28th December 2014I

Christmas has been quite difficult this year. My Aunt died the week before Christmas and I have taken that a lot harder than I thought I would.  I could not face going to the gym after I found out.  I really did not want to face people. I really did not bother about what I ate either. I am sure to have put on weight by the time I get back to the Health Adviser.

3rd December 2014

I had to have my gym assessment. I was really dreading it because at my last assessment I had made such a massive improvement that I was not very confident that I would be able to beat it. The first thing I had to do was fill out a questionnaire about how I was feeling and what I thought of the service, whether I will carry on and if I was willing to have another 3 month assessment. It honestly felt like I was taking an exam the amount of questions I had to answer.

Next I had to get weighed and measured. I wasn't expecting to lose much because I had only been weighed the week before. She told me that I had lost 6lbs since the last assessment. I obviously did not get too excited because I was not sure what that meant in terms of weight loss from the week before. When I did get to convert it I worked out that I had lost a further 3lbs, so altogether I have lost 1st 3lbs since September. 

Then was the dreaded fitness assessment. I had to go on the exercise bike, treadmill and the chair exercises. The chair exercise involves just sitting down then standing back up. It sounds easy but you are timed for 2 minutes. My first assessment I managed 14 but on my second assessment I managed 50. I really did not think that I would be able to beat 50. To my surprise I managed 52 but it was a real struggle. To be honest it all was. It helped that she chatted to me throughout the tests which distracted me a bit. The final test was the reach test. At the end of the tests I was told that I had beaten them all!!! I was also told that my back had improved because I am a lot more flexible. I disagree because I still have a lot of pain. I have had to make a lot of adjustments to my lifestyle to make sure my back causes me the least amount of pain possible.  have another assessment on 3rd March 2015. 

27th November 2014

I really was not in the mood to go and see my health adviser. I had not had much sleep the night before because I was worrying about a few different things. Nothing major but just things on my mind that needed sorting.  I was also really convinced that I had put on some weight as my eating is sliding a bit. It is so much harder to eat healthier when the weather gets colder. Anyhow, I got on the scales and found the I had lost another 3lbs (I think, the conversion thing is confusing). Whether it was 3lbs or not I have now lost a whole stone!!!! Yay!!!  There was not much to say about the rest of the appointment just the old keep doing what you're doing. 

I finally had my appointment today. I firstly had to jump on the scales. She said "oh you have put weight on". My heart sank, I was thinking about the pizza and the doughnuts and wondering how much damage I had done. She then said "oh no, sorry I think that I am wrong get back on". I did and she told me that I had lost. I cannot remember how much she said that I had lost today but she said that since my first visit to her in September I have lost 11lbs.  Our original goal was to have lost one stone before Christmas. 

Today I should be at the gym but instead I am sat on the couch typing out this blog post. On Sunday night I came down with a sickness bug which has been doing the rounds of my family. I honestly thought that I had got away with it but sadly not. Although I am feeling much better today, my legs feel weak and I have a bit of a headache.  I will not be able to do my normal session tomorrow either because of my appointment with the Health Adviser. I never thought that I would say this but I feel really frustrated at not being able to go.

Foodwise this has not been a great week. I gave in and had a pizza on Saturday night. Although it is not good and I cannot justify it, I feel like I made better choices about what toppings I had. Before I would have had a meat feast but on Saturday I chose chicken, mushrooms & onion. It was still a pizza though and I felt very guilty afterwards. I also had not one but two doughnuts on Sunday. Don't ask!!! 

Like I mentioned before I had a sickness bug which started on Sunday night and I ended up not eating anything accept one slice of lightly buttered toast. I am hoping that this might even up the naughtiness of the weekend. 

3rd November 2014

I got an answer phone message from my Health Adviser Paula to say that she had been asked to run a Weight Management group. This meant that although my appointment could still go ahead it would only be for half an hour maximum. I was both annoyed and irritated by this. I have had this appointment booked for around one month now, surely my appointment should take priority? I am only entitled to 7 sessions so to cut one session in half is not acceptable in my opinion. I have rang her back giving the excuse that I was not feeling very well which was true at the time. The only day we could arrange was next Wednesday when I am supposed to be at the gym. I am not too happy about this and am wondering whether to make my next session my final one. 

5th November 2014

I mentioned in my last post that I would not be able to get to the gym with it being the school holidays. Long story short my first day back at the gym was 5th November. This is also the first time I have had to pay. There is a special deal at the gym at the moment which is 2 months for £30. As good a deal as that is, when you are used to getting something for free it is never a good feeling to hand money over. The actual gym session went okay but because of the bus not turning up and the gym not accepting card payment, only cash which I had to leave the gym to go and get, I was quite late starting. This meant that I could not do as much as I would normally or I would be late for my light and easy class. I ended up having to skip some of my exercise program in order to finish in time for my class.

