Get Your Dream Life

Today has been raining on and off all day, so our dog walk got put back further and further into the day. It was actually looking like it was not going to happen at all.

The dog kept looking very wistfully at me every time I went past him and I got treated to the big puppy eyes saying “well, you PROMISED me a walk”.

So at about 3.30 pm I decided we were all going for a walk, rain or no rain. I guess I made this decision with an impeccable sense of bad timing because I interrupted one child in the middle of a computer and the other child in the middle of a TV programme.

They certainly made their disapproval clear!

When we got to the woods, they both had either an ipod or headphones for a CD player, so they could not hear a word I said.

I paused at the entrance to let a family through the gate and by the time I got to the other side, one child had disappeared completely. Then we met the warden who was telling me about some barbed wire and to be careful with the dog.

By the time I had finished talking to her, both girls were nowhere to be seen.

They were so annoyed with me for making them go for a walk, that they had both stomped off and their legs were going as fast as kids legs can go.

This meant I had to walk incredibly fast to try to catch up with them because I did not really want them wandering about in the woods on their own, with headphones on. Mind you, the speed they were going, anyone with malicious intentions would have had to have moved pretty quickly.

By the time I finally caught up with them, my whole body knew it had walked or marched! My legs ached, I was sweating all over and puffing like an old steam train.

For some reason the kids did not appreciate me telling them that if they walked that fast and SMILED, it would help burn calories and fat and might help with the weight loss (well, mine anyway) and that if they walked fast and SCOWLED, they were likely to retain fat in their bodies in the form of lactic acid!

Hmm, wonder why that was not well received!!!!!!

Perhaps stomping and scowling does help weight loss after all!

Then, as we got to the furthest point from the car, one daughter decided that she had a very strong call of nature, but she was not going to just go behind a bush and relieve herself because the dog would follow her and would be looking at her!

So she did this funny duck-type waddle all the way back up the path. Her sister, who has a love of aggravating, made umpteen references to water and waves and waterfalls and the sea and drinking water. Just what the other one really did not want to hear!

Anyway we managed a walk and it stopped me picking and nibbling for a couple of hours. It has been a bit of a fingers-in-the-fridge day today. This has not been because I have been hungry.

It have been an old habit kicking in, which is/was to go into the kitchen for whatever reason and pick up something to eat while I am there.

Having had the euphoria of a big weight loss in the first week, this week seems to be more about self awareness and understanding why I do the things I do in relation to food and my health.

With making a note of the food I have eaten this week, I have noticed quite a lot of almost “unconscious munching” where I am not really hungry, but I have found myself eating for no real reason.

This is getting very interesting.
I have just started my Queen of Chocolate Online blog, which is dedicated to the chocolate side of losing weight as well as to offering lots of great recipes and fun things to do with chocolate.

More soon.
With abundant blessings.
Amanda Goldston

I always love the first week of any weight loss programme!

7 pounds gone so far and I have not dieted in any way!

Amanda Goldston 7lbs lighter after one week on Healthy Chocolate Weight Loss Challenge

I have jotted down what I have eaten, but that has just been in the form of apple, pasta, cheese, tea etc. There are no weights or measurements with it. I know what size portions I normally have.

There have been a couple of times where I have put down my knife and fork with food still on my plate, because I don’t want any more, so that has got to be a really good sign!

I have managed a couple of walks with the dog, although it has been very hot outside. Well, hot for the UK anyway!

We have had temperatures up to 27C and 28C degrees, which is around 84F.

The hot weather has helped because I have not felt like eating as much and I have been drinking more water, which has got be good.

If this lovely warm weather continues, I am going to get some cooling fans for the rooms next week.

The only bit of the mix that I am not doing very well at the moment is the SLEEP part. I seem to find myself really busy and active at around midnight, and then I start chatting to my friends in the USA and Canada, who are in their early evening. Next thing I know it is 2am!

I have been doing my daily visualisation of seeing myself slim, trim, healthy and full of energy and looking down at the weighing scales and seeing the needle stop at my ideal weight.

It is a looooooooonnnnngggg time since I have seen that weight!!!

So all in all a good week. I feel encouraged by my progress so far.

The really good thing is that I have kept my promise to myself not to eat any other chocolate than my healthy Xocai chcocolate and I have had very little other junk food.

More next week.
With abundant blessings.
Amanda Goldston.
Dedicated choco-holic

I have done really well today and I am pleased with my progress.

I wrote my list of “Important things to include in the day for my weight loss”.

These consisted of :
1) A meditation/visualisation to create my Ideal Outcome. That was really lovely and I saw myself slim, fit, healthy, full of energy and playing games with the girls and having fun as a family.
2) Extra water. I have had extra water each time I have gone in the kitchen BEFORE I have picked up a snack, so that is progress.
3) Keep a record of what I am eating. This is not for any purposes of calorie or fat counting or measuring food. It is simply to see what is passing over my lips.
4) Walk the dog- Yes, we managed that one today, although I picked a rather warm time of dya to go out and we were both rather hot and bothered when we got back!

I have done really well today and I am pleased with my progress.

I wrote my list of “Important things to include in the day for my weight loss”.

