To be horrified at how I look

[theavianexecutioner]

Just asked my mum to take a pic of me from the back and side, for bra measuring.
Horrified. I've been in SW on and off for a few years, need to go back. I've already decided I'm having a dry january and it needs to continue. I'm 43 in May and want to feel and look content.

Horrified. I've been in SW on and off for a few years, need to go back.

This tells you that SW isn’t the answer.

Slimming clubs make their money through repeat custom, proving their diets don’t ultimately work,

I'm also up for a new start. I recently joined a FB group that a MNer started, which has been quite helpful, with some mindfulness tricks for weightloss. I think this is the key for me, more than calorie counting (although I'm doing that, too).

One thing that resonated with me is that weight loss is like a muscle. You exercise it and get better at it. For me, starting a diet (or way of eating) is hard, but with every day it gets easier. Just like when you start an exercise regime. And when you fall off the wagon, you lose it all. For some reason this thought has stuck with me and I'm treating this way of eating like a muscle.

I don't know if that makes sense, but it's working for me!

high protein, high good fats, less carb, really low sugar all cooked from scratch with no major calorie counting for me. I really think diet and food is the key I actually lost weight over Christmas... I was very strict and only "pigged out" on Christmas Day. I also did several sessions of damage control exercise over holiday period and am back on HITT, YOGA, running at least something every day as trying lose (want to be 8 but currently 10 and 5ft8)
Just thought I'd share what works for me

trying lose (want to be 8 but currently 10 and 5ft8)

Is there any specific reason why you want to be medically underweight (you would have a BMI of 17)?

I’m in! I’ve tipped 10 stone for the first time aside from pregnancy (5ft 6)

Horrified. Have a big family holiday in the summer and want to look fab. Want to lose a stone

I’m going for mainly fruit and veg, high protein and reduce dairy, grains and wheat and no junk.

Did ok yesterday until evening when I broke and ate Christmas cheese

Also starting body combat twice a week- first class 6am Friday!

Spatchcock I agree with you about the mindfulness and the muscle thing. That is my planned approach this year. Get weighed once a week, eat sensibly with sensible portions. Try to exercise more.

My problem is that if I have something to celebrate, I celebrate with food, if I am stressed, I calm myself with food. If I am down, I cheer myself up with food... and that is the cycle I need to break

At the moment though ( 27 hours into the 2018 diet) I am in "the zone", committed to the plan and determined. Off to work with a handbag full of cherry tomatoes to snack on !

1lb down this morning! 19 to go...

Day 1 ladies!

You’re not alone OP, I’m approaching 40 this year and I also have a holiday so I have to do something! I also have started dry January, I can’t remember the last time I had a day without at least one glass of alcohol! 2 days in and I’m so pleased with myself. 6 years ago when I gave birth to my DS, I was 3.5 stone lighter!

Love this thread. Brilliant support. I was exactly where you are OP this time last year and just felt hopeless that I could make any real changes because whatever I did didn't seem to make much difference. I crawled back to SW on 6/1/17 - nearly didn't stay because there were so many people there and I hate big groups, but I did stay. A year on and I'm 2.5 stone lighter and so much happier about life in general. I offered to do the weigh ins for the consultant because it makes me go every week and keeps me accountable. Good luck OP. You've got this!

Diet starts Monday for me - coinciding with back to work/school. Off this week and trying to eat better and drink far less, but have final meet ups with friends from Christmas so proper diet isn't worth it til then.

First gym visit in 5 weeks this morning though. Was ill with a nasty chest infection that knocked me out for so long, and then had the past week over Christmas with no time. I was doing C25K and was at week 7, but may need to revert down a couple of weeks after the illness, no exercise and Christmas excesses. Just hope the gym clothes fit ;)

I'd lost a bit of weight and got fitter between September and late November so I know I can do it. Have a beach holiday at Feb half term - 6.5 weeks time. So won't to try and lose more by then. That's my first goal, and to have finished the C25K - though I am no where near 5K I had got to the point where I could run for 20 minutes, well a slow jog!

At the wherethevioletsgrow er no I would not be underweight not quite sure how you can deduce that from my height and dress size as I thought BMI was based on weight and don't actually agree with BMI as there are great race variations ...

I weigh 73kg but have a very toned and muscular upper body due to weight training due to the HITT and YOGA and I'm sure muscle weighs more than fat. I feel that 8 would give me the slimmer look I'm after and I'm also working to achieve the six pack/abs look that's all.

Game changer, pp may have assumed you meant stone rather than dress size- I did and thought the same that you'd be very underweight at 8 stone! I'm the same height as you, possibly a smidge taller and aiming for 9.5 - 10 stone

Sorry Game I did think you meant stone rather than your dress size. Otherwise, I would not have said anything about BMI. Sorry.

Also, it's difficult to go by dress size because the measurements used vary hugely depending on the store. A size 8 in next might be a size 14 in H&M for instance. Weight and measurements is at least universal.

Oh sorry I get it now!

But definitely a 10 as I mainly shop in Reiss, All saints and whistles. I know my weight is surprising but as I said I'm after a very muscly toned physique i.e. Toned Arms, abs think Misty Copeland.

Not at all. I am also quite a bit heavier than people think that I am

This is only the third day of Dry January. It‘s going to be a long month.

This happened to me last year. Two sets of photos taken two days in a row and I was horrified when I saw them. Am over a stone lighter now, and still about half a stone to go but feeling much better about myself.

Me too. Not only am I unremittingly ugly, which somehow always takes me by surprise in photos..but I have put on LOTS of weight. Bummer.

How are we doing ladies?

I'm not a big drinker so don't see much point in Dry January, so I'm doing a 'No Crap' January instead and cutting out crisps, choc, sweets, cake, biscuits, puddings etc. I'm a year older than you OP.

Day 2 today (obvs spent 1 Jan polishing off the quality street) and I've stuck to it so far!!

I've had a good day.
Cooking SW chicken pasta Alfredo tonight which is bloody gorgeous. Happy to share recipe xxxxx

Hi OP
Can I join in too? I am 43 in May and like Denperry need to lose 7/8 stone. Used to be a skinny gym bunny many moons ago but now look more like an actual moon than a bunny 😞