How Do You Know If You've Failed?

We have these sets of personal rules and regulations that are so restrictive and unreasonable that it is no wonder we continually convince ourselves that we have 'failed'. We would never expect our friends or our partner to live up to the same standards.

Being on this Challenge has made me ponder the definition of failure.

Consider these examples where I could have decided I had failed to reach yesterday's goals.

I didn't train yesterday morning because I have an infected wisdom tooth and DOMS - No failure because the circumstances were beyond my control.

I didn't get to 7 hours sleep because I was writing, blogging and getting support from blogworld - no failure because I traded one goal for a better one.

I didn't drink more water than Diet Coke - no failure because I don't really value this goal - so I ditched it permanently.

The only time you fail is when you momentarily give up the fight. When you think "I don't care, it doesn't matter, what's the point, I can't be arsed, I'm sick of this" and you purposely don't do what you know you should. This happens to everyone at some point (which is why you should plan to fail) but afterward you look at what happened, learn a lesson and move on.

Don't beat yourself up if circumstances get in the way, if you find something that is better for you than what you planned or your priorities change.

The truth is that the most valuable thing you learn when you commit to a challenge is how to pay attention. Mindfulness and self awareness is what you are really growing and developing - thinking about what you do and why you do it.

It is not about winning or losing, succeeding or failing, or how many ticks there are on your goal chart. It is about deciding how you want to live and then trying your hardest to be that person.

Guidelines for losing a skinny bone on the challenge.

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

100 Day Challenge - What the F*ck are you Talking About?

We are still accepting team members for the ♥Skinny Bones 100 Day Challenge. I have now put all the details in one post ~ 100 Day Challenge Q&A. It's worth checking out even if you have already joined because some people (and you know who you are) haven't been keeping up :)

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

100 Day Challenge - Four More Members

The Skinny Bones 100 Day Challenge is the talk of the blogosphere! Today we have 4 new lovely ladies signed up. Please welcome ...

Liimu said...Is it too late to join the challenge? I would love to lose 20 lbs in 100 days - to get to my goal of being under 150 pounds (currently 166.5).
Can I join? [of course - KatieP]

Donna said...Hi Katie
Have just recently started my blog & i have just this week started my own little challenge, What you have set up is fantastic & I would love to join your 100 day challenge.

Chunkmonkey (Jenna) said...Hi Katie,
I just sent you an email-I love this idea for a challenge and would love to join! Thank you for thinking of this.

Trudi said...Katie P has a 100 day challenge going and I am doing my bit also.
100 days without toast
100 days drinking 2 litres of water
100 days of giving my kids more hugs
100 days of finding a quiet moment in the day to do NOTHING...just be quiet


Phew! Now I've lost count of how many people there are - over 20! Everyone who has a blog is on the blogroll on the sidebar.

I keep running out of hours in the day to get all my goals achieved and keep up with you lot! Never mind, I'll just remove the "get enough sleep" goal and I'll be good.

Today is half way through Phase One if you started on Sunday - how are you going? What are you most proud of these past 5 days?

I am proud that I have stayed on plan and been relatively nice even though I have raging PMT and I wish you would all bugger off and leave me alone I could just hide away from the entire world until my fucked body decides what it is doing. I read somewhere that women would lose weight as quickly as men if it wasn't for our freakin' hormones.

That reminds me of an old joke ... How do you make a hormone [whore moan]?
Nah ... someone else has to post the punch line ... I'm trying to be nice.

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

100 Day Challenge Now Has Its Own Blog

The 100 Day Challenge now has its own blog for Team Members to connect with each other. I will continue to update on this blog but I will link back here from the Team one. If you are part of the team and want to post, please email me at thin-enough(at)optusnet.com.au

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

Bits & Pieces

New Team Members
Miss J...Hi Katie,
Would love to join your 100 day challenge, I think it's just the thing I need when getting back on top of everything, after letting it slide!

I haven't updated my blog in ages, but will do so in the next couple of days... is it ok to copy and paste the 100 day challenge logo on my blog [of course ..K].

I started as of Saturday, not sure when I finish, will work it out today...

Rachael P...Hi Katie,
Found your blog through Frankies and I would love to join the 100 day challenge. Frankie and I started a few days apart so I am at day 9 as of today. Your blog is absolutely fantastic.

Kristy...I'm in, 100 days of drinking 3L of water or more...

I knew I wasn't normal!
I got a wonderful (???) comment from Mr Anonymous on my blog today:
"I think you looked more normal in the before photos to be honest. "
Lucky I am not interested in being normal - I'm SUPERnormal!!

Peanut Butter and Chicken Thighs
I could eat them all day [and I am] --YUM

Why I am Shitty?
I forgot about my period -- I think it is PMT

They aren't Natural
It breaks my heart to see girls striving to look like figure competitors who are clearly on the 'juice'. It is impossible to look like that without pharmaceutical help. Why doesn't anyone ever talk about the drugs?

Time for Revision
I have too many goals, some of them that I am not committed to -- eating at the table just makes me rush because I want to finish and get on the computer and drinking gallons of water just pisses me off (pun intended). The beauty of no rules is I'm dropping these goals. Feel free to change your minds ladies.

There are Worse Things than Fat
After my latest binge (on Saturday) I experienced my legs swelling up. This has never happened to me before except on long haul flights. My ankles disappeared. It was probably the fault of some 'harmless' corn chips with MSG and artificial flavoring, the only thing I haven't eaten in years.

Whatever the cause, it was painful and frightening. It made me realise that some food can be poisonous. Having no ankles, swollen painful knees and stretched skin is worse than plain old fat.

My Scales
... are broken. The batteries leaked and corroded inside. Lucky I have 2 others to choose from. I am still determined not to weigh myself until Day 90.

Getting it Done
In case you are keeping up with my calorie intake, you may be alarmed to see that my calories and carbs are severely low. I wouldn't recommend this strategy to everyone but I want to get back to my happy weight as quickly as possible. This is not 'practicing on the way down' -- this is getting it done and will only be for 10 days (of which I've already completed 3).

New Article
I stayed up past my bedtime but I got a new article published.
Are You Ready to Become a Figure Athlete? Take This Quiz

The End.

