Lesamy Week 9 – Now At Last The Truth Can be Told

So the observant amongst you will have noticed something about yesterday’s blog update. No, I’m not referring to the fact that I promised a non-Lesamy post and didn’t deliver[1], I’m referring to the fact that I slipped in an extra little bit of info, almost without comment. I gave my current weight[2]

Well aside from the fact, as M. pointed out that with my references to 10% and how much I’d lost you could work it out anyway, I just felt that maybe it was time to own up. I wanted to use this blog to track my progress, but my vanity/embarrassment was such that I didn’t want you to know how fat I actually am until I was a lot nearer my target weight. It’s easier to admit to having been 22 1/2 stone from the vantage point of say, 16, than it is to say this is what I am now.

Anyway, that and the fact that I was re-reading Lesamy posts, and that it’s monday and I need some words to go alongside my figures for this week, made me decide to take a look back at Lesamy so far and review against my original goals:

I’m doing a few minutes worth of exercise morning and evening. I intend to start slow and build up, so maybe in 3-4 weeks I’ll increase the number/duration of that.

Exercise is one area where I’ve made the biggest changes. I started off walking up and down the stairs 5 times, morning and evening. I did that because I was embarrassed to do anything outside and I had no equipment or anything. I expanded to doing walks into town, then around the park, then longer walks. At a certain point – after a fall actually – I gave up the stair walking and I added in 10 press-ups and 10 sit-ups every morning. These days I average 60-70mins of walking a day.

I’m cutting out snacks and having just the two meals a day that I theoretically already have – lunch and evening meal. I plan to add breakfast in at some point but it’s never been a major meal for me and I don’t want to change too much all in one go so I’m leaving that one until later.

I have stuck to this. I added in breakfast fairly early on when I discovered that the sit-ups were easier after I’d had something to eat and drink. I’m also eating better now, eating more fruit and veg and cooking properly some rather than none of the time.

I’ll aim for ~1800 calories a day most days with the occasional (no more than weekly) cheat day of 2300.

I aim for exactly 1800 calories a day. I will avoid going over by even a few[3] but do my best to use up as many of my calorie ‘budget’ as I can. Usually I’m within 10. I haven’t had any cheat days per se, though I’ve been out for a couple of meals when I go ‘off the clock’ (though with a vague eye on portions).

I’ll expect the progress to be slow, aiming at no more than about 1-2lbs or 1kg loss a week.

I’ve averaged 1.9kg or 4.2lbs a week. My lowest loss was 0.6kg and my highest 3.2kg. I am starting to drift downwards to that mythical 1kg/week figure.

I’ll only weigh myself once a week (and more and you get discouraged with progress or frustrated by fluctuations)

I’ve only weighed myself on one day a week, but sometimes more than once on that day and then taken the best reading. But I’m sort of over that now. I’ve found the best time to weigh myself (after my evening walk but before eating) and I’ll stick to that.

I’ll expect the occasional set back but won’t be phased, will carry on, and will seek support and encouragement.

I haven’t had any real set-backs. The week after my weekend away when I’d apparently lost nothing was a bit of a shock but mostly I’ve lost more than expected each week. Support and encouragement has been mixed. Here and on the Ship I initially received affirming comments but I think people got bored with me. But knowing I’m going to post every week means something to me. The other source of encouragement has been M. who asks me how it’s going and is always pleased when I’m doing well.

My goal initially will be a 10% reduction. Doing this by Christmas is achievable.

I hit 10% (130kg) around the end of October. My next milestone was 127kg because that brings me beneath 20stone. I hit that today (yay!). By Christmas? Well it depends on how much I slow down but I think I’ll be under 19stone and possibly nearer 18 than 19 by then. We’ll see.

It’s been both different to how I expected and in some ways not so different, easy in ways I thought it wouldn’t and harder in ones I didn’t think of. But I know I can and will keep going. I’m in a rhythm now and it’s working.

So, as I said above, I’m now 127kg or 279lbs i.e. 19st 13lbs. That’s a loss this week of 1.5kg or 4.2lbs and a total loss since I started of 17.1kg or 37.7lbs.

[1]or did I? Actually I wrote the update but haven’t posted it yet. I’m trying this new thing where I treat reviews like proper writing and so that means editting which means I don’t just through it up straight away.

[2]Except of course that since it was yesterday, it was really the weight on my previous weight day. I didn’t lose 4lbs in sleep last night.

[3]I allowed myself to go over by 36 calories today as a treat for hitting my target milestone. That allowed me to mop up the gravy from my yummy beef-in-ale casserole with an extra slice of brown bread.