In a new weekly feature, Her.ie newbie Liz is going to share her weight loss journey. She’ll be filling you in on fighting temptation, her willpower struggles with the cocktail menu and taking painfully slow steps towards regular exercise. All in the name of a dress. _____________________________________ Hanging on the wall at the end of my bed is the constant reminder I plan on shedding nearly two stone this year. I also plan on marking the trials and tribulations of ‘trying to be good’ – the favourite saying we all tout, and quickly replace when a cake is put in front of us. Week 40: It’s The Simple Things In Life This week has been a bit hectic, all in the best possible way. While you’re reading this I’ll be on a flight to the sunny Gran Canaries, and the wet, wintry and downright freezing Dublin days will be behind me for a whole week. I wish I could pretend I felt bad for rubbing this in, but my skin is yearning for some sunshine heat. I will be bright red on my return, because anyone who knows me knows that I don’t tan. I lived in Florida for the guts of a year and came back paler than when I left. But with the freezing conditions still hanging in the air, the comfort eating hasn’t quite left yet. I’ve been on the January health buzz as much as the next body, but when it’s cold outside, there’s little in life that can beat a sausage sandwich or a feed of potatoes in butter and salt. It might not be the most sophisticated of meals, but beans on toast will always be a winner for me. So it’s with dread that I started packing my case. Holding out the dresses, shorts, t-shirts and skirts, I started realising I was nowhere near bikini beach ready. I could beat myself up about it, or realise that a holiday is meant to be fun. So instead I grabbed the runners and set out for a walk. It might not sound exciting, or like much of a big deal, but if you’ve spent the last week tucked up in bed once you got home, facing the cool February air was a challenge in itself. I also tried to make some paleo friendly foods. Cauliflower rice was… an interesting experiment. It was less rice, more boiled mush that stuck to the bottom of the pan. I’m pretty sure I was missing a trick. Or my homemade juice. Again, best intentions, but tasting more like seawater than a healthy vitamin burst, I glugged down the green gunge reminding myself that next time, maybe throw in a few oranges. It was actually a conversation with two friends who made me realise that I was being a little crazy. I was feeling self-conscious, and talking to them for some advice, I got a dressing down over not wanting to strip off on a beach. “But sure, who will know you? And you’ve some fab curves – sure don’t women pay for that sort of thing now?” My other friend quipped in with her own worldly opinion: “Sure I stuff my bra with chicken fillets. It’s hard for women to love their bodies Liz.” I think the chicken fillets comment would have been less awkward if we weren’t in the queue for Nandos and the poor cashier had actually reached puberty. Thankfully, he knew to keep his eyes away from her chest. So I may not be a size 8, or have the longest legs. My thighs may wobble, and I’m still working on how to hide my cellulite (tape might have to happen), but I’m appreciating that other women on the beach are probably feeling the same. I don’t stare at a woman to pick out her flaws. Why would someone else do that to me? And besides, I’ll get a nice little spray tan. Fake it ‘til you make it doesn’t just give you a confidence boost. Sometimes it’s the difference between rocking that beach dress or paling from the crowd. And I’ve every intention of being an artificially bronzed (and hopefully not burnt) goddess. This week’s stats look a little something like this… Height: 5ft 8 Starting Weight: 174 lbs Current Weight: 160.5 lbs Weight Loss To Date: 16.5 lb Goal: 148 lbs Feeling: Positive! The Dress in Question… NOW FITS!!