Slim for Summer

[Obs]

I think I'm talking to myself on this diary but never mind. Anyway, the 10's are STILL not here! Why is it when you're near to getting that new number something gets in the way and makes you wait what seems like an eternity! My period is now due - although no major symptoms yet .... so not sure how close it actually is. I must be retaining a little water as I am still 11st after 2 days but my body feels thinner. I feel like the scales should be shifting but nope! I suppose the positive in this is that I would previously have gained up to 4 lbs or maybe more at this time of the month. But that seems to be much less these days.

Anyway, It will all balance out in the end and I will get to the 10's.

I was meeting a friend tonight and it was going to be dinner (which would have been protein only) but I changed it to coffee. So at least I feel like I have improved my chances of getting there this week. Although I have a meal out with friends on Friday that I can't get out of. I will pick at some chicken and try to eat very little but make it not noticeable hopefully. No drinks either. Then weekend after next I have a girls spa weekend away. Surely I can be a good few lbs lighter by then? There may be swimsuit action so praying I lose a little bit to boost my confidence a little. on the plus side, my skin is not too bad. I was worried about loose skin but it's been fine. As I lose, I get 'baggy' but it improves after a month or so. Then I lose more, get baggy then it improves. So I know it will probably be fine ultimately. I have ruined my skin over the years with weight fluctuation and there's nothing much I can do about the stretch marks but I can live with that. I have been overdosing on body butter, body balm, firming lotion, you name it. I do think it's all helping.

I am still motivated to get to target. I'm not coming this far and stopping. I see so many people on here who get close then decide to move up the steps before getting to target or try something new. Many end up back here. Who knows how I will go but I want to try to do this completely. Get to target then move up the steps, maintaining at each step before moving on. But I am starting to want target to just be here already. I've been here for 7 months doing this and, while it is a LOT quicker than other plans, it's still a long time without real and regular food. On the other hand, as long as I'm here and doing this, I am in control, not socialising with food all the time and most importantly not gaining. so do I want it to be done? Do I want to go back to counting calories and thinking about planning food? It's much easier to remove the choice and have my products. Not sure. But .... I don't need to think too much about it just now. I'm here till the job's done. No debate. So I'll carry on for now and face the future when it comes!!

Hey hey Julie. I am back, and I am going to scroll back all your entries. Sorry, for having been away. My life has been a bit of a rollercoaster these past couple of months. I quit my job (switched jobs) and didn't managae to quit smoking. It's been two weeks in my new job and am sort of settling in. I tried to do a modified version of the diet. But really managed to do one shake or soup a day and two meals. With all the farewell meals at the earlier office and welcome meals at the new one, it's been hard to be in any sort of a diet. The good thing is that I'm back with renewed vigour. And thankfully, I haven't put on any weight. So yay! I am extremely proud of you. You have done so well. And now I have to catch up to you my darling Julie. You are my inspiration.

 

[JulieH333]

I always have a read of ur diary it keeps me going. Yay your in the 10's how amazing. Can't wait to get to that stage.

Aw thanks berry. Good to know you're reading. How are you getting on?

 

[JulieH333]

Hey hey Julie. I am back, and I am going to scroll back all your entries. Sorry, for having been away. My life has been a bit of a rollercoaster these past couple of months. I quit my job (switched jobs) and didn't managae to quit smoking. It's been two weeks in my new job and am sort of settling in. I tried to do a modified version of the diet. But really managed to do one shake or soup a day and two meals. With all the farewell meals at the earlier office and welcome meals at the new one, it's been hard to be in any sort of a diet. The good thing is that I'm back with renewed vigour. And thankfully, I haven't put on any weight. So yay! I am extremely proud of you. You have done so well. And now I have to catch up to you my darling Julie. You are my inspiration.

Obs! You're here! I have been wondering how you are and was just thinking of you this morning before I logged in here. I'm so glad you're doing well and congratulations on the new job. It can be a lot to deal with settling in to a new role - I've been there. And ...... You've maintained! Amazing. Really well done. . That should give you heap loads of confidence that you will maintain once you're at the weight you want to be ultimately.

