Mad Ramblings of a Yo-Yo Dieter......

[MaisieMoodle]

I've been enjoying reading the diaries on here for the last couple of weeks so decided to start my own It may not always be particularly interesting but I promise myself this - it will always be honest.

I was always a skinny child. Up the age of about 11 I was rake thin. This was mainly I think due to the fact that my dear Mum is a bit of a food Nazi. There were very little "goodies" in our house. No sweets, biscuits, cakes, fizzy pop - none at all. These foods became very exciting to me, as they were forbidden (and they were, it wasn't money that stopped her buying stuff like that, it was because they were "bad") I just wanted them all the more. Once I started earning a little pocket money I was able to buy the goodies myself. The pounds started to slowly go on. Once I got my first job at 16 and was earning my own money that was it - boom, my weight absolutely soared.

So, here I am, 20 years later and I've been fighting a losing battle with my weight ever since. I have lost and regained the same 3/4 stone 4 or 5 times in the last 15 years or so. Most recently about 3 years ago I lost 4 and a half stone to get to my thinnest ever at 9st 8lb and was happy as a pig in much

Needless to say it all piled back on with a little more for luck

Started again (again) in Jan 2010 and managed to lose 2st 11lb by June and then just lost the plot completely and gained 21lb back on in 6 months.

So, here I am now....... started again (again, again!) 4 weeks ago and have lost 9lb so far. My head is completely 100% in the right place at the moment and I know I can do it again. I've never had too much trouble losing the weight, it must be said, it's keeping it off that I've always struggled with

Anyway. Here we go. I'll try and update this most days with what I've ate, my thoughts, how I'm feeling etc.....

Today I've eaten:

3 cups of coffee
1 latte
Pack of Belvita breakfast bicuits (not the healthiest choice I know but I really struggle with eating breakfast and I figure these are better than nothing!)

Lunch was a bowl of homemade soup, a granary roll with a tiny scraping of butter, a bag of low fat Velvet Crunch crisps, a banana and some grapes.

Dinner will be a WW ready meal as Mondays are a mad busy night for me so no time to cook!

I'll drink 2 ltr of water with a little no-added-sugar squash and 1 can of diet cherry coke with my dinner.

That's it for now

 

[RainbowRose]

Great to see your diary Maisie and interesting story and I totally relate to the yo yo ing weight. As you know I too have had enough, its coming off and staying off this time!

Good food choices today and similiar to mine apart from the breakfast biccies

It truly helps recording it all on here, I find a completely diiferent approach this time to fighting my flab, and its got a lot to do with keeping a diary on here

Good luck, I will be following you daily and you are easier to 'find' now for me

GO FOR IT!

 

[Emmaline]

Hi Maisie, Looks like you know the ropes already! Don't worry, lots of us on here have known the yoyo effect only too well, been really slim about four times in my life the first being when I was 16 or there abouts and always vowed it would NEVER go back on again!!

Think you certainly have the right idea, having read some of your postings, when there's a blip, and blips there will surely be! - better to get up, dust yourself off, and just get back to it... .. and remembering that fact when we are not "in the mood" so to speak, is the most important thing to do, wouldn't you agree?

Hope you continue to progress well and look forward to reading all about it.
Take care...

 

[MaisieMoodle]

Thanks for the replies and kind words ladies

Something I am doing differently this time to every other attempt before is I'm more commited to exercise - I think I know it's going to be a struggle to get the weight shifted now as the years are creeping up, without the help of exercise too. I'm walking whenever I can and I'm also 10 days into Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred; I'm also starting swimming this week too Hopefully every Thursday at the moment but maybe more if time & work allows.

We'll see....... my head is in the right place right now but who knows if it will last? I sure hope so!

 

[MaisieMoodle]

Good morning all

Have just done day 11 of the 30 Day Shred - am now sweating in a most unattractive fashion I think I might actually be a little in love with Jillian Michaels, lunatic that she is!

Today's scoff will be:

B: pack of breakfast biscuits
L: 8 tuc crackers with low fat dairylea, wafer thin chicken, tomato and red onion. Pack of Velvet Crunch and a banana.
D: southern fried chicken, little pasta and a large salad. WW sundae.

Grapes to snack on if the munchies attack

3 x coffee
1 x latte
2 ltr sugar free squash

Am feeling rather grumpy today. Nothing I can put my finger on as such, just a bit 'blah' and fed up. This sort of mood would usually have me running to the biscuit tin but not today, I won't! That would just put me in a worse mood.

