Jo's success story

[Jo1989]

So.. I've been on here the past 11 days and I have been keeping a blog but I'm here on the diaries section to be more accountable.

I lost 4 stone on the plan in 2012, going from 16st2lbs to 12st 2lbs, a BMI of about 24 for 5ft 10.

Since then I've been on and off the plan, gaining and losing, but not maintaining (though I've never gone about 14st 6lbs again) and I'm here to get to 11st 6lbs which was my original goal that I never quite reached, which is a BMI of 23ish, and stay there.

I'm going to get there in the next 11 weeks, after already doing 11 days and dropping to 13st 9lbs from 14st 6lbs, and after that, I'm going to use this forum to maintain and remain accountable to all of you, as proof this plan works, and maintenance is possible.

Looking forward to it!

 

[Jo1989]

Thought I should add, I started with my waist measuring at 89cm/35ins and hips at 111cm/43.7ins.

I'm now at a waist of 85.5cm / 33.6ins and hips of 109cm / 42.9ins.

 

[Jo1989]

So, end of day 11 and feeling really good. Decided to keep my diary here as well as in the blog section as I know others are more likely to read it here and that makes any failure on my part much more public!

Been 100% for the 11 days so far, and drinking 5-6 litres of water a day. I know that extra water over 3 litres doesn't necessarily help with weight loss but it's what I feel my body needs, and it keeps me full during the day. Had no hunger pangs today and was able to spread my packs further apart which was a much better feeling than counting down to the next one.

Also went on a long drive around the countryside with my bf which would normally trigger a binge for me. Binge would normally made up of crisps and takeaways - defo my weakness!

I actually do really well on being 100% on this plan, its when I'm off plan I go totally out of control, and hopefully over the next weeks I'll really think about what causes my binge eating and tackle it on maintenance.

Still proud to be here though, and have broken my binge pattern!

 

[bettiesrevenge]

Hey Jo - I found you!


11 days soon pass dont they? You have relatively little to lose this time, so a few weeks and you will be there... The hardest part is likely to be the steps. I know from experience the steps are the most important part of the diet.

I am sitting watching epic with my DD and having a bit of an emotional blub...must be the chocolate withdrawal.

 

[Jo1989]

Yes it does go so quickly, and every day I achieve I'm in a better place than I was the day before.

Maintenance is definitely my challenge but I realise that this time, and I'm committed to that maintenance.

Its such a great thing to let yourself cry or scream or whatever else, because that's what we don't allow ourselves when we smother our feelings with food, whether those feelings are sadness, anger or boredom.

My eating doesn't seem to be directly linked to sadness or boredom, but instead is a control thing. I'm totally in control in all other areas of my life, and I do have a great life I'm happy with BUT while I'm totally out of control with my eating I don't have to worry I'll lose control of everything else and it'd all collapse cause although its all great, hey, I'm still fat! It doesn't seem right to have absolutely no complaints about my life, it feels uncomfortable, and being overweight keeps that discomfort in check.

 

[Jo1989]

So, end of day 12 and 100% again. Felt a bit grumpy and restless today, but wasn't tempted to eat. Glad to be going back to work actually! Also, scales didn't move from yesterday to today, which made me feel grumpier, showing obsessive scale checking is so silly!

Not looking forward to this week, as I'm taking my pill break, and know from experience I'll bloat and it'll skew my loss and feel horrible Still, I'm going to keep doing measurements of my waist and hips so I keep track of how I'm doing without the bloat skewing it.

I'm now mentally splitting the rest of the plan into three steps - 13 more days until I'm expecting to be 182lbs ish, a further 28 days to 168lbs and the last 28days to 154lbs! That way, I never have more than 28 days in front of me, and I won't feel overwhelmed.

Hope office treats don't tempt me this week!

 

[bettiesrevenge]

Good plan!!!!

I'm doing a day at a time...I can't even get to 7. But last time I was successful I know that beyond the first two weeks it was easy. It was alarmingly normal. Then I got to a good weight and that's where my sneaky eating crept back in.

 

[Jo1989]

You're right, after the first two weeks, it is easy, so don't think of yourself as on the plan for however many weeks, just aim to get to 2 weeks, one day at a time.

I started binge eating when I got to a healthy weight too. But now we know our shortfalls, we can tackle them, as we know following the same path won't work.

