Right, without further ado, here's how I did for January:
It's not particularly clear from that graph (but I like the downward trend of it; that's definitely the right direction!) but I actually lost 10.1lbs in January. I could not be more proud of myself, I tell you. I was a little disappointed not to hit my 50lb target, but at just 1.3lbs away it won't be long before I smash it. I hope! I will admit, I am slightly concerned about keeping up the diet; due to lack of funds and attempting Dry January (which I achieved, I'm happy to report) I didn't get much in the way of temptations or meals out this month, meaning I had much more control over what exactly went into my gob. However, February already has several plans going on (Superbowl/my mate Paul's birthday weekend, curry night with the Premier League Predict-A-Ball crew, a trip to Manchester to see St Vincent etc...) so I'm going to have to work extra hard to keep on track. But I know I can do it, and now I have even more incentive to keep it up; a few days ago I ordered a size 14 dress from Dorothy Perkins, with a view to fitting in it by Easter this year.
It arrived today, and it TOTALLY ALREADY FITS. Check this terrible photo for proof! (Hey, you try taking a better photo when contorting about the bathroom to try to get your whole self in a little bathroom mirror :P) What with the shorts goal and the dress goal already thwarted, methinks I'm going to have to start setting better goals for myself... In all seriousness, I was stupidly chuffed to get into this dress, and actually checked the label no less than 4 times after taking it off to ensure they hadn't sent the wrong size... I've never been a size 14 before, so this is most definitely a Big Deal, and a huge incentive not to undo all my hard work by being a February Pig. I must say, I think the best thing I've done so far is accepting that I can eat what I want sometimes, or go out and enjoy a nice meal, without it being the end of the world. A little extra discipline just before/after and a bit of extra gymming should sort it out, like :)
Right then, boys, look away now; it's time to talk TOM! I'll admit I was rather disappointed on Thursday when I hopped onto the scales hoping to have lost 1.5lbs to hit my 50lb target, and I'd actually lost just 0.2lbs. I racked my brain to think of why, after 3 PB 5ks at the gym that week and a very good dietary intake (aside from that one Toffee Crisp the previous Sunday), and then it hit me; it was my time of the month (or TOM, as I shall refer to it for the rest of this entry, as that seems less gross :P). DISCLAIMER; not all women will gain weight during their ladytimes, so it's worth keeping track of your weight weekly and seeing if there is a rise (or a significantly smaller loss, like in my case) once a month around your TOM. I know I gain between 1.5-3lbs during mine, as I'm a little obsessive about documenting my weight and have about 3 years of weekly weigh ins to compare and contrast! This month alone illustrated my point quite nicely; Week 1 I lost 5.5lbs, Week 2 2.2lbs disappeared, Week 3 was 2.2lbs again, and Week 4 was 0.2lbs, despite doing nothing differently. So, if you're one of those unlucky ladies that does gain during that time, why is this, and what can you do to stop/reduce this gain? The most common causes for weight gain during TOM are;
- Water retention: Hormone bonkers-ness and the resultant water retention is one of the biggest reasons for weight gain during TOM. To avoid this, try reducing the sodium intake in your diet just before and during your period.
- Bloating: If you're anything like me, you'll spend your TOM feeling constantly like you're the size of a blimp, worrying that an errant pin or sharp object might just pop you right then and there. Unfortunately there's not much you can do about bloating, except avoiding foods that you know can sometimes cause you to be bloated (for me, that's potatoes!)
- Food cravings and overeating: As sugar levels fluctuate during your TOM, you might get cravings, particularly for sugary foods. Again, there's not much you can do about this except try not to give in to the cravings. Or you could try low fat alternatives, like frozen yogurt/gelato instead of ice cream, a nice Options hot chocolate instead of a chocolate bar etc.
Other tips to remember during TOM:
- Tiredness before or during your period can cause you to give into sugary cravings as well as give up on any exercise regime you may have been following. If this is the case, try increasing your iron intake a little by scoffing red meats and/or dark leafy green vegetables and beans to try to quell the fatigue.
- Keep exercising! Although you may not feel like doing a lot, it's incredibly beneficial to at least keep up the bare minimum of exercise. Some exercises can even help to alleviate period pains, so there's an extra bonus!
- Be sure to drink lots of water and avoid too much alcohol and caffeine in order to stay hydrated and healthy.
Of course, if you do find out you're a TOM Gainer like me, then you could just ignore your weight that week (or not weigh in at all), and just keep up the good work until the following weigh in! I think it's about time I stop talking about TOM now (guys, you can come back now!), so, in other, completely unrelated to weight loss news, but very much nerdy news; last week I had the brilliant opportunity to interview a childhood hero of mine for my podcast. Rob Paulsen (aka the voice of original Raphael, Yakko, The Mask, Pinky, the current Donatello and squillions more) did a wonderful interview with me. I must admit I'm a little embarrassed by the episode, as you can clearly tell that I'm struggling to keep my fangirling at bay so I barely say anything, but Rob himself was wonderful! Really smart, funny, articulate and an absolute gentleman. So, so sweet, and just a pleasure to chat with. I really hope I get to meet him in person some day so I can prove that I'm not a squeeing mess. If you want to have a listen, the episode is over at www.popcultureparlour.podbean.com :)
Current Weight: 79.5kg (175.3lbs)