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

100 Day Challenge - Bonus Bones

If you complete the bonus tasks before the end of Phase One (Day 90) you can have 1 badge for each task. Add them to your blog, stick them on your calendar, ignore me entirely. Copy and paste to your heart's content.

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

Goal Tracker - Joes Goals

I have blogged about this simple goal tracker a long time ago but here is a reminder. Joe's Goals is a free online program that let's you set up daily goals online and then tick them off.

One of the good things is you can choose to have the goal only on some days (see training) and you can give things multiple ticks (write one article will have two ticks today).

Pretty handy for the 100 day challenge and the easiest way to get a bonus bone don't you think?

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

Two New Team Members - 100 Day Challenge

Please welcome Andrea...Hi Katie - Count me in too!
I need to get my act together and this is a great idea - especially leading into summer.

and Lisa Jane...I'm in too. I am aiming to write 100 blog posts in 100 days and to drink litres of water a day. [psst...your blog link isn't working at the moment LJ]

Good luck ladies.

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

::

Day 99 was tough. 12 hours at work which I am disliking more and more by the minute.

I always seem so cranky, edgy and kind of raw when I am in a calorie deficit. It makes me wonder if I am withdrawing from sugar/carbs/sodium/whatever, or if a plummeting mood is a real biological result of not getting enough food. For whatever reason, eating more food makes the irritation subside, and makes me feel more emotionally even.

Is this a chemical thing in my brain? or a learned response that can be unlearned? Is this the true definition of comfort eating? Am I a classic carbohydrate addict?

Maybe my life is annoying and frustrating and I can only block out those uncomfortable feelings when I eat? Which is my true state and which is the one that is altered by the amount of food I eat?

The problem is that I haven't found the middle path. It is starve or binge, under or over eat. I don't even know what it is like to go for a week without being in a deficit or a surplus so I can't tell you how that makes me feel.

It is all very confusing. I don't have any answers today, just questions. Just thinking out loud.

100 Day Challenge - Day 99 - Phase One

Yesterday was a good day with training, blogging, writing and eating well.

I won't be able to write an article today because I have to stay late at work (unless I get time to sneak something in while I'm there) but I will catch up Tuesday when I will write 2. It is a walking only day so I'll have a bit of extra time tomorrow morning before work.

Sandra has joined the challenge ...Hey Katie,
I'm in!
Using this as a trial run to decide whether or not Figure Comps are something I would do.
Plan is to give it 100% for 100 days and checkout the results.
Will post detailed goals as/if I come up with them.

I think that is a brilliant idea.

Also welcome CathyC ...Hi again, I forgot to mention my "challenge":
I am starting HRT-progesterone cream for the next 2 months tomorrow and in order for me to feel better...
1-I need to relax and not "stress" and keep a balanced diet of moderate carbs,low fat and clean snacks. Avoid excess sugar except for PMS-will use my 10 skinny bones-love that!
2-keep fit-strength training 4 times a week
I need your encouragement ladies!!


Sometimes thinking in terms of big number (100 days) is a bit overwhelming so I am going to break it down for everyone into blocks of 10 days (Phases). I also think that is a good chunk of time to leave between weigh ins if that is what you are doing.

So for Phase One, the bonus tasks* are :

(1) Set up a way to record your progress. It can be as simple as stars on a calendar or as complex as one of my convoluted spreadsheets. Put a line at the end of your 10 days and aim for 10 great days in a row -- 10 stars, 10 ticks, 10 skinny bones still in your bank.

(2) In the next 10 day period you need to leave a single comment on each of your fellow team members' blogs (just one comment for each person across the whole of Phase 1 - not one every single day) . If they don't have a blog, you can leave it on my blog so they get to see it.

Bonus bones are up for grabs -- now I need to go and make an appropriate picture ...

Have a great day -- I bet you are already kicking arse!!

*bonus tasks are completely optional

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

100 Day Challenge - Meet the Team

Meet the lovely ladies who are signed up for the 100 Day Challenge. Show your support by visiting their blogs (if they have one) each day and leaving an encouraging comment. They are all listed in the blog roll on the right so just click on through.

1 -- Nerd Girl said...I am in for the challenge!! My goals for 100 days are to go binge free and to STRETCH everyday. Those are my two biggest weaknesses. Of course I will keep up my training but that has never been an issue for me. I will have one higher calorie days per week but it will stay under 3000 calories (after I'm done with contest prep of course.) Glad you posted this today! I need it!

2 -- Shelley said...I'm in sista!!

3 -- Vicki said...I'm in Katie! My challenges:
*Drink min 3L water a day.
*Get some rest. Go to bed MINIMUM 7 hours before wake up time, even if I don't fall asleep straight away.
*One full day off training a week.

4 --Marie said...ME!
definitely eating well, NO binging and getting back into a regular exercise routine!

5 -- Frankie said...Good one Katie! It's so motivating when a bunch of people do it together. Geez....glad I'm finished before Melbourne Cup! Nothing worse than a dry Cup Day!

6 -- LizN said...Katie, I'm in - but my challenge is to blog everyday (and no blow outs sounds like a good plan as well!)

7 -- Tearose said...I'm in! I was just Saying I need SOMETHING to motivate me and help me stay on track, this is PERFECT! as usual I got all excited and forgot to post what I am doing. My challenge is to follow my trainers plan without unauthorized cheats and not missing workouts!

8 -- Pip said...WOW, cool! Many people are up for it!!!
My commitments are:
* no buying junk food for personal consumption.
* No eating sugary foods, overly salty or pastry/deep fried or cheesy foods, (cottage OK) unless in a social situation where I feel rude/out of place if I don't have a little.
* No bingeing, - if I'm embarrassed to mention something I ate to whoever then don't, - mood will pass!
* No drinking alcohol alone.
* Record all spending and keep to budget.
* Maintain a tidy organised room and personal living space.
* Keep to training regime I set myself, - unless I consider it a very valid excuse why I miss a session.
I plan to hopefully lose at least 12kg of fat, have skinfolds totaling under 100mm, weigh in under 68kg, be heaps fitter toward up and coming tri season be be pleased of accomplishing what I set out to do!
All the best!

