Leigh's Losing Diary

Hi everyone,

I've been meaning to start a diary thread all this week, so here goes!

I just wanted somewhere I could post when I felt like I'd made and achievement, even if it's just a little one (like saying no to a Worthers Original on my driving lesson last week on my first day!). Or even better, somewhere I could post when I'm not feeling up to it.

In my introduction thread (http://www.minimins.com/introductions/241047-no-more-complaining.html), I've outlined my goals and reasoning for losing weight. My final goal isn't really to be a certain weight or size, I would just love a body I am happy with.

However, as I am starting at 13st 9, I am attempting to lose three and half stone just to get myself down to a nice weight. If I reach my perfect body before then, I will stop trying to lose and start trying to maintain. Hopefully this thread will help me with that

I've been vegetarian for nearly ten years now, so I'm following the Green plan only.

I am trying to walk 100k steps in two weeks - Follow my progress here: http://www.minimins.com/challenges-weight-loss-otherwise/241561-100k-step-challenge.html

Any questions, just ask

Thank you

Today is the first day of my second week. I weighed in this morning, and counted my first loss of 2lb. Well, ish - my scales aren't the best and kept flicking from 13st 7 to 13st 8 but was mostly 7 so I'm considering a 2lb loss. I'm not completely happy, 2lb is a good loss but I was hoping for 3 in my first week. I only had one slip up last week - I went out on Friday night and planned to have 3 single rums to keep me in my sins for the day, but ended up having 3 doubles and two pints of cider, whoops... but I was still within my limit for the week. Looking for a better outcome this week.

Morning

Every Tuesday, there is a fruit and veg stall in the town I work in that I go to stock up for the week. Today I bought the most I've ever bought from there!

2kg potatoes - 69p
3 figs - £1
Punnet of grapes - £1.50

The rest is by weight so not sure how much individually:
1 red pepper
5 medium carrots
2 conference pears
2 red pears
1 plum
4 bananas
10 mushrooms

All for £4!

Spent a total of about £7.20 and got a big bag of fresh fruit and veg on top of the huge bag of potatoes. Very pleased Going to be making a Quorn sausage casserole tonight or tomorrow with the carrots, pepper and mushrooms. I'll be having a mini jacket potato (well, microwaved!) for lunch today with a salad, and the rest of the fruit is for snacking on at work. My desk looks like a greengrocers!

Had my first 'treat' last night. Was feeling a bit down so I went to the shop and bought a bag of Quavers. I didn't eat the full packet though, only about 3 syns worth, so I have another 2.5 syns worth left for the next time I fancy something bad for me! Everything in moderation

Had all five of my five-a-day in a fruit salad for breakfast this morning - An apple, a banana, a plum, a pear and a bunch of grapes, chopped up and covered in Alpro yoghurt. Took me about half an hour to eat it and kept me full til lunch.

I don't quite feel like I'm on a diet, I just feel like I'm cutting out all the crap I was eating before - all the takeaways, alcohol, treats etc. but the main foods are eating are pretty much exactly the same, if not just altered slightly. I don't feel like I'm going to lose anything because I don't feel like I've worked enough. I think only losing two pounds in my first week has made me think this. Perhaps when I start doing exercise I'll feel like I'm doing something different.

Hi Leigh,
Just to let you know,I have just read your weight loss diary thread.
i am new to this forum and love the help and support that it offers!
I am currently on day 18 and have lost 7lbs so far! 5lbs the first week and 2 last week.Like you,am following green plan,mainly because I have had 2 red days this week,but not enjoyed them as much.
I think 2lbs off is a great start! I will keep reading your diary and wish you the best of luck!

Thank you debs
Well done on your loss so far, hope you keep it up! Hopefully I will hit the half stone mark soon too.

