Fighting with Fashion.

After losing just short of 4 stone, I have outgrown my clothes, or rather they have outgrown me. The size 24, 26 and 28 which I regularly used to wear now hang loose and look scruffily ill fitting, heck I have even had the problem of some of my trousers falling down.

Wanting to know what clothes size I should be looking for from now on I decided to do a quick google. I checked the New Look site, Evans and then I checked the British Standard chart as seen on Retro Chick's Blog. My grandma who has also decided to lose weight has also joined Slimming World and so we decided to look at her measurements as well.

I have some size 24 trousers which fit perfect, not tight but not baggy on the bum and falling down. I have size 22 which fit perfect not tight and again not baggy on the bum. Yet according to the New Look size guide I should be buying size 24-26. Yet the New Look trousers I have from New Look in the size fall down.

 Me wearing said 24-26 trousers from New Look

What made me feel even worse was the fact that in accordance with the British Standard, which admittedly doesn't really exist in store but is still there for reference I should be in a size 30! No matter how much weight i have gained in my life I have never been a size 30 and it's really moral quashing to see that in print when you think you have done well. 

So either New Look have just lied on their size guide and picked numbers out of the air at random or I have been really unlucky and bought 3 pairs of trousers which have had the wrong size label sewn in, which is pretty impossible as New Looks inspire range only goes up to a size 26 anyway.

In complete comparison with their trousers, New Look state I should be a size 18 on top. I wish. My current tops are a size 20-22. Without looking too tight (the pic above the top is tied behind my back so you can see the extent of of the gap), yet I know that if I was to try and get a size 18 on at the moment then I would either lose feeling in body parts due to the restriction to my blood flow or the seams would bust. The British Standard is a little more accurate though and puts me at a size 22. 

So I guess my point is. How can a clothing size guide be so accurate with one part of your body and then so out of touch and off the mark with another? How many people's self confidence have shops ruined and sabotaged because they can't make a set guideline for their clothing sizes and then stick to it? 

I'm of the personality type on which normally I would let this put me down and I would feel sad and feel like I hadn't made any progress, well all I can say now is bollocks to the British clothing industry. I'm doing well, I've lost weight, I've lost inches, I'm in smaller clothes. Whether you put me in a size 20 or a size 24 it's still apparent how far I have come by looking at me, a few numbers on a label aren't going to ruin that for me! 

Reflections.

I haven't blogged for a few days. I have had a lot running through my mind. My exams are this month, in fact my first one is on Friday. I could always lie and say that I am prepared but when it's the end of an era almost it\s hard to know if you are prepared or not. After my exams I am not sure where I go. It's been 3 years since I worked and as much as I would love to go back to work I know that my options are limited as to who will take me and what I can do. I still struggle with groups of people although am thinking of enquiring about touch typist roles or receptionists in the local hospital. Something like that.

Speaking of hospitals, on Thursday I had my appointment with the specialist regarding weight loss surgery. Last year I asked to be referred for surgery as I wasn't able to lose weight. I was struggling and shifted a stone then gained it again. I didn't tell them at first that I had been going to Slimming World. They weighed me and were shocked by the results, in a good way. It turns out I can't have the surgery now anyway as I have lost so much weight that I fall below their BMI threshold. I am quite happy about it really as over the last 17 weeks I have managed to talk myself out of it. I'd rather do it my way.

I also went to Slimming World on Thursday and I lost 4.5lb this week! :) 1lb to go for my 4 stone award yippeeee. :)

From Books to the Big Screen...

I love books which have been made into films and television series. As many of you will know some of my favourite books are the Twilight Saga and Sookie Stackhouse series (TrueBlood)

Then there is the wonderful films such as Alice in Wonderland, To Kill a Mockingbird and many more.

As a treat for you guys I have two books to give away.

The Soloist and Dan Brown's Angels & Demons

If you would like to enter then please fill in the form below by the 15th June.

PostPals

The competition I recently ran for a wax burner and a box of bakery melts ended at midnight, and after putting the details of everyone who had entered onto a spreadsheet and assigning each entrant a number I used random.org to pick a winner. The winner was
Vikki.

Vikki runs a fantastic site called PostPals

PostPals allows people from the public such as yourself to log on and find a 'Pal' in one of the children listed on the site. The beautiful children on the site are all such strong, brave children who have debilitating illnesses and conditions. Unfortunately not all of the children survive but by visiting the site and choosing a 'Pal' who you can send letters, cards, toys and presents to, you guarantee that even on dark days when they are not at their best you will bring a smile to their faces. You are also able to send letters and gifts to the siblings of Pals lifted on the site, as it can be equally as tough for them to see their brother and sister seriously ill.

Please do take a look at the site and choose a Pal. The children are listed in name, age and condition order. You don't have to spend a fortune to put a smile on their faces, a letter or card would be equally as welcome. The only difficulty is choosing which little angel to write to.

Sex And The City 2

Ok, so I was lucky enough to win a pair of tickets to go and see SATC 2 and I thought I would write a little blog about it, no spoilers I promise.

We arrived at the Vue cinema in Kirkstall, which was to say the least HECTIC! As we entered the cinema both me and my nan were given a huge tub of popcorn and a drink of diet coke big enough to go swimming in.

