Living the High Life while away!

I got to go to a gym! A real, fancy gym! My little $50 exercise bike that I am riding to the death at home is going to be so jeolous when I get back after riding the fancypants ones I did yesterday! Heart rate monitor and everything... I had fun!
Anyway, yesterday I did my first pump class in at least three years (possibly more, and even then I only think I have done two in my entire life before now...). I really enjoyed it, and my mum (who does them all the time) was right next to me so I could just copy her, and bug her with all my questions!
Surprisingly enough, I am not really very sore this morning either! So TEAM Sexy Arms, I think we have been doing a very good job!! I am a little stiff, but no more than I have been every other morning, due to sleeping on an air mattress. I am goign to need a very good back adjustment when i get home! grrr, evil air mattress...
Mum is really keen to get to the gym three more times while we are away, so PUMP, here I come again! YAY! :)

Sixties Girl!

I am in the sixties!!!
WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!
I have to say, I don't know what to say, I am just very very excited about it all! Over the last few days everyone around me has been eating chocolate by the blockfull, and meals have been fish and chips, kfc, airplane snacks etc... And I have managed to keep portions down and drink water and eat and apple where ever I got the chance. Its been really stressful, and I've had little sleep, but I am really proud of myself. (So please excuse the bags under eyes in photos... I look barely with it, but i am happy! REALLY!!)
My reward for getting into the sixties, getting to 69, has always been a haircut! I have been needing it for SO long, and even though it is shorter than what I asked for, I am really coming to love it!
Though I got a funny comment from my uncle... he gave me a hug and commented on my hair, and then said "but you seem so short!". Even my hubby agreed I look shorter (but oh so cute!) with my hair shorter, I wonder why this is?
odd...

How to... Put your stats in side bar :)

It took me a while to work this one out, cos I had seen them on other people's site, but am not very computer literate. However I am very stubborn, so kept going until I got it figured out! I found out that if you go to the view' menu, and click source', then you can see what other the site is made from (I know it has a fancy word... Is HTML right?).
So while on my page, get the source for it, and scroll down (about 3/4) you will see a block of text about my stats. They are pretty hard to miss, cos they are the only real 'Block' in there.
If you cut and paste the whole stats section into your own source, then you get them too!
So when you have logged into blogger dashboard, click on TEMPLATE, then scroll down until near the end (you have to go past the whole content section) and you will get to the profile content part, under where it says end profile, then put this in. With your stats though, of course! Then click PREVIEW to check it is right before you save anything!
If you get stuck, just look at where they are on my source and try and put them in the same spot on yours and it should work out.
I tried to put the whole thing on here so you could just cut and paste it, but blogger is too smart, and keeps converting it to real stats... And I don't know how to stop it!

For the photo on the profile, you have to get a web posting. I know it recommends one on blogger, picasa or something, but that wouldn't work for me. Someone told me about www.photobucket.com, you can put your photos onto the web to use easily,and you can use them for profile. Its free sign-up, so even easier!

For everyone who likes my bellydancing costume, thank you! I made it myself! The pants in particular are very simple, if anyone wants the 'pattern' (cos I really just made it up so I am not sure it counts as a pattern!), just let me know!

p.s the smiley face does not relate to anything in particular, I just felt like it!

Team: Sexy Arms! The 'How to' of Push-ups!

This one is for Berrie and Jen! HI GIRLS! :) [see Jen at www.jenhoon.blogspot.com!]

I have been finding out lots about Push-ups, I want to make sure I'm doing them right, so that all the Team Sexy Arms ladies get their sexy arms, and don't injure anything in the process! This is only the beginning, I will add more as I go! :)

The Three Levels of Push-ups:
Starting out – (Little upper body strength):
Opt for the wall push-up. Stand on your toes and place hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart on the wall, at about shoulder height. Press into the wall slowly, hold, and press out again as exhaling.
The Further away your feet are from the wall, the greater angle you have and the harder it becomes. So if you are getting comfortable, move the feet out and keep challenging yourself!

