The Easter Challenge

I just wanted to remind you that there is still time to join the Easter Challenge. More details can be found on the weightloss challenges website.

January's almost over!!!!

Is it really that long since Christmas and New Year already? Where does the time fly?

At the start of 2007 I set 3 main aims (not going to call them resolutions anymore). They were:

1. To carry on losing weight
2. To give up smoking
3. To get fit

Well January sees the end of my first month towards a healthier and fitter me and my aims have been going very well. I've lost 9.5lbs (if I don't include my over Christmas loss) this month, I gave up smoking on 3rd January and the hill which I use as my gauge as to me fitness is getting easier. I'm still a bit breathless when I get to the top but nowhere near as bad as I used to be and that can only be a good thing.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to read this and for all the nice comments I've had over the time I have been writing this blog. If writing this and / or running my challenges helps or motivates just one person, then I will be very happy.

Vicky xxx

Me and my 50lb certificate

A few of you asked for this picture so here it is. It was taken today, Saturday 27th January and I have also included another from my "horrible picture folder" so I hope you can see the difference.

Not much else to say really at the moment. My weekend will be full of housework and watching football and tv in general.

There are stil a few spaces left in the Easter Challenge. For more details click on the Easter Challenge page at www.freewebs.com/weightlosschallenges.

Enjoy the pictures if you can.

Vicky xx

My WI result for 25th January 2007

Hi everyone,

Another week almost over and another WI been and gone. This week I somehow managed to lose 4lbs. It was a bit of a shock because I did not think I had been "THAT" good but I'll gladly take it. It means I have lost 58.5lbs in total and I'm only 11.5lbs away from reaching my original Easter target of 70lbs by then.

I can only put the result down to the swimming and the Fit Friends DVD. I now have the Claire Sweeney one too so I am going to attempt that at the weekend. I'm also noticing that my skin is generally a lot clearer at the moment so I'm putting it down to the water.

My goal for this week? Well to hopefully lose 1.5lbs to take me to 60lbs. I also only have 4.5lbs to go until I am in the next stone so I will aim for that by Valentines WI (15th Feb for me).

Anyway I hope you have all had a good week and enjoy the weekend. I'll post more soon.

Vicky xx

Swimming

Well yesterday I did it. I finally went swimming. I promised myself for ages that I would get to the swimming pool and I don't know why I didn't go sooner. I managed 34 lengths (may have been 36 but I lost count) which is half a mile. I could have done more but I want to build myself up slowly. I'm going to go again at the weekend and do at least another half a mile or I may even try for 40 lengths.

Unfortunately, my walking has taken a bit of a back seat. I was hoping to go out today for a brisk walk but I have been waiting for a delivery all day and it has still not come yet so it has stopped me. I shall walk to the bus stop tomorrow evening as that will give me 2 and a bit miles in 38 minutes.

On Saturday, I met 3 of the ladies from the WW boards in town. It was nice to meet like minded people and I am hoping we get to meet up again soon.

I brought the Fit Friends DVD in town on Saturday. It's Gaynor Faye and her skating partner from Dancing on Ice going through a fitness routine. I look at it this morning and did the warm up. If I can do that a couple of times a week too I will be so happy. I think it is important to vary your fitness routine as otherwise you get bored with it and our body gets used to it.

Finally giving up smoking. It's been 2 weeks and 6 days so far and I am very pleased with myself. I just hope I can stick with it this time.

So my resolutions this year are going very well. I only hope I can stick with them and end 2007 a non smoking, thinner and more fitter person.

My WI result for 18th January 2007and evil leader update!!

Hello everyone. This weeks WI results sees me losing 2.5lbs. That means I have lost 54.5lbs in total and 13lbs in 2007. I'm so happy with that. It's also means I achieved my little target of losing 2.4lbs every week in my race with Luke (see post below). I can be very competitive so that is great for me.

I arrived at my WI after the usual rush to find my leader has left. I would be lying if I said I was not happy about that but I would also hate to think she left because of the problems she has had with our meeting. We had a stand in tonight, Elaine who has been a leader for 12 years. She was brilliant and I learnt so much in that half an hour. We will have a new leader in 3 weeks who has been a leader for 6 years and so I am very much looking forward to that.

