This week has been really positive. I have been really disciplined with my eating and used my points well. I haven't eaten anything I shouldn't have and everything I have eaten I have tracked. In addition, the peadometer has really stepped things up and with Daniel starting pre-school this week there has been even more walking. On Mondays and Tuesdays we walk to Megan's school and back and then straight up to Dan's nursery and back without a break!!! My peadometer clocked 35 miles this week and I can tell you my calfs know about it. I really need some new shoes! I have averaged 14000 steps a day this week (some days have been as high as 18000 steps!) and I feel amazing for doing it.
I have been more experimental in the kitchen this week, trying out new recipies for myself and also for the family and I really enjoyed it. I am definately finding a new confidence in the kitchen and long may it continue.
As for the task I set myself last week, I have researched extensively for another form of excercise that will be gentler on my poor, old (28 lol) knees. I do love swimming but just cannot afford the fees to commit to it on a regular basis. I have discussed with the relevant medical people and I feel I may have found something that could work for me - yoga. All the information I have read and been given tells me it is none impact and has no sudden jerky movements. So, I have ordered a set of yoga dvds which have good reviews from around the world and am looking forward to trying them when they arrive, hopefully tomorrow.
Finally to weigh in, and none of us can ever predict those dreaded scales. I have to admit I did go hoping (more like praying) that I would lose something more than 1 pound. Even 1.5 would have made me extatic because of all the extra effort I put in. But alas, it was not to be, one pound again. I know every pound counts and I am really pleased but I was a little disappointed not to see even a little more in recognition of my hard work. I don't mind too much, I did all the extra walking because I enjoyed it and wanted to do it, not just to lose a few extra pounds. For that reason alone I will continue to do it.
I guess I am finally coming to the acceptance that taking thyroxine will not magically fix everything, especially when my dosage is still being tested and changed every few months. I have realised that the condition will probably still slow my weightloss even with the medication. But on the very bright side of it, a long, slow journey is better than no journey at all. I am thankful for where I am at right now. Up until I started the medication last September, I couldn't lose anything at all and I was desperate to lose "only one pound". So if all I can do is lose 1 pound a week then I will happily take it for the next 100 weeks!!!!
So on to another positive week, hopefully with a bit of yoga and fingers crossed for another "only lost a pound".
Sarah x
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Flexibility, WW Really works!
This week has been a good week. I have to be honest and say that I haven't religiously stuck to my points this week - I have picked a little. I also treated myself on Friday evening. We had a film night with the children and I had some pizza, garlic bread, popcorn and a few other little bits. I did weigh and point it all and it totalled about 20 points. I had a few points banked from excercise and was happy that I would gain more throughout the week to cover the rest. In addition to my normal walking I did 3 x 30 minute dvd workouts and felt great! When I stood on the scales this morning at WI, a little doubt momentarily flickered my mind, wondering if I had done enough. I had, I have lost 1lb! I am really happy with that. It just goes to prove that I can make a decision to treat myself and still lose weight - so long as I stay in control!
The peadometer has been good this week. I have found that if you count your steps then look at it, it doesn't seem too accurate. However, over a course of a day it seems to level out and I have found it to be consistent in that, on an at home day I average about 7000 steps each day, and on an out and about day I average about 10000. It may not be 100% accurate and I am not using it to work out points, its more just to make me more aware of and then hopefully increase my activity. I feel it's working too. I am making tasks that little bit more difficult to make more steps. For example, when ironing now I place my baskets a few steps away from the ironing board on each side. It sounds sad I know but I did it without realising one day and it just kind of stuck!
On the activity front I felt fab after doing the workouts but my crunchy knees have returned with avengence. Painkillers up and structured exercise (other than walking) off the cards until it calms down again. This cycle it getting a little frustrating and there is not alot I can do about it at the moment, both my knees will require surgery again at some point, but the hospital will not consider it until I get my BMI down further. I want to excercise more and this is holding me back a little as I want to do more than walk. I know swimming is good but I just cannot afford it. So I am on the lookout for a new type of excercise to do at home. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! I think that this should be my task for this week - to research knee friendly forms of exercise!
On another positive note, Simon (my husband) has decided to join me on my WW journey, but at home rather than going to the meetings. It will be decidedly more difficult for Simon as his Aspergers Syndrome seriously restricts the textures, flavours and types of food he can/will tolerate. I feel it will benefit us both by doing WW together and he is now on day 3 and all is going well.
