Winter Colds and Christmas.

Hi everyone.  I’m sorry I haven’t been around a while – I have had a pretty rough couple of months with a bad cold / chest / ear infection.  Yes, it’s that time of the year again!  Anyway I think I am getting much better now and I even went back to the gym last week.An awful lot has changed in my situation.  I have moved house, in with my ex boyfriend (we bought it as friends) but things aren’t working out because I’m seeing someone new.  My new man likes me just the way I am too but I am still on my little crusade to get smaller.  The new problem i’m facing is that although i’m not eating that much and not as much chocolate I have replaced it with alcohol and going out partying.  Empty calories really but I do enjoy a drink now.I hope to keep you guys updated with my progress as I finally win the battle of the bulge.  I haven’t weighed myself in months now but my jeans are slightly loose so I am hoping I am around the same as last time.  I’m a bit scared to weigh if I am honest!   

Now on week 3 at the gym.

Last week was the end of week 3 at the gym (I went to the hotel gym every day on holiday) and even managed to squeeze in some extra cardio last week! Im starting to see a difference. Last time it took a good six weeks to notice a change in my body shape but already i’m feeling trimmer and bursting with more confidence. I have been burning around 700 to 1000 calories a day in the gym which sounds like an awful lot but it only takes me between an hour and a half and two hours daily.

Food wise i’ve been making healthier choices too, even eating out. Now instead of having a main course (I never had starters or puddings unless it was a pizza hut takeaway!) I have just a starter. Last friday we went for a lovely meal with a bunch of family and friends and I ordered chicken goujons but asked for it to be brought out with everyones main courses. To be fair the portion size was ridiculous for a starter so I left some of it and gave it to my dad for a taste. The chicken was very juicy and they were served ona bed of lettuce so I felt rather healthy indeed!

Alcohol wise I’ve been a little more naughty though. I don’t drink… or at least I didn’t until I went to Barcelona! This weekend i’ve been out two nights in a row on vodka and diet coke. I feel very sick today so i’m paying for it! I will have to slow down on the drinking front or I will replace all my calories from not eating crap with alcohol!

Week 4 at the gym started tomorrow, bright and early at 8am. I’m looking forward to it because I know in a few weeks time I will really notice a difference and I can’t wait for everyone to see the new me!

Week 1 of the Gym Done!.

Well that wasn’t too bad at all! I have finished my first week at the gym and the only day I didn’t go was Thursday (I felt pretty rough!) I am really enjoying this gym because of the way it works when you get there logging calories burnt. Today I managed to burn 877 calories! That’s pretty impressive huh! No wonder last time I did my gym routine my body shape changed dramatically.

I’ve been chatting to an online friend – he’s got a fantastic physique and he suggested the whole juicing thing again. I think when I get back from Cyprus I might give it a go. I haven’t got anything to lose really and if I can lose 7 lbs in one week it can’t be all bad. The only embarrasing thing is going into tesco and buying 48 apples lol. As you can tell i’m pretty positive. I did put a time by when I wanted to be at goal but to be honest I don’t really have a goal, I just want to look and feel fabulous. If I can reach the size 14 goal for the end of January I will be extremely happy and anything more than that will be a bonus

Something has clicked.

Well I had a fantastic time in Amsterdam and for some reason while I was there I wasn’t hungry. I was the same in Barcelona but I put that down to the hot weather. Since I have been in Amsterdam and have got back, I’ve managed to lose half a stone. I must admit that I was hovering over the 16 stone mark which was really upsetting for me since that was approximately my weight watchers starting weight back in 2002! Anyway, things are looking up on the dieting front. I have had no cravings whatsoever for any crap. I’ve been eating relatively healthy, albeit probably not enough nutrition wise and today I joined the gym again. I’m not sure if I posted about moving, but I’ve just undertaken a 400 mile move to a new place and took the plunge this morning and had my first gym induction. My second is tomorrow morning at 8:30am

Today it was pretty simple. The instructor did my blood pressure, height and weight and showed me around a few of the machines. There is this really cool key system where you plug the key into all of the machines and it logs everything you do and tells you how many calories you’ve burnt. My sister burnt 421 calories today! I on the otherhand only burnt 60 because I didn’t use any of the machines in the induction. I’m really looking forward to starting my routine like I did last year when I lost 2 dress sizes in 8 weeks.