These consisted of :
1) A meditation/visualisation to create my Ideal Outcome. That was really lovely and I saw myself slim, fit, healthy, full of energy and playing games with the girls and having fun as a family.
2) Extra water. I have had extra water each time I have gone in the kitchen BEFORE I have picked up a snack, so that is progress.
3) Keep a record of what I am eating. This is not for any purposes of calorie or fat counting or measuring food. It is simply to see what is passing over my lips.
4) Walk the dog- Yes, we managed that one today, although I picked a rather warm time of day to go out and we were both rather hot and bothered when we got back!
5) Bit of exercise- A good friend of mine, Steve Halls, who is a fitness coach has a brilliant short routine to the Bryan Adams song, Summer of 69, which works all of the main muscles in the body. I did that one and was really sweating by the time I had finished! FAT and UNFIT!

So, all in all a good day.
Back soon.
With abundant blessings.
Amanda Goldston

Today was an interesting day with the plan.

I am still waiting for my main box of healthy Xocai chocolate to come from the company, so I have started my plan without the main ingredient- the chocolate.

I have had HUGE sugar cravings all day and I have had to really employ every ounce of willpower to stop myself buying sweets and chocolate in the shops in town.

I promised myself I would only eat the healthy Xocai chocolate on this plan and I am sticking to that. I have drunk a lot of water and also eaten a lot of fruit today in an attempt to stave off the cravings.

Actually I have been a couple of days without my healthy Xocai chocolate, since the kids ate all my samples. I have not bought or eaten other chocolate and I have suffered from what can best be described as “withdrawal symptoms”.

Well, they do say chocolate is like a drug and is addictive.

We didn’t manage a dog-walk today because it has been a very clammy, muggy day.

Overall I am pleased with my progress today.

Visualisation:
Moses Code

More tomorrow.
With abundant blessings.
Amanda Goldston

Hi all,

I have got a fantastic project I am working on at the moment. It is ME and my WEIGHT.

I have had issues with my weight since I was about 8 years old. Whenever I have tried to lose weight, my downfall has always been my love of CHOCOLATE.

This time it is different because CHOCOLATE is my friend and I have found healthy chocolate that I can eat to help me lose weight, by reducing my cravings and acting as an appetite suppressant. Also it tastes gorgeous.

This is the starting point.

I got on the scales on Thursday 17th July 2008 and I nearly fainted on the spot.

Noooooooooooooo!!!
That could not possibly be right!
I think the scales have been under the bed for far too long. The weighing mechanism has obviously been affected by the dust or eaten by spiders!

I have to say I have also noticed over the last few months that our washing machine MUST HAVE been shrinking my clothes. They have got tighter each time I have worn them.

I have weighed in at my heaviest that I have ever been in my life. I am currently 28 pounds heavier than I was when I was 9 months pregnant with either of my children.

I weighed in at 245 pounds, that is 17 and 1/5 stone in the UK!

Amanda Goldston at start of Chocolate Weight Loss Challenge

Amanda Goldston at the start of the Chocolate Weight Loss Challenge

The measurements were just as scary.
My vital statistics were 48″ (Bust), 43″ (Waist) and 49″ (Hips).

So what shape is that exactly?
It is certainly not an hour glass, although I do go in a little bit at the middle. It is not the typical British pear shape.

Perhaps it is a barrel shape. Although a friend of mine pointed out that a barrel would have a bigger middle. It’s big enough, I think!

Perhaps it is a Winnie the Pooh shape. Yes, that’s a good name for my current shape.

Here’s the Intention.
My aim is to release 91 pounds over the next 12 months. That will take me to 154 pounds or 11 stone (for my UK friends).

This blog is about that journey. My aim is to record my progress, to share the good days and the not so good days, tips and ideas, things that have worked for me, photographs of my progress and above all my passion for CHOCOLATE, especially HEALTHY CHOCOLATE.

So what’s the plan?
There are 3 parts to the plan, all of which are important.
1) Mind stuff- that is what is going on in my head and that is things like beliefs, thoughts and feelings that are in there already that may or may not be very helpful, as well the positive things such as visualising a successful outcome.
2) Body stuff- that is what food and drink I put into my body. That includes HEALTHY CHOCOLATE at least three times a day. Bliss!!
3) Movement- that is the exercise and physical activity to get my metabolism going to burn off the calories and the fat. Nothing too strenuous for the moment.

Other ideas.
A few other points that I think are worth mentioning. I am NOT DIETING and I am certainly not starving myself or counting calories or fat grams or carbohydrate points. I shall be eating what I want, when I want and as much as I want.

My aim is to use the Healthy Chocolate to reduce my cravings for sugary junk such as sweets and ice-cream and for fat-laden carbohydrate junk such as chips and potato crisps.

The one promise I have made to myself is that I will only eat the healthy chocolate while I am doing this challenge. I won’t eat other chocolate.

The healthy chocolate is also a natural appetite suppressant, so the plan is to use that to allow myself to eat until the desire to eat has passed. I will be slowing down my actual eating, so that I can be aware of when I have eaten enough for that moment.

I have put a small glass beside the water tap, so I can drink some extra water each time I go into the kitchen. If I do that BEFORE I start picking and nibbling, that might help.

The dog will be getting a walk every day. At the moment, we only go maybe once or twice a week because I huff and puff around the walk like an old steam train.

I have a brilliant short visualisation to help with creating the desired outcome.

So, that’s the intention and the plan. All that remains now is to follow through and take action.

Any tips, hints, ideas and suggestions are most welcome.
Thank you for your support.
With abundant blessings.
Amanda Goldston
Dedicated Choco-holic