Long Hours and Old Habits

Out in the real world, I work as a freelance Bid Manager - basically I sit at a desk for hours at a time, writing, doing graphics, arguing with engineers, editing, re-editing, more arguments, herd a few cats and bash my head against a wall. Most of the time this is a normal eight hour a day job. But at the pointy end, when we are about to submit a tender, it gets crazy. 12+ hour days, weekends, not seeing my beloved for more than 10-20 mins a day...you get the idea.

Now THOSE days mean that I sit at a desk, and don't move. I forget to drink enough, I don't go the loo enough. Eating habits are bad. In the past, that would also have included pizza at 9 pm as you could eat with one hand and type/scroll documents with the other.

Last Thursday I submitted a tender, well a prequalification for a tender, which is almost as painful. The last two weeks were long and grumpy, and well...long and grumpy.

The company I am doing work for at the moment is full of an amazing team, mostly Spanish, and they bring in LOTS of snacks...biscuits, cakes, tarts, tortes, Ohh carb filled treats of badness! But I have avoided them. OK, I did have one small bit of a gluten free brownie the other week...but, all things considered, that was nada!

But, I kept a stash of miso soup in my drawer, I made sure I went for walks, albeit brief, at lunch to get something to eat, mid-morning and afternoon to clear my head. And I managed to hit the majority of my liquid requirements (some days were better than others, but I have learned not to beat myself up about it).

Yes, some days will be better than others on our journey to losing weight. But if we took every setback as a fail, then we would lose hope. I know I would. Now I see bad days as just that and start each day afresh.

This is the first submission I have ever done where I wasn't drinking a bottle of wine almost every night to get to sleep nd shut my brain off. Win. I didn't resort to junk food to keep me fed. Win. So what if I didn't get 2-litres of water in a day? I got 1.5 litres in, and I did it healthily...so agan...WIN.

Now as I write this I am sitting in a gorgeous cottage deep in the heart of Cornwall, with my Hussyband snoring upstairs, friends from Oz in the other bedroom, and I have just scoffed a hard boiled egg instead of giving into the temptation of the Coco Pops on the table. WIN!

Now let us just hope we win the prequal as if we do that has me set for work for the next 12 months!

I Almost Forgot....6 Weeks Post Op Pics!

My beloved is up and I have made him take pics. So here we go, six weeks post-op pics...can you see a difference?

Facts and Figures - 6 Week Stats

Morning Ladies and Gents,

Sorry I have been so quiet of late - not much to say. I get up, schlepp into London, work, schlepp home, eat, sleep and repeat. Bleurgh.

I have been stalled for the last two and a half week, not getting enough water, and not enough fibre has meant I have been seriously constipated. As a result my body has gone into starvation mode. I think I have managed to address that the last few days - been getting my two litres of liquids last three days, and have stopped having a protein bar for breakfast on the Tube (gone back to Weetbix). Movement has returned on both the scales and my bowels (thank fuck!)

Last weekend we went to Bath for a belated birthdaversary (my 44th birthday and our 8th wedding anniversary were on the 13th of October). I caught up with a school friend who I have not seen for...well, a lot of years. And it was great to spend time (albeit too short) with her and her partner. Gerry and I had lots of soaking time in hot baths, massages for him and facials and manicures for me.

But we are not here today to talk about what I have been up to. Today is all about the stats...so without further ado.....

Height: 5'10" - well that should not, and has not changed!

Weight: 134kgs (295lbs) - so far I have lost 12.7kgs (28lbs)

Measurements: I have lost 34cms in total from various body parts. I see a distinct difference in my face, neck and boobs - I would say that I have dropped a cup size, and am now on the last hook on my bras. Also see a difference in my ankles - my winter ankle boots sit nicer. I think I am losing from the top and tail - everything is squeezing into my bottom! cms gone from the hips which is AWESOME.

My energy levels have been low, but I am getting through. sleeping like a log. I am managing to eat a quarter to half a cup of food at lunch and dinner...will add half a protein bar in  on the Tube home in the afternoons to see if I can keep my protein high, whilst not going overboard on calories. I am also finding a pint of milk a day helps both in getting my liquids in and not letting my calories drop too low.

Some foods are easier to eat than others, and I find I am getting sick of smoked salmon. But will post later this week on foods.

Stay well peeps - this tool is a journey, and the road is long and twisty with hills and valleys.