Lose Weight 10

Its very hard trying to decide how best to approach this. So I have decided to cover the background and bring it up to the present day. Apologises for the length of post, but on the brighter side you did ask for it

In short I have now twice lost 80lbs + the first time was 2002 - 2003 however I did it all the wrong way round. Marriage broke down, focused on work. Had decided 'No one loves a fat bloke' and started back at a gym. Was doing ok, losing a couple a pounds here and there.

One of the problems I had then was my work, I live near Milton Keynes, as most of you will know, but I worked at the time, in Maidenhead, which is a nightmare commute. Work got on top of me, I was trying too much and I had a breakdown, which resulted in me been off work with pretty bad depression for nearly a year.

I used this time to focus more on my weight loss, however I cut right down on what I ate and really overdid things in the gym, only now do I recognise it wasn’t a healthy way to go.
so I lost a lot of weight very quickly, probably because I was getting caught in a different type of vicious circle. Get paid a compliment -> Love receiving the compliment -> Wants more compliments -> Works harder in the gym.

I guess I should have realised I am very goal orientated, I need results, I want to see progress however small.

I think after 8 months the weight loss slowed right down, I was preparing to go back to work, my location had changed from Maidenhead to Winchester!! My working day was now 4 x 12 hour days one week, long weekend off then 3 x 12 hours days the following, which made the idea of commuting even worse. I had decided that I would stay down south in local hotels to help, this was probably my biggest mistake, as no doubt I thought I could get away with the odd takeaway or two, I also noticed that the office manager always, but always laid out biscuits in the kitchen  I was conning myself, in thinking I could eat and not pay a consequence 

I had by know started playing rugby in our first team, which was great, my fitness and weight loss was been recognised, prior to this I will always remember the feeling of actually wearing the same rugby shirt as everyone else  and not the ‘special’ one I had made  I really enjoyed that season, however twice in the November and the April I damaged the knee ligaments, I suppose a consequence of been fitter, you move more, therefore you run support more and get caught up in tackles more. I actually won “most improved player” in that seasons awards dinner 

Fast Forward to December 2005, I was already having problems, the weight is back, wearing the bigger clothes again. Then I went to buy a new pair of jeans, It was the biggest pair I had ever bought  I was shocked, gobsmacked and everything else. I couldn’t believe what I had allowed to happen. I had by then meet a very nice lady (the current Mrs Suggs) and around this time I met her daughter for the very first time. During this conversation I resolved that I would lose 5 stone during 2006! I was fixed on it.

During January I went to see my GP and asked to start seeing the dietician, now I don’t hold dieticians in very high regard, but I decided that I needed target setting and monitoring. My first visit to her was in February, What she does offer though I have since discovered is a sensible approach to what I am trying to archive and she, amongst many others, offers words of advice and encouragement.
I also joined a gym based locally to work in Winchester, with the intention of going after work. I think I was managing 2 or 3 times a week.

So the weight loss work started again, It wasn’t easy. The joys of Travelodge living isn’t the best in the world, Add to that, finishing work at 7, after starting at 7am, and going to the gym  But I was determined to make amends for last time.

So the issue with me losing my job happened this time last year. At the time I felt as it was the end of the world. I never got on with one of my directors, Im never a yes man and not pone of his cronies either. Every single person I spoke to think I was stitched up. But it happened and with the benefit of hindsight it was probably the better thing to happen.

Funny really I just noticed twice I have decided to do something about my weight and twice my work life is severely disrupted! Coincidence?

In the meantime I kept going to the gym, probably using extended sessions to pass the time of day. My new job started in May and is home based. This means I do not have the distances to commute, I do not have the joys of Travelodge living either. I can keep going down the gym.

Eating wise I am doing better than my previous attempts. I was cutting down on the sweets and chocolate, I was also getting encouragement and help from the OH.

I think a big turning point was discovering this thread, My first post was on June 13th
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...07#post2306707 I got a few things off my chest and started posting my activies and what I get up to. Discovering the SW recipes was a big moment and a great help. Both my OH and myself have used and tried the recipes.

November saw the minor Knee operation to the cartilage in my left knee, around this time I added swimming to my routine, I am not the best nor fastest swimmer in the world, but I built up from the initial 20 lengths (remember this is a 8metre pool) to 120 lengths of late. I was worried at the time that I may not loss weight as the gym work stopped for a time, but swimming seemed to keep things ticking over nicely.