Went out last night and ended up having a lot of whisky and rum, about 4 singles and 7 doubles. I've already cut myself down to drinking one day a week, and switching from cider and black to spirits. I used to drink at least twice a week, drinking around 5 pints on a Tuesday and around 8 on a Friday. Sometimes I would drink at home or sometimes we would go to the pub through the week. Each pint of cider and black is 12 syns each, while a single spirit is 2.5, so switching to rum/whiskey is definitely going to help, but it's difficult when I enjoy cider so much. I wouldn't mind not going out at all to be honest, but it's not fair on my boyfriend, and I do enjoy going out every week after being at work. I think switching from a pint to a short has made a difference as I drink them much quicker, so I didn't realise how much I'd actually drunk last night.

If nothing else, I think just cutting out the cider should make me lose anyway! Let's see at weigh in on Monday.

Hi Leigh, good luck for your weigh in tomorrow! My weigh ins tomorrow too! As I dont go to class, will weigh in first thing! Have been 100% for 3 weeks, although sometimes feel bloated! I love red wine and used to drink plenty of the stuff! I believe this has been a huge factor in my weight problem. I have decided, that for a while gonna lay off the stuff, but know that my social life will suffer as a consequence! It's catch 22, dont you think, alcohol is a pleasure, but weakens our resolve!!

Thank you debs, how did your weigh in go?

I lost 1lb yesterday, bringing a total of 3lb in two weeks. I am a bit disappointed but at least I've lost. I'm thinking about it in term of what I've gained recently. I put on about half a stone in about three months, so I guess losing half of what I put on in two weeks is good, but at this rate, it's going to take me a month just to get rid of that, then onto the hard stuff!

I think there are two things I could do better:

1. Cut out alcohol completely (which I really don't wan't to do)
2. Do more exercise

The only thing I have gone over my syn limit on so far is alcohol. My problem is that I can't just have one, once I've had one I want to keep drinking, so it's best to cut it out completely if I can't contain myself. I am doing well to stop myself going into the takeaway on the way home from a night out, but it does put me in a foul mood, which is not fair on my boyfriend at all.

I know I definitely need to get more exercise in my daily routine. I've been counting my steps with a pedometer, and today I reached my target of 100k steps. I did this in 15 days, which averages at 6,666 steps per day. It's recommended you do 10k a day so I'm thinking of better ways to get the steps in.
Ideas:

1. Walk to people's desks instead of emailing at the office
2. Go for a walk at lunchtime
3. Get off the bus a stop early on the way home (I already get off an extra ten minute walk away on the way to work)
4. Do more on a weekend
5. Go out for walks
6. Take the long way round

Not sure of any more... ideas welcome!

I'm also going to start doing my Body Magic awards. I've learnt from this thread that to get the awards you need to do:

- Bronze: 45 mins per week, split over at least 3 days per week, maintained for 4 weeks
- Silver: 90 mins per week, split over at least 3 days per week, maintained for 4 weeks
- Gold: 150 mins per week, split over at least 3 days per week, maintained for 8 weeks
- Platinum: 150 mins per week, split over at least 3 days per week, maintained for 8 weeks

I think I will start doing at least 15 mins on a Tuesday, at least 15 mins on a Thursday, and at least 15 mins on a weekend. Will then increase this to 30 mins for silver, then an hour through the week and half on hour on the weekend for gold and platinum.

Going to start tonight with Wii Fit, perhaps some DDR and maybe some Zumba. I could do with looking into different types of exercises, maybe doing cardio one night, muscle another, etc.

I think I'm going to start doing silly little extra bits too, like doing ten star jumps every time I go to the loo, or two laps around my desk when I need a drink...

Need to brainstorm!!


Ideas are welcome

Well I did 30 mins of Wii Fit last night, and I've hurt my ankle. Typical!!

I did a mix of aerobics, yoga and muscle workouts. Think I must've hurt my foot while doing step aerobics or jogging. Did quite well at the yoga though, impressed myself Never really bothered with them before, but this I'm going to try to include them more. Same with the muscle workouts.

Still that's 1/3 exercise sessions done for this week!

