Night At The Smoothies

Today I did the 5k walk. It was the same route as the 5K race on Thursday. Walked it after tea so not to frighten too many people. It takes the path through the weirs which is beautiful in the evening. I did try to put in a few jogging strides but I have aquired what I call the Penguin Jog. It's kind of jogging, or making the movements with the top half whilst doing quick walking with the legs. It's a start!!!

I have set myself a task to jog across roads, which confuses a lot of people, because I suddenly start jogging as if there were cars coming, and no one else can see a car in sight. Quite often other people will pick up their pace too!! Legs felt really heavy on the way back. The walk took me just over 70 minutes so only about 1 hour behind the time the runners set!!! That maybe a good marker route to see how I am progressing.

Made a smoothie today. Another first!! It was lovely...

Quarter pint of Low Fat Soya Milk
A handful of All Bran (soak in soya milk)
1 Banana, Handful of Blueberries, Handful of Raspberries

Put it all in a smoothie maker/blender it looks and tastes gorgeous

Gates and Giraffes

Really have become more aware of posture. I feel like I'm pulling myself up out of my stomach, stretching up my neck. I think I beginning to take on the charateristics of a giraffe. It is so easy to slump on a stool or chair. And then I suddenly remember and sit up staright.

I've just come back from what I call the 5 Gates of Winchester Walk. It's more or less tracing the roads that mark the old city walls. It's about 2 and a half miles. It takes in the sites of North Gate, West Gate then Southgate, down to Kings Gate, around Winchester Cathedral, through Abbey Gardens to the site of the East Gate.

It's a lovely walk. Iwalked down to the Kings Gate, which is a gentle hill, I feel really self- conscious running in the street so I thought I would try and disguise what I was doing. As the hill got a bit steeper I had a little trot. Then I did a bit more, only a few steps. Then a car drew up beside me and it was some friends... 'Go for it Su!!' one of them shouted. A bit embarrassed but secretly smiling on the inside I walked briskly till I was out of sight. I will try some more later. I have never been able to run freely . It must be so good, maybe one day, at the moment i'm worried about the pressure on my knees. Need too build up slowly to that goal!!

In my quest to eat as healthily as I can I have been thinking of alternatives to flavoured and processed quorn. I find it quite hard, as a vegetarian (almost vegan), to find protein foods.
Wil recommended trying Quinoa (Keen Wah) . Quinoa is a bit like cous cous but it is a seed and contains essential amino acids and is high in protein. See www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa. So I had a go at making a dinner with it.

Su's Dinner
Rinse half a cup Quinoa in water (the seed has a natural coating of a chemical which deters insects and is a bit bitter if not rinsed off) .

Boil 1 cup of water and then put the Quinoa in simmer until the seed splits and looks slightly opaque. (about 10 mins)

Chop Onions, Red Peppers, Mushrooms, Courgettes and water fry (no fat but you could use olive oil) . Cook till just going soft

Add tomato puree , 2 pinches of ground ginger, soy sauce to taste .

Add a tin of chickpeas and the cooked Quinoa with it's own water.

leave for about 15 mins till the Quinoa has soaked up the liquid heat up again and add roughly torn basil leaves.

Tis Yummy and very healthy!!


Monday's weigh in is looming. I don't know for certain that I have lost weight as I left my scales at the studios, but I think I ought to have, I feel like I have. I feel so much better on the inside. Lots of people said they will be listening in, no pressure then!! LOL



Meanwhile here is a puzzle for you to try to see how your brain works...................

I had an amazing day at the Spa yesterday. I met Claire and litle Joe (son of) at the train station and they gave me a lift to New Manor Park. Claire had her session first. It is so cool that she can go straight on to the Cross Work Machine and warm up. To me that is one of the machines yet to be conquered. I warmed up with a short walk on the treadmill and then went for a swim .(my own version of the biathlon!!) . Went back into the gym and did a few more hundred miles on the treadmill, although I have never worked out kilometers but it seems a 100 miles is about 2K !!!!
Had a few problems with the knee again but Wil can always create a way round it. I've noticed my left arm and leg seem to be on a different workout from the rest of me and often try to go their own way. So another lesson learned , it's really important to concentrate on what your body is doing as well try to make it do it.

We then went up into one of the studios to do some coordination work. Walking through a ladder with different rhythms and movements on the floor. Well if I don't get the hang of that I could audition for a west end musical. It concentrates on rhythm and feels almost like tap dancing.

