Does anyone want to lose weight as a snail's pace?

[ginandchocs]

I'd say most people want to lose weight quickly. I certainly do. But it just doesn't work. Or, it does initially, but then it all goes back on and some.

I've decided to try a different method. I'm aiming to lose weight slowly. Maybe a couple of pounds a month. If I achieved that, I would lose almost 2 stones in a year but in a way that would be sustainable.

I'm going to do this using myfitnesspal. I'm setting my calorie goal for the week to be relatively near to what I usually burn without exercise (obviously a little lower otherwise I wouldn't lose anything!). I'm splitting the calories unevenly throughout the week though as I always tend to eat that bit more at the weekend (I end up falling off the wagon and giving up another diet - hopefully by having a greater calorie allowance would allow for this). Any exercise I do would then increase the weight loss (by a tiny amount) and would obviously make me healthier. I will not eat the extra calories.

The calories I've allotted myself may need to be tweaked if they're too high and I'm not losing at all. Time will tell. This may be a bit mad, but if it works then great. I would have to eat around this amount of calories to maintain my weight if I had lost anyway so I'm hoping this brings with it lifelong good habits.

My calories will be:
Monday to Thursday - 1675
Friday - 2000
Saturday and Sunday - 2250

Some days I may be over, others under. I'm not going to eat for the sake of it nor will I say no to something because I don't have the calories left for it. However, I want my weekly calories to be 13,200 or less. As I said, though, these calories may change if the numbers aren't right. It's a bit trial and error.

Anyone else fancy a slow weight loss journey that will hopefully create new habits, and allow me to maintain forever more?

Amazing results @Nettersrunboulder86 and @lmfaoo. It just shows that slow and steady really does soon add up 😄

Today's food:
B: Apple overnight oats again
L: sweet potato, butternut squash & spinach red lentil Dahl with Greek yoghurt on top. Golden kiwi fruit
D: pasta with slow cooked Greek style chicken in a tomato & onion sauce with grated halloumi.
S: latte, coffee with milk, joe wicks 'healthy' flapjack

I probably need to cut down on the pasta dinners but it's so handy and child friendly!

@Ottiva welcome! You're doing really wel and I agree that the scrambled eggs sound amaz8ng!

Ignore my first attempt at a message! The app was playing up and I didn't realise it had posted 🤦‍♀️

@lmfaoo fantastic!!! You have done so well!!

@Ottiva we eat a lot of pasta dishes here! As you say they're child friendly and so quick and easy!

The last 2 days have been ok. Today a bit better than yesterday. I bought a pack of 3 dime bars yesterday....there were none left by bedtime 🤦‍♀️ I also bought some percy pigs for us to share and munched through my lot. My meals were good though 😂

Today I have had:
B: buttered bagel
L: jacket potato with pulled pork and veg sticks
S: about 4 Cadbury's giant buttons
D: duck, sweet potato mash and broccoli
S: 1 homemade rocky road (I blame my mother in law) and 1 g&t

The weekend is here again! We have less structure in general at the weekend so I think that's why I struggle more and overeat. My steps have been higher over the last couple of days which is good, but probably not good enough!!

Thanks everyone @Nettersrunboulder86 138lbs by the end of the month is a great goal I might aim for that too.

I've ended up throughly enjoying myself this weekend and haven't kept track at all what I've eaten! I've been fairly active though, on 16,000 steps today and planning a bike ride tomorrow. Having a Indian takeaway tonight which I can't wait for 😃

Thanks everyone for the lovely messages. Today has been pretty good. Down another lb on the scales this morning.

B: porridge
L: scrambled eggs, tomatoes, halloumi
D: BBQ - burger (with half a bun), 1 sausage, roast garlic mushrooms, roast asparagus
Evening treat: tub of Aldi halo ice cream - delicious and well worth the 320 cals.

I did 30mins of circuits earlier and 20k steps

Morning all.