Im still here plugging away and will be till I'm done and feel comfortable. I do feel great just now and am loving being thinner but not ready to stop yet. So I will be here for a while to see how you do! Glad you're back and good luck getting back into it. Just one question ...... When you were doing your modified version, did you eat carbs with your meals? I am starting to think about maintenance and have a few ideas in my head. Just keen to learn what works for others.

 

[JulieH333]

So, I've made it through my two social occasions this week relatively unscathed. Wednesday I changed dinner plans to just coffee and last night I had just protein and no drinks. Very proud of myself for driving on a night out when everyone else was getting stuck into prosecco, wine and cocktails! It will be worth it. There will be other cocktails .....

I think I made ok choices with food ... I had a small starter of smoked salmon, quails egg and asparagus - I scraped off the Mayo. Main was a chargrilled pork steak. It should have come with risotto but I asked to change it to veg as I was on a special diet. They brought me cauliflower cheese! However they changed it to just ordinary veg for me. The pork was very dry so didn't eat all of that. Skipped my last product since I'd eaten. So hopefully I've minimised any damage.

The best thing was being on a night out with loads of girls and not feeling like the fat one. What a change that makes. I just felt normal. I'd bought a new outfit and tried some new shops I've never been able to shop in before. Ive now cleared out the vast majority of my wardrobe so I need to buy new stuff if I am going anywhere. So, got some new jeans (skinny jeans and first ever Topshop purchase), new top, new bag, new boots (ouch) and a new jacket ... Kinda biker jacket style. Makes me laugh as I could not have worn that before. I felt like I was dressed how I should be and not in whatever I could find that looked 'OK'.

Weigh in tomorrow so we will see the scores on the doors then!

 

[berry1]

Aw thanks berry. Good to know you're reading. How are you getting on?

Yea doing fine. It's such a hard diet I find. But I'm still going strong

 

[Obs]

Obs! You're here! I have been wondering how you are and was just thinking of you this morning before I logged in here. I'm so glad you're doing well and congratulations on the new job. It can be a lot to deal with settling in to a new role - I've been there. And ...... You've maintained! Amazing. Really well done. . That should give you heap loads of confidence that you will maintain once you're at the weight you want to be ultimately.

Im still here plugging away and will be till I'm done and feel comfortable. I do feel great just now and am loving being thinner but not ready to stop yet. So I will be here for a while to see how you do! Glad you're back and good luck getting back into it. Just one question ...... When you were doing your modified version, did you eat carbs with your meals? I am starting to think about maintenance and have a few ideas in my head. Just keen to learn what works for others.

All the best for your weigh-in today.

To answer your question, I did try and stay off carbs. I would usually start my day with a shake in the morning. Some days I managed to have a shake in the afternoon as well, and if I couldn't I tried to stay off carbs. On most occasions I managed to do that. Dinners, I must admit, have been indulgent. I try and avoid carbs as far as possible, but I have been eating bread, rice, noodles, pasta or potatoes on most occasions. I do restrict the quantity except for 4-5 times when I have gone berserk and eaten for three! I read somewhere that carbs actually act as a trigger for hunger and make you hungry through the day. So, while tradtional wisdom tells us to stop eating carbs after 4 pm or 8 pm, I have found it works better for me if I have the carbs at night. Also, much easier for one's social life! My biggest weakness is dessert. And I have really been misbehaving on that account. I love love love icecreams. I can survive on just that. I am amazed that I have managed to maintain my weight, considering how many times I gave in to the sweet urge. Last but not the least, I avoided alcohol more than twice a week. Hope this helps.

 

[JulieH333]

The 10's - It's Official!!

Official weight in today and 3.75lbs off. Officially in the 10's. (It's only official once I get the result on my consultant's scales!) Happy with that after staying the same last week. So, just updated my stats .... only 5.5 lbs to my target of 10 st 7 lbs and of course I have something planned in the next week! Its always the way - just when I am on the cusp of a big goal, something gets in the way. But this will be a good distraction - next weekend I'm away with my friends for spa treatments, bubbles, dinner and lots of laughs I expect. I'm going on step 3 before I go to prepare my body. A few weekends ago I found out that I really, really need to do that to stop myself getting sick, having been on VLCD so long.

