Total Solution The final countdown

[Lara67]

It has been a long time since I have been on minimins and although I am happy to say that, at 81.8 kg, I weigh slightly less than my last post, but there has been yet another giant yoyo in between.

The good news is that I have managed in the past 79 days to have 20 days off at various periods (generally trying to eat vaguely sensibly and retrain myself) the rest being vlcd days of varying types (exante, slim and save depending on what I fancy.) I had a 2 week holiday in Florida and two days after coming home I weighed less than when I went - normally I would gorge myself stupid and come back at least a stone heavier. I really feel that I am now in a pattern of having a day off if there is a social occasion and then getting right back on track the next day.

I have also started exercising - really slowly so that I can build up and sustain it. I do the WII Biggest Loser Challenge 3 times a week (full body workout at moderate level for 20 minutes) and run for 3 minutes uphill on a treadmill 4 times a week. This sounds so pathetic but when I started I was doing BL light level for 15 minutes and could only run for a minute. I am pushing the running up by 15 seconds each week and am finding it manageable and am even beginning to enjoy it.

I am trying not to have deadlines but to just tweak my life so that these changes become permanent. I actually like the Slim and Save products enough that I can imagine always using them to adjust my weight after big nights in the future. It is lovely to feel in control and not dread dressing myself for xmas parties. I am also so happy that I feel able to have the odd night off, feel like I want to make healthier choices but still have wine and fun and not embark on a month long binge thereafter.

I really hope that after 44 years of yoyo dieting, I have finally found a solution that works for me.....

 

[Lara67]

Today is my 8th day of 100% vlcd and this morning I am down to 80.4 kg. I can't wait to get under 80 kg - my "healthy" BMI is in the 70s - which I should manage this week. It is funny that the lighter you get, even small losses are much more noticeable. Actually I suppose it makes complete sense as 0.2 kg is a bigger percentage of 80 kg than it is of 100 kg. I am going out on 28th, 29th and 30th of November so I have that to look forward to and then I will jump back on the vlcd wagon until my birthday in mid December.

Later today I may start to investigate outfits to wear for my nights out and start packing up my size 18 and 20 stuff for the charity shop. There is a little niggling voice telling me to hang on to those clothes but I am going to banish it as the yoyoing has to stop and surely having nothing to wear will inspire me to get back on the diet if it ever comes to that!

Note to myself if I ever get tempted to fall off long term:
-getting dressed up to go out is so much easier now as opposed to a desperate exercise in hiding bulges and damage limitation (I sometimes am actually quite pleased with my new self!),
-exercise is getting easier and occasionally even enjoyable,
-I feel healthier and am reducing my risk of getting cancers linked to obesity (both my parents had cancer,)
-I will not feel humiliated if I bump into someone from my past.

So, on that note, I am off to do some circuit training.

 

[Bailey]

Love your diary, nice to see you're still plugging away, I hope I will still be on my way down the stones and kilos in 6 months time

 

[Lara67]

Thanks Bailey. Well done for getting to day 12. That's just it - we have to keep plugging away. The great thing is that once you get into the habit of the diet, time does pass quite quickly. Also I really am finding that the smaller I get the more the weight loss shows and the kg difference between dress sizes seems less. It is so important to realise that we have to change our old previous habits. I was always an all or nothing girl - wildly swinging from having absolutely any food or booze I wanted to starving myself. Going forward I need to, for most of the time, eat healthily - not denying myself - either have 1 glass of wine or 1 slice of cake just not both on the same day with cheese, pizza and a Chinese thrown in! Also if I have a day of excess then I need to make sure that the next day I show some control. It's a long learning process.

This morning I weigh 79.5 kg - I am so, so pleased to be out of the 80s. I still have a way to go to get a BMI of 25 but as I have not given myself a deadline I do not feel under any pressure. I just need to stick to what I have been doing for the past 2-3 months. It will be nice to have 3 days off this week. I am actually looking forward to have a nice time without going overboard. Then it will be back on my vlcd path on Saturday. I will just make sure that I have my favourite sachets and bar on that day and the next so that I actually look forward to the food. I find this really helps get back into the vlcd swing.

 

[jacqueline]

I hope you enjoy your 3 days off! you have done so well it really inspires me to stick with it this time

 

[Lara67]

Thanks Jaqueline. Keep going - you are doing so well. 5 pound weight gain on a cruise could have been a whole lot worse - I suspect a lot of that wasn't true gain but glycogen.

Well the 3 days off became 4 but it doesn't matter because today is day 6 of being back on track and this morning I am at a new low of 78.9 kg. Hurray! It is great to be pleased with your loss before a weekend as it gives you that extra drive and determination to soldier on. My mum is coming down for Christmas and I haven't said anything about my weight loss - she will get such a shock! She has struggled with her weight all her life and must have been worried sick about me going the same way at times.

I have been plugging away with my old Slendertone waist and bottom belts and now the fat is melting away I can actually feel improved muscle lurking under there. Today I am going to increase my moderate Biggest Loser WII workout time from 20 to 30 minutes - hopefully won't be too much of a shock to the system. I have decided to increase my running each week by 30 seconds rather than 15. Yesterday I comfortably ran for 3 and a half minutes which considering I could barely run for a minute at the start is great. It probably seems absolutely pathetic to a lot of people but I don't care - after a lifetime of inactivity I am just so pleased that I have stuck with my low key exercise programme for nearly 12 weeks now!

I think the key to all of this fitness and diet lark is finding something that works for you on your own terms. I am not following the vlcd regime as I am supposed to. I have Slim & Save days, Exante days, days off and even Slimfast days with an evening meal if I feel I need a bit more energy to exercise or feel the need to eat real food. I restarted on September 1st and 98 days in, I am still plugging away quite happily. I am not frightened by Christmas because I know that I can have 4 days off and then get back on track again. I also have no deadlines (it is not a temporary process but a lifestyle change - each kg lost is a step in the right direction) so I am not afraid of not meeting a target - in the past this fear could easily trigger a binge. I feel so much more in control and it feels so much better than the misery I felt at my heaviest. Keep going because it is so, so worth it!

 

[harry m]

Well Done Lara, you r an inspiration. ..

 

[vee67]

What a refreshing diary to read - well done Vee x

 

[Lara67]

Thanks for the kind words!

Well the house is peaceful as my husband has taken the kids to the Jingle Bell Ball so I am going to do a little run, use my slendertone belts and then have a "latte" - i.e. coffee and vanilla shake while watching utter trash on TV. Bliss!

My next scheduled day off is my birthday on the 15th. I may explore the hidden depths of my wardrobe in order to resurrect an ancient outfit which I have't worn for years......

 

[vee67]

ooh leg warmers and ra ra skirt...or is that just my wardrobe!!!!!

 

[Lara67]

It's not just your wardrobe! I have some very dodgy shoulder pads that would not look out of place in Dynasty!