Monday 9 July 2007

Bit blurry...but all I can say is - what a difference 26 weeks makes. Yes, today marks 6 months of WW. I haven't lost anything this week, but I thought I should celebrate sticking with the plan for so long.

Physically, I feel more comfortable in my own skin, although I have become more critical of my appearance. But the changes in appearance are nothing compared to how my internal workings are running and the health implications I had from carrying the excess weight. My BMI was originally in the morbidly obese category at 42. By losing a third of my 248lb frame, I have cut my risk of Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and all but eliminated my joint and back pains.

Shapewise, my body has transformed and I actually feel like I have a shape...oh and I can SEE my toes for the first time in years! My chest has decreased from 48" to 43". My waist has gone from 43" to 35". My hips have shrunk from 51" to 43". As for my thunderthighs, they have gone from 28" each to 24.5"....so that would be an inch loss of 28".

I know the next 26 weeks will not be anywhere near as easy as the first 26, but I can see the end in sight. My goal, I think, will be 133lbs - just 38lbs away. I am hoping to step up exercising as I'd like what remains of my frame to be toned and to look as fit as it feels. My next major goal will be my 100lb mark at 148lbs. I'm hoping to be there by the end of September - particularly as I'm away on hols in August and I need a real incentive to remain on track while there!



Sunday 24 June 2007

Feeling Posh


Reading that last post, I must confess that my superficial damage sort of set me back for a few weeks there...although I kidded myself a touch that I was letting my weight "stabilise"!


College has finished now until October, so really I have no excuse not to exercise...I have had a sneaky peek on the scales since my last weigh in (178 lbs) and it is looking like I just might get my 30% and 75lb goal on Monday if my weight registers at 173lbs...but really as long as it's no more than 177lbs, I'll be happy.


Despite not losing pounds, I can feel my body changing shape. Since my last measurements in May, I've lost an inch off my waist, an inch of my hips and 1/2 inch off of each of my thighs...so officially, they're only 3" bigger EACH than Posh Spice's waist....yes -even one thigh couldn't fit into a size zero garment...something which I can't be completely disheartened with as I'd rather be a size 16 than a size 0 anyday...but closer to a 12 would be nice :)

Thursday 31 May 2007

Ouch!

I fell off the wagon a few days ago, but luckily have only suffered some superficial damage...I hopped on the scales quickly on Tuesday morning after my long weekend away and it looks like a 2lb gain. 2lbs in 4 days? I'm really hoping I didn't have the 7,500 calories required to gain that!

I need to look at why I overate and how I can avoid doing it in the future. I suppose one positive thing about my overeating in this instance was (probably for the first time ever) I wasn't stressed out prior to eating and it wasn't a binge so much as overindulgence. Sunday was the worst day- Chinese and we'd overordered food! I'm not a takeaway girl anymore - mainly as I don't live near any shops like that and I don't have a car to get there - so I was a bit lost on points values. So here's what I found:

Chinese vegetables with: Beef 1 cup = 6
Chicken 1 cup = 5
Pork 1 cup = 7
Shrimp or Tofu 1 cup = 4
Egg drop soup 1 cup = 1
Egg rolls: Beef or Pork 1 (4 1/2" long) = 5 chicken or shrimp 1 (4 1/2" long) = 4
Hot and sour soup 1 cup = 2
Lo mein, any type 1 cup = 8
Rice, fried, with beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, or plain 1 cup = 8
Stir-fry with garlic or black bean sauce beef or pork 1 cup = 8
chicken or shrimp 1 cup = 7
Sweet and sour: beef or pork 1 cup = 12 chicken or shrimp 1 cup = 10 sweet and sour sauce 1 tbsp = 2

Well, with one portion of egg-fried rice and 1 1/2 pots of other stuff, it would look like I had at least 20 points in one meal! I was uncomfortably full to say the least. I suppose it wouldn't be so bad except that I had another meal on top of that - mashed potatoes, sweet corn and 2 thai fishcakes which were probably another 15 points!

So, enough's enough...have to get back to basics. I was good on Tuesday but Wednesday threw me some obstacles I couldn't work around. I was catching up at work at college and assumed that I would be able to get lunch at the college...All 4 restaurants were shut - leaving me with McDonalds as the only option! Had a quarterpounder with cheese meal with medium fries - 15.5pts and for dinner we ordered pizza delivery. I didn't have any pizza but opted for some chicken strips at 7points - putting me 1.5 pts over for the day :(

So what's the plan today? Me thinks I need to go shopping and get the right foods in the fridge and larder - vegetables, lean meats and low-point options! I'm only 1/2 way to goal and I need to work extra hard to get to the finish post. Let's hope that this weekend gone has given me a taste of how just a few days off the wagon can set me back! Let's hope a few days on the wagon will get me back to where I was!

Tuesday 22 May 2007

Feeling bouncy!!

For the past few days, I've been playing, wobbling and falling off my gym ball. It's really good fun - I mean, what is there you could hate about it? I've been trawling the internet for video clips and exercises that can be done using the ball and I've come up with a few of interest.

Ask Men have some fantastic video clips which feature the only piece of gym equipment which has ever brought a smile to my face!


I have to confess an almost-morbid fixation with YouTube videos featuring the ball. For starters, I'm on the lookout for wobbles and falls...surely it can't just be me that has NO balance whatsoever. However, I must say that I am impressed with the level of fitness that can be gained in using the ball. What girl doesn't smile at the sight of a rippling 6-pack! Also, there's no ladylike way to put it, but like yoga's way of shifting emissions, the ball tends to be a noisy bit of fun - if you catch my drift (not literally, of course). Why I'm looking for wobbles and wind? Not sure - just would love to see someone having as much fun as me using it....Perhaps I'll post my own viddy sometime....then again, perhaps not!! Link

Sunday 20 May 2007

Pimp my points!


Nineteen weeks into this adventure, I think I've become a point pimp. Inside my head is a virtual point calculator and I'm constantly tabulating the values of all sorts of foods for myself and for friends who are dieting but just don't understand how to do it without starving! I think each person on WW has a list of great low-point treats that will satisfy the naughty urge. Here's mine.


Sweet

Skinny Cow Ice Lollies - 1.5 pts

Pink'n'Whites - .5 pts each

Miles of Mallow - 1.5 pts

Tesco Chocolate Chip Cereal Bars - 1.5pts

Curly Wurly - 2.5 pts

Cadburys Fudge - 2 pts


Savoury

Walkers Baked Crisps - 1.5pts

Potato Heads - 1.5pts

Walkers French Fries - 2pts

Quavers - 2pts


Most people I meet find it impossible to believe that you can have this sort of stuff and still lose weight...what they forget is that you can have a little bit of this stuff as (hopefully) you're keeping your diet in check with other low-fat and low-cal options. I've even had people tell me that they don't understand why they can't lose weight because all they eat is...and when I point up their diet, I soon understand why.


A great example of this is a friend who feels she is constantly starving yet continues to gain. Her diet involves:

no breakfast (bad move)

a mid-morning baguette with sausage, eggs and bacon (at least 15 points)

scampi chips and peas for lunch (at least 15 points if not more)

for dinner two slices of bread and butter (4.5pts) followed by at least a bottle of wine (8pts or so).

Of course she's starving as she's:

a) not spreading her food throughout the day

b) a fair chunk of her calories feature saturated fat

c) nearly 1/4 of her calories are coming from booze


At the moment, thanks to folks like Jamie Oliver, the government is earmarking cash to be spent by local education authorities on nutritional learning for children. Let's hope this education scheme works as thanks to fear induced by the media children aren't moving as much as possible to burn calories and busy work schedules encourage parents to become part of high cal/high fat ready meal culture.

Saturday 19 May 2007

Let the battle commence


Crunches really haven't be working for me...the pain in my back is excruciating! So, you can imagine my joy when my Reebok Gym Ball with Pump and DVD. I opened that parcel like a kid at Christmas. Tomorrow I will have a go at the DVD, but quickly ran through some basic moves which were suggested in the accompanying book.
To be honest, I'm not sure who was more excited about the introduction of the gym ball into our household, my son or me... My quick play with it earlier today made me feel the burn, but it's bouncy nature makes me stick with it. Oh, and I've now tried sitting on it for a period of time - very hard work!! Am sat on it now - wobbling as I type at the keyboard!
Not sure whether this will shift the bulge more quickly than traditional crunches...but at least I'll be giggling while I attempt it...it's like a grown up space hopper!

