Mission to lose 5st (10/70 lbs and counting)

[zeke]

Right - I've been thinking about this some more - what to do...

I think I have gained all the 'water weight' I am going to now. That will come off quickly, once I get going again. Amongst that there is some fat gain too - I would say max 1 lb. I am aiming for a STS (ish) now until I get back with it properly.

I am on holiday! It is Easter weekend! I am going to give myself a proper break - maybe just the weekend, maybe a full week.

If DH agrees, I am going to invite the ILS round for Sunday lunch - that relationship has become strained [DH and I are totally on the same page with this - I will admit that I didn't totally believe his version of things when I first met him but after a decade of witnessing it first-hand I do now! I won't go into details but suffice to say they aren't going to change - we have to change our expectations and accept them for who they are].

I know I've said this before but...the internet thing! DH and DS are on their way back now, so my new rule will commence. No sitting at my desk on the internet until after DS goes to bed in the evening. Seriously. I need to break this habit. It is a serious 'barrier to success' [for my teacher friends ].

 

[Scrumbles]

Hi zeke, how did your Easter weekend go? Hope you've enjoyed/are enjoying your break - are you back on plan now or waiting until the end of the Easter hols?

(I ate for England the last two days, so I'm back on plan before I burst!)

 

[zeke]

Hi zeke, how did your Easter weekend go? Hope you've enjoyed/are enjoying your break - are you back on plan now or waiting until the end of the Easter hols?

(I ate for England the last two days, so I'm back on plan before I burst!)

Hi Scrumbles!

Thanks for checking in with me
The short story is that I am still not back to CC. Wine has definitely re-entered my life :sigh: and the odd mojito! I've had a couple of nice lunches out with DH and DS - today outside as we enjoyed the sunshine. We've planned a BBQ this evening but I think we will have to wrap up warm!

I've enjoyed the break from the angst of getting back on track but having the break from the actual diet... I cannot claim to have enjoyed that. I wish I had never agreed to do that weekend that re-railed me so much! Of course, it was nothing to do with food and calories really - it was all to do with what has brought me to this place to start with. Emotions and negative ones at that! In the long term this 'wobble', I hope, was a good thing as it has forced me to really address 'what is eating me'.

I cannot claim to be really looking forward to the BBQ now! I wish I was having a lovely hairy dieters curry with veg tbh - that is almost certainly a good sign that things will be back on track soon!

Impressed that you are now back on track after just the two days!

 

[blubex]

Hi zeke,

Just catching up on your diary. ...if it's any consolation I'm in for a gain this week too!

I think it's so hard to stick to a plan when you're off work and out of a routine. ...I'm sure you'll be back on it soon x

 

[zeke]

Surprised, relieved and rather happy to discover this morning that my weight has gone down 0.4 lbs this week Makes sense really as I would expect to drop some mid-cycle water weight around now.

Such a boost towards getting back on track though!

Overall I am up 3.6 lbs since two weeks ago, and that could be easily lost in a week.

That is the good news...and now onto, well still good news but 'challenges':

* I finally ordered myself the mixer I have been converting for so long (Kitchenaid) and it is arriving today
* I've got a lot of social events coming up now - going horse racing with friends on Friday and then for a meal, lots of friends suppers, camper trips...

The whole point of CC was so that I would be able to manage all these good things! Also, I think I'm going to have to make the effort to CC recipes. I'm making a lentil Bolognese from the 'deliciously Ella' book today (new book I treated myself to) and it does not have Calorie info.

I've got a fair amount more I want to waffle on about but my back is screaming at me (now Pilates has definitely taken it's toll - thank goodness it starts again on Wednesday!).

 

[zeke]

Thanks Silver

I'm in the middle of cooking the Lentil Bolognese from the Deliciously Ella book (don't have enough of one ingredient!). Just worked out the kcals (700 without the pasta!). ARGH! Then I went on mumsnet to see what they thought about this book/recipe. Apparently it is horrible (it did seem like a lot of tomato...) and the quantities are vast (phew - maybe it serves 6 rather than 4 then). Went on her website to discover that she spells 'lose' as 'loose' or at least someone does and it hasn't been spotted - doesn't really give me a lot of confidence...Well, I've started so I will finish! I don't think this was a great book to buy right now.

Well, at least I am cooking. I want to make a few things today and use that mixer! CC has gone out of the window already. MEH. I am switching to eating healthier, not drinking alcohol then today. Maybe when I am back at work it is a better time to start again and concentrate of cooking now!

 

[zeke]

Here it is - last official day of the hols! Well, I have tomorrow off (normal once a fortnight)...

I am going to make Saturday my 'official post in my diary' day as well as official WI day.

It is time to go very low contact with the internet again (I've done this before with good results - just not recently!)...these half-hearted attempts are getting me no where!

Hopefully, I can report good things on Sat!

