The Final Countdown ...

40 days and 40 nights

2009-06-30T20:07:00.002+01:00

So tomorrow is the 1st of July - 40 days until I go to Dublin for a 5 day holiday with my friend to celebrate her birthday - and is going to be the start of my next countdown. A new countdown needs new targets so here we go:

1) Make packed lunches for work everyday (and actually eat them) - buying lunch from pret/eat/m&s costs a small fortune and means you eat more than you would normally

2) Remember 'all or nothing' is a destructive approach to eating - make sensible choices and do not go overboard

3) Stop thinking of food as 'good' or 'bad' - is it the amount of it you eat and how you eat it that determines it's affect on your body

4) Go to the gym at least 5 times a week and focus on more weight/strength training alongside cardio

5) Lose 14lbs (I know this is a high target but need something to reach for to stop getting complacent)

6) Cut out Alcohol apart from on special occasions (e.g. none at all during the week and not at the weekend unless for friend's birthday etc, normal weekend night does not count as a special occasion)

7) Be able to wear a size 16 (US size 12 I think?) so I can shop in Topshop/Miss Selfridge etc and start to really enjoy clothes!

So that is that. 40 days to make another change in my life - bring. it. on!!

xxx

Honey, I'm home!

2009-06-30T20:02:00.002+01:00

So after a week long break for Glastonbury, I am back!! I had so much fun dancing around muddy fields for 5 days - watching amazing bands, looking at brilliant art, making new friends and just having too much fun - but I am back now and ready to go.

Today has been all about unpacking, sorting myself out and trying to make myself feel human again (which has required lots of showers, naps, exfoliator and after-sun!) but I think I am getting there. Trying to catch up on a week of tweets, blogs, emails etc. has been hard so apologies if I have not picked up on something I should have!

So my target was going to be a mini-break I have coming up at the end of July but I have decided to push it back to be able to make some real changes - the 78 days I had for Glasto seemed to do the trick. I have a 5 day holiday to Dublin in the middle of August so that is my new target. Going to post my targets now.

So that's it for this post - just to say I am back, had a great time, missed you all and look forward to this next stage of my adventures and look forward to reading all about yours! xx

36 days till target - spinning around

2009-06-19T20:40:00.002+01:00

Today was cardio day at the gym so I was happy to get my daily cardio dose. After realising that maybe I'm not too much of a danger to myself on the spinning bike I did a 40 minute video class. It was pretty good with some big ol' hills. The words 'Standing Climb' now put terror into me! In all honesty though I actually enjoyed it and think I might do it again tomorrow. I have long legs so would be nice to get them look hot.

Had to get lunch from a different place (pret and not m&s if that means anything to you) so had less choice and they don't put the cals/fat on the packets so was tough making a choice. Went for a smoked salmon sandwich and a pot of grapes. Had a couple of chocolates at work this afternoon and managed to not employ my usual approach of having something 'bad' and then going totally off the rails so I guess I am making progress!

Not much to report on today and have a weekend of packing as I am off to Glastonbury on monday night and can't wait!!!

Hope you've all had excellent days xx

37 days to target - addicted

2009-06-18T19:14:00.002+01:00

I'm here to make a confession, I'm addicted.

When I wake up it is my first thought, it's why I wake up so early. As soon as I get in the car it is the first thing I think about - how am I going to get my fix. Once I get my first taste I know I am safe but this doesn't last for long. Soon I am wondering if I am getting enough, is this the latest way the kids are doing it, should I be doing it differently?

Then my time comes to an end and I have to stop for the day. Still thinking I might not have got enough. Yes, that's right...I am addicted........to Cardio.

Honestly people!! I can't get enough. This morning I did 30 mins cardio and 30 mins weights (or tried to as there are new weight machines at the gym and had to figure them out but that's another story). But the whole time I could only think that maybe I should be doing more cardio, that it's "better" than weights. I need to snap out of my sordid love affair with cardio and start seeing weights as just as valuable!!

Today has been another great day. There are spinning bikes at the gym now in the main area (not just in the spinning room) so I did about 15 mins on there and 20 mins on the cross trainer. Also tried to navigate the new weight machines for 30 mins. Food has been great today and think I may have got my sense back when it comes to food and watching what/how much I eat.

