conlou1
Gold Member
I wanted to share my weight loss story and something I've realised along the way (after a loooooong time might I add)
My weight loss journey started 13 years ago after I gained 5-6 stone (I don't know the exact amount as I stopped getting weighed, last point I got weighed I'd gained over 5 stone) during pregnancy. There were emotional reasons for me gaining weight, but I didn't realise that at the time and put it down to pregnancy. It took me 3 years to lose the weight and I successfully kept it off for 3 years then hit a rough patch in my life and lost a stone then gained 3. Was up and down by a couple of stone for 3 years until I decided to join Sw, I loved it and lost just under a stone but then found myself pregnant, gained 4 stone, rejoined Sw lost the weight, fell pregnant again and gained 5 stone so re joined Sw again!! This was 13 months ago. The weight didn't want to come off so easy this time. I started a cycle of losing and gaining the same few pounds and hadn't successfully lost anything since November!! Until this last month, where I've lost half a stone.
The secret? self discovery, accepting that I do behave out of control, I do eat and drink too much and I exercise too little, I stripped it back, stopped the Sw and ww (I was doing both at one point-don't ask lol) and bought a book, the beck one.... I don't follow it I just read it and then I started reading bits on the Internet about attitude to losing weight and I realised the battle hadn't been my body it had been my mind. I frequently lied to myself, gave in to cravings then conveniently forgot about eating it, rewarded myself with food if I had a bad day and gave myself excuses to binge. I needed straight talking and tough love, but it had to come from within. Only I could do this and since my thought process changed so has the number on the scales
So.... Here's what I learnt in order to successfully lose weight
- you have to REALLY want it, no one can do it for you and if u slip up its NO ONE else's fault but your own
- hunger is NOT an emergency, just because your tummy rumbles an hour after your tea doesn't mean you have to eat. As long as your having 3 balanced healthy meals and a couple of healthy snacks your fine, the body can go a long long time without food and your not going to die. Yes it's uncomfortable but it will pass. Hunger goes away, it doesn't come on suddenly and it's more than likely a craving which you absolutely should not give in to
- resisting food out side of your chosen eating plan feels better than giving in and eating it
- feeling sorry for yourself cos you can't eat all the foods you want is pointless. If your really miserable and want to eat foods you shouldn't then don't diet.... No one is forcing you to do it. Deal with the emotion, stop feeling hard done by and get over it, if you want to lose weight then you need to reduce calorie intake and increase exercise.... There's no magic potion and you have to decide if you are ready to inflict this on yourself.
- don't hesitate over snacking. Don't ponder over whether you can have that snack or not, you know.... The one at 10pm when your tired and a bit bored and your mentally scanning your fridge thinking of all the food you could have, knowing full well its taking you over calories or off plan for the day, just stop...... It's not an option. Impose a cut off point on yourself. If you had to not eat in preparation for an operation you would not torture yourself with images of food you would just get on with it. Stop making it an option.
- when you drop a dress size take the larger clothes to charity so you literally don't have a back up.
- accept that it's your brain you need to battle with in order to lose weight. If u stuck to a plan 100% you would lose weight, there is a very small percentage of ppl who can't lose weight because of an underlying condition or medication , if you think you have a condition that's preventing you losing weight- go find out. Dont use it as an excuse before you have a diagnosis.
- if you ate it, own it. Don't dismiss it. It counts. Everything you put in your mouth counts. You really don't need to eat all the time.
- binging then fasting DOES NOT WORK it messes with your metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight and easier to gain it
- 1-2 pound a week is a sustainable weight loss, just because your not losing several pounds a week doesn't mean your failing. Losing more than 1-2 pound a week can mean your losing water and muscle mass NOT fat. Not good.
- be realistic. Yes we'd all like to be a size 10 but is that realistic to you personally? Would you feel better at a 14? There's no set rule, stop when you feel happy with your weight NOT when some chart tells you to stop. Your body, your life.
- and lastly, tough LOVE means be tough with yourself but love yourself. Your not worthless, a failure, stupid, fat, ugly or any of the other things you've labelled yourself with. Losing weight is HARD but remember WHY your doing it and never take away from yourself how far you have come. Any loss is an achievement. Be kind to yourself and mentally congratulate yourself when you've done something good, even if it's a minor victory, and treat yourself to something non food related each time you meet a mini goal.
