Happy Valentines!

Happy Valentines everybody! 

My new found love at the moment is Prune Juice... I bought some the other day and not only does it clean your system out big style it is also tastes yummy and really really fills you up! I find it fairly sweet so I have been mixing it with Diet Tonic water and it makes it taste perfect. I am planning on having a glass of it in the morning when I wake up and also a glass just before diner. I can not explain actually how filling it really seems to be. When I had some last night I was then feeling really full, so when it came to dinner I  only had a small portion... perfect! It also really does clean out your system properly and so in that sense is great for helping with weight loss... I am not saying drink a whole liter of it in one go or anything but I think if you drink it regularly it might help! 

Health wise this week I am feeling really good, I am eating healthily and going to the gym and in general feeling really in control. I am hoping that I have had a bit of a light bulb moment .. I feel like I have... it's the simple understanding that if I eat healthy things my body will be healthy and I will lose weight...I know that sounds so simple and obvious but I feel like it has just been a bit of a light-bulb moment... all the chocolate and unhealthy food just aren't worth the gain on the scales or the constant going backwards and forwards for months on end. 

Also in regards to constant thinking and over analyzing I got a couple of books out from the library and started reading  them.. one was about "Loving YOU" and the other was "Why Do Women Over Think?"... now the "Why Do Women.." was OK and made some valid points... but to be honest I couldn't be bothered to read all of it... and it was only when I read the "Loving YOU" one did I lose the plot. It was such a load of crap... but I did take one thing from it... if you don't make time to love yourself you will always be unhappy with yourself. So I defiantly do want to take more care of my body from healthy eating and going to the gym to doing my nails and taking care of my hair regularly. As we all know when you feel good you take better care of yourself....I also realized that I just really need to calm down.. I have a great life with a sexy boyfriend that finds me incredibly sexy, I have good friends, a good job know where I am heading and really need to stop thinking so much.... if there was a problem somebody would tell me. Work would say if I wasn't doing a good job, my friends would tell me if i was acting like an idiot, Biggy would tell me if I had done something wrong so unless that happens... I really have nothing to worry about... I just need to think about being healthy and loving myself...that's it! 

Gastric Bypass Awareness

Sometimes, even the most committed gym-goer and extreme dieter will find it difficult to stay motivated and achieve healthy weight-loss. For these individuals, gastric bypass surgery may be a consideration. This is a serious and life-altering procedure and should always be discussed fully with a medical professional. Before speaking with your doctor, there are a number of things any potential patient should be aware of

Making Choices Whether using NHS services, or opting for private treatment, choosing your hospital and surgeon is key. Do as much research as you can to ensure your surgeon has enough relevant experience and a good track record. Most surgical procedures are completed without difficulty, though poor standards of care can lead to patients having to launch medical negligence cases .Unhygienic practices, a lack of aftercare can all lead to problems, so make sure you learn as much about your doctor, hospital and procedure beforehand to avoid having to make any medical claims.

The Procedure: A gastric bypass operation splits the stomach into two smaller pouches, and makes the digestive system shorter. This reduces the stomach’s capacity, meaning you are not able to eat as much, which will aid weight loss. There are a number of variations on the procedure, with many surgeons aiming to use ‘laparoscopy,’ the least invasive method.

Reasons for Gastric Bypass: Individuals should only consider gastric bypass surgery after they have tried alternative methods of weight loss. Regular exercise and a healthy diet should both be followed before resorting to surgery. There are also a number of weight loss medications which can be used to help shed the pounds. Gastric bypass procedures are carried out to treat obesity, the main criteria for this being a BMI (body mass index) of over 40.

Recovering from Surgery: It is important to weigh up the risks and reasons for surgery against the hoped-for outcome. One risk of surgery is blood clots, which can cause serious complications – you may have to take medication to thin the blood after surgery, to reduce these risks. Those considering gastric bypass surgery should be aware that full recovery can take several weeks. Immediately after surgery you will be on a diet of liquids, with solid foods being introduced gradually. A hospital stay of around three to six days is normal, although regular activity should not be resumed for a number of weeks. At this stage, patients return to hospital for a second, minor, procedure which takes around 15 minutes.

