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.

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