So, I've re-joined Slimming World

Those of you who have been reading my posts for a while will know that, prior to our wedding, I lost two and a half stone through Slimming World.

I joined in November 2015 and by March 2016 was at my target weight. I kept the weight off for the year up to our wedding, and for the summer that followed while I was bridesmaid for my best friend, and then went on our honeymoon, put almost a stone on, and got pregnant. And the rest, as they say, is history!

I did go back to Slimming World when Peyton was around 6-8 weeks old, however, because I was still breastfeeding I think my "baby weight" was dropping off more because of that, rather than because I was sticking to plan.

I piled on over five stone while I was pregnant and, boy, did I know it. Every part of me got bigger: my arms, my legs, my neck, my face... It was just like someone had inflated me.

By November, I was two stone away from my original target weight. I figured it would be "easy" to lose this last bit so decided to go it alone at home, without going to group. It was hard for me to go to group and stay because Peyton was still breastfed and needed me there to feed her to sleep (it was far from an ideal situation), and when Tom changed his job he was often not home in time for me to go. I also didn't like to take her with me because I was conscious she would cry during image therapy and, while everyone would pretend to be understanding, nobody wants to listen to a crying baby when they're trying to listen to others talking.

I knocked it on the head and hoped that, when I started back at work in March, my head would be in a better place to get back to the Slimming World ways. I wouldn't be going out for lunch regularly, or having coffee (and cake) dates on random weekdays. I also wouldn't be diving headfirst into the snack cupboard because I was at home and it was there.

This didn't go to plan, though. I just couldn't get my head back in it.

As summer is approaching, and we've had a few tastes of nice weather, I've got so disheartened when my summer clothes haven't fit properly. I have two options - my summer clothes from 2017, or my summer clothes from last year. The ones from last year are ginormous (to incoroporate my slowly deflating belly and gigantic knockers) and the ones from 2017 are too small.

So a change had to be made; and back to Slimming World I went.

I re-joined as a new member because I found it quite demoralising when I went back after Peyton was born and I didn't get awards when I lost weight. And the awards are what keep you going.

I had a really good first week, losing 5lbs.

I didn't expect to lose that much. In fact, I was only saying at work before weigh-in that I thought I'd be disheartened when I didn't lose as much weight as I did on week one my first time around. But there was no worries about that - I lost more than I did during my first week one back in 2015.

I had an okay week, but didn't think it was spectacular enough to have lost that. But, I will take it and run!

I am so determined to get rid of this weight and feel a bit happier and more confident in my skin again. I'm still not mad on my post-baby body, and still have a bad relationship with my stretch marks, but I'm hoping if I lose the rest of this weight it'll go some way towards repairing that.

Peyton turns one in five weeks and I would love to be a stone lighter by then. Then we have our best friends' baby girl's christening, a wedding, our holiday and another wedding! I want to look back at those pictures and like how I look, and be able to wear outfits I'm comfortable in, rather than just whatever fits at the time.

My target is half a stone above what it was originally, as I feel it'll be difficult to get back down to that weight. However, if I find I get there quite easily I can always lower it.

For now, though, I am just focusing one week at a time.

Some days are hard, I find I have to be very organised; which isn't always easy when working long days and having a little one to factor into everything. Baby steps, though!

If I lose 2lbs or more this week I will get my half a stone award. Half a stone gone, just like that!

I still can't believe I lost so much this week. Not by doing any crazy diet where you blend weird things or cut out carbs. Not by busting my ass in the gym for hours a day. Just by eating well. And, I still drank half a bottle of red wine on Saturday!

That's why I love Slimming World. You can still live your life, enjoy yourself and be social while losing weight.

Sorry, but I'm probably going to bore you with regular updates each week now! I used to include everything I'd eaten that week on my blogs so I might do that again, as I felt it helped keep me accountable, but we'll see if I get chance to write it down/remember what I've eaten...!