Hannah's Lighter Life: The RTM Edition!

[carrieclaus]

Hi Hannah, I'm still here have found 2013 to be successful for me diet wise ( taken my time though) so really hope it's just as successful for you xxx

 

[hanmac]

Hi Hannah, I'm still here have found 2013 to be successful for me diet wise ( taken my time though) so really hope it's just as successful for you xxx

Hey Carrie!
Nice to see a friendly face and thank you - just had a look at your weigh in thread and you are looking teeny tiny in your photos - especially in the white DP dress!! Massive congratulations Are you on Exante now too?

H x

 

[carrieclaus]

Hey Carrie!
Nice to see a friendly face and thank you - just had a look at your weigh in thread and you are looking teeny tiny in your photos - especially in the white DP dress!! Massive congratulations Are you on Exante now too?

H x

I am doing exante just now but only have 6 days left! Eeek! Have lost 3st 4lbs since January ( could've been more but have had odd weekends off here and there and a few cheat weeks but always managed to somehow bring my head back in the game this time ( due to the support on the exante forum ) I'm currently 10st 4lbs and doing 2 packs plus a ws meal. Just started 30 day shred ( completed day 4 today ) and the 30day squat challenge ( completed day 7 ) feeling good even although the scales have stalled my inches are going down. Xxx I too relocated last year from Edinburgh to Workington, Cumbria after we married and managed to go from 11st 9lbs on my wedding day to 13st 8lbs within 7 months! Glad to be finding me again.

Wish you all the best in re achieving your goals. Ill be here to support xxx

 

[hanmac]

Day 1

So faced the dreaded weigh in this morning and was...

88.5kg

Definitely not ideal, put 2/3ibs on over my holiday (which normally would be nothing but adding it on to what I already have to lose was a bit defeating!)
So to be back to 69kg which is my 'skinny weight' I've got 3st 1ibs to go...jeez 43ibs. Feels a long way away, but I know in the scheme of things i'm pretty lucky, started last time with 6 stone to lose, and have seen people embark on LL with 10/11 stone loses to go - it takes a huge amount of commitment.

But i'm feeling strangely positive today, think now i've got the first weigh in over and done with I know it can only go up from here (we'll down to be literal!)

To make it a bit less daunting i'm breaking it up into a few key goals:

1) Get to 85kg (-3.5kg/8ibs) -8ibs
2) Get to 79kg (out of the 80's! So -6kg/13ibs) -21ibs
3) Get to 75kg (my previous 'happy weight' the weight when I stopped LL -4kg/9ibs) -30ibs
4) Get to 69kg! (-6kg/13ibs) -43ibs

Then maintain, maintain, maintain!!

Breaking it down like that feels a bit more manageable fingers crossed the first 8ibs should come off pretty quick. If I can lose over a stone this month i'll be delighted, 16/17ibs would be ideal. Just need to stay motivated!

Vanilla shake for brekkie, and just had a veggie soup. So that's my lunch break over, better get back to work!

Hope everyone is having a good Monday!

H x

 

[Spanglymum]

Hi Hannah. I remember you from before. You were my inspiration when I started Lighter Life, because you were almost at goal and so happy. I'm sorry you've regained some weight but glad to see you back here (although I wish you didn't have to be, if that makes sense!)

Well done on being brave enough to weigh in. I haven't done so yet and am a bit nervous about it. I know from how my body feels it isn't going to be good. But it is what it is and I am determined to get back to goal (I start tomorrow).

Good luck! I will be following your progress and rooting for you.

 

[hanmac]

Hi Hannah. I remember you from before. You were my inspiration when I started Lighter Life, because you were almost at goal and so happy. I'm sorry you've regained some weight but glad to see you back here (although I wish you didn't have to be, if that makes sense!)

Well done on being brave enough to weigh in. I haven't done so yet and am a bit nervous about it. I know from how my body feels it isn't going to be good. But it is what it is and I am determined to get back to goal (I start tomorrow).

Good luck! I will be following your progress and rooting for you.

Hi Spangly!

