Winter Blues

The winter doldrums hit me recently. Low sun levels, a lot of rain and quite chilly weather meant I got a little lackadaisical about my eating and exercising. This means I gained some weight back but I catch myself quicker nowadays. I know most people would not consider the temperature we have in Auckland as very low but they are enough to make you think twice about going for a walk or getting up for the gym. Sometimes that good book you can read in a warm bed calls too loudly.

http://www.patriciabriggs.com/books/. I have just read Blood Bound which I thoroughly enjoyed. I like my paranormal books. Who am I kidding? I love most books and genres. I spend time each day reading and consider it time well spent. Nowadays I also spend time (most days) on some form of exercise. I walk for at least 1 hour+ or go to the gym for 90 minutes. I am feeling much better for it. It doesn't always keep my weight less because I forget to note what I am eating and nibble too much. If I use MFP then I am accountable and eat less leading to weight loss.

Creative things I did last week;

1. Knitted 2 baby jumpers for an up-coming great-nephew due sometime this month
2. Wrote some more of my MG book
3. Sorted out MindMaps I do for my writing group so that I can write a book about that
4. That tidied up my files which meant my full book cases look more organised as well
5. Had my writing group which went well

I do find when I am being creative I eat less as I am not bored. With my hands and mind involved I don't think about what I can eat now. I have learnt to have a water bottle and glass nearby then so I do get my water amount up to the level it should be. With LGS you don't feel that thirsty. You really just need to keep sipping frequently. I read somewhere that you needed to drink 168 mls every hour to be sure. As you aren't supposed to drink 30 minutes each side of food then this is probably right. It is something I am really only getting fully on track with now and it takes a conscious effort to do so. 

At the gym I get the first 2-3 glasses in before I have breakfast. I find that I can't exercise after food with any efficiency so I usually get up, have my few meds with the 1st glass of water and head off to the gym. I find that first thing is best for me because the times I say (to myself) "I'll go later today", I never do.

My idea of Heaven - books and a place to write

The place that helps me regain muscles and health

I reward myself with the first idea of Heaven after I have been to the Healthy place. Yes, I can say the word GYM even if once upon a time it was almost a swear word. I have grown to like the fact that my muscles are stronger. They may still have fat overlaying them but it ge3ts less as time goes on and the muscles are getting larger. I am a woman so I do a lower weight but more repetitions. I don't want to be muscle bound but I do want to be strong. It helps to make the loose skin not quite so obvious too.

Your belief in yourself will get you to the gym regularly

I checked out my biceps this morning accidentally and was quite impressed with myself. I have improved in other ways. The weight amount has gone up a kilo. The time it takes me to cycle 10 kms has gone down low enough that I have taken the intensity to the next level and that is not too difficult so I may take it up one more level. There are abs behind the flab if you poke. There are people there who I just stare at in wonder at their endurance but there are others just starting that I am better than. We are all there for ourselves and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. You have to be doing it for you or you don't get yourself there regularly.

I train to improve MY PERSONAL BESTS

This week's intentions or goals:

1. Gym 4 times at least, maybe more
2. Lose 2 kgs
3. Walk 3+ times for longer than 1 hour
4. Write more of my MG book
5. Eat healthily
6. Sort another blog on the process around Weight loss surgery that helps others learn more about it by Sunday

So what are you training for? Where do you train? How healthy are you becoming? Is some-one giving you positive feedback? Ignore the idiot that is dissing you, they know no better. If you are out there, or in the gym, exercising you are ahead of the game. You may live to a good healthy age and that is all you can ask for, eh?

What would be your incentive to start and continue this weight loss journey?

Everyone has a different reason for wanting to lose weight. These are a number of them:

• To fit that fabulous wedding dress/tuxedo
• To fit in clothes that are fashionable and not on the Plus rack
• To fit smaller, nicer shoes (yes you do lose shoe sizes as you lose weight)
• Because you have had a joint replacement done (hip or knee)
• To lessen the risk of injury from a fall
• Because you are nowhere near the societal norm and you are tired of being harassed about it
• You look in the mirror and cringe (or avoid looking in mirrors altogether)
• You have a young child (or children) that can outrun you - risky at times
• You want to fall pregnant
• Your cholesterol and other lab results are scaring your doctor and you
• Your blood pressure is too high and is causing kidney and heart problems
• You are diabetic (type 2) or pre-diabetic
• No-one of the opposite sex is interested in you and you want to change that
• You take stock of where you are in life and want change,weight loss may be a starting place

There are so many reasons why you start this journey. Often there are so many reasons why you don't continue or if you ease up too much the weight may come back on. Even with weight loss surgery weight can be regained. That is where I got to. I gained back weight when I was not doing much exercise other than long steady walks. It probably would have helped if I had kept my food under better control and ate right. I didn't. I gained. Inches came back on my measurements. I got a good deal on a gym membership through a friend telling me about it. I went and signed up that day. The least I have done is 2 days in a week. the most days was 5 days in a week. This week I am aiming for 7 days out of 7. 3 down so far. This is some pictures of my journey.

137 kgs approximately I am standing at the back

60th birthday closer to 110kgs

Back up to 107 kgs from 99.2kgs but heading down from there now

In a size 18, previously up to size 26-28

I am not small yet and will never be tiny but I aim to fit size 14 clothes, at least, by the time I lose the weight I would like to. Wearing nicer clothes is part of it but it is not the major part. I feel happier and healthier as I go down in weight. I move more freely and there is a vast reduction in joint pain (sometimes there is none). I don't get verbally hassled by passing idiots in cars. Hey, I am out there walking, you are not. I have gone down a shoe size from a size 11 to 10 so back in the normal range. Don't always have to get a man shoe.When my grandchildren came to visit over Christmas I could walk with them freely and for as long as they wanted. No more having to know where all the seats were to sit and rest on.

What is your incentive?

Think about what your incentive to change would be. Make a vision board for your wall or computer screen that you look at daily as a reminder. Put down the smaller steps to reach that goal and put a time frame to help you reach it sooner. Research if you need to find out what steps you may need to follow. Ask people as well; friends, doctors, nutritionists, exercise specialists, anyone you think will help you reach your goal. It could be a surgeon. They will help you get the initial weight loss start but it is still up to you to keep going. Being lighter in weight will make it easier for you to do the on-going exercise needed for long term weight maintenance. Whatever works for you is what you use. Others will tell you what they did but one size does not fit you all. Explore and engage your mind, body and soul in making your life better. You are worth it and let no-one tell you otherwise. You are unique. The world needs unique people to shake it up. Let me know how you did.

Me, I lost 2 inches on my hips and thighs in 7 days. I hope by next week it will be even more. Good luck and good management to everyone.