As I write this post (Tuesday), the blog hit count is showing at 999. Can you believe it??! To be quite honest, I can't. The expectations I had 35 weeks ago when I kicked this thing off were nowhere near this number for the entire journey; never mind getting to four figures (unless all you sods decide to stop reading one short of the thousand....but you wouldn't do that to me would you?.......would you?!!!......hello??...... .......HELLOOOO??!....is there anyone there.....???) before I am even halfway through. Okay, quite a few of the hits are from people who know me (SO much appreciated); and yes, about fifteen of the hits were down to me before I managed to find the 'don't count me on the hits total' button (give me a break, I was a blogging virgin; and even now am far from a blogging superstud!), but to have something you want to say - an experience you want to share - and to find that people exist around the world who want to hear it is such a simple, powerful, good feeling.
As previous posts have indicated, I am going through toothy troubles and a tiny liddle loss of direction at the moment; and I cannot think of a better inspiration than the day (probably later today in fact) I log in and see '1000' on the blog count; inspiration to stay the course and inspiration to go the distance. For this - and for every time the hit count advances by one more - I say to all the readers....
'Thank you!' (United Kingdom)
'Spasiba' (Russian)
'Thank you!' (American!)
'Danke Schoen' (German. Sorry; couldn't find the umlauty thing to put over the 'o')
'Danke' (Swiss German)
'Paldies' (Latvian)
'Cheers Cobber' (Australian?!)
'Thank you eh' (Canadian)
'Komapsumnida' (Korean)
'Dyakooyu' (Ukrainian)
The last thirty five weeks have been fun, but stay tuned; as the next sixty or so are going to be very interesting!
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
The Week So Far......
A quick update for all you lovely people. Firstly, I can absolutely, categorically and irrefutably confirm eating too much white bread (see previous post) is BAD FOR YOU. The feeling of lethargy and bloatedness which came with it has been matched only by the relief of getting it out of my system and recovering from it; I feel so much better. It would be great if I could cut (or should that be slice?) bread completely from my diet, but this may well be a bridge too far; although it is looking distinctly more possible after the advice from a certain wee person (just to clarify, named thus due to her diminutive stature, and nothing to do with incontinence......I don't think). I am just content in the knowledge that my 'normal' level of breadage won't stop me losing weight (providing I eat well and exercise much). I will be very careful not to fall into that elephant trap again.
A clear confirmation of my recovery was my performance in the badminton match on Friday; it's rare that I blow my own trumpet (don't own one anyway......not so much as a Yazoo.....hang on.....no intention of blowing Alison Moyet.......aah yes.....kazoo!) but even I have to say it is the best I have played for quite a few years. To have three club members come over and compliment me (not to mention one of the opposing ladies telling me to 'stop getting everything back!') was very satisfying. Sadly it is the only exercise I have done so far this week, I am not sure if one match will lose me any pounds in tonight's weigh-in; we'll see what the digitals of doom have for me.
That said, I am a little bit distracted this week. You remember in one of my previous posts I mentioned having to have a multiple tooth extraction under General Anaesthetic? Well, it's tomorrow, and I am SO looking forward to it.....??!!**! It's my first G.A. operation; which although is quite good considering I am in my late 30's, still gives me the collywobbles. I truly am trying to stick to the regime - honest! - but my energies over the last week or so have been set to 'worry' rather than 'gym', so the iron has been left distinctly unpunped, and the treadmill very much untrodden. It would be handy to get a session in tonight, but I am trying not to put too much pressure on myself if I don't. Hopefully things will settle down a little after the op, and I can focus again. It has been really difficult to keep my eyes on the prize lately; and I know I am falling into the other common elephant trap of 'I'll start again after the.....blah', as that 'blah' changes to something else when the date of the first 'blah' comes and goes, but the one date that is forever fixed is that of the Great Manchester Run (May 16th). Still time to train and get myself ready for it, but time is marching on. So I have no choice; if I want to do what I am here to do (and I do!) then I HAVE to focus.
On a positive note; having to be nil by mouth (no eating) for a period of time (possible 24 hours, probably 12), followed by a sore mouth not able to chew anything will be an effective if not entirely ideal method to lose weight.
