A support and encouragement blog for those of us aiming towards skinny cow-ness... or at least aiming towards being a bit thinner and/or healthier.
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.
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.
I am today celebrating 12 months since the dog bite. I have survived all the complications, and best of all, God has been with me and had granted healing. Now what is better than that. The way my leg is now is probably how it will be and in the last 6 months I have come along way. Today I have spent a lot of the day on my feet and just now my leg is quite sore. It does tell me when to rest and I do try to.
Now for the point of this blog, today I weigh 64.0kg I do like round numbers. That is down 300g on last week. Not bad even if I say so. I have been walking daily and I have been doing 8 sets of steps except the day I forgot. I got into bed and remembered, and didn't get up to do it. I don't think it will happen today.
So I am happy with progress, but with parties this weekend next week will be a challenge and probably higher. My asthma is still gone. Yay.
Another week has passed and I am still trying. I seemed to be stuck around the same numbers for about a month now. So today I have succeeded in changing. I today weigh 64.3kg which isn't much down but a little bit.
I have still be walking, but trying to go faster and for the last couple of days I have wondered if my faster walking is taking me over my weight loss area, so I slowed down to a swift walk and I am still doing 7 sets of stairs. So that seems to have helped, I do know that starting the stairs I probably built muscle so that if fine. Today is the first day of 8 sets, I am gradually going to build that up and see what I can get to. My leg has been sore still so I am pushing the boundaries.
The best of all news is that with my weight down from the starting point, I noticed that my lungs felt really clear. I do have asthma and had been taking a fair wack of meds. So for the last 10 days I haven't taken any preventive meds and I am fine. So that is the best thing for me to celebrate, I have been waiting to see if I could manage to stay off at this stage. So rejoice with me, I feel good and feel I can do more and of course the meds cost a wack so it will also help the hip pocket. I do pray that the improvement will continue.
At last I am on top of things again and may the improvement continue.
6km / 67 minutes on the treadmill. Walking at a variable speed between 4.5kmh and 6kmh (mostly at 5.5kmh).
Feeling good because this is the first bit of deliberate exercise, other than a gentle walk outside every now and then, in about two months. I sweated and everything. Speaking of which... I think I'll go have a shower now.
Last week: 69kg
Today: 68.9kg Difference: 100g loss Running total: 8.1kg
I'm happy with 100g. I was... a tad hormonal... this week, and so had a couple of not-so-great eating days. Mostly I was on track though so 100g is a good loss in light of the caramel Mars Bars. :)
Exercise is still not really happening, although I'm having a housework day today and that counts as exercise, surely???
So I'm back. Bad case of comfort eating and other things were in the way.
I'm now in the headspace to get back into the exercise and control the eating and I've discovered that the damage is only 500gms, but that doesn't take into accout the fact that I could have lost MORE had I kept going as I was.
As you see my weight is the same 64.6kg. I have been around this for about 3 weeks now, so l started looking at my diet and maybe too much ice cream has appeared. So I have cut that out again. I have also been doing steps so that should be building muscle and we all know those results.
We have seen a travel agent today and started getting things moving, so now I have to be fit in 3 months. So the weight isn't the immediate concern the fitness level is. So that is my new target. I could stay at this weight and be ok, but I do want to lose more. I feel better and this week I am trying to go off asthma meds and see what happens, so far so good.
So all you Skinny Cow Girls, lets hear from you and see what wonderful results you are getting. All that is except Giv. who has given us up for Lent.
I have a huge post written detailing many frustrations with food, exercise, weight loss, being in the average weight range but with wobbly bits that just aren't right, and my underlying complete satisfaction with who I am regardless of my weight or wobbly bits anyway. It's all getting too much for me, so I have decided to take drastic action.
Table of Contents
1. A Huge Disappointment
2. A realisation
3. In which I realise I don't even need my mirror
4. Adios
Chapter One: A Huge Disappointment
Previous Weight: 66.5kg
Current Weight: 68.1kg
I have achieved this result by continuing my good eating and active lifestyle, coupled with now regular swims at the pool. Congratulations me.
Chapter Two: A Realisation
I realised something the other day. Three bits of information came into complete clarity for me, and now it all doesn't make sense.
Piece of Information #1
I am eating consistently quite well - keeping meals to pretty healthy standards and trying to snack on fruit and water. Doesn't always work, but I'm doing quite well. I am keeping up with some of my hard-line rules I used late last year to rein in some areas of eating where I felt I was going a bit overboard. I eat dip on a hardly-ever basis, and I am not drinking calories - no fizzy drinks, no cordial, no sugar in my tea (well okay some in my coffee but I ceased promising I'd go that far.) I am active a lot of the day. Sure, I don't get out and huff/puff/sweat, but my life doesn't support that sort of rubbish. Again, we can't do everything perfectly. In short, I am doing okay. And my weight doesn't change and my regular pants don't get looser. My loose pants were bought when I was pregnant. My body quite likes being slightly pudgy. Damn, but not major damn.
Piece of Information #2
Two friends of mine are getting married next month. He eats a gluten-free diet, she has adopted a gluten-free diet for convenience. And she's lost kilograms she didn't set out to lose. Damn.
Piece of Information #3
My dear husband is on a milk-free diet. He substitutes soy, but otherwise his diet is much the same as it used to be, which isn't perfect. Since he has gone milk-free, he has been able to fit into pants he wasn't able to fit into before. Damn.
Conclusion:
Despite believing that you have to cut out fat and sugar to lose weight, it seems that cutting out normal parts of the food pyramid is more effective. Well, not really. Cutting out food types that are notoriously difficult to digest, like gluten and lactose. Emily Sue and I discussed this at length. I hesitate to use the phrase "chewed the fat" for obvious reasons.
Anyway, just as I judge having a 100% hard-line diet is unsustainable and doing regular huffing/puffing/sweating exercise is unsustainable, I believe that managing a restricted diet while still feeding my children a normal diet is unsustainable in my current stage of life.
Damn.
Chapter Three: In which I realise I don't even need my mirror
Talking to Emily Sue tonight clarified a few things for me. One is I really don't care much about food, weight, body shape and appearance outside of Skinny Cow. I never have. Yeah sure I would totally love to get a skinny tummy again and lose the tuckshop lady arms, but seriously, outside of Skinny Cow, I give it very little thought. I just have to visit the issue with you girls because ... well, it's all about accountability and I haven't made gains so I feel the need to justify myself at every turn. Exhausting.
I don't spend much time at all looking in a mirror, I don't really care how I look to other people and sometimes it shows, and I am simply so comfortable in my own frumpy skin that frankly my dear, I just don't give a damn.
I don't use makeup because I've always thought I look better without. I don't use many hair products - just enough not to look like a total Bush Woman. I don't buy many clothes, I don't have many updated or nice clothes, and I never look in a mirror after I put them on. I just don't care. I have always gained my worth through what God thinks of me and what I can do for God and his people, and I'm really happy with how I'm going in those areas. I was raised by hard-working people from working and farming backgrounds who would have scoffed at anyone caring the slightest about their appearance beyond having no dirt behind their ears and having combed hair. I took on that perspective and I haven't changed much as I've grown up. I feel like saying to the world, "Take me as I am, because I don't really want to spend time talking about the cutest new little cardigan/ballet flats/shade of lipgloss with you."
A friend of mine recently said to me in a coffee shop, "But you do care, don't you?" And the truth, which I didn't want to hurt her with was, "No. I really don't. I only talk about fashion, makeup, weight loss and style with you because you're really interested in it."
Tonight Emily Sue directed me to her site to watch this video. We talked about it for a bit.
And that's when it really gelled for me. Emma Thompson, bless her heart, says "Imagine a world..." And I just shook my head in dumb wonder. That. Is. My. Life. I don't have to imagine. I have always lived in a world where I just go about my day. Don't you all?
No primping in front of the mirror, no bothing about 'self-image' apart from my achievements and who I am in God. Except, Emma, if I saw a zit on my face, I'd just say, "Huh" and walk away with no makeup involved. But to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't see the zit in the first place. Remember? No mirror-time except for contact-lens-poking-in.
The only time that I really think about appearance is when I come here and get involved in OSC-type chat. And that is when I am grudgingly honest and I admit that in an ideal world, I'd love to lose some kilos, which is technically true. But that clearly isn't working within the framework of my life, so again: Damn, but I don't really mind all that much.
Chapter Four: Adios
So au revoir my cowgirls. It's been fun riding with you. I have been inspired by your weight losses and your exercise! (As a side-note, I am swimming regularly now, which is exciting. But I can't do more than that right now.) I am off to keep on with the things I've been doing, some of those hard-line rules I started before Christmas which have been SO great, and holding myself pretty accountable in what I eat and don't eat, because a high level of accountability to self is what works for me. But the big difference from now on will be I will be free to not care when I really don't.
Because frankly my dears, when it comes to weight loss that probably isn't going to happen, I just don't give a damn.
