Moving down in May

[Octopus37]

So here's the new thread for tomorrow, excuse the boring title. Unless a miracle happens by tomorrow, I will be starting the month heavier than I started April. Weigh 9st1.5. Aiming for 8st13. Hopefully things might start to change in May. even if its only slightly, which will lift our spirits.

[TheHoneyBadger]

Thanks octopus. What are you aiming for? 9st1 sounds wafer thin to me.

New Fitbit here to motivate me to be more active all day and to try and work out how many calories I actually use. Those heigh weight and age calculators are bs for me. If I ate what they say is maintenance calories I’d be putting on half a stone a week.

Scales were up a bit but I expected that after yesterday’s eating day. Reminding myself I’m looking at overall trends.

No cals yet today and have been for a couple of walks to try and make the most of a bit of fat rather than food burning.

[Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket]

Hi all,
Glad everyone is doing ok. Today I'm doing good so far.
B. Porridge, berries, almonds, coffee
L. Turkey sandwich, apple
I've defrosted some chicken breasts so will have something chickeny for tea

[MonsteraCheeseplant]

Thanks for the encouragement.
I am having a hungry day today. Plus am very bored. I have had a 60cal Orange Jelly with mandarin segments that I made in GU pots as well as my usual yoghurt brekkie and chicken stew lunch. This reduced work load thing is worse than being busy.
Just kinda willing the day away.

[Octopus37]

Badger, no I'm definitely not wafer thin. I'm a size 12, only 5ft5 and quite a small build. Used to be quite a bit lighter even only a few years ago. Struggling today, have eaten loads of chocolate and crisps, tbh feel completely depressed about current situation (yes I know don't we all), sick of working from home for really crap money and scared that its never going to get better. I know eating loads of rubbish doesn't help, just adding to my problems, cause more rubbish equals more weight to lose/will take longer to lose weight. I'm aiming for a few more pounds, definitely want to be less than 9stone, 8 and a half would be amazing but I'm not sure that's achievable.

[MonsteraCheeseplant]

My mood really swings in light of this Corona virus too Octopus. Sometimes fine, sometimes blue. It's ok to be feeling shit about it sometimes.

[TheHoneyBadger]

One day of eating crap is not the end of the world. I’d strongly recommend not getting on the scales for a few days octopus. I don’t know how old you are but for me it feels like my metabolism and whole physiology are worlds apart from just a few years ago. I’m 44 and gutted to find I’m not immune to the after you turn 40 prophecies.

These are tough times. I think we should remember most people are resigned to piling on weight during lockdown whereas we’re not only determined not to do that but actually trying to lose.

Don’t beat yourself up please.

I stayed active all day and forgot to eat but managed to start drinking at 6. Tipsily consumed melted cheese on crumpets then inhaled two kitkats. I blame trying to get a 13yo defeatist boy to try and do a maths assignment he swore he didn’t understand and couldn’t do at all without spoon feeding him and doing it with/for him for once.

The world won’t end and tomorrow is a new day. I hope you at least enjoyed the crap munching!

I’m a teacher and was ready to resign from reading all the hate on here and the dfe guidelines today. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll have a thicker skin and you’ll be feeling less overwhelmed too x (excuse un-mn-like x. Extraordinary times and all that)

[TheHoundsofLove]

That's true Badger - I was thinking yesterday that there must be very few people who haven't put on at least a couple of pounds during lockdown.
I'm still holding out for 8st9 Octopus ! I definitely think we can do it!
I'm still plodding on - am definitely back on the downward trend and feel like my head is in a more positive place again. That's half the battle isn't it? But so difficult to consistently manage at the moment.

[Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket]

Hi all, I feel you about lockdown depression. I'm up and down with it too. We are social animals, not suited to house arrest. My best days are when I only think about the very immediate. And when I don't do any social media. The rest of Mumsnet is pretty awful.
I wouldn't worry about one junk food day @Octopus37, you'll bounce back, just have a good looking after yourself day today, nice good for you food. You're allowed to have it in the park today too!
In good news I weight myself today and I've lost 1.5lbs since last week. I'm very happy with that and will reward myself with a night of wine at some point over the weekend.
Courage!

[MonsteraCheeseplant]

Yay congratulations Igglepiggle!

Can I just say how proud I am of people on this thread? As has already been said, the dominating theme on Mumsnet and the internet as a whole has been about losing control and weight gain. We are still determined and haven't given up. Well done for that alone.

[TheHoundsofLove]

Well done iggle - 1.5lbs is great!

[Octopus37]

Well done Iggle that's great. Yes, Badger, for me it is the over 40 thing, I am 45 and prior to 40 I had never been over 9stone (was usually somewhere in the 8s and unbelievably dropped into the late 7s when breastfeeding both my boys). For various reasons I was on and off anti-depressants for a few years, didn't help, think I am also perimenopausal, doesn't help. Your right about not beating myself up, so many people will be struggling against weight gain at the moment and struggling with mood. Thanks ladies for your support, it is very much appreciated, as I have said before this is such a lovely community in this thread. The Galaxy did indeed taste awesome. Hounds we can indeed do it. Today is a new day for everyone. Weighed 9st1.75, I will continue weighing daily cause it helps me feel in control, I have taken my eye off the ball before and it has made it harder, weird though that sounds.

[everycowandagain]

Hey everyone, I got back to tracking my food on Monday. Doing OK so far, in some ways it's helpful that I can only eat what's in the house! I am doing 1500 calories a day, lots of fresh food and water and well balanced macros, plus my usual weights workouts and some zoom PT.

I am about 134 pounds, aim is 130, I got to just under 131 in early March. My goal is boring old fashioned consistency. I have no work lunches/drinks/parties etc to derail me so I have little excuse not to get on with it!!

