7 Week Stretch

I haven’t written on here since Corona virus hit the UK several + weeks ago. I’m sure most of you out there are finding this is such a bizarre shit storm to be in, just like me.

It’s been a really weird few months & it started when we Consultants were told that our groups were closing for a few weeks, then we were told it would be few months, & now it’s looking like it’s going to be September, possibly even longer.

It was devastating. For so many reasons. I remember just sitting there when we were told to close & just sobbing. I was helping another Consultant at the time & we had to shut her group down, & I just had this absolute sinking feeling, like my stomach was about to fall out my ass. Firstly, having tell all my members that there will be no weigh in for the foreseeable, wondering how the heck I was going to earn any money being self employed, what affect will this have on my family & bills ect. So much uncertainty.

Then came the eating.

The instant feeling of sod it – I have no weigh in, no where to go & no business to run.

The big chocolate monster reared it’s ugly head, stood tall & menacing in front of me, before bowing down to whisper in my ear “oh go on then” & so we continued our weird love / hate relationship for 5 weeks. Everyday was a new treat whether from the shops or the 40 Creme Eggs that arrived via Amazon Prime.

The mental torture of this process is so hard to get out of. Recognize this?

I’m sad, upset, angry & stressed so I’m going to comfort myself with some chocolate.

I’ve eaten half of the family sized bar & now I feel guilty so I’ll finish it so it’s gone & no one has to know.

“I’m going to the shop does anyone want anything?” “Get me 7 packets of Oreos, a double decker & some fruitella babe”

The cycle of binge & guilt continues until you finally sort your shit out or like me, you got tooth ache & got too scared to eat any.

I hope for you, that you’ve sorted your shit out, had a quiet word with yourself, so that you can learn for next time. What helps you in that situation to stop with all your nonsense?

I did have a conversation with myself last week about just getting back to Food Optimising, stop being a whiney little bitch about it & get on with it. So I did. I lost 3.5 lbs. Which just kinda shows how much shite I was shoving down my neck before that.

I had to rediscover my love for food & that feeling of being on plan again. I needed exciting, tasty meals to look forward to, I needed to listen to my appetite because now I’m not burning off as much energy I’m not as hungry, most of the time it’s just boredom mistaken for hunger. I also needed to go back to drinking plenty of fluid again. So out came the recipe books & I wrote a long list of all the meals I like, meals I wanted to try & what book they were in so I could select a meal to do each day, the new Slimming World magazine came through the post too which was a lovely little freebie for joining the new Virtual Groups Consultants are offering.

But remember kids, nothing worth having comes easy & you gotta be ready to make changes. I saw something on Instagram today that made me think… the OP had moaned to their 24 followers that they hadn’t had a single takeaway since lockdown & hadn’t lost a single pound…

Ok firstly, what other shite have you been eating instead of the takeaways then?! That’s like saying you’re disappointed you didn’t lose weight that week & you even went out for dinner & swapped your chips for salad, & you just don’t know why you didn’t lose & you’re about the throw a tantrum BUT what you forgot to mention was the 150 syn burger you had with the salad. Total gaandu.

That salad, unfortunately, is not going to save you.

I feel like I have waffled on too much now so here’s My Final Thought… Jerry Springer style (whatever happened to him anyway? Remember Steve?)

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Don’t feel like you have to be perfect, or 100% all of the time. It’s a strange & scary world at the moment & sometimes we just don’t need the added pressure. Do what you can when you can. Go to bed every night feeling proud of one positive choice you made each day. Share how you’re feeling & what you’re struggling with with your SW group, Consultant, friends or family. Do it for you. Do it because you invested in yourself, do it because you’re worth the effort.

And finally, take care of yourself & each other.