RED RED RED

Change

After weeks and weeks, No! months of trying and failing miserably, it was suggested i try Red rather than extra easy, to be honest i was about to give it all up. I mean I’ve tried everything, OK i admit i often cheated and deserved not to lose anything some weeks, but there were many times i stuck to plan and never lost anything. It’s so demoralising, so disheartening, and so damned annoying. So when Kate suggested giving red week ago i thought why not! What have i got to lose, I’m about to throw in the towel anyway.

So over the first week i stayed on Red for 6 days, and on the day i didn’t stick to red i had a chinese, and a few nibbles. That week i lost 2lbs. 2lbs!!!!! i couldn’t believe it, maybe this red week works, let’s try again i thought. Week 2 included an indian curry with naan bread, and two days where i overdosed on Snack a Jacks, so i went way over on syns for three days, but stuck to red over 6 days again. And so this week i was hopeful i would lose but on reflection considering the amount of curry and rice cakes i’d eaten then maybe not! Anyway i weighed in today and lost another 1.5lbs. So to say I’m really happy is an understatement.

Now i have to say that if i can change and turn it around then anyone can, i really mean that, if you’re finding it hard to lose the weight, then change something, it could be as simple as that. Staying to group and asking for help is an absolute must. I know better than most how hard it is, trust me I’ve been through every emotion possible since i started at slimming world. So i feel the pain of others when they feel nothing is working.

Since my last blog I’ve walked over 50 miles including walking to Torrington last week, that’s over 6 miles. As some of you may know I’ve taken up photography, this has been a great motivator, making me get out walking and taking photo’s. Check out my new Facebook page by clicking on the Facebook icon please feel free to like the page.  Over the coming months i will increase the amount of walking i do, so eventually i want to be able to walk 10 miles plus on a regular basis. All culminating to achieve my goal of climbing Ben Nevis next summer.

those of you who’ve read my blog on why i came to slimming world will know just how much walking that kind of distance means to me. So it’s fair to say I’ve come a very long way in the last 11 months.

So there you have it folks, I’ve hopefully turned a corner now and the weight will continue to come off. Don’t forget, staying to group is key to losing weight, asking for help when things get tough. Please don’t suffer in silence, there is always a way forward, that much i have learnt recently.

As well as this blog I’ve also got Andy’s Photo Fit which you may want to check out, this is a blog of the walks i talk and the photo’s i take during the walks.

Walking

Shanks Pony

It’s been a while i know! Not sure where I’ve been over the last few weeks, one things for sure, I’m back now.

Like the last few months, things have been hard, weight not coming off, head in the wrong places etc etc. Well I’m back now and having discovered i can walk more than a few hundred yards now, i have even more enthusiasm. A few weeks ago i went for a walk in my local area with my new camera, my intention was to walk a couple of miles, however i ended up walking 5.6 miles. To say i was surprised was an understatement, i couldn’t believe it, i was so pleased with myself, but more importantly i gave me the belief that i can walk and my goal of climbing Ben Nevis is achievable.

During my walk along the coastal path of the river Torridge i took a number of photo’s on my new Nikon camera. Over the coming months I’ll be walking in other beautiful parts of Devon, the photo’s of each walk will be posted on my new photo blog www.andysphotofit.me.uk See the photo’s from this and other walks.

Since that day I’ve tried to walk 2 miles a day during my lunch hour at work, and more demanding walks over the weekends. Last week i walked 10 miles, this week  my walks will be at least 14 miles. In that 14 miles i spent a lovely morning walking along the coastal path from Westward Ho! I walked almost 6 miles, but what i really liked was the very daunting and very steep hills 2-3 miles out. These were very challenging, but i made it! Again the photo’s of this walk can be found here

So now I’m really looking forward to finding new walks around Devon. Next on the walking list is Bideford to Instow and back, and Bideford to Great Torrington. There will be many others in the coming months, and lots of photographs.

So that’s where i am now, back on track and working toward my Silver body magic award. I can honestly say that i feel healthier and fitter already, taking up photography has helped there’s no doubt about that but I’m really enjoying my walks. i never thought i would be saying that!

