Ten pounds to lose, eeek!

Despite my good intentions over Christmas, the festive season combined with a cessation of my aqua classes, a trip to Las Vegas and too many cocktails have resulted in me putting on 10 pounds!! Eeek.

Last night the DH and I agreed we would start another race to lose half a stone (I'm keeping schtum about those extra pounds). We did this last year: I lost 10 pounds, he lost about the same, but as we'd both said we wanted to lose a stone, neither of us claimed the reward.

The prize this time is a weekend of walking for him if he wins, and for me, noise reducing headphones from Bose.

Last night we had a curry to "celebrate" the end of our bad ways, and today I went to the gym and he went for a run, which he does six days of the week. I remembered why I find going to the gym such a FAFF. Firstly, you have to assemble all your kit. For me, two sports bras and the usual shoes, trousers, top; the iPOD fully charged and its arm sleeve thing; heart rate monitor; bottle of water; two towels (I decided to wash my hair). It's much easier to go swimming, or aqua, because all you need then is your swimming costume, flip flops and a towel.

I've booked to go to aqua three times next week, and I'm back using Nutracheck, the online calorie counter.

Today I've been eating lots of fruit and veg. My skin is dry and spotty (if that's possible) after all the air con in the US plus the poor food there.

I'll keep you posted on progress - plus some of my diet secrets including how to create huge great meals for those with big appetites that still allow you to lose weight!