Cambridge Mummy … on things needing time

Posted on August 19, 2012 by cambridgemummy

Well, after all my hopping about around the Fat Club stuff – aka Weight Watchers, I have good news. And I can’t believe I’m writing it.

To recap, I gained half a pound on my first week and one pound on my second week, in weight. I was near hysterical about it the second week because I’d really gone for it – swimming four times, turning down treats left right and centre. It was too much to bear.

So in week three, I was like the hungry caterpillar. I had chippy chips three times, a meal at Browns including half a chocolate torte for pudding and ate like the clappers. Wanting to know what the impact was, planning to get back on the wagon this week, I am at weigh in for 6.40pm. I’m willing her to open the door so I can get weighed and get going. I’m third through the door. In the same clothes as last time, so that we can get a true measure of the situation.

And yes, I lost two and a half pounds. How? What the fluff? (my mum reads this, she doesn’t like me swearing…) I got off and insisted on doing it again. Basically, the class leader and I have concluded that my body just takes time to “react” for want of a better word to my eating and exercising activity. I was thrilled to think that all that effort had paid off.

And then, I could have screamed in the middle of the room. But I didn’t. But GOD I SO WANTED TO !!!! How much damage has my strop done to my weight and my efforts? Well, we won’t know, because I’m actually away this week. Could I send the house sitters in my place? Although to be fair, they’re both lighter than me – and one is a bloke, it’s all so unfair. Anyway, I digress.

So this week, and next week, until I get to my next weigh in, by God I am going for it. I am going to swim, walk, point every naffing thing that goes through my mouth and go for it. To balance out the self pitying wallowing that I did last week.

Then hopefully, I’ll be able to get to the weigh in, in two weeks time and be the same weight as I am now, allowing for the time lag in my body’s reaction to weight loss and all that kind of thing. Actually, there’s no “hopefully” about it. This is it, I’m on it, and I’m having this one.

Cambridge Mummy on … 2 steps forward and 1 step back

Posted on August 5, 2012 by cambridgemummy

So, week one of Weight Watchers was good in some ways – I was much more aware of my food. But I cheated. And guess what? I gained 1lb. Cheating doesn’t work, so this week I am now on it – like a woman on a mission on it. I have made soup, dinners and am really going for it – weighing and measuring and getting myself in hand. We’ll see how I’ve done when we get to next Thursday. I do not reccomend anyone’s ready dinners – seriously, I don’t. Because you don’t get much food, it is usually over spiced and it’s pants. But I do recommend the Weight Watchers chocolate mousse things. They are lush. And feel like a treat. Which is, I suppose, what they are.

And the activity level is going to be better this week – I did 22 lengths in my new swimming costume this morning, in 25 minutes, whilst the boys had their swimming lesson. And I’m so setting my alarm to go again tomorrow morning. Because I want to sustain it. Only problem with it is that I am so shattered, and sweating from the activity that I can’t even manage to get my bra on, so I shuffle out afterwards with my arms folded, trying to not look too much like Meatloaf, with the boys and Lovely Bloke bouncing around full of life. All I want to do it sleep – for hours on end. But I’ve got to get over that bit.

If it takes 21 days to make news habits, then I’m going to do this. I’ve taken myself in hand. And I’m doing it. Because life is too short to not do it. I don’t want to have this tummy forever. I want to be more confident. And I want to be able to shop in normal clothes shops, for size 14 clothes. That’s my goal. To get from size 18 clothes, to size 14. Anyway, I don’t want to sound too preachy or like I’m on an Oprah esque mission, so I’ll go and do some housework before an early night to pysch myself up for exercise tomorrow!

What have you done that’s helped you with changing your mindset and approach to food? I could do with hearing of what’s worked for others…

Cambridge Mummy on … first go at Fat Fighters meeting

Posted on July 26, 2012 by cambridgemummy

So tonight, I slunk into my first weight watchers meeting. Well that’s not quite true. I did it 5 years ago, before I got pregnant with E. And lost a stone, but it was a lot of effort.

Right now, I don’t have the time or inclination to weigh all sorts of stuff out. So getting there and finding that the “materials” (ie: this is how you do it, this is what you can eat and what the points are) were minimal was a relief. It was unfortunate that it was literally, in the church itself, rather than the room that’s usually hired out. It felt very “fat fighters”.

But the leader was welcoming, and apparently, for the first five weeks, I have to weigh in with her, so she can keep a track on me and also, because her queue is longer. Because us newbies have more questions in the first few weeks!

