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

I've hit a wall today. I've been doing this for a month now, eating clean, running, doing Pilates and drinking 3 litres of water a day. Ok, I know I've had the weekend off and a couple of wine nights, but in general I've cut back so much. I've never had to carry this on for so long. Every other time it would take about 2 weeks to get back to my normal, but this is taking ages.

I know I said I'd give it till half term and weigh myself but I'm panicking now that I won't have lost anything and it will all have been for nothing. Maybe I'm at the plateau stage (never been there before). There's nothing for it but to bat on and persevere and hope I get over it and shake myself out of this mood.

Hope you guys are feeling more positive.

I just finished my period & seem to weigh what I did at the start of September. I've now been told no cycling either, just rest apart from Pilates. I ran half way across a pitch to take a photo & my hip started hurting - this is so frustrating!

Yesterday I was v gd & I will be good today. Last night I went to a demo on vegan raw puddings & I'd rather not eat them. Grim at best.

Good luck with the weigh-in Hippy! I'm sure your hard work will have paid off.

I have hit a bit of a plateau around 9st 7lb, mainly because I've had a week-long grotty cold followed straight by my period. I feel better than I did at 9st 11 but it seems like such a huge effort is needed to get off (and more importantly keep off) the last half stone.

It was always much easier in my 20s :(

Eastpoint - re glutineal tendinopathy:

I had this two years ago while at my personal peak - running easy 5 Ks, training for 10k etc. It took 1.5 years to heal. My top tip is ice it often and rest as much as possible. Don't even think about running. The reason why they call it 'tendinopathy' these days and not 'tendinitis' is because it doesn't necessarily get better, ever. So take it seriously.

If it is not back to normal in about two months, PM me and I'll tell you about what helps recovery at that point. Good luck.

Thanks CoteDAzur. I am taking it very seriously, its so difficult as I am normally very active - dog walking, running, spinning etc. I am seeing a physio who has said I can do Pilates and I have some eccentric exercises to try, but when I did them with her on Monday it was sore so I am leaving them again. I can walk for 15 minutes but after that it hurts (I had to do some errands yesterday - just dry cleaners, post office, cobblers but stuff which has to be done & we live in London so has to be done on foot). I did my best ever 10K earlier this year and my 5K time was the same as when I was 31... DH has taken over dog walking duties for the first time since I had just given birth to DC3 who is 13.

Well, I've not been on here for ages, but that doesn't mean I have been idle! I had a bit of a shocker of a weekend last weekend, but have been back on track this week.

I am still getting up at 6 every morning to do half an hour of pilates and I'm running 3 or 4 times a week. I've been really good with clean eating and even resisted any cake when our school did a bake off and there were about 8 cakes in the staff room.

My clothes feel better but I'm not sure I've lost any weight. I'm going to weigh a week tomorrow which I'm nervous about as all this hard work for 7 weeks better show some results!

At the moment I'm suffering from really heavy, sore boobs. I'm sure it's hormonal/menopausal, but any ideas? I've been taking vit B6 but it doesn't seem to have helped. I don't have periods as I have a mirena coil, so don't know if it's that, but at the moment I seem to suffer for about 3 weeks, then a week off. Bloody killer when I'm running, even with a really supportive sports bra.

Eastpoint, it sounds like you are suffering with your hip. I hope you are managing to rest it and at the same time do some exercise to make you feel better. Sounds quite serious and like you need to recover completely before you start hard core stuff.

Meg, I hope your plateau has now shifted and you are once again on the downward track. I feel much better too, but it's psychological for me. Even if I feel better and fit in all my old clothes, if I haven't lost any weight I'll feel fat!

Keep strong girls!!! We have done so well! Six weeks already!

Friday!! I have one more week before weighing. I'm wearing a pair of trousers today that I haven't worn for 2 years. They are a bit tighter than they were, but no muffin top so feeling good.

Nearly there!!! Only 2 more days to go till the end of the first half of my 'diet'. I said I wanted to get to half term and that's next week.

I'm going to London at the weekend to stay with my DD and so going to have a week off and enjoy all my YOLO foods!

I'm pleased with myself that I've kept up with the pilates and running. I will carry on with all this after I come back from London and get into the second half of my mission!!

Feeling good though. Hope everyone is feeling strong.

Well, I've lost 6lbs. At first I was a bit disappointed but then I thought:
a) I wanted to lose 10lbs by Christmas so I'm well on target.
b) I haven't actually been on a diet, just eating clean.
c) It's over several weeks so it's not water loss.
d) I'm really enjoying my exercise and have made huge progress with my running.
e) I've had every weekend off and drank shed loads of wine each weekend.

