Tales From The Scales - Week 7 - *officially* down 1 lb

A day late in doing this, but for some reason 'Blogger' wouldn't let me sign in yesterday...did anyone else have a problem?

After stepping on the official scales of truth, I can proudly announce that my official weight is 290 lbs....so my bathroom scales weren't telling lies to me!

Challenge Stats so far:
Start weight: 297 lbs
Current weight: 290 lbs
Challenge goal: 266 lbs
Loss so far: 7 lbs

Week 14 Weigh-in - 290 lbs

Missed 2 week for different reasons, so headed back to my meeting to assess the damage, and pleased to see the scales of truth show me officially 1 lb down at 290 lbs.

We were introduced to the new Woman's Way & Weightwatchers run up to Christmas programme. Haven't had a chance to read it properly yet,but am catching a plne this evening to the UK so hopeing to get some reading time then, to see what's what.

Tales From The Scales - Week 6 - down 1 lb

Missed Week 5, so please don't think you're going mad.

Not officially weighed-in at a weight watchers meeting for the last two weeks, so today's weigh-in was done on my bathroom scales...so the caveat is that they will not be as accurate as the weight watchers scales.

My bathroom scales give me 20 stone 10 lbs (290 lbs)

Challenge Stats so far:
Start weight: 297 lbs
Current weight: 290 lbs
Challenge goal: 266 lbs
Loss so far: 7 lbs

Busy busy busy!

Mad busy recently...so here's a quick summary

Went camping down in Co. Kerry last weekend with a group of friends, fabulous!




Didn't weigh in last week as I didn't get back from Kerry until Monday night, too late for my meeting. By the time I got around to checking on any other local WW meetings I'd seemingly missed those too (all seem to be Mondays or Tuesday?)

Entertained my mother who was visiting until she flew back to the UK Tuesday evening.

Started a new (temporary) job on Wednesday....sod the exercise pledge, mucking out and exercising 8 horses a day is plenty exercise for little old me! Using muscles I haven't used for years, and boy do they know how to complain....need to take out shares in Radox Muscle Ease!

Took one of my Jack Russell Terriers to an Irish Kennel Club Breed Championship show on Saturday, and after not showing any dogs for the last 18 months I was delighted when she won the Open Bitch class, then she won the Bitch Challenge, and was Reserve Best of Breed....not bad for a day out!
[Old photo...not the prizes she won this weekend...just showing y'all what she looks like]


Sunday I messed around at home with my VW Beetle project, and had a little tinker with the wiring loom. Pleased to report she now starts on the key, and we no longer have to resort to a very complicated 'hot-wiring' procedure to get her starter motor to turn. Not a huge job in the grand scheme of the things I have planned for her, but satisfying to have done something and achieved what I set out to do that day!



Today is a Bank Holiday Monday, but horses still have to be fed and mucked out, so off I trooped. Ran out of diesel *twice* on the way home (my emergency diesel can didn't have enough in it to get me home, and I had no cash on me! Doh! But J came to the rescue with a another can of diesel. In my defence my fuel gauge isn't working properly, and I forget that I shouldn't trust it. I'd rather it just didn't work at all...then I'd pay more attention to the mileage I'm doing compared to the diesel I'm putting in, but instead of being a dead gauge its a plain old *lying* gauge!
No weigh-in today either, as its a bank holiday over here in Ireland....will try and trust my bathroom scales for the Challenge Weigh-In on Wednesday.

Well I think that just about brings us all up to date...and hopefully time is now back on my side I can get back to posting on here more regularly!

Chat soon x

Tales From The Scales - Week 4 - down 1 lb

Slowly but surely...down I go. 1 lb down this week, and I'm glad to be a loser. Better than a 'maintain' and 100% better than a gain!

Challenge Stats so far:
Start weight: 297 lbs
Current weight: 291 lbs
Challenge goal: 266 lbs
Loss so far: 6 lbs


Just noticed I completely forgot to blog about my Weight Watchers weigh-in on Monday...so this post can surely cover that too!
The meeting this week was based around lunches, and whether we were finding it easy to make good choices at lunchtime. Our leader explored the points values of what could be perceived as healthy options pre-packed sandwiches....shocking really, and in future I will try to plan for this if I know I'm not going to be at home for lunch time.

