Walk the line

I am taking the specialist and Gabby’s advice and upping my exercise by walking in – I managed twice in the last WI week (and twice the week before that) and this week should be 4 – and a hike this weekend, weather permitting. I’ve also changed my breakfast habits (again) so that I’m walking before I eat (on the way to work – not when we do an all day hike!), hoping that this means my body will be forced to burn fat. Of which it has an abundance.

Not noticing much difference so far (apart from achy ankles) – I had put ON 1lb and ¼ on WI day yesterday. I could put this down to it coming up to TOTM, or that I ate a homemade raspberry muffin on Tuesday (day before WI – and apparently having had no carbs, having some will mean me putting on glycogen/water weight) - but it’s all too easy to make up excuses as to why it will be different next week. Somehow it never is. Since Christmas I have lost 2 ¾ lbs of the 8 ¼ that I put on. It’s actually literally insignificant – almost like nothing at all. I am a stone over where I thought I could realistically be at this point (you know, if I were normal). I am gritting my teeth and carrying on and trying not to get too freaked out. Even if, with appointments at (apparently sympathetic) wedding shops booked, I rather want to hypoventilate when I think of it but am resolutely remaining calm and focussed. And maybe a little fatalistic.

P has generously bought us bikes to have up in Suffolk – hybrids with fatter tyres capable of dealing with forest/sandy tracks. He thinks this will help with the weight loss. I don’t but I do think it will be fun. All the diet stuff I’ve been reading/listening to suggests that the body is very clever; if you cut back too much or expend a lot more energy, you just force your body to conserve – mainly by not then, say, building bone density or fighting infection. I guess if I have a bit more food – protein and fat – when I cycle, it might work. And it should tone my baggy arse anyway. And I refer you to the bit where I said ‘fun’.

It’s made me consider cycling attire. When I cycle to work, I wear leggings, a short jersey skirt (to conceal thighs) and a t-shirt – and a cycling jacket usually. It’s not a nice skirt (it was a BHS job to wear over a swimming cozzie) – I really want some proper skater skirts that I could wear off the bike, in a pub for instance, without looking dreadful. Currently I actually look like a ragbag. The outfit has potential in theory, but in execution misses something. Mostly style. So I’m looking for proper skater skirts – shortish, full, and jersey – sounds easy; isn’t. And my leggings are sports leggings – perhaps normal ones would look better? I have bought a new t-shirt though. See, my usual t-shirts are not suitable for cycling. I don’t have a racer bike but I am still essentially leaning forward over the handlebars – and I’ve seen women coming towards me, looking like they’re about to pop out of their scoop necks and it’s not a good look. I do not want to/need to know the colour of your nipples, ta lady. So I need a higher neck than would really suit me when I’m upright. It’s a sartorial minefield – all advice gratefully received.

I’m also tweaking my diet to see if I can get better results. I’m essentially dropping dairy – or for at least the majority of the time – with the exception of yoghurt and some in cooking occasionally. I will miss cream in my coffee which I probably had – and really enjoyed - twice a day and the odd bit of cheese. Instead I get to have a few nuts which is pleasant (focussing on the positive). I’ll have to see whether this makes a difference.

I think if this doesn’t work I’ll have to cut the nuts and cut the dairy but it doesn’t look as if that should be necessary. You know me though, always ready to buck a trend.