Weight Loss Journals - petecohen.tv

Hello everyone
I've packed my bag (I've ordered the book) and am ready to come on the PCTV 6 month journey. And boy I am looking forward to it!
My holiday is booked for 25 June - what perfect timing? So that is my motivation for the 2nd part of this challenge.
My GOALS:
Phase 1 - 3 months
To lose 1.5 to 2 stone by end of March
To be excercising at least 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes
To be more positive about myself, my body and my feelings
Phase 2 - 6 months
Maintain all my goals above
Exercise for at least 4 times a week for at least 30 minutes at a time
Have lost 3 stone in total by the time I go on holiday

I remember how I felt when I lost all the weight 2 years ago - it felt fantastic. And I just have to remember that feeling and work towards it again as it has been a dark, dark winter, (And it is snowing on the south coast this morning!)

My Christmas and New Year were great, but I did eat and drink way too much and put on about 4-5lbs in 3-4 weeks. Why is it so easy to put on and so hard to take off? Well, that's done, it's finished and it's why I'm here.

Private DJ reporting for duty sir!

Today's tools (Outcomes)
To be as active as possible (I'm looking after my 6 year old nephew today so that should be okay)
To drink 2 litres of water - must take my bottle with me
To eat slowly and stop when I am full

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

DJ

...... I have been so busy I admit the programme has gotten away from me. I have kept up with some of the tools - eating slowly and drinkign water, but too many nights out, lunches etc and I have had indegestion non-stop for the last 2 weeks! And that has included only eating two meals a day on bad days!
So, just want to wish everyone a very merry christmas and here's to a Team Pete New Year.
I will try and keep in touch, but if not, look forwqrd to restarting the programme again on 5 January.
best wishes, lots of love and remember, it woks, if you work it!
DJ xx

so I put on half a pound this week - after a great loss last week this is disappointing as I have been pretty good - I have only slipped once and that was very minor. But I am not going to let it do what it would in the past - i.e. "sod it, what's the point, I might as well stuff myself with cake and crisps" I am instead determined to do better this week and watch that needle go down next week. My only danger zone is on Saturday when I have some family over, but I've already planned the food so that I can have the healthy choice and they don't have to! I will also commit to only drinking on Saturday and Sunday.
I must also do more exercise - it is the only wedge left for the trivial pursuit wheel, the green one - so have found an abs routine I can squeeze in every morning as it only takes 6 minutes and have booked a squash court for Monday. Hopefully, weather permitting, I'll be able to get out and about at the weekend?
It frightens me to think how much weight I need to lose, so I'm going to break it down into chunks. 10% of my overall body weight by end of March is achievable without going OTT and will make such a difference. 5lbs down - quite a few to go!
Today, I will eat as much natural food as possible. I am in meetings in London which is a 2 hour journey for me, so I have fruit for the train, porridge when I get to work and a soup at lunchtime (there's an EAT nearby and they do 3% fat soups.) I don't like not being able to take my food to work - it leaves me feeling a little out of control, so I will try some tapping if I need to. We have a meeting htis afternoon where I know there will be mince pies and I will be pressurised to take one so I've decided to say that I don't liek them. It's not true, but I don't like them enough to wear them, so if I say it enough, my subconcious might believe me!
Even though it's been about 4 months, I still feel a bit self concisous writing in my journal and think that people aren't going to want to hear my ramblings but then I think about reading other peoples blogs and realise that my ramblings may help others or they may have some insight for me - so ramble on!
Happy Thursday and don't forget it's Xminus14 today........
DJ




Christmas decks go up this weekend after my family have been - CANNOT WAIT!

.... and not a drop to drink!
Today was all about water and although I started the video thinking yeah, yeah, I know, I know, I already drink loads of water, it hit me that the timing couldn't have been better! I have no trouble doing 2-3 litres of water on weekdays when I am in hte office. I have water on my desk and am drinking constantly. But when at home and at weekends, I struggle to reach my 2l quota. I managed yesterday, just about - so will have to make a concerted effort to do it today. I'm out for lunch so will ask for a jug of iced water all to myself! It will help me not to eat too much as well!
It's so great to see so many new people on the blog - it really helps me to refocus and refreshes my belief in this marvellous programme,
Happy Sunday all
DJ x

Everything is just going so well at the moment! food under control, portions under control and eating slowly is really helping with that as I am full and havne't eaten much! not hungry all the time. Not thinking of food all the time. And have lost about half a stone! Hoorah!

For the newbies - this isn't my first time round, but it has totally sunk in! Eating natural foods - not wanting the chips when I go out, eating slowly, drinking lots of water - my favourite tools. I am stopping and thinking before I eat - but haven't had to do that too often as haven't been tempted to any nasties inthe cupboard. Have set food plans and stuck to them. Also haven't had any alcohol for 2 weeks which makes alot of difference - will have to watch that over Christmas.

