Less fat, more warmth!

Alright, I probably need to explain that one!

About 2 months ago, the other half snapped up a couple of new sleeping bags for us - really lovely extra-length (we are tall peoples!) 3-season ones from Marmot. They're lovely and snug, but they're mummy-style ones with built in hoods, and being quite phobic and panicky about having my arms pinned to my sides, I initially couldn't use mine properly because I was a touch too chunky for a non-phobic fit.

We camped this weekend near Bakewell in the Peak District - more on that in a second - and I was delighted to find that I can now zip my bag up and use it properly, as I've de-chunked enough to give myself some wriggle-room inside the bag! Happy days, toasty warm nights!

Anyway, the Peak District. HOW lovely?? How have I never been before?

T'other half James is working away doing all the visual merchandising for Cotswolds' new Bakewell store, and the midget and I decided to mosey on up this weekend to see him, as he got Sunday off. Even better for us was the presence of our lovely friends Tracey and Frank - freshly returned from 2 1/2 years wandering the globe and climbing everything higher than a lamppost, they've settled themselves near Bakewell, bought a narrow boat to live on, rescued a dog, and scored jobs in the aforementioned store! Sunday was a gloriously sunny day, and we convened in Hope for a delicious farm breakfast alongside store manager Stu and assistant manager Richie. Frank and Richie then took off for a day's climbing, Stu set off on his bike, and James, Tracey, Freya and I set off on a long walk with the irrepressible Harry the Greyhound in tow.

We walked around Ladybower Reservoir - more taxing than it sounds, it's a very large pond o'water! Although not challenging in terms of hills, it was a good long walk. I carried Freya for about half of it, something I've never done before, and I have a newfound respect for the strength of James' hips! Harry absolutely loved his long trek too, and we had great fun working on his training as he's a young dog and not very disciplined, sweet though he undoubtedly is. I was aching later, my hips are paying for Freya's Easter Egg indulgence!

I wasn't 100% committed to the WW plan whilst I was away, but by the same token I wasn't silly. My indulgences were meals earned by hard walking, and I didn't cave in to puddings or sweet things. Plugging in my points to the online system on my return would indicate that all that walking kept me in point 'credit' so technically I shouldn't see a gain, but I'm right back on track now, so if I do put on or maintain, I know that I can reverse it straight away so I'm neither panicking nor apologising for enjoying my lovely weekend!

A busy week.

Alright, I have a confession. I trotted off to WeightWatchers last Wednesday, full of the joys of a week of good pointing and solid graft in the gym. I was dumbstruck to have GAINED half a pound.

Genuinely confused and not a little sulky, I have suffered blog-avoidance. I have avoided my blog like a pouting child.

Many kind friends, in real life and in Forumsville, have offered possible explanations for my gain. They suggested hormonal fluctuations, pre-menstrual bloating, gain of dense muscle not quite balancing flabby-fat loss. My daughter's physio pointed out that my already sore and irritated muscles might be grabbing at water like a cash-grasping WAG because I was a touch dehydrated, and that I should increase my water consumption dramatically. My leader insisted that if I made sure I ate all my points allowance this week rather than skimping, I would see a loss.

With a heavy heart and not much hope, despite having done as everyone suggested, guzzling water like a fish and eating all the points I deserved and no more, I stepped onto the scales, and lo - a 2lb loss!

I'm now pleased, and no longer sulky, and am blogging again! This loss means that I have lost over a stone since joining WW, and I have earned two shiny stickers today - for a stone loss, and for losing 5% of my starting weight. The other half and I worked out that my current weight is over five and a half stone lighter than I was just after my daughter was born. That's dead cool, that is. I still have a long way to go, but now I can see how each step of that journey is going to look.

Anyway, despite the sulking, we have been busy! Yesterday we went for a beautiful walk up Sugar Loaf Mountain, near Abergavenny. The weather was glorious and we were out for about 2 1/2 hours. It probably says a lot about my change in mindset that I now consider this a 'short' walk!! This was a sweet climb in more ways that one, as we attempted it about a year ago and I didn't even get 1/3 of the way up before realising that I just couldn't do it and skirting around the bottom before headed for home. Reaching the summit of yet another peak that defeated me a mere 12 months ago felt brilliant.

