Update on the fitness/weight loss front!
I did the weekly weigh-in today, and the scales tell me I'm halfway towards my goal of getting within the healthy range for my height. I have lost 16 lbs so far.
Now, I'm told BMI isn't everything (and I totally agree: think of all the 'skinny-fat' people you know - those thin people with no muscle tone or fitness) but I haven't yet changed my goal: I'd like to see if I CAN get there.
So what have I been doing?
Well, I've been packing super-healthy lunches for work, for a start. I've cut down my portions generally, and I exercise between five and seven times a week.
My workouts vary from some floor exercises (crunches, press-ups and planks mainly, as my main gripes are my stomach and arms), through to my personal plan at the gym and a master's swimming session which I go to on a Monday night. I also did a spinning class the other week, which was excellent: I'd like to start doing that regularly.
At the gym I do a cardio warm up followed by weight-training. The cross-trainer, which I used to call 'the machine of death' I now love, and the most-hated spot has been replaced by the wave machine, which is deadly dull, and if I over-do it hurts my knee. Rubbish. I've always liked weight-training as I'm quite strong and muscular for my size, and easily lift the same weight as most of the men in the gym. (Not the 'muscle marys', obviously, but the average gym going guy.)
Unfortunately, I've had to keep the running on hold as everytime I go out my knee plays up. I haven't been out for a few weeks now but have been quite focussed on getting my swimming back. With the help of most members of Dai's family, I've re-learned how to do crawl! So I go to master's, which is a really good, social workout, and from that I've taken some routines which I do when I go to the pool another couple times a week. Dai's sister comes to master's too, and she's a great swimmer and has helped me so much with my technique: she's also lost half a stone already which is great news!
I've been logging the distances I swim to raise money to fight malaria: I saw a lot of people suffering with the disease when I was in the Gambia and think it's a great cause. If you'd like to help out, visit my page at www.worldswimagainstmalaria.com/charlie -all donations gratefully recieved.
I will start running again: I hope that having lost some weight there will be less stress on the joints and that the weight training I've been doing to support my knee will help too. I am aware that I have been challenged to do the Great Gorilla run next year in London by a certain group of Magslags, (thanks, guys) and have to admit, I am well up for it! What is it? You'll have to visit www.greatgorillas.org/london to find out!
So at the moment I'm getting back from work around seven and I go straight to the leisure centre to do a workout (apart from Monday: master's is a late class). I worry Dai is feeling like a gym widow as I don't get back until eight or half eight. However, I very rarely do anything sporty on a Saturday, and Sunday isn't so bad as I just pop out if I feel like it. My weekdays are busy! It's a good incentive not to work too late as I want to get home, and it really helps me unwind and switch off, so I think I'm a nicer person at home for it.
I'm still vegan (in case anyone wondered: it's unlikely to change, but you'd be surprised how often I am asked. I have been for seven years since September, by the way) so I've been upping my protein intake to support my exercise (almonds are currently very popular), and I have started taking a calcium supplement alongside the multivitamin with iron and evening primrose oil which I always take, just in case. I used to take a vitamin B supplement and a cranberry capsule as well: I might do so again but I always keep an eye on what I'm eating anyway.
So my plan for the next few weeks involve continuing this plan, but as my bike is finally up here I'll try to squeeze in some cycling as well at the weekend. Also: I will be going bikini shopping soon (had to buy new jeans last weekend: put it this way, I haven't worn this size for maybe ten years) for the holiday in November. We'll be taking the bikes on holiday too and I am SO looking forward to a relaxing week with cycling, swimming, badminton, something to do with high ropes and chilling in the spa.
So far, so good. I'll keep you posted on how it's going - and whether I find a bikini I'm actually happy in!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Thursday, September 04, 2008
The moment of truth appraoches: goal 1
I've posted this over from my Facebook notes: partly so it's uber official, partly because I had such nice comments from all the lovely people below! Unfortunately it will bounce right back there but, meh, deal with it.
As you can read below, I've dropped half a stone since posting this originally, and gone down 1.5 on my BMI. This weekend is going to be a bit of a moment of truth - I have no idea if I can drop a dress size yet and I'm out shopping for a dress to wear to a friend's wedding. Yes, my clothes are baggier, but is it enough?
I'll let you know!
