Stalled...

...and before I've even really got started too. Ho hum, I guess that's the way it goes sometimes. But, let's be philosophical about it, eh. Don't get mad, fat lass, and don't fall off that wagon!

I'll admit that I am finding it a bit of a challenge to stay positive, when I'm exercising daily, eating moderately, drinking my water and being generally 'good', yet still not really seeing much more than a marginal result on the scales, nor for that matter from the marks on the tape measure.

But, I do know that the hard work will pay off in time - I just need a little patience and perserverance. I should remember that I've been in this position before, and it didn't last forever.

So, to pick out the positives...

At least I'm feeling a fair bit fitter than I was a few weeks ago. The good old H2O and regular stints on the rower are doing that for me even if nowt else. Even better, with a summer of the worst hayfever I've known for years, the asthma hasn't been a problem at all. Certainly something to celebrate. And, smile please, 'cos I've increased my time as planned this week - so far, so good.

The abs work is having an effect on my torso. It's sort of a shame only I really know about it getting stronger, but there you go. The problem is that, having been so obese for so many years, whatever muscle/tone I do posess is still pretty effectively covered up by the remains of the fat in my 'oh, so attractive' apron of loose belly skin.

Hmmm, I don't suppose that this is a bit of me that'll ever go away, unless I resort to full-scale surgery. That's OK though - I just need to shed a few more pounds and minimise it a bit more. It isn't a major problem when I'm dressed and, as I don't intend to start a nude modelling career in the near future [wink], the surgeons can put their scalpels away. Hey, just think, if I did become the next centrefold pin-up, the Shar Pei belly could become the new look for 2011.

Enough of this hilarity! Let's just get on with what I'm already doing and see what happens in the next week. Yes, a noticeable loss'd be nice, but I won't give up even if it doesn't happen.

Being proactive...

Things finally seem to be settling into a somewhat more comfortable groove (I really, really hope the gods are taking a tea break so they aren't listening right now... otherwise I might regret writing this).

The exercise is going well, to the point where I intend to add another 20% to the daily number of strokes on the rower from Monday. I've increased the number and variety of the abs stuff and I'm doing it fairly comfortably (well, mostly comfortably) and I feel like I could increase it or add some other stuff in... but getting out of bed before I already do (at an eyewatering 5am) every day to do more seems a little too much to ask!

Eating is going well too, and I'm finally beginning to see downward quivers of the needle on the scales.

Onwards, ever downwards!

A bumpy ride

OK, so after a pretty positive week last week, and a not too off the mark weekend spent with my super (and super-skinny) sister, when I hopped on the scales Monday morning after my exercises I was expecting to see stability at worst or maybe a nice little drop if the weight-loss gods were with me. What I wasn't expecting to see was a gain!

I won't repeat the word which first popped into my head. It wasn't very nice and it certainly wasn't very ladylike. Unfortunately, despite trying to remain cool, calm and collected about it and telling myself it was 'one of those things' (a.k.a. acting like an adult), as the day went on, and various stresses and irritations at work kicked in to clobber me too, I reacted rather poorly to this 'unfair' news and ended up eating more than I should have done. Never mind "keep calm and carry on". This was right into "run in circles, scream and shout"!

Sure it was mostly healthy food on this occasion, but I still did myself no favours by wolfing down too much fruit, all of my carrots (which were intended to last me for two days) and yoghurt with granola through the day in addition to my chicken and watercress wrap for lunch. I also made matters worse by stomping just around the corner to sit down with a book and a coffee rather than kicking myself into a higher gear and going for a good long walk. Ho hum.

Thankfully, the rest of the week has been has been much better, despite being busy and stressful in many ways. The exercises have gone well every morning, with the exception of Thursday when I was so tired I could have slept the day through. On the rower I've increased my speed and time a bit, and I'm doing a wider range of abs work. Apart from mad Monday I've eaten moderately (including some lovely fresh pod peas again). I've been out for wonderful walks in the sunshine at lunchtime on several days.

My weight had risen to a rather horrid 63kg (grrrr!) but it has dropped back to 62.5kg by this morning. At just a shade below ten stone I'm still not at all that happy about it, but there is a lesson for me in this. It is stop, take a deep breath and think - to stay in that proactive mindset and think through what I can do and should be doing in these circumstances...  and then get on and do it. Like a lot of things in life, these things are most definitely sent to try us!

Message to the fat lass: "don't be reactive... be proactive!"

More than halfway through the week ...so far so good?

Well, having re-committed (yet again) to early morning exercise and sensible eating we are now on day number four. To be honest, days one and two went well, and both food and moving my posterior were pretty much to plan. Actually, it all went so well that I foolishly thought to myself, time to build things up.

Oh dear - hold that thought, fat lass. Don't get ahead of yourself 'cos day three didn't start off well at all. I felt tired and a bit under the weather even before I started. But, I got on the rower even though it felt really like a slog to keep going. Likewise for the abs work. So much for building things up though - I struggled with what I'd breezed through earlier in the week. Still, I did it and was glad I perservered.

Thankfully today was better again, and I feel stronger and more confident that I will be able to increase my time (and speed?) on the rower. I have already begun to increase the abs work (they do need it too!), adding in the first stages of a 'bicycle crunch' exercise which I'm finding quite hard to get to grips with just at the moment. Hmmm, think I may need to watch those videos again.

If all continues to go reasonably well, I think I'll add in some weights work for my arms next week too. They could do with some TLC and I need to look at some new things as I know I'll get stale and bored if I stick with the same routine every day.

Note to self: I also need to start recording what I do again. Can't see progress without it!

I've struggled with getting out to walk at lunchtime this week as things have been somewhat hectic at work, but am still walking in the mornings. This morning's walk was lovely (in the sunshine, which always helps). The dark grey clouds are coming across now though, so if I can get out at lunch it'll be a soggy trog, methinks.

I'm remembering to drink my water too so, if I can only keep it up this time (!), I'll be doing alright. So far today's food has been OK - mostly because it's now fresh garden pea time of year. If there's one thing I'm passionate about it's peas from the pod. Great snacking food.

I know I still need to reduce portion sizes and I'm trying very hard not to get annoyed that there's no downwards movement on the scales yet, but patience and persistence will bring a change - hopefully for the better.