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?

Well done @BasinHaircut I think the key thing with losing weight slowly is that you learn to not be disappointed with small losses or even staying the same. As long as you are heading the right direction. This has been key for me. I think it’s drilled into people that if they aren’t losing one or two pounds a week it’s not good enough. If you lost a pound a month that would be the beat part of a stone in a year and I’m sure lots of people would be happy with that!

Hi everyone.

Sounds like everyone is doing well. I'm doing similar in that I'm completely relaxing everything at the weekend, eating what I fancy but then calorie counting during the week. I weighed myself on Friday and I've lost 5lbs in 3 weeks which is more than I was hoping for so I'm very pleased with that!

For tea today I'm having veggie sausages, sweet potatoes and vegetables. Nice low calorie tea. First time I've used these sweet potatoes hoping their nice as it's really easy to just chuck some in the oven.

@Nettersrunboulder86 half a pound down since last Monday is brilliant. Well done!

Also well done @BasinHaircut you are sounding so positive 😊

@cornflakecrispie 5lbs in 3 weeks is amazing. What were the sweet potatoes like? I don't think I've seen them before, but may pick them if they're any good.

I've had another pretty good day. I ate:
B: bagel with 2 scrambled eggs and cranberry juice
L: rice and salmon salad
S: mint club
D: pasta bake with salmon and garlic bread
S: a handful of sour watermelon sweets

That brings today's calories to 1,612. I've moved a lot more today (I hadn't moved enough all weekend). I did 2 YouTube dance classes with my boys 😂 and we went for a walk.

I'm also keeping a track of my heart rate on my fitbit. Every time I diet, it starts high on a Monday, dips by Wednesday and then is up high again over the weekend. Every week would be the same. Last Monday my heart rate was 75, it slowly decreased during the week and decreased even further over the weekend and is 67 beats resting today. I am really chuffed with that as health is a massive factor in me finally sorting myself out.

I can report that the sweet potatoes were delicious.

Morning everyone! I survived the weekend, maybe the first time ever I've stuck to a diet all weekend. Had slightly more calories but that was planned and got a run in and 16k steps each day. Weight this morning is 10st 11.0lbs so that's a loss of 2.6lbs in a week. Really pleased as I felt really unmotivated yesterday!

Well done everyone sounds like everyone's had a good week!

Had a good day today. Run this morning and I've eaten -:
B: 2 soft boiled eggs and 1 slice of whole meal toast
D: Mexican tuna rice pot
T: 2 tacos with sour cream and a tiny bit of cheese

No snacks at all which is very very unusual for me. Maybe my stomach is shrinking?

All that has come to 1279 calories so I can have a little something for supper if I get a bit peckish.

How has everyone else got on today?

@MrsEHB that's amazing, well done!

@cornflakecrispie I'll have to keep an eye out for those!

Tuesday has gone well. I'm noticing when I look in the mirror that I seem less flabby (I can't think of a better word 😂). I know that I haven't lost enough for it to be that, so I'm guessing it's what I'm eating, and certain foods (alcohol and lots of sugar I guess) make you seem flabbier?!

Today I have eaten:
B: toast, poached eggs, bacon and cranberry juice
L: chicken and noodle stir fry
S: raspberry ripple ice cream in a cone
D: Thai curry with rice (first time I've made a Thai curry and it was delicious!)
S: chocolate

That brings today to 1,580. I hope everyone else has had a good day 😊

Well done ginandchocs. Your food always sounds so delicious. I don't think I look any thinner yet I always look so bloated! Even when I've eaten really well all day my stomach sticks out loads. Anybody got any anti bloat solutions?

I decided to end the day on an activa yogurt and a pain au chocolate (one of those you bake yourself and it was only 185 calories which isn't too bad for something that feels very treaty) so final calories are 1572.

Ohh @ginandchocs I made Thai curry too yesterday (massaman) and had it with rice, green beans and a roti. Planned the day around it so I had enough calories as also had a beer so had to be careful but again, I was amazed at what I can have but still be in calories.

Lunch was a falafel wrap and breakfast a protein shake. Snacked on just a few blackberries.

Meeting up with a friend today so taking a packed lunch. Got some pastrami and emmental (sp?) cheese for my sandwich and then I’ll probably just take fruit. I am aware that we may come across an ice cream van so I’m planning on an ice lolly for damage limitation. Hopefully they have the old skool lemonade or cherry brandy ones. Just having my protein shake now.

