GOOD NEWS

[nutty me]

Went to the doctors today and following a long converation he signed my lighter life form. Im so pleased - I feel I can now move forward and see a light at the end of the tunnel. Went to see my counsellor and hubby came and some questions, hes willing to support me with this challenge.
I will start next wednesday and look forward to meeting my group and sharing my journey with you all.

 

[hanmac]

That's great NuttyMe!
And it's great that you have your hubby's support
Good luck for your Lighter Life journey!
xxx

 

[Blonde Logic]

Congratulations! And good luck!!

 

[Sean(JSF)]

Good news indeed - enjoy the journey

 

[daisydoll]

thats great news.
good luck
daisy x

 

[lucy4loop]

Great news Nutty Keep us posted!

 

[slendablenda]

I'm so pleased for you. It's so much easier when you have people supporting you from the outset.
Good luck.

 

[River]

Wishing you the best of luck on your journey x

 

[Iwillgetthere]

Good luck. You wont regret your decision to start LL - as long as you stay 100% abstinent.

 

[Blonde Logic]

arty0049:Hey! IWGT! You hit your 100!!!! arty0049:​

Well Done YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!arty0048:​

That is cause for celebration!!arty0023:
:talk017:​

 

[Iwillgetthere]

Thanks BL. Am over the moon. Starting to get loads of comments from everyone this week - that i have enough off now and to be honest its really getting on my t*ts. Wish everyone would leave me alone and let me get to a healthy weight without trying to sabotage me :sigh:

 

[Minerva]

Don't view it as sabotage IWGT... It's not. It's because the loss happens so quickly - people don't have time to readjust their perceived 'you' with the rapidly changing person in front of them. It's a mixture of shock, awe, fear and partly the incomprehensibility that it can be 'natural' to lose weight this quickly.
Take it in your stride, I know those comments suck but you're doing the diet for you. When you get to goal and maintain for a bit - everyone around you will get used to the 'new' you.

I mean when my OH lost 12 stone the comments about his 'new self' didn't stop for a very long time. His friends kept referring to the 'Jolly Big Lyle' for about a good 6 months AFTER he reached target. He didn't let it get to him though it did annoy him somewhat. If it did get to him he would have succombed to being that old 'self' and returned to it. But he hated where he used to be too much to let it happen. Now, nearly 3 years later, he has truly become his new self.

 

[Iwillgetthere]

Thank you so much Minerva. Know what you mean. I think for the likes of my mum it is just because I have had an eating disorder in the past and she worries incase I slip back into my old ways. I am truly feeling fitter, healthier and more importently happier every single day and I know for me I have to complete my journey until the end - my end (Healthy BMI)

 

[MagdaX]

Yay!!! Good luck xxx

 

[Iwillgetthere]

Thanks x

 

[Minerva]

Thank you so much Minerva. Know what you mean. I think for the likes of my mum it is just because I have had an eating disorder in the past and she worries incase I slip back into my old ways. I am truly feeling fitter, healthier and more importently happier every single day and I know for me I have to complete my journey until the end - my end (Healthy BMI)

oooOOoooo Look at the new Avatar IWGT! Very glam and gorgeous!

Mums are natural worry worts, it's because they love you! My grannie did that relentlessly even though she's in another country! I mean what else have you got to do apart from worry when you get that little bit more elderly?
As for the ED - please do be careful. I'm not going to lie, if you have a predisposition of controlling behaviour around food, (and other things) LL may very well act as a catalyst for latent feelings, habitual behaviour and mental processes.
I've had binge eating disorder (BED) all my life, but Lighter Life reversed it into a way to control my life and emotions as well as a fear of BED/food (so Ana instead). BED did take over recently when I was no longer able to handle the stress and emotions of too many events and I'm battling this one again.

It's long roads to recovery, but I suppose LL wasn't the bad thing - it uncovered the problems I didn't know I had. When I was little, no one told me that it wasn't normal to stuff enormous portions of food when no one was looking. And so it was, I wanted love but I was always told - very affectionately - to go "eat something". From a very early age when I was distressed or happy - everything equated with something "nice to eat" and not bother anyone else with the emotion.

As conclusion, basically, be aware of the habits and patterns forming on your journey. You have a wise head on you, I know from past experiences you'll be able to judge what is healthy and appropriate for your future lifestyle. It's going to be tough - but you can do it!

 

[Iwillgetthere]

Thank you sooooooo much Minerva. All my pics are in my album now.
The tears are running down my face reading your last message. I do truly believe once you have an eating disorder you always have an eating disorder. Think its something I will have to battle with for the rest of my life. People think once you get over it then your cured but its not that simple. I have been doing LL for 6 mths now and I can honestly say it is the first time since I have been about 18 that I have ate exactly what I have been told. Not once have I vomited or skipped my packs. Just hoping when the time comes to reintroduce food that I can still keep doing what im supposed to. I think the 'excessive exercising' is my way of keeping things in check too - does that make sense? x

 

[Minerva]

Oh honey, don't spill tears. I hope they're tears of relief and of letting go of old built-up feelings.

