Vanity pounds to lose - any takers?

[PrincessConsuelaBH]

So I have approx. 15lbs to lose to get back to my comfortable weight and for my clothes to fit! Thanks to lockdown and a toddler that still doesn't sleep meaning I rely on sugar to get me through the day...

I'm aiming to break it up into 3 5lb mini goals so I don't feel like it's unmanageable before I ever start

Nothing faddy, just planning to make better choices with my food, plan more, and move more too. I have some short-ish term goals that I'm hoping will be enough motivation for me to shift the weight 👶🏻

Anyone want to join? I'd be happy to keep a list going (if there's not too many of us!) to record our weights and losses if anyone would want that too.

It really is about finding what works and that can mean a lot of trial and error - and it can be completely different to what worked for you 2, 5, 10 years ago or after 1st, 2nd baby etc.

I've really done it all. To actively lose weight I have to eat little and exercise. I somehow get in to the mindset when I'm exercising regularly that I can eat like an athlete but I just can't, or I can - but I won't lose any weight!

Kettlebells are great, there are lots of beginner workouts on youtube. I rate fitness blender and like this one:

Ah brill, this looks just right for my initial foray, I'll let you know how I get on, bless you for being so helpful x

btw very sorry for the latter thread becoming the help Ingrid show

I've got a bit of a cold, and yesterday afternoon I felt tired and sorry for myself! I gobbled two mini mars bars! And a handful of mini marshmallows!!

@Ingridla Don't be - it's part of the process, we've all been there! I currently feel a bit frustrated and while I've made good progress the end goal still feels so far away (10+ kg to go). Over the past 6 months I've thought 'I give up/what's the point' several times but all it's meant is I've lost and gained the same 5kg. Part of joining this thread was to help get me through the 'I give up' times and it certainly has, I hope it helps you too.

@Ingridla
We arw here to help everyone on thread.
Its sad but as we get older most of us need a lot less calories..
I am early fifties, active.. Though not as much as some.. But I walk the dogs, run twice a week, surf once or twice a week for an hours or so.. Etc
And I can only eat around 1200 calories a day before I start to gain weight.
Bloody menopause

Ingridla, I always learn something from other people's questions and ideas.

Does anyone know about how weight actually happens? This is going to sound incredibly naive, but I ate an ice cream yesterday and a ridiculous amount of bread over yesterday and the day before. Today I weight the same as I did yesterday and the day before, but I ate more calories than normal and more than I needed to maintain. How long does it take for food to produce weight?

I weigh myself daily. I do it because it helps me to keep on track, to buckle down straight away if I gain any thing, it's a boost to see it holding steady or dropping down, and I don't feel the dread I used to feel at the thought of stepping on the scales for the weekly or monthly check in. But could my not having gained anything today simply be that it takes time to create fat? I'm new this year to dieting and weighing myself so regularly. I used to just step on the scales out of curiosity about once a year so this is new to me.

Hope you feel better soon Downudder, those chocolate bars and marshmallows will have helped kill the germs!!!

dudsville
Basically around 3500 calories results in 1lb of fat gain, so if you over eat by that you will put on weight, but it could be over a period of time of overeating. Unfortunately calories aren't all treated equally by your body so it isn't as simple as that - 100 calories of almonds are absorbed and digested far more slowly than 100 calories of cake, they contain more fibre so will fill you up more, and more will be excreted as it is indigestible by the body, and your body burns more calories in the process of digesting high fibre foods than it does with white carbs. If you are interested in the science behind diets and nutrition, I recommend Dr Tim Spector's book The Diet Myth, very informative and interesting!

I'm feeling a bit down/embarrassed (not sure why!!) about the slow rate of weight loss.

I am seeing non-scale differences, such as my clothes fitting differently (a couple of bits are too loose), visibly and tangibly having less wobbly bits and feeling stronger in most exercises, but the plain truth is that, with all the fluctuations, I have lost 1lb in a month. I can't help but feel I am kidding myself despite the tangible differences.

I suppose for me it is a big win to even maintain. Usually by now, I'd have gone totally back to bad habits.

Having far too many treats and days off, really. My main letdowns are giving into treats DP brings/suggests, and not planning time to prepare meals. My challenges for this week will be to practice some resolve and time management!

Grateful for this group and to draw strength/inspiration from you all!

Ah don't feel embarrassed @BrimfulOfBaba losing any weight at the moment is an achievement!

And the tangible differences you're seeing are more important than a number on a scale which can be affected by all sorts of things such as muscle, water retention etc.

I'm the opposite to be honest, the numbers have gone done a bit but I still feel just as wobbly and bloated! I know I keep saying it but I really need to get the motivation to do some exercise.

Keep going, you'll get there!

BrimfulOfBaba

Well, these are excellent benefits " my clothes fitting differently (a couple of bits are too loose), visibly and tangibly having less wobbly bits and feeling stronger in most exercises" and actually have real life value where as the number of the scales doesn't.

I must admit that I am finding it much easier to have control over what I eat now that Dc has gone to Uni. The house is not full of teen-fuel in the form of snacks and I can more easily live on low calorie / reasonable calorie foods.

