Who's in for healthy weight loss in 2012?

[TartyMcFalalalalalalalalarty]

I'm sat here piling on the pounds over Christmas, not quite having lost those I gained last year!

It's got to the point where it's now or never - DH and I are TTC #2, so I have to get to a healthy weight to give us the best possible chance, which is motivation in itself. I need to lose about half a stone to get into my healthy weight range, but ideally would like to lose another stone on top of that.

I've half-arsedly tried Weight Watchers and Paul McKenna over the last year, and if I gave it a decent shot, either of those would help. The main thing I'm going to do to kick start the weight loss though, is make a new year's resolution to cut right back on junk food, which is my weakness. Basically, if it's not something nutritious, or if there's a healthier alternative, I'm going to try to give it a miss!

Having cancelled my gym membership last year, I joined a running club instead and will be going out with them once a week, and once with my DM. I have a kettlebell and DVD at home, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kettlercise-Just-Women-PLUS-Kettlebell/dp/B0053YNSDY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325074972&sr=8-1 this one, and will continue to use that twice a week. I'll also be going to a PAYG spinning class once a week, and maybe the odd Kettlercise class to vary the routine on the DVD a bit.

So, anybody interested in joining me? I'm not sure whether to go for it immediately from 1st January, or to wait until the 3rd (I have parties to go to on Sunday and Monday, so might be setting myself up for failure). That said, it would be a real buzz to manage a couple of social occasions straight away - they're usually another downfall for me!

I need some inspiration!
I'm meal planning and getting a bit fed up with the same old stuff. Anyone got any ideas for cheap, simple, low fat dinner's?
I must stress the simple - I'm a novice rubbish cook and fairly very fussy.

Well I'm munching my way through bean chili this week, which is definitely simple and cheap...

Last week was beef stew all week (no fat added) with veg, the week before that was chicken curry (again fat free).

Other favourites are quorn chili or bolognese, or if you don't like quorn make it half quorn and half very low fat mince (you won't taste the difference bewteen that and 100% mince!), omelettes with fry light (no cheese), chargrilled veg pasta.....

Can I have the recipe for you bean chilli please Cup ?

of course, but its more of a chuck-everything-in type deal.... I'll pm you.

Thanks. Chuck everything in type thing will suit me down to the ground!

Thanks methall, I will try that.
Today was a bad day.nik naks, malteaser, munchies.
My proper meals have been okish.
Trying to take one step at a time.

Thanks for all the help :)

www.weightlossresources.co.uk/recipes/low_fat/healthy_salad.htm
www.ivillage.co.uk/winter-salads-5-warm-salads-cold-weather/78178
www.delectablychic.com/2011/05/warm-salads-a-hot-new-trend-in-the-salad-world/

not all low fat but lots of ideas for more interesting ways to fill your plate

Thanks TP .
The idea of a warm salad had never occurred to me, brilliant for cold nights!

fazsaeed the first thing you have to do is go shopping for some healthy snacks that you can grab INSTEAD of crisps etc when you are getting the craving.

fazaeed Next time you want junk, have a huge glass of water and then a piece of fruit.
Or brush you teeth! Sounds silly but it does work.
Think positive! It gets easier after the first few days!

Thanks for the tips. Defo will try the water trick. When there's fruit in I do eat it, atm we've got oranges in ad I've had the pears and we had relatives over the other day and they had stuff like apples and grapes.
I'm going shopping tomorrow.
I'm grabbing some salad stuff.
If I have a good breakfast, salad for dinner and a good tea that should help. A nice crunchy salad. Slightly different everyday. I'm going to note everything down too.
The pack of nik naks had less than 100 cals in it if that counts lol.
Ive got the calorie counter app and that did help at first but didn't keep me motivated.

Nik naks can be a treat for when you've had a run of a good few days, then, or that's how I would do it anyway...

You might get bored of salad, so try some filling hot lunches like pasta, rice salads, jacket potatoes, healthy leftovers from the night before etc....

Im going to throw a bit of chicken in it and tuna...
Yep
I will try that.
I'm going to see what the fruit diet is like.
Binge on fruit lol :)

Sparkysparrow have you had a look at the bbcgoodfood site? It's very good and you can search for healthy and budget meals. Everything is quite easy to do and best of all, its all calorie counted.

