MFP to lose weight - Part 2

[Emz449]

Thought i'd get the next thread started as we have reached capacity on the other one :O

I'd kind of like to be under 20% body fat too, having looked at some pictures I'd place myself at around 30 now

Hey guys!
On holiday and no scales. Gonna keep logging in to keep me on track!
So far had omlete and fruit. Dinner prob some fish or veg. No wine and no carbs today!
I decide my weight by bmi , I was over due to some personal circumstances leading me to comfort eat! I know no excuse! And I have been less before (around 23.5) and felt good so I'm aiming to get near to my lowest weight when I was a small size 12/could have got into a ten maybe. I've never gonna be skinny I have a curvy frame and genetics!
Emz sorry! However r u excercisinh? Then u can't use weight, use inches! I had a personal trainer once and dropped 2 dress sizes but not loads of weight. When I stopped the training I stayed the same weight but went up a dress size! Try logging ur inches instead!

I'm working towards getting back down to comfortably fitting my old clothes, then getting smaller than that. I'm using a combination of BMI and trying to work out (read: guess) how much I might have weighed previously to get a rough temporary goal weight. I think I want to be smaller than I have been in several years, so it's hard to guess where that might be.

I remember being about 9.5 stone and not feeling too huge but not feeling small enough either, and I remember being 8 stone when about 15 or 16 and having a bit of a podgy belly but otherwise being quite slim, so it's anyone's guess where I need to end up between those two. I think I'm going to go for close to the 9 stone mark eventually and then focus on inches rather than weight, as I get back into exercising more and more.

Emz just keep on keeping on. It is a plateau and it is hard to get through because it is demotivating but you will have a drop in weight soon.

Fingers crossed it will, drop i have the faith! As i said previously i havent really weighed less then this for a few years. There is such a temptation to eat all the food when the scales don't go my way but i'll persevere, perhaps not tomorrow though

Im just giving myself small goals and seeing how i look at every stage. Ive been overweight for so long that it feels new to be slimmer, even though i should lose at least 2 more stone. I want a bmi in the healthy range then i will see how i look and feel and take it from there. My current goal is to see 10 something on the scales!

Yes emz keep the faith! I'm away for the weekend (after cider and brownies for dinner tonight but whole day only comes to 1500 so if a calorie truly is a calorie that should be ok) not feeling positive about my race but looking past that and thinking about getting a personal trainer, learning about nutrition, trying some new things maybe?

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Best of luck for the race psycho

Hi guys

jonty I found what you said up thread about learning about what combo of protein and carbs gives the best result for minimising hunger very interesting. There is no doubt, some days I am much hungrier than others, but eating similar calorie levels. According to mfp I never eat my daily target of protein. Think I might start keeping a food diary of sorts to see which meals are the most sustaining, what types of foods give me energy, keep me happy!

I really like psychos suggestions of finding different goals to focus on, not just the scales! I hope it was helpful for you emz. You are going through the plateau from hell.

psycho I wish you luck with your race this weekend.

I think it is hard for me to focus on other signs of success (not just the weight) because I still have a lot to lose. If I had lost a lot of weight and was say 10 stone, I might be ready to think about what % of body fat I wanted to have, lol. Right now, I need to shift the lard!

It's good reading where others are at though. There are some great weight loss stories on this thread. Inspires me and helps keep the motivation going.

One day I will be a healthy weight/BMI too!

Hello everyone!

Emz - don't you dare be hard on yourself. You have done absolutely brilliantly, - lost an amazing 4 stone I think, and sole instigator of this thread. I'm sure I recall someone saying that if you have a plateau, eat more rather than less? Can't remember where/when though. I still remember that photo of you in your jeans near the beginning looking in such great shape then. Bet you have needed a whole new wardrobe!

Anyone up to anything fancy this weekend? I had a black-tie function a few weekends back, and felt really good in a dress I hadn't been able to wear for a couple of years! I felt very sexy. Felt good. It's nice to have an occasion to get dolled up. I need another in the diary ...