So the blog is back along with my new photo blog, i will try to keep the blog up at least every other week, and update Andy’s Photo Fit as and when i get out walking.

I would like to thank all of you who have helped my get back on track, especially France and Andy cheers peeps

Starting Over

The Big Climb

Slimming can be very rewarding, but unfortunately it can also be very disheartening. Yes it’s true, when everything is going well you feel on top of the world.

but when things aren’t going well trust me, it’s frustrating as hell. One thing’s for sure at least i know what i have achieved so far is enough to spur me on because no matter how hard it is now, i NEVER want to go back to that day in Exeter.

So i think it’s time to take a step back and look at where things may be going wrong. Firstly i will be keeping a weekly food and exercise diary, secondly i will be initially cutting my portion sizes down by a quarter, and finally i am setting some new short term and long term goals.

So first goal will be to get back to where i was before Christmas, so that means i need to lose a stone just to get to that goal. Once i reach that goal, my next milestone would be my interim target of 20st 6.5lbs. Then i guess dropping below 20 stone for the first time in 13 years. Beyond that there will be many small goals to reach but ultimately i have a goal i really want to achieve. This is the main reason for my renewed enthusiasm, i have thought long and hard about what i really want to achieve, what do i want to do that i couldn’t do before? Well it dawned on me the other day that the reason i came to Slimming World in the first place was on the back of one of the darkest days in my life, the day i realised that if i continue along the path my life was taking i would probably be at best unable to leave the house or at worst dead within 15 years. Things really had gotten that bad, i was simply unable to walk a few hundred yards! So in order to turn my life around and acheieve something i would never have drempt possible 6 months ago i thought i would climb Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. Yes! before you say it i am mad, but this is going to motivate me to get fit, and push me on to changing my life forever.  I am hoping to take on this challenge in the summer of 2014 so i have 18 months to lose enough weight and gain the stamina to achieve my  goal. I’ll post more details later but i will be doing it for charity, and for me!

My exercise routine has been somewhat erratic in the last few months, but i seem to be more focused now i have set my Ben Nevis goal. In fact over the last few weeks i have started walking some lunch times, and now climb to the 8th floor of the Civic Centre each morning, thats 145 steps, not bad considering i would take the lift if i had to go any further than the 3rd floor! Climbing the stairs made me thing of Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa when he climbs the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the only difference is i looked and feel like Sylvester the cat.

Actually i think the key to me losing weight is exercise, even though i feel i should be able to lose weight without turning myself into a sweat factory. The whole point about losing weight is about getting fit, and the only way that will happen is if i get my trainers on so to speak, and lets be honest, i will never climb Ben Nevis without putting in some serious work  over the next 18 months.

So there you have it folks, here’s my commitment to losing weight by taking on a challenge i never thought i could achieve, and if anyone wants to join me at the summit of Ben Nevis in 18 months then feel free to start training now.

Frustrated

Give me strength

Well another week gone, another week of working hard to make sure that i eat the right things, and another week of poor results. 1/2lb off is not my idea of losing weight, even though i am! Three weeks 2.5lbs, i should be losing that each week! I am getting so frustrated, i seem to be trying everything but getting nowhere fast.

Admittedly when i weighed this week i hadn’t been to the loo for a few days, so maybe i would have lost more, but by cruel fate it seems the weight loss gods thought it would be bloody funny to bind me up. Honestly if i eat much more salad or veg i will start to look like a damn rabbit, I’ve even taken to drinking green tea such is my desire to lose the pounds!

This week i am trying to max out my syns, maybe if i eat 15 syns a day it will help me lose more than a blooming pound. So whatever the total syns are by the end of dinner i make sure i eat a piece of cake or a biscuit or two to make up my syns. Fingers crossed we will see what happens on Tuesday, I’m not holding my breath though.