 

[zeke]

I realised today that I haven't WI for a week!

My day off, on Monday, proved to be stressful and potentially heart-breaking - thought we were going to lose our older dog. Mercifully, the they were able to treat him non-aggressively and that did the trick. He has a few things wrong with him and he is almost 12 so the time won't be too far away...but right now we have our happy, full of life dog back

I was at the races with a group of friends last night - which was great. Probably not a great day for a weekly WI straight afterwards as we had wine and a meal out but hey-ho! I did well with the betting and made nearly £93 profit - with the meal out etc I still came home with £30+ more than what I went with! Spent £375 at the vets this week so can't say overall it was a great week financially but it was a nice way to end the week!

Anyway, I am up 1 lb from last Saturday. Obviously still not back on the wagon!

The kettlebells course I am starting in a couple of week includes measurements at the start and end and nutritional advice. It is for 6 weeks and the people in your group become quite close apparently...real team spirit. So I am full of hope that this will get me on the right track again.

I have no intention of starting CC again today but I am motivated to watch what I eat so that will have to do for now.

 

[Be11e1280]

Hi zeke, just been reading your diary and wanted to say hi. I've just set one of my own up for the first time ever, and my aim is to be totally honest about the good stuff and the bad, just like you have been in yours. You're doing so well overall and I bet when it all falls into place again you'll be able to get your next in no time. Well done on leaving the races in profit - I'm happy if I manage to break even

 

[lass321]

Hey Zeke - I hope everything is well now that you are back at work. I went back to work today, I find it a lot easier to manage food etc while working and away from food - it helps that I don't have anyone to cook for at the moment. Hope to hear about a loss from you soon . ( I laughed at the lose/loose thing - I bet it made your toes curl). I nearly typed you're instead of your to wind you up, then thought better of it .

 

[zeke]

Hi zeke, just been reading your diary and wanted to say hi. I've just set one of my own up for the first time ever, and my aim is to be totally honest about the good stuff and the bad, just like you have been in yours. You're doing so well overall and I bet when it all falls into place again you'll be able to get your next in no time. Well done on leaving the races in profit - I'm happy if I manage to break even

Thanks Belle

Hey Zeke - I hope everything is well now that you are back at work. I went back to work today, I find it a lot easier to manage food etc while working and away from food - it helps that I don't have anyone to cook for at the moment. Hope to hear about a loss from you soon . ( I laughed at the lose/loose thing - I bet it made your toes curl). I nearly typed you're instead of your to wind you up, then thought better of it .

Hehe! I ended up contacting Ella on FB to tell her...she replied and was very sweet about it. Well someone did. Just checked and they have changed it - and spruced up the whole website quite a lot. So that is at least one less soul going round doing that

Weekly WI only again this week and I am down 0.4 lbs. I am fairly pleased that since the big gain in the first week 'off plan' I have basically STS. A little surprised too if I am honest.

Just because my weight has STS these last three weeks doesn't mean that other things have though. The wine has crept back in, I'm not sleeping as well, my back is worse (big break in Pilates and I failed to do any at home)...I'm tired!

It is now just over a month before we go to NY...it would be very doable to get below 190 lbs by then and definitely to feel a lot better. Anyway, the short story is that I feel ready to start making an effort again because I'm really not enjoying what I am doing at the moment much at all! So, I am CC today...no calorie goal, just count, as accurately as I can

 

[lass321]

It is very heartening to know that you can post a loss or sts when 'off plan', that means once you have lost what you want to it should be possible to maintain - I call that a result . Have a good day.

 

[zeke]

Think I am going to post more in this diary now - and ditch the Saturday only rule.

Well, I am CC It has turned into a 'non' day...which basically means I have done next to nothing productive other than the basics. Back has been quite bad today so spent a fair amount of time lying down. I walked to the cricket club and back yesterday, which isn't that far (max 1 mile there and the same back) and I can definitely feel it in my foot. So a bit depressing with the ailments...I am living the 'use it or you lose it' motto! Got to break out of this depressing cycle...somehow!

Possible action:

* Kettlebell course starts a week on Tuesday (because of the bank holiday) and then it will be every Mon and Thu for the next six weeks - pinning a lot of hope on to this!
* Pilates every Wednesday - I skipped this week due to excessive tiredness, which I believe was caused by drinking too much the night before. I regret doing this now and vow not to do that again!
* Another booze ban - so tempting to have a glass of wine in a couple of hours, as relief from an otherwise unfulfilling day. I need to take action here though and break this!
* Paying a subscription to Pilates anytime but not using it. Need to sort out a way of using it on the downstairs TVs this weekend as it is hard to watch it from the floor when it is on a desk (my office computer)!
* Have a personal training session once a week with one of two trainers that I know socially (and both are absolutely lovely) - partly for nutrition advice and accountability, especially to start with
* Ban the ipad in bed
* Have a set time to get up in the morning, get up earlier and go for a short walk (help back)

Having wrote that out, I took a break and contacted the PT on facebook - if we can sort out a time then I am definitely going to do that. I think it will be money well spent (I'll stop paying a cleaning agency to do my cleaning to a mediocre standard, do it myself and redirect the money at this!).