Have got last night's The Biggest Loser to watch later, so hoping that will cheer me up (I love it!) and help keep my motivation strong

 

[MaisieMoodle]

I've had a couple of lovely PMs asking me what Shredding is so thought I'd pop it on here for anyone who is interested

It's a DVD workout called Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred (trainer from the US The Biggest Loser) (currently only £4.99 delivered on Amazon bargain hunters!). It's got 3 levels and each one gets progressively more [STRIKE]impossible[/STRIKE] challenging The general idea is that you do 10 days of each level but I'm currently 11 days into level 1 and have NO intention of moving up just yet thank you very much!

The best thing is it's only about 28 minutes long (each level), that includes the warm up and cooling down stretches. It IS incredibly difficult at first, I'll be honest, but it's not impossible. I was horribly unfit so if I can do it anyone can

I was starting to feel the effects after only 4/5 days, things felt firmer and less wobbly and I took my measurements after 9 days to discover I'd lost:

2" from my chest (under boobs)
2" from my waist
2" from my hips
1" from each thigh.

Pretty impressive after only 9 days

Also, even though I've only lost 9lb so far I'm currently in a pair of jeans that last fit me when I was 10lb lighter than I am now.

 

[MaisieMoodle]

Day 12 of Shred done at 0530 this morning - am I mad? I think I might well be. But I've realised I need to do it at this time and get it out of the way because it's becoming a real effort to squeeze it in later and I don't want to give up...... so 0500 wake up for me :cry:

So...... today's menu:

B - breakfast biscuits
L - homemade soup, granary roll, velvet crunch crisps, banana, handful grapes
D - probably a WW meal tonight as I'm working, followed by WW sundae.

3/4 x coffee
1 x latte
2/3 ltr sugar free squash (going to go for 3 today as I'm getting my 2 drunk by about 5.00pm so think I can squeeze in more!)
1 x diet cherry coke

Hope everyone has a good day today

 

[RainbowRose]

You are doing so well, so motivated.

Loving your menu choices. Yummy

You put me to shame, a 5am wake up call to exercise, woohoo you go girl!!!! I am so impressed with your efforts and congratulations on your inch loss and pound loss, 9lbs is fab and ONLY 5 lb off from a whole stone, you are going to do this!

Such an inspirational diary, thank you

 

[MaisieMoodle]

Aww, thanks Rose <sniff> I don't think I've ever been told I'm inspirational before <sniff again> I'm like this now:

I was buzzing after my workout this morning, even got the ironing done before leaving for school, but now I've slumped..... I'm shattered! Going to have my biscuits and a strong coffee in the hope it will perk me up a bit!

Slight change to today's menu. H has offered to cook tonight (hold the front page people) <faints> He's making chicken biryani, which while not a "low fat" dish as such, states 650 cals and 3gr sat. fat per portion - it's made with chicken thighs and I'll remove the skin from mine so hoping that will shave off about 100 cals and most of the fat (I like to try and have dinner within 550-600 cals). Should be okay I think? He doesn't cook very often so this opportunity is not one to be passed up

 

[MaisieMoodle]

I'm starting swimming tomorrow morning with a super skinny friend <gulp> but it's okay at the moment, she's 8 months pg, so for once has a fatter tummy than me

Dug my costume out this afternoon and tried it on to make sure it fit...... well it did, but only just, which was a bit depressing Braved the full length mirror and it was NOT a pretty sight. Horribly wobbly thighs and disgusting flabby belly = not a happy Maisie this afternoon.

Has put me on a bit of a downer to be honest :sigh: I was feeling not too bad lately, I'm definitely feeling and seeing the effects of my exercise and I do look a bit better in my clothes...... but in a swimming costume? No, not pretty at all

 

[RainbowRose]

Hi Maisie

hope you are feeling better today and went swimming with your friend.

Swimming costumes are unforgiving for everyone who wears them, don't worry

I really admire you for putting it on and swimming, woohoo well done!!!! I can't swim and the last time I had a costume on was at school!!!

I beleive it is a great form of exercise though and fun too! One day when I have the confidence I might dip my toes in the local swimming pool

On my diary today, I mention the affect that my weight has (had) on my moods, so you are alone..but remember this, you are sooooo much lighter than me and if I was at your weight now, I'd be parading around the swimming pool no problem

On a serious note, you might remember that is was a full length mirror that exposed all my wobbly bits and size when I was least expecting it, that lead me to where I am today, so take your mirror experience as a positive and next time think, any wobbly bits I have today will soon be away if I keep on swimming!

So smile for me Maisie, you are doing it and I am enjoying following your diary!