 

[Jo1989]

Ok, so super quick comment to make.. Been aware all day my weight is higher than it normally would be during the day - normally up to 7/8 lbs higher than morning weight, today was 10lbs and thought about what id done differently. Took some ibuprofen this morning as I had a headache coming on.. Googled it and apparently it can cause up to 4/5 lbs water retention! Won't be taking that again! Just thought I'd share in case anyone else is baffled by apparent weight gain but also has taken it.

 

[bettiesrevenge]

Wow that's unreal!!!! I pop a lot of ibuprofen!!!! I get migraine and ibuprofen and lysine usually head them off.

It's amazing how much weight fluctuates. Could also be the fact that it's a smidgen warmer. So your body is preparing for what it perceives is a Gobi desert thirst-a-thon.

Back to work today!!! Yippee!!!!!

 

[Jo1989]

I know and its so irrational worrying about the fluctuations cause if you're 100% your body has no choice but to lose weight even if the water retention comes and goes, but yet, it still stresses me out! So silly.

 

[Jo1989]

Ok, today is harder than I thought it would be. Not going to give in but feeling really restless and fidgety. Not hungry or craving just uneasy. Think part of it is waiting for my colleague who was off all last week but that I normally go to lunch with to ask to go to lunch and having to tell her that I can't eat, as I'm worried she'll be irritated! Once that's done I think I'll be OK. In the meantime, feeling very strange.

 

[bettiesrevenge]

How did it go today Jo?

 

[Jo1989]

It was OK. Felt really restless and fidgety and irritated all morning, but shook it off, and stuck 100% again - day 13 almost down! I know every day I get through leads me to any easier day.

The annoying thing about my office is that people bring in loads of cakes/biscuits/chocolate for their birthdays, and in an office of 100 people, thats a lot of cake/biscuits/chocolate! BUT a bite of cake is totally pointless, I don't need it, don't want it, and it would never be worth it.

 

[bettiesrevenge]

Awesome attitude Jo.

I witnessed a very skinny man today eat a whole Swiss roll. A WHOLE Swiss roll. There is nothing of him.

Office food porn is the worst. I hate it when people bring in their perfect just baked cup cakes. My all time fave!!! Arah!

 

[Jo1989]

Day 13 down! Office full of cakes and I was quite grumpy and restless this morning which would normally lead me to eat but I just tried to block it all out, and I guess that worked!

Really strange though that my reaction to feeling restless and uneasy is to eat, as how on earth does that help?!

Something really struck a chord with me tonight - bf said we'd been invited to a christening on May 25th, and my reaction wasn't 'I can't go because I'll feel fat and have nothing to wear', it was to think 'I'll be at a BMI of 25 by then, need to get a dress'! And May 25th is only 5 weeks away - in 5 weeks I'll be back to a healthy weight.

And that feels really good. I'm doing the right thing here, and I'm doing it so my weight is never my first thought again - the first thought in response to dinner invites, family gatherings (where people last saw me smaller), work events, parties, even big meetings at work. I want to own my weight and not have it own me.

Feeling very positive tonight.

 

[Jo1989]

Two weeks done! Woo hoo. So happy to be here. Started to feel really positive and excited about the rest of the plan this afternoon, I guess because I know after completing the second week, everything is so much easier and feels great!

I also must be desperate to test myself, because it was my turn to restock our charity office tuck shop and in the corner of my living room, I've got 23 multipacks of chocolate and 3 multipacks of crisps!! Thats 18 bags of crisps, including my favourite salt and vinegar crisps, and 110 chocolate bars!!! And yet, I have absolutely no desire to have any of it. Not even a sniff! So pleased.

I've come through all the worse and I'm a happy happy girly.

 

[bettiesrevenge]

So how much have you lost in 2 weeks?!

 

[Jo1989]

Been weighing at funny times as wanted my weigh in to be a Monday but 8lbs in the first four days (I was SO bloated from a week worth of binge!), 4lbs in the following week and 2 lbs since so 14lbs! Pleased with that

how you getting on?

 

[Jo1989]

Done day 15 and not a great deal to say. Today was easy and enjoyable, as I knew it would be. For anyone reading this and considering Cambridge, it is hard the first couple of weeks, physically in the first and emotionally in the second, but after week 2 its plain sailing and becomes just normal life. And isn't the two weeks of difficulty worth such amazing results?

A sixth of my 12 week goal is now done!