Project "I will not be fat and 30"!!!!

[SaladDays]

I have just finished my first week of SS and this morning's weigh in gave me the great news that I am down 9lbs. Good! Seems this Cambridge thing is a keeper - so methinks it's time to start a diary.

I am a classic case of a faddy yo-yo dieter. I'll pick something, get near to my goal weight and then bail. Well: NOT THIS TIME. I promised myself I'd do a lot of things before I hit 30, some of them silly (dye my hair blue), some of them practical (buy my own car) and some of them for a healthy body and mind (lose weight, quit smoking). I remember making these promises to myself, writing a list and thinking how much time I had until that fateful day. So.... here I am at 29, still a chubby smoker. Ooops!!

Time to tackle the health items on the list, then .

So far so good at the end of week one, I've gone into this with an open and determined mind. Though I'm surprised by a couple of things: I really like the porridge and most of the soups. I knew I'd like the Chocolate Velvet tetra pack, because... well, hey, who doesn't like chocolate? Plus, for now, I'm not missing 'real' food. I'm just really grateful to not have to think about what I'm going to have for dinner any more.

I wanted to start this diary thread of mine while I'm feeling all positive and focused, then if it all goes a bit pear shaped later on - I can look back and remind myself how determined I was/am to get this excess weight shifted once and for all. If I remain on a positive path, all the better!

So, if anyone has found their way here (and is still reading this) then :wavey: "Hello!" and I wish you all the luck in the world with your own journey. Here's hoping we all come away from this experience with positive results and happiness.

 

[Gill h]

Good for you

Will be watching up see how you do!!!
Good luck!!!!

 

[Nikie]

Hi SaladDays (great name!) -I too am 29 and turning 30 next month! Struggling with my weight for the last few years and have done WW three times. I got down to 10.8 and then 'gave up' so I'm determined not to do that this time! Started 40 days ago at 13.10 and am now 11.12 so almost two stone down already. Yep, this works! Your opening post reminded me a lot of my diary actually-have a read if you have time (it's long and probably boring! Niki's journey from scruffy to sophisticated')

Well done on your great loss so far, this forum has been my lifeline so I'm sure I'll be checking in with you again soon!!

 

[SaladDays]

Good for you

Will be watching up see how you do!!!
Good luck!!!!

Hi Gill, thank you very much. Best of luck to you too!

Hi SaladDays (great name!) -I too am 29 and turning 30 next month! Struggling with my weight for the last few years and have done WW three times. I got down to 10.8 and then 'gave up' so I'm determined not to do that this time! Started 40 days ago at 13.10 and am now 11.12 so almost two stone down already. Yep, this works! Your opening post reminded me a lot of my diary actually-have a read if you have time (it's long and probably boring! Niki's journey from scruffy to sophisticated')

Well done on your great loss so far, this forum has been my lifeline so I'm sure I'll be checking in with you again soon!!

Hi Niki!
Wow, you've done so well so far! Nearly two stone in just over a month is incredible . It's so motivating to see where I could be in just a few weeks time as long as I stick with it. I'm really glad I found this forum, it always helps to chat with and read about people in the same situation.

I will pop on over to your diary and have a look...

 

[SaladDays]

So, here I am on Day 7. Despite the big ol' weight loss at my first weigh in I can't really see a difference either in the mirror or in the way my clothes fit. I'm glad my CDC took my measurements in the beginning as when we take them again on week 4 the difference will be there and measurable.

I don't mean to show off, but ketosis has been kind to me so far. No sicky feelings, headaches or bad breath. This makes life so much easier! I'm feeling a little bit peckish these days and have been getting some killer heartburn, but I think I know why this is....

HELP ME I cannot stop drinking Pepsi Max. I know it's evil, and absolutely NOT within the rules, but it's such a huge vice. I'd sooner give up the cigarettes (and that's a big sacrifice).

Seriously, though. This week I'm focusing all of my energy on getting off the sweet stuff. I know this will cure the heartburn and hunger pangs. I'm happy with the diet, and I'm actually still drinking around 3L of water a day too. From tomorrow onwards I will only drink water, and will deal with the caffeine withdrawal over the next few days as it comes.

Eek.

 

[Nikie]

Ketosis was ok to me......I always remember that day 11 was my 'nasty' day! But hey, day 43 now and its all worth it! I didn't 'see' a difference in my first couple of weeks...I have taken photos in my undies once a week and have put some of them up now, in the photos thread. Check it out, I was sooo nervous about posting them!

How are you doing today? Good?

