Demand Your Right to Twinkle and some wise words from moi!

I've shared this on my Facebook page before now but I've never shared it on here.  Those kind fairy creatures over at Sole Kitschen decided to work their magic on a quote I came up with a while back and here  are the results...

StarStruck cards...demand your right to twinkle

Love yourself, love the heart charm!

wise words eh?

OK so I'm no Marilyn Monroe but a quote from me nonetheless!

In its full glory...love it!

This card is available for just £2.50 at  Sole Kitschen.  Make sure you visit the site, it's well worth it.  Sole Kitschen is the brainchild of the fabulously talented Sara Smallman who I used to work with a while ago and is an independent business (not one of these awful corporate money making machines) celebrating all things handmade.  Here's a little bit more about them...

"We believe in love, magic, cake, wishes and being excellent to each other. We also believe that every one deserves to sparkle. If you would like to become a Kitschenette, please email us. We are always looking for beautiful things to sell and fabulous people to meet."

You can email Sole Kitschen at  allaboutme@solekitschen.com

Shocks (really not) and Swishes

Prepare to be amazed folks...I'm STILL in the 14's!  I think I may officially give up trying to get out because you know something, I'm quite happy at the moment.  I've joined a gym (yet to visit it but don't hold that against me), I've managed to stop myself getting into the dangerous spiral of bulimia again.  That was hard.  Really hard.  I've had lots of binges over the last few weeks but I've managed to stop those too.  Sometimes you need to start hitting rock bottom to get back on top and that's where I'm headed.  I'm so proud I didn't let it win.  Mr Scales told me this morning...

14st 12.6lbs 

(0.2lbs weight loss from last week, feeble but a loss!)

Well that's the confession bit over, now for some fun stuff.  Have you ever Swished?  It's so cool!  Basically, you bring in a load of clothes you don't wear anymore and exchange them for something fabulous.  I managed to find the most gorgeous pencil skirt amongst other things.  I don't quite fit in it yet but it's something to aim for right?  For those who have never heard of Swishing but quite like the sound of it, head over to www.swishing.org to find out more and maybe even organise your own Swish!

Me with said pencil skirt

Me and my gorgeous mate Julie after bagging ourselves some great new clothes

So, time to revisit my mini goals I always forget about (quite possibly why they never get achieved eh?)...

Weight

Get down to 14st 7lbs

Fitness

Be able to do 5 full pressups

Clothes

Be able to fit into my polka dot pencil skirt/black pencil skirt from Swish and not look pregnant

Quite looking forward to achieving them now and I have a great new take on things after my blip.

Lauren xxx  

Impossible goals or goals I've not fulfilled yet?

Well what a miserable failure my "back on it" week has been!  I've frequented various fast food establishments and probably done enough to make the Cadburys shareholders extremely happy but you know something?  WHO CARES?  So what?  I ate something.  I clearly do care or I wouldn't be writing a blog about much I don't care but oh well.


Weighed in a day early this week and guess what?  1lb off!  No idea how.  I keep losing and putting back on the same stone, it's draining.  I wanted to be out of the 14s by the end of September but with less than two weeks of it left, I doubt that will happen.  Current weight...  

14st 10lbs 

So my mate Jo asked me today if I fancied doing the Great North Run this time next year and I nearly choked on my BK Whopper!  I mean seriously, the girl who only just finished the Great Manchester Run (that was down to sheer stubbornness, not fitness) doing a half marathon?!  No  way!  Then I sat and thought about it.  Why not?  Why can't I do that?  OK so I've been trying to get out of the 14's for about 3 years at least now and failed miserably.  Oh and don't forget my knee that resembles a balloon more often than not due to how messed up it is.  Oh and I have zilch motivation.  Need I go on? 

It would be nice to do it though.  Actually it would be amazing!  The feeling of crossing the finish line of the Great Manchester Run is amazing enough (I'm addicted to it, hence why I've done it three times) so imagine how fantastic I would feel after that?

