Leonora's Diary

Leonora

Leonora

New member
Hello all, did anyone else feel the compulsive urge to open their first entry with "Dear Diary"...?


So, I'm 23 and have just finished university after reading Zoology. I recently came back from a holiday in France, only to discover when I went shopping this past Monday that I had moved up a dress size (blasted yummy french food!). So now there are only about 3 or 4 highstreet shops from which I can by clothes (and even then they usually don't have my size on the rails half the time). This was the last straw.

I'm sick of being too large to wear the clothes I want.
I'm sick of not feeling attractive. (fingers crossed it's not my personality that's repulsive ;))
I'm sick of not being able to wear skirts in summer when walking anywhere because my thighs chaff.
I'm sick of probably not being able to conceive as I have no periods (not that I want to at the moment, but I'd like to later in life!)

The best (most interesting) jobs using my degree are ones which usually involve long hikes etc. I would love doing that sort of thing, however physically I'm not quite up to it.

When I think about it seriously there are so many reasons why I want to loose weight!

This isn't my first time at weight loss, like many others I have made failed attempts. This time *will* be different. (I'm controling the urge to say 'hopefully', but somehow it just seems a little defeatist to me... so at least for this inaugural entry I'm going keep to the absolutes, no wishy-washy, vague, qualifying, "weasle words")

In my previous attempts I think I made some big mistakes: Firstly I tried to do it on my own, without any outside support. Secondly I didn't set myself goals. Thirdly I didn't properly weigh, measure or record my efforts.

So lets start with the basics:

I want to lose 80 lb.

If I were to lose 1% of my total body weight each week, this will take me 41 weeks. Losing 80 lb in the better part of 9 months would be a complete dream to my mind, so I'm giving myself a whole year.

I'm going to achieve this by exercising at least 4 times a week, while also eating a healthier diet, in slightly smaller portions.

This time I'm going to measure and record my weight once a week (every Monday). I'm also going to measure my size at the same time. Hopefully being able to see measurable changes is going to serve to help encourage me and keep me on track.

This challenge has started today!

Anyway, nice to meet you all, hopefully I will get to know some of you better soon


Leonora


P.s. I would enter more but I need to go to bed :( So for a more detailed why, why and umm... why, you will have to wait until tomorrow.
 
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The Whats and Whys

So, the vital statistics:

1. I am 5"10 and weigh 243 lb.

2. My ideal weight would be 155 lb. .

3. In four months time I would like to be 210 lb.

4. I want to be slimmer so when I go in to a clothes shop I can always find my size. That was the turning point issue for me. I also want to loose weight for my health, as I have been diagonsed with poly cystic ovary syndrome (psoc) and weight loss should help alleviate my symptoms.

6. There are a number of obsticals that may get in the way of my weight loss goals. One is my having pcos - it apparently makes it harder to loose weight and also possible keep the weight off. The other is my will power, hopefully however this not start to weaken.

7. I suspect I initially put on weight because of pcos, because as a child I was fairly active, doing sport 4 times a week and eating exactly the same as many of my friends - even so I was overweight. However because I put on weight I sort of gave up, so when exercise wasn't compulsory anymore I stopped doing it... thus the slow but steady weight gain.

8. These are the life style changes that are going to help me loose weight: Doing a fairly challenging level of exercise at least 4 times a week, and every day at least doing some form of exercise (e.g walking the dog). Ideally I would like to completely control my diet as well, but sadly I'm living with my parent at the moment so I have eat with the family. There is however a certain level of flexibility, so I'll still be able to eat healthily.

9. In the past I have lost weight, but I have no idea how much as I've never bothered to weigh myself consistently, the most significant change was probably when I was on my gap year when I went to Madagascar for 3 months, which involved a lot of physical exercise and walking long distances on sandy beaches carrying a scuba tank/water barrels/boat....

10. I regained the lost weight from my gap year because I stopped doing that level of exercise (or any exercise!) and ate western food again :(

11. I suspect my subsequent attempts at weight loss failed because I didn't have a set goal, I didn't measure my efforts and I didn't have an external support for my efforts.


12. Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time? Yes, and anyone reading though this may have to suffer through it.

13. Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook? Yes, usually either meat or fish with salad/vegetable. Pasta (significantly less pasta for me now :(), soups, sandwiches.

14. How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go? Very rarely and it varies but it's usually chinese/indian/japanese/italian.

15. What are your three favorite foods? Chinese takeaway special noodles, banana and cinnamon muffins, Thia green curry.

16. What are your three favorite restaurants? Yo!Sushi, indian and a amazing restaurant found in the south west region of France.

17. What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food? Reduce my portion sizes, reduce the amount of carbohydrates I eat and don't snack on sweet, sugary items.

