Do you gym?

Hi everyone.

As I've had this awful cold for the past two weeks I've slacked off with my gym attendance. (as in no attendance at all)

Of course this has made me feel guilty which makes me think of the gym...then I feel guilty again. Quite stupid really

I'm not a gym junkie by any stretch of the imagination. I go because I have to. Simple as that. Sometimes I enjoy it, most of the time I just feel sweaty and yuck.

The gym I go to is more of a Heath club then a straight forward gym, so it attracts a wider variety of clients than some places. Many of them older people or mums like me who use the onsite crèche.

I'm not one of those people who dress up nicely to go to the gym. Although my BIL asked me the other day if I was wearing makeup to the gym. Ahhh no! But I will take the compliment. It started a discussion in my super full household (5 adults + 1 toddler + fluffy dog= FULL!) about people at the gym. BIL was saying that he know a girl who has to shower and do her hair and a full face of makeup before leaving the house and then needs another shower to remove the reapply the sweat shifted war paint. Apparently she go to the gym much as she doesn't have enough time. (I'm sure she could fit in the hour at the gym. The two hours of pre and post primping may have to go)
It made me start thinking about the people I see at the gym.
One "group" of people that always catches my eye is the people (mostly women) who look so self conscious and uncomfortable being there I just want to give them a hug. They alway look like they want to disappear into their oversized T-shirt like a turtle into its shell.
I usually see the same people a couple of weeks later with a completely outlook. They have realised that most people who go to the gym aren't supermodels. They are ordinary people who are so focused on getting what has to be done and out of the way they aren't paying any attention to anyone else.

Which brings me to "the ladies only section" my gym has. That small curtained off semi private area scares the crap out of me. I would prefer to stay on the main gym floor and just be one of the masses, red faced and sweating like a pig on the treadmill. The ladies only area seems cliquey to me What are they doing in there? Dealing in illegal south american weightloss pills?? Why do they need the curtain? It's like a velvet rope to a VIP area you need a vagina to access! No thank you!
Everyone knows women are far more judgmental of other women than men are.

So do you gym?
Any gym stories?

Much love.

Cie

Entering the real world as soon to be former stay at home mum.

Hey everyone!

As I previously mentioned my 4 year old daughter starts school in less than 4 weeks (part time kindergarten here in Western Australia) Full time Pre-primary starts next year.

As shes an only child (at this stage) this will mean I have to re-enter the world of adults.
<cue dramatic music!>

{To childless peeps this sounds all very strange I'm assuming, I will try and explain}

• I can no longer live in jeans and a t-shirt that don't flatter, using the excuse of comfort and practicality.
• I can no longer spend endless days hanging out at home with limited outside world contact (without a child involved it just seems lazy!)
• I will actually have to wear all the super high heels I own and have told my husband that I WILL wear them when little madam isn't with me.
• I cant duck to the shops with unwashed hair and no makeup hoping people will just assume that I'm an overtired mummy (always helps when little madam has a tantrum while we are there, adds to the illusion)

The truth is that I could have started my transition back to the real world years ago as the demands (especially physical) have decreased exponentially as she has gotten older and more interdependent. So why didn't I change?

Honestly....I was scared.

As much as I hate the term "just a mum" the stereotype gave me comfort.
If people found me boring at a backyard BBQ and ended conversation abruptly it was their problem not mine as it was because I was "just a mum"
If I looked for part time work and was rejected it was because the employer saw me as "just a mum" not because I have no concrete qualifications.

Maybe it had nothing to do with being "just a mum"... Maybe it was just me!

I have, for the most part, LOVED being "just a mum" and staying home to raise my daughter. I have watched her grow and not missed a single milestone. I'm very fortunate to have been able to do this as I know many other mums (parents) can't stay home full-time for a million different reasons. (and this isn't about judging that one way or the other)

But I'm a bit jealous. Do mums who return to work earlier have this feeling of being completely lost when school time comes around? Do they flounder at the idea of 2.5 days a week alone?

I would love to hear from everyone.
Childless peeps- How do you feel about "just a mum" people?
Mums who returned to work early- Do you still feel lost as your child/children start school, Like a loss of identity?
"Just" mum's- Am I alone in feeling this way?


much love
Cie

Help me to dress myself {number 1}

Ok Guys and Dolls
Get those thinking caps on and keyboards warmed up. This is the first on what I hope to be a series of social interventions on how I dress myself.

This is the first item up for discussion.

A knit dress/tunic I got on Ebay for about $1.00

I have worn it in 4 different ways and I want to know what works and what doesn't.

