Some of you may have noticed that I’ve lost some weight over the past year and although I’m still not at my goal weight – or even close (damn my love for bombay mix and kebabs) – I’ve decided to come off the strict regimen that I was previously following and go it alone.
The Background
I’ve always known that my major problem is carbs. I’m a PCOS girl with insulin resistance. Long story short, my blood sugars are fine until I eat something carb-o-rific, then they shoot up beyond what would be considered the normal range. I’ve tried following a traditional diabetic diet in the hopes that it would help but regular blood sugar testing showed that so many of the recommended foods still sent my blood sugar skyward (hello porridge!)
While I was pregnant, I built a food plan based around the things that kept my sugar levels as steady as possible and I ended up weighing an additional stone less once Leila had been born, I was also feeling a lot healthier. So, it’s to this end that I’ve meal-planned again. I’ve been on the Cambridge Diet since last August (yes, 2010) and as a result, I’m 4.5 stone (63lbs) lighter but my metabolism is (understandably) shot to pieces. I’m being realistic about some initial weight gain while my body readjusts and comes out of starvation mode and I’m hoping that regular visits to the gym will help give my metabolism a much needed boost.
I have experienced a lot of negativity when I mention the Cambridge Diet which is why I haven’t talked about it before on the blog. I will happily hold my hands up and say that it’s not a healthy way to diet, it really isn’t and as with all crash diets, you will pile the weight back on quicker than ever if you go back to your old habits, simply because of the havoc very low calorie diets play on your metabolism. But, when you flip the coin to the other side, I have complete confidence that without it, I would still be sat here today as I was the day I started, all 16st 7lbs of me.
The Food Plan (click to enlarge)
Things to Note
I’m focusing on the Low GI aspect of things. I’m not carb counting unless I feel that I absolutely have to, simply because it’s a pain in the arse. I’m also not being massively aware of calories or fat content. Again, I’m hoping that the common sense approach of a Low GI diet will automatically mean that I remain fuller for longer on the increased amount of vegetables and wholegrains. I’m packing my evening meals with a variety of (non-root, except carrots) vegetables – my stew/curry/stirfrys hold enough veg to sink a battleship!
I admit that I will probably have to look at my calorie intake a little more closely once I’ve gotten into the above routine and possibly make some adjustments, the same goes for fats. But I also know that it’s the little ‘treats’ like bacon and tomatoes on toast on a Sunday or a melted cheese wrap that will keep me on this new regime with more enthusiasm than without it!
You’ll also notice that I’m still going to be supplementing my days with a protein based diet shake/bar. Mostly this is because I have them left-over and those things are too expensive to waste, but I also tend to eat my lunch whilst doing a hundred other things, so this is a convenient way to stop myself from falling into the trap of reaching for carbs (read bread) as a quick lunch.
Exercise
I’m also back at the Gym and currently thinking that I need to hire their personal trainer for a couple of sessions to ensure that I maximise my results in the minimum amount of time. My (unfit person) routine currently looks like this:
~ 15 minutes treadmill (5 minutes warmup, 5 minutes running, 5 minutes cool-down)
~ 10 minutes rowing machine
~ 10 minutes stair-master
~ 5 minutes various weights
I do this three times a week and I’m not entirely sure this is going to be enough to build my metabolism back up, my major motivation for going.
Is anyone else on a kick to get healthier and drop some pounds? Looking at what I’ve planned, got any alternative suggestions or tips for me? Talk to me about your diets peeps!
Hi, congratulations on losing all that weight! I’ve lost about 3 stone since having my second son who is now nearly 2.
Like you I’ve still got about a stone a half to go before I’m at my pre-pregnancies weight. I did Rosemary conley for about a bit then just a variation on the Atkins, eating a lot of their meal replacement bars, and then thelast 10 lbs I’ve lost on good old WW!
I would definitely recommend a personal trainer. I’ve had one on and off for about a year,and she was brlliant! Looking at your gym routine, I suspect she would recommend more weights, as this is apparently was kickstarts the metabolism. Also do a mixture of high instensity and low intensity cardio stuff.
