I haven't done a "New Year's Resolution Update" post for a while but I've recently been following some lovely bloggers who are also trying to lose weight (in particular 7hippopotamus, Mummy From The Heart and Life Ninja Killer Cat and Everything Else) and who are participating in a blog hop linky so I thought I should join in.
Well, I think I've hit a plateau. As I told you just over a month ago here, I've lost 10kg which is utterly fabulous. But that's still where I'm at about five weeks later. Hmmm. Maybe time for a rethink then.
For any of you who haven't been following my weightloss journey so far, I've been lucky enough to receive several slimming aids to try out for the blog. When I say slimming aids, I'm not talking fast fixes or miracle lotions and potions because I don't think any of those really work, at least long term. I'm talking real, long-term solutions that can take some of the hassle out of trying to shed a few (or a lot of !) pounds.
I started off back in October 2011, having finished breastfeeding and pregnancy for the final time, thinking right, this is it, time to get back my body for me now. After three and a half pregnancies, each of which had added about an extra 10kg to the balance (and losing weight through breastfeeding, while undoubtedly true for some, was sadly a myth for me and didn't help me shift the slightest gram, despite doing it for about a year each time !), I tipped the balance at 91kg. That's 14 stone 5lb. That's a BMI of 34.2 and anything over 30 is considered obese. Eeek.
From October to the end of January, I started using the Thinking Slimmer SlimPod and lost 5kg without the slightest effort on my part - all that is needed is to listen to a 10 minute mp3 recording once a day. You can even fall asleep while listening to it ! Forget the gym, this is my kind of weightloss !
The great thing about the SlimPod is that while that's going on in the background, priming your unconscious to make healthy decisions about food choices and exercise, you're free to do what you want as an extra boost. When I was sent through a hamper for a month's trial of Jenny Craig, I still kept up with the SlimPod and lost another 3kg.
At the start of April, I was sent through a code to sign up at WeightWatchers Online. They also send me through a monthly hamper of goodies to try out but, with the ProPoints system, you can eat what you want - nothing at all is off-limits, even chocolate, alcohol or chips - as long as you calculate the points and don't go over your daily allowance and weekly bonus points allowance. After a month of eating nothing but individual Jenny Craig ready meals, it was great to get back menu-planning control and start cooking not only from scratch but also for the whole family again. I'm really enjoying trying out their recipes and I honestly don't feel like I'm dieting or watching my weight at all. Which is probably where I've got a bit complacent. In the last month and a half, I've only lost 1.5kg. I need to up my game again to get my slimming mojo back !
OK, time to focus on the positives :
- In total, since October, I've lost basically 10kg, going from 91.1kg to 81.6kg (or from 14 stone 5lb to 12 stone 12). That's a loss of one and a half stone which is fabulous. My BMI has come down from 34.2 to 30.49, which has to be a good thing. I've lost 11% of my body weight, and losing 10% of your body weight is the big Weight Watchers target that they set you.
- Thanks to the SlimPod, I automatically make sensible choices now and feel good about them. If I have a choice of a slice of melon or an ice cream at the canteen, I'll go for the fruit and feel happy, not look longingly at everyone else eating their ice creams ! My bad habit of finishing off the kids' leftovers rather than throwing them in the bin (thinking "it's a waste to throw food away") has disappeared and the logic has transformed into "it's a waste of calories for ME eating it if I don't really want it". I've turned into a chocolate snob - if it's utterly delicious, high quality chocolate, I'll eat it and savour every moment (without feeling the slightest bit guilty - everything is allowed in moderation and is, in fact, positively encouraged, to avoid cravings that will make you eat far more than if you let yourself have what you want straight away) but I have no desire to nick bits out of the kids sweetie tin if there's nothing in there that I absolutely love.
- I know I can do it now. Failure is not an option. If I put on a bit of weight one week, I just know it'll come off again the next week and if it doesn't, I just need to tweak a few things to make it happen. Losing weight is empowering and exciting, not a chore and not depressing. How freaky is that ?! (That's definitely down to the SlimPod !)
Plan of action for the next week :
- Lose weight. Even if it's only 100g. I just want to see the numbers going down again. I'll aim for 1/2 kg but my huge aim by the end of the month is to get down below the psychological barrier of 80kg. Only 1.6kg to go, so that's definitely an achievable target !
- Start SlimPodding again. I listened to the second stage "Keep on Losing Weight" mp3 a couple of times but have basically stopped listening to it, topping up every now and then with a quick listen to the original "Lose Two Jeans Sizes or More" when I feel like listening to the dulcet tones of Trevor on the way to work in the morning. I need to swap over the SlimPod that's on my mp3 player, stock up on batteries and go for a 21-day intensive blast again.
- Get back into serious ProPoint Tracking on WeightWatchers. I did it scrupulously for the first few weeks and have been doing it a bit half-heartedly lately - mainly because it's harder when you're eating at the school canteen and don't really know what you're eating. I will make a concerted effort to get back into tracking every morsel that enters my mouth !
- Move more in May ! I blogged about it (here) then didn't really do a lot, figuring I already walk loads as it is. Well, yes, I do but that's not the point is it? I need to move MORE even if I already do quite a lot !
- Start with the weekly blog updates again. I stopped because nothing much was happening. But that is going to change !
That's it, I don't want to set unrealistic targets and set myself up for a fail. Ultimately, I'd like to lose another 10kg, if possible by the summer, but babysteps is the way to go - taking one step at a time in the right direction ! (Thinking Slimmer's Trevor would be proud of me !!)
Disclosure : I've been provided with a month's trial of Jenny Craig, a Thinking Slimmer SlimPod and a year's WeightWatchers Online membership for free in return for reviews, all of which I've already done. Any further updates aren't sponsored posts in any shape or form !
Other blogposts you may be interested in :
Fingers crossed for a good weight loss for you this week. I never lost weight with breastfeeding either. In fact I was so hungry I gained weight. I look forward to reading how you've done next week.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear I'm not the only one who didn't lose a pile of weight breastfeeding - I was feeling very cheesed off !!
DeleteSounds like a good journey so far and sensible you for doing it in the right way. Lovely to have you on board.
ReplyDeleteThe next linky will go live tomorrow, so add your post to that so we know it is there for this coming week.
Mich x
Will do, look forward to following everyone's progress xx
DeleteI am all ready for it xx :-) We can do it Yes we can !
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed ! xx
DeleteYou've done well, I totally give up with trying to lose weight I do more exercise now than I have ever done, I walk my son to school and pick him up and don't eat anymore than I usually do so I really don't know why I can't lose it!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should try taking measurements or just seeing how clothes fit instead ? One of the weird things with the Slimpod is that some weeks, you can feel your clothes getting looser but the numbers on the scale don't change. If you're really not losing weight or inches, you could ask your doctor to check your thyroid too.
DeleteMost women like me know how hard it is to lose weight, as we get older we have to work harder because of hormonal changes to the body. You've had an amazing weight loss, even 1 pound on the scales is a victory. Well done Cheryl!
ReplyDeleteAww thanks xx
Delete