I've definitely got value for money from the gym membership - at the moment I'm there six times a week, swimming or gyming, and loving it. One of the less expected benefits is that it clears my head from work so I'm not so stressed when I - eventually - get home. I went for a run on the bank holiday and my knee started hurting again so I'm sticking with the swimming for cardio -I'm considering taking up some short sprints instead, just for fun, in the hope the breaks inbetween will mean my knee can cope. However in the meantime I'm learning how to swim again, with the help of Dai and his brother Hywel (who's a qualified swim coach, so, Sam, to answer your question, I am paying a big fat nothing for my lessons, and the Masters swim class is included on my gym membership) so I'm logging my distances and helping Speedo swim around the world against malaria! You can sponsor me in my Charlie to mermaid transformation: http://www.worldswimagainstmalaria.com/charlie
From Facebook:
It's official, I'm shallow
Sunday, July 27, 2008 at 10:09pm
Ok. I'm announcing this on my blog in the hope that I'll actually get on and do this. I want to have a healthy BMI. To do that, I need to lose 2 stone and 4 pounds, or 32 pounds.That's a lot. More...than I thought. You'll probably know I'm vegan, and I'm not exactly adverse to exercise: in fact I'm quite keen on it. However, I also love food and I'm only five foot, which doesn't give me much room for manovre apart from, well, outwards.My main problem with losing weight is not the dieting, or the exercise. It's the shallowness of it all. There's a voice in my head shouting, "Do you want to be taken seriously? Do you WANT to be like these orange people, obsessed with everything they ever eat? This is vainty!" And for me, vainty feel more sinful than anything I could ever eat. Yes I wear make up. Yes I do care how I look. However, serious weight loss is seriously VAIN in my eyes, which makes it a real battle.The same voice shouts, "You've always been overweight! It's not going to change! You'll never do it!" Now. I've been heavier than this. I shed quite a few pounds a couple of years ago and at the time I was having a bit of a general change in my outlook on lots of things. I felt really guilty about it too. I'm lucky with Dai because I know he will support me. It feels different this time. I think I've realised that although cardio-vacsularly (is that a word?) speaking, I am probably as fit or fitter than I've ever been, due to the running, I am STILL too heavy. I'm 23. I need to conquer the voice NOW, and then deal with keeping it at bay before I give in and get bigger, or lose my fitness.I don't even want to be thin. I suspect I will never be thin. But I can be healthy. Being healthy is far from being vain, so my goal is to lower my BMI from nearly 31 to under 25. I'm not asking for 20, or even 22. Under 25 - a healthy weight, will do me fine.By November I hope to have lost enough to feel happier in a bikini when Dai and I go to CenterParcs - a stone, plus some toning would do it. I have no idea how long it will take for me to lose 32 lbs, but I hope to have a better idea soon and set myself a time goal to work towards. In the meantime, I'm joining the gym and going at least twice a week, plus keeping up the running a few times a week, walking in my lunch breaks and fitting in some regular swimming (which I love) too.As to the diet I'm cutting down on the portions. My actual foods aren't too bad, although I'm cutting out the crisps (which were beginning to feature a bit too much) and ice cream (same) and down on the alcohol (two glasses of wine this week, not too bad) and sugar (not too much of a problem).It needs to be something I can live with, but I have found that my health is increasingly important to me: I want to be as healthy as I can be. I'll try to blog my progress. This is the first step in ensuring I actually do it this time: keep your fingers crossed for me!
Add a comment 16 comments View original post
Samantha Wong (Cardiff University) wrote at 8:18pm on July 29th, 2008
Glad to hear you're looking to lose weight to be healthy and not the whole "I wanna look like Mischa Barton/Keria Knightley/Nicol Ritchie and disgustingly stick thin. Getting a fantastic body and looking great in a bikini is always a bonus! :) Anyway, you run loads, (where do you get your motivation??) and my bad food habits not only include crisps and ice cream but cake (lots of it) as well! Hope you manage to conquer that inner voice in you and become as healthy as you can possibly be :) x
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 9:30pm on July 29th, 2008
Thanks Sam, I went for a run tonight and had some food, have been craving sugar badly tonight. Had a small piece of very dark chocolate - no point in banning it - but your support means a lot so big HUGS! x
Cat Hackforth (University of Bristol) wrote at 9:35pm on July 29th, 2008
Best of luck, Charlie! :DKeira Knightley freaks me out. Maybe she just naturally looks like skin sprayed onto a skeleton, but even so...
Rachel England (Wales) wrote at 10:09pm on July 29th, 2008
Well done Charlie! Like Sam said, it's good you're doing this for health reasons and not to look like a lollipop lady.That said, it's interesting that you say your diet is generally good anyway, and that you feel like you've never been fitter. I know a lot of people (me included) who have a BMI under 25 but eat rubbish constantly, find themselves out of puff after very little exertion and have achy arms for days after a go on the Wii. So who's 'healthier'? It ain't me, that's for sure. So I wouldn't stick too rigidly to guidelines and charts, etc. It's how you feel that matters the most - not scientific recommendations.Still - way to go! :) x
ElizabethAnne Grummitt (Cardiff University) wrote at 1:42am on July 30th, 2008
I think as long as you are thinking about your weight in terms of being healthy there's nothing wrong with that. And wanting to look one's best is no sin, just as long as its realistic. I will say though that BMI is thought to be meaningless by many medical peeps.Obviously I'm not going to join in the 'thin people are vile and disgusting' comments, as being the same size and shape as dear ol' Keira (cept for the boobs, obviously, hurrah!) makes me a hideous skeleton as well. But it is true a fantasy physical size isn't a good goal, as you can never ever win that way. Healthiness and happiness is much better and not shallow at all, in my opinion.
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 1:54pm on July 30th, 2008
Hee hee. Yes, I do realise that BMI is not everything. I am rather prone to muscle as well, so it's possible I'll always be slightly over: but currently I'm way over. I'm looking forward to going to the gym tomorrow for the first time in ages - Dai is coming too, yay!I don't know how some people eat rubbish and stay within the range. All I know is, if I was a cow, you'd all be eating me, because I maintain good weight on vegetables alone!
ElizabethAnne Grummitt (Cardiff University) wrote at 3:41pm on July 30th, 2008
I misread 'cow' as 'crow' then and was very confused...
