Century Club - Weekly Weigh In

[DQ]

:clap: Well done!!! :wow:

 

[jane]

hi jane sorry for the delay in replying - have been busy in the garden! also for the lowercase typing - am holding laptop in left hand so can't use both hands..... was at the scottish garden show last week and spent a fortune -OOh sounds lovely .(being anignorant southerner)..where is it held? have put in 8 clematis, a climbing hydrangea, honeysuckle, jasmine, ornamental kiwi - and lots of bedding and other flowery type things.Sounds lovely. you don't say which type ofclimbing hydrangea. There are a couple of evergreen types ,not v commo, but lovely. Theres also the much commoner H petiolaris. which i personaly dislike. Its an untidy thug, the flwers never amount to anything & it spends much of the year as a bare mess of branches. I will happily be contradicted on this though. Its heavy clay but I have dug in tons of sharp sand, compost, topsoil and horse manure! Wow,As they sat in devon 'Proper job' I'm on clay too .it's back breaking isn't it!Got the latter on ebay - a stables nearby with 8 years worth of the stuff - said to the woman "that's the biggest pile of sh*te i've ever seen! ... " she wouldnt take any money for it .. so my friend and I spent last saturday night shovelling bagloads of it and she was lamenting the fact that that is what we have come to - when we used to always be up town drinking dancing and chasing men ! ... c'est la vie!

My garden is maybe 1/4 acre?no idea really ... but quite big i suppose... takes more than 2 hours to cut the bloody grass anyway .... with a petrol driven mower.My H would say ' Get a bigger mower then.typical man! have big bits of wall and long fences and am doing quite well covering them in climbers. Have 2 patios with lots of pots etc. my hubbie is on at me about getting a greenhouse but i suspect he is up to no good .... and we can't have that, me being in the legal fraternity and all! well done on the cdc goal .... i dont think i'd be any good at it.

surely ,if he was up to no good HE'd be wanting to get a Shed not sending you to a green house!

6lb off this week - thats 2st 7lbs in 5 weeks yay!

Wow what brilliant losses. keep it up.
speak soon.

 

[jane]

Week 22

Week 22. loss =3lbs. total loss to date = 79lbs Bmi now 28 & a smidge! = training weight.Major victory!
& not amoment too soon. as had telephone I/V today & trining date now officially 23.6.07.
Nedd to get into the 27's by then. My CDC says I look fine but I will feel happier knowing I'm under the max even if only by a few lbs. ( cdc says there are often people who turn up who are obviously over bmi28. Can't remember what she said happens to them . Probably summary execution!


So back to SS-work.
My new me new lifeseems to have begun all of a sudden.part of me can't quite believe it. I love CD, & I owe it SO much!

 

[Mrs Pink]

Well done Jane! I can't wait to get down to the 20's ...
I suspect my hydrangea is one of the dreaded petiolaris ones! Maybe it will like the climate up here better? (I doubt it - its always blowing a gale round here so acers for example can't survive....) A few years ago I planted a Rowan, a Hawthorn, 2 types of Cherry, a Canadian something or other which is supposed to smell of candyfloss (does it hell) and another known as a Handkerchief Tree - cant remember the proper name but it has beautiful multi-coloured leaves. Do you know the type I mean? They all appear to be coping with the conditions. Thank God I am doing this diet at this time of year so I can get out into the garden! I'd be climbing the walls if it were the middle of winter... (or rather I'd be indulging in my other hobby which is genealogy!) The garden show was in Edinburgh at Ingleston, the big show venue. Saw Jim Mccoll from the Beechgrove Garden - dont know if you get that programme down South? Anyway hes the Scottish Alan Titchmarsh equivalent I suppose... although older and wrinklier!

