In the medicine cabinet

Now that I have seriously decided to tackle my first Half Marathon this summer (A very hilly and testing one I hasten to add!) I have now just completed purchasing my new Half Marathon medicine supplies.
They are as follows:

In this first picture we have my usual Centrum Performance Multivitamins (that I take every day anyway).
Naprosyn (Anti-Inflamms for my Osteoarthritis) which are taken rarely but when needed.
Lansoprazole (sp?) which accompanies the above medication and helps prevent the anti-inflamms from giving you stomach ulcers!
Echinacea - taken only when needed if I feel I am coming down with something.
Iron supplement - taken when having Aunt Flo visit!
Vitamin D Ultra supplement - to ward off my Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Jointace Collagen with Glucosamine & Chondroitin - this was a new purchase today, to help my knee with the increase of training required now.
Zapain (my usual pain relief - taken only when required and I'm unable to sleep through pain!).
Berocca - another new purchase today for me - I have an energy drink addiction and I'm hoping this stuff will help wean me off it. I get awful sluggish some days and need a boost!
Deep Heat and Deep Freeze gels - to help post workout aches and pains.
Imodium instants - for IBS and best friend for runners!

Vicks First Defence nasal spray - this stuff works a treat with me - taken as soon as you feel a cold brewing!
Difflam Spray - for keeping my frequent Tonsillitis at bay.  Also have anti-biotics for that too.
My asthma inhalers and the spacer device for them.

I also suffer from Eczema - for which I need steroid cream and have found Simple Derma hand cream to be the best stuff for keeping skin moist without feeling greasy.

I forgot to take a picture of my re-usable ice bag that I put on my knee - so here's a library pic:

and also I use Tubi grips support bandages as compression socks post run:

It may seem like I need a lot of medication and therefore maybe I should question whether I should be running in the first place.  But..... the medication for my knee I hardly use at the moment, in fact, I need to get some new on prescription as it's close to it's Use By date!  My asthma inhalers I use a lot less now as since running, I've noticed an improvement in asthma.  Eczema - well, it's just something I was born with and these days I no longer need to have a whole body full of cream applied every day post bath and it only reappears during stress and cold weather.  Talking of cold weather - did I mention I was allergic to it - seriously - I have Cold Urticaria! lol
But do you see any of these things stopping me running? No, of course not! 

The one about ..... KNEES!

Go read this link here  it explains the SCIENTIFIC findings about knees and running



Never once in my life have I had reason to believe that running is bad for your knees.  Even when I ran at county level at school and spent most of my time running up hill, down dale and on tarmac roads did I ever think it was bad for my knees.

This is a topic I can get quite annoyed over because most of the people spouting that running is bad for your knees are people who are not runners and to be honest, being overweight is going to screw your knees up more so than running, so okay, if you want to bad mouth running and not do it because it risks messing up your knees but then why don't folks give up eating so bad and thus putting on the weight - which screws up your knees?

Anyways, I am living proof that running has actually helped my knees.

After I left school I stopped running, I got married, had a baby, put on an enormous amount of weight due to depression and other health issues and my knees started slowly falling apart then wham! One day my right knee let out a loud snapping noise and the pain that followed was quite akin to childbirth!

Initially the doctors told me it was just soft tissue damage and at the time I was just starting my weight loss plan and thinking of taking up running again.  Well, the doctors told me I'd be okay to run on my bad knee - you know, it's just soft tissue damage.  I couldn't even walk let alone run, so obviously I didn't proceed with my running plan. I suffered for 18 months before I was sent for an X-Ray and MRI scan.  I saw 2 doctors in 2 different hospitals - because they couldn't believe what they were seeing!

The first doctor had to check the X-Ray belonged to me because he said it showed the knee of someone in their 70's or 80's.  It was bone on bone Osteoarthritis.  Cartilage gone from between the bone space and rough bone on the back of my knee cap.  The doctor told me they wouldn't operate because I was 'too young' to suffer from Osteoarthritis.  He was however nice enough to inform me in a rather rude and blunt manner that I was also too fat to be considered for surgery anyway and that my weight has caused all this damage to my knee.

At which point I burst into tears and went home to cry for hours because I wanted to do the right thing and lose weight and get fit but here was a doctor telling me that I'd be in a wheelchair within 12 months and there's nothing they'd do about it.

So, I went to see a specialist surgeon at an orthopaedic centre.  He got the MRI organised and said yes, I have advanced Osteoarthritis but I had also damaged every ligament in my knee too.

He explained doctors don't normally operate on someone so young (in their 30's) because the knee replacements only last 5 years and you can only do about 2 or 3 replacements.  I told him I would even consider having my lower leg amputated at the knee as I couldn't cope with the pain I was in and the prospect of being stuck in a wheelchair.  I could carry on and learn to run with a prosthetic leg or a blade - I had heard of people doing this, so why couldn't i?  The doctor went on to explain that he would operate and do a knee replacement as he was working on a project studying osteoarthritis in young people.  I had an appointment set when I would see him again to decide once and for all if I was going to go through with it.  I gave myself 6 months to think about it.  I have a major phobia about general anaesthetics too - so it wasn't a decision I was going to take lightly!

Upon doctors permission, I began a C25K plan.  I brought various knee braces and straps and would try them to find out which was most comfortable.

I was prescribed some pretty heavy duty anti-inflammatory and pain killers and so it began - a kind of make or break moment in my life.  I figured if the running didn't work then I had nothing to lose, it would confirm that I needed the operation. 

I researched things on the Internet and found articles saying that cartilage cannot regrow and osteoarthritis is non-reversible.  I really had nothing to lose then did i?

When I started C25K not only did I find it hard from a fitness point of view but my asthma interfered and my knee was suffering badly.  In all honesty, it hurts like hell!  It swelled and I found I needed my medications every day, along with raising my leg and icing. 

I persisted though and when the 6 months were up my decision was made!

No, I would not go for the operation!

You see, after 6 months running, not only could I run for 5k - albeit slowly but the pain was reducing in my knee. Now, I'm not saying I was pain free.  I still needed my meds and I carried on taking them every day for at least a whole year and every time I ran I wore a knee strap and iced my knee afterwards.  I took Glucosamine & Chondroitin supplements and I followed a healthy eating plan.  I did leg exercises to try and strengthen the muscles around my knee.

The doctor said I was always welcome to see him and discuss an operation if things didn't work out. So onward I pushed.

I didn't need to take my knee medications a couple of years later and only used them if my knee flared up after a particularly hard workout.  I continued to ice after hard workouts too but on the whole, I didn't need to.

Then during the latter part of 2011 I ran for the first time without my knee strap!  My knee cap although still slightly unstable, is much better than it was previously and the tracking of it has improved due to me working on strengthening my knee at the gym and the running of course.

I have limited ability to squat down with the knee in a closer angle - it simply won't bend that much and I am aware when I run of being careful downhills and with the camber of roads.  I just am aware of good knee health - which everyone should practise - whether you are a runner who has knee issues prior to running or if you are a 100% healthy specimen of a person.

I still have my knee medication on standby and various Deep Freeze and Deep Heat ointments and sprays but these are things I only use as and when needed, for example, after a hard workout. 

This is also a big consideration as this year I am training for my first Half Marathon, so it's going to entail training and more mileage that I am not used to, so I expect there might be the occasional whinge from my knee but it's going to get stronger from the workouts I do.

I am thinking of asking to have an X-Ray this year once I reach goal weight so that my previous X-Ray can be compared and we can see how my knee looks now.

My knee has slight calcification type growths that can be felt by touching my knee and It has a strange little point on my knee cap and apart from not being able to close the angle greatly to a tight squat, my knee is pretty darn good.  It's better than the wheelchair I was facing!