9 -- Shar said...Hey Katie (and everyone else)
I dropped by to read your blog and decided that the 100 challenge is a great thing for me right now, my 100 day challenge definitely isn't about losing weight due to trying to grow a healthy bubba but I can definitely put some lifestyle and healthy nutrition goals in place.
Gotta run to watch boy play footy now so will post up my specific goals when I've thought them through fully.

10 -- Esme said...Hi Katie, Add me to your 100 day challenge.

11 -- Katie P said...Here are my goals
* binge free
* sugar under 25g per day
* only eat at a table, not in front of a computer screen or television
* drink 750ml water for every can of Diet Coke
* in bed 7 hours before my alarm is scheduled to go off
* go to the gym 4 days a week minimum and burn 500 calories each time
* leave the house every day for a purpose other than buying food
* only weigh myself every 10 days - on day 10/20/30 etc.
* write and publish one article a day on Hub Pages

12 -- Rachael R said...Perfect timing! Count me in. I'm not blogging myself but will definitely embark on this challenge. For me it's about doing planned activity and reducing the crappy food I consume. Bring it on! [via Email]

13 -- Amy said...Hi Katie- I just want to say I love reading your posts. I will love to be involved in the 100 day challenge if it is not too late. I will have my first day as of tomorrow as I only read about it today. Even though I am already on a challenge this 100 day challenge has given me even more motivation. If it is too late I will just keep reading your posts and follow myself. Thanks for the inspiration and the challenge!

14 -- Mighty Mouse said...What an awesome idea! Seems like the thing I need to get me back on track - have been contemplating how best to get myself into good habits again - and reading this has given me the answer!!! Will have a think about my goals & get cracking. Thanks!!

15 -- It is not too late for you to join too. You can start tomorrow or the next day. To be honest, the only reason I wanted to start on the same day as my blog post was to help prevent people battling with 'last supper' thinking that sometimes precedes starting a program at a future date.

Come on - you know you want those skinny bones!!

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

100 Day Challenge - **Very Important Update**

As a sufferer of AONS [All or Nothing Syndrome] I have been worrying that if I make a mistake in the next 100 days and miss one of my goals, then I will feel like I've failed the entire challenge and say 'who cares anyway!'

So as the self elected Chairman of 100 Day Challenge, I've created the one and only rule - you are allowed to f*ck up. In fact, for fellow AONS sufferers, it is actively encouraged because a single f*ck up is now not an excuse to give up for the rest of the day/week/challenge.

We will operate on the 10% rule and to make it simple, everyone gets 10 skinny bones to put in their bank. On the occasions that you fail miserable with ONE of your behaviours (not the whole damn day!) you lose one of your skinny bones. You have make an application to the rest of the team to convince us that you really did f*ck up because we are all a bit too hard on ourselves. If you have at least one (1) skinny bone left by the end of the challenge, then you have succeeded.

Of course if you want to be competitive, you could try to have more than anyone else at the end ...

And who knows, there could be special missions along the way that you can complete to earn back the lost bones ...

Here is your 10 skinny bones badge.

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

100 Day Challenge - Day 100

I have been inspired by Frankie and Pip to commence a 100 day challenge. For the next 100 days in a row I am going to eat well [binge free], sleep well and train hard/move every day. The finish date of the challenge is 3 November for Pip and I which turns out to be Melbourne Cup Day [Frankie is a week ahead of us].

It would be fabulous if you could join us by cleaning up your act for the next 100 days. It could be as simple as drinking water every day, walking 10,000 steps or meditating. Pick a behaviour(s) you want to change and if you do it consistently for the next 100 days it will be embedded in your subconscious as automatic by the beginning of November. There is a cute new ticker in my sidebar to countdown the days -->

Weight loss should be a secondary goal because it is not always within our control -- but I know that you will all have that magic figure in your head so what the hell -- let's go for it just in time for Summer !!

I wonder how long it will take for my ankles to return? I have never seen my legs look so bloated and full of fluid and my knees ache. I've actually frightened myself a wee bit. I now understand that it is possible to poison yourself with food. Eating boatloads of crap ends RIGHT NOW!

Leave a comment if you are up for the 100 Day Challenge. Today is Day 100 -- Let's GO GO GO!!

UPDATE: Something weird happened because this post disappeared and I lost all the comments attached to the post. Luckily I had already saved them for a 'meet the team' post later today so don't worry - I've got you if you commented earlier. Your blog is in the special blog roll on my sidebar -->

It is not too late if you still want to join in - the more the skinnier!!

♥Signup for the 100 Day Challenge
♥100 Day Challenge Blog

Help I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up

The trouble with staying lean is that it is as boring as f*ck.

Nearly every day since May, I have been waking up to the audible hunger signals from my stomach, sitting in front of Blogger and coming up with ... zip. I didn't have any interesting after binge symptoms to tell you about (like when your eyes are so puffy you look like you've been crying for a week) nor could I tell you about my latest victory on the scale (because that 0.1kg loss is so absolutely riveting!).

So in the interests of resuming normal transmissions, I have unintentionally sat on my arse all week and accidentally stuffed pizza and corn chips down my throat nearly every night.

My brain has been totally absorbed in discovering how to be an online millionaire, and I have been writing like a madwoman instead of getting enough sleep. I am so absorbed in my harebrained scheme that I would rather keep plotting and planning than go to the gym. It appears that if you take your eye off the ball (would that be a Fit Ball?) for more than a few seconds, you end up in a wee bit of trouble.

So yes - I've fallen in a hole and I can't get up because at the moment I don't mind it down here. I am having a bit of a rest.

When you've been around the whole fat loss thing for as long as I have, you expect times like these at some point. It is a bit like a marriage. Sometimes you can't keep your hands off each other and at other times you wish you could push him in the harbour and live alone with your cat. It is just the cycle of relationships.

Enthusiasm comes and goes. Perfectionism is impossible. And most importantly -- it is just a bit of fat for f*ck's sake. It's fixable ... I'll get on to that ... just as soon as I finish writing this post.