I want critiques, suggestions, opinions (I like honesty but don't be an arsehole...I have a pretty thick skin but don't want to hear nasty comments about me....we are judging the outfits OK!!

OK here we go!

Go nuts!!

(and one last super serious shot....I'm a sexy devil!)

Much love

Cie

PS- remember to "like" my Facebook page here.

Anti-fashion? Or just a cry for help? :)

Most women learn to present themselves using fashion and dressing to suit their body in their late teens and early early 20s. 
I did the same. I worked out that my boobs and shoulders should be shown off and that I preferred to mostly keep my legs covered (not because I actually had bad legs, although I thought so at the time, but because you show of your best assets and keep the rest covered to avoid looking cheap) 
I got married at 21. I was a size 6/8 and I was super duper fit. Going for a 5km run after work every day was my debrief, a way to separate work and life. (At the time I was in the defence force so I literally LIVED at work so needed separation of the two) 
Then I feel pregnant. 
I was scared of exercising and made the mistake many first time mothers make, I stopped exercising. 
I gained the normal pregnancy weight and probably a little bit extra. Not as much as I felt like I had gained. 
I gave birth to my daughter, I was exhausted but couldn't wait until the six weeks post partum was up so I could go for a run. 
I ran when I could, I ate ok I suppose, not perfect but not terribly and yet the weight wouldn't budge. 

In the past 4 years of my daughters life I have sweated, starved, sworn at the lack or results. Taken heavy duty amphetamine based prescription weight loss tablets and still not much of a change. 

I'm now a size 14/16. I was 53.3kg at 12 weeks pregnant. I'm now 86.3kg. 
I am now at least aware that I'm battling against hormones and insulin levels that come with pcos...BUT... That still leaves me with a problem...

I have no idea how to dress my new shape. 

I have looked at so many fashion blogs. High fashion, thrifty fashion, plus sized fashion. My problem is I can't find another fashion blog anywhere that relates to me. I'm short (only 159cm) I'm not "curvy" or tall enough for the plus sized outfits to work on my body, and the high fashion outfits I adore won't work unless I was 30kg lighter. So where to now? 

Usually one would grab a bunch of girlfriends and ask them their opinion. My problem is after living in 6 different state capitals all over Australia in 6 years my girlfriends are spread far and wide. 

So what's this go to do with anti-fashion blogging? 

I guarantee I'm not the only woman who feels this way. I KNOW I'm not!

So I'm going to start appealing to all my girls far and wide and all the ones I haven't met yet to help me. For the love of the sisterhood help me!!! 

I'm going to post photos of me in 3 different variations of outfit based around a key item each time and I need your god honest opinions. Which ones work and which ones don't and why. It will teach me and in the process teach other women how to dress themselves again! 

Thoughts? You keen? 


Now I need to think of a name for this game. 

Much love. 

Cie

My first thoughts on finding out about PCOS.

Hello all


As I had a day off yesterday (Sunday is the day of rest after all!) I'm going to try for a twofer today. One serious and one slightly fluffy. Lets crack on with the serious.

I was officially diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) early this year, but I have known that something wasn't quite right for a while now. It was just now given a name buy a professional.
As any Gen Y'er would do after getting a diagnosis I came home and promptly jumped onto Google....Big mistake!

"Uterine cancer, infertility, hysterectomy, acne, facial hair, heart disease, insulin resistance, weight gain, sleep apnea, burst cysts, mood swings, hirsutism, androgen's, balding, acne, dandruff, heart disease, diabetes, depression, menstrual issues!" 

All the things a 26 woman trying to have a second baby wants to hear! NOT!


It scared the crap out of me and I spent the next week crying myself to sleep, never allowing anyone including my husband to see how much it effected me.

I was broken...defective... and as far as having a second child was concerned, barren!!


Looking back all the tell tale signs were there. 
I hadn't lost any of my pregnancy weight and had actually gained some on top of it!
I didn't get my period regularly, only once every 3-6 months or so. 
My hair and skin had changed.
Although I was making great headway in dealing with my depression i still had big mood swings for no reason.
I had a couple of strange little black chin hairs that I plucked regularly.(OK more than a couple but not heaps, or is that denial?) 
I was ALWAYS tired (I put that down to being a mum!)
It wasn't just the weight gain but my entire body shape had changed.
and the big one.... I couldn't get pregnant when we wanted me to!


