Week Three

Thought of the week: (When on the home stretch of Tuesdays run)
Wow I could keep running for hours! Must be that tub of Ben & Jerrys I ate last night!

Diet:
After the all out binging I did last weekend I seem to have hit somewhat of a stumbling block in the fact that I cant stop eating "crap!" The truth is, all the calorie counting and meal planning I have done over the last year or so has exhausted me to the point where, mainly due to lack of results, I cant be arsed and dont want to do it anymore.
So this week I decided to have a "semi-rest" from it all by eating healthily while at work but having whatever I fancy for dinner. I know this will not give me my lean and toned stomach but I just havent been in dieting frame of mind!
But Monday the 1st of August just round the corner now so i'm thinking new week, new month, new start! So starting tomorrow, my plan is to try to be a little stricter with dinner which means keeping a small amount of carbs on the menu but passing on the desserts!

The naughty bit:
Well... Monday was turkey drummers, chips, bread, peas and a tub of Ben & Jerrys. Tuesday was a burger, jacket potato, beans, cheese and a jam roly poly with custard. Wednesday wasnt too bad until I snuggled on the sofa with a tub of ice cream watching Step Up 3. Thursday was mums toad in the hole and an apple crumble with custard! Friday was, you've guessed it, Dominos pizza with lots of sides and desserts. Last night was chicken burgers, chips and a toffee and pecan roulard at mums, and tonight is corned beef hash and baken beans! (Wowza... lots of cals there!)

Exercise:
Its official- I'm king of the hill! Okay, more like queen of the hill but the bottom line is: I finally made it to the very top of the steep hill and all the way back home without stopping and more importantly, dying!
I can't begin to tell you how good it feels to actually be back at the top of my running. Its really feels great and my goal is to now try and run even further... but first I need to find a nice way to add more miles to my route.
Circuit wise I'm back on top form there too! I'm now doing an extra circuit (so 5 instead of the 4!) and am managing to add 15 minutes of interval cardio to the end! Again i'm absolultely chuffed that i'm back on it with the exercise... I feel it makes up for my disasterous diet a little!

The painful bit:
My thighs! Yep the hill running, squats, lunges and reverse lunges have left me and my thighs feeling a little tight and sore!

In other news:
The "Come Dine With Me" three course meal that I did for my family last Sunday was a roaring success! We had warm cheese, crusty bread and caramelised red onion to start, pan fried duck with green beans and daulphinoise potatoes for the main and mini frangipan tarts with ice cream to finish. The whole family seemed impressed with my culinery skills and they especially loved my dessert! Even my mum (who is not a dessert fan- crazy I know!) is still ranting and raving about my tarts and homemade shortcrust pastry!
To be honest I've been doing a lot of cooking this week and have even whipped up a couple of healthy dinner dishes - Green Thai Chicken Curry and a Beef Stroganoff! Both were very yummy and a hit with me and my sister so they will definitely be on the new "stricter dinners" menu!
On Thursday I went to the birthday party of Dotty, my lovable niece, who turned 2 years old. To celebrate we had a hearty meal and gave Dotty some pressies - I gave her a chew toy, set of balls and 2 very big meaty biscuits! What? Oh, I see! No, Dotty isnt a baby! She's my sisters adorable black and white, short legged, short haired Jack Russell puppy... waaaaay cuter then any baby!

<< Awwww, Dotty!

(See, waaaaay cuter than any baby!)

So there you have it! My week of "semi-rest" and naughty dinners! Now as August approaches I must try to pass on the desserts, forget that Dominos exists and finally lose my podge!

Week Two

Thought of the week: (After one of the girls brought cake in the office)
No Laura, dont have any chocolate fudge cake... there's Ben & Jerrys Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream in the freezer you can have!

Diet:
You'll be glad to know that despite the above thought that occurred on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after another cake was brought in, I had neither the chocolate fudge cake or Ben & Jerrys Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream! It was a struggle to say no but I stayed strong and determined... until Friday... when Dominos came a knocking... and today... when I devoured a sausage sarny, crisps and belgium bun for lunch and brought cookies for later! But me being the optimist I am, I like to look at the good points and the good point about this week is... I stuck to my healthy eating for a whole 6, yes 6, days before Friday occurred! Amazing huh? (Or should that be: "amaze huh?" My sister has been using the word "amaze" for every adjective recently i'm positive it must be the latest craze word!?)

The naughty bit:
Well, where to start! Obviously yesterday and today have not been angelic and as my week runs Monday to Sunday there is still tomorrow to go too. And as my sister kindly invited mum and dad over for dinner tomorrow I shall now be cooking a naughty three course "come dine with me" style dinner for the family! (Eeeek! 3 naughty meals/days on the trott! Not good! Not good at all!)

Exercise:
The good news is I'm running a little further up the hill. The bad news is it really really hurts! My fitness definately took a beating last month, and once you add the extra pounds I now have to lug around, you have the perfect recipe for a heartattack! But I'm still plodding along and will keep plodding along til I reach the top of that hill and back!
As for the bodyweight circuit sessions, these are also making my heart and lungs pound violently against my ribcage! But with the help of a cup of caffeine filled tea with my warm up, I'm managing to complete all my reps and sets aswell as adding a little skipping/shadow boxing to the end!

The painful bit:
Its still my back and shoulders... that shadow boxing stuff is hard core!

In other news:
I finished the book "Sweet Temptation" by Lucy Diamond and have to say it was a great read. I did feel a pang of jealously at how quickly the time on their diets whizzed by though- it took me three days to read that book and in those three days Maddie lost god knows how many stones, Jess shaped up and Lauren slimmed to a size 12! I suppose it was a book, and in books months can pass in just a few paragraphs but still, it would be nice to do a year of dieting in three days!
Also this week I've tried to up my twittering! Yes I am on Twitter and can be found at @laurapicklecox so feel free to follow. My sister says the key to Twitter is to follow lots of people and reply to their tweets. Sounds like a solid plan but I find it very difficult to tweet anything that isnt to do with me!

Its been a real quiet week so thats about it! Guess i'll see you at the end of week 3!

Week One

Thought of the week:
£166 million.... I so could have done with £166 million!

Diet:
Diet wise I'm being nowhere near as strict as before because:
(1) Ibiza's gone so I dont have to worry about my wobbly bits bulging over my bikini for a good year or so.
(2) I can't do it! As soon as I say "Right Laura, no more biscuits!" then all I can think about is biscuits and no matter what I do I cant stop thinking about biscuits until I end up scoffing down a packet or two!

So i'm easing myself in gently by making small changes and having everything in moderation. (Afterall, its not about dieting, its about lifestyle changes right?? And there is no way I can go my whole life without biscuits!)

