You might have noticed a distinct lack of Sunday Summaries lately. To be honest, we're all busy people and sometimes we find it hard to update every week, particularly if we're out and about on a Sunday. So we've decided to switch to monthly, not weekly updates. We'll still be posting regularly on here of course, and if you ever want to know specifically how we are doing, just give us a shout on Twitter!
We've got lots of stuff coming up in May which we hope you'll like, but if there's anything you'd like to see more or, give us a shout in the comments. We're also always looking for bloggers to guest post their personal stories about diet, exercise and health and whatnot, so get in touch!
Sarah V - April has been a great month for me. I've lost over a stone and a half now and hit my 10% target at Weight Watchers. In the last week or two, I've suddenly noticed the change in my body - clothes are fitting better and I can really see how much smaller my waist and my pot belly have become. I feel a lot better in myself, and am so much more active - I find myself planning ways to incorporate extra walking into my routine which I would never have done a few months ago. In May, I want to get to two stone. I'm 5.5lbs off it at the moment which sounds fairly obtainable, so I'm going to step up the exercise so that I can get there by the time June starts. I still have more I want to lose, but I do really feel like I'm getting there which is a fantastic feeling.
Gem -I really struggled to get back on track once I started full time work and switched to online only Weight Watchers. I found a class that fitted in with my work schedule but I hated it and really didn't want to go back but I didn't give up. I found a local class on a Saturday morning with a brand new leader and all new members. It feels like we are all starting the plan together and everyone is super supportive there. I had my first weigh in back this week and I lost 3lbs. I'm so happy and feel like I can finally work towards my -100lbs goal. I'm currently 5 stone 4lbs down from my start weight and I'm aiming to be -6 stone by the end of June. I have a trip to Amsterdam and London in the way but it's a realistic goal.
Rosie - I've missed a few Sunday Summaries not only because I've been busy but also because I've been conscious of not having anything to share. In December last year I shared that I'd hit my 10 week pledge target and managed to beat it by getting down to 127 lbs. Now, five months later, I am.... 129 lbs. I'm not worried about having put a couple of pounds on but I have felt that having not lost any weight for a few months means I don't really have anything to contribute to Where Are My Knees. I hope that that's wrong however, because although I've plateaued and struggled to go beyond the weight loss I saw at the end of last year, I've also maintained. And for the first time in a long, long time, I have moments where I look in the mirror and feel happy with my weight. I hope that what I can bring to Where Are My Knees from now on is reflections on how to maintain weight after a loss, healthy eating tips (because I have completely changed my eating habits) and more on exercise, particularly running. I've got back into running again over the last couple of weeks and it's an amazing feeling - being able to run 10ks at the weekends makes me really happy and feels like such an achievement. This month I'm going to Greece in the second week and my goal to feel happy and confident in a bikini. That would be a phenomenal gain for me.
Sarah - I have given up at this moment in time :( I just cannot focus on weight loss with all the house stress going on around me. I had no idea it would be so stressful and all consuming. I don't even want to tell you the kind of crap I have been eating my body weight in. Rather embarrassing that I haven't managed to get to the point where I can control my food intake regardless of what is going on around me. Since my last update I have managed to gain 7lbs. Yep you read that right, a whole half stone. Knowing how hard this was to lose and how easily I have gained it really annoys me and come two weeks when I finally move into my new home I am going to kick it's ass and get back on track. I will be going back on The Harcombe Diet as the clean eating/low carbing plan really suited me and I found it relatively easy to stick to. I did dabble with the 5:2 plan earlier this week but after one day on 500 calories know it's not the plan for me. There is no way I can cope with feeling so weak and dizzy and ending up with a massive headache twice a week, just isn't worth it.
How's April been for you?
Showing posts with label Chris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chris. Show all posts
Sunday Summary 85
Sunday, 3 February 2013
How have you all been getting on this week?
Sarah - Yesterday marked 31 days following the Harcombe Diet and I am happy to say that whilst I didn't lose the 14lbs I was aiming for I got pretty close, I lost 12lbs and a total of 5" from my waist, tummy and hips. Blooming brilliant! As someone who struggles to lose weight consistently this change of lifestyle has amazed me and even though it is restrictive I have had no problems sticking to it other than for planned occasions such as my birthday, that in itself is a miracle! I feel so much healthier, more alert and awake and am actually looking forward to introducing some exercise soon to see what that does to my results. I have lost another 0.5lb this morning bringing my total loss for this week to 3.5lbs.
Gemma - Is living it up in Paris this weekend, ooh la la!
Sarah V - I've had another really good week on Weight Watchers. I feel a bit like I'm part of a cult because I cannot stop singing its praises but I can't get over how easy I'm finding it! At my weigh-in on Monday, I lost another 1.5lbs, meaning I've now lost 7.5lbs in three weeks. My next weigh-in is tomorrow and I'm pretty confident I've lost again. I've been on-plan for about a month now and I haven't slipped at all, thanks to the 49 weekly points which mean I don't feel guilty about a meal out or a cheeky few glasses of wine. I'm eating plenty (you should have SEEN the size of the lasagne I had on Friday, all for 11 points!) and I'm even having chocolate every day. I think the reason it's working for me is because it's encouraging me to have a little bit of what I fancy, rather than depriving myself of treats for weeks on end and ending up having a huge binge. Also, it's helped me to rediscover my love for cooking, which I will keep sharing with you all on Wednesdays!
Chris - The likelihood is, if you're reading this, you've seen my nipples. That feels a little bit odd, but I'm glad I wrote it - and the comments underneath the piece and in my Twitter feed were lovely and supportive as well. I'm thinking about chronicling my battle with my extra skin over the next twelve months, so look out for more photos of me in the (partial) nip in the next year. That's both a promise and a threat.
Meanwhile, I'm still hitting the gym for 6-7 classes a week; I'm really enjoying pushing my body; challenging myself to do things that 6 months ago I would have found impossible. I don't really monitor my weight too strictly anymore, as the weight training I do made me put on a stone in the last 4-5 months or so, but I've definitely shifted any Christmas excess now, and I'm determined to spend this year focusing more on toning and shaping the haggard old mess that is my body.
Rosie - My boyfriend was away this week so I took the opportunity to really put a lot of effort into exercising and eating healthily. I got up at 6am every day, did 40 minutes of an exercise DVD and then took my dog for a half an hour walk. I ate nothing but good, healthy foods (minus a dinner out when Tom came home on the Friday) and made healthy lunches every evening to take to work the next day. So I was pretty shocked when I'd actually put on a lb when I weighed myself. My biggest frustration is my belly - I actually got quite upset today when I looked in the mirror to see that my arms are looking slimmer but my stomach still looks like I'm about to pop out a baby! I guess I will just keep at it though I can't help feeling a little downhearted! I've been to the gym and swimming twice this weekend so I'm hoping all my hard work will eventually pay off.
Lauren - I thought I'd finally found my mojo this week, even after having a 49 propoints 'desk dinner' of Papa Johns on Monday evening. Then Thursday hit and its been downhill since then! I'm sick of saying 'this week will be perfect' when I know it won't, so I'm not going to bother saying that. Instead I'm just going to try to make it 'better'. I think it might be time for me to step away from Weight Watchers for a while and figure out what I want and how I'm going to shift the last couple of stone, because I'm stuck in a serious rut and have been for months. If anyone has any tips or recommendations then let me know!!!
Sarah - Yesterday marked 31 days following the Harcombe Diet and I am happy to say that whilst I didn't lose the 14lbs I was aiming for I got pretty close, I lost 12lbs and a total of 5" from my waist, tummy and hips. Blooming brilliant! As someone who struggles to lose weight consistently this change of lifestyle has amazed me and even though it is restrictive I have had no problems sticking to it other than for planned occasions such as my birthday, that in itself is a miracle! I feel so much healthier, more alert and awake and am actually looking forward to introducing some exercise soon to see what that does to my results. I have lost another 0.5lb this morning bringing my total loss for this week to 3.5lbs.