18. If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different? Flat stomach, smaller waist and I'd be able to find my hip bones when lying down ;), thinner thighs, no flabby arms, thinner face and neck: Weird thin is I can't quite imagine what I would look like thin(ner) as the last time I was remotely thin was when I was 11 or 12.

19. Do you eat when you are not hungry? Sometimes if it is really tasty or in social situations.

20. Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)? No.

21. Do you hide your food or eat in secret? No, except for items that would otherwise be consumed in a flash by my brother!

22. Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed? No.

23. Do you eat as a reward? No.

24. Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer? Not unless it's an quick evening meal when no one is home/I particularly want to watch a specific program.

26. What type of snacks do you eat? Usually what ever is around the house - often fruit, sometimes crisps, yoghurt, rice cakes.

27. In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing? I've just started doing exercise videos in the morning.

28. Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym? Home? Home! Looking into doing swimming at the local gym.

29. What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise? Swimming. Casual group sports with friends such as rounders, badminton or frizbee. Kick boxing (but rather tough on the joints - poor knees!)

30. What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals? Set weight loss goals for the week and month. The thought of looking pretty and being healthier - I'd rather like to learn to rock climb or go back to kick boxing, or get a environmental research job which requires a certain level of fitness.

31. Do you have rewards for certain goals? Pretty, pretty, pretty clothes at the end. I'll have to think of better short term rewards (anyone got good suggestions?)


Wow! That took me ages to fill in, but it was certainly food or thought.

Hopefully I can us this to reference back to so as to remind me why I'm doing this if my dedication starts to flag.
 
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So, I was doing an exercise DVD today, and you know when they day "feel the burn" or "work through the burn"? I have a suspicion they don't really mean point when the burn become more like knives..... hmmm. So what I find myself wondering is what is the difference between good effort 'pain' and bad pain...

Well today I was so-so good with what I ate, sadly sausage casserole was made for lunch which certainly isn't ideal (do you know what's in sausages?!?!) and as there is no wholemeal bread in the house, I had to settle for white in my sandwich. Otherwise I feel I've done fairly well.

I've started a food journal on a document on my computer so I can get a accounting of what I'm eating, so hopefully that will keep me from straying towards those damnably tempting packets of crisps that are lurking around in clear view in the kitchen :( - all my sisters fault, although I can comfort myself with the knowledge that in two days if not sooner they will be gone as my brother will have wolfed them down!

Thought I would give myself a half rest day tomorrow and instead of intensive exercise I'll do yoga and take the dog for a long walk.
 
So what I find myself wondering is what is the difference between good effort 'pain' and bad pain...
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your body is the best judge of that... you really shouldn't be in pain while you're exercising - regardless of what Jane Fonda wanted people to believe in the 80s :D
 
And on the third day....

Hmm, so today I thought I would give my thigh muscles a rest (rather achy at the moment) so instead I did the yoga video I mentioned yesterday – nice and relaxing though one or two poses were fairly had to hold. Not too surprisingly these involved the thigh muscles I was giving a rest – which I have just quickly looked up on the internet to discover are my quads, I’ve always wondered which side the quads were on!

I also went on a brisk dog walk, which was interesting as the sun was still working its way through the morning mist – couldn’t tell where the lake water ended and the sky began which was a little vertigo inducing.

So, I’ve set up a variety of excel and word docs to record what exercise I’m doing, what I’m eating and finally a nice complicated chart to predict my ideal weight loss and what my real weight loss is. I will then faithfully fill these as the days go by so I have an accounting of what I have (or haven’t) been doing and my progress.
 
This morning I got up and did the same exercise video as the one I did on Wednesday, it was a touch easier than last time, though whether this was because I’m just that tiny bit fitter or because I could better predict what the next moves is difficult to tell. I’m going with the positive view that I’m a little bit fitter :D.

That or I didn’t try quite as hard.....

So I decided I would weigh myself once every week (on Monday) but I have this niggling urge to do whenever I walk past the scales - it's very frustrating!
 
hye looks like you are doing really well. don;t become a slave to the scale lol. just wondering have you taken measurements to see how they change during the year or 41 weeks ;). have a good weekend. x
 
a-n-g-e-l said:
hye looks like you are doing really well. don;t become a slave to the scale lol. just wondering have you taken measurements to see how they change during the year or 41 weeks ;). have a good weekend. x
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Hey angel, thanks for the encouragement. Yeah I suspect measuring the difference is a good idea. I took all the suitable measurements and possibly some not so useful measurements (e.g my calf though held off on my ankle and toe width lol.) I'll checkn those once a week as well :)
 
I had a horrible night’s sleep last night, woke up from a nightmare and had to leave the light and some music on so I could go back to sleep. Thus when I woke up this morning I really didn’t want to get up, let alone do any exercise. Did yoga instead, which helped stretch out my hamstrings (at least I think they were my hamstrings :)) which were feeling a little tight, also helped calm my disgruntlement. Although apparently yoga is able to help you lose weight I suspect they’re talking about 3 or 4 lbs worth not the 80+ lbs I aim to lose. Still something is better than nothing I suppose. A dog walk is sounding like a good idea this afternoon...
 
