The Dreaded 'E' Word!

So you want to lose weight, but are trying desperately to avoid exercising at all costs. It's bad enough adjusting to a new eating regime, let alone adding an exercise plan in as well! I mean really, what use is exercise anyway?!

You may not be altogether surprised to hear that regular exercise can play a vital part of effective weight loss.

Exercise assists in controlling your weight by using up the excess calories that otherwise would be stored as fat!

Physical activity can help to prevent many diseases as well as improve your overall health.

For example – daily physical activity can help to prevent heart disease and stroke, by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow and increasing your heart’s working capacity.

By reducing body fat through regular physical exercise you can help prevent and / or control type 2 diabetes.

Increasing your muscle strength, endurance, improving flexibility and posture all helps to prevent back pain.

Regular weight baring exercises will promote bone formation and can prevent osteoporosis.

By participating in regular physical activity, you can also improve mood and the way you feel about yourself, as exercise releases ‘happy’ endorphins into your system and therefore are likely to reduce depression, anxiety and can help you to better manage stress.

Your weight is determined by the number of calories you eat each day minus what your body uses.

Everything you eat contains calories, and everything you do uses calories, including sleeping, breathing, and digesting food. Therefore, any physical activity in addition to what you normally do will burn those extra calories.

Balancing the number of calories you expend through exercise and physical activity with the calories you eat will help you achieve your desired weight. The key to successful weight loss and improved overall health is making physical activity a part of your daily routine.

If you haven't exercised for a while, always try to start off slowly, and try and tune into what your body is telling you. Being out of breath and a little red in the face is one thing, but headaches, dizziness and gasping for breath is your body's unique way of saying 'ease up tiger!'.

Why not go out for a walk, if you have a dog (or a partner), why not take him too! Ok, you would but it's raining outside? Well then walk up and down the stairs, jog on the spot, play some games on the wii fit!

Literally ANYTHING that gets you moving, and a little out of breath will all help speed up your metabolism, and burn those little extra calories that are at the moment just 'hanging around' 

Catch up

Hey, it's not quite been four weeks since last blog post........I'm improving!

Firstly bit of a catch up - weight, weight glorious weight! To date I have lost a total of 28lbs (can I get a whoop whoop!!) April has been a 'slow' weight loss month, but never-the-less is HAS been a weight loss not a weight gain month, so very happy chappy.

My position at Slimming Worlds weighing station is helping me tremendously! Lots of 'how has your week been', 'pop on when you're ready' 'yay that's fantastic well done!' (for the losses) and 'do you know what happened this week' and 'did you have fun though?' etc etc etc. I'm hoping I'm doing a good job for the members, haven't had any complaints so far ;) Really enjoying the small talk with the slimmers so (fingers crossed) it's all good.

Going back to weight loss April - have to say I have been 'coasting' quite a bit, head not really 'in the game', which is why I think it has been a slow month. At least head is 'in' the game though, but for next month, I'm sure I can do better!!!

On a work to be related topic, am in the throws of setting up the consulting room in the conservatory. The aim is to base myself completely in the conservatory, so desk has now been moved and set up to provide me with my own office space. Next to desk I have set up my gym equipment: treadmill, stepper, rower, strider, trampoline, skipping rope, big purple ball thing, ab cruncher (I think that's about it). Naturally I haven't used any of this equipment in months........many months......but like I said, May is going to be a more heads down month, so that could very soon change!!

Other than that, conservatory has a mega tidy & sort out, have only a couple of bits to remove / sort, then I'll be almost there ready to receive :)

Again, on a related topic, am also in the throws of getting a professional website built. Have spoken to two people so far, and hopefully seeing a third this coming week. I'm seeing intro videos, lots of free downloadable hints & tips, interactive quiz to name but a few shiny things I have in mind!! Really excited, but it's going to have to be a 'watch this space' for the moment.

LCD is now officially on maintenance mode. Am booking her once a month now, with next session due in a couple of weeks. When I look back at how far I've come with myself since November (such as tremendous weight loss, improved habits and personal 'barriers' being smashed to smithereens!), I can totally see the benefits of coaching!!

With that thought in mind, as I am making my own way to success, I am really looking forward to helping others to get on the path of their own personal excellence!!

Yeah baby!! let the good times roll (cue for a song me thinks!) :D

This is the week that was, or rather is....

Yes, you're quite right, it has been 2 months since my last confession, so thought it was time for a wee catch up.