30 Hubs in 30 Days

I have begun writing articles for HubPages and I am taking up the challenge to post 30 Hubs in 30 days. It is great writing practice, discipline and a place to build my online writing portfolio. I have already learned a heap about the dark art of attracting search engine traffic through keywords.

The focus of HubPages is much wider than this blog so now I can write about blogger templates alongside treadmills and carb cycling. I won't be writing there instead of here, I will be doing both.

You can check out my first three HubPages Articles here or use the Articles link in the menu bar at the top of the page. You can also go directly to my HubPages Profile Page.

PS: Thank you to all the lurkers who commented yesterday - blogging love accomplished!

Well Hello Lurkers 2009 Edition

I was trawling through old blog posts last night and discovered that the post that got the most comments ever was Hello Lurkers exactly one year ago today.

Since an entire year has past, me and Izzy are overdue for some bloggy love.

If you read this site and have never or rarely commented, today is your special day. Readers who regularly comment are welcome as always.

If you can't think of anything to say, answer the following question : What is your rare and special talent?

Izzy says her rare and special talent is cat blogging. Mine is having gigantic calf muscles I've never trained the desire to constantly seek knowledge and truth. What is yours?

Love Ya Skinny Bones Buddy System

Fat loss maintenance is a lonely and unrewarding place. You've worked so hard to get here and now you find out that even though it was painful, there were things you loved about losing fat - the scales going down, fitting into smaller clothes, and people commenting on how great you look. Those things have gone and now you are left with the boring, repetitive job of staying the same weight.

What makes it worse is that you have lost your motivation and sense of urgency. There is no deadline, no competition goal, no incentive to eat well because you see your fat in the mirror each morning.

There aren't many programs that celebrate the joy of losing fat and keeping it off so I have set up a small system that could help keep you on track.

I have done this because you deserve praise and encouragement for staying the same. You should be able to stay on track with the least amount of effort while getting on with the rest of your life. It is time to balance your body, mind and soul.

You need a buddy
I am here to be your maintenance buddy because I know where you have come from and how confusing it is to not have any experience in maintenance living. I know what it feels like to be a former fat chick getting used to looking and feeling completely different.

I have discovered strategies to tame the binge monster, transform freaky body image issues, and diffuse the tricks your mind plays on you. I can give you an objective view on how you are doing and a kick in the arse when you need it.

What do you have to do?
It only takes 5 minutes at the end of each day to fill out a simple check in form that reports in on how you did. You submit your form to a real live person who knows what you are going through (me) and I respond with a short email giving you encouragement and support.

How much is it going to cost?
Because this is a small, basic service that should only take both of us a few minutes each day, and because this is a new untested system that you might or might not like, I am offering ONE WEEK FREE to the first 10 people who sign up. I am limiting the Love Ya Skinny Bones Buddy System to 10 people maximum so that I have enough time to get to all my emails.

If after one week, you decide that it is helping to be accountable to someone, the introductory price is $39.90 a month for as long as you continue to renew (no increases ever for foundation members).

What if I don't like it (and I give you the sh*ts)?
You can quit at any time, no questions asked.

What do you get?
A quick and easy electronic check in system that will be read and reviewed by me who will respond to you within 12 hours, 7 days a week. I am here to answer your questions, keep you honest, and to make sure you keep the body of your dreams for life. In return, I get to hang out with like minded people and take a few more steps on my quest to quit my day job.

How do I give it a try for FREE?
Email me right now to be one of the original 10 members of the Love Ya Skinny Bones Buddy System from your current email address so I can reply to you. Here's my email address:

Sign Me Up for FREE to the Love Ya Skinny Bones Buddy System.

I am looking forward to sharing your maintenance journey with you.

PS: If you aren't quite at your goal my full coaching service is probably going to be more helpful. This new free offer is only for the recently skinny types who have nailed diet and exercise for fat loss and are just needing a simple way to STAY lean while getting on with the rest of their lives.

Love Ya Skinny Bones Nutrition Options

Finally the day has come when you have reached that magic number on the scales. You can wear your skinny jeans and your fitted singlets with pride.

You have faithfully followed your eating plan for the past 12 weeks to get to this wonderful place - so what now? How do you eat in a way that stops fat loss but prevents fat gain? What the hell is a maintenance diet anyway?

Here are a few options you can consider. Try all of them and stick with one or mix them up depending on your mood.

☆ Increase calories by 250 calories a day then check how you look after a week and adjust up or down from there.
Best: if you have been on a linear (same calorie level every day) fat loss diet or if you eat pretty much the same thing every day.
Drawbacks: no flexibility for meals out or times when unplanned food jumps into your mouth by accident.

☆ Cycle your calories from high to low
Best: if you have been carb/calorie cycling for fat loss and you enjoy the odd meal out.
Drawbacks: high days can sometimes turn in to binges. Low days make you hungry and if you have to eat in a deficit to make up for the binge, you are hungrier for longer.

☆ Eat the same calorie level 5 days out of 7 and have 2 free meals on the other 2 days
Best: if you are used to free meals as part of your fat loss plan (Body for Life etc.)
Drawbacks: free meals can turn into binges and then you have to eat in a deficit for the rest of the week.

☆ Instead of a free day once a week, have a very low diet (non training) day to make up for any overindulgence and to remind yourself where you don't want to have to go back to (deficit world)
Best: if you can handle hunger if it is only for one day.
Worst: if being really hungry makes you over eat the next day to compensate or if your only rest days are on the weekend.

My choice
☆ The totally made up complicated H, L, M calorie cycle with training I have named +3/-2 plan.
Best: for anal types like me
Worst: for relaxed types who need spontaneity

Here is the explanation [it's complicated so skip it if you can't be bothered]

The cornerstone of the plan is the BASE calorie range. This should equal your total body weight in pounds multiplied by 14.

Example - 125lbs * 14 = 1750.

This number is the average daily calories for the week and represents your starting maintenance level. This is for training/weight lifting days.

On the days you don't need as much fuel (recovery days) you eat at BASE minus 2. Your total body weight in pounds multiplied by 12 (Base/14 minus 2 = 12).

Example - 125lbs * 12 = 1500.

