Thursday 28 April 2011

Weigh in

Today is a good day... my cold is clearing up, I just got a very exciting new business enquiry and (drum roll please) I lost half a pound!

Happy happy happy. So pleased. On one hand I feel like I got away with it as quite a few naughties did pass my lips (I forgot to mention the lemon tarte and ice cream pudding I had on Friday and Saturday) but on the other, I worked really hard on the exercise front (forced myself out for a wee 6 miler on the bike last night too) and made some sensible food choices when faces with unhealthy options. Whatever the ying and yang of it all I'm pleased with that half pound loss - even if I think it has all come off my boobs. Typical.

This means I now have nine days to lose 1.5 lbs. You'd think that was easy enough but I'm leaving sanctuary of the Love Cat Lair tonight and I won't be back till Monday night. I'm going away for a weekend to a voluntary thing (camping) which is totally catered for. There will be white bread, there will be fried breakfasts, there will be booze. I am simply not going to have any of it-the food that is. I'm also not going to be able to get my usual work outs in but there is an opportunity for lots of walking and not a lot of sitting on my bum - if I choose it to be that way. And so I must choose wisely.

TB and I met through this hobby and this will be first time we will attending, as a couple. I'm quite looking forward to being there as his girlfriend.

Have a great Royal Wedding weekend mes amies. x


Starting Weight: 204.25 pounds
Current Weight: 192.75 pounds
Weight Loss This Week: 0.5 pound
Total Weight Loss: 12.5 pounds

Wednesday 27 April 2011

Chocs away!

Wednesday is normally weigh day. It's all change this week and next week though - as I'm on holiday count down. A week on Saturday I'm jetting off with TB for seven nights. To keep me focused right up to the end point I'm weighing in tomorrow (8 days since last WI) and then a week  on Saturday (9 days).

The overall plan was to lose 2 more lbs in those weigh ins as that would mean I'd lost a stone since starting this most recent health kick on March 1st. I'm hoping I can still do it as things went somewhat off plan over the long easter weekend. Friday I drank far too much. Saturday I ate quite a lot of chocolate. Sunday I ate some more chocolate and on Monday.... you guessed it- more chocolate! I also had beef nachos for tea. I've also caught a stinking cold which has left me feeling terrible and exercise has gone out the window.

Here is the rundown...

Wednesday: 2 mile run and 1 hour of badminton
Thursday: 2 hours of  badminton (my arse cheeks were aching for days after this)
Friday: 2.5 mile run
Saturday: Nothing
Sunday: Nothing
Monday: 12 mile bike ride (to the beach)
Tuesday: 3.5 mile bike ride
Wednesday: Nothing

I'm just hoping my good work from earlier in the week will carry me through as will the last two days of food intake which has been nothing short of STERLING. I even left on purpose most of my lindt easter egg at TB's (which his mum gave me) so that I wouldn't be tempted.  And I fricking love Lindt. Well, any chocolate really.

If I can stay the same tomorrow I will be lucky. Fingers crossed. Cross then, damn you!

There were other things featured in my weekend too, other than chocolate, you know...  I was really pleased with my exercise determination. Following two hours (yes, you read that right. Two fecking hours, of badminton) I got up at 7.15am so TB could drop me off on his way to work and I could run back. My  legs were so heavy and sore but I thought to myself - just plod. Just plod on, woman. And so I did. I was slower than ever before but I didn't stop and so that it itself pleased me. Monday's bike ride was from TB's parent's house to a sandy cove near them. There were a few killer hills in there but we made them all.

 

We also had a BBQ, friends over for dinner, hung out with his parent's a bit, had a coastal drive, lay in bed reading papers, watched some films and got ice cream at the beach (oops! - yeah, ice cream).

Right, I best be off for an early and very small tea. Will report all things weighty tomorrow.

Onwards and (please be) downwards!  x

Friday 22 April 2011

Let's talk about....

When it comes to body confidence in the bedroom, I'm pretty good at it. Or, more accurately, I'm pretty good at faking it.

I'm not comfortable at all with showing off my naked body at all and I reckon that there are few and far between who are. But, I reckon that if I act as if I'm confident then that will come across - which is far more attractive than someone who clearly hates parts of their bodies and you can physically see their discomfort. I'm pretty sure that, "don't look at my legs" is far more of a turn off than a cracking pair of wobbly thighs.