Life after Surgery: If a gastric bypass operation is completed without complications, many patients can expect a greater quality of life after surgery. It will
be possible to eat only small amounts of food, and a healthy diet and exercise will be encouraged by your doctor. One effect of gastric band surgery is a reduction in functionality of the small intestine, meaning daily vitamin and mineral supplements need to be taken.

There is a lot to consider when thinking of gastric bypass surgery, and all of these issues should be discussed in full with a doctor.
 

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Who am I?

I don't want to sound dramatic but at the moment I really feel like I don't really know who I am or what I want. The trouble is that I question everything incessantly. I was with my BEST friends at the weekend who have known me for over 10 years and even with them I was thinking "Do they still like me" "Am I acting like an idiot" " Am I boring?" these thoughts go through my head all day long. I think about things that have happened in the past and think I wish I hadn't done, said, acted like that and then spend hours thinking about how it could have been better or changed  I over think things, I always have but it seems to be getting worse. 

Now I am actually a pretty confident person and to anyone else all of this would probably come as a surprise. But as soon as I enter the world of my own mind by confidence crumbles and I don't know what I am doing. I feel that part of this is due to losing weight and changing things in my life. At the moment I am in limbo... Image is very important to me and I am still having to use my old image as I haven't got to where I want to be to buy new clothes yet. Clothes really effect the way I feel and act and that's one thing that makes me feel nervous as I know I don't look good (in my eyes) or portray the image I want. Also I know that  I have said there are a number of things I want to change about me so when  I don't follow through with things I  feel guilty. However the things I want to change (like not drinking so much as that is what causes me to be stupid) are good things to change and in my mind what I want. I think the thing is is trying to find a balance. I think also I am becoming old before my time as well... I concentrate on keeping a tidy house, and being the perfect housewife... I am 27 and although that is quite old for me I also need to get back the person that was up for partying... now unless it's  planned I don't want to do it. I am not talking about going back to student life or anything but more enjoying the cities and enjoy being a young professional who has a bit more money and no responsibilities. I need to remember that there is quite a big phase between "student" and "yummy mummy" 

With the overthinking thing, I just need to shut it up. I think (ha)  because I am not so happy with my "life stage" I am thinking about things that really don't need to be thought about. I am changing, I am losing weight, I am changing my image, my interests are changing, I am coming into my adult self - a change always brings a period of instability but instead of worrying about it I need to embrace it and look at it and rejoice in the changes. Although I might not know exactly where I am going it was my confidence in myself and my self belief that started the change. 

With food it's the same old story and I need to just start doing it... I know I say it over and over again and I know that I am going to have  to keep on telling myself the same thing again and again and again. I find that most of it is a mental thing and like a habit .. as we all know these habits were made over  27 years and aren't going to go away over night... but it should be as simple as this... If I eat healthily I will have a healthy body... it's not rocket science... it's the most simple equation of all time.  I have lost 26lbs and only need to lose another 14 until I get to my goal weight.. after that it's the weight watchers goal that I still want to hit but it's the 13stone which is most important to me at the moment....14 little points.  

“‘Be careful of your thoughts, for they become your words.

‘Be careful of your words, for they become your actions.

‘Be careful of your actions for they become your habits.

‘Be careful of your habits for they form your character, and

‘Be careful of your character because it becomes your destiny!’

Weigh In - 11.02.13

Right I had a gain this week which I was totally expecting. It all started back on Thursday when I went out for dinner with my parents. We had a lovely 3 course meal but it was all very filling and very high in calories  I was OK with it until Friday came around...I just couldn't get my act together on Friday and ate really badly. I ate crisps, cookies, jelly babies, ice cream ... you name it I probably ate it. Then over the weekend I visited friends in Bristol and that was another 2 days of just sheer eating and not holding back. I don't know what my problem was because if I am honest when I was eating the "bad" food I wasn't even enjoying it that much. Even on Sunday when we got home I just kept on eating even though I knew I wasn't hungry. 

