| Friday, February 8th, 2008 |
12:09 pm
[realtan_dannan]
 |
Back to normal
Am I the only one posting on here now? Finally managed to get back to the pre-christmas splurge weight this week (losing that final 2lbs has only taken me 3 weeks!) but my body fat is still higher at 30%. I am hoping to loose 2% over Lent. Mostly because I give up chocolate for lent every year (not religious)) and I am going to try this year to not take up Cheese (in replacement) for the 6 weeks and I think that might help. I'll let you know how I get on. |
| Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008 |
5:08 pm
[realtan_dannan]
|
You are mostly water
Ok, so while at the moment my weight is up fractionally (2lbs to be exact) on where I would like it to be I am realatively confident that returning to a diet less dependant on chocolate will sort that out. However my body fat, which should be below 25% is a horrific 31.5%. so this years aim is to reduce my body fat to 25% or less, but not necessarily my weight. Which means replacing fat with muscle mass but I am not really sure as to how to go about that. Any ideas? |
| Tuesday, January 1st, 2008 |
4:26 pm
[realtan_dannan]
|
Surprisingly slim christmas.
The average weight gain for the 2 weeks of Christmas is 7lbs. (!!!!) I have come away relatively unscathed at only gaining 1lb. However I appear to somehow have decreased my body fat percentage by 2%. at the moment I am putting this down to an error as I really don't see how I could have dropped body fat given the amount of fat I have put into myself in the last fortnight. chocolate, dressings, extra helpings, alcohol.... so how did you do or don't you want to think about it just yet? |
| Monday, December 17th, 2007 |
4:55 pm
[realtan_dannan]
|
Waisting Away
Porridge is good stuff - as has apparently been proven by Madge this week as it's made her look 10 years younger. However I've tried the 'eating it' approach as opposed to the 'using it as polyfiller' approach. Update. 15th September (not really the start point, but the first time I used a tape measure. I was two weeks into weight loss at this point) Weight: 10 stone 6 lbs Inches: lots and lots and lots. Not good enough? Ok, key measures - Bust 37", Waist 30", Hip 42" Body Fat: 33% 17th December Weight: 9 stone 7 lbs Inches: Key measures - Bust 36", Waist 28", Hip 38.5" (overall inches lost 12) Body Fat: 29% I think I am most proud of the loss on my hips and I've lost 2 inches off each thigh which makes me ecstatic frankly! I haven't weighed this for nearly 6 years and I haven't had these inches for nearly 5. I certainly don't expect to LOSE any weight over Christmas and New Year, but I am striving to not put on too much - and certainly not the national average of 7lbs in the two weeks. I mostly want to work on dropping the body fat % a bit now - I'd like it to be below 25 but above 20. I'll let you know. Current Mood:  bouncy |
| Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007 |
2:37 pm
[realtan_dannan]
|
Finally progress....
So six weeks in ( Ok, it's 7 and I'm lazy at getting this posted, but I did write it up in an email to myself at least) and I know you are all waiting for an update on how my previous post panned out. In the six weeks I have not bought any pre-prepared food (in sense of frozen meals, convience foods, 'just add water to make' type stuff - obviously I have bought pre-made sauces in tins, packets of cooked meats, tins of tuna...) I have also bought more veg and fruit in the last six weeks than possibly I have in 2007. I have eaten some very good meals, some interesting meals and some bland meals but they have all come from my collection of Weight Watcher books. We've had spicy pasta's, Inca chilli (with chocolate and it was yum!), sweet potato bake, french sausage casserole, spanish cod, red pepper soup, chicken balti, mango & chilli chutney to name the ones I can immediately remember. I have also started cycling to work again after the summer off, returned to dancing twice a week, do 1/2 hour with Davina 4 nights a week and do an hour of line dancing (moderate exercise) on a Friday morning. So whats the results? 1. Cheaper shopping bills. partially because we are now buying every week instead of every 5, partially because there is less convience foods. We are now also recycling our kitchen waste to the local allotments (aren't we good!) and looking at ways of cycling to the supermarket as we don't need the car really to bring everything back 2. Better skin and digestion. I did get a small outbreak of spots about 2 weeks in, but now my skin is defiantely clearer and I feel less bloated than I used to. 3. I've lost (and lets face it this was kinda the point) A STONE in the last six weeks. A bit of calculation reveals that just over half of that was pure FAT! I am now under 10 stone for the first time in at least 2 years - my official weight for those of you that care is 9 stone 11lbs. 4. I've lost 4 inches overall, including 1 1/2 inches from my hips and an inch from my thigh. I will be