When you embark on a new diet it is easy to be gung ho and positive and stick to it. I always find that at the start of the diet a bit of weight comes off quite easily so you feel great about it. But as time progresses it gets harder and harder sticking to the diet. The weight loss slows down and there are more and more temptations in the way. I guess that is why so many of us are yo yo dieters and why fad diets appeal to us so much. A long term, slow, steady, diet is much harder to stick with.
I am at that point. I am sticking to the diet but it is oh so hard right now! Last week we were on holiday. We were staying in a self catering cottage but I didn’t want to do huge amounts of cooking. So with lunches out and some posh (ish) ready meals it got really hard to keep track, and keep in control, of what I was eating.
Labels on supermarket foods were helpful of course so I chose the healthiest options of meals that I could, and we had picnics for lunch on a few days where I kept my food simple with sandwiches. But the lovely small cafes and tea rooms we found in the gorgeous Yorkshire towns and villages don’t exactly share their nutritional information so it is not always easy to work out the healthiest choices. (Was it cooked in butter or oil? How much oil? How calorific is the dressing? Is it full fat mayo etc.)
ooh the temptation!
The other side of it is that we were on holiday, and holidays are normally a time for treats aren’t they? With hubs not on a diet and a Monkey who adores going to a cafe for tea and cake, temptation was frequently in my path. I have to say I am pretty proud of myself as I did not give in to temptation very often. The occasional taste of hubs’s cake, one lunchtime I had a real treat of baked camembert (yum! thankfully dinner that night was a low point meal!) and I had 1 or 2 biscuits over the week.
Beautiful beach… but all I see is my thighs!!
At times it wasn’t easy and I so wanted to give in, but I still have my goal firmly in sight. If anything actually, seeing the photos of myself that we took throughout the week helped remind me why I am sticking to this diet. I just think I look awful! My hips and thighs are huge!
While some of this is my shape, I will never have skinny legs, I know this by now, I also know that I want to be slimmer than this. So that is what is motivating me to keep going. The weight is coming off slowly, my tummy is definitely smaller than when I started, hooray, but I definitely have work to do yet!
mmmm
It was actually my birthday while we were away too and hubs really wanted me to relax and treat myself, and I did a bit, as we shared a yummy cream tea and I had a glass of wine that night… but I just don’t want to indulge in the way I normally would. My desire to be happier with the way I look is stronger than the desire to indulge. I want to see the pictures of me with the kids in gorgeous places and not cringe at the way I look.
We have come home and I am feeling demotivated again as after a quick jump on the scales I haven’t lost any weight. I am still on 12 1/2 stone, exactly where I was 3 weeks ago, the scale just hasn’t moved :(! I feel I have tried so hard to be good all week and we have done so much more exercise than we normally would. With all the sightseeing, walking up and down hills pushing the buggy and carrying the kiddies… yet nothing :/. I need to not let this get the better of me so I thought it was time for a red shorts photo to remind me of how far I have come since January when I originally started (I got sidetracked along the way and started again properly 5 weeks ago).
The first shot was when I started, at 13 1/2 stone, and the second at 13 stone and the third was taken today and I weigh 12 1/2 stone.
I have come a long way, and I need to not let the scales demotivate me. I am losing weight and I will meet my goal of 11 1/ stone. It may just take me longer than I would like! I think I was massively over optimistic when I started this that I would lose the weight by my birthday night out next week … But I am not giving up – I am determined to see it through to the end!
The main thing is you haven’t gained anything!! Which means cutting down a bit more and exercise (if you can) will help. I’m sure now you are back off hols this will be loads easier! Good luck! I like your shape by the way 🙂 xx
Well done on coming so far in 5 weeks and I think you should get double points for being so good on holiday. My motivation and any self control completely goes out the window around that time!
thanks hon, it’s so hard when you’re on holiday isn’t it, I had to be so determined!! xx
I think you did really well not to put anything on. Good luck for the next few weeks x
thank you, I do need to keep it in perspective and no loss is better than a gain! xx
You look fab in those shorts in the last photo hon, keep up the momentum and don’t let those scales dominate your life xx
thanks lovely and a good reminder, it’s hard not to fixate on them when you have a goal in sight but can’t let them rule to the point I don’t enjoy my life either! xx
You look really great – congrats on your progress so far!
Wow that is quite a difference since January – well done, it sounds like you are doing well and good luck with reaching your target.
thanks lovely! xx
WOW! Well done you!!! I am currently on my journey to loose weight but have lost motivation the past few weeks and I’ve gained a stone!! The most I lost was 3 an a half stone… I am gutted I have gained! I am slowly getting there to get back on track.
You’ve done so well. Be proud of youself. You have a great figure!! Those Curves!!
