Countdown to Christmas

[ItRainsItPours]

All welcome!

Supportive thread for setting goals including self care and fasting, and chat in between!

It's been a surprisingly good week for me given I ate the most delicious dark chocolate and cherry pud twice in the week....

SW 14.2
TW 11.2
CW 11.6... a lose of 2lbs this week

I’m aiming to arrive at 11.5 and stay stable there through Christmas so I'm feeling optimistic that might happen soon

My self care this week is a rather fun one – inspired by said choc/cherry pud, I’ve decided I’ll cook a new pudding once a week... a couple of small portions for me, and bigger ones for DH. Cooking and food are definitely my happy place and this feels a gorgeous way to indulge while I try to lose one pound a week, and rebalance my eating to pleasure and enjoyment (and NOT over consumption... that’s the difficult one. I virtually licked my bowl clean of choc!!). I found that having these couple of treats to look forward to really helped me eat more moderately the other days.

When I’ve been successfully losing weight this year I been low carb in the sense of just having a normal portion of carbs with each of my two meals. So small amount of pasta, rice, potatoes or occasionally brown seedy bread. It’s the snack carbs I have to avoid like biscuits, cake and crisps. Those are the ones where once you pop you can’t stop.
I will update on Sunday but at the moment November is looking like a maintenance month.

I had a lovely weekend away with my dds but there is quite a bit of other family stuff going on do my weight is up and I haven’t tasted at all this week. I am determined to get at least one fast in.

Good luck @ItRainsItPours for next weigh in. I am similar to you in that if I eat those foods without any snacks other than maybe a small amount of dark chocolate and nuts and a bit of skipping meals I lose weight. If I have bread then I am a lot less likely to lose and my tummy looks pregnant! Rice and potatoes are less of an issue. Shame I love wheat so much!

@EmbraceTheBeans and @loveyouradvice oh my goodness I have been planning to do a diy longo fmd for years! Only got as far as buying expensive olives from M&S - please could we do it as a group if you do this in the new year - I would love that! There are menus on Reddit and I will look at youtube. We could set up a separate planning thread if you both are up for it? But sorry, I am getting carried away @EmbraceTheBeans i hope it goes well and helps you.

@loveyouradvice well done on your sleep and lovely self care idea!! I am thinking on the lines of doing some actual cooking this Christmas, partly as my poor mum is unwell but also making it a Christmas activity with dteens and buying less upf stuff. Hmm it’s a nice idea but will I actually do it …

Hello! Popping back on here to say hi and I do check it periodically but have been holding back until I lost some weight - which I have now done!

CW - 72kg

i can't remember what I was at the start, 74/75? It's been a hard battle but I have mainly achieved this minuscule weight loss through strict calorie control, sticking to fast times (8hr eating window) and weight training and going to 25 min runs 3 times a week. Bloody hell it's been a slog and all for a measly 2kg 😂

that being said I do feel better and I'm glad I have started running again. I think more movement is what I needed to shift the weight.

Fingers crossed I can stay consistent! I'm desperate to be down to 70kg by Christmas.

well done everyone on the progress everyone and @ItRainsItPours 4 stone in one year is impressive.

I've missed you all and your wonderful posts so I'm going to try and post more consistently!

Hello lovely peoples – Maintenance months are seriously good news @ItRainsItPours . I so feel that this is the most important thing for me to learn. I am very good at putting on weight, pretty good at losing it... but maintaining it? Hmm... that is where I fall down.

Congrats @Fouramclub . 2 or 3 kg is NOT a miniscule weight loss. Congrats on the hard slog – and your body will have reaped huge benefits beyond the weight loss with all that training. Yes we would love you to post more – even when you haven’t lost weight! That’s sometimes when I find these threads most useful, as we’ve all been there.

Yes @Clearingaspace I do indeed fancy doing a DIY Longo together next year! That will be fun to do it together. Expensive olives from M&S feel like a great first step.

And good luck with doing some Christmas cooking this year @Clearingaspace . Key question – what stops you? For me, it is seriously my happy space and I’m only ever held back by other demands on my time. I love it.

