Datai Bay, Langkawi - The Andaman Hotel

I've finally got round to resizing and editing some of my Malaysia pictures. These are a few from the hotel we stayed at on Langkawi.  Langkawi island has been developed a lot in the last 20 years so much of it is covered with hotels and shopping malls now sadly.  However, our little corner was paradise. There was a 30 minute drive through tropical rainforest to reach it with nothing bar a small village and a crocodile farm.  Then you reached the stunning Datai Bay golf course which we played and a mile beyond that Datai Bay itself.

There are 2 hotels sharing the bay but they are set into the forest so you could hardly see them from the beach.  The rainforest was as much part of the hotel as the beach.  It was teeming with life - hornbills, squirrels, wild pigs, monkeys, parrots, Brahminy hawks and sea eagles.

The beach was stunning and mostly deserted.  I didn't take many photos though - the beachside evening restaurant was gorgeous - open to the beach and with a sand floor but did I take a pic to show you??  No, 'fraid not.  Likewise the pool area and amazing lobby.  Just lazy I suppose.

Week 1 weigh in

As I hinted in my last post it has not been a spectacular first week but then again my deprivation levels have not been spectacular either (thankfully). It has, however been a satisfactory start and that, combined with the fact that I'm working from home on a sunny Monday morning, has put a smile on my face.

So, numbers: the scales stopped at 16.5.2 which is a drop of 2.2lbs for the week.

Yaay!!

Gotta get back to work but wanted to write it down.

Heaviest in 2014: 16.7.4
Drop this week: 2.2
Current weight: 16.5.2
Total drop: 2.2

Need to implement the plan!!

It's all very well to have a plan and I feel much happier with it but the thing with plans is that you have to actually follow them!  So, presently I'm 'almost' implementing.  I'm much better than I have been but have not eliminated the office freebie chocolates, the odd piece of toast when I'm hungry or the odd couple of glasses of wine.  Hmmm

Exercise is getting there.  I've bought a season ticket at the local open air swimming pool which is gorgeous.  Having bought the season ticket a bit late, I'm going to have to go at least 2 preferably 3 times each week to get my money's worth.  So far so good - I've been 4 times and twice early morning on my way to work.  Go me!!

Even better news is that I managed to make myself go out for a run this morning.  I was planning on swimming but that would have necessitated driving round the valley quite a bit as I was due to pick Rich's mum up to go shopping afterwards.  Much easier to just head out for half an hour round the fields.  Well, logistically easier, it certainly wasn't physically easier!  It is a measure of how heavy I am and feel how hard it was today.  Previously this has been my quick, easy run when I don't have much time.  Today it was much harder and took a full 5 minutes longer than it used to.  Eeeek.  But I did it and that is the good news.

So, my first weigh in is looming and I'm hoping for a drop of some sort.  It is having some effect in that it is discouraging me from saying yes to food or wine out of sheer fear so long may that last.  All journeys have to start with the first step so that is what I'm taking on this new trip.

This weekend is looking like being a quiet one with nothing really planned.  We're about to take the dogs out and I've got my last inter-club golf match tomorrow but quiet.  Next weekend is the annoying one.  You know you get those days or weekends when everyone invites you to do things on the same day well next weekend is THAT weekend.  We've been asked to night out with old school friends of mine on the Friday night, then a golf day down at The Belfry on Saturday followed by what would have been a great party on Saturday night to celebrate the Tour de France being in our area and then events to go and see the Tour itself.  But ALL of those clash with the fact that we had arranged to go over to my parents' with Rich's dad and stepmum to go to the Waddington Airshow.   Any other weekend we would have been jumping at any of those invitation and sadly we've had to turn them all down.  All I can say is it had better not rain in Waddington!!

A woman with a plan

I have a plan, I'm implementing it and I'm beginning to feel happier about life. I hate that brief time before any new initiative when I feel out of control and as if everything is getting on top of me so having a plan to stick to is much better.

I think my blues were caused by several little things all landing at the same time. Rich being distracted and inattentive culminating in a grumpy argument about dancing; covering for not one but 2 sick colleagues; not spending much time together so not being able to get back on an even keel; being thwarted in plans to go out with pals so feeling a bit isolated; TOTM; and feeling fat making me less resilient than usual. To be honest we still haven't spent any time together but I hope tonight and through the weekend we will put that right.

