Remember Me???

I may not have any followers now as I realise that it has been almost a year since my last post. (Mm, as it is 11.11.13 today that is quite a poignant statement...I can almost hear the haunting trumpet calling us to Remember.)
In case anyone is still out there who is interested enough to read on, I will continue as I feel it is always such a cathartic experience to journal important events in one's life.
A change in lifestyle has prompted this blog. I have made the decision to leave Rosemary Conley!
 A decision I made which caused my sister to be flabbergasted! 
After 18 months of full commitment to Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness, attending 6 classes a week and going from this...

 

 

To this!

I have left!

Yes, The Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness programme helped me to lose 6 stones and become so much fitter, healthier and happier. It isn't a diet it is a way of life and the word 'diet' will be removed in all of the literature from January as this word has so many negative connotations. It's the most sensible programme and I am still 100% committed but as a consequence of getting so much fitter and wanting to exercise more I have joined the local gym! Well, 5 gyms actually, two of which are brand new and I get full use of all equipment, pools and all classes for a VERY reasonable monthly payment. 

So as a financial consideration too this was the best decision. 

The classes have been wonderful and I have made many very good friends with whom I will remain in contact but the flexibility I now have is so refreshing. Obviously the classes at Rosemary Conley have to be at set times and were usually in the evenings, so, as Duncan arrived home from work, I would be leaving. I had a considerable drive to get to some classes so stayed and did the double class which meant that on one night a week I was getting home close to 10pm and then we would be eating our main meal as I didn't want to eat before exercise.

But now I can go to a choice of 5 gyms which offer different classes at different times. Today, for example, as Duncan was busy writing his sermon for tomorrow I went to a Step class at 11.30 and then popped into the gym for a bit, worked up a great sweat, burnt off the calories and came home refreshed but only having a 5-10 minute drive! I LOVE IT!

We continue to follow the eating plan, low fat and sensible sized portions and I remain totally convinced that there is no better way to shed excess weight. The encouragement you get in class from the instructors and from your friends keeps you going when times are tough - and they are, frequently, as we are a nation that loves to eat! The recipes are really delicious on the plan and are so easy to cook. You don't have to be a super chef, you just have to plan ahead to avoid last minute dashes to the takeaway!

So thank you Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness, thank you Karen and Jill my  inspirational class leaders, you have helped to change my life and I will always be grateful and yes, I will pop into the occasional class and join my 'Sisters in Sweat' (and brothers, of course, Nigel!) and keep up our contact. Take care and...in the words of Karen after her class motivational talk..."let's get some exercise!"

Like....or Lurk?

My son says I 'like' everything. He says I'm the world's biggest 'like er'! 
Yes we are talking Face book and yes I do click the 'like' button a lot. By my reasoning, if I read something and enjoy it, agree or want to encourage the writer that their posts are being read and appreciated, I 'like' them. I think that's what the button is for. It's like a nod in a face to face conversation and it's friendly, to say the least. And, after all, we do write these things for our 'friends'.
You can see all who have looked at your page and those who 'like' and those who simply move on, or 'lurk'!
So, despite my son's ridicule, I shall continue to hit the 'like' button and continue to be friendly to my Face book friends!

Improvements?

I went to the doctor's this morning. I was able to book my appointment on line and could choose my time and the surgery I wished to visit (from a choice of 3) and also my preferred doctor. Well, that was the theory, but in actual fact I booked this appointment three weeks ago and had to see a doctor I didn't know as this was the only slot in the following three weeks! I was fortunate that the surgery was the one just up the road which was good as the appointment time was 8.20am!
It is a very small surgery but efficient and with a pharmacy. Today we found that the building had been 'upgraded' and now had an automatic, push button door. There is a problem with this, however, as the pathway to the door is very narrow you can't actually approach 'head-on' as it were, and so as you press the button the door begins to open and then seems to get stuck as you are in its way as it opens outward. I thought it was just my ineptitude but after sitting in the waiting room for ten minutes we noticed that everyone was wrestling with the door. It's fine on exiting but getting in is another story! The other drawback, perhaps an even more disturbing one, is that after the initial wrestle the door gives in and allows you in but then remains WIDE OPEN for what seems like an age, allowing all the cold air in and the warm air out, so we patients sat freezing waiting for our appointments!
So, not really an improvement and as for wheelchair users who are presumably meant to benefit the most from this upgrade...I think they may have to visit one of the other surgeries!

Addicted...again!

