The diet begins Boxing Day! Lose weight, stay happy

[HattietheManatee]

So after a really crap year where I had a severe depressive episode, I’ve ended up mentally much healthier but heavier due to my medication (mirtzapine). Oh, and my obscene addiction to sugar!! I’m finally in a place where I feel I can tackle my weight gain. Having braved the scales yesterday I weighed in at 10st 7lb - I was 9st in April, so quite a gain. I’m 5ft 3 and this gives me a BMI of 26 (so in the overweight category!)

Target weight is 8st 7lb so want to lose 2st. First mini goal is 10st by end of January.

I plan to follow a HFLC diet as this should help me tackle my sugar additiction once and for all. I have terrible problems with blood sugar and lots of people say this clears up on the diet. Am going to use India Knights idiot proof diet book after a recommendation here.

I can’t wait til next year so I have 4 more days to wallow in Christmas biscuits then Boxing Day will start my diet! We have a family meal out that day which could be interesting...I’m not planning to mention it in RL so will use this as a diary. Please feel free to post, join in, give support (flowers emojis rather than biscuits please or I may end up nibbling on my iPad) etc.

Hello everyone 😁 Hope your all ok

Hattie sounds like you had a nice time

I’ve not felt great the last couple of days so just been eating what I fancied, when I felt like eating which wasn’t often.

Feeling much better today so back with the diet;

Didn’t want breakfast so had cranberry juice & Black coffee
Roast chicken and geherkin sandwich, banana
3 cracker bread things with cream cheese
Dinner tonight is going to cottage pie with broccoli and peas
I’ve made some smoothie ice lollies for my so,etching sweet after dinner.

I'm doing ok today and I will get my 10,000 steps.

I'm weighing in tomorrow morning!

I'm thinking about getting an exercise bike. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Weigh-in day (week 2):

Lost this week: 1 lb
Lost to date: 3 lb
Still to lose: 26 lb

Realistically, on the plan I'm following a 1 lb weekly loss is to be expected as that requires a daily calorie deficit of 500. Given that on an inactive day I only need about 1500 calories to maintain then I think a bigger loss would be unrealistic for me.

Well done on another 1lb off Pavonia slow and steady weight loss is good

I lost 1lb last week ( that’s 5lb in total so far) which I am surprised at tbh as early last week we had friends over for dinner and I did have a few glasses of wine and dessert both nights, but I think being ill the rest of the week and not eating much must of made up for it- every cloud and all that!

Today
Porridge with a few berries
Beans on wholemeal toast & a banana
3 wafers
Dinner is going to be lemon chilli chicken with a small portion or rice and garden peas
Then I will have a home made smoothie lolly as I like something sweet after dinner but must leave the Ben & Jerry’s alone.

Well done Pink!

I'm looking forward to dinner!

10st 7.2lbs for me. So have lost 4.4lbs in two weeks and very pleased about that .

Leaves me with 9.2 pounds to lose in 7 weeks. I have been far from perfect over last 2 weeks, so just shows how much I was eating to gain the weight . Cannot cover up the bulges as about 28C so it is all out there on view!

Have a good week everyone.

@Pavonia @PinkHeart5914 and @FiveShelties amazing work you three!

I however am like a ravenous beast following being ill last week. Last week, I fancied virtually nothing but since Saturday I've wanted to eat everything in sight! I haven't but I've thought Dark, Food-Related Thoughts! Still, I'm starting with a running club this week and should be going out Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday with them so that'll help!

Keep on trucking everyone and remember the aim: #scrawnynothorny

Well done on the loss FiveShelties

Sage Well done for having the willpower to resist when all you want is to act on those dark food thoughts! Have you been running before? I really enjoy it and did go every morning, and with a running club 3 times a week in the evening but I am waiting until my 6 week postnatal check before I get back to it, only a couple of weeks to go now.

Today;
Porridge and berries
Beans, toast, 1 sausage ( ds has been asking for sausages for days and I couldn’t resist) & banana
3 wafers
For dinner dh is doing hairy bikers jalfrezi with a small portion of rice
1 smoothie ice lolly later in the evening as my something sweet

@Pavonia @PinkHeart5914 and @FiveShelties fantastic news on the weight loss, well done!

