It's the start of a new year and for some of us, one of our resolutions is to lose weight! I mentioned doing Slimming World in my New Year's Resolutions post and people seemed interested in hearing about it, so here I am! After being so inspired by Laura's amazing weight loss journey on her blog, I started doing Slimming World back in September, but kept it to myself, only telling a few people in real life. I wanted to give it until Christmas to see if it worked for me because I didn't want to start blogging about it, only to stop a few weeks later. I wasn't sure if I was going to blog about it at all, but over Christmas I did some thinking and decided that if I joined purely because I was inspired by Laura, then maybe I could inspire people to take the plunge! So this is the plan stan.
I'm going to blog about it on a monthly basis but no doubt will be chatting about it on Twitter and posting photos of food and meals on Instagram. If anyone has any questions about it, you can absolutely leave a comment or email me and I'll get back to you about it. I want to keep this blog predominantly beauty related, but don't mind veering off topic once a month and we can keep each other going!
So let's go back to September. If I was doing a video on this I'd have done some wavy special effect and twinkly music. It's like it was meant to be... I was this close to joining Slimming World and it was only when my work bessie signed up for it that I bit the bullet and decided to join the following week in my local club. And even more of a sign that it was meant to be was that the day before I joined, there was a coupon in a Sunday newspaper, allowing me to join for free! It was like the stars had aligned!
So off I went to my first meeting by myself and it's times like those where I really do have the whole blogging experience to be thankful for because I can go to things on my own without any nerves. I was actually excited to go which was never ever the case when I was in Weight Watchers. The new members had a wee walkthrough the plan and I'll be honest, there's a lot to take in on the first night. After our leader Ali told us all about the plan, we had the group meeting and this is where I knew this was the plan for me. The group. Oh I love my group. It's full of women and a couple of men who are just normal, down to earth folks who are there to lose weight and have the chats. As everyone spoke about their weight loss or gain for the week (no numbers are mentioned if you've gained just so you know!), others spoke up with tips, tricks, recipes and motivation to help each other. As sappy as this sounds, I got a teensy bit emosh sitting there because for the first time in allllllll the diets I've tried, I actually believed I could do it long term.
And I am! I didn't go to meetings over Christmas, but as of my last weigh in on 9th of December, I'm down 18lbs and have kept it off over the Christmas break. I'm even hoping to be down at my next weigh in. In all the weeks I've been doing it, I've only gained once - a half a pound, and as mad as it sounds, it's because I didn't eat enough that week. I've maintained for 2 weeks and lost every other week and I'm totally back into the swing of it now!
I knew absolutely nothing about the plan when I started and it took me about a week until I knew what I was doing. A group leader will explain the plan much better than I'll ever be able to and I still flick through my book or go onto the website whenever I'm unsure of something. But essentially for each meal, make sure 1/3 of your plate is full of super free foods, like fruit and veggies and the rest can be free foods like lean meat and seafood, pasta, rice and potatoes. There are other healthy A and B options that you can have and if I go into that now, we'll be here for the day! You can have 5-15 syns a day and can either spread them out over the day, or save them up if you want a treat like a glass of wine or chocolate! You don't have to weigh or measure anything, count or track points and that was a big issue for me doing Weight Watchers. That and they seemed to push their own processed products a lot.
I think about food differently now. Never did I think I'd say that! I'm eating lots of fruit and veg, so much veg, and cooking all the time now. I've been bringing my breakfast and lunch to work for months now and it's saving me money along with helping me lose weight! Clothes that were too tight on me are now hanging off me and I need to wait until payday to buy new trousers for work as they've now turned into culottes, oh yeah, fashionista wha?
So this was my little introductory post. At the end of January I'll do another one with more in depth details about what I'm eating etc but as I said above, if you have any questions, just drop me a line at karen@lovelygirliebits.com and I'll do my best to answer you. If you want more frequent Slimming World posts, then let me know and I'll see what I can do!
For the first time in ages, I believe I can reach my target weight. I'm walking taller now, have more confidence and although I've a long journey ahead of me, I actually know I'm going to get there!
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Go Karen, you can totally do this! xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks Andreea, I'm feeling really positive about it too :)
DeleteI find the best way to explain the Healthy Extra's is that the A choices are calcium based foods/drinks and the B choices are fibre based. Well done! I follow the plan and I'm planning on buying myself something nice when I reach my target.
