The 'My head and body are both a bit messed up' weigh in.

It seems that at the moment I can talk the talk but then go off and do a very different walk. When I think it all through I know where I am going wrong and what I need to do to make it right. But putting it into action is a very different thing right now.

I am having a difficult TOM, it is always pretty messed up but I normally get some warning that it is on the way. There is no regularity to them at all. I have always been jealous of those people who say they have a 28 day cycle. Mine can be anywhere between 15 days and 42 days. This time BAM there it was, No warning, no indications it was coming. That messed with my head for a start, on top of that I spent all day yesterday tired, achy and more than a little spaced out. I was supposed to be seeing friends last night but instead I was in bed by 8.30pm. I feel more normal today but having weighed/measured my mind is playing with me.

I have gained 1/2lb this week but body fat was down to 34% (last week it was 36%). My measurements all stayed the same. I have recorded all the numbers but I am not going to (try not to) take them too seriously. I have TOM and my eating has been all over the place. I have no idea what is down to which part. Is the 1/2lb gain down to eating weirdly or TOM? Is the 2% fat loss down to my body retaining water with TOM or did I actually reduce body fat that much?

Next week when my mind/body have stopped screwing with me I guess I will get some answers. Until then I am going to try to get my head in the right place and keep it there. And keep being honest about how badly I am doing. I know that's not what a lot of people like to read in a blog about weight loss. I make little/no apology for that though. It's not an easy journey but I am sticking with it good and bad. Eventually this time I will get there.

Back to reality/normality

I said I wouldn't be around much for a couple of weeks. Over the last fortnight I have spent time with my family and have been off on holiday. The latter meaning that I couldn't check in here or at myfitnesspal to log food/exercise. When you are camping in a field, in the middle of nowhere, the internet isn't an option. Life is back to normal now though so I am determined to make sure that I don't let the last couple of weeks get in the way of my plan. In the past it would have been an excuse for forgetting all about eating well/exercising.

My view for the last week.

I was fully expecting to have gained some weight while camping. It was a group holiday where food was communal cooking/eating. I had decided that I wasn't going to fuss about eating. I knew there was a chance that options might be limited. I was very pleased when we got back to find that I had actually lost 1lb. I am now down to 11st 5lbs (159lbs). I was really surprised when I worked out how many pounds that was because it means leaving 160's. I am also 1/2lb away from losing 10% of my starting weight.

While I was away I didn't do much exercise. I did take my running things and did go for a run once. What I didn't get chance to come here and say was that on the morning we left I went for a run before setting off. I ran for 20 minutes without stopping. TWENTY MINUTES. I was buzzing when I got in. That was the 3rd run for week 5 of c25k. After the first run while I was away I messed up a bit and got myself a little dehydrated so decided to sort that out before attempting to run again. I didn't fancy the idea of passing out in unfamiliar country lanes. I have actually missed it though and am keen to get back into the routine again.

I now have a tent to air/dry out. It was beautiful the whole time we were there right up to the last night when it rained almost non stop all night. We didn't have the option of waiting a while to see if we could get it dry before heading home as we had something to get back for.

I am going to plan food for the next week so that I can just grab meals/snacks without thinking. I have shopping arriving today, thank goodness for online food shopping. :oD

NSV alert. My husband took some photos of me in a long skirt and vest top. I DON'T wear skirts and don't wear vest tops in public so to be wearing those in a group of 40 people was and NSV itself. But I looked at the photos last night and I didn't think how bad I looked. I was actually quite happy with the way I looked.

This is a very bitty post but then so is my house right now. I guess I should get started on the joy of unpacking.

Weigh in and catch up

This has been a very busy week. It has actually gone really well food wise and exercise wise (more about that in a moment). One of the things I learnt a couple of years ago is that home educating Bookworm and Hyperboy takes a lot of time from other things. Something that has been really good for me over the last few months is truly appreciating the time I have given to myself. It feels good to have spent time focusing on me and being nice to me. I have fed my body well and I have enjoyed the time I have spent exercising. I have enjoyed the results of it, losing weight, not feeling so uncomfortable in my own skin and not feeling like a blimp! The result of all that has been a happier Me, Wife and Mummy. We all win. :oD

So weigh in this morning. I only set myself a goal of 1/2lb loss for this week. I knew we were going to be at my parents for a few days and I know that when I am there it is not as easy to eat the way I have been lately. I also knew that I'd be spending a lot less time being active.

