Weigh-In Week 51

Good loss of 6 lbs (2.72kg) this week.

Awards this week:

11.5 Stone (161 lbs / 73.03 kg) award!



Started at 28 stone 13 pounds (405 lbs / 183.71 kg)
Currently 17 stone 5 pounds (243 lbs / 110.22 kg)
1st Short Term Target 26 stone (364 lbs / 165.11 kg) (Achieved this 18/04/2011)
2nd Short Term Target 22 stone (308 lbs / 139.71 kg) (Achieved this 04/08/2011)

3rd Short Term Target 18 stone (252 lbs / 114.31 kg) (Achieved this 08/12/2011)

4th Short Term Target 16 stone (224 lbs / 101.6 kg) (hope to reach this by 29/03/2012)

Long Term Target 14 stone (196 lbs / 88.9 kg) (hope to reach this by 30/06/2012)

The losses have gone as follows:

Feb11 (4wks): 17.50 lbs (7.94 kg)
Mar11 (4wks): 15.50 lbs (7.03 kg)
Apr11 (4wks): 15.50 lbs (7.03 kg)
May11 (5wks): 18.00 lbs (8.16 kg)
Jun11 (4wks): 17.00 lbs (7.71 kg)
Jul11 (4wks): 10.00 lbs (4.54 kg)
Aug11 (4wks): 19.00 lbs (8.62 kg)
Sept11 (5wks): 14.00 lbs (6.35 kg)
Oct11 (5wks): 6.50 lbs (2.95 kg)
Nov11 (4wks): 13 lbs (5.90 kg)
Week 43: 6 lbs (2.72 kg)
Week 44: 1.5 lbs (0.68 kg)
Week 45: Maintain
Week 46: 2 lbs (0.91 kg) GAIN Various Celebrations
Week 47: 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) GAIN Christmas
Week 48: 6.5 lbs (2.95 kg)
Week 49: 7.5 lbs (3.40 kg)
Week 50: 1 lbs (0.45 kg) GAIN
Week 51: 6 lbs (2.72 kg)

It's been a great week. Perfectly on plan, great amounts of intense exercise. I'm actually a little dissapointed to have only lost 6 lbs (2.72 kg). I felt like it could have been a double figure week! :P I realised last week that I was only 12 lbs (5.44 kg) away from losing 12 stone (168lbs / 76.20 kg) in 12 months (52 weeks)! So I desperately wanted to lose 8 or 9 lbs (3.63 or 4.08 kg) this week to set me up for a easy 3 or 4 lbs (1.36 or 1.81 kg) loss on week 52. Instead I've sliced the 12 lbs (5.44 kg) down the middle with a 6 lbs (2.72 kg) loss, leaving me another 6 lbs (2.72 kg) to lose this week! Oh Boy! :S

Although it's not on the official Slimming World Scale yet, after my run this evening before weigh-in I got on my home scales and for the first time dropped below 110 kg (17 stone 2 lbs / 242 lbs). It's such an amazing feeling passing these mile stones that quite honestly for years now have been something that was pointless to even hope for!

I've actually had quite an emotional week this week. I have ended up crying 2 out of 4 runs this week. I seem to be spending a lot of time reflecting on the last year while running and can't seem to stop the tears! On Saturday I ran past the Hovis Bakery and the smell reminded me of driving past Star Bakery early mornings enroute to the beach front for a run/swim with my parents. Then realised that I was only 2 weeks away from seeing my Dad again for the first time in 6 years! Then worked out that it was exactly a year since I started losing weight for that exact reason....to go see my Dad! The timing is so weird that it seems like a dream! The results that I live with ona  daily basis seem like a dream! As I pounded my way down the forest path, heart racing at about 140 bpm, EVERY part of me realised...this was no dream it was all real!!! Tonight as I ran in the dark I thought about what it was going to be like to see my Mom and Dad at the airport in Jhb when I land....again tears! It actually all sounds so silly as I type it, but I am just a big over flowing bagfull of good emotions at the moment!

Positives and Negatives of the week:
+ It felt really easy to be on plan this week despite a number of temptations.
+ 11.5 stone (161 lbs / 73.03 kg) lost!
+ Dropped below 110kg! (17 stone 2 lbs / 242 lbs)
- Wanted to lose more, but meh, I'll take it! :P

Goals for this week:
1) Strict 100% Food Optimising!
2) Mega Exercise week!
3) Lose 6 lbs! Need to get that 12 stone award next week!

Weigh-In Week 50

Had a small 1 lbs GAIN this week. :(

No Awards this week.