I get messages sometimes on my Facebook page and to my email address saying that I motivate people.  I've no idea how because I've not actually achieved anything.  I'm watching all these people I've set off on their weight loss journeys beat me and me just stay in the same place.  About time I flipping well took my own advice!  I'm glad I've motivated people, I'm glad people are achieving their goals.  One of my best mates, Lizzie, is now 26 inches and a stone lighter than she was a month ago which is amazing!  I'm so proud of her.  She keeps me sane and at least keeps me trying to carry on, even if I'm not there yet.  I can't remember who said this but someone said that every setback is another opportunity to learn.  How right that person was.

First thing.  New Year's Resolutions.  I never stick to them.  Lesson learnt?  Don't make them!  At least don't make them at New Year.  You may remember a little while ago I had some goals.  I'm doing baby steps now.  No more grand gestures as they've obviously not worked for me.  Once I've achieved one, I can move onto the next.  I'll cross them out as I go so I can see how much I have achieved

Weight

Get down to 14st 7lbs

Fitness

Be able to do 5 full pressups

Clothes

Be able to fit into my polka dot pencil skirt and not look pregnant

Who knows, maybe next year I'll be running with this lot...

Where did I go?

It's been a little while since I've updated my blog...oops!  See if you can guess what happened.  I fell off the wagon.  Oh well.  Back on it tomorrow (I'm going to have that phrase carved on my gravestone!).  I'm not exactly sure what I weight at the moment, I shall weigh in tomorrow morning.  I do know that I'll be lucky if I'm not back in the 15s but these things are sent to try us.

I did utter that fateful phrase "I'll be out of the 14s this month" which I'm sure curses me so I'm not going to say it anymore.  It's what I want but it seems the more I concentrate on it, the further away from me it seems so I guess I shouldn't say it anymore.  Let's see what happens eh?

Diet starts on Monday...that old chestnut? Oh and more Jillian vs Bob

Yep you guessed it, I've been off the wagon and shocker - I've put on weight again.  My weigh in this week could have been far worse given the sheer volume of garbage I've shovelled down my mouth but still, I'm stupid for doing it after working so hard to shift 10lbs (still mighty proud of that).  So my scales this week have spoken and told me that I'm now...

14st 7.5lbs

Given the fact I wanted to be out of the 14's by September I now have a mighty tough challenge on my hands.  8lbs in a fortnight?!  My partner in diet crime and failure, Lizzie, is joining me in this challenge and you know something?  We WILL do this.  


I've been saying I'll be out of the 14's for months, no make that years, and never actually got there.  It's so stupid.  Drastic measures needed again.  I did well on Rosemary Conley's Amazing Inch Loss Plan so I will be returning to that however first of all, I'm doing her Holiday Binge Buster Diet for three days (Mon-Wed) before embarking on AILP.  This consists of the following...

Breakfast                                              150 cals

 Lunch                                                    250 cals

Dinner                                                   350 cals

       2 Power Snacks                                     50 cals each

1/2 pint of skimmed/semi skimmed milk  150 cals

This is 1000 cals in total and must only be followed for 3 days, it's not safe to follow it for more than that.  After the 3 days, I then go up to 1200 cals for the first 2 weeks of AILP.  Phew that all sounds a bit complicated doesn't it?


I have to be the rubbishest dieter ever.  I'm incapable of ever finishing anything I set out to do and not sure what I can do to change that.  I start out with all these grand plans of what I hope to achieve and generally never get there.  Maybe I need to set smaller goals for myself so I don't get disheartened as easily?  Who knows, I'm no psychologist.


One thing I definitely intend to do is more exercise as I know that hinders my weight loss.  I STILL haven't managed to complete the 30 Day Shred which is daft now as I rarely get past Day 2 of it!  I've finally come to my senses by not having a gym membership as I never went.  Now I need to get into a routine and stick to it. Easier said than done eh?


Those who watch Biggest Loser USA (I seriously LOVE that programme) will be familiar with Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels.  Don't be fooled by their smiley faces, these two are hardcore!  I love them both and when trying to decide who to have as my trainer (sadly this was only on the Biggest Loser Wii game, not in real life) I realised that I love them both for different reasons and I really struggled to decide!  Jillian's a bitch but in a good way and Bob is just...well...hot!  He's also mean too though.

don't be fooled!