 

[jane]

Well done Jane! I can't wait to get down to the 20's ...
Just looked at your ticker. You're almost 1/3 of the way there. Well done! you don'tsay how longit's taken. At 5'11' you'll probably be fast tracking it!
I suspect my hydrangea is one of the dreaded petiolaris ones! Maybe it will like the climate up here better?
Hey, I only aired my prejudices to be provocative. Also if it's up a big garden wall it's different frombeing up a house. Also in light of your next comment it does hve the distinct advantage of being self clinging!. I'm a real sucker (horticultural joke) for twining/scrambling climbers then never having the time to tie them up & just ending up with a mound of green spaghetti (I doubt it - its always blowing a gale round here so acers for example can't survive....) .A few years ago I planted a Rowan, a Hawthorn, 2 types of Cherry, a Canadian something or other which is supposed to smell of candyfloss (does it hell) The CANDYFLOSSword got my attention. Are you sure you don't mean Cercidiphyllum Japonicum ( = Katsura Tree.) Don't give up on it.It'sthe leaves that smell & only then as they drop in the autum. I think it's much more like burnt toffee. I you walk throuhg them at the right time the smell is quite amazing. Last autumn A put a load in a bag for No2 child to take to school. Her teacher's H is a tree surgeon so she's pretty knowledgeable , I told her what was in the bag & when I left it was being passed from child to child each one inhalin gdeeply from the bag in turn. It is possiblethat whatever process leads to the production of the smell happens less up north,but I've never heard it mentioned, also Japan has pretty hassh climate on the north island. Please do tell me if this is what you have. The trees are lovely ,begin elegantly narrow & the heart shaped leaves are attratively red/plum tinted in spring.

and another known as a Handkerchief Tree - cant remember the proper name but it has beautiful multi-coloured leaves. Do you know the type I mean? you've got me all confused now. The Handkerchief Tree ( AKA Dove tree, Ghost tree) is Davidia Involucrata. It has large slightly corrugated heart shaped leaves that smell faintly of cat's wee when touched. The flowers (Bracts) are what is utterly spectacular. They smother the tree hanging below the foliage like Hankies. Pure white & skin tinglingly beautiful. The day my H & I stood under our 1st davidia in flower was life changing. WE vowed to have one. Needless to say it hasn't flowered yet.I just hope to live long enough to see it. They are slow to establish ,don't transplant & can only be grown from
seed which takes 2 yrs to germinate. Hardly a recipe for world domination! But so worth it. I presume you've senn one. they might even be still in flower in scotlad if you've had a slow spring. But Multicoloured leavesI don't get. to my knowedge there is No variegated form. how would they propagateit if one arose as the wood is pithy,can't be grafted & hence the from seed.

Do you think you have 2 plants mixed up? If it really is Davidia I'd love to see a pic. Infact a pic might help with ID.

Also love the rowans & hawthorns. many people over look them because they are 'native' but infact they are worldwide & foliage & berries come in all colours. we have a reasonable collection. If you're interested I can suggest a few cultivars. They also have the advantage of real toughness & never outgrowing a decent sized garden.
1/4 acre is a reasonable size in anyone's book. ( another reason for not living in the south east..sorry Londoners,it's nothing personal)


They all appear to be coping with the conditions. Thank God I am doing this diet at this time of year so I can get out into the garden! I'd be climbing the walls if it were the middle of winter... (or rather I'd be indulging in my other hobby which is genealogy!)
Having started in Jan I can tell you the worst thing was the cold. We don' thave effective heating here.I routinely wore 2 prs of trousers,4 layers on top, wrist warmers & thosepocket warmers that hikers use. I know you scots think we're all soft down here..you'd probably have done it in a tshirt,but anyway it's much easier at this time of year in that respect. The garden show was in Edinburgh at Ingleston, the big show venue. Saw Jim Mccoll from the Beechgrove Garden - dont know if you get that programme down South? Anyway hes the Scottish Alan Titchmarsh equivalent I suppose... although older and wrinklier!

Yes I have seen the Beechgrove on TV. liked it .more substance & fewer soundbites than GW!

please get back to me about your trees. I'd love to sort out what they are & any excuse to talk about them.

PS did I say well done on the losses sofar!

 

[natayou]

wow Jane you really do love trees dont you
im very impressed!!
the davidia sounds lovely!!
and toffee smelling leaves, this i have to experience!
again Jane thats some impressive tree knowledge
nat xxxxxxx

 

[Mrs Pink]