HTH!
Mariax
Hi Maria, thank you very much. Well done on your weightloss, it’s the last bit that’s the hardest for sure. WW worked for me so well when I was a teenager but since the PCOS diagnosis, it didn’t do it for me – I think it’s such a great, well-balanced plan though.
I did read that muscle is what you need for increasing metabolism, I’m completely clueless when it comes to weights though so I’ll have to go for the PT for sure!
Thank you! x
I think you look more and more beautiful and kudos for you on the healthy living. Hope you continue all the good and hard work! You can do it!
That’s really kind of you, really really. I’m loving being thin enough not to have to turn sideways to fit through small gaps LOL I hope I have the willpower to keep it off and maybe go that little bit further too! xx
Wow, Charlotte, I noticed you had lost some weight, but didn’t realise how much. 4.5 stone is fantastic, well done!
I’ve been struggling with my weight since I had my second daughter who is now 7 and was diagnosed with coeliac disease. Since starting on the gluten free diet I have piled on several stone and am currently at my heaviest at over 12 stone (not counting pregnancy weight). I have been “watching” what I eat and running approx. 3 miles 2-3 times a week, but sadly I have only lost around 7-8 lbs so far (since April). I have toned up a lot and some of the fat has turned into muscle which is know is heavier than fat, so I guess I have lost a bit more than that, but in reality I’m still a size 14 and still want to lose – preferably – 2 stone.
My vice is sweet stuff, cakes, chocolates, sweets, ice cream, so I really need to be careful about them. I have pretty much completely stopped snacking after supper to avoid putting the weight back on, but often if I don’t run for a few days and eat normally, I will still put some on. I have finally got my GP to acknowledge that I have an underactive thyroid (a common “side-effect” of coeliac disease) for which I started medication about 3 weeks ago, so I’m hoping it will help me lose weight. It took 3 bloodtests to confirm because 2 of them were borderline, but the third one was finally low enough for him to do something about it. Now we’ll just need to see if my medication is set high enough to make a difference.
Anyway, enough of me rambling on, once again well done to you and best of luck for continuing on your journey of losing weight. xxx
Thanks Anita – it’s 4.5 stone on the Cambridge Diet and 6.5 stone in total, maybe I’ll post an old photo one day, that’d bloody motivate me for sure LOL
Ahh, the little I know about coeliac disease tells me that it’s a horrible thing – good on you with the running though, I did it for about 3 months but I’m just not sure it’s for me… I found it so bloody boring, even when I got fairly good at it and I was so self-conscious running around my neighbourhood LOL
I completely agree about the weight/muscle thing – at my lightest (in May), I was 11st 10 and running at the same time. I put some back on and the next time I dropped back down to that weight I’d given up the running and even though I was the same weight on the scales, I felt so much heavier and my clothes didn’t fit as well despite being the same ‘weight’. Makes a massive difference for sure!
Good luck with the Thyroid meds, it’s one of those conditions that can really be helped with intervention so hopefully you’ll notice some improvements. Thanks for your kind comments and right backatcha! xxx
Weight lifting will absolutely help your metabolism get going. It stimulates muscle growth and muscle burns more fat.
If you can throw in 15-30 minutes of cardio on your off days, and maybe do a bit more weight lifting on your on days, it’ll help too.
Good luck and congratulations on working on a healthy you!
Hi T, that’s what I’ve been reading – whenever I use the weights though, I never feel like I’m doing it right. I definitely need some guidance from someone who knows what the hell they’re doing there. Time to get a PT!
I’ve got an elliptical trainer in the conservatory, I need to put it infront of the telly and force myself on it when Eastenders is on or something!
Thank you!
I haven’t been following for too long but whe i have looked at your older posts i can really see it in your face. Congratulations, i know it’s so tough to lose weight and keep it off! I recently lost two stone, gained one back and then lost half again. But i know we can do it 🙂
Thanks Evelyn!
We totally can do it, it’s just so easy to get demotivated and that’s probably the biggest struggle of all – good luck with your contined great work, keep at it!
