I am on a maintaining spree at the moment with SW. My head is there, but only just, and there is too much chocolate about.
Yesterday we took the Role-specific part of our training, at Hackney Community College. Very professionally done and I now feel a bit more prepared. The sad thing is that there are to be no electric buggies at Lord's. The venue is too small. Instead we are charged with mobility scooters and wheelchairs. I thought I would mind but, to be honest, if Lord's isn't big enough then I am quite sure I won't have the stamina for any of the larger venues.
It has amused me that I achieved qualifications that can be set towards NVQs and City and Guilds certificates. No doubt this will come in handy when I am made redundant by the Music Service.
What did we learn? Well nothing I hope that we don't do already in our lives. Be friendly, helpful, alert and caring. Welcome the rest of the World to this wonderful event.
Can I work a Mobility scooter yet? Probably not. Can I open and shut a folded wheelchair? Yes. Can I guide a partially sighted visitor to his or her seat? Hopefully.
One worry. There were a couple of volunteers there who still hadn't done anything about where to stay and who thought that if all else failed they would go to a hostel. It doesn't seem to have occurred to them that there just might be a million or so spectators with exactly the same idea. It is of course very likely that if you don't live in London you haven't quite grasped the scale of this. I do live in London and I'm not sure I have!!
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
One year on
It is a year since my lovely Italian lady doctor broke the news to me that I was very overweight and that the amount of alcohol I was drinking was showing up as a near-death experience on my blood tests. None of this was of course news. I have been in denial for years.
I haven't been a very good Fat Clubber for the last couple of weeks. I've worked hard and I've needed comfort (chocolate), so I don't think my SW result tonight is going to be anything other than a couple of pounds on. I can live with that.
The good news however is that I went to see the lovely doctor again today and I have lost 14 kilos since she last weighed me. She was absolutely delighted. Words cannot express how chuffed I am either. I still haven't made my 2 stone award at the meeting but I have lost that, and a couple of pounds more, in a year.
If that doesn't spur me on then nothing will.
I have another Olympic training session this Saturday. In Hoxton. Wish me luck.
I haven't been a very good Fat Clubber for the last couple of weeks. I've worked hard and I've needed comfort (chocolate), so I don't think my SW result tonight is going to be anything other than a couple of pounds on. I can live with that.
The good news however is that I went to see the lovely doctor again today and I have lost 14 kilos since she last weighed me. She was absolutely delighted. Words cannot express how chuffed I am either. I still haven't made my 2 stone award at the meeting but I have lost that, and a couple of pounds more, in a year.
If that doesn't spur me on then nothing will.
I have another Olympic training session this Saturday. In Hoxton. Wish me luck.
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Club 10
It has been a close-run thing but tonight I reached Club 10. That means that since starting Slimming World I have lost 10% of my body weight. It shows, despite my still being fat. In fact there was a girl there last night who won a Biggest Loser award, 4 and a half stone off since July. Amazing. But she still looks large.
Am pleased though, and the dreaded Image Therapy or whatever it's called was quite motivating for once. Although I had to sit next to the resident mad woman. It was also buffet night. There was some seriously good stuff there. And one or two weirder offerings. I now know why I don't make SW frittata!
Hey ho.
Am pleased though, and the dreaded Image Therapy or whatever it's called was quite motivating for once. Although I had to sit next to the resident mad woman. It was also buffet night. There was some seriously good stuff there. And one or two weirder offerings. I now know why I don't make SW frittata!
Hey ho.
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Not much to report
Which is why I've been quiet. Generally I am still losing but half term got in the way - I put on 4lbs in a week - not good. Have now lost it and am 16 stone exactly, still 2 pounds away from Club 10. I HAVE to make that next week.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Olympic matters
Today was the second big day on my Olympic journey. The prospective Gamesmakers were invited to Wembley Arena for something called Orientation Training. I had no idea what that meant but was jolly glad it wasn't Orienteering Training which sounded far too energetic for me.
Before you ask, and I know you want to, the diet is frozen. As am I. We are currently experiencing temperatures well below zero and I need comfort. Like toasted cheese which is frowned on by SW. And Cadbury's chocolate. Ditto.
The day began with a dither. It being so cold I couldn't decide whether to drive to Wembley and face a £10 parking charge, or, take the tube to Wembley Park and have a walk that is just slightly less than comfortable for my poor wrecked knees. I drove. It was the wrong decision. I had thought that being an almost-local I would be able to find a convenient side street in which to park. Roadworks everywhere put paid to that. To cap it all whilst I was looking for a parking space I overtook a parked bus and inadvertently jumped a red light which the bus was concealing. You would know that there was a Police van immediately behind me. I don't know whether I have been done or not. The Police were very nice once they'd ascertained that I wasn't a boy racer and that I was properly taxed and insured but time will tell. If I have got 3 points then actually I can probably say goodbye to my Olympic career as an Electric Vehicle operative.
And so to the Arena. We were greeted by Wenlock and Mandeville, the 2012 mascots.
