Haven't had much to say, continuing on the path. 30 days will be next Wednesday but I have a good set of gym classes on Thurs and Fri at lunchtime so I'm extending it out until next Friday which makes 31 nights alcohol free.
I've convinced my other half that we should do the free weekly 5k run in the park on Saturday. It starts at 9 AM and I've been saying for years that we should do it. Now that I've made it through 3 alcohol-free weekends I'm looking to up the ante on weekend four. Quote from OH: oh, 9 AM is a little early, so will need to take it easy on Friday night at the pub. He's been indirectly dialing it down, since I'm not drinking wine on the weekends and his best work colleague is abstaining until Dec 1 so no boozy lunches. His weight has dropped two kilos, ha!
Sidenote, I'm not a big fan of alcohol free beer, wine etc. I'm not a beer drinker in general and alcohol free wine seems sickly sweet as do most alochol free drinks such as J20. For anyone in the UK, I find that a nice alcohol free alternative is "Marks and Spencer Sparkling Mexican Lime and Lemongrass Presse". We enjoyed it last night in the fancy wine glasses, it's sold near the sodas. I think it would be lovely at a party, pop a little party umbrella in it and maybe dress it up with some strawberries chopped up and frozen in ice cubes.
Thursday, 20 October 2016
Thursday, 13 October 2016
Day 17
Did a 2 week weigh in at the gym to get more insight into why weight loss has stalled. They have a fancy scale that measures muscle mass, fat, etc. I'm down .9 kilo but lost a load of muscle mass and only a small amount of fat.
So reworking the food and exercise schedule. I think I'm too low on calories and running the high intensity stuff too high. I enjoy the high intensity classes a lot but I've been dragging in the last week. I had this happen before, when I knock out dairy it tends to take with a lot of carbs by default as I switch to Asian stir fries instead. As OH pointed out...cutting out alcohol cut out a lot of sugar/calories from your diet. Well, yes
So upping the calories starting today and putting in some lower grade cardio to go with it. Feeling much better today, had no idea why I was riding a low grade headache for three days.
With my new found energy I managed to list four auctions on ebay and one already has a bid before I even finished the whole set of listings. So more carp being cleared out of my life literally as well as figuratively.
As I now have a better direction on the weight/exercise front, I'm going to keep the no alcohol thing going for another two weeks as that should be enough time to lose another kilo (1 pound per week). Fully doable if I now have the numbers right.
So reworking the food and exercise schedule. I think I'm too low on calories and running the high intensity stuff too high. I enjoy the high intensity classes a lot but I've been dragging in the last week. I had this happen before, when I knock out dairy it tends to take with a lot of carbs by default as I switch to Asian stir fries instead. As OH pointed out...cutting out alcohol cut out a lot of sugar/calories from your diet. Well, yes
So upping the calories starting today and putting in some lower grade cardio to go with it. Feeling much better today, had no idea why I was riding a low grade headache for three days.
With my new found energy I managed to list four auctions on ebay and one already has a bid before I even finished the whole set of listings. So more carp being cleared out of my life literally as well as figuratively.
As I now have a better direction on the weight/exercise front, I'm going to keep the no alcohol thing going for another two weeks as that should be enough time to lose another kilo (1 pound per week). Fully doable if I now have the numbers right.
Sunday, 9 October 2016
Day 13
Rocking double digits. Another Saturday done, although we worked in the garden for a few hours so splurged on calories with a pizza.
When I had originally started this run of days, today was my decision date whether to carry on as we have a small Sunday dinner. I think I have a bit more toning up to do in the gym this week, I'd like to see where another week of healthy eating and exercise will take me. So I said F it, I'm continuing on!
To make it easy for myself I volunteered to pick up OH's sister and boyfriend and to drop them off later. I've found in the past that folks here are appreciating the lift and never give the driver a hard time about not drinking lest they lose their ride lol.
I may make my streak go 30 days as that seems to be the goal in blogland but I may not. It may go longer. My current thinking is to keep going until physically I am no longer seeing improvements. My weight is down slightly and my overall look is better. I've lost weight in particular in the stomach, face and waist. My gym performance is up, stronger, better, more energetic. Looking forward to hitting it hard this week and seeing more positive changes!
When I had originally started this run of days, today was my decision date whether to carry on as we have a small Sunday dinner. I think I have a bit more toning up to do in the gym this week, I'd like to see where another week of healthy eating and exercise will take me. So I said F it, I'm continuing on!
To make it easy for myself I volunteered to pick up OH's sister and boyfriend and to drop them off later. I've found in the past that folks here are appreciating the lift and never give the driver a hard time about not drinking lest they lose their ride lol.