Laura Murphy (Cardiff) wrote at 8:02pm on July 30th, 2008
right on charlie. Have you tried having your body fat ratio measured at all? It's better than BMI for working out your overall health and your gym should be able to do it for you if it's one of the bigger ones. You want to get it at around 10-12%, that's the optimum level.I'm meant to be joining a gym at some point once I sort my finances out a bit and get into the swing of budgeting....can't wait til January when my free work membership kicks in and I can go on my lunchbreak with my workmates. If you want any tips on workouts etc then check out the MH website and forums, I know I'm self-promoting but I have seriously learnt shitloads since starting work there about workouts and nutrition and all that kind of biscuit.
Rachel England (Wales) wrote at 9:34pm on July 30th, 2008
*cough* shameless plug *cough cough*
Laura Murphy (Cardiff) wrote at 9:35pm on July 30th, 2008
GET ME SOME PAAAAAGE IMPRESSIONS
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 9:40pm on July 30th, 2008
I'm going to the gym tomorrow: it's like a proper big one where you get weighed etc. I think I'm full of fat: my arms, back and stomach are testament to that, although my legs are pretty damn toned! But I would like to know what percentage I am. I heard though that women have to be 30% and above to be healthy and concieve etc (which makes me wonder about the infamous Beckham, so that could be crap: or maybe it's 3 or 13 % lol).As token Men's mag fan, I've seen the forums, they ARE really good. Well-populated too! Anyway, as ever, thanks guys! xCx
Bethan Price (Durham) wrote at 4:01pm on July 31st, 2008
Here's where the nutritional anthropologist in me kicks in: You have to have a body fat percentage of 10-15% in order to be able to conceive, although this can vary. It's quite complicated but there's a gradient with conception, so it's not as straight forward as 'if you are below this fat percentage you can't conceive'. I know this because one of my lecturers was obsessed with this stuff so we had loads of lectures on it and I read all the studies and papers. As Laura said your body fat % is more important than your BMI as is your waist measurement. The size of your waist is a good indicator of whether or not you need to lose weight, as it's the first place you put on excess fat. I may be slight but if I put on weight it all goes on my stomach, which is BAD. I'm also one of those healthy BMI people who I suspect has a really bad body fat percentage - all fat and no muscle. Also BAD. But good luck with it all. I hope all goes well and you hit your target BMI/BF%, etc. Bx
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 1:14pm on August 3rd, 2008
Wow thanks for the info Bethan! I wieghed myself at the same time this week as last, the scales say I've lost a lb. Which is not what the scales said at the gym on Thurs, but I'm sticking with my plan. My waist is below the danger zone, and I do put it on there (but also it comes off there first if I lose weight) I've always had a so-called 'vintage' figure - my hip to waist ratio is bigger than the average. Good for corsets, bad for making anything else fit. No idea what this means health-wise, apart from 'you're a curvy freak'?Meh. Anyway did two 5ks this week plus a shorter run. Plus walking and abdominals (I HATE PLANKS)x
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 9:46pm on August 31st, 2008
Just posting to say I've lost half a stone! Hooray!I have a few goals:One: wedding on the 13 Sept - I wanted to lose half a stone by then but I already have. I was hoping I would be able to drop a dress size but I won't know if I have until I go to try on dresses next week, eek!Two: beginning of November - I want to have lost at least a stone and feel toned and, possibly more importantly, confident enough to wear a bikini when Dai and I go on holiday.Three: New Year 2009 - a healthy BMI.Four: to discover a way to maintain my new weight - I know yo-yo weights are very bad, and I want to keep to a steady weight and exercise programme, with a diet I can handle. So goal one is partially complete... I'll update with more news when it occurs!xCx
Rachel England (Wales) wrote at 9:37am on September 1st, 2008
Well done Charlie! Good on you.Having recently moved to within 400m of a leisure centre I went swimming yesterday for the first time in about four years. Jesus. Christ.I'm aching so badly this morning it's like I've been hit by a bus. So that's my new goal now; go swimming without feeling like this the day after
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 2:40pm on September 1st, 2008
Nice goal Rachel! I'm off to Masters swimming tonight, boy, that's going to hurt tomorrow - they really push you in the class and I've only just started re-learning crawl....You should see if they do a Masters class at your pool, then you can join me in the pain, haha! x
Stay tuned, I do a weigh-in every Sunday and will be posting a round up!
As you can read below, I've dropped half a stone since posting this originally, and gone down 1.5 on my BMI. This weekend is going to be a bit of a moment of truth - I have no idea if I can drop a dress size yet and I'm out shopping for a dress to wear to a friend's wedding. Yes, my clothes are baggier, but is it enough?
I'll let you know!
