Trying to look good with so much going on!

I've told you all quite a bit about my efforts to lose weight this year. I have been doing The Fast Diet, as have quite a few of my friends.  I've found it quite easy.  On fasting days - two a week - you just don't think about food.  You have decided you are not going to eat and that is really powerful.  Until last week I was doing really well.  But last week I did my two fasting days and then on my five eating days I just couldn't stop eating!

I think The Fast Diet works if on the other five days you stay within the normal ranges - 2000 calories for women - but I obviously didn't!  This coupled with the fact that Heather and I only managed one run last week meant I put on 2lbs!

This was not good!  I'm trying to lose weight so I look good in my new dress for my husband's Birthday party in less than three weeks!  So drastic action was required.  Serious cut back on calories this week!!!  Yesterday I fasted and I'm going to try to fast again today and tomorrow, then eat sensibly for the rest of the week and only allow myself to be naughty at dinner on Friday night - as I'm going out and Supper at Heather's on Saturday night.

I'm also going to run a minimum of three times this week and walk the dogs as much as possible.  We had a really good run last night.  5.2 miles and it was easy!  We could both have carried on so bring on Wednesday!

Last week seemed like a quiet week socially - probably only because I've been doing so much with the girls lately and last week we didn't actually have an evening out together.

On Friday I went to the races - Cheltenham Festival - but the weather was horrible!  We did however see Will and Kate.  We were literally stood two feet away from them as the police cleared the steps so that they could come through.  They are both so skinny!  I'm just jealous!!!  She is very pretty though!  So that was quite exciting but other than that I can't say it was my best day at the Races!  I didn't even wear my racing coat.  I just opted to wear my horsey Eurostar jacket which is one of my favourites.

Friday evening my friend Jane came for supper and Rich lit a log fire so we were really cosy after a day spent in the rain.

On Saturday evening Rich and I went out to supper and it was an evening with a difference!  I wore black skinny jeans (Gok at Sainsburys), my black ankle boots (Stylist Picks) and my new red jacket!!!  I bought it, or rather Rich bought it for me, from the Joules stand at the races.  I love it.  It's styled on a hunting jacket.  It's so cool!  And it was half price!!! Yay!  Still expensive I guess - reduced from £179 to £89 but well worth it because I do love it!

 

 We decided to go to Broadway.  I'd seen a restaurant on Trip Advisor called The Workshop which is a sister restaurant to Russells in Broadway - which is absolutely lovely.  So we parked the car and sheltering under our massive brolly - yes it was still pouring with rain - we tried to find it!  It turns out it closed back in November!  To be replaced by Russells Fish and Chip Shop!

We decided to give it a go!  It's quite . . . basic in it's furnishings but was quite busy too.  Always a good sign!  We both ordered the "half pint of prawns with saffron mayo" to start and they did actually come in a half pint glass tankard.  And they were delicious!  I had the fishcakes to follow.  Again delicious and packed full of fish rather than potato.  And they served Prosecco too!

The choice of desserts however was uninspiring - ice cream or . . . ice cream.  So we went across the road to the Broadway Hotel.  I haven't been there for years but its lovely now!  And with the rain still bucketing down outside it was lovely to relax on a comfy sofa by a blazing fire with a glass of bubbly and dessert.  Definitely want to go back and eat in the restaurant.

Whilst relaxing there I came across this article:  

So Girls - get out your red lipstick and your eyebrow pencil!!!

My week ended with another high calorie outing but it was way too good to miss.  My friend Sarah had invited a few of us to afternoon tea.  We have become addicted to the concept of afternoon tea having been out to various placing - The Frogmill being the most recent - and really enjoyed it!

We had a lovely afternoon.  Sarah had made scones with jam and clotted cream, Victoria Sponge, Vienese Whirls and Flapjacks and it was all yummy!  She even sent us home with a party bag of cake!!!  Result!

What NOT to wear at 50: Beautiful Bargains!!!

What NOT to wear at 50: Beautiful Bargains!!!: It's been a busy few months of social occasions for me which is brilliant but of course I need to have something to wear for all of...

Beautiful Bargains!!!

It's been a busy few months of social occasions for me which is brilliant but of course I need to have something to wear for all of them!  So I've just had to shop!  It's tough I know but well . . . I LOVE IT!!!

The girls and I went to a clairvoyant evening!  Don't ask!!!!!!  My friend Paola looked lovely that evening all dressed in blue.  So it got me into blue!  I don't usually wear blue.  I searched on line for some blue ankle boots.  Everything that came up was horrible!  One of the Google results was Jones the Bootmakers.  Anyone who is local to Cheltenham will know that Jones is quite expensive.  I almost didn't bother clicking on the link as I didn't want to pay in excess of £100.  But I did click.  And there was the most gorgeous pair of  high heeled blue suede boots!  It was love at first sight!!!  And . . . joy upon joy . . . they were in the sale!  The shopping fairy was looking down on me!  They were reduced from £110 to £33 and they had them in my size!  Yay!  Needless to say I couldn't enter my card details quick enough!

