Monday 26 May 2014

Weight Loss Tag

1.    When did you start gaining weight?
I started to notice I was larger than the people around me of the same age when I was at middle school. I was bullied during middle and upper school which I don't think helped but I gained most of my weight after I gave up smoking, 5 years ago and turned to junk food.

2.    What was your heaviest weight?
Once I feel more comfortable with myself I'll happily tell people what I did weigh but I'm not there yet, sorry.

3.    What diets have you been on?
I've tried Slim Fast (the shakes are yummy but I enjoy actually eating food too much!), Weight Watchers (it felt far too restricted and I always felt hungry) and Slimming World, which I'm doing now, I've tried twice before from home whereas this time I've joined a group.

4.    Is your goal a clothing size or a number on the scale?
A bit of both I think. At the moment my goal is to lose 3 stone but I also said I'd like to be a comfortable size 14 again (the size I was before I stopped smoking) and I have no idea if I'll lose 3 stone or get to a size 14 first! When I do get to one/both of them, I may feel like I want to go a bit further so I'm just going by how I feel, I really want to feel good about how I look in clothes again..  That's more important to me than a size or number.

5.    What is your fave food prior to starting this life style change?
Chicken and sweetcorn pizza with mozzarella stuffed crust from Dominoes. I wouldn't allow myself to have it while I'm still the size I am but once I'm at target I would definitely have it as a treat.. Just not a large one all to myself!!! #fatpig

6.    What is your fave food now?
Salmon! I'd never tried it until about 2 months ago when my sister told me how nice it is... Now I can't get enough of it!! I have it 2/3 times a week on a bed of salad - another thing I've really been enjoying. I also love cous cous, home made curry, spag bol and jacket potato with prawns.

7.    What is a food you will not give up?
There isn't really anything you need to give up to be honest! That's why Slimming World is so easy to stick to.. There are things I personally don't let myself have anymore (like the pizza) because it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle choice and I binged so bad on junk so I won't allow myself to do that any more as it's unhealthy but other than that, there isn't anything I've thought "I'm not going without that!"

8.    How do you reward your accomplishments?
Watch this space because I have a post dedicated to this question coming up this week where I'll let you know what my rewards to myself will be :)

9.    What will you do at goal?
This will also be covered in the rewards post that I'm half way through writing! 

10.  What diet or plot are you following right now?
Slimming World, although as I said, it's not really a diet it's a change in lifestyle.. I still eat all of the foods I enjoy eating. I don't go without chocolate or anything but it's all in moderation now, no stuffing my face with it until I feel shitty, just having enough to enjoy it. It's about eating better food, encouraging you to cook meals from scratch using fresh ingredients rather than buying a jar or chucking processed crap in the oven. 

11.  What is your fave body part?
Does my hair count as a body part?! I love my hair.. I really don't like much else about myself at the moment.. But at least I'm doing something about it :)

12.  What are your non scale goals?
To gain more confidence.. To feel good about myself when I get dressed and look in the mirror or at least accept it and not feel negative and to be able to shop in "normal" high street shops again. To feel comfortable eating in front of others without thinking they're judging me and to stop thinking people probably wonder why Aaron is with a fat girl when he could probably have someone a lot nicer looking.

13.  What makes losing weight hard for you?
The time it takes! I'm sure we'd all love to click our fingers and wake up our goal weight/size but unfortunately it takes hard work and time. I feel a lot differently about it this time though.. Something seems to have snapped in my head and I really feel determined and I'm enjoying it!

14.  Would you ever consider weight loss surgery?
No, I'm a huge wimp! Even if someone paid for it I don't think I could do it.

Sunday 11 May 2014

Slimming World A Month On..

Last month I wrote a post on why I'd felt so crappy for so long and told you how things seemed to be turning around and I was starting a new journey. You can read that post here. After that, I wrote a this post on why I had decided to join Slimming World.
Now I'm writing again to let you know how I'm getting on, just over a month later.. The answer is brilliantly! I said to Aaron earlier how I'm really enjoying it this time round. I'm actually enjoying eating healthier meals and enjoying fruit. Yes, you read that correctly - I'm eating fruit.. And (don't faint) vegetables!! When I've tried to lose weight before I'd eat healthy food but only cause I felt like I had to.. Now when I eat tuna salad with actual lettuce leaves I thoroughly enjoy it. Shit the bed.

I had my 4th weigh in last Thursday and lost 2lb.. I've now lost 10lb in total. I've also won slimmer of the week 3 weeks in a row :) I'm so proud of myself for how determined I am this time and how much will power I have. There's been several times where I could quite easily have said fuck it and ordered a Dominos or had several bacardis with the diet cokes I had instead.. But I didn't because what's the point? I can't lose weight and eat shit, it's one or the other. Eat crap, feel like crap = keep looking like crap. Eat good, feel good = look good.

