Back to Basics

I know - it's been a month since I wrote last... I've had nothing to report.... same old same old. I guess the main thing to tell you now is that I have made a conscious decision to go back to the basics this week as far as my eating goes. I know that the "invisible barrier" I wrote about last time is actually very visible if I line it up on the kitchen bench and it's made of crackers and cheese, cashews, corn chips, the odd bowl of ice cream, piece of cheesecake or bar of chocolate etc etc etc which I have been "snacking on" over the last couple of months. Nothing really drastic as far as quantities go but enough to keep me at the same weight for quite a while now. So it's time to get myself under control if I want to get nearer to my goal. Back to Basics - 3 sensible band sized meals each day and no treats for a bit. And so far - 2 days in - it's going OK but I do feel a bit cheated that I am having to restrict myself.

I did expect that my days of dieting were over when I got the band.... and so it's a bit of a shock that these 2 days have felt like a diet of old. But in some ways perhaps it is what I needed to get back into losing mode. I know I can maintain my weight while still allowing some treats and eating pretty much what I enjoy. And I know I can control my eating now and not gain back all the weight I have lost in the last 10 months but this journey is not over yet so I need to exercise a bit of self restraint.

I'm hoping this sounds familiar to those of you out there who more seasoned bandsters and that you will reassure me that you've been here as well. I'm also very hopeful I will be able to report a new low on my weight loss ticker very soon. Fingers crossed - and more importantly - mouth closed!!

Slow but not steady

That's my weight loss - ah, well, at least I'm not gaining. I've never lost weight for 9 months like I've been able to with the band so it's important to focus on that huge positive. Also I now weigh what I did at the end of my first year at university (and that is a long time ago, when hair was big and so were shoulder pads!).

Today I managed to make it back to the gym (again - that's about my 4th attempt at kickstarting my way back to regular exercise). I did a pilates class and I enjoyed it. It was nice to spend some time concentrating on me. We've had sick kids tag teaming each other with new illnesses for the past month and along with being in the middle of a dismal winter, I am tired. I had forgotten how much you concentrate on breathing in pilates and did get a little lightheaded at one point - think I may have been exhaling more than inhaling! Anyway, I feel like I need to do some toning so pilates is a good entry point for me.

Very restricted

It's been ages since my last fill - sometime in June - but I keep feeling more and more restricted. Today I had a coffee, then 1/4 cup of yoghurt, another coffee and then at 1.30 I was at a lunch meeting. I felt hungry but there were only filled rolls - I ate one thin piece of ham and one small slice of cheese out of a roll - and what followed was an hour of feeling uncomfortable followed by sliming and a PB - delightful - difficult to contribute at a meeting when I was trying not to regurgitate!! Just got home and managed half a protein shake. Very strange, this unpredictable band - just hope this will have an upside of a loss - it's been over a month since my last loss and I am rather tired of this plateau.