My WI result (29th August 2007)

A combination of "time of the month" and a little celebrating after last weeks result, not to mention sugar cravings meant I recorded a stay the same this week. I am not disappointed because we all know how nasty time of the month can be but it has made me determined to get firmly back on that wagon and have a good result next week.

Talking of next week, I'm changing meetings again and from next week I'll be weighing in on a Monday which suits me better anyway as it means I'll hopefully stay on the straight and narrow over the weekends, something I normally suffer with. I'll still be a helper at a meeting held by Marie, just on a different day of the week.

Anyway, its short and sweet as I've been to aqua aerobics after WI and now it is time for bed.

Tomorrow I am taking all my WeightWatcher books to work for a re-read to hopefully get my head back into things properly.

Hope everyone is well.

Vicky xxx

P.S, this horrible before picture has been put here to show myself what I do not want to go back to again!!!

My 5 week challenge

I must be mad but I am giving myself just 5 weeks to lose 1 stone.

I normally average 1 stone every 5 weeks and I feel I need a little challenge to keep me on track over the next few weeks as sweet things are starting to be introduced back into my diet and I know how dangerous this could be for me. So from now my only treat each day will be a Weightwatcher rich toffee bar or similiar.

I do not expect to have a great Weigh In this week and will be happy with 1 lb but after that I will have to be very good to reach my stone lost. This will be mean that I have until the 28th September to do this, it is tough but I shall give it a good try. Keep checking back for my progress.

Vicky xxx

Ten Stone pictures

Here are some pictures that were taken yesterday. They are not the most flattering pictures but I do like the one taken from the side. I think it really shows my weightloss and I am now getting to a stage where I am almost happy to pose for pictures. Trust me, it has been a long time since I was able to say that.

It has been weird adjusting to a new WI day for me over the past couple of weeks. I love my new meeting so much but it is weird doing things the wrong way round such as going to Aqua aerobics the day after WI and not the day before. Still, a change is as good as a rest and I'm as motivated as ever to get the rest of the weight off, even more so at the moment as I am so close to my 150lb target.

Anyway I'm enjoying the peace and quiet of the bank holiday weekend. I hope you are too.

Vicky xxx

edit: I've added a before picture for those of you that have not seen one of me before. I was at my heaviest in that picture.

My WI Result (22nd August 2007)

Well as you all know I needed to lose 2lbs this week to have lost ten stone in total. I lost 2.5lbs. This means I have lost 10 stone and half a pound now and I am very happy with this.

Now I am going for my next little mini goal of losing 40% of my bodyweight which is in 3.5lbs time, followed by 150lb certificate which is obviously 9.5lbs time. Fingers crossed I can do these soon.

Tonight was my first time at my new meeting (the meeting itself is not new but you know what I mean). It was fantastic. Everyone is so nice there and I am so glad I moved with Marie. I'm not say everyone at my old meeting was horrible but I am sure you know what I mean.

Hope everyone is well. I think I need to sleep.

Vicky xxx

Sugar and Spice

I love WeightWatchers and I follow the points plan because a) I don't have the time to or like cooking that much and b) I like being able to eat what I like as long as I count it in my points allowance.

I was on 33 points when I started in October last year. Now I'm on 23 officially although I have always found (on previous attempts too) that I need to eat between 1 and 2 points a day less to maximise my loss. This is not something I'd recommend however as you could reach the point of starvation mode when your points drop low enough.

There are a few observations I have made along my weight loss journey and I hope they maybe of help to you. However I'd like to add they are not aimed at anyone in particular, they are just things that I have noticed or have helped me along the way.

1) I always used to think I could eat what I wanted as long as I stayed within my points allowance. However, I've noticed a trend when I eat more sugary or fattening foods and that is I lose less weight compared to "back to basic" weeks where I stick to the "core foods". This is despite staying within my points allowance. I try to find a healthy balance now where I do treat myself occasionally but I do try to do so at the start of my Weight watching week.

2) I was never a water fan until I gave up smoking really. I now drink much more than the recommended two litres a day. Not only does this flush through all the toxins in your body and aid weight loss but I have also found my skin is now smooth and soft and I am sure the water has helped this.

3) Exercise: It does not matter how little or how much you do, exercise really does help your weight loss. The best benefit for me though is my improved fitness and the new lease of life this has given me.

4) Do not count veg as free, at least not all of it. For example, on all prepacked salad/veg there is nutritional values. The reason for this is I am told they pump it full of "whatever" and sat fat to give it a longer shelf life. A little will of course not hurt but this is definitely something to be aware of.

5) I couldn't do this on my own. I find my meetings a great source of encouragement, even more so since I've been a clerk and so in theory have been attending two meetings a week. I've made lots of friends at my meeting and I'm sure I will at my new meeting too. Likewise, the 5+ forum is great and I find lots of motivation, inspiration, hints and tips there.

I hope some of these will be of use to you.

Vicky xxx

Mini Goals

I need some new mini goals now that I am only 2lbs away from reaching my 10 stone goal (I said I wanted to be here by 6th September) and only 3.5lbs away from completing my summer seasons target of losing 2 stone (by 13th September).

Getting to 15 stone 3lbs will see be having lost 40% of my bodyweight. It's 6lbs away so I'll try and do this by my WI on 5th September.

After that I shall go for my 150lb certificate. I need to get to 14 stone 11lbs to get this. I'm going to aim for this by 19th September.

My next little mini goal will be to weigh under 200lbs. 14 stone 3lbs will see me weighing 199lbs. That means losing 8lbs after I achieve my 150lb certificate. I would like to do this by 3rd October.

Finally I'll be celebrating my Weightwatcher anniversary on the 19th October and by then I'd like to be in the 13s, which would mean over 11 1/2 stone lost. I'll certainly give this , and all my other mini goals a good try. Keep checking back to see my progress.

