OK so when is the love of exercise suppose to kick in?? I want to be like the ad where you leap out of bed, jump out the window and start powering along with your stayfree's lol! Instead I wake up, rub my eyes while feeling around for my specs. Look out the window think nup flag that for a bad joke and spend the rest of the day sulking because I haven't moved my fat arse all day! Why is it so bloody hard? I still have times when I feel like my lungs are going to fall out - what the hell is that all about. I did the ladder 3x today with my friend Bernie from work. I felt like it was the first time I had done it as I gasped and held onto the hand rails as I went up. My weight hasn't moved lately because I have become a bit of a junk food eater and it doesn't take much to stagnate your weight loss. Oh well its all onwards and upwards from here I guess or backwards and downwards if I don't rein in the ol junk food I'm grazing on. I am dreading seeing my surgeon in two weeks. Eeeek. I did my first stint as a parking warden on Saturday night and I have to say its about as low as a person to go walking around pouncing on people who have parked in the wrong place. When someone yells at me 'why don't you get a real job' I just want to say ' Shit mate Ill take whatever you re offering' lol. I really do struggle being a parking Nazi as I have been called but then I see my pay packet and remember why I do do it but then I see my reflection in my uniform and I think ' NO amount of money is worth this shame lol. My uniform is a fluro shirt with reflector strips on it and black pants and shoes and socks and the most attractive (not) wide brimmed hat with City of Subiaco stamped across the front of it. I don't actually fit the hat so it perches itself up on my head and I look something like a Benny Hill impersonator. I even put my fingers to my head like a scout leader and practice saying 'troop Dianne reporting for duty' hehehehe I even have a walky talky (well not until I have earnt it) so I can walk around saying to my friend 'breaker, breaker rubber duck, you got your earrrs on good budddddy?' Hope you lot are all parking in the correct places cos you never know when this wee warden might be walking the beat lol lol lol I'm off to practice my walk for the beat lol xx

Its good friday

Hello all. Don't you just lovvve Easter? Man, I sure do. Well I have a wee bit to catch you up on. I got a phone call on Monday to say that the prison service had spoken to my Dr and were happy that my blood pressure was not going to be a problem and they would like me to attend the Perth Zoo (they have conference rooms) the next morning at 7.30am for a panel interview. I was in two minds about this because to be honest I am a bit over the whole drawn out process and also from time to time people really start to get up my arse and I really question political correctness and just want to tell people what I think their problem is, so, when that happens I'm best left alone to work it out until I get back on an even keel (this is usually a pre menstrual thing but who cares what the reason) anyhow I told the lady I would be there. I set off on our fantastic transport system which consisted of a train at 6.00am into Perth then a ferry across the river. It was very dark when I left but as the sun came up while I was on the ferry it made a beautiful, thoughtful start to the day. So I arrive at the zoo at 7.05am - better early and wait, than stressed out and late. So I got let into the zoo at 7.30am and was given 5 pages of questions that were going to be asked and I could write the answers down and then verbally give my response. At 8.15am this enormous prison officer greets me and takes me into the interview room where I am introduced to another little prison officer and they both sit down on one side of the desk and I sit opposite. So the interview begins. Now I have to tell you that it was about 15minutes into the interview when Mr Big really comes into his own and tries to act like a gruff, tough, try hard and weather that was his intention or not I don't know but as I explained earlier I wasn't in any mood to try and prove my worthiness to this clown so by the end of the interview and after I had told him I likened the two of them to Laurel and Hardy I left! One example was I was asked what was my understanding of the aboriginal people and what did I think some of their problems were and how would I solve these problems. Now this question really did stump me. I work for social welfare and I see one side of a particular race or age or attitude but you cant categorise one lot of people from my experience because its a much broader picture. So I said to Laurel I don't know how to answer this question and he looked at me really irritated and said 'Right if you are walking down a street and its sunset. Coming towards you are 6 white guys, dressed well obviously just finished work. How would you feel? I responded by saying 'fine'. Then he said You are walking down the same road at sunset and 6 drunk rowdy scruffy Aborigines are coming towards you. How do you feel? I said 'vulnerable'. He said ' and that's just stereo typing'. I said. 'no its not'. He said 'it is so' as he lent back in his chair with his arms folded. I lent forward and said if you had of said the six white guys were pissed I would have said I felt vulnerable too, but you didn't. I said, 'it was the word 'pissed'' that made me think I would have been open to a problem not the race. I could be wrong but he sure acted like I wasn't answering like he wanted me too. So, I now wait to hear what happens next but I'm pretty sure he wont be recommending me. If I do manage to get in I'm not entirely sure I will take the job although I'll obviously consider it then. I have been working in our local office this week which has been great for the no travel factor. I had a job interview on Thursday (another one at 7.30am in town) as a parking metre maid. Just while the footy season is on and just on the weekends so I start that tomorrow. That'll give me more experience in customer aggression : )
I'm only really taking it because it may give me a chance to get a full time job for the local council as a ranger. I quite like the idea of working outside and it ll be good exercise lol. I have continued on with jogging this week but I miss doing the ladder so I look forward to going back to my city office for the lunchtime torture. Well time to sign off. Happy Easter to you all. I hope you have a lovely one and enjoy a bit of choccy. Not me I'm getting through the licorice! Any idea what problems I might be having! xx PS I can run 4k's now without stopping.