Started at 28 stone 13 pounds (405 lbs / 183.71 kg)
Currently 17 stone 11 pounds (249 lbs / 112.94 kg)
1st Short Term Target 26 stone (364 lbs / 165.11 kg) (Achieved this 18/04/2011)

2nd Short Term Target 22 stone (308 lbs / 139.71 kg) (Achieved this 04/08/2011)

3rd Short Term Target 18 stone (252 lbs / 114.31 kg) (Achieved this 08/12/2011)

4th Short Term Target 16 stone (224 lbs / 101.6 kg) (hope to reach this by 29/03/2012)

Long Term Target 14 stone (196 lbs / 88.9 kg) (hope to reach this by 30/06/2012)

The losses have gone as follows:

Feb11 (4wks): 17.50 lbs (7.94 kg)
Mar11 (4wks): 15.50 lbs (7.03 kg)
Apr11 (4wks): 15.50 lbs (7.03 kg)
May11 (5wks): 18.00 lbs (8.16 kg)
Jun11 (4wks): 17.00 lbs (7.71 kg)
Jul11 (4wks): 10.00 lbs (4.54 kg)
Aug11 (4wks): 19.00 lbs (8.62 kg)
Sept11 (5wks): 14.00 lbs (6.35 kg)
Oct11 (5wks): 6.50 lbs (2.95 kg)
Nov11 (4wks): 13 lbs (5.90 kg)
Week 43: 6 lbs (2.72 kg)
Week 44: 1.5 lbs (0.68 kg)
Week 45: Maintain
Week 46: 2 lbs (0.91 kg) GAIN Various Celebrations
Week 47: 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) GAIN Christmas
Week 48: 6.5 lbs (2.95 kg)
Week 49: 7.5 lbs (3.40 kg)
Week 50: 1 lbs (0.45 kg) GAIN

It's been a bad week! I had a couple high Syn days, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Only exercised Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. What I was quite happy with was even though I had been doing very little exercise for the beginning of the week and had some high Syn days, my weight stayed fairly low. What I was less happy about was that as soon as I pulled it back, braved the cold weather to cycle and cut out the Syns, that's when my weight went up!? Anyway, 1 lbs on is not too bad, and sets me up nicely for a big loss this week if I stick to plan, keep the Syns down every day, and stick to the usual exercise regime. :)

Positives and Negatives of the week:
+ Only 1 lbs GAIN after a bad week.
+ Stayed below 18 stone (252 lbs / 114.31 kg)
- Gained! :(

Goals for this week:
1) Strict 100% Food Optimising!
2) Have a big loss!

I'm aiming for 7 lbs this week and won't settle for less.

Starting exercise tips

Here are some of the things that made starting exercise easier and more exciting for me. Thanks to Steve for his help with these! :D

Start small - It's more important to do something regularly than "how much" you do! Create a habit and you will soon start to enjoy it! Your body will strengthen what it needs to strengthen to support what you doing. As you lose weight you can go further and faster.

Find something fun - I started cycling because I wanted to do some Mountain Biking cause it looked fun, crazy and would get me closer to nature, that spawned a love for all cycling, road and mountain bike. I do about 150 - 200 I'm a week on a bike now.

Set challenges - the thing driving my running at the moment is that I have set the challenge to run a marathon. On the road to running a marathon I have set smaller challenges. Set and done a 5km, in march I'm doing 10km as part of a Duathlon, 10km run, 40km cycle, 5pm run. In May I'm doing a half marathon. Next year I will run a marathon. I didn't start enjoying running, but because I want to succeed my challenge, I kept at it, and now I love it and can't wait to run faster and further!

Hope this helps you get off your butt and get out there in the fresh air and get fit!

Weigh-In Week 49

Another 7.5 lbs (3.40 kg) lost! Woohoo!!

Awards this week:

11 Stone (154 lbs / 69.85 kg) Award! Long time coming! :)

 Slimmer of the week! Havn't had one of these for a while! :)



Started at 28 stone 13 pounds (405 lbs / 183.71 kg)
Currently 17 stone 10 pounds (248 lbs / 112.49 kg)
1st Short Term Target 26 stone (364 lbs / 165.11 kg) (Achieved this 18/04/2011)

2nd Short Term Target 22 stone (308 lbs / 139.71 kg) (Achieved this 04/08/2011)

3rd Short Term Target 18 stone (252 lbs / 114.31 kg) (Achieved this 08/12/2011)

4th Short Term Target 16 stone (224 lbs / 101.6 kg) (hope to reach this by 29/03/2012)

Long Term Target 14 stone (196 lbs / 88.9 kg) (hope to reach this by 30/06/2012)

The losses have gone as follows:

