Six Stones Lost! and Moving to Management!

[gaijingirl]

heh heh - pussygirl here!... I'm going to try and make it all the way down to about 10 stone before moving into management. 11 stone was my original goal - which is where I was last time I was slim - but I'm going to see if I can go that extra bit. I don't know whether I will or not yet - we'll see. I'm looking at 3 more months which is slightly scary - but then again the initial 100 days was scary too.. Management terrifies me tbh... I'm looking forward to hearing your account of it - you're truely brave!!

 

[VirgoGirl]

From one Amanda to another (virgogirl isn't my real name!) ...

Wow, that is fantastic, congratulations. I'm only at the beginning of my journey, can't wait to hear how you get on with Management.

 

[AmandaJayne]

Well, d'you know, it was postings from other people who had lost their weight that first inspired me on this site.

It's nice to be recognised as 'one of them' now. I hope that I can help and inspire other new people the way that others' inspired me.

I have to thank Mini for setting up this site in the first place. It is truly the best site I have found, and so user friendly.

 

[Pixie]

Wow AJ Im amazed!
Have you got before and after piccies?
x

 

[Dom1979]

Wouldn't class myself as an 'expert' by any stretch of the imagination, but my advice would be stick to management to the letter, and keep weighing in every week!

How has management changed btw? I heard that you have portion sizes now and new dvd's.

 

[mindless]

Hey AmandaJayne

Many, many congratulations on getting down to where you are now and entering 'The Management'.

I take great heart from seeing people like yourself coming out the other end of the tunnel that this 100 days seems to be - of course you are further on than that.

Just when I'm feeling low - something like this just pickes me up and gives me the strength to realise these emotion swings are transitory and by staying on the program I will be getting to a much better place.

Thank you.

Mind you, whilst I am looking forwards to the new clothes bit, I think I'll pass on the new bras and knickers if you don't mind

 

[Pixie]

Hey AmandaJayne

Many, many congratulations on getting down to where you are now and entering 'The Management'.

I take great heart from seeing people like yourself coming out the other end of the tunnel that this 100 days seems to be - of course you are further on than that.

Just when I'm feeling low - something like this just pickes me up and gives me the strength to realise these emotion swings are transitory and by staying on the program I will be getting to a much better place.

Thank you.

Mind you, whilst I am looking forwards to the new clothes bit, I think I'll pass on the new bras and knickers if you don't mind

Hey Mindless!
Not seen you for a while congrats on the 16lb you are doing great!

 

[AmandaJayne]

Quote:

"Mind you, whilst I am looking forwards to the new clothes bit, I think I'll pass on the new bras and knickers if you don't mind."

Mindless, I'll just allow my mind to boggle a bit imagining that! (Each to their own...)

Pixie, I'm like a lot of big people, I make sure that I have the camera to take all the pictures when we are on holiday. That way there are hardly any of me.

All my 'before' pictures are in the gallery. I have a couple of other 'before' photos which I will try to scan and post. I haven't taken any 'after' photos yet, but will tomorrow and stick them on the computer.

Hia Dom, I will attend the first meeting on Tuesday so I have no idea what to expect. Do we watch a DVD? I think you are right to advise me to stick to the M'ment programme. I fully intend to.

 

[Malinky]

Well Done!

Hi AJ - first of all congratulations on getting there - it's a fantastic feeling, isn't it? Make sure you keep reminding yourself how well you've done!

I'm in a very similar place to you but a few weeks ahead - I've lost just over 6 stone (I started with a BMI bang on 40 and am now hovering around 25) since early August, I started Management in early December so am about 6 weeks in.

It's quite strange as it's definitely much harder then abstinence but I also really enjoy being able to eat again and apart from a fairly major blip over New Year (I coped with Christmas fine but then came down with Chicken Pox (at the age of 32!!!) and it all went a bit haywire!) I've generally been choosing the healthy option because I actually want to rather then because I feel I should.

I carried on losing weight (but much more slowly) for the first couple of weeks but then put 5lb back on when I had the Pox (I think I got a bit carried away trying to distract myself from all that itching!), that is now slowly coming back off again but I'd be lying if I said it didn't really set me back mentally. My LLC had to spend a lot of time convincing me that my weight will fluctuate naturally anyway and that I should also use other indicators (ie how clothes fit) as well - all of which I know but believing it can be a bit more difficult!

So I guess my advice would be - DEFINITELY go to the Management Classes, start thinking about how you'll cope if you do put any weight back on (hopefully you won't - but I'd say have some sort of Coping Strategy there just in case) and also - try doing some sort of exercise (or a new type if you already exercise), I've found that, from absolutely detesting any sort of exercise when I was fat, I now really enjoy it and have even taken up running (very slowly admittedly but it's a start!).