So, I'm sorry but to all those who think running screws up your knees - I seriously beg to differ! As will my fiance who has been a Marathon runner for over 25 years.

I hasten to add though - that ALL cases of Osteoarthritis do not mean that it IS possible to reverse the effects and achieve what I've achieved. This is my own personal experience and was my own choice to run.  Maybe I am an alien or have a strange gifted body that has enabled me to recover like this.

I strongly advise anyone with Osteoarthritis to seek medical advice before taking up sports and I hasten to add, I made my decision to do so because I was at the end of the road and there were talks of wheelchairs and I was considering having my leg amputated.

I do however think there are other articles out there in support of exercise for people with Osteoarthritis and I strongly advise you to also go seek them out and to make up your own mind.

Just because I recovered to the degree I have, does not mean you might be able to, so please do not go out there and sudden;y start running, thinking I told you it'd help.  I do not accept any liability of such claims.

This is my personal story on my road to recovery.

Now - go read the link posted below the picture above that tells you all about the scientific findings!

Week 66 Round up

Weight loss: 0 LBS!!!!!

What a week!
I have been unable to exercise at all!  I had my Mirena removed and the less than sympathetic nurse didn't think about it being snagged up somewhere in my womb and as she rather brutally yanked it out on the count of 3, it hurt like hell!  I've had these things taken out before and they were never this painful.  I also never had so much bleeding and pain that followed in the week after removal. 
I couldn't walk anywhere, let alone consider doing any exercise.
The week's weight loss started well and by Thursday I had been at a 2lb loss for the week (hitting my 100 lb total loss mark) for 3 days!  Then Friday and the weekend happened and my frustration about not being able to exercise hit me. 
Too much wine and chocolate later ........ I had put back on those 2 lbs and today's weigh in showed a maintain from last week's weigh in.  Which, considering everything, I guess isn't too bad.
The thing is, I'm not sure when I can get back to regular training.
I am due to go to the clinic on Thursday to have a new Mirena fitted, so that'll mean at least another week after that of not being able to work out (I will seek advice from the doctor as to how soon I can run again).  So, that leaves me with a small window of 3 days to fit in as much running as I can.  I'm not even sure if I am okay to run.  I will go out after I've written this for a slow and very steady 5K circuit.  Also, we've had heavy snow this weekend, which is still laying on the roads, so I'm not sure how icy and slippy my route is going to be.  I will take it cautiously and if the route looks too bad I will just have to come back home.
But I'm going to go mad if I don't get out there and at least try to run!

My weight loss has seriously slowed since October and I haven't been able to hit the 2lb loss every week that I'm aiming for.  I really need to workout more, maybe that will help.  Once this current Mirena thing is sorted out then I plan on seriously upping my running.  I have a half marathon to aim for in July and various 10k & 5K's before then.

My ultimate aim is to run or workout twice a day.  I haven't formulated the plans yet but I'm thinking this is the kind of intense thing I need to do.  Not just to lose the weight but to get myself up to a serious competition level and to keep my mind sane.  Running is not just a means to get fit and help with weight loss, it's my hobby, my life, the air that I breathe and most of all ..... my sanity!
I need to figure out different meal times for the day too - so I can fit in the second run without going out on a full stomach!
I can't wait for summer to come so I can run up in the woods again.
I have big running plans for this year and I am itching to get them underway.  I feel incredibly frustrated at the delay in my plans due to my Mirena Coil.
Now that I've finally worked out my Glucose issues, I can't wait to get out there and see what i can do with proper glucose levels.
I have for some time been considering changing my blog to a different host.  I was thinking about Wordpress but I like the simplicity and easy to use style of Blogger but I feel I just want more.
I have toyed with the idea of paying a small monthly fee for my own blog site.  I'm not sure yet what I will do.  At the moment I am playing around with Wordpress.  I just feel that my blog is kind of lost here on Blogger.  I'd like it to 'get out there' more and have more readers.  I advertise my blog as much as I can on all the places I go - like WW forums, You Tube, etc etc. 
Anyway, I best go put my running shoes on and see what the roads are like!
Catch you again soon! xox

Women's issue with weight loss

Okay, this post might not be everyone's cup of tea and perhaps the men folk should look away now!
Basically, I'm going to talk about my own personal experiences with the Mirena coil and weight loss.
I had my first Mirena coil inserted about 15/16 years ago after the birth of my son and due to complications during pregnancy and labour it was said that I should avoid pregnancy again, plus the damage to my womb meant a foetus would not be able to survive.
After all my immediate issues were sorted out I was given the Mirena.
My coil lasted the 5 years it should with no problems what-so-ever!
My second coil lasted 5 years too but the last coil I had since then has been replaced/removed twice because of it becoming displaced.
Now, I know there are a lot of folk who do not approve of the mirena but each to their own and if that's your opinion, then that's fine and bear in mind some things suit some people and some things don't.
I believe the displaced coils could possibly be due to my weight loss (also the last possibly due to using the Vibro machine at the gym and realising you're not supposed to use it if you have a coil fitted!).

But anyway, I am pretty sure that losing 7 stone (100lbs) does affect your internal shape, you only have to look at this picture above to see how the fat inside your body gathers around your internal organs and can squash things around in there.  So... maybe, just maybe, it is possible that losing lots of weight since I had this particular coil fitted has affected it's position.
Also, I am unfortunate enough to be blessed with a retroverted uterus - something else which can could affect it I guess.
But anyways, 2 days ago I had a scan to confirm my coil had moved and whilst they were checking that, they also discovered some tiny cysts on my right ovary (something I have been aware of for a very long time and they haven't grown in size and are actually quite common), but they also found a rather nasty looking fibroid on the left ovary and I have to go back and see my doctor about this next week.  Funnily enough, I've read that the Mirena coil is used as a treatment with Fibroids, so it's just another reason to carry on with it for me.
Plus, I have to say, I didn't find I gained weight with the Mirena - I was fat when I was initially fitted with one - the pregnancy made me put on weight and the depression that followed that, and the ill health that meant I couldn't exercise for 26 weeks or so!
In fact, I've lost all my 7 stone (100lbs) since I've had the Mirena fitted.  Maybe it makes the weight harder to shift, but even so, losing weight is never an easy process for anyone at the best of times.
Before I had the Mirena I had the worst periods ever.  Heavy bleeding, frequent periods and so much pain that i'd be crippled up on the floor.  I'd certainly never be able to exercise or run.  I even became anaemic.
So, I kinda like not having periods now.  Mine have all but stopped. Occasionally I might get the odd day of 'spotting' but that's it.  It doesn't interfere with my exercise or my running.
I appreciate some folks have had bad experiences with them but there are others who have had positive reviews.  I'm just one of the lucky ones.
But anyways, this blog isn't about telling anyone if they should or shouldn't get one, it is about how weight loss can possibly affect things we don't necessarily think of.

As I stand at the moment, I am coil-less.  I had it removed yesterday and am experiencing the minor cramping discomfort that you get but I know it'll soon pass, it's nothing major and tomorrow I am popping off to the clinic to see if I can get a new one - my doctor doesn't have any empty vacancies to do it herself!

Having one inserted is a little more uncomfortable that having one out, it's just stomach cramps and to be honest - they're nothing worse than the ones I had when I used to have regular periods.  It's just your cervix contracting back into shape after being dilated.
It soon passes after a couple of days and most people take some kind of pain relief but I've not tended to as I am used to feeling a bit of pain - you know you're alive that way! haha
It will however mean I won't be able to run or exercise for about a week as I want to let things settle down and the post insertion bleeding stop (which I hasten to add isn't heavy bleeding!).

