Weekend Weigh In and FINALLY the give-away!!

Hello comrades!

Just a little update on the current state of play. I weighed in, as usual, on Saturday morning at a grand total of 157.5lbs (11st,3.5) which makes my official loss 22lbs precisely, so there was much WAHOOPING ALL ROUND!

That said……..

Repeat after me…

I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent. I must not get complacent…..are you getting my message?

Having consistently lost each week for the past month has given me a rather devil-may-care attitude towards my eating and old habits are rearing their ugly heads with the potential of creeping in. (mad mixed metaphor there but I’m sure you get my drift…)

So this week is DANGER WEEK for me. I know that when I get complacent, I think I can ‘cheat’ the system and just atone for eating crap by working out like a loon. I do NOT want to be that girl. As I commented on http://www.talkingitoff.com/ earlier today, I want to Move for Moving’s sake and THAT way I learn to see food as fuel, rather than as rewards or for comfort. Food becomes a means to an end – an enjoyable means fo sho BUT a means nonetheless.

I saw my trainer yesterday. Thus today I am very much in Jen’s club of ‘OW’ at every step, stretch, sit,walk,move in general……..I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. It’s quite addictive this whole healthy lifestyle malarkey!!! Yesterday the aim of my session was to ‘shock’ my body into compliance and give my metabolism a good whack. In days gone by I would have assumed that meant shed loads o’ cardio…but nooooooooooooooooo! It meant weights. Heavy ones. Lots of them. For an hour. Alternating between arms and legs. Involving many lunges. Choice exercises included squats against the wall against a ball, holding for 20 seconds at differing levels, shoulder presses sitting on ball with 8kgs in each hand (ok I don’t care WHAT you lift – that is bloody heavy for me!!!!!!), lots of upright rows on the machines, jumping squats – yes JUMPING SQUATS! What a torturous exercise THAT turned out to be. But I ruddy well completed that hour and felt GREAT! I totally don’t get the science bit – how does it help your metabolism?! But frankly I am just happy to have a functioning metabolism to help!! I am so proud of myself that I CAN do this level of exercise and enjoy it!!!

So this week I need to maintain focus and increase my attention to what I am chucking in my gob….more vegetables and protein please! In fact that’s what I should have focused on today while I am so sore (BLOODY DOMS!!!!) – oopsie.

How are y’all doing?? Ok I hope. I shall be catching up on all your blogs this evening, so expect a plethora of hilarious and yet insightful comments from me….er….??!!

And now to our giveaway…..my first one!!!!!!!

For your chance to win some delectable treats from the UK all you have to do is leave me a comment telling me why you deserve to be treated. That’s it! I will select a winner at random and will post to anywhere so get entering!!!

And what can you win??? Well folks, here they are………JAFFA CAKES!!!!

This is what they look like…..



This is the nutritional hoohaa http://www.jaffa-cakes.com/jaffa-cakes-calories-nutrition-facts

So you see they really are a low-cal treat and I always rely on them for a choc fix! Plus, I sent some to our own dear Jen aka PriorFatGirl a while back and she appeared to like them !

I look forward to reading your comments! Best of luck!!!

That’s it for now dudes, I’m out-y!!!

HEAPS of love, from an ever-shrinking BigFatPie!

xoxo

On the treadmill...

…of life that is. Anyone else feelin’ it? I am in that place at the moment where I feel like groundhog day! I wake up, I go to work, I go to the gym, I come home, I go to bed repeat ad infinitum! It’s that 9-5 hamster wheel, waiting-for-the-weekend drudgery! Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do, but sometimes it’d be nice to be able to be a little less…..predictable!

Having said that, being in a ‘routine’ suits my fussy personality down to the ground! It was great after a hectic weekend to get back into it immediately. This is still something of a revelation to me, the fact that I can sort my eating/exercise out so quickly after a trip. It used to take bloody WEEKS for me to get back into my routine! Hurrah for NSV!!

