Let the games begin!

J

JohannaBoo

New member
Yeah, I know I went for an olympic title, since I live in London and seem to be surrounded by olympic slogans I felt it was only fitting. And I hope that by the olympics I will be, not fully there, but a lot closer to my goals!


So, a quick run through of why I am here: As a child I was "normal" sized, not super skinny, not chubby. I did gymnastics competitively (though not at a high level) and danced, so I was an active child. Puberty hit and I got this lovely soft tummy of mine, but I was still exercising and doing ok, an injury at the age of 17 meant no more gymnastics for me. Started college and it wasn't so much the freshman 15, but the sophomore 25 that did me in. I was in a relationship, comfy and got very lazy, I let my weight creep up past 165 pounds. At that point I stopped and changed my life style and went down to about 135-130. Got engaged, all was good, only really it wasn't and a year and a half ago I broke it all off. And started gaining weight again.


So here I am now, 27, more or less 160 pounds (BMI of about 26.5) and really not happy with my body. I started up in gymnastics again last year and I do enjoy it, but my weight is making is difficult for me to jump high, every tumbling pass is a bit of a fight with my own body. And the full on wake up call, I am a bridesmaid in a wedding at the end of june and I don't want to be photographed twenty million times over looking like this. So I have bought new running shoes and electric scales and will start on this journey again.


My goals are manyfold, weight wise I would like to be 125 pounds, which puts me at the bottom of the healthy BMI scale, but I have a little frame so I think that I would look and feel best at that weight, however anywhere between 125 and 130 is fine. And it is more about how I look and feel than about a number on the scale to be honest.

Fitness wise my goals are to run a 5 k in april/may and a 10 k in september or october. I have also seen a swimathon for 2.5k or 5 k in april and I am thinking about taking part in that too. I have always wanted to be a person who runs marathons, and while I don't see myself capable of actually running marathons at the moment, smaller races feel like something I could attempt. I also want to be able to do my tumbling passes without feeling like I will die in the end and I know that with less weight I will be able to jump higher. I would like to accomplish an aerial cartwheel by the end of the year (haven't done one since I reached my teens).

Dress-size wise my goal is an 8 or a 10 (UK size... I think it would be a 4 or 6 US size). Right now I am a 12/14 (really more of a 14!).


And finally my plan:

Eating: I did best when I had only fruit and tea for breakfast, so I will try that again. If I find it impossibly hard, I will add oatmeal. For lunch I will pack a protein (chicken, fish, egg) and vegetables, with some carbs a few times a week. I like to stay low in carbs generally, so having it just a few days a week should be fine for me. Dinners will be soups and salads and that kind of thing. Lighter meals and a couple of snacks of fruit and veg. I find that if I have precut veggies in the fridge and fruit around me, I will be happy to eat that, but I get lazy and forget to do it, so I need to remember to do it. My calories I would like to be 1700-1800 for starters. I think I am drinking enough, but I will try to get more water into myself (and cut the sugar out of the many cups of tea I drink). I am lactose and gluten intolerant and while I do well with the gluten, I do love milk products. I am going to try to be stricter with it.

Exercise: I train in gymnastics twice a week for about 2 hours and I will be more constant with this (because training is friday and sunday I have often just been lazy and not gone, but I really want to change that). On top of that I would like to go running for about 45-60 minutes twice a week. And if at all possible, I would love to swim once a week, but I need to see how feasible this is, as I am currently working 45-50 hours a week.


Ok, so I have the scales, I have a plan, I have fresh fruit and veg in my fridge, I have brand new running shoes... let this journey begin!
 
I am so tired, absolutely shattered. Woke up at 6, went out of the house by 7, worked 8:30-5 with one family and 5:30-9:30 with the other (I do childcare 3 days a week and work in healthcare the other 3, sundays I have off!), got home by 10:30. And I barely had a minute to sit down, there was always a baby crying, or someone wanting something. I made a batch of cupcakes with one little girl (but didn't have any myself), walked the 800ish metres to her school 4 times (twice to bring her, twice to pick her up, all 4 times pushing the twin stroller and with one baby in a sling).

So no actual exercise as such, but a nice active day.


Food:

Breakfast: 1 apple, 1 banana

Lunch: lentil and chickpea soup (320 cals)

Dinner: 1 small bowl of chilli, a handful of olives, another banana, apple and 2 tangerines

No time for snacks... ridiculous!


Drink: 2 cups of tea (no sugar), 2 glasses of thin squash, 4 glasses of plain water (not the 3 l I aimed for, but probably close to 2).


I am quite happy with today. I did weigh myself and my starting weight officially is 158.7 pounds (72 kilos, yuck!). Also felt really really fat today... but one day at a time. I can't be thin tomorrow, I can only be one day closer to thin.
 
