Julie's journey to lose her jelly belly on SS

[LizDesigns]

Morning Julie,

How did last night go? I woke up feeling great again after my little wobble yesterday.
Although i'm having a fat day today, but i'm just trying to think that soon those days will soon be distant memories.

 

[JulesK81]

Hi hun, absolutely fine thanks I do not seem to crave food at all, which is crazy. I miss eating, but I don't want the food. So that is awesome!

Try not to dwell on these fat days - I know exactly how you feel (and I have a habit of looking at 'slim' pictures which make me worse, BUT we are now doing something about it!

Honestly, this diet is AMAZING - I have shed 8lbs in just three days! So yeah, I am still a lump now, but I won't be for much longer. I am trying to focus on that rather than the bad, although I am so angry I didn't start this diet months ago!

Just think how much more weight you can lose before your weigh in on Thursday and how fabulous you will feel.

Have you got any 'rewards' in mind? I am thinking for me:

One stone - eyebrow wax and tint
Two stone - small tattoo on my hand (always wanted one!)
Three stone - a cheapish beauty treatment (probably a basic facial)

Not got any further yet, but I find this keeps me going as well. It is important to have rewards and I will try and set a little money aside so I can afford them (although I know hubby will help anyway!).

So yeah, I am into day four, very positive, although I have two sick kiddies and no one to help. My parents are both full of colds and my in-laws are looking after their other two grandkids that are ill!!! So a fun weekend in store methinks...

 

[JulesK81]

OK, so today is a bit of a struggle. I was meant to be at a kid's party but instead I am stuck at home with poorly children - not sure which is worse! Kayla just wants to eat junk and I had to endure making a choc chunk brownie with her... how I resisted the mix I don't know, but now I have to resist the sodding cake, which is so gooey and yummy!!

I am not hungry at all, but I just want to eat. I miss the taste of food and I miss chewing it. My little girl keeps trying to ram things in my mouth which isn't helping at all!!!

I am now tucking into a banana shake for lunch and this one is so yummy, definitely one of my faves. It seems I prefer the cold shakes to the hot soups - I find their flavours too synthetic and just not appealing in the slightest. So next week is just pure cold shakes for me, although I may try some of them warm.

And then the week after, the bars, which I am already looking forward to. But do they slow weightloss?

So yeah, struggling a little and wish I wasn't in this position. I am angry I couldn't keep the weight off during both pregnancies, but then I was bedridden in hospital for part of the second. I look back at pictures and cannot believe how slim I was - despite thinking I was still fat! OK, I wasn't thrilled with my naked body, but clothed, I was pretty darn hot!

Am hoping to be that away again by April/May time... in time for summer. Amazing. We shall see!

 

[LizDesigns]

Hope you're still going strong.
I've always found weekends to be the hardest, I just seem to have too much time on my hands and automatically my mind turns to food.
How are your wee ones doing? There's nothing worse when they're not well. My wee one's just recovered from chicken pox, although it turned out not to be as bad as i'd thought it was going to be.
Keep strong.

 

[JulesK81]

Hi!
Wee ones are OK, my little girl has a stinker of a cold but is generally in good spirits - we are doing the decorations today, although her thumping me in the back is making me want to cancel it!!!! The boy is much better so must've been a 24-hour thing, thank goodness. Although I give it another day before he has his sister's cold.

OK, so diet-talk - I am doing fab! Full of beans and so pleased I got through yesterday. It was a bit tough and I wanted food, but not through hunger, through comfort. I weighed myself this morning and another lb has dropped, so that is around 9lb since Wednesday. Yay! My belly has really flattened out (well the bloat has gone, it is still fat!). I can now feel how lumpy I am where I had my c-section last year though, so kinda dreading how that will look when I lose weight. But a very small price to pay for my son and losing weight!

I am now tucking into my strawberry shake and then I shall be getting busy with the decs. I also want to get some housework done today so it is all lovely and sparkley for hubby tomorrow. Although some of it may need to wait until the kids are in bed cos it is impossible to get it all done with them wrecking it again as I go!

Stay strong everyone - this is the BEST thing I have done since having children, seriously, they are the two best things, then meeting my hubby and now this - it rocks!

I will make a list of my goals later because I must have a list here to tick through cos it will make a huge difference. I really do have a million of them but I will keep it to the most important. I have achieved my first, which is get under the 16 stones! Yay! But when the kids are occupied later or in bed, I shall sit down and have a think. I have a size 10 bikini in my wardrobe that I wore in Dubai three years ago - it is TINY! I cannot believe I used to fit in that... even more so because eight years prior to that I was a size 24 and bigger than I am now.

I may post some pictures up as well of what I was like before regaining this weight - proper inspiration there!

