Half a stone off in August - we can do it!

[beforeihit30]

Following on from the ‘half a stone off in July’ thread - everyone welcome - we're hoping to lose 7lb in August (but any loss is a win!).

Any and all diets, approaches etc welcome, a place to check in, keep focused and encouraged.

Yesterday was pretty good.
Weetabix and apple for breakfast
Chicken salad yogurt banana and cheeky kit Kat for lunch
45 min circuits in the evening then small portion of cottage pie and loads of broccoli for dinner.
My weigh day is Tuesday so will report any losses then. Out for dinner tonight so going to have a look at menu to try to find a healthy choice. Lunch is chicken salad (already prepped), will try to avoid the kitkats!

So a mixed first day for me, no breakfast as I don't need it.

Chicken and salad for lunch. Did a pilates class.

Drank only water and black coffee.

But then I met a friend at the pub, drank far too much wine for a school night and had steak and chips.

I am actually still under my calorie goal for the day so not too bad but over my carbs target.

So weighed in this morning 85.9kg which is a tiny loss so that is pretty good considering.

Feeling tired and bloated now though.

onemouseplace Sorry I don't understand how you can be under your calories for today but over for the planned week. Can you explain your diet to me (if you have the time)? Just been nosey!
beforeihit30 I hope you feel better soon. I struggle with keeping on track when I'm poorly, just want to comfort eat so I think you're doing amazing.
JulianOfNorwich Yeah I totally agree with you, my calories were too low yesterday. I'm trying to avoid most dairy (just having probiotic stuff), so no cheese. But I could have found something, even some nuts and half an avocado would have helped.

Done 20mins of exercise this morning. Planned my meals and put it into MFP, even with an afternoon snack it's low on calories so planning on nuts etc to boost my intake.

Question for those that don't mind, I'm meeting some friends at Costa on Saturday for lunch. Any suggestions for food that might be okay there? iirc it's all quite carby and not very filling. Normally I have a panini/toasty thing, a latte/water and a muffin/cake. I'd hate to miss the meetup and would feel awkward just having a bottle of water while they all eat.

Morning Chums!

Yesterday was a mixed bag for me. Ate too much food but did a 20 minute workout video on YouTube. My toddler was most amused at mummy and joined in, which made it more fun.

Sorry, I don't have a recommendation for Costa apart from the lightest calorie sandwich that they have. Eating out is a challenge isn't it? I've been swapping my drinks order to sparkling water with lemon or lime where ever possible to at least make a calorie saving there even if I don't make the healthiest choice with the food.

Was travelling yesterday and had made sandwiches for Ds & I. No time to buy snacks at airport (a good thing) and didn't shop yesterday so dinner was picking not much but not healthy. (Half a bag of crisps, some saucisson.)
Have however lost 2lbs - some of the holiday overindulgence.

So this morning scrambled eggs with.onion, Tomato & prosciutto. Only sparkling water to drink. I am trying to cut out hidden sugars like fruit juice and fat i have a weakness for cheese. Also.if I.cut out bread, I can make some better complex serv choices.
However, now I am still hungry 15mins after scrambled eggs so going to have done cereal to.take the edge off...

Am I too late to join in?

I'm a teacher and historically the school holidays have not been kind!

I'm calorie counting on mfp

Peach... Most of us oldies on the thread don't believe in eating up to your calories allowance.
If your not hungry don't eat.
You said you were not hungry so why on earth go and eat more food that your body clearly didn't need or want.
Calorie intake and requirements vary from individual to individual and on a daily basis.
And even calculating apps like mfp cannot account for all individual metabolism etc.
Try listening to your body...
I know if I eat more than 1200 calories I gain weight... But mfp says I need 2200...

I eat when I am really hungry... Some days thats a lot, come days it pretty much nothing.

I lost four and half stone listening to my body instead of diet gurus and online apps.

Peach why on earth would you eat more to get extra calories if you aren't hungry and are trying to lose weight? That is just crazy!

