The Return of Slimming World
Those of you who have followed my journey on this blog, will know that I’ve dabbled with dieting and reaching my ideal weight has been an on-going task for me.
Since my wedding (over 3 years ago), I’ve not been at my personal ideal weight. I’ve let the lbs creep on slowly but surely, started to avoid having my photo taken quite so much and deluded myself into thinking that the shops had changed their sizing structure and really I wasn’t that dress size, it was just the shop that sized their clothing wrongly.
Before we decided to try for a baby, I made it my mission to get fit and lose some weight. I had a goal in mind. Then I became pregnant…a lot more quickly than we’d expected and suddenly everything became about being as healthy as possible and doing everything in my power to give our little baby the best start at life. So weight loss took a back seat for a while, as I knew it wasn’t the time to be fixating on those scales.
Following the birth, again the priority was to feed and nourish myself and my baby and to indulge exactly whenever I wanted to! My body was doing something epic and I was burning calories like never before through breast-feeding, so I allowed myself to eat plenty of carbs and plenty of cake. Because that’s exactly what I needed.
Then, approximately 5 months after giving birth, I started to feel like I didn’t need quite as much cake. Like I could begin to get my eating and energy levels back on track. Like I was ready to start regaining my body.
So I summoned-up the courage, after well over a year, to enter the doors of my local and wonderful Slimming World group once more (you can read about where I started again and then again and then AGAIN over the last couple of years too).
I had tried to make that journey a few times before, but the timing wasn’t right and I knew that if I wasn’t ready, I wouldn’t be able to do it. So when I did eventually sit in that new members talk once more, I felt good. I felt right and I felt ready. Anna, the amazingly strong and encouraging group leader, welcomed me back with open arms and a brew and I looked around at all of the inspirational men and women in the group and felt glad to be back in the game!
What’s more, there were quite a few other new mums in the group, with babies of a similar age and there was a ready-made group of friends for us to sit with. I love Slimming World for that.
I couldn’t wait to draw a line, turn a new page and set my new target.
I had given myself 1 stone 11.5lbs to lose and I wanted it by my 30th birthday. As you know, that’s not far away now! I’ve had a few blips on the way with weekends away, a week in Wales and a big wedding weekend, but I’ve still managed to lose 13lbs so far. I know it could have been more by now, but I’m happy with that (for now!). It gives me just under 1 stone to go to target and I’ve got 7 weeks to do it! Ahhhhh! That’s 1.5-2lbs per week, which is tough for me. But I want it, so I’m gonna get it!
Here are some pics of me when I was at a weight where I was happy and healthy, so I will keep these for inspiration!
A couple of years ago, I pulled together a 12-week body optimising plan, so I’m going to look back at some of the advice I gave myself then. I’m going to pack in my speed foods and keep my 30th birthday in mind. I want to look back at those photos and feel proud!
So there it is, the return of Slimming World…again! This time I’m gonna be a target member, I can assure you.
Are you on a weight loss journey? What are your tips for staying on the wagon?
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