🦋 Emi's Journal 📖

[Emi]

Hello dear reader, how are you? I hope your day is going well and you're feeling upbeat! If you're on a weight loss journey like me I wish you the greatest of success, feel free to write a comment as it'd be nice to have a little friends group here and motivate each other

This small portion of the website I'd like to use to post updates on how my personal self-care journey is going. I will be weighing myself every Sunday, so at minimum there will be one post a week, but I suspect there will be other things that crop up!

Not all of my updates will be about food, exercise or scales, sometimes it will be about being kind to myself and looking after myself better. Because I find that appreciating myself as I am, and small acts of kindness towards myself such as buying myself flowers, keeping the house tidy or taking a soaky bath is very intertwined with what I do to my body.

So, let's get started!

 

[Emi]

Week One Goals
[25/04/22 ~ 01/05/22]​

• Cycle to work every day this week: I am very lucky to live close to where I work, it is roughly 4 miles away, which is a 30 minute cycle ride. In addition half of it is a quiet dirt trail along a pretty canal . However, lately I have found sleeping in late and getting on the bus far more tempting, and my bike has been neglected in the shed. Now that the weather is improving, I think it's a good time to get cycling!​
• Drink only water this week: This could be a horrifying prospect for those with a coffee or tea addiction but should be really easy for me! I don't drink those things, but I do have a bad habit of sugary fizzy drinks, and I'd like to let that go. ​
• No food purchases until Friday: It is very tempting to pop into my convenience store and purchase junky food after work, this isn't showing love to my body and, it quickly adds up! If I could stop this, I would have more money to spend on bath bombs, art supplies, books and other things that I enjoy, are productive and are kinder to myself. I have recently bought plenty of non-junky groceries so I should be able to do this! ​

You might notice that I haven't got a weight-loss target this week, this is quite intentional. As mentioned in the introduction weight loss for me will be a happy side-effect of my main focus. I have an idea of what I might lose, but I am content that I will lose something and that is enough for me.

Good luck in your own personal goals this week reader!

 

[Emi]

Hi reader! So it's Wednesday and I thought I'd write an update on how I'm doing so far with my week one goals.

I have successfully cycled to/from work every day so far. I was really happy that I was able to make it up hills without getting off on Monday, I had budgeted extra time which was totally unnecessary! Tuesday was a little tougher as my muscles ached and saddles were... uncomfy. But today was so smooth and easy and I'm so pleased with how quickly my body is adapting. I definitely feel so much happier starting work which I chalk up to spending time in nature, overcoming a challenge and the endorphin boost!

Funnily enough I havent craved my sugary fizzy drinks as much as I thought I would. I have, however, had the headaches that I usually experience when I quit the sugary junk foods. I wonder if that's quite common. I have experienced it a few times and I always swear "never again", this time let's make it happen! It was worst on Monday (possibly exacerbated by the exercise "shock" too), a little milder Tuesday and nothing yet today.

I haven't spent a penny! The route I chose to cycle home does not go near the convenience store which helps. I do need to buy a birthday card and I have ran out of milk, but I can do without it for one more day and buy these things on Friday to succeed! I would've spent £19.50 on the bus and maybe £15 on junk food by now in these three days if I hadn't stuck to my goals. So imagine the savings over a month!

Overall, I am still very much in the game and happy with how things are going, not long until I'll need to brainstorm the next three goals

 

[Emi]

So! It's the end of my first week. I'm pleased to update that I cycled to work every day this week, drank only water and didn't buy any junk food I feel alot less stiff, my breathing is a little easier and my stomach feels less bloated. Taking care of myself makes me feel good and feeling good makes me want to take care of myself. It's a positive feedback loop.

I expected to lose a little this week and I was happy to see a loss of 5 lbs when I checked this morning. I usually lose more the first week so I expect a lesser more regular loss going forward.

I'd like to create three new goals each week. This doesn't mean I forget about the previous weeks goals, but more that they add on top of each other. However, I don't want things to get too restrictive or for me to have so many rules that I break one and get disheartened. This is about self-care not all or nothing thinking!

I'm happy to continue cycling, it makes me feel good and I'm really starting to enjoy it. But if there is terrible weather I will be kind to myself and take the bus. I'd like to switch to drinking water 90% of the time, and allow myself to have the occasional iced tea or smoothie. Finally, I'd like to allow myself to purchase one junky thing a week, it can only be one item and single serving sized. E.g, a 50g chocolate bar, not a 200g one!

Anyway, time to get into week two!