At the end of the session we had a chat about healthy eating. Going to really try and crack this one. There are so many chemicals to preserve, flavour and colour food it can't be good. I don't like tea and coffee so I drink loads of water and squash. Looked on the squash bottle the ingredients...not good... full of E numbers, preservatives, colours, even if it does help you win Wimbledon !!

The next part of the day was spent with Ali giving me a partial Deep Tissue Massage.
Being a bit embarrassed about my body and never having had a massage before I was slightly nervous, but she was lovley and put me at ease straight away. She found my back muscles and got the blood flowing through them and loosened some things. I was quite tense in some places and that is partially due to bad posture which I have alot of work to do on. When she had finished I felt like I was floating. Lovely expereince!!

Then back to the water . I'm pretty sure that my feet and hands are gradually becoming webbed, and the tail is coming on nicely. I will soon be ready to be realeased into the sea. I feel so at home in the water. Although I did spend the vast majority of this time in the hydro pool.

I got a lift back with a real live athlete who was coming to Winchester to do a 5k race. Wil!!

Three times around the tourist part of the city and then into the Abbey Grounds to finish. It was so exciting. There were hundreds of runners of all different types from the people who looked like they had run in the original Olympics, some who were just out for a bit of exercise, those who had no intention going any faster then a brisk walk and some serious runners. The atmosphere was lovely I sat next to a couple in their mid 50's who were having a go. The woman said that 3 years ago she cried and was sick when her husband made her run 100 metres now they do endurance runs together. Another inspiring story.

Wil was so fast..I wasn't sure of his finishing time but it was about 16-17 minutes. I do, what I think is a fast walk which 4k per hour. He did 5k in about16 mins

Well done Wil, very proud of you!!

I held the water!!!!

Blah!!!!!!

This is what will be left of me if this weather goes on too much!! >

Today has been quite difficult.The heat got to me. I work in a shop with no air con and all of us felt really tired and sticky. I had a really bad headache and I was fighting PMT. It was hard being polite to customers especially as nearly all of them came in saying how hot it was. I wanted to shout 'REALLY, I'M FREEZING', but I restrained myself and put on a Sybil Fawlty face and say 'Oooh I know....'

I managed to keep to a healthy diet, it was moving about that was a problem.

Breakfast
All Bran with soya milk, strawberries and banana
Lunch
Wholemeal Sandwich with mixed leaves, cucumber, basil and tomato and a few sunflower seeds
Dinner
Quorn Sausages and red pepper, tomatoes, cucumber,watercress, with light mayonaise
Yoghurt,Apple and Orange

I think we will be looking at the GI diet so I need to see how that kind of menu matches up.

Anyway, we all have off days and I don't want this to happen every 4 weeks so I'm just going for a short, fast walk just to do something.

10 to 2 Feet

Just been for a power walk was really difficult in this heat. I have realised, or rather it has just sunk in, that there is walking and there is walking. I could amble about for hours and eventually arrive at a destination. Working on the treadmill there is so much more to think about just walking. One of the most difficult things I've found is to keep my feet square in front of me.
Old habbits die hard. I remember when I was a little girl copying the way my dad walked, fascinated at the precise angle of his feet. He was in the RAF for the majority of his life and there was a strict code of marching with your feet in the 10 to 2 hands of a clock like angle. So without realising all my life I have kept to this way of walking.
Of course I would like to blame it on my time with the Royal Ballet........but that would be complete fantasy LOL.

So now it's walking with shoulders back , stomach in, bum in and feet straight. I may fall over..... but with style!!!!


I have discovered sunflower seeds. A small handfull sprinkled over salad is delicious and very good for you especially vegetarians.
Following is some of the interesting Blurb I found out about sunflower seeds.

