Saturday 10 March 2012

Weight. Now There is More!!



If you've been hanging around here for a little while, you may remember this post.  It was back in mid January.....Things started ok, then February came along and so did a kilo or two extra.  I just seemed to lose my way.

I'm normally a relatively healthy eater, but a massive addiction to sugar just wouldn't go away.  I don't know where it came from or why, but a day didn't pass without chocolate, biscuits, a cake of some description....these goodies are ok as a treat, but not something that should be an everyday occurrence in my opinion.










































The results of all of this have been some more extra kilos....skin that has broken out in spots, that even SKII had problems dealing with (this stuff usually has my skin glowing...but even this face cream gave up!!) overwhelming tiredness, and unexplained aches and pains and a return of sciatica, that I know is weight related.

A serious call to action was required as I really feel heading into my 45th year, if I don't get all of this under control now, I never will.  I don't like feeling like this, and I hate looking like this.  I'm really not making the best of what I have.  I know I've looked a million times better than I do now.  I've lost interest in going out, other than with my close friends....I have a wardrobe of beautiful clothes but I'm living my life in a stretchy skirt and an up-sized pair of trousers that I had to purchase because none of my others fit.... a few tops that don't require buttoning up over my boobs, that have also gone up a size and half!  And now half the time I don't even bother with makeup anymore because I figure what is the point.

The penny has now dropped, I caught sight of myself in a window the other day and didn't recognise the person staring back at me, then I read Tammi's blog at Little Poppa.  It was then that I knew that I had to make a serious effort before any serious health problems kicked in...my Dad died around 6 years ago from a heart attack, his sister also had a heart attack, she luckily survived, so I want to try and avoid that myself.  I also knew this time I needed a bit of help.  As much as I like to think I can work these things out myself,  this time I've enlisted the help of Weight Watchers.  I know these sort of programs aren't for everyone, and I have gone to WW in the past with moderate success, but the thought of sitting in those meetings with others, discussing low fat Philly cream cheese and how many points in a Ryvita just drove me away in the end.

Weight Watchers Australia now have set up shop in selected department stores across the country.  I am paying a slight premium to have a one on one meeting each week with a consultant to discuss MY eating issues and not have to listen to others.  I don't have to suffer the indignity of a possible weight gain in front of others, and the new program seems to be more aimed at healthier options and choices rather than the fact that the old program had the same points value for a biscuit and a banana....and I know what most people would prefer and it ain't the banana!!

My first day on this program was yesterday....I'm using a diary to record my food intake, I've also paid 13 visits in advance so I'm committed to this 100%.  I will be sharing my results here each week after my weigh in just because I think it's another way for me to keep it honest and real, and maybe there are others that are happy to join in, or share their stories. 

This is not all about the food either, it's also about the exercise and they go hand in hand in my opinion.  I've started to park my car about 25 minutes away from my work place....I then walk the remaining distance into work and back, so that's around 45 to 50 minutes of walking a day, normally carrying a bag of groceries.

I'm going back to Pilates....great for building long lean muscle and also I need to strengthen my core to help sort out the sciatica.  I started Pilates around 6 years ago and was going twice a week back then, it made an amazing difference to my shape and funnily enough my height due to the fact that your posture changes.....I haven't been in around 2 years so it's going to be a very sore couple of weeks whilst my muscles go into some sort of shock before settling back down.




























Here is my first page of my diary....I did fill it out slightly wrong (note to self, read the fill in instruction first) but it certainly worked writing out what I ate, knowing how much more I could eat, and then funnily enough realising I was completely satisfied at the end of the day and didn't feel like I needed to go hunting for a snack after dinner last night.

I'm not going to reveal my weight, I might do that at the end of the journey, but I will reveal my height. I'm quite tall at 175cm or 5ft 9...so I do tend to carry more weight and being tall it's more evenly spread is probably the way I'd say it.

Well I've been eating my breakfast whilst typing this blog.....1 slice of grainy toast with organic peanut butter and a banana smoothie, hopefully that should keep me going till lunchtime....I'm off to do some knitting before heading out for a walk. 


Enjoy your day

vicki x

5 comments:

  1. good girl, i'm doing the same sort of thing at the moment, though not quite the weight watchers approach. as a vegetarian, my main source of calories should come from vegetables, fruit and protein. but it doesn't. my health has suffered and certainly my skin. since changing things a few weeks ago i feel stronger (yoga) and have more energy, and my skin has started to clear. don't have any scales but there are certainly some clothes that need to fit me again. one day at a time. we'll get there!

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  2. Good on you! And great to keep accountable too. I can't afford to do WW or similar at the moment, but I'm dobbing myself into some friends instead. Must shift this baby weight, and then some! I'm sick of having so many lovely clothes that don't fit and I'm determined not to get rid of them but to fit into them! Anyway, I'm off to a run to the farmers market to get some fruit! Nothing like a big bag of apples to keep my sweet tooth at bay.

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  3. I should add that a couple of months ago I couldn't have run to save my life due to back issues; I bet your sciatica will thank you before you know it.

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  4. Ok Vicki I'm with you! My brother died very suddenly of heart problems at 50 and I know what I should be doing but don't always do...and yes I am also looking at clothes in my wardrobe that don't fit!!! I am 51 next week and now is the time to do it...

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  5. Bravo Vicki!! It amazes me just how toxic certain foods can be. I have been battling hypertension for about 10 yrs now..a few times it has been that high that I have suffered with migraines for weeks at a time and Doctors feared I would have a stroke. After seeing how much my brother in law has deteriorated from being in renal failure for unmanaged hypertension, I was totally freaked out. Physically, Doctors couldn't give me a reason for why mine was so high as every test they ran came back negative and meds just never lowered it enough. Out of share frustration I turned to a Naturopath who stated that 90% of disease and illness can be traced back to diet/lifestyle. She encouraged me to cut out most grains, all starches, sugar, dairy and meat..essentially I am eating a strict vegetarian diet, but I feel amazing, am sleeping soundly and better still...my bp is that low now that I have stopped all meds. I have every faith that you will beat this weight issue and we'll be right behind you cheering you on :)
    x

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