The Final Weigh-in…!

Day 37

Dashed down to the gym for a weigh-in. Horror of horrors – I’ve only lost 300grams!! My body fat was down a little as well as my measurements but this has put me behind. It was fantastic to be back to a more raw food diet. Even though we were eating out carefully for the time I was away we are not always privy to what actually goes into food. We had no control over how the porridge was made at breakfast, when you order broccoli and the waiter doesn’t understand English, or my Spanish, you end up with a thick cheese sauce over all vegetables. I do my best to remove it but there is a residual condensed glob of calories I didn’t need to slow my progress. “A little bit DOES count” has been my mantra, and my lesson, from these past weeks..

Day 38

Starting initial pre-packing again as sadly this amazing experience staying with Tim & Anne is coming to an end. I am doing weights in the morning and cardio in the evening.

Day 39

I have been learning more about preparing meals and today it was a raw food lasagne. This tasted absolutely delicious!  I have learnt not to use the microwave machine. To back this up Tim was presenting to the British Longevity Society last evening and a prominent chemist and scientist attending said they have found that seeds watered with previously microwaved water (then cooled) will not germinate. Apparently microwaving changes the molecular structures of foods in ways we don’t know about yet. Very disconcerting considering the amount of people who rely on heating plastic meals in them.

Day 40

Squeezing in more exercise and more packing…where did I accumulate all these belongings – and not forgetting the antique pram?? I am going through and throwing out all my skincare creams that contain toxic preservatives. From Benzoic acid to the many forms of Parabens. Preservatives are designed to kill things and as we rub this into our skin daily it can accumulate and be absorbed into the bloodstream. Just another stressor for our immune system.

We went to the Old Duke theatre this evening to see Ghost Stories. It was highly entertaining play!

Day 41

The final measure up tomorrow before I fly out, too scared to have a sneak look!!  I have worked hard this week so I hope to have caught up on last week. Usual training session in the morning and again this evening to try and get the numbers up.

Day 42 – Sunday

Today is the final weigh-in for this 6 week section of my journey to reclaiming my body. 

I have lost 9.7kgs. That is a total of 21.34 lbs. Not quite the twenty two pounds I had hoped but very, very close.

My measurements so far are;

 9 cm off my chest

11 cm off my waist

8 cm off hips

6 cm off Butt

2cm off each thigh

My arms have stubbornly remained the same yet they are an area I dislike the most. It seems that will often be the last area to go for me. I imagine where I could have been if it were not for the trip to Spain but at least I never put any extra weight on as I usually do, and of course the added weight of those two new teeth!

As I lug my suitcases out to Heathrow I reflect on what I have learned – Heaps!  About quick healthy meals at home. How to always be prepared when going out and to be assertive in restaurants. To do the finger test to tell if your meal has extra added oil, plus the psychology and environmental cues of comfort eating and snacking. The “myth-information” about garbage foods like margarine and other so-called heath foods.  I now know how many calories are in my snack foods and realise that a little DOES matter. . I am going to have to put more thought into food and my eating until they become second nature.  I have always liked exercise but have a reasonably sedentary occupation so I have to make more room for physical actives I like, while always keeping the weights in to shape my body as it deflates.

I am getting my own pedometer to wear everywhere to keep me focused and try to increase my steps to 10,000 a day. You’ll burn roughly 100 to 125 calories by taking 2,500 steps, which is about 1 mile.  I have also have one of the KiFit systems Tim & Anne use with their clients to give me a better way of monitoring everything I do – including what I eat!

I’ve just been pulled up about the weight of my luggage. Taking the pram I was 10kg overweight. £30 per kg penalty Ouch!!  I pleaded with the check-in staff that I had lost 10kg while in London but this fell on very deaf ears.  But I’ve worked so hard – don’t they care???

As I head back home and leave London behind its only left to say thank-you for following me on my short but successful journey.  It’s been hugely encouraging to have your interest and support every day reading this blog, and I’ve had lots of fun writing it!

Bye for now!

Jayne

Last of the eggs, and 2 new front teeth!

