I can't believe we have already had our week 12 session! As I have probably said several times in this blog, whenever I used to read that sort of comment, I used to wonder how it was possible but here I am...feeling exactly the same way.
What is also interesting (I think) is that our group is now down to four women. Four out of...11! And all four of us were there from the beginning. I mention this because it reminds me of when we first started; I did wonder who would last the course and who wouldn't. And I was not certain whether I, myself, would last the distance.
Life happens, of course, which is why our group is diminishing. One person was away for a funeral, one person is having timetable issues, one person had to help a friend (abroad and last minute) and one person is having financial pressures (she texted me afterwards). I wonder if this means they will come back/carry on/give up - who knows? I really, really hope that - having come so far - they will succeed, even if it's not with LighterLife. I've also been in that position where, somehow, one event seems to stop you in your tracks and suddenly losing weight seems far too difficult and complicated. In fact, I have done that more times that I care to remember, particularly with Weight Watchers.
I'm also curious about why people complain about the cost of the sessions. I know, without even looking at my bank balance, that my expenditure on food has fallen through the floor. And we are getting counselling thrown in. I appreciate that some of the LLCs are not as good as others. I know I am really lucky with mine but if you are carrying at least an extra three stone, don't you have to be buying a lot of food?
Anyway, we were ready for the Week 12 DVD.
One of the success stories (sorry, did not note down her name) was interviewed and asked whether she felt different. She replied, "people treat me differently but I am not different". I guess she means the weight loss didn't change who she was fundamentally but because the external her is so different, people will alter their approach.
She talked about dressing being a necessity rather than a joy. Tick. Definitely agree with that. Just like shopping - when you are big - you are restricted. In a way, it's like being a vegetarian a few years ago (which I was); a menu might have one vegetarian option (cheese omelette, mushroom risotto or pasta) and if you didn't like it, tough. Eating out in a restaurant you didn't know was not a joyful occasion because you always were wondering what you might get. Now it's all so different - people genuinely cater for vegetarians.
One of the LL counsellors (on the DVD) talked about how people (ie LighterLifers!) will get lots of comments along the lines of "Look at the new you" but, she warned, it's not a new you...it's the real you who was hidden, not the old you! Does that make sense?
She also stressed how the work had only just begun and the end of Foundation (which is fast approaching) is not the end. Not at all.
This is, she said, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have a clean slate with food. Imagine that!!!
The DVD counsellor also added that we might start to enjoy foods that we once shunned ie healthy ones. Well, I always liked 'healthy' foods but I ate too much of them with some unhealthy ones thrown in for good measure.
Once the DVD was over, we also dealt with some other fairly important issues.
My weight loss has been 2lbs a week for two weeks. And I had made a conscious effort (or so I thought) with the water. I asked my counsellor whether it was slowing down now because I was getting smaller (comparatively) and she said...no! If you go by BMI guides, I am still more than a couple of stones over...at least....so that's my theory out of the window.
Even in Development (when you go as low as you can, weight wise) you should still lose 3lbs a week - IF you drink 4 litres minimum and exercise ie you will average a stone a month.
I talked about how much more vulnerable I am feeling - now that I am "smaller" - and whether my old behaviour patterns would start to kick in (ie stop losing weight). It hasn't happened so far (THANK GOODNESS) but I am aware that this is further than I have ever got before. Our LLC said that crooked thinking is always lurking and if we can be aware, we're already ahead of the game. Of course, there is also the pressure of other people telling you to stop losing weight, even if you are still several stones overweight. It's just that, because there IS less of you - compared with before, people will say enough is enough.
We then went on to discuss instant gratification versus delayed gratification and the happy subject of mastery.
I shall save those for a separate post.
That's a really interesting post - I'm coming into week 11 this week and the rest of my group are all on week 10 (I picked the packs up a week early) - we are down to 5 now and that's out of 15, 2 of the others have gone into management but sadly the other 6 have all given it up - not sure of the reasons why. I remember at the beginning when my counsellor said that at least a few will not make it to the end thinking that I would be one of those ... but hey I'm not :)
I agree with it not being a new me - it's the me that was always there, at the moment I'm just peeking out but sometime in the next few months I'll be out there completely ---- whoa scary!
You'll probably find that you'll have a big weight loss either this or next week - I think it all averages out so you'll soon get something nice to see on the scales.
Cath
x
Posted by: Cath | May 13, 2007 at 10:40 AM