Hi Jane POPLAR, VARIEGATED BALM OF GILEAD (Populus jackii Aurora) (Populus candicans Aurora) . Hedging Plants, Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
the thing I was wrongly calling handkerchief tree is a populus jackii aurora - mentioned here . The leaves are beautiful at the moment. And yes - the other one IS a Katsura tree! It is just coming into leaf . It is a tall lanky looking specimen but from what I have seen on the net they can get pretty big!! I will look forward to sniffing the leaves in the autumn.... My hawthorn is covered in dark pink flowers at the moment. The rowan is red-leaved. The cats seem to favour the hawthorn trunk as their scratching-post - it is clawed half to bits! Still, better than having them do it on the furniture I suppose.... I looked up the davidia on the net - don't think I have ever seen one of those before! They are lovely. The weather here is as cold as November today ...the garden won't know WHAT'S going on after the heatwve at the weekend....
Have lost my weight in 4 weeks on Cambridge and a week on Lighterlife which I abandoned .. so yes I guess it is fast track! According to the scales dropped 2 lb between yesterday and today! I have the odd moment (mainly in the evening) when I have a real struggle with myself but am being good so far. The hardest thing for me is giving up my nightly bottle of wine! (Terrible habit I know ....!)
Am impressed at your gardening knowledge - I am a novice really but I do enjoy it. My mother would never have believed it.... I think it's an age thing.....! I'll be COOKING next (God Forbid)!!!

 

[jane]

wow Jane you really do love trees dont you
im very impressed!!
the davidia sounds lovely!!
and toffee smelling leaves, this i have to experience!
again Jane thats some impressive tree knowledge
nat xxxxxxx

that's v kind Nat, but tust me its not v highpowered stuff. Just the sign of a mis-spent middle age.

Hi Jane POPLAR, VARIEGATED BALM OF GILEAD (Populus jackii Aurora) (Populus candicans Aurora) . Hedging Plants, Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
the thing I was wrongly calling handkerchief tree is a populus jackii aurora - mentioned here . The leaves are beautiful at the moment.
Good the poplar is nice. with a couple of caveats.
1. don't put it too close to the house.(with 1/4 acre i'm sue that's not a problem. Roots, don't you know!
2. It does tend to sucker.
to keep the leaves bigger & the variagations more colourfull you should pollard it hard from time to time. but then you probably know that. Ours has been allowed to grow into a tree & is of good climbing size after only 10 yrs. it has also managed to crossthe drainage ditch bahind it & push up babies in the hedge. That's fine with me!

And yes - the other one IS a Katsura tree! It is just coming into leaf . It is a tall lanky looking specimen but from what I have seen on the net they can get pretty big!! I will look forward to sniffing the leaves in the autumn....
They grow pretty quickly. I grew mine from seed (permission to vomit here. Sorry) & it's lost it's leader a couple of times, But despite this is 8' high after about 5yrs. I've met some really big ones but even then they are fairly narrow crowned.
The leaves are best I think after a frost. it's the newl fallen dry-ish ones that have the best pong. yuo may well find you get muchbetter niffs up there than we do in the south.

If you're really keen onthese trees I can also recommend the weeping version. C j 'pendula' (well what else would it be) Just delightful, & with a daintly habit. Mine's ouside the back door & it gives me pleasure most of the year,but then I am a v sad ld tree hugger.
My hawthorn is covered in dark pink flowers at the moment. The rowan is red-leaved. The cats seem to favour the hawthorn trunk as their scratching-post - it is clawed half to bits! Still, better than having them do it on the furniture I suppose.... I looked up the davidia on the net - don't think I have ever seen one of those before!
there' bound to be a couple of specimns near you. There are tough as boots once etablished . They tend to be found inthe grounds of big houses etc. & tree collections.
Just googled. found a blog called 'VintagePretty.org. the author met one in Benmore Botanic Gardens & has added a pic. No idea where benmore is,but just thought you might be interested. will attach it below
They are lovely. The weather here is as cold as November today ...the garden won't know WHAT'S going on after the heatwve at the weekend....
Have lost my weight in 4 weeks on Cambridge and a week on Lighterlife which I abandoned .. so yes I guess it is fast track! According to the scales dropped 2 lb between yesterday and today!
Don't you just love this diet! evena shortarse likeme could lose more in a week than i'd have done in several weeks of normal dieting & liviing at the gym.
I have the odd moment (mainly in the evening) when I have a real struggle with myself but am being good so far. The hardest thing for me is giving up my nightly bottle of wine! (Terrible habit I know ....!)

i know what you mean. but it gets easi. the more you don't get the corkscrew out the quieter it shouts the next night. I also kept telling myself that by not drinking the wine it eashelping to pay for the shakes.
Am impressed at your gardening knowledge - I am a novice really but I do enjoy it. My mother would never have believed it.... I think it's an age thing.....! I'll be COOKING next (God Forbid)!!!