And let's not forget - you and the other person are getting naked because.... you want to get your rocks off! You've come this far and chance are it's going to take more than some cellulite to put a dampener on proceedings.

Of course, it's not all about the physical. People fancy each other for more than just how they look. Well, most people do. It's the whole package. Yeah, I'm sure most guys wouldn't say no to their girlfriends having a slimmer physique and bigger tits - but it's not ALL about that. It's everything . People fancy PEOPLE - not images.

So all this being said, there is one position that fills me with dread. The reverse cowboy. I am very lucky that TB and I have an amazing sex life (yes - I know we're only eight months in and so there would be something up if it wasn't) but there are times when my mind strays from the activity at hand and I worry about how I look. The reverse cowboy, the position that sees the man lying flat while the woman is on top of him- but facing away. So not only is your backside in full view but if you're sitting back rather than being bent forward when at least any lumps and bumps are smoothed out a but then it's ... hello cellulite!

Body hangups do make me laugh though. Get this... I have a friend who went out with a boy for several years and not once did he see her legs in the whole of that time! She used to get under the covers and then remove her clothes!

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Weigh in

I must be doing something right as this morning's weigh in revealed another loss. And a pretty good one at that too- 1.25lbs off!

I am really really happy with that. This means that today I am 13stone 10.25lbs, the lightest I have been for the whole of 2011. I was around about this weight in January 2010 and got down quite a bit more just before and  when I went to boot camp but it all went back on and I reckon I must have been around the end of May when I was back around this weight. 

It probably helped that I ended up cycling up a massive hill last night. TWICE. It was one of those hills that doesn't look like a hill until you are on it and it just does not end. This hill was about half a mile long. I was meeting my friend to give her a key to feed my furry feline over the weekend and got a bit confused as to what pub she was in - cue wrong turn up the hill. I realised my error and came back down said hill. To get home I had no choice but to go up the hill AGAIN! And this was after my first bodypump class in months.

I've got a meeting today which is taking place over afternoon tea, it's a hard life, and so I must be off to get some work done.

Onwards and downwards!

Starting Weight: 204.25 pounds
Current Weight: 193.25 pounds
Weight Loss This Week: 1.25 pound
Total Weight Loss: 12 pounds

Tuesday 19 April 2011

What's been occuring

Where have the last five days gone? I'd love to hit the pause button for couple of days so I can just get on top of everything.

It's my own fault though- trying to cram too much in. And just when I think work is easing off a tad and I'll be able to faff about a bit, another new business enquiry comes in! I shouldn't be complaining about that though. This time last year I had a jack all work on the go and was about to start waitressing to make some pennies.

I had a great weekend with TB and while there wasn't much exercise to speak of we did eat quite healthily with a low fat fish pie for tea on Friday and homemade pizza on Saturday night. I did let the side down a bit with an enchilada but that was my only real 'off plan' meal for the whole weekend.

I'm back into the swing of it for what is becoming my 'kick the backside out of it Monday and Tuesday' ahead of my Wednesday morning weigh in. I was totally on plan yesterday (apart from a tiny nibble of fudge- I'm talking a thumbnail size piece) and did a very intensive 45mins in the gym. I then cycled over to my friend's for tea which was 5.5 mile round trip.

Today I'm venturing back to bodypump for the first time in months. I'm also doing the very same cycle  as last night as I need to drop a key off at my friend's. Oh, and meeting a friend for coffee later on today so that will be another few miles on the bike.

So the week's exercise looks like this...

Wednesday: Spinning
Thursday: Nothing
Friday: Spinning
Saturday: Nothing
Sunday: Nothing
Monday: 45 mins gym beasting. 5 mile cycle.
Tuesday: 3 mile cycle. Bodypump. 5 mile cycle

Not quite as much as last week and I would say the eating wasn't quite as good as last week  but I'm still pleased with everything overall. I'm not feeling as uptight about weighing in tomorrow and the reason for this is I'm not expecting to lose anything much at all. Last week's loss of 2.25lbs was a lot for me and so if I can lose anything at all I'll be happy.

