OK, so I’ve made a commitment to myself to get to a weight of 9 stone and actually stay there for a year in the hope it will turn into a long term habit!
Since the age of 15 my weight has yo-yo’d up and down between a svelte and somewhat skinny 8 stones to a rather more cuddly 10.5 stones. At only 5’3″ tall and of medium frame apparently at my age my target weight is 8 st 10 lb.
Various factors have influenced my weight fluctuations over the years but mostly it has followed a similar and rather neat orderly and circular process:
- Realise I’m getting a bit chubby and clothes becoming tighter
- Decide I need to ‘nip it in the bud’ and lose weight
- Lose weight
- Get to desired weight
- Get complacent and lose focus
- And back to 1 again…
This little cycle has been the summary of my weight for the best part of 35 years!
About 5 years ago I had a shift of mindset lightbulb moment and rather than dieting focused on the blindingly obvious “eat less and exercise more”. By making a conscious effort to have smaller portions and take up more exercise I actually managed to hover at around 9 st 2 lb for over 3 years.
However this became rapidly undone when my husband Chris and I spent 2016 travelling the world and before I knew it, I was at 10 stone again… and failed miserably to shift this additional stone throughout 2017…
So how can I reach a permanent and healthy weight of 9 stone?
With my 50th birthday looming I had a sudden desire to kick myself up the backside and shock myself into a healthy weight loss programme. This shock happened on 4th December 2017 when a health check at work revealed my weight had crept up to 10 st 7 (eek) and my cholesterol was on the border of high!
A bit of Googling suggested that a high cholesterol can lead to all sorts of unpleasant health issues most notably heart disease and strokes.
This, together with the desire to feel fitter, have more energy and generally improve my overall health prompted me to join the work gym (instantly) and take up swimming (the following week).
Since 4th December I immediately increased my exercise levels with gym sessions and swimming which motivated me to eat properly and reduce the alcohol, sugar and bad carbs from my diet.
So I’ve had a bit of a head start and thankfully I’m not starting 2018 at my highest ever weight!
Weight today: 9 stone 10 lb (62 kg)
Still a little way to go but I’m pleased with this… my next weigh in will be in February 2018…
Fifty at Fifty 