On the days you need refueling (mid week and week end for convenience and flexibility) you eat BASE plus 3. Your total body weight in pounds multiplied by 17 (Base/14 plus 3 = 17).

Example - 125lbs * 17 = 2125.

There are 4 different calorie days in a week.

Activity	Calories	Days
Training	Base	2
Recovery	Base-2	3
Training	Base+3	1
Recovery	Base+3	1

You can set them up in any order you want, but you need to keep the correct number of days. This is the default template (the example in italics)

Mon	Training	Base	1750
Tue	Recovery	Base-2	1500
Wed	Training	Base+3	2125
Thu	Recovery	Base-2	1500
Fri	Training	Base	1750
Sat	Recovery	Base+3	2125
Sun	Recovery	Base-2	1500

You can adjust the BASE number either up (still getting leaner *15 or 14.5) or down (getting softer *13 or 13.5) depending on your results but you must continue to +3 and -2 in the same ratios in order to average out at your maintenance level.

If you made it this far you get a very special gift - a big fat kiss ♥ and a reminder to love ya skinny bones!

I is Very Very Sad :(

Yesterday I did my first pull ups with a power band. I was very proud of myself. But my gym buddy is gone, so I had no one to share it with and I am very very sad.

Stand By for Chaos

Through over editing my blog template, I think I have corrupted it. I am going to start again from scratch.

Chaos will follow for a while. Please be patient with me.

x

A Healthy Preoccupation with Disaster

"Those that have the safest work environment are those that have a healthy preoccupation with disaster" said the speaker at a dry old OH&S session I attended yesterday. "If you injure of kill someone through neglect, it is an offense that is prosecuted under criminal law."

Most people are fairly certain that they take health and safety seriously. We make sure our staff, our colleagues and our families are safe. We are careful with electricity, with hot water, and with trip hazards. But when it comes to our own health and safety we forget that keeping our fat levels under control is a part of that duty of care.

You might feel that your fear of getting fat or staying fat is a bit obsessive but if you translate that into the language of a business safety culture, you have a healthy preoccupation with disaster.

So how can you improve you OH&S track record? How can you avoid harming yourself through neglect?

Try using the 'risk management' framework which is 3 questions.
(1) What could go wrong? and what are the consequences?
(2) How will I prevent this happening?
(3) What will I do if, despite my best efforts, it still goes wrong?

What could go wrong?
I could become overweight which will result in damage to my self respect, my pride and my sense of achievement. I could develop an obesity related disease. My ability to have an active energetic life will be compromised.

How will I prevent this happening?
I will make the best decisions I can concerning my nutrition and exercise. I will plan what I am going to eat and how I am going to achieve a fit and strong body. I will surround myself with people who share my desire to live this way. I will commit to making this a priority each and every day.

What will I do if it goes wrong?
I will use the momentum and focus of a disaster to start afresh. I will not wallow in the misery of failure but look for opportunities to prevent mistakes in the future. I will reassess the effectiveness of my plan, my compliance with it and will ask for help if I need it. I will start every new day with enthusiasm and drive. I will never give up.


No amount of research, documentation or good intentions will keep you safe - you stay safe through your actions. Before you eat that block of chocolate, or drive to the shops because it is too cold to walk, ask yourself if your choices are keeping you out of harms way. Your health and safety is your highest priority.

Stay safe!

Water for Fat Loss - But Not By Drinking It!

"If you watch the pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves"

The way to make big changes to your physique is through small changes that you will barely notice. If you consistently apply small sneaky changes to your diet, they all add up over a day, a week or a month without you (or your deprivation brain) noticing the difference.

Today's hint is adding water for fat loss. I am not talking about drinking your 8 glasses of water a day which is a given (ahem, for some of us ...) I am talking about adding no calorie water to food so that it has more volume and less calorie density.

Everything that is a liquid can stand to be watered down. Salad dressing, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, even jam, yogurt and cottage cheese. The trick is to add the water directly into the container, give it a decent shake/stir to mix it in and then promptly forget that you've done it. When you measure out the watered down substance, just log the usual amount. You will save a few calories each and every time you dress your salad and you won't even notice (or even remember most of the time).

Don't just drink your water to lose weight, add water for fat loss. If you combine this trick with minus one plus one you will be always be in slightly more of a deficit which will result in slightly more fat loss than you expect.

Painless fat loss - my favourite kind!!

Tracking Log Sun 12 - Sat 18 July 2009

Back to Basics - 8 Minutes in the Morning - Review

Sometimes I am guilty of over thinking. Anything that is complicated and involved appeals to my runaway brain. Eventually I just end up confusing myself.

It is somewhat surprising then, that I originally started this long, life changing, weight loss journey with one of the simplest programs on the market. I haven't really talked about this because I was strangely embarrassed to admit that I lost 25kg using a book called '8 Minutes in the Morning'. Any fitness professional will tell you that you can't lose weight and get fit with only an 8 minute workout! You need body splits, compound movements, isolations, interval and steady state cardio.

Jorge Cruise has moved on (I think he is down to 12 seconds now!), but the selling blurb for this book is NO aerobics, NO hours in the gym and NO starvation diet. Even with my busy life, my fondness for my warm bed in the mornings and my history of hating any sort of cardio, I felt that I could probably manage 8 minutes in the mornings.

Training
The cornerstone of the program is weight lifting. Instead of worrying about burning calories, 8 Minutes in the Morning concentrates on building lean muscle. It claims that every pound of muscle you have burns 50 calories a day making you into a metabolic furnace. I know that popular experts disagree with that number but building muscle definitely makes a difference to your shape and your ability to burn fat.

The Workouts
6 days lifting with day 7 off. 2 body parts per day - 12 reps x 4 sets

Mon - Chest and Back
Tue - Shoulders and Abdominals
Wed - Triceps and Biceps
Thu - Hamstrings and Quadriceps
Fri - Calves and Butt
Sat - Inner and Outer Thighs

Example: Monday
(A) Dumbbell Press (lying on the floor)
(B) Two Arm Row (sitting in a chair)

Example : Tuesday
(A) Lateral Raise (standing)
(B) Crunch (lying)

The Diet
8 Minutes in the Morning promotes Eat Fat to Get Fit. This is no low-fat, high carbohydrate diet. I admit that I didn't really follow the diet too closely - I just cut out all the crappy food I had been eating. The diet is based on counting portions which is the same as counting calories, only in disguise. Looking at it now the 'quick start' diet (week one) seems awfully low in calories.