October's Exercise Pledge - Day 8

Had to work today, and then attend a meeting in Dublin afterwards, not returning home until gone 11pm.

With this in mind I went marching around the streets of the town where I work, during my lunchbreak.

Should have been doing a weights workout...but the walk was better than nothing.

Work was good, busy today, and busy days always go quickest. Also currently trying to input the data from our latest stocktake, so satisfying to have been able to put a dent in all those facts and figures.

The meeting was interesting, and a good opportunity to catch up with old friends who I've not seen for a while.

A long, but satisfying day...its bed time now...night night x

October's Exercise Pledge - Day 7

Another session from the Power of 3 video, and boy do I know it! Not starting to feel easier yet, but its still early days...and I know that it will.

Absolutely staggered and amazed! 2007 RWC

I've been a life-long England rugby fan, in a family of rugby fans (I even played for my college and University - loose-head prop)....and made a pledge with my mother a few years back to go to an England game in every 6-Nation stadium. we haven't got very far with this pledge, having only managed Twickenham (of course) and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff so far...2 down, 4 to go!

But, I digress, I've followed the England team and experienced the elation of the highs, most notably the 2003 RWC, and the utter despair of the lows (too many to mention)...and went in to the 2007 RWC with a measure of trepidation, impending gloom, humiliation, and a tiny measure of hope. I didn't expect much...and our first few pool games did nothing to make me think any more...but then all of a sudden we were in the Quarter Finals....facing Australia! Ah well, we'd have a reasonable run but really didn't expect much from the Quarter Final, an fully expected to be coming home after a good and proper thrashing. But what's this? We scraped a win 12-10...against one the Rugby Super Powers. Not a pretty game, but nonetheless, when the whistle went at 80 minutes, we had more points on the board than Australia, and so we progressed through to the Semi-Finals...we won a reprieve and and extra game, we weren't going home!
France then surprised many and beat another Super Power, New Zealand, and they progressed to the Semi Finals too! I felt a bit happier with that, in my mind, psychologically France was an easier team to overcome than New Zealand...but then again they had just beaten New Zealand, so had proved themselves very worthy opponents, and we couldn't afford any complacency.

So Saturay evening, with a little more hope, and good measure of trepidation I sat down to watch the Semis...spent lots of it with my hands over my eyes, spent the final 10 minutes of the match in the kitchen with my hands over my ears...reminiscent of my behaviour during the 2003 RWC final, where I spent the last 15 minutes in the bathroom, with the TV on mute, and the door firmly locked, but we won then....and OMG, we've just beaten the French! I don't know how, I don#'t care how, it was another ugly match, with neither team showing any particular brilliance...but again at the FULL Time whistle, we had more points than the opposition, and we are now heading to the FINAL next weekend, facing South Africa who gave us a proper and deserved ass-whooping during the pool stage. I can scarcely believe it, and certainly didn't expect it...my emotions are all over the place...but bring it on.

Go ENGLAND!

October's Exercise Pledge - Day 6

Couldn't drive out anywhere today as J had taken my camper off to work on in his farm workshop. Replacing my broken exhasut manifold (bus will sound less like a tractor when it comes home), and putting my thermostat bck in (bus will now have a properly behaving temperature gauge)...so instead I took myself and a couple of dogs for a good long walk on the lanes around here. Not quite the full hour that I pledged, but not the 20 minute cop-out either. So very pleased with myself.

October's Exercise Pledge - Day 5

J spent the day down in Kilkenny again, but this time I chose to stay at home.

According to my plan I should have gone up to Golden Grove for a good hours walk...but heavy showers made me less inclined to do this...call me a fair-weather-walker if you want...but instead I did 20 minute shower-dodging walk up the lane at home and felt happy that I'd made myself do that.

October's Exercise Pledge - Day 4

Back on track today, and another session with the Power of 3 video. This time it the turn of my abdominals to do some work....and boy do they know it! Youchy!

Going to start looking on eBay for a DVD version of this...the video is grand, but my remote control is missing...and manually fat-forwarding and rewinding to find the right bits to work to is becoming a bit of a pain in the butt....pun not intended!
Kinda ruins the flow of the workout.

If you see any good bargains give me a heads up!

