Anyone want to join the get slim, happy and confident by summer club?!

[Itsdeffotime]

I have had a bit of a realisation hit recently that I’m extremely unhappy with myself and in turn it’s affecting my overall confidence and mood...

My husband is wonderful but I have even been offish with him the last few months and it’s purely because I feel so rotten and disappointed in myself.

I don’t eat a huge amount I don’t think but we are big foodies and definitely connect and enjoy our time together with food and drink which is something I’d really like to cut back on...

Rugby’s on out come the crisps, nuts and beer.

Suns out, grab me some wine, olive, dips and cheese.

Monday morning blues, I’ll bake a chocolate cake to cheer us all up.

It’s not a bad way to live but the food and drink is only short lived enjoyment before I’m mourning the loss of another favourite pair of jeans that are too tight and feeling even more rubbish about myself.

Anyway enough self wallowing, I have excused myself through best part of two and half stone and it’s time I stop chatting and start doing something about it!

Wondered and hoped that there might be others out there that feel similar and want to become friends and can give and/or need a bit of support.

weighed today and I’m 12st12lbs and my first target is to get down to 12st and a single number 1lb...

Today I have had ready brek with strawberries.

Small portion of salad with beetroot, toasted hazelnut, goats cheese and watercress salad with a honey dressing and a toasted muffin.

Dinner is going to be scallops (not a usual Tuesday night dinner but we got reduced at the Morrison’s fish counter!! 🤣) small amount of black pudding and pea purée, definitely will need a glass of wine with that meal though!!...

Goal for today is take the dog out for a big walk and not snack between lunch and dinner...

Ooo I should have said I’m 38 and have 3 DC. We also have a very active Larbrador and the girls have a pony so I have absolutely no excuse about keeping active...

You sound a lot younger than me! I need to lose weight to keep up with my husband. He has lost nearly 4 stone and I think I've put on half a stone for every one he's lost

I like the occasional glass of wine but have tried cutting these down or having red instead of white, however, I had a party recently and was given, at least, 6 bottles of Champagne/Prosecco

I wish I was a competent enough cook to make pea purée let alone cook scallops. I wish us both good luck

Hi @Karatema

I have yoyo’d a bit for the last couple of years. I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily an emotional eater but stress, life and raising 33 DD’s certainly effects my appetite and the latter my wine consumption!! 🤣

I did start off at 13st5lb’s though so I guess I’m still in the right track even though it’s hard to see when I look in the mirror...

I don’t really stand a chance as my DF was a head chef and my DH is a very competent cook and they are both big feeders!! 🤣

Dog walk done but I did give in and have a some coconut frozen yogurt, not the worst thing in the word and it was only a couple of small scoops. 4pm is my danger time...I seem to lose all sense of control...

What healthy snacks that taste good does everyone substitute with?

Anyone else?!

I find overnight oats are a great snack. They are so filling, really keep me going and if I have one in the afternoon I eat about half the amount of dinner I normally would

Just popping in to cheer you on.

Rugby’s on out come the crisps, nuts and beer.

Suns out, grab me some wine, olive, dips and cheese.

Monday morning blues, I’ll bake a chocolate cake to cheer us all up

^

You can still do this. But not all of it, and not the same quantity / amount of calories.

Find substitutes for your usual treats. Ie 'wine, olive, dips and cheese' becomes spritzers, olives, hummus and veg sticks.

I would happily join you. I am a 36 year old mother of three. Overworked, under organised with food and that's my downfall!

DH and I use food for everything, a bit like you OP. Only difference is he is ideal weight and I have 5st to lose! Will weigh in tomorrow morning!

I’d like to join if that’s ok? I’m in a slightly different situation as I’m already 12 weeks into my diet. I still have quite a way to go until I’m a healthy weight though, but hope to get there by the Summer.

Itsdeffotime not sure this counts as a healthy snack, but I really like chocolate covered rice cakes, especially the Kallo ones. 51 kcal per rice cake.

For a savoury snack, I’ll have some homemade feta and chilli dip, or olive dip with a few breadsticks and some carrots. Neither dip is particularly low calorie, but they both pack a punch so I don’t need much.

How are you all planning to lose weight?

I’ve been calorie counting and increasing my exercise levels. Nothing too crazy; 1400 kcal/day and a daily 30 min- 1hr walk.

It’s working well so far. In 12 weeks I’ve lost just under one and a half stone and I have loads more energy than I used to

Welcome all!!

Thanks for all the tips, I love the dip ideas @SurgeHopper especially on a Friday night with a glass of wine!!

