Use it or Lose it

How many of you out there are looking for a new start, or a way to make some small changes in your life that can make a big difference to your health and well-being?

 A Twitter user, @dsackr, has suggested a “One Month to LIVE” challenge, where people commit to making some changes to their lives in the short-term, which could have long-term results. 

 The challenges are:

• To swap TV for reading a book (or several);
• To swap caffeinated/sugary/alcoholic beverages for water;
• To get 7-8 hours sleep each day (naps included); and
• To burn an extra 500 calories per day.

Choose to work on one goal per week, one for the whole month or commit to all four for four weeks (4-4-4) - whichever you choose, head over to the blog where this all started and comment, setting out what you hope to achieve. So many people are signing up to this idea already, the motivation from the others could start you on the path to something that makes a real difference in your future.

I’m going 4-4-4 - what will you do?

Ah, great news!

I had my Monday morning weigh-in and, to my great surprise, I have lost 3 pounds this week!

As you know, I’ve been following the Special K “Slimmer Jeans Challenge” and have been having a bowl of cereal for breakfast and one for lunch. I have to say, though, I haven’t exactly stuck rigidly to it as I’ve been out for lunch for the last three days…

Of course, this was exactly the result I was hoping for – a decent weight-loss in the first week is just the motivation I need to keep going for the second weight of the cereal challenge and to then continue to eat healthily and exercise regularly to keep the weight coming off over the coming weeks and months.

As well as the differenc e on the scales, I’m pleased to say my BMI has also dropped. Previously, it was just over 29 and is now a little over 28. Still higher than it should be, but a definite move in the right direction.

It’s Friday night and it’s time for a celebration.

After spending the last two months looking for a new place to live, as the noise from the neighbours where we are now is just unbearable, we finally find somewhere we both love! Tonight we sorted the paperwork and, all being well, we move on 14 February – we’ll spend Valentine’s Day in our lovely new apartment.

Again, this has meant consuming many calories through the medium of alcohol. First on Wednesday night, after we viewed it and were talking it over in the pub, and tonight with a bottle of wine to celebrate. I have spent most of the day wandering round the shops, and am aching from doing so much walking, but I just don’t think I’m going to have burned THAT many calories!

I’ll never shift all this weight at this rate! I’m thinking next time we have a celebration, I’ll be on soda water with a slice of lemon!!

Since deciding that I need to lose weight, I’ve become a lot more concerned about knowing what I’m actually eating.

I’ve never really been one for making home cooked-meals, always preferring convenience above all else. Now that I’m home most days, I have the time to cook a dinner for my boyfriend and myself each night and I know that he enjoys having a hot meal to come home to. It makes sense for me, as I know exactly what’s going into each dish and so have more control over the things I’m eating.

I have a very limited repertoire of dishes to make, though, which means that after a couple of weeks it has started to get bit repetitive!

So, I’ve decided to branch out a bit and try some new recipes. How exciting!?! Tonight, I made my first ever Lancashire Hotpot. Granted, it could probably do with a bit of work, but it was edible and we both enjoyed it. A couple of nights ago, I made an attempt at home-made, low-fat oven chips and they were delicious!

I’m really starting to enjoy cooking now and can’t wait to try out some more new recipes. There’s one for a carrot cake that I’m itching to have a go at – I just daren’t, as I’ll probably eat the whole thing with a giant cup of coffee!

I hate shopping for jeans.

I detest it with every fibre of my being.

I own several pairs of jeans, some that are too small since I gained weight – and which I intend to be wearing again in a couple of months – one pair that are big and baggy and falling down and one pair which fit perfectly and, consequently, got worn to death. Literally.

I noticed last week that the pair that fit perfectly were starting to wear a bit thin around the top of my legs. Not really surprising, given that I have owned them for almost three years and wear them a LOT. So, I had to give in and buy a new pair.

I went to my local department store, bought two pairs – one black bootleg and one blue slouch fit – in the same size as they were on sale. I got home, took off the old pair to try the new ones on and realised that not only were they wearing thin, but had actually developed two holes during the course of my shopping trip.

Mortified by the fact I’d been walking around the city centre with holes in my jeans, I tried the blue jeans on. Marvellous – perfect fit and, therefore, an absolute bargain. The black jeans wouldn’t go past my thighs. It just gets me wound up. They’re the same size, so why don’t they fit? I understand that they’re a different fit, but how can there be that much difference in the size of them?

Now, I have to begin the whole process again. Wish me luck on my trip back to the store.

Having posted about the Special K “Slimmer Jeans Challenge”, I thought it might be worth giving it a try myself.

Being all about the instant results and being completely lacking in motivation, self-discipline and will-power of late, I figured it couldn’t hurt. As I’m at home at lunchtime most days of the week, I’m not being tempted by co-workers or friends are eating, so it seems an ideal time to give it a go.

