Crap!!

Do you remember the time I had the equivalent of two Chinese takeaways in one Saturday evening, and I had to obey the rules and tell you all about it? Well, here's another one comin' atcha!
It wasn't a terrifically bad week, until the weekend hit. Essentially it was a big dinner on Saturday night, with a 'gu' dessert (I think 'gu' might well be Swedish for 'diet???......don't think so!!') for pud. On Sunday the slippery slope continued, when I polished off an entire box of Miniature Heroes (I left out the eclairs, not for health reasons, just because I didn't like them), then after dinner (not too bad, turkey mince, mushrooms, rice) I really excelled myself and polished off 4 (yes....four) pieces of cheesecake. In my meagre defence, they were part of a cheesecake selection, which meant they were a fair bit smaller than 'usual'; but make no mistake, four of them is very very not good.
Add to this the fact that the only exercise I have done this week has been a bit of social badminton (the promised run on Sunday never happened), it's all pretty shocking isn't it? To be honest, typing it, I have shocked myself.
So I hear you all asking why.....(pause for effect)......and I do know why, but I stress that none of what I am about to say justifies what I did..........

As I've said before, Christmas comes at the end of the silly season for me; and it feels like the number of balls I have in the air have doubled. It is a balancing act of getting practical Christmas stuff done (writing cards, buying presents, wrapping presents, putting up decorations (home), putting up decorations (mum's)), keeping the peace (making sure I am present at Mums to spend time with people), not to mention the business of living the regular life (work (which has all of a sudden got very stressful at the completely wrong time), badminton, regular shopping, washing, cleaning (don't scoff, I do clean occasionally!)).
I prepare for it as best I can (starting the Christmas shopping early) but sooner or later, life becomes a lot more reactive that pro-active; and decisions like what to eat are made usually about ten minutes before it is time to eat. Whatever is to hand - chocolates...cheesecake - I reach for it, and down the hatch it goes.
I am also a bit fatigued; physically and mentally. This is not a moan, it just tends to happen when I am nearing a holiday; the body and mind breaks-up about a week before the rest of me does!
So, the upshot of all this is that tomorrow is not going to be pleasant; but the rules of this blog are that I must be honest (see the above) and I must not miss a weigh-in. Think of me.....
Having said all this, there is no way on earth I am going to leave one of my last blog posts of 2011 on this note. I am disappointed, yes; and I will likely be even more disappointed tomorrow evening, but let's take stock here........

How far have I come?
A very long way; I am at the moment, 29 pounds lighter than I was almost exactly six months ago, (make that 39 pounds lighter than my absolute heaviest). Regardless of what damage I do this week or next, I cannot undo all this good work.

How do I feel?
Compared to how I was, I feel terrific. The problems I have described above have been, and would be so much worse if it was the old me; the new me is not invincible, but feels so much more powerful, so much more positive, and is prepared to face up to and deal with problems like being overweight instead of brushing them under the carpet.

Was doing this blog a good idea?
I don't have many strokes of genius, but this is starting to feel like one. It has kept me focused, it has kept me honest, it has kept me interested. Not only that, I can't tell you how exciting it is when I see the number of 'views' I have; that someone else is reading and interested in my words. It is HUGE! When I started, I was expecting noone to read it; now it looks very much like before the end of this blog arrives I will be over 1000.

Do I think I can do it?
By 'do it' I mean get to London in 2013, and run that Marathon; and the answer is emphatically yes.

So there you have it; from the heart. Don't give up on me guys; and I swear, I won't give up on this adventure.