October's Exercise Pledge - Day 3

Spent a day out with J today, down in Kilkenny, playing with his '71 Volkswagen project....came back via Carlow where he dropped a part off an engineering firm.
Got home in the dark so went for a 20minute walk up the lane with a torch. Not really very exciting, fulfilling or fun....but done nonetheless!

Nostalgia and possbily another beetle!

Minding my own business at home today and a car pulls up outside. This is odd. We live miles out in the countryside, and we live down a farm track. So no traffic passes the cottage directly...and its not the kind of track to attract Nosey-Parker's...it just looks like a boring old farm track.
I wait for the driver to come and knock on the door...but she doesn't. She gets out and goes for a wander around the place. So I stir the dogs up and make them bark lots...just so she knows I'm not here on my own...then I stick the biggest (and softest) on a lead, and march out the door to see what this visitor is up to.

Turns out she was born here, and her family lived in this cottage for a few generations. When she lived her, she lived with her siblings, her parents and her grandparents! Yikes, this place is tiny, and with just two of us living here it feels like a squeeze, I can't imagine how it was with 8 people living here!

We spent a lovely couple of hours wandering around, while she pointed stuff out to me and gave new meaning to things I pass and mostly ignore on a daily basis. She showed me where all the farm buildings ( now long gone) used to stand. She showed me the area, now overgrown with brambles, where flagstone steps led down to the stream, which in those days was their only source of fresh water. She told me the names her family gave to all the fields that belong to this cottage, and we reminisced and wallowed in nostalgia together for a good while.
She didn't want to come in the house as she was afraid of the dogs (who were still barking), but she described to me how it used to be, and I know that previous owners have changed the inside structure around a lot, so much of what she told me I had heard before from both my landlord and my nearest neighbour (who incidentally lived here for a good few years too).

Then she discovered one of my Beetles, Tipsy parked up around the back of the cottage, and asked me if I liked old cars. She told me she had a few dotted around the farm where she lived with her husband...and had at least one old beetle there too. I asked her how much she wanted for it, and she laughed and told me she fully expected to pay someone to take it away...and that I could help myself. Whilst it maybe totally rotten, I'm sure there will be bits on it that will come in handy with the current, and future, restoration projects. Can't look a gift horse in the mouth, so hopefully I'll go and have a look, and see just what she has got, over this coming weekend.

Feel like I have the startings of a good friendship here...and I hope to see more of her soon.

Also, if we have any ghostly occurrences in this very old Irish cottage, at least I can now put a name to them....her Grandmother, Granny Walsh died here over 30 years ago...knock three times Granny Walsh...

October's Exercise Pledge - Day 2

Today on the list was to do a workout from Davina McCall's Power of 3 video. I chose to do the Upper Body workout, sandwiched between the warm-up and cool-down. A whole 30 minutes...found it tough, and had to walk-on-the-spot through some of it. But this will get easier, won't it?

Suffice to say I completed what I pledged to myself I would do...and there's a second set of initials on my print-out.

Tales From The Scales - Week 3 - up ½ lb

Up this week, but to be honest I expected to be up more so I'm pretty happy to have only a ½ lb of damage to repair for next week. It could have been a whole lot worse.

Just noticed, that even with the ½ lb gain I've lost my first 5 pounds on the challenge, so I guess I've earned one of these...



Challenge Stats so far:
Start weight: 297
Current weight: 292
Challenge goal: 266 lbs
Loss so far: 5 lbs

October's Exercise Pledge - Day 1

OK, so I spent the morning sorting out a 21-day plan on MS Excel, which I duly printed off and stuck on the noticeboard, so I can't miss it, ignore it, forget it etc etc...
21 days took me up to the 29th October....so what the heck, I threw the 30th and the 31st in to it too, which gives me the rest of October to work on forming this habit.

After that I indulged in a little aversion therapy...it became quite necessary to watch the exercise video the whole way through, and make notes about where on the tape the 3 separate programmes are so I can forward to whichever programme I want to do on whatever day. I watched the video whilst enjoying my breakfast, my ritualistic cup of tea...and not feeling even a little bit guilty that I was eating instead of *doing*.