I just have to find myself something productive to do whilst not exercising AND keep food off my mind as I won't have any extra Activity Points to use on eating! Yikes!  How will I cope?! haha.  I'm sure I'll be fine.
Well, next week I guess I'll find out more about the Fibroid issue and hope it doesn't require surgery - I have a major phobia about general anaesthetics and If I'm going through all of that - I wonder if they can do a tummy tuck whilst they're down there?! lol

Finally a break through!

I have so much to report here, so bear with me...
Firstly, my weigh in this week showed a 2 lb loss! YAY!  This is amazing because I have been stuck in plateau for months now and even though I was sticking to my Points I still wasn't shifting any weight.  This week I still stuck to my weight but I lost weight!  Something feels different inside now, I feel this is it - that the weight is going to carry on melting away now.  It's kinda like trying to break through a wall and this time I feel my body has finally given in and more weight loss will start to follow every week now!

I'm still eating healthy and I'm still on Weight Watchers ProPoints.  I decided to try and 'Filling & Healthy' day on Saturdays which was chosen for a reason.  I usually find it easy to stick to my healthy eating plan for the first half of the week, it started getting tricky around Thursday though.  But now I can get through Thursdays and even Friday - except Friday evening's I probably over indulge in a little too much wine. Then Saturday I'm always feeling seriously hungry and I had been chomping on too many Points then Sunday (day before weigh in) felt like all hope was gone, so I just blurred through Sunday!  But with Filling and Healthy on a Saturday then I can easily move on from any wine indulgence on Friday (I run on Saturdays at the moment now too!, so Saturday I do my long run then I can fill up (until satisfied only) during Saturday, leaving me less hungry for Sunday and easier to stick to plan.
The first week I was nervous and unsure if I could trust myself to recognise when I was satisfied and I guess I got it wrong last week when I had a 1.6lb gain (but I think a lot of that was bloating due to having too much bread that weekend and me being Gluten sensitive), but this week I listened harder to my body and ate smaller portions.  Even though I still felt really guilty eating it and as I was putting it in my mouth I couldn't help but wonder if I was putting on weight with every mouthful!
It's not that it's a bad plan but to get to where I am - a 7 stone weight loss, it has taken serious self control and to let myself go a bit like this, it felt like driving without a seat belt.  I mean, we all wear seat belts when driving and if you were to ever drive without your safety belt, you'd feel pretty insecure and unsafe wouldn't you?  Well, that was what Filling and Healthy was like for me.
But I think I've learnt how to work it now and I NEED to eat all of my weekly points too - but being careful about what I actually use them on!
So, I am going to continue with Filling & Healthy for now.
So that's the food part taken care of.....

Now for my running....
Okay, when I first started running, doing C25K whilst weighing somewhere around 230 lb I felt it was hard, but then I knew it would be and I always consoled myself with the knowledge that running gets easier the fitter you get and the more weight you lose.
So, I was feeling frustrated that weighing in at 178 lbs and having been a 'runner' for 2 years, that running still felt hard. Oh sure, I'd had the occasional run that felt easier and I felt best when running in the woods/hills.  But trying to break 5K in under 30 minutes was becoming a major issue as every time I ran it when trying to push for that sub 30, I physically couldn't hit my target time.  I felt I was pushing myself to 100% and I couldn't physically give any more.  My legs felt heavy, I felt cumbersome and I struggled with energy and stamina.  I've been working my butt off in the gym, I have leg muscles - I know because I can see them!  So, surely, with losing weight, gaining muscle, running for 2 years - I should be able to crack sub 30 5K's.  I know of people who weigh more than I do who can achieve it.  I pondered all sorts of things, maybe I wasn't a natural runner - but I knew this isn't true as I ran at County level when at school.  Maybe my osteoarthritis was holding me back - erm, no, it's getting better the fitter I get and having stronger muscles in my legs has really helped, so what was it?
Well, maybe it took my dad's recent Diabetes to finally find out why!
After a 5K race last summer I ended feeling very unwell, nauseated, breaking out in a cold sweat, shaky hands, pulse elevated, feeling faint.  I had a strange metal/blood taste in my mouth too.  One of the medics mentioned that it seemed like hypoglycemia.  I had a diabetes blood test which came back okay.
So, after suddenly swotting up on Hypoglycemia and Diabetes because of my dad's recent diagnosis I was pretty sure I do suffer from exercise induced hypoglycemia.
So... as an experiment I decided to take some glucose tablets with me out on my run on Saturday.
I took these.....

I had read on line that someone suggested taking one at the start of exercise then one every 15 minutes.
I also swapped my usual Powerade Zero

for standard Powerade

Someone previously mentioned to me that it's a waste to bother taking the Zero/Lite versions of sports drinks out on a run as it's basically just flavoured water and I won't be getting the things I need from such drinks.
Okay, so, armed with a regular Powerade and 4 Dextro tablets I set off on a route that was full of hills and nearly 4 miles long.  I know that 4 miles is hardly long distance but it's the farthest I've run since last summer!  And, if I'm hypoglycemic then the distance isn't an issue - it'll come on (as it usually does) even during a 5K run!).
I took my first Dextro at the start and hit the road, took my second Dextro just as I hit a major long drawn out climb of a hill and for the first time EVER - I ran the whole damn way!  I ran the hardest part of the route and I didn't feel bad!  Going downhill again my legs soon recovered and didn't feel tired like they usually do.  15 minutes later I popped another Dextro in my mouth as I started the final big long climb - again, I have had to walk near the top in the past but this time I ran it all!  I opened up on the final 500 metres and felt great doing about an 8.50 minute mile.
I finished feeling perfectly fine, no stomach problems like I've had in the past and after 5 minutes I felt I could go run the 5K route on top of what I'd just done!
I was even 'higher' and happier than normal after a run! haha
I admit that in the afternoon I felt a bit sicky - like I'd eaten too many sweets and my heart was racing a little.  So.... I am just going to tweak how often I have the Dextro.  I guess you don't know until you try and it is all trial and error.
It was so nice to finish feeling like I could do it all again - 5 minutes later AND the day after AND not have that horrible taste in my mouth.
I guess this is how everyone else feels after a run?
Well, my plan now is to start increasing mileage but I'm going to forget about chasing the sub 30 5K for a couple of months.  I need to figure out this hypoglycemic thing and exactly what I need to do to get my levels stable during a run.
Of course, I'm going to discuss this with the doctor when I see him next and see what his advice is for hypoglycemic runners is but I suspect it will be to do what I'm already doing.
I'm going to try experimenting with...

Shot blocks, I think they're higher in carbs than Dextro but I need to try these things out just to figure out what it is my body has an issue with/is lacking.
I brought some Shot Blocks a while ago but never got round to using them - thinking 5K that I was running at the time was too short a distance to require things like this - but maybe it's not if your body has a genuine need and some kind of issue.
Right, I'm gonna bounce off now to nibble on an apple.
Fingers crossed I've finally found out why my times weren't improving and why running ALWAYS seemed a flat out effort - hey - maybe my heart rate won't need to go up so high too!

Keep Calm & Carry On!

Last Saturday I tried having a 'Healthy & Filling' day.  I knew Saturday's are a bad day for me so went with this latest idea from Weight Watchers and was mindful of portion sizes AND stopping eating when I felt full.
I actually struggled to eat my planned meals and certainly didn't require any snacking!  I thought it had gone well and was looking forward to checking my weight the next morning.
However, the scales were not being nice to me - it showed a 2 lb gain in one day! OMG!
Well, this could be several things; maybe I could have been more strict with what I ate - but I WAS following the plan as intended but I also felt very bloated and gaseous (haha), so maybe what I ate shocked my system or perhaps it was more carb-like food which due to my gluten intolerance issues also means I get a bit bloaty.  Anyways, by the time Monday came round (Weigh In) day, I had lost some of that but even so, I still had a 1 lb gain from the previous Monday's Weigh In.

