The A2K (virtual) Weight Loss Club !!

This diet isn't really all that austere, Noddy. I'm never hungry, and I don't have to eat anything I don't like. (Life is too short for that.)

Now that I know it's put my blood sugar & triglyceride levels where they need to be, I'll probably keep eating this way. If I lose more weight, great! If not, it's not that important to me. Being thin for the sake of being thin is a bunch of hogwash. Being healthy is what matters. I really don't want to wind up with diabetes, and that's where I was headed.

Eva--

You do the "Shucks, ma'am, 'twarnt nothin'." Very well.

Hip! Hip! Away! for Eva!

You're making me blush, Noddy!

Seriously, I lost 35 lbs. on Weight Watchers about 20 years ago, and it was ten times as difficult as this. I just had a bowl of butter pecan ice cream (low-carb, with Splenda...I honestly cannot taste the difference between Splenda and sugar.) And a day hasn't passed that I haven't had my chocolate fix. I can even have a glass of wine whenever I feel like it. Grilled meats & veggies are standard fare around here in the summer anyway, so that's a no-brainer. Hardly anything is portion-controlled. And eating out is easy...every menu now has low-carb selections, and waiters are eager to suggest things.

The first two weeks (Stage 1) are VERY AUSTERE, though. But that's only two weeks. I can handle anything for two weeks.

When I get tired of it and decide I've lost all I want to lose, I'll just start adding in a few potatos & pastas & things. That's Stage 3....Maintenance (in Weight Watchers lingo.)

Honestly, I'd recommend this to anyone.

Possibly, just possibly I've reached the end of a seven week plateau and started losing again. Weight is down to just a hair below 122 pounds. Ten to fifteen pounds to go, and the heat of August is almost upon us. No one wants to gorge in the heat of August.

Best of luck, KP!

Hiked/jogged a 7-mile trail (the Skyline Trail) in the Middlesex Fells yesterday. I was a limp dishrag at the end. I weighed myself before and after and was 4 pounds lighter at the end. All water weight, of course.

On Sunday I leave on a week-long cruise for Bermuda. I suspect I may put just a smidgen of weight back on.

Eva,

My diet is the opposite-I need carbs to burn with the exercise, seems to work for me.

Noddy-keep it up girl melt the wieght before the sun does it for you. Thanks for heliong me find my dominion again.

George-your hike sound fun-enjoy your vacation, I have to wait until autumn-or fall as you guy call it-and then its sun sun sun

Thinking of KP -he goes tomorrow-weather looks good for him

George--

While in Bermuda, can you handle the responsibility of indulging for all of us so that we can remain austere and controlled?

Ditto

An awesome task...but I'll do my best!

Yes, George. My cruise isn't for another three weeks. You'll be back with tales to tell, I'm sure, and I'll be drooling all over my keyboard! Enjoy!

Hiama -- I understand. You do need carbs if you're going to exercise a lot. How much longer 'til your surgery?

Eva,

Good question, I now have to wait on the NHS to get their millennium calendar out to tell me when !

Good grief. I suppose our overpriced medical system here does have it's advantages. (sigh) I do hope it's soon, for your sake.

Might have to go private-i.e pay lots of money if it keeps dragging on (no pun intended)

Finished!

Total time 2 hours 55 mins - inside my 3 hour target time! Very pleased.

It was a hot day and I needed to keep hydrated as a priority but managed to survive it and I'm only a bit stiff/sore today...maybe I'll seize up as time goes on.

I weighed myself on the morning of the race and saw that I was down about 7kg (16lbs) since I started training in October/November. As I've gained muscle, I'm happy but still need to shift some more fat - probably about the same amount again!!! Now I'm fitter, I'll be able to do more long distance burning...just not for a week or two.

Thanks for all your support, a2k'ers. You're the best.

KP

Kitchen Pete--

Congratulations on your time--and in unwonted heat. You are an inspiration to our serious athletes and a source of nagging for the rest of us.

Pete,

Fan-bloody-tastic.

What was the breakdown of swim , bike, run.

I had 2:50-2:55 as my guess for you.

You have showed me up, wish I could have been there as well.

YOu're a star

hiama

The following are my official results - not quite 2:55 but nearly!

Swim (1.5km)
00:27:51
T1
00:04:31
Bike (40km)
01:25:28
T2
00:03:16
Run (10km)
00:55:18
Total
02:56:21

Thanks for your encouragement - I hope to see your results, soon.

KP

KP

Just wonderful!

You're an inspiration to us all! (well - not me - I absolutely couldn't even consider such an effort - even reading about it tires me, but, those others.....)

So - whats next? A trip to Oz - some good triathlons here!

Margo-not sure about KP , I have 2006 down for me for a trip to do New Zealand or Oz either Olympic or Ironman triathlon, health and finances permitting.

Didn't he do well ?

This has been a challenging week, followed by a horrendous day.

At 4:30, I fed an eighth of an Italian hoagie to the dog. (Having eaten a quarter for lunch and an eighth for tea.

At 6:00 I had a large bowl of cherry ice cream.

At 7:00 I had a candy bar--chocolate with embedded rice krispies.

At 9:00 I had a vodka and tonic--and I'm going to have another.

Does anyone else have confessions? Or inspiring progress reports?
There is more to life than calories, isn't there?