Want to lose 2 stone...

[Erebus]

...from 12st 8lb to 10 1/2 stone. I'm 50, 5 foot 6 and am currently in size 18.

Why do I want to?

Largely because I can't find 'normal' clothes to fit me any more! I also have a form of body dysmorphia (entirely self-diagnosed ) in that I don't think I'm that fat, til I see the inevitable holiday photo or try and buy say underwear and see myself in those mirrors & . I can self deceive quite well.

My plan is to eat less, eat more mindfully and exercise more. And stop drinking pinot like a fish. DH is along for the ride, too.

My current goal is to lose 2 lbs in one week (Friday morning is weigh-in day).

Just my own little check-in!

[Erebus]

Me again!

Stopped counting 'weeks'...

Well, it would be fair to say my 'diet' stalled! BUT and it is a big but (see what I did there?! )- 3 and a bit months after starting, I am:

11st 11lbs. Still! Been more or less at this weight for a month which I am not at all unhappy about, considering my food intake has been 'not very mindful' and my pinot intake, frankly, insane!

Yes, I need to get back into harness as there's talk that a summer will eventuate. I want to get back to a lb a week weight-loss.

Anyone still out there?!

[Erebus]

Same weight again!

Not really disappointed as it's been another difficult week at work and my diet hasn't been particularly 'mindful' - and my wine consumption is getting silly. That's got to stop!

Week 10

11st 10lbs
BMI 26.89
weight loss this week 0lb
total loss 12lbs in 10 weeks.

[Erebus]

Hiya! I'm erebus again now! Finally got around to looking into the problem!!

Well, no weight loss this week but I'm not actually unhappy about that. I know why, and it wasn't pure laziness - it was an almost laughably stressful week at work!

Got some new equipment installed (took 14 months, all up!) and we've had a crash course in how to use it. I wouldn't be your first choice of trainee, being part time and 50+, but, in classic NHS staff-shortage, 'last man standing' stylee, I was the only person there from the rank and file who was trainable! Me and my immediate boss who works fewer hours than me! Anyway, the learning curve wasn't so much vertical as bending over backwards a bit! The back-up bit of identical (but older) kit kept breaking down (it's normally very reliable), and if we don't have at least one working- A&E have to close to admissions, so no pressure, then! All week we've been working 9 1/2 hour days with the cakes the trainer was bringing in to sustain us, and whatever sandwich was left at the canteen for our 15 minute 'lunch break'!

I was hoping excessive cerebral use might burn up lost of calories, however! I'd be a size 8 if it did!

I and my boss are sharing the on-call over this weekend (which is 24/7 call) so I am praying the work-around that has currently 'fixed' the older bit of kit holds up so the duty staff can use it because if that breaks, I will be called in every hour and a half til 8am tomorrow to do the work on the new kit!

And yes, I self-medicated prodigiously come 7pm, back home SO:

Week 9

11st 10lbs
BMI 26.89
weight loss this week 0lb
total loss 12lbs in 9 weeks.

And hi to italiangreyhound!

[Italiangreyhound]

Enjoying Taekwan-do. Sadly, also enjoying the sweets a bit too much!

[mamaus]

Weigh in.....

Week 6
2 lbs lost!!!!
11 stone 4
10 lbs lost in 6 weeks

Very pleased with that and determined not to celebrate and ruin it!

Been a quiet week, hope all is well with you. :)

[mamaus]

Hello! Hope that you had a good weekend.
Hoiking up jeans!! That is the word I was looking for, I kept thinking hiking, but knew it wasn't quite right.. :)

I wouldn't want to watch x box workout while treadmill-ing either. I have always thought treadmills or exercise bikes would be ideal for "multi-tasking" working out and watching a show at the same time--very efficient! I keep coming back to the idea of an exercise bike, but fear it would collect dust, or clothes or both...

Don't be too hard on yourself about the wine. Moderation has always been an issue for me. It's tough, especially after you have been so sick, yet still maintained your diet discipline and then if things are stressful at work and you are enjoying a glass of wine or two, its difficult to stop because after all-- you deserve some pleasure in life!
As long as you balance it out, which it certainly sounds like you do, then the occasional blow out is nothing to beat yourself up over.
And, as you wisely said to me in your last postwhen we are so aware of what we are eating/drinking/doing every mistake seems bigger.
(Side note, part of my moderation issues could be due to over-rewarding myself!)

