2018 - Thread 2 of Help Me Mumsnet I have 4 stone to lose and 10k debt to pay off

[ChickenVindaloo2]

Hi everyone,

It's the day after the day after Boxing Day, Thursday 28 December 2017!

Just over a year ago, on Boxing Day 2016, I was 14 stone exactly (My highest weight ever was 14st 5, I'm 5 foot 2 ish). So I needed to lose 4 stone just to get to a healthy weight. After a false start, I lost 3 stone, getting down to a low of 11 stone exactly through stopping binge-eating. I also went to (private) CBT therapy and started going to the gym. I had popped back up to 11st3-4 in the run up to Christmas, mainly as a result of complacency and dropping the gym visits due to the dark evenings.Having eaten more than usual and some salty foods over Christmas itself, as of this morning, I'm 11st 5. I need to lose at least 2 stone really to be a healthy weight and perhaps 2.5-3 to achieve peak gorgeousness!

(I also had £10k worth of debt, mainly on credit cards. I re-mortgaged and I now have £5k on a 0% credit card for 2 years. I've worked out I need to pay it off at £200/month)

In terms of weight loss, the general rules are to err on the side of low carb, unprocessed food. I need to get in more salad/veg and restart the gym sessions. I also need to watch portion sizes and ditch the snacks, treats and extras.

Rowgtcfc has been an amazing help throughout and I hope she will join me on this shiny new thread! Would also be delighted to see new comrades of any size, shape or "diet" plans!

I've attached a pic of me at my heaviest plus one at the end of last year.

Thread 1: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/2811974-Help-me-MN-I-have-4-stone-to-lose-and-10k-debt-to-pay-off?pg=1

Some of my best tips which I hope help!

• every day is every thing. it's what you do every day over the course of a year which makes a difference. In a year, what will you wish you did today?
• it's ok to just not eat crisps/chocolate/sweets/cakes/biscuits, easier, even, than trying to moderate
• eggs for breakfast
• salad and veg are your friends
• low sugar but good fats is anti-ageing too!
• You need less food than you think. You won't die from hunger.
• The secret is: there is no secret. Most slim folk have to prioritise it and work at it.
• Practice being slim. Act like you're slim.
• Do what suits you, find your own path. Eg don't assume breakfast is vital for you.

Aww, thank you Coffee. Hopefully you'll catch up on some sleep soon! I haven't had a very good evening...actually the problem is I have! I think I've eaten an extra 1000-1500 calories. I just wanted to eat, and eat I did! All sweet things. Lol I figure it can't be that bad as it takes 3500 calories to put on a pound and I didn't eat that much. Mind you, I have cake to eat on Saturday too. (MY brothers birthday cake. It would be rude not too. ), then of course Easter Chocolate on Sunday...I just need to be good for 12 more days (That's weigh in day.). Bah, I figure I've done well enough this month. I can hold it together (Hopefully! lol)
Haven't really got any plans for Easter. Have my nieces coming round. We've got them a couple of Eggs each and they wanted 'Glam Goo,' (I think it's a new range of slime and accessories.) so they've got one of those each. No roast dinner. (But we have decided our treat after weigh in day will be chips from the chippy. Chip butties, yay! ). How about you Coffee, any plans? Are you going to have any Easter eggs? Is it wrong I'm hoping Hotel Chocolate will sell all their Easter chocolate off cheaply after Monday?!

Awww Kitty, try not to worry too much about it. Of course there will be days when you have blips. Overall you've made some amazing changes and have been really good most days. That's what matters, and that's what will push the scale down in the long run (even if there is a little bit of fluctuation here and there). Definitely have some birthday cake and enjoy Easter weekend, just make sure you get back on it once the weekend is over (easier said than done when you have time off to enjoy yourself!!!).

Just googled 'Glam Goo'. Omg. It's just the kind of horrendous tacky thing I would have LOVED as a child . I hope they like it! I'm hoping the weather stays nice so we can take DS to one of these adventure farms things (where they have animals you can feed, playgrounds to play in and vast areas of land for a toddler to burn off lots of energy!). I'd also like to get out and do a walk, just to get some fresh air and exercise. Part of me wants to try running again, but I think it's too early and I'll do myself an injury...

As for HC, you may be in luck! After Christmas I got a number of boxes of chocolates heavily reduced. From memory it was a few weeks after Christmas, maybe mid Jan, so keep an eye open for a few weeks.