I couldn’t weigh in last week because I was in lovely Abersoch (Great weekend, fab girls, complete nutters, lots of musicals on dvd, spending most of the time in our pj’s, singing along loudly to films, drinking pink wine and eating junk food. Saturday was so beautiful we were able to hit the beach!) so I am hoping against hope for a loss this week. More importantly than scale antics, I have been eating very well this week and exercising for the sheer joy of it (rather than ‘I must burn off calories’ scary possessed woman type vibes) and loving every minute!

Haha! I feel like my blog is dead boring en ce moment because everything is fiiiiiiine!! I am on top of my game, so to speak. I keep thinking that I need a challenge – but then I figure trying to get to goal is enough of a challenge right now! It’s my aim to do that my Christmas so perhaps early in 2010 I will set myself a challenge. Some pals are running a half marathon at the end of March but I am categorically not ready for that (still cannot make it past 10k – whole other post). I am loving Kerry’s current challenge to self of not weighing in until January 2010. Gotta admire that girl!! So I’m thinking some sort of eating challenge (not corn dogs, Jack Sh*t!!!) – but that’s after Christmas. Until then….I am concentrating all my efforts on getting to goal in a healthy, non obsessive and timely manner. So please do bear with me if I am boring – I can’t do it without you!!!!

In other news, still loving the BodyPump classes…it has meant, however, that I have not been as diligent at my set programme from Mr. Motivator – oopsie! I expect I’ll get shouted at on Monday – my next session. So maybe I need just to do one BP class a week, one pilates, one yoga and the rest of the time do programme. Hmm…I’ll see. While I’m on such a roll, I’m reluctant to change it, Y’know? PLUS there’s something that feels easier to accomplish about taking a class….you have to be there at a set time and stay for an hour and all the thinking is done for you! Ha I am such a lazy git!

I have been SUCH a ditz lately….sometimes I am shocked that I have such a responsible job, the things I manage to do! A few weeks back I was putting on mascara and eating branflakes at the same time, and I absent-mindedly put the mascara thingy in my mouth - what an idiot! Not to mention a blinkin waste of YSL mascara!!!! And then today I raced around town on my lunchbreak (had to buy a smaller work skirt –wahoop!) and was soooooo sweaty when I got back to the office I decided to spray some body spray on to freshen up…….I didn’t look at what I grabbed out my handbag and ended up with bloody Elnette hairspray under my arms and down my back! OH NOOOOOOOOO!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWW it feels sooooooooooooo gross!!!! Praise the Lord for the handy baby wipes I keep in my gym bag!! Dear me, I need help!

Well my dears, I think I’ve prattled on long enough now. Please check back tomorrow because *fanfare* I have decided to do a giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOW EXCITING!!!

Right, ciao for now fellow healthy livers!!

Big Love!!!

BFP xoxo

Ps ALSO would someone PLEASE remind me to post updated workout clothes pics…those inches better be coming off!!!!

I *heart* YOGA!

SO, yesterday was one of those days where I had to literally drag myself kicking and screaming to the gym. There seemed a plethora of reasons as to why I shouldn’t go – the offer of a glass of wine from the in-laws, numerous people telling me how tired I looked which suddenly led to me feeling really, really tired indeed, a general ‘can’t-be-arsedness’, the whole ‘I’m away this weekend and it’d be lovely to spend the evening with hubster’ vibe and frankly, just the complete dread at the thought of running anywhere! I gritted my teeth and got myself to the lovely gym. Messed about getting changed, facebooked, generally faffed around and then gave myself a good talking to and hopped on the dreadmill. I’ve worked so hard this week that my heart just wasn’t in it, my legs felt heavy and my hip flexors were really tight. I hopped off the treadmill after a lousy 15 minutes and then I cycled for a bit and then gave up! I was a lost cause.

Instead of going home though, I took myself through the core/resistance and weight programme I’ve just been given by my trainer and managed to complete that. By this time it was 7:25pm and I didn’t really feel like anymore working out. And then I remembered. This time last week was when I did that yoga class! All of a sudden I was excited about exercise again! Grabbed a mat and joined the yoga posse for a good hour and a half sesh.