Its not been a bad week food wise but thats because:
(1) Its only the first week!
(2) I'm back working 9am til 5pm Monday to Friday so have no choice but to eat what I take to work with me.
(3) I'm eating more calories (from "good" foods) so I dont starve myself and end up diving head first into the nearest biscuit tin.
(4) I'm still allowing myself to have a naughty meal when the "occassion" rises. One of the problems I had last time was I scheduled my cheat meals for the weekend but then some "event" would pop up mid-week and i'd end up having another one! So this time I'm not scheduling my cheat meals and will have one when an "event" like I'm at my mums or I'm dining at a restaurant arises. (Normally just one "event" pops up each week which is ideal so fingers crossed a lot of "events" dont pop up in one week... or worse, that none pop up at all!)

The naughty bit:
This weeks naughtiness came on Tuesday and last night (Fri):
I was at my mums for dinner on Tuesday where she cooked the classic dish of: Fish fingers, chips and baked beans, accompanied by bread for a chip butty! And seeing as my mum stores a barrell of biccys in her cupboards I just couldnt pass on a dessert of tea and biscuits!

Last nights cheat came from Dominos- small pizza, wedges, chicken wings, cookies and free Ben & Jerrys ice cream! To be honest it wasnt really needed and I do feel I let myself down for having it after I'd been so good the rest of the week (Tuesdays dinner excluded!) and it wasnt for any "event" although... if I mention the words "time of month" I'm sure a few of you (especially the ladies!) will understand!

Exercise:
As for the physical side, again i'm easing myself in gently and am getting there... slowly! I'm currently focusing on getting my fitness back up to where it was before my month of eating, boozing, eating, sitting on my arse and eating began!
So, I'm doing a full body bodyweight session 3 times a week and going for my 3 morning runs.

I'm proud to say that I havent skipped a session and the bodyweight routines seem to be getting to somewhere near my earlier efforts. The running is taking a little longer though- I'm currently managing to run to the bottom of the very steep hill and back home (2.58 miles) just before my heart explodes! But I'm confident that I can reach my old distance of 3.57 miles (thats to the top of the very steep hill and back) within the next couple of weeks!

The painful bit:
Well up until this morning my thighs were biggest aliment, what with all the squatting, lunging and running, but after mixing my Friday workout up a bit and adding some shadow boxing my triceps and upper back are sore, sore, sore!

In other news:
I saw Take That live at Wembley! Whoop whoop! Wembley was an open roof and it p*ssed... and I mean really p*ssed... down with rain for most of the night but rain or no rain- it was awesome! I really only went to see Robbie (who was brilliant and totally stole the show) but the other four boys didnt disappoint either and helped to make it a show I'm sure I'll "neeeeeeeever forget!" (See what I did there?? Hee hee)

And after catching the reading bug on my holiday in Ibiza I have made myself promise to read at least one book a month (afterall, I've really got to stop wasting my evenings watching soaps!) So this month I read Jane Costello's "Girl on the run" which was actually very motivating for helping me to get out of bed for my morning runs... and has even planted the idea of me doing a few races myself!? I have now started on "Sweet Temptation" by Lucy Diamond- I'm only a few chapters in but am already enjoying the story as its about 3 ladies who are all fighting their own battle of the bulge- naturally I'm able to connect with this book really well!

Thats about it for week 1- roll on week 2!

BREAKING NEWS: Those who indulge BULGE!

Good evening and welcome to this special Pickle news bulletin.

Our top story today...

After over-indulging for the past 4 weeks Pickle's waist line is bulging to the point where it has now taken up residence flopping over the waistband of her trousers!

Our sources say that Pickle is not looking her best and isnt very fond of her newly grown muffin top that makes the buttons on her trousers pop open! To add to the drama, her face has also enrupted with "greasy food and alcohol induced" spots making her look like a human dot to dot puzzle, and her attempts to get back into exercise are resulting in near death heartattacks.

Our source says:
"Pickle's really struggling to get back into exercise, especially with her running. She used to run 5km each morning but she's lucky to make the 2km mark these days!"

Its fair to say that Pickle's 12 week Ibiza challenge is yet another plan to add to her long list of failed health kick attempts!!

Pickle, who is feeling incredibly demoralised and sorry for herself, has released the following statement:
"Firstly to call me a human dot to dot is sooo not nice! I've always had dodgy skin and its not my fault my concealor wont cover the buggers!
Secondly, I would like to declare that my fight with my pot belly is not a battle - its a war! And whilst I may have retreated on this and every other previous occassion, I will not be defeated! I have been dieting since I was a toddler so am well practised and come Monday the 11th July I will once again prepare my healthy eating and exercise arsenal for another battle!
At this point I would like to re-confirm that this will start on Monday the 11th July 2011- therefore I should not be judged for the crap I shove down my throat tonight and this weekend!
Thank you"

There you have it folks - straight from the pigs (*gasps*) sorry horses, mouth- podgy Pickle will return to her healthy ways starting this Monday so make sure you stay tuned for her regular, and what she feels to be rather humourous, weekend updates!

Its finally here...

... Ibiza... and the final blog entry from podgy Pickle! (I know, I know. Its a sad time, a very sad time.)

Yep, 12 weeks ago I set out to lose my stubborn, ugly, unloved pot belly and regularly updated this blog to not only entertain you (if there are any "you"'s out there??) but to also keep track of my progress.

I would love to say that the last 12 weeks have been a fun and pleasurable experience but seeing as thats not true i'd be lieing! While I enjoyed the initial success I had in the first six weeks, the last six weeks has been nothing less than a rollercoaster ride!

The first half of the challenge came and went without any mishaps - I ate my planned meals, did all my exercises and kept to my rule of just one naughty meal a week. My willpower and determination during this time paid off as for the first time since I was, I dont know.... a toddler!? I tipped the scales at under 9 stone! (8 stone 11lbs and 3/4 to be exact! A huge achievement for me seeing as I have always struggled to get under the 9 and half stone mark!)

But then I hit "the wall!"

Yep, I got to that point where I thought: "Wow, 12 weeks is a long time! I dont think I can keep this up!" This thinking plus the fact that I had already achieved a lot made me think I could afford to relax a little... but I was wrong!

From the start of week 7 to the present day, I have struggled beyond belief to stay on track with the diet. My one naughty meal a week soon turned into two naughty meals a week... all the way to today where I have had a whopping three naughty meals this week and that doesnt include tonight when I go out for dinner!

Obviously, this is not good and I feel ashamed typing it! But, on a positive note I have kept up with my exercises of jogging 3 mornings a week and lifting weights 3 times a week too- it's easy to do when you enjoy it :)

But as you can imagine, my poor second half performance means I havent got the beach body I wanted and i'm pretty sure i'm back over the 9 stone mark! (I'm not going to weigh myself to see though!)

So, my pot belly will be joining me on the flight to Ibiza! And unfortunately, my pot belly will also join me on the return flight... but it would have grown a whole lot bigger! (*grimaces*)

They think it's all over...

... it is now! Yep, i'm just a few days away from the sunshine of Ibiza and I have done all I can! No amount of dieting, exercise, breathing in or praying will change the way my belly and I look in a bikini now!