Reasonably pleased with my behaviour this weekend, went out for a pub lunch, but was fairly restrained in my ordering, ate slowly and ended up leaving quite a bit of food, and then adjusted the rest of my food over the weekend to balance out. (Hopefully)

Anyhow, hope you are well, and good luck this week :)

[Tansie]

Thanks! Drank the best part of a bottle of pinot single handedly last night which is a big fat fail on so many levels. I am going to have to give it up- I appear to no longer be able to stop at a glass or 2! Work has been stress central which I think is why, but I can't drink like that for long without pay-back somewhere along the line. I should have gone on the 'mill but DH was in there doing his Xbox exercises. He'd like me to do my 30 min walk at the same time but I like to watch telly, not some pumped digitally created fitness instructor bending and hopping along on the Xbox! Boring.

Well done for the loss- it's really good feeling when you think you're bound to have gained, isn't it? I think it's because when we're consciously thinking about food the 'overindulgences' make far more mental impression than days of sensible eating that actually balance it out.

And yes, I'd stick to the old scales! And I too am doing that jeans' hoiking thing . Mummy jeans, badly fitting. Your comment: 'its like i am immune to belts' made me laugh!

AF going for it but that's good in that it should all be over by Sunday.

Am off to a course at work for the morning now.

[mamaus]

Oh yea, and glad you are feeling well enough to treadmill, hope you continue to feel better.
I may be getting AF too, emotional wreck today!!
Have a nice weekend :)

[mamaus]

Weigh in.....

Week 5
1 lb lost
11 stone 6
8 lbs lost in 5 weeks

After all of my indiscretions last week, I am actually really pleased with that!! Not thrilled with the grand total, but I really did expect a gain this week--so down one pound is amazing!

I have returned the new digital scales and am sticking with my old faithful :) I think that to get the really accurate digital scales I would have to spend way more than I was going to.

Erebus wow!!! Congratulations! I am going to try and channel your emotional rejuvenation to stick at it! :)

I know what you mean about the muffin top, I carry most of my weight around the middle, especially after having 2 babies within 13 months!! Very aware of the health risks that weight around the middle can be associated with, one of my many motivations! The problem I have had with jeans is that when they fit around my "waist" they can just slide straight down. True apple shape, its like i am immune to belts! I am forever doing the, oh so attractive constant hiking up of my jeans. Looking forward to buying some new clothes all around, but certainly not yet, at a size I don't intend to stay at!

Keep up the good work, very inspiring! I am going to really stay focused this weekend, the last 2 weekends have been full of slip ups, making the rest of the week damage control--trying to change that....
Onwards and downwards, speak soon!

[Tansie]

Week 8

11st 10lbs
BMI 26.89
weight loss this week 2lb
total loss 12lbs in 8 weeks.

Feel emotionally reinvigorated to stick at it! Though am feeling there's a looong way to go to 11 stone!

Without thinking, as I dressed, I pulled my (still size 18! ) jeans belt in another notch this morning- I did release it one, then, thinking- almost there! I hate tight clothes (and am amused at the number of 25 ish year olds in my works changing room in their size 10 jeans but with rather silly muffin-tops ahoy!)

I am glad to see my weight loss has kept at the average (albeit a bit all over the shop these last 2 weeks!) I was hoping for, i.e. 2lbs a week but I am also aware it's harder as you lose more!

mamaus - did you get new scales?

[Tansie]

Hiya! yes, the 'lots of wine' and bacon buttie thing has happened to me a bit over the past few weeks, despite me being ill, fgs! .

I got back on the treadmill for the first time last night, too. A bit gentler than where I left off 3 1/2 weeks ago but at least I feel I'm back 'on it'!

The only derailing thing this week is AF- I think. I'm peri-menopausal so one month it'll barely touch me, the next I bloat, get mood swings, and flood- but I never know which one til it's here!

Let's keep up the good work! 'See' you tomorrow morning!

[mamaus]

Hi tansie I thought it might be you! Congratulation on your weigh in, that is fantastic!
I have to confess to having a pretty appalling weekend--friends over, lots of wine followed by bacon sandwiches the morning after, and then just general disregard for my new found mindful eating program. Too many flapjack moments :)
Came to my senses yesterday, back on the shred, the mindful eating and my fitness pal to keep me honest. Don't think I will have any sneak peeks at the scale until Friday morning--damage control until then!