At this point, the 7 stone target i set for this year looks to be a very very long way off, actually it’s probably already beyond my reach I know i must keep going, i know that giving up is simply not an option. At the end of the day 1lb a week for the year would still make me almost 4 stone lighter by Christmas, so when you look at it like that, then i guess it could be worse, much worse.

So we go on, trying to keep the weight loss gods happy and the fat wolves from the door. If my max syns week doesn’t work then it will be plan K whatever that is! Maybe a curry and a few ciders perhaps!!!

Slow going

Shouldn’t I be happy?

Well since my last blog I’ve lost 2lbs, one this week and one last week. So I should be happy right? I mean, I’ve lost weight three weeks running and I haven’t done that since last September! And a loss is a loss right? So why do I feel so damned frustrated? I have worked so hard to lose the weight over the last three weeks, week one I lose 3lbs which was great, I was really pleased with that. But the last two weeks I have been just as good but only lost a pound each week. I know I should be losing more, probably 2lbs if not 3lbs a week, so why can’t I achieve this? I so desperately want to lose the weight, I still feel completely hideous, I feel people are looking at me with disgust and still have little confidence even though I’ve lost 2.5 stone. All these feelings are crap and I really want to feel better about myself. People don’t understand that it’s easy to say “do this do that”, especially when it’s easy for them, but it’s not as simple as they think and to be honest they will probably never know what it’s like either.

I know one day I’ll look back on this blog and remember how I felt when I was overweight, one thing will certainly come from me being fat, I’ll always be there for anyone who wants to lose weight, it’s very important to encourage and support people who feel like I do now. That’s why I’m so grateful for the support I get from everyone at the 5.30 group and others via Facebook, and why I do my very best to return the support.

On Tuesday there were a number of suggestions , most were very helpful thank you, one was to have more syns, this is something I am trying this week, now this should be very easy. well you would think, but actually it’s far from easy. My whole body and mind tells me not to eat the extra syns, and the fear is that i eat too much and end up gaining weight this week. So I’m not convinced this will work. Exercise is another way to go, this is something I need to concentrate on over the next few months, but to be honest I should still be able to lose 2-3lbs a week without exercising.

It gets so frustrating and annoying when things don’t go the way you plan, and to be fair the last 4 months have been like that, that’s why I am so fed up with not losing more. But when you look at it another way, 5lbs in three weeks is good, so like always I guess I just need to dig a little deeper. Actually I would be happy to lose 7lbs a month for the next 12 months!

Anyway, it’s nice to see the Tuesday 5.30 group starting to fill up with new and old members, it’s been a little sparse in recent weeks but it’s starting now to look like the group of old. Funny but I was sat there on Tuesday thinking it’s funny we are at Slimming World where we are all trying to lose weight, yet we are all sat on chairs deigned to 5-11 years olds. I remember the day I walked into the group, Kate said come and sit down, I stood there looking at a chair that was smaller than my right butt cheek. I thought as soon as I sit on that it will collapse under me. Well needless to say it didn’t, but now every time I go to sit on one of the chairs I always think of that day. Fortunately the chairs seem to be SLOWLY getting bigger now!!!

No new recipes this week, I do have a plan to try a few new recipes in the next week or so though.

Keep slimming, never give up!

Plan

New Year, New Hope

Well it’s been a good week as far as the Slimming World plan is concerned. I’ve stuck to plan fairly well all week and am hopeful of a good loss this week. Trouble is i know how things can go sometimes, when you think you’ve had a good week you stand on the scales only to find that you’ve not lost a bloody thing. You feel disheartened, unmotivated and frustrated. I also know that if you persevere you will win, so whatever happens this week i will keep on plan.

This week i have tried two new recipes Sticky 5 spice gammon, low in syns, high in flavour, and Chicken Lemon and Garlic Casserole, the best yet!! both recipes are posted below. I must admit, i’ve had little trouble motivating myself this week, i really want to reach my target i have set for this year. Especially as i have just booked 5 nights in London in September, and includes a walk around the shops, a day at Chessington world of adventure, and Warner Bro tour. Plus there will be many other excursions which means lots and lots of walking. So looks like i will need to make sure i keep on target

So some targets to set for then; 6 stone lighter than i am now, and able to walk 10 miles, that means i need to get my walking boots on and get practicing. I really don’t want to be struggling to walk when i get there so as i am going to spend a small fortune, the motivation is perfect.