honest and say that I was too scared to use a tape measure the first few weeks so that loss is for the last month. I quite possibly have lost more. So, if anyone wants a copy of the receipes let me know! My inches still aren't quite where I want them to be, but I had a revelation this week in that the last time I was this weight I didn't know what my body fat % was. But I am prepared to lay down money that it was lower than it currently is, and as we know 1lb of fat takes up much more space than 1lb muscle. What now? I still want to lose a few more pounds (6 to be precise) and I want to bring my body fat down to less than 25% (22% ideally but I couldn't tell you where I've got that number from). It's currently 31% (a third of me is FAT!) which should bring down my inches to closer to where I want to be. However, it's all positive and I've achieved and stuff! Yea! |
| Monday, August 20th, 2007 |
12:44 pm
[easterbunny]
 |
The half-assed detox
Greetings, fellow martini dieters! Alas, this summer's chilly rain has not been conducive to my usual drive to stride manfully up and down riverbanks while subsisting on raspberries soaked in a champagne flute, but I have lately found solace in watermelon. Since Adam and I got back from our Channel Islands bacchanalia in July, I've been more or less following a half-assed detox plan. I've given up caffeine... almost. I've given up booze... almost. I've given up cheese... well, not really. I have switched out breakfast cheese toast with oat and berry smoothies. Although I showed my dedication to half-assedness by making cupcakes yesterday, I was pleased to find that I've lost half a stone, thereby undoing the last umpteen months of conference pastries and apple schnappes. I'm hoping to stick this out for another month and see if I can make it an even ten pounds. I'm toasting you with peppermint tea even as I type. Santé and vermouthé! Current Mood:  jeans fitting |
| Sunday, July 8th, 2007 |
9:26 am
[realtan_dannan]
|
Getting bigger and looking more toned...
Just after the late May Bank Holiday I suddenly balloned. Almost literally overnight. A dress I had made to my measurements and had fit me comfortably on the Sunday wouldn't even come close on the Tuesday and I discovered that my 28" waist was suddenly over 30"! My physical weight hadn't gone up much, but it had been steadily creeping up the side of everest for a few months. So, having promised myself a very specific (relatively expensive for me) outfit if I can get my weight under 10stone for 3 consective weeks I have been trying very hard to watch what I eat and do a bit of exercise. To that end I've lost 5lbs the last few weeks (not that I feel any slimmer, but...) and am heading towards my target slowly but surely. I shall keep you all upto date (I am sure you are absolutely *gripped*) I bought, and have used, Davina's box set of videos - The Power of Three and 30 minute workouts. The 30 minute workouts are intense but do-able and the video does have the option of switching off the vocals. unfortunately this has the effect of switching off all the prompts to change exercise! The Power of Three is a HARD 50 minutes but you can break it down into sections if you prefer. Both of the videos are based on the idea of interval training (1 minute hard slog with 3-5 minutes of toning/weights/abs but not quite so intensive inbetween) and I've found them pretty good. Both videos also have bonus interviews with Davina which did actually raise my estimation of her (wandering around Sainsbury's discussing food was interesting). So 30 minutes in the morning, cycle to work, cycle home 4 days a week 50 minutes in the morning 2 days a week teaching dance for over 2 hours, 2 nights a week AND adding salad to my plate every now and again ;-) I will sodding loose something! Even if it's only my will to live :-) So with summer and the theoretical shedding of outer layers how are we all feeling? |
| Tuesday, May 1st, 2007 |
8:53 pm
[terpsichore1980]
 |
Back on the diet...
So I came off the diet when I got to my target weight, then I planned to have a few months of eating normally before I went on to loose another half a stone or so. But I could never quite get the motivation up to actually do it. This morning I got on the scales and they said 10 stone 3, which is 10 lbs more than the 9 stone 7 that I would consider an acceptable weight for me. So, back onto the diet it is. This time the e-diets Mediterranean Diet with low GI elements. This is partly because it looks interesting and partly in an attempt to make food that elvum is actually prepared to eat, despite it being diet food. I went to the supermarket this evening and now I have a fridge full of fruit & veg (although less fish than I was expecting from the way the diet was billed). So, here goes. Now, I wonder if I should have some more cheese, since I am starting the diet tomorrow... Current Mood: hopeful |
| Friday, March 23rd, 2007 |
10:45 am
[realtan_dannan]
|
Climbing that hill still. Actually, maybe that would help!