Anti-Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Benefits from Sunflower Seeds' Vitamin E
Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E, the body's primary fat-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin E travels throughout the body neutralizing free radicals that would otherwise damage fat-containing structures and molecules, such as cell membranes, brain cells, and cholesterol. By protecting these cellular and molecular components, vitamin E has significant anti-inflammatory effects that result in the reduction of symptoms in asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, conditions where free radicals and inflammation play a big role. Vitamin E has also been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer, help decrease the severity and frequency of hot flashes in women going through menopause, and help reduce the development of diabetic complications. In addition, vitamin E plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin E is one of the main antioxidants found in cholesterol particles and helps prevent free radicals from oxidizing cholesterol. Only after it has been oxidized is cholesterol able to adhere to blood vessel walls and initiate the process of atherosclerosis, which can lead to blocked arteries, heart attack, or stroke. Getting plenty of vitamin E can significantly reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis. In fact, studies show that people who get a good amount of vitamin E are at a much lower risk of dying of a heart attack than people whose dietary intake of vitamin E is marginal or inadequate. Just a quarter-cup of sunflower seeds contains 90.5% of the daily value for vitamin E to be precise.
Sunflower Seeds' Phytosterols Lower Cholesterol
Phytosterols are compounds found in plants that have a chemical structure very similar to cholesterol, and when present in the diet in sufficient amounts, are believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the immune response and decrease risk of certain cancers.
Phytosterols beneficial effects are so dramatic that they have been extracted from soybean, corn, and pine tree oil and added to processed foods, such as "butter"-replacement spreads, which are then touted as cholesterol-lowering "foods." But why settle for an imitation "butter" when Mother Nature's nuts and seeds are a naturally rich source of phytosterols—and cardio-protective fiber, minerals and healthy fats as well?
Calm Your Nerves, Muscles and Blood Vessels with Sunflower Seeds' Magnesium
Sunflower seeds are a good source of magnesium. Numerous studies have demonstrated that magnesium helps reduce the severity of asthma, lower high blood pressure, and prevent migraine headaches, as well as reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Treadmills and Cyberman

Yay had another fab gym session yesterday. And I met Claire again, who is in our group of Daisy Dieters. She is doing really well.

My balance is getting better, less damage to the gym, (LOL)!!! Warmed up on the treadmill, which is cool cos that in itself would have 'done me in' a while ago and now it is a warm up for further exercise. I get bit frustrated because my knee won't allow me to do some of the exercises but that could become a lot easier when I have lost more weight. Still not able to burst the bouncy ball. Not sure of the technical terms but stood opposite a machine and pulled a handlebar thing with a cord that was weighted in a squat position, pulling up to the stomach and slowly releasing. Could really feel neck and top of the arm muscles working. At the end of the session it was back on the treadmill with holding weights of 2k in each hand. It took a while to feel steady without holding onto the sides, a few wobbly moments, but got a rhythm going.
I remember Russell T Davies who directs Dr. Who saying that the actors who played the Cybermen (she said hiding behind the sofa), went through rigorous training on how to walk rhythmically and constantly to look more robotic. When I go on my walks I tend to walk like a Cyberman and mothers pull their children out of the way and old ladies pick up their skirts and run for shop doorways. I must look a frightening sight hot, red faced, a determined look, hair all over the place and walking like a Cyberman!!!

It's a good sign because yesterday I was talking about achievable goals and the future to Wil . He was, as ever, so encouraging. I thought at the beginning when they said I had a 12 week run at a gym/spa that I would be counting the days off before the ordeal was over. Now I am well and truly hooked. The old cliche I wish I had done this when I was younger haunts me, but I'm doing it now. I'm even looking up where races are to watch on the internet. Found this quote on a web site
"To dream anything that you want to dream,that is the beauty of the human mind,
To do anything that you want to do, that is the strength of the human will'
To trust yourself, to test your limits, that is the courage to succeed." Bernard Edmonds

It was not that long ago when my best friend and I would go to Pizza Hut and have a full meal there just to fill in time or as a snack and then go and eat a 'proper meal' in the evening. Now he has done extremely well on his fitness programme he has lost over 4 stone and goes to a gym 3 times a week. Another amazing achievement story .

Even three weeks ago I would get home from work feeling horribly tired, headachy and negative. Stuff myself with cakes(even if they were Weight watchers!), crisps and bread and watch TV all night. Now I'm feeling so much more positive and I want to get up and go. I still have to lug around a lot of weight and I am feeling it in this heat. When I look in shop windows and see myself I really think I should be thin now (patience isn't a thing that comes easily to me). It's going to be a long haul but worth it and I am actually looking forward to it.

She'll be coming round the mountain!!

Today I walked up the mountain known as St Catherines Hill in Winchester. As you can see it is one of the most beautiful places in Hampshire. The walk to the bottom of the hill is about 2 miles from my house and then the climb is quite steep to start with then you go through a lovely shaded tunnel of trees as you walk along the side of the hill and then a quite steep climb up steps.

