Anyone else want to try and maintain over Christmas?

[sweetheart]

Over the last 3 months I've been really good and managed to loose about 1.5 stone, I am now only 3Ibs away from my goal weight and can already feel the pressure of all the Christmas goodies weighing heavy on me!

I have been in the past a horrible yo-yo dieter and this year I am DESPERATE to break the cycle! I have tried so hard recently to get under control and I don't want to blow it all over the next 3 weeks! I have a plan and I just need to stick to it and hope that it works!

Anyone around in the same boat that can offer some moral support?

[mellowmocha]

I'm keen to maintain too, lost about 1 stone 8lb over the past 18 months and now back to pre baby weight, desperate not to gain over Xmas, last year wasn't so good and I gained about half a stone over the holidays!

Lets do it!

[Cheesyslice]

I'm also desperate not to blow it. I'm doing LighterLife Lite. I would actually like to take a couple of pounds off; hoping I can do this by just having a few treats on Xmas day, Boxing Day and new year. I've lost two stone so far, only another stone to go to my goal.

[sweetheart]

Yeah some friends

Mellow - well done on your loss so far! Do you have a plan as to how you are going to keep on track?

Cheesy - Well done on your weight loss too! A girl I work with actually did Cambridge over Christmas a few years ago. She even did it on Christmas day which must have taken so much will power! She actually lost over Christmas that year but I'm afraid to say that she didn't keep the weight off as is often the case with some of these extreme diets. For her it crept back on over a period of time.

My plan at the moment is to make sure I do an exercise DVD every day of the holidays except Christmas and Boxing day (easier said than done!), I've also scheduled 4 fast days into my 2 weeks off to try and minimise the damage and make sure I'm not over indulging every day. Having said that I don't think those things in themselves will be enough and I am actually booked in with a hypnotherapist this week. I'm not sure if it's a brilliant or really stupid idea!

[Mazzledazzle]

Wow guys, your collective efforts are incredible! Feel a bit of a fraud butting my way in when I'm only on my third week of following Weight Watchers, but part of the reason for me starting was to limit the damage over the holiday period, so I'd def. welcome some support.

Realistically, I'm only going to track my points for part of the week and there will be days when the diet goes out the window, so fasting days sound appealing to balance things out.

Tell me Sweetheart, what do you allow yourself to eat/drink on fasting days?

[sweetheart]

Mazzle - now is a good a place as any to start and you should feel pleased that you started before Christmas rather than just binging through December and worrying about it in January

On a fast day I try and limit myself to around 500 calories (I rarely manage 500 though - usually more like 650 so I make sure I do some exercise too). I usually eat a small pot of low fat natural yoghurt for breakfast, some crisp breads with light Philadelphia and thin ham for lunch and for dinner I have a ready meal from Waitrose - spinach and ricotta cannelloni. It's not an ideal solution and long term I hope to learn to eat sensibly enough that I don't have to resort to fasting days but they do work to balance out periods of over indulgence.

[Mazzledazzle]

I think I could manage that. Especially if I chose a day where I was at home. Right now it seems more doable than sticking to my points every day over the hols. I'm sure I remember reading that fasting has many long term health benefits.

Weigh day for me tomorrow!

[ElvisJesusAndCocaCola]

Ok, this is definitely me!

Am at a good weight, have hovered around it for the past four years, but had two kids in that time, and always struggling to be motivated. Sometimes I am completely in the zone, but after a while I get a bit bored and restless, and start going for more. This has been happening e past few days - I calorie count and stick to calories until evening, where i pick. Last two nights tea has been, for a example, a bit bag of kettle chips once and dd's uneaten cheese sandwich last night

These are danger signs to me and I am beginning to have stern words with myself. This thread would really help me.

I am seriously impressed with all your weight losses, by the way :)

[ElvisJesusAndCocaCola]

Oh, I sound a bit goody two shoes there

In the last four years I have had to lose a stone a couple of times. Recently lost 9lb to fit into a ball dress, at a happy weight now but it often creeps back on for me.

[BikeRunSki]

You can do it folks! This time last year I had lost v nearly 2 stone of 3. I was on a roll and a silly thing like Christmas wasn't going to stop me. My Slimming world leader ran a class the day after Boxing Day - I'd lost 2.5 lbs!

[Mazzledazzle]

That's the sort of talk we need BikeRunSki! Thank you for the motivation.

I lost another pound this week. 6.4lb in total. Going to have a bash at fasting today. Just me and my youngest DD at home, no visitors, outings or DH, so hopefully won't be too tough!

[sweetheart]

BikeRunSki - that's brilliant - well done! that must take some serious motivation! See now I would dearly LOVE to loose weight over Christmas but I just know it's not gonna happen so the very best I can hope to achieve is to maintain. If I can do that I will be over the moon!

I have just got to stay FOCUSED and not find excuses to skip my exercise each day!

Mazzle - good luck with your first fasting day - I am also fasting today. I have to be honest and say the first couple of times I did it I found it really hard but you do get used to it after a while. I find it really helps if I keep busy as a distraction (oh and go to bed nice and early!!!)

Had a bit of a blip last night, it was my brother's birthday so we had to pop round and see him which meant a very late tea - I was so hungry I kept snacking on things to keep me going. Still onwards and upwards. I don't think I'll loose any more this side of Christmas so if I maintain this week that will do.

Festivities start for me on Friday with my work do and continue all weekend so the trouble zone is only just around the corner!