Feb11 (4wks): 17.50 lbs (7.94 kg)
Mar11 (4wks): 15.50 lbs (7.03 kg)
Apr11 (4wks): 15.50 lbs (7.03 kg)
May11 (5wks): 18.00 lbs (8.16 kg)
Jun11 (4wks): 17.00 lbs (7.71 kg)
Jul11 (4wks): 10.00 lbs (4.54 kg)
Aug11 (4wks): 19.00 lbs (8.62 kg)
Sept11 (5wks): 14.00 lbs (6.35 kg)
Oct11 (5wks): 6.50 lbs (2.95 kg)
Nov11 (4wks): 13 lbs (5.90 kg)
Week 43: 6 lbs (2.72 kg)
Week 44: 1.5 lbs (0.68 kg)
Week 45: Maintain
Week 46: 2 lbs (0.91 kg) GAIN Various Celebrations
Week 47: 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) GAIN Christmas
Week 48: 6.5 lbs (2.95 kg)
Week 49: 7.5 lbs (3.40 kg)

It's been an awesome week. Had lots of oppertunities to practice my neck exercises saying No to Treats, Chips, Bread and Chocs! :D Exercise intensity has gone up a notch this week, with some great cycles. As good as it felt getting back on plan 100% for hte 4 or 5 days of last week, this week has felt so much better being on plan all week! Body is changing a lot again. Although the belly is still round, its getting smaller on a weekly basis! My only concern is that I have been feeling a little ill at night so havn't been eating much of my evening meals. Subconcious Bulimia? :S Not good since I tend to literally only eat Salad and Fruit for Breakfast and Lunch so I'm getting very little Protein and Healthy Carbs in over the last 3 days.

Positives and Negatives of the week:
+ 11 Stone Award eventually!
+ I've now lost more than 70kg! o.o
+ 2 Decent losses Back to Back
+ Great to be doing some serious cycling again
- Need to get my night time meals back on track!

Goals for this week:
1) Strict 100% Food Optimising!
2) Want to get over 200km on the bike this week!

I want to lose at least 3 lbs this week to keep the losses coming in and avoid the yo yo routine I have had in the last 4 months where small gains follow good losses. It would be nice to finish the month losing more than 1.5 stone.

Weigh-In Week 48

I really am getting RUBBISH at doing these on time! Thursday I lost 6.5 lbs (2.95 kg).

No Awards this week though I did re-gain the "rites" to my 10.5 stone (147 lbs / 66.67kg) award! :P

Started at 28 stone 13 pounds (405 lbs / 183.71 kg)
Currently 18 stone 3.5 pounds (255.5 lbs / 115.89 kg)
1st Short Term Target 26 stone (364 lbs / 165.11 kg) (Achieved this 18/04/2011)

2nd Short Term Target 22 stone (308 lbs / 139.71 kg) (Achieved this 04/08/2011)

3rd Short Term Target 18 stone (252 lbs / 114.31 kg) (Achieved this 08/12/2011)

4th Short Term Target 16 stone (224 lbs / 101.6 kg) (hope to reach this by 29/03/2012)

Long Term Target 14 stone (196 lbs / 88.9 kg) (hope to reach this by 30/06/2012)

The losses have gone as follows:

Feb11 (4wks): 17.50 lbs (7.94 kg)
Mar11 (4wks): 15.50 lbs (7.03 kg)
Apr11 (4wks): 15.50 lbs (7.03 kg)
May11 (5wks): 18.00 lbs (8.16 kg)
Jun11 (4wks): 17.00 lbs (7.71 kg)
Jul11 (4wks): 10.00 lbs (4.54 kg)
Aug11 (4wks): 19.00 lbs (8.62 kg)
Sept11 (5wks): 14.00 lbs (6.35 kg)
Oct11 (5wks): 6.50 lbs (2.95 kg)
Nov11 (4wks): 13 lbs (5.90 kg)
Week 43: 6 lbs (2.72 kg)
Week 44: 1.5 lbs (0.68 kg)
Week 45: Maintain
Week 46: 2 lbs (0.91 kg) GAIN
Week 47: 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) GAIN
Week 48: 6.5 lbs (2.95 kg)

Well back 100% on plan since 01/01/2012 and the results were always goign to be obvious. Although not as much as I was hoping to lose, 6.5 lbs (2.95 kg) is nothing to sniff at and a good step back in the right direction. New Years Eve was a particularly poor night with Chinese Take Away. I expected myself to be more restrained then i was on the night, but it is our usual New Years Tradition and we were having a great time at home as a family so I didn't think "healthy" at all! Exercise was still a bit poor at the tail end of this week with a rough schedule work and family wise. Also the Wind last week was not helping me much! Can't wait for Spring! Actually, I can't wait just for the wind to stop blowing!!