I have to say that this last week has been very very relaxed for me, both in the way of work (I really couldnt be bothered to do anything) and my diet and exercise (I knew losing another pound wouldnt make a huge, if any, difference so kinda thought "sod it!")

I have still been getting up at the crack of dawn to go for my 3.57 mile runs and do my weight routines, but the evening bike rides did stopped- not only because I thought practising the art of eating ice cream and drinking alcohol in the evening would be more beneficial for Ibiza but also because of this darn British weather! So windy and rainy! (Better not be like that in Ibiza!)

In all fairness my diet hasnt been overly bad! I may have had the odd alcoholic beverage and bowl of ice cream but i've pretty much stuck to my "good for you" food for the rest of the time!! I did veer off track by changing a turkey and veg meal to a more satisfying sausage and mash combo- but seeing as sausages are protein, potatos are veg and it was served with a big pile of peas, thats a rather balanced meal in my eyes! (*smiles*)

But now its all off! The 12 week plan has ended as from 5pm tomorrow I am officially off work and on annual leave! Yippeeeeeeeee! And as Ibiza will be just around the corner i'm going to celebrate...

Friday will come, i'll wake up, have a cup of tea, do a workout, drink my protein shake, shower, dry, get dressed, clean the house, pop to Tesco, pack my suitcase, eat lunch, drive to my parents, make chit chat with the folks, wait for my beautician, let the beautician in, have my eyebrows waxed, have my eyelashes tinted, pay the beautician, and then...

The beautician will leave, we'll open the champagne, get the chinese takeaway menu, argue over who's gonna ring up, order the same dishes, order too many dishes, lay the table, guzzle our champagne, warm plates in the oven, look out the window for delivery, finish our champagne, moan there's no more champagne, open some wine instead, check out the window again, sit on the sofa, down our wine, say how hungry we are, have another look outside, pour more wine, listen to the doorbell, rush to the door, pay the driver, take our food, sit at the table, top up our drink, frantically pile food on our plates, and... eat and drink waay more than we should or need!

New hair, dinner at mums- must mean...

... I'm officially in holiday mode!

Yep, this weekend is all about Ibiza baby! My bank balance is already £70 slimmer thanks to my restyle at the hairdressers this morning, and tomorrow my mum, sister and I will hit the shops for essential holiday wear! (Hence the reason for staying at mums tonight... so we can hit those shops early!!)

I've had a really good week on the diet with no mid week cheats or takeaways so, as I have a lot to do this weekend and wont be at home, i've decided to relax my diet for these couple of days... starting tonight with a girlie night in!

Yep, dad is out playing cricket so its just us 3 girls, some trashy TV, a simple dinner of chicken, chips and beans, tipple of Cava and... dessert! (You've always gotta have dessert on a girlie night in!) And tonights dessert is something I baked as a suprise for my mum...


Pickle's fudge tart... just like the ones from school! (Go on admit it - you want some! I dont blame you- I'm a fab little baker! I even make my own pastry!)
I can tell tonight is going to be a great evening and it wont stop there as tomorrow we'll embark on our fun shopping spree and depending on the weather, we'll either indulge in lunch at one of Cambridge's restaurants or a scrummy BBQ in the evening. (Mmmmm)

So, as you can see the diet is momentarily on hold and will recommence on Monday... for a few days... as from 3pm Thursday I am officially on annual leave and so the holiday really begins!!

Eating more...

is harder than I thought! I know, I didnt think it would be either! All week i've done my exercises and have been aiming to eat at least 200 extra calories from "good" food a day.

But despite trying i'm just not chomping through enough food and with no naughty meal to re-charge my batteries, i'm now starting to lack energy and feel drained, especially in my legs! This is obviously not good as i'm now finding it a lot harder to...

(1) get out of bed in the morning- especially as I know i'm getting out to do exercise!

(2) get on my bike after work- all I want to do is curl up on the sofa and watch some life wasting TV!

(3) get in the mood to cook- not good when the only other dinner options are a takeaway or munch on crappy snack food!

Totally sucks eh??

But i'm trying to think of possible positives like...
... I'm not actually craving a big, high cal, high carb, high fat meal (even though my body could probably do with one!)
... I'll enjoy my naughty weekend meal a lot more knowing i've earnt it by being good all week.
... if I miss the odd evening workout it wont have a huge impact as my diet is helping to give me the calorie deflict I need.

But I need to do something! So, with just two days until the weekend (which will involve lots of holiday prepping for me! Hee hee!) I am going to try and get the balance right by either making sure I eat more daily calories or by missing the odd exercise session.

My theory is, whichever I do will mean my calorie deflict will be slightly reduced so i'll have more energy?? Well, thats what i'm telling myself anyway!

Pickle's perfect pizza!

Yep, I did it! I finally found a recipe that not only gives me a low cal, low carb pizza base but also tastes great with a crispy crust! And here's the pic to prove it...
Yum yum, looks good eh?? And it came in at only 274 calories! But saying that, it was only a small 6" pizza as didnt want to attempt to make a huge one incase it all went wrong and I ended up wasting my ingredients!! But it was delish and now I know it works i'll definately be increasing the inches and adding a few to my food diary!

My pizza triumph isnt the only event of the past few days- this morning I finally conquered the horribly steep and long hill that I've been trying to reach the top of! Yep, I jogged uphill into a head wind for about 4 miles and it took me just 34 minutes! (very proud! *big cheesy grin*)

This acccomplishment probably had something to do with the HUGE 5 course meal me and my sister indulged in last night! Lots of carbs + lots of fat + lots of cals + lots of champers = lots and lots of energy this morning!!

Not only that but yesterday morning I also decided to do something brave (or stupid depending on how you look at it!) ....

... I stepped onto the scales again - just two weeks after the last and very traumatic time!

And why did I decide to do this? To give me kick up the butt! Yep, with my diet being less than 100%, I thought the best way to help me stick to my "one naughty meal a week" rule was to shock myself by seeing just how many lbs my extra, and normally very calorific, meal is adding!

And the result...

...wasnt quite what I expected! In the last two weeks i've managed to shred 1lb with my bodyfat decreasing by .1% - thats nearly the same amount that I lost in 4 weeks when I was trying a hell of a lot harder!

So, there you have it... eating more calories (and being slightly naughtier!) isnt sooo bad afterall if your exercising hard! In fact, its better! I now realise its all about balance and making sure your eating enough calories to fuel your workouts and keep your energy and metabolism high! So, thats what i'll be focusing on for the last two weeks of my plan- eating more calories (preferably "good" calories - not takeaways and biscuits!) so that I have plenty of energy and can give it my all when exercising!

I love surprises...

... and this bank holiday weekend threw up two of them!

Firstly, I was surprised with a very early birthday present from my family- a brand new mountain bike... with dual suspension... and a comfy seat!

I know, i'm a lucky girl! And I have to say, my new bike really is the dogs b*****ks! I went out on it properly for the first time tonight and every crack, dip and bump in the road couldnt stop me and my new bike!