That's about it really. Tomorrow I am meeting with a few other posters from the WW boards in town which I am very much looking forward to. I'm also off work for 4 days so I'll post more over the weekend.

Enjoy your weekend.

Vicky xxx

New Mini Goals (NMGs)

I'm sat at work writing this, although I will have to type it and post it when I get home. Work is boring today, but so annoying me (I'll write about work another time) so I've spent some of my time working out mini goals.

I've lost 52lbs so far and this week at WI/meeting I'll be presented my 50lb certificate. Your next certificate comes at 75lbs. However, before that I want to aim to have lost 5 stone which is 18 pounds away. I want to have achieved this by 15th March 2007. This will then allow me to concentrate on my next two mini goals.

The first of these mini goals will be my 75lb certificate and I would like to achieve this by 5th April. That will me down to 20stone 2lbs, the least I have weighed since 1998. My second mini goal will be to break out of the 20s. I think I can achieve this by the following week (12th April) if I drink plenty of water and go for long walks over Easter.

If I can by any way reach all these targets by Easter, I will be overjoyed as this is my desire but I know that would be very tough so I'm not counting my chickens just yet.

I'm going on holiday on 25th June to Devon. Last year I was too "fat" to do anything there. This year I'm not going to be feeling this way. To make sure of this, I want to be safely in the teens by the start of my holiday. I'll make some more NMGs to make sure that happens in 3 or 4 weeks.

I do have a personal challenge going with Luke (EnYce085 off the WW boards). He is going on holiday on 23rd June and we are going to race each other to lose 4 stone. If I can lose 4 stone by then I'll be overwhelmed but this means losing 2.4lbs a week, something I am not sure I can do. I'll have a good crack at it though so please keep checking here to see how I am doing.

Vicky xxx

It's so cold today, makes me think about holiday!

I can't wait to go on holiday this year. Every year my family all go to a place called Beverley Park in Goodrington, near Paignton. It's lovely and we always have a great time. I have some very happy memories there as a few years ago (2001) my ex fiance proposed to me there and we had some very happy times together.

For the past few years, we have hired a lodge. Last year was just me, mum and my stepfather but the year before all my step fathers family and my best friend went as well. I've posted a few pictures up from our trips there.

The first picture is a picture of a lodge. It is the same as the one we stay in. The second is my best friend Sarah relaxing my the pool. The third is a typical nights entertainment in the ballroom and the 4th, well I bet you have never seen seagulls so big. The final one is off me and my stepfather taken at a pub called Coombe Cellars. I really really hate this picture and I am going to get a new one taken this year so I can see the difference.

I do have loads more pictures but I won't show them as this year I intend to take loads more and what will I have to show you if you see them all now.

Hope you have all had a great weekend. Goodluck and have a great week.

Vicky xx

Latest Picture

Hi everybody.

I hope everyone is well on a damp and dull day. This morning, I got my mum to take a picture of me (in the red t shirt). I hope you can see the difference now as I think this is the first picture that I can honestly say I have noticed it.

I have included another horrible one of me as a comparison (in the green t shirt). One tip I can give everyone is start a horrible picture folder and anytime you need motivation just look at them. I never want to look like that again.

I will post more over the weekend so please check back and enjoy the weekend.

Vicky xx

My WI result and smoking update

Hi everyone,

This week I lost 3lbs! It takes my total to 52lbs all together and already I am past my January mini goal of 50lbs. My next mini goal will be to have lost 70lbs (5 stone) by Easter, something which I feel is very reachable. If I could lose 78 lbs that will be even better as it will take me out of the 20's. However, maybe that would be aiming too high, something I don't want to do as I don't want to fail, and disappoint myself. I'll keep you informed.

As for smoking, it has now been 8 days since I had a cigarette. I am so proud of myself for that. It has not been easy but nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be and if I can go 8 days, I can go a month right? That's what I am telling myself anyway so we will see.

