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Mayday 80: my current weight
My current weight is 264.6lbs (120kg). Today’s result was 0.2lbs (0.1kg) down from last Sunday, making the total shed -39.9lbs (-18.1kg) in 20 weeks, and bringing my BMI down from 46.3 to 37.9! It’s a little bit of a stretch, but I could possibly reach GW2 by next Sunday.
- Body fat: S: 44.9% | C: 42.0% | -2.9% | Down by 0.1% (2.6lbs / 1.2kg) this week.
- Body water: S: 33.5% | C: 42.3% | + 8.9% | Up by 0.2% (5.3lbs / 2.4kg) this week.
So, the really good news is that I have shed 2.6lbs (1.2kg) of fat this past week! And even better; my body water percentage has gone up by 5.3lbs (2.4kg). Every step on the way towards my body getting better hydrated than it has been makes me very happy. It means we are slowly moving towards a healthier home to house my spirit. And that can only be good. The only problem with today’s result is that this should reasonably have been reflected in a weight gain rather than a total loss. This means I still have reason to believe that I’m losing muscle as well as fat. And that is not good news!
I will try to up the game on my workouts this coming week and see if maybe that can help. I don’t really want to be losing muscle, so clearly I have to make an extra effort to beat my body into shape now. More yoga maybe…
This is the last day of the 80-day weight loss challenge I’ve been doing, but as I only do weigh-ins on Sundays I saved this post a few days to fit in with my normal schedule. I will keep writing about my weekly progress on Sundays, but from now on it will be with the week rather than a day in the header. Roll on week 21!
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Mayday 78: my current weight
78) Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
My current weight is 264.8lbs (120.1kg). Today’s result was 3.5lbs (1.6kg) down from last Sunday, making the total shed -39.7lbs (-18kg) in 19 weeks, and bringing my BMI down from 46.3 to 37.9! My GW2 is getting closer and closer and I should reasonably get there this month.
- Body fat: S: 44.9% | C: 42.1% | -2.8% No change this week.
- Body water: S: 33.5% | C: 42.1% | + 8.7% No change this week.
If neither body fat, not body water, percentage has budged this week it can only mean one of two things. There’s either a glitch in my analyser or I have lost this week’s weight in muscle tissue. I suppose it wouldn’t be entirely far fetched to think it might be the latter, seeing as I’m still bedridden and getting very little exercise. But that just makes me more motivated to push myself and do more workout during the day. I may not be able to do a whole lot, but every little helps.
I’ve now been on my vegan/raw detox for almost two weeks and the detoxs symptoms have calmed down. But they are still there. Funnily enough I have reached a stage where I don’t really think about it anymore. It’s already become normal. How strange is that?
My body is still busy getting rid of stuff it doesn’t want, and I am still in awe and falling more and more in love with this powerful machine that is mine. My body is nesting and I’m providing all the tools it needs to do so. Together we’re building me a new home to live in. How exciting is that?! Roll on week 20!
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Mayday 77: eating healthy
77) Do you enjoy eating healthy or do you find it being too expensive or that it takes too much of your time?
This is a very good question! I used to hate health food. I shied away from salads and raw food as much as I could and preferred “proper” food like pasta with different sauces, meat with some form of potaoes, pizza, burgers and all sorts of fish and seafood. The only veggies I’d eat would be whatever went into the actual food. And I never used to buy fruit, berries and nuts as “they are so expensive”.
There’s some kind of madness that fat people get and I’m beginning to believe it might be from all the additives in our food. We spend an absolute fortune on soft drinks, snacks, sweets and low-nutrient food and most of us spend even more on alcohol and tobacco. When did you last hear a fat person complain that chocolate bars are so expensive (s)he can’t afford to eat them? No, me neither. The truth is you get a bag of fruit for the same price (or less) as a bar of chocolate. A bag of carrots and a bag of potatoes will give you staple food for a week. It’s not about money. It really isn’t!
I am now five months into my healthy living journey, and I find myself craving things I never thought it was possible to crave. I mean like sprouts? Seriously?! The first three weeks were really hard and the first two months were tough, but as I continually replaced my bad food with healtier and healthier options I have noticed two things: I enjoy the healthy food more and more to a point where I don’t even miss some of my old favourite dishes. And my food budget has decreased. Yes, I’m actually spending less money on food than I used to and have been able to start buying supplements and even invest in a (heavily discounted) juicer. So yes, I must say I love eating healthy now!
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Mayday 76: drinking smoothies
76) Do you drink smoothies? If so, what is your favorite recipe?
