Weigh in - Week 15 - 10 per cent less of me :)

This week's weigh in was a mixed bag of dieting mayhem.  While a 2 lb loss is 1lb more than I set out aiming for on this diet, I craved it... This loss would have seen me achieving my Club 10 (10 per cent weight loss) and a two stone certificate at my Slimming World meeting.

Losing 1.5lbs is  a good achievement, considering my swaying from plan, but it meant I only got the club 10. So I'm just 1/2 lb away from my 2 stone award. So, this week's goal is another 1.5lbs to bring me to 17 s 6 1/2lbs. That will work for me!

Good luck to anyone out there weighing this week. Let's hope the Gods of dieting are on our sides!

Weigh in - success!

Three months in and I've now lost more than 25 lbs and 25 inches! At weigh in I reported a weight loss of 2.5lbs.

Things feel like they're moving again with my weight loss... I'm really hoping that this is the start of a purple patch where the weight loss, diet and exercise really start falling into place.

In the short-term, I'm looking for a weight loss of at least 2lbs next week. This will gain me my club 10 (10% body weight loss) and my 2 stone certificate. In the longer term I am shooting for a weight of no more than 16 s 7lbs by 28 November.  That gives me 9 weeks to shed 1 stone 2.5lbs and along the way that will see me pass the 2 stone, 2 1/2 stone and 3 stone marks. This weight loss goal will also ensure that I am at (or below) my pre-giving-up-smoking weight on 2nd December. That will mark 3 years off the cigarrettes.

Weigh in - Week 13 - Highs and lows...

So it's been a whopping six weeks since I last properly checked in. During this time we've had highs and lows but for the most part I think my weight's changed very little.  And even that is an overstatement! I think I've only shifted 6.5lbs in the past few weeks. Next weigh in is tomorrow and I'm hoping to increase my 1 stone 10lb weight loss that little bit further:

Start weight  :  19s 7.5 lb
Weight now  :  17s 12.0lb

I've had a good week these past few days, so I'm really hopeful that this week will see me get a little bit closer to the 2 stone mark (4.5lbs away) and my Club 10 goal (4lbs away).

The exercise has really been upped the last few weeks and I'm starting to feel myself being able to get more active as a result of the increased fitness. As well as my daily walks with the dog and laser tag I'm doing a Zumba session each week and an extra laser tag. During this past week I've reintroduced swimming and I've also started transforming every other dog walk into a dog run of 2 miles. Next week I'll aim to increase the dog walk to 2.5 miles of intervals (25m run, 25m walk).

This exercise has had a significant impact on my body's shape. Last week I took in my new measurements:

Bust            50                45              -5
Waist          51                45              -6
Hips           55                50              -5
Neck           16.5            15               -1.5
Left thigh    31.5            27.5            -4
Right thigh  31.5            28               -3.5


I'm still tracking my wrist and calf measurements but there haven't been any noticeable changes there!

That said, that's a loss of 25 inches in just three months of following Slimming World and focusing on my activity levels! I'm particularly impressed by the reduction in my thighs... incredible, isn't it?!?

Perhaps at the end of six months I'll post a before/after. I'm taking my time this time with the weight loss as I'm trying not to rush it and risk regaining, so I'm thinking that holding back is the best way to go!

Off to play some squash - will write more tomorrow after the weigh in!

Weigh in - Week 6 - Success!

This week's Slimming World weigh in went much better than expected! Another 1.5lbs has left me FOREVER... officially bringing me to 18 st. 4.5 lbs. There are a lot of big goals in the next few weeks which will help keep me focused:

• Hitting 1 1/2 stone - just 4lbs away
• Hitting next stone - just 5lbs away
• Club 10 - within 7 lbs

To help me on my way, I've purchased a set of scales and a measuring cup. I'm getting a bit lazy about weighing and measuring... I really think that getting into the habit of checking my measurements could help me hit these goals in the next 2, 3 and 5 weeks (respectively). That said, I'm going to go all out on the speed foods this week and see if I can make those goals a reality that little bit sooner! 

Weigh in: Week 4 - Success!