[Mazzledazzle]

So sweetheart, are you planning another fast day before Xmas? I was thinking Monday maybe. Then hop on the scales on Xmas Eve for (fingers crossed) another loss. I was actually hoping for more than a pound off last week, so I reckon I'm due a loss next time.

Do far the fasting has been ok. Though food has never looked or smelled so good! I currently have sausages under the grill for my DCs tea. With leftover homemade beef gravy and mash. Aaaaaargh!

My intake today has so far been...
200ml semi-skimmed milk
Grapefruit
Soup (swede, leek, onion, stock cube)
1/4 bagel
Scrape of low fat spread
Small apple

Planning on having more soup for tea.

Roll on tomorrow!

[sweetheart]

Mazzle yeah one of the benefits of fasting is that it is only 1 day. I keep that thought in my head A LOt!

Yep I'm planning to fast on Monday too and then again next Friday

[FedupofTurkey]

Marking my place :)

[carlywurly]

Ooh sweetheart you're me 1.5 stone off in 3 months and 3 bloody pounds to target!

I've been using my fitness pal and exercising 4 times a week. I'm terrible for giving up once I hit target or fall off the wagon and I'm determined it won't happen this year. I've had 4 Christmas dos since last Friday but am bring really good the rest of the time. I ate rich food last night and felt horrendous - bloated and sick.

I'm planning on logging my foods as much as possible and getting out running.

[Cheesyslice]

sweetheart I'm not surprised she put it back on with Cambridge. You don't get any support with it; you're left to your own devices which means there is no change in eating habits and no identification of the underlying causes of overeating. With LighterLife you have weekly group counselling sessions which look at all aspects of why people overeat and how to change these habits. Once you reach your goal weight you become a member for life and still go to the counselling sessions. There is also a very gradual reintroduction of food when you hit the goal.

It's also not an 'extreme' diet; I have about 1,200 calories a day and now losing 2-3lbs per week. Sorry...just had to dispel some myths.


Anyway, I'm craving mince pies. Also got our work Christmas party tomorrow which may result in me getting shitfaced and pigging out, possibly enjoying a Big Mac on the way home a slight diet blip.

I'm planning on not buying any Christmas food to keep in the house (we're staying with family so not at home) which will hopefully remove temptation.

[sweetheart]

Wow Cheesy - loosing 2-3 Ibs on 1200 cals is really good. If I stick to 1200 cals I'm lucky to loose 1Ib a week! I wish you the very best of luck sticking to it over Christmas - hopefully we'll all have some amazing will power over this festive season!

Carly - we must be twins I have a long back history really. The first time I really ballooned up was after my daughter was born. I lost 4 Stone for our wedding and managed to keep it off for several years until I injured myself, had an operation and was at home for 6 weeks. That was about 3 years ago now and I've been on this constant yo-yo ever since. Like you every time I hit goal I totally relax and before I know it I've stuck 1/2 - 1 stone back on this time I'm NOT DOING IT!!!!! I've worked hard and been really sensible to get where I am and whilst I am going to indulge a little and enjoy Christmas I am not letting it take over my body

[sweetheart]

Hi FedUp {waves} Hope you'll come and join us xxx

[RedPencils]

Me too. I've been fasting for 4 weeks and lost 6lbs, which I'm delighted with. But I'm now looking at all the chocs and crisps and cake I've bought and my resolve is weakening. Really don't want to put that 6lb back on again.

I found the fast days really hard, going to bed hungry is the worst thing ever. I probably need to get myself sorted with some better recipes to fill me up though.

I plan to up my exercise levels and use my fitness pal to make sure I don't go too mad. Except Christmas Day and Boxing Day of course. I'll be stuffing my face all day as per usual.

[sweetheart]

I was reading another thread yesterday which had some information on it about how easy it is to pile on weight over Christmas. Some of the info was 1Ib = 3000 calories so if you over eat by 3000cals that's 1Ib on (and 3000 cals is only a few glasses of wine and a mince pie!)

Also something about carbs making you retain water so if you eat lots of extra carbds not only will that make you put on weight but you'll also have the weight of water retention (there were figures on this but I can't remember what they were)

Some things to think about before you have that 2nd piece of Christmas cake huh!

[PaulSmenis]

It's the pressure from friends and relatives that gets to me. It's almost as if you're being rude if you don't eat their goodies. What are you lot going to tell people?

[sweetheart]

I'm going to accept them graciously and stuff my face with them - and then eat nothing the next day! Lol

Also I am hosting this year so I can be in control of how much I eat, drink without offending anyone.

[Mazzledazzle]

I accept whatever it is they're offering me, in small portions, then eat soup and fruit the rest of the day.

Nothing worse than a diet bore!

[mellowmocha]

Everyone sounds like they are doing well! I've had a very busy week food / social wise with work do and another couple of drinks but have tried hard to make good choices during the day, drink lots of water and then had a couple of fast days thrown in too.

surprisingly I think this is working to some extent! I have also enjoyed feeling nice in the outfits I have been wearing which has been the motivation I need to not eat loads of crap.

Plan for the next few days are to have remain sensible this weekend and only have a bite or two of things that are 'forced' on me, have a fast day on monday and then enjoy xmas day / boxing day. Plan to have a couple of fast days between xmas and new year and then enjoy NYE.

Trying to avoid the yo yo mentality and just try and stay steady.

[carlywurly]

I'm somehow the same weight after 5 Xmas dos this week - phew. I'm trying not to be a diet bore or a glutton! Not easy when there are open boxes of chocs everywhere.

Ran this morning and am now at mils and managing to refuse the giant chocolate bar she keeps passing round.