Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Reducing Cellulite with Exercise

MSNBC has an encouraging article about reducing cellulite with exercise. They interviewed Wayne Westcott, a fitness research director. He has found that women who are not exercising and begin a program of exercise three times a week, together with a reduced-calorie diet can lose on average about 9 pounds of fat and gain two pounds of muscle in about eight weeks. Most of these women also said they thought the cellulite on their thighs and hips showed improvement.

Cellulite is more likely to appear if you don't have good muscle tone.

Cellulite is a drag. And even celebrities get cellulite.

Getting lower....

Hi all.
Just thought I would let you know quickly that when I got up this morning I jumped on the scales and it said 16 stone 3... or 227lbs.
so that means I have lost 25 in total... Obviously that's not an official weigh in because I like to do that on Monday#s but it proves to me that it was indeed retention.
I am really pleased... especially as we went out for pizza last night!!! Hurrah!
I just booked an appointment for hair extensions! YIKES! I have long hair anyway, but I want it longer!!
This is my last Wednesday of work!! This time next Wednesday I will be IN THE SKY!!

*update*
Well today was tiring. Lessons went well though, all my pupils are quite easy on a Wednesday... 2 adults 4 kids and 1 teenager who's quite advanced.

The advanced lesson is starting to happen now. It has been really hard getting her to work at what she needs to do. People don't realise the work they are taking on when they decided to venture on to grade 7 and beyond.

A lot of mummies and daddies decide that poppet wants to do grade 7. Ok. They don't realise that you are looking at a minimum of 2 hours practice daily.... And to actually BE grade 7 when you take the exam your looking more at 4 hours. This is a serious intensive study. What actually happens is that poppet practices her pieces once through and then does her scales once - and thinks that he/she is now grade 7. You could teach a monkey to play 3 pieces given enough time... doesn't mean hes grade 7.

I feel that if you have a piece of paper that says grade 7 on it, you want it to really mean what it says... you don't want that certificate to just mean "I can play 3 tunes quite well and stumble through a piece I have never looked at before". You want that certificate to mean "I have done a years worth of intensive study and you can chuck anything at me at this level and I can do a great job of it".

My pupil, thankfully is not one of these... but I am pretty sure she didn't like bringing her practice time up to length and working at things, not just playing easy stuff. Its taken a good year to get her to change her technique to something approaching elegance and its going to take another before I will even consider her ready for grade 7. Shes doing well, I just hope she keeps the pace going. She will be an excellent pianist if she continues... but as with all teens... there are other things pressing. Her goal is to be a piano teacher, so the drive is there... lets hope it stays.

Other than that, boring day. Didn't get home until 10:30pm and was shattered. Ate my tea on the sofa and watched 2 episodes of Home and Away then went to bed.

That's all folks.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Holiday of a lifetime

Check this out. Its where we are staying in 1 weeks time!
http://www.heritancehotels.com/HA/index.php

We are staying in the Luxury Suite...

Ahhhhh

Feeling a much better

Hi all....
I am feeling a lot better.

I think I needed to get a few things off my chest lately and last night DH and me went to bed early and had a massive chat and cuddle and I vented my spleen big style. He is always there for me and I love him to bits. He listens to me shout and rant about this and that and calms me down and makes me see that its not me, it really is unfair and that it doesn't matter about anyone else because he loves me and we have each other.

He is so definitely my better half.
Anyway, we had the most smashing evening lying there chatting and stuff and I went to sleep feeling completely clear in heart, soul mind and body.

I had a nice sleep, even though I was still wide awake at 3am and woke maybe 5 times during the night... Funny that sometimes you don't need a long deep sleep to satisfy you. It felt nice to keep waking gently and see him there sleeping and I felt safe and secure in everything. then I would turn over again and doze off and then repeat the whole thing a few more times until I woke completely feeling young and vibrant before the alarm and bounced out of bed.

Funnily enough, I really do think my weight gain has been totally down to *star* week and fluid retention because this morning, as I jumped on the scales with optimism they gleamed back at me with 16stone 4. That's half a pound less than my lowest ever... so I think what ever I was holding on to is now gone. That means that I should have a nice result when I go for my weigh in next Monday which will be the last one before the holiday. It will be nice to be under that 16 stone zone, but I know I have to chill out.

Helen left me a great comment on my blog. I asked her to tell me what kind of things she ate and how she was feeling etc...

One thing that stood out to me in what she said was:

"one thing you really need to keep in mind is that your pouch only holds 8 ounces maximum...and if you keep stretching it out, you'll have to have another surgery."

Now I have never been told this... but it seems that every bandit is given differing advice; There doesn't seem to be anything that is set in stone for definite.

So if this is what Helen has been told, and I am pretty sure that I have heard in other places a similar account, I have not been consuming too much food.

When I eat, I don't eat more than 8oz.