This is my first weigh in since starting on the My Fitness Pal website, so my 'last weight' is what I registered on there a week ago, not what I was last time I weighed here.
Last time: 70kg
Today: 69kg Difference: 1kg loss Running total (since starting Weight Watchers... I'm not starting again!): 8kg
Yay! I still haven't really started exercising but hopefully that will come in the next week.
My frustration level reached blowing point in the last week. I seem to be giving excuses rather than losses. So in desperation I decided to check and see what my weight was before Xmas. To my sheer surprise I found that I have lost 2 kg in 2 months. Well the time I have been with you I was wishing that my steady 200g weekly could rise to 250, and that would be 1kg per month. Now I find that with all my excuses I have been achieving that goal and complaining.
Now for all of you who have had to sit and read my excuses, I offer my sincere apologies. I am really sorry for complaining and trying to excuse my eating blowouts.
Back to the point, if my weight wasn't the frustration point then what was? After some thought it occurred to me that I have spent some time pulling at the side seams of shirts that are too big. So I got to my clothes and threw out what was not alterable, there is no point keeping things that I am NOT going to wear again. Then I had a sewing bee and took in the side seams of 6 shirts, one of which I am wearing today and I feel so much better in it. In my cupboard I also found a couple of shirts that had been too small and now aren't. I also have 2 slacks suits for summer and one I could wear now, but it will be better in 2kgs time and the other will need at least 4 kg. I later saw a dress that I must try sometime.
Now I am feeling so much better, I am a new person. Also the cold I had has left and that helps.
I have weighed today and the numbers came up at 64.6kg, I think that is about the same. I did have a drop but I have now gone to my usual drop and bounce, and I have the bounce just now.
Add to all that we have decided on a holiday for the end of June and one place that I really want to visit is called the Werfen Ice Cave. Now that sounds nice, but the warnings that come with the info say that you must be fit, no heart problems no walking difficulties. They say you need to be able to walk up a multi story building. So now I have 3 months to get fit. So added to my walking and balance board I have started doing steps. The last few days I have done 5 sets per day. My leg is back to a level of soreness but it will get better. I AM visiting this cave.
I'm doing it again. You know, checking in once a year to apologise for being absent and assert my plans to stick around this time.
New plan / incentive: I'm in a competition with my best friend K and her mom, A. We each have a goal (mine is to lose 5 kilos, K is losing 5 and A is going for 7, but weighs more and thus should find it equally challenging).
The fun twist: The winner (the closest to goal on June 25th, or the first one to reach the goal before that) is paid $80 and $60 dollars by the people who come second and third, respectively.
This is cool, because going to Weight Watchers would cost more than that, but I think the incentive of having $140 dollars to spend in whatever I want is going to spur me on a little more than WW would. And we're going to support each other by exercising together occasionally, so it's friendly and spurry.
So, goal: lose 5 kilos, going from 74.5 to 69.5, the lowest weight I'll ever have been since I started weighing myself
Plan: - keep running (you heard me, running! I can actually do it now, albeit not as well as an actual runner friend would), playing sport, rockclimbing; - portion control, occasional treats, love food, concentrate on enjoying what I eat
Yea!
Oh, and to make up for not being present for a year, I'll be extra-present and include a picture of what I look like now.
I've had a good few days and I'm feeling a LOT better. I think the downward spiral has been halted... phew. I haven't got back to exercising yet, apart from a walk on the weekend, but the compulsive eating is under control, as is the desire to stay in bed all day, every day.
One thing that has helped is discovering this website called My Fitness Pal. It's basically a calorie tracking site where you can input your details and the amount of weight you want to lose and it will tell you how many calories to eat per day. Then throughout the day you can input food eaten and exercise done and it calculates how many calories you have left. It's an American site so many American food brands but any member can add new foods, so there are already loads of Australian food brands on there. There's also a phone app, which I'm using.
And the best part? It's 100% free.
As you know I've been doing Weight Watchers. I haven't been to meetings for a month but haven't cancelled my membership because I didn't want to lose access to the online tracking system, which I've found extremely helpful. Now that I've found this new site, however, I think I'll ditch WW and use the free site instead.
I know this won't be for everyone, but tracking really works for me. It gives me boundaries that help me not to binge but also help me not to starve myself - if it says I can eat 1300 calories per day I will eat at least 1250 calories. Left to my own devices I tend to swing between eating too much then eating not enough. Neither is helpful.
My starting weight on the site was 71kg. I think now that probably wasn't accurate, as in I was having a bloated day when I signed up, so I'll probably have a good, but incorrect, weight loss in the first week. I'm weighing in on Saturdays so stay tuned.
The title says it all, I am still coughing, I thought things were getting better, but on Tuesday my cold freshened up again. So I thought here we go again, back to headaches and coughs and runny nose etc. Well it didn't get too bad this time.
Then you add to that, my 2 sisters came last Friday, so I made a High Tea (with some help from friends) and of course ate it. That was really fun in the end it is worth trying some time. It was good to get out the good china etc. Then take away for Sunday lunch and again for Tuesday night. Of course I must add the frozen marshmallows that are just yummy.
So although my weight dropped some, I usually have a corresponding bounce and when I eat with the bounce the news is bad.
So let me just say the rise is a secret and I claim that weight was as at last week.
I feel as if I have been making excuses since Christmas when the rot set in, so this week I will try to be good and walk regularly and eat less of the naughties.
Any loss at all? Of course not. What were you expecting?
Wardrobe: Everything I own is in the wash, except for my pair of size 14 skinny jeans. I am therefore wearing them, enjoying the way they swim on my body and fall down a bit. Surely I am losing weight? No, apparently not. I am still 66.5ish kg whether I look like my clothes are swimming on me or I look like I'm trussed up like a Christmas ham.
How I look today: Weird, as I had a drastic haircut and my hair won't go right. It was Polygamous Sect Length with mandatory frizzing, and now it's layered at shoulder-length with similar frizzing. You'd think that I'd have lost a bit of weight with the haircut, but you'd be wrong.
How I feel today: Much more worried about my hair than about my weight.
What I think about weight loss today: It doesn't exist. I've been eating less, eating healthy and continue to be really active (pushing single and double strollers around, walking to and from work, generally pushing my body to do that little bit extra.) Nothing happens. So why are we here again?
I am still full of cold, I think it is getting less, but still coughing. I have been walking sort of, I know that seems strange, but a couple of days I was slow and didn't do the full 20min walk. Some days I still do nothing. Yesterday I set out and got up the street when it started raining. I turned behind me and there was quite a storm coming fast. Storms don't come from that direction, so on leaving home I had ignored it. I set out walking back and ended up running. Now does running burn any more fat cells? I don't know, but that was the end of exercise.
For some unknown reason, today my weight is down to 64.7 that is down .4 since last week. I am not complaining at all.
I have been told but haven't found anything to verify it, that when the fat is taken from cells the body fills the cells with water, to make it easier to refill them later. After a period when the fat is not returned the body removes the water. That makes sense to me as that would be when the weight drop happens. Does anyone know more of this? I did try google and spent a lot of time and no real info.
That is me for today keep plodding along all you skinny cows.
In fact not a lot of getting out of bed at all unless it's absolutely vital.
I have no idea what I weigh now. Not checking.
------------------------
I'm getting back on track slowly, but I'm not being particularly fanatical about it. My mental health is a higher priority. Having said that, putting on loads of weight probably wouldn't do my mental health much good either so I'm trying to be a BIT sensible. But just a bit. :) .
Wardrobe: After a blog post confessing to old jeans ripping open displaying my old undies, my Mother told me to go shopping for clothes. She offered to mind my children (which I accepted) and attempted to press $100 onto me, (which I didn't.) All I bought was underwear. Because I am, as I thought, an oddly-shaped 12E, spending a frightful amount of money at a posh shop is my only option. I was delighted to find that 14DD also does the job, and in fact, does it a little more comfortably. I found a splendid bra and bought three, and I also found that I still look ghastly in those darn mirrors with the fluoro lighting glaring down from directly above. I also found that if you spend a fair bit of money on briefs that promise to be very comfy due to the absence of leg elastic, they will spend their lives annoyingly wedged, due to the lack of leg elastic. Fail, Berlei Barely There.
How I look today: Pretty alright, have dressed for my shape and am rockin the look.
How I feel today: Fine, wondering if I really need to bother about this muffin top after all, mainly because I look okay today and have forgotten how horrible I looked in that change booth.
What I think about weight loss today: Look, I confess I don't believe in it again. I'm eating fairly healthy, I am unwilling to give up treats like a little chocolate, I'm active all day every day despite not being able to get out and do heartrate-raising exercise, I am getting good sleep and loving life, and nothing much ever happens on the scales.
And why am I even bothering about getting rid of this tummy anyway?
Oh that's right. Because of how I looked in that change booth. That's why.