Right, so weigh in day today, i felt like i hadn’t lost a thing even though i have been ultra good this week. Anyway i needn’t have worried i lost 3lbs. Now i have to be honest i was hoping to lose more, but 3lbs is good, if i can keep that up each week for a while i would be more than happy.

So what for the coming week? Well more walking for one, try a mile a day this week and maybe some more exercise bike work. I really need to get motivated with more exercise, I’m really on plan right now, and loving the new meals, so if i can get the body moving a bit then maybe i can get back on the right side of 3 stone

Anyway, here are this weeks meals i’ve tried. I can really recommend the Chicken Lemon & Garlic Casserole.  I’m looking forward to this week so fingers crossed for a another good week

Chicken Lemon and Garlic Casserole

information

Serves: 4
Prep time:
Cook time: 35
Syns per serving:

• Original: FREE
• Extra Easy: FREE

ingredients

2lb/908g skinless and boneless chicken thighs
2 onions
2 large carrots
7oz/198g green beans
1 lemon
4-5 sprigs of tarragon
Fry light
1 bulb of garlic
1¼pt/710ml stock made with chicken Bovril
1 tbsp chicken Bovril (from concentrate)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

method

1. Cut the chicken into chunks. Peel and chop the onions. Peel the carrots and cut into thick batons. Halve the green beans. Slice the lemon. Chop the tarragon.

2. Spray a large non-stick casserole dish with Fry light. Place over a high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on all sides.

3. Add the onions, carrots, garlic bulb, stock and Bovril concentrate. Season well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover tightly with the lid and cook gently for 25 minutes.

4. Add the greens beans and lemon slices to the casserole. Cook for 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the garlic bulb. Serve sprinkled with tarragon.

Sticky 5 Spice Gammon

information

Serves: 4
Prep time:
Cook time: Ready in under 15 mins
Syns per serving:

• Original: 1
• Extra Easy: 1

ingredients

2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
4 x 175g gammon steaks, trimmed of all visible fat and cut into large bite-sized pieces
Low calorie cooking spray
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely diced
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 level tbsp clear honey
100ml chicken stock
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
Pak choi, to serve
Egg noodles, to serve

method

1. Sprinkle the 5-spice powder over the gammon steaks. Spray a large, wide, non-stick frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and cook the gammon over a high heat for 2-3 minutes or until the edges are tinged brown.

2. Add the red chillies, orange zest and juice, honey, stock and soy sauce and simmer rapidly for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce becomes sticky and the gammon is glazed and golden with almost burnt edges.

3. Serve immediately with steamed pak choi and cooked egg noodles, and any pan juices poured over.

Tip: This glaze works equally well with pork or chicken.

New Year Week 1

Lets start again

Hello slimmers, I’m back! It’s been a while i know, i have been busy and have taken my eye off the ball somewhat. Actually i have not just taken my eye off the ball more like dropped it, kicked it and punctured it! Before Christmas i gained a pound here and a pound there, then over Christmas i gained a bloody tonne! Well 10lbs on when i weighed on Tuesday, and considering i was on plan since last week i would say Christmas was a complete and utter disaster. I should be really miserable but too be honest it was my choice to indulge over the holiday period, so i can’t really complain can i!!!
However, one thing it has taught me, if i can put on a stone in two and a half weeks then even when i reach my target there can never be a return to my old ways. No binge snacking, no comfort eating, just everything in moderation.  Actually it felt wrong eating all the fattening food over chrimbo, i never thought i would be saying that, in fact i was really looking forward to starting my healthy eating plan again, crazy i know! But true, i am happier eating a salad and having my mug shot compared to pizza and crisps. So in a way Slimming World is working, I’m actually thinking healthier

So now i have to motivate myself, which i am actually finding motivation quite easy because i want to get back on plan. I have set a number of goals for this year, ultimately though i want to lose 7 stone by the end of the year. That’s 2lbs a week so i think that’s a reachable target. I also want to be able to walk 10 miles by the end of the year. Those of you who have read my earlier post will know that being able to walk that kind of distance would be a massive achievement.