 

[leeds123]

how much do you want to lose?

love your post, its so uplifting. cant wait for you to get to goal.

 

[Lily]

Hi Julie

Yeah, Cambridge is the best diet ever. I wish I'd done it sooner instead of messing about with WW and SW and all the rest of those diets and then I might not have been huge for practically all of my 30s, but hey...

I was almost 18 stone when I started Cambridge the first time and lost five and a half stone in six months. Didn't know myself LOL. I remember seeing myself in a CCTV camera at the front of a Brantanos and looking around to see where the other woman was - then realising it was me.

But the trick is to stay on this diet as long as you can. The first time you do it really is the golden time. If you're going to come off it - plan it in fine detail - cos climbing back aboard the Cambridge wagon is tricky, to say the least. But it can be done - and I'm going to get all the way to goal this time. Might be a few hiccups along the way - but I'm definitely going to get there.

Well done on your brilliant start and for being so incredibly positive. I've got a feeling you're going to do really well! Looking forward to hearing about a lot less of you in the weeks and months to come!

 

[Felix]

Hi Julie! Just had a read through your posts from the last couple of days and you are doing brilliantly!! You sound so positive, I know yours will be a success story.
I know what you mean about being slimmer in the past and thinking at the time you were fat. I used to be a size 14 (not as slim as you being a 10!) and at the time I thought I was gross but now I would kill to be a 14. It's strange.
Hope you are keeping well and the kids aren't too ill. You have done so well resisting the temptations of food and it will be worth it on your first weigh in

 

[JulesK81]

Thanks guys - I have six stone to lose, which will take me down to 10 stone 6 - obviously starting weight was 16 stone 6 (well, just under it). Today I weigh 15 stone 11 I will update my sig to keep an eye on progress though!

I do want to stay on this diet as long as I can, working my way up through the steps. I've got a fairly good idea of how to maintain it cos obviously I maintained my loss before within about 9lb - it was the kids that wrecked it all!

This had made me realise I don't need a tonne of carbs so when I eventually come off this, I will definitely cut down on those a bit.

I want to stay SS for the 12 weeks if possible, obviously letting up to have some protein and veg over Xmas. Oh joy. I want my roast potatoes!!! I may move up to SS+ in the new year, but I will see how I go on this. I want maximum results for the first few weeks to keep me motivated!

I really hope I do help and inspire others - I know reading other diaries keeps me going cos I know I'm not alone. Who am I kidding, this diet is hard and it does suck, but mentally - not physically. I feel more alive than I have done in ages, it sucks cos I want to have a slab of cheese on white bread and I can't. But it is all want, not need. They key is I wanna be slim more. Being slim feels so much better than food tastes!

The tree is up and we have a few decs, but I need to get some more. My dear hubby gave a lot of ours to his brother for his pub. Geee, thanks husband!

The kids have had lunch and in an hour or so I'll have my shake - probably a choc velvet carton as got to use them up. Not a huge fan so may have it in two small sittings!

 

[JulesK81]

Felix, just seen your reply - thanks

I was a 10, but my bottom half was bigger. I am blessed (or cursed!) with hips and a bum, so only ever squeezed into a 12 on the bottom! I am a short arse so I was no means skinny, just curvy and healthy. I miss that.

God I would kill to be a 14 now - I am currently wearing 16-18 tops and 18-20 bottoms depending on where from and their cut. I hope by Christmas to have dropped a size (at least) but we'll see!

What is your goal weight? I see you you have lost 13lb in 3 weeks This diet is fab!

 

[Felix]

I don't have an ultimate goal weight yet but my first goal is 11st then I'll decide when I get there. I agree the diet is fab! It's the best thing I've ever done, I wish I had done it sooner

 

[boleyna]

Jules, your posts are such an inspiration. I am starting Exante on tuesday and almost want to start it right now after reading your posts! Keep up the good work and thank you for posting xx

 

[JulesK81]

Boleyna, thank you so much, that is lovely!

Honestly, bring on Tuesday - you will be fab and you can do this. I never thought in a million years I could do this. I am the woman that eats secret so not to ashame others, I am the woman that can eat chocolate until it comes out of her ears, I am the woman that can pick all throughout the day and still be hungry for dinner, I am the woman that always ate her kids leftovers!

NOW, I am the woman in control again and losing weight - I know which one I'd rather be and I know which is making me happier! No feelings of guilt, no feelings of fullness, just energy and happiness. (And wanting to eat, but we can't have it all!).