This week has not been good. I had a tummy bug that was most unpleasant, and while still recovering from that started with a sore throat that developed into a really good cold. Mostly in the head but today down to my chest.
The first thing that didn't happen was walking, I went to bed instead. So the last few days have been sitting blowing my nose all day, and feeling hungry.
I did weigh yesterday, and didn't get around to posting, and my weight was the same as last week, fortunately for me.
Still feeling miserable, not at all energetic, and couldn't care less. That seems to sum things up for me.
My weight was playing around up and down. Well today is the real down. Just for a check I weighed today and found 65.1kg. That means that I have reached the 5kg mark and I am due for the first reward. I have decided that as my clothes don't fit, I will now make 2 t shirts that do fit and I will then have a little more that feels good.
So any time now (probably when this row of lace is finished) I give myself permission to sew 2 shirts, 1 green and 1 mauve. I have even decided on the styles. So all systems go.
I really feel this is an achievement. Onward and downward.
Wardrobe: Wouldn't mind going shopping for more pants that look okay around the muffin top and shirts that aren't too clingy but aren't too blousey at the same time. Both styles accentuate muffin top dreadfully. Have been breaking one of my cardinal wardrobe rules - Sleeveless Doesn't Flatter Me At All - and I've been looking okay (especially if I hold my arms out from my body a little.) Still a little leg-of-lamb-ish around the upper arms, but not too bad overall.
How I look today: Started off looking lumpy & dumpy in oversized 3/4 jeans with thick fabric and a blousy shirt that probably should have been in the maternity section in the shop. Changed to a more fitted 3/4 jeans in thinner fabric and a more fitted top. Transfigured my look.
How I feel today: Dumpy around the middle, okay elsewhere. Slightly shocked to catch sight of reflection in windows, because body image is slightly better than reality right now.
What I think about weight loss today: Plan to state weight in "hovering around XX.Xkg" since I am uncomfortable pinning my hopes on a 300g loss when I can wee that much, or becoming depressed at a 500g gain, because that's how much water I drink before breakfast in the morning. This way I can feel confident in a loss like the one I've seen over the last few weeks. I guess this all means that I tentatively believe in weight loss for the moment.
I forgot that today was weigh in. I did weigh, just forgot to record same. There has been something strange going on and for some unknown reason my weight went up by 1kg, but at the same time my waist measurement dropped. Go figure. The cullottes that I made for Christmas I have had to take in 4cm. Yesterday I just couldn't keep them comfortable. Yes, that was made in 2010, 5ish weeks ago.
However today I weigh 65.6 so that is a drop of .3 from 2 weeks ago. I can't explain what is going on, I just accept and see that only .5 to go to my first reward point. It will be interesting to see what will happen in the near future.
So I am happy with the drop and will keep walking. It seems to be working.
Last week: 69.9kg
Today: 69.1kg
Difference: 800g loss
Running total: 7.9kg
That means I've lost 10% of my starting weight! Woo hoo!!! I got a key ring (and applause) at my Weight Watchers meeting this morning. I'm stoked. And having bacon and eggs to celebrate. :D
Now the facts. I was doing well, collecting a lovely loss the figures were mounting and I was getting ready to post. Then .. I.. had... a.... birthday!!!! Well, my lovely family decided to celebrate with me. Yesterday wasn't the day but was the celebration. My sister from nearby came and HJ invited a friend of mine. The do was held at my place, as I have a supply of cold air available. I was told that all I could do was boil the kettle.
Family turned up with food, HJ had cooked a lovely chocolate cake for MT and of course I had to have a slice. That wasn't too bad.
Lunch was meat and some lovely salads all good food and yummy. No dessert but 9 cup cakes on a plate with a candle on the middle one. All that was good and I enjoyed all that was provided.
Then at AT time there was a packet of marshmallows. Oh dear. I wouldn't say they were an all time favourite but I do love them.
The first bite is all squishy and soft, then they melt in the mouth and you have this wonderful full flavour and then the swallow. You can make one piece into 3 bites. Then of course there are more in the packet. Taking them from the packet means that you loose count of how many have passed the lips.
There is another way to look at this, a marshmallow is pure sugar, therefore pure carbs. That is what I am trying to avoid. After the event I did try the water trick, and drank a couple of glasses so maybe it could have been worse.
So don't feel sorry, I knew what I was doing, and today with no loss I know the reason.
Maybe next week when this blowout has passed I will again succeed.
Last time: 69.9kg
Today: 69.9kg Difference: zero Running total: 7.1kg
Frustration level: Pretty bloody high.
I don't know what else I can do that I'm not already doing, except perhaps live on salads (and nothing else) and exercise for two hours every day. If I don't lose weight next week it may well come to that.
Hi all, I am still going slowly. I am anticipating the week that I have no extras on the eating line. I haven't arrived there yet. So I am pleased to see that today my weight is 65.9kg. That as you can see gives me another whole kilo to dispatch, so I can now watch that slowly disappear. I am one for setting small goals and 1 kilo is about a good one. One more brings me to my first goal level so this is a good one to attack.
I have still been walking 20mins ish daily, and I have been on the balance board and am now less likely to kill myself on it. It is doing its job well and my leg is feeling the benefit. I am slowly working up the time on it.
All is well and I will tackle this present kilo and see how long it takes me to dispatch it.
I didn't weigh in on Saturday because I was bloated, hormonal and grumpy. I have, however, started to get back into regular exercise. My Wii Fit assures me it's happy to see me back. It wouldn't lie, would it??
I have been pleased to see that even after a three week break from exercising I haven't lost too much fitness. Although I'm not as fit as I was a month ago, I am noticably more fit than I was SIX months ago. And that's a very good thing indeed.
I am so close to my 10% weight loss goal (ie, losing 10% of my starting weight) that I can almost taste it. I am trying really hard to get there this week, but I won't be devastated if I don't. I'll get there eventually. .
Well I surprised myself with meeting a goal entirely unexpectedly.
Weight
Last week: 77.1kg
This week: 76.0kg This is my first goal! Yippeee!
Change: 1.1kg LOSS
Total Loss: 5.0kg
Waist
Last week: 95cm
This week: 93cm
Change: 2cm LOSS
Total Loss: 6cm
So I'm pretty darn impressed!
It brings me to reflect on the fact that I'm technically back to the weight I was when I first started all this. It is a tad depressing, but I know I'm not really where I was at the beginning.
Firstly -
In 2008 when I was 76kg I was working up to being able to row for 25 mins. I could do just under 600 strokes in that time and got excited when I got over 30 strokes per minute.
I can now row for 40mins. I'm peaking at about 1500 strokes on a good day, and I get sad if my fast five minutes aren't averaging over 40 strokes per minute.
Therefore I am more fit than I was.
Secondly -
Therefore there are many parts of Jen that are not as far around than they were.
So I'm not really back to the beginning at all!!!
Now to work out what my reward should be... I really haven't thought my rewards through for this process yet. Maybe I should give myself a gift voucher towards my proposed overseas archeological expedition for next year.
Hi all. I am still working at the exercise. As you know today is weigh in day and the figures aren't as good as I expected. Yesterday I had quite a drop so today I have a bounce. The number today is 66.4kg which is 100g up on last week. I am not in despair. It has been a hard week in some ways, I sat in a car for 3 1/2hours on Friday to attend a funeral for an aunt of mine, then another 2 hours back to Bris for the night. Then on Saturday it was 2 1/2hours in a bus to get home. That meant bought meals and no walking. Saturday was also our wedding anniversary and we always go out to dinner. Then on Sunday we had Chinese for lunch, so 3 days in a row. Bad Bad Girl. Anyway after all that my leg started playing up again and it has taken me a couple of days to walk the pain out of it again.
I have also bought a balance board to try to strengthen my leg muscles, and that is an interesting experience. I really think it is just another way to kill myself. It really pulls on my leg so must be doing something.
So onwards and up(down)wards. I hope for better next week.
Yeah. It's been a little too long, apparently. I did 30 minutes tonight - about half walking and half jogging. Definitely a lot harder than it used to be. I stretched afterwards but I'm feeling it in my legs right now.
I'm also trying to get back in the habit of getting up at 5.30am to exercise. I was doing really well for a while there and then... I wasn't. At the moment I seem to be great at setting my alarm and then getting up when it goes off to reset it for a more human hour. Well, it's a start. ;)
Hello all, I am back and I have some points to note:
(1) I have new scales! Real Weight Watchers ones, with the bonus of telling the correct weight. They also have many other functions like muscle mass and some measurement of fat, but I am not all that convinced on the science behind these measures, so I am more likely to use plain old weight along with roominess of clothes to track any progress I make, if indeed I do.
