13 weeks countdown til summer holidays begin, I want to wear shorts this year!!

[twoandahalftimesthree]

For years I managed to maintain my weight but since I turned 40 and had a injury which prevented me doing my usual exercise the weight has slowly crept on. I was just over 11st on my 40th but two and a bit years later I am at least 12 st 8 (just come back from a week on holiday where I really overindulged, I will weigh in accurately tomorrow morning!) The last time I was this heavy I was pregnant!
Earlier this year I did 5 weeks very strict (no sugar, low carbs, no wine, no gluten). In the first week I lost 6 lbs and then no further loss for the following 4 weeks! I never strayed from my restrictions, ate a huge amount of non starchy veg so I didn't feel hungry but it was a big commitment and after a month of no loss I fell off the wagon.

Predictably, i have now put back on those 6 lbs and added another 3 for good measure!
I had an operation to repair my injury 3 weeks ago and now feel recovered enough to start back with my exercise which I feel may have been the missing ingredient from my last weight loss attempt (i hope so, cos otherwise wtf?!)
I have just worked out there are 13 weeks until the schools break up for summer holidays so that seems like a reasonable time frame with a specific end point. If I lost 1.5 lbs a week for 13 weeks that is almost a stone and a half which would bring me down to very nearly my comfort zone weight wise.
I am now committing to exercising for 20 mins everyday (at least on average) and going back to my low carb, low sugar WoE.
I have just got to do it!!!! If there's anybody who'd like to buddy up and join me here that would be great.

123 - 6lbs in a week is amazing, well done. I'm back on track today after a slight chocolate blip yesterday (although I did walk 30 min on my treadmill so hopefully compensated) - sipping my water, don't think I'll make 2 litres but I'll try a few glasses at work...

No need to think much on this. Just wear what you want to and do as you heart says.

Weighed in at 9 stone 10 so that's 3lb off since last Monday . Not bad as long as it continues .
Great losses above ! 6lb 123 !
Hope the dog is recovering well.

Fab losses 123 and xotic!
I still don't have scales but dh thinks I've lost some weight. I don't think I have but I think the running is toning me up. I need to cut back on food a bit more. I've still been having too many carbs and too many unhealthy snacks!

So good when others notice weight loss
Livelife.
Good day yesterday , I actually trying to leave eating as late as possible like people suggested helpful . I'm ending up eating tea so much later that it reduces my snacking which is great .
Weight 9 stone 9 lb today . Happy about the single figure digit !

I read it that you had walked 30 MILES on the treadmill May

Have you got a tape measure Livelife? Scales aren't a necessity, if your clothes are feeling looser, and DH says it, then that hopefully spurs you on.

Xotic, well done - I am sure the eating later has made a big difference to me, never tried it before really. I haven't eaten until 3 most days, and finished by 8. No refined carbs have passed my lips either, just fish, chicken, loads of veg/salad, a bit of fruit, and am now addicted to lentil soup!

Another 1 off this morning, so that's half a stone!

I

Ha 123 30 miles. That'd be good, I probably manage about 2 miles if that in 30 min. Did yoga stretching last night - not going to lose weight but does feel good as I'm so aching and stiff now in middle age! No flexibility in my hips at all. My kids must wonder what I'm up to in the room next door to them - I sound like I'm being tortured but sort of feel better after.

Both of you 123 and Xotic have done really well with the losses. I'm hoping for another 2lbs this week but I am struggling to shift it. I'm still managing until 12pm before I start eating but it's a struggle! And then stop at 8pm. Need to make some more lentil soup too I think. Are you going to get scales Livelife or just stick to how clothes feel, which is probably best but I do like to see the actual weight (loss hopefully).

To be honest, I just want to live a healthier life and look better. I don't need scales for that so I'm just going to keep going. I would actually love to step on the scales and see that I weigh 1.5 stones less. I might buy some in June!
I've only got a rigid tape measure so I can't use that either. Oh well. I'll have to go on jeans getting looser.

I'm trying to wait to eat as late as possible but today I only managed 11.20. I just had some porridge and a banana. I think it's because I had carbs last night so crave more carbs. I've got lentil soup for lunch around 2.30 then will have chicken and veg for dinner at 6. Back to eating after midday tomorrow.

Well done on the losses!

12.06Pm - I can eat now ! I agree Livelife when I have carbs I crave more carbs - bean + veg home-made stew for lunch in a mo.
I really want to get under the 11 stone mark, that's my first goal, just because it's a milestone for me at the moment - so that 's another 5lbs before I achieve that.

Good to see lots of losses stacking up everyone.
Back down to 12st 4 this morning (12st 3 made a brief appearance before settling at 12st 4) so don't know what that 12st 8 was all about!
A couple of good days here, fasting til 6pm both days. Lots of housework yesterday evening for exercise. Big session of yoga tonight.
Despite only eating between 6pm & 10pm managed loads of veg today; carrots, broccoli, peas, kale, spinach, avocado, blueberries, courgette, cauliflower, onion, lettuce! I'm definitely full now tho!