Yesterday when I had two bowls of cereal we (travelling buddy and I) were sitting there lamenting my lack of weight loss and I said "How come I have been able to eat that much?" and she said "Well maybe when its all chewed up and mashed together it is less than you think...?"

I gave this some consideration after Helen's comment.

Now, for any of you who still don't think I am crazy, this will most likely confirm your suspicions..... I know its a waste, but I had to do it...

Here are the two bowls of cereal



Here are the two bowls of cereal in my little blender...

Here are the two bowls of cereal blended roughly (i.e. chewed) in a measure....

For the benefit of those who can't see.... this has made just over half a pint of mush. There are still quite a few large chunks of stuff in there, but basically it has the same consistency as cereal chewed and spat out.

this is therefore 10 ounces of food. Now, this was the first time I had ever eaten 2 bowls of cereal straight off the bat like that.... So that tells me that a big bowl of cereal, even If I over filled the bowl would not be more than 8 oz.

This has made me happy. My meals are less that 8 oz too. Definitely.

So why am I not losing weight as fast as say... Helen? I dunno. But looking at what she eats, she doesn't eat very much at all (see her comment on yesterdays post) so I think probably she has a different and tighter band than me. I have read her blog often enough to see the difference in her pb'ing and eating patterns and there is a vast difference between hers and mine.

So she has enough restriction, and I have restriction..... just not quite enough....yet!!!!

this is where these blogs and chat sites really help. Dr. Clayson could not allay my fears. Helen could. It could have been anyone but they have to know what you are going through.

***A big THANK YOU to Helen!!! ***

I am losing weight. I have to look at the bigger picture. I am so bad at not doing that.

I am 20 pounds lighter than I was 3 months ago. That's great!

So even if I lost half a pound a week, its still the right way.

I WILL get to my target and Helen will get to hers.

Erika and I seem to be following much more similar routes... I have to keep in mind that we are ALL different.

I feel much more positive.

Thanks for bearing with me and I am sorry if I have been horrid and petulant.

Love you all!

Monday, May 14, 2007

BLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH

Hate self

Feel crud

Am stressed beyond control.

Put on 1 and a half pounds this week.

And yes I KNOW it is *star* week... but AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I am able to eat too much.

What banded patient with 5mls in their band can eat 2 Massive bowls of cereal and not even feel full....??? Hmmmm?? That's right. There isn't one. What about a big curry and rice and then later on second helpings. What about a whole meal and then pudding?
Jeeez I need some help man!

I tried in vain all day to make an appointment for a fill with various companies, and basically not a lot will do it.

A place in Winchester will do it for £260 (Gulp!) but not until 9th June.

Rubbish

Another company will do it if I buy their aftercare package. £1450.00 (GULP GULP GULP!)

Another place will do it if I pay £270 for the fill and £250 for the surgeon consult.

GRRRRRRRRRR

So basically I am stuck with it and wait until I get back from Sri lanka where I shall eat my way around the Island and come back as a bloated crispy fried English woman. I am SO worried about this. I have self control but for Gods sake, I wouldn't have had the band if I had been able to control myself that well would I?????? I have no idea why Dr. Clayson wont fill me before 6 weeks are up. Even Cisca at www.obesitycare.co.uk which is the company I had my band done through said its usually about 2 - 3 weeks between fills. Even Dillemans said that to me himself!!! I thought this guy worked in close connection with these people. The bloke Dr Dovey in Barnes will fill you up when ever you cross his hand with silver too. I mean we are paying for this! I need restriction or I will have to slash my wrists!!

I did talk to Dr. Clayson and he tried hard to reassure me. I wish he would get another secretary as his one is a bolshy cow to the Nth degree. She has a serious superiority complex.
Anyway, Dr. C told me that a lot of people go through this. Its normal.. don't worry, relax bla bla bla but for GODS SAKE. I am paying him £75 to fill me so I lose weigh, but I don't!!!! I am not made of flaming money. All I feel is its £75 wasted... I mean I don't know this guy do I really. He could be just jabbing a needle in me and making some kind of sick psychological test and in 2 years turn round and say "oh yeah, you know you have had 10 fills from me... actually you lost weight with the power of your mind" or some crap like that.

Am I insane???? Does anyone else doubt their doctors like this?? I pay £75 I want results NOW baby. Not in 6 months time.

How do I know that hes not milking it and that actually you can shove 10 ml straight in there and crack on, but that would only cost £75 rather than the £ 375 they can bleed you with if they spoon feed you the fill 1ml at a time bull shit.

Sorry I am just mad.

Anyway,
Hateful day,
Hate everyone and his dog.

Going to boil head

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGH!

Eat Chick Peas for Weight Loss

Chick peas, also known as garbanzo beans, are together with the whole legume family, one of the best foods you can eat for weight loss.

One cup of garbanzo beans will provide you with 50% of the fiber amount recommended for daily consumption. The high fiber prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, this being especially good for anyone with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.

