Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reply.
Char22thom We have found out where our nearest Slimming World is held and will be signing up this week. It looks far more flexible than when I have done it in the past. I am glad the syns have gone as they messed with my head and I am looking for something that can be sustained in the long term. I will certainly benefit from the accountability of the programme so thank you for the recommendation.
GodMother78 As above, we will be joining Slimming World and hope that we have success. Although you have been told that you can’t go forward yet, have you been given conditions and/or targets for when you would be able to continue? There are both advantages and disadvantages with a set target or conditions but at least you know where you stand. I hope you continue to have success with Slimming World and that you are successful with your application.
Kr1stina Thank you for your understanding. We are happy to lose weight – we want to, for reasons including but not restricted to adoption – but I think when I initially posted I was more fed up that there hadn’t been clarity on what was expected. We felt that the goalposts had been moved and weren’t convinced that they wouldn’t be moved again. We are still frustrated but are trying to be positive and look to move forward.
We haven’t been given a target and there have been mumblings of “wanting to see decreased weight”. We know that we are both overweight and anticipated that this would be a condition. I think we plan to ‘negotiate’ with the LA exactly what they want us to do/achieve and see how they will support us. My concern right now is that losing some weight will be good but not good enough and we may never progress.
My partner and I are forming a plan for weight loss and I will be seeing my GP this week to see what he can suggest and what is available to me (that I might not know). Speaking to our social worker, it sounds like the GP surgery was contacted to assist us with losing weight after approval panel (so, approximately 18 months ago) but nothing has come of this. Hopefully, we can make a plan together and it will be better. I have tried to lose weight but have not lost much at all – and I have a lot to lose. I will take any help I am offered.
I have been looking through the other weight loss threads on here and there is some excellent support and great tips. I think I posted in Adoption because I was frustrated that it has taken 18 months of waiting to be matched since approval for our weight (but mostly mine) to be raised as a significant issue. When I posted I needed to vent a bit. I am still not happy as such but I am more accepting of the situation.
MintyLizzy9 Congratulations on the weight you have lost. We are looking for a long term plan but I think we will look to combine this with a quick fix if we get close to matching panel. I don’t like the gym but have been walking a lot more. We are also looking at doing exercise videos at home – with the curtains shut – to see if that can be a way in. I would feel very self-conscious of my current size and fitness levels to go to the gym or swimming but hopefully that will improve and I can then include them in my routine.
My LA don’t seem keen on a target weight/BMI, which I totally understand, but I do worry that without one it might feel like an endless exercise. We hope to lose weight for matching panel but don’t expect to stop then. We see this as a lifestyle change that will continue for years to come, hopefully with children.
Thank you all for your kind, measured words of support and advice.