January Starters - Thread 11!

[meatyryvita]

Come on in losers!

I also met DH online - about 20 years ago, married for 17 years now!

@Jinswe have a similar system with cooking - DS now makes one meal a week for the family. He’s been cooking for a good few years now, and ramped it up recently by doing a course as part of his Duke of Edinburgh award. He’s far better than I was at 14 (I think I could do eggs at that point…). And DH loves to cook, so he does pretty much all the rest - I only cook when he’s away. Which suits me perfectly 😂

@ZempyI would take a break from that ‘friend’. Agree that she’s probably lashing out because she’s jealous, but that’s not an excuse!

Something rather embarrassing happened to me - I now have quite a bit of loose skin on my belly, esp around my bellybutton. At the weekend, I discovered that I must not have paid enough attention to washing and drying inside my bellybutton properly after having showers, and not only was the skin really red and sore, it smelled awful!! 🫣😳 So embarrassing! Fortunately, I have a steroid cream, which has cleared it up very quickly. But what a problem to have! I now have to pay special attention to my bellybutton because it tends to get hidden by my loose skin - whereas this was never a problem in the past, when that skin always was stretched out 😂

@cloudjumper that reminds me of my lovely ex SIL. She was a martyr to an inflamed belly button for some reason! Pleased it’s clearing up.

i have never online dated (met my dh at 21) but I am very judgemental so I am totally here for any opinions required.

re exercise I need to find something I enjoy as much as outdoor swimming I think. I can’t do that now but I have ordered some boots and dh wants us to get back into the weekend walking habit we used to have when the girls were smaller and had to be exercised like puppies. Also exercise snacking is a good idea - I used to be ok at it. Never loved it but it was a habit. If I start work 20 mins later (and stop playing on my bloody phone!) literally no one would notice.

@2025istheyeari amazing - wow to bmi !!

@myladyjane I'm on my phone too much too - I really need to do something about it. In a risk fact as of right now I will not scroll in bed. Weekend walking sounds good.

I met DH in a bar but did have a couple of disasters with online dating after a traumatic break up with a controlling arse (not mine) - 1 guy I met for a drink was at least 20 years older than expected 😮 possibly 30…

Here for all the gossip @BreezyPeer

Glad tou are dieted @BreezyPeer im wondering if my tummy will ever shrink.

@BlueLimes I had so many guys lying about their height. I mean an inch, fair enough, but if you claim to be 6ft and show up clearly shorter than 5'6'' me, do you think I won't notice?

The lies are bonkers !! Not the sharpest...

I did sit through lunch with him and was v polite but honestly I think he may have been 60 - I was about 32. After lunch I met my friend in Leicester square, got hammered in O’Neills and ended up snogging an Irish guy 😂

Sorry big typo in my post and wrong tag. That was meant to say glad you are sorted @cloudjumper

not ‘glad you dieted @BreezyPeer - huge apologies as that looks rude !!!

Late handhold @Zempy , as @BlueLimes says this doesn’t sound like a you problem. I agree with strategy of stating your position (if you want to) then refusing to engage further - nothing good will come of arguing with her.

@cloudjumper how on Earth do you manage to sniff your own belly button? I’m off to wash mine now just in case though.

NSV for today, wearing new size 10 jeans (M&S with notorious vanity sizing but still a win) AND being able to easily put things in the pockets. Having previously been in denial and wearing a size too small that I couldn’t breath in.

@cloudjumper that's an occupational hazard with big boobs in summer, very easy to get sore infections under them. Nothing to do with not cleaning well enough, it's just the fact that there's a warm moist environment that lets yeast naturally on your skin overgrow. I use a barrier cream in summer to help avoid it.

Last week I repeated the blood test that I'd done in January to see how my numbers had progressed. I confess to being a bit disappointed that my cholesterol isn't in the normal range yet but I need to give myself a good talking to because I've made good progress in the right direction.

So my total cholesterol has gone from 6.9 to 5.61 (should be <5), LDL has gone from 4.37 to 3.39 (should be <3). HDL was already in range but has gone a bit further in the right direction.

@Aimingdownoh, there was absolutely no need to make an effort to detect the smell from the belly button - it literally stank to the heavens!!

Oh @Zempy that’s so upsetting. It’s awful to clash with a friend, especially when you are doing something positive for yourself and they are not listening. I don’t get why people panic so much about WLI. It’s not slimming pills you bought off facebook marketplace. It’s proper, regulated and proven medication to treat an issue. We get it, even if she doesn’t.

