Lynn's Diary - My Big Fat Weight Loss Journey

[Lynn_]

My weight has a mind of its own lol, its been very strange this week, but just goes to show how fickle it can be.
Last Friday i weighed 12.9.5
sat 12.9.5
sun 12.9.5
mon 12.9.5
tues 12.10.25!!
wed 12.9.5
thurs 12.8.5
today 12.9.5!!!

So, looks as though i have hit a plateau, i guess it was long overdue. Im not worried though, i cant do anymore than im doing on 600 cals a day lol. Still enjoying the exante, and i had a great loss last week overall. I might still claw that lb back by tommorow morning, but quite frankly it can

Today was bloody awful, left the house early to drive to Weston Super Mare, hit the M4 to find it had been closed at j14 due to major pileup. Decided to cut my losses and head back to Newbury then get on the A303, long way round but at least the traffic should be moving. Finally got to Weston at 11.20am only to find that the client had cancelled yesterday and no one had told me! Drove back up the motorway to Bristol, but signs stated M4 still closed. To get home would have meant a major detour, so i stopped off at Cribbs Causeway at Bristol and went window shopping at the Mall for an hour to let the traffic sort itself out. Actually was a good move as i remembered that today was birthdays for one of the grandchildren and also my Daughter in law Liz.

 

[Lynn_]

Ive been thinking a lot about my goal weight recently. Im aiming for 11.5, but was considering that my goal should really be lower, maybe 10.7. However something happened this evening that has changed my mind. We went to Thatcham for a drink to catch up with son and his wife Liz whose birthday it is today. When Liz saw me she was standing with a very slim friend of hers, Sara. The conversation got round to my weight loss, and they both said i didnt need to lose anymore (annoying, but its what people say lol). Anyway i pointed at Sara and said to her, you can talk, i bet you dont weigh more than 8 and half stone. She replied, you are joking! I weigh 11 stone.

I was really shocked, she was so slim and about my height, it was hard to beleive she weighed that much. So maybe i have got my target right after all, I guess ill find out when i get there.

I had a look at the Dukan diet site yesterday, you have to fill in a small questionare and it tells you what your true weight should be. Mine came out at 12.1 which i thought was rubbish, as thats still over the 25 bmi for me. But maybe its not so far out after all.

 

[Lynn_]

12.9.5 this morning so a total loss this week of 0lb!

Its MY plateau and im proud of it.

And that spurious lb can indeed

 

[slim104]

Well done you for being so honest LOL. As everyone said to me on my last STS, at least you haven't put on weight.
Oh yeah Lynn, I tried that quark with tuna. OMG. its disgusting!! It leaves a really claggy feeling on the roof of your mouth. I mixed a pot of it with a tin of tuna, some salt and pepper and some lemon juice. Nah, not buying that again. Unless you have some other recipe for me.
Made beef and onion casserole tonight. Left it in the oven for 2 and a half hours. The beef just melted in my mouth. Mmmm.
Hope you had a good day. I have only just stopped today. It has felt really good to be busy all day and not hungry.

 

[megli]

Amazing weightloss, Lynn. Well done you! Oddly, as you pointed out somewhere, we've been on the same journey---I was a similar weight when I started and am now 14.12, also eating a very low calorie diet. But I'm HUNGRY tonight!!

I loved the bit about the cardigan by the way....I bought a really nice silvery shirt before I started losing, to 'slim into it' (ahem). I tried it on and couldn't do it up over my ample paunch. Eight weeks and nearly three stone later, I find the damn thing in the wardrobe....and it's TOO BLOODY BIG!! Off to Oxfam...sigh!

 

[Healthy2010]

Lynn,

Just caught up with your diary, and its shame that you havent lost this week, however like others have said at least your weight hasnt increased and youll get through the plateau. Before I went on holiday, I had some of my best weeks for food and exercise and having so much to lose I should have lost loads, however two weeks in a row I lost only a pound. Then the following week 4 lbs and I havent looked back. So i'm certain youll push through this, and you seem to have taken it in your stride and with your own special style of positive reflection. Its so amazing to have such a great attitute and approach to your weight loss, I hope to get there at some point.