Reading my blog from May I feel I must write an update on that status and formally thank Jill Brearley and Karen Firth for their part in my shedding the excess pounds. We have been regular members at Rosemary Conley classes in Elland and Coley since the beginning of May and together Janet and I have lost over 6 stones! We feel so much better and we are so much fitter. There is, however, a downside for Janet - she literally has nothing to wear as her trousers are all so loose on her that she can put them on and take them off without opening the fastenings and her skirts just fall down! But as downsides go this is pretty good!!
I, on the other hand, have kept all my 'skinny' clothes from several years ago when Rosemary Conley worked for me before. I couldn't bear to part with them and am now so happy to be able to wear them again. The downside for me is that I have at least 7 bulging bin bags of 'big' clothes so we are contemplating having a market stall to sell our big stuff!
Reading this you may be thinking, 'well you lost it before and regained it all and more besides so what makes it different this time?' I know what makes it different, last time I did it on my own, under my own steam at home with my own DVD exercise programmes and my own willpower, making sensible food choices and I lost 3 stones. This time I'm going to class, with a friend and feel there is more accountability. I am encouraged and I don't want to slip and stray away from the healthy plan as I know I will be facing the results each week on the scales at class. 
These classes are GOOD! I have made new friends and am inspired and encouraged by the class leaders and the aerobic exercise and the Zumba classes are so much fun. It has become a way of life now and a good life it is too! I have lost at least a pound every week except for two occasions, once putting two pounds on and once maintaining. The slow, gradual weight loss is the best - you are hungry at the beginning as you relearn what it actually feels like to be hungry and take control over your body rather than letting it control you. Then the upward spiral starts - you lose a few pounds, you have it recorded and you feel good so you continue and next time you lose a bit more...and so it continues. The recipes are really lovely too - Duncan eats what I eat and he enjoys everything, he just has a larger portion! (Portion control is something else I had to get to grips with!)
The other thing which is such an encouragement is the 'Magic measure'. We measure our bust, waist, hips, arms, widest part, thighs and knees at the start and regularly after that and record the inch loss. To date I have lost 55 pounds and, at the last measure, 50 inches!!
I cannot recommend the classes more highly. If you are unhappy with your weight then go online and check out where your nearest classes are. Then GO! Find a friend to go with you if possible and that will keep you committed through the long, cold, dark winter nights. Curling up on the sofa in front of the fire is SO much more enjoyable after you've exercised and got up a sweat!!

Hello again...remember us? Duncan and Beverly!
It has been a long time but we're back...from Cape Town (again), and back to blogging. 
From the stats it looks like 42 people have clicked on the blog today so, if this is to be believed, then there is still interest out there in the musings of two people who LOVE Cape Town and have a lot to say about it and also about lots of other things!
Note the new design? Just to alert you to a new, second beginning on the blog.
Unfortunately I have little time to compose a blog at this moment as it took an age to find the forgotten/changed password, but let it be sufficient to awaken from our dormancy of the past months and make a declaration of intent - we will be blogging much more frequently from this moment on!

We are experiencing some beautiful weather at the moment here in Yorkshire - clear blue skies and very hot sun and our terrace of 10 houses has been out enjoying it at every opportunity. The washing lines have been full, the adults have been washing cars, sitting out chilling with cold beers and wine and the kids have been having a wonderful time in a huge paddling pool and spraying each other with a hose pipe!

I LOVE the sun and have been making the most of every second! so you can imagine our collective dismay when the people in the 'big house' behind our terrace lit their garden refuse bonfire in the middle of the afternoon! 

Why? Do they not see or appreciate that every window is open, every washing line filled with flapping clothes and every patio and garden area filled with people sitting out and enjoying the sunshine? Do they really think that we want our houses and lungs filled with their acrid smoke? Can they not hear the shrieks of the children enjoying themselves? Their selfishness amazes and infuriates me.

When I challenged her last time she had a bonfire on a sunny day she merely said she had nearly finished! Obviously not realising that the damage had been done and the washing smelly, windows closed and a lovely afternoon spoilt! No apology. I overheard her discussing my complaint with her husband - his comment - "Well is this all your smoke?"as they stood at the side of their fire! Speechless.

I suppose some people just don't realise that their fires affect everyone in the vicinity and so I hope this blog serves as a 'public awareness' post and makes such people think twice. But, unfortunately I think that some people just don't care and if they want a bonfire they will jolly well have one and we can all go to.........close our windows and gather our washing in!!!

What Hope For Our Education?

Quote of the day: (Observer Sunday May 13th 2012)

"If anyone says to you: 'staff morale is at an all time low' you know you are doing something right."

Who said this?

Sir Michael Wilshaw.

Who is Sir Michael Wilshaw? I hear you ask.

Chief Inspector of Schools.

Mr OFSTED himself!