Getting down to business

Creiddylad

Hello everyone,

I'm a female in my early 50s who has been a serial dieter over many years - I've been slim and I've been overweight, but the truth is as I've hit middle age and menopause the pounds have been creeping on to the point where I hate what I see in the mirror. There isn't a part of me that isn't fat. Even my legs which have been slim all my life are getting plump.

I hate being like this and I've never been so serious and determined to do something about my weight, and this time I'm going to do it right. I've never read so much and learned so much as I have in the past week and I really can't believe how deluded I was about the mechanics of weight loss, and how slow, steady weight loss is the way to go. I used to have such unrealistic goals and expectations and would starve myself, and eat all sorts of crazy concoctions to lose weight, which I would do, but of course, it all piled back on again and more along with it.

I look back at times in my life - I remember weighing 124lbs for a college medical in my late teens. I remember weighing 140lbs in my mid 30s when I had my first child. I remember I was 156lbs in my early 40s after having my second child and desperately trying to diet and get my weight down back then. I remember being 164lbs last August when I was weighed in hospital just prior to having a minor operation.

And a week ago last Saturday I weighed myself for the first time since then to discover that I was 15lbs heavier (in less than a year) and I weighed in at 179.6bs.

It was one of those lightbulb moments when I could see how the scales were going up and up and I had do something to send them in the other direction. My grandmother was a little fat dumpy barrel, and all my life people have said I look like her. I am terrified that I will end up a little fat dumpy grandma the same as her, and to be honest, I'm not far off it now.

So I'm getting down to business .. and I have never been so motivated and determined in my whole life. I know there are no quick fixes, and I know I have to make llifestyle changes and not go back to my old habits once the weight is off. I have managed to pack up smoking and drinking alcohol in the past three years (I did too much of both for too long) and now it's time to sort out my weight and hopefully get fit at the same time. I have taken up yoga and I cycle and do home exercise (hand weights, trampoline etc.). I don't go to a gym or anything and I don't want to - it's just not for me.

Although I only signed up here today, I started my weight loss journey that Saturday night 10 days ago and have already lost 4.4lbs. I know that needs to slow down to a more sustainable level, but it's given me the kickstart I needed.

I've already read plenty here on the forum and am looking forward to getting to know some of you.

Creiddylad