A few days later my boots arrived.  I opened the box and fell in love all over again!  I was almost scared to try them on.  I couldn't bare it if they didn't fit.  But in a truly Cinderella moment they did fit!!!!  

As I was going to my friend Jane's Birthday celebration at a very nice restaurant called Armagnac a few days later I wanted to wear them!  I had bought a dress from Dorothy Perkins' website.  They had 25% off for the weekend so I'd ordered a few dresses (intending to choose the nicest and send the others back) as I knew everyone was wearing a dress for our evening out.  As it happened one of the dresses that I'd kept was navy.  It was yet another bargain!!  With the 25% discount it cost me less than £25.

So I went out in my new dress and my new boots.  As you know I'm not a dress kind of person and I'd certainly never worn ankle boots with a dress.  I had double checked with my daughter that it looked alright!  And I loved it.  And what's more I felt completely comfortable - unheard of in a dress!

Anyway, my blue quest continued!  I think I may be obsessed!  I bought some super soft blue jeans from New Look at just £14.99.  They are sooooo comfy.  And I bought a few blue T-shirts and thin jumpers also from New Look.

A few days ago I received an email from Stylist Picks saying they had a special offer on all boots this week - 50% off.  As regular readers will know I love Stylist Picks shoes and boots.  I let my friends Jane and Heather know as they have both bought shoes or boots from Stylist Picks too. 

Now both of them have bought new boots in the current sale and I'm feeling somewhat left out because I haven't actually ordered any.  In all honesty I don't need any more boots but as Heather said -  it's rude not too when they are so cheap!

Wardrobe Space

I thought I would share this article with you.  I don't know about you but I constantly lust after more wardrobe space!  And what do you think about the list of clothes women own?  I definitely have more trousers, tops and shoes than the list suggests but less dresses.

Click the link to read the article.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2286578/Its-official-Women-DO-need-wardrobe-space-British-women-THREE-TIMES-clothes-male-partners.html

What NOT to wear at 50: The Fast Diet

What NOT to wear at 50: The Fast Diet: Whilst in Sainsbury's a few weeks ago I bought a book called The Fast Diet.  There's been a lot written in the pres...

The Fast Diet

Whilst in Sainsbury's a few weeks ago I bought a book called The Fast Diet.  There's been a lot written in the press about this diet after the Horizon programme - Eat, Fast, Live Longer was aired last year.  Dr Michael Mosley investigated the benefits of fasting, not for weight loss but because of the health benefits and life extension.  He was 55 and mildly overweight, like most of us!  His father had died in his early 70s of complications associated with diabetes.

Whilst making the documentary he had an MRI scan.  This revealed he was thin on the outside but fat on the inside.  This is the most dangerous sort of fat, visceral fat, because it wraps itself around your internal organs and puts you at risk of heart disease and diabetes.  He also had blood tests which confirmed he was heading towards diabetes with a really high cholesterol score.

Dr Mosley followed conventional advice but it made little difference.  He discovered that intermittent fasting had massive health benefits and trialled his own version - the 5:2 Diet.  After three months on the diet he had lost 19lbs and his blood indicators had improved massively.  So much so that his wife - also a doctor - was astonished.  She regularly saw overweight patients with a blood profile similar to that of her husband's and none of the advice she had given them had made anything like the difference that the Fast Diet had made.

The science behind the diet is that animals out in the wild have periods of fast and feast.  This is also how we are genetically programmed.  Our bodies and our genes were forged in an environment of scarcity, punctuated by the occasional massive blow-out.  These days we eat all the time!  Dr Mosley's research found that fasting can improve mood and protect the brain from dementia and cognitive decline.  It reduces IGF-1 thus reducing your risk of a number of age related diseases such as cancer.  It increases insulin sensitivity which reduces your risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. And you lose weight!

One way to check your BMI - a predictor of your likelihood of developing heart disease, is to measure your waist around your belly button.  Your waist should be less than half your height.  In a study of over 45,000 women followed for 16 years the waist to height ratio was an accurate predictor of who would develop heart disease.

Are you convinced yet?  Are you concerned about your weight?  Do you want to stay healthy so that you can enjoy your retirement?  Either way, READ THE BOOK!  This is just my synopsis.  For less than £4 I suggest you buy it and make your own mind up.  I'd suggest it's money well spent.

SO WHAT IS THE FAST DIET?

Basically, for 5 days a week you eat normally and for two days a week you fast.  It doesn't matter which two days you fast - whatever fits in with your lifestyle.  On your fasting days you are allowed 500 calories for a woman and 600 calories for a man - a quarter of your normal daily allowance.  You should try to consume food that makes you feel satisfied i.e. high in protein with a low glycaemic index.  You consume these calories in two meals.  This can be breakfast and dinner or brunch and dinner. You can drink tea and coffee without milk and are encourage to sip water throughout the day.