Yes, I do drink smoothies now and my favourite was probably a rasperry or strawberry smoothie with a hint of vanilla. I drink a green smoothie with spirulina, kale, spinach, wheatgrass, rejuvelac and some fruit/berries for sweetness every day. At first I thought it was absolutely vile, but I downed it and kept taking one each day and now I’m ok with it. I think it will take some time before I could grow to like it, but just like my green tea I keep having it because I believe it does me a world of good. Smoothies are the perfect meal and you can make them in kind of taste you like and add protein powder to them as well.
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Mayday 75: trigger foods
75) Do you have a trigger food? A type of food that is impossible for you to say no to or stop eating?
I used to think carbohydrates were my triggers, as I could never stop eating pasta, rice, crisps, chips, wotsits, sweets and anything else you can think of that is high carb. Now I’m not so sure anymore. I’ve been eating loads of fruit since I started this journey back in January (probably more than I’ve had combined in my whole life!) and now on the detox all I eat is fruit, berries, veggies, algae, oil and nuts/seeds. Reasonably, that should be triggering like nobody’s business, but if anything I’m feeling more and more satisfied (as opposed to full) and less and less interested in eating.
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Mayday 74: no calorie counting
74) Today you won’t count calories. You won’t look at food labels. You will try to eat intuitively. What does that mean? Eat when you’re hungry, don’t look at the clock! Eat whatever your body desires! Just make sure it’s healthy. If you crave anything sweet, eat it! But a healthy amount. And remember, today you must forget all about calories!
Well, this challenge was perfectly timed! As I’m doing my 28-day detox, calorie counting is off the menu for a whole month. And I must admit I miss it! I’m quite aware of the fact I have no idea how many calories I’m eating and drinking, and sometimes it frustrates me a little. But then I remind myself that this detox is about learning to tune in to my body’s needs. To feed it what it needs when it needs it, rather than just stuffing my face with whatever I feel like because I like it.
It makes me sad to think that in a very short time we’ve gone from being a society where people ate to survive; to this extreme excess where people are literally eating themselves to death. Atkins and Weight Watchers are selling sweets and cookies these days, reinforcing the idea that the stuff-your-face-culture is ok. And Starschmucks and the other coffee chains have made a brilliant business out of turning a cup of coffee into a liquid dessert. Fancy that, people think they’re going for a coffee and end up drinking 500 calories or more in one cup!
Once this detox is over, I’m going to hang on to intuitive eating. I really want to be able to communicate with my body, to hear it tell me what it needs and to only feed it when it needs more fuel. I’ve started to hear whispers, but I have come to believe that with time and considerable practice/effort we could actually get to know each other and understand each other’s needs. And that would be the ultimate success on this health journey!
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Mayday 73: eating out issues
73) What do you usually order when eating out in a restaurant or at someone else’s house?
I hardly ever eat at restaurants, or at someone else’s house, so when it happens I tend to eat what I want but in reasonable quantities. What I have found, though, is that the more health conscious I get the better choices I make even at times like this. In a restaurant, I will pick my favourite dish off the menu but I might go for a salad rather than chips/rice/potatoes/pasta. And probably go for a starter and a main rather than starter and dessert. Still, it is a rare treat for me to go out, so I won’t deny myself anything. Whatever I pick will be something I would really like to eat.
Eating at a friend’s house can be difficult at times, especially if they tend to eat a lot of unhealthy food. I will normally try to eat something before I go there, and if that’s not possible (like if it’s a spur of the moment thing) I’ll drink loads of water and take a small portion of food. I don’t want people to feel they have to make a fuss to feed me, and I don’t want to be impolite when someone is sharing their food with me. So, basically it’s just about finding the balance really and eating what you can or just having very little. A fruit or two in the handbag stops me from getting something else on the way home.
My biggest problem in eating out used to be alcohol. I really do love a good red wine, and I am rather partial to single malt whisky. And I’ve always been able to drink quite a lot without being particularly affected. But as we all know alcohol does no favours to the waist line. Lately, I seem to be going off alcohol too. The last two times we’ve had people over for dinner and put some wine on the table, I’ve spent the whole evening sipping on one single glass of wine. Maybe I’m finally able to hear the whisperings of my body…
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Mayday 72: same food as the family?
72) Do you eat the same meal as your family or do you eat specially prepared food?
