Im Jan and I am a Brit living abroad and it is time to shed these pounds. I think most of the excess weight came from depression, even though I love living in another country and have embraced the life. The problem is always the guilt of leaving my parents behind and having a life over here. I guess I comfort ate because of that.
We do get to see my parents often but they don't get to see my kids on a daily basis. The guilt for that is quite high as they only have 2 grandkids and they both live here.
Anyway it is time for me to stop feeling the guilt (20 years of it) and grasp that this is my life and only I can change it. My husband is very supportive and drags me out for walks whenever he can.
Some health problems gallbladder removed 2010, so stomach never recovered and still plays up. SVT ablation done in 2010 followed by Warfarin treatment for 6 months for a blood clot. 2015 partial thyroidectomy (left lobe removed) and another 6 month of warfarin for another blood clot. Food allergies fish, peanuts and strawberries.
So in short if anyone wants to chat then get in touch
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Janpes
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Hello Janpes and welcome to our site. You will soon receive information from an administrator about the best ways of using the site. Hope you enjoy it here as it is very interesting and please don't worry about asking any information as everybody is very friendly and we are all trying to do the same thing - lose weight. Make sure you check on the NHS bmi calculator to find out how many calories you should be eating every day as this gives you the correct amount of calories due to our weight, age, sex, and height. Many others tend to just give an average amount. One thing i learned from this site was that if you do not eat enough calories that are needed you will be less likely to lose weight because your body believes you are starving it so goes into starvation mode which means it turns any foods you do eat into body fat to ensure it can cope. Fats weigh more which is why people eating less tend to put weight on. Good luck with your journey.
Hello Janpes and welcome to the weight loss forum ☺ You have had a lot on your plate healthwise and emotionally, but you are absolutely right that only you can change things ☺
The first place to look is at the Pinned posts section to the right of your screen (bottom if you're using a mobile), read the Welcome Newbie thread first and move through to the challenges, where we hope you'll find at least one that will appeal to you ☺
Move down to the Topics, to find a variety of threads, collated into specific topics for ease of access and we ask that you also 'file' your own threads, so that others won't miss your important news ☺
Have a look at the NHS 12 week plan, as many people have had success with it. Also use the BMI checker to find your target calories, it's important to eat enough. This was a major turning point for me, realising I could eat anything I wanted as long as the calories are accounted for ☺
Don't forget to take your starting measurements and a 'before' picture, as they can be very motivating on days that the scales refuse to co-operate ☺
The forum also have group weigh-ins every day if you wish to take part. The posts can always be found in the Events section on the 'home' page ☺ Monday is very busy but please join any other day ☺
You'll notice a grey box next to people's names, these are achievement badges, and as a new member you may have a 'Newbie' badge. If you have any questions or would like a Newbie badge please just ask ☺
We've found that to get the best out of this community, we need to be active on the forum, as it's where we exchange information, get motivation and inspiration and make friends. We hope that you'll join us here, regularly, too ☺
Hi Jan and welcome! My excess weight is also from depression, so I can relate to how you feel. I figured it was time to lose weight, depression or not. I may never fully recover from depression, so why wait all my life to lose those pounds I don't need.
I started the NHS 12 week program a week ago, so far I am loving it. It's quite easy to follow and hopefully proves to be effective. Check it out and good luck on your weight loss journey!
I have started the 12 week program today and am struggling with not eating enough. I just don't feel hungry at all.
I was usually quite active until I was laid off 6 months ago. I am starting to increase my activity levels again. I am in myself quite fit although am overweight.
I will start the running programme next week and see how that goes. Right now I am just concentrating on a day at a time. Good luck to you all on this weight loss journey.
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