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HI Margaret!! I finished reading your diary and find your whole experience very interesting. Did you know you really are an interesting lady? I'm a very outgoing person myself, so when I read about people who are reclusive it grabs my attention. I'm amazed with your determination to walk every day and monitor your steps, that is something special, I've always wanted to do that myself, but I have yet to buy a pedometer. Your food sounds so good!! and I'm still trying to figure out what Fox's Boiled Fruit is?? I love fruit so I'm wondering if that's something we have here in the US. I love that you put your measurements in stones, I've heard that before but never really knew what the equivalent is to our own here. I have the same view of myself as you do when you look in the mirror, you don't see the changes and I'm the same way, I know I have shrunk, but when I view myself I see the same old Kim from years back, it's really strange how that happens. Well, I wish you the best of luck on your path to weight loss and better living. I have no doubt with your determination and lifestyle you will get to the your destination of weight loss in no time! Congratulations on your already 90 lb loss, that's just fantastic. Take Care and have a wonderful day today!
Kim
Fox's glacier fruits are a fruit flavoured sweet which I allow myself as a treet.
I am wary of the whole calorie thing as I have failed on too many diets over the years that have revolved around counting calories. In the past I have set myself a target for so many a day or week and eventually have exceeded the target and felt so bad about myself that everything finishes and I put on everything that I have lost and more besides. Twenty years of experience tells me that this approach may work for everyone else on the planet - but is unlikely to work for me. I go out of my way to not add up how many calories I have on any given day - but try to eat sensibly and in a reasonably balanced way.
Anyway I have just checked the bag of sweets and 6 sweets contain 129 calories. The bag says that they are made by Fox's confectionary. You can suck them and they are fruit flavoured and last quite a long time. I have no idea whether they are available elsewhere.
The reclusive thing was just something that developed. Both my husband and I have been morbidly obese for about twenty years and I think that I got a bit shy in company that I was uncertain of.
Being English of my age - I think of weight in stones and pounds. It is how we learnt weight in school.
The kids these days do kilograms which I know is 2.2 pounds - but I find it really difficult to think in terms of those.
This is the reason why English people probably often come up with targets which are multiples of 7 pounds. I know it must sound funny if people say "I think that I would feel comfortable between 112 and 119 pounds - but this is them saying between 8 and 8 and a half stones - and then translating.
Although not brilliant weather at least it was dry for the long walk – set out later than normal because I have a yoga class (which starts even later than the Monday class) and I wanted to incorporate it into my walk.
I am not sure how these late starts are going to pan out – I feel better if I am out of the house walking as soon as my husband has left for work. I always feel better once I am en route – I always think “My goodness – I am doing it all again!!!!)
I had another really positive experience in today’s walk. A chap (probably about my age) stopped me and asked about my walking. He had noticed me out walking and wondered what I was doing. He had then noticed that I kept getting thinner. Then his doctor had told him to lose weight (he isn’t as broad as I was or my husband is) and he had joined the local Virgin gym. Someone there had been trying to motivate him and told him about my walking and all the weight that I have lost so far so he had decided to speak next time he saw me. I told him about what I am doing and how to search for the Charlie Walduck story.
The yoga class was ok – but not too brilliant. This was the third class of term. Like the keep fit - I initially tried to sign up for another class which they didn’t run it because they didn’t get enough people. I asked what similar was being run there (within walking distance from home) and there were only the two options that I chose. In all honesty I wish that I hadn’t bothered with it. It isn’t nearly as fun as the keep fit – and I am not sure how much it will help my project. The teacher is not thin and she has been an expert for over 30 years. She said that it will not help lose fat at all but should help with the toning. In addition my back hurt after the first week (which luckily eased after 4 or 5 days) so I didn’t do any back exercises in the second week. Today she insisted that I did the back exercises – saying that my back would never strengthen if I didn’t do them. Now I did quite often get a dodgy back when I was big (what with my weight and the fact that I hurt my back when I fell down the stairs when I was in my twenties) – but the fact is that I had no problems with my back from when I got going with my project until I took her first class. I do not envisage that I will sign up for yoga after Christmas.
