Photo Credit: Prevention Information Centre @ RMC

Lately due to illness and just being slack I have completely come off the tracks to my goals.  I have been slack at the Gym, not really trying hard enough with my food intake and generally not really inspired to go any further.  So I read on Spark People 25 tips to stay on track today and wanted to share this with you too.  They make sense and are pretty good to just print off and place on your fridge or office wall. 

This way you get to actually look at them and not have them stashed away in a folder or left under a pile of papers on your desk.  I know for me the portion sizes are a big hassle but I still need to learn how to do this and be ok with it in order to get to my goals.  Below are some links to portion charts, and tips of how to stay fuller longer.  I found these on Spark People; I thought that they would assist with this very issue.  Very helpful and informative, use it as a guide so you don’t slip up.  I am placing this on my pantry door.

The Portion Distortion Guide

Tips To Stay Full Longer

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Photo Credit - Jacqui Motoska

My Husband and I on our Wedding Day 14th October 2006

Getting married can be daunting to anyone, especially a plus size woman.  When I got married I was a size 28 Wedding dress.  I did look lovely so people told me however it was not that easy to find things that suited the plus sized woman.

The dress was only part of it, I had to think about undergarments and shoes and even seating at the reception that I could fit in.  In any case, if you are plus size and getting married refer to the directories below to assist you in finding what you need.  Some great sites that can give you everything from your dress and right down to the table cloths at the reception.

 Directories

 www.brideonline.com.au

 www.easyweddings.com.au

 www.smartbride.com.au

 www.wedding.auz.com

For the plus size woman you need to think about fit and what will be flattering.  All women thin or large get nervous before the Wedding, although naturally when you are overweight you have so much more to consider.  You want to look your best and at the same time not give up on a style because of your weight.  This includes makeup and jewellery and even your hairstyle.

Plus size bridal stores

www.plussizebride.com.au

www.bbwcupid.com

www.idealbride.com.au

Churches

If you are going to get married in a Church her is a list of churches around Australia and even overseas.

www.australianchurches.net

Reception

We all want to make the reception look amazing and special, here are some sites and directories to look at to help you with this big decision.  Check out the venues that are great value for money and always compare what the venue offers in the price.

www.bestvenues.com.au

Wedding central

www.weddingreceptionvenues.com.au

www.theweddingdirectory.com.au

Victoria

www.weddingvic.com.au

Perth

www.westvalley.com.au

www.easyweddings.com.au

SA

www.weddingsa.com

Queensland

www.clios.com.au

NSW

www.brideonline.com.au

Tasmania

www.wedding.auz.com

Cakes

Photo credit: cupcaketastic

You can get married and not have an amazing cake; if you ever watched that movie “Because I said so” you will agree that the cake in the Wedding scene was amazing.  It was like 101 Dalmatians.  Rent the movie and you will see for yourself or take a look at the link above.  After all you want to make a statement about who you are and put your personal style to it - lets get creative girls.

 Cake recipes if you want to go it alone, or you may want to consult the professionals like:

 Elegant Occasions

 Directory - Bride online Victoria

 PS - Oakleigh Quality Cakes I do not recommend, my mother was dying in hospital and so we didn’t know what was going to happen - the whole Wedding may have been cancelled at a drop - so we cancelled the reception and tried to cancel the cake for which we paid for in full - they did absolutely nothing in regards to preparing the cake and they kept $180.00 of the $500 odd dollars I paid for themselves.  This was even after my explaining my mother’s situation.  I was horrified to think that someone would take the money off someone whom this was happening to.  As I rule I tell everyone not to go to them, not because the cakes are not nice but simply because they were too money hungry and not very sympathetic to my situation - one I classed as extreme.

 The Wedding Directory

 House of Elegant Cakes

 www.fantasycakes.com.au

 www.weddingpages.com.au

I could go much more into details however the directories I have chosen will really give you all you will ever need.  Here is a list of things you may need and I can assure you that they are all in the directories.

 ¨      Bridal gown

¨      Lingerie

¨      Groom’s Suit

¨      Groomsman

¨      Bridesmaid

¨      Mother of Bride

¨      Father of Bride

¨      Mother of Groom

¨      Father of Groom

¨      Flowers

¨      Cakes

¨      Receptions

¨      Jewellery

¨      Hair

¨      Make up

¨      Invitations

¨      Thank you cards

¨      Gift ideas

¨      Honeymoon

¨      The rings

¨      Cars

¨      Catering

¨      Hiring of equipment

¨      Churches

¨      Celebrants 

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They have to make sure that you are breathing properly and that your heart can withstand the amnestica.  I was at high risk.  This scared me to death because all I was thinking was that I would die on the operating table and I would have to leave my husband, my puppy Pebbles and my life as I know it.