Next sunday I’m off to Cyprus for a week. I’m not that worried about going this time because the hotel has a gym and again it should be too hot to eat too much. Here’s hoping! I will have to force myself to eat plates of vegetables to get myself used to the ones I don’t like

So as you can tell things are pretty positive at the moment. I bought a size 18 top and skirt in next yesterday so ideally I would like to get down to a size 14 by the end of January… and I’m determined this time!

Obesity “threatens the future of the NHS”.

According to an article I have found on BBC news (and i’m sure many other news agencies have picked up on it) is about obesity and its strain on the NHS. That’s right, fat people are causing the NHS to struggle with more and more people being diagnosed with diabeties and heart problems. Or so you would think that is what the article is about. It is actually about the amount of money that obesity related disorders takes up from the NHS budget and how it drains funding.

Sir Derek said current predictions of obesity rates – a third of men and 28% of women are likely to be classed as obese by 2010 – were worse than even the worst projections his report made in 2002.

Well, that is all very well and good. I understand the risks of being overweight and obese. Your heath does risk facing future problems such as diabeties, heart disease and strokes but how is obesity to blame for the NSH spirally costs? Don’t get me wrong I use the NHS and am very happy doing so. But what about alcohol related diseases or smoking related diseases? You see the government bringing in a smoking ban – what about a fast food ban that forces places that serve children and adults alike the salty, fatty foods that don’t actually fill anyone up and make you crave more? What about a ban on sugar or sugar restrictions per product? Of course there is far too much money to lose by restricting the sale of fast food or banning it all-together but if it saves lives and frees up so many NHS resources, why not?

Clothes Sizing.

Today I decided to take a walk around the shops to see if I could get myself some new clothes since half of my wardrobe is at my parents and the other half doesn’t fit at the moment! Anyway, I spent 3 hours in various clothes shops trying on the same sizes (or they were supposed to be!) I had started to get fed up by the time i’d been in 4 different clothing stores and hadn’t found anything so I thought I would take the plunge and go into Evans. Now as a teenager growing up big, I used to avoid evans like the plague. It was the place where I assumed people (including I) were too fat to shop anywhere else and it was frumpy and old. Today I thought I would have a look inside there then at least I was guarenteed to find clothes that would definately fit. I’m midway between a 16 and an 18 at the moment UK sizes. Bottoms I need at least an 18 to fit around my mammouth waist.

I was quite shocked to find quite a few different tops that I liked the look of, so I carried them all into the changing room looking around to see if everyone was as big as me in the store. I was quite shocked to see a girl who must have been a size 14 maximum trying on clothes. So I take my top off, and try and squeeze into the first few tops and they wont stretch. They are too small. I think to myself, hang on a minute I’m in a plus size store and the tops aren’t fitting, yet in the high street store down the road they do fit in that size! I found a couple of tops I did actually like and that did fit and looked at the price tag. One of my flaws is picking up things to try on before looking at the price until I get into the changing room and i’ve tried it on. So this one top was £30 ! Now I do spend that kind of money on other tops especially from river island but I thought £30 for that!? So not only are evans clothes not stretchy, tight cuts but they are also pricey!

I did buy that top… it was a long sleeved hoodie type top which is perfect for the weather at the moment and all I need is a bright pink stretchy cami to go underneath. I then ventured into new look which is one of my favourite shops. It’s cheap which is perfect for following trends when the clothes only lasts a few months. They also have the inspire range which is sizes 16 to 24 (I think). It might be higher. I found a fantastic waistcoat to wear over my rock chick type tops and another sexy tie back top. See a pattern here? All I buy are tops! lol I hate trying on bottoms but I do actually need some more.

On a happier note I was very pleased with myself. I walked straight past M&S without going into the food hall. I love M&S food. Most of it is actually not bad calorie and fat content wise. My plan however was to go in and buy some of their prepared pasta, chicken, bacon and sweetcorn which is loaded with calories along with some chocolate ring biscuits. I thought about it for a bit and then decided that it was an extremely bad idea and that I would go home and make myself some eggs on toast. Me = 1, Mind Games = 0. Yay!

Proactol Fat Binder.