At weigh in I got ever so slightly through the 200 pounds barrier. I fully expect it to go back to the other side soon – but it is nice when you cross all these milestones. There are a lot of milestones coming up soon – 14 stones (which is also the loss of a third of my start weight), type 1 obesity etc.
General Data:
Morning walk = 6.3 miles.
Round the block = 4 times (on one lap my husband came too)
Extra exercises = a yoga class
Weight = 14st 3.8lbs (i.e. 199.8 pounds)
Steps = 30570
Distance = 11.33 miles
Remembered to take normal vitamin / supplements
Continued my creaming regime
Food / Drink:
1 banana
3 weetabix, 1 heaped teaspoon of sweetener (a level teaspoon is apparently 1.9 calories) and the (large) bowl topped up with skimmed milk.
40 seedless red grapes
1 glass (200ml) grapefruit juice – 82 calories
1 glass (200ml) orange juice – 92 calories
Cooked ham 120g – 150 calories
Main meal: my portion ingredients - 3 handfulls dry pasta, 33 cals sauce, sprinkle chopped garlic, 1/3 onion, 2/3 courgette, 1/3 red pepper, 1/3 green pepper, cooked in fry light
1 handful of sultanas
2 litres of cold water
some diet cola
I don't paricularly like yoga either!! I think it is a bit slow... but then I am no meditation-person all I do while they "meditate" is sing songs in my head.
A question: do you not get bored eating the same over and over again? It is not meant like in an evil matter I was just wondering, because your food seems to be very similar every day! I can't do that!! But this way you know that what you are eating is not exceeding your needs, because you have been constantly losing weight eating that!
And hey, little party here for going under 200 pounds! That is a HUGE milestone!!! Well done!!! In no time you will be at 150 you will see!!!
Love, Cat
Sneak preview - am under 200 again today - I was really delighted to keep it under. This is one happy bunny.
I have a huge milestone in three pounds time. If I get there I will have lost a third of my weight in February.
The reason that I dont vary my food too much is that if I find something that works I tend to try to stick with it until it stops working. I dont know why - whether it is the PCOS thing or something else really weird but some food items seem to act really strangely with me and I cannot see why. It is opposite to everything that you ever read regarding calories or anything.
I used to enjoy an occasional cheese sandwich. Several times I have been absolutely saintly for the entire rest of the day - high mileage walked (and lets face it I have the step count of an athlete) fruit, undressed salad very little else and although I have not counted the calories I know that it is so modest it is silly - but have had a slice of bread, no butter or margarine and a dairylea cheese slice (which is a small measured portion). Anyway each time (for no other reason - e.g. period) my weight went up two pounds that day. If you weigh it - it doesnt weight two pounds, if you add up the calories it doesnt come close - there really is no explanation. It certainly was enough to stop me having it. I havent had bread or cheese in ages.
It also is enough to convince me that whatever some people say about not weighing yourself every day - I should really weigh myself every day for the rest of my life. How else would I know what was happening with my body. Now - if I visit my parents - I take my scales with me.
Weetabix is another weird thing.
On 28th August my weight hit a plateau. I was good with my food and walked over 10 miles (sometimes over 12 miles) every day but two days when I did over nine miles - but my weight was still the same on the tenth of September. I was quite disheartened. I checked through and the only thing that I had introduced during this period was weetabix (which I had had most days having taken something else out). Anyway, I chopped out the weetabix and my weight dropped. I swore that I would not touch weetabix again in ages.
I lost five pounds in the next five days - then my weight plateaued again. It didnt move down for the next ten days. I was less than happy and trawled the internet looking for what to do next.
In desperation I put the weetabix back in and it has been moving in an acceptable way since. I dont mind if it stays fairly still for a few days or only drops by a fifth of a pound - but it is nice to think that things have not ground to a halt.
