Sue81

It’s TOM so I guess the maintain is probably linked with that. As I have PCOS my cycle is eratic and once in a while I have a bad one and this is it. I have felt drained, washed out and pretty grotty since Monday. Here’s hoping it not one of those times when TOM lasts several weeks not days.

I’ve done half my exercise for today. My car has gone into the garage for an MOT and service (hope it doesn’t turn out to be too expensive), I dropped it off at 8:30 this morning (much earlier than my prefered waking time on weekends) and walked back to my flat, later it is the reverse.

Hopefully next week will see a loss again.

I lost another 2lbs this week and I have now lost 2st (28lbs) in total. Stones are the most common UK measurement of weight, so along with pounds on here I keep a track in stones as well. My mini goal is 3lbs away when I will weigh 20st.

I took a walk into town today. I actually spent close to 4 hours walking round and I’m now shattered. I’ve been meaning to go for a few weeks but finally got my act in gear today. It was partially curiosity as well. If any of you have seen news about the UK, you might have seen that someone attempted to blow up part of Exeter on Thursday. All they suceeded in doing was injuring themselves and damaging a restuarant toilet but I wanted to see if it was still cordened off. It was and there were TV cameras around. The place is about 5 minutes walk from my flat.

Unfortunately I had forgotten that something way going on in town today. The local football team got promoted to the real leagues last week and the team were being paraded through town on an open top bus. The high street was packed with people, you had to push past to get anywhere. I hate large crowds of people. They eventually cleared off and I was able to get on with my shopping.

Stopped off at Subway while I was in as well, had a nice ham sub with lots of salad, certainly better than all the rest of the fast food options available!

As I have mentioned before I am on an online CBT course called living life to the full. It is designed to help people with anxiety. It is a set of modules and at the weekend I the first of two modules on anxiety control techniques. I had to download a sound file which talks you through a way of relaxing. I’ve got to listen to it once or twice a day for the next few weeks then I can move onto the second one which teaches you how to deal with specific situations.

All I have to say is wow, I haven’t felt this relaxed in a very long time. I’m sleeping better and I’m generally calmer. It is making me much more interested in my healthy eating. So bring on grilled chicken and steamed veg.

Well I’ve lost the 2lbs I gained last week. It might have been a bit more but my little celebration on Thursday night threw that out.

I had a successful shopping trip yesterday. The list helped. I bought some wheat bran to go in my scrambled eggs. If you want a change to usual scrambled eggs I suggest you try it. It adds a lovely nutty taste and a great texture.
While I was in the whole foods section I found a basic museli which only had sugars from its dried fruit, rather the the horrible sweet stuff from the cereal aisle.  This morning I added some sunflower seeds and orange segements just to mix it up a bit.
Even when I have a list there is always some degree of spontaneous purchase and yesterday was no different but it wasn’t food this time, I bought a steamer and I’m looking forward to trying it out.

First of all thanks for all the advice from my last post and sorry for the dodgy topic.

I found out this afternoon that my practical experience has been signed off and I am now a fully qualified accountant. It means it’s finally all sorted and I can use the letters ACMA after my name. It has put me in a good mood and I’m going to celebrate a little tonight.

I am also going to write a shoping list so that tomorrow when I go to the supermarket I get a good range of food to inspire me to stick fully to the plan.

Last time I wrote about my lack of motivation well I’ve had a wake up call but in the most revolting way. Those of you of a sensitive disposition may want to stop reading now.

To put it bluntly I think I need more fibre in my diet. Things haven’t exactly been comfortable in the bathroom area for a while (on occassion it resembles concrete).
My breakfast has been porridge (oatmeal) while on this plan but recently I haven’t been having it daily. It’s got too hot for stodge in the morning so this week at the supermarket I was on the lookout for a museli or granola but even the best had 20g of sugar per 50g serving. I think I’ll have to make my own but I haven’t got round to it yet.

Some of you may be able to guess where this is going. Tonight included an emergency trip to the hardware store as I have just spent the last two hours unblocking my toilet. I think it may have taken exception to my changing to quilted toilet paper.
It has had an immediate impact on my eating as I’m not sure I can now face dinner!

The whole fibre thing has also reminded me that when I was on a high protein plan years ago I was advised to put raw bran in things like scrambled eggs. It was very tasty, a good texture and I might try that again.

So more fibre I think is the way forward and making sure my eating doesn’t damage the procelain!

I gained 2lbs this week and I’m not happy with myself. I just can’t seem to get motivated at the moment. When I started this I was all fired up and ready to go. Losing the weight was only part of what I wanted to do and I was moving towards all the others at the same time.

