:sign0144:Another newbie here. Hello.
I started my SW journey in October last year, after years of being overweight. I was another person who was chubby as a child ("it's puppy fat, you will grow out of it", I was told). But I didn't. I remember being 11 stone something when I was about 16. When I got married at 24, i was 12 stone. I tried SW for a few months after I got married and lost about a stone, but then it was Christmas and I didn't go back after that.
Two years later when I first got pregnant, I was 13 stone 3. I put on 3 stone in that pregnancy. The baby, my son, weighed 9lb 2oz when he was born. I have had 2 daughters as well since then, but cant remember my weight when I had them. My youngest daughter is now 9 and my weight crept up gradually to the 19 stone I was in October 2011.
I had my 'lightbulb' moment, when I stepped on the scales one evening, the week of my 40th birthday and it said 19.0 stone. That was it. I had been hovering on the 18s for so long, which was bad enough, but I did not want to be in the 19s. So when I woke up the next morning I weighed myself and wrote it down. Every Sunday since then I have done the same thing. My start weight was 18stone 12. I haven't been going to class, mainly because I don't want to spend the money at the moment, but I am very focused, so it is working. I have used my old books, which I know are very old and out of date, but I figured if they were OK to use then, it cant be too different now. I found this site and have picked up lots of tips on what is now free and what are healthy extras, so I think I am doing OK. I am now at 16stone 6, so nearly back down to my 9months pregnant weight with my first child.
I have had a lot of inspiration from two friends, husband and wife, who have done SW. They have lost a load of weight and she is now a SW consultant. Another friend of ours is a consultant too, my local one in fact, which is another reason why I don't want to go to class (I don't want anyone I know, to know how much I weigh!) There also seem to be quite a few celebrities that have lost weight too, Dawn French, Ruth Jones and Nigella Lawson, to name a few who have done it the old fashioned way and Pauline Quirke and Fern Britton who have had help. But they all look great.
So, I have had plenty of inspiration for the last few months and even Christmas didn't stop me this time. I stayed the same that week, which I was happy with and have managed to consistently lose every week apart from Christmas. I have been looking at this site most days too although haven't posted before. The people on here are so friendly, encouraging and helpful, it is great.
I have awarded myself a 2 stone sticker
and would like to lose about another 6 stone this year. I will try and post a bit more often now and contribute to various threads. I hope I haven't waffled too much, but I hope that seeing my own story in writing will spur me on.