 

[MaisieMoodle]

Aww Rose, you're a lovely shiny, twinkling star you are Thank you SO much for your encouraging words, they've really helped

Well, I DID go swimming and after the initial Walk Of Terror into the pool it was fine.... better than fine actually, I really enjoyed it I'm surprisingly fitter than I thought, I managed 20 lengths (not all in one go of course, in fits and starts!). Alas, when we got out skinny (but pregnant, so constantly hungry) friend decided she was treating us to a Starbucks and I was starving so chose (what I thought!) was the lowest thing on the cakes section and had a skinny lemon poppy seed muffin. Was jolly delicious and surprisingly filling....... but have just googled and it's got 390 cals :cry: that's more than I have for my lunch!

Don't know what to do now..... am not hungry at the moment anyway..... but do I have lunch or have that *as* my lunch and snack on fruit for the rest of the day if I get the munchies?

 

[MaisieMoodle]

Meant to say too........

I moved onto Level 2 of the Shred this morning..... OMFG, that woman is a maniac It was horrific, I thought I was going to die or be sick or pass out lol!

Shattered now after the excercising excess so am planning a nice quiet couple of hours now before the school run

 

[RainbowRose]

Thankyou Maisie

So pleased you went swimming AND enjoyed it, I am impressed, you are still inspiring me girl!!!!

Just eat when you feel hungry, don't starve or punish yourself, have a lighter dinner if you want, then a healthy snack later on if you are hungry.

Off for a walk now, yes AGAIN! Not for very long though, but long enough for my old joints and muscles

speak later

 

[MaisieMoodle]

Enjoy your walk You're definitely doing the right thing, going as often as you can...... the more you work those muscles the quicker they will get used to the stress on them and the quicker it will be painless. Plus you'll get fitter and be able to go further = burning more calories. PLUS as your muscles get more efficient they naturally burn more calories to keep themselves in tip-top shape. A win-win situation all around

(can you tell I've been listening to Jillian and her little pep talks during the DVD?!)

 

[monkeypants]

Hi Maisie
Your doing really really well!!!! I'm jealous but inspired. I've just ordered the 30 day shred, even though I've got gym membership I struggle to find the time to get there (plus I hate the fact I'd be the lard arse in the corner slowly working away at the treadmill).

Do you need any weights for the dvd?

M x

 

[MaisieMoodle]

Hi Maisie
Your doing really really well!!!! I'm jealous but inspired. I've just ordered the 30 day shred, even though I've got gym membership I struggle to find the time to get there (plus I hate the fact I'd be the lard arse in the corner slowly working away at the treadmill).

Do you need any weights for the dvd?

M x

I'm jealous of you! I'm desperate to join the gym but really can't afford it at the moment

Yes, you do ideally need weights but I didn't have any for the first few days until I could get to town, so I used tins of beans lol! They were no-where near heavy enough though, I really felt it once I had the proper weights (only 1kg each mind, but I'm quite a weakling!). Oh, and you'll need some sort of mat or thick towel if you're working out on a hard floor

 

[RainbowRose]

Thanks for the advice Maisie. You are right, my legs do not ache quite as much as they did at the weekend, or maybe that is me wishful thinking

You are so good with all your exercising, I haven't reached the 'exercising at home' phase yet, well not until I get on my bike that is!!!!

Meant to ask, how did hubby's meal turn out last night? Wish my husband would 'discover' the kitchen ..and the cooker!

I am going to miss the biggest loser now it has finished, Did you watch the final?

Off for dinner now, that walk has made me hungry

 

[monkeypants]

Just went and brought 2 1kg weights and borrowed a yoga mat from work, got the boyf to download the video, so hopefully going to be cracking on it before it arrives in the post! Am super excited.

Just got to find a measuring tape to measure the blubber!

 

[MaisieMoodle]

Dinner last night was lovely, I was very good and removed the skin from the chicken (my favourite bit too :cry and quickly threw it in the bin before it leapt up and into my mouth <ahem> Oh god, he doesn't cook very often (I wish!), last night was the first time since we moved into this house....... last March At one point he was chopping away and he looked up at me and said (while wiping his brow in a very OTT fashion) "this cooking lark is hard work isn't it?". I gave him one of my special Death Stares so he got his head back down and cracked on.......

I cried at The Biggest Loser final didn't they look amazing? Claire! Qualifying as a fitness instructor what an inspiration she is

Then I cried last night too watching the US Biggest Loser too (I'm a regular Tiny Tears me, cry at the drop of a hat), I do much prefer it to the UK one, it's so much more involved and full of drama.

Woo-hoo for Monkey, you go girl! <waves pompoms> don't forget to let us know how you get on and prepare to HURT tomorrow