My own little marathon morning

Woo hoo today I have the day off work. My eldest son has mental illness/brain injury and I have to take him to the Dr's which has taken me three weeks to get the appointment so I decided that I would also see my Dr and have all the usual ageing tests that one is suppose to have done so what a darn good reason to have a day off. I was feeling a bit flat because I wouldn't be doing Jacob's ladder with my work mate and am one of those people who needs a bomb under her butt to get moving so didn't think I would do any exercise today but...............................I got up, put on my runners and I jogged for 35mins straight! Yep 35 minutes. Woo hoo for me. By the time I got back onto my road I had the stupidest grin on my face and even though the sweat was pouring off me I could still breathe quite calmly. I felt fantastic. I got in the car and measured it out and I had run 3.7 K's. Honestly half way through I was talking to myself and it went something like 'cmon just to the next street then ok you can stop when you get to that house down there' etc and I did it the whole way till I saw my house. I feel really pleased to have accomplished this little goal. I will be happy when I can jog 10 K's and will slowly work my way up to that. After years and years of hearing 'exercise is a good thing' I think that 'they' might be right. xx

Howdy Doody all, Not a great deal to report. I am having trouble keeping food down because I am greedy and forget to eat slowly then oops "i did it again'. Andy and I trained up to Perth on Sat and did the (((ladder))) and it hurt soooo bad. We decided we would try for 5 and I managed 7 while Andy did 6. Honestly I thought I was going to die and even when people were catching up with me I just kept gasping and if they wanted to go around me then fine but I was in no mood to move aside for them ( I knew if I lost momentum then I would have to roll back to the bottom)! I did notice that I recovered very quickly and within seconds my breathing was back to normal. This is amazing considering I usually sucked away on inhalers and wanted to pass out. We then walked back to the food mall and had lunch only I couldn't manage it and ended up being sick so I gave up that idea and had a small gelato which was delicious but not necessarily a healthy food choice. When we got back to Rockingham we went to a movie and I chowed down lots of popcorn and a ice cream so I guess that degates any weight loss from all that exercise!! Today (Sunday) is our rest day. My legs don't even feel like they had a massive workout. Thats such a bonus of getting fitter. I now weigh 98kg and feel very thrilled with that. Anything from now on is just a bonus. Will post again soon xx

