August dieters - let's help each other along!

[silvermum]

here it is - a new thread for those of us just beginning a diet.
let's share tips and moral support.
i used to be 8st 10lb (i'm only 5ft4in and was always slim) but piled on the pounds during pregnancy, maxing out at 11st5lb. With mega, mega effort i got down to 9st 2lb a while ago-it took months cos i was only losing about 1lb a week - and i could just never get below that. That means many of my clothes are too tight. some are just a bit uncomfy, other are totally unwearable.
and i've gone back up to 9st5lb again, so it's time for a new campaign.
What's your goal, and what are your weaknesses?
I stared at a huge chocolate donut in our staff canteen for what felt like ages when i went to get a cup of tea this morning. i swear it almost physically hurt to walk away from that donut

[girlnextdoor]

I am almost 8st but at 5'3" my ideal wight is about 7st 7lbs- I only went to 8.5 when preggers with a 7lb+ baby!

I want to lose 4-5 lbs.

I am meno, 50+ and it has all gone round my waist and tummy.

I exercise well, but have started nibbling and that is why the weight has crept on this year.

MY TIPS- timetable your exercise into the day. I walk 3 miles every day if I can- I live in a semi-rural location so it's easy.

Choose a time of day when you can exercise- think about it the night before and plan it.

If you can't get out, put on some music and dance around the house.

Agree to confess HERE if you overeat and nibble.

[andyrobo237]

I need to join in - 5 ft 2 and need to lose 10 lbs before I got for a pre-op check at the hospital in mid August (actually 13 days time - so maybe 5lbs is reasonable!!!) and a stone before mid Spet when I go to see the diabetic nurse again!!

Will be cutting down on junk and bumping up the exercise as much as I can!

[silvermum]

well i cycled to/from work yesterday and today. it nearly killed me - it's 7 miles each way. BUT it's quite good because it kind of builds the exercise into my day in the way you suggest, girlnextdoor. the downside is i arrive at work feeling sweaty and gross, with mad hair. the upside is that it doesn't take that much longer than public transport - though if you include all the hassle of changing and trying to make myself presentable once i get to work, it's at least double.
I don't think i can realistically do it more than three times a week, max, but that's not bad.
my top tip is soup - it's really filling but low calorie.
my danger is chocolate and cake and toast. haven't had either for two days now. feel like a smoker giving up!

[girlnextdoor]

Just bumping up-

I have resisted the 2nd piece of toast but did have half a cookie that I made last night. grrrrrr.

Keep at it silvermum- your cycling is a great achievement!

[silvermum]

girlnextdoor making cookies is absolutely fatal! that's what did for me on maternity leve - i got the most yummy recipe and used to make them every other week or so. i couldn't resist eating large quantities of the mixture (unbelievably fattening.)
i honestly think we cannot do things like baking while we are trying to lose weight-it just places too many temptations in our way. i mean, the sight, the smell, the touch of those freshly baked cookies - how on earth could anyone resist?
sunday is going to be impossible for me as we have a first birthday party for my DS and five other babies and their parents - complete with chocolate cake and all the usual party stuff; then a night out for all the girls to celebrate first year of motherhood. i can't see how calorific wipeout is avoidable - and anyway, we planned it more than six months ago; i'd feel it ruined it if i didn't eat anything tasty.
perhaps i could fit in a jog between the party ending and going out for dinner....
weekends are the hardest, with so many temptations around...

[girlnextdoor]

Silvermum- you are right-cookies are fatal- but DD is home from uni and it was a treat for her

Maybe you can have a couple of really lean days either side of the parties and girl's dinner?

Right- off for a walk and not going to nibble til dinner.

If you read my Boden post I have got some new trews and can JUST fasten them- so need to lose those lbs!!

[silvermum]

ive been "good" for three days now but really, really want something nice for dinner. and nice does not mean low cal soup!
gah...its so hard!

[girlnextdoor]

I have got my eye on you think of that figure you are after!

I have had a good day too except for the cookie incident!

I made soup tonight and had that and a chicken salad- prawn salad for lunch. Boring.

What can you have that is nice but not fattening?

[girlnextdoor]

anyone else joining us?

[girlnextdoor]

silvermum- how are you doing?