A clear confirmation of my recovery was my performance in the badminton match on Friday; it's rare that I blow my own trumpet (don't own one anyway......not so much as a Yazoo.....hang on.....no intention of blowing Alison Moyet.......aah yes.....kazoo!) but even I have to say it is the best I have played for quite a few years. To have three club members come over and compliment me (not to mention one of the opposing ladies telling me to 'stop getting everything back!') was very satisfying. Sadly it is the only exercise I have done so far this week, I am not sure if one match will lose me any pounds in tonight's weigh-in; we'll see what the digitals of doom have for me.
That said, I am a little bit distracted this week. You remember in one of my previous posts I mentioned having to have a multiple tooth extraction under General Anaesthetic? Well, it's tomorrow, and I am SO looking forward to it.....??!!**! It's my first G.A. operation; which although is quite good considering I am in my late 30's, still gives me the collywobbles. I truly am trying to stick to the regime - honest! - but my energies over the last week or so have been set to 'worry' rather than 'gym', so the iron has been left distinctly unpunped, and the treadmill very much untrodden. It would be handy to get a session in tonight, but I am trying not to put too much pressure on myself if I don't. Hopefully things will settle down a little after the op, and I can focus again. It has been really difficult to keep my eyes on the prize lately; and I know I am falling into the other common elephant trap of 'I'll start again after the.....blah', as that 'blah' changes to something else when the date of the first 'blah' comes and goes, but the one date that is forever fixed is that of the Great Manchester Run (May 16th). Still time to train and get myself ready for it, but time is marching on. So I have no choice; if I want to do what I am here to do (and I do!) then I HAVE to focus.
On a positive note; having to be nil by mouth (no eating) for a period of time (possible 24 hours, probably 12), followed by a sore mouth not able to chew anything will be an effective if not entirely ideal method to lose weight.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Weigh in (35)
I opened the fridge this morning, and I found a big block of cheese....and it was off....
Once I had made it into work I made a list of things to do today, and am slowly ticking them off.....
After work I think I will pop out and sort out the hedge at the back of the house, there are a number of big branches which need hacking off.....
......you see where this is going don't you?!
Yes, cheese(d) off, ticked off and hacked off (could have been worse). Add to this a starter of angry, a sour main course of annoyed and three scoops of upset, that about sums it up really. Despite exercising three times this week, I've put on two pounds. CRAP! Back to my old favourite of 16 stone 12 pounds (hello there! I've not seen you for at least a fortnight! How have you been?)
It was one of those cases of slow realisation; starting with utter shock at the fact that I had put on weight; followed by - once I had thrown my rattle out of the pram, not to mention bashing it on the side of the pram several times - thinking about what I had consumed over the last week. The Chinese takeaway on Saturday night was not the best thing to be eating, but to be honest I have lost weight in weeks when I have had one, and considering the amount of exercise I have done I thought I would be able to get away with it. Then, the penny dropped.........one word.......five letters.....................................
.........bread.........
On Saturday morning I had a couple of slices of thick-sliced white bread left in the cupboard; Sunday morning I had my Tesco's online (how decadent!) delivery, and Mr Tesco-man brought two loaves with him; one went into the freezer, the other for the cupboard. I am ashamed to say that by the end of Tuesday I was already defrosting the second loaf. I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW; bad bad BAD ADRIAN, NAUGHTY ADRIAN. I can't quite believe how I put that much bread away in such a short space of time, but on reflection I appear to have had a lot of 'cook something and make a sandwich out of it' meals. In a nutshell; lazy cooking.
I mulled over it further, and more pennies started to drop. I could not explain why I played really well in the badminton match on Friday, and really badly last night. I've been feeling tired the last few days, and for some reason my trousers are starting to 'dig in' round the waist ever so slightly. I googled the question 'what happens when you eat too much bread?' and the reply was 'you put on weight ('plink'), you feel bloated ('plonk') and your energy levels reduce considerably ('plunk'). You really don't have to be Gregory House to work that one out do you?!