Gemma - Is living it up in Paris this weekend, ooh la la!
Sarah V - I've had another really good week on Weight Watchers. I feel a bit like I'm part of a cult because I cannot stop singing its praises but I can't get over how easy I'm finding it! At my weigh-in on Monday, I lost another 1.5lbs, meaning I've now lost 7.5lbs in three weeks. My next weigh-in is tomorrow and I'm pretty confident I've lost again. I've been on-plan for about a month now and I haven't slipped at all, thanks to the 49 weekly points which mean I don't feel guilty about a meal out or a cheeky few glasses of wine. I'm eating plenty (you should have SEEN the size of the lasagne I had on Friday, all for 11 points!) and I'm even having chocolate every day. I think the reason it's working for me is because it's encouraging me to have a little bit of what I fancy, rather than depriving myself of treats for weeks on end and ending up having a huge binge. Also, it's helped me to rediscover my love for cooking, which I will keep sharing with you all on Wednesdays!
Chris - The likelihood is, if you're reading this, you've seen my nipples. That feels a little bit odd, but I'm glad I wrote it - and the comments underneath the piece and in my Twitter feed were lovely and supportive as well. I'm thinking about chronicling my battle with my extra skin over the next twelve months, so look out for more photos of me in the (partial) nip in the next year. That's both a promise and a threat.
Meanwhile, I'm still hitting the gym for 6-7 classes a week; I'm really enjoying pushing my body; challenging myself to do things that 6 months ago I would have found impossible. I don't really monitor my weight too strictly anymore, as the weight training I do made me put on a stone in the last 4-5 months or so, but I've definitely shifted any Christmas excess now, and I'm determined to spend this year focusing more on toning and shaping the haggard old mess that is my body.
Rosie - My boyfriend was away this week so I took the opportunity to really put a lot of effort into exercising and eating healthily. I got up at 6am every day, did 40 minutes of an exercise DVD and then took my dog for a half an hour walk. I ate nothing but good, healthy foods (minus a dinner out when Tom came home on the Friday) and made healthy lunches every evening to take to work the next day. So I was pretty shocked when I'd actually put on a lb when I weighed myself. My biggest frustration is my belly - I actually got quite upset today when I looked in the mirror to see that my arms are looking slimmer but my stomach still looks like I'm about to pop out a baby! I guess I will just keep at it though I can't help feeling a little downhearted! I've been to the gym and swimming twice this weekend so I'm hoping all my hard work will eventually pay off.
Lauren - I thought I'd finally found my mojo this week, even after having a 49 propoints 'desk dinner' of Papa Johns on Monday evening. Then Thursday hit and its been downhill since then! I'm sick of saying 'this week will be perfect' when I know it won't, so I'm not going to bother saying that. Instead I'm just going to try to make it 'better'. I think it might be time for me to step away from Weight Watchers for a while and figure out what I want and how I'm going to shift the last couple of stone, because I'm stuck in a serious rut and have been for months. If anyone has any tips or recommendations then let me know!!!
Battlescars
Friday, 1 February 2013
WARNING: There are a couple of things in this post that might put you off your tea. It's also not exactly NSFW, but you might get weird looks if you have this post open in somewhere like an office or an internet cafe. You have been warned.
There are two things about losing weight that many people don't talk about.
They're things that people sort of like to pretend don't exist; that they magically fix themselves, or that they just go away of their own accord, taken away by the fat fairies as they finally fly away as you reach the arbitrary goal weight you set yourself.
I'm talking, of course, about the two headed terror of stretch marks and loose skin.
Yeah. It's gonna be a difficult one this, I'm sorry.
As you might know, I lost 100lbs (about seven stone) between May and November 2011. Here's a comparison.
In case you don't fancy doing the maths, I lost that weight in six months, which means that on average I was losing more than a stone a month. I promise I didn't use any tricks other than following the Slimming World plan to the letter (no faddy pills, supplements or starvation techniques here, thanks), but the fact remains that I lost a shedload of weight in a fairly short amount of time - and as a result...
Well, as a result I sort of resembled the frame of a two man tent with the outer layer of a four man tent draped over the top of it, like the lazy, hypermetropic attempts of a Glastonbury victim who can't shake off the last of the Ket they got given by that bloke in the cider tent. The skin on my stomach hangs off my frame like an old sack full of mayonnaise.
I exaggerate a little of course, but the fact remains that before I essentially declared war on my loose skin at the start of 2013 and started doing a LOT of toning and conditioning exercises, I had a huge amount of loose skin on my stomach and under my arms - signs that my skin simply couldn't keep up with the rate my body had shrank back in 2011 while I was dieting in a pretty hardcore way. I'd put the work in to lose weight, I'd finally got my BMI down to what was considered 'healthy' (just), and I was the lightest and the healthiest I had been for a very long time, but was I happy with how I looked?
Excuse my language, but was I balls. I was still wobbly and lumpy, and when I lay on my side the skin on my stomach and chest would sort of sag downwards and slump like half set jelly on whatever I was lying on. The pictures above represent a lot of work
In truth, I was gutted. Mortified that I had turned down so many sweets, stared at so many plates of greenery while my friends tucked into fried sausages in batter coated in cheese, wrapped in sugar then caramalised, turned into syrup and mixed with jelly babies and coca-cola (I may be lying here) and cycled so many miles in soaking rain and parching sun - and I still looked, to my mind at least, fat.
I certainly wasn't ready to go anywhere topless, for example (a large reason why I've not been on holiday abroad in ten years, and why I do absolutely everything at the gym except swim), and I still spent my days pulling t-shirts down constantly just in case someone caught sight of my knackered old stomach.
Furthermore, the stretchmarks I'm covered with hadn't vanished like I had deluded myself into thinking they would:- from the age of about 17 I have suffered terribly with the red little buggers, and as I both got taller and put on weight I was powerless to stop them snaking across my body, pretty much from my stomach to my shoulders, then down to just past my elbows - some of them centimetres wide and so deep they left noticable scars on my skin like I'd been hit by a hundred tiny asteroids. If you look at the photos above you can probably see them on my stomach and shoulders - once I started losing weight I told myself that they would at least get better, and that anyway, once I reached my target I wouldn't care so much about them because while I might not have washboard abs, my stomach would at least be the same shape as everybody else's.
Turns out I was wrong.
But here's the thing - I wasn't wrong in the way you might think I am. I was actually wrong about just how great other people look without their clothes on.
I know that's a weird sentence, but hear me out.
It wasn't until I started visiting the gym that I discovered that a lot of guys have imperfections just like me; and they're perfectly happy to wander round a changing room with them all out (in fact, some of them are happy to wander around with everything out:- my first experience of that changing room was walking into it and being greeted by a man in his mid sixties, fresh out of the shower and naked as the day he was born, bent double as he looked for a key he had just dropped), and it made me realise that almost nobody looks as good as you think they do without any clothes on - even the hatefully fantastic people you stare at enviously in the gym for daring to be so perfect probably have their fair share of lumps and wobbles. Almost nobody has absolutely nothing about their body they're not proud of, and while I still think it's admirable to want to get rid of those wibbles and wobbles where possible, realising that having them doesn't make you a disgusting freak of an outcast is a big step, and a very important one too.
So do I still hate my loose bits? Well, yes and no.
I hate them because I still worry about other people seeing them day-to-day: in work it's well known that I spend a lot of time at the gym, and one of my friends is insistent that I must have great abs by now, so the thought of having to admit that actually, even though I spend 7 hours or more in the gym every week and watch what I eat constantly, I still have a bigger, saggier stomach than those people who are complaining that they're getting fat as they get older, drinking and eating whatever the hell they like whenever they like. If you'll excuse my being childish for a second, it just doesn't seem fair, and it upsets me a tiny bit every single day.
