Hi, I'm a new forum member

[saffy]

Hi,

I found this forum a couple of days ago. I have struggled with my weight for much of my life but have been slim at times so I know it can be done.

A couple of years ago I weighed around 105 kg and by the time I stepped on those scales I'm pretty sure I'd already lost a couple of kg. By cutting out junk food and eating sensibly, and with my husband doing the same, I was able to get down to 87kg, where I plateaued for several months.

Then came Christmas, and our two week 'no-diet' period turned into two years, with lots of junk food, takeaway etc thrown in so that I regained all if not more of the weight I'd lost.

In March this year I put my foot down and went back to eating sensibly, and about a month ago I had reached 87 kg again. I had some heart issues but since being given the all-clear I have been attending my work gym to try to break through that 87 kg barrier and depending on which scales I stand on, I am somewhere between 81 and 86 kg. I have a holiday to Las Vegas booked in November and this has spurred me on to get the weight off but it is a slow process despite me attending the gym around 6 days a week for at least an hour. I am also looking at portion sizes and trying not to snack between meals. And I am participating in the 10,000 steps 12 week workplace challenge.

My big issue at the moment is sugar cravings when my hormones are fluctuating. Just tonight at work I have broken my resolve and bought a bag of Starburst Babies, which I've nearly finished. I worked out it's about 600 calories for the whole bag so there goes a couple of days hard work at the gym - grrrr!!!

I'm hoping to find some support and some answers on here and to learn from others what works and what doesn't regarding weight loss and dealing with food cravings. Although I'm the slimmest and fittest I've been in years, i know how easily I could regain all that weight and I don't want to fall into bad habits and diet traps again.

Here's hoping there are a few people active on here from time to time

[Blitz]

Welcome to the Forum Sassy!

Thanks for sharing about your journey so far. 87kg is a special number for me...that's what I lost. I'm sure that you will find helpful advice and support at this Forum that will get you off that 87kg plateau.

As you have discovered - there are no holidays when it comes to losing and maintaining weight. The ground can be taken back so quickly. Vigilance is the key to long term success. If you think in terms of developing a healthy lifestyle rather than a "fix-my-life-program" that may give you the right mindset for success.

Looking forward to reading your further journey to a successful better future.

Kim

[admin]

Welcome aboard.
Here are two articles you might want to read in future that might help you.
How to get over a weight loss plateau
Food Cravings and what to do about them
You are on the right path, just keep going.
Sharrelle

[saffy]

THank you both. I'll have a look at those two articles shortly because I think I asked in a different post for info about those things. I'm very motivated not only to lose the weight but to get fit, strong and healthy. But I need to see results or I lose motivation very quickly.

I'm grateful this forum is here and I'll be checking in regularly.

[Blitz]

It can be done. Just work it day by day and before you know it - the day will come when you have reached your goal.
That's what I did. Just focused on what's in front of me each day and 60 weeks later 56% of me (87kg) was gone!
If I can do it...why not you, right?

Go for it!
Kim

[CronicBadger]

But I need to see results or I lose motivation very quickly.

Same here. One thing that might be useful during your weight loss project is to have an additional goal: acceptance of "delayed rewards".

This is a big problem for myself - I hate waiting for things. But by training oneself to habitually accept that some things take time before the payoff can make many aspects of life easier. It makes a person not just physically fitter, but also mentally and emotionally fitter.

[saffy]

At the moment I'm motivated by an upcoming holiday to the US, but it's still over two months away so I'm afraid I'll get to a point and say 'good enough' - and then start gaining.

What I am finding though is that the more exercise I do, the more I want to do. If I can't get to the gym I do some weight training at home and then plug in the headphones to my iphone and dance to my favourite music for an hour or two. At the very least it distracts me from eating while I'm doing it, I just drink water.

That's actually how I started my weight loss - dancing at home to music. I only did 30 minutes or so about 4 or 5 times a week to start with. Now I can do it almost non-stop for up to 3 hours. I'm on the 10,000 steps 12 week workplace challenge and I'd knocked up over 11,000 steps yesterday morning before work, just by dancing while I watched NASCAR on TV with the sound muted, from 6am to 9.30am with only two ten minute breaks in there. I felt really good and had no leg cramps or pain afterwards, although I've just started taking magnesium tablets which is supposed to help with that.

Exercise is so much easier when you enjoy it. I don't particularly enjoy the hard slog at the gym but it's not bad with music playing.

[Blitz]

This is one of the key things for success. Making a healthy lifestyle that works for you. Good work.

If this lifestyle is owned by you then it can last. Make it a real part of you.

Kim