I am so annoyed with myself (does it show?). I totally lost track of what I was eating, and relied far too heavily on the fact I had lots of exercise to compensate for my excesses. It is not good when reflecting on what I have eaten comes as a surprise to me; it's like it didn't register as I was doing it. This sort of eating is what got me to nineteen stone plus in the first place.
However (you will be relieved to hear that word no doubt), it is stopping this sort of eating which has got me to sixteen stone ten; so I know I can do it. I have shown myself to be naive this week, but I have only to look back to my more successful weeks to show me what to do; eat healthy and exercise is not a choice, it is a package deal. I would like to cut out bread from my diet completely; but 'stuff' on toast is a simple and quick 'go-to' meal on nights where proper cooking is just not going to happen. So I will allow myself that; but sandwiches are a definite no-no.
Frustrating though it may be, it is not the end of the world by any means. We'll take this week one meal at a time, being very aware of what I am shoving down my cakehole. Whatever happens this week I am going to be VERY nervous at next Tuesday's weigh in!
Once I had made it into work I made a list of things to do today, and am slowly ticking them off.....
After work I think I will pop out and sort out the hedge at the back of the house, there are a number of big branches which need hacking off.....
......you see where this is going don't you?!
Yes, cheese(d) off, ticked off and hacked off (could have been worse). Add to this a starter of angry, a sour main course of annoyed and three scoops of upset, that about sums it up really. Despite exercising three times this week, I've put on two pounds. CRAP! Back to my old favourite of 16 stone 12 pounds (hello there! I've not seen you for at least a fortnight! How have you been?)
It was one of those cases of slow realisation; starting with utter shock at the fact that I had put on weight; followed by - once I had thrown my rattle out of the pram, not to mention bashing it on the side of the pram several times - thinking about what I had consumed over the last week. The Chinese takeaway on Saturday night was not the best thing to be eating, but to be honest I have lost weight in weeks when I have had one, and considering the amount of exercise I have done I thought I would be able to get away with it. Then, the penny dropped.........one word.......five letters.....................................
.........bread.........
On Saturday morning I had a couple of slices of thick-sliced white bread left in the cupboard; Sunday morning I had my Tesco's online (how decadent!) delivery, and Mr Tesco-man brought two loaves with him; one went into the freezer, the other for the cupboard. I am ashamed to say that by the end of Tuesday I was already defrosting the second loaf. I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW; bad bad BAD ADRIAN, NAUGHTY ADRIAN. I can't quite believe how I put that much bread away in such a short space of time, but on reflection I appear to have had a lot of 'cook something and make a sandwich out of it' meals. In a nutshell; lazy cooking.
I mulled over it further, and more pennies started to drop. I could not explain why I played really well in the badminton match on Friday, and really badly last night. I've been feeling tired the last few days, and for some reason my trousers are starting to 'dig in' round the waist ever so slightly. I googled the question 'what happens when you eat too much bread?' and the reply was 'you put on weight ('plink'), you feel bloated ('plonk') and your energy levels reduce considerably ('plunk'). You really don't have to be Gregory House to work that one out do you?!
I am so annoyed with myself (does it show?). I totally lost track of what I was eating, and relied far too heavily on the fact I had lots of exercise to compensate for my excesses. It is not good when reflecting on what I have eaten comes as a surprise to me; it's like it didn't register as I was doing it. This sort of eating is what got me to nineteen stone plus in the first place.
However (you will be relieved to hear that word no doubt), it is stopping this sort of eating which has got me to sixteen stone ten; so I know I can do it. I have shown myself to be naive this week, but I have only to look back to my more successful weeks to show me what to do; eat healthy and exercise is not a choice, it is a package deal. I would like to cut out bread from my diet completely; but 'stuff' on toast is a simple and quick 'go-to' meal on nights where proper cooking is just not going to happen. So I will allow myself that; but sandwiches are a definite no-no.
Frustrating though it may be, it is not the end of the world by any means. We'll take this week one meal at a time, being very aware of what I am shoving down my cakehole. Whatever happens this week I am going to be VERY nervous at next Tuesday's weigh in!