A Year in the life of a yo-yo-dieter

[yo-yo-dieter]

Hello all. My name is Ann-Marie and I am a yo-yo-dieter. I've been on a permanant on-a-diet-off-a-diet diet for 11 years when I weighed in at 11st 5lbs (5ft 4in). Now, eleven years later I am 14st 5.8lbs and I would happily sell my internal organs to weigh 11st 5lbs again! Over those 11 years my weight at it's highest was 14st 9lbs (Feb this year) and at its lowest 9st 13lbs (Jan 2000).

Trouble with me is that I can't stick to anything. My dieting career has included (several times over) Calorie Counting, Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Paul McKenna, Lighter Life, Cambridge Diet and Celebrity Slim. I lose weight on all of them (with the exception of SW, which I love, but it doesn't seem to agree with me) but then I put weight straight back on as soon as I stop.

So, I am going to give myself a year to get back to size 12. 16s are currently tight on me at the moment.

I'm feeling really heavy and lumpen at the moment. I feel that instead of walking I am lumbering, my knees are starting to feel like they can't support my body and I get backache a lot. I feel like an old lady, I have no energy, I feel bloated all the time as well as being a compulsive eater and fighting the voices in my head that tell me to eat all the time. Not to mention from a vanity point of view, I don't look a pretty sight and I want to look nice in clothes and buy stuff because I like them, not because they cover me up.

I'm probably - over the next year - going to fall on and off the wagon several times, try different diets on and off, sometimes not be bothering to diet at all, lose weight and then gain it all again...however the thing that WILL remain constant is that I promise to post here every day, even if it's just to say yay or nay

Another thing is my activity levels were quite low in that I had my own car and thus drove everywhere however DH's car packed in last week beyond repair so now (due to money problems) he has my car and I am on the bus to work, so anywhere I need to go before 6:30pm, I have to bus or walk. I'm still not walking loads, but I am walking 300% more than I was walking previously. I'm also thinking of joining a gym, I'm off to have a look at it on Friday.

Thanks for reading and give yourself a shiny if you got this far!!

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 1.

I will probably post a day in arrears, ie Day 1 was yesterday (Sunday) for me. I am deciding to do a moderate-carbohydrate-calorie-controlled diet at the moment. Weight Loss Resources reckons I need 1555 calories to lose a pound a week (which seems like loads) and 2055 to maintain so hopefully as long as I eat less than that I will lose weight....

The reasoning behind the moderate carb is that I did Celebrity Slim a few months ago and lost 10lbs in three weeks, but this time round I think why waste 200 calories on a milkshake whenI could have a lovely piece of salmon? I don't think I could eat proper low carb though...

Breakfast: 2 x eggs scrambled with milk and butter on a slice of seeded wholemeal bread topped with brown sauce.

Lunch: Salmon Fillet, Salad, Mayonnaise.

Snack: Punnet of raspberries

Dinner: Mattesson's smoked Pork Sausage, cheese, salad, Mayonnaise.

Total for day: 1443
% of which was carbs 9.6%

DH has given up smoking, so I thought I would try and support him by depriving myself too (of over-eating not smoking). His cravings for his cigarettes seem to be exactly the same as mine for eating. If he can do it, so can I!

(day 2 weigh in: 14st 5.2lbs = 0.6lbs down on yesterday!!!)

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 2 (Monday)

Breakfast: Packet of Fridge Raiders

Snack: Apple

Lunch: Mattesson's Pork Sausage, Cheese, Salad, Mayonnaise

Dinner: Cod Fillet, Salad, Mayonnaise, Cheese

Total: 1423
% carbs = 6.1%

Day 3 weigh in = 14st 4.4lbs (0.8lbs down on yesterday, 1.4lbs in total)

 

[shrinkingannie]

Sounds like you are doing really well - Im the same as you Ive been more or less on a diet for 12 years - good luck!

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Sounds like you are doing really well - Im the same as you Ive been more or less on a diet for 12 years - good luck!

LOL - we should be experts at it by now shouldn't we, it should be so easy, why do we always end up back at square one???

Day 3 (Tuesday)

Breakfast: Packet of Fridge Raiders

Snack: Apple

Lunch: Chicken Tikka slices, stir-fried vegetables in a spicy sweet chilli & ginger sauce (from a jar).

