Thursday 28 May 2009

Best laid plans and all that jazz!

So the gym session didn’t go EXACTLY as planned because every single gosh darn treadmill was occupied by a total and utter doofus WALKING and READING A MAGAZINE. This infuriates me! I’m all for the whole ‘sport for all’ thing but OH COME ON! So I decided to do some rowing instead. On my programme it says 2000m at damper level 10, so this was my aim……I think I was so infuriated at not being able to go on a treadmill that I rowed and rowed and then looked down and it said 4000m! OOPSIE! I have got actual blisters on the insides of my palms where you grip the rowing thingy!! LOOK!!!

















So after that I thought I’d try the Russian Steps thingy on the cross trainer. It was so difficult to resist going at it like the clappers and sweating like a pig in a similar fashion to my co cross trainers either side of me. But resist I did and whacked the resistance level up to 20 for a minute then down to 6, then back up for a minute and a half and then back down and so on. All in all I completed 20 minutes and my legs were killing! Plus I WAS sweating lie the aforementioned pig too! So a good workout all round! Only then was there a treadmill free so I hopped on and had a relaxing run to finish off with at a moderate 9kph speed. That fast workout ipod playlist I mentioned a few weeks ago is defo doing the trick. It was, as I had thought it would be, most fabulous to be back at the gym.


After this I was homeward bound for some dinner - exercise always makes me hungry! How annoying. I wasn’t inspired to cook at all so in search of a spark of inspiration I looked at the ww UK website - and came up with Grain Mustard and Honey Stir Fry.

You need:

1tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic crushed
I medium onion thinly sliced
250g broccoli cut into florets
200g sugar snap peas
2 tsp honey
2 tsp fresh coriander (I used dried)
150ml fresh stock – I used vegetable
3 level tsp wholegrain mustard

Heat oil, add onion and garlic, sautee till soft, adding a bit of stock if necessary to prevent sticking, add veg, stock, honey and mustard and bring to boil, stir fry on high heat for 5 mins until liquid evaporated or until is suits you. Add fresh herbs and toss through then serve.

I also added a yellow pepper for some colour and some mushrooms because I needed to use them up, for no extra points.

The whole thing serves 2 people and is HALF A POINT per serving – and it’s seriously a shed load of food – I had to Tupperware half to bring with me to the office for lunch! I guess this is the beauty of filling foods!

I added plain couscous cooked in chicken stock with it as a base for 4 points so the whole dinner came to four and a half points! Fabulous!

Here’s how it looked…..














On the plate - look! There's LOADS!











Extreme close up!
And now it’s Thursday morning, the sun is shining, and I have a busy day ahead…….2 weetabix plus skimmed milk and a Nero skinny latte have filled me up and it’s work time!!!!
But just before I go....I read DietGirl's latest post today, check her out, she rocks! And she was talking about none other than the phenom that is Jillian Michaels! (Now that I have unashamedly removed myself from her 9 billion emails a day mailing list I am feeling much more charitable towards her) Shauna reviewed her dvd - no more trouble zones or whatever it's called which led me to think about this 30 Day shred thingummy that you guys are all bonkers about....so I hopped on over to Amazon and bought it!! For a mere £6.00! Good hey!! SO I shall soon be shredding along with the rest of you my dear comrades! What fun series of posts THAT will be!!! Stay tuned!! :)

Catch you tomorrow dudes!
xoxo BFP

Wednesday 27 May 2009

Let's Get Physical!

I’m excited! Today marks the official ‘return to routine’ that I was so loving before I went all bonkers with dizziness 2 weeks ago.

Just before that I had a session with Mr Motivator, aka Chris the PT, and he changed my programme – something that I gather will be done every 4-6 weeks or so, in other words PRECISELY around the time I finally get the workout programme into my head and don’t have to carry around his (branded) programme file at the gym with me – a cunning marketing ploy if ever there was one! And further proof that he is most certainly trying to cure me of my borderline OCD tendencies......

I digress.

