I am going to start the habit of accountability here on the blog. Sometimes (like today) this will take up a whole blog post but, because I don’t want it to get too tedious, sometimes I will just add an ‘update’ paragraph or two at the end of other posts.
How to lose 100lbs – The Story to date.
March 2014
I started my weight loss journey in March 2014. It seems so long ago now. I didn’t take body measurements – which I regret – but I do know that I was 240lbs with an ideal weight of 140lbs (‘ideal’ because I know that I will likely be a UK size 10/12 at 140lbs). When I weighed myself and realised that I was 100lbs overweight I was shocked! Even so, my main concern wasn’t how I looked, but was how this extra weight was impacting upon my mobility problems (those mobility problems being one reason for the horrendous weight gain in the first place).
September 2014
Six months later, we had just returned from a week’s holiday in Cornwall and I was feeling quite pleased with my progress so I took some measurements.
I had lost 32lbs by this point.
Bust = 46 inches
Waist = 40 inches
Hips = 48 inches
Fast forward to January 2016
The weight loss has been slow (at times it has felt painfully slow) but I have continued with a fairly consistent and steady loss.
I have now lost 75lbs.
Bust = 38 inches
Waist = 33 inches
Hips = 40 inches
Moving Forward
Weight-wise: I have another 25lbs to lose in order to reach my goal.
Mobility-wise: Whereas losing the weight has helped lessen my hip and back pain, it is frustrating that my mobility problems have actually become worse. My left leg has been feeling less supported than before and in the last few months I have been suffering from severe knee pain in addition to the sciatica.
So what is the plan for 2016?
As far as food is concerned I intend to continue eating the Paleo diet – it is obviously working. It isn’t a weight loss diet (as such) so I can see this as being a sustainable long term eating plan *for the rest of my life*. There is never going to be that point in my future where the diet is over and I can count down the days to when I can EAT ALL THE FOOD again, so I am never going to put this weight back on.
My focus for this year is on finding more ways to add exercise into my day.
I have decided that I need to start strength training to improve my leg muscles – even if it’s only something basic. I’ve bought a resistance band and I’ve found an easy to follow, and manageable, 20 minute routine online. I intend to do this 3 times a week.
I’ve also decided to walk a mile a day, 5 days a week. I’ve worked out five, local, one mile walks (four are measured from outside my front door, the fifth starts a short car ride away). I’m also including the Leslie Sansone Walk at Home routines for days when I’d rather exercise/walk inside. So, that’s a mile a day – either inside or out.
I’ve bought a new swimming costume (my old one is now far too big) and I’m starting swimming again. The plan is to swim once a week.
There is a community swimming pool within walking distance of my house, and it looks lovely when I’m stood next to the pool, but unfortunately the minute I get in the water all the memories of school swimming come flooding back. It seems odd that this should happen even now, and I have no idea why it happens at this particular pool, but it definitely makes me anxious. It doesn’t help that the pool is very full and busy during the adult lunchtime session, you are expected to swim lengths, and there isn’t any space to just enjoy being in the water.
It would be much more convenient if I could like this pool, so every now and again I tell myself it wasn’t really that bad and I try again.
The swimming pool I prefer to use is 5 miles away, and it is more expensive to use even before I add on the cost of travel. I enjoy this pool. The open lunchtime session is usually quiet, but even when it’s busy this pool doesn’t make me anxious, and there are easy steps into the water which makes it the more accessible of the two pools. There is enough space here to just move in the water without feeling under pressure to swim all the time. I enjoy swimming but I also find that taking the time to just move in the water is relaxing and helps to relieve my back pain.
None of this exercise is going to be easy while my knee is in so much pain. So, at the moment I am taking a week off to rest and recover. Instead of exercising, I have been working towards easing my knee pain and I believe that I am making progress.
I’ll let you know how it goes.