You're not a number on a chart - you're an individual!

13^th December 2011

Dance like nobody is watching! Eat like somebody is!

Countdown to Christmas tip – Go easy on the drinks. Alcohol, which tends to flow freely during Christmas, packs a double whammy. It tends to be high in calories and it can lower our inhibitions, making us more likely to dive into dishes that we'd prefer to resist if we were sober. Try alternating your drinks by having one diet soft drink to every alcoholic one. You'll save yourself the ProPoints values and a potential hangover.

Well I had quite a start to my day yesterday, my car wouldn’t start so I couldn’t get to my meeting on time, luckily my very good friend who’s also a leader jumped in and saved the day, she took her scales to the venue so that they could at least get weighed.  Meanwhile I had a lovely young man arrive in about half hour (thank you Green Flag) and sort it out, apparently on Saturday morning when I started my engine to move my car a few feet and then turned the engine off immediately, I flooded the engine because I didn’t give the choke time to go off – I didn’t even know my car had a choke :-)!

I did manage to get to my meeting and do my talk and because there weren’t too many of us we had a lovely chat, its lovely to see how much progress we’ve made, not just in weight loss but in the way we think about our diet and ourselves.  It’s not just about numbers; it’s about being happy in your skin with who you are.  One member who’s known me quite a long time said to me, “you seem much more relaxed with it all these days”, and she was absolutely correct, this is the first year I haven’t shed a tear over my weight, I’ve shed many a tear in the past and even remember crying last year, but when I did I remember deciding ‘no more’ although I’m not 100% sure I believed it at the time!   

These days I’m happy with who I am, with my life and I’m also very fortunate to have some wonderful friends too, not forgetting the most marvellous mother anyone could wish for.  Yes I’m a very lucky lady and as if by magic (although I know it isn’t it’s been years of hard work on myself) my weight has stabilised. 

Another reason is I’ve accepted I can’t be the weight the charts suggest without a great deal of effort, I can be this weight which is between 5 and 7lb more quite easily, without too much effort or thought, my body and mind naturally consumes the amount of calories to maintain this weight without me even thinking about it and I love that.  So I’ve learnt to love the skin I’m in.

I even did some housework yesterday, after I’d finished all my paperwork, I tidied my bedroom, I’m going to work on one room at a time rather than all at once, and then I’ll hopefully keep on top of it all and earns me some activity ProPoints!

That’s the secret to keeping this season under control, burn off some Christmas calories. I don't believe in missing out on festive food. So here is what you need to do to burn off some of the excess, ProPoints for all these things would vary depending on the brand, it’s shown in calories because that’s what the article used I stole it from!

To burn off a mince pie (230 cals)
27 MINS Moderately fast running
23 MINS Swimming (breaststroke)
26 MINS On the cross-trainer
33 MINS High-impact aerobics
36 MINS Dancing
42 MINS Ice skating
66 MINS Housework
77 MINS Walking the dog
128 MINS Writing Christmas cards
232 MINS Kissing

Burn off Christmas Pudding  (345 cals)
36 MINS Moderately fast running
40 MINS Boxing
45 MINS Circuit-training
51 MINS Skiing
51 MINS Tennis
87 MINS Aqua aerobics
102 MINS Vacuuming
119 MINS Moderate weight-lifting
203 MINS Writing Christmas cards
356 MINS Kissing

Burn off MULLED WINE (300 cals)
31 MINS Moderately fast running
90 mm Football
44 MINS Ice skating
54 MINS Gardening
60 MINS Table tennis
60 MINS Horse riding
80 MINS Playing Frisbee
10S MINS Ironing
1SS MINS Typing
240 MINS Sitting on the loo

Burn off STILTON AND CRACKERS (306 cals)
40 MINS Circuit-training
46 MINS Ice skating
49 MINS Dancing
70 MINS Badminton
83 MINS Brisk walking
106 MINS Moderate weight lifting
180 MINS Typing
140 MINS Washing up
140 MINS Shopping
205 MINS Sex

Burn off a SLICE OF YULE LOG (155 cals)
18 MINS Cross-country running
20 MINS Cycling
20 MINS Rock climbing
23 MINS Swimming (backstroke)
34 MINS Ballroom dancing
35 MINS Badminton
40 MINS Gardening
42 MINS Brisk walking
82 MINS Cooking
104 MINS Sex

Are these things worth the effort to burn them off?  Only you can decide.

Enjoy your day, I’ve got a busy one, but I do like Tuesdays.