I was lucky that I had keyhole surgery, however when they got my on the operating table they couldn’t find my Gall Bladder and so they had to do an X-ray or ultrasound whilst I was under.  In this case they had to do a bigger incision above my belly button.  This gives me pain to no end still after two weeks. 

I still have my bandages on from the operation they are not to come off till I see the surgeon in another week or so.  I am afraid to see the scares and the bruising was not pleasant to look at.  They put four incisions in my abdomen.   One above my belly button, another further up above that, one to the side diagonally from my belly button and one to the side of that one, this was the drainage incision.  I had a tube out of it with a small bag to hold the fluid that came out of me.  It was disgusting to know that fluid was coming out of your body.

It scared me to know that at some point that tube would have to be taken out.  I had a panic attack when it came out.  My chest tightened up and I thought I would pass out.  But luckily for me it didn’t hurt once removed and I was scared for nothing.  If you were anything like me you would have panicked too.

And so I have been at home recovering for the past one and a half weeks, and even though I am getting better, the larger cut above my belly button hurts and I have been told I look pale.  I know I have to go back to work soon, and also the Gym, but I am afraid, it is like I am a different person.  The Gym scares me because I will literally be starting all over again; all the hard work I put in has been in vain.

As for work, I have been away for a while and not sure what to expect.  But I am sure it will be ok.  The moral to my story is that when you are obese surgery can be a big issue, and it has just shown me that if I had only been thinner and started the Gym earlier, I am sure I would not be in as much pain as I am now. 

When I have fully recovered I will be back online and bring you more interesting articles to read.  I will keep you posted as to my progress and also how I go when I go back to the Gym.  PS Public hospitals are really not very nice to say the least, I didn’t even get a wheel chair to go out of the hospital, and I had to walk in excruciating pain.  It was not much fun because I was so emotional that I burst into tears.  I was also released overnight.  It was like a production line of operations.  One after the other and when you can eat without throwing up, you can go home.  They really need the beds.

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Photo credit: mireillelovelyworld

It has come to my attention from reading a post by Angie all the way that weight loss in itself isn’t the major change.  People you haven’t seen for a long time either tell you that “it’s nice to meet you” because they don’t recognize you.  Then when they realise that it’s you, they tell you that you have changed for the better, but they are solely basing that on your weight loss.

There is so much more that happens to a person, yes you lose the weight and look different, but I know from personal experience that once you have been overweight, and then lose a lot of weight your mind is still partially feeling the feelings of obesity.  What I mean by that is that once you are obese, even if you lose all  your weight, feel more confident and appear to have changed to everyone around you, you don’t really change - you feel better and are more happy yes, you have achieved a huge thing in your life so why wouldn’t you.

However, in my case when I lost 22 kg at one point in my life, the same thing that happened to Angie happened to me, people I hadn’t seen since I started the weight loss walked right by me and didn’t even recognize me, in fact after finding out that they knew me they had a different tune about them.  It was like I was more acceptable now, then what I was when I was bigger.

This is not an article that is supposed to be negative, however in light of the facts this is just the truth.  When you lose weight everyone loves you and finds you acceptable.  The only good thing for me at the moment is that my husband met me when I was obese and loves me for who I am and also finds me attractive the way I am.  Others out there in the world don’t often accept me for what I am and therefore my husband and I find that we don’t get invited to occasions because we are both overweight.  This is our theory anyway.

There is so many issues I think that don’t get explored, and I found that people don’t really care why you are obese - just the fact that you are you are at the end of the gene pool so  you are not worth anything.  If anything it is like you are doing something wrong to them personally, the disapproval you will receive is just ridiculous.  I know I have written about this sort of thing before, but and there is a BUT, I believe that a person doesn’t really change.  I also believe that when you are obese you think and feel a certain way, and it really is a disease, usually mental, however on occasion it will be a medical reason. 

All in all I think people shouldn’t patronize you if you have lost weight or even if you haven’t, because you are still the same person, just more confident and perhaps happier.  By you losing weight this is a major discipline that would have taken you a long time to perfect, this is the real thing you should be praising, not the actual weight loss. 

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I am one of those women that loves her handbags, big ones, little ones and even weird looking ones.  Different colours and shapes and sizes, those hand bags that you take with you when there is a formal evening affair, a tote bag for the beach, every day bags and those colourful bags that match your outfit.

The latest spring and summer fashion for handbags in 2008 are amazing and you will see a lot of texture, colour and materials used, innovative ideas and bags that are truly functional and look fantastic.

