Weightloss

Thanks everyone for all your comments on my pictures and on my weightloss - a few of you asked me how I had lost my weight so I thought I would do a post about it for you rather than reply in the comments bit.

In January my Doctor changed my medications for my migraines and a friend had recommended Topamax to me (as weightloss is a side effect) - I asked what he thought of this and he said it was worth me trying it - so we tried it!

Topamax is an anti-epilepsy drug that has proven to work well against migraines. It is now being prescribed in the US as a weightloss drug UNOFFICIALLY. It works by reducing your appetite and also by making you slightly hyperactive or 'energetic' (lol). So basically my portion sizes were reduced and I was more active.

I have been losing about 1 pound a week on average since I started - sometimes 2 - which is the ideal weightloss for a healthy loss. The best thing of all though about Topamax is that I CAN'T eat chocolate - if I eat chocolate I am very ill the next day - and this has been a big BIG change for me. In fact now I eat really healthily - I almost have to - on this medication I find I don't want to sit down for too long as I get bored and 'edgy' if I sit down at the computer for long - I have no interest in sitting in front of the tv - I have to be on the go more. Thankfully Lloyd is the same kind of person and never sits still when he's home so he's happy to potter about and be outside and go for walks and do stuff :)

On Topamax I can't eat much and it has to be healthy or it makes me ill. I used to eat a meal the same size as Lloyds but I can't do that any more. So the tablets have helped me reduce the amount I eat and change the kinds of food I crave - like help me get over my chocolate fix totally. And when I go out for breakfast now I order toast and don't even eat all of that - or I'll order egg beaters and bacon.

In the Summer I was swimming and walking a lot and generally active gardening and being outside. Indoors I'm just more active 'doing' stuff.....I haven't been able to run much this year because of my migraines and my meds and everything but I'm slowly getting back into it now and I run while Sam is in Pre-K.

My weightloss has NOT been fast. It has been made easier because of my medication which has reduced my diet but basically it has just helped ease me into the three important things in any lifestyle:

Make healthy choices
Reduce portion sizes
Increase activity

I could have done this without the meds - but it was so much easier with them!!!! And another bonus is they helped my migraines too :)

It has taken me 8 months to lose just over 40lbs and I still have some to lose to make it to the goal I was set when I attended Weightwatchers. I am still officially overweight. But right now I am loving being able to buy size 7 and 8 jeans (I can squeeze into a 6 but SQUEEZE!!!) I have posted over the months about losing weight but it seems that no one was listening because everyone seems to think I just lost weight all of a sudden which couldn't be further from the truth!!!!