Longevity

A truly momentous occasion occurred this morning.

I managed to fit into a leather jacket that I bought 18 months ago. For the first time. It fits! It fits! IT FITS! I can zip it up and it fits round my (not as) gigantic arms and everything. I may never take it off. If this weather carries on then I won't have to.

Another momentous occasion occurred on Friday. I weighed myself in the morning (yes, yes I know that Slimming World discourage such weighing mania but I know the difference between my scales and theirs so there's no problem) and I was under 14 stone. 13 stone 11 pounds to be precise.

That, my friends, is the lightest I've been for about five years. GET IN.

I realised today that I've been doing Slimming World for almost four months now. I think that's probably the longest I've ever stuck to any diet or eating plan. I think I did SlimFast (halfheartedly) for about three weeks, until I couldn't stand any more of the terrible milkshakes. I did Atkins for about a week. Again, that was halfhearted as I just love fruit too much. Five years ago I lost three stone in three months. How? I ate 3 spoonfuls of bran flakes for breakfast, two ryvitas with cucumber and tiny slivers of cheese for lunch and a quarter portion of whatever my boyfriend at the time was having for dinner. Et volia! Three stone gone and utter misery. And of course, once I started eating normally again, I gained all the weight back and then some.

Slimming World is the only diet I've ever managed to stick to and the only one I've ever managed to stick out for any length of time. I think it's partly down to the fact that I never feel deprived. If I want some chocolate, I have it. But I count the syns. Likewise with crisps, peanut butter and biscuits. It's completely changed the way I think about food. I don't constantly think about when I can next have a Burger King or a pizza. I don't buy huge amounts of food and eat until I feel ill. I don't use food as a reward, or as a punishment. I make healthy choices, without even thinking about it most of the time. So yes, it's partly down to the fact that the eating plans aren't restrictive.

But, more than that, it's because my mindset has changed. For the first time in my life I want to be slim and healthy more than I want to eat chocolate eclairs or cheese and biscuits. I want to fit into the clothes I like, without worrying that I'll look like a big fat whale. I want to feel attractive and, dare I say it, have boys look at me and think I look nice. I've never had that, not that I've been aware of anyway.

I'm actually going to do it this time. Finally.