The break through...

Some people may be wondering what happened with the diet. After 2 days of hyper enthusiastic posts... nothing. Well, one or two random unrelated images but not another word on the diet. Well, you see, the truth is...

... I actually stuck to it!! ~No, no, please don't die of shock! sit down a moment, you'll be fine! I actually found the Body Blitz plan much easier to follow than I thought I would. The book promised a weight loss of around 7 lbs in return for sticking to the plan and throwing in around 5 half hour sessions of some form of exercise (not necessarily anything too strenuous) each week for 2 weeks. Well, I almost stuck to the plan (other than the accidental honey and lemon drink, one packet of maltesers and a packet of crisps when I stayed really late at the office one night and one or two stolen pieces of potato when dave was having some), skipped the odd meal when I was too busy or not hungry (but never deliberately to starve myself), skipped a portion of the snacks (because I just didn't need them), did no specific exercise...
and lost a grand total of 7.5 lbs!!!
   It was so much fun to watch Pam, my Weight Watchers leader almost hit the deck when I stepped on the scales. Any loss would have amazed her after the last few weeks!
The observant among you may have noticed that I have only claimed 7 lbs on the chart at the top. That is because that is what I measured at home.

So, what now?? well, since that little triumph I have eaten waaaaaaaay too much chocolate! So today I am trying to rein it back in a little. I'm not after a big loss this week - a small loss or a stay the same for the next 2 will do nicely and then it will be back to another 14days on the plan to see if I can crack the stone!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy Easter...

He lives! and because he does, so can I... forever... with these nuts!....

I know that my Redeemer lives;

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, He lives, who once was dead;

He lives, my ever living head.

He lives to bless me with His love,

He lives to plead for me above,

He lives my hungry soul to feed,

He lives to bless in time of need.

He lives to grant me rich supply,

He lives to guide me with His eye,

He lives to comfort me when faint,

He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears,

He lives to wipe away my tears,

He lives to calm my troubled heart,

He lives, all blessings to impart.

He lives, my kind, wise, heav’nly friend,

He lives, and loves me to the end,

He lives, and while He lives I’ll sing,

He lives, my Prophet, Priest and King.

He lives, and grants me daily breath,

He lives, and I shall conquer death,

He lives, my mansion to prepare,

He lives, to bring me safely there.

He lives, all glory to His name!

He lives, my Saviour, still the same;

O the sweet joy this sentence gives,

“I know that my Redeemer lives.”

So, I'm pretty sure my neighbours think I'm crazy...

and that was before they saw me with Naomi and Joe today in the front garden, cooing into the flower beds...

Oh, well!

Day two in the diet house...

I was sick today and stayed home all day in my pjs inhaling menthol and trying to breathe! so other than the diet I really have nothing else to talk about!

SO, day 2. managing better than expected so far.

I started the day with an egg and rye bread soldiers. I realised that since I NEVER eat this I don't have egg cups - untill I remembered the one I had as a kid. I didnt want to throw it away for some reason, so I stashed it in my craft cupboard, so that was fun! the egg was a bit of a disaster though - I followed the instructions and it came out practically hard boiled. Have to try that again!

For lunch I tried the 'lemony leeks, chicken and barley. It was the first time Ive tried barley like that and it came out quite nice. the chicken stock and lemon flavour meant it totally didnt taste like diet food and texture wise, it was kind of like a risotto. It was fairly filling and as it was quite late on by the time we ate it we ended up skipping dinner! Hoping I will be a size 8 by next week (hahaha) i did pinch a pit of the pork I had been cooking for dinner, but bearing in mind that was in place of a whole meal, it shouldnt cause a problem!
I had one snack - ryvita and peanut butter and drank water & diet coke all day. The only time I did slip up was the honey and lemon drink I made myself in the morning, since honey isn't allowed. I realise half way through but finished it since I was only drinking it because I am sick!
total points today: 24 out of 29

confessions of a serial dieter....

... oh yes! that's me! I have tried them all, pretty much, including the mayo clinic one where you have to have grapefruit / grapefruit juice before every meal, never mind that I HATE grapefruit! I spent about 2 weeks consuming tons of the stuff, only to be disappointed with the end result, as always! During recent years I have found that the only plan that really works for me is the Weight Watchers plan. And yet, despite knowing that is does work for me, and knowing that I really do want to finally lose this weight, I am having an insanely hard time sticking to it. I'm always either comfort eating to try and fill some emotional black hole, suffering from a cold or other sickness, or over working myself, getting no sleep and eating just to keep from dropping dead! Something has got to give and I am determined that this time it will finally be my waistline!! So enter Anna Richardson and the Body Blitz diet (as recommended by my mother-in-law).

