MFP thread 6

[Not2bObvious]

New thread as old one's nearly full

dawhead well done you, that loss is really awesome! And welcome to a healthy bmi too! Don't worry too much about the time it's taken - you are definitely moving in the right direction, and too be fair if you are at healthy bmi so soon, it sounds like you haven't had so much weight to lose.

not is there any chance you just got fitted for a new bra? It's a long shot, but a too tight bra can also be a reason for chest pain.

sugar sounds like a good day yesterday. If you are baking, then I guess something with meringue and fruit might be lowest in calories?

bath come on 11s!

hope you still have a week and a bit of October left to make a dent - keep going!

loli sorry that you are dealing with work shite but welcome to the 12s! Yay!

I'm 5ft4, which is shorter than some of you on here. At 10st my bmi is 24. I'm currently a 10 on the bottom and a 12 on top - which is really the shape of my shoulders rather than bust. I could stay where I am or drop a few more pounds into the 9s, which is what I was aiming for. That might take just a couple more cm off my waist too as that's still on the high side. I would also be a 10 more often, though I suspect I'd need to be around 9st to be a consistent 10 and I don't see myself ever getting and staying that low.

I've had 2 ok days in a row now, yesterday finishing on 1555, so 105 cals under. Onwards and downwards everyone!

Congrats on all the losses. Keep going everyone.
And I'm super impressed by all you early risers. My 6:34 alarm kills me! Although I am often up at 4 feeding the LO.
Had an ok day yesterday finishing at 1289 although 150 of that was Toblerone. Some kid gave it to me and once it's open it keeps going in. Weigh in tomorrow. Hoping for a loss. Fingers crossed.

Good thinking Sesame - No new bra but an uncomfortable bra for sure, coupled with a non working Fitbit probably isn't helping, shall change it (or even better ditch it!) I'm 5.4 as well, possible even 5.3 - I've been convinced I was 5.4.5 but weighing myself on holidays, the scales registered my height at 5.3/5.4. To be 25 bmi I'd have to be 10.5, no sign of that happening anytime soon. Tmi, woke in the middle of the night & half my lung contents came up, that was sleep pretty much shot. Chest pain isn't too apparent this morning so hopefully it's nothing that bad. I'd love to get back to bed but have to keep an eye on work stuff & I always worry about day sleeping making the night worse. At least it's Thursday, only a half day tomorrow. Wow oh wow is moaney me.

Morning all. Have been reading but not posting as had a dire week - haven't come under my 1200 target once. That said, maybe I'm subconsciously telling myself that I'm happy where I am. So maybe I'll now switch to maintenance?

I'm 9st 2, 5ft 6. Original target was 9st 7 (pre DD weight). So if I can maintain around 9st I think that's fine. I think I can do that on 1400 if I don't eat back any exercise calories (which I never do anyway).

Sesame - do you mind me asking why your limit is as high as 1700? Is that for maintenance? Apologies if I missed it up thread, it's a fast moving one!
Not sure what my maintenance calories should be, and I don't really trust mfp to calculate it for me (not when it overestimates exercise calories so much)

Well done to all those who are celebrating losses!

Just a quick check in. Been reading everyone's posts! You are all doing so well congrats on the massive loss Loli

Super stressful week I've no apatite when stressed but I've still been forcing myself to eat and I've managed to lose 1lb. seems stress burns calories. Now 10st 3.

cora good luck for weigh in

not tbh, my height at 5.4 might also be a little optimistic, but that’s what I’m sticking to…. Actually my mum congratulated me on looking so slim the other day, and followed this up by saying it made me look shorter... she's always with the complements …. Hope you feel better.

running I set my mfp on half a pound a week, which gives me 1660 cals a day. I prefer a slow and steady loss, rather than being on a diet, and hopefully this would help me learn a more sustainable pattern for longer term. Up until now I’ve been losing slightly more than this though as I’m more active than mfp would give me credit for, e.g. I routinely do 10,000 steps. Recently the loss has slowed though, I haven’t adjusted the 1660 downwards now that I am slimmer and my weekly averages show my intake has crept upwards towards the 1750-1850 zone. You can calculate your tdee to work out what your maintenance calories would be – I reckon you should be allowed more than 1400.

must sorry about all the stress, tho glad it’s at least helping with the loss….

Sesame - my tdee is definitely inaccurate, sadly. It reckons I should eat 2,030 cals a day to maintain (I'm very active), but I'd be the size of a gable end if I did that.

