January 2025 Starters - Onwards and Downwards

[meatyryvita]

Thread 12 right here losers!

@cloudjumperand I agree that skiing is horrendously expensive! Luckily besides DH rest of family not so keen. It's nice when we go but not obsessed about it like most people over here seem to be.

Posting for accountability. After the early morning horror things seem more calm but I feel weak and wobbly. Took a while to work out that I’d not eaten yesterday until we got home and all I fancied was a bowl of tinned peaches.

I’ve had a breakfast bar this morning but had to force it down. Suppression is there then! I’m a pound down but it’s probably 💩

A bowl of tinned peaches?! That’s hilarious Jins. Takes me back to my childhood when we would eat tinned peaches with evaporated milk. 😊

Hope you feel better @jins and @PenelopesPursuitPrevails

Tempted to start planning next year’s holidays too. Thinking Italy to see family, somewhere with a bit of culture, and then somewhere relaxing where I can swim everyday.
@HeidiLite we also had a not so great Cyprus holiday. Went with friends for a wedding and were the only couple with a DC. DS was 13 months and exhausting. Now we know it’s because he’s ND, but at the time despite having willing friends to hold him, play with him and take him for a walk…it was just about survival. I look back and realise that I was so thin from running around after him, having no sleep and still BF-ing.

DS Halloween party expecting 8 x 13yos about 3pm. I’ve made Rocky Road, Pumpkin Pie traybake, Beef chilli, Bean chilli, Rice - carved two pumpkins and decorated the lounge. We’ll also have the chilli for dinner and any leftovers are going in the freezer for later in the week.
I stewed some plums last night to have with custard, in season so only £1 for the punnet, so delicious! Looking forward to having the rest of it for breakfast tomorrow.

Jab day today, I haven’t done it yet but will do later. Am down to 58.25kg after the mid-week gain. And it’s Day 1 of my cycle. So far so maintenance.

@DGonMJ good luck and hope you have plenty of food - DS (12) had a basketball match this morning and I took him and a couple of friends to KFC afterwards. OMG the amounts they ate would feed me for a week! Family sized buckets and snacks and desserts on top. I don't even dare to think what this means in a couple of years, I need a bigger fridge.

Hi everyone, loving the holiday talk. We go away next week to Gambia, really looking forward to it. Doesn’t seem quite real yet that we are actually going!

Nothing beyond that yet but it’s a big birthday next year for DH and I so I’m sure we’ll go somewhere. Our family holiday will have to be within school hols as ds2 is mid A levels, plus we’ve got an august wedding to attend, so need to be careful re dates.

Despite the scales not moving much recently, I’ve had a good few NSVs this week. I’ve had links taken out of a bracelet and watch as they were in danger of slipping off my wrists, and my engagement ring has been resized back to its original size. And today I’ve finally gone bra shopping. Gone a back and cup size down. Had a good mooch round too and realised I’m actually enjoying clothes shopping again! It’s not about what shops can I go in, it’s where do I want to go. No more does it fit, does it cover me up enough, does it hide xyz. Such a different experience and I loved it. This could get dangerous!

@CurlsandCurves it's great, isn't it? To be able to buy clothes based on other criteria but 'does it hide my body'.

I'm also enjoying buying oversized items though, as I don't need to worry that loose things make me look big, if that makes sense. I don't look large, I look like a slim person wearing loose clothes.

Hi all, hope you’ve had a great weekend? I wasted far too much time looking at turnip rooted chervil (blaming @HeidiLite), but still haven’t found any in the UK apart from lots of places selling seeds (which would be nice for squirrels and various bugs but I doubt I’d get any). Hope everybody who has been under the weather is feeling better now.

I’ve tenuously hit 59kg (as in I don’t ever ‘claim’ a weight until I’ve been consistently at or below for a few days and I haven’t yet). Have decided 57 is my final goal, it feels about right and is also 9 stone. Not likely to approach it any closer right now as I’ve just spent half the weekend eating biscuits - I was tired and felt like my body was saying “sod this I need food right now”. I’ll give it a stern talking to tomorrow and we’ll go again. I did try on a favourite skirt which had been tight around the waist yesterday, the damned thing is now too big and falling over my hips! So a bit of sewing on the horizon I think.
Speaking of sewing, @Jins I’m late to say this but I’m pretty sure you were focusing on the negatives when you posted. I think we always notice the less good bits about ourselves much more than other people do. The fact that we are all feeling so much healthier will automatically be noticed by everybody else!

End of the weekend and half term catch up on the chat for me. I did a bit of clothes shopping with my sister yesterday. She’s always been a tiny size 8 so I’m very envious of her. I was having all kinds of sizing problems between shops. Some I was a 16, others a 14 and even hilariously a 12 in one shop (proper vanity sizing). It’s ridiculous. When I got back to my sister’s house we were talking about the crazy sizing range and she gave me a pair of her size 8 baggy joggers to try on and they fitted me. It’s total nonsense.