ReplyDeleteThat's perfect Mary, I think I'll edit my post, thanks for the proper wording hehe
DeleteI find it just easier to explain it that way, rather than listing out all the grub on each list. Are you going to buy yourself a little present when you get to target?
DeleteI'm going to buy myself a massive present when I get to target! ;) We're heading to NY in November hopefully so a new wardrobe will be in order as that's when I'd like to hit my target, we'll see!
DeleteKaren you are doing so well! Well done to you because it's nt easy!
ReplyDeleteMy sister joined the other night and I might in a few weeks f I can't lose the weight I want to by myself. Well done! :) xxx
www.squidgymoments.ie - ps I'll be blogging my efforts with my series Giving up the Cookies if you want to stop by xxx
Thanks lady :) Sure wait and see how your sister gets on and you'll see it's a great plan altogether! Will check out your blog :)
DeleteWell done Karen! I need the structure of weightwatchers, when I tried Slimming World I felt like I had too much freedom, I'd nearly need someone standing over me poking me with a big stick! The very best of luck with your journey, hopefully I will be able to claim a loss soon too :) x
ReplyDeleteCourse you'll be able to lose it lady :)
DeleteWow Karen that's a brilliant achievement and even more so you kept it off over Christmas! I tried Slimming World but weirdly enough I put on weight I think pasta and bread just don't agree with me at all....they are my faves though haha! x
ReplyDeleteThanks a mill Yaz, sure I don't eat much bread and I know if I did I'd be lashing the weight on again hehe
DeleteGood luck Karen! You're doing great!- you've got an army of bloggers supporting you :) xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Aoife, sure everyone has been great! It's scary putting a part of you out there like this but totally worth it when everyone is so nice about it :)
DeleteGreat going so far missus!
ReplyDeleteThanks Y :)
DeleteAmazing, congrats Karen and best of luck. You can so do this. My mom has started slimming world and I'm thinking of doing it with her. It's really makes you relook at food and what your eating. Can't wait for more posts x
ReplyDeleteThanks Avril, it deffo makes me think about what I'm eating and has changed the way I prepare food too, give it a go and let me know how you get on :)
DeleteGo Karen, you can do this!!! I believe in you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the enthusiasm!! ;)
DeleteWell done misses you're looking fab and I hadn't even noticed you were eating differently, best of luck with it x
ReplyDeleteFanks missus, the best thing about the plan is that I don't have to cut out anything, just make better choices, hence the chow mein on my birfday ;)
DeleteDude, this is toedalee Awwsim!
ReplyDeleteKeep it up K, you got this, and good luck to Joanne too!
Thanks a mill Cindy, I todally got this!
DeleteFantastic achievement Dude and fair blahhdy play for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to get myself moving again this year, slowly slowly catchy monkey but posts like this give me the overwhelming urge to push myself.
Do please keep posting and updating, it's great to see :)
Fanks dood, will keep ye updated :)
DeleteWell done you! That's amazing work you've done there!
ReplyDeleteI've been a SW member for 16 months now and reached my target weight 12 months after starting. I lost a total of 5 stone and i have to say,the whole experience has changed my life! I've never felt so confident,happy and healthy as I do now and I've made amazing new friends through the group. The whole plan and concept works perfectly for me and what I love is that you never fell like you're on a diet....it's a lifestyle change!
Keep going the way you are and never look at how much you still have to loose,look at how much you've lost already!!! ;-)
Thanks a mill Sinead, that's exactly what I'm doing, those little milestones keep me going and I know I'll never weigh what I started at again :)
DeleteWow well done! Must go back to SW this week! So much better than WW!
ReplyDeleteGo you!
Thanks Linda and keep me posted on your progress too!
DeleteFair play to you :) your doing amazing and long may it continue. SW seems like a good sensible choice and really seems to work
ReplyDeleteAh thanks Magaluf, sure you've been listening to me waffling on about it since week 1, you're a little star for being there on the end of a DM ;)
DeleteWell Done! Sounds like your doing great so far, especially to keep weight off over Xmas! So tough! Looking forward to the next update!
ReplyDeleteThanks a mill Lavisa! Roll on the end of January eh?!
DeleteWell done Karen that's brilliant!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks a mill, am feckin delighted :)
Deletewow/ 18lbs that is amazing. I did it before and it didn't work for me cause I don't eat enough veggies but I may try it again. Fair play to you
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Sinead, it's been worth it for me so far and I'm loving the results :)
Delete