I think its really interesting the conversation you had with your daughter in law and her friend re your weight, it really does highlight how the head takes so much longer to catch up with the bodys weight loss. I bet you dont realise just how slim you are. Its also very hard to judge the right target weight as everyone is different. Its made me think about mine too, as one of my closest friends is the same height and weighs 10.5 stone, size 8 - 10, she runs marathons, is super fit, has a fantastic figure, and my goal weight is not much more than that. So I actually think its probably a little unrealistic for me, as I don't care about being that small, I just want to be healthy and trim. Mind you Ive got such a long way to go, its probably too soon to be thinking about that. Whereas you Lynn, are right on the cusp of your target!!!! Wow that is amazing..

I was thinking it might be a good idea to have someone film you, if you have a camcorder, maybe film you with other people and that way you can visualise properly how you look at the moment and in comparison to other people. Its sounds like, you may already be where you are striving to get to, if that makes any sense.. Even if youre not, it might be a good way of really seeing how fantastic your new figure is and may give you an idea of what your goal should be..

Just an idea.

Have a lovely weekend, hoping your plateau doesnt last much longer xxxx

 

[Lynn_]

I was thinking it might be a good idea to have someone film you, if you have a camcorder, maybe film you with other people and that way you can visualise properly how you look at the moment and in comparison to other people. Its sounds like, you may already be where you are striving to get to, if that makes any sense..

Healthy, that is an absolutely brilliant idea! Ive just talked to my hubby about it. My weight is STILL 12.9.5 this morning and its bloody frustrating. We went to see Dicky yesterday, I always cook a nice meal for him when we go, and i made roast chicken and all the trimmings for him and hubby, and i didnt even so much as lick a spoon, I had my 3 exante meals , the third one of which i only had half as it was VILE! tomato & basil soup, and still my weight hasnt moved. 10 days now, and no movement. My sensible head knows whats going on, its a plateau and it will move. As far as hubby is concerned ive lost weight and im slim, but the fact is im still just over 12 and half stone.

I dont trust mirrors anymore, I look in them all the time and im convinced that every mirror is distorted. If he would video me with other people then i can assess how i really look now. Even if i dont like what i see it will help me work out where i need to go from here, and if i do like it then all well and good.

Ive come this far, im not going back, ever. I just wish it was christmas already, and be at goal, whatever that is.

 

[slim104]

Thats interesting what you say about filming you next to other people. When i lived in Finland, during the summer we used to go out to my friends summer cabin every weekend. We spent hours in the sauna, swimming, bbqing and drinking of course. I felt totally ok. But then i saw a few photos of myself next to my friends and i couldn't believe the difference in size between me and them. I was really shocked. I looked twice the size of my best friend, literally. I said about it to him but he said, so?
Friends often don't even think about things like that do they? Its only as a fat person that we worry.
But by the sound of it, maybe we will one of those people that are not the biggest in the group. But we will have the advantage of knowing the struggle that a person trying to lose weight is going through.
Have a good week anyway Lynn.x

 

[Lynn_]

Weight finally moved down 1 and half lb to 12.8 today, i just hope it stays there and does not reappear tommorow!

Bullion has been mentioned a few times recently on the boards so i decided to give it a go today. I bought the Marigold tub of vegetable bullion in tesco. I finely chopped 1 shitake mushroom and put it in a microwave bowl with a splash of boiling water and nuked it for 1 minute, made up a mug of bullion with hot water and 1 teasppon of the powder, added the mushroom and a couple splashes of worcestershire sauce. It was hot savoury spicy and delicious! and virtually 15 calories.

Work do on Friday with lunch involved, probably sandwiches and stuff. Dont know whether to be sociable and join in or take an exante bar, and there is another lunch work do the following week too. If my weight doesnt move a bit more i might forgo the work lunches, but they happen so rarely, this is the first in many months and then we get 2 together.