Day 32

Breakfast is difficult as all main courses are fried except for cold processed meats and lots of cakes and pastries. The choices I had to make were hard boiled eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms. Luckily there was porridge and fresh fruit among the sugar-dense cereals.  I was not allowed fruit juice or toast but at least I was always guaranteed my buffet selection of foods never ran out, as they weren’t the most popular on the menu. It was awe-inspiring watching the amount of pastries and biscuits people eat at this time.

Just along from our hotel was a sign advertising a cosmetic dentist. Now this sparked real interest as having had to put up with chipped teeth from playing sport when I was younger and with a series of temporary fixes we decided a sneak look might not go amiss.

Not a lot of exercise today but did a run with Tim along the beach front in the cool of the evening. Such hard work as the loose sand drags you down like wading through mud.  Only managed a kilometre before giving in.

Day 33

Learnt to be cheeky and take some hard boiled eggs with me from breakfast. Ideal when I am stuck with only poor food choices available around town.  

With trepidation we made an appointment to check out that dentist. A specialist in cosmetic dentistry is not available to me where I live and with all the warnings of overseas medical procedures ringing in my ears… so we are going along for just a meeting.    

Back to perfecting my water skiing today. Fantastic not having to wear a wetsuit…not a good look for me! I fly along the straights svelte and streamlined feeling like an actress in an old movie but it all falls to pieces on the first turn. Here you are flicked around the deep sea pylons at tremendous speed and catapulted off in a different direction. The feeling of confidence and elegance was quickly replaced by a series of wobbles, a quick colonic irrigation and a face crash into the water as the empty towhandle disappeared on without me.  I was left to flounder quickly off because if you didn’t gather your wits pretty promptly after a wipe-out and move out of the lane you were at risk of being run over by the next out-of-control skier! Because we were out in the sea an island raft was strategically placed to pick up all the causalities from turn number one.  And there were a few!

Day 34

Still eating a cooked breakfast and getting the bulk of our food fresh from the supermarkets.

Out water skiing this afternoon and frustrated as I still can’t get around that first corner.  I keep meeting the same people stranded on the island. It is becoming a close knit community by now held together with sympathetic conversations of our failings and sneers at the more experienced as they whiz around. 

I had another appointment with the dentist today to go forward with two new front teeth. We were impressed with the level of his knowledge and testimonials. This won’t help my weight loss but sure as hell is going to lighten my bank balance!

Interesting evening meal today as we found a Chinese restaurant where you chose your vegetables and meat and they cook it for you. Here we were able to influence ingredients and additives -as best we could with the Chinese Spanish dialect- Finding it difficult to exercise with no suitable gym available (I haven’t really looked to be quite honest!) and it is sooooooo nice lying in the sun.

Despite the stress calories burnt with skiing, exercise has not been very consistent overall this week and the glass of champagne with breakfast was not ideal! (I am surprised more people weren’t hanging out at this end of the buffet) We decide to counteract this in the evening by walking up to a large lumminated cross on a mountain above the township. It was deceptively a long way away and we walked aprox 3 ½ kilometres always climbing up with the cliffs to the sea on one side on one side and a rock wall the other. When we finally scrambled to the top where we were rewarded with amazing views as far as the eye could see. Calorie quota well exceeded for this day at least!

Day 35

I now have two new natural looking front teeth!! As the technician and dentist discuss procedures in Spanish I really worry if hasn’t been a flight of holiday fancy which will go terribly wrong. No good reshaping and losing weight with two front teeth missing.   Generally holiday incidences take the form in hooking up with a particularly unsuitable male but in my case I have been carried away by porcelain and pearly whites!

They show me the mirror and I am thrilled, they do look great!! We go off shopping and I can’t help but smiling broadly (probably more a leer) at anybody who glances my way and peer in any windows or reflective surfaces just to see if they are still there. 

Day 36

Last day and sad to leave this fabulous weather behind.  Pleased to see the end of buffet breakfasts and emergency eggs!!

A golden tan is certainly helping the way I look and for once I feel the smaller person in the crowd as more holiday makers pour in. Huge pendulous breasts are laid out in the sun along with cellulite thighs and some of the biggest bellies I have ever seen nearly completely obscuring the Speedos beneath them.  To add to the surrealist feel these people use mobility scooters to get around when they are not disabled…I didn’t know they now have mobility scooters with pillion seats so two people can eliminate the need for extra movement!   This seems to becoming the norm and I admit I have snapped some secret photos to show my friends at home!

