Back from our mini hols!

Well, it's been just over 2 weeks since filming the show finished. It seems like a good time to check up on myself. How have got on without the weekly check-ins and training over at the velodrome? Have I gone a little crazy and piled a few lbs on? Have I dutifully continued with the programme and lost a couple?



None of the above. I'm exactly the same weight now as I was the morning of our big finale on 24 July.



I did go a little crazy in the few days afterwards - not surprising considering I was at a Stag do and hadn't had a proper drink for months - and gained a couple of lbs then but managed to rein in and lose those fairly quickly. Then last week we were on holiday on a boat in the Norfolk Broads. I feared the worst. 6 days of travelling, sailing, eating in pubs, just being on holiday. And that was followed by a wedding on Saturday. It could have all gone Pete Tong but, I'm pleased to report, it didn't.



I made mostly good choices. Eschewed cooked breakfasts with Diarmuid for fruit with yoghurt and granola. Ate hardly any bread, salads for lunch, no chocolate or biscuits. And I went running every day. Mostly in the morning with the dogs but once, when we were staying in a town, I still managed to make myself go out in the evening despite it being a hot and sunny day. I wasn't a saint: I drank a couple of beers most days and had wine with our evening meal; had a couple of icecreams (from an icecream boat on the river no less - how cool is that??); enjoyed fish and chips one night in Wroxham (we didn't fancy the restaurant options that night so just sat on the boat and soaked up the sunset with fish and chips and a bottle of Chablis - heaven!).

Proof of the floating ice cream van - very enterprising - it would have been rude not to!! That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!

On our last evening we had a lovely 3 course meal and I really enjoyed dessert but I'd not had one any other evening. Also, we'd shared a starter most evenings too which is not like me! At the wedding I was less restrained but I did dance a lot and no snacking during the day.


So, all in all, I have proved to myself that I can keep control of my weight while enjoying life.




I could feel my chimp beginning to get the upper hand a little towards the end of the week. She started making demands and trying to persuade me that I "should" have something or other as "I was on holiday" etc. For example, when I went to a shop once by myself, she tried to talk me into buying a small bar of Green & Black chocolate. I even picked it up and checked out the calories - only 135kj. It wouldn't have done any harm really but it wasn't me deciding to eat it and I knew that, if I gave in then, it would be harder the next time so I put the bar back and headed back to the boat with just the milk and ice I'd planned to buy. There were other temptations too but I talked her out of it mostly.


The running on the sunny day was a triumph. Chimp had almost convinced me that I didn't need to go - that it was too hot, I'd had a beer at lunchtime, I'm on holiday etc etc but I managed to remind myself how much I'd enjoyed it the last 3 days and just got changed and headed out. I didn't take the dogs that day as I thought I might be running on roads. It was fantastic! It was a beautiful, hazy country evening. I saw a lane and a church stuck out in the middle of nowhere and headed up to it, working on the basis that there's usually a footpath leading from the village to the church and I struck lucky and found it. Ran across 4 fields back to the village and then found another path through the woods back to the boat. Simply gorgeous. I was out for an hour and felt so free, strong and healthy.

Above is the distant church I aimed for. And below the fields I ran across on my way back to the village. Being a Peak District girl, I'm not used to fields with actual crops planted; we just get grass and heather, so it reminded me of my Lincolnshire roots.

Don't know who planted this crop but it looks like it's been there for a while!! One of those boys' toys "projects" I suspect...



The wedding was fab. It was my friend Craig marrying Angela who I've only met a couple of times but who seems perfect for him. I was pleased I'd gone to the stag do as I'd met a few more people or otherwise it would only have been me and D, my football buddy Jim and Nicola. It was one of those excellent weddings where everything was relaxed and fun. We were staying in the village pub (which was pretty smart as they go) which was 5 minutes' walk from the church, which was 1 minute from the bride's parents where they were holding the reception (in a marquee in the field out back). Convenient or what? Beats schlepping round the countryside trying to find the reception and then calling taxis in the middle of the night!

Gorgeous sunshine and blue sky, good old friends, nice new friends, relaxed atmosphere, great band and free bar! what more can you ask for? I wore the Monsoon dress that I got excited about 3 weeks ago and it was a big sucess! Unfortunately I don't have any full length photos of it so you'll have to take my word for it (I'm gutted 'cos I think that's the best I've looked for ages). Still, you know when you feel great - that was me. On a high.

Above - Jim, me and D. Below - Nicola, Jim and me. As you can see, no detail of the dress - amateur camerawork - I should have been more specific with my instructions!!

And Craig and Angela for those among you who like to have a nosy at wedding dresses - I know I always do. She looked lovely - very slim!! See how I managed to get all the dress in, even under time pressure?!

Now I'm back to normal: work, exercise, nothing major planned socially for a few weeks. Now is the time to get my head down and actually lose a few lbs. I want to get that half stone off before Botswana in September.