Weight Loss Journals - petecohen.tv

My tummy hurts - its better than it was but it feels like someone has been jumping on me. It hurts when I drink and when I eat - so I haven't been over doing it. - I can only eat a small amount at a time.
this is a good thing really - might help shrink it!! I thought it was the river water I swallowed on Sunday but my hub and son have it too so its nothing to do with the Tees

Went for a biike ride tonight - enjoyed going as fast as I could go. I had to stop going down the hill at 37 mph as I got a fly in my eye and my risk assessment was that I couldn't afford to get one in the other one. So I had to stop. Still trying to get over that 39mph barrier. I'll do it sometime it;s just a matter of finding the right hill!
We both managed to get up Farnley Lane hill in one go - I stopped three times on that about a month ago. Now we are actively looking for the next hill to conquer. and the next adventure race..

I had a good weekend. The camping barn feels like a real find – It was in the back of beyond at the edge the North York moors ( but in reality was about 20 minutes from the race) – had tremendous views and I think I will go back. In total there were 7 'adults' and 4 kids. It cost £7 a person per night we drank spring water and walked to another building for the showers and toilets. The Farmer was a really nice chap. I ought to do things like that more often.

I managed to get around the entire course – we jogged most of the way around rather than go for it – My friend hadn't really run since she retired at the age of 16. She was the Leeds XCountry champ for two years but reckons her knees are dodgy. They and she more than coped. The ankle and leg complain a bit if I go fast and on uneven ground but i think I can afford to start to run again and try to regain some of the loss of fitness that I think is inevitable. I won't be climbing again until mid October as I really want to get around the Woodland Challenge but really I can't wait to boulder !!

Anyway the race. It was pretty cold and windy which perversely I think may have helped with coping with the repeated dunkings as the blood had already retreated far below my skin by the time the first one came around! The first obstacle was a bouncy castle hurdle – then a wade across a canal - Then a scramble over a wall towards the ship where I walked the plank. It was made worse by having to stand at the end of the plank whilst we waited to go – I'd have preferred to walk along and in rather than making a conscious decision to go. I went in far deeper than I thought as it went completely black and I took a couple of seconds to swim to the surface. Swimming around the ship to the slipway took far too long and I wished I didn't have the buoyancy aid on!

We made up some time in the kayak section, both of us were paddlers in the past and we overtook three couples. The rest of the wet loop was fairly uneventful – we swam across the deep water at the water sports centre and took another dunking down an inflatable near the lock at the barrage. By that time we were half way around and only had another 3 miles to go. Losing the buoyancy meant that we felt colder than before but we were ok as we were moving. The dry loop was fairly uneventful – the up and down some mounds which had the most unbelievable sloe bushes on – more sloes than leaves – and then onto the Newport bridge climb where we climbed over the top of the bridge using the inspection walkways. All pretty safe but we did get cold waiting for the ascent and descent. All of that was timed out so it didn't affect the time. We ran back up the river bank – spotting a seal playing in the water – then a run through some rather dry marshes back to the slippery slope at the finish.

I don't know what our official time was as we didn't account for the time outs - but the total duration was just about 2 hours

We got changed into dry gear and headed to the pub for food – I'd had breakfast, porridge with apricot jam two hours before hand and a torq gel and a SIS bar on the way round and after the cupcake my daughter bought me ( green with a flower) a snickers and a coffee I didn't want anything I ended up having a starter of whitebait and some water. Our supporters had been looking after the kids in the cold wind and rain. Really all I wanted was copious amounts of green tea and the Sunday papers!. I still wasn't hungry later at night - had too much gin and tonic and a cherry beer. I was much more tired than I thought I would be on Monday.

I'm glad I did it – it was less fun than the 9 to 5 half of the Rat Race –( Babsybabes: I'm up for the Edinburgh leg next year if you fancy it !) as it involved more physical stuff and getting soaked a lot. My friend enjoyed it ttoo and was already blabbing on aboutt he next challenge - she asked me about the London Marathon - and I said no because it doesn't seem like fun , just a long slog. Now something with a view like an off road marathon would be something of a challenge and more fun but it's not in my immediate plans.