Hi Bath that feeling slim and sexy again is great isn't it? I had a real 'feel slim' day yesterday, first one since I got pregnant last August, I even walked differently I felt so confident!
Emz hang on in there, but I would consider changing things a bit, especially your exercise, I know other people I've spoken to who've done major weight loss (I'm talking 6-10 stone) found their bodies acclimatised to particular types of exercise after a few months and they had to swap to something else to keep getting a weight loss effect from it. Maybe running? Best thing I know for lean toning and solid weight loss...
No loss for me today, but I had a big meal again last night and wine, and maybe some almonds too...
So today is a 'soup day' as someone said up thread, and I'm going running so that should help counteract it, especially as I have a big reunion lunch tomorrow up in London. Really looking forward to tonight's dinner, which came from having some green beans lying around, I found the recipe linked below and am adding some noodles, whole thing comes in at 328 calories!

Ooh nearly forgot! I bought the new JMie Oliver cookbook yesterday 'superfood'. It has lots of interesting ideas, although the lunches and dinners are more 'maintenance level' calories for us (around 600), but the best bit is the snacks section at the back of the book: about ten pages covering 100 calorie snacks, and they're all healthy with full calorie counts and nutrition breakdowns provided! I'm giving those a go this week for definite!

Emz that is such a pain getting stuck at this stage, I'm sure I've seen something about eating a bit more to break a plateau. I can't remember if you said you were on 1200 a day but if you are, maybe you should increase it to closer to whatever you'd need to maintain when you hit your goal. If you're honestly only eating 1200 every day and not losing, then your body is trying to tell you something. You certainly shouldn't be gaining (1-2lbs either way isn't anything alarming, just highly annoying but it could be a sign)
Not weighing in now until after my week away. I was still at 12.5 yesterday and had a day with too many salts/sugars that could radios bounce the scales up. I wasn't likely to have lost 7 pounds overnight so highly doubtful any number would have made me happy. I'm of the opinion I'll talk my running gear with me and if I don't feel well enough to do a proper run, I'll at least aim for a decent walk every day. No plans to go crazy but no plans to make it a holiday of abstinence either. Still feeling quite yuck, my ears still bunged up and achy despite 4 days of anti-b's but nothing else I can do. Hoping for sunshine and happy times, felt very low the last couple of weeks and the weight issue hasn't helped. I'm going to have to re-examine properly when I get home. Time to start packing! Hoping for wifi so I can keep up with all the news. Love hearing from everyone x

Oops I caved, after 2..ahem movements .. I couldn't resist a quick check - 12.3.6!!! 1.2 less than I was going on my last holiday 2 months ago. That's given me a lift! Happy Saturday all

Emz - I wouldn't eat more calories but o would try to switch things up a bit eg eat 500 calories one day and 1500 the next. Try to make your body guess! Also second some different kind of exercise.

I am going to start running. Plan to go to bed in my running gear to make me do early morning runs. This was a tip I saw on mn and I think it will really work for me. Often what puts me off is just the idea of getting my sports bra on!

Brilliant news Not2. Glad for everyone who is making good progress.

I am doing okay on my holiday. I am eating a minimal breakfast and not really doing lunch, then trying to choose fish and veggies for dinner. I am allowing myself one alcoholic drink per day and a taste of dessert. Hopefully this is bringing me in around 1200 and I will see a bit of a loss when I get home. The scales here are a bit useless tbh. The dial is so teeeeeny I can't see any shift. At home I am used to my digital scales which measure to an accuracy of 1/8th of a lb! I had a dream last night that next time I go on holiday I am going to pack my own weighing scales

Are you having a nice holiday Imust? Any decent weather? We're spending the morning packing and you'd think we were off for a month the amount of time it's taking! Made sambos for the plane so I can at least control today's cals. Very much doubting I'll stick to 1 drink a day though Already thinking about my glass or 2 of wine on the plane, I shouldn't but I will!