Compare their workouts for abs (click on their names to view their workouts).  I think Jillian's wins for hardcore...or does Bob's?

However this video proves who the real winner is.  Anyone who can use the words "the only way you're getting off this treadmill is if you die on it" with a straight face and genuinely mean it is not to be messed with!  Damn I wish I had her to train me, no way would I get away with all this whinging, I'd be thin by now!

Sabotage, surprises, rips and weddings

After a week of eating junk (pizza, Macdonalds, Burger King - you name it, I probably ate it) I was too scared and annoyed to weigh myself.  Why did I destroy all my hard work over the past month?  What an idiot.  I worked so damn hard.  Time for psychobabble.  Apparently it's a common thing and all down to fear.  Fear of what exactly?  Fear of the following...

• Fear of how people will react to your success (especially family)

One of my friends lost a great deal of weight recently and her family were awful to her.  It's amazing how quickly admiration can turn into jealousy and I would hate to think that anyone in my life was capable of that.

• Fear of higher expectations at work and at home

Not so sure about this one.  Not sure how performance at work and weight are related.  Guess some soul searching is needed to understand that one.

• Fear of dealing with your demons and true feeling

Nah, well yeah.  Once I've lost weight, what do I have left to focus on?

• Fear of being happier than your friends or family

I want nothing more than all my friends and family to be happy and yeah I suppose this one is kind of true.  Do I deserve to be happier than everyone else?

• Fear of how men will treat you

Not sure about this one either to be honest.


Well yep, self sabotage has definitely been high on the agenda if the psychobabble is to be believed.  Imagine my surprise when I decided to step on the scales and realised that I had stayed the same.  What the hell?!  How did that happen?  That means I lost 10lbs in the last month.  Madness.  No idea how I did that.


My main reason for losing weight as fast as I did was because I wanted to fit into my dress for my friend Sydie's wedding and it didn't even zip up at the beginning of July.  I did it, I got in it!  Steve zipped me in it on the morning of Sydie's wedding and decided the zip wasn't central so gave it a yank and RIP, the zip tore away from the seam.  Gutted.  After a mad dash for a sewing kit, crisis was averted - this was HALF AN HOUR BEFORE THE WEDDING WAS DUE TO START!  I think I coped rather well.  Poor Steve was gutted but it's not like he did it on purpose or anything, guess he doesn't know his own  strength!


So we made it on time, just.  Look how AMAZING the bride looked....

Stunning Sydie!

Couple of other piccies from the day...

Me in my dress at 14st 5.5lbs

Me and my dapper fiance Steve

So as per usual I shall be having a few days "off" before I get back on the wagon again.  I'm not going to make any promises I can't keep however I do have one goal for the end of the month.  I WILL get rid of that damn 14 if it kills me.

MIA, dead cow and stepping up

Well I've been Missing In Action for a while haven't I?  Sadly so has my willpower.  I'd been doing fine until I went on a training course with work which resulted in bacon butties.  This can never end well.  OK so I've not gone all out like I used to which is progress but I haven't stuck to the last week of the plan which is so stupid.  I'm going to get back on it tomorrow because I'm having some gorgeous roast beef I bought from the farm shop yesterday for tea!


Weigh in wasn't so spectacular, just 1.5lbs off.  Apparently that's to be expected but I'm still not exercising very much which would have boosted the weight loss.  I'm now...

14st 5.5lbs

This means I have a week to lose the 6lbs I need to get myself out of the 14's by Sydie's wedding like I wanted.  NO CHANCE!  I've moved my weigh in day to a Friday as it fits in better with my lifestyle so I'll be reporting back on Friday.  To be honest after the junk I've eaten this week, I'll be happy with staying the same.

This week will be full of "last-chance workouts" a la Biggest Loser.  Alas I don't have Bob and Jillian to push me...or do I?  I've just purchased the Biggest Loser game for my Wii and I shall be road testing it tomorrow morning (please someone drag me out of bed, Monday mornings are really bad for me getting up).  I don't really know that much about the game and I'm wondering if it has weigh ins on it.  I sort of hope it does, that whole yellow line thing is scary but very motivating.