A perfect 10

Well, 10.5 really.  Because that's how many pounds I lost this week!

I really wanted to write a new post tonight, whilst I'm still on a bit of a high, because I feel fantastic! 

I was very much hoping that I'd lose the 4lb that I put on last week (it turned out to be that time of the month [or quarter in my case] after all!).  Even if I hadn't have got the 4 off, but had 2 or 3, as long as it was in the right direction, I'd have been happy.  I am absolutely thrilled, and this is why:

• my net loss after just 3 weigh ins is 17.5lbs
• I have achieved my first target of losing a stone before Christmas (and no, that doesn't mean for me to put half of it back on - cheeky!)
• I'm 3.5lbs into my next stone
• I now have 3 awards (7lb, stone & slimmer of the month for November)
• my weight is moving in the right direction
• I'm changing my life now and my future life
• I've now lost a total of 7 inches - 3 from my chest (isn't it always the way?) and 4 from my waist.  Sadly none from the hips (see they really don't lie), but there's plenty of time.
• It has been easy so far.

I'm absolutely elated. I said to friends earlier tonight that if I could bottle this feeling and give it away, then I would.  Right now, I have all the motivation I need (though I do still await the moment when I lose it!). 

After last week's disappointing result, I didn't lose heart.  I just carried on doing more of the same, and believed that it would work - and it did.  On reflection, I'm glad I put that 4lb on last week - when I was still motivated enough for it not to bother me, because I've proven to myself now that if I do have a good week (diet & activity wise) and the result (weight loss) isn't there, that it is worth sticking with it because the results will show eventually.  In my case and on this occasion this was 1 week later, but it could be more than that at other times.

Tonight, I felt confident enough to share my blog with the other class members at our group.  I didn't plan on doing it tonight, or ever for that matter.  This blog is personal to me, and I really set it up to express my feelings and help me through what is undoubtedly the biggest task I've ever faced.  I've shared it with close friends and family, and gradually, I'm getting the confidence to share with others.

There were a couple of ladies tonight in group (and I hope they don't mind me saying so) who seemed to be struggling (motivation & weight loss wise) and I just thought on the spur of the moment, 'do it, share it'.  Not because I think I can help, or offer great wisdom on the losing of weight, but because you'll see that someone else is in the same situation as you.  I don't kid myself and think I'll be this motivated and this determined forever, I know there will come a time where I lose my way, maintain or even put weight on.  And that's why I've written this blog and writing this post now, so that when that time comes, I am prepared! I will have a whole host of experiences, feelings and general ramblings to look back on to spur me on and put me back on track.  And if my ramblings help somebody else to do that, or even give them a giggle (it has been known), then I'd be thrilled.

I stick my awards (stickers we get when making achievements) on the front of my green food optimising book that you take to class for weigh-ins.  I find it's a good reminder of how far I've come - and I see it every week at class as a minimum (and generally most nights as it's usually on the chair arm next to me).  I've not decided where the Slimmer of the Month certificate will go - I think maybe on the kitchen cupboards.  It seems a tad juvenile, proudly displaying my achievements, but you know what, I don't care.  Keeping these reminders around me, will stop me going back to 17.5lbs heavier than I am today.  So to share them with you:

Here are my awards so far

And this is what my weight loss chart looks like online after today's weigh in (red = progress; blue = predicted progress; purple = next target; green = club 10 target).

My next targets are:

• A further stone off by my birthday in late January, or even better, by Christmas (though this is a big ask as I realise the weight loss will slow down)
• Achieve a 3rd week towards bronze award for Body Magic (activity based rather than weight loss based)

This week I'm baking more cakes (to sell at a ladies night - not for me), so I shall be looking but not touching double chocolate cakes, carrot cakes and gingerbread loaves. I'm addicted to pineapple at the moment, so I'll just make sure I have plenty of that on hand if I get peckish looking at the cakes. ;)

Thanks again to everyone for reading.  Your love, support & friendship is second to none, and I very much appreciate you all sharing my witterings.

Lots of love,
Hippy xxx