I was planning on writing a fairly lengthy blog post tonight, but I ended up talking to my Mum on the phone for an hour, so instead you’re just getting a quick update on how the diet is going. Today is day three of the super diet, and so far it’s been a mixed experience.
I’m not 100% following my calorie guidelines, but then they were only supposed to be guidelines anyway. I am no far more aware of the calorie content of the food I’m eating, and I try to keep calories, sugar and fat down as low as possible. The 1200 calories I set myself a day was designed to give me a bit of a leeway, and to be honest, I am actually staying pretty much on target.
The biggest difference so far has definitely been in the exercise, which I’m doing right because I ache all over. It has helped that I’m now in the lab 4 afternoons a week, running round collecting reagents, glassware and looking after experiments. The skipping hasn’t really happened so far, mostly because it utterly kills me, but I will keep trying. I have increased the amount of walking I am doing though. If I have to go somewhere I try to walk there and bus back; it’s a compromise that makes my diet plans, my wallet and my ankles happy. I keep thinking it might be an idea to get a reasonably priced pedometer to get an estimate of how many calories I’m burning through walking.
I have however taken to the weights quite nicely. I do need to look up some good exercises for the triceps, as they’re by problem area on my arms. Also, having stronger triceps is more beneficial to my karate (when I do it) than bulky biceps. In addition to the weights, I’ve also found a couple of methods of making myself do push ups and sit ups. I can’t do very many yet, but it’s still early days.
After reading my blog post on Monday a very helpful friend pointed me at a calorie counting website, which I’m tempted to take the free trial of. After filling in their assessment they reckon I can safely lose about 3 stone by July, using a similar plan to the one I’m on. I know I’m not going for outright weight loss, but it sounds like a very good intermediate goal.
So my current goals are: lose three stone by July, fit back into size 18 clothes by the end of the year. And after that, world domination (just kidding).
