Those of you who follow me on Twitter will know I am embarking on another journey into weight loss. To cut a very long story short, here is the deal: I am 5″3 and at my weight has always fluctuated between 9 and 11 stones. The happiest I have ever been with my weight and body was at 29, when I used to cycle down the Regents Canal to work every day ( an hour each way), and I ran 3 times a week. (here I am with my trusty steed Steve, and mincing around in Venice).

So. Where are we now? Well, fast forward one nervous breakdown, giving birth to twins and the return of endometriosis which kept me bed bound for most of last year (do read the other blog entries if you have the time/inclination!) and here we are.

I lost my baby weight withing 4 months courtesy of Weight watchers and Exercise. I then did a 3 month mainly raw food detox and felt amazing. When my endo came back badly so did depression and the ability to keep on top, so I fell off the bandwagon and let it all go again, thus putting it aaaaaall back on. And a bit more.

I am now 11 stone 3, which is a stone above healthy weight range for my height and 1.5 stone above what I feel healthy with when I am fit and healthy/active.

Amazingly, the universe tends to provide hints and tips, in it’s own all encompassing way. I had an operation for my endometriosis in December and I am now so thrilled to be able to live life again without constant pain. I still have bad days which I need to roll with, but at the moment I am in a reduced pain cycle of life again.

I  have always been intrigued by the raw food movement since reading Shazzie’s blog 5 years ago, and I have dipped my toes a few times. I know I have candida which makes me feel exhausted, foggy head, bloated and other lovely symptoms I won’t go into here. I have tried on occasion to do radical detoxes but always given up when the detoc symtoms get too hard.

So, the universe provides me with lovely friends who encourage me. The lovely Cate Sevilla told me about a book called “Excuses, Begone!” by Wayne Dyer which is currently revolutionising my thinking patterns, literally undoing a lifetime of reasons I don’t live my life to the full. Muireann and her Team Bangs on the Run team have been inspiring me to get out and run, with Bangs and a Bun’s motivational pep talk which hit the spot for the last week.Bit like locker room bollocking from the coach

I have also recently met a lovely new buddy in my office base in Covent Garden who runs her own detox company and has been through a similar journey with candida and weight. She has encouraged me to give it another go, so, with the wisdom of knowing that I have 2 young children to look after and I need to go easy on myself I am embarking on a detox in stages.

Last week I elimiated wheat from my diet, this week it’s dairy. The migraine of last week reminded me how harsh detox symptoms can be and that I need to go step by step ( that’s just my own opinion, by the way! )After my OH’s 30th weekend in a fortnight – yep, I have a toy boy –  I will cut out yeast, sugar (including fructose) and booze too, in stages. I plan to do this for at least 3 months to get rid of any candida holding me up and then re-introduce fruit and yeast into my diet but keeping the wheat out.

I once paid a decent amount of money for the amazing advice of Diane Shepperson Mills, a specialist of endometriosis and endocrine disorders. Through this and the huge amount of research I have conducted over the years I KNOW that the best diet or way of eating for me is high raw (60% and over), organic, wheat and dairy free. I know that alcohol depletes B vitamins, I know that wheat makes me bloat and that hormone injected meat plays havoc with my already haywire hormones.

Yet, I dont eat this way.

My excuses are that I am a mum of 2 and we are living on a limited budget. It is very hard to feed us all and eat in the way I want to, BUT excuses be gone! I need to find a way.

Today I have been for a run with my girls in the pram. Only 20 minutes but I have been doing it for the last few days and it’s something. By 7pm I am usually shattered and either working or ready for bed, so I need to find ways that work for me. We plan to get a trailer for Steve the bike soon so that will help, and I aim to restart yoga.

I am being a bridesmaid for my sister in law to be in September and I want to be back to my ideal weight by then. Above all, I want to be healthy, active and happy.

I am following the new Weightwatchers Pro Points plan at the moment too, to keep an eye on my food intake versus movement and I have only lost 1 pound on 4 weeks. BUT I will not be disheartened.

I got cheered on my “mummy run” this morning by another mum who said she never sees anyone doing that, well done. I got cheered up by my Twitter pals who have been the voices of encouragement for me.

So, here we go people. Follow me as I change my life around? I may need your help.

x

PS this is not me, I look much more sweaty and much less cool.