Dinner: Chicken breast fillet wrapped in bacon, salad, cheese, mayonnaise.

Total Calories: 1128
percentage of carsb: 14.7%.

I seem to have stopped craving sugar already so it should be easier for me from now on. It was a birthday in my office yesterday so a chocolate fudge cake was brought in, followed by some home-baked cakes (lemon drizzle, Victoria Sponge and Apple & Cinnamon). I didn;t allow myself any, I figured I didn't trust myself enough yet to have a piece as I have no idea of moderation so I would have ended up troffing loads.

Day 4 weigh in: 14st 3.4lbs (1lb down on yesterday, 2.4lbs in total only 54.4 to go - the number freak has worked out I need to lose 0.1.5lbs per day to have shifted the weight in a year so I am ahead of myself already)

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 4 (Wednesday)

Breakfast: Packet of Fridge Raiders

Snacks: Apple, 2 x Satsuma.

Lunch: Simply Salmon portion, salad, cheese, mayonnaise

Dinner: Bolognese (without the spaghetti)

Total cals: 1274
% of carbs = 14%

Day 5 weigh in = 14st 2lbs (3.8lbs down in total)

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 5 (Thursday)

Breakfast: Packet of Fridge Raiders

Snacks: Apple, 2 x Satsumas.

Lunch: Chicken Tikka Fillets, Stir-Fry Veg, cook-in sauce

Snack: Mini gingerbread man. (just the one!!!)

Dinner: Salmon, Salad, Cheese, Mayonnaise.

Total: 1132
% of carbs = 17%

Day 6 weigh in = 14st 1.6lbs (4.2lbs in total)

I'm starting to feel less bloated now and definitely not craving sugar. I'd promised myself a slice of Arctic Roll last night but I couldn't be fagged getting off the sofa to go to the freezer to slice it up to put it on a plate and eat it! RESULT! One week ago, that voice in my head would have been well and truly screaming at me not to get one slice but to demolish the whole thing!!!

I'm going to look at a gym today. It's part of a school a couple of miles away so it has funny opening hours (ie not during school hours) but it's only £15 per month membership, which is affordable and means even going just once per week would mean I was getting my money's worth (judged on the prices of classes at my old gym of £4.50 per session).

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 6 - Friday

Breakfast: Nothing.

Lunch (at 11:30am): 4 x rashers, 2 x eggs scrambled with milk and butter, 2 slices of seeded bread, brown sauce.

Dinner: Salmon, Salad, Cheese, Mayonnaise.

Total calories; 1399
% of carbs = 14.8%

Day 7 weigh in = 14st 1.4lbs. (4.4lbs in total)

 

[sa89]

Well done so far. We are at similar starting weights so I'll be keeping track of your diary. Good luck

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Well done so far. We are at similar starting weights so I'll be keeping track of your diary. Good luck

Backatcha! I'm always interested in the success stories in slimming magazines of people who are same height and starting weight as I am, seems to make the goal more achievable!

Day 7 (saturday)

Breakfast: Nothing

Lunch: Tuna & Sweetcorn pasta salad.

Dinner: Chicken breast, salad, cheese, mayonnaise.

Total cals: 1231
% of carbs = 17.6%

Day 8 weigh-in (official week one) = 14st exactly!!!!!!! Woohoo 5.8lbs off this week. This is the most I have lost on a conventional diet in the first week. My goal date has been brought forward to 2nd August 2010 (at a pound per week)

 

[Barb]

Brilliant - you are doing great! Mind those cals don't drop too low though, as for me thats when the diet demons cause a major falling off wagon incident!

 

[Twiggy29]

You are doing brilliantly yo-yo dieter your being very disciplined - well done. I am 5 7" and as of this morning weighed 14st 9lbs with my goal being xmas 09 to be 10st, taking into account me falling off the wagon hopefully only once, but going on my past record it seems to be once every 4 weeks.

