January 2025 Starters Thread 9!

[meatyryvita]

Time to check in losers!

Thank you! I think I had an idea in my head that I’d look so much different at 9st but I think I just look the same but shrunken a bit. But I guess that’s how it works!!

i can definitely get some resistance bands. Thank you for the link, I think that’s the sort of thing I could manage.

@discov you look fab! Well done on such a significant loss x

Thank you @BreezyPeer that is kind. I think if it was someone else posting these photos I would say the same thing! We are our own worst critics.

I’ve just started the core stuff - hopefully we’ll see a difference. You look very slim though 😊

Weigh day and jab day for me!
SW 15st 12
CW 12st 7.5
1st GW 14st 6lb MET!! 🎉
2nd GW 13st 3lb MET!! 🥳 🎉
Final GW 12st 0
Total loss so far 3st 4.5lb !
Good luck to everyone weighing and jabbing! ❤️ xxx

@discov I agree that we tend to get stuck in details and find faults. You look great - look at that difference!

@Polkadotdash that sounds appalling! I haven't come across anything like that when I've looked at Vinted, but infuriating that even something as innocuous as second hand clothes still isn't free of gross sexualisation of children. Please report back on what Vinted say about your reports?

@discov well done, you look very slim! I think it can take a while for your skin to catch up. Do you take collagen? That might also help. But all exercising is going to benefit you anyway. There are umpteen video workouts on YouTube, you just need to find something you enjoy.

@BreezyPeer SW twin - you are way ahead of me! I'm still chasing getting to 3 stone loss, so you are doing amazingly! 🙌

bodypump last night was HARD. Too many lunges and push ups for me - not enjoyable! Sigh, hope I will see an improvement one day though. I can't seem to make any progress on push ups at all.

@discov you look amazing! We are our own worst critics, aren’t we?

@BreezyPeer great job! Similar starting weight but I’m a wee bit behind you this week.

SW 15.10
CW 12.7.9
GW 9.10

Just a .2 of a lb drop this week but after two big weeks, it’s to be expected.

Best of luck to all losers weighing in today x

@MJalltheway it's all about doing them, but try to do a couple in harder version than your regular one. What I mean is that if you normally do them kneeling and hips up, try 1-2 on the knees and hands on bench. Or if you do them on your knees, try one full negative, so down on toes, up on knees. Will really help.

Looking fab @discov! I spent a lot of time on holiday behind my book and sunglasses just checking out what slim looks like and that mid line you are worried about was very common indeed. I was also reassured that little pot bellies were quite the thing as well.

I’ll swap my relatively unscathed midriff for your tiny waist and lovely arms if you like 🤣

@MJalltheway @meatyryvita @Jinsthank you all, you are all being very kind! I didn’t post to get lots of ‘you look fab’ replies but that’s very nice of you!! I don’t actually take collagen and it’s been on my list of things to sort for ages. My friend takes the Willpowders one but it’s a bit spendy for me. Does anyone have recommendations for one which is a bit less £££? I take Nutrition Geeks vitamins and saw they had a collagen powder so I might try that.

@discov I’ve been taking Nutrition Geeks collagen since I started this journey and it’s great. I take in some tea in the morning; it makes the tea taste more milky but that’s really it.

@discov wow, you look INCREDIBLE, well done!!

@meatyryvita , @BreezyPeer and anyone else with losses, congratulations!!

When I started, I set top of my healthy BMI as my goal but my stomach looks a lot worse now than Discovs did when she started!!! I know I need to do some core work but can I ask how you all landed on your goal weights?

good luck to anyone weighing today!

and don't forget to moisturise the skin, it does make a difference. I use Caudalie Lift and Firm, but any moisturiser will be good. I personally also find my skin is lot drier on MJ.

@2025istheyeari interesting question, I first set mine at 62 kilos, as this was my happy weight when I managed to slim down in my 20s.
Of course I gained and lost weight many times since then, but never managed to go below that.
But once I got there, was stuck for a while but got unstuck, I want to lose a little bit more - while I don't need to lose more weight from upper body, the weight loss is only now finally slowly reaching my legs. And they are sturdy, especially calves.

