Judgement Day!!!

Well, Judgement Day came a week early.
I've been keeping a chart of my weight loss every week for the past 19 weeks. Some weeks I did well, some- I tanked. Well, Since I'm starting the new diet- see latest post yesterday-I decided to go ahead and measure a week early. I had set it up for  measuring every 20 weeks. Yes, I have short term and long term and even LONGER Term goals.

So this is week 19 of the 60 weeks I gave myself to lose this weight.

This is my weight and measure chart....as you can see it has LOTS of ups and downs on it. My Report Card. I most certainly am NOT an honor roll student by any stretch of the imagination.

But I want you to look at the measurement part. That's  4 months work. I measured myself for the first time on the last day of February 2016. The weekend after my 56th Birthday. 

I started out at my heaviest of 286 lbs.(Not in Feb- this has been a several year journey.) Well, that was the highest weight I saw on the scale. I know for a fact I had lost about 20 lbs  and a couple of pant sizes at that point already so my heaviest weight was just over 300 lbs. Scary stuff.

So in the last four months I have lost:

1 inch in neck 

Arms remain the same( booooo!!!!!) :(

6 inches in waist!!!! 

3 inches in hips 

1.5 inches in thighs 

.5 inch in calves

So everything I've been doing is working- even if I dont see the changes in my body myself.
I still see a fat girl in the mirror.....but the day WILL come when I see myself as I want to.

I'll continue to weigh every Saturday Morning and record the results.
And I will be measuring on the first Saturday of every month now.
Let's see if we can get this on a Fast(er) Track!!!

Feast Or Famine.

My God looking back over this blog I have tried a boatload of diets and strategies.

Well, one that worked for me years ago is one I'm going to try again.
The Feast & Famine.
So I've been doing a bit of research the past few days on the human body- and have seen a lot of studies think that  the Feast or Famine way of eating is how the body best works from an evolutionary
standpoint.

Well, It worked for me once before when I didn't actually know why it might- so here we go again.

I deliberately decided to start on July 1st(today) and I wanted to start on a Famine day. Now  that means I need to stay under 500 calories on a famine day- but I personally do better with an all or nothing mentality when it comes to food.
So I am having as many as three cups of coffee a day. And all the water I need. So far I have had two cups of coffee and two bottles of water. I'm being careful to stay hydrated and my kidneys and bladder function efficiently, regardless of what day it is.

I've found that I can do without food all day with no problems- I might get an occasional twinge of hunger if I smell something really nice, but I can deal with that. What I can't deal with is having just a taste of something really nice that's full of calories in one shape or form and then not being able to have a full serving. Or having a platter of bland tasteless food that I wouldn't let my pet eat.

I've been without food all day...well, actually since 8PM last night and I really thought by lunch I would be all kinds of crabby and head-achy. But I wasn't. I had my coffee and took my meds with my water and went on about work.....even when office-mate #1Tom waved Chocolate under my nose offering me a bon-bon before he knew I was fasting today. Nor was I the least bit bothered by office-mate #2 Wendy when she pulled out her pasta salad for her lunch.

I thought oh my gosh- by suppertime I will be ravenous, especially when  I'm making Broiled Pork steaks and roasties for hubby's supper....but again....nope.

Now I admit, I did have a bit of a tummy growl when one of the girls on Corrie was standing there with a package of Fig Rolls with her brew....but I got over it.
and here it is almost bedtime and guess what? I lived thru the day with not a morsel going in my mouth. That's 1500 cals saved.
Tomorrow, I will get up have a slice of toast and an egg. Then when hubby gets up around noon we will run into town and do errands and have a bite out somewhere. I'll eat normally- whatever I want but not overdoing it of course, then home and a very light supper. Maybe a sammich or a couple pieces of fruit.

Then Sunday will be a famine day again. That's going to be the really tough day for me. The day I usually do a nice Sunday dinner with meat and potatoes and gravy and rolls. But it will be okay.

I weighed this morning and I will see how much I lose at the end of the month.

Stay Tuned.

Food Orgy....

Okay so today's post is going to be a bit of a rant. I dont want to be the food police here but....

I go to all the trouble of cooking healthily, weighing out all the food into maximum serving sizes for me and husband...we eat- and then when he's finished with his meal he goes into the kitchen to put his plate away and grabs either two slices of bread and cheese for a nice Cheese sammich, or he grabs three slices of bread for a bread sammich. Or he grabs two individual bags of crisps an hour after supper is over....Or an entire bag of non-individual sized  crisps.

