So, I'm changing my life on Monday...

[Runnaway]

Well, that's what I hope. Am currently overweight. I am tall so can carry it quite well, but I always feel very flabby and am uncomfortable with my size. I have lost weight successfully before so I know I can do it, but have lacked a bit of motivation and willpower in the last year. Gradually my weight has crept up and trying on clothes yesterday was not fun!!

My plan is this:
Food diary - am a mindless eater
Drink more water - tend to eat when I am actually thirsty
Move more - this will be the biggest change. I work FT now and move much less within my everyday life. I now need to factor in exercise as it is no longer part of my day to day life.

I would like to lose 14 pounds in total, but am going to start with 7 pounds as my first goal!

So, anyone care to join me?

Happy to help if all goes to plan!

Lost almost two of my holiday pounds....thank goodness!

Pleased to hear that!

Weigh in for me this morning. The good news is that I've dropped 4 pounds of my holiday piggy weight. Bad news is I'm still 3 pounds up from my pre-holiday weight. Boo .

I don't know why I'm surprised. I ate far too much!!

Need to use this to spur myself on, not to feel disheartened.

Four pounds off is great- well done. I haven't weighed for a few days but was 3 down last time I checked.

Two more weeks till cut for me so I continue to eat a little bit too much!

Have eaten like a human dustbin this weekend. Need to get back on track.

I bought new fat trousers for work. They are tight. I am very very sad about this and teetering on the edge of "cut to 1200 calories. Now! Now! Now!"

Must stay strong

Stay strong Dakota . It will be worth it.

How was your week Bus?

I think I'm going to cut tomorrow, which, strictly speaking is a week early - in that I have done 11 weeks of 2400+ cals and you are meant to do 12 but i've been eating well over 2000 calories for around 16 weeks. And I need to feel like I'm doing something because I am pretty much the size of a house...

So tomorrow it is. I can't bloody wait!!

Ooh how very exciting! What are you going to cut to Dakota?

I've had the hardest week since I started in Feb! Managed to retrieve it at the end of the week and I'm 1/2 pound down. But still 2 and 1/2 up from my pre-holiday weight.

Think my struggles were caused by a deadly combination of being on my period, not being able to exercise as usual because of being injured and battling sugar cravings after 1 slip up after another.

But, I've made it to the gym tonight and feel a million times better for it. I've eaten well this weekend and have renewed motivation .

Well done!! Do you lift at the gym or do cardio? I'm trying to do lots of research into lifting, so would love to pick your brains if you're experienced?

I'm cutting to 2000. To be fair, just not drinking two glasses of wine a night will cover most of that!! ????

That sounds doable! Good luck with day one.

I do a cardio class once a week and a weights session at the gym once a week. I'm quite new to it myself but ask away!! I do some body weight strength exercises like push ups most days, just to keep ticking over. I used to be SO self conscious of my arms. They were awful, even when I lost weight before. They're a million times better now and I actually wear vests without thinking twice.

I got a book called the new lifting rules for women, which is helpful. I also had some sessions with a personal trainer and she showed me the main moves, so I was fairly confident on my form. It's still a whole new world in the weights room at my gym.......and quite initimidating at times. But I would really recommend it for changing your body shape fast and feeling really strong and powerful .

You're welcome here Ruros. I know that feeling!!

Bus- I'm interested in what kind of weights you're lifting, that's all. Looking to order some dumbells (to go with NRLFW, which I've got on delivery myself) but have no idea what weights to get (as in, how heavy). What size dumbells did you start off with? Do you have a barbell too? Have you seen much progress in terms of strength? If you lift at the gym, I'm still interest in weights, if you don't mind sharing? Thanks

Very happy to share . I looked into getting weights for home but went for doing it at the gym instead. I use a barbell and dumbells and have seen a steady increase in what I can lift. Dumbell squats I'm currently doing 20kg and I'm deadlifting about 30kg with a barbell.

Cool, thanks. Was really fighting against going to a gym, but can see I might have to...

How's the cutting been this week Dakota?

Weigh in for me this morning. 2 1/2 pounds off so I'm back to my preholiday weight of 10 st 1 lb!! Thank god for that!

Onwards and downwards. I'd love to get into the 9 st bracket.

Well done! That's great news.

I haven't weighed myself. i'm trying really hard not to become obsessed by the scale, so the plan is to weigh once a month. If I can actually manage this it will be a minor miracle!

Cutting went well. I've had a good week and already feel slightly less podgy. 2000 calories is loads if one of the meals is salad based and you're not drinking loads of wine. I'm trying to do 30% protein too, which is a much much bigger challenge!

NRLFW has arrived and I'm finding it such an interesting read. i can't wait to get started with it. I did some lifting yesterday, just with 5kg dumbbells, but my god I can feel it today- particularly in my bum from the lunges. I love exercise pain...makes it all feel worthwhile!

That sounds very sensible on the weighing front. Have you taken measurements? Oh and progress photos in your undies??

Glad you're finding the book an interesting read. I do too. Less the dietry/recipe section, but definitely the rest of it.

And I agree, that muscle pain feels so good in a weird way.

And tell me more about how the cutting works? How long do you eat at 2000 calories and how do you know if you need to cut more?

The recommendation is that you never cut more than 15% off your TDEE. The programme acknowledges that you are very unlikely to lose weight quickly (potentially, you may not lose any at all for the first few weeks) as it is totally a long term thing. I will be happy to lose at all to be honest, although I suspect my biggest challenge will be keeping my head in that place. Ultimately, we all want to get on the scales and be lighter than last time, and my diets generally fail when I don't lose quickly enough. I hope that the very long process of eating more and being happy to stay the same means I will be happy to finally just be going back down on the scales!

You re-feed every 4-6 weeks; that is give your body your TDEE in calories for one week (2400 in my case). This is just to remind your body that it's not being starved I think.

Did measurements yesterday (awful) and took photos very recently too (hideous!) pfftt!!

That's really interesting Dakota. You've done really well to keep your head in the game so far. Sounds like a complete mental shift from how you've approached eating before. Are you just counting calories or following any other structure? You said about trying to eat plenty of protein.

My "before" photo I took in Feb is hard to look at now. I look like a different person.

Would you consider sharing it?

I'm meant to be reaching 30% protein...usually struggle to get past 25% mainly because I like carbs too much!!

I'll get on the laptop tomorrow and see if I can send it in a PM .

So I've finished reading NRLFW....loved it and feeling totally inspired. Going to start tomorrow. bus can I ask

1- how far through are you?
2- when you started on week one, what size weights did you use?
3- then what did you progress to when you do fewer lifts with bigger weight?
4- then what size when it cuts down again?

I'm thinking 5kg then 8 then 10 IF that feels comfortable (if not 3,5 and 8). Does that sound about right?

Can't wait to get going! (May have been slightly additionally inspired by your amazing progress!)