Stayed The same this morning but I've just left to meet my friend in the centre so I'm looking forward to the day and evening. I think I'm definitely going to shake up my meals a little bit. Tis the season for soups so next weekend I'm going to make a shit load that works out at about 100 calories, butternut squash and carrot, it's my favourite!

You sound like you're being incredibly sensible on your holiday Imust, I admire your dedication!

Without sounding like I'm making excuses I can't really run, I have terrible knees that quite often dislocate or lock whenever they please, I think I would be terrified of it happening when running! We do have a swimming pool fairly close by so I'm thinking of maybe going for swims at the weekend?

I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Hey guys!

Imust-u sound like ur being excellent on holiday! V v dedicated! I consumed a lot for brekkie (including a nuttela muffin!!) this am but I forced myself to the gym and did about 350 calories so I come in at 1400 ish today if I stick to my dinner plans which I will! Considering I don't like the gym it was good going I'm hoping to try do that everyday so I can maintain whilst here. I'm having one drink every alternate day!

Emz sorry scales r not moving-I'm sure they will just keep pushing!

Not2 - I made an egg white omlete for my plane journey!!! I took it in a tupper wear and it filled me right up! I was worried people would think I was bizzare but no one flinched haha. Meant no carbs! And also meant yest that with fruit and grilled veg and fish and 1 glass of processo came in at 1400. Have a great trip

Jonty that book esp the snacks sound great! U got any good recipes to share with us?!

As I understand it, everything to do with eating more to get out of a 'plateau' or changing things up to 'keep your body guessing' is a big fat myth. Like so much else in the world of fitness and dieting. Not that I have the actual answer to why the scales aren't moving for you at the moment! Underestimation of calories on the 'cheatier' totally a word meals might be the most likely explanation, which sucks.

I think as you use the fat from inside your fat cells it gets replaced with water for a while. Then after a certain amount of time your body decides to get rid of the water and the fat cell shrinks. This the whoosh - your body let's go of a whole load of water at once. So Emz you may well have been using loads of your body fat up in the last couple of weeks and the space is occupied by water at the moment. If you are just patient your body will let go of the water soon and you will have a lovely drop on the scales.

Disclaimer:: the above may be complete bollocks

If I was to do anything on MFP it would be to overestimate on calories just to make sure I am not cheating myself and my weight loss

Hopefully a whoosh will come my way, it's been due a while!

Hey guys

Well I have had a lovely day. Went to a family music day at local concert hall. So nice to see all the little kids banging the drums, singing and dancing and just enjoying themselves. It was quite a tonic.

Well done to our holiday makers for starting out so well. trying I love that you took your own omelette on the plane. That is the kind of thing I used to do when I was a healthy weight.
imust I always take my food weighing scales on holiday with me as we tend to self cater these days. It's only a small step from that to the full scales!
not2 I am happy for you, that your weight is down before the holiday. It's been a bit rough for you with your ear infection. Hope the holiday gives you a boost.
emz I think the butternut soup, sounds like a grand idea. Tasty and low cal, whats not too love?!

I am having broccoli cheese and turnip mash for dinner tonight. Will bring me in 100 cals under for today.

Enjoy the weekend all

Morning all. No loss here, sitting on 11st 1.75 (so close I can taste those tens!) but I'm pleased for two reasons;

1. It could have been a gain after going over calories by about 5-600 on Friday
2. I did my first ever soup day yesterday. Thank you to whoever mentioned it up thread, it's a concept i hadn't got my head around before either. If I had a bad day previously, the next day I would just start fresh and stick to my calorie allowance and I might gain a bit but it would come off again and then the losses would come again. But what i haven't been doing is balancing my intake by recognising that if I go seriously over one day, I need to be under the next day to keep myself in line. This is just sensible eating really but it never occurred to me before. So yesterday I managed a full day in 1,066 calories (my normal allowance is 1380, plus I earnt another 330 from a run yesterday morning).

Today I have the big reunion lunch. I'm not calorie counting but won't go mad either, but tomorrow will be another soup day to balance it out, then Tuesday I'll be back to my normal 1380! It's so good, learning and changing like this. Thank you lovely ladies!