I expect you all know by now that I have an real issue with food and have been seeking to try and sort this out for years now. 26 years to be precise! That's a long time isn't it? I recall going on my first diet aged 12 years old and it has never stopped since then. One word - exhausting! The mental exhaustion of carrying this weighty burden (ha ha see what I did there) is massive.
Nearly 2 weeks back I started to use @Slimavite shakes for 2 meals a day and to be honest for the first week or so I had good days but then I also had bad days. I always find you have to be in the right place mentally to diet and to have enough mental energy to try and sort your food out. Otherwise I can just get busy and find myself eating something before I even realise it is in my mouth. Planning is key for me.
Last week was much better, I felt motivated to stick with my shakes and for the whole week (bar 1 day) I used the meal replacement shakes for 1 or 2 meals a day. Normally breakfast and lunch. I have to say it has been a good week. I do not find it particularly hard to have a shake instead of a meal. I make sure I have a big glass of water first to line my stomach and slightly fill me up and then I drink my shake. As I mentioned before they are nice and frothy and filling. After a shake I do not feel the need to reach out for any food due to hunger, of course wanting to eat on my emotions is quite another thing.
Not content with just using the shakes to help me lose weight I am trying to adopt a holistic approach to 'Operation New Michelle' and I am also following the 12 step approach which I have learnt in my eating disorders group over the last couple of years and listening to my Thinking Slimmer slimpod each night. I think all these things combined have meant a good week for me.
So I won't leave you hanging any longer, how have I done?
Weight 1 Sept 2011 17st 13lb
Weight at start of Slimavite diet 17st 10lb (yes the weight I lost in Sept went back on again!)
Weight Sunday 6th November 17st 5lb
5lb loss, which I am pleased about as my food was anything but perfect. Much better but not perfect and yesterday I had a lovely event and to be honest the chocolate cake there was very good!
As well as my 5lb loss the really exciting news was that since the beginning of September I have lost 1.5" off my waist and 3.5" off my hips, 1" off my bust and 0.5" off each thigh. So the exercise that I have restarted must be paying off.
Something I have also done in the last week if define some goal for myself in terms of what I wish to achieve with this weight loss and those will help to keep me focused -
- Wear a lovely Wallis top I got in August 2010 and have only ever worn once. It would be fab for all the Christmas do's I have coming up. Only 4 weeks to shift a good stone to be able to do this!
- Be able to wear my engagement ring again (currently it is too tight)
- Feel really comfortable when I speak at Brit Mums Live in June 2012. That is 7 months away and how amazing would it be if I can be down to a size 16/18 by then. I am currently pushing a 24.
I'll leave you with some gruesome pics of me at my starting point.
So fellow weight loss pals, how are you all doing right now?