New Starter!

Hi

I am new to both LighterLife and using forums. Main reason I am on here now is that I start LL today (well first meeting is tonight) and I am kind of terrified.

Basically I am looking for advice about what it will be like from those in the know. Thinks to expect and such. I am nervous about what the packs will be like (I am kind of fussy), whether I will have horrible side effects (go bald) and what the other people in my group will be like too, and indeed my counsellor as I haven't met her yet either.

I have been reading this forum for a few weeks now and have been heartened by much of what I have read here so thanks to those who post their private thoughts so openly.

Most of all I suppose I am looking for reassurance that this is do-able for me, both by managing to consume the packs and also while undergoing a new phase of my life (I am about to start a new job). I have only really told my OH and a couple of friends about going on LL so wonder how it will be to tell/not tell others. I am worried that many people might be critical.

Anyway, thanks for any info, thoughts and ideas.

Shelleycat
 
Dear Shelley Cat

I am like you only started last week, and told only a handful of people what I am up to. I had a headache the first couple of days and then felt fine. I have tried a couple of soups but don't like them so I think I will stick to shakes. My first weigh in tonight so I am keeping my fingers crossed. I did have to go and weigh in on Sunday to see how I was getting on and lost 6 lbs but my leader said if I don't lose anymore between Sunday and today don't worry - hopefully I have.
Good luck you will get lots of support on here.

Nicky
 
Good luck Shelley. Its normal to be apprehensive.

Look at the packs as the magic wand to get you to your goal. Take them for waht they are - nutrition. I personally liked them all. Alot of people have some they like and some they hate. But, to lose all you weight, its not worth being to fussy. ;) JUst approach with an open mind. :)

If you stick to it 100% it may well be the easiest diet you have ever done. It wa for me. If you mess about with it, it may be the hardest...it really does require a 100% attitude. I told myself whan I started I had to "Step up, or stay home". I stepped up, and soared through it.

I chose not to tell people. I knew some would be critical. But it was more I did not want everyone watching my every move. Really its just a personal choice.

No one has ever gone bald. :D SOme lose hair towards the end - but it is just shedding all at once whatyou normally would do...ketosis stops the shedding process so when you eat, it all tends to go at once and can be alarming. It always grows back. Mine grew back and was never noticeable what came out and it was a fair amount. Worth it I say.

Good luck to you! Use the forum as much as possible for support - it saw me through a lot of trying times!!

Go for it!!! :)
 
Oh, also get yourself a hand/stick blender for soups and shakes - makes a world of difference. I made the soups a bit thinner - I used 400mls of water and they were very nice. If you use less, then can be a bit thick and gloppy. To my taste anyway.

Shakes are good made like smoothies with ice, or can be blended with black coffee to make a latte or hot chocolate, etc. Just use your imagination! :)
 
Thanks guys

Hi Nicoli and Blonde Logic - thanks to you both for your responses. I am getting mentally ready to go off to my meeting in a while.

I have read so many reviews all over the Internet (or the echo chamber of opinions as the OH likes to call it) and been quite confused about what to expect. I suppose its so individual and my main concern is whether I will be able to concentrate on work and indeed manage to stay the course.

Blonde Logic I have read lots of your posts and appreciate that your opinion is coming from one who knows as it were. Certainly while reading on here it is clear that you know lots about the programme and are a success story. There seems to be an awful lot of negativity and that is the bit that puts me off telling the wider world what I am up to.

Nicoli its especially good to know that I am not alone in being a new starter and thanks for giving me a heads up (or should that be a headache) on what to expect! I really appreciate it and wish you best luck on your weigh in.

Thanks again.

Shelleycat
 
Weight ticker..

Thanks Mini. Brilliant site by the way.

I will aspire to tickerdom when I have a spare minute (or at least when I manage to stop panicking about tonight).

Thanks again.

Shelleycat
 
Hi again. :)

Yes - people will be negative, but I have found most negativity comes from one of two places - ignorance or fear/jealousy.

Of course, I finally had to tell people what I was doing - that was after I had lost about 5 stone. (The people I work with are not very observant. lol) But by then, it was quite obvious whatever I was doing was working - so there was a lot of genuine interest and awe once I explained what it was.

They nay-sayers may poo-poo the diet, because they don;t want to see someone succeed. Some may genuinely be concerned for you - but often its fear that someone may be on the path to where they themselves want to go but dont have the courage.