Moderate level
Knee push-up. Like a Full push up, except with knees on the ground and feet up in the air, ankles crossed together. Follow instructions as fornormald remember to keep back and body straight!

Serious Push-ups! :)
Up on toes and keeping straight, lower and lift with arms.

Helpful technique tips:
1 Your palms should be at shoulder level, and slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
2 Your feet should be together and parallel to each other
3 Look forward rather than at the floor (I think this is so you don’t bump you nose on the floor if you collapse! : )
4 Don’t bend or arch your back as you push, keep your body straight.
5 Exhale as your arms straighten out to the ‘top,’ and pause at the 'top.'
6 Move slowly and pause slightly at ‘bottom’ as well.

I find number 3, looking forward, and number 5, exhale as going up, interesting and am going to have to try them out!
I also found this useful piece of information on Muscle Definition. As women we don’t want to bulk up, but nicely tone. So this could be useful if you do want to work on a particular part of the chest, or if you want to not work a particular part! For example, if you have been having your hand slightly further out, and don’t want to have that muscle defined, move them back in a little! :)
To Make push-ups harder:
If you get used to your push-ups and want to make them harder, then slow down! Go slower down, hold and slower up. Much harder!
You can also go onto your knuckles, (also good if you have bad wrists, like me, I find it less pressure... each to their own!) or even onto dumbbells or bricks (I think I'll leave all those options for my hubby! :)


Muscle definition
To gain greater definition on different pectoral muscles, do the following:
Top of pec: Do your push-ups with your feet on a higher surface (decline push-up).
Bottom of pec: Do push-ups with your hands on a higher surface (incline push-up).
Outside of pec: Do push-ups with hands spread SLIGHTLY further from the body.
Inside of pec: Do push-ups with hands SLIGHTLY further under the body.

And my most important tip (which I actually only found meantioned in one place, and I think it's more important than that!) is:
***Don't go past 90 degrees with the bend of your elbow! [I've gone further... you don't get back up, and it hurts things!! Just don't! :) ] ***

I think one of the good things of doing this research is that it has mostly reassured me that i am doing them right, and not badly. Would hate to grow an extra muscle or something from doing them badly!! *big grin* Hope everyone else finds something interesting too! :)

Belly Revealing!

I'm sorry if I scared anyone with that first photo, but I need it there to prove and celebrate the NEW belly!
The first photo was only 4.5kgs heavier. Can you believe it?!
I am amazed at the difference those kilos (and sit-ups!) have made! I have a belly, and it's not all rolly! Sure, there are some lumps and bumps still, but those are being ironed out, and those arms are being motivated by the rest of TEAM: SEXY ARMS (HI girls!) so they will be even better too! I have never shown my belly off before, guess there is a first time for everything!
p.s I have thrown out that blue bikini, no way it fits anymore! I might just have to go buy myself some gorgeous new beachwear when the cold weather retreats!
p.p.s I must be feeling fearless after getting the guts up to publish those before photos, cos I am no longer worried about what everyone will think when they see me in this state of dress! :)

Before Photos!

I feel there is enough reasonably current photos on here, however up until now I didn't have any really clear (as in you can see the fat. They are not very clear, focused photos I'm afraid) before photos, as they were all on film. So I have actually attempted to take photos of my before photos, and I hope you can see them alright, and see the difference to me now too! :)
It was the photo on the top right that really made me cry. It was taken about 18months ago. I had got all dressed up in a dress that I wore as a bridesmaid, which was a 16, but when I wore it for my friends wedding it was quite loose (I just need the room around the chest...) anyway, I was still thinking I was that same size, and I put this dress on to go out in, and it was tight. Really tight. And it had a laced back top, and BIG skirt, so that's saying something. I ended up wearing my black trenchcoat over it most of the night (which didn't do up anymore anyway!) and when I got the photos back there really was no room for denial. I weighed in at a BMI of 34. Not pretty on a short girl!
So that photo is the one I show, when people want to know. It is the one in the front of my WW passport, and I think I will always keep a copy if it handy, just in case I get lazy... Because I never want to look like that again.
I did a lot of hiding in photos, so the other photos are older. The other photos are actually from high school, but at around about the same weight- though my chest did grow even bigger than that! My weight went on VERY quickly, and I think when these were taken I hadn't even realized it had happened! Looking at them I don't know HOW I couldn't have noticed, but denial is a powerful thing. I managed to lose a little at the end of high school, and had troubles again when left for Uni, but have been overweight (ok, obese according to the BMI and now the photographic evidence!) since my teens.
Never Again.

