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.

So 3 days into Augusy and im 3lbs down already still a very long way to go though! Took DS and DSS out for breakfast this morning and had a cooked breakfast and even gave them my hash browns. That's dedication!

Last night I was having a look on Diet Doctor (thanks Lexiloo) and some of the recipes look great. Going to see if DP fancies cooking together tomorrow and making something from that site, rather than him cooking alone.

I'm amazed at everyone's weight loss, everyone is doing so well. I'm feeling a little erm... blocked up... at the moment so took some fibre gel last night and again this morning. Making sure I drink plenty. Hopefully, I will see the same drop when things are moving better.

Craving sweets and junk already this morning, surprised I've not had cravings the last two days. Going to try to keep myself busy and make sure I've got my tea ready before DP and his mates get here for their takeaway.

beforeihit30 lattes are my weakness, well just instant coffee made with milk only, no water.
I just can't give them up. Have discovered that lactose free milk has fewer carbs than regular milk - It's enabled me to keep up my milky coffee habit. Found it much easier to give up sweets, chocolate, rice, pasta, bread and potatoes!

I'm really pleased

yesterday I had

2 staffordshire oatcakes with tinned tomatoes. 2 cups of tea with skimmed milk
1 low fat sausage on a bread roll with a spoonful of baked beans. Water to drink
1.5 mini Lidl chocolate piece (the half was becasue I accidentally picked a flavour I didn't like). Cup of tea. Half an almond tart.
M & S breaded chicken steak, 2 potato waffles, mushy peas, 1 finger roll. Water to drink
1 Lidl mini chocolate. 2 cups of tea

Total 1,650 calories

On Sunday I weighed myself and I was 10st 2.8 lb
This morning I was 9st 12.2lb

So altogether since May 29th when I was 10 stone 9lb I have lost 11lb!

Alexander Hamilton... I am so jealous.. If I ate all that I'd be gaining. I am shocked it came to so little calories, I'd have estimated 2000+.
Shows that different approaches suit different people.
Well done on good loss though, that's brilliant

Previously I'd have had a portion of chips with the sausage bap for lunch. And two bread rolls with my evening meal. The almond tart is unusual, dh had been out for the day and brought it back for me but in the past I would be eating a small cake every day.

I need to increase my veg intake but I am adding salad to my sandwiches most days or substituting peas & sweetcorn for my usual baked beans/mushy peas with my evening meal. I've also been limiting breaded products to twice a week. The day before I had plain grilled turkey steak for example.

Isn't it great when small changes add up to a huge weight loss.. You should be really proud

I can pinpoint my weight gain down to 3.5 years ago.

I changed jobs from one where I was doing a lot of walking every week and as I was in charge of 40 odd children I couldn't leave site to a sitting down office job next door to a sandwich shop that sells chips.

That made me smile Alexander, there is a pub opposite my work, and the chip smell is beautiful!

But we'll done on making your good changes. My first battle has been giving up coke.

Those on LCHF - how much fat and dairy do you eat?

I'm feeling like I'm not losing as much weight as I thought I would. On 28th of July I was at 69.9kg, now I'm hovering around 69kg, official weigh in tomorrow morning. I'm also doing intermittent fasting 16:8, skipping breakfast. I'm thinking maybe it's too much fat or dairy (0% fat cottage cheese and yoghurt).

I first started dieting in June but abandoned it. However, I lost 3kg in June/early July.

I'm now super motivated, but it seems like I've hit an early plateau?

Was hoping to lose 2lbs per week, is that too aggressive?

I'm doing low (ish) carb but also not so much high fat, although more than I would eat on 'normal' carb. I'm aiming for about 60g carbs a day, so not keto or really low, trying to get to under 50g but struggling.

I'm not doing much dairy, just kefir and bioactive yoghurt. Both of these are full fat though. The idea is the good bacteria eats the sugars and supports gut health too obviously.

I tend to lose a few lbs or even half a stone then plateau for a week or two before losing more. Can't seem to do anything to stop this, tried cutting out more carbs, stopping all dairy, upping fat, decreasing fat, messing with calories and exercise. So I've been playing the long game and also getting fed up and yoyoing.

2lbs a week can be achievable if you have a lot to lose, if you've only got say a stone to lose it might be difficult.

Thanks @Peach6789

Well my hope was to get to 65 kg by the end of August, then lose another 3-4kg by the end of September. Last week on Sat I was at 69.9kg.

I've always been at 60-62kg after I gave birth (my DD is 10 years old) and last year I gained a lot of weight - up to 73kg, due to a lot of factors... stress, overeating, lack of exercise and probably a mild depression....

I'm not really counting calories or carbs, I think that would be too stressful for me. However, I'm completely off pasta bread rice potatoes and also root veggies at the moment. No cake sugar etc.

