Just signed up at 'My Fitness Pal'. Any advice, experience, or desire to join me?

[worriermum]

I read about the website, myfitnesspal.com on MN. Am truly desperate to stop the ever rising weight gain - I have just topped my full term pregnancy weight. I've never really been a dieter, or even believed in diets, but I Have To Do Something. Would love to do it with some other Mumsnetters - anyone interested in joining me?

All the weight loss threads seem so bloated, if you'll pardon the metaphor. I'm intimidated by 537 messages, or 219 messages. Feel I cant be arsed to read through all that and I will never be part of the club if I dont read the history. Advice please?

Rgy - quark is fab, and soooo low fat, actually tastes just as nice as philly!

figgy I love quark! had some on an oatcake this evening!

Don't worry about the holiday weight, have a really strict few days (low fat low carb) and it was disappear as quick as it came on. Oh dear re: eardrum and gastro.

Forever - I never knew you could use quark like that. I'm still not really sure what it actually is! lol! No worries re being supportive - just telling it how it is! She was the one who was jealous coz you are at target and she is still very fat. :o

Hi Figgy - glad you had a great holiday but sorry you came back with holiday troubles! Hope they rectify themselves very soon!

Red - i have also been really hungry today. It's always the way on my working days. I dont get home til around 7pm and by then i am really hungry and this is when i tend to go wrong. Thankfully i didn't go too wrong tonight, although i am still over my carb limit, but hey ho, it is quite a low limit so maybe i should up it a bit....

My goal this month is to actually lose some weight. Any amount of weight would be good. 1lb, 1/2 lb, whatever. Just a loss of any kind!

rg quark is just fat free thick "cream" cheese, its fab. I buy smoked salmon bits (ie value range) and have oatcake with 20g quark and 20g smoked salmon. so yummy!

red - i am STARVING when i get home from work and in the past this is where i have gone wrong. I decide on way home what my snack will be, i come in, make it, put the ingredients away and then eat it. i want it to be big enough so i can get the DC into bed but small enough that i am hungry for my dinner.

my snacks are - one of:

• 1 oatcake and quark (with smoked salmon if we have)
• 1 ryvita with big mound cottage cheese
• cashew nuts (maybe 15g-25g)
• activia fat free yoghurt with 10g oatbran
• one apple or pear

Good morning all.

I'm on day five now although it's really only day four because I signed up late in the evening and spent the night trawling through the site to get used to it. Day two was an unqualified disaster but yesterday was a good day again. I even managed to restrain myself from the onion and chive bread twists that DH was tucking into after dinner - that in itself was a breakthrough for me.

I need your help though today. We're going out for dinner with friends tonight to a local pub which does the best food round here. I've decided that I'll drive so I can't be tempted by the beer and I've tried to budget my calories to take that into account but we're not eating till 8.45pm and I know I'm going to need something to keep me going. I'm going to have a crack at the WII fit later on but how else can I get through today? Other than keeping really busy away from the kitchen?

ps. my food diary is open to friends if you want to take a look. Haven't filled much out yet for today.

you could have a boiled egg? or id say go with some kind of lean protien snack.

can i ask you all a very very stupid question?
Im meant to be meeting up with someone ive not seen for a fair few years, last time i saw them i was alot thinner..... ive cancelled once already, and was honestly thining about cancelling again and re scheudling for 2 weeks time. Thing is, in two weeks time, im only going to the what, 4lbs lighter at most, which is not giong to make really much difference appearance wise at all.
Im just being silly arent i?

Forever - i was going to say, are you intending on losing more? or is it that you havent got the hang of maintance yet? You are very lucky that its still coming off so easily :)

Gibs - you ok?

and RG - you should surely get an award of something for best eater of the week. Im seriusly expecting HUGE loss from you on weigh in day. Quite exciting!!!!

Hello everyone!
I've just got back fro holiday, and have put on 4lb - not loads I know, but enough!!!
I've just found this post, and MFP, and it looks great!
I do find losing weight really hard to do alone, so any support is greatly appreciated!!!
My name on MFP is 'cybes', so if anyone would like to add me as a friend on there, that'll be wonderful!!!!
I've tried WW in the past, but it didn't really work - I've got 3 stone to lose. :o(

red - not sure about whether I want to loose more or not, def want to increase toning, after Sunday's triathlon!

On one hand I like my new way of eating and I eat what I want and I eat when I'm hungry.... also have had (minor) health issues which are all now resolved - pcos, IBS, long standing v painful anal fissure, waking up in the night to go to toilet, and I feel great and good about the way I look for the first time ever etc etc but on the other hand, new size 10 clothes now getting too big so no haven't got hang of maintenance and previously have always reached a plateau at around 9 5 (never done low carb before) so have got fed up with diet at that point etc.

But have lost 2lbs this week, was 8s 8.8lbs this morning , and body fat 20.2% (was 40% at start!) which is less than the 8 10 floor I set myself. I guess I need to eat more but of the right food! Or maybe 8 7 is new floor? That would make my BMI 20 exactly so probably not a great idea to go lower.