I've definitely got value for money from the gym membership - at the moment I'm there six times a week, swimming or gyming, and loving it. One of the less expected benefits is that it clears my head from work so I'm not so stressed when I - eventually - get home. I went for a run on the bank holiday and my knee started hurting again so I'm sticking with the swimming for cardio -I'm considering taking up some short sprints instead, just for fun, in the hope the breaks inbetween will mean my knee can cope. However in the meantime I'm learning how to swim again, with the help of Dai and his brother Hywel (who's a qualified swim coach, so, Sam, to answer your question, I am paying a big fat nothing for my lessons, and the Masters swim class is included on my gym membership) so I'm logging my distances and helping Speedo swim around the world against malaria! You can sponsor me in my Charlie to mermaid transformation: http://www.worldswimagainstmalaria.com/charlie
From Facebook:
It's official, I'm shallow
Sunday, July 27, 2008 at 10:09pm
Ok. I'm announcing this on my blog in the hope that I'll actually get on and do this. I want to have a healthy BMI. To do that, I need to lose 2 stone and 4 pounds, or 32 pounds.That's a lot. More...than I thought. You'll probably know I'm vegan, and I'm not exactly adverse to exercise: in fact I'm quite keen on it. However, I also love food and I'm only five foot, which doesn't give me much room for manovre apart from, well, outwards.My main problem with losing weight is not the dieting, or the exercise. It's the shallowness of it all. There's a voice in my head shouting, "Do you want to be taken seriously? Do you WANT to be like these orange people, obsessed with everything they ever eat? This is vainty!" And for me, vainty feel more sinful than anything I could ever eat. Yes I wear make up. Yes I do care how I look. However, serious weight loss is seriously VAIN in my eyes, which makes it a real battle.The same voice shouts, "You've always been overweight! It's not going to change! You'll never do it!" Now. I've been heavier than this. I shed quite a few pounds a couple of years ago and at the time I was having a bit of a general change in my outlook on lots of things. I felt really guilty about it too. I'm lucky with Dai because I know he will support me. It feels different this time. I think I've realised that although cardio-vacsularly (is that a word?) speaking, I am probably as fit or fitter than I've ever been, due to the running, I am STILL too heavy. I'm 23. I need to conquer the voice NOW, and then deal with keeping it at bay before I give in and get bigger, or lose my fitness.I don't even want to be thin. I suspect I will never be thin. But I can be healthy. Being healthy is far from being vain, so my goal is to lower my BMI from nearly 31 to under 25. I'm not asking for 20, or even 22. Under 25 - a healthy weight, will do me fine.By November I hope to have lost enough to feel happier in a bikini when Dai and I go to CenterParcs - a stone, plus some toning would do it. I have no idea how long it will take for me to lose 32 lbs, but I hope to have a better idea soon and set myself a time goal to work towards. In the meantime, I'm joining the gym and going at least twice a week, plus keeping up the running a few times a week, walking in my lunch breaks and fitting in some regular swimming (which I love) too.As to the diet I'm cutting down on the portions. My actual foods aren't too bad, although I'm cutting out the crisps (which were beginning to feature a bit too much) and ice cream (same) and down on the alcohol (two glasses of wine this week, not too bad) and sugar (not too much of a problem).It needs to be something I can live with, but I have found that my health is increasingly important to me: I want to be as healthy as I can be. I'll try to blog my progress. This is the first step in ensuring I actually do it this time: keep your fingers crossed for me!
Add a comment 16 comments View original post
Samantha Wong (Cardiff University) wrote at 8:18pm on July 29th, 2008
Glad to hear you're looking to lose weight to be healthy and not the whole "I wanna look like Mischa Barton/Keria Knightley/Nicol Ritchie and disgustingly stick thin. Getting a fantastic body and looking great in a bikini is always a bonus! :) Anyway, you run loads, (where do you get your motivation??) and my bad food habits not only include crisps and ice cream but cake (lots of it) as well! Hope you manage to conquer that inner voice in you and become as healthy as you can possibly be :) x
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 9:30pm on July 29th, 2008
Thanks Sam, I went for a run tonight and had some food, have been craving sugar badly tonight. Had a small piece of very dark chocolate - no point in banning it - but your support means a lot so big HUGS! x
Cat Hackforth (University of Bristol) wrote at 9:35pm on July 29th, 2008
Best of luck, Charlie! :DKeira Knightley freaks me out. Maybe she just naturally looks like skin sprayed onto a skeleton, but even so...
Rachel England (Wales) wrote at 10:09pm on July 29th, 2008
Well done Charlie! Like Sam said, it's good you're doing this for health reasons and not to look like a lollipop lady.That said, it's interesting that you say your diet is generally good anyway, and that you feel like you've never been fitter. I know a lot of people (me included) who have a BMI under 25 but eat rubbish constantly, find themselves out of puff after very little exertion and have achy arms for days after a go on the Wii. So who's 'healthier'? It ain't me, that's for sure. So I wouldn't stick too rigidly to guidelines and charts, etc. It's how you feel that matters the most - not scientific recommendations.Still - way to go! :) x
ElizabethAnne Grummitt (Cardiff University) wrote at 1:42am on July 30th, 2008
I think as long as you are thinking about your weight in terms of being healthy there's nothing wrong with that. And wanting to look one's best is no sin, just as long as its realistic. I will say though that BMI is thought to be meaningless by many medical peeps.Obviously I'm not going to join in the 'thin people are vile and disgusting' comments, as being the same size and shape as dear ol' Keira (cept for the boobs, obviously, hurrah!) makes me a hideous skeleton as well. But it is true a fantasy physical size isn't a good goal, as you can never ever win that way. Healthiness and happiness is much better and not shallow at all, in my opinion.
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 1:54pm on July 30th, 2008
Hee hee. Yes, I do realise that BMI is not everything. I am rather prone to muscle as well, so it's possible I'll always be slightly over: but currently I'm way over. I'm looking forward to going to the gym tomorrow for the first time in ages - Dai is coming too, yay!I don't know how some people eat rubbish and stay within the range. All I know is, if I was a cow, you'd all be eating me, because I maintain good weight on vegetables alone!
