Today

Outside my window...blue skies and a top of 13 degrees

I am thinking... lots of things, I need to write some down and prioritise & also I need a nap

I am thankful for... my personal trainer, The boss makes a pretty good counsellor

I am wearing... skinny jeans, long sleved black top, new yellow cardi and my falling apart cons.

I am going to...RPM this afternoon

I am hoping... that I win x-lotto tonight

On my mind... weightloss, fitness and food

I am currently reading... The boy who fell to earth by Kathy Lette

From the kitchen... water

Around the house... washing drying...damn winter!

One of my favorite things... Coffee with the Italian boys in James Place

A few plans for the rest of the week... Work for the next five mornings, Mumma is coming to stay for six weeks and the usual gym visits. Nothing exciting.

One photo to share..

One of my favourite photos of the month, from the June Photo a Day over at Fat Mum Slim

What are you up to this weekend?

xx Lauren

Grateful: A reminder to be

The other week I came home from a busy day out to find a parcel on the doorstep. Not having purchased anything recently I was puzzled as to what it could possibly be- especially when I noticed it was from the book depository. Cue great waterfalls of tears...I do not take surprises well, especially really happy ones. Turns out my beautiful friend Kate had purchased River Cottage Veg Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, a book I had been coveting- especially after Tatum, Ali, Mardi and Kate owned the book and spoke about its amazingness- but I refused to buy it deciding that the money was better in my holiday savings fund.

Anyway, the realisation that I had a friend who would go out of her way to buy my a random present and surprise me, because she knew that it would make me happy, made me feel so very special. I am grateful to have such wonderful people in my life.

Another friend Danielle has been blogging everyday this month,  as a part of the 21 challenge, raising money to help Australia's homeless youth. Dan set herself the challenge to spend 21 days being mindfully grateful and blogging that gratitude every day. I have loved reading her posts and it has been a wonderful reminder to me to not take so many things for granted and to be more.

Danielle is $20 away from her goal of $300, if you want you can go HERE and sponsor her. Her challenge has been a fantastic reminder to me to be grateful for our warm home in this freezing winter weather and my loving, caring family who would no doubt move the earth for me.

Finally the response to my post from Thursday, has left me speechless. So many lovely comments and emails, which I am so grateful for- the fact that people read my ramblings and encourage me to keep going makes me feel wonderful.

{credit}

What are you grateful for lately?

xx Lauren

A long way travelled

Neither of these photos are the best- the left is cropped terribly and the one on the right is a change room shot, in-between gym sessions to show my sister the $30 jacket (I didn't buy it...too small), but I needed to remind myself just how much I have changed, because frankly in the last months I have lost sight of whats going on.

The left photo is from 2005, I was 19, living at college and having a wonderful time, with little care or regard for my health. The right photo is from last week, in my last weeks of 25, and feeling fit, strong, healthy and mostly happy.

To date I have lost 48 kilos...it was 50 but I put on some over march/april/may when my eating got out of hand. Big eye opener that whilst I know what foods I should be eating, when I become emotional I don't think before I eat.

I just did the maths and since February 2011 I have lost 81cm from my body...I hadn't even realised. Silly that isn't it.

I'm the first to admit that this whole weight loss caper is bloody hard work- I sometimes wish that I was naturally skinny, but I also like the fact that I'm not, that I'm doing the very hard yards to create a healthy me. I think I'm probably still  20-30 kilos away from where I need to be, but I don't have an end point or ideal weight to end at. I'm going to keep loosing weight until I look in the mirror and love the reflection that I see, keep going until I feel happy with who I am. But then I don't think I'll stop at that point, instead I'll set some new goals and get stronger, fitter and challenge myself with other crazy goals... Tough Mudder and Kokoda come to mind.

{credit}

I suppose the point of the post is entirely to remind myself that I am doing ok- don't give up yet.
xx Lauren

Eat: Pumpkin, Orange, Pecan and Ginger Cake

It seems completely wrong that at the end of the first week of the 12wbt I am posting a cake recipe, but this cake needs to be shared- actually you need to make it and eat it as soon as possible because it is delicious! The baby sister turned 20 on Friday and requested a non-chocolate cake, preferably the pumpkin, pecan one mum's friend Gill makes. After a thorough search I couldn't find the recipe, so did the next best thing and with the inspiration of this amazing cake from Sweetapolita, and a bit of help from Tatum, invented my own.

Pumpkin, Orange, Pecan and Ginger Cake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

Serves 10+

Cake Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin, mashed and cooled (honestly I'm not sure how much pumpkin I had to begin with...a large quarter perhaps?? helpful I know)

125 packet glace ginger, finely chopped

1 orange, zested

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp bi-carb soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp ground cinnamon

250g butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp Grand Marnier 

Icing Ingredients

250g Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

125g butter, softened

100g white chocolate

1 cup icing sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and grease a large ring tin (I made the cake at Tatum's house and have no idea what size her tin is...next time I'm over there I will measure it up- but it is a big one!) Alternatively grease and line two round cake tins, cooking in two tins will ensure the cake cooks evenly.

I made full use of Tatum's Kenwood, but if I was at home I would beat the butter and sugar until its light and fluffy using my trusty hand beaters. Add the eggs one at a time, then follow with the pumpkin, vanilla and orange zest.

Dump in the dry ingredients and mix together, finishing up with the ginger. Be careful not to over mix the flour, otherwise the cake has the potential to become dry.

Pour the cake mixture into your well greased tin and bake for 35 minutes.

When your cake is cooked,  leave it to cool for a few minutes in the tin before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Mix together the juice from the orange and the grand marnier and brush over the cooling cake.

To make the icing, melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave. I melt it in the Pyrex jug at 70% power for one minute- then stir until its all smooth. Whilst that cools, beat the cream cheese until its light and fluffy, about 5 minutes then adding in the chocolate/butter combo and beating again for another 3-4 minutes. Finish up with the icing sugar and beating again for another 5 minutes.

Top the cake with the icing and some pecans for decoration if you wish.

Enjoy!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSIE!!!

xx Lauren

Take Control: one month goals

 Last night I finally got my act together and signed up for round 2 of Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation. So my first task before I went to bed last night was to write down my goals and how I am going to achieve them over the coming months.

{credit}

There is no turning back now, I am excited and completely re-energised about what is ahead and I am looking forward to feeling better about myself again.
In the next four weeks my goals are:

To lose 5 kilos

To run 2 kilometers non-stop

To do 20 pushups on my knees

Loosing the 5 kilos seems very attainable to me- following the 12wbt nutrition program closely, saying goodbye to the chocolate I have let sneak back into my everyday diet and making sure I drink 2 liters of water everyday it shouldn't be too difficult.
Running is something I have always wanted to do- I have set goals before to run, but never fully followed through- my own fault, but this time there is no getting away from it. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday's I will follow the learn to run program, switching between the gym and on the road depending on whats appropriate. My preference is to run on the road, but I'm going to make sure that I don't let excuses like bad weather or not enough daylight hours stop me.
I feel like a bit of a fool making 20 pushups on my knees a goal- after already losing 50 kilos and training with my personal trainer for over a year it is something I could already do, but that unfortunate shoulder injury I created for myself rail-roaded many things my shoulder could do. In recent weeks we have started pushups again, but restricted to using bars and benches- over the next four weeks I will continue to practice and build up that strength so that I will be doing them all continuously and on the ground.

I've also set goals and landmarks for duration of the 12 week challenge and beyond. I'll share them soon- but first I need to get my butt to the gym for 6pm RPM!

Did you start the 12wbt today too? What goals have you set for yourself lately?

xx Lauren