
A bowl of oatmeal (steel-cut with a couple of teaspoons of black strap molasses)
A mandarin, and 2 cups of unsweetened coffee, with raw milk.

Morning tea:
capsicum strips with a few water crackers, grapes and yogurt (homemade)

Lunch:
Tuna salad on a toasted English muffin, 2 kiwi fruits and some carrot strips.

Afternoon tea:
fruit salad (mandarin, banana, apple and kiwi - with a spoonful of yogurt and a teensy amount of brown sugar sprinkled over)

Dinner:
A big green salad, with about a half cup of pasta tossed with fresh tomatoes, bell pepper and olive oil.
Oh, and about half a cup of applesauce, for dessert.

I'm drinking lots of water, ( I always have) but I found that I was losing track of how much I was drinking.
So I put 2 small dishes in the kitchen window, and in one dish, I put 8 marbles.
Every time I have a glass of water, I move a marble from one dish to the other -
So that way, I can keep track of just how many glasses I've actually had throughout the day.
There ya go... your tip for the day.

~~~~~~~

Okay... I'm seriously, seriously thinking of taking a "before" photo of myself in my bra and knickers, but I don't know if I'm game enough to post it on here. On my blog.
I want to.
But I don't want to, at the same time - you know what I mean?

I might alienate some people - or make them gag... I don't know which.
And because I've become attached to you gals, I don't want you to run screaming from the room, never to speak to me again.
I would hate that.
Big time.

I might have to con Robynn into posting it on her brand-new 30 Day Throw Down blog - with a paper bag over my head... and a secret witness-protection program name, or somthin'.
What do you think?
Is anyone else game enough to do it with Joolz and I?

For me to do it, it will involve first running the whipper-snipper (weed-eater) over my legs, getting some of that extreme cover-up make up, to hide the "road map of greater Cleveland" varicose veins, and maybe some laser surgery to obliterate any potentially identifiable by ex-husbands or boyfriends, scars... but I'm willing to do it in the ol' bra and knickers - IF, Joolz or anyone else does it with me as well.
With a paper bag over my head, of course.

See, I know that I'm not fooling anyone, by wearing baggy pants and loose tops - and I'm sure as hell not fooling myself either.

I'm fat.

There... I've said it. Largely, and boldly.
I know that I'm fat, and the friends who know me, know that I'm fat.
We just don't talk about it.

I need to make some drastic changes... and Robynn's "30 day Throw Down", ( have you seen her brand new "30 Day Throw Down" blog, devoted exclusively to the "throw down"?) is the ideal way to do it.
(did you notice that I threw in *throw down* 3 times in that one little sentence? Is that overkill, or what?)
Because, see... I like me some moral support, and it's empowering as heck to know that I'm not alone, fighting this damn battle of the bulge(s).
I need to admit to all and sundry that "this is me" - in all my (coughcough) glory .

So c'mon.... who wants to join Joolz and I ?
Paper bags optional.

Day 2 of the "throw down" - and cold shower stuff.

Well, I managed to survive day one of Robynn's 30-day throw down challenge - and I have to say that I did well with it. (here in Oz, we're a day ahead of you gals in the US - so we started a day earlier.)
It just involves thinking about what I put into my mouth, and ever since Robynn challenged us,
I've been shopping accordingly.
No more highly processed foods, healthier choices... Really simple things, really.

My first full day consisted of:

Breakfast: 2 Weetbix, topped with a sliced banana, and organic, raw milk.
Coffee, no sugar or sweetener, with raw milk.
(In regards to the Weetbix, I'm happy to say that Australia is totally into recycling, and it's amazing that they can recycle cardboard into a semi-palatable breakfast cereal. Well, just joking, but I have to admit that I've examined my cereal more than once, looking for traces of printing labels)

Morning tea: 2 Saltine crackers with butter and Vegemite, a handful of sliced raw capsicums (bell peppers) cucumber and carrot sticks, and a small piece of Jarlsberg cheese.

Lunch: Tuna on crispbread, homemade yogurt and an apple with cheddar cheese

Afternoon tea: Fruit salad, made from apples, kiwi's, bananas, grapes, mandarins, topped with a dollop of yogurt and some finely chopped walnuts. (the kids LOVE this, so we make it several times a week!)

Dinner: A big ol' Caesar salad, and less than half an Angus burger from McDonald's. (okay, I know it's fast food, but I went for the healthier choice - and only had less than half of it. It's a start... isn't it?)

~~~~~~~~

Now, on to the cold shower thing...

I might not have explained myself fully.

See, 2 years ago, my blood pressure was through the roof, (190 over 100) and I made some dietary changes, as well as starting on blood pressure meds.

I hated those darn things, but I was bound and determined to get off them and get the blood pressure controlled in a more natural way.

Diet itself just wasn't cutting it - although it was helping (it's a hereditary thing) - so I started on taking the cold showers... and it worked! Six months later, and with the doctors full blessing, I stopped taking the BP meds entirely.

That was enough reason for continuing with the morning semi-torture, as far as I'm concerned.

But... I found that I also like the way I feel afterwards. I think the heat/cold thing releases endorphins, and by the time I'm dried and dressed, I feel like I can tackle anything!

I feel good... like I've just had a brisk walk or something. I'm bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and man...it just feels wonderful!

It doesn't have to be an instant icy change... or even icy cold at all. I just like it that way.

Even just turning down the hot water just until you get a little "brrrr-y", does basically the same thing.

Hot to tepid or cool is fine... just as long as you feel just a titch uncomfortable.

Screaming isn't really necessary.... I just like freaking the neighbor out.