Management here I come!!!

[AmandaJayne]

What a super post, Stardreamer!

You really are living the dream, and as you've stated, it's not always easy. It is, however, always worth working for. Keep us posted on how you're doing!

AJ

 

[katie_oxo]

Tracy

It's brilliant to hear that it's all going so well for you and that you've continued to maintain even after coming off the programme. Well done

Cath

 

[Steph]

What an inspirational thread!! I've only been on LL for 11 days and I've been really struggling but your post has really lifted my spirits. A huge congratulations Stardreamer :clap:

 

[Cake'n'eat it]

HI Tracey

A big well done - I am sure it wasn't an easy decision. In some ways I am quite envious of you and wonder myself wether I would be better just reintroducing a healthy diet as I have struggled with the pack/food combo. It must be great to know you can maintain in a completely free way and that you are listening to your own stomach when it says you are full.Three months of abstinence definitely has to have a major shrinking effect doesn't it!

Keep sharing the highes and low with us - its so good to hear about life on the other 'Light' side!

 

[Ann2shoes]

Tracey, I remember how you struggled at the beginning, its such great news to hear you have finally done it, well done, well done, well done!!! Has it been worth it or not? I think so. Now you must keep it off, it wont be easy but it`s really really worth it.

 

[tenney73]

well done, many congratulations

 

[Stardreamer]

Thank you Anna and Tenney for your lovely replies.
Here is a quick update.

I am still maintaining my weight although I do have good days and bad days. But it all comes down to choices. I find it especially hard when it is TOTM and when stressed. I don't feel that I get as stressed as I used to. I am more calm and take "time out" quite a lot.

I am still a size 12 and this morning weighed 10 stones 5lbs which I am really happy with. When I am having a bad day with food I drinks lots of water the next day and am very concious about what I eat.

A couple of weeks ago I introduced brown bread and I had marmalade with it and chose not to have any butter/marg.
Infact I neved have butter or marg now.

The following 2 days I had the worst pain in the lower left part of my stomach which was so bad that I considered it to be apendicitus. Having looked at my diet I can only put this down to the bread. I must now have an intolerance to it so have now not included it in my diet. This is a blessing in disguise as it was a real trigger food for me.

I still choose not to have milk in tea/coffee. Instead with bran flakes I have natural yougurt or muller light.

Another piece of good news is that the terrible and dreaded hair loss stopped about a month ago and I am no longer taking the holland and barrett hair loss tablets. I was really worried about my hair loss but am so happy that it has stopped. This, for me, was the worst symptom of a VLCD.

I would again like to stress that there can be successes from Lighter life without having to do the whole management programe. The real test for me will be next January as the longer I can maintain the better the chances of remaining slim, happy and healthy.

I am so looking forward to my three week family holiday in Spain this year. Last year I was an absolute misery to be around. I just sat on the beach mat the whole time too embarresed to get up or go in the sea.
This year I will be in my size 12 costume without a sarong!!!! Yipee!!! Walking up the beach, crabbing with my two little darlings, swiming in the sea and really enjoying the water park!!

Loosing weight was the best thing I have ever done. My dream has really come true!!

Good luck to all you fellow dieters. Your wishes and dreams are just around the corner!!
xx

 

[Stardreamer]

I am so sorry I did not realise that so many of you lovely people replied to my much earlier thread. A big thank you to Cake n eat it, Steph, Katie and Amanda Jayne for your wonderful comments!!!
xx

 

[AmandaJayne]

Evenin' Tracey,

Lovely to read your latest update.

"...When I am having a bad day with food I drinks lots of water the next day and am very concious about what I eat..."

Yes, that's what I do. I read that you don't weigh every morning, just once a month. At the moment I am weighing every morning, just to monitor that I am not losing any more. I'm officially 10.5 and don't want to go below that. Last week I had put on nearly half a lb, the first weight gain since starting LL, so I guess I am at the point of stabilising at last.

".....I must now have an intolerance to it so have now not included it in my diet. This is a blessing in disguise as it was a real trigger food for me...."

