Don’t want to be the fat friend on group holiday!

[Nomorecakes]

Holiday with a group of friends and husbands first two weeks of July and I am a lot bigger than them. And I really don’t want to feel self conscious at the pool.
Is it possible to lose 3 stone in 5 months? I’ve been sticking to 1200 calories a day since Monday and going for a brisk 30 minute walk every evening.
I really hope I can do this as I have tried and failed since I’ve had children but hubby is on board and been supporting me. Eek!

[gamerchick]

Well yes but you'll need to up your brisk walk to 3 1/2 hours which would be soul destroying.

You need another exercise on top of what you're doing now. Davina's 7 minute fit is doable and gets results if you stick at it.

[Justmuddlingalong]

I think a holiday is a great incentive! Don't focus on the 3 stone you would like to lose. Focus on small targets. Half a stone or breaking into a lower stone is more achievable. Chipping away at it makes it seem more doable. Good luck and have a great holiday.

[GrowThroughWhatYouGoThrough]

Have a look at the 8 week blood sugar diet

[Nomorecakes]

I’ve downloaded a 7 minute body workout app which I have done a few times so far. I get pretty puffed out but at least it’s over with quickly!
I’ll definately look at the other suggestions!
I started dieting on Monday which was exactly 24 weeks to go. So would pretty much need to lose 2lbs every single week.

[Eattothebeat]

I'd low carb instead of 1200 cals a day - it's much easier to stick to and you don't feel deprived. Get the Neris and India idiot proof diet book - it changed my life.

[Sammysquiz]

Build up to running 30 minutes, rather than the walking.

[halfwitpicker]

Of course it's possible, 2 lbs a week isn't that hard.

I'd do Bootcamp if I were you.

[Stinkytoe]

2lb a week is achievable, not sure what PP was on about saying you’d need a brisk walk for 3.5hrs per day. What you’re doing sounds fine but be prepared to up it once you’ve lost some weight to maintain your rate of weight loss

[ppeatfruit]

Old fashioned but this works!! Cut down on all caffienated drinks fizzy and normal tea and coffees. Especially if you OD on them!

Eat protein with salads\veg. NOT with carbs. Have carbs with veg. \salads. Also eat fruit ONLY when you're hungry.

Eat mindfully, slowly tasting everything properly and STOP when you're full.

I lost 3 stone doing the above without any EXTRA exercise at all and no CC or weighing of food.

[Nomorecakes]

I’ve went cold turkey on coffee and fizzy drinks. Bloody love my Diet Coke. Had a horrible migraine the last two days so hopefully that’s my body weaning off it.
Also only snacking on fruit if I’m hungry.
I also parked a brisk 10 minute walk away from my workbinstead if just round the corner so there’s an easy 20 minutes added.
I think eggs are my new best friend!

[ppeatfruit]

Yes I got a headache when I stopped the caffeine, it's worth it though Well done for walking more

[StealthPolarBear]

Also don't think of it as three stone or failure. Three stone is your goal. Anything uou can lose will be brilliant. Presumably you'd be very happy on the beach two stones lighter than you are now.

[buggerthebotox]

I found doing weights helped a lot with body confidence.

I felt slimmer and better - stronger somehow - which helped me stick at it in the longer term.

[ppeatfruit]

Yes Stealth is right, also when (if as we all do) you have a 'bad' day don't give it all up. just carry on the next day!!

[Pangur2]

Try Keto. I lost 3 stone between Feb and Christmas and I wasn't even really trying.

[StealthPolarBear]

"when (if as we all do) you have a 'bad' day don't give it all up. just carry on the next day!!"
Yes, agree. There is a real trick to that. My natural reaction to a bad day is to think stuff it and carry on eating crap for the following week. But my body can absorb the odd bad day quite effectively. When I can have a bad day and jump straight back to it, it is fine.

[Nomorecakes]

Hubby does weights and has set me up with some lighter ones to start me on. And did a walk and run tonight. Instead of coming back tonight and thinking I’ve worked for a packet of quavers, I jumped into the shower then had a cup of tea with a banana.
I typical days food has went like this
Breakfast: boiled egg on a toasted watburgins thin with mushrooms, two slices of melon.
Lunch: pot of beans on small slice of seeded bread, miller light yogurt.
Dinner: low fat mince with loads of chopped and grated veg, tinned tomatoes and a small weighed portion of pasta, baked potato with tuna.
Snacks are weighed portion of pineapple or grapes, apple or melon.
I’m coming in between 1000-1200 calories a day but will have maybe a measured glass of wine at the weekend. (This has been cut from a bottle )

[ppeatfruit]

If you try to separate your carbs and proteins, have them at different meals, that really does speed things up, oh and have your melon on an empty stomach.

I've got a few, muscle activating, easy belly busting exercises if you're interested

[HappyHedgehog247]

Couch to 5 k is brilliant for helping you move from walking to running. There’s an app.

[MrHaroldFry]

Reading with much interest OP. I am in a position very similar to you but am off to a W/end wedding in August at a 'ferry' posh venue ( It's a Fri to Mon affair)
For various reasons I am limited to the classes etc I can take so trying to walk, not take car or bus, do a workout at lunchtime when I work from home, and plan meals more carefully.
Delighted to see some of the 'top tips' here. Will try to implement one or two and add more as required.

[MrsEricBana]

Yes you can do it!! 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet. Very low carb, just eating yummy stuff (protein plus veg, so egg, avocado & mushroom / prawn salad / chicken salad / meat and veg etc). I have lost 1.5 stone since Oct doing this and that includes a reasonable amount of cheating over Christmas. Exercise wise I just upped my brisk walking to 10000+ steps every day. I don't think you need to follow the recipes in the book as such - I just read the book through twice to learn the ideas then went with it. Good luck!! You can do it!!

[MrsEricBana]

The other thing about the BSD is it has retrained my mindset re food so it wouldn't occur to me to order, e.g., a cheesy panini or a cake now, but I wouldn't have thought twice before.

[MrsEricBana]

Final thing - the Fast800 that is MM new book is basically the BSD followed by his classic 5:2 (but with 800 cals on the fast days), so not a new concept. Classic BSD is the ticket.