I remember you too Haha I know what you mean, it's bittersweet being back on here but it's the kick I need to make sure that once I lose the weight again it will be for the very last time - it's made me realise that I don't need to be in this position again if I make sure I don't slip back into bad habits!

Good luck for tomorrow - i'll be rooting for you too Just think, once the weigh in is done you'll only see the numbers go down not up!

H x

 

[hanmac]

I am doing exante just now but only have 6 days left! Eeek! Have lost 3st 4lbs since January ( could've been more but have had odd weekends off here and there and a few cheat weeks but always managed to somehow bring my head back in the game this time ( due to the support on the exante forum ) I'm currently 10st 4lbs and doing 2 packs plus a ws meal. Just started 30 day shred ( completed day 4 today ) and the 30day squat challenge ( completed day 7 ) feeling good even although the scales have stalled my inches are going down. Xxx I too relocated last year from Edinburgh to Workington, Cumbria after we married and managed to go from 11st 9lbs on my wedding day to 13st 8lbs within 7 months! Glad to be finding me again.

Wish you all the best in re achieving your goals. Ill be here to support xxx

Amazing Carrie!! Huge congratulations, it's the inches that matter, weight is just a number on a scale 30 day shred is tough but so worth it, I did it last time I finished LL and noticed a huge difference (even if Jillians voice does get slightly grating after a few weeks!!) Hope your final exante days go well, bet your ready to say goodbye to the packs! Whats your plan for life post-exante?

H xx

 

[Spanglymum]

So I just weighed myself ready for tomorrow (drum roll)

89kg !!

So close to you it's quite spooky lol. Well, as you say, from here on we're going to see those numbers going down!

 

[hanmac]

So I just weighed myself ready for tomorrow (drum roll)

89kg !!

So close to you it's quite spooky lol. Well, as you say, from here on we're going to see those numbers going down!

Gosh that is spooky!! and looks like we have pretty similar goal weights too?

Good luck for your first day tomorrow

H x

 

[Spanglymum]

Yep... I'm a bit shorter than you and a bit heavier, but otherwise quite similar goals, within an inch or pound or so. Looking forward to getting to about week three, when I will start to believe I can do this again.

 

[hanmac]

Day 3

So mid way through the work week and almost halfway through my first week back on a VLCD!
Feel like i'm getting back into the swing of it now, gulping down gallons of water and keeping busy! Luckily am at work from 9am - 6/7pm so by the time I get home i'm content with a cup of black tea and a bar! Gone are the days when I used to get home and think 'awww i've had a hard day - i really deserve a pizza, oh and pizza goes SO well with garlic bread, and i better have something sweet just to finish the meal off...'
It's amazing how quickly you realise how little your body needs.
Today kicked off with a strawberry shake, tomato soup for lunch then raisin bar this evening (sorry if this is confusing for LL people - Exante bars are NOWHERE near as yummy as LL ones!) in my opinion anyway!

Then after work went out for leaving drinks for one of my best friends who is moving to Paris tomorrow *sob*. Usually would have been an excuse to have at least 2 glasses of wine, but said I didn't fancy drinking as was worn out from jetlag (which I really am) so had a black coffee to give me a boost then stuck to water for the rest of the evening (woop goooo me!) They then had burgers, chips, garlic bread etc. and managed to completely resist, not even a single chip! Using the old jetlag excuse again saying i'd completely lost my appetite...which truthfully I have, don't think i've had the chance to feel hungry yet which is really lucky.

It's amazing how once you get your head in the right mindset it becomes a bit easier. I've probably 'started' exante ohh at least 3 times over the past few months, but haven't made it past the first day as by lunchtime i'd found an excuse such as 'oh its so and so's birthday - it would be rude not to have a bit of cake' or 'oh look theres sandwiches left over from a meeting, only a little sandwich won't hurt'. So this week i'm stupidly proud of myself for resisting! Especially as I brought back a rum cake from Jamaica and some american candies (fully enjoyed myself whilst on holiday so don't feel like i'm missing out!) which are sat on the desk opposite me so that people can help themselves, and I feel perfectly content knowing they're there but not eating them...where as before I would have found an excuse pretty much every ten minutes to walk by and help myself to a sweet!