(2) I still don't believe it is possible to actually lose weight. I couldn't gain it when I was skinny, and I can't lose it when I'm not. I eat okay and I tear around all day long being incredibly active, but I still have a huge barrelous tummy. I made the word 'barrelous' up. I truly, deep down, have no actual belief that I will ever decrease the fat on my tummy or the looseness and flabbiness after having children. I don't believe it. Just so you know. It will be no use if you try to convince me otherwise, I will need to see some actual evidence that it is possible before I trust in something so outlandish.
(3) I used to look damn awesome. I was a C-cup with a nice waist and skinny arms and legs. As Hippomanic Jen can attest, this was in the days of shocking, awful, ghastly panic attacks which would last for about three weeks at a time, causing me to throw up, have diarrhoea and have absolutely no appetite at all for days on end. I knew during this time that I had an awesome figure but the level of existential dread that covered my entire life precluded me from enjoying it in any form. I said in those days, and I meant it with every fibre of my being, that I would rather be fat and happy. If you'd lived through the panic attacks I'd lived through, you'd totally understand. Anyway, here I am: fat and happy. (Slightly fat and very happy.) I feel it would be selfish of me now to want to be thin and happy. I feel I can attempt it if I want to, but I have no right to be upset at my fatness.
(4) I am upset at my fatness. I look awful. Well, maybe not that bad. But I hate the way I look.
(5) I ate well (if a little much on one day) over Christmas, but I had an awful fat moment that destroyed me inside. My sister was looking particularly willowy in a long clingy skinny dress (she is still in the land of panic attacks, wouldn't you know it) and I complimented her on how good she looked. She accepted the compliment and then did something that only she could do. She pointedly snatched the Jatz & dip away from me and plonked a plate of cut apple and orange down in front of me. It was done with an air of significance. A few things: (a)(a) to celebrate my 6 weeks without dip, I made the dip for Christmas with roasted beetroot from my own garden, roasted garlic and low-fat Greek yoghurt, (b)(b) It was CHRISTMAS DAY dammit!
And because of my fatness I feel I have no right to complain about this, to splurge on Christmas Day, or to do anything apart from eat the darn apple.
(6) I have been worried about the tightness of a particular pair of 3/4 jeans. Surely, I reason, I fit into my Size 12s okay and my Size 14s are a little too loose so that's okay, but why are these particular jeans so desperate to cut me in half when I bend over? Were they always this tight? I checked the size. 10. Rock on. Not worried about that one anymore.
(7) I got heaps of exercise in the surf on our holiday. It felt awesome. I am always quite active, but rarely get to the puffing, raised-heart-rate stage which is what I need. Today the weather is nice enough to take the dawg for a walk. If we come across an unleashed dog in our travels, I also get the exercise benefit of lifting the entire border collie off the ground and holding her over my head so she doesn't kill the other dog. I am sure that burns a few extra calories every time I do it.
The last three Saturdays have been non-WW weeks for me... I was interstate for one and the other two were public holidays. The last three WEEKS have been characterised by a complete lack of interest in exercise and watching what I eat. Hm. Back on track now, though. I even exercised this morning.
Last time: 69.7kg
Today: 69.9kg Difference: 200g gain Running total: 7.1kg loss
I'm actually pretty stoked with that. Given the last three weeks, it could have been a LOT worse. The woman who weighed me said, "Hey, congratulations! You only gained 200g - that's excellent!" I presume from that, and from the conversations I had with people at the meeting, that many of us put on weight over Christmas. There were also about 12 new members who joined today... I'm guessing there were some New Year's Resolutions. :)
I was only going to say hi today, my weight has been suffering from too many parties. We had a family get together in a nearby town on Monday and there was pavlova and honey bubble crunch present. They are 2 things that I like and can eat, so of course I didn't go without. Since then my weight has been high. Added to that on Monday when I got home it was a bit late to walk and I decidedly didn't feel like walking, so I didn't. That meant that Tuesday I really had to push hard to walk. I had forgotten how hard it is to get going again.
However, today I decided to step on the scales and see what they had to say, surprise I am 200g less than before Christmas. I am VERY happy about that and VERY surprised. I will take it happily.
Tomorrow I am away overnight, so goodness knows what that will do, and Saturday is our wedding anniv. and that is a dinner out, and yes, ES I know that once I pay I can leave food, but that is waste and I can't do that. Also I only dine out privately once a year so I have to make the most of it.
So today a very happy girl, and may the coming days look after themselves.
Now all you other skinny girls, 5 mins of exercise daily will help, it will make you feel better and maybe just help the weight. If all else fails you can run on the spot in your lounge room. Lets get going for the new year, if you try it is possible.
I have been weighing myself sporadically over the last couple of weeks. It's been up and down but I think overall I've been holding mostly steady... maybe up a couple of hundred grams. My next weigh in is a week from now so I do need to reintroduce myself to exercise between now and then if I want to see a loss. Sigh. Blobbing around has been great but sadly I can't maintain it forever without consequences.
And so this was Christmas *humming and swaying gently*
Even though I seem to have had a low spot, there were three days I didn't row and the not-so-brilliant eating has continued. I've also turned the whole house into a factory for a specific on-going project (that I will blog about elsewhere when I'm done - if it's ever done) and there isn't room in my loungeroom to Zumba right now.
It is with great relief that I announce the following results:
Weight: This week: 77.0kg Last week: 77.0kg Change: Approximately nothing Total Loss: 4.0kg
Waist: This week: 94cm Last week: 93.5cm Change: 0.5cm GAIN made up of corn chips, ice cream and caramel fudge Total Loss: 5.0cm
I'm happy not to have put on anything since my last official weigh-in, and it's not a bad place to start for the new year. I reckon at a rate of about 1kg a month, I should get back to 68kg by the end of September. 9kg = 9 months. *Big sigh*
So, I will row. I will generally eat better (and I really ought to get myself a specific eating plan - it might help). And those are not New Year's resolutions, because I've already been doing them. Hopefully this means I won't fail in the first 2 weeks!
So here we are and 2011 is about to be a reality. I applaud all your efforts. Mine have been sporadic in the few 'good times' and dismal non existent majority. But today I went for a walk ... in the morning. It was nice. So with 12 months and 28 days before I turn 45 I am going to have to get jiggy and move my butt. Best to you all, Le
As you see this is not a weigh in. I know what damage my eating has done. OK. I am today 700g heavier and going down. You see it is going down, now that I am back to almost normal eating. I still have that much to lose but the food was good and the company was good. The extra blow out didn't happen, as the family party was washed out and none of the travellers could get here, so that was a non event.
All that over and now back to the grind of going down.
I do allow myself a little of what I shouldn't eat and it seems to be forgiving and I still lose. So that is all for today, we are still deciding if we are going away today.
I am totally failing at this cheese thing. I might adopt Jen's policy and say that it's healthy. Only that's what got me in my current Cheese Predicament - hopelessly addicted to cheese.
I will be away next week so this is my only chance for a review. I started the year weighing about 72.5kg, you notice the about, the numbers were too bad and the measurements that went with it were equally bad, so I didn't record or plan to remember them.
As holidays were approaching I planned to get fit. So many times I had tried to lose weight and only managed to add more, so this was a change. I started getting fit to climb 282 steps, that was the challenge. Well I had lost approx 1.5kg and could climb 300 steps and was doing well, when I encountered a dog. Gone were any steps let alone 282 and I spent about 5 months sitting. I tried to watch what I ate and hoped to maintain the loss. I did.
When I started exercising my leg slowly at first I found to my surprise that again my weight was going down. I did have a couple of trips away that messed it up but by the time I joined you skinny cows I had lost another 1kg. So for the year that gave me a 2.5kg approx start.
I know you have been watching my loss since then, so today the scales played my game. They read today 66.7kg. That is a loss of .8kg in 2 weeks. That also explains why the scales had trouble last week, I have had 2 losses so that means a bounce up also.
So for this year I have lost about 5 1/2kg. I am surprised and happy with that as I spent so much time sitting.(and I still am, my leg is presently up on the chair beside me).
I would like to think that this time next year I will be where I want to be. I know I had said that I would think about 60kg, but I have now decided that I should aim for 55kg.
So that is me for the year. I am not going to allow Christmas to blow me out although a trip away for a few days may be bad, the family load on carbs and that is bad for me. So I may have to keep off the carby food and stay hungry.
I wish you all the best of the season, and may you not have heavy problems in the next week. Think skinny and see if it works.
What are you planning for Christmas lunch? By the sounds of my family Christmas on the 25th and the in-laws' Christmas on the 26th, it won't be a huge blowout like I've been expecting.
Cold chicken and ham, salads, breads, fruit, BBQ chicken & veggie kebabs, warm pasta salad and a packet of licorice - that's what my two families have been promising. Sounds manageable!
What are you planning? Healthy stuff, unhealthy stuff, half-and-half, or a huge blowout and hang the consequences? All approaches are fine by me! I'd be interested to hear!
