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Friday 25 March 2011

Spring, Livestrong and Dukan week five

Spring has arrived here in Côtes d'Armor in full force. Every weekend you can hear the mosquito sound hanging overhead as dozens of men get out the lawnmowers and attack the lawns fed by the extraordinary amount of water we've had over the winter. Daffodils, hyacinths and crocus are everywhere and I got a lovely surprise discovering some grape muscats growing just outside my kitchen door. Lovely.
I had no idea they were even there!

The cats snooze in the sun...

And nap happily most all the day... so they can chase marbles around on the wood floors all night.


But their cuteness makes up for the odd awakening at 4 am.


Butterflies have appeared, flitting about, always a colourful but brief surprise so early in the year.



At first I ignored these berries, then my elder daughter pointed them out, "Look, Mum! Ladybirds!" And yes, yes they are, hundreds of them in the cypress bushes outside our local Maire. Not berries as I had originally thought.

The increased light, the sunshine and warmth, the new life bursting all around has lifted my spirits considerably. So even though I still have much to face ahead of me, I stay calm and focussed because I have peace and love in my home. That's what counts to me, most of all. The rest is just details, where the Devil resides.

I have been using this site, Livestrong, to track everything that goes into my mouth, the water I drink plus the exercise I manage to accomplish every day. I started using it way back on 12 September 2008, when I first began trying to get my weight back on track. If I count from then to today, I have lost a whopping 30kg/ 4 stone 10 pounds /66 lbs. But, in reality and for the purposes of this regime, I'm just counting what I'm losing on Dukan, and I saw a small improvement again this morning.


Slow and steady does the trick for me. The progress would be more significant if I could only manage to get out and walk more often, but, it's just too painful unless I load up on analgesics. My Kinésithérapist has offered to let me go in during office hours and use the stationary bike in her office. I did that one day this week. Now I just have to 'man up' and go in more often!

May I suggest you check out Livestrong if you too are in the process of becoming more healthy. It's a great resource and my regular commenters are welcome to friend me, I am LaCheshireChat there as well. My food diary is only open to people whom I have befriended, but on my public profile, you can look at the recipes I have posted.


I wish you a lovely weekend and a great week!

9 comments:

Oak Creek Ranch said...

I use Livestrong as well when I am trying to lose weight. It is an excellent site!

English Rider said...

Keep doing what you're doing. You are an inspiration.

Pip said...

Good on you Kitty.

I weighed earlier in the week and found I'd gone up a pound - those naughty thoughts about chocolate obviously have more effect than I thought possible.

But this morning I jumped, slight exaggeration, onto the scales and weight loss is now 20lb. So two thirds of the way there.

People are starting to comment on how much better I am looking. That's very encouraging.

Onwards and upwards.

Pip

Kitty said...

Annette: It's a great help for me, really keeps me on the straight and narrow. If I fail, I know that I can see where I've had problems and try harder the next day. No one is perfect, and honestly, least of all me. But, I try.

English Rider: I'm continuing to do, one day at a time, hoping an entire week doesn't sneak up on me all at once. Thank you for the compliment. :)

Pip: Well done you! Keep it up! Isn't it fun to be feeling slimmer? I think so!
I saw a friend today that I've not seen since October. She looked at me, gasped and said, "My heavens! You are simply disappearing! You LOOK fantastic!" I said I was really working hard to get my health issues worked out and thanked her. She added that whatever I was doing, it was obviously taking years off my face and body, I looked about 10 years younger and a LOT happier.
That really helped the old self-esteem. :)

Deborah said...

Bloody hell, Kitty! Not fair that you can't walk without pain. This makes things rather more difficult, but what a kind soul your kiné is!
I'll check out Livestrong and perhaps pass it on to a couple of people who it might help.
Cheering you on from Canada!

la fourchette said...

Yay you! The Livestrong site is great! Perfect timing as I really need to get out of my winter hibernation mode and back into lighter eating and exercise! (Especially since I've moved from the 4th floor walk-up flat!)

Signs of good luck, those ladybugs! May they bring you loads of it in the days ahead...on every level!
xo

Kitty said...

Deborah: Well, no, it's not fair at all, but, c'est la vie chez moi. The pain kinda goes in waves; some days it's manageable, some days I need to take codeine, either way I'm always limping.
I've asked my doctor to refer me for an MRI, he agreed but I have to wait for CPAM to send me my paperwork so I can have it covered by insurance. My kindly doctor said he would treat me even if he didn't get paid, my health was more important than to worry about payment and NOT come to him.

There are some good people in this world, I'm honoured and fortunate to know some of them. :)

Bisouxxx, Kitty

Kitty said...

Leslie: I didn't know that about ladybirds/ladybugs! I'll have to add them into my surroundings, I NEED some good luck. Some? LOADS!

Livestrong is fantastic, I have a browser window always open so I can update my stats and remind myself to have another glass or water/cup of tea. Join up and friend me, we can cheer each other on!

Bisouxxx, Kitty

Lee said...

Well done for persevering; it is worth it.

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Comments are the clotted cream and fresh strawberry jam on the freshly-baked scones of my thoughts. Thank you for them, they're delicious!