So first thing i need to do is get back to where i was before i dropped the ball, that’s 1 stone 2lbs, ouch!!!! i need to lose before i get to my last loss. Then it’s 10lbs more to lose and a Curry with friends at the Spice as a celebration for reaching 4 stone followed by another stone by my birthday. So it looks like i have some serious work to do, no slip ups, no wandering off the path, NO DROPPING THE BALL!

As far as my virtual bike ride is concerned, that’s still on, but on hold for the time being, until i drop a stone or two, think i will concentrate on my walking for now. I managed to walk a mile yesterday with Mozart for company (very relaxing), same tomorrow and Friday.

As far as food is concerned, i am going to try different recipes and try to vary my dinners, for example i tried the Spicy Beef Noodles and the Beef and Bean Hot Pot Bake, both of which were absolutely yummy, I posted the recipes in the facebook group, but will post them here as well. In fact i think i will post all the new recipes i try here with a comment on them, some of you may find them useful.

It was good to see some new faces in group, but i have to say there seems to be many that don’t stay to group. Shame really because it really does make a difference. I will try to keep the blog up to date in the future, however i may miss a week here and there

Beef and Bean Hot Pot Bake

information

Serves: 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: under 2 hours
Syns per serving:

• Original: 10.5
• Extra Easy: 1

ingredients

750g lean stewing beef, all visible fat removed, cubed
2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
450g carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 level tbsp plain flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200ml boiling hot beef stock
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
400g can baked beans
2 bay leaves
600g potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced

method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

2. Place the beef, onions, carrots and flour in a baking dish, season and toss to mix well.

3. Pour in the boiling hot stock then add the Worcestershire sauce, baked beans and bay leaves. Stir to mix well and arrange the sliced potatoes on top of the meat mixture.

4. Cover with foil then place in the oven for about 1½ hours or until the potatoes are cooked and tender.

5. Remove the foil, then turn the oven up to brown the potatoes, or finish under the grill for 5-8 minutes until brown.

Tip: Use a mandolin to create lovely thin slices of potato in a flash.

Very easy to put together and very tasty. I would recommend this meal, only one syn per portion.

Spicy Beef Noodles (Flaming)

information

Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus marinating
Cook time: 15 minutes
Syns per serving:

• Extra Easy: 1/2 syn

ingredients

12oz/340g sirloin steak, all visible fat removed
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Nandos hot Peri peri sauce (optional)
½ tsp crushed dried chillies
½ red, yellow and green pepper
1 carrot
150g egg noodles
Fry Light

method

1. Prepare the stir-fry ingredients: cut the steak into strips, place in a bowl with the soy sauce, Peri Peri sauce and crushed chillies and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours; slice the peppers and carrot

2. Heat a wok sprayed with Fry Light and stir-fry in soy sauce and chillies for 2-3 minutes. Add the peppers and carrot and continue frying until softened. Add the noodles, heat through and serve.

Tip: You can replace the steak with the same weight of pork without changing the Syns on any choice or add any stir fry veg

Lovely dish, very hot if you add the nandos, add a few drops of tobacco to really give it a kick. But very tasty without and free of course.

Weeks 23-25

Changing Moods

I’ve not blogged for a few weeks, with good reason, i was too depressed! I was going to just blog about the last week as it’s been a good week, but on reflection it would be pointless, lets face it, this is about me and my journey from fat to fit. I have to talk about the bad times as well as the good times. When i think about it the good weeks outweigh the bad weeks, that makes me fell much better.

