Half a stone by Halloween, anyone?!

[MegBusset]

I have been trying and failing to lose half a stone since Christmas, the failure is mainly due to my enduring of wine and chocolate but I just feel a bit out of my comfortable zone and would fit my clothes better if I managed to shift it!

I am 9st 6lb and would like to be 9st. I'm only 5ft 3in so really feel that extra half zone.

I am going to start using MFP every day (always used to but have had the summer off to enjoy ice creams and BBQs and chilled wine), once the DC are back at school I am going to start running again 2 or 3x a week (have not found time to over the hols esp as I have started working three days a week). I feel that half a stone two months ought to be really achievable but I really need to stick with it and not go "Oh fuckit" and fall off the wagon too often

Anyone with a similar amount to lose like to join me for mutual support?

[yegodsandlittlefishes]

Welcome fish! I am just under 5'2" myself and nearly the same age, you are not alone. Well done on going to the gym. We all seem to have different weigh-in days. Ime it does help to stick to just one day a week to note weight (and other measurements) but certainly non needed every day, more a matter of making and then sticking to good habits.

[NuggetofPurestGreen]

Well done Meg that's great. Nearly there now!

[yegodsandlittlefishes]

Well, I am the same weight as yesterday. That's 9 stone 8, so I have put on 3 pounds. Must avoid sweet foods. Must avoid sweet foods (e.g. Thornton's chocolates) and much of anything at breakfast/lunch.

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

10st 3 so that's another pound down! .
Must admit, I've started a course this week so I think there's been an element of nerves-related calorie burning!

[MizK]

Hey all, tried to post a few times but STUPID phone won't let me, hence I grabbed a moment on the laptop!

yegods could gain be hormone related? The week before my period I can fluctuate upwards quite fast!

meg and shotgun well done :).... I have had a lot more junk etc this week, however last weigh in I was 11st " so thats 6 pounds off altogether. Back on it today so hoping to hit the magical half stone by this time next week.

shotgun which course are you doing? I start uni next week so can relate to the nerves!

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

6 pounds is amazing MizK!
I'm doing Fine Art < wibble >. How about you?

[NuggetofPurestGreen]

9 stone 10 and a half so two pounds less than last week. Yay. However I tried on a pair of size ten trousers last night which I thought used to fit me when I was under 10
stone and couldn't get them anywhere near closed. So now I'm worried I'm not really losing weight and scales is broken or something!

Probably just small trousers though

[NuggetofPurestGreen]

Well done everyone else on losses! And yegods maybe it's hormonal as another poster says.

[GaryBuseysTeeth]

Well done on the losses!

YeGods, I put on half a stone just before my period comes on. So like others say, hopefully it's that.

Put on 4lbs this week, had 2 three course meals, more coffees than is healthy (we were on holiday & the cottage had a tassimo machine!) but I went for 3 runs & a long old walk so not feeling too bad about it.
Plus it feels like my period might be coming on, although I've felt like that for weeks now (BFN a few days ago incase you're wondering)!

Nugget, since having children my hips are, usually half an inch bigger...when was the last time you tried on the trousers?

[yegodsandlittlefishes]

Last weigh-in was possibly high due to hormones, but wrong week for that really. Time will tell.

Enjoyed some wine last night, but back on track for the weekend.

[NuggetofPurestGreen]

Good stuff yegods and I'm sure you'll see a loss next week.

I had many beers last night but that's okay one night a week.

Gary I don't have kids and my hips are small, it's my belly that's the issue! can't remember what weight I was when I wearing size tens but I thought i only moved to size 12s when I got to 10 stone but I could be misremembering. I'll try them again when I get to 9.5 stone! I can see the weight loss in my belly and face so defo going in the right direction.

[MizK]

Well done nugget!

shotgun Ooh that sounds fab, I bet you'll love the course! I'm doing English, am excited but also a bit butterflyish, mainly about being the oldest one amongst crowds of fresh faced 18 year olds! Good luck and hope your nerves go soon!

Urgh feeling a bit rubbish as succumbed to hefty brie and chutney sandwich for lunch, after having had a doughnut mid morning. If I'd had a smaller sandwich with less cheese I'd have been fine but because of my greedy ways, I feel leaden of tummy....Still, walked for an hour (errands etc) rather than driving, so making the effort in general. Just monitoring what I eat and making sure I exercise most days is making me feel more in control so thats a good thing, right?!