Weight wise - oh yes, let's start with that. To date have lost about 23lbs, and have already started to have people look at me funny saying 'have you lost weight?' etc. Literally any day now I will be back into my jeans, which I haven't been able to fit into for about 3 years now, very happy bunny :)

On a related note, I can't remember if I mentioned in the last post, but I've moved Slimming World groups to one closer to ma as she is also wanting to join / support / lose a bit before for 'big day'. She's 7 weeks into her 'journey' and received her first stone award last week (happy claps!). As for myself, I have volunteered as a SW helper. At my request, I have been put on the weighing in station, I thought this would be a good idea as not only will I get used to dealing with people with their weight, but also I can practice quick NLP on them as they weight in......cunning ;)

Next favourite topic - LCD! Still going, and still going well I think, although I am starting to feel I need to phase this out slightly as am generally achieving everything I am setting out to achieve (which is nice!). It's getting back to the stage where I can't think of what else to bring up, as it stands (almost) everything I want to have in motion, is. Perhaps I should discuss this at next session ;)

Next favourite topic - wedding!!! I'll fill more blanks in on the wedding blog, but suffice to say that things are moving along much swifter than anticipated. We have most things sorted in principle, of course we still have deposits to pay and contracts to sign etc, but all in all we both are quite clear as to what we want, and who will provide.

Bit of a short post today, as chickens are about to cause a riot as I've not got them up yet!!

Final topic - LCH (Life Coach Hells for those not already in the know). Since last we spoke, I have almost completed my NLP course (sort of), and that's about it. I know I was doing back flips last time, but I'm afraid to report that I was so busy doing back flips, I didn't actually take any further action to move me forward.....DOH!!!

Never mind, today marks the start of a new week - 5am start (oh yes, that was a 5), and brain is now raring to go. I have decided to make this my very last week of (excuse the French) arsing about. My intention is no matter what, finish NLP course, write up business & marketing plan, and basically as from next Monday, literally be calling myself a life coach and hopefully start getting some clients on board would be nice too. What's stopping me? well frankly not much, asides from my own laziness that it. I have all the skills, tools, time and money I need in order to make this happen. The only thing I need to do is turn off the TV (check) get off my behind (um, in a minute that will be a check), and get moving!!!

Tell you what, I promise to come back next Monday and update on how I done :D

Slimming World Day Two

Currently only on day two of the Slimming World regime, and have to say, it's very tough going. So far over the past two days I have eaten so much fruit and veg I swear to goodness the stuff is about to start oozing out of my ears! Yes, in fact, I can feel it all now, in my ears, ready for the final push before it dribbles down my neck and makes a neat little pile on the floor.

Asides the fruit and veg, I've been enjoying pasta, steamed fish & potatoes, and naturally a few more cups of peppermint tea - yes it's true, I do know how to live!

Despite actually really (I do mean really) enjoying what I'm eating, I think I've got to the stage where I'm wishing I would eat a little less of it. In fact call me crazy, at this precise moment in time, I really could live off apples, carrots, and soy sauced pasta (with maybe 30g of cheddar thrown in to spice things up a bit).

The only thing now is to get consistent with the Wii fit, I only need to do 3 lots of 15 minute sessions for four weeks in order to claim my first body magic bronze award! 15 minutes is piddly, it is just making it the priority so that I actually do it.

Should I be able to maintain my zest for all things fruit and veg like, (& Wii fit like too), I shall be very interested to see what (if any) weight I do lose come Wednesday's weight in. I think I mentioned this in my last post, but the 'ideal' figure I'm looking to lose is 7lbs, although now I have been weighed, 8lbs would see me nicely in the next stone bracket, but let's not be greedy, I'll aim for that for next week!

With the thyroid thing playing up as it is at the moment, I'm not sure if those sort of figures are even possible, but hey, I'll give it a jolly good go!!

Still here then!

Oh lordy lordy, it's been just about 4 weeks since my last 'confession'. Well, what can I tell you, still under the eyes of LCD (Life Coach Dawn), and things are progressing quite nicely!

First off, had blood test to check Thyroid levels, T4 is 10 (which is very low) and TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is 36 (verrrrrrrrrrrry high! it should be around the 0 mark apparently!). In a nutshell TSH is working serious overtime, thyroxine has been upped so now on 125mgs (still no where near enough but hey, these things take time). This is an ongoing thing, and when all levels are where they should be, energy levels should be soaring whilst weight should be plummeting! Going back to quacks for another blood test beginning of February so no doubt I will be on 150mgs in about 5 weeks time.

The Christmas and New Year season passed me by with relative ease, with food and alcohol consumption being at an all time low for no other reason than I just didn't fancy drinking too much, and I felt like snacking even less. I gained about 2-3lbs over the festive period, which according to the Wii fit this morning, I have already lost!! So wondering if I am technically now the only person in the country who isn't stressing because they have eaten too much, drank too much and put on soooooo much weight that immediate detoxing is required!

