12 weeks to lose 2 stone

[SmiledWithTheRisingSun]

That's slightly over 2lbs a week.
I'm planning to exercise every day & do the 5:2.
Anyone fancy joining me?

I read an interesting study recently that said people who lose weight fast (I think using 800-1000 calorie diets) tend to lose more weight than people losing more gradually (iirc 1500 cals). They think its to do with less diet fatigue setting in.

Both groups regain the weight to a similar degree (around 70%) which dispels the myth that losing weight fast leads to regaining it more than a slow and steady loss.

It's made me motivated to be more focused in the week. I can usually easily keep to 1000 calories when I want to. Weekends are harder and I prefer aiming for 1500 calories then.

I hope that's right @Seer. The key is finding the correct balance/ calorie intake to maintain.

I've had a vanilla and almond milk shake for breakfast. Lunch just berries and a protein shake. Plans for dinner is 200g Sirlion steak cooked on the bbq, 200g of lightly baked spuds, button mushrooms cooked with fry-light, grilled tomato and peas.

That's 950 Cals so leaves me some to play with but I'm likely to complete on approx 1000.

Good day there @DottieLottie1

I've come out around 1000 cals too, even with a glass of wine!

@Seer I like that the cashew stuff is easy to make, thanks for explaining as I did want to ask. I was planning to buy a new blender for smoothies, crushing ice, soup etc. Old one got dropped and cracked and I'm not trusting the gaffer tape holding it together

@DottieLottie1 are you on some special shake diet thing?

B - Fage with mixed berries
L - Jam doughnut
D - picnic on the beach with friends. Picked at too many different items to list incl

Lots of walking today.

@TantricTwist sounds like a fun day there! Blenders can be costly buggers can't they? I love my Blendtec but it was £££. I do use it several times a week tho.

B: fasting

L: left over cashew cream & asparagus pasta with lots of salad and sauerkraut (need to make some more as I've nearly run out)

D: smoked tofu, mushroom and broccoli tacos

Aiming for my 3rd 1000 cals/day and praying it makes a bloody difference on the scales soon!

I'm not finding it too hard so far based on fasting for breakfast, lunch up to 250 cals, dinner 500-600 cals and 150 ish on drinks/snacks

@Seer I'm still around, thanks for checking!

I'm at a residential thing for a while. I'm going to find it hard to stick to 16:8, so just trying to not blow out completely.

No scales either, so dangerous! My clothes still feel looser, so I think I'm doing ok.

@TantricTwist, no. I've never eaten breakfast or lunch unless out or on holiday- a habit stretching back to my teens. That makes it sound like I shouldn't be overweight especially as I'm active (sports coach by trade) but my enemy is Prosecco!

I'm trying to have a little at both now so baby steps- the shake at breakfast is homemade. The protein shake I may have when I'm on the run.

I'm thinking of switching up and trying weetabix with almond milk but not sure I can stomach it first thing.

@DottieLottie1 I've also had a lifetime of not liking breakfast. If I force breakfast I just feel too full and lethargic. What gets me is bread always the bread so I've cut it out completely, not buying it at all and no-one else is missing it.

My alcohol consumption is way down on what it used to be but yes if there's prosecco about I will drink it till the last drop At the moment I'm sticking to gin & tonic and trying to just go for tonic if I can.

@Seer Yes it was lovely. I had a nice long walk too and felt slimmer, lighter and healthier. It was light till gone 10pm and there was a lovely breeze esp as it was so muggy yesterday.

@ChubRubTub Well if there's nice food around just go for it whilst you're there in moderation and steer clear of bread.

That's interesting about not eating breakfast and lunch @DottieLottie1 Was that circumstantial, natural (ie you didn't feel hungry) or intentional originally?

@ChubRubTub could you get a tape measure to help keep you on track whilst you don't have scales?

Alcohol is my weaknesses too, I can moderate well in terms I can happily just have one glass (usually a rose spritzer), the challenge is more that I fancy one every evening - which I don't think is an issue health-wise, it's just clearly not helping me to lose this weight. Especially when I'm drinking more like 3 glasses each evening at the weekend.

I'm trying to have more dry week days now but it's probably the thing I find most challenging.

