Weekend and thereafter

[lnr]

Friday night we stayed in and had a night so quiet I can't remember it.

Saturday we got up and pottered over to Parkers Piece for a wander round the county fair. We saw re-enacters, steam engines, sheep, pigs, harris hawks and cute collies (including excitable puppy), ate sausage-inna-bun, and pottered through the craft and food stalls. We came home with game pie, a joint of beef, some posh burgers, a bottle of concentrated sarsparilla and some expensive Italian chocolate. We'd considered going out cycling afterwards, but it was far too hot, so we spent the rest of the day quietly and watched The Bourne Identity on DVD in the evening, with our nice burgers in ciabatta buns.

Sunday we woke early, and were out the house by 9:30 on a little 11 mile loop to Waterbeach and back along the river, taking in Tesco to drop off our carrier bag mountain. (Bikely route map). It was getting fairly hot again by the time we got back (around 11) and Mike was suffering rather badly from the pollen. We had another quiet rest of day, with me bravely managing to stay awake until lunch of ham sandwiches, game pie and pickled eggs. Then Mike stuck the oven on, I gave in and had a nap, and eventually it was tea time with roast beef and roast potatoes and lovely red wine sauce, very nice indeed. We finished the evening off watching Walk The Line which we've had out on DVD for nearly a fortnight, but somehow never seemed to be in the mood for. It was most excellent anyway, and was a nice finish to the weekend.

Week so far has been fairly normal, with work and geeking and not quite enough sleep and going to finally register at my local doctor's surgery today. They were very helpful anyway. Though when I made an appointment for an hour later I made the mistake of leaving my keys at home when I came out of the house again. The doctor I saw was lovely, and took my blood pressure with a fancy new automatic machine, which really did feel like it was trying to squeeze my arm off. 135/92 - the latter figure being a little worrying, but not too much so given overweight people often have raised blood pressure, so it's probably that and not the pills. It also took my pulse as 78, which is pretty much what I'd measured it as myself the previous day. We talked a bit about the weight, and I embarrassed myself thoroughly by getting teary about it. She said I could try their nurse led clinic if I liked, but I decided to leave it for now. Perhaps there's still the hope I can get hold of this myself, but when I've already regained half of what I painstakingly lost over lent I've no confidence I can keep off any weight I lose. I have too many bad habits that I honestly don't really *want* to break.

On which cheery note I've eaten mostly sensibly today, and had two nice brisk 1 mile walks to work and back, since without my keys I couldn't get my bike out of the shed! Oops, silly me. Perhaps the exercise is more important anyway.

Weight:
In Lent: lost 13 pounds in 6.5 weeks, from 17 stone 2 to 16 stone 3
Since then: gained 7 pounds in 9 weeks, back to 16 stone 10

Comments

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

A considerable amount of what you have gained will be denser muscle and not fat, because you now cycle miles and miles, so the gain since Lent is not as much of a downward re-spiral as it may appear?

[lnr]

Hmm, the cycling has definitely picked up of late, although they're all quite short rides if you compare with last year. The main difference is my commute is now only 1 mile not 3 though, so I'm actually cycling a lot *less* overall than I was before I moved house. I'm trying to get into walking it since that's better exercise than cycling it, but it's always so tempting just to get on the bike because it's so much quicker and easier.

I'm definitely a little noticably wider round the middle, though with only 7 pounds it's not a huge difference. But hey, at least I'm gaining it less than half the speed I lost it :-)

Thanks for the words of encouragement anyway.

[1ngi.livejournal.com]

Oh I hate the whole doctor weight thing. The trouble is that with the current climate it is so easy to 'spank' people over it and it really upsets and annoys me.

I've been giving the Food Doctor low-GI eating plan a go (although you have to shop harder) http://www.thefooddoctor.com/ and I'm using this one of his books: http://www.thefooddoctor.com/The-Food-Doctor-Everyday-Diet-Book-Abooks_everydaydietbk/

It's basically about fueling little and often - which stops insulin production going sky high and converting everything to fat, having protein in every meal, avoiding sugar,and not eating simple carbs (potatoes, white rice, bread) in the evening. No calorie or points counting.

