GOLDILOCKS

I realised that you only had my word for it that I had actually lost 1 stone and so I should post  a picture as proof.

So far keeping the weight off and hoping to continue to do so until August 1st. 

Still walking every day, although some days it is SO difficult and my legs feel like lead! I have downloaded some uplifting fast tempo music to my ipod which I use on these occassions to try and put some pep in my step and this works quite well. My philosophy with regard to my weight loss this time has been that normally I would diet for months and lose a pound or two each week. So I figured why not put a bit of extra effort in for a few weeks and see what I had the potential to do. The loss of 6 lbs in the first week was the best motivator as I imagined that 1 more week like that and I would be nearly at my goal. Unfortunately it didn't work like that and obviously the weight loss slowed, 3 pounds the next week, 3lbs a week later and finally 2lbs the final week of the month. Since then I have lost a further 1.5lbs and I am quite happy with that now. I have 1 more week before I meet my old school friends and now I can hold my head up high!!!  

Mr. Captain is back again after a long absense
----------------------------------------------------

So I'm back again after a good few weeks silence. Lent has passed and I still haven't lost or gained a single bloody POUND. I did my half - yearly medical at St. Michaels Dunlaoire last Thursday and passed with a glowing report and flying colours so I must be doing something right!!!!

I'm cooking for myself these days as the Captain has decamped to Oz but I'm very self sufficent although the daily menu will now be more predictable and much less flavoursome. I'm heading for Cyprus on next Tuesday Morn [ 26 June ] for 4 weeks and though I may not lose any more weight I will look much better with the Sun tan.

I notice there are now 2 qualifiers for the Benifit Party on the 2nd. Aug.
although the roads of Wicklow and Glebe are taking a terrible hammering of late, I hear .However there is still all of June and July still to go for the ' steady eddy' weight reducers.

Lots of Love to all the 'Triers' and 'Up Leinster'. I notice I didn't get any congratularly texts from Limerick but maybe they weren't watching this fantastic victory for the 'LADY BOYS'. I'm jesting.

Jaysus, it's been a tough week. But worth it.

There are several shirts in my wardrobe that I can now fasten without holding my breath in. Although that doesn't seem unusual to you I can assure you it does to me.

I walked 30km during the last week.

Any weight loss lost is unknown because I'm refusing to stand on my scales. But boy do I feel good.

Raven.

GOLDILOCKS HERE: ANY ONE STILL READING?????

If anyone is still out there and interested, I asked 4 weeks ago for ideas for a quick fix. I got none so I decided to go with the "starve yourself diet" You eat the minimum you can get by with some days were better than others (Mums weekend down was a disaster) and I walked for 80 mins every morning rain or hail. It was cheap, no special foods and no gym membership and apart from being really cranky and a few dizzy spells I am delighted to report that it worked. I have lost exactly ONE STONE since my last blog. RESULT!!!!!

Here is a list of what an average day was

Walk 8.30- 9.40

Shower and Breakfast  2 weetabix

10.15 leave for work

Finish work 1.50pm eat apple and can of diet coke on way to school collection

Home 2.30 make dinner for kids (hardest part of the day!!!!!)

3.00 eat my dinner. Alternated every second day between salad (lettuce tomato croutons and     3 slices of salami or some tesco light prawns in marie rose  or half small advocado and small piece of chicken) and on the alternate day weightwatchers chicken curry 4 points.

6.00 cup of hotcup light vegetable soup or tesco light crisp breads x 3 with thin spread of cream cheese, cup of tea no sugar.

9.00 snack of 1 or 2 long celery sticks with a small piece of low fat hummus to dip in for flavour.

At the weekend 1 glass of wine on a friday night.

In weightwatchers terms I would have been on approx 10 points every day with lots of bonus points for walks so you can see how the weight would fall off!!!. I had nights out but I was very good on these I would drive so that I wouldn't drink too much and I would eat very little during the day if I was having a meal out I had 3 meals out during this time all of which i enjoyed having a starter, main course and dessert on all occasions so I didn't feel deprived too much...

This is not a healthy diet and if analysed I am sure I would be told that I was lacking vitamins and iron and lots of other things needed for a healthy body but as a short term effort it works.

I am now working on maintaining this so will let you know as the weeks go by how that goes.....