Most of the time we eat the same food. My family is extremely supportive of my need for a healthier lifestyle and has fully embraced the transition to cleaner food. They still want the occasional pizza or hamburger, but that’s not a problem for me when pretty much everything that is served here is cooked to suit my dietary requirements. This month I’m doing a 28-day detox and even that two of my family members have decided to do it with me, so I must say I’m very lucky in that respect. It’s obviously easier to down a smelly spirulina shake if there are other people around you can do it with… ;o)
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Mayday 71: my current weight
71) Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
I’m still mainly bed ridden, but I can feel how I’m actually on the mend. It’s like my body is cleaning out a lot of old rubbish, and each day I can feel that something is different from yesterday. I try to do as many crunches as possible throughout the day, and I’m getting up and working on my balance with the walking frame once every 1-2 hours. Baby steps for sure, but still steps forward.
My current weight is 268.3lbs (121.7kg). Today’s result was 7.3lbs (3.3kg) down from last Sunday, making the total shed -36.2lbs (-16.4kg) in 18 weeks, and bringing my BMI down from 46.3 to 38.5! This weeks shed is obviously extraordinary, but I would say most of it is probably from my leg that was ridiculously swollen but has shrunk significantly this week.
- Body fat: S: 44.9% | C: 42.1% | -2.8% Another 0.4% body fat was shed this week, so that is really great news!
- Body water: S: 33.5% | C: 42.1% | + 8.7% My water level went up by another 0.2% this week. I’m so happy to see this number go up as my body water percentage was horribly low when I first started these measurements. I want to see this go over 50% as soon as possible.
I’ve now been on my vegan/raw detox for almost a week and I can feel how all sorts of mucus and other nastiness is being cleaned out of my systems. I feel more rested, and I wake up with the first light feeling energized. What’s not to like about that?! Roll on week 19! :)
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Mayday 70: on obesity
70) Were you ever obese or underweight?
Yes, I am obese and have been obese since I had my second child. When I was 18 I weighed 68kg and when I looked in the mirror I saw a fat and ugly girl staring back at me. Years later I weighed more than twice as much, but I still saw the same fat and ugly girl in the mirror. Ironically, she had not put on any more weight – she was exactly the same as she’d always been.
I will never forget the first time I looked into a mirror and liked what I saw! I had moved far away from my home town to go to the best uni in Sweden. I spent my first five weeks there in terror, just waiting for someone to tell me they’d made a mistake in accepting me and could I please leave now. Then I sat my first exam and aced it! I couldn’t believe it! I checked and double checked and triple checked, but it was true. I celebrated by buying myself a new jumper and that evening when I tried my new jumper on I stood in front of the mirror and what I saw made me happy. Fugly girl was gone – a new me was smiling back at me and I knew we’d get along just fine as soon as we’d got to know each other.
I have shed six stones since that day. Most of them when I slavishly followed the Atkins diet, but I stayed on a low maintenance diet and kept losing weight. Not a whole lot, mind you, but every little helps when you’re a big girl. And here’s the problem – although I’ve already lost six stones I am extremely obese. And six stones ago I was also extremely obese. Unfortunately, with weight you come to a certain level and that’s it. Whether you truly look like a whale, a walrus or a pig you’re still within the same weight bracket. Now this might be nice for the whale, but it’s not very helpful.
Think about the terminology for fat chicks. Big girl, BBW, curvy, a little extra padding, voluptous, full figured, big boned, chubby, porky, fat… Some of these words have a positive connotation whereas others aren’t all that nice. When looking at BMI tables, however, if you’re bigger than normal you’re either overweight or obese. That’s it. And there’s no way you can say extremely obese and make it sound as nice as BBW. But do we really have to?
I’m not in favour of sugar coating things, but I believe that sometimes a harsh word or a horrid lable can have an adverse effect. And body fascism is one of my pet peeves. Big can be beautiful and fat people can look a million dollars, just as skinny can be ugly and skinny people can look like trash. But big is not healthy. I don’t want to lose weight to look better – I want to feel better. To, hopefully, live longer. And to be able to keep my rheumatism at bay for as long as possible and minimise the risks of blood clots (I have a blood clotting disorder).
My weight loss journey is primarily a health journey. I learned to love myself when I was the biggest I’ve ever been. And it is because I love myself that I now feel it is time for me to put me first. If I am healthy and strong and full of energy I have more to give to the people I love. At the moment, I am pretty useless to myself and others, but I’m going to change that. One day at a time. And one day I will be able to say I’m not obese anymore. I’m in the healthy weight range.
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Mayday 69: my favourite body part
69) Which part of your body do you like the most and why?
I like my face, but I think that it’s probably my eyes I like the most. Or maybe my mouth. No, my eyes. Definitely. When I see pictures of myself it’s always the eyes I like whereas the rest of me hasn’t looked like I think I should look for a long time now… =)
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Mayday 68: my least favourite junk food
68) What is your least favorite unhealthy food?
