I never thought I'd be here again...

Hi Dani. You're not alone! I lost around 3.5 stone (about 45-50lbs) 7 years ago, all of which I had gained when I went to uni first time round. I lost the weight during my nursing training (which was really difficult with the shifts, and it took me around 3 years in total) but I got there eventually and was really happy. Like you, I vowed I never wanted to get myself to that stage again, and to be healthy from then on. Seeing a photo of myself at my heaviest was what kick started my weight loss in the first place. But life (and my excuses and lack of self control) meant I gained all the weight back. I didn't stick to any healthy eating plan, and was eating out a lot with my boyfriend and friends, and well, got lazy I have to say.

So now I'm back to the beginning too, and am really unhappy that I've got myself back into this predicament, but I've proven I can do this already, and so I think this time I just need to be better prepared, and see it more as a lifestyle change, and not dieting. The last time, I remember getting to my goal weight and thinking, "right, I've done it so I can do what I want now". This time round, I want to do it to live a healthier and fitter lifestyle, so I think I'm in a different mind set.

You've already proven you can lose weight too (and keep it off if you maintained for 5 years, you had better motivation that I did!). So don't be disheartened by your weight gain, just keep thinking positively and remember how you felt the last time when you lost the weight. You've got the tools to get to where you want to be, and the support on here will no doubt help as well. When I'm having a bad day I come on here and read people's posts and it puts things into perspective for me.

I wish you all the best on your journey (don't think of it as a battle!) and feel free to add me if you like and we can keep each other motivated. Keep up the good work