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

You stick to it girly!

I was 16.5 stone at the beginning of this year, and had a holiday to slim for, which was a great inspiration. Now at about 14ish stone, and finding it difficult to get back on the wagon. I too don't want to buy new clothes until I reach a target weight of 12st. At the moment though, I sort of can't quite fit into Next wear but am a bit small for the larger sizes of Evans!

Do you find it annoying that Every Single plus size range is created in tent shaped clothes?!!

And it is very true that those who haven't got a weight problem just don't understand. They think you must be eating loads, whereas if I had three normal meals a day I'd balloon!

And very true about looking back on yourself and realising you weren't that bad. I've always thought I was quite hideous, but now I think I wasn't too bad, and generally it was my just my self confidence that let me down.

In fact I just read your whole article reading and nodding in agreement!

Oh and isn't it great when you feel more energetic! You could hop over a low wall or summat whereas before you'd feel far too sorta flolloby to do it!

YOU GO GIRL!!!

Thanks queeglesproggit!

I am also at the stage where the only place I can get decent-fitting clothes is the size 18-20 stuff in M&S (and Wallis too), other highstreet shops are too small and the specialists are just horrible. I have always hated places like Evans - they don't seem to have put much thought into that actual shape of larger women, and the fact that they aren't all the same! Not all overweight people want tents to hide in - that just makes you look bigger. The best clothes I had were the ones that were fitted enough to give me my waist back but it was always tough getting them to do up round my boobs.

I am sure that I'll have the same problem when I am thinner but at least there will be a lot more to choose from!

I could pretend that I started doing all this for he good of my health, but i really just want nice clothes!

It sounds like you had a good start to the year, 2.5 stone gone - yay! I always find that I put on the most weight (or find it harder to lose) in the autumn/winter months, I am sure we'll both do better come the spring. I am not going to be too hard on myself over christmas, just going to try not to over do it every day. I added about 3-4 lb over my holiday (and I ate fairly healthy stuff - lots of fish and rice, no chips or red meat - it just isn't fair!) but I am sure it'll come off again.

I am glad you were nodding along. I wrote this because I am now grown up enough to realise that it isn't just me that feels these things and has this problem, and it doesn't make me a bad person - I wish somebody had told me that years ago. I thought if I put something on here it might help somebody else realise that too

I might add something about what you said about people's perceptions of what you eat. You are right that it seems to be assumed that we eat nothing but and all the time. Three meals a day or two if they aren't diet food will do it for me. One thing that still upsets me is when strangers comment on something you eat in a public place (you shouldn't eat that, don't look like you need it etc) or just look extremely dispproving I get hungry, thin people do too! No comment is made to them if they grab a burger on the run is it?

Anyway, enough whinging. I am making a difference now (just like you) so all this will be behind me soon...

Don't try too hard to get back on the wagon now (worst possible time) but start again in the new year (or day after boxing day if you like). You have already shown yourself that you can do it, no doubt you can do it again!


k

Oh my God, reading your life story was like reading about me! (Except for the neuroscience and IT bit).

I had been doing quite well, joined Slimming World and lost about stone (was 19 stone 7 to begin with), then managed to get down to just under 18 by the week before Xmas. Helped by my work opening a gym on site. I went every morning before work and the pounds and the blubber were just falling off.

But then after Christmas I sprained my ankle, then did it again, then got a filthy cold, then put my back out....the end result being that I haven't been since the first week in January, haven't been to a slimming class since November and have put lots back on. I start a new job at the beginning of March too, so will have to join a gym.

I relate to your comments about going into any shop and trying something on like a 'normal' person soooooooooooo much. I got down to a size 16 once and I remember literally dancing round the chainging rooms in Evans because of it. I still couldn't fit into clothes in most of the high street stores though.

Right now even being able to walk into Marks and Spencer and buy something would be a bonus, I think.

Thanks for the inspiration, Kelli - I'm going to get back into healthy habits and I am going to succeed, no matter how long it takes me!