We have had a busy month socialising with alot of people, but it is possible to still do the healthy thing and hopefully not gain weight but lose weight. The thing is it takes time to lose weight and alot of life changes. As you can see from this photo, we still had all the yummy and not so good things for us available, but it is up to each of us to make the right choices. Olivia's rainbow cake that Teagan is really enjoying was absolutely beautiful, but I just had a tiny piece rather than a great big serving. Since the end of June I no longer weigh myself, but at the last 'weigh in' (otherwise known as weekly humiliation!) I had lost a total of 26 pounds since the middle of December. However, the total loss in inches is really amazing!

Apart from that, I am continuing with the meal plans recommended by Bodybusters - which is basically three meals a day that include protein such as an egg or 3-4 oz meat etc., plus lots of vegetables and reduced carbohydrates. My three snacks during the day are usually either protein bars or shakes, or something like yoghurt with slivered almonds and fruit. Drinking lots of green tea, possibly one cup of coffee once a week. Mind you when I have lunch with  my friend Marion on Thursday's I usually have at least 2 cups of coffee! Perhaps she is a bad influence on me? No, she is a darlinig.

Today a friend came to visit for lunch and we went for a walk later with the dogs. Funnily enough it started to rain about two blocks from the house and we decided it wouldn't be too bad so we kept on going. Well, next thing you know it was bucketing down and so we ran home in the rain, absolutely soaked to the skin - definitely a wet clothing competition! Anyway, it reminded me of how much I used to love running in the rain as a child - it is so exhilirating - you should all try it sometime!

Here we all are in June 2009 at Tim and Sandra's wedding. Had a great time, it was a wonderful celebration and as you can see we are all getting older!

Still doing bootcamp with Bodybusters three times a week, Pilates once a week and trying to eat a healthy diet with lots of green leafy vegetables and protein! The girls joined me at bootcamp over the last month, Teagan's comment was that it was fun if you were a sadist or masochist, she was only joking, sort of! We all find it hard to get there most mornings, but once there, we get into it and by the end of the session are feeling good! The health benefits aren't just physical, mentally it helps alot too. I now jog most days as well, sometimes two or three times a day (the dogs just love it, and generally I really enjoy it too).

Have a great week.

So, in December I joined Jenny Craig. Since I moved to Canada, I had gained approximately 20-25kgs. I started off on their program thinking that what I was doing at home obviously wasn't working as I was continuing to gain weight even though I was eating healthy foods and exercising 2-3 times per day (20-30 minute walks). It was good to start with Jenny Craig as it got me started on the right portions of certain foods, and got me to think about my goals and increasing my physical activity level.

 By March I was ready to increase my physical activity level from beyond a few walks a day and the house work routine, and as I had managed to lose a few pounds I signed up for Bodybusters Bootcamp to start in April. I had my doubts before I started and was very determined not to push myself beyond my physical abilities so it was great to join bootcamp and find that it is really all about doing the best that YOU can do at that point in time. Now I am into my third month and I am slowly moving away from the old mentality of weight to the mentality of shape and fitness...

This is a photo of me in May with one of my dogs puppies, after I had lost approximately 20lbs. I try to avoid photos so it is difficult to find something to post that shows how much weight I have lost since December.

 Anyway, the most important thing to say is that it hasn't been easy. First of all I joined Jenny Craig in the middle of December and then in April I started my first month of Bodybusters - Bootcamp. I have to say that in that one month, I lost a total of 9 inches, I won't mention kilos or pounds because in actual fact I gained weight, but I lost inches, so go figure.... Yes, it is interesting to say the least.