This all-or-nothing thing is working pretty well! I think if someone offered me some dip right now, I'd feel ill. I was thinking of a cheese ball the other day (usually I can't get enough of the cheese ball!) and I thought, "Yuck. No way." For someone with no self-control, suddenly finding that you don't like food like dip and cheese balls is a huge boost to the diet!
My recent decision not to have sugar in my tea was prompted because in the week leading up to the decision, I had rapidly increased my cups of tea to maybe five per day. This was previously unheard of for me, and I think the rapid increase in tea-chugging was due to a strong desire for the sugar. As soon as I cut sugar out, I didn't feel like tea much. Now, I am having a cup every two or three days and the rest of the time I am enjoying more water.
I know that this was never a choice I'd make for ever. I only said I'd do it for the six weeks leading up to Christmas, but that time is nearly over and that makes me sad. I've enjoyed these changes!
But I might not enjoy yesterday's new rule!
Take my affinity for dip, and multiply it by a Big Number. That's my affinity for cheese. I've always loved cheese. I eat too much cheese, particularly on crackers for morning or afternoon tea (curse morning and afternoon tea! I never used to chug calories mid-morning and mid-afternoon the way I do now! I reluctantly introduced M & A Tea because of my children's need to eat more often, but it's not good for me!)
I am half a step away from having an all-or-nothing rule allowing myself only Zero-Points Weight Watchers food only. We have heaps growing in our garden and it tastes great!
For this last week leading up to Christmas however, I am going to have no cheese on crackers or bread. I don't think it's reasonable to cut it out of cooking altogether (imagine a risotto without parmesan!) but I will certainly have no cheese in those high calorie, high-fat M & A Tea snacks.
Today I gave my girl crackers with cheese and tomato. There was a time when I would have thought that without the cheese, it wasn't worth eating, but today I had crackers and tomato only, and yum! Less cheese is totally doable. So I shall do it.
Maybe after Christmas, I'll have a Zero-Points Morning and Afternoon Tea Policy? The Christmas Elf is giving me some bathroom scales that work, and I'd be interested to see if they record any change in the future, despite my insistent unbelief in the myth of weight loss.
I bought the Zumba videos (largely with my play money), and have backed a session onto the 40 mins rowing on at least three occasions this week.
I figured backing them on meant that my heart-rate was already at fat burning stage, so that I would be doing wonders for weightloss this week.
And despite missing one row this week, I figured I'd done enough to cover for the few naughties that snuck in due to shopping trips to neighbouring large centres.
Plus if there is any week in the month I'm likely to have a big drop, this was it. So it was with great hopefullness that I stepped on the scales this week.
Weight Last week: 77.4kg This week: 77.7kg Change: 0.3kg GAIN Total Loss: 3.4kg
Waist Last week: 95cm This week: 94.5cm Change: 0.5cm LOSS Total Loss: 4.5cm (and my clothes were so tight when I started that they're not even falling down yet, although they are getting a little loose.)
I'm a bit peeved. But although I've been regular with me exercise, I haven't been particularly good with what I've been eating. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised, right?
Trying to hold onto the fact that I'm feeling stronger, and I can touch my toes more easily than I could at 16. That's got to be an improvement.
And one day the muscle I've been working on will start burning fat while I'm at rest, right? (Although at this point I'd like it if it would burn fat while I was exercising.)
Love to you all, One seriously irritated equine-lover.
I am confused with what my scales are telling me. Today they couldn't make up their tiny electronics what I weighed. It flashed from .1 to .4 with of course a 67 in front. So all I can say is that I will claim a loss. Yesterday they were quite sure it was .1 and I know that my weight fluctuates so who knows. Maybe next week they will be more sure. What I do know is that I am eating less and exercising more and My Man is losing weight, so he tells me it is working and I should keep up the good work. How fair is that?
I have also noticed now that my 20 min walk now takes me 16 mins, so maybe that needs to be lengthened, I can add another 3 sides of a block and that is the limit. I have no desire to walk around twice.
One more weigh in before the eating blow out called Christmas, although we are not planning a big eat fest, we decided that we all need to watch what we eat so healthy food will be on the menu with just a few extras.
I am also at the end of parties etc and so for the next week I should be able to eat what I choose. Oh I just remembered, we are taking a mobile birthday party to Toowoomba tomorrow. Oh boy.
Oops, I forgot to post last Saturday. Not because I'd had a massive blowout and was ashamed, just because I couldn't think of anything to completely cut out until Christmas.
Since last weekend though I have had blowouts and I blame that horrid guy in the red suit. Usually described as fat and jolly, he will stop at nothing to make me fat and grumpy.
Since 13 Nov I have had no dip, since 20 Nov I have had no sugary drinks and since 27 Nov I have had no sugar in my tea. (I can't handle coffee without sugar, so I've pretty much cut out coffee altogether.)
Then this Tuesday there was a break-up at Playgroup. I ate some party food (not in contravention of my recent policies) but I still felt bad.
The next day, a small person had a birthday party and I felt a bit like a failure from the day before, so I ate dip. Dammit. Lots and lots and lots of yummy dip. Do you recall how I said I have absolutely no self-control when it comes to dip? Uh. Yeah. Man, it was good dip.
Now, I hear you thinking that one day of blowing out on dip wasn't all that bad, but the whole idea of short-term, hard-line rules is that I have none (it's only until Christmas for goodness' sake!) and since the blowout, I have been craving food that my body had previously forgotten to crave!
So. Bad.
But also: good! I have unwittingly given up my nightly ritual of sitting at my computer consuming a cup of tea (with sugar) and a few (too many) pieces of chocolate. This has come about since Emily Sue recommended Lipton's Cranberry, Raspberry and Strawberry herbal tea. I usually can't stand herbals but this one has a lovely aroma and a not-all-that-poisonous taste, so I've been enjoying that instead. And when I have the tang of the cranberry in my mouth and that nice warm full feeling of a cuppa in my tummy, I really don't feel like putting chocolate through my system. I currently have Toblerone, Double-Coat TimTams and Mint Slice biscuits in my fridge (darn that man in red) but I'm not eating any. I just don't feel like it.
Who knew that would happen?
So. It's Saturday again. Today I will re-instate a rule that worked very well for me at a party once. Since there are celebrations and parties springing up everywhere, each holding kilograms of temptation for me, I will allow myself to eat ANYTHING ... but only one of each thing on the table. A plate of Tim Tams? Sure, but only one. Some delicious quichey thing topped with cheese? Great, but only one. A bowl of chips? Poor baby, only one. I am sure I will live.
I wish I'd made that rule LAST Saturday. Many Cheezels wouldn't have been eaten by me.
-------------------------------------------------- A word about my scales: A few months ago, they were zeroing at anywhere between 2kg and 10kg, giving me inflated readings. Now, they are zeroing at 11kg to 20kg, which gives one quite a shock when one steps on. I believe I weigh about 67kg, having been 64kg after the baby Joseph was born. The scales can give readings of, for example, 84kg on a Skinny Day. I have spoken to a Christmas Elf about it (not the man in red himself, we're hardly on speaking terms after this blog post.)
Before getting to the actual weight details I'd like to brag about the exercise I've been doing. I have done some exercise every single day for the past 23 days. Most days this has involved getting out of bed at 5.30am. Admittedly, on Friday I only managed 5 minutes of a workout before my body decided it wasn't going to happen, but I did go for a walk later in the day.
I have also just re-started C25K with a friend. We finished Week 1 this morning. When I did it last time (although I only got to Week 5 before injury struck) I was doing it on my treadmill. Now I'm doing it outside and it's a whole different ball game. Harder in some ways, easier in others. Definitely easier to be doing it with a friend.
So, today's weigh in:
Last week: 70.2kg
Today: 69.7kg Difference: 500g Running total: 7.3kg... which means I only have 400g to go before I've lost 10% of my starting weight. Hopefully that will be next week... fingers and toes crossed.
I don't think I've been under 70kg in about 5 years at least (probably more) so I am feeling very happy today. I know I'm only JUST under it but who cares? Under is under. .
Well this has been a bad week. Saturday night was a 3 course meal, when you have already paid a high price you must eat everything and not waste any money. It was a good meal and lovely company so that was an accounted for blowout.
Monday morning we heard that we had (at last 8 days late) a new granddaughter. Well we had to visit as soon as possible. So Tuesday we headed up there for a visit. We met No1 granddaughter and son for lunch, a treat for Miss Muffett at McDonalds, now there isn't much that a wheat intolerant person can eat. So fries it was and coffee. Then for dinner we had never had the gourmet pizza. So that was the menu, remember I watch carbs. So that was overload for the day. Oh I didn't mention gelati did I? Caloundra has the best place we have ever found so it is a must for each visit.
Wednesday night was a wonderful Thai place with noodles and of course the gelati shop followed, so you can see that my week has been a food nightmare. To counteract all that the exercise has been non-existant. Unless you count walking to the gelati shop.