I hope I can keep the willpower up as like you I am a complete yo-yo dieter for the whole of my twenties which is sad on reflection, I never let myself live and certainly not for the last while as my housemate put it I'm living a live of an old person. So with that combined with a work mate saying one day that I'm not a sticker to anything (I know she meant diets) that and the total desire to feel confident in myself and be happy about me has put me on my weight loss journey again. As I said xmas 09 is my goal but if I can be 10 stone for my 30th in March 2010 I will be delighted. So if you dont mind I will be checking in here with you from time to time to keep me on the straight and narrow as these forums are great. Keep up the good work and those dishes sound delish but not tempted yet...

 

[sa89]

Backatcha! I'm always interested in the success stories in slimming magazines of people who are same height and starting weight as I am, seems to make the goal more achievable!

I know exactly what you mean. It definitely makes it more achievable. It helps me stay motivated too.

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 10 today (Tuesday)

I've done not too badly since I last posted although Barb's post stuck in my mind about not letting my calories drop too low, I have also let calorie counting slip a bit over the last couple of days because I am starting to get complacent now. Although I am desperate to lose weight, I am also desperate to regain a normal eating pattern and I don't see logging onto WLR and typing in everything I eat as part of that....but on the other hand I will feel totally out of control if I don't know what I am eating. I'm enjoying what I am eating at the moment even if it is a bit samey. My plate always looks so healthy and colourful. I'm off work this week and always tend to go off the rails a bit without a routine so if I can even stay the same this week (I'm also in Blackpool Thursday & Friday) then it will be a success.

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 15 (Sunday)

Oh dear, I haven't been around for a few days and haven't been keeping an eye on my diet. I've got sugar cravings again (as have been eating sugary stuff). Went to Blackpool and had a three course evening meal on Thursday night, then an eat as much as you like breakfast buffet the following day, and a box of fudge on the way home. Haven't been following any healthy eating plan whatsoever and as a consequence have put on 2lbs.

However I am still on target for 1lb per week loss having 'lost' 3.8lbs in two weeks. I knew this is the way it would be, a good loss one week followed by a gain, as I can't seem to stick to anything long-term.

Only three more weeks of school holidays to go. Halfway back to normal for the next two weeks as I am back at work part time, then I am off for the last week of the holidays.

I wish I could afford to join a gym as I am dying to start body pump classes again.

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 16.

Am appalled with myself! I'm back at work today after a week off, and the trousers that fit me okay the week previous are now uncomfortably tight not only around the waist/stomach area, but also around the bottom and thighs. UGH I feel gross!

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 26

Not posted for a while! Last Sunday (official weigh in day) I weighed in at 14st 3.6lbs, which was a gain of 1.6lbs since the previous week but a loss of 2.2lbs in three weeks so am behind my target of 3lbs in 3 weeks but hopefully I can lose 1.8lbs this week to make it 4lbs in four weeks as planned.

Reason for this is because (obviously) haven't been bothered about dieting.

Anyway two weeks ago I went to see my GP and asked for some reductil. I was refused again (this is the second GP in the practice who has refused me them). He didn't say why he was refusing them and I didn't press the matter because I was scared I would burst into tears.

Anyway we got chatting about my weight gain and he asked me about exercise and suggested a referral to the 'exercise on prescription' service which I accepted. This is a scheme that offers reduced cost fitness classes at local gyms.

I went to see them Tuesday this week and he explained the scheme to me. I have been given 30 vouchers for exercise sessions. Usually the cost of a class is £4-£5 but with these vouchers I can get it for £1.55 so a big saving. If, once the vouchers have expired, I wish to continue then I will be offered further reduced cost classes for twelve months.

I've been to a local gym to get timetables and think I might do a step aerobics class on Saturday morning or perhaps Body Pump, and then a circuits class on either Tuesday or Thursday. I'm too scared to go on my own so have asked my old friend if she will come with me but she's on holiday so we're leaving it to next week rather than this evening.

Only just over 15 weeks to our work's Xmas party, which is black tie. I had a dress for a black tie do 2 years ago so would like to wear that again but it is a Jane Norman size 14 (so small) and I'd like to try and fit into it so I don't have to go shopping for a new one. My lovely friend at work has said if I can fit into it then she'll buy me drinks all night (she obviously thinks it's a safe bet hah hah).

So I'm pretty motivated at the moment, my eating has vastly improved and I've had no binges all week.