Gah! I was writing a reply and hit close instead of a new tab! Doh!
Anyway, hi Coffee. The lure of chocolate has been calling me again today, but I have been good. I've had two sweet things but have included them in my calorie allowance.
I'll have to Google Glam Goo myself. I , very helpfully, had the item they wanted bookmarked for me, lol. : www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/creativity-music-and-partyware/slime/glam-goo-deluxe-pack/p/164727?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-J62ltWH2gIV1cYbCh3B0wLVEAkYByABEgLMn_D_BwE
I don't know what else is in the range (Sorry for the long link, don't know how to do short ones.)
Oh, I hope you managed to get to the adventure farm. Sounds like fun. Hope you managed to get your walk in. As for running a lot of people talk about couch to 25K. I've not looked into it myself yet so don't know what it's like?
Thanks for the Hotel Chocolate tip, I'll keep my eye out!
Hope you've had a good day, and hope you managed a bit more sleep too.

Sorry, manage, instead of Managed*. Getting my tenses mixed up there.

Don't know where all that bold came from either! lol

I love this thread. You are all so lovely. Posting on my phone, so it's hard to reply properly to posters, but thanks for your good wishes! I lost a pound this week, which is not bad, cos I am getting quite close to my "fighting weight".

At the gym, I'm just doing cardio, so a mix of a seated quite low bike and a cross trainer. I watch bbc dramas on my phone and just pedal away, keeping my heart rate in the fat-burning zone.

Kitty - I've heard great things about C25K. I can't wait to get out and start running again (when I say "running" it really will be slowly jogging 1k to start off with, then building up from that!). I need to work on my core first, as I when I started running 4 months after DS it was incredibly painful and I don't think I'd fully healed from the first c section. I was much fitter in my second pregnancy (I ran 10 miles at 16 weeks pregnant, albeit very slowly) and this c section wasn't quite as brutal, so I'm hoping I won't have the same problems this time round.

Doasyouwouldbe - That's why I love this thread! Everyone is so nice and supportive. I'm not very good with the tough love "you shouldn't have done that" or "you shouldn't be hungry if you've eaten a whole 500 calories today. That's too many calories" type threads. Bore off!

Sounds like the cardio is working for you! I'm always interested in what people do and what works best for them.

Hello everyone. Not been on in a while & been a sleep deprived zombie so completely forgot to weigh in until today, but I was 12st 8lbs yippee! I think I may have been too tired to eat if that's even possible!

Glad to see everyone is well, & I hope Easter chocolate doesn't throw too much of a spanner in the weight loss works! Xx

Hi All, hope everyone is doing OK. Had a bit of a blip recently as my best friend has been staying and she's quite overweight and enjoys cooking so I didn't want to offend her by not eating the (massive) meals she made for us. I did keep off the sugar but probably ate three times the amount I'd normally eat as I had seconds at every meal so as not to hurt her feelings. Anyway I've upped the exercise a lot this week to counteract the damage and will weigh again next week when I feel it's safe to do so as if I see a bigger number on the scales I feel like throwing the towel in! I have done some research and it seems like HIIT is the way to go exercise wise so trying to do that a few times a week. I will keep you posted as to whether it works........I won't be having any chocolate at Easter as I have to apply the no sugar rule 100% as if I slip once then I'm done for - sugar is crack cocaine to me. Got a few meals out with friends planned the next few days but will go starter and main or main and cheese. And sorry I can't remember who said it higher up as I had a lot of catching up to do but I agree there is a definite correlation between being sleep deprived and over eating. I am a bad sleeper and really crave junk when I'm knackered and then it seems doubly unfair that I feel awful and then eat more and then feel worse.

Morning all

I have my fitbit! It's fascinating! I spent ten mins yesterday holding my breath to make my heart rate drop (yes, big kid). Anyway I got it to track calories and abandoned it after 2500,drank zero water and as I expected very few steps. This morning it refuses to sync which is perhaps a good thing.
However, it's proving great for my conscience and lack of self control. It's digging in my wrist and making me think at least.

Well done to all that have lost pounds,hope to join you next week.

Chicken,how's that britney costume coming on?

