Making progress

Sunday:

I had assumed my poor sleep was just due to the heat but then my husband told me I have been snoring lately, which I don't usually do unless I have a cold, he had been polite enough not to mention it until I asked him. So then I got all worried about sleep apnoea. But now we are having some cooler days/nights and I've slept much better and even the Chemistry that seemed completely confusing now makes sense. No more tired headaches and napping every afternoon! So I think it is just the heat after all. And maybe a slightly blocked nose. We are going to have at least a week of cool, yay!

I did 20 minutes of dance yesterday before I stopped from exhaustion. So unfit.

My diet buddy (who has organised about eight of us into a facebook group now) had planned a walk up Mt Ainslie this morning. I have done it before with another friend, it is a very difficult steep walk - even walking back down is tricky on the knees. Good exercise. I'd said I would go but was feeling a bit resistant; partly because getting up early on the weekend seems so unfair (have to go early before it gets hot) but mostly because Jodie is both much fitter and much taller than me. I was seeing myself gasping and struggling along behind these other women and holding them back. When I've walked it with my other friend she's stayed with me halfway up then jogged on ahead and waited at the top, but I know her well whereas I only know Jodie in this group so it's a bit more embarrassing. But anyway, it was pouring rain all yesterday so late last night the expedition was cancelled. And I was relieved. But I need to get over that. I don't even know how fit these other women are - and even if I am the slowest and least fit what of it? I'll just send them off ahead and then turn around when they meet me again on the way down. Even the slowest person is lapping the one sitting at home on the couch.

We had people over yesterday afternoon. I supplied a cheese platter. And sat with it at my elbow. Mmmm, camembert. You can guess how that went. But I didn't have any of the wine!

Friday was Valentine's Day. Tim gave me a fluffy purple towel set which is lovely, and a small amount of quality chocolate which I've eaten a bit of every day. I gave him a necklace. The only change I made to the menu for the day was adding a dessert, which we only have on special occasions or for visitors.

Tomorrow is official weigh in, but as of this morning I am 0.5 kg down from last Monday, which is exactly how much I wanted to lose. I think I've exercised four times this week (and still have plenty of today left). I've still had quite a bit of "treat" food, probably every single day, but I have still eaten better than I had been in the weeks/months before that. So I have by no means done perfectly, but I have made improvements and my weight is reflecting that. I am happy with my progress this week.

Diet buddy

Sunday evening:

A friend of mine texted me tonight that she is starting a new health regime tomorrow (Monday always feels like a fresh start, doesn't it) and was looking for a diet buddy. I was already planning to start (again) so I said I would. She wants to lose 10kg in 2 months - I assume that is all she needs to lose, she isn't very overweight - but I am going to aim for 5kg in 2 months which I think is more achievable. Also I have 25kg to lose so I need to be in for the long haul.

I think having someone to be accountable to will help.

The plan is the basic idea of reducing junk food and exercising more. I have been very slack on both fronts all year so far. The only thing I've been doing well is increasing my water intake, and that is probably because of the extreme heat here. I've actually been really thirsty, which is unusual for me.

I've decided to get up half an hour early and do half an hour exercise, a minimum of four days a week (I have one early uni morning so not that day). And be more active on the weekends as well.

I've had heartburn nearly every evening this week, annoying. Not sure why, eating the same things as usual. And the clammy night sweats are increasing, even on cool nights. Hello peri-menopause. All the more reason to get control of my weight now. It only gets harder from here on.