Not bad, Rodders. Not bad....

Heading out for my big walk on Saturday afternoon. The view towards Mam Tor.

Freeze dried??

The race. Shelagh in the lead as Minty right at the top.

Minty's hell for leather style showing results.

She's right there.

And Minty takes the lead - she's clearly got the will to win!

The River Derwent winds towards Bamford.

Well, I've had a good day yesterday. I managed to make myself go to the gym at lunchtime. I really didn't want to head out into the sleet and trek across the icy pavements to the pool but I did it. While agonising, I told my colleague that I was trying to decide whether to go swimming at lunch or to the gym this evening but that, if I chose the gym, there was a chance I'd gib out of that too and he told me firmly that I had to go swimming.

I don't know this guy very well, as I've recently moved to sit opposite him, but it still helped to be told to go - so I just got up and went!! And it was fine. As usual I told my chimp that I only needed to do 40 lengths and as usual I managed far more - 52 today. And I felt much better for it.

Foodwise, I succumbed to a couple of office biscuits but only 3 over the day.

The evening was the good news though. As I'm sure is the case for many, the evenings are my tricky time. Over the weekend I ended up eating too large portions and carb heavy meals which was, I think, my the one step back I mentioned in my last post. So tonight I came straight in, didn't think about it and made a chicken salad. Not a really diet-y salad but a decent one which was tasty and healthy. Then, as an avoidance technique, I went up to the pub for early doors and drank sparkling water for an hour or so. I had another tricky time when I got home but a bit of photo stuff and computer worked distracted me along with cups of tea and fruit.

So, that's one day under my belt and I feel much better for it. Now I know it's not so bad and can tell myself today and tomorrow that I don't need that big supper or evening snack. Just need to cut out those biccies at work!!

It's all a bit boring, I know, having to go over the same ground month after month, year after year. But it's not as scary as it was when I first started to lose weight on the Lighter Life diet. When I think back now to my fear of eating sensibly. Fear! What was I afraid of? Not being able to eat all the time? That makes no sense - I knew eating too much and being fat made me unhappy. Surely controlling my intake and staying reasonably slim must help?? And it has.

It is easier now too. The coping strategies (distraction, blogging, bargains, dates etc) are more natural and easier to implement. The exercise more consistent and the bad times less frequent. Long may it last.