  

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was just thinking over the last few days that this blog is boring me, I have totally lost interest, it is not motivating me in the slightest!! I have even stopped checking to see how everyone else is doing. Who cares?

Then a shocking thing happened..............

My friend from school days who I haven't seen in 20 years emailed me to say the old gang Shirley, Catherine, Dottie, Carol, Denise and moi would be going on girls weekend away on 7th of June. Now there is no way I can attend this get together a stone overweight.

 Why oh why did I not start earlier? I would be at least half way to my goal now if I had. How in Gods name am I going to do this in 49 days? F**K.......I now need a quick fix, a very quick fix!!! Please help!...... never mind healthy eating and  exercising I am now reading the anorexic web sites to see what tips I can pick up. Here is what they advise.....

• Start by associating food with disgusting things. For your first ever fast, it may be helpful to draw pictures of juicy red apples, somehow morphing into giant dead rotting pigs. Plasterthese all around your house, preferably on the food itself. Never underestimate the power of images. Put pictures of fat girls on your fridge, or better yet, pictures of yourself; you're pretty fat. Conversely, stick pictures ofrakish models everywhere you can see them, for inspiration, and a bit of productive self-loathing. Also, practise writing things like "I'm fat" over and over. You want to drill this into your brain. "I will be thin" is a good one, as well as other "I will" affirmations. These are positive statements and very conducive to big time weight loss.

• Now create a list of suitable punishments either for thinking of food, or for caving in and eating food itself. A good one to try is to keep a rubber band on your hand and flick your skin whenever you think of eating. Eventually you will have a swollen hand, and a shrunken body; you will have ceased thinking of food so much. Other punishments include ridiculous amounts of exercise, purging, self-mutilation, isolation, basic denial of necessary comforts such as blankets on a cold night, or shelter when it is raining.. or simply menial, disgusting tasks such as cleaning the bathroom. Remember, you need discipline.

• Invent pain and hassles for yourself. Trick yourself into believing your life sucks. Be mean to people so that they instigate fights, just to make you constantly on edge, or nervous, so you cant eat. After all, you'll be light-headed and dizzy, and irritable from not eating, so you have an excuse. I used to love when dad got mad at me because it meant I was so upset I could not eat. Become an angst ridden teenager. You'll be making yourself nauseous from worry and self hatred in no time.

  
  

  This is not a joke, this is a real website for proAna people. However, the problem here is that I am not a teenager. Menial and disgusting tasks like cleaning bathrooms are part of my everyday duties. Even though I am often mean to people ("no you cannot stay out rollerblading in the dark...GO TO BED!") and instigate fights (Kids...."one bike is punctured the other two are ok fight it out among the three of you") this does not make me nervous,  in fact it makes  me quietly smug and quite powerful which makes me feels I deserve something nice as a reward. And I can honestly say that Dad being mad with me has never made me lose my appetite (if it did I'd be a right skinny bitch!! ;)
  

  So please help, are there any new drugs out there? How much does liposuction cost and can I afford it in a recession? Answers greatly appreciated....(no long term lifestyle changes ideas please I am talking quick fix!!) 

MR CAPTAIN BACK AFTER A GAP

Keen observers will have noticed a gap since my last report. The reason is quite simple I have kicked my weighing scales to death because it refuses to register below 16 st. 6 lbs [230 lbs]
which is - 1lb in the past 3 weeks. I will send it in for a total servive because something is wrong.
I haven't broken my regime and on Easter Sunday I was really proud that I had completed the Lenten Period without eating any Bread , Sweets or any other Goodies over the requisite 40 days.
As soon as I get the Scales back from the service I'll have another weigh-in and report the result on this Blog.
At least I didn't ADD on any weight

Actions speak louder than words

A Long Slow Summer!!

I think this is going to be a long slow Summer for me. I love clothes so therefore I love shops and shopping unlike many of my friends and one of my daughters (I think she must take after her Father)!!!. I have been very good now for nearly two months but I am keeping away from town and the big shops . I still have a little peep into the small shops like in my Shopping Center just in case I see something that my daughters might like!!!
It is going over to Sydney to visit A that it will be hard . The fact that she is trying to lose some weight by not eating very rich food and I will not be looking in the shops at clothes that could be quite difficult. Maybe I could order for her and she could buy for me. No, dont think that would be acceptable. The nice thing about my task is that I am wearing clothes that I have not worn for ages and am even going to the Tailors to have things altered that are from Old God's Time. Only 3 more months to go.