Friday 18 May 2007

The Miracle Pill


So many times I've hoped and dreamed of the wonder of a magical pill that could take away the struggle of weight loss. It would seem I am not alone. Take a walk through any chemist or supermarket and you'll find shelves lined with with pills and remedies for the omnipresent blubber. Glance through a newspaper or magazine and ads will call out to you that their product will "boost your energy", act as a "fat burner"and "melt away the pounds". Who needs to worry about diet and exercise with products like these around?


Everyday Diet blasts this myth. Fitness Trainer Tom Venuto writes: "There is no such thing as a pill that simply burns away body fat. Fat loss is primarily a function of negative energy balance (burning more calories than you consume). Even if such a "magic" pill did exist, it would not be a permanent solution to the obesity problem because it would be addressing the symptom (the fat) and not the cause (poor nutrition and lack of activity). Many products advertised today as "fat burners" are utterly worthless frauds. "

He points out, however, that one group of products are effective - those with "thermogenic" agents. By raising the body temperature, they increase motabolism, thereby burning off calories as heat. Ingredients used tend to be natural herbs such as Ma Huang, ephedra and kola nut. Published, peer-reviewed studies have shown that this combination works synergistically for a thermogenic and a stimulant effect.

Ephedra and products containing it were recently banned in the US. It is a powerful stimulant with many dangerous side effects. Overuse can cause insomnia, palpitations, and jitteriness. Long term use can cause adrenal fatigue. Although it was relatively safe when compared to prescription drugs and other over the counter drugs, overuse and abuse has been known to cause trips to the emergency room and even death.

While death would bring this struggle to a quick close, I don't think I'm prepared for anything so risky. It might seem old-fashioned and at times, a chore, but it seems that eating less and moving more is the way to go...and it's much easier on the purse to boot!

Thursday 17 May 2007

Scale Watching


Some are stair-steppers...and then you have me - the scale stepper. I reckon I'm burning up at least 10 calories a day hopping on and off that thing! I am at those scales at least once a day...as though I expect some amazing loss to jump out at me. It know it's a habit in need of breaking, but I thought I'd find out what the experts say to this.

An article on NorthJersey.com reports that University of Minnesota researchers have found that frequent self-weighing will not make you depressed. Their findings were published in Preventative Medicine and showed not strong link between scale-stepping and depression in women. They also found that daily weighing, as opposed to once a week was asscoiated with lower BMI's in women over 40. A study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine found that daily weighing is helpful "to individuals trying to lose weight or prevent weight gain."

However, as Milton Stokes, R.D. of the American Diabetic Association points out:"Weighing daily can lead to an over-reliance on the scale and cause you to obsess about weight. Plus, the scale doesn't indicate when you've gained water weight versus fat weight versus protein and/or muscle weight." He adds that your weight should be based on how you feel and how clothes fit. Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, R.D., agrees: "You should look in the mirror. If you see less fat, you have less fat. Weight fluctuates and can be misleading -- perhaps you are constipated, holding water from a sodium-rich Chinese meal, or premenstrual."

It would seem that a combination of scale-watching and body-shape watching is the key to not only getting to goal, but staying there!


Tuesday 15 May 2007

Fidgeting!


Apparently, scientists at the Mayo Clinic in America have claimed that you can lose weight by exercising at work. An article on the BBC website describes one journalists attempt to work while at the gym - rather humorously!

While I wouldn't recommend physically doing office-bound work in a gym, it reminds me of something my ex-husband once told me. At 5'9" and never weighing more than 10 stone in his life, he revealed that the secret to being slim was being a 'fidgeter'. During our spell together, I must say that I never saw him doing anything physically exerting..well unless you count pressing buttons on a keyboard! Yet, he managed to keep a 30" waist and defined physique. Confused? Yes, so am I - particularly as his diet consisted of fry-ups and takeaways.

So...how does one develop this habit which was ground out of the majority of us at a tender age? It may seem odd but I've been working on this habit...weird trying to encourage a bad habit to take hold I must say! I've started shaking my legs and tapping my feet at every available moment! While I probably look like I'm suffering withdrawl...it could be worth it, couldn't it?

A 2005 Washington Post article seems to back up my ex's fitness claims. The Mayo Clinic conducted a detailed study of mundane bodily movements found that obese people tend to be much less fidgety than lean people and spend at least two hours more each day just sitting still. The extra motion by lean people is enough to burn about 350 extra calories a day, which could add up to 10 to 30 pounds a year, the researchers found.

James A Levine, who led the research published in the journal Science said: "There are these absolutely staggering differences between people who are lean and people who are obese. The amount of this low-grade activity is so substantial that it could, in and of itself, account for obesity quite easily."

So, maybe looking like an addict going cold turkey isn't so bad if it helps me not only get to my goal, but to stay there!

Sunday 13 May 2007

Battle of the Bulge


I feel like my body is changing everywhere apart from my belly...it just kind of hangs there and the inch loss doesn't seem to be happening so quickly there. So, I've had a hunt on the net for tips and tricks to try to tone up the gut!

Good Housekeeping suggest introducing an exercise ball into your routine to ensure the flattest of tums. They actually look quite fun and I must say I am truly tempted. I particularly love the notion that merely sitting on the ball for a length of time will tone your abs. Trainer Jim Karas says: "Because of the ball's rounded top and no rest for your back, simply sitting on it forces your abdominal muscles to work hard. Start out with five minutes of sitting (feet shoulder-width apart, toes forward, abs tight and back straight) and build up to an hour. You can even do it while watching TV. Sound easy? Sit before you smirk. " I just may have to get me one of these! Amazon stock a wide range of them, including:Cyclex Gym Ball 22" which seems the best choice to me.

For fans of crunches and more traditional methods, Marie Claire's article "Get Flat Abs Fast" seems a good place to start...they suggest doing the following exercises designed by Leandro Carvaholo of Equinox Fitness Clubs' Brazilian Tummy Tuck Class four times a week for results in a month. Dare I go for it?

The key to that elusive flat belly? A regimen that works all your abdominal muscles. Try these moves from Leandro Carvahlo, creator of Equinox Fitness Clubs' Brazilian Tummy Tuck class, four times a week for results in a month.

Belly Rolls
Works: vertical ab muscles
What to do: Sit with your legs bent, feet flat on the floor and arms straight in front of you. Exhale and roll back until your lower back touches the ground -- stop. Inhale and roll back up. Repeat 15 times. Now exhale and roll back until your shoulder blades touch the ground -- stop. Inhale and roll back up. Repeat 15 times.

Tummy Curls
Works: horizontal ab muscles
What to do: Lie on your back and bend your knees at an (almost) 90-degree angle with the floor, raising your feet slightly higher than your knees. Exhale, lift your butt and roll back to your shoulder blades. Inhale and roll to your tailbone -- stop (don't let your butt touch the ground). Repeat 20 times.

Cross Crunches
Works: waist
What to do: Grab a liter bottle of water and lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle with the floor. Cradle your left hand behind your head. Now hold the water bottle in your right hand, lift your head and shoulders off the ground and reach across your body, so the bottle is outside your left knee. "Pulse" 20 times. Switch sides and repeat.

Tailbone Lifts
Works: lower ab muscles
What to do: Lie on your back, arms stretched straight over your head and legs fully extended and crossed in the air. Exhale and lift your tailbone, then slowly lower as you inhale (don't just drop -- resist on the way down). Repeat 30 times.

Inverted Crunches
Works: lower back
What to do: Lie on your stomach, arms in front of you as if flying. Exhale and lift just your right arm and left leg as high as you can. Inhale and lower. Then switch, lifting your left arm and right leg. Alternate, doing 20 lifts on each side. Finally, lift both arms and legs 20 times.
So, starting from tomorrow, for the next 4 weeks I am going to attempt to lose inches from my abdomen. Starting measurements for this challenge are: bust: 43", waist: 36", hips: 43", thighs: 25.5" each. I've included other measurements so I can understand what kind of impact the exercise has had on my body....let's hope its a big one!

Saturday 12 May 2007

Living in a Box

Over the last few weeks, I've seen various aspects of my life transform with each stone lost. While my driving force for weight loss, if I'm honest, was to be able to feel comfortable in my own skin and to feel attractive. However, my health and becoming aware of my own mortality played an important role too.

My mother has been overweight since having children. With each of her 3 pregnancies, her weight climbed until it got to 300lbs. The medical implications of her weight spiral were life-threatening - diabetes type II, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, glaucoma, heart murmur requiring a pacemaker, gallbladder issues...the poor woman's spent much of the past few years in hospital. She's on the mend and her weight's down to 200lbs but it's going to take time....and time is something you haven't much of once so many health problems happen.

