Christmas & New Year survived

I'd been a bit apprehensive about Christmas & New Year this year, and there was a lot of FOMO about. A lot! We went to see Vanusa a few days before, and she said that you still need to live your life, and special occasions are part of that. Even so, I still wanted to be mindful of what I was eating, and not go completely mad.

So what happened? Well, I had my first alcohol since September - some very nice fizz, and a decent bottle of red - and that was ok. We had bought some treats from Ole & Steen, and I had a portion of one, rather than a whole one. And this was also fine - it meant I didn't feel like I was missing out, and I still got to have a treat.

Over Christmas weekend itself, I didn't follow the plan, but equally I didn't lose my mind, and it was really only bigger portions and more sugar & carbs than I'd been having. I still probably ate less than previous Christmasses, and this was also ok, as I didn't need any more.

On the Monday after Christmas, I started a new meal plan, which I've stuck to, with the possible exception of New Year! But some relaxation is ok, and after all, I'm 2.5 stone better off than I was 3 months ago, and more like 3 since the start of the year.

The acid test will be maintaining it after the Transform 360 programme is finished, but I reckon that I'm on the right path. However, I'm not going to lie, my daughter eating freshly cooked mutton rolls from the Sri Lankan deli the other day was absolute torture - they smelled fantastic!

I was musing this morning over my healthy phase 4 breakfast of poached eggs & smoked salmon, washed down with a kiwi, that maybe the seed which planted the idea that it was time to lose some weight was being approached in M&S by a shop assistant concerned I was having a heart attack! I was on my way back from a jog in the park on a humid morning, so was sweating profusely, and at the time I joked about the perils of exercising while fat. But I wonder if this gnawed away subconsciously. Because when you think about it, it's quite a shocker!

As I've said previously, I didn't feel unfit or unhealthy before, just rather overweight, but thinking about this today, coupled with looking at photos of the before and after comparisons, and thinking about the way I must have been perceived by others, it's actually become quite emotional talking about it with people - surprising how much pollen there is about at this time of year!

Thankfully seeing people isn't an issue at the moment, since it's not allowed, but it does come back to that Positive Mental Attitude I wrote about last time. That way of living has gone now. It doesn't matter any more that I was so big for so long, or that I didn't realise - or want to realise - what this must have looked like to others. I can't change it now. I can regret that it took so long, but you can't do this stuff until you're ready. And even regretting it isn't particularly helpful! So if you are reading this and feeling down about your weight, don't be. Move past it and make a start. Don't look back. To quote one of my favourite songs from the 80s, hang up your blues on a nail in the wall. Thanks for reading, thanks for all the truly humbling support & comments - I really appreciate it.

Happy New Year from us!