Banting and banter - making less of ourselves into February!

[WellErrr]

Banting is my favourite old fashioned word. Means slimming, and I got it from Agatha Christie

Sorry you've been having a hard time @WellErrr. It's good you're back, it's the picking back up and carrying on that counts in the long term.

I found this article an interesting read today. About how highly processed foods lead people to eat more.

www.theguardian.com/food/2020/feb/13/how-ultra-processed-food-took-over-your-shopping-basket-brazil-carlos-monteiro

That article is so true porpoises! I am.back on my ono, 364 cals so not 'cheap' but y days go well after it. I have finally got the right formula! I'm having a galentine's takeaway with a friend this evening. How do people work the calories here? 375 for thai green chicken sound right?! Adding on rice on top. Allows me to still be OK for 1335 daily allowance. I will weigh in morning and keep everything crossed. Finding it so so hard to fit in exercise mid week!

Well done @Porpoises

@WellErrr hope you had a better day today. Interesting how many of us are finding it hard now that we're a good 5-6 weeks in. Interested to hear how people keep up the motivation / reignite it

That article is so interesting. Has made me think about trying to.avoid ultra processed foods, maybe for 6 days a week. Ie if it has ingredients which I don't have in my kitchen then I won't eat it. Appeals to me as once I'm at target I'm planning to switch to the Mediterranean diet (diet as in, way of eating rather than losing weight) which is basically an unprocessed diet with lots of good stuff added too

I realise I'm finding everything very "interesting" tonight, sorry, I'm very tired!

I did thank you Dont - ended on 1290 so I’m pleased! 1225 planned today. I WILL reach target on Monday!

Tell me more about the Mediterranean diet!! I’m really going to try and eat less processed stuff too

WellErr, you're doing brilliantly. Do you worry about going to low on cals at all?

Well after messing up four days in last week, my first blip, I am back to where I was just before it, 9,8.5 so I'm OK with that and already looking forward to doing better. It's amazing really how those extra calories set me back :/

bit.ly/2OTrvf3

A video by Jordan Syatt (my diet guru) about why it can be good to take diet breaks especially if you don't have much to lose.

I watched it while drinking wine last night but had some spare calories because my slow cooker quorn bolognese was disgusting and I didn't eat it!!

@Canklesforankles I am with you on the overall health benefits. I have really improved the quality of my food (more veg, less coffee, fewer cereal bars) and feel a lot better for it.

Had a Tesco Spinach & Ricotta pizza last night which took me very slightly over my calories. Having a take away tonight for Valentines Day but will pick a healthy option. 9st4.5 this morning which was my aim, have another pound and a half to lose by the end of February. Happy Valentines Day all

Morning everyone! So I have been SO mindful of everything I eat and have logged it all on mfp. Clocking in at roughly 1200 each day so pleased with that.

But.... I am exhausted. Will this feeling pass? Will my body get used to not eating toast on the hour, every hour?

Hoping that weigh in on Sunday will motivate me. If I've not lost anything I will be gutted.

The energy should definitely pick up! Well done octopus!

I hope so @Heygirlheyboy ! 😴

@ndo4000 I went through that a week or so ago and it did pass. Hang in there.

@Octopus37 I love that pizza, the kids hate it so I get to eat it all!!

@ndo4000 just a thought but 1200 calories is quite low. It may be the right level for you if you find it sustainable but might be a factor in your energy levels.

Glad to hear that everyone seems to be limping on...!
Octopus You're pretty much my weight loss twin. I'm aiming for 9st2 by the end of Feb as will then have lost 3 stones in total. We can do it!
ndo4000 My honest opinion is that you shouldn't be feeling totally exhausted and I would be looking to tweak something....Could 1200 calories perhaps be a bit low for you? Or could you look at what you're eating for those calories and make some slight changes there?

Sorry to hear you're having a tough time @WellErrr, don't be too hard on yourself! you've lost a really impressive amount of weight since the start of the year and you need to focus on that.

Jordan is brilliant @everycowandagain, I've been taking said 'break' this week. I just haven't had the motivation, it's like I've seen a bit of progress and then i'm like, ah sure it's grand! This thread is great though, definitely keeps me in the mindset so if I'm not tracking, at least I'm maintaining :)

Yes the energy definitely does pick up! It’s only just dipped again 6 weeks in for me!

I’ve had 1456cals today. Aiming for a 1200 day tomorrow. Really want to hit target on Monday! 🤞

Twixes I’m like that with breaks 😂

ndo4000 what are you eating in a day? Maybe there’s not enough protein for example?

I am definitely not eating enough protein. Feeling better this afternoon as had a HUGE bowl of soup at lunchtime and that has kept me going all afternoon.

I wonder if I've been too strict on myself in an attempt to see a real change....

Going to relax it tonight and have pizza and wine for Valentine's Day! ❤️

I didn't eat anything off the work snack table today!

Had fresh fruit and museli instead when peckish, and hid the brightly coloured shiny chocolate out of my line of sight. With the ultra processed food article in my head, it's really noticeable how much subconscious marketing is done by just the packaging.

So true Porpoises, I’m trying to avoid processed food more too now.

I treated myself to some new clothes this week, they arrived and I had to send them back for 8s as they were too big!

Thing is I’m still looking in the mirror and seeing flab....I know it’s ridiculous. I’m only wee though and my bmi is 21 so I’m not tiny or anything...I think in my head I imagined 8st8 to be teeny and waif model like, but in real life I suppose no one really looks like that. I’ve been telling myself that if I reach 8st7 I’ll go for 8st4.....but I think it reality it might be better to try and maintain. Which is the hardest thing for me.

This has really made me realise how I’ve used food to reward myself my whole life though. Been a real eye opener.

A BMI of 21 sounds very healthy to me WellErr. Obviously not for me to tell you what to do, but it seems a good point to stop and maintain at, and then tone up to get rid of flab? When my BMI was 22 I was really happy with my shape.

Well It's really difficult deciding on a stopping point isn't it? For what it's worth, I pretty much agree with Porpoises . I think we can all agree that maintenance is the most difficult part, so could you allow yourself a period of just aiming to maintain and then reassess? It's such a personal decision though...

Gahhh! Still 9st6, I seem to be stuck. I don't know what to do. It's an ok weight for me, BMI 23 and I feel so much better for losing the 8lb after Christmas. I'm sticking to the 16:8 but it seems like unless I am also really strict then I don't lose anything. Or am I just in one of JS's patterns and if I stick at it I will have another drop?

Ndo, know what you mean about energy when dieting. TBH my energy isn't great, but could be cause of other factors. I would go up to 1400 or 1500 as I think 1200 sounds a bit starvy. Hounds, its funny that we're twins. WellErr no what you mean about feeling disillusioned and not knowing where to stop When I first started at 9st11.25, just the thought of being 9st or just under sounded amazing, now I'm wondering if I should aim for 8st7ish, but I think maintaining can be the hardest thing. In 2017 I got down to 8st10 from 9st 7, put it all back on again, did the same in 2018 and put it all back on. Really don't want that to happen again cause losing is getting harder as I'm getting older. That said I had a curry and a pint of cider, good size but not ridiculously massive and I'm 9st6 today. Have decided not to stress and have eaten my normal breakfast. Will just be normal today when the temptation is to try and not eat.