Miriam's Success Story
I have been overweight for the majority of my life and would spend my entire pocket money on Sweets. When I left school and began earning, I would buy all the confectionary that my mother would not let me have. It was a very self-destructive form of rebellion. Then when I moved away to live in the U.K. and had my own home, I would stock the cupboards with what I wanted. During this 11 year period, I was comfort eating because I was homesick. Do you notice the pattern here? I have an excuse for overeating for every stage of my life!
I returned to Ireland and met my husband Tom. During the run up to our wedding in 2002, I lost 2 stone, getting down to 15st 3lbs and kept at this weight for 3 years. In February of 2005 I was just so fed up, I was obese, couldn't wear the clothes I wanted or live the kind of life I knew was out there for me. I had tried other methods of losing weight and over the years joined various Slimming Clubs but in my head it was always a diet, counting calories, special foods that would end at some point, never a way of life.
I began watching Gillian McKeith's television programmes and then went out and bought the 'You Are What You Eat' book. It was a revelation to me, and showed my complete lack of knowledge of the nutritional value of foods. I would consider myself a bright person and I have always held management positions in my work life but being intelligent in some areas of my life did not transfer to my diet or health. I could not believe what Gillian was telling me that there were foods I could eat in abundance and that her eating plan did not mean being hungry, counting calories or weighing foods. It made me realise that I actually wasn't eating enough! But what I was eating was wrong, all highly processed foods. I was also suffering from terrible migraines and pms.
I read the book from cover to cover twice and then marked out the important points and made a list of all the key foods/equipment and supplements that I needed and began. It was so easy to stick to even eating out.
I starting walking just half an hour and bought a small Step Machine for the days it rained. I started making smoothies, soups and eating fruit, salad and seeds. I signed up for Gillian's emails and kept an eye on the website for news - the results were amazing - when I started in the February I was 15 stone 3 lbs and a size 24. By the Christmas of that year, I was a size 14 and weighed in at 11 stone 3 lbs. 4 stone gone, it was such a wonderful feeling being able to buy a fashionable little black dress for the first time in my life and the compliments I received were fantastic, so I had to keep going.
The weight loss was steady for the first year and a half but even though I was following the plan, I had a 4 month period when my weight stayed the same, which was disappointing but I stuck with it and starting exercising in the morning instead of the evening and I started losing again.
I made the connection that to lose weight, I needed to use more energy than I consumed and that when I did overeat it was not because I was hungry but it was an emotional hunger that I was trying to satisfy. That was a difficult one to come to terms with as I had to examine different areas of my life to see what was making me do this and break the habits of the lifetime. This resulted in me changing my job which was very stressful and making me very unhappy.
One of the main stumbling blocks was alcohol as I found in the early stages that if I had a drink I would go out to exercise the next day but the effort was so huge that it wasn't worth it. So I haven't had a drink now in nearly 2 years and I can honestly say I do not miss it or the hangovers. I also gave up salt and fizzy drinks. Now I find the diet fizzy drinks far too sweet. I drink lots of water and changed over to Soya Products.
I plan my meals a week in advance and always shop with a list, so I never panic buy or eat something I shouldn't. I always have my cup of warm water with lemon when I wake up. I never ever miss breakfast and try to eat dinner before 7pm and get to bed around 10.30 to 11pm on weekdays.
I now follow Gillian's 80/20 rule. I eat well nearly all the time but if I feel like something, I have a little and the craving is satisfied. You only taste the first bite anyway but it's amazing how much my taste has changed. Now I love all the foods that are good for me - and really dislike high fat foods. I eat three good meals a day. For breakfast, oats on cold days or a fruit salad, for lunch, salad and soup. Dinner is Fish with lots of vegetables or Salad and snack on fruit.
Since I made the changes to my diet, my migraines have disappeared, and my pms systems are drastically reduced. For the first time in my life, my blood pressure is normal. I feel so fit and strong and full of life. No more lying in the bed till noon. I now can't wait to start the day.
This Christmas, I am 8 stone 13lbs and a size 10 and have maintained this weight - I bought myself a set of waterproof clothing and do a combination of walking/running for an hour everyday (even Christmas Day) rain, hail or shine. This means on workdays that I have to get up at 6.30am but this gets my metabolism going for the day and when I get home from work, my evenings are free and I can get my dinner early.
When I go shopping with my sister Jan who has been so supportive, and I see something I like, she always says in a raised voice "I wonder if they have it in a 10". We always have a giggle! Little do the other shoppers know that less than 2 years ago I would have been looking for a size 24. One of my Christmas gifts from her was a Trampette!
I started taking Horse Riding lessons last February and instead of a holiday lying in the sun, I hope to take a Horse Riding or a walking/hiking holiday this year.
I would advise other people trying to lose weight to stop making excuses and just do it! Be honest with yourself and listen to your inner voice. Once you start seeing some results, this will motivate you. And don't let other people influence you to eat something you shouldn't or have a drink, and stick to Gillian's advice.
I can never thank Gillian enough for her inspiration through her books, website, emails and television programmes. She helped me change my life in so many ways and I will always be so grateful to her.