We experienced a three hour delay on the flight back to London so were grateful for the emergency food stash we had taken with us. Arrived home at 2am!

No sign of the rain in Spain!

Day 28

Flying out to Spain this afternoon – time to squeeze in a cardio workout this morning before the weekly weigh-in: have lost another 2.5 kgs in a week –That’s a total of 7.6kg (16.75lbs) since I started, which puts me right on target with 2 weeks to go! 

Tim showed me how to make their “Lumberjack Roll” – basically it’s a massive filled roll with all the soft doughy bread gutted out of it. Gluten – (glue, times ten) – is all bread is now days and not good for a healthy dieter but, oh it smells so good! I was shown some fairly disgusting pictures of how it lines the intestines which very quickly cooled my ardour.  The crusty shell of the roll is great to stuff full of coloured noodled or sliced raw vegetables and with an added chicken breast, egg and a little low fat hummus to complete a take-anywhere meal.  We carried two each – one for the airport before we board and one for when we arrive in case there’s no food available straight away.

Anne also made a portable meal loaf they call LMRC (Loaf, Meal Replacement, Complete). I know, I know – don’t ask.  I refused to eat it when I saw the ingredients. It was made with 5 blended vegetables, greens powders, whey protein powder including Aloe Vera straight from the leaf. Two eggs, one pear and one plantain banana plus chopped almonds, apricots, linseed, dates and ¼ packet of gluten free cake mix and Quinoa flour to give consistency. I am sure it has greatly added to our weight load and I will report on taste at a later date as I lug the thing through customs.

Day 29

Last night we arrived at a terrible, awful hotel, very small and very hot! It was like moving in treacle and couldn’t summon up the energy to move far.

We had booked rooms with cooking facilities thinking this would be a healthier option All their pots and pans were coated with Teflon, a great modern toxic invention that now damages our health. Teflon comes with a warning that you shouldn’t cook on high with your budgie in the room, the fumes can kill them! There are also cases going through court in America regarding the damage perfluorochemicals cause to our bodies. I have enough toxic chemicals of my own at the moment.

Went for a long walk to stretch our legs after the flight– every restaurant and bar was engulfed by huge crowds watching the football world cup final.  It was mostly silent as we meandered around the streets until about the last 3 minutes of play when the whole country erupted in a roar as Spain scored their winning goal.  All night long there were spontaneous street parades and celebrations – the party atmosphere was contagious.

Day 30

Happy to be moving on, tell tail signs are everywhere of the celebrations that took place last night.  Our next hotel includes breakfast which is going to be a challenge as there are no facilities to make ones own food. I have to report the LMRC loaf was really scrumptious. Hunger had got the better of me and tried a piece. It bore no resemblance to that green pulp (sludge) I saw being mixed up. It is so hot I don’t feel like eating much but as we explore our new environment we look at some of the food options available.   Foot strikes 13,500 today

Day 31

Another fab sunny day.

I still have to perfect my skiing and my confidence is high after my rather humiliating start on the boom at the Thorpe park water ski centre. We tip toe across the beach because the sand is so hot and although I have my swimming togs on I am not ready to expose this body to the world yet, hence a rather large over shirt to inhibit my cooling systems.  The large ski cable machine and platform stands approximately 200 metes out in the sea. It reminded me of something out of Mad Max and not for the first time I wondered why I had put myself through this. We wade out carrying our personal items over our heads as the water slowly creeps up to my neck, at least it is warm. After a brief demonstration I realize this is not at all like a boat start and I have to be pulled off platform covered in what looks like artificial grass. Tim goes, Anne goes and I go head first into the sea gripping the handle for dear life, but… oops my skis are still firmly in place on the platform.  It was like I had never had them on in the first place and I certainly wasn’t ready for barefoot skiing!! Swimming back everybody behind waiting for their turn laughed in a good humoured way and that was about all I could do too. Next turn, a very unsteady start but at least I have my skis on my feet and I am up.

