Never too old to give up

This topic contains 3 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by  carolecraig 9 years, 9 months ago.

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  • Dr Mosley & Mimi, thank you. You have changed my life because you have restored in me a sense of what is possible. I really enjoy Dr Mosley’s BBC documentaries. However it took 3 goes spread over several months, at watching the 5:2 doco, before I was finally inspired. Being quite a bit north of 60, having struggled with my emotional eating for nigh on 40 years, being physically quite unfit over that period, and still am, my weight steadily rose. I capped out at 110 kilos. Wont waste space discussing all the diets I have tried, succeeded on, and the weight I have resumed and more some.
    3 years ago, in desperation, I succumbed to medical intervention, which has been a tough road I would never recommend to anyone. However, I dont regret it. I struggled along, finally losing 25 kilos over 3 years. I levelled out at 78 kilos and could not get any lower. Still too high to be healthy, but I was satisfied with that result.
    In 2013, following some personal stresses, I began losing the battle. My weight crept back up and my self esteem plummeted in tandem. in Jan 2013 I weighed 78 kilos. In Jan 2014 I weighed 86 kilos. I felt so utterly powerless.
    That was when I realised that the 5:2 plan could be the answer. I read the book, watched the DVD again, and got started.
    On the night before my first fast I was positively euphoric. I had planned and prepared a simple menu adding up to 500 cals, & went to bed thinking “hooray! tomorrow I will be free from the whole food thing for a whole day!” So right from the ‘get go’ I never called the 500cal days “fast” days. I use a food diary on those days and I call them my “fff days” (freedom from food days).
    Between Jan and April I managed to get my weight back to 82kgs and felt very gratified. In May I travelled overseas and have come back weighing 83kgs. I felt sure I would have no issues getting back into it, so was not worried.
    I was most disconcerted to find that in fact it took me from 1st June until yesterday, 13th June, to even commence a fast day. I just started and then quickly stopped, thinking ‘oh no its too hard. I will start tomorrow”. I was disappointed to find, that although I did get started today, my mental approach was “oh its a fast day. This will be so hard”. Where had my Freedom from Food euphoria gone?
    I nursed, urged myself through the morning, and happily, halfway through the day, it kicked back in. I found myself feeling good about myself again, thinking “you can do it girl”.
    I decided to find a way to contact Dr Mosley today (had thought about it many times) to say thank you. That’s when I discovered this magic site and forum. Already, today, I have learned from this site, that I cannot afford to eat with impunity on my ‘other’ days, and expect to continue to lose weight. I need, for medical reasons, to shift that last 5 kilos.
    So now, thanks to you all, I am going back to the calorie counter to figure out a good way forward for the non fasting days.
    The best thing is I feel in control, I feel like a good person, I feel certain that this is the answer for me and have no plans to abandon ship – ever! The most obvious upshot of feeling good about myself is that I feel motivated to get onto my feet and walk. That is the best bit. No good losing weight if I can’t improve fitness also. So, a happy camper here!
    Have a good day. Old Girl.

    You go, Old Girl! Congratulations on getting started again 🙂

    Good luck 🙂

    As another old someone, I leave the 60s this year, I’m so glad you’re not giving up. I am fortunate in that I picked my ancestors carefully and so far have not had overwhelming health issues. But the older we get the more fragile our health and fasting is good for you not just your self esteem…

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