Feel like I have rambled a bit tonight so I will leave it there and go and begin scouring the internet for ideas.
Sarah x
The peadometer has been good this week. I have found that if you count your steps then look at it, it doesn't seem too accurate. However, over a course of a day it seems to level out and I have found it to be consistent in that, on an at home day I average about 7000 steps each day, and on an out and about day I average about 10000. It may not be 100% accurate and I am not using it to work out points, its more just to make me more aware of and then hopefully increase my activity. I feel it's working too. I am making tasks that little bit more difficult to make more steps. For example, when ironing now I place my baskets a few steps away from the ironing board on each side. It sounds sad I know but I did it without realising one day and it just kind of stuck!
On the activity front I felt fab after doing the workouts but my crunchy knees have returned with avengence. Painkillers up and structured exercise (other than walking) off the cards until it calms down again. This cycle it getting a little frustrating and there is not alot I can do about it at the moment, both my knees will require surgery again at some point, but the hospital will not consider it until I get my BMI down further. I want to excercise more and this is holding me back a little as I want to do more than walk. I know swimming is good but I just cannot afford it. So I am on the lookout for a new type of excercise to do at home. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! I think that this should be my task for this week - to research knee friendly forms of exercise!
On another positive note, Simon (my husband) has decided to join me on my WW journey, but at home rather than going to the meetings. It will be decidedly more difficult for Simon as his Aspergers Syndrome seriously restricts the textures, flavours and types of food he can/will tolerate. I feel it will benefit us both by doing WW together and he is now on day 3 and all is going well.
Feel like I have rambled a bit tonight so I will leave it there and go and begin scouring the internet for ideas.
Sarah x
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
heaving a sigh of relief....
This week I have felt really disheartened by the whole process. My motivation was not lost but my confidence certainly was. It seems as though last week's gain bothered me more that I thought it did. The closer WI came the worse I felt. I hadn't been cheating or binging but my belief had really gone. I felt as though all the hormones raging caused by the implant and my Hashimotos would remove the control I have with this weightloss. That even though I would continue following the plan, that they would prevent it from working.
This morning I was convinced I had gained, despite there being no logic to it (I had stuck to plan). At WI I hardly dared look at the scales, but was most relieved to have lost 1.5. That completely reduced last week's gain to a mere blip on the horison. I feel that it was very significant for me to lose all of what I had gained so that I now have a clean slate again. I know that I didn't do anything wrong to cause the gain but I guess it was a lesson to myself in how fragile my new found confidence is - something I guess all us WWers face.
So now I feel more upbeat about it again (sounds fickle I know) and Simon bought me a WW pedometer plus today - not got it set up properly yet! I feel being aware of my activity will spur me on more, even on days we cannot get out of the house in bad weather.
I am looking forward to enjoying this week more than the last (and my pointed cadbury's creme egg on Sunday).
Keep well everyone,
Sarah x
This morning I was convinced I had gained, despite there being no logic to it (I had stuck to plan). At WI I hardly dared look at the scales, but was most relieved to have lost 1.5. That completely reduced last week's gain to a mere blip on the horison. I feel that it was very significant for me to lose all of what I had gained so that I now have a clean slate again. I know that I didn't do anything wrong to cause the gain but I guess it was a lesson to myself in how fragile my new found confidence is - something I guess all us WWers face.
So now I feel more upbeat about it again (sounds fickle I know) and Simon bought me a WW pedometer plus today - not got it set up properly yet! I feel being aware of my activity will spur me on more, even on days we cannot get out of the house in bad weather.
I am looking forward to enjoying this week more than the last (and my pointed cadbury's creme egg on Sunday).
Keep well everyone,
Sarah x
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
What goes around.......
...definately comes back to bite you on the bum!!!! I was a bit gutted at WI today to find out I had gained 1.5lb. I have stuck to the plan faithfully this week, not gone 1 point over. My eating has been well under control even despite receiving an eviction notice and the landlord continuing to be a complete git! I actually feel proud of myself for not binging to ease the stress and emotion under the circumstances.