The film itself has already received bad reviews from a lot of the press, I'm not quite sure it was all called for at all. Admittedly there were points where the gag lines felt forced and the movie seemed a little slow but on the whole the film was comical with lots of laughs, quirky jokes and plenty of tongue in cheek. All as you expect from Sex and the City. The storylines were new and fresh for the characters and brought a whole new insight into who Carrie, Miranda, Sam and Charlotte really are. There were parts of them that were revealed in the film, that I am sure each and every woman in the audience could relate to, hey even a couple of men too. It showed the characters as real people who still manage to look absolutely stunning and gorgeous, although there were a few outfits that had me go 'Woah! Seriously??' but then who am I to judge, I've never owned a designer label in my life.

The film is funny and witty, the women are gorgeous, the men phwoar and the storyline is well written. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend you give it a chance, don't believe all the negative press. I think the press are trying to put Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte on a pedestal and want them to be untouchable, they don't want the average Mrs Joe Bloggs to feel they can be successful, sexy and beautiful it undermines our need for men, although if your anything like Samantha you need them for a thing or two ;-)

Milestones

On the 4th February 2010 I joined my local slimming world group. I weighed in at 25 stone 10.5lb. My BMI was 46.2, medically speaking I was morbidly obese.

Yesterday was my 16th weigh in.

I weighed in at 22 stone 2lb.

That has meant a total loss so far of 3 stone 8.5lb. Bringing my BMI down from 46.2 to 39.8. I am no longer morbidly obese, I am simply obese. That may not seem like a big achievement to many but to me it is progress and a step forward.

Slimming World give you an award (it's a shiny sticker) for every half stone you lose, for if you have lost the most in class that week and also if you have lost the most in class that month.

Here is a snap shot of my awards.
10 Slimmer Of The Weeks, 1 Slimmer Of The Month, 1/2 stone, 1 stone, 1.5 stone, 2 stone, 2.5 stone, 3 stone, 3.5 stone

You will notice there is also an award for Club 10. That is when you lose 10% of your start weight.I have lost 14% of my start weight. With the loss of 10% I have:
1. Lower blood pressure, reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke
2. Reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
3. Lower blood cholesterol levels which are associated with increased risk from heart disease.
4. Reduce strain on the joints and improve back and joint pain.
5. Your lungs function better and reduce breathlessness.
6. Improve mood and self-esteem.
7. Improve asthma and reduce the need for medication.
8. Become more mobile, making it easier to be more active.
9. Improve fertility and menstrual problems
10. Reduce the risk of certain obesity-related cancers


My losses average out at just over 3lb a week and I am really pleased with that. Some weeks I lost more, some weeks I lost less. By losing 50.5lb I feel much better in myself but I know that I still have a long way to go. I would ideally like my 4 stone award by my mums birthday. Her birthday is on the 26th June, that gives me 4 weeks to lost 5.5lb. I did originally say I wanted my 5 stone award for my birthday, but thats wrong. I know it will be hard work, and I am not shy of a challenge but I would love to get my 6 stone award if possible. There is 13 more weigh in's till my birthday. 2 stone 5.5lb to go to the 6 stone point. Thats 33.5lb in 13 weeks, so I need to be aiming for just over 2.5 lb a week. Eek. I'm not sure if I can do it. I shall definately be giving it a go though. I bought a 12 week countdown today, which basically means I paid for 10 in advance and got 2 free. Let's hope they keep me on the straight and narrow. 




    

Splish Splash.....

I just had a semi succesful bath :-) It would have been absolutely fanbloodytastic but I used my Oatifix face mask from Lush and it must have been too warm in my bathroom cos it just seemed to resemble baby sick/food whilst in my hands and on my face. Kind of mushy and sloppy and not nice. Which is a shame as I usually love it and it is great for my eczema too.

I normally use a bubble bar in the bath but wanted to keep it kinda simple tonight so used an Ex Factor from Lush to get a gorgeous coloured water. Mixed it with a So White for an appletising scent. (Pun intended)

Then I used the yummy scrummy Carina Shower Cream in The Wolf and The Cold One. It's even better than the perfume! The scent has really lasted on my skin, and I really am in love with it. I'd really like to smell this on a man so I may have to find one somewhere (don't all rush at once) just to see what this is like on a guy as I think it would be lovely and maybe possibly just make me melt a little.

I washed my hair with my regular apple shampoo and then conditioned it with a little beauty that arrived today.

TOMMYGUNS Fig. Plum & Marshmallow Conditioner. Its a 250ml bottle and retails at £4.99 a bottle. Apparently you can only get it in the likes of Waitrose and Sainsbury's and a few other high-er end retailers.


The little blurb at the bottom of the bottle says
"This is a beautiful dream, a conditioner that can calm & smooth both your hair and your emotions"


I found it a little hard to get out of the bottle at first but I think that's because it is a square bottle. The actual texture of the conditioner is really thick and creamy almost of a hair mask consistency.


The scent is actually really nice. I wasn't sure on how the figs and plums would affect what I expected to be sweet, gooey marhsmallow. They actually all really compliment each other really well. Giving a rich yet subtle, fruity and sweet scent. My hair is also feeling a hell of a lot smoother and softer and it's taken me a lot less longer than normal to brush through as normally it is very knotty and I end up with a sore scalp but after using this conditioner just once my brush glided straight through.


Now that my hair has started to dry it smells and feels like I have been to a top end salon rather than in my bathroom.


Now to brave the stores and try and buy some more.