It is after midnight but I wanted to report on my 15000 steps completed yesterday - was a good day! Now I need to keep this up and walk myself thin because I bought a skirt today thinking it would be loose on me but no - I will need a couple of weeks walking to get back tot hat - how quickly weight piles on the middle at my age.

So today (after a decent sleep) I should also cope with at least 1ok - here I come!

Well it is now Wednesday and I am pleased to report that I have completed 30000 steps since Monday - now this is good. I am also doing my best to control my calorie intake - I read that for 1 calorie it takes 7 steps to use up!! So I need to keep this up but already I feel more positive and the exercise is the real secret of success for me......so wish me well!

Well told you I would report back - and here I am after a successful (if expensive) Waitrose shop. I felt good deciding that I didn't want the chocolate aisle or the biscuit of cake aisle and I bought some good food for us all without the rubbish. Just as well because the cost of food has shot up eh? Anyway I have my packet low cal soup for lunches this week and stoneground bread and green tea and other goodies - I want to start yet again to discipline my eating habits......

Back again - have been having a good talking to myself.....why do I say in one breath I have to get off chocolate and then deliberately have a bar with my mid morning coffee? I looked up the web to see if I could find some inspiration and found a book that could brainwash me into coming off chocolate - it had many positive reviews that told of people who were now in control and are able to shop without buying chocolate. Now should I need to buy a book or join a slimming club to lose weight? No I should apply what I already know in depth.

Even thinking about the effect on me of carrying too much weight - tight jeans digging in at my middle; sore feet that hate carrying extra weight day after day; the horrible feeling when I see people who do control their weight and compare myself to them; the hatred of myself when i catch a vision in the mirror - do I need to go on?

So I have had a lovely weekend so far and because I have been out more than normal I need to shop for some groceries - I will go and I will stay in complete control and choose what I want - and what I do not want - I want some fruit and healthy stuff - but it needs to satisfy and I don't want stuff that will be lovely for a moment and make me feel negative 5 minutes after eating it - so no chocolate?......well I will report back later!!

Hello again - I have decided to do something positive and get writing again - blog myself into doing better than I have done recently.

Over a month now until we are off to Eastbourne for the Rotary weekend and then within a week of that off to Spain again - so how good would I feel if before then I managed to shift a few stubborn inches?

Funny they talk about mood foods and I often deny it but this week I have wanted sweets so much and when I buy them I know I shouldn't but I do and they taste so good....sound familiar.

I must try better and to help me I will blog!

Bye for now x

Well can I believe this - it is already 10th August - Robert and Alex are in Scotland visiting family and I am here covering the office!! However I always love to have things to look forward to and on 25th August I am off to Scotland on my own and travelling 1st class by train right to the centre of lovely Edinburgh. Before then I have to keep trying to be healthy (well!!!) and fit. This week since Ron and Alex left on Friday last I have completed over 10k steps each day which is great and I will maintain that.

The temptation is to overeat when I am on my own and I have been buying sweets on the way home but at least I am walking! More later x

Lovely holiday in Madrid and Alicante with Alex and Robert - we had loads of time together and some on our own with time to read, think, meditate, sunbathe, swim and .........eat!!

Holidays are a great time to relax and contemplate about our lives.......one thing keeps me back a bit and that is my unhappiness at my size. Now I know there are loads of women larger than I am but I am not at a healthy weight and I want to do better. I have a month now at work until I have some time with my family in Scotland and in this month I want to walk and swim. Rob is considering joining the Quad Club with me so that we can swim together about 4 times a week which would be a great encouragement to us both to get and stay fit. This is a good time for this since Alex is out quite a bit now with Callum or other friends and we have time to do something together.

Work promises to be full of interesting changes over the next few months which is alway good and in these summer weeks I intend on getting out and about. Rob and Alex are off to Scotland for 10 days during August as I cover the office at work but in that time I will have no excuses - I can walk, walk, walk.........

Follow my progress - and keep shaping up!!

Hi I am back - what a quick week!

Has been a good week - tried a bit of raw food, liquid only etc during the days at work and managed not to over indulge which was good.

Evenings have been good - not that I have not been tempted by take aways but all of us have avoided these this week. I had spend a lot on supermarket shopping anyway and Alex is really into cooking now which is great.

She made African rice which was lovely - also a couple of different pasta dishes - so felt a lot healthier eating this week. Of course I love my oatcakes and hummous - nice and light - and they help me to stay off sweets a bit too!

I am up really early today - before 5am because I was tired last night and went to bed early so have slept for hours! Lovely to ease into the day on a weekend and appreciate free time.

Planning to go for a walk and swim soon and then to Canary Wharf later for coffee with a FB friend, followed by a shop browse and then a lovely lazy afternoon and evening - with another walk later on perhaps!!

