In the beginning....

God created heaven and earth....... and food!! Well Eve did eat an apple didn't she? It's just a shame that we, as humans, didn't stop at apples... or vegetables...or chicken even. Just not Mcd*nalds and Chinese food and Cream Eggs and Chicken Tikka Marsala and Eggy Bread... anything else that contains a lot of calories and fat per average portion. Let's face it.... take a pen and paper and write down as many foods as you can that you fantasise eating that contain sensible calories per average portion. I'm stuck after beetroot! and I never fantasise about eating beetroot I just think it tastes nice and didn't want to have a blank page.

So... I have decided to write a blog, not to question God's motives or anything too heavy, just to track my journey which I am about to begin in the next couple of weeks - I hope. My name is Claire and I'm 33 stone... no I'm not actually, I am aged 33 (just a reminder that it could be worse, sorry if you're reading this and you're 33 stone, you could be 40 stone...) I'm not at that 'sharing' stage where I'm about to reveal all about my weight, we'll see how I go, Chris doesn't even know, although he's not blind he's got a rough idea. He does seem to be oblivious sometimes however, have you ever seen the film Shallow Hal? that's Chris I think!!!!

Anyway, I live in the North East with my partner Chris and Cat Ellie who both do not know that I have started a blog. He is downstairs watching football and probably tidying (which he does a lot... after me) and she is sleeping on her cat bed, what a life. I have been inspired to write a blog by two people, one is my Sister Louise who is writing a blog about a trek to Cuba in aid of 'Breakthrough Breastcancer', and Lesley who is currently much further along the journey I'm about to begin, so thanks for the inspiration. I really hope it continues as long as theirs has, we'll see.

Long story short - four weeks ago, I attended a meeting and saw a colleague I had not seen for quite a while who had lost two stone with Lighter Life. She looked great and inspired me to get home and 'Google' Lighter Life. Through the site, I found myself a councilor in the local area. After initial contact with J (sounded nice on the phone), I took the forms she sent me through the post to the Doctor to be 'signed off'. It took five and a half minutes as I set my stop watch on my mobile (don't ask), she took my blood pressure, consulted my notes on her pc and ticked some boxes. She then stamped my form, told me she completely supported the diet and send my on my way. I'm really pleased she did as I was so desperate to be signed off I had considered forcing my partner to stage some kind of diversion if she said no and steal her stamp....

I'm not crazy, just a little desperate to loose weight. My partner proposed on 3rd Feb and we are getting married next year, what more motivation could you possibly have? No more probably but unless you have been overweight I think it is impossible to understand just how hard it is to loose. Yes before you ask I've tried atkins, WW, putting less in my mouth, God knows I know what to do but can't do it. SO!!! I attended an introductory session from J yesterday. There was about 7 of us, I didn't turn around and have a good look because I'm not the lightest and I felt one wrong move and I may just collapse through the very lightweight, unstable IKEA type sofa quite clearly not designed for anyone over 10 stone, not to mention me and the two people on my right.....We watched a video, had a chat from J and had the opportunity to ask questions, which I did, three of them. So far so good. I'm signing up!!

J hopes to begin the sessions on the 8th March and it could not come soon enough! 11 days of my life (as I know it) to go! I'll keep you posted!!!