Anyone else just eating healthier/less and moving more?

[KnickKnome]

I've tried every diet known to man (and done quite well on some- I was down 50 lbs before Christmas, though dreading seeing the damage an all inclusive holiday and Christmas has done!)

I've had enough of counting calories/points/syns or whatever. I'm fed up of following plans or drinking shakes. What I really want to do, after years of yo yo dieting, is to eat healthy stuff (not low fat stuff though) that excites me, in slightly smaller portions and do exercise that I enjoy. I want to cut down/out fizzy drinks (already cut these out), sugary foods, chocolate, processed stuff etc.

I not only want to lose weight, I want to lose it (and enjoy it whilst doing it) and maintain it. Yes it's a cliche, but I don't want to diet, I want a lifestyle change. I want to be able to go out to a restaurant for special occasions and not worry over how many syns/points etc the food will 'cost' me, but be able to enjoy it. I don't even know if this makes sense, but after spending so long on different plans, I'm so excited to just eat stuff that's not dictated to me, but stuff I think I should be eating.

I've just done a meal plan for next week, and an online food shop which has got me really excited to start (yes, I'm weird! )

I still need to lose at least another 50 lbs. Does anyone want to join me?

Just thought I would give you guys my way of drinking more water. I have a big jug and slice up some fruit and pop that in with some water and put it in the fridge. I have to drink the jug by the end of the day and because of the fruit it doesn't just feel like boring old water. Also if I want a hot drink I use hot water with a slice of lemon which also adds to my water total.

I was having a good food day yesterday until the evening when I pigged out on chilli heatwave doritos and nacho dip Going out for a long walk with dd today to make up for it though

I'm really achey after my davina DVD yesterday,so have done a bit of wii fit. Won't have time in the day tomorrow so might do something isn't he evening if I can face it!

Chewbecca - "plus also ate the last mini mince pie that was lingering. Nothing bad left now."

Have you all finished all the Christmas goodies now?
I still have a box of mince pies, a double chocolate gateau and a Swiss gateau in the fridge. They're not bothering me at the moment as it's them and their little friends that got me into this mess but I think I should probably get rid of them. Will give them to DS2 to take with him if he visits any friends.

The fruity water tip is a good idea CigsCanKill. Had a jug of that at Waitrose Cookery School and it was lovely. Don't know why I haven't made a jug up at home before now.

Did almost two hours of fast dog walks last night. Well, there was quite a bit of stopping and starting while they sniffed and did what they went out for but I was freezing when I went out but ready to take my coat off by the time I got back. Made an effort to take really long strides too.

Out with the newish friends tomorrow who last saw me before Christmas at around 9st 7lbs...
Exactly 10st this morning.

Without actually cutting off a limb, what's the chance of me being 9st 7lbs by tomorrow night?

Could probably lose another lb with lots of walking and water. I know it's not real fat loss but would be happier being just 6lbs heavier than the last time I saw them then half a stone.

Aimlessly Think about it - no one notices when you lose half a stone, why would they notice when you gain it. We are harder on ourselves than anyone else ever is. Relax, enjoy your friends.

I still have lots of Christmas goodies leftover. I'm trying to convince the dcs to eat them moderately, they have better self control over treats than I do!
Scales started moving downwards this morning.

Food diary:
Many cups of tea.
Lunch Leek, bacon&pumpkin soup with a big dollop of full fat greek yoghurt
Dinner Pregnant Jools Pasta, served with greens in Evoo or butter.(can't decide)

Hope you're all still feeling motivated!

Glad two see everyone is doing ok!

No actual exercise but I have been busy around the house.

Food Diary today:
One Weetabix with tiny amount of milk
(Thinly Cut) Cheese and ham salad s/w on small sliced wholemeal bread
Smoked Paprika chicken with Mediterranean Vegetables
3 ferreo rocher
A few cups of tea and lots of water. Using an app called water your body, which so far is working.
Keep up the good work everybody .

Gym day today!

Fruit salad and yoghurt for breakfast. Large salad with 100g of chicken for lunch. I used mango vinegar to make it interesting.
Supper was half an m&s quiche and more salad.

All this salad is making me pee more!

Oh and a mid afternoon slice of panatone at a friend's house

Pleased for you that your scales are going down Silver. Helps to keep you motivated.

I know they won't be scrutinising me Silver but I feel embarrassed that I've greedily eaten myself to this weight in such a short amount of time and I met them through a sports activity so this is a pretty fit group. The extra weight has gone to my hips, thighs and boobs and I can see it. Will wear a loose jumper dress with a pretty scarf so that attention is drawn to scarf rather than my new wobbles.

Two hours of walking earlier and off out with the dogs again after Celeb BB.

Had scrambled eggs, three slices of Danish toast and three bacon medallions for dinner and have snacked on two WeightWatchers crumble bars, two packets of their mini cookies, a Fruit Winder and two clementines.