ElizabethAnne Grummitt (Cardiff University) wrote at 3:41pm on July 30th, 2008
I misread 'cow' as 'crow' then and was very confused...
Laura Murphy (Cardiff) wrote at 8:02pm on July 30th, 2008
right on charlie. Have you tried having your body fat ratio measured at all? It's better than BMI for working out your overall health and your gym should be able to do it for you if it's one of the bigger ones. You want to get it at around 10-12%, that's the optimum level.I'm meant to be joining a gym at some point once I sort my finances out a bit and get into the swing of budgeting....can't wait til January when my free work membership kicks in and I can go on my lunchbreak with my workmates. If you want any tips on workouts etc then check out the MH website and forums, I know I'm self-promoting but I have seriously learnt shitloads since starting work there about workouts and nutrition and all that kind of biscuit.
Rachel England (Wales) wrote at 9:34pm on July 30th, 2008
*cough* shameless plug *cough cough*
Laura Murphy (Cardiff) wrote at 9:35pm on July 30th, 2008
GET ME SOME PAAAAAGE IMPRESSIONS
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 9:40pm on July 30th, 2008
I'm going to the gym tomorrow: it's like a proper big one where you get weighed etc. I think I'm full of fat: my arms, back and stomach are testament to that, although my legs are pretty damn toned! But I would like to know what percentage I am. I heard though that women have to be 30% and above to be healthy and concieve etc (which makes me wonder about the infamous Beckham, so that could be crap: or maybe it's 3 or 13 % lol).As token Men's mag fan, I've seen the forums, they ARE really good. Well-populated too! Anyway, as ever, thanks guys! xCx
Bethan Price (Durham) wrote at 4:01pm on July 31st, 2008
Here's where the nutritional anthropologist in me kicks in: You have to have a body fat percentage of 10-15% in order to be able to conceive, although this can vary. It's quite complicated but there's a gradient with conception, so it's not as straight forward as 'if you are below this fat percentage you can't conceive'. I know this because one of my lecturers was obsessed with this stuff so we had loads of lectures on it and I read all the studies and papers. As Laura said your body fat % is more important than your BMI as is your waist measurement. The size of your waist is a good indicator of whether or not you need to lose weight, as it's the first place you put on excess fat. I may be slight but if I put on weight it all goes on my stomach, which is BAD. I'm also one of those healthy BMI people who I suspect has a really bad body fat percentage - all fat and no muscle. Also BAD. But good luck with it all. I hope all goes well and you hit your target BMI/BF%, etc. Bx
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 1:14pm on August 3rd, 2008
Wow thanks for the info Bethan! I wieghed myself at the same time this week as last, the scales say I've lost a lb. Which is not what the scales said at the gym on Thurs, but I'm sticking with my plan. My waist is below the danger zone, and I do put it on there (but also it comes off there first if I lose weight) I've always had a so-called 'vintage' figure - my hip to waist ratio is bigger than the average. Good for corsets, bad for making anything else fit. No idea what this means health-wise, apart from 'you're a curvy freak'?Meh. Anyway did two 5ks this week plus a shorter run. Plus walking and abdominals (I HATE PLANKS)x
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 9:46pm on August 31st, 2008
Just posting to say I've lost half a stone! Hooray!I have a few goals:One: wedding on the 13 Sept - I wanted to lose half a stone by then but I already have. I was hoping I would be able to drop a dress size but I won't know if I have until I go to try on dresses next week, eek!Two: beginning of November - I want to have lost at least a stone and feel toned and, possibly more importantly, confident enough to wear a bikini when Dai and I go on holiday.Three: New Year 2009 - a healthy BMI.Four: to discover a way to maintain my new weight - I know yo-yo weights are very bad, and I want to keep to a steady weight and exercise programme, with a diet I can handle. So goal one is partially complete... I'll update with more news when it occurs!xCx
Rachel England (Wales) wrote at 9:37am on September 1st, 2008
Well done Charlie! Good on you.Having recently moved to within 400m of a leisure centre I went swimming yesterday for the first time in about four years. Jesus. Christ.I'm aching so badly this morning it's like I've been hit by a bus. So that's my new goal now; go swimming without feeling like this the day after
Charlie Elise Duff wrote at 2:40pm on September 1st, 2008
Nice goal Rachel! I'm off to Masters swimming tonight, boy, that's going to hurt tomorrow - they really push you in the class and I've only just started re-learning crawl....You should see if they do a Masters class at your pool, then you can join me in the pain, haha! x
Stay tuned, I do a weigh-in every Sunday and will be posting a round up!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
It's official, I'm shallow
Ok. I'm announcing this on my blog in the hope that I'll actually get on and do this. I want to have a healthy BMI. To do that, I need to lose 2 stone and 4 pounds, or 32 pounds.
That's a lot. More...than I thought. You'll probably know I'm vegan, and I'm not exactly adverse to exercise: in fact I'm quite keen on it. However, I also love food and I'm only five foot, which doesn't give me much room for manovre apart from, well, outwards.