So, selfish as it sounds, I promised I'd never put myself or my loved ones through this possible future. I came across an article on Ocala which was inspiring but summed up my thoughts for my life if I remained in my weight gain spiral.

When 437-pound Rosie Murrell had congestive heart failure and diabetes, a doctor told her she would die if she didn't lose weight. "I almost ended up in a box," she said. "And at that size, I didn't know how I would fit."

Less than two years later and 167 pounds lighter, her congestive heart failure is no longer an issue, her diabetes is under control, and she's likely to become a spokesperson for a program sponsored by French drug manufacturer sanofi-aventis.

Reading stories like Rosie's are not only uplifting and inspiring but they put weight-loss into perspective. While I sit wondering about how I will lose my last 50+ pounds, I am reminded that it can and has been done - and it must be done if I want to stick around on this Earth for a few years longer to get all the things on my very long 'to do' list done. It's a selfish thought but one that can't be ignored. As Rosie says: ""For the first time in my life, I've been motivated to take care of me." Sometimes being selfish is a good thing indeed!

Thursday 10 May 2007

5 reasons to go organic today!


Energy and nutrition expert Heather Dominic has penned an article about why we should choose organic for our health. Her top 5 reasons from her article, "Organic Eating - Why Bother?", are:


1. Fresh organic produce contains on average 50% more vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other micronutrients than intensively farmed produce.

2. If you eat dairy or meat products, eating organic has never been more essential to safeguard your health. Intensively reared dairy cows and farm animals are fed dangerous antibiotics, growth hormones, anti-parasite drugs and many other medicines on a daily basis, whether they have an illness or not. These drugs are passed directly onto the consumers of their dairy or meat, which contribute to meat-related diseases like coronaries and high blood pressure.

3. Organic produce simply tastes better. Fruit and vegetables are much more full of flavor. Experiment with an organic carrot and a conventionally grown carrot. Which is sweeter?

4. Organic food is not really more expensive than intensively farmed foods, as we pay for conventional foods through our taxes. We spend billions of dollars every year cleaning up the mess that agrochemicals make in our natural water supply.

5. The few extra cents you pay for organic food may save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in doctors’ bills.


Several companies on the net provide online shopping capabilities for ordering organic fruit and veg boxes. Riverford Organic offer a variety of sizes filled with fresh organic produce that are reasonably priced. Having used veg boxes in the past, they're a great way to have you eating vegetables that you may not eat so frequently - a great way to get your 5 a day!

Monday 30 April 2007

Halfway Point - Is it all downhill from here?

Well, lost 3lbs at today's weigh in bringing me to a 4 stone (56lb) loss since 8 January and and 4 stone shy of goal. It's taken just under 4 months to get this far and while I hope that the latter half of the journey will be as quick, I'm guessing it will take at least 6 months. In order to break the long journey up a bit, I'm trying to think in terms of mini-goals which seem to be constantly changing.

At the moment, I'm part of two challenges - one which began just after Easter and another which begins next week. The Easter Challenge goal is 13s 2 (184lbs) by 18/06/07 however, I am only 5lbs from that so will hopefully shift some more pounds beyond my 28lb goal. The new challenge, which begins on Monday is an 8-week challenge. I've set myself a goal of 12 s 5lbs by 25/06/07. That's 16lbs in 8 weeks. It would have been 14lbs to alleviate pressure, however if I shed 16lbs, I will reach my 75lb weight loss and be 30% less the woman I was at the start of the year. If I pull it off, even I will be impressed! After that, the next goal will be 10 s 8lbs (148lbs) - 40% lost. If I can get to that before my holiday in August, I will be bouncing off the walls!

Challenges are a fantastic way to keep yourself motivated - however, I am all too aware that they aren't all that one needs to keep motivated. Success at the scales each week is what keeps me going. I've found that this success and motivation extends far and beyond just the physical rewards however.

Friends and family alike have told me how my confidence seems to be soaring. My weight loss and my course at university seem to have been working together to undo years of poor self image. I know I'm still only halfway to goal, but I'm so curious as to who I'll be at the end of this journey as I've discovered so much in the last few months about myself that I chose to either ignore or neglect for years. After nearly a decade of hiding in a fat suit, I feel like I'm ready to spring forth and be the person I am. I've no need to wear the shield of lard to protect me from life's woes anymore. I'll just stand up and face whatever they throw at me.

Saturday 21 April 2007

A thirsty business


Everywhere I look, people are drinking from bottles of water. At college, in shops, at home - what is it about bottled water that has become so addictive? Surely with thirst like this, they should be considering a check for diabetes. It seems I am not alone in seeing this behaviour as slightly odd.


"If you follow your thirst, you won't go wrong," says David Perlow, MD, an Atlanta urologist. He notes that pre-modern man never ran around sipping on a water bottle. "A dry mouth indicated it was time to run to the stream for a drink."


Over the last twenty years or so, we've been educated by the media that we must have our eight glasses a day... and for the last three months, Weight Watchers have been advising me to drink more fluids to ensure a healthy weight loss each week.


Perhaps it's my guilty conscience as I only drink a pint of water a day, approximately two pints of tea and another pint of pepsi max. So, I'm left wondering, am I doing it wrong? Will my weight loss increase with an intake of this clear elixir?


Boost Your Metabolism


Weight loss is primarily the result of our liver converting stored fat into usable energy. Does increasing your water intake improve a sluggish metabolism? Dr Donnica writes: "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (12/03/04) suggests that drinking sufficient water may actually increase the metabolic rate, or the rate at which people burn calories. While the researchers admit that the impact of their findings were small, this information could still potentially help with weight-control programs. In weight management, small daily improvements and behavioral changes can accrue for a significant long-term result. "


This German study involved reasearchers tracking caloric intake and energy expenditures among seven men and seven women who were healthy and not overweight. After drinking just over two glasses of water, subjects' metabolic rates increased by 30% for both men and women. The increases occurred within 10 minutes of water consumption and reached a maximum after about 30 to 40 minutes.


Dr Donnica notes: "Interestingly, the increase in metabolic rate differed in men and women. In men, burning more fat fueled the increase in metabolism, whereas in women, an increased breakdown of carbohydrates caused the increase in metabolism seen."


Researchers estimate that over the course of a year, those who simply increase their water intake by 1.5L a day without any other changes, will burn an extra 17,400 calories - five pounds. While further study into this is needed to confirm the findings, Dr Donnica notes: "Regardless of whether they are confirmed, drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water per day is an easy, harmless, and free first step for dieters."

Reduce your appetite

Maybe it's the appetite-quelling properties of water which cause this link. However, thirst and saiety expert Barbara Rolls, PhD points out that thirst and hunger are regulated by separate systems.


A study by Rolls and colleagues at Penn State University investigated whether people who drank water with lunch took in fewer calories than those who drank other low-calorie beverages. They discovered that drinking water had minimal effect on intake of calories at the meal.


"In all of our research, we have never been able to show that water can cause weight loss," says Rolls. She points out that the only way drinking water can assist weight loss is when it is a substitute it for higher-calorie beverages and foods.

Rolls, the author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan and The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan believes that eating high water content foods can aid dieters at feeling full. Rolls explains:"When you add water to a bowl of vegetables as in soup, the soup has greater satiety than when the vegetables are eaten alone with a glass of water, when water is incorporated into food or shakes, satiety is increased and subjects ultimately eat less food."

For the dieter, foods with high water contents can assist them to goal as: foods appear larger, higher food volume pleases orally and absorption of food is slowed, allowing you to feel fuller for longer.


A soon-to-be-published study by Rolls and colleagues shows that a high-volume eating plan resulted in more weight loss than a low-fat eating plan.

If you want to lose weight, Rolls recommends an eating plan that includes plenty of high-volume foods such as fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, and oatmeal, along with adequate fluids to satisfy your thirst.

Friday 20 April 2007

Aiming for size 10?


Walk into several high street shops and you'll soon discover that no two size 10 garments fit the same. While I long to be a perfect size 10, what sort of goal is it without standard sizing in the UK?

Earlier this year, BBC News reported that Spain is to standardise women's clothing sizes as part of a government drive to ease pressure on young girls' concerns about body size.

As in the UK, clothes currently on sale in Spain often vary in size from shop to shop, despite carrying the same size label.

Some fear the labels are confusing shoppers and that efforts to conform could be leading to eating disorders.

The move follows Spain's ban of ultra-thin models on the catwalk during Madrid fashion week last September.

