Day 48 -53

Just a short post today as I'm feeling quite tired. I have a bit of a cold and have probably pushed myself too much rather than slowing down. Anyway - worked like a demon today then dashed to the Golf Club AGM (snore). Managed to limit myself to one fight only - God they're such a bunch of whinging old minnies sometimes - I love the game but sometimes the people playing it are a trial. Actually, there are loads of really nice women down there but the Committee types take over and the nice lot just bite their lips. I had a small scuffle over one policy making it virtually impossible for working women (very much in the minority) to take part in anything, but otherwise sat back a bit.

Apart from that it was very gratifying that so many people who I haven't seen since before the diet commented on how much weight I have lost. They were all shocked that I couldn't drink - the food was very much secondary! Just goes to show eh?! Deprive a golfing lady of her wine and you'll hear about it!!

After that went for a jog with Shelley and did it pretty fast despite the terrible weather and driving headwind on the way out. Now I'm absolutely knackered so I'm heading for the warm telly and then an early night! Night night....

Day 47 -54

Well, D is back to the rig today so I'm back to living alone for another couple of weeks. We've had a really good time this trip so I'm going to miss him but it'll go in quickly and we've got our trip to France to look forward to next trip. Also, it's nice to be able to stay in nights and get some chores done and just have a little me-time too.

Was quite busy at work but managed to get to the pool and made it to my target of 60 lengths (3/4 of a mile) in 30 minutes so I'm pretty pleased with myself. Typically, I had just got back from swimming when my friend Shelley texted and asked whether I wanted to go jogging this evening. I put her off 'til tomorrow as I don't want to do too much and have a cold coming on. That's a nice little reminder D left with me - sneezes, snot and a sore throat! She's the one getting married on Friday so I'm a bit surprised she wants to go jogging but maybe she wants to start a new regime before the big day. I know they've been manically busy recently so maybe she want to make some time for herself now. She's also a bit of a whippet so I'll never keep up!

Had a quiet night in this evening - lit the fire, cuddled the dog, sorted out some ebay stuff and did this blog. I also put a load of photos in a frame - there's a set of 9 spaces in the mount and I've filled it with a selection of heathery photos of Bamford Edge. Individually they're not wonderful but together it's a pretty effective collection. It was quite strange as, once I'd finished it, my first thought was what a great reminder of the countryside round here it will be when we move to France! So, the move must be becoming real in my head even though it is some way away. That's quite comforting as I wasn't sure how I felt about the idea in my heart of hearts.

Maybe this diet is allowing me to face scary concepts and think about major changes. I suppose when your body is changing so rapidly and your habits and I can see that I'm not falling apart as a result of this regime, a different sort of change is not as daunting as it might have been before.

Anyway, I'm going to have an early night today as I have a big day of meetings tomorrow. Night all!

Day 46 -55

Well, D is due to go back to the rig tomorrow so I got him to take a couple of photos in the hallway as an update. I've compared them to my first lot and can definitely tell the difference. Trouble is so could D's mum n the webcam this evening - she mentioned that I had lost weight! It's a pain 'cos I wanted to surprise them and now she will be watching out for it. I could have killed D for putting the camera on me. Usually when I go in shot it's just the face and I hide my chin so the fact that I'm slimming is not as obvious. Oh well, it'll still be a shock.

I had a good day today. Went to Meadowhell at lunchtime to try and find something for Martin and Shelley's wedding on Friday. Went to M&S and looked in the Plus section but didn't like anything - too mumsy. Then checked out the Autograph section and found a nice swirly white skirt with big black polka dots on, a fitted black top and some gorgeous french looking high heels. All in all a good look and all size 20! In fact the skirt is quite loose. I feel so much happier in that outfit than in the brown spotty dress from Evans which really was very old looking, even D said that when I tried it on yesterday and he doesn't usually notice stuff like that.

So, happy happy happy. Back to work to find that it was a colleague's birthday and the table right next to my desk was loaded with cakes and nibbles - I mean really loaded. So had to endure the entire afternoon with people going to the table to pig out, making remarks about how it must be torture etc etc. Wasn't even slightly tempted although I do admit that the toffee muffins and carrot cake looked pretty damn good!

Back home and went for a jog as I hadn't been swimming at lunchtime. Managed 3.5km in 30 minutues so not bad. Slightly further than last time so I'll get to my 5km target quite soon I reckon. I could probably do it now if I really pushed but I'd rather build up to it slowly.

Anyway, I'm off to the pub now as it's D's last evening for a couple of weeks. I don't really want to as the sofa is beckoning in a tempting fashion but will show willing I suppose. Good to hear from you all and good to hear that we're all still on the straight and narrow - keep it up!

Day 45 -56

We had a good evening last night. D was obviously over the moon with the Irish win and parading round the pub in his Irish jersey. He did pretty well on bets on the game too - God knows what people were thinking betting with him as it was clear that the Irish were hot favourites. I managed to drag him home at 11 after driving round the country dropping people off and picing up curries that I can't eat. felt pretty noble I can tell you.

Quite a few people commented on the weightloss as we were drinking in a different pub to our local. One woman (who is really nice but had had a few) kept going on and on about how she was worried about me and how the diet must be unhealthy etc etc. A bit of a pain as she had just about drunk her body weight in lager so wasn't exactly flying the flag for healthy living! Anyway, I bit my tongue and by the end she virtually admited that really all she wants is for me to stay thinner than her! At that point she backed off and we had a laugh about it. Peoples' motives can be quite abstruse I've found.

Had my french class this lunchtime so finished off my homework (which really took me back to school days!) and headed over to Matlock. It's really good fun to be learning something new again. She's a lovely woman too - I feel like I've clicked with her. The french is going well but there's a long way to go. She complimented my accent so at least I can make my atrocious attempts at the language sound good if nothing else!

