Right!! Enough is enough!!!

[Hippychickster]

OK, I know this isn't massive in the big scheme of things but all my adult life I have weighed about 8 1/2 stone. I'm 5' 6" and have always been a size 8.

I'm 49 now and in the last year I've put on over a stone. I am now 9st 10 and I feel shit! I don't think my eating habits have changed, I think I'm just getting older. I feel really lethargic and like I can't even be bothered to go to the gym. My last swim cost me about £200 it's so long since I went before that.

I am going back to work tomorrow when I will obviously have loads more time than in the holiday as routine will be restored so I am hoping to stop eating crap snacks.

I don't want to go on a diet as I eat pretty healthily anyway. I don't have a sweet tooth which is good. My absolute achilles heel is savoury stuff like crisps and wine. I have had them every night this holiday (I'm a teacher so it's not just a week or so).

I don't want to look drawn and older, but I would like to be 9 stone again by Christmas. I think sensible eating, cutting out wine and crisps (apart from Friday nights) should do the trick.

Anyone out there who feel like me? I know there are people who will think 9.10 is not a lot but for me it feels uncomfortable.

I'm not going to weigh for at least 2 weeks. I rarely weigh anyway, I only did it because my clothes and bra feel tight. I just want to feel better and more like me again.

I may need some encouragement to stay off the wine

have -> favourite

The resting is fine - if you do too much & diet you'll get a cold. I drove miles today, had a salad with no bread/croutons for lunch. Only had one or two canapés at a drinks party & a spritzer. 200g of beef between the two of us in a stir fry with minimal noodles & now I'm going to brush my teeth ultra early so I can't eat anything else. More physio soon. I'm really missing running but I don't want a long term injury.

I do the brushing the teeth thing too!! It really does stop you snacking!

Hope your physio helps sort you out. Although it does sound like you are making up for the lack of running with cycling.

I'm so glad it's Friday tomorrow - it's been a tough, long week!

More cycling today & serious upper body walks. Another long dog walk too. I'm fighting my desire to snack but it's got so cold & one of my DCs has been v sad for about an hour it's pretty hard to stay true.

Eastpoint hope your DC doesn't feel sad any more! It's hard not to snack when it's chilly, my fatal weakness is G&B hot chocolate (a low calorie alternative is just not the same) and mince pies which I have to restrict to December only!

I am 9st 6lb this morning so that's 1.5lb off this week :) not as much as last week but I have been a bit more relaxed with the wine & chocolate (without going mad) as I want this to be sustainable and there's no way I'm giving up either for good! The running is definitely helping.

Still doing fairly well, long dog walk but I had to cook something for a volunteers' lunch this morning & then go to the lunch, catch up with the work I hadn't done & then went to a literary festival event this pm. Should be able to go to the gym & do some Pilates tomorrow. Spoke to the sad child's HOY who was v sympathetic & thanked me for emailing. Hope all will improve next week. 2 glasses of prosecco today, both felt thin & acidly. Chocolate mousse & fruit at lunch was delicious!

No dog walking today but I made it to advanced Pilates & then did 30 mins with a high heart rate on an exercise bike. More book festival activities & friends for dinner tonight. Hope the weekend's going well for you ladies.

You are hard core East! And Meg, your weight seems to be going down every time you post!

I have been sticking rigidly to my no wine during the week, exercising every day and eating clean. I will persevere because I know eventually it will show results, but I'm feeling despondent today and like it's all for nothing. I don't feel any different and I don't know why. I ache from all the pilates and I know I've massively cut down on eating crap. Maybe it's just going to take longer than I thought.

I seem to lose about 100g a week, I have an app on my phone which tells me when I'll reach my target weight. When it said 2026 I felt a bit sad, but mainly amused .

Now that made me laugh! I still don't feel great but I'm going to persevere. I keep thinking about the 4 weeks till you notice yourself, 8 till your friends notice and 12 till others notice.

