Has anyone succeeded in permanently adopting “next level” healthy lifestyle?

[Malteseress]

I am not articulating the question well, but I would love to hear your success stories…

If you have decided once to stop comfort eating, use retail as therapy, come up with excuses for your weaknesses and lack of motivation and became that person who exercises regularly with a training plan, fills up on protein, not tempted by sweet tasteless cheap chocolate, reduced their cellulite and drinks 2 litres of water? And has done it long enough to prove it can be done with will power and discipline?

Perimenopause hit me like a train mid thirties. I was at rock bottom with symptoms, stress and anxiety about how badly my body was falling apart.

I couldn’t drive with hip pain. I gained two stones in 6 months trying to cope with flooding periods.
I was permanently terrified and suicidal.

I spent thousands on private consultants and prescriptions as NHS doctors didn't believe it was menopause.

HRT turned my life around.

I found CrossFit after a fellow mum dragged me along. I had only ever attended the odd beginner step class. I cried in the car the first few times but I discovered I can lift heavy and it makes me feel amazing. I train 5 days, have an active day and a day off each week.

My weight just kept going up though. I’ve been on Mounjaro for 6 months now and I’ve lost 3 stone with at least 1 more to go.

Gym costs and Mounjaro is not cheap so I track all calories and protein. You have to drink a lot of water too on it.

This feels normal now.

I am not saying I am there. But I started the Fast800 and took up some online exercise. I have lost 2 stone and exercise every day for between 25 and 30 mins a day have a couple of walks a day. I am floundering at the moment and need to get back on Fast800. The books are fab, some great recipes. I have not ruled out weight loss injections. Start small and build. I have at least another 2 stone to go.

Not sure I'd want a 'next level' healthy lifestyle TBH!
I mean I've lost over 100 IBS the last couple of years, exercise 5 days a week, no smoking or alcohol and eat a mainly plant based wholefood diet.....
I still plan on stuffing my face with chocolate this Easter though!

Sort of. I was treated for breast cancer a few years ago. I'm a single mum, my ds was a young 13 at the time. I was horrified at the thought of not seeing him comfortably to adulthood.

The medical advice was, once treated, to bolster my immune system by

• giving up alcohol completely
• eating at least 30 different fruit & veg a week
• cutting right back on sugar
• avoiding upfs
• doing at least 4 hours of vigorous exercise a week

so I have.

Four years later, I run, swim, cycle. I exceed 30 different fruit and veg every week without fail, I exercise every other day or more, I cook from scratch, I don't drink. I don't eat UPFs, I make my own bread. I feel great.

And if ever I get a craving I promise myself I'll have that glass of wine when ds is a happy settled twenty something with a career and a life of his own. Not before. Frame it like that, ask myself which I want more, a glass of wine or to protect my ds, and I don't find it hard.

Ugh. I had it once. I was a size 10/12, quit smoking, cycled 200 miles a week and thrived on healthy food. Did weights and pilates too. Then my H left me 😂 Maybe because I was always in the gym?!

That was 10 years ago. Maybe I'll get it back when my DD goes to school?!!

It is possible, so long as you are convinced about its benefits. You won’t need much will power after that.

in the last 5 years as peri has crept up on me and my weight went up threatening diabetes/ high blood pressure I have:
. quit caffiene
. quit alcohol
. little/no sugar
. started weight training twice a week
. cardio twice a week
. eating clean / low PF/UPF
. Staying vegetarian but added salmon for its benefits
. buying only what is necessary +
repair/reuse/recycle what I don’t need
. recently started intermittent fasting due to health benefits

been going for few years now and I don’t even think about it, so it does stick if you start with the right mindset