I started on Sunday and, I have to say, I’m pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to stick to. I bought two huge boxes of cereal from the wholesalers near here and am livening the regular cereal up with some dried fruit to make it a little more interesting, rather than buying several boxes with different flavourings in.

I’m having a bowl of cereal for breakfast and one for lunch, with a regular evening meal and either a piece of fruit or a Special K snack bar between each meal. I’d already begun to make an effort to cook a healthier evening meal before starting this, so I’m hoping to see some results by the end of the two weeks.

I haven’t had any hunger pangs and, knowing that I’ve got set meals and snacks already planned and to hand means that I’m not being as tempted by any goodies I have in the cupboards.

The combination of the plan and trips to the gym should, I hope, be the kick-start I need to continue losing weight and getting into shape.

For anyone struggling to get on track, maybe lacking some motivation with their New Year’s weight loss, there is something out there that may just help.

I, for one, feel more motivated to continue with something when I start to get immediate results. If I can’t see or feel anything happening then I am apt to give up fairly quickly. If I do start to notice a difference then I’m more inclined to continue and keep up the good work.

Obviously, there’s no quick fix when it comes to weight loss. It’s a process that takes time, particularly if you want to ensure that the weight stays off in the future. Nothing can replace healthy eating and exercise.

However, a quick start that may just give you the motivation to eat a healthier diet and be more active is the Special K Slimmer Jeans Challenge.

The idea is to have a bowl of Special K cereal for breakfast and another for lunch or dinner, and a healthy, well-balanced meal for the third meal. A small snack that is both low in fat and low in calories can be eaten between meals, with fruit, nuts, vegetables or Special K snack bars or bites suggested.

By doing this for two weeks, you should drop a dress size (although, of course, this is not guaranteed – different people will lose different amounts of weight). The plan should only be continued for two weeks, no longer, and should only be followed by people over the age of 18 with a body mass index (BMI) above 25. Anyone with medical conditions must discuss this plan with their GP before embarking upon it.

There is a website which is designed to assist with this challenge, creating an eating plan, suggesting balanced meals and offering support, but unfortunately it is unavailable at the time of writing. I suggest entering the relevant terms into a search engine to sign up.

Good luck to anyone who decides to try the challenge. I’d love to hear how you get on with it.

As you might have noticed, I’m very fond of the notion of “tomorrow’s another day”. So, after my spectacular fall from weight-loss grace earlier this week, I have picked myself up, dusted myself down and started over with a clean slate.

I’ve had a relatively healthy day today, with healthy high-fibre cereal for breakfast and lunch and dried cherries as a snack. I even took myself off to the gym by myself this afternoon – I usually feel a bit too self-conscious to work out alone, preferring my boyfriend to be with me. I don’t know why, we work out in different parts of the gym and barely even see each other, but it just makes me feel better.

Anyway, I spent 30 minutes on the cross-trainer doing the total-body workout. In theory, this should work out all my flabby bits, toning them all up and burning the fat as I go. It wasn’t the most epic work out ever, but it’s a start!

Here’s to actually managing to sustain this for a little bit longer than I did last time.

I fell spectacularly off the wagon yesterday!

My boyfriend and I haven’t been out on a date in a while, so he treated me to dinner at one of my favourite restaurants last night.

I started off fairly well, opting for vodka, lime and soda when we went for a drink beforehand, instead of having lemonade in it. When we got to the restaurant, though, it all fell apart.

A full three course meal, with every morsel finished off, and half a bottle of wine were probably not what I should have indulged in, but the food is so delicious – and the wine was free because of a special offer – I shouldn’t have expected anything less.

To make it even worse, we then went for drinks after the meal, where I indulged in not one, but two cocktails – a Cosmopolitan and an Amaretto Sour.

The calorific intake must have been phenomenal and was only worsened by the fact that I had a massive hangover this morning and the associated munchies! Snacking all day has been the only reprieve from the shocking headache that’s plagued me all day.

I’ve been a very bad girl and must haul myself back on the wagon tomorrow, even if it takes every ounce of strength and determination I possess!

Readers of this blog might be interested to know that WeightWatchers UK are offering a two-week free trial of their online membership here.

This is a limited time offer and payment details are required upfront, but cancelling the subscription within 14 days will guarantee that payment will not be debited.

I have been a member of WeightWatchers Online in the past and they were very good about processing the cancellation promptly, so I wouldn’t have any qualms about giving them my details. In fact, I’ve done exactly that and signed up for the free trial myself!

The trial will give you the opportunity to try out the services they offer without any financial commitment. It includes access to the recipes, forums, weight tracker, points tracker and activity tracker. There are a number of great tools on the site which can be of great use to anyone looking to lose weight.

So, sign up for the two week free trial. You’ve got nothing to lose – except some excess weight!