New bed

This week I've definitely had a case of sleeping woes = weight loss woes. When I'm tired my body just screams "SUGAR! CAFFEINE!" all day. And because I'm tired my willpower is minus zero.
So what is the prefect way to improve sleep? Get a new bed!

Ta da!

 So I spent saturday building a bed, which thankfully hasn't collapsed after five sleeps now! It's definitely more comfy than the old bed (firmer and no broken bits hanging off) and also makes me feel like a big strong grown up barbecue I built it all myself (even the instructions said you need two people, ha I laugh in the face of instructions - totally bad arse).

Very heavy pieces of wood and metal.

So although my eating has been rubbish this weekend I did manage to spend about three hours building the bed (hard work lifting and screwing) and then did a 5k run on Sunday. Today I got my eating back on track (the pork and chorizo burger last night after softball was totally worth it)and ran my last run before...10k on Sunday!! (eek) Feeling strong though. Wish me luck!

Yay for legs (and polka dots)

Dear legs,

I was very harsh on you earlier when we were trying on those red jeggings in M&S (they've got some sweet coloured jeggings at the moment). You were so nearly there but just a tad too tight on the thighs and knees (too be honest it didn't help that the jeggings were, as usual, a bit too short).

Then I saw you in the all-encapsulating mirrors in the changing room. I saw your cellulite. I saw your saddlebags. And I said, "Why legs? Why must you be like this?!" I was sad. I was angry.

But most of all I was unfair. You've given me so much legs: a large part of the height that lets me see at gigs and reach high things, the strength to run four 10ks and soon two more and hopefully a half marathon, the coordination to dance (even if it is only in my room), and the length to wear short skirts (with tights) and just about pull them off. Also you end in my gorgeous feet.

So cheers, legs. We've come a long way and I know we'll get to where we want to be eventually (metaphorically and literally, haha). You've stopped aching so much after running, your knee problems and shin splints have disappeared, and damn those calves are starting to shape up (calves please have a word with thighs). We're doing good, let's keep it up legs.

Love, Katie.

P.s. Yay for polka dot rugs too.

P.p.s. I need to work out how to take non-weird pictures of my legs!

P.p.p.s Think I'll paint my toenails this weekend.

A good Wednesday

Free enchiladas for lunch.

Free lemon torte in the afternoon.

Winning softball.

Pint with a friend.

Running home.

It all makes,for a good Wednesday!

Off scale victories

I must admit I've been getting a bit down on myself lately, although I've hit a really amazing low of 195.6, but rather than pleased I feel impatient if I'm honest!

I've also felt a bit "run out" from following my running plan but not sleeping well.

So out of all this unappreciation it was nice to have some non-scale related victorious recently:

1. Walking up a hill with a friend, he was out of breath, I wasn't, but I had been previously when climbing that hill.

2. Wore a dress I hadn't worn for ages and it was definitely looser, as in there used to be right round my midriff before and now it's slightly baggy.

3. Someone at work mentioned I looked like I'd lost weight and asked what diet I was following!

All good stuff, and I'm less than a stone (14lbs) from being in my healthy weight range!

Numbers going down

Weighed myself this morning and saw the magical number of 196lbs!!

Where has this magic come from I asked? Then my body groaned, it's from the bloody street dance class you did, followed by the couch to 5k week 6 day 2 run. Oh yes, that'll be it, I thought, as I slowly dragged myself out of the house.

Zero pains = Zero gains.

Beyonce, beyonce

So, everyone loves Beyonce. Accept it.

Even people like myself who went through that "omg I am totally rock and do not listen to pop music like ever" stage love Beyonce.

So today's exercises mainly consisted of me and a friend drunkenly dancing to a Beyonce Live dvd. We are the best.

But first!.....this was not the only exercise I did. Oh no no no. I went for a little run, Couch to 5k week 6, day 1, to be precise. I actually ran to the library because I needed to get some printing done, and I own zero printing machines. Shout out to my local library.

I also went to the shop opposite the library to get ingredients for delicious cookies. These were much appreciated by my friend, her boyfriend and me (especially after tiring beyonce dancing - not by the boyfriend). I used a basic but delicious recipe for Chocolate Chip cookies that a friend gave to me a while back. As copied below:

Ingredients: (makes about 20-25 cookies)
150g chocolate chips
250g butter
250g plain flour 
100g granulated sugar
50g light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease up a baking tray.
Mix together the butter, granulated and brown sugar, followed by the egg.
Then add the flour, baking powder and salt (the mix should then be quite gloopy and smooth).
Follow these with the chocolate chips
Dollop large tablespoons of the mix onto the tray, keeping them about 8cm apart to avoid them spreading into each other (this may have to be done in batches).
Bake in the oven for around 10 minutes until golden brown - keep an eye on them though as they tend to spread themselves out!

Yum. Also love that my friend uses the word gloopy in her instructions!

Six for six

It is now the sixth month of the year so I shall group some thoughts in sixes.

I'm feeling a bit rubbish today so I'll start with THE GOOD:
1. Lowest weight so far for 2 days running 198.8lbs
2. I can wear shorts without leggings/tights and no-one screams and/or laughs

Skinny goat (thank you flattering mirror) in a messy room

3. Couch to 5k week 5 completed - I ran 20 whole minutes and it wasn't even that hard
4. I am so way ahead of where I need to be with half marathon training = I am awesome

5. The more I run the more great things I see round London

Floaty blocks at the Southbank Centre - Monday evening's run

6. Four days off work, thank you Queenie

THE BAD
1. Jubilee = jubilee party at work = eating A LOT of food today
2. Colleagues leaving work = cake and drinks = eating A LOT of food (and drinking) yesterday
3. Generally there is too much food at work, in fact someone bought me jelly babies to say thank you for a presentation I did last week

Outside: Aw, thanks, that's so nice of you!
Inside: Why would you do this to me?!

4. Binge days mean I'm losing weight at a snails pace
5. What if I lose weight and get gross loose skin? (ew)
6. Never mind loose skin, I'm still fat!

THE JUNE GOALS
1. Complete couch to 5k
2. Run a 10k (good boost from 5k, signed up for local one on the 16th)
3. Implement cunning "eat fruit instead of cake" plan at work

4. Get down to at least 195lbs
5. Keep doing occasional strength/abs training to decrease loose skin likelihood (ew)
6. Get body brush and scrub body regularly for nice exfoliated summer skin and to decrease loose skin likelihood (ew)