Weight Loss Journals - petecohen.tv

Loving the long weekend, wish they all were 3 days long. Doing a lot of sorting out at home - throwing away all the clothes that really don't suit me even if they do fit. Finding some clothes I'd forgotten I had, which didn't used to fit me but now do - so it's making me feel good.

I'd planned to sort out the kitchen (there's a cupboard that smells a bit odd - I suspect a mouse that the cats brought in has passed away) but I managed to cut my finger on a piece of broken glass on Friday evening> Had to have the cut glued and a dressing put on so I can't get that wet and kitchen cleaning is out. Back to the GP today to check on progress - these new polyclinics are very convenient with long opening hours.

The rest of the weekend has been relaxing, I've kept up with exercising and am doing another walk today.

I've been watching out for what I'm thinking and trying to laugh off the self-criticism. There is a lot of internal dialogue in my head - I think there's more than one duck in there!

Can't believe it's already day 21 of the programme - those 21 days seem to have flown by. Mixed success really, a great start but struggled to find time for myself in the last 10 days.

I am good now at keeping positive, shutting the duck up and not giving up. I have mastered the water tool and eating slowly. I eat far less processed food and more natural, healthy food. I am more active and doing more exercise. I am getting better at focusing on my goals and visualising the future me.

I need to keep focusing on exercise, and on thinking before I eat. I need to keep on practising the visualisation and acting like the person I want to be. I know I can do it - and that's half the battle!

Can't believe how bad I've been at blogging - life seems to have been incredibly busy in the last couple of weeks and I've not been making enough time for myself. I've kept up with the daily videos (either online or through the printed manual) but haven't gone on to blog afterwards. It's an excuse really - I could have made the time but didn't. Today's video about making choices has reminded me that I need to choose to put myself first each day.

I have been doing pretty well since I last blogged. I'm eating fairly healthily, although I've given in to chocolate cravings several times. I'm being more active and doing more exercise, mainly walking which I did a lot of over the weekend, and the Pilates class. Still need to do more though - must choose to take action on this.

I'm not beating myself up about it all - recognising that I'm actually doing quite well and can build on that to up my game and be successful in becoming slimmer, fitter and healthier. Time to log off and have some fruit and a herbal tea!

Although I watched the videos, I didn't get my blogging done for the past few days so now's the time to catch up.

The Day 12 video about foods giving energy helps to reinforce the "do I want to eat it enough to wear it" question.

Day 13 is the all-important issue of exercise, which I'm getting better at but still need to keep as my number one priority to make it a habit.

Day 14 was all about water - the tool that I have definitely mastered the best, I enjoy drinking the water and miss it if I'm somewhere where it isn't easily available. If I can master that tool then there's no reason not to be a master of the others!

Today's video is a good one that I'm getting better at putting into practice. It does help to think about what foods will do for me, how they'll make me feel and whether they'll make me feel good. The foods that I crave taste fantastic when I start eating them but I end up feeling sick. I crave chocolate, cake and biscuits - love the taste but then realise they are too sweet, make me nauseous and my heart starts racing - that's definitely not good for me!

I must question myself more on whether I like a food enought to wear it - I know it works to put me off eating sweet things.

Missed yesterday's blog as I spent a lot of the day travelling to and from Nottingham, then was out in the evening with friends. Catching up today - and reflecting on how the past 10 days have gone.

I've made really good progress on being more active and doing regular exercise particularly with last Sunday's big walk. Some things are really embedded as habits - drinking water, getting the duck to shut up, relaxing. Food choices have been pretty good, although I have had more chocolate than I should have (I crave it, enjoy it at the beginning, then it makes me feel sick - why on earth do I keep wanting it?). So overall I reckon 8 out of 10 - prett good really.

Trying to relax this evening as I've had a stressful day. Busy at work, frustrating calls to Santander to sort out closing down an old account, noisy music from next door when I got home...

I had a really nice dinner of steak, cabbage greens and pak choi and now feel nicely relaxed to watch the first election debate (and will try not to get too wound up by it!) Had a decorator come to look at doing the outside of the house, he seemed really good and will be sending a quote through next week. It'll be great to get the work done and make my house look smart - it looks in need of a bit of attention at the moment (just like me!)

Driving to Nottingham tomorrow to talk to some students about careers in the pharmaceutical industry. I've arranged to have a tour of the pharmacy department as it's where I studied 30 years ago - a lot will have changed!

