Abstinent for 42 weeks

Sandra

Full Member
Hi Everyone

I have been on Lighterlife now for 42 weeks, I am just about to start my 4th round of 14 weeks after having lost 11stone 7lbs. I feel maybe I should start on maintenance now as I have been feeling a little tired and lightheaded lately, not sure why really as I have felt brilliant all the way through this fantastic journey. I did really want to be 10 stone but I think that maybe I am going to find it really difficult getting to that weight as I have such a lot of lose skin especially on my stomach which does weigh a lot I believe. I have been referred by my Doctor to a plastic surgeon for a tummy tuck but am yet to get an appointment with him so I dont know whether I will be lucky enough to get the operation yet or not. People are now telling me that I have lost enough weight and that I am starting to look too thin around my face which is now ageing me, which I dont want, I have lost the weight because my daughter gets married in a few weeks now and I wanted to look good on her big day, I know after all the counselling I have had that I should be able to cope with the challenges I will face when I return to food again but after being abstinent for so long it is a huge challenge to face and I am scared to death that I will fail again. I know negative thinking doesnt help!! Has anyone else been abstinent for this long and if so how do you feel? Are you getting any adverse side effects or am I just tired because of all the running around arranging a wedding? I would love to hear your point of view. I am trying to decide whether to go into maintenance this week or to give it a few more weeks as I did have this magical 10stone in my head but that would be another 1stone to lose and it wont go off my tummy anyway where all my weight is carried now. Can someone give me some advice please?
 
OMG - thats an amazing achievement honey, well done. I hope you have a fantastic time at the wedding and get so much pleasure from what you have achieved ::))
 
My LLC told me not to get hung up on numbers, but to go with how you feel and how you look in your clothes.
Don't forget you will likely lose a good bit more during RTM.
There are several in RTM at the moment who stopped because they were getting headaches and dizziness. I think it could be your body's way of saying this is far enough I need to slow down.
Everybody is scared on the first week of RTM, almost everybody I know thought they would put all their weight back on in the first week (irrational, but true). You certainly don't.
I found RTM invaluable for setting me up for going it alone, and I am sure you will too.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do this week. There are plenty of us on the RTM board if you decide to join us, and will support you as much as we can.

42 weeks?? You are amazing! :worthy:
 
I'm on cambridge so can't really offer any advice, just wanted to say well done on your fantastic achievement. You will feel a million dollars at your daughter's wedding and I bet she's very proud of her mum.
 
firstly a big well done on your achievement, your family should be very proud of you for being so committed. try the maintaintance this week and keep in touch with others online to guide you through it , most of all enjoy your daughters big day
 
Bloomin eck that is fabulous!!

I moved on to RTM with a BMI of 33 and have just begun week 2... I lost 5lbs in week 1 so you will definately lose a bit more on RTM. I hope to lose about another 2/3 stone in total, but understand it may take longer than just RTM to get rid of that :)

You have done brilliantly though, do you have any pix?! x
 
Wow - what an inspiration!

I wish I had your determination as I am getting so fed up!
 
WOW what an awesome achievement you must be as proud as punch and rightly so. Re moving up I think you need to listen to your body, you are probably right in thinking that the loose skin is pushing your weight up so in reality you are probably lighter than you think. Try not to get too hung up on numbers hun.

Once again, WOWZER a seriously impressive achievement!

Gxx
 
Thanks for all your encouragement, I think I will go on the route to management this week as I feel i have to take the bull by the horns and face my fears of eating food again. For years you dream of waking up tomorrow thin, now I am having nightmares that when I wake up tomorrow morning I will be fat again - how mad is that!!

Thanks for that Alibongo, its helpful to know that other people on long term abstinence were feeling at little drained, I think maybe it is my body saying ok enough is enough.

I have put a few photos in my gallery lighterlife claire but havent had that many taken because I have always hated having my photo taken, I'm always the one behind the camera so that I dont have to be on the photos. (or the one hiding at the back) Ha Ha!!

