It is never too late to be what you might have been - George Eliot

Rainbow_Bridge

I'm 46 and today I have just stepped on the scales in Tesco and discovered that I am the heaviest I have ever been.

I've just taken a chunk of our offset savings out to cover debts that have been creeping up, and it dawned on me today that I have been going so slowly in the wrong direction that I never really saw it happening.

A £100.00 deficit in the household budget and 1.5lb excess in the weight department, each month, and I get what I've got. If these statistics were reversed what a different picture it would have been.

So that is the point of this diary. It's a tracker to ensure that by the end of each month I am £100.00 richer and 1.5 lb lighter. Time to reverse the rot and aim for the stars!!

I am changing direction as well and to accomplish this I need to average 2 hours studying a day.

One year from now I will be £1,200 richer and 18 lb lighter, and I will have changed career direction.

I am going to celebrate with a Spanish holiday, to show off my fab figure.. Watch this space.............

"If the fool would persist in his folly he would become wise". William Blake.

Time for this old fool to wisen up.

NewLeaf_2

welcome to the diaries

debtfreewannabe321

I love the diary title! Good luck (and i've just noticed your avatar...good taste lol)

dfw x

Rainbow_Bridge

Thanks debtfreewannabe321 and Newleaf for your welcome.

1/365

The plan for the £100.00 savings revolves around the £10.00 a day challenge. I am aiming to make this through casual merchandising work and mystery shopping, which is in addition to my regular work.

So far this month I have made £126.75, so I am just ahead of target and I am working for a few hours this evening.

One hour studying done so far today and another to follow this posting, so on track here.

Food today:-
Meusli - 350 calories
Tuna, cucumber, pepper, crumpets - 300 calories
Apple - 80 calories
Prawn and noodle stir fry - 600 calories

Exercise - 2 hours housework and 3 hours shifting books at work.

Day one of 365 feeling positive and motivated :j

Rainbow_Bridge

Day 2/365

An early start today. I have four hours merchandising work, and then i'm dropping off DS at a friends and going for a Thai massage, that was a present.

I have two mystey shops while I am in town, one at Pepperberry and another at an Nespresso coffee shop, so hopefully it should be a low spend, fun day with another £60.00 going in the £10.00 a day pot.

I'm going to keep my eye out for a dress, for an event at the weekend, and try not to focus on my bulging bits in the changing room mirrors. They are temporary, and the best way of keeping them off is to lose this weight sensibly!

On that note the plan for food today is:-

Meusli - 350 calories
Ham Salad Roll - 350 calories
Apple - 80 calories
Tuna Baked Potato and salad - 400 calories

I have a number of things on watch and on sale on ebay coming to an end tonight, hoping to keep the purchases cost neutral, so I must remember to check in to ebay, before bed.

Fitting in the study will be tricky, but i'll try for an hour before bed.

Still feeling positive and motivated :beer:

Bye for now.

debtfreewannabe321

oooh fab a mystery shop at pepperberry! My favourite shop (cos they do my size lol) hope you had fun! wish i got gigs like that

xx

Rainbow_Bridge

Hi debtfreewannabe321,

Day 3/365.

I did enjoy the Pepperberry visit, I usually pick up a couple of Bravissimo visits a year too, through Tern, which I love, the staff are so professional.

The last Bravissimo visit, I had to pretend I was pregnant and looking for a maternity bra. The sad thing is I didn't have to try too hard. My weight is all around my belly!!

When did they start making size 14 soooooo small??? I have moved from curvy to super curvy in Pepperberry, and nothing looked right, but decided not to use it as an excuse to open a bottle of wine, and wallow. It's going to be used to spur me on. I CAN do this one day at a time.

So my £10.00 a day challenge is up to £199.50/£310.00 - 64%

Today I am off to do 5 hours merchandising work, pick up a parcel, get my hair done and clean through the house.

It's the school holidays, up here in Scotland, and I work at a School, so the plan is to work from 6.30 am to 11.00 am most days through the holiday, picking up bits and pieces of work, while I have the chance, leaving me time to spend with my 14 year old son!!

I've been really good with my calorie count this week, so far, so long may that last.

Today
Meusli, Baked Potato and salad, apple, leek and potato soup and HM bread - Total Calories 1400.

I plan to do a couple of hours studying in the evening.

Overall still positive, and focused, though annoyed with myself for having let things slip for so long :eek:.

Rainbow_Bridge

Day 5/365

The tracking diary seems to be keeping me focussed, so MUST KEEP IT UP.

At the conference yesterday I was conscious of what I was eating and managed to keep within calories. I also managed a NSD, the first one for a while. Only one hour studying in the evening, so i'm falling behind here, but plan to spend most of the day on Monday buried in my books.

As much as I have fought against tracking hours, calories, pennies etc, it seems too anal, and at heart I am a free spirit. The past has taught me that without it, guestimates lead to a big belly and small bank balance, which is not where I want to be.

So it's time to bite the bullet and establish some good, rock solid, habits.

'The hard must become habit. The habit must become easy. The easy must become beautiful'. - Doug Henning

Chilled family day today, going to fit in some abdomen exercises and a couple of hours studying. Had a browse at the NEXT half price sale online, but the selection was very disappointing.

Food
Meusli - 350 calories
Egg and Cheese Salad - slice HM brown bread - 500 calories
Chicken curry - 550 calories

Still feeling optimistic and positive, despite the relentless rain here .

Rainbow_Bridge

edited now

Rainbow_Bridge

Day 7/365

Well I have kept this tracking diary up for a week, so I am pleased with that, and it is definitely helping me to keep focused.

I had a relaxing day yesterday, but went 500 calories over budget. My mother-in-law and a friend came for tea and I had desert, which I normally avoid. We had a really nice evening and the wine flowed a little too freely, so I am going to have to play catch-up on the calories, but it was worth it!!

So for the six days I am 1100 calories over budget .... OUCH.... I am aiming at averaging out over 7 days and to achieve that, the menu is going to look like this.

Porridge Oats and skimmed milk - 250 calories
Very large green salad and egg for lunch
Very large green salad with pulses for tea
Lots of water
Vigorous Zumba class in the evening

I am dropping off a friend at Hamilton bus station this morning, followed by 3 merchandising jobs and then I will spend the rest of the day with DS and studying.

Finally Zumba in the evening and then a major chill in the sauna and jacuzzi at the gym.

Off we go!

badger_

Hi Rainbow Bridge

Just popping in to wish you on your debt free & weight loss journey!!