I having been doing it for several weeks now.  several of my friends are also doing it too.  I'm not finding it difficult.  Actually I find fasting days strangely liberating.  When I am on a diet I find I'm constantly thinking about food and what I can eat to stay within my designated calorie allowance or points.  On fasting days I just don't think about food.  I have lunch and dinner but on some days I could happily skip dinner.  I feel so much better.  Im losing weight and in the meantime I'm eating what I want so that girlie suppers or dinner out with my husband is a joy.  I can engoy the food and the wine and not worry about my weight.  Result!!!   If you decide to try it please let me know how you get on with it.  And good luck!

To Gok or Not to Gok???

As you probably know, I'm a big Gok Wan fan.  I follow him on Twitter.  I watch all his TV programmes.  I buy his books.  I buy his clothes collection from Sainsbury's.  So, as you can imagine I was excited to hear that his new collection was launching at the end of last week.

I saw a link online to a video clip of an interview he had done about the new collection.  I think he said it's his 7th collection.  He said this was quite a departure from what he'd done before.  This is what he'd always wanted to do but he had to win the public's confidence first.  You can find the clip by clicking the link below:

http://www.gokwan.com

On Saturday I set off to do my Sainsbury's shop knowing that I would be able to browse Gok's collection and perhaps even buy a few pieces.  And there it was - prominently displayed right at the front of the clothing section!!!

. . . But . . . huge disappointment!!!!  I didn't like it!!!!!  There is nothing about it I liked!  Check it out for yourself by clicking the link below:

http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/blog/2013/01/sneak-peek-gok-for-tu-spring-collection/

Actually I am exaggerating!  I did like one thing.  I bought a pair of black perfect fit trousers.  They do fit really well and are comfy too.

I don't know about you but I have been a big fan of Gok's latest series Style Secrets.  Gok has been helping single women who haven't dated for years to get back out there.  Whoever says that clothes aren't important is crazy!  These women transform when Gok shows them how to dress.  Of course he's also brilliant at boosting their confidence too but the clothes make a massive difference.

I think when people feel low they tend to wear the same old clothes over and over again.  They want to disappear into the background.  They don't want to be noticed.  They feel ugly.  They look in the mirror and the clothes they are wearing don't do them justice so it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.  Once someone (Gok in this case) shakes them out of that downward spiral and shows them how to dress suddenly they believe they look good.  Confidence emerges and they start to care about themselves and how they look.  People start to notice and tell them how good they look and hey presto! - A transformation takes place!!!

So if anyone tells you that you buy too many clothes - so long as you feel good in them - ignore them!!!

Take a look at Gok's scrapbook from the series:

http://scrapbook.channel4.com/experts/gokwan

Which trousers???

I love trousers!  You probably already know that if you are a regular reader of my blog  Dresses and skirts are not my thing.  I don't feel right in them.  I feel comfy in trousers.  You don't have to be careful getting out of the car or bending down.  You can just sit down without having to smooth down your skirt/dress in case you are showing too much flesh and you don't have to worry about your dress/skirt being tucked in your knickers when you've been to the loo.  Trousers are definitely the way forward!

It's not that simple any more though.  There are so many different types of trousers.  There's skinnies, straight, boyfriend, bootcut, flare, leggings, jeggings, harem pants, ankle grazers, cigarette pants, cargo pants, chinos . . .  to name but a few!  Which style do you choose???

I tend to wear a lot of skinnies.  I used to think I was too fat to wear skinnies but now I love them.  I used to wear bootcut but now I hate them.  So with that in mind I decided to try on a few pairs of my trousers with a basic white T-shirt and a pair of nude heels to see if the style of trousers makes a difference to how fat I look!  Brave I know!!!!

So what have I deduced?   That I look fat in all of them!!!  However if I stand sideways I look thinner.  So if you see me out and about don't be surprised if I'm walking sideways!  I wish I'd worn a black T-shirt I might have looked a bit thinner!  Because it's not just style of course, it's colour too that can influence how fat or thin you look!  God, why is it so complicated???!!!

 These are my Gok at Sainsbury's skinny jeans.  I love these jeans but are they flattering?  Not with this top!

 These are my burgundy flares from Primark.  I love these because they are comfortable and swishy.  Quite flattering from the side!

 These are my M&S harem style pants.  I actually love these.

 These are my burgundy leggings from Primark.  Would be fine with boots.  I would never wear them out like this.  They are comfy and feel much better quality than Primark!

So what do you think?  Which style of trousers do you like to wear?  What style would you never wear?  Come on share your style secrets.