Nah leave the cooking for a bit. actually i had a bizarre (one of many on thie diet) phase of wantingto cook stuff for the familly even though I wan'tgoing to eat any myself. Certainly better than resenting every minute of food preparation ,but itdid worryme slightly as it's something that anorexics are otorious for & I certainly don'twant to go there. I want a normal relationship with food not a pathological one.
Anywayi've since hear of other who had the same feelings. Also it's setled downto a sort of happy norm. I cook, H eats the kids say theydon'tlike it as soon as it's out of the oven & all the while I'm planning how to tweak he family diet to suit me for when I get back on food later in the summer.

Keep it up mrs P you're doing brilliantly .
Have you got a diary or a log of your losses any where?

 

[jane]

Derr! forgot te pic after all that . they don't call me motormouth for nothing. I think the dementia is not the fault of CDI thnk t was happeneing anyway.

pic below. it's a good one. in my experience ,for one ofthe most beautiful things on the planet it is surprisingly un-photogenic.

 

[Mrs Pink]

Hi Jane sorry I cant do the quotes interspersed thingy you do so bear with me!
Yes the davidia is beautiful - I'll maybe see if I can get one. I bought 2 climbing fuchsias today and ANOTHER 2 clematis! Afraid I don't know what "pollard" means - is it a special kind of pruning? And it's ok, I have put it a good distance from the house. I saw a tree at the garden centre last week with leaves the same colour as this one's but the leaves were shaped like maple leaves - it was fab. Any idea what that might have been?
What size is your garden? I imagine you in some kind of stately home with acres and acres - all those trees and your comment about not having proper heating! But then, it may equally be a caravan in the middle of a field! And how are the plants enjoying your composted clothes?!?! I was only half joking about the goat - I once had a friend who kept goats and they WILL eat anything - including other goats ears!
(My husband just looked over my shoulder to see what I was doing and had a good laugh at your avatar ....)
A question for you - can you suggest anything for a very damp corner of the garden - beside a wall facing NE - the grass is very mossy and drainage is a problem....?
Anyway we'll be getting told off for non-diet chat here ... SO I can announce I went swimming today! Didnt look half so bad in my cossie as I did last time I went a few months ago but still pretty yuk (apart from the knees down! I have GOOD ANKLES - be thankful for small mercies I suppose!) And have had my 4 packs for the day and am on my 5th litre of water and 20th ciggie (that'll be the next bad habit to go .... if I did it all at once you'd have to drug me and put me in a strait -jacket for the safety of others..) so thats another day under the belt and only a couple of days until my next weigh-in. Have been busily looking out HIDEOUS fat photos of myself and fantasising about getting slim ones taken and posted on here in due course .... just give me another few months! When do we get to see your "before and afters"? Must be soon! Hope you had a good day today and another tomorrow
Mrs P

 

[Mrs Pink]

PS
I am TOO SHY to do a blog/diary... what if someone I know RECOGNIZED ME?!?!?

 

[DQ]

Weigh ins for June

04.06.07- 295 lbs
12.06.07 - 292 lbs - after UP weekend
18.06.07 - 291 lbs - no idea how I managed to lose a lb, but I'll take it!!! :bliss:

 

[mindless]

just rattled the scales and found another 5lbs has gone to the lard dump in the sky and I am sitting at -111lbs gone

uummm - my target of 10st gone by my hols in early september may be on after all as this is in reality 1lb shy of 8st so far - crikey!!

 

[Mrs Pink]

well done Mindless that is ab fab!!!!! Can't wait to get to 111lb loss myself - you must be so chuffed with all the compliments you must be getting!

 

[jane]

Okey-dokey lets see if i can help here.

Hi Jane sorry I cant do the quotes interspersed thingy you do so bear with me!

Good god woman you're a graduate! course you can do quotey stuff. If i've worked it uot so can you. below & to the right of every post there are 3 icons. The 1st says quote: click on it & it#ll bringup a reply box that contains that post. The next one is for multi quotes. you work your way down the thread , each post wheci you want to respond to you click it's box,then when you'reready to reply clock reply & the bos comes up with each of your selected posts in it.

you can then either write replies between the posts ,or within each. To avoid confusion I use a diff colour when replying within the previous post.
Lorks a mercy, I don't much like these new fangled computing machines but they do seem to be fairly intuitive to use.

any way Down to business:
Yes the davidia is beautiful - I'll maybe see if I can get one.
Oh good you won't regret it & the sooner you plant it the sooner you'll be under it gazing up at the flowers.

