I did it!

I finally reached my goal weight! My weight loss has slowed down in recent months and I think part of me thought I would never get here but I have.

Here's the stats for you - when I started I weighed 13st 12lbs and wore a dress size 18 on the top, 20 on the bottom. I lost weight at an average rate of 2lb a week for the first 3 months and then 1lb a week thereafter. 8 1/2 months on, I now weigh 10st 5lbs and wear a dress size 12 on the bottom and 10 on the top.

Before and After!

How have I done it? In all honesty, I would call it the 'everything in moderation' diet. I haven't deprived myself of anything but I have also been healthy. I've had plenty of time sitting on my backside but I have also exercised.

I would love to say it's been easy, that I've loved every minute of it, but if you've been following this blog you'll know that's not true. It's been hard work. There were days when I wondered if it was all worth it and if I'd ever get there, but as the weight started coming off I knew deep down that not only could I do it, I was doing it!

Diet-wise I've been following a calorie controlled diet with a target of 1400kcal per day. I allowed myself treats but always made accommodations elsewhere to make sure I came as close to that target as possible. On good days I could actually fall below that! I researched and I read a lot of articles on recipes and healthy swaps, making little changes here and there to make my diet healthier. I've never let myself go hungry or deprived myself of anything. I've learned a lot about self control and teaching myself that eating badly doesn't feel as good as a loss on the scales. I've had to stick to my guns and defend myself on occasion but I've also been fully supported.

I found an exercise routine that worked for me. Initially I was doing some form of exercise every day but I moderated that to 3-4 30-45 min sessions a week. I discovered running works for me as I'm at heart a lazy girl and this was the quickest way to get results (2 30ish min runs a week). I also used my fondness for aerobics and learning dance routines (yes I'm a steps fan) to fuel a love for zumba which I avidly attend a class for once a week. I developed a firmer understanding that exercise is the main key to weight loss as you have to burn more calories than you consume and the more you burn, the more you lose.

I learned that I have an amazing support network around me but that at the end of the day, no one else could do this but me. No one else could would put the right foods in my mouth. No one else would burn off those calories and pounds of fat. No one else would feel the elation and sense of achivement of finally getting this right. No one else would feel the joy of wearing a smaller dress size than I did as a teenager. No one else would feel healthier than I ever have in my life. Yes, it took being a bit selfish to make it happen. But it also lead me to being able to share my experience with others and hopefully help people to do it too.

So, now I enter maintenance mode! No longer am I dieting, it really has become a lifestyle change. No, I can never go back to eating how I did before but I no longer want to. I can still indulge now and again but I never really stopped doing that. I'm not perfect, who is in all honesty? But I've feel I've found the key to being healthier and can now be a better role model for my son which, after the weight loss, was the aim all along.

My Facebook group and Twitter are still running and I will still update this blog about how I'm doing. This isn't the end but a start of a whole new chapter!