January 2009 - Starters

[westiegirl]

Well done TI and Susianna. Nice to see you so positive TI, it's all still going the right way and the compliments must help to keep you focused. Hope you're accepting those strokes

Week 3 of RTM started for me today and I STS last night. That's the plan - to maintain but I'm slightly disappointed not to have lost at the start, but must admit to not having been 100% but I've made some very considered choices and have not binged (which I had already done by the same stage of RTM when I did it in 2006) so I guess I'm already doing better

Gone a bit mad on the new choices today and will probably suffer later but this is a bit of a learning curve as I need to adjust my routine as I'm down to 2 packs this week and that's thrown me.

I think I'll get there though

[slendablenda]

Well done you. I found those first few weeks on RTM difficult to adjust to as well.
It feels a bit like jumping with no safety net. The focus has been on losing for so long it seems disappointing to STS.
However, that's the idea isn't it?
Learning to maintain!
Stick with it, once you get through this halfway house and come off the packs altogether it does get easier and less scary - honest.
Also, i notice you are below your target already..................xxx

[Sean(JSF)]

"apologies for copying from my RTM blog"

as they say in cartoons....."Thats All Folks"

I have officially finished LL, (OK i'm not doing week 12 RTM but had final WI last night and agreed with LLC that that's the end). Final photo taken and will not be going back other than pop-in in 3 weeks time (prior to holiday), then plan on popping in again when return from holiday.

I have ~30 packs spare which I'm keeping in case I feel the 'need' to lose a few lb when I get back from my holiday.

I feel absolutely terrific, energised and excited. Similar to how I felt when I first started RTM in fact. There's a World of freedom out there (I know nothing's changed and I certainly don't intend to go mad)...

So yesterday RTM Week 11 day 7 (the final official day) - Wednesday

Oh, almost forgot. I actually LOST another 3lb over the past 2 weeks which gets me into the 11stone range (11 st 13 lb but still), which I just can't quite believe. Glycogen is well & truly restored so I'm seriously chuffed.

I don't plan on logging food etc going forward and will be interested in seeing how easy I find that in reality.

So what have I learned in RTM?

Well it's taken a while but I know that no food is 'bad', even Carbs have a place in a healthy diet.

Fruit is good (no, its much better than that).

Alcohol can be a trigger for me, so I need to be conscious about what i do when having/had a drink.

I have an obsessive personality (think I knew this already) but I can control food addiction. I need to be aware that there will be other temptations.

I have the control. I can allow myself the odd slip and be responsible enough to take the necessary action within a day or 2 to get back to the straight & narrow.

Oh yes, and fresh food is brilliant. No matter how little time I have it's ALWAYS better to cook something fresh than a 'ready meal'

All in all I'm a VERY happy chap today; I really feel that I have achieved every goal I set myself for this phase in my life, and I like the symmetry of it all.

So a few statistics to close this chapter:

Start date: 01/01/09
Finish date: 01/07/09
EXACTLY 26 weeks, or 1/2 a year

Start weight: 20 st 6 lb
Finish weight: 11st 13lb
EXACTLY 8 1/2 stone (119 lb)

Collar size 19.5" (start) 14.5" (now) - 5" reduction
Waist size 46" (start) 32" (now) - 14" reduction
Chest size 54" (start) 36" (now) - 18" reduction

BMI start - 42.2 (morbidly obese)
BMI now - 24.5 (healthy)
__________________

[thin_inside]

Sean - Absolutely Awesome!

Your blog has been, and will continue to be, an inspiration to the way I want to handle RTM. Some great thoughts and personal recognition recorded. Well done and thanks for the legacy. xx

[susianna]

Wow Sean .... huge congratulations, what an amazing journey you have had, you should be (and I can tell you are) incredibly proud of yourself!

I have to say thank you, thank you, thank you for your support and for being such an inspiration, please don't underestimate how you have helped many people including me especially on RTM, and even though I havn't been as "vocal" as some on the boards I always read your blogs and they helped sooo much, not sure I would have been so sucessful on RTM without you!

Clearly you are more than ready and equipped for your new journey of "maintaining" and I wish you all the luck in the world!

Take care x

[daisydoll]

Sean thats a fab post - congratulations!

Westie - RTm is strange isn't - week 3 was my least favourite so far.
I'm now week 5 - so can have alcohol tonight, i have a bottle which has been waiting since january.

but you know what - i really don't want it! ( well not today anyway, lol!)

daisy x

[Sean(JSF)]

Thanks Ladies, I really appreciate your comments and I'm delighted if I've been of even a little help over the past 6 months

Daisy - I felt the same way at first but soon overcame the reluctance - enjoy

[westiegirl]

Thanks guys, I think week 3 is a big adjustment but keep thinking that it's just another week and the weeks seem to be passing quite quickly so I'll be on week 5 soon (the week I'm looking forward to for being a bit more "normal"). Looking forward to cooking veg next week - getting bored of salad now!

[daisydoll]

westie i started week 5 today - yay!
soup
and olives and much more veg at last!
hurrah!
daisy x

[SexyBecks1]

Well done all of you on RTM I am so proud of you all.

Sean, what an amazing journey you have had, you are such an inspiration.

Don't worry Daisy/Westie, I'm sure RTM will just go as fast as abstinence and you will be flying when you get there.

Well done Suisanna, you are doing so well even after the setbacks that you have had. You go girl!!!

I must admit I am starting to feel a little fed up with abstinence but I know I need to finish. With some of the small losses I have had (due to lapsing which is my own fault I know) I am now behind by about 4 weeks from where I originally planned to be. Instead of having just 1st to loose I have still got 2, which is a lot better than 6!!! I know I will finish where I want to be (size 12 and whatever weight that may be) as I don't see any other option. If I don't get to where I want to be before RTM I know I will get annoyed with myself and god knows what will happen then!! But I am still trying to stay positive and carrying on with the plan.

