Weighing in at 128.1kg, Karina hopes her new healthy life will bring her love and happiness along with life-long friend and Challenge partner Kate never far away.
Update 10
Whoops! Didn’t find the time to enter my diary this week!
Update 9
I've started a new job and I am working shifts again. Whilst working my first afternoon shift, I found myself remembering the last time I worked shifts many years ago. Sometimes I would eat four meals in one afternoon. I will be careful to conquer this bad habit. I will do it.
Update 8
The last month has been a struggle for me with my eating, but I've still managed to lose weight. Not much, but some. I guess learning new habits has had an effect even though the eating, at times, hasn't been great. The Meal Replacement Shakes are a real blessing and I never get tired of them.
I measured my blood pressure after exercising last night and this morning when I woke up. My blood pressure is fine and my pulse rate stayed at around 54-56 after exercise and at rest. Wow, that's amazing! I wouldn’t call myself an athlete but I'm astounded and pretty delighted.
Update 7
I haven't exercised for a week and a half because I have been sick. I went back to my first training session the other day and boy, did I feel sluggish! I felt really tired and bloated from not exercising. I used to hate hearing people complain that they didn't feel good after missing an exercise session. I used think ‘yeah, yeah, here we go!’ but now I understand what they mean. My body feels ‘de-conditioned’ although it has only been a week and a half and I am looking forward to returning to training.
Update 6
Catching up with everyone in Sydney was fantastic! It was great to see the change in everyone and all the tips and stories we swapped were motivating. I got to meet Meal Replacement Ambassador Alison who is my number one favourite out of all the different Biggest Loser series. When she spoke to us she was very engaging and spoke a lot of home truths. The biggest thing that stuck in my head after Alison had spoken to us is the word ‘sacrifices’. Even now, that word still rings in my head.
I've been really motivated since meeting up with everyone. It's refreshed my journey and made me even more determined to lose more weight and to push beyond my boundaries. I didn't realise until I got home that even though I was eating well and exercising I wasn't pushing myself anymore.
I ate some junk food last night because of an emotional trigger. It hadn't bothered me for a while. I don't know why it affected me as much as it did last night, but it did. Needless to say the junk food made me feel terrible! It sat in my stomach all night! My body did not like it one bit. And after all the motivation I've had from the past week!
Today I went to group training. The trainer pushed me more and I voluntarily went on the Cardio Climber, which in the past has been my mortal enemy. I won this round though and I was very proud of myself!
My weight has been hovering around the same weight for the last two weeks. I've been exercising and eating well, but I've hit a plateau and it gets a bit depressing when you are trying so hard and it stops coming off! Everyone keeps telling me it will still come off and I know it will so I'm hanging in there.
Update 5
I've noticed a change in my blood pressure and that’s after losing just 8.5kg! Not only has it come down, sometimes it has even been a little on the low side.
My trainer wants me and two others to compete in a triathlon and I thought ‘Whoa!’ The other two girls are really fit and I'm not. I'm going to practice swimming 400 metres a couple of times during the week, but that doesn’t mean that I am agreeing to do it! My trainer said that we should do it for ourselves and that the second time we compete, it can be to beat our original time. Let’s see.
My work clothes are really starting to feel looser now. Hardly anyone has said anything about this at the moment, but we'll see when I've lost another 10kg!
My sister (who is 10 years younger) has announced her engagement and I must admit, this was a bit depressing since I will be hitting 30 in a couple of months and still haven't found anyone. I guess I am beginning to look back over the last 10 years and thinking that perhaps I was just too fat and ugly for anyone to want me. Why wasn’t I motivated back then to lose the weight? Sometimes, I feel that I have missed out on life, but I love my sister and her fiancé to pieces and I am very happy for them. I am going to be a bridesmaid at my little sister’s wedding, not a matron of honour.
Kate and I went shopping for bridesmaid dresses yesterday and I could actually fit into some really nice ones, not the type that resemble a sack rather than a dress. The size I ordered didn't quite do up at the back all the way, but I am 100% positive I will lose at least another 10 kilos or more by Finale and get into it. I know I can do it!
Update 4
It’s the fourth week and things are starting to come together now. When organising to go out for dinner or lunch I have been careful about the other two meals for the day. The whole process is really making me start to think about the fact that I need to compromise when it comes to eating out with friends and family. I am also getting into the habit of making healthier choices when I am out, which means my favourite (hot chips) are a no-no!
