Thinspiration - Rachel Weisz

She's curvy and sexy and womanly and gorgeous. She has similar colouring to me, too.

My Virtual Model

Rose asked me to do another Virtual Model, but I found that unlike a real body, it doesn't change shape gradually with each pound lost. It stays the same and then suddenly jumps at certain thresholds. So although I have lost several inches and dropped a clothes size, my model looks the same. It'll change when I've lost another 8lbs.

Wednesday Weigh-In

I lost 2lbs on the Grapefruit diet. I'm glad to be losing weight again but I had thought that on crash diets like Grapefruit Diet you were supposed to lose much more than that in a week. I thought 1-2lbs a week was a moderate rate of weight-loss on normal long-term diets, more like Diet Delish which I have started again this week.

It's just so frustratingly slow.

However I am changing shape, which is pleasing. My UK size 16 jeans were far too baggy on me, so I bought two pairs of size 14 jeans from Marks and Spencer. M&S sizes are generous, and I probably wouldn't be able to fit a size 14 from most other shops, but I'm counting it as a goal reached anyway. I've dropped a clothes size. Hurrah!

Still Sticking To It

I'm still sticking to the Grapefruit Diet, and the Flylady programme.

Today my Flylady assignment was to "put out a hot spot" (that's a place in your house where junk accumulates). So I cleared off the table in the entranceway where letters and keys and other junk gathers. I've been doing it almost a week and so far I've got a clean entranceway table and a clean sink. I've also got sticky notes on my mirrors and not much else (well, I cheated and tidied up other parts of the house, but if I hadn't done that my house would have got worse in the last 6 days, not better).

I'm so impatient. I'm not losing weight fast enough and I'm not getting my house clean fast enough!

Cheating

For some reason I cheated a bit yesterday. I got my partner something nice for his lunch and I couldn't resist having a bit myself. So I went for a 5 mile walk afterwards to burn off the excess calories.

Apart from that I'm sticking to the grapefruit diet pretty closely.

Today's Flylady task is:

Are you hearing any of those nagging negative voices popping into your head? I want you to take a piece of paper and write down what you hear then I want you to turn those ugly words around and say something nice to yourself to negate the ugly words that they said.

I'm getting pretty fed up with this. How is this supposed to get my house clean?

Progress So Far

I'm on Grapefruit Diet day 3, and Flylady day 4.

So today I'm eating bacon and eggs, meat, salad, vegetables, and lots of grapefruit juice.

I went to a sort of meeting last night, and the host provided loads of cake and stuff, but I didn't eat any. I'm really proud of myself.

And I'm also supposed to:

• keep shining my sink
• keep getting dressed in the morning
• keep reading Flylady emails for a few minutes every day
• and write these things down on a sticky note and post them on my bathroom mirror and above my kitchen sink. Apparently this is the beginning of my Control Journal. The little notes are supposed to help me to remember the habits I am trying to establish.

OK. Got that. But I'm also going to tidy the kitchen and the bathrooms and clean the oven. I've been grilling so much bacon that the fat has accumulated in the grill pan and last night it caught fire and set off the smoke alarm.

Wednesday Weigh-In

I neither gained nor lost weight last week. I was expecting something like that because I cheated quite a bit early in the week, although I stuck closely to the diet later in the week. Never mind - I've now started my second week of grapefruit diet and I hope I'll lose at least a couple of pounds this week.

I'm still doing Flylady, the system for getting your housework under control. I'm on day 3 now so I'm supposed to:

• keep my sink shiny


• get dressed first thing in the morning instead of slobbing around in a dressing gown


• read the copious Flylady emails for a few minutes every day

Unless day 4's task is "get bloody moving and pick up all the crap" I can't see how this is going to result in a tidy house, so I've "cheated" (you're specifically told not to jump ahead and do more) and I've tidied all the upstairs of the house and the living room and I've done all the laundry. The hallway, kitchen and bathrooms are still waiting to be done. Maybe once I get it all tidy i can use the Flylady system for keeping it tidy, but it's going way too slow for my liking so far.

Much like my weight-loss.