Now that is a 'side effect' of LL I hadn't imagined. It's true that other members of LL have also found out by doing the programme that they have had an intolerance to a type of food unknowingly. I am so pleased for you Tracy, not that you can't have bread, but that you have been able to identify a food type which disagreed with you. I have personally discovered that eating chocolate does seem to set up a reation for me too. That is, I want to eat more and more of it! The other night I had my alloted amount (plenty enough) of chocolate, melted with fruit to dip in. But I wanted more, so I had another couple of pieces. But I wanted more again and decided I wanted to finish off the lot so it wouldn't be a temptation any more. Needless to say, common sense kicked in and I threw the lot out into the wheelie bin (which was collected the next morning). I just don't need that kind of hassle any more. I'm still having cravings, but since there is no chocolate in the house, it is something I am having to work through instead of eat through! Hehehe!

".....I would again like to stress that there can be successes from Lighter life without having to do the whole management programe....."


Yes, and your experience is proof of that, Tracey. I am looking forward to your next update, to hear how you're getting on. I have so much enjoyed reading about your perspectives and experiences.


"....so looking forward to my three week family holiday in Spain this year...."

"......will be in my size 12 costume without a sarong!!!! Yipee!!! Walking up the beach, crabbing with my two little darlings, swiming in the sea and really enjoying the water park!!....."

God yes, Tracey. Me too! My little darlings are now nearly taller than me now. Even with high heels (mine).

Have a great holiday and don't forget to have loads of photos taken ..... of YOU .... to post on the gallery, next to mine! Hehehe!

 

[Stardreamer]

Thanks Amanda Jayne for your lovely response to my last entry on this thread. I too have really enjoyed reading about your experiances. You have done incredibly well!! Management just was not for me. Your gallery looks fab!! Your children must be so proud of you!

At the moment I am weighing every morning, just to monitor that I am not losing any more. I'm officially 10.5 and don't want to go below that. Last week I had put on nearly half a lb, the first weight gain since starting LL, so I guess I am at the point of stabilising at last.

I find the scales an absolute nightmare. I just can not weigh myself everyday as I know that the digital figures showing my wieght would then dictate my entire day. I get seriously upset and depressed about it. So now I go pretty much on the way my size 12 s feel. Maybe it doesn't affect you like it affects me.
I look forward to reading your posts. Good luck hun and take care.
xx

 

[Ann2shoes]

Dear Tracy,
Hope you are still doing well. My LL counsellor once said that `the hard work begins once you come off the packs`. And it does. It`s a long old haul, re-learning habits surrounding food etc.etc. but my goodness, it`s worth it. I finished LL last November and am still keeping the weight off. I am also slowly revising my behaviour around food. It`s a struggle, but much better than being overweight, so well done and stick at it.

 

[tenney73]

Many congatulations. You have done so well an achieved so much

 

[Stardreamer]

Hello everyone just a quick check in..........

I am still maintaining well with a weight of 10.7lbs!! Yipeeeeee!!

I recently went to a hen party in Watford and drank far too much wine!!!!......got chatted up loads....... But I did allow for this throughout the day and chose bran flakes/light yogurt in the morning, a light tuna salad for lunch and a grilled chicken kebab for dinner. This extra socialising has had a slight effect but I am not worried about it. Two or three pounds is not a problem. I will loose this over the next week,

I feel that I must mention missing Maddeline.

All of our problems regarding weight and body image are absolutely nothing in comparison. Please lets all pray for her safe speedy return.

If there is a God please listen to our prayers and return her to her loving family.
xx
God bless you Maddie.xxxxxxx

 

[Stardreamer]

Hello to all you lovely people!!

Just a quick message to say that I am still coping well without the management program from lighterlife.

I weighed myself this morning and the scales showed 10 stones 8 lbs. And I am delighted. I cant remember the last time I weighed myself. Pre LL I was weighing myself morning noon and night!!

I am not obsessed with food and really only eat when I feel hungry. I have slowly introduced bread, pasta and potatoes. but I do keep the quantity to a mininmum. I still choose not to have milk in coffee.

I have mangaged to get a temporary job at my daughters school for 4 and a half hours a day. This has helped tremendously with my weight as I do not get a chance to eat and I am no longer bored. Boredom was a real problem pre LL which resulted in me eating all day.

Stiil loving life and feel really positive about the future. I definately love being slim and am going to remain slim forever!!!!!! Yipeeee!!

Lots of slimming luck and love to you all!!
xx

 

[AmandaJayne]

It was a great start to my day to read your latest post, Stardreamer.

