Sorry I am going to be absent for a few more days my aunty tragically died at the weekend and I need a little time x
Good Evening,
I hope your all enjoying this fabulous sunshine as much as I am!
The title of this post is a little misleading really as at the minute I am still trying concentrate on distance rather than time, but I must admit there is always a little niggle pushing me on to try and complete my next jog even a few seconds faster than before.
It has been several weeks since I last did any a race for life update so here we go:
Personally I am still plodding on increasing my distance and trying to get out for a reasonable length jog at least 3-4 times a week and check out my current best distance:
![IMG_0629[1]](http://slimmingmum.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_06291.png)
I know for a lot of people it really isn’t that far but for me who started my couch to 5k journey on the not able to jog for 60s it seems amazing. I still suffer with some self conscious issues but now I have my beloved cap (necessary to keep the sun out of my eyes obviously) I just pull it down nearer my eyes, look straight ahead and remember I am lapping everyone sat on the couch and you never know that seeing me hauling my substantial ass around may just motivate someone else to do the same. In fact I happen to know several people apart from my little running group (who I will get to later) to start their own couch to 5k journey and I honestly feel great about it.
What I have also been doing though, is what I love to do when I get engrossed in any new hobby is research. Whilst the odds of getting anywhere near a PC in this house at the minute is minimal, between the children and the other halfs’ OU work taking priority it means I have had to resort to other means such as:
![IMG_0593[1]](http://slimmingmum.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_05931.jpg)
Yep I love to devour books, magazines etc. They are my make do measure until I can find the time/free pc to get online and do some serious digging. Whilst most of the information in a lot of these publications is far more advanced than I am I have to admit they are also very good at remembering us novices are out there and making sure we feel included too. I have learnt so much from simple things like these magazines including some things that I wish I hadn’t (I am not even going to link runners trots…its just not pretty or ladylike) but they are all things that in reality I needed to know and will hopefully help me on my way to look to continue with jogging as a hobby. A book I enjoyed on kindle was Runing Like A Girl by Alexandra Heminsley which whilst not so much a technical guide is one womans journey to building up to running a marathon and then helping others do the same. She documents the highs and lows, inurys and the dread of going into a running shop as a novice to try and get fitted for proper running shoes (she didn’t have the greatest first experience). I really would recommend it!
The other thing I have done and I find really helpful is that I have made myself a running journal and whilst browsing in bookworks recently ( I seriously need to stay out of that shop ) I found what I consider to be the perfect journal to do it in:
![IMG_0578[1]](http://slimmingmum.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_05781.jpg)
![IMG_0630[1]](http://slimmingmum.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_06301.jpg)
Don’t you agree?!
I love it and what I have done is break it down into sections depending on the various lengths of jog I done and then break down my speed by each KM so I can see how far I am progressing as well as leaving any notes on how the jog went/weather conditions etc so I can look back and review my progress in very much the same way I do with my weight loss journey. I do also use an app on my phone called Endomondo which is available in playstore and itunes for free which is awesome and what I use to track my times and routes etc, which also lets you review each run by KM however flipping back and forth between the screens is a little annoying and I am a bit old school and like some things written down so I can pull them apart (and its a great back in case of a technology fail).
Finally how are my little jogging group coming on…well they are doing flipping marvelous if I say so myself and I honestly could not be prouder. As this goes to press one of them is currently away on holiday at Disney Flordia (jammy bugger) two of my lovely ladies are going to graduate their c25k programme and my other fantabulous lady who has had major back issues/surgery in the past has only gone and manged to complete the dreaded wk 5 day 3 20 min straight through jog with flying colours! She is rightly very proud of herself and I am so proud of each and every one of them I could cry 
Just before I go a little joggers rant…now bear in mind that I have grown up all my life with dogs and love them, however Dear Dog Owners..I get the idea that a flexi lead is a wonderful invention for letting your dog have a little extra room to explore whilst still being attached to you. Saying that however, I am pretty sure it was not invented for teacing joggers to hurdle for everyones amusement as I had to this week. I was quite impressed if I say so myself that I didn’t end up faceplanting the floor however in future I would much rather you restricted your quite lovely pet until I get past (I will go as quickly as I can) before letting them once again set thier trip wire across the path. In fact that wasn’t my only dog related incident this week (like buses they seem to come in clusters) I also had someones dog come around the corner far before the relevant owner did with their end of the flexi lead and proceed to stick its nose somewhere I really rather it didn’t! I have been called a bitch in the past but that takes the mick. Not sure what the poor owner thought had happened when she saw the look of disgust on my face as she rounded the corner but I was more interested in getting the hell out of there before it got any other ideas to be quite honest.
