If at first you don't succeed....and all that

If at first..

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Finally got up the guts to get on the scales today for the first time in about 2 years. 20 stone 4lbs. Arrgh. I have been here before - back in July 2009 weighing 20 stone 9lbs I started out on Lighter LIfe, switching to Exante after 4 months. I stayed 100% abstinent till March 2010 when I was down to 10 stone 4lbs. A loss of over 10 stones, all except for 5lbs I have put back the lot over the last 4 years.
I guess I'll explore how I managed to undo all the good work here in my diary over the coming weeks and months. But for now, phew! I made it through day 1. I just need to get through the next days and into ketosis - I'm dreading the carb and wine withdrawal syptoms they were excrutiating first time round....
 
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Firstly, well done for getting on the scales and facing up to things. It's so easy to just keep on living in denial. Secondly, you did amazingly well to lose over 10st and you can do it again. Finally, there's so many of us who have lost significant amounts of weight VLCDing previously who have regained all of the weight and, in some cases, even more so you're not alone in that either. At least you're already 5lbs ahead of where you started last time!! Good luck on this weight loss journey. :)
 
Thank you so much for that and you are right, I was pleased that despite being so heavy I hadn't quite reached my old heaviest weight, and more importantly, hadn't exceeded it as I was really worried I might be even stones heavier than that!
Feeling strong still, no carb withdrawal headache yet but I know it must be waiting just round the corner I have the paracetamol ready! Managed 3 litres water easily yesterday - I used to need a lot last time round so I expect over time that might increase. Only tricky bit is constantly needing a wee when I have a 14 month old who is into everything! I usually time loo breaks for nap or highchair times but it's trickier when you are drinking so much! I might have to crack out the travel cot in the lounge to pop her in when nature calls!

Speaking of which....
 
I feel your pain on the needing a wee, it is torture! Can't imagine how you cope with a little one too...
 
Ha ha Calabria, it depends on the child really, when my dd1 was small I'd have been able to leave her for a few seconds in the lounge to dash out but dd2 will have terrorised the gerbils/pulled the washing off the radiators/the standard lamp on her head/the coffee table over/stood on the playstation and on and on - all within the time it would take me for a 20 second wee lol :)
 
Well here's a big test of my resolve, I have ran a bath and treated self to a coke zero as hubbie has found out he is being made redundant. Normally news like that would see me to the bottom of a bottle of wine! It isn't all doom and gloom as he was not happy, was driving almost 3 hours to get to work, having to stay away part of the week as it was so far and he's been there 6 years. He'll get an ok payout and has a few months notice but it's still worrying with a hefty mortgage, 2 children, and me working for myself around the children and not even earning enough to qualify for paying tax. I'm sure it will all work out fine but it really goes against the grain for a massive control freak like me!
 
Hi there, well done for starting again - and especially for your cast iron will power with the whole redundancy thing. What is it that makes us think food (or drink!!) is the answer to life's problems?!

I lost 10 stones with WW 20+ years ago and gradually out it all back on. I don't think it matters what method you use to lose it, the challenge of keeping it off is the same. My brother in law lost a whopping 16 stones with slimming world 4 years ago and had piled most of that back on. I also have a friend who had a gastric band and is still struggling with getting her weight under control. But... I do have two friends who lost around 8 stones each with LL and have kept it off for around 6 years now - so it can be done!

I started on Exante on 1 July last year at almost 24 stones and have lost just over 8 stones so far. It has been the easiest of all the diets I have tried over the years and I am planning strategies for maintaining once I get to my goal.

Good luck with your journey, you can do it... we all can if we put our minds to it! Enjoy your bath and coke zero... X
 
Hi well done for starting again, sorry to hear about the redundancy...I done really well with LL 8 years ago but due to ill heath (won't go into it, all in my diary) I've gained it back.

You can do it chick, good luck with your journey x
 
Sorry to hear about your husband's redundancy but as you say, probably a blessing in disguise if he dislikes his current job. Hopefully he'll find something soon, especially with the economy picking up.
 