I aim to always be below what MFP says in case anything is miscalculated and so I can lose weight faster. No way would I eat extra calories unless I really wanted to eat something - that's how you get fat!!

Good morning

Ok so far today

Managed a quick swim before work, then porridge and banana for breakfast. I have a slice of goats cheese tart and salad for lunch but I might have some rice with it because my belly is rumbling already and it'll be a looking time until dinner (pulled pork, rolls, more salad).

I will have an orange and a diet coke to tide me over in a minute.

Joining too, although I'm hoping to lose a bit more (10lbs). I'll be happy with 7 though. I opened my own thread but feeling alone there :) so here I am. I'm doing LCHF and intermittent fasting 16:8 (which essentuilly means my breakfasts are black coffee only). I'm quite motivated but the scales are showing a bit of a plateau at the moment.

Breakfast today: iced black coffee
Lunch: salad from pret a manger: spinach, avocado, mozzarella, tomatoes, courgettes, roasted peppers.There was probably some sugar in the dressing but that's that.
Dinner: smoked mackerel with (hopefully) sauteed courgettes. I will have some dry prosecco today as I promised a colleague I will go for one drink with her.

I discovered that on LCHF can't drink more than 1 max 2 glasses - it makes me really tipsy! Good news for my purse too ;)

theredjellybean and Lexiloo I thought eating too little was bad for health, and long-term weight loss (starvation mode or something...) might be outdated. But yeah I see your point. MFP's aim is 1200, but comes up with warnings for less than 1000. I'll play it by ear.

DP has just text to ask if I fancy going out on Saturday evening for tea, or him making something (which often means burnt pizza and ordering a takeaway...) as we've not had much time together this week. Don't want a full day (or weekend) of bad eating, but feel bad saying no. Hoping for nice weather and a walk maybe instead???

I've found some 'back fat' exercises to do, really hoping I can get rid of the rolls there as they are the thing I'm most self-conscious about. Being careful I don't over do it though and flare up my skeletal/muscular problems. I need to get back into swimming. That might help. Might also get DP to measure me around that bit and see if I can shrink it this month.

Hurrah.. I am down to 155.4lbs today.
Had really good two days and broke my run fast (lazy can't be bothered spell). Did nice gentle 5km.. Felt good and now considering eating something.. Had coffee and water only so far today

I'll join! I joined another but doesn't seem to be any chat on there. So I'm trying to do low carb but not doing too well as I keep picking at my infants left overs! I am managing to walk a few km a day so hopefully that will help. Not sure what my starting weight is as I need to buy some scales! Last time I checked was 8 months post partum and I was 210lb 🤦🏼‍♀️ I put on 4 stone when I was pregnant. I'm sure I've lost some since then though.

So this mornings walk 5k, yesterday, 3k and Tuesday 10k.

I weighed myself on Sunday and am 10st 2lb.

Did ok yesterday. Had about 1,680 calories (which included half an almond tart dh bought from the bakery and a handful of chips with my low fat sausage sandwich at lunchtime. Made it up with my grilled turkey steak and veg at teatime.

So far today I've had a couple of Staffordshire oatcakes ans passata for breakfast and a low fat sausage on a small bap with a spoonful of baked beans for lunch.

@Peach starvation mode is a myth, or at least a gross exaggeration.

There is no reason to avoid going below 1000 cal if you aren't hungry and are overweight.

Dr Michael Moseley did a TV programme for the BBC which used an 800 calorie a day diet (the book is called the blood sugar diet). It had huge benefits for all those who took part. Well worth reading the book.

There is an article on diet doctor about starvation mode which explains why it isn't a problem while intermittent fasting or reducing what you eat due to lack of appetite while LCHF.

Well a good couple of days, but about to blow it tonight with a birthday celebration. But I knew I'd have some nights off - it's just making sure those are just the odd night, rather than giving up for the week which is my usual attitude.

