Week Seven
Nahid's favourite things
This week's theme is all about the things that you have introduced into your life as a result of being on the DDS. As you know, if you have been following this blog ( if you haven't, start on Week 1, go on, we'll wait for you to catch up.) I started off by avoiding things in my life because I felt I had to stay away from temptation. However, now is the time to enjoy the things I love, love, love about life. As I started writing, it occurred to me that as long as you are open to new things and keep introducing new experiences into your life you probably won't be eating to keep yourself happy or obsessing about how you aren't as you want to be.
I have had the best week ever simply by being too darn busy to obsess and my stomach is flat(ter) because of it. I have been out and about - as well as working the usual 16 hours a day like a crazy woman. I have been meeting new people, dancing until the small hours and laughing my head off.
I made a list of things that make me happy - make your own and then make sure you include them in your life. Your body should take up some of your day's thoughts but you shouldn't be obsessing about it all of the time - trust me, the old adage eat to live can be applied here. Eat and stay fit to live, after that live a dazzling life full of love, adventure and fun. On your deathbed you aren't going to be patting yourself on the back for all the calories you didn't consume or the weights you didn't lift. My happy list includes:
Music - whenever I am feeling a bit down all I have to do is to put some music on loud and dance, dance, dance to the radio or hula hooped myself dizzy - do it! Even to "Total Eclipse of the Heart" if you have to - we'll tweak your musical tastes another day.
Tracks that are making me delirious with joy at the moment are Divine Idylle by Vanessa Paradis, I love Men by Eartha Kitt and Lips are Unhappy by Lucky Soul. Girls singing pop make me smile and nod my bob to the beat. I have also been making up a dance to Bette Davies Eyes while doing the tidying up. Life IS a cabaret old chum!
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Shoes - I love them, they shape an ankle, add inches to one's frame so that people think you are a bigger woman than you are. This month's treat have been these babies on the right - every time I wear them both men and women in the street shout out "nice shoes" which makes me proud to default on this month's mortgage.
I might set up a variation on those websites where girls set up appeals for men to buy them boob jobs and then they display the results (whatever happened to ambition and does your mother know..?) Mine, of course, would be my perfectly formed ankle wearing the latest acquisition that you, dear kind reader, have donated to. Send your hard currency to the usual place.
Films - I LOVE going to the pictures. I don't have a TV but I LOVE fillums. Latest ones to take up space in my mind have been Control (I was dancing and crying in my seat) Edge of Heaven - a Turkish/German film which left me boo-hooing and then kissing and hugging everyone I encountered, so moved by humanity was I. No country for Old Men - ohmigod if I ever see a man wearing a denim suit and helmut hair I am SO crossing the road - totally spooked me.
Art - I favour crazy people's doodlings, I love outsider art, embroideries with a narrative and anything that makes me share in the experience. I love Yayoi Kusama's installations go see her exhibition at the Victoria Miro. My Valentines presents were 2 prints by Angelique - so romantic!
Icy weather with shrill blue skies - I have to be out in it - it's when I believe in God - blue skies, sun shining and cold fumes coming out of my nostrils make me GLAD TO BE ALIVE. Cold weather = even more accessory opportunities = joy, joy, joy!
Booking a holiday - yoga in Goa, next month - even with the above, I now need to downward dog in the sunshine.
So I did all these things this week AND bikramed an Power-Plated like a shedevil AND had a massage to undo all I have done unto myself in time for the boy to come back to me from a long weekend away AND cycled all around town on my beautiful pink bicycle - I didn't even think about what to eat ergo made great food choices, exercised well and am happy. Make your happy list NOW!
Rachel shops to drop the inches
I have to admit to a bit of a midway low point. I was really pleased with my measurements and couldn’t believe that I had lost that much with so little effort. So, this week I think I kind of thought well what the hey, its easier than I thought so I can be a bit more naughty. I’ve been out a few nights this week (and what fun they have been!) and had a few drinks and with it a few too many carbs the day after. I’ve put it down to a midway slump and am now going to pick up the pace for last part of the course. I’m going to try and up the cardio, work harder in the Power-Plate sessions and make sure my eating is healthy.
I have found myself wanting to go shopping more as I feel better about myself and it feels good to get into slightly slinkier outfits. This has been a great way to give myself a little treat instead of going for a meal or a drink. So from now on, more shopping and less naughty nights out – a trade that I don’t mind making if it involves a fab pair of shoes!
Harder, faster, stronger for the last few weeks. A fitter me and a bigger wardrobe. I’m quite looking forward to it!
Kate's dirty little choc habit
This week has been much better. I have made an extra effort to make my own food and get to the gym plus the required plate sessions. The gym has been great, really enjoyed getting back to the long hard slog that faces me over the next 3 weeks. I have been going back to driving everywhere so don't even get tempted to reach for the booze when I'm out.
My biggest achievement this week was the success of my home made soup it was lovely. Yes, Rach did send me her recipe but its not the same one so don't let her get all the credit! Not only was it full of fresh veg and goodness it was also very very filling. I didn't blend it so it didn't feel like I was just drinking flavoured water. I am going to make a big pot for next week and just leave it on the oven so I can reheat and help myself whenever I want. Its a great way of keeping the pounds off and prevents me reaching for the mobile to ring in a takeaway. Another thing I have found very beneficial is the odd cup of Aero hot chocolate. I have a sweet tooth so staying away from chocolate is always difficult but this helps with the cravings and I justify it by thinking it's only hot water with a dash of chocolate flavour. It works for me anyway.
So all in all it's been a good week. I am hoping the cold keeps up as the soup is a warming treat and the exercise radiates my bones. I want to get back to training 5 days a week, that's my aim for the next few weeks.
Steph does sushi
I have had a few new experiences over the course of the... course. I haven't been swimming in ages (about 5 years) so it has been really great to get back into it. I used to be a very strong swimmer in my younger days and could swim 100 lengths with ease. I'm nowhere near that now - it's more like 20 lengths, but I now find it to be a relaxing experience, quite cleansing after a long day's work.
Dietwise, I've been trying a lot of new fish and seafood and have been having a lot of sushi lunches as I find them deceptively filling. I feel the DDS rules are having a great effect on my podgy bits - my tummy gets tighter and tighter with each Power-Plate session and I'm building my strength up. Although my skin is fluctuating from glowing to having a few flare-ups which is probably due to the flushing out of toxins.
I have a few resolutions which I have to be extremely strict with over the next few weeks. More cardio is a must, I need to curb my need for a sweet treat at 3pm, I need to put more into my plate sessions and try to be a put a bit more physical activity into my day-to-day life- yes, all of that 'getting off the bus a stop early' is going to have to come into practice.
Comments
"I have now lost a stone and a half and feel so much more confident than I have in years. My cardio training is coming on leaps and bounds and I don't feel that running is such heavy going as it once used to be. Food wise, I love the diary, recording everything and looking back over at it has really helped me to stay on track"
David
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