Keep Moving Forward

Please watch this 3 minute video - Thank you

A hush came over the room. There was a communal intake of breath as the information was absorbed. Did we hear correctly? Surely not! No one would ever suggest such a thing. I looked across to the far side of the room to see Naomi glancing towards the speaker with a mixture of stunned admiration and support. Nearly everyone else in the room turned their heads to check that it was true. Someone in the room said ‘what?’ and I think Mandy-Lace said a ‘wow’. You could hear a pin drop as we inwardly digested the mammoth target Philip had set for himself. 1 stone weight loss in 4 weeks!

Phillip would be the first to admit that he has not been on his game in recent months. We have occasionally reviewed between us how we have both been doing with our weight. We have both been stuck for a while. Possibly even going backwards. I came out of my stupor about four weeks ago. Since then I’ve been ‘on it’ in terms of eating well and following the plan. I have lost 7 pounds over the last 2 weeks. (On reviewing this post for editing I have realised that this would mean that I could do the same. 7 pounds over 2 weeks is no more improbable than 14 pounds over 4 weeks. Phillip’s target is eminently achievable).

Seeing Phillip regroup and recommit to his journey is very inspiring. He is moving forward. I love watching people changing their lives for the better. It speaks to me of positivity and a determination to break the mould and go against the tide. The easy route would be to sit in an armchair and do nothing.

So many people in our group are in the fight to live a useful and joyful life and I am proud to know them. There is a verse that says you should ‘rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep’. Well, I rejoice with Phillip and his renewed commitment. Well done.

I love celebrating with people who have seen a good result on the scales. I also wholeheartedly commiserate when the same set of scales are unkind to someone like Kath this week. She did the diet and the exercise and simply maintained. Good luck this week Kath.

There should be a third element to the above saying in my humble opinion. The full text should read ‘rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep and kick the fools up the backside’. I’m sure no one else feels the same as me, well maybe some of you do.

If You Are Easily Offended Please Do Not Read The Next Paragraph – No Seriously, I Mean It!

But there are people who come to group who do not eat the right food and do no exercise and they cheat and they fret – Why? I can’t rejoice or weep with you. You need a kick up the backside! There! I said it out loud. Well nearly out loud. I am thinking it very loud. Please, if you are in any way concerned that I am thinking of you in this regard, just be assured that I might be. Please take this paragraph as your very own personal kick!

I Told You Not To Read It – My Apologies For The Offence.

(Naomi tried to persuade me to cut that bit out – she is so much nicer than I)

Martina has posted on Facebook that she too has given herself a kick up the backside (that must be hard to do), but because she hasn’t made it to group for a few weeks I haven’t seen the evidence. I’m sure she is in earnest. Tell me it is true Martina.

The Loneliness Of A Long Term Dieter

Doing Slimming World is truly a very lonely experience. We can talk it and appear to walk it in group, but there are times in the week when you are on your own to face decisions and temptations. There are many ‘flashpoints’ and locations where you have to do the right thing and deny yourself. Being mindful of these places and situations ahead of time will help you resist temptation.

When, like me, you have been on Slimming World for over a year, the tenacity and persistence required is huge. You know this is true. Keep moving forward and refuse to be seduced by the elicit food and drink on offer. Walk away. Determine in your mind that you are going to get through the ‘flashpoint’ or event without wavering and then reward yourself with whatever allowable treat you desire.

12 Killer Temptation Flashpoints

The Petrol Station – They all have goodies in the shop.

The Supermarket – The weekly grocery shop can turn into a cheat festival in a moment.

The Works Kitchen/Canteen – Everyone else always has really tasty food for dinner. You just have to make yours tastier.

The Corner Shop – You know the one, nearby and convenient. You justify your trip for an essential item and then must control your desire to binge buy.

The Party – Where it would be impolite not to eat the magnificent naughty food on offer.

Children’s Parties – Where the guilt of not eating cake is twice as bad as a grown-up’s party. (I refrain from using the term ‘adult’).

The Walk – You do the right thing and walk for 6 miles but your destination is a gastro pub. Even if you don’t order dinner they still serve crisps and nuts.

Garden Centres – They only exist for the café

Shopping – Always involves a visit to the coffee shop

School Run – You’ve dropped the kids off to school and your mind turns to food. Or you have just collected the kids and they demand feeding immediately. And you need feeding too, don’t you?

The Kitchen Munchies – You go to the kitchen and the biscuit tin calls out to you that it needs attention. It even knows your name. And then there is the cheese in the fridge. No one will notice if you take a thin slice off the end. You take your stilton/cheddar/any other cheese carefully out of the fridge planning to surreptitiously have ‘just a small slice’. The next thing you know the whole piece has been consumed. If you are like me and can eat hunks of cheese, neat and unadulterated, you are in deep trouble. And then you have to secretly go shopping to replace the cheese you have devoured so that no one will discover your cheat. Life can be so complicated and time consuming hiding your cheats. It avoids the question ‘Wasn’t there some cheese in here?’

The Cake Tin – There is one third of a stunningly scrumptious cake left in the tin. Can you cut it in such a way that it still looks like the full third is still all there after you have stolen a piece? Of course you can’t, but you convince your brain that no one else will notice. And after you have had it, you experience that most disappointing of emotions, regret. Regret is utterly pointless but we all experience it.

At the end of the day we are each on a unique journey. We have our own personal goal and each one of us is determined and self-motivated to reach it. We are the ones who keep moving forward. No one else can do it for us. The most wonderful thing about the Bluebrook Park group is that we realise that we are all on a similar journey. We are all desperate to reach our goal and are committed to encouraging others to reach theirs too. On our own we would struggle. But together we have a higher chance of success. Just Keep Moving Forward.