Great beginning and attitude. Looking forward to your updates and looks like you get plenty of exercise in the run of those hectic days.
 
Thank you feelgooder for your post. Impressive weight loss!!


Last two days have been meh... I am doing much better food and drink wise, better choices, but my main problem which is not meals, but snacks is still kind of lingering. Yesterday I ended up staying out with friends and while I started off well, having a tea (unsweetened), then I was served a glass of wine (which I did not really drink) and there were sweets on the table... and I had several.


Today after a very long day at work that included not one but two poop-a-paloozas (one of which ended in me having to bathe both twins, because there was poo everywhere, up the back, in the neck folds... gross!), I had a packet of cookies. The entire time I was buying it and eating it I felt embarrassed and angry with myself. And I didn't go to training and came up with excuses. Sometimes I frustrate myself so much. Tomorrow will be better.


Food for yesterday:

Breakfast: 1 apple, 1 banana

Lunch: chicken breast in curry sauce and smallish portion of white rice

Snack: 1 banana

Dinner: 1 salmon slice, green side salad

After dinner: sweets


Drinks: 2.5 teas, several glasses of water... around 2 l I'd say.

Cals: est. around 1500 (plus sweets... so maybe 1800)


Today:

Breakfast: 1 apple, 1 banana

Lunch: chickpea and lentil soup and 1 packet of hulahoops

Snack: 1 packet of gf cookies (600 ish calories...argh!!!)

Dinner: slice of salmon, veggie stir fry, pudding was 1 banana and 2 plums


Drink: 2 cups of tea, 3 glasses of squash, 3-4 glasses of water (probably over 2 l).

Cals: around 2000... had I not eaten the cookies I would have been well within my limits... so silly!


I have friends over for dinner tomorrow, will roast a chicken and have green salad on the side, to keep it healthy.
 
Yep, looks like you are getting some good exercise, keeping up with the children! Good luck to you.


AnnaG
 
hey girl!

just stopping by like i said i would. it really looks like you are off to a great start!! we definately have the same goal weight, i dont know if i missed it, but how tall are you?

i know what you mean about 'being one of those people that run marathons'. i have always admired those people, my goal is to become a runner. It just seems so hard for me because i have very bad asthma and my breathing is terrible and i cant catch it while im running. i try the whole breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth thing, but i am still dying when i run.

I just started this program called the couch-to-5k running program, its a 2 month program that pretty much takes you workout by workout and challenges you, intervals of running and walking and by the end of the 2 months,(if it worked, lol) you are supposed to be able to run a 5k or 30 mins straight without stopping to walk at all what so ever. I just finished my first week yesterday, just suggesting if you were interested. im pretty excited about it, haha. well anyway, ill end this for now. just wanted to stop by and thank you for coming to my diary and goodluck!! i look forward to watching your progress!
 
Thank you Anna and Mindy for stopping by. It is always nice to know someone reads every now and then!


Well I did so very well today, exercisewise. I powerwalked 6 k, considered running it, but decided to start walking it, just to see how far it is, and then run it (or part of it) maybe monday or thursday (I am working until very late on tuesday and wednesday and I won't go running at 11 pm). So proud that I did it, I kept thinking I was going to find an excusem but the weather was wonderful and it totally got me off to a fantastic start, which meant that today, despite being saturday and a lazy day, I got a lot accomplished. Bought a couple of pictures for my room and hung them (Banksy, love it!), tidied up, did laundry, did some grocery shopping and then made a lovely meal for some friends and we enjoyed that together.


Eating was only ok, not too bad calorie wise I think, but nutritionally probably not my best (though I did get my 5 a day in). I didn't drink enough, I don't think, but that can be solved easily. I did have a minor accident, fell badly onto my side (wooden floors and socks, not always compatible), and now my hip hurts. I think it is just a bit bruised and will get better by tomorrow. I am going back to gymnastics tomorrow after a month long hiatus, so really looking forward to that.


Food:

Breakfast: 1 apple, 1 banana

Lunch: 1 big cookie sandwich (2 gf, lactose free vegan cookies with lactose free cream in the middle... delicious)

Dinner: 1 piece of chicken, 3 potatoes, green salad and grilled asparagus, pudding was grapes and strawberries, plus a few chocolate buttons.


Drink: 2 mugs of tea, 2 large glasses of squash, one large glass of water (probably 1.5 l)

Cals: I am estimating around 1700, but not sure


Exercise: 6 km powerwalk (aprox. half of that on a steady incline)
 
Hey JoannaBoo,

Congratulations on making the decision to lose the weight...and achieve your many-fold goals...wow, you do have goals, and it looks like you have a good plan! I also appreciate your great attitude and positive posts you have had on this forum! You go girl! Exercise and good food choices combo will get you where you want to go!