I really feel the programme working for me and will give me the strength I need over the Christmas period. I have discovered about myself that if I don't start snacking I don't find myself eating the whole tin of roses/quality street/mince pies/peanuts whatever! And satsumas are my best friends!

Food for today:
grapefruit and best friend for breakfast
one low fat sausage, one egg, small portion of baked beans and wholemeal pitta
chineses - no fried stuff!

Just got to get the exercise sorted - loved playing squash last week and also squeezed in an aerobics class but am so busy this week will probably onbly get one session in so will have to make sure I get some walkign in where I can.

Have a great weekend all
DJ x

Day 9 is all about relaxing, so I'm staying calm. I crept on the scales this morning, which is naughty as I'm only supposed to weigh once a week and it's only day 5, but I had a quick glimpse and it definitely looks as if it is going DOWN! Hooray! I think it's because I've started measuring my portion sizes and was shocked at how much I used to 'guess' at! I must've been eating over twice as many calories as I thought I was!
AND I played squash last night and LOVED it! So am feeling pretty relaxed.
Food today:
oats, nuts/seeds soaked in orange juice (less than last week!) topped with fruit and yoghurt
pitta, tuna, cucumber and rocket and small bowl of homemade sweet potato and parsnip soup
pasta bolognese
(1/2 grapefruit and one apple for snacks.

I spoke to Annie this week so am looking forward to reading the Zest article.....

Have a great Tuesday
DJ x

Well, erm, well, erm, here I am, day 7 - no wobbles! The first time I've managed a whole week without wobbling! I have given myself a great big pat on the back! Even with going out last night I managed to keep my food in check and did not bow down to pressure over alcohol and chocolate cake!
Out for lunch again today - I can only hope that there will be good choices available on the menu.
Will be as active as possible, will eat slowly and will drink lots of water. The duck has been very quiet - long may it stay that way!
Have a lovely Sunday all
DJ x

Day 5 - over slept, still tired and a bit jet lagged! Will be working all weekend to make up for it!
BUT - feeling positive about the food and will even squeeze some sort of exercise in today. I'm working from home so that's historically my bad, bad dark times - at home, alone, with a boyfriend-stocked kitchen....... but I'm arming myself against the duck and I'm listening out for him - one squeak and he's history. There'll be no quacking in my house!
Tools i will be using will be:
Shutting the duck up
drinking lots of water
eating slowly
being as active as possible
and shutting the duck up (again!)

Food:
home made granola (measured portions this time!) with yoghurt
half a grapefruit
wholemeal pitta with salad and home made soup
600 cals.
Tonight at in-laws. She's really good on [portion sizes but terrible at cake so I'm making it plain to the duck that I do not want cake, I do not like cake and I will not have cake! In other words, I will politely decline as many times as it takes (I reckon about 3!)
Have a good day y'all
DJ x
PS. lookign 4ward to having some time to catch up on what you guys have been up to! x

Sorry - posted holiday blog prematurely - gotta dish up dinner in a min so San Francisco to follow.
DJ

Just in case anyone wanted to hear about our amazing trip to the states!
We started at Las Vegas - what a strange place! If you've never been there, my first impression was Blackpool on a HUGE scale! Jet lagged and off the plane we stumbled into our hotel to find ourselves bang slap in the middle of a casino with the hotel lobby right through on the other side - yes they do it on purpose! Not being much on the side of gambling, we felt smacked in the face and completely disorientated! We were stayting at the Stratosphere, a great high tower with great views of the city!
we staggered half way down the strip and found a hotel/casino with a restaurant the cab driver had recommended - the food was horrid, the portion sizes huge - but I hardly ate anything as it was so bad!
Next day we went down the strip and saw the amazing hotels - the Luxor in the shape of a pyramid with a sphinx outside. Now, I went to Cairo last year and the real sphynx is smaller than the one outside the Luxor!!!!! There was the MGM grand where they have two lions on display all the time - I got quite upset by this - the Paris with it's own Monnmartre and Eiffel tower, the Ventian wher you can go for a gondola ride and see the entertainment in St Marc's square - I could go on and on! Again, food not good and

Credit where it's due - I have had a brilliant day today. food has been under control including getting a handle on my portions - although I am very hungry now (bout an 8) am cooking dinner so blogging to stop myself from eating more than my meal! Work was reasonably productive - it's taken ages to get into the swing of things! I did exercise yesterday and feel so much better for it - feel like I'm turnign a corner! And it was lovely to catch up with Annie mon amie!
Food today:
granola + yoghurt
half a banana
pitta wiv half small avocado, rocket and spring onion + home made veg soup
small pear
lean steak in cassrole wiv measured portion of basmati rice and grilled courgette sprinkled with paprika
Total - 1200 calories

Will blog separately about holiday and EFT!

