Tuesday 17 March 2015

The Wheelbarrow and the Challenge


Barrow load by barrow load I am moving all my planting paraphernalia over to the polytunnel.  It's taking me a while because as I'm doing it I am making sure that I brush or wash things.  I really don't want to introduce too many spiders and bugs to the polytunnel, enough will find their own way in without me helping them by taking in pots full of eggs or bugs.


Once each area of the 'chicken shed' is emptied of plant pots, trays and such like it is brushed down and wiped .... I might as well have a bit of a Spring clean whilst I go, it slows me down but if a job's worth doing it's worth doing well.


I keep finding areas of abandoned growing aids, dumped after we moved in and left to their own devices for over a year.  So these too are being brushed off, cleaned up and barrowed over.  I'll show you some pictures of the inside of the polytunnel once I've neatened up what's been taken there and planned where things will live.

*** *** *** *** *** 


Meanwhile, after that little teaser yesterday I will let you in on mine and my sons Challenge to each other this March.

It is 35 days until my birthday in April,  so a Challenge has been issued and accepted by both of us.  I want to get to 12st which is 168lbs  by my birthday.  If I get to this and then manage to get to what I want to be my more ideal weight of 11st 7lbs by Summer AND then keep this off until Christmas day, Jason will owe us one long weekend of house-sitting.

I am currently 13st 2lbs ....eek!!


At the moment Jason weighs in at 17st 2lbs or 241 lbs, but as he's almost six foot tall this isn't as bad as you would think, but his healthy weight and the weight he looks really good and feels comfortable at is around 14st, which is 196lbs.

His Challenge is more monetary.  

Whatever he manages to lose by my birthday (35 days away) I will give him £1 per lb lost.  He will then continue on his weight loss journey until he gets to a weight he feels happy at but not get paid  for the additional pounds lost.  If he manages to keep off his initial 35 day weight loss until Christmas day, I will give him an extra £9 per lb lost, so he will actually get £10 per lb loss if he manages to keep it off.

Confused, yep so am I, but now it's down in print it's easier to remember and now we just have to stick to it.

We are both dieting/getting healthy in the way that suits us best.   I feel better with three regular meals a day, lowish carb and mainly vegetable based, with occasional workouts to my various Dvd's usually 'Slim in Six' and Davina McCall's, if I don't have a physically active day.  Of course I will also dragging the dogs out for long walks along the promenade in Llandudno on a regular basis, but I don't think they'll object to that  ;-)

  Jason is going back to his smallish  but regular high protein, low carb meals, usually between four and six a day and is also getting back into his gym habit of various workouts and lifting weights.  That he has also just qualified as a football referee and has his first  match on Sunday will no doubt help too.

So as of yesterday we are off and running ..... something I'm not that good at and Jason should avoid after his foot injury in October of last year.

Sue xx





25 comments:

  1. Well done you, we all carry too much weight, you are very brave to post on here, I have 1 to 2 stone to lose, I want nearer to 2, most of my problem is lack of exercise, so with lighter nights coming, we too will be on long walks to the shore and Portchester Castle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brave or foolish, now the whole world knows my exact weight, I can no longer hide behind a cabbage!!

      Delete
  2. My goodness...I can't even get to my house spring cleaning, let alone a shed outside. Good job, and good luck with the new "challenge", Sue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Somehow I enjoy spring-cleaning the shed more than I do spring cleaning the house, perhaps because once it's done it lasts for longer. With four dogs in the house I'm back to square one within days, maybe they should live in the shed .... or maybe I should ;-)

      Delete
  3. I need to lose at least 50 lbs, but with it snowing again this morning, it is going to have to wait again before I start walking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Go on ... put on your snow shoes ;-)

      I bet you will be glad to see the back of the white stuff won't you..

      Delete
  4. Good luck with your challenge. They say that by writing it down it acts as a 'contract' helping you to stick to it. You now have all of blog land behind you urging you on too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's exactly why I decided to post all the details on here ... now it's there in black and white I have to buckle down and get on with it. There's no escape :-)

      Delete
  5. Good luck and now you are going to be more active outside with the poly tunnel done it should melt off, I have lost 2 stone since moving here, I am a lot more active and doing a lot of physical work, I do eat more now than what I did before the move. if I skip breakfast I find i get the shakes by mid morning I was never a breakfast person before :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hopefully, that is the plan .... if I'm out in the polytunnel I won't be near the kitchen, and so out of temptations way. And of course soon there'll be lots of fresh homegrown vegetables to keep me on the straight and narrow.

      Delete
  6. I would like to lose 42 pounds (dreaming), to get to my healthy weight I need to lose 28 pounds. I have been thinking I should start so would you mind if I join you and see how much I can shed in 35 days? I don't expect you to pay me and what is more I will donate £1 to charity for every pound I lose!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a deal, please join us .... and how lovely that you will donate to charity for every pound you lose.

      Delete
    2. Thanks so much, extra motivation. I will send my donation cheque to Francis House Childrens Hospice on your birthday as my gift to you! Good luck us!

      Delete
  7. I'd spring clean my potting shed and greenhouses any day over the house, ha ha. Good luck with the weight loss, i am re focusing on mine too: better eating, 15 min work out each night and a 4 to 5 mile walk every day, weather and other commitments allowing, but it is working out most days so far :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Eek, doesn't that equal a goal of 18 lbs in 35 days? Maybe I have miscalculated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 16lbs really. One stone and two pounds to lose. 14lbs to a stone :-)

      Delete
  9. Best of luck with the dieting! I too am trying. Currently I'm 13st 7lbs and 5ft 5in, and ideally my max weight should be 11st, so it's a long hard struggle for me. Am finding I'm doing a lot more physical activity now that I've stopped work. Sounds strange but I was stuck in an office for 8hrs a day before at a desk typing and now I'm up and about doing so much more so hopefully it will all help. Trying to stick with low/no carbs as am also diabetic and this helps my blood sugar levels too. It's so hard though when you're a lover of food!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good luck with the weight loss. I'm terrible and have no will power what so ever and can never seem to cut down even when I think I should! I think running around after my two little ones keeps it off a bit though.
    I'm keen to see the inside of your new poly tunnel and I already know I'm going to be jealous!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Well day 1 of dieting and hopeful weight loss! Have weighed myself :-( and had a healthy breakfast. Determined that this will be the heaviest I will ever weigh! Good luck Sue and Jason!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well done you. I will be trying to remember to do announce my weight loss (or lack of it) every Monday ont he blog. Join in with yours in the comments. There .... now you are accountable ;-)

      Delete
    2. I am indeed! I shall feel doubly guilty if I fail to do well. Letting everyone down and Francis House too! Your bravery in being so open about it all has given me courage!

      Delete
  12. Spring is here and lots of dog walking planned to slim down a bit!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Good luck both of you with the weight challenge, I should be joining you really!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love your purple wheelbarrow, I keep trying to persuade my husband that I need one too.. Good luck with your weight loss challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Good luck with your challenge. All that exercise is making me feel tired.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are now turned off for this old blog of mine. Thank you for reading the posts, I hope you enjoyed them. xx

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.