I saw these two adverts in a magazine the other day.  I love them both but I don't think I could wear either.  Mutton dressed as lamb comes to mind.  But still, I do love them!  Would you wear them???

Another Girlie Supper!

Ready for Girlie Supper - blouse from Next, leggings from Gok at Sainsbury's and boots from Stylist Picks

On Friday night I went to a Girlie Supper at my friend Paola's house.  It was a supper with a difference for us.  Whoever hosts a Girlie Supper normally does all the cooking but at this supper we shared out the courses.  Sarah brought nibbles, Annita and I provided the starter, Paola did the main course, Jane and Heather each did a dessert and Claire did the cheese board.  It worked really well.  We had an amazing meal and drank loads of champagne.

Hopefully Paola didn't feel too stressed as she only had to do one course.  It can be quite stressful cooking all three courses.  We always say at our Girlie Suppers that no one should feel under pressure.  We would be quite happy with beans on toast because it's all about spending time with our friends rather than having a sophisticated menu.  In saying that though I don't think we have had a bad meal.  In fact quite the reverse.  Whoever hosts always makes a real effort and we are thoroughly spoilt with delicious food and lots of wine.

We are trying something new on Wednesday.  I'm hosting a Wine Tasting and Pizza evening.  Hopefully it will be fun.  I will update you on how it goes!

I'm back on my diet today.  I had a bad week last week with lots going on and I've strangely decided to become a Domestic Goddess recently - which is so not me! - and I've been trying out lots of new recipes.  We have been eating far too well.  Rich and my son seem to like it but it's not so good for the diet!

My friend, Jane, has persuaded me to join her in giving up chocolate for the month of February!  We are both chocoholics so it's not going to be easy!!!  We can't have chocolate in any form - no chocolate biscuits or cakes or anything at all with chocolate in it or on it!!!!  Arrrggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

This is us at Paola's with her gorgeous Dalmatian - Crash

A Night at the Cinema

Last night I went to the cinema.  I went with my friend Jane and a workmate of hers who I hadn't met before.  We went to the Screening Rooms which is a bit like going business class at the cinema.  The seats are large and comfy with lots of leg room and small tables for your drinks and nibbles.  There's waiter service from a menu of wines, beers, soft drinks, hot drinks, hot and cold snacks, chocolate and ice creams.  It's divine!!!

We went to see Les Miserables.  We knew it was a long film and a musical but we didn't know too much more. We settled down with a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a block of chocolate.  I was a bit worried I'd be bored as the film was almost three hours long but it was brilliant!  I highly recommend it!

The shock was that by the time we left the cinema the snow had really come down heavily and the roads were treacherous making the journey home quite scary!

It really doesn't matter what you wear at the cinema as it's mostly dark but I wore brown skinny jeans from River Island, M&S jumper/tunic, Dorothy Perkins boots.

Living the High Life!!!!

Despite the snow I have had a very decadent few days!!!  On Thursday Rich and I had a Spa Day booked.  I'd bought the voucher from Living Social back in November.  I wasn't expecting much to be fair.  The voucher cost £35 for the two of us.  It was at the Greenway Hotel which I'd never actually heard of so expectations were quite low.

So when we walked in I was pleasantly surprised!  It's beautiful!!!  The staff in both the Spa and the restaurant were absolutely lovely.  The decor is gorgeous.  The pool area is so nice.  Low lighting makes it feel really intimate.  Lovely comfy loungers and even a sofa where you can relax.  The pool is great and it has two spa beds in it which have jets in them so you can lie back and be massaged.  There's two saunas - a hot one and a not so hot one and a steam room.  Outside in the courtyard there's a lovely wooden, rustic hot tub.  It was so fabulous sitting in it whilst the snow was falling.

Our deal entitled us to use of all the spa facilities from 10 til 6, a two course lunch each with a glass of champagne and 20% off all spa treatments.  The lunch was superb. Rich had starter and main but obviously I had main and dessert.   The Chicken Caesar salad was gorgeous and the chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream was divine.  The decor and ambiance is so chic it made the whole experience feel really special.

We chose to use our 20% discount off treatments and both had a 40 minute Tranquillity Divine Soul Anti-stress Ritual.  It was gorgeous!  So a massive success.  I will be looking out for future offers at the Greenway!  Definitely want to go back!!!

On Saturday evening we had girlie supper at our friend Cath's house.  It was exciting because Cath has recently had an extension and it was the first time I'd seen her new kitchen.  It's fabulous and looks so big.  We had a lovely supper, delicious food and lots of banter as the girls were looking on a dating website that Sarah had seen advertised.  We had to ask why men put such unflattering pictures on when they are trying to attract a partner.  I think that could be our new business - styling men and photographing them for dating websites.  We could "Gok" them!

I wore black Gok skinny jeans, dark grey Next top with floral print back, M&S boots and my horsey snood.