However, the fact that I even have this problem means I can't properly hate them. This is a problem I have because I have lost seven stone in weight. I am the healthiest I have ever been right now. I lift weights and do aerobic workouts in the gym that two years ago I wouldn't even have believed my body was capable of doing. I go on twenty mile bike rides when 24 months ago 2 miles was an almost unattainable goal. I'm now of the opinion that when it comes to exercise, I can do anything I want to if I want to do it enough. Doing two classes at the gym used to seem like an impossible feat, but one day I decided I was going to do it - and I did. And the next week, and the next week.
This is so unlike the old me, I can barely remember what it was like being the old me. I hated the old me, so I can't hate the reminders that I'm not him any more. (God that sentence was convoluted. I'm sorry).
Don't get me wrong; I still want rid of my saggy stomach. I still want to tighten up the loose skin under my arms. I still wish I wasn't covered in stretch marks. I'm still going to do everything I can to get rid of all of these things, and as long as I'm still seeing improvements (which I currently am, if extremely slowly), then I'm going to keep doing everything I can to make these problems go away.
The difference is, from now on I'm going to try to see these little things as battlescars. Signs of my previous battles, souvenirs and reminders that I have achieved an awful lot - and while I still have a long way to go (and I might actually never win the war...), I should be damned proud of what I've done.
I'm really sorry if any of the pictures, words or mental imagery used in this post made you queasy, upset or blind. Sue me if you like, I've got no money anyway.
There are two things about losing weight that many people don't talk about.
They're things that people sort of like to pretend don't exist; that they magically fix themselves, or that they just go away of their own accord, taken away by the fat fairies as they finally fly away as you reach the arbitrary goal weight you set yourself.
I'm talking, of course, about the two headed terror of stretch marks and loose skin.
Yeah. It's gonna be a difficult one this, I'm sorry.
As you might know, I lost 100lbs (about seven stone) between May and November 2011. Here's a comparison.
In case you don't fancy doing the maths, I lost that weight in six months, which means that on average I was losing more than a stone a month. I promise I didn't use any tricks other than following the Slimming World plan to the letter (no faddy pills, supplements or starvation techniques here, thanks), but the fact remains that I lost a shedload of weight in a fairly short amount of time - and as a result...
Well, as a result I sort of resembled the frame of a two man tent with the outer layer of a four man tent draped over the top of it, like the lazy, hypermetropic attempts of a Glastonbury victim who can't shake off the last of the Ket they got given by that bloke in the cider tent. The skin on my stomach hangs off my frame like an old sack full of mayonnaise.
I exaggerate a little of course, but the fact remains that before I essentially declared war on my loose skin at the start of 2013 and started doing a LOT of toning and conditioning exercises, I had a huge amount of loose skin on my stomach and under my arms - signs that my skin simply couldn't keep up with the rate my body had shrank back in 2011 while I was dieting in a pretty hardcore way. I'd put the work in to lose weight, I'd finally got my BMI down to what was considered 'healthy' (just), and I was the lightest and the healthiest I had been for a very long time, but was I happy with how I looked?
In truth, I was gutted. Mortified that I had turned down so many sweets, stared at so many plates of greenery while my friends tucked into fried sausages in batter coated in cheese, wrapped in sugar then caramalised, turned into syrup and mixed with jelly babies and coca-cola (I may be lying here) and cycled so many miles in soaking rain and parching sun - and I still looked, to my mind at least, fat.
I certainly wasn't ready to go anywhere topless, for example (a large reason why I've not been on holiday abroad in ten years, and why I do absolutely everything at the gym except swim), and I still spent my days pulling t-shirts down constantly just in case someone caught sight of my knackered old stomach.
Furthermore, the stretchmarks I'm covered with hadn't vanished like I had deluded myself into thinking they would:- from the age of about 17 I have suffered terribly with the red little buggers, and as I both got taller and put on weight I was powerless to stop them snaking across my body, pretty much from my stomach to my shoulders, then down to just past my elbows - some of them centimetres wide and so deep they left noticable scars on my skin like I'd been hit by a hundred tiny asteroids. If you look at the photos above you can probably see them on my stomach and shoulders - once I started losing weight I told myself that they would at least get better, and that anyway, once I reached my target I wouldn't care so much about them because while I might not have washboard abs, my stomach would at least be the same shape as everybody else's.
Turns out I was wrong.
But here's the thing - I wasn't wrong in the way you might think I am. I was actually wrong about just how great other people look without their clothes on.
I know that's a weird sentence, but hear me out.
It wasn't until I started visiting the gym that I discovered that a lot of guys have imperfections just like me; and they're perfectly happy to wander round a changing room with them all out (in fact, some of them are happy to wander around with everything out:- my first experience of that changing room was walking into it and being greeted by a man in his mid sixties, fresh out of the shower and naked as the day he was born, bent double as he looked for a key he had just dropped), and it made me realise that almost nobody looks as good as you think they do without any clothes on - even the hatefully fantastic people you stare at enviously in the gym for daring to be so perfect probably have their fair share of lumps and wobbles. Almost nobody has absolutely nothing about their body they're not proud of, and while I still think it's admirable to want to get rid of those wibbles and wobbles where possible, realising that having them doesn't make you a disgusting freak of an outcast is a big step, and a very important one too.
So do I still hate my loose bits? Well, yes and no.
I hate them because I still worry about other people seeing them day-to-day: in work it's well known that I spend a lot of time at the gym, and one of my friends is insistent that I must have great abs by now, so the thought of having to admit that actually, even though I spend 7 hours or more in the gym every week and watch what I eat constantly, I still have a bigger, saggier stomach than those people who are complaining that they're getting fat as they get older, drinking and eating whatever the hell they like whenever they like. If you'll excuse my being childish for a second, it just doesn't seem fair, and it upsets me a tiny bit every single day.
However, the fact that I even have this problem means I can't properly hate them. This is a problem I have because I have lost seven stone in weight. I am the healthiest I have ever been right now. I lift weights and do aerobic workouts in the gym that two years ago I wouldn't even have believed my body was capable of doing. I go on twenty mile bike rides when 24 months ago 2 miles was an almost unattainable goal. I'm now of the opinion that when it comes to exercise, I can do anything I want to if I want to do it enough. Doing two classes at the gym used to seem like an impossible feat, but one day I decided I was going to do it - and I did. And the next week, and the next week.
This is so unlike the old me, I can barely remember what it was like being the old me. I hated the old me, so I can't hate the reminders that I'm not him any more. (God that sentence was convoluted. I'm sorry).
Don't get me wrong; I still want rid of my saggy stomach. I still want to tighten up the loose skin under my arms. I still wish I wasn't covered in stretch marks. I'm still going to do everything I can to get rid of all of these things, and as long as I'm still seeing improvements (which I currently am, if extremely slowly), then I'm going to keep doing everything I can to make these problems go away.
The difference is, from now on I'm going to try to see these little things as battlescars. Signs of my previous battles, souvenirs and reminders that I have achieved an awful lot - and while I still have a long way to go (and I might actually never win the war...), I should be damned proud of what I've done.
I'm really sorry if any of the pictures, words or mental imagery used in this post made you queasy, upset or blind. Sue me if you like, I've got no money anyway.
Sunday Summary 82
Sunday, 13 January 2013
Another week done! How are you getting on guys? Have you found new motivation to make this happen this year?
Sarah - I am happy to say I have lost 4lbs this week. That's half a stone gone in just 10 days. AMAZING!! I usually only manage a pound or two here or there and if I get a bigger number one week it is usually followed by maintaining the next so I am over the moon. So happy I have finally found a plan I can stick to 100% without the temptation to cheat. I went to Nandos for lunch yesterday and as my meal came with two sides I chose salad for me and more chips for Gray and happily scraped them off my plate onto his without wanting to steal at least one - unheard of!
