Transformation Tuesday: Week 2

To say this week went well would be a bit of an understatement.

The first week always boasts the biggest loss as your body adjusts to the dip in calorie intake and enters ketosis, so I know this won't happen quite so dramatically ever again in the future. I'm delighted to say this week I lost: 10lbs!

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.buildingopinions.com)

I've never lost so much in a first week before, and it's the perfect result to spur me on into week 2! I've had a ridiculous amount of encouragement over the week: thank you so much to all the people that commented on my Facebook post, tweeted me, emailed me and text me following last weeks' post - I never expected that response in a million years, and knowing there were so many people behind me was a massive boost! 

Getting used to the packs again has been a lot easier than I anticipated. For some reason I'm lucky enough not to go through the horrible headaches that come 3 days in with ketosis, and miraculously managed to breeze through with very few complaints. I know this is not the standard experience, so I fully understand how fortunate I've been! 

At the start of the week I received my order of 28 food packs, which is all I'm allowed to eat during the week. I really like this new system of ordering packs over the phone and having them delivered to my home, as it's so much more convenient than having to collect them from the session as was the protocol before. My one criticism of LighterLife is the lack of choice with the packs, but in some respects it helps keep you on track as the boundaries are so strict. I opted for 7 shakes, 7 pasta packs and 14 bars.

It's important to remember from the outset that none of them taste quite like you want them to, and as long as you lower your initial expectations they're actually not too bad. The shakes can be sickly sweet and lumpy if you follow the instructions on the pack to the letter, so I've been adding an extra 100ml of water and whizzing them in a blender, turning them more into a milkshake with the consistency and taste. There are other flavours available, but I remember having those particular ones every day for 4 months so although there's absolutely nothing wrong with them the thought of having them again makes me gag a little!

[Strawberry shake and Mint Candy Apple nails]

The pasta packs are a new - and welcome - addition from when I last did it. It sounds ridiculous, but it's actually helpful to eat something out of a bowl with a spoon each day: it feels like you're eating normally even when you're not! The Spaghetti Bolognese is genuinely really good, and I've enjoyed having the Carbonara as I can't normally have it due to the high dairy content. They definitely don't look appetising (don't be fooled by the perfect official LighterLife photographs!) but they taste okay which is all that matters at this stage.

I love the bars for the convenience - they're perfect for throwing in my bag on a day out so I know I always have something for later if needs be. Let's be honest, the chocolate isn't Cadbury's, but it's not like Hersheys so there are really no grounds to complain! LighterLife also offer other packs, such as various flavours of soup and porridge, but as I don't like them normally I decided to give them a miss. I know people that have done the programme with 28 soups a week, so for me it's more a case of personal preference, not that the packs are vile.

[Leisurely Sunday morning - chocolate shake and Hillary Clinton]

Another key to sticking to the programme - and to weight loss in general - is to stay hydrated. This week I've been drinking between 3 and 4 litres of water a day, which has not only helped with losing weight but is already starting to improve my incredibly dry skin. The health benefits of drinking water really cannot be overstated. I made an enormous order online and had a lovely man deliver all of this to my flat - I couldn't bear the thought of having to carry so many bottles of water across London!

I always have a bottle of water in my hand now and I'm sipping all day. I don't seem to realise I'm doing it too, which can't be a bad thing! During the nail biting Wimbledon Gentlemen's Final on Sunday I managed to drink 1.5l in-between cheering on Roger Federer and watching through my fingers as Novak Djokovic fought back. It's definitely better than mindlessly eating!

LighterLife prides itself on the group sessions. I've joined the Moorgate, London group and although it's a bit awkward for me at the moment - it's a pretty big group, with women that are all older than me, with high flying City jobs and that have known each other for months - I know from experience that it'll get easier as I get to know people. The counsellor, Cynthia, is lovely and I know that if I engage in the sessions and take on board everything discussed then I'll reap the benefits in the future.

I've been perusing Tumblr and Pintrest for inspiration for celebrating weight loss, and have come up with this… I bought this cheap jar from Waitrose, and for each pound of weight I lose, I'll be adding a pound of money. I like being able to physically see how much I've lost! I'm not sure what I'll do with the money when I'm done, so if you have any suggestions then let me know!

Now I'm in the swing of the programme, my main obstacle is going to be staying motivated and keeping the ball rolling for the next few months. I'm going to try and stay busy, as that's worked a treat this week! I've been to my first ballet, met Hillary Clinton, and indulged my inner palaeontologist by seeing the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum. What next?! As ever, leave me a comment below or drop me a tweet!

WEEK 1 LOSS: 10lbs

TOTAL LOSS: 10lbs