I may make my streak go 30 days as that seems to be the goal in blogland but I may not. It may go longer. My current thinking is to keep going until physically I am no longer seeing improvements. My weight is down slightly and my overall look is better. I've lost weight in particular in the stomach, face and waist. My gym performance is up, stronger, better, more energetic. Looking forward to hitting it hard this week and seeing more positive changes!
Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Day 9
Sleep, glorious sleep! I've never been a good sleeper at the best of times. I seem to have a better sense of hearing than most so noises will throw me off. In the summer with the early UK sunrises light wakes me around 430 AM. I get stressed about my job so struggle to fall asleep and then when I wake up it's what I continue to kick around further. Then throw alcohol in the mix with 330 or 430 random wake ups and I am done.
I know everyone talks about the lovely alcohol-free sleep. I wasn't getting to it in the 'weekend only' drinking mode. The past two nights have just been divine. I've been getting a solid eight hours of sleep. Eight!
I think it's the combination of no alcohol, intense sport and clean eating. I need to tuck away this feeling for future reference on evenings when the going gets tough.
Weight is clocking in today at 57.6 kilos so down from the starting point of 58.8.
I know everyone talks about the lovely alcohol-free sleep. I wasn't getting to it in the 'weekend only' drinking mode. The past two nights have just been divine. I've been getting a solid eight hours of sleep. Eight!
I think it's the combination of no alcohol, intense sport and clean eating. I need to tuck away this feeling for future reference on evenings when the going gets tough.
Weight is clocking in today at 57.6 kilos so down from the starting point of 58.8.
Tuesday, 4 October 2016
Day 8
One week since I started this streak. Tuesday is usually an easy night as I have gym classes in the evening. Not the best Tuesday as it's the anniversary of my mother's passing though.
In the one week since I dropped the alcohol and improved the eating I'm already noticing the weight drop not only from the scale but from look/feel. Could afford to go after some areas around the hips and thighs but pleased that the wine gut is magically shrinking. Reading online, it seems that the thighs are the last place to lose weight. I believe that one as the last time mine were fit was 20 years ago when I was a teetotal vegan. Thigh weight loss supposedly happens at an 18% body fat, I'm currently at 30%. As I balance my gym schedule I'm adding in more running time on the treadmill, let's see...
As I sit here I have a bottle of wine, fizzy (both unopened and here since before this started) and an opened bottle of vodka (from two weeks ago) in the fridge. Perhaps backward logic but I find having alcohol in the house makes it easier to quit. It's here but I am *choosing* not to have it. As opposed to 'it's not here because I cannot control it and therefore I want it more and must go out and buy/consume it now.'
As I live within a two minute walking distance from two express supermarkets, this is a necessary evil for me as last call is then 11 PM. Never mind that the fast food place on the way is open until silly o'clock serving chips/fries. Not necessarily a recommended solution for anyone else but I find it works for me.
In the one week since I dropped the alcohol and improved the eating I'm already noticing the weight drop not only from the scale but from look/feel. Could afford to go after some areas around the hips and thighs but pleased that the wine gut is magically shrinking. Reading online, it seems that the thighs are the last place to lose weight. I believe that one as the last time mine were fit was 20 years ago when I was a teetotal vegan. Thigh weight loss supposedly happens at an 18% body fat, I'm currently at 30%. As I balance my gym schedule I'm adding in more running time on the treadmill, let's see...
As I sit here I have a bottle of wine, fizzy (both unopened and here since before this started) and an opened bottle of vodka (from two weeks ago) in the fridge. Perhaps backward logic but I find having alcohol in the house makes it easier to quit. It's here but I am *choosing* not to have it. As opposed to 'it's not here because I cannot control it and therefore I want it more and must go out and buy/consume it now.'
As I live within a two minute walking distance from two express supermarkets, this is a necessary evil for me as last call is then 11 PM. Never mind that the fast food place on the way is open until silly o'clock serving chips/fries. Not necessarily a recommended solution for anyone else but I find it works for me.
Monday, 3 October 2016
Day 7
A few weeks back I had a business trip to the Continent followed by a week of volunteering in a neighboring country. Here is the summary of those two weeks:
week 1, country 1 - Work silly hours, drink too much coffee in the office, eat the local cuisine in the evenings (carb heavy, cheese overload). They like to eat seasonally, can anyone say, pumpkin risotto?
week 2, country 2 - Even crazier volunteer hours in a country that does not recognize vegetarians. Food was provided, breakfast each day was 2 slices of bread with cheese. Lunch and dinner always included potatoes. The vegetarian main was something fried, like breaded soya. One day there were apples for a snack, oh the excitement. On the plus side, I had no alcohol for 5 days straight while I was on the clock for the volunteer gig, even though it was provided for free each night.
week 3 - Return to the UK and try to get back into a routine in the face of coming back to my awful job. It was a bumpy landing that included a 'two for Tuesday' papa john's pizza night as I couldn't be bothered to cook for date night. It also involved excessive wine and fizzy each evening. As an added twist, I also started on vodka as I brought back a cheap bottle from country 2 where they specialize in it.