Week 3 weigh in - no weight loss. Am blaming not drinking enough water, period which finally started today, oh, and my tipples on the weekend. Bit disappointed but it’s not a gain and hoping once my period is over I will see a small whoosh on the scales.

On more positive news I did run yesterday for the first time in about 7 years, 3K without stopping! And it was dark, rainy and cold and I still did it!

Sage are we hornying not scrawnying or vice versa? I’m no longer sure what my ambition in life is . Good luck with running club, that sounds really frequent and am sure you’ll see a huge change quickly.

Today’s food:
B: handful nuts, avocado, coffee with cream (NOT decaf)
S: mini mozzarella balls, cucumber
L: LO roast beef with horse radish, stir fried cauliflower leaves and mashed celeriac
S: piece cheddar, stuffed chillis
D: Jamie’s 5 ingredients smoky mushroom frittata. Yum, and plenty left for lunch!
Steps. Forgot Fitbit, probably 18k?
Not enough water!! Fricking hate being too busy at work.

Pavonia no advice on an exercise bike I’m afraid. The only people I know who have them tend to use them as clothes horses. I wouldn’t mind a folding one but would probably never use it!

Hey @PinkHeart5914 I'm a fairly seasoned runner and I'm aiming to move from a 5k PB of 29 mins and 3 seconds to sub 29 this year... weight loss has got to help with that, I reckon! And I'm wanting to work on 10ks this year too. I've not run for a few weeks though so will need to ease in gently tomorrow evening. Go easy after your 6 week check- it took me ages after having DD to feel good running again: everything felt really odd but I did have a c-section so that probably had a lot to do with it!

Hope you like the running club tonight Sage

Today;
Special k with full fat milk
Spicy veg soup, 1 slice bread. Mini biscuit
Skinny popcorn and a banana
Dinner is going to be chicken and mushroom risotto
Then I’ll have a home made smoothie lolly in the evening.

Hope you’ve all had a good food day

Ermigawd. I am knackered!

Ended up doing a 4.24 mile run as I got separated from the (bloody whippet like) group and then got lost. Should've stuck with the group doing 5k but no. No- Sage likes to be competitive. Sage likes to outdo herself. Sage thought she ought to push herself. Dick head! So I've just eaten dinner and MFP says I still have 400 calories to play with so I'll consume some- still hungry anyway- and then bank some in order to accelerate the weight loss. Ye gods though: I'm pooped!

How's everyone else doing?

I'm still sticking to the eating plan but am quite bored by it. I haven't really done any walking in the last couple of days due to the weather! I'm out tonight and would like a glass of wine but I will resist.

Morning everyone, weigh in day for me and I've lost 6lbs this week!!! Can't quite believe it it but I have upped my exercise and I think my portions have naturally got smaller.

I did drink quite a lot of wine a bottle at the weekend but I had a really good time and enjoyed it and it was only once. I've decided if I can't do it once a week there's no point!

I feel so much better and as a family we are eating so well, everything is jam packed with veggies so we're all benefitting. I think this is us now as I don't want to go back to eating crap and lounging around doing naff all.

Hippo that's amazing! Congratulations!

I think a treat at the weekend is fine and it is probably a good thing to learn to be able to incorporate that without the whole diet going to pot, as that is normal life and we need to be able to maintain at the end of the diet period.

Hippo inspiring post, not just the AMAZING weight loss but also you are enjoying life and the whole family is benefitting. Well done!

I’m finally on a day off, had to work extra this week due to insane work schedule.

Had a meal out with a friend on Wednesday evening at a Smokehouse restaurant - had 50%off food code, and I could easily pick things from the menu. (Veggies - look away now). Had lambs heart starter and lamb shoulder for main, was so tasty and filling that couldn’t even attempt the cheeseboard for afters! And all for £13 including service.

The scales have gone down a little bit but need to get through the weekend and hope I don’t go too off piste. I have a night out with my sisters and they can really drink, so I need to work out a plan around that. Avoiding rounds, getting a few gin and slims, and just plain water in between should keep me from feeling as rough as last Sunday, and avoid any weight gain.