Admittedly, we haven't been out and about walking much at all. Daniel has another chest infection, caused by the damp in the flat we live in (but not for much longer YAY!)so we have been stuck indoors. I didn't think that would cause a gain, so it must be last weeks hormonal eating catching up with me. I thought I had paid enough points back to cover it but seemingly not.
I am not too disappointed though as it was not something I could help. The offending article, namely my contraceptive implant has been removed today. It has been fine using it up until this point but my doctor thinks it was so close to the end of it's life (had it in 2 years and 11 months) it just made things go a bit loopy. It did however, just have to give me a last kick in it's dying breaths though - it would not come out and the doctor practically had to rip my arm off to get it out. I now have a round hole in my arm about 1-2cm deep and its covered in butterfly stitches (maybe no swimming on Sunday :( boo) and it is very bruised.
Plan this week is just to continue as normal and the weightloss will catch up in its own time. I hope!!!!
Sorry but I am keeping it short this week due to the my arm being so sore. Catch up with you all next week.
Sarah x
Admittedly, we haven't been out and about walking much at all. Daniel has another chest infection, caused by the damp in the flat we live in (but not for much longer YAY!)so we have been stuck indoors. I didn't think that would cause a gain, so it must be last weeks hormonal eating catching up with me. I thought I had paid enough points back to cover it but seemingly not.
I am not too disappointed though as it was not something I could help. The offending article, namely my contraceptive implant has been removed today. It has been fine using it up until this point but my doctor thinks it was so close to the end of it's life (had it in 2 years and 11 months) it just made things go a bit loopy. It did however, just have to give me a last kick in it's dying breaths though - it would not come out and the doctor practically had to rip my arm off to get it out. I now have a round hole in my arm about 1-2cm deep and its covered in butterfly stitches (maybe no swimming on Sunday :( boo) and it is very bruised.
Plan this week is just to continue as normal and the weightloss will catch up in its own time. I hope!!!!
Sorry but I am keeping it short this week due to the my arm being so sore. Catch up with you all next week.
Sarah x
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Suprise, Suprise......
....no I haven't just morphed into Cilla Black, but I am absolutely amazed with WI today. I lost 3lb, which is fantastic but have no idea how. This week has been a bit of a rollercoaster hormonally. To cut a long story short, my contraceptive implant is almost expired (my first ever one) and it's suddenly made my body throw a bit of a wobbly to say the least! I spent over a week with everyone including my GP thinking I must be pregnant (morning sickness, breast changes, being emotional etc). It turns out that it is just the implant (thank goodness - we don't want another one yet) and I will be having it out in the next 7-10 days. Unfortunately, the hormones made me really hungry and I totally pigged over the weekend and went way over my points. I did have some activity points but not enough to cover it so spent the rest of the week "paying back points". Eventually the points tallied up but I thought it would be a miracle if I didn't have a gain but I wasn't too worried about it under the circumstances. But no a big 3 and that gave me a 3rd Silver 7 whoop whoop. So I have now lost 21 lbs in 8 weeks at weight watchers to add to the 29 I lost before I joined, making a grand total of 50 lbs! Needless to say I feel really good about this :). Bring on the next 50lbs please.
So on to this WW week. Well it is Megan's 7th birthday tomorrow and we are having a little tea party on Friday (so Nanny can come). I will be making my 0 point soup tomorrow so that I can have some before the party. I have got some WW friendly treats for myself and Simon's Mum (also at ww) and pointed it all up already so not worried about that at all. I wanted us to be able to enjoy it without worrying about points so planned it all well in advance.
I just hope more weeks can be as good as this for WW. As far as excercise goes this week, I would like to try to fit in at least 1 more structured activity. I have let that fall by the wayside the last few weeks, but have been walking 1-2 hours a day (it seems to fit in more easily to our lives). I am serious about the Race for Life so I think I may have to step it up a gear soon. I will see how this week goes.
Sarah x
So on to this WW week. Well it is Megan's 7th birthday tomorrow and we are having a little tea party on Friday (so Nanny can come). I will be making my 0 point soup tomorrow so that I can have some before the party. I have got some WW friendly treats for myself and Simon's Mum (also at ww) and pointed it all up already so not worried about that at all. I wanted us to be able to enjoy it without worrying about points so planned it all well in advance.