But then enough was enough...time to to something!
According to my carefully worked out planner today's session was from Joyce L Vedral's "The 12-Minute Total-Body Workout". Working from page 41 to 53. The session was as follows:
3 sets of 10 repetitions of
Flat ID Dumbbell Presses - Chest
Incline ID Dumbbell Flyes - Chest
Front ID Lateral Raises - Shoulders
Pee-Wee Rear Lateral Raises - Shoulders
Double Arm ID Kickbacks - Triceps
Double Arm ID Overhead Extensions - Triceps

Feeling very pleased with myself for taking this big step and making a start on this pledge. Was harder than I imagined, and whilst I wasn't puffing, I was noticeably breathing harder by the 3rd set of each exercise, and built up a rewarding bit of sweat. So, unlike my expectations, its a bit more than sitting about (or standing) and flailing some weight about. Now, ten minutes later, the muscles I worked today don't feel uncomfortable or tight, but they definitely feel like they've done something.
My dumbbells are 2¼ lbs, rather than 3, but only because I couldn't find any 3lb weights when I was shopping for them...and 2¼ lb weights are better than no weights eh!

Rewarding myself with a lovely cool glass of water right now as I type this, and sneaking a peak at my initials in the 'completed' box on my print-out.
First step taken and achieved! Yay me!

Week 11 Weigh-in - 292 lbs

DoGdamn the monthly curse!

Up a half pound this week, but to be honest I expected to be up more, so I am happy with just a half pound to demolish this week.

Last month I was up 4lbs during my TotM, so a half pound is nothing to demolish in my weight battle.

My biggest problem seems to be that for a 24-48 hr period right in the middle of my TotM I devlop a ravenous appetite which just doesn't want to be satisfied. This time, after my 4lb increase last month, I had a battle plan. Make lots of 0 point snacks readily available....so I filled the fridge with carrotsticks and cucumber strips...and made a huge pot of Zero Point Soup....and I happily scoffed into these thinking the munchy monster would be satisfied and yet, at zero points I was doing no damage...but boy was I wrong. I'd finish my 0 point snack, and then turn to the cupboards, because the hunger hound just wasn't happy. I raided the fridge, I raided the cupboards, I filled out on pasta and potatoes and other high-point fillers and comfort food...and I went continually over my points...so really I *AM* grateful that the scales showed a mere half pound gain....but I need to be ultra strict with myself this week.

I feel better tonight than I felt last night. Last night I was on the phone to my mother in the UK in despair. She used to be a Weight Watchers leader (although in her day they were called 'Lecturers') and she's a great source of info and fantastic support on the end of the phone when I'm at my wit's end. I feel with this monthly gain I'm constantly taking 2 steps forward and 1 step back. I have my TotM and inevitably gain that week. Then I spend the next week or two repairing the damage, and then the third week hopefully shows a true loss, and then its TotM and I'm back to square one again. It can't go on! If anyone has some handy hints and tips on how to keep this monster at bay I'd love to hear them. If I can control it at half a pound each month I'll be very happy. Its easy to repair half a pound....but last months 4 lb gain was a real shocker!
I'm currently on the Points plan (I think you guys on the west side of the Atlantic all it Flex), so maybe I'll try 7 days of Core plan next month, and see if that makes any difference. Perhaps the indiscipline of grazing my fill of points each day is leaving me with too much temptation...I'll let you know next month if it works.

A Matter of Excercise - making a plan!

I think its time to get serious about exercise...OK, I have six dogs here at home, and they get walked everyday....but I have been walking dogs everyday since I was given my very own dog (in a multi-dog family home where there were always several), Trouble - a female terrier cross, when I was 16 years old....so I have been walking dogs almost every day for the last 17 years (those clever clogs out there will now know I'm 33 [grin]) and my theory is that my body is used to this regular exercise, and thus I have gained weight in spite of this daily walk.
So in order to boost my body into letting go of even more of that weight I need to exercise MORE.

I have a few options open to me....I could walk the dogs for a little longer each day.
I could go on a separate walk, and walk harder, at another time of day.
I could go to a gym.
I could work out at home.

So here's my plan.