As an aside, the official Mascot song which is very catchy indeed has been composed by Tom from McFly and is sung by he and his sister Carrie Fletcher. I taught Carrie the recorder when she was in Year 2 - a tenuous claim to fame I know but we are still in touch via Twitter and I work with her mum!
The Arena was full. And yesterday was one of many Gamesmaker presentations so it really brought home the scale of the volunteering programme. Awesome is the only word that gets anywhere near doing it justice. And people came from all over the UK voluntarily, unpaid. The guy in front of me was from Northern Ireland, the Nigerian next to me ran an ethnic athletics programme in a poorer area of Birmingham. And there were whole families who had volunteered and been accepted!
We were entertained and inspired by Jonathan Edwards the triple jumper, Huw Edwards who reads the News (he was so good)!, Lord Coe and comedian Eddie Izzard whom I was fortunate enough to meet later. We saw our uniform (the jury is still out on the epaulettes and the colours), we received a workbook (and have to learn the British sign-language alphabet by our next visit), and plenty of instruction from videos and other Gamesmakers. We have to learn politically correct jargon - e.g Accessible toilets not Disabled ones (although I always laugh at the thought that a toilet is disabled).I could have done without the Cadbury's karaoke in the interval but we did get free chocolate! All the interpersonal skills will be the subject of our next training session in the depths of Hackney next month.
It was dark inside and my other pictures don't do the occasion justice but in my wildest dreams I don't think until yesterday I had comprehended just how huge London 2012 is going to be.
Bring it on I say!
And the diet? Well today it's getting back on track but I have a filthy cold and don't much fancy food anyway so that has to be A Good Thing.
Before you ask, and I know you want to, the diet is frozen. As am I. We are currently experiencing temperatures well below zero and I need comfort. Like toasted cheese which is frowned on by SW. And Cadbury's chocolate. Ditto.
The day began with a dither. It being so cold I couldn't decide whether to drive to Wembley and face a £10 parking charge, or, take the tube to Wembley Park and have a walk that is just slightly less than comfortable for my poor wrecked knees. I drove. It was the wrong decision. I had thought that being an almost-local I would be able to find a convenient side street in which to park. Roadworks everywhere put paid to that. To cap it all whilst I was looking for a parking space I overtook a parked bus and inadvertently jumped a red light which the bus was concealing. You would know that there was a Police van immediately behind me. I don't know whether I have been done or not. The Police were very nice once they'd ascertained that I wasn't a boy racer and that I was properly taxed and insured but time will tell. If I have got 3 points then actually I can probably say goodbye to my Olympic career as an Electric Vehicle operative.
And so to the Arena. We were greeted by Wenlock and Mandeville, the 2012 mascots.
As an aside, the official Mascot song which is very catchy indeed has been composed by Tom from McFly and is sung by he and his sister Carrie Fletcher. I taught Carrie the recorder when she was in Year 2 - a tenuous claim to fame I know but we are still in touch via Twitter and I work with her mum!
The Arena was full. And yesterday was one of many Gamesmaker presentations so it really brought home the scale of the volunteering programme. Awesome is the only word that gets anywhere near doing it justice. And people came from all over the UK voluntarily, unpaid. The guy in front of me was from Northern Ireland, the Nigerian next to me ran an ethnic athletics programme in a poorer area of Birmingham. And there were whole families who had volunteered and been accepted!
We were entertained and inspired by Jonathan Edwards the triple jumper, Huw Edwards who reads the News (he was so good)!, Lord Coe and comedian Eddie Izzard whom I was fortunate enough to meet later. We saw our uniform (the jury is still out on the epaulettes and the colours), we received a workbook (and have to learn the British sign-language alphabet by our next visit), and plenty of instruction from videos and other Gamesmakers. We have to learn politically correct jargon - e.g Accessible toilets not Disabled ones (although I always laugh at the thought that a toilet is disabled).I could have done without the Cadbury's karaoke in the interval but we did get free chocolate! All the interpersonal skills will be the subject of our next training session in the depths of Hackney next month.
It was dark inside and my other pictures don't do the occasion justice but in my wildest dreams I don't think until yesterday I had comprehended just how huge London 2012 is going to be.
Bring it on I say!
And the diet? Well today it's getting back on track but I have a filthy cold and don't much fancy food anyway so that has to be A Good Thing.
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
A good result!
I have lost another pound and thus gained my one and a half stone award. Instead of my regular Wednesday group I took a chance on going to the earlier Monday one as I am eating out today (Tuesday). It paid off and of course I now have 8 days before my next weigh-in. I am 16 stone 2. It would be great (and not impossible) to break the 16 stone barrier.
Alcohol still doesn't feature and I think I have cut my chocolate intake. Not enough though.
In fact there are two other targets. 15 stone 10 would take me to Club 10 - that's when you have lost 10% of your enrolling bodyweight. 15 stone 9 would be 2 stone off.
Come on Jude. You know you can do it!
Alcohol still doesn't feature and I think I have cut my chocolate intake. Not enough though.
In fact there are two other targets. 15 stone 10 would take me to Club 10 - that's when you have lost 10% of your enrolling bodyweight. 15 stone 9 would be 2 stone off.
Come on Jude. You know you can do it!
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
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