Wednesday 23 March 2011

button-of-success progress report

16 days ago I blogged about the Cardinal-Cyn-Button-of-Success with strength training being the missing link in my weight loss efforts. This is a progress report. It is also a surefire way to keep me accountable, and on track in the ‘white dog’ zone.

set the scene

In the second half of last year, during my breast cancer treatment, I increased in weight – due partly to side-effects from radiation and partly to Christmas kilos. Since January and for 2 months I exercised (mostly walking) and ate well and lost half a lousy kilo. Then 2-3 weeks back I re-discovered strength training. Within 2 days I had lost another 0.7kg. That’s when I blogged (see Cardinal-Cyn-Button-of-Success).

LLW

Back in January, I commenced my own project called ‘Learning and Living Wellbeing’ or LLW for short. The focus is not just about weight loss, but also about overall wellbeing. I love to learn - explore, research and find things out for myself which is why the ‘learning’ word appears in LLW. And it’s about ‘living’ too – so it’s very active and intentional. I have also identified my relevant value and goal as:

Value: Physical Wellbeing. I highly value long-term physical health to enable my body to operate efficiently throughout my anticipated long life. I will develop and maintain habits which will provide my body with the nutrition, work, rest and activities it needs to achieve this.

Goal: to reverse and maintain the direction my weight is headed until a healthy state is achieved.

results to date

In the 16 days since that Button-of-Success discovery, I have dropped a further 1.3 kilos, bringing my total weight loss since January to a neat 2.5kg. When I put my white pants on yesterday, they were feeling positively loose. The first part of my goal ‘to reverse...’ has been achieved. Just got to maintain the direction now. I am no longer increasing in weight. I feel damned impressed with myself, to be honest! Yes I do!

the horror of hormones

I should also add that during my hormonal week, which these days I can never tell whether it’s going to be regular or not, everything hurts. What doesn’t hurt doesn’t work, and I retain fluid like crazy. My weight will be mostly stable at best, and increase up to a kilo for a day or so, and then suddenly things will start moving again. During that time I take it a little easier on myself – gentler walking and strength training which focuses more on the lower body than the upper, due to a tendency for muscle spasm in my neck and shoulders which results in horror headaches during this week. I drink water like a fish too.

exercise routine

This is my exercise routine for a normal week. Each walk takes around 40 minutes and each strength routine or yogalates DVD also takes 40 minutes:

Monday

Walk & strength training

Tuesday

Walk

Wednesday

Walk & yogalates DVD

Thursday

walk

Friday

Walk & strength training

Saturday

Bikeride

Sunday

Rest

But 2.5 kilos! Howzat eh? Yes! There is still hope for a peri-menopausal, 40-something, pear-shaped couch-potato like me yet! Unbelievable

6 comments:

  1. Well done Cyn....any loss is a good loss! Keep up the good work! xx

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  2. Hey 40ishsingleandstarving! Thanks for that. I know you'll appreciate the excitement that comes with weight loss, being the very experienced 'loser' that you are!

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  3. It can be a battle I know...I am at a plateau now and still have that horrible last 5kg to move...I know I need to move to move it but the motivation is jsut not there....Its so hard when your a single mum & a fulltime worker..I am buggered by the time I get home! I really need a walking buddy but it is starting to get wet and cold again....oh dear...I dont think being lazy helps LOL

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  4. Hi 40ishs&s. You've done better than me - I never got to within 5kg before. I became psychologically comfortable at the 7-8kg mark and stopped. I do still have the desire to hit the goal though... I wish it was colder here. Exercising in cold climates is much better than hot - I promise you! but can fully appreciate the buggeredness (a word) factor - I'm buggered with a husband and no kids and no work! I don't know how mothers do it,honestly. A walking buddy is a great plan. Don't give up with that one. I have a Skype buddy that asks me all the tough questions. If you can't find a 'real' person, get a virtual one. XX

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  5. You should be very proud of yourself Cynthia. To overcome all that you have over the last few years is an inspiration. Keep the blogs coming. I look forward to them now!!

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  6. hi leanne. so glad you look forward to the blog. and thanks for your encouragement.

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