Not sure about dinner yet but I’ve just reminded myself to make sure I don’t need anything out of the freezer before I head out!

@cornflakecrispie have you tried peppermint tea for bloating? I usually take ibs tablets (or something similar) when mine is bad, though fingers crossed it's been quite a while since it's been really bad.

@BasinHaircut it is amazing how much you can eat as long as you're aware! Did you stumble across an ice cream van on your walk? It was hot enough to definitely need one!

Today I've had:
B: bagel, scrambled egg and cranberry juice (I'm so adventurous with my breakfasts 😂)
L: jacket potato, left over Thai curry and a salad
S: cornetto
D: chicken quesadilla
S: Dolly mixture sweets

This brought today's calories to 1,701. We're having a barbecue for tomorrow night's dinner, but it will only be a little one. I'm going to work out the calories in the morning for what I'll be eating so I can plan the rest of the day around it. Today is day 10 in a row without an alcoholic drink! Longest I've been in such a long time. I did buy a bottle of the Aldi own brand Magners each for myself and my husband to go with the barbecue tomorrow. Once I've had that I'm planning another alcohol free weekend.

@ginandchocs that's such a good idea to work out the barbecue calories before hand, i'd never though of that. It's so easy to keep picking food at a bbq without realising how much it adds up to! Well done of the alcohol free days! I've been sticking to my one day of drinking a week. I think it helps that I wanted to cut down on drinking for my mental health nothing to do with calories. I was drinking a bottle of wine to myself every Friday and then I would just wake up and feel rubbish.

I've been really rubbish at posting the last few days but pretty much been on plan today's food has been:

Porridge with blueberries
Banana
Courgetti with bolognaise and 1/2 a slice of bread with a smidge of butter
Yoghurt and granola
Popcorn
Salmon with Spanish omelette and lettuce
Ice cream cone

I'm nearly 5 weeks in now and I feel like I'm starting to get used to eating much less. It doesn't feel like a diet but a lifestyle change which is exactly what I wanted. I really look forward to my meals and enjoy not being full all the time from constantly snacking!

I've managed a week on plan so feeling better. Lost half a kg, purposely doing kg as its not intuitive like pounds so won't feel disheartened, as long as its going in the right direction. Find its easier if I plan a day and then stick to it.

Good work everyone!

Yes we did find an ice cream van and I had a lemonade lolly at 67kcals! It was so nice I might try and pick some ice lollies up in the supermarket this afternoon.

I had a good day up until dinner. I got home after a full day in the sun and felt tired and a bit light headed. We ended up getting another takeaway. I had donner kebab meat and chips and have no idea how many calories it was. I had 800 left at that point though and I couldn’t face breakfast today so am hoping it levels out!

I’m just having a small bowl of beef stew (leftovers from freezer) and a 6in bit of baguette with proper butter. Tonight will be turkey and vegetable risotto with more veg on the side.

Been invited to a friends at the weekend and am making a carrot cake to take with me. They are doing a BBQ so I’m probably not going to have a very successful weekend again but will try and keep it reined in a bit. No drinking.

Bloody Boris relaxing all of the lockdown restrictions is not helping me at all right now

@lmfaoo it does help that it's our own bbq at home so have complete control over what is cooked. We don't generally eat big portions of food and go back for seconds either so it's easier to count ahead of time. Isn't it great that this doesn't feel like dieting. It definitely makes it far easier and I also don't stress if I go over my calories from time to time. Tonight's bbq is approx 900 calories with the cider so there's a very good chance I'll eat more than usual today but I'll enjoy it and tomorrow's another day.

@Beawillalwaysbetopdog well done on losing half a kg. That's good weighing in kgs instead of pounds. I've always got to convert from kg to lbs in my head!

@basinhaircut your lunch and dinner sound lovely today. I bet the kebab was nice last night too! We're further behind England with our lockdown so haven't got to worry about the socialising yet 😂

Hope everyone is doing ok! I weighed in yesterday but was too busy to post. 2.75lbs down which means I've lost a total of 11.75lbs. Looking forward to making it a round stone!

This is the lightest i have ever been as an adult and it feels amazing! I've got 4.5 lbs to go until I reach my goal but looking at myself now I think id like to lose a bit more than that.