Yoga demands of me an entirely different mentality and set of skills to running and weights. In some ways I am entirely in my comfort zone as my dance training and flexibility both come into play in a big way, and yet – as the instructor pointed out – because I can rely on that flexibility and strength, I can work deeper and challenge myself, this demands a drive and comittment not just to 'wing' it and not work hard. She explained the difference between ‘pushing’ oneself and ‘working deeply’ – deep work should not cause a strain on joints or muscles, so I really don’t feel any pressure - it’s all about working at one’s own pace and listening to one’s body and getting on the vibe where you know your own muscles and capabilities. Running, to me, is still difficult. It is not yet something that I enjoy purely for the love of doing it – let’s face it, I do it because it’s really helping me lose weight (whole other addiction post!) - but yoga? THIS I could learn to love.

I always thought yoga was a bit ’hippy dippy nonsense’ to be honest, but this class is AMAZING and last night I loved every minute of it! Sure, it was hard but as I’ve said, hard in an ok way. I don’t know the names for all the poses and such but there’s something so life affirming about each of them, they make perfect sense (er..hello! happy baby?!) and they mean good and positive things. What’s not to like?! No weirdy chanting or ‘ohm’-ing, just a generally fabulous time.

Total bonus is that after a good few cobra stretches and deep kneeling lunges I can totally almost do the splits again!! This is something I have ALWAYS been able to do as I am, as we say in the biz, ‘flat turned out’ (my hips are very lose) and since I porked up and then began exercising to lose that porked upness, I’ve focused so much on cardio and weights that I’ve forgotten all about my flexibility and stretching - thus, in keeping with the 'use it or lose it' rule of thumb, my ability to sit in the splits has long gone!. No wonder my hip flexors were complaining! After a few minutes of sitting in ‘Downward facing frog’ the pain completely went away!

Yoga is BONZA!!!!!!!!

And the final treat of the night was that we got to attempt a head stand…..the one where you make a triangle out of your head and arms and walk your feet in and then some magical body force takes over and your legs kind of float up?? THAT ONE!! I totally did that!!! How amazing!!!!! At first I did it against the wall, but once I knew how to do it I tried it unaided and I DID IT!!!!!!!!! I was absolutely BUZZING! Still am today!! So what about you? Anyone out there a fan of yoga? Two classes in and I am a total convert!

So, the moral of all this waffling dear readers?? It’s ALWAYS good to listen to your body and respond to what it needs….this goes for food and eating just as much as exercise.

Right, that’s more than enough deep thought for today. I’m off to the seaside for a weekend with my girlfriends - to try and stay on plan!! *GULP* I will not gain I will not gain I will not gain…….repeat ad infinitum!

Laters homies

BFP xoxo

What happens when WW is no longer enough?

So, here’s what I am currently pondering. With the amount of exercise I am currently fitting into my little life, my daily points allowance of 20 seems not to be enough. I am HUNGRY. My body craves protein and carbs and whatnot. I don’t get it. At what point do I stop counting points and trust myself that I know how to do this? Can I ever do that? Last time I tried, I put all the weight I’d lost back on! I have a mad relationship with food, I know that. And exercise helps me counter that. Am I over-exercising? How will I know if and when I am? Monday for example, I did BodyPump, Pilates and then a 2.5k run (part of my new programme is to run 2.5k as fast as possible) - this did not feel excessive and my body is not knackered to the point of no return, I am not incapacitated, in fact I am not in pain at all – I enjoy it! It helps me relax! Sure, it’s time consuming but I am rather proud that my wobbly bod can perform so well.


Will there come a point though where I need extra calories with all the working out? I don’t want to click into starvation mode? I had to jib off the FastStart from last week halfway through because I had no energy! Although this disappointed me, I still lost AND kept within points. I don’t count activity points, perhaps I should do this. I think I am around 12 pounds off goal (don’t get excited, that’s nearly a flippin stone to go) but I HAVE lost 20.5lbs thus far (twice – HA!)

