Countdown to 50

[syzygy]

I am 50 next year and I have been coasting at 16 stone for the most of my 40s, which have been pretty crap for a number of reasons. I am always looking for a way to drop the weight quickly and, unsurprisingly, have never lasted more than a day on any plan. I buy into it, get all the literature, and then get furious that I'm being told what to eat and not to eat, so sabotage it.

I decided yesterday that I'm going to take the whole year to do it. I've worked out that if I lose 1.5 pounds a week, I can reach 11.5 stone by next years big day. I'm not going to tell ANYONE. Oh, apart from you guys of course. I was thinking about setting up another (private) Instagram account to mark my progress ..... good idea?

I'm going to mind map my problem areas: eating like for like with dh, eating manically when I get in etc, and set myself mindful challenges based around those.

I'm NOT going to buy into any plan - that is one of my problem areas in itself! And I'm not going to do anything extreme. Brother and sil are on a hugely restrictive diet - no carbs, sugar, caffeine. All lean meat and fish and salad. They are expensive guests!

One thing I am considering is more vegan days. Been vegetarian since 16 and having a couple of vegan days recently just to see if I could. Been effortless tbh.

I'm feeling really rather positive. And I'm starting right now :)

Well done.

I know you've said 'No Plan' but I'd recommend Paul McKenna's "I Can Make You Thin" because it isn't a plan. Nothing is banned, nothing is good or bad.

I'm trying to kick 1 1/2 stone (from 12/6 to 11-ish) and have managed 15 lbs since April 1st. That equates to about 1.5lbs a week but of course, it wasn't steady- a biggish drop in week one and lesser losses since then, so an average of 1.5lbs.

The other thing I do is exercise; 2 miles of fast walking on a treadmill (watching the telly!) every day more or less; and I 'allow' myself 2 evenings a week where I go a bit easier on myself.

Another PM fan here. Being eating this way for ten years or more.

I have literally just started something similar to Paul Mckenna, using the Easyloss virtual gastric band app. There is a thread on here already.

My initial feeling was that it wasn't going to work for me as I'm perhaps too cynical. However I listened again last night and today I am well attuned to hunger signals (or lack of).

I like your idea of an Instagram account. Have been wondering how I could take and store pics without faffing with uploading to my laptop.