British women and their Spanish counterparts often head into changing rooms with an armful of different sizes never knowing which one will fit this time or whether any will fit at all.

Spain's biggest fashion retailers have bowed to government pressure to standardise their sizes by 2008 to reflect the real size of Spain's growing population.

Under new regulations, a size 40 garment in one store will need to be at least roughly comparable to a size 40 in another shop.

The move is likely to affect women and girls all over the world as international brands such as Mango and Zara have signed up to the agreement.

In a recent interview, Colleen McLoughlin, girlfriend of footballer Wayne Rooney, said that the fit of the clothing is better to concentrate on than the fit. However, if you've struggled to from size 24 down to a size 18, it would be nice to be able to wear that over a size 22 garment.

At present, I am wearing what I believe to be size 18 - how do my measurements compare to the high street "18"?

My measurements: Bust: 43.00"--Waist: 37.00"--Hips: 46.00"

Marks & Spencer--:Bust: 40.00"--Waist: 34.00"--Hips: 42.50"
Dorothy Perkins---:Bust: 43.25"--Waist: 35.75"--Hips: 44.75"
Next---------------:Bust: 41.00"--Waist: 34.50"--Hips: 43.50"
Evans--------------:Bust: 43.00"--Waist: 36.00"--Hips: 44.00"
Tesco--------------:Bust: 42.25"--Waist:35.00"--Hips:45.00"
BhS----------------:Bust: 41.25"--Waist: 34.50"--Hips:41.25"
Debenhams--------:Bust: 41.25"--Waist: 33.25"--Hips:45.00"


This little examination of measurements shows that there is no such thing as a perfect size in the UK. With as much as a 3" difference, it would appear that in some shops, I'd find myself fitting into certain size 16's wherein others I'd be forced into a size 20.


I think, at the end of the day, perhaps we need to sway away from the concept of size and look at how we feel about ourselves when clothed in a particular garment. While I know it will be tough, I'll just have to strive for a body shape that I alone will feel comfortable with - not one that suits a high street tag.

Thursday 19 April 2007

Feeling Dippy

Working up a sweat in the garden has left me hungry - for both lunch and a way to utilise all the veggies that will be harvested in the months to come. Over the course of the next few months, I will trawl through recipe books and the net and experiment in the kitchen and post recipes worthy of being attempted again!

These dips are fabulous with toasted pitta bread and are a great way to work towards your 5-a-day!

Zero Point Roasted Veggie Dip (4 servings) Points: 0
1 med courgette, sliced
1 med yellow squash, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Pop your courgette, squash, bell pepper, onion and garlic on a baking tray. Spray with nonstick spray; season with salt and cayenne.
Roast vegetables until tender - turning once. Approximately 15 mins per side.
Transfer to blender or food processor and puree.
Transfer to bowl and serve warm, or refrigerate, covered until chilled, at least 2 hours.


Spinach Dip (Serves 24) Points: 1
10-oz. frozen chopped spinach - defrosted
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 cup non-fat sour cream
3 spring onions, chopped
1 pk Knorr vegetable soup mix
Drain the spinach and squeeze dry.
In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Add spinach and mix well.
Refrigerate 3 hours before serving.

Dill-Cucumber Dip (serves 6) Points: 1
1 large onion
2/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
8 oz fat-free cream cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dill, fresh or 1 tsp dried
2 large cucumbers, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
Chop onion in a food processor or blender. Add yogurt, cream cheese, salt, pepper and dill; whirl until well combined. Fold in cucumber; chill overnight.

Wednesday 18 April 2007

Stretching my way to the body beautiful

With summer on the way and my quest for the body beautiful underway, I've been thinking about stretches...and not the exercise kind.

Stretch marks plague approximately 70% of the adult population - both men and women. They develop when the tissue under the skin is pulled by rapid growth or stretching. Although the skin is usually fairly elastic, when it's overstretched, the normal production of collagen (the major protein that makes up the connective tissue in your skin) is disrupted. The breakdown or tearing of elastin fibers which lie under the skin in its second layer, the dermis, causes the scars we call stretch marks to form. These permanent scars vary in colour and while they may fade, it seems they will always remain as there is, at present, no method of removing them.

Some believe tanning might hide these eyesores, but it is important to remember they result from damaged skin and exposure to light and its effects may cause them to become more unsightly.

Laser treatments are an option, however their effectiveness is questionable in relation to the cost they incur. While they are effective in removing, vaporizing, and breaking down tissues, they are not able to repair the torn tissue which is what stretch marks are. Lasers primarily attack the upper layer of skin, seemingly neglecting the tear.

Surgery to cut away these eyesores is a surefire way to remove stretch marks, however it is a costly option. Abdominal stretch marks occur primarily below the belly button. As much of the skin below the belly button is removed during a tummy tuck, stretch marks in this area will also be removed. However, this is not a procedure to be taken lightly - for starters there's the cost - but also a great deal of pain and a lengthy recovery time. Top that off with scars created by the tuck and the general dangers of surgery and it makes more sense to search for a more natural method.

So, what's a girl to do? While currently there is no cure, some products are believed to minimize the appearance of stretchmarks. Products containing Emu Oil, Oleic Acid, Cocoa Butter, Wheat Germ Oil, Vitamin E and Lanolin are known to strengthen the skin and daily usage should cause these scars to fade.

I'll be going au naturel when it comes to the stretch marks - I've purchased my cocoa butter and hope to smooth them away with a massage a day. Hell, even if it doesn't make them go away, a bit of pampering goes a long, long way!

Monday 16 April 2007

Going green

Is going green the way to stimulate your weight loss?

A recent study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that people who drank a bottle of tea fortified with green tea extract every day for three months lost more body fat than those who drank a bottle of regular oolong tea.

Researchers say the results indicate that catechins, found in green tea, may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and lower body fat.

While a study like this may sound like green tea is the answer to your prayers, a pinch of salt and a careful eye is needed - note the results were between green and oolong tea. Over the last few years, there has been a great deal of controversy about this ancient Chinese remedy.

In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for over four millenia - using it to treat everything from headaches to depression.

The Kissa Yojoki, or Book of Tea, written by Zen priest Eisai (1191) describes how drinking green tea can have a positive effect on the five vital organs, particularly the heart. The book discusses tea's medicinal qualities, which include easing the effects of alcohol, acting as a stimulant, curing blotchiness, quenching thirst, eliminating indigestion, curing beriberi disease, preventing tiredness, and improving urinary and brain function.

Eight hundred years later,Western medical research indicates that there are health benefits in the brew. It is reputed to be helpful with many ailments including: rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease and impaired immune function. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1994) published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Research also indicates that drinking green tea lowers cholesterol levels as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

In recent years, green tea has become associated with weight loss for it's magical fat burning properties. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Nov. 1999) reported the findings of a Swiss Study at the University of Geneva. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.

Japanese researchers claim if you drink five cups of green tea a day, you'll burn 70 to 80 extra calories. Dr. Nicholas Perricone , an anti-aging specialist, appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show, assured viewers that by swapping their coffee for green tea, they could lose 10lbs in 6 weeks. However, one must take into account that swapping a coffee laden with cream and sugar for a zero-calorie cup of green tea on its own would cause weight loss.

There are seemingly no drawbacks for overconsumption of green tea aside from insomnia as it contains caffeine. However this is unlikely to occur as the average serving only contains 20mg of caffeine.

However, as a miracle weight-loss drug, I just don't think there's enough REAL research out there to back up these weight-loss claims. Teas in general have anti-oxidant properties as well as diuretic ones - so I think I'll stick with Monkey and drink my PG Tips.

Loosening Up

Last month on a trip to the GP, my son, who is obsessed with gadgets asked if we could get a body fat monitor. At £2.99, I have to say I was intrigued.

Taking it home and entering in my weight details, I was mortified to get a reading of 54%. Surely this just isn't possible...but hey ho, I'll go with it. Re-taking the test and updating my details, it gave a reading of 47.1% on Monday. At least I know I am losing something!

While I am determined to lose my excess weight and am aware that it WILL happen, one of my fears is that of loose abdominal skin and excess skin on my arms. While I know stretchmarks are unavoidable - they can be reduced in appearance with regular applications of cocoa butter. However, one of my little fantasies is to wear a bikini one day in the not-so-distant future...how could I do that with an apron of loose skin hanging beneath my bust?

My answer? Tummy Tuck. Perhaps I've seen far too many Extreme Makeovers, but it seemed to be the only choice.

However, fitness instructor Ron Brown believes that such extreme measures are not necessary. The author of the Body Fat Guide feels that natural weight loss may be the solution.

