Race for Life 5k COMPLETE!!

That's right. I completed my first ever 5k yesterday. I am amazingly proud of myself. I'll post some photos tomorrow, after I have some time to go through them. For now, though, here's an unflattering shot I took after I finished [which I posted on Twitter]:

Thumbs up = VICTORY

I just walked the thing, but I walked hard and damn near stomped it the whole way. I only slowed down a few times to tweet about passing the km markers. And while I was sufficiently worn out at the end of it all, I felt FANTASTIC. I'd actually been having a terrible week last week, with depression hitting me hard as the result of an increase in my meds and PMDD rearing its ugly head... but now? I feel more determined than ever.

Tonight I got back on track with Wii Fit. We had monster salads for dinner (om nom nom veggies). After our trip to the States in July (which is going to suck up all of our extra money for now), I'd like to get a bike again (and relearn how to ride one without falling) and start riding it to work. I'd also really like to find a sport or a class to take part in.

I'm oddly excited about the World Cup. But I suppose it's hard not to get caught up in the excitement if you live in England. I even bought a USA football kit! (Ever since I've moved away, I tend to root for my home country more than I ever have... but I suppose that's natural for an expat.)
Not only that, I am THRILLED about the summer olympics and paralympics being here in 2012. And I really want to try to get tickets to see murderball, because that shit looks INSANE.

So, in short, YAY SPORTS AND ATHLETICISM AND THINGS!

That's all for now. I'll put up those pics tomorrow, and will (finally) update the sidebar later this week. I want to get back on track with weekly weigh ins.

Lifting and Porridge

I bought a book called The New Rules of Lifting for Women* right before I left the States, as a friend of mine who had been using it highly recommended it. I only got around to starting up the program a week and a half ago (yay culture shock and depression and moving to a new house, oh my).

I'm really enjoying it so far. I have had to make a few adjustments (as I have no barbell or access to weight lifting machines at the moment), but thankfully they offer many variations on an exercise so that you can work with what you DO have**. It helps to be resourceful as well. I have no step and no stairs in my house so...

I've been using a couple of Harry Potter books as a step. It works pretty well! Plus I can add more volumes if I want to make it a bit taller. (I'm currently using Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix... and yes, I shipped my American copies over here, because I am INSANE.) In the past week and a half though, I've been able to progress from 60 degree pushups using the kitchen counter to 45 degree pushups using a window ledge. And the evil prone jackknife*** (though still VERY difficult), is finally starting to get a bit easier.

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In other news, I have porridge and cereal from Dorset Cereals! Shauna aka DietGirl had a giveaway bonanza last month in celebration of her blog turning 9. I was lucky enough to win one of the random draws and received these in the mail yesterday:

I haven't gotten a chance to try the cereal yet, but I pounced on the porridge this morning. Back in the States, I loved me some oatmeal. I'd started buying the big canisters of Quaker Oats and tossing in a bit of brown sugar and nuts, sometimes some dried fruit. I made it with water (as is the standard over there), and instead of cooking the oatmeal itself I heated the water up and poured it on the dry oats. This ensured that I would not end up with a goopy, sticky, paste-like consistency. I am a texture person. If a texture is wrong for me, I won't eat it.  

Since I'd moved to England, I had yet to eat porridge that didn't end up horrible and glue like, no matter how I made it: with water or milk, cooked in the liquid or hot liquid poured over. This made me sad. HOWEVER! Dorset Cereals Fruity Porridge with apples and raisins? Perfect. I'm loving oatmeal/porridge again! I even had it with milk (which still seems a bit weird to me). The only thing I would do differently is to add just a touch of muscovado sugar (for those in the States: think dark brown sugar's much darker and denser cousin) to give it a bit of sweetness.

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Michael and I are going to be doing our first online shop today. So we'll be loosely planning a menu for the week. Exciting! Plus, this way, I don't have to eye all the chocolate in our local shop (less than a week to go on the ban). I'll report back on how it went after we get our groceries.

*The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess by Lou Schuler with Cassandra Forsythe, M.S. with workout programs by Alwyn Cosgrove. It can be found on Amazon both in the US and the UK.
**The only one I've been having a hard time adapting are the lat pulldowns... I have been making sure to replace it with another pulling exercise and try to make sure it works the same muscle group, but it's been a bit difficult. 
***Don't know what a prone jackknife is? Check out this handy youtube video!

Moderation != Deprivation

Moderation is not the same thing as deprivation. I JUST figured this out, and am still struggling with it occasionally.

In previous attempts at weight loss, I deprived myself of many things I liked, demonizing them as "bad foods" that were "off limits." I also ate very little at times. While I did learn that I liked many new and healthier things, eventually the cravings would drive me bonkers and I'd go on a bit of a binge. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I'd think, "Moderation is HARD!" without realizing that it wasn't moderation at all.

I've only just realized that I don't need to take an all or nothing approach to losing weight and being healthy... because, for me, that's NOT healthy! It's okay to have a cappuccino with full fat milk or even a biscuit or two, just as long as I don't have them everyday (or several times in a day). I find a lot of comfort and relief in that. Having a treat now and again is not a failure... it's enjoying my life!

I may lose weight more slowly this way, but I think I'll have a better chance of keeping it off this time.

Lock down

I have officially enjoyed my last bit of chocolate for four weeks (until my birthday on the 16th). It was the last four squares of a lovely 30p Somerfield dark chocolate bar. I still think it's a bit nuts how cheap that stuff is for how good it tastes.

This is going to be a bit mentally challenging, as chocolate is one of those things that makes my brain go, "I WANT, I NEED," especially during PMS and crazy period times. There have been times when I didn't have any and would literally pace around the kitchen looking for something to fill that gap. Then I'd eat a load of other stuff and would still find myself unsatisfied and craving chocolate even more. If I can train myself that it's just a treat and not a necessity, I think I'll be in a good place. I know it will probably take longer than four weeks to accomplish that, but I think it's a good start.

Michael (my husband) is taking the rest of what we had in the house to work with him, and we won't bring any into the house in that four week period. (We should be mostly moved in tomorrow, fingers crossed!) We'll also be stocking a lot of fruit.

Feeling a bit of withdrawal already, but it's for the best.



WHAT HAVE I DONE?