So all in all it's going pretty well!! Did have a slight 'woeee pooor meeeee i cant have a burger' moment this evening - then got home, looked in the mirror, and realised that I look better already. Tummy is less bloated, face feels less puffy, even my shoulders look more defined...I know it's only been 3 days but I honestly do feel better already, fingers crossed this is a good sign for my first weigh in on Monday!

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Is bedtime for me

:nightf:

H xxx​

 

[hanmac]

Day 5

3rd night out in a row - sticking to the water!
Feel so happy and am saving a ton of money to boot - wahoo!

Slight dilemma coming up though, friend is doing a charity bike ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh on Sunday. Was with her this evening and she suggested to myself and a few mates 'oh come and meet me at the finish line in Edinburgh, and we'll all go for lunch and explore the city'. Now she lived in Edinburgh for 8 years and is a massive foodie - so know wherever she chooses for lunch will be AMAZING. Current plan is that her boyfriend is driving her car to Edinburgh to meet her then driving us all back too - so he'd give us all a lift there in the morning.

So trying to decide between:
a) Not going at all.
b) Going - but getting the train and meeting them after lunch
c) Going in the car, going to lunch, and trying to make an excuse not to eat.
d) Going in car, eating lunch - trying to stick to meat + salad.

Currently D is not an option, have been completely abstinent and want to keep it that way for a bit longer, feels too soon to start throwing food back in! Best situation would be C if I could think of a valid excuse not to eat. B is a bit of a faff...but could work. And the old me would have gone for A just to make life easier...but last time I was on LL/Exante I became a bit of a hermit, so keen to keep social.

ARGH - will have a sleep on it! (any suggestions greatly appreciated )

H x

 

[Spanglymum]

Good for you on the water-based nights out!!

Your other dilemma sounds like one I have with a reunion coming up (so any advice I give you I'd better listen carefully to myself!!!)

Why do you need a 'valid excuse'? You are worth this. You are worth abstinence. It doesn't matter what anyone else may or may not think. You are doing this because you know it's the most effective and efficient way to get back to your slim, healthy, glamorous self. Why sacrifice that for a meal out? The amazing places will be there when you finish. Why not arrange to go back wherever your friend chooses after you reach goal?

(I'm envious btw. I lived in Edinburgh for 13 years and still pine for it a bit. Wonderful city!)

Right, I am now going to try to apply my own advice to myself, which is of course much harder than dishing it out!

 

[hanmac]

Day 7

Thanks for the advice Spangly Your right there's no point sacrificing my happiness for one meal!

So incase anyone's been in suspense over what choice I went for...

Option C! (Going in the car, going to lunch but not eating)

I had an awesome day, it was gloriously sunny in Edinburgh. We went for lunch at a sushi restaurant called 'Sushiya' and i'm not a fan of sushi so wasn't tempted to eat, and just said i'd had a big breakfast so wasn't hungry (because those vanilla shakes are sooooo filling - hahaha) But noone questioned it and whilst some of the food looked really good I was perfectly content with water. Only problem was the lady put a big old slice of lemon in it - managed to fish it out without looking to suspicious but I can't remember what the deal with lemons is? Is it the citric acid that takes you out of ketosis? Am sure it hasn't done too much damage though - as opposed to wolfing down a portion of dumplings!!

So it's been a pretty brilliant first week! Big weigh in tomorrow morning - eeeeek. I'd forgotten what the paranoia was like, i know I must have lost weight as i've been 100% abstinent but I just hope i'm pleasantly surprised, not dissapointed. Trying not to guess or estimate - will just see how it goes.

Wish me luck Hope everyone else has had a good weekend too, another week down, another week closer to skinniness!!

H xxx

 

[hanmac]

1st Weigh In

So weighed in this morning and was...

85.1kg

So -3.4kg = 7.5ibs

Half a stone in a week Was a teeny bit disappointed as wanted to be in the 84. something bracket...but am so close so will easily get to that next time. It's just when I did LL I lose 10ibs first week, the Exante the last time I lost 11ibs...so think I was expecting that again. Not sure why it's different this time.