Perhaps I am worrying about nothing. I feel great, I think I am beginning to look a bit better than I did and so I should just carry on.

It’s been a good week this week. Monday, as I said I did one hour’s BodyPump – with the green weights this time! I love that class. I was transfixed by the girl in front of me who had the flattest stomach EVER – like even flatter than Britney’s! I must have looked like a right old perv! I wanted to say to her ‘How many times a week do you do this class!!?’

After that I did pilates – again, amazing. The teacher is soooooo amazing and she comes round the class and ‘places’ you and helps you correct and explains it in layman’s terms- it’s really good.

And then there was the run. 2.5k in 13 minutes – I am trying to improve my time so that I get used to running faster over longer distances……I guess Mr Motivator knows what he’s doin!!

So exercise is going great right now. I am all about the endorphin high!!

Eating-wise I think that I am so much more clued in to what I am shovelling into my gob these days and how it will affect me. For example. Our Thanksgving Canadian hosts brought us a big bag of stuffing, turkey, cranberry and white bread to make the requisite turkey butty – and I will not lie, I had one. BLOODY HELL IT WAS DIVINE!!! But because I ate those two slices of WHITE bread, well….I’ll leave it to your imagination, I am sure you can guess, but let’s just say I have been OD’ing on peppermint tea and Branflakes all week HAHAHA!!!


So in conclusion dear pals, I am rockin’ it this week. I am sure I am due a hormonal attack though sooon so it may all go down the bog but let’s hope not!! SURELY at some point in my life my HABITS will change and not be affected by all that bobbins?!

This weekend I cannot weigh in as I am taking some of my girlfriends away to Abersoch for the weekend. I fear there will be much eating and drinking, so I am taking my running gear. Most annoying thing is not being able to weigh in on Saturday am. But I’m going to have fun with the ladies and cheer them up (crappy work sitch and just been dumped) and then get cracking again next week. So you’ll have to wait for a weekend weigh in update my dears. But worry not, I plan to keep you entertained with all sorts of drivel and random ramblings from my mind!!!!

Big fat Love to you all from meeeeeeeeeeeee

BFP xoxo

no WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've got 80 flipping followers!!!!! HOW FABULOUS IS THAT!!! Thank you all ever so much!!

Crikey - I better get cracking with a witty yet informative and thought provoking post to wow you all!! er.....??!!

Seriously though, THANK YOU!!!!!

More later

BFP xoxo

Weekend Weigh In - Smiles all round!!

Morning!

Had a mad busy weekend of planning and executing a baby shower for my friend Julie (Hi Jules!!) and celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving with our wonderful Vancouverites, The Millars. So this update is a tad late (what else is new!?) but just to let you know that I lost 3.5lbs this week!!

YAAAAAY!!

And that means *fanfare* that I am FINALLY in the 150's!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I am now 11st,5lbs

11x14 = 154
154 + 5 = 159lbs!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!! I know it's by the skin of my teeth but it's bloody significant let me tell you!!

So I am just busy making a plan for the next 2 weeks to keep me on track (cant weigh in next week as I am away with the girls) I need to be extra diligent and focused!

Catch y'all later!!!

BFP xoxo

An update...and a request for help!

Hello peeps! How are we all doing! What a week it’s been! I swear that I have never been this busy before….

I don’t know about you international lot but here in Blighty we are experiencing the first stirrings of see-your-breath-cold. It is SUCH a joy to break out the scarf collection and the winter coat.

Last year I bought a beautiful long navy blue coat for the winter trip to Switzerland for a wedding. I have been wearing it this week (makes a very useful cover up for the walk home from the gym!) despite the fact that it is rather more roomy on me this year than last! Hurrah for NSV’s!

