Oh dear… back to reality
After a wonderful holiday at Villa Don Ricardo, Competa, Spain. I thought I’d been so ‘good’ trying hard to stick to ‘low carb’ healthy eating whilst we were away.. with just a ‘few treats’ and the ‘odd glass’ of vino.
However, the ‘scales’ this morning have highlighted that my ‘perception’ of ‘being good’ was clearly NOT the reality!!!
At the start of my holiday, I was relatively ‘happy’ with my holiday snaps…
BUT – by the END of our holiday, whilst my family look amazing, the ‘extra baggage’ around my chin doesn’t look quite so good….. the camera doesn’t lie!!!
I’ve put on 7 pounds so I’ve decided it’s time to GET TOUGH and lose that ‘excess baggage’ plus a few extra pounds.
I’ve set myself a 3 month target to lose 21 pounds within 3 months.
I’m using SMART Goal Setting techniques to ensure my goal is:
- Specific – to lose 21 pounds
- Measurable – I know my ‘start weight’ and can therefore measure my progress weekly to see how I’m ‘measuring up’…
- Achievable – 21 pounds is achievable and I’ve broken it down into monthly targets
- Realistic – It is possible to lose 21 pounds – at a maximum of 2.5 pounds per week
- Timely – Breaking down the overall 3 month goal into ‘bitesize’ weekly and monthly targets helps me to feel that this is a reasonable timescale
You can follow my progress and my weekly food plan diary over the next few months in my new Positive Diabetic Healthy Eating Series. I’ll post a weekly food diary, photo’s of my ‘exercise’ progress and some new ‘low carb’ recipes each week..
I’d love to hear from you and to share any new ‘low carb’ recipes if you have any, so please keep encouraging me with your comments below!!
Here’s day 1 of my new Food Diary Plan:
You can check out my ‘Positive Diabetic’ story about how I put Diabetes into remission in my previous post: How to be Positive about a ‘Positive Diabetes Diagnosis!
You know how in the UK you are often cautioned to ‘Mind The Gap,’ I have found that this can be applied to the scale upon which we place our feet. It can especially be deceiving depending on the time of day. Also, if you are digesting food, don’t get on right after. Water weight too can tip the scale as well. So…’Mind The Scale!’
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Haha Jen.. I’d like to say that the ‘scales were unbalanced’… sadly, the photo’s don’t lie! The scale was balanced – just me that wasn’t!! Good news though – I’ve lost the 7lb in week 1 so onward and ‘downward’ (on the scales hopefully..) xx
Bravo! Onward and downward.
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Yee Haa!! haha xx
You can do it Wendy! One of the things that I’m working on is having gratitude for my body. That’s a way to see through the eyes of Soul and something about it then helps me to take care of my body as a temple. Does that make sense?
Anyway, I’m sending you many blessings! I may actually be doing a workshop online around the body and forgiveness / gratitude. Is that something you’d like to do?
Love to you Wendy! Good awareness re: taking care of you.
Debbie
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Aww – thanks Debbie! I’m SO chuffed.. in 6 days I’ve lost all the weight I’d put on (7lb) while on holiday and now I’m spurring on to lose some more!
I think the online workshop sounds like a brilliant idea!
I’ve been ‘off line’ for a bit recently and will be popping across to catch up on your blog shortly… I’m struggling now to catch up but will get there in the end so be patient with me – I know you will be.. you’re so lovely xxx
Darn those scales! Reminds me of that speeding ticket…it’s not me, IT’S THE CAR!! Has a mind of its own. Oh, the joys of vacation…and when we come back it’s back to business. Well, I’m sure that extra vino was DELISH. Have no regrets! My goal: make better choices and go slowly, the only way I’ll succeed. If I come anywhere near a starvation type diet, I’ll surely fail. Question: how does one boost the immune system while making the best choices for weight loss? That is my dilemma. ??
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Haha Karen.. the problem is we also got a ‘parking fine’ on our last day of the holiday and Bryan returned to a speeding ticket too!! Yikes.. there’s just no hope… As for ‘starvation diet’ .. the low carb option is definitely not a ‘no starve’ .. just different choices – I’m not good at starvation either .. as those ‘extra pounds’ are clear testament to. Boosting the immune system – while we were away, the owner of the villa we stayed at has spent the last 20 years on a ‘raw diet’ which she swears boosts energy and immune system etc.. not sure I could go that far myself though although she did look in very good shape! xx
As I said, I’m sure it’s the car. 😉 “Different choices;” yeah, that is the ticket. I’m trying to eat more nutrient-rich foods (i.e. fresh berries) that will boost my immune system but be easy on the hips (and chin). I read a book several years ago called The China Study about the benefits of a plant-based diet. Not sure I could follow it, though. I think it boils down to a lot of trial and error by the individual as it seems there are as many methods that work as there are plans or diets. Definitely low carb here as well. Have you seen my “egg salad” breakfast?
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Haha.. possibly ‘not’ the car Karen..