The weather is miserable here today but I'm gearing myself up for a walk in a bit to get those steps in! Currently still in my pajamas!!

Amazing @lmfaoo!

No loss for me this week I don’t think but I’m not surprised. Been 50/50 with it but good enough not to gain at least.

Morning all! Was at a bbq yesterday so didn’t count calories but day’s food was as follows:
Brunch: 2 toast (no butter), small tin beans, 2 scrambled eggs 550kcals

BBQ:
Burger in bun with ketchup
Sausage
Chicken kebab
Couple of tiny ribs
Tiny lamb kofte
Salad
Slice of carrot cake
Couple of canned drinks at 70kcals each
Tea

No idea on total calories but considering in the context of the entire day I think probably not too bad.

Got my brother and wife coming for lunch today, going to do a picky lunch I think.

Well done @lmfaoo! That's a great loss. I was feeling quite frustrated as the scales haven't shifted all week even though I know I've stuck to my calories and got some exercise in. They finally budged this morning and I've lost another 0.8lbs. My food wasn't particularly nutritious last week so I think I've been a bit bloated etc, going to focus on protein and fibre as much as I can this week. Started back at work yesterday, the mirrors in our changing room are awful and made me look so big, that combined with no shift in the scales made me feel a bit crappy but I'm glad I didn't just give in like I normally would. Enjoy your Sunday everyone

Hi everyone well done @MrsEHB I think making sure I hit 10,000 steps each day is really helping. It's been so good for my mental health which in turn motivates me to eat well. Although having said that I deffinatly went over calories yesterday. Had 2 glasses of wine after dinner then I woke up at 2am feeling really sick and needing to eat so I had a ham and cheese bagel and a cup of tea. A fair few extra calories but it was delicious and I think I needed it! I'm just going to eat normally today and hope it doesn't do too much damage!

Great losses @lmfaoo and @mrsehb 😊

I have really gone over my calories this weekend and my stomach is really not happy with me! It's so painful and bloated tonight. I definitely won't have a loss tomorrow and will probably gain, but I know most of it will be bloating as I was good during the week so it should hopefully disappear within a day or 2. On the plus side, I enjoyed the weekend 😂

I'm actually interested to see what the scales will say tomorrow! I hope everyone else had a good weekend 😊

Monday weigh in. I had no idea what to expect today after the weekend. I have gained 0.25 lbs. That's it!! I'm really pleased with that as it shows what I'm doing during the week is really working. Back to my 1,750 ish calories today. I hope everyone has a great Monday 😊

Nice one @ginandchocs well done.

I’m also back to it after a weekend of no counting. Haven’t weighed myself, I’m going to wait til Saturday morning I think. I’ve been invited to another BBQ and I’ll decide whether to have a few drinks or not depending on my weigh in, in the morning.

Didn’t have any breakfast again today. Some days I’m just forgetting if I’m busy. Trying to fit in work, looming after DS and running my Monday errands.

Lunch was leftover chicken and salad/cous cous from yesterday. I think about 600kcals. I’ve just had a mini pork pie for 200kcals and dinner will be about 600kcals too but need to work it out properly. Should be less than 800 though definately so will be within my daily limit.

@ginandchocs well done! I'm feeling really bloated and horrible today. Think I'm constipated so must drink more water.

Breakfast was porridge with blueberries
Lunch was Spanish omelette with salad and yoghurt with granola
Snack was chocolate banana bread
Dinner was fish cake with broccoli sweetcorn and cauliflower rice.
Ice cream for pudding

@BasinHaircut I'm very jealous of the bbqs especially as I don't have a garden!

I'm meeting my friend on Saturday and we're having drinks and a takeaway at hers so I'm going to enjoy myself but try not to totally over do it!

@BasinHaircut I'm eating my breakfast later and later as I just have no idea where the time goes! I'm back working a few hours a week from Wednesday too so will be an even bigger challenge!

@lmfaoo your meals sound lovely today. I hope drinking more water helps for you, that's something I should work on too!

Today went well for me. I had:
B: bagel and 2 scrambled eggs with cranberry juice
L: beef stir fry
S: a Nature Valley bar
D: pasta carbonara with garlic bread
S: jelly beans

That brings today to 1,673. I've got a thumping headache tonight, not sure if it's the weather or a food hangover from the weekend 😂 Time for bed I think!