So he changed my programme and it now involves something called ‘Russian Steps’. This essentially involves running as fast as you can tolerate without going A over T for one minute and then walking at a slow pace (like 5kph) for one minute, then running as fast as poss again for one and a half minutes, then walking for one and a half, then running for two and walking and then decreasing to one and a half again and so on. IT IS FABULOUS! The reason I say this is because I was boring myself stupid getting all fixated on distance with my runs and then getting annoyed with my ineptitude when I couldn’t manage a 5k-er. The Russian Steps training is, by total contrast, not about distance – bloody hell! I don’t even have time to look at anything other than the time check when I’m running so fast I think my legs will fall off! Don’t get me wrong – it’s flipping hard and completely knackering but it’s increasing my stamina and also affects one’s metabolism in much the same way that interval training does. I tried the running version of Russian Steps before I was ill and then again on Saturday just gone – I was so relieved I could still do it. Sometimes it’s just nice to sprint instead of a steady jog and to feel your legs really reaching….or is that just me? On my new programme there is also a version of Russian Steps on the Cross Trainer which involves one minute of the highest resistance you can tolerate followed by one minute of easy training, then up it to one and a half etc etc you get the idea. I haven’t tried this yet so I will be giving it a whirl this evening. The idea is that you focus on resistance rather than speed with this exercise. I am so happy to be healthy enough to get my Wednesday routine back on track!

Another aspect of my new programme is that the weights have ‘upped’! I obviously looked panicked when Chris mentioned this as he reassured me I would not bulk up -I was having crazy visions of myself with Popeye arms





rather than Jennifer Aniston arms!







SO now instead of lifting wimpy 2kg dumb bells I am onto the 4’s! A WOO HOOOOO! THAT is an NSV - an indication of my improved fitness and strength that will give me nice toned muscles rather than Popeye-esque arms!

I am still a bit of a wuss in the gym when it comes to the weights! One centre that I use on weekends lets me use the spinning studio with free weights rather than subject myself to hangin’ with the meatheads all straining and grunting and popping neck veins to lift the equivalent of a small car…..yeeeeeesh truly MINGING! But the gym I use midweek is too small to do that so I just have to suck it up and hang with the meat heads. Because I’ve been going at the same time, obviously I’ve started to recognise some of them, and HILARIOUSLY the other day one sweaty dude stopped me mid reps (ooh HOW ANNOYING) and asked what I was doing! I explained what my trainer had told me about all the different exercises and lo and behold he asked if he could join in! (albeit with the equivalent weight of 2 small children in each hand – after all, he wasn’t going to be shown up by a girl, now was he!?) At the end he thanked me and said he would show the exercise to his other buddies! Haha how funny is THAT! I figure pretty soon they’ll all be my new BFF’s….what was I worrying about!? Looking stupid? Yep! Being judged for lifting a measly weight? Yep! But all of a sudden with my new meaty pals I don’t really care! That said, I'd sooner do my core work and weights work in the privacy of my own living room - and I sure will! Rich works late on a Wednesday so I can get weighty and then reward myself with Gossip Girl....now that American Idol is over my USA shows are SERIOUSLY diminishing (Do not even get me STARTED on the debacle that was Kris bloody Allen winning! OH-DEAR-GOD!)
Right.
It's approaching 5:30pm - this BigFatPie is off to the gym!!!!!!!!!
Laters lovelies!!!!!!
xoxo BFP

Tuesday 26 May 2009

Back in the saddle again....

Yo dudes. It’s me! BigFatPie, back with a vengeance and a much needed kick up the backside!

I AM BACK!

Ohhh how I do resent being ill. According to the evil that is Rachel’s ww scales on Saturday morning I have ALLEGEDLY gained back 5.5lbs…IN TWO BLOODY WEEKS!

Which means I am back in the dreaded 170’s…..why do I torture myself with these statistics?

I am sooooooo trying to have a PMA and accept the fact that I was ill and couldn’t stand up let alone exercise. In fact the only journey I have been making for the past two weeks is to the fridge and back. Anyway. I’m not going to obsess over what I ate these past 2 weeks, important thing now is to get back in the saddle and take pleasure in the fact that I am better and can once again enjoy exercising. Because I DO enjoy it! And I was starting to see results.

So, NO MORE MOANING! Lots of planning and sticking to said plan will be the order of today and days to come…..