3 fat (45 cals) = 135
3 protein (75 cals) = 225
4 complex carbs (80 cals) = 320
2 dairy (90 cals) = 180
4 veggies (25 cals) = 100
1 fruit (60 cals) = 60
2 treats (30 cals) = 60
8 water
----------------------------
1080 calories

After that you get slightly more food - 1200 calories (extra fat, protein and veggie portion) if you are 150lbs or under, 1400 (extra fat, 2 protein, 1 carb, 2 veggie portions) if you are 150-199lbs. Possibly adequate if you are only doing 8 minutes of exercise a day and don't have an active job?

The Emotional Advantage
Every morning before you get to your exercises for the day, you get a 'wake up talk'. Topics include - know what you want, create the ultimate environment, use progress to push forward, jump start your motivation etc.

The Good
The weight training exercises are clearly explained and their are body weight alternatives if you are away from home. The morning 'wake up talk' is less annoying than it sounds.

The Bad
That diet is seriously hard-core. I couldn't survive on it now. I might have been able to do it back then but I didn't want to go 'on a diet'. I just cleaned up my normal eating pattern (which was only lunch and dinner so I was probably close to it anyway).

It took me longer than 8 minutes when I first started because I had to have a long rest in between sets. At the beginning I used to lay on the floor and have a diet coke and a cigarette at half time (it was a really hot January!). I did 2 training cycles (2 months) before I got bored and then moved on to an even more embarrassing program I will tell you about later.

Should You Buy It/Borrow It/Find It In A Garage Sale?
If you want a simple effective beginner level weight lifting program then 8 Minutes in the Morning is it. Doing a little bit each morning is a great way to build an enduring exercise habit. I am a firm believer in building lean muscle first before worrying too much about 'cardio' sessions. If you already walk a bit anyway, then you don't need anything extra to start with.

I will always be fond of this book because it did actually change the shape of my body, it changed my view of exercise and most importantly, it changed my life forever.

The Good News and the Bad News

Good News
My very first commission courtesy of Top End Girl - Erika - Thank you x

Bad News
My very first rejection note

Step One - Self Employment - Affiliate Links

Buying online items by clicking through from this page will provide me with some income and begin the first step in becoming a self employed business woman.

I am now an affiliate with

Amazonfor all your literary needs
[my favourite books are in the sidebar -->]



Mr Supplement for your supplement needs



Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle for an excellent nutrition plan

If you decide to buy from any of these retailers, I get a commission on the sale. It doesn't cost you anything extra, it just means some of the company's profits get sent to me for pointing you in their direction. ♥ Thank you ♥

A Free Meal - Have I Earned It?

When I am deciding whether or not to have an unplanned free meal, I ask myself if I have earned it. Am I WEALTHY enough to have it?

W - is Waiting another day out of the question?

E - am I physically Exhausted and lacking energy?

A - will I be Able to stop eating after I eat this?

L - is my body looking as Lean as it should?

T - have I Trained today?

H - am I excessively Hungry or craving fat/carbs?

Y - has it been 'Years' since I had a high calorie day?

If I can answer yes to all those questions then I go right ahead. Just remember you have to be WEALTHY enough to have a high calorie/off plan meal.

Word of the Day - Inselberg

I am positive I am descended from some South Pacific tribe of scantily clad Warrior Princesses. I am so completely tortured by the cold weather. It makes me absolutely miserable. I am sure my genetic preference is for hot tropical sunshine.

As I sit here with my giant cup of green listening to the rain, I dream of warm blue water, comfortable deck chairs, luscious palm trees and distant inselbergs rising out of the jungle.

I figure I would be perfectly happy as long as the pub, fish and chip shop, Thai restaurant and pizza shop are only open once a week!

Thin Enough to Give Up my Job?

Why would I reach my mid forties and contemplate giving up a highly successful, highly paid professional position in a world famous organization [and an office with harbour views]?

Because I don't LOVE it. I want to do what I love - and why the hell not?

I have taken almost 5 years to completely change my life through the transformation of my body. But I am feeling like staying fit and lean is no longer the primary focus of my life. I have learned enough for most of this stuff to have become second nature.

So where do I direct my energy now? What is my goal and my passion? Why do I get out of bed in the morning?

I have thought about this long and hard, and I have concluded that I want to be able to create something that will enrich other peoples lives. I want to teach, entertain, and inspire you. I would like to make my mark on the world.

So I have decided that on 1 January 2010, exactly 5 years after I started this weight loss journey, that I will leave my job and support myself through blogging, coaching and writing. It is completely scaring me to death but in my usual fashion, I have a plan.

In the next six months I will start putting into place the habits and discipline that will give me the very best start to my new career as an author . There is money to be saved, articles to be written and work to be done.

If any of you have had experience in supporting yourself through paid blog posts or online magazine submissions I would love your help and advice.

I am thinking of starting another blog to document this new journey, but I kind of don't want to separate my life into two halves and feel torn down the middle. After all, if it wasn't for this weight loss thing, this blog and you guys, I never would have the courage to do this.

What do you think? Am I completely crazy? Am I deluded? Will you soon see me at a homeless shelter near you?

Word of the Day - Scree

Today was one of those shaky days. The type of day where I am balancing precariously on the edge of eating more than I planned.

I am not sure why I was hungry because I didn't even go to the gym this morning due to rather sore shoulders (YAY) from yesterday's workout. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that my abs decided to finally make a reappearance this morning after my holiday indulgences.

When Mr Katie announced he was going to order pizza this evening, I almost gave in. Somehow, I managed to hold on to the edge of the mountain and not slide down the slippery scree. I ended up making my own pizza with baked veggies, chicken and Parmesan cheese. It was divine and better than anything a pizza joint could create. And after all that angst, Mr Katie didn't get around to ordering a pizza after all [I still don't understand how that works!].

