Anyone up for a 'eat a bit less, do a bit more' thread?

[librarycard]

Just got a new work skirt in a size 20 and it's too tight!! I am gutted. I got down to a lovely size 12 after dc4 and I've slowly gained and gained and here I am :(

While I was in hospital after DC4, I was moaning about how much weight I had to lose and a lovely midwife said, 'all you have to do, is eat a bit less and do a bit more, and you will lose weight', so that's what I did. I lost 4 stone ! I didn't follow any diet, just ate less and did more.

Well since then, I have lost my way and have obviously reversed the idea and have been eating a bit more and doing a bit less but I know I can do it this way so I'm going to try again. Anyone want to join me?

I was going to start after Easter but, inspired by the tight skirt, I have started today! So, I've weighed myself and have written it in my diary and :

Eat less: I had a small bowl of porridge and an apple for breakfast instead of my usual 2 slices of buttery toast, I had one biscuit instead of, erm, 6 mid morning, I had a sandwich and a satsuma instead of a sandwich and a bag of crisps at lunch and for dinner, I had spag bol like the rest of the family but had a much smaller portion instead of matching my DH and teenage DC portion size and one small piece of garlic bread instead of three . Evenings are my absolute danger time but tonight I've had nothing :)

Do more: I took the dog for a half hour walk instead of a 10 minute 'round the block'.

So, that's how I'm going to try and drop 4 dress sizes....anyone want to join me? :)

Hi guys mind if I join??

I am in serious need of motivation and support to lose weight!!!! I have a holiday in 6 weeks!!!

I've a personal trainer and I've been to a nutritionist!! But I can't keep my hands off the chocolate!!!

Hi Springflower :) Welcome!

What did the nutritionist recommend? I've always wondered what their advice would be!
And what about the personal trainer? do you already do quite a lot of exercise already? I'm starting from nothing on the exercise front although I've been very fit in the past so I'm hoping my wobbly body has some memory of that and will get used to the exercise quickly (wishful thinking!)

Can I join in?
This is exactly the kind of philosophy I need to get me motivated.

I'm aiming to eat a healthier diet and move more. I know if I could lose a stone I'd feel much better.
DH persuaded me to spit a pile of logs today as he'd read somewhere that it provides a really good workout. Seeing as it takes me about 3 goes to split each one I must have burned some calories!

Yes please - but not till Tuesday if that's ok as have big family couple of days with lots of food.

Absolutely at top end of BMI at 5ft7 and 11st6. Not fat exactly, but not great either.... Id like to be under 11at as a start and ultimately about 10lbd down. Can I join you please?

Hi library card! Thanks for the welcome!

The personal trainor is really for motivation! Plus it was handy for her to tell me I was doing to wring exercise! I was doing all cardio but she changed my plan and I now have leg days, arm days and cardio day! Leg day is the worst but I actually feel like I'm changing!! Lol!

So with the nutritionist he totally changed my diet! I was eating carbs more than I thought! Like porridge for breakfast then potatoes or rice etc! Plus he said my fruit intake was mental and way too much!! So now I eat 5 small meals a day! Scrambled eggs with real butter and bacon for breakfast then either chicken, turkey, fish or steak with green veg for the rest of the day! My last meal is at 9pm!!!!!!! Once a week I am allowed a cheat meal!!!

This diet plan does work along with exercise.... But this past 3 weeks I've ate that much chocolate I am practically a chocolate bar myself!!!!!!!!!

Think I did not too badly today. Took my almost3 yr old to a birthday party and resisted the urge to stay by the open Buffett table and eat all the Pringles . Also had a good walk round the local animal sanctuary and exercised my arms with the bouncy castle. Tomorrow is a chocolate egg hunt and Monday is my dds birthday so there will be cake (and cookies and sausage rolls....) but also lots of walking/running and climbing so hopefully if I'm careful it will balance itself out.

Hi Rooster - welcome! Log splitting sounds like just the sort of 'move more' activities we are looking for ! I much prefer getting outside to doing stuff in the gym or classes and, as your DH says, it still provides a great workout!

sassy - of course you can join :) enjoy your couple of days of family and food!

springflower I like the sound of 5 small meals per day! Whenever I try and cut down, it always seems like a very long time until my next meal!So he's lowered your carbs and has got you eating protein and veg? Yum, I enjoy that sort of food! Another of my food problems is that I have a husband and four hungry kids to cook for as well as myself so I tend to do the usual, homemade family meals which are very carb heavy... I also work a lot of hours and grab food on the run.... You've made me think, I need to think about when and what I eat as well as the quantities...

ahh pringles! They are so addictive! You did well to resist!

I think most of us have got times this weekend when it's going to be difficult to stick to the 'eat less', but like you say, if we are mindful of the 'do more' while we're at it, we will hopefully still be heading in the right direction!

Please may I join in? Want to lose 1/2 a stone or a stone depending on when I feel my clothes fit better/ I feel healthy.

Have just eaten the last hot cross bun to reduce temptation and am back in an active job 8.5 months after my little girl was born. I will be healthy again! Without being silly :)

Hi blondiebonce

Your clothes feeling better and you feeling healthy is a great goal! Welcome and good luck :)

I am still very pleased with myself . The chocolate machine in the corridor at work is still calling my name but I'm ignoring it... The library is actually completely empty tonight and I've done all of my work so I'm a bit bored but I'm not going to eat chocolate... I might go and look for some books to mend to keep myself busy..

Checking in before bedtime to keep myself on track. Had a smaller portion than normal at tea time. Just had a mandarin at the time when i would normally hit the bread bin very hard.

Librarycard - I am so impressed that you managed four whole stone this way before - that is really encouraging and thank you for kicking us off Here's to a lovely Easter Sunday with sensible portions of nice things .