In other news….it’s looking pretty likely that Rich and I will soon be moving! Long story short my brother is moving back home with our parents (Good LUCK mum and dad!) so he is vacating his apartment which we will be taking over thus leaving ours empty so that we can decorate it and sell it as quickly as possible, thus enabling us to become first time buyers again which in the current economic debacle er...I mean climate, is no bad thing! So I am excited to plan and move and paint and decorate. My brother’s flat is beautiful and hilariously near to ours so we will be carrying a lot of stuff over the road! I’ll keep you posted!


I’ve been dying to move for ages, but now that we have the opportunity I am beginning to feel all nostalgic and sentimental for the current flat we own! I am such a doofus! We bought it just before we got married and I lived in it till after our honeymoon. Almost 5 years later and we’re moving on…kinda sad, but it’s a fab opportunity for us so we’re seizing it!

Yesterday I was a little hungover – memo to me: I am NOT allowed to spend the evening at my parents’ house for a while – they are SUCH a bad influence! And though I was craving carbs and crap like bacon butties, fried egg on toast, crisps, sausages, cheese, bread and pizza, I stood strong and made a smoothie with strawberries, banana and a ww yogurt - it was yummy and made me feel loads better than if I’d eaten all kinds of crap AND there was loads so I saved half to have with me for breakfast in the office this morning in between reading through the 300 emails I received while I was off sick! This is a definite NSV.

So we’re back to planning-tracking-exercising and rather than being something of a chore it feels really good to be in control again.

Here’s to a loss this week……

Lots of love

BFP xoxo

PS I have missed you all LOADS!

Wednesday 20 May 2009

Nobody Panic!

Hello people! Don't worry, I am still here......


For the past week I have been enduring a delightful illness known as Labrynthitis, which is basically an inner ear infection resulting in lack of balance and extreme dizziness. Suffice to say I have been horizontal for the past week (and not in a good way!! :), off work and have been unable to blog on account of not being able to sit upright or look at a computer screen for any length of time :(

I have essentially done nothing but eat crap, take no exercise, feel sorry for myself, get annoyed at my husband, and have twitchy legs and insomnia because my body's too alert to sleep at night because I haven't WALKED anywhere let alone run in an entire bloody week!

I am pissed off (Can you tell!?)


Anyways, just wanted to let y'all know that I am still here and hopefully normal blogging/living will resume next week.

Better dash, got loads to read - you lot blog a LOT!

Big Fat Love,

Me xoxo

Tuesday 12 May 2009

Music to make the run go by.......

Back again! Two posts in one day, aren’t you lucky readers!?? HA!

There’s been a lot of chat in the blogosphere of late about music to run to, so I thought I’d chime in with my two pence worth.

Let me first say this: I love to run. I love to jog slow, I love to run crazy-ass fast until I think my legs will fall off BUT it does not come easily to me at all. Not at all. Pas du tout.

Thus, music is incredibly important to me when I run. Not least because the years of dance training have ingrained in me the whole ‘move to the beat’ thing and I cannot shake it off, no matter how hard I try! I run to the beat. Soooooooo music has to be the right tempo otherwise my running becomes laboured and tiresome. Equally, it cannot be too fast or I get tired too quickly! It has to be like Goldilocks said, ‘Just right’!

So, I recently compiled a ‘fast’ playlist of tunes I can use to warm up at 9kph and that still work at 12/13kph…you’ll laugh your heads off but it works for me! :)

1. You Can’t Stop the Beat – Hairspray the movie soundtrack (I always use this first off!)
2. Not Fair-Lily Allen
3. Who knew –P!nk
4. Pump It – Black Eyed Peas
5. Leave me Alone – P!nk
6. My Life Would Suck Without You – Kelly Clarkson
7. That’s Not My Name – The Ting Tings
8. The Nicest Kids in Town – Hairspray soundtrack
9. She Works Hard for the Money – Donna Summer
10. Sound of the Underground – Girls Aloud
11. Jai Ho! – Pussycat Dolls
12. Everyone Nose – N.E.R.D
13. Stick to the Status Quo – High School Musical soundtrack
14. Perfect Day – Hoku (from Legally Blonde soundtrack)
15. Moving to New York – The Wombats
16. Biology – Girls Aloud
17. Centrefold – P!nk
18. Womanizer – Britney
19. Single ladies – Beyonce
20. Closer – Ne Yo
21. Mistress Mabel – the Fratellis
22. She’s So Lovely – Scouting for Girls
23. About You Now – Sugbabes

Ha ha! Now I’ve written it out, I’m like ‘shaaaaaaaaaaaame!’ but don’t judge me! These up tempo songs keep me going on that bloody treadmill!

