Wow, I've been a little quiet around here. I blame my stupid kidney infection (and also zombies. They're usually to blame somewhere and the World War Z filming taking place in my city was inordinately distracting).

Anyway, onwards and downwards. As of three days ago I am officially 60 pounds lighter than I was at the start of the year, which is something I may never, ever stop celebrating. I still have about 40 pounds of fluff still to go, but I'm finally absolutely, definitely out of fat-people shops (Evans et al) and fat-people ranges (Inspire et al) and into normal-people shops and clothing ranges (wheee Gap). It's fantastic (and expensive, but I'm thrifting a reasonable amount of my wardrobe backfill which is how I discovered I'm mostly a UK 16 now without either trying anything on in the shops - hate - or breaking my sad and creaky bank account) and I'm very much enjoying my knees.

Thanks to my mother (blessed genetics) I have pretty good legs, which upgrade to fantastic pins when ensconced in 70-denier black nylon, so I've been wearing the hell out of skirts recently (short skirts, but not short short. I want to show my knees but still be able to sit down) and, actually, given Scotland's entirely decended into autumn now (and we're due a storm on Monday) and is wet and miserable, they're a very practical garment, because a short skirt gets worn with long boots which are knee high, leather and waterproof (and wipable down, unlike jeans) and a longer coat, which comes down almost to meet the boots and is also waterproof. I arrive at my destination fundamentally dry (the only soggy bits may be my knees, which are only encased in tights anyway so dry quickly) and pretty much warm (I wear knee high socks under my boots and they keep me remarkably cosy. I'm actually only wearing them because I've lost weight from my legs and that stops my boots being too big, but it's a nice side-effect). I've purchased some heavier-weight thermal tights for the colder weather and I'll be looking for new long boots in the January sales. The only impractical part of this get up is the fact I sometimes have to crawl around the floor at work, but I've taken to wearing very decent knickers.

I'm very much liking the results of a weekly facemask (my skin's never been better) and the hairmask I used last night (and the small scrunching of gel) has made my hair look really good and un-frizzy today, too. I think this may end up being a regular treat.

I've got curly hair and it can be a bit of a nightmare - when it's sitting well it looks brilliant, but it doesn't always sit well and I can't blow dry it to fix it (because then it expands to take over the universe) - but it has been a great deal better since I changed to the the curly girl method (if you're interested I suggest you get the book, it's not expensive and it goes into more detail - there's also a version with a DVD
although it's more expensive and new since I got my copy) and I also spend a lot less on hair products (I suspect that everyone with curly hair has a bathroom cabinet full of fairly expensive things that didn't really work). Conditioner and gel are more or less all I use now, and I'm adding in a hair mask as well when my hair's really suffering with the weather. The £1 microfibre turbie towels (thank you £land) are deeply brilliant at absorbing most of the water out of my hair without "roughing it up" and all whilst keeping it neatly tied up off of my face. I have 5 turbie towels of varying age that I use all the time (if it's cold I'll use several over the course of drying my hair so that my head doesn't get cold) and I've now discovered them in black, which is super useful for when I get my behind in gear and cover up the greys for a bit (else it looks like I've slaughtered someone and cleaned up using my hair towels).

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It really doesn't seem like a week since my last Treat Day, but I've made it through the majority of the week (and this week has been bizarrely hard - I'm really physically tired even though I'm quite mentally peppy) with just friday to go before the freedom of the weekend (and this weekend I really AM free, no visitors, just meeting a friend for lunch on saturday and a fun afternoon planned with them then NADA for the rest of the time).

So, because it's thursday I need to work out how I'm treating myself. It's rainy and a bit chilly so something bath-related sounds really good and I do have another facemask that I really ought to use before it becomes dried out and useless so I think I'll be doing much the same as last week although this week's mask isn't chocolate (boo!) and I think I'll add a hair mask into the mix (the rain's pushed the humidity right up and my hair looks like fuzzy straw).

Mmmh, I'm looking forward to it already (please, dear invisible, imaginary visitors, tell me how you're treating yourself this week).

Well, I'm at work so it's patently not actually perfect but it's gorgeous and sunny and bright but with a little cold bite to the wind that says summer's going and autumn's on its way. I love this time of year, I suspect because I was in formal education for so long (about twenty two years from starting nursery school to leaving university) - I associate autumn with new starts and the exciting prospect of things being different and I love this kind of weather the best (it's easy to dress for in light layers and scarves and not having to worry about the rain).

I make resolutions and plans at new year (I'm a Scot, Hogmanay is a big deal) - and in fact the weight loss journey I'm on at the moment started in January - but somehow this time of year seems even more like an opportunity to renew that I shouldn't miss. It's something about the smell of slightly damp, slightly warm, privet hedge harking back to first days at school, I think. Anyway, I'm currently feeling very motivated and very up and I intend to make the most of it which means projects (I am, infact, rubbing my hands together in the style of a Blue Peter presenter, except with less sticky backed plastic).

Bigger projects (things that will take at least an hour to make an appreciable dint in):

Unframing all my signed convention pictures.

