Week 8 - Cold Ovals, Big Goals & Food Wins

Week 8. How are we already here?!

Monday was dentist check-ups for the older kids, we do 6 monthly check ups and cleans!!

Then Kanga Cup. It was so cold. I don’t think I have ever felt Canberra this cold. I had all the kids with me and Arlo was already overdue for a nap, so I ended up having to ask one of the parents if they could drop Nola home so I could get Arlo home and into bed before it got too late.

Thank goodness the parents are all so kind and I was able to leave her in safe hands and get home.

Monday afternoon we continued our Harry Potter marathon. We were up to 3 before bedtime. We did start the week before and got through a bit Sunday afternoon, but still, solid effort.

Tuesday we were up early and back at the oval for day two of Kanga Cup. Thankfully Arlo had daycare, so we dropped him off and got there right on time for a good car spot.

Rocky’s friend was playing too, so he talked their family into keeping him for the day. Honestly, the social skills on that kid.

Wednesday I logged onto work and saw a note that I was meant to drop Rocky to his Raiders football workshop. I don’t think we have ever gotten ready so fast.

When we got there, Rocky was so upset because they had put him in a random group without his friends. I know it’s hard for them to make sure everyone is with someone, but pretty much his whole team was there and put together, besides Rocky.

There were quite a lot of tears, and he was ready to walk out. I tried to give him a bit of tough love, but that did not work. So, I asked if he could swap groups, and luckily someone in the other group hadn’t shown up, so there was one spot left. He got to swap and was very happy.

It was so hard for me not to cry the whole way home because seeing any of my kids upset is so heartbreaking.

After I dropped Rocky, I had to race home, pick Nola up and take her to Kanga Cup. Lucky Arlo was in daycare because it was a lot of driving around.

I worked in my car while Nola warmed up, then walked out to watch her game. When she was done, I took her home for some lunch, then dropped her back and organised another parent to drop her home because it finished during our Wednesday support call.

Before the support call, we had our team meeting, which was great. Lots of strategy and planning ready for the new cohort to join. Wesley also suggested we have a team workshop/early Christmas party in Bali in November. If this goes ahead, I guess that can be my new timeframe to hit my goal weight.

Nola came home with a player of the match award for her fourth game, and I was so proud of her.

Wednesday I also had a big reflection in regards to my weight, I got down to around 64/65kg when Wesley was coaching me, which was a whopping 30kg loss. I always talked about pushing it further, but honestly, I was so happy with where I got to that I ended up sitting there.

Looking back, looking forward, and also learning more about my body, my height and my age, I keep second-guessing what I think my goal should be.

I know this is really common. I know a lot of you do this as well because you’ve messaged me about it. I actually think it’s great to reassess when needed and make sure you’re working towards a goal that still makes sense for you.

When I started this STRIP phase, I had 62kg in my mind. Now that I’m watching my results, and noting I’m 5 foot 1, I’m actually wondering whether I want to go below 60kg.

I’ll keep working towards my current goal and reassessing as I get closer because I think I’m still a bit too far away to make any final decisions. But 58kg is starting to sound pretty good, and I think that would be a great baseline to go into a build phase after I finish CONTROL.

Wesley and I have talked about the build phase quite a lot. Usually when someone goes into a build phase, they would eat in a calorie surplus, which can add a bit of fluff to the body as well. Then later they would strip back the fluff while keeping the muscle they built.

But Wesley and I have been talking about doing maintenance calories with high protein and building muscle at maintenance rather than going into a surplus, because we have a couple of friends who have done this really successfully without adding the fluff.

So I think that’s what I want to do. Anyway, food for thought.

After Nola’s Kanga Cup, she came home, then Rocky got dropped home. Once I finished work, picked up Arlo and we had dinner, we were back on our Harry Potter marathon. It even started at 6am the next day!

I tell you what though, watching a movie with that much detail with an 8 and 10 year old means you need a lot of patience. They miss little bits, or don’t fully understand something, and then ask 750,000 questions. I’m now saying, “just watch the movie, just watch the movie”, but I do explain if it seems complicated.

Thursday I dropped Nola to her friend’s house, and she ended up having a double sleepover. I hung out with Rocky at home while I worked, and he actually played outside all day with the neighbours, which was wonderful.

I got a call that Arlo smashed his mouth on the ground pushing a truck! Standard toddlers….

Rocky still had training Thursday night even though it was school holidays because he had a football carnival on Sunday. He was so happy to go, he had missed the team!

Friday I was in the office. It was so fun watching the welcome post have new cohort comments. The new round energy is always so exciting.

Also, for the first time since being in my STRIP phase, someone asked me if I’ve lost weight. Yay! Such a nice feeling.

Friday night I caught up with a girlfriend, and we went out for dinner. I calorie banked for pretty much the whole day. I had one 300 calorie meal and coffee, then dinner. I had one red wine and we shared steak, tortellini, eggplant and a banoffee pie.

I did actually feel really sick after though.

I woke up Saturday morning and weighed 100g less, which was nice. It has taken me all week to get back down to what I weighed the week before. I think that’s a mix of travelling last weekend when I went to Sydney with the children, and then I got my cycle on Saturday morning. So this cycle week got me good.

If you’ve been reading my blog so far, you’ll know that cycle week for me means I’m lethargic, low energy and feel like crap. It’s also usually the week I don’t train as much.

I cleaned the whole house on Saturday after I picked Nola up from her friend’s, then I ran a bunch of errands all afternoon and worked in the evening. Lots to do with the new cohort, which is very exciting.

We started Harry Potter 7 Part 1. I’m sad we are getting so close to the end. Such a good series.

Sunday was busy. Really busy. So we divided and conquered.

Rocky had a football carnival all day, which Jason took him to.

Nola had a birthday party with her friends, which her friends Mum picked her up for. And Arlo and I had one of my best friend’s son’s first birthday parties.

Everyone had such a great day. My friend is known for putting on the best parties. I really should get her to organise anything I throw as well.

The food table was insane and you will all be so proud. I did not touch a thing. I nearly grabbed a sandwich and then I reminded myself that I had chicken, potatoes and carrots ready at home.

So I went home, put Arlo down for his nap and had a lovely lunch while working.

Rocky got home and had a great day at the carnival as well. I went and picked up Nola a bit later from her party while Jason was out playing some golf in the sun.

After the chaotic day, we had a nice family dinner together at the table and it will be an early night in bed once this is posted!

My cycle was horrible this weekend. I’m really looking forward to the procedure. I really hope they still let me do it on Tuesday because it depends how far along I am in my cycle.

My weight was not amazing this week. If anything, it felt like there was no change, but next week is a new week.

After my procedure, I’m not allowed to go to the gym for two weeks, but I am allowed to walk. So this is my chance to really get stuck into walking and get some fresh air.

Let’s see how I mentally deal with not being able to go to the gym. Please send help.

Alright, week 8 check-in.

Week: 8

Nutrition Adherence: 6/7 (I can only guess the Friday night dinner calories!)

Weekly Average Steps: 8,700

Training: 3/4Average Body Weight Change: -400g

The things I’m most proud of this week are:

• Not giving in to the amazing food spread at the first birthday.

• Managing my cycle and how it makes me feel.

• Accepting early that I know I’m lethargic during my cycle and not putting pressure on myself.

• Getting 6/7 nutrition adherence even with dinner out, parties and a chaotic week.

  
  

The areas I need to improve next week are:

• Push towards the next kg milestone.

• Start deciding what my end goal actually is because I keep changing my mind.

• Prepare mentally for no gym for two weeks and focus on walking instead.

• Get my steps back up.