C xx
I’m currently trying to lose weight (hello extra 2 stone since I met my boyfriend just under 3 years ago) to be a bridesmaid at my friends wedding, I’m gymming and eating more healthily but the weight isn’t dropping off like it has in the past. I’m thinking I need to take it up a notch and cut carbs which will be an actual killer for me as I adore potatoes, pasta and all things carbalicious.
Hi Lucy,
Ahhh, the “I’ve found the one, feed me cakes ‘cos I’m so happy weight”. That’s the nicest kind of weight gain LOL – That’s pretty much what I found, I used to be able to shift it ‘normally’ but nowadays, I have to go that extra mile. Good luck, fellow carb-fiend! x
Congrats on the weight loss, the amount you’ve lost is a massive achievement!
I agree with Maria on the personal trainer, they can be a great help even if you just use them for a few sessions to sort out a routine for you. Even if you decide against it you definitely need to look at doing more weights. Building muscle is one of the best tools for weight loss as even when sedentary, muscle burns far more calories than fat. Cardio is great for your circulatory system but only burns calories whilst you’re doing it, whereas building muscle through weights helps to burn calories when you’re not in the gym too (ie ‘raising’ the metabolism). Many women are scared of building muscle (I blame Madonna’s arms!) but by sticking to low-ish weights and lots of reps you can tone without bulking. A personal trainer should be able to help you with what weights to use, many women have a tendancy to use weights that are too low.
Re your diet plan, the one thing that jumped out at me was the lack of fruit and veg. I’m guessing you find that fruit spikes your blood sugar as fruit can be problematic for insulin resistance, especially certian types such as pineapple. However vegetables should be fine so you should look at incorperating some more into the plan. This should help to keep you full preventing cravings and help your body to adjust to a more normal eating pattern.
The other thing I noticed was granola, a notoriously high-calorie ‘health-food’. My advice for this is firstly check the packets. Granola can vary a lot in both fat and sugar content (both are surprisingly high in this kind of cereal) so look at the grams/100grams and compare brands. Secondly, make sure you weigh/measure it out. Granola is heavier than it looks and so a lot of people eat a double portion without realising it.
I hope none of this seems really obvious to you, I have a nutrition background so just wanted to pass on any tips I could.
Good luck with it all,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thank you so much – I’m definitely going to get a PT, just on the website now trying to decide whether to go for the fit one/smiley one/tough looking one LOL
And yes to weights, I did read that it’s increased muscle that will burn fat/increase metabolism and I know I’ll have had massive amounts of muscle wastage whilst on the Cambridge plan. I must admit, Madonna’s arms have crossed my mind – but in reality, I should be so lucky to be that dedicated!
I do have loads of vegetables… I sneak a ton into every evening meal, either in the form of 3/4 plate of salad or curries/stews piled high with carrots, celery, peppers, onions – I also snack on raw veg. I don’t eat fruit though, mostly ‘cos I only really like bananas (unless they’re in cakes ;)). I think I need to make a tupperware lunchbox of salad at the beginning of the week and dip into that for lunches.
Yano, I looked at the packet of Granola today and was shocked at how high nearly all the values are! It said that a serving was 50g, I’m giving myself 30g and seeing how I go on it. I bought Linzi’s one (which was more expensive) but apparently the only one tested for it’s Glycemic Load or something?
I’m so pleased and grateful you took the time to pass on your tips, I really need them! Thank you xx
Congrats on losing weight, it’s a tough old battle when you’ve got PCOS. I can totally recommend a personal trainer tho, as mine has introduced me to weights which to be honest, has made more difference to my figure than any amount of cardio exercise. If you’re not sure about a PT, then the Matt Roberts book called Fitness for Life has some great plans in it which really make a difference.
Also if you’re worried about ‘bulking up’ if you do go down the weights route, I can say that unless you’re taking testosterone or steroids, there is no way you will do anything other than get leaner, more compact and all toned. Plus the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn when at rest.
Thanks Charlie!