I just hope more weeks can be as good as this for WW. As far as excercise goes this week, I would like to try to fit in at least 1 more structured activity. I have let that fall by the wayside the last few weeks, but have been walking 1-2 hours a day (it seems to fit in more easily to our lives). I am serious about the Race for Life so I think I may have to step it up a gear soon. I will see how this week goes.
Sarah x
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Grrr.....
Not a bad week at all. This week has been a week of walking, I think we did a total of approximately 15 hours in all!!! I think we averaged 60 to 90 minutes per day and on Saturday it was 4 hours! We decided to leave the car at home and take the children, with Simon's mum on the train to Carlisle. The children loved it, Daniel has never been on a train before and Megan was about 3 the last time. I made a picnic lunch and pointed everything, including some WW goodies so that we didn't feel like we were missing out. I also found some WW mini cookies in Tesco that were 1.5 points per bag and we all had them at Costa with our "skinny" hot chocolate!
I was planning to do Fast Start this week and did follow it for at least half the week without any problems. Then after speaking to some other WW members I became concerned about the number of activity points I was earning and not eating. Lots of people have said that you must eat half of your activity points or your body will go into starvation mode. So I decided to end the Fast Start and eat up activity points to try to prevent this happening. Most of the time I felt like I was eating just to use up the points and usually on bad things. More fool me!!!
I got to WI this week concerned as to how it would go with all the messing about changing plan and then almost gorging at the end of my week. I had lost half a pound. I was pleased but a little frustrated to say the least. I didn't feel it was right eating all those points when I wasn't hungry and I didn't listen to myself. I am a little dissapointed that I was "following instructions" and it didn't do me all that good. I am however, still very happy that I have continued to lose (albeit only a little) making my total 18lbs since I joined at the end of January.
This week I am going back to basics. I am just going to follow the plan on my 24 points a day. I will try to excercise everyday, whether that be walking or something more vigorous, but I am not going to specifically schedule anything in. I will tally up my activity points, but only so I know I have a little leeway if I do feel hungry and want something else to eat. I have had smaller and smaller losses over the past 3 weeks and I would just like it if I could be averaging 2lb a week. Then I would be a happy bunny!!
and finally, NOTE TO SELF: Always listen to my own body and not other peoples hot air!!!!!
Sarah x
I was planning to do Fast Start this week and did follow it for at least half the week without any problems. Then after speaking to some other WW members I became concerned about the number of activity points I was earning and not eating. Lots of people have said that you must eat half of your activity points or your body will go into starvation mode. So I decided to end the Fast Start and eat up activity points to try to prevent this happening. Most of the time I felt like I was eating just to use up the points and usually on bad things. More fool me!!!
I got to WI this week concerned as to how it would go with all the messing about changing plan and then almost gorging at the end of my week. I had lost half a pound. I was pleased but a little frustrated to say the least. I didn't feel it was right eating all those points when I wasn't hungry and I didn't listen to myself. I am a little dissapointed that I was "following instructions" and it didn't do me all that good. I am however, still very happy that I have continued to lose (albeit only a little) making my total 18lbs since I joined at the end of January.
This week I am going back to basics. I am just going to follow the plan on my 24 points a day. I will try to excercise everyday, whether that be walking or something more vigorous, but I am not going to specifically schedule anything in. I will tally up my activity points, but only so I know I have a little leeway if I do feel hungry and want something else to eat. I have had smaller and smaller losses over the past 3 weeks and I would just like it if I could be averaging 2lb a week. Then I would be a happy bunny!!
and finally, NOTE TO SELF: Always listen to my own body and not other peoples hot air!!!!!
Sarah x
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Great Week......
This week has been great! On Wednesday evening, Simon and I managed to get out (for the first time in almost a year) and it was a lovely evening. We played snooker and got a pizza each on the way home. I checked the points online before we went out an I had a Dominos personal (the smallest) farmhouse pizza all to myself - and loved every bite!! I filled up on zero point veggies with my meals that day and had 6.5 points left to go towards my pizza. It was 10.5 points so I had to "pay back" 4 , which I did by cutting my points a little throughout the week.
I set myself a goal this week of clamping down on the nibbling. Well, it took me until Sunday to nail it completely but I haven't nibbled since and I am still very aware of of myself in the kitchen. Earlier in the week we had some humourous moments where "extra bits" made it as far as inside my mouth before I even realised what I was doing. Previously I would have said "what the hell..." but not this week... and out they came. So I am really pleased with my awareness this week.
