Week 20.

Today is week 20 since I was banded and I'm down a total of 22 Kgs but only 1.4 kgs in the last 3 weeks.

In the last 2 months I have only lost 4.8 Kgs and this seems really slow now to me...9.5 lbs in 9 weeks....I know, I know what you will say - down is down and I'm not gaining, but it is really slow...and I am getting frustrated especially after all the exercise.

I am off to the Doc next week to see if he can manage to get the needle home and get a fill in, it will have been 2 months since my last fill and a month since the abortive efforts and revelation that he thinks that my port may have flipped. If he can't get the needle in - I just want him to cut me , get in there asap and put it right - yeah.

Exercise has been good again this week and I have now swapped all my efforts from bike riding to the elliptical cross trainer - you burn more calories for your hour of effort :-) and that must be good - along with weights twice a week - all the exercise is a positive at least - I'm also going to see if I'm up to a game of squash soon (that used to be my favorite sport).

Last week I went on a work scouting trip to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia - now that is not an easy place to work and live especially for women (you cant drive and are not allowed out alone, must be covered at all times etc etc) , we are actively looking for new regions to open up in as the work in Dubai is almost non existent in construction and Abu Dhabi is also slow at the moment - The prospect of Saudi is not a good one for me.

UAE tidbit number 3.


The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country that is made up of 7 different Emirates (all most states), they are Abu Dhabi - Dubai - Sharjah - Ajman -  Ras-Al-Khahmah (RAK) - Fujariah and Um-al-Quwain.


Abu Dhabi is the capital and by far the largest and richest of all the Emirates , most of the UAE's oil comes from Abu Dhabi.  Dubai is the most well known city around the world with the Worlds largest Mall,  tallest building , tallest hotel , indoor ski slope and of course the Burj Al Arab 7 star hotel and the Palm.
Ajman and Sharjah are both DRY Emirates and alcohol is not served in the hotels and can not be purchased in these Emirates.
Ras al Khamah and Fujarah are both very rugged and RAK has some fantastic scenery.


The population of the UAE is around 6 million with only 20% of this being made up by the local Emirati population the balance are expatriates , the largest number being from India and Pakistan.


Well enough of that

Ciao for now

Need I say more.

I am so Not Happy Today  :-(

Hurrahh

No weight loss news...I'm bouncing around....no loss this week

BUT I must say......Congratulations to the USA for the last minute goal....AND to ENGLAND... roll out the last 16.... so excited

Also come on Socceroo's......Thats Australia to those who do not know :-(

Note to self should not drink beer... and should not blog after beer......NOTED......

Ciao

It just keeps rising......

A very quick note as I'm off out to watch some more footy.......I have lost a further 0.5 kgs.....my losses are small week by week ( this 0.5kg took 10 days)  I also have to work very hard for the loss... again 5 sessions in the gym this week...I NEED my fill.

I took a picture this afternoon whist I was out taking my daughter to the cinema....The picture is of my car dash and shows that today at 2.54pm the temp was 50 c... We are only in June...I dread to think what July and August will bring, this is well above normal temp for June. I do not like the summer!!!!

Week 18 - No loss

Well Week 18 weigh in and this week I have no change in the scales.... This is not so bad considering that I have been "watching" the football on a couple of evenings ...hic hic

The last few days I have now gone back to my early morning golf as well as evening Gym sessions...let's hope this week sees some movement...I do feel that had I have had my fill last week we would have a loss this week......never mind

The band is a very fickle now, I do have restriction and some times all most all food feels tight when being eaten and on these days I  could eat almost nothing , the next day I am hungry and can eat large meals, you would not even now the band was there... there is no apparent logic to how the band will work from day to day.

So now onto UAE Tidbit number 2...

Today I'm going to tell you a little about driving in the UAE.

The UAE has one of the worst rates for road accidents in the world , it is very rare that you get a day when you do not see or hear of a major accident ...Last year the main road between Abu Dhabi and Dubai (Sheikh Zayed Road) was blocked for 10 hours with an accident involving 100 + vehicles in the fog.
The first day of the rains this year there were 2000 accidents registered in a 24 hour period.

The Sheikh Zayed Road regularly sees cars (normally 4x4's) racing at 200 km-s/hour and was recently the focus of a U Tube posting that showed cars driving on two wheels and "dough nutting" in and out of the live traffic.

 Many of the accident are caused by driver without licenses and can be aged as young as 10 or 11. Many of the cars here have fully blacked out windows so that the occupant is not seen.

Drink driving is not allowed in the UAE and they have a Zero tolerance, if caught with any alcohol in your blood (Any) then it is a mandatory minimum 1 Month in prison , if you are a muslim this can be followed by a whipping.

