6 weeks, one stone to lose - anyone care to join me?

[dinkystinky]

Hello all - am off on holiday second week of August and have rather cunningly managed to weigh in at exactly 1 stone heavier than I'd like to be (through a combination of over eating and not exercising) so am giving myself a challenge - 6 weeks, lose a stone (or as near as damn it). Anyone care to join me?

Rules (that I'm imposing for myself are)

• 3 meals a day - if snacking between meals fruit only
• drink at least 11/2 litres of water/herbal tea a day
• one small treat a day
• try and fit in exercise at least 4 times a week
• weigh in only once a week

Think I'll get a small bar in for Friday night - rock n roll! - i cant drive so will have to stop at that because i won't be able to get anymore!
very impressive exercise Dinky, Pilates is meant to be good to change your shape, ive always fancied trying it. Do you have a personal trainer?
I still haven't done my shred yet but have decided to ease myself into this so diet this week, diet & exercise next week :)

Run today nearly killed me. Had banging headache all aft cos not enough to drink. Will be more prepared next week. My running partner was so fit - I had no idea!!! She kept me running for one hour. On my own I would have given up after ten mins. Hated it but happy I have done it. Birthday events for the next few days so lots of sweets and choc in house. Will have to make sure I send it home in very full party bags!

Can someone explain to me what shred is please? Feel like I am missing something.

no i don't have a treat day but if i really wanted a small bit of chocolate i'd have it. stepped on scales- i'm weighing daily now, works for me , i know there are daily fluctuations but just prefer to see how its going. anyway lost more weight! woo hoo! really pleased and it makes me more commited. however how long i can keep it not sure, however this is a 6 week diet isn't it? haven't thought further ahead. i'm now eating 2 meals a day really. i delay breakfast for as long as i can- i usually end up eating it around lunchtime, then mid afternoon i have a small plain biscuit , cup of tea and piece of fruit, then dinner is fairly normal. trying to stick to healthy lower fat choices. so far not had to eat late night snack and had no night waking (when i sometimes wake up starving and have to eat). i've done it this way before. anyway worst day ahead , the dreaded late night at work. I can nip into staff room whenever i want to so hope i can stay away from remains of the biscuits.

p.s i've seen the shred on amazon but don't really know what it is. sounds hardcore. Running is very effective. i can't do most exercise DVDS (jumping around my small lounge is impossible) yoga ones can be ok. I also have a pilates DVD . hmm and a yoga weight loss.
maybe i need to do something to tone up, not sure i can do hardcore exercise on what i'm currently eating.

Blackcat - glad your routine is working for you but I have to say that all the sports mags state that skipping breakfast really not advisable (totally messes up your blood sugar levels and can lead to you craving sweet things later on in the long run - and can send your body into feast and famine mode as well giving rise to energy lapses if you're doing exercise). I cant face food first thing in the morning so generally have my breakfast around 10ish (or grab a skinny latte or flat white on the way into work). Shred is Jillian Michael's 30 day shred - half of mumsnet seem to be on it!

Pilates v good for core and back strengthening but while may change your perception of your shape (as improves posture, sucks tummy in etc) wont give rise to weight loss on its own IME. I have to combine it with weights and cardio to see results. I do have a personal trainer - a friend from a gym I used to go to 5 years ago who trained me then and comes to my house to train me now (had to stop for 6 months due to knee injury) once a week at mate's rates. Its really good for pushing me beyond my comfort zone as I'd be really lazy otherwise.

The Shred is three 20 minute work outs consisting of three circuits, each containing strength, cardio and abs excercises, plus a warm up and a warm down. The idea is that you do the first workout untill you are comfortable with it and then move up doing a work out every day. It is very effective, but tough, and you do have to do it every single day pushing yourself a little further each day.

For me this works well as I cant often get to the gym and can get up early to do it before breakfast if I know I will struggle for time later on. Although its suposed to be 20 minutes, its actualy more like 30 with the warm up and down. The problem with runing is that you have to do alot of it for it to be effective and I find that the only body area it impacts on is my legs (probably one of my better bits really!). It is good for the mind though and I do try to run a mile each morning before breakfast - wakes me up and gets me focused for the day.

Has anyone got any low fat food secrets they would be willing to share? - I am all ryvita-ed out, and cottage cheese is so dull! I seem to eat piles and piles of vegetables and very little else (I dont eat much meat).

i was going to say skinless chicken. Do you eat fish? white fish very good, you can bake in a fat free tomato sauce you've made. I bought 5 pollack fillets at sainsburys this week on specail, think they were £3. anyway even DP liked. pollack not very tasy fish so you need a sauce.
yes i know skipping breakfast is supposed to be bad but did read of someone who eats 2 meals a day and has done so all his life (late morning, then early evening). he looked pretty damm good.
When i was clinically depressed its how i ate and the weight flew off.

