My Weightloss Odyssey

[nothing2lose]

One small step for womankind, one GIANT step for n2l

I have just done my first wii fit workout!!!!!

That may not sound like much but to me it is a big deal. I am not an exerciser - other than incidental walking. Sure, I flirt with the exercise bike every now and then and occasionally I will go on a "purposeful" walk but I have never been to the gym * unless you count aqua aerobics which I did twice.

But on the weekend I bought a wii fit plus.

I have been thinking about it for a while but I finally bit the bullet and got it and the Biggest Loser disc too.

Does anyone else on here use it? Can you recommend any favourites?

I thought half an hour a day of combined activities would be a good place to start.
What do people think?

Should I be aiming for a specific amount of calories to burn?

advice gratefully received!! (I may post this in the exercise threads too)

n2l

[EvilWombatQueen]

Whoops! I should have posted my excited reply here instead of in the exercise section of the forum.

To repeat the essence of the message: Yay You!

Wii Fit sounds terrific. I don't have one, so I have no advice to give, but I have an awful lot of jealousy I could tell you about!

How did you find your first workout? Are they as fun as everyone says they are? What sort of exercise did you do?

[nothing2lose]

Weigh In Number 6

Sunday morning again. Weighed myself and I am down to 106kg (the scale flirted with 105.9 a few times but the final resting place was 106kg). Not too bad I guess. It's a loss of 600gm since last Saturday morning...and since a whole weekend of pretty much eating what I wanted. I guess it would have been a kilo if not for those few birthday days.

That makes a total weight loss of just under 5 kilos. It has taken longer than I had hoped (6 weeks) but I havent been ridiculously insane about it. Maybe I need to be?

My first goal is to get to 99kg. I have not been under 100kg for about 6 years. So that will be a milestone. I worked out, going by my current loss rate, it will take another 7-8 weeks So, about August 22nd. It feels like a long time away but then, I guess, this way of eating is for life - in all senses of the term. I am hoping I will stay motivated to get to that point --- and beyond!

My OH's birthday is October 15. I would REALLY like to be 90kilos by then. But part of me is scared to put that in my ticker/signature (or even commit to it in my head) in case I fail. I was thinking maybe I would put the 95kg goal for that date, but then that seems like I am being slack, or going too easy on myself. It's hard to know whether to do so would be setting myself up for success or a big let down

On the upside I have started moving more. On my exercise bike and using the wii fit. Yesterday I did 36 minutes on the wii (aerobic) and 20 on the bike. That might not seem like much to the gym bunnies out there, but it's a fair bit for me. I have used the wii for three days now and I am planning on using it again today. I figure it's better than nothing. I have been stuck inside at home for the past few days. My little one has chicken pox and it has been pouring rain. Honestly, not going to work and getting out has made me a little stir crazy!

I have also been doing a lot of research on weight loss and exercise (ie. how many calories to burn, etc). I am a great believer in the term - Knowledge is Power. Hopefully my knowledge will help power my legs when they feel like giving up on the exercise bike

Anyway, sorry for the rant - like I said, stir crazy! I hope everyone is doing well, reaching their goals and staying happy!

That's it

n2l

[nothing2lose]

It's the day before Weigh in Number 7 and I am feeling a little de-motivated. The weight is not coming off very fast and, although I have said to both myself and others on this forum that it is not a race, I cant help feeling a little disheartened Apparently it is much easier to preach than practise.
I am getting a bit obsessed with the scales. Which would not be a bad thing if it was recording big loss after big loss but this morning, for the first time (I think) since I began this journey, there was a gain. It said 106.3
Rationally, that 's okay. I know I shouldnt feel bad. I know I am retaining fluid as I can feel it in my legs, and yesterday I ate a lot of carbs (mostly complex and still within my calorie limit if not my carb limit) which are still "there". But emotionally I feel a bit disappointed. This "gain" coupled with the slowness of the process. It has been almost 7 weeks and I have not yet lost 5 kilos It is the slowest i have ever lost weight. Previously it has fallen off quickly to begin with.
I am not going to give up. I dont feel like giving up. But IT IS FRUSTRATING!!!! AND DEMORALISING!!! And it's too early to plateau!!!!!!!!!
I just want to have a bit of a kickstart --- but a healthy, sustainable one. I dont want to have to reverse my ticker tomorrow morning after my official weigh in....
Sorry, I know I am ranting and whingeing. I just want this. And I have been working hard to do it. I dont know....Maybe not hard enough. Maybe I am fooling myself that I am doing the right thing?????? UUUUGGGGGHHHHhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

frustrated and annoyed n2l

[CronicBadger]

There are a lot of reasons for temporary weight gain. for example, the exercise may have replaced lost fat with additional muscle-mass. Muscle is heavier than fat per volume.

Perhaps it might help if you make a list of the benefits that have arisen from your efforts so far. It could include such things as training your metabolism to work more efficiently, decreasing the risk of lifestyle-related diseases and complications, lessening dependence on bad foods, reinforcing good habits, treating your body better and preparing the way for long-term success.

