CORY HICKTON
I really didn’t feel up to writing anything this week. But then I told myself that this needs to be told. I will not be the only person in my situation, there will be plenty of other guys out there feeling exactly like right now.
I have found things with work to be really tough. We’ve had people leave, people change roles and it feels like a lot of change in one go. It’s unsettling and it has been really stressful for me. Stress and weight loss aren’t things that go well together for me.
Ever since my younger years, I’ve been an emotional eater. If I get stressed, feel down, upset or sometimes angry – I turn to food to comfort me.
As you can likely guess, I gained again this week. It was expected and I very nearly didn’t turn up to weigh in or football this week. But I knew if I didn’t go then I wouldn’t draw a line under it and start this week fresh.
I’m learning to deal with the issues at work. Since knowing how I feel my boss has been pretty supportive. I’ve also started tracking what I’m eating this week which I feel is helping again.
Opening up to my coach at MvF Football was also another good thing I’ve done. I’ve been reaching out to takeaways/junk food due to comfort eating and not being bothered to make meals fresh. He mentioned one of the best things to do is get a couple of low-calorie frozen meals for times like this. Not only is it cheaper than a takeaway, but it’ll help keep me on track too. So this week’s shop will include this advice.
I feel a bit more optimistic about this week coming. I’ve felt better about what I’m eating so fingers crossed that we see a loss next week.
Before I sign off for this week, I saw the quote I’ve screenshot here on a social media post this week and it really hit home with me. If you’re feeling you’re in the same lifeboat as me, have a read, maybe it will change your thinking a little.
ANDREW SHANAHAN
As I write this we’re about six hours away from the cup final to end the season. What I’ve been surprised by is how nervous I am, and also how I’ve absolutely behaved better than I would have done if I hadn’t had this looming. It’s led me back into thinking about why this collective responsibility for weight loss is so much more powerful for me than a personal responsibility. What sort of weirdo would improve their health and fitness for other people (lovely as they are) but not for themselves? Well, I suppose the answer is this weirdo.
My scales at home are showing I’m just under a KG down today and they usually tally fairly accurately with the club scales but I’m still bricking it, in case the scales do something random. The other thing that’s really working for me is tracking. I do it old school by writing in a diary. Every day I write what I had for breakfast, lunch and dinner, what I drank, what activity and then give it a score for the day. It’s telling that weekends are often a 1 or a 2 and weekdays are nearly always a 3.5 or higher.
I’ve continued to hit 10k steps per day, even if I’ve been doing a bit of TV watching and marching in the evenings sometimes to get me over the goal line. It’s the psychological dependency of a streak – can’t break it now! But as I look at my watch I can see that it’s nearly lunchtime and I’m only on 1281 steps – time to log off and get on my feet on the street…
STEVEN MASON
- MyFitnessPal username: LiangMiUK
- Starting Weight: 140.4KG / BMI: 35.81
- Current Weight: 127.5KG / BMI: 32.52
- Total Weight loss: 12.90KG (9.19% of weight)
- Weight loss in the past week: 2.7KG
Achievements earned:
- Biggest loser in week 1
- 5% of total weight lost
- 2nd biggest loser in week 2
- Biggest loser in week 3
- 2nd biggest loser in week 5
- Achieved number 1 spot for weight loss % for current season for entire club (week 5)
On the glorious return back to MvF this week from my absence last week due to illness I brought with me almost 3kg off. Most people would have been happy, but this left a sour taste in my mouth as my scales advised me I would be hitting my 10% weight loss goal and I was shy by 1.3KG. It was cruel for my scales to dangle that hope in front of me to have it snatched away but my consolation prize was achieving the highest percentage of weight loss for the entire club this season while also becoming second in the total weight loss for that evening.
My approach is still laser focused on maintaining 1860 calories a day and since I am a snacker, or a bored eater I have managed to maintain my snacking habits by replacing it with low calorie options. Tunnocks Teacakes, Pringles and cakes are now replaced with PopChips, BabyBel and even the odd Dairyleigh dunker. To satisfy the odd chocolate craving I have an Options hot chocolate to finish the day off with.
Normally I would continue as I have been and get the 10% but the frustration of missing out makes me want to not just achieve it but blast past it, so my eyes are on the prize this week and might even throw something new in like hitting the pool or gym to ensure victory is obtained. Those scaled better watch out as I am coming for them!