 

[Lynn_]

NOOOO!!! My weight is up again to 12.9.5. Im losing my sense of humour over this.

 

[slim104]

Dont weigh yourself every day Lynn. The highs and lows are too much to cope with for me. I'd rather leave it for the week and have one emotion to deal with.
Hope you have happier results again soon. It gives you a real boost when its good news. Bad news always makes me think 'is it worth it'? But you and i know it is worth it. Keep it up babe. x

 

[Healthy2010]

Lynn,

Its definiteley the plateau, your metabolism is just fighting against your will power and conserving everything you eat. It will pass hun, don't lose faith, and when it passes youll probably see a significant loss.

Are you doing exante three times per day or two and a meal ?

Youve come such a long way, youre slim now so it will definitley be harder to lose more weight and each pound will be a big achivement. Just keep looking in the mirror at your new figure, and as irritating as it is when youre being so good, your persistance will beat the plateau.

xx

 

[Lynn_]

Not weighing everyday is like not breathing lol, just couldnt do it.

Ive been thinking about this today, 14 days on Exante, 12 days with no weight loss. I dont mind if i dont see the scales moving down, but nearly 2 weeks now, its getting beyond a joke. However, one thing has improved big time since ive been on Exante, my blood sugars have seen a big drop to around 4.6. In fact this is verging on a hypo.

It kind of proves everything ive read and researched on the effects of insulin on weight, and ive suspected before that when my sugars drop too low my weight loss slows up. Its well known that some type 1 diabetics have been known to miss out their insulin in order to lose weight, a pretty dangerous thing to do if you are type 1.

So, caught between a rock and a hard place. I have a couple of choices. I could halve my meds in order to raise my blood sugars a bit, and they do need to come up. 4.6 is too low. Or i could call it quits on the exante and go back to what i was doing before, when my bloods where coming in at around 6 to 7.

What it proves is that a very low carb diet is very good at controlling blood sugars, something that has had a lot of research recently. And many type 2 diabetics on vlcd meal replacements have reported coming off their meds as they no longer need them. Im reluctant to do this though without talking it through with my doctor. Also, its not sustainable, you cant stay on VLCD's for the rest of your life, so at some point you have to go back on the meds.

Low blood sugars make it difficult to lose weight, as ive seen over the past 2 weeks. Its a problem for all diabetics and the reason why diabetics generally find it hard to lose weight.

My problem really, is that im very lazy when it comes to food. I like instant food, whether its macdonalds, take away chinese or Exante. Its easy and requires no thinking about, no shopping and little effort. So i have been to Tesco on my way home this evening, and ive stocked up on all the sorts of things i was having before Exante. Fruit, veg, low fat yoghurt and a small loaf of wholemeal bread. Today will be my last full day on Exante, and tomorrow I will be back to having small meals. I probably wont knock the exante entirely on the head, maybe ill have one a day. I really do love having the shakes for breakfast, its so simple and so filling although the biggest benefit to me was having the exante shake or soup in the evening as it wasnt making me feel sick with the byetta.

Maybe im wrong, and going back wont make any difference. Im sure the next few days will tell though.

 

[Hope123]

hey Lynn...Wow, you have a situation on your hands...you are a very smart women and I know you will do whats best for your body but maybe...just maybe trying to put more effort into your food will have more benefits than disadvantages and you never know you might find yourself enjoying cooking and all that about food....

But because it's a long term thing then just think about what works best for you and your body....Good luck and stay strong...

 

[Lynn_]

Sigh......... still 12.9.5 You would think i could shift the pesky half lb if nothing else.

Was home today as car was in for a service, got a call from them to say it needs a new engine! I thought to myself, yeah i know the feeling. Anyway, its only just over 2 years old, but ive clocked up about 85k in it, but even so...... a new engine??? Its a company car so not my problem, but sounds as if Toyota are taking the responsiblity for it, the guy also sounded apologetic that they hadnt picked up the problem at the previous service. It actually runs prefectly well, ive had no problems with it. Anyway, its between them and the fleet co now, but it means my car will be off the road for a couple of weeks, so ill have to get a hire car sorted out. Also means ill have to clear the junk out if it i suppose. Ive got it home tonight until i can get another car sorted, they say it will be safe to drive for tomorrow.