A breakthrough at last

Well I said I was going to spread out my words of wisdom and then I gave you …. Nothing. So here is some other little bits of information. Drink lots of water, exercise daily , go to bed early. I learned this one from goldilocks. If you feeling like you are getting peckish late at night just go to bed and that will be one sure fired way of you not eating. Cut back on carbs and eat foods that is as close to it’s natural form as possible. Actually I’m even boring myself writing this. We’ve all heard it before and we know how to loose weight but it is so damn hard to put it into practice.

Last Sunday (5th April) I was out for a walk with my friend Sarah. She was telling me that she had just started a new diet, The South Beach Diet. I have heard the name before but I didn’t know what it entailed. She told me it had 3 phases. The first is for two weeks and involves cutting out carbs, sugar (including fruit) and alcohol. Good lord, what’s the point of living without all of those. But when I thought about doing this for just two weeks I thought it might be a good challenge and it would be easier to do as she would be doing it too and we could compare notes. So I went home and did a little research on the internet to see what was involved. It didn’t seem to be too tricky so I have been sticking to it for the last 8 days. It was VERY difficult not to eat chocolate or hot cross buns over the long weekend but I stuck to it. It was also difficult not to drink over the weekend but once again I dug deep and found the resolve not to touch a drop. Well for most of the weekend I didn’t touch a drop. We were on a cruise on the Harbour on Friday and it would have been so damn rude not to have some champagne while we were out. But you will notice from the photo above that I only ate prawns and oysters. Not a carb in sight and oh so tasty. From the start I had decided that I would allow myself to drink on the cruise. So apart from that I was very good. And now the result ….. I have lost another 4.5lbs!!!! in 8 days and I still have another 6 to go. I am now officially over the half way mark to reach my target weight. I have now lost 7.5 lbs and I am chuffed. There is hope for me yet.

I know Raven didn’t eat carbs for a long, long time so I would be interested to know what are your thoughts on this. When I start eating carbs again will the weight go straight back on? I think from reading up on the south beach diet that after two weeks you introduce some fruits and some brown rice and brown bread back in but in small quantities. I’m looking forward to that first slice of bread already. I think I will bake some delicious Roly’s brown bread that Goldilocks gave me the recipe for.

I will report back at the end of the two weeks and let you know how much weight I lost in total. I would like to loose another 2lbs this week. The lunches and dinners on this diet have been fine but it has been a bit tricky to not have carbs or fruit for breakfast. What else can you have??? I have been enjoying scrambled, paoched and soft boiled eggs. I can handle that for a couple of weeks but I am looking forward to a bowl of cereal or a slice of toast.

Slim? Fat chance of that

It's become increasingly clear to me that I'm the kind of person who likes deadlines. With deadlines I know where I stand. I have a goal, a time limit and a task to accomplish within that specified time.

SO WHY AM I HEAVER NOW THAN I WAS WHEN I STARTED THIS BLOODY DIET.

I now realize that the way I've been working with my deadlines in the past just isn't going to cut it with this particular project.

I mean, if I have to have three paintings ready for an exhibition in two weeks I can spend ten days thinking about what to paint, two days painting them and the remaining two days drying them with a hairdryer. It's so unfortunate for me that eliminating 12lbs of fat from my body cannot be done this way. Changing my procrastinating personality is the only way. How I manage that I'll work out tomorrow.

I must let you know that I received a text from Goldilocks asking me why I've not posted for three weeks, wondering if I've been doing as terrible with my diet as she is. Now why she would say this when I can clearly see from her latest entry below that she's lost 3lbs recently I do not know.

Well, I'm here today to put my cards on the table (along with my dinner, chocolate cake, wine and copious plates of sandwiches) to say I've not being doing too well at all.

This is me putting on a fake American accent so nobody recognizes me

Mr. Captain's Week 3 Weight Report

Wednesday 25th. March 2009

At 0830 am with absolute assurance I entered our bathroom and approached The Scales. I had been a 'good man' over the past 7 days so now I was going to see the fruits of my efforts. I was not disappointed.

Result.
16 st. 7 lbs. = 231 lbs. [- 21lbs total ]

Girls that is a pound a day for 3 whole weeks . Now I know that I started with a huge advantage - I was literally HUGE. In addition I was very annoyed that I had allowed myself to get so 'Out of Condition'. I am now a candidate for canonisation.