Why do I go to all that trouble if he is just going to add 600-800 calories MORE to the meal I just carefully measured out? 

It's frustrating for me, and I see him eating the nice tasty things I'm trying to avoid and it just makes me crave them.And I am the first one to admit I just have absolutely no self control when it comes to tasty foods. Especially carbs.

And then I get craving food watching him eat the Naughtys and I think to myself, oh, a little bit wont do that much damage...and so I get a little bit and then somehow I end up 800 calories over my daily limit- After being so careful the rest of the day.

It's driving me insane. But why should what he decides to do affect me and my journey. Because I love him and I want him to live a long time. I dont want to live past another loved ones life- especially my mate who I love more than my own life. I'm trying, but the little sneaks here and there add up too.

I need to put on blinders to what is going on around me....but for me- it's like a sex addict being put in the middle of a 12 day Orgy and expecting not to succumb to temptation.... The sight of it- the smells- the sounds.... It's torture.
Food torture.

Just saying......

Moving Right Along......

Okay, so it's been a while. 

I'm still working towards my weight loss goals.

I had a long few months of problems....Knee injuries,  a tumble down stairs,  stomach issues and a constant headache for months.  I've had tests and more tests and more tests and hopefully most of the issues have been settled in one way or another.

So all thru this I've still been eating thoughtfully....not totally healthfully, mind you, but mindful of how often I have treaty type things and how often I eat healthy food. Trying mostly to follow the 80/20 Plan.  It's kept me maintaining my weight, mostly, but not so much helping me along my journey to weight LOSS.

Hubby and I have been on holiday for the past 8 days and have two more days off too, so I've been able to both get back in the swing of cooking and eating healthily and at the same time having a treat now and again....and when we come off holiday Tuesday morning it will be back to a stricter regime.

I've been doing my workouts in front of the TV while hubby does his recording and live-streams for his YouTube and Twitch channels, and today- when I reached the 44 second mark on my plank....one second off from my goal..... My elbows just wouldn't let me go any further. I realized then I needed a bit more softness to go any further in my workouts....some of which require elbow and knee work and on a hardwood floor that just won't be happening.
So I went online, did some research and asked hubby to order me a 15mm thickness yoga mat on his Amazon Prime account so I can have it tomorrow. No fuss, no muss.

I'm also going to be eating salads from our local  cafe near work....One, I get a workout ie walk albeit a short one- and two I'll be eating healthily and not be tempted by all the yummy things at the supermarket... ie the Krispy Kreme display box at the entrance AND exit of it. Damn them all.

Especially when this week they're coming out with a Nutella glazed one. Again....damn them.

Krispy Kremes are my absolute downfall. I can sit and eat a dozen....or two. That started when I was expecting my firstborn son. My ex would disappear all weekend and my neighbor would come over and keep me company while he was gone. First thing on Friday evenings we would get in her car and go to the donuts shop and buy a dozen plain glazed....a dozen blueberry filled, lemon filled and custard filled... and another dozen bear claws, cinnamon buns and Cinnamon twister sticks.

We'd get all the gubbins for burgers and hotdogs and we would swim in our pool and shoot pool and watch movies all weekend when it was rainy out.
She made the loveliest hot dogs too- okay, I'm stopping that.

Anyway, so yes- We're back on the wagon again and it wont be so long that I post here next time.

Transformations.....

Well, Hello everyone!!!

Last weekend I wrote a huge big post about what was about to happen this weekend and just as I was about to hit save and publish, my laptop crashed and I lost it all. I was NOT a happy camper to say the least- so I'm going to attempt to re-create it in a more condensed (maybe) version.

So for the past 7 months, when I hit my last weight loss goal, I've been working on THIS weekend.
I promised myself on the last weekend of January I was going to transform myself. I was going to get to my NEXT weight-loss goal (still 3.5 lbs away from that but the show must go on regardless- a promise is a promise, am I right???!!),  I was going to change my hairstyle, I was going to have a whole new wardrobe, and I was going to start wearing makeup again. I modeled a bit in my teens but when I got married and started having babies, the make-up was the first thing to go when time and money started getting tight. But no more. Daily from now on.