I’m so buzzing that you’re all talking about the difference doing weights has made to you all – that’s really filled me with some added enthusiasm!
I’m gonna look on Amazon for that book now too! I know my calf muscles got massive when I was running because I couldn’t do my boots up LOL, I don’t know if I might be more at risk from bulking up simply because of the PCOS (hormone inbalance = more androgen & testosterone in my system than normal) but I’m sure I won’t be looking like Jodie Marsh anytime soon! xx
Congrats on losing all that weight! I’m pretty crap with all the diet-ey type stuff, I prefer to just try and avoid puddings and things with high amounts of sugar (except on the occassion of course!) and I’m not being massively active at the moment – I find soup is a great thing to have (though homemade is best, get in all that veg mmm) and drinking pleeenty of water curbs my cravings (and had made my skin a looot better!).
In terms of keeping active, I’d recommend fitness classes (they do them at my local leisure centres for an excellent price) unless you absolutely adore the gym – I personally get a bit bored of it, whereas you meet people at classes and you really work a lot harder! Weights are important as mentioned by Maria – I’ve read somewhere that every extra pound of muscle you gain, you start to burn like 35-50 calories more per day (just sitting on your bum, or sleeping!!) – you can do that at the gym with all the scary guys that seem to huddle round them (happens at mine anyway!) or if your leisure centre do fitness classes they might have body pump, which is very much based on weights! Good luck 😀 Let us know how you get on!
Thanks so much Kim – I used to make soup with tons of veg and leftover stock from gammon etc (I <3 my slow cooker) but I'm not eating the kind of things that lend themselves well to homemade soup at the minute. Will just have to go out of my way to put a nice veggie soup on overnight with some chicken oxo instead.
I'm rubbish with my water intake too, permanently dehydrated tbh... I can't get past the whole constant peeing thing when I up my water!
Ohhhh I dunno if I'm suited to fitness classes, I don't generally like other people hahaha! I'm a bit of an anti-social bugger around strangers, I might stalk a few classes at my gym and see what they're like. I know spinning is a no-no though, those poor sods look like they're gonna DIE when they get off the bikes, scares the bejeesus outta me!
C xxx
Congrads on losing so much weight! Well done!
I think if metabolism is your concern, I do believe that at least 30 minutes of cardio should be done before weight-lifting/resistance training. I went on a pre-wedding regime for three months and lost a bit of weight and I will try to continue this to maintain my weight going forward…basically I would do 30 min of cardio and 30 min of resistance training 2-3 times a week; if I only do this 1-2 times a week, I supplement with a bootcamp or yoga class or a 5km run to shake up the routine. I think moving daily helps and we don’t have to always do an intense workout to burn calories. I try to walk to appointments if time permits on the days I don’t work out.
Thank you!!!!
When I was running I found that just by increasing my fitness levels made me WANT to make use of my new found health and walk loads of places, do a bit of jogging just because I could – looking forward to getting that back again!
That’s interesting about the cardio, I guess it gets your heart rate up and possibly makes the weights bit more effective at burrning fat too?
Good luck with your continued success!
Hi Charlotte, you look fantastic! I agree with what everyone says here, weights weights weights. I used to be SO afraid of them until my boyfriend put some sense into my head and I read lots and lots online and in books, you just BURN more in every workout and at your rest rate, you will not get butch or bulky, unless you take in some serious protein along side it. A second thing is, now that you’ve lost a significant amount of weight you may notice your weight plateau, again I agree with some of the earlier comments that muscle weighs the same as fat so I suggest getting yourself a measuring tape and tracking your progress through that. This is the one thing that stopped me getting frustrated after spending so much time and energy watching what I ate and working out.
I also recommend googling ‘Leigh Peele’, I’ve learned some fundamental basics about body fat percentage and food intake that helped me ALOT. xx
Thanks Maryam!