I won't let it go to my head or start moaning that H&F doesn't work.  I will try again this Saturday and see what happens.
As we all know, sometimes there doesn't seem to be much sense to this weight loss lark, take this week so far as an example; firstly, on Weigh In day I feel like a hippo and weigh in like a hippo up a 1lb at 12 stone 11.8 lb (179.8 lb) and following a recent discovery that an online weight loss buddy found - in regards to drinking water - I decided to drink more water during Monday and Holy Hell, Tuesday's scale check showed a 3.6 lb loss!  Damn - if only Tuesday had been my official Weigh In day eh?!
Well, yesterday (Tuesday), I was really busy and had a dental appointment to sort out my crown and a doctors appointment in the afternoon and perhaps I didn't drink enough - the scales this morning (Wednesday) showed a 1.4 lb gain!  It was eve more annoying because yesterday I stuck bang on to my 27 Daily Points Allowance and I even earned 2 Activity Points which I didn't use.  Maybe it was just 'one of those things'.  But hey ho, either way, it won't stop me in my tracks, it only makes me more determined to kick some ass!

Tracking like a demon & analysing things!

 

Well, I am Tracking like a woman possessed!  Everything going in my mouth (even if it's zero points, goes down in my journal!

Today I hit the gym, did hill run on the treadmill, along with some power walking, lots of stretches for my ITB, Adductor and Abductor weight machine, barbell work, Assisted dip machine for dips and pull ups, weight row machine, leg press machine and Russian twists with a weighted medicine ball.

All in all a great workout, however, I did notice that my heart rate was a bit slow to return to normal during cool down and then afterwards I discovered I have a woman's problem!  Without going into too much detail and scaring all the men who read my blog, my monthlies have been irregular over the past month and I've had 'spotting' following exercise.

I have been under quite a lot of stress recently and yesterday was quite a bad day on that front.

But I felt fine working out, I worked hard but it was a great workout.  I didn't feel I'd pushed myself too hard or harder than I have in the past.

Anyways, I'm going to make a doctors appointment to get it checked out tomorrow. 

I am kinda worried about it - I tend to think the worst but maybe it's something of nothing.  I will try NOT to worry excessively!

But back to the gym; I need to tone my belly up.  I think I have some degree of excess skin there but I think there is also still a roll of fat, so I'm going to focus on doing more about that and today I did Russian Twists with a medicine ball:

No, it isn't me in the picture! haha. If only!

Once I get this 'woman's issue' sorted I shall attempt to do some kind of stomach exercise everyday and also might try doing press ups every day too.  I have to be careful with stomach exercises because of my lower back problems but the above Russian twist (with feet on the floor) seemed okay and i didn't have any pain doing it at all. In fact, I could have done more than the 50 I did - could have doubled it but thought it best to start off gradually. ha ha

I saw lots of new gym members today, I hope they weren't worrying about the regulars staring at them.  I can now say that as a regular gym-goer, I hardly really notice what the new people are doing - I'm way too wrapped up in sweating my own a$$ off!

It's kind of sad when I see new members at the start of the new year because I fear they are just going through the excitement of New Year resolutions and I wonder how many will still be regular members in a couple of months time.  Don't get me wrong - it's excellent that people are making a change, doing something positive about their health and fitness, but there was nothing stopping them from making these changes during the other stages of the year.  But anyway, it's nice to see new faces and I will try to make an effort of remembering to watch out for who keeps up their New Year resolutions and I will look forward to seeing the change in their bodies over time from being a gym member!

I have to say, that I believe my body has changed the most since I joined the gym, it was one of the best things I ever did - oh, that and joining Weight Watchers of course! ha ha

But for the physical changes, the gym tops everything - even the running.  The running is good and helps burn calories, de-stresses the mind and tones the legs but I needed to shift the wobbly bits around my torso, chest, arms etc as well as sort out muscular imbalances in my legs - which were even more apparent when running and were causing me pain and issues when I did run.

Anyways, post gym lunch looked like this:

I had a healthy low fat Subway Club, on a 6" Wheat bread, packed with lettuce, cucumber, red onion, gherkins, olives and green pepper! It comes in at 8 WW ProPoints, so it's not too bad point wise, plus I've earned points exercising and I need to keep eating my Activity Points to be able to fuel my body.
I also had a diet coke with it - but no macadamia white choc chip cookie to make it a meal as that's 6 Points and I consider too high for a cookie and If I haven't earned it, I'm not going to eat it!
After dinner later I shall be going for a 2 mile walk to add to my points to make sure I stay within my range.
I have analysed how I use my points and can see where my weakness lies.  I find that the first half of the week goes great, I stick to points and lose weight on a daily basis, however, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday is where my downfall lies....  I go over my points.  I feel more worn out and tired and thus peckish during the latter part of the week.  I am an emotional comfort eater by nature and when I get stressed I get tired and the tiredness then tells my brain I'm hungry - but I'm not, it's just tiredness and stress.
So.....now I know where the problem lies, I am going to fix it!
It isn't a simple case of eating within points during the latter part of the week, it's not that easy.  Yes, it's straight forward but not easy and there's stress hormones rushing around my body at the time.
So.... my plan of action is to rack up Activity Points during the first half of the week and still earn some every day for the latter part.  I shall work on extending my 'good days' a day at a time!  If I jump into this then I might become disheartened and think it's too hard and then all that negative thought stuff kicks in and guess what I do when I get negative?!
Right, so I am extending my 'Good days' to cover Thursday for the next 2 weeks, it doesn't mean that Friday, Saturday and Sunday I'm going to stuff my face or lapse but ti means I'm extending my concentrated effort to Thursdays too.  Then 2 weeks after that, I will extend to Fridays.  etc etc.  My aim is to eat ProPoints every day except Saturday, when i shall take a 'day off' (but not really - let me explain!) Saturdays are going to be my day of 'Filling and healthy' eating!  I won't be tracking points (unless I have something non F&H) but I will plot out what I'm going to eat in my menu planner and stick to it.  I will be eating more but not things that will make me gain weight, so hopefully that'll get me through the weekend slump!  I will of course be back to tracking on Sunday AND Friday night and Sunday lunchtime I will allow myself a drink of wine from my Weekly allowance.  So I don't feel I'm depriving myself of anything and wine helps to relax me.
So there you have it - a plan of action!  It seems to be working so far - the first week I lost 5.4lb and I'm looking good for a loss on Monday - if i stick to my plan of action!



Weight Watcher Goodies

A rather big and heavy box arrived the other day, it was a glorious box of Weight Watcher goodies that I had ordered.

Inside the box was:

Kitchen Scales, My Food Plans (replacing the old Menu planner), My Recipes Binder, Recipe Cards for Meat, Vegetarian, Poultry and Fish), Eat Out book, Shop book and My Journal..

I'm really pleased with everything.  But I guess the only thing that was a little off-putting was that the My Food Planner is a day a page with only 43 pages, yet the previous Menu Planner could plan 12 weeks, yet I believe they are the same price.  Also, if you only buy a couple at a time, the postage is £3 something, so it's going to work out more expensive than the previous planner. Having said that, it is a wonderful little planner and there is more space to write down Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks.



Post Christmas Weigh in

Weight: 183.2lbs (13 st 1.2lb).

A total of 3.2lb gain for the whole 2 week period of Xmas and new year!
That's not too bad. Last year I gained 6lb in the same time!

I'm going to do a 2011 review and goals for 2012, but gotta wait until I'm sat at my computer as I'm just using my smartphone to update here.

