h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well done for losing Try not to set yourself such tough targets honey! If you don't lose 3lb and 'only' lose two you'll feel miserable, whereas I'd be doing the snoopy dance for 2 lb right now

I'm one pound off this week as well, and am very pleased about it after such a long plateau. Have shaken my cold (just about) and am feeling relatively fit so am hoping that next week I can shift another pound (while I secretly hope I'll lose two...)

k

95kg exactly.

I am bored with this now. I was 95.6kg on Christmas day. I went down to 92.5kg a few weeks ago when I was ill. Now I'm practically the same as I was 10 weeks ago.



I am going to have a break I think. Give my body a shock. Give it things it hasn't had for a while and cut back on the exercise and then BAM! hit it with the portion control and the gym once more.

It had better work.

I do hope everyone else is losing...

- oh honey, do you know how much you sound like me!? You are doing brilliantly and while I agree that it is really good for us dieters to let our hair down once in a while I do want to urge just a little bit of caution. You all know I've been through patches like this, where my weight doesn't seem to shift despite my best efforts. Some of those times I have had a big sulk, thrown my hands up in the air and decided to give up for a while.

That is all well and good BUT I've not been great at getting back on the wagon afterwards and have usually let these wild, low times go on too long. The result is that I end up putting on weight (up to a stone on one occasion!) which I then have to battle to lose again. It is so depressing seeing the same-old-same-old numbers slip by on the scales. Every time I have done this I have kicked myself afterwards on the way back down again, reminding myself that this could be *new* weight I'm losing instead of lbs I've seen before.

I think what I am saying is by all means let your hair down, but set yourself *some* limits. Maybe pick some occasions to really have a blow out but try to stay on-message the rest of the time.

I know how hard this is to stick with on the long haul - after all I started my health kick three YEARS ago, and I am still not there yet, thanks in no small part to the times when I have fallen off the wagon. From my starting weight I am now 88 lbs lighter, but I have probably lost almost double that given the number of times I've slipped back and had to do bits all over again.

Stay focused love, give yourself a mental break from it all but keep the break short with proper boundaries. You can do this, look how strong and determined you have been so far - not far to go considering how far you have come

k

Lady in a Tree: It's so disheartening when your weight doesn't shift - but you have to consider other things too. Do you feel better? Are your clothes looser? Not losing weight doesn't mean you aren't getting any fitter or healthier. I know that's easy for me to say because I haven't hit a plateau yet, but honestly even if you are going to go a little bit easier on yourself, you still have to think healthy - otherwise it's all for nothing and you've just been restricting yourself, not re-educating your tastes. I know you probably know all this already - but it doesn't hurt to be reminded sometimes! Kelli's so right - don't lose focus - it only makes you feel worse in the long run.

On the side of being naughty, I've been so fed up with work and tired and blah-de-blah excuses that I've had TWO takeaways in the past week, but at least I've been restrained and gone for the small chicken kebab with loads of salad (instead of the large pizza with extra cheese like my fiance - and he still mananged to lose 2kg! )
Happily, I've lost almost an inch off my waist thanks to that nice man on my exercise DVD. I've got a dose of the cold right now, but I'm dying to get back to it again!

Luli

Kelli & Luli Thank you! Your kind and reassuring words have given me courage and determination.

I am happy to report that I haven't given up the fight.

I went to the gym on Monday and had a word with Wendy (not quite my PT, but close) about my plateau. I explained that I hadn't shifted any weight for nearly 2 months and that I was getting very disheartened. She came up with a solution that now seems very obvious, but wasn't so at the time.

I am changing from 3 meals a day to 5 or 6 smaller meals to trick the metabolism into thinking that I am eating more and keeping it working. On top of that I am going to the gym 4 days a week instead of 3 but doing shorter bursts of CV and not so many weights. I am in that place now 6 days a week - 4 in the gym and 2 in the pool. Bryan thinks I am seeing someone there!! haha.

I have set myself a (not very realistic ) target of 5lbs in the next 2 weeks. I see my nutritionist on the 11th and I just know she will be disappointed if I am still the same as when I saw her last. Not as disappointed as me mind!

I will get there Kelli - I can look to you and know that. I am determined not to slip backwards in any way and think you are so brave to have battled on after your gain(s). That must have been a dreadful time for you . I am so glad that you had the courage to carry on.