I second what others have said fazsaeed everytime you feel like eating something, eat fruit and drink water. I've sometimes got through 3 apples in a day doing this but at least no junk.
Don't do any faddy diets as they're not sustainable and you just get fed up and go back to your old ways. Believe me I've tried every silly fasyy diet going.
The only thing that works properly is to just eat regularly and healthy and do some exercise.

Hi, all. I've just been reading through all your posts, you're all doing great.

Welcome fazsaeed, this is a great place for motivation. Think positive.

I agree that filling hot lunches are good. It may be a psichological thing but when I eat a hot meal I always feel more satisfied than if I eat a cold one and I'm not as tempted to snack afterwards.

Today I've been really good, apart from a can of coke . I still have an addiction to coke but I'm a lot better than I was.

In work there were lots of cakes today and I didn't touch them.

I'm also going to start meal planning for the week, by the time dinner times comes I'm always starving, I need to have a good idea of what to cook or i just begin to snack and snack.

Hello all and welcome fazsaeed

I had a good day today :)

Here are my ideas for easy healthy meals: soup (I know it sounds boring, but pick a flavour you like and you can eat loads as it's so healthy!), stir fry veg with noodles or rice, veg curry, mushrooms and shallots on toast, healthy spaghetti carbonara (made with eggs and parma ham instead of cream and bacon), grilled salmon with veg, chicken risotto, veg fajitas. Ratatouille is good as it's more interesting / tasty than just boiled veg.

Thank you I will. Try a few of them :)

Hi Fazsaeed and welcome. I was 108.1kg after I had DS2 in may, and am now 99.4. Aiming for 75kg so I am in for the long haul as well.

I am loving soups for lunch at the mo. I do a lentil one and a winter veg one which are both under 100 cals per portion but are filling and warming ( and I can take a couple of spoonfuls out to feed weaning baby so I don't even have to cook two different lunches).

Happy Friday everyone, it's almost the weekend . This morning I tried on a pair of size 16 trousers that I have and I could button them up, although they still look tight on my thighs, another few pounds to go before I could actually wear them in public but I'm happy.

Following my trouser success I decided to be naughty and weigh myself this morning and guess whet, the batteries in the scales are dead, that has to be a sign that I should wait until Monday, my proper weigh in day.

mrspepperpotty thanks for the meal ideas, it's always great for inspiration.

For breakfast today i had scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast. Lunch will prob be pasta with a tomato and veg sauce and for dinner I've no idea.

I was starving this morning and the healthiest breakfast thing we had was cereal.
My breakfast has come upto approx 200 cals.
Not too bad. There was a time I could 2 fried eggs, 3 piece toast and a cuppa.
Slowly but surely i will get there with the help of my nee weight loss buddies.
Thanks everyone! :)

hi all

well done for making the first steps fazsaeed.

I have done sooo well even on australia day but have fallen off the wagon spectaculalrly today. it is my birthday and I have had pizza, champagne and cake... lovely..but... on every other group occasion I have melted into the background or fussed over the children, but birthday put me at the centre of attention so couldn't do much but eat and drink! hey ho, back on the bandwagon tomorrow.

keep it up everyone

Well done Vicky! You'll be wearing them in a couple of weeks

Well done Fazsaeed on a good start. Can I make a suggestion? Most cereals aren't great and can leave you starving and craving food in an hour. Best breakfasts are
eggs - poached/boiled/scrambled using a tiny amount of fat with 1 slice of wholegrain bread
porridge
fruit and yoghurt
But if you're fine with cereal and you can keep going til lunch, then stick to it.
The best diets are ones that work with your lifestyle.

I had an apple and a lf greek yoghurt with honey
I'm about to bake a cake with ds (eek! will have to be strong) then we're off to the supermarket. I think I'll get an innocent veg pot for lunch and I'm still not decided on dinner.

Happy Birthday Putyourhaton! Have a great day!

Happy Birthday Putyourhaton, enjoy yourself today and eat what you want, you can get back on the wagon tomorrow.

fazsaeed remember this is a slow process and to succeed you have to make lifestyle changes, it seems like that's what you're doing, keep at it and remember bit by bit.