Really looking forward to my holiday now - want to walk quite a bit before then as well as on holiday.

Have kept off sugar mostly this week but one day I bought low fat mallows and ate the lot in one evening - better just to avoid buying it completely!!

Talk again soon x

Right that's it and enough is enough!! I am really annoyed at myself for moping about and complaining about my weight when I had all the solutions in hand and was doing well in shaping up.

So what am I going to do about this? I have read about magic diets - the Alkaline diet, the new Atkinson diet, the liquid only diet etc but you and I both know that diets don't work for the majority of people so why would it work for me? Now all of these options of course are quite appealing because I want my weight to just drop off and if I really could stop eating I could see some of that........but I am me and I love eating.

However - sometimes it is good to ask what we want as the outcomes in our lives - and for me I mainly want to feel really good about myself including my share and mostly I want a waist and flat tum because without these I really don;t feel very feminine or attractive.

So what are my real options? Well that is quite easy in that I do need to eat something for fuel but I need to stop living to eat!! Also I need to get off sugar because if I can do that I will cut out cakes, sweets, and all the things I don't need. I also need to move, move and move more.....now I have absolutely no excuses - I can walk to work - I can walk back from work. I also have a monthly gym membership with access to a lovely swimming pool etc.

Motivation?? Yes I have ordered a nice black dress for 10 days time and a Rotary event so want to look okay. I am going to a 2 day Wellbeing Event next week and in 3 weeks time I will be in Spain - in the sun and possibly on a beach.

So I will maintain the blog and get the pedometer back on tomorrow and hopefully be proud of myself by next Sunday!!

Bye for now.....join me if you wish.

I can hardly believe almost a month has gone by with no blogging - wonder why? I have been avoiding the blog because I have been intending doing far better at shaping up. So what have I to report now?

After a few weeks of working many hours and not doing too much more I decided that I was too haphazard on my exercises and my clothes were beginning to strain a bit so I need more discipline. I started again yesterday ensuring that I wear my pedometer and do at least 10k each day......I am noticing the effort involved. This way however, I can attend the Crown Plaza Quad Club for lovely swims a couple of times a week without feeling bad about not using the gym.

I have really enjoyed some lovely walks again and have some sun into the bargain. My feet are a bit sore so I need to get a decent pair of walking shoes or trainers but apart from that I can't complain.

The marathon today was great to see 'live' as I stood in a front row position at Canary Wharf for 2 hours. One runner even had bare feet - ouch!! It's not something I have any desire to take part in but I really did admire hose who have the 'gutse' to do this - some many times over!!

The Greenway in Newham is really enlightening - a walk that takes me for miles across the roofs of houses - well if feels like that! I have found parts of Newham that are new to me and it always amazes me the different types and styles of homes.

So - I have had a lovely long weekend and feel good for it and this coming week I will get really fit and active again as I re-build my stamina and enjoy the way walking makes me feel so good - fresh in my thinking and positive in my outlook. I get loads of time on my own to meditate and I am so grateful for all that I have and the peace and love God has given to me.

Robert and I have a lovely week-end to look forward to in mid May and I have some clothes in the wardrobe that I may be able to wear if I keep this up.......

Bye for now...I'll blog all week so that I can record my progress.

Well what a lovely week-end - and we have almost reached the week at Spring Harvest we have looked forward to for months! I will only work Monday to Wednesday this week and then on Thursday we will take Ally Cat to her posh cattery before packing to go.

Alex has a birthday meal planned with her friends for Thursday and then the three of us leave around 10am on Friday for Minehead.

So how has my shape up programme been going since last time I wrote? I decided I need to get of sugar as in chocolate, cakes and sweets asap so on Friday when Robert and I were out I cut right back - and enjoyed the real food far more. Since then I have maintained this which is great because today I was faced with a whole table of desserts to die for and resisted quite easily....now for you that could well be normal but for me this is a miracle.......so here's to a positive week following the same programme!

Hi

I have had a lovely relaxing day off today - using up annual leave and taking opportunity to spend a bit of time with Robert - since I work all week and Rob is retired!

Work is certainly not without pressure - most of it because there is so much to do and fit in and even more I want to do - fortunately not because of the tasks........I love HR work and the variety it offers.

However I do realise that it is so easy to snack wrongly at work - to buy sweets, crisps, chocolate and snack on these rather than have a proper break.

Last week at Waitrose I did buy a lot of food but tried harder to focus on avoiding too many wasteful calorie foods - in place of buying choccie biscuits I bought (alongside our usual oatcakes for hummous) I bought spiced oat biscuits - and we all like those.

Today I decided that I am taking in far too much sugar so when we were out I deliberately avoided the cakes and chocolate bars and am quite pleased to have lasted one day!

As well as my exercise and cutting down on sugar I should feel a bit healthier for Spring Harvest. Can't wait now for our Easter highlight - Spring Harvest was so uplifting and encouraging last year and we are going to have a great time. Talk again later.