Did I mention that they take up to 25 yrs to flower?
So best get planting then.

I bought 2 climbing fuchsias today and ANOTHER 2 clematis! Afraid I don't know what "pollard" means - is it a special kind of pruning?
yes!. It's a posh way of saying cut it down almost all the way.
And it's ok, I have put it a good distance from the house. I saw a tree at the garden centre last week with leaves the same colour as this one's but the leaves were shaped like maple leaves - it was fab. Any idea what that might have been?
Hmm yes there are a few that come to mind, most of them are infact acers. ( I know you have said you're too windy for Acers. By that I take it you mean Japanese acers. We have one utterly charming Native acer 'A campestre. Can't imagine it not likg scotland. It's a small tree with red flushed spring growth & butter yellow autumn colour.Will try & bung in a pic if I can find one. there are a coupleof variegated cultivars but I've not had any succes with them ( this as you knoew is a euphamism for the B***ers died on me)
Now the BIG acers of the world come mainly from america. Europe also has the Norway maple (leaves rather like Plane Trees hence the name A Platanoides.) & the horrid weed that is the sycamore.( A spedoplatanus)
There are some multicoloured versions of these. Sycamore has far more named cultivares than the much more noble Norway.
anyway tocome to the point
Named variegated cultivars of my aquaintance include:
OK stop there. Now I'm getting frankly pompous.
Can you describe the leaves in a bit more detail. size,shape,colouring etc & I'll give you some names.

If you're interested in trees the best way of learning them is to go to a botanical garden or arboretum where the trees are labelled & wander round touching & learning. Can recomend a couple of books if you wish.


What size is your garden? I imagine you in some kind of stately home with acres and acres -

er Yes! you can call me your ladyship!
No not Stately,nor Manorial. just old cold & constantly in need of repair. Re size of garden:will have to claim the 5th amendment here.Pm me if you're interested.
all those trees and your comment about not having proper heating! But then, it may equally be a caravan in the middle of a field! .Ha! when we were looking, it nearly was a caravan in a field. Gosh that comment took me back a bit.And how are the plants enjoying your composted clothes?!?! I was only half joking about the goat - I once had a friend who kept goats and they WILL eat anything - including other goats ears!
A friend of mine currently has 2 pygmy goats. they are gorgeous,but discriminating eaters they are not.
(My husband just looked over my shoulder to see what I was doing and had a good laugh at your avatar ....)
A question for you - can you suggest anything for a very damp corner of the garden - beside a wall facing NE - the grass is very mossy and drainage is a problem....?
I'm tempted to say 'A POND'
Actually I have got a few grown up suggestions.
Are you talking Tree, shrub, herbacious or what? if Tree I can give you a couple of utterly fab ones.

Anyway we'll be getting told off for non-diet chat here ... SO I can announce I went swimming today! Didnt look half so bad in my cossie as I did last time I went a few months ago but still pretty yuk (apart from the knees down! I have GOOD ANKLES - be thankful for small mercies I suppose!) And have had my 4 packs for the day and am on my 5th litre of water and 20th ciggie (that'll be the next bad habit to go .... if I did it all at once you'd have to drug me and put me in a strait -jacket for the safety of others..)
I'm loathe to encourage anyone to smoke,but it would seem bonkers to try & do a hardcore diet & give up at the same time. Do you propose to get maintenance under your belt first then going for stubbing it out?so thats another day under the belt and only a couple of days until my next weigh-in. Have been busily looking out HIDEOUS fat photos of myself and fantasising about getting slim ones taken and posted on here in due course
I couldn't bring myself to do that for ages. It's a hard lesson but once I had some improvement to hold up against it was easier..... just give me another few months!
I'll be over to have a look as soon as you feel able to do ite When do we get to see your "before and afters"? Ha not yet. Still got 2 1/2 stone to go. I've got some progress ones that need adding to my ballery,but B & A's not due til sept I guess. Maybe even later. I've got the family hols in france ahead of me,plus the losso wil slow as I work through the CD stages. If doing them for a month or so longer/slower than necessary increases my chances of maintaining then I'll do it. be soon! Hope you had a good day today and another tomorrow
Mrs P

Better go & see if you've posted your pics yet.