 

[zeke]

I managed a full day of CC

DH and I had wine :sigh:. A lot of wine...mercifully he decided he wasn't hungry so we didn't cook the steak (I definitely wasn't hungry). So, yeah, wine for dinner. I was within my maintenance calories and weight has gone down a pound this am. Had the worst breakfast ever this morning - white bread and jam!

Anyway, I didn't say I was going to tackle every single point of action in one go! I have now arranged a PT session for tomorrow I am rather excited! I'll see how it turns out...It cost £25 for one session (45 mins) or £200 for 10 sessions. If I do this long-term then I think £20/wk will be worth paying if it gets me fully achieving my goals and habit changes. I'm clearly not managing it myself!

Read an article on AP McCoy this morning. It reminded me to keep things simple with the food - apparently he usually had either grill fish or chicken with sweet potato for dinner. I don't need to make a 'recipe' all the time!

 

[zeke]

Still have high hopes for the effect my PT session @ 2pm today will have!

I lost track of the calories yesterday...I feel a bit embarrassed about this and the fact that I have now been off track for an entire month. I guess the alternative is to disappear off...and then start a new diary at some point. I don't want to do that this time though - this is part of the journey and I love the cc section. I want to stay here...to goal and beyond.

DH, bless him, is currently travelling about 4 hrs away from our home, by train, to pick up a new (to us) motorhome...then he will have to drive it 4 hrs home again. High hopes that this will prove everything we want too. Kitchen layout is better - people can get in and out of the van without disturbing the cook for a start! New van fresh start with the diet whilst away too!

Anyway, I have filled in MFP this morning and I'm looking forward to making the suggested tweaks to my diet that will help me stay on track.

Day off today (but, as ever, I plan to pop into work for a bit!) and I want to get quite a lot of jobs ticked off before DH gets home with the new van so I had better get a move on!

 

[Scrumbles]

Good to see you're still checking in, zeke, and well done on the virtual STS even when you haven't been keeping track - that's encouraging in its way!

I'm struggling a lot at the moment too, but I figure that if I keep coming here and owning up to it that's got to be better than doing a disappearing act and effectively hiding my head in the sand - I spent 10 months in denial and gained nearly 2 stone back, so I know where it leads! (for me, anyway)

I reckon we just need to push through for a bit, string some good days together, then things will click back into place.

Repeat after me: I CAN DO THIS!

 

[Be11e1280]

Oooh, I love kettlebells! I did a few classes at the start of the year and enjoyed it so much that I bought myself a couple to use at home. I try and do a workout from YouTube a couple of times a week now - I think they're great for toning up - I especially notice a difference round my middle and I think that's because you have to use your core in all the exercises to keep your balance. I also like the fact you can do a full body workout in way less time than with normal weights. Hope you enjoy the classes - keep us updated!

 

[Bella-slimmer]

Hi Zeke,

Just checking in and reading through- how has today been? You've done well to stay the same and lose small amounts recently- if your less-than-great weeks are maintenance weeks then that's a really good thing!

Jealous of your N.Y. trip

 

[zeke]

How lovely to come back to these messages! I must have turned off my instant email notifications when I was trying to stay off my diary mid-week! Thank you for your encouragement

PT session was good on Monday - I definitely felt it until Thursday! Went to Pilates on Wednesday, which was also good. Kettlebelles is starting on Tuesday (because of the bank holiday) and then it will be every Mon evening and Saturday morning. Don't think we will actually be doing any exercise on Tuesday as it is photos/measurements/nutritional advice at the start - good job as next PT session is on Wednesday morning.

It is very busy at work (teacher with 100% exam classes!) at the moment, which is my excuse for doing nothing about the diet this week! Going away in the new motorhome (love it!) for a couple of nights in a couple of hours...the plan is to properly start on Tuesday. I have to keep a food diary for my kettlebelles/PT sessions so that will start then anyway.

I am up 1.2 lbs this week, but I think that is a normal fluctuation - so no gnashing of teeth about it!

Back is screaming at me to stand up now! I'll report back after Tuesday first KB session with the nutritional advice I am to follow...

 

[zeke]

Kettlebells course starts @ 8 pm - won't be exercise tonight, I don't think, all measurements and photos (I've already had mine done in PT session) and nutritional advice/bonding with the 'team'!

I'm quite looking forward to it! The nutritional monitoring starts tomorrow though for sure. I've got a PT session in the morning so it is all starting now...

Hopefully I will make it back on here afterwards to consolidate the plan in my mind.