I only drink black coffee, tea, and water. Only eating berries, although I have not had any berries for a full week now.

No milk. I do have normal fat yogurt and mozzarella and very rarely cottage cheese. No cream as I don't like it.

So maybe I just need to be patient and stop getting on the scales every day, only weigh on Saturdays....

I've never heard of low carb high fat diet! I'm trying to loose weight for a holiday at the end of month and so far I'm just eating lots of egg salad, soups etc and staying away from carbs then going to the gym as much as possible. I did see lentil pasta in Tesco the other day I don't know what the carb is like but I imagine would be a lot less than normal pasta!

Everything I have ever read says that you should only weigh once a week because of small fluctuations due to water etc.

Hello everyone can I join? I’ve been struggling with my weight for a while now and I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been! Which I’m so disappointed with myself about. So I’ve joined a gym and ready to shift this weight hopefully this thread will help keep me on track😊💪🏻.

Just eating lunch. Had two bacon and tomato oatcakes for breakfast which kept me really full so I'm only just getting hungry. Two rounds of scrambled egg on toast (made with skimmed milk) and a tablespoon of baked beans.

I'm thinking fishcakes, baby new potatoes and salad for tea tonight?

@peaches coconut oil might be good for getting things moving and also keeping you feeling full.

Happy to try to help you get your carbs a bit lower if you want - you will feel more full and have less cravings.

I'm feeling a bit off at the moment, and my appetite is affected, hardly ate half of my dinner yesterday. Have just had a salad and now feel really full and horrid. Might not manage a proper meal this evening. Not sure whether it is adjusting to the diet or something else, I'm a bit stressed so could be that.

I'm having a late lunch too, didn't realise the time. Not sure what I've done this morning, it's just flown by.

Doing 10mins here and there on the treadmill today, joints are playing up a bit and I need to keep moving but not overdoing it.

I forgot to get the salmon out last night so got it out late morning, but hoping it will be defrosted in time for tea. I've weighed it and put it in MFP and looks like a good source of protein and very low in fat so might have to check it on google. I didn't think it would be so low.
Put everything I plan on eating into MFP and it was less than 500calories (had a smaller breakfast today too), so I've added half an avocado to lunch and will have the other half with the salmon and veg.
I could still do with more protein, I'm worried about my muscles due to my health issues. Don't want them wasting away because I'm not eating enough.

Peach... What was you plan for the day that came in under 500 calories?
I am keen advocate of low calories and think frankly we eat too much and under estimate calories wildly.
But if mfp says that's what it adds up to its probably near on right.
I would seriously struggle to get under 500 so genuinely interested in what your eating.

So far today I have had coffees x about 5 with skimmed milk =85calories
A tuna salad, with whole can of tuna, lots of salad and a teaspoon of olive oil dressing = 240 calories

So I am already at 325...

Lexiloo thanks coconut oil is a great idea. I've not been using it as much as I normally do. Will make sure I add it back in.

My oatbran for breakfast is the only thing high in carbs, the next highest thing according to MFP is cauliflower and avocado for the amount I've having. Other than eating more meat instead of these things not really sure how to reduce it so any advice would be appreciated. I'm not really a meat fan, was vegetarian for years until a health issue but I'd imagine lentils and beans wouldn't be low carb.

Are you eating tiny amounts? Cus 4 oz of salmon which is very small serving is 234 calories...

MFP says I should be eating around 1,300 calories per day but I personally think thats unsustainable for me and would lead to me snacking on cakes and chocolate.

So I'm trying to aim for around 1,600-1,700 but I don;t fret if it goes to 1,800 every so often.

Sorry keep cross posting!

Breakfast (209)
Oat bran (92) made with water, added kefir (15), peanut butter (60), and some vit D complex stuff (15).
Chicory coffee (14) and some almond milk (13) mainly for calcium etc.

Lunch (119)
Chicken (90), cucumber (9), tomatoes (5) - not overly keen on them but health benefits, peppers (9), mixed salad leaves (6). Doesn't seem like a lot but it's filled my lunch box!

Dinner (168)
4oz salmon (100 - I think this is wrong), spinach (7), cauliflower (25), broccoli (36).

I tend to just drink water after my fake morning coffee. This is mostly from scanning barcodes where I can, but some stuff (like the salmon) is just from searching on MFP and picking the first thing.

Hi peach... I definitely think your either eating tiny portions or the calculations or amounts are wrong on mfp.
100gm of chicken which is a small serving is 145 calories
100gm of salmon or 4 oz which is one very small filler is 234. So 100 calories of salmon would be about not much more than a matchbox size portion.
I eat fresh tuna steaks from aldi.. They weigh 100gm each and are 110 calories each and they fit in palm of my hand so small.

However if you feel full on what your eating then don't worry about it.