I managed a dry Monday and then last night we had visitors over and they were drinking... I couldn't resist having a glass too.

@seer, natural- as a teenager I competed at top level in the sport I know coach. It involved lots of early morning starts and I just couldn't stomach anything. Then I might have had something snack like after and then wasn't hungry for lunch. A sports nutritionist would not be impressed these days!!!

I've cut my alcohol consumption in half. I never had a problem, just enjoyed it too much! Definitely habitual.

*now not know!

Could literally eat my arm

Oh no @Jasging! Which method are you trying (apart from eat less shit?)

So glad to see this is working for so many of us. I am down 9 pound since we began, and finally back in the healthy BMI range. I need to lose another 10, but really happy with the progress!

Literally eating less and healthier. I have been eating ridiculous amounts previously.
So far today-

• yogurt
• pitta with cheese and ham
• banana
• handful of dates

Waiting for DH to get home so I can have an omelette...

Well done @ltk ! I feel like I've hit a plateau this week (the scales say that I've lost and gained the same 2lb over and over) but usually that happens just before my weight drops again so I'm trying to keep positive.

@Jasging Keep strong! Have you reached your calorie limit today or do you just not fancy any of the options you're allowing yourself?

I don't tend get really hungry even on 1000 cals days (unless I'm fasting thru breakfast and lunch) but then I do usually eat huge portions of veg, which keep me feeling full.

@DottieLottie1 ah, that makes sense! I can't imagine not eating lunch but then I know that some people feel like that about breakfast, which seems fairly normal to me to miss! I only really enjoy breakfast food like avo toast or olive bread & hummus for breakfast but I can also easily do without it as I'm not actually hungry then.

Oh and managed under 1000 cals again today, I've only eaten what I listed this morning

One more 1000 cals tomorrow and then takeaway and wine on Friday!!!!

Same as me @seer, I stick to no more than 1200
but usually around 1000 but have a take away on a Saturday (I do however miss breakfast and lunch). Love Saturday evening!

Thinking about it I don't actually have a gap in work to eat lunch even if I wanted. Literally that I work solid through lunchtime hours and I am categorically not allowed to stop for some!

@Seer I've not got too into the calorie counting yet, just know I am substantially less than before so it's a start! Had omelette. Still blooming hungry 😬

Plateaus are frustrating, I know, Seer. I stayed on one weight for nearly two weeks, but now have started dropping again. I still couldn't do 1000/day though. I stick to about 1500 and no snacks or second helpings or sugar (except in coffee, and that's limited to 4 teaspoons per day).

For me, slow weight loss works much better, and it stays off. It took me the whole of last summer to lose the first 20 pounds, but it stayed off.

I am nervous about this final 10 pounds though. It gets tougher to lose weight the closer you get to your goal.

I'm a dieting virgin @ltk so I've no idea what works for me!

I've always been one of those annoyingly slim people who can seemingly eat what they want... until the last year when I had an operation followed by a holiday and then Christmas - all of which added up to an additional 20lb, that took me by surprise last month.

I'm only doing 1000 cals Mon-Thurs because I eat 1500 cals+ Fri-Sun as I want to enjoy eating with my family and friends. With the idea that it'll average around 1200 cals/day over a week.

I actually eat pretty healthily anyway so I'm hoping that maintaining once I've lost this last 8lb shouldn't be too hard. We'll see!

Just today I've finally hit a new lowest weight - only by a couple of ounces but I'm happy to be going back in the right direction again!

I'm glad you are too - a couple of weeks must have been challenging to keep the faith through!

Oh and food today...

B: fasting
L: v hot dog (at an event)
D: v pad Thai

How are you all doing today?

I've had a really busy day and I'm finally relaxing in the sunshine and marvelling at the fact I seem to be going off wine! I don't know if it's the heat or something else but I seem to be fancying a pomegranate spritzer more than a wine one lately

Busy day, tired and exhausted.

B - Tea and coffee
L - The very last of my goulash finally and mash
D - Finn crisp, cheddar, mango chutney - (8 chips and a couple of mouthfuls of battered fish from the chippy stolen from each DC) plus 2 large G&T's