You Don't Need a New Year, Just a New Day - #weigh-in-7

Most mornings when I wake up, after I realise I'm not a Euromillions winner, I open Instagram... I love seeing everyones healthy breakfasts... and I follow loads of other weight watcher and slimming world members, so my timeline is FULL of healthy and quick ideas that stops me whinging about porridge and talking myself into a scone on the way to work! I was never a breakfast person, so I still need that kick in the pants every morning... and when I open my timeline most mornings, Zoe from '59lbs to go'  has already done a 5/10k run as well as had a delicious breakkie! There have been times when I've just got straight up and gone out my front door for a walk because of her... and THAT's why she's so inspirational! Even when she doesn't feel like it... she just goes for it! You can find her...

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You Don't Need a New Year, Just a New Day

by Zoe Cathcart

Like so many other weight watchers out there I have often thought the New Year is the best time to join.I have always found this time of year the most difficult to lose weight, and being a serial joiner in the past if things weren't going well, I would usually stop trying some time in the October-December timeline. The last time I joined was the first meeting in January 2012. I had also joined the previous January and while I had a good start in 2011, when I met my boyfriend things slipped a little.

 

So why did I wait until the following January to try again? Looking back on the end of 2011, I really don't know why I waited. My cousins now wife's hen party happened In August. When I saw the photos I was disgusted and knew something needed to change. Their wedding was the end of October and I wanted to change by then. My biggest mistake was thinking I could go it alone. I used my money on a gym membership instead of weight watchers (although I could have easily done both). So the weeks went by, and I was regularly using the gym, but I had no control over what I was eating. 

Before I knew it my cousins wedding was upon me. The photos from his wedding
once again disgusted me and should have been enough of a kick in the backside to realise what was happening. The problem was, at this stage it was November and in my mind I thought 'Whats the point, it's the worst time of year to lose weight, I'll do something in January!'. We all know that pre diet binge you have the night before you rejoin weight watchers, and eat whatever you want. Well my entire November/December 2011 was a full on binge. I did not go near a scales in that whole time period and have no idea what I weighed before the binge but I do know that by the time January rolled around I was over 14 stone, the heaviest I had ever been in my life.

I did join Weight Watchers that January and by November 2012 everything had changed. I was so close to my goal weight and nothing was making me give up. I was having such a hard time losing the last few pounds and it was hugely disheartening. Week after week I was seeing either no loss, or a small gain followed by a small loss. On November 13th I weighed 9 stone 9 lbs and the last weigh-in before Christmas it was the same. I was proud of myself though, it would have been so easy to give in and gain half a stone to a stone in the same time. I enjoyed my Christmas but did not use it as an excuse to go wild. I chose the days I was having off and tracked every other day. When I went back in January I still weighed 9 stone 9lbs. It only took me a few more weeks to get to by goal weight, and if I had given up who knows if I would ever have gotten there. 

I'm not going to lie and say that this is the easiest time in the world to lose weight. Social events, tins of chocolates everywhere, specials on crisps and biscuits in the supermarket, seasonal specials in the coffee shops and hot toddy's to help with a cold. Temptation is all around us and we are told to let our hair down and enjoy it. I read somewhere that the average person gains 7-10lbs between now and Christmas. With 6 weeks to go before Christmas you have 2 choices, you can decide that its too difficult and gain that 7-10lbs, or you can give it your best. In 2011 I gave up, but in 2012 I gave it my best and I never looked back!

Zoe x


Seriously what an inspiration! Zoe's Christmas tune will get you ALL rocking! 
Slade!!! I know!

Lots of 7's added on the board this week... great losses! Again, if I've missed someone let me know I was away last week and someone might have slipped through ... and finally... FINALLY... I got my 8th stone! 5 weeks to go... no giving up! I won't allow it!