Try to remember how you felt due to poor diet and low exercise - this may have been bloating and stomach troubles, muscle aches for the lightest of of activity, feeling of helplessness or lack of self-control.

Then think of the positive differences you've experienced. It's a big win that makes the small increase on the scales seem quite insignificant.

[nothing2lose]

Weigh In Number 7 (kind of anyway)

Okay. I hopped on the scales this morning and they were 106.3kg Not happy. So I have made an executive decision and I am not going to change my ticker. I guess this could be construed as cheating but, in light of the fact my scales said 105.9 just three days ago, coupled with the fact I am retaining fluid and am a little "bound up", I dont think it is. And if it is, I dont care. I do however promise to change the ticker if my weight is over 106kg next Sunday (next official weigh in). Which it wont be. I hope.

You are right CronicBadger - what the scales say are just a small part of this whole journey. I DO feel better in lots of ways. I am sleeping better, my joints arent as sore. I dont get as puffed doing exercise and I feel more positive (most of the time anyway!! ) Thank you for helping me remember that.

I went to the snow today and spent a few fun hours walking and playing with my partner and little girl and some friends. It was great. The last time we went to the snow was just under two years ago. And the pics we took there at that time were a big wake-up call to me. It was because of those pics that I decided I had to do something to lose weight. So today, 22 months later, I am 16 and a half kilos lighter. Sure, in 22 months I could have lost ALL the weight I needed to lose. That would have been terrific!! But I am very happy I am even only 16 kilos lighter rather than having remained at 121.6 kilos or worse still...16 kilos heavier and 137 kilos! So I am heading in the right direction, and I have vowed to myself that the next time we go to the snow I will be lighter still.

Anyway that's it for my claytons weigh in (the older ones will know what that means).

Hope everyone is doing well and staying positive.

take care

n2l

[Sassyt]

Hi N2L I must say I admire your positive upbeat attitude towards your weight loss journey. It will take you a long way. Stay positive and keep going it is all worth it!!!

[nothing2lose]

Weigh In Number 8...A Day Early But I Cant Do it Tomorrow!

Okay...I am happy to report that despite my legs aching with fluid retention and despite not having a great week with consistently healthy food choices, the scales said 105.5kg this morning (for the second morning in a row I might add )

My wii fit scales say 105.3 but for consistency's sake, I had better go with my bathroom scales number.

It isnt too bad given I have had a couple of breakouts and very little planned exercise (ie. almost none).

I am happy the numbers are going down but I need to be more disciplined with the eating and exercise. Maybe I need to follow a plan to the letter???? I am using calorieking (some days anyway!) but maybe I need to amp it up a bit? Right now I dont feel at all deprived or that I am making a lot of effort. Not sure if that's because I am getting used to it or because I am not being as diligent as I could be.

Maybe I just keep doing what I am doing until I lose a couple more kilos, then toughen up a bit??

Ahhhh....decisions....

hope everyone is doing well and keeping positive

n2l

[nothing2lose]

A self-pitying whinge/rant

I feel like crap today. My weightloss is so friggin slow. Agonisingly slow. I got on the scales this morning, even though not a weigh in day, and I was 100gm lighter than my last weigh in (105.4kg). How crap is that?! What makes it even more crap is it is a month since my birthday today and back then I weighed 106.6kg. So that means in a month - A WHOLE MONTH! - I have lost a kilo. Whoop-de-doo
The rational me (she lurks in there somewhere with the skinny me) knows there may be good reasons for this - it's nearing TTOM (I think -- very irregular), I am retaining fluid (despite trying to keep my sodium down), I have had a couple of days when my eating hasnt been great (but neither has it been appalling and I have stayed within, or very close to my calorie allowance on calorieking)....And I know weight loss is a journey, not a race. But honestly, all of those rationalisations and platitudes arent working today.

I have been going to a specialist and having a battery of tests because I am unsuccessfully trying to conceive. I had an endometrial biopsy on Tuesday (bloody painful - i dont recommend it!) and the doctor says I am not ovulating - at least not every month. Which I kind of knew but it was sh+tty to hear. I dont know if that has an effect on weight loss ??? Must google to find out! My ovaries are covered in cysts too (thankyou PCOS). And I KNOW that has an effect on weight loss.

Am I kidding myself? Can I do this? Will I do this? Or am I destined to be a fat pig all my life?

sorry for the blah-ness - I just wanted to get it out of my system by venting

n2l

[nothing2lose]

Weigh in Number 8

Well if i thought i had something to whinge about yesterday i obviously didnt forsee today. I am devastated to report the scales just read 105.6kg. I feel a bit crampy so I am hoping my period is coming and my legs are aching with fluid. But I am sick of making excuses and not seeing the scales move down. GGGGGRRRRRRR!!!
It's especially annoying given that after my self indulgent rant yesterday I went and did 15 mins on the exercise bike and 20 mins of supa hula hoop. That is a lot for me. I was trying to turn my negatives into positives. So to be 200 grams up is very, very blah.