Slimming World cake
Made (and tweaked) the 1/2 syn cake. Delish!!
One thing that has bugged me (only a little bit but I wanted to share) is that I can't see any changes when I look in the mirror yet. My mum and sister say they can tell and Aaron says he can feel that I'm smaller - minds out the gutter you rude people! - I mean when he puts his arms round me and cuddles me. Maybe it's just that negative voice in my head but sometimes I just think people say them to be polite and I quietly question if they mean it - I've never been great at taking compliments - it stems from being bullied - it's like an automatic thing that when someone says something nice I automatically think it's not true and they're only saying it to be nice/polite, not cause it's true - cause it couldn't possibly be.. Quite sad really isn't it.

Anyway!! Although I can't see a difference when I look in the mirror, something fandabbydosey happened today! We went to Asda cause I'd seen some trousers online I wanted and I tried on a bunch of stuff. The trousers I'd wanted looked bloody awful but I tried a top on in the usual size I'd get and it was too big! I had to get the next size down! I still can't really believe that it's actually working, even though clearly it is! I was well chuffed, I still am. I probably will be every time I open the wardrobe too, haha. It's things like this that will help me to keep on track at home.

Slimming World organised
Me being organised!
Talking of keeping on track... Last Thusday was the last week I needed to fill in my food diary for my consultant to check over. Being the super organised person I am, I bought a (glittery blue and pink) note pad to keep writing everything down in. This way I can keep check on myself and keep a note of what I'm eating/drinking or if the weight doesn't keep coming off the way it has been, I can show my consultant what I've had and get some advice. I've also gone through all of my old Slimming World magazines and cut out any of the recipes I'm likely to want to make plus any syn values for things and put them in sleeves in a folder. Told ya, super organised, me!

Also, part of me is toying with the idea of dusting off my camera and doing Slimming World videos on YouTube. I want to but I don't. Well, I want to... But I'm not sure. I do want to.. But something keeps making me say BUT! See? I can't put my finger on it. Should I? Shouldn't I?

I'll sleep on it ;) xxx

Friday 2 May 2014

On Joining Slimming World

Last month I took the plunge and joined a Slimming World group. I've given Slimming World a go a couple of times from home but always said I'd do better if I attended a group - only I had nobody to go with and didn't have the confidence to go alone. My sister joined with me and it wasn't as scary as I thought, it's true what people say - they're all lovely! I also bought a bike and have been biking to and from work every day, I definitely didn't exercise enough before but I'm putting that right now :)

I decided to join Slimming World because I couldn't stick to it for very long doing it from home.. Being at group as given me the motivation and extra support I didn't have before.. It keeps me on track and keeps it fresh - from home it ends up sliding and sliding and the next minute you're eating crap again. At group there is incentive to keep going - you're praised and rewarded by the group (they all clap your weight loss, you get a sticker and certificate for every 1/2 stone you lose and if you lose the most out of everyone else at your group, you're slimmer of the week and get a sticker and a bowl of fruit. There is also a draw each week to win different syn free/low syn ingredients.)

Slimming World

I have 2 reasons for wanting to lose weight. Firstly, I hate the way I look and how I feel in pretty much everything I wear and I want to be able to shop in "normal" shops again. I want to look in the mirror and think "I look great in this!" instead I think "URGH" - if I look. When I first met Aaron, 6 years ago, I was a size 14 and I really want to get back to that. Please don't think for one minute that I think plus size is horrible and they should all lose weight too because I don't at all. Have you seen plus size blogs? Those ladies are fabulous! The difference is, they're confident and love who they are, they embrace it. It's personal choice.

My second reason for wanting to lose weight is for health reasons. Since putting this weight on, I get back ache more often and I've had problems with my foot the past couple years too. I'm flat footed and being overweight hasn't helped.. Sometimes the pain in my foot is so severe I'm in tears. It's meant I can't walk too far cause if I do, I'll suffer afterwards (another reason for buying the bike!) and I'm very limited on what shoes I can wear. Also, both my dads parents have diabetes, my dad was told he'll likely end up with it and I know that by leading a healthier lifestyle, I'm at less risk.

Slimming World Award

Thursday was my 3rd weigh in at my Slimming World group and I got my half stone award, won slimmer of the week and won the raffle too - you should have seen me trying to bike home with everything!! I won slimmer of the week the week before too :) It's such a great feeling having everybody clap and genuinely be happy and proud of you. In 3 weeks I've lost 8lb and I'm so proud of myself. My target is 3 stone in total although I may want to go further once I get there - I'm going to go by how I feel and what I look like instead of concentrating on a number.

I'm not in a big rush to get to target, I still enjoy my food and I'm not going to start depriving myself to get there quicker because I know I'll be more likely to give up or just pile it all back on again. The changes I've made and continue to make need to stick with me once I get to my target too, I can't go back to binging on rubbish, it's about changing eating habits for the better - hopefully it will just come naturally after a while! :)

Are any of you following Slimming World? Let me know! 
I'm always posting about it on my Instagram so feel free to take a look @tiffanyleighx
xxx