120lbs to shed with Alizonne tightening

[AliGal]

Dear Rosie,

Thank you so much for posting. I appreciate your comments. I have had many decades of repeated failures and absolutely know that for many people it's about where our minds are. And that getting our stuff sorted is very different from attention seeking. I sorry you were upset.

I hope you find some strategies that help you resolve your issues. Having been dieting since the mid 1970s and failed repeatedly, I know this is not about will power as the slim folk imagine. I appreciate that we've had decades of behaviour and thought that don't enable us to live at a healthy and sustainable weight. The mental stuff is as important - and is more important that shedding lbs throughg vlcds. I know that for me, the period in the late summer and the following few years are vital learning how to stay at goal and maintaining new habits as the old ones didn't serve me. I am no longer in a extremely pressured job with crazy making colleagues and a life on a plane. I am open to the fact that this time it is different for me and I am learning how on here and elsewhere.

I had a wonderful afternoon with my Alizonne inspiration - a really wonderful woman also in her 50s who has shed 5 stone. She is tall, 12st10 and wears 14-16s. She looks great. We talked a lot about how to manage our minds - hypnotherapists Marisa Peer & Katie Glen, Paleo and real food, avoiding factory made, the need for protein not cereal at breakfast & EFT. She introduced me to the Gabriel method - so I've been looking at that this am. Having a resourceful real life (new) friend is wonderful.

Good luck, Rosie, on your journey.

Ali

 

[rosieposie]

AliGal thanks for your reply, sorry if I was overly sensitive yesterday. Bit of difficult time for me at moment and I want to comfort eat so much.
How lovely to have your friend to discuss things with and get inspiration and helpful ideas from as well.
I have had a quick look at the Gabrielle Method you mention because of course I'm always looking for that easy answer but I'm a bit put off by his website where so much seems to cost. also he doesn't give much of a clue to his ideas and I really don't want to buy yet another book at the moment.
I'm currently trying to read Weight Loss For Food Lovers by Dr George Blair-West in the hope that this might be something to help once I have finished LL.
Thank you for your good wishes.

 

[AliGal]

Dear Rosie,

That's no prob at all. Senstivity comes along with vlcds and our disordered eating triggers. You are doing so well at shedding and I hope you have the breakthroughs you want.

I had fun on George Blair West's website - good stuff. Thank you. Have you seen Marisa Peers videos? Well worth googling.

Gabriel is about eating good food and fats to keep satiated, bigger breakfasts and lunches and lighter supper, lots of veg especialy lower carb. He's certain that many fat people and lots of thin ones are actually starving - missing key nutrition and essential digestion enzymes to process it. He feels that dieting and sweetners make us fat. He adds in the importance of language (dieting nlp like Paul McKenna) and visualisation. He also has a shortish visualisation - which I'll access when I get the book. He's a salesman who is using his website and book to drive people into his premium website fees. Less than the cost of a vlcd but I'm not brave enough to move from Alizonne, a proven system, until I've shifted another 5 stone.

It's really interesting to me that so many of the 'no diet' weight loss progs are about eating real food and fats, taking away deprivation and rabbit food as a mind set, walking, swimming, dancing and/or high intensity training (not long gymn sessions)and finding a new balanced way of living and eating.

In my research, I'm seeing these common themes. It explain why I was loosing weight doing paleo (caveman) eating. If I had quit drinking wine, managed my portion size of meat and fats and ate more green and low carb veg, I'd have had amazing results, rather than just good results. I also realise now that when I juiced, I used fruit and high sugar veggies like carrots so was getting great vitamins but too much sugar and not enough fats. If I juice again, I'll be doing more green stuff and adding some avocado and nuts. I switched to Alizonne as I couldn't wait for the weight to shift over 2 years.

So I'm feeling really happy about making plans for the way I'll eat when I'm at goal. We have a period of phasing off - adding in food groups over some weeks, and dropping sachets. Alizonners go back to the clinic monthly for a review and an endermologie treatment if the skin is still retracting. So a monthly weigh in keeps us focussed. Like many vlcds, not everyone stays at goal - so the magic bullet of weight loss that a vlcd provides isn't a magic bullet for life. My actions and thoughts, development of new patterns and picking myself up and getting back on track essential to my maintainance

I'm also interested in the visualisation stuff. Until I started dropping a stone a month, I couldn't really really believe I could get thin. I didn't have a clear picture of myself at goal. And yet I am good at visualisation. My attempts to see myself riding horses again where just that - attempts! I suppose I didn't really believe I could do this. Now, I really can see myself in a pair of size 14 jodhpurs riding along our beach. We can't afford to keep a horse so I will need to find someone locally who needs their horses exercised and see if I can borrow one regularly.