After my weekend, I need to get back to where I am now then decide on my final target. Being only 5.5 lbs away, I don't think I want to stop at 10 st 7 lbs. For my height, a healthy BMI would be 10 st. So I think I need to go for that at least. I think I might be too thin (and not like myself) any thinner than that but we will see. I've read that after a VLCD you gain about 4lbs in water when you start to eat normally. If I want 10 st to be my weight, I need to actually get to 9st 10 lbs. (OMG!) That seems REALLY unachievable at this point. I think I was about 14 years old the last time my weight started with a 9!! But we'll see. A few months ago, I would have thought 10 something was not achievable. My first target was 11.5 st. I'll have my week of step 3 (and enjoy it!), weekend away, then think about the last push.

 

[Obs]

Official weight in today and 3.75lbs off. Officially in the 10's. (It's only official once I get the result on my consultant's scales!) Happy with that after staying the same last week. So, just updated my stats .... only 5.5 lbs to my target of 10 st 7 lbs and of course I have something planned in the next week! Its always the way - just when I am on the cusp of a big goal, something gets in the way. But this will be a good distraction - next weekend I'm away with my friends for spa treatments, bubbles, dinner and lots of laughs I expect. I'm going on step 3 before I go to prepare my body. A few weekends ago I found out that I really, really need to do that to stop myself getting sick, having been on VLCD so long.

After my weekend, I need to get back to where I am now then decide on my final target. Being only 5.5 lbs away, I don't think I want to stop at 10 st 7 lbs. For my height, a healthy BMI would be 10 st. So I think I need to go for that at least. I think I might be too thin (and not like myself) any thinner than that but we will see. I've read that after a VLCD you gain about 4lbs in water when you start to eat normally. If I want 10 st to be my weight, I need to actually get to 9st 10 lbs. (OMG!) That seems REALLY unachievable at this point. I think I was about 14 years old the last time my weight started with a 9!! But we'll see. A few months ago, I would have thought 10 something was not achievable. My first target was 11.5 st. I'll have my week of step 3 (and enjoy it!), weekend away, then think about the last push.

Julie, the 10's! That is so awesome. And I am so jealous of you (in the nicest way possible). I want to get there too, soooooon. And I love the fact that your target weight is a moving target. You're on a roll and you should keep going till you're absolutely comfortable. Go go girl! xo

 

[scooterchick]

Just caught up Julie, you are doing amazing!!!!!! I think we really need to some before and after pics, the difference must be incredible! How many dress sizes are you down? xx

 

[JulieH333]

Julie, the 10's! That is so awesome. And I am so jealous of you (in the nicest way possible). I want to get there too, soooooon. And I love the fact that your target weight is a moving target. You're on a roll and you should keep going till you're absolutely comfortable. Go go girl! xo

Thanks Obs! I thought I would be happy at 11.5st. Over the years that's the weight I had constantly wished I was. Curvy but healthy. However when I got there I did not feel ready to stop. I know in not far away now though. I think 10 st will be my number! X

 

[JulieH333]

Just caught up Julie, you are doing amazing!!!!!! I think we really need to some before and after pics, the difference must be incredible! How many dress sizes are you down? xx

Aw thanks scooter chick!! I feel amazing. Honestly, the difference is unreal. I never imagined I could do this. I started at size 20 and I'm now a size 12. In trousers, I still need to get the odd 14 if they're a slim cut, which is why I want to go just a little bit further to get my hips and thighs a little slimmer. Will try to look out some before pics next week. I will be mortified to post them but will do it! I will use it as part of my efforts to accept how I look now. My head still thinks I'm the 16st person who started this. Very strange!!

 

[Obs]

Thanks Obs! I thought I would be happy at 11.5st. Over the years that's the weight I had constantly wished I was. Curvy but healthy. However when I got there I did not feel ready to stop. I know in not far away now though. I think 10 st will be my number! X

10 st sounds like a beautiful number. For many years, and I have been fluctuating between overweight and obese almost all of my adult life, I thought I would be happy at arnd 155 lbs. But now I think I'd like to be around 145 lbs. It's a long way off for me, and who knows?! I can't wait for you to touch the perfect 10.