Yesterday - Sunday - I went on another Spa Day!!! Yes I know that is crazy.  Two Spa Days in one week.  It's a bit like buses - you wait for ages then two come along together.  When I'd booked the Greenway I hadn't realised that this one was going to come along.

So Cath, Jane, Paola and I went to Cowley Manor!!!  It's got a fabulous reputation and I've wanted to go for years.  It cost £75!!!  It's a January special offer.  It's usually much more expensive.  For that we got use of the Spa facilities, a two course lunch and a 60 minute treatment.

Our approach to Cowley Manor was so beautiful - down a snow covered lane, into the drive with Cotswold stone pillars up to the beautiful and very grand Cotswold Manor House.  In contrast the Spa is very modern but they have used Cotswold stone alongside glass and slate so it still feels in keeping with the surroundings.

We were given our robes and shown to the changing room.  Then we took up our places on loungers by the indoor pool.  We were the only people there for most of the morning although it did get busier after lunch.  We all thought it lacked something.  Namely a jacuzzi.  The indoor pool wasn't that warm and the sauna and steam room were hot so you can't exactly sit in there for too long.  A jacuzzi/hot tub is such a social place and if it was located outside it would have been amazing to be in the hot tub in the snow.

As the day wore on we warmed to the place more.  I guess as we started to relax.  There were nice magazines and newspapers to read, water jugs and glasses provided and a bowl of tangerines which we happily munched on.  We had out treatments - all four of us at the same time which meant no one was left at the pool with no one else to chat to.

Three of us had facials and one massage.  The facial was so good.  The beds had heated blankets on them so you were so warm and cosy and they were adjustable so you didn't have to lie flat on your back, you could have your head up, feet down, etc.

After our treatment we had lunch.  I'd say it was nice but not amazing.  Then feeling totally chilled out and full we went back to our loungers to relax.

After a little while they started to remove the cover from the outdoor pool and steam began to rise.  We decided to go out and dip a toe in to see how cold it was.  Quite cold!  But we couldn't rest.  There was something so enticing about swimming outside in the snow.  We adopted a strategy of going outside in just our swimming costume, walking in the snow and getting really cold, then jumping into the pool which in contrast felt warm.  It was brilliant.  We went in twice and had a good swim around, tried our hand at synchronised swimming and then got out, ran back inside and straight into the indoor pool - which in comparison felt like getting into a hot bath!

So we had a lovely day.  Will we go back?  I'm not sure that we will.  They do have lovely products in the changing rooms but I think may be we can get better value else where.  We did, however, decide that well being is important and we should try to do more of this sort of thing.  It's now our quest to sample as many spas as we can this year.  So, if anyone has any recommendations or knows of any
good offers please let me know!!!

Finally I'm sharing a few photos of Cowley Manor and our day - excuse the quality!

The Diet goes on . . .

I've now been dieting for two weeks.  It's been quite a roller coaster ride what with crazy diets and loads of exercise!!!  I weighed on Monday - twelve days in to my diet and I'd lost a total of 9 pounds.  I was really happy with this!!!  Woop woop!!!!!

I haven't found the eating too bad so far but the last two evenings I've given in and had a glass of wine with dinner.  It's really really hard to stop at one.  A lovely cold glass of Makutu Bay!  Who can resist!

 I'm still tracking my calories on my phone. I'm allowed 1155 calories a day.  It's not too hard.  I have cereals for breakfast, egg on toast or tomato soup and a bit of crusty bread for lunch and then whatever I want for dinner with either vanilla yogurt and fruit or jelly for desert.  I snack on apples, tangerines and Rich Tea biscuits.

I am exercising lots though!  This week I've already done loads.  I feel really tired tonight.  My back aches and my left hip is sore but I feel good too.  On Monday evening I ran with my lovely running buddy, Heather.  We ran 4.32 miles.

On Tuesday morning Rich and I did an early gym session.  I did interval training on the bike, resistance work on my legs and bingo wings, core stability/abs work and walking lunges and squats with weights.  Then I swam 30 lengths.

At lunchtime I walked with my good friend Jane and our dogs for about an hour on snowy Cleeve Hill.

Last night I ran again with Heather.  We ran 4.56 miles.  We ran for 50 minutes without stopping.  I track our run on my phone now!  We started running in April 2012.  When we first started we ran 20 steps, walked 20 steps.  I did a ten week beginners course with Cleeve Ladies Running Club.  We never imagined we would be able to run for 50 minutes without stopping.  There have been times when we have thought we would never get any better.  We have hit a plateau and just not been able to move on.  But we have persevered and we are so proud of our progress.

Today, once again, Rich and I did an early gym session.  I didn't want to do any aerobic exercise in the gym because of all the running I had done already this week.  I felt I needed to give my joints a rest so I did more resistance work and abs/lunges/squats, etc.  Then I swam 40 lengths.