I am nearly half way to my official goal 11 stone 6lbs. I'm not sure if I'll stop at 12 stone or keep going down to 10 stone. We'll see when I get closer. Slim feels within reach - but last night it seemed alsso such a long time to go - 5 or 6 months. I am so proud of myself that I am keeping going and haven't stopped. In past diets, I have had some success then stopped, with no maintenance plan so regained.

I will start having a protein meal in about 2 months. The portion size is so much smaller than the size of portions usually served at restaurants and by friends and family. We Alizonners continue to loose weight as we continue with 4 sachets plus the protein meal. It's the 'pack of cards' size that all the nutrition guides recommend. So that will take learning to manage.

So off for my midmorning sachet.

Ali

 

[Kira]

Ladies I typed a long response to your recent posts but lost it!! Argh! Will just do a short one now! Ali I do understand why you get impatient with the likes of me! I get impatient with me! Why can't I just stick to plan! Probably because i don't have a huge amount to lose and I like socialisng which involves food regardles of whether I am socialising with my Indian family and friends or my white husband's family and our friends. I think lack of support is nothing to do with culture as I have many friends who are supportive in any way other than when I try to diet regarlds off diet plan. So I keep vlcd a secret.

Rosie I do understand why Ali's post may have upset you but it is true certainly in my case. I just need to stick to plan and get on with it. Havinga binge isn't going to sort out the ups and downs of my life. I have a fantastic supportive husband and kids but it my decision when I cheat or *go off plan* as I prefer to call it! In the *real* world slim people don't *cheat* when the choose to eat something and I need to learn that having one biscuit is fine but having the whole packet isn't!

Ali I will look into he Marisa Peers etc you mention that looks very interesting. I feel re-inspired because I am impatient with me not sticking to plan especially when I could reach goal in a matter of weeks not months! Though respectfully disagree with the lack of support due to cultural background as that lack of support can be experienced in any culture.

 

[AliGal]

Thank you, Kira, for posting even though you lost yr first draft! And for your cultural insights. I certainly agree that all cultures can be unsupportive - as is evidenced by the number of people on here whose families know they are slimming who have been given Easter eggs and cakes. My DMIL doesn't know what I'm doing and did offer me some choc yesterday - she's great as she didn't insist.

I think you have hit on something very important - the way thin people choose and consume food. I have had a compulsion - just one wouldn't be enough. I'd start a chocolate bar, and then eat the whole thing and perhaps another one or two, not necessarily in the same sitting but the same day. I very careful said 'I have had' in the past tense, because the new Me is open to having new behaviours. I believe that I am open to change, and so avoid labelling myself now as having the behaviours of the past. This period of what the LL-ers call abstinence has shown me that I can be happy without wine, cake, icecream and puddings. I hope to apply that to my maintenance approach - having occasional higher cal or refab food, rather than as staples.

There's a good video by Marisa Peer on choice - I think it's this one Video: Starting Your New Diet When we say we 'must' or 'should', we set ourselves up for not suceeding. So I wish for you,Kira and Rosie, not to be impatient with yourself, to be kind and put one foot in front of the other on your chosen paths.

 

[Kira]

Lovely, lovely post Ali! Thank you. I did chuckle when you mentioned your DMIL offering you chocolate and when you declined simply accepted it. Now my DMIL would have done the same and I see that as an *Englishness* whilst my own mother being Indian would ask me three times just to make sure I didn't change my mind!!! She does know I am on a *diet* so is much better these days and only asks me once then apologises!