I would just suggest - take a stand, and don;t waver. Don;t let ANYONE sway you - just be affirmitive with your remarks to them if they are negative. Or a little laugh, and a "We'll see..." when they say you could never do it, etc. And if they say you will put it all back on - you tell them about those of us you "know" (here) who have kept it off. Always keep a cheeky -cat-that-got-the-canary grin, and don;t let them shake you. It is your life, and you are choosing to do it - and its no ones business but yours. If anyone is sarcy about it, if you keep that attitude they soon give up because they recognise your convictions are strong and unshakable.

You shoud not experience any difficulty in concentrating on your work. You will probably find your senses are keener, and your energy is up, and you will begin to feel vital again. It is only the first 3-4 days for most people where they may feel headachy, or lethargic - but that soon passes and you will start to feel better then you have felt for a long time. :)

If you are worried about the negativity, just keep it to yourself to begin with and then tell who as and when you feel comfortable.

It will be fine. :) Its good you are thinking all this through now - will prepare you for your reactions, etc.

Just keep the faith and laugh at the nay-sayers. We winners always get the last laugh. Or us "losers" I should say!! :D

Let us know how your meeting goes. :)

x
 
Brilliant post Blonde Logic!

Welcome Shelleycat!
Im sure you'll do great with lighterlife =)
I was a bit upset that some of my friends were very critical when i started the diet and now i kinda wish i had kept it to myself for a while - but i think everyones different, i find it hard to keep things to myself! lol
The foodpacks sound really daughting at first - especially the day you have them (i thought, wow..powder YUM) but you soon get use to them and now i really look forward to having a tasty shake!
Hope everything goes well for you tonight!
x x x
 
Back from meeting

Thanks Blonde Logic. Oh that made me laugh - are the people at your work blind or summat? Not to cast stones but really that IS inobservant.

I appreciate your words of wisdom and was thinking along those kind of lines. I outright said that at my group and while everyone tried to make it seem like it would be ok (I am sure it will) I still figure I will deal with it in my own way, preferably without outright fibbing.

CalicoSoneji - thanks to you for your welcome too. I guess I am worried that people will be critical without giving it a chance (as I suppose anyone might do when it seems like it will be a quick fix solution), and I don't fancy explaing or being scrutinised either.

Suffice to say to all that for a first meeting it was ok. Most people (all but me tonight) have been on LL for a while/before so I felt really the newbie. Oh well look foward to my pop in and beyond. Not really feeling that I have totally begun as I have decided to start packets on Friday (have a complicated day tomorrow and it would probably be a silly idea to try being 'out of routine'). Will make an update post soon so people get an idea of how i have got on.

Anyone know whether its better to post or have a blog - I am never sure of the etiquette as I don't usually post on boards.

Thanks again to you all.

Shelleycat
 
lol I know, huh? Helloo people. Thing is they saw me every day - then I went on holiday for a month - so when I came back it hit them. lol muppets - I reckon they thought I lost all 5 stone on that trip! :D

I did both a blog - well a diary thread thats in my sig - and then posted like crazy too.l I found having a thread I could pour my thoughts out on was helpful for me. But I still posted as well.

No right or wrong - whatever feels right. :)

Good luck on Friday!!! You can do this! :)

x
 
Those in the know

Oh Blonde Logic you really are one of those above! Full of the answers to all of (Lighter) life's questions!

I read you 'blog' when I was looking at this site and still trying to decide what to do and was amazed at how open you were with the faceless world of the Internet forum.

I guess I feel like its a bit easier for me to post now as it feels a bit like I am talking to you guys rather than strangers. So I presume I could just post thoughts here on this thread as the urge takes me!

Thinking more about last night's meeting I am glad that I decided to sign on here yesterday before I went. The meeting was ok but the more I think about it the more I feel like I could easily have decided that I was not part if the etablished group (3 of which actually did know each other already and were already in the programme together as it were) and just flee. I feel a bit less like that from already having made some steps towards 'mental planning' rather than just waiting for the meeting.

I hope that it will all turn out to be fine but I am not sure I understand why people would be back at stage one when they have already begun, didn't want to offend anyone by asking so didn't, hope it will become more obvious in time. I thought that I had a (very basic) understanding of the way LL progresses and am now wondering if I was wrong.

I suppose I want to learn much better habits and lose some weight without seeing LL as something that I would be on forever and now I am a bit scared that is how it could work.

That's me. Full of worry. Always picking away at things.

Hopefully I will be posting some good news later this week and then sessions will engage me more next week when some other new starters arrive!