So Week 23 is where we start this blog. One of the worst weeks since i started going to Slimming World. I have really struggled over the last 14 weeks, losing weight one week gaining the next and so on. Its taken me 14 weeks to lose a stone, now i know I am still losing weight, but at 21.5 stone i should be losing more. So when i weighed in on Tuesday having had a good week you can imagine how i felt when the scales said i had gained 2lbs. The feeling i got from that was one of despair, frustration, and worst of all the thought of quitting. In fact i was so disappointed i went straight home and tucked into a 14 inch garlic oil and cheese pizza, that would be about 30-40 syns. I followed that with two bars of chocolate, which once finished left me feeling satisfied. Well that was until the morning when i hated myself for what i had done, which just compounded my feeling of desperation.

Where it all started

Now, i guess many people get despondent when the weight seems to stop coming off, and i can certainly relate to that now, the trick is how do you pull through it? How do you change the feeling of getting nowhere, the feeling you get when you think you should be losing but you’re not? Well for me it was fairly simple. You see, the reason i came to Slimming World in the first place was because i had an experience that will probably stay with me for the rest of my life. It happened when i had to attend a three day course at Exeter University in early May. As i was not sure where i was going i parked my car in the main car park. The building i was training in was about 800 yards down the road, and when i say down i mean downhill all the way. Not a steep hill either, just a slope i guess you could call it. Anyway, walking down from the car to the class was easy, but when it came to walking back at the end of the day, well that’s when things got bad. At about half way i found my self in some trouble, my back was hurting, my legs were burning, i was sweating and could hardly breath. At 600 yards my legs don’t want to move the pain is so intense in my back and legs that any movement feels like it will be my last, i cant breath and i start to think that i will collapse before i get to the car. By the time i get into the car park  it has taken me 30 minutes to walk 800 yards, i feel like i will die any second, and i’m still not at the car. When i do eventually make it, i am in so much pain that i wonder if i will be able to drive home. I spend the next 20 minutes in the car sobbing my heart out thinking how can i allow myself to get into this state, i must find a way to do something about this, if i don’t what sort of life will i have? That was the defining moment in my life, the point at where something clicks and you know it’s do or die!

Two weeks later i see a booklet from a national newspaper about Slimming World, it contains a weeks worth of recipes all of which i would enjoy. Within a day or two i arrive at group with Steve and here we are today. So when i felt like all was lost last week and that desperation of gaining 2lbs, the thought of how i felt that day in Exeter and how i feel today was all it took for me to pull out of that stupid self pitying stupor i was in. That in turn made me think about why i wasn’t losing the weight, which in turn made me see that i was simply not following the plan, i was taking it all for granted, i wasn’t counting my syns correctly, i wasn’t measuring, i had that “Oh that’s close enough” attitude, which obviously doesn’t work

New beginnings

So armed with that, the next two weeks has seen me lose 2.5lbs each week, this week i gained my 3 stone award, and got slimmer of the week. I think we can safely say i am now back on track and it’s not before time. I think i have learnt a valuable lesson, if i feel low because i am not losing the weight, or i have a gain or two, i should remember where i was, that darkest of moments when there seems to be no light, and remember where i am today, able to walk without pain, without the fear of people staring at me, without sweating and panting like a dog. Wearing smaller clothes, moving freely, feeling great. We are all the same, we all went to Slimming World for the same reason, to lose weight, some like me needed it more than others, but we are all here for the same thing. So when you are feeling down, remember where you were, where you are now, and think about where you want to be, and you will get there, i promise.

I will try to keep the blog up to date, but i may miss a week or two now and then. I think it’s also worth mentioning that it’s not just a bad memory that helps when you are low, there’s also the others, the group of people in the same boat as you, the help and encouragement gained form people in your group is no to be underestimated. Thank you to you all (you know who you are) being there for me means i will always be there for you ALL.

Normal service has resumed, however the virtual bike ride is no hold, i have a sporting injury! hehe never thought i would be saying that.

Week 22

The Virtual Journey begins

An interesting week this week. I must admit i was worried i would put on most of the 8lbs i lost last week when i was ill, but having worked hard all week i only gained a pound! So you could say i was very happy with that result. That now sets me up nicely for my 3 stone award this week, assuming i can lose 1.5lbs that is. So it will be a week of speed soup, stir fry’s and exercise.

