inspiration, help and motivation needed :) long thread warning

[Java1975]

Hi all
I'm 38 only just and so sick of been fat overweight unhappy. I did LL in 2009 and lost 41/2stone and didnt carry on due to my group closing down. I kept the weight off for about 1 year then messed about with sw ww exhante to name a few but only put weight on then I weighed the same as I did when I started LL in 2009. This year I promised myself that I would loose weight and keep it off but low and behold were nearly in April and I have managed to start 2 diets ww and sw and not kept to them I have lost weight but it is so slow. I know I can do total meal replacements I did it for 3 1/2 months with brilliant results so why cant I get my head around doing it. I have a months worth of replacements so this is my starting goal. Can anyone who has felt or fells like me give me some advise or focus for the coming week. When I start this it will be without the counselling so I will need to rely on minis for this

Thanks for listening xxxxx

[latinainglesa]

I am in a similar situation! I'm 36 (will be 37 this year) and also did meal replacements in 2009 with good results! I lasted only 6 weeks, but did get 2 1/2 stone off in that time. A holiday scuppered my attempts though.

I have been trying ww and sw ever since, although had a break to have my second child. The weight all came back on and you can see from my side-bar how big I am now!

I never thought I'd go back to a meal replacement diet (I did Cambridge before), but here I am on day 2 of Exante. I think the reason I'm doing it is that I need to re-set my brain in a way, and just not think about food AT ALL for a while. I might just do this for a kick-start and then go back to healthy eating and calorie control, or if I am enjoying it and doing well, I may stay on Exante until I reach goal (here's hoping!).

I think that you have to be in the right place to start a VLCD, not only in your head but make sure that there are no pressures. This week hubby is off work, so it is a perfect time for me to start, as he's very hands on around the house and with the kids. Also, I have started having real mobility issues and painful back etc, so I'm really fed up with being so big.

I was spending loads of money on Physio, so thought I may as well spend the money on something that is going to help me long-term!

I wouldn't try starting a VLCD unless your head is in the right place, as it is so hard to get through these first few days. I'm so hungry right now and just want to go and eat something, but I know that as soon as I'm in ketosis, I will feel much better.

What I found really motivated me to really go for it, was to read through the success stories on here, especially the before and after photo thread, the pics are so so so inspirational! Also go to youtube and search for 500 before and after pics, there is an amazing video on there with hundreds of pics. Seeing that all those people, many of them as big as me have done it, really made me want to join them!

Also, don't know whether you have kids, or want to have them, but I have a 5 year old and an almost 1 year old, and thinking of not being around for them just kills me, so I am using that as motivation too. Not that it's worked in the past, but lately I have been feeling so unwell with my weight, that it's made me focus more on my health.

If you want a buddy, then I would be more than happy for us to support each other, I need all the support I can get too and I think it really helps to read everyone's diaries. I have read through a few of them, and seeing people get through it week after week is really motivational too.

Just think, if we can stick to this, we could have lost 4 or 5 stone by summer! No covering up, sweating, hiding indoors in front of a fan etc! No sitting on the beach fully dressed! Not sure how much you have to lose, but they say an average of a stone a month, so maybe you could plan something nice to do for around the time you would reach goal?

Hugs, and all the best of luck

[RachieB]

Good Morning Java1975 and Jo

Happy Easter!!!

I have just read both your posts and I am completely blown away about the similarities of our stories. I too lost all my weight in 2009 on LL. Following a heavenly 6 months, I gained my weight and forgot the lesson leaned; it is definitely true that maintenance is so much harder.

Since 2009 I have tried everything; several failed attempts at LL, Cambridge, SW WW, you name it I tried it. Now probably heavier that ever I am starting back on Exante on 8th April. I am 38 in October and I have spend all my teenage and adult life overweight. I sick of the uncomfortable feeling, wondering whether I am fattest person i the room and whether after not wearing an outfit for more than 1 week will it still fit!!!

