It's Now Or Never

Right I seriously need to get my arse in gear. I am really cross with myself as I am still not back in the SW swing after my crazy August, and now I am just downright fed up.

It could be worse, I am currently 4lbs over my lightest weight, back at the end of July. Which really is nothing. It's more that it's been going on a little bit, coming off a little bit, straight back on etc etc etc I just can't string two decent weeks together.

I've been writing in my diary at home a lot - though much of that is around personal thoughts etc with other issues. I think that is very important for me - I haven't done it the past couple of nights, and the past couple of nights I've started grazing again - which basically means this week will no doubt be my third gain in a row. Possibly I can turn it around (going in my favour is totm) - but it feels quite unlikely. We will see.

So I'm trying to remember all the good, positive things I was doing before, when I did have my mojo. I am getting the bairn to pick out a recipe each week, something new to maintain variety and interest. I am going to come back and write my food down on here each day - part of my trouble is that it is all so manic at the moment and I find it difficult writing down on my phone. However, I am going to make a point of doing it. Maybe set aside 1/2 hour of time where I do turn on the PC and chill out before going to bed.

I have been pretty good with my exercise - though circumstances have meant I've only run once this week. I am kitted up now though and intend to run whilst Beanie is at athletics. A silly thing, but psychologically - I feel like I always put on on the weeks where I haven't run on the morning of weigh in. Work keeps getting in the way. I have got to try and stop it, I work part time on a Monday and Friday - a half day, so I am entitled to go for a run then come back and do the half day afterwards. Once I get in, I rarely get out again. In terms of exercise I also want to do more than just the running. I used to love my swimming, I can't afford to go often, but maybe once a week, on a Sunday morning when the bairn is at his Dad's. Ideally I'd like to cycle down - but that is weather dependent. I'm not confident cycling on the roads in bad weather. But I do have one or two exercise videos, so I should really try and do those even if just once a week, to get a bit more variety.

Something I have also noticed is that when I set myself big targets I always fail. So I am not going to do that any longer. I am going to focus on 1/2 stone at a time. I currently weigh in at 13st 9.5lbs, so my first target is to get past 13st 7lbs. It would be wonderful if I could achieve that on Monday but as I said before I really don't think it's likely.

There is no way I am going to come back from whence I came, I was so miserable then - and I know just two weeks of decent healthy living, then I will be back on it again and life will be rosy. What worries me is how easily I crumbled. I have been sticking to the diet a lot really - evenings have been sticky for me though. I have been exercising. I am getting used to the way my body craves certain foods after runs and trying to play around with that. E.g. I often find that the day of a run my appetite is surpressed, but the next day I am ravenous and likely to fail the diet. So I have tried upping my food (SW friendly of course) on the run day, and last time I did that with a long run, it worked really well. I'm still playing around with ideas there though.

I think it's worth also looking at how far I've come this year:

* I've lost nearly three and a half stone.
* I'm a size 16 in most things now.
* I can now run 10k - I never would have thought that possible.
* I'm a hell of a lot happier.

I am about to have brekkie, go to atheletics (run for me), home for lunch, Brands Hatch for the afternoon (BSB Yay!), then I'm going to come home, have a nice SW friendly dinner, do some of my OU course and write my food up for the day. I am determined that today will be a good day, and I will look back on it with a smile rather than a frown.
 
Yay, you have returned :D

And a 4lb gain after a lack of concentration for the last month or so is nothing - you know you have great losses, so within a week or two that could easily be gone. I agree with keeping the targets smaller, that will hold your interest better. And at least you know how your body reacts to the exercise and you know how to combat it. Maybe do what Gail did and use more syns to begin with so you don't feel like you are missing out and then just gradually bring them down to the 10-15 per day? I don't know if that would help with the grazing?

Really pleased to see you back with determination tho :)

How is the studying going?? xxx
 
ginlin said:
Pinkie, it's lovely to have you back posting xxx

Hope you have a good day xxx
Thank you Lynne. I hope you are all more settled at home after that nasty incident last night.
X

Maverick said:
Yay, you have returned :D

And a 4lb gain after a lack of concentration for the last month or so is nothing - you know you have great losses, so within a week or two that could easily be gone. I agree with keeping the targets smaller, that will hold your interest better. And at least you know how your body reacts to the exercise and you know how to combat it. Maybe do what Gail did and use more syns to begin with so you don't feel like you are missing out and then just gradually bring them down to the 10-15 per day? I don't know if that would help with the grazing?