 

[SaladDays]

I'm doing pretty good today, thank you. I caved in and had a Pepsi at lunch time though. Reeeeeeally need to work on that last little push of willpower. I'm doing the mother of all long days at work today, here until 9pm - I've prepared though... brought my lunch as well as my dinner so there is no room for snacking!

Ooh, progress piccies, I'll take a look. I totally forgot to take a 'before' picture. I wish I had. I may do one tonight as it's only been a week and it'll be nice to look back on if I'm feeling disillusioned. Not that I am expecting to (positive mental attitude and all that...!!)

 

[Nikie]

I don't think a pepsi will be the end of the world! I think the problem with diet coke/coke is that it contains something in it which can bring you out of ketosis, which will obviously make you feel more hungry. Worth bearing in mind that coke zero doesn't have it though so if you need coke, it may be better to stick to that. I have avoided coke for 6 weeks and frankly the thought of it makes me shiver now! It would be soooo sweet after all the water I have drunk! My OH has stuck to diet coke/coke zero for the whole 6 weeks and has still lost over 2 and a half stone so go figure!

I took my first pic when I was 2 days into the diet -I wrote on here asking for advice/hints to keep me motivated and someone suggested it as it had worked for them. So that's why I started the pics! I take pics every week or so. Next time I'll take them in the same underwear as my first pic so we can see a real comparison! I cannot stress how much the pics have helped me when I'm feeling rubbish!

6 weeks has gone so fast - honestly, I know it doesnt seem it at the time but you'll look back and realise! And I realised yesterday that my BMI has gone from obese to overweight! From 35 to 29.8! In 6 weeks!

I'm so excited to follow you on your journey!

Ooh, incidentially-I do still have black coffee with no sweetners. I was trying to stick to green tea but occasionally I need a coffee! If you can work through the withdrawals it'll be worth it. I went through the withdrawals (headaches, shakiness - worse than ketosis for me!) but then one evening I realised I needed a coffee or a pizza, so coffee won! I haven't touched normal tea in 6 weeks and as I say, try to keep coffee as a 'treat' almost!

 

[SaladDays]

Aw, thank you, I'm excited to be following your journey too. It's so great to have that support! I've been without the internet until today, so I'm catching up on all the goings on here.

Oh, and thanks for the Coke Zero advice, I've been holding off of the fizzy stuff as much as I can. Am definitely doing better in that respect - but when I fancy a bit of a 'treat' I've been picking up a Coke Zero. So much better!

The pics are such a good idea. I did my first one this week, and have dug out one that's full length that was taken a few months ago to use as my 'before'. I think it's really going to help. I did leave a comment on your photo thread, but it's worth repeating here - your transformation so far has been incredible. Really, well done!

My weigh in was yesterday, and it was positive. Another 5lbs gone, which means I have lost a stone in a fortnight which is crazy good. My goal for this week is 4lbs as that takes me out of obese and into overweight. Who'd have thought that being overweight would be a target?!

 

[lovelyle]

Hi Saladdays

I have been watching your diary, well done you have done fab so far, keep up all the good work, look forward to seeing your progree.

Le x

 

[SaladDays]

Thank you, Le. And hello! Best of luck with the final push!

 

[SaladDays]

I have a confession to make: I had a bit of a slip on Tuesday evening. Boohoo!!!!!!

My flatmates decided it would be a great idea to order Dominos and sit there and eat it in front of me. Needless to say, my soup looked distinctly undesirable next to their pizza, chicken and garlic bread. I tried to draw on my steely resolve, but I folded like a cheap newspaper..... I ate the chicken. I ate ALL the chicken.

I'm trying to look at the positives here: I didn't eat any carbariffic pizza or garlic bread. So, maybe I haven't kicked myself out of ketosis? Plus, I think as long as I can focus and I at least STS at my next weigh in then I haven't done any lasting damage. Just kind of lost a week.

Damn chicken.

 

[Nikie]

Ok, in this situation I think the worse thing you can do is beat yourself up about it and write off the whole week!

You need to draw a line under it and move on! In the last 8 weeks I have had two SS+ days and these are the only days that I have had solid food. And they have always been within the SS+ plan BUT I still feel guilty for eating! So I can imagine how guilty you would feel for not being on plan. I personally think it's dangerous to eat off plan because 1) you may now decide that as you've cheated on one day you may as well write off the week and therefore eat every day! It WILL be hard to get back on it I promise you! 2) you may be very good from now on and at weigh in have a good loss; this may lead you to think that its ok to have a cheat day and therefore you may do the same thing next week!

Do you know what I mean?

