September 25 starters - new year, new trousers.

[outofofficeagain]

We won’t make it to Christmas without a new board.

Well done to everyone for getting this far and thank you for your company.

Here’s to a healthy and happy 2026.

@OneDayIWillLearn I agree about the face in photos thing! I never disliked my face in the mirror when I was bigger (except when I smiled for some strange reason), but in photos I hated it ...could hardly bear to look!

Well done on reaching your target, that's super!! I wonder if some of the underwhelm comes from feeling a bit flat that you no longer have the motivation of the target to look forward to, and the highs (and occasional lows) of the weigh-ins. It's a bit of a rollercoaster, but it can be quite addictive. I'm ND, and it's a hyper-focus/special interest thing for me, and I'm a bit worried about when I'll need to let that go.

I think focusing now on clothes is a brilliant idea. Such a fun job to have. Definitely experiment with your style!

Aaargh!!!

I’ve been getting those helpful “you don’t need to lose any more weight” crappy comments from well meaning friends. 🤯😤.

Anyone else?

My BMI is currently 26.9, down from 37 so it’s great but I’m still officially a tad overweight. I’d like to lose at least one more stone. I’m now a size 12/14 and only 5’3” so I do not look remotely skinny. Far from it. I have chunky calves and ankles so can’t ever wear skirts unless they’re maxi length.

One of my friends who is a bony looking tall older woman (probably a size 6/8) who spends hours doing daily yoga and Pilates was relentlessly questioning me last week in front of friends about what I was eating etc., saying I need to stop dieting otherwise I’ll start to look really unhealthy. A couple of friends agreed I looked fine but the bloody cheek of it!!! 😂

@Chopsy123 that’s very annoying! I think people just fixate on the change I.e. that you look a lot smaller, rather than the objective facts of what your weight and BMI are. Yes I’ve had some of this, I’ve countered it by a mixture of being very factual about ‘well this is what my BMI is’ and ‘this is what I weighed in my late twenties’. And then a bit of just going along with the idea that I’m not really planning to lose much more. Which is true now, but I’ve said that for a while even when I still have over a stone to lose! Depends who it is as to what I’ve said, sometimes I just can’t be bothered with an annoying conversation and it’s not like they are going to see me on the scales.

This weekend I did appreciate a few things that weight loss has brought!

1. took the children swimming after much persuasion from my daughter and wasn’t that horrified about the thought or experience of wearing a swimming costume.
2. moved wardrobes after having our bedroom redecorated and came across my wedding dress - it not only fitted but was even slightly loose!
3. Also came across a dress I wore endlessly in my late twenties/ early thirties and used to LOVE. Thought I didn’t have it anymore to be honest, haven’t worn it since having children. It fits!
4. my daughter took a silly photo of my with the dogs from an unflattering angle. And I didn’t hate it! It was just a silly photo, rather than an ‘oh god I am so fat’ moment.

To be honest this stuff means so much more than that number on the scale.

Weight this morning was 79.2, although lowest mid week weight was 78.7, so I feel I’m getting more comfortably in the 70s now. Had a pretty high fat meal last night of M&S Indian food (butter chicken, black daal, pilau rice - the posh stuff 😊), although only a small portion and DH had the rest. In the old days I would have comfortably polished the lot off.

Was in M&S to pick up a new nightie I’d ordered. Size 14 y’all! Fits like a dream,

Got back from our visit to London (to see family) on Tuesday evening. Very grateful to be back home where it’s in the low 20’s and with a breeze.

However, went a bit overboard on clothes shopping and bought a whole new summer wardrobe. I also forgot to pack my existing long shorts for the chub rub (size 20) and wore flimsy dresses out in the heat and realised I didn’t get any chub rub. 🫢😁

I’ve rarely bought new clothes over the last few years so I even surprised myself with the extravagance! 🤣

Another kilo down this week. Weight this morning was 78.05kg. That’s 12 stone 4lb. I’m only 2lbs away from my next target, which I should have hit at the beginning of June, but I’m pretty relaxed about being a month behind schedule. I think I’m now just 1.5lbs away from a 5 stone loss.

Pleased with progress this week as I ate out (although at one of those “small plates” places - the drug really works as I couldn’t finish what we ordered and we didn’t order that much), drank some booze and even had a Magnum.

Might be the heat, but I really haven’t felt much hunger this week. When I start to feel hungry I eat something.

Yesterday, had a late breakfast of fruit and yoghurt. Started to feel hungry around 4.30pm so made myself a cottage cheese omelette (I love them and have two or three a week), a piece of smoked trout and some kimchee. Followed by a small Fulfil protein bar. And that did me for the rest of the day.

And @Chopsy123 - the lack of chub rub is an unexpected delight. I can’t believe how slim my thighs have got although I still have the calves of a Premiership footballer.

Oh, the lack of chub rub! I will share your delight about that. What a great feeling 😄

I’ve been maintaining (by default but also by accident) my weight at around 75-76kg for the last few weeks. I have started working my way down from 4.75mg and extending the gap between the jabs. The hot weather is helping as I don’t feel like eating anything heavy but I have enjoyed a few ice creams, and they add calories very quickly!!

Anyway, I’ve decided that the current pen will be my last one, and I’m going to try life without Mounjaro.
My TDEE, if I’m not exercising, is 1700 calories. That increases to around 2200 when I do my runs and exercise classes. I’m currently averaging 1600 calories a day, so I should be able to maintain my weight, maybe even get to my target of 72-73 kg.
I know this is a weight where some people start their weight loss journey, but for me it feels right at the moment. If I lose more, great. If not, I’m happy with where I’ve got to.

@GhostOrchid please share your recipe for cottage cheese omelette, I would like to try it.

ooh, good luck with weaning off @SnowWhiteisMyFavourite… big news!

Cottage cheese omelette

2 eggs
2 tablespoons cottage cheese
salt and pepper

blend everything together until mixture is pale and frothy and most of the cottage cheese lumps have disappeared. I use a Nutribullet type thing but a stick blender works just as well. Not tried a balloon whisk.

get a non-stick frying pan nice and hot and then lightly oil. I use a dribble of sunflower oil and brush around the base with a pastry brush or piece of kitchen roll. Meanwhile, turn your grill on.

lower the heat to medium and pour in your egg mixture and let it settle. It will take longer to cook than a regular omelette and you don’t want to move it around too much. I sometimes pull the cooked edges away from the sides and let the uncooked mixture run back but as it cooks it will solidify. It’s much spongier and more pancake like than a normal omelette.

When I judge it’s almost there (say after 3 or 4 minutes), I put in under the grill to finish off the top. It only needs a minute or so.

Then turn out and enjoy on its own or with whatever you fancy. It’s packed with protein.

It might take a couple of goes to get right. Don’t cook on a high heat, don’t move it too much and be a bit patient. 😊