Flying

Because I gained weight last week, I cheated a bit on my Diet Delish at the beginning of this week and ate a few things I shouldn't have. Not a major binge or anything, just a couple of cheats. Mainly alcohol and chocolate. I pulled it back together later in the week and the last few days have been cheat-free. So I don't know what will happen at tomorrow morning's weigh-in, but whatever happens I will start Grapefruit Diet tomorrow and aim to be cheat-free all week.

As well as trying to lose weight I have also started a new programme to keep my house in better order. It is called the Flylady system, and it's all about proceeding in "babysteps", not trying to do everything at once. Sounds good.

Today I was instructed to clean my kitchen sink. Nothing else, just clean my sink then kick back and relax. hey, I can do that!

Wednesday Weigh-In

I gained one pound on the grapefruit diet. I'm not very impressed with that.

But looking at it nother way, in the last 2 weeks I lost 4 pounds, so that's good. Maybe the 5-pound-loss last week was an abnormal fluctuation, and this week I "really" lost weight, but it was hidden by the strange drop the week before.

I'm back on diet delish for a week then I'll give grapefruit another go, but if this happens again I'm looking for another crash diet.

In other news, I took my measurements and found:

Bust = 37 inches (lost 3 1/2 inches)
Waist = 34inches (exactly the same)
Hips = 43 inches (lost 1 inch)

So all the weight is coming off my boobs and little or nothing from anywhere else.

Feeling a bit fed-up.

Five Pounds Lost!

Great news! I've been following Diet Delish for the last week, and I've lost five pounds in a single week.

I don't understand how, because this is the third time I've done it, and both the other times I only lost one pound. It's also a fairly generous diet (1,300kcals per day) and I even cheated once by eating a cookie. Anyway I'm really happy.

I've now lost over one stone, which is a major weight-loss goal, and I've marked it in the sidebar under "Goals Achieved". The next goal is only 3 lbs away - to have lost 10% of my starting weight.

I've included a graph of my weight loss so far. I'm really happy today, and proud of what I've achieved. This week I will be following the Grapefruit Diet. Wish me luck.

Again - One Poxy Pound Lost

No more cabbage soup diet for me. Once again I lost one measly pound after a week of self-denial and hunger.

I'm back on Diet Delish for a week, then I'm going to try the Grapefruit Diet. Maybe I can lose significant weight following that, on my weeks in between Diet Delish.

Last Chance Saloon for Cabbage Soup Diet

It's Day 7 of my third round of cabbage soup diet. The first time I did it I was pleased to lose 7lbs, even though the diet was tough. The next time I only lost 1lb and was pretty riled. I've just tried it again and so far I have lost 4lbs. If I gain any of that back by tomorrow's final weigh-in, that's it for CSD, I'm never doing it again. But if I stick at 4lbs weight loss, or have lost a little more this time tomorrow, I might give it another chance.

This week I had one bowl of ice cream, as well as the food on the diet. That's the only cheat I've done in the last five weeks of dieting, and I'm proud of that. I just hope my weight loss reflects the effort I'm putting in.

Still Sticking To It

I'm still sticking very strictly to my diet. But somehow I've lost faith that it will result in much weight loss. It's probably because last time I did this diet I only lost one pound, when it should be more as it's quite a severe crash diet.

If I only lose one or two pounds this time I won't ever do Cabbage Soup Diet again, but I'll try the Grapfruit diet or something instead. But if that happens, at least I'll know it's not because I cheated.

Measurements

I took my body measurements three weeks ago. Since then I have lost 3lbs, which isn't very much. But let's see what effect (if any) it has had on my size:

Bust - 39 inches (lost 1 1/2 inches)
Waist - 34 inches (exactly the same)
Hips - 42 inches (lost 2 inches)

I'm still a size 16 but my jeans are getting too baggy and I can't wear them without a belt. My size 14 jeans are still too tight. But I'm glad I am shrinking. My tape measure proves it.

I See A Pattern

There seems to be a pattern emerging - Wednesday morning I weigh-in and find a depressingly small weight loss for the week. Thursday morning I weigh myself again, although really I shouldn't, and find I've dropped two more pounds overnight. This time I hope I can keep them off all week, and maybe drop one or two more.