@cloudjumper the belly button thing isn’t related to your surgery scar is it?

@Polkadotdashno, nothing to do with my scar (that stops just underneath my bellybutton), phew.

@BlueLimes not rude at all! Made me laugh trying to work out what you meant to say 🤣

Hi everybody, lots of chat today 😁. Not sure I can add anything useful on OLD but I take a take no prisoners approach so very happy to join @myladyjane on the judging bench 😅 if required.

I’ve accepted a consultancy assignment, phew. Quite a small hour count but a three year contract, still need to sign on the dotted line so fingers crossed this one proceeds. Also have another mtg on Friday about a much more demanding but short term one. I might try to cram it in depending on how the chat goes.

I’m out again tonight, drinks only and I’m driving so I’ll have a couple of non alcoholic beers from a local brewery. They’ve become my go to drink tbh, virtually calorie free and not sweet.

I can’t believe I’ve overbooked myself today when I’ve got two more days leave with not a lot planned, apart from clearing out of course.

@BreezyPeer you need to be a code breaker for my WhatsApps

@Zempy - she is not a friend, is she? She’s a rude, judgemental and ill-informed frenemy! Perhaps tell her that focussing on exercise isn’t enough, that she must lose weight, that its not good for her to remain overweight and wait for the indignation.

@myladyjane you sound so busy! I hope things calm down soon.

@BreezyPeer i too am a massively judgemental person and so would like to join @PenelopePoweringOn and @myladyjane on the jury.

@PenelopePoweringOn congratulations on the consultancy gig!

i never bother my belly button but just did a scratch and sniff……it smelled like old socks! I shower every day and am not particularly sweaty but that was grim!

Wegovy update- 5 days in. No side effects, no change in appetite. Am eagerly awaiting Thursdays weigh in.

Have a great evening losers!

@PenelopePoweringOn oh well done!

its lovely to see all these plans coming together innit. New jobs, new dating, new houses, new wardrobes! It’s inspiring it really is.

i did put the laptop down and am walking whilst dd is doing her sport. As an fyi an acorn dropped on my head. Exercise = injury.

I was just outside and thinking that hmm, I feel kind of funny, what is this? I feel like...going for a run!?!
Now, I can run. I do it, as it's an easy way to get some cardio in, especially when travelling. But I never felt like I wanted to run. Also MJ side effect?
Did not go today though, already dark outside and I don't like to run in the dark. Might check the feelings again tomorrow.

Oo it’s been a chatty day on here!

@MJalltheway great news that your cholesterol has improved!
@meatyryvita sounds like you’ve taken to the Wegovy switch quite well?
@PenelopePoweringOn well done on landing the 3 year gig, fingers crossed it’s signed soon. Enjoy your 0% beer…that’s my go-to too.
@myladyjane I set myself a minimum 20mins exercise goal before work. Even if it’s yoga, or a ‘low impact’ peloton bike session. If I have trouble convincing myself to get out of bed I’ll decide to do an ‘easy’ class, then often by the time I’m up and have put my leggings on I sometimes change my mind to do 30mins and something a bit harder. I’ve learned my mental health is much better if I’ve done ‘something’ in the morning, even if it was an easy yoga class that was mainly lying down!

I met up with my cousin yesterday who lives in the US and had one night stopover here. We had a great time comparing our peri-menopause symptoms - hers were constant hot flashes and mine was just the weight gain and exhaustion last year. She said I looked exactly the same as I did when we last met at 15! She did not tell me I looked too thin, she just accepted me how I was. Which was really heartening to hear as I’ve been so self conscious lately. I told her how I’m feeling so much better having lost weight, have loads more energy, and that it’s tempered some of my bad habits like online shopping (although that’s now back on the lower dose) and my work demon. She was fascinated by the effect on addictive behaviours and is going to ask her doctor to sort out a prescription for her to curb her online shopping addiction.

In delayed jab news, I wasn’t too hungry for dinner. We found somewhere with a small plates tasting menu which was perfect. Small bites in between a mammoth gossip session, so the food didn’t have time to get cold. And then I was hungry enough for brunch this morning but could only finish 2/3rds of my omelette, which tasted delicious.

Sticking with jabbing tomorrow night. Might as well finish this pen I’ve already had open for 7 weeks 😳.

I've had a lot of photos pop up over the last few days from a year ago. I look really ill and unhealthy. It's not just the weight, I just look unwell. I used to eat a load of crap - really good home-made meals but then a load of crap in between. Crisps, biscuits, sweets. I'd even count white bread in that now.
I obviously look a lot thinner, but even without the plumping effect of the fat, I'm looking an awful lot better now. it's fascinating how much of it I can see in my face.

@myladyjane @PenelopePoweringOn @meatyryvita I will bring any dates/ prospects before you for judgement 👩‍⚖️
@BlueLimes I've sent some WhatsApp ciphers when I haven't had my glasses!! Absolutely impenetrable 🤣
@HeidiLite 'wanting to run' is the strangest MJ side effect I've heard! It hasn't affected me I'm sad to say. 🏃‍♀️
@DGonMJ I really need to channel some first thing in the morning activity. I'm not a morning person and am currently on my phone in my dressing gown putting off getting ready for work but . . . this means I need to exercise in the evening when i am either busy or tired! To be fair (to me) teen DS is usually up in the morning but he has a late start today. You have given me something to think about!
That cousin meet up sounds wonderful!

@MJalltheway the rubbish was totally my downfall too. Ate healthily all day and then sat in the evening in front of the telly with loads of sweets and chocolate.

It was the photo of me with my family last Christmas that was the deciding factor for me to start MJ. I was the youngest with my parents and older brother and sister in law. I looked objectively worse than anyone. I was wearing a sack like outfit ( long gone on Vinted) that I bought in Sainsbury's 2 days before Christmas because I had literally nothing that I could wear ( and I now know it was totally the wrong colour for me too!)

Have a lovely day everyone 😊
I am off to an in person team meeting with a bring and share lunch ( should be interesting!)
Weigh day tomorrow so I need to be strong and not get distracted by too much beautiful home baking xxx

Do you remember when we all started?

What did we complain about?

Yes, it’s back - I am bloody FREEZING 🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶

colder weather really hits differently when you have very little natural insulation left.
also offices are set on men's comfortable temperature, meaning they are too cold for women.

Good morning losers.

I’ve reached my second GW. 126lbs. A 70lb loss in total.

I’m over the moon happy and a little relieved. I’d just started to titrate down last week to 7.5mg and had the most horrendous side effects again. I’m not sure if that’s normal but it certainly wasn’t welcome.
I’m going to have a bigger gap between jabs this week to try and avoid that happening again.

I'm going to join the maintenance thread for support but will still be posting in here.

The next stage is the scary part, I’ve no idea what to expect but I’m excited for it.

Good luck to all for the week ahead.

SW 196lbs
CW 126lbs
1st GW 133lbs achieved
2nd GW 126lbs achieved

Fab news @SteveHarringtonsHair. Well done!

As a cost saving measure 3 years ago I was put in charge of the thermostat on the new boiler. DS2 is my deputy. Neither of us feel the cold much so we were the obvious choices. Our boiler is a strange beast, it doesn’t use internal thermostats at all. There’s an external temperature sensor and it calculates what it has to do using that. I’m pretty sure it’s cleverer than me. DS1 would have preferred sub-tropical temps and was most put out when he was told he wasn’t getting access to the app 🤣. In fact on one memorable occasion when he came downstairs in a T-shirt I turned the system down another degree 🤣

I’m definitely on the up turn now, aches and pains now minimal. Such a relief. Last year I had a cold/flu/virus that dragged me down for months.

I’m doing ok on the lower dose I ended up taking at the weekend, in fact I think I’ve got less food noise than I had on the 6.25mg I did the week before. My measurements are still changing even though my weight is pretty stable. My arms are still horrific, not sure much improvement in my wrinkly bingo wings is likely now.

Have a great day everyone!

Morning. Standing ready for jury duty @BreezyPeer .

Well done @SteveHarringtonsHair , absolutely fabulous.

It is belting it down here this morning and has been all night. I've got a drs appointment but other than that just a very quiet day at home planned. I'm thinking about joining a gym with yoga/pilates classes on offer as I will shortly be wfh part time and don't want to feel like I am stuck inside the house. I'll have a look around later on I think.

I didn't jab yesterday as I am having full bloods today so I'll do it when I get back.

I've always felt the cold. My heating bills are often eyewatering for the winter months,