Oh dear...

I don't know whether anyone still reads this blog and I don't plan to share the link like I normally do. I just need to get the words down to help me make the changes I need to make in order to avoid serious health issues in the future.

This morning I put on the only pair of jeans that has been comfortable in recent weeks. They are no longer comfortable and no longer fit properly.

I am going to a wedding in 3 weeks time and because of my weight gain this year I will need to buy a new suit. Lots of places sell nice suits, but none of them fit me. To get one in the right size from M&S I need to order it in. When I do get that suit it will be the largest I have ever owned. For now...

If I don't get better at watching what I eat and don't start getting regular exercise then the only way is up weightwise. That means that I would be more likely to have heart problems and more likely to develop diabetes.

I need to do something and need to do it now.

So far so good...

At the start of this year I decided to try something different to get a boost for my weight loss. By largely following a very low calorie diet, with meal replacement packs, I have lost over a stone this year. That puts me lighter than at any time last year and the lightest I have been at this time of year ever since I started this journey. I am now back to a more normal diet and am hoping to still lose some more weight - I want to get to my original target this year, so have another 2 st 7lb to lose. As well as the weight loss, the stint on the packs seems to have reduced my appetite, which can only be a good thing!

Running log 30.12.2013

A similar but shorter route than yesterday,  but it was running all the way. The hill that got the better of me yesterday felt a lot easier today. I was determined I wasn't going to walk up it this time and thanks to my breathing feeling a lot  better today I managed to beat it. That's very satisfying psychologically since I won't be running this route for a couple of months now. I think the hill is a bit tougher than some of those I will face at home.
I have a route in mind for next time I am here - it will be challenging,  but it's something to aim for and will show me how far I have come.

Distance: 1.44km time:11m 18s

Running log 29.12.13

Today was my first run in two weeks,  and it showed.  As well as the loss of fitness in having not run for a while,  the other major cobtributing factor was the difference in weight - I reckon I am around 1 stone heavier than when I last ran.

The first hill was more difficult than it should have been - I was very short of breath so had go walk for a bit.

On the plus side,  I covered nearly 2K in total and got myself out first thing in the morning. I have also discovered the mapmyrun app, so I expect that will come in handy in the future to record my runs and also find new routes.

Distance:1.91k  time:16m10s

Running log - 15.12.2013

Today was the big day. I joined 350 santas in raising money for St Gemma's Hospice. After scoping out the course I was fairly confident of getting a decent time - by conserving some energy for the long hill near the end. That was until they announced at the start that the route was only 1/2 a mile, so there would be two laps - I'd have to deal with that hill twice! The actual running was tough - it was a fairly hilly course, and wearing the santa outfit made it harder. The atmosphere and experience was fantastic though. It must've been something special to see 350 santas warming up in unison before the race. I did 1 mile in 13m30s - 3 or 4 minutes slower than I'd hoped, but all things considered I was happy. Thanks to all of my supporters - thanks to them I raised over £150 for the charity. That will go along with everything raised by the other runners, which in total should cover the costs to care for 2 people referred to the hospice.

Running log 10.12.13

Really pleased with my run today. I got a lift to weigh in and ran home. There were a couple of long, shallow hills which were tricky, but I kept going and even managed to push myself for the final steep hill to my front door. I made the mistake of sitting down and chilling straight after the run - when I got up I could hardly walk! I've since managed to stretch my legs so hopefully I'll not suffer too much tomorrow. I tried my santa outfit on over my running gear and managed to get the trousers all the way on. Unfortunately they didn't last long when I tried moving in them, so I'm going to have to find some bigger ones before the run on Sunday! On the subject of which, I've now seen the route, so I'm going to walk it in the next couple of days to check out what I'm in for. If you're feeling generous or inspired then please think about sponsoring me - it's a really good cause! http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndySantaDash Distance: 1.5 miles, time: 15.56

Back on track...

Most of this week has been on plan - I even minimised the syns when planning the menu for the murder mystery party on Saturday. The effort really paid off. I lost 3.5lb this week - I am very chuffed with that and it's given me a push to stick with it and try to lose a much as possible before the end of the year. It's taster night/Christmas party next week and I'm really looking forward to that - hopefully it'll give me more inspiration as we approach Christmas.