Well, I've managed to do quite a lot of exercise this week (one swim, three runs, one bike ride and another swim planned tonight), but not quite as much as I'd planned. I have been quite tired, and I also had two nights out so I'm not going to beat myself up over it! It's still a heck of a lot more than some manage, and I really don't want to get sick of it.
I made up for the lack of bike ride during the week anyway - I've just come back from a 17.5 mile ride in the back roads of the South Downs! It was fab - loved every single minute of it!! Sore ar$e though
I had a couple of blow outs - Friday night after work met up with some ex colleagues and ended up having two glasses of wine and going for a Chinese feast. Oops ... I switched to Jasmine tea fairly quickly though, despite jeers from my so called 'friends' (just kidding - they're just jealous!) and made relatively healthy choices ... oh, apart from the duck pancakes and prawn crackers!
It was fab - I haven't seen my colleagues since January, and their reactions were priceless: "Oh. My. God.!! You look completely different!!" "Skinny bitch, I hate you!!" and various others of similar nature! It's so nice when all the hard work pays off I bought a new work suit too - I can't believe that I'll get to less than a size 12 (certainly never have, even when at my fittest), and even if I do it'll probably be a good thing to have 12s in the cupboard in case I ever want to eat!!
We had a barbecue with my folks last night as well, and I ate far too much - but somehow I think the last couple of nights have shaken up my metabolism, as the scales were at 10st 0.25lb this morning. Hopefully that means I'll be 10st tomorrow morning, and then on into the 9s!
I'm so pleased that I'm really on track to meet the goal I set myself near the beginning of the year, to be 9st 10lb by the time I head off to Switzerland to see my mate. I still have two weigh ins to go, so even if I'm at 9st 12lb or something, it's as near as I could hope to be! Then just half a stone to go before I'm at goal.
Mind you, my final goal is rather fluid - I'm going to carry on eating as I'm doing (not hungry, the occasional big night) and keep on exercising. If the weight comes off, great, if it doesn't then I shall tone up and stay at a good weight for me. I know some of you will hate me for this, but I honestly can't believe how easy it's been since Jan to lose the weight after trying and failing so many times before - it seems that lack of alcohol and lots of exercise are the key for me! MUST REMEMBER THAT!!!
Oh. My. God ... I went to work wearing a pair of size 12 trousers, and they weren't overly tight! I got compliments again, as I've been hiding in a baggy pair of 14s until I could get away with the 12s in my cupboard. I tried them on this morning, and when I walked into the office my boss (who works elsewhere most of the time) said "Wow - you've lost more weight!" - he accused me of wasting away! lol - no chance!
I've been doing loads of exercise though this week, and although I'm not doing WW any more, I've been eating well too ... probably not enough though. I've been running twice already, and swam last night - I had Tuesday night off because I was too tired to do anything energetic. I'm out tomorrow night, so I'm thinking of getting up early in the morning to go for a bike ride. If I don't manage it, it's no big deal ... but I would like to get back out on my shiny new bike!
Well, something seems to be working anyway! Nice to see that the weight I put on over my hols came off relatively easily.
My original goal was to get to 9st 10lb by July 10th - I'm still aiming for that, but even if I get within a couple of lbs of it (and in the 9's) I'll be really pleased. It just goes to prove to myself that I can do it if I put my mind to it!
I'm aiming to reach my new goal of 9st 4lb, which is more or less midway in the 'healthy' weight range for my height, by the end of August. How exciting that I'm not so far away that it seems impossible!
One of the managers I worked with here (who left last year) is coming up to London on Friday, and my old boss is arranging drinks for everyone - I haven't seen either of them since December/Jan, so I can't wait to see their faces!
I got out there on my bike. And although I nearly got blown off it as I went round one corner, I loved every minute of it! I managed to do just under 10 miles in 50 minutes, which I'm quite pleased with as a starting point.
Not only that, but after an early supper, I went swimming too! 60 lengths of a 25m pool in 40 mins. I'm usually a bit slower than that, but then I had the lane to myself most of the time, so I didn't have to wait for anyone to go ahead of me. Lovely ...
Anyhoo - well and truly knackered now, as I spent the rest of the day cleaning! Oh, the exciting life I lead.
I had grand plans of going out on my bike today, but the weather's about as miserable as it's been in months. It's blowing a gale outside, and I think I'd be blown off it!
I may risk it anyway - otherwise I'll never get any exercise come winter!
I've drawn up a basic training plan as a guide - I shan't be kicking myself if I don't do it all, but if I at least try to stick to it I'll get a couple of sessions of each in and see where we go from here.
Mon: outdoor run
Tues: fast bike ride
Weds: swim
Thurs: fast treadmill run
Fri: bike ride
Sat: Long, easy run - and if I feel like it, an easy bike ride
Sun: Long, easy bike ride - maybe a swim if I can still move!
Well, I've got it ... and it's fabulous. I'm in love! I went out for a 3 mile ride only, but it was a good test to see how the gears, brakes etc. work. There are toe holds on the pedals, which I wasn't sure about - but actually it's fine, and does help. I can't believe how much safer it feels going around corners! I guess probably because there's no resistance on the tyres.
I had a really good run this morning too - only 40 mins on the treadmill, but I cranked the speed up to 6 mph for half of it (usually run around 5 mph), and it felt great. I'm going to go out on the bike tomorrow if I'm still able to walk!