I have a billion of these from a different point in my life (a very happy point, but one I'm no longer at) and the pictures are languishing in their clip frames in a box. If I unframe them and put them in individual poly pockets in a folder they'll take up substantially less space and they'll be much easier for me to look at and enjoy when I'm in the mood to do so. The frames can go to charity or friends who want them.

Going through the stuff in the bottom of the spare room closet

I have NO CLUE what some of that is. I know my graduation picture (which I loathe) is there and I suspect my degree certificate is, too, but other than that? clueless.

Going through my present drawer

I have a billion and six wee things in there, most of which I'm never going to give to anyone. I need to sort out what I wouldn't be embarrassed to give and donate the rest. And I need to move the gifts to a smaller drawer so I don't end up with a lot of junk again.

Removing Aged paperwork

I don't need mobile bills from 5 years ago or bank statements from 10 years ago. My paperwork's mostly consolidated by type into individual folders so I just need to go through them one at a time and cull (and then stick the papers in another box until I can borrow the good shredder from my parents!). If the folders are not over full then it'll be a lot easier to keep on top of filing the new stuff as it comes in.

Re-clearing my wardrobe

I did this about 3 months ago and it's come time to do it again (what a terrible shame!). I've already removed the Kriss Kross jeans but I know there are other things there that should also go and I may now be into some of the things that were too small the last time. This takes ages and is exhausting, but it's also a lot of fun so I think this may be sunday's job.

Cataloguing the contents of my freezer

I know vaguely what's in there, but I could really do with a list so I can meal-plan better.

I also have a bunch of computer-related projects I need to do (improving the design here not being the least of these, but mostly continuing on with the decluttering I started in my email and bookmarks and moving on to do the same with my files and photographs) but I'm feeling kind of energetic at the moment and that's a very sitty-downy kind of thing, so they'll hold for the moment (I have a working back up, it'll do).

My general every-day goals are doing pretty well at the moment:


1.Drink more water.
I'm calling this one so good I'm taking it off the list - it's habit now so I don't need to keep monitoring it.


2.Drink less diet coke.
Success, eventually, after a bit of fiddling around to see what works best for me. Swapping cokes for coffees (which, because I drink lattes, have some nutrional value) and barring it after 1 except in company (I usually don't have lunch until 1, so with the latte in the morning I'm just not having it at all) means that it's I'm definitely losing the habit for it and because I allow myself to have it in company I don't have any associated guilt (which would tend to make me rebel and drink more). I may revisit in future to see if I can cut it down even further but it's no longer a physiological habit and it's not a daily psychological habit either. It's coming off the list for now as a success.


3.Excercise more.
3.1.Unless it is pouring I will walk my 30minute lunchbreak around the river. It is pretty.
Repeated epic fail. I got out of the habit when I went on vacation and I just cannot get my head back in the game. My headphones are a bit broken, so that gives me a constant excuse (a rotten excuse, but still an excuse) not to do it, and I'm trying to avoid the shops right now, but still, it's all excuses and I need to work out a better way to self-motivate to do something at lunchtime.


3.2.Unless it there is a specific reason why not, I will get the train home to the further away station and walk up the hill.
This is a success, definitely. I get home faster and often on a nicer train (and I pass a half-decent supermarket on the way so I can pick up last-minute things at a reasonable price if I need to). Taking it off the list as I've got this one in the bag

3.3.Get the train into work from the further away station. Not a hope (unless I'm late and miss my regular train) - I know how long it takes me and I have an up to date timetable, I'm just in a lazy headspace about it because I know how hot and knackered it used to make me. I need to get better about it. Perhaps designating one day a week and working up might help.

3.4.Investigate "bingo wing busters" on the internet.
I'm so unmotivated to do these. I'm not sure if I need to completely reevaluate this goal.

4.Continue with SW
4.1.As I am - keep mixing it up, keep sticking to it.
Done. Successfully - meal planning is helping me keep it in balance and more economical (no more last minute bagged salads!) and, really, the eating is just a way of life now. I'm going to take this one off as a success but I'll change it up for a new eating goal - maintaining menu planning or upping veggie intake, something positive.



More ephemeral goals
More groomed.
I'm good with the jewelry (thank you decluttered dressing table) and scarf (because I have an addiction to them anyway) and my skin has never looked better but I'm still rotten at putting on makeup and I still tend to whack my hair up in a bun about half the week. I need to call this goal a good 'un but develop some new ones regarding hair and makeup in particular.

Better body skin
I have almost got rid of my allergy, and actually my upper arms have been benefitting from me regularly moisturising them with the aloe I've been using to counter the allergy in my armpits. I'm going to continue on what I'm doing there and revisit properly when the allergy's completely clear (probably September).

House keeping routine.
Having so many visitors in such a small amount of time's totalyl thrown this for a loop. The house is okay - not spotless, but I could have my Mum turn up at the door and not be ashamed of it - but I feel like it's only a step away from chaos. The only thing I feel that I've got under control is my laundry.

stop wasting all weekend sleeping and slothing.
I'm calling this good and taking it off the list. Having people to stay's not helped me with this but my mind-set is different; the time I feel it's reasonable to get up (rather than look at the clock and roll back over) is earlier and I have a lot more energy than I used to so I'm just automatically less likely to sloth (I can't just sit the same way that I used to. I'm going to change this up for a goal about better sleeping habits altogether.


