First weigh in

It's Wednesday morning and I have just returned from my first Slimming World group weigh in with a HUGE grin on my face. I was expecting a good loss in my first week as I have followed the Slimming World plan in 2000 and had a great loss in the first week. I wasn't surprised when the lady operating the scales tapped the screen to make sure they were working properly. She then called our consultant over who looked at the screen, pressed a button, and then with a smile almost as big as mine, congratulated me on an eighteen and a half pound loss. I was gobsmacked. One stone, four and a half pounds lost in only a week.

I'll be the first to admit that a lot of the loss can be attributed to water loss. Over the last week I have tried really hard to reduce my salt intake. Doctors recommend you consume less than six grams of salt a day. I have no idea of my salt intake prior to re-starting my healthy eating, but suffice to say salt could have been classed as a staple rather than a condiment. This week I have manage to average less than four grams of salt. My blood pressure is down from 140/77 to 130/80 and my feet and ankles are a lot less swollen.

It might sound childish but I am proud to now have my half stone and one stone award stickers attached to my book. I know this isn't a competition but there is something inside me that is driven to obtaining my next sticker. I know that I'll be dropping over two and a half pound in the next week so I'll be coming home with at least one more sticker. I am however aiming for my two stone award, however a nine and a half pound loss might be a little out of reach.

In group a lot of my fellow slimmers took the time to congratulate me on my loss. I really appreciate the support I get from the group and the feeling I get from this helps when suffering with the late night munchies. One group of ladies in particular asked me how I managed such a big weight loss. They were surprised when I mentioned about only doing green and red days, as they were only doing the extra easy days. For me, it is all too easy to consume extra calories on extra easy days. Speaking to people who do extra easy days, they follow the ratio of one third super free foods and two thirds free on their plates, but ignore how high they pile up foods like potatoes and pasta. Whilst the food is still healthy, the basic secret behind the Slimming World plan is to fill up on the less calorie dense foods and limit the carbs and protein. In my view extra easy makes it a little too easy to abuse the medium to high calorie dense food. So I explained to them that I prefer green days and a simple way remember how to do them, as the book can be a little confusing till you get your head round the principal.

So despite the first week's junk food withdrawal symptoms being difficult and the fact I still don't really like veggies, I am extremely happy with my eighteen and a half pound loss.