I was once a habitual weigher.

Until I discovered calorie counting!

The great thing about logging all my food is I know whether I can expect a loss each week – or whether the scales will be going in an upwards direction.

If I have had a week of going over my calories, I know what the end result will be! If I’ve been away on holiday or for a weekend and not bothered logging food or making less than sensible choices – I know I’ll see a gain. If I have stuck stringently to my calorie allowance (which is set to half a pound weight loss) I know that I should enjoy a loss!

I used to go to Slimming World and Weight Watchers and think that just going to the weigh in and listening to the class leader was all I needed to do! I would hate the idea that I was not going to lose weight and the sorts of excuses I was forced to make as to why that was.

I love the calorie counting way – it’s about being accountable and honest with myself. Nothing is forbidden. No food is “free”. I can check the calories the food contains and it is me who makes the choice about whether I want to eat it or not.

I won’t say it all falls into place just like that, but once you can get your head around the simple fact that less calories in vs more calories out = weight loss, it becomes a whole lot easier!

As a sedentary (disabled) very short woman, I know that I have to be more stringent than others who are active or more mobile, taller or younger!! 

I STILL weigh myself every morning, I know that the scales will fluctuate quite considerably (depending on whether I have eaten lots of carbs, exercised, eaten salty food, etc). The one weigh in that matters is the Friday morning weigh in – the one I log.

It’s not all plain sailing – life has to go on around weight loss – the birthday celebrations, Christmas, social gatherings. The choices I make on those occasions are completely up to me.

I don’t log when I am on holiday – and I used to just “let go” but I have learned during the course of my six year weight loss journey that I can’t afford to do that. So I now reign myself in. I will still face a gain on my return, but it’s never as huge as when I took a holiday from my healthy eating habits!

I’m showing you my weight loss chart so that you can see that I am far from perfect. But I know what to do.

It’s up to me what I choose to do.