You have inspired me, sick as you have been and snacking on fruit salad!! I will step away from the flapjack and get back on track!

Seems like its just the 2 of us now? "See" you Friday morning for weigh in, hope you are feeling better and the scales stay down :)

[Tansie]

JUST realised I've name changed and didn't tell you! Sorry! MN just wouldn't accept 'erebus' as my login- I will try again later as I'd forgotten about it!

Well, I'm still not back on the treadmill, but I have half a trailer load of logs to move into the logstore which I'm putting off as it's cold and drizzling out there.. and I just might go on the 'mill this evening.

However, I girded my loins this morning and, after a cup of tea and 5 or 6 chunks of fruit salad, I stood on the scales and am pleased to note 11/10 which is my lowest yet. I was 11/12 last Friday having gained a lb on the previous Friday . I did it because I know I have to draw a line in the sand under this 3 1/2 week illness bug and accept I may not be 'right' for at least another week (left with a dry cough which feels like it should be productive, iyswim) but I must try and not undo any more 'good work'!

Will check in again on Friday a.m., hopefully being erebus again!

[Tansie]

Hiya- I didn't 'treadmill' but DH and I went for a bracing walk for an hour. No getting out of breath, but enough to make me feel I'd done some exercise! I have also not been particularly 'mindful' with my eating today- not really bad but I ate probably half a dozen of DS2's Skittles, a thin dark choc after dinner mint and poured the garlic butter the oven cooked salmon fillet was cooked in over the fish on my plate...! Oh, and, my own 'flapjack' moment, really a bag of crisps! oops! But they were 48 cals- no brilliant but could have been worse!

Am fed right up with being less than well (as opposed to actively 'ill'). I am deffo on the mend but 3 weeks and 4 days since my first 'cold' symptom is pushing my patience.

Thanks for your sympathy!

[mamaus]

Really appreciate your supportive words. I have boxed up the new scales ready to return in the morning. I did have a wobble with some flapjack today, but not too bad, and did my DVD again even though I really didn't feel like it.

3 weeks is a long time to be so ill, you must be very fed up by now. I suppose this cold weather is no help. I know what you mean about eating when you are sick, and of course salad just doesn't sound appealing! I always go for toast.
Hope that you got your treadmill walk this evening, have a good weekend and get well soon!
thank you again for the support and the thread!

[Tansie]

So sorry to hear of your feelings of 'setback' mamaus. It's really depressing isn't it? Even if you know it can't be true!

Try really hard to focus on how you're feeling which sounds good- less jiggly; more controlled; looser clothes. Try and look at those bloody numbers on the scale as 'whaevs'. It certainly sounds to me like they're duff- do you put them on exactly she same spot on a hard floor every time you weigh? Stick to your old ones, return the new ones, or replace them with slightly better quality ones, but be assured the duff ones are lying!

Anyway, completely predictably, no loss again for me this week! I'm not surprised as I am still ill!! Still coughing up white frothy stuff and snorting green gunge. 3 WEEKS of it! And hope you weren't eating when I wrote that . I am just hoping I can do a gentle treadmill walk this evening for the 1st time in 3 weeks, that I'm not too breathless. Sick to death of it AND noting that when I can't taste food or smell it, It's very hard to spot satiety.

The truth is I am 1lb more than last week but I am not too down about it as a sneaky weigh-in yesterday had me at 11/11 so it's not a 'solid' pound, iyswim.

Week 7:
11st 12lbs
BMI not checked yet
weight gain this week 1lb
total loss 10lbs in 7 weeks.

[mamaus]

Feeling a bit disheartened today. I was feeling relatively confident all week. I have been continuing to do the shred every night, noticing a bit less jiggle and feeling happy about that. My clothes are starting to feel a bit looser and hang a bit better. I still have a way to go, but was honestly starting to feel like I am on the right path.
So, I finally went and got a set of digital scales--they were on sale, sure we will have them a long time, thought it would be good to know more accurately etc. and they have me at 4lbs heavier than my old scales from last week :(
My old scales have me at the exact same as last week: 11 stone 7
I was feeling really positive before and I know that it shouldn't matter what the scales say if clothes are fitting better etc, but that has really got to me this morning.

