“I came off the rails quite spectacularly this week. There were mitigating circumstances, or pathetic excuses depending on how you look at these things.”
First I must point out that my adorable other half has been a total star during this project. Other than a few craft beers we don’t have any food in the house that isn’t allowed on the diet, he’s basically doing it with me. He’s even said he’ll brave Barry’s, when he’s fit enough… maybe in a few months… or next year. He is a huge support, and this weekend it was his birthday.
A baking hot birthday weekend is not a time to be forcing chaps to steer clear of booze and carbs. We spent much of it in a pub garden. Lots of people think that dieting is easier when the sun shines, they extol the opportunity to eat lovely salads al fresco. Those people are wrong. Summer is particularly cruel to the slimmer. Folks walk down streets waving ice cream in your face. Smiling diners sit outside cafes eating large plates of pasta. You can smell BBQ everywhere you go. Far too many people wear tiny shorts. The heat-wave is pure torture.
It was in this slightly tormented frame of mind that I went to the pub to celebrate my beloved’s birthday. I had a drink in my hand about a nanosecond after arriving. Hours and many more drinks later, we left, very merry. The birthday boy demanded a kebab, he manfully kept it out of my reach because he was sure I didn’t really want it. Drunk Charm is quite wily, I snaffled some chips when he wasn’t looking. It’s a disgraceful fall from grace and one I decided not to share in its full horror with Alli at the Nourish meeting this week. Alli is back from working in Spain and is full of vim and vigour as ever. The whole group did really well this week, so telling her I literally tried to climb my own boyfriend to steal his post-pub Shish just seemed far too shameful. I mumbled something about having a couple of spritzers instead. The good news is that despite the pub debacle I have actually lost some weight and I’m still gaining muscle.
WEEK ONE
Weight 8.28 stones
Height 4 foot 11 inches
Bust 36 inches
Waist 30.5 inches
Hips 37 inches
Top of thigh 22 inches
WEEK TWO
Weight 7 stone
10.6 Height
4 foot 11 inches
Bust 35 inches
Waist 30 inches
Hips 37 inches
Top of thigh 22
WEEK THREE
Bust 36 inches (I have no idea why it’s gone up, boobs are funny things)
Waist 27.5 inches
Hips 36 inches
Legs 21 inches
WEEK 4 Weight 7.9 stone
Bust 35 inches
Waist 27.5 inches
Hips 35.5 inches
Legs 21 inches.
The Nourish meeting this week had a talk on the thyroid which dictates the metabolism of the body and the body’s thermostat, and the adrenal glands that sits on top of your kidney and produces cortisol. Both can have significant effects on your weight and your relationship with food. It was complicated, and there’s no way I’ll do it justice here, but the most surprising thing I took from it was just how damaging stress can be in upsetting the balance of your body.
Talking of stress, the morning after MY KEBAB SHAME was probably not the best time to try my first double class at Barry’s. Yes, the dreaded double, back to back classes. It was every bit as painful as I expected, but it’s pretty amazing I’ve improved enough to even contemplate such a task. Hopefully in the next week or so I’ll be able to catch up on the body composition service to see how that fitness is translating into physical changes too.
This week’s work out
1 x early morning body work out – not a good idea, I’m not a morning person
1 x double full body work on Sunday – glad I did it, not sure I’ll do it again in a hurry…
This week’s menu
Breakfast – home made granola (very very delicious granola)
Lunch – Fritata and salad
Supper – Harissa spiced tuna steak
CHARM’S COACHES
Fitness – Anya Lahiri Charm attends three weekly classes at Barry’s Bootcamp, the new super-gym that has a hu
ge celeb following in the US whose fans include Jessica Biel, Sandra Bullock and Katie Holmes. It’s just opened a branch in London’s Euston where Charm will be guided through her paces by chief Barry’s instructor Anya Lahiri (left).
Diet – Alli Godbold Charm’s having total nutritional overhaul (no less) at the hands of Alli, a nutritional therapist who has worked alongside chefs Charles Amos and Alan Wichart at Divertimenti Cookery Schools in Knightsbridge and Marylebone, author of Feed Your Health (£13.99 from Amazon and feedyourhealth.co.uk)
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