Another week has flown by. Is it me, or does time pass much quicker the older one gets. It seems to me it was yesterday I was writing last week’s post. My week has been purposeful in its pursuit of exercise and even when rain, thunder and lightening raged above, I was below trudging in soaking wet clothes for over an hour. I was proud (and cold) and very grateful for the hot bath my children had kindly ran in for me awaiting my return.
I had to laugh this week when a friend texted Gary asking him if we’d had a falling out. She had just seen Gary and the children driving up the road and then passed me trailing behind, walking as fast as my little legs could carry me. I’m not sure, but I think she thought maybe Gary had turfed me out of the car(!) after an argument and continued on to his destination without me! She was relieved to hear I was just taking my daily exercise!!
I had my first compliment about my weight loss this week, which was gratifying considering I honestly don’t notice even the smallest of changes. Thank you Lorna, I needed to hear that!
On the health front, we have whole-grained everything we buy. We already ate brown, red and wild rice; whole grain couscous and whole grain bread and cereal, but whole grain pasta was one I had been back pedalling on. After reading Phyllis’ post on steadying ones blood sugar and the role whole grains have, I began cooking pasta of the brown variety. It doesn’t look as appetising but no one noticed the taste and I was able to serve everyone slightly less without the children noticing hunger-wise a few hours later. So it definitely is a keeper as it kept us fuller for longer and we used less.
Thank you for all your input and advice last week. May shared the secret of her weight-loss, which had been giving up dairy products when she became vegan. She lost over 17kg and cycles to and from university. This part of weight-loss excites me the most. I want to exercise more, I enjoy it but my body really protests because of carrying the extra weight. You’ve inspired me May – thank you!
I giggled at the amount of you who have also been guilty of asking the children to fetch things for them. It seems a very home school mum thing to do!! Kris, who you will all know from Weird Unsocialised Homeschoolers, has lost an amazing amount of weight and made a huge impact on her health in the process. I know she will have heaps of wisdom and encouragement for those on a similar journey. Last week Kris shared that running errands herself rather than asking the children was one of the key ways she increased her activity in the early days of her weight loss. Kris now runs 5K marathons. I find it very reassuring that even small steps make a big difference, it’s just a matter of keeping on making those small changes, one change at a time and amazing things will happen.
I was incredibly pleased to hear Ticia’s research into the health benefits of milk, and how skimmed milk is not always the best choice. Having tried it last week, to say I was not impressed is an understatement. I still can’t understand why they charge the same money for a milk primarily made of water! Audria posted about her weight loss – another pound off even though she hurt her ankle. Well done Audria! This week she is going to be researching anti-inflammatory foods to help with possible arthritis. I’m looking forward to all you learn Audria! And Phyllis has saved us all a huge amount of work by doing some research about the healthiest proteins and posting it on her blog. Check it out, it is FULL to the brim of goodness (no pun intended – well, okay, maybe it was intended. A bit.) Leah made a very interesting observation about her mum, who had always been on a diet of some sort. Leah writes ‘Now as an adult looking back at pictures of her while I was growing up – she was beautiful, and quite trim. I’d like my girls to remember me as comfortable in my own skin, and happy as I am – but striving to be healthy.’ I couldn’t agree more, Leah. I try to be careful about giving my girls unnecessary messages about a woman’s body. I love the fact that when I tell them how beautiful they are, they just smile and reply that they know!
Lucinda, who has been walking with her pedometer, has lost weight even though she wasn’t trying too! She also recommended Paul McKenna’s book, ‘I can make you thin’. As she was trained by McKenna herself I’m certain the recommendation is an excellent one. Francis took her walking one step forward and went for a jog! Well done!! I’m really wanting to jog again (I ran before Gary and I got married) but I’m not entirely sure my heart is up for that much exertion just yet! I’ll be sticking with the walks for now, but have my eye on going for a jog soon(ish)!
Donna’s son made her a wonderful home cooked cobbler and she made the very sensible decision to help out with the eating of it! I would so make the same choice Donna, good for you!!
I just weighed myself and I am weighing it at 3/4Ib less this week. That’s 15Ib altogether. To use Donna’s phrase – ‘slow and steady! – that’s me this week! Gary has done a really good job this week and lost 1 1/2Ib. You know, I can feel a bit of friendly rivalry coming on (which to anyone who knows us, won’t come as any surprise!). Over to you. How did you all do in your pursuit of healthfulness? Please do share both victories large and small. You never know, something you say may resonate with another reader and spur them on to greater health! Thank you all so much for joining me on this journey and I hope you all have a great week ahead of you.
I feel a bit guilty now, I’m not as worthy of admiration as it sounds! I worked it out and it was actually about 10kg. Still a fair amount, and it was the easiest weight I ever lost – all the diets I tried failed miserably.
I wish I could get wholewheat pasta somewhere conveniently; the local Co-op only seems to sell white pasta.
That’s still inspiring May! To me, any weight loss is fabulous!!
May, I’ve tried to leave a message on your blog a couple of times but it’s not letting me (just so you know I popped by for a visit!)
How odd, I’ll check whether I’ve done anything to it somehow! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I really laughed when I read about your friend texting to ask if you’d had a falling out with Gary! I’m still seriously impressed with your commitment to walking. I got a bit fed up carrying my pedometer around my neck so my mission this week is to find one that works in the pocket!
Thanks for continuing to be an inspiration!