Today we had another gorgeous day, taking our daughter to a local adventure farm. I indulged my inner preschooler, and had a fantastic time skidding down high speed toboggan runs, chucking myself down scary drop slides and bouncing around like a proper freak on the outdoor trampolines. Which had nets, some will be pleased to read. None of this would have been possible even a short time ago - I would have felt far too self concious, and wouldn't have had anywhere near the energy. I would have sat on a bench and watched my fiancee and daughter have fun, and felt a bit left out and sad. I feel brilliant for having joined in. I wonder how much more life I'll gain as I lose more weight?

It's the taking part that counts....

....but sometimes, winning is really bloody cool!

Tonight I was collared by the gym manager Dai, who informed me that he was awarding me Member of the Month, for being the member (out of 200-odd) who he felt had put in the most effort and was reaping the rewards of the gym the most!

Well, I am chuffed as a rat!

My prize was a tasty chocolate flavour diet protein bar, and a voucher for 10% off at a local health food/supplement shop, which is very handy as I was considering investing in a protein supplement to try. I'm going to nosh my chocolate bar for breakfast tomorrow, as it's weigh-in morning at my WeightWatchers class and I do breakfast on the run.

Speaking of runs, I started a proper running training programme yesterday with a run/walk/limp around Parc Taff Bargoed. It claims it will make a runner of me in 12 weeks - I'm a bit dubious about that, but inspired by the running success of Gwilli I'm going to give it a shot! I know that my cardiovascular fitness has improved no end thanks to my walking and my efforts in the gym, and tonight I proved that my muscles are starting to catch up, with a gargantuan 45-minute effort on the crosstrainer tackling a tough Random programme. I'm just dubious that I can actually run, non stop, for significant periods of time!

I will pop back tomorrow, hopefully with another lovely weight-loss to report! I need to lose at least 0.5lb to earn my One Stone award and also my 5% award - it would be really nice to nab those tomorrow and make it an all-round winner of a week!

It's The Climb.

Now, the music channel in my gym has been playing the new Miley Cyrus offering an awful lot of late, and it's with not a little embarrassment that I confess to rather liking it.

It was also a rather fitting song to be stuck in my head as I trudged, thighs burning, gasping like a landed fish, to the summit of Pen Y Fan this afternoon.

We had a lovely day, joined by our friends Kay and Aled. We set out at the filter house at the lower Neuadd reservoir and followed the path along the side of Tor Glas, past Bwlch Ar Y Fan, skirted around the base of Cribyn before ascending Pen Y Fan via Craig Cwm Sere. It was a relatively easy walk until we reached the sharp ascent to the summit of Pen Y Fan - this was the point where I started channelling Miley to distract myself from the pain! It was unbelievably worthwhile, though - I'd never made it to the summit of the mountain before and the sense of achievement was amazing. The views alone were also worth the slog, and I took plenty of pictures.

It was nice to have a rear-guard companion - Kay and I let the boys stride on when we reached the steep bit, and climbed at a slower pace. It made it easier than being alone, scrambling after someone that's charged off without you and struggling to keep up. It also made for a giggle when the guys related how they reached the summit and sat down, smugly muttering about "waiting for the girls" - and then realised that we were carrying all the food, and the coffee!

Freya loved being out in the carrier, as well as all the attention from Kay and Aled; and had marvellous fun scampering around the summit and giving me heart failure as she careered towards a 300-foot drop!

We will definitely be back to tackle Pen Y Fan again soon - maybe next time I won't clock up a 2 hour gym workout the night before, though!



I can almost see it
That dream I'm dreaming but
There's a voice inside my head saying,
You'll never reach it,
Every step I'm taking,
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking but I
Got to keep trying
Got to keep my head held high

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing,
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm going to remember most
Just got to keep going
And I,
I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on, cause

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

Dinner

For the benefit of those contemplating the cult of WeightWatchers, I thought I'd post the recipe for our dinner this evening!

