Weight that is. Yep, after much finger, toe, leg, arm and eye-crossing the scales magnanimously stayed right where they were and I'm now officially 12 st 9.5 lbs, which is a new all time low for me.
It does seem like I'm a bit tortoise-like with my progress, but I am, none the less, getting there one tiny bit at a time. 52.5 lbs gone, 17.5 lbs to go til goal.
A while ago, when there was still 50 or 40 or even 30 lbs to go, just losing 1.5 lbs a week made me think I would never ever get there. No wonder we're always advised to look to the shorter term goals. But now, with under 20 lbs left, it's really nice to be able to look at the final goal and see each little weekly movement putting a noticable dent in what's left to lose.
As I mentioned yesterday I was looking at my weight loss stats over the course of the year and I could see two things. My average losses have gradually been slowing down all year, and are now just a shade over 1 lb a week. But all the times I gain are holidays or a long weekend away with heavy duty partying. In between those I actually lose pretty consistently. At the moment I don't have anything like that in my diary til skiing a couple of weeks in to the New Year.
I'm celebrating my birthday this weekend (birthday is actually tomorrow) so I'm out for lunch today and dinner tomorrow plus some drinking and dancing, but I don't want to go too far off the rails. Next weekend I'm heading down to London to do some catching up with folks, but again, I'm not planning on going bonkers. Christmas for me is fairly restrained, and I'm working pretty much the whole holiday season this year anyway so it's not so hard to keep the indulgences limited to just the weekend.
I'm not putting any timescales on getting to goal now. My progress chart says I'll prob chug my way to goal sometime about mid-Feb, based on progress this year, and just for once, I'm not inclined to fight it anymore. I'll get there in my own sweet time and there's no point fretting over it. It will just be interesting to see what I can do when I'm not jetting off on holidays here, there and everywhere.
Aims for this week:
* Get back into usual exercise routine of spin class, body combat and body balance classes next week, or as much as my foot can take.
* Go for one run.
* Get rid of the piles of clothes on the floor of my room that have been sitting there for weeks and months because they're too big, because the pile keeps growing and I can't get in the bottom 3 drawers of my chest now!
* Whatever happens food / points wise over the weekend, jump back on it as soon as possible.
More anon, health seekers!
-- Posted from my iPhone
Friday, 20 November 2009
Thursday, 19 November 2009
On the mend
I've been feeling pretty rough the past couple of days, hence my blog being rather quiet. I've been kicking the last of the stomach bug into touch, as well as the joy of THAT time of the month and a headache that didn't want to shift for about 36 hours.
I find these days that whilst I'm better at dealing with emotional eating issues like stress, I can still turn to food for comfort when it's physical discomfort. Having said that, I've only been a few points over on any given day, so whilst I'm eating more than usual, it's not particularly bad stuff.
Take last night for example: I was driving back from my speed awareness course (boring!!!!) and feeling absolutely shattered. My first thought was that I absolutely couldn't be bothered to cook and just wanted some "instant" food, so maybe I should stop at the takeaway on the way home. Then I thought about it, and actually thought that all the MSG in the food would just make me feel crappier afterwards and I didn't really want that. So then I thought I could just have the ready-done pizza from the fridge at home or just do some pitta bread and humous quickly. Then I thought a bit more and thought that I already had ready-cubed butternut squash in the fridge and it would barely take any longer to stick that in to roast and shove a chicken breast on the grill and some green veg on the hob.
Yes, folks, I actually started out wanting takeaway and talked myself back into a healthy meal, not because I thought I should or was feeling guilty about eating less healthily, but just because I wanted it. Weird. I'm sure these things usually go the other way round.
After dinner I curled up in bed with Strictly Come Dancing from the weekend and the remains of a tub of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia low fat frozen yoghurt. God bless that stuff - I can scoff just under half a tub and it's still only about 5 or 6 points (should have weighed it out, but frankly didn't care, but by eye, it looked to be about 3 x 60g scoops).
This morning was a bit of a surprise as the scales have been a bit all over the place this week but suddenly jumped to a new all-time low this morning. I had to get on twice to believe it! If it stays anything close to that for tomorow's weigh in I'd be delighted.
I've not been exercising this week yet, due to the rather large gash on the top of my right foot courtesy of windsurfing on Sat. The only shoes I can currently put on are little pumps that don't cover the area at all or my Ugg boots which are soft and don't rub. Trainers are out, especially combined with lots of jumping round. But tonight is Body Balance which I can do because it's barefoot - yay!!!! I never thought I'd say it, but I'm actually looking forward to Balance and getting really stretched out.
