Day 141 (PP)

Weight - 14 stone 10.5llbs / 206.5llbs / 93.66kgs

1.5llbs gone - woohoo! Some movement!

Last night I went on my cross trainer instead of walking and I must say I prefer walking! That is something I NEVER thought I would say.
I really struggle to find shoes that fit well, I have wide feet / toes, shoes tend to taper off towards the toes and this doesnt suit my feet, my little toes get really squashed (hence blisters). This weekends task is to find some trainers that fit nicely for walking, I think I will keep doing the cross trainer until my feet are healed.

If anyone can recommend some comfy makes of trainers that would be a great help!

Hope everyone is having a good day, off to get my porridge and do my stretches / weights now. xoxo

Yesterdays post! Day 140 (P&V)

Weight - SAME.

I'M ACHING............ (especially muscles next to my shins, ouch!) They obviously aren't used to being stretched. HeHe.

3 Blisters! (Big AAAWWW please!)

Its funny how you think a pair of shoes or trainer are comfortable until you try walking in them for exercise! My feet are killing.

Exercise for 28/2/2012.
Dukan arm exercises - 15.
Wall pushups - 15.
Overhead exercises with dumbbells for triceps - 15.
Waist Twists - 100 (50 each side).

My feet were hurting so much I didnt do 30 minute walk as I couldnt find any shoes that were comfy enough.

But I did do 30 minutes on my cross trainer IN MY SOCKS!!!!! very comfy.........

Wore my cotton trousers and top (thankfully no hives or rash appeared), dont know how far I went (need to change batteries). I felt more out of breath and hotter than I have done walking, so it must have been a similar workout to the walk.

I dragged myself out!

Weight - SAME.

Dreadful nights sleep again courtesy of my darling daughter.

This morning I did some weights, nothing too heavy, 2kg dumbbells, the exercises I did were to tone my triceps. Did 80 waist twists (trim down waist). Don't know if dancing around with my daughter counts but it was fun teaching her the twist!!!!!! LOL.

This afternoon went shopping for summer clothes for my daughter with my sister and then back to her place for coffee. I was shattered, I have a blister on the back of my foot, legs are killing.

CAN YOU SEE THE EXCUSES PILING UP FOR NOT GOING OUT FOR A WALK????????

HAHA - BUT I DID! WOOHOO!!!!!

My body is fighting me all the way, but I did it. I just have another blister to add to my collection. LOL.

I definitely think my body is starting to put up some resistance to my losing weight now, but I feel healthy, I'm happy with this eating plan, so I will stick with it. Looking back at my food diary one thing I did notice is that my water intake has gone up, I'd not really noticed but the past few weeks I have been drinking way too much (6L+ and thats not including tea/coffee - YIKES!!!). Drinking becomes quite addictive for me (obsessive personality), the more I drink, the thirstier I become, but I am definitely going to try and cut it back a little this week and see if that makes any difference.

Hope everyone else has had a great day xoxo

27 Feb 2012 - 30 minute walk - (2 miles / 3.2kms)

The lightbulb has FINALLY gone off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I say lightbulb I mean the Exercise lightbulb!

I know you must think me slow, Ive been on the diet for about 4.5 months, surely I should have got it by now! But when exercise / even being generally active has never been a part of your life, its a hard pill to take. But over the past few days, its been dawning on me that whether I like it or not, exercise is the only way that I can make my transformation complete, the only way I will be able to lose weight and tone and the only way I will be able to consolidate and stabilize my weight forever, because trust me I will NOT put this weight back on again, EVER!!!!!!!

So far on this weight loss journey, I have ignored exercise or made token efforts, but in all honesty, only a few times. But the more weight I lose, the more I feel ready and motivated to make this a permanent addition to my DAILY ROUTINE.

Tonight as I was waving my husband and daughter goodbye (they were going to visit his parents) I was thinking half heartedly of going for a walk, I've had the urge to walk all day but as Ive always done, I pushed it to one side in favour of washing, cooking, cleaning, and the list goes on. I was just about to close the door when I saw a little old lady walking her dog and I thought "there's something wrong here, if a pensioner can do it, surely I can!" So I got my coat and shoes on, grabbed my ipod and ran out of the house before I could change my mind!