At the end of week 3 was my monthly stats at the gym. It's not a gym requirement but I run them at the end of each month to keep track of progress over time. As suspected, I was in the worst or second to worst rating for each of my numbers since I started tracking in Dec 2015.
**Fast forward**
I had one last Monday drinking (it still remains my Achilles heel of drinking nights due to the job) and went cold turkey on a Tuesday Sept 27th, no alcohol.
I started Wednesday on a strict diet, my personal one which seems to suit my body best historically, mainly:
In the past I've done Mon-Thurs nights or Tues-Fri with little issue.
Saturday was a massive crash and burn as I outlasted my normal routine. Somehow it seems the body knows that it gets wine again at the weekend. I soldiered on and OH made dinner.
I know many people say just to work on the alcohol and to eat whatever just to get past the days but the thing that has kept me going this week has been the weight loss, so it's been paying off to keep my diet in check along with the alcohol.
Tuesday 58.8 kilos. During the prior week of decadence it was above 59.
I've been headed down since then and clocked in this morning at 57.8 kilos. I don't expect it to go down each day, it can vary slightly but the point is that one week later I'm 1 kilo lighter.
My goal is to head in to the 56 kilo zone and then decide further. I've noticed an improvement in my sporty performance this week so I'd like to see what another kilo does for me. Tonight I brought back in a small serving of cheese pizza, I decided to have that as a small reward for lasting a week alcohol free.
In addition to the 56 criteria, at a minimum I plan to last until Sunday, when we have a dinner planned. I don't necessarily plan to break the fast that day but I will make it through another Friday/Saturday to prove that I can do it.
week 1, country 1 - Work silly hours, drink too much coffee in the office, eat the local cuisine in the evenings (carb heavy, cheese overload). They like to eat seasonally, can anyone say, pumpkin risotto?
week 2, country 2 - Even crazier volunteer hours in a country that does not recognize vegetarians. Food was provided, breakfast each day was 2 slices of bread with cheese. Lunch and dinner always included potatoes. The vegetarian main was something fried, like breaded soya. One day there were apples for a snack, oh the excitement. On the plus side, I had no alcohol for 5 days straight while I was on the clock for the volunteer gig, even though it was provided for free each night.
week 3 - Return to the UK and try to get back into a routine in the face of coming back to my awful job. It was a bumpy landing that included a 'two for Tuesday' papa john's pizza night as I couldn't be bothered to cook for date night. It also involved excessive wine and fizzy each evening. As an added twist, I also started on vodka as I brought back a cheap bottle from country 2 where they specialize in it.
At the end of week 3 was my monthly stats at the gym. It's not a gym requirement but I run them at the end of each month to keep track of progress over time. As suspected, I was in the worst or second to worst rating for each of my numbers since I started tracking in Dec 2015.
**Fast forward**
I had one last Monday drinking (it still remains my Achilles heel of drinking nights due to the job) and went cold turkey on a Tuesday Sept 27th, no alcohol.
I started Wednesday on a strict diet, my personal one which seems to suit my body best historically, mainly:
- Vegan, but with egg whites and fish. I have 1-2 friend egg whites in the morning, pre-gym.
- The fish is either tuna from a can or something fresh which I prepare as baked, not breaded, an actual fresh fish, nothing from a freezer or prepared by someone else. Normally I sprinkle on some herbs and that's it.
- No dairy except for an occasional yogurt as a snack.
- No 'bready' carbs or 'no white carbs' as people like to say. For me this means no rice, no bread. I will add a light carb such as 2 ryvita crackers with a big salad for a meal or Japanese soya noodles in a stir fry. I start each gym day with 50 grams of porridge (oatmeal) made with water.
Results so far:
The 'warm up' activity of taking the weekdays off from alcohol in my prior weeks was a good thing. I got through Tues-Thurs ok. A few m&m's on Friday, while I don't eat candy normally I have seen in earlier weeks that taking away the wine sugar does have an impact.In the past I've done Mon-Thurs nights or Tues-Fri with little issue.
Saturday was a massive crash and burn as I outlasted my normal routine. Somehow it seems the body knows that it gets wine again at the weekend. I soldiered on and OH made dinner.
I know many people say just to work on the alcohol and to eat whatever just to get past the days but the thing that has kept me going this week has been the weight loss, so it's been paying off to keep my diet in check along with the alcohol.
Tuesday 58.8 kilos. During the prior week of decadence it was above 59.