I feel if I just walk the dogs longer this won't have enough of an impact. I'm not necessarily striding out throughout the whole walk....its more of an amble, a chance for the mutts to stretch their legs, empty their bladders, sniff all those new sniffs and checkout their favourite places, and for me its a chance to switch off and wind down.
The 'gym' idea is out too...I don't have one very near. The closest one is a half hour drive...and I just know I wouldn't keep it up, so why set myself to fail? I also couldn't afford to go regularly...so we'll strike 'gym' off that list right now.

So this leaves me with two options remaining
1) to go for a walk on my own, without any canine distractions, and walk out properly. Maybe bring along the MP3 player, and lose myself in some music while I stride along.
2) To work out at home. I've a video workout that I bought a year or so ago (and *NEVER* followed, not even once), and that is Davina McCall's Power Of 3
And I've got a great book, again I've read it but never followed it, and that is Joyce L Vedral's 12-Minute Total Workout. I even bought myself a couple of proper 2 lb weights to use with this book recently...but still haven't done anything.

I don't want to dive in, do too much, too soon, and put myself off. I know my own psyche and again, I don't want to set myself up to fail. I need to make a small commitment now, one I know I can stick with and make into a habit....and once the daily habit is formed I can take it further and introduce more. One that will overcome the "I can't be bothered", and replace it with "sure it'll only take a short while, lets go!"

I hereby pledge, on my blog, in public, to try to do something new every day for the next 3 weeks. Don't they say it takes 21 days to form a habit?
On Mondays, Wednesday and Thursdays I will do a short workout from the video.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays I will do something out of Ms Verdal's book.
At the weekends I will go for a nice walk, without the dogs, in someplace new.
If, for whatever reason, I can't do any of these things (work, out, away etc) I will make an effort to go for at least a 20 minute walk instead...
When I've done whatever I'm doing for that day I *will* blog it, and make that a habit too.
Catch you all tomorrow, after my 12-minutes weight session!

If anyone has any knowledge of the two workout items I mentioned, the video and the book, or any opinions on my plan of action...please sing out. I love hearing from you.

Tales From The Scales - Week 2 - down 1 lb

Weighed in Monday 1st October at my Weight Watchers meeting, and my weight loss for this week was -1 lb

Challenge Stats so far:
Start weight: 297
Current weight: 291.5
Challenge goal: 266 lbs
Loss so far: 5.5 lbs

Week 10 Weigh-in - 291.5 lbs

Down just 1 lb this week.

OK, I sound more disappointed than I should, but I just can't convince myself that it *IS* good. And really, it is....because I don't think I really deserve it.

Tuesday night we went to a meeting for an organisation we're both on the committee for....and knowing we wouldn't be home until gone 10pm we decided to go early and eat in the hotel where the meeting was being held.
I made the best food choices that I could, but they just weren't point friendly. Really going to have to re-think this if the next meeting co-incides with one of my work days (not home early enough to cook & eat properly before heading to the meeting).

And then 2 other days I went over my points...not way over, but over nonetheless....so only mananged 4 days out of 7 within my points this week. Really should have shown a gain on the scales if anything. So I'll take that 1 lb loss and learn to be happy with it....just difficult when the previous two weeks have shown such fantastic losses of 5 lbs and 4.5 lbs respectively.

So back on track this week, no meetings, no distractions...just me and my tracker.

Sponsored Dog Walk

Today was the annual Roscrea SPCA Sponsored Dog Walk. I'm an active member of Roscrea SPCA, and currently foster dogs for them.

The walk takes approximately an hour, maybe a little more. Up some hills and down some hills, and last year I really struggled....this year was much easier.

My canine companion for this year was Dolly...a german short-haired pointer cross that I rescued when she was 12 weeks old.



Whilst my fiance J brought along our current foster dog, Jerry, for the walk. It was great for us to be able to take Jerry out in the company of large numbers of strange dogs, and I was very proud of his good behaviour. Just need to find him a good home now!



The walk went brilliantly for me, apart from an attack of cramp when I lifted my leg to get in to the jeep to go home...but still, that's much better than last year when I almost fainted when we finished, and really did struggle to get all the way around.

Time To Go Sloe

This morning we had our first good frost, heralding in my favourite time of year, the Autumn. (or 'Fall' for our friends across the Atlantic).
It was truly glorious out romping with the dogs in the fields this morning. A really crisp day.