While I have lost a few pounds by 'eating consciously' and stuff it's not as much as i would like. However Mr McKenna's 'diet' rules do make a lot of sense. (Currently 10.3) I am however offically confused. I whipped out the tape measure (bane of my life) and recorded various bits. On the basis of these measurements I ordered a brand new dress from ebay. It arrived and it HANGS off me. The stated dress measurements are slightly smaller than my tape measure measurements. erm....???? Anyhow, can't work out if I feel huge (tape measure measurements) or slim (dress too big) |
| Monday, December 18th, 2006 |
10:21 pm
[realtan_dannan]
|
Body shape changes.
You know when you start loosing weight, particularly around your stomach and you start toning up and you actually go through a phase where your stomach looks bigger as the top muscles pull in, and therefore the 'flab' is concentrated into a smaller, lower region? I think this is happening with my arse. The cycling is definately toning bits of me (those of you who saw me at the weekend will testify to the not very big dress) but my arse seems to be be getting smaller top to bottom but sticking out further. not really sure the principles are actually the same, nor the physics for that matter - but it's comforting to think that way. |
| Tuesday, October 31st, 2006 |
8:54 am
[realtan_dannan]
|
Going up.
Having eaten my own body weight in sausages and done next to no exercise for a week, we are back to 10 stone 2lbs. Hmphf. |
| Tuesday, October 24th, 2006 |
4:01 pm
[lemlems]
 |
|
| Wednesday, October 18th, 2006 |
5:03 pm
[realtan_dannan]
|
Getting slimmer - 10.0.8
Cycling and watching what I eat (some days - I am sure eating half a chocolate swiss roll meant for 10 in one sitting doesn't count) seems to be paying off. this morning the scales reported 10.0.8 |
1:09 pm
[lemlems]
|
So today's weigh in shows a loss of one and a half pounds. So that's back in the right direction at least. Considering I've spent much of the past few days turning myself inside out with a stomach bug though, it's not quite as big a loss as I was hoping for. This weekend I've a long weekend away in Bristol which will include two nights out drinking two lots of eating out/takeaway and a Shakeaway This is unlikely to be a good week for weight loss. Then the weekend after that I fly off for two weeks all inclusive holiday - also less than ideal on the weight loss front. So I guess I'll just have to try my best to make good choices and not gain weight. But there's no way I'm passing up that Shakeaway! Current Mood:  tired |
| Monday, October 9th, 2006 |
5:20 pm
[lemlems]
|
That didn't last long
This week I gained. Only 0.4lb but still a gain which I promised myself I wasn't going to do. All feel free to mock me and throw rotten fruit at me. As predicted I caved in the face of the big dinner at our training centre. But then I also had lasagne and birthday cake at the birthday party and caved when my friend suggested we have take out while decorating on Saturday. And today I ate the piece of chocolate cake that one of my staff left on my desk for me. I'm like an addict - if I'm 'good' I can carry on being good but the minute I fall off the wagon I go haywire. So back on the wagon with me. Travelling two days for work this week but otherwise normal routine so hopefully I can do well this week Current Mood:  disappointed |
| Wednesday, October 4th, 2006 |
5:10 pm
[realtan_dannan]
|
Not sure if it's up or down.
this morning I was 10.2.2 I can't remember if that is a change or not - but I don't think it's gone up which is great considering I ate for the end of the world last week. Cycling is going fine - though a pain in the right knee has been diagnosed by google as possible tendonitis. Basically it means i am pushing myself too hard and need to layoff a bit. Studying slinky frocks for Christmas.... |
| Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006 |
10:01 am
[lemlems]
|
This week I've lost 2.2lbs so I'm pretty pleased - I now at least weigh less than i did when I started trying to lose weight at the beginning of the year so that's a small but significant milestone.
This week is going to be tricky because I'm away for three days with work which means eating in hotels and from sandwich shops (which i find difficult to do and stick to any kind of diet) and one lunch at our National Training Centre which has the world's best canteen.
