The one where we get into our old jeans

[Seer]

Hello @TantricTwist and @DottieLottie1 ☺️

We're close to 1k on our old thread and I thought I'd start this one whilst I remember and the other one is still open so I can point you to it!

We can finish the other one first if it'll make anyone itch leaving it unfinished 😀

Here's to getting to our goal weight/sizes during this thread! 🥂 (The next one we'll be maintaining!)

Hello @NeverSurrender! You can do it, you haven't got lots of weight to lose and it's very achievable. Have you Downloaded MyFitnessPal app? Alot of us find it very useful and motivational. You also need to be In the right mindset (your username suggests so😉), good luck and keep posting even if its not to do with losing weight!

Thanks Dottie! I've been using my fitness pal for years and years even though it's a bit depressing seeing how my weight has fluctuated i do feel quite determined this time!!
I struggle with work - I have an office admin job and it's so easy to sit and eat. It's not so hard at home as I can busy myself. I've been taking my meals in and just eating them. Going to try and do Thursday and Friday as under 500cals. The only time I've ever got to goal weight I used 5:2 diet and it worked. Means I can eat a little more on my work days.

Hi Dottie, thanks for checking up on us!

The family's return to school has not gone as planned. The day before going back my daughter dislocated her shoulder doing her regular sport. This means she cannot transport her very heavy bag of books to and from school, so I am having to drop her off and pick her up - for the next 12-16 weeks! My work is great and flexible so I can do this, but it is taking a good chunk of time each day - which I am making up for in the evenings. I do check in on the thread every day but often am stuck for what to contribute - just over tired I expect.

On the weight loss front, this means I am not doing my 10,000 steps - the poor dog is only getting one proper walk. I am also sitting more, so overall, less active. I would have been less active anyway upon post summer returning to my usual routine, but not this much of a drop. The result has been a noticeable slow down in weight loss and I've had my first couple of 'stay the same' or a 50% reduction in amount of weekly weight loss.

The good thing is I have maintained good eating behaviours despite time pressures. This is a real achievement for me and makes me feel hopeful about maintaining. I am now less than 2kg away from being a healthy weight. My stretch target is to lose 7 more kg but I am going to see how that goes. I am hoping to get to a weight that my body is happy being and so I can maintain through being attentive to consumption rather than feeling like I am dieting. I don't want to try and maintain a weight that is a struggle to keep at. My current plan for this is to keep on with what I am doing and when I stop loosing I'll give it 3 more weeks (I have read that plateaus usually last 3 weeks and usually happen several months in to weight loss). If I don't start loosing again, I'll start exploring calorie in take for maintenance.

In other news, for the past month, my hair has been falling out in handfuls. I can literally make a hand held pony tail, gently grip and slide my hand down and pull out handfuls of hair - literally clumps. I have very thick hair and so this isn't overly worrying. I have also read up about it and apparently it is common after significant weight loss (I have lost 25% of my bodyweight). It should re grow once my body has rebalanced itself.

Thanks again for checking in!

@NeverSurrender I'm not very clued up on the 5:2 but I think I the fast days have been raised to 800 cals now. 500 is incredibly low, but you know what works for you!

I just do plain old calorie counting. I'm set at 1200 per day but average 1000 daily, however I'm more lax at the weekend and have a takeaway etc. My culprit was alcohol which I have reduced. I have what I want but portion control ir factor it in to my calorie count. I've been on this journey (it ain't a sprint unfortunately 😉) for 4 months and I've lost 2st 8. I've got 10lb to go, weigh I tomorrow.

Sorry to hear that @Threadbaretoe! Hope she recovers well. Once it's all settled down it will get easier to be back on plan. Sounds like you need to rest up a bit.

@DottieLottie1 it probably closer to 800cals when you factor in milk in my coffees and slightly lax cal counting😂 what I'm doing sounds similar to you really. I'm not very tall or active so don't have many cals for treats! I want to keep the weight off this time so happy for r it to take a little longer

Coming back a bit later than intended and I got waylaid earlier. Plans today: nothing exciting just work and school run.

B: fast
L: miso, Asian dumplings & veg (sitting eating that in the sunshine right now!)
D: lentil shepherds pie and veg

Should be an easy 1k cals.

My weight is still static, hoping it means I'll suddenly see a lovely big loss after my period!

@Threadbaretoe good to have you back. So sorry to hear about your DD. That sounds like a challenge you could have done without but you're doing well to keep on plan anyway so jolly well done! Keep posting even if you don't feel you have much to share (you can see the nonsense we share!), it really helps to have the support, accountability and inspiration!

Welcome to the chat @NeverSurrender! I'm a fellow fasting fan. I prefer the 16:8 these days, I find it easier and more sustainable than the 5:2 as I used to feel v deprived on my fast days, whereas I find missing breakfast a total breeze!

Sorry, I've been having a hellish week-diet has completely gone by the by...struggling with motivation at the moment.

So sorry to hear that @MyGhastIsFlabbered please do share what's been going on if it'll help. ♥️

Closing the kitchen on 972 cals.

