Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

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

152 replies

librarycard · 03/04/2015 21:16

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 Blush 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 Blush. 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? :)

OP posts:
sassytheFIRST · 07/04/2015 14:16

So day one and I was 11st7 - had to smile as BMI is 25.2. A single pound puts me back in the healthy zone...Wink

Have eaten small bowl of bran flakes with raisins, a roast lamb butty, a satsuma and quarter of a grapefruit. Going to wander into town later - about 2mi there and back but all uphill and steep coming home. Will have tiny tea as have a friend coming over tonight and want to save cals for wine. Ahem.

Cocolepew · 07/04/2015 14:30

So my not eating anymore last night didnt quite work Hmm
Today I've had an apple with oatcakes and scrappings of peanut butter. I usually lash it on.
Salad with tuna, and melon for after.
Ive walked the dog for nearly an hour up and fown hills.
Going to have a fishcake and vegetables for tea.
Ive bought Flakes (137 cals) for tonight. That can be my treat with a tin of diet coke.
Hope all toddlers and pets are recovering well Smile

Howhardcanitbe · 07/04/2015 16:17

Hello, this approach sounds perfect and exactly what I need. My usual approach is to spend 2 weeks researching and reading about some fairly extreme diet (e.g low carbing, or giving up sugar etc), during which time I frantically devour all soon-to-be-banned foods in a desperate bid to remove them from the house before the diet commences. I then start the new regime and last approximately a day before deciding that life's too short to feel so deprived and I'll just get a bigger pair of jeans instead Blush

But this seems much more manageable to me. I'm already quite active as I go to 3 hour-long gym classes a week and also do loads of walking. On the subject of pedometers I wear a Fitbit and absolutely love it. It really motivates me to stay active, and I definitely do more exercise now I've got one. I just nipped out for a quick 20 minute walk round the block and I've now done 13,500 steps today Grin

I need to lose 12lbs (2lbs have dropped off over the weekend, but to be fair this was because we were on holiday last week and I ate far too much, and so they were excess holiday lbs that dropped off, so they don't really count). Most of my jeans are now too tight and I feel self conscious in everything. I've got a weekend away, a wedding and a summer holiday coming up over the next 4 months, and I so want to be feeling and looking better for those things.

I was getting myself all stressed last night in bed, feeling desperately that I need to lose weight, but panicking that I'm unable to stick with any diet regime. I really feel that this could work for me instead. I've eaten loads less today than I have been lately - no mindless snacking or eating things when I'm not even particularly hungry. I skipped breakfast because I realised that I wasn't even hungry and I was also heading out to an early exercise class - and by lunch I felt no hungrier than I do after eating breakfast and a mid-morning snack, so that saved me loads of unnecessary eating! I also only had 1 slice of bread with lunch instead of my usual 2, and filled up with turkey salad, which has kept me full all afternoon.

Jeez - sorry for the MASSIVE rambling post. I just wanted to say hello, and I'll hope you'll have me Blush

GingerbreadBaubles · 07/04/2015 16:31

I'm in! I work away a lot and so have to contend with hotel food much of the time but I can definitely eat less and move more. 2 stone to go!

MillieMoodle · 07/04/2015 21:08

Hello to the newcomers Smile the more the merrier!
This afternoon has been a bit of a disaster involving a creme egg, a can of coke and fish and chips for tea Blush
But I do feel guilty as I have to confess it to you all, whereas previously I wouldn't even feel bad!
Tomorrow is another day, hopefully a more healthy one!

Flingingmelon · 07/04/2015 21:21

No run again today, but all visiting relatives have departed so I can get back out there in the morning.

Can anyone recommend a way of getting chocolate out of the house successfully without eating it? Hmm

Notfastjustfurious · 07/04/2015 22:32

Leave it by a window on a warm day fling that pretty much dealt with my dds egg. Thankfully she hasn't really noticed so it was wiped up and disposed of, not the easiest method but effective.

MillieMoodle · 08/04/2015 07:00

Morning all!
A new day has brought a new determination! Had Special K and a cup of tea for breakfast and have got kiwi, strawberries and grapes to go in my lunch. Will make sure I get out at lunch time for a walk as well. And I will go on the bike tonight! I will!
Have a good day everyone Smile

MegBusset · 08/04/2015 07:05

Hi all, can I join? I have about a stone to lose (though would be happy with half a stone). Starting weight a week ago was 9st 12lb - I'm only short so the extra pounds really show. At the moment I have a chest infection so although it isn't easy to move more yet, I'm definitely eating less! I'm now 9st 10lb. The tough bit will come when I'm feeling better and fancy a drink - wine is my absolute downfall!

Flingingmelon · 08/04/2015 08:13

Thanks not fast! I have plenty of sunny windows today and I'm off for my run straight after the crèche drop off...

Flingingmelon · 08/04/2015 08:13

And welcome Meg Smile

Foreverlexicon · 08/04/2015 10:00

I'd like to join if that's ok?

I've gained 2 stone in about 18 months; had a tough year and turned to food/ binge eating to make myself better.

If I get too restrictive I fall back into my old bulimic habits (I'm in therapy for this now) so a more laid back approach will help!