Not sure about you, but I have a serious case of scale-watcher-itis... and it really got me good last night. You see, I've been stepping onto the bathroom scales every morning for the past month. And yesterday it showed that I had lost 3lbs over the past week. Of course, looks can be quite deceiving! Calibration is a real issue that I hadn't considered. So, you can imagine my concerns when I hopped on the scales at meeting last night and found out I'd lost just 1.5lbs.

So, it's been a successful week... just not as successful as I'd hoped for. Went back to rock climbing last night after a few days off (tendonitis of the pinky) and planning on some spinning tonight. I'm aiming to do some swimming tomorrow, so really pulling out the stops to get myself to that 1 stone award this week. Bring it on!

Weigh in: Week 3 - Success!

Last night's weigh in went really well as I dropped a further 2.5 lbs. So my grand total in three weeks of following Slimming World is 10.5lbs. My goal for next week is 2lbs realistically, but how chuffed would I be if I managed to get my 1 stone? I'd be freakin' ecstatic.

So this week my main focus is continuing to stick with the programme... which isn't too difficult. Luckily my social life is almost exclusively activity-based which really helps!

One difficulty has cropped up. While gardening on Sunday I've damaged my pinky. I'm heading to minor injuries this afternoon to get it checked out - but I have a feeling it will mean no climbing tonight. I'm not 100 per cent sure how much I use my pinkie in climbing, so I might just have to give it a try while Sam's on the walls. I'll be there anyway, so I ought to make the most of it.

Whatever the case may be I'm sticking with my 30 minute dog walks each morning and two sessions of laser tag this week.  If I can't climb tonight I'll try and squeeze in a 30 min. swim tomorrow night to make up for it and/or take the dog on an evening walk tonight.

Weigh in - Week 2 - Success!

Despite really doing my best to stick to the plan, I am plagued by weigh in nightmares... quite literally! Maybe it's nerves, or even the feeling like I'm not on a diet, but my weekend dreamings are filled with thoughts of weight gains.

Luckily, my fears weren't well founded. This week I registered a 2lb loss, earning me my first 1/2 stone lost certificate and entry into the next stone bracket. So I'm in the 19stones no more - officially :) Since joining SW two weeks ago I've lost 8lbs - which is much better than I first thought.

My consultant suggested measuring myself and I must admit that I poo pooed that idea initially. Until I did it!  I've shrunk by a whopping 10 inches:

• Neck is .5 inch smaller
• Bust is 2.5 inches smaller
• Waist is 2 inches smaller
• Hips are 3  inches smaller
• Thighs are 1 inch smaller - each!

I must admit that even I - the total skeptic - am impressed. With changes like that it isn't just water weight and - more importantly - this is a reminder that every pound really counts!

Have you measured yourself today? You just might be surprised!

Weigh in - Week 1 - Success!

After Twinkie-filled nightmares on Sunday night, I approached my 6:30pm weigh in with considerable trepidation. Let's face it - I wasn't really hungry all week, didn't really feel like I was on a diet and even had a slice of lemon cake! I couldn't have lost, could I?

The scales disagreed, registering a 6 lb loss! Secretly I hoped that I'd get results like this, but I never really believed I could. I know it's early days but this is a great outcome and gets me off to an excellent start.

I'm going into this week focused and aiming for the 1/2 stone mark next Monday. That's a 1 lb loss. Any more is a bonus.

To help me on my way, I'm thinking about trying out this syn-free lemon curd recipe this week:

Syn-free lemon curd

3 tbsp powdered sweetener (I prefer Splenda)
1 lemon, juiced with its rind grated
2 large eggs
2oz extra low fat fromage frais

Whisk together your lemon juice and eggs in a medium-sized bowl..
Mix in rind and sweetener.
Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until thickened.
Remove from heat.
Whisk in fromage frais until smooth.

Store this in the fridge in a jar to keep fresh. Since it has eggs in it, I'd recommend using within 3 days.

This also makes a great base for a cheesecake filling. When cooled, just add a whole tub of Quark and mix well. 

Weigh in day: week 1

There's nothing like a week one weigh in as, for me, it's normally an exciting whopper loss. True to form it was as the scales registered 19 s 0.5lbs (266lbs).  While it's something I have come to expect, I'm aware that anticipating a huge weight loss is both unrealistic and sure to doom my efforts.

Take last night for example. I'm a scale watcher - checking them daily (if not more). Yesterday morning I was pleased when I woke up and it said 19s 1.75lbs. After all, it's nice to see that eating healthily with plenty of veg is paying off.