Vicky xxx

In October 2002:

When I joined Weightwatchers for the 999th time (ok I lie, it was the 9th or 10th but you get the picture) I weighed 25 stone 10lbs. This was the most I've ever weighed. I gave up when I got to about 20 stone 4lbs.

At my WI this week I weighed 15 stone 9lbs. This makes me 10 stone 1lb less than I was in 2002. This is unbelievable and I am very happy that I have finally been able to get my weight problem under control and do something about it.

As I mentioned in my previous couple of posts, this time with Weightwatchers I have lost 9 stone 12lbs so another 2lbs will take me to 10 stone lost.

I'm really going to try very hard to lose that 2lb this week to take me to 10 stone lost. It would be a great start to the new meeting.

I am really going to miss some of the people from the Thursday meeting. There are a few who I won't really miss but you get that anywhere don't you? However, I've got to know a lot of the people at my meeting and lots of people chat to me which is nice. However, I am sure I'll get to know the people at St Denys really well. What is really nice is that Nicky, one of the ladies who goes on a Thursday evening is coming to the meetings at St Denys instead and one of the girls from work is considering joining so I will know someone there at least.

Moving meetings from Thursdays to Wednesdays does mean that I'll be able to go to aqua aerobics on a Thursday night now after work.The instructor there is the same as the Monday night class. I've not been to aqua on a Monday since April so I'm sure she will really notice the difference.

I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.

Vicky xxx

I've lost her:

In this picture is my mate Helen who plays in the dart team I used to captain up until a couple of years ago. I still see a lot of them because my mum actually runs the dart league and I help her out when I can as well as going to presentations but the last time I saw my old team was almost 3 months ago at the last presentation. Since then I have lost 2 more stone and tonight everyone said they could really see the difference in though 2 stone.

Anyway Helen, one of the ladies in the time weighs 9 stone 12lbs, the amount I have lost so tonight I went and had my picture taken with her. I've posted the picture here for you to see and to also see what 9 stone 12lbs looks like in terms of a person.

Here is to the 10 stone.

Vicky xxx

My WI Result (16th August 2007)

Well that is another 2.5lbs gone forever. I've now lost 138lbs (9 stone 12lbs) and so the race is really on for ten stone next week.

From next week I shall be attending the new meeting I have talked about earlier in my blog. I'm looking forward to this as one of the girls at the meeting is coming as well and it will be good to stay in touch with her. Tonight at my meeting I took some before pictures and everyone was very shocked at them.

Anyway I hope everyone is having a good week.

Vicky xxx

This does not look like me!!!

At least I do not think it does. This picture was taken last night at my hairdressers leaving party. Despite not knowing anyone there really we had a good night.

I'm desperate to get these 4 and a half pounds off now so that I can say I have lost ten stone. I was really good yesterday, I even drank diet coke when we were out and today I am going to be really good too. I have prawn stir fry lined up for dinner and I'll probably have a tuna sandwich or something for lunch. I'm going to bank a few points as I went over on Friday. I also went to the gym yesterday where I did double everything and I'm feeling really proud of myself for that. Today will involve another trip to the gym I think.

Vicky xxx

My WI result - 9th August 2007

This week I lost 1.5lbs. I am very happy with this, especially after my brilliant results of the past few weeks. It means I am on 135.5lbs and just another 4.5lbs will take me to 10 stone lost, something I could only have dreamed about before I started Weightwatchers.

Not much else to talk about really this week. Tomorrow is Jo's funeral and I am not looking to it but at least we all get a chance to say goodbye.

On Saturday I am going out so I'll get some pictures taken and post them up as soon as I can.

Vicky xxx

My hairdresser is emigrating (so I went for it)

Sally, my hairdresser, friend and one time Weightwatcher buddy is moving down under in less than two weeks. Tonight was the last time she did my hair before packing all her stuff and shipping out to Perth. I decided to go for it tonight and got her to do a "Victoria" to it.

I got some photos taken as soon as she left so I could see what I looked like. One of the things I do notice from these pictures is that my tops are getting very baggy on me. However, the next size down from Evans does not quite fit yet (I have them ready to wear when they do). I was pleasantly surprised to see how "small" I look from the side. I never realised I'd "lost THAT much weight".

Anyway that's about it from me at the moment. Thanks to everyone for reading this. Let me know what you think of the hair.

Vicky xxx

My WI Result (2nd August 2007)

I am so pleased to announce a 5lb loss this week. I will say that I think the stand in leaders scales were very kind but I'll take 5lb any day of the week.

I have now lost 134lbs in total. That is 9 stone 8lbs in total. I now weigh 15 stone 13lbs so I have also dropped down into the next stone AND I am no longer morbidly obese, I am just obese. It also means I have reached my target of being 15 13 by 9th August and also my mini goal of losing 1 stone between my holiday and the start of the football season and there is still 1 week to go. So far I have lost 16lbs.

I am now going to ten stone lost as my next target. I am hoping to reach this in three weeks, which will be my first WI at my new meeting. What a start that will be eh?

I'm having my hair done tomorrow and I am hoping to have it cut a bit like Victoria Beckham has hers. I'll of course put some pictures up as soon as I have them.

Vicky xxx

Thank you

Thank you to everyone for all your lovely comments on my blog. It does make writing it all the more worthwhile and I do enjoy hearing from you.

I have set the preferences so that anyone can leave a comment now. Please could anyone reading this leave a comment (a simple hello will be fine if that is all you want to write) after this entry so that I can get a rough idea of how many people are reading this. I have something in the pipeline but it is only worth doing if enough people read this blog.

Thanks again and I hope you continue to enjoy my blog.

Vicky xxx