I'm already pretty active; I have horses and work part time with them too, plus do aerial silks and pole dancing classes a week, but my move more contribution will be to walk the dogs properly every day instead of just letting them run about whilst I sort the horse.

I'm trying to have breakfast later as I get up at 5am but if I eat then then I'm ready for another breakfast by 8am! So today I waited until 9.30 to have 2 scrambled eggs with mushrooms and a slice of bacon, and a piece of granary toast.

Cocolepew · 08/04/2015 10:06

Morning everyone. I'm going into town tiday and will be having lunch out. Im determibed not to pig out. I've had melon and grapefruit for breakfast, as we'll be having lunch earlier than usual.

sassytheFIRST · 08/04/2015 10:33

Just run for 30 mins including lots of hills. Beautiful morning! Will walk into town again later to take daughter to doctor. Foodwise I haven't eaten yet but will have a light day as we are off to London for a few days tomorrow. Lots of walking while we are there but prob a fair amount of food too Wink

Flingingmelon · 08/04/2015 10:47

Did my run too, glorious day for it. Next stop blitzing the house to work off this morning hot cross buns.

MillieMoodle · 09/04/2015 06:45

Managed to eat quite a bit less yesterday and went for my lunch time walk. Didn't get on the exercise bike last night as I was being lazy Blush
Working from home today and then out for dinner with a friend tonight so will try to choose something not too unhealthy from the menu.
Have a good day all Smile

Sukebind · 09/04/2015 11:36

Hello everyone, I am rather a late comer to the thread but would like to join in, please.
I am rather a yo-yo dieter due to being very greedy, brought up with large portion sizes and also having an obsessive personality. This means that, for example, last year I got really into running and was doing 8-10 miles every other morning but was also very restrictive with calories which meant I was back binging and purging. Since January I have allowed the weight to creep back on and haven't been running.
So yesterday i took the plunge and went for a short run and today I swapped my Easter egg or bowl of porridge with lots of sugar for porridge with raspberries. I can't run today due to child care but I am really keen to try to lose weight and get more active gently instead of going back to obsessive calorie counting and beating myself up all the time.
It sounds like you have all been doing really well so far! Well done!

Cocolepew · 09/04/2015 14:58

Not doing too bad today, had an apple, 4 oatcakes/peanut butter for breakfast. For lunch I had tuna and salad and a packet of 99cal crisps.
Took the dog a walk for 40 minutes.
Hope everyone is doing ok today Smile

RoosterCogburnIsInTheJakes · 09/04/2015 15:43

I've been gardening so hopefully burning off some calories.

I haven't had crisps or chocolate since Sunday - I was eating at least 4 packets of crisps a day Blush so I'm hoping that cutting those out will make a difference.

I'm trying not to eat at all between meals - snacking is my downfall.

I'm just about to do a Tesco order and I'm trying to think of healthy filling meals.

Howhardcanitbe · 09/04/2015 16:46

Sounds like everyone's doing well.

We had a day out yesterday so I took a picnic and although I had a few sweets to keep my energy up, I didn't by any means pig out.

Today I've been very sensible again - no breakfast, I'm finding this a good way to cut out some unnecessary food earlier in the day. Eggs on toast for lunch and then burger and veg for tea. I'm finding it a struggle NOT to start calorie counting, and keep totting up what I've had - I'm trying to eat more mindfully rather than getting obsessed about calories but old habits die hard!

Really enjoying this lovely sunny weather - me and ds have been out to the park and for a walk, so I'm on just over 8000 steps so far.

Sukebind · 09/04/2015 18:58

Howhardcanitbe I am the same - I have been really tempted today to go back to My Fitness Pal, promising myself I would not get obsessive about it (last year I was weighing cucumber to work out calories) but I have resisted.
I did have one hotel chocolat choc after lunch as I have them left from Easter and if I deny myself stuff like that I crave it and then gorge on it , etc. Having a chocolate is part of my way of not getting crazy with the diet!

trainersandcake · 09/04/2015 21:01

I'd like to join if that's ok! My weight has been creeping up since Christmas but I feel ready to lose it again now. I'm the very definition of a yoyo dieter and have put on probably a stone and a half since Christmas.

Did the 30 day shred DVD this evening and had a Saino's crispbake with spinach and chargrilled veg for dinner. Onwards and downwards!

SnapeChat · 09/04/2015 21:09

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Sukebind · 10/04/2015 08:29

Morning everyone. But ashamed that I didn't manage to get up and go for a run especially as it's such as gorgeous day. Children are in a show (just one dance, they are at a very basic level!) about 25 mins drive away and so I am back and forth all the time at the moment and didn't get dinner til nearly ten so thing are not running normally here and probably won't be til school restarts. I am just going to try to get some exercise and vit D at some point today. Smile

MillieMoodle · 11/04/2015 08:57

Morning all, haven't been doing too badly the last couple of days. Had dinner our on Thursday night but had a diet Pepsi to drink and we didn't have dessert.
Yesterday didn't have any extras, although did have a can of coke which I wouldn't usually. Haven't been on the exercise bike again yet but I have been for a walk each lunch time.
Planning to be busy round the house today as DH is off to watch the football and it's pouring with rain here.