New year, same me; just less wobbly + Project 52!

So I started this diet last November but have managed to somehow put on 2 stone rather than lose 4. Now it's crunch time. I get married in 8 months and get measured for my dress in 4. I know my husband to be will marry me whether I lose weight or not, but I'd like to feel great in my dress and unfortunately my size will affect how I feel on the day.

I have no idea what I weigh at the moment, but I'm somewhere between a UK 18-22 depending on the shop and the item. Ideally, I'd be happy to be a 14 on my wedding day, I think that's a realistic weight for a foodie like myself to maintain. Last month, I was told by my Doctor that I'm at risk of all sorts of madness if I don't lose 6 stone, stop smoking and reduce my weekly alcohol consumption. Plus I'm 27 and have lost 2 babies, probably because I don't look after myself. I'd like to start married life knowing that if I have to see a fertility expert at some point I'm fit and ready to go.

So, I am swearing to myself that I will take this diet seriously and have come up with a few guidelines to get myself started:

• I will drink more herbal tea and cut down on milk.
• I will have breakfast everyday, even if it is an alpen bar or weetabix.
• I will make damn sure that I have a healthy lunch everyday, rather than eat crap from petrol stations and sweet shops.
• I challenge myself to a 52 Project. Every sunday I will make a new healthy soup to freeze and snack on. I might even make two so I don't get bored of the first one.
• I will home cook all of our main meals and not resort to oven meals from Iceland. My Nana managed it and she had 7 kids and a full time job. I am childless and finish work at 3.
• I will take the dog for an actual walk rather than stand on the same spot throwing a ball.
• I will update my diary regularly!

It doesn't look that hard on paper- hopefully I won't have locked myself in the office loo with a packet of pork pies by the end of the week

Wish me luck!!

Hi Hun, good luck looks like you've got your head in the right place and you've got a great target too meet!! I look forward to reading about all your losses x

Thankyou Kirsty I must say I'm raring to go this time, I actually feel quite excited!

Today has been an unusual day for dieting really. I had a bit of a vomit last night from what I can only imagine is overindulgence. Because of that I've felt a bit squiffy all day and not wanting to eat much at all !! So i think I may start officially tomorrow. I haven't been bad today, not in the slightest, but I haven't managed heb/hea so couldn't say I was properly following the diet.

However, I have taken the opportunity to get myself prepared. I've made 5 basic soups from the Xmas leftovers (which won't be included in my Project52!!) so I shall freeze them for when I go back to work. it also means that when I do start P52 (on New Years Day) I will have a variety of soups to choose from rather than living off one flavour for lunch all week!

I've made:
Pea & ham with a few hidden superfree veggies- I've tasted it, it's scrummy
Beefy Stew soup based on Gordon Ramsay's Oxtail recipe, with more hidden veg (also scrummy).
Lamb Hotpot soup, devised myself! Scrummy too
Hearty turkey & veg soup- actually quite bland, not too appetising, will do every now and then but can't figure out where I've gone wrong!! I'm also crap at making chicken soup- that's something P52 will remedy.

So as you can imagine I've had a few tastes and that has pretty much been all I've eaten today! Plus a couple of cups of tea so maybe 100mls of milk? And that's all.

Next big decision is whether or not I join a group. There is one tomorrow just around the corner, but I've had problems at groups before (as detailed in my first post). I was adamant that I wouldn't join a group, but even I must admit that there are benefits to being part of one. I have the money at the moment, maybe it's a good idea to at least give it a try? Hmm, only time will tell.

Yet another unusual day because I'm still not feeling 100%. I went to a party last night and had about 4 glasses of white wine (large!) which I think may have been the death of me. Yesterday I had one portion of soup (syn free and packed with superfree veg and some SS lentils) then at the party had some boiled rice with the teeniest amount of maykway curry. I have no idea how the sauce was cooked, I know that particular brand has a few syns in, so just to be sure I've put that down at 5 syns but that is a total stab in the dark!

Today I've much the same. I've had one portion of syn free soup and a couple of herbal teas. I can't even bring myself to look at hea/b, I am feeling exceptionally squiffy! So I suppose this is a bit of a wasted week for dieting. If I lose, it won't be a real loss as I've hardly eaten and I'm sure I'll pile it all back on within a couple of days of eating properly. "Proper" diet will commence on the 2nd- stomach permitting, as will project 52. I'm looking forward to trying out all these new soups

Alright Jez?

Now then, looks like you know what you have to do, and you've set some really good guidelines.

But.... and you just knew there was a but coming didn't you?

Well, I would say your next purchase or purchases should include a set of decent scales as you really do need to know your weight, get your stats up on the forum and have something tangible to aim for.

Alternatively, go to one of those weighing machines - make sure you go the same time each week and where possible wear the same or similar clothing.

Of course I don't know your personal situation, either financial or time constraints, but I would seriously consider joining a local group. Yes, you can DIY, yes you can do it with SW-online, or even via this forum, but joining and regularly visiting group will really help you put your ideas in action.

It literally dropped off me doing it this way - I'd been overweight or obese all of my adult life! Nothing worked! - SW did!

