New You Plan

[FluffyWabbit]

Well, I can't see that these VLCD type diets are being talked about much.

Probably has a lot to do with the injections that people favour these days.

But, I find this weight loss journey that I'm on kind of surreal and a little lonely.

Everyone knows I'm doing it but we don't talk about it much.

Don't get me wrong. I have all the support in the world, all of the encouragement and even a mini-me that is on this plan with me but we kind of just do it and get on with things.

I started a Penzu journal as a way to keep myself focused during this diet, but no one can see it or comment on it, so there's no one to share it with and no one who can learn from it but me.

I like to process information and I like to share things so I'll probably just talk to myself here.

So, I have lost just under 4 stone this year. I'm on the final stretch of this diet. My BMI is hovering at just around 25.1 down from 34 in January. My aim was to get to 21/22 BMI but I think I've fallen off the wagon a few too many times to get there with only 4 weeks left.

That's ok!

Jean size went from 12/14 to 6/8.

Comments are crazy.

My hairdresser calls me 'tiny' and even the neighbour commented on my weight! I don't ever talk to the neighbour and he's a man! He out of the blue told me he'd noticed my weight loss (WHEN WAS HE LOOKING AND WHY) and then told me he started injections for weight loss.

Very strange but also funny to me!

I started my weight loss journey 20 something years ago and weighed over 25 stone! Not good for someone who is just 5'2"!

Tons of excess skin. Not overly happy with what's happened under my once plump and youthful chin but what can I do?

This post is pretty long. I might make it my second accountability journal, along with Penzu, but we'll see how things go.

Feel free to say HI or ask me stuff or make fun of me or whatever.

I don't mind the company!

Gym is perfect if you don't have time try walks. Even that helps.

Weighing every day helps me to stay on track on my weight and that helps me on my eating. Works for me. Hope that helps.

Weighing every day helps me to stay on track on my weight and that helps me on my eating. Works for me. Hope that helps.

Heyy keep on updating your words are inspiring and what you do every day it gives an idea what we can do or add to our own day.

Thankyou I look forward to this thread as I can see its very inspiring and straight to the point.

I'm really struggling with hunger today.

I've been doing this VLCD since February and I'm severely burned out.

I'm 1 pound away from being at a 'healthy' BMI and it's taken me 10 days to get back here after giving in to the last time I felt this way.

I stole an approved 'snack' from my partner in crime but it just means I added some extra calories which will slow down my weight loss!

Being short means every little morsel is counted against me and I'm running down the clock!

29 days left.

I'll finish this but I probably won't be happy about it!

I'll be happy afterwards, though!

Gonna drink more water and distract myself. So glad when this is over!

ChatGPT says I'll lose about 6 pounds, max, this month. Starting to wonder if it's worth it! IT IS ..but is it? IT IS...is it??

!!!!!!!!!!!

It is worth it keep on drinking water it will help prevent them hunger cravings am getting the same right now. I drink water not eat. Don't give up.

Am behind with my weight loss but am not giving up. Not when I have come this faar. Am going to make sure i get some cardio in this week

Well, I finally did it!

Despite the struggles of yesterday, I managed to get to a new low weight, and am now officially 'healthy' according to NIH BMI chart.

I'm right on the edge of it, though, so will keep plugging along for another 28 days to nudge it down a bit closer to the middle.

Not really sure how I feel about it all. It's kind of surreal, in fact. I've never been this weight my whole adult life and I can't remember being this weight even as a teen or child.

I think I'm too mature to care, to any great extent, because I did this for myself and health. Might have hit different if I were younger, did this for others approval or looks.

I just don't know!

Anyway, I didn't binge yesterday, which is great news.

Struggled with hunger so had today's bar yesterday, plus the 4 meals I was supposed to have, plus 2 snacks!

Means I have a short day of 3 meals, today, but that's fine. Sometimes, eating isn't linear.

I hope you all have a great day and, if you want to share struggles or success, I'll certainly pay attention!

Drink water! It's a hot one!

Well done! X

27 days left - woke up and was up a pound! I'm overweight again! ha

Don't really care. I was starving so ate my four meals at 3:30 am and now I've gotta go about 27 hours until I eat the next meal. This is fine because I need to recalibrate my hunger levels and drink water.

I slept from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m. Just exhausted. The night before, I slept from 2 p.m. to 4 am!

The heat is really getting to me and low energy, I guess. I'm okay in the day but the days are just so long when sleep is low.

Noooo! But is that after you ate the 4 meals?

No, before but weight fluctuation is normal especially when it's hot outside. We retain a lot of water in hotter weather. Plus, digestion etc can affect the scales so, I weigh daily, but I don't stress about the reading and normally just consider 7 day - 7 day instead of day to day, if that makes sense.

@FluffyWabbit keep up your good work. You can do it. Keep it going. Am hopeing to have a good Friday and controlled weekend. Still need to get plenty of workout in. And keep eye on calorie intake.

Morning!

Well, I had a spectacular 'fall off the wagon' yesterday.

3400 calories worth of nakd protein bars, extra vlcd meals and the scale was like, 'What in the world,' this morning.

Upside: I was so energetic, yesterday! I felt like I'd had a drink (I haven't drank this year apart from a birthday drink 2 months ago!), I was singing, dancing and just felt so alive!