I walked hell for leather for 10 minutes (from my house to the town hall - 0.7 miles / 1.1 km) and turned around, it took me 15 minutes to get home again, so I was alot slower!!! I was surprised that when I got home I wasn't overly tired or out of breath but my legs were aching, all the muscles under my bum were starting to seize up. I'm eager to improve my fitness and I will be putting my exercise on my blog everyday, make sure wont you.

26 Feb 2012 - 25 minute walk (1.4 miles / 2.2 kms).

xoxo

Half a pound gone!

Weigh In - 14st 12llbs / 208llbs / 94.34kilos - Feeling good and a loss!

Don't think I will make my next goal by 10th March, I was being very optimistic, but I'm sure going to try. Time to step it up! More exercise is the key I think and spring is in the air.

Food still not great yesterday, I didnt get morning snack in, so no protein till lunch, but now that shopping is done, its fine, today will be better (P&V day).

Have some more shopping to do today. Tim got my dumbbell set out of the garage - start work on those bingo wings today LOL, probably this evening. Yesterday I got some cotton trousers and top especially for exercising in, as rash / hives on arms / legs still coming up when I exercise if I wear anything but cotton, antihistamines at the ready!

Hope everyones having a great day x

Picture Time!!!!!!

Inspired by Sandi's latest post and Moonday's request a few weeks ago.

I cannot emphasise how much I hate having my picture taken / looking at pictures of myself.

The "before" pictures were taken at my sisters wedding in October 2010, I was not at my heaviest at this point, I really cant remember how much I weighed (19 stone something / 270llbs ish). I do not have any pictures of me at my heaviest. The "after" was taken today.

I must admit that I didnt mind taking these pictures and I really dont think I look too bad, this is a major statement for me, to be able to look at a picture of myself and not feel repulsed, its real progress.

See what you think! LOL.

Day 137 PP - Taking a moment.............

It's been a mad couple of days and I've done a few things wrong diet wise so I'm not surprised at my weight loss this week.

Weight 14st 12.5llbs / 208.5llbs / 94.57kilos.

Up 0.25llbs from 22nd Feb. Not 100% sure why but I think it's to do with how little I ate on Thursday. I just really didn't have time, no I didn't make time to eat properly. (Ami had a playdate - so cute, they spent the 2 hours playing with puppies, baby dolls and emptying and filling toy boxes, amazing what keeps them amused! LOL) I also have been feeling a bit dehydrated and bloated, but I think my fluid intake has been too much and my food intake, not enough. We live and learn!

Yesterday my downfall was preparation, I desperately need to go shopping!!!! Today's MUST DO!!!!!

I'm quite glad that I have had a few easier weeks weight loss wise, although I want to lose my weight as quickly as I can, I was feeling really drained. I think I was losing too much each week for too many weeks, I felt like someone had turned on a tap and my energy was dripping away very quickly (it's a wierd feeling, not sure I know how to explain it properly). Over the last 3 weeks, I have had 2 weeks where the losses have been smaller and I feel that this has given me chance to recuperate a little.

I love the spring, hopefully the warmer weather is just around the corner! Lighter nights are already starting - Tim is getting home just before it goes dark (Just before 6pm). Bring it on! I can't remember the last time I looked forward to summer, summer when you are morbidly obese is NO FUN!

Hope everyone has a great day! xoxo

Calm again.......... Day 135 PP

Weigh In - 14st 12.25llbs / 208.25llbs / 94.46kilos.

Not as good as I was hoping for but there it is. Busy day ahead so I better get moving!

Happy Dukan Day x

You can choose your friends but not your family................

I hate that people feel they can be disrespectful just because you're related to them! And it is excused by one of the follwing comments "I'm just being honest" "I have your best interests at heart" TWADDLE!!!!!!!

I have just had, shall we say, a heated discussion with my Mum about what weight I want to get to on the Dukan Diet. I told her about my true weight, the goal I had set (161llbs) and how when I reached that goal I would see how I felt, then dependant on that, I may then go on to lose another stone.

