Omega's journey

Thanks for visiting my diary. I have been really remiss in getting diaries visited over the last few days while I have been away. I promise that I will do some soon. At the minute I am getting tons of support from you all - and not giving enough back.

I really appreciate all your words of encouragement. I really believe that if we stick together and all stay focused - we will all get to where we want to be.

Kimberly

Regarding Saturday's calories - I do admit that I over-ate in meals on Saturday which is why I cut back on the raisins.

Saturday was a difficult day because there was visitors during the daytime - for which I had to provide a buffet. I put out sandwiches, savouries and little pastries which (apart from a little lattice) I didnt touch. I also put out bananas, apples, satsumas, grapes which I felt free to touch. I had my weetabix just before people arrived and no-one seemed to notice that I was being selective in what I ate. I felt that I got through the daytime part pretty well.

Saturday night we ate out - so I surfed the internet to try and assess the likely calorific value of the meal. Even with just a main course it was still higher than anything I would have prepared at home.

I do a lot of walking. When I am at home I aim to do an average of 30,000 steps a day. I nearly got up to that on Friday there. I wear my pedometer all day through (because I burn calories around the house as well as when doing "exercise"). When I am at home I go out on three walks during the day. My morning walk is the longest and it alone lasts over 2 hours. That is why I do not list when I have done exercise in the challenge - I basically spend over three hours out walking as exercise every day.

My stamina has definitely improved - I simply could not have done the mileage at first. I have been building it up (from zero) since late February. I have found each distance tiring at first - but easier as time goes by. I am always ready to sit down by the time that I get home. Today I will be extra tired as I have a keep fit class (including aerobics) about 5.5 miles into my walk. I try to get there 15 to 20 minutes early so that I can sit and have a rest first.

The addictive thing about family history is that there are always more lines to investigate. Each time you make a discovery - there is the question of who their parents were and what kind of life they lived. I am descended from a lot of border reivers.

Anne

After so many failed diets when I have got nowhere by counting calories alone and been told that walking was not a valid form of exercise as it was not energetic enough and you had to run or something similar (which I knew that I could not do) - I am so delighted to have found a method where even I can manage to lose weight. It has made me determined to try and do what I can while this is happening - so I admit that I do work very hard. I also recognise that many people are not in the same position as me. I have effectively turned my weight loss project into my full time job. Most of us have to juggle it with work commitments. Also my husband is very understanding and I have told him that many jobs around the house can wait until my weight loss project is nearer where I want it to be. Poor Stacy would think me a :piggy:.

What do I think about while I am walking???!!! Anything and everything. I find it a wonderful opportunity to think things through. Like everyone we encounter some stressful situations in our day to day life - and it is great way of getting away from it all. It also is an opportunity to play out all sorts of "what if" tactics regarding likely future events.

I have also found that since I did quite a lot of walking when I was in my late teens and early twenties - my mind wanders to the friends I had and went walking with then and wondering what ever became of them. They have been more in my mind recently than during the previous 25 years. Strange - but true!

There is nice scenery where I walk if the weather is nice (at least for part of the walk) - and I do notice the nicest parts - but must admit to often being lost in a daydream world of my own.

I dont think that I focus too much on my past, current or future shape much - I suppose from many years of trying to ignore it - but I am very aware of the mileage that I expect out of that walk. As I set out I check my pedometer reading and have key points where I do the same. I would be very unhappy if I returned home early without completing my anticipated mileage. I know that mileage is one where I can reasonably expect my weight to take a downward trend.

I still have a very long way to go to get to my target.

Tammy

You are so sweet popping by to encourage me when you are ill. Take extra good care of yourself. I hope that you are feeling loads better soon. I will pop into your diary later - probably after my walk and keep fit class though.

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
Sunday 11/11/07


Travelled home so did long walk in the evening after I got home.

General Data:

Morning walk = 6.3 miles.
Round the block = none
Extra exercises = none
Weight = 13st 1.6lbs (i.e. 183.6 pounds)
Steps = 22,184
Distance = 8.22 miles
Remembered to take normal vitamin / supplements
Continued my creaming regime – missed off a bio-oil massage

Food / Drink:

NB I have no target calories. I am not trying to reach any magic number.
Challenge gives a bonus if calories between 1850 and 2150

1 banana = 107 calories
3 weetabix (190 cal), sweetener (4 calories), 350 ml skimmed milk (123 cal) = 317 calories.
Large bowl grapes = 200 calories
1 mini pepperami = 38 calories
1 handful honey Shreddies = 126 calories
pork loin steak (200 cal), tin baked beans (210 cal), dessert spoon of apple sauce (20 cal) = 430 calories
2 large handfuls of raisins = 812 calories
2 litres of cold water
some diet cola

Total calories = 2030
 
Hello Margaret the Motivator!