I slept like a BABY. I went to bed at 9:30 p.m. and woke up with the alarm at 6 a.m. which NEVER HAPPENS.

So, I do not see this as a fail at all. It was like a rejuvenation to keep me on course for the next 27 days.

ChatGPT is predicting an 8-10lb weight loss in this time, including yesterdays indiscretion. This puts me only 3lbs away from my 'target' weight and I'm really not bothered.

So, even though I was tempted to 'correct' via fasting, further restriction etc., I chose life!

Ate my breakfast (which is disgusting and the only thing I really detest on this plan) and plan to stay the course after chatting with ChatGPT and DH (love that man so much).

Have a great day x

I ended up binning loads cos they went out of date. But OH did make the point that dust doesn’t go out of date 🫣

Some of mine are out of date but they are fine!

In hindsight I think I wasted quite a lot of money! 🫣

25 days left!

Sleep wasn't as good, last night, but I had muscle aches from my Krav Maga class earlier in the day.

So, went to bed around 9 p.m. because I was starving but had no more meals, woke up at 3 am, told myself that was nonsense, and went back to sleep until 6 a.m.!

Had electrolytes, coffee and combined my breakfast and snack because I knew I'd be out when it was actual snack time.

Lunch at 2 p.m. and I'm so ready for it!

Hunger is getting to be almost unbearable the nearer I get to target weight! I thought it would get easier!!!

I was true to my word and didn't weigh even though I was VERY tempted.

Plan for the rest of the day is to eat at 2 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. and just drink water!

I know I can do this! I have made DH my accountability buddy! He is a brave man for taking the job! No one likes a hangry wife haha

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

Morning ladies. Ive had one hell of a busy weekend. These last two weeks of summer I really need to focus on my weight and calorie intake. Need to loose something before school run starts.
Really need to work on my cardio and weight.

Morning!

I had to quit cardio for a bit. Great for cardiovascular fitness, self-esteem and mood boosting but not so much for calorie burn and weight loss.

Hope you have a great day!

Thankyou. I need a big kick. Am sooo behind. Hope you have a positive day too.

So, I'm here to be honest so here we go!

I binged AGAIN and ate all my plan bars in one sitting! Now I don't have any bars to eat for the next 23 days!

I am not overly concerned about the calories, or impact to weight etc, but I probably should not have done that given the amount of added vitamins and minerals in these bars that I ate all at once.

It is getting hard everyone! I saw my scale throw me into the healthy BMI range, for the first time in my life, and have binged almost every day since that day!

Muscle cramps are really getting me down. I am supplementing electrolytes, drinking about 3.2L of water + coffee a day, keeping activity to a minimum, as per plan instructions but I am still struggling with cramps, poor sleep, fatigue etc.

I am 6 months into this VLCD in a couple of days and it has not been a smooth ride at all. Restless legs, insomnia, fatigue, diet fatigue etc has derailed me a few times! Self medicating through overeating or binging works but then messes up my plan and I have spent a lot of money and time on this plan. Sabotaging is silly and counterproductive!

I have been to the doctor and have had a urine test and kidney, liver, electrolytes etc are all perfect. No issues there. I have my annual thyroid test coming up. Not sure how the loss will have affected the medication, given the current dosage, and the fact that this diet is soy based which is a big no-no for underactive thyroid, in theory. TBC.

On the flip side, I have lost 24kg since January. I could have lost more without all of these derail moments. However, I don't know if I should be proud of the progress or not. In any event, we are where we are and I have just a few more days to get to wherever I'm going to be.

I did admit to my Krav Maga instructor that I binged on Friday and he said I was the only person he knows who would binge on protein bars instead of Chinese food or cake so that made me feel a little better?

I'm not perfect! Who is? I can be better, though.

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Plan is to continue VLCD with 3 meals a day, which are the meals that are left now that the bars are gone, so full steam ahead.

Projected weight remains unaffected as no extra calories taken in, overall, just front loaded.

23 days left

Had another good night of sleep but this is expected because it's only been a little over 24 hours since the great VLCD bar binge of 2025 version 2 or 3? I've lost count.

My body seems to be relaxing from having some energy to burn to help with sleep.

BUT, I had HORRIBLE gas pains all day yesterday. I felt like an overinflated tyre. I could barely walk without making gassy noises and I was MISERABLE!

Had a chat with DH who told me I'd hit my goal, I don't have to keep going on just because I have meals left. I can stop, take a break or continue but just do it if I want to and not because I feel obliged to meet a goal, or finish the food or do it for the sake of doing it despite the struggles.

He's right, of course. I don't HAVE to finish 23 days but I want to! I want to because losing weight is easier than maintaining so I see this part of the journey as a transition into the next.

So, I'm going to keep going but try to not see things as black vs white, good vs bad or failure vs success.

If messing up a few days kept me on the path for 6 months, then here we are!

Todays meals are cereal, shake and 'irish stew'. Goodness, I do not like the 'stew' but it's got vitamins and minerals in it and I only have 2 of these left so will be done choking these down after tomorrow!

I hope everyone does well today, whatever that means for you, and feel free to vent, rant, brag or boast.

I'm listening!

I hope you have a better day today.
Yesterday after ages ive got on my bike at home completed my work out. Am still not counting my calories I really need to do it to keep my pounds down. It's been a hard summer with challenges. Need to keep going.
Need a positive week for myself.