Plus I saw some jeans in M&S that are described as ‘horseshoe’ shape. They are utterly ridiculous 🤣

Happy monday, losers!

@Polkadotdash the sizing being all over the place is just so annoying. I buy most clothes online as shopping over here is limited, and it's so bad from sustainability perspective to return stuff, as they often end up in landfill.

End of school holidays here as well. Kids are not babies any more, but it was still sooooo much easier when I could just walk out and not nag them to get ready and then manage the logistics of afterschool activities. Childless people have no idea.

I'm heading to Germany for just 2 days on business and just noticed the travel desk had booked me a hotel without a gym! I need to put that on my request next time. Luckily there are 2 large gyms nearby, open til midnight, so will go check those out. Still snacking too much yesterday and weight is too close to 60 kilos for comfort.

You’re very kind @Aimingdown and I am probably focusing on negatives. I’m obviously thrilled to be carrying less fat around and clothes look better on me but losing weight has put a good few years on me wrinkle wise. I’m still totally fed up with my lardy midriff but it’s a smaller one than it was.

Can’t believe it’s Monday already. I had to do a supermarket shop yesterday as the cupboards were starting to look bare so at least we’re set up for a few days. It’s a strange feeling looking at a shop full of food and not fancying any of it. 6.6mg has really kicked my arse. I’m hoping it’ll give me space to refocus. I’d still like to lose 2-3 pounds to give me some wiggle room around the 9st mark but at least I know now that a bit of dose tweaking will be an option for the future.

Hope everyone has a good week. I’m hoping for a quiet one

@Zempytough one! I took a pay cut post redundancy when I took my current job and the work-life balance is so important. There is this thing I've done where you score parts of your life, relationships, career etc to determine which areas are most important to you. This might help. Is work-life balance more important or would a bump to your pension days be better.

@ThelittlestrangerIve weighed in this morning and after a few days of comfort eating with a sore throat and headache I'm now over my target range for maintenance so I really need to reign it in. Particularly as I didn't put much on when on holiday and it's the returning home and eating ice cream and cake like it's going out of fashion. Thankfully I don't drink any more so at least I don't have that to contend with. I just don't know how to make myself more accountable to myself. Not do I know how best to track. I find calorie counting makes me a bit crazy

@myladyjanesorry to hear you're sick, snap. I got antibiotics as I was sure it was getting worse. I only took 3 of 4 doses yesterday as go them at lunchtime and starting to feel better today so either they worked super quick or I didn't need them. Oops. 6 more days to go!

On the holiday front I almost always book a year in advance. Going skiing for the first time in February half term next year. It is eye wateringly expensive and with my new lower salary it's a bit of a push. I've taken the money out of savings this year but not willing to do that next year so something will have to give.

We are off to Egypt in May half term and thinking about booking another Egypt hotel for October half term and then we usually visit family in Spain in July (they give us the dates closer to the time so that's booked more last minute but still months in advance).
I'm loathe a bit this year as our nanny decided to take a different week in July to our two weeks and then took two weeks in October with less than one overlapping ours, she is entitled to two weeks but I feel it's a bit off using one of our weeks to lengthen her holiday so I'm tempted not to tell her when any of our holidays are so she has to choose independently... It's not been a problem before and we have had her five years and probably only keep her for another two and for the sake of a few hundred quid decided not to rock the boat and just paid her but it felt so wrong.

I’ve just treated myself to an outdoor oodie long puffer jacket!!!! Until now I’ve never really had any outdoor wear that is both warm and waterproof. I can do one or the other but rarely bother with a coat at all. However we’ve done three history or ghost walks recently and for each one it has rained. I’ve also found the standing around listening doesn’t help in maintaining a reasonable body temperature 🤣. So when I saw that the colour way I’d have bought anyway was half price (59.50) I snapped it up. It’s just under 2 weeks to my birthday so I’ve solved someone’s present problem for them.

So if anyone else is after a warm, waterproof shapeless piece of outdoor wear you know where to look.

Thanks @tinyemmy. I think you have hit the nail on the head. About six years ago I took a huge pay drop because I was completely burnt out. Working 80 hour weeks with a psychopath manager. I was having dizzy spells and was really unwell. I think that experience has made me very wary of taking on more than I can handle.

On balance, a peaceful life holds more value to me than an affluent life. I grew up in poverty, was frequently hungry, and am a massive over achiever. I am actually pretty happy with what I have. Many people wouldn’t be but they don’t have my background.

I am going to sit back for now. I’m not in the last chance saloon yet.

Good morning all,

I’m very behind on the thread - I had a mini inward strop as I’m still 0.5lbs up on my holiday weight. I had a food heavy weekend but now ready to re focus.

@Zempy I read this quote about 2 years ago and it was the catalyst for a major change for me.

something like - your mental health is worth more than your career, bank balance, other peoples opinions or wishes. Take care of yourself first.

Hello all, trying to catch up on what I've missed over the last week (and back at work too - boo)
love all the holiday chat, still not got anything sorted for ours for next year. We normally go for something at Easter or October as well but DS is in A level year so nothing doing for Easter and won't know until August whether wherever he ends up for uni will have October reading week and whether it will coincide with school and other uni! Too many variables. It does mean it feels a bit flat without hols to look forward to at the moment.
Still reassessing things in light of DHs redundancy/potential early retirement as well, that will take a while to get our heads around what it would mean for us financially.

ive been tempted by those Oodie coats too @Jins! I don't really need one, I already have a dry robe which essentially does the same job. but still...
also my birthday in a couple of weeks too - Nov birthdays are the best!

So, post holiday weigh in yesterday had me up a kilo but today already down 0.6kg again so a lot must be fluid retention from flights. Not worried about it, I'm still sticking to what I've been doing all along and I know the rest will go in due course.

Have just booked the Cyprus outgoing flight for October - figured it won't get any cheaper and there will be return flights available, just not open for booking yet.

@BlueLimes @Zempy I totally agree, in principle, that mental health matters. I had a nightmare boss, she was so horrible that after a while, when I went home crying again, DH wasn't shocked any more and didn't even ask what happened, but asked 'what did she do now?' It was miserable.
But I also can't get the idea out of my head that it's my responsibility to maximise my income for the benefit of the family. So how I feel, that doesn't really matter. Does that make sense? It kind of feels..selfish to take decisions because the option would be better for my mental health and well-being. I'm getting better though and have turned down many offers where the money could be better, but I know the job itself would bore me to tears, or where I think company culture is not for me, or where the commute would affect my quality of life. Still feels selfish..

@HeidiLite its not selfish though, everything centres around happiness ?

Absolutely agree re providing well though, I had a lot of motivation to move and study (I wanted to get away from family - sounds awful really). As such I’ll do anything for my DC and providing a good life for them, in truth they’re possibly quite pampered 🤣 but I no longer do as long hours. I also cut ties which excluded me from inheritance but I’m happier so hopefully a better mum. That will sting a bit in time I guess !

@Zempy well done on making the decision, it's not easy. I definitely value my mental health and time more than money these days (although the lower salary still smarts at times, I value how life is now, more!)

Yeah thanks for everyone’s input. I understand what you mean @HeidiLite. That’s the real kicker, the mum guilt. Then I remember it was DS, aged 18, who said to me “mum, you need to pack this job in, it’s going to kill you.” I have recently used my professional contacts to help DD get a much better paid job and set on a career pathway hopefully.

I actually do need to put myself first. It’s harder because their father spends all his money on his “new family” wife and stepchildren and my DC get SFA. I feel the whole responsibility myself.

Enough whingeing and whining. We are of course all very fortunate.

@HeidiLite @Zempy There's an apocryphal story that's attributed to John Lennon:

"When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'happy'. They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life."

Something to ponder!

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and that the party went well @DGonMJ !

After 2 months on Wegovy, I'm finally feeling the effects. Currently on 1.7mg with a top up to 2.2mg (before I start 2.4mg this week) and it's definitely working! The suppression is considerable. I was up early yesterday, cleaned and tidied all morning before realising at noon that I'd not eaten (actually forgot - I never forget to eat!), had a yoghurt. Felt peckish at about 3pm and had a savoury scone and was just fine until dinner, where I had a normal small portion.

Today I've worked out and then had about half of my breakfast, probably about 2/3 of my lunch.

Weight is currently showing 2lb down on last Thursday but time will tell. I hope it's useful info for those pondering a switch to Wegovy, it seems there's a long bedding in period before it really kicks in.

I've mentioned before that DD works in a very high-end women's clothing shop. I popped in to see her on Saturday and spotted a gorgeous brown tweed kilt/skirt. We bought it in a 12, took it home and it was too big?!? She brought back a size 10 yesterday and I slipped it on and it FITS! Me! In a size 10!

Have a great day losers!

Sounds fabulous @meatyryvita ! Well done on your size 10! And I hope with a nice staff discount too?!
Thanks for sharing your wegovy update too, something to ponder. Glad you stuck with it and are now seeing the results.

On a totally different topic - has anyone else been asked by Vinted for their NI number? Some sort of threshold to do with when you sell 30 items? They say it’s not for taxation purposes, but it’s clearly for some kind of monitoring. 😤