This week so far.
With Mum away with 'The Ladies' in Wexford I was now in a self catering situation. Not really the very best condition for someone on a Diet . Saturday and Sunday went well. But Thursday was different
Some years ago Mum , Audrey and I were esconced in Resturant Patrick Guilbeau perusing the Menu. Mum made her choice and Audrey and I agreed to share a 'meal for two' of Shredded Roast Duck with Pancakes with vegatables in Hosin sauce
Our meal was served up and was lovely. Mum was very happy with her choice but Aud and I were disappointed with the portions of duck on our plates. As we consumed our main course we were amazed to be served an additional plate fully ladened with with additional quantities of delicious shredded duck which absolutly made our night. I have always remembered that Duck over the years. On Sunday in the Food Columns of the Papers I read that Marks and Spencers sold a beautiful Shredded Duck in their food section
On TThursday I strayed into M&S on Grafton St. and found myself in the food section. I searched the many, many shelves and lo and behold there was the Shredded Duck. Within moments and a flash of the Lasor Card the duck was in my M&S bag and I was on my way home with the Irish Times. In actual fact the meal was only 1/2 a duck and the cooking instructions were concise
I really enjoyed that meal and it lasted for two days but it certainly was a breech of my diet and it may be reflectedin my next Wednesday's weigh-in but I'm so far ahead of the competion in this project it won't effect the final result or so I hope!!!
Watch out for my next report !!!!

GOLDILOCKS WEEK4 DAY6

weight loss this week    0

weight loss todate          3lbs

You may notice that my posting for week 3 is missing, this is due to the fact that that while staying in the Ritz Carlton for the sunday and monday during this week, I ate copiously in Gordon Ramseys restaurant. On the evening of arrival we had a lovely steak sandwich  in our room and the following morning I partook generously of the full breakfast and I am ashamed to say that there was nothing on that wonderful breakfast buffet that I didn't try and some I tried twice!! After a little lie down in the spa following a swim (1 length of pool followed by a 30 min lounging in the jacuzzi) We wandered up the Avenue of Powerscourt to my favourite lunch time venue "Avoca Cafe", where it's possible to fool yourself into the thinking the food is healthy due to the large array of lovely salads. We proceeded to justify our tray full of goodies including the largest portion of Strawberry meringue roulade that I have ever seen with the fact that we would not be eating again until 9pm and we might grow faint with hunger if we didn't have a little lunch. I wasn't sure whether I would be able for this lunch 2 hours after breakfast, but to my amazement I managed to fit it all in. My husband walked his meal off with a 4 hour golf game, while I walked mine off by a wander around the Avoca shop where I lost a few pounds (unfortunately all from my purse and none from my waist) and a stroll back to my room where I lay on the bed reading the Sunday papers.

After my husband returned, showered, dressed and switched on the tv for some golf, I handed him a chilled glass of Champagne and took mine to the bathroom, where I filled up the enormous bath with bubbles and soaked for an hour, while watching tv on the bathroom mirror. By 8pm we were enjoying G&T's in the lounge while snacking hungrily from the bowl of nuts and chips which the waiter annoyingly kept replenishing every time we emptied it. By 9pm we were sitting in the restaurant ordering the 7 course prestige menu. One might assume at this stage that I might have passed on the basket of fresh, warm, home cooked breads laid in front of me, but sadly no. We tried each of the three flavoured breads, then slowly but methodically ate our way through the 7 courses and even managed to fit in an optional extra cheese course raising the count to 8 courses.

We retired to our room around mid-night where I lay down in some discomfort and swore that I would not eat again for two days............. 9 hours and 50 minutes later I was shaking my husband  awake while flinging on some clothes and shouting "GET UP! BREAKFAST FINISHES IN 10 MINUTES!" 

Now I am not proud of this story, and I admit it would be more suited to a blog called called over-eaters and not weighters and if I told you that 4 days later I was away for two nights with 7 girls in a house in Roscarberry, where everybody brought delicious things to eat over the two days and we managed to eat out one night and the following afternoon as well as eating everything that was brought, you might think that I should be expelled from "weighters" and you might be right, except for the fact that I did feel real contrition and managed through hard work and will power this week to return to my week 2 status. So onwards and downwards I head. The battle is still on and I'm not out of the game yet!!