;)

Hope yer havin' A Goal Reachin' Monday/Night!

Awesome job w/calories!

This week will fly by and then no more calorie counting! *WooT!* lol

:biggrinjester:

:hug2:

Thanks for all of your support as well doll.
 
Hi Stacy

Thanks for popping by.

I am counting the days until the calorie counting can stop.

If Kimberly suddenly says in week 3 we have to express our food in Weight Watchers points I will scream!!!:biggrinjester:

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
Margaret,
I really feel for ya having to count calories. I'm not into that either. I need to focus more on the exercise and not worry about keeping track of every little calorie.

I had to drop out of the Christmas challenge because I didn't know about the bonus points. It was a whole week before I discovered the bonus calorie counting points. I'll try to join the next challenge.

Anne
 
Hi Anne

Our main focus is getting our exercise done and eating healthily.

Why not keep going with the challenge and see how many points you get.

You can always drop out later. I would give it 3 weeks and see how things are going. You might find others dropping points too - or not. It is after all a game. Surely no-one is going to lynch someone for dropping a few points - especially if they do their best.

I am sure that there will be people who will not be picking up some of the points. If you take a 2 paper exam you still turn up for the second paper after you realise that you didnt get 100% on the first paper.

None of us are perfect - everyone will drop points along the way.

If you kept a diary note anywhere (even on paper) of everything you ate - you could convert it into calories now and probably claim the points. Check with Kimberly.

If I remember the rules correctly - there is a reasonably sizeable bonus based on weight loss over the duration of the challenge. You could drop quite a few points and if you lose weight well still end up with one of the best scores.

Since no-one is going to win a million pounds in the challenge - the purpose is to try and motivate us to stay focused and keep on our projects. You can do that with lots of points or less points.

I'd be more than happy to be in the same team as you - dropped points and all.

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
If Kimberly suddenly says in week 3 we have to express our food in Weight Watchers points I will scream!!!:biggrinjester:

Haha! I PROMISE that will not happen at anytime in the challenge..lol.

I agree with you that Anne should stay in. No need to drop out. And if she has written down what she ate last week, and figures out the calories, I will give her pts for that. There will be lots of people who drop out between now and the end--in fact, it looks like several have already dropped out. And the high proportion of people with perfect scores won't last long.

It was interesting to read about what you think about while you walk. I tend to do the same thing. :)

Nice job keeping the calories in line while you had company and ate out. That is tough to do.

Margaret, if I ever get back to England, I'd love to meet you. I think you're a cool person. :)
 
Hi Kimberly

I hope that you do manage to get back to England as I would love to meet you. I think that you are a cool person too.

I had a look over a few recent pages of your diary late last night. I didnt quite get to the latest entry as it was really late and we went to bed.

I notice that at one point a few days ago you were mentioning odd named people you have met. When I worked at CSFB (Canary Wharf) there was a Phillipino lad joined our team hired by the Wall Street office - they amalgamated the team here. Anyway when he turned up - his name was Orville Ponce.:smilielol5: I thought - oh my Goodness how will we keep a straight face - I know he might have a nickname that we could use instead and not use either of those names. So I got talking to him and said how we were a friendly bunch and did he have a nickname that he would prefer us to use. His face really lit up and he said that yes he had a nickname - it was Bong. Apparently it is quite a common nickname for Phillipino lads. And that is how we got a member of our team called Bong Ponce. :smilielol5::smilielol5::smilielol5::smilielol5:

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
rofl Margaret Id love to meet Bong Ponce.

I use weight watchers (when im not stuffing down everything in sight) and I love it. I lost 36kg on it about 7 years ago (which ive regained 24) but the things I learnt regarding food and portions were invaluable. Ive just slipped straight back into the points system, so easy for someone like me who cant be bothered counting calories.

It also allows you to have a little treat. I usually have a problem at work around 3-330 when I start yawning and really hit the wall. Ive decided that at this time i really need to FORCE myself to eat (im not usually that hungry then) so Ive bought a big bag of mini chocolate bars just for this time of day. I had one with a cup of tea today and got home without feeling like i was going to faint or having a bloodsugar swing.
 