Ron asks: "Is "loose skin" really unavoidable and inevitable after substantial weight loss? I believe the answer is no!The human integumentary system (skin) is not a passive layer of tissue that remains stretched out like an empty plastic bag after losing large amounts of bodyweight. Rather, it is a living organ, actively adapting to the body's internal and external environments."

While many resort to the surgeon's knife to remove these folds of what they consider only skin, Brown believes that the skin is not so much loose as it is flabby due to excess body fat.

As for the drooping folds, Ron adds: "In my opinion the droopy appearance of folds of skin is most probably caused by crash diets that sacrifice large amounts of supporting lean body mass. Even less severe diets can result in a substantial amount of muscle loss over time. "

By improving your body's composition and increasing lean muscle mass, Brown believes that it is possible to non-surgically remove this "loose" skin. He writes: "What is required to assist one in doing all this is an easy method to measure changes in one's body composition (muscle and body fat levels), and a method to monitor and modify one's energy balance, which is the balance between the calories one eats and burns each day."

Reading information like this makes me realise just how much we are manipulated into believing that the surgeon's knife can easily replace hard work. So rather than looking forward to a tummy tuck and its scarring in two years, I'll try a more natural option and grab an exercise dvd and work on replacing lean muscle mass while on my weight loss journey.

Who knows, I may get on the beach in that bikini much sooner than expected!

Fast Track Dieting

Since re-starting Weight Watchers on January 8th, I've lost in excess of 3 1/2lbs per week. According to the company's website, losing more than 1-2 lbs per week on average after the third week may be dangerous for long-term weight loss.

Rapid weight loss is usually followed by rapid regaining of the weight - something I hope to avoid. While Weight Watchers is by no means a faddy quick fix diet wonder, very low-calorie diets can be dangerous to your health. People who have medical problems caused by obesity might choose to try to lose weight rapidly under a doctor's supervision, but for most people it's not advised.

Many believe that in losing weight they are losing fat. While fat is lost, so is muscle. While fat contains roughly 50% water and muscle tissue is made up of approximately 70% water. With rapid weight loss can come rapid water loss. The consequences of this can be devastating. Electrolyte disturbances may occur - the consequences of which may be fatal. Severe dehydration can cause renal failure. On a more minor and superficial note, dehydration can cause dryness of skin and hair.

Starvation to achieve weight loss can alter hormone status - stopping the menstrual cycle, cause pancreatitis and reduce muscle mass. Over a long term, irrepairable damage can be caused.

Another issued raised by Weight Watchers is that the loser will be more likely to have issue with loose skin. With my many gains and losses as well as pregnancy in the past 20 years, I'm not sure whether this is avoidable...but I think that might be another blog entry entirely...infact, it will.

My points count has reduced again to 22 points per day. I have decided that, in an effort to avoid nasty health problems, I will do my best to eat all of my points each day as well as my water to see if it slows me down to a steady 2lb loss per week. The website advises eating all bonus points as well - however, I prefer not to simply as I'm usually full by the end of my points allowance. I have by no means been an angel since January when it comes to the diet - particularly over the last 2 weeks, so I am clueless as to why the loss has been high on average...but I'll do my best to keep it steady and keep it healthy.

Sunday 15 April 2007

Week 14 Weigh In

And another great loss! I'm now officially 80% the person I used to be with a loss now in excess of 50lbs! I didn't have much of a loss last week, so I guess my body made up for it this week. I did a bit of shopping yesterday and purchased loads of size 16's and most of them fit - albeit on the snug side. I'm feeling quite determined now to shift the pounds and know I will get to goal one way or another. I don't think I've ever felt quite so determined - the weight obsession has my complete attention now! Am dancing a quiet jig of joy from this end and looking forward to getting into the 180's soon!

Tuesday 10 April 2007

Week 13 Weigh-In

Whoops...forgot to do an entry yesterday! I've had a loss of 1lb this week despite an increase in exercise...although I must confess there was an increase in food as well. I did a quick peak at the scales this morning and it had me a few pounds lighter, so I'll strive to get myself in the 13 stones this week.

I read an article in one of the papers on Sunday about how gardening is great for keeping fit, so I just might throw myself out in the garden for a few sessions this week. My plan? To turn over a patch of land which I tried to make into a vegetable garden last year - the only difference is this year, I will produce something more than parsley! So far, I have tomato and pepper seedlings on the go, a strawberry pot in place and hope to get some potatoes, onions, carrots and more out there. The way I see it, it will not only get me fit but have me eating my 5 a day. No more using that excuse of "I haven't got any veg in the house" as a way to eat junk!

Thursday 5 April 2007

Get Fit, Get Laid

What better way to spring into spring than with a romp in the sack to shake off winter indulgence! We often think that something that feels good can’t possibly be good for us. Now it’s time to re-think that mantra ‘No pain. No gain.’

The latest research suggests that not only will getting in shape get us more sex but better sex at that by following a sensible exercise routine.

“Sexual function is affected by general health so the more you can do to improve your health with physical activity, the betíter your sex life can be,” says Dr Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. “A growing body of evidence supports the notion that regular exercise may enhance sexuality through a variety of mechanisms that affect the mind and body,” he says.

While I've often said there's nothing better than sexercise as a way to get fit, it seems now there's a pool of researchers backing me up! Keeping active positively affects your mind and in turn your libido. Dr Bryant adds: “Exercise has psychological benefits too, such as stress reduction, improved self-esteem, elevated mood and increased confidence. Each of these can contribute to a more enriched sex life.”

Improved sense of smell
After sex, production of the hormone prolactin surges. This in turn causes stem cells in the brain to develop new neurons in the brain's olfactory bulb, its smell centre.

Reduced risk of heart disease
A 2001 Queens University study which examined cardiovascular health found that by having sex three or more times a week, men reduced their risk of heart attack or stroke by half.

Weight loss, overall fitness
Sex, if nothing else, is exercise. A vigorous bout burns some 200 calories-about the same as running 15 minutes on a treadmill or playing a spirited game of squash. The pulse rate, in a person aroused, rises from about 70 beats per minute to 150, the same as that of an athlete putting forth maximum effort.

British researchers have determined that the equivalent of six Big Macs can be worked off by having sex three times a week for a year. Muscular contractions during intercourse work the pelvis, thighs, buttocks, arms, neck and thorax. Regular sessions can not only firm a woman’s tummy and buttocks, but also improve her posture.

Sex also boosts production of testosterone, which leads to stronger bones and muscles.
Magazine Men's Health actually went as far as to declare the bed the single greatest piece of exercise equipment ever invented.

Reduced depression
Such was the implication of a 2002 study of 293 women. American psychologist Gordon Gallup reported that sexually active participants whose male partners did not use condoms were less subject to depression than those whose partners did.

This could be down to the hormone prostoglandin, found only in semen, which may be absorbed in the female genital tract, thus calming female hormones. Paracaetamol-free pain-relief
Immediately before orgasm, levels of the hormone oxytocin surge to five times their normal level. This in turn releases endorphins, which alleviate the pain of everything from headache to arthritis to even migraine.

In women, sex also prompts production and release of oestrogen into the bloodstream, which can reduce the pain of PMS. The chemical promotes feelings of affection and triggers that nurturing instinct.

Live Longer
An active sex life may extend our life expectancy. Secrets of the Superyoung author Dr. David Weeks, a clinical neuropsychologist at Scotland’s Royal Edinburgh Hospital, conducted a study of 3,500 people ranging in age from 18 to 102. Weeks concluded that sex actually slows the aging process.

In one of the most credible studies correlating overall health with sexual frequency, Queens University in Belfast tracked the mortality of about 1,000 middle-aged men over the course of a decade. The study was designed to compare persons of comparable circumstances, age and health. Its 1997 findings, published in the British Medical Journal, were that men who reported the highest frequency of orgasm enjoyed a death rate half that of the laggards.

Immunity against winter nasties
Paul Pearsall, Ph.D., author of Superimmunity maintains that sex in a loving relationship helps the immune system by increasing the flow of certain chemicals in the body.
Wilkes University in Pennsylvania says individuals who have sex once or twice a week show 30% higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A, which is known to boost the immune system.

In men, sex encourages the flow of testosterone, which strengthens bones and muscles and helps transport DHEA, a hormone that may be important in the function of the body’s immune system.

Fitter Bladders
Heard of Kegel exercises? You do them, whether you know it or not, every time you stem your flow of urine. The same set of muscles is worked during sex.