Berries are brilliant and I’m definitely including loads in my ‘healthy options’ too.. I don’t think I could stick to ‘plant based’ or the ‘raw’ diet either – I enjoy my ‘full monty’ breakfast too much! I haven’t seen your egg salad breakfast and will pop across straight away for a peak – sounds good to me. I’d definitely be a bit lost if I couldn’t eat eggs.. xx
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Hi Karen, I hope you’re ok? I’ve popped over to your blog a few times but noticed you’re not writing on there at the moment. Thinking of you and sending a big hug xx
Hi! Thanks for checking on me. <3 Lots happening, and we've just returned from vacation. That, and we're having record heat and that takes extra precautions. I was actually working on my first blog post from vacation when our son walked in. You are so kind, Wendy. I am glad we're friends. I'll be back. I hope you are doing well. Hugs across the miles. <3
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Oh that’s a relief Karen.. I was a bit concerned. I hope you had a brilliant vacation and enjoy spending time with your lovely family! I look forward to reading your posts in due course… Big hugs returned with love and I’m glad we’re friends too Karen xx
When I broke my leg last year, I put on a stone and a half from the place I had been which was within a stone of my target weight (remember I am 6′ so my ceiling is quite high for a woman) …. since being in France I have managed to lose the stone and a half and I am now off to England to visit my mum, daughters (the three that live there) and as it happens both my brothers will be around for part of the time (one lives in Western Oz the other in the Far East) …. I shall take your SMART advice on board and pack it in my suitcase and will be watching your series with a beady eye whilst I try hard to stick to my own goals. Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye and PS I’m so glad to see such happy pictures of you even if the chins are little more obvious than usual. It has been a sad time for you all and making new happy memories is so important xx
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Sounds like you’re keeping ‘on track’ Osyth and VERY well done.. wow – 6ft – how wonderful and what a great view you have of the World.. lucky you! It sounds like a wonderful trip ahead and I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time with all your family – how fab! You really can’t beat those family get togethers as life is so busy most of the time.. ENJOY every moment. Yep even with the ‘extra chins’ I had a lovely time and it was definitely just what the Doctor ordered.. xxx
I love 6′ now but it took decades to embrace it! My daughter is graduating in Liverpool next week and I am taking Mum who is convinced she is the reason her Grand-daughter has done so well … who am I to argue!! I am so looking forward to it all and you are right, there is nothing like family time xxx
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Up to the age of 13, I was head and shoulders height above the rest of the kids (including the lads) in my class at school.. I know what you mean about ’embracing it’, as I started to ‘stoop’ to try and make myself look smaller… At 13, I stopped growing and my friends caught up and some overtook me. Now though I’d love a couple more inches .. it won’t be long before I’m shrinking in the opposite direction – haha
Wow – sounds like your in for a VERY proud day and OBVIOUSLY it’s all to do with ‘Nan’!!.. aww you’re going to need plenty of tissues.
My niece and nephew both graduated from Liverpool and have both got very successful careers and I wish your daughter all the very best in finding her feet too..
Have a truly magical day! xxx
Thank you for your kind wishes. The next stage will present itself in its own time. Meanwhile we will live for the moment on Wednesday and make sure I have many tissues in my handbag 😉 xx
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You’re absolutely right – enjoy the moment and carry tissues at all times! xx
I’m a big fan of happy tears!! Xx
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Well I have no choice because it’s a ‘family joke’ about ‘mum’s happy tears’ or when I try to give a ‘speech’ for a family celebration – yep I definitely keep the tissues handy! xx
Well its not a good holiday if you don’t bring back some excess baggage 😊 Holidays are for indulging and enjoying ourselves. You look beautiful in both pics so don’t be so hard on yourself. Good luck with the new plan, it looks great & i cant wait to see some of your low carb recipes as I’ve got a few extra pounds to get rid of myself! It’s a shame pasta & wine aren’t slimming 😁
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You’re absolutely right.. life has to be enjoyed! Thanks for your lovely comment which I really appreciate.. I’ll definitely be trying some new recipes over the next few weeks and maybe just the odd glass of ‘red’ wine .. oops! xx
Hi Wendy. Good to see you back. 😊
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Thanks Brigid… We had a lovely break away an now I’m looking forward to getting ‘back on the blog’ and catching up with my blogging friends.. Thanks for your patience! xxx
Wendy, I am too afraid to be on a scale right now. Too much beer and sausages in Germany…(><;)
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Sounds like you probably had the same ‘good time’ as I did in Spain and yes.. it was a bit of a ‘fright’ stepping back on the scales! Hopefully I’ll be back on track very soon… xx
I Wendy. Have you tried adjusting your scales off by 10lbs before you stand on it. That is bound to make you feel so much lighter in yourself and you can eat as much as you want. LOL. 🙂 <3
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Good point Ralphy… sadly though my scales are ‘digital’ – Mod Cons and sadly more difficult to ‘cheat’!! haha… xx
Hi Wendy, looks like you had a good holiday. I am vegeterian and indian so mainly carbs. But i am trying to lose a little not too much. So trying to exercise more in specific areas and cardio…i am not the best with exercise but seeing small changes. And just reducing my meals a little but trying so form of exercise when i cant get to gym
Missed you so glad you’re back.
Regards bella
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Awww – thanks for your patience Bella.. We had a lovely and much needed holiday enjoying time with our lovely family and remembering how lucky we are to be able to do that after the tragic events of May and June…
The ‘vegetarian’ is good… the Indian ‘carbs’ not so.. One of the changes I’ve made is swapping the ‘rice’ for cauliflower rice (which actually tastes great and now I prefer it) and the ‘pasta’ for ‘courgetti’… not quite so good but still makes a tasty yet low carb meal… I’m going to start cycling to try and ‘up’ my exercise and I love the hoola hoop too.. Good luck with your exercise and I hope it helps to reduce the ‘waistline’… I’ll be keeping you ‘posted’ with my progress and I’m looking forward to getting back on track with my blogging Bella.. xxx