Chicken Chorizo Bake

4 chicken breasts [10]
2 Courgettes [0]
80g sliced chorizo, slices halved (or 80g chorizo sausage cut into small chunks) [5.5]
1 can chickpeas in brine, drained (210g) [3.5]
Few sticks celery [0]
1 can chopped tomatoes in juice [0]
1 carton passata [0]
Garlic [0]
1 heaped tsp smoked paprika [0]
1 tsp mixed dried herbs [0]
few tbsp balsamic vinegar [0]
1 tsp sweetener [0]
small pinch dried chili flakes [0]
Frylight spray [0]

Finely slice the celery and cut the courgettes into medium-ish chunks. Saute in a little frylight for a minute or so. Add the chorizo, stir and continue to saute. Finally, stir in the chickpeas, cook for a minute or so, stirring, then tip the mixture into an ovenproof dish (like a lasagne dish) and level out. Place the 4 raw chicken breast on top of the mixture, evenly spaced.

Return the pan to the heat and spritz with frylight again. Add 1-2 cloves chopped garlic, or a heaped tsp of lazy garlic from a jar. Sizzle for a minute. Add the herbs, paprika, chili and stir, then tip in the tomatoes and passata and stir. Add the balsamic vinegar and sweetener and simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened, then pour all over the chicken and courgette mixture.

Pop this in the oven for 35-ish minutes at abbout 200 degrees, until it all smells and looks delish. Serve with whatever veg float your boat! They had lovely red, yellow and orange peppers in the Value bags at Somerfield earlier, so I'm roasting a bunch in a spritz of Frylight, and serving with some steamed brocolli. Nom!

This serves four, with a recipe value of 19 points and a serving value of 5 per serving - a really nice low point dinner when served with lots of Zero point veggies, you could add some rice or potatoes if you wanted the carbs and have the points to spare!

Huzzah!

Just a really quick post, as I'm just back from this week's WW meeting.

Another 3lb off this week! That's 13 1/2lb in three weeks - I am a measly half pound away from my first stone award, and from my 5% weight loss goal! It'll come off next week, and then some!

The intricacies of torture.

Having been re reading some of my old mucker Wendy's blog posts, I've decided to do as she did, and log my current gym workout. One day, when I am running half marathons, I will look back on this and chortle at my feebleness. For now, I'll feel a weensy bit proud that I can do it at all!

Treadmill - 5 min warmup at speed 4.4.

Crosstrainer - 20 minutes, Hill program, level 3.

Rower - 20 - 25 minutes, resistance 10, 28-32 SPM (2:45/500m)

Treadmill - 10 minutes, speed 5.6, incline 1.5-2%, holding 1kg weights in each hand.

Crosstrainer - 20 minutes, Cross Train Aerobics program, level 3.

Resistance:

Bicep curls, 2kg dumbbells, 3 sets of 25 reps.
Tricep extensions, 2kg dumbbells, 3 sets of 15 reps
Hip Abductor, 45kg, 3 sets of 15 reps
Hip Adductor, 80kg, 3 sets of 15 reps
Abdominal crunches, 30kg, 3 sets of 15 reps
Seated row, 30kg, 3 sets of 25 reps
Seated leg press, 115kg, 3 sets of 15 reps
Seated leg curl, 45kg, 3 sets of 15 reps
Shoulder press, 20kg, 3 sets of 15 reps.

Breathe.

Collapse.

Spring walks.

We had the loveliest weekend, making the most of some spring sunshine by taking an overnight break in Gower!

We set off Friday evening, and camped overnight at Nicholaston Farm - highly recommended if you're looking for a family friendly campsite in the Gower area! We had some rain overnight but awoke on Saturday morning to blue skies and sunshine, and a glorious view over Oxwich Bay. After a shaky start, involving a falling toddler, a split lip, lots of blood, and copious Mini Eggs to restore happiness to the sore mouth of the fallen, bleeding toddler, we set off on a mammoth hike!