Good luck and I hope to see your numbers a tumbling

Steve

Thankyou Steve

As I said, I'm very unsure about groups. I've been to a couple and never got on with the consultants- I've often found that instead of offering support or motivation if I STS or gained, they would take it as a personal slur and basically make me feel as though I'd cheated There is one just around the corner and I doubt it would do any harm to try it once. It's not really about money, I've had all sorts of relatives offer to pay the weekly fee as a pre-wedding gift, would you believe! With giving up smoking, I'd essentially be doing a straight swap and it would leave me with a few spare pounds to make a couple of exercise classes or swims at the local leisure centre. So I'll probably take your advice and try a class, if only to say at least I had a go!!

I am feeling quite excited though- as if I know I'm going to do it this time!! Even OH commented that he can't remember me being this detirmined before

Well ask around - in fact ask around on these verey forums as there'll be loads of Liverpool slimmers to advise of good consultants.

I can't speak highly enough of mine, yet I was prepared to drive miles to find the right one - remarkably the one in our village church was perfect!

Happy New Year to you Jez!

Steve

Happy new year hun! Sorry to read you havent been well. It very impressed your still thinking about SW!! Hope you had a gd NYE xx

Haappy new year all

I took your advice Steve and bought a set of scales. I was shocked to discover that i'm 226lbs so more detirmined now to lose weight.

Day one of the diet has gone very well, although OH annoyed me a bit by adding 'surprises' to my main meal to make it tastier. 28g of cheddar and a pot of Maccies bbq sauce added 9 syns that I could have done without. I also haven't had my HEB today, I had intended to have 2 alpen light bars for dessert with some pineapple and a mullerlight, but i'm stuffed and i'd just be eating for the sake of it. Will I get away without them for one day??

So my menu for today:
HEA: 250mls 1% (purple) milk
HEB: nothing for now

B: 2 L.Mc rosemary & red onion sausages (i believe these are free), 2 rashers of bacon, 2 poached eggs, huge pile of mushrooms. And peas (yes you read that right, I don't like beans!) dry fried in garlic. I was aware that a third of the meal may not have been superfree so I followed with an apple.

No lunch- proper stuffed, but had a cup of tea and 1 malteaser celebration (2 syns).

D: huuuge salad- lettuce, onion, cucumber, spring onion, grated carrot with a Juicy Lucy burger (homemade quarter pounder made with lean mince, onion, garlic, herbs and 1 portion Maccy's bbq sauce stuffed with 28g cheddar. 9 syns.

Current total: 11 syns. Might have some pineapple with an alpen light later depending on whether I get peckish but chances are i'll be too full after eating this monstrosity!

Hi Jez, just wanted to say hey and good luck on your journey!

Leave your Heb till later, i normally leave mine till night time and have it as supper, as night time snacking is the worst for me!

sent from my Samsung galaxy s
9.5lbs left to go to be pre Christmas weight

Ah thankyou Shenzi! I just asked about this in the general sw forum- I was starting to panic :/

I'm not in work tomorrow so chances are i'll be up pretty late, i'm sure i'll squeeze it in somewhere. I have already had plenty of fibre, just not off the official list

There are still hours of the day left, just think later you can settle down on the sofa watching the tv with a hot drink and a bar! Xx

Good luck with your journey! I love SW, and have done it so far (17 months) without a group. I do it online, and also through the weigh in thread here. Suits me just fine, so it can be done without joining a group - I never liked the group meets, so I prefer doing it online. Good luck!!!

Well I'm going to try it for a couple of weeks without Honey, then see how I'm getting on. My best friend, her sister and her mum are all on a diet and we've decided to have a weigh in every tuesday, just the four of us. We aren't all sticking to SW but I think I'll get all the support I need from the forum and we have devised a cunning exercise plan too. It involves tins of peas and the bottom step!!

Thanks for your support everyone

P.S the worst thing that ever happened to me was finding out there are only 2 syns in a Celebration. box sitting in kitchen staring at me. Can't focus. Must destroy!!

Going to bed now and didn't get around to that HEB :/

But did do 30 minutes of Just Dance on the Wii, which is more exercise than I've done for months, so I don't feel too bad!

Don't worry too much about it, it won't make too much difference Im sure!

Night night, hope your all set for another good day tomorrow!xx

Goodnight xx

Kicked off today with level 1 of the 30 day shred....i'll regret this later....eurgh.

Yesterday was a good day Did quite a lot of exercise (for me)- 30 day shred, 15 mins on the Ab Circle Pro and half an hour on the Wii fit doing Just Dance (which I thoroughly enjoyed).

Food wise, I had another high syn day (13), but I didn't exceed and had plenty of superfree veg.

HEA: 250ml Semi Skim Milk
HEB: 2 weetabix choc (+2 syns)

B: Weetabix w/ banana and milk and an apple.
L: Salad (lettuce, cucumber, pepper, onion wit half a portion of jambalaya (1.5 syns, but this is an overcompensated syn!)
D: Smash Pizza with more salad. Pizza: 28g cheese (6 syns), tomato sauce (can toms, onion, garlic, oregano, dollop Heinz ketchup) 1 syn, 28g salami (2.5 syns)

Snack- apple, Mugshot (sweet & sour- don't like them at all so won't be eating another!).

So although I had a fair few syns it's breaking me into the diet nicely!!

I am going to try having less syns though, i'd ideally like to less than 8 everyday.