Really pleased to see you back with determination tho :)

How is the studying going?? xxx

Ah thanks Mave for the feedback, that's really helpful!
Yes I decided to allow myself 20 syns today, and maybe tomorrow too if I want them. I was thinking too about how Gail dealt with her hols.

I've only just started my course. I wish I had more energy, so that worries me a bit. But I find the topic soooooooo interesting. I have my first tutorial next Saturday, can't wait! :)

I did go for a run this morning while Beanie was at athletics. I covered 4.5 miles in 51 minutes. Not great, but the alternative would have been to sit on my bum watching the bairn. On the downside, I missed him winning his cross country race. Though I saw him win the final leg of the relay for his team. I'm so glad he's doing it, he just loves it do much. I have to keep a record of his various times for him lol

So today's food (20 syn allowance)

Breakfast:
Porridge (half HEa plus HEb, honey 2.5 syns)

Snack:
Clementine, crunchie (4 syns)

Lunch:
Jacket potato, huge plate of salad leaves, SW syn free chilli, small bit of grated cheese (rest of HEa)
Bowl of mixed fruit plus natural fat free yoghurt.

Snack:
Mixed fruit and fat free yoghurt.

Later snack:
Apple

Tea:
Massive shish kebab (2 chicken and a lamb), double portion of salad, pitta bread (9 syns).
Crunchie (4 syns).

Total syns: 19.5

I've drunk quite a bit of NAS squash, and now having some sugar free ginger beer.

I avoided the naughty stuff at Brands, and I have also avoided going mad in the syn tin of choccies and avoided the bottle of vodka too. I might have an early night tonight though. I feel ready to turn in now to be honest. It's only half seven!
 
Hey!
Glad you're back posting here. Sorry things are great at the moment but I have great admiration for you keep plodding on. You have done so amazingly well, as you identified in your post. Your running is phenomanol, just think of all of us who also started the c25k and are still struggling at that distance. There is you doing 10k so be proud honey.
I like the idea of allowing yourself 15-20 syns for a few days and then taper back to 15. Your food looks good to me. You're having a lot of SF food so that will help, and lots of NAS will help no doubt too.
Keep going honey. You've just been going through one of those anoying blips but you'll come through it stronger. I know you will because you're a survivor.
Take care x
 
Hey Penny, thank you for your message. :)

Yes I think many of us can be bad at giving ourselves credit. Re the running, what I'm pleased about more than anything is,the number of people who've been inspired to do the same because they've seen me doing it. I think its seeing me lose weight mixed in with that too. But mostly on top of that I'm so pleased that my sister has just started too, and she's really enjoying it. It's just lovely seeing her do something just for herself.

Using the flexisyns concept has actually worked so well. It let me go over and my attitude to it has not been doom and gloom, I feel fine with it, and there is no urge to sabotage my efforts today. Even with all this chocolate talk. I've had my two snacksize crunchie bars, they were lovely and I'm happy.

Anyhew (got that from Mave). I am now in bed. My one free night a week, and my last for a fortnight, and I'm in bed watching Grand Designs on catch up. I love that prog.

I'm hoping to get myself out for some exercise early tomorrow before I head off to Brands Hatch for the day. Ideally cycle to the pool (4 miles away) and have a swim. It opens at 7.30, so I'd need to be out the front door at seven. Good thing I'm in bed early hey?
 
Your running is phenomanol, just think of all of us who also started the c25k and are still struggling at that distance. There is you doing 10k so be proud honey.

Great point Penny - the rest of us have gone back into hiding and you are still pounding the streets - even the fear of colder weather doesn't seem to put you off, I on the other hand am refusing to leave the house for anything whilst it's cold and miserable!! xx
 
Pinkie, you sound a lot like me diet-wise. Having munchy troubles in the evening, fluctuating weight, and not having the same motivation that you did before -- I am there right now. And I've really been kicking myself about it, but on minimins people have been really encouraging and telling me to give myself more credit--and, as others have pointed out, I think the same should go for you!

It's good to see you back Pinkie :)
 
Maverick said:
Great point Penny - the rest of us have gone back into hiding and you are still pounding the streets - even the fear of colder weather doesn't seem to put you off, I on the other hand am refusing to leave the house for anything whilst it's cold and miserable!! xx

To be fair its much milder down here though, its stayed nice for long enough to build up my running. But thank you! :)

missfortissimo said:
Pinkie, you sound a lot like me diet-wise. Having munchy troubles in the evening, fluctuating weight, and not having the same motivation that you did before -- I am there right now. And I've really been kicking myself about it, but on minimins people have been really encouraging and telling me to give myself more credit--and, as others have pointed out, I think the same should go for you!