I thought a couple of days to settle before weighing would be good, but decided this a.m. to see how much settling was needed. This is where the shock comes in, I have, would you believe, LOST 200g for the week. Now how did that happen? Must have been left over from the previous exercise.
So that takes me to 67.5kg. Walking will resume as of today. My leg has also been telling me that I haven't walked and has been sore again.
Do you remember being a kid and how your armpits used to be... well... pit-like? There used to be a hollow there, I'm certain.
So I'm a little irritated that despite the amount of work I've been doing, there is a hanging bulge of soft flesh under my arms instead of a hollow. I want my armpits back!
This was the week that my rowing got back up to 40 mins. This is my goal, to row for 40 mins as many mornings as I can. There was one morning I needed to stop at 30 due to needing to get to something on time, and not having been able to drag myself out of bed early enough to achieve a full 40 mins. But apart from Sunday (the designated no-row day) I have rowed each morning.
I was particularly proud of myself yesterday morning, because I felt grotty and didn't want to row. I told myself I'd just do 20 mins of easy rowing and see if I loosened up. Although I didn't hit my record stroke rate, I did end up doing the whole 40 mins - and felt better for having done it.
It's interesting that I'm more proud of my performance on Thursday, when Wednesday was really the highlight in so far as rowing acheivement. It was Wednesday I managed to complete 1400 strokes in my 40 mins (okay, so I did an extra 20 seconds in order to get the round number!), and I hit an all time high in one of my scramble-as-fast-as-I-can-go-for-5-mins of 51 strokes per minute. (Light/easy rowing for me is 30-33. Scramble usually sits around the 38-40. 51 is very impressive indeed, even if it was only for a few strokes).
If the rowing has been up, the walking hasn't been. Most of my trips out have been piggy-backed onto other things where walking was not an option. I've had things I needed to be at in my afternoon LBD walking time. The weather hasn't been as cool, either.
I have been reasonably restrained with my eating, given the time of the year. I might need to come up with a strategy like Givinya to help me make decisions over the Christmas Season, but working in the church does lead to some politeness-based food decisions (which worked in my favour yesterday when I drank my first ever sugar-less cup of tea - the conversation was too serious and important to interrupt it to ask for sugar. They don't cover that in pastoral care training!)
I have been feeling firmer, and clothes are a not as tight, but I'm not noticing any significant change to my size and shape (unlike some who have had to take in all their skirts 4cm!). The only things that are really loose are my ridiculously large pants that I mentioned last week. So I'm still waiting on any real size/weight advantage from my hard work.
In a moment of despair I actually asked my Beloved whether I was looking any trimmer? He immediately answered, "Absolutely!".
It would have been more reassuring if he'd actually looked first.
So I was interested to see what my results would be for this week.
Weight Last week: 77.7kg This week: 77.4kg Loss: 300g Total Loss: 3.6kg Distance to next goal: 1.4kg
Waist Last week: 95cm This week: 95cm Loss: 0cm Total Loss: 4cm
So it is as I suspected. Nothing huge happening here, but 300g is much better than last week's results. Slow results, but I'm feeling much better for the rowing, which is not measurable, but is good.
I'm off to row, then have a look at the Zumba DVDs I've borrowed to see if they will be as fun as an actual class.
Postscript: Since posting I was at Mum & Dad's to see their photos of the new arrival. There were photos on Mum's computer of me on our Malaysia trip from after Easter. It might be possible that I am now more trim than I was then. Then again, a camera adds 5kg (Chandler: "How many cameras were ON you?"). Maybe, just maybe I'm getting somewhere.
Once again I followed the new WW program - even when I had a blowout at the staff dinner I counted the points - and I have exercised every day. Aside from daily routines on the Wii Fit I also jogged on the treadmill three days this week. Usually I can only manage 6 or so minutes of jogging in between walking, but this week I amped it up - on Sunday I jogged for 20 minutes (5 minutes at 6.5km/h and 15 minutes at 6km/h), Thursday I jogged for 25 minutes (12 minutes at 6.5km/h and 13 minutes at 6km/h) and today I jogged for 25 minutes, ALL of it at 6.5km/h. I am definitely getting fitter and I'm very happy about that.
So, on to the weigh in...
Last week: 70.8kg
Today: 70.2kg Difference: 600g loss Running total: 6.8kg loss
I was kind of hoping for a spectacular weight loss this week after all the exercise, especially given that I've been getting up at 5.30am every day. I feel like I should be rewarded for the early mornings. :) However, I'm not going to complain about losing weight. Next week I'm hoping to crack the 70kg mark. .
This week has been pretty full of exercise. I've been doing lots of walking to places as well as 30mins rowing each morning. I've got back to a good clip as I walk by myself, and yesterday I took the LBD and he was limping along behind by the time we turned into our street, so I slowed down. I'm sorry, LBD, I didn't realise it was too fast for you until you couldn't keep up (but you were using your leg, though - good dog!). I'll go slower with you next time, I promise.
You might have noticed that Zumba didn't get a mention. The local lady I was going to lost most of her numbers when one of the local gyms that has just changed hands started advertising ridiculously low weekly rates and also offer Zumba. She was also offered full-time work in her 'day job'. So she closed down the classes she was offering here in town and only goes to her tiny little towns around here that are still getting good classes. I was going out to one for a bit, but it takes too much time. I'm not a gym person, but I considered going to one of the two gyms here that offer Zumba, but they are still not as cheap and/or have their classes at inconvenient times.
There's also a trip overseas that I want to save up for, and so I've been seeking my exercise in other places that are free. I'm considering buying the videos, particularly since you can now buy them at Target and my credit card points (free money! - I pay it out each month and only use it for things I'd buy anyway) will get me a $100 Target voucher, which means that I can get Zumba at convenient times in my own home as many times a week as I want, for years and years to come for only $49. Or I could buy some clothes that fit. Hmmm.
I had one of those bad days this week where my one pair of presentable 'fat' pants are way too big, need gathering in at the waist with a belt (but my skinny pants are still too tight to be presentable). At the same time I needed a presentable 'good casual' top, and the one I selected was too tight around my waist and spare tyre. Truly uncomfortable, and no in-between options that were suitable (or ironed). In fact, I only have my church pants and one pair of shorts that fit (and look nice) at the moment. Everything else is either too big, too small, or noticeably worn.
But I'm feeling more trim. My muscles are feeling as if they can do things, holding themselves tense and ready for more work (particularly my shoulders, back, buttocks and thighs). My spare tyre, tummy and hips seem to be getting softer, though. Hopefully that means the fat cells are emptying and soon there'll be less Jen in those areas.
So I was looking forward to weighing in this morning, despite the fact that my eating hasn't been the best - there have been parties, cakey things and an inability to say 'no'. I'm cranky I didn't leave half the slice of plum pudding at the luncheon yesterday because it was too liquor-y for my taste and I didn't enjoy it. I did, however, avoid the lollies that were on the tables, so that's got to count for something.
So the results: Last week: 77.7kg This week: 77.7kg Loss: 0. Nada. Nuffin'. Total Loss (since August): 3.3kg. In 4 months.
Waist last week: 95.5cm Waist this week: 95cm Loss: 0.5cm Total Loss (since August): 4cm
And the truly depressing thought: Total Loss (since we started this game in October 2008): 1.7kg GAIN Waist Loss (since we started this game in October 2008): 2cm GAIN
So I'm working hard to get back to where I used to be when I first took fright and decided that I needed to get fitter and slimmer. It will be interesting when I get back to 76kg to compare my measurements, because I would have to be fitter now, despite being heavier. Surely?
Sorry for the essay. I'm hoping for better things next week. I will try to eat better, as well as keeping up the exercise.
The title speaks for itself. HJ was concerned when I claimed a low spot of Friday, well today I have lost a further 200g, I really want to claim yesterday with an extra 100g. Some people are never satisfied. So it looks at the moment that my exercise is working. I can count in that the 5 sets of double hung windows that got cleaned yesterday. I had to do that as I had a break up party in the morning followed by lunch out. So you see some extra activity was called for to even things up. Today I am cleaning louvres and so far 4 banks have been done and now I am watching the misty rain approach while the washing is nearly dry and having a rest to get going again . My leg has been sore again this week, but I have still been walking and some more slight bruising has come out. So surely that must be close to all the bruising and it must feel better shortly.
So to sum up present weight 67.7 with a total of 2.4kg gone hopefully for ever. If you really want to know my fat stores are soft, so more must be on the way out.
Saturday I rowed. 37.5mins (I rowed for 30mins, then decided to see how much more I could do comfortably - not much, as the outcome proved)
Then my Beloved and I did housework for most of the day. Lifting chairs up onto tables, walking from one end of the house to the other to put things away, dusting, and then I washed the floor. (Is that an example of an Oxford comma?) - My Beloved did most of the vacuuming. I did the stairs and a small bit of the lounge when he went out on a job.
I was stuffed.