DJ x

quick entry - promise to update on hols soon and to catch up with everyone's blogs - there's a lot of positive stuff going on out there and I don't want to miss out on the magic! (i.e. Sue's 4 stone marker etc....)

Today's outcomes will be eating slowly, drinking water ~(failed that opne yesterday!) only eating when hungry.

Food plan:
yoghurt with granola and apple
pitta with avocado, rocket and onion and home made soup
chicken and mushroom in a tomato sauce with pasta

This weeks goal/outcome is to re-evaluate myself in relation to the programme - what works, what doesn't and to try some new things. Exercise starts again tomorrow - I'm booked on an aerobics class.

Gonna be late for work so catch up soon and have a nice day y'all

DJ xx

PS. Someone told me about EFT yesterday - anyone tried it? djm

okay - I've just got back from a FANTASTIC trip - it seems liek I've been away for months we did so much! Did think I might have lost weight as we did so much walking adn were reasonably good on the food front, but obviously not as good as I thought as have put on 3lbs!
Starting again today - so

Goals
To lose 3.5stone before my next Holiday in June 2009
To be doing exercise at least 3 times a week

Outcomes for today:
To use the tools - eating slowly, drinking water and only eating when hungry

Looking forward to catching up with everyone's blogs

DJ

My food intake has definitely got better - I actually couldn't finish my dinner yesterday, I stopped when I was full! First time ever when it comes to a sunday roast. But, I ams till struggling so have paused the programme and am goign to spend the next few days goign back over things - the bits I know I need ot hear again such as why eat when you're not hungry, and motivation to exercise. I'm on holiday next week for 2 whoel weeks and don't want to spend the fortnight just putting on weight! (I think I am depressed - my SAD seems to have crept up on me wihtout me realising, it is in cahoots with the flamin' duck!) Luckily I am looking forward to the holiday immensely and I think we'll be doing a helluva lot of walking so I am hoping this will motivate me back into exercise of some sort.
anyway, havn't been online all week so am off to read some of your great blogs
DJ xx
PS. Are you back from the US Pete? And how did it go?

Why is it that displacement activities is my strong point - I'm able to distract myself and procrastinate about making difficult decisions, about not thinking things through, about NOT exercising! And yet, I struggle to use this fantastic tool and strength of mine in a positive manor (that flippin duck!)
I've been having trouble on line and so have had problems watching the programme videos - and gosh, just watching one this morning has set me back on course.
I haven't been horrendous with my food, but I have made some bad choices and ate stuff I wouldn't want to wear - especially on Saturday at my auntie and uncles 40th wedding anniversary when I was their bridesmaid, aged 2 and so had to put up with loads of people coming up and saying to me 'you were so cute, so little' and the duck just kept saying - yeah, what happened! The really good thing was that I didn't drink so the munching was kept to just one plateful and no cake!
I know there is some fresh, white bread that my partner bought home yesterday in the fridge and it is calling to me to cover it in thick butter but I've decided to come on here instead! I don't want it enough to wear it - it will give me only 5 seconds of pleasure and hours of guilt and pain - what's the point of that?
So although I haven't been able to wathch the videos, I am extremely pleased to report that the programme is sinking in and embedding itself - my only downfall is my lack of exercise. I hurt my leg/achilles last week and couldn't go to the gym and what with being on holiday I managed to cancel my membership for a month so can't go back until last week in November so the duck persuaded me to do nothing! I walked into town yesterday, about half a mile tops, and was puffed by the time I got to the top of the very gentle hill - very disappointing when I think about how fit I was 18 months ago.
Anyway, I've got the place to myself tonight so am committing to devising a floor plan for exercise, similar to what Pete was showing us at the away day - squats, ab crunches, etc. half an hour I can do every day and build up for my hols.
Still focussed on Mexico next year - my main goal.
Today's food:
homemade granola (oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, chopped dates soaked in orange juice with warmed apple and yoghurt on top)
pitta with tuna and salad - small bowl homemade soup
jacket potato with baked beans and scrambled egg
banana if necessary - NO CRISPS OR WHITE BREAD

Tonight will be my biggest danger point, so if I want to eat and am not hungry I will:
Blog
Do 20 ab crunches (on top of my plan!)
Have a bath
do some crochet
read a magazine
phone a friend
ask the audience (only joking!)

I can tell I've missed blogging looking at the length of this blog. If you've got this far whilst reading - thank you! And have a great day
DJ xx