I realise that my posts are a pretty dull at the mo. It's all gym this, lettuce leaf that. Dullzzzzzz. I suppose there's just not as much drama in my life as there used to be now that I'm not infatuated with someone that liked me enought to sleep with me but not enough to love me. 

Promise I'll crack off some more interesting stuff soon such as... the time I dropped my iphone down the toilet... reverse cowboy (a position that fills most women with dread)... and other such delights!

Thursday 14 April 2011

Wa wa wipeout

Aren't you just the nicest bunch? All those lovely comments about my weigh in... I loved them. Thank you!

I know it seems like I'm doing a lot of exercise, especially when I list it all, and it is quite a lot but let's not forget I'm missing out on some daily activity that most of you probably get without even thinking about it.

I work from home so getting to work involves getting out of bed, coming down the stairs and... that's it! Even those of you that drive to work have to step out the front door, get in the car and then do the opposite at the same end. I daresay you might even have some stairs in your office too! If you walk to work, get the tube, cycle, take the train or bus, well then - imagine all those extra calories you're burning.

I've always had at least a 15 minute walk to work but now that I operate from the Love Cat Lair it's all too easy to sit on my backside and move as little as possible.

However, today, that's exactly what I've done. I am totally cream crackered. Not only am I tired but my legs are aching and heavy. I've worked out four days on the trot, six if you count Friday's squash game and Saturday's cycle. I need a rest. I'm also not sleeping well. I go to bed totally wiped and physically I feel tired but my mind is racing and I can't get to sleep. So today, I'm doing nada. I've got spinning tomorrow lunchtime and until then it's recovery time (and a chance to wash my gym kit- which I must get some more of).

Onwards. x

Wednesday 13 April 2011

Weigh in

What's that? A loss? Of 2.25lbs?! Hell yeah!

I won't lie to you - it feels gooooo-ooood. I was quite anxious ahead of the weigh in. Okay, I was very anxious and didn't sleep well last night. I'm not normally as worked up as that but I've worked really hard this week and on the back of two poor results I felt like I needed/ deserved something more. And I got more!

Yup, I got on and off them about 10 times to make sure what I was seeing was in fact correct. They only jumped around by half a pound and 13stone 11.5lbs was bang in the middle of that half pound and was the weight that came up most often.

So in six weeks I've lost 10.75lbs and I have to say I'm pretty damn happy with those numbers.



Starting Weight: 204.25 pounds
Current Weight: 194.50 pounds
Weight Loss This Week: 2.25 pound
Total Weight Loss: 10.75 pounds

Monday 11 April 2011

Harder Better Faster Stronger

At the moment I am actually getting quite a lot of joy from going to the gym. I know! Who writes such ludicrous statements? Part of me hates saying such things; so smug. It's not that I'm jumping for joy to be going it's purely from the fact I can see progress every time I'm there. I think it's my competitive streak coming out.

At some point in the last year or so I upped my regular speed on the treadmill from 8.6 to 9.2 and even through my prolonged absences from the gym I've managed to keep that speed up. Last week this went up to 9.4 and tonight, 9.5. Every other day the weights are getting heavier, the level on the cross trainer is going up and speeds are getting faster. I like this. I like feeling strong. I'm not really noticing much of difference in terms of getting thinner. I'm scrutinising every inch of me every day which probably doesn't help but I suspect it's because I'm not really getting any smaller!

However, where I might have slipped on the odd occasion on the food front I do feel like I am making up exercise wise.

Here's the rundown of my weigh day to weigh day week of exercise.

Wednesday: Nothing
Thursday: Nothing
Friday: 1 hour squash
Saturday: Approx 50 min cycle (7.2 miles)
Sunday: 5km run
Monday: Gym beasting. Mix of cardio and weights
Tuesday: Gym beasting

Onwards for another sterling day before the inevitable faffage with the scales.

Sunday 10 April 2011

Weekend Waffling

What a lovely weekend. I'm just falling more and more in love with TB all the time.

Nothing significant happened to make me suddenly think this. I'm just really happy about how everything is going between us. Every time the phone rings and it's him, or he meets me at the train station, or I see him after a few days apart, I'm excited. I'm excited to be with him. In equal measures though, I'm so at ease with him. I feel reassured and relaxed.

