Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Calorie-counting

Discuss calorie counting, including tips, challenges and real-life experiences. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

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

516 replies

ginandchocs · 10/05/2020 22:26

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
lmfaoo · 18/09/2020 06:39

Morning everyone! I think this is week 17 now for me now! Sorry I have been so rubbish at posting.

So I seem to have settled at 136lbs for the past few weeks which is just over 20lbs down and 4lbs below my original target. I feel happy here for now so I'm going to concentrate on maintaining for a while.

@ginandchocs I can't thank you enough for creating this thread it has been so helpful and motivating, I won't be posting much but I will be enjoying reading everyone else's posts!

ginandchocs · 22/09/2020 06:26

@QueenPaws and @lmfaoo you've both had amazing losses!

My weight is still very slowly going down. Even when I feel less in control and have days where I'm eating less nutrient dense foods I'm not gaining so I think a happy balance has been found.

I've started thinking about my Autumn/Winter wardrobe and I always buy clothes that are too small so that I will lose weight and fit into them. This year I'm only going to have clothes in my wardrobe that fit me now! It means I feel good in what I'm wearing and if my weight does continue to go down and I need a whole different wardrobe next year then I'm taking that as a brilliant bonus!

We need to feel good about ourselves now, and not when we reach a size 8 or 10 or 12 or 14 or whatever our goal is. I'm currently a 14 and will rock it this year (though I'll probably only be wearing these nice, well fitten clothes at home as we'll all probably be in another lockdown soon 🤦‍♀️).

I'm so pleased I started this thread. It has been a positive and happy place. I really should and will try to post more. As I mentioned before, I'm not calorie counting or anything now, I'm eating what I want, when I want but being sensible about it and trying to make sure I eat in a balanced way around 70-80% of the time.

So happy to be away from the 'I need to lose lots of pounds quickly and will restrict to do so, and then end up gaining it all again a few months later' mentality that I've been in for years!

OP posts:
QueenOllie · 24/09/2020 16:03

Another 1lb off Smile

ginandchocs · 24/09/2020 21:34

@QueenOllie

Another 1lb off Smile
Fab! That's great.

I'm battling a sore throat at the moment and appear to be eating everything I can to get rid of it 😂 It doesn't appear to be working though 😂

OP posts:
QueenOllie · 02/10/2020 21:38

I got totally stuck and nothing was shifting for a bit, weighed today and I've lost 7lbs... ConfusedGrin

ginandchocs · 06/10/2020 03:06

@QueenOllie that's amazing. Well done 😁

OP posts:
BrimfulOfBaba · 13/10/2020 12:09

Just wanted to say I love this thread. I binged on it a couple of weeks ago and it's really inspired me to make small lifestyle changes and to look at the fuller picture. Plus I love nosying at people's meal ideas! Thank you :)

If I can jump in, today's meal plan isn't perfect as I have a friend over for a takeaway tonight and as I live up North it may be my last chance to do so for a while.

Brekkie: 100g lemon curd yoghurt, 40g Lizi's granola (320 cals)

Lunch will be: salad with chickpeas, manchego, spinach, grated beetroot, spring onion, sauteed asparagus and dressed with olive oil, balsamic and mustard: 469 cals

Dinner will be: at least two slices of veggie pizza, a cupcake and 2 glasses of wine or g&t! Oh and some sensations poppadums. Likely 900 calories! But will aim to have a 500 calorie deficit for the rest of the week.

QueenOllie · 16/10/2020 08:54

Finally hit the 1 stone off mark!

ginandchocs · 18/10/2020 21:27

@BrimfulOfBaba your meals sound delicious (pizza and g&t once in a while is definitely not a bad thing!

@QueenOllie that's brilliant!!

I've lost my way a bit recently. I was due a blood test to check my thyroid as a lot of the symptoms I had before getting the medication right have come back. Unfortunately the blood test was cancelled (there was something they needed that they didn't have 🤷‍♀️) so I'm waiting to get that re-booked. I don't know if that's playing a role or not, but I basically need a kick up the backside 😂

When I eat too much junk/processed stuff I feel physically rubbish. I'm constantly bloated and uncomfortable. I haven't really gained weight so that's positive but I need to up the nutritious foods as I know I'll feel so much better!

Tomorrow's Monday so when better........?

OP posts:
BrimfulOfBaba · 22/10/2020 14:36

@ginandchocs hope everything's ok - thyroid problems can definitely make weight management a little trickier!

Same, eating junk makes me feel terrible, I don't know why I keep resorting to it!

MiaN · 26/10/2020 09:09

I will join in if that's ok

QueenPaws · 27/10/2020 09:44

Slight NC! Another 2lbs off
Food prepped and ready for today
B - ham and cheese and gherkins
L - BBQ chicken salad with loads of salad veg
T - gousto chicken pie and veg (I split the portion into 3 rather than 2 so it's low cal but still a decent size)

1105 cals

QueenPaws · 04/11/2020 21:26

Still going
B - ham and a mini marmite cheese
L - chicken, leek, mash and veg
Snack - chocolate low dough bar
Tea - tuna salad
1100 cals

Does anyone want to lose weight as a snail's pace?
QueenPaws · 12/11/2020 10:25

17lbs off now Smile

Ofpalestsilver · 22/11/2020 01:06

Hi there - I hope you don’t mind me jumping in and joining your thread. I’ve also made the choice to go slow and steady as the 1200 calorie thing tends to send me off track.

Based on my slow and Steady inputs MFP is recommending c. 1500 calories a day for me which I find more manageable.

Looking forward to learning from you all!

QueenPaws · 25/11/2020 09:52

Still plodding. 18lbs off now

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.

Swipe left for the next trending thread