My story

AlanCragg

I read through a few of the success stories, and even though my story isn't over yet I thought I would write something to encourage anyone that might be struggling with motivation.

I am 52 years old (and 5' 8" tall) and last Christmas I weighed over 17 stone (238lbs). I do not know how much over 17 stone but I was weighed at the surgery a couple of months before and I was 17 stone then. I put more weight on after that; my 40" trousers were getting tighter and I thought I might have to get 42" at the next clothes shopping trip.

Well in the new year my wife and I decided we needed to do something, I have a heart condition (Wolff Parkinson White) and it was triggering more often and it was putting my life at risk as well as the struggle I was having to carry out my work due to the excess weight (I'm a building services consultant and regularly have to survey multi storey buildings as well as squeeze through some pretty tight spaces in plant rooms.)

In January there was a programme on the BBC about fat and dieting, it was on for two nights and covered some of the psychological and physical reasons for obesity; it was very interesting and I learnt something about myself. I downloaded the accompanying book, did the online test, and on the 31st January my wife and I threw away all the leftover Christmas sweets, biscuits and chocolates and started a high protein, low GI diet and ordered new bathroom scales from Amazon. I also went on a 5:2 diet, on the recommendation of the BBC diet specialists.

I did not weigh myself for the first 2 1/2 weeks, I did not want to know how bad it really was! My belt went down one hole in that time and my 40" trousers fitted me again. When I did weigh myself I was 16st 8lbs (232lbs).

I lost a stone a month for the first four months, then it slowed down. I weighed myself every Monday morning and I'm proud to say that there was not one week that I put weight on. There was one week when I did not lose anything, and in the last few weeks I have only lost between 1 and 2 pounds per week (though I lost 3lbs last week, being extra vigilant on calories and weighing everything to the nearest gram! My wife despaired of me but it got results!)

So now I am down to 12st 9lbs (177lbs) and have at least 13lbs to lose to be within to my BMI healthy weight band (and so no longer classed as 'overweight'.) I will see how I look and feel when I get to 11st 10lbs and then decide if I need to go lower; everyone around me (family, friends and work colleagues) say I will not need to lose any more, but that's just because I have already lost over 61lbs and they therefore see the difference not the weight I should be.

I dug my bike out of the garage in March and that helped considerably, bringing up my fitness and energy levels and burning calories. I struggled to do 12mph for 11 miles when I started in March, yesterday I did 23 miles at 15.5 mph without a struggle, I could easily have gone further but I did not have the time.

So keep at it, it all works out in the end!

kiran61012

Wow axing progress!

kiran61012

Amazing even

AlanCragg

Thanks Kiran, much appreciated!

IndiaGuerita1983

Excellent job, Alan!! You must be feeling so much better! Did your wife lose, too? It's great when they're supportive, huh?

Congratulations on your hard work.

AlanCragg

Thank you India, I do feel much better, more energy and loving being back on my bikes. Still got around 12-14 lbs to lose but I love the diet, all my favourite foods!

Unfortunately my wife didn't stick with the diet, she still eats healthily most of the time but she didn't need to lose as much as me

I see that you have lost more than I have, well done to you too!

Jillish23

Great effort and achievement! It's cool to hear you're enjoying cycling again as well. Best wishes for continued success.

charmmeth

Good for you! Keep it up! (Or going down...)