I wasn't supposed to see him this weekend as I had a few things on with various friends from Saturday night onwards. That would have meant that we wouldn't see each other for two weeks. Not good enough. I had no meetings on Thursday so I jumped on the train so we could hang out together until early Saturday morning when I boosted back to mine. Goodbye 5 hours, in total, on a train and also £40 for the pleasure. That's the price of love, eh? Hehe.

I made my pasta dish for him on Thursday night and I'm glad to say it went down well. To be honest if I made anything for him, he would eat it. Men are like children. Don't give them too many choices.

Friday afternoon we played squash where I worked up quite a sweat and felt like I got a good hour of working out in. That night we went out for dinner to a Greek restaurant. I chose pretty well with my meal but I did eat too much pitta break and tzatziki. I also drank half a bottle of red wine and about six rum and diet cokes throughout the evening. Ooops.

Saturday I was up and at em (with a banging headache)- straight onto the train with my chopped up melon, yogurt and apples, back to the Love Cat Lair. Got back, pottered around for a bit and then had some lunch before jumping on my bike, onto a cycle path I've never been on before, and heading off to meet some pals in some gorgeous grounds of a sort of stately home. It was a pretty hard cycle for 20 mins at least to get there and the same back again but it was such a glorious day; I was loving it.

Friends came over for dinner on Saturday night and I made them tuna meatballs served with wholewheat spaghetti, salad and garlic and red onion flatbread.  I ended up eating some of the flatbread which I totally didn't need. For pudding I made a low fat Eaton mess with 0% Greek yogurt, raspberries and meringue nests. That would have been fine but after they left I ate another three meringue nests. Silly silly. Annoyed annoyed.


I got up this morning resolved to make the next three days before weigh in total corkers. It was such beautiful morning that off I went for a 5km run outside. I've not run outside since January and I'm very happy that today I knocked three minutes off that time. Whoop! It was so good to be outside again getting some vitamin D.

After making myself look less of  sweaty mess I headed off to meet two of my closest pals for a birthday lunch. I chose really wisely and had a tuna steak with some veg. The other girls were having pudding and I didn't want to miss out or look like a total bore and also I wanted to help make it feel as much of a celebration as possible. Sad but true. Lucky for me there was sorbet on the menu and so I plumped for that. After lunch I had a wee peek around the shops and ended up buying a new pair of jeans (which of course need altered at the waist) and a pair of olive green sort of cropped trousers. Ooooh- they are tight! They look pretty good but sitting down in them isn't really as comfy as it should be and I sure as hell won't be doing any lunging in them. I also splashed out on some new headphones with an adapter for my ipod shuffle as my third belkin adapter broke. Honestly, can someone design some headphones with the controller attached that actually last more than a few months at a time! Sheesh.

This has turned into a rather boring list and so I'll stop waffling on and hit the hay as my peepers are shutting as I type.

Thursday 7 April 2011

Weigh In

Right, let's get down to business. Half a pound off which takes me into the 13 stone bracket by the skin of my teeth (13stone 13.75lbs). In the grand scheme of things it's jack all but it's a loss following a slightly questionable weekend and so I'll take it.

The scales did their usual jumping around malarkey and in fact the first weight I saw was 13stone 12.5lbs and I do think I am slightly closer to that than I've officially recorded but the numbers jumped up again and so I've gone for the heavier weight just to be on the safe side.

I'm actually raring to go for another week. Feeling good. Calves are looking more toned. Now running at 9.4kmph as standard. Can feel the strength in my legs when cycling. Was out for afternoon tea and cocktails yesterday. Built it into my food plan for the day and really enjoyed it. Guilt free and onwards for a healthy week. All good.

Now, onto other matters which may, or may not, have a bearing on the above. Almost a year ago I got the coil fitted. I love it. Hassle free, no remembering to take it, no effect on my moods or sex drive, my periods fade away to nothing- a winner all round.

But wait, what's that? I've suddenly got a period seven weeks after my last one? And cramps too? What the chuffing hell is going on? I don't mind getting my period but not when I wasn't expecting it. And it's sore. And I'm off to see TB tonight. Moan, moan, moan.

