Week four of ann caseys weight loss journey with motivation

I’m feeling a lot fitter this week - with 9lbs less of me, I definitely feel better and lighter and I’m getting more and more used to my diet.
It is three weeks since I started the eating plan and it really is remarkable how little hunger I feel, the protein bars I get at each consultation really keep the hunger pangs at bay, even though I have drastically cut down on carbohydrates and have eliminated fat from my diet.
Sticking rigidly to the plan can be difficult though, as the Motivation team really believe in having protein with each meal.
A bowl of soup with a slice of wholemeal bread in a coffee shop when you are stuck leaves you without the protein and you will feeling hungrier and more likely to break your diet.
One of the most important messages from my counsellor, on this my fourth visit, is to concentrate on eating healthily and often, with protein to keep me from being hungry.
Drinking lot of water is also important and so is exercise - and with nine pounds less of me that is getting easier too!
When you are weighed at Motivation consultations, your body mass is also measured as well as fluids and muscle mass and this week, there was a noticible increase in my lean muscle and a reduction in fatty tissue - always a good sign.
My counsellor points out that despite my weight loss, the scales isn’t the be-all and end-all of everything. It is healthy diet, proper hydration and improved fitness that is most important and most people, especially women will show weight fluctuation on the scales that may not necessarily reflect their real weight loss or weight gain - this depends on the time of the month, when they have last eaten and other biological factors I’m too polite to mention here!
As I’ve said before, the reasons why we eat badly is one of the main topics covered at Motivation consultatons and each week, I receive a worksheet to look a the reasons behind my behaviours. I also have to create a mental picture of myself at my ideal weight and envisage it several times a day.
I also keep a diary of all the food I eat each week, which my ever patient counsellor, Siobhan has a look through - that is certainly one way of keeping me on the straight and narrow, although she is never judgemental - she is just great at inspiring you to keep going.
Despite keeping pretty much to the plan this week, I didn’t lose any weight, but Siobhan is extremely confident it will show on the scales next week, as the lean muscle mass and fluid retention registered this week points very much in that direction.
It could have been extremely disheartening, especially as I lost weight last week, when I had some indiscretions, but I understand more now about bodily fluctuations and knowing that I feel fitter and healtheir Im still inspired to keep going and hope to see my efforts reflected at next week’s weigh-in! I’ll keep you posted!