So today is the day to get picking my sloes. Traditionally you wait for the first frost...which can be a bit nail-biting here in Ireland, as we're just east of the Gulf Stream, so some winter's we don't get frosts at all, or they start very late in the year. My own rule of thumb is to pick by the end of September if we've had no frosts by then.

For more information on what a 'sloe' is look HERE

And what will I do with my freshly picked sloes? Well I'm going to make Sloe Gin of course!
Always a very well received and popular Christmas present....and this year, for the first time, when I've decanted my sloe gin in a couple of months, I'm going to try the Sloe Chocolate recipe, for family members too.
Whilst my current dieting lifestyle ought to prohibit me from eating the chocolates, I think I'm going to have to try one, maybe two.....just for quality control purposes of course *LOL*

A few more indoors chores to do, including checking out that all is well in Internet-land [grin] and then its time to go Sloe!

Tales From The Scales - Week 1 - down 4.5 lbs

Undecided about this post, but wanting to have a seperate post to record my weigh-in results for the Tales From The Scales 2008 Challenge...knowing that it's basically repeating my post from Monday...

But for the sake of clarity, here goes.

Weighed in Monday 24th September at my Weight Watchers meeting, and my weight loss for this week was -4.5 lbs

Challenge Stats so far:
Start weight: 297
Current weight: 292.5
Challenge goal: 266 lbs
Loss so far: 4.5 lbs

Week 9 Weigh-in - 292.7

Quite a pleasant surprise to be down 4½ lbs this week. Takes me down to 20 stone 12½ lbs...which also means 1 less eating point, so now I can only eat up to 29 points per day.
Actually less eating points is a relief....been really struggling this week to make up my points each day, so one less is one less to worry about eating. Our leader recommends that we don't eat less then 4 points below our maximum each day, but even so, finding enough to fill 26 points each day has been a struggle, and found me raiding the fridge and cupboards late in the evening.
In a way I'll take this as a non-scale victory (NSV) that my appetite is starting to reduce....Yay!

Out of interest, our points are partly determined by how many stones we weigh. So having gone from 21-x to 20-x I drop 1 point. In those countries that don't use stones as a weight measure, how do you calculate points and when to reduce the number?

I've not been so great at getting my water in this week, and will make a concerted effort to try harder for the next 7 days. Each morning I fill a 2-litre bottle with filtered water, and aim to drink most if not all by the time I go to bed. Not a big ask really. But nearly every morning I've only had to top-up this week because only half or so has been drunk each day.

Going back to NSV's, the belt I've worn for years on the last hole is also showing a rewarding NSV. It now comfortably goes to the hole fifth from last....almost 12 cm away from the last hole! My late father's watch is now too loose and sliding around my wrist, and my engagement ring slips on and off much more easily and also slides around my finger so I have to keep moving the stone back to the top.

Tonight's meeting was about goals, and keeping the motivation going. She said that for those of us who have a long journey ahead of us to get to the ultimate weight goal, then break it down. The 10% system works well, but maybe take it as far as weekly goals (I'll lose 2 lbs by next week for example), or monthly goals if you needed to reward yourself with goals more often to keep the motivation going. She pointed out that Christmas was only 12 weeks away, which drew a gasp from the audience. But then she delighted us by pointing out that if we merely lost 1 lb a week until then, well we'd be 12 lbs down. Sounds very easy and achievable doesn't it!

Pounds and Stones

A couple of comments got me thinking about stones.

Naively I assumed everyone knew what a stone was, so these comments surprised me. Then I looked into it a little....and it seems its one of those curious things we use here in the British Isles, and doesn't seem to be used anywhere else. So apologies to those who were confused by my reference to stones in regard to weight. And here, just for you guys, is a little explanation of what a stone is, with regard to weight.

1 stone = 14 lbs

So, 10 stone is 140 lbs
A little maths for you
My current weight is recorded at 21 stone 3 lbs, recorded on here as 297 lbs
So, 21 X 14 = 294, plus 3 = 297
Get it?

In my Weight Watchers class, every time we lose a stone in weight our leader gives us a small coloured glass stone to symbolise this, just a bit of fun...I assume this happens in other Weight Watchers classes across the British Isles, and would be grateful for info from other Uk and Ireland WW-ers.
We also get Silver Seven stickers for every 7lbs we lose...which symbolises 7 pounds (or half a stone) lost. Does this happen anywhere else?