Mfp tells me I've averaged 1450 a day for the last week, and I'm just about maintaining on that. Which is annoying, but hey ho. I only lose if I eat below 1200 - which is why I was surprised you're losing on 400 cals more than that. But then every body is different and I'm convinced my metabolism is a bit fucked anyway, from EDs as a teenager.

At 5.7 & 9.2 running you sound very slim, I would aim for maintenance if I were you, especially when you mention previous ED. I'm always thinking as well we all need a few pounds we can afford to lose, in case of illness or stress, so we shouldn't be to the bone iykwim. And also the aul face or figure debate. I'm down to 11.5.4 so holiday gain is going away. I've a night out next Wednesday and a new size 10 pair of jeans I need to fit into😉 That's manners put on my behaviours for the next 6 days. Got to get back into drinking my water & keeping my cals to 1200-1400
must I hope you're ok & the stress is lifting 💐

running yes, I would have thought you might need around 2000 to maintain. I think I would probably need just a smidgen under that. If you say your TDEE is in actual fact around 1400, I’d say that sounds unusual. You might be under reporting your calories without realising, which would be the most common explanation. You might have a slower metabolism as a result of your history – I never thought that was an actual thing before, but I read somewhere about the ‘America’s biggest losers’ gaining all their weight back and having an altered metabolism as a result of their bodies fighting back against their massive losses. In any case, as not says your statistics suggest you are slim – your current bmi works out as 20, and you are in the lower ‘third’ for your height.

The other thing that mfp doesn’t really account for is that a calorie is not a calorie – some foods and types of calorie are simply more easily absorbed than others. My diet is relatively high fibre, low gi (with plenty of whole grains, pulses etc.), which I believe means my body won’t necessarily access all the calories I’m reporting. E.g. most days I eat a handful (25g) of nuts, which I enter as 160 cals. But my body won’t be able to break down and access all of the fat contained in the nuts, as some will remain undigested, locked down inside fibrous cell walls. This would be different to eating 25g of nut butter, which is broken down mechanically before eating – which means all of the calories can be absorbed. Low gi also keeps you fuller for longer

Sesame - there's a chance I could be under-reporting, but not by much. I've been doing mfp for years, both to lose weight after babies and to maintain in between, and am pretty good at it by now. Although I don't weigh stuff any more, I could cut a 30g slice of cheese blindfolded! (Maybe not a good idea with a sharp knife though)

The all calories not being equal thing is something I can rant about a LOT, especially to my sister who is a Slimming World advocate and would live off Go Ahead snacks and Muller lights if she could. I don't eat anything processed, as a rule, so that's not really an issue for me. There's some v good articles on the Precision Nutrition site about this, which are really interesting.

I honestly just think my body needs fewer calories than most to maintain this weight. Not sure why, but my guess is being under 7st for several years has something to do with it.
I can maintain 10st pretty easily, with all the running I do, but the push to get down to 9st (where I'm an easy size 8 rather than an 8-10) was tough. And staying there is even tougher.

Sorry, that was a really self indulgent post. I also realise that a few of you might be wondering why the woman with a bmi of 20 is banging on and feeling sorry for herself. All I can say is, I still feel big, and flabby - even though the label in my jeans says I can't be. Even though running got me out of ED territory, I'm still too obsessed with the scales, I think. Sorry for the lengthy post

Don't apologise running, some valuable thoughts in there. I think you're suffering from a smidgen of body dysmorphia, very understandle since you've struggled with ed, you probably thought you were flabby when you were 7 stone.
Time to step back from the scales, time to be kinder to yourself and to your body - it's gone through enough💐

Lots to catch up on

Whoop whoop to Loli in the 12s! Amazing .

Sugar - sorry - no coffee or white choc cake recipes. Would your friend actually want cake? (silly question - but she might be happier non-caking too ...)

Hopefully. Right. 10s for you are in sight, as 11s are for me. 5 days of sticking to plan completely. No snacking. No excuses. You can do it. Once you're there, it will be easier to maintain & stay there. I'm going to do my best to lock-down for 5 days too. Lets get us into the new bracket, and give us a few lbs clearance too.

Sorry you are still feeling below par not. Hope you can rest up today. Good work on loosing holiday cocktails already!

Not self-indulgent at all running - I really enjoy reading everyone's personal experiences & journeys. Great insights too Sesame. You both seem really up to speed with calorie requirements etc. I don't even know what my TDEE or BMI is. Is that bad?