Gemma - My first week on plan was a huge success and I lost 6lbs on Tuesday which is my weigh in day. I have already lost a couple more this week so I'm looking forward to seeing the final figure at my next weigh in. I'm finding that using all the online resources that come with Weight Watchers and planning my meals is helping me to stay on track. I was a little worried that I wouldn't stay on plan if I didn't attend a class but an online only subscription seems to be working just as well. I went to the cinema yesterday and took some low fat popcorn, blueberries and diet coke and didn't feel hard done by at all and I've managed to have a Cadbury's Creme Egg and some trifle this week and still stay on track. You really don't need to feel deprived if you're on a diet.
Rosie - Last week was my first week of getting back into clean eating and when I weighed myself on Friday I'd lost 2 of the pesky lbs I'd piled on over Christmas, which is a good start. However, this weekend I was away in Bath from Friday until this afternoon and I allowed myself a few treats over the weekend as I wanted to really enjoy being away and eating out. I'll be straight back on it tomorrow and I'm promising I'll start my week with my first run of the year, let's just hope I haven't set my fitness levels too far back with all that relaxing I've been doing!
Chris - Good news, everyone!
Ahem. Yes, good news. Today marks the day that I can honestly say that I have got rid of those pesky Christmas pounds, as Rosie called them - and I have the gym to thank for that.
Since last Sunday I have been to... *counts on fingers* seven classes at my gym - and have managed to mix up both cardio and weight classes too. The little biscuit baby that I grew over Christmas has retreated; no more does it poke at my t-shirts and jumpers and make me feel like a blimp slowly coming in to land at m desk in work - excellent news, I'm sure you'll agree.
I also seem to have developed "guns", as the kids call them nowadays - and quite by accident as well. When I started doing Body Pump, the aim was simply to tone up a bit - when you lose as much weight as I did as quickly as I did, your skin needs all the encouragement it can get to actually start fitting your body again - but four months or so into doing Body Pump, I'm surprised at how big my arms have got.
I'm excited about the upcoming week as well - it's relaunch week at my gym, meaning that all the Les Mills classes (Body Pump, Body Attack, Body Combat and the rest) all get new songs and choreography to go with them - if you've never done a Les Mills class before, about now is a great time to start, because everyone is new to the routines.
Sarah - I am happy to say I have lost 4lbs this week. That's half a stone gone in just 10 days. AMAZING!! I usually only manage a pound or two here or there and if I get a bigger number one week it is usually followed by maintaining the next so I am over the moon. So happy I have finally found a plan I can stick to 100% without the temptation to cheat. I went to Nandos for lunch yesterday and as my meal came with two sides I chose salad for me and more chips for Gray and happily scraped them off my plate onto his without wanting to steal at least one - unheard of!
Gemma - My first week on plan was a huge success and I lost 6lbs on Tuesday which is my weigh in day. I have already lost a couple more this week so I'm looking forward to seeing the final figure at my next weigh in. I'm finding that using all the online resources that come with Weight Watchers and planning my meals is helping me to stay on track. I was a little worried that I wouldn't stay on plan if I didn't attend a class but an online only subscription seems to be working just as well. I went to the cinema yesterday and took some low fat popcorn, blueberries and diet coke and didn't feel hard done by at all and I've managed to have a Cadbury's Creme Egg and some trifle this week and still stay on track. You really don't need to feel deprived if you're on a diet.
Rosie - Last week was my first week of getting back into clean eating and when I weighed myself on Friday I'd lost 2 of the pesky lbs I'd piled on over Christmas, which is a good start. However, this weekend I was away in Bath from Friday until this afternoon and I allowed myself a few treats over the weekend as I wanted to really enjoy being away and eating out. I'll be straight back on it tomorrow and I'm promising I'll start my week with my first run of the year, let's just hope I haven't set my fitness levels too far back with all that relaxing I've been doing!
Chris - Good news, everyone!
Since last Sunday I have been to... *counts on fingers* seven classes at my gym - and have managed to mix up both cardio and weight classes too. The little biscuit baby that I grew over Christmas has retreated; no more does it poke at my t-shirts and jumpers and make me feel like a blimp slowly coming in to land at m desk in work - excellent news, I'm sure you'll agree.
I also seem to have developed "guns", as the kids call them nowadays - and quite by accident as well. When I started doing Body Pump, the aim was simply to tone up a bit - when you lose as much weight as I did as quickly as I did, your skin needs all the encouragement it can get to actually start fitting your body again - but four months or so into doing Body Pump, I'm surprised at how big my arms have got.
I'm excited about the upcoming week as well - it's relaunch week at my gym, meaning that all the Les Mills classes (Body Pump, Body Attack, Body Combat and the rest) all get new songs and choreography to go with them - if you've never done a Les Mills class before, about now is a great time to start, because everyone is new to the routines.
chris' 6 day shred diary: day three
Thursday, 22 November 2012
Ouch.
Ow.
Oof.
And so forth. Today was another Body Pump day, and I'll be honest, it was more difficult than I expected.
See, as much as Body Combat didn't feel like quite as hard a workout as Pump, I woke up this morning with some rather achey shoulders and arms - not the best situation to be in when you have a weight training class later that day!
I did, however, up my weights like I wanted to - if only on the back and squat tracks. My arms are tired today, and the idea of hefting extra weight around on the bicep and tricep focused tracks seemed horrific. However, it wasn't until I came to write this post that I realised that I'd gone lighter than last time on my shoulders - what a fool I am, eh?
Today's weights were:
Warmup - 10Kg
Squats - 32Kg
Chest - 20Kg
Back - 25Kg
Triceps - 15Kg
Biceps - 12Kg
Lunges - 20Kg
Shoulders - 12Kg
Which still isn't bad, and if I'm honest I'm kind of glad I didn't do the extra weight on my shoulders. I've got a Combat class tomorrow evening, so I'm not looking forward to how much my arms are going to hurt in the morning...
Foodwise, today I had:
Breakfast: Three apples. Standard.
Lunch: A big old baked potato, full of salad and coleslaw.
Dinner: A pasta, tuna, sweet chilli and vegetable... thing that I made because I fancied something different, didn't have much time before class, and couldn't be bothered looking for or following a recipe.
And finally... my weight: 1.2 pounds since yesterday. That's absolutely crackers, even for me, who loses weight quickly. I know this is probably that first bit of excess weight dropping off when you've not done a proper hardcore diet for a while, but still; two pounds in as many days ain't to be sniffed at...
See you tomorrow, shred fans!
Ow.
Oof.
And so forth. Today was another Body Pump day, and I'll be honest, it was more difficult than I expected.
See, as much as Body Combat didn't feel like quite as hard a workout as Pump, I woke up this morning with some rather achey shoulders and arms - not the best situation to be in when you have a weight training class later that day!
I did, however, up my weights like I wanted to - if only on the back and squat tracks. My arms are tired today, and the idea of hefting extra weight around on the bicep and tricep focused tracks seemed horrific. However, it wasn't until I came to write this post that I realised that I'd gone lighter than last time on my shoulders - what a fool I am, eh?
Today's weights were:
Warmup - 10Kg
Squats - 32Kg
Chest - 20Kg
Back - 25Kg
Triceps - 15Kg
Biceps - 12Kg
Lunges - 20Kg
Shoulders - 12Kg
Which still isn't bad, and if I'm honest I'm kind of glad I didn't do the extra weight on my shoulders. I've got a Combat class tomorrow evening, so I'm not looking forward to how much my arms are going to hurt in the morning...
Foodwise, today I had:
Breakfast: Three apples. Standard.
Lunch: A big old baked potato, full of salad and coleslaw.
Dinner: A pasta, tuna, sweet chilli and vegetable... thing that I made because I fancied something different, didn't have much time before class, and couldn't be bothered looking for or following a recipe.
And finally... my weight: 1.2 pounds since yesterday. That's absolutely crackers, even for me, who loses weight quickly. I know this is probably that first bit of excess weight dropping off when you've not done a proper hardcore diet for a while, but still; two pounds in as many days ain't to be sniffed at...
See you tomorrow, shred fans!
Chris' 6 Day Shred Diary: Day Two
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Today was Body Combat.
