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.

I wrote last night, and then forgot to post!

Keep up the good work everyone, planks I think would be a good idea for me too.

11.6 yesterday, stayed the same today, which is good.

Got my kefir yesterday two. Not as bad as I thought it might be, can drink it neat.

Today I couldnt care less if I had put on 2 stone. My DH has just got the all clear from his oncologist after 12 rounds of chemo. I will be celebrating with him, and push the boat out with a glass of champagne with our meal in a moment.

123, massive congratulations on your dh's news!! Definitely, definitely worth a celebration drink. Have a lovely meal and enjoy every bite of it.

What great news 123 for you DH. Yes, definitely deserves a whole bottle of champagne and chocolate cake ! Diet can re-start tomorrow

123 congrats to your husband!

Thanks ladies.

I feel quite ill this morning, ended up having 3 glasses, and all I had eaten was the kefir, and we had a chicken and coconut curry which I made dal to go with instead of rice. So basically it was pretty much the lentil soup recipe with chicken, just a different format! Not enough food to have with alcohol though.

I will try and drink loads of water, always have tea through the morning (changed to goats milk with that). Will walk the dog and maybe go back to bed. If I can't last will have my kefir and some fruit.

Lost another 1, so now 11.5. I think I'm losing too fast really, but it feels good!

Absolutely amazing 123, really pleased for your family .
im weighing in the same but over last 10 days I have lost 4 pounds which is loads if you look at sugar so back on the bike and watch Eastenders today . Going to try to drink more water and avoid saying feck it .

A bit of a wobble today, I only managed to fast til 3pm and then fell off the wagon. I didn't do too bad with what I ate, good stuff just quite a bit of it. I was working from home though and I always find it much tougher when I'm not at work.
Sts on weigh in the morning but checked measurements and have lost half inch on hips and inch on thighs in 10 days so that's good I reckon.
The weekend might be a bit tricky as there is always lots of temptation around. Planning on lots of exercise tho to cancel any potential naughtiness out.

Weighed this morning. 1.5lbs loss in week so just short of the 2lbs weekly target but going the right direction. I've also just done 50min yoga this morning. Lentil soup still in fridge so aiming for that at 12noon. Have a lovely bank holiday weekend.

Just reporting in.
Sts yesterday down to 11st 4 this morning.
Enjoy your long weekend, and be as good as you can everyone!

Weekend was a bit rubbish.
I'm going to m&s to buy some soups and a few ready meals. I know it's not ideal (and expensive!) but I really need a plan to stay on track this week.

Morning - did a weigh in 1st May - total weight loss was 4.5 lbs for month of April - so weighed in at 11st 3.5lbs. Not brilliant but could be worse. Started afresh therefore 1st May - I definitely want to be under 11stone by end of May, which is doable if I lose another 4.5lbs (want to go on holiday in August so still hoping to be under 10 by then). Have done yoga last 2 mornings - definitely getting easier , I'm dead chuffed and enjoying it more now. LiveLife sometimes it's easier just to get ready made stuff because the faff is half the problem. I'm just eating cold chicken and fruit at 12noon - and then I have a pre-packaged meal thing for 300 calories for tea as I'm rushing around. Cakes in the office - but I will abstain!!!

I lost a stone quite easily by having 2 of the Fuller for Longer M&S meals a day a few years ago. I preferred them to the Count on Us range, as they were more filling, and had less additives. Hubby is going golfing for 6 days on Thurs, so I might well get some myself.

May, the last stone is always the worst, keep up the good work, and well done on ignoring work cakes, I'm not sure I could!

Stayed the same, but have done 9000 steps already, about to do some gardening now, and will try and walk long enough this eve to take up to 15000.

15000 steps - that's good. I must put my pedometer on, I keep forgetting. I don't do enough walking that's half my problem - either sat in the car commuting or in front of the desk at office. Today and tomorrow I will do no walking at all, apart from to the loo and the coffee machine! But Thursday and Friday I can get out a bit so I'll try and do a couple of miles each day.

Thanks may50 and Breathe. My dh is away so it just seems easier for me to eat a balanced for you meal then faffing around. I'm cooking normal meals for the kids but just want to calorie control for myself.
I bought a couple of wholesome soups and 3 ready meals to just kick start me again.
I'll see how I go over the next few days.

Well done on the weight loss May! A loss is a loss and April is always a bit up and down with Easter and bank holidays so well done.

Keep up the exercise Breathe and if it helps, get some of those meals. They're really good. I find it quite easy to stay on track if I know there's something tasty waiting for me.

I'm much better also when eating calorie counted meals then adding some veg or salad . I'm trying to record everything on fitness app thing .
Anyway pleased today , down to 9 stone 7 . Can also feel the loss for the first time which is great .
Hope you are all having a good day .

Well done Xotic, it's nice when you can actually see/feel it.