Hi TiredAussieMum

Thanks for popping by my diary.

I am pleased that Weight Watcher suits you and wish you luck with it.

I tried them once 11 years ago. At that time they said that walking was no good for weight loss and you had to jog or run. I was too big for any of that and it actually put me off walking. I believe that weight watchers has since changed their attitude to walking (and indeed I have a Weight Watchers pedometer). Anyway like so many diets that I have tried that focus on the food (and effectively calorific aspects under one guise or another) I put on everything that I lost and more the minute that I stopped. I found it unsustainable.

My weight loss project focuses on walking and not on calories at all really. Most people have so many calories that they allow themselves (or so many WW points) as the central part and view exercise as a "nice to have". I try to walk about 11 miles a day (which is around 30,000 steps) and eat healthily. Any calorie-consciousness that crops up is certainly in the "nice to have" category around the edges.

Take care
Best wishes
Margaret
 
Hey Margaret,

I remember going to WW back in the dark ages when I was still a teenager. Im now 42 and it has changed so so much! But I also lost the bulk of my weight without them, primarily by working out a lot.

Walking is a fantastic exercise and 30,000 steps a day is amazing! I unfortunately don't have the time which is why I prefer a treadmill - I use it on incline and vary the speed etc. I also like to do weights and step aerobics - listen to me....havent been for months....:blush5:

anyway thanks for the reply! I was wondering how hubby is going?
 
Hi TiredAussieMum

I had heard that Weight Watchers had changed - but I am happy about how things are going for me for the time being.

I am actually toying with joining them when I am a lot nearer my goal weight than I am now. The reason is not because I think that they can get me to target any better than I am doing (and I would not alter my strategy one iota) - but because I am trying to think ahead to how to best manage "maintenance" which will be a whole different ball game.

They used to do a scheme whereby if you got to target with them you could have a special membership whereby you could go to meetings for free - but you had to attend so many in a year and be weighed - and you had to keep your weight within near parameters of your target weight.

I was thinking that could be useful. For one thing it would force me to stay weight aware - also it need not be expensive if you time it right - also it could be a useful way of meeting people (especially since we sometimes toy with moving to another area now that we are less career focused).

At the minute it is still in the "things I mull over" stage.

It is good that you like walking. I cannot say that I am surprised that you do not have the time to do the distances that I do - no-one does. Frankly it is unlikely that you would need to do anywhere like the distances that I do. I do them because my PCOS means that my body works against me making it more difficult for me to lose weight. I happen to have hit on something that gives me a good "normal" rate of weight loss and I basically put in the time and effort to make it happen. Most PCOS girls struggle to not permanently sit on a plateau when dieting - and I have had my fill of that over a million failed diet attempts.

My hubby... the biggest problem with him is that he seriously does not consider that he should lose weight. I wish that he did - but he doesnt. He knows that I worry about him - but he says that I am worrying needlessly. In order to keep me happy he comes out for a walk with me most days - and he has got his daily stepcount up to between 5,500 and 6,000 steps. He knows that the experts recommend 10,000.

He really likes his food and when we go shopping he selects things that he wants to eat and if he does not fancy what I cook he cooks something for himself. Half the time he cooks his own dinner. He always eats according to what he fancies eating and never considers his health. He had lost about 6 pounds this year - but he put on 3 pounds last weekend when we were away. I made a buffet where there was every opportunity for him to eat healthily as I did - and he basically had everything fattening that he could see plus half a box of chocolates. I know that not everyone enjoys spending time with their in-laws compared to being at home - but it was a shame that he ate as much and put on as much weight. When people are generally dieting I suggest that they should refocus and those celebratory pounds come off - but he wasnt really focused to begin with.

I love him dearly and am proud of the way that he often comes out walking - but I do worry so much about his health. His BMI today is 53.97. This is not good when your father was overweight and died aged 47 of a heart attack.

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
Monday 12/11/07

Another dry day. This was the first day that I weighed myself since getting home. My weight appears to have gone up - but looking at the data I believe that the scales were flattering me while I was in Newcastle. I think that my weight should have been half a pound heavier on Fri/Sat/Sun. The scales are back in their normal place now.