As I was saying....Over the past 7 months I've been buying a new article of clothing-(mostly tops because I can wear them with my basics of trousers and capri pants and skirts). I buy an average of one new piece every couple of weeks. I deserve it. I'm buying the things in the size I am now- but I have a sewing machine and I'm making sure it's clothing that I can easily alter to fit me as I continue to lose more weight.
For the past 10 years I've worn mostly black. I lost my daddy and just as I was coming out of mourning clothes for him a couple of years later, I lost my son, Clay. I was back in the mourning colors again and there I have been until just recently. My new clothes have a pop of color to them.... I'm still buying a few things in black-(Never goes out of style and looks so elegant)- and in black and white prints, but I have quite a bit of bright reds and blues now too. Tans and rusts are in there and I also bought one top that is a cream with pale blue and lavender floral print- sort of orchid or lily ish...... I also have a couple of pinks...- and I FINALLY- after months of searching- found a beautiful classic sleeveless chiffon cream pussycat bow blouse that I LOVE!!!!!
I also bought two new pairs of slacks for work and two blazers....one the classic length- and one a longer more "cover my derriere" completely length one that will be perfect for wearing with leggings and  such.
I have a Military brass button style dress that I will wear as a tunic top instead(it's too sort for a dress for my taste and style)...... and I have two classic LBDs., only one is a LBD with a white panel in the front.  Love them both!!! And for those special nights out on the town I have a Red BodyCon dress with red trim that is certainly SMOKING HOT.

But enough about the clothes.

I've decided to go into business of Cosmetics. I'm now a presenter for the Younique line of cosmetics. I went thru my makeup last weekend and got rid of the outdated stuff and went back to a couple of basics with my new presenters kit. The kit now holds samples of all the products- and this is what my personal make-up case looks like now..... it used to be two cases like this FULL....

Presenters Kit......

  If you are interested in learning more, send me a message and I'll get back with you.

Anyway, so usually I look like this......

That's me in the office.

 And yesterday I went to my salon looking like this......

Oh, the damage I did to my skin lying in the sun when I was a teen!!!! My neck and chest caught the worst of it...I fell asleep sunbathing one day while my parents were at my grandparents house for the day and when I woke up it was almost dark and I was burnt. And when I say burnt- I mean I had blisters...that bled. Sun Poisoning. I'm lucky I don't have scars from that lapse of good sense, but it's bad enough as it is and no amount of skin care or creams and lotions will help it now. Lesson Learned.
This is the hairstyle I was going for.....

 ...but after trimming off all the damaged hair, my fringe(bangs) wasn't nearly long enough- and actually were way too short for my liking as you will see, but it's okay- she cut it into the style I wanted anyway and after the perm wave softens a couple of weeks and  my hair grows out a couple of months it will be more like what I envisioned. and I quite liked the result anyway.....

Very Hollywood......

See? Bangs not nearly long enough for the proper quiff, but it will get there....

Now after a while the bangs really started bugging me- so I grabbed my Alice Band and pulled them back- smoothed a bit of the curl down, put on my full makeup- and this is the result!!!

I LOVE IT!

All I need now is a wiggle dress or two- but that will be my reward for my NEXT weight loss goal!!! And I'm thinking I'm getting a jump start on that too since I'm doing the Sugar-Free February Challenge...shortest month of the year, yes...but it's also Valentines Day AND my birthday month, too!!! So maybe instead of chocolates maybe I'll get flowers this year???????

So what do you think?  It's all smoke and mirrors anyway. I'm still me under all that change.

Welcome to 2016

Yikes..... Has it really been that long since I posted on here? Mid May-2015??????

Well, I may not have posted but I've been plugging away at it, anyway. Until Halloween, that is. Then it all seemed to go out the window. Bad weather hit- Halloween with all the goodies- I was a hot mess of eating rubbish. All the way thru December. Then, I weighed the day after Christmas- dreading to look at the numbers- and was seriously confused when I found out I had only gained a lb.

Yes- ONE SINGLE POUND.

That was a bit worrying considering the amount of sweets and carbs I had consumed over the past couple of months, but then I thought- Why look a gift horse in the mouth? Take it and RUN with it into the new year- and what's more- let's get a head start on those New Year Resolutions everyone is so gung-ho about making.
I've never been a big fan of making them- the best I can do and hope to keep is to say I will try to do better and be better than I was the previous year. And that's worked out so far for me.

I've went back to working with my FitBit and logging all my food and water and exercise and such. I still am in love with that device.
Well, anyway- to finish up the story- I weighed  yesterday morning- a week after my last weigh-in, and according to the scales- after taking care to log and be more aware of what I ate- I have lost 7.5 lbs.

I'll take it.

Test Results In- If I were a Horse, They'd Shoot Me.

Well, it's been a while since I posted, but there's been a perfectly good reason.

I've been a bit ill. I've been in the hospital and then in the doctors for lots and lots and LOTS of tests.