It feels really good to be back on track, it was 11 weeks ago when i collected my 2 stone award, i can’t believe it’s taken me 11 weeks to lose 14lbs, that is absolutely pants! I need to pull my bloody socks up and get with the program again, which this week i have, now i really must push on to Christmas and reach my 4 stone target. When i think about why the last 11 weeks have been so poor i guess the only reason has to be me not following the plan correctly. Yeah i know i have lost just over a pound a week but i should be losing more. So this week i have gone back to basics, i have eaten salads, stir fry’s, soups, fruit and made sure i eat plenty! So fingers crossed for Tuesday.

With Christmas only a few week away I’m starting to think about how i am going to approach it with regards to eating this year! Normally i would stuff myself silly with crisps, nuts, biscuits, deserts and cheese. As well as meals with all the trimmings. So what this year? I think i can do without crisps, sweets, chocolate and biscuits. But missing out on my cheese board and deserts maybe a little harder to resist! One thing is for sure, i will gain over Christmas, my aim has to be to limit it to a few pounds. Any tips would be gratefully received

So this week i started my virtual bike ride from home to Europe and beyond. In case you wonder what the hell I’m talking about it’s simple, every time i use the exercise bike i make a note of the distance and then calculate the route i would have taken if i was riding a bike for real.

Now i know you all think I’m probably barking mad (actually you would be right) but as the bike simulates hills etc it’s a fairly good representation of what i would have to do if i took on this for real, only no traffic, no wind, rain, snow and no punctures. So after an easy start i have managed 31 miles this week, this took me from home to the beautiful village of Rackenford.

Not too bad for my first week, in total i burnt 596 calories, in the coming week i would hope to increase that. So there you have it, my journey has started lets see how far i get during the next 12 months while i lose the remaining 7.5 stone plus and hopefully reach my target of 14 stone.

Week 21

Well it’s been a few weeks since i last posted in my blog. I have been very busy decorating, and for the last 10 days have have had no PC. Anyway, I’m back now and ready to carry on.

Over the last few weeks things have not really gone to plan, by that i mean i haven’t lost the weight i would like to have lost. That said i have not put on either so all in all it could have been much worse.

So whats been happening. Well as I’ve been decorating my eating plan has gone out the window, i have consistently missed lunch because i have been working, eaten late, and eaten the wrong things, hence the poor weight loss over the last few weeks.

Still I’m back on plan now, and having gained 3lbs week before last this week saw me lose 8lbs. Actually to be fair i have had a stomach bug. I guess the trick will be to not gain any weight this week! Well that maybe a tall order but we’ll give it a damn good go. In fact it’s time i pulled up my socks and start working a bit harder. I have set a target of 4st by Christmas and really want to get there. In fact the more i lose past the 4st the better a Christmas i can have

So now i have my PC back, I’ve finished decorating and I am getting back on plan, i need to make sure this blog is also updated weekly. I am also going to travel across Europe on my bike! Well actually it’s a virtual journey on my exercise bike track my weekly progress at the end of each blog entry. Over the next 12 months my aim is to lose 7 and a half stone making it 10.5 stone in total. So lets see how far i can cycling in that time.

This is also a good time to announce i have officially dropped from a 4XL to a 3XL which is a really big deal, mainly because you can buy 3XL tops from the supermarkets for £6, where as i would need to pay £25 plus online to get a 4XL top. So you could say that although i will need to start buying new tops they won’t cost me and arm and a leg.

Now that I’m 3 stone lighter i think it would be a good idea to describe how it feels to lose 42lbs. Let me tell you it’s incredible! I’m lighter on my feet, clothes feel great, confidence is on the rise, people are starting to notice the change, and i feel so much healthier. It’s a blooming nice feeling and i would recommend it to everyone, i rarely feel hungry. So for those of you who think all is lost, or you cant see a way forward i can assure you Slimming World is the place to go.