After french we headed up the biggest hill in our area. It was bloody steep! We weren't intending to go straight up the hill, just investigating where a footpath we'd spotted a few weeks ago lead to. Well, it lead straight up the damn hill! The views were gorgeous though - the low sun hiding behind the stone wall was especially lovely.

I've got the pub quiz team thing again tonight so more watching people eat. I'm getting good at it. That's all for now - hope you've all had a good weekend and are set for another busy week as ever. Keep it up!

Day 44 -57

I'vw just got back from the football where Sheffield Wednesday just managed to beat Southend in the last minute with a penalty. Exciting stuff. We were playing really well in the first half and could have scored about 4 in a 5 minute spell but we didn't and that's alway a bad sign. they came back into it at 2-2 in the second and we started playing like no-hopers. So frustrating. Anyway, just when all was nearly lost, we got a penalty decision which was almost the last kick of the game.

I raced back and just made it homein time to see the national anthems of the England-Ireland game in the rugby 6 Nations Championship. I was so impressed by the Irish crowd. They were impeccable during God Save the Queen and the atmosphere is great. Trouble is, now the Irish are beating us and Diarmuid is going to be unbearable if that happens. Come on England!!

Anyway, back to the diet. I haven't seen Jim for a few weeks now and he said that the weight loss was really noticeable. He was chatting to another friend of ours and joking about how I'm changing dress sizes in the space of an hour and how I've had to pop out to the shops to get some new jeans while we've been in the pub etc. He's really funny and it was nice to hear. Also, the barmaid from the New Barracks came up to me and commented on how much I've lost which was good.

I wasn't hungry while he ate his bacon sarnie and gorgeous looking chips but I was really hungry once I got home. I must admit that I had a couple of mouthfuls of chicken breast while waiting for my soup to heat up. Don't feel too guilty as a couple of mouthfuls of chicken won't make any difference but I must work on avoiding temptation in case it leads to worse infringements.

I said no to myself about 3 or 4 times before I eventually gave in and went to the fridge. It's a strange thing. I think I was very hungry and just didn't believe that the soup alone was going to do the trick. Probably a good example of crooked thinking as I'm sure it would have been.

Anyway, I'm off to the pub to see the second half and put up with my husband's crowing. Think we're meant to be going for a meal so that'll be fun......not!

Day 43 -58

What a day! I was working from home and doing pretty well when I started getting a few messages from some of the bidders on one of my ebay items. It seems that I listed an item wrong and I've spent literally hours trying to sort it all out without upsetting people and getting negative feedback. Can't believe it as the item was only going to earn me a few quid - that'll work out at about 10p an hour!

Hmm, so much for my ebay scheme. Oh well, most people have seemed pretty understanding so no harm done and I'll probably be better next time.

Apart from that we've had a nice day. We didn't do much but we had a nice walk in the afternoon and popped to Bradwell to the antique shop for a nosy. Once again, back to the retired couple thing.....

Anyway, it's going to be a short post as I haven't done much and I have to rush off to ebay again! Nightmare...

Day 42 -59 Weigh in time again

Hey, I've found a other little motivational gadget on the web. Everyone on www.minimins.com seems to have one of these customised tickers showing their weightloss or target weight so I thought I would get one too. Nifty eh? I don't think that the BMI is totally accurate as I'm not sure of my height but it's near enough.

Anyway, it was the big weigh in last night and I've lost another 5lbs which takes me to 40 lbs off in 7 weeks! Only 2 more lbs to the 3 stone mark which is the most I've ever lost on a diet before and I've nearly done it in less than 2 months! This diet really is remarkable. I would recommend it to anyone who has a reasonable amount to lose.

Class was good last night. We're really bonding and we have a proper laugh together. I suppose we know each others' foibles and have the basis of having a joke together despite our different ages and backgrounds. It's really nice to hear the ring of 12 women cracking up over a silly joke but also supporting each other and being relentlessly positive.

One woman has been missing for the last 3 weeks. She went awol and off the programme for a bit. Anyway, last week the Counsellor asked us all to text her and persuade her to come back. As it happened she didn't get the texts but she came back anyway. She has stayed the same weight-wise and seems ready to make a fresh start. It brought it home to me how fast this diet is as, although she has only missed 3 weeks, the rest of us are streets ahead of her in terms of weight loss and mental attitude to the diet. Not that it's a competition of course but it was obvious and a mental note to keep going to class.

The other gratifying thing about her return was that as she walked in and was saying hello to everyone she turned into the room and saw me. She stopped dead and said "Bloody hell! You can really see how much you have lost!" She said afterwards that she could see the loss in everyone but that it was most obvious in me which was nice. It's a strange thing, perception - your mind doesn't seem to keep up with your eyes or something so you go in leaps and starts of realising that you're thinner.

We were talking in the class about crooked thinking, ie. justifying something you know is bad for you or laziness or something by some tortuous logic. Like "I've had a hard day at work - I need a glass of wine". Use of language like "need", "deserve" etc. I felt the exercise was not that relevant to me this week as I'm feeling so much more in charge of myself recently. The Parent- Adult- Child thing really resonated and my Adult side is pretty vocal at the moment! But, that said, I do remember using crooked logic to justify being a lazy cow and adhering myself ass to the sofa rather than getting up and doing stuff so I must stay vigilant.

I didn't have time to go swimming at lunchtime so went for a jog before the class - managed 3.2 km this time so I'm not far from my 5km Race for Life target.

One of the women at class brought some clothes in but most were too big! I did scarf a pair of combat trousers and a filmy top so not bad for free.

Anyway, I'm meant to be working from home today so I had better get back to it! Keep it up everyone!