Hope weekend is going well for everybody :)

[MegBusset]

Hope everyone's having a good weekend :)

I have got my period and a bit of a cold so feeling a bit bleurgh. Hoping to go out for a gentle run later though.

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

Thanks Mizk - English sounds lovely and much more useful. Know what you mean about feeling old - I'm older than lots of the lecturers!
Ther's a few other oldies so it's not too bad - although the fact that they call anyone over 21 a 'mature student' rankles a bit.
Have a good week all.

[NuggetofPurestGreen]

Having a good weekend as in enjoyable, but not very good diet wise . That's alright though I tend to focus on being extra healthy on weeknights so I can relax a bit at weekend. Did go for a walk today and yesterday though.

Good luck with your new college courses Shotgun and MizK - I did English in university 16 years ago it was great

[yegodsandlittlefishes]

I baked 6 cakes today (using up gardens from the garden) and have only had one small slice. 1 gone to Dh's work, 4 in freezer.

[runningLou]

I need to lose about half a stone - currently running out of ideas though :(
I am basically eating lots of cereal, fruit, yogurt, and salad. Lunch is cheese-based.
I have one treat day on a Saturday and I tend to go a bit crazy then so I know I need to work on this.
I run 4x per week, swim once, cycle once.

[MegBusset]

Hmm, well without knowing your portions/weight but just on your post, I'd have to say that cereal/yoghurt/fruit are usually packed with sugar, and I have had to pretty much give up cheese :(

[yegodsandlittlefishes]

Yes, I count yogurt (except natural low fat yogurt) cheese (too salty and fatty) and fruit (sweet) as treats these days!

I find what helps is more protein (fish, lean meat) less salt and sugar. Halve your portion sizes on everything apart from salad and greens. Eat less cereal/bread. Tends to work, if I can stick to it.

[NuggetofPurestGreen]

I eat two portions of fruit every day which I think is reasonable and natural low fat yoghurt for breakfast. But while I do eat cheese I am quite sparing with it ie I eat things like low fat Philadelphia or slices of plastic cheese where it's easy to control the portion size or a small bit of grated cheddar in an omelette. No half blocks of cheddar in a baguette though!

But as Meg says hard to comment without knowing portion sizes etc.

[NuggetofPurestGreen]

Sorry I think my point was there you can eat some yoghurt a and cheese and fruit and lose weight but you need go watch portions.

Had a panic earlier that I was going to lose the weight and get to my goal and then just go mad eating everything again and put it all back on. Must remember this is a lifestyle
change not a diet....

[runningLou]

Eeek - you got me - I am a sugar addict! (Says she, sitting down to usual evening meal of a banana, handful of grapes, handful of blueberries, topped with a small pot of yogurt and a handful of muesli!!) Basically I figure if I wasn't eating this stuff it would be biscuits and cakes - it has been in the past - but by going for fruit etc as a source of sugar I have managed to lose nearly 4 stone in the past 18 months. And kept it off too, until the last couple of months when that half stone plus has crept back on :(
I'm now just over 9 and a half stone, and am 5'6. I was 9 stone at the end of July, and much happier. Do you think it's the summer holiday effect?
Other than my fruit and cereal addiction, I generally have a big bowl of porridge for breakfast, an apple mid-morning, cheese, oatcakes and salad for lunch, an apple and cereal bar mid-afternoon ... I drink gallons and gallons of herbal tea.
I am also becoming a vegetarian - have really gone off meat recently. So, I do struggle with the eating lean meat thing.

[runningLou]

Dreaming of half a block of cheddar on a baguette now though!!

[runningLou]

yegods if you count yogurt and fruit as treats (yikes!!!), and try not to eat much cereal / bread, what do you do for breakfast? Do you go for protein in the morning?

[MegBusset]

RunningLou well done on the weight loss first of all!

Secondly that definitely is a really carb- and sugar-heavy diet. Thirdly I would be starving if fruit and cereal was all I ate! Do you not have proper meals at all?

The low-carb threads might be good for some ideas, I know there are some veggies on them. I'm veggie too and like my carbs too much to quit entirely but I have things like soups/casseroles/stir fry/curry and use Quorn instead of meat in a few things.