But why am i upset! It's still over half a stone in a week, thats what I need to focus on

Hope everyone is having a good Monday

H xx

 

[nzmegs]

Well done on your loss hannah - brilliant! there can be all kinds of reasons for not losing the same as last time - you are a different person, you drank more or less water, you ate a different type or combination of packs....need I go on?

I found during my time on LL that I just had to go with it - accept the big losses along with the small and be happy with it all. think of the long term, the accumulated losses and think about how you are feeling - not the numbers.

I am also back on the wagon this week. Weigh in tomorrow. I only have 20 to lose to get back to my original happy weight. I expect I will do total for about 3-4 weeks and then drop to lite for a while. My down fall was carbs (I let them back into my life...). bad move. So I am aiming to simply get back to a non-carb craving comfort zone. We need an anagram for that!

Will be following to see how you get on!

 

[hanmac]

Well done on your loss hannah - brilliant! there can be all kinds of reasons for not losing the same as last time - you are a different person, you drank more or less water, you ate a different type or combination of packs....need I go on?

I found during my time on LL that I just had to go with it - accept the big losses along with the small and be happy with it all. think of the long term, the accumulated losses and think about how you are feeling - not the numbers.

I am also back on the wagon this week. Weigh in tomorrow. I only have 20 to lose to get back to my original happy weight. I expect I will do total for about 3-4 weeks and then drop to lite for a while. My down fall was carbs (I let them back into my life...). bad move. So I am aiming to simply get back to a non-carb craving comfort zone. We need an anagram for that!

Will be following to see how you get on!

You are so right nzmegs, you've got to take every loss as a loss! I'm feeling so much better, looking better and i'm sure this week will be a good week too. I was so cheery last night, can't let a number get me down! I think my mind is racing ahead trying to think how quickly I could lose the weight, and setting unrealistic targets that my body just can't physically meet. So am chilling out and seeing how it goes.

Good luck for getting back on the wagon, and for jumping back on at 20ibs and recognising the carb craving zone - CCV maybe? Haha! It's much better to start sooner rather than later! And you'll be back at your happy weight before you know it

H x

 

[Spanglymum]

Good for you on option C on Sunday, Hannah, and well done on your first weigh in. I know what you mean about wanting to see big numbers but your loss is huge for any other diet, and the amazing thing is with vlcds that we KNOW, we have the CERTAINTY, that if we follow the plan we will continue to lose and get to goal. I'm weighing for the first time tomorrow (eek) but already feel a lot lot lot better in myself, apart from overwhelming fatigue, which I think I normally mask by consuming vast amounts of strong tea.

 

[nzmegs]

good luck for the weigh in tomorrow spangly! you'll do fine. I take it you are weighing in at home? Can you get someone to be your "sponsor" to write down your weight and help you to keep on track?

hannah - it sounds like you are going great. I had a little mishap yesterday (see my diary) but life goes on. the second (3rd, 4th) times around are always harder. I am the same. i am always planning how many weeks to my goal weight. but it never works out like that does it. just go with the flow i suppose. Not easy though.

 

[hanmac]

Good for you on option C on Sunday, Hannah, and well done on your first weigh in. I know what you mean about wanting to see big numbers but your loss is huge for any other diet, and the amazing thing is with vlcds that we KNOW, we have the CERTAINTY, that if we follow the plan we will continue to lose and get to goal. I'm weighing for the first time tomorrow (eek) but already feel a lot lot lot better in myself, apart from overwhelming fatigue, which I think I normally mask by consuming vast amounts of strong tea.

Thanks Spangly Glad i went to Edinburgh, shows that life has to go on even if your on a VLCD, just have to make sensible decisions. I did think 'well if I was on a 'normal' diet i'd be expecting losses at most of 2ibs a week on average, so technically i've lost almost 4 weeks worth in one week'! And that made me feel better! Good luck for the weigh in - i'm sure you'll do great And I know how you feel with the fatigue, i'm waiting for the glow & burst of energy to kick in...maybe in a few weeks? haha!