The buffet breakfast was a challenge as there was a huge range of food but most of it was centered on the beige diet. Beige, cream or brown foods are out of bounds for me as they are generally all the processed foods. Not good for the waist line or my health, it’s a shame really because they are all the foods I do like.  NO! did like!!  Not so many steps today but lots of calories spent skiing!

Why can’t I do a handstand???

Day 23

Had a power smoothie for breakfast and then off to Kingston to look at new offices for Anne and Tim. We jogged up the tow path to Hampton court for a CBO (calorie burning opportunity) Amazed at the lines of boats landing to deposit well dressed ladies and gentlemen of a certain age to the river entrance of the gardens. The Hampton flower show of course..!

Somehow got totally sidetracked with shopping but came home laden down with lots of fresh food from the market there. Learnt today that over the age of 65years, more than half of our population will have a lifestyle governed by self-induced disability. In what state did I think I was going to end my days?  To rot away with diabetes?  To be eaten alive by cancer?  Absolutely NOT!  Eating well isn’t just for weight loss…  20,177 steps today

Day 24

Off to the gym for cardio before breakfast.  25 minutes on the bike, 20 minutes running machine and 15 minutes cross trainer. I think Anne would rather I ran outside more but I don’t always feel comfortable doing so.  Back for breakfast and then off for some real exercise – shopping!  Armed with a John West fish meal and a bar I clocked up 9200 steps just looking for that elusive bargain! Back for a Salsa class in the evening- but it was cancelled due to lack of numbers…thank goodness!

Day 25

Tried a “Be good to yourself” cannelloni and salad for a quick lunch meal. It is the first taste of pasta, (if you could call it that) I have had since arriving. Have been helping out in the office today, too much sitting although managed to squeeze in cardio and yoga..

The yoga teacher questioned me why I was unable to do handstand.  I could always do cartwheels as a child and was mystified that 15 years on I wasn’t able to perform more than a feeble flutter kick into the air. We all received a stern lecture about letting time take away some of our fundamental abilities. This I was going to have to practice!

Day 26

Still feeling miffed that I had lost the ability to do a handstand, I practised at home.  I had the house to myself today and was able to fire my reluctant legs up against the hall door, over and over again. The thudding of an uncoordinated body hitting the door must have led the neighbours to think there was a major domestic going down.  Never mind – Anne and Tim will get the blame…I am more comfortable upside down now but its going to take some work and some more weight loss before I will ever do an elegant handstand!

Yoga is great to include when losing weight I think. The various yoga positions are designed to help stimulate the internal organs, especially the lymph glands and liver which in my case are under a lot of strain at the moment.

Day 27

Weigh-in tomorrow before we fly out. I seem to be eating so much food. I don’t know if it is because I am more aware of it or not. I have been programming my foods through the computer to get a calculation of calories and nutrients. Surprised at how small things can quickly affect the balance.  A handful of raisins is like eating a whole big bunch of grapes – about 100 sugar calories!  Worked out for over an hour and a half as I wanted to watch the All Blacks playing Australia, but the gym staff didn’t seem to know how to change the channel over to Sky, so missed the first half!  Aaargh!  NZ beat South Africa anyway!

674 steps up the Eiffel Tower!

Day 19

Up at 4.40am and left for Paris on the Eurostar after a hearty breakfast. Getting used to not having bread although still adore the smell of it.  I wanted to see as much as I possibly could in the day I had here so I took a bus tour to orientate myself with the city and then walked miles in the galleries and cathedrals.  I had to get my exercise steps up if I am to stay on target so took the challenge to walk to the top of the Eiffel tower.  Lucky I did as two ticket offices were closed and the queues were completely backed up on this hot Parisian morning. There were only a few silly souls who were prepared to try the steps.  I found out an interesting thing about myself as I kept climbing to an uncomfortable height: my body produces unnerving tingling sensations and I felt like sitting down and hugging the inner wall – but I didn’t come this far to chicken out. (674 steps!)

I finally reached the second platform and thankfully that’s where the stairs ended. My face glowing over the city like a beacon as I snapped a photo to prove that I had actually made it.

The photo I didn’t take was of the ice-cream I had when I reached the bottom. It is my first deviation since beginning the programme.  Funny, it didn’t taste as good as I had expected. A record 32100 steps today!!