The thing is, I hate it when I micro-manage my weight like this, and spend hours mulling over every little day-by-day loss or gain. I want to concentrate on the big picture, and live my life rather than obsess about how much I weigh all the time.

Only Lost One Pound Again

I can't believe it. I gained back one of the pounds I lost on day one last week, so my total weight loss this week is again one pound. For the last there weeks I only lost one pound per week. It's better than nothing, but I have been so faithful to the diets I expected to lose more. At this rate it will take me exactly a year to reach my goal weight (I have 52 more pounds to lose).

I am starting another week of cabbage soup diet this week, but if I only lose one pound this time I won't ever do cabbage soup again. The first week I did it I lost 7lbs, but the next time I only lost 1lb. I am also going to exercise at least three times this week. We'll see how it goes.

Still Sticking to Diet Delish

I'm still sticking to Diet Delish. I do enjoy it because the food is so tasty. This morning for breakfast I had a smoothie made from a cup of skimmed milk, a frozen banana and a tablespoon of smooth peanut butter, all blended together. It's much easier to do than Cabbage Soup Diet but if I alternate between a week of CSD/a week of Diet Delish I think I can maximise my weight loss without getting bored or tempted to cheat.

Diet Bracelet

A few years ago a friend gave me a bracelet made of quartz crystals to help me stick to the diet I was on at the time, because they're supposed to give you strength and help you achieve your goals. Or something. I don't believe in the magic power of crystals, but I do know that every time I reached out for a chocolate bar or a slice of pizza, I saw the diet bracelet and remembered I wasn't supposed to be eating food like that. So in a way, it did help.

The crystal bracelet snapped and I lost it, but the next time I went on a diet I bought myself a new diet bracelet (this one is red) to help me remember not to eat fattening foods. I think all these little tricks help, even if they don't actually have a direct effect on my body, they have an effect on my mind.

Better Weigh-In

I don't normally weigh myself every day, but I was so disappointed after yesterday's weigh-in that I weighed myself this morning. I had dropped another 2lbs.

I can't believe that after the incredibly strict cabbage soup diet, yesterdays day of diet delish caused me to drop 2lbs on the day. So I'm going to assume that they were just waiting to go as a result of CSD, so really I lost 3lbs last week. From today onwards any more weight loss I will attribute to DD.

I'm not mental - I do know I am rationalising myself in circles here. But if I diet for no reward I will have no motivation to continue to diet. There has to be a payback.

Only Lost 1lb - Very Cross

I'm very cross. I only lost one poxy pound after a week of sticking to cabbage soup diet really strictly. It's not a fun diet, it's so restrictive, but it was worth it because of the results. But it definitely isn't worth it for one lousy pound in a week.

I'm back on diet delish for a week. Last time I did it I lost a pound, but I was eating french toast and jam and honeyed pork medallions and all sorts of delicious things. Not disgusting cabbage soup.

I don't know what I'll do at the end of this week. I can't face cabbage soup diet again unless I felt confident of losing loads of weight. But I can't face the prospect of a one pound per week weight loss, and taking over a year to reach my goal weight.

I'm feeling pretty hacked off.

Day 7

Well it's Day 7 of the Cabbage Soup Diet (second time through). I stuck to it without ever deviating or cheating but it was harder this time. I'm looking forward to weighing in tomorrow and seeing how much weight I lost this week, but even more I'm looking forward to chaging back to yummy Diet Delish.

Plateau

I know that for me, the danger time in any diet is when my weight-loss hits a plateau. I can practically starve myself if the pounds are dropping off. But if my efforts seem to be in vain it is extremely difficult to keep my motivation.

What I need is a strategy. What will I do if (when) I hit a plateau? Hmmm.

Green Tea

I've read that green tea burns fat, suppresses appetite and increases metabolism. I don't know if that's true or not but it can't hurt to drink a cup or so every day along side reducing calorie intake and increasing exercise.

Motivation High

My motivation is still high, I got through day 2 of cabbage soup diet quite easily, even though it is the toughest day. All you can have is soup and vegetables. The highlight is a baked potato you are allowed in the evening. But I discovered a wonderful new way to flavour the soup - Thai-style with coriander, lime juice and chilli.