Went to the supermarket on my way home from work and found 2 new herbal teas to try. Lemon, ginger and ginseng - just tried it and it's really refreshing. The other one is spearmint, p eppermint and fennel - will try that later. I have so much herbal tea in the house now, I could open a shop!

Think I've got the eye of the tiger now - it's helping me get lots of things done. Got through lots of things on my to-do list at work today, plus I've now made contact with the list of people I need to do work on the house (plumber, decorator, handyman, chimney sweep, boiler service) and have arranged times for them to do the work or give quotes. It just goes to show what I can do when I put my mind to it - so being slimmer, healthier and fitter is definitely going to get done.

Just finished the live online course and a task to do a blog about the last hour. I'll be trying out interval training during one of my walks this week. I'm going to go to the gym tomorrow and will also try out interval training on the treadmill.

I'm going to take my resting heart rate when I wake up tomorrow morning and use it as a way of tracking my progress over the next few months.

I like the idea of affirming myself through the food that I eat - making healthy food choices because I want to look after myself.

I'm going to carry on blogging each day - and will make time to read other people's blogs too.

Nice reminder that it's OK to wobble and not to get put off by things not going perfectly. I'm definitely getting better at this since I've been following the programme.

Got my time for the 7K walk I did on Sunday - 69 minutes and 58 seconds. I'm really impressed with myself - the time we were told most people did it in was 75 minutes so I was amazed to find I'd beaten that time. I'm going to book another one and see if I can beat my time. I'm so pleased that I did the walk, and didn't back out of it when it came to the day, it's given me so much confidence in what I can achieve, and has made me believe that exercise does make me feel good!

Legs aching a bit today after yesterday's mammoth walk - but I discovered that they don't ache as much if I move around - more proof that exercise is good for me!

Today's video made me think about being focused and taking things a step at a time - and saying out loud "I can I will succeed" - the cats found that one a bit strange.

Just about to have chicken breast and vegetables for supper - keeping up with the sensible eating plan.

The duck not only shut up today, he said WOW! Even he is impressed that I did a 7K Walk Active Time Trial in Hyde Park this morning. That meant getting up at 7am (on a Sunday - unheard of!) and getting the tube into London. It was such a beautiful morning, sunny, bright, and a bit of a chill in the air that made me want to move. Hyde Park was stunningly beautiful and it was a real joy to be walking around parts of the park I've never been in before. The walk was great, lots of help with walking technique, I was walking faster than I normally would and kept the pace going without stopping. I'm really proud of myself for doing it, and although I don't know my exact time yet, it was a lot quicker than I was expecting. I enjoyed it so much I'm going to do another one in a couple of months time!

I didn't just do 7K walking either, it was another 2K walking there and 2K walking back home - an impressive 11K in one day. Legs aching a bit now but in a good way. It does feel good to have done so much exercise - a big pat on the back for me!

So far, so good. Doing well on continuing with the tools that are now habits - drinking 2L water a day, eating slowly. A couple of wobbles on the eating (an ice cream at the theatre, some chocolate because it was in the house) but generally eating well. Plenty of herbal teas and only one cup of coffee a day.

Building up the exercise, did over an hour's walk this morning. I'm making my body move more.

Today's video reminded me about how important it is to be patient. I've got a lot of weight to lose and sometimes I get overwhelmed by how big a task that seems. The video reminded me to take things slowly and one step at a time.

I'm still focusing on the exercise tools and doing fairly well at being active and walking 30 minutes a day. Over the weekend I'll be doing other exercise sessions to tackle the third exercise tool.

Tried the lemon balm tea yesterday and really liked it. I was expecting it to taste more lemony but it was still a nice tea.

Today's video reminded me about trying new things. I bought some Lemon Balm tea on Tuesday but haven't tried it yet. When I finish this blog I'm going to make my first cup.

Had a leaving do at lunch time and was very proud of myself for making a sensible food choice. While pretty much everyone else in the group had chips, I had a sweet potato and asparagus salad. It was delicious, all fresh ingredients and I know it gave me energy (and asparagus wee but that's the price you pay!).

Have just had some sushi so it's been a day of good eating - I had breakfast too this morning (banana, blueberries and yogurt) so I'm doing my best to get good eating habits. I must start a food diary again as it helps me keep track of what I eat and drink.

Got my 30 minutes walk in at a shopping centre after having my eyes tested. Had to spend a fortune on new glasses but managed not to buy anything else! Overall a very good day.