Just to be clear, I am def not skinny, I don't have that build - but I am slim! My thighs are solid (muscle) and only a little wobbly, and still have wobble on bum! Stomach is flat though and can see muscle definition! I look athletic rather than skinny.

red and yes being v silly about friend, meet up with her now and schedule another meeting in 3 months time and then she'll be able to see the huge difference!

Red - Have to agree regarding the friend. Go and meet her, have fun and if she's going to be funny about your size you'll know not to bother meeting her again. I'd like to bet that won't happen though.

Tw1nkle - I've added you. It's still early days for me and I need all the support I can get. So far it's been fab, both here and there.

forever - hmm, quark sounds a bit more doable now that you've explained what it is! I have used it for cooking before but just didn't ask questions lol.

It must be so exciting for you to see your body changing so much and to see size 10 clothes getting too big! At my thinnest i was only ever a size 12, although who knows where this journey will take me!

Are you feeling nervous about Sunday?!

Sandstorm - well done on resisting temptation! Cant believe i have been so good yesterday and today. Yesterday one of the girls in the office came round with a box of donuts, which i turned down (), although i did go over to have a look at them, just so that i could see them lol. No idea why, but i wanted to have a look! Today our firm is putting on pizza for everyone so there will be about 50 pizzas in one of the large conference rooms for everyone to tuck into. I'm gutted really as i love pizza but i am thinking more of my figure than my greedy stomach! I know what the pizzas taste like so no need to go and sample some more - right?!

As for snacks, when i was low carbing, i used to get some slices of ham and spread some philly over them and then roll them up. Really tasty! Perhaps you could do that with the highly recommended quark instead?!

red - You are deffo being stupid re your friend. If your friend is a true friend she wont give a toss what you look like and will be only too happy just to see YOU!! I do know what you mean about wanting to see people when you are thinner again but at the end of the day you shouldn't keep putting off social engagements! I was trying to sort out a school reunion recently and the thought of everyone seeing me as a size 20/22 horrifies me but it wouldn't stop me going along!

Thanx for the food encouragement! :o It makes so much difference when i know i am at least doing something right! :o I will be keeping everything crossed for a bit of a loss on Monday!

Tw1nkle - hello and welcome! Will add you on MFP :o It's early days for me too and even though i've been on MFP since January, it's only now that i'm cracking down on my terrible food habits and feeling like i am starting to make the mental changes that i need to! I have 6 stone to lose so am in for the long haul but i'm just taking each day as it comes. :)

Oh and i am thinking of also doing the 30 day shred (as well as my gym workouts) but i am reluctant to buy it before i try it! Dont suppose anyone has one collecting dust on the shelf that i could borrow can someone copy it for me or something? :o

rg yes all my thin clothes a 12 normal weight over last few years around 10 stone and a size 12, although was a size 10 when I got married in 1997 (dieted for wedding!) and I think briefly at some other point....

I was this weight for about a week in 1995 - after university went travelling in Thailand so ate v heathily and loads of exercise (trekking, carrying rucksack) was 8 10 when I got home. I then started work in London and resumed old eating habits etc so of course didn't maintain weight.

But I was this morning a new skirt I bought from M&S in a 10 before my holiday is now unwearable as its far too big:
link

Not really sure, don't want to buy size 8 clothes as probably not sustainable.

Before I was a size 16/18 not wanting to buy clothes as i wanted to loose weight. Now am size 8 not wanting to buy clothes as worried I can't sustain current size.

forever - dont take this the wrong way at all. But do you think you will be happy at all?
because you didnt want to buy clothes before.. and still dont want to buy them. Seems your just as unhappy/not comftable as you were before.

maybe you should worry about it all a bit less. you have worked so hard, eat a bit more now, enjoy it and what your body has achieved.

i dont mean go out and stuff your face, but maybe you could relax a little about it all now?

Hi all, I've decided not to use MFP anymore. As soon as I started using it I stopped losing and started gaining. I think this is because I'm desperately trying to use up all my calories (not including exercise ones) and I don't think my body works that way. I don't need to eat as much as my weight would dictate as I am heavier than I am fat iykwim. I've used it for long enough now to know what I should and shouldn't be eating so now I'm going to go back to doing what I was doing when I lost 2 stone earlier this year - eating a moderate amount of mainly healthy food, eating only enough to fill me up and having a treat on a Friday night. I don't care if I eat 800 cals one day and 1500 the next. It all balances out. I can't keep doing this to myself - I'm exercising to the point of unhealthiness, eating more than I need so I don't get that poxy message at the end of the day and getting seriously depressed at my non changing waistline.