On the exercise front this week things did not go as I planned. My shoulder niggle (from a car accident a few years back) returned and I was worried that if I pushed it with the ballet and the treadmill, I could be out of action longer. Rather than not bother at all, I switched my normal routine for extra walking with Simon and the children, and with that and the Splash Club on Sunday I still managed to rack up 14.5 Activity Points (which I did not use). I even had a Creme Egg last night (pointed) without using my earned points.
All in all this week I feel that I have made much better use of my points allowance. I have had plenty of fruits and veggies, wholegrains, dairy and proteins, even had a treat and I have felt much better for it. I feel that my attitude towards food and my diet (in the "healthy diet" sense) is changing everyday. I feel fuller more, I am drinking plenty of fluids, I am really enjoying what I am eating and it is much more varied than before. I feel I am less bothered about sweet things on a regular basis, it feels like I am developing a more normal relationship with food. It's not that I am no longer interested in sweet treets or that I am denying myself, I am just not really thinking about food as much (unless I am planning meals ahead) whereas I used to think about food lots. Also, I am finding I am much more particular about what treat things I have, I want good value for my points, that way I really enjoy what I eat and it does not leave me wanting for more!
Weigh in was a success this morning. I didn't feel as though I would have lost anything this week. TOTM kicked in this morning and I wasn't expecting it (I have been a little irregular since starting WW, probably due to the losses and sudden exercise) but I was happy to see I had lost 1.5lb, even after having the pizza at the start of my week. I was well chuffed!
So to this week, exercise regime will be back to normal as of this evening. I have also decided to give Fast Start a try this week to help give me a boost on the Stone for Easter challenge on the WW message boards. That means this week I will be living on 20 points plus a pint of skimmed milk a day, rather than my current 24 points. I think I should be fine, I made some zero pointed soup today so that should help me along. Hopefully next week will bring a nice 3 or maybe even 4 pound loss. Fingers crossed........
Sarah x
I set myself a goal this week of clamping down on the nibbling. Well, it took me until Sunday to nail it completely but I haven't nibbled since and I am still very aware of of myself in the kitchen. Earlier in the week we had some humourous moments where "extra bits" made it as far as inside my mouth before I even realised what I was doing. Previously I would have said "what the hell..." but not this week... and out they came. So I am really pleased with my awareness this week.
On the exercise front this week things did not go as I planned. My shoulder niggle (from a car accident a few years back) returned and I was worried that if I pushed it with the ballet and the treadmill, I could be out of action longer. Rather than not bother at all, I switched my normal routine for extra walking with Simon and the children, and with that and the Splash Club on Sunday I still managed to rack up 14.5 Activity Points (which I did not use). I even had a Creme Egg last night (pointed) without using my earned points.
All in all this week I feel that I have made much better use of my points allowance. I have had plenty of fruits and veggies, wholegrains, dairy and proteins, even had a treat and I have felt much better for it. I feel that my attitude towards food and my diet (in the "healthy diet" sense) is changing everyday. I feel fuller more, I am drinking plenty of fluids, I am really enjoying what I am eating and it is much more varied than before. I feel I am less bothered about sweet things on a regular basis, it feels like I am developing a more normal relationship with food. It's not that I am no longer interested in sweet treets or that I am denying myself, I am just not really thinking about food as much (unless I am planning meals ahead) whereas I used to think about food lots. Also, I am finding I am much more particular about what treat things I have, I want good value for my points, that way I really enjoy what I eat and it does not leave me wanting for more!
Weigh in was a success this morning. I didn't feel as though I would have lost anything this week. TOTM kicked in this morning and I wasn't expecting it (I have been a little irregular since starting WW, probably due to the losses and sudden exercise) but I was happy to see I had lost 1.5lb, even after having the pizza at the start of my week. I was well chuffed!
So to this week, exercise regime will be back to normal as of this evening. I have also decided to give Fast Start a try this week to help give me a boost on the Stone for Easter challenge on the WW message boards. That means this week I will be living on 20 points plus a pint of skimmed milk a day, rather than my current 24 points. I think I should be fine, I made some zero pointed soup today so that should help me along. Hopefully next week will bring a nice 3 or maybe even 4 pound loss. Fingers crossed........
Sarah x
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