I would like to join on too

I'm 5'10" and 12 st 7 - the heaviest I've been in a long time I started a couple of days ago and just cutting out the crap (including wine) and trying to eat a bit healthier. I'm feeling inspired to blow the dust off my Shred DVD later on and attempt it again

I'd like to initially lost a stone but I want to lose 2 stone before Christmas as I'm 30 in January so want to be able to eat over Christmas without feeling fat on my birthday

No I dont eat chicken, or not frequently (I am a bit odd in that I am not vegetarian but I only want to eat meat which is of great quality and has had a lovely, local life - this normaly means local, organic, lamb or beef).

I do eat fish

Welcome on board whitamaka I'll join you with dusting off the shred. I've worn a short sleeved top today and been very conscious of my bingo wings flapping in the breeze

omletta I got bored with cottage cheese and ryvita recently and have switched to tinned fish - pilchards/mackerel with coleslaw & tomatoes for lunch lately. It's surprisingly enjoyable and keeps the hunger at bay.

Today started well with a 7 mile run but has descended into a Jaffa cake & chocolate digestive feeding frenzy. I really shouldn't open packets of biscuits when I'm home alone. Hopefully they won't register on the scales in the morning. Tomorrow is another day and all that...

Can I join too? Have been wrestling with my weight for a few months now and have finally realised that a combination of MFP (1200 calories a day) plus cutting out bread, pasta, rice and potatoes seems to be the only thing that works!

Anyone excited for tomorrows/Monday's weigh in.

I am personally dreading it. This week i've tried to be good, but the kids are a distraction and I've found myself falling off of the wagon a lot.

Hope it goes okay, for others and for me.

Good luck all

I was going to try the 30 day shred, but then I read the reviews on Amazon, and like 1000 people say that it really messed them up, like killed their back and completely wrecked their knees, so I'm definately staying away from that. Just hope all goes well tomorrow...fingers crossed...!

Just a minute - seven mile run! That is really impressive. My post run headache has really put me off - I just want to give up as soon as I start. You all sound super fit on this thread!

Good luck tomorrow all Friday weighers. Monday seems to be flying round quick too.

Good call justa I had some anchovies the other day and they were yummy. I just have such a sweet tooth. I ate half a pack of biscuits today without thinking!

son98sonia I think you do have to be selective with The Shred, there are some exercises I know will cause my back problems so I just substitute them with others.

Good luck to all he Friday weighers.

well i've lost 4 pounds this week!
i started at 9.3 (very heavy for me, anything over 9 stone is appalling for my height and build) and am now 8.13. very happy. I'm ok with anything between 8.3-8.7, though 7.12 is better. Now i'm getting to grips with not eating between meals and allowing myself to feel hungry i shall think about some exercise. Nothing too arduous, i have some weights and some DVDS. I will try Yogalates as that's split into 25 minute segments, i also have 10 minute solutions target toning for beginners and yoga for weight loss- though that is almost an hour long so don't fancy that at the moment. i'm in my 40s so increasing/ maintaining muscle mass is very important.
hope everyone else does ok today!
oh i am trying out a low fat sweet potato and spinach curry tonight, might throw in some chick peas too. I'll report back if it was tasty.

Welcome new joiners - and good luck to thse weighing in today. Well done Blackcats on your weight loss - excellent stuff! JAM - brilliant on the running but shame about the biscuit binge - hopefully it just offset the calorie deficit the running created.

So my WI today - I've lost 1.5lbs, which is a start at least. Hoping to up the exercise next week - more cardio, more weights - and am going to start practicing my walk to overland (to avoid tube to work) route for the olympics...

dinky 1.5 pounds is great. last week i lost less than 0.5 pounds and now look at this week!

i forgot to say hello to the new joiners!

Well done losers . I'm pleased to report that the biscuit blowout hasn't touched the scales (yet?). 1.5lb off for me this week, now 11-6. So happy as I'm a serial yo-yoer. I've gained and lost the same 2 or 3 pounds over the last 2 years, hopefully the loses will continue.

dinky can you use the "working from home" card? Dh was initially told to wfh during the Olympics but last week they were told they need to make every effort to get to the office. He is not looking forward to it.

blackcat how tall are you? [nosey emoticon]

Bugger, I forgot to weigh in this morning. Will report tomorrow!

Well done peeps!

that's ok, i know it sounds like i'm light but i'm only 5.1 (and a half) . Also when i measure my wrists to get an idea of my frame i'm exactly borderline between small and medium. Healthy weight for my height is anything between 7.7 and 9.4 so at 9.3 i was pushing into being overweight. I tend to stay around 8.7-8.10. Love being lower and once managed 7.12 for all of a month!
My ideal would be to stay within 7.12- 8.5

well done on your weight loss justaminute

I never knew about the link between wrist measurement and frame size. I've just googled and discovered I am borderline small/medium too. Bugger! I've always used the excuse that I'm big boned!

Being 7 stone something seems inconceivable to me but then I'm 5-9 so my healthy range is 9 to 12 stone, hence the desire to be 10-7. fascinating stuff!

Well done to all the Friday losers! Also we done to us all for keeping going. Am currently making dd's party cake and am very tempted espec since started period today and always feel like a big feast! Hopefully standing up whilst baking will burn some calories!!! Intend to send all of cake home with party guests and extra for siblings tomorrow. Have a good weekend all xxx