We've all had it - that one point in time be it final straw or moment of truth that tipped the balance. It might have been a picture from a recent wedding, a favourite pair of jeans consigned to the 'too small' pile, a passing comment from someone you've not seen in a while or an uncomfortable journey squeezed into a too small aeroplane seat. . .
I'm talking about the moment when 'I could do with losing a few pounds' tipped and became 'I HAVE to lose weight'. I have gradually become bigger over the 12 or so years since I left Uni. I've made attempts to lose weight in the past but always failed or fallen back into bad ways and ended up bigger than before.
Last August I got married and had spent the six months beforehand promising myself I'd diet before the wedding. . . but didn't. The dress I wore was lovely, but sleeveless, and on the day of the wedding the shawl I'd chosen just didn't work so I went bare-armed. Now I'm an hour-glass shape and my arms are one of my worst features - I don't know what I was thinking!
I got my photos of my special day and hated every single one with me in it. My eyes are baggy and hooded, my cheeks are pouched like a feeding hamster, my chin(s) dominate my lower face and nearly obscure the fat-fold-line between neck and collar bone. My pasty arms are flabby, my bosom appears to be escaping the strictures of my frock, my hips and thighs bulge under silk layers that reveal every mis-shapen lump and under it all I'm in torment from a bustier that is boring holes in my kidneys whenever I move!
I've avoided photographs for most of my life so this was the first time I'd seen pictures of me in a long while and I was pretty much appalled. That was my "Tipping Point".
After the wedding photos came through I spent a while berating myself for not dieting, ate the entire contents of my fridge to make me feel better (yes - I know just how daft that sounds) and got drunk. On sobering up I made a decision that I would go back to Weight Watchers and this time I'd stick to it and lose the weight.
Well that was back in late September and I've had a few ups and downs since then but I'm pleased to say I've lost 1 stone 10.5 pounds and I'm still motivated to keep going! This week I saw another photo of me, taken in the pub on holiday and, though I can still groan and list a whole parcel of issues with the way I look, I can also see a list of improvements since my wedding. It's hard work but it is working!
So what was your Tipping Point, the final thing that made you sign-up?
With me it was meeting up with someone 2 years ago having not seen her for about 15 years. She always used to be a size ten, young looking, healthy and energetic - not so at our last meeting - she was puffed out, and “chunky" and taking blood pressure pills. Hmmm I thought - she must also be wondering what ever happened to me too - there is no way I wanted to keep on swelling up with all the associated health issues. I wanted to stop dreading meeting people from my past - so I joined up that Thursday night and started losing bulk - this October I felt able to meet up with colleagues from my first job (30 years ago) for the first time for over ten years - it was great not feeling so ashamed of my shape and obvious lack of control over food. I rejoined WW two years ago was because I wanted to feel like a "normal person" again. To be able to meet people and not be the centre of ridicule is what keeps me going with the journey.
ReplyDeleteMine was last October when my husband decided to take his measurements for his "get fit for 2009" campaign.
ReplyDeleteI did my mearsuremenst and was mortified to find I had doubled my waist size!!!
When I met my husband in 1996 I was a size 10 with a 23inch waist - 12 years on I was a size 22 with a 46 inch waist.
The following Thursday I joined WW - I have lost 24 LBS and 8 inches off my waist - I've got a long journey but I am determined to get there.
LOrraine xx