Shrinking for Jes

More 'after' photos

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:25:00 +0000

By popular demand here are some more pics of me taken 'after' the shrinking. Current total is sitting tantalisingly close to £3ooo!

THANK YOU

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:22:00 +0000

Finally back in the land of the living.
Last guests have just left.
I hope all who came last night had a good an evening as we did.
Thank you all for your support. You've made this challenge such a success.
Off to the bottle bank now :-0

Lovin' the press

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:32:00 +0000

Made it into the local rag again this week... If you ignore the embellishments it makes quite a nice read... Would be great if I can raise even more funds through the exposure. Hard copy comes out tomorrow.

Read article

Done and dusted - I'm off for a pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:04:00 +0000

Quick post before I go to work - more later. This morning's weigh in was 11 stones 11lb which makes a total loss of 78.5lb. Feeling quite pleased. Looking forward to some food!!

Only hours to go!

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:48:00 +0000

On the home run now. Final weigh in tomorrow morning before I go to work. Tense, excited, nervous, hungry...

Still in shock

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 07:46:00 +0000

I'm still very shaken by the news of Thirza - such an unlikely and terrible tragedy. We were the same age - makes you think about how fragile life is, which I've been doing a lot anyway since Jes died.

Had a lovely pizza last night and as expected I can no longer eat anywhere near as much as I used to so the damage is probably minimal (I hope). In fact I could just manage half a medium and a few wedges, I used to wolf down at least half a party size plus chicken dippers and garlic bread. Ironically it costs no more to order the largest size - no wonder we used to order so much.

Am now on super good salad and fruit until Tuesday...

Deeply shocked

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:06:00 +0000

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article998055.ece

I used to work with Thirza at Lollipop. I am so shocked I just ordered a pizza. Not entirely sure of the link there but can barely think I am so deeply shocked and upset.

Home stretch

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:22:00 +0000

7 days to go, this really is the home stretch. Trying to be extra good to end on a high (or lower even) note.

I have had a lot of questions about making payment when I have finished. If you are coming to the party then you can bring your sponsorship with you. (I'll be contacting everyone individually with their total so don't worry if you have forgotten what your original pledge was).

If you are not coming or would rather pay in advance then you can pay through Justgiving. They will also reclaim tax via giftaid if you are a taxpayer (if you pay me I will claim giftaid for the total as I am also now a taxpayer so either way it'll get included). Or post me a cheque.

I'll be speaking to every sponsor by email or telephone next week so can answer further questions then - just thought I would post something here to answer the immediate questions.

What? Groin strain? You have to be kidding.

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 14:35:00 +0000

9 days to go and I have a grade II groin strain. No exercise until it is better. WHAT??

I guess it could be worse as we are still housebound with the chickenpox anyway. It's very very frustrating though, the week where I was going to exercise for England and I can barely walk. grr.

Housebound! Nooooooo.

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:25:00 +0000

Wee C has come home with Chickenpox. Which means we are housebound until she's better. Which means no exercise and boredom. Boredom = snacky head. No no no no nooooo.

The challenges just keep on coming. Only 12 days to go - I CAN do it.

Coming to the end now

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:22:00 +0000

Only 15 days to go.
I'm not going to post any more weight updates now until the finish on the 8th April.

Last week only saw a 1lb loss which is a little disappointing this close to the end however considering I spent Easter with my in-laws who were trying to 'fatten me up' it's not as bad as it first seems!

3 bags full of pain

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:15:00 +0000

In the middle of my lounge floor I have three very large sacks of Jes's belongings. We took them from the boat back in October as they are things that we may be able to sell or are bike stuff that we may be able to pass on to a good home.

Graham drove about with them in the boot of his car for three weeks, neither of us feeling able to deal with them. They then went into the garage for the winter.

They have now migrated to the lounge to be sorted out. So far they have been in here for 4 days. We keep moving them about carefully avoiding actually opening them.

I've never been so afraid of a few plastic bags before. I know that opening them is going to bring back memories and pain.

On the bright side, the thought of it has taken my appetite away totally.

Stonking

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 07:58:00 +0000

Another good week - hurrah. I was wondering if my lower levels of exercise last week would make a difference but I seem to have been OK. Of course this week is going to be a toughie with Easter Eggs and a trip to the in-laws on the horizon. Only 3 weeks to go is helping focus my thoughts though so hopefully I'll be strong.

Also helping my remain focused is my day at Pennyhill Park Spa at the end of the shrink - I have to be in a bathing suit all day - amazing how that polarises the thoughts!!

Happy St Patricks Day and Happy Birthday to Emma.