From her husbands perspective

Hi
I would like to say thanks to all those people who have taken the time to follow Dianne's journey and to comment.
This is the first time I have said anything on this site.
Let me start by saying that I too have always had a problem with my weight maybe not the same issues that Dianne was dealing with more like me just being lazy.
I have really seen a change in Dianne since she decided to go for the operation, she has been determined to loose weight and had lost quite a bit through dieting prior to the operation.
I was aware of what the operation was and what it involved, but until you experience it ,it doesn't seem so real. However now that we have experienced it for some time things like having lunch out together, me quietly eating, my wife productive burping beside me have taken some getting use to. Life is some what different but at least we are still spending time together.
I was going to start the process and as I sat in the surgeons office I decided I would give it a go by losing weight through diet and exercise. I started exercising like crazy and started to loose weight I am now also making much better food choices, currently I have lost 20 kilos.
I owe alot of this to Dianne who had the courage to have a life changing operation,I thought to myself that it was time for me to start changing,and I am.
My exercising has encouraged Dianne to really start and we now spend time doing that together as well.
I am extremely proud of my wife and will keep on encouraging her, she has done so well. I am much more used to productive burping and sliming now, and am happy to continue with my meal as though nothing is up.
But really there is no choice and nothing to grumble about, the choices ; have my wife around for a lot longer and healthier or to see her slowly killing her self,no choice at all.
This is an ongoing change, the surgery was only part of the process. It certainly is not the complete solution, There is still alot of work ahead of both of us ;I am just glad we can go through it together. Regards Andy

Anyone got a job going?

Hi all. Well I had one of those little 'life curve balls' thrown at me yesterday. Went for the medical for the prison service and failed due to high blood pressure. I find it all a little ironic as 6 months ago I was over 60 packets of butter heavier than I am no and I can jog and cycle and even do 6 YESSSSS 6 push ups and my blood pressure is the highest I have ever known it to be! I really arent that sad about the job although I think I would have enjoyed it I am realllllllllly gutted that for the first time in such a long time i had something that I had started really loving working towards (fitness test). I know I can find something else but right now I just wanna sulk for awhile. I am back to the job drawing board and want to put my middle finger up to every thought of exercise lol but I wont be beaten. Maybe this is what I need to make me think about my career choices. I kinda like the idea of working outside so may look at council work or something. Hey the good news is that when Doogie Howser (the Dr was about 12) weighed me I was under 98kg. That was exciting. Right must be off to see my GP now about a blood pressure plan and probably medication. What a shit! xx
PS I am back from the quack who gave me blood pressure pills and new inhalers. She said in her broken english that I will be on the meds for life! I dont agree with that and will now make it my mission to prove her wrong but will also take the meds until I know it is safe to trial coming off them. I havent exercised for two days and that will change from tomorrow because already I am feeling defeated and have a 'who gives a rip - what's in the fridge' attitude. So folks, onwards and upwards from tomorrow on. Thanks to the kind person who leaves me comments I really do love getting feedback. xx

This morning I was up and out the door at 7.30am so I could arrive nice and early totally not stressed to have my interview with the psychologist. Well I arrived in good time and was seen quite promptly and so began 70 minutes of 'so, how does it make you feel' sort of stuff. I really couldn't judge how I went by the end of it. I know some of my answers probably would have raised her internal eyebrows but I decided I wasn't going to compromise who I am for a job. She asked a lot about me and drinking! The questions were, do you consider you have a drink problem? Would others think you have a drink problem? How often do you drink? How much do you drink? When do you drink? Bloody hell by the end of it I wanted to say 'you don't happen to have a bottle of something stashed under your desk do you'? So once again its just wait, wait, wait! Tuesday is the medical and if I get any further than that I will have the fitness soon after the medical I imagine. I jogged 1.1km without stopping today and out of alllllll the crazy exercise stuff that was the most exhilarating thing I have done in a very long thing. It was absolutely fantastic to jog the whole way and see the end in sight knowing I hadn't stopped. It took about 6 mins so I don't have clue if that's good or bad all I know it was a terrific feeling. I know for many of you reading this that doesnt sound like much of a feat but for someone who has been so fat she has had to limp when standing up until her legs can hold her weight well I feel great. I havent a great deal that I am proud of in my life (except the usual of family and marriage) but I am really really grateful for what the band has given me and teh freedom I now have to live a more functional life. I don't think it is for every obese people and I wish I could have acheived where I am without it but for those that just can't battle obesity any longer it is such a blessing. Will post again mid week or once I here today's results x