Dieting! It's what women do isn't it? Along with jumping on the scales every morning regardless of what they say. When we moved here ten years ago we kept G's scales and chucked mine as his weighed half a stone lighter, so that was a quick way to lose weight!
I've never been someone who's constantly dieting but I've always known that the pizza (cheesier the better), wine, cider, cream cakes and extra tasty ice cream haven't exactly helped!
I went to Weight Watchers when I was 21, I felt fat but the leader of the group said I was at target weight already and couldn't play... so I went to the pub for a swift half before spending 3 weeks living on roast chicken and diet coke (oh the wisdom of youth - back when I knew it all!!)
Fast forward to around 30 years old.. the Prozac Years! Living the life of a single parent to 3 small children my weight plummeted to 7 stone 10 lbs, about a stone underweight for my build. My long suffering mum had taken to not only inviting us all for lunch every week but also insisting she weighed me! Hey! Guess what? I still felt fat! I've worked out why now, and it has nothing to do with weight- but more of that another time!
I met G when I was 33, in the words of the lovely Louisa (Little Red Bird) with "name reclaimed, a place of my own, with humour intact I returned". I felt wonderful, felt loved, ate and drank far too much and went to the pictures or snuggled up instead of moving about much!
Since then I've tried the Tesco ediet - it seemed to involve sticking to set meal plans and a "helpful" mentor used to email me with bits of encouragement after I lost half a stone and put it all on again... irritating really!
Then I tried eating lots of salad - yawn!
In 2010 I did the Atkins diet - it seemed too good to be true (it was!) I was living on lean meat and creamy sauces. I lost 2 stone, was very pleased with the 9 stone 10 me but realised that when I started to crave the apples that I wasn't allowed to eat it was time it was time to stop. Apparently my breath really honked with this too! So thinner but stinky? Not really the effect I was looking for!
In 2012 I tried My Fitness Pal - lots of logging of food, calories and exercise. It works well for some - middle son, who had spent several years vegetating lost an amazing 7 stone in 2 years. We changed what we ate as a family during this time. I cooked from scratch, switched to low fat sprays and leaner meat, we both started walking. I played the "if you eat it standing up/ on you own/ with your head in a cupboard it doesn't count" game. Boychild #2 however, is spectacularly determined! He's lost weight and he's kept it off. He still enjoys occasional treats but doesn't go overboard and he looks fantastic! A very handsome young man - I'd post his picture but he'd hate that so I won't but I'm very proud of him!
Eventually, with the help of some inspiring friends I stumbled across Slimming World.....
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