Well now - why is it so long since I have blogged? It is like this......the more I think of diets - as they say in all the literature about the same I think of food. So when someone suggests low fat diets that is fine by me but I buy Turkish delight bars and big bags of mallows - because after all they are low fat eh? - BIG mistake - the more I eat the more I want because sugar makes me crave sugar.........so I joined the gym for gym and I resorted to lovely jacuzzi, swim, steam room a and sauna - and so far have been once to the gym!! (well it is a bit boring eh?).

So why have I got the nerve to start blogging again - because I have cracked it this week - the sun has come out and that's what I was waiting for so I have walked 10k steps yesterday and today - and have not over eaten .........

The swimming pool is out of action for now because the pump needs repaired so I really should put in one visit to the gym this week - and I will - after which I will enjoy a lovely sauna to relax.

Of course Sunday was mother's day and as you would expect I got a large box of chocolates - and have eaten most of them but that was a treat. I have three weeks only until our Spring Harvest break so I am keen to feel good for that break!

Take care - I will be back healthier and happier soon.

Now what can I report? Am I shaping up? Am I really on the way to my ideal weight and shape? Well.......my home is shaping up - my holidays plans are shaping up - I have made an appointment to get my hair done - I am happy with Robert and Alex - o and my job is absolutely fine - enjoyable even, but......I have decided that with this tedious cold wet weather I need to re-join the Crown Plaza gym - I need to work out indoors for now. All this weather has finished my best resolve to walk, walk and walk some more......

So I am calling the Quad later this evening and will make my first visit tomorrow........then I really need to be consistent and strong. With an I-Pod and pedometer I will go......

By for now!

Another week gone and we are almost at half term!! Now what does that mean now for me? Alex is 'all growed up' with a lovely boyfriend and a lovely group of other friends so no doubt she will be organising her week away. I was going to take the week off but since my colleagues have a better excuse than I have with young kids, I will still have Thursday and Friday but will carry the other 3 days forward a bit.

I am so excited about seeing our home decorated fully - all white (except one front living room wall) and then we are having 14 white wooden blinds fitted all round the house and wow that'll be lovely. After that we will get some shelves for ornaments fitted and some lovely new pictures for the walls before our new corner suite arrives. We are so fortunate to have had a tax refund and are making sure we put it to good use.

Anyway all of that will now make me look slimmer......but victory today - I have finally built my steps back up and today I did 10,000 steps for the first time in weeks. The weather is still cold but I really need the exercise again - and it stops me eating quite so much. So here I go again - 10,000 each day - for at least 5 days.

I'll naturally report my progress - hope you will join me!!

Hey I am back fairly soon after blogging last time! So what have I to report today?

Our unit at work was hard to survive in - some days it makes us heady.....but I survived that.

We started our flexi time trial today - and I completed nine and a half hours - not particularly by choice - our work keeps on coming in!! But at least now I can benefit from the extra hours I work -I will ensure that I take some time back over the month as I accumulate hours.

For breakfast I had a banana and oat biscuits - less than 200 calories - I did have drinks during the morning but only one with milk.......need to get used to having some black drinks to cut on dairy as well as calories!! Then rather than eating bread at lunch and tea time - or potatoes, I had a small tin of fish (in a chilli sauce) with a can of diet coke for lunch and this evening had a high protein tea - hamburger, bacon, egg and brussel sprouts with just a bit of brown sauce!! Then I had one more oaty biscuit. So I have cut back a bit particularly on carbs and empty calories. I have also jumped about a bit tonight as I have stepped indoors!

I don't feel fantastic - still a bit heady but I am tired and will get an early night. Hopefully I can get up earlier tomorrow so that I can walk to work - need to get into that good habit again since it makes my stepping easier to complete. Talk again soon!!

Hey ho we have got through January and I am soooo glad about that. Now before you tell me off for wishing my life away, January can be a bit miserable as people drop with colds, flu and bugs and moan about waiting for their January pay!!

Of course I had a birthday in January so I actually had a lovely time and we have also had the privilege of being able to buy some lovely things for our home - but I need to feel that Spring is on the way so still make no apologies for being glad that January is over.

Along with so many others - and maybe in particular women, I have eaten so much rubbish through the cold winter days. It is so easy to reach forthe comforting foods. The doctor has warned me off dairy and fattening things since I will put my health at risk if I don't keep my weight down etc, etc.......

So what can I do about this? Do I feel ready to change? The fact is I must get going again properly and I feel quite enthusiastic about getting fit and taking some weight off for good.

I have a few positive weeks ahead - we are having the house fully painted, new white venetian blinds for all round the house and then we will have our suite delivered. That is good and will give me a few things to work on around the home......but also in terms of quality family time together we have a lot to look forward to. I have saved 5 days annual leave for February, we then have a week in Minehead in April and can look forward to the summer holiday time when we plan to go to Madrid and Alicante.

