The one year 'marginal improvement' plan, becoming healthier one decision at a time.

I last posted on these forums regularly in 2009 and am now back older and *hopefully* a little wiser. In February 2009, I had dropped to 14 stone 2 lbs and felt considerably better.

Over the last few years I have intermittently exercised and made better food choices, so have some better habits but have continued to overeat. I don't have an issue with junk food or binging but have (like most people) a really busy life and often skip breakfast and then make bad choices through lack of planning what I am going to eat that day. Ultimately, I think I have a tendency to always put other stuff and people ahead of myself.

I really want to change but have accepted change will not happen overnight and that every decision in the long run will count.

I am today on day 10 of what I am calling my one year plan. My starting weight was 15"9.4 and I am looking to lose 0.2 lbs per day. If I could do that for a whole year, my weight would be 10" 6.4 (although my goal is 10" 12).

My primary reason for weight loss is my health, I feel tired and bloated a lot of the time and suffer badly from silent acid reflux. I am apple shaped, which I think is probably down to stress and sitting down at a computer for long periods of time. Being apple shaped and carrying a lot of weight round your middle is linked to heart disease and other long term health conditions so it has to be addressed.

I have made a decision to get weighed every morning. I have always gone for the don't get weighed more than once a week approach but I want to start understanding my body more and the effect different foods have on me in terms of bloating and the acid reflux. This means I will also need to get used to my weight fluctuating by a few pounds regularly both up and down. I'm not worried about this because I am looking for a lifestyle change not a quick fix.

I have done slimming world a few times before and have chosen to follow this at home for a few weeks and may consider going back to the group, once I know I am really in the right head space. I don't want any pressure right now. I think SW is the best plan because ultimately it is a healthy eating plan.

These are my daily weigh ins to date.

Start Weight - 15"9.4
Week 1 WI Total Loss - 6.4lbs
Week 2 WI Total Loss - 7.4lbs
Week 3 WI Total Loss - 6.6lbs
Week 4 WI Total Loss - 6lbs Month 1 (WI at day 31) - Total loss - 7.6lbs
Week 5 WI Total Loss - 10lbs
Week 6 WI Total Loss - 10.4lbsWeek 7 WI Total loss - 10.4lbs
Week 8 to 15 - AWOL :cry:
Week 16 WI Total Loss - 11 lbs

Current weight - 14"12.4lbs

Also am determined to get fitter again. I have been out for a walk / jog 3 times since starting and did week 1, day 1 of couch to 5km today. Anybody want to be a virtual buddy for doing that programme?

H

Day 10 Diary

Food

Breakfast
Two cups of tea w/ semi skimmed milk
Blueberry probiotic yoghurt with two handfuls fresh blueberries, one large nectarine

Lunch
Large salad - spinach, rocket, red onion, leftover cold pasta, roast chicken, 3 pieces torn up salami with 3 tbsp reduced fat creme fraiche (w/ added honey and whole grain mustard)
Glass coke zero

Tea
Small portion of homemade goulash (beef, potatoes, mushrooms, tomato based sauce) - not great sin wise as used a jar of ragu as didn't have any passata in and no fry light so used some corn oil eeek
Rice
Glass coke zero umm, think I have a coke zero addiction.

Snacks
3 x glasses water
Cup of tea with semi skimmed milk

Exercise

Couch to 5km, week 1, day 1 - 3.59km in 34 min 40 secs

I think I have made a breakthrough today. Have had one of those afternoons at work were despite all your best efforts you feel that you have achieved absolutely zilch.

Usually I would be reaching for the wine now and have so far resisted! Just have to get through the rest of the evening lol.

Day 11 Diary

Weigh in - 15"1.6 Loss 0.6lbs

I have woke up today feeling so happy. I can't quite believe I have finally made a start at tackling this. I have been in such a rut for so long.

Breakfast
2 x cups of tea w/ semi milk
Rice krispies and semi skimmed milk

Lunch
Subway steak and cheese sub 6" (343 kcal) and diet coke

Tea
Gammon (fat cut off), three pineapple rings (cooked with the gammon), rocket, spinach and red onion salad and potato dauphenoise (had cheese on it, eek!!) Think I might have just ate too much, feel very full

Snacks
Three glasses coke zero
Two glasses fizzy water
Cup of tea w/ semi skimmed milk

Exercise

None today

Arrgghhh I seem to have developed a diet coke addition now Is it really as bad for you as they say??