My Fabulous Bellydancer Figure :)

Oh I got a fabulous comment last night! I am sick, have very little voice, and was at a dear friends 50th birthday party which was dress up. We had to dress up as something starting with A or B. Well I had all sorts of ideas.. And they all fell flat on their faces, and I was looking like having the leave with no costume, and then... I thought of my bellydancing bells! I did a bellydancing course a few years ago (when I was a lot heavier I might add! Good thing it was women only!), and have some bellydancing gear, and Bellydancer starts with B! YAY!
so I had a costume and I went along, with my flimsy pants and scarves and bells, and although I didn't do the revealing belly (which I considered, because I am starting to like said belly, it was just far to cold and I have been sick!) I was still a little self-conscious. I was soon put at ease however, when I a lady I didn't even know came over and started talking, and said
"oh, I'd thought about that [dressing as a bellydancer], but I don't have your figure to be able to pull it off!"
HUH! LOOK AT THAT! PRETTY GOOD COMPLIMENT, HEY! :)
I like compliments. I love giving them, and I love receiving them, and so I am going to celebrate every single one!
I really feel people don't give compliments as much as they should, even when they want to, so I am going to try hard to be kind, polite and complimentary whenever an opportunity arises!

Afterthoughts...
And the photos of me are actually quite ok, but you can see how desperately I need a haircut! Must get into 60's so I can cut my hair to flatter my face again! And must get better, so my neck glands are not so swollen, I even look at the pics and they hurt more! tehehe :)

How to create a Virtual Me...

It took me a while to work it out too... I used the virtual model from My Virtual Model, which is designed so you can try clothes on before you buy them!
Its found at http://myvirtualmodel.com/en/index.htm, and I used it through the marieclaire site. You just go in, click personalize, put in your figures and adjust until right. You do need to convert your weight into pounds, so just times your weight in kilos by 2.2 (cos there is around 2.2pounds in a kilo).
My computer is very old, and wouldn't let me establish the model as mine, but I could use the image just by right clicking and saving. Maybe a newer computer can? If so, have fun with the clothes! :)

Very Brave Today!

My BIG brave move...

Today, I re-heighted myself, so I would know, for good or bad, what height I actually am. When I started, I had been heighted at 160cm, but I really knew deep down that this was being generous, so I stood up and measured in at 158cm. Which is actually 1cm taller than I thought I was, so that is kind of cool!
This 2cm means a big 2kgs decrease in my WW goal weight, and I am being good, so I'm going for that. Even though I think I could get away with the 64, I am being honest to myself! I've changed my stats, and my ticker, and I have even changed my personal goal weight to 59. Figure if I have to be less, I may as well be in the tiny little 50's! :)

Now, To Week 3 Challenge Weigh-in!

I am pleased to report this week that
I, Little Rae Rae, lost

800grams!!!

WOOHOO!!!

Needless to say, I'm pretty happy with that! And to top it off, in another half a kilo, I'll be in the 60's! (which is where I really need to be, now that my goal weight has changed!)
*very big grin*

To celebrate such a good loss, I am starting the search for my new haircut, which is my reward for getting to 69 (and that is getting closer, yay!). I have been needing a haircut for quite some time, so I am REALLY looking forward to it! See pictures above! I am not sure what will suit me, but as I have quite thick hair layers work well... and it has been a while since i have a chin to show off, so i don't want to hide it! :)