Wednesday, 9 November 2011

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 :)

Tuesday, 8 November 2011

Yet another 100 days weight loss countdown

Just read the title of another blog I'm following which sums up my current mood to perfection 'fat, forty & fecked off'. Well ok, swap the 40 for (almost) 31, and hey presto! that's me!

Managed to get rid of the prolonged cold, and in it's place, my back decided it'd have a go cos it thought it was hard enough. Oh mores the pity, honestly, I have been walking around the house practically bent double like friggin Notra dame! I've been taking pills like they're going out of fashion (as they were not having any effect what so ever I have now stopped taking them).

Thankfully the back has eased up slightly, but now this morning, feeling very tired due to a stupidly late night - or rather early morning. I wasn't tired and one of the dogs were a bit poorly so meh what ya gonna do, leave him to throw up on the floor only for him to eat it up himself or leave it for you to clean up in the morning? (that'll be a no on both counts I'm afraid').

You can tell I'm fecked off cos I'm waffling rather too much.

So anyway, let's get to the point. Birthday blues are looming, this year would rather skip the whole birthday thing (most unlike me, although to be fair last year I did spend it on a cruise ship, and generally miffed over the fact that no holidays could be afforded this year so that's another nail in lifes proverbial coffin). To cap it all off, weight loss has postively hit a stand still aka am generally feeling very down on myself at the moment, total mirror and care for self avoidance.

In times when I get this low, my natural course of action is to fight back (thank goodness) and start to take some positive action to try and turn things around.

Soooooooooooo, here we are then, positive action R us. As the title of this post suggests, I am embarking on yet another 100 days of pure weight loss heaven (or hell, dependeing on your point of view). Yes, I have already planned for christmas, I am allowing myself three days of 'relax' time (but not too much), which means day one is today, and day 100 will actually end February 18th (adding three days for the three days I'll be having off).

Idea is, eat less, exercise more, shift the weight - simple really! Feel a bit like a stuck (and broken) record by saying all this.

Ah well, next blog I'll get my head a little more together and hopefully will get back to my usual upbeatedness.

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

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 ;)

Saturday, 17 September 2011

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

Friday, 9 September 2011

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!!

Saturday, 3 September 2011

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!!

Saturday, 9 July 2011

The Cloud 9 Experience

I know it's been a while since my last posting, and yes I promise faithfully that I will update the blog much regularly in future!

For now - I do have a wee announcement to make!!

In 10 days time (19th July), we (as in mother & I) will be officially launching our new company 'Cloud 9' and to put it mildly, I am rather excited! Cloud 9 offers Holistic Treatments in the form of Manicures, Pedicures, Indian Head Massage, Relaxation Therapy and weight loss coaching (to name but a few).

For our launch, we have decided to hold a charity Express Hand & Nail Treatment day in aid of Macmillan. Essentially, you pay £5 for a 15 minute mini manicure involving filing, shaping and your choice of either a hand massage or polish. All the profits will be going to the charity - so basically we wont be making any money ourselves, and in addition to that, everyone who takes part will receive a few little 'surprises' from us by way of a thank you for helping us to support such a good cause!

The charity day will be held at the Crescent Resource Centre in Lower Earley (Reading), on the 19th July, we will be there 9:30am - 4:30pm, and of course everyone wanting to be involved must pre book their time slots at the reception desk at Crescent.

We will be dropping off the booking sheets on Monday, as well as information leaflets about the day, and our services brochure. I'm sure any one local will start seeing our posters & leaflets popping up all over the place!

Should you be interested in finding out a little more about the charity day, or even better, you want to book your time slot, please visit the Crescent Resource Centre (off Rushey Way) and see the girls on reception.

You will need to pay Crescent £5 when you book, and please be aware that time slots are limited so please book your time slot early to avoid disappointment!