challenge / last day

I'm blogging early, lots of things to do today, like getting myself and the house ready for a new year.
I weighed myself this morning: - 3 lbs. That's the best  I've been able to do in almost 10 weeks and that is not a great result.
On the positive side, my waistline has gone down 1 1/2 cm, and for fitting into clothes more important than the weight loss. Very happy about that.
I was looking at my scales and waist measurement notebook and last year, between 21st Dec. and 2nd Jan. I gained 6.6 lbs !!! and 3 cm around my waist. Awful. It took me until June to lose 2.2 lbs and hardly anything from around my waist. So I was pretty desperate when I started the Map challenge.
I don't like doing workouts, or not eating bread and cheese for lunch, but it got results.
Now I have the tools, the nutrition know how (more or less) and workouts that are effective, so my goal for 2011 is to work with these tools and get a fitter, stronger and leaner body.
I aim to lose another 6.6 lbs before the end of February and another 4.4 lbs by the end of the summer.
Want my weight to be down to 59 kg, or in dax moyspeak: I AM 59 kg by the end of summer.

But before I get started realizing these goals I'm going to enjoy some parties with guiltless eating and drinking. The champagne is getting cold in the fridge, and I'll be spending the evening with friends, having dinner, playing some games, dancing and toasting to a HAPPY and WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!
Just knowing I have a ticket for my trip to Australia makes 2011 a special year. And there's a photo project next year that I'm looking forward to, and will try to make every day a satisfying one.

Sue, I declare you the winner (unless you've gained 2 pounds overnight?). It was fun reading your blogs, hope you will continue next year? keep each other challenged!
Have a wonderful weekend and
HAPPY 2011 - hug Leoni

challenge week 9 / halfway

Is this our final week Sue? the 31st seems like the perfect day to end this. No way have I lost those 7 lbs.
It's been an ongoing down and up again 3 lbs. Today down another pound, so that makes 2.
I know it's because I keep sabotaging my efforts with wrong food choices. I will really need to address this in the coming weeks, if I want to reach my - new - goal at the end of February.
I read somewhere that if you want to eat something sweet, you should rinse your mouth with mouthwash. I will have to start carrying a big bottle in my bag to work, as that's where I tend to snack the most.
Yesterday I took dinner to work, chicken & vegetable salad, but then couldn't resist the tiramisu dessert I saw in the restaurant. Thankfully I walked a lot yesterday and managed 2 10-minute workouts, so dropped a pound instead of gaining it. But I'm really getting fed up with these cravings.

Today will mostly be a copy of yesterday, cleaning the house a bit, making a shopping list for tomorrow, walking to work and hopefully fit in some 10 minute workouts again.

Have a good day!

challenge week 9 / wednesday

Yesterday I enjoyed another non working day. There's lots of stuff I could do, and planned to do.

Even for an hour a day keeping up with photography. But as there is no deadline assignment work I can decide my own pace and it seems I'm in the mood for a week of laziness.

Not entirely of course, as I have to go to my receptionist job today and tomorrow, but the weekend will be mine! To do as I please.

I have been doing some short 10 minute cardio workouts yesterday (4 in total!!), and eating ED. I made a nice lentil soup for lunch and I'm going to make a chicken salad to take to work.

A boring day today, a bit like the weather outside, greyish.

I might decide to take a detour to work and go to the library first, return the DVD series I enjoyed watching, or do it after work. That will be my workout for the day I guess. The scales are steady at 141.9 lbs.

challenge week 9 / final week

Last week of the challenge, and not making much progress.
But thankfully, didn't gain any weight this Christmas. It was a working weekend for me, but enjoyed the Christmas dinners they served, with dessert and chocolate!
Before going to work I made sure to do at least 20 minutes of cardio + walking through the snow. And not eating much before dinner.
Today and tomorrow I'm free from work, so there's time to do some workouts. Part of me wants to take some time off from working out, but with the New Year parties to look forward to, the food and the champagne, that would be asking for trouble.
So, giving myself a kick up the butt, and ready for some action!

challenge week 8 / day 60

What a wonderful lazy day I've had!
Read a book from start to finish, watched some DVD's - the Mentalist, a good series for relaxation, had a smoothie for breakfast and a salad for lunch and some slices of wholegrain nutbread with almond spice inside for dinner, that will add a pound I guess, but today I'm beyond caring.
There's a harsh wind blowing around my house, and it's so nice to be warm and comfortable inside.
Tomorrow is a working day, there's an end to all good things obviously.

Almost Christmas, so I won't be posting the next few days.

HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS, ENJOY AND RELAX!!!

challenge week 8 / lazy days

It's really wonderful to have a few days doing nothing much of anything.
Yesterday I ventured out to the library, ploughing through the snow, it was like walking in the sand on the beach. Great workout.
Today I'm staying closer to home, shopping for the weekend, will be a great arm and shoulder workout.
And that's all I have to report really, just being lazy and lazing about.
Wonderful!!!!

challenge week 8 / week 8?

