My Slimming World Journey

My Slimming World Journey

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Back in May 2013 I joined a Slimming World Club in Redditch after gaining a lot of weight though a serious illness. The illness was many years before but resulted in me taking steroids for three years and gaining five stone in weight. My weight struggle however goes back much further. It started back in May 1988 when I lost my beautiful mother who died suddenly and without any warning!

This is my journey from back then until now.

I am 5 ft 3 ins tall and have always been slender and ranged from a size 6 to size 10.  After losing my beloved mother I started to comfort eat. Having been a vegetarian all my life I would binge on all things bad such as….chips, crisps, cakes, biscuits, sweets, ice cream what ever the children had, I would eat too. It wasn’t long before the pounds piled on.

My first slimming club was Weight Watchers which I belonged to for the next 20 years, getting down to my ideal weight……then putting it back on. Yoyoing my way through life…..

When I fell ill I was going to a Weight Watchers Group. They couldn’t help me and the end result was that my small petite figure ballooned to a very unhealthy (for me) size 16/18 and my weight doubled. Heart broken I went to see my GP who told me as long as I ate healthily and carried on with my walking I would be fine. Sadly that was not the case.

Four years ago (this coming June) I adopted a little Yorkie called JJ and my life changed completely. I started walking again with him. I was working at the time and food was still a problem for me but I did manage to lose 28 pounds (2 stone) myself.  Then I gave up work February 2013 to look after my husband who was very ill. I kept promising myself I would join another slimming club but not Weight Watchers as they had let me down badly over the years. A friend of mine was losing weight right before my eyes so I decided to join the same Slimming Group as her, which was Slimming World.

Slimming World……..

I joined a morning Slimming World Group which was different to my friend. It was a big thing for me to walk through the door as I did not know anyone there at this group. But I am a stayer, felt I needed a new healthy eating challenge and was actually looking forward to it.

The Group Leader is lovely and put me at ease right away. I wasn’t on my own that day there were other new people joining too and I soon made lots of friends. My aim as I told her that day, was not going to be a short-term fix but I needed to change my life, hopefully for the better.

My husband has a lot of health issues one of then being diabetes. Three years ago I lost my sister and sister-in-law (both in the same year) to this dreadful disease. I vowed I would never get it and this made me even more determined to lose all the weight and more, that I had gained when I was ill.

My journey started on 1st May 2013

I knew I would never be a big weekly loser but told the group if I could lose a pound a week by the Christmas I would be happy. That was something like 38 weeks away…..I beat that and lost over 40 pounds. Then by May of last year I had lost 4 stone (56 lbs). Reaching my 5 stone target by November last year……I am now a target member…..size 8-10 again and very happy.

My blog is going to be about the food I eat, recipes, my daily exercise routines and all the lovely clothes I keep buying. I hope you will bear with me as I find my way round blogging a gain……

 

 

 

JJ the superstar

My name is JJ and I am a two year old Yorkie and I love my life. I was a poochie from a Yorkie rescue centre in Lincoln. I have lived with mom and dad since I was eleven months old and mom says I am the best thing since sliced bread! She adores me, attitude and all and I am known as the dog on the block! Would rather be known as the King of dogs though!

My mom takes me out every day for long walks, some times two or three times. At the moment we can only go in between the showers as we live in the UK and we are having non stop rain. I don’t like the rain, the wind or the snow. On rainy days mom takes me out for a ride in the car which I love.

At the moment I am in the dog house for snapping at Amy (momma’s granddaughter). I love her really she gives me treats and feeds me too but I have to keep her on her toes.

Mom is writing me a daily blog as she said I am more popular than she is and going to put on lots of pictures of me because I am so photogenic and drop dead gorgeous.

Well thats all for today folks…….

Living with a Diabetic!

Living with a Diabetic

My husband William was diagnosed with diabetes from a routine blood test to check his cholesterol and sugar, prior to a knee replacement operation back in November 2010. The operation was set for December 21^st 2010 and his own practioner arranged the blood tests at the same time he had his Pre-Medical at the hospital. All the results came back together and he was contacted by phone to go and see his doctor as he was confirmed as having diabetes!

The operation was subsequently cancelled until his diabetes was brought under control. Unfortunately as the diabetes was not picked up sooner his legs over the years had become ulcerated and the doctors have not been able to operate on his knees. The skin specialists confirmed that all the scarring on his legs is down to diabetes.

He is now on Metformin tablets and will be on some form of medication for the rest of his life. Diabetes is the silent illness where it is not easily picked up. He was lucky that his doctor thought it was necessary to have the blood test because of all his other medical issues.

