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!

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...

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

Too Fat To Shop

Is it just me this happens to?

Motivated by my great weight loss this week I dug out an old exercise video I bought in the cheap bins at Woolworth's last Christmas...I scanned through it to note down timings of the different workouts for future use, then prepared myself to jump around like a loon...find sensible clothes, debate footwear and shut the dogs away...they only ever want to jump about and join in, generally barking and frequently ending up in a 5-dog fight...not fun, so away they went.
Back to the footwear issue...hmmm...here's the problem...I'm not a shoesy girl...in fact I truly don't understand the fascination with shoes that other members of my sex can have...I like my shoes to be functional for what I need, and I like to be prepared should a shirehorse tread on me, or a bus run over my foot... For every day I have comfy steel toe cap boots. For work I have the same comfy steel toe cap boots. For going out to the pub etc,at the bottom of my jeans you'll find the same pair of steel toe cap boots. For going out to posh places I have one smart pair of navy blue court shoes...they are all I have in this category, so I use my imagination when wearing them with things they don't match. They are a size too small, and have me crippled with pain within an hour of wearing them...coming home from formal functions will *ALWAYS* find me bare foot and in agony. For slopping around the house, when I don't have my steel toe caps on I've got an ancient pair of Guinness slippers...and for hot days I have a functional pair of flip flops...none of these shoes/boots are very practical for leaping around to an exercise video...so I picked up my purse and bravely headed into town, wearing my favourite steelies and looking all feminine *LOL*.

I walked into my local sport shop (a large national if not international chain) and promptly got ignored. After all...look at the size of me, I surely can't be in there to actually BUY anything, so why bother to serve me? I found a couple of styles of trainer that I liked, picked them up and looked around me for a sales person....they all suddenly looked really busy (I was the only customer in there). I waited patiently for one of them to finish counting laces...and then finally I walked up to one of them. "May I try on these in sizes 7 and 8 (technically I'm a UK7 but I have very wide feet, so size 7 often doesn't fit...and in 'narrow' Ladies styles, forget it...go for the 8 to 9). Anyway, the staff member I spoke to pointed out that they had sold out of both sizes in one of the styles I'd chosen, and only had an 8 in the other...at this point, she turned away from me and resumed inspecting her fingernails...very busy work for a girl. I turned towards one of the lads working there, and to be fair to him he chose instead to attend to a customer who literally walked in the door at that point. I took a deep breath, forced a smile on my face and approached the third and final member of staff...I held out the second pair towards him and politely demanded the UK8 in that style. He couldn't really back out of that, and duly brought a pair of trainers out of the stock room for me, whereupon he put them down on the bench seat, said "there you are" and walked off, to straighten the t-shirt rail no doubt. Feeling a little humiliated at this point I sat down on the bench and put them on. I wasn't quite sure how they should fit, I wasn't quite sure on the laces arrangement..I haven't owned a pair of runners since I was about 12...I looked around for one the staff to help me, they seemed frightfully busy in the till area discussing last night's television offerings. I collared the same lad to help me...but he looked a bit displeased at being taken away from his riveting conversation. He begrudgingly advised me on fit, and how tight to have the laces etc...and so I bought them. But I don't think I'll buy form there again...the sniggering form the other staff as he asked me how strenuous I was planning to work out was almost too much to bear...I knew if I lost it with them I'd lose it big time...and so it was much more dignified (I think) to just swallow it down, pay up and walk out...

A little...

Heard this the other day, and it tickled me...

A little bit of this, and little bit of that...all ends up in a big bit of fat

So, next time you think you'll just try a little bit, it won't hurt...think of this