Since turning the big 40, they promised me that 'life begins'? The beginning of what I'm still trying to find out... however what I have discovered is that I'm finding it hard to accept I'm officially middle aged, The expanding waist line, wrinkles, the saggy bottom, aches and pains are always there to remind me that I am.
So gone are my carefree youthful days, they've been replaced by proper adult "responsibilities' of full time work, mortgage payments, bills, & running a mad house. I now comfort eat, in fact my fridge light goes out more than I do nowadays. Plus I don't want to go out and dance the night away, i'm just too tired, yet another excuse of mine. BUT Instead of putting on my trainers and doing a bit of the sweaty stuff, or leafing through a healthy cook book for inspiration, I go home put on my PJ's, and slippers, slam in a ready meal & take the good old yoga position of 'coach potatoe'.
I'm eating all the wrong things most days, but I do all the shopping, another excuse for buying chocolate of mine is that my Husbands loves it....
I live in hope that one day i'll wake up and this is all a bad dream and I'll be thin again.
Until that happens (fingers crossed cos you never know) I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself. I'm only 40 something, and I deserve a life and a happy one to boot, so today I'm taking back control, calorie control. Please wish me luck.
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LJSleight
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Very well written! I remember very clearly saying I wasn't going to be fat and forty, and Luckily I wasn't! Fast forward a few years and here I am! It's such a milestone being 40, but actually you are no different after your birthday than you were the day before! Sounds like you have quite a normal life, with all the usual stresses and strains that come with it! Pleased you are in the frame of mind to take control back and look after yourself. Have a read of the newbies post in the pinned section on the right hand side of the page, lots of tips in there. Also keep reading the posts on here, there are some really inspiring and motivational stories. Good luck!
Hi, You have made the decision to change. Tell your husband he can buy his own chocolate (and hide it from you haha) Hope you have a fabulous 1st week of your "12 week plan" We will all support each other on our journeys. xxx
You could always include your husband. Mine was very pleased when the changes I made to what we eat (I do the cooking and shopping) resulted in him losing weight as well.
Of course, that only works if he's also in need of shedding a few pounds!
If you have only just turned 40 then you are still a young chick and you must take that action now because believe me it is much harder to shift those extra pounds as you get older.
I will wish you luck but, luck has nothing to do with this change in lifestyle you are about to start, it is about motivation and keeping that momentum going when you hit the weeks when you do not lose or maybe gain a pound or two.
You do the shopping so you are in control of what you consume, get the whole family on board and have a clear out of the rubbish foods you have in your cupboards and replace them with healthy choices.
Start with controlling what you eat, start the food diary and count the calories and you will soon feel the benefits and one day you WILL wake up thin again
Thanks for your response its really encouraging to have such lovely comments. I'll keep a food diary for sure and i've already changed the foods i bought this week and planned my meals. if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail, so they say, good luck too
When I was approaching 40, I felt I had to do something to prove I was still alive and kicking - So....I bought a motorbike (OK, it was only a Honda 90) and challenged myself to ride it and obtain a full motorbike licence. I had previously ridden a moped in my teenage years and had several brothers and a husband with knowledge of motorbikes - so I went ahead and booked a test. I have vivid memories of weaving this bike in a low gear in and out of a row of wellington boots in preparation for the big day... and I was thrilled when eventually I passed!
Of course there are other challenges out there...do a tennis course, take a GCE exam, climb a mountain, or lose a stone....There is nothing like the satisfaction of setting yourself a challenge, and achieving your goal.
Best of luck with your plan to rediscover the real you - keep in touch as we love the way you write (I really laughed at the fridge light part)!
Be positive your in control, you loose that and bang couch potato here you stay !
Last week I had a birthday 70 years old, friends have no idea how old I am once you broadcast your age your in trouble ! Alas I twisted with heavy shopping putting it in the car and bang landed up with a nasty groin injury and unable to walk ! I had a few words to say to those twinkling stars turning 70 unable to walk when fit most of the time. Being positive, determined, and a good diet I'm up and walking now, not bouncing yet. So come on life at 40 get fit and live each day good luck.
Happy Birthday Sarah, what an inspiration you are, I hope you feel much better again soon. I'm going to give it a blinkin good go, I want to wear all those things i see in the shop front windows and fell fabulous. Cant wait to catch with you again soon. Take care now and I'll hopefully be a few pounds lighter not just in the purse either.
Thanks for your reply, and i'm glad you like my post. I try to deal with most things in life with a sense of humour. I've a lot of hard work ahead of me, and maybe when i'm brave enough i'll post a before and after pics, that will make you laugh, but until then i'll keep checking in for the encouraging messages i know this will help massively. Cheers
Hi LJSleight and welcome! it is true that life begins at 40. I know mine did. I found the right man, was at a good weight and exercised to keep my man. now I have my man, am about 80 pounds overweight and legally obese lol. I am 49 and have decided I like myself. I like that I am funny and kind and smart and all that. I don't mind that I am overweight just that I don't eat healthy. so I am trying to eat healthy and I will lose weight as soon as I eat healthy. I have started by doing a little exercise (I can definitely increase it, and I am going to NOW!) and eating more fruit and veggies and I feel so much better already. I have been here about 7 weeks and I am more confident and loving this forum. people are so kind here and motivating and I am lucky I found all of you. we do deserve to be happy and healthy and I am so glad you know that. it was hard for me to realize that I do deserve to be happy not just want to be happy. it was a tough lesson to learn and as soon as I did I see that I can and will lose weight and be healthy. I wish you and I and all of us all the luck and hard work to do it for ourselves and not anyone else!
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The expanding waist line, wrinkles, the saggy bottom, aches and pains are always there to remind me that I am. 
First post feeling hopeful
The birthday binge reporting in!
Pure misery, trying to avoid emotional eating/binge eating