I went for the final results of all the tests last Monday- and this is what the outcome is.

I'm in post menopause. My blood pressure is sky high. I'm depressed. I'm exhausted.  I'm over weight. I'm slightly asthmatic. And I'm one point away from being a diabetic.

If I were a horse they would take me out back and shoot me.

What are we doing about it?

1) The doctor put me on an inhaler and is referring me to a sleep clinic for the asthma and sleep problems.

2)She also put me on HRT with my approval for the depression, and stress and which are both- along with the breathing problems caused in part by the menopause.

3) She's referred me to a Blood Pressure clinic where I have to go have my blood pressure checked on a regular basis.

4) She's strongly suggested going on a diet and exercise program and sticking to it until my excess weight is gone and my blood sugar numbers return to closer to normal. She said at one point away from the Diabetic Line I may as well act like I am already there- BUT I can make it better by following her recommendations.

Over the past week, I've started on the HRT tablets and am seeing a tiny bit of difference in my sleep and my mood swings. I was to the point I was crying all the time. I'm not even joking- I would be on top of the world one second and the next- anything made me cry- just burst into tears for no reason at all.....well, I obviously thought there was a reason, but it was anything from the advert on TV was sad, to Paul said I looked nice, to the Guinea pig must feel lonely, to it's started raining again. I even cried once because the toilet roll needed changing. I'm not joking an iota.

I have never been this moody and upset all the time in my life. With Two exceptions....the first few months after my daddy passed away- and the same with my son. When I think about them I still get terribly upset like that- but there's a difference between being upset over missing/losing your loved ones and being upset that badly over the toilet roll needing changing.
The doctor asked me why I hadn't asked about HRT sooner  as it could have alleviated a lot of these symptoms much sooner for me. (Apparently, I have been going thru pre/peri Menopause for about the past 8 or 9 years.)
 I explained that from the studies I had read on HRT women with a history of cancers in their family have a greater chance of getting it if they are on HRT. And they way my luck runs, I didn't think it was worth the risk with the history of cancers in my family.

Why am I open to the option now? Quite simply- Quality of Life.
I'm at my wits end being so emotional all the time. I'm faking being happy more than I spent  actually being happy.  And I've reached a point I'm thinking- I don't care anymore- I'd rather take the HRT with the small chance of getting cancer somewhere down the line in a few years and have these symptoms alleviated and be able to be happy again the rest of my life than to feel the kind of depression and misery I was feeling without it.

 I researched  diets and eating plans and came to the conclusion that the Clean Food  Eating Plan was best for my weight loss/ high blood pressure/ diabetes issues. I allow myself one small glass of diet soda and one small cup of coffee a day...(non dairy creamer only for the coffee). The rest of the time it's at LEAST 2 litres of water a day.

I have to choose my clean foods carefully because of the GI content- but I can have the high GI foods occasionally.

I can have treat meals where I have anything I like occasionally...but there is the key word- OCCASIONALLY.

I can also eat out- as I learned this weekend.
We went out to town and hubby asked where I wanted to eat lunch. I said SUBWAY since I knew I could get a Clean salad there. But when we arrived it was packed OUT. So across the road was The Chinese Buffet. I was skeptical(hahaha) of eating there as I was sure they wouldn't have more than a couple of foods there I could eat- even on their salad bar- but lo and behold I managed to have a LOVELY CLEAN lunch!!!
I had Tuna, Lettuce, olives, beetroot and boiled eggs.. It was lovely!!!   My usual fare there is  Chicken Nuggets, Salt n Pepper chips(my fav), onion rings and sweet n sour chicken ...maybe even some naan bread.

I've stopped eating anything sweet except fruit. No added sugar to anything. I have given up chocolate full stop- except for the VERY special occasion. The first three days, the withdrawal were absolute HELL. But the past two days hubby has turned to me and offered me a tiny little chocolate covered cookie and I had no desire for it. Not even tempted in the least.

And I've been walking....Up and down the stairs at work when the weather is bad, when it's nice I've walked to the doctors office for my blood pressure check and for my meds at the pharmacy next door to it (on my lunch hour) . Hubby and I had a nice long walk around town on Saturday too. Sunday I'm doing my exercise video or yoga.(Pretty much a day of rest but I'm still doing SOMETHING for exercise.)

Since Monday when I found out all the test results and starting on the Clean Food Eating plan, I've lost a grand total of....6 pounds.

I know that's mostly my body sloughing off the excess fluids, but it's headed in the right direction.

So now you know...The Rest Of The Story. (Trademark *Paul Harvey)