Hello!! i'm back and i need you guys!

Hi guys, haven't been on to much recently, i can't come on during the day any more: have a new boss who checks up on us! am just giving a quick update, then i'll have to catch up during the evenings.

So...

i came back from holiday after 2 weeks of eating far too much. i did walk nearly 20,000 steps a lot of the days and went swimming and cycling a couple of times, so i figured the over-eating wouldn't have been a big problem. (i knew i had put on some, for the way i felt in my clothes)

here's the thing: the scales at the gym are not working and have been switched off (don't know how long for: will check again tonight) i had to go to the doctors for a new pill prescription who weighed me at 73 kilos!!! that's 11st 7!!! DEVASTATED.

really, i can't have put on 8lb in 2 weeks that's 28,000 cals over maintenance, and i know i ate too much, but i certainly didnt eat THAT much!!

i took two pill packets together so that i wouldn't come on on holiday and my boobs have gone up 2 whole cup sizes (am having to wear old bras- glad i still had some left!!) plus i am now on my period.

i've decided to start a new program, focussing on exercise, with a basic 1500 cal eating plan. my plan is to exercise as much as possible (ie do something active: gym, yoga, bike ride) and do this every day.
i will be consuming 1500 cals, and if i have a day where i don't exercise, i will reduce that by 200. i just figure that this will keep my metabolism boosted.

basically, i just need you guys to tell me i'm going to be okay! i realise that my emotional issues with food are not completely resolved, but i need to know that the ridiculous weight gain must be something other than my body turning every bloody calorie i consume to fat!! the three things i have concluded are:

* the doctors scales weigh differently
* the fact my boobs have grown 2 cups means i will weigh more than i should - they should go back down now i'm having my pill break
* it's now TOTM, which normally adds 2lbs for me

Do you think i should stop deluding myself and making excuses, and own up to my gain? or do you think i have plausible explanations as to why the figure's so high? i just can't accept that i've taken 8 steps back!!

Help! i normally feel so with it and in control

Hi Rhuba
You weren't sole sourcing before you went away, otherwise you could say this was glycogen stores, I would therefore assume it is a mixture of what you have already said yourself - totm and the scales at the doctors surgery. All scales are different, therefore, get back to your normal scales and try them.

You have done so well - and whether you have put a bit of weight on or not, you have been on holiday!! Forgive yourself and after all, this has to be a way you can live for the rest of your life.

Take a deep breath, start back to your normal eating and your trousers will feel lose by the end of the week.

Rosie xx

Hey Rhuba welcome back. I have some thoughts and my take on this is a bit different to yours.

Firstly all scales weigh differently so tommorrow I would weigh myself on the gym scales - you may be plesantly surprised.

Secondly I wouldn't feel slightly gulity for going on holiday and putting on weight - I know it is frustrating but it is perfectly normal. Thin people go on holiday and eat whatever they want - surely you want to be able to do this when you reach goal so the same principle applies here. Holidays are not normal life and eating whatever you want for two weeks doesnt mean you will go back to old habits or that you have ruined what you did before you went or even that your issues with food arent resolved. I go on holiday in two weeks (woo hoo) and fully expect to put on at least 8 pounds, maybe even 10 but that is normal when you go on holiday - unless you want to diet in every situation for the rest of your life.

Also an interesting observation - I went on holiday in April (skiing so plenty of exercise) put on 6 pounds in one week. When dieting your metabolism slows down to cope with the reduced calorie intake and when you up the calories at this reduced metabolic rate it takes a few days to catch up. But this also happens the opposite way. So when I returned from holiday in April I lost 5.5 pounds in the first week back, as clearly my metabolism was at an increased rate due to the previous weeks high calorie intake. So I would hazard a guess that however much you have put on, for the first week or two after you have gotten back you will lose a large number (hopefully all) of the pounds you have put on.

Best wishes and keep smiling

Great post Debzi and I totally agree! You are one of the most grounded, rational people on here Rhuba and deep down you must know it's not always about what the scales say (says she crying after her 1lb gain this week te he!!) NEVER go by anybody elses scales but your own - they're all different. Your plan sounds so well thought out and thorough that it can't fail to work! Come on, chin up....you had a fantastic holiday so ....no regrets, what's done is done

thanks guys.

i knew you'd come through i think i just needed some friendly voices to tell me what i already knew!!

i weighed myself at the gym last night and it only took 1lb off, but i'm not going to let it get me down. i'm looking at it as the start of my diet: this is my starting weight from here on in, and i've started a brand new, fresh food diary to document both food, drink and exercise.

am feeling very positive, and enjoyed a loverly swim last night. bring on the yoga this evening!!

thanks again guys, will be joining you in the august challenge when it arrives!

rhuba xx

I do think the gain sounds strongly hormonally-related, rhuba. The pill I'm on leads me a merry dance on the scales every month. Sometimes it feels like I only have one really 'normal' week out of the four, when I'm not either sluggish, bloated or otherwise hormonally all over the place!

Like Debzi said, though, 8lbs really isn't a big gain in holiday terms. And I think that when you have a slightly increased carb intake, your body stores water along with the carbs. So a big chunk of that 8lbs is possibly fluid retention, which would fit with the increased curves... and by the way, sounds like the weight/water has at least temporarily gone on in the right places!! Wouldn't mind a couple of cup sizes boost myself!

I think you'll find it'll come off quickly once your cycle gets retuned after the back-to-back pill packs. The exercise and steady calorie intake has to help, just be careful you're not demanding too much of yourself with the exercise - sounds like you've got a strict regime in mind and if you feel hungry with all the cals you're burning, don't be scared of increasing your intake a little to fuel the workouts.

Glad to hear you're feeling better now. Don't let the fluctuations get you down - you're heading in the right direction and that's all that counts!

thanks for that iris, i appreciate everyone's support for those little moments where i am filled with self doubt!

i've got my regular head back on now, and i'm feeling pretty good. exercise features heavily in my regime anyway - i go to the gym 4 times a week normally anyway, so i'm just adding in a couple of yoga sessions on my day off (not too physically exerting) so i think i'll be okay calorie-wise. not being one for doing anything silly re. my weightloss.

think i was having a wobbly moment, but am firmly back on track now, and i'm jumping on the positivity band wagon. my father has long been an advocate of a positive mental attitude when trying to achieve what you want. I have printed out the following poem and stuck it to my fridge, to help me combat some of my demons:


I know i can get the rest of this weight off. i'm physically able to do it, so why should a couple of skewed food-issues stop me?

i can already feel my boobs shrinking (*sob*) they really did balloon - went really firm too! really tender though, so it wasn't all fun. i think i'd rather have smaller, saggier ones that don't hurt lol.

anywho, onwards and downwards!

thanks lovelies, you're a fabulous bunch xxx

th

I like the poem! I may filch it and print out some copies for motivation. It reminds me a bit of the old quote 'whether you think you can or think you can't - you're right.' It's all about self-belief at the end of the day, I guess.

The pain of the shrinking boobs is familiar! I get a little nostalgic now and then for the continent-smothering cleavage I used to rock. But I must say it's nice now to be able to jog up the stairs without giving myself a black eye!

So glad to hear you're feeling so positive. I wish I had your discipline regarding exercise - I'm sure the benefits will be deservedly dramatic!