Oh well, nothing to do but keep going I guess. What other choice do I have?

might write more later

n2l

[lalalaaa]

Hi N2L,
I feel your pain, in three months, since I started CK, I've only lost 2.3 kgs.
Out damn fat !!! I want you gone.
I think I have hit some weird plateau, which refuses to allow me to lose the whole 10kgs (in the last five weeks I have have seesawed between 71and 70.3kg), when I went to by GP yesterday, somehow I upped the ante and weighed 71.7kgs (that was after 1.5 hours at the gym).
So today I have been trying to look on the positive side, I have lost 9.7kgs (ok yesterday it only read as 8.3kgs $%#@$%*),
BUT I am no longer in the obese category. I can wear clothes that I bought a few years back. I have more energy, I can now complete a double gym class. My waist is 10 cms less than when I started.

YOU are making a difference by changing your diet and your activity level. You have lost 4.5 kg since May and you have to remember TTOM is never kind on the scales.
If you are like me, you didnt just get heavy overnight, you probably didnt gain 4.5 kgs in two months, so you are reversing the trend and then some.

[nothing2lose]

Weigh in Number 10 (I accidentally did No.8 twice!)

Blah. Had a bad week of pretty much eating what I felt like. Not entirely off the rails - no junk but not great eating. No excuses, other than I started thinking I need to switch my eating plan to low GI (starting on Monday of course) so then thought, 'why bother continuing with the old plan for the rest of the week? Of course that's the typical attitude of a failed dieter.

So the scales this morning havent budged. Still on 105.5kg But I cant expect anything more. In fact, I am lucky to have gotten away with it so lightly (no pun intended).

I am still waiting for TTOM. It is now Day 43 And I feel like I have had PMS for weeks
I think this - and my messed up hormone levels/ polycystic ovaries are definitely playing havoc with my body's attempt at weight loss, but I think it is also possible they are messing with my mind. I am kind of over it at the moment. Actually, REALLY over it.

I am NOT GOING TO GIVE UP THOUGH!!!

I am about to embark on the Low GI way of thinking, which is pretty much a fine-tuning of my CSIRO plan. So hopefully that will help kick start my attitude again.


Lalalaaa - thanks for your words of encouragement. I definitely need them at the moment. Well done on your loss. It sounds like you are going great! Plateau-ing is a horrible thing. I guess it messes with our modern need for instant gratification. If we are doing all this work (not that I have this week!) but are not seeing immediate and obvious results, it is hard to swallow (unlike chocolate and chips - dammit!) Keep going and you will get there. As will I. Eventually

ta ra for now

n2l

[lalalaaa]

Hi N2L,
Hey, You lost some weight this week
Your previous was 105.6 its now 105.5!
I'm seeing weightloss here!!!!!
Well done.
... and thats with kinda going off the rails a bit.
How good is that?

I weighed myself yesterday morn, after the disasterous GP day last week and it looked like it read in the sixties (well only just). I am not ready to cheer yet, so hopefully the plateau is broken. I wont weigh again till end of the week as I am craving chocolate chip bikkies, well anything with chocolate in it and feeling totally bleeuughh.

I dont know if it will help, I think most medical centres will have this facility, my GP has now placed me on the Care program (as I kinda completed the 'healthy weight for heart' program) where I get Three visits with a Dietician. So your GPs might be able to give you a referral also, they can check over your diet and give advice.
Ummm... I didnt actually tell them that I stopped the 18 week hwfh program at week 8 or so and started CK, and yes I still have the shakes in my cupboard in case I go right off the rails (emergency backup plan).

Well done N2L

[nothing2lose]

Okay....I'm back.

I have fallen off the wagon BIG TIME....It's been months since I have posted and I am so ashamed of myself I can barely stand it.

I am really unhappy with my size, my lack of motivation and my pathetic attempts to stay on course last time.

My new starting weight is 108kg That's an increase of about 2.5kg since I was in here last. For the past few months I have eaten whatever I wanted, done absolutely NO exercise and have started to feel really depressed.

The worst thing is I dont actually want to be in here now. And I have ZERO confidence I will be back in here on a more permanent basis from now on.

Thing is, I have to be in here. I MUST LOSE WEIGHT!!!!

I am starting IVF in February and my fertility specialist says my weight is a big factor as to why, after laready being six months on fertility drugs, I have not yet fallen pregnant.

I am disgusting and pathetic.

n2l

[naracide]

Hi, I'm new, I hope you don't mind me butting in. I just read your whole thread and I was so sad to see you come back so discouraged. I have been on the CSIRO plan too. Because I'm single, though, I think it was easier for me without a family to cater for. I used their menu plans and their checklists for a few weeks until I got used to the portion sizes and that way of eating.

But only gaining 2.5 kilos after a couple of months of eating what you like is pretty good, really. I think I gained 2.5 kilos just over Christmas day. I hope that whether or not you stay on this board (and I hope you do because I found your journal really inspiring) that you are successful.

x N