I decided there was no shame in having rests along the way. And it was interesting to see children and grannies walk past me!!!It was very hot. I eventually got to the top where there is a small wooded area. I sat in the shade for half an hour but the flies began to collect. They must have mistaken me for a carcas although it was an understanable mistake!!

Walking home was the hardest. I had no option as there was no transport aids. I had to walk through town looking like I had just come out the Arabian Desert, usual shade of scarlet.I stuck the headphones on and tried to forget about how I must have looked. Drank one and a half itres of water when I got home!!!

I quite like doing endurance walks, which isn't too far for me at the moment, I don't think I'm made for speed. I was greatly inspired by watching the progamme about David Walliams (Little Britain) swimming the channel for Sports Relief. His determination was set by what he had seen on a trip to an African orphanage. He trained for nine months and he swam the channel. Stories like that move me a lot. Going against the odds and making an effort to acheive something.

Wil_The_Trainer

Look! It's Wil
New Park Manor Hotel New Forest News
Fitness Instructor will represent Great Britain in the World Triathlon Championships in Switzerland 2006. Wil Newbery, Fitness Manager at New Park Manors Bath House Spa has qualified to represent Great Britain in the World Triathlon Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland.Racing in the midday heat Wil beat off stiff competition in Shropshire to get one of only 5 places in his age category by completing the 1500 metre swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run in 2 hours and 2 seconds. Training up to 3 hours a day and holding down a full time job has proved to be a big challenge for Wil who joined us in December 2005 from David Lloyd in Southampton.''Working here is great, looking out over the Forest every second I am here inspires me to train before or after work. Hopefully, what I have achieved inspires all of the members here at Bath House Spa''Wil is flying the Flag for Great Britain in Switzerland on 3rd September 2006.

It is inspiring. Wil was 3 stone over weight after graduating from university and has worked his way up to this. Hopefully we'll get to learn more of how he got there!!!

Red Faced At Tescos

Last night I night I went for a brisk walk. My local Tescos is about 1 3/4 miles from my house. About half of that is a long, slow climbing hill. Had quite a busy day at work, then a tea of Baked Potato, Cottage Cheese and tons of salad. Waited about half an hour and then set off. Put some dancy music on the headphones and stepped out what I though was quite a pace. When I got to Tescos I must have looked a sight. People at the tills were worried about me and thought I had really bad sun burn. I was offered a glass of water and a lot of caring remarks. I explained I had just walked up from home and got the required impressed responses LOL.!!!

I do go red very easily whether I'm hot or embarrassed. I did feel ok my heart was working hard but not in a way that felt dangerous. So after a bottle of water I walked back again. So walking time in all was about 50 minutes.

It's going to be a warm weekend and it'll be good to be out and about. Maybe not mid day but evening walks I think.

Wil has set us homework to work on the core muscles. The exercises we have been doing in the gym are good for that. Lying on the floor knees up pulling everything in and lifting up buttocks off the floor. I'm not sure if mine ever leave the ground cos there is a lot of them trailing but the lifts are very important. Doing them slowly as well.
These are the core muscles.


PS Have taken off Daisy's Kitchen blog because it takes too much time to do 2 blogs so I'll just include food ideas in this one!!

Ooooh ahhhhhhhhh I Have Muscles

Today I am being reacquainted with my muscles. I had a fun time with Wil in the gym, did some work on the Tread-Mill, Cross Over Machine, Leg Stretches, Balancing exercises, which I still have trouble with. Pull in stomach, buttocks stretch and stand on one leg will take a while to programme in, let alone doing it on a step bench. It is getting easier I no longer career off into the wall as soon as I lift my leg off for the floor!!

Then we went on to one of my favourites the bouncy balls . Wil says the bet still stands (see previous post). I am sure it is supposed to look more like this but I do add add my extra touch of style to nearly falling off with grace.

Working with the weights, is where I can really feel the muscles working. The last exercise was 10 minutes on the Tread-mill. Heart rate went up to 135 which is good.

Felt amazing after the workout if not a little wobbly. Went for another swim and some hydro therapy. Must start doing some counted lengths in the pool. At the moment I am so amazed that I'm in the water I forget to do 'exercise' type swimming.