Wow. That's a bit of a long post... I'll be revisiting it in sections, but I thought I'd better take advantage of the weather-induced headspace whilst I could.

I'm wearing reclaimed jeans today - they've made it through 3 house moves (including 9 months in storage) over about twelve years and I haven't fitted into them for any of that. I'm pretty sure I've wasted enough money on them that I could have just got rid of them right back at the start and replaced them with new ones and come out even, but anyway, I hauled them about, stored them and am now wearing them comfortably (yay, go me). I will not be wearing them again.

This morning's been an exercise in being hit around the head with a cluebat imprinted with the words "jeans go out of style" every single time I catch a glimpse of myself in a window. They are not flattering, there is a lot of extra fabric around my legs, the waist band seems strangely deep, and most of all I feel like I'm auditioning to be in a Kriss Kross video (I did, at least, manage to put my jeans on the right way round).

They're in really good nick, so they should definitely be in the donate pile but I can't help feeling that inflicting these jeans on anyone else would be a bit karmically unfortunate.


I've kept a lot of clothes that I've been too fat for. It's been useful - 50lbs in seven months is a lot to lose and it would have been a frustrating exercise in buying new clothes to see me fleetingly through a stage and discard, but I'm definitely getting to a stage now where I'm back into the 90s of hopeful clothing (things I bought but never fitted into) rather than more recent, less dated things.

It isexpensive to keep buying a new wardrobe, however, so I'm going to have to keep on wearing things that make me look like a relic from the decade of hypercolor t-shirts or that are 4 sizes too big and make me look like I'm wearing a bag. I'm aiming on emerging, swan-like, from this shell of satorial distress in some lovely (regularly re-worn) fitted outfit once I get down to target (I am dreaming of it, in fact) and in the meantime I'll just make the best of things (I suspect I may need to rethink my dressing to include more skirts as they're less obviously baggy when worn with tights that do actually fit).

The Kriss Kross jeans are still going as soon as I get home though.

Most of what I'm working towards (and blogging about) is really focussing on treating myself better - feeding me the right nutrients, giving my heart some exercise, giving my head a clean and organised place to rest - but it doesn't factor in anything special so from now on Thursday is Treat Day (because I've nearly made it through the week but I've still got Friday to go!).



This week I'm going to give myself a manicure, base coat, top coat, and all. My nails are growing like weeds because of the weather so I might as well make them pretty!

I've been thinking a lot recently about what bits of me and my life I'm not delighted with, and given I'm having such success with the weight loss part of improving things (another pound off this week, which totals me at 51.5pounds less than Christmas) I've decided to actively work on other areas, too.

Specifically what I want to achieve:

• Clearer skin so I look better with no makeup on.


• Better sleep so I'm not tired all the time and not lying in bed tossing and turning and getting frustrated.


• Be able to wear sleevless tops without shame.

Steps I'm going to take:
More water, less diet coke, more exercise, continue with SW.

What the steps actually mean:

1.Drink more water.

1.1.Fill my 1 lt bottle every day and drink at least that at my desk (also use at weekends, just for measuring purposes).

2.Drink less diet coke.

2.1.I feel that I need the caffiene and/or the flavour over just the plain water sometimes (although the caffiene is psycosomatic) so experiment with various fridge teas (rather than aspartamine filled NAS squash) and try hot green teas until I find one I like.

3.Excercise more.

3.1.Unless it is pouring I will walk my 30minute lunchbreak around the river. It is pretty.

3.2.Unless it there is a specific reason why not, I will get the train home to the further away station and walk up the hill.

3.3.I will find out the times of the trains at the further away station in the morning and time how long it takes me to get there so I can see when I'd need to leave to use that instead.

3.4.Investigate "bingo wing busters" on the internet.

4.Continue with SW

4.1.As I am - keep mixing it up, keep sticking to it.

More ephemeral goals that I need to think about and develop more to break down into specific goals and actions in future:

• More groomed.


• Better body skin - if I'm going to wear sleeveless tops and shorts, etc, I need to have skin that's fit for humans.


• House keeping routine.


• stop wasting all weekend sleeping and slothing.

So, what I'm "fixing with glue" is me (I'm a lifelong Bagpuss fan rather than intending to perform field surgery). I've already lost slightly over three and a half stone this year (50.5 pounds, to be exact) and I've a not-dissimilar amount still to go and I'm turning into a bit of a diet bore to those around me (I'm excited about these changes in my life, but it's a little dull if you're not interested in doing the same).

The eating plan I'm following is from Slimming World (who I highly reccomend) and while the plan is protected by copyright, my recipies and menus aren't so I'll be sharing them here.

I've got the eating side of things down (I love to cook and love the way that the plan makes me feel) but I'm rotten at exercising and not so good at pampering myself, either (I'm too lazy to body buff, let alone go to a gym!), so I'll be blogging my attempts at getting good habits there, too.