Without a doubt that must be doner kebabs! Just the sight of those massive meat lollies sweating in the open air for days makes me feel sick. I know they say the heat kills off the bacteria and that it’s perfectly safe to eat, but so what? It’s still a huge lump of meat that has been produced by glueing other not so good pieces of meat together. I find it absolutely revolting.
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Mayday 67: no tumblr day
67) Today is no tumblr day. That’s right, you will try just one day to be off tumblr, post your progress/food log/training schedule tomorrow, because today, you are going back to basics!
I’m not really interested in that to be honest. I get my inspiration from tumblr and wordpress and I don’t really want to give that up. Especially not now when I’m going through the detox challenge. I already have days, and sometimes weeks, when I don’t go online, so I don’t think I have a tumblr addiction that needs to be dealt with. As I spend most of my day in bed, I really want to be able to go online. I think it is a good idea, though, to have days on internet celibacy when you focus on other things instead. Things that might otherwise be forgotten in a life to full of noise.
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Mayday 64 - 66 update
64) Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
This week I’ve been feeling better and I’ve been able to stay awake throughout the day most of the days. I’m too weak to really do anything, but just to be able to reclaim some of the hours of the day feels like a victory. I’ve been eating and drinking fairly well (only healthy!) and I’ve managed to do a few crunches each day. Nowhere near the workout I did a month ago, but still…
My current weight is 275.6lbs (125kg). Today’s result was 2.8lbs (1.3kg) down from last Sunday, making the total shed -28.8lbs (-13.1kg) in 17 weeks, and bringing my BMI down from 46.3 to 39.5! I started measuring my body fat and body water percentages last month, and the results so far are:
- Body fat: S: 44.9% | C: 42.5% | -2.4% Another 0,2% body fat was shed this week, so that is really great news!
- Body water: S: 33.5% | C: 41.9% | + 8.4% My water level went up by another 0,1% this week. I am still far away from the ideal here, but each little step up pleases me greatly.
Tuesday, I embark on my 28-day detox challenge and I’ve got three people doing it with me which is wonderful! I’m geared up, excited and positively chomping at the bit here, so all I can say now is roll on week 18!
65) Post a picture of your goal body or a person you strive to look like.
Haven’t I already answered this question? Oh, well, I guess I can do it again. I don’t really have a goal body as such - I just want to be as healthy and fit as I can reasonably be. And I happen to believe that with a complete change of diet and regular exercise I could achieve that.
If there is one person I admire, it is Magdalena Forsberg, the former Swedish biathlete, multiple world cup and olympic medalist, and the world’s most successful biathlete to date. She has a fantastic, fit body and a fantastic personality to boot. I wouldn’t mind looking more like her, but I think we all know that isn’t going to happen. And I’m fine with that. :)
66) Do you have short-term goals too? What are they?
Yes, I think it is vital to have a number of short term goals as the main goal is too far away to hold on to on a rainy day. When you’re really struggling it’s hard to motivate yourself towards a goal that is a year or more into the future. With a number of short term goals, however, you can map out tangible results on your path towards the main goal. It makes it easier to hang in there. And more difficult to give up.
My short term goals are related to food intake, exercise and weight shedding. For the weight I focus on 22lbs/10kg increments and also on % of the total. I have reached my first goal weight (GW) and I have the second one within reach now. If I can keep this up, I think I will be able to shed half of my excess weight by the end of the year. Just the thought makes me smile…
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Aprday 63: my fitness goals
63) What are your fitness goals? (Splits, hand-stands, push-ups…)
I must admit I don’t have any clear fitness goals. I would like to be able to push myself to the shops and back or a lap around the park. I would like to be able to go to Paris on a bicycle of some kind. I would like to think I could shed weight and build enough muscle in my arms to always be able to lift myself in and out of cars, get up stairs and steps etc. And I would like to be fit enough to be able to have joint replacement therapy. And maybe, just maybe, with the right fitness and nutrition I could cut down on medication…
Welcome to the paperclip files; a blog about inspiration, motivation and dedication. About changing your life and doing it for YOU.
Start: | 02/01/2012
SW: 304.5lbs/138.1kg | BMI 46.3
GW1: 22lbs/10kg shed | 26/02/2012
GW2: 44lbs/20kg shed | 15/07/2012
GW3: 66.1lbs/30kg shed |
UGW: 91.2lbs/41.2kg to go…
Project 2016 is my five-year journey to realise some of my wildest dreams relating to health issues, money matters, home improvement, personal growth and professional achievements.