I realised earlier that I wouldn't still be doing this if it wasn't for this thread! I'm glad I am though... I feel that this last inch will be the different between looking good and looking great.

It will be brilliant hitting 50 (in 2 years!) having reclaimed my body: feeling slim, sexy and strong again!

Thank you. It's just a perfect storm of money troubles.

I'm going to write this week off and get back on it next week. Really want to be a size smaller by Christmas

@MyGhastIsFlabbered, I really hope things are easier for you soon. In the meantime, try not to be hard on yourself, it's not easy to keep focused on dieting amongst all of life's pressures and temptations, let alone when things get really challenging.

We're here for you, keep taking baby steps, do what you feel able to each day and you'll get there.

@DottieLottie1 sorry to hear you're feeling so blue. The stress of your relative will definitely be having an impact on you. The change of seasons I find often makes me feel a bit discombobulated.

Well done @MrsGrindah

@Seer That's an interesting theory re the trauma / chemicals in fat. Glycogen levels are definitely affected in the liver and insulin in the pancreas which will be affected by weight gain and loss for sure as well as electrolytes in the kidneys which can make us feel tired and bit down for sure.

@MyGhastIsFlabbered sorry to hear about your worries we're here if you need us.

Thank you everybody. I'm sure I'll be fine, it's just been one of those weeks. Still on the plus side, I can't afford treats or wine so the dieting should be easier!

Morning all!

Ds is back from his trip today - hooray! It feels a bit like Christmas!

Working this morning and then will take both DCs for tea and cake after I've picked them up (assuming DS wants to, he might be too tired).

B: fast
L: I have some olive bread to use up so I'm going to treat myself to that with hummus and roast veg
D: Chinese takeaway

Along with a couple of spritzers, it's going to be around 1400 cals I suspect. I've had a pretty good week tho so I'm ok with that.

Walk, KB and SV later.

How are you doing @MyGhastIsFlabbered @TantricTwist @NeverSurrender @DottieLottie1 @Threadbaretoe @MrsGrindah and all? ☺️

Just checked MFP and I've averaged 1270 cals/day this week 😇

Morning.

Give me a kick up the backside but I have somehow put on 1lb . I'm not sure how this has happened as my weekly average on MFP was 1168. I wouldnt have thought it was possible to gain weight on such a LC diet? I measure and record everything so I'm not underestimating 🤷‍♀️ So, that's my first gain so far and my MFP Graph now has an upward spike 🤬. Hopefully its one of those fluctuations you talk of @Seer. My moods be low this week so I'm probably sti g this a bit to heart. Anyway I'll just keep plodding on.

Hope your DS arrives home safely @Seer and you enjoy your meal!

Working through lunch. For dinner we will either have a mini BBQ or swap our Sat takeaway as weather looking good tomorrow. The BBQ option will be around 1100 by the time I have a few glasses of fizz. Takeaway option (not so keen now with my weight gain) would still only be around 1450.

Have a good day all.

Thanks Seer, doing ok today. A bit TGI Friday! Your plans sound good.

Dottie, have you read anything about re-feed days to stop plateaus and gains relating to metabolism slowing after dieting for a while? It sounds interesting. It sounds very unfair that you have gained! Could be some water retention?

Oh @DottieLottie1 I totally get why this has knocked you. I suspect it is just a fluctuation as it's not logical you've gained on such low calories.

Here's my chart so you can feast your eyes on my daily fluctuations! I'm currently 1lb above my lowest weight but it doesn't feel to me like a 1lb gained because it always goes like this!

(The big peak is the weigh in after my hols!)

@Seer all I see when I look at your chart is Atrial Fibrillation

@DottieLottie1 Maybe it's just from muscle you've gained or a bit of water retention. You know you're sticking to your plan so it'll turn out fine.

B - fast
L - Avo on toast.
D - Home made Aubergine Parmigiana with salad.

Oh @Threadbaretoe I've just read your post. I'm so sorry to hear you're having such a crappy time of it at the moment with your DD and hair especially. Thank god you have thick hair I guess. Go and see your GP and get some blood tests done to see if there is anything that you can take to stop it falling out further. I honestly didn't see your post before, maybe because I was on the phone not my laptop

This isn't good. I can't sleep and I'm up for the day. Went to bed 10.30ish and woke at 2.30....I'm more anxious than I thought.

Not much planned for the day as I'm working late morning through to late afternoon. I dont get a lunch break and no way to have anything on the go due to the nature of the job. We're going to BBQ some steaks for dinner tonight. Should hit 1150 cals including wine.

Will have a lazy evening and try and get some better sleep In tonight.

Hope your plans are far more interesting than mine!

Oh @DottieLottie1 I'm so sorry you're feeling so stressed it's now affecting your sleep, doesnt help that you're working too. Just hold on for the lovely glass of wine you're going to have with your steak later sounds yummy. If I'm tired but can't sleep I find an ibuprofen sometimes helps to nudge me off to sleep.

My plans are not very exciting but we have made a firm decision to move house and with that comes clearing, cleaning and redecorating all of which will take up some of this weekend. Luckily lots was done last weekend which is what probably helped finalise the decision.