The Impossible Thing : Backwards & Onwards!

My progress lately has been a bit non-existent, or should I say backwards. July’s triumphant seven-stone-off is a long way back in time. It’s now November for crying out gently (as Pop Larkin would say, though he really loved Ma Larkin and she was massive!).

Since October 2015 I can honestly say I had not put any weight I lost back on. Except very recently. It’s only about four pounds but, believe it or not, it’s very easy to convince yourself you’ve PUT IT ALL BACK ON … or are about to.

Impossible?

Some people talk of ‘reaching a plateau’ or even say your body knows what weight it wants to be. Yeah, but my body wanted to be 21 stone 10 and I let it for a long time. As for that plateau, it’s a fine excuse when you know you’ve been keeping going.

But.

I have been eating more. Simple. As. That.

You let your habits go a bit. Extra cheese creeps back in. Large bread rolls. Any bread with the word tiger in. Irresistible. The third bag of crisps when the rule is two. Or a sod-it-I’m-having-this-massive-bag-&-this-pack-of-Cadbury’s-mini-rolls moment in the shop. And that’s fine now and again. Because of course you can’t put six stone on in one weekend. And I reckon this is what happens when people put some or all of their weigh back on. Laurels resting. Rewarding. Just-this-once-will-be-fine-ing and then gradually …

And I still say the main reason people eat these foods that are full of fat (or sugar) is BECAUSE THEY ARE DELICIOUS. It’s no more complicated than that.

 
However …

I've done much better this week. A mere four days and I’ve dropped one of the pounds I’ve put on. So I'm going to keep going for it now. Firm up my habits. Remember what I did in the early days, months, years. Avoid getting hijacked by those cheesy potato cakes. Definitely can’t buy any more of those for a while.

Exercise-wise, I'm keeping going. It's forever. Ninety-nine percent of the time I enjoy it. I have failed on the extra classes though. Body Balance is slow and hard and full of people who seem able to tie themselves easily into knots and hold it there and it made me cry last time I did it. Hydro Fit I quite like, despite its silliness, but now winter is setting in it's very dark on the prom for cycling to the health club and my flat is so cosy and warm and safe BUT … I will do it for Zumba. Of course. Don't care if there's snow, hail, flood or a hurricane I can get to Zumba. Even if I have to leave my beloved Brenda behind and walk.

After a chat with the FGE I've decided to set a doable target working towards June the 12^th when I have a ticket booked for Nick Lowe in Glasgow. I have to have lost the weight of the FGE by then. At the moment, she informs me, this is 8 stone 4. So that's what I'm aiming for. Of course I may be lucky and her summer weight, due to extra running and cycling, will be eight stone. But somewhere between 112 & 116 pounds off. This would really be progress. Slow, but still progress. Especially when I remember my original target (before I found out I was shorter than I thought) was to lose 120 pounds. This is where I thought I could get in four years. I could still do this. Maybe. Possibly.

So this mini target-challenge is called ‘Go Lowe For Glasgow’ OR ‘Lowe Waits’. Well, we’re writers.

The other thing I've done for incentive is to take all the clothes I've bought in the past couple of years that don't yet fit and hang them in the guest room. The majority of these were from charity shops. I know it's a bit girly, the clothes thing, but you have to find incentive where you can find it. Yes, I like feeling more normal, feeling in control of something I never could control before, being able to walk faster up hill, run for a bus easily, sleep better (sometimes) and many other things ... but the clothes!

 

 

 

My shrine to clothes that MUST fit one day. Some day.

 

 

 

This month I'm attempting to write 50k words. This is because I am a sheep and lots of folk on Twitter were embarking on this #NaNoWriMo, and because the #VSS365 prompts set me off with characters and a bit of a story and I’m using them to help me write more of it and intend to use all of the November words. I'm enjoying just writing and writing and not worrying about trying to make it perfect. In December though, I can sort out the almost finished novel I have. Maybe.

And yes, this is relevant because getting caught up in long writing sessions helps to stop me thinking about food for whole minutes at a time and there's not many things which can do that.

Finally, here's some before and afters.

2013 ...

 

 

 

2018 ...

 

 

 

 

 

With the FGE outside the VVV!

 

Onwards … I will get you, The Impossible Thing!

 

 

 

So this mini target is called Go Lowe For Glasgow OR Lowe Waits. The other thing I've done for incentive us to take all the clothes I've bought that don't fit and hang them in the guest room. Most of these were from charity shops. I know it's a bit girly but you have to find incentive where you can find it. I like feeling more normal in control being able to walk faster up hill run for a bus sleep better (sometimes) etc .. . But the clothes are the best measure of weight loss and I live being able to put in smaller sizes and know they fit. It's a shrine to clothes that MUST fit one day some day The plan is go in there for strength ...