The eating/exercise front has been pretty standard this week. Nothing new to report. Trying to get some protein in with every meal to help the old muscles repair and encourage my bod to feel fuller for longer. I definitely feel slimmer this week, but am resolutely refusing to weigh myself until Saturday for the official weigh in. I think it might be time to take the dreaded up date pics in the gym gear since I am half a stone lighter than the last lot (yeesh) and compare and contrast! Ha!

I was reading an article is some dreadful celebrity magazine this week….and there was an article about my beloved SJP and how her arms are getting a tad Maddona-esque. The headline was ‘SJP’s crazy workout regime’ and basically said that she works out too much - in that she does an hour’s cardio and an hour’s pilates or yoga.

And do you know what friends? For the first time in my life, I read the details of the ‘crazy’ workout and thought. “Bloody HELL that’s not crazy AT ALL! I do that!!” I do 3 lots of cardio a day which takes an hour and an hour’s core/weights/resistance. Sometimes that’s a pilates or yoga class, sometimes it’s not but what struck me is that that workout doesn’t seem terribly extreme to me!!

(which yes I know begs the question why the heck isn’t my body like hers, but hey I’m workin’ on it!!!)

My point is, that with exercise, I sometimes think we give people the wrong advice. When I say ‘we’, I obviously mean society at large (‘we’ as in us in blogland obviously give amaaaaaaazing advice about exercise!!! FO SHO!) I NEED to do that amount of exercise in a week to stay on top of my weight and health. (Not ‘need’ as in OCD vibes) and yes it seems a lot but it’s realistic. And I love it. Er…make that HAVE learned to love it. But by telling the average new member of weight watchers that they just need to get off the bus a stop earlier or by a stupid wii fit or take the stairs instead of the lift, I think we do them a disservice. Actively incorporating exercise in your bid for a healthy lifestyle is imperative. Sure, taking the stairs is a good starting point, but eventually you will need to do more. Dunno. Whaddaya reck? Thoughts?

I knew nothing really about my levels of fitness and limits and potential before I started working with Chris aka Mr Motivator. But what I have found is that with the correct guidance and assessment and encouragement, I can push myself beyond what I thought I was ever capable of. I got my new programme this week, and we are working on my speed, trying to run quicker. So what I have to do is run 2.5km in as a fast a time as possible. I like it because it’s a reasonable distance and I can really focus on running fast and lengthening my stride. So yesterday evening was the first time I tackled it and managed it in a not too shabby 13.5 minutes. I have no idea if that’s good or not but I figure I ran the 5k race for Life in 31 minutes so it’s in keeping with that time. I’ll keep you posted !

I did BodyPump again last night. The instructor is just how I imagine MizFit to be in real life! She is so inspiring and has a bod, quite frankly, to die for. I upped the weights a little last night to challenge my arms and back and squats a little more – seems to have done the trick. This morning I am pleasantly fatigued but not completely knackered. I was brave and went on my own too because Rach needed family time. I almost sacked it off when I noticed a super hot gym girl who intimidates me going ontot he class but then a guy who I’d met last week said hello so that made it all ok again! God, I must be hormonal or something! Isn’t it funny how just one little sighting of someone can put you off. Then I thought ‘I need this class more than you so I am bloody well doing it sunshine’

Of course, she is a perfectly lovely, friendly and humble girl, not at all showy-offy and very helpful – this fantasy exchange was all taking place in my head as an inner dialogue. One of my ‘life scripts’ is fantastical exchanges with people who I deem ‘better than me’. Once I reminded myself of this fact, I got a grip and sorted out my weights and bar! Thank GOD for therapy! Hahaha.

The other thing I have been trying to accomplish this week is the Fast Start. This is a ww technique for kick starting your weight loss by lessening the points you consume in a day but follow a pre-prepared meal planner where all the nutrients and whatnot are planned for you.

At 162.5lbs I am allowed 20 points per day. Fast Start takes me down to 14 per day. I must confess my lovely bloggies, that I have found it really REALLY hard to eat just 14 points worth of food. I am hungry all the time. So I’m wondering if this could be to do with all the exercise I do?? I need help and advice. So I’m throwing it out there – help guys!!!