I have my Summer Ball a week on Sunday and I am sooooooo excited. I have my dress which I will post a pic of in my album. But as for the clothes that I will be wearing for the modelling, I have my fitting with Debenhams on Thursday. I am modelling work/office wear, night out and a ball gown. No idea what it will be like as they will be picking the clothes for us before we get there (as there are 25 models). I am so nervous about the actual modelling though. I'm sure adrenalin will kick in on the night but it's still nerve wracking. All in all I am sure that it will be a great night with great people.


So just another 1lb for me this week which means 4st 2lb off now with LL (5st 6 1/2lb from my heaviest). I am still pleased with the overall result even with being naughty. I have gone from a size 22 to a 16 so I am well chuffed with that. Just 2 stone and 1 1/2 dress sizes to drop to be where I want to be. Bring on the size 12's, I'm ready now!!

Good luck this week to all of those still on abstinence and keep going to all those on RTM. Well done January starters, we're the best x x

[SexyBecks1]

Daisydoll - wk 25 2lb off -63lbs total - 1lb to go
Emveg - W14.5 - 5.5lb off - 58.5lb lost - 0lb to lose!!!
Foxtrot - Week 19 - 1lb in RTM ....12lb to go
JaneyB- wk5 RTM- 46lbs lost 4lb below target.
JazzyB W12 -3lbs off 49lbs lost 0lb to go
JessicaL - wk2 RTM - 1lb off - 60lbs total - 6lb to go
Louale - W24 - 10.0 - 52total - 42lbs to lose
sansukh--wk21--STS-lost 3 stone and feeling good
Sean(JSF) - RTM wk 8 - 4lb - 116lbs total 26lbs under target !!!
SexyBecks1 - wk 24 - lb - 58lbs total -23lbs to loose
SIIM - Refreshers- 5.5lbs - 43lbs total -90lbs to lose
Susianna - wk 26 - 3lb- Total - 69lbs -14 to go
thin_inside - wk 24 - 2.5lbs off - 84.5lbs total - 47.5lbs to lose
Westiegirl - wk 23 - 4lbs off - 70.5lbs total - 1.5lb below target

[Foxtrot]

How are you doing Susianna? That sounds a little scarey. I hope everything turns out fine. Please keep us informed.

TI after 6 stone you must be looking bloody amazing! Well done for still going, I think you're a hero!

Congrats Sean. I'm still using a lot of your cooking ideas, I find they're quite inspirational. Good luck with going forward.

Hey Becks you're looking really wow! I'm sure the modeling will be fantasic. I can hear you now, 'of course when I was modelling...'

I have had a full diary and it's looking fuller until after mid August so I'm putting off the next step until then. Over all I have lost another 2lb and steadily maintaining other than that. Very, very pleased that my lifestyle is fitting in now!!!

[susianna]

Thanks for your concern everyone .... i'm fine really just very frustrated at this no driving business, have my Neurology apointment a week Monday so no further forward at the moment although no more funny turns :-)

TI as FT says you must look and feel amazing with a 6 stone loss, no wonder you are getting so many compliments .... its quite a good feeling seeing the shock on people's faces that you havn't seen in a while isn't it.

Glad RTM is going well Westie & Daisy, its such a learning curve and its good to push the boundaries a little I think!

Glad everything is going well FT, makes sense to put off the next step until its right for you!

Becks you look gorgeous in your posh frock in your avatar ... how amazing to look back at how far you've come, hope the modeling goes well, hold your head up high and know that you are looking fab!

Keep popping in Sean don't be a stranger!

Have a great weekend all ... I'm off to see Take That on Sunday ... can't wait!!

x

[daisydoll]

YAY! STS this week, which is great after glasto and my lapsing!
just have to make sure i dont use it as a 'look what i can get away with' - and than put on next week!

Daisydoll - wk 27 STS -63lbs total - 1lb to go
Emveg - W14.5 - 5.5lb off - 58.5lb lost - 0lb to lose!!!
Foxtrot - Week 19 - 1lb in RTM ....12lb to go
JaneyB- wk5 RTM- 46lbs lost 4lb below target.
JazzyB W12 -3lbs off 49lbs lost 0lb to go
JessicaL - wk2 RTM - 1lb off - 60lbs total - 6lb to go
Louale - W24 - 10.0 - 52total - 42lbs to lose
sansukh--wk21--STS-lost 3 stone and feeling good
Sean(JSF) - RTM wk 8 - 4lb - 116lbs total 26lbs under target !!!
SexyBecks1 - wk 24 - lb - 58lbs total -23lbs to loose
SIIM - Refreshers- 5.5lbs - 43lbs total -90lbs to lose
Susianna - wk 26 - 3lb- Total - 69lbs -14 to go
thin_inside - wk 24 - 2.5lbs off - 84.5lbs total - 47.5lbs to lose
Westiegirl - wk 23 - 4lbs off - 70.5lbs total - 1.5lb below target
__________________

[thin_inside]

Thanks for all the lovely comments folks. I am fully back in positive mode and believe this week will be a good one.

Susianna - I'm dead jealous about you seeing Take That. You'll have a ball! Good luck with the tests you need.

I'm heading back to old haunts with the kids in a few week time and we'll be seeing loads of old friends. Most of them have never known me under 15 stone. I know there will be loads of positive strokes, but as I'm still in abstinence I'm also expecting some negative ones. It'll be interesting.

Daisy - I always found my lapses on ww would catch up with me two weeks later, even if I was a saint after. I really hope you continue to sts - that's the aim of RTM after all. xx