After being diagnosed William was invited to attend a six week course called XPert on everything you should know about diabetes. This was an excellent course and he attended every Monday afternoon session. It was informative, helpful and easy to understand. The course was taken by diabetic nurses who have a great knowledge and understanding of diabetes. We would recommend that everyone who is diagnosed with diabetes gets to attend one of these courses at some point.

We think that everyone should be tested at an early age and made aware of diabetes and the signs to look out for, this way they would be detected and treated much earlier….

Healthy Eating Starts with five a day….

Healthy Eating starts with your Five a Day

We all know that eating plenty of fruit and vegetables makes for a healthier lifestyle.  The ideal minimum is five portions a day for children, seven portions a day for women and nine for men.  Unfortunately many of us barely manage three!  Fruit and vegetables are seen as being very important to us in the fight against obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease.  It is never too late to change your eating habits and dietary preferences.  So why not start today and include more fruit and vegetables in your daily intake.

Why Five-a-day? Our eating habits and dietary preferences are started from when we are babies.  For the first few years of a child’s life it is important that they should enjoy a wide range of foods. Obesity in children is at a very dangerous level and appears to be getting out of control.  By eating a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day children will increase their fibre intake, reduce their fat and sugar intake resulting in a healthier weight.

Why fruit and vegetables?  The reason fruit and vegetables are so good for us all is because they provide a wide range of vitamins, minerals and plant nutrients that we need to fight off disease and help us sustain a healthy lifestyle.

There are lots of lovely books available in to days market on fruit and vegetables.  Books with recipes and inspiring idea’s for enticing your child to eat and enjoy their five a day!  Supermarkets, book shops and libraries all stock excellent ranges of books on how best to eat and cook fruit and vegetables.

Email me: susaneacock@btinternet.com if you require information or help on popular suggestions for you and your family to take your daily quota of fruit and vegetables. Or visit my website www.fat-attack.com

Go on, enjoy some fruit and vegetables today – eat the food that is provided by the earth and make yourself feel healthier and looking great.  You never know you might really enjoy it!

Healthy Exercise

The best exercise is walking and its free. Even better if you have a dog as your companion. You can chatter and talk to your hearts content and know that he or she is listening on your every word and will never ever interrupt!

Healthy Living

My Top Tips

Try joining a slimming club with a friend or relative.  This will help you overcome any nerves you may have at joining a new club.  Plus, you have the added advantage of pleasant rivalry, where you can encourage and help each other over the good and the not so good weeks to come.  Mix with positive people and ring a pal if you feel you are struggling and need a boost.

 

If you don’t join a slimming club and chose to go it alone, weigh yourself once a week only, on the same set of weighing scales.  This will give you a more accurate weight loss.

 

Don’t wait until you reach your ideal weight before treating yourself to something new.  Trying on new clothes a size smaller is a great boost to your confidence.  Believe me, there is nothing better than suddenly finding you have dropped a complete size or more.  Plus you get a brilliant buzz by being able to spend money on yourself for a change?

 

Go food shopping on your own.  Give yourself plenty of time to browse around. Check out all the calories on your favourite foods.  Don’t be put off by certain foods high in calories. Allow yourself a treat at least once a week – believe that you are worth it.  If crisps are your favourite snack, have them once a week but try and have the low fat ones.  Don’t deprive yourself.

 

Be as active as you can, try using the stairs instead of lifts when you are out.  Walk where you can instead of taking the car.  If taking the bus get off at the stop before you normally would and walk the rest of the way.  After a while you will be surprised at the healthy burst of energy you now have.

 

Every week try and do several sessions of formal exercise – ideally 30 minutes five times a week.  If this is not possible try light exercise, gardening or a 15-minute walk around the square.  Fight cravings by exercise workouts at home to a video. It distracts you from getting bored and makes you feel better and healthier

 

Always read the labels on the food that you buy in the shops as many foods contain additives.  Watching what you eat shouldn’t just be about counting calories.  Try and experiment with new ideas and old forgotten recipes.  Find foods with low calories and low fat replacements for some of your favourite foods.

 

Think of something you want to do in the future where it would be nice to be slimmer.  It could be a holiday, a wedding anything special occasion that you can look forward to. 

 

Always keep a track of what you eat.  If you belong to a slimming club they will recommend the best way to record your daily intake.  If you do not attend any clubs keep a daily log of what you eat.  A notebook, a diary or a piece of paper on the fridge – anything that can be written on to record calories used each day.  This is a must for anyone on a diet.