Any questions about stones, please don't hesitate to shout out.

Wikipedia has a great explanation of the use of the stone as a weight measure
HERE Enjoy!

Tales From The Scales - Week 0

So, here it is...my intro post for the new Tales From The Scales Challenge

My weight loss goal for this challenge is 31 lbs....that will, fingers firmly crossed, bring me down to a round 19 stone (pardon the pun!)....and keep me focused over Christmas!
Hmmmm....19 stone....somewhere I haven't been in quite a few years.

My long term weight-loss aspirations are to get to that magical BMI of 'Normal'...currently I sit in the 'Morbidly Obese' category which is NOT good!
I become 'Normal' at 11 stone 5 lbs (159 lbs), I drop out of the 'Morbid' range at 18 stone 3lbs...still a good way off, but I'm determined.
My short term weight loss aspirations are my wedding next August...I really don't want to be a fat bride. With good sensible weight loss I have set my self a 'wedding target' of 16 stone 3lb (227 lbs)...which I feel should be easily achievable, and any more weight loss is a bonus. Whilst I won't be a slim bride, I'll be a lot slimmer and look a whole heap better in that dress that I currently do!

I need to be ordering my dress in January, and going in at 19 stone will be a lot more fun that trying dresses at 21+ stone

So, the all-important Challenge Stats

Current weight: 297 lbs (21st-3lbs)
Target weight: 266 lbs (19st-0lbs)
Loss required by Jan 11th: 31 lbs

Measurements

Hips: 57½ "
Waist:44½ "
Bust: 49½ "

Let's go!

Facing up to myself on Facebook

Oh my, once I've started posting I just can't seem to stop...its a bit like eating!

So last night I found an old friend on Facebook, and she had put up a few photos from her recent wedding (July 07). Well as luck would have it, I featured in a couple of photos...and clearly looked the size I am, there's just no hiding it.

But I was mortified that, having been tagged on this photo, all my old college friends who were also 'friends' on Facebook would be able to see this photo because of their 'friend status' access to my profile. I almost begged her to remove it, I really didn't want my college friends to see what I had become...but then I realised I could'nt ask her to do that without being completely pathetic...so here, to truly get this out of the closet, I'm going to publish those photos here in all their glory. If that doesn't cure me of any silliness, and focus my diet, then I don't know what will!

Avert your eyes if you're easily offended (well, I know for sure these photos offend me!)
J & T's Wedding - 19th July 2007

I cut out my fiance in the next pic, in case you're wondering about the fella I'm sprawling across!

Look Great in 2008 Challenge

Found this on the Princess's blog Once Upon A Diet and I figured I'd give it a go.

Go here for more info: Tales From The Scales - Look Great in 2008 Challenge

Week 8 Weigh-in - 297 lbs

Put some manners on that horse, and discarded those 4 lbs with the disdain they deserved...and threw out an extra lb just for added effect! Ha!

Actually quite surprised by this...tried to do my best but not been overly angelic, and have knowingly gone over my points allocation (30 points) a few times this week to my knowledge, as well as a sinful camping weekend with friends at Carraig Dulra courtesy of our very generous hosts, Suzie and Mike.
Good company, beautiful location, too many sausages snaffled from the barbecue, cold beer going down all too well, and the most delicious (yet utterly sinful) idea for combining toasted marshmallows, melted chocolate and digestive biscuit...all conspired to make me very worried when I stepped up on the scale this evening.
And came home clutching my little coloured stone that our leader gives to folks when they've lost a stone in weight. Only 13 lbs to go until I get the next one!

But I guess when I wasn't being bad I was doing something right.

If you're consfused by the title this week, I decided to bite the bullet and apply these current posts to my current efforts at WW. This is week 8 since I went back in at the end of July, and it didn't seem right to give the weigh-in days similar titles to those posted last year. Interesting to see that my weekly average is 2lbs, if I can keep that up over the longh aul then I will be very happy indeed...baby steps and all that

Apologies for not posting more last week, busy at work, and busy at home and busy eating badly, and feeling I had nothing much to say that would inspire me. Will honestly try and make more of an effort this week, thanks Princess for the reminders x

Weigh Day - 302 lbs (bummer!)