This challenge doesn't seem to be going anywhere, I'm up 2 pounds again, so after 8 weeks the result is -1!!! Bad result!! And it won't get better the next 2 weeks I presume. My waistline has gone down though, so that's great.
I'm trying to fit in some workouts this week. Managed 1 yesterday and 2 today, need to keep that up.
Downloaded some 4 minute workouts (free), only watched the first one... pull ups! As if.....
The next two days are no-working days!!! Jippee, will do some more Christmas shopping, it's lovely to spend money, although I'm supposed to be saving for my trip. Just some little things then, and will TRY to refrain from buying Mad Men season 3. The first 2 seasons were great, got them from the library, but I doubt they have this one.
Can I curb my desires?

challenge week 7 / now really getting off track!

I walked through the snow yesterday, hardly any cars on the roads, amazing - and very nice.
Bought a load of books, and on the way stopped to have lunch. Was going to have a healthy soup, but they had a lovely spaghetti, couldn't resist.
And on the way home I bought chocolate and had that as an evening meal. A total rubbish meal day.
So the next 6 days will have to be ED all the way, or I won't be allowed to have any Christmas desserts!
And doing at least one workout a day, slipping there as well.
The day is still young, no work planned, so no excuses!

challenge week 7 / TICKET TO AUSTRALIA!

I'be bought my ticket to Australia!!! I am over the moon! I'm so looking forward to this. A big part of the fun is the anticipation, it gives me motive and a goal to keep Dax Moyning as well. 

My goal is to weigh 61 kg when I get on the plane, so apart from day dreaming I will also have to break out in a sweat a lot. Dax will be pleased! And stick to ED most days, I will have to post my goal everywhere - maybe get a tattoo on my arm? 

Meanwhile, back on earth.... the snow and ice have created chaos and havoc in the city, it was fun walking through the snowstorm and watching the snow covering everything in thick layers, I can't remember when we had this much snow here in Amsterdam.

That was yesterday...

it's grey and cold now, and I would really like to go to a bookstore and cash in my book coupon gift, so I have new books to read during the Christmas week, but it's a 30 minute walk and not sure about the state of the footpaths. First, let's have breakfast and then decide....

Have a warm weekend!

week 7 / weekend (almost)

So happy to be home right now. The start of my 3 days without the part-time job, so I can relax and enjoy the weekend.
Spent all morning glued to the computer and forgot about lunch (a good thing?), forgot about workouts, forgot to make dinner to take to work, and forgot my to-do list. Uploaded photos to Facebook and invited a bunch of people to be my friends - please - don't need to go out and see them anymore, can just follow their lives here.
Weird really, but also nice to connect to people I haven't seen in years.
Thankfully didn't forget to go to work, through the pouring rain and wet snow. A nice and busy afternoon because people came in for the Christmas party, I was working so no funtime for me. But a mostly ED evening as I didn't get to drink the wine or eat the party food.
And now I'm back home!!! Wonderful!

Hope everybody else has a nice relaxing weekend too!

challenge week 7 / a mini fast

I got on the scales this morning and seem to have lost 2 pounds! and 1 cm off my waistline!! It must be the combination of the non ED dinner and drinks on Monday and then an almost fast yesterday, that's got my body shedding weight. It's happened before, I think the combination of high calories on one day and then one or 2 days low calories works for me.
Don't know about longer term, but just in time for Christmas.
So I'm back to losing 3 pounds total since starting this challenge. Can I get to 4 pounds by next Monday?

challenge week 7 / what a (mon)day!

The day started relaxed, it seemed I would easily finish what I had planned for my photoproject, with time to do 2 workouts and make lunch and then go to a party.
But half way through the morning I realised the project still needed lots of hours, so became totally engrossed in that. Forgot to eat and finally stopped to do an interval session and eat some food.
Back to the computer for more work, stopped to relieve my aching shoulders with a little cardiodancing session around the room. Downloaded a you tube video and did something stupid, so I lost my assess to itunes.
It took me 2 hours of trying to get it working again, total irritation of course, and finally had to delete it and download the program again. Then I couldn't find my music, finally got everything working again, but late for everything by then.
Rushed to the party, that's the good thing about being irritated, I walked twice as fast, thankfully just in time to listen to the speeches and snatch a glass of champagne. Really needed that.
The party was fun, with nice non ED food and 2 glasses of red wine.

Another long list of to do's tomorrow, and hope for no unexpected interruptions!

challenge week 7 / coldfront approaching

It's getting colder again, and very soon lots of snow apparently. I'm so not looking forward to that, the snow is nice, but the icy sidewalks are totally annoying. Will be staying indoors a lot, and just have to do some extra workouts instead of walks. And no Christmas shopping this week.
Or maybe it's the perfect time to go shopping, I was in town yesterday, the weather was nice and it seemed everybody was taking the opportunity to head to the shops. It was overcrowded everywhere, I just hate that.

