Anyone starting tomorrow and not planning a ''quick fix''

[LadyPrigsbottom]

Hello!

I have gained a shocking amount of weight and absolutely need to regain control of myself.

I do not need another drop-some-lbs-quickly-to-look-lovely-in-my-new-frock-diet. I think it is more serious than that for me now and I need to completely transform my relationship with food, as it has obviously become unhealthy.

I have come crawling back to dieting, (and to MN), to hopefully find some weight loss buddies.

I am planning to do the "No S Diet". The rules are:

1. No sweet treats
2. No second helpings
3. No snacking between meals

Except on "S" days; Saturdays, Sundays and Special Days, (birthdays, Christmas etc).

On "S" days, the theory is that you stick to your three, square meals and also have a special treat or two over the weekend. It isn't that you can then eat a whole tub of ice cream every weekend or anything.

It is meant to be a lifelong plan, (aren't they all?), not a quick fix. So I am not expecting rapid weight loss. I honestly just need to stop gaining at such an alarming rate. Even if I stay as fat as I am, (and I am quite fat), I could live with it, but the rapid weight gain has scared me tbh! I have gained approximately two stone in less than a year . Two years ago, I had a normal BMI and I'd just had a baby. Now, I am on the cusp of obese.

I am circa 14 stone, (a few lbs under), and need to be circa 11 and a half stone. At this point, I'd settle for anything under 13! I am 36.

Would love some company .

I'm a pound up on last week but was expecting to be. Lots of pizza this week and even a little gin, though I usually don't drink.
I lost a night's sleep also @LadyPrigsbottom. The storm was bad here on Wed night. I think the rest of today will be a write off as I'm taking the DC for an outside meet up with relations.
I plan to get back on track then tomorrow.

So far, so good today. Probably easier since I was so well fed yesterday . Watching movies and playing Brio with dc today. Not much planned. We are staycationing from next week, so that might be harder, but I'm sure it can be done 💪.

Hopefully some more exercise next week. It's been so long since DH has had any A/L. I think we are all tired. Dh and I were discussing and saying I need to give myself achievable goals, stick to them and then move on, while not dropping the previous goal iyswim. I have a journal which should help with doing exactly this. I always find holidays a good time for a fresh start, so here I go (again). Whitesnake !

Oooh champagne @LadyPrigsbottom I very rarely drink any more - maybe one or two drinks per month - just can't cope with the hangovers, but I do love a glass of fizz, cava/ prosecco/ champers!

Do you have a physical journal or is it an online one/ app? I prefer to use written ones, but would hate anyone to read my innermost thoughts , so I was making notes on my phone when I kept a diary. Have to say I may go back to it now you've reminded me, as it did work very well when I actually did it! With the 'achievable goals' I was starting one per week - so on a Monday I would decide, this week I'm going to start healthy eating or whatever - then by next Monday, that would have become (more or less) a habit and I could add on starting couch to 5K, for example.

Blimey, I think I'll have to try that again now I've reminded myself of it, it did work better than trying to do everything all at once!

How did your Friday go @WhistlersandJugglers?

Sorry for going AWOL But had a few personal issues. @LadyPrigsbottom what you said about achievable goals really struck home as I’m great and elaborate plans but I never stuck to them. I need to decide in 1 or 2 achievable goals and get them embedded before I try more. I love a new notebook so I think I will spend today working out what I can realistically set for next week

Ah I'm glad the notebook / journalling idea for achievable goals seems to be something other people think might work for them!

I'm opening a new week in my journal to start doing the same.

Think I'm going to do early nights, (which means less opportunity for late night munchies ) and exercise. I'm going to start with brisk walking, (toddler pace doesn't count), for three hours per week and two weight sessions per week. I think this is doable... is three hours about right for walking? Well, it's a start anyway.

I'll try this for a couple of weeks and then move on. I honestly believe that making small, healthy changes leads naturally to making better choices overall. So early nights and doable exercise will probably mean less chance for me to slob around eating and hopefully when I do eat it might help me choose healthier things as I need nutrient dense foods.

for you @Onthebrink67 and I hope everything is going better now?

I think I will join you with the small steps @LadyPrigsbottom once the DC are back at school and I have time to breathe again... DTS2 in particular is such a little horror at the moment that I don't have a minute to spare during the day. The idea of whole HOURS to myself is only a pleasant dream at the moment

Thanks @RubySlippers77 things are not resolved but calmer I guess. Small steps are definitely the way to go I think. I find if I do one thing well- eg stick with yoga there is a knock in effect on my eating etc

Yes, I totally agree with the knock on effect.

I'm also looking forward to dc1 going back to school and dc2 starting childcare. I definitely think just some breathing space while I sort myself and the house out will really help. Even if we go into lockdown in October or whatever it is people keep saying will happen.

I'm still here, eating OK but not great. I think I have 1st September in my head as the time to get properly serious about 16:8 again so I'm just trying to be relatively sensible until then. I'm getting in a bit of planking and pilates in the evening. A very small bit really but I feel better if I do something.

Well done @WhistlersandJugglers!

I was out at a theme park today with dcs. We brought a pretty healthy picnic with us, so that we didn't have to buy anything there, which I think was good. So I had my cereal this morning, then two tuna mini wraps, a nakd bar and some pop chips all day. Didn't even get an ice cream or anything, so I feel as if this gradual, healthy changes thing might be working for me and also, because I wasn't having ice cream, it was easy to say no to dcs, so they ate healthily too.

I have walked A LOT today. Basically walked or stood all day long, except a quick sit down to eat the aforementioned picnic and when we got on to the rides. So, I feel ok about food today. Tomorrow, I'm going to start a short core and arms routine. I feel and look 100 times better if I do this regularly and it really doesn't even take long, so I really need to resolve to do it.

Good call with the picnic @LadyPrigsbottom when we took the DC to Legoland last year I packed us all picnic + snacks. Cut down on the unhealthy stuff bought + whinging if we'd had to stand in queues to buy it!

(On a separate note how did you think your theme park did with social distancing? My thinking is that the bigger ones will do it well whereas the little funfair we took the DC to last week, for example, paid lip service to it but didn't really bother!)

My 'start date' is possibly September 7th @WhistlersandJugglers, the DC will be doing half days at school from then so I'll finally have a bit of time to myself - first though, I need to try yet again to get a GP appointment to sort out this pain I have in my ribcage. I thought I'd torn a muscle or something (it's on the right hand side at the top) but just isn't getting better and the pain makes me feel a bit sick! Can I get a GP appointment though?! No, not a hope, I might have to go and queue tomorrow morning even though they're trying to discourage people from doing it...

I bought a weight loss journal today @Onthebrink67. I'm really hoping it will help!!

I have to say, my journalling has been pants lately! My feeling is, that I probably need something with less bits to fill out and more blank space for me to write.

Maybe just a normal journal rather than an eating one 🤔.

Re theme parks and social distancing; this was a biggish one, where they did encourage social distancing. So, they left empty parking spaces in the carpark, so it was every other space you could park in. They had markers out for queuing at rides and some of them, they only filled every other row. But, they didn't enforce it, so if people got a bit close, nobody leapt out and stopped them iyswim, but, I felt it was as good as they could manage without forcing people to observe the rules. They had hand sanitizer at the beginning and end of every ride as well. I did think it was busy enough though, considering they were operating at limited capacity. Dread to think what it would have been like on a day in non-covid summer holidays!

There were loads of journals/ diaries/ notebooks in the shops today @LadyPrigsbottom, getting ready for the new academic year I imagine. Maybe time to treat yourself to a nice new one

That sounds better than the place we went to, where the ride attendants definitely never bothered with hand washing/ gel! I have to say that smaller crowd numbers actually makes it a lot easier for me, as my DC are still young and get a bit overwhelmed in large crowds. It's a pain having to book ahead and take a gamble on the weather, but like you, I hate to think what some of these places would be like if they weren't restricting numbers!

I think you may be right @RubySlippers77 . Off to Paperchase I go! I have been decluttering recently, so I don't feel too terrible buying one little diary... it's only small .

I somehow ended up buying a 6 minute mindfulness/self improvement journal. Dammit @RubySlippers77, why did you let me go journal shopping ?

It has nothing to do with food, but I will include healthy eating in there. It looks really good. Looking forward to it arriving.

Same weight as last week and I'm happy with that. School is back on Monday and I'm so looking forward to it. 2 of the kids are looking overtired and pale and I know they are at the stage where they need routine and early nights.
I like salad but I much prefer winter cooking. I have some carrots in the fridge that are looking past their best and I'm going to make a nice pot of carrot and lentil soup with them over the weekend.

Oh carrot and lentil soup sounds amazing. I'm seriously considering buying a soup maker for winter. I always thought they just sounded so unnecessary, but a friend has one she got as an off piste wedding present. She says it is surprisingly useful!

Now, don't laugh; I swear this wasn't deliberate! My scales have run out of battery. So I can't weight myself - quel dommage . I feel fine though.

I've been for a swim this morning, having just unfrozen my gym membership. It was lovely! Bit weird having to bundle myself into a robe and trot out to the carpark in it as they advise against using the showers. Everyone else seemed to be showering there though, so maybe it was overkill, bringing my robe! Certainly got some looks as I went to the car 😂.

Anyway, I have a class booked for Tuesday and I'm so looking forward to it. I've had enough fucking walks. Sorry woodland. I love you, but enough is enough! I like the gym. So ha!

Off to look for a soup maker now.

I did the school run this morning, it's sunny and I'm properly committed to 16:8 again. September is going to be the month I get under 10 stone.

Ooooh well done @WhistlersandJugglers! Great attitude.

I have been to a gym class this morning. It is beyond lovely to be back! Yes, I may have had a piece of delicious, homemade cake just now, but it is the only thing I've eaten so far today and I'm calling it lunch . It is also technically holiday for us as well, as dh is off for staycation.

I have got another class at the gym tomorrow morning, plus a swim. Making the most of DH being off work this week. I'm really enjoying it.

Dc1 goes back to school later this week and dc2 starts childcare a couple of weeks later.

Hi all!

How is everyone doing?

I've been doing ok. Lots of exercise...well, relative to what I was doing, which was very little . I have done either a swim or a gym class, or two every day this week since Sunday. Feel a lot better for it.

I've been for a swim today and walked home from the gym, via the supermarket, and got loads of groceries, which I carried home. Going to pick up dc1 from school on foot in a minute which will be another 3 km-ish walk.

I've had sushi for lunch, plus some homemade brown bread as a snack. I was hungry after swimming! Doing something fairly healthy for dinner.

All in all, a good week so far.

Hope everyone else is ok.

My DC are finally back at school this week @LadyPrigsbottom, unfortunately DP is off too as I really wanted some time to myself to sort things out, organise my new exercise regime, do a decent food shop etc... hopefully next week!

No weight change for me this week. The kids are back in school but it has been a bit hectic getting everyone back into routine after being off for so long. And I ended up going into the city twice on errands so that ate into my time. Next week I'm going to go for a walk every morning as soon as I drop them to school.
I've been putting a big effort into sorting out the garden so it will be tidy for the winter. That's been my only exercise but it really needed doing. I'm very much a novice gardener and I'm trying to fill up my beds and borders so that they look nice but are lower maintenance.

I was planning to do loads of gardening this year @WhistlersandJugglers, keep it looking neat, grow veg and flowers etc... then lockdown happened and all the DC wanted to do was dig up the lawn and plant random seeds everywhere - now I just want to get it all tidy before winter and make a plan for next year!

If I ever achieve a tidy garden, tidy house and washed windows at the same time I think the universe will implode. I haven't been working since lockdown began and I have teenage minions and I still never got anywhere near that goal.
When my kids we smaller the garden was lawn only and I never even mowed it. I take my hat off to anybody with small kids who manages to have a lovely garden.

@WhistlersandJugglers I don't think I will achieve all of those either till I am (a) retired, (b) child-free and (c) have lots of money to pay someone else to help

Started the garden today, DS2 nearly fell headfirst into a bucket of filthy water so I had to give it up and take him indoors where I could keep an eye on him!

DP is back at work on Monday and the DC are back at school (part time for now but better than nothing), I hope to make a good start on new routines including meal planning and exercise...