Sorry you have had such a stressful week Most. Not the best way to loose an extra lb I guess? Hope you can take a moment this week to restore yourself.

Hope everyone else that I haven't mentioned (sorry) are having a good day.

running Yes, no need to apologise, we’re all here to support each other. I’m also a little obsessed with this stuff at the moment, which is why I joined the thread to spur me along – I was driving my bestie nuts and no-one else seems to be interested. I’ll check out the precision nutrition site. There is a ted talk about how your body knows what weight it’s supposed to be and does everything it can to keep you there. And that you are better off accepting than fighting it. It’s certainly food for thought. I think that this is the link, although my work computer won’t let me double check.

bath I'm a geek!

ha ha sesame ! I'm just emotionally volatile. Really frustrating at times. Maybe I need to get scientific about it all too - but then perhaps I'd turn into a control freak. Hmm... I'm now getting a bit analytical and over-obsessive.

I know this is a weight loss thread but I put my big girl pants on today and finally admitted how bloody awful I was feeling. GP has put me (back) on citalopram (now I really have to watch what I eat) and I'm off work for 'at least 2 weeks'.

Oh Loli, sorry to hear that. I hope you can get some decent rest in your time off work

Small steps Loli. Can you get yourself some talking-help too? well done xxx

well done for addressing what many others wouldn't.

Wow lots of activity!

Not glad you're starting to sound a little bit better - that was v worrying last night/this morning with your chest. Great news about the loss after the hols and next week's size 10 jeans is a great incentive.

Bath you sound so determined - it's brilliant . You will be in the 11s in less that 5 days I am sure of it .

Sugar we must be the same height - are you 5' 5" . Aw that sounds so lovely with your little one doing the shred last night. I have no ideas for cake but I agree about maybe something alternative altogether?

Hopefully Kick up the bum as requested -> hope you are staying away from those biccies today. Can you commit to 3 really strict days in the next 7?

Loli sorry things are so bad at work but well done on being in the 12s ! That loss is a phenomenal achievement - hope you are feeling v proud of yourself. And even more so for going to the GP . That is the hardest step and you will start to feel better now. I have been there (many years on and off escitalopram) so try to be really nice to yourself for the next 2 weeks - lots of rest and self-pampering if you can. And agree with Bath's recommendation about trying to find someone to talk to? It made the world of difference to me.

sesame well done on 2 good days, but booo to Mums with back-handed compliments . Being a size 10ish sounds a much better gauge of success than BMI (which we know is a v poor guide). That is v interesting what you and Running are discussing about calories and metabolism .

Cora well done on the total yesterday.

Running I agree with all the feedback and advice so far. It does sound like you need to be very gentle with yourself - you have done so brilliantly and you need to be at a weight where you are happy with life and not punishing yourself . I bet you look amazing . Please don't apologise for letting us in - our weight and appearance is completely tied to everything else is going on in our lives so it is all important and that's what we are all here for.

Must sorry about the stress for you as well but at least it had a silver lining.

Hope I haven't missed anyone.

Thanks for all the lovely comments yesterday . I did completely abandon myself and came to 1845 yesterday - my highest since mid September. But, and maybe this is bad, I don't really mind or feel guilty. It was lovely and I think I needed a blow-out and I feel like I've much more energy today. Back on track - kitchen should close at 1140 so trying to get my weekly avg back down as fast as I can.

You always do a lovely update dawg 😘

Thanks dawhead, you are too lovely. And 1140 is a damn good day! 1350 here. That'll do

Urgh, I am ill, I am fat and I am grumpy. Have had a lingering cold/cough/chest thing that I thought was going away but seems to be back with a vengeance. Am
Not even going to discuss what the subsequent lack of energy (and therefore lack of movement, combined with too much food) has done to my weight this week. Seriously in the grumps. And I can't even rest up today as have to take the DCs to swimming and then school disco after school today, then working all weekend. Sully face on.

SULKY.

Although maybe Sully isn't far wrong either...

You poor thing hope, nasty dose doing the rounds by all accounts. My chesty cold thing is lifted so AF can have a go at me. So I'll join you on the grumpy/fat bench- but mind now you'll have to push up a bit as I'm fat AND bloaty so I need more space😉
Same yesterday 11.5.4 and 1 week to go to final October weigh in. I had hoped to be 10'something by November but that's too lofty a goal with a my week away in October.