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

During the week I have scrambled egg and smoked salmon for breakfast. I love it but then I tend to have the same thing till I'm sick of it and then change to something else. At the weekend I probably have poached egg on toast, or bacon and egg sandwiches depending on whether DH makes it or me.

I also eat the Kaviar from Ikea. The blue one. I have it with eggs. My family are Swedish so it's a taste of my childhood! My DH thinks I only ever eat fish. Actually… I do eat loads!

Mmmm absolutely love the peanut butter and banana combo! But I find if I eat bread at breakfast I really crave carbs later in the day so have had to find other solutions. Need to have more fish and eggs though I think ...
Didn't do too badly today, overall. No snacks and only fruit for puds. just going to have to be disciplined this evening with my soup again.
Made the mistake of weighing tonight after exercise class and gutted not to have shifted any weight - of course, it's only been a few days!!! Need to keep off the scales ...
Right, back to my soup ...

Remember your muscles are likely to retain a bit of water after exercise
Am having wine tonight as consolation for not seeing Paolo Nutini..but I have run 4 miles and am about to go to a circuit class!

Struggle with portion sizes with porridge etc, and with meals in general. How much do you go for?

I've just measured my thighs and they are nearly 2" smaller than they were at the beginning!!!!

Well chuffed! Still not weighing for a few weeks though. I can't bear the tiny losses, I need to see a few pounds gone.

Keep strong everyone!

Wow - that is amazing!!!! Well done. Have never measured before as worried I won't be objective and pull the tape tighter to get the result I want!!
Well done you for staying away from the scales - I am awful, I hop on and off all the time!

That is great hippychickster... doesn't really matter what the scales say with results like that! I measure occasionally when I need extra motivation/ shaming! I do weigh most days but only record once a week.
runningLou with porridge I have 30g made with 200 ml semiskimmed milk. Other portion sizes are probably way more than petite women are " supposed" to have but I am very active usually and am the only female in the house. I do try not to give myself as much as my DH and teenage boys....

I've not had porridge for years, but reading this I might get some. I'd forgotten how much I like it.

Put my old size 8 jeans on this morning. They have absolutely no stretch in them at all and they fitted really well, not too tight.

It's taken a while as I've been doing this now for about 8 weeks, but I'm really seeing the results now. At first I felt a bit despondent as I'm sure I'm menopausal and thought maybe I had to accept extra weight, but now I'm glad I persevered.

A few glasses of wine tomorrow and a pub meal out with my friend - can't wait!

Stay strong everyone. 7 weeks till Christmas - we can do it!!!

Could I join you guys for some support? I did 5:2 for around 16 months, lost 1-1.5 stone but couldn't keep it off. Now I just can't face fasting even though I know it works, when I try I end up binging. So I'm trying to focus on controlling my intake of food, cutting back on treats and wine. I'm rowing up my exercise. Starting at a very flabby 12st3

I mean ramping not rowing! Although maybe rowing is good for weightloss

Hi Not2bObvious of course you can join us! We want to lose about half a stone by Christmas. I don't think any of us want to 'diet' as such, we are just exercising and eating clean.

I am refusing to give up wine and treats at the weekend (obviously within reason). I want to keep this up for ever, so not prepared to give up anything I like, including wine and crisps! Just limit them to weekends.

Good luck! Stay strong!

I row ( in the sea)....I don't think it is that good for weight loss, but that's probably because we often take cake with us!!

That's amazing news on the jeans Hippychick!! My size 8s have been in the back of my wardrobe for a while but I'm determined I will get them out again at some point!
Overate last night - had 2 bowls of branflakes after soup etc. Struggle with getting too hungry after exercise - had cycled (1 hour round trip) to class then did 1 hour of circuits then when I came back soup just wasn't enough. I'm really going to have to try and eat more protein in the evenings I think.
Have had turkey tonight so hopefully that will help. Have got a 2 week meal plan from fitness instructor that includes lots of protein so am going to try it from tomorrow I think and see if I can stick to it.

Where do you live brainwashed? Rowing sounds a great way to get exercise!

runningLou I do think you have to eat enough. If you don't, it's just too easy to give in when you feel hungry. I actually like that feeling of hunger but I know not everyone does. Protein is the way! Although, those carrot sticks you can buy from Sainsburys are great as they can just sit in the fridge for when you want something. I also have crab sticks in the fridge and sometimes have 2 or 3 of those if I really need something.

I wasn't going to weigh for a couple of weeks but I have this morning. Another 2lbs off which I'm really pleased about as the last two weekends have been overindulgent to say the least. That's 8lbs in 8 weeks altogether and I haven't changed that much. I have massively upped my exercise though which has made a difference to how I feel. I feel a bit like the tortoise - slowly wins the race, but at least I feel confident the weight will stay off. I'm now 2lbs away from my target but I may continue and try and go for a leeetle bit more.

