I’ve spoken frequently about how fed up I am with my appearance. I know that we should love who we are but I find that really hard and of course it is a lot easier to blame my lack of partner or love on being too fat rather than it being me and my actual personality. I think I have honestly tried almost every diet under the sun and with varying forms of success. I have lost weight on all of them but they haven’t lasted. I haven’t stuck the course. This is for various reasons – I was either doing a diet who’s expense I couldn’t maintain (an eye-watering £65 a week) or more likely, I’d just give up! I am now the biggest I have ever been and probably the least happy I have ever been when looking in a mirror. I’ve spent so much time being a mother I actually forgot about the mother herself. I tried the So Shape diet back in February and had a great experience so when they offered to help me continue I actually cried with relief!

I never ever thought a meal replacement diet would work for me. I honestly thought that I would be craving food and quit after a few days and honestly? I wanted to. The first 3 days of the diet are the worst. You have to get used to being hungry and doing it for a second time (after having reviewed So Shape in February) but this time knowing it wouldn’t be over in two weeks, was a big deal and really hard!me in a cropped gym top and leggings showing my flab in a mirror

For some reason, this time I really couldn’t stomach certain flavours. It is definitely important to try them and so for the first two weeks I had a mix of both sweet shakes and some savoury though I stuck to soup as for me the pasta and risotto wasn’t right this time. After this I just ordered sweet shakes and frappes as there are so many flavours there was just an endless choice and I am never board.

Now, the first week as I said was difficult. You need to make sure when you aren’t having a shake, your bottle is full of water to keep you going. I like to add a lemon wedge and mint to mine. I did find myself hungry at times and I have now gotten into a routine where if I am hungry, I will have a shake and a plate of sliced tomato and cucumber wedges with a little lo-salt and pepper. This also helps because it gives you something to chew which again makes you feel better as you have something to chew.

Having a list of “free” or Open Foods in the booklet is really helpful because if you do get hungry then you can grab something. I found that the first week or two I did this. I am not going to lie – week 3 wasn’t good for me. I got complacent. I was eating the leftovers from Alyssa’s dinner and not drinking enough water and that week I gained 2lbs. The diet does work… as long as you do what you’re meant to.

That really flipped a switch in my head. Something has clicked. I sat and I cried and I asked myself why I would do this to myself. Why, when the lovely people at So Shape (particularly a lovely lady called Beatrice) were so willing to help me, why would I throw it away. I now feel like I am on a steam train going at full pelt and nothing is going to stop me!

I have realised that as soon as you get it into your head you don’t actually have to miss out on anything then you are fine. If you want chips, a piece of chocolate, a takeaway then you can – just have it as your one meal a day. That’s what makes this diet awesome. It is not full meal replacement – I have two shakes and open foods and then you can have any meal you like (within reason) for your third meal and that is why it works for me.

Last week, I had homemade pizza, I enjoyed a family bbq and I even had a Chinese takeaway… and I lost 4lbs!! That is also whilst battling a thyroid condition that makes it difficult to lose weight. Obviously I do think about what I am eating as my main meals and try to make them as healthy as I possibly can and being a vegetarian helps with that.

Something else that helped me and is still helping me on this diet is the fact I am sharing it over on Instagram. Every day, on my Instagram stories I am using the hashtag #soshape (in case you want to follow along) and I am talking all about my daily diet life and sharing it with hundreds of other people interested or doing So Shape. I’ve been speaking to people in the UK and France and striking up real solidarity friendships with these people – it helps to know you are not alone!

The only thing that could stop you from losing weight on the So Shape challenge, is you. You have to want it. You have to really want it. Across 4 weeks, so shape helped me lose 17lbs – that is huge!! That is over a stone and it is a stone I never ever plan on seeing again. I am determined not to throw this opportunity away. So Shape are helping me to re-shape not only my body but my life for both me and my daughter and for that I couldn’t be more thankful!

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*This is a collaborative post.

3 Comments

  1. Sarah Lawton says:

    17lbs is amazing, well done!! I need to lose a thyroid-induced stone as well, I might have to try it!! #foodiefriday

  2. Well done, you are doing so well #foodiefriday

  3. Donna says:

    You’re doing so well! I think I’d miss food too much! I’m the worlds worst dieter! Congratulations! #FoodieFriday