Weight - 11st 6lbs- A loss of 1/2lb making 16 1/2lbs loss total. :)

Body fat - 35% - 1% lost this week making 5% loss total. :)

1/2in lost from my waist making 10 1/2in lost from chest/waist/hips in total.

 

I am very happy that I met the weight goal I set myself. It wasn't easy to eat well at my parents and I didn't feel great as a result but I was glad to see the loss I had been aiming for. I now weigh the same as I did 12 years ago. 4lbs to go and I will be weighing the same as I did when I was 21. :oD I am also 1 1/2lbs from losing 10% of my starting weight.

 

I was really surprised to see the body fat drop. It had dropped to 35% 3 weeks ago but the next week was back up to 36%. It did a similar thing when I had the drop to 37% so hopefully the drop will stick this time around.

 

The 1/2inch loss from my waist sort of surprised me and sort of didn't. I knew I had got smaller there because trousers feel loose. These are trousers from my "not a chance" pile that has got shrunk to almost nothing. They are ones that I haven't worn for years (or ever in some cases). I wasn't expecting 1/2in though. (Happy dance).

 

I posted very briefly about the NSV of running. While we were out for a run my husband was in charge of timing. He wouldn't tell me how long we had run for until we got back. He made me wait and tormented me for ages before finally telling me that the first block of running was 10 minutes. After a 2 1/2 minute walk we then went on to run 8 1/2 minutes. I was even more pleased because I had been the one to say when I wanted to stop running and start walking. Not bad seeing as I was so disheartened the other week. Two days later I went out again by myself (husband had competed the day before and little brother was still in his pit bed. I took my ipod and did c25k week 5 run 1. The NSV's came thick and fast. I went the same route and

I was enjoying it.

I wasn't phased by the few other people I saw.

I spoke to another runner I saw (yes I felt like 'a runner').

I ran all the way up an incline.

I had to extend the route because it wasn't going to be long enough and the extension took me up a fairly steep hill WHICH I RAN UP.

I felt like I could do more afterwards.

 

And when we got home that night I ran again after dropping Bookworm off at Brownies. In the heat, dripping with sweat and managed all but 1 1/2 minutes of the route running.

 

 

I AM ON FIRE! No false modesty here. I am doing a great job and am loving exercising.

I have entered a 5k race. It is in August. A lot sooner than the 10k I am entered for next May! I feel super confident that I will be able to run it all by then. And I even feel ok about the small chance that I might need to walk a little bit of it. The only goals I have set for it are

1) Finish the distance.

2) Don't be last.

One last NSV. I mowed our back garden yesterday. It was really hot out and thunderstorms were due so it was very muggy. Our mower is a push mower so it's not an easy job. 45 minutes of doing that and I was dripping with sweat. I noticed something though. I didn't find it hard going. Last time I did it I was aching afterwards and kept feeling out of breath. Not this time. It was a doddle.

I have another super busy week coming up so don't think I have sneaked off into a corner with a big bar of green and black's caramel. I have no intention of doing that. I just might not have much time to check in here. I will be thinking about it though and making good choices.



You are dismissed, I have finished waffling!

Weigh in - 12 weeks

It seems strange that I have now been keeping this blog for 3 months. Without a doubt it is the biggest factor in me sticking with losing weight this time around. In the past I have tried keeping a diary but I would get bored of filling it in or 'forget' to put things in it. How stupid was that?! It's not like anybody else read it. I have been far more honest on here. Anyway it's working so I don't really mind why! :o)

I can't say I am over the moon with the numbers on the scales/tape measure this week but they are still in the right direction.

Weight - 11st 7lbs- A loss of 1 1/2lbs since last week making 15 1/2lbs loss total.

Body fat - 36% - A gain of 1% making 4% loss total.