I'd do it again but not this week. My tummy is dodgy and I've cancelled my place in the bootcamp tonight - I'm going to be gentle with myself.

I'm not a fan actually - despite appearances.
I think I have to just to get things done - but it hardly helps me create a coherent state of mind.

Everytime I have some time off and relax I arrive back at my normal life and wonder how I manage to do everything. - I probably don't
I mean I can't do everything - things get dropped. I don't even try to "have it all" I just want a bit of everything

But If I didn't make an effort then the thing that would get dropped would be me, Theres only one of me to make demands on myself and there are plenty of other people to give that a go,

I ignore them as much as I can.

I wasn't going to write tonight but I saw this and thought I would share this.

http://www.howies.co.uk/section.php/106/0?dm_i=6IA,80EA,L1TG0,KF6B,1

Last nights cycle ride was great - I really enjoyed the rollercoaster back road. We stopped at the stepping stones and decided to go on them. We walked into the middle of the river and watched the water go by under out feet as we almost lost our vertical hold. We couldn't cross the entire river anyway as a tree was stuck against the stones. It was an unusual way of spending time on an evening but it felt good. I still miss kayaking. This was almost as good for a while.

A better day - feel back on track a lot more – I know I can do this and I just ned to focus more on how well I use the tools. I'm not weighing myself or even measuring myself. I'm using my clothes as the measure this time ( apart from the great fitness and energy etc) – they count more than any other thing. Besides I'm not that interested in it – how could I assign it correctly to drinking gin or having a knackered ankle?

I'm concentrating on eating slowly, reducing portion sizes, and good old sugar and alcohol. I don't feel I have much of an issue with getting in exercise – generally speaking I love being active and If I'm not it's because I don't have the opportunity that day. That said I may have issues with consistency and not mixing things up enough.

Tough because as soon as this ankle is better it's going to get wet and muddy for a while.

Went to bootcamp class tonight. Oh my it was tough but I felt great coming back home. I actually managed some high impact work at times so thats an improvement. I'm on my bike with my mate tomorrow and then I think I'll rest up a bit in preparation for the race on Sunday. Not the best preparation maybe but I know I can get around and that's all that counts – BUT I have some serious training to do for the woodland challenge in October. Only 8 weeks to go...

Hmm. Choices – I've not made the best ones today really – I think it's a matter of live and learn more than anything.

Bad ones: Deciding to help a colleague empty his happy recovery from a pacemaker fitting chocolates. I had 6 or * all day I think. Shouldn't have started but as I haven't been at home I don't have my organic fruit box to fall back on until Thursday.
Deciding to call off my scheduled afterwork cycle ride with my friend because my husband was ill in bed, it was raining and I knew that the kids wouldn't eat until I'd done the ride got showered and then started cooking – thought 7:30, 8pm was too late to start cooking so I asked for a raincheck until Wednesday.
So
I made some better choices not necessarily connected to my weight goals but ones that made me feel better about things. I went to my friends that I didn't go cycling with and found her coin trap and emptied it for her as her machine was smelly and she didn't know what to do.
I took my MILs stuff that was left in my car to her house – before I went I asked her if she would put the labels in the kids school uniform for me. So she's sorting that out for me and all I have to do is hem the trousers.
I did eat more slowly than usual – so pat on the back for that and for not drinking any alcohol for the second night in a row, I've put on some padding over the last week - it will be interesting to see how quickly I can get it off!

Oh and I think I'm being headhunted for a role ...

Tomorrow is bootcamp after work. If it's anything like last time I will hurt the next day– so it will be good to ride the bike on the back of that.

I've got back from a week away with the family. We all had a good time and I learnt a few things along the way.

