Half a stone off in Feb

[Smarshian]

So I started a half stone thread in Jan and managed to lose 4lb as I lost motivation half way through. Still feeling positive though and want to achieve the full 7lb this month.
Any diet/exercise routine welcome and tips and tricks encouraged. I will be continuing with slimming world (loosely) and I’m training for a 10k next month so regular runs.

Could I join please?

I'm 5' 5", 12st 3lbs heaviest I've ever been.

Having some health issues need to drop the weight. I'm hoping to drop just below 10st.

I'm mid 30s. Had a hysterectomy. On HRT patches and have some health issues being investigated.

I'm so down about the way I look and feel.

Really need some support if possible?

Sounds like you’ve done well Smarshian hope the weigh-in goes well.

Welcome Funky, are you able to start gentle exercise and reducing snacking? Assume you don’t want a quick weight loss, more slow and steady. Maybe a food diary will help, I find it very useful to look back over exactly how much food I was eating unnecessarily, loads of snacks, sugary coffees, large portions of dinner.

Phew. Last few threads I've been in I've killed!

I've dieted a few times using MFP bit through ill health and surgeries I've struggled to keep positive tbh.

I'm tracking 1000 Cals a day in food and allowing 200 Cals a day in drinks.

Snacking is a big problem for me. My DP works a lot and I don't out of boredom 😶

Bad day today! Ended up out for a 3 course dinner to celebrate a friends unexpected promotion. So I've eaten 2690 calories and only burned 2274... going to get on the tredmill and walk for a while to try and mitigate some damage; even if I can try and get close to breaking even for today!

I understand Funky it’s so much easier to be awful to yourself and sabotage any attempts and improving when you feel so crap about the way you look....just try to be kind to yourself I guess and when motivation hits (even on an hourly or daily basis) seize it....

Yes why though?

I want to be slimmer I want to look and feel better but everytime I'm close something else fails on me and sets me back.

I'm burning approx 2000 cals a day according to my fit bit. Do I have enough of a deficit?

I really don’t know what changed and clicked in my head. I’d intended to start a diet but always found an excuse to put it off. Bought exercise dvds, a yoga mat, workout clothes, and kept saying “I’ll start Monday”. It was second week of January for some reason I just thought “right, today’s the day” and just didn’t have any snacks at all. Didn’t think I’d stick at it, but just kept going all week, a friend convinced me to start running with her, just very slow and not far to start with. She was very patient with me and I managed further than I thought, 1km without stopping. I didn’t ever think I’d even manage that.
Once I discovered MFP I started logging everything properly and realising where the calories are coming from. I’ve had the odd packet of crisps here and there, but just one pack, not 2 like I used to.

I’m aiming towards a half decent loss before I go on holiday, which is a massive motivator as I don’t want to look how I look in photos from our last holiday. Once that’s over, I’ll probably slow down tbh as I am finding I’m thinking about food, or exercise, most of the day.

Sounds like your head is there!

I can't jog or run sadly.

I have to attend a party for my DPs work. That's end of April...

Thats my goal.

Anyone else have issues with mobility? Any pointers?

I hadn't logged my calories before but I was eating a couple of bags a crisps. And a few biscuits. Fruit juice with hardly any thought to content.

I'm hoping a chunk of weight will leave relatively easily. fingers crossed

I’m not sure exactly on the deficit thing, but I’ve been reading that you need a deficit of 500 kcals per day, so 3500 a week to lose 1lb of fat. So if you’re using 2000, you’d need to eat around 1500. I know what you mean about eating out of boredom. When DH is at work and DC are at school, I’d find myself just hunting around the kitchen for snacks, and before I knew it, I’d had breakfast, 2 sugary coffees, 2 packets of crisps and some chocolate. Then in the afternoon I’d be looking for snacks again. I think the trick is to change the habit by filling your stomach with water, or squash, or green tea and try going for a walk to occupy yourself.

Last week I really wanted some crisps after a run, but I realised it was habit, I was so used to reaching for a snack when I was hungry instead of giving my body proper fuel. So I decided I’d try and fill my stomach with good food first, and if I still fancied crisps afterwards, then not deprive myself, I’d have them. But of course once I’d had a green tea and some proper food I was full and didn’t end up having the crisps. So for me it’s definitely just changing my habits and thinking about it more. If I’m hungry, I don’t reach for biscuits now, I’ll have a drink and a banana.

Are you able to do any Pilates at home? Or are you still in recovery?

