Lose a stone for Christmas - 14lb in 14 weeks

[FireflyGirl]

I have struggled in the past to find the motivation to lose weight. I found it quite unexpectedly last November thanks to a 'lose a stone by Christmas' thread. However, I'm a slow loser and 8 weeks wasn't long enough for me to lose a stone. I managed it by the end of January, but then had a family bereavement and I've struggled to get back on track since. But I would really like to lose some more weight.

What helped me last year was the accountability of being on a thread. I controlled my calories using My Fitness Pal, but it was so helpful having other people to talk to who were having the same struggles.

So, if anyone would like to join me, I'd be grateful for some company. 14 pounds in 14 weeks takes us to 7 days before Christmas.

I weighed in this morning and I was 10 8.8. I will stick with a Sunday morning weigh-in as I take DS swimming so can use the scales there.

I plan to use MFP, cut out snacks and make good decisions on my meals to stay within my calorie allowance.

Hope everyone has had good weekends.

I think I've done ok. Curry Friday night but went easy on the rice and had a few popadoms but not too much naan. No wine!
Saturday I had porridge then a scone for lunch (ooops) fruit cake in the afternoon (double oops) and Joe wicks chicken pie for dinner with veg which was really satisfying.
Today I did a 8k walk this morning. Granary toast for breakfast, mozzarella, avocado and tomato salad for lunch, a pitta and veg sticks with low fat dip for snack late afternoon then roast lamb with veg and one roast potato. I've enough calories left for some chocolate tonight.
Going to try and up the exercise this week.
I'm using mfp and at 1540 calories I've been losing 1lb a week. I could probably go a little lower to speed things up but do feel less deprived like this and hopefully more likely to stick to it!
How anyone sticks to 1000 a day I'll never know!

I couldn't, Harriet, I'd prefer slow and steady and sustainable. If I felt deprived, weight loss would go out of the window!

Hope everyone is doing okay. I'm on my phone, and it's being weird, so I'm struggling to reply to everyone, sorry. Hopefully get it sorted next week.

I have had a good week, but was out for a friend's birthday last night and we had a three course meal. Went 500cals over, but I logged it all so do feel in control.

Weighed in this morning, and I've lost another pound despite last night's indulgence, which makes 4.5lb lost in 2 weeks. I'm more than happy with that.

I will be starting regular classes at the gym again next week. The instructor had left and they've been faffing about getting a replacement, but they've got someone now.

It's taken me three weeks to stop feeling hungry! I think I was just eating such huge portions and constantly snacking before so my body was expecting food continually.

Week 1 - 173 lbs
Week 2 - 170.6 lbs
Week 3 - 168.8 lbs
Week 4 - 168 lbs

Only a small loss of the this week - however that does mean I've lost 5lb in 4 weeks - theoretically if I keep going at the same rate I could lose another 20lb by Christmas which would be amazing.

I've gained this week, not what I was hoping for!

So day 2 of 1200 kcal on MFP. I am hungry a lot of the time. Can't see a way to stick to this and have wine too. Was hoping to drink maybe twice a week but with such a low allowance this might prove hard. I do walk the dog once or twice a day - I do a 40 minute walk and a 30 minute walk. This nets me more calories but the walking makes me hungrier! Today I weigh 10.7.2 stone. It's going to be a hard slog but I'll get there.

That's great going, Tarquin! Congratulations!

Do you know where it's come from, ASD? Sometimes working that out is half the battle.

Hazza if it's going to be the difference between sticking with it and not, then up your daily calories. 1200 isn't much. It also might be what you're using your calories on, iyswim. I can't see if you've posted any of your daily meals, but knowing those might help us make suggestions if that would help?

Well done for those losses and chin up to anybody feeling a bit despondent for whatever reason

I started my Couch to 5K today which was actually bloody hard I thought it would be easier as I rang quite a lot in the past but slipped a disc last year so have been recovering from that.

Food today with Greek yoghurt and granola for breakfast and a banana post run then eggs at lunchtime with salad followed by a Alpro soya hot chocolate, my favourite sweet treat at 43 calories and a couple of Garibaldi biscuits 33 calories each.

Dinner tonight is not very much pasta with more meatballs and I think there's enough left over there a little bit of chocolate or something this evening.

FireflyGirl. I think it's part emotional eating rather than when hungry and also have allowed the carbs to creep up. Have gone back to tracking my food, I've been doing this since January and have become a bit complacent.

Well done to all those who have lost and those who haven't keep on going!

My reduced hours start next week so I can start swimming again which I hope will really help. Weigh day tomorrow but not hopeful as has been a rubbish week.

Wow! so many people who are regularly losing on here. That's great. I am not actually weighing in for a few days but I have been monitoring it. I have stuck to my calories and done a few runs. Not sure I'm really seeing much change in myself. Maybe I need to reduce my daily calorie intake. Currently it's 1400. Maybe it's too high?