Hello, can I join please? I haven't read all the posts but will do tomorrow. I've been trying to do this for ages (better, cleaner eating and more exercise) but feel like I can really achieve more this time, especially as DH is on board with the eating (he's not eating wheat or dairy at the moment). And I'm hoping to get the kids to eat a better variety of things - they eat quite a random selection between them, and I'm veggie and they're not so I quite often rely on fishfingers and sausages as I can cope with cooking those.
I weigh about 10st 11lbs, and am 5'6", which is just in the healthy BMI range but I think I have a small frame so look fatter. I am also very wobbly! My DD can't resist wobbling my stomach, muffin top or bum on her way past. I'd like to lose a stone... I'm logging stuff on MFP but have given myself extra calories as I'd rather eat a bit more and lose weight more slowly.
My food diary for today is:
Breakfast: Hot water with lemon, overnight oats with hazelnut milk, raisins, grated apple and cinnamon (and a blob of full fat yoghurt)
Lunch: Spinach, goats cheese, sweetcorn, butternut squash and seeds, rice cake and houmous.
Dinner: Lentil and veg soup, spelt bread.
Snacks: Oatcakes, spelt bread and peanut butter, fruit. Buckets of herbal teas.
Looking forward to seeing how everyone gets on, and stealing food ideas!

Welcome Ouro and good luck...must be tricky managing 3 different diets. I used to be veggie and I made everyone eat veggie food at home, they ate meat in restaurants and for school dinners. Dh liked veggie food anyway and the dcs had no choice but to eat what was given.

Today's menu
Lunch - leek, bacon and butternut squash soup with greek yogurt
Dinner - Fay's Quick Creamy Haddock with chive mash, peas and spring greens.

It's looking miserable outside, do I really have to take the dog for a walk?

"It's looking miserable outside, do I really have to take the dog for a walk?"

You feel better for it (And the dog has to go for a walk) even if it is a struggle getting out there. Last night I took three of the dogs on a 2 mile walk and it was raining and windy and my hands were freezing but I just kept thinking that it would be worth it in a month or so if I drop 7 or 8lbs.

Gorgeous weather here today (South London/Surrey)! Rained earlier but it's beautiful and sunny now and I've just had a potter in the garden and filled the bird feeders. Good walking weather.

Re hope of waking up and being 9st 7lbs - Well, no minor miracles at work and am still 10st exactly today.

Leek,bacon and butternut sq soup sounds delish!

aimlessly bloody dog would torture me all day if he missed his walk! That last 7 or 8lbs is a bugger to drop, but the walking will help, I usually surprise the mutt by doing a bit of ad hoc running, there's nothing he likes more than to run with me.
mrshoolie the soup is lovely, it's just a bottom of the fridge concoction....used up all the bits and pieces that were close to the end, but it made enough for 5 portions and 5 very easy lunches was exactly what I needed.

I will have to make that I think.

How the feck are you supposed to exercise 3 times a week when it takes 4 days to recover from a session?!

It won't take you four days to recover once your body gets used to the exercise and thankfully it does that pretty quickly. Make sure you take a rest day in between sessions to prevent injury.

Will do,thanks.

Hi, can I tentatively join in? I say tentatively because I'm queen of joining and being all gung-ho about a new plan for about a week and then I quietly slink.off into the shadows and go back to stuffing my face with chocolate.

I currently weight 15st. I would love to get to 13. Anything lower than that and I just can't imagine maintaining it over time.

Like all of you I've done all the big diets before and ultimately I seem to end up just getting bigger. I realised last year that 10 years of diet fads has left me with a very poor understanding of what is normal and healthy eating.

So I want to go back to basics

Welcome lowcrabdiet!

Welcome lowcrab I agree, learning to eat normally would be a great start for us all.

Well I asked to join and then seem to have stuffed my face since. Think it might be the wrong time of the month for me to start! I have managed to stay off the alcohol though. I am really hoping to change my attitude to that as drinking habits are probably the thing doing most harm.

How is everyone doing today?

I'm about to do some exercise for the first time in ... Shall we just say for the first time this year?!?!

Wish me luck!

How did the exercise go lowcrabdiet? My cfs makes proper exercise really difficult and it has definitely impacted. I did manage to take my DD to the park today though (sounds tiny but it is massive compared to me a few months ago)

I have tried harder today and it is working. Have had a terrible headache though which makes it easier as don't fancy eating too much.

Joining in if that's ok. Just trying to drop the 8lb I gained before I got diagnosed as coeliac 15 months ago.

It took 12 months or so to get really comfortable with the diet itself, and so I put aside losing the weight then.

I don't each much shop-style gf food, but things like the bread are much more fattening than standard stuff.

Still, it's time to tackle the bit of weight now.

Joining too if I may. Had a baby in August and although weight loss has been good would like to lose another 10-15 lbs. Recognise I will have to make a concerted effort to lose any more and I'm sure Christmas will have done some damage. I think I will prepare this weekend and start on Monday. I have been waiting to get rid of the Christmas delicious loveliness crap food before starting.

Also I am sort of putting off shopping till I lose another dress size and so with having been pregnant I haven't really bought anything at all to wear (4 non-maternity items in the last 18 months). Am getting desperate to go shopping.

Welcome redlentil and Terra, good luck with your diets.

Food diary for yesterday
Leek, bacon and butternut squash soup with parmesan and Creme fraiche
Mixed veg and bacon frittata with rocket and tomato salad

Have been feeling pretty rough with a very stubborn chest infection, GP has put me on steriods and an obscene dose of antibiotics - I'm very worried about the side effects of both these medications, in general I'd rather avoid medications completely but I have no choice now, I need to be able to breathe.

The steriods increase appetite, I'm glad I've got control of my eating at the moment because the hunger is quite intense and I've read too many stories about people gaining a huge amount of weight even with a small dose. To limit the damage and decrease the hunger pangs I'll be regulating my blood sugar levels by going low carb for the next few days.

Hope you all have a great weekend.