I am so pleased that you are out working again too, particularly as it is at your daughters' school. That's how I started out too, working voluntary at my kids' school. I absolutely loved it Stardreamer and when I realised I could be actually paid to do it, as a Classroom Assistant, I decided that I would change 'careers' (I was a childminder four days a week) and become one myself.

Well, it took three years. First I got myself registered with the council as a supply Supervisory Assistant (there were no supply Classroom Assistants at that time) and worked around the district at different schools - it was super, I was able to work in different school environments with many different children. Then, the council decided to start a supply list of Classroom Assistants I applied and was taken on. Soon, I started long term supply at my school and applied for the permanent position, which I got. I've been there for three years now.

I can thoroughly recommend it Stardreamer, you will be kept busy all the time and all you have to do is try and resist the many biscuits, cakes and the like which permenently litter the staffroom. Well, they are a permanent part of our staffroom, anyway. I have not touched them since starting LL in August.

It is great to hear how you are doing, keep in touch.

 

[Stardreamer]

Update... 4 months on......

I have for the past months, for some reason, kept away from this fab site. I wanted to go it alone for a while..............not sure if that was a good thing!!
I started lighterlife Oct 2006 and left LL in Jan/Feb 2007. Did not complete management.

I am permanantly employed now at my daughters school and work 30hrs a week. I absolutely love it!! Employment does definately help to keep you focused and stops you thinking about food. I had a fantastic 3 week holiday in Spain in August and loved wearing bikini's without a sarong!!! The only problem is that since going on holiday I have really not made good choices re food and diet. I have been very frightened to weigh myself and have felt completely out of control. This feeling is horrendous!! I began to feel very low and depressed. Life just wasn't as good as it had been!! I think that weight will always dictate my every mood.

So on Wednesday morning I just couldn't take any more of it and weighed myself. Although I had put on weight it was no where near as much as I had thought. I thought in my head that the scales would show 12 stone!! Well it showed 11.7!! This result still upset me terribly!! Whe I went away was 10.9stones. So I started back on the shakes on Wednesday and have already lost 4lbs!!

Now I am back in control I feel like a completely different person!! I am only having 2 shakes a day and then adding a pure protein meal. To go 100% on sole source was just too much.

I have to learn never to lose control as it takes you to a very dangerous place!! You then feed that emotion which is a terrible mistake.

The moral of my story is never take your finger off the pulse!! I feel that if I had ignored the control issue then I could have been back to where I had started at 13.11 stones, miserable, unhappy, depressed and fat!!

I have really missed this site!! Thanks or taking the time to read this post. If it helps just one person then its done just the job I had hoped for!!
Good luck
xx

 

[Mrs Lard]

Dear Stardreamer

Welcome back to Minis and thank you so much for posting.

I have really missed this site!! Thanks or taking the time to read this post. If it helps just one person then its done just the job I had hoped for!!

Just reading about your progress (I started at the beginning of the thread) has really helped me so thank you and I am sure it will help many others, too.

Could I ask you a question - you were maintaining really well, what happened to change that? Was it just the holiday or did you start to change your food choices afterwards? I'm just curious to find out what tipped the balance. Who can forget the story with the crisps in the Management blue book?

The only problem is that since going on holiday I have really not made good choices re food and diet. I have been very frightened to weigh myself and have felt completely out of control. This feeling is horrendous!! I began to feel very low and depressed. Life just wasn't as good as it had been!! I think that weight will always dictate my every mood.

You haven't gained a lot but obviously enough for you to be concerned (which I also understand). The scary thing for me is that I never used to notice another stone whereas I can really feel the difference of two or more pounds. That's a huge difference; did you feel the same? (I am really struggling through Route to Management and am going back to Week 3.)

Anyway, well done for nipping it in the bud and I am sure you will feel back to your new normal very soon!

Thanks so much for being honest and for sharing your story with us.

Take care.

Mrs Lard xxxxxxxx

 

[sun]

Hi Stardreamer,

Loved reading your management thread, thankyou and

xxxxx

 

[Just Do It]

HI StarDreamer,
I've just read your thread from the beginning and thank you for taking the time to let us know about life after LL.

Its really encouraging to know that you have been managing so well, and that you have the strength and prescence of mind to deal with your gain before it becomes an awful problem.

I look forward to reading about your progress and send you best wishes for a speedy loss.

Claire