I've got a good feeling about this one...

[Sammy_D]

Hi everyone,

I've tried S&S before with mixed results, but I have a good feeling about this time. I have a plan which feels much more sustainable and achievable.

Last year I got down to 158lbs through healthy eating and exercise, which is the lowest I've been in a long time. It was amazing, clothes that I bought 4 years ago that I'd never been able to wear were suddenly in my everyday circulation, and even though I was still overweight I knew I looked great.

I went back up to 172lbs, but I've come up with the plan below to finally get to my goal weight:

Start at 172lbs
Slim and save to get down to 150lbs
No 1 bootcamp for 2 weeks to get to 140lbs
Healthy eating and exercise to lose the last 2-5lbs/maintain.

This is the most positive I've ever felt starting a diet, I think because looking at it like that it looks achievable. Before when I was starting at 186lbs the goal was just soooo far away, but now it's that bit closer and I've broken it down into different stages it seems so possible.

 

[Sammy_D]

So, my approach towards S&S is slightly different this time. Rather than try and be 100% on plan the whole time, and beat myself up terribly if I'm not, I have accepted that it won't be possible. I will be on plan as much as I can, but if a friend asks me out to lunch I'm not going to say no or be fussy with the menu - this is about learning to make sensible life choices, and refusing every invitation isn't one of them!

On that basis, I started 2 weeks ago and in that time I've been 50% on plan and 50% off. In those 2 weeks I've been able to keep up with my gym routine and been on a few nights out/work dinners. I'm not feeling deprived at all, no hunger, dizziness, fatigue ect and I still lost 10lbs.

I'm hoping that 2 or 3 more weeks and I'll be approaching 150lbs, which is important to me because that's what I weighed on my 18th birthday and I *think* that will see me in a size 12 for the first time in a long time!

 

[Bananas]

Hiya!

Sounds like you are doing great . You are making it work successfully for you and that's the main thing!

Well done on your fab loss so far. I only started Friday (done this before a few times) but finding it ok so far.

 

[fitforafb]

Hi! Sounds like you have a plan! For me I can't stick to it unless its 100%. If I'm not in ketosis I get hungry and moody and fail. I'd rather take some time out and work on my weight, but I am in the time of my life where I can do that. Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[Sammy_D]

It's weird because I've been reading these forums obsessively for a couple of weeks, so I feel like I know yuo guys even though I am just saying hi for the first time.

I kinda wish I could commit 100%, but I tried it a few times before - I had serious boyfriend and a stable job and I committed to the plan 100% and it was a disaster - the lack of food massively affected my brainpower at work, and I was overly emotional at home, it just was a complete car crash! But I'm trying not to think about that - this is a new start. First time for the last time.

Fitforafb - I love your sig, I have a french connection dress I am aiming for and I love that you have the same!

Today has not been 100% on plan. To be honest I wrote this post out 5 times over and re-wrote it and re-wrote it again before I finally committed to saying that. But in the process I realised a couple of things -

1) I never said I was going to be 100% perfect on plan so what I've done is absolutely fine, I've stuck within the boundaries I set myself

2) What I have eaten/exercised today is an improvement on 1 month ago. No matter how greedy and sad I look like to anyone else an improvement for me = progress. Progress not perfection.

 

[fitforafb]

I was like that for the first week but on the 8th day it lifted and I've been fine since. You seem to know your limitations and are very.realistic. This is good because when you set the bar too high you fail, if you can fit it into your life then you can do it, better to be on a plan most of the time because then most of the time you will get the results you want. Don't over think it though and don't get too down on yourself Sammy, you are doing brilliantly picking yourself back up and starting again. Most people just leave it but you keep trying. Well done for your tenacity.

 

[Sammy_D]

So much for my good feeling about this time, lol.....

I was on plan for 2 weeks and during that time I had a lot of social events where I would eat normally, so I was thrilled when at the end of it I had lost 10lbs. Then something massive came up at work and basically I needed brain power. I find this diet makes me stupid and I struggle with technical concepts, so I had to go back on real food for 2 weeks to get through this project. I only gained 2lbs in this time though, which I thought was water, so I was pleased with that.

I went back on plan on Sunday and I have been 100% for 4 days. So far I have lost...... nothing. How is that even possible! I have been to the gym twice as well so it's not physically possible for me to have not lost weight, the maths doesn't work.

Has anyone ever done this diet and not lost weight?

 

[Sammy_D]

So this morning was day 5, still no loss. I decided to take a day off so I could draw a line under it and start afresh tomorrow. 1st of May, new order from Exante (so much cheaper than Slim and Save, I'll see how it goes), new start.

Today I ate 2000 cals. It feels like all I've done all day is eat, but that's actually a 'normal' amount! I've been on and off diets for so long that I forgot what normal was.

Excited for my new start tomorrow. I've decided not to overanalyse what happened this week - normally I like to understand the reasons for everything, but I don't think I'll ever work this one out and I don't want to bring the negative energy into my new start.

 

[Bananas]

Sounds like U r doing well to me. You've not let a slip turn into weeks/months off plan.

Good luck with Exante