If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know that since I started blogging about beauty 4 years ago, I’ve lost weight. Quite a lot of weight. You’ll also know that I’ve lapsed over the past year, 2012 was all about some big life changes and although I sustained my loss for the first quarter… I slid like an eel on a bobsled for the remaining months, losing motivation and dwelling on thoughts of failure.
Whilst I couldn’t start the year with a bigger cliche than this, there’s something about a new year that makes it easier to hike up the optimism and truly believe in your own abilities to achieve something. January 1st 2013 is my rock bottom with regards to weight loss… and the only way is up. Or should I say down?!
The photo on the left, not one I’m hugely proud of. The photo on the right is me close to the lowest weight I’ve been since I was about 10 years old… I want that shape back, I want a wiggle in my walk again!
So, where does Weight Watchers come into this? Well… when I finished the Cambridge Diet, I used it to maintain and begin losing again but cancelled my subscription over the Summer when I didn’t have an internet connection. I signed back up again in November but didn’t actually follow the plan. Turns out that you don’t lose weight just by being a member…
My subscription from November is still active, so I’m hitting it hard. I weighed myself this morning, I’m 13st 10lbs – that’s 6st away from my heaviest and 2st away from my lightest. I’m still in a good position to regain control – and that’s all I want, not to let food control me as it did for so many years.
For complete disclosure, you should know that I’ve become a Weight Watchers Blog Ambassador which means that I’ll have a shiny badge in my sidebar and if I refer more people to the program than anyone else, they’ll make me a crown out of chocolate digestives (or something). They’ve also given me three months free online access (which I’m not using because I can’t work out how to “append” it to my current membership rather than sign up again), they’ll also be sending me some of their own-brand goodies to try and setting me weekly blog challenges. I’m not being paid for any posts or mentions about Weight Watchers.
I’ll be instagramming my dinners and any related photos with the #wwfooddiary tag which I’ll also share on Twitter. I’ll probably post some recipes that I’ve enjoyed and any treats that I’ve discovered that allow me guilt-free scoffing. My first challenge is this week, so I’ll be blogging that very shortly. If you want to join in (not necessarily with the WW program), I’m part of a merry band of rubbish (and not so rubbish) dieters on Twitter, we’re awesome and you can find us here.
To anyone else being a MASSIVE cliche this week, I salute you. xxx
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Good luck to you! It’s so hard & I know I probably should be doing this myself but given the recent stressful situation I’m in at the moment it would be too much for me. I’ll keep an eye out for your instagrams. Even if I don’t do it per say I may yet get inspired by them. 😀
Good Luck, You can do it! I’m on a 100 day spending ban, help!
Wow, what an inspiring post. Your heaviest is what I’m at now. In 2011 I lost nearly 3 stones, I went from a size 24 to a 20 and I looked great (I’m quite tall so being a size 20 didn’t make me look as big as it sounds). In 2012, I went off the wagon but I am back on again and want to feel amazing again. Thanks for inspiring me xx
I too am a WW online member and attempting to hit the plan in 2013 so I will be keeping a watchful eye on your updates! My motivation is lacking at the moment so I look for inspiration where I can. Setting myself smaller goals makes it seem much more manageable.
Cliches unite, onwards and downwards!
Hey Charlotte!
First of all, I wish you a Happy New Year… aus dem guten alten Deutschland to even gooder older England, from me, to you! And that you achieve everything you want to accomplish! And I do hope you keep on going with what you’re doing ’cause it’s great!
That said, I congratulate you on your massive (no pun intended) change! You are really brave to be so open about your past, your struggles and even your little “failures” on the way. You’ve come a long way!
Well, my resolution is also to lose some weight, only 3 kilos but that’s pretty hard for me. Luuuv to eat. Luuuv to sit around doing nothing. I need to do some sports (Yoga and only maybe Pilates, at home) and I want to change my eating habits from Vegetarian for 14 years to Vegan with some Raw Food. It’s a huge adjustment in your habits and your kitchen equipment – and really, really expensive for a student with no income 😉 Oh, and then I also wanted to spend less on things I do not necessarily need until mid 2013 haha… because there’s a big US of A holiday coming in March! We’ll see about that resolution… and about the others, too, ahem.
Take care,
Bellide
I really loved this post you really inspired me! I would like to lose some weight also (and mainly get into healthy shape), but I always lack the motivation. I’ll keep an eye out for diet related post, I can’t wait! Sadly, I can’t afford to sign up to WW, but let’s hope I’ll manage to achieve some goals anyways. 🙂 And best luck to you!!
You can do it Charlotte! 2012 was a big year for me in terms of body image… I reached the heaviest I had ever weighed (bordered on a size 10/12 which for my height made me overweight) and immediately decided to do something about it. I am finally a proper size 8 after 3 years of making the same NY resolution of saying I would get to that size!
After eating right for the past 5+ months I am finally seeing that I need to make this a lifestyle and I am actually enjoying eating healthy and exercise… One of my New Year’s resolution for this year is to get down to a size 6. I know I can do it and I honestly believe you can do it too!