Anybody else have this problem, and what can I do about it......

Okay, mini goal for tomorrow NO DIET COKE

Day 12 Diary

I feel rubbish this morning. I decided to work last night to catch up on some stuff and got in one of those can't stop modes so only logged off at 11pm. During this time I drunk another cup of tea and another glass of diet coke.
So of course when I went to bed I was pumped full of caffeine and had all my work stuff running through my head. Every time I got close to dozing off I ended up with an adrenaline rush that woke me up again . So now I have to get me and my daughter ready and out the house in 3/4 hour as we have both overslept.

My goal for today is to only drink water and nothing else!

Weigh in -15"2.4 - Plus 0.8lbs - Pretty bloated today, that salty gammon and a late night haven't done me much good!

Breakfast
Water
Two handfuls blueberries and three cherry tomatoes Not enough I know but running late ...

Lunch
Small portion home made goulash with a brioche roll
Water

Tea
2 x roast chicken thighs (asda hot counter) skin on, spinach, rocket, roasted yellow pepper and roasted red onion, blob mayo. Veg roasted with no oil
Fizzy vimto (from cordial and sparkling water)

Snacks
2 cups of tea so much for resisting altogether!
4 tiny ameretti biscuits

Exercise

One hour walk with four one min jogs.

Day 13 Diary

Feeling better again today. Feeling quite proud that I am still eating well at nearly two weeks in to the plan
This weekend has required some thought as I am away. I have been really looking forward to it.

Weigh in - 15"2.0 Loss 0.4lbs

Breakfast
Cup of tea
Water

Lunch
Chicken salad w/ roasted red onion and yellow pepper w/ blob mayo

Tea
Three course meal - crispy duck pancakes, lamb and salad, chocolate mouse cup
1/2 bottle of wine
Fizzy water x 2

Snacks
Two cups of tea

Exercise

None

So I am back and ready to get on with it after my weekend off plan It will be interesting to see what the scales think of me tomorrow!

Day 14 Diary

Breakfast - Small bowl rice krispies and milk, actimel, bacon, mushroom, tomato, scrambled egg, orange juice, cup of tea
Lunch - none
Tea - Three course meal - beef salad, chicken and veg, one bread roll, tart
Lots of wine .......

Day 15 Diary

Breakfast - none
Lunch - Bagel sandwich
Tea - KFC eeek and tango

Day 16 Diary

Weigh in - 15"4.4 Plus 2.4lbs Wow look at the effect a weekend of excess can have!

Umm, not the healthiest of days but still not 100% from the weekend. Also haven't been shopping yet so low on the good stuff.

OMG, now I have written that down, it sounds appalling!

Breakfast
None
Cup of tea
3 glasses water

Lunch
3 quarters of brown bread sandwiches at work event

Tea
1 piece KFC chicken and four hot wings (leftover from tea last night)
Grapes
Cup of tea

Snacks
Cup of tea
Water

Exercise

None

Day 17 Diary

Weigh in - 15"2.2 Loss 2.2lbs

Yay, some of the alcohol bloat from Sat night is starting to subside. Hopefully if I manage to have three proper meals today and start getting back to normal I might be able to achieve a small loss this week.

I think I must really want to tackle the weight this time round because despite weighing myself every day I don't feel stressed about the fluctuations or having a blip at the weekend. Having this as a one year plan seems to have taken the pressure off. Still only day 17, a very, very long time to go and I have never stuck a diet for any longer than six weeks and usually a lot less.