Hope everyone is well. If you have any comments, please feel free to leave them. There is a link at the bottom of this and every post I believe.

Bye for now

Vicky xx

Thank you

I just wanted to thank everyone personally who has taken the time to read this, email me, sign the guest book on my other sites for you all support. I can't tell you how much it means it to me. It makes doing all of this all worth while and I hope you continue to enjoy my blog and any challenges that I set up in the future.

This is a very quick entry today. I'll try and add more this evening.

Vicky xx

MY WI result (WOW) and 10,000 steps

I weighed in at 7 1/2 lb lighter than before Christmas which, not only was a surprise but one I am very happy with. All sorts of rubbish has passed my lips recently, KFC, Quality Street, Baileys truffles, Malibu and coke, all kinds of food buffet style but I have been very good in between, walked lots and drunk lots of water so it obviously works.

As for the leader saga, the area manager turned up unexpectedly tonight. We spoke to her at great lengths about what was happening and she was very apologetic. She assured us there would always be two WI's and two meetings. I don't think the leader was very impressed but she was nice enough during the chat etc and even congratulated me on my 49lb loss so hopefully everything has been sorted.

Anyway, today I achieved my target of walking 10,000 steps into town and around it. I felt great afterwards and it is something I am going to do more of. I actually enjoy walking when I have my iPod to listen to and I'll do more and more come the summer.

It's also now been over one day without a cigarette and right now I feel fine about it.

I'm off to my bed. Goodnight for now and check for more posts very soon.

I'VE GIVEN UP SMOKING

There, I've told you all now so I can't go back on it can I? I had my last cigarette at about 1830 yesterday evening and chucked my lighter and remaining two cigarettes in the bin.

It's been about the last hour or so that I am really craving one. I need to go over the shop and get some credit for my phone but if I do, I'll end up buying cigarettes too so I'll have to go without credit. Thank god for 100s of free text a month so I can still text.

Why did I give up? I've been wanting to for ages and kept convincing myself I give up tomorrow, but like anything, tomorrow never comes and it was beginning to get beyond a joke so yesterday I just thought "Right here goes!" and went for it. Besides, why lose weight to lead a healthy life and yet probably die of smoking? It kind of defeats the object doesn't it? So no more cigarettes for me and I don't care how hard it gets. I'm giving up and becoming a non smoker!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

This is my first post of many in 2007 and I hope by the end of it you will see and read about a very much slimmer me.

I have 3 main aims for 2007.

1. To carry on losing weight to get towards my goal.
2. To get fit.
3. To give up smoking.

Since I have started back at Weight Watchers (WW) in October 2006 I have exceeded all my expectations. I still have a long way to go and with the help all everyone reading this, not to mention my family and friends and of course myself, my own worse enemy I know I can do this and reach the weight that I so badly want to be for the first time in my life.

One of the most successful ways of keeping myself motivated is to set myself mini goals. My first mini goal was to lose 1 stone which was something I achieved very easily. The next mini goal I set myself was to lose 10% of my body weight by Christmas 2006 which I achieved two weeks before hand.

I have lost a total of 41 1/2lbs in total so far. That is 1/2lb short of 3 stone. My next mini target will be to lose 50lbs, hopefully by the end of January. I will set myself more mini goals after that and write about them another time.

Another good way I have recently discovered to keep motivated is to run challenges that other people can join in. I currently have 2 challenges going on. One is to lose 14lbs by Valentines week. There are lots of people taking part in this and details can be found at at the Weightloss challenge website. The other challenge is open to members of the WW 5+ message board only. I'm still in the process of setting up the challenge but the goal is for the 5+ posters to lose 2007lbs in 2007. You can find more details here.

I'll sign off for now but I'll be posting my WI result on Thursday evening. Despite not pointing a KFC on the Friday before Christmas and not pointing at all on Christmas Day, I hope I had a relatively good Christmas and I am very hopeful of a loss to get me towards my 50lb target.

Once again, Happy New Year to one and all.

Vicky xxx

P.S. The picture on this entry was taken in August 2003 towards the last attempt to lose weight. I weighed just over 20 stone in this picture.