Panic starting to set in as big day looms

A certain song is on our weight-loss champion Vanessa Pringle's mind as her waist shrinks on her way to bikini heaven. It's week five in her mission to lose enough weight to feel comfortable posing in swimwear for a photo shoot.

"She got a big butt and I cannot lie, you other brothers can't deny, when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist ..."
Well that is how I am feeling at the moment a small waist, big butt and thighs - let's hope my body starts using up the generous stores of fat in my curvaceous areas.
To top off the week my panic stricken face has set in as I only have seven weeks until I have to stand in that bikini and it is starting to freak me out.
Brett has been fantastic and is telling me to relax and that it will be okay but I think I am just daunted by how fast time is flying.
This week I decided to take my own advice and invited my friend Johanna along to the gym for a workout.
We got her the free seven-day pass and followed my workout plan together. The warm-up on the treadmill brought its own laughs, I am so thankful we had the rugby boys to watch on Sport TV because on the other TV was a cooking show and you would not read about it, but she was making a chocolate log roll with cream and jam.
We had so much fun, puffing and talking (when we could get a breath) and helping each other get through the last sets of weights. It has been the best week for me at the gym.
Brett, bless him, has changed my programme by intensifying the cardio and upping my weights to the point where it now hurts and I am sure I waddle out of the gym looking like a duck.
My afternoon tea has also changed to five turkey balls and they are scrumptious, so much so I want to share the recipe with you.
You need one can of turkey mince, mix in some lite cottage cheese with finely chopped spring onion, baby spinach and sun-dried tomato.
Roll about 15 of them into the size of a ping pong ball, brown in the fry pan and voila you have a yummy snack.
The best thing about snack preparation is that you can grab the food like pre-cut carrots or your turkey balls from the fridge when you are on the run.
No excuses or temptations will confront you during that quick nip into the dairy, cafe or bakery.
Make sure you keep a bag of raw natural almonds in your handbag for an emergency as well as it really does work.
On a final note I want to say thank you to the lovely ladies at Path Lab on First Ave who read my column each week and are so supportive and to Paul at Tauranga Library for being a wonderful friend and confidante.
Next week I will be divulging more measurement areas so look out for the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend.