1.5st off by September. Who is with me?

[Mondkind]

So the time has come when facing the scales means that I have given in to no longer fitting into my clothes, work or otherwise.

I'm about 2st over my ideal weight and, being a little height challenged, it shows. I now have the choice between losing weight or buying a whole new wardrobe full of clothes and I really cannot afford the latter.

My principle relies on eating less and moving more. I don't want to calorie count (bad obsession in the past), but just be more mindful. And post food plans and food swaps here.

Today I have replaced 30% of the potato for mash with carrots. Not amazing, but I'm officially starting tomorrow anyway.

I have a wedding on the 22nd September. I have a gorgeous dress. I need to be at least 14lb lighter for this dress to look ok.

I'm 2 stone over an 'ok, acceptable' weight which puts me at a size 12/14 and one which I feel happy and comfortable at.

I can't keep getting any bigger. I just can't.

Let's do this 👊🏻

I am aiming for that too. I am currently eating a chicken kebab so not sure if I will be successful.

I'm following a 6 week plan starting tomorrow (run by a local personal trainer) which is pretty low carb and very veg heavy. I have 3.5 stone to lose and would like to lose 2.5 of that by my 40th birthday at the end of Oct.

So I'm in! :)

I’m in. Lowish carb, massively cutting down on treats and alcohol & working out with weights 3 + times a week.
1.5 st would take me down to my perfect weight.

Right, I've been threatening to do this for ages, so I'm in. I've started back to the gym and plodding running and I'm eating less crap and I'd love meal ideas if anyone wants to swap?

But it's my birthday tomorrow, so can I start on Tuesday??

Just been reading about the Ketogenic diet from another thread, it’s pretty much low carb but I noticed that it recommends only eating veg grown above ground as their carb count is lower, carrots(although not as bad as potatoes) are still quite carby.

Im in, although I don’t have scales I would like to drop a dress size at least, going to try and do at least one exercise dvd a day, cardio or yoga

I’m in too. I did great at the beginning of the year and lost 3 stone but a holiday and taking my eye off the ball has let a stone of that creep back on so focus! I’m visiting family in October and want to lose at least a stone and a half for then.

Brilliant to see so many of us united and determined to fight the flab.

I have a long day ahead of me with a minimum of 13 hours away from home, which makes cooking more difficult. So my slow cooker will get some use in making a Hungarian beef stew with lots of peppers and only a few carbs.

The aim is to get into new habits slowly: no alcohol during the week (it's crept up far too much again), fewer sugary drinks, no snacks - I'm a teacher and at this time of year I am only managing to hold on because of sugar. I won't go cold turkey, but reduce significantly and kick my energy drink habit completely when the holidays start.

Hooli, it's a perticular dress I don't fit into anymore, which has had me start all this, too. Have you got a photo of yourself in the dress to remind you of the aim? It's something I've made my wallpaper on my computer.

GrainneWail, happy birthday! Any step in the right direction is great, no matter when you start. The beginning is always the hardest. My birthday is coming up soon, but it's a work day, so not a chance I'll be able to indulge too much.

I'm going on holiday Sept 7th.

I'm 2 stone over weight and feel vile, but I'm so clueless about healthy eating it's a joke.

I need to up my exercise as well but also hard in an office with a 90 minute drive each way!

Oh god, me. I have an event at the beginning of September that I need at least a stone / 1.5 off for. I'm not overweight but I've packed it on recently.

I'm going on an all inclusive holiday next week though. I'm stressing already. Food I should be ok with, but I don't want to be the boring one not drinking. I only really drink on holiday and I like to let my hair down.

What do I want more? Drink or slim down? I just don't know.

Ok day here and managed a gym visit. There was chocolate but no alcohol. About 100 calories over my daily limit.

I've started tracking my food too so I can't hide from the sneaky calories!

Just jumping in here if that's ok, as I'm going on holiday in early September. I lost about 1.5 stone loosely following slimming world last year, but I've another stone to go if I'm honest with myself. I'm now I'm using My Fitness Pal to actually track what I'm eating and trying to lose that habit of grazing.

I'm a comfortable size 14 / sometimes 12, but I weigh too much for a short person and it's just not healthy.