This afternoon I walked my dogs for an hour.  When I walk I don't dawdle I walk really quite fast.  Thankfully though, tonight was a no running night.  Chilling in front of the TV watching Gok!!!

Tomorrow evening Heather and I will do a shorter run - about 3 miles.  And on Friday I will probably go to the gym and walk the dogs.  So quite a bit of exercise!  I do rest at the weekend though.  The only thing I might do is walk the dogs.

I have an exciting weekend coming up!!!  Girlie supper at our friend Cath's house on Saturday evening and then a really posh spa day on Sunday.  More details to follow . . .

Diet Shocker!!!!!

As you all know I started the Doctor Gundry diet on Tuesday of this week.  I knew it would be tough but I was only doing the first phase to boost my weight loss which lasts two weeks.  How hard can it be to keep it up for two weeks?!!!

So Day One I skipped breakfast as I couldn't face protein and leafy green veg and anyway I'd got my gym induction at 9am.  When I got back though I had my snack of nuts or seeds.  I had 45g of cashew nuts.  They were ok.  For lunch I had two medallions of bacon with salad leaves.  In the evening I went for a run with my friend Heather and when I got back I had dinner - chicken breast, sugar snap peas, asparagus and broccoli.  A bit later on I had 40g of Brazil nuts.  I'd also had six and a half glasses of water - not quite the 8-10 glasses he recommends but close.

Total calories consumed 843 but I had burned 745 from my exercise so net calories were 98!  I felt like I had no fuel in the tank and struggled with my evening run.  And I needed to wee alot!!!

Day two we headed off for a 7.30am gym session.  I felt quite tired.  I did the resistance work and some core strengthening exercises and lunges and squats with weights.  I thought I would try to do ten minutes of interval training on the treadmill but I just couldn't do it.  I had no energy.  I decided to head to the pool and enjoyed swimming 20 lengths followed by relaxing in the jacuzzi.

By the time I got home I just wanted to curl up and go to sleep!  I forced myself to eat breakfast.  Boiled egg and salad leaves.  Oh joy!!!  I'm not much of a breakfast person but as everyone says breakfast is the most important meal of the day I do try to eat it.  Normally just a small bowl of cereal.

I then had my mid morning snack, 30g of Brazil nuts.  Then I went for about a 50 minute walk with my dogs and Jane and her dogs across Cleeve Hill.  For lunch I had a bacon and onion omelette and unable to face salad leaves opted for grated carrot.  Carrots are allowed raw but not cooked.

Rich and I then went to Sainsbury's.  What a joyous trip that was!  We spent ten minutes in the vegetable aisle but I really didn't want to put any in the trolley.  I usually love salad but the very thought of it was turning my stomach!  I was still feeling exhausted and had a burning feeling in the back of my throat and my stomach felt like I'd drunk way too much wine the night before - really acidic.  I walked past all those lovely carbs and stared longingly at them!!!

I was going to the cinema with three of my friends last night and wondered if I would be able to stay awake!  I skipped dinner as I'd been late having lunch and actually couldn't face eating anything I was allowed to eat!  I did, however, stay awake through the film because it was absolutely brilliant.  Go see The Impossible I highly recommend it.

My lovely supportive friends tried to lure me into temptation!  Jane had mini eggs and Sarah had those fried egg sweets and both thought I should be able to eat them as I'm allowed eggs!!!!  I resisted.  I think Paola just thought I was completely crazy for being on such an extreme diet.

When I got home I just didn't want to put anything else in my stomach it felt so bad!  I swear I would become anorexic if I kept this diet up!  My total calories consumed for the day were 775.  I'd burned 566 through exercise.  Net calories 188!  I'd also had to wee eight times, unheard of for me!!!

This morning I woke up at about 6.50am needing another wee.  I walked to the bathroom in a complete daze.  I had stomach pains and I felt really sick.  I got back into bed and slept until about 9am.  I awoke still feeling exhausted.  Back to the loo again but I had to stop and hold on to the wall half way there as I had a dizzy turn.

I got back into bed and asked Rich to get me a cup of tea.  I never drink tea, always black coffee.  I just needed something that would soothe my stomach and as I take my tea with milk I though it would help.  It did.  I also had a Rich Tea biscuit.  Carbs!!! Yay!!!

I decided to weigh myself and I've lost three and three quarter pounds in two days but the way it made me feel was just not worth it.  I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast.  I was still feeling dizzy when I stood up and Rich told me that Dr Gundry says if you have low blood pressure it does make you really dizzy.  I always have low blood pressure.  I felt like I used to feel when I was pregnant!  Not good!

I wanted to go to the Opticians as I need glasses for night time driving but I didn't feel stable enough to go on my own.  Rich drove me there and accompanied me in so that I didn't fall over.  Also I couldn't concentrate.  I'd got a really important email to send but I just couldn't clearly collate the information I needed.

