What was your light bulb moment? I've been a real idiot and I've had my wake up call

[T1gerEye]

I've put on a lot of weight this year. An impressive 3 stone and I was a little overweight before I did that so today sees me looking at 14 stone something

The death of both my parents this year meant that for some reason I felt I could literally stuff my face with cake, Doritos and pizza. Oh and chocolate. Was eating as if sometime had told me it was calorie free

Anyway, I've had my wake up call. I got a good deal on a private blood test subscription service and thought I'd try it as just a one off as I was idly wondering what my vitamin D levels were. The fact other tests were offered too was a bonus - I didn't think too much about those. Until I got the results ..

Vitamin D low. Iron low. I have tipped myself (just) into high cholesterol. Again with the CRP test - too high. Globulin is over what it should be. On top of this, I frequently have acid reflux - which I've never had before - some back pain and I'm a bit out of breath if I walk too fast. My stomach is terrible. Just an apron of fat. I can only wear loose clothes but I kid myself they're stylish as I buy them from Hush. Nothing looks nice on me.

Amazing! what a fool I've been. I spoke to my doctor who isn't too concerned from a clinical point of view as my results are just a bit off kilter but I know this has been caused by me basically eating for England these past months. Maybe not the vitamin D - I dunno!

Anyway that's my wake up call. I have children - one still young at 12 - and I'm in my 40s. I'm hoping I've had enough of a shock to actually stick to something now

I've started the 800 calorie blood sugar thingy. I need some fairly speedy results to feel better but don't want to do any diet not nutritionally sound so this ticks the boxes for me. I'll do the 8 weeks (please god I stay the course!) and is like to see 2 stone off for Christmas which I know is achievable with dedication.

Anyone fancy chipping in? Joining me? With any diet. Or I'll just ramble to myself and see how it goes

Oh and what was your lightbulb moment?

I rejoined weightwatchers. 4 weeks in and I’m down 10.5lbs already. My lightbulb moment was the quote “even if you don’t track it, your body will”. Good luck!

Ill join please. I lost just over 1 stone last year between September and Christmas. Was following Metabolic Balance. Then it all went back on after Christmas.
My lightbulb was just feeling generally rubbish and I just avoid looking at myself in the mirror.
Teenage son is having some mental health problems and I want to feel like in one area of my life i can achieve something! Something for me.

I’d forgotten how nice hummus was! I had some yesterday with cucumber and I enjoyed it! It’s a snack that I feel doesn’t add too many calories to my day but is tasty and enjoyable.

I’ve bought some low carb yogurts to try today. And I’ve bought an avocado to have with lunch.

I have to plan what I am going to have in advance otherwise I get hungry and panicky!

I think bending over to tie shoelaces and get socks on and off was also a lightbulb moment for me. All my weight is on my belly. I had babies and never went back to normal clothes I stayed in maternity wear for far too long. How embarrassing.

Good luck everyone and I hope you have had good days today. Good luck for us all tomorrow:)

Sounds like you're on the right path, op. It's a tough road but the view at the top is amazing.

I was 14 stone too and at 5'5 this really didn't look good. I had sleep apnea, bad joints, looked ten years older and hated wearing shit clothes. Pre diabetic too which is quite frankly scary.

Did lower carb, life changing. Really and truly. Started eating loads of veg, more protein, cut out bread, rice, pasta. That rubbish doesn't fill you up anyway. Was amazing how full I felt off higher fat foods. Also eat some pulses, potatoes and squashes. Find meat and cheese very filling.

Lightbulb moment was seeing myself in a mirror and not recognising myself. Who the feck is that. Oh shit, it's me.

I refuse to be the fat blimp in the corner. Absolutely refuse.

I've lost four stone, look ten years younger, body feels amazing, I wear fantastic clothes, skin is great, hair is shiny, you can see my facial features more, I dont look like the sodding Michelin man anymore!

People treat me SO differently, it's quite a shock. I'm the same person inside my head. People who have known me years suddenly see me differently. When I meet people for the first time they have a totally different reaction as to when I was four stone heavier. More respect. And that's a good thing.

@doodlejump1980 you're doing brilliantly!

@DownUdderer that's lunch sorted I think! Ill pop to shop this morning I think. I quite fancy some hummus with a load of crudités to dip in

Rest of day to be planned out still. I'll report back

Can I join ?
I am also just over 14 stone (again) I vowed I would never see it again and lost half a stone earlier in the year and then I got bored.
I really need to do something about it , I hate seeing pics of myself.
My clothes look shite and i refuse to buy bigger . I also need to cut down on the booze.
I like the idea of the 1000cal burn a day , will look into it.
My meals are fine and I always cook from scratch but I drink too many cals and eat too many snacks.

Month 1 done and 15lbs off. Phew. Still look like I’m pregnant but maybe my next photo won’t be so bad
Onwards and downwards!

Considering breakfast! I think it'll be Greek yogurt with pear and blueberries and a couple of Brazil nuts

Lunch will be hummus and crudités I think and then I'm thinking about a cheese omelette with salad. I don't eat eggs but can have an omelette and manage that. Looking for filling things!