I really want a bag of crisps

Did you have your crisps? If you want them have them but count them in your syns. I find when I really want something I can't stop thinking about it till I have it. Also try and go for a lower syn packet. x

Just been reading your diary and I really want to start with Body Magic too but need to have a good read through my book to see what I need to do.
Well done on the weight loss so far and keep it up!!! It'll all be worth it in the end xxx

Hi holpops, no I didn't have any in the first place!! I just fancied a big bag of Kettle chips or something lol. I did have some Quavers last week, but just wasn't the same!

I know what you mean about when you get something in your head. I watched a program that had sushi making on it, and now I really want to make my own sushi!! I've been buying premade packs from Sainsburys (1.5 syns for the vege one!) in the mean time, but really want to try making my own.

Hi Sarah Lou, thank you for your support Congratulations to yourself! Wish I had losses like that. I think Body Magic (aka plain old exercise!) will be the key to me losing weight. Good luck to you when you get started. Will you be going for the awards? Let me know if you come across any good suggestions when looking through your books!

On the Body Magic note, I walked almost 4 miles last night from my house to the city centre and back again, so very pleased with my progress there Had just one drink while in town, a single rum but had lots of diet coke with it so it lasted me a while. If the bands were better I would've stayed for another but luckily for my diet they weren't!

So that 2/3 BMs done for this week

I get the feeling this weekend is going to be a bit difficult to stick with the plan. It's my sister's birthday and we are going out tonight, tomorrow afternoon/night, and having a big dinner on Sunday. I'm not sure whether to relax a bit as I know it's going to be tough, or try my best to get through it. I think either way, I am not expecting a loss on Monday.

I think as long as I'm not too silly and make good choices (sticking to spirits instead of cider), I should be okay. I don't know if I will actually be able to do it though (again with once you've got an idea in your head!!)

Will try to update tomorrow, but I will be having a busy weekend so might not be until Monday. Wish me luck!

Thanks Really dont know whats happening but its just fallen off this week! Although I have tried mega hard. Just mindful that it will slow down soon so need to crack on with the exercise.....which I hate!!! Thinking I'm gonna start with three sessions on xbox kinect a week. Its a proper killer if you do it right and my friend has lent me the biggest loser game. Still forgot to read my books so dont know how many sessions of how many minutes I need to do for my bronze. Am on days off mon-thurs this week so no excuse really :s xx

Well, everything went to pot this weekend, as predicted.

I had lots of cider (didn't even bother counting), a takeaway, some crisps and a piece of birthday cake. And it was all delicious! Not much else that I had was particularly bad, easily less that 15 syns per day, it's just the takeaway and the cider that sent me over.

Paying for it today though, had a 1lb gain. I'm aiming at a pound a week loss, and losing two in my first week meant I had to stay the same to be on target. I'm not too mad at myself, I knew it was going to happen so I'm just going to ignore it and carry on. I'm not going out at all this weekend, but I know I will be having a similar weekend in about two weeks so I just need to be goo between now and then.

In terms of Body Magic, I went out on Friday and Saturday night and was dancing away on both nights. I usually go out on a Friday anyway, but I danced more on Saturday night while I usually just stay in, so I think that counts.

However, I'm not going to count this week for my award. I feel like I'm cheating myself into it, as I'm not really going out of my way for them. The Wii Fit session I did was fair enough, but I want to have three proper workouts a week and then anything else is just an added bonus. Else I feel like I haven't earned it I don't think I am actually benefiting in the long run.

Need a better plan for this week!

Don't let that one pound dishearten you, you'll easily get that off. it is so hard when there's social events especially with Christmas coming up. This is something that is also a battle for me. I go with the best intentions of being good but then it doesn't happen. X

Hi leigh, sorry only just realised you had requested results of my weigh in! Well last week only lost half a pound, and initially was a tad disappointed, but soon realised it was still a loss! This week though I lost 2 and a half pounds, so glad I kept on straight and narrow! Had NO ALCOHOL since being on the plan for 30 days, and used to have wine most days! I think it would weaken my resolve and have made the painful decision to stay off it, for a while arghh...... Hope you have got yourself back on plan now, am sure you have! Here's hoping for a good loss for you this week!!