And yes Luli - I do feel better and most definitely healthier. I cannot believe that I lived in such an unhealthy manner for so long and got away with it. As for my clothes - I have a very empty wardrobe now. I got around to chucking out 99.9% of my "fat" clothes a few weeks ago - just keeping the one "reminder" pair of trousers. I am virtually living in training clothes (cheap tracky bottoms from Asda!) and I am avoiding going out for now (cost, temptations and tiredness are just a few reasons why)

Thank you again. I'll keep fighting if you will!

Keep it up, it *will* happen! Sooner or later the fat is going to realize it's no longer welcome, because it's not being fed!

I've been at a plateau for well over 2 years now, bouncing back and forth in a 10 lb range, mostly in the upper 5 lbs of that range.

But this morning I got on the scales and inexplicably I'm almost at the very bottom of that range. (I still can't bring myself to post my actual weight on here though)

In spite of the fact that for the last couple days I've eaten far too much that was decidely far too junky.



I don't know how it happened, apparently the fat got fed up with not being fed enough to support it's lifestyle anymore and being worked so much in the pool. And carrying firewood. And shovelling snow.

So this gives me new resolve to be a lot more careful about what I eat, and to try to get in some kind of exercise on the weekends when the pool is too crowded for swimming, even if it's just running up and down the stairs to the basement a few times.


Do you hear this, fat cells? You're being served with an eviction notice!!!



Oh and as an aside, maybe it's that I just don't care that much any more about getting down to my "ideal" weight. I feel pretty good most of the time (except when I eat too much salty stuff and end up all feeling from fluid retention), due to eating healthier in general, and all that swimming.



Then again... Maybe I scared a few fat cells away yesterday...

There's this local store that carries plus sized clothes, and a couple times per year, they recruit customers to do a fashion show. It's a very casual fashion show, you just go in a week or two ahead of time to pick out an outfit to wear, then the day of the show, you arrive, dress, and walk up the main aisle of one side of the store and back up the other side. For that, you get a 40% discount on anything you buy that day, so I've done this several times over the last couple of years.

Yesterday, I went in for my fitting, and after I'd gathered up several items to try on, one of the salespeople suggested that I try it all on (meaning the whole store), and then said that I should try on some swimsuits, because they'd never had anyone model a swimsuit in one of their fashion shows before and it might be fun to do.

So I wandered over to the swimsuits and picked out a few to try on. I seem to always be in the market for a new swimsuit anyway, because the chlorine at the pool destroys them in record time. But as I was trying various items on for the fashion show, I didn't really find anything that thrilled me. But I really did like this one swimsuit.

To make a long story even longer, an older, poorly proportioned, plus size woman will be this store's very first swimsuit model. But I will also be wearing a mesh cover-up with the zipper open - I'm comfortable enough wearing swimsuits in public because of all the swimming I do, but I don't think I'd be particularly comfortable parading through the store in *just* a swimsuit!


Do you hear *that*, fat cells? You're not controlling my life any more, so you might as well leave! And the sooner the better!

a swimsuit model in our midst

I was 12'1 this morning only 1.25 lb until I can say I am 11 stone something. Fingers crossed this will happen quickly, this would be the suckiest place to hit a sticking point

k

As long as they don't convince some waif sized kid to also model a swimsuit, I'm fine with it, but I'm afraid the contrast between me and a size 3 would be too much.

Kelli! for the 11 something mark!

What an achievement it will be...nearly 7 stone gone! That's a whole person...if you're Nicole Kidman that is! Fantastic!

Well, it will be 6.5 stone gone, I won't start thinking of it as 'nearly 7 stone' until I get to 11'10

The director of that TV thing I did was about 7 stone, I've almost lost her

Engagement ring is feeling dangerously loose now, we are getting to the point where I'll have to have it adjusted or stop wearing it for a while

I have definitely had another one of my periodic changes in body shape. Suddenly I am noticeably thinner than I was, a few people have commented on it and I can see it myself in my clothes. I think I had noticeable shifts at around 16'0, 14'4, 13'6 and 12'2, probably before that range too but I can't remember them. I think I would feel better about this if itwas a constant gradual process but I do seem to get stuck then have a sudden change. Still, at least people notice

94.9kg

Hello..... can I join? on the grounds that I need to lose weight and need help!! I have just started a diet as I could not do up my jeans ( in fact one pair won't go past my hips ) As I need to lose around 4 stone arggggg. any tips on how to keep my skin from going baggy?