Happy easter to you all

Congrats on the pound DoAsYouWouldBeMumBy. Well done on the gym work, you have way more dedication than me!
Hi Coffee. Maybe ease yourself in with walking instead for a while? You don't want to risk an injury. How goes the adventure farm? Hope you are having fun anyway!
Hi Womble, I will be chowing down merrily on Chocolate tomorrow and I don't care! (See bellow for explanation.) Hope you manage to get some sleep!
Hi MrPeevly, how are you? Those meals sound nice. I find food always tastes better when someone else cooks it.
Hi Row, I hope your Fitbit is working now. Have you looked at your sleep stats yet? I always found them fascinating. I like the little trophies that you earn (That is Fitbit right? I haven't logged on in ages. .) It did encourage me to move and do my steps when I used it. Hopefully yours will come in useful too.
Ok, here's why I am annoyed and wanting to pig out on chocolate. My mum is weighing herself a week early so whilst I got out the scales for her I thought I'd cheekily pop on. I have been sticking to 1200 calories a day (Bar the other days blip.) and I've only lost about 2-3 pounds!!! Really gutted with that. Don't know what I need to do now. I thought maybe up the calories to 1400 a day? (I know that sounds counter-intuitive but thought maybe my body had gone into starvation mode?) I suppose it's still a loss though and I shouldn't undo my hard work so far. (Will definitely be eater my Easter chocolate and birthday cake tomorrow though!). I have lost an inch each of my waist and hips but have put on an inch on the bust!
Anyway, I hope you all have a lovely Easter Sunday and enjoy whatever treats, or non treats, you are having!

*Eating, not eater.

Just tried again and now it says 4lb. ??? I'll stick with the 4.

Sorry...I'm back... !!!
I got my mum to double check and she thinks I've lost 5lbs. I've probably put that all back on though as I have been scoffing down my Easter chocolate!

I find whatever I do diet and exercise wise doesn't kick in for about a week and a half. Might be just me.
God,I'd take 5lb! Well done!
I've proper pigged out and weight watchers lady lost 2lb. I'm still.half a kilo lighter. I now need to up my game before last week catches up with me.
Enjoy your chocolate. We've just done an easter Egg hunt and I have a jaffa cake easter egg

Hey Row - did you weigh in this am?

Kitty - high five for the clean bill of health! I know when I've put on weight because I feel it in my face, boobs and tum. Sometimes it's just water retention though. And soon as I lose it, my face looks thinner. Like, within days. I drink shitloads of pepsi max. It's my only remaining vice though! Indeed I am going to see Britney in Scarborough (with meet & greet) and then again in Glasgow, this August! I have pics of her on my fridge...

DoAsYouWouldBeMumBy - great news on the gym and olive oil! I myself don't drink at all anymore. Hope you can keep up the good work and lay off the sweets!

Coffee - well done on getting out of the "teens" weight wise. You're headed in the right direction! Fab job, I'm sure if I had just had a baby I'd still be completely spherical and lying on the couch! Keep thinking ahead to what we will be posting this year on Boxing Day! Plenty of time to make those changes, and make them for permanent.

Sheldon how are you feeling now? Hopefully less sore and not sitting under a pile of chocolate buttons!!

Womble - fab work!

Mr Peevely I agree with you - sugar is really addictive. I'm unable to moderate but then I don't like feeling deprived either! Waaahhh!!

Row congrats on the fitbit! It took me a while to get going with mine. It's certainly eye-opening just how little I move some days...

Kitty I need to weigh at exactly the same time every day (ie 8am, after a big shit pee, stark naked) any other weighings eg after I've eaten/very early in the am/with clothes on I don't find to be accurate.

Well i've done a big chilli so I have that in the fridge for dinners for the next few nights. I'm also making an effort to make naice salads (with olives, dressing, nuts etc) not just a shitty bit of lettuce. Even made some quinoa. Got to make more of an effort with food prep tho - just grabbing a sandwich cos I cba packing something decent is not good enought!

Just under 20 weeks to go until Britney! Will weight tomorrow and take it from there. (No more bread, crisps or "crappy" chocolate, real stuff only, in small doses)

Hi Chicken, Very jealous of your meet and great with Britney! I bet you'll have a fab time! I really do admire her dancing. I'd love to be able to dance like that. (I've tried belly, and line dancing in the past. I just have no natural rhythm! I get the steps but don't feel them iyswim? )

I agree with the weighing. I usually make sure I have a good poo first too! lol I normally weigh first thing in the morning (After a wee.) and before I eat anything.