I do truly believe once you have an eating disorder you always have an eating disorder. Think its something I will have to battle with for the rest of my life. People think once you get over it then your cured but its not that simple.

You are absolutely correct. An ED is a mental addiction (a set of thinking patterns which give us a chemical seratonin boost), because there's an element we're addicted to - sense of control, power, or just ritual. It may be habit. Is an ex-alcoholic ever cured? No. They live, and take each day as it comes. They will always want to have some alcohol and at times they'll feel that they can have "a little" and have control. But no. I've had to come to terms with the fact that I can't have sugar. Period. But I always crave the sugar and carbs. Like a deep itch that you can never scratch.

I'm sending you lots of hugs. ED is so difficult. Well done on doing LL, I'm sure for you it's been a bit more of a struggle than for some people who are doing it to lose some weight. You have that additional worry. The over-exercising makes sense, yes. 'Purging' does not simply mean getting rid of the food by that one way. Purging and MIA behaviour can also be expressed through self-punishment of the things consumed through exercise or starving of self for a number of days "to balance the damage". A BED sufferer will not usually take part in any purging behaviour. There are subtle differences, but all have a very strong addictive element.

I do have fears at this point that if you're balancing out your shakes with exercise (or did I misunderstand?) that you are already slipping into that old mentality. I have to reaffirm at this point that you must, absolutely MUST do RTM when you're done. To the letter. Don't say "I hope I can do it" - that lays seeds of doubt. Say you WILL do it 100% and the longer you say it without any questioning (I mean what is going to stop you?) the more determined you'll be. RTM will teach you things about nutrition. Personally I would refrain from Week 10-11-12 until you're absolutely ready. I held off on those because I wasn't ready for the carbs or sugar, and rightly so. Many people who maintain live quite happily without those things in their lives.

I had a look at your photos yesterday, you look fantastic!! Though through the sadness there was beauty shining through in your old photos too. I'm more of a believer of inner beauty, the "shell" is only that. A shell for who we really are. After all - how many people have you met who are "technically beautiful" but their beauty rots from the inside-out when they open their mouth? I bet many.
Let your inner you shine and treat your body well. It's the only one we've got.

Have a lovely day ahead,
xx

 

[MagdaX]

I completely agree with you two!
There is no doubt that I have have an eating disorder. All my life food has been my best friend. It cheered me up when I was down, had fun with me when I was happy, calmed me down when I was stressed etc, etc. I got to a point where everything in my life evolved around food. Thinking of what should I have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and so on was almost my main priority each day (which is really bizarre given the fact I have a very responsible job and active social life). And then comes the guilt. Guilt food has become this massive issue for me. Guilt it's taken over my life. Guilt it makes me hate myself...
I have chosen to do LL again for a reason. I want to treat it like a form of therapy. Not a diet. I don't see it as a diet. I have done far too many of those in my lifetime. They're evil!
I strongly believe that being abstinent is the most powerful and effective way of dealing with my food addiction.
I need to cut loose of those old strings that held me back all my life. I want to be able to re-establish my relationship with food from scratch and I want it to be a healthy one. A lifetime commitment to myself and my future.
I want to stop feeling nervous about food. It's ridiculous!
I refuse to let it control me. I want to be in control of me!!!

 

[Minerva]

It got to a point where everything in my life evolved around food. Thinking of what should I have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and so on was almost my main priority each day (which is really bizarre given the fact I have a very responsible job and active social life).

It's actually not bizzarre at all - and is in fact the main reason you're so obsessed with food. When we have a lot of stress and a sense of being out of control with life - especially that you say you have A LOT of responsibility in your job (sense of insecurity of your ability to perform to expectation) and a responsibility to everyone around you to be an active participant - in this mess of people expecting so much from you, the only thing YOU actually seem to have CONTROL over is what YOU put into your body. The planning is what gives you that sense of 'This is for me and ONLY FOR ME' rather than for anyone else around you. It's the last corner where you are by yourself.

LL will NOT solve your problems. But it may give you the tools to try to fix the problems in your life. Food is not the issue surprisingly enough. It just provides a vehicle of escape from stress, responsibility and emotions which may make us feel inadequate.
I didn't actually realise this until I was doing LL AND I quit smoking AT THE SAME TIME. I did not realise how much I was truly running away from until it sat staring me in the face. I was so scared because I had no vices to run to.

It's a helpful exercise. The problems WILL ALWAYS BE THERE. But we develop more constructive ways of dealing with them. SLIPS DO HAPPEN and are a natural part of life. Don't be scared of slips. Learn from them.