Speaking of weight, I do have yet another confession to tell - I have decided to rejoin Slimming World, my first session is tonight........gosh that really felt like I was telling a dirty secret then! Seriously though I know that this has worked for me in the past, and with LCD by my side, really this year there is no reason why I shouldn't see massive weight loss success. I believe the group tonight is a brand new group, so at least we will all be starting off on the same foot together. First night SW nerves have well and truly kicked in for me, I don't know why, all I have to do is pay, get weighed and get started - it's nothing I haven't done numerous times before. Really,  it's this time next week when I'll really be wetting myself and wondering 'how much weight have I lost this week!'. I can tell you right from the start if I can lose between 5-7lbs in the first week I'll consider that a good week! If however I lose 2-3lbs, then ok I wont be 'as' happy, but I'll still be thrilled because at least things will have started to go in the right direction!

Eyes on the prize helly, eyes on the prize!!!! (by prize naturally I'm talking about slimmer of the week, slimmer of the month, club 10 target, 1/2 stone interval stickers and body magic awards!!!......oh, and yes of course, there's the losing over 8 stone in weight and becoming a slimmer happier more energetic me, darn it! I always forget that bit! Now, was that a flash of a glittery sticker I see over there.........)

In other news, Life Coach Helly is almost in full swing. Have consulted with LCD who confirms that I am doing everything I need to do in order to start coaching for myself, so wind being in the right direction, I am looking at early March / April as to when I will officially be calling myself LCH!!! Can't wait!!

Coaching

It's only been half an hour or so since I last blogged, but already I have taken some positive action (and am starting to feel a little more motivated / happier with myself!).

Went onto the Life Coach Directory again - after all where else would you go to find a coach!? Anyway, after trolling down the list I have selected one coach who looks like they fit the bill nicely. I know, before you start jumping up and down on me about looking around some more, but I got one of those 'feelings' about this one.

I have emailed her to ask for some more info and am anxiously awaiting response. This is either a lesson in responding to emails as soon as you receive them, or a lesson for me to practice patience! most likely it is the latter, I'm just keen!

Am expecting a telephone consultation, possible 'hard sell', and then for me to sign up to a million weeks worth of sessions! (I jest about the latter of course, really it'll be half a million!!).

Seriously though, it would be really good to have some one to one personal motivation / solver of internal turmoils etc.

After looking at fb page & website I see photo's and links to good ole Paul McKenna - another reason why I'm already 3/4's sold on this particular coach. Maybe she'll motivate me to follow through with his stuff! Oh who knows, brain has gone into over drive, as has internal aches & pains, time for some peppermint tea and some meditation (or something) as I'm internally as wound up as something that is wound up very tightly (even metaphors are escaping me this morning! arrrggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!).

And breathe...........

Weigbht Loss Count Down - Day Two

Well, here we are, I have made it to day two! Yesterday was a bit crappy if I am totally honesty, although I think you could see that from yesterdays blog.

It didn't start well, and for various reasons didn't end well either. Bad mood for most of the day, managed to let off steam slightly at a practically all day marketing meeting, and then singing practice in the evening helped to ease things slightly too.

Food wise, haven't been too impressed with myself, I could have done better for a first day at least, however, I have logged all my food and drink intake on the video blog so at least I am actually be honest with myself (for once).

No change in weight this morning, although after yesterday I am not surprised, but at least it didn't go up. Again, I will weigh myself everyday and log the weight. If it goes up or down, I'll log it so I can get more aware of the consequences of my actions.

Woke up this morning with what only can be described as excruciating heartburn (at least that's what I think it was, I've never had it before, either that or it was the on comings of gallstones again, but I'm going to think of it as the former). Consequently this morning I am having some Andrews (an anti acid) to try and calm my insides down, and may have a few green alkalising drinks just to neutralise my body a bit.

Still on the look out for a coach, am starting to think that my heart really isn't in it, or maybe I am just being too picky. Am worried about the cost naturally, as this is an expensive time of year, need to at least email to make first contact with a few, check out prices at least.

Would be good to get a personal trainer again, but again alas, money will have to dictate otherwise. Until I can get my weight sorted and the coaching business off the ground riches are on hold, whilst rags seem to be the current trend in fashion.

Sorry, still not feeling 100% bright and bubbly this morning, but at least I'm not as doom and gloom as I was yesterday - which is what they call progress! So I'll just hang onto that thought :)

Ramblings Update

Have been having a little surf on laptop – total work avoidance you understand – and it occurred to me that I haven’t actually blogged for a while! (tut tut).