Took my measurements again today and have actually lost an inch from the bust (!Don't know where that inch went overnight but I'll take the loss!!!) 1.4 inches from the hips and 3.4 inches from my waist. I'm very please with that waist measurement.

My next goal is to loose 11lbs, then I will have lost 3 stone. I'll have to be extra good because I've eaten a shit load of chocolate this weekend! lol I think it'll take me 2-3 months to do. Have dug my exercise bike out though so will see if that will make any difference.

Your salads sound nice. I've heard of quinoa but don't actually know what it is. Does it taste nice?

Good luck with tomorrows weigh in! Hope you get a good reading.

Hope everyone else is having a great Easter too?

Just read up on peoples updates, this thread is a good motivator and reminder. I've been quiet because I have majorly fallen off the wagon, been having chocolate for breakfast and skipping exercise altogether and you guessed it I feel a lot worse for it and have been too afraid to weigh myself! I am going to tomorrow and I'm going to write all my feelings down in my journal and start again afresh and weigh again!

Good news that my Dd has finally taken a bottle which means I can now join a gym and have no excuse!!!

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter! Xx

So much to catch up on! I don't know where to start.

Kitty - It may be disappointing, but 3-5lbs in a month is fantastic. It's certainly a step in the right direction. A few weeks ago you were upset and were thinking about quitting for the month. If you had done, you would have probably gained weight...so to pull it back and actually have a loss is fantastic. Besides, if you "just" lose 3-4lbs every month, you'll still lose 2 stone by Christmas .

Chicken - You are so right about thinking where we want to be at the end of the year. All the small changes over the next (almost) 9 months will add up. Well done with the chilli and the naice salads! Britney would definitely approve. Still so upset that you're going twice

Amazing loss Womble, well done!

Sib and MrPeevly, sorry you've had a few blips. Sib - I'm sure things will kick start now that you can go to the gym. MrPeevly - Did you manage to avoid the Easter eggs?

Row - Great that you're getting on well with the FitBit! Hope you enjoyed the JaffaCake Easter Egg!

Very little to report here. I wasn't too bad over Easter, but wasn't completely virtuous. Same old, same old...

Hehe, not to rub it in with those of you who are jealous of my Britney-escapades but I have already met her! In Las Vegas last year! She was like a perfect Britney-doll. She did an imitation of my accent and said she loved it!

I was 11st 7 this morning so have randomly put on a few pounds in the last month or two. I blame the snow tbh. But anyhow, I have eaten well today and have great things planned for these next 20 weeks.

Quinoa is just tasteless to be honest, it's just a healthy thing to bulk out meals with. It's higher in protein than, say, rice. And doesn't bloat you to fuck like pasta.

I really just need to make an effort with these salads and veggies and then there's no room for any crap! And I don't want to ruin my good salad-munching with something naughty!

Hi Sib, welcome back and good luck with the restart! It's a great time now that the snow should hopefully fuck off for good

Hi Coffee - wise advice from you.

Let's keep plugging away girls, there's light at the end of this winter-tunnel. Summer bodies ahoy!!

Have worn my tag. .er..fitbit to work today. It loves me as I've done 11000 steps. I've been stood in the same place for four hours so there's scope for more. Stir fry Yoghurt and an apple for tea.
Can't eat wheat in my old age so something that'll make me feel full but not damage me sounds great. Will look for some quinoa.
Starving but off to bed soon as my fitbit confirms I've surviving on four hours sleep a night,half an hour only of deep sleep.
If I'm asleep I'm not in the fridge

Thanks Coffee, had forgotten about that 'blip.' Thank you for reminding me though - it does help.
I was merrily snacking away yesterday thinking, 'Wow, I can eat loads more with these extra calories.' Got into bed and realised I hadn't counted my tea/dinner calories! I ended up about 2-300 calories over my daily limit! Lol. Never mind, have been back on track today and actually did 17 mins on the exercise bike. Pleased with that.
Hi Sib, we all have our blips! I hope you still get a good reading on the weigh in though.
Thanks for the quinoa explanation Chicken. I've heard of it before but didn't actually know what it is. You've been to Vegas, well jell!
Wow Row, four hours of sleep a night? I'd be falling asleep stood up! Hope you managed to catch up on some. I sometimes go to bed early to avoid eating too, and so the morning will come quicker so that I can eat again!
Good luck ladies!

There is no chocolate left in the UK as I have eaten it all today 😭🐷

Back down to 11st 5 today. #focused