My main problem with losing weight is not the dieting, or the exercise. It's the shallowness of it all. There's a voice in my head shouting, "Do you want to be taken seriously? Do you WANT to be like these orange people, obsessed with everything they ever eat? This is vainty!" And for me, vainty feel more sinful than anything I could ever eat. Yes I wear make up. Yes I do care how I look. However, serious weight loss is seriously VAIN in my eyes, which makes it a real battle.
The same voice shouts, "You've always been overweight! It's not going to change! You'll never do it!" Now. I've been heavier than this. I shed quite a few pounds a couple of years ago and at the time I was having a bit of a general change in my outlook on lots of things. I felt really guilty about it too. I'm lucky with Dai because I know he will support me. It feels different this time. I think I've realised that although cardio-vacsularly (is that a word?) speaking, I am probably as fit or fitter than I've ever been, due to the running, I am STILL too heavy. I'm 23. I need to conquer the voice NOW, and then deal with keeping it at bay before I give in and get bigger, or lose my fitness.
I don't even want to be thin. I suspect I will never be thin. But I can be healthy. Being healthy is far from being vain, so my goal is to lower my BMI from nearly 31 to under 25. I'm not asking for 20, or even 22. Under 25 - a healthy weight, will do me fine.
By November I hope to have lost enough to feel happier in a bikini when Dai and I go to CenterParcs - a stone, plus some toning would do it. I have no idea how long it will take for me to lose 32 lbs, but I hope to have a better idea soon and set myself a time goal to work towards. In the meantime, I'm joining the gym and going at least twice a week, plus keeping up the running a few times a week, walking in my lunch breaks and fitting in some regular swimming (which I love) too.
As to the diet I'm cutting down on the portions. My actual foods aren't too bad, although I'm cutting out the crisps (which were beginning to feature a bit too much) and ice cream (same) and down on the alcohol (two glasses of wine this week, not too bad) and sugar (not too much of a problem).
It needs to be something I can live with, but I have found that my health is increasingly important to me: I want to be as healthy as I can be. I'll try to blog my progress. This is the first step in ensuring I actually do it this time: keep your fingers crossed for me!
That's a lot. More...than I thought. You'll probably know I'm vegan, and I'm not exactly adverse to exercise: in fact I'm quite keen on it. However, I also love food and I'm only five foot, which doesn't give me much room for manovre apart from, well, outwards.
My main problem with losing weight is not the dieting, or the exercise. It's the shallowness of it all. There's a voice in my head shouting, "Do you want to be taken seriously? Do you WANT to be like these orange people, obsessed with everything they ever eat? This is vainty!" And for me, vainty feel more sinful than anything I could ever eat. Yes I wear make up. Yes I do care how I look. However, serious weight loss is seriously VAIN in my eyes, which makes it a real battle.
The same voice shouts, "You've always been overweight! It's not going to change! You'll never do it!" Now. I've been heavier than this. I shed quite a few pounds a couple of years ago and at the time I was having a bit of a general change in my outlook on lots of things. I felt really guilty about it too. I'm lucky with Dai because I know he will support me. It feels different this time. I think I've realised that although cardio-vacsularly (is that a word?) speaking, I am probably as fit or fitter than I've ever been, due to the running, I am STILL too heavy. I'm 23. I need to conquer the voice NOW, and then deal with keeping it at bay before I give in and get bigger, or lose my fitness.
I don't even want to be thin. I suspect I will never be thin. But I can be healthy. Being healthy is far from being vain, so my goal is to lower my BMI from nearly 31 to under 25. I'm not asking for 20, or even 22. Under 25 - a healthy weight, will do me fine.
By November I hope to have lost enough to feel happier in a bikini when Dai and I go to CenterParcs - a stone, plus some toning would do it. I have no idea how long it will take for me to lose 32 lbs, but I hope to have a better idea soon and set myself a time goal to work towards. In the meantime, I'm joining the gym and going at least twice a week, plus keeping up the running a few times a week, walking in my lunch breaks and fitting in some regular swimming (which I love) too.
As to the diet I'm cutting down on the portions. My actual foods aren't too bad, although I'm cutting out the crisps (which were beginning to feature a bit too much) and ice cream (same) and down on the alcohol (two glasses of wine this week, not too bad) and sugar (not too much of a problem).
It needs to be something I can live with, but I have found that my health is increasingly important to me: I want to be as healthy as I can be. I'll try to blog my progress. This is the first step in ensuring I actually do it this time: keep your fingers crossed for me!
Monday, March 17, 2008
dis obseshon is reachin bibikalist proptshuns, srsly!
K, K, I noes it. I is a bad.
But the LOLCat bible!!!!1
"An Ceiling Cat sayed, Beholdt, the Urfs, I has it, An I has not eated it." LolCat Genesis 1:29.
This is my favourite Pslam (yes, favorit salm, I has one), 121, in LolCat:
1 A song to goez big up. I lookz upz at da big hillsez, I can has halps?
2 Yes I can haz halps, from Ceiling Cat, doer of Ceiling and Urf
3 He not let ur paw slipz, he not sleepz
4 Protektor of All Kittehs no sleepies no dreamies
5 Ceiling Cat ur protektor, He is ur shadows from da windowsill, He is ur right paw
6 In day, sun no make u go bai, moon not make u go bai either
7 Ceiling Cat make u safez from badness, He protektz ur invisible self
8 Celing Cat protektz ur in and ur out, forevaz!
As a procrastinatory device it cannot be beaten.
