Fish & Chip Friday came early at Winterbourne Towers this week. Thursday to be precise. Picture this… I am sat munching away at my tuna salad whilst the present Mrs W and her lovely mother sit tucking in to fish & chips… no biggie I hear you say. Well all was going well until the words “these chips dont taste as good at the moment” ….. TRY MY LETTUCE !!! (yummy….not)
Rant over
After my early start this morning I stuck to my usual breakfast of a Banana and an Apple. Followed by a day taking photographs my usual routine would have been an “express lunch” for example a McD’s or a snack attack. This would incorporate chocolate in some variety which is loaded with sugar and would cause me no end of problems.
So, like a good person I had a chicken salad (illustrated above).
Why wouldn’t I? #LeedsLargestLoser2014
This is a first .. 06:10 in the A M . On the way to yhe gym and its cold.
This is more of an evidence post if you get what I mean
Location : ASDA Bingley Street, Keighley
Time & Date: Monday 24th February 2014
Item : ASDA MUFFIN 5394K
Price : £1.00
Defendant : Mark Winterbourne
Okay.. I have some explaining to do…
As UK pounds go it wasnt value for money as you can buy four in the store for about the same amount. I know, I know I shouldnt have. Its my first sin of the competition and all the other competitors will be rubbing their hands with glee when they read this. In hindsight I think it was quite an insult to my intelligence as yesterday was my biggest sponsor push reaching the big £1K.
So what happened? Well, its hard to explain….It was suggested that I sit and wait for my lovely Elaine whilst she attended an interview in Keighley. No biggie I thought. I cannot remember if I was informed that there was an Asda near by or if I discovered it myself. Either way its doesn’t matter I was left alone with no attendance whilst the cat was away. The mouse did play too…in the cafe. As I selected my coffee there was a whole brood of Muffins screaming at me in my left ear….Lorena my trainer was screaming in my right ear….my conscience had suddenly developed a hearing problem and sent messages via my brain to my stomach and hands. I reached out for the selected Muffin all the time feeling a guilt. I cannot explain my actions….I was out of control.
I had no idea how long Elaine would be in her interview, I was making provisions for the long haul but in the wrong way. And guess what? I knew it. I felt this wave of guilt come sweeping over me….what would people think, all the sponsors that have sponsored me…all the people that have wished me success..I have let them down. Sssshhh Markus, keep it quiet. I even attempted to wrap the muffin papers up in a plastic bag and dispose of the evidence. After doing that I realised it was fruitless, there were crumbs everywhere…I took a major sideswipe with my jacket and brushed them all on the floor. Looking up I saw half a dozen faces of dismayed pensioners glaring at me with “that” look. You know “The Look” don’t you? They were horrified I had actually created work for an Asda employee.
Never mind, the evidence was disposed of. Within seconds of the second guilt trip came the third. I was just taking a slurp of my coffee when Elaine appeared from nowhere behind me. It was like having a personal genie . I thought I was imagining things….I had sinned and I really had to beg for forgiveness. It really was Elaine and I am sure she could tell by the look on my face what I had done. The evidence was nowhere to be seen and if I wanted I could get away with this.
My conscience got the better of me. It only took a matter of seconds before I revealed the remaining crumpled evidence from my jacket pocket. The crumbs on the floor were not really evident and couldnt be used in a trial. Most of them were stuck to the bottom of my shoe as I had shuffled them intentionally to get rid of the residue. I cannot recall exactly what was said but that’s by the by.
All was forgotten until this afternoon. A swim session supervised by my lovely trainer Lorena…. we met before I entered the pool and had a chat. This is where I broke and confessed my sin. The look was enough as I was told not to do this again and reminded of the S word…..ssshhhh….Do not speak his name, the walls have ears…ssshhh S…U…G….A…R!
Lesson learned and I will tell you now, I wont be doing this again. The Thursday weigh in will reveal all.
Thanks for reading.
GET IN ! I am totally overwhelmed by what has just happened. This morning at 07:53 I reached £1000 including gift aid. I never for one minute expected this kind of response.
Over the last three days I have accrued over £300 in donations just in response to my Facebook pleas. I cannot thank you all enough for this kind of support. I’m sure you all know how much this means to us at Winterbourne Towers.
Thank you… But please DO NOT STOP
One of my favourite TV programmes was Auf Wiedersehen Pet. An affiliation that started back in the early eighties stretched for nearly 20 years and I love every episode. So much I know many of them word for word. One of my favourites is an episode where a Red Indian (Native American) turns up in Middlesborough to buy the Transporter Bridge. If you have ever seen these episodes you will be sure to know what I am talking about. Now, I have scoured the www for the scene I am looking for and short of taking a screenie from the TV/DVD still the following is the best I can do.
The lads end up calling him Chief or some insulting name and he replies…”call me Joe, just Joe”. Which leads me on to the point…. After tonights training I was minding my own business, like you do. Through one thing or another I got chatting to a couple of guys in the changing room. I was explaining my challenge to one very nice fellow who reminded me of a doctor. You know where I am coming from here, he spoke well and had knowledge of some things medical when I was describing my illness. Upon actually asking him he very kindly informed me he was in the dental profession.