Day 20

Really tired today and have a headache. This is a combination of arriving back to London in the wee small hours and my poor body systems in shock.  Had a lazy day but still went down to the gym for a light workout. I thought a sneak look at the scales would make me feel better but I am gutted as the reading was up…!  I only had one ice-cream!  Maybe it was the aroma of French-baked bread in the air in Paris… Feel worse now, depressed, all that hard work? I would normally go and blow it completely… at least that might help my headache. I didn’t this time and for many reasons, one being I am writing this and have to stay focused!!  

The educational session today was an in-depth look at the complicated procedures the body has to go through to disengage all the mechanisms and supporting structures to the thousands of fat cells  I am trying to off-load. Told sternly that it had taken years of scoffing to get to this size we were lucky it takes such a short time for the body to adjust back to a svelte shape. The hardest part, and why so many people fail is, when it comes to weight loss, patience really is a virtue.  I want it yesterday! 

Day 21

Feeling more positive today.    Up at the crack of dawn and went for a run around Kensington gardens and Hyde Park with Anne. (Such a beautiful area.) We had to walk up and down all the escalators and, as unpleasant as the tube can be, it is a great cross-country exercise course given some imagination.

Back for brunch: eggs, tomato’s, tofu, mushrooms courgette and peppers. If I stand up too quickly now my pants fall down, yeah!! To protect my dignity Anne got out her sewing machine and took in some seams.

Down to the gym in the evening for a back, shoulders and ab work out with 30 min cardio. (22113 steps today)

Day 22

Off to Spain on Sunday so going hard out in the gym to get some credit points up. I am being encouraged to try some classes to keep the body on edge. With, “if you do the same you stay the same” ringing in my ears I try a spin class. I enjoyed it although the seats certainly weren’t made for comfort.

I was allowed to have low fat oven chips today with a large colourful mixed salad. Ideally you can dip them in a pot of boiling water to remove extra fats and then crisp up in the oven – a bit like mini-roasties! They tasted great. I am learning how to be aware of the food I eat and the marketing influences that go along with our choices. A lot of the old favourites can still be had – just modified and, as with exercise, lots of variation.

The perils of Fructose…!

Day 17

After the buzz of skiing yesterday I decided to take the day off today.  I have been learning a lot about how the body works and why it operates best on unprocessed foods.  I was horrified to learn how many foods contain the sweetener fructose, which I had been unwittingly chugging down. It is made from corn, is extremely cheap for manufacturers to use and is many times sweeter than sugar. This type of sugar is very hard on the liver to metabolise, is found in most of our common processed foods and, worst of all, in diet products!  

Our ancestors would only have about 15 grams per day and even then it came in its natural package with nutrients and fibre as whole fruit. We have calculated my intake as a whopping 70 grams a day!  Much of it hidden in my standard supermarket foods, the choices I made when eating out and no doubt in all my diet drinks … and other drinks!! This type of sugar is known to supercharge the growth of fat cells around the waist line. I can certainly vouch for its efficacy! 

Learned to make sushi rolls with cauliflower instead of the usual high glycemic rice. Despite my misgivings they were very nice and it was hard tell the difference!

Day 18

Despite having lost 8lbs of insulation I don’t think I will believe anybody who moans about the weather in this country again. It’s hot!

This morning I have a vegetable and protein smoothie, go to the gym and cycle for 35 min and run for 35.  Back for a breakfast of oats and yogurt and a sprinkling of soaked almonds then walk a mile to the nearest shopping centre for ingredients.  I am going to Paris tomorrow and I realise now that one doesn’t just get on a train and go, there is preparation that is needed – food! I have decided to take some of my own vegetable sushi rolls, two hard-boiled eggs, a fish meal, fruit and a Jillian McKeith Cacao food bar to ward off any sweet temptations.  I went back for an evening workout but didn’t do weights, as part of my mission tomorrow is to do lots of stair climbing!