Thank you so much for all you nice comments and encouragement, it does help.
 
Thank you! Can I just say I have had a quick look at your pics and OMG you look like a completely different person, I wouldn't have recognised you and absolutely fanbloomintastic!!!!

Gx
 
Hi Sandra,
You are an amazing lady... I had a look in your gallery and the difference is amazing!! I'm scared to death about eating again too but I'm sure you will be fine... I've been on LL for about 27/28 weeks and I'm proud of that, I got 5 stone to go so I'm looking at another 20 odd weeks to go but you've given me the inspiration to know that I can do it!!! Thank you... and enjoy your daughters wedding... and make sure we get to see lots of photos of you looking gorgeous :D
 
Thank you Bexnkev and Wendyann, you are making me feel a lot better about myself as I have been feeling a little unsure of what to do and if I can face returning to food or not but I have spent a bit of time today reading other people's posts and decided that I will start on RTM tomorrow so that I can be a few weeks in by the time of the wedding. I will keep you uptodate with how I am getting on because I am so nervous that I wont be able to do it and the encouragement you have given me will help.
Thanks guys you are all amazing.
 
Absolutely fantastic Sandra..this is unbelievable..
I'm sorry, I'm CD but if I could I would nominate you for LL slimmer of the year award..

Just amazing. Can't get over the difference..well done..

Inspiration or what peeps..

xxx
 
WOW Sandra you are a different person what an acheivment you must feel so much better Well done
 
Hi Sandra, OMG what a fabulous weightloss! Amazing you star! Well after losing 8 stones, i decided to start RTM early at 12st, as a lot of people on here know, i went very weak, with low blood pressure, constant headaches and dizzy spells, pale faced, and had no energy whatsoever! My LLC and nurse told me to stop straightaway as it was dangerous to continue!

I am still battling to lose my last 1-1.5 stones, and haven't really lost much at all on RTM (i thought i did during my first week but the scales told me something else :( ). But have more or less maintained. I will get to my goal, either by just calorie counting after RTM or doing Weightwatchers for 2 months and see what happens!

Good luck and like everyone has already said, when your body says no, then please don't ignore!
 
Hi Sandra,
I've just looked at your photos and you look amazing! What an achievement! Your family must be so proud of you.
Like you I started RtM just before my target weight as I was experiencing dizziness and low blood pressure. I finished week 12 last week nearly 6lb lower than my target weight! So it can be done. I haven't updated my ticker as I've decided not to get hung up on being at a certain weight, but rather to ensure I feel healthy and that what I eat is respectful of that aim. The rest just seems to fall into place. Don't get me wrong, Management is HARD WORK but is so important as a means for re-educating your mind and body. All the best and hopefully we'll see you on the RtM board soon!
Linze
 
Thanks for that Linze and Slimseaa that has really helped, it does seem then that after being on abstinence for a prolonged period that you can suffer from lightheadedness and feeling dizzy - I was beginning to worry as I dont know anyone else who has been on abstinence as long so it is lovely to hear from others about their experiences.

Like you said I think I have been hung up on getting to that magical 10 stone mark but I feel that it is time now to move on to RTM and all the challanges that holds. I do feel amazing, like a different person, it is fantastic when people dont recognise me and then do a double take when they realise it is me - I love it. My husband and kids feel like they have a new wife and mum in their lives because I am a completely different person with so much more confidence in all aspects of my life. Lighterlife has basically saved my life.

I have spent many hours reading all the other posts on here and been so inspired by everyone else, and never really thought that I could do it - but now the hard part is moving on to RTM. I have found abstinence really quite easy once it became a habit I didn't even think about straying, that is why I have been nervous about facing the challenges of real food but I know that I need to all the tools that I have learnt throughout the Counselling and start to live a "normal" life again - Hey,, I am starting to feel really excited. So tonight I am going to speak to my Counsellor and start on the RTM, decision made!!

Thank you Guys you have been a real help and I will definitately see you on the RTM board soon

Sandra
 
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