Healthy weight loss without weighing ourselves

[BrimfulOfBaba]

Weighing myself is driving me crazy! I know what works for me and that's managing my calorie intake and exercising regularly. Whether or not I have the drive to stick to it consistently is another story entirely...

It doesn't help me to see the fluctuations in weight on the scales anymore. All it does is demoralise me if it's up, or make me compete with myself to get it even lower. Not healthy!

My wedding is in July and I want just enough fat loss to feel comfortable. I can monitor this via how clothes fit and photos rather than the scale, for now.

I'm going to use this thread to record my activities for the day as it keeps me motivated. Please feel free to join me!

On a more "normal" route, meal plan for today:

B: Strawberry Skyr, strawberries and coffee with semi skimmed milk (about 148 calories overall). Wasn't massively hungry this morning so thought I'd see if I could do without the granola!

L: Pasta salad with roasted tomato, onion, peppers, garlic, chilli and basil. This should be about 448 calories.

D: A baked pepper, stuffed with couscous, olives, feta, sundried tomatoes and herbs. Will serve with salad and homemade tzatziki. Should be 543 calories in all.

I'm hoping to stick to a 750 calorie deficit to meet my goals. But I have healthy, and not-so-healthy, snacks on standby if needed :)

Day 1 of being back on track went well! I did have a bag of very delicious crisps, but logged it and made sure my evening walk burned enough calories for me to meet my deficit.

I intended to do a circuit this morning but missed my alarm...need to work on that! Will do one while my dinner's roasting. And DH and I are trying to establish a daily routine of an after-dinner walk, so hopefully we'll do that!

Todays meals:

B: Skyr, cherry bakewell granola, strawberries and coffee: 277 cals
L: same pasta salad as yesterday: 448 cals
D: Jamie Oliver's greek style cauliflower stew, with a bit of weighed-out buttered baguette: 589 cals

1,314 cals in all today.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Ugh, this thread fell off my watched threads list again 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’m glad you had a nice time in Scotland @BrimfulOfBaba. You sound so motivated!

I’m in week 2 of 3 of the FitBit push-up programme. Every session, I feel less and less optimistic that I’ll ever be able to manage a push-up. I can’t even do the modified versions 😂 It’s ok though, I’ll persevere and see where I get to.

I’m also still doing the 30 plant foods a week challenge. It’s been really good for encouraging me to diversify my diet. I’ve also, this week, earned my 3 stone total loss- badge, so I’m feeling pretty good about my progress! I’m only a few pounds off being a healthy weight now, but as it’s been relatively easy for me to shift the weight, I’m planning to just keep doing what I’m doing and see how much more I can lose.

Today’s plan is:

Breakfast- overnight oats with berries, banana and pumpkin seeds. I used to skip breakfast, but as I now do weights in the morning, I thought it’d be better to eat something

Lunch - spicy bean wrap with salad

Dinner - veggie stir fry with tofu and satay sauce (only a little bit -the calories in that stuff are crazy!)

That's amazing @Crazzzycat! Congrats on that weight loss badge, what an achievement :)!

And yay on persevering with push ups! I may try the same programme as you - I was able to do them a few years ago but absolutely can't now.

Yesterday I snacked a tremendous amount. I was on the cross trainer for 20 mins and did a HIT session so managed to be at a deficit, but not at my target deficit.

Haven't snacked so far today, and will hopefully work out this eve. Brekkie was overnight oats made with Skyr, lunch was leftover cauliflower stew and dinner will be a salad of feta, aubergine, peppers, grapes, green beans with a pomegranate dressing.

Thanks @BrimfulOfBaba! Weirdly, ever since realising I’d hit the 3 stone mark, I’ve been wanting to snack like crazy. It’s almost as if, subconsciously, I feel like I need some kind of food reward. It’s so not helpful!

My food plan for today is the same as it was yesterday, apart from breakfast as I didn’t do weights this morning.

Thanks to some poor planning yesterday, weights, the FitBit session and 1 hour on the cross trainer all fell on the same day. Plus, I woke early and had sort of forgotten about all of that, so had a brisk walk first thing. 220 active minutes according to my FitBit. Think I’m going to take it a little easier today!

Hello again! I’ve been totally off the wagon. I’ve either had covid (negative tests but all the symptoms) or another bug that put me on my arse for a week. Pretty much zero exercise apart from a daily walk and eating has been functional at best. I do not feel my best self right now!
I’m craving veg so it’s going be tofu and veg stir fry with rice noodles for dinner and some sort of veg soup for lunch. I’m going to try and book a gentle swim today but it’s tricky now with the schools broken up.

New start!

Hope you're feeling better @PurpleDaisies - you're doing absolutely the right thing in listening to your body. Your meals sound lovely and nutritious.

@Crazzzycat 220 active minutes! Think you've earned a more laidback day!

Switched yesterday's dinner for pasta puttanesca. Had the leftovers for lunch today after my usual brekkie, and dinner will be the salad I'd planned for yesterday.

I did 20 mins on the crosstrainer today, I need to build myself back up after a break from it. I have a tabata circuit this eve which I'm looking forward to.

Also just received a new cookbook - Simple by Ottolenghi - which I am very excited about!!

Thanks @BrimfulOfBaba it’s not been too bad a day today. Food went a bit off plan when dh came home from work with posh coffee and millionaire’s shortbread for a mid afternoon treat. Well received! I’ve hit five a day veg challenge with the stir fry leftovers and (ahem) baked beans, waffles and a couple of quorn fish fingers.

Swim didn’t happen but I did a super long walk inspired by your epic exercise day @Crazzzycat! Not quite 220 minutes but I think I managed a couple of hours.