Thanks for all your suggestions for meal time ideas with Monkey Face TB. We actually had a bit of a chat about it the other night and he's said that tonight we'll have whatever I want for tea. Not that I couldn't do that before but, of course I want him to have something he enjoys. We both love food and need to get some pleasure from it! So I want to cook him something healthy and tasty to challenge his thoughts that healthy = tasteless, boring and not a complete meal. He will eat most things, he's just being fussy cause he can and so tonight I'm making him spinach, tomato and red pepper cannelloni with slimming world chips.  In your face TB. Actually in your face if you please!


Starting Weight: 204.25 pounds
Current Weight: 195.75 pounds
Weight Loss This Week: 0.5 pound
Total Weight Loss: 8.5 pounds

Tuesday 5 April 2011

You'll get what you're given

Lovely readers, I need your help.

I really struggle with meals when I'm in the company of TB, simply because the kind of meals he wants to eat are totally different to the kinds of meals I want to eat. He loves creamy sauces, bread, pizza, houmous, dips, wraps, ciabatta, oily dishes and his veg of choice are roasted root veg that have been covered in oil. You see the problem? I suggest a stir fry or fish and it goes down like a granny on an icy morning.

Admittely I've been in a relationship for a year now (albeit with two different people) but I've lived on my own for three and a half years and that means cooking, most of the time, for one. While I enjoy cooking (and love baking) I tend to roll out the same meals time and time again and sometimes I'll just have exactly what I want. For example, last night I ate some cold meat straight from the packet and then had a tin of minestrone soup. I know, it was a very odd combo but it was just what I wanted.

So where I need your help is ideas of healthy meals that I can suggest that TB's not going to turn his nose up at, or that I can easily adpat so there is a slightly healthier version for me. Oh, and I should mention he's not mad about tomato based sauces. Nightmare.

Monday 4 April 2011

Do it for a Kit Kat, at least

Why do you (and when I say you, I mean me) spend hours in the gym, cook yourself healthy meals, take the time to mentally keep it together.... and then mindlessly eat a load of crisps on Friday night.

Follow that with a weekend of picking. I mean, make sure most of your meals are pretty spot on, and watch the alcohol but be sure to nibble on some chocolate, have a few handfuls of nuts and quickly wolf down a slice of pizza - and don't forget all those boiled sweets too. Oh yeah, and the custard creams - the most average of biscuits.

Grrrrr. Stupid picking! Those are all things I didn't need to have and wasn't put in a position where I felt I couldn't say no, or was inconveniencing others.

Exercise is shot this week as well simply because life is too busy! Here's a quick recap of weigh in to weigh in.
  • Wednesday, 45 minute spin class & 10 min run
  • Thursday, nothing
  • Friday, 1 hour squash
  • Saturday, nothing
  • Sunday, nothing
  • Monday, 45 minute cycle
  • Tuesday, last chance workout i.e. kill myself in the gym
Ermmmm, okay - just re-read that and there is actually quite a bit in there (and the weekend did involve bedroom aerobics). I was just getting a bit panicky as although I'm cycling tonight I've not been able to get to the gym for three days (I know, I want to punch myself sometimes. Oooh - three days, imagine!). I suppose I'm feeling a bit frustrated as I feel like the chances of seeing a loss this week are now down the pan thanks to the weekends silly eats and it's only four weeks until I go on my hols to France - and I turn 31!

Am totally knackered (thanks to a very early morning train home from TB's) but I must be off and fit my lights onto mon velo. Just getting into the swing of le francais!

A bientot!


PS) MD got married yesterday. I dreamt about him on Saturday and Sunday night. Just that we were at an event together that we both help out at, and I congratualted him with a big hug. That's probably what will happen when I see him next. 

I don't know why he's played on my mind like that. I do think about him from time to time (obviously since I dreamt about him). I know that there is some sort of.... I don't know what it is- just that there is a something, not a lot, but something, between us. The difference between us is that when I saw him five weeks ago and he wanted more from me than a quick hug goodnight, I couldn't and wouldn't give him that. I love and am in love with TB. I couldn't and wouldn't do that to him. MD was getting married but he could do that to her.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think I'm the only one he's cheated on her with in the past. I know I'm not. I just hope he's made a decision that will make him happy and make him act accordingly.