We walked from Oxwich (up the hill from the Penrice car park, through the grounds of the castle and looping round to pick up the coast path at Oxwich point). We headed to Horton and Port Eynon, and plonked ourselves down on the beach at Port Eynon Bay to eat our lunch and enjoy an ice cream cone/cider lolly (delete as applicable depending on whether you are on a diet!). From Port Eynon we followed the coast as far as Boiler Rocks, then cut inland and headed across farmland to the main road at Pitton Cross, where we hopped on a (ludicrously expensive) bus to take us back to Oxwich Towers. Half an hours trudging down the road brought us back to our car at Oxwich Bay - where I could finally take off my shoes! We clocked up at least five hours of active walking, and I paid for every second of it with aching muscles the next day.

Despite the ache, though, it was brilliant fun, and we are already planning our next trip out - himself is muttering about another Pen Y Fan attempt this Saturday, whilst I'm looking into sections of the Pembrokeshire coast path.

In other fitness news, my gym campaign gathers pace. I'm still racking up 4-5 sessions a week, at 1.5-2 hours each time. The crosstrainer and rower are definitely emerging as my cardio machines of choice, and the lovely Dai has shown me a few more resistance machines to aid in my 'get gorgeous arms' efforts. I've been experimenting with different programs on the crosstrainer, and am loving both the Hill program and the Cross Train Aerobics setting, so I've started doing twenty minutes of each per session, broken up with a stint on the rower (anywhere from 20-35 minutes) and resistance sets. I've also been doing some power walking on the treadmill holding 1kg weights in each hand, which is all well and good until I lose concentration watching MTV and clang the bloody metal dumbbells on the metal frame of the machine. I'm such a moron.

There's a few snaps from our walk below!

Magic Numbers - Apr 1st

This site seems to be eating my blog posts!

Anyway, it's been a while since I've updated, so sorry about that! I've been keeping busy,but not doing anything exceptionally exciting.

It'e been really heartening how quickly my fitness seems to be improving. From barely gasping through eight minutes on the crosstrainer, I can now comfortably manage 25, at a far higher intensity. I'm working towards managing an hour of rowing, even after working on other machines. I can feel my body changing, I can feel muscles starting to brew under my skin, where previously all was wobble!

I guess now is as good a time as any for a few more numbers.

Since January, when I was measured for my wedding dress, I've now lost 5" off my waist.

In 2 weeks since starting Weight--tchers to boost my weight loss and motivation, I have lost 10.5lbs of pesky fat.

I am managing 90-120 minutes of exercise, 6 days a week.

I have bought a gorgeous dress to wear at my dad's 60th birthday bash. It's a size 16. I'm confident it will fit, and look good.

My pre-meal blood glucose level, without insulin, used to be around 22. It is now (still without insulin) around 8.

These numbers are all fabulous and looking at them makes me feel good, and proud, and motivated.

What I can't quantify is how amazing I feel, knowing that I am changing myself. There are no numbers for that.

High/Low - Mar 10th

Low - Last night at the gym, I got sn----red at. Admittedly, by a bunch of braindead free weight room steroidiots, but it hurt. I'm not sure why they sn----red, maybe nobody over a size ten is supposed to use the gym.


High - Last night at the gym I wore my snazzy new jogger, snaffled in the Tesco sale at half price. They are cream and very comfy. I was very pleased with them! Treating myself to new workout wear, even ifit is cheap at half the price, makes me feel really positive about exercising!


Low - I went for a walk on Sunday and my calf muscles just constricted in agony. I've had this problem for years, it strikes totally randomly and nothing seems to help apart from taking painkillers before I head out. I managed 35 minutes but didn't feel like I worked very hard and was a bit deflated.


