Back to Lighterlife - My 'hope I can do it second time around' diary

Bundle

Full Member
Well after my fantastic journey over 6 months and losing 8 and a half stone and having a tummy tuck, I let myself down and have regained quite a bit of weight. Will find out just how much tonight as I haven't dared weigh myself in at least 6 weeks (I'm guessing about 15 and a half stone???? I mean weighing that, not having put that on!!!!!:D:D). Was intending to rejoin LL on 5th or 12th September but class has been brought forward to tonight so although I can't start actually doing LL until Monday I am going to go along and start the ball rolling.

I am going to Florida on 21st December and although in my 6 months of LL I went on 2 holidays and remained abstinent I won't be doing that so I won't be able to do the full 100 days - haven't told counsellor that yet.

Anyway, to pledge my seriousness about doing this again I am creating this diary as I found a previous Forum amazingly helpful and supportive when I was so successful before. Anyone who wants to join in and answer my rambling will be warmly welcomed!:):wave_cry:
 
Went to my first new group meeting. There were 6 of us & all but one had done LL before to varying extents.

I have had a rethink and although I said I would start Monday, I have decided that I can actually begin on Sunday. My weigh in (allbeit with clothes on and after a biggish meal) was 15st 10lb which was worse than I thought) so the sooner I start the better - especially as I am going to Florida before the 100 days is up (21st December for 10 days) and I don't believe I will be abstinent while I'm there.

So, 3 days to go! Will try not to be stupid and do the 'last supper' behaviour!
 
Hi Bundle

Good luck with getting your weight back off.

It's hard not to dive into many 'last suppers' isn't it? You know though, that the first few days on packs will be easier if you've cut your carbs down in advance; easier said than done. My last supper (yes I've had many cos I keep restarting:eek:) always seems to be cheese on toast or chipshop chips or pasta with creamy sauce, carb heaven!!!!

Will be thinking of you on Sunday.
 
Well, here it is Day 1 of Lighterlife, the Sequel!

It's nearly 4 o'clock and I have had one pack and 2 and a half litres of water. Had a 4 and half hour journey back from Wales which made it easier not to have any packs (not so easy to drink the water!) - I like to leave them as long as possible in the early days or otherwise the days seem very long but I am going to have my second one now as I feel very hungry. Have been invited for a picnic tomorrow and we're going to go - I have to feed the children one way or another so it may as well be a picnic in the Park!
 
Well, day 2 went without a hitch despite having to prepare and participate in a picnic - I love picnics!!!:(:sigh::D. No headache or feeling poorly, just hunger pangs!!!!!

Day 3 not quite over yet but nearly 7pm and 2 packs still to have, still getting hunger pangs but hopefully that will improve tomorrow. Last day of the school hols today and another picnic but survived and hopeful that my weigh in tomorrow will spur me on.
 
Went to my Group last night. 2 new people, one who had never done it before - felt a bit sorry for her as everyone else has done it before - hope that didn't put her off! One person didn't show up but as she had paid 4 weeks in advance (we all had to!), I can't imagine she won't be back!

Well I lost 4.8 pounds which considering I was only on day 4 was not too bad at all:) Day 5 today and still feeling in the right frame of mind so watch this space!
 
Well, yesterday went without a hitch. In the evening went to see 'knocked up' at the cinema:D took a bag of thai chilli crisps and (big mistake) a peanut bar. I usually only have these bars crumbled into a paste made from a choolate shake. I on;y ate 3 quarters of it which is most unusual for me!

Today, saturday, is day 7 and feels a bit rubbish as I always find weekends the hardest. Still weeing for England and getting really fed up with the continual bathroom visits - it's so monotonous and my hands are really dry from all the extra washing!


Still have 2 packs left - ido prefer to keep them until as late in the day as possible!
 
Mornin' Bundle. Just found your thread and wanted to say 'hi' and good luck with your re-start.

How much do you need to lose to get back to goal? One of the things I enjoyed about doing LL was having no appetite because of the ketosis, and also having the 'feel good' factor. Also, getting off the eating-real-food merry-go-round and not having to obsess about what to eat/what not to eat all the time (and always getting it wrong). It is a breathing space and allowed me to focus on other issues.