What songs do you guys run to??

Xoxo BFP

Mad Hatter's Ball!

Me in my hat for the Mad Hatter's Ball!


Hello children!

You USA bloggers have just given me a heart attack with all your blogging about Mother’s Day! I thought I’d missed it! But then I remembered we have already had it here this year and you’re all in the States! PHEW!

I must have been delirious with tiredness from THE party of the year!! Yes friends, this past Saturday was The Mad Hatter’s Ball, otherwise known as my dear husband’s 30th Birthday Party!

It went REALLY WELL! Everyone had a great time it seems and the pictures on facebook are HILARIOUS! And best of all, I actually LIKE myself on them!

Things I was worried about:

- Looking like a monstrous giant next to Rich (we are the exact same height which meant no Jimmy Choos on our wedding day :( ) I always worry that I will look like the side of a house standing next to him. From looking at the pictures, I don’t think I did.



- Getting absolutely trollied and ruining the night for myself. I had 4 cocktails with sparkling water in between each one : 2 Cosmopolitans, a Mojito and a peach Bellini. MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm. Bearing in mind we got there at 7pm to set up, and the party didn’t end till gone 2am I think I did marvellously! Plus I wanted to be able to spend Sunday with my family rather than lying on the sofa wanting to die from a hangover. My sister in law did buy me an apple pie shot but I sipped it and then gave it to someone else, I’m not really a shots kinda gal! Oh, I think I had a glass of wine too towards the end of the night but only had a bit of it.




- Dress being too tight. Yes, at weigh in on Saturday the scales said I had GAINED 2lbs! This, despite an ABSOLUTELY 100% clean eating week, nothing processed went near me! AND I exercised my ASS OFF! So this just further illustrates the freakin’ ANNOYING time I am having with weight loss! You know me by now, if I’d spent all week troffing all kindsa crap you would know about it! But I didn’t! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! The only think I can think is I lost 7lbs in 2 weeks and maybe my body is just re-adjusting. I can’t for the life of me think what else it would be! So when it got to 6pm and time to get ready I was pleasantly surprised to find the bloody thing was too big! I had to pin it to my bra! And it was a bit big on the hips too, but at that time on the day of the party I couldn’t do a damn thing about it! How annoying!
- Having hat hair – which has absolutely bugger all to do with diet and weight loss but nonetheless was a completely legitimate concern! I got around this by drying my fringe under the hand dryer in the toilets after a crazy session on the dancefloor! Gross but necessary!





- False eyelash trauma. It was all ok in the end!


So yes, the party was a complete success. Will try and post some pics so you can judge for yourself! I had a blast!

Hmmm, what else has been happening?

Had a few PT session lately. I am absolutely LOVING it – seriously, WHY did I not do this sooner!? The vibe is really good and I feel like he ‘gets’ me – we’re at the stage in our trainer/trainee relationship where he feels able to threaten me with a big stick if I lock my knees one more time! I’m taking that as a sign of a good rapport. I also love the way he doesn’t let me get away with any nonsense. The other day I was doing 2 sets of 20 ab curls on the (in)stability ball and he said ‘Ok last 10’ and I replied ‘GOOD!’ so he made me do ANOTEHR set! It’s good for me. I am FAR too used to getting my own way! :)

Best of all I am now using 4kg weights instead of 2’s! I keep checking with him that I’m gonna get skinny Jennifer Aniston arms and Jessica Simpson legs rather than bulking up like a bodybuilder! He assures me it’s all going to be ok.