8lbs lighter, and I go Waterskiing with Beach Boy Bob…

Day 16

Weigh-in time again!! Down by 3.6kgs (8lbs) since I started this just over 2 weeks ago. My measurements are down most significantly around back, chest and abdominals, though not a good time of the month for this measurement.…

After a workout we headed out to the Thorpe Park lakes to water ski. I have tried many times behind a boat as my well-meaning friends and family are keen skiers.  I had got to a point where I didn’t volunteer to try any more as I could never get out of the water and besides feeling uncomfortable, I blamed my weight.

I don’t think 8lb down will make that much difference. As this was a private beginners lesson and there was no expectation to perform I was reassured.  After squeezing into a wetsuit and looking totally unglamorous along comes my instructor. A blond-headed bronzed lifeguard type with no top, a rippling set of abs and beach pants half way down his butt. Why couldn’t I have an ugly older person I moan!   

Feeling very awkward I had to scramble and slither onto the back platform of the boat and then inch out to a boom jutting from the left side of the boat. I just knew as soon as I swung from that thing I would catapult beach-boy Bob and his spotter straight over into the next lake. With lots of encouragement I inched out to the end of the boom and hung there like a carcass until they had manoeuvred the boat out. To my joy the boat remained where it should’ve been in the water.

Beach Boy did teach me to ski and when I mastered the boom I was gradually let loose on the rope behind. Success at last!

We celebrated lunch with a John West tuna meal, yogurt, some almonds and raisins while over-looking the lakes and basking in the wonderful sun.  Just dropped another 1kg in stress-weight I think!

Where I jam the lift in our building…!

Day 12

Treadmill 30 min random setting, 20 min cross trainer. NO leaning on the supporting rails. I thought that’s what they were for.  I used to set the incline on high and rely on the machine to drag me along as fast as my legs would go, while I held on for dear life. The flaw in this training method was a moment’s lack of concentration and you were spat out the back like a sausage machine.

Back for breakfast and then off to St Paul’s cathedral for a visit.  Have to climb all escalators as we make our way through the various stations, some are very high.  Certainly will have to buy a stronger deodorant at this rate, I feel I may meet my maker before we even get to the church!

St Paul’s is an amazing building made all the more special by a well spoken and informative guide.  Unfortunately at the conclusion of her tour she gave us the option to climb up to the whispering gallery and then on to the very top (golden) gallery on the outside of the building and above the dome. As we ascended my nerves were rebelling with fear of heights and the exertion of climbing almost vertically. The tiny stairway was so narrow in places I wondered if I was going to embarrass myself by actually becoming stuck!  All thought of exciting calorie-burning activities were gone and survival was all I was worried about.  Finally made it to the cramped gallery where we ate a banana and goji bar to celebrate!  I had climbed 530 steps and have walked 22,000 steps today, very pleased with this but my legs feel like jelly.  

Day 13

Body feeling tired but certainly sleeping very well. Learning all about foods and how they help or hinder weight loss. I like milk but have had to replace this with skimmed organic goats milk as it is easier digested and doesn’t contribute to lactose inflammation or more chemical load than cows milk. (I have enough of my own toxins at the moment.) I would prefer Soya milk but it has been heated, treated and beaten to within an inch of its GM life, so not many options really…   

To twist my pain the lift in our building seems to be suffering from heat fatigue. Coming home from the gym I was last to scramble in after two men and a pregnant lady, all were going to an upper floor.  As I stepped over the threshold a polite voice boomed from somewhere above “Weight limit exceeded”.  We all laughed looking at the weight limit which was displayed in large letters at 680 kg this would mean each one of us was 157 kg each! It wouldn’t budge so still red with embarrassment I offered to get out so the others could get off the ground. Even though it was obviously a bit unhinged you tend to take these things personally.

Anne and I were off out on an evening herbal forager’s trip in Balham Park. I felt positively small in stature amongst this earnest medicinal health group, I am sure it wasn’t only nettle leaves and wild cherry bark they have been eating!  No temptations here for me as we learnt about the amazing array of herbs from St Johns Wort to elderberry flowers that grow wild in our commons. Slowly getting a better understanding why unprocessed and uncooked plant foods are better for the body.  20,450 steps today.