I feel like I'm being a bit harsh -well done for not having the pizza or garlic bread -I take for granted the fact that I am doing this plan with my OH and therefore we don't have any naughty food in the house, so I forget how hard it is to actually live with others! If OH bought a dominos pizza in I would certainly struggle. Perhaps I wouldn't cave in but I think the engagement would be off! Haha!

He has reached goal now and has spent the last few days on SS+. As a result he went on the scales this morning and is actually 1kg BELOW his target weight so he is in a position where he needs to establish what he needs to eat to maintain but not lose/gain anymore weight! (Oh I wish to be in that position) but as a result, we are going to have food back in the house. Luckily it'll be SS+ friendly food so if I do fall off the wagon it shouldn't be a massive fall!

After writing all this I've noticed your post was three days ago! I hope you haven't gone off plan young lady!

 

[SaladDays]

Hey Niki - not to worry, I'm still here, plugging away at it!!

But, yes, I felt incredibly guilty. Still do a little bit. It's my weigh in day tomorrow and I'm not expecting big things. The main thing is that I didn't go off plan - yay for me! It was very tempting though. I just drew a line under it and moved on. If anything, like you say it's probably for the best if I don't have a big loss this week because then there's no positive reinforcement for having a 'cheat day'.

Oh, congrats to your OH for reaching goal! That's fantastic news! We'll be there soon enough

 

[Nikie]

Glad to hear it!!

Don't feel guilty (easy for me to say eh?!) I think this plan is hard enough without beating ourselves up for having a slip up.

I'm weighing in a day early tomorrow and am not expecting a big loss. But I do know (from 7 weeks experience!) that our bodies sometimes work in a crazy way! If I have a small loss tomorrow it won't put me off because I know next week my body will catch up!

 

[SaladDays]

Absolutely, no more guilt - it'll just make me feel bad which in turn makes me want to comfort eat. So it's all positive vibes from here on out. How did the early weigh in go today, Niki?

I jumped on the scales this morning..... lost 2lbs. It's not great, but a lot better than I thought after the chicken fiasco!
Goal for this week: MORE WATER.

 

[SaladDays]

The MORE WATER challenge is going extremely well. I drank around 4L yesterday and feel incredible today. This staying hydrated thing definitely has it's upsides.

I also found the recipe on here for making muffins out of the shake sachets so did one of those for a 'dessert' after my soup last night. Suprisingly tasty. It was nice to have something to chew for a change, and as I don't like any of the shakes you make yourself it's a great way to use those sachets up (no waste, I hate waste!).

So - the citric acid in the Pepsi Max I was still drinking combined with the slip up last week affected my weight loss. This week, with the super water intake and the positive mental attitude I'll be just fine.

 

[Nikie]

Hey Saladdays! Glad its all going well! I lost 2lbs, so very happy considering I didn't think I'd lost anything!

The 10 stone mark is within my grasp and I can't wait to get there....maybe next week?! I am drinking more water this week, I didn't drink so much last week and I do think it affected weigh in. I felt quite bloated which would indicate that I was retaining water, i.e not drinking enough!

I'm so pleased you are feeling positive today!

 

[SaladDays]

2lbs is great news, well done! If you weren't expecting a loss at all I bet that was a nice surprise. And getting into the 10's is just around the corner, that's exciting - upping the water intake will definitely help with that. My more water challenge has already worked, I did a sneaky mid-week weigh in and I've lost more in 3 days than I did all of last week. Magic stuff, that H20.

 

[SaladDays]

How do I admit that I've had a very crappy week? Oh... well.... it looks like I've just done it. I picked up a terrible stomach bug last week and was unable to keep any food down for days, when I finally did start eating again it was basic things like dry toast - so I obviously kicked myself out of ketosis. I figured there was no point trying to stick to the plan if it was just going to make me feel worse, and I started to worry about loss of nutrients etc. I still drank a lot of water (when I could bear it). I gained 7lbs which is devastating, but I'm assuming a lot of that is water weight from eating bread and all the sugary medicines I took. We'll see though.

I have been back at work since yesterday, and am back in the rhythm of things with the plan and the water so really I'm trying to undo the damage the horrid virus has done. Feel a bit deflated, I won't lie, but there's a test of strength in how I deal with this set back.

Positive things: people have been starting to notice that I've lost weight. Ironic really, as I know I've gained a little due to last week. The water consumption is improving my skin and I'm tackling other health issues (namely: teeth and eyes). I haven't drunk any alcohol for nearly 6 weeks. It's all a knock on effect from being on the diet giving me a more proactive approach to life.

So, lets see how quickly I can recover the lost ground.