Another 6 lbs lost this week!

At this rate I might just lose 5 stone by the end of the Foundation phase, which ends in only 4 weeks...

I'm noticing that I feel the cold much, much more now. I guess I'm losing my insulation, and at a fast rate as well, so it's taking my body time to catch up with the changes...

My biggest thrill recently was being able to get into a whole pile of clothes that I've held onto for about 6 years! I have a pinstripe trouser suit I bought in 2002/03 and haven't worn since. I was thrilled to get into it yesterday - and wore it today! Plus another (linen) suit from 1998/9, two dresses, several tops and a couple of skirts. No trousers (except pedal pushers for the summer) because I always wear them to rags. At this rate of weight loss I won't get much wear out of that linen suit. I hope the weather improves very soon!

It all feels a bit unreal as, even though I held onto those clothes, I seriously doubted I'd ever be able to wear them again. I now have a brand new (old) wardrobe! But, once past these sizes, I'm going to have to buy brand new - or from charity shops. And the great thing is, I will at last be able to get into clothes in charity shops - they don't usually have big enough sizes for me!

These past few weeks, we've been working on what Lighter Life calls "hot thoughts" and what I've previously known as "automatic negative thoughts". I have to confess that none of this is new to me, but it's still been interesting to look at it again. It's basically all about challenging these thoughts, working out if there's any basis in reality for them, and replacing them with more rational thinking.

This week we've been looking at the "drama triangle" of Persecutor, Rescuer and Victim. I first heard of this idea years ago from my therapist friend Kate, but the way it was applied today was new to me. The notion is all about recognising when you're in which role, and how to break out of it and act from your "adult" ego. Interesting stuff. We realised that within our own group, a lot of rescuing goes on! "Don't beat yourself up about your slip", etc!!

This past week I took part in some rescuing myself (as it was pointed out to me today!) and in a little bit of cheating (little being the operative word). Last weekend, grandson Jamie really wanted me to try his new rice crispies from Lidl. As he didn't seem to understand why I couldn't have any, I gave in and tasted only one! In this instance, I gave in - so that was me rescuing Jamie's feelings. Even though it was a conscious choice on my part, it was all about rescuing Jamie. Hmmm...!

I also liked that, instead of talking about "cheating" or whatever, our LL counsellor talked about how this food "wasn't part of my food programme."

I confess to another instance of eating/drinking something not in my food programme. My elderly friend Audrey died on 21 March and her funeral was yesterday. Afterwards, daughter Laurie and I went for a coffee at the Lochalsh Hotel, a favourite haunt, mainly (if not only!) because of the big squishy sofas and the view. I don't really like black tea or coffee (no milk on Lighter Life!) and realised I didn't have any peppermint teabags on me. I settled for an Earl Grey teabag from the botton of my handbag (I went through a very short phase of enjoying it black) and, having found I still really don't like it much at all, I ended up putting some milk in it. That was verrry nice. And that "slip" led to more when I decided to have some of Laurie's coffee and just have some milk with it too. Y-u-m! I must have drunk all of a couple of fluid ounces of milk, so I really don't feel too bad about it!