WELCOME TO LITTLE OSCAR

Here he is at last little Oscar was born on Monday morning at 8.5 lbs. How cute is he....

Congratulations to Wil and Kath

Had quite an active day today. Went swimming this morning, but it was abit crowded so hard to do lane swimming with your head up someone elses rear rend!!!

I down loaded this map from Concept Sport cos it's so much easier when someone else has measurred the distances. So I walked the course and added on 2 extra kilometers by stretching the course into Harestock.

My knees coped very well. It was a good walk going through town and country. Stopped off briefly to go to the loo at the Local Farm Shop Cafe. The shop there should be illegal........sooooooooooo many good things there, homemade cakes and sweets...cheeses mmmmmmmmmmm

But I got out quick and was saved!!!

I love seeing before and after pictures. One of my favourite blogs is Skinny Latte skinnylattegirl.blogspot.com. She lives in Melbourne, Australia and is truly inspirational. She lost her weight steadily through one year.

She has lost 33.5k (5 1/4 st) and has recently got into

Triathlons. It's well worth a read to see how much one year can make a difference.

Meanwhile Wil has gone off for Paternity leave to date I don't think the baby has come. He must be really fed up with people keep asking so I'll try and be patient.

Had a Fab day with gorgeous Stu yesterday. We watched a film and I'm sure we both had something in our eyes at the end!!!

God-cat Osca was sweet too she allowed me a cuddle for nearly a minute before escaping.

Yesterday had a bit of a watershed feeling about it. I'm not sure what happened because I was really strong over Christmas and lost 1/2 a stone, but on Wednesday I had a bowt of comfort eating. It was all healthy stuff but just loads of it. Things at work were getting me down and other people seem to have escape plans in action and I hadn't, but that's no excuse really. Anyway had loads of fun yesterday and felt a lot emotionally lighter if not physically when I got home.

I read Skinny Latte's Blog and was inspired to keep going (not that I was going to give up but maybe I'm just a little 'Battle of the Bulge fatigued).

Now it's no more whinging and just getting on with it.

Went swimming before work today, which was good. Managed 100m crawl (4 lengths) with no stopping, which doesn't sound too much but when I started at New Park Manor a 16m length in crawl made me so out of breath.

And people who know me will know this is a good sign..... I have a new note book to use as progress report!!! My old one got a bit complicated with notes everywhere. I'll keep the old one though as lots of personal fitness history in it...oh and of course 'Things to Ask Wil pages'

Recording

Resting Heart Rate (first thing in the morning when I'm not sure if I have one so it's good to check I'm still alive!!)

Hours Sleep

Muscles.. how they feeling, any strains etc

Motivation - to see when I dip and if it carries a patten

Food - Did I eat any!!!
Exercise

Managed another session in the gym and pool yesterday (no sign of THE baby yet). It's all a bit touch and go.

I do have a new career in line now in weight lifting and it's only 5 years to Olympics London so much to train for and so little time!!!!

Was really good fun, we did some swimming drills in the pool. My legs have obvioulsy been sewn on the wrong way round it's their fault that when I kick them really hard or on their own I go backwards. Wil is helping me loads with the front crawl and I feel I've improved quite a bit butI have a long way to go yet.

Did some interesting impressions of sit ups and bridges on the ball. I was quite chuffed because I managed to knock nearly 2 minutes off my time for 4k on the bike. First time ever was 11.20 mins and yesterday was 9.21. Signs of improvement that I need to see at the moment.

Everyone at work is looking for new jobs to escape. I really have to take this seriously and break out of my 'can't do it' mentality.

In fact there could be a job out there that I might really enjoy with a good social life too.

Went for a 12k walk today. I have found the road where all the joggers run up and down. It's fun cos I look at them in awe and they look at me with a 'well done for trying' look. It was a lovely day and I got see an amazing sun set over Winchester

Knee held up well it seems a lot better but it is still a bit clicky so still will get it checked out. The worst times are when I am at work. I very rarely sit down at work and so I am on my feet for 8 hrs and often find myself with locked knees. Trying to become more aware of posture. To keep feet straight, not to stand or sit with crossed legs, trying to keep knee and hip joints in the movements that are natural to them. Yes, no more splits or high kicks!!

Any day now Team Wil is going to have a new member. Wil and his partner Kath are expecting their first child due tomorrow. It's very exciting and we're awaiting news, pacing the virtual corridors. We wish them all the best and look forward to the safe arrival of baby. I'll let you know as soon as.

I always get excited about babies and we have one in the family on the way in March. My niece, Jenny is rapidly expanding and all is well. Ok I know that will make me a Great Aunt which makes me sound ancient but I am hardly going to don the shawl and tartan!!! In fact quite the opposite but nephews and nieces are used to that and I think I would disappoint them if I was normal!!!

Sorry I forgot to tell you about the weigh in results. Lost another 6 3/4 lbs bringing me down to 15.7.!!! Thank you for all the encouraging and comforting remarks about knee problem. Sorry Helen about your experiences but really glad you're going for Race For Life (www.raceforlife.org) hope to do it too, either in Bournemouth or Winchester.

Had a good time in the gym yesterday. I'm having a fair bit of trouble with my left knee. I was hit by a car about 6 years ago and my knees were a bit damaged and then I went up to my heaviest weight of 26 st 10 which isn't good for anyone's knees let alone already damaged ones.

I am alright going forwards walking, light jogging, rowing (on the machine haven't tried a boat yet!!), swimming but on occasions a slight movement where my knee joint goes in a funny position and it goes into a spasmy type thing and it really hurts (notice all the medical terms!!)

