Looking for my slimmer, happier self.

Hello,

Let me introduce myself. My username is Poko and like most of you I've been having a battle with myself,my confidence, my body image and my fridge.

If I'm honest with myself the last time I felt happy in my own skin was 5 years ago. I was 17 years old, I was a UK sized 10 and weighed around 10st4lbs.

Since then I've been to university, got a car, had two house moves and now work in a job I love but doing a combination of early,late and night shifts. It's been a combination of these and my lack of willpower and love of all food that I've got to my unhappy and unhealthy self.

In January after watching my very overweight grandmother's health decline rapidly as a result of weight related conditions. Seeing her pain and restricted life as well as the pain of family members watching her decline I made a decision to not go down that route for myself.

At my largest I weighed 13st4lbs and fell into the obese BMI category. With the help, support and a bit of competition my flatmate and I embarked on our weight loss journey following weight watchers. I did lose weight, very slowly and then after a few weeks I plateaued.

With a large family event coming close and with a family that will not hesitate in telling me how fat I've became the race is on!

I want to feel happy and sexy again. I don't want to dread stepping on the scales or worry about telling healthcare workers my weight. I want to be able to enjoy shopping. I don't want to be the fat friend/sister/cousin.

So I've started Cambridge with those goals and motivations in mind and I'm positive with a little help and support I can find me again.

Well, I'm coming to the end of day 4. It's been a good day diet wise. I'm very proud of myself for keeping up the water intake as I am a self confessed water hater although I am coming round to it.

What I find most amazing about Cambridge is that it's really made me look at my eating habits. I always knew I ate out of boredom but I never before knew to what extent.

Hey Poko - sounds like you're doing great so far. I too have found challenges such as relationships, jobs, house moves etc all influence my eating habits and never in a good way I can easily pile on the lbs and did so last year where I gained 2 stone at the end of last year alone! Scary! I love all junk food and I don't have an off switch once I get started...

Share your journey I find it helps just writing everything down and I look forward to looking back and this and looking how far I've come

I definitely feel writing my moans, groans and hopefully triumphs will help to keep me going. If I'm typing, I'm not eating! Haha

Today the water isn't going down as quickly as usual today. However I will persist. Today, like the last two days the challenge has not been the food (or lack of it) it's been how freezing cold I am! I know there's been a cool change in the weather but the diet has to be the main contributor. My hands, feet and nose are like blocks of ice! More blankets, more woolly jumpers. Where are my gloves?!

Just getting ready to make a vegetable soup so will be hugging the warm bowl for dear life! Do you all drink tea and coffee on Step 1 of Cambridge? My CDC told me exclusively water. Do you think it alters results?

Yes I am definitely the same with feeling cold. Right now I'm on the sofa with (what for it.....) :
Thick bed socks, trousers, 2 tops, hoody and TWO snuggle blankets, WITH the heating on. I'm just cold blooded at the moment, I hate it.
Yes black tea and coffee is fine, I have about 10 a day, I wouldn't be able to survive without it! And I'm totally with you about hugging the hot drinks, I do that too!! Haha x

10 a day?! You must be bouncing with caffeine! Haha.

Turns out that although yes, I am definitely colder than normal. My heating is also on the blink which has clearly not helped matters. Last night it went down to -3°C! I thought it was meant to be Spring?!

Anyway today, diet wise, is very exciting for me. I only have one product left which means my first Cambridge week is at an end! I'm feel relatively good. Not fabulously skinny but I did get asked at work "have you lost some weight!?".

Weigh in day tomorrow!