@nutellalove I’m a bit of a baby when it come to oats, I don’t like the lumps so tend to stick to readybrek but I do find that quite filling.

@SimplyPut you sound very similar to me, 3 kids are tough aren’t they?! I definitely justify my eating and drinking with the whole “you deserve it, you only live once” mantre but I’m trying to flip it on its head and believe that I deserve to spend more thought, time and feel good about myself rather than fill myself with calories.

@Crazzzycat Hi!!

Well done, that’s an amazing loss in such a small amount of time and gives me hope that I can do the same, I can be quite fickle with health and weight loss but something feels different this time, much more of an emotional need and pull to do it.

I just need to cut down really, I’m a SAHM mum, though hopefully looking to find a job soon as you best is 7 and no longer an excuse to mooch around the house drinking cups of tea and eating chocolate biscuits in my PJ’s

I think I’m actually quite bored and that often leads to me spending far too much time, thinking about, making and eating food.

I also need to get out more with the Dog and up my exercise, we live quite rurally and I don’t drive so I have no excuse!

I forgot how much I like those chocolate covered rice cakes, will definitely pick some up!!

As this isn’t just a weight loss thing for me and I’m trying to improve my mood and confidence, I’m giving myself little treats and rewards for each lb I lose, silly things really like buying a new nail varnish and painting my toenails in a bright, cheerful colour, lighting a new candle and downloading a positive book or just a walk to a nice coffee shop near us.

I’m about to do my first weigh in...wish me luck!!

12.11lbs 1lb down!! 👏🏻👏🏻

Plan for the day, housework and then pick the girls up from school later which is about a 3 mile round trip. Hubby is in the forces and away for 24 hours and definitely feel the days he’s gone I step up in how active I am.

Breakfast a bowl of special K with strawberries.

Lunch 2 slices of bacon and avocado on wholemeal toast

Dinner still undecided but possibly another bowl of cereal as I’ll be busy with kids.

Snacks carrot sticks and humous and coconut frozen yogurt.

itsdeffotime sounds like you’re in a great place to get started. I’ve known for a long time that I need to lose weight, but it was only when I decided that I wanted to be happier and healthier that I found the motivation to do something about it!

It took a few weeks for me to start noticing a real difference on the scales, but the difference in my mood and energy levels was noticeable much sooner.

My weight today is 13st 5lbs and here’s my meal plan for the day. I’m veggie and intolerant to a number of foods, so if some of my food choices look a bit weird, that’s why!

Breakfast was 4 corncakes, peanut butter and an apple

Lunch will be a big salad with falafel, a small pita bread and some feta spread

Dinner will be spicy pasta. It’s not the best choice as pasta leaves me starving, but I love it so sometimes I just put up with it

Snacks will be some more fruit and may be a small piece of dark chocolate if it fits within my calorie allowance

And I’m planning to climb a hill today, so that should sort out my exercise

Hi all,

Can I join you please? I'm a 36 year old mother of 3 - youngest dc is 8months and I have quite a lot of baby weight to lose. I has lost a stone before dc3, and I felt great for it - much more comfortable and really nice to be able to fit back into lots of older clothes. Now I'm 12 stone 8 and I want to get back to where I was before dc3, which was about 10st 12. My ideal weight would be 10st 7,but that is a long way off right now!
I've started very slowly losing weight. I was 13st at the start of the year, so it's slowly coming off.
My main issue is that I a big appetite (especially when bf) and I find it really hard not to eat after the school run and when making the dc's dinner. I'm trying to only eat bread at breakfast and just generally be a bit more mindful with my eating. I find I can easily snack my way through hundreds of calories without even thinking about it, and that's what I'm trying to change.
Good luck everyone - would be great to have some support on here!

I'll join :)
I'm 38, mother of a 1 and 3 year old, as of last week I was 11st 13. I started a new regime at the start of the month and have lost 8lbs so far. I need to get down to 10st 6 to have a BMI of 25 so that's the goal.
I do fasting and low(ish) carb. So far today I have eaten nothing and have drank black coffee and loads of water. I'm having a burger (no bun), cauli cheese and salad for dinner later.
My motivation for today is that I just saw my ex when wandering around the shops at lunch. I know it doesn't matter what he thinks but you want to look good when you see your ex right? He looked good and I look like I haven't slept in 3 years and have gained 2 stone because well I haven't slept in 3 years and have gained 2 stone.
Good luck everyone!