Garbanzo beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral molybdenum which helps detoxify sulfites. Sulfites are a preservative that is often added to prepared foods such as deli salads and salad bars.

The insoluble fiber found in garbanzo beans helps to make your stools bigger and to prevent constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.

A cup of garbanzo beans has amazing nutritional benefits. Of the daily recommended values of key nutrients, it provides 70% of folate, 50% of fiber, 29% of protein, 26% of iron, 84% of magnamese and 164% of molybdenum. All for 269 calories.

See the excellent overview of chick pea health benefits here.

See the recipe for the Garbanzo bean salad above here.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Rainy on the outside, Rainy on the inside

Awful day.
I am menstrual for one thing ( hence the last couple of nasty posts - here's another one!)

Father in law and his bird called around.

They drove an hour to come to the garden centre up the road from us. Yes. Seemingly there cannot be any garden centres within an hours drive in any direction from their house.

I don't know why they don't say "Oh, will you be in today? Yes? Oh great. We shall pop around and see you then". There always has to be a premise.

However, it rained ALL DAY long.

(my keyboard is annoying me as its not picking up a lot of letters when I type fast, and I am having to go back a hundred times and correct it all! GRRR)
So we sat in the front room drinking tea.

DS had his pot of holiday cash on the table and was innocently playing with it... counting the Tens and the Twenties and saying.. "wow I have loads for my holiday" and showing grandad the card he got from a Friend of mine that had £5 in for his holiday.

DS was totally innocent about it, and was simply excited. He would have been counting it, sniffing it, dreaming of the things he was going to spend it on, whether grandad was there or not... but I had a pointed look in DH's direction and vice versa.

Nope. Grandad kept his money in his wallet.

He even asked DS to change some money for him! Yes!!!! Can you believe it. He wanted change for a £20 and asked if DS would could do that. I expected him to say... "no keep it honey". Yeah right. What a cheap skate.

Your only grandson, and you never give him the drippings of your nose. I hope you read this you tight fisted git.

Never gets any pressies from you does he. Xmas, Brithday... Whats the matter with you?

Actually that's kind of wrong. He was given a book on dinosaurs today... DS was very into dinosaurs... when he was 3!!!!!!!!! But I am sure he will like another book about dinosaurs to add to the 600 he already has and doesn't read which we have already told you about before when you have bought him dino stuff.

This probably sounds really rotten and ungrateful, but trust me its not.

This guy travels the world - Egypt, Thailand, Saudi, Trinidad, Canada you name it. He went on holiday and came home and said to DS on the phone "I've got you something when I see you next" and Ds got all excited... wondering whati t was.... It was the toothpaste and socks you get on a long flight.

I was dumb struck as he had made such a big deal of it... and poor kid was really like "Do I laugh... or what? Is it a joke? Is this it? or..." Not in a spoilt brat way, just in an incredulous "What is going on" naive kind of way.

They make every meeting feel dark surreal and pregnant... you never quite know what will kick off and his Dad's sense of humour is so shite that you can NEVER tell if he is serious or not, oh, and he thinks himself incredibly funny at all times and always gives those smart little answers and then titters whilst holding his little fingernail in the corner of his mouth like 'Mini Me'.

You end up either looking away in horror or laughing at them in revulsion.

DH asked them what they thought of the front room now its all decorated and The Girlfriend said "Yeah, its alright init." and Tight Wad just grunted and snorked liked hes clearing his nasal cavities. Neither of them know how to behave I swear it. You don't sit there is someones house and look down your nose at their hard work.

Damn straight we have to big their new stuff up all the time and listen to all the problems that always happen with them and how much everything costs... but they can't even be civil.

How can you not praise your own Son and his efforts? How can you be such an ass?I always tell DH not to ask them. but he wants praise from his father and can't not ask. They were here about 2 hours and neither of them had said a word. My Mum and Dad walked in and the first thing out of their lips was "WOW!" Now, I don't care if my Mum and Dad liked it or not, but at least they made us feel nice about our efforts. I also don't care if Tight Wad and Girlfriend like it or not either... but at least flaming well pretend!

So tight wad went home with his equally appalling cow of a girlfriend.

Then we were so shell shocked and worn out from the sheer trauma of talking to them for 3 hours and the physical strength it needs to keep your tongue under control that DH and I went for a lie down for an hour.

Then I took DS to skating and the day got brighter.

I had a banana for brekkie today, spaghetti on toast for lunch and quiche and veggies for tea.

I feel like I have restriction, but not quite enough. I kind of feel full, but not in a satisfying way... I think one more fill and I will be there... but something is definitely going on in there. I cant eat without thinking about it, so there is restriction... just I don't think quite enough just yet.

Anyway, weigh in tomorrow.... oooh dear. I will be really upset if I don't lose this week. I have been good. The painters are in this week though, so that's not a good thing for me and the scales... I will let you know what happens.




And here are the Babies... les Gary. Click on it to see it full size and the red bits are their names..