Lazy Sunday

I didn’t do any exercise this morning, had a nice Sunday lie in instead. Feeling bad because I think I should do more, but at the same time there’s the balancing argument that certainly at the beginning of an exercise regime you shouldn’t push yourself too hard causing detrimental effects because you’re not in good enough physical shape yet.
 
Monday is weigh day!

I weighed myself this morning and came up with 236 lb. I suspect I didn’t weigh myself correctly in the beginning, that or I was wearing heavier clothes... otherwise this means I lost 6 lbs in one week (6 days actually) and although that’s nice and everything it can’t be healthy in the long run surely?

Also lost some distance from my measurements: lost an inch from my hips, 1/2 inch from my chest but nothing from my waist.

I’m thinking of doing a photographic record of my weight loss, but I’ll have to ask someone in my family to take the photos...
 
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I think the photo journal is a great way to SEE results, I actually think I should start doing it to :) You may have lost six lbs in a week- theres usually a lot of water from sodium in the beginning(hey, a loss is a loss :D ) so its a strong possibility.
You sound very motivated to get where you wanna be- just keep it goin! Theres gonna be days when ya don't wanna- we allll have those, but just keep working on it! Great job on all the yoga to. I tried it once. Not for me :rolleyes: I'll just stick to my basic gym stuff! Have a great day Leonora!
 
Thanks Jess for the encouragement :D


So for today's entry:
Once again did my exercise DVD, which I’m glad to say I’m getting a little more competent at though I definitely wouldn’t ever want anyone watching me, I’m not what you’d consider particularly coordinated! Also as a plus, my muscles no longer ache for the rest of the day after doing exercise. I spent most of last week hobbling around like an octogenarian.

Last night we some mini cheese and ham croissants with our meal, they're very very tasty and I had to demand they were removed from my reach so I wasn't tempted :D
 
So, everything is running normally, I’m aiming to do exercise 5 times a week, (exercise videos, yoga etc.) so I’ve decided to have Wednesdays and Sundays off. Yay, lie-ins!

I forgot to have my mid morning snack, whoops – and possible as a sign of the difference of eating small quantities more often, it was the first afternoon I had felt the urge to have a nap.

I found some recipes that sounded interesting so I am looking forward to making those when I have the chance.
 
My exercises this morning didn't go as well as they have in the past, for some reason I was weirdly tired, couldn't bring myself to do the toning exercises. Possibly because I didn't get sufficient sleep last night, I stayed up too late reading.

I went to the doctors this afternoon because I was getting headaches, he reckons they're tension headaches and prescribed me a beta-blocker. I'm not to sure how I feel about it, seems a fairly heavy duty sort of drug to my way of thinking. Apparently it also makes it damn hard to get your heart rate-up so I won't take them until after my morning exercises. Also beta-blockers can make your hands and feet cold, which definitely doesn't sound like fun when you live in a 300 hundred year old house with no central heating!

I cooked what I hope was a fairly healthy meal tonight, following a recipe I found in a magazine lying around the house. Tomato and raisin chicken. I don't whether it was good for my weight loss but it certainly tasted good :D
 
Tomato and raisin chicken?! Interesting...
Hope you had a good weekend, got your workouts in and your headaches got better!
 
Last week didn't go so well as both the TV and DVD players were on the fritz. I kept on telling myself that I'd just go running instead but I don't like running :( That and I don't have suitable clothing, all I own are wide leg track suit bottoms which flap around my ankles madly if I run in them and pick up all the morning dew... which quite frankly is rather unpleasant.

So, I'm going to have to sort that as soon as possible.

Otherwise the week went okay, although because of lack of exersice I gained 1.8 pounds :( Looks like I'm going to have to start running if I can't get the DVD player working!
 
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Leonora said:
Otherwise the week went okay, although because of lack of exersice I gained 1.8 pounds :( Looks like I'm going to have to start running if I can't get the DVD player working!
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Ah, the scale is a fickle thing. Bouncing up and down seemingly randomly, really irks my last nerve.

I don't like running either. I'm not physically fit enough to run... :ack2: Maybe power walk instead? I have a treadmill, which makes it a lot easier.

Tomato and RAISIN chicken? Honestly I can't say that sounds very good to me... I sure hope you enjoyed it though! :)

<3 Annie
 
Its been a while since you've been on ehre- had to put you at the top of the pile! Hope your doing well, get on ehre and update us soon!
 
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