I haven’t been counting at all this week. Don’t think I’ve gained, have a bit of water retention weight from the chippy tea we had last night and ate a decent amount of peanut m&ms on Friday evening but otherwise have been pretty good this week, just not sure of the calories.

Will be a bit relaxed again today but Monday-Saturday lunchtime am going to be strict next week. Then I’m having some dinner/drinks with a friend on Saturday night and might need all of the carbs on Sunday depending on how much booze is consumed but will try to keep it under control!

Today is meal plan day, shopping delivery tomorrow.

Have a lovely Sunday and good week next week!

Happy Monday (should those words be in the same sentence? 😂).

Last week was pretty good until about Thursday/Friday. The weekend wasn't brilliant, but stepping on the scales this morning shows I'm down a whole 0.25lbs 😂 I know this thread is about losing weight slowly, but come on! 😂 It's definitely my own doing this week, and I guess it's a loss so all good.

This week is going to be alcohol free, and with plenty of protein to keep me fuller. Even though the weekend hasn't been great, I haven't snacked loads so I feel like my habits are changing for the better. I had a couple of drinks over the weekend, though in no way an excessive amount, but my body hasn't reacted well at all. I think it's preferring the alcohol free weeks! I've been over to see my mum this weekend, and I generally have a couple of drinks when I'm with her so that's a habit I need to work on breaking.

I hope everyone has a good week 😊

Well done @ginandchocs a loss is still a loss!

So my overall weekend was not great! It included too many drinks, an Indian takeaway and picnics! I think I had the mentality of being 'off the diet' for a weekend which is silly because it's not a diet and if I think like that I will regain everything when I want to maintain! At least I was active, managed a 40km cycle ride yesterday!

I'm ready to start eating properly this week and hope for a maintain on Friday! 😬

Think of the weekend as practise for when you losing weight diet ends. Still time to get it right yet?

I have come to a conclusion this morning, I think I'm intollerant to alcohol. I suffer so badly without having much at all to drink, to the point in the past where I've thought it must be something I've eaten because I know there's no way I've had enough to drink to be as unwell as I can be. I also suffer with hayfever, and reading up this morning shows that having hayfever does increase your chances of being intollerant to alcohol.

It's a bit of a revelation and my husband thinks it's hilarious (me not so much). Often instead of a hangover in the morning I can spend the night (usually around midnight) being really unwell after literally 2 drinks. I had a couple of glasses of prosecco with my mum yesterday and was really unwell last night and I've got full on hayfever symptoms this morning after spending yesterday indoors.

I need to do a bit more reading around this but it makes so much sense!

@ginandchocs the alcohol intolerance would certainly seem to make sense if it affects you that badly. a small loss is better than nothing at all and the weekends are certainly becoming more challenging as restrictions lift and we start to socialise again

Saturdays 1lb loss has gone back on again....I'm not too concerned as my body seems to fluctuate up and down for a few days before the loss 'settles down'. I had a good day yesterday food wise - I had a couple of small treats but kept the calories where I want them overall. Did 30 mins plates and a 30 min walk too.

Todays food is / will be:
B: porridge
L: fennel braised in tomatoes & garlic and halloumi on the side (which I carefully weighed before my son ate half of it :-))
D: sausages, beans and mash. I shall skip the mash and have yesterdays leftover roasted veg instead

My husband noticed the weight loss for the first time at the weekend so I'm feeling quite motivated to keep going. I really like when other people notice and you start to get compliments (I know its shallow!). I am also trying to focus on other non-weight benefits that I've seen - my fitness has improved hugely, I'm fuelling my body with more nutrient rich veg and meat

Any room left for me please? :)

I could do with some weight loss buddies !

I have an event I would dearly love to be smaller for next summer so I'm starting now so it's not a crash diet. Two weeks in calorie counting with MFP - 8lbs lost - which frankly I'm amazed at!

I'm aiming to 16:8 for most of the week too which I find a hardship tbh.

