Gemmiegem's diary of weight loss success :) .........hopefully!

[gemmiegem]

OK! So I have been on SW for nearly four weeks now and have kept a food diary (on paper and on minimins too of course!)!

Having read through some of the topic threads etc I thought it would be really helpful (for me, even if not for anybody else!) if I keep a diary to support me on my weight loss challenge!

I'm trying to lose nearly 5 stone!...have lost 9 pounds in three weeks so I'm on the way

 

[gemmiegem]

First proper diary entry...

Five things I did in the past week that I'm really proud of:

1. Registered for ParkRun...a 5km run (walking/jogging to start with!) every Saturday morning with my friend who is on WW diet...both need exercise...thought it was a good idea (although I haven't actually done it yet...first session next week!) (I had had a drink when I signed up to this - only one...didn't have any syns for any more!! So I can always blame the drink!)

2. Started using my Zumba fitness dvd - aiming to use it at least 3 times a week! Got it at a bargain price from amazon which was even better It was actually quite good fun! More exercise than sitting watching tv on a sunday afternoon!

3. Had my very first flexi syn day on Friday...set an upper limit and I stuck to it! We went out with friends to celebrate my OH's 30th bday!

4. Really wanted a fruit tart thing (tesco's finest!)...worked out it's 15 syns for the whole thing! So I cut it in half...half yesterday and will have other half today! (I would have polished two off without even thinking about it before starting SW).

5. Started increasing the amount of water I drink - I know that I have never drunk enough water ever. I don't mind drinking it, but have always reached for fizzy drinks before out of preference!! Now I'm cutting myself back - one can of diet coke (used to drink full fat stuff!) each day MAX and lots and lots of water.

...just off to polish my halo

 

[Lolacola83]

Well done Gem.
All sounds good to me

 

[shellsbells-x]

Sounds like you are very determined, which helps matters xx

I'm sure you will do well, just remember you're changing for life, and BIG changes don't happen overnight.

Good luck with your run, you're braver than me.. I will walk all day long, but don't have the stamina to actually run... not yet anyway!!

 

[gemmiegem]

Thanks Ladies!

...had my first 'you look like you've lost weight' comment today! Can't see it myself...but it's nice to be told! Got such a long way to go yet...but postivity helps!

 

[gemmiegem]

Well...can't believe I've been on plan for nearly 4 weeks now (well...tomorrow!)... I am completely OBSESSED with SW! It has partly taken over my life, I guess because it's still new! It's one of the main things I talk about and I am constantly filling in my food diary! But I already feel so much better because I know I'm eating really good stuff and getting an appropriate balance in my diet.

Gutted cos I'm going to miss weigh in 2moro night - going away for the night for my OH's 30th bday which I'm really looking forward to (and obviously I would rather celebrate his bday than go to WI!), although I know it will be hard with eating in a posh restaurant and no doubt drink will be flowing...going to still aim to stick to my syns though...!! Can still have a good time!!

Oh...and my new obsession is going to the 99p store or poundland during my lunch hour to look for bargains! Weight Watchers hot chocolate sachets...they are good value at 6 sachets for 99p from the 99p store! And they are fab for warming up on these freezing cold days! (And only 2 syns per sachet...they taste pretty good!!) ....also really like the Alpen Light bars (especially the apple and sultana ones!)...they are £1 for 6 bars...much cheaper than the SW Hi-fi bars (and Hi-fi light bars) and just as nice...if not better (although I still love luscious lemon hi-fi bars!)

 

[gemmiegem]

...and I'm going to weigh myself from home tonight...it's a day early and I usually weigh in at group on a thursday night...but as I can't go 2moro I feel compelled to keep on track...not expecting a big loss given my flexi day last friday...but hopefully if I can STS (or a small loss ) then I will be happy!

Oh...and had my second...'have you lost weight...you look really good' comment today

 

[Lolacola83]

I know what you mean by being obsessed with sw I think it's an amazing diet and just right for making you eat the good stuff too!
Good luck with weigh in tonight and enjoy your ohs birthday x

 

[gemmiegem]

Five things I did in the past week that I'm really proud of:

1. Completed my first ParkRun! - yes, I ran most (and walked) the 5km (3.1miles!) in just over 40 seconds (and wasn't last). Yes...it was slow compared to many (over 200 people run it every week!...many of them do it in under 20mins!)...but it was a start and I can try and beat that every week now.

2. Lost 4.5 lbs!! - only half a pound away from my 1 stone shiny sticker!

3. Stuck to my syns on Valentines Day! - We stayed in this year, but didn't get takeout...I cooked. SW syn free burgers - which were yummy. I made syn free chips for mine and cooked oven fries for my OH. Treated myself to a glass of rose, but didn't eat chocolate (even though we had loads in - OH still eating anything he wants so have to be strong and resist temptation every day!)

