Blackpool - the quickest way to gain weight.

North&South

So, where do I begin?
Well, I currently live in Blackpool, UK, with my hubby of 10 years - I was big when he met me - a size 16 - I'm now a size 20 & have been for about 5 years.

So, earlier this year, I had 5 months on the Lighter Life diet - it's a drink diet, they supply you with drink packs & that's it apart from water. It's quite a complicated process, but it was managed with regular doctor visits & a 2 hour counselling session each week. I finally realised that it was our lifestyle that was at fault - not the eating part but the general work/home bit. I lost 4 stone on the LL diet - although I have gained 1 stone since stopping - but we are heading for a major life change in a couple of weeks, so here's where it starts to change for the better again.

Hubby works 7 days a week - for financial reasons & also because it's expected at his firm. When he comes home, he's stressed, so he 'pops' out..... and always ends up in the pub. We've had some right rows about it, but in recent months, we've agreed to change our lives drastically - it was that or end up in the divorce courts.

I have spent the last 5 years 'comfort eating' although it offers little bloody comfort, let me tell you! But I've not done it by pigging out on anything & everything, I've done it by sort of starving myself - I justified it in my head, by saying 'well, he's going to want to go out to the pub, why does he want to stay home with a fat lump like me?'...... then I'd eat to stay fat.... I guess it was easier than to face the destructive lifestyle we were living.

I soon found that I didn't have to overeat & pig out on burgers, curries, chips etc.
I could starve myself all day & eat all my food for the day in one go - then do it again the following day.
My body never knew when it was going to be fed next, & it sorts of 'hoards' everything, just in case you don't feed it again for a few days - of course, you do - just by eating the wrong amounts at the wrong time... it's easy to starve yourself fat!

Anyhow, we're leaving Blackpool & moving to Galway in a few weeks & just how NICE will it be! A total life change, he'll be working proper hours, not too much overtime (or else!)
There's so many temptations here, it's hard to stay on the straight & narrow - we have a Macdonalds, a KFC, 5 chinese take aways, 6 Kebab/Indian take aways, 4 food pub places & countless cafes & chip shops all within a 15 minute walk from our front door. Now, to eat from one of these once a week would be ok - but it's just too easy to do it on a regular basis, & we do.

So, I'm looking forward to moving, to being away from the food places, the pubs, (hubby's lure is the pubs - again, all TOO easy, all 14 of them!)
I'm looking forward to shopping with hubby & planning meals like we used to do - I guess I'm looking forward to going back to being 'normal'.
I don't mind being a size 16 - although I'm a 20 now, I'm looking forward to dropping the next couple of sizes & I won't mind if I don't get to a size 12.... I'm 46, so I'm being a bit realistic, I think!
And healthy? Well, actually, yeah I am fairly healthy for my size - I cycled 62 miles in July for charity & beat my slim 24 yr old daughter to boot! Haha!

Anyway, that's my fat story - let's hope it all turns into a 'getting smaller' story!
Julie
x

neuro-praxis

North&South - the very best of luck with your endeavours! Take it all one step at a time. You're obviously getting regular exercise - maybe doing some weights would help too? This will help you hang on to your muscle as you drop weight and will assist your body in burning calories at rest.

Make sure to eat a balanced diet...things like Lighter Life don't offer any long term solutions as you know. Hopefully we can all inspire each other!

ali.c

North&South wrote:

There's so many temptations here, it's hard to stay on the straight & narrow - we have a Macdonalds, a KFC, 5 chinese take aways, 6 Kebab/Indian take aways, 4 food pub places & countless cafes & chip shops all within a 15 minute walk from our front door. Now, to eat from one of these once a week would be ok - but it's just too easy to do it on a regular basis, & we do.

No disrespect intended, but temptations of fast food and pubs are everywhere. Its convienent thats why people are drawn to eat there. I know that you have said that some lifestlye changes are impending and thats great, but if you think moving is going to remove the temptation of fast food then i dont think thats will be case.

The real solution to this, is as you have so aptly noted a lifestyle issue, and with all the changes that will be going on its easy to fall into old pattens. Also in my experience once you stay away from fast food for a while its appeal goes away.

On the starve yourself fat thing, i hear what you are saying alright. Also excessive excercise along with this type of eating is really not great for your metabolism. Get out this article, I have had some success on a plan similar to this.

http://www.musclewithattitude.com/readTopicMwa.do?id=1584213

Basically it recommends along with eating 6 meals a day, you look at your meal timings etc all with the aim of building up your metabolism.

p.s. ignore the fitness model pics etc, the article is still worth a read!

justsomebloke

ali.c wrote:

No disrespect intended, but temptations of fast food and pubs are everywhere. Its convienent thats why people are drawn to eat there. I know that you have said that some lifestlye changes are impending and thats great, but if you think moving is going to remove the temptation of fast food then i dont think thats will be case.

agreed unless you are moving to the arse end of Galway there is still going to be plenty of temptation out there as convenience food is every where and that is without all the pubs. However as said already lifestyle change will be the best advantage you have.

In your post OP you mention your husband works 7 days a week but you don't mention how often you work. Do you work less hours and if so how come you aren't cooking for your self already? are your hours of work going to drasitically change when you move over if not chances are that you will still fall into the same pattern that you are in at the moment. So truthfully if I was you I would look to start making changes now other then that with the stress of moving and settling into a new life nothing will change for you

North&South

Ali - Thanks for that link, I skim-read it quickly, but have tabbed it for a more concentrated read later on.
I absolutely get the whole concept of changing your metabolism & occasionally now, I'm getting the insulin crashes again. (That's what started me on the LL diet in the first place) My mum had mature onset diabetes & that's just where I'm headed to now. My blood sugar is mainly stable & the doc is pleased that I have reversed the trend that I was setting last year - me too!

And again to Ali & Jsb, yep, I know that moving home isn't going to be the golden answer simply because we're leaving the comfort of 'holidayville' here in Blackpool.
What I do know, however, is how we used to be before we came here.... and THAT's what I'm hoping to try & get back to - at least on a meal basis anyway. He likes to go out for dinner when he gets home at night & starts pulling faces if I'm cooking - says that it's easier to let someone else do all the work - and nope, I don't work anymore, but that's a whole new story.

The whole 'change of life' thing isn't JUST for my weight loss, but it is a part of it, for me anyway.
Andy works 7 days a week, not really for financial reasons, but because in his line of work, their department has 6 guys - to cover 7 days 24 hours a day. They manage it, but only just. The skill base isn't big in this part of the country & industry is very little... oh, it's involved, but I'm very glad to be leaving it behind!

As for whereabouts we're moving to in Galway, now, there's a thing.
We're going to the middle of some fields between Loughrea & Athenry - house viewing is next week & hopefully we come home to pack up with a set of house keys!
(Don't ask, it's crazy, it's a mid-life adventure thing!) Although it's also intended as a marriage protecting thing too - like I said, drastic change or divorce... hmm.. we both like the drastic change option, thankfully!

biko

Welcome to Galway! The good thing about living in the countryside is that is does not allow you to walk down to the pub, you either get a taxi or stay at home.
Also you shop food for a whole week and don't eat out as much.

Watch telly, go for long walks and have lots of country sex and you should be ok