Does muscle weigh the same or more than fat? I’ve always thought it was more – maybe that’s just what fat people who’ve gone to the gym twice say to make themselves feel better when they get on the scales after a couple of weeks skiving. Not that I’ve ever done that of course 😉
I did the measuring tape thing all through the Cambridge Diet and I found it more variable than the scales, mostly because I kept measuring in slightly different places LOL I need to get someone else to do it for me.
Ok, I’m googling, I’m googling!!
Thank you xxx
Congratulations on your weight loss.
I would defiantly recommend a personal trainer. Mine is fantastic, I don’t see him every week but he builds me a program and then I go back for another appointment when I feel the last one is getting too easy, I’m sure one of the trainers at your gym would do this for you but I do agree that you need more weights in there.
Also Spin classes are good too.
Hi Caroline,
Spin classes SCARE me!!
Yep, I’m booking a PT now – you’ve all inspired me, I think a tailored programme with some weights will be the key, thank you so much for taking the time to leave me some tips x
Charlotte I think you look gorgeous and particularly when I read your posts about Leila I know you are gorgeous both inside and out. I have struggled with my weight all my adult life and now at fifty have to work really hard to stay within healthy BMI – I find exercise is absolutely key to this for me and I cannot recommend Davina McCall’s exercise DVD’s highly enough, there is a new one due out later this month too. Good luck and thanks as ever for your lovely blog.
Hi Sara, you’re so very kind to me. I’ve never gone down the exercise DVD route but I know that so many are massive fans. Have you ever tried the killer one, that 30 day shred thing? I watched it once on YouTube (dry roasted peanuts in hand of course). Scary.
I’m gonna check out the DM ones now, see if I can maybe pick one up on eBay!
Thank you xx
Good on you my love, you’ve done bloomin’ great. I too am dieting (although not too strictly, just trying to get myself into good, sustainable habits) and have been going to the gym for the last couple of months. I have to say, I love going to the gym now that I’ve settled into the routine. Never thought I would say that!
The main thing that strikes me with your exercise it that it needs more resistance exercises (weights, lunges, press ups, sit ups etc) to balance out the cardio – cardio is great for your health but it won’t tone you up even if you did it all day long. My workout until very recently almost exactly matched yours (I found these machines the easiest to get on with and the least intimidating to do) until a fitness instructor told me about the importance of combining resistance training too.
whether any of this relates to metabolism I have no idea though! Good luck x x
Thank you Jenni!!
Isn’t it brilliant when you start to get a bit of a thing for exercise? I have an addictive personality and wouldn’t mind getting addicted to my gym – what’s the betting I don’t!
I went on one of those wobble board things last week, obviously really late at night while no-one else was around… they’re not called wobble boards but I’m sure you know the things I mean. I did some squats on it but having never really done squats before, wasn’t sure if I was doing them right!
I did some situps, and I could totally tell I was doing them right – flippin’ nearly killed me – I was sweating and felt the BURN!
Are you insinuating that I’m being lazy by picking the machines that don’t hurt? How very dare you 😉 *cough* busted *cough*!
Thanks so much missus, good luck with you keeping it going too – I reckon it’s gonna get tougher as these mornings get colder!
Oh yes the wobble boards – how very odd are they!
Situps are GOOD – I read recently that tests were done to find out which situps were the most effective at getting results – apparently do the ones where you hold your legs up at right angles and ‘cycle’ them as if you are riding a bike, then do sit ups putting right arm to opposite knee and vice versa. Apparently.