Besides that all is good and I leave you with a little advice found in my runners magazine: Dear joggers, NEVER trust a fart after the first mile
Take care everyone Xxxx
The title pretty much sums it up I am afraid. I cant tell you all how many times I have sat down to write this post, fingers poised over the keyboard, wanting to express what is inside but no words come forth. Oh well here goes nothing so please be gentle with me.
Over the last few weeks I have just been feeling incredibly down. In the great scheme of life there are many many people who have worse lives than me so I really dont like to go on too much as I feel like I am whining. To those of you out there who are overcoming huge hurdles in your life and/or suffering through very difficult circumstances trust me you are in my thoughts too. I have suffered with clinical depression in the past which is hard to admit as even now I believe there is still a huge stigma attached to it (which is completely unfair in my opinion). Whilst things are far from being back there I do seem like everyone to get low points in my life which I find harder than normal to overcome. This has been a particularly unpleasant bout of this.
I really don’t think it helps thats I am reaching the point in my weight loss journey where I have lost nearly half of my body weight. I know that a lot of people will think this is something to be proud of but for me it really is bittersweet and a difficult transition to make. I am proud of what I have achieved but for me personally, I am really unhappy that I had to make such a huge journey in the first place. It’s something that is now behind me and trust me a place I will never visit again but the memories and feelings from even just how I felt a year ago are still there and I think time will be a healer on this one. Its hard to put adequately into words I am afraid so I am just doing the best I can. It dosn’t help either that whilst I am someone who is regularly a support for my friends and family (and love doing it), I really find it difficult expressing my own emotions and offloading onto someone else, for me somehow its easier to let my fingers type it all out and put it out there in the blogosphere :S
I have though being using my inspiration jar and have found that it has been a great help, which reminds me I have promised myself a new nail varnish when I go shopping I am going to paint my finger and toe nails now that it is easy enough for me to do so. A NSV if ever there was one!
Another new hurdle I have hit at the minute is that lots of people seem to have decided to become quiet vocal in their opinion that I have now lost enough weight and need to stop. As much as I appreciate this is done somewhat out of kindness it’s really not helping as I have the unfortunate disposition that I weigh more than I appear to, so when I tell people I have approximately another stone to go the look of horror on their faces is somewhat disconcerting. For some family members close to me I know their concerns are more founded in as much that many years ago ( pre children ) I lost a lot of weight to the point I weighed more than a stone less than my new target weight and if I am brutally honest it was becoming unhealthy. I am not saying I had a full blown eating disorder by any means but it was something that even now looking back could have easily become a reality. Fortunately I have matured(slightly) over the years and realised that my health is so much more important now, and I am confident that those feelings/desires will never be revisited however it did teach me a vital lesson in how easy it is go down that route and be aware to watch out for the same signs with others.
Another helpful part of being in the SW family is that obviously consultants and other members are always there for you (generally) to help overcome all these hurdles that may have previously sent you skittering off along a self destructive path. I do say generally as why oh why is there always someone who wants to have a little “dig” or feels the need to make a smart remark designed to bring you down. It’s only recently that I have come under fire from one of these people and combined with my general “blah” mood she managed to successfully rattle my cage. The annoying thing is though I then get annoyed that she bothered me and it becomes a vicious cycle of hurt/annoyed/upset then annoyed because I am upset and so on and so on. I really don’t know what her motivation was for this and to be honest it really put me off going to group this week, as I would honestly help anyone generally in life but especially when they are somewhere like group where you can feel exposed and need support, but in I went and avoided her like the bubonic plague…I shall win!
On the flip side though I recently travelled to Leeds to meet up with four gorgeous ladies I have become firm friends with on the Minimins weightloss forums and a splendid day was had by all (which may or may not have not included lots of people watching, wine and ice cream in the sun), it was really lovely to put faces and voices to some lovely support and its something I look forward to doing more as there really are some fantastic people out on this big wide interweb! So Sheila, Kathryn, Stacey and Michelle hello my lovelies!!
