What on earth is Operation Skinny Cow?

Operation Skinny Cow was born after a few of us in Blogland decided it might be nice to lose some weight and/or get a bit fitter. We decided it would be even nicer if we encouraged each other along the way.

You can read about how it started in this post.

If you want to be part of the fun and add your own posts to this blog then send an e-mail to Emily Sue at reachingforgreen@gmail.com and she'll set you up as an author.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Manda's First Post

I'll start off by saying that I've done this before... kind of.

In my last year at school and first years at uni, I had this nasty habit of eating chocolate bars for dinner. When I was encouraged to start Weight Watchers by a friend of mine (let's call her "Dietta" as she is likely to pop up in my tale from time to time) in 2005, I weighed in at 93.4 kilos.

That number was enough to spur me on for the good part of a year, and I lost 17 kilos by eating well and excercising (down to 76, the top of my healthy weight range). After I could no longer make the meeting I attended, I tried to join other meetings, but without the accountability of a friend, I didn't last, and I decided to keep trying on my own.

The bad news is:
I didn't quite keep to the points guidelines, and I exercised less. I stopped losing weight.
The great news is:
While I failed to lose weight, I didn't eat enough to gain any. I currently weigh 76 kilos. (Hooray!)

But I had never properly finished, and the nagging "almost there" remained on my mental cassette loop. So now, with accountability (in the form of this blog) in tow, I have decided to do it properly again.

My big goal: Lose 6 kilos (to 70) and fit into a size 10-12 (without sucking tummy in).
Currently: 175 cm, 76 kilos, and a size 14. And I have a big tummy!

How I'm doing it:
1) NOvember. In order to combat the YEStober I just had, I'm going to say no to the food people offer me, unless I am positive I can have only one and it won't be going over the points. These people include church and small group members (see femina's recent post) and my boyfriend. (I'll review this in ?cember).

2) Paying attention to my (Weight Watchers) Points Count and refusing to graze mindlessly.

3) Excercising. As people motivate me, I've joined a weekly basketball team. The excercise is fun and I don't need to force myself to do it. I'm also going to build up to a fitness class or two.

4) Prayer! I need to keep in mind that there are many more important things in God's eyes than my weight, but also I need His help to avoid obsessing about food (either eating it or not eating it).

Things to watch out for:
The kitchen cupboard. As of last month, I am residing once again with my parents. There are 4 shelves in their clever cupboard design:
- foil, glap wrap, boxes and cough lollies at the top
- chocolate bars, biscuits, lollies, cookies, and sweets at eye-level (there are about 25 different kinds of sugary food represented here)
- cereal, bread and salted nuts
- soup, rice, noodles and things that have long since passed their used-by date
It's the second shelf that is the problem. I wonder if they'll let me tape a curtain over it?

Ok, I'll talk about rewards later. This post is definitely long enough.

9 comments:

Femina said...

Welcome aboard! Great to have you along for the ride. xo

Swift Jan said...

welcome!!!
I think sticking a curtain over that shelf is a great idea. Or maybe switch the shelves around? put the sweets right up the top?

Givinya De Elba said...

Hi Manda, welcome! Well done losing that 17 kilos! Almost there, keep on going!

Exercise is my weak point. Maybe this should be NOvember for me - NO to skipping exercise.

I so understand about your second shelf problem. I am considering soing a post about how my husband, so loving and well-meaning, ruins all my steps toward dieting. Love his soul.

Good idea having prayer so ingrained in your diet plan. I could do with bringing God back into my weight-loss. Silly idea really, to separate the two!

Manda said...

Thanks for the welcomes and comments!

The problem with switching the shelves has been my younger brother's reach, but in a month he'd be right up there. Good idea, Swift Jan.

I don't have a husband, but I'll have to learn to stand up to my boyfriend's also well-meaning food pressure as it is... I can't imagine how large I'd be living with that all the time! Better nip it in the bud?

Louisa Claire said...

welcome Manda!!

Long dark hair, blue eyes said...

welcome Manda!

You stats are scarily similar to my own!

My current, goal and highest ever weight are either exactly the same or all almost exactly the same as yours. As is my height.

Good luck with the rest of your weight loss. I am glad I am not the only one out there trying to lose those last few kilos.

Dee said...

welcome, hard to be strict on yourself when temptation is so close!

Le said...

hello there - welcome aboard.

You have made an amazing effort keeping it off .... I have lost the same 10kg ovr ten times I am sure !!

I know you can do this last wee bit - cheers le

Hippomanic Jen said...

I'd like to say a belated welcome to Skinny Cow. I can see that the last little bit would be so hard, particularly with the temptation factor.

I love the concept of prayer as part of the weight-loss thing. Although I know God loves me as I am, I must admit to asking Him to set a watch over my mouth - both what comes out *and* what goes in. :)