So why did I re-check the scales at 6pm that night... just after dinner! Scales read 19s 5lbs! While rational me attempted to draw conclusions (e.g. drinking a lot of water, the size of the meal, etc), irrational me went into overdrive (e.g. What's the point, anyway? You're always going to be fat...). Thankfully, it was only for a minute or two and before I could do any real damage by raiding the fridge.

In the past I have allowed situations like this to bring about the end of my diet. One technique I picked up from my hypnotherapy for weight loss is questioning what is true before these bad thoughts are the undoing of you. For example:

Negative thought: I am always going to be fat.
Question: Is that true?
Answer: Not really, not if I try.
Question: Is that really true?
Answer: Definitely no.
Question: What person would I be without that negative thought?
Answer: I'd be more confident in my ability to lose weight and I'd be happy because I wouldn't have anyone nagging me.

Just as I'm carrying lots of extra weight, I carry plenty of negative thoughts about myself, my life and my body. These have been addressed within the hypnotherapy/NLP sessions to some extent but it's down to me to keep them in check.  One thing I can say for certain is that my weight loss is nothing compared to the weighty negative thoughts I've lost over the past few weeks.

So 9lbs lost this week - but that's not my only accomplishment. I've been challenging my taste buds over the past few weeks and last night tried tuna steaks (Asian style with stirfry and noodles) for the first time. Wow! Delicious and incredibly healthy!

My goal next week? I'd like to lose at least 1lb. Anything more is a bonus. Oh - and I want to try salmon and rhubarb. Not together, of course! They're two foods which I've really disliked in the past - so I'm going to see if my taste buds enjoy them now.  If I find any good recipes, I'll post them on here!

Atkins vs. Low Fat

Researchers at Temple University have pitted the at-times contraversial Atkins Diet against a standard low-fat diet. And the winner? Each generates the same level of weight loss. While Atkins was praised for its ability to raise HDL cholesterol, researchers pointed out that this benefit came with a number of nasty side effects (e.g. meat breath).

To me, it seem that whatever way you look at it, the dieter wins. Studies like this illustrate the point that restricting your diet in any way will see results on the scale. The challenge, of course, is sticking to it. 

In my world of diet, the weight is slowly coming off. I've been successfully avoiding sugary snacks, crisps and generally anything which would have made me go 'mmmm'. I weigh in tomorrow, so I'll post my numbers then.

More than 3 years since I started...

And, well, I think I may - finally - be on the right track! After months and months of weight fluctuations, I seem to be on the downward slope to health. Christmas 2009 saw my weight peak at 20 stone. That's a figure that is both shocking and upsetting for me. Firstly it was my highest ever weight to date. Secondly, when you hear stories of extreme obesity, that figure in stones is never in the teens.

Worse still, my son was on the same path. At 10, he weighed 9 stone 4lbs and lived on junk (like me). Luckily for us both, we started a 6-month healthy eating/ healthy living programme called Mend and the results have been phenomenal for him. While he's still got a way to go, he's down tbelow 8 stone and is full of energy and eats healthily.

The changes we've made to our food intake and activity levels have seen my weight drop, too. Starting the year at 20 stone, my weight's now down to 18 stone 9lbs. It's nowhere close to the drops I made previously, but I haven't officially been dieting. This is just from modifying the foods I've eaten while at home. As for exercise, this is only just being reintroduced as I'm recovering from an impinged shoulder which cramped my activity levels a bit.

Every day in this blog I aim to examine one of the changes we've made or are going to make. I also hope to uncover where the fad diets are going wrong for the average Joe (but right for the diet creator).

It's the same journey... just on a new path!

Peer Pressure

At work... out at parties... enjoying drinks with friends... Is there nowhere I can go without feeling a bit of peer pressure? To top it all off my safe haven is no longer fatty food free!

My other half has come down to visit for the weekend and - as much as I adore him - I certainly am not enamoured with his eating habits and - more importantly - how they lead me astray.

Now, don't get me wrong. He's by no means a saboteur... more of a foodie who just can't resist sharing his latest discoveries.

So, what's a girl to do?

