‘I really feel like I could climb mountains’
I have been struggling with my weight for many years now. I know that my weight gain has a lot to do with the ‘emotional baggage’ I have been carrying around and that this is at the root of many of my eating triggers, but I have finally reached a point in my life where I am ready to face ‘my demons’.
After accepting that it would be a long journey of self-healing along the road to weight-loss success, I was fortunate enough to find a program that is based on real foods, where I can still eat my favourite foods once a week and where there is support and guidance for the emotional and mental aspects of weight-loss as well as the practical side of making lifestyle changes.
I have been following the program for 4 months now and I am finding that each day my clothes are getting looser and my face is getting thinner! I think both of these things really help me to stay on track as it is nice to finally feel like I am shrinking, but my focus is equally on improving my health. Having Type II Diabetes means it is vital for me to get my weight down, otherwise I will end up with many other health complications as I get older…and I certainly don’t want to go down that road.
When I first started The Real Body Plan, I was exhausted all the time and constantly tired, but now…WOW! I have so much more energy. I really feel like I could climb mountains, but I realise that I should tackle the hills first!
When I dropped my first dress size, I folded all of my larger clothes into bags and donated them to Lifeline. I didn’t want to go back there – see you later size 22. Then size 20 started swimming on me and again I packed those bags. Size 18 hung around a little longer, but now they’re starting to swim on me too. I am in size 16 but haven’t tossed the 18’s away yet, still have a couple of inches to go before the size 16’s are falling off me too.
By far though, the most exciting day for me was when I got my weight under 100kg! It felt like it took forever and I felt hindered by stresses at work and feelings of being unsuccessful. But I kept at it. I had a great success at work and then WOW 99.8kg two days later. What a motivation that was…I can’t remember the last time my weight was under a tonne!
Overall, my health and fitness levels have improved to the point that I don’t want to give up what I’ve started. Sure I’ll want a coach for a while longer to keep the challenge and encouragement going, and the recipes and website help too, but I also want to build the confidence to let go of the ‘coach strings’ and do it on my own. That’s the only way I feel I’ll truly be able to make this a life long change.
I still forget to eat sometimes, but I am more conscious of what I should and shouldn’t eat, and although I am a sweet tooth, I do actually say no, more often than not, to sweets. I love cooking (at least I used to when I had the time) now I don’t even have the time to pull a frozen meal out of the freezer and cook it. So my husband does it all, on top of running our business. The Real Body Recipes have been great though, they really are quick and easy, but also very tasty…and the family loves them too!
I think the most important thing is that The Real Body Plan has made me stop and think about what I am doing; now I think about ‘when’ I should be eating, and I even think about portion sizes. I look at foods and consider whether they are packed with carbs or not – I’m not a calorie counter, but I’ll go for a protein bar before a chocolate bar these days. Exercise has become a natural part of my day and all up, I clearly feel like I am finally going to succeed, both mentally and physically…and I am really looking forward to shopping for size 14, or even size 12!
After accepting that it would be a long journey of self-healing along the road to weight-loss success, I was fortunate enough to find a program that is based on real foods, where I can still eat my favourite foods once a week and where there is support and guidance for the emotional and mental aspects of weight-loss as well as the practical side of making lifestyle changes.
I have been following the program for 4 months now and I am finding that each day my clothes are getting looser and my face is getting thinner! I think both of these things really help me to stay on track as it is nice to finally feel like I am shrinking, but my focus is equally on improving my health. Having Type II Diabetes means it is vital for me to get my weight down, otherwise I will end up with many other health complications as I get older…and I certainly don’t want to go down that road.
When I first started The Real Body Plan, I was exhausted all the time and constantly tired, but now…WOW! I have so much more energy. I really feel like I could climb mountains, but I realise that I should tackle the hills first!
When I dropped my first dress size, I folded all of my larger clothes into bags and donated them to Lifeline. I didn’t want to go back there – see you later size 22. Then size 20 started swimming on me and again I packed those bags. Size 18 hung around a little longer, but now they’re starting to swim on me too. I am in size 16 but haven’t tossed the 18’s away yet, still have a couple of inches to go before the size 16’s are falling off me too.
By far though, the most exciting day for me was when I got my weight under 100kg! It felt like it took forever and I felt hindered by stresses at work and feelings of being unsuccessful. But I kept at it. I had a great success at work and then WOW 99.8kg two days later. What a motivation that was…I can’t remember the last time my weight was under a tonne!
Overall, my health and fitness levels have improved to the point that I don’t want to give up what I’ve started. Sure I’ll want a coach for a while longer to keep the challenge and encouragement going, and the recipes and website help too, but I also want to build the confidence to let go of the ‘coach strings’ and do it on my own. That’s the only way I feel I’ll truly be able to make this a life long change.
I still forget to eat sometimes, but I am more conscious of what I should and shouldn’t eat, and although I am a sweet tooth, I do actually say no, more often than not, to sweets. I love cooking (at least I used to when I had the time) now I don’t even have the time to pull a frozen meal out of the freezer and cook it. So my husband does it all, on top of running our business. The Real Body Recipes have been great though, they really are quick and easy, but also very tasty…and the family loves them too!
I think the most important thing is that The Real Body Plan has made me stop and think about what I am doing; now I think about ‘when’ I should be eating, and I even think about portion sizes. I look at foods and consider whether they are packed with carbs or not – I’m not a calorie counter, but I’ll go for a protein bar before a chocolate bar these days. Exercise has become a natural part of my day and all up, I clearly feel like I am finally going to succeed, both mentally and physically…and I am really looking forward to shopping for size 14, or even size 12!
