Not quite a virgin as I did the SW diet many years ago, back when we had green days and red days.
But I got there! In spite of the rain and the disinclination I went and signed on for 12 weeks of Slimming World. That will take me up to Christmas just about. And in theory I should be able to lose the stone I want to lose by then. If I follow the diet properly. It all sounds quite complicated ...
The teacher began the welcome-to-newbies class by showing us a page in the recipe book. 'This is the most important page,' she said. 'Here it tells you how to make chips.' Sounds like my sort of teacher.
Apparently you have to eat a lot of some things, and I mean you can eat a lot. I'm going to have to study the book as she ran through it quite quickly.
During the group session I had to chuckle to myself when she kept asking people if they were getting enough speed. (Speed foods - mostly fruit and veg I think - as opposed to the drug that I'm more familiar with.) (No, I'll rephrase that. I don't mean I'm familiar with the drug itself but rather the discussion of it in Zac's.)
Came home to Husband's sausage curry and the remains of the rhubarb crumble and ice cream. Diet starts tomorrow.
Okay, that's 100 skips done.
And it's nearly finished me. I can barely type for panting. And I only managed to do about 7 at a time before I'd either trip over the rope or have to rest. Dear me, I need to get back into exercise.
Speaking of which I have ordered a new fitbit - or rather a vivofit, an old model of a different make that is less than half the price of a fitbit. It turns out that the manufacturers of Fitbit don't offer repairs. The best they do is give you 20 or 25% off your next purchase.
My heart is still thumping.
And I am investigating Slimming World classes. I really liked the Rosemary Conley class because it was followed by exercise but there don't seem to be any in my region.
There is a local SW class on Wednesday at 5.00 pm.
Watch this space.
65.6 kg.
That's the biggest I've been since I can remember. So big I'm not even going to convert it to stones and pounds.
I wonder if you can reach a maximum weight, after which you don't put on anything. I suppose if you continue to consume more calories than you use then no. In which case one day I'll wake up and find I have become one of those exceedingly obese people, the sort I see on the street sometimes and wonder, 'how did they get so big without noticing?'
I've been working on the principle that I'm poorly - I've had shingles - and so deserve to eat as I feel like it. And Husband has been poorly so I've been walking George every day - so that will use up all the extra calories. But apparently not.
Hey ho. Tomorrow is another day, as Scarlett was wont to say. In fact today is another day and one that is just starting so let's aim for a loss of the kg I put on last week.
If ever I needed encouragement to diet this photo of me and the Clyne Ness Monster would surely do it.
I met up with a new potential instructor for the Zac's women's fitness class last week and she was great. I was about to say, 'I should exercise more' when I stopped and said, 'No, I hate the word should.' Hannah, for that is her name, said, 'In the philosophy book I'm reading it suggests changing should for a more positive phrase so you could say, more exercise would do me good.'
She also mentioned that skipping is the best form of aerobic exercise. 'Start small in anything,' Hannah suggested. 'Set yourself a low target and as that becomes easy increase it.'
So I have got out my skipping rope and in so doing have reached my first target. Maybe tomorrow I'll use it.
Of course the skipping Hannah was talking about is the sort you see boxers doing: two feet jumping up at the same time. My skipping is more infant playground based.
But I'm sure that will be almost as good.
I haven't weighed for the last few weeks. I've been struggling with my emotions and really don't need anything else to depress me. Oh, yes, and I've been eating a lot.
I can't seem to take control at the moment - which doesn't help me physically or emotionally. I seem to write a lot about this cycle but I imagine it's one that many of us struggle with.
I was looking at photos of me on honeymoon thirty-nine years ago. Gosh, I looked good! And back then I thought how fat I was. And I want to get back to that shape. Then I tell myself that was nearly forty years ago and I can't expect that.
It's the same when I look at young mums and think how slim they are and I want to look like that and I forget the age difference again. Not that age is an excuse for flab but life is different now and it is harder to lose weight. Remember those balloons? Each time they're blown up and let down they become a little stretchier and have a little more give and it's easier to inflate the next time.
But I don't want to keep on increasing so I must - I will - take control. This week? Who knows?
I lost 2 lbs this week! So no photo of my flab will be forthcoming I am pleased to say. And I'm sure you're just as pleased to hear.
Not sure how this weight loss was achieved. My Fitbit scores are a little better than the week before and I did spend an hour or so in a very hot soft play centre scrambling after grandsons. I say scrambling because apparently what I was doing didn't count as steps!
I am having a little treat tonight: we have a bowl of home-grown gooseberries in the fridge that really must be used! So crumble it is. And then I'll have the rest of the week to work it off.
But I mustn't let this go to my head. It can either be an incentive - I've made a good start and will continue - or a noncentive (or whatever the opposite is) - I've lost weight so can over-indulge frequently.
Oh yes, and I've cancelled my Rosemary Conley online membership. Waste of money really. It wouldn't have been if I'd used it properly I'm sure but being accountable to an invisible morph doesn't work for me. So now it's just you and me, people.
I say that every Tuesday morning just after I've weighed.
Sadly my resolve fades at the sight of fresh crunchy bread or cheese or fruit or cake or anything yummy really.
But I've gained again this week. When I lose weight it's never more than a pound and usually only half, so how come when I gain weight I do so in two pound amounts?
I know the answer to this question of course: it's because of the aforementioned lack of resolve and sheer greediness.
I am currently 10st 3lbs (almost). Can you hear me sighing? Especially as I didn't 'feel' fat this week.
Right, now, I'm serious. I want you to hold me to account. If I don't lose weight this coming week then next week I will post a photo of my fat belly. If that isn't an incentive for me to be strong I don't know what is. (And you're probably hoping so too.)
Unlike my weight my Fitbit scores were down. My excuse: I just don't have time! And I forgot to wear it one day.
But enough of these excuses! I WILL do better.