After a short chat whilst we were changing he approached me with a £20 note in his right hand. Put me down for this fella he said. Now, this is twice this has happened in the gym now, its starting to become something of a regular occurrence. Think I might have to put one of my collection boxes in there (joke). I asked him his name for reference purposes and so I could insert it on the sponsor form I have at home. He said “my name is Joe”. My mind just recoiled back to Auf Wiedersehen Pet and the above scene.
Joe, I cannot thank you enough for your generosity. There are some really genuine people out there and I really appreciate the sponsorship. Which, incidentally stands at £838.63 oh would I love to get to £1000.00.
Thanks for reading.
I got my first experience of “The Big Change” this morning. No, I am not heading for middle age trauma what I meant to say is that my appearance is currently in an altered state. Only 5 weeks in to Leeds Largest Loser and as well as the weight loss something else has changed. My appearance!
I have been documenting the change every week by having my photograph taken. Elaine (The current Mrs W) has been snapping me stood in the same pose, place and time for the last five weeks and the change is starting to show. As clothes have become far too big they have been disposed of; As clothes have become wearable they have been worn. Yes, clothes that resided at the rear of the wardrobe have now become available for current selection. The inch loss has proved its worth by making clothing from yesteryear part of my fashion parade.
Now I really know how this reads. This makes me look like a real “Victor Meldrew”… you know the type, too tight to spend money on new clothes. But ask yourself “Whats the point?” I am only half way through the challenge and after all, it’s not all about the Leeds Largest Loser..its about a life change and that is much longer than the ten weeks. There really isn’t any point buying new clothes until I reach my target. Believe me when I say this, the long-range forecast for this was very optimistic. Recent results have shown how wrong I was so now its all change…the goal is in sight and guess what? I want it! I want it so badly. Lorena, my trainer spoke with me last week and suggested that this goal is reachable. The hard work I have accomplished so far just needs to continue and I will succeed. Then lets carry on.
This morning we went to visit someone whom we havent seen since the start of the challenge. When you see yourself in the mirror everyday you don’t notice the changes. When you try clothes on you only begin to see changes when things don’t quite fit. As for our friend Sara, well having not seen me for five weeks it appeared obvious from the reaction that there was a massive change. Bless her, she even had an involuntary cry at my appearance. I had donned clothes that had been asleep since 2004 and the big change was evident as they fit very comfortably. So much in fact the image is going to be used as No.5 in the week-by-week section here which is coming at the end of the ten week challenge.
It felt good to receive a response like this..but more importantly it was a boost. An ego boost that is one of many that will carry me through the challenge. As week six begins it will be just a case of continuing as I have been. If changes are now becoming noticeable then my ego and confidence are riding high. I cannot thank everyone enough for all the support and kind words. The sponsorship is amazing with nearly £650.00 including gift aid which far exceeds any expectations I might have had.
Thanks for reading, as always. If you like what you read here, please do not hesitate to share it with family and friends. This is so important to me and my family along with Sue Ryder and all the staff at Wheatfields Hospice.
Come back soon.
This is not good. This is not good at all. Its Saturday evening, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway has resumed on television but there is something missing. Oh my goodness me am I having a severe attack of the munchies and it is killing me. I am afraid to swear on here but *&^% it’s not good.
To make matters worse I am getting visions of a man dressed in a gorilla suit playing the drums along to Phil Collins In the Air Tonight…….. I can feel it coming in the air tonight…oh … I then change track and somehow end up on a scene from the Hangover where Mike Tyson knocks out…. I am sure you get the picture.
I found myself bolted to the sofa. I couldn’t move…my brain was saying CHOCOLATE…CADBURYS but my body was about to start a mass argument with brain, stomach and taste buds that would last far longer than any Mike Tyson punch and maybe longer than a whole boxing match. It was dreadful. I could feel the velvet texture of Dairy Milk in my mouth. Chocolate was there – and now an integral part of the event. One taste of chocolate (or even the thought alone) makes the mouth water and the emotional associations rush in. It brings back the multitude of fondly remembered feel-good experiences we didn’t want to end.
So a great-testing piece of chocolate inevitably makes us happy inside. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that chocolate contains a natural substance that’s reputed to stimulate the same reaction in the body as falling in love or even sex. That’s why, even at times when we’re feeling down, anything chocolate feels so comforting.
Chocolate is Meant to be Shared… huh ! no way sunshine..not in this house. It’s a bar each.
So I peeled back the wrapper, they even have an easy open wrapper now so you can get your fix even quicker. Minute specks and flakes fell off as I revealed the grid of creamy brown segments. My mouth was watering with anticipation..this was the first fix in five weeks. Crack ! The bar was broken, quite unevenly too. Now residing in manageable bite size chunks the were arranged in an orderly fashion on the now lifeless foil backed wrapper. This was mine ! Sod sharing.
As the velvet texture graced my tongue with its presence the feeling came across me like feeling in love for the first time. I could hear the words “Welcome back friends”.
It was then that I awoke.
The words “welcome back friends” were the voice of Ant & Dec on Saturday Night Takeaway and there wasnt a Dairy Milk in sight.
I went and got myself an apple !
Where is my skeleton? 