Quick update...

Another 1.5lb off this week (on Sat), which I was really pleased with. I have definitely turned a corner now I feel and I'm so happy to be back on track.

I don't expect such a good result this week - it's been a bit of a mare. Multiple eating out and trying to make the right choices but it's hard when you're a) as fussy as me and b) have such a shitty selection of healthy foods locally. I've also missed the gym a couple of times due to appointments (dentist etc).

On a more positive note, I had a breakthrough in the gym this week. I am still going to spin class but I find it so hard to keep standing up. I can only manage maybe 30 seconds max. I never found it comfortable - I'd either find it really painful in my thighs and couldn't push through, or it would hurt my calves or my ankles. I did stand up but just couldn't push through.

Well this week I had an absolutely shit day at work and felt miserable. I just wanted to come home and hibernate. I also felt really icky. Really nauseous and dizzy and just not 100%. I wasn't going to go. Right up til five minutes before I had to leave I wasn't going, but I did. Even when I got up there I thought "oh I could just go home before class starts" but I didn't - I went to class and ten minutes into it something unexpected happened - I felt amazing! I couldn't believe it. I had so much energy, all the sickness and dizziness just disappeared. I pedalled by little heart out! And then when it came to standing up, I did the whole time for two whole songs. I've never even been close to that before. I didn't manage the whole way through all of the standing up parts, but I stood up on all of them and I managed the whole time and the two longest parts.

One of the songs is super cheesy, I can't even remember the words but it's one of these 'reach for the top, keep going, don't give up' kinda dance numbers and I normally laugh (internally!) at it but I fully embraced the cheesiness this time! I reached for the top! I kept going! I didn't give up! I really couldn't believe I'd managed it, and I didn't even really struggle. It was hard but I didn't struggle or feel like sitting down, I just wanted to keep going. I had to hold back the tears, because (I've never said this before) I was so proud of myself. It was such a great moment and I'd say one of the key experiences I've had so far on my weight loss journey. Now I just need to keep it up!

<3

Like Kylie says on the WW ad...

'Wowowowow!'

NEVER did I think I'd be so happy about a gain, but I am! After my Christmas/NY break, I went to my first weigh in today and have only gained half a pound! Half a freakin' pound! I can't believe it and I am SO happy with it! I have only really been on plan since Tuesday (and I mean on plan in the loosest sense of the word) so it really was a surprise. The thing is, over Christmas and NY yeah I ate more than I would normally and completely splurged a couple of days and didn't get to the gym, but when I think about it, I did stay active - I walked loads and in the snow which I think is harder than normal walking and I think although I focused on the times I was off plan, the majority of time I probably was on plan and just not tracking so was actually following it better than I thought I would.

I've definitely learned lessons for next Christmas/NY though - going to make sure I keep some sort of routine and TRACK!

I have 2lbs to lose til my next 'Silver 7' award, which will take me to a 3st loss, and I am planning to get this on Saturday. I won't be devastated if it doesn't happen, but I would like to try my best to stick to plan, stick to gym and finally get this 3st off!

Just now, I'm in the process of eating through some of M&S's Count on Us and Simply Fuller Longer ranges, and I'll review these once I'm done (won't take me long, haha). I did plan to try and eat less processed food this year, and it will happen but at the moment I'm not in the right mindset to try so I'm looking at good points friendly options just now.

In the Elevens

image via wikimedia.org

So this weeks post is all about numbers 1, 7 and 11. 1 because I lost 1lb this week, which gained me my 5th 'Silver 7' and it has taken me into the 11 stone bracket (albeit the high end - 11 stone 13.5lbs, but it's still the elevens!).

I've not really been struggling much with WW recently but I've not exactly been setting the world on fire with it either. I've just been plodding along but being in the elevens now has given me such an uplift. I honestly can't remember the last time I weighed 11 stone anything, and being that I started out at 14st 6.5lbs it just feels like a huge achievement for me. I can also now see the end in sight. I haven't decided on a goal weight yet, but all of a sudden whatever that goal weight is just seems so much more achievable. I think it's probably time to give some serious consideration to my goal weight so I might mention it at next week's meeting.

I also want to now try and change the way I eat. Since starting WW I still eat the same processed crap I've always eaten, just less of it, or low fat versions (which usually mean high salt versions). I now want to try and eat more unprocessed food and drastically up the amount of fruit and veg I eat (I can shamefully say there are days go by when I eat no fruit or veg, or maybe only manage a small portion). I'll be honest and say this is down to laziness. It's easier for me to just stick something in the oven, or eat a packet of crisps rather than peel an orange. Tomorrow before I go food shopping I'm going to plan out my food for the week and try and eat as fresh food as possible.

I'm back at the gym and only made it up twice this week (dramarama on Friday prevented me from going, but I'm definitely going to try and get up at least 3 times this week as I'm off work for a couple of days so no excuse!). I'm going to blog a bit about how I got into exercising and why I enjoy it.

In other news, it's official - Weight Watchers are launching a new plan in the UK on 7th November. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I'm not closed to the idea, but I like counting points, I like knowing how this system works and I can see the results so I feel like it will take a lot of convincing to make me want to switch to something else! I will see how it is but plan to buy a points calculator on eBay so that I can continue to use the Discover Plan if I don't like the new one. My guess it might be more like the US plan, which is fine with me as I think it's actually healthier and it also means I can use all the US recipes - yay!

Finally, the Christmas party dress season is upon us. I need two dresses this year and a more casual outfit so I need bargains since as usual I am skint! We'll see how I get on now that dropping a dress size has opened a few more shops to me.

xo
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EDIT: I also realised just after posting this I've done my 15% loss now too (15% of my original starting weight) - it totally passed me by!

And on the flipside...

...of my post from earlier today, I met a friend who I speak with regularly but don't see often, and she was amazed at the change in me since she'd seen me last. She was genuinely happy for me, and complimentary. We went shopping together and everything I tried on in an 18 fitted and a 20 literally hung off me. I couldn't believe it!

I had such a nice morning and I'm feeling very happy now.

I've also decided to start taking my measurements every Saturday morning before I weigh in. My waist is an absolutely ridiculous size so when I get my gym program redone next week I am going to concentrate on my core. I'll probably add a ticker for my waist measurement but I'm guessing it will be a lot slower moving than my weight one.

Oh, and I dropped a pound, which I am SUPER pleased with as I thought I would actually put on this week with all my bad eating shenanigans (including a 3 course meal last night).