 

[BordersGirl]

I like the word 'compulsion'. That's exactly the reason why I can't leave a chocolate bar in the fridge having had 1 or 2 squares whereas my mother can make a chocolate bar last a week or more! It preys on my mind constantly until it's gone and then the compulsion disappears. I don't need to go and shop for more, the mere fact that it's gone is enough. I know that those compulsions are still there. I've had a box of Quality Street during my week off. It's been lying in the cupboard for at least a month without me even thinking about it but the minute I 'could' have it and opened it, it preyed on my mind. It's just a smallish box but I know that it'll be gone by tomorrow as I start back on plan on Wednesday. So the compulsions are still there and I need to work on this hugely in maintenance as the demons haven't disappeared overnight. Best thing for me is not to buy anything that's in a large pack in the future as I will have this issue for life I think. There are a few things that trigger the compulsion in me but mostly chocolate and wine. There are other things around the house that are sweet that don't draw me to them so I need to find out what those things are. Knowledge is power.

 

[rosieposie]

Hi all
what really interesting posts. It is so amazing the mind sets we can get and allow to stay.
Also I am also noticing this change in the idea of "diets" that actually it is much more about portion sizes, thinking about what we eat when we are eating it and listening to our bodies rather than our "mind" (or is it feelings?).
I haven't looked at Marisa Peers (I almost typed maris piper, oh dear shows whats happening in my mind) videos but I did try her hypnosis cd a couple of years ago, to little avail.
I'm interested in Gabrielle but I'm not at all good at visualisation, I don't really see it. So perhaps not for me. I think this is why although I liked Paul McKenna's "I can Make you thin" relaxing but not really successful for me.
Mind you I also think that hypnosis for weight loss doesn't seem to work for me. I say a hypnotherapist for months a couple of years ago after trying Marisa and it just didn't help me at all. I've also tried the hypnoband hypnosis which is supposed to make you act as if you have had a gastric band fitted. This really didn't work for me it was a complete waste of time and money.
So I think I have to keep working on changing my thinking myself and also work towards a different attitude when I will be maintaining my weight loss.
Why aren't I like one of my sisters who is thin and eats as everyone says a thin person does. She eats a small amount of what she wants and stops. She is careful about eating healthily though.
Oh well she has rotten arthritis and I haven't yet so who's the lucky one. Me I think.
I also didn't have a stop button when it came to foods that are compulsive to me. More work as you all say.
Border Girl good luck with getting back to packs on Wednesday, do you really need to finish that box, can't the contents go in the bin rather than in you? I of course understand if the answer at the moment is no.
Good Luck all

 

[BordersGirl]

I know I won't have a problem getting back to the packs on Wed. I'm totally ready to feel lighter again to be honest. I got bored of eating today actually. Food never tastes as good as you think it should, and the first few mouthfuls are totally the best. Didn't do so well on the chocolate. Most is gone now but it's been educating in terms of where my head is still at. All information is useful for longer term maintenance even if it doesn't contain the messages you want to hear. I'm trying some hypnosis tapes tomorrow to see what they do for me. I did go to one of those hypnosis shows years ago and was very susceptible to it so fingers crossed!

 

[Kira]

Morning! I tempted to get hypnosis too but maybe I just stop messing around and get on with it?!! I am a grown up after all? Seriously, had a good day yesterday and I don't see why I can't have another.

 

[AliGal]

Lovely posts, ladies.

Kira:

you can have another good day and another - just put one foot in front of the other making good decsions, and the time will fly.

Btw, my DMIL is flemish...and you know those Belgians and their chocolates....

Interesting exchange re hypnosis, Rosie and BG.

I have partial success with it. It supports me but hasn't given me breakthroughs to slimness. However, it has helped me resolve some past stuff. I couldn't visualise myself thin. It has helped with cravings and choice, however. Now - 5 stone lighter, I'm able to believe and see slim Me as a reality.

And I believe I will stay there. I am committed to doing what it takes. Yes - it will need strategies to manage those compulsions (yes - the right word for me too) and to stay maintaining.

My DH just said the difference this time is I found a system that worked for me and I now know I can do it and keep it off. I am sure the illimination of weighing and measuring everything has enabled me to do this. Alizonners do have veggies they must weigh - but that seems manageable and good training for post Alizonne. Next Phase I will also have protein portions to meausre as we re-introduce fish or meat for one meal. I AM SO EXCITED.

I'm not excited that I'm 1/2lb from half way. I'm not excited that I'm 16st 4lbs. I'm not even excited because I've shed 22%+ of fat. OMG.... I AM EXCITED due to my breaking news......

My size 22 jeans are way too big to wear even with a belt, so they are going into the wash and onto Ebay. AND my size 20s are looser and need a belt AND I FIT INTO MY SIZE 18 bootcuts! Yes, they fit - snug at the waist but comfortably enough to sit down. WOOHOOOO size 18s.