Well, I bit the bullet and cancelled WW online membership in favour of just using Fitbug to log what I'm eating. It's more of a long term thing, and a bit more relaxed in terms of food targets - but more focus on exercise which is what I need to keep my motivation up. Generally I'm doing pretty well with my step 'bug' and hitting my 15,000 step target on a daily basis, with 10,000 of those being aerobic (i.e. continuous) steps. Not bad, huh?
The site also translates things like swimming into steps so if I can't be bothered to walk/run I can substitute swimming or cycling ... if my bike voucher ever flippin turns up!
I can't believe my company has been so rubbish about processing it - they decided to stick to the invoice terms of 30 days, then when I rang up to chase on Monday they said they'd delayed it by a further two weeks - they reckoned the vouchers would be sent out yesterday, so I'm sitting here waiting for the post! Watch this space for further disappointment ...
I've found this week hard going after the holiday last week - why is it that I always come back feeling really refreshed, only to end the first week of work a gibbering wreck! I did get out for a good run on Tuesday night, but was just too tired on Weds or Thurs to go swimming. I went last night instead as I could have a lie in, and on the basis that it should be a bit quieter ... yeah right. It was full of about 20 lads mucking about, shouting and throwing each other around. All those wanting to lane swim ended up crammed into one edge of the pool to get away from them, so I kept having to wait at the ends so I didn't run into the slower swimmers in front of me! I'm not that fast, but I don't dawdle as I am there to exercise ... don't you hate it when the slower people then stop at the end and launch themselves just before you get there after waiting for a breather? I'm so selfish, honestly.
UPDATE!! No more disappointments, the post has just arrived - with my voucher! HURRAH, HUZZAH!! Must just call the bike shop ......
Pah, it's engaged - I'll try again in a mo. How exciting! I bet they can't put it together for me today though, so I'll have to wait until next weekend to pick it up. I'm so negative, aren't I? Well, at least I can be pleasantly surprised.
Work ... well, as I said a couple of posts ago, I have now been promoted - I'm in charge of London (about 80 staff in various guises)! All very exciting, and I'm looking forward to the challenge. We've got lots of changes ahead, and it's going to be really hard work - but it's a great move for me, and I'm working with a good team who evidently value my input. So lots of fun ...
The problem will be trying to ensure that I keep the exercise levels up, and don't turn to lots of sugar in times of inevitable stress. I've been taking hourly lunchtime walks, which I suspect will be casualties of the new regime - it's important that I do get out as it reduces stress too, but I may try to increase the times I walk to work (35mins) and back just in case my lunch gets hijacked. What's lunch anyway?!
Just spoken to the bike shop - the owner said he'd almost forgotten about it as it had taken so long! Sounds like they can get it all ready for me today though, so I'll pop in this afternoon! Yippeee!!
I'm seriously thinking of ditching WW online now, and relying on Fitbug instead.
I have to log my food intake on there as well, and that suggests the calorie intake required to lose weight or maintain with the level of exercise I'm doing. I pay £10 a month for Fitbug, and the same for WW ... and log on both. It seems a bit daft really!
Oh - still waiting for my bike voucher by the way, it seems my company's waiting six weeks to pay the cyclescheme chaps, and they won't release a voucher until they're paid (can't blame them). However ... my company has started taking the deductions out of my salary! Cheeky wotsits.
Gggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr .... just lost my post. I really hate it when that happens!
Well, we had a wonderful time camping in the sunshine in Cornwall and Devon, and decided to come back a day early on Thursday evening. We were going to move campsite anyway, and the prospect of taking down the tent, packing everything up and then doing it all over again for one night when the weather wasn't great didn't really appeal!
We thoroughly abused our National Trust membership cards, visiting 7 different places (mostly gardens as the weather was so good) in four days! Here's a few gratuitous photos ...
Castle Drogo - the last castle built in England.
Lydford Gorge - lovely leafy circular walk around a stream, leading to the Devil's Cauldron and a waterfall
Trelissick gardens
Cotehele - wonderful place with great gardens leading down to a private Quay and a watermill.
We didn't eat horribly badly - mostly buns with egg, bacon or fishfingers with ketchup! We did have fish and chips once, but I only ate about half of it (the seagulls were really pleased!). Hubby was into cake and cream teas as usual, but I didn't succumb too much. Unfortunately after we got home it unravelled somewhat! We had a big Chinese takeaway, then we ate out on Friday night ... and we've been munching chocolate and biscuits over the last couple of days. I haven't had any exercise specifically, but we did lots of walking while we were away, so it wasn't so bad.
Oh yes ... I also drank vino on Friday night, ended up going to the pub after dinner (it was next door, so no chance really) and drank some more. It was the first time I'd had a drink in a pub since December last year - it was quite enjoyable, and I wasn't gnawing the table desperate for a cigarette like normal, but I really suffered yesterday and still felt rough today. Definitely one-off occasions only!
I did spend today spring cleaning though, and barely sat down, so wasn't too bad. I am expecting a couple of lbs gain tomorrow but I shall take what comes and go from there!
I hope everyone's had a good week? I promised hubby that I wouldn't do my usual trick of spending hours on the laptop in front of the TV this weekend, so I haven't been able to catch up with anyone's blogs yet. I shall do some catching up shortly!
Early bed tonight though, as I need to get into work to wade through my emails - I have no idea whether they've announced my promotion yet, but I know there will be some people who won't be best pleased about it. Particularly one lady who went for the job too! It's going to be an interesting week ...
Sore ar$e though 
I bought a new work suit too - I can't believe that I'll get to less than a size 12 (certainly never have, even when at my fittest), and even if I do it'll probably be a good thing to have 12s in the cupboard in case I ever want to eat!!