Well that just wasn't good enough!!!!! In other words she said I was being lazy by not aiming for the lower weight and she thought that I looked good at 9.5stone! (I was 16 with a childs figure, no boobs!!!!!) I tried to confide in her about my concerns to do with sagging skin etc and she said she knew loads of people who had lost alot of weight and their skin had gone back to normal! (I know for a fact that this isn't even true).  My intimate concerns were just dismissed and I was made to feel awful. She said I just needed to work harder to make sure my skin went back. I tried to keep my cool and explain how it doesn't always work like that - stretch marks don't disappear!!!!

Then I had a moment of clarity and thought why am I wasting my time trying to defend my choices about my life. I wish I did have her support but I don't. I forcefully said I will not make my decision based on a number, I refuse to lose more weight than I am comfortable with, I will stop when I am happy! She seemed to get the hint that I was not going to discuss it further.

It never rains............... It pours..................

It did make me get the bit between my teeth though! Motivated??? Am I ever!!!!! x

How do you change? Day 134 (P&V)

So far this week I had stayed the same so there hasn't been much to report. I weighed this morning and had lost, so here it is.

Weigh In 14st 12.5llbs / 208.5llbs / 94.57kgs. (the first weight was 14st 11.5llbs but I normally weigh a couple of times and go with the number I get the most, hopefully that means tomorrows weigh in will be a good one).

I did my measurements yesterday (updated page) and they were quite encouraging although I wish I was making a bit more progress with my arms, I hope they will improve?!?

Totals - 11" off hips / 9" off my waist / 7" off the top of each leg (thats scary!) LOL.

Its been a mixed week really, I'm poorly again - bad throat / chesty cough (oh well at least its not a cold). I'll be glad when the sun starts shining!

I don't really know how to put my feelings into words, I'm struggling to feel happy about what I have achieved, I know it sounds silly but its like nothing I do is good enough, I always set unrealistic expectations for myself and probably others too.

Sandi's quote of the day - "Remember that being a success without happiness is meaningless".

How do you change this? How do you make yourself content and confident? I just feel a bit lost. Mentally its like I haven't lost any weight at all! Maybe I need to look at the positives more. Weight loss is definitely not a cure all. I'll work on it.

Hope you're all having a good one! x

What a voice!

Not really Dukan related but I saw this yesterday and just had to share! Listening to a fantastic singer really affects me, I had goosebumps all up my arms! It never ceases to amaze me how music can move you.

Take a look - Joshua Ledet singing Jar of Hearts. (The song actually starts about 1 minute into video).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=8kz9oak-tGQ

Next Goal........

I hope to meet my next goal (40llbs left to lose) by 10th March. This is quite an ambitious goal (nearly 3llbs per week for the next 3 weeks) and may backfire, but, here goes anyway.

Day 130 P&V (And another one's gone!)

Weigh In 14 st 13.75llbs / 209.75llbs / 95.14kgs

71.75LLBS GONE!!!!! Under 15 stone - WOOHOO! Another goal met.

Hope everyone has a great weekend xoxo

Day 129 PP - Another one bites the dust!!!!

Weigh In - 15 stone 0.75llbs / 210.75llbs / 95.59kgs.

Another pound gone!!!!! Just over 5 stone lost!!!!! Another goal met - WOOHOO! I'm sure you can tell I'm very happy about it.........LOL. Under 50llbs left to lose........ Phew! I'm getting there..... It definitely feels better seeing the number of pounds left to lose in the 40's.

Setting small goals along the way is definitely a great thing to do, keeps your motivation up.

My lovely husband bought me a great present, we've been looking at a new music system for a while, and this is what I got. I'm not very technologically minded but I've been very surprised at how easy it is to use. It's quite frightening how everything can be connected! Does make me worry about the security of personal information, but we'll see. So far, so good. (White wouldn't have been my first choice but apparently it was released in 2011 so the software is more upto date than the black one which was released in 2010 - so I'm told!)

Ipod Touch & docking station.

Day 128 (P&V) WHOOSH!!!!