I also had a few vivid dreams last night that I accidentally started eating a donut, and other carbs - felt awful about it until I realised I hadn’t actually done that . I did accidentally put a slither of banana in my mouth yesterday, but I think I’ll live.

Yesterday’s food:
B: whole avocado, few nuts, decaf coffee with cream
L: celeriac soup with some cheddar
S: two boiled eggs, stuffed peppers
D: salmon with chorizo, olives and basil with cauliflower rice and stir fried cauli greens

I have some real cravings for sweet things today so may have to resort to either a square of dark choc or a bowl of cream with vanilla stevia later.

Now off for a long walk to see if I can get a haircut, do 10k steps, and close a bank account. Oh, and avoid getting in the cleaner’s way. WIsh me luck!

I think I need another name change

I've been using my Fitbit so aiming for at least 10k steps a day, upping to 15/20k. I've also been tracking what I eat, it's not perfect as I make most things from scratch and chuck it in the slow cooker before I go to work. Logging food also give me something to do rather than snacking.

I feel brilliant, house is cleaner, my skin and hair is the best it's ever been and this is definitely a life style for us now.

Thanks OP and MN

Well done on your weight loss Hippo

Today;
Banana
Chicken soup, slice of bread
Carrot sticks
Dinner tonight is going to be pork fillet with brandy, cream and peppercorn sauce. Carrot and suede mash, peas and broccoli.
I will have a smoothie ice lolly tonight as I don’t feel satisfied if I don’t get something sweet after dinner

I really want to go for a run, it’s only a couple of weeks before my 6 week post natal check and I do feel fine. I am a good runner, I even ran the London marathon last year so I don’t think it would be a major shock to my body.

Hippo - well done, that is a lot of weight to wave goodbye to.

Have a good week-end everyone.

Hope you’ve all had a good weekend so far!

Today;
Special k with full fat milk
Chicken salad sandwich & a banana
Special k bar
Chicken & veg spicy rice
Smoothie ice lolly

I decided against going running in the end but I have been on the exercise bike for a few miles 😇

Sage your post made me laugh! Hope you have fully recovered from your epic run - I have visions of you running lost through some woods in the dark

Had another night out yesterday, this was bigger than weekend before but mostly gin and slims (plus two proseccos and a drop of white wine). I was out with my sisters so knew it would be epic, it’s literally years since we’ve been out together. Danced a bit and didn’t cheat food wise. Expecting no weight loss this week as a result but let’s see what the scales say tomorrow.

Really good news is I have gone down to a small in Spanx pants!
Bad news is my stomach is such a state I couldn’t face going out without my Spanx on and I left my pair at home. Cue a £33 emergency shop for a new pair but I did look banging .

Hi five and Pink hope you’re both having lovely weekends. Sounds like you’re really doing well with the diet pink and well done on the exercise bike work too.

And @HattietheManatee I have an image of you out, dancing, wearing only Spanx... you said you looked banging in them. You did wear something over them to protect your modesty, young lady, didn't you?

I've bloody gained a couple of pounds but I think it's water retention- this ALWAYS happens the week I start up any serious running again. I did 5k yesterday and walked briskly for 80 minutes to and from work on Friday. And we caved and had a takeaway on Friday. I was tired and hungry and I bloody enjoyed it!

Tomorrow is a new day!

Weigh-in day (week 3):

Lost this week: 2 lb
Lost to date: 5 lb
Still to lose: 24 lb

I'm happy with that. My weight has fluctuated over the last few days (I always weigh first thing) and like Sage I think the amount of water retained has been the biggest factor. All we can do is keep to our plan and take the long term view.

Have a good week everyone.

@Pavonia that is such great progress- you're almost at the half pound mark. And you're right: it's the bigger picture that we need to focus on. I had way more to lose than you are wanting to lose when I embarked on this three years ago and I've kept all 3 stone off! Most of that weight was lost in a plodding sort of way but it does stay off this way as your metabolism adjusts.

That said, the first week I worked with my PT, I lost 8lb but that was because I drastically reduced my calories.

Anyway. Now that I've re-established my running schedule and am almost properly recovered from that bug (I'm still feeling really tired),I need to knuckle down and focus more on this.

Hope everyone else is okay?