Keep up the good work and I look forward to following your journey!

Sarah
 
You're pretty much where I was at when I first started doing this, and I have no doubt you'll power past me and then some, considering you've achieved it before and know how it works! As above, you seem really positive and supportive of others, which is always really nice to see - and with a busy job like yours, hopefully the pounds will just melt off! Happy to see someone who is also just going by the mirror of almost the same height and start weight as me - taller girls ftw!

Good luck with your goals, you seem to have the right attitude and mindset to achieve whatever you want!
 
Thank you so much Sarah and Sarah! I am a very happy-go-lucky type of person and I try to infect others with my happy energy (unfortunately I do get a tad depressed at times and then I need some infecting myself!).


I had a fabulous day. I ate well, had no cravings of unhealthy food, had a friend over and all we had was tea and a good chat, then spent some time writing to my sister and a friend and then went to my gym training and remembered how much I love it. It is such a high when a tumble works out. I am still recovering from injuries (one of them is nearly 10! years old and still aches), so I can't do great tumbling passes but my coach was very happy with my back handsprings today. So yey! This coming week is half term so the gym will be closed, which bums me out a little, but i will go running and swimming instead I guess. I found a running club just around the corner, it is free and after 5 runs they give you a cool t shirt for free, so I figure, why not? I can try and see, if it is too hard, then I can always not do it and run at my own pace, but maybe this is what I need, some company. I will go tomorrow to get times and stuff, as well as go to the pool and ask about membership, cost and all that jazz. I don't think I even have a swimming costume, but it is such a godo low impact work out that I feel like I should do it, gymnastics is so high impact, this might contrarest the damage I am doing to my wrists, knees and ankles.


Food:

Breakfast: a large bunch of grapes, 1 apple

Lunch: tomato and chicken soup

Dinner: 1 piece of chicken and veggi stir fry


Drinks: 2 mugs of tea, 3 glasses of water. I think I was rather low today. Didn't feel thirsty much. Need to try to do better.

Cals: I am estimating 1500 ish


Exercise: 2 hours of gymnastics


Feels like it will be a good week!
 
Good job on the gymnastics! I wanted to do gymnastics when I was younger, but I was always told I was too tall to do it - you're living proof that the lessons were simply too expensive for my poor family, haha! Must be nice to have a sport that you're so enthusiastic about and can use to your advantage while losing weight.. I do enjoy running, but I think I'd really do well with something challenging.. you ever tried rock climbing or anything like that?


Stick to it, you've got an awesomesauce start!
 
Thank you Sarah and Anna for visiting! I wish I had more time this week to go through diaries some more and to reciprocate a little more, but I will! On the weekend!


Today I ate alrighty, though I had some sweets and a couple of squares of chocolate in the evening, with a friend who is a bit sad (it is a tough week for him, his father died unexpectedly last year this time). I will spend Valentine's with my two little valentines... they are 5 months old and they do love me, so I can imagine a worser fate! Of course I would like to have an actual date, but I will be cuddled plenty, and appreciated a lot and I give a very tired mummy and daddy the chance to go out and have a lovely date, so I am really actually quite happy. Plus no date, means no choccies! Yey!


No exercise for me, I am sore from yesterday (not terribly, just enough to remember that I used every muscle, down to my fingers), and by the time I got home it was raining. And I won't get to exercise tomorrow or wednesday either, but I will have nice and active days, so I just need to adapt my calories accordingly.


Food:

Breakfast: 1 banana, 1 plum

Snack: 1 apple

Lunch: crayfish and rocket salad, snack a jacks

Snack: handful of grapes, 1 banana

Dinner: omelette with sweetcorn, carrots with hummus, a few sweets


Drinks: 3 cups of tea, 2 bottles of water (500 ml), plus a couple of glasses of water (probably just over 2 l)

Cals: I estimate that even with the sweets I should not have gone over 1700


Tomorrow is a long day at work, probably 10-12 hours, wednesday the same, 12 hours, then thursday and friday just 8 each, and saturday just 4. A good busy week! Sportwise, on thursday and friday I plan on doing a run/swim and on saturday I will probably powerwalk 6 k again (or maybe try walking 3 and running 3). On sunday I might do something fun, like iceskating. I haven't done it in ages and since gymnastics is not on, it would be a fun way to get some exercise in. Looking forward to that actually!
 
Hope you have a good valentines day! I too won't be getting any chocolates but yes that's a good thing! Lol.


Your aims are great and you have already made headway in achieving them. Sound like your background of gymnastics then having an injury must have been really tough, but it's great you are getting back to it now :). What healthcare work do you do? I need some ideas for a job/study lol. And looking after children must be tiring!


enjoy the iceskating that sounds great!
 
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