I wasn't going to weigh this morning as I've hardly had any sleep and sometimes I retain alot of water if I've not had much sleep (daughter had really high temperature / sickness through the night - teething!AARRGGHHH! Only 4 molars to go!) I'm glad I did though...........

Weigh In - 15st 1.75llbs / 211.75llbs / 96.04kgs

I love a whoosh!!!! Only quarter of a pound until I have lost 5 STONE!!!! 1.75llbs until I weigh the same as I did in 2004! I really can't quite believe it, it feels very surreal. I don't quite know how I've got here. I honestly never thought I would be in this weight again.

I refuse to give up until I am where I want to be!

Thanks to everyone who reads and comments - alot of my success is down to the encouragement I get from blogging and reading the experiences of others.

Good Day xoxo

Affects of a High Protein/Low carb diet on the Menstrual cycle.

This past month has made me stop and think alot about the affects of high protein / low carb diets. I have found the below information very useful and it moved me to seriously consider the nutritional content of what I eat.

After some research it seems that alot of women DO experience some interesting hormonal side affects when starting / during high protein / low carb diets. This seems to be a temporary situation in most cases and is actually indicative of the body going through some changes which will ulitmately heal it.

It's thought this affect is caused by an estrogen dominant situation - fat on the body stores and makes estrogen, so most women who have excess fat to lose have an excess of estrogen stored in their adipose tissue. This in itself can cause a lot of mentrual problems - PMS, heavy bleeding, bloating, etc. Heavy bleeding is one of the most common and it usually stabalizes after some time on the diet. When you start to lose fat, then alot MORE estrogen gets dumped into the system and can cause havoc for a while. Eventually it all evens out as the diet helps normalize all the homonal systems, mostly by a better balance of eicosonoids. (Omega 3 / Omega 6 - take your fish oil ladies!)

Energy intakes are generally higher in the premenstrual phase; some women have food cravings as their period approaches. Eating high protein foods every few hours can often temper or stop the cravings. Fluid retention is common in the days leading up to a woman’s period because certain hormones encourage the body to hold salt (sodium). The more sodium the body holds, the more fluid is retained in the tissues.

Other common symptoms of PMS include moodiness, tiredness and constipation. It is thought that taking B-group vitamins, particularly vitamin B6, may help. Light to moderate exercise, such as a 30-minute brisk walk each day, has also been shown to noticeably reduce symptoms of PMS.

 
Food / Vitamins and PMS

Nutrition tips to ease the symptoms of PMS

Bloating, cramping, and fatigue experienced the week or so before your period are often due to fluctuating hormones. Diet can play an important role in alleviating these and other symptoms of PMS.

• Avoid trans fats, refined sugar, and salt. Sugar worsens mood swings and salt worsens water retention and bloating.
• Cut out caffeine and alcohol.
• Limit red meat and egg yolks as they can cause inflammation. You may want to try sticking to vegetable proteins like soy and nuts, to see if it helps with your symptoms.
• Try cutting out dairy. Many women find relief from symptoms when dairy foods are eliminated from their diet. For some, improvements occur when they switch to hormone-free, organic dairy products.
• Add essential fatty acids to you diet. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help with cramps. See if eating more fish or taking fish oil or flaxseed oil supplements eases your PMS symptoms.
• Consider vitamin supplements. For some women, taking a daily multivitamin or supplementing with magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin E may help relieve cramps

Iron and anaemia

Iron is a mineral that works with other substances to create haemoglobin, the compound that carries oxygen in the blood. Women need up to 18mg per day. This is to make up for the amount of iron they lose in their menstrual period, which averages around 1mg or so lost for every day of bleeding. Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in women. Insufficient iron can lead to anaemia. Common symptoms include tiredness and breathlessness.

Good sources of iron include:

• Red meat, chicken and fish
• Egg yolks
• Leafy green vegetables.

Iron absorption can be impaired by very high fibre diets, alcohol, the tannic acid in tea and concentrated sources of calcium (for example, calcium supplements).