I used to attach my pedometer to my bra as it seemed to be most accurate there (!) but when the butcher asked how the walking was going and I replied by hitching up my bra to read the number of steps I’d done, I decided it wasn’t such a great place to keep it after all. It attaches firmly on my waste band now. Lesson learnt.
LOL! 😀
I am so impressed with you – you are doing so well. Especially walking in the rain when you could have had a lift! I’m focussing on walking more too, parking the car further from where I need to go and things like that. My big downfall is snacks. My children and I love baking together so there are always sweet treats in the house. I would love some ideas for healthy home baked snacks – especially if they actually taste good and the ingredients don’t cost the earth!
We’ve been making some great snacks lately. I’m not sure what they would be in terms of calories, by they are almost sugar free and completely whole grain with minimal fat. I’ll post the recipes next week, if that would help? One is banana muffins and the other is banana pancakes. Both are scrummy yummy!
Also Leah has a great post over at almost unschoolers where she explains how she is super sizing activities but making snacks smaller!
http://almostunschoolers.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/summer-fun-2014-mini-ice-cream.html
Her children loved the idea of a few mini snacks which had less energy in them than a single normal size serving.
Look what a big impact you have made on so many lives for posting about this subject. It does feel like a community of like-minded people. BTW…I have another post up…this time about fats…. http://bergblog-onthemend.blogspot.com/2014/07/wibbly-wobbly-weight-loss-living_12.html
This is so cool, isn’t it. I really feel like we’ve got a group together with similar goals who meet up each week to spur each other on, all with different things to add to the whole conversation. I feel very blessed! I’m going to visit now. (my computer time has been cut to an hour a day with none on Sundays, so I’m a bit behind!)
Congratulations on the weight loss. It always feels great to see, or have others notice a difference. Keep up the good work.
Hi Amber! Thanks so much, you are right – it was nice to have someone notice, especially as I really don’t notice any difference at the moment! Lovely to have popping by!
I laughed out loud while reading about your walk in the rain! Good for you for liking brown rice. I made a variety of recipes with it and none of us really developed a liking for it. We do like the whole wheat pasta and did not notice a difference in the taste either.
Here is my very late post: https://storyland4.wordpress.com/2014/07/12/wibbly-wobbly-weightloss-really-slow-and-steady/
We get a really good mix of brown, red and wild rice which is very tasty and very healthy and the whole family likes it! I’m sorry it’s taken me such a long time to get to read your post (I’m heading over now!). I have cut my screen time down to one hour a day with none on a Sunday. Trying to fit everything in is a bit tricky!
Congratulations on the steady loss. I need to be have a better attitude toward healthy eating. A few years ago I was dedicated to being more healthy and lost a bunch of weight. The last 10 pounds have yo-yo on and off though. I need to fix my mindset again. I lost 0.2 lb this week. LOL. At least it wasn’t a gain. I also ate 7 meals (lunches and dinners) at restaurants. It was pathetic on my part. Here’s to hoping that this week I come up with fewer excuses for poor eating habits
You know what? 0.2Ib is nothing to be scorned. A loss is a loss and loss of 0.2 Ib means you are 0.2Ibs closer to your goal. I think the last little bit is always harder to lose (or at least so I’ve heard – I’ve never got that close to my goal weight ever!!)
Keep going – you’re doing great!
The week really did fly by – I only had small victories this week…not eating that bowl of ice cream I wanted before bed…taking your advice and remembering that thirsty is NOT the same as hungry…finding that my tight jeans zip up :)…and generally feeling more energetic -always a good thing. Loving the new phrases I’m learning her too – “turfed me out of the car” – so great!
Huge yay for tight jeans zipping up!! I am so looking forward to that day…..Thanks so much for joining us Leah!
Oh, that’s so funny about your friend. Made me giggle. Congrats on your loss! Slow and steady is the best kind because it tends to be more long-lasting.
It’s very slow, but to be honest, I’m pleased with anything which shows the weight going down.
Hi Claire. It is me, the tortoise. Congratulations on getting healthier. I am impressed you walked in the midst of a storm. I would have been scared to death! I have not stepped on a scale because this time, it is not how the numbers are changing, but how I am feeling. I can tell I have lost a bit by the way my clothes are fitting, so that is a good thing. I must figure out how to make myself get out and walk. It is very difficult during these extremely hot summer months. Wonder what my excuse was during the spring? Hmm.
Have a great day, Claire:))
You know, I would be much more inclined to walk in the storm than in the heat. I’m not good in heat. Maybe an air-conditioned gym? Or dig a hole in the garden, declare it a swimming pool and swim?!
Well done on the weight loss and feeling healthier. I think off the scale victories mean so much more than a number on a scale. I’m so pleased for you!
Welldone to everybody!! It looks like we are doing well in our goals. I jogged again and have lost three pounds tjis week!!!
Thank you for this and for everyones prayers.
Blessings, Francis
Three pounds!! Oh my goodness, that’s fabulous, well done Francis! And well done on another jog – very impressive!
We just got back into town, and so I’m catching up on all my blog reading. It’s really encouraging to read all of the ways people are working on their health.
This past week we were on vacation in Chicago, and we didn’t have a car. I think we probably walked 3-5 miles each day we were in Chicago. It was really funny because yesterday was spent all day in the car sitting and I was so squirrelly after that wanting to get out and MOVE!
My same friend who makes jewelry has all sorts of crazy healthy recipes, and here’s her snack bars that are delicious: http://lowcountryeclectic.wordpress.com/2014/07/10/coconut-almond-bars/