Catch 22

[Blitz]

Lately I've a had few conversations with different people who unprompted by me presented independently something I've been thinking deeply about.
That is the problem of how one begins a weight loss lifestyle when you are very obese.

How does someone move from an unhealthy eating and non-exercising lifestyle into one that is full of moderate healthy choices and being active?
It is a real catch 22 situation for them.
Because they are so overweight; their bodies are usually completely exhausted just moving it about in normal daily activities.
So where do they get the extra energy to motivate themselves to do the extra exercise required?
Because they are so overweight they consume so many extra calories to service that super sized body they have.
So how can they cut back when their bodies crave and needs so many calories to maintain where they are now?

Now this is the bit that gets me...
If they cut back on their calorie consumption and increased their exercise after a very little bit of time because of weight loss and increased fitness they will actual find that they will feel less tired than they did and carve for less food.

But there is the rub. How do you move the car forward?
Anyone who has tried to push a car that has broken down knows that the hardest bit is the first few moments of effort.
You push with all your heart and nothing seems to happen.
Then suddenly a slight movement. Then some more.
Then it goes faster and before you know it you are running up a good speed and just need to concentrate on steering it clear of trouble.

To begin is hard. It may seem impossible to do. But like moving a car...the more you try the easier it gets.
The catch 22 is getting the belief to try hard enough and long enough to see movement.

Kim

[JP1]

Week 1 - I find pretty easy.. lets face it I've been there enough times.. I'm full of determination and it hasn't usually been a spur of the moment decision, I've picked a timing when I have a clear shot at losing weight over a number of months..

Weeks 2-4 are the hardest for me, I've really got to motivate myself to keep at it, the easy kilo's are mostly gone and its a slog..

Weeks 4-6 is the period I usually feel like I am in the zone, during the next couple of months I can usually lose some decent weight..

My next problem and its a HUGE one is once I've got down to the low 90's I suddenly start noticing loads of changes and especially my face.. Its around this time that I can wear most of my clothes again or they look a lot lot better on me.. I start to think that I've cracked it.. Once I start down the slippery slope of thinking I've done good enough then gradually a lot of bad habits start filtering back.. I put on a few kilos, I justify that I'm still looking OK and bit by bit it creeps back up, sometime i can arrest this for that initial week I mentioned earlier but week 2-4 of the second cycle is the killer, I haven't prepared myself mentally for this and I just fold..

That low 90 area is going to be the key this time, in 2014 I didn't even get into the 80's let alone make a dent in them.. I'm determined this time to last most of the year and see where l am..

I have a couple of defining time periods.. Mid April l am away for 3 weeks o/s - I'm wanting to feel and look a lot fitter, will be well happy with high 90's by then..

July I'm going away for a week with my mate for a week, at the same period in 2014 I was low 90's and then in August I have friends coming over from UK, I want to be down to about 87.4 Kgs by then which is an historical milestone.. Sept/Oct I go away again for two weeks and I'd love to be low 80's..

XMas/early Dec I have my annual 5 weeks away o/s and I want to have reached my goal by then whatever it is but if I can once again hit 79.9Kg I will be a happy camper

Hopefully I've learned some lessons along the way and all its all pie in the sky at my present 110 Kg but I know I can do it..

[Blitz]

The hardest time for me was the last month or so.
Or as I've called it on a number occasions - "the pointy end".
You just want it to be over and the thrill of the big losses isn't there.
It is just grind time with a lot of dead ends because you are exploring what you can or can't get away with.

One of the pluses I had in my journey is that I realised from the start that weight loss was just the first part (and shortest bit).
Right from the beginning I knew that maintenance part was the making or the breaking of it.
I simply didn't want to be in the position of losing all that weight only to have regained it and having to do it all again!
I'm too lazy for that!
Once is enough!

Kim