It was the first time I'd ever done Body Combat - so in order to properly give you a my first impressions of what it's like, I thought I'd present a short log of my thoughts during it:
7:30 - Bloody hell, it's busy here tonight.
7:50 - I appear to be the only man waiting for this class (If you can call a human being who spent twenty minutes before leaving for the gym running about the house squealing "Electrolytes, I need my electrolytes, I SIMPLY CANNOT GO TO THE GYM WITHOUT MY ELECTROLYTES" a man).
8:00 - Jacques is taking the class. Jacques looks more like a man called Jacques than you can imagine. Jacques asks if I am new at this. I say yes. He puts his hand on my shoulder, shakes his head like a man saying goodbye to a lame dog, and begins the class.
8:01 - Jacques moves with the speed, precision and grace of a Cobra crossed with an Eagle.
8:02 - I move with the speed, precision and grace of a sofa humping a wardrobe on a staircase.
8:05 - I have punched myself in the ear.
8:08 - I have punched the lady to my left in the ear.
8:15 - I have very nearly punched Jacques in the ear.
8:25 - Marilyn Manson's version of "Sweet Dreams" isn't supposed to be this fast.
8:30 - I'm starting to enjoy this. I already feel more confident; I'm sure I'd stand a chance in a fight now - assuming the fight could be won by just going cross-hook-cross-hook-weave-weave-weave over and over again, and I was fighting a child. With her arms taped to her side.
8:35 - A very fast version of "Bass in the Place" has just started. I don't understand how anyone who isn't on amphetamines could move in time to this.
8:36 - I am now moving faster than a person on amphetamines could, because parts of this one are in double time.
8:45 - In order to make sure nobody feels left out, I have punched the lady to my right in the ear.
8:47 - I'm quite surprised to realise I've spent the last couple of minutes properly lost in the track and the routine, and I've been swinging really rather aggressively - rather unlike the Omega Male I usually am.
8:50 - I have a feeling this abs workout breaks a few key parts of the Geneva convention.
9:00 - I am a sweat beast. I belong in a cave where my sopping skin won't ruin any soft furnishings and my curiously purple, hideous, dribbling face won't scare the townsfolk.
So yeah, that's Body Combat.
I've got to say, I actually really enjoyed it. It really highlighted how poor my coordination and balance are, and it's great for getting the heart going too. It doesn't feel like as "hard" of a workout as something like Body Pump, but there are some lightning fast combinations in there, as well as tracks that involve quickly shifting your weight and body shape drastically without falling on your big, fat, sweaty face. It's good fun, and I'm looking forward to my next class on Thursday already.
Food wise, today consisted of:
Breakfast: Three apples. Pushing the boat out.
Lunch: A salad plus the last little bit of the slimming world meat loaf I made on the weekend.
Dinner: Homemade bolognese with turkey mince and Tesco half fat cheese, then an Aero mousse thing - only 93 calories, but it is slightly lighter than air.
I did stop at Tesco after the gym I'm afraid, in a moment of weakness - here's all the goodies I picked up on my late night, post-gym trip to the home of every sweet, biscuit, cake and crisp on the planet:
I know I'm only two days (or 33%, or a third) into my challenge, but so far I'm feeling good. I have a feeling my arms might ache from all the punching tomorrow (which will make Body Pump fun tomorrow...) But it's nice to be focused and "in the zone" again, so to speak. Even better, so far I've already seen an awesome effect on my weight: This morning I was almost a pound lighter than yesterday - so roll on tomorrow, I say!
It was the first time I'd ever done Body Combat - so in order to properly give you a my first impressions of what it's like, I thought I'd present a short log of my thoughts during it:
7:30 - Bloody hell, it's busy here tonight.
7:50 - I appear to be the only man waiting for this class (If you can call a human being who spent twenty minutes before leaving for the gym running about the house squealing "Electrolytes, I need my electrolytes, I SIMPLY CANNOT GO TO THE GYM WITHOUT MY ELECTROLYTES" a man).
8:00 - Jacques is taking the class. Jacques looks more like a man called Jacques than you can imagine. Jacques asks if I am new at this. I say yes. He puts his hand on my shoulder, shakes his head like a man saying goodbye to a lame dog, and begins the class.
8:01 - Jacques moves with the speed, precision and grace of a Cobra crossed with an Eagle.
8:02 - I move with the speed, precision and grace of a sofa humping a wardrobe on a staircase.
8:05 - I have punched myself in the ear.
8:08 - I have punched the lady to my left in the ear.
8:15 - I have very nearly punched Jacques in the ear.
8:25 - Marilyn Manson's version of "Sweet Dreams" isn't supposed to be this fast.
8:30 - I'm starting to enjoy this. I already feel more confident; I'm sure I'd stand a chance in a fight now - assuming the fight could be won by just going cross-hook-cross-hook-weave-weave-weave over and over again, and I was fighting a child. With her arms taped to her side.
8:35 - A very fast version of "Bass in the Place" has just started. I don't understand how anyone who isn't on amphetamines could move in time to this.
8:36 - I am now moving faster than a person on amphetamines could, because parts of this one are in double time.
8:45 - In order to make sure nobody feels left out, I have punched the lady to my right in the ear.
8:47 - I'm quite surprised to realise I've spent the last couple of minutes properly lost in the track and the routine, and I've been swinging really rather aggressively - rather unlike the Omega Male I usually am.
8:50 - I have a feeling this abs workout breaks a few key parts of the Geneva convention.
9:00 - I am a sweat beast. I belong in a cave where my sopping skin won't ruin any soft furnishings and my curiously purple, hideous, dribbling face won't scare the townsfolk.
So yeah, that's Body Combat.
I've got to say, I actually really enjoyed it. It really highlighted how poor my coordination and balance are, and it's great for getting the heart going too. It doesn't feel like as "hard" of a workout as something like Body Pump, but there are some lightning fast combinations in there, as well as tracks that involve quickly shifting your weight and body shape drastically without falling on your big, fat, sweaty face. It's good fun, and I'm looking forward to my next class on Thursday already.
Food wise, today consisted of:
Breakfast: Three apples. Pushing the boat out.
Lunch: A salad plus the last little bit of the slimming world meat loaf I made on the weekend.
Dinner: Homemade bolognese with turkey mince and Tesco half fat cheese, then an Aero mousse thing - only 93 calories, but it is slightly lighter than air.
I did stop at Tesco after the gym I'm afraid, in a moment of weakness - here's all the goodies I picked up on my late night, post-gym trip to the home of every sweet, biscuit, cake and crisp on the planet:
Ooh yeah, living the highlife.
I know I'm only two days (or 33%, or a third) into my challenge, but so far I'm feeling good. I have a feeling my arms might ache from all the punching tomorrow (which will make Body Pump fun tomorrow...) But it's nice to be focused and "in the zone" again, so to speak. Even better, so far I've already seen an awesome effect on my weight: This morning I was almost a pound lighter than yesterday - so roll on tomorrow, I say!
Chris' 6 Day Shred Diary: Day One
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
I take exercise very seriously.
Okay, usually I take exercise very seriously (and look less camp during it; I don't know what the hell I'm doing in that photo. I'm also glad I wore my shorts underneath the skeleton onesie). But recently, my eating has got a little bit out of control. For some reason I can't quite fathom there has been an incredible amount of popcorn in my office recently, and doing things like getting a Dominos on Friday and then going to the Chinese on Sunday were really starting to make the pounds creep back on.
So, this weekend I decided: Let's do something about it. I'm going to rein the eating in, and really hit the gym hard this week - have a damn good shred and see how I feel, look and weigh afterwards, then share it with the wonderful readership of WAMK.
So, welcome to day one.
Day one was a Body Pump day. For anyone who's never done Body Pump, I would describe it as: a fight for your life with weights, while some dreadful masochist shouts at you over some Scooter B-Side or a remix of an Adele song. Except, somehow, it's fun.