Next week I am booked in for a Deep Tissue massage, I 'm not sure what means but I feel that it may include picking up hand fulls of flesh and putting them somewhere else.

Christine and I went into Lymington after the spa. Such a wierd place with shops that sell either high class goods, tacky souvenirs of the New Forest, or retro stuff. Christine was looking for something particular and we must have walked for an hour around the town. I am in the frame of mind now all walking is good, although I could feel those muscles pulling back in.

Today I was reminded of the other reason why I am doing the sponsored Diet. I heard of two cases of friends who had relatives in what maybe cancer scares. Wessex Cancer Trust does such good work for care and research for cancer sufferers hopefully the money I raise may do a little to help and also make me more aware of the Trust's work.

I Feel Good Doodoobe Doo I Knew That I Should Now

Yesterday I was expecting to be taken on a stretcher to work with various limbs hanging off but I felt great. I think it must have been the carefully supervised exercise with Wil and the water therapy afterwards.

Beginning to use the place where I work as a make shift gym. I have a step I have to go up constantly so trying to do a few extra each time.

I have discovered All Bran is not as bad as I thought it was especially heavily disguised with strawberries and bananas. It is good because you wouldn't want too much of it unlike a friend of mine who once had three big bowls and ended up sitting on the loo while he gradually turned himself inside out. Trying to eat a lot more healthily now.

I think I see chains in the vicious circle being broken. It is hard though to get out of the habbit of feeling horrible, eating, stuffing and then feeling horrible. And you think nobody is noticing.
Being in the culture of a healthy environment really inspires you to get into a healthier frame of mind.

Today I passed another mile stone. I went to the Doctors, to most people this is no big challenge but for anyone that knows me, it is BIG. I would've have had to been in a near death state to go to any doctor. The last time I went was because of the car accident. Doctor was really nice and very excited about what I was doing.

Just had an e-mail from Wil it looks as though we are going into the serious stuff next. It'll be fine, it'll be fine, it'll be fine.....................LOL

Weight and See

I have just come back from my second session at the spa/gym, I can just about walk...not really I feel like Wonder Woman (don't quite look like her yet!!). Wil put me through my paces. I started off with the walking machine and then had a chat about posture. Stomach in, clench buttocks, and.....Breath.
If you ever see me with a strained smile on my face don't be frightened I am doing my buttocks in 'stomach in' exercises.
I sat on a big white bouncy ball, I wasn't convinced it would hold my weight but Wil said if it burst he would give me £100,00. However hard I bounced I still couldn't burst it. The ball has many uses and I sat on it to help focus on balance and lifted a few weights on it too. I stood on one leg which is a lot harder than you think. The last equipment I went on was the machine where all limbs go up and down at the same time (in time I will learn all the technical names), that was the hardest but managed to do 3 minutes.

Worked hard this evening I felt the effect on my muscles which I think is a good thing.

And tonight I faced a phobia which I've had for 13 years...The Swimming Pool, I used to swim for my school and then as the weight piled on I lost confidence. Then after being hit by a car I was worried what my leg would do. I imagined it would go out of joint as it doesn't support itself very well. I was also very selfconsciouss from being called names at school swimming outings.

At the spa it is so relaxed I decided to don the costume and go for it. I felt like a Walrus, clumsy on land but a lot better in water. I felt so good. I played for a while in hydrotherapy pools too.

Next session is Thursday

Oops I've Done It Again

It was all going so well then I blew it yesterday. My niece had her birthday and I knew it was a BBQ which are always a bit difficult. I saved myself for the BBQ unfortunately that meant I was very hungry and ate too much.

One of the good sayings of a past Weight Watcher leader was..if you break a cup you don't then go and smash the whole tea set. So it's back on it today. I am going for my second session with Wil today, I need a bit of a motivation boost. I feel tired all the time and I know it's because I am hauling the weight of an extra person round with me. I'll have a chat with Wil. I need to sort out eating properly or I will be dangling on the end of the eternal yoyo.

24 th July is next weigh in day 2 weeks need to get oving or it will be a bit embarrasing on the radio.