I know it is not going to be easy so I have set my bedroom up with a TV, wifi booster so that if it gets too much, I will retreat to my bedroom. My partner is on this with me but not for the same length as he only has less than 2 stone to lose; I have about 6!!! I would like to lose 4 by august and then the rest by Christmas. I am moving in May so I am organising the house so I do't have the heavy duty work to do when I am on Exante, especially the first few weeks.

To be honest I am really scared about not have the counselling and mentoring that I had with LL. The fear of falling off the wagon again fills me with dread!! I know that I really want to be slimmer for the summer especially as I am hoping to go on holiday in Sept for the first time in 8 YEARS!!! I would like to wear a tankini or even a bikini which I haven't done since I was little!!!

Sorry if I sound pathetic but please could you both be my buddies? I really need people who have had similar experiences and are in a similar place to me. My partner has never been overweight and it is not the same; if you know what I mean.

Take care
Rachie

[jael001]

Rachie I also did LL but back in 2006 and lost 5 stone on it, only to put back 7 stone really quickly. Since then I've done a load of different diets including SW and Dukan and have lost a little on each. Then last year I turned 40 and decided no more dieting, I was just going to learn to live with being fat. And I did enjoy it, but the weight kept creeping up til it started to impact my health and the things I can do, so I decided it was time to do something about it (again). I much prefer doing this diet, without the LL counselling, which I found quite useless. We had someone in our group that just talked about themselves all the time so it meant no-one else got a word in really, and the actual counselling side of it was woefully inadequate. Just stick around these boards, start a diary up where you can record how you feel on a daily basis and read other people's diaries and posts too. I find so much support and inspiration just on these boards, far more than I had in 2 hours of LL meetings a week.

Silly question maybe, but why are you waiting til 8th April to start? What's stopping you starting straight away? You could be half a stone or more down by then if you started today. I started on 28th Feb, I had thought I'd wait til the following day so I was starting the beginning of the month but then I decided that there was no point waiting, for every day that I wait, that's weight I'm holding onto that could be gone.

[DivaDavis]

Hi guys. Thought I'd welcome you and wish you luck. I started in oct lat year at 22st. Am now at just under 17st.I am 38 and apart from losing 8 st before ivf 7 yrs ago have always been overweight/obese.
I'm having a week off as ive been under a lot of emotional stress recently, which is not helping-I cannot diet when at this level. But I don't want to undo the work already done so I am allowing myself rather than spectacularly falling off the wagon and going mental. (if that makes sense?!)
weve been here before and can do it again. Lurk on minis-check diaries, pictures, whatever motivates you and keeps you away from the fridge :-)
All the best skinnies-to-be xxx

[Determinationiskey]

Hello diva

Well done!!! for shifting all that weight that's amazing. Hope the stressful situations get sorted so u can re-start and get to ur goal.
To everyone else starting welcome and good luck.

Take care xx

[RachieB]

Hi ya

Wow this is turning out to be an amazing thread yippee!! To answer your question Jael001, I am starting on 8th April as I am really trying to calm my life down and sort out the non-food issues that I have such as not thinking I am good enough and hence work too hard and beat myself up for not working had enough, even though I can work more than 60 hours a week and then fit more in over the weekend My boss does not make me do this I do!! Also, I am focusing on trying to find another rental property as my neighbours are very noisy late at night (they sleep all day and do not work!!)

I fear that I was that person in your group who talked about themselves too much in LL group. I found the inner meaning of my eating really interesting; all boiling down to my inherent hatred of myself and my inability to accept my personality, looks and actions. I wish I was 5ft 6 size 10 with long hair and a desire to look my best at all times. Sadly I am 6ft short hair and 17 stone plus.

I will take the advice and complete my diary and read others as I tend to waffle so typing as though I am talking to myself may help me to express my inner feelings whilst being free form the fear of being judged.

All is going to plan so by saturday I am winding own the carbs, sugars and quantities ready for Monday.

I hope you are all having a fab Easter?