I would love to join you too. I am at 12 stone at the moment and would love to lose about a stone and a quarter. Any clothes I have with buttons are about to pop!! And I refuse to get bigger ones. Want to feel good and healthy. All this good weather has been a disaster for me on the ice cream 🍦 front - been having a large 99 every single day!!!! Who am I kidding!!!! New regime - Going cold turkey now 😂😂

Thanks Mondkind . I have not been very disciplined today, for breakfast I ate some of the luscious chocolates my mum bought me . But I only had a tiny bit of my birthday cake and dh and I just went out for dinner and I had fish instead of pasta and I had just one glass of wine. I got in my 10k steps which was a bonus.

I'll start properly tomorrow and will be joining whoever is on MFP and I'm planning either a swim or a trip to the gym.

Welcome, EthiopianFlower and CurbsideProphet

It's the small changes, which will make a big difference long-term. I have lost 4st in the past through counting calories and exercising, but it's more difficult and less realistic now that I'm about a decade older, have a busy work and family life and have put 3 of those stone back on through marriage and the birth of my last child.

I remember that after some time my tastes had completely changed and I started to dislike fatty and sugary food and actually enjoy eating lots of veggies and fruit.

Not a bad start yesterday - no alcohol, only 1 Celebrations chocolate and no snacks otherwise.

I ate 1 ham and lettuce sandwich (no mayo), 1 pear, and had a bowl of chunky beef stew in the evening. Felt full, even though it doesn't sound like much, but I was far too busy an hot to think about food much.

I also had 3 energy drinks , which is where my sugary weakness lies.

Plan for today is same sandwich, baked mozarella meatballs in lots of tomato and blended veg sauce with a cup of pasta, cut down to 2 energy drinks. No strength or will yet to exercise; that will come again once the term is finally over and the initial weight loss has hopefully given me some motivation.

I'm struggling to get to the gym with it being so warm out. I work from home a lot and don't have air con in my car, so I can't bring myself to leave the house and get in my boiling hot car

Can I join? Have 3-4 stone to lose but would love to lose first stone by wedding anniversary in September as I then would be overweight rather than obese. Planning to cut out snacks and be more aware of what i’m eating. Need to start some proper exercise as well but it’s too hot at the moment

I'll join! Already lost 2stone (over 4 years... Zzzz) I need a huge kick up the butt to lose the remaining 2 stone. I'm going on holiday on the 3rd Sept & I would feel so much more comfortable with some weight off.
I'm doing sort of low carb- I lose a bit on keto but struggle keeping it up for long periods of time.

I'm in. If I lose a stone and a half I'd be a very healthy weight. A stone would be fine.

I eat too many carbs and have arthritic feet! Which limit exercise.

I am joining a gym this week so I can go with dh. I want to do weights, cardio on the bike and I'd love to start swimming but I am too embarrassed to wear a swimming costume atm

MFP is going to be my new bff. It’s the only way for me to keep me from veering off my goal. So far my appetite is in check. Have friends with their kids coming over for the next two days - will be eating different stuff to them which is a bit cringey but I am so determined this time. Have started and failed so many times - I really want to succeed this time.

I'm in too. I was browsing the weight loss chat forum wondering which thread to join and then realised this one was perfect. I definitely need some accountability. 1 1/2 stones would get me right back to where I want to be (and at a weight I haven't seen since having the dc )

I'm finding it really hard to motivate myself, but I know I need to. For years i never had any weight issues and never realised how easy I had it! I used to eat a fair bit of sweet stuff, but stayed slim. Having had two dc I've never regained my pre-pregnancy weight and if anything, I'm putting it on still. I know I really need to do something. I don't feel like me anymore. I desperately want to get back to the weight I used to be. But then I see food and forget all about it. I need someone to give me a big kick!

@Scrufhead that's when I go on hols too

I'm finding My Fitness Pal really helpful, as it shows me that I need to hold myself accountable for random stuff that I eat through boredom / tiredness / habit. I'm only cheating myself if I don't use it properly!

Well MFP has been an eye opener. I ate ok today but certainly not within the category of weight loss. No wonder I'm not losing!

So as depressing as it sounds, and despite trying LCHF, Slimming World, Atkins, Cambridge etc... it seems the only way I can do this is boring old calorie counting.

This first stone will come off slowly but I just have to keep going. I need to remember it's less about vanity at this stage in my life, and more about my health!

Out of interest - what is everyone's weakness???

I realised that I was snacking as either a reward or to cheer myself up. It's a long standing habit, but I've started to get a handle on it.