*don't find a hardship that should have read! I am not a morning eater so it suits me to eat 12-8 and I mostly have my breakfast for lunch (weetabix and strawberries) and then a larger dinner. MFP worked out my cals to be 1760 which I have never actually eaten over bar once due to a weight miscalulation on my part! I average around 1300 and don't feel at all deprived.

I'm currently having some digestives and a light hot choc (mine are 60 cals each to whoever it was likes the digestives and had 3 for 200??)

@ginandchocs my aunt went though a phase of being violently sick at night if she had more than one drink. It was very strange and seems to have eased a bit now but she does have lots of other allergies. Hope your not suffering too bad!

Welcome @30not13 ! More the merrier here! How much are you planning to lose? 8lbs down already is fantastic well done!

Ive has a good day today
B - porridge and blueberries
L - tuna salad, yoghurt and granola
S - nub of cheese and a delicious homemade chocolate chip and banana muffin (not eaten together!)

D - sausage casserole with cauliflower rice and an ice cream

Steps 10,000 only just!! had to jog round the living room to get the last 200 in!

According to the charts around 8st :(
Realistically I should think about 6 would do it.

Morning all. Welcome @30not13. 8lbs in 2 weeks is amazing! I think about 1lb a week is 4 stone in a year so you’ve given yourself a Great head start.

Yesterday I was ok I think but I’ve fallen out of the habit of counting calories which I’m going to make sure I start doing again today.

@lmfaoo you are so good at your activity levels! I need to get back into the habit of walking. I’m doing none right now but work is crazy and taking over my life right now. I’m not even doing any yoga, but I am back having my PT sessions twice a week so that’s something - but not enough to make up for the lack of general activity.

@ginandchocs as much as I am over drinking alcohol very often or in large quantities, I think it would suck to be intolerant so sorry to hear that.

@Ottiva my husband noticed mine too at the weekend and that was nice.

@30not13 well done for starting. As long as you are realistic and don't go on a crazy diet it will be fine. The more you have to lose the faster it will come off initially which will be really motivating! You can do it

I was watching secret eaters the other day. I found it so fascinating how the people on the show were consuming so many more calories than they thought. It's quite motivating to see them change their habits and loose weight at the end!

@BasinHaircut Sunday was the first time I'd been on a bike in over a year! I forgot how enjoyable it is actually and my friend is quite keen and plans out the route for us so I just have to follow which makes it easier! Definitely going to try and get out for more rides now.

A good day today. I didnt 16:8 today as the gas man was coming at lunchtime and I didnt want to eat while he was here so had b at a normal time.

B weetabix 125ml ss milk strawberries and bloobs 268 cals
L chicken noodle cup soup, 2 crispbread, 4 crab sticks and a satsuma 227 cals
T jerk chicken, hm coleslaw, lettuce, beetroot, Heinz creations lentil curry pouch 521 cals

Which makes 1099/1760

Will probably have a couple of caramel rice cakes and a light hot choc later.

Btw HOW MANY CALORIES IN MAYO OMFG??!

@30not13 mayo is the worst for trying to loose weight! I've tried the Hellman's lighter mayo but I just don't like the taste so I pretty much just avoid it now! 😭

I've had a good day

B - porridge and blueberries
L - tuna salad, yoghurt and granola
S - banana muffin
T - egg fried cauliflower rice, ice cream

Bit of a random dinner 2 bags of cauliflower rice fried with 2 eggs (no oil) but it was delicious and only 300 cals then 200 cals on the ice cream lol! I am starting to realise that eating less at dinner so I can have an ice cream afterwards works well for me! I'm so used to having something sweet after dinner so I'd rather save calories for that!

Steps today: 14,000

Hope everyone had a good day, Wednesday tomorrow then the weekend doesn't feel so far!

