Uplifting milestones

[Ros1]

For those of us with a lot of weight to lose I thought I would share a few milestones I have recently passed to give heart to those like me who have a long road to travel.

Today I have dropped below 16st, down from 22st 10lbs 18months ago. 😃🎊

I have set myself new targets which I will achieve!

Yesterday I was 62 years old and proud of it!🎂

For the first time in all my years of yo-yo dieting I really think that I can stick with this new way of eating.

I now swim 600m twice a week, go to a yoga class and go for a 5 mile walk once a with friends. At the beginning I wasn't doing any exercise, and was being advised to try and walk just 200yds up my lane or round the garden each day to try and get me out of my chair. From little acorns oak trees grow.

When there is a special occasion or we go on holiday I allow myself to relax my eating a bit but know that even though the weight may pile on I can and will get it off. We are recently back from a guide tour of the Turkish Riviera, in a week I had put on 9lbs but 10 days after getting home I had lost it all. It was probably mostly water retention because of allowing myself to eat more carbs etc.

A couple of important milestones to me from the holiday, last September when we flew to Malta I just managed, for the first time in years, not to need a seat belt extender, this time it was easy to do the belt up and I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE SEAT TRAY DOWN. I realise that to a lot of people this doesn't seem much but to me it means so much.

Thanks to all who post on here, I read everyday what you have said and others replied, it lets you know that you are not alone in this journey. And I know that if I need help and encouragement there are friends out there to give it.

Love and best wishes to you all.

[Judywood]

Such a brilliant post! Thank you and very well done! Keep up the good work!

[Ros1 in reply to Judywood]

Thanks Judywood.

[Nicstar]

That's great news! I know exactly what you mean about aeroplane trays and seatbelts. I appreciate that would have been a bit of a moment for you! well done for all your hard work and success. Keep going!

[Ros1 in reply to Nicstar]

Thanks Nicstar, hope all continues to go well for you.

[Hidden]

Wow, I actually had a wee lump in my throat when I read your post. You have done so well and it does seem to have been life-changing in so many ways. I am sure that your post has inspired many people. Thanks for sharing and I wish you health and happiness

[Ros1 in reply to Hidden]

Dear MagsMM, thank you so much for your comments on my post. Yes to be in control of your life is life changing.

All the best and I hope you reach your goals.

[Biblia]

This is wonderful. You have a whole new life ahead of you. Well done.

[Ros1 in reply to Biblia]

Thanks Biblia and good luck to you in all you wish to achieve.

[djas]

That is an amazing post to read well done you are an inspiration to many others, we need posts like this to keep us going.

[Ros1 in reply to djas]

Jh24 thanks so much, I just felt I wanted to share with other what the changes I am making to my life mean to me.

All best wishes for your future challenges and aims.

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Hi Ros1,

Happy Birthday for yesterday!

Thanks for sharing your experiences, and many Congratulations on your weight loss - it is inspiring.

Lowcal

[Ros1 in reply to Zest]

Lowcal, thanks so much for your birthday wishes and comments. I hope all goes well for you and that you achieve all you wish for.

[linggirl]

You are a star. I am so impressed by your achievements. It gives me hope.

[Ros1 in reply to linggirl]

Thanks linggirl for your comments, all the best for your future goals.

[Mello17]

Happy birthday, and well done you

[Ros1 in reply to Mello17]

Thanks Mello17, all best wishes for your future aims.

[sueper]

Such a fab post Ros1 and certainly uplifting. I have a lot of weight to lose and reading your progress shows me it can be done. And, oh yes, I know about the seatbelt extender. Coincidentally I am going to Malta in October and would love it if I could do up the belt even if it is only just.

It is good that you give yourself some time off and as you point out those holiday pounds come off pretty quick so why not.

My first major target is to get below 17st which I did 13 years ago and since then piled on about 8st - soul destroying. Despite still being a big girl back then I looked ok, was reasonably fit and felt well. It would be lovely to not even be overweight but that will be the second major target.

Thanks for sharing

[Ros1]

Hi Sueper thanks for your comments on my post.

I like you have had big weight loses and then gradually piled it all back on again, 7 years ago I lost 7st and got down to 15st 10lbs. Why do we do it to ourselves, I'm determined not to let it happen again.

I see you're doing brilliantly, 22 pounds so far, and doing lots of exercise. Well done for your walk yesterday. It just shows that if we are determined what we can do!

Have a great holiday in Malta it is such a lovely country with a brilliant bus service if you want to get yourself around the island. You'll be able to visit lots of interesting place know that you can walk more. Hopefully you will be a couple of stone lighter by the time you go and will be closer to not needing the dreaded seatbelt extender.