 

[Emi]

Week Two Goals
[02/05/22 ~ 08/05/22]​

• Eat 3 Servings of Veg per day: Now that I am eating alot less than I used to, I think I should start working on what I eat. My body definitely responds well to veggies, I feel less bloated and more energetic so let's start eating those. I know the recommended amount is 5 a day, but, starting from not eating them much at all, 3 is a good start!​
• Cook for yourself every day: This might sound a little basic, but I live by myself and often don't feel I am "worth" the effort of pulling out pots and pans, chopping up ingredients and making myself something proper. But by thinking that way I am really restricting the variety of foods I can try and driving myself into the clutches of convenience foods. A silly example, but I really love sweet potatoes but I havent had them at all this year, even though I own a oven and all the tools to cook them! Time to hide the toaster and microwave. ​
• Book a class at the leisure centre: This one I am the most nervous about. I know it sounds silly but I have never signed up for a gym or attended a public class before, mostly because I am too self conscious. Despite these places existing for people like me! I found out that there is a leisure centre only 2 miles from home that boasts a bunch of different classes for under £10! So, I want to book something this week, to attend next week and purchase a swimsuit or sports bra. It would be nice to break down this shy barrier and try new things. ​

And thats it! I'm feeling very optimistic for week two and, if you've made some goals this week, I wish you the greatest of success

We got this!

 

[Emi]

Okay! so, very quick mid-week update before I head off to bed.

I have eaten 3 veg a day so far, I've enjoyed having cooked breakfast with mushrooms and plum tomatoes, and a large "linner" when I get in from work in the early afternoon with carrots, sweetcorn and other veg I love.

I've cooked every day this week, a highlight was cutting up some sweet potato and popping them onto a baking tray to make chips. Really yummy and such a easy quick recipe!

I haven't booked a class yet, however, I decided that I'd like to do something in the swimming pool, maybe aquafit or something similar. I've ordered a swimming costume which arrives on Saturday, so, as long as that fits, I will book something then!

See you on Sunday for the big update

 

[Emi]

And it's officially the end of week two! How did I get on with my goals...

I managed to eat 3 veg a day, it wasn't too bad as I allowed potatoes to count as a veg.
I've cooked almost every day! Today was the exception as I fancied a store-bought sandwich, oops!
I tried on the swimming costume yesterday, I was very apprehensive, but after I had re-taught myself how to get into the thing (yes it has really been that long!) I was happily surprised that it fit well and kept everything in place. I have booked a "Aqua Power" class for 7pm tomorrow and, unless nature has other plans, all should be set for me to attend. I'm not sure really what to expect but it says it is suitable for all fitness levels and I'm curious to try something new! I think it will be good to go early and scope out the facilities at this leisure centre too, as I have never been there before. Maybe something will catch my eye.

So, lets talk adaptations. I think I can commit to continuing to cook and eat 3 veg a day, I have bought groceries with this in mind, but I also think I can afford to have a day off a week. Not for takeout! But incase I would like to treat myself to a (healthy) restaurant or cafe something. It would be a nice adaptation to commit to booking a class a week in the swimming pool, but I'd like to see how it goes first and see what the facilities are like before I commit to that. I'll be sure to write an update post on how it goes!

Finally, as for weight loss, I weighed myself Saturday morning and I have lost another 3lbs! This is more than I expected, I figured it would go down to a steady 2 from now on. But I'm not complaining. It means I've already lost over half a stone!

So, all that being said, it's time to set some intentions for our third week

 

[Emi]

Week Three Goals
[09/05/22 ~ 15/05/22]​

• Meditate 20 minutes per day: Sometimes work, relationships and day-to-day stuff leaves me a little burned out and not very reflective. I used to meditate quite often in the past and used this as a quiet time to sort through all the jumbled thoughts and bring forward and appreciate the good moments. I think it would be very beneficial to carve out time to make this a priority!
• Attend Aqua Power: I know for a fact Monday will be a hard day at work and, I will be anxious to turn up to somewhere new and have other people see my body. There will be a few mental barriers to push past and I think it would be a great achievement for me to attend.
• Cinema Sunday: I cannot tell you the last time I've been to the movies. Definitely pre-Covid, perhaps 2017! There is a Stephen King movie coming out this weekend and I'd like to treat myself to a spooky movie with some sweet popcorn. It's time to make more out of my weekend than vegging out in front of the computer!

A little more of a mental health focus this week, but also a great chance for the physical health habits to "solidify" before I tweak them again.

Let's do this!