I simply wouldn't have believed in December that I'd be wearing size 18s less than 4 months later. I was wearing size 26s and size 28s in December. So I now have one pair of 18s, another identical pair of jeans in 20 which fit well with a belt (£3 size large from ASDA, not extra large...that's a mind bend in itself!) and noticeably not so tight skinny turquoise jeans in size 20, that have a fit between the two, also from ASDA. I don't live near an ASDA so I already have a pair of 16s bootcuts in my cupboard. I can't tell you how happy my investments in £14 jeans from ASDA are making me.

 

[AliGal]

More EXCITEMENT!

I heard a VIP personal trainer talking about how he motivated his male clients. He said he didn't weigh them regularly. He makes them buy a pair of jeans one size down, so they track their progress by the jeans they slim through.

I know the scales are tracking on downwards and I enjoy getting to a lower number of stones or a significant number - like 10 BMI points lost or 20% of my bodyfat shed forever or that in the next few days, I'll be exactly halfway. But the reality of fitting into sizes I haven't worn for years is a real boost and beats that.

I'm only 5ft6 but these bootleg jeans from GEORGE make me feel long legged and lithe even in flats! I don't think I've worn size 18 since the 1980s. Woohooo! I am so glad I also made a commitment to myself not to wear clown clothes and to have trews that fit during the shrinking time.

I have had one bra fitting a couple of weeks ago - that's essential as I wouldn't have belived my new measurements if I'd done them myself. Down 4 back sizes and up 3 cup sizes!! I reckon the new bras (2 from john lewis, and 3 from ASDA) will last me for 2-3 months. Tops are more tolerant - but getting rather loose so soon I'll need some tops. However I don't like the cheap tops I've seen.

Our local charity shops haven't had anything in that I've liked so I'll be shopping at ebay. I'll also have to go shopping in May as my lovely step daughter has asked me to read a lesson at her marriage....

So, lovely newbies, Have faith. I started in mid December wearing size 26 and size 28 trousers.....so have shrunk 6 sizes in less than 4 months. My exercise has been limited to dogwalking with occassional zumba and yoga sessions. I had repeatedly failed at other ways of shedding the weight and felt it was impossible.

I started this cos I met two lovely people who had great success - shedding 7st and 5st. It took me a 3 months to decide to start. And even then I was working on faith - they and the clinic said it would work for me. I've also found the help, support and insight of the Alizonners on the Alizonne Forum and you lovely vlcd-ers here essential. THANK YOU!

And it has worked. Sometimes I've been grumpy and sometimes it's required tough decisions. Sometimes I've had an extra sachet so I don't cheat. Sometimes its been fast and other weeks slow. I now know I can do it and I know that the real work starts at goal - as we need different ways of living and eating to maintain our new bodies.

And I also know I am learning lots during this time of weight loss which will support me as I maintain later this year and beyond. I couldn't visualise myself at goal when I started. I can now see myself very clearly. I can see myself riding again - and playing tennis this summer. And that feels good. SO EXCITED!!!!!!

 

[AliGal]

[SORTED by reinstalling my browser _ eeek - I seem to have lost the ability to have a space between paragraphs...makes it very difficult to read.... sorry]

 

[Kira]

Ali that is great news!Ah! What a buZZ you must have got for those jeans to be so loose and sizes down fitting you! I can see that is a better way to measure weight loss than just numbers on a scale because they can vary so much from time of day to how much water our bodies are holding onto and whether TOTM for some. I am so very excited for you!

 

[AliGal]

I didn't measure when I started - meant to but didn't get round to it. Inches lost is fun, but going down through the sizes is even better!

 

[BordersGirl]

I love the visual of the clothes being too tight initially, then fitting better, feeling really good in them, getting loose, and finally needing new ones. I started taking measurements on the day that I started. I measured my waist (can't remember what it was) and then my hips. The realisation that my waist and hips were more or less the same because of my huge distended stomach depressed me greatly and I didn't finish taking me measurements. I can see how far I've come from my how my clothes fit, and I still have a pair of trousers from the start (size 24) and can fit into 1 leg . OK so they were loose trousers but the visual is still powerful. It provides an incentive to me that losing numbers on a tape measure just doesn't do.

So what size will you be in for the wedding? 16?