Eating-wise I am definitely getting into this clean eating thing more and more. Here's the principles:



Eat primarily non processed foods. If it comes out of a box, don't eat it. If it comes from the earth, eat it
Eat six times a day. This is to keep your metabolism fired up and it keeps you from getting too hungry
No alcohol or sodas. Drink lots of water and/or herbal unsweetened tea
Never miss a meal
Combine lean protein and complex carbs at every meal
Avoid all saturated and trans fats
Eat fresh fruits and vegetables



I can’t say I do ALL of these yet but I’m working toward it. There is NO FOOD OR DRINK THAT TASTES AS GOOD AS EATING THIS WAY MAKES ME FEEL. Does that make sense?

And finally – a lovely thought to leave you with today. I am considering a colonic!!!! I am absolutely fascinated by this – anyone ever had it done? HAHA sooooooooooooooo gross but completely intriguing!

Have a splendid day my lovely blog chums!

Xoxo BFP
Sorry this is a bit crap quality, had to post it from my BlackBerry because I am in the office where facebook is VERBOTEN!

Wednesday 6 May 2009

Weighty Issues: Back Story

A few of you have commented lately, or asked me via email, about my weight loss battle and said that I don’t seem like a BigFatPie, or at least as much of one as you would think from what/how I write. I realised I’ve never really put stats on here or clarified goals or whatever. So I thought I’d set the record straight! You’re all so honest in dealing with the digits so I figured why not!?
First things first: I am fat for me. For my height and build, I am overweight. It’s true that I do not weigh 200lbs, BUT for me, where I am at right now is fat. Weight loss is a relative journey and whether it’s 30lbs or 100lbs you’ve got to lose it’s still a freaking battle.

Ok, so let’s travel back in time to my 28th birthday, September 2006……I had gone from an underweight 9 stone (126lbs) on my wedding day to a hefty 11 stone 12 (166lbs) in a year and a half of marriage. I bit the bullet and joined WW with my amazing 70lbs loser friend Keri who told me to stop moaning about my weight and do something about it!

That was October 2006. By April 2007 I had lost 23lbs and weighed in at 10 stone 3 (143 lbs) - I felt AMAZING! It had worked! Sooooo I figured I didn’t need WW anymore, stopped going to meetings, and…..relaxed. I didn’t need to monitor my food anymore, I didn’t need to write it down and track every gosh darn morsel that went into my mouth! I didn’t need to set aside points for treats and count wine and weigh and measure ingredients….etc etc etc you get the picture!

In short, I got very lazy indeed and all that weight I’d worked so bloody hard to lose crept back on steadily but surely!


So from 10 stone 3 (143lbs) in April 2007 by my 29th Birthday in September 2007 I was back up to 12 stone 8.5 (176.5lbs) THAT’S A 33.5 lb GAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In 5 months!!!!!!!!

And by January 2008 I was at my heaviest of 12 stone 11.5lbs (179.5lbs) That’s almost an entire stone OVER what my start weight was when I began WW the FIRST time around!

For the whole of 2008 I battled to get under the 12 stone bracket. (168lbs) and I achieved it for my 30th Birthday in September 2008. I weighed in at 11 stone 11 and a half (165.5lbs) and I had BATTLED, and I mean BATTLED to stay on plan and weigh in each week. I was sooooooo disheartened that it seemed infinitely more difficult to lose than it had been first time around. Time and again I visited my doctor, trying to find out what was going on. All I was told was ‘it’s your age’. I am only 30 years old for crying out loud AND I was 28 when I lost 23lbs in 21 weeks – that’s only a few years ago HOW CAN IT BE MY AGE!!!!?

Looking back now I think I came the closest I’ve ever come to what depression must feel like. It’s almost comical that I didn’t see that whilst I was in the midst of it. I work with clients who have all manner of clinical depression: from what I refer to as ‘depressive tendencies’ to manic depression and severe debilitating cannot-even-get-out-of-bed total mind control depression – so I know some of the signs and associated feelings/manifestations. I’m not saying I was depressed (I have an annoying tendency to look on the bright side) but I was definitely affected by my weight.

Now I KNOW this might sound stupid but I KNOW I was not/am not morbidly obese. I KNOW it’s not the same as having to get down from 300lbs or whatever but I am 5’8” tall and almost 180lbs was NOT GOOD, no matter whose height/weight ratio chart you look at!!

So from 165 lbs for my birthday, by Christmas just gone (2008) I was (12 stone 7) 175lbs again – this IN SPITE of counting points etc etc.