I bought myself a new Wii Fit console and it is great! As well as lots of different types of exercise games (which are fun) I can work on balance and muscle strength which is great for my weak core muscles. I'm always a little scared with weights at the gym that I may hurt myself because of my past back injury.
Update 3
I have been off work for a few weeks and because I don’t have internet access at home, I haven’t been able to access the Biggest Loser Club and for me, the most import part of The Club, the diary. I am disappointed in myself because I know it is a great help when I write everything down and my input and my output are clear and there for me to see. To really be organised, I know I need the internet, but I have been lazy and disorganised.
I also disappointed myself at the weekend when after a day with my family (where I was really good), I spoiled it all when I went home. I was alone and this made me feel sad, so I went off and bought a pizza to ‘comfort’ me. I suppose you could say that I spent the night with an old friend.
Well, the deed is done now and as I said, I am really disappointed in myself. Not only have I let myself down, I have let my team mate and the other Second Chance Challenge people down, too. I promised to work hard for all of these people. What can I say? The only upside is that a new week is about to begin and I will try to avoid all tempting sins!
Update 2
Today it was hard to get organised with my food. I woke up late and had a Shake around 11am and then raced off to work for an afternoon shift. I only brought custard, a banana and a Shake for the rest of the day (I didn't finish work until 9.30pm!), so I felt really hungry.
I actually ended up making tuna on toast and had it with a plateful of salad late at night. I was so hungry! Next time I won't let myself get into that position. I won’t have a really late night the night before and I will be more organised!
I didn't feel well yesterday or today. My old problem of back pain is flaring up and so I’m feeling tired and irritable. Do I sound like a grumpy old woman? I've been to the pharmacy and bought something to remedy the situation together with some gel for a persistent mouth ulcer and some oranges to boost my Vitamin C intake to help the ulcer heal.
Update 1
Today I found my suggested menu plan under the heading of ‘My Program’ on The Biggest Loser Club site. At first I was a bit dismayed as I thought that all I could eat were two Meal Replacements and nothing else with them for breakfast and lunch or dinner. Thankfully, I have discovered I can have a LOT more food as well as my Meal Replacements. I am hitting the shops after work to get some rye bread and I am making a bean salad for a barbecue tonight. I will also take some lean meat and a diet drink. I bought some special wine to serve chilled with lemonade for a summer drink. I am happy to resist temptation and let my family enjoy it instead of me.
I like the Shakes but not being a coffee drinker, I am hoping to trade my Caffe Latte Shakes with my my Second Chance Challenge partner Kate. I suspect that she will like everything, so good luck I suppose!
While I was driving home from work yesterday I realised that I hadn't even contemplated stopping off at a fast food joint on the way home. Before, if I was really hungry, I would stop off at McDonalds or KFC on the way home and still eat dinner later on. I was actually consuming another whole meal on those days. The snacks that I have been recommended are certainly lessening this desire. I rang my friend Kate and she said she used to do that too, sometimes for breakfast and in the afternoons. So I realised I couldn't have been the only person who would stop for extra meals (this was a secret shame of mine).
This evening I was feeling emotional and didn't feel like cooking. All I wanted was fuss-free food and instant satisfaction. I really felt like having some naughty takeout foods – think of it as being a bit like a one night stand! LOL. I knew that it was artery-clogging stuff that would make me feel like a monster in the morning. I am glad to say that I resisted the urge. Instead I texted all the girls saying ‘HELP! I am really tempted for fast food for a quick and easy fix.’ They all texted me back with words of encouragement, inspiration and a few tellings-off. All-in-all they made me laugh and I didn't feel like an idiot for asking for help. In fact, I was so inspired by their upbeat attitude that I popped some vegies in the oven and took the dogs for a walk while they cooked. When I came back, dinner was ready and it was delicious – grilled chicken with home-made spicy salsa and cups of vegies! I am so proud of myself now and I am glad to have support from everyone else.
Today was our Pastor's 70th Birthday. I got up early and made mini caramel tarts with a chocolate biscuit base topped with a strawberry. It was so tempting to lick that sweet caramel swimming in the pot. So I had one lick of the spoon, but just one, no more! My caramel tarts were such a hit that I didn't have to worry about taking any home or giving them away. Phew! I actually enjoyed peoples’ comments more than I think I would have enjoyed eating them!
Talk to you next week!