Amazingly I have lost 2lb and am now 11.4 :) Going to properly commit this week too.

Well I'm feeling a wee bit disheartened as I'm not losing really. I have stepped up exercise massively though, and I do FEEL better, so I am trying hard to ignore the scales, focus on the tape measure and think in terms of the long haul. If I'm still 11st8 at Xmas after all this work I shall give up then!

Well done to all those having more success than me. Keep it up!

Can I join please? I had already set a target of a stone by Christmas so this thread is perfect! I start slimming world on Thursday so will come back with my weight then. If I lost two stone I'd be really happy so a stone by xmas would be ace.

Need to do a big shopping list for my 'free' foods but am feeling positive
Well done on all the losses so far!

Start weight: 147.7
Week 1 145.6
Week 2 144.3

I lost just over 1 lb this week. I was fluctuating a lot since Thursday when I came down with a bad cold. I had lost more but felt better Sunday and my appetite came back !

Muscle weighs more than fat Keira so the tape measure and how well clothes fit will be far more accurate :)

I didn't lose anything this week but stayed the same. Need to up the game now I don't want to be having loads of regrets when im buying a new Christmas dress. Half a stone would make a huge huge difference

I dropped 3.75lbs over night! My weight really can fluctuate, hopefully will be even lower next Monday as for me the Monday weigh in is what counts.

Hurrah, ASD! So pleased for you!

Do you have a plan, twobambinos?

Well done on the losses, Movable and CBeebies

Welcome to GreggsSausageRolls

Keira, if you're losing inches, you are having success. I know it's annoying when you want to see it on the scales, though. Well done for sticking with it, though.

Firefries are you using MFP? I was allowed just over 1400 when I started using it last year and I was 5'2" and 11st 12, and lost weight sticking to that. if you've only been doing this since I started the thread, I'd maybe give it a bit longer before you drop your calories.

Yesterday was a bit of a disaster in terms of nutrition. I stuck to my calories, but mostly ate bread and crisps and chocolate during the day, then a big bowl of chili for tea. I am back on it today, though!

WI this morning and another 2lb lost so that's 6.5lb since the thread started.

Very pleased with myself!

Thanks Firefly I'll stick to it. So weighing in (today can be my weigh in day) I'm 169 pounds. Same as last week. I think I weighed myself once the week before that and was 167.9 but then I went up when I weighed in here. Now I'm the same again. At least I didn't put on weight. I'll keep going with MFP, and running (doing couch to 5k). Well done to everyone on the losses. I have to say the accountability here is really good. I have stopped my snacking. So that's good.

Well done asd and Iheart those are big losses.
Firefly I do have a plan. Try and eat less treats it worked the first week and I have a bit of free time at the moment to devote to exercise so will be doing 5 sessions a week hopefully. And also try and drink more water. I'm at home more than I used to be so I'm going to try to plan a bit more carefully.

Thanks two. Your plan sounds good so I hope you have a good week too.

I'm doing SW and following it to the letter, also I'm running three times a week. It takes time and effort to plan, organise and prepare but it'd paying off so I'm happy.

Well done to everyone who is already losing. Very inspiring!
slumdog I'm the same as you, only shorter. I have gained over a stone in tje last year and am now a 12 instead of a 10. I am too stubborn to buy new clothes so must lose the weight. Sadly wine and beer are my complete downfall (and bread and cheese). Need to cut out bad habits. Good luck all for this week!

Bit late but can I join you please? I have been directed here after a thread pleading for help to lose weight. I need to lose 3 1/2 to 4 stone really but a stone by Christmas would be an amazing starting point. I am actually going on holiday on 28th November which is 9 weeks so aiming for at least 9 lbs by then.

Starting weight - 13 st 3 lb

I am aiming for 1200 cals a day and logging on MFP.

Did well yesterday but today involved a work lunch (buffet with very limited options) but I took a very small portion rather my usual file my plate.

Food today:

Fuel liquid breakfast shake
Mini bean burger with salad and very small portion of wedges
Cod with green veg
WW mini roll
Banana

I am so determined this time after a few minor losses over the last yeat which I have put back on. I am also aiming to be better at 'self care' as I have let myself go big style! So weight loss plus a life overall in general.

Hello, please may I join too? I had joined the low carb thread, but not sure it's for me. I've been doing low carb plus portion control, but can't get on board with the high fat element of strict LCHF.

I have come down from 11 stone 2 to 8 stone 7 over four months, which is great. But I am short (5 2) with a short torso, so still have lots of stomach fat to lose. I'd be happy with losing 8 pounds, not necessarily by Christmas, but maybe by Feb. So I'll do my best, see what tips people have, and check in as well if that's ok.

My twin sister is barely 7 stone. I don't want to be that thin, but getting just under 8 stone would be healthier I think, as I know stomach fat is dangerous.

Good luck all.