Not quite sure how but I found the willpower to say yes by saying no. Confused? Well, so was I! I learned that by saying no for 99 per cent of the time, I could say yes every now and again. And, what's more, I managed to convince him to share some of my low fat goodies and modify his choices too!

I guess the moral to the story is: peer pressure goes two ways - for the good and the bad. Rather than be swayed by the bad, why not convert some friends over to the good? The more people on your side the better, I say!

P.S. And my weigh in? This week I registered a loss of 8lbs - dropping from 275 to 267 :)

Third time's the charm?

Today I saw some photos a friend took of me at the weekend and I just lost it. If there's a rock bottom it's where I'm at now. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. For when you hit bottom the only way to go is up.

So, more than two years have passed since I started this journey and where am I? Well, the last year has been filled with changes that have seen the scales climbing higher than they have for more than a decade. Have my weeks of dieting been in vain?


I've been doing a great deal of thinking in recent weeks about the weight issue - mainly as giving up smoking three months ago just pushed my weight up that little bit faster. Now, I've given up giving up smoking in the past due to weight gain. And you know what? It might stop you gaining more, but it certainly doesn't help you shed your added pounds.

So, I've been trying the nonchalant approach to my increased girth. It worked especially well in those pre-xmas weeks but it's wearing thin now. I think (and hope) that I am far enough along with quitting that I can now tackle the weight without undoing those painful early weeks of withdrawl.



Here's what I think about why my weight's on the up... and how I hope to sort it. To help me stick to it, I'm going to think of them as the Golden Rules.



1. If you can walk the distance, do it!

-- Since passing my driving test last April I have found myself lulled into choosing the car for all of my travel needs. Not only is it bad for my waistline, it's bad for my body generally, my son's health and the environment.

2. If you can't make the effort for yourself, don't let that ruin others' health

--My son and dog both deserve - and need - at least a 30 minute non-stop walk each day. Since starting work in June I have found myself arriving home and vegging out on the sofa each night. When the dog does get a 'walk' it tends to be a short one to the field nearby where I simply throw the ball repeatedly without working my legs at all.

3. Breathe in, breathe out and relax

--Rather than sitting at my desk at lunch time, I will endeavour to have at least a 15 minute walk each day to clear my head and destress.

4. Try something new!

-- There are more ways to exercise than aerobics. My hips and knees are particularly bad at the moment with the weight gain, so low impact alternatives will be given priority. But, each month I will attempt at least one new pursuit.

5. Go slow

--Rather than rely on the cooking delights of others who don't cook for you but for their bank balance, explore with food and enjoy the art of slow cooking. Handpicking all ingredients and growing them myself where possible adds a new dimension to the process while removing unnecessary sodium, preservatives and chemicals.

6. Spot the saboteur within

--Yes, I am my own worst enemy. Identifying the cues that lead to falling off the wagon and understanding their roots should kerb their impact on my waistline. Often my girth is directly related to how I'm feeling about my current relationship, workplace stresses or parenting abilities. The more shaky each of those areas look, the wider I grow. Perhaps I am trying to physically make myself appear stronger and sturdier when I'm feeling quite fragile... Or even trying to punish someone for not loving me in the way I need... A bowlful of food can quickly quiet any negative thoughts in the head. So, whatever those throughts, I think I need to deal with them once and for all and avoid shutting them down with a bite to eat.

7. Nourish yourself

--Choose foods that deal with specific problems within the body.

(NB: This one might require a visit to a nutritionist!)

8. Spoil yourself with kindness

--Chocolate and rich foods might make you feel temporarily good. But before indulging think of other ways to make yourself feel even better. How about a self-indulgent soak accompanied by a good back - or even a trashy magazine - in the bath?

9. Don't bottle up

--I am seen by some as a very patient person who just *doesn't* get angry. That's possibly because I shove chocolate or some other food stuff in my mouth at the first rise of the adrenalin. Rather than quash it with food, keep it in or lash out at anyone unlucky enough to be in the vicinity, I will blog. Writing is, for me, the best release as noone gets hurt and I guess I get to avoid conflicts.

10. You aren't the victim - you are the addict

--No one has forced this food into my mouth. But years of training have allowed me to develop an addictive relationship with food. After a binge I am often sat there in a dulled state - unable to function. It isn't a high - it doesn't feel good. It just doesn't let me feel anything AT ALL. Understanding this negative relationship with food and controlling its impact on your day-to-day life can only help you achieve more in life than ever before.