Good Luck and keep us all posted with how you get on!!

xx

 

[AmandaJayne]

Thanks for your advice Malinky. I have just replied to this post - a long reply of several paragraphs - and pressed the wrong button (backspace), and lost the lot! So, this is the second attempt. Here goes ...

Firstly, I do sympathise about the chicken pox. I too had it when I was 21. It was a very hot summer and I had to stay in for a couple of weeks. I couldn't even sit in the sun and sunbathe - it was too hot and itchy. I had loads of spots EVERYWHERE and was SO bored!

I hadn't even thought about putting on weight, but your comments have made me think.

It is inevitable that I will put on weight at some point, either because I eat too much, or because something doesn't agree with me and causes bloating, or because I am not active enough. That's the key I think, eating enough for my activity level, and remembering the water!!

Running is something I have been toying with. First though I'll have to get a really good supporting sports bra because, even though I have reduced from a 42 to 36 size and have reduced the cup size from F to E, I still need good support.

I read Paul McKenna's "I can make you thin" yeaterday and will incorporate his ideas, for example:

Eat slowly and savour every mouthful - something I never did in the past, just ate quickly without thought or feeling.

Stop when you are full - that one struck a chord. I always finished what was on my plate, no matter how full I felt.

Eat when you are hungry - not for emotional reasons like I did. Paul suggests eating what you want because denying yourself sets up a dieting mentality.

There's lots of other stuff too, but you get the picture. I think it would be good to start the Management programme with the help of Paul McKenna because I could slowly ease myself into good habits which will hopefully stay with me.

How many people are doing Management with you Malinky? Are they all staying the course do you think, or do they feel that they can do it on their own? I have always known that this part of the programme is the most vital, mainly because I have never in the past had too much trouble losing weight but always failed to keep it off. The development part was easy because it was so black and white - there were no decisions to make, no grey areas.

 

[Malinky]

Know what you mean about those Grey areas!
Out of my Foundation Group of 13, about half went into Development (including me!), 3 went into Management and the rest went it alone. There are 7 of us in Management now and we're all doing ok-ish. Most have stayed about the same or lost even more weight. I only know how one of the girls who went alone is doing, unfortunately she's put about a stone back on already. She really struggled all the way through though and lost significantly less then the rest of us, so I don't know if that's part of the reason.
I've bought that Paul McKenna book as well - I like the look of it and it does seem to make sense, I have to admit that when I tried to listen to the CD I fell asleep though! I blame it on Chicken Pox Exhaustion!!!!

 

[AmandaJayne]

Are you still spotty or have you managed to avoid scars. I have a couple on my face, but they are not really a problem.

It's good that you fell asleep because it's when you are relaxed and on the edge of nodding off that your mind is open to suggestions!

I need to wrestle my CD played off my daughter to use this evening. It's all "High School Musical" at the moment!

I am looking forward to tomorrow (Tues) night when I go to the first meeting. I have managed to arrange babysitting for each of the kids ok.

Some of the girls at work are going out for a 'after Christmas' meal in a couple of weeks time and for the first time in a long time I will be able to come along for the meal too. Even if I just eat a couple of bits of food, it will be a real treat. I won't be drinking though. I just don't think I want to go back to that 'downing a bottle of wine' any more. I haven't missed it these past few months.

 

[Artyjoe]

I just wanted to pop in and say fantastic on your weightloss, really inspirational x

 

[AmandaJayne]

Thanks for your comments Artyjoe. I've been reading through your posts - you've had an incredible journey so far. I wish you the best of luck and continued success for the future!

 

[Malinky]

Hi - how did you get on last night? Have you enjoyed your first meal? I had a grilled Chicken Breast (exciting or what?) and remember being gobsmacked when I was full up after eating about half of it!!
I'm not too bad on the spotty front - I only had one on my face and managed to avoid scratching it (most of the time - OH said he was going to put some of those mittens on me that they put on babies as I kept scratching in my sleep!), I think I'll be wearing high necked tops for a while though - my chest looks like someone has been throwing darts at me!
Have you listened to the CD yet? I was all motivated by your post and went and listened to it again... and fell asleep again! I've decided that you're right and that must be a good sign as I'm relaxed!
Your belated Christmas Do sounds good - we had ours last week and I really enjoyed it, I did have a few drinks but I alternated them with Soda Water and was fine, I resisted the puddings without too much trouble (and I was quite impressed with that as we went to Jamie Olivers Fifteen Restaurant and they looked ace!) and had an all round good time - before I would have had a hangover the next day and felt awful about what I'd eaten, none of that this time and I think that's almost better then the actual going out!

 

[mags1x]

Well done Amanda, hope you are enjoying management!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Send the positive vibes up north a little to me as you're not too far away they should hit me in an hour or 2!

Mags
xxx