Blood test done...

Yeap, had the blood test on Saturday morning - was a bloody mission as well as I have such narrow veins and it took them ages to find a vein big enough to get the blood from!  Not sure which part hurt the most - the drawing of the blood OR the cost of it! Had to pay for it as it was done for private use (i.e. not ordered by a Dr or specialist) - $78.50 later!  Have to have them every 4 weeks until 20 weeks (almost like being pregnant again LOL) and then 8 weekly after that.  Though at least the subsequent ones are only about $20 which is more affordable!

After leaving the lab, I text my niece to tell her it had been done and she said she should have the results today and get them sent off for my program to be written up so all going well this time next week, I will have completed Day 1 of the program!  I think it will be quite good getting the first few days out of my system while still on leave so hopefully any moodiness etc will be gone before heading back to work BUT then it will be poor Rachel who bears the brunt of it so will have to make sure we have things to do each day to get us out and about!

I have a lot of people on FB quite intrigued about my "adventure" for 2013 with a lot of them thinking that I am taking up some new sales adventure!  One even asked me if I was planning to leave Stephan! LOL So I think on Day 1 I will reveal all even though my mum said not to put it on FB just in case I didn't finish the program!  But with her saying that, it has made me even more determined!

I have been doing some more research on Cohen's and have found quite a bit of negative feedback but have taken it all with an open mind and am still moving forward with it.  One thing I did find was a forum where someone had shared their list of allowed foods - was really interesting and one that I could make work for me so hopefully my one is as friendly as that one was.

Am now on leave until school goes back on Monday 4th Feb so got lots on this week with Rachel but not so much the 2nd week at this stage.  Would love to be able to head to Auckland to see my great niece Eden (8mths old) but just can't afford it esp with the program costs now.  And of course while up there, I would want to see Chris, Kate & Lynda off the top of my head!  So I do need to plan something - perhaps it could be a reward for completing the program??? 

But for now.... it's one step at a time and I will do it!!!

Signed and sent off....

Yeap, the forms for Cohen's have been completed, signed and sent through to the office in Auckland.  Direct Debit form has been completed and returned.  Blood test happening on Saturday morning (gotta pay for that) and then within about 10 days I should be able to begin the program!

To make it just a wee bit easier for me, I should start making an effort to cut down on my sugar/dairy/wheat etc so it's not as bad for me when I officially start the program.    I am guessing that it should take me approx 10-12 months for me to lose the 70 odd kilos!

I am still very scared about it all as it is a lot of $$$ and I know I need to think positively about succeeding otherwise I won't get there!

I think I am going to make a few posters/signs to stick them up around the place... something along the lines of "2013 is MY year" or "There WILL be a NEW Karen by the end of 2013".

I need to have a play around in here to work out how to set up a tab/page for all my photos as I will be posting weekly photos on here once I start....Oooops got it sussed pretty quickly - no photos there as yet but they will be coming... watch this space :)

I'm gonna do it...

I have made up my mind that 2013 is going to be my year!  And I am going to be doing the Cohen's lifestyle programe!  I will do the no deposit but slightly higher repayments options - well providing I clear the credit check ok - nothing to hide there so can't see it being a problem!  Stephan has said he is right behind me - would be better if he ate veggies etc but I WILL do this! 

My incentives:
So I can grow old, watch Rachel grow up and be here for my grandchildren
So I can get out there and walk the streets again while Rachel rides her bike
So I can be active with Rachel before she grows up to much and doesn't want to go out with Mum
So I can keep up with Stephan when out and about - though the fact that he is 6ft 1" and I am only 5ft doesn't help as he will always have longer strides than me.
So I can fit clothes from every day stores rather than struggling to fit clothes at larger size boutiques.
So I can be healthier for me.

My mini rewards:
The pleasure of seeing my body shrinking.
New (or secondhand) smaller clothes
Massages
Manicures/pedicures

My major reward for reaching goal:
A ipad or tablet!

Yeap - I have been shopping around for a tablet or ipad for the last few weeks.... and decided today that I will only get one when I get to goal!  Stephan is 100% behind me on that one esp as we can't afford to do both the programe and pay for a luxury item like that!

So the next step..... wait for my last couple of questions to be answered my niece though only emailed her today so need to wait until tomorrow for an answer.... then complete the paperwork, get the blood test then wait for the results and my programe!

I am scared! Very scared!  What if I fail?? What if I can't do this?  I know my niece will be an amazing consultant/coach but fark this really scares me!!  It's a hell of a lot of money down the drain (in one lot) if I fail!!!  I know I have spent more than that over the last 24 yrs or so trying various plans etc but this one is the biggest and most drastic!  I am going to need support and I am counting on you all :)
 

Decisions...

Well I went along to the Information evening last night for the Miarculoss programe - it was very informative and a lot of what they said did in fact make sense... and I am keen to do it - however there is one thing stopping me right now and that is $$$$!!!  Okay, you can pay it off but you still need to come up with the deposit and as $$$ are tight right now we don't have the money sitting there to pay the deposit.