By the end of the week I realised that I need a more active break than my husband can manage - We'll have to talk about how we can best manage this in future. On Friday, a rainy day during which I spent far too long in the car or seated - I just needed to escape by evening and move and headed out for a walk - had a lovely time exploring the beach, cliffs and woods. I even ran a bit- but can't run up hills yet.
We took my Husbands mother with us as she hasn't got away recently ( she wouldn't dream of going away on her own and so ( from my perspective) is landed with trying to sort things out with another widow who is unreliable and she doesn't really, come to think of it seem to get along with that well.... ) She's got dodgy knees and isn't very good with stairs or walking very far. As the fit adult I got to do lots of fetching and carrying. It was the first Holiday for ages that I didn;'t take my running gear which felt really weird when I was packing. I did take and use the TRX, and I did kayak my daughter about for 45 minutes. I ate things I normally wouldn't and drank too much but I enjoyed them when I had them and don't really regret them. I really don't want to eat those things again for a long time. All I want right now is veggies and fish... guess what I didn't get enough of whilst I was away?

I return with a new found resolve to stop being a exceptional weight maintainer and get back with the programme. Things will be really busy in the next couple of weeks but that's no excuse.

I'm packing for our holiday - for the first time in years I'm not packing running gear which seems really weird. But I will take the TRX.

Went to a Pilates class this lunchtime – the instructor from the Bootcamp class was at reception told me that I was very strong and would make a really good powerlifter.

I think I'll stick to climbing – I don't want to be dropping weights on my foot. That would hurt.

Feel suddenly really bloated – water retention suddenly kicked in with a vengeance. Must make sure I eat properly whilst we are away the hub appears to be taking himself and the kids on a junk food binge over the first two days of his holiday. He aint taking me along with him.

I'm off on Holiday and I realised that I didn't want to be in my old swimwear which has suddenly started to fall apart – So not only have I bought a new sports tankini so I can run after the kids I have also bought a bikini... Can't think when the last time was that I wore one!

I ache all over tonight – and am very tired.

Last night I was doing the ball game on wii fit because the physio I saw last week said it's really good for developing /regaining Proprioception -( Knowing where bits of your body are in relation to other bits) in the ankle. I got the golden fitpig!! My son was killing himself laughing at me because I was really chuffed! Yes I know its really sad but I do feel it's an acheivement of sorts! It looks lots nicer than the boring silver piggy. Also it means that buying the balance board has become fairly justifiable because between wii fit, ski-ing and snowboarding games I must have over 60 hours on it.. and that before I think about the raving rabbids games and the silly things I've done!

Okay since I last wrote there has been a heap of things going on..

Last week I got very grumpy and was annoyed with myself as I've been buggering about at the same weight range for about a year. I've resolved to work at it.

So what I had in mind was being really refocused about things. I have so much stuff going on on a daily basis that it's hard to keep up a lot of the time.

Looking back the end of last week was awful. I really need to keep a log what was going on as now I feel really high in comparison that maybe I was suffering from PMT but didn't have the aching boobs thing but was a complete cow instead? That's a sort of result but not really what I need!!!

I went to a friend's Hen do on Saturday which was really nice to have some house, work and child free time.

Had a HUGE row with the hub that was all triggered by my use of the wrong tube of superglue when I got back on Sunday – it wasn't clearly labelled as the wrong kids of superglue and I'm a bit simple with this sort of bloke stuff. Apparently it's really annoying - I reckon it's on par with my son using my perfume I get sent in from the States to make his room smell good. That was annoying.
Apparently I need special glue permission in future.
To be honest I don't give a stuff as long as it works next time.

Worryingly the working week has got better the further I go into it.
Monday was as crap as it can be we were roasting on the sixth floor with no air con and the water pressure got so low that none of the water or coffee machines were working on our floor after lunch time. Or the floors below.
Today we found that we can get water and arranged special expeditions to get some for the team. Also I found the switch for the blinds.

Tonight I went to a Bootcamp class after work which was great. I've not worked as hard since I knacked my ankle. There were 7 other people there so you got plenty of feedback if you were working hard enough or had bad form.

Apparently I'm very strong.

I actually enjoyed “running” on treadmill – my ankle could cope with it. I dodged the bench blasts and other things.

I reckon I don't look that bad in the mirror though – too “big” but I look healthy and well balanced. ( well front ways on at least!)