Back onto food today, but havnt eaten much. im not even the slightest bit hungry, which is pretty good i suppose, still got exante floating round my system i guess.
B. philly mini pot, and a fig - 140 cals
L. which was actually about 5pm, a pot of Total 0% yoghurt - 90 cals
D. Ham sandwich with small hovis, and a tangerine - 220 cals

Thats not a lot is it, 450 cals, maybe i should order in indian takeaway to make up the balance haha - only joking

Got all the flights booked for Tenerife for next July, had to get it done so that its set in stone otherwise next year will drag on and hubby and his company will still be dithering about retiring. So far there are 10 of us going, so have rented 2 villas, also our friends are planning on being out there at the same time as well, and daughter has yet to make a decision. There could be as many as 16 of us. Im so looking forward to it, especially as hubby and i will be out there 2 weeks before the rest of them turn up.

Ohhh Apprentice starts tonight!!! now that IS exciting!!

 

[Healthy2010]

Oh Lynn, im sorry this week has been a bit of a struggle with your body not cooperating with what your eating and dropping the pounds!

I think everyone has to find what works for them, and its unfortunate that the exante coincided with your plateau. However, you were doing so well before, I'm sure that will continue.

Tenerife is something wonderful to look forward to and having lots of friends and family there too is great. I always enjoy staying in villas above hotels as there is so much more freedom.

Hope the scales yield tomorrow xxx

 

[Lynn_]

Still 12.9.5.................

A plateau is something that will hit every long term dieter eventually, and even short termers too. Im hoping that seeing what i have gone through with existing on so few calories, from either food or meal replacements and the weight absolutley refusing to move, will help anyone else when it hits them. And it does help me as well, recording it every day. I just wish i knew how long this was going to go on for. 2 weeks so far.

My bloods have started moving up, was 5.2 this morning, probably from having the sandwich last night, but hell that was a mistake. I forgot that carbs and byetta dont mix, so felt very sick after it, didnt even want to talk to hubby when he rang me last night. Im going back to exante in the evenings, but i think i will make a sandwich to take to work with me today for lunch.

I dont care much for holiday hotels either, having a villa or 2 is so much nicer, loads more room and not tied to any meal times. The place we stay at is wonderful too, San andres on the Golf del Sur in Tenerife. And, its much cheaper than booking a hotel. The flights cost £2400 for 10, and the 2 villas, 1 for 4 weeks and 1 for 2 weeks cost £2700, so £5200 for 10 people, with 4 weeks for 2 of us and 2 weeks for the rest is pretty damn cheap too, especially in July at high season. As there are so many of we tend to eat at home, the villas have lovely outside BBQ's in the garden, but there are great cheap restaurants close by too for when we want to go out.

 

[Healthy2010]

Lynn,

Your showing such strength through this, so many would have just thrown in the towel especially being so close to the target. It does help for you to write about it, as like you say we will all go through it at some point and sometimes more than once!!

I had two weeks before I went on holiday where I lost 1lb each week and I was eating really well and exercising lots, and there was no reason. Had i been at your weight at the time Im sure that would have been no loss.. But then despite eating out on holiday I lost 4lbs the following week, so it shows eventually your body will give in and start burning fat.

Youve got at a really good deal for your holiday, so exciting to have everything booked and be able to look forward to it.

Are you doing anything nice this weekend ?

Hope you have a good day tomorrow and the scales budge xx

 

[Lynn_]

If my new swimsuit turns up then it will be a day at Nirvana on Sunday. I ordered a miraclesuit, ive given up on ever losing weight, im now turning to optical illusions lol. That reminds me, i still havnt taken the transparent bikini back yet.