Thanks Thornhill Cate, yes, you are right in that with the economy picking up that should help - I hadn't thought of that, he ony took the job all that time ago on a 'temporary' 2 year contract that became permanent, he'd always intended to move on after the two years and we thought we could put up wit the distance for that long but we didn't forsee the recession and that meant all the jobs closer to home dried up and he had to stay put. We have been in such a rut with it that it is indeed a blessing in disguise (well will hopefull turn out to be!)
x
 
Metallichick, thanks for the words of encouragement - I will have a hunt for your diary when I get a mo, these boards have changed since I was last here and I am still learning my way round them! x
 
Sparkley, you are so right when you say "I don't think it matters what method you use to lose it, the challenge of keeping it off is the same." I really, really underestimated that part of it - with TFR losing the weight is 'relatively' easy, its just hard, so hard keeping it off! I will have a hunt for you in the threads around the place too, have you a diary on here? I am keen to learn about your thoughts on maintenance strategies. I am reading about 5:2 - or possibly 6:1 for maintenance as I think I know now I will always have to apply some sort of regime to my diet if I dn't want to be here AGAIN in another 5 years time with another 9 stone odd to lose! x
 
I will definitely be doing some form of fasting to maintain once I reach goal. As you say, this has to be the last time I do this. :doh: At least fasting one or two days a week seems like nothing when you've done a TFR whereas some people who never have done anything so hardcore can't conceive of living off 500 cals for even one day a week.
 
You really hit the nail on the head Cate, to a hardcore TFR'er a day or 2 on 500 cals would be a breeze! A friend has given me the 5:2 book today so I will have a read and weigh up the evidence also, I read on the website they recommend 6:1 to maintain so hopefully there will be something about that in the book.
 
So anyway, today has felt like walking through treacle - mainly because DD2 screamed out in her sleep every hour till 5am then every half hour till 7 :( I gave up trying to get back to sleep at half five and read - I think she was cutting a new tooth (she has a mouthful all coming in at once bless her) she sleeps so well on the whole but last night was awful! Added to feeling hungry and weary on the edge of ketosis, it has been quite a struggle. Still I must say I have felt much much better than I did the last time I did this - I seem to recall day four was the worst last time though and day four is tomorrow. I haven't had any headaches yet or anything I think by day four last time I could hardly move so fingers crossed tomorrow doesn't bring with it full on carb withdrawal horrors!
 
Its horrible to see the little ones cutting their teeth, I made my grandson a Baltic Amber anklets & it really helped him - I have no idea how it works but it seems too. Well done sticking with day 3 its not easy when you're feeling those hangar pangs. Its good you're having a better time this time round, hang in there chick you're doing great :bighug:
 
Ha ha ha I think I must be in Ketosis - my husband just ate a piece of cheese and I could smell it a mile away - my sense of smell got extremely acute when in ketosis last time round too. Honestly the smell is so strong it's as though I ate a piece mysef lol! It's a bit of a pain though if he eats garlic I can't bear it in ketosis it makes me retch even from feet away! Ah well focus on the positives, I must be in ketosis yay!
 
Day 4 dawns (the worst day first time round) Bring It On!
 
Hi Calabria
Not too bad as it goes thank you! (relief sigh!) I have had the hint of a headache a couple of times but have banished it immediately with paracetamol. I have also had the odd hot flush which I had last time in the first week too, before the long john wearing, hot water bottle cuddling, electric blanket loving days of freezing cold deep ketosis strikes!
Have taken it easy, spending the morning in with littlie, just playing with her toys and watching some teletubbies :) I might venture out with her mornings next week, but I am really trying to give myself a gentle as entry into this this week as possible. I have a challenge this weekend as my friend's hubbie is 40 and she is taking him, my hubbie and a few others out for a beer tasting afternoon/eve and then the rest of the wives and me are meeting up at their house later on to carry on the celebrations. The first time I did this I was 100% abstinent for the whole 10 stone 4! This time however I have only been able to convince myself to to it if I can incorporate the big occasions and go off plan briefly - I simply couldn't face it otherwise. It may take me an extra few weeks to get to goal this way but I think it will help me stick with it rather than give up. My strategy for Saturday is coke zero, vodka, and sticking as close as possible to low carb nibbles as I can. Then straight back on the horse Sunday. It's a big test as I know that if I can do that then I can stick with packs till the end and GOAL. It's frustrating as it means I bugger up my first week's weigh in but I will weigh Saturday morning to get an idea of how it's going - from past experience the likelihood is it is more likely to impact the following week's losses anyway. I am also going away for a few days end of July again, I will permit the best level of naughtiness I can, and climb back on after - that's the intention anyway. I went away for a week to Lanzarote when I was abstaining first time round and stayed 100% and I have to admit it was HARD - on me and my family - and I would avoid doing it again.
 
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