adventuresofanaussieragdoll

Well, I’m back, again. I know it’s been so long since I posted last. I know, I haven’t been here since May 2013. I am now committing to you all (if there are any of you left) who ready this to be more regular with my posts here.

I have recently rejoined the Biggest Loser Club Online in Australia to refocus my weight loss goals. I have a total of about 84.3kg (185lb) to loose. I have set mini goals of 5kg (11lb) as I find 10% goals too large and 5kg is a bit more manageable to achieve. I have my first weigh in today. I have lost 3.3kg (7lb 4oz) in a week. An excellent start. I’ve almost knocked off my first mini goal already! I am planning to add exercise to the program in the coming week, so that should help boost things along. I am on a express program so I currently have a 1,200 calorie budget. I try to keep as close as I can to that target. I haven’t gone over my target calories all week, and I haven’t been too far under either. I think the worst level under I had was 191 calories under on Wednesday.

Since I last posted, I have actually been on a plane. I was at a Labor Party fundraising dinner in July out in the western suburbs of Sydney. Our table pooled our money ($20 each) and bought a large number of tickets between us. The just put our table name on the stubs and the tickets were randomly handed out around the table. I won the first prize! It was two economy trips to Auckland, New Zealand and two nights in a 3 star hotel! I didn’t even have a valid passport at the time. Because I would be travelling alone, I was able to negotiate three nights in the hotel instead of just two. I upgraded (at my own expense) the ticket to Air New Zealand’s Works Deluxe. It means you are seated towards the front of the plane and are guaranteed an empty seat next to you, access to the airline lounge before the flight and all food and entertainment on the flight. The staff on the flight were very nice and very discreet about my weight. They discreetly gave me the extension for the seat belt and because I had originally been assigned a front row seat (the arms do not move in that row), they moved me to the 4th row (which was completely empty) so I would be able to sit comfortably. I had to sit with the armrest for the next (empty) seat up for the whole flight. I put my knitting bag on the empty seat and even put the seat belt for that seat through the handles of the knitting bag so it was firmly strapped in. That way, I didn’t have to put it under the chair for take off or landing. On the flight over to NZ, I wasn’t game to try to go to the toilet because I remember them being very small and I wasn’t sure I would be able to fit. As soon as I got off the flight, I had to go find the nearest toilet in the terminal, before immigration and customs, because I was now dying to go! Luckily the flights between Australia and NZ are less than 4 hours, usually. The return flight was not so good in that regard. We were late boarding the flight for some reason, and then we were delayed twice on the tarmac with faults with the plane. SO despite going to the toilet in the lounge before boarding, I had to use the toilet twice during the flight. It hadn’t helped that my stomach had decided to play up (badly) on the flight. So I had no choice. I had to go to the toilet on the plane. It was a little tight in there.

So this trip has crystallised for me that I -must- lose weight before my trip on 2016. The trip is now planned for later in September into October 2016. So I won’t be able to go to General Conference in Salt Lake after the girls trip. I may still go up there for a couple of days to hit the genealogy library and Deseret Books. I might be able to see some friends in the area too before I come home.
This is me in Auckland, NZ in 1979 at about my goal weight. I don’t expect to be this weight by the trip, but I do expect to be a lot closer than I currently am.