Just after Xmas I had to rush my dad to hospital with diabetes symptoms and he is now diagnosed with type 3 diabetes! He was released from hospital only today as they struggled to get his glucose levels down. They're still way too high but we're hoping for advice tomorrow when he rings up the diabetes clinic.
In the meantime, I've taken his car away from him because his vision is affected and so at least I have a car to get around in at present.
I'm spending lots of time checking up on my parents, because, if you remember, my mum has health issues too! So.... I'm driving them to their various appointments, taking them shopping and helping them out in general.
I am still going to fit in daily workouts - regardless of how early or late I have to do them. I'm sticking to my daily points too!
I'm already feeling tired and run down - despite charging my batteries over Xmas! But things have been so stressful and I've been getting little sleep - due to spending nights at hospital.
Tomorrow I'm off to have the first session at the dentist of having a crown put on my tooth - something I'm not looking forward to!

Announcement: I'm going to wear a skirt!

It has been many years since I last wore a dress/skirt in public - in fact, I think I was 9 years old oh and then when I was about 20 when I got married, but that didn't count because it was a very long skirt and only my parents, brother and husband to be were the only ones who saw me because we had a very small and private wedding and no, before you ask, I did not wear a wedding dress (boo hoo!).
So.... with the village annual Christmas dinner looming large on Friday 16th December, I made the decision that I wanted to wear a dress/skirt.  I had watched and bid for hours on EBay and...... flipping well gone and lost! Ugh!
There were several dresses that caught my eye and there was a 'Buy it Now' one too but my budget didn't stretch to it.
Upon the realisation that I'd have to spend another year wearing jeans because that's all I had (I don't own skirts!) and then hit with the second realisation that the top I always match with my jeans when going out doesn't fit me anymore because I have shrunk and it gives ample opportunity for my less than ample bosom to reveal itself and bra straps to app[ear without notice, I actually told considered cancelling our booking!
WTF?!  Since when have I ever been so bothered about wearing a dress or skirt that I'd actually consider cancelling a booking because i couldn't wear one?! 
So strange and so unlike me - but then, I am not really the 'old me' anymore am i?
Wearing a dress or skirt had become something more than just a fashion statement, it meant I could fit in with everyone else, for once in my life I could feel female and look smart.
As a farmers daughter I spent all my life in jeans or riding jodhpurs and never considered my 'horse riders legs' were safe to be seen in such things as skirts!  As my legs got fatter, I lost the definition between foot, ankle and calf, then my calves lost definition from my knee and thigh and ...... well, you get the picture.
I know I suffer from body dysmorphic disorder and when I was bigger - I never could see how big I was, now I am getting smaller - I can't see how much smaller I am, and I still think/know there are areas of my body that are bigger than the average (well, that's what I think/know) and this causes problems when buying clothes, because when i was big - I simply brought the biggest clothes on the rail, but now I am going down in clothes size it's more of an issue - I can't simply hold up a skirt or pair of jeans to my waist and compare the size of the waist band and quickly form an opinion of whether they'll fit or not because EVERYTHING looks too small to fit me now.  Yet, I do know that now I am fitting into some of those clothes that when I hold them up I think "too small for me!".
Anyways, back to the story...
Yes, I wanted to wear a dress to look like everyone else, to look grown up and feminine, instead of Tom Boy-esque.  Every time i go anywhere there are always women who turn up looking like ..... women!  They look pretty, nice dress, make up, hair and everybody is drawn to them like a magnet.  Damn, they just look so grown up and everything I'm not.  It makes me feel less of a woman!
Well, today is the penultimate day - if i don't find something now in the charity shop, I never will and it'll be too late!
I don't have oodles of cash and because I am still on my diet journey and shrinking, I see no sense in forking out lots of money on clothes that in 2 or 3 months time will not fit me. Once I get to my goal weight/size I will start investing in clothes.  So... that leaves me with a limited search area to find my Christmas dress!
Oh and did I mention I have no fashion sense?  Who needs fashion sense when you live in jeans and riding clothes?!
But I have seen programmes on the subject and seen Gok Wan and Trinny and Susannah rescue people from their ever increasingly drab wardrobes.  So, armed with subliminal programming, off I trundled!

I checked every shop in town and ended up in the one that seems to have the best selection and lots of brand new with tags clothes too!
In there I found my answers!  I found a straight black just over knee length pencil skirt (UK size 14), I wasn't sure if I'd fit into it but took the chance as there was nothing else!
Then I found a nice black and silver sparkly shiny top but it was off the shoulder and I don't want everyone seeing my bra straps!  I liked the way the top had kinda bat wing thingies and was kinda loose cut - I wanted that top but had to find something to layer underneath it!  Then I found a shiny sparkly red sleeveless fitted top with a tiny cowl style neck, oh it looked perfect and was on the size UK 16 rail.  I wasn't confident I'd fit into a 14 and this top was very fitted looking!  So I decided to get it.  Then I came up with the idea that I should buy a big belt that I could do up loose hanging around my hips! 

The idea is like this picture - the belt slung low on the hips.  Of course, I'm not wearing anything like her dress at all!
I found the perfect belt - kind of silver and about 3 inches wide.  I looked at it and wondered if it would fit around my hips.  I've never had a belt big enough to fit around them before, hell, i struggled to get the flipping things to fit around my waist!
I took a chance a purchased the whole assemble and it came in at a wonderful £13!
Then I made a visit to my local M&S to purchase some tights to hide my legs.  I decided upon a pair of 'slimming' tight! Yay!  I carefully regarded the sizing chart on the back of the packet and decided to get the size up as I was borderline being on the Medium size.  The tights were expensive - £6 something for just one pair!  They better be slimming!
I couldn't find any shoes to buy to go with the ensemble so figured I will have to work it with ankle boots as that's all I have with heels at home!
Once home I set about trying on my purchases.  Pleased that they were all brand spanking new too!
The skirt fits a treat!  The red top turns out to be a UK size 14!  Shock horror!  But it's okay - it fits! Yay!
Then the silver and black top and that fits too!  The belt is massive actually and will be in danger of sliding off my hips unless I find the exact right spot to sit it on! hehe.
Then it was the tights turn!
Hmmmmmm....... I got one leg in - just and realised I could get injured trying to get the second leg in!  After much wriggling, carefully pulling up and sweating and swearing I waddled off like a penguin to my full length mirror ...... hmmmmmm...  Well, I got them on but I couldn't possibly go out in them! There are several issues here:
1)  They make me walk like a penguin because...
2) The crotch is half way down my thighs, because ...
3) they are too tight/small!
I believe they are sold as 'slimming tights' but are in fact really just tights that are two sizes TOO SMALL!
hahaha
I weighed up my chances of further wriggling and the possibility of maybe wearing them after all but then realised if when I get drunk at the party I will need to use the toilet - because of all the booze I'm drinking and the thought of trying to re-dress myself in these tights in a tight fitting toilet cubicle would not only be impractical but the cnahes of me OR the tights getting injured is VERY high!
Therefore I will adopt plan B (yes, I have a plan B you know!).  I purchased a 3 pack pair of cheap tights from Tesco along with my grocery order last week.  I tried them on and although I must be careful not to snag or ladder them, I think they'll do the job.  I'm not going to wear false nails, so I should be okay.

