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?

I used to. Salad & fish and low carb menu.

These days I usually just have water, herbal teas and coffee. Maybe juice. If I get hungry, I have a piece of fresh fruit or small breakfast bars I make from melted very dark chocolate and coconut oil, mixed with dried fruits and nuts (and sometimes quinoa flakes).

This is a 'good' day for me, if it helps:

Breakfast: porridge with soya milk, sweetened with cinnamon
Morning snack: banana
Lunch: small roll with Quorn ham, side salad (no dressing)
Afternoon snack: apple
Dinner: veg stir fry with egg noodles

So there's cereal and fruit in there but not too much!

Really good veggie ideas Meg, thank you! Have to confess I do not have proper meals ... I hate preparing stuff, though I do make myself cook for DC, who are properly fed and do have casseroles and home-made soup and so on.
I just find if I have something like that, my sugar cravings still kick in and I'm like - well, that quorn stir-fry was lovely, but where's PUDDING?! And then I'll go and eat a yogurt / cereal bar / fruit anyway ...

Thank you for that day menu - really helpful. I have porridge with almond milk in the mornings, which I really like! I know I'd want something sweet after a roll for lunch though :(
Have you found that diet works well for you in terms of weight loss and energy levels?

I am not always so strict! But yes, energy levels fine. I run 3 x week as well.

I have a stock of the Aldi no added sugar yogs in the fridge just in case I can't do without a sweet fix. But the more I go without sugar (and that includes fruit tbh) I find the less I want it. I had a piece of flapjack that the kids left yesterday, usually I could eat about 6 of them, but having not really had anything sugary for a few weeks, it tasted really sickly sweet.

Do you run in the morning or the evening normally? How long do you go out for?
I've found running does make me pretty hungry - should really look at adding in some more protein to deal with that I guess.

I run in the morning when possible, and always on an empty stomach - find it really uncomfortable otherwise! I find the day of the run it suppresses my appetite; the day after I'm more likely to feel hungrier.

I run 5k at a time so not exactly long distance, if you're doing longer runs I'd imagine you might need more food...

I've heard running on an empty stomach helps with fat-burning so that's great! I hate running when I haven't eaten though, I conk out after about 30 mins. Best time is about 2 hours after eating for me, so normally go about 7pm after small snack at 4:30-5, or 9am at weekends.
I do 1x5k, 2x8k, 1xsomething longer depending on how I feel and how long I can get DH to look after the kids for

In terms of 'proper' meals, is it better to do them at lunchtime or in the evening? I'm always really tired in the evening and de-motivated to cook ...

I know if I have a main meal at lunchtime, I want another in the evening! So I always have a light lunch.

Can you not have what your kids have in the evening, as you're making it already?

I'm the same Meg. I know I should eat more earlier in the day, but then I seem to need all my energy to digest the food, and just get hungry again later anyway (and can't sleep when hungry).

I've been anaemic and had been forgetting to take iron. Took some last night and was able to go for a run/walk early this morning which felt great.

Well done on the run yegods - that's great!
I'll be going later - probably after DC's bedtime.
Have really been thinking about what Meg said about my diet, and I think I'd been kidding myself that I was eating 'healthy' foods, ie. fruit etc, and not questioning about the carb balance, which is clearly well out of whack :(
Had good resolutions for a low-carb lunch today, but after speaking to estate agents all morning (having house valued to move), I had no invention left, so it's back to my faithful cheese sandwich with green salad ...
Fingers crossed I will get a bit more experimental later in the week.

Yegods, those bars sound delish! What's the proportions?
Lou, maybe, rather than focussing on lowering the carbs, try thinking of it as a case of increasing theprotein. Like Meg, I struggle without carbs; even if I substitute rice cakes for breadwith my omelette in the morning I'm climbing the walls and losing my temper after half an hour.

Ifyou make sure to have a decent amount of ptoteinwith every meal (milk or yoghurt don't do the trick for me but some people find them enough), you'll find the sweet cravings are gradualy pushed aside. And if you snack, again add protein (couple of nuts or slice of cheese, for eg ).

But if you eat enough at mealtimes snacks don't need to figure regularly.
I add chopped nuts to porridge, and a dollop of peanut butter on toast or a gluten free roll is a pretty standard breakfast for me.

Melt a bar or two of dark choc (so 100g - 200g) then approx a tablespoon/third of a cup of coconut oil (this helps the bars stay solid at room temp and the coconut oil is healthy as oils/fats go.) Add roughly chopped dried fruit (e.g. apricots, figs, dates, etc) so that the chocolate can (just) cover it all. I usually add about 3 or 4 handfuls. (More fruit if there is nothing else to add). Then add finely chopped nuts, if using and/or quinoa flakes or rolled oats if using, a little at a time so it all gets in contact with the chocolate and turns chocolate coloured.

Thanks Shotgun I will definitely focus on upping the protein. Still not that keen on meat but I guess I can do a lot with eggs, fish and nuts in the meantime. Love peanut butter - my favourite thing! My treat breakfast on a Saturday is a wholemeal bagel with peanut butter :)

Well I have focused on playing down the carbs tonight! Felt very strange! After the gym I had quorn sausages with broccoli and pumpkin seed omelette, grilled tomatoes and peas.
Now I think I need to work on portion size as it felt like loads!! Still, good to eat some greens in the evening rather than fruit. Have put aside half the broccoli, seeds and peas for lunch tomorrow with fish.

9 stone 8 again.

Right, back on the offensive and no looking back.

9st 8 down from 9st 10...and it's the first day of my period so hopefully I'll be even lighter next week!
for yegods

runningLou, I tend to snack if I eat later so I have my biggest meal at breakfast (usually leftovers or chicken something or other) & then don't eat after 6.

Haven't done any exercise this week so far, although I'm counting 2hrs of softplay running after a toddler with a 10lb baby strapped to me!

Well done Gary and keep going Yegods!

9st 3.5lb today so 1lb up which is slightly annoying BUT I have got my period so that always makes me a bit heavier. Onwards and downwards for next week!

Sorry forgot to check in yeserday; 10st 2 so another pound down yay!
I did briefly dip to 10 st 1 but too much wine and choc did for that. Don't want to be losing it too fast - shock to the system and all

9 stone 9 this morning which is 1.5 down from last week BUT I was out last night and had several hundred beers so dehydration is probably contributing! So going to assume 9 stone 9.5 really which is still one pound down from last week. Feel like I'm defo on track for 9.5 stone by Halloween hooray!

Well done everyone else and keep going !

9 stone 7 this morning, so I'm bang on that half stone to lose ...
Really been trying to cut the carbs this week. Yesterday lunch was a green salad with goats cheese, walnuts and a bit of ham. Enjoying having a bit more variety for now!
Right, off to parkrun to do my 5k :)

9st 1.5lb this morning so officially striking Wednesday's weigh-in from the record

Wow!! What magic have you been working this past couple of days?!
Amazing!!

Well it's only 1lb down from last week, my period had just added 2lb in the meantime!