Greek yogurt
Pear
Blueberries
3 Brazil nuts

Small pot hummus
Roasted red onions, baby carrots and black beans

8 strawberries

Leaves me 200 calories for dinner. Which will be soup and a small salad.

I'm err ... peckish!

I've had an awful day., as it turns out. I must learn to enter things on MFP before eating, not afterwards. Who knew how many calories there were in baklava?! No saving that. Oh well, what I'm not going to do is follow it up with more and more.

Baklava is irresistible though. No one can blame you for that!

It's a start @Steala - I have never ever been able to stop once I've 'ruined' a day

Had mushroom and black rice soup for dinner with a few small cubes of feta cheese. Felt hungry today which was annoying but hey, hardly going to feel stuffed on 800 cals am I!

Day 3 - done

I keep trying to drink water when I’m feeling hungry. It doesn’t always help the hunger go away though!

Morning , yesterday I made a good start . No booze which will help and lots of water.
I do find if I drink more water it helps with the snacking.
Going to do a meal plan for the week today which will hopefully keep me on track.
My plan is to get to the gym after work.

Good luck to everyone for today.

Well done @T1gerEye!

Baklava is very very yummy @Steala! It's one of the things DP cannot resist, but he definitely can't stop at one piece.....

I'm keeping up with the batch cooking despite DTS1 turning nocturnal he was in and out of his bed last night. Need to make a big minestrone soup this morning whilst the DC are at school.

I forgot to add my lightbulb moment when I joined the thread! It was something like the one from @managedmis - just didn't recognise myself (physically or mentally, sometimes). Plus my DM, who has been overweight for many years (since me and DB were small) has developed severe osteoarthritis. It's a vicious circle - she wouldn't do activities with us because she was 'too fat', never lost the weight, now can't because she's virtually housebound. It really scares me to think that I might end up like that by my late 60s, and am making much more of an effort to make sure my own DC are active.

My light bulb moment was nearly twenty years ago. The DC were small, I was a SAHM and I was happy to spend my days in loose tops and leggings. The weight crept up without me noticing until I had to buy an outfit for a wedding. I'd always been a size 12/14 and suddenly I needed an 18. I started with Slimfast the next day, which was a great kick start, then signed up for WW online. I also started running at the age of 50. I've been a size 10 for the past 18 years - sometimes the weight starts to creep up again, after holidays etc, but mostly I eat healthily and can soon lose the odd 5lbs if I need to.

@RubySlippers77 sounds like you've got a good handle on what your plan is going to be. I'd love to batch cook but I find it so boring. Plus I'm not a great cook. I'm vegetarian and my family isn't so I tend to do myself a separate meal to them - I'm totally used to it so it's not a problem. Minestrone soup sounds good!

I've started my day with ..

200g Greek yogurt
Scoop of 'Fast 800' protein powder mixed in
12 strawberries

269 calories. Was very tasty

@Howlongtillbedtime good luck for today!

@DownUdderer I hate water. So boring. Give me a Coke Zero any day. However I understand that that's not healthy so I've been drinking some water. I occasionally add zero sugar grenadine to it to make it more palatable

TigerEye, thanks for this thread.
I would like to join in too

I have 2 stone to lose to get to a healthy weight.
i have done 5:2 before and a loose version of the 800 (not fast 800) BSD. Was in a good place until June 2018

I had some health setbacks all of 2018 and all of that has meant that food choices have become very bad.

I am also a vegetarian and don't eat eggs!
And I have low vit D and low iron too
I take spatone religiously, there is one with apple juice; Iron is supposed to be better absorbed when had with orange juice etc

I use MyFitnessPal (MFP); I have recorded my glorious stats this morning; 75kg; Initial goal: 69kg; Next goal: 63 kg

My light bulb moment has been : Going out of breath while climbing stairs, running, walking and worries about my BP shooting up. I have had a migraine for the last 6 days now and my BP is quite high too (150/90)
I always find that few extra kilos make my BP to slip into the danger zone.

So, hugely determined to get to my first goal of 69 kg
Good luck to all of us!
We can do this

Hi all,

Really enjoying this thread and its inspiring tales

I'm just heading out to WW: will report back later.

Keep on it. And if you fall off ..... just jump straight back on.

@houseRefurb welcome - and you appear to my twin 😂

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFacehow was WW?

Dinner was 3 x cauldron vegetarian sausages with roasted veg. 100g raspberries for dessert

Total cals for day 815

Day 4 DONE

Will weigh in on Sunday and see if I've lost anything. Fingers crossed eh

WW is the new name for Weight Watchers (it rebranded not so long back).

I hadn't been for three weeks but have maintained my weight, which I'm pleased with.

My goal is to lose 4kg. I'm currently 58kg and need to hit around 54kg to be at my 'stage' weight. I'm a wannabe bodybuilder and am aiming to compete one day. Once I get to 54kg, I'll have a better idea of how I might shape up. The stage debut is likely to be a couple of years off as I'd like to add the muscle gradually. I also need to gain the confidence

I've had a very good couple of days and the weight is definitely coming off.

Good luck to everyone; we got this