New job, new dress size, new goals!

It would appear I had a rather good end to September/start to October. Last Friday I completed my final shift as a bra fitter and this week I've been training for my new job. It's strange. Over the years I've had many different jobs, and have left for all sorts of different reasons - end of contract, move to permanent role elsewhere, to go and do something "worthwhile", to have a baby etc. This time was different again.

Working in retail is fairly straight-forward. I'll never say it's easy, as you're on your feet most of the day, face to face with the public who often have a very set (and perhaps not terribly accurate) idea of the sort of person they are going to be served by, all the while smiling, staying positive and making the best of what you do. It is not a job I disliked by any means, but it was certainly not fulfilling all that I seek from a career.

The key objective for me in leaving was to move into a business where working part-time hours doesn't automatically put you on the back foot. Banking seems to match this objective really well. I'm not allowed to say where I work (some of you may know already), as we've been told emphatically that we cannot publicise this in case someone uses the information to make us commit fraud, or to blackmail or bribe us. Sounds pretty drastic, but I can see their point. Anyway, suffice to say, I now work for one of the UK's leading financial institutions, and will be seeking to progress from a cashier to an adviser as soon as I am qualified. Because I can progress. The phrase used in my interview was "part-time hours, full-time mentality".

So this week, training has well and truly begun. I'm working Mon-Fri for the first time in 3 years, which has been a culture shock to say the least! Granted, I've not had to travel too far, as my training is in Southampton, whereas my fellow trainees have traveled from South Cornwall, South Wales, West Sussex and Hertfordshire. Unfortunately temptations are many when you are training, particularly with a chap delivering sandwiches, crisps, hot food, chocolate and other tasty treats every lunchtime. I've averted diet disaster by taking in a flask of hot soup, purchasing a salad, and today taking in more soup, this time for microwaving in the training department.

So, what is the outcome of this tumultuous week in terms of my Weight Watchers diet? A loss of 2.5lb, taking my total loss to 11.5lb and my official WW lost to 9lb. I also wore my size 16 smart trousers today for the first time this year (couldn't do them up before!) so I'm definitely heading in the right direction. My current weight stands at 13st 12.5lb. My 5% goal is 13st 12lb, so I'm now looking at my new goal of 13st 3lb, which would be a 10% drop from my start weight of 14st 10.5. Not bad, eh?

I'm feeling pretty good about how quickly this is happening. I'm not hungry, I don't feel deprived, as I'm still eating occasional chocolate and snacks, and tonight I've had one of my favourite meals as a real (high in points!) treat - home made lasagne with garlic bread. Yum! So, onwards and upwards (or downwards might be more apt!). Thanks once again for all the support. I love to hear that you've read my blog, and even more when you comment. It really means a lot and makes the whole journey much easier.