Body Pump is a weights class, but it's never going to make you a hulking beefcake who can crack nuts with their biceps. Instead it focuses on strength, endurance and toning, and it's a damn good workout that will burn about 700 calories per session. I lift heavy because I'm fairly strong, but the heaviest I will ever put on my bar is around 30 kilos, which is around the weight of your average 10 year old (you try finding out what weighs 30 kilos using Google), and that's to put it on my shoulders in order to do squats - and it's still plenty!
So, today's weights were:
Warmup - 10Kg
Squats - 30Kg
Chest - 20Kg
Back - 22Kg
Triceps - 15Kg
Biceps - 12Kg
Lunges - 20Kg
Shoulders - 15Kg
I'd like to make a few of them a little heavier; squats and back in particular could go a little heavier.
Food wasn't too bad today: Breakfast was two apples, while lunch was a prawn wrap from the work canteen (which is probably a little bit carb heavy, but could be worse). That's not likely to change for the rest of the week as I do like my routine, although I do sometimes have a baked potato for lunch. Dinner was a Sweet and Sour made with Mr Bens Light sauce and boiled noodles, with loads of veg thrown in for measure. I'm about to sit down and watch the Walking Dead with an Options (Turkish Delight flavour - get in my head now you perfumed temptress, you), and that'll be it for the day - we'll see how my weight fares up tomorrow!
Sunday Summary 78
Monday, 19 November 2012
Apologies for the delay in posting this - Team WAMK have all had an extremely busy weekend but we're still here and we still love you ALL!
Lauren - Despite a minor foot injury that effectively put the kibosh on any sort of exercise this week, I managed a loss of 2.5lbs. I put it down to having practiced what I preached this week and tracked everything. I'm well behind on my Ten Week Pledge and while I would love to get to the -15lbs mark by Christmas eve I can't see it happening. I don't think 15lbs in ten weeks was too unrealistic, but I also don't think I fully took into account everything that was going on in my life at the time. I will continue to strive for the 15lbs but if I don't get there its not the end of the world - whatever I do lose will be down to having the pledge in the back of my mind and knowing that I made a commitment, which counts for something at least!
Rosie - This week I've really worked hard again - I went to a Pump class (absolute killer!), aqua aerobics, bootcamp (also a killer!) and advanced spinning, as well as fitting in a couple of runs. I've eaten right, and kept my hand out of various tempting tins (Quality Street tins, biscuit tins, etc). So I must admit I was a little disappointed when I didn't lose any weight this week, not a single lb. I'm accepting that some weeks you lose and some weeks you don't and my clothes are feeling looser which is a better illustrating of having shed weight I think so I'm trying not to feel too disheartened. I still only have 2 lbs to shake off on my ten week pledge so I'm hoping that might happen next week!
Gemma - As the instigator of the 10 weeks pledge I'm really not doing very well. The rest of the team are really putting me to shame. There are just so many social engagements this time of year that include food and I can't say no. I'm just trying to be as good as I can before going out to balance out all the high calorie food. I'm not gaining but I've pretty much maintained my weight since July and not lost anything. It's really starting to get me down now and I need something to get me back in the dieting groove. I'm really enjoying my weight loss and the confidence it has brought by going out an enjoying myself but I need to refocus my energy on reaching my -100lb goal.
Chris - Hello! I'm still alive, despite what my lack of activity here might suggest - but I bring exciting news! I'd like to take this opportunity to officially announce the winner of our Get Fit Feel Epic competition - the lovely Emma! She wrote a brilliant post all about how she keeps fit, and not only was the post passionate and inspiring, it also contained a line that made me think it was added purely to make me think it was awesome. We're hoping to bring it to you as a guest post tomorrow - watch this space! In other news, I'm going on a bit of a shred this next week: Monday-Friday I'll be attending a Les Mills class every day, eating Slimming World to the letter, and seeing what happens. I'll be keeping a diary and sharing my thoughts here, so watch for that too.
How are you all getting on? Have the Christmas goodies started creeping into homes and offices yet, or are you managing to avoid the naughtiness? If you are, please tell me how...there is a box of mince pies in my office that is positively screaming my name!
Lauren - Despite a minor foot injury that effectively put the kibosh on any sort of exercise this week, I managed a loss of 2.5lbs. I put it down to having practiced what I preached this week and tracked everything. I'm well behind on my Ten Week Pledge and while I would love to get to the -15lbs mark by Christmas eve I can't see it happening. I don't think 15lbs in ten weeks was too unrealistic, but I also don't think I fully took into account everything that was going on in my life at the time. I will continue to strive for the 15lbs but if I don't get there its not the end of the world - whatever I do lose will be down to having the pledge in the back of my mind and knowing that I made a commitment, which counts for something at least!
Rosie - This week I've really worked hard again - I went to a Pump class (absolute killer!), aqua aerobics, bootcamp (also a killer!) and advanced spinning, as well as fitting in a couple of runs. I've eaten right, and kept my hand out of various tempting tins (Quality Street tins, biscuit tins, etc). So I must admit I was a little disappointed when I didn't lose any weight this week, not a single lb. I'm accepting that some weeks you lose and some weeks you don't and my clothes are feeling looser which is a better illustrating of having shed weight I think so I'm trying not to feel too disheartened. I still only have 2 lbs to shake off on my ten week pledge so I'm hoping that might happen next week!
Gemma - As the instigator of the 10 weeks pledge I'm really not doing very well. The rest of the team are really putting me to shame. There are just so many social engagements this time of year that include food and I can't say no. I'm just trying to be as good as I can before going out to balance out all the high calorie food. I'm not gaining but I've pretty much maintained my weight since July and not lost anything. It's really starting to get me down now and I need something to get me back in the dieting groove. I'm really enjoying my weight loss and the confidence it has brought by going out an enjoying myself but I need to refocus my energy on reaching my -100lb goal.
Chris - Hello! I'm still alive, despite what my lack of activity here might suggest - but I bring exciting news! I'd like to take this opportunity to officially announce the winner of our Get Fit Feel Epic competition - the lovely Emma! She wrote a brilliant post all about how she keeps fit, and not only was the post passionate and inspiring, it also contained a line that made me think it was added purely to make me think it was awesome. We're hoping to bring it to you as a guest post tomorrow - watch this space! In other news, I'm going on a bit of a shred this next week: Monday-Friday I'll be attending a Les Mills class every day, eating Slimming World to the letter, and seeing what happens. I'll be keeping a diary and sharing my thoughts here, so watch for that too.
How are you all getting on? Have the Christmas goodies started creeping into homes and offices yet, or are you managing to avoid the naughtiness? If you are, please tell me how...there is a box of mince pies in my office that is positively screaming my name!
Sunday Summary 73
Sunday, 14 October 2012
Another week gone by already! All of Team WAMK are hugely excited to get started with our 10 Week Pledges - if you haven't pledged already then check out our post and let us know what you want to achieve by Christmas Eve - you could even win some Zaggora 2.0 HotPants in the process!
Rosie - This was my first week of really getting stuck into what I would call 'clean eating' - lots of healthy foods, protein and veggies and no junk food! I planned out my meals at the beginning of the week and only allowed myself sugar free jellies and Nakd bars when I felt like I needed a snack. Even though I only managed a couple of dog walks as exercise I'm chuffed to say I've lost a lb and a half so I'm making good headway towards my 10 week pledge! I also got up this morning and took the dog out for a 3.5 mile walk/jog today so feeling really good about that!
Gemma - I had a really good week and got back on track with Weight Watchers. I went to London yesterday and had cake for breakfast and huge burger and courgette fries... no good. I'm hoping that my good behaviour before London and a bit of exercise and eating well for the next two days before weigh in will mean I don't gain at weigh in this week. I'm feeling positive about next week and starting my 10 week challenge. 10 lbs is a lot to lose but I'm determined to do it!
Chris - this week I declared war on my stomach. I lost a lot of weight very quickly last year so I have some toning up to do in that respect - so this week I managed three Body Pump sessions as well as three half hours in the gym, doing a mix of running and rowing - and hello 3lbs loss! On the downside, my favourite jeans are now a little bit big for me - so if anyone wants to buy me an early Christmas present, I'll have a new pair of Vans V66s, please.
