What do you do to stay slim and fit?

[FreeBeeBird]

Need motivation, tell me your inspiring stories.
I work full time (office job) and have a small DC so limited time for sport and selfcare. The best I manage to do is 2 exercise classes a week and try to walk as much as possible when not working but reality is that sitting on a chair 8 hrs a day 5 times a week and loving food doesn’t help me stay slim :(

I’ve followed the same intermittent fasting way of eating for nearly two years now. I can’t up my exercise levels due to M.S and low energy levels. When menopause struck I’d done nothing differently, still ate the same etc, but started to pile on the pounds. This has been my saviour, it’s quite refreshing having a rumbling tummy, and you really appreciate food.

I’ve always eaten healthily as it’s my preferred choice, always has been, even as a child. I couldn’t understand why my parents would eat the fat on their meat 🥴

I too don’t eat until noon, I nearly always have oats with nuts, seeds and berries. Overnight oats are so refreshing in the current heatwave, gorgeous. Sometimes these fill me right up until my final meal in the early evening, but if I fancy a bit of chocolate I don’t deprive myself.

It took a couple of weeks to get used to, the hardest bit for me was waiting for breakfast, such a rumbly tummy, but it’s worth it. Give it a try, it’s so simple and effective 🤗

While watching a television programme, I will jog on the spot. This becomes so easy to do and doesn’t really feel like exercise. It also stops you snacking while watching and 40 minutes flies by.

I’m doing OMAD and I do weights 4 times a week. I go to the gym at 6am as it’s the only way that I can fit it in.

Is there any actual science behind IF that isn't just basically consuming less calories overall? And what does it do to your metabolism ? Does there not come a point where your body becomes so used to running on so few calories that to reach a calorie deficit you have to reduce drastically.

There was a time I barely ate. Went 2 or three days without food beyond coffee and cigarettes and the odd slice if toast. And it wasn't all that long before I reached a point where I didn't lose any more weight. No matter how little I ate. And the fact it had been 3 days since I last did. All that happened was I looked and felt like crap.

I am v careful in what I eat. Low carb, high protein diet with very little crap and no upf's plus work out 6 days a week. The exercise part is hard, but I feel happier and healthier when I'm slim and toned.

The diet side is easier because it's just what I'm used to

You can't out exercise a poor diet.

I do intermittent fasting with lots of protein. which helps control cravings.

Reformer Pilates 2x week plus walking and exercise bike.

I do nothing to stay slim. I have always been, what some would term underweight, but I eat what I like, when I like. I just do not have a big appetite. I have no desire to eat foods loaded with UPF's, and cook, and bake most of my meals, and cakes. I do not eat fast foods, such as Kfc, Maccy D, etc. I used to, but now I find that the food is such poor quality, which I have no desire to eat. I do not eat a lot of fruit, but always have vegetables of some sort with my main meal, or some salad. I do what walking I can, for exercise.

Can you get a sit stand desk at work? They aren’t that expensive and I’ve used one for 10yrs. You don’t have to stand all day but it helps. Plus weights are your friend if your short on time, body weight exercises squats, lunges, planks then add in some weights. Extend your walk 60mins a day - 30min each way to that stop.

I think it depends on which exercise class you take. I do a brilliant outdoor HIIT class, which makes a big difference. So, maybe consider whether the classes you are going are effective enough. Then, add on Pilates or yoga at home.

My Fitness Pal and HIIT workouts at home while the DC watch cartoons.

Is there any actual science behind IF that isn't just basically consuming less calories overall? And what does it do to your metabolism ? Does there not come a point where your body becomes so used to running on so few calories that to reach a calorie deficit you have to reduce drastically

It's both - science and consuming fewer calories. If you eat/snack every couple of hours throughout the day, your insulin spikes like a yoyo. If your body doesn't actually need food, it will store it in the form of fat - and mostly around the liver, which is really bad.

If you only eat a couple of times a day, when you are actually hungry, these spikes dont happen, particularly if you eat mostly nutrient dense foods such as protein, vegetables and healthy fats, rather than refined carbs, sugar and - especially - UPFs. The latter is just industrially produced fodder, cleverly designed not to satiete, so one is still hungry and craves more.

There are many doctors and scientists who have written in depth about all this, such as Mark Hyman, Jason Fung, Tim Spector, Michael Mosely, Andrew Jenkinson and Becky Gillaspy. It can get a bit overwhelming, but I found The Sugar Solution, Why We Eat (Too) Much, Ultra Processed People, some of Jason Fung's talks and Becky Gillaspy's short videos on YouTube, as well as Michael Moseley's podcasts, very interesting.

NB: one thing to bear in mind is that after the menopause we may require fewer calories. I used to be one of those annoying people who could eat anything without gaining weight. Not anymore - I had to adjust my daily intake. I don't count calories as such, but if I've learnt the hard way how much I can eat without gaining weight. Not drinking alcohol has been a game changer - no empty calories and less inclined to eat crap...

Isn't that also an argument though fir not allowing yourself to get too hungry?