I used to say that the problem with my addiction was that I had to face food at every corner - whereas with cigarrettes you can give them up and avoid being around them forever. But, my problem isn't with all food... I think it's just the processed, high sugar, high fat offerings. And you know what, I CAN and WILL cut these out because it isn't anywhere as hard as I think it will be.

Other rules will, no doubt, be added in the weeks and months to come. But, there's a real pattern developing here. I think the only way to get on the wagon - and stay on - for good is increasing my activity levels and switching to a natural, homecooked diet. When it comes to food itself, I'm eating a more varied diet than before I started WW and still use low-fat substitutes where possible. I've just added things like chocs and takeaways into the mix...

So, watch this space... I believe it's the start of something fantastic!

Weigh In - Week one (Mark II)

Hopped on the scales feeling slightly nervous this evening. You see, I have had a few hiccups this week...Fortunately the gods of dieting were on my side and I registered a loss of 6lbs. Of course, I am pleased with the results. However, I do know that if I managed several social situations a bit better I would have possibly seen a larger loss.

Take Saturday for example. I went to the cinema with the best of intentions. I saved a few points for a snack and a diet soft drink. Unfortunately I chose a snack that required incredibly strict willpower - of which I had none... I opted for the massive bag of Maltesers which weighed in at a whopping 16 points. I planned to simply eat the equivalent of a small bag's worth which only costs 3.5 points and pass it on to the others. Hearing the reply 'no thanks' to my offer left me perplexed...and reaching into the bag.

The funniest bit of this is that I really didn't even want a sweet snack. I longed for the ultimate movie treat - popcorn. And guess what? I found out yesterday that a small bag of salty goodness is only 3.5 points....

So, I guess this is just one of many lessons that I will learn that fall into the book of 'Point before you eat'!

Back on the wagon again...

You'll notice a massive gap between that last post and this one...yes, my good intentions fell by the wayside. The last twelve months have been a rollercoaster with studying, family, illness and well, general hedonistic eating. It seems that life got in the way...a little at first. But, I soon used it as an excuse to fall back into a more dangerous eating cycle.

Rather than get back to the point counting that served me so well, I've foolishly toyed with 'lose weight quick' schemes...and seen the weight creep back on. From taking apple cider vinegar (ghastly) to living a low carb life - it seems I have tried it all. With each venture a new half stone seems to have appeared despite losing as much as 8lbs in a week.

However, it hasn't all been bad...My attempt at giving up smoking fell astray after 3 weeks due to weight gain (2 stone!) - but I am still working on freeing myself from it for good. One thing I have rid myself of completely is caffeinated diet soft drinks. Loaded with aspartame, they left me feeling tired and anxious. It has been three weeks now and I feel a million times better for it and it has left me feeling like I can conquer anything. The weight and the cigs being the top of that list.

While I could view my rejoining Weight Watchers as a fresh start, I am opting to frame it as continuing my weight loss journey. After all, this is by no means a short-term plan...as I think I previously envisioned. So, where am I now....

A pilot scheme in Cornwall is underway which has allowed the NHS to join forces with WW. As my BMI meets the criteria, I have been given 12 weeks of free vouchers for meetings. There are several other aspects to this programme, however they have been oversubscribed :(

Last Tuesday I had my first weigh-in. My current weight is 15 stone 2 or 212lbs. Oddly enough, I can still fit into the size 16 clothes which I splashed out on last year when I was some 2 stone lighter. But, I won't lie - they are damned tight! Unfortunately, my measuring tape has gone walkies so I have no idea how many inches I have added onto my frame....and right now I'm not so sure that is a good idea.

Although this break has seen me gain some of my loss, it has helped me recognise that WW is the way forward as well as realise mistakes I have made. One of my biggest hurdles over the past 18 months has been the threat of the scales....they can become all-consuming even for the most disciplined of dieters. For the next few months my scales shall lay dormant. To ensure I don't fall back into this vicious weighing cycle I have hidden them away without the necessary batteries.

It won't be easy - but I will get there. I might have regained but at least I know that I am still 36lbs lighter than I was when this journey began in January 2007.

Wish me luck!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!