Nooooooo I didn’t mean you chose the easiest machines to do in terms of exercise, I meant in terms of how to work them! I may be on my own on this one but some machines I walk over to, get on (trying not to look confused) fiddle about a bit, have no idea how to work it so get off again, hoping no-one noticed! At least with running machines, cycling machines and rowing machines I know where I stand 🙂
x x
Ah well done my lovely that’s fantastic! 😀 As I’m a PCOS-er too, I’m sort of dieting (ahem *very badly*) but I’m down about 1 3/4 stone from my heaviest which is good (although my heaviest coincided with me on crutches and unable to walk so that wasn’t totally my fault :P) Want to lose at least 5 3/4 stone to get my BMI healthy. It is tough with carbs, most of the things I can actually make are carb based like pasta and sandwiches. Thanks for the plan though, this looks really useful 🙂 I like having an exercise bike- even I will exercise if it means being in the warm watching telly! Mostly I need to learn self-discipline (which you clearly have). I need to learn by your example! xxx
Thank you so much, woo-hoo on your weight-loss, that’s brilliant – keep going! Honestly, it’s the bestest feeling in the world dropping a BMI range. I was on cloud 9 when I dropped from the ‘obese’ category into ‘overweight’ – felt like a million dollars LOL
Oh you should totally give my plan a go, I’m no nutritionist but aside from those pesky diet shakes, I think it’s fairly healthy! If you want any recipes, let me know xxx
I really don’t have self-discipline btw, it took me a year on the Cambridge Diet what it takes ‘normal’ people about 5 months – I like my weekend blow-outs too much!
Keep going! xx
It’s great that you’ve lost so much weight and want to be healthy! It’s a big step forward. Looking at your meal plans, I think you’re taking in far too little calories. It’s really bad for your metabolism because it stunts it. And don’t waste time on the elliptical at the gym, do weights! I spent so much time previously on the elliptical and it never did anything for me, weights really made me stronger and build muscle. Read this for more info: http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html
Hi Cheryl, thank you!
Really, you think that’s too few calories? I guess I haven’t actually worked it out – I shall do so and report back for sure! I’m the kind of chick that normally never eats breakfast, grabs carbs for lunch and eats a massive dinner (late at night) so I usually pack my calories in at a god awful time. I’ve changed that too… I will def do some calculations next time I’ve got the packets infront of me and see if I can work out my actual calorie consumption.
Thanks for the link, I’m gonna have a read and definitely get an induction/personal training sessions with weights.
C xx
Good for you!! 4.5 stones is amazing! I’ve noticed you look thinner in your pictures and your very lovely. So congrats! My goal is to lose 15lbs ( 1stone in UK) in 5 weeks. So I’m just trying to run 3-4 times a day, cut most of the alcohol and slowly start cutting the calories. I’m afraid if I try to cut too much I’ll give up from being hungry. but go us!!
Thanks Rachael, any reason why the 5 weeks? Got something coming up? I’m hoping you meant running 3-4 times a week and not per day, you’ll be knackered LOL!
I also liked the word “most” slipped in between the words “cut” and “alcohol” 😉
Go you!
Congratulations on all that weight lost. That is amazing! You should be bloody proud of yourself because it’s not easy. I started Weight Watchers about a week ago. It’s less than 5 months till my wedding now and I’m getting a bit panicky. I’m eating oodles of fruit, veg and lean protein and making at least half of my carbs wholemeal ones. I know what I’ve got to do, it’s just doing it for the rest of my life which is the hard part.
Thanks so much Leah, I am proud but also sometimes feel like I copped out a bit by doing Cambridge and not the usual hard slog of calorie counting. Still, I guess that living on powdered meals for 12 months (on and off) is just as challenging in its own way!
Oooooh, that’s not long yano!! Make more of your carbs wholemeal, go on… which ones are you struggling to replace? xx
Wow, it’s been obvious from your photos that you’ve lost weight, but I didn’t realise how much! Congratulations!
I really want to lose some weight (not much, maybe a stone, stone-and-a-half) – the trouble is that I used to suffer from an eating disorder for about five years, and so now that I am (mostly) recovered, I’m very wary of cutting down my food intake AND my metabolism is pretty crap! I think I’m mostly going to try to cut down on the amount of carbs I eat too – my biggest weakness is pizza! I’m going to try to replace white foods (bread, pasta, etc) with wholegrains…just generally eat more healthily I suppose, rather than actively trying to lose weight. And I recently found out that the gym near my house does £15 monthly membership, so I’m going to join!
Hi Sophie!
You sound like you don’t need to lose much so maybe think of it as a change to healthier eating rather than dieting. Pizza is good for the soul you know, just not every day 😉
Def join your local gym though! Toning up will make you feel brilliant and just increase your general fitness levels for sure xx Good luck!