As you can see I am obviously still having issues with being consistent, one might say that I am consistently inconsistent?

Diet, well let’s start with that I could do with a giggle. Well, diet isn’t too bad, it has been a lot worse in the past. I couldn’t honestly tell you what I weigh as haven’t weighed myself for about two or three weeks. I’m guessing I’m about the same as I was. I have had about half a stone loss since the last post, but what I am now I really couldn’t say.

Having a bout of cold / flu type thing at the moment, chest feeling tight, sore throat, headache, short breath (hang on is that violins I can hear? oh no, my mistake, next door is practicing for choir ‘again’). Naturally aforesaid symptoms are causing me to feel not very motivated at all, which in a strange way in itself is making me more motivated and more determined – strange how my mind works sometimes. I tried to explain it to the other other this morning – it’s like, the best thing for me is likely to just go to bed, but then that would feel like giving up, and I really don’t want to do that, so I’m going to fight harder and push through this.

Why oh why do I not do this is my ‘normal’ life I’ll never know!!

Anyway, I decided this morning that maybe what I could do with was my own weight loss coach. No irony there intended, I just thought that if I were to become one, and in need of losing a heck of a lot of weight myself, a weight loss coach would be just the ticket. But can I find one!! Ok, there are plenty of people out there, but no-one yet I am interested in getting in contact with to make an initial enquiry let alone signing on the dotted line.

You see most of the websites I have been on so far, the coaches don’t ‘just’ do weight loss AND from the seems of it, if you sign up with them, it seems that you would be following ‘their’ programme. But I don’t want to do that, I want to follow a diet or a programme of my own choice and just be coached / motivated through that. I want the flexibility of doing slim fast one week, weight watchers the next and the cabbage soup diet the next if I really felt the need!!

Seriously though, for me coaching is all about the client – what do THEY want, how do THEY want to progress, what do THEY want to do (am I making my point?). So far all I have seen is ‘sign up with me and follow xyz technique’ or ‘weight loss is all about abc’ or ‘motivate yourself into fitness’ etc. What if I didn’t actually want to exercise? or couldn’t?

I don’t mean to have a moan, really I don’t, I guess what I am looking is the sort of coach that I want to become - one that is ‘just’ a weight loss coach without the I also do exercise coaching, business coaching, personal coaching etc, one that wont dictate what I do in order to lose weight, instead will just help me find the way myself.

A few years ago when I first was thinking about becoming a coach, I decided to get ‘coached’ to speed things up a bit. The coach I had the initial consultation with wasn’t actually interested in moving me and my goals forward – no, they were interested in making sure I was ‘content’ first, and basically said that before they could coach me and my issues, they would ‘recommend’ that I do that contentment coaching first (for a rather large fortune, well if people are committed they will find the money, er actually no depends on how much disposable income you actually think I have luv). If I wanted to be content, I would have hired a contentment coach, or gone off travelling to ‘find myself’. No, I wanted a proactive and motivating strategy – not a £1200 bill in being coached in an area I didn’t want to be coached again.

Urgh! I’m moaning again I am so so sorry! It’s the dizzy head I’m sure of it! Up shot is though, I am now in the same position as I was all those years ago. I want a specific coach, for a specific purpose. I guess I will have to look harder.

On the bright side, when I’m up and running I guess that will be one of my USP’s – I am what I say on the tin, I am specifically a weight loss coach, who will coach you through your weight loss using whatever method of weight loss you choose (must remember to rephrase and use that when the time comes!!).

For now though, the search continues, I really do hope I find a suitable coach, it’d be such fun being coached and motivated by someone, might be the key thing I need in order to push me from point A all the way to Z!!!

See, no matter what happens, all leave them with a positive note ;)

Weight Loss Count Down - Day Eight

Howdy neighbours!

Can't believe it's been eight days since I started the 100 day plan - time flies so quickly when you're having fun!

This week, I have rediscovered dog walking - other half does the usual morning walk, and more out of necessity for the dog's part, I am now doing a 30 minute evening walk - which according to the 'experts' counts as proper exercise so hey, I'm actually getting in my recommended 30 minutes of exercise per day, which is actually very enjoable and is something I am very motivated to do! (do I hear the sounds of the Hallelujah chorus playing?).

Diet wise, this week I have been 'mainly' sticking with slimfast. Well, not the slimfast plan as printed on the packaging, I like to think of it has 'my' slim fast plan! I'm having meal replacements for breakfast & lunch, then a normal dinner - they recommend a 600 calorie dinner, which I'm not counting as my normal dinners are fine, it's all the bits in between that needs sorting.