And @EmbraceTheBeans . Me and side effects from the Fasting Mimicking Diet... Well, I rather foolishly started the day after a gorgeous meal with friends, with alcohol and pudding etc, which is really not the way to go – I had full on fluey type symptoms for a couple of days, and then felt fine. Othertimes they’ve varied – I had skin rashes the first two times (on my body, neck and face), but no longer. Last time a bit of fatigue on a couple of days, and a lot of phlegm every day, which surprised me. I’ve always felt much clearer and cleaner on day 5 or 6, apart from the one time when I did party hard in the middle which was a bit of a mistake – I am now treating it more respectfully, just gentle walking and no serious exercise, and feel like Im getting good results, while recognising that much of it is me trusting the process and the research, rather than knowing for sure. And strangely I sometimes feel very hungry, but with my fasting hat on I know that’s not an issue – I just eat the food earlier in the day and then stop.

How's it going for you @EmbraceTheBeans? guessing you are just finishing day 3??

November was indeed a maintenance month, the first month of the year I have not lost weight. Have had lots of meals out and celebrations though.
I am not setting any December goals, will just try to get through it with minimal damage. I will aim to do a daily yoga in January though as that is more realistic.
How is everyone getting on?

@ItRainsItPours that sounds like a good plan for December, my plan is similar.

I lost 1lb last week so am down to 13st 10lb. I would really like to end December not drastically heavier than I am now. It's tricky with so much socialising going on but I'm balancing it out as much as possible.

E.g. I am out for three Christmas meals this week. One with family, one with friends and my work's Christmas do. So I'm pulling some longer fasts and healthy meals where I can. I'm currently at 20 hours fasting today.

@loveyouradvice that is great to hear about your weight loss.... it's really inspirational. It can feel so disheartening have a lot to lose but if I could get into the 11s like you are I would be delighted!

@loveyouradvice how about 2nd of January for diy longo ?! I know it’s excuses but my problems with cooking are: small cramped kitchen for 5 people, we are all fussy! I don’t have an oven - but this is on me, I do have a bread machine, ninja foodi, combi microwave, blender and hob though! Sometimes I like cooking but in general it’s next to impossible to find a meal all 5/4 of us will eat. I am also very bad at planning and buy food on a daily basis. I am not the best at cleaning as I go along and my dds have inherited this; they made chocolate brownies at the weekend and the mess was unbelievable!

@EmbraceTheBeans did you make soup and crackers or find a substitute? Hope the rest of the week went in

well done on your weightloss @fouramclub and @GameOfJones. Good luck with damage limitation/ maintaining @ItRainsItPours

am super tired so going to bed before midnight for 3rd night in a row!

@Clearingaspace Suggest you go with 2 Jan and we cheer you on!! I realise I am going to do an actual Prolon in Jan - prob around 10th... and then DIY for hte one after. Ive got some kits sitting on the side as managed to buy for £110 each....

Hi all, just popping back on to report another 1lb down this week.

SW: 15st 1lb
CW: 13st 9lbs
GW: 11st

Well done @GameOfJones really consistent weightloss!

@loveyouradvice maybe I was being too ambitious with the 2nd! You should definitely use your pack up first - don’t want to wait and find dates are going past their best. @EmbraceTheBeans that sounds a very good plan and mid January goal gives me time to get things ready. Fantastic you have had such a good result!

Hello lovely people – how’s your Friday and weekend looking?

Looking good @GameOfJones – another pound! I’m so impressed! You’re where I hoped I’d be this week...

