After I wrote my first post about the FitBit, Kathy got in touch to let me know how she had managed to lose weight using her FitBit. I was intrigued to find out more, so this is her story, which I am so happy to share because it's realistic, with a healthy approach and fantastic results. I haven't edited what Kathy sent to me because all of it is important, providing a great account of how she achieved her goals, both physically and psychologically.
Last winter (October 2014 to Feb 2015) I was poorly with a series of minor illnesses one after another. I didn't go to the gym and ate too much. I felt run down, fat and out of condition. By the beginning of March I was starting to feel better and keen to get back to the gym. (I've always exercised, even when I haven’t been careful about my weight.)
Kathy prior to starting her FitBit journey
Last winter (October 2014 to Feb 2015) I was poorly with a series of minor illnesses one after another. I didn't go to the gym and ate too much. I felt run down, fat and out of condition. By the beginning of March I was starting to feel better and keen to get back to the gym. (I've always exercised, even when I haven’t been careful about my weight.)
My Heart Rate Monitor watch was old and not very reliable so to help
motivate me I bought a FitBit. I chose the Charge HR model and as our bathroom scales
were also old and needing replacement I also bought the FitBit Aria scales. They
sync together and your weight is logged automatically. No cheating possible!
I’ve always gained weight easily and the FitBit confirmed
what I suspected; that I don’t burn many calories. On a typical day, with
little exercise, I am lucky to burn more than 1900 calories.
At first, I focussed on exercise at the gym, and after a
month or so decided to start running outside again. The first few times were
hard, I had to make myself stay out for 30 minutes! I was going to the gym 2 or
3 times a week doing cardio and some weights, plus an outdoor run once a week.
But the FitBit encouraged me, and each week I was running further, faster and
for longer. Instead of catching the bus halfway to work, I walked the whole
way, and added in as many steps as I could each day. I realised today that I
had been spending about £25 a month on bus fares to work. Not a huge amount but
in the 10 months I've had the FitBit and been walking to work I've saved £250 –
which more than covers the cost of the scales and the Fitbit itself!
By the middle of June I was feeling a lot better and decided
it was time to get my weight under control. We had a holiday booked for the end
of September so I worked back 100 days until we went, and started dieting from
then, using the food logging feature of the FitBit. I set myself a target to
lose 2 stone by the time we went on holiday. I managed this with a few days to
spare and was really pleased. However I was concerned about putting a lot of it
back on it during the two-week all-inclusive holiday, as I would usually do.
I
hoped that I would be able to do less damage this time by making sure I got my
step count in each day and swimming as much as possible. I didn't want to put
on more than 3lbs. The first day at the resort it rained so I thought I might
as well check out the hotel gym. In hindsight, I think that was a good thing
for me, as it put me in the right mind-set; yes, I was on holiday, but I could
still keep up with the exercise and gym routine. So, from the first day I either
went to the gym, doing a circuit-based routine, or I ran outside in the
morning, before it got too hot. I really enjoyed this and each day did a
different route in and around the resort. I saw much more of it than I
otherwise would have, had I just been at the pool or on the deck!
I also decided not to eat and drink whatever I wanted. I
avoided the pastries at breakfast and the dishes of Turkish delight. However I
ate 3 good meals every day, including a small dessert with the evening meal,
and had wine and a couple of G&Ts so I didn't feel at all deprived. I
didn't log the calories but made sure I kept up my step count and active
minutes each day. For the first time ever
I didn't put on any weight on holiday. For me this was a major
accomplishment and a psychological breakthrough. I could do it.
When we got back I continued as I had before the holiday and
lost a few more pounds so adjusted my target down by 4lbs. The next hurdles approaching were my birthday
which meant a few days in London followed three weeks later by Christmas. The
time in London was lovely. I couldn't do my usual exercise, but we did walk a
lot. My poor husband! We ate out and I had quite a lot of champagne and
cocktails. But again, no weight gained.
With Christmas approaching I lost a couple more pounds, to
give me some ‘spare’ as I would surely gain over Christmas, and we would be
away for some of the time, so I would miss out on gym and run sessions. So on
Christmas Eve I was 2 stone 9lbs lighter than when I got the FitBit back in
March. I did put on 3lbs over Christmas/New Year but, I have lost 2lbs of that
already and should lose the last pound this week. I have dropped my target down
again by 3lbs, and that is now where I am sticking. I feel this is a realistic
weight that I can maintain. My aim is to end 2016 the same weight as I started
it. I've never managed that before. I've been a typical yo-yo dieter for years,
but this time I am determined to break out of that cycle. I firmly believe the
FitBit has made the difference; I love the features and the detail it gives
you.
I am motivated by the numbers, and
seeing what I am doing. It has become second nature to me and I wouldn’t be
without it.
I am the lightest weight I have been in years, and have had
to get boxes of smaller clothes out of the loft. Of course, I've also bought
quite a lot of new things as well! It was lovely choosing the smaller sizes in
the January sales! I am also the fittest I've been in years and I feel great! I'm
51 and can easily hold my own against women much younger than me.
This photo was taken in September 2015, when Kathy had lost nearly 2 stones
So, for 2016 I want to maintain my current weigh and fitness
levels. I am still going to count calories for a while, but I am gradually
going to increase the daily amount, whilst eating fewer calorie-counted ready
meals, or low-fat versions of everyday foodstuffs. The FitBit makes it easier to do this, and
keep on track. Fingers crossed I can do it!
Kathy having lost nearly 3 stones in total. "I am now the sort of
person who takes their gear and goes for a quick 5k run before breakfast on a
weekend away (I did it every day on holiday too!)"
Kathy has also explained to me how she used the FitBit to log the food that she ate so as to count the calories accurately, so if anyone would like me to share that also, I would be very happy to do so in another post.