That's the clothes taken care of.  As for the make up - I sought a friend's advice who works in a beauty/make up shop.  I needed help to hide the bags/dark circles under my eyes from my recent insomnia!
She found something in the right shade and advised on how to use it.  I also found some nice red festive looking nail varnish and red lipstick to match.  the lipstick says it stays put for .... basically forever!  Has to be removed with oil based make up remover.  I have make up remover wipes, so I hope they do the job!  I guess I should have tried the lipstick before the event but I haven't and I hope it doesn't turn into a permanent tattoo thing on my face if I can't get it off!  I anted something that'd stay put as on the rare occasions when I do tart myself up with make up, I always end up losing all my lipstick as soon as I have my first drink!
I will take my shiny pink sequin bag - it doesn't really match anything but it's festive looking so it'll do!
I have to say, I am seriously nervous and yet excited at the same time.
I hope no-one thinks I look daft or odd because I'm wearing a skirt, because no-one in this village has ever seen me wearing a skirt!  This is a serious milestone in my life - along with the fact that when I weighed myself post run yesterday I had got to the 100 lbs lost milestone!  It's not official until Monday weigh In's, so unless I weigh the same Monday, it won't count!  But for one day it did count and I hit 100 lbs lost! yay!

Right, enough talking, I have kind of gone on this time, my apologies and thank you for bearing with me.

OMG, I'm gonna wear a skirt in public!

P.s. Apologies for any grammatical errors that I have over looked but my spell check is being a pleb! lol

Week 56 Weigh In

Weight Today:  179.6 lb (12 st 11 and three quarters)

This weeks weight loss:  Down 2.2 lbs!

Total Weight loss:  95.4 lbs

Total left to lose: 46.6 lbs

Week Round Up

The week had started out well.  I didn't have any mad insatiable hungry episodes. 

I decided to bring in additional tracking from now on to help focus me back on the weight loss path.  Before I joined Weight Watchers I lost a decent amount of weight using the My Fitness Pal Smartphone app.  So, I decided to use it alongside my Weight Watchers tracking.  My Fitness Pal is soley aimed at calories in and out - plus I can see how much carbohydrate and protein i'm taking in as well as vitamins etc.

I use it so that if I feel hungry after a hard workout, I feel less guilty about dipping in to my Weekly Weight Watcher allowance points.  I said I wouldn't but now things have changed (will explain about that in a minute).

It must be working because I had a 2.2lb loss this week and no hunger pangs.

Now .... onto THE CHANGE!

Saturday morning I checked my email to find one from Weight Watchers telling me they'd made some changes.  I didn't know anything about any more changes being made - I thought the new Pro Points plan was all scientific and that we were all getting what we need etc.

Well, it appears maybe things weren't as scientifically right as they thought.

Now, don't get me wrong, i'm not saying this is a bad thing, I adapt and get stuck in.  So it's not really an issue or a problem - i'm only concerned that I'm not fuelling right with the amount of exercise I do - I know I have Activity Points I can dip in to but that's post workout and if i'm running 10 miles and feel light-headed and ill, it's usually because i've not fuelled properly before hand.  However, I am using the other tracker too so hopefully it'll help allay my fears.

I was previously on 29 Daily Points, i'm now down to 27.  Only 2 Points difference but I balance on a fine knife edge with Points at the best of times.  There is apparently a new filling style eating plan - where you don't need to track - just eat until satisfied (Hmmmm, now that'd be no good for me - so I haven't even read up on that one! lol).  There is also an Activity Assessment that you take and it sets you a weekly Activity Point target. Except numpty girl here did her's wrong and now seems unable to change it!  Have emailed WW and await their response.

I guess yes I got stuck on a plateau for a while - but you don't lose nearly 100 lbs and not expect to hit the odd plateau!

Plus, I noticed that when I am doing MORE exercise, then that's when I get stuck on a plateau - despite sticking to Points!

But anyways, I'm along for the ride with the new plan and lets see where it takes me.  However, I WILL continue to use My Fitness Pal along side it.

I have had a good week controlling my intake of alcohol too.  I know - it's empty calories but we all have our weaknesses, right?  Besides, I pee so much that the alcohol doesn't stay in my system very long (I know, I know!). lol

Plan for Next Week

*  Continue tracking with WW & My Fitness Pal (MFP)

*  If knee stays sound, run two 5K distances this week

*  Try to finish the menu planning for the festive period!

This week hasn't started well - due to emotional issues - surrounding family issues.  I feel strong though and don't feel the need to comfort or emotional eat.  I will try to keep in control of my eating, whatever life throws at me this week!

Week 55 Weigh in

Weight today:  182 lb (13 stone)

This Week's Weight Loss:  GAINED 2 LB!!!

Total Weight Loss:  91.6 lb

Total Left to Lose:  50.4 lb

Okay, it was a BAD week! My knee was still being an issue and meant I couldn't exercise. Not only was my inability to exercise upsetting my calorie burn and thus my weight loss, but it was screwing with my head!
I suffer from S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and a few other things were going on in my life that were causing me stress. So I lost control of my appetite and control over how much alcohol I was drinking. I just like a couple of glasses of wine several times a week. It's all empty calories and wasted Weight Watchers Points. I'd set out starting the week well but by Tuesday it had all gone pear shaped - a bit like my figure!
I was so unhappy with everything and so stressed that I even contemplated quitting weight loss. I said to my fiance that I'm not meant to be thin, I'm just naturally a curvy kinda gal. I guess I didn't really 100% mean I was going to quit, because I have come so far and it would depress me completely and unbearably if I put all the weight on again that I'd lost.
I just didn't know how to express my stress, frustration and depression with things so I took it out on food and threatened to quit. But who was I trying to hurt by saying that?! I can't hurt food, It's not a 'feeling' 'thinking' entity in that kind of way. I was just hurting myself by saying it all but maybe I was just trying to ask my fiance for help. I'm not sure what help I expected. Maybe I just wanted him to take care of everything else that was causing stress so I can focus on my weight loss. But I'm never very good at asking for help. I know I need help sometimes, but I'm often so lost in stress that I don't even know what help I need.
But anyways, the fact I couldn't exercise was a big problem and affected my emotions badly. I never thought I'd hear myself say that! Haha.
So, starting Monday, I put that 2lb gain behind me, it happened and crying or whining over it won't change it. Time to re-focus and do positive steps back onto the path of weight loss again.
I ran on Monday, only 2 miles but my knee seemed okay; not 100% but certainly no pain, it just felt kinda fragile.
As I'm writing this up on Tuesday, I can happily report that overnight I lost 1.8lb ( but that's unofficial because I don't log my weight until next Monday), my knee was fine this morning so I went to the gym for a session of upper body weights and 6 minutes on the summit climber (didn't want to push my knee!) and 30 mins on the recumbent bike. I felt really happy and enjoyed my Costa Latte afterwards!
I am on track with my Points so far this week, but I have a lunch date with my fiance and his relatives tomorrow, so I need to be strong and stick to my Points.
I'm going for my 2 mile run beforehand, so that'll help with some Activity Points but I don't want to go stupid and go into my Weekly Allowance.
In regards to the drink, I am going to have a glass of wine a couple of times a week if Points allow but I'm going to have it whilst I make dinner; that way I will be concentrating on the cooking and hopefully the wine can be sipped, thus lasting longer. Then my fiance can have his glass whilst having dinner because then I'll be distracted by my food! Haha, you see, it might sound crazy and silly but It's a plan that I've thought about and recognizes my weaknesses and how I can reduce the temptation to mess things up!
My main goal is to stick to the UK women's weekly alcohol unit allowance of 14. Which, according to my new plan, should be easy to achieve!
Right, let's get this busy week on the roll!

Week 54 Weigh In

Weight today:  181.4 lb (12 Stone 13.8 lb)

This Week's Weight Loss:  GAINED 1 LB!!!

Total Weight Loss:  93.6 lb

Total Left to Lose:  48.4 lb

Week Round Up

This past week I didn't exercise at all due to my bad knee.  I also fell back into emotional eating at the middle/end of the week due to issues at home and being depressed about my knee.  I went over my weekly allowance points by about 70!  So..... considering I only gained 1 lb - I'm quite pleased about that.

