Great advice

Thanks Seren and Hazel. That's just what I needed to hear! Bloggers (and blog readers) are brilliant!!

Slow and steady or Copping out??

I genuinely think that the slow and steady route is the best one for me but, at the times when my progress stalls, I sometimes wonder whether I'm using that as an excuse.  As you know, I've been poorly and my weight has stuck for a couple of weeks.  I can't go to weigh in again tomorrow as I'm staying at my parents' near Lincoln but I doubt I would see a drop if I could.  I'm hopeful of getting back to proper exercise next week and seeing a drop but even if it takes me to 10 or 11 lbs, that is over a couple of months!!  Probably not even a lb a week.

In the great scheme of things, I really don't care but I do worry that this is really my chimp fooling me into thinking that I'm dieting when in reality it is me playing at dieting.

What to do, what to do?

In the short term, stick with it; drop what I can before Malaysia; try not to gain too much in Malaysia and then re-assess when we get back and I know what the damage is.  That's all I can do. That and try not to be led astray by that sneaky chimp in the meantime.  Oh, and get out of the habit of grabbing a few chocolates each evening pronto!!

In other news, we've almost finished decorating the second bedroom which is most pleasing.  The carpet went down yesterday and looks lush.  We have made up the bed but have still to do the nice finishing off things such as hanging pictures and selecting bed linen.  We have friends coming to stay over Easter so not a moment too soon.  

I can't quite believe we're off to Malaysia in a few short weeks.  Unlike most holidays which require minute planning, we're staying with my brother and his wife in KL for most of the time so haven't really done much any planning bar booking our flights.  We'll be sight-seeing, playing golf and going on a couple of short trips to beach and mountains/forest but will book them when we get there.  It feels weird.  Very under-prepared.

We are both struggling for summer clothes too so have carved out a day to go shopping which  was tricky and which I'm not really looking forward to.  Still, needs must and I will be happier having a few nice outfits to wear.  I'm intending to shop there of course but doubt Malaysian shops will cater for the larger European lady...it'll be handbag, sunglasses, perfume etc for me I suspect!

Wish me luck with the shopping - I feel as though I'm going for some invasive surgical procedure, that's how little I enjoy it!!

On the mend

My word. I just read back my last post and I really was GRUMPY!! I hope I took it out on you lot and spared Richard the worst of it.


I'm on the mend and back at work but by no means fully recovered. The coughing fits are less violent and less frequent is all. As the sunshine is truly epic today and I'm stuck in the office, I'm contemplating going on my first run for 10 days at lunchtime. And I'm genuinely excited about it. It may turn into a walk depending on how my lungs stand up to the pressure but I will be outside and happy regardless.


I'm also contemplating going to a weigh in this evening at which I will definitely register a gain. Booooo. Probably only a lb or so. Annoyingly I'm sure I could manage a STS by my usual class on Thursday but I'm over at my parents then and dont want to miss 2 classes in a row. I'll see how I feel.


Either way, I have not been terribly bad while poorly. A few extra pieces of toast and a few comfort chocs here and there but meals have been okay and the lack of booze probably cancelled out the extra chocs. It has been the enforced lack of exercise which has set me back. Very slow 40 minute dog walks around flat fields (there are a few round here) just don't cut it.
I'm back golfing and running now though so hopefully next week will see me into fresh fat again.

Poorly

After a lovely, healthy and productive weekend I woke up on Monday morning feeling like death. How can you go from entertaining (small soiree to watch Sheffield Wednesday on TV on Friday night),  painting, walking the dogs, gardening, socialising and just generally having a great time to feeling like death overnight?  I have a hacking, violent cough which exhausts me, a sore throat and no lung capacity whatsoever. I'm as weak as a kitten. Even a short walk on the the flat has me wheezing and knackered.


I hate being poorly. I was just getting into regular running, being good with the eating and going to weigh in and now a week of feeling rubbish has set me back. I have struggled to keep on track this week. I know I should be having a low carb breakfast but somehow toast with chocolate spread seems to be the only thing I want. And that open box of chocs which I have been able to resist without difficulty for a fortnight has grown so that it trips me up every time I leave the kitchen.
I'm resisting a lot but this is not the stellar week I was hoping for. The no exercise regime won't be helping either.


I had to cancel golf. I went to the football on Tuesday evening but it was hard (wasn't going to waste £50 of ticket and coach fare!). Work is piling up and I'm grumpy (you may have noticed?!).
I think the trouble is that, when I'm seated doing nothing, I feel okay (unless I'm having a coughing fit) but as soon as I do anything, I'm shattered. But I'm bored just sitting around so I keep trying to do something then get frustrated......and grumpy.....did I mention the grumpy?!


So, I will spare you more grumpiness and promise to try and be good with the food until I feel better and can get back to running again. I CANNOT wait!

Weigh in and body confidence

I've just been to my weigh in and have dropped another half lb taking me to a 2014 total of 9.5lbs. Slow but steady and, considering that I've not really changed a great deal, not a bad result.

The good thing about this week's weigh in was how I got there. I had been meaning to wake up early and go for a short run (25 mins) at 6.30am but, when that time arrived, Rich reset his alarm for another hour and the lure of sleep won for me too. But I knew I couldn't run at lunchtime or this evening so, braving the pollution, I decided to run the 2 miles (up hill) to my class and the 2 miles back. It was tough but I feel great now.

I was thinking as I ran about how proud I am in my battered, solid, fat old body. It isn't too flabby and it's strong and willing and, when I tell it to run 2 miles up hill, it obeys (slowly, mind). And, from time to time, it scrubs up alright. It might not be the most beautiful body in the world but it is the only one I'm ever going to have so I'm not only going to try and make it slimmer, fitter and stronger but I'm also going to appreciate it and love it RIGHT NOW.

After all, who knows when health may be taken away. I've already had new and exciting attacks of gout and conjunctivitis this year and do not want them back, thank you very much!!