I can totally understand your reluctance to talk about your dieting method. It can feel a bit strange, especially when you know it’s something people will frown upon. You have done so well though which is definitely worth shouting about and celebrating.
I am trying to lose weight and get fit. I’m not dieting as such though, I’m doing the Thinking Slimmer programme and the idea is my unconcious will help my body choose the right foods for losing weight. One thing that did strike me from reading your post is that I still really need to up my veg intake.
I feel very motivated to exercise at the moment which is great. I love the idea of a personal trainer, I hope you will report back on how that goes?
Thanks J,
I know, people were asking about what I was doing but I feel a small responsibility not to promote something that is a bit radical. I really wouldn’t have been able to lose this weight without the crutch of something so intense and limiting though.
My sub-conscious would choose coco-pops for breakfast, nachos for lunch and a king-size mixed kebab with garlic sauce for dinner. Maybe some Apple Pie for supper.
You should totes investigate the whole exercise thing, apparently everyone is doing it?! 😀 Have you got a Pure Gym near you? That’s where I’m going – I like it ‘cos it’s cheap and I get left alone to be unsociable and grumpy – I don’t even care if my hair’s not washed!
xxx
Being a type 2 diabetic diet controlled till July can I just agree with you that the crap the Diabetes UK website prints is next to useless. Low/No carb is the only way to keep things on an even keel. Bran flakes and pitta bread hate me but I can do oven chips?? If you haven’t already get a meter and some strips and test an hour after the first bit of a meal then 2 and keep a note of what makes you spike then you will be motoring :0) Good luck honey you have done the hard bit this should now be plain sailing xxxJoolsxxx
Please post an old photo, i love motivation like that.
I lost 3.5 stone on LighterLife (same thing) when I was 17 but saw it as a quick fix (which it really really isn’t) and now am trying to go down the diet and exercise route, something sustainable.
Just to reiterate the other comments, you do look really fabulous, did you come into criticism from “friends” that is my biggest fear this time round, people like me being fat.
Gah food, can’t live with it, can’t live without it – you have done so well, the photos you posted not so long ago of the wedding, really beautiful. Weights are brill, Body Doctor is a good basic book, and going for a walk fast is good to get heart rate up…..but then it all goes pear shaped literally for me, I love food too much, I eat because I like the taste/am bored/sad/happy/static. I am the shortest in my family at 5’7″ (my OH is 6’2″, my sons are 6’1″ and 5’8″ and my daughter is 5’9″) and I am the heaviest at 11 stone – gutted, I am just a lazy slob with good intentions 🙂 Thanks for this post, I admire you hugely x
Congratulations! That’s a massive achievement!
You need to get some Hot Pants 🙂 – Zaggora.com They really help drop the inches when combined with exercise.
xxxx
Congratulations! People do get very funny about their diets, so I can understand your reluctance to share. In the past, I’ve done Weight Watchers, The Zone, Dr. Oz’s plan, etc. The one thing that all these had in common – and I am convinced it’s the one thing that really helps – it that you have to keep a food diary.
The simple act of writing things down helped me lose weight. I found it easiest to buy the same brands of staples so I always knew the calorie content, etc. As soon as I quit the diary, the pounds come right back.
Also, classes like Jazzercise are excellent because they combine aerobics, ab work and weights into a set timeframe. I don’t like groups either, but the feeling of being judged by the instructor and the group keeps me motivated to give 100%. Otherwise, I tend to cheat on exercise. I’ve also had good luck with Pilates classes which are much less stressful on your joints and just as effective.
Good luck and please keep us posted on your thoughts/progress. You’re motivating me to get off my arse and get back on the wagon!
Well done on your weight loss! Dieting sucks, doesn’t it? Well I wish you the best of luck maintaining, I often find that’s the real test. Your exercise plan looks good, but I would definitely say add more time for weights/ resistance work- this will build up muscle mass, which makes your body better at burning calories.
Good luck!
Maria 🙂