I do vary my evening meal a bit - but for the rest of it - all I really look for is fuel. If something is working - I am more than happy to stick to it.
Morning Margaret, or should I say "afternoon"?? I'm not sure what time it is in your neck of the woods. Thank you so much for breaking down and explaining to me what that fruit is, all I can say is it sounds lovely. MMMMM good! I take a class at my gym called Group Centergy, it's part Tia-Chi, part Pilate's and part yoga, I LOVE IT!! I will never forget the first two days I took the class, my body was hurting in places I never even knew I had muscles, I wanted to cry. But I stuck with it, and now 6 months later, my upper body is stronger and I'm more flexible. It helped me out and my back. You said you slipped down stairs in your 20's I did the exact same thing, as it was 25 degrees outside and the railing was all ice and well so were the steps and I lost my footing and down I went of course I had nothing to grab onto as the rail was slicker than the steps and by the time I reached the bottom I felt like I had been beaten with a branch, I ached for weeks and my back has felt it for years after, so I know what you mean about that. There is no doubt you have people checking you out now, with all the weight loss and all the walking you do, you are sure to be noticed. I would certainly take it as a "BIG sign of accomplishment" and be so happy for what you have done. Maybe it's time to come out of that reclusive stage and begin a new life so to speak. I can only speak for myself, but to me I don't care about the size of a person, if I feel you are approachable I"m going to strike conversation. Life is to short, enjoy what time you have here, and be happy with the new you!! Share it and your experiences, people crave a good life story, and I think you have one. Have a wonderful day today. I'll check back by later!
Hugs
Kim
Thanks for dropping by and the nice things that you say.
I must admit that I am really happy with the way things are working out this time around. I would never have believed that steady (but not really speedy) distance walking would make such a difference.
You were really brave sticking at a class that gave you so much pain. I am a real wimp and do not like pain. I am pleased that it worked out well when you stuck at it. I will probably stick with the yoga until christmas - I have paid for the lessons so I might as well get the benefit from it.
I am trying to be more outgoing. I dont know about how interesting my conversation is though - at the minute I am so focused on my diet and walking project that I suspect that I am becoming a bit boring on the subject. It tends to be just about all that I think about. I seem to tell my current stepcount to everyone I ever speak to...... nearly forgot 28298 at 4:55pm!!!
Just thought about your leg - if it is a knot there may be an exercise that may help - I wonder if any of the experts on the harsh truth area might have an idea.
The weather was quite pleasant so I had an extra long walk – and I was able to set out earlier. I did my normal route, added a bit in the middle and then went to Tescos on the way home.
I had a chat with someone that I met a week ago when out walking. He wants to lose weight and to encourage his son to do so – but when I said about Charlie Walduck he said that he didn’t have a computer and would have to get his daughter to find it for him. Later I had a bright idea and printed off the relevant pages and dropped it round on a later walk.
At weigh in I was still the good side of the 200 pounds barrier.
Whilst Tuesday seems to give me a comparatively low step count – Wednesday normally gives me a pretty good one. I actually think that this is because my husband spends ages on the phone to his mother getting her shopping order for the week – and I seem to often spend the time doing my silly exercises and / or dancing around to music on the headphones. I was very pleased with this stepcount.
General Data:
Morning walk = 7.3 miles.
Round the block = 4 times (on one lap my husband came too)
Extra exercises = my little silly routine
Weight = 14st 3.0lbs (i.e. 199.0 pounds)
Steps = 37634
Distance = 13.95 miles
Remembered to take normal vitamin / supplements
Continued my creaming regime – but forgot one of my bio-oil massages yet again!!!!
Food / Drink:
1 banana
3 weetabix, 1 heaped teaspoon of sweetener (a level teaspoon is apparently 1.9 calories) and the (large) bowl topped up with skimmed milk.