The light & easy class as I probably have mentioned is full of OAPs. If you have seen the advert for Specsavers with the old people and the exercise class, then it is a bit like that. Unfortunately it is the only exercise class available to me. I have stuck with it because I normally work up a sweat and the hour goes quickly. Yesterday however I could not wait for the class to be over. I kept checking my watch which is something that I have never done before. Anyhow, I got through it and hopefully it will get easier. Although I will be missing a session next week because my Health Adviser appointment has been rearranged.

Apart from my fitness test last week I did not go to the gym. I will also not be able to go next week because my girls are off school. I am hoping to do something at home but I will have to see. It is difficult in the school holidays. 

I am finding tonight really difficult. I really want to order a pizza. I feel so hungry tonight plus I watched a vlog and they ordered a pizza from Papa Johns and now I cannot get it out of my head. I am trying so hard to be strong. I know if I did order one I would regret it later....

Today I had to go to the gym and have my fitness test. Not that I knew that I was having a fitness test. I was just told I had to go for a review. I was firstly weighed and measured. From the last time that I was weighed in the gym which was 5 weeks ago I have lost 8lbs in weight and 3 inches off my waist. I am so happy about that because it was more than I had thought, I then had to do treadmill, exercise bike, balance and flexibility then chair squats. I did better than my initial fitness test in everything. 

The only downside to all this is that I now have to start paying. Although it is really cheap there for the gym sessions I am still going to feel it moneywise because the classes are normal price add that onto the extortionate bus fares, it really starts to add up. 

Sunday 19th October 2014

Today we went out for lunch. There is a small Italian cafe which has recently opened close to where we live. We have been there only once before on the opening day so my husband really wanted to give it another go. I looked at the menu and really struggled in deciding what would be the healthiest thing on the menu.  In the end I decided to go with gnocchi with pesto sauce.  There was a big and varied menu and I probably could have made a better choice but that is what I chose. My reasoning behind it was that it is just potato, flour and egg boiled. There was a choice of sauces but I thought pesto would be healthier than a cheese or creamy sauce.

We had a roast dinner for our evening meal. This just consists of chicken, potatoes, sweetcorn & peas with gravy. Tonight I have been really hungry and have eaten two packets of crisps already. Today has probably been a fail eating wise.

Health Adviser

I was asked via the gym if I would like to consult the health adviser with regard to my diet. As I previously stated I jumped at the chance as these opportunities do not get presented too often. A couple of days later I got a phone call from the health adviser called Paula. I had my first appointment on 18th September 2014. 

I must say that I was more worried/nervous about this appointment than I was about the gym. My first session with Paula the health adviser consisted of being weighed and measured. She then went on to tell me how many sessions I would be entitled to and what would happen in those sessions. I was asked what I thought was the cause of my weight problem. We then discussed the various diets I have been on and why they had not worked long term.  I was then given a British Heart Foundation book about losing weight. For the rest of the session Paula talked me through the book. My next session was booked for the week after. I was given a sheet to record my food diary for the next week.

Typically the next week was a really bad one foodwise. We ate out & had take aways A LOT that week as it was a very busy week . I wrote everything down even though I knew it was bad because I thought that was the whole point. If I was not honest about it there would be no point. 

The next week, 25th September 2014 I had my next session. I was weighed and was told that I had put on 2lbs.   I gave Paula my food diary. I knew it wasn't good and she would not be impressed but her reaction floored me. She told me in a tone that I found upsetting that my food diary was the worst food diary that she had EVER seen. She went on to tell me how many years she had been doing the job and how she had lost count of how many clients she had seen over the years. I did point out that it was not a normal week but the foods listed in my food diary are the foods I like to eat. 

Paula then decided to go through my food diary properly having the occasional dig as she went along.  I was told that I did not drink enough especially water.  This is something that I get told constantly by my parents and my husband. I really need to work on this. We went through all the foods that I like. This was a really useful exercise. I have been told nearly all my life that I am a fussy eater. I am terrible with vegetables. What did become apparent as we were going through was just how many vegetables I do like. The thing is with me is, I prefer to eat most of my vegetables raw. If you put cooked carrots or cooked spinach in front of me I would not touch them. If you put raw spinach and carrots in front of me I could sit and eat them without complaint.