The only downside is I can no longer use "my butt hurts too much" or "my tyres have a slow puncture" as an excuse as to why i'm sat on the sofa watching Hollyoaks rather than doing my scheduled bike ride!

But I really do love my brand new, shiny, blue and white bike and I can't thank my parents and sister enough for surprising me with it!

The second surprise happened when I started eating my homemade Tandoori Hot pizza... and unfortunately it wasnt a good one!

Dont get me wrong the topping was fab (spicy turkey, mushrooms and mozzarella!) but the crust kinda turned out like a very firm omlette which I really wasnt expecting when I took my first bite!

To be honest the "kinda of" omlette base topped with tomato puree, turkey, mushrooms and mozzarella wasnt that awful and me being me (a girl who hates waste!) ate the lot! But, i've brought a shed load of flaxmeal which was not cheap so i'm determined to make a proper pizza base with the stuff! So, i've done some googling and tomorrow I will put my chef's hat back on and attempt to come up with a crusty pizza base!

So, with just a mere 18 days til the end of my 12 week challenge and my holiday to Ibiza, here's hoping my culinery skills can prevail before I cave in and order old faithful.... (Ooops! Too late... Dominos was ordered yesterday!)

20 and a half...

..days til Ibiza!! Whoop whoop! You're jealous right?? Hee hee.

To be honest i'm not sure what to say as not a lot has changed since the last post - i'm still eating healthily, still exercising and still trying to give it 100% but without piling a tonne of pressure on myself and being overly strict.

So, what can I write in this post that would justify you taking time out of your busy schedule to read it??

Well, I thought (as its the bank holiday and we all know that I struggle to stay on the straight and narrow when at home surrounded by food!) I'd share my awesomely yummy yet good for you bank holiday meals...

Saturday:
Yesterday was football night! I'm a big fan of Man Utd so watching them play Barcelona in the Champions League final whilst I slobbed out on the sofa with a beer and pizza would have been heaven! But due to obvious reasons this would have hindered any fat loss so I found a meal worthy of football time in the form of... Pickle's Chicken Fajitas! Now I know what your thinking- a great big wheat based meal with fried tortilla chips on the side?! But no, Pickle's version is a lot more healthy as I used 50/50 wholegrain wraps, didnt bother making any nachos and didnt add the mayo and cheese to my wraps! I did have a sneaky half a glass of champers with it but managed to pass on the strawberry cheesecake for dessert!

Sunday:
Today is a family day and before the wind decided to turn galeforce we were suppose to be off to Sunny Hunny (Hunstanton!) where I would have undoubtely had a full blown naughty day by feasting on picnic food, a fish and chips dinner and those seaside must haves- dinky doughnuts! Therefore, the weather has kinda done my diet a favour as I will now enjoy just one naughty meal with my parents- sausage, mash, peas and gravy... mmmm! Again I shall have half a glass of wine with this meal but will hold my ground and say "no!" to dessert - apple strudel and custard! **

Monday:
Now i'm really looking forward to tomorrow as I have stumbled across a homemade pizza recipe that takes the cals, carbs and fat of my favourite dish and demolishes the hell out of them! So, i'll be putting on my apron, hitting the kitchen and baking my very own version of a Dominos Tandoori Hot!

So, there's my planned bank holiday meals - if your lucky (and my pizza turns out alright!) I might even pop up a review and pics in my next post!

** Please note that this is my intention at the time of writing this! Once the apple strudel comes out the oven the situation may have to be re-assessed- and if a small portion does happen to find its way down my throat then I might aswell spend the rest of the day tucking into the many other delights in my mums cupboard! Afterall, I am being more relaxed over my diet and if we had gone to Sunny Hunny I would have eaten crap all day anyway right?? (Hee hee!)

Old habits...

die hard! Yep, when I first started this 12 week plan I did the first 6 weeks without any problems- there were no slip ups, no missed workouts, just 100% determination to stick to my meals and exercise! I really thought I had successfully adapted and changed to a healthier lifestyle BUT since the half way point my old binge eating habits have made a remarkable resurrection!

Especially this week when, after the disappointment that was the weigh in/measure up, I fell into a heavenly weekend of indulgence and I now find the words "stuff it!" floating around my head!

You see, I now realise that the toned, flat, sculpted tum that I wanted for Ibiza is unlikely to be here in the 4 weeks... or anytime soon after that!

But still, I was ready to put my all into these last few weeks to try and shift a couple of extra pounds before I have to squeeze into my bikini. However, my old habits are well and truly alive as yesterdays healthy dinner turned into a KFC chicken bucket, fries, baked beans, coleslaw and half a pack of biscuits!

So, what now? Do I "stuff it!" and attempt to lose my pot belly another time?? Or do I give it a proper go (with 100% devotion) for these last 25 days and see what I can do?? (yep, just 25 days til Ibiza! Whoop whoop!)

Well, I was originally going to "stuff it!" but then the KFC feast I binged on made an ugly re-appearence in my bathroom toilet and helped to change my mind! However, this time i'm not pressuring myself to completely lose my belly as I know thats not going to happen... i'm literally doing it to see what I achieve in 25 days when I put my all into it!

So, starting today, for the next 25 days, i'm going to give it my best shot! And as long as my bodyfat percentage heads the right way (down!) by just a teeny tiny smidgen then i'll be happy. And who knows, maybe by Christmas I will have the toned, flat, sculpted tum I want!

Thud. Thud. Thud.

... is exactly what my heart did as I stepped onto my Weighwatchers scales yesterday morning! I really dont like weighing and measuring myself to the point where I actually feel sick and shake with nerves!

But as yesterday was 4 weeks on from my last weigh in and measure up, it was time to revisit the scales and tape measure. You'd think after 4 weeks of healthy eating and exercising i'd be guaranteed to lose some fat so stepping on the scales shouldn't bother me, but nope, I was scared.... sh!t scared! Because past experiences have shown me that even though I put 100% in, the tape and scales very rarely give me any praise! (And seeing as the last two weeks have been tainted by me having two cheat meals, I really wasnt holding out much hope for this time either!)

So, with my heart pounding out of my chest, I quickly stripped off to my black girlie boxers (which have a funky bright pink band and even funkier bright pink ice cream sundaes on!) and wrapped the tape measure around my lumps and bumps...

... everything pretty much the same! Hmmm...

Already feeling down hearted, I then wibbled and wobbled my way over to the scales and slowly placed both feet either side of the little digital screen...

... Weight lost: 1lb and 3/4. Sh!t!
... Bodyfat lost: .2. Double sh!t!

Crap... absolutely crap! Ater 4 weeks of healthy eating and exercising I lost a measly 1lb and 3/4! Devasted doesnt even come close to how I feel and now I have 4 weeks and dont know whether its worth even trying!