I love the Skinnies-to-be tag DivaDavis

[jael001]

Using a diary on here to put down all your thoughts and feelings is great, it's really freeing and you can get so much support from fellow members who are going through the same or similar things. And there's no judging here, we're all different shapes and sizes and starting weights but we're all going through the same journey.

I think so many of us have major issues dealing with accepting ourselves, our looks, our personality etc, which is why we've almost certainly turned to food as a comfort. I found it easy to hide behind my weight, use it as an excuse for whatever I felt was wrong with my life.

[latinainglesa]

Wow, so many of us in the same boat! Yes I would love to have you guys as buddies, I've already had so much support from people on my diary, especially Jael001!

[Java1975]

Well what can I say hello everyone thanks for answering my thread. I cant belive how many people are in the same position as me. I would love to be buddies with everyone . My start date is 3rd April and I hope to loose 6 stone by the end of the year. I'm going to keep a diary on here so would be good if you guys can look in on me sometimes.

Until wednesday 3rd April x x x

[RachieB]

Hi All,

Well the demons are in my mind again. I am worried that I will be stuck at this weight forever and therefore I am going to start my diary probably tonight or tomorrow so that I can get these thoughts out and not block my commitment to Exante. I am also trying to not to shove loads of food into my body since my brain is telling me that I will never be able to eat these foods again, which is utter rubbish!!!

I am also trying not to think that I am getting bigger by the hour, even though I am being careful what I eat and not to listen to the demons egging me on to EAT EAT EAT!!

How are all you preparing or did prepare for your journey? xx

[jael001]

I honestly didnt prepare. I had the flu the week my packs arrived and the first day I felt human again I started the diet, even though it was the 28th February and my head was saying "wait til the 1st March", I just decided not to and to start then and there. There's always a reason and an excuse to put it off, so I didnt. Of course the following day, the Friday, I ended up eating, I was weak and fed up and hungry. But once I'd done that the next day I got straight into it and it's so easy once you're on it and in ketosis.

Anyway, if you do this diet and stick to it you will lose weight, you can't not lose weight on 600 calories a day, even if you never move your body. I'm live a pretty sedentary life, I'm sitting at my computer at least 12 hours a day, often a lot more than that and yet I've still lost over a stone in 4 and a bit weeks.

[Java1975]

Hi all
Preparation ???? Eat as much as I can before start date !!!!! Not recommended I feel so fat and bloated actually looking forward to Wednesday. I'm looking forward to the buzz I got each week when I lost and the empty feeling but full before goung to bed. It beats how I feel now and this is what I need to remember when I start struggling. 2 days to go x x

[moshermum]

Hi Java
I did LL in 2007 and lost 7 stone, over the years the weight crept back on... 10lbs short of the full 7. Oh dear! I have spent quite a few years vowing not to do a VLCD again, this was mainly because I didnt want to admit failure. Finding Exante was great as whilst I liked the psychology of the meetings, I just hated all the waiting around, and tbh the real reason I'm overweight is that I am an all or nothing type of gal... lol

Anyway, I am now in week 2 and I am thinking about all the positives I felt last time, and now I'm past that first week I feel so much better. This time I am taking a different approach. Whilst I have a goal of 10st I am taking each week at a time. I was on LL for a long time... 8 months and I cant see myself doing that again. So I may review each month my next target.

Good luck, we are all here xxx

[Helen]

Hi, it is amazing how many of us are in the same boat - I lost 108lb on LL in 2007, and put it back on pretty quickly too - I have been struggling ever since! I lost 3 stone over the last couple of years but have now regained two of those and am suffering with my knees and back. I am frightened that too much more of a gain and I wont be able to move! I am starting Exante on 11th (visiting parents at the weekend, long journey and I want to make the early days as easy as possible so have 4 days off work when I get back to get into ketosis). I would love to buddy up with you all if you will have me?

I havent updated my stats on my sidebar yet but I am 5ft and 48 with a current weight of 18 stone and a target of 11. I am as wide as I am tall sadly