Day 14

After the lift issuing me with such an uncomplimentary lowdown on my weight I took a sneak peep at the dieters alter.  I know, I know… it’s wrong on so many levels and doesn’t give me the true insight of my progress but I needed a quick boost. Whew, seems to be down so I get to my workout with renewed vigour. Helping to take the monotony out of cardio in the gym, I have been the sole supporter of New Zealand as they play Wales in the Steinlager rugby series. A whooping cheer from my inconspicuous corner of the cardio bank as I forget I have head phones on. New Zealand win and I look like I have played the hour and half game against Wales single handed!

Day 15

Started the day with a circuit. My new breast support system is really holding its own and true to form, a lot of areas may wobble, but my “fun bags” stay rock solid! Today my circuit is a combination of weight machines and boxing. I keep weight training in to stop me going from a big apple to a small apple and slowing my metabolism.

Off to see the comedian Ardal O’Hanlon at the udderbelly theatre on the South Bank. He was Father Dougal in Father Ted and stared in My Hero. Again, food was the first consideration of the evening. A large meal before we left to deaden any unnatural temptations.  A lean steak, raw noodled parsnip and Asian radish along with cucumber and an avocado salad which was a mixture of coloured veg ingredients with just a nod to the avocado.  It feels strange not having a dressing but balsamic vinegar and low oil hummus is about all I am allowed now and I think I actually taste the food better now.

Lots of restaurant smells wafting by as we made our way through the crowded South Bank footpaths and plenty of alcohol being consumed at the venue while we waited.  Although I sniffed and wished from afar I was too jolly full to feel like much at all. Ardal had a very funny routine of situational humour and didn’t disappoint.  He said fat people would weather the recession best as we had already stocked up for hard times. This could be an excuse to justify my extra fat cells…!

Getting a little tired of eating so much…

Day 10.  Found out there’s a reason I put on so much weight that’s nothing to do with genetics!  My busy life before consisted of a quick cup of coffee for breakfast, a sandwich or two on the run and a main evening meal. I didn’t consider I ate very much and had always assumed I ate fairly well.  Most of my family were always large and I grew up with the expectation I would be too, it was the way we were built.  However, apparently I have been eating a little too well, too much and at the WRONG time – not helped by the amount of socialising a girl has to do…!

We are trying to get variety into my calorie burning activities.  

Day 11  Am now fitted with a pedometer to monitor my steps.  I feel a bit like a tagged criminal. Apparently offenders have recently been caught removing their electronic tags and putting them on their pets to beat curfews. I wonder if I attach the pedometer to the side of the treadmill and let it run while I have a sauna I’ll get some extra step credits…?

I haven’t been feeling hungry to my surprise, but strict rules apply about eating smaller meals four to five times a day. Actually getting a bit sick of food now that I am not going from very hungry to very full – I seem to be eating constantly.  Having to drink lots of water (2 litres today), herb teas and take supplements to support my liver breaking down and detoxifying the extra burden of fat.  Fat cells really are the dumping ground for a lot of unwanted rubbish in the body including toxic chemicals we take in with processed foods and environmental pollutants.  This causes a hit to the system when you are trying to lose weight as quickly as I am, but trying to do it in a healthy way.

Today I went to the tennis at Wimbledon but Her Majesty didn’t see me. 

I was very restrained with my packed lunch but would have loved an ice cream or a cool glass of champagne!  I tended to think it was a bit tacky taking food with me, but was told it was more tacky to have an out-of-shape body.  At least you can be discreet with a meal, I suppose.  

Lots of steps on my pedometer today: 20,436!!!!

2 Fur Coats, a China Dog and a Pram…

My measurements are being done later as a much better guide to real change.

All is going well but woke up irritable this morning. Coming from a freezing winter I am finding it hot and humid much to the amazement of those who listen to my complaints. They give that “are we talking about the same country” look.  I am told the amount of body fat I am carrying is equal to walking around in a double fur coat so I’m more motivated to become less of a sweat machine!

Along the Thames, not far from weight loss hell, Anne took me to an old tucked away auction rooms. Many curious items and against my better judgement, and a hand that wanted to rise at every second item, I bought some Staffordshire ceramics and an antique pram.  Only now does common sense set in and I wonder how I am going to take it 12,000 miles on a plane. If I lose that 22lbs during my stay will Qantas reimburse me my weight in luggage??

Measurements are now all down and fat percentage is down – Yay!