Back Update, Life, The 'Mother' of ALL Challenges coming up.....

Hello all!

Firstly will say I have had a bit of fun lately!  I had a work function on Friday evening, - the 25th anniversary for the company I work for.  Therefore all employees, some ex-employees and owners from all 26 shops within the company were invited to come, party together for a few hours!  Yummy cocktail snacks and drinks were supplied.  Also an occasion to get dressed up!  As party started at 6.30pm on Friday, I didn't really have time to go home from work, shower, get changed etc, then get back into the city.  Therefore I took a spare change of clothes, shoes, makeup etc into city and paid $8 to have a shower in the city!  I took my hair straighteners, but there were no powerpoints so I couldn't straighten my hair to feel fully groomed though!  And of course had to carry a backpack with dirty work clothes, work shoes etc about.  Great night!  However a crowd of us planned to go out to the bars for a bit after the party.  I wasn't allowed in......just because of my backpack!  I offered to let bouncer look in bag, asked if there was a place it could be left but no..........therefore had to go home early!

Saturday was great!  I attended a friends 40th, - it included a day out playing supa golf, visiting a chocolate factory, 2 local wineries for tastings and a local brewery for more tastings.  We then went to the host's home for a BBQ and drinks around an outdoor fire!  There were a good few of us, we hired a bus, - was a fab day!  Pics of it are on facebook.  Perth weather is being superb, - high 20's, bright sunshine, not a cloud in sky or no wind!  I feel lucky to have great mates, - and also got to visit local places I hadn't been into to while living here!  The Swan Valley in Perth is only a 20-25 min drive from here, (I have even driven there on a few occasions)!  However going into wineries and breweries isn't something I have really done on my own, - instead I drove past them and went into the coffee brewery if on my own and driving haha!

Now for the back, - it is a pain in the arse and has been for a week now.  Instead of walking freely at my normal pace of about 7kmph, I am now limping, looking a bit like a cripple and maybe covering 3-4kmph!  I look like an older person getting up from a comfy seat!  For example I need a prop, then I try one direction, - argh no, then another so I need to think a few seconds in advance before getting up from a seat, the lower and more comfy the seat, the harder it is to rise from.  I feel so embarrassed about that!  Particularly trying to rise from a seat on the busy train to and from work, - when I get a seat that is!  Working is uncomfy, - on feet all day, bending, lifting, moving as fast as poss.  I tried to talk boss into going home early on Friday, - no avail.  Back feels great though, if lying down flat on it, or even sitting.  As I can hobble about and sleep, I thought it would just go away by now and be back to normal but no.  Ideally I would like to be granted a week or doing nothing lol!  Anyway I think I will suck it up and go and see someone now, - such as a doctor.  However all this is such a great expense.

 Today I tried to walk the 6k to pick up car from Friday.  I was hobbling with handbag at about 3-4k an hour and heard a runner come up on footpath behind me.  I looked behind, got out of her way and stood on one side of footpath so I didn't disturb her running rhythm.  She then asked if I was OK, - I said yes, just back was a bit sore hence the awkward weird walking but I was fine.  She told me I looked really sore and asked me where I was going.  I just said train station, 2-3k away at that point but I would get there fine.  She pretty much insisted she took me as I looked in so much pain, (her home was only a couple of houses away!)  She did take me there, she was very lovely, I did feel a bit embarrassed but there are still many kind caring people in this world!  From that experience, - I decided to get it seen to.  A runner picking me up cause I was a hobbling walker!

As for the 'Mother of All Challenges', - tomoz is the day, 17 Sept, I need to get my shit together for once and all.  Cause of back, - training may still be a bit slow for a while.  However nutrition, alcohol intake, (or less of it), time in bed must be on track/in control/in the 'zone'.  Still I will be keeping off the scale, - but my day-day actions will tell me if successful or not, and over time whether fitness levels are increasing.  A few weeks I should notice clothes getting looser.  And I still want to become and stay binge free, - working forward, for good!  Yep, I can do this!  Eventually am working toward being a size 10 average, fitter than ever strength and cardio wise and maintaining the controlled lifestyle.  Whether that means back at a fit 62kg or coming in with more muscle/strength at 64-66kg, - will remain to be seen!.  Of course that is a good few months off.  I feel fat now, bought some new clothes recently to try and feel attractive in the 'now', definitely can't afford to get any fatter, only leaner!  There will be 'no diet', 'starting weigh in' or the like.  Just controlled lifestyle habits I strive to keep, although the training may take a while to pick up again.  Pretty much I want to adhere to being sugarfree, - just keep it to the odd social occasion to fit in in mindful small quantities. 

There has it!  That is all for now :-)

Pip