I spent a good few weeks dragging my feet and pouting about giving up stuff like bread and potatoes before eventually setting a start date of today. I figured I should at least try it.

My starting point is 165.2kg and a total of 153.5 inches across various places....

so, Day One...

Breakfast : Pan fried bacon, mushrooms & tomatoes
lunch : the beef and horseradish sandwich but replacing the rye bread with 3 ryvitas
dinner : Prawn Balti with steamed courgette & babycorn and a little drop a dress size dressing.
Snacks : fruit with 2 tbs soya
              hard boiled egg.
Drinks : water, diet coke
no excercise as such although I had to do the shopping so there was some walking there.

I'll admit, I feel a little hungry, or maybe I'm not- maybe I am just aware that I can't have stuff. The great thing is that right now the enthusiasm to try new stuff and see some reults is keeping me going. I know that will run out at some point. I have enjoyed everything I have tried so far though, so thats good!

*edited to add: that works out at 21 points on WW and I'm supposedly allowed 29 a day!! So I should lose weight!
the egg wasn't technically on the list of snacks but with sticking to it so closely, I figured if thats what I wanted it couldnt do any harm.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

coming soon...

I have this massive list of little jobs here and there that people are waiting for. But, before I move on to that I HAD to post something from Saturday! These guys were too fab!

Naomi, if you go over, I will post a few more to pass the time! :)

on this day 21 years ago...

 

...I became an aunty.  And roughly 8 years later, I took this picture. It could be argued that this was indeed my finest moment as a photographer, back before it all started, just for the amusement that has come from this one image. To everyone except poor Matt that is! :)

so, some things you should know about this picture...

1. It is NOT, and never was a dodgy ad  for french fries! Matt IS wearing swimming trunks and the rest is, well, just unfortunate for him!

2. Matt hates this picture! no, REALLY!

3. Shortly after this holiday I gave my youngest nephew an album with one picture of each member of the family from this holiday, This is the picture I picked for Matt.

4. Matt removed the picture from the album and ripped it up. Little did he know, it was just a copy. Mwahahaha :)

5. On Matt's 18th birthday I used this picture to make Matts gift tag, and gave him his gift (a multipack of french fries) whilst he was sat with his girlfriend (now wife).

6. Although the thought did cross my mind, I haven't had this picture enlarged to a stupidly large size to display anywhere today. So Matt, you are safe untill your 30th at least! :)

7. If he has found this blog post, he has almost certainly disowned me by now so I may as-well say it quick, Happy 21st Matt! We LURVE you!!! x

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Secret Garden...

Ok, so, it isn't really a 'secret garden', but I know I couldn't find my way back to Woodbank Park again even if I tried! We visited together in the autumn of 2010 to shoot their engagement session. They showed me around the important places, the settings of their story. A lovely story - you can read it here at their blog.
We reenacted the magical moment and they smiled and posed for the camera as a bunch of kids looked on (who had kindly moved aside to allow us space) and eagerly fired questions at the happy couple about what they were doing and when they would be getting married. To me, it was much like any other park, trees, grass, a play area. To them it is where they used to 'hang', a place to go on dates and where Matt chose to propose. For them it will always hold too many sweet memories to be 'just another park'. Maybe it really is a secret garden.

Once upon a time...

...they met on a youth camp. They continued to hang out, eventually swapping contacts. Almost a year later they admitted they liked each other and went on a few dates...

"So, we had been boyfriend/girlfriend for a a year when he left to serve his mission. Initially we split up so I could date other people but not long after I decided I wanted to wait. This was one of the best decisions I've made in my life. I learnt and grew alongside Matt as he served the Lord. I wrote to him faithfully twice a week and he also never missed a week! There were hard times and good times and I can say that I am a stronger person because of it. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to wait for a missionary.

Then on the 18th August 2010, he came home. My missionary returned an RM. The first couple of days were a blur, but it was natural. It was at times, like he'd never left. I was definately a happy lady :)



5 days after he returned on our 3 year anniversary, Matt asked me to marry him....
 
Tomorrow I will post some stills from their shoot...

Checking out...emotionally.

I'm in a strange place right now. It's kind of hard to describe. If you knew someone was going to punch you, you'd duck. But I'm learning that sometimes when life throws one at you, you are expected to stand there and take it. I feel like I'm waiting for a crash, waiting for the pain to set in. I want to duck, but that isn't what is expected of me, so instead its like I can feel myself emotionally checking out. I'm not really there. I walk around doing the things I do but it's not me. I'm somewhere else, I don't know where. Thats not to say that there aren't some good and encouraging things happening in my life. Some fantastic blessings I should be grateful for, and I am, really. But beneath it all, all I can feel is the pain, gloating, because it's turn is coming. Fast. I'm in the tunnel, I see the lights, but I know they aren't the end. They're the train!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone