Anyone need to lose a stone or less and needs motivation?

[Flippetydip]

Not that I can provide the motivation but hey ho, I thought perhaps if there were more of us it might help!

I'm currently 10 stone 12 and 5 foot 7. My fighting weight is 10 stone and I would like to get back down to this.

Lockdown has seen me put on at least half a stone. A bad back has seen me stop running and lack of school runs means a distinct deduction in time on my feet.

Anyone else in the same boat?

[Lurkingforawhile]

@bez91how did the haircut go? My OH's looks fine from one side but I got too enthusiastic with the clippers on the other!

[Glitterbubbles]

Can I join please? I'm in my late 20s and having been slim all my life I've put on 2 stone in the last 4 years and am now within the overweight range on BMI for the first time ever. I'm getting married next year and would love to lose a stone by then.

Problem in our house is eating out and portion size, as well as chocolate. I don't drink much. I also really need to exercise more.

[Lurkingforawhile]

@Glitterbubbles I have portion issues too. My OH is a foot taller than me yet both of us still dish up the same size portions! My only solution so far is to use a smaller plate

[Glitterbubbles]

@Lurkingforawhile yes this is my exact problem too!
We also eat really fast. I'm convinced that if we are more slowly we wouldn't go back for seconds a lot of the time

[bez91]

@Lurkingforawhile haircut didn't go well. Was all going well (an hour in 🙈) trying to blend it in with different lengths but then he lost patience so ended up with a skinhead which he's never had 🙈
@Glitterbubbles I am trying this with eating slowly, I think there's something in it!
Feeling a bit disheartened that I've weighed myself and there's been no change since a week ago despite working out everyday and being well under my calorie limit - will have to keep going!

[petermaysawthefuture]

May I join?
Serious lack of motivation!
I'm 5 foot and weigh around 10.4
Lose a couple of pounds and it goes back in again.
Been trying diet shakes for breakfast and lunch but not doing great

[clevername]

Can I join too?

I'm 38, 5 ft 2, slight-framed and currently 8st 13lbs. I started trying to lose some weight at 9st 3 a few weeks ago. I'm aiming to get to 8st. Haven't weighed that much since way before having my 2 DC but I feel properly motivated to do it this time!

I'm doing a mix of 5:2 with 500 calorie fast days, plus reducing calories to 1200 on non-fast days. I also do kind of 16:8 in that I don't eat breakfast (I've done this for years and I'm finding it's making the fasting and calorie restriction easier because I'm used to being hungry in the mornings! Also means I can eat more calories over 2 meals, rather than 3).

I bloody hate exercising so have for some reason convinced myself to just focus on food for now and once I'm getting closer to my target, I'll start exercising to get toned up. I realise this probably sounds a bit loopy but it works in my head for some reason...

I usually fast on Mondays and either Wednesdays or Thursdays but skived today (BBQ and wine!). I'll get back on it tomoz .

[spinthebottle]

Me. Had a massive slip up today and had a kfc and then I thought fuck it so had 4 cans of cider in the sun. I’m 5’3 and 9.5 stone. I’m aiming to get to 8 stone I’m comfortable there. I’m starting 5 2 tomorrow!! Posting this now to hold myself accountable!

[AIMD]

I had a slip today too spinthebottle. I’m sure the sunny weather doesn’t help! 😂 you almost have to have cider!

Seriously though I tend to throw it all out the window if I have a slip up. I need to reset tomorrow!

[PeasandCucumbers]

Actually really pleased with how the bank holiday weekend has gone I have had wine and Prosecco but been really good food wise and done lots of walking including over an hour of hill walking yesterday and nearly 16k steps today. Decent calorie deficit every day and even sat through DH and the kids having fish and chips this evening while I had a salad!

Lurkingforawhile I have taken photos in short gym shorts (that I would never wear in public!!) and a sports bra. DD took them for me, front, side, back and other side. After she finished she said “You’re not going to like these Mum!” Hopefully the next ones will show some changes!

Portion size is an issue here too! And like a few of you the problem is expecting I should be able to eat the same as DH who is much taller and has a fairly physical job.

I also agree with the smaller plate and slower eating, I am always first to finish a meal and am trying to make a conscious effort to eat slower and more mindfully as sometimes I can eat something while doing something else and not even really realised I have done so!

Hi to all the new joiners and for those of you who feel you over indulged a bit over the bank holiday just remember tomorrow is a new day

[sweetkitty]

Can I join? 5 foot 4 currently about 9 1/2 stone (scared to weigh myself) I have a tiny frame all my weight sits on my hips, bum and stomach. I got down to 8 stone 9 last November but have piled it on again. I’m 44 and a junk food vegan. I’m my job I’m usually on my feet all day but I’m WFH just now so sitting down a lot more, to complicate matters I have fibromyalgia and chronic pain in my hips, pelvis, back and knees which prevents any high intensity exercise. I used to do yoga and walking but am far too lazy and demotivated right now.

[Flippetydip]

Hi all

I was RUBBISH over the weekend. We are doing "come dine with me" during lockdown- just trying to find something to make the weekends a bit different. The kids have done theirs - with a reasonable amount of input obviously! (although DD aged 9 specified a dress code and everything last weekend, we were all togged up in our finery in the dining room!) and it was mine this weekend. I went all out with tapas followed by churros. Goodness alone knows what the calorie intake was. We also cleared 2 bottles of wine between us over the weekend.

Anyway, that notwithstanding, I came out at 10 stone 6 this morning so I'm 1.5 lbs lighter than this time last week.

Definite fast day today! (That said, I'm just about to put a sourdough loaf in the oven.....)