Once I got over my sooky-la-la week I started talking about it, mentioning PCOS on many of the random Facebook pages I'm a part of and I realised that
a) So many more woman had it that I had realised! And so many were surprised to find someone else who knew what PCOS stood for.
b) There were many other woman who were in a much worse situation that I was. Many hadn't had any children even with medical assistance despite trying for years. Some women have to shave their face, neck, arms daily..makes my weekly plucking seem trivial. Some women had had cysts burst and had to have one or both ovaries removed. Made me feel like a douche-bag for getting so upset about my low level symptoms!
c) There are ways to combat the symptoms naturally. The big one is losing weight (bit of a double edged sword this one, Help PCOS by losing weight but PCOS makes it REALLY hard to lose the KG's)
Also that removing as much sugar from your diet will help with weight loss and the insulin resistance. I'm attempting to quit sugar (or at least keep it under 24g total per day) If you want more info on quitting sugar have a look at Sarah Wilson's eBook "I quit sugar" HERE. Also Melissa from "Suger Coat It" is quitting sugar as well see HERE. :)


I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on PCOS.


Much love
Cie

Just one of those random fluffy get to know ya posts

Hello everyone!!

I hope everyone had a great saturday. Our entire extended household is battling head colds at the moment so we are considering buying shares in kleenex and panadol. A thrilling weekend it does not make!

MIL and I did hit the shops in Fremantle this afternoon. there were no thrilling purchases made by me, even though there is a fantastic sale on at the moment. One thing that did catch my eye was a bonus bulk buy pack of NUDE by nature mineral makeup..but alas they didnt have the colour I was after. Bummer!

So as my brain is all kinds of fuzzy today, its just a bit of a fluffy post. As this blog is pretty new I figured that every couple of weeks or though I would tell you ten random things about me (I would LOVE if you all shared ten random things about you in the comments, that would make my day!)

1. If I could spend all day, every day in my PJ's I would!
2. I have cavalier king charles x bichion named Asti. Shes a bit dopey but beautiful in nature lol.
3. I am either an 8 or 9 in shoes....I cant decide which fit I like better, depends on the shoe I guess.
4. I had a salted caramel macaroon for the first time today....I think I'm in LOOOOOVE!
5. My alcoholic crink of choice is Grey goose vodka with good quality orange juice or lemonade. yummo!
6. I want Gloria Gaynor's "I will survive" played at my funeral.
7. I want to buy an unloved cute little house and make it stunning in my own slightly quirky way.
8. I love fashion and have champagne tastes on a not even beer budget, it more like a shandy budget! I hate paying retail prices hence why at the moment I opshop to get my fashion fix. 
9. I always knew I was an ok cook but living with the Inlaws has been a huge ego boost. My MIL raves about my cooking. I guess I must be doing something right. (maybe recipies is something I should start posting on here? thoughts?)
10. I have no one amazing talent. I'm good at lots of things but as far as I can tell I'm not AMAZING at any one thing.

So leave a comment about your weekend or a list of 10 random things or whatever takes you fancy really.


Night all!!
Cie.

take 2 (aka- where I try and catch up on the past 6 months)

Hello Lovers!
Its been a long time between drinks, or in this case, blogs.

Its been a busy busy 6 months in my world and I figure that I should sum up things.
There will be posts in more detail on many of the things that have occurred.

• We moved from Darwin to Perth so my husband could start his new career.
• We DROVE from darwin to perth (with a 4 year old....in a corolla hatchback!)
• We are now living with my Inlaws (mother in law, stepfather in law and brother in law)
• Little madam starts school in 4 weeks. (WA has a weird school system that im still trying to get my head around)
• We started trying for baby number two late last year (before all the earlier posts) with no success and shortly before we moved I was dignosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) with the added bonus of insulin resistance. (which explains why NONE of my pregnancy weight gain seems to have gone away!)
• Now we arent sure if baby number two is an option that we want to pursue.
• I will now have to somewhat "reinvent myself." I have been a stay at home mum for 4 years, and now it looks as if its time to join the "real world" again. I find this perplexing. I hadnt realised how much of my identity had been tied up with being "just a mum" (Oh my god! I hate that term, but it pretty much sums up things and how I'm feeling at the moment.
• As im no longer living in the humid tropics of the Northern Territory I have been able to start to rediscover fashion again. Its very exciting! and I'm pleased to announce that since arriving in Perth I have worn a bra every single day. No more braless bogan! (see here to have that explained)

So thats it for now.

I'm hoping to make a few changes to this blog over the coming weeks...If anyone has any experience they can share with me about the best ways to promote/market pathetic to pin-up send me a message on the facebook page or email  <which i will add the address here shortly once I create it>


What have you all been up to? Any big news? small news? silly news? Share it as a comment! :)


Much love
Cie