I didn't weigh yesterday, but down to 11.2 this morning.

Just made a pan of the lentil soup, the smell is making me hungry, but will hold out!

Weighed myself this morning and was 10st 13.5 lb! So just under the 11st now, I am amazed. I think my previous weigh in at 11st 3.5lb 3 days ago was probably a little high (maybe water retention) which is why I didn't see much of a loss, but today's weight I'm delighted with. I'm sure it will still go up a bit depending how much I've eaten but certainly in right direction. Still doing the 12pm-8pm window and I think that has really helped. Stops me stuffing my face with toast and marmite in the morning when I'm bored! Well done Xotic and 123 with the downward weigh ins. We are slowly achieving.

Yay! Well done May.

The window is definitely the key I think.

Yes - and that's the max window. Some days window is smaller. Today I was rushing around and busy when 12pm came - so didn't get home until 4pm when I had some pieces of ham as I was starving! I'm going to have a salmon salad shortly. Want to keep this up and see how I am doing end of May....

I've had a rubbish few days i'm afraid. I always find it harder to fast at the weekends and this one ended up four days long with b/hol and dd off school poorly on tues. Alongside that I've had my period and that always makes me feel so hungry all the time. So basically what i'm saying is i've fallen totally off the wagon! I have managed to get back on board today though fasted all day and did a sweaty yoga class this morning, followed by a sauna.
Also on the bright side at the weekend I did my first yoga class since my operation also had a gym workout and a swim and sauna so not all bad.
Thinking about it, I almost always fall off the wagon around my period.... next month i will be prepared...

twoandahalf - a rubbish few days is not the end of the world. And certainly sounds like you've picked up again. It's only when a rubbish few days turns into weeks that there's a problem.... And yes, I can certainly empathise, I am exactly the same - I always overeat just when I'm due on - I cannot stop the craving to eat - but then a day or so later I'm back to normal. Yoga, gym, sauna and swim sounds pretty energetic to me!

Don't get despondent two.

Normally when I was due I would have been eating a tub of Ben and Jerrys, biscuits/cake galore in the couple of days leading up to my period. When it came I would then be craving things like bread and pizza.

Last week, I didn't have any cravings at all - my periods are erratic, so didn't know it was coming. I put it down to having cut the carbs out, and maybe the kefir is already starting to repopulate my good bacteria. I also wasn't as heavy, and hardly had any pains which was very unusual!

Stayed the same this morning, 3 more lbs to get under 11, which is when I think my body will fight back.

Hi

Hope it's ok that I join?

I am 5ft 2" and was always under 10st usually under 9st 7". The past few years were very difficult due to work, child and health concerns so eating spiralled out of control. I was started on ADs, moved house to sort out work issues and slowly got better.

The only issue I have now is my ever increasing weight gain. Every time I start a new diet (slimming world - lots of ladies at work following this and doing well, weight watchers - worked for me in the past, slim fast - I know full of rubbish) I give up after 1 week due to not losing much. I have no goal to aim for other than I have became a hermit due to not having anything to wear and the need to feel better in myself. I don't sleep much (4-5 hours per night) and I know this is partly due to diet.

I did 5-2 few years back and lost loads so this is going to be my way forward i think. Biggest problem I have is willpower and that I have non. I can do good all day and then on the spur of the moment stop at local shop on way home from work and buy 1 or 2 bottles of wine and drink them that night. Then I feel even worse and overeat the next day because what does it matter.

My stats;
41yrs
5ft 2"
11st 12lbs (5/5/17)

I have purchased Paul McKenna I can make you thin (just need to find the cd player) and plan on listening to every night in bed.

So my plan is as follows;

1. No Alcohol 6 out of 7
2. Listen to Paul McKenna
3. Fast most of day and follow 16/8
4. Drink WATER. It always make me feel better
5. Calorie counted meals and extra veg is much easier for me to stay in control
6. Weigh ONCE per week or else I get annoyed and give up

Should be enough to go on with just now.

Have a good day everybody!

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys.
Hi cabin, you're very welcome here.
I also started back on weight loss hypnosis before bed last night. I think it really helps to keep me from straying and you get more/better quality sleep too. I hadn't listened for the last week so that probably contributed to my falling off the wagon. The secret is though, to pick myself up, brush myself down and start all over again- every time. The only failure is to give up completely because your health really does matter!

Hello cabin, welcome - we sound very similar. I am 5ft 1, and was 11st 8lb 1st April, but 2 days ago I had slipped to half a pound under 11st. I'm doing the fast - so eating window is 12-8pm, and I've been really strict with that. Cutting down alcohol too, so not having my usual glass of wine a night, only occasionally. I've got that cd - I'll fish it out and start listening to it again - might boost me. I'm not very good with willpower either, and I am someone who if they falls off the wagon, it's big time so I'm trying to stay on the straight and narrow...