This bl**dy lurgy

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:35:00 +0000

Am getting really REALLY fed up with being ill. You'd think with all this healthy living I would have a stronger immune system but this last month I have bounced from one thing to the next - none of them serious but all uncomfortable and interfering with my ability to exercise. I have yet another cold and a head full of mucous - oh joy.

Back on track

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:59:00 +0000

Hurrah.
Definitely a better week.
I have now lost exactly 5 stones.
That is 70lb.
It feels incredible.
It's looking pretty good too.
I've realised my thoughts of trying to reach 80lb were a little ambitious - it is extremely unlikely that will happen now.
I'm still doing really well though.
Went to Bluewater yesterday and bought some new clothes. Amazing experience. I went into all these shops that I have never even noticed before - shops that only go up to a size 14!! I felt like a princess.

Looking up

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:14:00 +0000

After such a bad week I seem to have pulled myself back together and have been feeling much more focused and motivated the last four days. Unfortunately I have a stinking cold and a cracker of a headache so am struggling but struggling is better than giving in.

Not as bad as it could have been

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:31:00 +0000

I somehow didn't gain 5lb - I actually lost half a lb. Phew.
I now have to really pull myself together this week and try and get things back on track - if I carry on like last week I'll not even reach 70lb
I guess after such a good run - there was inevitably going to be a hiccough. Time to get serious. Only 5 weeks to go.

Help - failing fast

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:35:00 +0000

Things really have deteriorated. Yesterday saw us all having a blow out lunch in TGI Fridays. Despite choosing what looked like a good choice it came out deep fried and so was even worse than I expected. On the up-side I really could only manage just over half of it so the damage was limited and I had no space for dessert.

Today is mothers day. After a lovely lie-in, breakfast in bed, flowers from C and a stunning bracelet from G, I am still feeling totally unmotivated to eat well and exercise.

Complete lack of motivation.
An all time motivation low
Bah humbug

Struggling

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 08:02:00 +0000

I'm completely demoralised by last week's failure to lose anything. Because I worked so hard it feels even more unfair. Monday was my worst diet day yet - not so much in what I ate but my attitude. I've been trying all week to pull it back together but I still feel really bad about it all.

Not being helped by a case of wine appearing on the doorstep yesterday, of which significant sampling was made last night and now I have a rather poorly head :-(

I also got very upset about Jes last night, particularly about the failings of the health service to diagnose and then treat him. I understand it's the angry stage of grief.

So I'm not holding out much hope for this weeks weigh in. 80lb is definitely not going to happen but I might still make 70lb. I have to stop pushing myself unrealistically and focus on how well I have done. Little self-pep talk there.

another mystery

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:30:00 +0000

I wish I understood this.

Last week I cycled for 40 minutes four times, walked a fair bit and even manged to get out on my roller blades. I didn't cheat with my food - I ate very sensibly I thought - yet did I lose any weight? Nope. How gutting. Hopefully next week will be better.

Nicer than chocolate (and I'm still mad)

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:05:00 +0000

Up at 6.20 this morning for 40 minutes sweat and panting on the bike - I know now that I have truly changed - 6 months ago nothing in this world would have got me doing that - I am now enjoying it!!

I also made another amazing discovery today... dried bananas - I don't mean those crunchy banana chips you get in cereals and health food shops - I mean chewy dried bananas made by Urban Fresh Fruit. They are like nothing on earth I have ever tasted before. Bananary yes, but toffee like too - chewy and satisfying, sweet and silky. I could go on forever. They are quite high in (natural) sugar so I have to watch how many I eat (shame) but no nasties whatsoever - all that is in the bag is... bananas!!!

Off to the pub tonight - hurrah - can't remember the last time I went to the pub of an evening.

Truly insane - that's me

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 07:54:00 +0000

It's half term this week and last night I realised the only way I could guarantee getting in enough exercise would be to do my cycling before G went to work. So at 6.30 this morning I donned my trainers and set to 40 minutes punishment. I really did. NUTS.

The exercise is paying off though - 3lb down this week hurrah

Phew!!

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:30:00 +0000

Never have I been so sure that I was going to have a gain. But no. I am the same - exactly the same as last week - I cannot convey the relief!! All that cycling at the weekend paid off - phew.

Oh dear oh dear

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:23:00 +0000

I'm starting to get a bit anxious about Monday's weigh in. I have a nasty feeling that this might be the first weigh in where I have gained. I've had a rather wonderful week but a bit deadly diet wise. The trouble with having a birthday is all the associated celebrating...

Confused? Yup.

noreply@blogger.com (Elleypelley) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:52:00 +0000

So I do almost no exercise and eat to my max allowance every day and bingo - 4lb - whoosh. gone. I really don't get it.

Am planning on a full week of exercise this week so I'll probably gain weight based on the current trend.

Weird.