I was quite aching this morning from yesterday’s run as it was double my usual mile. Don’t think I drank enough during the day either so I found it hard to get out of bed. I’d dropped another 2lbs but I think that was probably dehydration more than fat loss.
Went for a 1 mile run today just to do some form of exercise.
Had a healthy breakfast but did have a fried egg sandwich for lunch. Will have a smaller dinner to compensate.

I go through phases of being motivated, I don’t have a bad diet usually just bad habits (generally involving taking seconds when I’m full and snacking late into the evening)

For once I’m not thinking about it all the time, I think because I did a load of meal prepping and worked out calories in my food for my lunches and dinners most of this week and it was such a faff so I’ve inputted most of it in advance and that’s motivating enough not to eat more because I can’t be bothered to go back in and change it

I’m also giving myself a day off each week where I’m not countering calories and eating everything I want - my uncle is taking us out for a fancy dinner on Thursday so I’m really looking forward to feeling like I’ve earned being able to have a 3 course slap up dinner with an expensive glass of wine!

I’m not moving very much but will go to yoga tonight

I know what you mean about logging everything, when you’ve got loads of ingredients it is annoying, but I still do it too. Good idea to input it all in advance if you’re able to stick to it.
Since I started trying to lose weight I’ve definitely been cooking from scratch more, and it’s been nice using up lots of veg in different meals rather than throwing some away because we didn’t get around to using them. I’ve made an effort to look at what we have and plan meals around it rather than going for the easy option of freezer food.

Well had a better day today

Breakfast was a bowl of cereal

Lunch was mushroom and tomato omelette

Tea was Sweet and sour ready meal 🙈

And I had a pack of rice clusters as a snack bit only because I was below my calorie low level and MFP was not happy 🙊

That’s good Funky
I hate that message that basically says it won’t show you your forecast as you’ve gone under your calories. I’ve had that 4 days running now. I’m not trying to be under the 1200, but without snacks, I’m finding it is quite easy to be under - unless I’m under calculating meals, but I don’t think so. Yesterday I had bacon and courgette spaghetti carbonara and that was over 600 kcals because of the bacon and egg. But because I exercised it allowed me an extra few hundred, and breakfast was only green tea at 2 kcals and a banana at 105. I don’t want to eat for the sake of it.

You could always not input your exercise - I don’t eat back those calories

I don't let Fitbit and MFP share the step count or exercises.

I don't want to eat back the calories lost there

My son is spending his first night alone away from home tonight. I'm hoping to remain calm and not stress eat 🤔

How is everyone else doing?

Good idea on not inputting exercise, except I like to keep it there as a record of how often I’m exercising, so I can see any patterns. I guess it’s still showing my progress, it’s just the forecast, which I haven’t found helpful yet anyway.

Good luck tonight Funky - maybe try and keep yourself occupied so you’re not sitting there eating and worrying.

I really wanted some chocolate last night but was determined not to get back into the habit of snacking in the evening. Lots of people have recommended sticking to the rule of not eating after 6/7pm. So I convinced myself I’d get through it, and if I still wanted some today, I’d have it, but during the daytime.

How did the weigh-in go, Smarshian?

Guess who forgot to bring lunch to work!!

Home by 3pm.... Must not chew the desk......

I keep my exercise on view in the fit bit app. I have a widget on my phone to quickly glance at each without having to open each app.

Might nip to Tesco to weigh in on way home. Sure my home scales are lying 🤔😂

Weighed at Tesco 12st 0lbs
Weighed at home 12st 0.6lbs

Saturday I weighed 12st 3.5lbs

Blimey 😲😲

Well done Funky!

I’ve managed to not snack in the evenings and eat roughly 800kcals the last few days, not going to lie - I’m hungry!! But last day of it today and then day off tomorrow including my fancy 3 course dinner with WINE!! It’s very motivating having that to look forward to. Have also decided not to weigh in until the end of the month in the hopes of seeing the 1/2 stone shift

Well done Funky. At least you know your home scales are accurate now.

IJumped I hope you enjoy your meal tomorrow and savour every bite!

I’ve just bought a nice dessert for us all for Valentine’s as a treat, but will try and make sure I am good the rest of the day tomorrow.

Oh yes - I know this isn’t sustainable so am doing a bit of a quick fix because I know I’m more motivated when I see the weight falling so am doing this intense week and then next week will go up to more sensible levels and start 5:2 again I think but it’s a relief just not having to think about it

The boy has called twice this video evening. All seems fine 😏

Someone's birthday at work.

Cinnamon buns
Giant chocolate muffins
Giant Bakewell tart

I can smell them...... I shall resist them drools