Multivitamins

I take a multivitamin every day and two calcium tablets.

The multivit is to make up for any deficiencies in my diet, although when I stick to a weight-loss diet I think I probably have more vitamins and minerals from all the fruit and vegetables compared to when I'm eating badly and gaining weight.

The calcium is because I've seen a number of articles which say calcium is important for metabolising fat, and people who eat a lot of low-fat dairy whilst on a weight-loss diet lose more weight than people who take in the same number of calories without the dairy. Not all the diets I follow include much dairy (the Cabbage Soup Diet is a good example) so I make sure I always take a calcium supplement instead.

Lost 1lb on Diet Delish

I lost one pound this week sticking strictly to Diet Delish. I'm happy with that. It wasn't an arduous week and the food was so nice I sometimes I thought I might even gain weight eating so well.

But now I'm going to do another week of Cabbage Soup Diet. Last time I did CSD I lost 7lbs, but I don't expect to equal that again. If I lose 4lbs I'll be very happy. I'd be satisfied f I lost 2lbs.

Last Day of Diet Delish

It's my last day of Diet Delish. I think I'll start the Cabbage Soup Diet again tomorrow, because it worked so well for me last time and I still have some of the soup in the freezer. But if I find it hard to stick to because I'm bored of it, I'll try something else instead.

I've enjoyed Diet Delish, the food has been great - really tasty but also easy to prepare. I think I may even have lost a pound or two this week. I won't know until I weigh myself tomorrow, but I'm certain I haven't gained any weight anyway.

New Workout DVD

I bought the second Carmen Electra DVD. This one contains a series of more challenging toning workouts for toning bums and tums, upper and lower body, abs and back etc. They're not the hardest toning workouts I've ever done, but that's a good thing because right now I'm so out of shape I couldn't manage a really tough workout. They're just right for me because they're a bit harder than I can do right now, but not so hard I give up in disgust. I did it yesterday and today I'm sore, so I'll rest a day or so before I try again.

Diet Delish is going well. The food is great and I'm sticking to it really strictly. I don't know if I've lost any weight since Wednesday but I'm sure I haven't gained any.

Smaller Plate

I read that eating off smaller plates makes you eat less. Like, duh! Our plates are massive, they don't even fit in the dishwasher. So I bought a smaller pair.

Day 4 - Diet Delish

I've been sticking strictly to my new diet but I can't believe I'll lose any weight this week. There just seems like so much food, and it's so tasty. I just finished breakfast - French toast made with raisin bread and spread with jam. Two questions:
1) Why did I never think of making French toast with raisin bread before, and
2) How on earth can you lose weight eating this stuff?
But it's all calorie counted to 1300kcal/day. The proof of the pudding will be in Wednesday's weigh-in.

Body Measurements

I have taken some body measurements.

Bust - 40 1/2 inches
Waist - 34 inches
Hips - 44 inches

These correspond to a UK size 16-18 (US size 14-16) but in practice I wear UK size 16 clothes which I find fit me fairly loosely. I'll consider that I've reached my subgoal to drop a clothes size when I can comfortably fit into UK size 14 clothes. I'll check these measurements from time to time to see if (and where) I'm shrinking.

Goals

I have added some long-range and short-range goals in the right-hand sidebar. My short-range goals are:

• To get below 182lbs - acheived on Cabbage Soup Diet
• To lose 14 lbs
• To lose 10% of my starting weight
• To go down a clothes size

And my long-range goal is:

• To weigh 126lbs

I have other goals but I don't want to scare myself silly with a "to do list" that's miles long, so I'll add a couple more items when I've ticked off a couple of these. And I'll reward myself whenever I reach one.

Lost 7lbs on Cabbage Soup Diet

I lost 7lbs in one week on the Cabbage Soup Diet. That's fantastic, I was hoping to lose about 4lbs, but I'd have been satisfied if I had lost 2lbs. It wasn't hard, I enjoyed the soup and the other food, so I stuck to it very strictly (except strictly you're not supposed to drink coffee or tea, but a) I can give up food but I can't give up coffee and tea and b) I don't believe it's coffee and tea that made me fat, so I've no qualms about drinking them black, or with skimmed milk, as much as I like).