Pearlier Whites
Seminal plasma contains zinc, calcium and other minerals shown to retard tooth decay. I will assume most of our readers understand the unique mineral delivery system involved. Suffice it to say that it could be a far richer, more complex and more satisfying experience than squeezing a tube of toothpaste. Researchers also noted, that sexual etiquette usually demands the brushing of one's teeth before and/or after intimacy, which, by itself, would help promote better oral hygiene.

Harder, Harder, Harder!
Dr. J. Francois Eid, of Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital, observed that erectile dysfunction is an extension of vascular system. A lethargic member may be telling you that you have diseased blood vessels elsewhere in your body.
The urologist said: "It could be a first sign of hypertension or diabetes or increased cholesterol levels. It's a red flag that you should see your doctor." Treatment and exercise, says Dr. Eid, can have things looking up again.He says: "Men who exercise and have a good heart and low heart rate, and who are cardio-fit, have firmer erections. There very definitely is a relationship."

Sexual therapists remind us that frequent sex is a form of exercise. And feeling secure in a relationship leads to feeling happier, which could lead to greater health…and a younger look.

In fact, these studies indicate that intimacy plays a key role in the health benefits of sex. A promiscuous sexual relationship may actually produce an opposite effect by introducing a sense of anxiety and fear.

In spite of all these health benefits and the sheer pleasure of the act, many still need a boost. At least one-third of American couples report “inhibited sexual desire,” according to The Masters and Johnson Institute.

Sex therapists say sex acts on the principal of “use it or lose it.” So, for your heart, mind, and soul, the best advice may be to "Just do it."

Can healthy be unhealthy?

Twelve weeks into my WW journey and I'm realising that things aren't quite what they seem... Prior to WW, I looked at certain foods or food types as 'healthy' without really having a clue of whether they were or weren't. I simply went by reputation...I'm learning that rep isn't everything.

As a single parent, I've been lucky on this attempt (3rd and final) at WW - my son's supportive and he's adopted a lot of the foods that I am using on my journey. While I wouldn't necessarily prepare the same meals for him, I use the same principles. It's benefitted both of us immensely!

My nephews have been staying here each day this week and I must confess that I felt quite annoyed when yesterday I was told that I was 'giving too much junk' to them. It wasn't their mum saying this - but them! While I do relax the necessity for vegetables a touch when they're around, I definitely would not let them exist purely on junk. They're old enough to accept or reject what's placed before them, so I let them choose our lunch yesterday (I opted out...you'll see why).

The lunch I prepared on Tuesday was homemade wholewheat pizza dough and homemade tomato sauce topped with their choice of reduced-fat cheddar, mozzarella, pineapple chunks and lean home-cooked ham. For dessert, I made some cookies earlier using half-sugar and a very low fat margerine. I don't cook using anything other than flora diet for butter and I kept the salt purely to the dough (1tsp).

So, what did they choose for lunch? They selected frozen chicken and vegetable pies. I declined as the saturated fat content was massive thanks to the pastry. I decided I would keep it healthy for them and made some potato and broccoli mash to accompany. Oh, and some spinach too but didn't offer it to them as they retched at the utterance of its name. While the nephews ate ALL of the pie, they didn't touch the mash which, in my opinion, was the healthiest part of that meal! I actually felt quite proud of my son as he cleared all of his plate - apart from the pastry which he said tasted 'weird'. Children appear to be confused by the media and reputation into believing what's good for them. Yes, the cheese on the pizza was high in fat, but it didn't even compare to the fat in the pastry.

Today's lunch? Swamp soup (cream of potato and spinach) with homemade bread...but I don't expect them to eat much of it! So I have the wok on standby!

While kids can be founts of wisdom, I've learned it is probably best not to rely on them for healthy eating advice! Innocently, they absorb and believe the advertising companies slogans of foods like cereals being "wholesome" and "healthy". Perhaps instead of banning junk food advertising on TV or running healthy eating programmes in schools, there should be a focus on educating children and adults about being media-smart as well as getting their nutritional advice from professionals...and not of the ad sort!

Monday 2 April 2007

Week 12 Weigh-in

Another 3lbs down this week which is surprising for a few reasons:
  • Points have decreased to 23points (even more difficult as I've been thinking it was 22points all week!)
  • An army of Easter eggs seems to have taken over my house

I gave into my easter egg on Saturday, but luckily I had done enough point saving and exercise to balance it out and still lose weight. Phew! While it did taste lovely to have pure, undiluted and completely indulgent REAL chocolate, it is something I know I will have to think carefully about before having in future. You see, it's a slippery slope.

What amazes me is that it has been 3 months since I started this journey and not only have I lost 40-plus pounds, but I think I am finally learning the way forward. With only 68lbs to go, I know that the end is in the distance, but it's in sight...and I know I can do it!

I'm nearing the 200lb mark - 1lb shy now - and I can safely say that it's been approximately 3 years since I've been below it. If I get to it, it will be a milestone by itself! The next few months will take me on a trip down memory lane as I revisit weights of previous years....Here's my best recollection:

  • 200lb - 2004
  • 187lb - August 1999 (just after returning from hospital after giving birth to my son)
  • 150lb -October 1998 (just before falling pregnant with my son..after a LONG stint on Atkins)
  • 140lb - 1993

So, maybe the next few months will see me turning back the hands of time...returning to the physical health of my 20's with the wisdom that a decade and a half has given me...if only wisdom related to healthy eating - it isnt like I'm a sage or something!

Returning to college combined with the weight loss has left me feeling rejuvenated and in the words of a friend 'irritatingly peppy'...let's hope it continues and I never fall into lethargic again!

This week will have its obstacles - I am home with my son all week as well my nephews each morning. Also, my boyfriend's staying for a couple weeks. I've had unsupportive boyfriends but Andy's fantastic about it and actually seems to be enjoying it. He's incredibly supportive and doesn't seem to do anything that could sabotage my plans! He's lovely! So, I should be ok! Fingers crossed!

Thursday 29 March 2007

A Not So Innocent Potato!

Well, I'm resigning myself to a 'stay the same' result for my next WI. I had a large loss on Monday and I've been struggling to manage on my reduced points - 23. I very nearly went over points yesterday thanks to a 'hawaiian jacket potato', but made up for it with LOADs of exercise.

Yes, I was thinking ham and pineapple when my ex-mother-in-law suggested it to me as 'fabulous'.... She didn't mention the cheese in it and the mayo as well. The restaurant we went to, the Lowenac (Cornish for Happiness) is an unusual place. Think garnish for a minute - I used to think a small side salad or perhaps a sprig of parsley...they do crisps - yes, crunchy potato crisps!

Pointing my lunch when I returned, I worked out my lunch was a full 12 points....argh - more than half my allowance! Along with breakfast and a mid-morning snack, I was at 20 points by 2pm! With 8 bonus points of exercise, I managed to squeeze in a supper of cheese, onion and tomato on toast....but only just!

I spent last night revising goals....not sure whether they'll change for better or worse - but here ya go:
30/4/7 13 s 13 (195)
19/6/7 13 s 2 (184)
30/6/7 12 s 13 (181)
31/8/7 11 s 13 (167)
31/10/7 10 s 13 (153)
31/12/7 9s 13 (139)
28/02/8 9s 7 (133) GOAL!

Goal is still feeling a touch flexible as I know the healthy BMI range goes from about 8s 7 to 10s 7 or 121lbs to 147lbs...It's quite a big range really. I'm hoping to set something concrete when I get into the 10 stone range (140's).

Sunday 25 March 2007

Week 11 Weigh-In

Pleased to announce a loss of 7.5lbs this week. Not sure if it was increasing my exercise with my PS2 dancemat or not having a single frozen meal this week (plenty of jacket potatoes)....but it's a a full half-stone gone forever!

My BMI has dropped a total of 7 points from just over 42 when I started to 35 now. Dress size has decreased from 22/24 to a safe 20 now...sometimes 18. Within myself I feel fitter, healthier and stronger.

I haven't been in the 14 stone range since 2005, so I'm definitely feeling proud of myself!

Bring on the 13's!!!!

Warning: Never give in to the chocolate cravings!

While buying some chocolate treats for my dog, the shopkeeper told me a funny story heard in a Weight Watchers meeting. One night, a lady was so desperate for a chocolate fix that she resorted to eating her dog's supply (one whole bag!). Apparently, the results of this binge lasted for a few days. My bum twinges at the thought of it. Makes sense to just say no - if only for the benefit of a happy digestive system!

Tuesday 20 March 2007

What's your motivation?