 I couldn't resist posting this photo of an Aubergine (Eggplant) that I purchased for use in one of my recipes.

 Costa have now brought out their Festive menu and I just had to go and try it didn't it?!  I knew it was going to be a bad week and so I indulged.  My thinking was that it would get it out of my system and then come the new week I can get back on track 100%.
Here we have a Creme Bruleee Soya Latte, Stollen bites and Creme Brulee cupcake (I shared the stollen bites with my man! lol)

 Saturday's dinner was a yummy Veg Tagine.  It looked just like the book! hehe

 This was Sunday's dinner - a most gorgeous Chicken and Pesto Roast Veg - again it looked just like the book! Nom nom!

So.... despite going over points and not exercising, I'm quite chuffed with my 1 lb gain.  It really could have been worse. 

Hopefully my knee will improve now and I can get back to working out on a daily basis and re-focus on my healthy eating.

October 1011 Review

My exercise wasn't as I'd hoped for October.  This was due to having to spend 1 week at home having new windows and doors fitted and another week off due to an injured knee. 
So I'm not really surprised that I haven't lost inches from ALL over my body for the Monthly Measure.  However, I am pleased that I've lost half an inch off my thigh, half inch off my upper arm (that will be all the tricep dips then!) and half inch under my bust.
Disappointed that I've only lost half a stone for October but then I have been stuck in plateau land.

I have also changed my weigh in day (twice!) during October and I believe I have now found a day that works for me. It's not just about picking a day when you think they'll you'll be at your lowest during the week - that's NOT why I changed my day.  For me, it's been about psychological factors.  When you're losing weight it's easy to be disheartened by the smallest thing - especially when you've been on this journey as long as I have!  It's easy to start feeling "I can't lose any more, this is just my natural body weight and I guess I am stuck here forever".

I just had to find the right day that suited me.  I know I'm going to go over Points a bit at the weekend, I admit, I like a drink or two. The weight loss journey isn't supposed to be about depriving yourself.  When you start doing that, you know you're on a plan that you can't sustain!

I have never felt like I'm depriving myself with Weight Watchers but recently things became a little foggy, I became a little desperate at getting stuck on plateau and the whole weight loss turned into a feeling of fighting a losing battle.  Sure, I've lost about 94lbs now but my battle isn't over. Yes, 94 lbs is a lot but I still have just over 40 lbs left to lose - that's still a lot too!  It'd be easy to say I'll stop when I get to 100lbs lost but that amount isn't going to take me into my 'ideal' weight range.  If I'm going to do this journey, I'm doing it all in one go and I'm finishing it next year before my 38th birthday!

So... back to October.....

It's been such a mentally testing month.  I have recognised many times when I have had to fight the urge to comfort eat, but on a good level - I can see what situations drive me to it.

During October, I have also discovered a weight loss phenomenon;  I became disheartened by gaining weight after pretty much every run over 5K, and during October I had upped my mileage and was running 10K a couple of times a week as well as my usual 5K.  One of the 10K's was in the woods, so it was a hard hilly session.  I began noticing I'd gain anything from 1.2 lb to 3lb over night after the run - obviously despite not eating anything in my sleep!

So I Googled this and found that we do indeed gain in the 24 hours after a run due to inflammation, water retention/ water loading etc etc.  The amount quoted on average was 2.2lbs - strangely enough, that was my most frequent gain amount too!  So I decided to watch this occurrence, not go into comfort eating mode due to the overnight gain, just stick with my plan and see what happens.  Sure enough, the next day following my gain, I had lost that amount again!

So... October has taught me something - do NOT panic if you see an overnight gain on the scales following a run. It WILL disappear as quickly and as strangely as it appeared!

It's helped enormously, because now I do not go into panic mode that my weight loss has gone wrong.  I just see it and say "Ahhhh, as expected.  I'm totally okay with that as I know it's temporary and not a true gain".

All in all, October was a bit of a crappy month, not organized, not as much exercise as I wanted to put in and not enough weight lost!

I'm not disheartened though as I still lost 6 lbs and I lost inches and I'm another Stone closer to goal!  October saw me break through the 13 stone barrier.

Lets get November under way then!

Monthly Measure

November's figures

Weight:  Down 6lbs

BMI:  Down 0.8

Waist:  Stays the same as last month

Hips:  Stays the same as last month

Thigh:  Down half inch.

Calf:  Stays the same as last month.

Upper Arm:  Down half inch.

Chest:  Stays the same as last month;

Under Bust:  Down half inch.

Dress Size: Stays the same.

I shall be adding my Body Composition figures as from next month as I've just switched settings on my handheld monitor and thus it won't give an accurate reading for this month.

Week 53 Weigh in

Weight today:  180.4 lb (12 stone 12.8lb)
Total weight lost:  94.6 lbs
Weight left to lose: 47.4 lbs

Week Round up

I didn't exercise as much as I wanted to because of my 'good' knee playing up.  Had an awesome weights session in the gym focusing on upper body. Couldn't raise my arms for 3 days afterwards! I kid you not!

The Upright Barbell Row exercise certainly works the exact muscles above - my Pecs really felt like they'd worked hard!

I didn't take a break really after each Barbell Row set, I just put the Barbell down, changed hand grip and got straight into Bicep curls!  It didn't feel too tiring and certainly worked a treat!

I much prefer weigh in day being on a Monday now, although I do get a slight feeling of being 'lost' and off course when Saturday morning (my old weigh in day) rolls around. haha

I am glad that I am having consistent  losses again.

I am due to measure myself tomorrow (1st of every month!) and I suspect I might not have much to show on that front due to not doing as much exercise as per usual - due to either ill health or the week off I had to take to be home for the guys to fit my new windows and doors!

This week is a bit 'off' too as I have the guy coming out anytime between 8am - 6pm to change the door on my new fridge freezer to the other side, plus my knee isn't 100%, but I'm sticking to tracking and eating within Points and i SHALL be doing workouts of some kind - depending on my knee. If the knee isn't any good, then it'll be a week of weights done at home on upper body.

Oh, I think i've figured out how to add multiple pictures to my blog via my Smartphone, so I am thinking about doing a daily food blog for a week or maybe more, to keep me accountable so I can keep moving down the scales to get to goal for asap in 2012!

I don't think i'll be able to hit goal by 1st feb 2012 as planned but anytime between March and my birthday on 31st May would be a good substitute.

I don't like to set dates really but this battle has gone on long enough and now I want to be at maintenance, so i need to focus on a date to encourage me forward.

Chillax Sunday

Today started with a Costa blueberry muffin and a soya creme brulee latte. It was my Chillax Sunday; a time to relax a bit. I eat sensibly still but relax the rules on tracking for one day. I mindfully log in my brain what I eat so that I don't go over by too much.
Tomorrow is weigh in day. I'll be glad when I get to start my new workout week, but I've had to modify my plans a little as I tweaked something in my knee a couple of weeks ago and I took a week off. Things seemed better and I got back to exercise, but yesterday I simply stood up from the toilet and the damned thing tweaked again! Ugh!
It's not as bad as last time but I'm going to change my routine a little for this week so that I'm treadmill running tomorrow instead of road running.
It's annoying and a tad worrying because it's my 'good knee'. It's the one officially without osteoarthritis. I was hopefully because I had at least one good knee. If I'm honest, I'll reluctantly admit that I suspect osteoarthritis in this knee too. I'm due to see my chiropractor at the end of November, so, if things aren't right by then, I shall see what he makes of it.
In the meantime, I'm still pushing onwards with my half marathon training although obviously listening to my body/knee.
I shall be posting my weigh in tomorrow. I hope my Weight Watcher roast recipe hasn't weighed me down too much. Hehe

Expensive Motivation!