The Lady Captain

I have just come home after a week in Wexford with 7 other women who like to shop. We played golf most days but when the weather was not good the girls decided we were all going in to Wexford to the shops (what else). So not wanting to be a bad sport I said nothing but went in with them having told them of my pledge. I was thrilled to hear one of my friends (who has no dress sense whatsoever) ask me would I help her to get some new clothes for the coming Summer as she had done a clean out of her wardrobes before coming to Wexford. That was like music to my ears and she left Wexford with armfulls of bags so we were both happy.The next day after golf went to the French Connection which is a shop beside the golf club we played in and the clothes there were both beautiful and very expensive. I encouraged the girls to buy nearly everything in the shop including the jewellery and scarfs to go with each outfit. I was like an alcholic who is on the dry giving each of them (who were also meant to be on the dry )a large bottle of whisky!!!
I think the girls must be thinking that I am mad or that we have lost all our money on the stocks and shares as they were nearly offering to buy things I said I liked for me. However I arrived home feeling very happy and with lots more money than my friends have in my purse.

Some insights

Ok so I admit it. I have had all the best intentions of eating healthy and reducing my calorie intake. I find that I have fantastic resolve first thing in the morning. When I am out for my morning walk I have such good intentions of eating all the right foods and doing exercise and not drinking alcohol. These good intentions last through breakfast. Most days they even last through lunchtime. Then something happens in my brain at about 4:00. That little voice (of the fat girl) starts to say “oh go on have a couple of biscuits you deserve it. You’ve been good all day”. Then when I get home and am hungry the resolve is very weak. I know I should have smaller portions but I am hungry and so I put too much food on my plate and eat it all up. I then feel full but I also feel guilty. Disaster! I need to just find some happy medium that I can maintain for the long term.

I have decided on a new mantra. Before I eat something I think “would Mum eat this”. Mum has got the food thing right. Eat the good foods but in moderation. I have been reading a couple of good articles recently and I am going to adopt some of their techniques. I will share them with you. I don’t want to spoil you with all of them at once so I will spread them out over a few days to keep you coming back for more.

I am going to use a smaller plate for serving my dinner. This will limit the amount of food I can physically fit on the plate.

I know I (and you my lovely sisters) all eat our food really fast. If you think about it, it doesn’t make sense. I love food and I love eating it and yet I always eat my food much faster than people I am eating with. Why would I want to wolf it down when I should be taking my time and enjoying it? So I am going to try chewing my food a bit more and also taking time to enjoy the flavour and texture in my mouth before putting the next bit in. Apparently by slowing down the eating process you give your stomach more of a chance to tell you when it is getting full. You also stop eating the food just for the sake of it and more for the enjoyment of the flavour. Also chewing the food helps with the digestion of the food.

And finally, for today, eat more vegetables. They fill you up, they are good for you and low in calories. Simple but true. I have added this not as an amazing insight to anyone but just to remind us of what we already know.

Just for the record I have lost a grand total of 3lbs. I know it’s not much but it’s a start and at least it means I haven’t put any more weight on.

Mr. Captain's [ Week 2 } Report

First of all the week's weight report = 16 st. 11 lbs. [ 235 lbs. ] = -3 lbs. on the week and - 17 lbs. since the start of the project.

My mind is still consumed with thoughts of food. Although I am by no means deprived of food I still find myself thinking about lovely dishes. I know that Mrs. Captain produces amazing dishes on a daily basis and we now squeeze in a couple of these during the week. [still with the minimun of carbs ]

The weeks result is encouraging and I'm still feeling well. When I gave up smoking 15 years ago , after about a month I stopped thinking about cigarettes totally and I'm hoping the same effect will occur with my no or low carb diet.

I put on one of my never worn jackets , bought over 13 years ago. when I was very fit and weighed about 207 lbs [ or 14 st. 11 lbs. ] and the distance between the button and the button hole was about 4 inches. So you can imagine I still have a long way to go. In addition it is now the season of Lent. It is a very very long time since I have successfully completed an act of self denial during Lent so let it happen and to hell with the lousy feelings. I will be a Saint at Easter time and I'll still be only half way through.