Now I'm doing Diet Delish. I hope to lose 2lbs this week, although I'd be satisfied just to maintain my weight. The meals seem really tasty and generous after the strict Cabbage Soup regime. I've already had a bowl of bran flakes with skimmed milk and half a sliced banana and it tasted indulgent. I'm looking forward to spinach salad for lunch and Asian Turkey Burger for dinner.

Cabbage Soup Diet Final Day

This is my final day of the Cabbage Soup Diet. Today as well as soup I can eat vegetables and brown rice. Tomorrow I'll weigh myself and see whether it was worth it.

I decided that after a 7-day crash diet like Cabbage Soup Diet, I need to switch to a less strict regime, but still calorie-controlled. So I found a diet on iVillage called Diet Delish. I've made a shopping list and I'll get everything in I need so I can start the diet tomorrow.

The Carmen Electra Striptease Workout DVD was fun. I'm very unfit, so I couldn't have managed a really intense aerobic workout, but it raised my heart rate and certainly got some muscles working (read: aching) so it's about right for my level of fitness. And it was more enjoyable than a plain old aerobics DVD because it felt more like dance moves than aerobics (and sexy dance moves, too). I like it and I plan to do it three times a week, maybe more.

Exercise DVDs

I bought the Carmen Electra Aerobic Striptease DVD. I thought it would be fun to do an exercise video a few times a week. I picked this one because I want to feel sexy, and maybe this will help. I bought some sexy new exercise clothes as well to help my motivation.

Today I ate more steaks and vegetables. I even had my lunch at the mall, and ordered my steak with no sauce and no potatoes, just a side salad. It was delicious, and it didn't feel like being on a diet at all.

Mix-And-Match Dieting

Today I ate beef steaks and tomatoes as well as cabbage soup. That was nice, you don't normally get to eat lots of steak on a diet. I did lots of gardening, so I'm counting that as exercise.

I know that I can stick to any diet, for a while, but I get bored and start cheating if I stay on it for long. I also crave whatever things are forbidden. So I'm planning to keep changing diets, mixing and matching. If I crave chocolate, I'll find a diet where you can eat chocolate (slim-fast for example has lots of chocolate shakes and bars and even hot chocolate), if I crave meat I'll try a low-carb diet for a while. If I crave carbs I'll go on the pasta diet. And so on. Maybe this way I can lose weight without getting bored.

First Challenge - Socialising

Today I was supposed to only eat cabbage soup, bananas and skimmed milk. But I had arranged to meet some friends and help one of them move apartment. I knew they'd be getting pizza and probably eating donuts and all kinds of things. But I took my flask of soup, my bananas and milk and just told them what I was doing.

They were really interested in the diet and I was glad I had told them about it, although I had felt scared beforehand. And they were supportive - once they knew I was trying to lose weight they kept giving me the heaviest things to carry, to help me get more exercise!

Diet Support

Today I ate cabbage soup and fruit and vegetables. I enjoyed it more than yesterday. I suppose I like fruit better than vegetables.

The Cabbage Soup Diet page has a friendly and supportive forum. Getting support is so important when you're trying to lose weight.

My Virtual Model

This image of me was created in My Virtual Model. You type in your height, weight, and you can select different faces and hair styles etc. It's uncannily like me.

I'm not ready to put an actual photo of myself here, but I'll update these models from time to time and show how I'm doing.

Today I had cabbage soup and lots of vegetables. It wasn't fun exactly but I didn't find it difficult to stick to. After all, it's only a week.

Cabbage Soup Diet

I am Paragon.

I am female, I am 36 years old, I am 188lbs. I'd like to be 126lbs.

Today I started the Cabbage Soup Diet. I'll stick to it for a week and see how much weight I can lose, then I'll try something else.

Today I ate cabbage soup (it's not as bad as it sounds - it's a mixed vegetable soup which tastes similar to Heinz Vegetable soup), and a lot of fruit. I also walked briskly for 30 minutes.