High - my gym instructor commented this morning (watching me do lat pull downs) that my technique is "excellent". Apparently he'd been watching me and was impressed by how I do 'everything just right'. Ah, how very sad to be so lifted by praise, but I was! Sn----r away barbell boys, for I am Mistress of the Gym! Surely by doing everything just so, I'll acheive my goals faster.

Can you bottle this feeling? - Mar 5th

To drag out when I want some chocolate on the sofa!

I am just so full of enthusiasm this week, and I'm loving it. I've been eating really healthily - I've just polished off a tuna and chick pea salad with loads of crunchy fresh veggies and lime juice and black pepper, and it was stunning! I've been really active, been walking every day this week and a couple of gym sessions on top. I feel amazing, I am full of energy, like I'm flying!! My blood sugars have been great, under 10 is becoming the norm now rather than a fantastic aberration, and I am mostly in the 5-8 zone that is the gold standard! It's all because of the exercise I think.

I have fulfilled my promise of getting to the gym, and had an induction at my local small private gym on Tuesday night. The lovely lovely Dai spent ages with me, talking about the science of fat burning, and the psychology of exercising for weight loss. He also devised a fantastic programme for me, which is acheivable but challenging, enjoyable - and uses some free weights! It's focusing on keeping my heart rate at around 65% of my theoretical maximum, which is optimum for fat burning; and we've thrown in some toning for the upper body too. I can honestly say that it's a revelation, and I've never enjoyed using a cross trainer before, but I do now! I've been twice this week already.

I've also been getting in a daily walk as well as my gym sessions, and have enjoyed getting out in the fresh air and exploring the muddy tracks at Penallta. I am a tad achey today, but I will chill out this afternoon in the hopes of being up for a bit of gymming tonight (been for a walk already this morning).

I've decided not to weigh myself regularly, there are so many factors at play that can cause my weight to fluctuate, but I'm going on the feel and fit of my clothes instead. I can already get into a pair of trousers that have been too small since before Madam was born!

Walking it off - Mar 2nd

I have had a week full of busyness and strife - not least some little swines deciding to set my car on fire! Fitness hasn't been foremost this week, but I have been very aware of it not being foremost, and suffered some niggling guilt, which I suppose is a form of progress!

I did manage to squeeze in some fantastic walking, which has been great. On Friday I completed 45 minutes at Parc Penallta in Caerphilly, exploring a fair bit as I'd only ever ambled very close to the car park before! It's quite hilly so I managed to work up a bit of a sweat, and threw in a few brief sessions of jogging on the flatter parts - maybe 60-90 seconds jogging, then some walking, then more jogging. I'm hoping to build on this over the next few weeks, the parc is convenient for picking Madam up from nursery afterwards so this may become a regular haunt!

On Saturday I spent the day with my mum and dad, and Mum and I took my daughter down to Knap Gardens on the coast at Barry. They meandered about, with Madam pushing her dolly in the pram, whilst I donned my trainers and powered off along the promenade and onto the headland. I think I got in about 25-30 minutes brisk walking plus a fair amount of child-driven meandering! I must have worked it, because later that afternoon at the play park, I ended up having a hypo, with my blood sugars dropping to 3, and having to glug some glucose gel to sort myself out!

Today my partner was off work, and we travelled down to Glynneath to tackle a longer, hillier walk along the banks of the Mellte. We were out for about 2-2.5hours with about 20 minutes rest, so it was a fair old workout. Lots of scrambling uphill, and also a challenging downhill section with lots of very large 'steps' built into the hillside that left my thighs aching! I really enjoyed myself, and was quite disappointed to get back to the car. We also ran into Welsh TV presenter Iolo Williams, who was very friendly, so that was a bonus! I kept a closer check on my blood sugars, testing during our coffee break and also after the walk, and snacked on some dried fruit to keep them at a sensible level, so I felt really good about managing good control.

This week, my plan is to get in a few good walks - the advantage being that they're free! I missed Pilates today due to having an appointment at the Registry office to give notice for our marriage in August (squeeee!) but I will try to practice some of the poses at home, I've also bought a Yoga DVD so will give that a crack. I'd also like to get into the gym (small local one, not evil Local Authority one!) for that weights induction and free weights guidance. Maybe one evening when the other half can watch Madam.