I have now had a bowl of tomato soup and some crusty bread and a small Kitkat bar.  I do feel a bit better but still a bit wobbly.  I have been able to send my email though.

My advice is don't try diets like this.  I've always thought that cutting out whole food groups was wrong but Dr Gundry's science was very convincing.  However, if I feel like this after two days it can't be good for me.  I've had to cancel running tonight.  I've been running around three times a week since last April.  That has to be better for me than some crazy diet!  If you are obese and putting your health/life at risk may be this is for you but otherwise reduce your calorie intake and exercise more.

Happy sensible eating and exercising.  Believe me it makes you feel good unlike the alternatives - over eating and no exercise or extreme diets!  Good luck xxx

Officially OLD today!!!

Today - 7th January 2013 - my youngest child turned 18!!!  All of my offspring are now adults.  I must be very OLD!!!  I've tried to convince Rich that in order to deal with the trauma of being so old and childless I should be allowed another dog, but he's having none of it!!!!  

His presents all ready for him!

Me ready to go out to lunch with Rich, my son and his two best mates.

We had a lovely - if not enormous! - lunch out at The Plough at Ford.  I wore my Forever 21 blouse and my Gok skinny jeans and M&S boots.  

Today was also weigh-in day.  I was really pleased as my diet only started last Wednesday so I've only had 5 days of dieting and I've lost 4 and three quarter pounds!  Yayyyyy!!!!  Rich has lost 8 pounds in the same time period!!!  Whoop whoop!!!

Tomorrow is day one of Dr Gundry's diet for me!  I think I'm going to struggle.  It's also our gym induction so it's all systems go.  I will keep you posted!

The Diet Update

I've done three full days of dieting and frankly I'm not thin yet!  I've set up the app on my phone and input all my details.  It has then worked out that in order to lose two pounds a week I can consume 1216 calories a day.  It wouldn't allow me to lose more than two pounds a week.

So far it's not been difficult but it is early days!  I ran with my friend Heather on Wednesday and Thursday evening.  Friday was rest day.  I'm going to try to sort gym membership for a couple of months today.  Then the plan is to run three times a week and gym twice a week.  I intend to use the treadmill for a bit of interval training at the gym and also do strength training and swimming.

In my running magazine it says that losing weight is one thing but maintaining it is quite another which we all know to be true.  It offers three tips to keeping the weight off:

1.  Keep exercise levels high
2.  Weigh yourself at least once a week
3.  Be accountable - either by exercising with a friend or join a club or make your goals known to all   your friends

My friend Paola suggested a plan where for 5 days a week you eat whatever you like and for 2 days a week you fast.  Women should only consume between 400 and 500 calories on these two days and men can have 500 to 600 calories.  Lots of people follow this regime but it must be tough on the two days when you fast.

My husband, Rich, is also dieting.  He follows Dr Gundry's Diet.  He did it last year and lost loads of weight very quickly and did maintain it for quite a long time.  Then he got naughty and put weight back on but he's still not as heavy as he was before he started with Dr Gundry.

On Thursday I put the Livestrong app on his phone and we tracked his food for the day.  He ate over 1400 calories.  The app had calculated he should consume 1350 calories but he just continued to follow the rules of Dr Gundry's diet.  He did no exercise.

I on the other hand I consumed 994 calories.  I also burned through exercising  (running and riding) 861 calories.  So my net calories consumed were only 133 calories.

On Thursday morning - just 48 hours into our diet - Rich decided to weigh himself.  He had lost five and a half pounds!  I couldn't believe it.  I didn't expect to have lost anything in two days and he'd lost so much.  I remember this also happened the first time he followed this diet.  The first two weeks are strict and it's meant to kick start your weight loss.

I decided to also weigh myself.  I'd lost one and a quarter pounds.  More than I expected but in comparison to Rich it was kind of insignificant!  I'd eaten less than him and exercised but he'd lost more weight than me.  How unfair is that!!!!

I had resisted Dr Gundry because I know it won't really suit me.  Most of my diet is made up of carbs and that's a no no with Dr G.  I did think that may be I can do the two week "Tear Down Phase" to kick start my weight loss.  I've been reading Dr G's book and the science behind what he's saying is very powerful.  It makes you feel stupid to not follow it but it does banish just about everything I love!!!  Chocolate, cake, white wine, pasta, etc.  I can have gin but no tonic!!!  And that's forever on Dr G's diet!

On Tuesday I am going to start the two week phase.  I'm not sure if I will complete it but I'm going to give it a go!  I can't start on Monday because it's my son's 18th Birthday and we are going out to supper.  I have to have a palm size portion of protein for breakfast, lunch and dinner with leafy green vegetables.  I have to have two snacks of seeds and nuts.  I have to drink 8 - 10 glasses of water a day.  I'm allowed one glass of red wine a day.