So to be at my best I MUST begin tomorrow (no more procrastinating) and really get into shape - more active, more responsible about eating the proper calories and nutrients and

I am going to blog my progress again so that I can at least use that to inspire myslef and drive myself to better days!! I'll be back soon to tell you how well I am doing.........

Hi - well another week over and it has been a good one!!

Alex has had her first AS Level exam in Politics so is relieved that is done - I am glad she will be able to have a long lie tomorrow because she has had long days this week - an evening at College introducing Cambridge University (with a lovely meal in Islington afterwards) and another evening when she was away all day with a theatre trip in the evening - she loves it but it is tiring with all the travel across busy London........o to be young again eh?

Anyway what about me and my shape up plan...forgotten? successful? failing? Well after all the cold and snowy weather it has taken some time to build up my walking again....I am up to over 5000 each day again though. Now I know that is not 10k each day but I am planning to build that up again over the next week because it is feeling more 'end of winterish' each day!!!

I have been busy at work and have lots of home things to get done but I am happy and keen to get walking further again and as the Spring approaches I am so grateful for my strength to walk. I have had a lot of health tests over the last few months and whilst I am fit it is important that I get fitter! Talk again soon......bye for now x

Hi - well we have reached the half way point of the month - already at 16th and tonight I attend Diane's 50th at West Ham Football Club Hotel....a fancy dress party - should be great fun.

The ground is now clear of snow and ice since the rain has washed it all away so I can get back to some serious walking very soon!!!! I have managed to maintain 5000 steps each day which is good but need to get moving again now that I can walk without fear.

I have watched 'My Big Fat Diet' this week on TV - quite educational on how to cut calories and lose weight - a few people have said how I am looking smaller but I know the truth so here's to a good week ahead.

I don't generally like January - it's a bleak dreary month but next week-end I am having a long week-end off work with Friday afternoon and Monday off to celebrate my birthday so feel more positive already - see you soon!

Here I am again and it is almost 10th January 2010 already - what an interesting, white and slippery week this has been!

Was thinking this week as I carefully chose my steps in the snow and then the icy pavements and roads that we should be just as careful with our lives to make sure we don't slip and fall but often we take our eyes off the road and bang - just like my physical fall there we go!!

Anyway I have done fairly well this week given that walking has been so difficult - of course there was not the option of taking the car in to work and back but I could have got on a train. I walked both ways each day and that felt good......

From Monday I need to try to get back into a proper routine - the roads are still very icy but the sun has been out today so if I choose my path carefully I will be able to have evening walks as well as the day trips.

I normally don't like January very much - except my birthday which I like to have as a holiday since Robert is at home anyway and of course pay day but so far January looks okay. It is amazing how - although I don't like driving in it the snow really brightens everywhere up - it is white and glowing when we look out over the roofs and gardens and that feels good.

We are about to arrange payment for our April holiday to Spring Harvest - a Christian festival - the three of us are going and how we are looking forward to it - it is so encouraging and uplifting to share Christian fellowship and relaxation with other Christians.

Then we have our summer holiday to book up and this year for Spain we plan to go via Madrid because London City Airport have flights that will take us there - and the airport is 5 minutes from home! This will allow us to see another part of Spain - the Cities are always interesting to see and explore. So I have lots to look forward to this year - and I also want to focus more on what I am eating as opposed to the walking I am doing - I need to speed up some weight loss since I keep eating chocolate and sweets and that damages my shape - bye for now!

Hey I haven't added to this blog since last year - well here I am after the first day of a new year - a lovely day at that.

Now I started this blog to chart my success/progress on my shapeup programme - for 2010 I think I now need to quicken the effort and add in a food focus element!!

Last evening - early- we had a lovely family meal, Rob, Dean, Alex and I - at the local Yi Ban Chinese restaurant - it is an impressive restaurant opposite the London City Airport on the Royal Docks - 5 minutes from home. Alex then went off to join her friends for the fireworks on the Thames and we went back to the docks for the fireworks that Yi Ban had prepared - that was nice - safe and was far better than just sitting inside watching TV!!

Today the four of us went to Lakeside shops and that too was good - we didn't overdo the visit and didn't stress ourselves out by looking for clothes in the sales.......just a nice time together - relaxed and stress free!

On our return - we all just relaxed - had a meal, watched Eastenders high drama and chilled. This is all good - I haven't worried this past week about my stepping - although I have done some - but I start again tomorrow in earnest after a few days of overeating chocolates. So more reporting after that - it is very cold but no excuses - I have Alex's old Ugg boots and a warm wooly hat.....just ignore me if you see me - I do look ridiculous but I am warm! Bye for now and Happy New Year to you.