Oh - and I've also started taking the Alli tablets yesterday too. I'd bought them ages ago and put off taking them cos I was scared of the side effects. My friend told me it was about four days before she noticed orange blobs in the loo but I noticed them today. Hopefully they will add to my weight loss.

I've been walking a bit more too because I am car-less at the moment so it's public transport or shanks' pony for me til DH gets in from work so hopefully burning more calories off there. As of next Tuesday I'll have a regular routine of a daily half hour walk picking DS2 up from school, I know it's not much but it's regular.

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 31

Sunday's weigh in was good at 14st 0.8lbs, which was a loss of 2.8lbs from the previous week, and 5lbs in four weeks so I am still on target of losing four stone in a year. First target of getting under 14st is still to be met though.

Alli wise, I noticed the side effects for the first couple of days (not horrendous by any means) but then I haven't had any since so I don't know if they are working or not! Especially when yesterday i had quite a few (and I mean quite a few) Roses chocolates, I thought I would have been constantly on and off the toilet, but nothing! Not even a solitary orange blob in the pan. I was sort of hoping these tablets would keep me on the straight and narrow! Anyway, I am going to send DH to work with them today (the Roses) as I am not sure if I can trust myself with them in the house on my own.

Exercise wise - I did a step aerobics class on Saturday and actually quite enjoyed it. I have no co-ordination so the instructor told me just to concentrate on my legs and ignore the arm movements, and if I got lost just to go back to basic on/off step, which I had to do in a few places but it wasn't that bad. I';ll be going back again on Saturday.

Sunday I did a gentle 1.5m stroll with my mum, might not have burned many calories but more than had I been sat on the sofa.

Tonight I am going to my first circuit training class which I am really looking forward to because I am going with an old colleague who I love to see, she's such a laugh.

There are two other classes I would like to try, one is on a Monday called Body Tone and is held by the lady who does the step class on Saturday, and the second is Body Blitz which is on a Tuesday but obviously I can't go to that because I am going to circuits tonight.

I'm gutted cos me fave footy team are in action tonight (away) so usually I would settle down in front of the radio and listen, but they start at 7:15pm so the match will be over by the time I am home (boo hoo).

Food wise, with the exception of yesterday's Roses binge I am doing very well. I'm just having a healthy breakfast, a small lunch and a healthy evening meal and drinking plenty of fluids. This week will be a test for me because I am off work (again) thus have no routine. Next week will be great as I am back at work and not having any long stretch of time off until Christmas, so will have a full three months to stick to a good healthy eating routine.

Hope you are all doing well.

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 33 (Thursday 3rd September)

God, will I ever wake up and weigh myself and be under 14st!!!

Went to a circuits training class last night, which had been recommended to me by my Health Trainer, however I didn't like it as:
a) don't feel I was fit enough.
b) Class was too full - counted forty people and only one instructor
c) Instructor didn't ask if anyone was new.
d) Instructor didn't give us beginners options (no way I could jog for five minutes and I felt I was letting myself down by reducing this to a fast walk).
e) Instructor didn't show us what to do - in fact I only knew some of the moves because I have done Body Pump classes so knew what Clean and Press and upright rows were. If it hadn't been for my friend I wouldn't have had a clue what Burpees or squat thrusts were.
f) Class was full of really thin and gorgeous people. I know that this type of class is usually a 'myth' and people are afraid of this when they go somewhere for the first time only to see it's all shapes and sizes, but not on this occasion!
g) The location was very intimidating, it was in a huge leisure centre with a swimming pool, and there were loads of awful chavvy kids hanging around cheeking the security guards (yes - security guards) off and swearing.

In short, I didn't like it at all, and I feel that I would rather do a Body Pump class maybe preceeded by half an hour in the cardio suite.

 

[yo-yo-dieter]

Day 35 - Saturday 5th September

official weigh in today - still not under 14st (I'm so frustrated!). Weighed in at 14st exactly, which is a loss of 0.8lbs since last week, and 5.8lbs in five weeks so still on target.

Diet is going very well, I don't feel like I could possibly eat any less than I do now, so if I dontlose weight then I never will!

Did step aerobics again today and am going to try something called Body Tone on Monday evening which is run by the same instructor