Week 24: Sub 15 Stone

At Slimming World this week, I had a pretty good week, as did Fliss & George, as we all lost weight after having a couple of weeks where we put on weight, but after Download, that wasn't really much of a surprise.

I write this blog post this week, having got under the 15 stone mark. It's only by half a pound, but for me it's a big land mark. Apart from 2008, when I last lost a lot of weight, I have always really struggled when I've got to 15 stone or just over. Besides 2008, I've tried, unsuccessfully, to lose weight, because every time I got to around 15 stone, my will power totally disappeared and I went back to my old ways and put the weight back on again.

Granted, I put the weight back on and tons more after I lost the weight in 2008, back then, it wasn't the will power that killed me, it was the lack of knowledge when it came to maintaining weight, which is something I hope to conquer this time with the help of Slimming World. In 2008, I had no help and didn't know where to turn when it came to getting info about maintaining weight. Prior to that, when I started to struggle to get below 15 stone, I was working for Sainsbury's and maintained a weight of 16 stone 7 pounds virtually the whole time I was there, which was thanks to a combination of unhealthy eating and doing working in the car park collecting trolleys.

The will power to eat healthily was the thing I struggled with prior to 2008, as I was clearly doing the exercise to burn enough calories to lose weight, if I just had the will power to eat more healthily, I was always in the habit of going to McDonalds, Burger King or KFC for my lunch while I was at work and on an early shift, I'd quite often have a fry up in the staff canteen and then a cooked meal when I got home from work. Thankfully, now, I don't have any fast food restaurants near to wear I work, but there is a staff canteen that sells fry ups in the morning and cooked meals at dinner times. But, gladly, I am able to resist them by taking in fruit, a cans of sugar free pop and cereal bars in for my breaks.

Back in 2008, I had got to my target by now, which I thought was nothing short of a miracle, but then, I did have less to lose and did have the help of going to the gym and going swimming, which I did enjoy doing at the time. But going to the gym and going swimming cost me money and took my free time up, but this time around, I have an active job, so I don't have to spend money to go exercise, I can just do it at work, while I'm being paid to do it, BONUS! Not only that, but because I'm going to be able to continue doing my job once I have got to my target, I should be able to keep it off more easily.

I've got another 2 stone to go, I'm in no rush, it's taken me 24 weeks to get this far, which is an average loss of just over 3lbs per week, by that estimation, it should take me another 9 weeks to get to target, which would be 25th August. But if it takes me longer, then it takes me longer. I'll get it off whether it takes me 9 weeks or 18 weeks or however long. I'll get there for me, I want this more than anything (well most things).

You may be tired of me saying so, but I've only got to this big milestone of mine thanks to the help and support of the amazingly awesome people I've got around me, which includes Fliss & George, our Slimming World consultant Nicci, everyone at the group and everyone of my friends and family who has liked and commented on my Slimming World related updates, which are too numerous to list, especially as I'd probably forget half of you and I really don't want to leave anyone out, it wouldn't be fair. Thanks to you all, I've got to where I am now, I'm happier than I've ever been, more confident than I've ever been, I've come a long way in the last 6 months, and even since I moved in with Fliss & George, a little over a year ago and started my current job and gained loads of awesome friends while working there, you're all to thank for me being the happy Dan that I am today. Please remember that every time I thank you for things like this, it's 110% heartfelt.

Slimming World Man of the Year

Well, we're not even 6 months through the year yet, but Slimming World are doing their Man of the Year award. As people know I've been going to Slimming World since 7th January and apart from three gains, I've lost weight every week. Having now lost a total of just short of 5 stone, up until 16th June.

So, thanks to this weight loss, with astonishes me as much as anyone else, I've been awarded the Man of the Year for our group. And received this award:

I have to say, I wasn't expecting this, despite the success that I've had in losing weight by doing Slimming World, so it came as a bit of a shock. I was asked to stand up in front of the group, which was smaller last week than usual, but it still made me get slightly embarrassed and not sure exactly what to say.

I lost weight in 2008 on my own steam, with little to no support from anyone, not even from my (now ex) girlfriend. I lost 4 stone then and was at my target weight by now, but while I'm not at my target weight yet, I've had more to lose and have actually lost more weight by this point than in 2008. So in some ways, I'm in a better place now, but in other ways, I'm not, but I was under no illusions that with more weight to lose, it would take longer to lose it.

This time around I've had the support I've needed to lose the weight I have and to continue to lose it. The support I've had from my girlfriend and step son has been nothing but astounding and the support from our Slimming World consultant and group, both in group and on Facebook has been amazing. But they are not the only ones that have offered me support, I am also extremely grateful to all the friends and family who have liked and/or commented on Slimming World related posts. Those likes and comments might not seem like a lot to most people, but those combined with all the support from Fliss, George, our consultant Nicci and the group actually mean so much more than I can put into words, all of the support does, which is why this award also means a lot to me and why I felt a bit choked up when I received it.

Too many people have liked and/or commented on my posts to list them all here, but I hope you all read this and appreciate how much it all means to me and how much I truly appreciate all the support I've been given from you all, even if it's just one or two likes and/or comments or continued support. I promise I won't let myself down, because that would mean letting you all down too.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!