Have a nice day!!!
 
Hi Amanda Jayne
I would like to lose 5 or 6 stone but my aim is for 4 stone in 100 days & then I am off to Florida for Christmas so will take a view after that. Having lost 8 and a half stone before I'm not confident that I would be able to maintain the weight I got to so I'm not really sure where I want to be!

How about you? Where are you in the scheme of things?
 
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Mornin' Bundle,

"I'm not confident that I would be able to maintain the weight I got to so I'm not really sure where I want to be!

How about you? Where are you in the scheme of things?
"

That's the important word, Bundle, MAINTAIN. After thirty years of yo-yo dieting (you name it, I've done it) I have finally achieved my goal of getting to a healthy BMI and a size 12. However, now I am here, I am having to get to grips with a new skill - maintaining this new weight.

One of the great things about LL is the accompanying counselling and group support. I have learned a lot about my eating habits and strategies for coping with wanting to overeat - it has been a real eye-opener, and sometimes really uncomfortable.

However, I have come to realise that it is not enough to know what the problem is and what the solution is. You have to actually physically/emotionally/mentally change what you do so it does not happen again.

For example, if you decided you wanted to get fit you may find out that to achieve that goal you could join a gym and go (say) three times a week and do a class or a programme. So, off you go and find a suitable gym, fill in the application form, pay your monthly fee, and go through the induction course so you know what to do to get fit. However, if you don't actually attend the gym regularly, you won't actually get fitter!

It is the same with maintaining the weight loss. I am learning that I have to get out of my comfort zone on a regular basis in order to prevent a return to bad habits.

The Transactional Analysis which we learned about in LL (parent/child/adult) has been really useful to me, although it took me quite a while to understand the concept. I find that I am often in CHILD mode (rebellious) when I want to eat inappropriately. In order to question this need to eat something inappropriate, I have to switch to ADULT mode (not PARENT) and make an ADULT decision. Sometimes rebellious CHILD is pretty naffed off about this and may insist that I go ahead and eat anyway.

So, maintaining is a new skill I am trying to learn, and I don't expect to get it right every time. I do expect to get it right SOME of the time though, and each success helps to cement any future success. I reckon that in a couple of years time, it will get easier! Yes, I do think that it will take that long for old long-held habits to pernanently change to new, healthier habits.

Sometimes I think that it would be much simpler to stay on LL and keep food out of the equation! Sigh, it was all so simple then!

Oh yes, have a look at my 'before' pictures in the gallery - they're shocking!
 
"Sometimes I think that it would be much simpler to stay on LL and keep food out of the equation! Sigh, it was all so simple then!"

Hi Amanda Jayne

You're so right! If I'd only stayed on LL I wouldn't have been where I am now! I might be about 3 stone though so maybe not! I was always worried that keeping the weight off would be the most difficult part and boy was I right!

I'm not going to be too down hearted as I feel, despite blowing it last time, I think I have learnt some lessons and hopefully, once I have shifted the weight again I will have a better shot at keeping it off.

I mustn't forget that before LL I truly believed I could never lose a substantial amount of weight but for the first time ever in over 30 years of being overweight I did. Therefore, I must believe that dispite my hiccup I can successfully maintain a healthy weight once I reach it again.

I will look at at your pics shortly but well done on your success! I think my pics might be somewhere on this Forum but then again maybe I only put them on The Discovery Health one. I don't much want to look at mine just yet as it will remind me how rubbish I've been! That said, I haven't put the whole 8.5 stone on so I'll be thankful for small mercies!

I agree with your take on the parent/child TA thingy and I very much feel like a child when it's anything at all to do with food.

Anyway, onto last nights weigh in: 6.1 (don't forget the .1!!) pounds off so pleased with that.
 
Mornin' Bundle,

Congrats on the 6.1 lb loss! I've been maintaining since May. Have a good weekend, that's usually the difficult part of the week. I find being in a work routine helps enormously, which is why holidays can be so hard, particularly summer.
 
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