Now the fire has gone out and I’m doing this half-heartedly. The rest of my original aims have all disappeared. I’m not hurting anyone but my self by not doing this properly and I really do want to lose the weight. So I’m going to read through the book behind my plan this afternoon and try to get some enthusiasm back.

I went out to the cinema last night with some of the girls from work. I think some part of me attempted sabotage as I forgot to bring a change of clothes but I went along anyway.

We stopped off at a pub for a quick bite to eat first and it was passable, both my choice in terms of what I should have been eating and the standard of the food. The service was terrible though and two people got served as the rest of us had finished eating.

The new cinema in town has a Ben & Jerry’s stand and the rest of the girls dived in. I’ll admit I took a good look but I walked away. I didn’t need it, so I didn’t have it.

I can now smell someone’s barbeque through the window so I’m gonna go eat.

I had a bit of an odd weekend my eating was good, I didn’t really go off plan at all but I couldn’t get motivated to do anything and I slept a lot. I think it was probably all the stress catching up with me and I’m feeling better today. I even got it together enough to make a sandwich for lunch AND take it to work.

My new assistant started today and it wasn’t too nerve racking for me, mainly because the poor bloke was really nervous himself. He’s very young and yes I know I’m only 27 but he’s 21 and just out of uni. It’s his first real job and he seemed a tad overwhelmed. He’s skinny as a rake as well! Oh well time will tell if he is any good at the job.

Over the weekend I joined the national phobics’ society to try to deal with my people issues. After I joined I was given the opportunity to take part in a study of the use of online resources for mental health problems, which was a bit of a shock as I guess I didn’t ever class myself as having a mental health problem.
My gran had mental health problems which I’ve never been told the full details about (inspite of asking but my dad doesn’t want to talk about it) she was sectioned for a quite a few years before I was born and had electric shock treatment. She was on medication for the rest of her life.
I know my anxiety is something different but it freaked me out a bit.

Once I’d stopped freaking I decided to sign up. I wanted to know what it was all about and see what help was on offer. I was accepted onto the study. I’ve got 6 weeks of email support from a support worker and I’ve been signed up to the living life to the full website, which is an online cognitive behaviour therapy tool. I hope the two may be able to help me to start sorting things out.

I’m due to go out to the cinema with the girls tomorrow night, we might be going out for something to eat before and there is always the snacks and popcorn when we are there but I will try to stay strong and stick to healthy eating. Now I just need to turn up and not cancel on them!

I’ve just weighed in and I’m down another pound. I have had other things on my mind for a while now but that is as sorted as it is going to be so my focus is back on the weight loss. It’s a long weekend here and typically the weather isn’t great but I’m going to try to make the most of it.

In terms of the goals I set out for myself in my last blog here are the actions I am taking to make them happen.

1. Get back on plan and lose the weight
- I went to the supermarket yesterday and had a good stock up. I nearly collapsed when I saw the total but the only way for me to do this is to have nice food which is on plan. I’ve had my porridge (oatmeal) this morning and have my meals planned for the rest of the day. I’m considering getting a veg box delivered rather than buying it from the supermarket, I tend to stick to the same veggies and this might be a way to get some variety. There is also a fishmonger at the end of the road which I might take a look at. I love fish and seafood but I’m not a fan of handling it in its raw state.

2. Get a full health MOT
- One of the reasons I follow the GI diet is because I have PCOS. The symptoms are reduced when I follow the diet and take some natural supplements. As I’ve just taken them this morning I’ll let you know what I take;
Multi vitamin and mineral
Vitamin B Complex
Zinc
Magnesium
Chromium
Co-enzyme Q10
Agnus Castus
Milk Thistle
Saw Palmetto
I’d particularly recommend the Saw Palmetto to anyone who suffers from hirsutism.
I’m going to go see the doc once I’m back into the swing of things.

3. Get some help for my people issues
- Having done some research on the net I think I suffer from social anxiety. I’m sorting out membership to the National Phobics’ Society which will give me access to cognitive behaviour therapy. It seems to be the recommend way to go. I’m also trying to make small steps in my social life. I’ve agreed to go to the cinema on Wednesday with some girls from work, (now I just need to turn up!).

4. Get more active
- Assuming the weather is okay I’m going to take a walk into town on Monday and while I’m there I’m going to look out some exercise equipment. Now the weather is (supposedly) improving I’d like to take a walk during my lunch break but as I work at an Airport there is nowhere to go. I’ll have to take a look and see if it is possible.

5. Get on the housing ladder
- This one is on hold for now due to the general state of the economy!

Well I’m in a positive mood for the week ahead. I might even wash the car!