Protein Powder vs Real Protein

I love my protein powder pancakes for breakfast (I don't add the fruit anymore), instead of bread in a sandwich and for dessert. I eat them all day long.

But is protein powder the best source of protein?

We need protein in our diet to build and repair our muscles, but protein is also beneficial as it is the blunts hunger, and it takes the most calories to digest.

Although protein powder delivers the required amino acids to our muscles, I don't believe it is very filling or that it takes a great deal of digestion (which is sometimes the point of choosing the powder over whole foods). I have been making my pancakes with buckwheat flour instead of the powder and having chicken thigh meat on them for breakfast. As chicken has a fairly bland taste, it is actually perfectly delicious to still add peanut butter, maple syrup and ice cream. Sounds freaky I know, but tastes just as good, if not better.

If you find yourself getting hungry quite quickly after a protein shake or a protein powder meal, try switching to real foods - chicken, eggs, nuts - and see if you notice a difference.

Word of the Day - Sartorial

A new game I have invented that requires I create a post using the word of the day in both text and image.

It is interesting to observe that as I have shrunk and my clothes have become looser, they are more and more unflattering. It is a sad fact, because I like my clothes - they just don't look good on me any more.

It would probably be a good idea to take the pieces that I love to the man at the Dry Cleaners who can restore them to their sartorial splendour. Ill fitting clothes, whether too small OR too large do the wearer no favours.

A Present from Mr Katie

A wee pirate figure with this symbol on his shirt

The note read

"I love you skinny bones"

Home from the Holidays

I have just spent a wonderful week in Palm Cove, Far North Queensland with the gorgeous Shelley. We laughed, cried, relaxed, plotted and planned, tanned, trained and ate.

I ate out a lot more than I intended to so you could safely say that I was 'off plan' three days out of six.

I can't say that I am particularly worried about my nutrition decisions because I realise that enjoying restaurants/takeaway food and a few drinks with a friend is part of what holidays are all about. Heaven knows that it has been years since I had a 'diet break' so it was probably well overdue.

I have come to the conclusion that our thought processes directly influence our bodies. Even though I have broken my rigid set of eating rules, I am choosing not to entertain thoughts of guilt, self loathing or regret.

Strangely, I have had no carb hangovers, no major fluid retention and no desire to under eat or over train to compensate. I think that my relaxed attitude has allowed my body to get on with the digestive process in a much more efficient manner than when I am filled with stress.

Of course I am a little softer than I was when I left home last week, but a few days of clean living will sort that out.

Shame, self hate, guilt and regret instigate destructive behaviour rather than positive actions. Kind thoughts about yourself result in treating yourself with kindness and self love - getting straight back on plan.

Tracking Log Sunday 5 - Saturday 11 July 2009

My Quest to Stay Lean

I have managed to remain at a weight I am happy with for the past 13 weeks. I have survived 8 whole weeks post comp without succumbing to the post comp eating blues. This is wonderful progress.

I have always been confused as to why the way I look is so important to me. All the books and websites tell me that an obsession with my physical appearance is symptomatic of a need for approval from other people. But I honestly pay little attention to the opinions of strangers, acquaintances and colleagues and those people I do care about have loved me fat and thin and somewhere in between.

I am now contemplating an alternative theory that suggests my quest for an amazing physique is a strategy to keep other people at a distance. By achieving and maintaining the perfect body, I am demonstrating that I already have everything I need so no help is required. I am fortifying the thick stone walls I have built between myself and the world.

I am reminded that my trust and abandonment issues (I am adopted blah blah blah) have made independence my most fundamental core value and my obsession with training and nutrition is simply an extension of that value system.

I am the product of my history and who I am is the best I can be at this moment. Being introverted and naturally solitary is neither good nor bad, it is just how I am. I don't need to work out how to 'fix' it.

I am just happy to have discovered another piece of the KatieP puzzle.

Only Binge in Your Best

Yesterday I was sitting around in my training gear contemplating having a binge day. I was sticky and sweaty, I had greasy limp hair and I felt blobby and unattractive.

Before I commenced my eating catastrophe, for some unknown reason I decided to have a shower, wash my hair and put on some makeup.

By the time I had spent some time making myself glamorous, the urge to pig out had passed. I had wanted to eat because I felt like shit. Once I felt better about what I saw in the mirror, it was easier to treat myself with respect.

So before you go on an eating rampage in the kitchen and clean out the fridge and pantry, go take a shower, blow dry your hair, put on some makeup and your BEST clothes.

I wonder if you'll change your mind like I did?

Am I a NOUN or a VERB?

I am an athlete

I am strong

I am a size 8

I am an inspiration (?)

All of these statements describe who I am or who I want to be. They are also NOUNS - words that name a person, place, thing or idea. They are labels that mean different things to different people.

I am no longer defining myself by a label. I am re-framing the way I see myself in terms of action. I am replacing NOUNS with VERBS - words that express existence, action or occurrence.

I lift weights, run and move a lot.

I lift heavy things in the gym and in daily life. I conquer physical, mental and emotional challenges.

I follow a nutrition plan that is built around monitoring calories, whole foods, and the right mix of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

I live authentically and honestly and openly share my unique life experience with others.

Now I have performance goals rather than outcome goals. The best thing about performance goals is that are completely under my control. I can choose to show up, commit, improve, enjoy and master my actions and no person or circumstance can stop me.

Think about how you see yourself. Do you have I am statements? Try replacing them with I do statements instead. If you get stuck try adding because I ...

I am a figure competitor because I ...
I am fantastic because I ...
I am maintaining my weight loss because I ...

Ladies and Gents - give me your VERBS.

Escaping the Cold

There once was a plan for me to compete in the All Female Classic in Melbourne this weekend so I booked the week off work.

I thought about coming down to watch, but it is f-cking freezing in Melbourne.

So in the KatieP tradition of 'doing the opposite' Shelley and I are going in the opposite direction. For the rest of the week we will be found lying on a white sandy beach in Far North Queensland in a bikini (without diamantes). Personally, I think this is a much more appropriate place to run around nearly naked in the middle of winter than some cold drafty hall in suburban Melbourne.

I'll be thinking of you girls in peak week ... while Shelley and I get a real tan, carb deplete on fresh seafood and water load with cocktails.

