The first month-and-a-bit of using Fitbit, I didn't have any friends on the app so was just competing with myself each day to get to my goals and beat my targets. I then joined a Facebook group called Fitbit for Weight Loss, and found lots of Fitbit buddies to take part in daily, weekend or week long challenges. I dont know any of these people in real life, but seeing their step count every day and getting support from them has pushed me further than I ever thought I'd take this whole Fitbit thing!
The Facebook group is so supportive too, with members all offering tips and advice, answering questions and lending a kind word or two if you've had a bad week. There's also a real culture of celebration if you hit your targets or post your weight loss, and everyone is "in it together" (in the real sense of the phrase, not in David Cameron's sense).
In my last post about how Fitbit changed my life, I went through how the Fitbit works and how this gave me the shocking realisations about why I simply couldn't shift any weight. In that first month-and-a-bit I lost 3lb, and changed my whole outlook on food and exercise. I am very, very proud to say that since having Fitbit and in the past seven months I have lost TWO STONE!!!
I had an original goal weight of 10 stone when I first looked at myself in the mirror four years ago and didn't recognise myself any more. 10 stone was the weight I started at when I started university. Everyone puts weight on at university with a combination of sedentary lifetsyles, eating crap because you can't afford good food (and have no idea how to cook it anyway...!) and drinking A LOT. So I didn't really begrudge my one stone weight gain during university. It was after that - the extra three stone I put on slowly but surely after starting sedentary jobs and grazing on junk food all day long for something to do that I really did feel utterly disgusting. How my husband ever found me attractive at 14 stone I will never know (and that's nothing against anyone who's 14 stone and over - it just never felt like "me"). But it creeps up on you, one day your jeans are a bit tight so you buy a size up. And before you know it a year down the line you need yet another size larger. But it's not overnight - it takes time and it's not til you hit that point of "holy crap, how big have I gotten!?" that you really realise it.
I lost almost a stone in that year prior to getting married, trying to go to the gym (running on a treadmill, how fruitless for weight loss!) and eating a little healthier. But it was such a slow and drawn out process with weeks and weeks of no losses and even putting a few pounds back on.
I was 13 stone when I got married, a full three stone heavier than when I had met my husband, and as beautiful as my dress was, it wasn't really me that got married. It was the fat me.
I lost another stone after I got married, but it took two full years and it was painfully slow. Again, I yo-yo'd and was never really making a concerted effort.
ENTER FITBIT.
I was 12 stone when I got my Fitbit. I don't like to tell people that because I looked alright and I don't think I looked 12 stone. But I was. And looking back, I looked terrible.
Using Pact, Bounts and of course Fitbit, I have pushed and pushed and pushed myself, doing 10000 steps at least five days out of seven. I have started doing the Parkrun on (most) Saturdays and doing a leisurely 5km, and I have eaten healthily for the majority of the time. But I still eat chocolate, I still eat carbs, in fact I eat what I want most of the time within reason. I just make healthier choices when I can and I exercise away the unhealthy choices.
AND NOW I AM TEN STONE!
I don't want to get too skinny because I like my curves and I've never been a stick (nor do I think I am designed to be one) but from here on out I am just seeing how far I get. Maintaining and continuing t be healthy and seeing where Fitbit takes me next. I need to tone up now, my arms and legs still jiggle, but I'm working on it. And Fitbit is there, every step of the way!!
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