Keep strong everyone!! Friday today, another week done!!

And I've just ordered some skinny leather jeans from Asos!! at my age. If I look like mutton I'll send them back!

Thanks for the welcome Hippy and well done on the loss. When the jeans arrive just pit them on and if they look good , banish any mutton thoughts. People can wear (within reason ) most anything but they have to believe they look good. Nothing worse than complimenting someone on something and them then pointing out all the reasons they think it doesn't suit them! As the great Jillian Michaels says "if you got it ladies, flaunt it, no shame"
Of course she's talking about squats or lunges but I think it works for leather!

I've really hit a wall as I am normally active & have been told to rest by a physio - I have specific strengthening exercises & can do Pilates & some recline bike. I used to run & dog walk for 75-90 minutes each day & now I'm only walking for about 30 mins max. I haven't managed to reduce my food intake sufficiently for the change in exercise & am heavy. But my hip will get better & I am less busy & half term is nearly over.... Well done to Hippy for her success & motivating the rest of us.

Ooh leather jeans..sounds good. Agree that if they look good wear them( one of my sons moans if I wear converse and a hoody ).
I live on the coast just along from Edinburgh hippychickster. Rowing is great fun and good for the arms but you'd have to be very disciplined to lose any weight with it..we party way too hard!! I do loads of other exercise though..running ,yoga and crossfit with occasional swimming. I am a bit of an exercise addict..get grumpy if I can't and also weight goes up if I stop as I don't always adjust my eating enough.
Weighed today - only 0.4 lbs down from last week..disappointing as I have done loads of exercise and eaten carefully. But am probably only 6-8 lbs from goal so I guess its not going to be fast.

Know what you mean about enjoying that hungry / empty feeling Hippy and sometimes I can embrace it ... Just not after a workout when I am ravenous!!! Did spinning last night and again this morning at 7:00. Have loved exercising properly every day this week. Normally only manage 3x trips to gym per week in termtime as am so tired after work and have to wait till DH gets home before I can go out. I always crave snacks after bringing the kids home from school (I work in a school, too) and then if I don't get to gym that just adds bad to worse. Also often don't get lunch at work until 2pm-ish when am starving so can make bad choices.
Need to plan some healthy snacks for after school and try to keep up the exercise rhythm when half term is over ...
Eastpoint I really feel for you I had to rest a while back due to knee injury (running) and that's when I started to put the weight on. I am still not running again, but am doing spinning, cycling and other fitness classes. Really hope your hip is better soon.

Running Sadly spinning & normal cycling are the wrong angle, I used to spin 2 x a week & really enjoyed it. physio thinks I'll be ok for skiing

It's good to see you Eastpoint, I'm sorry you feel a bit down. It's horrible when you feel like you've hit a wall. Hopefully in a few days you will feel better.

I went out last night for a pub meal with my friend. Had gammon egg and chips which was delish, and also got had loads of wine, so not feeling great now! I'm going for a run in a bit to try and redress the balance! It will be a kill or cure.

I think for us on here, because we don't have a lot to lose, our losses are slower and smaller than others. People who are several stone overweight will undoubtedly lose loads very quickly, but for us, because none of us are particularly overweight it will be slower. We have to try not to be despondent with small losses as I think that's normal.

We need to stay strong and believe we can do it!!!

Weigh-in this morning - going to make it Saturday weigh-ins if I can and try and avoid the scales the rest of the time (who am I kidding?!). 10 stone 4, which means I am about a stone heavier than I was this time last year :( Depressing news, but I am determined that's it now, and I will be lighter soon ...
Hate the way my weight fluctuates as I weighed yesterday morning after early spinning class and I was 1.5 lbs lighter than today!! This is why I need to stick to weekly weigh-ins ... please remind me of this!!
Am trying my high-protein low-carb eating plan from fitness instructor. This is hard for me but all my sinful foods are carbs so I know it is the way to go, at least in the short term. Today I had salmon, spinach and some brown rice for lunch, and just made chicken and veg stir-fry for tea. Noodles for DH only!
Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

I find I am about 1lb heavier if I've eaten fish or pasta the night before (hope that helps). Painkillers also really mess with my weight.

Morning all. Having a pretty good few days since I first posted. I've done 4 days of 30ds plus a decent few miles walking and small amount of jogging. Food has been well controlled too although last night I over indulged on the vino a bit but I counteracted it with litres of water so not too sore of head. Gorgeous day out there, going to get another walk in this morning. I'm away in hotels for 4 days this week, it'll either be a struggle or a breeze. Having no kitchen to rummage in and access to a gym before work might be the making of me! The other risk is access to full English each morning and a bar/ restaurant each evening (on expenses) might mean the ruination Anyone doing anything nice today?

I'm going to try cycling for 30 mins & see how much pain I'm in later then I have to take a child to a match... Nothing exciting, DH is off sailing.