Is your DP understanding and on board with your wishing to trim down?

Foe me, having the right things in the fridge is key. I need to be able to rustle up a healthy lunch or dinner with things I fancy and in a reasonably short space of time. So I shop to fend off temptation.

Anyway, 1lb a month is a loss! It's half a pack of butter off your wobbly bits per week.

Just adjust your whole life approach a little bit, get yourself in the 'Oooh, look at me, how much fitter I am and how much better my clothes fit' zone and feed off your success!

I'm the opposite to be honest, the numbers have gone done a bit but I still feel just as wobbly and bloated

Same here, bellinique.

My jeans fit a LOT looser below the waistband, but the muffin top above is like a whole bakery counter of muffins! But, slowly the weight is coming off, and it must be coming from somewhere, so my wobbly middle will presumably look better one of these days.

@RainingBatsAndFrogs haha, glad it's not just me and yes to the muffin top!

The weight is going down but I still have a noticeable (to me) bulge over the tops of my trousers which I can't seem to shift. Can't even think of an exercise which would focus on that wobbly area?!

Thank you Jemenfouscompletement, that in itself is very informative but I may have a look at that book too!

I've been there Brimfullofbaba, I dieted for a month with everything calorie controlled and lost nothing, I was not counting well (I'm terrible with numbers). For me it's been about developing a capacity to trust myself but it's been a big project. Be kind to yourself.

Hi. I've just recently followed someone on instagram who does exercise for over 40's, she seems good. I saw she did some for muffin tops. I'll see if I can find a name. I'll be back.

niki wibrow. I'm in Australia, so I don't know if this lady is well known, or not. But her exercises look fairly sensible to me. I've not tried them yet! But I see her on instagram and feel inspired!! One day I'll get around to it!!

@BrimfulOfBaba this was me last week! I don't know why but I was just really struggling to get into the mindset and it was too easy to pick from food in the fridge.

This week I've prepared well, so would recommend doing that - hard boiled eggs and cucumber sticks/humus in the fridge to grab, going on a long walk every day. I also haven't bought any treat - no chocolate/biscuits etc I'll bake later this week and we can all enjoy some cake. I'm having a decent breakfast (porridge and fruit), a fairly small lunch and a sensible sized portion for dinner. I find the walk suppresses my appetite at lunch time but then I really enjoy eating later with DH!

Jumped on the scales this morning and it's showing a 2lb loss - after maintaining for 2 weeks! So I just need to keep this up until Monday.

@Ingridla I'm sorry you've been so down about it this week, looks like you've had some great advice how are you feeling today?

Great news @PrincessConsuelaBH. Fingers crossed for Monday.

I’ve sneaked in a cheeky mid week weigh this morning and I’m down another 0.5kg. Very pleased! Celebrating with a posh black coffee.

I did this morning’s hiit class with my new dumbbells and was happy to make it to the end without keeping over. I’m going to hurt tomorrow though! Maybe a stretching yoga session later might be a good plan.

What’s everyone planning on eating today? I’m having a mind blank.

I'm taking in all of your tips!

I'm feeling much better thank you, I finally came on today which is a relief as that was worrying me (def not because of pregnancy concerns ) and I've been eating really sensibly, lots of veggies & and not boozing so feeling much brighter.

I'm going to leave it until Monday for a weigh in and see where I am, but as per a previous poster suggested I might start to weigh myself every day or so if and when it finally starts slipping away.

I'm really stalling / plateauing at the moment.

The gym closure is hitting me.

@Ingridla glad you are feeling better! I weigh myself everyday to keep things in check too, it doesn't do any harm.
I don't know if you listen to podcasts but on Dr Rangan Chatterjee's podcast he interviewed Dr Tim Spector this week, a lot of info about diet and nutrition.

@RainingBatsAndFrogs

I'm really stalling / plateauing at the moment.

The gym closure is hitting me.

I am really missing the gym too. Online classes are good, and I’ve got some hand weights but I’m still wanting a bench press and some machines.

I’d eve surprised if they’re not open as soon as we come out of this lockdown. Hopefully only a short time to go.

Thank you so much for the encouragement and positivity :)

@RainingBatsAndFrogs DP is really supportive and has been a real cheerleader, but I think sometimes he forgets that I just really can't eat the way that he can! I talked to him about how I was feeling yesterday and he's agreed to not randomly buy me treats "just because". I think he felt bad that I am working from home alone, so would do things like buy me a whole lemon drizzle loaf just because I mentioned I wanted something lemony! While lovely of him, that's just not helpful in the long term!!

Great news @PrincessConsuelaBH!

Feeling better today and looking forward to a good endorphin boost from a couple of circuits. I'm on the last week of Kayla Itsine's SWEAT programme - which means I have been on this journey for 12 whole weeks and exercised at least 3 days a week in that time. That's quite big for me!!

Brimful LOL at whole lemon drizzle loaf!

Lovely that he wants to support you. Hint at some alternative cheer-er-uppers: flowers, an aromatherapy balm to apply to your pulse points, some lovely fruit to pick at, individual bags of popcorn (not the toffee kind), exquisite and wildly expensive jewellery, for example