[MonsteraCheeseplant]

God I'm so bored that all I can think about is snacking.

[Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket]

Thanks everyone! This thread is so supportive, it really does help.
Do you play any games @MonsteraCheeseplant? I have a couple on my phone that I use as distraction. One called Alto's odessy which is very calming. You sandboard through a desert and the ultimate goal is to become a Lamma. That's my favourite at the moment. Also Pokémon, which I play with the kids and various word games.
If I'm about to do some boredom eating they sometimes help.

[TheHoneyBadger]

Well done Iggle! Genuinely pleased for you. It does help doing this with other people for me

Very glad you're feeling more positive octopus and yes it is lovely on here. Thank you for having me.

As a pp said monster. courage! lol.

The scales sat at the bottom of my up and down fluctuation bracket since starting losing today. Which is good. Really hoping to see a lower number someday soon but my bracket not tipping into the stone above anymore is good progress.

I have to resist this whole right if I lose 8lbs a month I can be x weight by September type thinking (which is my modus operandi). I know, for me, that thinking doesn't work and leads to disappointment and derailing or the depressing reality of hitting a goal and then being completely unable to maintain it despite having excitedly gone out and bought a new wardrobe that you can't fit in one month later.

I'm trying to brainwash myself into thinking better habits and improved health are the goal (and ignoring the 'i wanna skinny again NOW' voice).

Not great today - battling with ds, hours sat trying to get him through maths work and therefore inactive and poured myself a drink half an hour ago despite not having eaten. Damage limitation now. Will make myself go for a decent walk and deliver my parents medication that I collected for them yesterday and will try to eat something healthy for dinner.

[MonsteraCheeseplant]

Thanks for the game recommendation. I've always been a people oriented person so would be more likely to interact with people rather than games, hence coming on here. It's worth a try though 'cos i'm not really able to distract myself with people right now.

[TheHoneyBadger]

Still haven't moved bar jumping up and taking 250+ steps every time my fitbit barks at me. Aiming to do hunters chicken and veg for me and same plus rice for ds tonight. Ended up staying up till early hours of the morning yesterday/today because ds and I were managing to spend some quality time together and having a laugh and connecting. Today therefore I'm tired and off kilter.

Still in my pj'ish bottoms and a hoody that I slept in and I've walked the dog in twice already Must make myself at least put a baseball cap over my scuzzy hair and change my trousers and walk to my parents to deliver these meds.

One of those days where: between battling with ds through school work, reading news and stressing out about return to work, doing the basics of laundry, dishwasher, animal walking and feeding I am done and lacking any additional oompf for self care and positive choices.

Think it's my turn to feel crappy - hopefully someone else is in better form and can inject me with positivity

[MonsteraCheeseplant]

Sounds like a tough day. Here's hoping for a better one tomorrow.

I'm pretty happy as I substituted peal barley instead of rice for my Jambalaya recipe which is in my top 5 and took it to under 400 calories! From over 500! And it was more filling because pearl barley is more substantial. God I love that stuff. What did I do with the extra calories? I ate fondant fancies...probably not the healthiest trade off.

Still, just under 1200 today. I won't get to go for a walk today as I am meeting friends over skype but I went for jog/walks the last 3 days so it's ok I think. Oh and I managed to get through the boredom munchies this afternoon which is more progress.

[TheHoneyBadger]

you found a way to have dinner and eat fondant fancies for the same amount of calories Monster - seems like a massive achievement to me

Massively impressed with your consistency Monstera! I can't imagine being able to stick to such a tight calorie limit daily. Kudos. A day off exercise after 3 in a row sounds fine and probably advisable to me.

Good work on the boredom munchies. I think I said on here before that it's really, really rare that I feel genuine hunger and even when fasting I've realised it's actually boredom I'm feeling and for some reason my brain thinks bored = stick something in your mouth. Well done for resisting.

[TheHoundsofLove]

Monstera I love pearl barley - a Jambalaya with it sounds great!
Badger I'm also an intermittent faster and don't feel genuine tummy rumbling hunger very often either. I find that fast days do take some mental strength, but that's only because it's hard not to punctuate the day with food. I can usually last until dinner without really feeling hungry.

[Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket]

Yeah, well done @MonsteraCheeseplantmonster it is v. hard to resist boredom munchies!! I'm also very impressed with the diet fondant fancies :-)
Hope you get on an upswing again soon @thehoneybadger. I'm feeling prematurely demob happy as I've been doing zoom teaching every day for the past 3 weeks and I switch to marking next week which is a lot more chilled out and fits in with everything else better.

[Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket]

Today's food:
B. Mushrooms bacon toast (485)
L. Nandos chicken thighs & broccoli (571)
D. Chicken gyoza (250)
S. Two home made biscuits, apple, nanny state beer (220)
Yum but also I'm still a bit hungry, too many calories early on in the day.

[MonsteraCheeseplant]

Thank you guys! I don't feel like i'm being especially strict to be honest. It's just resisting bingeing on sugar that tests my willpower more than anything but knowing that I can have a treat helps.

I guess the proof will be in the pudding though. Weigh in day Saturday.

Igglepiggle HOW did you get Nandos! Jealous jealous jealous.

[TheHoneyBadger]

What is this mysterious nanny state beer Iggle - think you mentioned it the other day with a very low sounding calorie count. Is it actual beer or some disappointing elixir pinching the name beer?

[Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket]

Haha nanny state is non alcoholic beer made by brew dog, it's really nice when you want a cold drink and 20 calories.

Nandos is open again!!! They're delivering on deliveroo. I think yesterday was the first day and my DH ordered some for me while I was working. Serious brownie points :-)