Today, I have done further research into the Cohen Lifestyle.... my 25 yr old niece lost 27 kilos doing their programe about 4yrs ago and has kept it all off and looks flaming fantastic!    And she is now working for them as well!  However, same issue with this one - $$$!  At least with Cohen, they do let you pay weekly payments with no deposit paid providing you pass the credit check.  I am tempted to do this one mainly for that reason; however as Stephan says - their price on the website says it's for 6 mths SO if I need to do it twice to lose the amount that I need to lose - he says I would need to pay all over again.  I have sent my niece an email so am waiting to hear back from her re this one but I think Stephan could be right (just for a change LOL).  The Cohen programe also seems to require less "extra's" compared to Miaraculoss although with Cohens you do need to pay for the blood tests but am happy with that. 

So I need to do some serious thinking about which direction I head in...  but I have decided that 2013 WILL be MY year!!!

Don't want to go back to work...

Yeap back to work tomorrow after 2 weeks off... and I don't want to go back :(  I am not enjoying my job at all these days so am trying to move on but obviously I need a job to go to (at the right salary) before I can leave.  I have applied for a role in Masterton over the break - applications close tomorrow so I am guessing I will hear sometime later this week.  We have both talked about making the move to over the hill as house prices (to buy or rent) is so much cheaper and my sister and her family are over there as well.  Sooooo if I was to get it and they offered me the same money I am on now (not likely but you never know); it would be a decision that we would have to make fairly quickly.

I have had a great 2 weeks off work; and am loving cold meats and salads.  And my new all time favourite drink is Schweps Soda Water with a twist of lemon - it is so damn refreshing on these hot days.  I have hardly touched any other soft drink at all.

I am still looking forward to going to the Miraculoss info evening on Wednesday - got a call from one of the directors today (missed the call) and she said they are basically full up for the meeting and that she will save me a seat which was really nice.  In response to ANON's comment - You may be right I can't answer it to be honest but I am more than confident that they would not be doing anything that would cause damage to people's bodies... I will do a more detailed update on Thursday all going well as once I get home on Wednesday, I will be heading to bed.  For those that haven't already googled it - here is the link to their site http://www.miraculoss.co.nz/ so feel free to have a read if you wish to.

Sorry that my updates are pretty slack and boring.... maybe once my weight starts dropping they will become more exciting :)

One week to go....

This time next week I will be sitting at a Intro night for the Miraculoss programme...  It all sounds rather interesting and think it can be something that MAY work for me.  One of the ladies in our FB support group has been doing it for the last 12 mths and has lost a great deal of weight so after chatting to her on the phone yesterday for about 30mins or so, I have decided that I will go along to the Introduction meeting and check it all out.  OK it is $7-$9 per day but when I add up my daily hot chocolate and other crap that I have been buying, we can afford it as I won't be buying any of that stuff!  I emailed the website and they estimate it should take approx 18mths or so going well for me to lose the 70 odd kilos that I need to lose! 

One thing you do on the programme is weigh daily (lots of info behind that) and our bathroom scales have been playing up for some time so we got new batteries for it but yesterday I got on them 4 times (while waiting for the shower to warm up) and I got 4 different results!!  Today, same result twice and a different result the third time!  So today, we went to Briscoes as they were having a sale (SHOCK HORROR BRISCOES HAVING A SALE - for those that don't know - Briscoes have sales on a daily/weekly basis) and they had 50% of bathroom scales.  I had seen a set of scales on their website but they didn't have any in store so we got another set and when I got on them this evening - full clothed, after 2 meals, a couple of drinks, nibbles etc I was 100 grams lighter than the old ones said this morning (and I was naked then)!  So hopefully these new scales will be my friend as I embark on 2013!

Also got some new sheets while at Briscoes (as they were on sale too shock horror) for our new bed that is due to arrive in a couple of weeks.  Our new bed has a much deeper mattress so we needed to ensure that the fitted sheet were deeper ones so they would fit the bed!  Then picked up a new duvet cover while there (also on sale) as I am so over the 3 we currently have.  So once I can get another new duvet cover, I will pack up the old ones and pass them on to the Sallies etc...

Right enough rambling from me - one day I might actually have a fun filled exciting blog to read! LOL

New Years Eve

Yeap, it's the 31st Dec today and another year has flown by!  And no loss for me in the weight front this year but fark - 2013 WILL be better for me!!!  I found an old WW attendance card from Dec 2003 and I am approx 32 kilos heavier now than I was then... but remembering that Dec 2003 was about 10 months into my weight loss journey (when I lost 42 kilos). 

Hope you all have a great New Years celebration; no matter where you are or who you may be with... we are off to help one of Stephan's nephews celebrate his 18th birthday today - think we may take 2 cars as I am not planning on staying late (yeap just call me party pooper) so am thinking that Rachel and I may head home about 9ish and then Stephan can either crash at his brothers place if he drinks to much or can then drive home when he is ready (if he chooses not to drink either) or he may be able to hitch a ride home with someone and we can then go and collect the car tomorrow.

Rachel now has "Slap Cheek" virus but at least now that the rash is out, she is not contagious so can still go along to the party tonight as long as there are no pregnant women there as it is only a major concern for unborn children.  It really flared up after she had been in the pool today but has gone down again now.

Happy New Year to you all and may 2013 bring you what you wish for xxx