General Data:

Morning walk = 6.3 miles.
Round the block = 5 times (on two laps my husband came too)
Extra exercises = keep fit class
Weight = 13st 2.0lbs (i.e. 184.0 pounds)
Steps = 33,184
Distance = 12.30 miles
Remembered to take normal vitamin / supplements
Continued my creaming regime badly – did moisturising face twice but missed off both bio-oil massages and missed body lotion massage

Food / Drink:

NB I have no target calories. I am not trying to reach any magic number.
Challenge gives a bonus if calories between 1850 and 2150

1 banana = 107 calories
3 weetabix (190 cal), sweetener (4 calories), 350 ml skimmed milk (123 cal) = 317 calories.
1 handful honey Shreddies = 126 calories
150g salmon fillet (224 cal), 160g boiled potato (128 cal), 120g sweetcorn (99 cal), 5g olive spread (33 cal) = 484 calories
half handful honey Shreddies = 63 calories
2 large handfuls of raisins = 812 calories
2 litres of cold water
some diet cola

Total calories = 1909
 
I joined WW on-line and was doin' their program last Feb.

Didn't work 4 me...I was starving...lol

I do love their products though and use them often. :)

****

Hi ya Margaret! :hug2:

Have A Super Great Day!

Still cracking up over: Bong Ponce! :smilielol5:
 
Hi Stacy

I certainly wouldnt fancy following the WW program. But I can see how it could have advantages to be a way of keeping focused and meeting new people without spending much money over the long term.

Re Bong Ponce - you couldnt make it up could you?

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
Good Afternoon Friend!!

I'm still in shock when I read how many steps you did during the day, you are really rocking it out on the walking, I hope more people stop by your diary and get inspired to walk. I LOVE WALKING!!

Look at your ticker, WOW! Your so coming down and it seems fast! Your losing just about every week right? Amazing, just amazing!

Kim
 
Hi TiredAussieMum

Thanks for popping by my diary.

I am pleased that Weight Watcher suits you and wish you luck with it.

I tried them once 11 years ago. At that time they said that walking was no good for weight loss and you had to jog or run. I was too big for any of that and it actually put me off walking. I believe that weight watchers has since changed their attitude to walking (and indeed I have a Weight Watchers pedometer). Anyway like so many diets that I have tried that focus on the food (and effectively calorific aspects under one guise or another) I put on everything that I lost and more the minute that I stopped. I found it unsustainable.

My weight loss project focuses on walking and not on calories at all really. Most people have so many calories that they allow themselves (or so many WW points) as the central part and view exercise as a "nice to have". I try to walk about 11 miles a day (which is around 30,000 steps) and eat healthily. Any calorie-consciousness that crops up is certainly in the "nice to have" category around the edges.

Take care
Best wishes
Margaret

Hey Margaret!
I'm back...
I've been studying hard.
I started using this appetite suppressant chocolate bar....but that was a VERY bad idea ..
it has 210 calories for one bar.

And my appetite ended up increasing.
I think you are right about counting calories, but I am going to work to stay away from high caloric food ...but I am also in the know about what to eat and what not to eat.

and I am eating cheerios and one cup of milk for breakfast from now on. And what not.

I hope all is well with you .. I don't think weight watchers was a very good source with being against walking .. I did the same as you. For years they kept telling me walking would get me nowhere, so I wouldn't bother. But walking did take weight off...
now I need to take nine pounds off and I will be back to playing with the plateau..

anyway ..
hope to hear from you
down and out a little
love yas
natalie jo :bigear:
 
Hi Kim

Thanks for dropping by.

I know that it doesnt suit everyone - but I firmly believe that weighing every day is the only way for me. Most people have not had the experience of putting on as much weight as I know that I can put on in a week if I take my eye off the ball. It is truly frightening - and I am as fallible as the next girl as far as being tempted goes.

Weighing every day means that I get early warning of plateaus and start taking action earlier. It also means that I analyse which meals give me good results - and I plan future meals with that knowledge. For example I have lost weight on the scales the next morning 16 times out of the 18 times that I have had baked fish of any type as my main meal since the start of September. It certainly makes me more inclined to have fish if I cannot make my mind up regarding what to have.

This statistic is particularly impressive when you consider that both fail events were in September - and I sat on two plateaus in September.

We might not be talking a big weight loss - but even a fifth of a pound is worth having in a weighing every day scenario.

I keep a very detailed spreadsheet which helps me analyse most variables.

I must admit that I am rather pleased with the way that the weight keeps coming off.

I do quite a lot of walking - but you have to remember all the other forms of exercise which you do and I don't do. I find your gym visits highly impressive - especially your classes - they sound really exhausting but fun in a masochistic sort of way.

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
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