I'm mostly managing to eat sensibly and healthily, and have developed a penchant for Cup A Soup suppers and sushi lunches!

For the love of God - Feb 23rd

My best plans gan aglay!

My weekend was marred by back pain, I get this sporadically. Last time I was crippled for a week. This time I kept moving, and was ok within 48 hours. S'good, this exercise lark!

Scrambly hikes and mountains were out of the question, sadly. Saturday, I managed a walk to the local shop! Sunday was more successful, and we managed a family walk (on the flat!) at Cosmeston Lakes. Wee Madam was squired about in her push along trike, and had a marvellous time. We covered maybe 3 miles, and I was really proud of myself for getting out there and active instead of taking to my bed! Strong painkillers helped a LOT.

This morning I enjoyed my very first Pilates class. I was dubious that such minor movements could result in anything, but bloody hell, it was quite hard work!! My tummy muscles are definitely feeling it. The instructor was lovely, very encouraging and positive, and the other ladies in the class were very welcoming so I'm hoping to make a habit of this one.

On the downside, I faced a very obnoxious and unhelpful attitude from the co-ordinator of the GP scheme I'm meant to be following, who told me that I wasn't allowed to go to my lovely Pilates class, or in fact do anything that wasn't prescribed, monitored, approved and overseen by his special staff. Sadly, this has resulted in me withdrawing from the Scheme and I'm now going it alone! I've made a complaint about it all, lord knows if anything will be done, but it's somewhat marred what was otherwise a really positive morning. My blood sugar levels were below 10 this morning, for the first time I can remember since my daughter was born 2.5 years ago! I feel like I'm really starting to take diabetes by the horns and fight back, and it's quite empowering. So sod control-hungry little upstarts who think they can dictate my exercise plan for no good reason!!

The first of my fitness DVD rentals from Cinema Paradiso arrived on Saturday morning - a dance workout called Pump it Up, or something similar. I am waiting to have the lounge to myself to give this a go, as I don't wish to be mocked. Maybe I can kick him out for a bit later.......

Start at the very beginning....

....it is, allegedly, a very good place to start.

Project Gym started yesterday, with an obligatory Gym Taster Session. I'm going through a 16 week exercise referral programme via my GP. This, apparently, makes me far too feeble to manage a proper gym induction, and I was forced to endure a longwinded blah-sesh alongside some very lovely ladies of pensionable age, before being instructed to do ten gentle minutes on the treadmill at 2.5-3 mph.

Now, I may not be ridiculously fit, but thanks to the other half forcing me up mountains whenever he can manage it, I'm not quite THAT unfit, so I think the poor instructor was a bit shocked to return to me powering up an incline at five and a half miles an hour. Still, she has now sheepishly agreed that maybe I can be let loose on the gym sans OAP entourage.

So yesterday I racked up twenty five minutes on the treadmill, ten minutes interval cycling and rowed 1km in 5mins. Not a bad start. I went this evening with the very best of intentions, but feeling a little under the weather. I was hoping that the exercise might blow off the cobwebs, but it very quickly became apparent that it was just hoovering up all my surplus life force! I managed another 25 minutes on the treadmill and ten cycling, and called it a day when my legs gave out under me upon dismounting the bike. I was a bit disappointed - I'd been hoping for a crack at the resistance machines, but I clearly wasn't in any fit state to do so! Maybe next week. I'd like to get some advice on using free weights too, I've got this notion that they'll acheive strapless-dress-worthy arm tone more effectively.

No gym this weekend - partner and are sans-child tomorrow (thanks Mum!) and are going on a hike/scramble to recce the gorge walk route in the Vale of Neath, as he's due to start working the gorge when the season starts in March. Sunday, muzzy head and aching limbs permitting, I am being dragged up Pen Y Fan. The 'gentle route'. Yeah, right. Pray for me!