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 41: Starting out anew... It looks like souvenirs weren’t the only thing I brought home from my holiday. As well as some long walks, eating fresh fish and it being too hot to eat chocolate, I still managed to put on some pounds. I’m going to retire the game of Cluedo and say it was the cocktails. In the sunshine. Drank in rounds. I had anticipated a small gain – but not that much. I guess it’s true that alcohol is the not so secret diet killer. I might not have known the numbers on the scales, but I did feel my jeans get a little tighter and I knew it wasn’t a case of them shrinking in the wash. So I did the one thing I wish I didn’t have to do. I walked straight off the plane and into a Weight Watchers meeting. I figured knowledge is power, and I needed to know exactly what I was dealing with… even if it made me cry. Taking in a deep breath, and silently wishing the air could melt some flab from my frame, I dared to stand on the weigh pad. Watching the little bar race across the screen my tummy plummeted when the results were in. I was up 8lbs. 8LBS. ‘Cause that’s fair. Suddenly the holiday didn’t seem all that relaxing. I sat down waiting for the class to start, feeling sorry for myself. Now that Mary was no longer there for some words of comfort (because she reached goal weight like the trooper she is) I had to motivate myself not to walk out the door. I reasoned with myself that this was the worst case scenario. That the only way is up. (I apologise now if I’ve put that song in your head) So I stayed for the class, where the leader went through the points of Easter Eggs now coming into lent. Let’s just say I won’t be eating those hollowed little shells unless they start making fat-free chocolate. Afterwards new members were invited to stay back to learn the basics, and I told myself that I too was a beginner. I was back after a somewhat varied hiatus and I had to get my head in the game. Losing weight is as much a battle of the mind as a fight with the fork, and I needed to make sure I was giving this my all. So I sat there, pulled out my notepad, and took some pointers. Yes, carrying a notepad is probably nerdy, but I also have some easy tips to start me off on a good week. My next stop was a food shop, where I spent €70 buying meat, fish and fresh fruit and vegetables. Yes, it might sound like a lot of money, but it could save me on a lot of medical bills later in life. I felt more determined than ever to rid myself of this extra part of Liz, and I decided now was the time to crack down. So I spent the first half of this week eating snacks of packets of blueberries, bags of carrots, fresh yoghurt and fruit. Lent also means I won’t be snacking on chocolate, sweets or crisps. Because right now I need a little miracle to push me off in the right direction. Let’s just wait until next week to see if my divine intervention makes a mark on the scales. This week’s stats look a little something like this… Height: 5ft 8 Starting Weight: 174 lbs Current Weight: 168.5 lbs Weight Loss To Date: 8.5 lb Goal: 148 lbs Feeling: Determined The Dress in Question… NOW FITS!!