Calcium and osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disorder characterised by a thinning of the bones until they are weak and easily fracture or break. Women are at greater risk of developing osteoporosis, particularly after menopause, because oestrogen levels are reduced. There are many factors involved, for example:

• Low calcium intake during the growing years
• Diet – salt, caffeine and alcohol may interfere with the balance of calcium in the body by affecting the absorption of calcium and increasing the amount lost in the urine. Moderate alcohol intake (1–2 standard drinks per day) and moderate tea, coffee and caffeine-containing drinks are recommended. Avoid adding salt at the table and in cooking.
• Exercise – or the lack of it, can also affect the development of osteoporosis.
• Low body weight – maintaining a low body weight (body mass index less than 18) has been associated with the development of osteoporosis.

Vitamin D and calcium

Vitamin D increases calcium absorption and is required for normal bone metabolism. The main source of vitamin D for most people is sunshine. Women who have very low levels of sunlight exposure or have naturally very dark skin are at risk of vitamin D deficiency. It is important to balance the need to maintain adequate vitamin D levels with the risk of skin cancer from too much sun exposure. A sensible balance of sun protection and exposure can ensure that women are not at risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Good dietary sources of vitamin D are margarine, eggs and oily fish (such as mackerel and sardines).

Good sources of calcium include dairy foods, calcium-fortified soymilk and sesame seeds. For women who can’t eat these foods, calcium supplements may be desirable.

Animal protein, eaten in large amounts, also increases urinary calcium loss - a major contributor to calcium balance. So also consider plant-based sources of calcium like beans, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and collard greens.

• Calcium: The recommended daily allowance varies from 400 to 1,200 mg/day. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, oatmeal and other grains, tofu, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, garlic, and sea vegetables. Calcium is absorbed slowly and your body cannot take in more than 500 mg at any one time.
• Magnesium: The recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 500 to 800 mg/day. Calcium can only work when taken in conjunction with magnesium. Good sources of magnesium include leafy green vegetables, summer squash, broccoli, halibut, cucumber, green beans, celery, and a variety of seeds, including pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds.
• Vitamin D: Aim for between 400 and 1,000 IU (international units) daily. You can get Vitamin D from about half an hour of direct exposure to sunlight, and also from foods and supplements. Salmon is an excellent source of vitamin D. Other good sources include shrimp, vitamin-D fortified milk, cod, and eggs.

It's amazing how you can have menstrual cycles for decades and yet still not know or forget important information that can really benefit you.

Hope you find this interesting x

Day 127 (PP)

Still the same! I have decided - I refuse to lose any weight this week!!!!! LOL.

I'm feeling alot better today, my mood is almost back to normal and I feel well. The worst thing about this last month has been the affect on my mood and therefore it's affect on my time with my daughter. I have felt so lethargic and at times poorly that I admit I have been quite hard on her at times. I hate being short tempered and losing patience with her. This last month will not be repeated, I'm researching / deciding which suppliments I will start taking ASAP.

I've been looking at Vit B complexes, CoQ10, Calcium suppliments, Iron / Vit D. Reducing caffeine intake.

If anyone has any experiences of taking suppliments could you suggest which ones are best? Thanks.

Hope everyone is having a great day xoxo

Staying the SAME!!!!

Weigh In 15st 3.5llbs / 213.5llbs.

Yesterday I went back down to what I weighed on Saturday but no further movement today! I'm a bit stumped...... I had a really good PP day yesterday aswell. Never mind.
I suppose this can happen no matter what diet you are on, I remember that one week whilst I was on the Lighter Life diet I had a week where I didn't lose a single pound. Maybe my body just needs a rest.

Got to keep plugging on. It's just been such an awful month the only benefit has been the movement on the scale each week. But I need to keep motivated!!!!

My sister is coming over today so that will cheer me up, I definitely don't get to see her as much as I would like. She started the Dukan Diet last week and needs some advice about certain things (doesn't have that much to lose). It's nice to be able to encourage others and give advice about weight loss (although I'm no expert!).

Hope everyone's having a good day xoxo

***I've been doing some research about the effects a high protein diet can have on the menstrual cycle, I'll be writing about this soon as it's definitely something that has affected me and the information I found may be of use to others.***

The road to success is always under construction.....