Nearly there

Last week saw us preparing for our longest walk so far starting from our home in Sproatley, through Wyton and Bilton, then along Holderness Road and through the town centre, up Boothferry Road, across the Humber Bridge, through Barton and finally into Barrow on Humber arriving at our friends house within hopefully no more than 6 hours. It doesn't sound far when you say it like that but it was just over 20 miles!!

We dropped Benjamin off at his Grandmas for a sleepover, his first one since her operation. I'm not quite sure who was looking forward to it the most - she was so excited.

We left the house just before 10am in far from settled weather and that set the pattern for the duration of the walk! We seemed to have all four seasons in one day. One minute it was glorious sunshine then the next the heavens opened and it poured with rain. We hit the Humber Bridge at around 1pm and as we neared the South Tower the heavens opened again but this time it was hailstone! Cold, wet, miserable and hurting we ploughed on and true to form it brightened up again and we got to our friends house after 5:45 minutes.

We were absolutely thrilled. Not only had we walked further than we had ever walked before but we had done it far quicker than we had imagined. What was also very encouraging was that we both said we could have extended our walk and completed another 6 miles if we'd needed to. This gave us a real confidence boost for the marathon in 5 weeks time.

After a blisteringly hot shower, a most welcome cup of tea and early afternoon drinkies, we spent a lovely evening with John and Sue, eating, drinking, chatting and catching up. Sensibly we slept over which meant weigh in would be a day later i.e. Monday instead of Sunday.

Weigh in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2lb loss!!!!!

I was so pleased to have lost again although if I'm really honest I wanted to hit the 3 stone mark at this time.

That was until we were sat at the kitchen table on Monday and Ray said to me "Do you realise what 40lb feels like?" Then off he trotted into the gym and brought out weights equivalent to the 40lb and made me carry them. Oh my word, how did I ever manage to walk around? The extra weight (to me) seemed huge and in true Ellie form I started to cry. I suddenly realised that it didn't matter that I hadn't got to my 3 stone target this week. The fact was I had lost 40lb in weight and I was feeling so much better and healthier and certainly much happier with how my appearance was changing. I am now buying clothes that are 3 sizes down from January; that would be enough to make anyone smile!

Until next week, take care

Ellie

xxx

Picking up the pace

This week has found me getting motivated again!

My gain last week, although the first one this year really changed how I was feeling. I can't begin to tell you how low my week started until I joined up with the new site, www.weightlossresources.co.uk.

I am really enjoying it and the support and advice network on the site is incredible. People who have never met before talking openly to each other, offering help and advice as well as motivating . . . . . . . . and why - because they are all in the same boat - they all want to loose weight to feel better about themselves and have a healthier life.

Ray has even enrolled on the site and is now entering his own food diaries and exercise regime. I think he's been quite shocked as to how many calories specific foods contain and only by making little changes, things can be so much healthier.

Hollie and Sean came over from Guernsey for the weekend and we had a meal booked for the Friday evening which was a little worrying for obvious reasons. I had however, worked hard all week and banked calories that I planned to use for my meal/wine so surely I had to get the loss I felt I deserved. Mum came with us too and we had a lovely evening, once again enjoying fantastic food - thank you Westwood!

On Sunday morning Hollie joined us on on what was going to be a relatively short walk via the tea rooms at Burton Constable Hall for a cup of tea and teacake . . . . . . . . only the grounds didn't open until 12:30!! So we changed our plan, went further down the road and ended up doing 5.5 miles. Bless her we did try and go gently on her but I think her legs were aching a little by the end. lol

Weigh in ................................................................ 4lb loss!!!! YIPPEE

That's 2 stone 10 lbs in 18 weeks (average 2.1lb a week!) bang on target. I would think that to lose 4lb next week to get to my 3 stone target is a little too much to ask but hey, I can but dream!!

This week I've done everything properly and I lost weight. In my eyes it's very clear that if you want to lose weight, then stick within the guide lines and it does work.

Saturday we have our 20mile walk booked and we are staying over at friends so weigh in will on Monday.

Until then

Take care, God Bless

Ellie

xxx

week 17. the pot grows!

This week has been taken up getting organised for our charity night on Wednesday!

When we were out last week I was complaining that I didn't have any new songs to sing and Ray heard someone singing Dance with My Father (originally sang by Luther Vandross) and said very matter of factly and without any thought for the words 'that's the song for you Ellie!' It's a beautiful song but I wasn't sure what I was more worried about - being able to learn in time (6 days) a song I had never heard before or whether I would be able to get through it without loosing the plot, crying uncontrollably and making my mascara run!

I put it on repeat on my ipod and gave it a run through at the weekend with Ray, Mum, Tammy, Caz and Andy roaming around the house. Between us all I think we went through about 3 boxes of tissues and I hardly managed to get through the first verse without tears streaming down my face.

Never the less, I stuck with it and invited my friend Sooz came down to listen and help out on Monday evening and again we sobbed for the first couple of runs through. The more I sang it the more confident I was that I would get through it on Wednesday and I seemed to have nailed it (or killed it as Ray so eloquently puts it!) by the end of the evening. Whether that was anything to do with the two bottles of wine and half a bottle of honey rum that we consumed. I'm not sure! What I do know is that it was lovely to spend time with Sooz, laughing and crying without children running round our ankles.. It was just what we both needed. xx

Wednesday arrived and I really can't remember when I was last so nervous. I wanted everything to go well, I was desperate to sing my new song for my Dad (and get through it!) But I was so emotional. Every text I got wishing me luck and telling me how proud Dad would have been of me just made me sob. I HAD to get through the night so I concentrated on getting everything ready, including myself.

I opened the night with 'Dance with My Father' and I only hope I did it justice for my Dad. I can honestly say I cannot ever remember an audience being so quiet during one of my songs. I'm sorry if I upset anyone but I really do wish I could dance with my father again - now all I have is a song.

Although it was a very meaningful and sad song for me, that was certainly not the form for the evening. The mood was a happy one and we had a fantastic night and managed to make a further £680 for the British Heart Foundation. Thank you to all of the artists, sponsors and supporters that helped on the evening. I am planning to do another charity night at the beginning of September (after my final weigh in) and I sincerely hope we have just as much if not more support.

Ray and I managed to get out for a 8 1/2 mile walk on Friday after dropping Benjamin off at school and the three of us went out for a bike ride on Saturday which was lovely.

Weigh in Sunday morning ................................. 1lb GAIN!

I'm so fed up you can't imagine and I'm really quite disappointed in myself.

I had a busy week and I slacked off - that is the long and the short of it. I've had a persistent craving for sugar and sweet snacks and rather than addressing the problem I have given in and helped Benjamin get through some of his Easter eggs!

The Mail slimmers web site also closes this week and this has been playing on my mind. After this weeks weigh in it is apparent that I still need to be filling in food diaries to make me aware of what I'm doing. I have found another site 'Weight Loss Resources' that I'm getting my head around and it looks fantastic. Thanks go to the the Mail Slimmers site for giving me a cracking start and I look forward to picking up the pace again with my new site.

Since starting my healthy eating regime in January I've not gained at all and I certainly don't want to do it again if this is how it makes me feel!! Maybe this is the kick up the bum I needed to get me focused again............... WELL IT'S WORKED.

Here's to next weeks LOSS!

God bless

Ellie

xxx