Drained

I had such an amazing workout last night - an hour of body combat, followed by a 45min spin class, then weights then 15 mins on the treadmill doing a mixture of walking and running. That's around 1,500 calories in 3 1/2 hours. At a few times during the evening I felt physically sick (but pushed on through). The spin class was the best one I've ever been to - could barely speak afterwards. Combat and spin were taken by the same instructor who is ace. I think I might be in love with him. ;-)

There is no way I can put in 3 hour workouts every day but I'm going to look ahead at my diary and keep at least two evenings/ weekend mornings/ afternoons free for an intense workout interspersed with shorter 1 hour workouts. Tonight, I have a RPM class followed by dinner at a friend's house. Tomorrow, I will go to body combat then have an evening meeting.

What I need to do is make time for the gym and figure out how to slot it into my existing life as well.

Deadlines

I have 9 1/2 weeks or 66 days before I go home. I know that you shouldn't have unrealistic targets that you just can't keep but I want to be at least the weight I was the last time I went home (December 2010) and preferably the weight I was when I went home before that (December 2009). That would mean losing 5kg or 13kg respectively. In 9 1/2 weeks, if I go to the gym, eat soup, salad and fruit, hopefully somewhere between those two is achievable?

At the ripe old age (!) of 28, I'm the oldest of my family still to be married. I have no idea what has happened over the last few years, but one by one they've fallen (some happily, some unhappily) leaving me alone to face the onslaught of well-meaning aunties/ grandmothers etc who love me and want to see me married and settled. I need to look good so they don't pity me and think the reason in saying no is because I can't get anyone. Then there are all the comparisons with my gorgeous model-like cousins of course...

How many restarts will it take?

So, I'm back (again). Hopefully this time will be more permanent and sustained than before.

I really don't understand why this is so difficult. I remember so clearly the months where it was routine and bordering on effortless. Then, a break in the routine of two weeks was all it took. I came back from working in a place where I had no access to a gym and very little options in vegetarian food (omlettes, bread and pizza, seriously, that was it) and it all fell apart. I kept thinking, I've done so well that I can take a mini break then start again. The rest of the weekend became the next week, became until the end of the month, which became now, pretty much a year later. My weighing machine is out of battery (of course) so I'm not sure but I think I'm now back to where I started. Sigh.

I went out dancing on Saturday night, dreamt of running Sat morning, and then, yesterday, I rebooted again. A breakfast of blackberries was followed by a great two hours in the gym and a post workout meal of 2 boiled eggs and toast. I did have a couple of slices of pizza and garlic bread with my housemate in the evening, finished off with blueberries, but believe me, it's a lot better than I've been doing lately.

Anyway, the sun is shining, I have a bag full of healthy food at my feet on the tube and my walking boots on. I'm starting again, and this time I WILL see it through.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 418

My last blog post was 1st Nov 2009 - 418 days ago (if my maths is right). Sadly, I weigh more than a stone more than I did then. I'm now (unhappily) cruising in the mid 90s. Again. How do I let this happen to me - time after time and time again? I wish I'd just kept at it. I got down to 84kg by Feb 2010 and then over the past 9 months have bounced back up again. If I'd lost how much I've put on, I would be under 80kg - a weight I've not seen since I was 18.

Sigh.

From my post of 30th Oct 2009:

When it's easy, it's so easy but when it's difficult, it's so hard - and it's the slightest thing that changes the routine from one to the other. How can you tell I've made the switch from one to the other? When I start/ stop blogging about it.

I use this blog to stay on track but when I need it the most, I stay away.

See, I know these things but that doesn't stop me from not doing what I know I need to do.

I'm now back on the blog, which hopefully means I'm back on track. They stay with smothing that the key is to not stop quitting, no longer how long it takes.

Another year, another try.

Stop. Reboot. Start again.

Sitting in the Airport

I'm completely starving. I really hope we get given dinner on the plane. That's what I'm telling myself anyway to ensure I don' buy airport chocolate...

I Love Liberia

I know I said last night that I was looking forward to getting back to London. I am, but only from the viewpoint of being able to eat proper (i.e. healthy) food and do some exercise.

I woke up this morning at 8am (on a Sunday!) to bright sunshine streaming in my windows and gospel music from the church next door. I'm now eating a bowl of apples/ pears/ oranges for breakfast feeling on top of the world. Liberia really is an amazing country and Liberians are absolutely wonderful, despite (perhaps because of?) everything they went through during the long years of civil war. I'll be very sorry to leave this evening.

Leaving Tomorrow

I'm going back to London tomorrow evening. I've been the best I can be with eating today - had my usual fruity breakfast, then got pasta instead of chips at lunch of which I packed up half, and then had hummus and pita bread for dinner. I ate 2 oranges and an apple after lunch - this unfortunately did not prevent me eating 3 biscuits in the afternoon that were lying in front of me on the conference table. Of course we worked on a Saturday. I'm working Sunday morning too.

By and large, Africa sucks as a continent for vegetarian food. I love Liberia but I'm looking forward to getting back home so I can eat properly and go to the gym.