Sarah - I am going back on plan tomorrow and in preparation for this I have been eating one slice of cake a day instead of two and am pleased to say I have lost a pound this week! I won't be cutting out the cake, that would make for one miserable Sarah, but I will be mostly eating weightwatchers blueberry slices. Tiny bits of heaven! I am going to be as good as possible this coming week but it will be really hard as I have a blogger night out, afternoon tea and a burger with some babes planned and to be honest that is way more satisfying for me than an extra pound off the scale :)
Lauren - I was up 1.5lbs at weigh-in on Thursday after a week of curry, chinese food, pizza and various other goodies, not to mention that delightful monthly treat that only us ladies have the joy of experiencing! I was expecting a slightly bigger gain so 1.5lbs is ok. That puts me back up to 13st 13lbs and I am so ready to attack our upcoming 10-week challenge and get rid of these last few pesky lbs! I've just got back from a lovely weekend in Canterbury visiting uni friends and while we did enjoy a few glasses of vino and a delicious meal out (if anyone ever goes to Canterbury I literally cannot recommend Cafe Du Soleils paella enough) we didn't go completely crazy so I'm hoping the scales will be kind come Thursday. I already have four gym sessions planned this week and there is some 0pt soup simmering away in the kitchen for my lunch tomorrow . 10 Week Pledge, lets be having you!
How did you guys get on this week?
Rosie - This was my first week of really getting stuck into what I would call 'clean eating' - lots of healthy foods, protein and veggies and no junk food! I planned out my meals at the beginning of the week and only allowed myself sugar free jellies and Nakd bars when I felt like I needed a snack. Even though I only managed a couple of dog walks as exercise I'm chuffed to say I've lost a lb and a half so I'm making good headway towards my 10 week pledge! I also got up this morning and took the dog out for a 3.5 mile walk/jog today so feeling really good about that!
Gemma - I had a really good week and got back on track with Weight Watchers. I went to London yesterday and had cake for breakfast and huge burger and courgette fries... no good. I'm hoping that my good behaviour before London and a bit of exercise and eating well for the next two days before weigh in will mean I don't gain at weigh in this week. I'm feeling positive about next week and starting my 10 week challenge. 10 lbs is a lot to lose but I'm determined to do it!
Chris - this week I declared war on my stomach. I lost a lot of weight very quickly last year so I have some toning up to do in that respect - so this week I managed three Body Pump sessions as well as three half hours in the gym, doing a mix of running and rowing - and hello 3lbs loss! On the downside, my favourite jeans are now a little bit big for me - so if anyone wants to buy me an early Christmas present, I'll have a new pair of Vans V66s, please.
Sarah - I am going back on plan tomorrow and in preparation for this I have been eating one slice of cake a day instead of two and am pleased to say I have lost a pound this week! I won't be cutting out the cake, that would make for one miserable Sarah, but I will be mostly eating weightwatchers blueberry slices. Tiny bits of heaven! I am going to be as good as possible this coming week but it will be really hard as I have a blogger night out, afternoon tea and a burger with some babes planned and to be honest that is way more satisfying for me than an extra pound off the scale :)
Lauren - I was up 1.5lbs at weigh-in on Thursday after a week of curry, chinese food, pizza and various other goodies, not to mention that delightful monthly treat that only us ladies have the joy of experiencing! I was expecting a slightly bigger gain so 1.5lbs is ok. That puts me back up to 13st 13lbs and I am so ready to attack our upcoming 10-week challenge and get rid of these last few pesky lbs! I've just got back from a lovely weekend in Canterbury visiting uni friends and while we did enjoy a few glasses of vino and a delicious meal out (if anyone ever goes to Canterbury I literally cannot recommend Cafe Du Soleils paella enough) we didn't go completely crazy so I'm hoping the scales will be kind come Thursday. I already have four gym sessions planned this week and there is some 0pt soup simmering away in the kitchen for my lunch tomorrow . 10 Week Pledge, lets be having you!
How did you guys get on this week?
The ten week pledge
Friday, 12 October 2012
This coming Monday (15th) marks ten weeks until Christmas Eve. If you're anything like me, the calendar really fills up around Christmas with various social events - work Christmas parties, Christmas Eve outings with old friends and of course New Year's' Eve. Personally, this means at least a couple of new outfits and wanting to look your best; especially if you're the sort of person where Christmas brings together your whole friendship group and often means seeing people you might not have seen since last Christmas.
One of the challenges this brings is that Autumn and Winter do not lend themselves to preparing yourself to slip into glitzy outfits. For me at least, Autumn and Winter lend themselves to mugs of hot chocolate, lolling on the sofa and wearing down the snooze button on your alarm clock when you look out at yet another dark, rainy morning.
But take a second to think of how amazing it would feel to feel confident about putting on your gladrags and getting out there this Christmas. Imagine how proud of yourself you'd feel if you worked hard until then, and it paid off with some 'You look great' comments from friends, or just looking in the mirror and knowing that you've earned those roast potatoes on Christmas Day.
Here at Where Are My Knees we've come up with a fun idea to get you inspired and motivated over the next 10 weeks. From Monday we'll all be getting started on a 10 week pledge, and we want you to join in too. The good news is that not only is there feelings of personal pride and achievement in the pipeline for you, there's also two pairs of the new Zaggora Hotpants (2.0) up for grabs too.
Here are the pledges we've all signed up to that we'll be updating you on over the next 10 weeks.
Rosie - Lose 10lbs before Christmas Eve. (Currently 139lbs - would love to be 129 and fit into a size 10 dress on Christmas Eve! 129 lbs is also bang in the middle of healthy weight for my height.)
Gemma - Lose 10lbs before Christmas Eve. Currently 13 stone 11.5. If I can lose 12lbs and break under that 13 stone barrier that would be great but there are going to be lots of parties and trips away before Christmas so I'm going to be realistic.
Sarah - I would just like to get back on track and actually have time to follow a plan. I have so much coming up before Christmas that if I stop and think about it my head hurts but I don't want this to get in the way of achieving my weight loss goals. I would love to lose a stone before Christmas but being realistic I am going to set a target of 7lbs.
Lauren - Lose 15lbs before Christmas Eve. This is a big ask what with parties and all the yummy food that has already started appearing at home and in the office, but I'm hoping this pledge will keep me motivated at the gym and make me think about what - and how much - I'm putting in my mouth. As of this week's weigh-in I am 13st 13lbs - I was 12st 12lbs at my dad's 50th birthday party in April (which you can see here) and it'd be amazing to get back to that in time for Christmas. I definitely think 1.5lbs per week is do-able, even if it is a tall order!
Chris - I'd like to be able to run 5k in less than 25 minutes. This probably doesn't sound like much, but I'm not a very good runner - in fact, my first pledge should probably be to actually go and buy some running shoes! At the moment I'm hitting 4.5k in about 30 mins, so I've got some distance to go.
What would your 10 week pledge be? Remember it doesn't have to be a weight loss, it could be 20 trips to the gym, be able to run 5k by Christmas, giving up chocolate for 10 weeks, walking 10,000 steps a day or making sure you have healthy breakfasts. It has to be personal and achievable to you, or it won't work.
Leave us your 10 week pledges in the comments and we'll pick two at random on the 26th October to win the hotpants. But we really want you all to get stuck into this - you can tweet about it using #wamkpledge, comment and tell us the links if you've blogged about it, and we'll keep you updated on our own progress in the Sunday summaries and other posts. Remember, your journey to a confident Christmas starts on Monday! We've even made you a little badge you can use to show you're getting involved.
You are of course welcome to get involved in the ten week pledge without entering the giveaway, but if you'd like to enter you can do so below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
One of the challenges this brings is that Autumn and Winter do not lend themselves to preparing yourself to slip into glitzy outfits. For me at least, Autumn and Winter lend themselves to mugs of hot chocolate, lolling on the sofa and wearing down the snooze button on your alarm clock when you look out at yet another dark, rainy morning.