It's good to see you back Pinkie :)

Thank you Molly. I guess we both have similar issues in different ways. I am very bad at asking for or accepting help. Too independent for my own good probably. I hope you're feeling perkier today. :)

Woodland girl said:
Hi pinkie! Very inspiring!! You sound back on form, well done! X

Not sure about on form, but I'm trying, I really am! :)

Ok so I've had the best day. I intended to swim this morning, got to the pool but it was closed for a gala. Dammit. So popped in to see my sister instead. I then came home had brekkie, prepared lunch and spent the rest of the day at Brands Hatch. It was nothing short of awesome. It was the showdown for the BSB, and the title went down to the last lap and must have swapped half a dozen times in that last lap. The crowd were going mad cheering on our local boy. Who finally won on the last corner, by 6000ths of a second! I then went on the track and stood in front of the podium for the presentation. I am still overcome with it now!

Anyhow, my food for today, with my flexisyn limit of 20 syns.

Breakfast:
2 cups of tea (1 syn for milk)
Porridge (oats HEb, soya milk half HEa, honey 2.5 syns, sliced banana)

Snack:
Banana, clementine, Apple.

Lunch:
2 syn free sausages, savoury rice, lots of salad leaves.
Crunchie (4 syns)

Snack:
Apple, 2 clementines, capuccino (other half HEa).

Dinner:
2 syn free sausages, supernoodles, plate of salad leaves. Lots of carrot sticks.
Bowl of mixed fruit with natural low fat yoghurt.
2 x curly wurlies (12 syns).

Total syns: 19.5

Tomorrow I will reduce flexisyns to 18 I think.
 
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Hi pinkie, great to hear from you! As mave said 4lb is nothing and I'm sure you'll soon get it off considering your action plan. I know the mental side of sw is what's important too but it seems like you're determined not to go back to your old ways. Great idea to get the bairn involved too! Sounds great that you've identified areas that may cause you some difficulty too and are dealing with those in advance. Awesome! Good luck for the next few days Chica you can do it!!! Xxxx
 
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julesm said:
Hi pinkie, great to hear from you! As mave said 4lb is nothing and I'm sure you'll soon get it off considering your action plan. I know the mental side of sw is what's important too but it seems like you're determined not to go back to your old ways. Great idea to get the bairn involved too! Sounds great that you've identified areas that may cause you some difficulty too and are dealing with those in advance. Awesome! Good luck for the next few days Chica you can do it!!! Xxxx

Damn right I'm not going back. A plateau is maybe a good thing in a way. I shall try and think of it as a practice run for when I'm maintaining! lol

pjallen1982 said:
Hey Pinkie. I'd say you did pretty well food wise yesterday, especially given I'm guessing there was lots of temptation at Brands. Well done though! Annoying about the swimming pool, but well done for cycling down and I'm sure you sister enjoyed seeing you!
Hope you have another good food day today x

There were, burgers, sausages, doughnuts etc everywhere!
And I drove to the pool. I had intended to cycle but realised late the night before that I just wouldn't have time. Lazy arse me. :)


Oooh, and I am still on a bike high. *sigh*
 
Well done on the lb - better off than on ;) xxx
 
Grr just lost my post.

Lb off - could have been better, but I have to remember those few evenings that I went off plan. I'll be spot on this week, and hopefully I'll get 1.5lbs and get my 3 and a half stone award back. Here's hoping anyway.

Today's food (flexisyns at 18) ....

Breakfast:
Banana, apple, clementine

Snack:
Curly wurly (6 syns)
Maltesers (5 syns)
Crunchie (4 syns)

Lunch:
2 x mugshots. Carrot sticks.

Tea:
Get soup modified into a chicken curry, with brown basmati rice and salad leaves. It was bloody gorgeous and there are enough left overs for two meals.

After weigh in:
Bowl of mixed fruit plus low fat yoghurt.

My son is being a little **** tonight. Stomping around in his bedroom at the moment. He can stay there till the morning. The joys of motherhood eh?

Anyhoo, I did a run today, very slowly, 3.4 miles but a run is a run I guess. I have another planned for tomorrow. Supposedly a longer one (aiming for 11k), we'll see though, I'm really struggling with that at the moment. My legs feel like concrete.

Food prepared for tomorrow, about to sort kit out, and then settle down to some cheeky tv and OU study. We are doing 'The Self' this month.
 
Well done honey. As others have said a 1lb off is better than on, or even STS. Keep at it and you will see the results. It doesn't matter if it is a 1lb at a time, a marathon is better than a sprint because then hopefully it will become more ingrained as part of your life and also more likely to stay off.
Well done on running though. Keep it up!
x
 
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