You can find more great photos of handbags for 2008 in Pauline’s article. 

I know that most women have everything in their handbags that would blow men’s minds.  The make up, phone, phone book, PDA, wallet, sunglasses, notebooks - you name it we have it.  Do you ever find that your bag is getting bigger and heavier.  I have a tip for you, when you get a handbag for everyday, always only put in it what you need during the day. 

Don’t forget that you can change your bag for evening functions.  By bringing your evening clutch bag you can put your bits and pieces into it in the car before you get to your evening function. 

To change your look from office wear to eveningwear you only have to change your bag and shoes.  These items can be in your car waiting for you after work.  You can also put your hair up if it is long to make a more evening effect.   

You will find that a make up bag can fit in your handbag and you don’t have to lug your everyday bag to your evening function, it is quite a simple way to organize your days and nights with accessories like the one and only HANDBAG.  I love them and have many different types.

If you want to change your look this spring then buy some bags to match your outfits and you will bring some life into your wardrobe.  Remember try patterns, texture and colour, they are in now. 

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You can imagine all the progress you made only to go back to what you were before.  I will be extremely depressed if this happens.  I must be stricter on myself and not eat junk out of worry and pressure and fear.  These habits are very hard to brake and you really have to be on top of it all the time, every day, every minute and not let your guard down.  If you do the unthinkable will happen you will gain weight and fell very black inside.  I never want to feel that ever again, as long as I live

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Photo credit: cemeterypolka

I read an interesting post from 101 reasons I hate being fat, it suddenly rang true for me.  Have you ever not gone to a concert, restaurant or just any place where you may have to sit down because you were too fat too fit in the chair?  Well I have and it is a constant battle, the people looking at you, the uncomfortable seat you’re in because you are too big to fit in it.  This is the topic for the day from me.

There was one incident that happened when I had to go out for dinner with my sister and her boyfriend.  Because I am so big I had to get my sister’s boyfriend to ring the restaurant whilst booking it to also ask them to make sure there was a chair with no arms on it.  This was simply because the chairs provided at this place were just too small for me.  My hips or the fat around my hips would be pushed up and over the arms of the chair, needless to say this was very painful and I just couldn’t be comfortable to sit there so I made every excuse to get up and walk around. 

This happened the last time I went to this place that is why I knew I couldn’t sit there one more night in agony.  So you see obesity can be very debilitating to your life in more ways than people realise.  The worst thing for me is that I can’t go to the places I want because of seating issues.  It is very embarrassing for obese people to do much of anything because it will either be the seating, or on the other hand the stares you will get - most of the time people don’t even realise they are doing it but they do stare and make you feel like you have no right to be there.

This is my own personal wish - to be fit and healthy and enjoy life like others do with no prejudice or looks of disapproval.  A life with peace.

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The pain is so server sometimes that I can’t breathe, and not exercise either.  But the good news is that I have lost just over 2 kg’s this week so I am happy about that.  I have stopped the Gym for the minute until after my surgery and am keeping my Slimplicity sessions each week.  Food is 80% of the process after all and I believe that I can do just this for the time being until I am fit enough for the Gym workouts again.

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ONLINE RESOURCES FOR CEO’S

Photo credit: redpig

Online resources for CEO’s

The link above I found at Webmama’s blog that offers 45 online resources for CEO’s.

WEB STRATEGY

Photo credit: jeremiah_owyang

Web Strategy

The link above if from blog-well all about Business Blogging, Web Strategy, Internet and Tech Stuff, a very good read.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Photo credit: rmen

Social Media

This is a great way to spread the word about what you write about, Social Media has become a big part of blogging and planning your website strategy.  Dosh Dosh is the hero here.

SEO

Photo credit: tel2annie

Good Guy SEO

All about SEO, interesting informative articles that will assist you with SEO.

BRAND MARKETING

Photo credit: Eric (a.k.a. Hervé)

Brand Marketing

Seth Godin has some great tips on brand marketing; check out what he has to say.

All these links are worth a look if you are running your own business.

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17th March 2008 Start date

23rd June 2008   

I have finally gotten my update photo.  I don’t know if you can see the difference but I can, ever so slightly.  I have as I said been sick for the past three weeks with a chest infection and so my food habits went out the window and as for exercise, I just didn’t do any.

Progress Chart 

Last week I went to the gym 3 times however I was taking it easy because I was still a little sick.  This week I will be back in full swing again.  Food on track and everything else will fall into place.

 No weight loss this week but I have lost 1 cm off my body making it a total of 14 cm.  I do feel great and only good things to follow in the next few weeks.  Please leave your comments on how you think I have gone so far by the different photos.

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