@Crazzzycat I’m really excited to start seeing a difference it’s one of the things that drives my determination. We live quite far away from our family due to my husbands job so hoping by the time we see anyone, definitely a few months away it will be noticeable.

Your lunch sounds really good, was hoping for some good meal inspiration from this!!

Pasta is my weakness, I absolutely love it but unfortunately I don’t seem to have a full button with it and I end up eating far too much!

We made a ragu on Sunday and substituted with wholemeal pasta which didn’t give me the exact same carb fix but I definitely ate less and didn’t feel as bloated afterwards!

@missmillimentscardigan Oh my goodness so much of what you said I can relate to!

Now that I have started checking myself and being aware of how much I actually consume, I’m quite shocked how often I was snacking. Making the girls dinner and packed lunches, in the kitchen putting a washing on, when I’m feeding the dog, it’s almost became quite habitual. It’s seems I had convinced myself if I’m not sitting at the table and on the go the calories don’t count! And like you after school pick up is my danger snack time!!

It sounds like you have made an amazing start though, well done!!

Is anyone else a compulsive weigher?

I know it’s not really a true reflection of loss as water retention, PMT a healthy large meal can knock it off but it seems to keep me on track going either up or down the scales!!

Hi @Oysterbabe. 😊

I used to be able to fast when I was younger but it just makes me hangry and feel quite rubbish now so I’m trying to eat a lower carb diet and less of it haha!

I get you, just you wait the next time your Ex sees you his mouth will drop...you sound like you are off to a great start!!

My husband is amazing, very loving and he always makes me feel good about myself regardless of my size but would love to feel that 2nd glance when I’m getting changed or the excitement and confidence you feel when you know you look good and it’s having an effect...

Aww you guys, so glad you are all on board, really feel like I can do this!! 💪🏻

So not exactly the day I had planned food wise, didn’t eat lots but what I did have wasn’t exactly the most nutritionally beneficial...my fault for having a couple of glasses of wine on a Tuesday night!!

Breakfast Special K with strawberries.
Snack banana sorreen bar with a cup of coffee
Lunch bacon and avocado on toast
Snack an ice cream cone
Dinner 2 rouge sausages from the girls dinner...

Did stick to my gun and walk the 3 miles to and back from school though and it’s pretty cross country!! 🤣

What's everyone's plan for today?
I'll skip breakfast, ham salad for lunch and jacket potato and beans for dinner.
Friday is my weigh in day but I peek most days. I'm currently showing a small loss. I reckon I'll only lose a lb this week and it feels hard won, I've been so good. I've still got 20lbs to go so I wonder how hard it'll be when I get down closer to goal.

I will probably skip breakfast as well @Oysterbabe as have a dance show at my daughters school this morning and not sure I will have time to fit it in!!...

I think I’ll have my bowl of special K and strawberry’s for lunch.

And then tonight is chorizo and rosemary pearl barley risotto. (Pearl barley has become one of my of favourites and tastes and has the texture similar to orzo pasta, so I still feel like I’m eating a bowl of naughty carbs!!)

Snacks are where I’m falling down so need to work on that, today I’m going to aim for carrots and hummus and bag of salt and vinegar squares.

(I figure if I give myself a small treat in my meal plan everyday, I won’t be so hard on myself when eating them)

I’ll probably end up with a similar meal plan as I had yesterday, but will have some carrot and lentil soup for dinner. It’s nicer than it sounds, plus it leaves more calories for snacks.

I ended up getting a little lost on my mountain walk yesterday, so my leisurely 1 hour walk turned into a 3 hour hike. I may skip the exercise today 😂

Oh and oysterbabe even if you have a small loss this week, you may well have a much bigger loss than usual next week.

I’ve been doing this for 3 months now and there’s nothing steady about my weight loss. Some weeks there’s hardly any and then the next week I’ll lose 3lbs.

If you stick to your plan, you’ll get there!

Thanks Crazzzy, here's hoping!
I love lentils, I think they're very underrated.

1.5lbs down this week. That's 9.5lbs lost since starting my new regime on 1st March and 19.5lbs to go. I'm now 11st 11.5lbs. It's my wedding anniversary in 6 weeks. When I met my husband I was 11st 3. I'm going to try and be the same by our wedding anniversary. That's 8.5lbs in 6 weeks, it should be possible if I stay on track.

Plan for today is omelette for lunch and slow cooker beef and coconut curry with rice for dinner.

Also I've got some jeans in the drawer that were just very slightly too snug on the tummy to wear. I'm eyeing them up wondering if it's worth trying them now.