But take a second to think of how amazing it would feel to feel confident about putting on your gladrags and getting out there this Christmas. Imagine how proud of yourself you'd feel if you worked hard until then, and it paid off with some 'You look great' comments from friends, or just looking in the mirror and knowing that you've earned those roast potatoes on Christmas Day.
Here at Where Are My Knees we've come up with a fun idea to get you inspired and motivated over the next 10 weeks. From Monday we'll all be getting started on a 10 week pledge, and we want you to join in too. The good news is that not only is there feelings of personal pride and achievement in the pipeline for you, there's also two pairs of the new Zaggora Hotpants (2.0) up for grabs too.Here are the pledges we've all signed up to that we'll be updating you on over the next 10 weeks.
Rosie - Lose 10lbs before Christmas Eve. (Currently 139lbs - would love to be 129 and fit into a size 10 dress on Christmas Eve! 129 lbs is also bang in the middle of healthy weight for my height.)
Gemma - Lose 10lbs before Christmas Eve. Currently 13 stone 11.5. If I can lose 12lbs and break under that 13 stone barrier that would be great but there are going to be lots of parties and trips away before Christmas so I'm going to be realistic.
Sarah - I would just like to get back on track and actually have time to follow a plan. I have so much coming up before Christmas that if I stop and think about it my head hurts but I don't want this to get in the way of achieving my weight loss goals. I would love to lose a stone before Christmas but being realistic I am going to set a target of 7lbs.
Lauren - Lose 15lbs before Christmas Eve. This is a big ask what with parties and all the yummy food that has already started appearing at home and in the office, but I'm hoping this pledge will keep me motivated at the gym and make me think about what - and how much - I'm putting in my mouth. As of this week's weigh-in I am 13st 13lbs - I was 12st 12lbs at my dad's 50th birthday party in April (which you can see here) and it'd be amazing to get back to that in time for Christmas. I definitely think 1.5lbs per week is do-able, even if it is a tall order!
Chris - I'd like to be able to run 5k in less than 25 minutes. This probably doesn't sound like much, but I'm not a very good runner - in fact, my first pledge should probably be to actually go and buy some running shoes! At the moment I'm hitting 4.5k in about 30 mins, so I've got some distance to go.
What would your 10 week pledge be? Remember it doesn't have to be a weight loss, it could be 20 trips to the gym, be able to run 5k by Christmas, giving up chocolate for 10 weeks, walking 10,000 steps a day or making sure you have healthy breakfasts. It has to be personal and achievable to you, or it won't work.
Leave us your 10 week pledges in the comments and we'll pick two at random on the 26th October to win the hotpants. But we really want you all to get stuck into this - you can tweet about it using #wamkpledge, comment and tell us the links if you've blogged about it, and we'll keep you updated on our own progress in the Sunday summaries and other posts. Remember, your journey to a confident Christmas starts on Monday! We've even made you a little badge you can use to show you're getting involved.
You are of course welcome to get involved in the ten week pledge without entering the giveaway, but if you'd like to enter you can do so below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Get Fit - Feel Epic!
Friday, 5 October 2012
As it's my first (proper) post here at Where Are My Knees, I thought I'd arrive with a bang, and also attempt to ingratiate myself with all of our readers - so as such, I come bearing gifts.
Ladies and gents, may I present to you... Get Fit, Feel Epic!
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Get Fit, Feel Epic is a kind of collective term for a number of competitions and events I've been wanting to run all over the web in association with my day job, and WAMK feels like a great place to run one - not only have Sarah and the rest of the girls always been amazingly nice to me, but every single commenter and reader I've ever spoken to has also been absolutely awesome.
So, without further ado, let me tell you all about the competition and what you can win!
The Competition
The competition is called Get Fit, Feel Epic, and so it might not surprise you to learn that that's exactly what we want you to tell us about.
We know that keeping fit, losing weight and eating right are important to the community, so all we want you to do is write a quick blog post, telling us all about how getting fitter has changed your life for the better!
We know that losing weight and dieting can be a slog (hell, we've all been there), so sometimes it's nice to stop and think about what you have achieved - and be damn proud of it to!
The Prize
The prize is a pretty good one, especially if you're slightly nerdy like me - it's a Fitbit and a set of Smart Scales!
Ladies and gents, may I present to you... Get Fit, Feel Epic!
So, without further ado, let me tell you all about the competition and what you can win!
The Competition
The competition is called Get Fit, Feel Epic, and so it might not surprise you to learn that that's exactly what we want you to tell us about.
We know that keeping fit, losing weight and eating right are important to the community, so all we want you to do is write a quick blog post, telling us all about how getting fitter has changed your life for the better!
We know that losing weight and dieting can be a slog (hell, we've all been there), so sometimes it's nice to stop and think about what you have achieved - and be damn proud of it to!
The Prize
The prize is a pretty good one, especially if you're slightly nerdy like me - it's a Fitbit and a set of Smart Scales!
The Fitbit system is a hi-tech way of tracking your activity levels, weight, BMI, Body Fat and all those other exciting numbers that we care about on an online dashboard- The Zip just requires a quick sync to your computer, and the Aria scales do it all via WiFi - there's even a smartphone app for keeping an eye on your progress while you're out and about.
In Short:
We're able to give away a Fitbit Zip (in a selection of colours) and a set of Aria scales to the person who can write the most interesting, exciting or unusual post about how getting fit has changed (or is changing) their lives.
All you have to do is:
- Write your post
- Pop a link in it back to http://www.moneysupermarket.com (it makes things LOADS easier for me to track, believe me!)
- Pop a comment below this post with a link to your entry.
The contest will run until Midnight on 31 October, and we'll announce the winner within the following week.
Good Luck!
Chris
Introducing... Chris!
Monday, 1 October 2012
Bonjour!
My name's Chris (I'm not French).
I am a digital marketing type and a bit of a geek, who spends his days coding and surfing the waves of social media (I'm so cool it hurts, honestly) and his evening in the gym, on a bike or... well, coding some more. Told you I was a geek.
I'm also WAMK's fifth and newest member, only beard-wearer, resident boy, pet bear and eye candy (I believe exactly three of those things to be true). You might remember me from a guest post I wrote about a year ago, where I talked about losing 100lbs (seven stone) over six months through Slimming World.
I have kept that weight off for very nearly a year now (I hit my target at the end of November) - and I've done so through the things Slimming World taught me, a whole heap of exercise, and despite my love of Pic 'n' Mix.
For those who are interested, I put my extra weight on during college, and then really piled it on afterwards when I was basically unemployed and had nothing to do but sit at home and eat out of boredom. I carried those extra pounds around with me for years (while convincing myself that I was just heavy set, and that clothes sizes were all wrong), before last year my life basically fell apart and I found myself fat, homeless and unhappy and decided to make a change for the better - a permanent one. I shed the weight so quickly due to dogged determination and the apparent advantage my chromosomes gave me, but I still understand how damned hard maintaining a diet can be, especially when all around you seems determined to throw you off course.
What can you expect from me here at WAMK? Well, I plan on covering Slimming World related stuff as well as recipes, gym chat and "the boy stuff", as Sarah described it (the one thing in the world I'm probably qualified to write about). I can be a little bit acerbic, a little bit cynical and a little bit grumpy, but I try to at least be funny with it - feel free to shout at me if I don't manage it. I won't mind.
Sunday Summary 71
Sunday, 30 September 2012
The other good news is that we've now had an opportunity to consider all of the applications for the final member of the team. We want to thank everyone who took the time to apply (we had over 100 applications!!) and it was such a hard decision to come to. After much deliberation we are really pleased to announce that our new member is... Chris!
Chris will introduce himself tomorrow but you can go an say hello to him on twitter or read a little bit more about him and his incredible weight loss story in the guest post he did for us this time last year.
Team WAMK
xx
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