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What was your "light switch" moment when deciding to lose weight and get fit?

15 replies

sunburntats · 05/02/2010 15:29

Having persued many many diets over the years, i am now heavier than i have ever been in my whole life.

I have always had a "light switch" moment, either seeing a photograph or had a comment from some one and then lost shed loads.

This time, it hasnt happened and i am steadily getting bigger.

What was your light switch moment and how did it influence you and for how long did it work for you?

OP posts:
ShowOfHands · 05/02/2010 15:39

Do you know, generally diets don't work. Because all they do is restrict you, you lose weight short term and then you go back to normal habits and back comes the weight. And while dieting, all you do is think about food and what you can't have and calories and scales etc. You want that to end. You want to end the diet and not think about any of that and when you do, well you know how it goes.

What you need is to adjust your lifestyle longterm so you don't have to restrict or diet or put yourself through this over and over again. Make exercise a normal part of your life. Stop using the car, go out walking, join a gym, take up a sport with your partner/a friend, go swimming, something you can do regularly as part of your lifestyle not a weight reducing exercise. And look at how you eat, what you buy, what's in the house and assess how you can make that healthy for the rest of forever. Not cut out all the lovely stuff and crave it for the short term, but eat healthily and have treats occasionally.

For me, I stood in front of a mirror, butt naked and thought, well, you're as young as you're ever going to be. You can't fight ageing, gravity, childbirth, breastfeeding etc but you can control the rest of it.

I bought some running shoes the next day. I didn't diet.

I'm the fittest I've been, probably ever, love running and can look in a mirror without cringing.

sunburntats · 05/02/2010 15:59

Lets talk running then.

I am about 2.5 stones overweight, no asthma or heart problems, but if i run even a very short distance i cant breath, and breathing is painful.

Was this what it was like for you when you started?
Did you runa short distance then walk, then run so to speak?
How did you get into it?

OP posts:
ShowOfHands · 05/02/2010 16:06

Oh God at first I thought I would die. About 500 yards and I couldn't breathe or talk, my chest burned and I felt bloody hideous. Now I run 4/5 times a week and can do a comfortable hour's run at a steady pace. I've lost 2.5 stones and am at my ideal weight.

You don't have to take up running but it is good for you, is easy to make quick gains, quite addictive and I find it very therapeutic pounding my anger into the road.

You definitely don't start by running. Walking much better, interspersed with easy jogging- this is interval training. You can download ipod programmes I think but I used a bupa training programme. Have a look at a 5k beginner programme, much more walking than running to start with. They are excellent and easy and the achievement measurable.

Can I recommend Davina's fitness dvds too. Short, easy, fun, effective and not weather dependent. Even my personal trainer dh likes them!

sunburntats · 05/02/2010 16:10

that sounds good actually and very do-able, you sound like me.

One more question.....runnign bras? Where do i get one cos my puppies are very big and they will defo get in my way while im carrying 2.5 extra stones

OP posts:
chocolaterabbit · 05/02/2010 16:10

Agree. I'd always planned to lose weight after DS but I think a comment from Moondog triggered it where she said she loved food but kept it under control. I thought about it and realised a) supermarkets are massively full of junk food which they're trying to get rid of - there is a significantly greater floor area given over to crap than good stuff so I'm resisting the marketing and b) exercise needs to be part of everyday life. IMO, it is better to cycle to and from work/ get off a bus earlier and trot in etc than get a gym membership and expect to go when DCs are in bed.

I was about 12 stone at the bginning of December. have been applying these rules and am now 10 stone 9 so all coming off.

Running - google couch potato to 5k, some brilliant programmes

Openbook · 05/02/2010 16:12

When I went into a size 18 skirt. I just thought nooooooooo! and went to a weight loss place and lost 2st. I was already exercising but I'm a greedy pig and its food that makes you fat so I was strict on low fat, low carbs. The weight came off pretty quick ( 2st in 6months) and I managed to keep it off. HRT for 3 years helped but then i really thought I'd should stop that and in the last year or two i have changed shape - a band of flab round my midriff - what's that all about!! But I am still size 12(ish), let's be honest most trousers are 14s. DH and i are both retired and still eat fairly low fat and carbs and he has lost weight too.

