Been there, done that!

As I might have mentioned previously, my main goal in joining the System Slim programme was to make a long-term difference to my lifestyle.  I wanted help in retraining myself on how to eat properly and in a more nutritional way.  Yes I want to lose weight but to keep it off, I know I need to learn some tips and educate myself to cope better in the long term – otherwise anything I do lose will go right back on.

My first major weight loss came with a well-known brand of VLCD (very low calorie Diet) powdered ‘food’.  I first tried this out about 20 years ago when living in the States and it was great – I lost quite a lot of weight (about 23 kilos in three months) and whilst I was on it, I didn’t have to think about what I was eating.  However, you can’t spend your life on it so what happened when I started introducing ‘real’ food?  Yup – the weight went back on because the whole issue of choice had come into play and I was still making the wrong choices.

Since then I’ve tried just about every diet except the Atkins diet.  I’ve had ‘red days and green days; water days and lemon diets and I even tried appetite-controlling drugs which actually do work – but also deprive you of sleep and give palpitations.

The common problem with all these is that there is no real reinforcing of what is good, what’s a better choice to make.  This is what I value from Jo at system Slim in Remuera – I can go and talk to her and tell her I struggled at a friend’s barbecue at the weekend, or aska bout what to choose when I eat out.  I’ve never been one for public confession and flagellation so really don’t like the big meetings where everyone talks across each other.  The one on one sessions are really excellent – for me anyway.  The main thing is, they’re addressing what I feel and what I think my issues are and not diluting that with lots of other people.  Most importantly, I can actually notice I am already making better choices – walking up the stairs instead of the lift, heading out at lunch time instead of sitting at my desk.  Taking a piece of steak or a chop to a bbq instead of sausages. These are habits which will stay for me so much longer than the liquid meal replacements.

The weight loss?  Well it’s getting there.  It’s slower than the inches loss and that’s another thing – my clothes feel better so who needs to keep checking the scales?

Until next time……