I don't see any blogs from the competion so victory is surely assured even thougt all contestants who lose 14 lbs. by 1 st. August will share the winning pool

Here's to a loss of another 3 lbs. this week and a lovely Leg of Lamb next Saturday [ personally chosen by myself at the Tesco meat sale last week]

Mr. Captain's 2nd. week's Report

It was a terrible 7 days and on occasions I thought I was going mad with the craving for some substantial food. I found myself consumed by thoughts of food - any food- even a tin of Pedigree would suffice. In the evenings I engaged in conversatrions about my absolute life favorite Starters, Mains and Desserts. I'm fantasising all the time , which is worrying and must be a side effect of the sense of deprivation I constantly endure.

On the positive side I never felt better in general health terms. My morning Fasting Blood Sugar Level is an excellent 5.2 and my Blood Pressure is 137 /57 with a Pulse Rate of 57 per min. This means Iwill live to be 105

So to the Weigh=in yesterday [ 11th. March ] morning. Fasting and naked I sprung up on the Scales - the needle stoped exactly at 17 st. [ 238 lbs. ] Minus 3 lbs. on the week and minus 14 lbs. since the start

Again on the positive side I can now see the buckle of my belt again and the buttons are no longer straining on my shirt. I took a nostalgic trip to my wardrobe on Monday and counted 6 suits that I have not worn for a very very long time. Not because I didn't like them but because I now longer could fit myself into them. This is really a great spur to my good intentions and by my next attendance [ 21st. ] May ] I'll be the best dressed in the Diabetic Clinic at St. Michael's Hospital.

The prize is in the bag Girls - I'll take you all out for a celebratory dinner in August

THOUGHTLESS DAUGHTER

its very hard to be told that you cannot buy any clothes (by the way does that include shoes)? until next August That is about another 140 days!! Yes they are counted! Then I call my daughter in Limerick about some query and I ask her where she is. Her answer was like a slap in the face with a cold wet facecloth. She said she was in a CHANGING ROOM. It was like me telling her if she asked what I was doing that I was eating a whole chocolate cake washed down with a large bottle of coke. Now I think my husband is going to ask me to go into town tomorrow which usually means lunch. That is the part he loves but what do I do after that . I normally browse the shops to see what the latest fashion trend is. Now that is out so maybe I will go into St Stephens Green and watch the ducks!!

Right back to the begining

After I read the Captains post I went straight into the kitchen and reached for the Brennans soft white sliced bread and made myself a ham and cheese sandwich and I waited for that nice comforting feeling to kick in but thinking about all those pounds he lost wouldn't leave my mind so I treated myself to a salami sandwich to take my mind off the matter but I was good and left the cheese out.

Then I had two slices of brown bread because it made me feel much healthier, kinda rebalanced the white bread if you know what I mean. I washed it all down with a coffee and it was right then that I remembered Rachel's friend was staying for dinner and she would be eating MY pork chop.

So I thought two milk chocolate goldgrain would do just fine as compensation for giving away my dinner.

I won't be weighing myself for the next two weeks

This is Captain Larry speaking

Hi everybody This is Mr. Captain. I'm now 13 days into the Project and if I don't think about it it is not so bad. As soon as I put my mind into gear I feel deprived and HUNGRY. I'm determined to succeed and I hope to lose an average of 2 lbs per week over the 26 weeks of the project. That's a whopping 52 lbs. in total

My story so far. I weighed in on Shrove Tuesday [24th. Feb] and the scales showed exactly 18 stones [ 252 lbs. ] I wasn't surprised as I already knew that my trousers and shirts were ALL too small for me. Either they had shrunk or I had greatly enlarged myself. Some months ago I suddenly was shattered to realise that I could no longer SEE the buckle of my belt as I tightened it while dressing each morning. That was a big shock for me as I now had a BEER BELLY and I didn't even drink beer.

So when THE CHALLENGE was issued I was definitely UP FOR IT. My plan was to try a PROTEIN REGIME with the minimum of non- proteins with the exception of lots of FRUIT and VEGETABLES

My first progress weigh-in was on Wed. 4th. Mar. and to my complete surprise the scales read 17 st. 3 lbs. [241 lbs.] I think most of this was a correction in water retention and I don't expect such dramatic reduction over further weeks. My next weigh-in is due next Wed 11th. Mar.and I'm hoping for the best as I have been well behaved although I've had 2 special meals in the last 7 days. A lovely lunch in Cavistons of Glastule [ Portuguese Sardines for Starters and Halibut meuniere with a Capo coffee to finish and then Mum's very special Black Sole in Butter preceded by a Traditional Prawn Cocktail. Needless to say both these meals were accompanied by the finest White Wine.