Sunday I walked down to church. (I don't row on Sundays)
Today I was up early. I rowed for 30mins. Then remembered that the reason I had to get up ridiculously early if I wanted to row was that I had to drop the car off at the garage and walk to Prayer Breakfast because the mechanic doesn't open early enough to drop me off. So I had a 25min walk.
Then I stood around the local courthouse for about 1.5 hours talking to people, then walked about 25 mins home.
I was stuffed.
If I don't lose weight this week I will be very, very cranky. Unfortunately the exercise has resulted in hunger of the extreme variety. I might not have been making the best choices in what to eat, either.
On the morning of Saturday 13th, I lay in bed and it occurred to me that it was exactly 6 weeks until Christmas. I thought of the 3-ish kilograms that I could lose to bring me back to my post-Joseph weight, and decided that I could certainly lose 500g a week until Christmas.
It will never be found that I did or didn't achieve this goal, because I am too cheap to buy new scales and my old ones are cantankerous. I'm not blaming anyone for this. At any rate, I do not have a "before" weight, I don't have any update weights, and unless Father Christmas is kind to me, I won't have a final weight on Christmas morning. It's probably a good thing, because if I found that any Christmas indulgence caused an increase, I'd be devastated.
Nevertheless, I have had some success since making my six-weeks-until-Christmas discovery. I've been doing some healthy eating things - and I have been sticking to them. This is good (for me.)
Over the recent hungry months, I have found it difficult not to blow out on treats. This is because I have allowed myself treats. It never has and it never will work for me, the "I'm allowed the occasional treat" approach, because simply, unless it's an all-or-nothing rule, I will have "just one little treat" and then "ooh that was yummy, I'll just have one more" and then it will be all, "what the heck, six didn't hurt me, twelve will surely be alright" and before you know it, there's no hope for me OR the top button of my jeans.
Absolutely no self-control. I acknowledge that, and I work with it.
I know that people say you needs treats or you'll have one big blowout, and I know that works for many people, but without an all-or-nothing rule, my life is one huge blowout. So I'm trying something different.
For the first week following my six-weeks-until-Christmas discovery I vowed that not one gram of dip shall pass my lips until Christmas Day. For heavens' sake, dip is hardly an essential food group! If I can't get through 6 weeks without something as off-the-wall as dip, there's a problem. Recently I have been unable to limit my overall dip intake. "Just a small amount" becomes "just a little more" becomes "only 8 Jatz-worth of dip" becomes "only 8 more Jatz-worth" becomes "I feel sick."
This has been really easy to achieve for the last fortnight. There's been some dip in the fridge but instead of saying, "Should I have one cracker with dip or 5 or 10 or when should I stop myself?" I have had absolutely none since before the 13th. I have had some other treats and things, I have had no dip, and dip is such an Achilles heel for me.
Funny thing is - I don't really feel like dip after all these days. And herein lies the beauty of it all. I just don't crave it anymore.
On the second week, in addition to having no dip, I decided that I was no longer going to drink any calories when I wanted a cold drink. No cordial, no fizz. Easy - I love water and so I've had nothing but water since before the 13th. The kids have polished off our cordial, I plan to buy no more, and when I went to a kid's birthday party, I had water for every drink and didn't touch the fizz or the cordial. I also didn't have any dip.
I don't feel like dip or sugary drinks these days. I just don't crave it.
Today is Saturday again, and this week, in addition to no dip and no sugary drinks, I'll be having no sugar in my hot drinks. This will be slightly harder for me because sugar in hot drinks is something I have every day but I am ready to do it. I was thinking of cutting down to half a teaspoon but I find that amount is below my threshold of taste and so half a teaspoon tastes the same as none to me. So wish me all the best as I dive in - no sugar in tea until Christmas Day.
So I've followed the 'new' WW diet all week (as in, even when I ate things like chocolate I counted it in my points and didn't go over) and have exercised 6 days out of 7.
I want to weigh in today because the figures are much better today than yesterday. I had felt that some fat was melting and so I would get my decrease soon, well I think today was it. Today I was 500g lighter than yesterday, and I did weigh before and after my shower and got the same so it isn't silly scales. So I will claim 67.9kg because that is better and knowing my body it will probably go crazy again tomorrow. So that is the official number, and I am happy that all my walking is doing something. Maybe it was all the housework yesterday and the 1 1/2 hours or ironing.
So I've put on 400g since my last weigh-in on the 29th October.
I'm not crying too much because the lack of exercise and the eating patterns that I've exhibited during that month have left alot to be desired.
I'm back into it now, though, and am reassured that most of my measurements have remained the same, except my waist/tummy that have gone up a bit, and my hips that have gone down. I don't know why.
I'm doing 25mins rowing most mornings and will burn heaps of kilojoules today because I've got to clean my filthy house and wash the dog.
Another week and not much if any progress. I do know from previous weight loss attempts that when it works it can take 6 weeks to lose 500 grams. So I don't expect great things and I am not getting them anyway.
Last week I was hoping that the gain was short lived, well my weight is all over the place each day is a different amount and it is all bad. Today I am 68.4kg and that is a little bit better than last week but not much. Anyway I have been walking daily and that must be helping my fitness level, I would like to be back to where I was in March and then I could do 300 steps, I wouldn't even try that now. So there is still some fitness level to go.
I will keep walking and I haven't been rowing faithfully so maybe this week I should aim to get back to that daily.
My clothes are more comfortable now, so that is a big help.
Yes, I know I could have edited my previous entry to add this but I couldn't be bothered. That doesn't bode well for an exercise update, does it?
As I have mentioned, it was my birthday a week ago. Being a round-number birthday, my parents lashed out for a bigger present than usual. They knew (because I told my younger sister to tell them) that I wanted a Wii and Wii Fit, so they deposited money into my bank account. I did briefly contemplate putting the money towards a mixmaster, but decided in the end that buying something to enable me to exercise might be better than buying something that would enable me to make more cakes.
So the Wii arrived yesterday afternoon and I had a quick go at it then. The Wii Fit will track your weight and fitness, which is great. It also calculates your "Wii Fit Age", based on your weight and a particular exercise it gets you to do. Yesterday my 'age' was 50. FIFTY. That's brutal. Today... it was 24. Huh? Sure, a good night's sleep can do wonders, but even so it's not that great. The age calculation is possibly not an exact science, then.
My assessment of using it twice is:
1. It's fun; and
2. It's more exercise than it appears at first.
For example - I did a 'cycling' exercise, where you stand on the balance board and move your legs up and down in a cycling motion. You can do it just by lifting your heels up and down whilst on the balls of your feet. I did this for about 8 minutes. If you made me do that for 8 minutes without the Wii I'd probably tell you to get nicked. However, part of the game is that you're cycling around an island and have to find and steer through 13 checkpoints (holding the controller sideways and tilting it to steer left and right). So my attention was taken off my legs as I cycled all around the island looking for the checkpoints... and before I knew it, I'd 'cycled' 2km.
There was another game where you have wings and have to 'fly' from one point to another, leaning left or right with your legs to change direction. You fly by flapping your arms up and down. It is totally silly and fun... and my arms were sore at the end. Oh yes, and then there was a boxing game where you have to punch in the same order as the instructor, in time with the music... and the more you're 'in time', the more points. I was concentrating so hard on the timing (NOT my strong point) that I didn't notice I'd just had a workout.
Verdict: the Wii is LOADS of fun and I love it!
Also, because I hadn't had a sustained cardio workout (you can get cardio programs for the Wii; I just don't have one yet) I decided to do 15 minutes on the treadmill at the end. I walked for 3 minutes, jogged for TEN, then walked for two. TEN MINUTES of jogging. I've never done that before, ever. It was only at 6kmh, which is the pace of a brisk walk, but still... ten minutes. I am so stoked. .
The only thing that got me to Weight Watchers this morning was that the entire system had just changed and I wanted to be there for the meeting where it was all explained. So I exercised for an hour, skipped breakfast, went to the toilet three times, dressed in my lightest clothes, put on light sandals instead of my heavy joggers, and off I went.*
Last time: 70.8kg
Today: 70.7kg
Difference: 100g loss (Sense of relief: enormous)
Running total: 6.3kg loss
*Note: this desperate method of pre-weigh-in weight loss is NOT recommended!!
The title says it all. My leg issue developed a BIG bruise on my leg, I am not sure what caused it but I'm guessing that the increase of exercise. As it was sore I drew back on the exercise, before the bruise came out. I continued walking but didn't row. My leg started to improve and then came the bruise, and this is 8 months after the event. So that is now fading and the leg feels easier.
We also had a birthday in the family, so that meant Chinese and a dessert. Well today the numbers are better than yesterday, but 68.7kg is about 1kg heavier than last week. I am not impressed, I didn't eat that much. However that I hope will disappear as quickly as it came. So that struggle continues, I will have to get back to rowing.
That is the sad story for this week. Next week will be better.