My brother's wedding is fast approaching, my main motivator for getting started. But now, thinking about it my new motivator needs to be life long health, big picture and all that. Something in the Paul McK book has really stuck with me. He said to imagine yourself in the future, for myself I am thinking 20 years. Either I can stick with healthy eating exercise etc and make a change, or not. If not, I will continue to gain a few pounds every year, more than likely around my middle, and develop all of the associated health problems that go with that. For me, I don't even have to work very hard to imagine the outcome of choosing the unhealthy path. My aunts and uncles are concrete examples of what my future will hold if I don't make these changes. As much as I love them, that is not how I want to live and more vainly, not how I want to look. (Sounds terrible, but its true for me)

So my blow this morning with the new scales will not sway me from the big goal, which started as not embarrassing myself in a bridesmaid dress, but has now changed to overall health and well being, for myself and for my children.

I think I may try seriously reducing my carbs this week. I realize that I eat far too much bread for what I would like to achieve.

Since writing this out I have weighed myself several more times on the new scales--the weight has varied by 8lbs?!! Maybe they were on sale for a reason....
So, after my long ramble, I will stick to the weight from my old scales:
Weigh in
Week 4
11 stone 7
0lbs lost
7 lbs lost in 4 weeks

Time to get serious, onwards and downwards!!

Good luck everyone :)

[Erebus]

I am trying to recall Gillian now- I might be thinking of a different concept as I thought GR was like PMc as in it isn't a diet, it's a different approach to food? What am I thinking about, then? Is is Rosemary Conneley (sp.)?

Am rootling around my memory now- maybe I'll need to rootle around the bookshelves in the loft to see what book it was I'm thinking of!

[tripletipple]

Don't get me wrong, I fully appreciate the bitter/sweet experience of weighing in, I have been regularly jumping on and off the scales for 38 years. My current set of scales were a birthday present to me a few years back - it's what I asked for. How ridiculous is that?

I'm not "doing" Gillian Riley. I've only read the first couple of chapters. I just don't need to go on another diet. I need to get off the roundabout.

But of course, everyone is different, and I still wish all of you all the best

[mamaus]

Thank you Erebus and congrats to you too, I think after the week you have had, maintaining and not gaining is a win! Plus, your average is still basically 2lbs a week, so well done. :)

Triple I wish you the best of luck, everyone is different and we all need to find whatever method works best for us. I am the same as Erebus, in needing to see the results--up or down. Definitely check back and let us know how you do! I will have to google Gillian Riley.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

[Erebus]

Sorry, posted too soon- I also meant to say that PMc doesn't 'recommend' weighing in, either- but I still do!

[Erebus]

Triple- I salute you. I don't have the courage to do so, tbh! I recognise that the 'window' between weight loss and, at best, stasis, but more likely, gain, is so tiny for me I need the visuals of seeing actual loss! My belt hole has vacillated between 3 and 4 all the time over the past 6 weeks when I've lost 11lbs! It was on a wider setting this morning, I note!

I try and weigh only once a week (Friday morning) but I'm not always that disciplined. And a couple of years ago, I did Gillian. I think it's a potentially good method but it didn't work for me because I thought I was doing quite well til one day 4 weeks in, I weighed in.... and I wasn't. But that's not to say it won't work for you! The basics of her 'method' can't be faulted.

Are you going to come back on here and let us know how you're going?

[tripletipple]

Ladies, I am going to bow out of Friday weigh in. I have been reading Gillian Riley and I have binned the scales. Well, not quite, I have taken the battery out and put them away.

So wishing you all success in what you are trying to achieve, hope you get where you want to be

[Erebus]

Nah, no weight loss this weeks at all

Week 6:
11st 11lbs
BMI 27.0
weight loss this week 0lb
total loss 11lbs in 6 weeks.

Goes to show what the twin evils of no exercise and not being able to taste food tend to do! Am a bit disheartened but another week, keeping it up! At least I woke up this morning without the overwhelming urge to go back to bed for the morning which is good, I guess. Whole family home today, inset and DH using A/L

Excellent news for you mamaus, really pleased for you! Keep it up!

[mamaus]

Weigh in:
Week 3, 2lb loss!!
11 stone 7lbs
Down 7 lbs in 3 weeks and feeling very happy with that.

Going to look at 7 lbs butter in the store today, and celebrate the fact it's no longer around my middle! :)

I bet you are getting fed up of being sick Erebus hope you feel better soon, and hope the scales continue to move in the right direction for you.

Good luck everyone, onwards and downwards!