Hubby wont be home till Saturday afternoon this week. So im missing him. Did think about going to the cinema tonight, i even drove to Basingstoke, then lost interest in the idea and came home again. I hate it when he is away at the best of times, but when he is away for extra days it gets me down. In the fat days I would have ordered indian takeaway to cheer myself up, instead i got excited about having a banana flavour exante - woohoo! Typical, i decide to stop having it then i start craving it. Maybe its addicitive and thats the reason why people lose so much on it, everyone it seems except me.

Food today
B. Mini phily pot and a fig (still trying to use them up) - 110 cals
L. Ham salad sandwich and a tangerine - 220 cals
D Exante shake - 200 cals

530 calories, blimey almost a binge.

I ordered some ketostix last week and they turned up today. As ive eaten bread and fruit i didnt expect to be in ketosis, but the stick turned bright pink. So, not only am i eating so little, im also in 'fat burning' ketosis mode and STILL not losing any damn bloody stupid weight. bloody bloody bloody hell. grrrrrrr

 

[Lynn_]

2nd WI day with 0lb lost. Yep, still 12.9.5. Why does it HAVE to be on that half lb, i think thats driving me nuts more than anything, why not a nice round 12.9 or even a nice round 12.10.

My miraclesuit swimsuit turned up this morning, I have to say im pretty impressed with it, it does give me a more defined waist, and its a really nice design swimsuit too. It doesnt feel tight on me, just firm where it needs to. It says makes you 10lb slimmer on the label, so at least i can have hit my oct target everytime i go swimming hahaha.

Ive seen Harcombe diet pop up in various postings on the site recently so i downloaded the book onto my iphone. Basically the diet fights 3 'conditions' using a low carb diet with some brown rice thrown in

The 1st condition Candida, which lives in your gut but is the same candida that causes thrush, and supposedly is a cause of being overweight. I've never come across that before and it strikes me as slighty potty. Reminds me of a party thing I went to once, for underwear and clothes, one of these party plan things where you end up buying horribly expensive things you dont need. The last one i went to at my daughters I bought 2 bottles of shampoo for £22. Anyway, this underwear party had a range of underwear that was called Candida, which I thought was a pretty unfortunate name for underwear, and i pointed out to the sales lady that Candida is thrush. She wasnt amused.
Im sure the author of the book has researched Candida as a cause of weight gain, or at least an inability to lose weight, although its present in the gut of just about anyone, obese skinny or otherwise.

The 2nd condition is food intolerance, and this causes cravings for the food you are intolerant to. I do buy into this to a degree, although the food people tend to crave are carbohydrate based, and there are very sound scientific reasons for craving carbs due to the insulin swings it causes.

The 3rd condition is hypoglyceamia (sp). Now this one i totally buy into, although there is obviouly more to it than low blood sugars. Its the swings in blood sugar that i firmly believe is the biggest problem. For me certainly, and i would guess for just about every dieter not strictly following a low carb diet.

The book repeats itself an awful lot, you are basically reading the same message over and over through many many pages. But then i guess they need a lot of words to describe what is a very simple low carb diet plan.

The diet is split into 2 phases. 1st phase lasts 5 days and is designed to deal with the 3 conditions fairly swiftly. It consists of meat, fish, eggs, plain live yoghurt, salad and veg and 50g dry weight of brown rice. No milk, although butter and olive oil are allowed. No limit to quantities. Eat till you are not hungry. No starchy veg and definatly no mushrooms (candida related i guess as mushrooms are funghi). No fruit either. And no vinegar.

The second phase includes some starchy veg and fruit, and meals have to follow rules that are not implemented in the 1st phase. Basically you either have a carb meal or a fat meal, you cant mix fats and carbs in the same meal.

My thinking is that phase 1 could be a good way for me to go. It may be a way for me to eat more and keep my blood sugars stable, a low carb diet is what i have been striving for anyway. There is about 40g of carb in 50g dry weight of brown rice, so i think i would have less. 2 slices of hovis wholemeal from a small loaf is about 20g carbs.

I do need to eat more, i cant go on with this stupid 500 cals a day, its just working out how to do it that is the stumbling block at the moment. That and trying to lose weight.