I'm planning on a week with lots of Reboot workouts anyway and low-carb food after tomorrow - going to a party on Monday and will enjoy whatever food is on offer.
Good intentions......

challenge week 7 / temptation strikes again

There was apple pie at my work today, and couldn't say no! Tasted very nice, but fed up with sugar cravings. Tomorrow I'm going to start taking a chrome supplement that suppressed this. I hope.
Walking home through the main street near where I live I saw a new shop, they used to sell second hand clothes there, but it's renovated and now they sell ..... candie! The shop was still open, and I had a quick look around: liquorice, sweets, chocolate and more chocolate. I couldn't believe my eyes. I just hope the shop doesn't always stay open till 10pm. Imagine walking past that store several times a week after work....
The whole street is a gourmet paradise. It used to be pretty rundown, until about 10 years ago. Now it's a great place for food shopping, there's a store that sells Spanish food, another one Portugese food - know those lovely little tarts, filled with vanilla cream? hmmm. And a shop that sells olive oils from all over Europe, another one sells wild salmon and real kaviar, you can buy Italian delicatessen, high quality cookware, there's a bookshop that only sells cookbooks, another one designer plates and cups and tablecloths.
And 2 shops that specialise in chocolate, 2 shops that sell ice cream and now there are 2! shops that sell candie.
Like I said, a gourmet heaven!
It's a good thing I'm always going for fast paced walks to lose some calories.... no time to stop and shop...

challenge week 7 / working weekend

Another full weekend, image processing in the mornings and then parttime job the next 3 days. It never ends....

Could not bring myself to do a workout last night, didn't feel good about that, but better today. Power circuit and interval cardio + walking to and from work. I'm taking salads to work, and hope there are no temptations around. Hard to resist at the moment, and my scales are showing the hard truth about that!
I've decided my goal for this month is to lose 2 pounds until Christmas, so if it comes back on - as it surely will - it won't be a total disaster. Bit of a weak option, but really, really! don't want to end up weighing as much as before MAP.

challenge week 7 / I'm aching

I was way too enthousiastic yesterday. My legs and inner thighs hurt! And it will be worse tomorrow.
I so do not like this feeling. It means I worked out well I suppose, but so far have postponed doing any workouts today. I really need to do something, before or after dinner.
It's a shame it's thawing outside, people would just assume I'm walking carefully with ice on the sidewalks, now my duckwalk will just seem weird.

First I'm going to relax with a nice cup of herb tea, and then see if I can find the courage to do a meltdown. Forget about workouts 2 and 3, will have to put them on my list of extras next week. That list is overflowing!

challenge week 7 / an indoors day

Stayed indoors the whole day, no idea what the temperature outside was like. In here it was nice and warm, but not too warm, as I wanted to do some workouts. Back to doing Reboot 3 and managed both workouts + 2 extra power circuits. Started with low reps, so not really phenomenal, but still... hope to achieve the same tomorrow. Also got a lot of work done, good meals, no cravings.... a golden day!!!
I'll have to hit the streets tomorrow, need to stock up on food and shampoo! Glad it's cold, I can hide my hair under a furry hat.

challenge week 7 !

Had a very relaxed weekend. My sister came to visit. A challenging trainride from the south of Holland and she was greeted by a swirling snow storm in Amsterdam, but that made walking a bit easier, no icy sidewalks.
I made a ratatouille and planned on watching that movie while we were having dinner, but I got the week wrong, so we had to miss that. We stayed inside and cocooned the whole weekend. Very nice.
But now it's back to work and workouts, I'm starting Reboot 3 - again.
Slow start yesterday, only 1 workout and food was a disaster, today I'm having a slight stomach upset and will give the workouts a miss. Tomorrow will have to be better!
Meanwhile I'm enjoying the view from my windows: a real picture postcard, everything is white and very misty, it looks lovely. I hope I'll enjoy it as much when I walk to work this afternoon.

challenge week 6 / a cancelled dinner

Guess what, my dinner was chicken with salad! My dinner party got cancelled because of illness - not mine thankfully, so I got to stay indoors and make do with what was left in the fridge.
Really need to go shopping tomorrow, but so far I'm happy with only 2 meals a day and some light cardio. Just can't make myself drink water at the moment, I need to buy lemons, so I'll at least drink 2 glasses of hot water with lemon juice (and a splash of honey maybe).
Just looking out is great at the moment, everything is covered with a coat of white, there are no cars allowed around where I live, so it stays white longer. Haven't seen any snowmen built yet, I guess it's too cold even for the kids.
Tomorrow will be a copy of today I guess, unless I feel adventurous and head into town, but with everybody shopping for Sinterklaas I don't think so.....

challenge week 6 / freezing cold

It's freezing cold in Amsterdam as well. Went out this morning for a quick walk to the supermarket and couldn't believe how cold it was... The tiny bits of my face that were uncovered actually hurt! A quick spurt back home, and kept warm till it was time to walk to work. Thankfully, the wind wasn't blowing as hard, and not much ice left on the sidewalks, so not as bad as I imagined.
I keep forgetting to buy those spikes for under my shoes, so it's easier to walk in this kind of situation. They were sold out last year, probably missed my chance to buy them this year.

I had my breakfast smoothie for lunch today and a chicken salad for dinner, I'm hoping that will compensate for the non ED dinner I'll be having tomorrow. But that's just guessing, maybe I'll get served a chicken salad...?
Just keeping my fingers crossed the trains will be in working condition tomorrow, I'm going to a place called Soest.