I stayed for the chat, but didn’t think too much to it. I’ll give it another go next week, and see if it’s better. Other than that, today is the first day I’ve been within my points and I’m feeling quite proud of myself for that. In fact, I even had a point left over and that’s including a chocolate mousse tonight! Whoop Whoop!

The one thing that has come out of tonight, is the leader saying that if there’s something that I really want to eat, then I should eat it, and work the rest of my food around it. So the thing I want to still have, is chippy chips and gravy. So I should. But at the same time, I think it’s a bit nuts that I’m so hung up on eating my food. There must be something psychological in this. So I’m thinking about it. There’s got to be some middle ground surely?

If you’re interested in how I’ve done that, I’ve put a screen shot below of my day. Not sure if it’s interesting to anyone else really, but it is to me.
See you at the next weigh in…

If you’ve got to the bottom of this, well done! What food is there that you don’t want to ever stop eating? That you are hung up on?

Cambridge Mummy on… fat fighters (1)

Posted on July 2, 2012 by cambridgemummy

Get it? Fat Fighters? Hope so… Moving on… The last week has been like a sign, I tell you, a “sign”.
I’ve been watching supersize me, skinny me, whatever it is, and getting upset.
I’ve been swimming on Sunday morning with the boys and not stopped sweating for a couple of hours afterwards – I did lengths whilst they did their classes. And I’ve been offered a speedo swimming costume to try out. (And keep, I hope – for the latter one, as I don’t like the idea of getting a previously trialled swimming cossi.) But more on that later. I need to get onto my fat fighters wagon…

A couple of months ago, I saw an opportunity for bloggers to get involved with Weight Watchers. And having done it before, I said oh yes, I’m in. But that I didn’t want to do the online or class stuff. Because I knew best, and didn’t want to do that weighing in stuff. Well. Another 6lb of weight later, I’m now waiting for the info to go to the weigh in. I need to do weigh in, because I need to know that I’ve got the weigh in to go to each week, to work towards. To count myself in and out of. And to give me a focal point to blog about it each week. Doing it online alone won’t have the same effect.

Tonight, I’m looking at two books Weight Watchers have sent me. One is “Hearty Home Cooking” and the other is “Seriously Satisfying”. I’ll be going through them with a fine tooth comb, finding things that look like food I know and like. Lovely Bloke will be dispatched to get the ingredients and get this going for us and we’ll be back on the wagon before you know it.

I have to be. Because I can’t keep shovelling food in for no good reason. It’s rubbish. I’m eating rubbish. I’m feeling rubbish, I hate being rubbish at looking after myself. So in two hours, I’ll be in bed. Giving myself a fighting naffing chance at this. Did you know that every hour of sleep you get before midnight, is “worth” two of the ones you get after midnight. And that you loose weight and all sorts of stuff, if you get more sleep.

So, what are your top tips for shifting weight that’s not wanted? And not needed? And getting in the way – emotionally and/or physically?
I’m all ears :)

PS. Does anyone know if there’s an app where I can record all my healthier eating and exercise?

The Cambridge Mummy blog on: Shifting the flubber

Posted on August 10, 2011 by cambridgemummy

Swimming for Liz Weston Cambridge Mummy Marketing Communications Expert

This is not me ;)

The one thing I don’t write about, anywhere, is my weight. Lots of other people do, and write really well about it. So for now, I just want to put it out there. I’m tired of being fat, of having problems with my tummy being so big, of having a horrible muffin top that keeps leaping out of my jeans. I know that I’m not that big, I know I could be bigger, I know I should be grateful for being who I am and looking like I do, but I want to feel better in my body.

So I’m fixing it. I’m eating less crap. And I’m swimming. And tonight I’ve done my best swim to date. 101 lengths, which are half of proper lengths, but involve lots of turning around, so I think they should count for more ;) And now I’m going to bed. Sweating. And in need of a shower in the morning.

I’ll write more positively about it tomorrow but for now I’m putting a marker in the sand. I’m going to kick my flubbers ass.

PS. If anyone could quote some research, true or otherwise, saying that if I lose weight my hair will grown quicker. There’s nothing like motivation!!!!

PPS. Image courtesy of arzunsushii.blogspot.com

Liz Weston is Cambridge Mummy, a self employed, full time working, mummy blogger and mummy to two lovely boys and wife to Lovely Bloke. They live in Cambridge (I know, but it’s good to be clear) and have a lovely life together. Most of the time.