I've been headed down since then and clocked in this morning at 57.8 kilos. I don't expect it to go down each day, it can vary slightly but the point is that one week later I'm 1 kilo lighter.
My goal is to head in to the 56 kilo zone and then decide further. I've noticed an improvement in my sporty performance this week so I'd like to see what another kilo does for me. Tonight I brought back in a small serving of cheese pizza, I decided to have that as a small reward for lasting a week alcohol free.
In addition to the 56 criteria, at a minimum I plan to last until Sunday, when we have a dinner planned. I don't necessarily plan to break the fast that day but I will make it through another Friday/Saturday to prove that I can do it.
Friday, 2 September 2016
Still here
Have reached a regular rhythm, during the week I don't drink, Saturday and Sunday I do, Friday is a toss up. It's mainly sport that distracts me although I do some freelance writing and that occasionally takes over a free evening so that it becomes alcohol free.
Fridays more often than not slide into the mix of a non-drinking day which is a bit odd. I can't figure out if I'm exhausted from the workweek or the 4 nights alcohol free are reaching a tipping point of detox making me flat out or the relief that I have two full days next without work just makes me not need to reach for the bottle.
I've been following this pattern for a two months, which has been a vast improvement over my previous regular two bottles of wine on Monday because I hate my job. Then the other weekdays had a habit of being wine heavy as Monday broke the seal. So I've in general been pleased with progress and toyed with the idea of stepping it up.
I am off on Tuesday to the Continent for a work trip. For whatever reason, I tend not to drink while on work trips, even when I'm by myself for an evening, I'm not at all tempted by a beer in the hotel bar or from the supermarket. I think it's because I have other things to distract me, I tend to go for walks or watch foreign television.
On Friday I will travel to another location where I will be volunteering for the following week. I have Friday, Sat, and Sunday daytime to myself in a city I've always wanted to visit, so I won't be distracted or slowed down by alcohol.
I take the volunteer gig seriously, so again won't be drinking as it's long days, although I may try one local beer of an evening, if there is a social event as there is on the Sunday evening.
You plan your work, you work your plan.
So here is the overview:
Mon 5th - day before flying (No drinking)
Tues 6th - arrive in, ND
Wed, Thurs - work, ND
Fri - off and train to another country. May buy one to take on the train as it's a safe country where that is done (I've previously lived there.)
Sat - run around like a tourist. ND
Sun - take a two hour train to another city. The volunteer hosts are doing a dinner so I may have a local drink with that.
Mon - Thurs - busy days, ND
Fri - arrive back around 5 PM ish to another city that I want to explore and I leave at 2 PM the following day so ND
Sat - will have a local beer or two or three as I have a two hour flight back to the UK and I'm not a great flyer anymore.
So overall this should be an increase of non-drinking days as it will run over the weekends. Actually looking forward to it.
Fridays more often than not slide into the mix of a non-drinking day which is a bit odd. I can't figure out if I'm exhausted from the workweek or the 4 nights alcohol free are reaching a tipping point of detox making me flat out or the relief that I have two full days next without work just makes me not need to reach for the bottle.
I've been following this pattern for a two months, which has been a vast improvement over my previous regular two bottles of wine on Monday because I hate my job. Then the other weekdays had a habit of being wine heavy as Monday broke the seal. So I've in general been pleased with progress and toyed with the idea of stepping it up.
I am off on Tuesday to the Continent for a work trip. For whatever reason, I tend not to drink while on work trips, even when I'm by myself for an evening, I'm not at all tempted by a beer in the hotel bar or from the supermarket. I think it's because I have other things to distract me, I tend to go for walks or watch foreign television.
On Friday I will travel to another location where I will be volunteering for the following week. I have Friday, Sat, and Sunday daytime to myself in a city I've always wanted to visit, so I won't be distracted or slowed down by alcohol.
I take the volunteer gig seriously, so again won't be drinking as it's long days, although I may try one local beer of an evening, if there is a social event as there is on the Sunday evening.
You plan your work, you work your plan.
So here is the overview:
Mon 5th - day before flying (No drinking)
Tues 6th - arrive in, ND
Wed, Thurs - work, ND
Fri - off and train to another country. May buy one to take on the train as it's a safe country where that is done (I've previously lived there.)
Sat - run around like a tourist. ND
Sun - take a two hour train to another city. The volunteer hosts are doing a dinner so I may have a local drink with that.
Mon - Thurs - busy days, ND
Fri - arrive back around 5 PM ish to another city that I want to explore and I leave at 2 PM the following day so ND
Sat - will have a local beer or two or three as I have a two hour flight back to the UK and I'm not a great flyer anymore.
So overall this should be an increase of non-drinking days as it will run over the weekends. Actually looking forward to it.
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