Reading an article by Joan Morris of the Contra Costa Times, I wondered whether my motivations were purely noble. While I want to live a healthier lifestyle and be fitter, I think I'd be a liar to say that my motivations weren't mainly superficial.

Morris writes: "Weight loss goes hand in hand with vanity. After a lifetime of being told that we are ugly and disgusting, it's no wonder we lose our heads a bit when we receive praise and attention for our new look, and that we lose sight of what's important."

She continues: "It is just part of the package, but it's just the wrapping, not the contents inside. I've come to realize that the reasons I decided to lose weight in the first place remain firmly entrenched in my psyche. My goals of three years ago are my goals of today. I just needed to dust them off and put them on display again."

Yes, I must confess that I am craving and loving the praise showered by peers, loved ones and society at large. To some extent, I'm craving it from those who were unable to praise me in my previous form.

I remember reading Fat is A Feminist Issue some years ago and I agreed with it to some extent. After finishing the book, I considered my excess weight almost like a buffer against anyone only caring for me superficially. I guess I longed for a love that enveloped me - warts and all. And do you know what? When I found it, that weight just slipped right off me.

However, the flaw in that thinking is that you can buffer yourself so much in the hopes of Mr Right coming along that it puts your own future in peril. And what if, as in my case, Mr Right was merely Mr Right Now? Well, several Mr Right Nows later, I think I've built up the strength to deal with men and life - buffer or no buffer.

While I am only in the third month of my journey, I will do my best to appreciate the aesthetic benefits of weight loss while embracing the healthy lifestyle. I do worry sometimes though about whether I will manage that. I mean - while I am concerned with the medical implications of carrying excess weight and the impact it will have on my family - why can't I worry about that instead of why a pair of size 16 jeans doesn't fit me yet?

I suppose they go hand in hand and I best make the most of the complete package!

Monday 19 March 2007

Week 10 Weigh-in

Hopped on the scales this morning and saw a loss of a half-pound. While I hoped for a bigger loss, I wasn't shocked in any way, shape or form. With a mega-loss of 5lbs last Monday, I knew that to expect any loss at all was wrong.

I can remember in a nutrition class in school being taught that you should lose no more than 1% of your body weight each week, so anything beyond 2.1lbs is considered unhealthy at the moment. Whoops. Weight Watchers take it one step further - anything beyond 2lbs full stop, regardless of your body weight, is naughty. So, I best keep my average weight loss of 3.65lbs on the QT.

So I've lost 36.5lbs over the last ten weeks. I'm left wondering what that's equivalent to in food...
36.5 tubs of butter
18.25 bags of oranges
28 cans of diet coke
36 pints of milk
6.5 bags of potatoes

While I struggle to view my changing form properly, seeing figures like that - particularly the sacks of potatoes - makes it all slightly clearer for me.

So, I'm aiming to make it a full 7 bags of potatoes for the next weigh-in!

Sunday 18 March 2007

The Eating Machine

Yes, today I am the non-stop eating machine. Fortunately after a shop (with list I might add) yesterday, my house is stocked with low point goodies like Go Ahead Bars, Ainsley Harriot Cup-A-Soup, salads, and Skinny Cow ice cream lollies.

I haven't slept well over the last few nights as cough and my son have interfered with my 8-hour-a-night habit. I wondered whether this might play a role in my increased appetite as I suspected as much when my son was newborn seven years ago.

On the Women's Health site, Tracee Cornforth writes: "According to recent studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Lancet, sleep loss tends to increase hunger and affects the body's metabolism making it difficult to maintain weight loss or lose weight."

Oh dear....

The hormone cortisol, which reins in your appetite is affected by sleep depravation, causing a feeling of hunger even if you've had adequate food intake.

Oh and there's more....

Sleep loss interferes with carbohydrate metabolism causing excess amounts of glucose in the blood stream. This allows for insulin overproduction - leading to the storage of excess body fat and insulin resistance.

Michael Thorpy, MD, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York says: "Sleep loss is associated with striking alterations in hormone levels that regulate the appetite and may be a contributing factor to obesity. Any American making a resolution to lose weight in the New Year should probably consider a parallel commitment for getting more sleep."

"Sleep loss disrupts a complex and interwoven series of metabolic and hormonal processes and may be a contributing factor to obesity," said Dr. John Winkelman, medical director of the Sleep Health Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "What most people do not realize is that better sleep habits may be instrumental to the success of any weight management plan."

On that note, I am setting myself a sleep target of 8 uninterrupted hours sleep a night this week!

Friday 16 March 2007

Changing Stats

It's been just over two months since I made the change over to Weight Watchers. I've been doing some thinking about stats vs actual weight loss and while I do sense a change in the shape of my body, I think by putting stats down in print, it will help me acknowledge personal success better.

  • Weight - a loss of 33lbs!
  • BMI - dropped nearly 6 points from 42.1 in January to 36.4 in March
  • Chest - decrease in 4" from 48" to 44"
  • Waist - reduced by 3" from 43" to 40"
  • Size: - while a size 22 was too tight to be comfortable in January, I'm slowly slipping into size 20 and the occasional 18!
I have measured my thighs this time around and at 27" each, I've realised that they have more girth than 22" waisted waif and size zero queen Victoria Beckham!! Oh dear!

Well, I haven't managed much in the way of grocery shopping today. Instead, I went through my wardrobe and removed all items of clothing too big from it as I don't want any chance of needing them in future.

Tomorrow we'll hit the shops and give the shopping list idea a whirl!

Current Goals:
15 s 1lb (211lbs) by 05/04/07
14 s 2lb (198lbs) by 31/05/07
13 s 2lb (184lbs) by 17/06/07

Ah, how little things please my little mind


I've been wandering the internet aimlessly today...ok, so I should have been working or cleaning, but sometimes you have to have a lazy day...or week in my case.

I came across My Virtual Model - a site which allows you to create a 3d-generated model of your body shape.

It is well worth a try if you're bored or wanting to get an idea of what your body will look like when you reach goal.




Thursday 15 March 2007

Calling All Hedonistic Shoppers!

While I can endure shopping, I must confess there isn't the slightest bit of hedonistic pleasure in it for me. Somewhere between children screaming and ladies blocking the aisles with their trolleys, any zeal I had for shopping dissipates...usually around the veg aisle!

I have a tendency to go crazy in my local Tesco's and empty the crisp aisle into my trolley, even though I have only come in for a 'few bits' to buy like milk or bread. By the time I'm unloading the shopping, I realise that I have ended up with lots of junk food...again!

However, according to new US research reported by Medical News Today, it seems that not only am I not alone in this problem, but there is a way to avoid impulse purchases and stick to a healthy diet: Use a shopping list!

According to the study, the decision on what a shopper will purchase is stimulus-based, meaning what is placed in front of us. However, writing a shopping list prior to your weekly shop creates "memory-based" decisions. This causes you to recall store items (as well as your diet plan) before you plan out your meals for the week.
The researchers write in their findings: "We find that consumers who must generate options from memory are more likely to select fun, hedonistic, and sinful options over sensible options or 'appropriate" options.'"
Well, tomorrow is shopping day, so I'll break out the pen and paper and give it a whirl. Let's hope that it works!!
Today I have had:
Breakfast TOTAL: 2
Erm...Quavers (2)
Lunch TOTAL: 12
Chili Jacket Potato with butter (7.5), coleslaw (1), salad (0), maltesers (3.5)
Dinner TOTAL: 8.5
Ham sandwich with salad and coleslaw (5), Walkers baked crisps (1.5), banana (1.5), granola bar (1.5)
Comment
Didn't really get my day off to a brilliant start! Yes, Quavers hit the spot in between classes, however a banana would have been much better! I still didn't get any calcium in....thank god for vitamins, but I'll try harder tomorrow!

Wednesday 14 March 2007

Swap Shop

While my ultimate goal is the elusive size 10 jeans, a large part of my motivation is health-related. I not only want to be healthy in size, but in body and spirit as well. Sacrifices must be made in any pursuit, however, it makes life more enjoyable when compromises can be found. I've an unlucky combination of sweet and savoury tooth which means my diet has become one big swap shop! While I am aware that more changes need to be made to further my cause, so far, my swaps include:
Semi-skimmed milk (1.5 pt) for skimmed milk (1 pt)
Butter - 2 tsp (2 pt) for Flora Diet - 2 tsp (.5 pt)
Full-fat chocolate mousse (6 pt) for Low fat/sugar chocolate mousse (3 pt)
Chinese takeaway (endless points) for Iceland sweet & sour chicken balls (5pt)

While portion sizes are being reined in, there's only one food which really bugs me as I can not honestly think of a swap - garlic bread. I've sold myself on the idea that I am best off without this more-ish delight as it causes stinky breath - and I'll stick with that. Oh and I am far too aware that one baguette is worth more than a day's allowance.