Have a read and enjoy.
kthnxbai!
But the LOLCat bible!!!!1
"An Ceiling Cat sayed, Beholdt, the Urfs, I has it, An I has not eated it." LolCat Genesis 1:29.
This is my favourite Pslam (yes, favorit salm, I has one), 121, in LolCat:
1 A song to goez big up. I lookz upz at da big hillsez, I can has halps?
2 Yes I can haz halps, from Ceiling Cat, doer of Ceiling and Urf
3 He not let ur paw slipz, he not sleepz
4 Protektor of All Kittehs no sleepies no dreamies
5 Ceiling Cat ur protektor, He is ur shadows from da windowsill, He is ur right paw
6 In day, sun no make u go bai, moon not make u go bai either
7 Ceiling Cat make u safez from badness, He protektz ur invisible self
8 Celing Cat protektz ur in and ur out, forevaz!
As a procrastinatory device it cannot be beaten.
Have a read and enjoy.
kthnxbai!
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Lolinate ur websiet
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Things I don't like
Because I'm feeling grumpy, I'm going to write a list of the things I don't like (instead of shouting them at Tim). In no particular order:
• Dry ski slopes. Slippy AND spiky. Yuk.
• The smell of prawns being fried in butter. Gopping.
• Nature programmes (not all, just the really long, boring, life-cycle ones.*yawn*)
• Camomile tea. It’s just not nice. And doesn’t calm me down.
• Roobios/redbush tea. As above.
• Running machines.
• Chewing gum on pavements – I’ve never spat out gum in my life. Who does?
• Spam. Grrr.
• Period pains. I do not need practice for labour right now, leave me alone!
• Coriander leaf. It tastes like soap!
• Big leggy ’house’ spiders. Spiders should live outside!
• Tasteless crappy lager. Recently discovered Japanese lager is rather nice.
• Jools Holland. Smug git.
• Carbon offsetting. It doesn’t solve the problem. Fly less, yuppies.
• Things (like phones) which haven’t got Wifi, when they so easily could have!
• Pro-life people, particularly men (who will never get pregnant anyway), who preach to people, especially young people.
• Hangovers. Such a waste of time, it drives me mad!
• Jo Whiley. Well maybe not her personally, just the way she sucks up to musicians. Sorry, but not EVERYONE is ‘great live’. And not EVERY single is wicked.
Well, I feel better now. I apologise, because I know I've generalised a lot here. But it's a rant. Raaahhhh!
• Dry ski slopes. Slippy AND spiky. Yuk.
• The smell of prawns being fried in butter. Gopping.
• Nature programmes (not all, just the really long, boring, life-cycle ones.*yawn*)
• Camomile tea. It’s just not nice. And doesn’t calm me down.
• Roobios/redbush tea. As above.
• Running machines.
• Chewing gum on pavements – I’ve never spat out gum in my life. Who does?
• Spam. Grrr.
• Period pains. I do not need practice for labour right now, leave me alone!
• Coriander leaf. It tastes like soap!
• Big leggy ’house’ spiders. Spiders should live outside!
• Tasteless crappy lager. Recently discovered Japanese lager is rather nice.
• Jools Holland. Smug git.
• Carbon offsetting. It doesn’t solve the problem. Fly less, yuppies.
• Things (like phones) which haven’t got Wifi, when they so easily could have!
• Pro-life people, particularly men (who will never get pregnant anyway), who preach to people, especially young people.
• Hangovers. Such a waste of time, it drives me mad!
• Jo Whiley. Well maybe not her personally, just the way she sucks up to musicians. Sorry, but not EVERYONE is ‘great live’. And not EVERY single is wicked.
Well, I feel better now. I apologise, because I know I've generalised a lot here. But it's a rant. Raaahhhh!
I can has iphone?
I do love icanhazcheezburger. This one, featured on geeksugar today, made me giggle. Really I want a HTC something (don't really care which, but I have sworn not to buy anything unless it has wifi capability) for my next phone, but if I was offered an iphone (can you believe they did this? I might cry a little...), or it was cheaper, I have to say I'd be there with bells on. My current 'gadgetenvy' is focused on an ipod touch (my obsession with touch screens is becoming a bit worrying) and one day, one happy day, I shall own one.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Solar powered what? Come again?
No, really! I could hardly believe my eyes. Yes, it's what all you girls seeking to reduce your carbon footprint have been looking for this Valentine's day - a solar powered vibrator!
Get your rocks off the environmentally friendly way!
Apart from all that, if bullets are your thing, then it's probably a very good product. Plus, it's multi-speed. You'll just have to hope it's sunny more often, which in Wales might be wishful thinking (most of the time). Then again, it will charge under a lightbulb, but that's not quite so green now, is it?
Get your rocks off the environmentally friendly way!
Apart from all that, if bullets are your thing, then it's probably a very good product. Plus, it's multi-speed. You'll just have to hope it's sunny more often, which in Wales might be wishful thinking (most of the time). Then again, it will charge under a lightbulb, but that's not quite so green now, is it?
I'm giving it away for free!
Yes it's true, I will be working for nothing this Easter! I've secured work experience at the awesome, incredible, amazing, award winning magazine that is Stuff, and I will be hanging out with the boys there for two weeks. I also have another placement which is an exciting, if not a little daunting week planned on the magazine team at The Times. Plus, I've applied for some launch experience for a new magazine, so altogether I have pretty much obliterated any idea of an Easter break completely.