We discussed how convenience is a major factor in what I eat. Half the time I would leave salad off my sandwiches just because I could not be bothered cutting the lettuce up half the time. I came up with the solution to this myself. I said that when I buy salad items in future I would cut everything up and put it all in tupperware containers as soon as I get my shopping home. 

She asked me to start making an effort to drink more water and prepare my salad as discussed.  We booked my next session for a fortnights time.  I left this session feeling really deflated though. To be perfectly honest I just wanted to cry.  I had expected to leave the session feeling excited to get started but I felt the opposite. 

My next session was 9th October 2014. The first thing that happened was that I was weighed again. This time I had lost 4lbs. Paula was very happy about it. We sat and discussed what I had done over the past fortnight. I had basically done what she had suggested and tried to drink more water. She tried to persuade me to have breakfast which I never do. I told her that there is no way that that would ever happen. She was happy to let it drop. She asked me to explain to her about what my days are like and what sorts of things I do. After I explained she said that she felt that she understood me a bit more. We agreed that I needed to work harder on drinking my water. I said that I would try.  I left this appointment feeling much more happier and positive. My next appointment is 7th November 2014.

The Gym.

When I got my appointments through for my initial chat at the gym I was both nervous and excited. Exercise has never been something that I have enjoyed. I have had a problem with my balance all my life and so PE at school and any exercise I have participated in since has never come easy. 

My first appointment at the gym was just a general chat and to make the future appointments. It was explained that I would get my first 5 weeks free including any classes I wanted to take. After that it is £1.50 per session for the next two months and any classes are then full price. I was also asked if I would be interested in going to see a Health Advisor for help with losing weight.  

My next appointment was a fitness test. I was weighed and measured and had my lung capacity tested. I had to go on the exercise bike & treadmill. I was asked to stand on one leg which I could not do because of my balance problem. 

The next day I had to return for my gym induction and to be shown my program at the same time. My program consists of a 10-15 minute warm up on the treadmill followed by five minutes on the ergometer. I then have to use various weight machines. Then there is some floor exercises which are good for my back. Then it is time to cool down with the exercise bike. 

I have been going to the gym for 3-4 weeks now and I can't say that I am enjoying it. I quite like the treadmill and exercise bike but I hate the rest of it. I am pondering what to do at the end of my free five weeks but that is for another blog post....

Welcome to my blog!

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Tina I am 42 years old and currently 5 stone overweight. I started to put on the weight in my mid twenties, until that time I was quite slim.

Just before I got married at the age of 30 I lost a lot of weight by just eating low fat foods but slowly over the years it crept back on. I have had success over the years with Weight Watchers and Slimming World but again as soon as I get bored of the diet and stop, the weight always goes back on. It has always been in me to overeat. I am an emotional eater which is quite important for you the reader to understand.

My current journey began back last December.  My husband, who is in the Navy was away on extended deployment and I was stressed with trying to plan & buy for Christmas on my own. I woke up one morning with back pain, it was awful! Apart from in pregnancy I had never suffered with a bad back so I thought that it would disappear as quickly as it came. I really hate going to the doctors so was reluctant to go unless I really had to. I thought that the doctor would just put it down to my weight anyway.

Fast forward to January 2014 my husband came home and saw how much pain I was in and demanded that I make a doctors appointment.  The doctor saw me and gave me pain killers along with a form for self referral to the Physiotherapist. I finally got an appointment through to see the Physiotherapist for late March 2014. I attended all the appointments up until the end of July when I was referred to the gym.  This is free for the first 5 weeks and then quite cheap after that. I was asked if I would be interested in doing something about my weight whilst I was there. I said yes to this because I will never get this opportunity again.

I went for my first appointment at the gym and was asked if I would be interested in seeing a Health
Advisor to see if she could help with my diet.  I agreed to this and got a phone call a few days later from a lady called Pauline and we arranged my first appointment.

That was back in September but this is the point from where I am going to start my blog. It is not going to be an easy ride. Diet and exercise fill me with dread. If you are going through the same sort of journey as me I hope that you will find my blog helpful and know that you are not alone. If you would like to ask a question, offer any advice please feel free to contact me.

I just wanted to add that the reason this blog is called Lifestyle V's Weight is because I have been told that this has to be a lifestyle change not just losing the weight then going back. Please bear this in mind when reading the journal section where I will be mentioning what food I ate that day. I do not have any intention of eating lettuce for the rest of my life. My diet change is going to be more portion size and healthier option approach. I will occasionally be having something like a bag of chips like I did when I lost a lot of weight with Weight Watchers. The occasional naughty meal is something I have to incorporate into my meals if this is going to be a lifestyle change.