The first stone has gone! Very happy about that. Going to take the positive feeling about that and use it not to buy wine this weekend. Got stuff planned for the following weekend but need to make sure the damage is limited!

Doing ok this week... so far. it is at this point in the week that I seem to be unable to resist the call of a bottle of wine or 2 for the weekend. I always have said that being on a diet is a substitute for AA! Like with smoking, habits die hard and there are no diet equivalents to Nicotine patches, gum or electronic cigarettes to help you through. So that bottle of wine on a Friday night has got to go! along with the snacks that are always irresistible after a couple of glasses!  Helped just by sheer will power alone (Hummm how long will that hold out!)

My favourite stand up comedian at the moment is Sarah Millican I find I have sooo much in common with her way of thinking. Which is probably why she makes me laugh so much, too close to the truth about myself .

Those who know me will attest that I am a Worcester Warriors nutter and make myself heard at most home games, but I am also quite stuck on cricket too. I have being getting up to watch some of the test matches against Pakistan, first one didn't last long but we are putting up a bit more of a fight this match so far. (England that is !) Which is good as I have a daughter who is potty about cricket and a walking stat bunker without being sad about it. I don't know how she manages that, I wish I could emulate her as I always think I sound like a know it all when I come out with stuff about rugby!

It feels like more coffee time so catch you later.

Don't forget that I am looking for sponsorship for St Richards Hospice so please pop a pound or 2 here ...  My Just Giving page

Well 2 weeks in and I still can't get out of the habit of having a glass or two of wine at the weekend! For those that know me that won't be a surprise, but the main issue is that when I have had a drink I tend to have something to eat too... Self destructive or what. I have lost 10lbs on the scales but in reality I have lost at least 4 of those pounds 3 times over already! But the general direction is down I suppose.

So what do I do to stop myself buying the wine and then drinking it? Not been able to solve that one for over 30 years. Perhaps hypnotherapy, acupuncture, or a therapist? I don't know it's all a pain. Dieting is against my nature, but the pain in my knees reminds me every time I climb the sitars or get out of a chair that I can't stay this heavy.

So next weekend I won't buy the wine and find something to do which takes my mind off having a drink. Fingers crossed that I manage it. I will let you know.

Well here are my before photos as promised...

So it's time to start another diet. It's always the same at the turn of the year, my jeans are too tight and I feel like the back end of a bus. The last couple of years the being overweight has been complicated by the fact that my left knee has no cartilage any more and is very intolerant of having to support my bulk.

I have a fellow Worcester Warriors season ticket holder who is losing his battle with cancer which makes just being overweight seem insignificant. So I am going to try and raise some money for St Richard's Hospice whilst I get to a healthy weight.

I started on the 2nd of Jan at 17st 4.5lbs and was 16st 10.5lbs the 9th Jan which makes a first week loss of 8lbs. Not bad going.

I will post a before photo very soon and then update that once a month. Always wearing the same clothes and taken in the same place.

This is a repeat of my last successful diet, 2 years ago when I got down to 13st 7lbs. The aim is this time to successfully  manage my weight after the diet stops, but I know that I will have to keep an eye on my weight for the rest of my life as I am just that type of person.

So if you can please support my effort and sponsor me through my justgiving page http://www.justgiving.com/Lindsay-Clayton0

Speak to you soon