Successes

I was reading “A Stone to Go” on www.notsohighbmi.blogspot.com and the writer was recounting a minor but significant success in buying scones and cakes with her children but not then going home and eating them mindlessly as she might once have done. She went on to say that it was a petty success but, petty or not, it hit a chord with me.
 

Any time you can turn away from a temptation and, more importantly, feel good about it is a good day. I did it the other day and even thought about blogging about it (and then didn’t – God, I’m a slacker these days!). I was in a petrol station on my way to my parents’ filling up and buying a coffee. On my way to the till I also picked up a mini pork pie and a bar of chocolate!! I stood for a few seconds and thought about why I had picked them up (habit – I’m in transit – it doesn’t count, etc etc) and what it would do to my otherwise good day so far then placed them back on the shelf.
 

My coffee tasted all the sweeter as did my lunch on arrival at Mum and Dad’s.
 

That brief action made it much easier the next time I found myself in a petrol station – then I only picked up one item but returned it to the shelf even faster. So, I’m making progress.
 

I’ve been lurching between 15.6 and 15.9 for the last several weeks, gaining then dropping the same 3 lbs. Yesterday, however, I feel as though I’m finally heading downwards and although yesterday morning I was back to 15.6 it was the first Monday in a long time that I have been at the bottom of that 3 lb swing. This morning I'd dropped down to 15.5. It is a start.
 

The trouble is we have a big weekend coming up. My erstwhile football buddies Jim and Nicola are in town. Not together – Jim with his partner hotelling in Sheffield and Nicola staying with us. We are going to the match on Saturday (the poor things!) and then out for a meal and drinks with Kerry and her chap. Judging by the restaurants we are discussing, it is not going to be an abstemious afternoon/evening. 
 

So, I must have an abstemious, exercise filled week in preparation.
 

The week started well with a hilly run on Sunday morning. I hadn’t bothered fixing up a round of golf so did some chores and then took the dogs out running. When I think about it, this was another minor but significant success! I had intended to go on the old railway track up to the dams and back but realised that this was my chimp chickening out and picking a flat route. Instead I made us take the hilly field route from my house which I used to run often. It was a struggle but not that bad and I managed the full route without walking except for gates and stiles. So hills are now back on the agenda.
 

I had personal training yesterday too which is usually on a Friday so maybe that helped as well. I noticed while I was training that my fitness levels have improved from their low a few weeks ago which was heartening but annoying also. Because I'm that little bit fitter, I can push myself more and do more reps. So I'm just as knackered after the hour has passed. I'm also planning a run tonight and have gone so far as to arrange meal times with Rich in advance so that there is no chance that I'll use "Oh, I've just eaten" as an excuse not to go out!! Ha! In your face chimp!!
 

If I get moving and motivated I can be back out of the 15s in a matter of weeks if I put my mind to it and this is my aim. I hate the 15s!!