Off for a run in a bit. Feel quite good that I've stuck to it and I'm now starting the second week.

A new week tomorrow! Keep strong everyone x

Well done Hippychickster perfect conditions here for running (I've just done a 1 ¾ hr dog walk & wish my Achilles would let me run).

I have spent the weekend at my new caravan and had ice cream, wine and fish & chips, so expect to be back up a pound or two tomorrow!

OK it's a new week and I'm really focused again. Had a wine filled weekend and not feeling great because of it, but it's made me super positive about this week.

Come on Meg and East!! Keep strong!

I'm still here :)

Went up 0.5lb over the weekend so not too disastrous. Been very good today, looking forward to my run tomorrow.

0.5lb doesn't count. One poo and it's gone!

V gd earlier with a long dog walk, a stretch class & 25 mins on the bike & I cycled to the gym. Did pretty well, went to a cabaret night at a Pizza Express & had one of their under 500 calorie pizza. The lady next to me had one & then ordered another! Ordered a spritzer but I didn't realise it would be 250ml of wine with water, luckily I wasn't driving. No pudding or coffee but I don't feel like going to bed yet.

Sounds brilliant East. You were very controlled!

I've done pilates today and been for a run. I've also started doing a meditation course which I've also done today. Feeling quite calm for a change!

Food consumption going really well.

Just ate 6 Pringles almost mindlessly looking at other threads. Back in the cupboard they go. Went to a charity lunch for First Story, they put writers in residence in underachieving schools (high # of FSM pupils & below national average gcses) and had a very abstemious lunch. Not sure what we're having for dinner. 90 mins dog walk but no other exercise, I should have cycled to the lunch

Sometimes you just can't avoid it.

Well bizarrely I went up 2lb between Monday and Wednesday despite being careful with what I ate, and running on Tuesday ; so I am back to where I was two weeks ago! Very frustrating but I will just have to plod on with it and hope the overall trend is downwards...

Did you eat fish or something very salty? I know that if I eat salty food my weight increases but it is only water retention. I had another physio session today, my Achilles is still recovering but the hip on the opposite side is really painful now. So ultra sound, massage & strapping . Long dog walk today, cycled yesterday. Dinner last night was by Michel Roux Jr at a pop up, delicious & v low v carb so I weighed light this morning. Still on track with my minuscule weight loss but i am receiving compliments...

Had a dreadful (but highly enjoyable) evening last night. Far far too much wine and gammon egg and chips in the pub. I've drunk one and a half litres of water so far today and only been for one wee. Whoops!

Anyway, just as one good meal doesn't make you thin, so one bad meal doesn't make you fat. I'm back on it today, done my pilates and cycled into town and back. Feeling (almost) good again!

Still determined not to weigh till half term but all my clothes feel so much better.

Good day today. Did my pilates before work and have eaten very well. I am well into it now and I'm thinking this is it for ever. I can keep this up indefinitely. When I have got to where I want to be, I'll just increase my food intake a little, but I'm not struggling. Even drinking 3 litres of water a day!

Keep strong girls!!! We will be gorgeouser by Christmas!

Well done! I did Pilates & cycled into South Ken yesterday, 25 mins rather than the same on the tube so very efficient. Luckily it wasn't a smart meeting. I've been diagnosed with glutineal tendinopathy which means I have to try & rest my hip. I wonder if I'll ever run again? It only started after I was told to do 3 x 15 x2 exercises twice a days to help my Achilles.

East, I have no idea what that is but I hope you are ok. Sounds like you do plenty to make up for not running.

I am feeling great today. Tried on my size 8 jeans this morning and although they were a bit tight, there was no muffin top and they went on very easily. Wearing trousers to work today that I've not worn for months as I could hardly do them up so pleased about that.

It's really helped coming on here and seeing what you (especially east and meg) are doing. It's kept me massively on track. I still have 3 weeks before I'm weighing, but pretty sure it's all going the right way. Feel soooo much better.

Stay strong!! We can do this!