7 days to go!

A friend just sent me this picture from last year around September I think - I can't believe the difference!!!

This will be my last week on the 100 day food abstinence programme - the easy part! Lost another 2.4 pounds this week, even though my time of the month has come again! UGH......this programme can play havoc with your body! Not a great time to have 2 in one month as I really wanted to lose 4st7lbs in 100 days. I have 4.5 pounds to lose this week which will probably not be possible as I'm retaining water! Anyway 4 stone was my original goal and I have done better than that, so now any extra is a bonus! Now for some a size 16 (which is now very comfortable - roll on size 14!)is still a large size but with my height and build, it doesn't look like I need to lose another 3 stone overweight but looks more like I could lose just a few pounds. This is dangerous for me, as I said before, as you don't really see the weight creeping back on, so have learnt my lesson here!

Next week we have our final weigh in and measurements as well as our "after pictures" done - we have to get all dressed up - can't wait. It will really be interesting to visually see the difference. I will post them on the blog. I will do my black top and trouser shots too so that you can see how much I have lost.

I am excited about going onto the next stage of the programme but apprehensive at the same time. I do still have another 3 stone to lose and you get quite addicted to the feeling that you are losing weight each week. This will stop in the next phase of the programme as not only will I start to slow the weight loss down tremendously but I could even pick up a few (this is due to your body re-adjusting itself to conventional food). During the next 3 months the "fat stores" around your organs that are necessary for survival need to be replaced therefore I could pick up a few pounds. Having read a few other "blogs" of people who have gone onto Route to Management, it was evident that they went through many ups and downs and really needed support far more so than during the first 100 days. As you come out of "ketosis" by eating any conventional food, which is the state that the body is in now - eating itself, natural hunger will return!

By the end of the 3 months to follow, I am hoping to have lost between 5 and 6 stone or around 35-40kgs. My wonderful husband has promised to pay for a trip to America once I have reached 5 stone weight loss - so I have told him he had better start planning now as I am not too far off it! He is away at the moment and I am missing him so much - not felt quite this alone for a while as he has been my rock through each day.

Working from home two days a week can be challenging if you have done all your work and are not stuffing your face with either breakfast, lunch or dinner! Boredom I think plays the biggest role in excessive weight gain for me and so I am looking for other things that I can be doing such as exercise, visiting friends, movies, gardening etc. to try and keep me busy. I really do need to find hobbies that are long term so that it keeps me occupied!

One major benefit I am having from this whole process is what other people are getting from my "pursuit of happiness" blog. I have had a number of people that I have never met before e-mail me to find out more about what I am doing. If my blog can inspire just one other person to also take charge of their life and receive just some of the benefits I have from this whole process, it makes it even more worthwhile! I will keep saying this as I believe the sharing of our challenges in life and the support and encouragement we can offer each other, is key to success of programmes such as Lighter Life. It is not just what we get during our weekly sessions but the " kitchen table counselling" we do! So keep commenting and e-mailing as this more than anything keeps us focused and on track! One more week to go!!!!!!