So how are all of your days? any addiction confessions to make? anyone want to join cardio-aholics with me?! xx

38 days till target - born to run

2009-06-17T19:10:00.002+01:00

Been thinking about my blog all day and what I wanted to share with everyone. Had to hold myself back as going to post once a day so I don't overdose on blogging (I know what I'm like when it comes to going over the top!)

So this morning I was up nice and early and weighed myself. Although I have lost weight over the last 9 or so weeks, I am taking this point as my fresh start and so this will be weigh in number one...

Weight - 217lbs

Fat percentage - 35.9%

This means that my target for 38 days time will be 203lbs.

My early start meant I was at the gym before the doors opened - I felt this confirmed my official entry into the early birds club at the gym. I have been bobbing around on the edge of the group for a couple of weeks but everyone decided to welcome me into the gang and I took part in that awkward British tradition of chatting to people you don't really know to be polite.

At the gym I did my first day of the c25k programme. I was feeling quite smug and was jogging away happily until I got about half way through and was ready to give up, I considered it and then realised I would never get anywhere with that attitude so I carried on and did it. I felt great but did not look it - that think should come with a warning about just how red your chubby face will go! At the gym I also climbed the leaning tower of pisa (on the stepper!) cycled 20 mins and did 30 mins on cross trainer. So hurrah, that is 90 mins of Cardio done.

Work was hectic today and have a long and intense meeting with my boss tomorrow to present my findings on a project so didn't have much time to myself today. Had a good lunch from Marks & Spencer's and managed to avoid the pitfalls of the 4pm boredom/hunger combination thanks to the amount of water I drank today!

I'm sure I had more to share with everyone but I will sign out for today. I've just had my dinner (salmon, salad, pitta bread, sweetcorn) and know I can say that today has been an amazing day and bring on the next 37 days!!

Thanks to everyone on here/twitter for your support, I am amazed anyone would want to read my rambling thoughts let alone have something to say in response so thank you all. Big hugs to everyone!

S.M.A.R.T Goals for mini-break weekend

2009-06-16T20:35:00.003+01:00

In 38 days time I have a mini-break/weekend away with my friend and need to look good for it. This is my first blog target and it brings in with it a new tradition, setting SMART goals. I work in marketing and my life revolves around acronyms so get learning:

S - Specific

M - Measurable

A - Attainable

R - Realistic

T - Timely

So here we go - targets for the 38 day mini-break countdown:

Lose 14lbs
Weigh myself only once per week
Work up to 20 minutes of jogging on the treadmill
Go to the gym six days a week - 3 days = 90 mins of cardio, 3 days = 30 mins of cardio and 30 mins of weights
Try at least one food I think I don't like a week (I am notoriously fussy and claim to not like most things regardless of if I have ever even tried them)
Blog once a day when I am at home and keep trying to give all the amazing people who support me lots of support back
Drink at least 1.5 litres of water a day
Stop the 'all or nothing mentality' (one biscuit does not mean you may as well eat the whole packet, if I cut my finger I would not think it would be worth chopping my arm off so why do I think it applies to food?)

Think that is enough to be going on with!! Hopefully they are all 'smart' and looking forward to putting them into practice.

Thanks for stopping by

2009-06-16T20:24:00.004+01:00

well what to say, I have been used to the safety of 140 characters on twitter so feel a bit exposed now!! Here goes nothing...

I started my little weight loss mission about 70 days ago to lose some weight for Glastonbury festival - I did quite well and lost about 30 pounds but now my goal is close I have fallen off the bandwagon in spectacular style and have fallen back into my old ways of secretive binge eating. This blog is going to be my new focus, I love twitter and have found so amazing people on there who I will talk about over the next week, but I need something where I can tell a longer story and focus on my health and weight.

My plan here is to always be counting down to something, whether it be a weekend away, a reunion with friends, a gig, my birthday or a special evening out. The countdown in the sidebar is my reminder that I could be that much closer to my goals.

I am a traditional Scorpio and fully embrace the 'all or nothing' fierce mentality when it comes to weight loss. So sit down, strap yourselves in and enjoy the ride.

xxx