Off to a fast start

When taking the decision to lose weight, a lot of people want a quick fix. I'm not necessarily one of those people as I've been battling the bulge over a number of years so know that a long term commitment is required rather than instant gratification. That said, I was delighted by the outcomes of 5 days of sensible eating. For those who missed it, my first Wednesday Weigh-In of 2015 showed a 10lb loss in less than a week.

On any other week of the year, that sort of drop would cause all manner of alarm bells to go off, but immediately following Christmas and New Year it is acceptable. All those extra calories consumed from eating junk and excess drinking had to be eliminated, and a little bit of a detox to start 2015 has paid off. Where others may fall off the dieting wagon is when the next week is not quite so successful. And it won't be. If you lose 10lbs a week, every week, you probably need to see a doctor rather than count your calories.

I achieved my loss through keeping things simple. Porridge for breakfast. Soup for lunch. Whatever I fancied for dinner in a good sized portion. No snacks. No alcohol. Bread off the menu. Throw in a 5k run and that was my recipe for success.

Imagine 10 of these. Gone. From your weight. Happy days

Last night I found myself eating a little more for dinner than I have on previous nights, and helped myself to pudding too. The scales this morning remained friendly. All things in moderation, then back to my porridge/soup combination so far today. I know this works for me, and I have the willpower (when motivated) to stick to the plan. Until I can raise my fitness levels and bring more exercise to my routine, food control is my chief method for weight loss.

I won't have lost another 10lbs by my next weigh in. But if I keep good habits and don't steer too from the path that I have found successful, I won't be gaining. I've made a terrific start to wrestling back control of my waistline. The challenge starts here to back that up in subsequent weeks and months.