"Feeling Triumphant" | Slimming World 2014, January

If you're a regular reader of Confetti Letters you may remember that in the early part of 2013 I joined Slimming World (SW) in a bid to shed the excess stones and pounds that had lumped themselves onto my body like little parasites. I think I touched upon how they got there: meeting J and dating in restaurants, getting (and swiftly removing) the contraceptive implant, beginning a 'temporary' job at McDonald's (4 years later I'm now part of the management team!) and then moving up to Durham for uni and piling on a lot more than the 'Freshman Fifteen'. Back at the start of my SW journey I was so motivated, I wanted that summer body, I wanted to look my best at my graduation, I wanted to feel good about myself being someone's girlfriend, and I certainly wanted to fit into the multitude of 'target' clothes I had amassed in my wardrobe. To put it bluntly I slacked off eating well and being motivated with SW towards the end of April 2013, and by May I had stopped going all together. I put more weight on, became more inwardly unhappy and bought more 'target' clothes to try and motivate myself - only to find I was getting upset because I couldn't fit into them.

I carried on eating the wrong things and the wrong amounts of food until January 1st 2014, and, just like so many years before now, my main New Year's resolution was to reincarnate myself as a brand new me: to grow my hair past boob length, and to shed my excess weight. I began with fierce determination and a surprisingly welcome amount of willpower and forced myself not be that person, you know, the one who gives up by day 10. And I'm proud to put finger to key now and say that I made it, and I'm 1st and 9lbs lighter (23lbs or 10.5kg) in 28 days. I simply cannot believe it.

Pulled pork with sweet potato wedges and coleslaw / Spaghetti bolognaise / Homemade pizza using a tortilla, peppers, cheese, chicken, ham and spinach / Roast dinner with sweet potato mash, broccoli cheese, stuffing, yorkies, chicken, carrots and cabbage / Chicken breast with roasted garlic, butternut squash, sweet potato, peppers and onions.

I don't want to sit here and tap out the ins and outs of how SW works (because I truly do not know how(!) and you can research that for yourself) but all I can say is that I must be doing something right and if you're having any weight wobbles yourself and are looking for a bit of support please just go. It's been the best thing I've ever done. It's not a diet. I am never hungry (I can have unlimited amounts of fruit/veg/pasta/potatoes/meat and then 5-15 'syns' a day for naughty things like extra cheese/chocolate/crisps etc), nor do I ever go without. For example one day last week my food diary was thus:

Breakfast: 2 Weetabix with semi-skimmed milk, Muller Light Cherry, Apple, Pear
Snack: Banana, Cadbury's Highlight hot chocolate
Lunch: Penne pasta, one can of tuna in spring water, cheddar cheese
Dinner: Chicken & noodle stir fry with stir fry veg (one of the packets from Tesco)
Pudding: Creme Egg
(Total syns: 13.5)

What diet?!

I'm learning so much about food and my body, and it's actually really refreshing. I've eaten so many new vegetables I would never dare try before (butternut squash, carrots, spinach, kale, sweet potatoes, broccoli, chilli, peppers, cabbage, radish, courgette to name but a few) and made so many meals from scratch I'm starting to feel like a proper little chef. I've learned that eggs in omelette, scrambled or quiche form do not agree with me, that you don't need flour and lots of fat and sugar to make brownies, that I don't need to be scared of chilli and spicy foods, and loads more.

I've started talking to some members of the group too, sharing recipe ideas and celebrating each other's weight loss. I love going and getting rewarded with certificates and stickers when I hit a milestone (and haven't had to buy fruit for 2 weeks now due to winning Slimmer of the Week twice and receiving the fruit basket!). I've finished off the month by being awarded Slimmer of the Month for January which has been a real boost to me, it's nice to put in hard work and reap rewards. I have noticed my clothes are looser around my middle already, I've also had to ask for a smaller work skirt for my uniform, and a couple of bras that couldn't do up round the back now fit comfortably.

And what's made all this work? I am finally doing it for me. No-one else but me. And that was just the little push that I needed. Onwards and downwards...!

Are you a Slimming World member?
Was weight loss one of your resolutions this year?

If you're on Instagram please come and follow me. I post a lot of my meals on there: louisekwilliams.