I've just weighed myself and instead of allowing the result to make me feel depressed I'm going to use it as a motivator.
I'm going to a friend's house for lunch tomorrow but I will eat sensible portions and make sure I do some gardening and go for a walk as well.

My weaknesses are bread, crisps and cheese. although tbh I just eat too much in general.

Well done LibraryCard for resisting the chocolate.

It is all about prep!! The night before or a Sunday depending on my time as I know what u mean about long hours! I will cook in advance and put them in lunch boxes! There is a meal of tuna, avocado, pea and sweet corn which is handy for when u aren't near a microwave!!

I think the best thing is if u have prepped your meal you can cook for the family and eat your dinner along with them?

My meal times are breakfast at 6:30am -
usually 3 eggs scrambled and 3 bacon

10am - the tuna meal as previously mentioned

1pm - chicken ( seasoned with all spice) green veg ( if it is leg day I will have sweet potato as well)

3pm - handful of almonds

6:30pm Turkey with green veg

9pm - steak no fat with green veg!!

If you can stick to this, you can easy lose a stone in a few weeks.

I try to go to the gym 3 days a week for a hour at a time

Where do u find the motivation to stay of the sweet goods though!!

It's killing me to resist the chocolate tonight!! I'm sticking to black coffee and have grapes for emergencies! At least if I'm at work, I'm not tempted by wine...

Springflower, that sounds great! It sounds like you are well on your way to healthy eating already. I couldn't list what I've been eating each day to get to this weight - it would be shameful And the gym too? Good for you :)

achickencalledkorma I was more suprised than anyone that it worked so well but it really did! I didn;t deprive myself of anything and didn;t have any rules to follow or a list of banned foods. I suppose it works because you cut down a little bit and do a little bit more, and you lose some weight. You then plateau so you cut down a little bit more and increase your exercise a bit more (because you are feeling a bit fitter and are able to) and it kind of perpetuates like that. SO, instead of drastically cutting down your food and drastically taking on exercise, you are gentle with yourself and do it step at a time :)

Well I have been inspired by this thread and have done 15 mins on the exercise bike tonight. It nearly finished me off as I'm so unfit, but now I'm aiming to do 15 mins a night for a week, then up to 20 mins and so on.
DH, DS and I are going to go for a long walk tomorrow in the forest near us if the weather is nice, I'm looking forward to moving more!
Well done for staying away from the chocolate, Library!

That's brilliant Millie! My cycling in the forest nearly killed me too! I was completely purple when we got back to the car! hopefully it will get easier as we do more. A walk sounds lovely for tomorrow. I'm going to suggest we do the same after our easter lunch.

Can I join in too? I lost three stone doing exactly this a few years ago but have regained done of the weight. I have a lot of weight to lose (about 7 stone) and am also a size 20.

Tomorrow is my sons birthday so we have a breakfast out planned and then family round in the evening so I will watch my portion size and start properly on Monday.

Hi happyhippychick and welcome. It's good to hear that it's worked for you in the past too :) I need to lose a lot too. Just to get myself out of the 'obese' section of the doctor's chart, I need to lose 4 stone...

We can do it ! :)

Just need to motivate myself to move more. I bought the davina 7 minute DVD ages ago after reading a thread in here and it's still in the wrapper!

Morning all, happy Easter!
Not going to be too strict with myself today, have already had 2 croissants and 2 jelly bunnies! But still hoping to go for a walk later and do my 15 mins on the exercise bike so maybe the exercise will cancel out the treats?!
It's definitely moving more than I normally would

Hope you all have a lovely day!

Morning all!

So on the upside I managed my run yesterday, but on the down side I had birthday cake for breakfast (DHs 50th.)

What are everyone's ELMM plans today?

this was in my emails this morning. I didn't know if anyone was interested. You would need a pedometer though. Just thought Id link incase anyone on here would find it useful.

There are a few birthdays on this thread. Its DH's tomorrow. We are going out for lunch, but I know I wont eat much else in the day so its all OK.

I'd love to join you - from tomorrow, please.
I need to cut down portion size and sweets, I know that. I have had a few health problems lately and have really let myself go

Hello everyone :)
I agree, the 'eating less' bit is going to be tricky on easter Sunday - although I have only had one chocolate button today Actually, I'm not that good, nobody got me any chocolate ! I was grumpy, and poor, confused DH said 'I thought you were trying to lose weight?' Ha ha! He's actually done me a favour, I suppose!

A seven minute workout sounds fab happyhippychick, I might google that! I also have several workout DVDs gathering dust at the back of the shelf..

Well done on the run flingingmelon! You will have burned off loads of calories!

Hi pippi and welcome :) Will be fab to have you on board from tomorrow. I hope that your health problems are resolved now - I've let myself go too :( but I'm feeling very positive about getting myself back. Hopefully we can all support each other to do just that :)

Portion sizes have been mentioned alot so we can maybe all give that a try from tomorrow (one less potato, smaller bowl of cereal, one spoon less of pasta etc) I'm planning to try and have less at every meal than I would normally. I'll make sure my portions are less than DH and teenage son's portions!

I tried to eat less at lunch time but it was hard as I was at mum's - she is convinced that I am ill because I refused a second helping of pudding I've packed myself a super-healthy salad / fruit and yoghurt for tea at work instead of my normal sandwich and crisps so a good 'eat less' there too :)

I've never used a pedometer drharleen, have you (or anyone else)? Do you think it would be helpful in our mission to 'do more'?

Re. the pedometer: my iPhone now comes with this health app (or whatever it's called), and I am aiming to do the recommended 10,000 steps a day. Just have to remember to always have my phone in my pocket!