So I weighed in at 198lbs...to be honest I am thankful it's just that as I was expecting alot more... I can feel the fat on me and can feel all the extra saturated fat just clinging on and running through me. Not nice at all. I think alot of it was Emotional Eating... but that is a post for tomorrow as there are quite a few things to say.. 

New Scales..So not worth it

A few days ago I went out and bought some digital scales. The reason being is that I currently use the old style scales and find it hard to see exactly where I am on the lbs. I know that as I get closer to my goal every lbs lost will count, I am also stepping on the scales every day at the moment (debate all in its self) and want to see clearly what my weight is doing..My first decision was what scales to buy. The last set  I bought were good until they got transported from one house to another and then they broke... so I was prepared to spend about £20. I ended up buying  a set of WW scales for just under £20. They look good and tell you your  weight in stone, lbs, kg and include 1/4  of lbs etc which is good.

Now I know that a new pair of scales will tell you a different weight to your old ones and I was totally expecting to see a small gain (why is it it will never ever tell you a loss..??!!) so I stood on the scales nervously and then jumped off them in shock... the WW scales said I was 14 stone 8 3/4 lbs (204lbs)... I moved the scales around a bit from place to place to see if that would make a difference but no... Now I know that this just isn't right. I got on the scales at the gym and it said the same weight as my old scales from home. As much as I want to use the new scales I am not prepared to accept 8lbs just to use some fancy pants scales. I have worked to hard to just accept it... so now I am in a dilemma of what to do... a) I have wasted £20 b) I want to use digital scales c) it has cast doubt on my weight even though a heavy duty set has backed up my home scales.  

Any advice out there? Anybody else have WW scales that show a totally different weight? BTW... interestingly my parents have WW scales at home and it always adds about 10lbs  to my weight.

Workout At Home

Workout at home

Between work and family, it can become difficult to carve out time in your schedule each day to head to the gym. If you find it impossible to keep up a workout routine that requires commuting time or special preparations, consider creating your own fitness program at home. You don’t need any fancy gym equipment or a whole lot of time. Just half an hour each day using these easy tips can help you trim your waistline and starting leading a more healthful lifestyle.

Tackle that list of chores. You may not think of household chores as a workout, but pushing the vacuum cleaner -  Pushing the vacuum cleaner - can burn more calories than you thought. If you’re in the mood to multi-task while the little ones are either sleeping or away, just give your house a deep cleaning, making sure to keep moving the whole while. At the end, you’ll have done something great for your health and your home.

Have a dance party. Exercise has been known to boost endorphins, those little feel-good chemicals responsible for your post-workout high. Add a bit more joy to that by blasting a playlist of your favourite songs for 20 to 30 minutes, and you’ll have a surefire way to shed pounds and stave off mood swings. And the best thing about any kind of dancing--it doesn’t have to be a technical style like tap or ballet--is that it doesn’t even feel like a workout, so you may actually lose track of time.

Search for workout videos. Whether you purchase DVDs or stream them online, using videos as a part of your exercise routine is a great way to stay motivated and add variety. You can find programs for everything from high-impact cardio to muscle-toning pilates, making this a less expensive yet effective alternative to having a personal trainer. But the main perk of using videos is that you can pop them in whenever is most convenient for you, meaning you don’t have to work around anyone else’s schedule.

Get some fresh air. Walking is one of the most highly recommended ways to get back in shape, especially for new mothers. This form of exercise is easy on joints and adaptable to your current endurance level, so if you’re easing into a physical fitness regimen, start here. You could even accomplish your training goals by taking laps around your home or apartment complex. To challenge yourself even more, increase your weight-bearing load by bringing the baby along. Just make sure to wear sunscreen and avoid high-traffic areas.

Use your own body weight for lifting. You don’t have to own any weight machines or free weights to start getting toned. Some of the best exercises for weight training are calisthenics like push ups, abdominal crunches and squats. In addition, focusing on building muscle will actually help you burn calories faster, which is an essential goal for weight loss. Increase the number of reps and sets you do each day, and you’ll start to feel stronger and thinner in no time.