I Don't Beleaf It

What has happened to me I have suddenly changed from being a cake eating, crisp munching, nut crunching machine, to going around Sainsburys looking for things that grow from trees or out of the ground.
Breakfast: Soya Milk and Fromage Frais
Lunch: Sunflower seed snacks, Marmite Sandwich, Banana, Apple
Dinner: Quorn Sausages, Salad, Baked Potato. Strawberries, Kiwi, Yoghurt

We have homework from Wil - walking briskly for half hour. Going to Bournemouth tomorrow so I can do some walking. Going to try up the walking to everyday in the evening. Try to do it before my mind takes over in the evening and says sit and watch TV!!



Sponsors are coming in now.

Where There's A Wil There's A Way

Last night I went for my induction course at New Park Manor,
Brockenhurst. I went with my friend Christine for moral support. It was a beautiful drive into the heart of the New Forest. New Park Manor (see links) is a relatively new hotel and spa with everything you could possibly need to feel pampered, relaxed and inspired to be healthy in, most of all my personal trainer, Wil was there. We met him in reception which has gorgeous views out into the Forest and you can see deer wandering around.

We had a chat with Wil and he showed us around the spa. Both Christine and I could hardly get our chins off the floor. I can't believe I've been given an opportunity to use this place as much as I want to for 12 weeks!!

It was all going so well until he opened the door to the gym. I'm not saying I have a phobia about gyms but to me it looks like a torture chamber, but that is the fear of the unknown because in the end it was really good fun.

Wil measured everything that was available for measuring and did fat density test. It was shocking to know that I am made up of more than 50% fat. I know that I have a persons weight to loose to get to my goal and that person is made up of purely fat!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEK

Wil is very inspiring and has a look in his eye that makes you realise that excuses don't wash with him and that it's just a matter of time before you realise YOU CAN DO IT. I was knocked down by a car a few years ago and my left knee doesn't bend too well so getting on to the cycling machine was hilarious. But it was a good mental picture to me because we worked out a way round it and I was able to cycle. So things can be overcome in the gym even my embarrassment! It's good to record everything as well to see the changes.

I can't wait to use the aqua facilities as I am a bit of a water baby and have been longing to swim but lost self confidence and I was slightly worried what would happen if my knee wasn't supported. Had visions of getting stuck in the water and being hauled out of the pool like a whale by crane!!!

I feel very positive and really want to make the most of these 12 weeks. I'm going to try to eat as healthily as possible up the fruit, veg and water and try not to eat and drink so much junk, even diet junk!!

Next radio appearance is 24th July so want to show some evidence of progress

What Have We Done!!!

Day 1 in the Daisy Dieter Group

I went to the Radio Solent Studios yesterday to meet Julian Clegg and my fellow Daisies. Rosalee and Claire. As we sat in the outer studio, waiting to go on air we all looked at each other and realised this was it, we are going public and there was no going back.
We met Wil who is going to be our pesonal trainer, he's a Triathalon person for Endland (not sure how you say that). We sat and chatted for a while and then Interactive Matt, who I shall call the comfort man, because he put us all at our ease and looked after us, led us into the main studio. Vicky who is responsible for getting me onto the radio was busy manning the phones and doing things at a desk that looked like Mission Control, gave us a wave through her window. I was amazed by just how much equipment there is in a studio. To be a presenter these days I am sure that you must have at least 5 brains and 20 sets of ears, let alone having to be an octopus with hands switching things on and off. Julian Clegg made it look so easy.


We were all introduced with a mini biog and Julian and Wil went through some of the things that we will be doing. I kept smiling trying not to look scared, thinking on the inside I can't do all that. Rosalee, bless her had more trouble hiding it but she is a trouper and I think she'll have good results. Also I think Claire will be great because she is very determined.

instruments of torture!!

12 weeks of being pampered, assessed, exercised and given the chance to change our bodies into healthy ones. It looks like the first session at Brokenhurst will be on Wednesday night, which I think is induction, introduction and measuring. I was expecting to hear we would be doing Marine Commando type drills but it sounds more like lovely life style exercise. Like walking, yoga, swimming and hot tubs. It's an amazing gift of luxury I would never be able to afford anything like that and we get introduced to forms of exercise that could be carried on elsewhere.

To the task ahead. I have decided to do the Weight Watchers Diet as, in my opinion seems to be the most balanced, flexible and sensible and believe you me I have done many different ones so I know!!

Feeling a bit apprehensive I have dieted and failed so many times each time probably doing no good what so ever to my body but there comes a time when it's do or die, quite literally.

dietingdaisy@hotmail.co.uk