Needless to say, yesterday soon turned into a day of consoling myself.... with beer! And pizza, and more beer, and chips, and even more beer, and onion rings, and finally... more beer! And no, it wasnt my naughty meal! Thats tonight- and yes, I am still going to have it as i'm cooking "Come Dine With Me" style...

Starter
Sesame Halloumi and Baked Camembert
served with caramelised red onion and warm dipping bread

Main
Pan fry duck
served with dauphinoise potatos and vegetables

Dessert
Sticky toffee banana tarte tatin
served with vanilla ice cream

Mmmm, you want some dont ya??

I know that the beer, pizza and my three course feast tonight wont help matters but hey, after 8 weeks of depriving myself to only lose a teeny tiny amount of fat I really need a break to find some motivation!

Luckily, i'm no quitter and am not going to give up! I even managed to stumble out of bed this morning a jog further that ever before.... 3.64 miles in 32 minutes, burning 303 calories apparently!

And after today i'm back to putting 100% in to my diet like before! So, moderate carbs, moderate fat, moderate protein and just one naughty meal a week only!! Seriously, the extra cheat meal and re-arranging of my diet are going to stop as there is only 4 weeks til Ibiza... only 4 weeks til strangers will see me in a bikini! (Eeeek!)

If you break the rules...

... you pay the price! And thats exactly what I'm doing for yet again having two naughty meals this week. (Actually, I've only had the one so far but as previously mentioned i'm dining at my mums tonight so another one is on the way! And before you ask- yes, I have considered not eating her cooking to save the week but that really doesnt appeal to me!)

So, as I failed miserably to say no to the mounds of mash, roasties, yorkshire pud and stuffing on Sunday and as I will fail miserably to say no to mums salmon pasta tonight, I have cleverly re-thought this weeks eating and exercise to ensure I stay under mainentence calories and hopefully shed a teeny tiny amount of bodyfat this week...

For the exercise: I'm making sure I workout more intensely and am cutting the rest periods between sets/circuits down, also i'm trying to move a little quicker during my cardio. More intensity = more cals burned! (THIS IS GOOD!)

For the diet: I've cut down on my carbs... a tad! (Carbs are vital for energy, workouts... and my sanity!) Of course, while doing this I have been eating plenty of protein, healthy fats and fruit and veg as I dont want to starve! Not enough calories = fat storage! (THIS IS BAD... VERY BAD!)

See, this is one of the great things I love about eating healthily and exercising.... you can always change it to soften the damage of any mishaps! (Which I seem to be encountering a lot of lately! (*blush*) Unfortunately while you can soften the blow, you can't completely recitify the damage! Booo!)

So there you have it! My attempt at softening the blow of yet another week of willpower weakness! Fingers crossed it works otherwise stepping on the scales and wrapping the measuring tape around my lumps and bumps on Saturday morning wont be pretty!

What a pain in the arse...

...literally! I'm walking like John Wayne and am pretty sure my butt cheeks are ripping like a cheap pair of Primark trousers everytime I sit, stand, walk or fart! (Teach me for thinking skipping and biking would be good for me!)

Unfortunatley, when you decide to take up more exercise an achy arse isnt all you get. I have plenty of other aches and pains too- namely in my thighs... and calfs... oh, and my abs... aaaand my sides, arms, shoulders and chest hurt a little too! (I think that covers all my aliments.. oh no, wait... did I mention my butt?!)

But, despite the sore muscles, stiff joints and constant feeling of uncomfortableness, i'm enjoying myself and loving my new workouts which I feel could really strip off some serious fat... if I dont have any repeats of Monday of course!

And this week, to ensure my one naughty meal stays to one naughty meal, I have sacrificed a British constitution - the Sunday roast dinner! You see, on Wednesday evening i'll be dining at my mums... and I can't say "no" to mums cooking... because its always sooooo freaking big, tasty and naughty!! (Mmmm, roll on Wednesday!)

So, with a bit of planning I will avoid another diet disaster by passing on todays yorkshire pud, roast potatoes, gravy and stuffing, to instead indulge in mums cooking later on in the week- pretty smart of me dont ya think?

So, as I would never usually pass up a roast dinner feast, hopefully this means I'm now back on the straight and narrow... which is good seeing as there's just one week til my next weigh in! (Eeeeek!)

From bad...

...to worse! Is exactly how Monday went!

With glorious sunshine streaming through my bedroom window- the day had started perfectly and I definately had my happy face on! My body felt re-fed from my sisters tasty three course naugthy meal so I woke up feeling pumped up and ready to lift some serious weights in my new routine!

Twenty minutes of lunging, deadlifting, bench pressing and bicep curling not only left me dripping in sweat but burning a shed load of calories! And I wasnt finished! I decided to add 10 minutes of skipping (with a skipping rope! Not prancing around like Michael McIntyre!) which was a lot more fun than I remember!

So yeah, Monday really did start off fabulously and carried on that way until about lunchtime... when my plans of finishing work, making tomorrows meals, going for a bike ride and making dinner all changed... starting with the microwave... which decided to blow up!

So, straight after work it was a trip to Tesco (in rush hour!!) to pick up the cheapest microwave they had. This was immediately followed by me shouting "Tink," "Tinky," as I tried to find my missing cat (been nine days now! (*very sad face*)) after she was possibly sighted a few streets away. The search resulted in me posting lots of missing cat leaflets through lots of doors and walking home catless! (*very very sad face!*)

So, an hour and a half after finishing work, I was finally home and felt a tad deflated and grumpy to say the least! But I went straight into my next job- making my lunch for the next day. Unfortunately, being a tad grumpy meant I was a tad heavy handed when using the cooking timer as it fell off the wall and broke! After plenty of "f-ing" and "blinding" I decided I would just keep an eye on the time and take my salmon out in 30 minutes. But, I forgot!! An hour after going in the oven my sister asked: "How long has your salmon been in?" My answer: "F**king hell! I dont believe this!"

Needless to say I was no longer a tad grumpy- I was extremely grumpy and was in no mood for a bike ride! I stomped upstairs, pulled on my pjs, slumped on the sofa and...

... ordered Domino's!!

I know, I know! Two cheat meals in two evenings! I'm absolutely gutted as I was doing so well. And I felt really really guilty...the next day! (Because that Domino's was yum and I didnt feel guillty about one bite as I shoveled it in my mouth!!)

Fortunately I don't think my slip up is too bad! My Dominos craving is now out of my system and by sticking to the rest of my meals I should still have some calorie deflict for the week. Plus, i've been active... yesterday I went for my morning jog and did my missed bike ride in the evening... and today I did another fun workout and I will go swimming tonight! (Yep, i'm back on track! I think!)

Six down...

...six to go!! Yep, I have finally reached the half way point... and i've stuck to my plan 100%! (Woo hoo!! Go me!! (*big, wide, cheesy grin*))

For some reason my determination to do this is through the roof! But its not easy and despite having one naughty meal a week, saying "no" to all my favourite treats throughout the week has been torture! I mean celebrating Easter without having a hot cross bun smothered in butter and jam just felt wrong... and it feels wrong knowing that I have to say "no" for a further six weeks!! (*sighs*)

But, being half way through means there's no giving up now! And reaching week six is not only great for my belief that I can do this, but its exciting as i'm going to shake things up by...