@Clearingaspace My nights are definitely getting better: 3 nights of a solid 8 hours, starting around 11.30 which is a huge win for me! Now to build on it...more solid nights, and yes, nudging it earlier. How’s it going for you? And so understand about the cooking but I reckon it’s small steps – trying one thing that appeals, and building from there. Given range of nutritional approaches in our house, we have one meal a day where we all come together and share, and indulge our more eccentric approaches outside that

And @EmbraceTheBeans congrats on your 5 day fast. Your results sound fab – losing aches and pains is a real win, alongside that glorious surge of energy. How are you doing now? You’ve made such a mazing strides with your health this year, it’s a joy to read how your fitness is soaring after you embedded such great baseline habits. Ps although Prolon didn’t affect my sleep, it does for lots of people so I'm not surprised this happened for you – I'm loving your description of the high drama of 3 am but I imagine it must have been quite scary

Yes @ItRainsItPours low carb is definitely what’s enabled me to lose the weight – this is typically fairly easy apart from the chocolate!! Congrats on November as a maintenance month and for embracing December as such. I’d love to hear about your thoughts for getting through “with minimal damage” – what will you most enjoy? And how will you approach it?

@Clearingaspace and @EmbraceTheBeans . I embrace what @EmbraceTheBeans says: many fewer side effects after a few days of clean eating (I cut out meat, sugar, alcohol for several days and dairy for the last two or three, and drink lots of water and eat lots of fish and veggies): plunging in cold from festive foods can lead to horrid flu like symptoms. I’m on for doing the official version alongside the two of you DIYing mid Jan or so – around 10th is good for me... Shall we confer after Christmas? And if others want to join us for an intense 5 days of whatever they fancy that would be fab!

I’m looking for commiserations this week .... my results:

SW 14.2
TW 11.2... but 11.5 for Dec/early Jan before I start again
CW 11.7... from 11.6 last week

So sadly my weight Is up by one pound from last Friday: I felt triumphant on Wednesday when I reached my pre Christmas goal weight of 11.5: I felt so excited, thinking all I need to do now is stay at this weight for the next 4 weeks! A glorious moment as I envisaged partaking in wonderful Christmsa fare in a restrained manner – yes I really did imagine that gorgeous mythical me!.

Those darn chocolate puds: I overindulged.... So this coming week is a mix of gentle festivities and two days of abstinence (800 or so calories in a 2-4 hour window) and I hope to be back at 11.6, if not 11.5, by next Friday. Im typing this with a very restrained and glorious plate of Christmas cheese beside me – mouse-sized morsels of four sumptuous cheeses!

My self care this week is two fold...

1. Reflecting gently on how to approach Christmas which is typically a danger-zone of potential massive overindulgence for me... despite knowing this makes me feel physically pretty grungey
2. Reassuring myself that I may have fluffed up this week, but I can get back on track in coming days... indulging myself in long sweet-smelling baths where I fantasise about wearing my favourite clothes at Christmas and my body enjoying gliding around (yup, fantasy! but helps me...)

I think one way I am trying to stay on track is by keeping up the fasting. Not having breakfast is a fairly well ingrained habit of mine now as is eating lunch as late as possible. I definitely like the delay don’t deny mantra as I know lots of people who do a traditional diet and then go back to old eating habits and regain all the weight.
Excercise is interest at the moment. The weather is awful and it’s dark in the evenings so walking is out. I am doing quite a bit of tramping about Christmas shopping, does that count? I am also swimming weekly and the pool has been so empty. No doubt that will be harder in January when everybody decides to get back on track.
All of that aside I do intend to enjoy some normal Christmas food. Once Boxing Day is over though, I will start trying to cut back so it isn’t too much of a shock on New Year’s Day.
Hope everybody is trundling along, it really does feel like the countdown to Christmas now.

@loveyouradvice well done on getting to target with a month to spare that is amazing! Annoying not to be able to just eat a bit of chocolate pudding once a week and stay the same - I feel like we should be able to do that! Oh self care - I have had some earlier nights last week and felt better for it .

@ItRainsItPours I definitely feel like running around doing Christmas shopping burns some serious calories- speed walking, lifting heavy bags, reflexes primed to pounce on a bargain etc!

I am off the rails at the moment need to try and get off Christmas mode! Doesn’t help we started putting decs up end of November (kids insisted!)

I am finding it very hard at the moment too. Fasting times going fine but food choices not so good. There have been too many parties, meals out and cheese in the house (I'm not so bothered by the sweet stuff.)

