45th Birthday

A question about : 45th Birthday

Hi Everyone,

I normally stay on pet boards but need some kick in the... encouragement so....started lurking in here.

45yo last week, done some thinking (and looking in the mirror/on the scales) and would like to:
Drop 20kg
Stop smoking
Cut out sugar from my diet (chocolate/biscuits)

The above not necessarily in this order.

I may ramble on about things before I get myself in some sort of a routine so please bear with me and please feel free to poke me with a reality stick now and then.

Anyone who feels any of the 3 items on my list are something they want to do too - please feel free to join and add your own ramblings or not.

My excuses so far - too tired, not enough time etc.

In fact I wake up around 6am, take the dog out, sort out the food for dog/cats (got a dog and 4 cats), sort out cat litter trays, water for all - and barely have enough time to get myself out of the door at 7:30 am. I get back home around 6:30pm and frankly would go straight to bed if I could but got to repeat the morning routine and before I know it - it is 8pm.

My GP gave me a gym referral letter for 12 sessions - have been to sign up and starting next week. Will be going Tuesday and Thursday (additional dogwalker time for my dog booked for those 2 evenings as will be going straight after work).

I have a plan to start couch to 5k this evening (off work today so all that planning going on), got the shoes, got the app on my phone now (with great difficulty and help of kind people on the 5k thread). Can not take my dog for a run as her hips are not that good so the dog walk is separate from the 5k training

Have been to a smoking cessation chemist and got nicorette mist/patches/microtabs ready for when I feel ready.

Got the juicer out, dusted (yeah, been in the kitchen cupboard for ages), steamer (like steamed vegs and fish) and the love of my life, my personal blender which I actually use a lot (by the way, it is down to only Ј20.00 on Amazon now, Breville Personal Blender - get is quick, absolutely great little gadget). Will be off to Tesco to stock up on fruits and vegs (as failed to find a local place that I can get organic fruits/vegs from and not interested in boxes delivery from Abdel and Cole or Riverford etc as they have set items and I am specific to what I am looking for/need so have to start with non organic till I find some suitable source).

I am not going to try to do everything at once, I know this would be setting myself to failure so what I will do is write here every day what I have done on any given day.

Anyone feels like joining me on this journey?

Could do with a buddy/buddies

Thanks xx

MSE does not allow links in signatures so a JPG of my tracker, will update every Monday with a new picture.

Best answers:

