Success - how did you do it?

[Snowman123]

Please share your success stories? How much did you lose? What did you eat and what was the key to your success?

[DaisyChops]

Hi Snowman, I could do with some stories to get me back on track!

I've lost weight in the past calorie counting, 5:2 and SW but I'm at my heaviest now and need to do something about it!!!!

[FATEdestiny]

Here's my achievements to the end of August. I've just got to 7 stone weight loss, just shy of 100lb in about 8 months.

How? Mostly changes to my diet.

I eat only whole foods, cooked from scratch. I have 7-10 vegetable portions a day plus 1-2 pulses portions a day and 1-2 fruit portions a day. With plenty of lean protein and a few carbs, that's all very filling.

I generally follow a low fat diet. I have not eliminated carbs but I don't eat bread or pasta (on the basis they are processed and I don't buy anything processed), only occasional rice and couscous. Then I have warm oats (with water) every day.

I am mindful of the calories in stuff. I don't calorie count all the time but have 2 or 3 weeks every few months where I weigh and record everything. This is to keep my calorie estimations accurate at other times.

I try to make every calorie "worth it". So it's either carb fuel for my running, or protein for muscle recovery, or I recognise when I'm hungry and try to eat something as filling as possible for as few calories as possible.

I also recognise when I want to eat something just because it's delicious. I don't half-ass do it then. I can't bear the idea of "diet junk food" (of the sort SW market). If I want a delightful pudding or ice cream, I don't have the diet portion. I have the calorie-laden one and savour and enjoy every last bit of it. But, I have a proper understanding of what "treat" means. It does not mean every day. Or even every week.

I also run. Quite a lot. I don't run for weight loss though. I run because exercise is healthy and gives me a healthy heart to go with my healthy body.

And also important, I think, is that my whole family all eat the same as me. DH and children aged 13, 12, 9 and 3 and we eat delicious, healthy and nutritious meals all together around the table. So I am not going it alone with the intention to go back to "normal" after finishing a diet. There will be no finishing the diet because this is how we eat now and we all enjoy it.

[honeysucklejasmine]

I'm hoping to hit 5 stone loss when I weigh in tomorrow. I calorie count. It's given me a better understanding of what's in food, and as fate says, I try to maximise bang for buck with regards to calories. So make healthy swaps or reduce the carb portion and up the protein etc. I've got another 2 stone to hit my first goal, but might reduce it down again to get to the middle of healthy BMI range, rather than the top of it.

[DaisyChops]

Well done @FATEdestiny @honeysucklejasmine.

Fate, how did you find the time to do this, I do this for a week max and then it all goes to pot! I did a lot of recipes from the hairy dieters book but it takes so long meal planning I just can't keep it up!

Honey, did you do this by yourself or did you join a group?

[FATEdestiny]

Fate, how did you find the time to do this

It was having the time that was the catalyst for making the decision to change.

I'm a SAHM and my youngest got her 3h nursery place in January so for the first time in 14 years I have some time to devote to myself every day.

So I use about an hour of that child free time to do a run every day. I might just add with regards to having time to exercise though - that I firmly believe that if you want to do something enough you will make no matter how busy you are.

My DH has recently started running too. He works full time and we have 4 very sporty children who have extra curricular sports totalling over 50h per week between them (often overlapping). So we spend all our evenings ferrying children around. Yet DH will work out creative ways to fit in his run even though we are short on time.

Then when I'm at home with the children I find the time to prepare our evening meals. Takes about 20-30 mins prep time usually - so not an unreasonable amount of time even if you're working.

What I also spend time on is finding healthy recipes online. I do a lot of this. But it's not "extra" time I need to find. It's just that when on Facebook, I follow dozens of healthy eating pages and spend time reading them and bookmarking ones I want to try. Or instead of reading mumsnet at read clean eating blogs or browse Pinch of Nom recipes. So instead of wasting my time online, I have discovered I really enjoy sourcing recipes and meal ideas.

[honeysucklejasmine]

OP I'm on the 100lbs + thread here in weight loss chat (as is fate) who have been super supportive.