In addition to the 3 meals, I have also had a few snacks and the odd glass of wine too - it's been a fun week I can tell you!

Weighed myself yesterday to see what was the progress, and considering the amount of fun I had been having, I wasn't expecting massive weight loss result, maybe 2lbs, 3? 4?

How's half a stone grab you!!?? I know! That's what I thought!! Just goes to show though, a little exercise here and there doesn't half make a difference!

This week I am aiming maybe not for half a stone, as that would be silly, maybe 4 or 5lbs would be good! I shall keep up with the slim fast, and dog walking, and remain relaxed and happy about the whole thing.

If you are also trying to lose weight, why not visit my weight loss forum: http://www.helen-barber.co.uk/forum for support and general chat with others also in a similar boat

xx

Yet another countdown!

One of these days I'll do a count down and actually get to zero!! Don't worry I'm still counting down to launch, and more or less I am well on track with other!

I speak of 'another countdown' which I have started today, and that is 'the 100 day weight loss'. Technically it's an e-book I downloaded on my i-phone, but thought it was actually not a bad idea, so have promised faithfully to myself that I will follow 'a' diet for the next 100 days.

Not really knowing which diet to go for, I have decided to follow the slim fast plan, mainly has I do still have powder & bars to use up, but also after going on 'dietquiz.com', it turns out that the 'best' diet for me is a meal replacement one - hey if you can't trust a random quiz on a random website who can you trust!! (that was of course a rhetorical question ladies and gentlemen).

Day one started today, and so far (as ever) so good (ish)! After unintentionally skipping breakfast, next meal stop was the Hilton in Bracknell as was attending a very vital (ahem) marketing meeting for and on behalf of an organisation that shall at this time remain nameless. Had salmon on brown bread, very salty, didn't eat all of it and left the crisps well alone, quite chuffed with myself all in all.

Whilst at this meeting, ma spilt the beans on my new venture as a weight loss coach, I think she wanted the marketing lady to give me some ideas as to how to market my business - unfortunately and unbeknown to ma, I do actually have a fairly comprehensive online marketing strategy in place, but it's nice she takes an interest :D Lady started mentioned websites and SEO's, but said that I already had weight loss blogs, and a weight loss forum, and have started to appear on the front page of google under these headings (which surprises me), and as I was talking I realised just how much I do actually have in place!

Anyway getting off point, the one good thing about this discussion was that I did 'foretell' that I would be at least 2 or 3 stone light the next time I see her - well that does it then, I really do have to get off my bum and do something! Hey there is nothing like telling someone else you're goals in order to get you to focus!!

Getting back to the original 'food list' - tonight's tea consisted of a meal bar, and then a nice long walk through the fields with the dogs. Can't say I'm actually hungry at all at this point in time, could do with a drink of water mind, but not hungry, so how's that for progress!!

All in all day one in 100 day weight loss has been a complete whoop whoop success! Roll on day two, and fingers crossed I'll be coming back tomorrow not saying I've fallen of the weight loss wagon!!

14 Weeks and Counting.........

Oh my what a busy August that was! What with juggling existing work with Cloud 9, I’m amazed I still have enough energy to stand on my own two feet!

First little re cap since last I wrote, charity day was a massive success, raising just over £200 for Macmillan (whoop whoop!). Very pleased at the amount of support we received for such a good cause.

During the past month, Cloud 9 has been on a bit of a journey, whilst clients have been been slow but steady, it has given us the opportunity to review how far we (as in mother and I) would like to take the company. As it turns out, we both have ‘bigger’ ideas for ourselves. Whilst we both love Cloud 9 dearly, and will continue the company in the vain it started, it would seem that both our futures lie on another path.

With ma, it has always been about the writing, she loves it, and she’s actually quite good at it! So I have made it my personal mission to ensure that she achieves financial success in this area – we are looking at the e-book market, so watch this space as Patricia Barber is about to become a household name!!

As for myself, my path has and will always be about weight loss coaching (starting with myself naturally!!). I’m good at coaching (so I’ve been told!) It’s what I love, and what is more, it is about time I faced up to the fact that my destiny lies within helping people to help themselves to overcome their own weight loss issues. It may sound daft, but even reading that sentence back to myself fills me with so much joy and excitement!

As ever, it starts with a plan – and as ever even that has been slow coming, but, at 5am this morning I finally cracked it!

It is my intention to launch myself (as in be as full time as I possibly can be) by 5th December 2011. That gives me three months lose weight, set up the business, and really show what can be done in three months with a bit of focus and a bit of self coaching!!