There is a salad bar and I always intend to have the salad but:
§ the food from the hot counter is very, very good but rarely slimming
§ it's October and salad is losing its appeal
§ the salad bar has a lot of potato salad, pasta salad etc - much by way of mayonnaise so it's debatable how slimming that is anyway
§ they always have the most gorgeous desserts - and the selection always includes a hot 'school dinner' type dessert with custard which i am powerless to resist
So I'm just going to be realistic and avoid having treats the rest of the week and try to exercise more in the hopes I can offset it
On Saturday I also have a birthday lunch to go to so I'll have to be careful there as well. I always have problems with buffets. My will power just drains away and I stuff myself. I even tried eating just before I go so I won't be hungry but I still eat loads of buffet. I think it's the variety - some part of me needs to have some of everything in case I'm missing out on something good.
I think this week I'll be content with a small loss or even staying the same. I refuse to gain though, no more gaining weight for me this side of Christmas.
|
| Thursday, September 28th, 2006 |
5:19 pm
[lemlems]
|
Are calories back in fashion?
Someone at work was telling me about a diet called the 3 Hour Diet. The gist is apparently that you *have* to eat every three hours (check) and you *have* to finish every day with a treat (check) but you can only have 1500 calories per day (ummmm). Has anybody tried this or read the book? I've never done the calories thing so I don't know if it would suit or if I'd end up obsessing about food like I did when I was counting points. Or eating all my calories before lunchtime and having to eat celery for the rest of the day. |
| Monday, September 25th, 2006 |
10:53 am
[lemlems]
|
Here we go
So I’ve weighed myself this morning and I’ve lost 2lbs. I’m pretty pleased because this is the first time I’ve lost weight for months and because I always lose very slowly so 2lbs is actually a very good loss for me.
So yea! Now I just have to keep it up! Current Mood: pleased |
| Tuesday, September 19th, 2006 |
12:46 pm
[lemlems]
|
Right that's it!
Really absolutely that's it. I know I've said that's it before and meant it and then carried on pigging out because I was going away, I was travelling for work, I was stressed, bears were defecating in forested areas etc.
But this time it is absolutely finally it.
I now weigh 10st 13.8. I'm 0.2 of a pound off being 11 stone. I'm 3lbs heavier that i was when i started dieting in January. I'm 30lbs above my target weight. I can't wear any of my clothes unless they have an elasticated waist and are loose fitting (or meant to be). My BMI is 24.9 which is still 0.1 short of official overweight-dom but I've a very light build so I'm supposed to be at the low end of healthy. My body fat % is 35.2 which makes me officially "overfat".
So this is very definitely it. I refuse to gain an ounce more.
So now I just need a plan. Of all the weight loss strategies I've tried the one that worked best was the not dieting Paul McKenna thing so I'm tempted to go with that. I think I am going to keep a food diary though because I realised this week I'm having food amnesia. I actually started trying to be a bit 'better' this week just gone but not actually diet. I was convinced I'd done enough to get me a small loss but in fact I've stayed the same. At first I thought 'No! but i've been really good' but then it started coming back to me - how many times I'd had half a chocolate bar (but not a full one) or a few sweeties (but just a few) or a burger for tea (well i had salad for lunch) etc etc. The low point was when I woke up one morning thinking I'd had a dream that I'd eaten a stick of Cadbury's Twirl in the middle of the night while still mostly asleep. Then I saw the wrapper on my bedside cabinet. Yes indeed, I am now a sleep eater.
I'm not a big fan or counting points or calories or carbs because i end up obsessing with food which makes temptation a constant torment. The thing with the Paul McKenna thing is that you have to discipline yourself before you put something in your mouth to ask yourself if you're really hungry and to ask yourself whether this is really what your body wants to nourish itself. Woofing chocolate and forgetting you've done it or woofing chocolate in your sleep is definitely not part of the plan. So I just need to pull myself up by the bootstraps.
The other thing is exercise. I haven't been exercising for several reasons:
i've been hysterically busy
I'm very lazy
There's no free form of exercise that I enjoy
My knee's bad again so I can't use my stepper
So I've bought one of those things that you stand on and do the twist. It was only a couple of quid, I can do it in my bedroom when I get in from work and it doesn't hurt my knee. It's not in the least bit aerobically effective - I did half an hour last night and only raised a light sweat and was barely breathless - but I figure it's better than nothing.
I'm going to log my weight loss every week on here. And if I'm recording a gain feel free to call me names and poke fun at me.
So there. That's it. Current Mood: determined |
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