Anyway, more anon, fellow health-seekers! Not sure how healthy this weekend will actually be, as it's my birthday and there is going to be a certain amount of eating out and drinking involved. But here's an interesting fact to finish with: I was looking at my weight loss patterns earlier today, an pretty much everytime I've gained (I think there have been 5 occasions to date) have been after holidays or trips away. The stay-the-same weeks are often around TOTM. Which means there's not a lot between now and Xmas to stop me getting some of this shifted. What stops your progress in it's tracks?
-- Posted from my iPhone
I find these days that whilst I'm better at dealing with emotional eating issues like stress, I can still turn to food for comfort when it's physical discomfort. Having said that, I've only been a few points over on any given day, so whilst I'm eating more than usual, it's not particularly bad stuff.
Take last night for example: I was driving back from my speed awareness course (boring!!!!) and feeling absolutely shattered. My first thought was that I absolutely couldn't be bothered to cook and just wanted some "instant" food, so maybe I should stop at the takeaway on the way home. Then I thought about it, and actually thought that all the MSG in the food would just make me feel crappier afterwards and I didn't really want that. So then I thought I could just have the ready-done pizza from the fridge at home or just do some pitta bread and humous quickly. Then I thought a bit more and thought that I already had ready-cubed butternut squash in the fridge and it would barely take any longer to stick that in to roast and shove a chicken breast on the grill and some green veg on the hob.
Yes, folks, I actually started out wanting takeaway and talked myself back into a healthy meal, not because I thought I should or was feeling guilty about eating less healthily, but just because I wanted it. Weird. I'm sure these things usually go the other way round.
After dinner I curled up in bed with Strictly Come Dancing from the weekend and the remains of a tub of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia low fat frozen yoghurt. God bless that stuff - I can scoff just under half a tub and it's still only about 5 or 6 points (should have weighed it out, but frankly didn't care, but by eye, it looked to be about 3 x 60g scoops).
This morning was a bit of a surprise as the scales have been a bit all over the place this week but suddenly jumped to a new all-time low this morning. I had to get on twice to believe it! If it stays anything close to that for tomorow's weigh in I'd be delighted.
I've not been exercising this week yet, due to the rather large gash on the top of my right foot courtesy of windsurfing on Sat. The only shoes I can currently put on are little pumps that don't cover the area at all or my Ugg boots which are soft and don't rub. Trainers are out, especially combined with lots of jumping round. But tonight is Body Balance which I can do because it's barefoot - yay!!!! I never thought I'd say it, but I'm actually looking forward to Balance and getting really stretched out.
Anyway, more anon, fellow health-seekers! Not sure how healthy this weekend will actually be, as it's my birthday and there is going to be a certain amount of eating out and drinking involved. But here's an interesting fact to finish with: I was looking at my weight loss patterns earlier today, an pretty much everytime I've gained (I think there have been 5 occasions to date) have been after holidays or trips away. The stay-the-same weeks are often around TOTM. Which means there's not a lot between now and Xmas to stop me getting some of this shifted. What stops your progress in it's tracks?
-- Posted from my iPhone
Body confidence
I've put up a load of photos from holiday here, but there's just one other I wanted to share with you:
I'm not perfect, and there's plenty of work still to do, but it's nice to feel like a bikini is at least an option, and it might not terrify the natives too much!
A huge improvement over h0w I felt this time last year.
Thank god.
I'm not perfect, and there's plenty of work still to do, but it's nice to feel like a bikini is at least an option, and it might not terrify the natives too much!
A huge improvement over h0w I felt this time last year.
Thank god.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Nose back to the grindstone
Hey guys, I'm back after my little sojourn to warmer waters (literally), and more or less in one piece. It was a most excellent holiday, and you can read about more about it -----> HERE!
Food-wise, the trip had it's ups and downs. Before I left, I set myself 2 goals for the week:
Food-wise, the trip had it's ups and downs. Before I left, I set myself 2 goals for the week:
- to leave something on my plate at the Indian meal I went to with my Body Balance class the night before I left,
- and to write my journal whilst I was away.
Not so difficult, but I only managed a 50% pass rate! D'oh!! The meal was fine, but for various reasons the journal never made it past the first paragraph on the first day.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!
I went a lot like this -
Manic day rushing round on Sat, packing, running errands, tidying the flat, visiting my Dad, getting myself plus luggage to Jo's, then both of us to the hotel at Gatwick. Collapse in front of Strictly Come Dancing, eat dinner, sleep. No journal.
