New Blog Domain!

Too many f's to type in, can't-be-arsed-itis has kicked in. And the pun on the tv show made me smile (not that I even know what Home Improvement is even remotely about)

Which also means, I'm not blogging yet, probably will one day this week. I've lost 2lb this week though, whoo!

Stay Classy xxxx

Scream Egg

First things first, here are the pictures of my 'christmas challenge'. I still haven't added 26 (lady gaga on the top of the tree) because I am absent-minded but here's how it works: I started the weekend before 22/10 weigh-in to track my progress between then and Christmas. During a weigh-in while still in Britain, our consultant Yvonne gave us a little christmas tree with 14 baubles and told us it was 14 weigh-ins til Christmas and to colour each bauble for each pound we lose (ie lose a pound a week = lose 1 st before Christmas. That's incentive, and sounds do-able, yeah? Especially for someone of my size - I've lost 19.5 so far :O). Anyway, through a lot of procrastination and interview of my life, THE MOVE etc, I only managed to do it then, here's my progress since 22/10 weighin (3 weigh ins) blahblah:



So, back to now...

I've had awkward times this week, mainly today, and it rendered me a bit crappy, cranky, anxious. And didn't really have anything to resort to except just kinda throwing myself about desperately, like Lulu at pantomine. I need something to look back at when those times get tough to remind myself what I'm doing and why I'm doing this.

I've been reluctant to do this, but I'm going to upload some progress pictures.

Now, don't get me wrong, I know I still look big (I have a long way to go, after all) and I'm sorry that one of the pictures is still indistinct - only received my camera wire from home this week (not that I have any idea where my camera is) but it's just so that you can see some kind of difference between the ghastly "then" and the (at least, better) "now". It isn't too recent a picture, it's when I was at roughly X-3,10 (I'm now X-3,4). It's from October 24th and my graduation picture is from 29th June 2012 (and trust me, it was as traumatising for me to look through them as it will be for you, to see this utter troglodyte flabbing around in a gown!!!)

Spillzilla wit' yo crazy threads. - 29th June 2012

41 pounds off, 52 to go - Yo en Sevilla - 24th October 2012

(For the record, I am now 47lbs down, as noted in the blog post prior to this :))

I am not sure why the uni chancellor needs a ringbinder at a graduation ceremony. God knows.

So I mean...well, it's progress. I still have a misshapen tummy, no 'gap' between my thighs, heinous bingo wings and my body has more rolls than a chinese buffet. However I also have more defined biceps, tighter calves, and the huge jumpers I sported at uni are now falling off my shoulders. My tummy is smaller. I've gone down about 4 dress sizes. I'm not going to justify the fact that I'm still overweight, it's unhealthy, but I'm making progress which I'm going to continue sticking to.

Which is why I'm letting the exercise properly kick in now. I'm overweight. And that means I already have an advantage over my friends who workout who are not overweight. Perfect opportunity. No marathons or 'Here Wiggo' moments just yet, but it's all progress. I've got other stuff to do, which I will inform you about in the next few days.

When I finally go home (mid-late december), I want to put up one of the more hideous full-length pictures of me in my graduation dress, and then put it on myself and show you the comparison. Hopefully that'll be more representative and I won't be TOO FAT by that point :)

I know now that there is nothing I can make healthier in my diet, just that I need to eat more of it. Therefore, the more I exercise, the more I can stop having a go at myself. On a health forum, I spotted a thread in which its subscribers count up the number of '100%' days they have, where they know they have done their absolute best that day - I want to be able to say that I have done all I can if I hit on hard times again.

Below is a suitable ending note: something that someone very wise made me aware of and I constantly remind myself of it.

And even if you don't know the person, it's written on a teabag so it must be GOSPEL. Lots of love, thank you for reading, stay fit xxxxxx

BEEP BEEP BEEP, get on your feet. You've gotta get a job cos you're in too deep

I realise I have not done a proper update that does not include Rafiki or playlists since 19th October, when I hit 2st 8.5lb because I am basically simulating having a life. This will probably be quite boring and average, for that I apologise, but hopefully it can just update you on where I'm at.

Where am I at now..well I'm now 47lbs down, which is 3st 5 (and 2pounds over what I'm projected to have lost - I'm meant to be 45lb down at the moment). I'm looking at my 3.5st award next week, diet permitting. And my water retention seems to have kicked in already, so it might be a small loss next week, that's what I'm expecting. A pound would be great. A gain would be sad and ruin the trend of the graph but I can't say I'm not expecting it...

I haven't purchased the workout shoes (3st reward) because essentially I have no money. Paying the rent this month is even going to be a struggle. I haven't got my 40 and 45lb charms yet either (would rather get a load at once anyway) due to similar reasons really.

Generally this week has been awful, because for one reason or another, my appetite has been really low, and still has continued on to this week. Yesterday my landlady made me dinner which must've been the more than I ate in the four days prior. I'm still full having eaten nothing last night! It's just really uncool - if you are reading this and you are a dieter yourself DO NOT do this. Although I am due TOTM in the coming week and that's partially to blame, I think yesterday's meal, having not eaten much in the days prior, has sent my weight a bit weird. It's gone up this week by a lot already. Hopefully it will come back down again but I don't know if I can guarantee a loss (which makes me really sad)

OH I FOUND WEETABIX. Quite a while ago. Still getting the water into my system, probably about 1.5-2l a day still, especially when I'm working.

On a lighter note, I can't remember when I was last this weight. Probably when I ballooned when I was 14/15 or so. Joy.

Another lighter note (christ, the pun just hit me), I am over halfway (JUST) on my weight loss journey! Halfway would be a 13st 4.5 loss, I am now 3st 5 lighter. I was discussing with someone yesterday who has done what I set out to do (and exceeded that, she's now on a 101lb weight loss) and pointed out that she felt the same as I currently do - I feel underwhelmed. I feel this because I am still quite sizeable (noticeably slimmer, I'd hope, but still sizeable) and because I still have *so far* to go! But as she pointed out, I have come further already than I still have to go. Which made me clock that, if I can do it for this long and only start to see cracks now (well, and the last month  - although, admittedly, I am in a new job and in a foreign country too, we all knew I'd be stressed somewhat), then I can manage this a little longer, surely? I'm projecting myself to have lost it all by March 25th at the latest (well, I will have half a pound to go in March 18th). Tbh except for the cake in the staff room which I am still resisting heeeee-ugely, I am basically surrounded by good healthy wholesome food. I can see that continuing, especially due to the fact I'm in the flat by myself (I seriously need to move out btw, another thing that is hindered by the fact that I have no money!!

And as I have no Rafiki gems for you today, I might just put up a happy song. In a seriously weak attempt to brighten this up slightly, courtesy of the Rumble Strips -Please listen, it's wicked :D

Thanks for reading this, and if you've continued to read it, and if you will continue to read it (even better!), you're all amazing xxxxx