Hi Poko,

I have just started Cambridge (day 3) am also feeling the cold I weigh rougly the same as you so will be interesting to see your weight loss tomorrow! Totally agree about typing saves me from lovingly looking at the fridge or dribbling over the tv adverts! Just wanting to wish you good luck for tomorrow! xxx

Good luck for tomorrow Poko! Thats great someone has commented on weight loss, I have heard before that people only really notice it once you lose around 1.5 stone, do you have any inkling as to how much youve lost this week or are you waiting for tomorrow? my scales at home are identical to my consultants (weight wise) so thats good for me as I know roughly how Im getting on during the week also.
I read in womens health that people who weight themselves everyday lose more than those that weigh themselves less often, so thats good news for me seeing as I seem to be doing that now! x

Hi Bubbles! How are you finding it? Saturday is definitely a day to stay away from the tv...it's ALL food programs. I never noticed until Saturday passed when I watch Saturday kitchen followed by Hairy Bikers and the Mary Berry preparing a Sunday roast was too much for me. I don't know why I put myself through it!

I've managed to avoid the scales but can quite confidently say I haven't lost 1.5 stone. I would be delighted with 5 or 6lbs and ecstatic for more. I thought jumping on the scales too often was bad. At least that's what I've always been told. I think I would become obsessive...or even more than I am!

Thanks for the luck ladies. Hopefully it'll be great as I've stuck to this 100%, I've not even had any coffee or tea! I guess we'll know tomorrow at just after 1pm tomorrow!

Good luck Poko - Hope you get the results you deserve x

Good luck ,keep at it. The first week is super tough so well done for getting through. Let us know how you get on!

Thanks for the luck everyone! I'm not long back and not sure how I feel either.

I've lost 5lbs and 4.5inches! Which I am obviously I am very pleased about, but I kinda wanted a bigger lost because I've stuck to this 100% but I'm still pleased!

However, I think I'm more unsure how I feel about my consultant. She is very nice and very professional but also seems like she is very busy and rushing me in and out. Yes she gives me the products and weighs me and she's always smiling but there's something I just can't put my finger on...

Excellent news poko!!!!! 5lb is great (just feel how heavy a bag of sugar is!!) a 4.5in loss, thats crazy! I didnt even get measured by my lady which I thought was odd but I was in a rush so didnt query it.
Well done, I would be happy with those results! And you may find that next week you lose a similar amount, whereas many people loss big then really small?

Hmmm well if you arent 100% happy then maybe look for someone else within your area? You need to be happy and feel you can talk to her about anything (without being rushed)!x

I could maybe talk to her if she let me get a word in! Haha.

I would be thrilled if I lost 5lbs every week. If it's just a 1 or 2 I might as well do weight watchers and eat! Haha. It's going to be an "8 day" week until next weigh in. I'll persevere with my consultant just now. The reason I picked her was all the Cambridge awards for outstanding support she had won. We'll just need to wait and see!

Aww ok, then stick with it and just interrupt her and have your say!! yes 5lb a week loss would be amazing, Im going to try for 6 this week but Im not sure I can do it but I love a challenge. Even my consultant said she would be shocked if I achieved it and I love to try and prove myself to people, so I am going to try my best and do my exercise each night too the pain will be worth it, Im sure!!

I have a holiday in 18 days (which Im going for this all guns blazing) and I keep looking at the hotel pics for inspiration!! haha - seems to be working so far.

Im starving right now waiting until about 4 for my second product and literally counting the mins, each day drags lol x

You can definitely do it. I've not really done any exercise so will try and do some this week and hopefully see a change. I might dig out the Wii fit too! Haha.

Today I am hungry! For the first time since starting I really wish I could make myself a crisp sandwich. I went into town to pay bills and passed my favourite pizza place. They sell your favourite pizzas by the slice so it's great for on the go. Despite my rumbling tummy and drooling mouth as the delicious and tempting smells came my way I've declined. I'm not long home and just had my strawberry shake. It's not pizza but I'm choosing to do this. I want to lose weight....

I know I'm a while off being my ideal weight and making it to the lovely step 6 but.....

If I tell someone I'm doing Cambridge they say "my friend lost loads on that but put it all back on AND MORE when they started eating again"

Please say this isn't a pointless exercise?! I DO want to eat food again one day!!!

Aslong as you work up the steps you will be fine! It will be hard maintaining but if you go back to normal eating you will gain so you will need to watch what you eat but it will be worth it