... doing lots of new workout routines!

After six weeks of lifting the same weights, in the same order, on the same days you cant really blame me- talk about getting a tad bored! But it wont be easy because I know my body will have to work alot harder as it won't be used to the new routines! So i'm expecting plenty of sore muscles and achy limbs but as they say... no pain, no gain!

Not only that but I will be trying to do more cardio! So as well as going for my morning jogs and doing weight routines, i'm also hoping to pedal my way up and weeeeeeeeeee myself down a very steep hill on Monday and Friday evenings, and front crawl my way up and down the lengths of a swimming pool on Wednesday evenings! (I know! Its alot! Are the words "cant do this" springing to anyone else's mind??)

But all that starts tomorrow so i'm going to forget about it for now... after all its the weekend... and my beloved Man Utd are set to take in their closest rivals... and my big sister is preparing my naughty meal!!

Yep, she's cooking her little sister a three course "come dine with me" style meal of:

Starter: Wild mushroom bruschetta
Main: Chicken stuffed with chorizo and mozzarella served with cushed new potatos and veg
Dessert (which is always my fav course!!): A huge toffee apple crumble with ice cream
And for after dinner.... coffee with After Eight mints!

Mmmm mmmmmm (*licks lips*)

Sounds like loads eh!? Betcha I eat it all though!! And that doesnt include the numerous glasses of bubbly and wine i'll be downing all evening!

Losing weight is...

... hard! Because its boring!

... painful! Because i've developed shin splints!

... slow... very very slow! Because I still have my pot belly!!

I dont have the patience of a saint and I get bored very easily and very quickly. This is not good seeing as fat loss involves a lot of time and repetition.... running up and down the same street, lifting the same weights, listening to the same songs on the same iPod and filling the shopping trolley with the same amount of the same foods. (Weirdly, although the same amount of the same foods go into the trolley, the bill total rises each week!)

But, as the weather cheers up it makes it a lot easier for me to tolerate my early morning alarm clock as I know my morning jogs listening to my favourite songs can now be done in bright sunshine! Unfortunately, its a little less enjoyable at the mo due to my achy right shin/calf, which the internet tells me is shin splints due to me trying to run a little further each week! Aint the Internet clever!?

Its also sooooo much easier to eat salads, fruit, vegetables, fish etc when the weather is hotter! I mean no-one cuddles up on the sofa on a cold, dark December night munching on a tuna salad do they? No, its all about chips, gravy, pizza, curry, chocolate and all the other yummy comfort food that i'm not suppose to be eating during these 12 weeks!

So, although its hard, painful, slightly restrictive, very repetitive with results taking forever, I know I have the willpower and motivation to see this through because...

... so far i'm still enjoying it!
... the numbers on the scales and measuring tape are going the right way!
... i'm curious to see what my body will look like after these 12 weeks! (And for everyone's sake it better not look the same!!)

So here we are...

Another long bank holiday weekend to tempt me into diving head first into chocolate, cake and cookie heaven! So far i've been able to stick to my exercise and healthy meals because I haven't strayed too far from my house, and there's no "crap" in my house, so the only option is too eat healthily!

See, when i'm at home or work eating healthily is a doddle- my fridge, freezer and cupboards are full with all the so-called "good for you" foods, and every night I put some of these "good for you" foods into tupperware boxes and take them into work with me the next day. (Yep, no canteen dinners for me!)

But its a lot harder when i'm out and about as I dont really want to carry a cooler bag of food around with me 24/7! Lets face it, walking down the high street trying to eat a tuna salad out of a tupperware box as hundreds of shopping bags swing from your foreams is slightly impractial!

So, if I know i'm going to be eating out then I of course save my naughty meal for this day. But if its one of those weeks where I have to eat out most days and i've already had my naughty meal for the week, then its all about allowing my head rather than my belly to make my food choices! (Easier said than done when your belly is waaaaaay bigger than your head!)

But to be honest, i'm skint! I just dont have the money for many days out or shopping sprees so i'm often at home or at my mums- where my tupperware boxes of "good for you" food come with me! (And before you ask- no, she isnt offended that I dont eat her cooking/food. In fact, I bet she prefers it! My dad sure does! Means i'm not "eating him out of house and home!")

So here we are, half way through this long bank holiday weekend, and with no real plans in my diary i'm 100% sure that i'll survive! Although there is one little thing in my diary....

My naughty meal!! A lovely, scrummy, 3 (possibly 4 depending on coffee) course meal with my big sister tomorrow evening!

Things are going...

swimmingly! And in more than one way - not only did I control myself beyond belief over Easter (I stuck to my "only one naughty meal a week" rule!) I have also started swimming!

Yep, this Easter the ice creams stayed in the freezer, the biscuits stayed in the tin and the hot cross buns stayed unopened as I stayed well and truly away from all the treats that I, and my belly bulge, love and adore.

But as we all know, I never deprive myself so when BBQ time came I went all out and piled my plate sky high with tonnes of delicious food... burgers, sausages, BBQ ribs, chicken legs, skewers, quiche, pasta salad, garden salad! (Of course, this didnt fit on my plate at once... I went up three times!)

It really was a fab Easter BBQ and I enjoyed myself immensley... which is more than I can say about my first swimming session! You see, I've never been a huge fan of the water- I dont like how it ALWAYS goes up my nose! Plus, i'm useless at swimming!

But when my mum flat out refused to go swimming with my big sister when she asked her, I stepped up! So last Wednesday, I rummaged through my wardrobe to find my "really old, only worn once" swimming costume (which, to my delight, had hidden tummy support! Result!) and spent a good 45 minutes coughing and splurting pool water (and god knows what else! *shivers*) out of my nose, mouth and lungs!

And now its Wednesday again! So tonight, as I've already pre-paid for 4 weeks of swimming/drowning, I will once again don my tummy control swimming costume and spend another 45 minutes attempting the front crawl only for it to develop into the doggy paddle!

So, with having just one cheat meal and adding swimming to my Wednesday evenings, I think its safe to say that I well and truly put two fingers up to temptation over the long Easter weekend!! Now I just have to do the same for this long Royal Wedding/May Day weekend! But surely that will easy... after all, i've done it once so I can do it again right?? (Yeah, i'm not overly convinced either!)

Happy Easter!

Yep, today is Easter Sunday so I wont keep you long as I know many of you, like me, will be hanging out in the sun filled garden with family and friends enjoying a few hot dogs off the barbie!

But I thought i'd spend a few minutes to let you know which idea I went for and give you a quick update on how i'm doing. So, i'll be honest....

.... i'm doing bloody brilliant!