Up super-early, check out, car to airport parking, coach to airport, check in, 6 hour flight (?? Should have been 5, but they screwed up the take-off times a bit), 2 hours ahead in Egypt, transfer to hotel, eat exhausted dinner, sleep. No journal.
Hoof it to the beach, first morning sort out of teaching groups for the week, much windsurfing, exhausted dinner, welcome drinks in the evening, sleep, no journal.
Repeat on day 2, minus the first morning stuff, but plus one very messy night out in town. Throw up due to going completely bonkers on alcohol after time away from drinking. Pass out. No journal.
Wake up to find have developed bad stomach bug (locally known as Dahab Dash, since everyone gets it to some degree or another, spend next 36 hours throwing up, stomach cramps, "Dashing" and generally curled up in a small miserable ball on the bed, and gulping down the broad-spectrum anti-biotics I'd been prescribed by nice local pharmacist. Crawl out to the beach on the afternoon of the 4th day, lie in the sun (still no energy to windsurf), early night, no journal (and not a lot of food).
Days 5 and 6 - repeats of days 1 and 2, including very messy closing party, but minus the throwing up due to virtual alcohol poisoning this time. Still no journalling.
Final day - up early, hangover, lie on beach and chill for the morning, loooooooong trip home. No journal.
Whoops.
Food was generally up and down - breakfast and dinner were massive buffets, but eating a lot of good stuff in the evening like pitta, mezze and fish and rice. Breakfast was pancakes, lunch varied depending on what we got down on the beach - sometimes healthy like rice (and only half portions because appetite shot) and sometimes not so healthy like burgers. On 4 of the days, you can then add in at least several hours of windsurfing, falling in, manhandling kit and hauling myself out the water.
I did step on the scales yesterday morning when I got back, and they were ever so slightly up, but then I've been gulping down pills to try and settle my stomach for the last half of the week, so god knows what the true impact is. I'll weigh in properly on Friday and we'll see. Kind of hoping I'll have properly kicked this bug by then as it's still lurking!!
Anyway - I was straight back on plan yesterday morning, and did a shopping trip last night, with a list of meals for the week in mind. Had lucious venison burgers with roasted butternut squash with rosemary and broccoli and green beans last night - god, I missed veg while I was away!!!
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Crash and Plan
Wow - I totally sucked at Combat last night. It was a really busy class, which I wasn't that keen on, as I literally had to check over my shoulder when I back-kicked to make sure I didn't thump my neighbour in the face. That kind of worry totally detracts from what should be an absorbing, focused work out.
Unfortunately, I also plunged headlong into the first four tracks full tilt and then completely crashed for the next four. Pure murder forcing myself to keep going and feeling unbalanced and unco-ordinated for it. I persevered and recovered my pace in the last couple of tracks, but not a great experience. I must make sure I pace myself better next class!
My eating's been a bit up and down this week - Tuesday wasn't so hot as we ate far too late on the way back from a shopping trip, and ate badly for it. I've also allowed some emotional comfort eating to creep in this week as I've been feeling a bit low, but aside from Tues I've reigned it in before I went over points. I don't know if 3 days clean eating out of 7 is enough to allow for a loss this week, but I'll keep my fingers crossed anyway.
On a side-note - shopping was a bit of a strange experience - for the first time that I can remember I was buying size medium tops. I still feel a bit like a fraud buying a medium but they all fit, so maybe not!
GOALS!!!!
I keep making the mistake of setting myself goals that are numbers related. And I keep failing them. After extensive reading of some fabulous blogs, I finally concede that I'm going about it all wrong. That there's no point trying to change the outcome without trying to change the process. So I'm going to set myself some new goals ... with not a scale number or measurement in sight. And I'm just going to start with a week at a time.
So, for this coming week this is what I'm thinking:
• I'm going for dinner to an Indian restaurant. I'm going to practice good eating behaviours and make sure I don't just hoover up all the food in sight - so I'm going to make sure I consciously leave some food on the plate. I'm also not drinking.
• I'm on holiday next week - so there's going to be a reappearance of the Croatia Journal. I will write in it each day and diary my food. No pointing but religious tracking.
• Activity while I'm away won't really be a problem but I will make a conscious effort, none the less, to do some every day, even on the days when we're not being taught. Even if it's just a walk the length of the beach and back.
