Tuesday 9 January 2018

Take a deep breath


Have you ever had that feeling, that sometimes you have to take a deep breath and start again? Or New Year, new you?

Food and weight are funny things; one of my brothers would say that we have the fat gene. I am not entirely sure that this is true but I would definitely say that my relationship with food is an interesting thing.

I would say that once you have a weight problem, you always have a weight problem. I recently heard someone say that there was a fat person continually trying to come out of them. For those of you that have followed my blog since I stopped being a WeightWatchers leader, or for those of you that are new to my blog, I just want to remind you that I'm normal!

My previous blog told you how happy I am; there is a side to this that comes at a cost! My man snacks! I can't eat the snacks that he does but guess what, in the year that we've been together he has turned me into a snacker! That is not entirely true or fair to him; haven't you just read that I said once you have a weight problem you always have a weight problem, even if you have shifted that weight?! I am also going to use a word that many people will sigh when reading 'oh, no here she goes again mentioning that word'; peri-menopause!

In the last year I have lost a little weight and gained a whole load more 😒 Is this the fat person trying to get out or is this contentment? My man would say that he doesn't have a problem with where I am so I shouldn't, but I do! I've said it before; I know what to do, I know how to do it and I know the success that can be had. So what to do? The answer may not be the same for all but for me it's about taking control and the start of that is by returning to a WeightWatchers meeting.

This I did last night; faced the horror of the scales . . . and it was a horror. Want to know how horrific? I weighed more than I have in over 10 years. This is really not good but in actual fact I have done the hardest thing for me and possibly for a lot of people and that is to accept where I am, draw a line under it and start again. How many times have I said that? If you read back through Tessa's Moments you will probably find too many times to count! Life is a journey and weight loss is part of that never ending journey for me. Sometimes the fat person gets out and takes over until I reach a point where I don't want to live like that anymore.

My man sees me as a whole person not just about weight, size or how others look at me but I'm not comfortable being the size I currently am. That is what is the most important thing. We should never do things because of what others think of us. Success will never come. We should always do what makes us happy.

Yesterday was Monday, the start of the new working week and although going to my meeting last night and not 'officially' starting until today I had to take back some control before standing on the scales last night! Lunchtimes are a real challenge for me. I use that time to leave work and go for a walk, clear my head and get some fresh air. The problem is that there is a Tescos Extra about half a mile from where I work. Yesterday, and indeed today, have been the first time in over four months that I have managed to go there without buying sweets! I don't do things by halves . . . ever, so we are not talking about one packet or bag. Tescos do 3 for £1.20 and have regular offers on pouch bags; how can one possibly resist?! Well, I have managed for two days! I just need to keep that up and break the bad habit that I have got into. 

I have said this before and will indeed say it again, I'm sure. For me to keep control of my weight I have to track everything that I eat. The beauty of WeightWatchers is that you are given a budget; you stick to that budget. The way to do it, like my bank account, is to keep a track of it! Rule #1: Remind myself that this is what works for me and I have to keep doing it.


So, back to the start of this post; I have taken a deep breath and started again. I am in the final fifteen months of my forties, most of which have been amazing and a real learning experience for me. I need to make sure that the lessons that I have learned in this decade stand me in stead for moving into my fifties and being fit, fabulous and fantastic. The first thing is to regain control of this weight thing!