We all seem really in the zone ! It's really helpful to log on here as I'm a right one for expecting instant results then get despondent and eat and eat and eat !
Stayed the same weight wise but so far soup and lentil curls for lunch and I went to a legs bums and tums class . Think I will have done my 10,000 steps by the end of the day .
I'm still having a sneaky gin and slim a few nights a week . Cutting everything out just makes me fail and sad !
Hoping for 9/8 tomorrow .
Hope everyone is having a good day.

Xotic I feel the same - if I don't lose I get despondent too then that's when I risk saying, oh what the hell, it's not working anyway, may as well eat the kids biscuits! I've stuck to 12-8pm window and been quite healthy with it. I'm thinking I might do 2 days a week with a smaller window say 4pm-8pm. Sneaky gin and slim sounds good - I've had wine now and then but gin would make a change and probably low in sugar. I hope for 11 st 2 on Sat - if I keep up with 2lbs loss a week , that'll be good long term. Might try and make my lentil soup tomorrow - that's very filling.

I checked my BMI and I need to get down to 9st 7 to be BMI 24.9 - so within healthy - a long way to go, although at that weight I will actually look quite skinny as I am chunky boned (size 7 feet at 5ft 1! ) Big feet, hands, head (can only wear men's hats!), ring finger size etc - so I'm never going to be a petite Kylie Minogue.

Hi can i join! as of today i'm trying to reduce carbs, portion control and avoid junk and exercise more. I have just over 1 stone to lose!

Welcome Woody .
May , gin and slim is way better both calories and sugar wise . I much prefer wine but I currently have some cranberry gin and is in delicious.
BMI's are a strange thing . If my husband was in his BMI he would look really ill .
I must make this soup , it sounds lush.

Hi Woody. Welcome

Hello everyone, nice to have you on board woody.
I've had another good day today; fasted til 6.30pm, lovely chicken and salsa for dinner, a few rice cakes as a treat and just going to have my kefir, blueberry & green smoothie now.
BMI isn't the most accurate- a friend of mine who is really into rugby, v fit and practically 100% muscle comes out as morbidly obese according to his BMI! My dh isn't muscle-y but even for him the top end of his BMI makes him look skinny. When he got down to that weight one time his grandad told him he looked like he'd got aids!

Forgot to weigh in! STS today.
Forgot to also say, managed a 30 in yoga session and done my physio rehab exercises.
xotic, I guess not seeing instant results is why most of us fall off the wagon of weight loss isn't it? I know though if we can all stay the distance of this 13 weeks (even if we do go off track a few times) we will all see great results.

I went for my run yesterday so no exercise today although I have started planking every day!

Trying to hold out til 12 for lunch but I really fancy some toast and marmite! If I give in, I'll be eating all day long so I need to stay strong.

Twoandahalf well done on the yoga and physio exercises, I unfortunately had no time for exercise yesterday. Livelife - impressed with the run and the planking. I started planking but just did the first day - that is sooooo hard. I did one minute split into three sections, and even that I struggled with. I think today will be Zumba DVD , maybe a stretchy yoga one too tonight before bed as that really does help me feel better. Toast and marmite? Ooh could just do with that with a cup of tea but I am going to hold out til 12. I'm just about to start making lentil soup so it'll be ready for lunch.....

IT really helps knowing someone else is doing the same as me.
The fact that you'd like marmite and toast too but are going to hold out
Til 12 and have some soup, has strengthened my resolve.
We can do it!

12st 2 this morning so 6lbs off in total now.
It doesn't sound like much but with 28lbs to lose overall, it's a nice chunk. In fact it's 21.4%! I will certainly hit my 'silver 7' this weekend.
Next week I'm hoping for the weight loss to start to show...
May50, I knew I couldn't manage to exercise every single day, my life just isn't that predictable! That's why I comitted to 20 mins a day on average. Physio has given me the all clear now so I'm planning on Sunday I'm going to my first yoga class since the injury which I am really looking forward to. Planking is so good for you. I'm looking forward to getting stronger so I can do chataranga dandasana (lowering from plank into press up) without my arms wobbling like jelly as they are atm.

Great weight loss twoandahalf , that is definitely a good chunk of your 2 stone. I'm hoping for 2lbs this week. Oh look - it's 12pm (thank goodness, finally)! Off to have some lentil soup that's been simmering on the stove. Good amount so will last me a few days....

Hope you are all enjoying much deserved food !
No loss for me today even though I felt there should have been !
Fingers crossed for tomorrow .

I'm just having another look at my happy scale log of weight and I've spotted that this time last year I was 11st 11 and by the end of the month down to 11st 8. That's when it all went wrong and I was immobilised on the sofa for two blummin weeks. Then my dad was v poorly in hospital for a couple of weeks. Then a couple more disasters happened and the weight loss was a complete write off!
I reckon I can easily get down to 11st 8 by the end of the both so I can equal last year's weight, it's only 2lbs a week. Definitely doable.
Once I do that I only have to 'compete' against last year's May and June weights which rubbish, I went right back up to 12st 3! Those months were a catalogue of disasters it would be very hard for this year to be such a challenge to the emotions!

We can't expect losses every day or even every week, just sts is good enough sometimes as long as the general trend is in going in the right direction.