The last month or so has been a bad one for me, I have been stuck on plateau and just simmering up and down but now I have a plan!  My weigh ins on the list here are slightly screwed up date-wise because I decided to change my weigh in day! 
It had always been a Saturday but weekends are tricky for me.  I see my fiance most then and have my teenage son around, not to mention the kind of relief one gets when Friday evening rolls around and you partake in several one drinkie pooh!
So, all the good work I've done all week is undone by serious bloating from the booze or whatever else it is and by Saturday morning I have a gain or maintain.
So... I tried changing to Friday morning weigh in; nope, that wasn't going to work either!  So, now I'm on Monday weigh ins and so far it's much better!  You might think that after a weekend of celebrating having a weekend, my weigh in might not be so good on Monday, but actually, it seems to work for me!
You see, I can undo all that bloating on Saturday because I go for a run (Saturdays are 'Long Run' days for me), so as well as getting rid of the bloating, i also get to earn LOADS of points - which sets me up nicely for Saturday night.  That way i am not on a psychological downer because I've gone into my weekly points! Sunday I usually do some walking, thus earning a few more points.  Come Monday morning, I am focused on my workout week and looking forward to doing my usual run on Monday morning.  i weigh in before this though.
It's early days but I think Monday is gonna work for me!

I'm also planning on making more use of my smart phone to update here.  I'm thinking of posting a weekly weigh in article - which will also have a summary of the week.

My running took a week off - due to a possible minor cartilage issue with one of my knees - the 'good one' worryingly. But I forced myself to rest and do no exercise - plenty of R.I.C.E and it seems (touch wood) not too bad. Had an awesome 4 mile run with loads of hills today and set a new PB for that route by a gorgeous 4 minutes!
I have purchased a new Runners Diary and I plan to log my Half Marathon training in it. Speaking of which - will start next Monday!

I have bought a rather expensive chunk of motivation - a new fridge freezer!
My previous model wouldn't keep things cool or frozen and was as noisy as anything - which is an important factor for me because I have to have the fridge freezer in the corner of the living room as my kitchen is too small for it!
The new model is only a tad bit wider but it's massively high - it's like Everest!  I can't actually reach the the top shelf properly! haha
But it has an awesome vegetable/fruit section and a section below for meats and the doors are so deep, it can handle any bottle plonked in it!
It has LCD lighting inside and LCD control panel on the front. This thing is truly OUT OF THIS WORLD!
Now I can buy more fruit and veg and make extra quantities of meals to save and use the next day as lunch or something.  I'm so thrilled!  I am so thrilled too to have such a wonderful fiance who is helping me out on the finance front too!
I do feel more motivated now that I have my new fridge freezer and once this weeks shopping comes in, I'll have healthy snacks on hand.

I purchased the new Weight Watchers cookbook:

I ended up buying it off Ebay because for over a month now Weight Watchers have been 'out of stock'. I ended up paying double the WW price for it too and was left feeling a tad disappointed.
The recipes are wonderful but most of them call for a casserole pot that is BOTH flame proof and able to be used to a hob (I have Induction hob) AND oven proof. Obviously I have a lovely casserole pot - wouldn't have brought the book otherwise but my lovely casserole pot is ceramic and I'm not 100% sure I can or should use it on my Induction hob.  Soooooo, I'm currently looking for a suitable pot that is pretty big (2ltr isn't going to cut it for me I'm afraid!). I have seen a nice 4.5L one in Tesco but it's something like £50+ !!!!
I guess some dishes I can use my stock pot that's induction safe but then transfer the food to the casserole pot as the stock pot isn't oven proof!  That kinda defeats the whole object of 'One Pot Cooking' though doesn't it?!
Right, enough talk of cooking - it's time for me to vanish off to the kitchen to rustle up a One Pan Harissa chicken dinner - I'm meeting my friend Mr Baileys in the kitchen

I didn't buy the bottle myself, it was a gift and as I've opened it, I am slowly working my way through it - 50ml at a time. Why 50ml you ask? Well, it's 6 ProPoints for 50ml.
A lot of Points to waste on a drink?!
Well, I have 6 of my daily Points left for today AND I have 14 Activity Points left too.  I am NOT going to devour those Activity Points though - I'm saving those for Friday night!  But I am going to be spending those 6 dailies on my Baileys.
You see, at last I have a workable plan and I don't have to feel like I'm 'going without'.

Bottoms up!

Silverstone Half Marathon

A decision has been made, I will be entering the Silverstone Half Marathon on March 11th 2012!

For those of you who are not familiar with Silverstone; it is a UK formula One race track. Well, they do other types of car racing such as Touring Cars too but I'm sure you get the idea.

I had several concerns about this course. Mostly being "Will I find a route like this boring?"

Although it doesn't look like you go over the same bit of track twice, it is an open, course without much in the way of houses, streets or anything else that might distract the runner from the pain they are going through.  So I kinda wondered if I might find it boring.  I have to admit that on my usual 5k route at home there is a stretch of road that is very flat and seems to go on forever; I can see the corner about half a mile away but that half mile goes on forever!  Hence my concern with such an open track like this but then after reading the website for it, it does mention  that music is blasted across the track and there are interviews and Full Marathon racing tips broadcast for all to hear.  So, I guess there should be enough to distract me.

On the plus side, although there are quite a few entrants for it, the track is obviously wide and there shouldn't be too much hustling and bustling once you get past the initial start. There are regular water/drinks stations and at parts of the track there won't be too many spectators, so it'll be possible to just let go and let the pain show through for a while, out of the public eye. haha

I have been running weekly but it has tapered down to only a couple of sessions a week at present because of health issues; I have had terrible tooth problems - a root canal treatment that turned into a nightmare and required LOTS of painful treatment.  It isn't over yet - I have to go back in 6 weeks for the dentist to check that it's worked and then I have to start the task of having the darn thing crowned! Ugh!

I have a problem in that when I have surgery, I don't stop bleeding all that well and so I couldn't exert myself for 3 days after each session of treatment for fear of starting bleeding again. Plus I felt quite sore and after the last lot of treatment I was light-headed and feeling poorly for 3 days afterwards.

It has made me angry that I've missed some of my running, I'm lucky that I don't seem to have lost fitness but I certainly haven't been able to progress like I had planned.

It's a good job I haven't officially started my half marathon training yet!

Talking of which, I am yet to decide which plan to follow.  I thought I was made up about the 'My Asics' plan but I am just having a final look around at a couple more before I start anything for definite!

I am interested in John Stanton's training technique as I've heard he encourages a walk break after about 10 minutes, thus enabling you to run and walk.  I have heard of people finishing with quite decent times doing this technique, so I want to look into it. Hence I have ordered a book from Amazon and eagerly await it's arrival!

In other news:  My darn fridge freezer has died!  Honestly, it has been nothing but trouble since 2 days after it's warranty ran out!  Really, it's not big enough for my needs; I have so much fruit and veg crammed in there!

So, tonight, my gorgeous fiance and I are off to check out some fridge freezers.

Trouble is, I'd love to have an American style one but it won't fit in my bungalow!  My current one is already sitting in the corner of the living room - right next to the kitchen area.  My kitchen is so small, there isn't room for a fridge freezer in it!

Talking of my home, another off-topic boring piece of info:  I'm having new windows and doors fitted this week!  My housing association are updating their older stock and so we get upgrades and there is even a possibility that next year we get upgrades on our bathrooms and kitchens!  that will be lovely!

Right, off to bash itunes in as it appears to have lost all my freakin songs on my ipod!  Something that seems to happen a lot recently!