Another week has passed and I have had a heavy week. My weight hasn't been playing my games. I think that around 68ish kg is where my body wants my weight to be, so I now have to convince it that it should be lighter. I have walked and even extended that, but rowing has been not so regular. I have had leg issues, so been resting up a bit.
Weight today 67.9 Kg
Total loss 2.2kg (that is more than I thought it was, pays to work out the figures)
I will just keep going, plodding along and see where I am eventually.
All you skinny cowgirls keep up your own good work and fight on.
I considered skipping my Weight Watchers meeting today, which should give you some idea of what kind of week I've had. Very busy, slightly stressful, not so great on the "counting points and exercising" fronts. Still, I decided to go, and even got up early so I could walk there. It's a one hour walk... surely that makes up for the bad week??
Last weigh in (at WW): 71.3kg
Today: 70.8kg
Difference: 500g Running total: 6.2kg
Goal for next week: to be on or under the magic 70kg mark (Actually I've just realised that might be unrealistic given I'll be on holidays and shall have a houseguest, but hey... still good to have a goal.)
Well this has been an up and down week. I would rather take yesterdays weight than todays. Does that tell you something. I have walked and rowed 5 days, on Friday HJ and I went shopping in the next town and thought we had done enough walking to count, but apparently not by my weight. When I do intentional exercise the next day I go down, if I don't then nothing happens.
I am finding life better with clothes that fit comfortably rather than strain at the seams. I have had to take in some coluttes (that's really a divided skirt) that I made some time back. That made me feel good and the skirt today really needs taking in.
So you can see an improvement. Today my total loss is 2.1 kg and yesterday it was 2.4kg so you can see why I want yesterdays count. I know that my weight bounces around for no apparent reason, although it could also be my scales are liarbirds. I did get a couple of different numbers this morning.
As of today I go back onto more carbs than I have been having to get a more balanced diet. So that will slow things down. However I am happy with 2 kg that was my 2 week target. Now I am aiming at a 5kg loss when I will make some more clothes. I am not guessing when that will be. Soon I hope as I need some new rags.
Thanks for your encouragement and may it continue. As a side issue I will be interested to hear how many of you took up my challenge and did 5 mins of intentional exercise daily?
I didn't go to my Weight Watchers meeting this morning, in favour of staying in bed until I felt like waking up (rather than when the alarm went off). Ahhhh, it was delightful.
Oh yes, and the other reason has something to do with being bloated and crampy and hormonal and eating everything that's not tied down. Ahem. However, I did weigh myself this morning on my less-than-accurate scales.
Last week: 71.3kg
Today: 71kg
Difference: 300g Running total: 6kg
Now, I know for a fact that my scales differ from WW scales by a range of 200-800g (don't ask me to explain why it differs so much) so I suspect if I'd gone to the meeting today it would have shown either a zero loss or a small gain. Which, given the 8 cream biscuits I had yesterday and the way I polished off the bag of choc chips when I got home, wouldn't have been totally out of line. So I've had a small reprieve and I now have a week to get myself back on track before the next weigh in. .
The young woman hesitated for a moment before she stepped onto the scales in the privacy of her own bathroom. The hesitation was born of a few weeks of inattention to such mundane matters as exercise and trying to eat moderate amounts of healthy food. Born of the mother of all assignments then the post-stress-point lassisitude that had marked her undergraduate career.
Nevertheless, at some point in time she would have to return to the discipline of the weekly weigh-in, the morning wake-up call to row, the avoidance of take-away and baked goods, the pleading eyes of her little black dog asking for a daily walk.
Some time she was going to have to confront reality. Expose her vulnerability to her peers and excite comparisons with her mother who was being particularly good this week. She hoped beyond hope that she had not put on any extra weight during the weeks since she last weighed-in. She couldn't bear the thought that the scales would have bad news... but she deserved it.
She'd told herself that this was the day. Friday. Day off. Sleep-in, then row. Take it easy. Make certain to weigh-in, regardless of what horrors might be in store from the heavy weight of reality, borne out in cold, inflexible numbers.
She gasped in surprise as...
Tune in next week for the outcome...
Okay, I'm not that cruel, but very surprised.
I've lost half a kilo. 500 grams. In three weeks, I've missed two weigh-ins, done hardly any exercise, had some really bad meals and lost 500 grams.
You know how they say muscle weighs more than fat? It is possible this could have worked in my favour?
Well I have achieved the first week of dieting. I don't know if I should give numbers or excuses first. I decided to go onto a very low carbohydrate diet, I know this works for me but I'm not sure how good it is for the body. So I bit the bullet and started with this. The plan is to be on this for 2 weeks then add more carbs which will slow loss down, but give me a better balanced diet. So I thought if I could loose 2kg in 2 weeks I would be doing well.
This is the result:
start70.1kg
today68.6kg
loss1.5kg
I am pleased with this although I know a lot of others get better results than this.
On the exercise front I increased my rowing to 4 mins (big deal) and did it 5 times and this week plan on 5 mins, and I walked twice. So I have started.
Come on all you skinny cowgirls out there please join me in doing at least 5 mins of intentional exercise per day. If I can so can you and 5 mins out of 24 hrs isn't a great deal.
Another week and I will be interested to see my results, then the really hard slog starts.
This morning Manda and I met early at my place to exercise. I worked out on the treadmill (45 minutes) while she did an exercise DVD. It was great and I think we're both allowed to be smug all day now. :) And then I went to my weigh in...
Last week: 71.9kg
Today: 71.3kg
Difference: 600g
Running total: 5.7kg
Hi all, this is my first try at this. HJ gave me a 2nd lesson so now it should work.
As most of you already know about 7 months ago I was bitten by a dog and that put a very quick stop to my weight loss/get fit program. I had at that time lost 1kg.
My leg is still sore but very slowly recovering, my doctor wasn't encouraging when telling me that that sort of injury you never get over. Well I have news for her. However, it is still sore, so I have to be careful what exercise I do.
I am now in the headspace to want to loose more (More than 1) weight. In the past couple of weeks I started at 70.4kg and one day I saw 69.6kg and that I liked. Today I weighed at 70.1kg. I am taking that as a downward trend. You see at my age bodies don't like loosing weight and they fight hard to keep every gram. I know that when the down starts my weight will bounce all over the place, but generally in a downwards direction. So all that considered I am saying the the down has started.
Now I have to keep it going. I am planning on loosing 5kg to start, I need to loose 15kg. I will then try to plateau for a bit then go down again. I have started rowing, but only with my arms and body just yet. I do use my legs for 1 minute just to try to build up muscle. When my leg can cope I will increase that and also my total time of 3 mins just yet. I realise that exercise also builds muscle which increases weight, so in time I will be successful.
Please, some encouragement along the way will be good. It is great to be with you all instead of just lurking.
Tonight I let myself have three squares of Nestle Club - my favourite chocolate. I rarely eat any other type of chocolate because I've been spoiled by Nestle Club.
Three squares. That's so restrained and self-controlled, isn't it? So health-conscious. So ... "good".
Turns out, that's 18% of your RDI of saturated fats.
This week I had three days where I didn't count points at all. I didn't count them because I didn't want to see a number that was significantly higher than my daily points allowance. Yes, denial makes it all better.
Today I had planned to skip my Weight Watchers meeting, due to the afore-mentioned non-counting and the expected weight gain that accompanies such activities. However, when I got up this morning and weighed myself I thought I might JUST get away with it. Maybe. So I dressed in my very lightest clothes and off I went. When I got there I removed every item of clothing I could whilst still remaining decent, and stepped on the scales. The result...
Last week: 71.9kg
Today: 71.9kg Difference: zero
Phew!! Okay, no weight loss but I didn't gain, and after the week I've had, that's a win.
As if I'm weighing in today! Assignment finished at the expense of daily rowing; Been eating too much naughty food because I haven't had time to shop or cook properly; and I've had all the naughties from last week's Spring Fair to eat; and only made it to one Zumba session.
Not going near the scales, I don't want to know.
On a very, very sad note: My Zumba lady is no longer doing Zumba classes here in town. A combination of falling numbers and the offer of full-time work in her day job. I could go out to the little town 20 mins from here a couple of evenings a week where she still has the numbers to make the hire of the hall acceptable. I'm thinking about it. On the other hand there are other places in town that do Zumba, but I'd have to join a gym (or pay a small fortune per session) I will get back into rowing tomorrow, but I've been enjoying Zumba. This is opposed to rowing that I do because it gets me where I want to be.
Once again, I'm following in Jen's footsteps (not the scary Zumba footsteps, just the weight-loss ones).
Last week: 72kg
Today: 71.9kg
Difference: 100g loss
Running total: 5.1kg
I've had a cold all week, complete with nasty cough, and so I haven't been able to exercise at all. I still stuck to my WW points, but I think this proves that exercise DOES make a big difference.
Therefore there are many parts of Jen that are not as far around than they were.