I have had my ups and downs all along in the past year, I drive myself forward and am very hard on myself, I do struggle with my friend in Boots (the Weighing Machine!) sometimes I feel I should have lost more, and it doesn’t go. Sometimes I feel I have not doen enough and hey pesto weight falls off! Its not an exact science and been a logical person this can be maddening to me!

I sometimes to forget to take account for muscle build which must be happen I also fail to take account of the way clothes are fitting better, I now wear jeans 8-10 inches smaller than that fateful day in December 2005! Chest wise the number of X’s with my L’s are down from 5 to 2 

Which brings me to today 100+ pounds lost, an aim to lose 20 more pounds to hit my big target. Probably I will aim for a total of 140-150 pounds to lose. This will still have me, according to the dreaded BMI as overweight, but from a rugby point of view I will be happy with that. I will reassess once I get there.

Why am I doing this? I need to do this, My children are important to me and I do want to see them get old  I am learning to value my health once again, I have a job that allows me to have a form of work/life balance. I will go to the gym as and when it allows me. I enjoy playing rugby once again, I want to be a better player, I want to be a fitter player.

I am driven by recognition, I guess most people are. If I get that recognition, I feel better about myself, I feel I can keep going.

I have come a long way, but from the starting point I had, I still have a long way to go. So I have to break down the final target into smaller goals, that way there is an element of recognition to go with it. We all like been acknowledged it makes us feel good. I bore everyone with what I do, as I want to reassure myself as well as tell people what I am trying todo.

I learned that falling off the Wagon is just that, falling off, its not a disaster and its not the end of world, you acknowledge it, you shake it by the hand, and let it pass. The following day is Day 1.

I learned that although for the majority of the time I am one of the few blokes in the tread, I value the thoughts and experiences of everyone in here. I may not totally agree with it all but we all have the same common goal.

I learned not to be so hard on myself and to quote Victory, “Be your own best friend” that is something I had been doing, but never realised I was doing it. I lost count the number of times I had gone to the shop and wandered around aimlessly as my head and my heart were discussing my health 

I learned to cook a different way, to experiment, the curry and pasta sauces are great as are the soups 

I am learning to like myself once again, and for that I have a number of people to thank for this,

Special mentions to Lois, Consultant, Honey, Victory and Moiracm, (where is she?) But I really want to thank you all. :T :T

Finally I want you all to realise and understand that losing weight is not an exact science, our bodies are different from male to female, from young to old, from large to thin. It takes time, it takes planning and it takes patience to get to the target and I do think we can all do that.

All the best to each and everyone of you.

PS - Special one to Honey, you asked on Feb 14th, was I going to pop the question? Well that was always going to be no. However next weekend sees a new stage stage in my life start. My girlfriend and her two children will be moving in with me. It means a lot to me, I hope I can cope

lois can you put me on hold in the 2lb weight loss club please. I really have lost the will to diet. I only have about 10lb to lose but finding it a real struggle I think I'm going to take a couple of weeks to clear my mind. eat normally with out having to worry about green/red days or points. I will not make a pig of myself but I just don't want to think about what I'm eating for a while. I'm waiting for my inner talk weight loss cd to arrive and I'm going to give that a try and see how I go on.
thanks.

Hello All,
I have been lurking for a while, but have in the last 2 weeks decided that I really do need to lose some weight.
I have just got back into some size 18 clothes and wondered how much weigh you think I would need to lose to get into size 16. I have a cousins wedding coming up and I would love to be in a size 16 by then.
It would be nice to know if it is a realistic target the wedding is in 7 weeks time?
Thanks for all your help, it is very inspiring.

Viks

ViksB wrote: »

Hello All,
I have been lurking for a while, but have in the last 2 weeks decided that I really do need to lose some weight.
I have just got back into some size 18 clothes and wondered how much weigh you think I would need to lose to get into size 16. I have a cousins wedding coming up and I would love to be in a size 16 by then.
It would be nice to know if it is a realistic target the wedding is in 7 weeks time?
Thanks for all your help, it is very inspiring.

Viks

I guess it's different for everyone but I usually find that around a stone means a drop in dress size and that is doable in 7 weeks, but you will have to be consistent (ie don't follow good days with a bad day as I keep doing!)

Measure yourself now and notice the change in the tape measure each week as motivation: the scales aren't always a good indicator, particularly if you are exercising when your body shape changes but the scales stay the same (as they do for me!)