I’ve tried a few ottolenghi recipes and they’re absolutely fab-enjoy your new cookbook @BrimfulOfBaba. Share any gems you come across!

Sorry to hear you’ve been feeling rough @PurpleDaisies. I hope you feel a bit better by now?

I’d love to know how you find that Ottolenghi cookbook @BrimfulOfBaba. I’ve made some of his recipes in the past and they were all very tasty, but did take hours and 20+ ingredients. I like the sound of a book with some simpler recipes!

My plan for today is:

B: Overnight oats with banana, raspberries and pumpkin seeds

L: Spicy bean wrap

D: not sure yet! I had some cauliflower, halloumi and rice concoction yesterday, which I thought would last me two days, but unfortunately it turned out to be not particularly nice. I hate when that happens. I had two (small) bags of crisps afterwards just to make myself feel better, but also to get rid of the taste. Probably best if I don’t have that particular meal again! 😂

For exercise, I’m planning an hour on the cross trainer. I’ve seen a massive improvement to my fitness since introducing longer cardio sessions. I thought the general consensus was that it’s intensity you need to increase, not length, but based on my resting heart rate stats, I’d say it’s the latter that’s had the biggest impact for me.

Sorry that’s such an essay! I hope you both have a good week.

Thanks for asking @Crazzzycat, I have been feeling better. Still not back to 100% but I’ve been out for a run (accidentally knocked a crazy amount off my personal best for that circuit when I got caught in a thunderstorm) and did Zumba. Trying to pace a bit not to tire myself out too much. Well done with your increase in cardio. It’s so nice to feel fitter!

Eating has been much better too. We had a veg box this week as today it was smoked houmous on seeded toast for breakfast, avocado and chilli on sourdough with rocket and grilled tomatoes in a cafe for lunch (plus a blueberry scone!) and dinner was creamy leek and mushroom pasta made with almond milk chive cheese that tastes like Boursin. I’ve had some fruit too so hit my five a day.

Hope you’re enjoying the new book @BrimfulOfBaba

Congrats on the PB @PurpleDaisies, especially when not feeling your best. Hope you're feeling better?

@Crazzzycat I also have his 'Flavour' book which looked...intense! Which is why I decided on a simpler book, too. Will keep you both updated with my adventures :)

I've not been feeling like myself this week. I've not been tracking, and have been snacking on sugary things (I'm generally a savoury snack person so this is strange!). I know some exercise will help so will do at least 20 mins on the cross trainer tonight. I've not been tracking my calories, but am back at it today.

It's DH's birthday tomorrow, so we have a swish restaurant booked in with a tasting menu and wine flight...I'll roughly track but my priority will just be to enjoy such a rare treat of a meal!

I’m finally starting to feel more normal now, thank goodness. I’ve been to Zumba and hiit over the past couple of days and I’m seriously achy! The plan is for some stretchy yoga and a quiet walk this afternoon. Watching Olympics counts as exercise though?!

Food has been a bit strange trying to use up odds and ends in the fridge. Last night it was bubble and squeak pre Zumba followed by pasta and cheese after! Carbtastic. Dh has just been to the local bakery so it’s fresh olive bread, houmous and the classic mn massive salad for lunch. I’ve been craving biryani so I’ll try making one with the random veg in the fridge for dinner. I’ve not had much success before.

I had a sneaky weigh in and I was pleasantly surprised. Not loving the sluggish feeling from not doing as much exercise usual but that will go soon I hope.

Enjoy your meal out @BrimfulOfBaba. Food pics always welcome! We’re away next week and I’m excited about eating out. How are you getting on with the cross training @Crazzzycat? It’s my nemesis machine so I’m always impressed by people who use them!

Ah, so glad you're feeling better @PurpleDaisies - and yay on being pleased post weigh-in! Did you make a biriyani?

Watching Olympics is definitely motivating - although I did 0 exercise (apart from some lovely walks!) last week.

Fancy meal was gorgeous - one of my birthday treats to DH was not taking any photos for Instagram unfortunately! A star treat was a savoury spelt porridge with sweet roasted onions, comte and puffed rice/grains...absolutely stunning!

I want to exercise this week, I feel so BLAH when I don't. So, 20 mins on the crosstrainer and a bit of HIT this eve!

@BrimfulOfBaba I made my biryani and it was superb. I’ve never had any luck with them before but this was fantastic. Took ages though. There was supposed to be a portion for the fridge but we ate it all. Highly recommend the recipe. I didn’t have cauliflower in so used mushrooms instead. Also no yoghurt so used the creamy part at the top of a tin of coconut milk.
www.cookwithmanali.com/restaurant-style-vegetable-biryani/

We’ve been away for a few days and it’s been lovely. A bit of overindulging (dinner bed and breakfast deal) but not terribly and I’ve been to the hotel pool and gym every day, plus some great country walks. I’ve mainly had the pool to myself which I’ve adored. If I won the lottery I’d love a private pool. I wasn’t wearing my wedding ring in the gym and actually got chatted up by a really fit guy which was quite flattering. That hasn’t happened in years. Very happy with dh though!!!

Hope you and @Crazzzycat both have lovely weeks.

Thanks for the recipe @PurpleDaisies! Hope you had a lovely holiday - sounds lush! And always good to know you've still 'got' it

I've been generally unfocused and lethargic - last week was pretty awful. I'm struggling with keeping on track of exercising and eating well. I think not exercising and eating convenience/fast food creates a vicious cycle of lethargy and not wanting to prepare food, etc.

Feeling rested after this weekend and a bit more motivated to make proper food. I've accidentally missed breakfast due to oversleeping/meetings, but lunch will be a couscous, carrot and halloumi salad and I think dinner will be an assortment of leftovers before the shop.

Hope you and @Crazzzycat have great starts to the week!