Getting Slimmer

Please note that this is not a sponsored ad or post or anything like that. I am not a spokesperson nor am being paid for this. I have just noted that this is a plan that works for me so I thought I would share it with anyone who wants to read about it.

Getting Slimmer

Well this year has been devoted to getting slim.

I started November 2014 as a size 24 and 19st 13lbs. As at 2 February 2015 I am getting into a size 20 trouser and I weigh 18 st 4lbs - 23lbs off! How did I do that? Eating food. That's it. No gimmicks, no measuring, no mucking about, just following the plan that has existed for....ever. More fruit and veg, trim the fat off the meat, careful with the processed food and treat yourself. Yes that's right mandatory chocolate! WHAT! How is that possible?

I have tried a couple of diets before but nothing worked because they were not 'real' and sustainable for more than a couple of weeks. There is no way an average person is meant to eat 400 calories for two days per week then whatever they feel like for the rest of the time. Eating only reduced fat this and low calorie that, if its over 5% fat don't even think about it. Or drinking milkshakes most of the day or measuring everything they eat and feeling guilty if they so much as look at a piece of chocolate. Now I eat a full mixture of carbs, protein, fat and sugar.

I chose Slimming World to try and reduce my weight and fat content from looking online to see what it was all about.  I went onto their website to find my closest group and decided to take the plunge. My group is based within 10 minutes walk from my house so it is easy to get to and even with the recent temperatures of only 2 degrees there is really no excuse not to walk. When I first arrived I was nervous and didn't really know what to expect.

We were met by the group leader Alison who asked us to sit at the table so she could explain the basics of the plan. Admittedly I wasn't fully sure what the plan was all about. I sat with the group and heard their stories about how the week went and rounds of applause all round. When they had finished and the group section ended I got weighed by Alison to find out what i had been putting off finding out for a very long time. Yep 19st 13lbs. Well at least it didn't start with a 2 I thought. She asked me what I would like to lose as a first target. i chose 10% of my body weight as the ideal weight loss for me is ultimately over 8st which is too high a goal to begin with. Alison agreed and that was that. I was on the plan. I walked home not really certain of how I was going to tackle this. I was met with lots of reading when I got home to find out what this was all about.

After a couple of hours I got the gist but it wasn't really until a week later that I felt I knew what I was doing. The next time I went I was greeted by friendly people with smiles and a genuine feeling of interest in how I am, how my week has been and whether I have any tips from my first week.

I can honestly say that this is the welcome I have received ever since.

In future blogs I will describe my tips for a newbie to slimming world, add clips to some of my favourite recipes and keep you updated with how I'm getting on.  

Thanks

AskTheMrs