Nice and simple - they are my goals for the next week. I'm not going to put restrictions on what I eat or drink as I know that I'll be drinking a lot of bottled water on the beach all day, but that fresh fruit and veg is hard to come by because of the being-washed-in-local-water issue. Food's pretty healthy out there anyway though - lots of fresh fish, plain chicken and rice.
Above all, I will enjoy myself, remember the progress I've made since last year, and concentrate on feeling good about myself.
-- Posted from my iPhone
Unfortunately, I also plunged headlong into the first four tracks full tilt and then completely crashed for the next four. Pure murder forcing myself to keep going and feeling unbalanced and unco-ordinated for it. I persevered and recovered my pace in the last couple of tracks, but not a great experience. I must make sure I pace myself better next class!
My eating's been a bit up and down this week - Tuesday wasn't so hot as we ate far too late on the way back from a shopping trip, and ate badly for it. I've also allowed some emotional comfort eating to creep in this week as I've been feeling a bit low, but aside from Tues I've reigned it in before I went over points. I don't know if 3 days clean eating out of 7 is enough to allow for a loss this week, but I'll keep my fingers crossed anyway.
On a side-note - shopping was a bit of a strange experience - for the first time that I can remember I was buying size medium tops. I still feel a bit like a fraud buying a medium but they all fit, so maybe not!
GOALS!!!!
I keep making the mistake of setting myself goals that are numbers related. And I keep failing them. After extensive reading of some fabulous blogs, I finally concede that I'm going about it all wrong. That there's no point trying to change the outcome without trying to change the process. So I'm going to set myself some new goals ... with not a scale number or measurement in sight. And I'm just going to start with a week at a time.
So, for this coming week this is what I'm thinking:
• I'm going for dinner to an Indian restaurant. I'm going to practice good eating behaviours and make sure I don't just hoover up all the food in sight - so I'm going to make sure I consciously leave some food on the plate. I'm also not drinking.
• I'm on holiday next week - so there's going to be a reappearance of the Croatia Journal. I will write in it each day and diary my food. No pointing but religious tracking.
• Activity while I'm away won't really be a problem but I will make a conscious effort, none the less, to do some every day, even on the days when we're not being taught. Even if it's just a walk the length of the beach and back.
Nice and simple - they are my goals for the next week. I'm not going to put restrictions on what I eat or drink as I know that I'll be drinking a lot of bottled water on the beach all day, but that fresh fruit and veg is hard to come by because of the being-washed-in-local-water issue. Food's pretty healthy out there anyway though - lots of fresh fish, plain chicken and rice.
Above all, I will enjoy myself, remember the progress I've made since last year, and concentrate on feeling good about myself.
-- Posted from my iPhone
Monday, 2 November 2009
Haven't done that in a while ...
... got straight on the treadmill after a very sweaty spin class and knocked out a quick run. It felt a bit laboured as I made a classic school-boy error this evening and had my tea waaaaaaay to close to going to the gym, but felt good to be back to normal anyway. Muscles functioning like they should be and actually able to do the cool-down stretches and revel in my nearly flexible-again body.
Good times.
-- Posted from my iPhone
Good times.
-- Posted from my iPhone
Back to it
As you may have guessed from my various posts over the weekend, I pretty much departed from plan for the whole thing.
I had a great weekend but ate too much and by yesterday I was looking forward to getting on track. Having said that, it took me til this morning to actually do it. I didn't really want to point the weekend as I knew it would be wildly bad and not something I could possibly claw back this week, but thought I'd better just for the sake of knowing how bad it was. Now it's back to just making every day as good as it can be.
Lots going on this week, including a shopping night, a meal out and exercise classes and much to do in the way of washing clothes, packing and sorting for holiday. I've also got to make a massive attempt to tidy and clean the flat as I suspect the landlords will be over in the next couple of weeks to inspect the flat due to the change in tenants.
-- Posted from my iPhone
I had a great weekend but ate too much and by yesterday I was looking forward to getting on track. Having said that, it took me til this morning to actually do it. I didn't really want to point the weekend as I knew it would be wildly bad and not something I could possibly claw back this week, but thought I'd better just for the sake of knowing how bad it was. Now it's back to just making every day as good as it can be.
Lots going on this week, including a shopping night, a meal out and exercise classes and much to do in the way of washing clothes, packing and sorting for holiday. I've also got to make a massive attempt to tidy and clean the flat as I suspect the landlords will be over in the next couple of weeks to inspect the flat due to the change in tenants.
-- Posted from my iPhone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)