Yep, although tempted, very very tempted, Good Friday and Easter Saturday came and went without a hot cross bun, drop of alcohol or chocolate egg crossing my lips. Not only that but I pumped out an extra circuit on my Friday weight workout and even went for a jog on Saturday, which is normally my day of rest, as I knew I wouldnt be able to do one today! (But before I celebrate I still have today and bank holiday Monday to get through!)

So, idea 2 of having a little treat each day has been binned and lets face it, idea 1 was always no-go as killing the Easter bunny would not look good as I work for an animal charity!

That leaves having a slight cheat day or ditching all ideas and indulging in just the BBQ as my one naughty meal for the week. (Either way, tomorrow will have to be a good day!)

Slight cheat day or naughty meal? Slight cheat day or naughty meal?? Slight cheat day or naughty meal??? Hmmm, I'm sooooo indecisive!!

Seeing as I really can't choose I think i'll just see how today goes! I'll definatley be tucking into the sausages, burgers, chicken, ribs, salad, pasta salad and other delights of the BBQ (they're already looking tasty- and they're still raw in there packaging!) ..... its just whether or not I can leave it at that so its just a naughty meal, or whether I succum to the chocolate, cake, biscuits and hot cross buns that will no doubt appear throughout day!

Either way, i'm going to enjoy this BBQ and we'll soon see what happens....

Long lie ins...

cups of tea in bed... feelings of calm and relaxation... yep, you can't beat a day off work which is why i'm really looking forward to Easter and all those bank holidays!

However, I find it 10 times harder to eat healthily when at home and especially when out and about! Obviously this is not good when you've challenged yourself to eat healthily for 3 months with just one naughty meal a week... and your only 3 and half weeks in!

Of course I do have my naughty meal card to play but this will be used to indulge in the big family roast dinner (or BBQ depending on the weather!) that we have every Easter Sunday to celebrate the occassion.

But I can see it now! Chocolate eggs, bunny biscuits, hot cross buns, little chocolate nests with the mini eggs perched in the middle- all looking perfect, begging to be eaten and chanting my name! (*sighs*) It's going to be hard and, other than locking myself in the cupboard under the stairs until the festivites are over, there's no getting away from it.

So, i'm preparing myself by thinking about damage limitation and have come up with 3 ideas. (Now, you will see these ideas use the word option. Option is a very important word as it means I shall only do this if I really need to! Not because I can or want to!)

Idea 1: Kill the Easter bunny! No Easter bunny = No Easter right?! Okay, not really an option.

Idea 2: Allow myself the option of having ONE little treat each day over Easter. For example, Good Friday is the day to eat hot cross buns lathered with butter and jam so I could treat myself to one hot cross bun on that day.

Idea 3: Allow myself the option of having a SLIGHT cheat day on Easter Sunday. This would keep me on the straight and narrow but giving me something to look forward to on Good Friday and Easter Saturday and would satisfy me through Easter Monday! (The key to this idea will be to keep it as a SLIGHT cheat day as I dont want a repeat of Christmas where I ate waaaaaaay too much and ended up with my head down my parents toilet!)

But whether I allow myself ONE treat a day, a SLIGHT cheat day or keep to my ONE naughty meal a week, I know i'm going to need every ounce of motivation, determination and will power to keep my hungry eyes, twitching fingers and bulging belly away for the hot cross buns... the hot cross buns lathered in butter and jam!... Mmmmm... (*drools*)

A quarter...

… a forth… 25% of the way there! Yep, however you want to say it I’ve done 3 weeks of healthy eating and exercising out of my 12 week target! Hoorah!

And to my surprise it’s not been too bad and I’m feeling pretty proud of myself for sticking to my guns and leaving the takeaway menu’s in the draw!

But while the healthy eating has been good (and delish!) and while the exercise has been good (although at times torture!) there is one thing that hasn’t been so good. And that thing has been me! I’ve upset people… and that is something I’m not proud of!

You see, I’ve never had much, if any, support for my healthy eating and exercise endeavours which hurts more than any amount of squats ever will! They see me my eating and exercising as “unnormal”and if I had a penny for every time they asked me: “Are you eating properly tonight?” I’d have a lot more pounds in the bank! Normally I just ignore it and let the pain simmer through my veins until they subside but this week the pain bubbled over when they screeched at me: “You’re obsessed!”

Needless to say, as this was coming from people who have been eating a few rocket leaves and chicken for every dinner and weighing out grapes in order to shift a few pounds, it was a HUGE pot calling the kettle black situation and podgy Pickle soon became pissed off Pickle!

This led to Pickle saying, well typing, some things she shouldn’t have shared. And for that Pickle apologies... sorry!

Now, just because I’ve said the “s” word doesn’t mean I’m admitting defeat because I’m not! I’m apologising for upsetting people as, as I argued, eating healthily and exercising does not make someone obsessed! If it does then a HUGE amount the population (plus themselves!) best be beware!

I’m not going to go on and on about this as it could well result in another argument… or even worse, another night of deafening silence! *shudders* But I will say this…

Determined? Yes. Motivated? Yes. Obsessed? NO! There is a difference between determination and motivation and obsession and if they can’t see this then unfortunately that’s not my problem.

Right, now that’s out the way, what was I saying…

Oh yes! So, three weeks down and all in all it’s been pretty easy and enjoyable. But after just 3 weeks I wouldn’t expect anything less…. it’s the next three quarters/75%/9 weeks of healthy eating and exercising that will be the real test!

But for now I’m feeling strong, fit and healthy so I’m going to stay determined and motivated (not obsessed!) and continue to eat my salads, drink my green tea, lift my weights and go for my morning jogs…. With or without the support of my loved ones!

I'm a lot of things...

But not stupid! I know for A FACT there is no way I could possibly go 12 weeks without having the odd splurge. So, before starting all this healthy eating and exercise I gave myself a little talking to!

I said: "Laura, you're allowed to have one naughty meal a week."

"When I say ONE meal, I mean ONE meal- not two or three! And when I say one MEAL, I mean one MEAL- not one day!" - Its very very important that I understand this as once I start eating I do have the tendancy to hoover up everything else I find!

Then I said: "If you dont feel the need to have a high calorie, high carb, high fat feast then dont!"

Let me guess... your peeing yourself laughing just as much as I did!? Yeah we both know I love my food waaaaay too much to never fancy a high calorie, high carb, high fat feast! You name it, I love it - alcohol, curry, pizza, pie, cake, biscuits..... mmmm biscuits!... Ooooh, Custard Creams!... I could so eat a Custard Cream right now!... Anyway...

To really prove my love for food, here's a pic from Saturday evening....

Yep, thats me enjoying my naughty meal for last week - a lovely jalfrezi curry, rice, bombay potatoes, onion bajis and naan bread! And that was after I had gobbled my way through my fair share of the starters and poppadums! I can really pack it away when I want to.... kind of a talent really! It was thirsty work though - lucky I had something to wash it down with....

I ate loads that night! And you know what? I didnt feel guilty for one second because it was my naughty meal!