All advice/comments emails gratefully received! I don’t want to go into starvation mode! And I don’t want to gain weight through exercise resulting in eating more ! How do I achieve this!!!

Yours in wonderment

BFP

Xoxo

The long-promised Birthday Dinner post! (in a random order!)

This is the end of the evening.....you can tell by our eyes!!

My beautiful little sister Jen

Illustrating how full we are on a scale of 1 to 10...

Jen wins!

Hubster is very pleased with the lasagne...

My main course.....pan fried salmon and pesto mash

Happy Birthday tooo meeee!

I love those shoes....

I am very impressed with the garlic bread...

My beautiful mummy and her main course of veal (we checked it was British and locally sourced)

what's left of the Italian Marriage soup

mmmmmm...fooooooooooooooood!

My father and his distinct LACK of table manners.....

Gorgeous hubby wanting to eat his starter in peace and not be photographed!

I am rather pleased with my starter: arancini rice balls with goat's cheese....mmmm...

My lovely sister Jen models her starter...asparagus I think

"Hmmm...what shall we eat next?"

A glass of Prosecco to cleanse the palate

So there you go folks! 'Twas a fabulous night....food comas all round!

lovelove BFP xoxo

Weekend Weigh In (and still no pictures - sorry!)

Does anyone else feel that there just aren't enough hours in the day?!

SO, Saturday weigh was a loss of 2.5lbs (again)...at least I made a good dent in the gargantuan 3.5lb gain from last week. peaks and troughs, people, peaks and troughs. But the attitude is still in good form, which frankly for me is half of if not most of the battle in the first place!

I am trying desperately hard not to compare this weight loss effort with previous ones. For example. I could tell you what I weighed this time in 2006 and how it differs from now...but I think I will drive myself round the bloody bend if I do that...trying to focus on the here and now, not the past. I may be fatter now but bizarrely I feel a million times healthier. Is that stupid? I am definitely stronger and capable of doing more, exercise-wise. I have not had a chest infection/cold type thing (touch wood and whistle) that I used to get every winter. I do not drink anywhere NEAR as much diet coke. I can run!

I seem to be all about the positive affirmations lately! HA!

Pics later - JE VOUS PROMETTRE!!!!

laters

BFP xoxo

IT'S ALL OK!! I'M STILL ALIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!!!!!

Hello everybody! Long time no speak! Sorry to have gone AWOL! And thanks to Bri and Glam for checking up on me!!!

So here we are on the first day of October! Time sure flies when you’re having fun hey!!!

Where am I up to, you may ask?! To answer your question dear Glam, no I have not been too busy working out to blog…but I HAVE been rather busy moving offices YET AGAIN AND they have finally gone and blocked Blogger at work. This means that by the time I get in from work and gym and eat, my blog just goes out of my head, so I am so sorry to have neglected you my friends!!!

I’m back now!

So, let’s recap shall we? First 2 weeks Sept – AMAZING! Lost weight, worked out, ate healthy.

And then it was my birthday.


OOPS.

So, on Monday September 21st, I reached the ripe old age of 31. 31!! THIRTY FREAKING ONE!!!! How the bloody HELL did that happen??!!!! OH EMMACTUALGEEEEEEE!!!!

*ahem* Anyway….

So, it was my birthday which meant that I’d been out to eat on the Saturday before, then on the Monday the parents and siblings arrived with other family members plus takeaway, cake and champagne….then Tuesday I had this terrible sore throat so rather than exercising off the calories from the weekend and night before, I lay on the couch wrapped in a blanket of slef pity. Then Wednesday I had to go and enrol on my MSc course, which meant I didn’t get home until 9pm – too late for the gym, which then meant the week spiralled out of control and rather than having my sensible head on and gymming it a bit, I pretty much sacked t off until this Monday just gone.