My friend Helen has been doing if for 18 months now and she really did lose a lot - but very gradually.

Cool things I have discovered: If I'm doing it properly, I never feel hungry, the 80/20 rule is fantastic for being able to have the nice treat every so often, i've been able to adapt what we eat quite easily - but this has occasionally sees me doing mad things like having bolognese sauce over a crisp salad when sion_a is having pasta. And I am gradually begining to stop feeling guilty about every bloody thing I put in my mouth. Fat is SOOOOO a feminist issue!!!

Bad things: It has taken time to adapt and I do find it hard to do if I haven't shopped properly, it recommends cutting out caffein but I am still having one cup of coffee in the morning, you have to avoid processed food because *everything* is laden with sugar, and it looks like it may be about to conflict with IBS exclusion diet I have just been given by addenbrooks.

*hug* You are a lovely vivacious person and you do not need to weigh your worth on scales.

[lnr]

Thanks for that.

Basically as far as finding a way of eating that works and doesn't leave me feeling hungry and allows me to have treats there's no problem: I could rejoin slimming world today. I don't find the point counting worries me, especially since most of what you eat has no points anyway.

All sorts of diets work, it's having the motivation to follow them and stick to them that's necessary, and that's what I'm strugging to keep up for any length of time. I don't like having to spend so much of my time making sure I have food in the house and food I can take to work for lunch.

But it absolutely wasn't the doctor's fault, she only mentioned the weight because I'd brought it up first as why I'm not on a combined pill any more, and she was really sorry that asking if I'd like any help with it upset me. Not at all judgemental about it.

I don't think fat-me is any less in worth than thin-me though, I've just reached the point where my size is beginning to bother me too much, so I ought to try and find that motivation again.

[1ngi.livejournal.com]

Sorry - didn't mean to suggest that I thought it was the doctor herself that had made you feel like that, just the whole process of it coming up at the doctors.

And the worth stuff - prob me projecting there - oops. Just really felt for you having that moment.

And I meant to say what with all the cycling and the ham sandwiches and game pie, on top of previous cycling blogs, you and M are begining to sound like two of the famous five and need only tales of derring do and lashings of ginger beer to complete the picture :)

[sphyg.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Despite what people may say, losing weight is really hard work (physically *and* mentally), especially the slow and steady approach. My main motivation is energy and fertility, but that doesn't stop me gobbling junk quite often. Luckily, I'm doing lots of walking so I can still brun some off. I'm very impressed with all your cycle rides, and your legs are definitely more toned than mine ;P And it really annoys me how the NHS qutting smoking scheme generally gets more attention than their losing weight scheme.

[mair_in_grenderich]

if you cycled home for lunch that would double your daily ride, and save the hassle of having to pack up a lunch?

(although if you're me it would just put you at risk of not bothering and having a hungry afternoon and then visiting the chocolate machine instead and generally ending up being even less healthy)

[beckyc.livejournal.com]

I just wish I could cycle *half* as far as you do, you must be seriously fit, and that's a much more important thing than weighing any particular amount.

(And, er, yes, I do still want to come round and see your flat and try your bike at some point!)

[lnr]

*grin* We'd need a dog, and we're only allowed cats.

[lnr]

Through the lunchtime rush traffic? No thanks! I'd rather walk morning and evening and get the exercise that way!

Taking the bike out for a proper lunchtime ride is OK though, nearly did on Friday but I didn't quite trust the weather!

[lnr]

11 miles (which is what we did on Sunday) on flat well surfaced terrain is probably pretty do-able for just about anyone I'd have thought. Whereas I'm amazed at how fit you are, and couldn't possibly jog 5 km! I get slightly puffed just walking the mile to work, or walking up 2 flights of stairs. So while I'm reasonably fit for cycling I wouldn't consider myself fit overall.

And I'm far too overweight, with slightly raised blood pressure and slightly raised cholesterol, to be considered healthy. 37 BMI is a lot different from 27 BMI. Still, this big and partially fit is obviously better than this big and not fit at all, so it's not all bad.

We should be in until about teatime today, and most of tomorrow, FWIW.