I have a clear day today so will make sure I stay sensible. I'm not expecting to lose lots of weight in December but if I could avoid piling it on that will be helpful!

Pragmatism and plenty of sleep are key for me too @EmbraceTheBeans

I love the mantra Delay Dont Deny @ItRainsItPours and plan to put that on a post-it on my bathroom mirror for these seasonal weeks. Also regular fasting - I'm lining up at least two days a week this week and next where I eat around 800 calories in a 2-4 hour window.

So I hope to navigate these next 10 days quite well - the danger period for me is really from Sunday 22 December to early Jan: lots of family friends and conviviality.

Last year I managed quite well as you're proposing @ItRainsItPours - Reining back from the 27th, having a mix of strong fasting days and enjoyable meals. I'm going to try for that model again.

So thoughts so far:

1. Being clear each day what my eating window is, and announcing it to DH for accountability
2. Weighing daily - regardless of whether I feel like it. (Yup, the key indicator that I'm out of control, is my "forgetting" to step on the scales in the morning. It works for me when I do, encouraging a little more abstinence if the weight is increasing)
3. trying to drink a glass of water and wait 10 minutes if I get the dangerous munchies - who was it on this thread who had great success with this approach?
4. Putting out lots of "nibble bowls" of cherry tomatoes and physalis rather than easily accessible chocolates and nuts
5. Eating high-quality chocolate and cheese in small quantities - and pre planning it...
6. And yes @EmbraceTheBeans it really helps me too to just remind myself it is a temporary blip if I overindulge in the UPF cycle of sweet stuff for a couple of days, and I can get right back to eating well and NURTURING my gorgeous body
7. Brilliant - that's another that's emerged from writing this. I will spend a few minutes each morning before I get out of bed breathing slowly and imagining how I am going to cherish my gorgeous body, which has done so many amazing things for me over the years (the most amazing of course being growing another human being inside me!).

I think I need some more!! All ideas welcome. How are you approaching it and when's your danger period?

Reflections on true deliciousness....

I'm aware, contrary though it may sound, that I can easily eat more when something isn't very good - ie its not satisfying enough so I think more will help (clearly not engaging my brain!!).

And that I can feel deeply satisfied on many levels if something is exceptionally delicious

So part of my Christmas/New Year is focussed on true deliciousness in two ways

1. remembering and creating the very healthy things I love that are deeply satisfying, and making sure I have a plentiful supply ... such as warm bowls of frozen berries, a succulent tabbouleh (mainly herbs, a little quinoa), crab (a real treat!!) and hardboiled eggs on a bed of salad...
2. small and varied portions of fabulous cheeses or chocolate - a plate with llittle nibbles of each to truly rellish and treasure... using Delay dont deny, planning which days I will indulge in which...

And yes, the second can backfire... I've a house full of yummy cheeses and chocolates and just looking at them in the fridge and the larder (ok it's a cupboard, but I treasure it!!) is deeply satisfying.... And I am relishing this each day with deep contentment, and took huge pleasure in choosing and ordering them, and seeing them arrive...

So my challenge is "how to be a grown-up grown-up" and eat a little when I fancy it but not let the rampaging Christmas-hunger monster fuelled by emotion or the physical cycle of just over-carb/sugar-loading loose, creating devastation with its voracious binging, only temporarily satisfying and utterly destructive ...

Hmmm. All suggestions welcome - and I recognise things would be safer if I just had carefully filled the larder with those of my DH and DC favourites which I don't like, such as mince pies. But I am questing to have a gorgeous indulgent enjoyable Christmas which we all share, without becoming rotund again. (And yes, DH is tall and slim and can eat almost anything!!)

Oh @EmbraceTheBeans I'm sorry to read that. I really resonated with Richard Curtis on the radio yesterday talking about his new film and he said "Christmas is an emotional magnifying glass". If you are content and have a happy family it can feel wonderful, but if things aren't so good and you feel sad it can make you feel worse. I think it's easy to forget sometimes that Christmas can be a difficult time for many people, for a variety of reasons.

Very best wishes to you.