4. Realised that we are now eating in (well, I'm cooking) so much more than we ever did before I joined SW. Before, we used to eat out (not expensive - just Wetherspoons prices) or have takeout about 4 times every week! But now, we probably eat out/get chinese only once a week (sometimes twice depending on work/other commitments). A really positive step - yes, I'm spending more money in tesco, but saving loads by not eating out/taking out!

5. OK...it's not SW related but is part of 'new me' - started MASSIVE clear out of junk that we just don't use/need anymore. Have one spick and span tidy shed now...and the loft has been transformed already. Involved about 5 journeys to the tip, 2 charity shop runs (had a lot of clothes up the loft!), and listing loads of other stuff on ebay. Still got a lot more to clear out of the loft...but feel really positive for actually clearing out the rubbish!

 

[gemmiegem]

So...I've managed to get over a stone off in 6 weeks good stuff!!

Next mini target is getting to my club 10 - need to lose 6.5 lbs to get to it...lets hope I can do that in 2-3 weeks

 

[Laura_jane]

Just had a read through your diary and thought i'd say helloo i'm on my first week of sw and loving it! And a big massive well done on your weight loss!! Hope i can shift that much in 6 weeks xx

 

[gemmiegem]

Three things I did in the past week that I'm proud of :

1. Stuck to plan and I lost 2.5lbs at weigh in last thursday - which means I've now lost 1 stone and 3lbs!! And I'm lighter than I have been for a year or so...don't really feel the weight difference yet though.

2. Bought a 12 week countdown plan at group!! - To encourage me on my journey even more I bought a 12 week countdown so I get two free weeks (yippee!) and feels like I don't have to pay for the next 11 weeks too!...helps encourage commitment!

3. Went to London for the weekend and skipped the alcohol despite going out for drinks when meeting up with my brother and his girlfriend (they live in London) - just stuck to diet cokes instead and didn't feel deprived! I knew that eating would be higher in syns than eating at home - so I set myself a max limit of 40 syns and kept below it (came in on approx 35syns)...and still enjoyed myself!

 

[gemmiegem]

OK...so had weigh in last night and lost another pound! I'm well chuffed with that, given my flexi day on Saturday. I'm targeting 3 pounds this week so I get my club 10 / 1 and 1/2 stone award! Fingers crossed!

A friend just asked me how much I've lost now...I said 18 lbs altogether... her reply... "wow...that's like 8 bags of sugar!" (I googled it to check...and yeh, it's just over 8 kgs!)... 18 lbs doesn't sound like much, but when you convert it to bags of sugar it puts a big smile on my face!! . . . in fact, I think I would struggle to carry 8 bags of sugar!

 

[gemmiegem]

So it's taken a little longer than I hoped, (had a few slower weeks...but still losses!)...finally lost over a stone and a half (and got my Club 10 too!) - feel so proud of myself for doing this in just 10 weeks!! Got a long way to go...but I'm nearly a third of my way to target already so I'm still on track

Next challenge...get to 2 stone loss!...6.5 pounds to get there. Would be fab if I could do it by end of April (although a small hurdle of Easter to get around first!)...gives me 5 weeks so it's pretty achievable and would be even better if I could do it quicker!

Things I've done in the past two weeks that I'm really proud of:

1. Went to Haven for the weekend to celebrate a friends 30th - in three days I managed to consume my entire week's worth of syns...but...I made sure I spent the remainder of the week before weigh in (4 days) without having any syns...and I did it!...and I lost 2.5 syns too! I can see why they don't particularly 'advise' you to use up all your syns in one go as it was tough having no syns for four days...but as a one off, I showed that I was committed and was rewarded

2. Still going with the ParkRuns every Saturday morning (3.1miles/5km). Have only missed a couple of weeks when it has been impossible for me to go...(when I was in London and Haven). Done about 6 runs now, and I've progressively beaten my personal best each time - now running it in 36 mins...not going to make a marathon runner out of me, but think I've surprised a few people that I've managed to keep going!

3. My future mother-in-law visited (and stayed with us) this weekend - she lives in Cornwall so don't see her very often, and she came with clotted cream (not realising I was on SW!)...the scones, strawberry jam, strawberries and clotted cream all came out...but I was good...only had one on Saturday and one on Sunday...measured my clotted cream so only 4.5 syns (1 level tbsp) each day...and skipped the jam, having lots of fresh strawberries instead. Yes, they were 15.5 syns each in total...but they were yummy...and I showed good resistance considering the others had a couple each on both days with lashings of cream (probably about 3 over-heaped tablespoons each!)!! (I would have done that too previously!!)

Not expecting the biggest loss this week (Thursday) as had a good loss last week...but I'm counting the syns, sticking to the plan, and hopefully I'll be rewarded with a small loss (even if it's just 1 lb I'll be happy )