My plan is to do my very best but not to be a MARTYR and a PAIN in the A**E to all around me I encourage myself by thinking that when I'm feeling the worst that is when the weight is falling away or so I HOPE

I had a bad day on Saturday when in town to have my hair done when I went into Clerys to buy tights. I was like an Alcaholic rushing out in case I might see something I might like to buy. Its hard girls!! Captain Eileen.

GOLDILOCKS WEEK2 DAY7

weight loss this week -3lbs

Weight loss to date    -2lbs

Well I'm finally headed in the right direction. However, I have just returned from a family outing to the movies where I had nachos and cream cheese and later we went to Milano's restaurant, where I had a delicious bruschetta followed by pizza. In order to counteract this, I intend to follow the tried and tested  method of burying my head in the sand (otherwise known as denial). I am hoping by not weighing myself for a couple of days, I won't see the damage I have done and hopefully by then matters will have rectified themselves.

Unfortunately I have a tough week ahead. I am meeting my friend Olivia for lunch tomorrow in Adare and having dinner with friends in Milano's  on Friday night. On Saturday we are travelling to Dublin to drop the kids off with Mum while we head to the Ritz Carlton for the weekend, which includes a dining experience in the Gordon Ramsey restaurant. God why is life so tough???

Small enough to matter, big enough to win

So since I've come back from Paris where I walked and walked from the Eiffel Tower to the Gallerie LaFayette, where I watched and copied the Parisian Ladies by eating green beans and lambs lettuce with slices of wafer thin raw beef washed down by copious amounts of much too expensive wine I am pleased to announce my new weight loss of

0.4lb

Point four of one pound. Just under one half of one pound.

Thank God my weighing scales weighs in decimal pounds because that was so disheartening to see after all the exercising I did that if my weighing scales was of the old style I think I would have missed that 0.4lb loss and would have headed straight to the local chipper for a single and a battered burger and perhaps would even have thrown in a curry sauce then headed to the pub and had a couple of pints of larger to clear the palate and sat in front of the TV with bags of crisps in my pyjamas all day because it would make me feel much better and after weeks of that I wouldn't be able to leave the house because none of my clothes would fit any longer.

So now you can see what a even the slightest of weight loss can do for my self esteem.

I'm hoping that the fact that I have had two menstrual periods run one into the other means that I am doubly bloated having been menstruating non stop since the 17Th February 2009.

And for you guys who are reading this and trying to loose weight. You know who you are. COUNT YOURSELVES LUCKY.

I'm off for coffee now with friends in the Dundrum Shopping Centre and I'm going to pick up some iron tablets and a packet of water retention tablets and one of those home diagnosis menopausal kits.

Love Raven xxx
142.8

I hate to admit this but ...

Ok it kills me to have to do this. I couldn’t decide whether to revel my weight or not but I have decided the best way for me to come to terms with the fact that I am once again overweight is to admit what I am. Before I went on holidays I was 143lbs. When I got back from holidays I got on the very same scales that reported 143lbs and it read 156lbs!!! Now I have come up with all sorts of reasons for this. Fluid retention after the flight, extra muscle from the skiing, my body thinking it is in a different time zone … the list goes on. But the fact of the matter is that the scales reads 156lbs and that makes me feel awful. I have no idea how I could put on almost 1 stone in just over 2 weeks??? Anyway that is my starting weight and I am now very focussed on getting back to 134lbs which is what I was only 5 months ago. If I could do it before I can definitely do it again.

GOLDILOCKS WEEK2 DAY1

Weight loss this week 0

Weight loss to date  0

"It is not enough to suceed others must fail" - Gore Vidal

The Shopacholic

I am going to find not buying clothes much harder than loosing weight. When I was in town with Joan and Teresa on Thursday I had to keep my eyes down in case I saw something I liked. I have now come to the conclusion that I have no problem with food cos I eat my dinner about a half hour slower than you girls do. Dad is really trying hard. Considering he has diabetes he will find it harder.

I might not be able to shop but from reading all below at least I have a handle on my weight.