• good luck with it all and where did u get the tracker from
• Thanks
  Tickers are here:
  https://www.tickerfactory.com/ezticke...r_designer.php
  And Breville Blend Active is now Ј19.99 if anyone is interested - what a brilliant gadget
• https://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt...qNw/weight.png
• Hello
  Although slightly older, happy to join in.
  I have booked a holiday in 6 weeks so that is my motivation to get trim(er). I would love to lose a stone before then if possible.
  I did the c25k last year with good results but I went on holiday and didn't start again when I got back. Only just started back now. I've never been a runner either, even at school I was always last.
  Luckily I have a treadmill at home and have found in the past that interval training works well for me. Last year I lost over 2 stone on it. So I did 20 mins interval training yday and same today (but I was better at it today). What I do is 5 min warm up, jog 1 min, walk 1 min with 5 min warm down at end. I can't do ANY exercise without music blaring so I have my ipod on. You might want to consider it too.
• Hello - Ohhhhhhhhhhhh I do love your nickname hahahah
  It is absolutely pouring down with rain all day today and I am just starting to wonder about my first ever "run" - way too wet on the gras and may be slippery on the pavement. Will try though at around 7:30.
  Had 2 massive glasses of juice today , made at home from what I found around so it was apples, carrots, beetroot and lemon. Not bad at all.
  Had 5 coffees too, Holland and Barret, no caf , natural ones so possibly ok.
  Cigarettes - no changes, yet, will tackle this one at some point but not yet.
  Plan is start running and organise thingys for juicing/smoothies this week, start gym next week, start thinking about smoking in week 3....
  Now singing RAIN RAIN GO AWAY and boiling some eggs to toss in with lettuce and tomatoes fro my evening meal.
• Drink plenty of water too.
  I'm cutting out carbs as much as I can and using MFP to log my calorie intake. I've only been doing it via MFP for a few weeks and it's surprising how many carbs are in things you don't expect them to be.
• Here I have to find a happy medium as I run to the loo several times per day as it is so not sure about drinking any more water.
  MFP is great generally but if/when you cook from scratch - it is somehow difficult to record what you eat. With ready stuff - great. Say like "tin of baken bens" or "one egg" but say with a soup when million things go into it.. different story
• Anyone on FB - this is pretty good to "like"
  https://www.facebook.com/VegetableJuicing?fref=nf
• My suggestion would be to make one change at the time, it may take a bit longer than you'd like, but it's more likely to stick
  At around the same age I started to improve the way I eat, then about a year ago I started going to the gym, and it's all been permanent. Oh and in between I stopped smoking too but I was such a light smoker that it's not really a big deal. e-cig helped me a lot.
  Same thing with weight loss, I've lost some weight, it's slow but it's going to be permanent, better than losing a lot of weight following a strict diet, then like 85% of people putting it back with an bonus when the diet is finished...
  I would say you focus on one or two changes then when you feel they've become part of your lifestyle, you move on to the next one.
• Thanks
  Just tested my brand new running trainers - needed to find out if they grip properly despite the misearable weather outside so took the dog out for a walk on pavement. They do grip, we met a fox and my 40kg girl did not manage to pull me over. That is good as those are pretty cheap trainers, I only paid Ј17.25 for them:
  They feel very comfy when walking, will see how they turn up when running....
  Also got some comfy socks of course
  They were only Ј10.50 for 3 pairs:
  OK, off I go..... wearing glasses in this rain is not going to help but hope to come back in one piece and tell the tale
• Good luck! Hope the run went well!
  I'd like to lose a stone to begin with, and run a half marathon next year. Right now running is the only form of exorcise I do, but I may try to add more at some point. Currently on week 8 of C25k.
  Will also be embarking on a vegan diet from September. So many exciting meals planned.
  Also need to cut down on my drinking as I seem to reach for beer out of boredom.
• Thank you
  Wohoooooooooooooooooooooo - done my first ermmmm "run"
  Points to note:
  Got to run earlier than today as it was a bit darkish so aiming for the 7:30 as I originally planned, today went out at 8:00
  Rain is generally not a problem but combination of rain/glasses/greyish outside was not so good
  Touch phones and rain do not work well together - phone frozen on me half way through , could not "swipe" to see how much left/what next BUT the voice was there so kind of kept on track
  Those cheap trainers I bought and socks (both linked above) do work - grip was fantastic, did not slip/trip once so well done to me for not going for any posh/expensive ones. I was worried when I tried them on first time as I got quite wide feet and trainers looked very narrow but with those socks they are really comfy.
  Feel the run in my thighs, front bit - wonder if this is what should happen?
  Now going to make my salad (lettuce, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, bit of honey mustard dressing), have a bath and day one over
• Just tried to update MFP about my food/drinks today but not possibly with the juices I had.. had about 500ml of mixed carrot/apple/beetroot/lemon home made juice ahhhh not going to bother with MFP.
  Nite
• probably worth taking it easy on the beetroot ..it is pretty high in sugar.
  I don't know if you are going the low carb way ?
  It can be rewarding as weight drops of quick. I found a really good ,but don't want to start telling you what to do ..
  So I will add a quick menu for a smoothie that is as good as a lunch replacement on a weekend .. Raw curly Kale ( needs to be frozen ..makes it less bitter also easy to crumble by hand )
  apple juice and orange juice equal measures and half a frozen banana ..and if the sun is past the yard arm two decent shots of vodka.
  as much kale as will fit in the blender then add liquids until it is drinkable.
  filling and really high in nutrients.
  Oh and well done on taking control
• Thanks - taking down the smoothie details minus the vodka as I do not drink at all
• Day 1 of taking control for me!
  Menu planned for the day cereal for breakie, potato and leek soup, chilli and rice for dinner. I probably won't exercise today as I'll be doing a run at 5am tomorrow.
  Well done on your run GR! When is your next one?
• Oh yeah weighed in today 12stone 3! Arghhhhh.
• Morning
  My next run will be Wednesday evening. At work now. Watching all the junk on all the desks here and being good.. so far...
• My lunch for work today is (made at home earlier) - salad:
  lettuce
  baby tomatoes
  cucumber
  feta cheese (tiny bit)
  smoked salmon
  leeks
  all shreded in a box
  I have my mustard honey dressing here but may not use it - got those "Omega Sprinkle" from Holland and Barrat so may add those (hulled pumpkin seeds, sunflower and sesame seeds, linseed and golden linseed)
  Or may add Linwoods Mini Variety - there is 7 sachets in a box, may add one
  OK - Linwoods (shelled hemp) won