I don't plan on leaving this thread though so if you'll still have me I'll still be here

And forever, I agree with red, I think you need to eat a bit more now and maintain what you've done. The feeling of losing weight can be addictive and when that stops you lose the 'happiness'. You need to learn to be happy with what you've achieved already or you could be heading for more problems. I'm very about how well you've done and you obviously have amazing dedication but you need to take a step back and enjoy what you've done.

forever i agree with red and gilbonzo. Maybe you should relax a little now, especially as you've been training so hard for your trialathon (sp?!). Once you've done the trialathon on Sunday, will your exercise drop as you wont be "in training" any more, so to speak? If this will be the case then maybe you will naturally stop losing weight every week and things will even out. Either way, if a size 10 was too big for me, there's no way i would NOT buy something in a size 8, just to have a something that small in my wardrobe that actually belonged to me!! :o

Gilbonzo Sorry you are leaving MFP but obviously if it's not working for you then you have to do what you have to do. It can get a bit obsessive cant it, which can really take the enjoyment out of eating and being sociable. I would have caught up with my "lunch club" friends today if i went for pizza but instead i have avoided the conference room at all costs! Sad really.

I think i might have had a small NSV today. I popped to New Look at lunchtime as i have to buy a new top or something for when my friend and I go to afternoon tea in some posh London hotel. Anyway, i tried on this maxi dress in a size 22 and it just didn't hang right and looked a bit odd at the back. On the way out of the changing rooms i suddenly thought that maybe i needed a size 20 instead so off i go to find one and then went back into the changing room. Again this looked a bit funny at the back but i just put it down to being a rubbish cut dress. But when i was walking back to the office i was thinking about it and suddenly thought that maybe i actually needed a size 18?????? I didn't have time to go back and find out but now i am wondering "what if....??". Ah well, guess i'll never know now! (but also :o for having something too big!).

gil/red: agree with what you have both said, loosing weight is v addictive! I am addicted to loosing weight / this board and my fitness pal. And also buying and reading diet books. One more came today and another is in the post .

But I am very happy with my body, and would be happy not to loose more.... but like the way I am eating - esp due to the IBS, and I have been having days off at weekend esp when socialising.

Actually surprised to loose 2lbs this week... anyway its the triathlon on Sunday, so will get take away after on Sunday night, maybe even chips too! As red said I haven't really worked out maintenance yet, I think the way to go is to eat healthy foods but not weigh them - like I did on holiday.

Chocolate/cake/ice cream is not for every day, that I do know, so I guess need 1800 calories but of healthy food. Maybe like gil I should take a break from MFP too?

It should be easy to eat 1800 of healthy food. Keep to.the same way of eating. But just eat more of it.

Just jumped on the scales and am 2lbs down :) I more and ill of lost a stone and a half! Yay.. go me!

Oh gibs. Sorry mfp isn't working for you. But if its not, and something else was when you were.losing 2 stone... I'd go back to that :) of course, don't leave the thread... :)

Rg. I had a slice of pizza for lunch Tue. You could have had one slice and been ok ( hard.to sticj to one slice though) or. Could you have taken your lunch in with them?

red - well done on the loss. I've just done my first weigh in and despite two days which went a little (lots) off track I've managed to lose 1.75lbs :)

gibs - you have to do what works for you and if it's not MFP then it's not MFP.

Well, the weight loss may have stopped slowed but there are massive improvements in other areas. It's 30 degrees today, clear blue skies so the sun is direct and very humid because we're due storms tonight. We've just been out for a family bike ride and I had my nearly 3yr daughter on my bike. We did 6km on very hilly terrain and across rough ground so it was very hard going. This time last year I would have been a miserable bitch with a bright purple/red face, sweat pouring off me and gasping for breath while lighting a fag. Today I was gutted when ds' bike got a puncture and we had to go back, I had a slight flush to my face, a few beads of sweat on my forehead and no desire for a fag. It might not sound like much but to me that is life transforming. I used to hide inside all summer because I go red and sweat so easily and I was humiliated by my appearance. Today has shown me that no matter what the difference to my body shape, what I've done for my health and fitness is more than I ever hoped for .

gil i think just put MFP down to experience, it made you more aware about eating and exercise which was a good thing.

I read the lean and clean diet book today by James Duigan. He basically says don't calorie count but don't eat any sugar or wheat at all, and keep blood sugar stable eg if you have fruit eat with a few nuts to balance. In some ways the diet is a bit hardcore, but I think he does have a point which is that if you stick to clean healthy foods, (basically meat/fish/eggs, oats, brown rice and veggies, berries (ie food in natural state) then actually you don't need count calories. I didn't agree with all of it though - he says organic really important as toxins make us fat BUT he didn't provide any links to any studies which have shown this.

And its my triathlon tomorrow.... am about to go to sleep... very excited!

Good luck today forever!

Good luck Gilbonzo. The jury is out for me on MyFitnesspal (my username is busybusybee, which sums up my life).

I used it a while ago, but ended up not losing, then went on the Harcombe diet which is excellent, but only Phase 1 works for me, and it's very restrictive (basically high protein, no wheat, sugar, alcohol).

I only want to lose a few pounds to get leaner for summer, but find it hard to fit in exercise - plus I love food! If myfitnesspal doesn't work this time, I think I will need to give up alcohol, wheat and sugar for a while and see if that does it.