If you have 3 say regularly spaced meals and maybe the odd snack ( within a calorie limit) you will eat a sensible portion and not over eat if you arebt actually hungry.

When you have long spaces between meals and get really hungry, isn't that when you ate more likely to raid cupboards while making dinner. Eating alot more because you are really hungry. And probably going for something quick and easy and less satisfying because you don't want to wait too much longer? Yo8r body burns calories while you are doing nothing. If you know your maintenance rate then eating maintenance rate won't cause you to gain weight surely. Because it then won't matter if you ate eating say 2× 800 calorie meals or 3 × 500 calorie meals and an apple...

Class times are way too difficult for me- I’ve had to embrace 6am gym before my day starts.

When I was mainly office based and the children were young I used to walk in the park at lunchtime.

I also built in a bit of running into my commute home. I'd run as far as I wanted to and get on the train when I'd had enough.

But diet is key. I'm a big advocate of protein, minimal carbs and loads of vegetables. The 'massive salad' and protein is my go to lunch.

Diet is key for weight loss, exercise is great for health of course but diet is the main factor.

in your situation I would use the twice a week that I can get to the gym for weight sessions and do something like Jillian Micheals 30 day shred on the other days for cardio it can be done at home and if I remember right (I might not) it’s only 20 mins a day. I could be misremembering that part though.

I get up at 6 three days a week and run for half an hour. Along with intermittent fasting

Think ahead to when you are menopausal (I know i never did as it seemed years away). That should motivate you. It's hard work getting fit at this point of your life. The gym is my second home now.

For me, it's simple things like portion control. No food is banned but I just have a small amount of fatty, sugary food and only if I really want it. Try not to eat in front of the TV, computer or standing up. Never eat out of a packet, always transfer to a bowl to control a portion. Drink lots of water and spoil my appetite with vegetables, protein and fruit.

I'm afraid staying slim is mostly eating less. I haven't got back to normal BMI since having children, though I'm not massive, 5'7" and size 12 and not the size 18 I got up to a few years ago. I do one yoga class a week and try to do some on my own, plus 2 x weights focussed sessions in the gym, 1 x cardio in the gym and 1 x run outside. I am fit, BP very good, cholesterol very good, no problem with blood sugar, thyroid etc.

I only go into the office two days a week and really struggled to fit exercise in when I was in 4/5 days and my health really suffered. I basically changed my job so I could have a more balanced life as basically any job where I can't fit in exercise is going to be very bad long term.

I'm in exactly the same position.
Work in an office 4 days a week, and then 2 Daughters (now 4&7, so it is a lot easier that when they were little little, but still tiring).

I try and do an hours walk on my lunch and then I've stopped eating after I've had my dinner. We were snacking every evening. I can lose a pound a week this way, but then it takes forever to lose a decent amount of weight and I always give up.

It's so hard. No real advice. There just isn't time to do it all any more 😩

Fitbit that makes me do 250 steps per hour. At work that averages out as a toilet / printer / kitchen walk every so often. Minimum target is 14000 steps a day.
Walk to work (2 miles each way). Also walk to supermarket and carry heavy items most days.
Parkrun Saturdays.
2 x gym / weights classes a week.
Never drink.

Getting off two steps early will make a difference for you.

Before I had DD I would use Fitness Blender vids online, there's tons to choose from and you can play your own music. Then I also cycled to work and did the gym several times a week.

Post DD, I cycle to work (3 miles each way), a long ride (20m +) at weekend and usually horse ride for 2 hours every other week. I try and do 20 min pilates at home at 6am as it helps my back. I miss the gym and long cycles though! When DD is bigger I'll be able to do more. Dh and I did do weights at home during my mat leave but that's fallen by the wayside!

Looking for tips too!

@Whatwouldscullydo - the best way to not feel hungry is to eat food that satiates; in other words lean protein and healthy fats, especially nuts and seeds. Plus lots of plants/vegetables to give your body the nutrients it needs.

Also getting used to 'sitting' with a little hunger, and avoid eating in front of screens. @Hibernatalie mentioned some useful strategies and some of the health 'gurus' I mentioned explain all this really well.

Doing abs workouts and strengthening my core was a game changer for me. My core now feels really tight, not weak and 'sluggish' as it used to. It may seem strange, but being able to feel my abdominal muscles stops me from wanting to eat more than is good for me... My strong core - and legs - allow me to walk and ski for hours - and I'm 70.

I have a similar lifestyle, 2 young children, DH who works long hours and no childcare/possibilty of getting out of the house to exercise during the week.

Diet wise I focus on quality and maximising nutrients. I get 40+ g fibre each day, cut out upf and refined sugar/processed carbs, make sure I get enough protein and quality fats and eat in a 12 hour window. I don't count calories and easily maintain a bmi of 19 without feeling I am depriving myself.

Exercise wise what you tube workouts have you tried? I felt similar to you before I started the Caroline Girvan iron programme but now find this so addictive I struggle to take a day off. The workouts are only 30 minutes and I tend to do them at 8pm when the children are in bed. It is really motivating as you quickly see positive body changes and feel so much better after doing them.