Ok enough whining now so lets catch up on weight losses in what seems liked decades…these are also in my usual weigh in with me:
06/05/2013 -1.5
13/05/2013 -1 oh so near but so far from that blasted 11st award
20/05/2013 -8 OMG yep you read it right…that bleeding running must have caught up with me and I got my 11 and 11.5 st awards!
27/05/2013 + 1/2 oops alcohol happened… enough said (see minimins meet up lol)
03/06/2013 -1.5 oh yeah not too bad nearly under the next stone number
Well if you have made it this far through this long and rambly post well done and thank you! Its not always easy but there is always a way.
Take care everyone Xxxx
Hi Everyone
I know this is going to sound a lot like my last post, but I do apologise for my absence 
Things just seem to have got on top of me recently, but I will be back very soon with an update on progress as I miss you all!
Thank you so much for those who have contacted me concerned, it is much appreciated.
Speak soon xxx
First of all I apologise for the lack of posts last week, I know bad blogger I am . It was partly down to being yet another manic week in our household combined with the other half taking up residence at our PC to do his Open University college work, which in fairness does win over me wanting to blog. I did attempt blogging from my I phone but fecking hell what a giant pain in the ass, no thank you very much.
The scales last Monday also didn’t love me too much awarding me a 1lb gain that to be honest wasn’t totally unexpected, as the week prior I had my fabulous parents up on holiday and I definately possibly wasnt as good as I could have been. I however made the executive decision not to let it get to me like I used to and turn to food instead I got my ass straight out after class and got myself a 6K run under my belt. Oh how I miss my parents now they are gone and I won’t get to see them again until August
The lovely thing is though like you all and my facebook group they are always there for me in the background supporting my journey, cheering me on when I have done well and picking me up when I am not doing so good, which trust me I am so appreciate for.
The rest of last week didn’t go too bad at all apart from a flexi syns day on Saturday when I went out to celebrate a lovely friends 4oth birthday and I may have consumed a couple too many vodka and diet cokes..oh and I was introduced to Sambuca(that I can live without in my life). It really is a big thing for me to be able to go out and enjoy myself now, as before when I was heavier I would avoid social gatherings at any cost. Mainly this was because I was ashamed of my size (not proud of this but it’s true) and also partly down to the fact it was so expensive to get clothes that were nice and didn’t look like I was pitching a frickin tent. You really think that stores that design clothes especially and exclusively in a lot of cases for the larger lady would learn to cut them in some sort of flattering way!
The reality was and it is easy I suppose to say in hindsight is that my friends really wouldn’t have cared what I wore and would have been pleased to see me anyway. I really feel I have wasted so much time, but I can’t go back and change it now so I am concentrating on making my future differerent.
What I did manage to get though for such an event was a little something for myself in TK Maxx, now I love this store. Generally however I am only in mooching the handbags as I can never find anything to wear that either fits me or is in my price range but not this time..do you like my new dress? :D
![IMG_0586[1]](http://slimmingmum.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/img_05861.jpg)
I felt soooo pretty! It’s nice to feel pretty and I honestly think I stood an inch taller (even though I was wearing flats, I am getting old lol)The even even better thing is that it is a size 14!! It only just fits but I just dont care it will keep me motivated and on track remembering how good it felt.
The downside to the event was not feeling quite so sparkly the next day…it appears that it really dosn’t take virtually any alcohol anymore to make me suffer the morning after the night before and it was sooo tempting to go into self destruct mode and fall right off the SW wagon. Thank goodness for the lovey, Karen, Karen, and Weightloss Bitch on twitter always ready to lend a hand and drag me right back on. Thanks ladies!!!
It must have paid dividends and made me stop and think as this week I managed to lose 2.5lb and creep under the all important next stone number. I also won Slimmer of the Month which is always awesome as I get to add another magnet to my fridge and shiny to my book. I really am so easily pleased.
If you are interested I am also starting to get to grips with Instragram if your familiar with it (pretty sure I am the last on the bus with all social media) my name on there is slimmingmum to give me a follow 
Race for life update is coming as a separate post as I have blathered enough for tonight I think.
Take care everyone xxx
![IMG_0581[1]](http://slimmingmum.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/img_05811.jpg)