Let's us try to keep an eye on how each other is progressing and be there to support each other.

Ros

[Murraymint]

Wow!! Well done. Love this post. 😊 x

[Ros1 in reply to Murraymint]

Thanks Murraymint.

[rainbow_43]

I enjoyed your story it gives me hope I have just stared the diet again. I lost 9lb in a month and fell off the wagon so hope to stay on track this time due to health issue's. I'm 14st 6lb at the moment so fingers crossed. Xoxoxoxo

[Ros1 in reply to rainbow_43]

Rainbow 43, best wishes to you reaching your goal and I hope it improves your health issues. I know that for all of us it's hard work at times but being health is worth the effort and for once we need to be a bit selfish and concentrate on ourselves. Xx

[Willow308]

Dear Ros1,

What a lovely story to read and so encouraging for myself who has 5 stone to lose.

It seems to me you have changed your life and health a full circle.

What finally gave you that final push? To do some thing about your weight.

Did you give yourself small goals to reach for.

I am so happy and pleased for you, a very inspiring story.🎉🎉🎉

Willow xx

[Ros1]

Dear Willow,

Thank you for your thoughts, yes it doesn't seem possible to me sometimes how my fitness has improved over the last year. I still have a long way more I want to go on my weight lose but I now feel a bit more 'normal' and able to try new types of exercise.

You asked what made me start this weight lose effort this time. I think that the only way to lose is if your mind is in the right place, no one can push or even shame you into starting. For someone of the size I was I believe you are dealing with an addiction, unfortunately the problem is, unlike smoking or drink, you can't give up food you just have to try and find a way to wean yourself off the hit you get from it.

I decided to finished work 2 years ago at sixty and knew that if I didn't take myself in hand my weight would just go even higher and higher. I wanted to have a new type of life in retirement and enjoy my family and friends. To do this I had to think about myself a bit more.

My first target was to get a health check with my GP and deal with a couple of health concerns I had, she was very supportive. My second was to control my eating, eat healthily and try and cut out my bingeing episodes. I succeed in not putting any weight on that summer. My GP referred me to an NHS dietitian you I first saw in the October. Her advise was that I was eating generally the right thinks but I should try and start to cut down my portion sizes over a period of time. I have continued to see her every 3 or 4 months, which is the most that is possible in this area. She has encouraged me with advise both emotionally and on diet and vitamin etc.

My husband has been a marvellous support and in fact has joined me in our new eating regime and has lost 2 1/2 stone himself. I was also referred for 4 core exercise classes with a Physiotherapist. I have all the way through set myself small realistic weight loss targets, no more than 1/2 stone at a time, the first major one to get below 20 stone.

Sometimes I have really had to struggle with my inner devil who try's to put me off track but I have to pick myself up and start again. One thing I have done is allowed myself a small treat when we go out, I think this helps to stop me feeling deprived, something like a scone with no butter.

Willow I hope this is some help to let you know my story upto now. All best wishes for you meeting your goals and getting to the place you want to be in your life. If you want to chat about anything just drop me a message.

Ros xx

[Willow308 in reply to Ros1]

Dear Ros,

Thank you for giving me a little look into your life and the reasons why you decided to lose weight and get healthy.

I'm a Rgn, who for years had to give our information on the reasons why you needed to keep within a certain weight, why being overweight would cause you serious medical problems ect.

How did I have the nerve to do this when I was so overweight, you could see the laughter in people's faces at times when I was delivering the speech.

But I never did anything about it, I would be good and lose 1/2 stone then gain 10Ibs.

I need to change Ros, I know what to do, it's just putting all the information into action.

I have been going careful this week and will actually start the 12 structed plan on Monday.

I have a lot to lose and I'm not stupid I'm not going to shift all this weight in a couple of months.

But I have finally realised I don't want to feel so unhappy in myself any more, and that's not talking about the phyisical problems being overweight can cause.

Thank you for your support, I know I'm going to need it often.

Weight and measurements on Monday morning.

Have a great weekend, speak soon.

Willow x

[Ros1 in reply to Willow308]

Dear Willow,

I understand your frustration at why we do this to ourselves, we loose pounds may be stones and then something in us lets us pile it all back on again and probably more.

For me this time seems to feel different, I have decided that the rest of my life starts here. I am on a journey to become more healthy and loosing weight is part of that. Strangely it doesn't seem to matter to me how long this takes as this is the new life for me. I would love it if you would like to join me on this journey.

There are lots of friends on here to support us both. I hope your weigh-in goes OK for you.

Ros xxx