Lady Captain

GOLDILOCKS WEEK1 DAY5

Weight loss this week +1lb

Weight loss to date        0

I am not sure exactly how this happened (ie the 1lb weight gain) I mean, I have an idea but I'm just not sure. Was it the two packets of crisps and the chocolate krispie bar I had on Sunday night in order that I would have no temptations left in the press Monday morning. Was it the chicken curry and naan bread I had on tuesday or was it the chocolate bar and packet of crisps I had yesterday? I walked every day with my dogs but obviously this was not enough to counteract the disastrous week so far. The good news is I still have two days left to redress the balance before week 1 is up, the bad news is thats Saturday and Sunday : (

 

I reread my previous post and the statement of intent it contained and it feels like it was written by a whole other person. A person I could  admire and respect, if only it wasn't me. I felt a bit ashamed after reading it, is this what happens to all dieters? great intentions but no follow through. Then I read Ravens post and it was like a light went on in my head now I remember what would keep me motivated, the only thing in fact, my competitive nature. It was all fun and games until she stated her massive weight loss. I can only hope that her loss is that big one that always seems to follow the first week of a new diet and that hopefully she will not continue in that vein and reach her goal in 4 weeks!!!! I realise that it may appear I am being unsupportive of my fellow weighters, but don't worry as soon as I get into the lead I will become a pillar of support ; ) 

This diet is not for the faint hearted

Starting weight: 146.8lbs
Present weight: 143.2lbs

Wow, you will never know the pleasure I got from typing the above words.

Looking back, losing those 3.6lbs were well worth that fainting feeling I got when I tried walking from the swimming pool to the sauna after doing 50 overarm lengths in one hour and also worth suffering the embarrassment of having to exit the sauna after only 30 seconds when the feeling lingered only to magnified itself into a panic type of an attack and my fight or flight instinct kicked in.

I've been walking to school with the kids and back home again in the mornings and my diet consists of guessing the points of everything I eat. For example, that brown scone with butter and jam I had in Avoca on Wednesday with my girlfriend was my brunch and I counted it as 6 points ( I'm allowing myself 22 points every day).

I realize by telling my competitors all this information I'm giving away my secrets but really it doesn't matter. There are several ways to lose weight and the most important way is to stick with what works for you.

Which for some may mean staying in that sauna and fainting then waking up and finding yourself half a stone lighter.

And I'm not ruling that out folks; especially around................. the last week of July?

Love Raven

All the best intentions

While I'm on holidays here in Whistler I have all the best intentions. You'd imageine that being here and exercising all day out on the slopes would be a good start to my weight loss regime but it is taking all of my will power to resist the not-so-healthy food options that are constantly being suggested by the group I am with.

Where possible I try to choose the healthy options like soup for lunch but it is proving tricky when everyone is tucking into yummy burgers and chips. I am making a big effort to do Ravens trick of leaving some food on the plate but for many of the meals this week I have been so hungry I have devoured the meal so fast that I forgot to leave any behind. oops. I think the leaving some behind makes me more aware of the food I am eating rather than reducing the calories I am consuming.

When I get back from the holiday I will do my first weigh in and then work on a more structure plan of attack to lose some weight. For now it is a good exercise in controlling my will power which is probably one of the most important aspects for me.

GOLDILOCKS WEEK 1, DAY 1

Weight loss this week 0
Weight loss to date 0

Statement of intent:

I believe that the first and most important step toward
success, is the feeling that I can succeed and I have
never felt more strongly, nor more determinedly that I
shall succeed at this challenge. The secret of getting
ahead and winning this challenge (and lets make no bones
about this is all about the winning!) is getting started
and the secret of getting started is breaking the
overwhelming task into small manageable tasks, and then
starting on the first one. Hence I shall take this week
by week, with updates during each week. If I keep my eye
on the overall goal (and lets not fool ourselves 1
stone may be the stated goal but we all know we want much
more than that)and not get distracted, it may then be
easier to avoid the obstacles along the way.
Every day I lose sight of my goal shall be a waste not
only of that day, but also of the additional days it takes
to regain lost ground. So my promise to you, my fellow
weighters is be afraid........be very afraid!

The first day

After I agreed to bet €100 on my will power and my competitive streaks ability to help me lose 14lbs in 5 months I went food shopping to stock the house up with food for the family to eat while I'm away for a girly weekend in a five star hotel. And right now I'm already wondering if five star food is fattening.

Raven