STARTING AGAIN… {SLENDER WONDER – PART 2}

Welcome to my #SlenderWonderJourney, Part 2. You might remember that I was on Slender Wonder before, but sadly only for a month. Read about it over here.  My immune system was so compromised that I got really sick & had to stop with the programme. Now, more than a year (& many extra kg’s) later, I am finally ready to get my body back & have confidence again, so I have teamed up with the lovely team at SkinLogic here in George.

I’m short (1.53m) & extra weight shows instantly on my small frame. We have a family history of cholesterol & heart conditions, so ultimately this is a health journey for me.

Although I was never thin as a rake, I was always at a healthy weight. I loved getting dressed & enjoyed shopping – I had body confidence. But the last three years have thrown many challenges my way & things have changed. First: I could see a change in my body after 30. Then a very challenging pregnancy leading to an underactive thyroid. I also became a work-from-home mom (hello fridge & all day snacking!). Then a very traumatic hijacking leading to insomnia leading to compromised immunity & finally a move across the country to George (which initially made me feel so sad & lonely).

All of these changes slowly awakened the emotional eating monster in me. I became miserable in my own body. I had to appear on stage recently (see my before pictures below). Normally I wouldn’t mind walking on stage in front of almost 500 people, but I felt ashamed because I have so much weight on me. I weighed over 77kg’s. Ugg.

Last week I realised that my head & my body was finally ready again for this challenge. Two of my friends have had amazing results with Slender Wonder this year, so I was inspired. I popped in to see the lovely Dr Adri Hoffmeister at SkinLogic last week & my @SlenderWonderJourney began.

So, I’m here to share my first week with you.

What is Slender Wonder? In a nutshell Slender Wonder is a Medical Weight Loss Programme based on a formula combining a low GI eating plan, a shake & supplements, plus a series of injections that helps to improve the body’s Leptin sensitivity. You also do weekly weigh-ins with a medical professional.  Ultimately it treats the cause of obesity & overweight, not only the symptoms.

My week 1: It started off tough, but got a bit easier every day. I remember walking through a grocery store a few hours after my visit to Skinlogic last week & realised that my mouth was literally watering for everything I saw. Crazy, I know.

My two main guys & helper all had a sick day or two last week, so I was stressed & irritated. I was hangry (hunger leading to anger)!

Plus, on Saturday evening we spent a much needed night away at a lodge & I can proudly say that I did not have wine, gin or dessert with my husband. Phew. I still managed to eat sensibly, but couldn’t stick to the programme completely as all meals were served in the restaurant. Certainly not ideal, but the away time was bliss.

Every day became easier though. By Monday I felt positive about my journey, plus my skin is looking clearer. Yay.

I have not started an official exercise regime as yet, but have been tracking my steps with my FitBit & I’ve been aiming to get my 10 000 steps each day.

Weight lost: 0.8kg (A bit disappointing, but some lessons learnt)

Lessons learnt this week:

• Drink more water.
• Inject every day. Very important.
• If it is not in the book, it’s not on your plate as it works against the injection.
• Distractions are great if you think about food all the time (like me). I went to see a movie last week. Also try a craft project, go for a walk or go for a massage.
• You have to stick to the rules. I was naughty & continued to drink my (six to eight) cups of tea & coffee per day with full cream milk, which I realise now worked against my weight loss.
• Being prepared is key. I cooked some Slender Wonder meals & froze them. Very helpful.

For the week ahead, I’m going to:

• Drink more water.
• Continue to track my steps.
• Inject every day.
• Cook more meals to freeze (from the Slender Wonder Cookbook II).
• Play around with the Slender Wonder app that I’ve downloaded.
• Try my best to have no more coffee & teas with full cream milk.
• Find inspiration on the Slender Wonder social media sites (Twitter & Instagram).

Follow my journey here & on the SkinLogic Facebook page as I share my progress.

And why don’t you join me on this #SlenderWonderJourney? Spring is the perfect time to start & when summer comes, you will be grateful.

Yolandi ♥