Testing out video blogging

Week 4

14 stone 10 and 3/4

This week, I have lost 2 lbs.

This is Fantastic and the second week in which I've lost 2 lbs which is twice as much as I had planned to lose.

My evening motivation to not snack after dinner was very high this week, although it slipped a bit yesterday because I had bought some gorgeous cherries and raspberries and found those too much to resist.  Having said that though, it's a world away from the 400g bar of Cadbury's I'd regularly put away, or the entire packet of chocolate hobnobs.

I am doubly surprised at my weight loss this week, because I had a bit of a mad weekend overall for eating.  I had fish and chips on Saturday evening, and at TOO MUCH.  I should have followed my daughter's example, and actually taken half the chips off of my plate.  I felt ill afterwards.

I kind of over-ate at a little at dinner time on Sunday too, but not to the same extent.  So it's back to normal sized portions.

Even though I haven't dieted for 10 years, the difference this time to previous times I have dieted, is that if I go a little off the rails, I don't go crazy and think "oh well, might as well eat like crazy and start again tomorrow."  Then feel a massive pang of guilt.

This time around, I just say to myself, "ok, I've eaten a bit too much, I'll be more careful tomorrow.  One day won't ruin everything."  

It's a much better mindset, and one that doesn't sabotage myself.

As far as exercise goes, I've not done as much deliberate exercise because we've been getting the kitchen emptied ready for the workmen who are due to arrive today to install a new kitchen.

I did swim once and walk down to the shops twice, but I moved around more at home.

Albany Swimming pool opens up again today though, after two weeks of being closed for refurbishment, so that should make it easier to go swimming.

My goal for this week, seeing as I am regularly losing 2 lbs, is to lose another 2 lbs, taking me very very close to my first goal of 14 stone 8 pounds.

This is a psychological first goal for me. This is kind of the slimmer end of my current size, if that makes sense.  This is the weight at which my clothes fit easily and I feel good in them.  

To remind myself, I started losing weight because my clothes had become so tight, that on the way to Penrallt, I had to take my bra off because it was digging into me, and my previously loose trousers were so tight around my middle that they were uncomfortable.

Also, whilst at Penrallt, I had a massage from a back specialist, and was quite concerned that when I lay on my back, I was so fat that he couldn't really reach my neck because the fat rode up so high.

Since I've started this diet, my uncle has had two heart attacks, and this reminds me of my family history that I need to protect myself from.  My dad has angina and has had a bad stroke, my mum has had a heart attack, my uncle has had two.  In addition, all the women on my mum's side have diabetes and severe back problems.  So, by losing weight and exercising, I will protect myself from these health risks.

Week 3

It's Monday - weigh in day.

I am now 14 stone 12 lbs and 3/4

I have lost 2 lbs this week.

This is EXCELLENT.

I was only aiming to lose a pound a week by cutting out evening snacks so this has exceeded my expectations.

The annoying thing is, that I weighed myself on Saturday and was 14 stone 12, but it hasn't been a GREAT week food wise.  Darren got me some chocolates I had my eye on for some time. Some thorntons ones.  I ate them old habit style, in the evening, and you know what, they were not very nice, but out of habit, I ate them.  I didn't exactly REGRET it, but it didn't give me the pleasure it usually did.  

It made me realise that I'm unlikely to do that again.  

Also, yesterday, we went to pizza hut because the house is a mess due to decorating and the kids were hungry NOW.  And what I really wanted was one slice of pizza and a salad, but I put 'value' ahead of choice and ended up going for a small deep pan and greasy mushroom starter.

I felt bloated all evening, I hated the greasy feel in my mouth afterwards and today, I'm 3/4 of a pound heavier than Saturday.

So, the moral of this story is to eat what you want, not what offers the best 'value', because that 'value' is only made up with cheap bread and lard.

Another thing I learnt this week was not to eat something for somebody else.  Darren got me a chocolate bar after the pizza hut yesterday but I didn't want it.  So, I didn't eat it.  And then, I completely forgot about it.

As far as exercise goes, this was a good week.  We walked to the library twice and went swimming twice.  Lots of moving stuff in the house pre-kitchen installation.  I'm sure it's this, rather than my food choices that contributed to my 2lb weight loss last week.

So, these are my aims for this week.   

I will  swim twice and walk to the library or shops twice.

I will make better food choices.  Less fatty options.  More fruit (I'll need to go to costco)

Eat Well and Move More.

Week 2

15:0 3/4  (-3 1/4 lbs)

Whilst this looks great on the surface, and it is, there are some changes to how I'm weighing myself which will account for the 3 1/4 pound loss.

My mum gave me her old digital scales which I think are much more accurate than the dial scales I was using at my mums.  Also, I'm weighing myself in the morning when one is always lighter, and with no clothes on, which accounts for 2 lbs.

However, it's still a nice boost given the ice cream sunday I had at the cinema yesterday, the Turkish take out I had on Saturday and the cupcake I had on Friday.

Still, I'm 100% motivated on the no eating in the evenings, as this is an experiment to see if I can have a slow 1 lb loss every week by cutting out snacks in the evening, but I could exercise more.

I went swimming last week, and walked down to the shops.  But I could easily add in some cycling.  So that's the plan for this week.  Swimming tonight, add in 1 cycle ride, and walk to the shops a couple of times and also be more careful with the weekend eating in the evenings.

Blog to keep track of my diet

I'm using this blog to log my diet.

I'll be tracking how much I lose as well as what I eat and how much exercise I do.

It's not really intended to be exciting or anything, just a log, but this seems a good a place to log it as any.

My goal is to lose 1 lb a week for a year. That's nice and steady, hence the blog title, the tortoise and the hare, but should help me to retrain the way I eat and change my lifestyle.

I am currently 15 stone and 4 lb.