Frustration

Well, I say frustration. I've put on a pound in the last month. Although I'm really frustrated, I have had 2 weekends away in that month. I've exercised like a demon to counteract it but obviously it just wasn't quite enough. So, frustration more that I'm not 20 any more and can party at a weekend and still lose weight!

So, do I give up? Well no, that's not really going to help get into a fab dress for my 40th. A bit of regrouping is needed I think.  Looking at the numbers, there's 11 weeks left and 14 1/2 pounds to go. It is doable though admittedly tricky. But at least if I try I might not quite get the 14 1/2 but may get 10.

My downfall lately has been my social life. I have so much on socially at the moment; every weekend is taken up with seeing friends. What I need to do is approach these a little differently; if I give up seeing the friends I'll have no one left to see me in the fab dress!

So, it's not a failure, it's a rethink. Social life stays but watch the alcohol and no desserts. Keep on with the exercise. Think I'll go back to weekly weigh ins too to keep an eye on things.

Hopefully this time next week it'll be better news.

Week 4 Weigh In - The Wall

So, end of month 1. This morning's weigh in wasn't too bad: 1lb off equaling 6 in total. I also did my monthly waist measurement and have lost 1 1/2 inches. I'm now going to fortnightly weigh ins. Just find that as the weight loss slows,  it's more motivating to see a 2 week loss than a 1 week.

This week's been fine. Must admit I've found myself hungry a few times but I've managed to curb cravings.

Exercise wise I've found I have a wall I keep hitting. Find it hits either halfway through my cardio at the gym or halfway through a dog walk. I just get the feeling that my legs don't work anymore and want to give up. It's hard work pushing through that wall but I've kept pushing and eventually got there.

I'm not too well today so all planned exercise has been postponed for a day's resting (well, apart from an impending college deadline!). One thing as a heart patient you learn to do is listen to your body and mine is telling me to slow down a bit. However hopefully be up and back in the gym tomorrow.

Thank you to everyone who's donated so far. Now at 75% of my target which is brilliant. I'm hoping to get a few more sponsors and actually smash that target!

1 stone to go... ;-)

Week 3 Weigh In - Definitely A Tortoise

Weigh in this morning and I've lost 1 1/2lbs this week. TBH I was a bit disappointed as I've started to actually see results this week. Clothes are starting to be a bit baggier around my middle which is great, but this didn't show on the scales as much as I'd hoped.

This is why I need to set a challenge. I have never lost weight easily so the progress is always slow. I'm definitely more the tortoise than the hare when it comes to weight loss; but we all know who won that race don't we? ;-)

Food wise has been really good this week. Cooked some lovely meals (Hairy Bikers still not letting me down!) and cut back the fruit so my sugar intake has gone down. Still struggling with the water but have had more than usual and quite a few herbal teas.

And must remember that, at 5lbs in 3 weeks I'm ahead of target so shouldn't be too disappointed. Oh and Xander has got another 2 days at sports club funded by Scope so there's a reason to keep going in itself!

Thanks for all you support. X

Swan Dive (ish!)

Now, as I've mentioned before, I ♥♥♥♥♥ pilates.

I've done pilates on and off for years at home, but last September my friend Susan asked if I fancied goung to a taster session at one of the leisure centres. I thought why not (owt for free!) and I really enjoyed it. 4 months later and I've been going regularly twice a week and can't believe how much it's changed my body.

I do have a bit of a wonky body, what with broken verterbrae, twisted pelvises and achey knees and I always will. But pilates has made them all so much more manageable.  I even have a curve in my lower back for the first time in years!

Pilates is also good for the soul. You stretch, breath and spend an hour just taking everything at a slightly slower pace.

Last night, our instructor gave us an advanced move to do called the swan dive. The idea is that you look elegant whilst performing said maneuver.  Here's how it SHOULD be done:

Now the first part of the exercise I could do and made quite a nice diving action...but then I couldn't rock back again and ended up looking more like this:

Plus I was facing Susan's feet and, no matter how elegant she was, looking at someone from that angle is never flattering. So of course I started laughing so I was more of a flailing hysterical swan than an elegant diving one!

But hey, all that laughing gave my stomach muscles a good workout! ;-)

First Stumbling Block

So  weigh in number 2 today and it wasn't great news - no change. Could have been worse,  could have been a gain, but still a little disappointing for week 2.

Now, I know I've been doing all the right things: been tracking my food, been to the gym 3 times, pilates twice, lots of dog walks and the school run on foot. So, I've had a look at my plan and have tweaked a few things.

Firstly, like I say I'm exercising a lot so am giving myself a bit of a break that I might have gained muscle.

Secondly,  I don't seem to be losing anything from my middle and I'm wondering if that's my fruit consumption. I'm eating between 5 and 7 portions of fruit a day which is great but all that fructose is a sugar after all. And excess sugar converts into fat that tends to be stored round your middle (especially for us apple shapes!). So today I went and bought some veg to snack on instead of fruit and have cut it down to 3 pieces of fruit a day.

Lastly - I need to drink more water! I'm terrible at that and I know it. To ease the pain I've had a couple of herbal teas today as well as buying a litre bottle of water. Step away from Costa Coffee Mrs Gillard.

So, disappointing, but working on a better result next week.

Blood, Sweat & T-Shirts

Scope got in touch with me to ask if I needed anything to help fundraising.  As I'm doing it online I didn't need any paraphernalia but they did send me this t-shirt so I can wear it to the gym and raise awareness. Now maybe I should have taken this picture pre-workout rather than post-workout but at least it's evidence that I'm sweating to reach my target.  ;-)

Week 1 Progress Report

Soooo...

Week 1 over so that meant weigh in this mornng...

3 1/2lbs off!

Not too bad. I've never been one of those people that lose half a stone the first week on a diet so I'll take that 3 1/2 thank you very much.

Must admit these last few days haven't been easy. One of the side effects of my migraine medication is increased appetite and I've really been feeling that since the weekend. Not much I can do but make sure that when I do eat it's healthy and not chocolate and cake!

The exercise has gone well this week: 2 gym sessions, 2 pilates sessions and 3 pretty decent dog walks. I've also done quite a lot of walking on the school run. Must admit I'm feeling much better for it. Need to make more of an effort this week as the dog walks are off as little Miss Rosie has been in for speying so is not allowed out at the moment; so an extra gym session may be needed.

Now, I'm certainly not expecting 3 1/2lbs every week, things will definitely slow down, but it's good to have got started and have a few pounds in the charity bank. :)