So, all in all I'm actually very pleased. A weekend off completely as I'm going to see my DD then back on it next week.

Hope you are all going in the right direction.

That sounds really good! Well done!

Well I've had my weekend away, drank loads and eaten loads and have done no exercise.

Back on it today. It's blowing a hurricane out there at the moment so not looking forward to my run, but am determined. Also I'm going to do the shred in the morning for 4 weeks instead of Pilates and see how that feels.

I'm still really motivated, especially after my weight loss. Going to give it 4 weeks now till I weigh again and hope I can maintain my pound a week loss. Hope everyone else is still going?

Well I'm still here although I think on my own now! Actually I don't mind. I said I would use this as a way of keeping on track whether anyone posted or not so that's what I'm doing.

Very proud of my progress. I think I'll have reached my goal in a few weeks and then I can maintain.

Really hope everyone else is still doing well.

Monday morning and the start of a new week. I have 8 weeks before Christmas so another half a stone off I hope by then.

Here's to another week of healthy eating and exercise.

Can I join you? Would like to shed half a stone by Christmas too!

Can I join too? Would like to lose a stone before Christmas if possible ... Have put on a chunk of weight since last summer - was probably a bit too skinny then (as in I loved the way I looked but not really maintainable), but since then have had lots of relationship trauma, moved house, started new job and all of it has led to lots and lots of comfort eating and carb-binges. Also I've had to cut down on exercise due to a running injury (think there are other people with similar experiences), but am cycling to work every day, doing 3 x spinning classes per week and have just started a military fitness-type thing.
I have an incurable sweet tooth and with finding my new job really tiring I've been drinking too much coffee too. Now it's half term I have promised myself I'll try and have a good, detoxing week.
Today I have had fruit and greek yogurt for breakfast, falafel and salad for lunch, and will have soup for dinner. I really, really struggle with having no puds after meals - it's like the meal feels incomplete if I don't end it with a chunk of sweetness but I know that's something I need to deal with.
I'm hoping later I can manage after soup with an apple and some quark ...

Grumpy tonight..supposed to be going to see paolo nutini tomorrow but it's cancelled. Must not reach for the wine and chocolate....

Yes!! Of course join me! I think I'm the only one left on here now but I'm still using it to keep myself going. I've had a good day today, really healthy food and have been running.

Welcome! Let's see if we can lose half a stone or more. runninglou I hope your relationship trauma is sorted.

brainwashed it's easier to keep going than to keep starting again. Do not give in to the wine and chocolate!!!

Well done Hippychickster sounds like a good day! Just eating my bowl of soup - leek, cauliflower and broccoli so very lo-cal. How far do you run? Did a fitness class tonight and the burpees nearly killed me utterly! brainwashed that's so disappointing - can you use tonight to book something else to look forward to?
Relationship trauma far from sorted but trying to keep stress levels down as they drive me to sugar!

Running for 30 minutes after following an app. 7 weeks ago I could hardly run for 1 minute so although it's not exactly marathon standard, I'm really proud of myself!

Sorry to hear about your relationship trauma. It's a shame it's not going the other way and putting you off food!!! Sorry if that's insensitive

Ha ha! No, that's ok ... Well done on the running it is amazing! Love running - have really missed it since injury.
Soup, apple, quark, bed!!

Well, just under 2 months, but it's a goal!!!

Great goal - thank you! Had chopped apple, banana and blueberries with Greek (natural) yogurt for brekkie this morning.
What do you have for breakfast generally? We are off out to Ikea today for a few bits - wish me luck with making healthy choices in the café!

Had 2 chocolates last night but no wine :-) Breakfast was porridge with chopped apricots and Brazil nuts. Wanting to get some exercise in today but am aching from yesterday's crossfit and it is chucking it down and blowing a gale. I am a runner but am having to take it easy just now as Achilles is niggling. And it is the taking it easy that has led to the weight going up....

runningLou I have 3-4 standard breakfasts I rotate through. Porridge with fruit and nuts, Greek yogurt with berries and a small amount of granola, poached or scrambled egg with one bit of toast and sometimes asparagus on the side, and the latest addition one bit of toast with crunchy peanut butter and sliced banana on top. I try to make sure I get a reasonable amount of protein in. And I now only have croissants very rarely when I realised that 1 has 300 calories and doesn't fill you up at all!!