I had a really good session with another physio from the practise I use on Friday. I think that my expectations of getting this ankle were framed by the bloke at the hospital – i honestly thought I would be running after 4 weeks. Fact is I snapped at least one ligament. It takes time. I reckon another 4 weeks at LEAST.

I miss climbing.

I miss running.

I miss taking my body for granted.

There was a really good article about what keeping fit or looking after yourself is actually about. For me it's about:
Being able to do stuff without being getting tired- like the emergency shift of things out of a room because the kids have been doing too much splashing in the bath. It's getting the train even though I left the meeting too late and not taking 20 minutes to recover. It's about getting to the supermarket before it closes or the last post!
I did a bit of gardening on Sunday and my lower arms are hurting just like after a session at the bouldering wall – lord only knows what might have happened if I wasn't used to trying to hang upside down – I'd have a misshapen bush and I probably wouldn't be able to write for a couple of days.

That's what all of this is about – being able to cope with what life chucks at us.

No real low bits on relfection - just not that many highs.
My ankle and leg were playing up after my visit to the Chinese Supermarket at lunchtime. Tried some soya bean sprouts. I think on reflection I'll stick to Mung they taste a bit more beany and are a third of the price - however I reckon the soya ones will keep longer due to the fact that they aren't so waterlogged...
I was going to cycle to work but changd that to the motorbike when I figured that I would need to take the laptop insomehow ( hate ruckscaks on bikes) and then changed it to the car when I saw the torrential downpour and when the hub asked me to pick up some food for the Dragons today. I arranged to go out for a ride tonight but he got home too late for me to get out. DId a resistance workout instead.
I'm out of condition. Need to pick up the gauntlet now before I lose any more stamina or strength. Its taken me a long time to get as far as I have - I can't let it slip away!

I signed up for the River Rat Race on the basis that it's only 6 miles and all that water will help keep the ankle nice and cold and happy. Not sure about walking the plank but at least I know I will be able to swim to shore.
Have a look at the madness that will be erupting on Teeside. http://www.ratraceadventure.com/riverratrace/

I'm sad that I'm not doing the London one but really I don't know If I'd make it in one piece due to this ankle.

I'm back at home after 6 days away - at my parents then a few nights away camping in London in between.

I've done a lot of walking – I don't spend that much time on my feet normally.

I've noticed that even though I can still wear things that were too tight for me last year they are getting snugger than I would like. I really feel that I need to get moving on this.

But I feel frustrated as my ankle still isn't healed. It's 5.5 weeks now since I fell . I sort of ran yesterday afternoon as the family got caught in the only thunderstorm in Essex yesterday ( all the roads were dry as we left the coast) I got completely soaked as did everyone else. Old habits kicked in and I got my head down and went for it – I was limping though and I couldn't move the same way. I know it will pass and eventually I can get back out there but I really miss my runs in the woods and the riverside. The upside is that I will really appreciate them rather than feeling that they are something I “have” to do. I've been looking at the Turbo –X race in October and wondering if I should enter as I really want a mud fix ( yes I know I'm a hopeless case why would anyone volunteer to do that!!) but also doubting if I will be ok for it as it's only 10 weeks or so away – then I realized I have a place in the Woodland Challenge the week before and really I shouldn't do two events that close together. Well not this year anyway. I think I' might have enough on getting back to where I was in the first place.

By the way we all got completely soaked in the storm and the kids decided not to wear their clothes home - just sit in towels!! I only had to change my top – it's good being in a campervan you can do lots of things that just aren't possible in a car!

Fortunately I can cycle – I'm slower than I want to be– it hurts to pull up on the right leg in cleats. I really enjoy getting out and about on the bike and it's good to mix things up.

Somebody gave Cherry some good advice though that I will apply to myself that there are other tools and I can concentrate on using them for the time being.

Sometimes I think I get into a groove - but then you find that you have been on that path so much that it might be comfortable but actually you need to take another tack and look out from that comfortable place.