1 glass (200ml) orange juice – 92 calories
Main meal: 1/5 of a large trout fillet, 2 small knobs of olive spread, 1 slice of lemon, 3 new potatoes, 130g sweetcorn
1 handful of sultanas
2 litres of cold water
some diet cola
Great exercise yesterday Margaret. Is the fruit in your grocery store expensive?? I thought about that when I noticed you were eating bananas. I stopped by my sisters yesterday after the gym and she just got back from the grocery and said she bought two huge bunches of bananas for less than 18 cents a pound, I was like WOW!!! I love those so to me that's a excellent deal. I'm always looking for a good bargain. Margaret, I'm just wondering, before you retired, did you run your own business?? You mentioned earlier that you did fairly well in work, so I just had to ask. I think women who are successful are a huge inspiration. WOMEN POWER!! hehehhee well, I hope your walk today is gorgeous and that you get to visit with more nice people out there. Have a wonderful day!
Kim
I have a degree in Applied Computing and I went to work in the world of computing / IT - call it what you like.
I worked firstly as a programmer and I started my first programming job back in 1980. Back then there werent that many ladies that worked with computers.
After a few years I headed down to London - and I spent a lot of time working in central London. I spent many years working as an IT contractor or consultant as they are called in USA.
I generally worked for some big blue-chip clients - working through my own little company.
I find in that kind of environment you work very hard and very long hours. The temptation is there to define yourself by factors such as where you are currently working, how much you are earning and what you can afford to buy. These are actually all fairly superficial in the context of the bigger picture of life.
In addition the world of computing is constantly changing - and you keep having to keep reinventing yourself in order to remain marketable. If I had never reinvented myself - I would have started to look stale after about 5 years. People that for instance go in for teaching history can use the same skills (and probably the same lesson plans) at age 60 that they used at 23.
Many people in these companies would probably not think of me immediately linked to the "reclusive" person that I describe myself as. This is because in order to survive in that world you have to put on a facade of confidence. But that is just what it was - I am actually shy inside. I am trying to be open here and remove such facades.
I tended to acquire acquaintances rather than friends - and swiftly lost contact with people. I also did very little outside the office environment associated with these people.
In the end - the world of work no longer "did it for me".
I had difficulty coming up with a figure in my head that would make me want to treck into London and work like a slave. I decided that I could live without the world of work - and the world of work could live without me.
Luckily I had always been sensible with the money that I had earned. Part of me had always hoped to be able to have children despite the obvious problems - and I had put money aside to cover that eventuality.
Once the house is paid for and you can cover the basic bills - it is worth seeing whether you are getting as much out of life as you would like - and whether changes would enhance things.
I find spending time in Greece more appealing than working like a slave - eccentric I know. If I was working there is no way that I could spend as much time walking as I do - and without that I am sure that I would still be 21 stones or heavier again.
As for the price of bananas - your sister got a truly excellent deal. Yesterday I paid 37 pence for 2 bananas - the price was £0.85 for a kg which is 2.2 pounds.
The best deal I got at Tescos this week was I paid £3.36 for a large trout fillet weighing 0.675kg which I cut into 5 portions. We had 2 of them Wednesday (last night) for our main meal - and the other 3 went into the freezer. Tesco advertise that they have two fish items at half price every week - but they often only have one in stock when I go in. I always check it out though!
By the way todays walk has been really nice - more in diary later at the end of the day. The weather was so nice that for this afternoons spell round the blocks I didnt need my cardigan.
It was so nice this morning down by the river. There was a chill in the air - but the sun was shining and the sky was blue. I sat at the river bank for 5 minutes and there were a few anglers down there. Two of them nearly caught the same fish (both rods rang bells) and then the fish got away. They told me that happens all the time. I told them that if they land it they should share it and both have photos with it.
I find walking outdoors so much more appealing than walking on a treadmill in a gym could ever be.
Take Care and have a wonderful day today!
I bet that did make ya feel great! 
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