Walking Away From the Abuse

I am a strong and independent woman and yet I am stuck in an abusive relationship.

There is someone in my life who treats me badly. He doesn't care about my thoughts or feelings and derives enormous pleasure from criticising me.

It doesn't matter if I am lighter or heavier than yesterday, in his eyes, neither is a positive result. When I encounter him, I am never left with a feeling of pride or accomplishment.

If I am heavier than yesterday, then I am fat. He tells me that staying lean is something I will never accomplish because I am too lazy, too weak willed and genetically destined to be overweight. My reasons for gaining sound like excuses - too much sodium, hormones or muscle soreness don't sway his opinion - I am just getting fat. When I listen to him I end up restricting my calories and training until I drop.

If I am lighter than yesterday then I am not 'normal'. He tells me that I am too small, too bony, I am losing muscle and that I should go and eat. I usually take his advice and end up in a disgusting overfed carb coma.

So today I am walking away once and for all. My interaction with him will be severely curtailed. He is no longer getting free trips away from home, his place on the bathroom floor will be empty and his photo will only appear occasionally on this blog.

I do not care what he says, and his number will no long be a scorecard for my worth. I know I have tried to break off with him before and failed miserably, but I now realise that he has nothing of value to add to my life.

Mr Scale - I no longer need you - I am so much more than a number.

It is a Cruel Irony

It is a cruel irony that after 2 days of eating crap from morning to night I am stronger than ever, I can run for hours without tiring, I look cut, veiny and pumped and I am not the slightest bit hungry. Talk about positive reinforcement for negative behaviour -- no wonder I am mildly psychotic!

Not Waving, Drowning

I am an expert in fat loss. I know how to burn calories through hard lifting and cardio. I am experienced in the pros and cons of low carb. I am skilled in being in a deficit. This is my comfort zone.

I do not know how to stay at a stable weight. It is a foreign, uncharted world where all the rules have to be re-written. It frightens me because I have lost my confidence.

There is a simple and stupid way to find my way back to safe and familiar territory. I eat. I eat without rules, without common sense and without restraint. By knowingly behaving irresponsibly, I can put myself in a position where fat loss is necessary again.

It makes no sense ... and yet it makes perfect sense.

Today I start a new plan. A fat loss plan that gives me rules, numbers and a schedule. In a bizarre way, it is a relief to know that I can get back on the boat, instead of treading water in the cold unpredictable sea.

Planning Your Diet - Intuition vs Intellect

Every night before I go to bed, I plan what I am going to eat the next day and log it all into Calorie King. I make sure I have 3 meals, 2 snacks and dessert, all with the prescribed amount of calories.

This is a good thing when I am in fat loss mode because I am restricting my calories. Therefore I need a robust plan that ensures I have food with me when I am away from home, and that I am eating every couple of hours to minimise the hunger.

Now I am trying to find the happy food place where I eat enough to feel satisfied but not too much to be in a calorie excess, I am no longer sure that planning my day so carefully is helping.

Some days I would rather have a big breakfast and no morning tea. Sometimes I can't face another chicken wrap for lunch and all I want is a quarter roast chicken and coleslaw. Other days I'd rather have a bowl of pumpkin soup for dinner instead of protein and vegetables. Sometimes I am incredibly hungry all day and sometimes I am not really hungry at all.

Even though I hate the concept that food = fuel, on some level this is true (although food is so much more than that for me - it is pleasure, warmth, and communion with others). You don't put the exact same amount of petrol in your car day after day and expect it too be precisely what you need to get you where you need to go. Even if you travel exactly the same distance every day there are speed variations and changing traffic conditions that affect the fuel efficiency of your car.

I shouldn't expect my body to need x amount of calories every day. Some days I move a lot, I am awake for longer and I feel like going for a walk in my lunch break to clear my head. Other days I just lie on the beach and read a book (like all of next week). I need different amount s of energy on different days.

In the ongoing maintenance eating experiment I am going to trial a different approach. I am still logging my food, but I am deciding what to eat as I go, and trying not to freak out too much if I go under or over the calorie number I have set for the day. I am trying to follow my intuition more and my intellect less.

It is through science that we prove, but through intuition that we discover… Jules Henri Poincare

How do you do it - plan in advance, make it up as you go, or totally wing it?

The Professional Dieter's Plan for Maintenance

or What the Hell are you Doing Again?

In response to Marla's comment, I thought I should clarify what my current strategy is in terms of fat loss and training.

I have reached my goal to weigh sub 60kg with body fat between 7kg and 8kg. I have actually been at this level for almost 3 months.

My current goals are
• to stay at my 'happy' weight forever
• to reset my set point so this becomes easy
• to slowly increase my calories so average daily intake is around 2,000+ without fat gain
• to reduce my training so that my body doesn't get injured or sick
• to have some freedom to eat like a 'normal' person on occasions
• to reduce my stress levels
• to get my period back [the only concrete evidence I have that I am not trying to maintain a body fat percentage that is too lean]
• to have enough energy to train hard and have enough left over for the rest of the day

What am I doing to achieve these goals
• slowly increasing my average weekly calorie level - I am at about 1800 now and hoping I can go higher (still calorie cycling low/high)
• reducing my training from 80-90 minutes a day 5 days a week to 30 minutes a day 5 days a week - 2-3 weight sessions and 2-3 cardio sessions
• eating back half of the calories I burn in exercise so I don't get too hungry or too tired
• monitoring my scale weight - 56 kg is my 'happy' weight and I have a 2kg buffer to account for fluctuations
• having a high calorie day or a free meal/day once a week so I can eat out with Mr KatieP (I wait for a low(er) scale number before I do this)
• sleeping more - 5am starts are no longer required

Fundamentally my three biggest enemies are hunger, fatigue and lack of spontaneity. I will do what it takes to stay lean, but I choose not to live the rest of my life hungry, tired and unable to go out to eat once in a while.

I took a week off training to give my body a rest and to have a break from the stress of training. It made me realise that I have been under eating and over training. I am trying to find the middle ground where I stay in shape and stay sane. It is all a big experiment.

And for the record, TTOM arrived yesterday so something is working.