OH WHY OH WHY DO I ALWAYS DO THIS??!!!
So the result at weigh in on Saturday was delightful 3lb gain! IN A WEEK!!!! GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!

So as of Monday morning I have rediscovered my sensible, balanced, you-can-still-have-a-life-and-be-healthy attitude to life. Monday I did a full workout, Tuesday I did weights, yesterday I did 5k run and then – get this!- a BodyPump class!!!! WOOOOOOOO!!!!

I went with my lovely friend Rachel who is fabulous and we weathered it together. Tough class but by no means the traumatic experience I had expected it to be. I think that what put me off initially was all the equipment you need – bar bell, weights, step, mats yadda yadda yadda. But it was a great class, went really quickly and I found it a happy alternative to lifting weights on my own – I am definitely going to go next week! And best of all, during the pressups section I did full, proper man press ups and the instructor ahd everyone applaud me at the end! HOW COOL!!! I am completely driven by praise and reassurance and I felt well chuffed that she singled me out!

So that was BodyPump, what else have I been up to?


Oh we went to a gorgeous restaurant for my birthday dinner – an Italian vibe, called Zelig’s. My sister and I took hilarious photos of our food just for you, so I will post them soon as I can!

There have a been a few NSV’s to speak of, so in the interest of keeping myself motivated I will list them here:

1. After a week off exercise and indulgence I hopped back on plan straight away on Monday morning – this would ordinarily have lasted approximately 3 weeks….
2. Though I am not as light as I would like to be yet, my visceral fat is down by 8% which is (I am sure) a direct result of working with Chris (amazing personal trainer man) and having a plan when I am on my on working out which means I know what I’m doing. It is completely worth the expense!
3. I didn’t have to have any fillings at the dentist!! I have only ever had one filling in my life and it was when I began ww first time round and was relying on diet coke A LOT – it knackered my teeth and meant a filing. Now that I am eating much healthier, it means an added benefit is my teeth are stronger and in better condition! YAAY! Also the dentist now does cosmetic whitening on the nhs so it’ll only cost me £300! YAAAAAAAY!!! Bring on the LA smile!!!! Hahahaha
4. A 20 minute run is now standard to me. How life changes! I remember so clearly around March/April time how I couldn’t even manage to run for 5 minutes - and I never ever thought I would get past it. But take it from me, someone who is not a runner – it’s totally possible! It’s true what all the runners I know say about the ‘magic’ 20 minute mark – once you get past that it seems like it’s easier to progress.
5. I am STILL more than ever in my whole life, more clued in to what I am eating and how I am exercising! This is a constant source of amazement to me and I am so much happier these days……which brings me to…
6. I am HAPPY! Yes, the battle with weight and eating rages on but I AM IN CONTROL! And it feel good.
7. I am healthier now, in mind, body and spirit than I have ever been. This is progress people.

In other news, guess what I got for my birthday??!! A Nike+ ipod thingy!!!!!! How exciting! I don’t really get how itworks, and at first I thought I would have to buy very expensive trainers but it turns out that there’s a way round that! (I cannot sacrifice my beloved asics running shoes for Nike traineeeeees like some scally down Birkenhead!) There’s a little pouch you put the chip in and attach to your running shoes. Cool hey! I can’t wait to play with it!

Any thoughts on this subject?? Let me know your views dear friends!

Next thing I need input on: PROTEIN!

A few posts ago Dee commented that I needed more protein in my diet (sad face at Dee not blogging anymore) and lo and behold Mr. trainer man then went on to say the exact same thing to me - suggesting poached egg on toast and beans on toast as a means of upping the protein. So I did some reading. As far as I can work out, it (a) makes you feel fuller and (b) helps your muscles recover quicker – is that right? SO I have been making an effort to up the protein, I hope it works…..

EDIT


I have been writing this post for 3 days so I will just bloody well post it now in the interest of actually posting…..birthday pictures to follow – I felt HOT! Hahaha

BIG LOVE Y’ALL!

Liz aka BFP xxxx