Beth | http://www.life-as-mum.co.uk
aww thank you! Well done on the loss and don;t beat yourself up on the gain, it’s much easier to put weight on than to lose it, I am sure you can get back on track! xx
I prefer using the way certain clothes fit as a guide rather than the scales too. I think you are on the right track and have done really well to abstain while on hols. Keep going! I am mentally cheering you on!! 🙂 X #thetruthabout
thanks lovely xx
Wow you have done so well in 5 weeks, you must be so pleased looking at those photos! #BloggingtoJogging
thank you I am, they definitely help me keep things in perspective! xx
wow there is a huge difference in your pictures! Be proud of how far you have come. And even thought you haven’t lost weight, you also haven’t gained despite a holiday. You rock!! Xx
Thank you, the pictures are a good motivator as they remind me of how far I have come! xx
Well done on your loss so far great results and no loss on holiday is a good result x #sharewithme
thank you! x
You’ve achieved a great result already and your tummy looks fab in the red shorts photo! I’m so impressed you were so good on holiday – thinking of the long term goal over the short-term cake is a real toughie. It’s impressive you didn’t put on any weight. Good luck with your journey! x
Thanks lovely, it is so tough and thank you, I need to remember that no gain is good, enough if it’s not quite a loss! xx
You have come a really long way – look at those red shorts now! I remember when we all started at the beginning of the year how they looked in the pics. You are doing so well!
As for your picture – I see a beautiful mum, holding her beautiful baby, enjoying a fantastic day out at the beach!
Sim #WeightLossWednesday xx
Thank you, it was good to take another red shorts shot, as it shows how far I have come! I still have a long way to go but thank you! xx
We are the same weight and, seemingly, at the same stage in our weight loss in that we’re both finding it hard to stay on the straight and narrow. It gets really hard when you’ve been depriving yourself for so long, doesn’t it? I would be over the moon to stay at 12st 7 for three weeks so I think you’ve done really well for being on holiday. x
#sharewithme
It really is and I am just too impatient I think – I want results immediately but know I have to have more patience and just stick with it! xx
Wow amazing results! I wish I have your focus! I have been saying that I would do this and yet here I am bigger than when I say I would start losing =(
#sharewithme / #thetruthabout
You have done so well to go on holiday and celebrate your birthday and not put any weight on, i would have gained a stone ! I am only three weeks into my diet and i am already starting to have little slips up xx
wow you shouldn’t feel demotivated the shorts pictures show just how well you’ve done diets are hard to stick to so not giving in to temptation whilst on holiday shows amazing will power x
Looking at the pics you can see what a long way you’ve come, congrats lovely. When I’m trying to lose a bit of weight (which is most of the time) I always take measurements and focus on them more than my weight. My weight doesn’t fluctuate too much but I find it really motivating when I can see that I have lost an inch or two. Good luck xx
Caroline, you are doing awesomely well! I have no idea how you manage to turn down that beautiful cake but you are amazing. I wish I had your will power and determination, you should indeed be very proud. The photos say it all, you look great. xx #loundnproud
Caroline, you are doing awesomely well! I have no idea how you manage to turn down that beautiful cake but you are amazing. I wish I had your will power and determination, you should indeed be very proud. The photos say it all, you look great. xx #loudnproud
You’ve done brilliantly. Well done. You can really tell the difference in your photos.
I need to get back to my diet. Prior to Easter I’d lost a stone, and now it’s gone to pots and I can feel it’s all gone back on. I found on my hols that even though I was relaxed about my eating, we’d done so much exercise the weight didn’t go on.
Good luck with getting to goal
But you so clearly have lost weight and that’s amazing! Well done to you at trying to stick to your diet when on holiday – next to Christmas that has to be the hardest time, surely? Thanks for linking up to #loudnproud today.
Wow, that’s impressive! It can’t be easy to stick with it when you’re surrounded by lovely food on holiday, but seeing the weight loss must be a real motivation.
Hello there, well done on not gaining any, especially on holiday, and for losing a stone-which is far more than I’ve ever been able to do! You’re doing great. x #sharewithme
To be honest I’m really impressed because when I went away I was constantly thinking about food and walked plenty and I gained 1lb that week! You should be impressed you didn’t gain when you were faced with all that temptation!! I know how much temptation there is up in Yorkshire with the tea rooms etc, so be very very proud of yourself!!
To be honest I’m really impressed because when I went away I was constantly thinking about food and walked plenty and I gained 1lb that week! You should be impressed you didn’t gain when you were faced with all that temptation!! I know how much temptation there is up in Yorkshire with the tea rooms etc, so be very very proud of yourself!! #weightlosswednesday
Wow you have done so well hunny I am so happy and impressed with how much you have lost and how great you are being. Keep it up girl you look AMAZING. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme
You did really well not to put anything on and check out those red shorts photos, amazing! Thanks for linking with #BloggingToJogging xx