Any storm with MY port

Well hello every one....

today has been a  little...well its been a little upsetting.....

Today I went for a small squeeze , a little more restriction..a small 0.5 cc addition ......a little strangle to try and get me to the sweet/ green spot ...fill number 4.....you know how it is...

and guess what....MY PORT has turned......We think its upside down.....

I had about 20 STABS in the belly( I am a MAN and thing do not normally hurt men....thats becauce we are MEN but this hurt a little....only a little ....honest ...But it hurt...)..... and still I got no fill.....Things do not look good for me now... I can go back in 3 to 4 weeks and PROBABLY I will need another operation to turn the port.....Arrggghhhhh.....So I say to all Bandits and want to be bandits....some times things do not go as you expect.....

despite what has happened I love my band...I have not named it as most have you have..IF I do name it ....I will call it ENGERLAND...........The world cup is coming you know......

Ciao

The Summer is here and its HOT HOT HOT.

Weigh day week 17 - and today I am a total of 20.6 Kgs down...Yippee - even after my heavy weekend I have managed to get rid of a further 0.4 kgs this week ..... To get the scales to show this pleasing weight this morning I did it my favorite way   -  Playing golf -  and I attach a picture taken this morning at 7.45 am on the 9th hole , this clearly shows how mad I am - It was soooo hot and very very humid to day (If you look closely you can see that only the ends of my shirt sleeves are dry ).

I will also be using this picture as my 1/3 rd weight loss progress .


On to something new , I have decided to add something different to my Blog , I think my blogs are quite boring ...weigh day---20kgs loss .....Blah blah blah

So each week I am going to try and add some facts or observations that perhaps you did not know about the United Arab Emirates.

So UAE Facts number 1.

The temperature in the summer in the UAE can reach above 50C and can be accompanied with Humidity of 80 - 90%. (see picture above for the results of this)
If the temp reaches above 50C all work outside has to stop.
In the summer it is mandatory for all workers that work outside to take a break between the hours of 12.30 and 3.30 p.m.
Visiting the UAE between Early June to Mid September is not recommended.

The winter is nice though ;-)

Ciao

The Weekend was a Ball......

This weekend has been very hectic and not weight loss friendly at all and will have done nothing to help me in my quest to lose 30 KG before going back to blighty in August.

I may have mentioned before that I am involved in a charity that is related to construction industry injuries and deaths www.lighthouseclubabudhabi.com - we have also recently opened a facebook page.

As the benevolent fund Chair and general committee member for the club,I also volunteered to help arrange our annual ball which was held on thursday night.

My weekend started on Wednesday when final preparations and arrangements were needed at the hotel,once the hard work was over this turned into a few drinkies with my fellow ball arranger (the hotel were paying) - not a good start - thursday night was the actual ball - 260 guests all in black tie and ball gowns were treated to a night of champagne , 5 course meals and dancing into the early hours - now here is the band thing - or good thing dependent up on how you look on it - during this ball, I lost most of my restriction - Oh yes - I ate MUCH more than I have in the last 4 months - MUCH MUCH More.... I ate all 5 courses ( well a half plate of all courses)..And I really enjoyed it :-)

I may have really enjoyed it but the scary thing is what happened to the band??? I really do not know....

On Friday we had to go and pick up my car (No drinking and driving in this house hold) and decided to have the hotel brunch with our friends who were staying over from Dubai at the hotel. Brunches are quite an event in both Dubai and Abu dhabi and we had not been to this one - On arrival I was advised that the brunch included ALL drinks, so a couple of sparkly wines later for "The Hair of the dog" and we were off again.... Arrghh.. So Friday again way too much to eat and drink.....I think we were all in bed for about 6 PM....

Saturday we finally managed to pick up the Car and we were invited to my friends house for his birthday (you guessed a few more drinks), however we had the kids with us and school the next day so the event was cut short for us... Thank Goodness....

I have not weighed myself yet and will not until after I have been to the gym to sweat out what ever poison I can , and then I will survey the damage...

fingers crossed its not going to put me back to far...

Also it is nearly 1 month since my last fill , and I was going to skip it this month - but I think I need a top up after the weekend.. How can it come and go when it feels like it ?? Funny things these bands...

Ciao

Zipperdy Du Dah, Zipperdy Day, My Oh My What a Wonderful Day.

Following on from yesterdays post....I have to announce that today I was up at 5 am to play golf at 6.

At 6 am today it was 31C...and very very tropical...I played 9 holes of golf before work, walking - of course.....got home and BANG - this morning I am 20.3 KGs down...GET IN THERE.......

As our Aussie friends say, especially Cara...I'm stokked....

You all have a good now..