1/4in lost from my chest 9 3/4in lost from chest/waist/hips in total.

I am now 12 weeks from when I started so I have taken other measurements too.

Left bicep - 12 2/8in -loss of 2/8in over 4 weeks/1in total.

Left thigh - 22 6/8in - loss of 3/8in over 4 weeks/2 1/8in total.

Left calf - 15 2/8in - no loss over 4 weeks/4/8in total

The reason I was hoping for more of a loss is just because things have slowed down so much now. Instead of focusing on those numbers though I am going to concentrate on the fact that a lot of other things have changed drastically in the last 12 weeks.

My skin is so much softer. I guess all the sweating when I have exercised has helped. So there is a benefit to looking like someone has painted me with postbox red face paint!

I have a whole heap more energy.

I can run for 3 minutes without needing to stop. 12 weeks ago I couldn't run for 1 minute. I think I can do more than this. My husband says I run too fast and if I slow down I will be able to sustain longer. Going to try that later.

I can workout hard for 50 minutes and feel fine again 10 minutes later. 12 weeks ago 20 minutes of working out with a little bit of effort left me feeling like I was about to die and so sore the next morning that I struggled to move.

My nails are growing really nicely. They weren't pretty 12 weeks ago. Now they look lovely.

My body is tighter. Yes it still wobbles a fair bit but my skin is so much tighter than it was.

All of the pairs of trousers that I was wearing (except pjs) are now too big and have GONE. I have got rid of them. Some got thrown out because frankly they were tatty beyond belief, some have been given to charity and some are going on ebay. I don't really care where they go but they aren't going back in my wardrobe!

There are more changes that I am happy about but that will do for now. I am going to start my day at 11 1/2stone (161lbs) for the first time in over 10 years.

Weigh in - 11 weeks

Back again for another weigh in. After last week where I was so miserable I thought I would look at that post again and see how I did on my goals for the week.

eat well - I did this. Planning my meals and snacks worked really well. It usually does so I have done the same for this week.

exercise as per my plans - I almost did this. Where I didn't it was because I realised I was either trying to step up too soon or hadn't planned very carefully. I am going to aim for more careful planning this week.

by the end of this week step up to level 4 of c25k. - I gave this a go and realised it was going to be too much too soon. I am not ready to move up to level 4 yet so will stick at level 3 and work on technique and breathing right.

be happy! - I managed this most of the week.

 

So where did it get me?

Weight - 11st 8 1/2lbs - A loss of 1/2lbs since last week making 14lbs loss total. UK people will know that this means I have lost a stone.

Body fat - 35% - A loss of 1% making 5% loss total.

Another 3/4in lost over chest, waist and hips making 9 1/2in lost in total

 

As I said last night I was kind of expecting no loss or possibly even a small gain. Having lost 1/2lb is ok with me. Obviously I would have like it to be more but I will take the 1 stone total and be happy about that. Especially when using my body fat % I worked out that 13.9lbs of that is fat. I guess that explains why some people have said it looks like I have lost more than 1 stone. Things are getting tighter. :o)

 

Using the body fat % from last week and this week also suggests that this week I have lost 1.98lbs of fat. I am happy with that. I shall take that as my reward for the extra effort I put in with the exercise.

 

The other thing about my loss is that while I have lost 1 stone since I started this blog I also realised that I am now 2 stone less than I was 2 years ago and 3 stone less than I was 8 years ago. Earlier this week the idea of losing another 2 stone seemed pretty daunting. But realising today that I have already lost 3 stone (ok, it was over a long time but it is still gone) makes it seem not so bad. Losing another 2 stone would put me at the top of the healthy weight range using BMI charts. Once I get there then I will decide if I am comfortable with that or am going to go a little bit more. I am not completely sold on the BMI measurements so will use that as a guide and follow my body/health as the overall decider.

 

Setting some specific goals last week worked well for me so I am going to do the same this week.

Eat well.

Exercise as per plan.

Fill a bag with 14lbs 'stuff' and carry it round for half an hour one evening to remind myself what I was carrying about 11 weeks ago.