This has really helped me to get over it. The not making over eating an option has had the biggest impact. I'm now just 9 pound away from pre pregnancy weight and a stone and 9 pound away from target. It's not about IF I get there it's WHEN. I accept it's going to be tough but I accept the ball is in my court. It's been a tough journey but one that I'm coming out the other side of a lot better equipped. Good luck
Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
My weight loss journey started 13 years ago after I gained 5-6 stone (I don't know the exact amount as I stopped getting weighed, last point I got weighed I'd gained over 5 stone) during pregnancy. There were emotional reasons for me gaining weight, but I didn't realise that at the time and put it down to pregnancy. It took me 3 years to lose the weight and I successfully kept it off for 3 years then hit a rough patch in my life and lost a stone then gained 3. Was up and down by a couple of stone for 3 years until I decided to join Sw, I loved it and lost just under a stone but then found myself pregnant, gained 4 stone, rejoined Sw lost the weight, fell pregnant again and gained 5 stone so re joined Sw again!! This was 13 months ago. The weight didn't want to come off so easy this time. I started a cycle of losing and gaining the same few pounds and hadn't successfully lost anything since November!! Until this last month, where I've lost half a stone.
The secret? self discovery, accepting that I do behave out of control, I do eat and drink too much and I exercise too little, I stripped it back, stopped the Sw and ww (I was doing both at one point-don't ask lol) and bought a book, the beck one.... I don't follow it I just read it and then I started reading bits on the Internet about attitude to losing weight and I realised the battle hadn't been my body it had been my mind. I frequently lied to myself, gave in to cravings then conveniently forgot about eating it, rewarded myself with food if I had a bad day and gave myself excuses to binge. I needed straight talking and tough love, but it had to come from within. Only I could do this and since my thought process changed so has the number on the scales
So.... Here's what I learnt in order to successfully lose weight
- you have to REALLY want it, no one can do it for you and if u slip up its NO ONE else's fault but your own
- hunger is NOT an emergency, just because your tummy rumbles an hour after your tea doesn't mean you have to eat. As long as your having 3 balanced healthy meals and a couple of healthy snacks your fine, the body can go a long long time without food and your not going to die. Yes it's uncomfortable but it will pass. Hunger goes away, it doesn't come on suddenly and it's more than likely a craving which you absolutely should not give in to
- resisting food out side of your chosen eating plan feels better than giving in and eating it
- feeling sorry for yourself cos you can't eat all the foods you want is pointless. If your really miserable and want to eat foods you shouldn't then don't diet.... No one is forcing you to do it. Deal with the emotion, stop feeling hard done by and get over it, if you want to lose weight then you need to reduce calorie intake and increase exercise.... There's no magic potion and you have to decide if you are ready to inflict this on yourself.
- don't hesitate over snacking. Don't ponder over whether you can have that snack or not, you know.... The one at 10pm when your tired and a bit bored and your mentally scanning your fridge thinking of all the food you could have, knowing full well its taking you over calories or off plan for the day, just stop...... It's not an option. Impose a cut off point on yourself. If you had to not eat in preparation for an operation you would not torture yourself with images of food you would just get on with it. Stop making it an option.
- when you drop a dress size take the larger clothes to charity so you literally don't have a back up.
- accept that it's your brain you need to battle with in order to lose weight. If u stuck to a plan 100% you would lose weight, there is a very small percentage of ppl who can't lose weight because of an underlying condition or medication , if you think you have a condition that's preventing you losing weight- go find out. Dont use it as an excuse before you have a diagnosis.
- if you ate it, own it. Don't dismiss it. It counts. Everything you put in your mouth counts. You really don't need to eat all the time.
- binging then fasting DOES NOT WORK it messes with your metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight and easier to gain it
- 1-2 pound a week is a sustainable weight loss, just because your not losing several pounds a week doesn't mean your failing. Losing more than 1-2 pound a week can mean your losing water and muscle mass NOT fat. Not good.
- be realistic. Yes we'd all like to be a size 10 but is that realistic to you personally? Would you feel better at a 14? There's no set rule, stop when you feel happy with your weight NOT when some chart tells you to stop. Your body, your life.
- and lastly, tough LOVE means be tough with yourself but love yourself. Your not worthless, a failure, stupid, fat, ugly or any of the other things you've labelled yourself with. Losing weight is HARD but remember WHY your doing it and never take away from yourself how far you have come. Any loss is an achievement. Be kind to yourself and mentally congratulate yourself when you've done something good, even if it's a minor victory, and treat yourself to something non food related each time you meet a mini goal.
This has really helped me to get over it. The not making over eating an option has had the biggest impact. I'm now just 9 pound away from pre pregnancy weight and a stone and 9 pound away from target. It's not about IF I get there it's WHEN. I accept it's going to be tough but I accept the ball is in my court. It's been a tough journey but one that I'm coming out the other side of a lot better equipped. Good luck
Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