[Flippetydip]

Not 10 stone 6, that would be amazing - 10.10.6. But still, it's a loss

[Santasunhelpfulhelper]

Can I join too please. I’ve put at least 7lbs on during lockdown. I’m now 10 stone, but feel my best at 9.
My clothes don’t fit. My sports bra is uncomfortably tight so I’m not even exercising. My skin is terrible because of what I’m eating.
Low carbing works for me, but the chocolate and bread has been impossible to resist so far.

[Lurkingforawhile]

I'm baking this morning, and was wondering how I would resist eating all the cake. Just got to the end of the recipe and it says I need to wrap the cake after baking and leave it for four days!!

[KeirStarmerDonkeyFarmer]

That’s handy Lurking. I have been baking so much recently, a full lockdown cliche. So far, since taking this seriously, I have resisted flapjack and chocolate cupcakes. Annoyingly dc2 announced the cupcakes ‘too chocolatey’ and DH seems to be going cold turkey on sugar too, so it has been up to dc1 to eat them all and she has been doing it slooooowly. It’s been torture 😄.

This morning I have attempted some distraction baking with this recipe:

fromscratchfast.com/banana-oatcakes/

They smell pretty good, but possibly have ended up just as sweet with the bananas in anyway. But they’ve got to be better than chocolate cupcakes anyway!

[BorsetshireBlueBalls]

Ok, I've been irritated with myself because I was trying to get down to 58 kilos and I've been gaining and losing the same half-kilo for months. However, yesterday when I checked my weight (61.3kg) and input it to MFP, (which I only do infrequently) I checked the whole of my progress since I began inputting weight data in November 2018, and...I've lost 3.6kg in that time. So I'm 8 llbs lighter than when I started. OK, progress has been slow, but I'm in the right direction. And, to be honest, I haven't really made much of an effort foodwise. But I have given up drinking, which saves a lot of calories and, so I'm told, allows your body to burn food more quickly. I've tried the low-carb/5:2 but I can't stick to them. I like cooking, the whole family likes eating, and we like curries, pasta dishes, classic French dishes, butter, cheese, cream, pork belly roasts, chorizo and lentil stews --you get the picture.

But I do feel encouraged by the scales to keep going and make more of an effort. So I'm going to try:
drinking more water
keeping my eating between 11am and 8pm
more vegetables each day
cut out the biscuits. I'm not giving up the slice of cake at the weekend, or the raspberries and cream, or the 20g of dark chocolate with a cup of tea after dinner. But if I ditch the digestives, that will be some calories saved.

Gym is closed, but I'm walking 5-6k each day (quite hilly where we are) and I've been doing Kathryn Morgan's ballet/Pilates workouts on YouTube.

I feel if I can make these small changes that I can stick to, and I'm patient, it will work. I have a couple of pair of trousers that I'm keen to feel good in rather than squeezed in, and I can't wear heels comfortably any more, so I can't rely on their leg-lengthening and slimming effect any more!

Onwards, ladies!

[Lurkingforawhile]

That's great news @BorsetshireBlueBalls and slowly must be the best way. I'm feeling inspired by your approach and the fact you're not depriving myself.

@KeirStarmerDonkeyFarmer I made white choc chip cookies too and have eaten three already

[BorsetshireBlueBalls]

Thanks @Lurking, glad to be helpful - quite unusual for me in the context of diet! Depriving myself doesn't work. I don't eat emotionally (did a long time ago in my 20s) but I do love my grub and although I don't have a big sweet tooth, my sugar intake did increase after giving up booze (a fairly classic reaction apparently). Knocking those extra biscuits on the head should get me back to my food intake before I went on the wagon, and I hope I will see the benefit in weight loss.

[spinthebottle]

First fast day done! Feel quite full but my little chocolate and crisps belly is calling me going to get in bed and read a book to take my mind off it.

[clevername]

I'm like you, @BorsetshireBlueBalls - my food is all about the butter and cheese and big curries and pasta and lentil stews (not necessarily all together. Although, yum). I don't like to deprive myself too much. And the thought of low carbing fills me with dread.

But I'm convinced that I can do this as long as I cut my daily calories, even if the calories I do have sometimes come from typically non-diet food sources.

Having said that, the numbers on my scales haven't gone down at all for a week, despite bi-weekly 500 calorie fasts and daily restriction (mostly!) to 1200 calories. I'm due on imminently, does anyone know if this could be why?

[clevername]

Congrats on chalking up your first fast day, @spinthebottle.

Nighttime is the worst time for me, I can virtually hear the popcorn and chocolate beckoning me... I always have to go to bed earlier on fast days because I'm so hungry that I'm frightened my resolve will be too weak to ignore their calls.

[clevername]

Also (sorry for the many posts, promise I'll stop after this one!) - does anyone know if there's any benefit (or not) of fasting on consecutive days? I'm wondering about squeezing my two fasts together to get them out of the way but not sure about the science...

[Lurkingforawhile]

I've heard that it's all about the first few mouthfalls and you don't enjoy food as much after that. I'm going to remind myself of that next time I have a massive bag of chips

[BorsetshireBlueBalls]

@clevername - I'm sorry, I can't help with your questions on fasting - isn't Dr Michael off Trust Me I'm a Doctor the guru here? If you google his name, I'm sure you'd find some good info.

But maybe getting tied into the change week by week is setting you up for frustration? It would be great to lose 5 kilos in 6 weeks, but most people don't or, if they do, they struggle to keep it off because to do that involves quite radical change that it's hard to maintain. Dunno...not an expert, except that I know I've been both heavier than now and lighter, but I can't remember ever having tracked so consistently in a downwards direction and I can only think it's because I've made small adjustments (although giving up booze was quite a change, admittedly) that I've been able to stick with. But it is slow - I am hoping that the next few kilos will come off faster than the previous! But I do have to be realistic about what I'm prepared to give up.