[silvermum]

hi girlnext door. hmm, well, could not face soup for dinner for the fourth night in a row last night, so ended up having reasonably low fat, but not perfect, dinner.
best achievement of the day today has been skipping my usual saturday treat of hot buttered toast. i honestly agonised over this for about an hour, but eventually the decision was taken away from me anyway because by the time i got down to the staff canteen (i work saturdays) they'd cleared away the toaster !
had a dodgy chicken ceasar wrap for lunch - high calorie but it wasn't v nice so i only ate half - and a lot of fruit. Plus one jaffa cake. (46cals. not that i'm obsessing )
Nice non fattening things....porridge; jaffa cakes; low fat ice lollies; strawberries and raspberries; er....oh yes, the piece de resistance: tunnocks tea cakes! 102 cals each. Yum.
I'm surprised there aren't more August dieters!

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

Can I join? Just started doing the GI diet, amd a big girl with many stones to lose but one to start would be good. I walk down to the beach most days with my baby {he is 6 weeks) after I have cooked brekfast for guests. Have managed to persuade DH that he can do it as well.

[girlnextdoor]

well done silvermum a nd welcome FGMID!

I have been good-ish- scales show a half kilo drop- but then they often do and it's just water.

I had only 1 slice toast with my boiled egg- but have had 4 nuts- and half a tiny meringue ( no cream) and a bowl of homemade soup for lunch.

Tonight it's homemade rissoto- small portion and veg/salad.

[silvermum]

hmm, girlnextdoor - very virtuous!
i'm trying to convince myself that going on the scales every day is not a great idea and that it would be better to just do it once a week. but there they are in the bathroom, staring out at me, and i just can't resist hopping on to see if all my efforts have resulted in anything - and it's not the most motivating when you find, for whatever reason, you've actually gone up a bit!
i have gone down a pound or so this week, which i suppose is an okay start. wish it was more though!FiveGoMad, hope you're being gentle on yourself - I remember how tough it is when baby is only six weeks old...

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

It seems to be the diet that actually only requires minimal tweaking from what we usually eat to do it. And you seem to eat so much so will see if it works. Steak,, new potatoes and salad for supper (and a glass of wine)

[girlnextdoor]

good luck!

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

Well dones Silvermum and yes hard to resist getting in scales everyday.

[andyrobo237]

I try not to get on the scales every day - usually manage to resist for one day (esp if I have eaten too much!!)

I can report a 1lb los this week - not much but at least it is off! That means I need to lose another 3 this week - possible if I am good and keep off the choc!

Just had a yoghurt smoothie for breakfast - Shape satisfaction yog, handful of berries and some skimmed milk, all whizzed up and then drunk!

Heres for a good week girls!

[girlnextdoor]

well done andyrobo! Keep it up.

I had an okay yesterday, but was out and about all day which meant cafe eating etc.

How are you doing silvermum after the weekend?

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

Good morning all, I weighed myself on Friday and have done this morning, and managed a 2.5 loss, with not really trying so seems to be working.

The smoothie sounds nice and well done Andy.

[silvermum]

oh FiveGoMad, that's brilliant! i wish i could report similar progress. i did a load of exercise last week and was very disciplined about food but not much to show for it it seems!
as predicted my weekend (sunday and today as i work saturdays) wasn't that virtuous - lots of naughty things at the babies' first birthday party (well, it would have been crap not to have had any cake!) and i did have sticky toffee pudding at our girls night out. Had a couple of biscuits today. Back on the wagon tomorrow. i can't keep it up seven days a week but will try to have less treats at the weekend.
May put scales away in the cupboard to avoid obsessive weighing!
One problem is that my job involves a load of eating out - two or three times a week. it's hard to stick to a plan when you're in different restaurants all the time, and i tend to gobble when i'm nervous, which i often am at these business lunches.

[ComeOVeneer]

Hi all I assume this is where the other thread has ended up. I have managed 4lb loss this past wee. It has been hard work, even though I'm no particularly hungry I just can't seem to get my mind off food. Good tip - add a couple of teaspoons of bran to a smoothie, helps "pad it out" to stave of hunger for longer. Drinking loads of water and chopped up carrots/peppers/cucumber/cherry tomatoes in a tupperware in the fridge to snac on along with a handful of pumpkin seeds all seem to be helping. Have been going out for a 45 min cycle ride most evenings once dh is home from wor too. Want to loose a further 8-10 lbs in the next 2 weeks if possible (but unlikely) before we go on holiday on the 16th. Good luck everyone.

[silvermum]

comeOVeneer that's a great result! i think even if i virtually starved myself and ran 6 miles a day i couldn't lose these few pounds i want to shed. i can't understand why not. it seems i'm absolutely stuck where i am, no matter what i do. what do you all put in your smoothies?

[andyrobo237]

Well done all!! Any weight loss is good in my opinion!!

[ComeOVeneer]

Smoothies consist of whatever fruit is avaliable - usually strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and a banana, a 0.1% actimel, 3 teaspoons of bran and 50ml of skimmed milk.