So many people have been telling me to go to a doctor and yesterday I did. I was so glad I did. I have real phobia of hospitals and doctors and in the past they have never told me anything I didn't already know and always gave me a hard time about my weight, quite rightly too. I also remember bad times when I couldn't bare to see my Dad all wired up in hospital. I built quite a big fear of going to see anyone medical but that was dispersed yesterday as I got on the right side of the medical 'law' and was given loads of encouragement too. Thank goodness she said to me to carry on with training and exercise, I think she thought I might be wanting to give up exercise...AS IF

I have to be referred to the Orthopaedics (just getting to learn how to spell that!!) clinic. Now that was like getting through to MI5!! I first had to go upstairs and answer a whole load of questions for the computer and then they gave me a piece of paper with a code word which 007 would have been proud of.. something to do with Mustard. The first they gave me was a booklet on which hospital I would like to chose. What was important to me location or cleanliness!!!!

They were telling me how the government had to refer me from a GP...so I'll watch Prime Ministers Question Time to see if I'm mentioned!!!

So i have been provisionally booked in for Monday 12th Feb but they said they had to check that with the doctors and then they'll let me know. What a palaver!!!!

I still am causing great entertainment with my swimming. I showed Wil what happens when I kick without using my arms and I go backwards. He kindly let me borrow his float but I just can't work out why I don't go forwards

Goggles and Giggles

What an evening I had yesterday. Had to work late and managed to get the 6.01 to Brockenhurst and jumped in the pool at 6.50. I had 10 minutes of Aquarobics with the gang and one or two visitors and then a swimming lesson with Wil.

It must have looked a bit like a episode of The Blue Planet with my interpretation of the front crawl. Wil was cool he didn't laugh too much and he gave me a pair of goggles which means I can now see under water!! So as he was trying to guide me to swim in a straight line all I could see were a pair of legs walking backwards. It is really not a good idea to get the giggles when your face is under water. Had a really concentrated lesson and came away with with loads of good advice to use in practice. Just need to remember RELAX-REACH-and I'm sure there was something else, ummm- oh BREATH!!!

Weigh in day tomorrow not sure if I have lost anything with all the festivities. Maybe if I go in the Steam Room tomorrow for an hour or two I might lose something.

Stu has got to the level in Yoga where he spends a lot of time upside down. He can do the head stand and all kinds of things I can't pronounce. In fact neither us a year ago would have thought we would be doing the things we're doing now in gyms across the south of England!!

Times they are achanging

There seems to be a lot of people around me at the moment going through life changes, new jobs, moving house, babies, weddings. Although my life has already been changed radically I need to go onwards too. I've got really itchy feet, not in an athletes foot way either, want to do something!!!, I think a new job is on the cards and maybe some challenges along the way. My horizons are a lot wider now. Need to keep the momentum going.

It happened again I woke up in the swimming pool. 7am!!!! even more shocking I was the first one in.

The pool quite quickly filled up. I did 20 lengths as quickly as I could - 500 meters in 17 mins. I did mainly breast stroke. There was a very scarey looking man who was doing a good impression of alien swimming. If you could imagine the top of his arms close to his body and the lower part of his arms acting like flippers and his legs doing the legs of the butterfly stroke. Everytime he came up for air he had such a remarkable look on his face under his enormous goggles. I swallowed some water as I almost had a giggling fit in the middle of the lane.

Got kicked in the stomach by another man who was zig-zagging up the lanes with a very creative way of doing breast stroke.'

Also I have been spoilt at New Park Manor Spa, where everything is laid on for you. Consequently I forgot to take a towel so I had to scurry home slightly wet, luckily it was still dark!!

All in all I was glad I went even though I was winded, and had an encounter of the 'Third Kind' !!

I had a visit from Vicky Barlett, Radio Solent's Breakfast show producer on Saturday. She has been the one responsible for co-ordinating the Daisy Dieters for the shows and is a great source of encouragement and fun. She should have a medal for being able to start work at 5am each morning

Vicky has left the show to start a new show tomorrow with Charlie Crocker in the afternoon slot. She has been on the breakfast show for 5 years.

Good Luck with new show Vicky, thank you for all you've done for us and I'll not tell anyone your office is next to the bar!!

It's 2007

Funniest picture of 2006 Christmas is my God Cat - Osca( well, Stu wouldn't let me take her home when she was tiny and I was consoled by becoming Godmother to a cat!!!)

If you look very carefully in the middle of the tree there are a pair of bright eyes, convinced that this is now her new home and playground. Not sure what will happen after Christmas maybe the tree will have to become a permanent fixture.

NEW START FOR 2007

Went back to New Park and into the gym with Wil for the first time this year. It's only been 2 weeks but a lot has happened in those weeks. I haven't put weight on (nor taken any off!!) and my exercise sessions were a bit erratic. It was good to see Wil again, he is on stand-by awaiting the birth of his and Kath's baby due 15th January. Very exciting.

We did some work on the Treadmill, Cross Trainer and the Rowing Machine, sit- ups on the gym ball and worked on the nursery stages of getting to lift legs horizontally off the floor to 45 % . I got all motivated up again.


I did my impression of 'Jaws' in the pool. For the first time I didn't do any breast stroke and found front crawl the better stroke, although I need to sort out a lot of detail there still.





I tried to do a few lengths just kicking my legs, but apart from nearly drowning I don't seem to move forwards, if anything I go backwards. I could create a whole new stoke!!
Note to self - don't put SPEEDOS in washing machine, they shrink a bit, took me a while to push everything into the right places!!!

So it's 'back to it' with fervour. Next Thursday will be weigh in day. I need to get back into weight loss mode, so hopefully I will have lost some by then and I'm going to have a go at another Mini Triathlon on Tuesday.

Yay -here we go- here we go- here we go