I was exercising, tracking, doing everything a good weightwatcher should do but the weight was JUST NOT COMING OFF! Which just added to the crappy way I was feeling about myself.

In February this year I had a meltdown – luckily my WW leader, who has since become a really good friend, was on the other end of the phone at the time! She offered to weigh me at her home every Saturday morning, as a way of helping me focus and also taking some of the pressure off my weekend wine-fests! Knowing I was getting weighed on Saturday morning would help me be good to my body on Friday night and also meant I was 'up and at ‘em' early to put in some weekend gym time.

So since Feb 3rd 2009 that’s precisely what I have been doing. And ANNOYINGLY in those 11 weeks have still only managed to get down to 12 stone 5lbs then 12 stone 3, then back up again, then down again. AND this is despite the incessant, boring food lists on here and blogging and reading all your amazing stories, and running off calories on the treadmill and despite Rachel’s steadfast unwavering, amazing support (THANKS RACH!)

I cannot describe my frustration! There are no words.

The parallel story to this one is that since March 2005 I have been taking the Depo Provera Contraceptive injection. I came off it in August 208 – not because we want to have kids but because I was advised to by my GP as I had been on it for almost 4 years, which meant I was at risk of osteoporosis in later life and also not having (as Jen @ prior fat girl would say) ‘cycled’ during ANY of that time.

I’m told that it can take a year for the DP to work its way out of your system. I wasn’t too worried. Sure I had gained weight but I stood by my assertion that there is no drug on the market that can miraculously gain weight. All DP has done is to increase my appetite and it’s THAT that I have to control.

And then I began reading about it...........


I knoooooowwwwwwwwwww that self diagnosing via google is DUMB. But I convinced myself that I had an underactive thyroid so off I trotted to the GP to tell her all about my woes and guess what she said .

“ You’re not THAT overweight. I’m sure your husband loves you anyway”


OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!! This from a health care professional! A DOCTOR!


I asked her if that fact that my body was getting used to coming off the DP had anything to do with my incapacity to lose weight and she said no. I really felt like she didn’t take me seriously AT ALL. I actually think the issue is that doctors just don’t know enough about this drug and what it can do to your body!

What I found from my research online is that (a) it PROBABLY shouldn’t have even come onto the market in the first place, if the FDA are to be believed, and (b) there are THOUSANDS of women on chat rooms and message boards out there who talk of their experiences of trying to lose weight AFTER DP. Losing weight whilst being on it seems not to have been a problem, and I myself can attest to that, as I was on it during 06-07 when I lost the initial 23lbs! Apparently, women are finding that it is after using the DP that your body stubbornly refuses to relinquish the added pounds of fat.

I’m not gifted enough in the science department to know if this is biologically /medically possible but what seems to be happening is that somehow, this drug is slowing down or altering women’s metabolisms. SURELY that has to be an explanation? Why hasn’t there been a study on it? Why are you guys across the pond trying to ban it? WHAT’S THE FULL STORY HERE??!!!

(I should point out at this juncture that not all women who have used DP experience this, not by any means, but if it’s true, shouldn’t they warn you that it MAY happen?!)

As a contraceptive for someone who doesn’t want kids yet, if ever, it’s AMAZING! I’ve had no pains, no PMS, no ‘cycling’ for almost 4 years. I can’t fault it. But somehow I’m not sure the apparent after effects outweigh the benefits. I’ve been so miserable!

So, back to the weight loss story again….at the end of March (thanks to Jen prior fat girl and may of you out there who do the same) I got a personal trainer. Chris gave me a programme that fitted me and suited my needs and goals and his theory as that although I was working out regularly, I wasn’t working HARD enough for it to create a change in my body! So I’ve had 4 weeks of working out with him and doing my own programme at every available opportunity, learning to push myself with exercise, coupled with yet ANOTHER amazing thing I’ve gleaned from you amazing bloggers (Miz, Laura, Charlotte, Kathleen, Dee. Biz, Phil et. al.) the concept of ‘clean eating’ and ……………

LO AND BEHOLD!