Am so pi**ed with myself right now. *UP* 4 lbs this week. The delightful balloon of losing my first stone last week is well and truly burst, and now sits shrivelled and deflated, as does my mood.

Had the TOTM from hell this week. Stomach cramps that had me rolling about on the floor, groaning....and an appetite to test the most virtuous. Some days I just couldn't get full, and the hunger demons pulled my hair constantly. Went well over my points more days this week than I stayed under, and the price is paid.

And now, the scales of truth show me the damage and make me feel even worse.

So, I fell off the horse, bruised my ego and motivation. Now to grab the reins, find that stirrup and remount...

New Start, New Ticker, New Stats

Have altered the Ticker at the bottom to reflect the new start, to save any confusion (mine mostly!).

And now for the new stats:
Age: 33
Height: 5'7"
Starting Weight: 313 lbs
10% Goal Weight: 282 lbs
Overall Goal Weight: 159 lbs
Current Weight: 298 lbs
Loss to date: 15 lbs
Left to Lose (overall): 144 lbs
Left to Lose (10%): 16 lbs
Starting BMI: 49.1
Current BMI: 46.7
BMI Lost: 2.4
Current Measurements: Bust 50½" / Waist 46½" / Hips 58"

Back on the weight loss wagon!

A lot has happened to me in the last 12 months or so.

Good stuff, not so good stuff.

My dad died after a long and brave battle aginst the big C.

My partner of nearly 9 years shocked me with a proposal.

We've increased our classic VW collection to 6½ vehicles, a camper, a kombi pickup, 4 beetles and a rolling beetle chassis [don't ask! *LOL]

Blah blah blah...

and I'm ashamed to say weight loss took a back seat.

But on the 22nd July 2007 I crept back in to Weight Watchers to face the music and assess the damage.

So here's a short recap of the weigh-ins since then. Have surprised myself with my progress, and thrilled with the current motivation!

22 July 07 - 313 lbs
Not great, but could have been a lot worse after 12 months off the scales of truth!
Decided to stick to the Points Plan. I know I'm a grazer, and simply cannot guarantee I can sit down to 3 meals a day on a regular basis, so it makes sense to stick to what I know has worked for me in the past.

30 July 07 - 303 lbs
Yes! You did read that correctly, in my first week I lost 10 lbs! Woo feckin' Hoo!
OK, realistically i know that the first week is ususally the biggest loss, but neither me or my leader expected 10lbs to go.

6 Aug 07 - 302.5 lbs
Only half a pound down this week, but at least its half a pound in the right direction. Dodgy mood swings, and nagging stomach cramps give me an indication of why I perhaps didn't lose more this week.

13 Aug 07 - 302 lbs
Another half pound in the right direction but disappointed I didn't lose more.

20 Aug 07 - No Weigh IN
Am too busy away on a 10-day Charity Drive, eating as well as I can, but not as well as I should! And drinking far too much.

27 Aug 07 - 302 lbs
Wow! Considering the last 10 days of total food and alcohol debauchery, I'm actually pretty thrilled with this weigh-in! I had prepeared myself and my leader for a gain this week. And we had both agreed to take whatever the scales said, and work out a damage limitation plan.
Now just to make this weigh-in seeme even better that it was, I was also wearing *wet* jeans when I weighed in.
Each week I wear jeans and work boots (steel toe caps) to weigh in. Sometimes I'm working on WW days, and coming straight from work. So I made my mind up at the start to wear these each week, so I could be consistent with what I was wearing. Also, although its a long way away, when I do get to goal, I can put on some cotton trousers and proper shoes, and make those scales really sing my tune!
So, after 10 days of terrible eating habits, and wearing wet jeans because I could'nt get them dry in time, I think that to maintain was a pretty fantastic result here!

3 Sep 07 - 298 lbs
Brilliant! 4 lbs down, cracked the 200's and lost my first stone. Total loss so far this time is 15 lbs, and life is good. I was walking on air as I left my meeting, and feeling pretty chuffed. I treated myself to a CD as a reward, and my OH bought me flowers.

Hopefully, now I've got my weight loss back on track I'll get this blog back on track too.

Chat soon