I picked 140lbs because it's been an achievable weight before a couple of times. I have got lower, down to 126lbs, but I looked very gaunt in my face and I barely maintained that weight at all.
Looking at my chart since February 2012 I think I need to be below that 150lb line, but I've yoyod so much over the years.

Thank you @2025istheyeari - I have changed my goal twice so far. Originally it was 10st then 9st and I’m changing again to 8st 7. I’ve never been less than my starting weight as an adult so it’s hard to decide on something when it’s un-chartered territory! You might find you get to your goal and want to go a bit further, or you might even not get to your goal and feel comfortable slightly higher.

I do well having something to aim for and enjoy seeing it get closer on my weight tracking app 😄 I’m like a toddler with a reward chart!

@HeidiNotSoHeavy I do moisturise every day now. I always used to just do legs, arms and chest because I hated my stomach and thought ‘what’s the point’ but now I do everywhere! I dry brush too but not sure it actually does anything. I’ve been using an Aveeno oil which I’m loving at the minute, but have a cupboard full of different moisturisers to use up.

Thanks both, I haven’t been a healthy BMI for about 13 years so maybe I see that as my interim goal and then see how I go. I did get to low 11s but found it super heard to maintain so I may just take it slow and see how I go.this is my graph since 2015, as you can see v up and down but mostly up 😩.

Thanks @BlueLimes for the resistance band exercises, I have some of those and I’m going to start them today!

Thanks for everyone’s support, we have a lovely community here!

Hmm, graph didn’t post, trying again!

Argh, sorry, don’t know what I’m doing wrong!!

and also for exercise, look our for a set of weights, maybe on your local facebook selling group. Or check some body weight options, like this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhu1QCKrfgPUZ7_HDxP8P_-0ffNoobSDH

I picked my goal of 9st purely because it was the round number closest to 22.5 BMI. I know from my previous weight loss and maintenance through low carbing that 9st was the highest weight I felt ok at and since I’m old and post menopause I thought it better not to aim too low.

As the NHS BMI calculator now considers 18.5 BMI within the healthy range my ideal weight ranges between 7st 7 and 10st 1 (47.4 - 64kg) so 9 st (57 kg) felt right. I’m close to goal now and I’m only just starting to feel ok about myself. I’m not formally adjusting my goal but if I drop to 8st 10 while titrating down in maintenance I’m not going to be too upset.

Feeling very fed up today. I’ve still only lost 1st 3lbs in 6 months. It was 1st 5lbs yesterday but inexplicably put on 2lbs since yesterday. I know I can’t have really, but it’s sometimes hard to keep focused and positive.

But whilst I can’t - obviously - offer any advice to anyone on weight loss, I can weigh in on the nails thing! Yes, gels knacker your nails, but if you go for BIAB it actually protects them. They put on a nude shade (there are about a dozen to choose from) and it’s much like the gel process - curing under a UV light. Then if you want colour, they put gel on over the top. Townhouse definitely do it - I’m yet to try them as they are expensive and my local salon does it, but I hear they’re v good.

@2025istheyeari I set my goal weight as the top of healthy bmi. I am aiming for that now. I haven't been that weight for about 15 years. However, now it's getting closer I am hoping to look at something more like 22.5 bmi. This would be another 1.5 st loss from my current goal. When I reach the current goal I am going to set 7lb goals and see how it goes!
NSV someone (privately) called me a 'skinny minney' after seeing a photo of me! Xx

I originally picked 75kg as this was the weight I could comfortably maintain last time I lost weight doing intermittent fasting. But I've lowered it to 70kg (11 stone) just to see if I can.
the healthy weight range for my height is 59 - 79kg so 70kg is pretty much in the middle of the range. There's no way I could healthily weigh 59kg, I'm broad as well as tall so I would have to be extremely skinny to weigh that little.

thabks for push up tips @HeidiNotSoHeavy , I'll give it a go. I saw a tip about slightly angling your hands outwards to help with your elbows going back instead of out and that has definitely helped. I think because I have hypermobile shoulders and elbows, I find it difficult to sense where they should be because they so easily get in the wrong position if that makes sense!