13lbs in 7 1/2 weeks! AND over 50!

[Tansie]

Yes, I know, an odd set of figures, but today I hit 11/7, down from 12/6 on April 1st.

The significance is that it's 'the half stone' mark, and it puts my BMI just into the 'healthy range' though I have got a good stone more to lose to be in the middle of it! I will be happy with 10/12, actually (as I ma the wrong side of 50!), as then I will make 11 stone as my 'line in the sand', the weight that will trigger being more disciplined for a bit til I'm below it again.

The message is that if I can do it, anyone can! I have no willpower at all, dislike exercise and am fundamentally lazy and too fond of pinot grigio .

I've been PMK (ICMYT) and fast walking 2 miles on a treadmill every day, and not snacking mindlessly - but still taking 2 nights off my 'mindfulness' a week to eat curry and swill wine! thread here.

Am aiming for The Stone by Monday!

Well done Tansie :)
I always find your posts inspiring. I'm trying to do similar.

Thanks power! For me, the 'biggie' is that I'm essentially hopeless; I'm intrinsically lazy, I dislike exercise, I can't 'do' diets so my approach has to be slowly and don't frighten the horses!

Experience has demonstrated that, for me, going in all guns blazing (VLC diets, Cambridge, cabbage soup, even 5:2) just won't work. I can't sustain the degree of enthusiasm and messianic zeal required and when I inevitably fall off that particular wagon, I do it with a thump. So I don't begin with a massive 'kick start', I just go 'OK, time to lose weight' and although my initial losses were good (3 or 3.5 in the first week) I need and want 'a pound a week', essentially.

I was out with a SW mate last night. She was my inspiration when I went 'You know what? I should lose this 1.5 to 2 stone before menopause really hits and I can't'- and as stated, she's on SW, and has lost 13 lbs in 12 weeks which is great, and this is not a competition! However, we were talking about roast spuds (yum on every level) and she said 'I have roasties, but I use One Cal spray and you'd hardly spot the difference!- Well, yes, of course, you can, but it's okay', Which is great. But I use goose fat for mine. Absolutely delicious. BUT I have one single, beautiful, proper roastie, the same as I make for the rest of the family. But I stop at one. I haven't changed anything about my family's diet, it's just that I make more veggies to load my plate with and I go easy on the foods that deliver too many cals for weight loss. And go easy on the gravy! SW seems to involve a lot of very low cal yoghurt and sweeteners- well, I don't eat either. I eat proper, full fat yoghurt- but one tablespoon's worth at a sitting.

I am not dissing SW but I cannot be doing with any 'weight loss programme' that's alien to my normal, okay but a bit over-indulgent diet.

I agree with you. I've tried lots of diets and they all work but really, the only thing that works long term is just eating less of whatever healthy family meal you're making and cutting out snacking.
That's how people used to eat and healthy people still do. That's how people all around the world eat.
I'm trying to get to that but I still crave sugar a lot. I'm trying to cut it out but its hard. I have young children and my youngest is a really bad sleeper. Sometimes I feel like I don't have enough fight in me to tackle this but I think I'm making excuses really.
I feel much better when I don't have sugar or processed food and I'm exercising. I just need to keep reminding myself and battle on :)