Cynthia’s Blog

The rest of the first week went pretty well. Friday I decided not to go for a walk, and that break was what my legs needed to get over being sore. Sunday I had planned bacon and eggs for breakfast (yum!) and we had a shared lunch at church. But, as Sunday is my “free day”, it was fine. I had a salad for dinner.

So, the results from week one…..drum roll please……

I seem to have lost about 1.5kg (3lbs). I say “seem” because it’s hard to accurately read a small amount on scales with a dial like mine. I’ve also lost 3cm (a bit over an inch) off both my waist and hips.

This week’s loss hasn’t been as much as I would like, but as far as I’m concerned, all loss is good! The next milestone for me will be to come in under the 105kg mark (231lbs), as that was the weight I pretty much remained at between and after the births of my last three children.

This week has been going pretty well…..

Monday we stuck to the plan. That afternoon I needed to do my bi-weekly grocery shopping. There was a bit of temptation there! I usually buy myself a snack while shopping, as it takes several hours, and besides, I agree with the maxim to “Never shop on an empty stomach!” After thinking about it all, I decided that I wanted to lose weight MORE than I wanted to enjoy a favourite food for a few moments. I was rather hungry though, so I brought a banana. Monday’s dinner was beef stew on mashed potato, which we ate a small helping of, and also had coleslaw with a low-cal dressing.

 Tuesday I also stuck to the plan without too much difficulty. Dinner was my thick farmhouse soup - I’ve got used to eating it now without bread and butter, and it’s very filling. That night was the prize-giving and end of year break-up for St John Ambulance Youth, which my girls belong to. My husband and I made the joint decision to allow ourselves a few small items from the supper table. I also brought a bag of mixed raw nuts - it’s amazing how a small handful of raw nuts really makes you feel full and content!

Tuesday night I did not sleep at all well, and also my lower legs were very sore from the unaccustomed walking of the previous two days. I also had burst blisters on both heels, and altogether I told myself I had the perfect excuse to NOT get up at 6am and go for a walk.  I think SOMEONE has a sense of humor, because that morning my 9yo was begging me to take her to a local reserve where she’d walked with a group the night before, to some box where you could put things in and take things out. She said it was on the local road between beaches, and we just parked and it would only take a few minutes plllleeeeaassee Mummy! Not entirely sure what it was all about, I decided that as I had a couple of quick errands to run, sure we’d stop by there too. So my three youngest and I set off. We found the reserve ok, and parked. Then Becky led the way……..Turned out to be about a mile (literally) in each direction - through chest-high grass, over logs, through blackberry and gorse. I got my workout! The box turned out to be a Geocache - there are lots of them hidden around the world, with their GPS locations given on the website. It’s an adventure to find them, and leave a little note in the book supplied, and/or exchange a small item. Now Becky is mad keen to find all the other local ones. I forsee lots of walking in my future!

Wednesday’s dinner was nachos, a family favorite. My husband and I had a small serving, then coleslaw.

This morning my husband and I got up and went for our walk at our regular 6am time. One of the things I like most about these walks, is that I can notice the difference it’s making to my body already. My lower calves and ankles look noticably slimmer, and the…. ahem…..large fatty areas on my hips/lower back definitely feel as if they’re melting away.

Well, time for me to move on and do my housework.

Love

Cynthia

In late August, I started eating a high-raw diet. Over the next 6 weeks I lost about 25 pounds (12 kg) and noticed a lot of health benefits too. Then all sorts of things happenened, including visitors, my flying to Norfolk Island to rescue my great Aunt, being sick, having surgery etc. While some parts of the high-raw diet have remained very much a part of my everyday eating, in other ways, my diet has slipped back into old ways. I haven’t put back on any of the weight that I lost, but my weight loss has sort of plateaued. It was originally my goal to get down to 100 kg (220lbs) by Christmas, then work to lose a further 30kg over the course of next year. I’m 7kg (15lbs) from my Christmas goal, and there’s only 3.5 weeks to go. I could just give up, but rather decided to really go for it. So, my goal is to

Lose 7 kgs (15lbs) by Christmas 2008

And this is my plan for how to do it:

1. Now that my husband has a job with regular hours (for the first time in 14 years!), we are getting up at 6am and going for a walk to the end of our street and back before he leaves for work. It’s a long street. Approximately 2.1 km (1.3 miles) each way, so total of 4.2 km each morning. It takes about 40mins. Today was our first day, and it went well.

2. In order to get up at 6pm, I’m having to change my (bad) habit of going to bed late and be in bed by 9.30pm.

3. Breakfast is raw Granola from Serene Pearl’s Rejuvenate Your Life recipe book. I love this granola - it’s made with sprouted buckwheat and lots of goodies. Actually, I’ve run out right now, and have more buckwheat sprouting. Made up a raw museli with rolled oats, but I don’t like it nearly as much, so may have to eat yoghurt in the mornings for a few days until the granola is ready.

4. Lunch is a large mixed green salad, topped with french dressing and sliced tomatoes. Plus two Ryvita crackers with hummus.

5. Snacks are a piece of fruit or a little dried fruit

6. Dinner is the normal meals I cook my family (we alternate a meat based meal with a vegetarian one) - but I will serve myself cooked food on a bread-and-butter size plate only, and then add raw vegetables or salad.

7. Once a week, usually Tues-Weds, I will fast for 24 hours, starting after dinner on the first day, and breaking the fast with a light meal just over 24 hours later.

8. Once a week, usually Sunday, I have a “free” day when I may eat less strictly. This is when I enjoy a treat I’m really craving. A church shared-lunch also fits here, as does a meal with friends.

My husband is joining me in working towards this goal - he would also like to lose 7kg by Christmas, so is doing the same things as me.

I’ll post updates of how we do each day, and weekly weights.

Love

Cynthia