The first few days might be hard, but by Friday you will be feeling fab and the scales will show it. Best of luck - keep posting so we know how you are getting on! And if you need any support, I am more than happy to PM you my contact details (that goes for anyone!). x

 

[boleyna]

Thanks Jules, I will need all the support I can get lol. But I CAN do this and I WILL do this. I will keep it in mind that when I'm not feeling great, it's a sign it is working and that I'm going into ketosis and every time I don't give in to the urge to eat, I'm beating this compulsive eating/food addiction thing x

 

[JulesK81]

Oh you so right - that is what I did to get through ketosis - kept telling myself that every time I felt yukky, it was working!

One tip is to drink loads of water and the second you feel even a slight twinge of a headache, take a couple of ibuprofen. It worked a treat for me and I never really suffered.

So, back to my diary... I have just finished my last sjake of the day. My poorly girl is in bed sound asleep and little champion is currently cuddling me - although he should also be in bed!

Today has been quite easy - I had an hour of boredom this afternoon and I wanted to eat, but resisted. Put the tree up, bathed both kids, played lots, housework... all takes up the time!

Hubby is home tomorrow, he will just be taking off from South Africa now. Can't wait to see him And I am so pleased he is supporting me. I knew he would, but his reaction was more than I expected. Said he is proud of me, yay!

Had a bit of a runny tummy today, but that is fine by me as it's better than getting clogged up!

Another day closer to weigh-in, what is taking it so long!?

 

[JulesK81]

For my inspiration, this was me on my wedding day in February 2008 - and FOUR months pregnant.

I will probably add some more pictures of me just before I started my CD journey and others of me slim - it helps me!

I also hope it will inspire others because I maintained my weight loss for so long that it can be done - the kiddies just got the better of my body

 

[JulesK81]

My beautiful dress that I will get back into so I can renew my vows... size 10 (ish!)

And one of me with hubby and my daddy.

Lastly, what I am now... yuk. This was taken two weeks ago and I never want to be this again!!

 

[LizDesigns]

That's a great idea to help you stay focussed and motivated.
It's amazing how quickly the weight can creep back on without you noticing. Once i've lost it this time i'm definately going to keep a close eye on it.
From the sound of things you're a very determined lady and I know that you will lose this weight in no time.
Keep up the excellent work.

 

[JulesK81]

Yeah, it does creep on so easily - and if you don't keep an eye on it, it is amazing how quickly a size 12 becomes a size 20! Thing is, mine never really crept on - I piled it on with my little girl's pregnancy and then just as I started losing it all, I fell pregnant with Noah. And then cue being bedridden, it piled on again! I've never really lost it, although the times I have, due to hard times with little man, I ended up eating for comfort and just putting it on again. At least now that cycle is broken.

How are you getting on? Only a couple of days to go until weigh in!

It's lovely to have Alex home He is very proud of me for what I am doing and is amazed I have coped without food! I made him a homemade pizze for his lunch with Kayla so he could grab an hour's shut eye - jeez how much did I want to eat the grated cheese, especially when it goes all sloshy with the tomato bits and raw onion. Yummy!! But I resisted

My CDC is letting me taste a sample of the choc mint bar on Wednesday Literally like a cm's worth! She gets her proper stock next week, but they sent her a few to test. She says they are like cripsy after eight mints... OH MY GOD! I have got to have it!!!

Just want to get to weigh in so I have some more focus - I know it is coming off, but I want week one written down on my chart and I want my measurements doing. I know I can do this cos I am and I don't miss eating, BUT I have a sense of wanting it all NOW and being impatient. I don't want to have to not eat food to lose weight, I hate it, but I know it is working and that gives me faith. And now my hubby is home I have extra support all the time (and extra temptation!).

 

[JulesK81]

So, the husband is home and we are back in our routine (ish) and I found yesterday much harder than any other day! It was fine, but I so did the right thing in starting while he was away.

I had a choccy tetra for my dinner and he could not believe how tiny it was and the fact that was my entire meal. He is so proud of me and that makes me feel fab

So, another good day today! Feel a little bit lightheaded so far, but holding out until 9.30 for my shake.

I've actually resisted and not weighed today. I don't want to get into the habit of weighing all the time, I don't want to become so obsessed with this that it takes over cos it just isn't a healthy approach (in my opinion). Of course, the diet itself is ALWAYS on my mind, but numbers on a scale shouldn't become the main issue - how we feel and look is much more important than numbers! But it is those numbers that give us those feelings, so a catch 22...

Today is a day at home while the kiddies just get over the last bit of their bugs and then tomorrow Kay is off to preschool and little man off to Nanny's, so I'll have 3 hours in the morning to get weighed, get a bit of shopping done and put more Xmas decs up. Then of to my mum-in-law's to pick up little man, so will stay over there for a bit. Aarrrgghhhh, toooooooo much nice food in her house! She is a shopaholic and always buys nice things.

Very excited about my weigh in tomorrow, 24 hours and 15 minutes to go!!! Just hope the loss on her scales reflects the loss on mine