You see, knowing that I am allowed ONE naughty MEAL a week not only stops me feeling guilty for eating a shed load of crap, but it helps me get through the week as I know it wont be long until I can indulge once again.

I have today off work so will need to put this into practice as I find it 10 times harder to be good at home! So, to stop me diving head first into my dads leftover chocolate birthday cake, I will now start to look forward to this weekend when, as usual, the Dominos Pizza menu will start calling my name and wont stop until i've hung up the phone after placing my order!

They say exercise is good for you...

And it is... at bringing pain, aches, lung failure and heart attacks! All of which I found out on Thursday when, as promised, I decided to hit the pavement running.

Before the cold November nights of 2010 kicked in, I had actually started to do okay at running a few km’s first thing in the morning. But my winter break is making me pay the price for opting to hang up my running trainers and snuggle under my duvet instead!

It had all started out pretty well- I was jogging at a nice gentle pace, enjoying the fresh air, listening to a bit of Britney on the iPod, doing better than I thought I would, then BANG!

Horrible, burning pain shooting from my toes to my thighs, and if that wasn’t bad enough my chest started to play up too! Yep, my chest thought: "I think I’m gonna squeeze together really hard so her lungs can’t take in much air and her heart pumps so fast it could explode! Hee hee!"

Luckily, my heart didn’t explode and I was so very very close to running to my target distance and back. But disappointingly, I stopped for a brief 30 second walk just as I was on the home straight! So very very gutting! (I would kick myself for it but I’ve been having real trouble moving my legs since).

Despite the pain. Despite the aches. Despite the fact my butt cheeks feel like they're ripping every time I get on and off the toilet! I will put my body through the torture and run again as there's no way i'm letting my lazy legs and blubber butt beat me in the battle of the bulge this time!

But for now…

It’s Saturday, and I really love Saturdays because it’s the one day of the week I don’t exercise! Hooray! So today, which started with a lovely lie in and a cup of tea in bed (thank you big sis), will be all about rest and relaxation! Oh yeah!

As for the evening, I shall be heading out for a big, fat, well deserved curry with my family to celebrate my dad’s birthday - a nice, little treat after a not so nice, not so little week of healthy eating and exercise!

Its Wednesday...

Aka hump day... aka the middle of week two... aka only 10 and a half weeks to go! Hoorah!

All in all I've not done too badly with the healthy eating (apart from the weekend slip up previously mentioned!) and exercise, but seeing as i'm still at the very beginning you wouldnt really expect anything less would you?!

There is one thing i've been putting off though! Putting off because it hurts...... alot! But I can't put it off any longer - I must once again don the old running shoes and jog my way to beach body beauty!

Now i've tried to start running again, I really have! But last week it was just still a bit too cold for my liking, and my plan to start yesterday was squashed as I just simply couldnt run with it being my time of the month could I?!

But its now time to stop using the weather and my ovaries as an excuse! So tomorrow morning I WILL go for my first jog in god knows how many months, and I KNOW I'll do it because i've put it on here now so I have to!!

And you WILL come back to my blog this weekend, and I KNOW this because you'll want to know whether I survive!!

The first real test...

…and it’s safe to say I totally flunked!

Yep, Saturday night dinner at Zizzi’s went from “choose one of the healthy options” to “sod it! Order the lot!” Starter, main course AND dessert all came and went and as I sat through the brilliant show that was Calendar Girls I did feel a little rotten, guilty and upset that I caved in so easily but hell, the food was deeeeeelish!

Today hasn’t been overly brilliant either… a Sunday roast with the family to celebrate Mother’s Day ended with me finishing off all the roast potatoes, stuffing and having more than my fair share of pigs in blankets. But, it’s Mother’s Day, and the one thing that makes all mothers proud is seeing you leave a nice empty plate! And if you can’t overeat on such a special day like Mother’s Day when can you?!

However, today hasn’t been all bad. You won’t believe it; I can’t even believe it myself, but I totally resisted the gorgeous, sweet, mouth-watering apple tarte tatin and Cornish ice cream that my mum brought as an after dinner treat! Well, I say totally resisted…. I was JUST able to! It really did look and smell fantastic (but what do you expect from a Waitrose, Seriously Fruity Tarte Tatin!) Nevertheless, I’m proud and it’s an amazing achievement as I never EVER turn down dessert!

Not only that, but sitting in the fridge is my supper for tonight…..left over chicken and salad! (Much healthier than the Dominos take away I had last Sunday).

All in all the first week has been pretty good - 5 days of solid healthy eating, 6 days of exercise and I’m feeling pretty optimistic about the week to come!

Why oh why....

Here's a poem you might like to see,
about how I came to write a blog about me,
and why i'm so obsessed with my belly.

See, way back when I was aged around 10,
I was lean, sporty and footie with boys like Ben,
but then came homework and time with paper and pen.

My diet never changed, I ate exactly the same,
but lack of sport meant I was getting a rounder frame,
now years have passed and i'm feeling pretty lame.

Everyone tells me: "Dont be silly, you're not fat!"
but when it comes to my belly i'm as blind as a bat,
as I have a little podge and all I can see is that!

Soon i'll be in Ibiza as I turn 25 years old,
and i'm hoping its not too late for me to change my mold,
all it takes is diet and exercise, or so i'm told.

So finger crossed.... and toes too,
its time to see what determination can do,
and for your enjoyment i'll update this blog for you.

12 weeks to Ibiza.. 12 weeks of NO pizza!

12 weeks. 3 months. 84 days. It doesn’t matter how I say it it seems a very very long time to go without pizza… or ice cream… or biscuits! But believe it or not (and I’m not sure I do) I’m about to embark upon a 12 week diet and exercise plan which involves me leaving my beloved pizzas, ice creams and biscuits firmly in/on the supermarket freezers/shelves!

Now, I’ll be honest - this isn’t the first time I’ve been on a diet! I know, shocking!

Again, I’ll be honest- all those other times that I tried to lose the spare tyre wobbling around my midriff failed miserably! I know, even more shocking!

So, why oh why are you trying again I hear you say! Well, that’s because I’ve always been told that if at first you don’t succeed then try try try again! Oh, and because I go to Ibiza in 12 weeks and don’t want to be mistaken for a beached whale as I sunbathe!

So, for the next 12 weeks starting tomorrow, Mon 28^th March 2011, I’m going to eat lots of nice, healthy food (aka tasteless rabbit food) and do some fun, enjoyable exercise (aka hard, painful workouts) in an attempt to lose my pregnant looking pot belly..... and you are going to read all about it!

Bet you can’t wait!

Now, as my 12 week plan starts tomorrow I’m going to spend my last night of happiness chomping and slurping on lots of bad food and drink!

Until next time…….

X

P.S As I honestly mentioned this isn’t my first attempt at a healthy lifestyle so why not read all about my previous failures by checking out my old blog at http://thegoodfoodguzzler.blogspot.com/ ...... go on, you know you want to!