Breakfast
Banana
Cup of tea
Water

Lunch
3 egg omlette w/ two pieces of ham and sprinkle grated cheese
Cup of tea
Water

Tea
Nandos half chicken, salad, corn on cob, small tub mayo, one small packet butter, toffee gelado
Large bottle still mineral water

Snacks
None

Day 18 Diary

Weigh in - 15"2.6 Plus 0.4lbs

Had a lovely evening out last night with a friend. We went out for a meal and looking back I am pretty pleased with my food choices yesterday (thanks to the Nandos calorie counter online). Now I am finally recovered from the weekend I am aiming to get out for couch 2 5km week 1 day 2 day

Breakfast
Bowl of rice krispies
Cup of tea
Water

Lunch
Subway - steak and cheese sub w/ salad and diet coke

Tea
Steak and side salad w/ small amount of mayo
Water

Snacks
Rasberries and low fat raspberry yoghurt
Two cups of tea
Lots water

Exercise

None Um, everything kinda went a bit upside down yesterday and I didn't succeed at running and was in bed wiped out at 10pm. Maybe today??

Emmaline, thanks for dropping in and the nice words I am really proud I am still going despite the fact it is early days. I will look in and see how you are going on too x

Day 19 Diary

Weigh in - 15"1.4lbs Loss 1.2lbs

I was a bit stressed out yesterday and craving for food so went for some of my favourite things without going too overboard. Fingers crossed for a good day today!

Breakfast
Low fat raspberry yoghurt and large handful fresh raspberries
Two cups of tea
Fizzy water

Lunch
3 pieces bacon, 2 boiled eggs, mushrooms, 4 pieces small loaf hovis

Tea
Lasagna (large portion eek), salad, small spoon coleslaw
1/2 bottle of wine

Snacks
Water
Tea

Exercise

None

Day 20 Diary

Weigh in - 15"3.0 Plus 1.6lbs

Yesterday, I got carried away with portion sizes, not on anything unhealthy though and then had a couple of glasses of wine. Not too worried as I think I needed it. This has to be sustainable in the longer term.

Breakfast
Low fat raspberry yoghurt and large handful fresh raspberries
Cup of tea
Fizzy water

Lunch
4 pieces hovis bread (the small loaf that is 53kcal per slice), 3 pieces bacon, mushrooms, small squeeze of mayo

Tea
Piece sour dough bread w/ Lurpak butter
Half foccacia large bread bun w/ chippy chips and one piece of roast pork
Half what was prob very high calorie chocolate cake slice from a very posh pattiserrie
Cup of tea

Snacks
Water
Can coke zero

Day 21 and 22 Diary

No food log kept as put on a party / BBQ at my house over the weekend and had people staying over so slipped at keeping track. I did successfully make a lot of cake and not eat any of it though (well I might have had a bit of cheesecake with lots of fresh fruit).

x

Day 23 Diary

Weigh in - 15"2.2lbs Loss 0.8lbs
My goal today is to be sensible through the day and eat plenty of fruit. Then tonight I am going out for a meal. I am going to have what I want as it is a special birthday one for my brother but will skip pudding.

I have been fluctuating round the same mark for quite a while now but think it is down to a combination of having an awful lot on (so a bit of stress) and lack of exercise. I am going to be happy if I can STS this week and hopefully next week will be a bit quieter!

x

Day 27 Diary

Weigh in - 15"3.4

I am back and feeling bloated and icky. I have not massively over eaten this week but def had a lot of the wrong things at the wrong time and some alcohol Result is feeling massively bloated.
It is clear to see that I can keep focused for a couple of weeks and then things come up that are stressful (in our case our impending move), planning birthday parties and lots of work to do. I saw there is an offer in Bella magazine this week for free slimming world membership so I think it is time I got back to group and started doing the plan 100% instead of my interpretation of it. Before I end up being back at 15"9.4 all over again!

x

Day 28 Diary

Weigh in - 15"3.4

So weigh in morning was today and I have put on 0.6lbs over the week. However, I am still happy as have met my 4 week goal, which was to get to 15"4.0. My original plan was to lose 0.2lbs per day or 1.4lbs per week on average over the course of a year

So today is a refocus day. I have been and bought Bella magazine for the free membership and am planning on joining the Thursday class at my local SW this week. I have dug my old pack out and am starting SW 'following the rules' today. So aiming for my 1.4lb loss this week, fingers crossed!

Food diary

HEA - 250ml semi skimmed milk
Syns - Mullerlight greek yoghurt (coconut) - 0.5syns