Shelleycat
 
Hi hon

I don;t know if I have all the answers - only those I have learned myself on my LL journey. :)

It was scary posting my innermost secrets, indeed, but for me - it was essential as I had to get it out, and it was something I never could say to people due to shame, denial, etc., all sorts - so I bit the bullet and bared my soul to "faceless strangers". ANd it really helped. And over time, I have put faces to some of those "strangers" and now consider them friends. :) But you only need do what you feel necessary and comfortable with, of course.

One thing I would say, is focus on what the journey means for you, and what you want out of it - not so much as what or how others do it. DOn;t be disheartened because others have had to restart, it doesn;t mean you will. You are spot on - this is to change habits, recognise bad or unhealthy behaviour, and make life style changes so that your struggle with weight os finally over. SOme people manage on the first go - others need to go back and start over again. Usually they are the ones who might have bent the rules or taken unecessary risks while on the diet. But again - that does not mean you will be one of them. :) Also, give it a few weeks, and you will be one of them - not an outsider. ANd as you say, as other new members join, you will be one of the "experienced" ones. :D

It is such a unique experience for all of us - but it is what you make it.

How much do you want to lose? You can count on a stone a month if you stick to it as written. You will be thrilled at your first weigh in - and that will give you the boost and incentive to get stuck right into it and see it through.

Relax - ENJOY the ride - if you believe in it,open yourself up to it and its possibilities, it will be the last diet you will EVER have to do. :)

Can't wait to hear how you get on at your pop-n or first weigh in - whichever you choose to do. Good news and excitement await!!

xx
 
Just thought I would let you know that I weighted in last night and lost 9.5 lbs. I am so pleased, if I can do it so can you.

Nicky
 
All thought and no action

That is me today - all thought and no action that is- just come back home and now and looking forward to OH coming home from work later so I can bend his ear.

I have just been and met a couple of my friends and feel much better for having told them about it, epecially as they were neither judgemental or critical just curious (and I can live with that). Neither have hear of LL so it was an explain-athon but that made me feel better to be saying it. I have a feeling that most of my friends and the OH are going to be supportive, feel blessed to have people in my life who are understanding, I guess it makes you realise how lucky you are.

As a rule I don't go in for forums or Facebook or anything but I fancied posting on here as it seems a bit more interactive than just going on blogger and keeping a diary. Not sure that I am ready for soul baring, truthfully I think that my life is probably not as complicated as some people's (a fact of which I am glad), so probably doesn't make terribly interesting reading! But I am already seeing how cathartic it can be to just get this stuff out there and partially stop the whizzing blender of thoughts.

And if it is interesting or helpful to others in a similar boat then that is fine with me, just so long as I am not bothering/offending anyone with my thoughts or questions.

Blonde Logic - you are bang on (again) about my motivation for LL. I feel lucky to be able to decide to do it for myself and not 'forced' by anyone else. Neither am I amazingly unhappy or anything like that. I am getting married later this year and want to look good mainly for me (in a oooo look at the bride - kind of way), I am sure that OH won't complain if I do look a bit more svelte but there is no pressure on me and I finally have come to a 'mental plateau' on which I have decided that this is the way to go. Just want to be leaner and learn to be healthier in my attitude to food, and obviously I feel not having extra weight will be better for my health too.

I am sure you are right about the groups. I do intend to give the whole process a few weeks and try my utmost not to cheat myself. I am just under 18 stone and 5' 6'' so I really want to get rid of about 5 stone all told (weirdly I don't think that I would suit too skinny but we shall see how it goes, BMI is one thing but we all know what feels right I guess, not sure what the LLC thinks of this as I haven't spoken to her about it just her understudy).

I hope that I might get a better idea about some of the others in the group too and am hoping that the LLC will turn out to be a good one. She does seem nice and kind of motherly (in a good way). I am just worried about my ability to get the most out of the CBT when I feel a bit like I could be doing it wrong -or should that be that others already know how to do it right?!

I need to make a ticker I suppose (and Mini did kindly post me a link) just haven't done anything but type on here yet!
 
A big shout out to Nicoli

Nicoli - GO YOU! That is absolutely marvellous and I am so happy for you (and a bit jealous and inspired both at once). You must have been a very good girl to achieve that.

Please do let me know how you carry on and I will try and keep anyone interested up to date in what it is like for me over the next few days.

Hopefully soon we will both be losers (oh that is going to get old quick)!
 
Testing the ticker....

I think I made it right and after all the complicated maths I think that I might have managed to make it work but lets see....
 
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