I will second what lexi said... Starvation mode is a myth.
If you are not hungry... Don't eat.. If you arw hungry make sensible choices eat high quality protein and lots of veg.
Don't deny anything... But only eat high calories, high sugar foods occasionally in very small amounts.
Eat less calories than u use and you lose weight.
It honestly is as simple as that, as the lovely Dr moseley has shown

Lexiloo thank you for that information. DP and I have been discussing that while I made tea. His recons that as long as I'm eating enough protein, vitamins and minerals that I should be perfectly fine and just lose weight faster.
I just googled Dr Micheal Mosely and found some interesting things, especially his idea of skinny on the outside, fat on the inside - exactly what I worry about with my DP, he's like a beanpole but his diet is rubbish. I will have a look for his book on amazon.

Healthy tea, no junk again today (unless you could gin). DP is having some friends around tomorrow and offer to get me a takeaway, I'm adamant I'm not having any, just hoping my self-control stays and I can resist. Might make myself some salmon and steamed veg.

Well done peach... I managed to resists dd2 and dsd2 craving for KFC and we had a go at making our own.. It was fab and not too calorific and girls said better than KFC.. High praise from two 17yr olds.
I dunked skin off chicken breast pieces in milk then into flour and spice mix. Then shallow fried in one tablespoon of olive oil.
So I had a third of a tbl of oil.
We added salad and put in wrap.. Girls ate two, I managed one.
I don't know how many calories Cus a had tbls of sour cream and teasp of bbq sauce in mine.
But I'd reckon 500 calories.
It was blooming delish

Well done for making great choices @theredjellybean and @peach6789. I had a run in with some French sweets today 😶 healthy tuna noodle salad for dinner though. Tomorrow is another day!

Some nice sounding food about

Wasn’t hungry this morning so had a decaf latte. Lunch was my usual assortment of 4 Ryvita, some cheddar, some mayo, some chicken. I’m starting to fill up quicker with this so left some of the cheddar and mayo as I was full. Dinner was roasted aubergine and cauliflower with a chicken thigh and plenty of olive oil.

Losing much quicker this time, only a few days in - I think I might have gathered momentum in the LCHF stakes! Not sure how long it will last but pleased with progress. Now 155.8 (was 157.2 on Tuesday!).

I’ve never experienced this in many years of slowly trying to lose weight so it makes a nice change

Yesterday I had granola and my homemade Greek yoghurt for breakfast. Then at lunch time at work there was a lovely spread because our matron was leaving, but I chose some mange tout, pepper, cucumber, carrot, tomatoes, and a few root vegetable crisps, with a small dollop of hummus and sour cream and chive, followed by a few strawberries. I did cave and have an almond slice mid afternoon. Dinner was a salad with a small pork pie, but I wasn't feeling well due to having worked in a hot office all day (migraine) so I only had half a pork pie.

Today's weigh in is my lowest yet at 61.5kg or 9st 9.6lb

Good morning. This is my weigh day and a wee 1.5lbs off - happy with that as 5.5 in two weeks

Have a good weekend all - no more fasting until Monday for me! I'm out for dinner and drinks on Saturday will try not to go too wild (calorie wise) we'll see!

I am 154.8 today... Amazing.. Got to not bounce back up though... I tend to sabotage things at the weekend but this one I am determined not too.

Well done all!

I learned the real impact of carbs (on me) yesterday (that sounds far more serious than it is meant to!). Yesterday I wanted a decaf coffee at work so I bought a latte - knew it would be higher carbs but a one off so not too worried, and no problem calorie wise. I then craved another later in the day, ended up have a second latte haven’t had any cravings at all since I went LCHF. THEN, this morning I woke up was noticeably more bloated and felt hungrier in the morning than I usually do.

All for latte!

I bought that as I was buying at work where there are limited options, and I wanted some milk, but in future I’ll just stick to a white americano or similar. Really surprised by the impact! Weight is the same, but useful for me to see the difference in what I eat and not just how many calories. For whatever reason my body responds well to LCHF.

Also tried on a dress of mine that had been too tight and fits nicely now, yay!