@30not13 mayo is the worst for trying to loose weight! I've tried the Hellman's lighter mayo but I just don't like the taste so I pretty much just avoid it now! 😭

I've had a good day

B - porridge and blueberries
L - tuna salad, yoghurt and granola
S - banana muffin
T - egg fried cauliflower rice, ice cream

Bit of a random dinner 2 bags of cauliflower rice fried with 2 eggs (no oil) but it was delicious and only 300 cals then 200 cals on the ice cream lol! I am starting to realise that eating less at dinner so I can have an ice cream afterwards works well for me! I'm so used to having something sweet after dinner so I'd rather save calories for that!

Steps today: 14,000

Hope everyone had a good day, Wednesday tomorrow then the weekend doesn't feel so far!

Welcome @30not13 😊

I'm starting to feel a bit better thankfully, though I'm bloating up and getting stomach cramps often after eating. I had similar problems around a year ago where I ended up having lots of tests and ended up with a diagnosis of 'probably IBS'. I'm guessing it's another flare up and that I'm just not really tolerating alcohol at all. I have had symptoms similar to severe hayfever since Sunday night, including the tight chest, as well as headaches, nausea, stomach cramps,etc (you don't need all the details 🙈). My husband had to finish work at 11:30 yesterday due to the weather, and it was literally the best news ever for me and I spent all afternoon in bed.

Anyway, my eating has been ok this week. Today I have had:
B: bagel, scrambled eggs and cranberry juice
L: chipotle chicken and vegetable salad (basically using up whatever leftovers I could find in the fridge - made a double portion so will probably finish it tomorrow)
S: a mini fab lolly
D: chilli con carne with rice (bad stomach afterwards - I'm wondering kidney beans?)
S: 5 or 6 chocolate buttons

I had bad cramps last night after dinner (pasta) last night too. I should have used common sense and avoided the pasta as it's one of the main things I struggled with last year (wheat, gluten? 🤷‍♀️). I'm going out for food Friday night (super exciting!) and think I'll stick to 1 glass of white wine and see how I am afterwards. It may be a process of elimination to find out whether it is all alcohols or certain ones), but I definitely don't want to feel as I have over the last 48 hours again any time soon.

Sorry, I've been rubbish at catching up on everyone else's posts 🙈

I will definitely try the egg fried cauliflower rice....have a bag lurking in the deep freeze

Today was a good day....mainly as I had my first hair cut since January 🙌🏻

Food was ok too. Did a 50 min HITT / abs class and 15000 steps
B: overnight apple oats
L: leftover gammon, roast veg with brown lentils and hot sauce. All leftovers and delicious together
D: pan fried chicken breast marinated in lemon & oregano, sweet potato mash with coriander, chilli, lime & feta, three bean stir fry mix
Snacks: Latte, Popcorn, 2 coffees

I'm trying to eat more substantial meals and cut down on the snacks and sweet food.

Wednesday weigh in here! Expecting nothing due to the fact that we went out for dinner on Monday and I had a burger with cheese and bacon that was bigger than my head but no! 2lb down! I have no idea how; I have not deprived myself in any way shape or form!

Anyhow, that makes me 8lb off now and over my interim target weight - I would love to get to 11 stone, which is the weight I’ve been for most of my adult life (I’m 5 foot 10 so am never going to be small and delicate!).

Ooh, I feel a bit lighter

Happy Wednesday you lot!

How are you feeling today @ginandchocs?

@ginandchocs I feel for you. I went through lots of tests and ended up with a ‘probably IBS’ diagnosis too years ago and I know how frustrating that is because you just don’t know how to manage it or what’s causing it.

Looking back, mine was linked with mental health issues that I wasn’t aware of at the time and lots of stress. It’s much better now but I do have certain things I won’t consume and I do strategise about when I eat so I don’t get the symptoms in certain situations such as on a plane, or in a place with limited bathroom facilities etc.

One of the reasons I rarely drink alcohol is because of how much worse I seem to be after drinking than other people. I would never drink if I had to travel the next day for example, or on a work night etc. Beer/wine is the worst.