In the meantime, I always feel happier when I'm active, outdoors and eating properly. So lots of golf, dog walking, elderflower picking, swimming and gardening has really helped.

Salads are back, baby and booze is temporarily banished. (I suppose I should thank the England football team for removing that temptation from me but I'm not ready to forgive them their abject display just yet.)

I was talking to a woman at golf about bootcamp too and she mentioned a 6 week programme which sounded tempting so that is in the offing too. Watch this space!

New Start (again!)

I stood on the scales yesterday morning and was dismayed to discover that I have indeed gained even more weight than I had thought.  OMG  16.7.4

Gah!

Every time I think of that number I am dismayed(okay hacked off) and start the fat maths...you know...I weighed this much then, or that is X more than I was was then.....

Double Gah!

So, I'm just not going to go there.  It is destructive and doesn't serve any purpose.  Instead, I'm going to make sure that this initiative sticks as I CANNOT see me getting any heavier.

It's been 2 days (nearly) so far and it's going okay. I ate well yesterday apart from one extra rogue piece of toast before dancing which I didn't really need.  Dancing was energetic and I took the dogs for a Brucie Bonus late night walk afterwards as well.  Too bad that when I stepped on the scales this morning it was to see a new and unwelcome high of 16.8.7.  Sigh.....

I tried to use it as motivation and have not turned to food for comfort but it has been a close run thing.  I've been thwarted on the exercise front too.  I drove to the swimming pool at lunchtime to find it "closed due to unforeseen circumstances".  Ah well, I took the dogs for a longer, hillier walk instead and planned to play golf this evening when I would otherwise have been walking them.  Sadly I have been unable to find a partner so I'm stuck at home not watching the football. Booooo!!

These things happen and the trick is not to eat to fill the void.  Rich is out all evening so I'm on my own foodwise which does make it easier.  Beans on toast or jacket potato with beans beckons (I'm in the mood for beans for some reason!).

Tomorrow should be okay.  I'm golfing in the morning, then working from home then meeting my friend Kerry for a walk.  She recently lost her beautiful mother to complications of cancer, far too young at 71 and earlier than the cancer should have taken her too which seems particularly cruel.  They knew she didn't have years ahead of her but to die of a blood clot with little warning, stealing her from them even sooner seems harsh although it might have saved her a more painful end I suppose.  It will certainly put my petty concerns about my weight into stark relief.

I'm going to have a crack at sorting my holiday photos out now so watch out for Malaysia, coming soon to a blog near you!  It was stunning.  Sweaty and humid but lovely.

Sunny Lincolnshire

It's lovely here and I've just taken the dogs out for an hour along the Edge (see pics below). Despite that, I'm feeling a bit blue. Don't know why. Can't put my finger on it.

Rich is preoccupied with golf and taking me for granted somewhat but nothing nasty and I know he'll put that right soon enough. Usually I shrug these phases off and nag him a bit but this time I just seem to be making a meal of things.

Possibly because I feel fat?? I don't know but it could be. I don't feel that awful inadequacy I used to feel before I adjusted my thinking following the chimp programme (and following ditching Diarmuid and meeting Rich who loves me for me and who doesn't undermine me for sport!). But it could be some vestige of that thinking. Everything a little bit gloomier/harder when I'm fat....

So, all the more reason to get rid of the fat. I want a kickstart and think I'm going to do a 6 week programme of my own devising starting Monday. With weigh-ins published weekly. It's going to be based on that "Six Weeks to OMG" with lots of swimming and diet based on SW.

Go me!!

Oh, my word!!

Over a month since I last posted!! Eeek. I've been wanting to get back to it....properly.....and am working back towards making blogging, dieting and exercise a full part of my everyday routine again. I miss them, I really do.

I weigh about the same as I did when we got back from Malaysia, certainly no more. But that is far too much and it is beginning to get me down. I've recognised that, admitted it to myself and I'm feeling ready to really do something about it.

Blogging has to be part of that. I always do better when I let it all hang out. Having said that, no time to chat tonight. I'm over at my parents' for a couple of days. I've just cooked a roast beef for dad (he loves the trimmings but his cooking skills haven't progressed that far) and we're about to get ready and head down to his local for a few drinks with his pals. Always fun.

I WILL be back soon!!