Hi greenkinsey Welcome to the h2g2 losers, we are always happy to have another fellow traveller on the path to sylph-like thighs.

You ask a good question, it is one that has been bothering me for a while and I don't know the answer. I've lost nearly six and a half stone so far and haven't got too much baggy skin as yet, but I can see where it is going to be if I lose this last stone and a half. Am settling for body brushing and moisturising at the moment in the hope that this will help my skin regain some elasticity - trouble is I have a lot of stretch marks and no amount of vigorous scrubbing is going to get rid of those!

LiaT has lost a shedload of weight, are you doing anything to help your skin Debs?

I bounced back to 12'2 at the end of last week and have been stuck there ever since However, I'm not too upset as I went to the bridal shop on wednesday to pick up some swatches and tried on the sample skirt while I was there (it is the same size as I have ordered) and it fits perfectly! I've lost the inches I needed to lose so anything else now is a bonus. Whoohoo! I nearly bounced right out of the changing room I was so happy

k

thankyou for your welcome
I have even bought scales so I can weigh myself I have not owned a set of scales since my then 10 yr old daughter wondered if she would weigh more if she jumped from a step ladder onto them! That was about 13/14 years ago.
I live with a wonderful man 15 years younger who is tall and slim he says I am great just the way I am In the 3 1/2 years we have been living together we have both put on weight (all that cuddling up with a bar of choccie)But I feel I want to stay looking good and feel a few inches of my bum would help!

I say this to everyone as they start dieting...

If you don't have a tape measure, go and buy one today (should only cost a few pence) and measure yourself all over - not just waist-hips-chest but around the bingo wings, thighs, bum, everywhere.

This is especially important if you think you have a fair amount to lose because there will be times when the scales don't move. It happens to all of us and is deadly depressing. Often during those times you are continuing to change shape so you can see shifts in your measurements even while the scales say nothing is happening - it can be a little lifeline to keep you going in times of need!



k

Welcome greenkinsey - I hope you stay as long as you need to.

Ah Kelli, the skin issue...

I am a teensy bit worried about the bits around my tum, thighs and bye-bye arms (you know - the bits that carry on waving bye-bye long after you've stopped)

It's my thighs that worry me the most - I am trying to do toning exercises to get rid of the flab but I am noticing a few "folds" for want of a better word. My skin seems to have shrunk with the weight loss most everywhere else (chin, neck, forearms, chest, knees)

I am one of those at that point of nothing shifting on the scales and yes, it is heartily depressing.

I went to see my nutritionist today...bad news 96kg (up 1.1kg)

I told her about my continued training and diet and she told me everything I already know about plateaux. However, she gave me a low GI programme to follow for a while to see if that helps. I'll give it a go. To be honest I'll try almost anything right now (within reason).

I even did a pregnancy test a few days ago in case that was why my weight had stayed the same...it came out negative PHEW!

I bought a heart rate monitor yesterday and wore it to the gym today, I kept my heart rate up over 135 for a whole hour! Surely something must shift soon! I have also worn my pedometer again (been lost in a drawer for a while) and so far the steps counted are 14,148 (11.31km or 7 miles)

Wow, a lot of steps! I wore a pedometer while on my walking holiday last year - the most I got up to was 25k in a day. On normal working days I struggle to reach 4k if I don't go to the gym.

I hope the low GI thing works for you, it is a good approach and certainly can't do you any harm You'll get there.

In the meantime,

I saw 11 stone 13 on the scales this morning

I weigh 11 stone something for the first time since I was about 14 years old

Congrats, Kelli! That is wonderful news, indeed!

my first Saturday weigh in.......... my scales arrived on Tuesday so I weighed my self then I have lost 2lb since then. So at least I feel something is working. I intend only to weigh myself on Saturdays.
I did measure myself Kelli... very scary, I have a notebook I intend to record weight loss and drew a fat lady with all my now measurements on so I will update that monthly.
At the moment I am just doing a high fibre low fat diet.. I am a chef and also a nutritionist and dietitian so I KNOW how to do it I just love food too much

congrats Kelli. you must feel very proud of yourself and so you should I am sure you will make a lovely bride
WELL DONE