 

[AliGal]

Wow...you can do that standing in one leg thing? I have put some trews and 2 tops away to do that. Now I think that could be a reality. I have never thought that before. I'll be shopping for the wedding in 5 weeks times. So I'll prob be one side or the other of 15 stone. 16 is a good guess - though I may be 18 on top as I have broad shoulders. I think I'm now into the loose a stone go down a size territory. I may shop earlier and get 18s and 16 in the same outfit - someone suggested that strategy. Then I'll return the one that doesn't fit just before we travel. I have a fabulous hat....so will be asking my lovely step daughter what the hat protocol is. I know the ceremony is being relaxed so will take her guidance. I'll also need a few tops as well as we're making a weekend of it. Wow again, BG. Just seen you've shed 31.31% - fantastically satisfying % and great result. I'm chasing you down!

 

[BordersGirl]

I can just about fit in 1 leg of the trousers. Nearly fell over though . I hope to do that photo when I get to goal so another stone or so to go before I get there . Buying both sizes is a good idea.

 

[Darcy15]

I have just read through your diary, and wanted to say how inspirational it has been.

Thank you for sharing your journey

 

[AliGal]

Thanks, Darcy and BG - love the image of nearly falling over in one leg. I've always wondered about that!

Looked at the 16s in my cupboard this am - amazing that I will wear them within 2 months. Not sure about buying 14s until I am into 16s as the 16s look soooo small to me. My waist and hips are loosing fast - targetted by the ultrasound. Thighs will be next - in a few months. Still amazed that the 22s will be ebayed as soon as I've washed them.

The other thing I've noticed is how cellulite my thighs were and are. I think I never looked in the mirror so only looked down on my thighs in the bath when they don't look dimpled. When I really really looked at my thighs a few months ago, I was very taken aback - deeply dimpled in a very bad way.

And I hadn't noticed. Darcy: You are doing so well at 24.49% lost. I have now officially lost 1lb more than I have to loose for goal. I am getting to really want some chicken - so roll off the next stone and half or so when I'll be re-introducing protein.

I saw the GP yesterday am and have a referral to the breast clinic as I have some nodules that need looking at. I have family history - but being post menopausal, the risks are low. Last time it was nothing. So we'll see.

I then had an extravagant day yesterday - zero chewing gum and some zero cal drinks. Alizonne prefers we have none and if we must, then a couple a week, not a day. I also had a spoonful of legal yogurt (allowed once a week - only second time I've had one since Dec) with sweetner very late at night. Alizonners are told to eat at least 2 hours before bedtime.

I'm a daily weigher and have 1/2 lb increase on the scales overnight and a hand that feels slightly swollen this am , in the way it did when I was 4 stone heavier some mornings. It may be unconnected - as there are fluctuations. As the new weights on here don't allow for 1/2lbs, I'm leaving my weight the same. I guess the excess chemicals just don't agree with me....and that the sweetners make my body think it's got real sugar plus maybe 20 extra calories. I am really suprised at my hand. So zero calorie drinks will have to be off my list of regular things to have at goal.

I am one of those people who has drunk low cal drinks all the way my weight went up. There is research that people who drink lots of diet coke get fatter than those who occasionally have a regular coke. My DH won't have things with sweetners - so I will be joining him - using stevia and those fruit sugars which are sweeter so less cals from same sweetness. I can't wait for the stevia sweetned soft drinks already sold in the US are on sale here.

I also am interested in the space in my wardrobe. I had so many clothes - most of which I could wear. Very few garments that were too tight. I have a cupboard - which I share with DH and a free standing wardrobe. I decided yesterday that I will keep my clothes in the cupboard and empty the free standing wardrobe., and in due course get that out of the bedroom. We live in a house with eaves so not many walls to stand wardrobes against. I want to keep it to put the suitcases in..... So there's a new set of decisions - so what will I need?

I don't spend much time with clients so will need fewer suits. On the other hand, I'm now dressing smarter at home unless I'm gardening. partly that's cos I'm enjoying wearing clothes I used to keep for smarter occassions - that I know I'll shrink out of them soon. I'm also following FLYLADY and wearing socks and laceup shoes. It does make me feel more business-like than the crocs I was wearing before. I have also noticed my feet are narrower as they lace up tighter. My hand is becoming easier as I type - so off for a late bath and then back to work.

Ali