My kids are away from home tight now - I don't miss the stuff I have to do for them or around them but I miss the hugs!
Yesterday I cycled to work as I didn't need to worry about being back in time – I didn't make bad time in fact I was quicker coming back than going. My legs were soo tired.
Before the falling off the climbing wall incident I bought some cut-price sessions at a gym in the City centre as they were 80% off.
I worked out I'd better use them before they expired at the end of August! I called in and booked my first Pilates session for 6 years.
I went today after work.
It was great there were 4 of us in the class! I wasn't as shocking as I thought I might be because actually there's a lot in common with the exercises my physio gave me to solve my SI joint issues last year. I now have some core muscles. But I bet I hurt tomorrow. I really like the place too.
Once I got home I realised I need to drop the car off as the garage found it needs attention before it goes very far! Don't want the engine falling out.
I got some great grub at Waitrose walking my way back home. I performed a chance kidnapping by mutual consent and ended up in the pub chatting with a friend until 9 until we both walked off.

My ankle is still fairly bad – but I can run for a while. I tried to climb a tree at the weekend to show my son how he should do it and it's not up to that yet. ( bet you don't find many 43 year old women saying they were trying to climb a tree...)
I've learnt to do other things like enjoy flying my kite again and ironically I have lost weight over this period... might be something in that Cardio making you fat stuff...

I read all of “Born to Run” - great book – very well written- makes me miss the desert.
I really think there is something in the last chapters about the evolution of nomadic groups – I'll probably start ranting stuff about Desmond Morris if I write about it for too long but I think people confuse Homo Erectus and Neanderthal man.
It would explain why I love moving so much – even if it involves an engine or me not actually being in control of the vehicle.

In my case it's a badly sprained ankle. After itwas xrayed I find out that I've borken it in the past - not that I was aware of that. I haven't broken it this time although it really felt excruciating just after it was done - the bruising is coming on nicely. I've got an excellent cankle on one side - it makes the other look very elegant.

They said I shouldn't run for four weeks. Or jump or boulder - but I am allowed to climb with a ropeas long as I only use my upper body!!

I'm going to be a nightmare to be around if I can't get moving - Think I might spend some time at the pool and maybe the bike after next week ( road only though).

Spent this afternoon at Brimham rocks for my daughters birthday treat - felt really strange to be just lying there on the blanket foot in the air. Still It needs to be rested and elevated right now.

Any ideas for sensible activities for those with dodgy ankles are appreciated. I 'm lucky - I can walk and it doesn't hurt too much now but that might be the industrial antimflammatories I've taken.

Still having issues with my PC. Still can't blog really so will write this and then hijack my sons computer to post it. ( remote email access is a wonderful thing)

I've had a good week – On monday night I bunked off the family ( pretended to work late) and spent a fantastic hour and a bit at the bouldering wall. Met up with my friend who was talking to a much better climber who coached us around a lot of problems. I was made up to find that I almost completed a cave problem – only falling off once out of the cave and on to the overhang and almost managed the barrel problems too – I even tried a couple of V3 routes. I was very pleased with myself ( yeah I know I said that already but I was!!) What was interesting was that I didn't get cramp in my calves when hanging upside down. Apparently you do better the further your shoulders are way from your ears – which might also relax you more and maybe if you are less tense you move better...
I had a day off on Tuesday – in preparation for the next vets race – thought I'd ache like mad form the bouldering too but somehow that never happened. I'll warn you this should be a saga in itself.

Got home got changed – nipped outside to feed the rabbit – only to find he has escaped. Gaive up on the idea after a bit figuring he'd come home . Head off for the race. Got there late as I couldn't find the clubhouse - only just squeezed into registration. Hightailed it to what I thought was the start - had to get out of my leathers – I decided to strip off in my friends garden as he lives just 50 m from the start – I head to the start only to find it's actually at that farm I can see over the other side of the valley. I run to the start with one minute to spare. It didn't get any easier!! It was up hill and downhill in the woods with plenty of mud and stream jumping. My polar tells me that my average heart rate over the hour was 90% of my max and the maximum I got up to was 97% of max ( I think I might have to rethink what my max is!!). I honestly couldn't have put any more into it. I really enjoyed it though. Afterwards ( after meeting my pal and getting back ito gear) I found that I had parked my bike on loose stuff and my legs did not have the strength to push 170 kilos up a slope. I narrowly missed disaster – decided I couldn't ride over the kerbs as they were too close to the faring so asked some chaps at the pub to help. Felt a complete girly wuss fortunately they were runners and had bikes too. It took three chaps to pull it back up the hill so my poor legs felt vindicated. Came back home after the prize giving and mug of tea. The rabbit was in the hutch so I locked him in. ( It was deliberately opened probably by the evil person who nicked my lawnmower....)