I can't run but I go to the gyn twice a week and do yoga and walk walk walk. I'm fitter at 58 than I have ever been.

ShowOfHands · 05/02/2010 16:15

I have a couple of shock absorber sports bras and then running tops from 2xu. I was bfing when I started running and was a 36E, not huge but needed the support. Don't worry about dedicated fitness clothes otherwise though unless you really get into it, good sports bra, decent trainers and something comfortable on top of that. I repeat, decent trainers. Independent running shops much better than chains, especially if they look at your gait for you.

Something that fits in and is adaptable is what you want and those running programmes are very manageable.

BariatricObama · 05/02/2010 16:22

god, i need a light switch moment! i run too but tbh i really need to reduce what i eat as well

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 05/02/2010 16:50

I think my light switch moment has been realising I was approaching mid 30's and if I didn't make some permanent changes now it would only get harder.

I've lost about 17 lb's all in all which is all I needed to lose but I've made some quite big changes.

Like others I exercise regularly now. I love off road cycling and did 50+ mileas a week across the glorious South Downs last year. When the weather turned I started running instead and although I had to stop for an operation I'm getting back into that and loving it.

I have stopped seeing chocolate as part of my daily diet aswell. It affects my mood which makes me eat more so now I have it alot less often.

I also stopped drinking alcohol so much and have lost about 4lb's just doing that depsite not being able to exercise for 2 months after my operation.

Exercise definitely lifts your mood which has helped massively with my comfort eating.

ohnelly · 07/02/2010 16:02

I entered the race for life which is a 5km run/walk for breast cancer with a group of friends & was determined to run all the way round. I started short runs & built it up gradually & it was easier to watch what I was eating as I was much less inclined to eat a cake after running 3 miles!
I lost more than 2 1/2 stone & even got a treadmill for xmas so I could run at home with my Ipod on. Ive since broken my ankle & become pregnant so its all stopped for the moment but I will be using it again to lose the baby weight when im ready!
Have a look online for a race for life near you - they are all over the country & you can enter now I think. You dont have to run either its just completing the distance, it really motivated me & gave me something to aim for.

FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 07/02/2010 16:06

I need more than a lightbulb moment.

I have food issues.

I am heavier than after my baby was born.

I need to lose 2-3 stone.

I don't eat a lot though.

I can't run as I have asthma and it hurts too much and walking very fast kills me.

I am also mentally very weak at the moment so feel pretty useless about being able to do anything.

Disenchanted3 · 07/02/2010 16:07

My lightswitch moment was just totally over eating at christmas, realising I had put on a stone during that time when I was already 'obese' according to the NHS (was only 16-18)

I thought I can't spend another year feeling shit about myself and wearing baggy jumpers in the summer when I desperatly wanted to wear a pretty summery dress!

Joined weight watchers and have lost 10lbs since Jan 4th.

Disenchanted3 · 07/02/2010 16:08

and came down from 'obese' into overweight which made me !

RoseWater · 08/02/2010 14:30

Friends evening wedding reception - reunited with a few people that I hadn't seen since our student days - they were all slim and glam and I was the frumpy overweight Mum .

Controversial and very unhealthy I know, but I used Atkins shakes to do a home made version of Cambridge / Lighterlife for two months and lost 3 stone.

Have kept the weight off for over a year(apart from the odd few pounds on following Christmas / holidays etc)- I haven't ever managed to address the reasons for my over eating but keep it in check by doing Atkins induction for a week if I feel like I'm slipping into binge mode.

Really I know that healthy eating and regular excercise is the way to go.

onlyjoinedforoffers · 08/02/2010 14:51

i have started the paul mckenna i can make you thin regime i am going to the dieticians tomorrow for the first time since ive started and i cant wait even though she said i might have put on some weight as i have statred going swimming nearly every day.I have known for a long time i needed to lose a load of weight but couldnt get started now i feel really motivated and i am doing great

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