For the first time nearly a decade I'm in the best state of mind with the best attitude to fitness and health I can remember. I'm still way off being a, sensible weight or actually fit. Please can you inspire me with your success stories.

[OhioOhioOhio]

Posting here for traffic. And I am especially interested in real success stories. Not the crash diet sort.

Attagirl!!

I've posted a lot about how much my life changed in the last few years. I'd put on a lot of weight during the child producing years, then kidded myself I had an active lifestyle (which might have been true in the toddler chasing years, but certainly wasn't as they grew)

I started by getting my arse in gear, using MFP and really checking everything I are and reducing it. And over the months it worked. And I realised what a flabby body emerged, so I started C25K and it changed by life. Though I hated running for the first 9 months or do, and did it sullenly as a chore, because it was good for me. But then I started to like it. To do more of it. To do it for fun. Up to half marathons. Sometimes more.

I feel so much better for it. If you'd told me 5 years ago that I'd be writing this, I'd have laughed at you!

What I don't have is upper body strength and I'm also not as flexible as I could be. So I'm using lockdown to do completely different styles of workout, in a hope that s stronger and more sculpted me will emerge at the end of it.

That is fantastic. I think that's the part I struggle to believe. That I can do it. That I can become actually truly fit. And look thin, fit and healthy.

How did you stay motivated, even when you were on a downer?

Thanks donnaDCM.
What's your link?

I realised I was addicted to sugar and that food was self harm mechanism. It was never to do with hunger, I also put to much pressure on losing weight that my life would change. My weight may fluctuate but I am still the same person and I have to be happy with that person no matter what the scales say.

So do you socialise differently now than before?

Not my story but my late wife's.

She had struggled with her weight since being a teenager. Mostly due to emotional eating. After DC1, she struggled massively. Over ate and was depressed. Was a size 26

Then she had a moment of inspiration as she didn't want DD to have the same problems she did. her best mate also wanted to lose weight. They went to slimming world together and she started to exercise. The exercise was slow at first, just walking, which then turned to jogging.

Over 3 years she slowly lost the weight, she stopped comparing herself with others and was just happy to be able to do things that she was unable to do before.

When she was at her lowest, she didn't believe that she would ever be happy with her body. She proved herself wrong. Although it wasn't the weight that made her happy, it was what she could do, including beating me at squash.

Before the accident, she was running half marathons. Amazing woman.

Randomchapwhat an inspiring story, sorry for your loss.

Randomchap
Yes, what an inspiring story. You must have been so proud of her. Comparing myself to others is one of my biggest downfalls too.

Ohio well done, just keep going!!
For me, I've dabbled in running for about 13 years but about 2.5 years ago I decided I wanted to be a proper runner. Did couch to 5k, started going to parkrun, gave up smoking, did sw etc.
Unfortunately when my mum died late last year I picked up cigarettes again (only when I have a wine) but I will kick them soon.
After a 3 mile run today I realised I found it easy, I'm doing about 15 miles a week, and while I'm lockdown an hours workout in the morning too. I do planks, squats, star jumps, sit ups etc. Every day I feel stronger and running becomes easier.
My best friend is thinner than me but drinks a lot, smokes like a chimney and is sedate - we laugh about it but in honesty I'd take my wobbly size 12 over her 8 any day. I'm the happiest I've ever been.
Just don't stop, exercise will help your body and mind more than anything out there

Subeccoo

Thank you.
So you actually couldn't run and now you can?
Life has been very challenging over the last, too many, years. I guess I struggle to believe I could ever do enough to make an actual difference.

DH and I must be the lucky few losing weight in lockdown. We've taken this opportunity to plan meals properly, less bad snacks but mainly portion control. We had bowl plates from Ikea which are lovely but massive so portions were always big. Have moved to cereal bowls for most meals and it's easily enough food. Husband is 'shielding' and I've honestly only left the house once to take DD for her second set of jabs and even that meant 2 weeks self isolating within the house to avoid risk of passing anything on in case we were asymptomatic, anyway because he's high risk we've been able to get online deliveries which is great.
I bought a pair of jeans before lockdown as I was fed up with wearing the same outfits as when I was pregnant and annoyingly now too big!

Great stories!

I feel dowdy after several years SAHM with sen child and severely restricted opportunities. And Ex has been sleeping with women half his age for some time which made me feel rubbish, old and unattractive.

I’m determined to get it back. Unfortunately still going through emotional turmoil so I’ve decided, exercise first and diet later. I’m still on high end of healthy BMI so I know I’m not as severe as some, but have high cholesterol, high body fat and am getting on in years, so I really need to up my game!

So far it is massively helping. The exercise is online stuff I can squeeze in if child will give me 5 mins, some light weights, some ballet, mediation, fast walks, little bit of HIIT trampoline and Pilates. I feel so much better even with no weight lost.

I used to dance a lot and feel I had totally lost myself in recent years. It’s so terrible being cheated on too it actually physically aged me. However it’s time yet to regain ourselves don’t you think?

4 years ago I was morbidly obese, and in so much pain with my back, pelvis, and knees, I was constantly on morphine. I was stuck in an abusive marriage and absolutely miserable.
Then finally left the marriage and suddenly realised I was finally in charge of myself and my destiny.

I started eating better - not setting out to make huge changes, but found I didn’t crave sugar or fat as much, and I actually started caring about myself and my health. I started losing weight, and after a while I realised I could probably start running. I also started doing yoga using YouTube videos, which I think really helped with feeling more connected to my body. After a while I even started ballet classes - something I hadn’t done in 20 years!

3 years later, I’d lost half my body weight and completed my first Tough Mudder event! And no more morphine for pain, just a bit of naproxen or co-codamol occasionally.

Ironically the huge weight loss has led to other health issues (prolapses galore!), but overall I feel a thousand times better. I actually went to an event last year where there were people I hadn’t seen for several years, and they genuinely didn’t recognise me.

I'm going to write more tomorrow. You lot are great!

No big success story for me (yet) but I've just finished week 2 of the 0-5k app and am feeling really good, and proud of myself. I'm 48 and unfit but I'm managing to keep up with it.

Before starting 0-5k I tried figure 8 fitness and it was an awful experience. It was too difficult and I ended up in tears. The women on the vid are so tiny and such amazing dancers, it just made me feel so enormous and uncoordinated in comparison!

So I was feeling like I couldn't get fit, but then tried 0-5k and it's doable for the unfit!