Wore one of my favourite skirts and found it's hanging dangerously low on my hips – almost falling off in fact. And no the elastic hasn't perished – my tummy has started to.

Was a bit tired on Thursday and wiped on by Friday night. I've been working hard on making good choices, eating slowly this week. Oh and I'm off the grog ( apart from the champagne at 10:30am on Thursday). Have been making good use of the protein bars from myprotein but am aware that they are still processed food. I find them useful though and quite yummy – though I wish that they hadn't used any sweeteners in the new ones.

Saturday was my daughters birthday - Yesterday was a fun day with food – had lots of veggies at lunchtime - made a variationof my dad carrot salad with crystallised ginger by using red cabbage and adding nutmeg – yum!!– I know it can be hard to stick to winning ways at the weekend – but someone pointed out someone else this week that the weekend is roughly a third of the week. I figures if you are doing things that undermine what you want to achieve at the weekend you are going to end up chasing your tail . Went for a run in the morning – Wore my Sugoi shorts which were skin tight last year – Now they look like I belong in them.

In the mid afternoon I headed off to Almscliffe crag with friend – assorted kids, kites, bouldering mats, shoes, reduced short dated food from Waitrose and a Barbie. Think it could be a regular feature. Great fun seeing my son climb with a bread roll in his hand ( I insisted he put it between his teeth after a bit). Got back in time for baths and preparation for Monday morning.

Found I have lost 3lb – making me officially the skinniest and carrying the least weight for about 2 years. Now I need to alter that skirt.

Felt like a very busy week whilst it was going on – truth be told I don't think it was much busier than usual it just I notice it a lot more when I have some time off.



Food wise I feel that I am slightly off kilter still – I've got a lot of stress to deal with at the moment and the booze is trying to sneak back into my life. It kinda started off witha glass of wine in the evening at my mothers – I was drink free Monday til I had some cider on Friday which turned into 2.5 cans. It doesn't do me much good as I feel wretched and bad tempered the next day but it's such an easy habit to slide into – the Friday night glass.



Lost my HRM so went out without it on Tuesday – Did intervals – seemed weird with no reference point other than me (I'm currently in some challenges on the Polar forums to help keep me focused so I'm not just being anal – points make prizes and all that).

Meant to run on Wednesday but with the latest invasion of my last favourite arachnids on the kids heads I didn't get things finished in time to get out. I ended up doing some Yoga instead which may well have been better for me.

On Thursday I headed to the bouldering wall with my friend – we went to experience the free coaching but we didn't get any and it was very busy as everyone must have been frustrated by the rotten weather. Spent 2 hours there. Thoroughly pumped after that – but got home and felt I had something left in my legs so did a bunch of squats and lunges on the TRX to wear my legs out. Didn't hurt much until Saturday night – I think that is good seeing as I did more V2 problems.

Friday I drank cider ( see above).

I was intending to have a really busy weekend but a lot of things went wrong. The hub suggested that it might not be such a great idea to hightail it to Shropshire and on reflection I felt he was right – we can call in on our way to our holiday in Pembrokeshire. Then the washing machine broke down.

I did a pile of domesticated things which felt great to see the difference but also made the rest of the place look terrible.

Still you have to start somewhere.

Took the kids to sailing club to enrol them only to find that they are oversubscribed and they can't go until next year. Can't remember much of the rest fo the day – it involved some shopping and then I got out to get completely and utterly soaked on my run – this time the mud was splashed up my bum, Thought winter was cross country season??

This week I will try not to be a stress bunny. I am going to the wall on Monday evening, running in the vets race on Wednesay and I'll do some hill intervals and resistance work on Friday. That sounds like a doable plan...