The allowed proteins that I like are:

Beef - inc steak, mince, etc.
Pork tenderloin
Bacon
Chicken
Salmon
Shellfish
Whitefish
Tuna

Dairy:

Eggs
Yogurt - plain and unsweetened

Vegetables:

Lettuce
Spinach
Watercress
Bean Sprouts
Beans
Broccoli
Carrot - raw only
Cucumber
Garlic
Herbs
Mushrooms
Onions
Peppers
Sugar Snap peas - not shelled peas

Beverages:

Coffee
Tea - black, green, white or herbal
Red wine
Water


I am going to find this really hard!  I'm not one of those people who loves eating their greens.  Rich happily tucks into spinach and poached egg for breakfast but it's my worst nightmare!  And note, no fruit allowed.  No bread. Not even a Rich Tea biscuit.  Hell!!!!!  If I don't lose half a stone I will be gutted.

The Consequences of Feeling FAT!!!

Stepping on to the scales after Christmas is never a joyful event.  Far from it!  And so, if you are one of those people who love shopping you are probably not in the mood for clothes shopping.  You take your normal size into the changing rooms and it won't go over your hips, won't zip up or just leaves rolls of fat bulging over the sides.  This kind of experience is to be avoided at all costs.  You knew you were fat before the scales confirmed it so you really don't want these totally unsympathetic new clothes to scream it out loud in a very public changing room.  You may feel like ripping said clothes off and curling up into a ball and sobbing loudly but I find the assistant in Next is not too keen on this behaviour.

But girls there is one thing you can always buy whether you feel obese or skinny.  I have to add here that feeling skinny is an unknown concept to me!  You can buy shoes!!!  They always fit!  God I love shoes!  So I have to admit that's what I've done!  Firstly I ordered some ankle boots from Next.  They arrived a day or so later and I pulled off the packaging to reveal my beautiful, sexy, orgasmic boots.  I tried them on with a slight hesitation - if they don't fit I will cry - but they fitted!  And I LOVE them!!!  Oh great joy!  Who needs clothes when you can have shoes or boots.

It didn't stop there however.  In my inbox I get regular newsletters from Stylist Picks.  I've never bought anything from them but I quite enjoy browsing their newsletter.  Their latest one was advertising their sale.  I happened to stumble across - by some slip of the mouse - the shoe section.  I reasoned with myself that I didn't need more shoes.  I've got loads of shoes.  But then the sale prices twinkled away at me taunting me like a bar of chocolate or a glass of NZ Sauvignon Blanc.

This morning my new footwear arrived.  To be fair it would have been rude not to take advantage of these bargain offers.  It was so exciting unwrapping them.  They came in black shoe boxes with black ribbon tied round them.  Inside the shoes were delicately wrapped in tissue paper with a little sticker holding it in place.  It can't get better than this even at Jimmy Choo surely?  They felt expensive and sexy and perfect.  Oh I LOVE my new shoes and boots!!!

Yes I didn't stop at one pair I bought a beautiful pair of black ankle boots for just £25 and a pair of black and tan shoes - a snip at just £15.  You are obviously nodding in agreement that I had to buy said footwear at such bargain prices.  There really was no alternative!  And I do really LOVE them.

So here they are:

My Next boots

My £15 Stylist Pick shoes

And how lovely is the box!

My gorgeous £25 Stylist Pick boots!

What an exciting day!  It's given me a real boost from my cold which even with Nurofen Express is giving me a splitting headache and eyes that I just want to close as they hurt so much.  So I deserved cheering up!

I also though I'd share with you some of my Christmas presents.  Rich bought me things from the list I'd given him.  Not sure how he'd get on without a list?!!!  May be next year I will try it.  I'd really love a surprise but one I like not one I'd have to pretend to like.  Tricky!  So he bought me several books.  I'm on book two, Cheryl Cole's autobiography.  I've already read David Walliam's.  Shout if you want to borrow it but WARNING it is rather dark.  He also bought me a bottle of perfume and the following items:

As you may have guessed I love tweed.  This is from an inexpensive equestrian company called Rydale.

This is my Pull and Bear top which you will probably remember I wore Boxing Day.

This jumper is also from Rydale.

This bag is from Joules and I love it!

It's probably the most expensive bag I've owned at around £90!!!!

And this is what my daughter bought me:

This purse is from Joules and it's gorgeous!

I love what a contrast the lining is.

And a furry headband also from Joules.

My son bought me a laptop cover which I asked for and this lovely handbag.

This is from Oasis and will go beautifully with my new Next boots!

And my friend Jane bought me some yummy chocolate from Hotel Chocolat and this fab snood:

As you may have gathered I love horses!

I was also lucky enough to get a spa voucher from Richard's daughter and several other gifts from them and two very appropriate plaques from my lovely friend Theresa but I will share these with you another day.  Today is officially SHOE DAY!!!!