Positives and Negatives of the week:
+ Good to have a good loss despite New Years Eve
+ Had another great weekend at home with the family!
- New Years Eve was a complete blow out I wished I had got over having! :(

Goals for this week, keepign them the same as last week:
1) Strict 100% Food Optimising!
2) Get over the snacky cravings!
3) Back to usual Cycling and Run schedule working towards my Duathlon. (10 Weeks! :S)

I'm hoping for at least a 4.5 lbs loss to get back to a "new record low", 11 stone (154 lbs/ 69.85 kg) Lost Award! However, I did tell my group they could laugh at me if I didn't lose at least 6.5 lbs and that I was hoping to lose up to 10 lbs! :) Always setting those goals high aren't I? :P

Weigh-In Week 47

Better late than never....Are you ready for it? A massive 8.5 lbs GAIN this week! :(

No Awards this week.

Started at 28 stone 13 pounds (405 lbs / 183.71 kg)
Currently 18 stone 10 pounds (262 lbs / 118.84 kg)
1st Short Term Target 26 stone (364 lbs / 165.11 kg) (Achieved this 18/04/2011)

2nd Short Term Target 22 stone (308 lbs / 139.71 kg) (Achieved this 04/08/2011)

3rd Short Term Target 18 stone (252 lbs / 114.31 kg) (Achieved this 08/12/2011)

4th Short Term Target 16 stone (224 lbs / 101.6 kg) (hope to reach this by 29/03/2012)

Long Term Target 14 stone (196 lbs / 88.9 kg) (hope to reach this by 30/06/2012)

The losses have gone as follows:

Feb11 (4wks): 17.50 lbs (7.94 kg)
Mar11 (4wks): 15.50 lbs (7.03 kg)
Apr11 (4wks): 15.50 lbs (7.03 kg)
May11 (5wks): 18.00 lbs (8.16 kg)
Jun11 (4wks): 17.00 lbs (7.71 kg)
Jul11 (4wks): 10.00 lbs (4.54 kg)
Aug11 (4wks): 19.00 lbs (8.62 kg)
Sept11 (5wks): 14.00 lbs (6.35 kg)
Oct11 (5wks): 6.50 lbs (2.95 kg)
Nov11 (4wks): 13 lbs (5.90 kg)
Week 43: 6 lbs (2.72 kg)
Week 44: 1.5 lbs (0.68 kg)
Week 45: Maintain
Week 46: 2 lbs (0.91 kg) GAIN
Week 47: 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) GAIN

I went completely off plan for Christmas and the GAIN is thoroughly deserved, but I can't really say it was worth it. I enjoyed as I always have over Christmas: Crisps, Bread, Chocolates, Toffees, Peanut Brittle, Ice-Cream, Trifle, Custard and even had some Crackling with my Christmas Dinner! The meats were not particularly lean, and I enjoyed some Gravy. Although I had some Salad and fruit meals, there was a lot of between meal snacking where lately I would have had fruit, over Christmas I was having fattening Snacks, including Bread....My Nemesis!! :( Sadly even after the shock of the Gain, I still allowed myself 1 more day's "BREAK" for New Years Eve and enjoyed our usual Chinese New Years Eve meal. So, now it's all over and a LINE HAS BEEN DRAWN....It's time to get back to plan and firstly, lose these extra pounds ASAP with some seriously strict Food Optimising and Exercise, secondly, break these cravings to snack on bread and crisps. Once thats done I can focus on losing the rest before 30 June 2012 for Karen's Brithday.

I have adjusted some of my targets time schedules because: `
1) December completely derailed previous goals with a net effect of a 3 lbs (1.36 kg) GAIN.
2) Igoring December, if I look at the previous 2 months, October and November, things my losses have definitely slowed down.
I will continue to lose as quick as I can, but having goals that were purely based on the initial rate of weightloss which is not faster than my current rate of weightloss is not goign to help. I think I have kept my New goals challenging enough to keep me interested, but reasonable considing where I am in the overall plan.

Positives and Negatives of the week:
+ I had a great weekend with the family.
+ The boys, the XBOXes and I have bonded! ;)
+ Karen and I have enjoyed the movies! :)
- That was one hectic GAIN! :(
+ Sad to say, but if I had stayed off plan all week like I did over the weekend, it would have been a LOT worse!

Goals for this week:
1) Strict 100% Food Optimising!
2) Get over the snacky cravings!
3) Back to usual Cycling and Run schedule working towards my Duathlon. (11 Weeks! :S)

I'm hoping for at least a 5 lbs loss this week and hopefully more next week! Have to pull these GAINed pounds back!