I have been feeling much better the past few days albeit with a very loud cough! I must admit I haven’t been exercising but I wanted to make sure I was 100% before I start to wear my body out. I have been reading more about weight loss and I found a new revolutionary product called Proactol – the natural Fat Binder. It’s based on all natural organic ingrediants based on a certain type of cactus and it prevents up to 28% of someones fat intake from being absorbed by the body.

It all sounds pretty amazing in theory and I’m thinking of giving it a try but I’m not sure yet. It claims to reduce cravings and prevent your body from storing all of the fat no matter what you eat but I think it would probably be more effective with a healthy eating plan. What do you guys think? Should I give the Proactol Fat Binder a go? You decide!

Good intentions….

Well I’m up, admittedly not as early as I first planned but I feel completely crap! Not only have I woke up with a terrible sore throat, cold / flu like symptoms, but my legs are aching like crazy! Yesterday evening after my wii playing session I decided to go for an hour and a half walk. Now I surely can’t be aching from that!? I walked much further in Barcelona! So here I am sat miserable because my good intentions of starting my exercise routine have pretty much been thrown out of the window for today.

Perhaps not completely! I still can eat sensibly and play on the wii later on and who knows if I start to feel an improvement after my lemsip I have sitting on my desk maybe I will make it to the gym afterall. I’m just so bummed! On day 1 as well (yesterday wasn’t a full day!)

Wii Sports Fitness Plan.

Well, I did it.. i got on the weighing scales and I’m 15 stone 11. Eugh.

I actually was a little heavier than that, over 16 stones! But whilst I was in Barcelona, I managed to trim down quite a bit by walking miles (we never used the metro!) and by eating little portions. It was far too hot to eat during the day, so we settled for small bites, and tapas in the evening. If I hadn’t have drunk goldfish bowls full of vodka I think I would have lost more weight too!

So I’m 15 stone 11. That’s 1lb heavier than when I started weight watchers for the first time in November 2002. That’s pretty depressing. I’ve been doing a lot of online reading about weight loss and especially to do with the nintendo wii as I noticed when I play the sports games, I break into a mild sweat! Anyway, I found this fantastic website belonging to a guy called J.R who has embarked on a wii weight loss plan. Combined with healthy eating and daily play on the wii he has managed to lose 44 lbs in 24 weeks! This sounds pretty good and I’m in desperate need to trimming down a bit by the end of September. I’m off to Amsterdam and I really don’t want to look like this! In Barcelona I went with my sister and 2 of her friends and all three of them are really slim. As much as I love them, I looked like a blimp stood next to them! So by Amsterdam i’d ideally like to be a stone lighter, or just lose some of the fat around the middle.

So I’ve decided with the help of my boyfriend that I will get back into going to the gym every weekday like I did last year when I saw drastic results. I’m also going to play on the wii for 45 minutes each day and eat healthily and see the results! Day 1 is officially here. I’ve played tennis and baseball on the wii by myself for a good hour with a break in between and my start weight is 15 stone 11. Wish me luck!

I’m scared of the weighing scales.

In my last post which was rather a long time ago, I had the dilemma of whether to diet or not to diet. Now I have made up my mind. I have to – I’m pretty sure my weight is back up to the starting weight of when I joined weight watchers through no exercise and poor food choices and that is so depressing I’m actually to scared to get on the weighing scales and see the difference. My plan is to eat healthily for a few weeks, and then weigh – hopefully losing half a stone before I get on!

I know I should face the fear and just weigh myself after all it’s just a number that can be changed but I can’t bring myself to do it. I’ve considered fad diets that you do for a couple of weeks but I know they are unhealthy and I shouldn’t go anywhere near them!

To top things off, I’m going to France in just over a week. How do you eat healthily in France? Any suggestions welcome… although none of which contain snails, frogs legs or any other delicacy that I have absolutely no desire to taste lol. The problem I found with France last time was the fresh bread and yummy cheese. I am so going to have to limit myself while I’m over there!

I have kept fairly active the past week decorating my flat. I’m moving – and a big upheaval too approximately 400 miles. I’m moving closer to my family and it should be really good. Again when I’m down there I eat out a lot more socially so I’m going to have to start making better menu choices!

That’s about it for now! Anyone want to buy a flat?