Over the past 2 weeks I have lost 7 and a half lbs! In two weeks! That’s more than the entire past 12 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the story doesn’t end there…without going into too much detail, the week between losing 3.5 lbs and then a further 4 lbs, guess what happened? I had a ‘Are you there God, it’s me, Margaret’ experience and my ‘cycle’ kicked back in!


CO-INKY-DINK??????? I have to say I think NOT! I have been tested for anaemia, diabetes, underactive thyroid and all my hormone levels! 7 tests they did on that little vial of blood and there is absolutely bugger all reason I was not losing weight……so either the clean eating has worked or the stepped up exercise and weight training has worked or it may be that it’s a combination of all these factors. No qualified doctor appears able to tell me but I REALLY FEEL like my cycle was the key – it CAN’T BE COINCIDENCE! Even the trainer guy said that my body must think it’s in menopause and word on the street is that it’s inordinately difficult when you’re menopausal to lose weight. It makes sense to me that not having my period contributed in some way. Or maybe interval training has sped up my metabolism haha!

Whichever way you look at it, I’ve lost 7.5lbs in 2 weeks, that’s fantastic! I am back at 165.5lbs (where I was for my 30th bday last September) but with actual honest-to-goodness muscle tone! I have lost 5% body fat and gained 1lb of lean muscle. I am a dress size smaller than I was for my party AND more than anything, I am HEALTHIER! And it’s this, quite frankly, that I want to focus on. Even when I was a 70lb ballet student 9at 5’8” tall !!!!), I was not this healthy…….

I am not going to lie, being lighter IS important to me. I will always have a mad relationship with food. I will always hold up a size zero catwalk model waif with bones jutting out all over the show as my idea of ‘beautiful’ , but in addition to a healthy body, I can continue to work on getting a healthy mind to go along with it. I need to do this for me. And it’s possibly the first time EVER that I’ve realised this – before it was always so that I would be ‘acceptable’.

SO, my goal weight is somewhere around the 147lbs mark, 10stone 7 -not too skinny that it’s unsustainable but slim enough for me to be a happy bunny. It’s not too unrealistic either, but for now I am focusing on exercise and hoping that the lbs keep coming off as an added bonus!

18.5 lbs to go!!! Wish me luck! And keep blogging- it HELPS me no end!




DUDES! If you made it to the end of this load of old bollocks then you deserve an ACTUAL medal!!!!!! Thanks for reading and putting up with my nonsense!
So you see, though I may not be a 300lb BigFatPie, I am in my own little way, still engaged in just as much of a battle as some of you !

God knows WHAT I’ll do when it comes to learning how to maintain!!!!!!!

Fat picture to follow below –just to prove it !

BigFatLove from ME

xoxo
Here I am at 12 stone 10 lbs (178) lbs), May 2008 with my beautiful friend Julie at her wedding - I got sooooooo trollied at their wedding because I hated how I looked! I'm a stone lighter now, a year later - a BLOODY YEAR! People have lost 100lbs in that time! So there you go blogpals, THIS is why I'm on this journey and it is STILL a constant freaking battle!!! xoxo

Bloody dodgy IT systems!!!

I spent aaaaaaaages last night on a gargantuan and epic post and brought it with me to publish today - only to discover that the external email and internet service is down! So I can't post it yet! You'll all just have to wait, (with baited breath, no doubt!)

Mwahahahaha! (Evil laugh)

BFP xoxo
------------------

Tuesday 5 May 2009

Catch Up

AAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sooooooo busy!!! Sorry for the distinct lack of posting since Thursday! I have been out. A lot! And we've just had a Bank Holiday here in the UK so I have had a 4 day weekend!

This week is a MAD week at work, plus the fact that I am trying to get the last few odds and ends sorted for the party on Saturday, plus fit in exercise as I've managed to do absolutely bugger all since Saturday! GAH!

ANyhoops the EXCELLENT news is that at weigh in on Saturday I lost......4 flipping lbs! HOW GOOD!!!!! A WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! So I am down to the next stone bracket, which means dropping a point which means being extra careful!!! Anyway, I am SO PLEASED! I shrieked on the scales !!! I FINALLY feel like I'm making some progress!

I promise I will write properly later, I've got so many blogs to catch up on - you've all been very busy over the weekend!

BIG FAT LOVE

BFP xoxo