As the weeks rack up, I'm transforming into a points bore. The mere sight of a decadant treat sends the abacus in my head racing to calculate. Today, for example, I found myself drawn to the savoury aromas of pasties on the high street. Months ago, I wouldn't have paused for thought - however, when my inner accountant rattled off a score of 15 points, I quickly moved on past the many bakery windows. While I was momentarily fixated on them, I managed to quell the urge and soon realised it was hunger but greed rumbling my belly!

Today, I've had:
Breakfast - TOTAL: 3 points
2 Warburtons Crumpets (2.5), Flora Light - 2 tsp (.5)
Lunch - TOTAL: 6 points
WW Turkey & Salad sandwich (4 ), banana (1.5), Golden Lights crisps (1.5)
Dinner - TOTAL: 10.5 points
Ham & salad sandwich with coleslaw (5), Walkers Baked Crisps (1.5), 2 chocolate mousses (4),
Snacks - TOTAL: 4 points
pink & whites x 6 (4)
TOTAL: 23.5 points
Comments: Lots of fruit and veg although I'm lacking on calcium. Need to point in some milk tomorrow - although it will be skimmed. Oh, and still having far too many treats! But, I haven't felt 'hunger' once which is definitely a good thing.

Tuesday 13 March 2007

Is starvation causing delirium?

Well, I'm not sure if it's the evacuation of the remainder of the flu virus in my system or still being ecstatic over my loss, but I've been bouncing off the walls for nearly 48 hours now!

Several WW-ers have mentioned that the first 6 weeks of the plan leaves you feeling exhausted and to be honest, by week 5 of it, I was close to ending my pursuit of the size 10 completely! But, I stuck it through and am pleased to say that there isn't just a light at the end of the tunnel - it's quite damn beautiful basking in it. God, I'm making myself sick...for an eternal pessimist to feel so optimistic is quite off-putting.

I've spent the last few days concentrating on more fresh foods and here's what I've done:

Monday Total points used: 22.5 points
AM: Nachos from uni bar (7.5) Maltesers - Small bag (3.5) TOTAL: 11 points
PM: Stirfry with 90g organic steak (2points), 3 tsp olive oil (2.5 points), zero point veg including: cabbage, leek, red onion, red pepper, mushrooms (0 points), 2 healthy living chocolate sponge (7 points) = 11.5 points

Tuesday Total points used: 24 points
AM: Beef hotpot from uni (7 points), 3 potato wedges (4.5 points), carrots (0 points), maltesers - small bag (3.5) TOTAL: 15 points
PM: Stirfry with chicken breast (2.5 points), 2 tsp oil (2.5 points), zero point veg including: mangetout, broccoli, yellow pepper, mushrooms, garlic, red onion (0 points), soy sauce (0 points), 2 ww belgian chocolate mousses (4 points) TOTAL: 9 points

Comments - Quite good dinners however I need to choose slightly better during the daytime. Oh - and I think I need to curb my reliance on chocolate too :( Within the next two weeks, I will be reducing my points allowance further, to 23 points per day - and if I want to have a feeling of fullness, I need to try harder than this. Saying that, those stirfries are both tasty and filling! A bargain at twice the points! I highly recommend them!

Monday 12 March 2007

Week 9 Weigh-in

Well, I've just had my ninth weight watchers weigh-in and was a bit surprised with a loss of 5 pounds! It could be down to flu or sticking to the plan, but it could be down to relaxing my obsession with food.

This week, I'm trying to wrap my head round healthy eating as a lifestyle choice rather than a short-term solution to a long-term problem.

In the news, we read stories about the 14-stone eight- year- old and it reminds me that I too was once in his shoes. Ok, so I wasn't that weight at 8, but I most certainly was by 10. In fact, I was 20-stone (280) by the age of 16.

My parents provided me with a healthy diet - albeit the portion sizes were a touch on the large size. My problem was the snacking which occurred on top of the healthy eating. I could, until recently devour a tube of Pringles at a sitting or a pack of biscuits.

At 18, I left home and the weight - quite literally - dropped off. Within a year, my weight had dropped to 12 stone (168lbs) - without really trying. Simply by replacing coke with diet coke, reducing my snacking and moving my body more, the flab dissipated.

Remembering this has helped me over the last few days. I know I can reach goal simply by not forgetting just how 'easy' it is. Perhaps a big part of the problem is the weight loss industry - particularly the cowboys - who set us up to fail with unrealistic goals and plans.

Yes, it would be lovely to lose 60 lbs in a month, but we just know it's damn near impossible - so why believe it just because you see it in print? Oh, I've done my fair share of diets and weight loss pills over the years including:

Worryingly, the numbers of patients seeking bariatric surgery as a last resort is on the rise. It has been reported by the media that in the US more teens are putting their faith in the knife when it comes to shedding the flab.

While Weight Watchers is a plan, it is one of the oldest and most successful out there. There is a great deal of support both at meetings and online. Ready meals are available in the shops and stores like Tesco convert their healthy living products to points which helps a lot. And the cookbooks are out of this world!

Sunday 11 March 2007

My Vices

I've got a problem with the bottle...but before you start directing me to my nearest AA meeting, let me clarify - I'm addicted to Pepsi Max. I can easily pack away a 2 litre bottle of this fizzy aspartame-sweetened elixir in a day.

Dare I work out how much it costs me a year? £529 a year of phenylalanine - a bargain or what?

Seriously though, I need to nip this habit in the bud. Not only is it costing a fortune, but I find that I really cannot function without knowing that I have at least a bottle spare in the kitchen!

Aussie blogger Pepsi Max Kid set himself the challenge of weaning himself off the stuff yet he found that his focus on giving it up caused his consumption to increase.

What is it about diet colas in general which causes so many to be addicted? Dr Roberts of St Mary's hospital in Florida studied the effects of aspartame addiction. He concluding that: "Persons consuming large amounts not only may suffer aspartame disease, but also have difficulty stopping them because of violent and prolonged withdrawal reactions... the hallmark of addiction. Recovered alcoholic patients repeatedly stated that they felt worse after avoiding aspartame than alcohol, and asserted that they had traded one addiction for another."

Dr Roberts, citing recent studies asserts his conviction that aspartame: "can cause, aggravate or accelerate migraine , seizures, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and its complications, Alzheimer's disease, and even brain tumors."

Worryingly, soft drink makers Pepsi and Coke have retaliated. The New York Times reported the launch of their latest products: Diet Coke Plus and Tava. Both diet soft drinks are being produced with vitamin supplements included.

So, I have the choice ahead of me - a 'violent and prolonged withdrawl' or lupus, MS and migraine. Talk about a rock and a hard place. Me thinks I'll opt for withdrawl, but perhaps a long and drawn out one to save myself from a painful cold turkey!

The Joy of Veg

Well, I've just been through the contents of my refrigerator and its full and I've decided it's just not of the right foods! While there's low-fat everything in there - there just aren't many vegetables!

I've spent some time thinking about this issue to try and work out the hurdles to fresh fruit and veg and I think the main hurdles are my lazy cookery which leads to wastage. I have a tendency to go for the easiest and fastest meal solution for hunger. Nine times out of ten, it's a ready-meal.

I wonder whether our blustering waistlines could be down to us living in these fast food days. A 2003 study by the Food Standards Agency highlighted the extremely high levels of sodium in ready meals - so surely this should tell me that even healthy living meal may not be the best idea for eating heathily.

So, what's a girl to do? I've had a glance at the NHS 5-a-day site which gives some guidance into veg portion sizes...and I'm going to attempt to have 2 portions of fresh veg with every meal.

So - the plan for today is:

Morning: 2 medium tomatoes roasted in balsamic vinegar with oregano (0 points), 2 slices medium white bread (2.5 points), healthy living trifle (3 points), banana (1.5), walkers baked (1.5). TOTAL: 7 points

Afternoon: Omlette with peppers, mushrooms and onions (6 points) banana (1.5) TOTAL: 8.5 points

Evening: Stirfry with carrots, broccoli, peppers, onion, mushrooms, garlic (1 point) Weight watchers belgian chocolate mousse x 2 (4 points) TOTAL: 5

Tomorrow is weigh-in - 6am! Oh joy! I've had a sneaky peak and the scales are showing me as 15 s 4 which would be a loss of 3lbs this week. Fingers crossed!