Keep going! xXx
I wish you luck!
I’m going to be a dieting cheerleader at home, too. My mom (who has Hypothyroidism resulting from Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis) is going to be trying Dr. Ian K. Smith’s Shred Diet. She’s going into menopause in a few years and really wants to lose weight before then, since she’s noticed that it seems to be harder to do so after menopause. This diet seems to be a realistic plan, so it’s definitely the best choice for her, especially since other diets haven’t helped in the past.
There is no way that’s you on the left! You look so different now. Even if you’ve put some weight back on, you know you can lose it and you will! I’d lost 19 lbs in the autumn leading up to Christmas but sadly I really let go over Christmas and put about 7 lbs back on. However, I’m going back on the diet and exercise next week and I know I can lost it again and some more. My aim is to be 11 stone by my birthday (in 3 months time) and hopefully 10 stone eventually. I’d be very happy with that. So good luck to both of us and keep us posted! xxx
Ooooooh Chickadee! Don’t let the negativity get you! You’re 6st down and you’ve proved to yourself that you CAN get into the 1 11 stone department. At under 14st, I bet you can still shop in ‘regular’ shops, can’t you? Great incentive, those sales. And let’s be honest, they are pretty much year-round now, so you can always score yourself a pretty top for a fiver when you’re waning. (I know, retail therapy is not an alternative but nonetheless…)
Me? Ah, I regained 3st last year when I went through a bunch ‘o’ stress, putting me back up at 16.5st. Gah! But hey. Did it before, can do it again, no? To quote Obama: “Yes we can!”
x
First of all – congratulations on the weight you have lost!
As someone who has ‘been there done that’ I know how hard it is. I too have put a few pounds (being optimistic!) back on this year and it’s a bit depressing to think “bollocks, here we go again.” But we’ve done it once and can do it again!
Good luck with your WW (I’ll be vaguely followed SW) and I look forward to reading how you get on.
X
I’m in… I signed up to WW last year to try and lose the stone I had put on in a year since rewarding myself with goodies to survive my dismal working day… after some initial success…you guessed it, I lapsed. And I’m now two stone heavier than I was eighteen months ago. Signed up again and, lo and behold, here is your post. Looking forward to some Instagram grub inspiration to keep me on the straight and (slightly) narrow(er).
x
I’ll be making that tasty looking flatbread pizza for a start 🙂
First of all, WOW. Pretty amazing losing all that weight. Will power central and you can do it again. I will definitely look forward to your updates regarding losing some of the lbs gained.
I have taken the challenge to lose weight also, I have a minimum of 5 stone to lose. Hopefully I’ll be 5 stone lighter by the end of the year, or by Jan 2014. I’m doing it with a free online site. It’s going to be tough, I’m not fooling myself. I LOVE food and alcohol..and sitting on my bum. Dance is the only thing I really like – I’m starting off with that (in the house). Then maybe try and join a class when I lose a stone. Small steps!
Keeping my fat fingers crossed for a successful 2013. 🙂
I’m on WW too, I reached my goal weight in April of 9 stone 7 but since then I’ve gained enough to be outside my threshold. I’m now trying to lose enough to go back to meetings.
I’ll definitely be joining your little band on twitter.
I’m loving the calorie-and-activity tracker on WebMD. It’s free and easy to use, and it makes me feel in control and positive that what I’m doing is making a difference. Tracking your food is supposed to be a good way to get results, so thumbs up from me. Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out: http://www.webmd.com/diet/food-fitness-planner/default.htm
[…] – hides all the Christmas chocolates and resolves to jump back on the weight-watching wagon, anyone else being the ultimate New Year […]
I love the fact that your posts are so honest (and funny).
I did weightwatchers 2 years ago at exactly your weight now. I lost 4.5 stone in 9 months,
I kept it off for 18 months then medication trashed it by 2 stone (fuck). But I just wanted you to know that it’s possible. For me I had to stick with it every day for 3 months, then weekends became easier and I go more relaxed and still lost weight. But you absolutely have to be determined. Hmmm, I need to find that again! And forget the annoying Kate Moss comment that nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. She’s clearly never eaten chocolate.
Congratulations on your loss to date! 6 stone is a lot to lose you should be proud of that in itself regardless of whether you out a little bit back on! I signed up to WW as moral support to my best friend, if I lose weight with it, then great!if not, at least I am supporting her and it will give me the inspiration I need to make mealtimes mor interesting, so I will be following your instagramming with interest. 🙂 keep up the good work hunni, lots of <3 xxx
I’m back on WW this month too – I put on about a stone over the course of 2012, most of it in the last two months, and my clothes are straining at the seams once again. Am hoping for lots of amazing recipes from you because I’m tired of the same old ones from the WW website that I’ve been using forever! xx
[…] – hides all the Christmas chocolates and resolves to jump back on the weight-watching wagon, anyone else being the ultimate New Year […]
good for you! You look amazing now! And I love all the red lippies you do. 🙂