Funny Story

Ok so last night I was on my way home and had a bit of shizer day, wasn't really in the mood for the gym and all in all was just feeling a bit Poo. I was going to go home and do some toning exercises at home....I was feeling fine with it although I did have a bit of deep rooted guilt as knew I really should go to the gym and also had a feeling that I would get home and probably not end up doing the exercise as something would get in the way...like emptying the dishwasher..

Anyway I had to stop for petrol on my way home and I stepped into the garage to pay and of course was rammed by shelves of chocolates and creme eggs etc...I put my hand up to get one and then thought ... no ... I don't want one it's not worth it... then I went up to pay and right there by the counter were those Malteser Bunny Rabbits. Now I LOVE Maltesers they are my favorite chocolate in the whole wide world and every time I walk past those bunnies I have to show such self will not to have one ...I mean seriously they are like 1 GIANT malteser!! Anyway I ended up buying one and devouring it and LOVING IT... however in a way it was a blessing in disguise. I was minutes away from driving past the gym but the knowledge that I had just ate a chocolate pushed me over the edge I was sitting on and I went to the gym. I was sitting at the roundabout and literally groaning out loud as I turned the car left to the gym instead of going straight ahead to get home... 

I did 30 minutes on the cross trainer at a higher level than I normally do so I burnt 450 calories and did just over 4km which I am quite pleased with and then did some toning exercises. I enjoyed it, felt good about myself and had worked off the guilt of the bunny! It totally put me in the right frame of mind to make sure I go to the gym tonight and on Friday as well.... I can't go Thursday as my parents are taking us out for dinner....damn the chocolate bunny I am going to turn into a gym bunny! 

Weigh In - 04.02.13

Firstly I can not believe it's February already, the year is going to fly by... I can tell!!! So WI in this morning resulted in staying bang on 14 stone (196lbs) and to be honest I am fine with that. I was really worried that I was actually going to have a gain so to see 196 is OK with me. 

The last week wasn't great for me in regards to eating. I always seem to do this, I get a good Weigh In and then eat really badly that week which of course results in me going up and down on the scale continuously!  I know I say this all the time and to be honest I am getting a bit bored of saying it... but I do really need to sort it out. I know what I have to do and I also know it's just a case of habit. I was thinking about it over the weekend...now bear with me on this one.... I clean all the time, I like our house to be nice and clean and tidy and can't abide mess (for more than a day)....now the point is, I never used to be like this. I would have never described myself as overly tidy, I mean I wasn't a slob and my house didn't look like a bomb had gone off or anything but I wasn't as tidy or clean as I am now by a mile! I changed, keeping a clean and tidy house became a priority for me when we moved into our lovely new home and it hasn't just been for the first few weeks but it has been constant and now is a very strong habit. This is what has to happen with my food habits. 

Like I said I know what I have to do and now I just need to follow through...and constantly. It is the most boring thing to read every 2 weeks that "OMG...I let myself down" ...."OMG I ate a whole box of chocolates"...."OMG I just couldn't say no"  because the thing is all those things that happen are all my doing and my lack of self-control. I have the passion and I have the the ability to change as I have changed quite a lot already in the months that I have been doing this and I know that I am not going to become this healthy amazing person over night who follows through all the time....But I could make a start. It's like I said in the previous post (Letting Myself Down..BUT...Fixing it) I know what I have to do and I just really have to get on with it. I know this is the same old message I say again and again... but it will continue to be the same message until I get it truly into my head that this IS what has to happen! 

And thinking about it I need to embrace it as well... as perhaps I am not wanting to fully embrace it as I am scared of the changes it will bring...will I still stay the same person or will I become one of those people that say no to everything and will only eat holistic food etc (nothing wrong with that but not who I want to be!) I have to realise that doing this will only make me a better person and help become the person I want to be. I will change but the change will be good and won't make me a totally different person....so I have to do it, embrace it and not see it as a restriction diet thing but instead something that will help and fit in with who I am.