PS
I am TOO SHY to do a blog/diary... what if someone I know RECOGNIZED ME?!?!?

Diaries are as minimal or expansive as you wish. None would be as easily recogniseable as photoS..unless you're going to cut your head off, which I considered doing. Then thought what am I trying to hide & from whom. It's just a case of only posting what you're are happy for others to see. When I started this diet I had no idea places like this existed & wouldn't have had the courage to enter anyway.
speak soon,

 

[jane]

just rattled the scales and found another 5lbs has gone to the lard dump in the sky and I am sitting at -111lbs gone

uummm - my target of 10st gone by my hols in early september may be on after all as this is in reality 1lb shy of 8st so far - crikey!!

Well that's decidied then , your new target is 10stone by sept.
I reckon you'll do it & more besides,but then I have complete faith in you.

Oh nearly forgot congrats on -5lbs!

well done Mindless that is ab fab!!!!! Can't wait to get to 111lb loss myself - you must be so chuffed with all the compliments you must be getting!

if you need to see the rewards that determination can bring read Mr M's diary. he is a real inspiration, & he tells it how it is!

 

[jane]

Week 23

Week 23

loss =3lbs. V pleased with this.

my losses seem to have stabilised to 2lb or 3lb a week. Well that's ok. Likely to slow a bit more as I crank up the W/E AAM's. shame that it'll delay my going clothes shopping til the autumn,but also give me 1) time to save up some dosh 2) give my body time to re-shape or settle into it's new size. 3) also summer is so short here that you never get your money's worth out of a summer wardrobe.

can't really believe that I've just calmly begun planning a new image for the new me!
Perhaps counting eggs & chickens applies here.
Keep head down for a couple more months hard graft.

 

[mindless]

Week 23

loss =3lbs. V pleased with this.

my losses seem to have stabilised to 2lb or 3lb a week. Well that's ok. Likely to slow a bit more as I crank up the W/E AAM's. shame that it'll delay my going clothes shopping til the autumn,but also give me 1) time to save up some dosh 2) give my body time to re-shape or settle into it's new size. 3) also summer is so short here that you never get your money's worth out of a summer wardrobe.

can't really believe that I've just calmly begun planning a new image for the new me!
Perhaps counting eggs & chickens applies here.
Keep head down for a couple more months hard graft.

Well thats the result eh!!!

Just about to respond on your diary thread as you had a funny head on yesterday and boy do I relate to that (will post there)

BUT under 28, stable losses of 2-3lb with AAM and 790 - what a role model, the perfect CDC candidate

Just think, you need to go through the stages that lead to 'normal' food and eating in order to reflect to your adoring pupils/students about the 'soft' landing approach

so with that 'plan' to support you - start counting the cluckers 'cos you is there

I am so proud and pleased for you

 

[jane]

Oh mindless you are such a nice Chap.
I wanted to give you a hug after reading that post, & you really do understand the funny-head days don't you. well I guess we all have them.

Role model me? Parto of me wishes my other could read this. She always told me of my shorcomings.
Anyway, as you said will need to have worked through all the stages before I counsel anyone else.
Also hope I can build up a collection of recipe ideas, for the different stages, both for me & any clients who need suggestions.
Last night I picked the first of my home grown summer babbage. I picked the one that had insuffuicent space so hadn't heade up properly. Anyway it tasted great & I wasn't going to miss out. I made up an Oriental Chillli soupt fairly thickly & pured it over a helping of the steamed cabbage. Nigella wouldn't give it house room,but for A meal that was more thanSSing but not quite an AAM it was fine. Botty always seems to be happier with real fibre cf husks but then that's TMI I guess.

anyway Mr M please consider your self hugged in an older sister/younger bother kind of a way, & try & keep the stress down a bit during your glamourous chaperone outings to come.

 

[Mrs Pink]

Hi all - 6lbs this week! Will update ticker tomorrow (find it such an effort...!) Jane do you have a diary thread? There must be whole parts of this site I havent found yet! Was in Edinburgh today and saw a few people I hadnt seen since losing over 3st ... not one of them noticed! Although one did say "You're looking well" which I usually translate as "For fecks sake you've put on even more weight you fat cow" but on this occasion I'll put it down to the M&S fake tan which is making me look like I've just stepped off the plane from somewhere HOT!