However, it has to be done, because I had no real direction until my last year of uni. That means I don't have any journalism experience apart from Waterfront, which isn't ideal (even though it gave me realtime editing experience, and I think taught me a lot) so I feel very much like I'm playing catch-up here.
In any case, I'm very excited about the whole thing, and feel that with some national, decent work experience under my belt, I'll feel much more confident when it comes to the next task, which is getting a job.
Incredible? Yes. Terrifying? Also yes.
However, it has to be done, because I had no real direction until my last year of uni. That means I don't have any journalism experience apart from Waterfront, which isn't ideal (even though it gave me realtime editing experience, and I think taught me a lot) so I feel very much like I'm playing catch-up here.
In any case, I'm very excited about the whole thing, and feel that with some national, decent work experience under my belt, I'll feel much more confident when it comes to the next task, which is getting a job.
Incredible? Yes. Terrifying? Also yes.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Television is so depressing!
I can't watch Neighbours anymore. It's too full of angst. And Doctors (which was a house favourite while I was an undergrad) is waaaay too emotional and deep now, not vaugely crap, which was how I liked it. At the time, we devised a whole drinking game based around its predictability, but now, it's all just too much drama for me. I can't cope with it!
Torchwood is the only thing keeping me sane in the television stakes. That and Charlie Brooker, whose book I'm reading at the moment. I just hope his Screenwipe comes back on soon.
Torchwood is the only thing keeping me sane in the television stakes. That and Charlie Brooker, whose book I'm reading at the moment. I just hope his Screenwipe comes back on soon.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Blame tears
Since my parents split up, there's been plenty of blame assignment. I've blamed my mother for almost everything that's ever gone wrong: I've been angry at her for not being there, for never calling, for leaving...the list goes on, and on. She (and her partner) have in turn blamed my father for the fact the finances aren't settled yet, for the divorce going on so long, for my brother's apathy. And it's this which has caused the problem today. Zander is supposedly applying to go to university this September. However it looks like he hasn't got his application in yet, and it's past the important date for UCAS. She blames my dad for this, saying he doesn't support him enough.
The thing is, no-one has supported him enough. He hasn't got the support of a school, and I'm in another country. My mother calls him from time to time, but won't call the business line of the pub in case my father picks up the phone, even though she knows Zander is often in there, especially in the evenings, when she calls. And she won't visit. The result is she rarely sees or speaks to him. My father has a policy of not nagging him to do anything. Zander is 19, so doesn't need nagging, but he does need support: and he's been missing a real family for nearly four years now.
I don't know what's going to happen. He has been let down badly. My parents are irretrivably embroiled in a petty fight which continues to hurt their children, and I worry this may hold Zander back from a successful and fulfilling adult life. I wish they had been able to put aside their feelings to look after Zander properly: I wish they'd been happy together. I wish a lot of things. I wish most of all that the divorce of my parents hadn't had such a massive impact on my life, that it didn't hurt the way it still does. They say time's a great healer: but it's four years on now, and I'm still crying about it.
The thing is, no-one has supported him enough. He hasn't got the support of a school, and I'm in another country. My mother calls him from time to time, but won't call the business line of the pub in case my father picks up the phone, even though she knows Zander is often in there, especially in the evenings, when she calls. And she won't visit. The result is she rarely sees or speaks to him. My father has a policy of not nagging him to do anything. Zander is 19, so doesn't need nagging, but he does need support: and he's been missing a real family for nearly four years now.
I don't know what's going to happen. He has been let down badly. My parents are irretrivably embroiled in a petty fight which continues to hurt their children, and I worry this may hold Zander back from a successful and fulfilling adult life. I wish they had been able to put aside their feelings to look after Zander properly: I wish they'd been happy together. I wish a lot of things. I wish most of all that the divorce of my parents hadn't had such a massive impact on my life, that it didn't hurt the way it still does. They say time's a great healer: but it's four years on now, and I'm still crying about it.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
The customer is always right
Just a short update - I had a wonderful Christmas, and a drunken New Year, thankyou very much, and all went well and it was less stressful, but still very busy. For a Christmas present from his parents, Dai and I went away to a CenterParcs for a long weekend - my first time on one of those holidays, but I hope not the last. It was awesome.
While I was at home, I saw some of my regulars, which was lovely. This was the last Christmas and New Year we're expecting to hold in the club, and it will be strange this year. One of the locals nearly made me cry (not hard, I know, but still) telling me how he watched me grow up and my family fall apart: but despite all that, he said he thinks I'm a strong person and that although it's not over yet, everyone has complete faith in me. Bless. If only I did half the time! I have to get back to revision now: like somebody on my course said earlier this week, blogging is so much more fun when you've got work to do!
While I was at home, I saw some of my regulars, which was lovely. This was the last Christmas and New Year we're expecting to hold in the club, and it will be strange this year. One of the locals nearly made me cry (not hard, I know, but still) telling me how he watched me grow up and my family fall apart: but despite all that, he said he thinks I'm a strong person and that although it's not over yet, everyone has complete faith in me. Bless. If only I did half the time! I have to get back to revision now: like somebody on my course said earlier this week, blogging is so much more fun when you've got work to do!
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