A weight loss thread with no boring diet info

[AcornAutumn]

Hi all
I really need to lose a total of about 4 stone.

I'm not keen on the usual weight loss type chats with methods and foods etc discussed in detail.

So I was trying to think how it could be more interesting.

This might be a crap idea but I know I do better when I have interesting things to do. Today I've done my workout, some drawing and keyboard practice. I've also read a couple of chapters of Women Who Kill (!) and watched The Crown, I'm on Season 2.

It was those things that made snacking on a boiled egg less of a shock 😂

So I was thinking, what about a support thread where we don't talk about the details of our methods, but just check in for support, and tell each other something interesting we've done that day, even just a film we've watched.

Is it a bonkers idea?

Evening all. I am narky because dh has gate-crashed my diet and actually lost 2lbs in a week 'without trying'. It's so fucking irritating. He is really slim and runs long distances every day. To add insult to injury he is also 8 years younger than me which isn't his fault, but still.

He is making dinner tonight and he likes to eat late so it won't be ready until 8. I feel hungry so he suggested a apple. Jesus wept, a fucking apple.

He has just popped his head round the door to say he has put dinner on because I looked a bit down. He has sabotaged my irritation by being such a nice, kind person.

Mrs I feel for you.

I know lots pf people can make do with an apple but I have not yet become one of them....though I do hope to.

Hopefully by the time you see this, your dinner will be eaten.

I had a productive morning was nearly nodding off at the computer by 6.

Now I'm like this but I AM going to do at least a stretching thing before dinner

Grr, Bob, DP is the same, a week of healthy eating and he can lose half a stone.

I might brave the scales in a bit. Maybe.

I thought I had done well yesterday but was starving by bedtime. Le sigh.

Maybe starving by bedtime is doing well? When I've successfully lost weight in the past I have had periods of being hungry, which I suspect is probably how we should be.

@GwendolineWindowlene

Maybe starving by bedtime is doing well? When I've successfully lost weight in the past I have had periods of being hungry, which I suspect is probably how we should be.

I would need to reverse that

I have terrible insomnia so if I'm hungry at bedtime, I'm just going to eat.

Ah right, yes, that would be problematic, scouring the cupboard in the middle of the night!

I'm not sleeping well at the moment, but it never occurs to me to eat in the night, which is weird given that food is never far from my thoughts the rest of the time!

Gwen what happened to me yesterday was that after a very light dinner, I was stomach growling hungry at midnight. I thought I had done so well with the light dinner too.

Today's lunchtime distraction -AIBU that I don't want spinach to send emails?
mobile.twitter.com/euronewsliving/status/1356268135129751557

That cat is beautiful!

I spoke to my rather slim best friend last night and she says she does a 500cals fast day every Monday and hardly sleeps because she is so hungry. I couldn't, I just couldn't not stuff my face having suffered all day...

I was very hangry last night and am much more even-tempered today. Turns out dh isn't eating carbs. He is thinner every time I look at him. I am still irritated by it, I know that's pathetic but I can't help it.

In terms of activities, I am trying to off-load projects so I can get some furniture ready for sale. I am fighting with the webbing on an ercol sofa and it is quite physical so that's my exercise as far as I'm concerned

Mrs yes, I love that cat.

What's it like with selling furniture, do you get lots of people wanting to look with no intention of buying? Like property!

Low carb is not something I'd ever try again. I tried it once and I felt dreadful.

I wasn't actually trying to be different yesterday, I just fancied a really light dinner. Lesson learned for me. I figure it's going to take time and that's okay.

My mother has managed to keep slim all her life eating carbs. I really believe we are all different.

I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying anything they fancied trying though.

Morning all. Well, I’ve lots a bit more weight, but still slow so I’m going to try to be stricter with the munching.

Very uninspiring weather this morning, but it’s due to dry up in a bit before chucking it down again, so I’m going to get out and get striding!

Morning everyone, a tiny loss for me this morning too.

Struggling with everything this week. Hope this dip doesnt last too long.

Glad to see how well you're all doing.

I’m struggling a bit too, InJest, a horrible combo of feeling flat and directionless but anxious at night.

I’m finding I feel better if I’m more purposeful in what I’m doing. So, I might frame something as ‘a lovely treat afternoon, with a film and some nice snacks’. And then that morning I’ll busy myself with decorating, or a productive time-limited slot of work etc. What I really struggle with are days when I don’t purposefully commit to ‘do nothing’ and instead dip in and out of work emails, procrastinate etc.

Well done Gwen and Jest

I will leave weighing till Monday!

I did a new workout yesterday and boy, can I feel it. Not like, "I realise I did that yesterday" but properly feeling every muscle! Oh well, I expect it has done me good.

Gwen do you mean you find it hard to designate the day for doing nowt? And then check work emails on days off?

I’m self-employed, and at the moment I don’t have much on. I’m not used to that, so I tend to sit at my laptop and make the small amount of work I have to do stretch for much longer than it should. I’ve realised this makes me miserable, and I’m happier if I allocate proper time for work, and then properly embrace doing nothing (or do something like decorating, cleaning etc) for the rest of the time. I’ve fallen into a quicksand of endless email checking, procrastinating and doom scrolling.

Oh, so is the endless email checking in case some work comes in? That's a tough one.

I fell for the doom scrolling last year but the way to solve that was to switch the internet off, or, if I needed it for TV, then I'd leave a note up saying "no news" or whatever.

Going as low news as I can has been really helpful.

It's even more fucked up than that, Acorn.

It goes like this... I have some work to do that should take maybe 2 hours. But it's boring and I don't want to do it. So, instead of cracking on, getting it done and giving myself the rest of the day off, I hover over my laptop dithering and procrastinating. And therefore maybe spend 4 or 5 hours at my desk instead of the 2.

At which point I feel the day is nearly over, so instead of doing something worthwhile like housework or painting or proper treat-style relaxing, I sort of limp to the end with a mix of BBC News Channel, Mumsnet and texting.

God, when I see it written down like that I'm aghast at the time I'm wasting. I'm used to working full-on, 9 hours plus a day. So now I have much less to do I'm struggling to adjust. And consequently I feel unfulfilled, bored and tired.

Gwen I won't lie

Full time work under someone's eye doesn't thrill me!

However, years ago, I had some issues working full time and studying towards a personal goal. I read a couple of books that I found helpful so just suggesting in case.

One of them was about procrastinating and I can't recall the title, but it had some home truths that were important. One was, some of us procrastinate because we would rather 'do nothing' or doom scroll etc. That really resonated with me because I often found that hard times went by faster when I was doing "nothing". I suspect most books on the subject will look at this. (Fear of success was a big one for me but guessing not for you if self employed).

With lockdown, the temptation to just make the day go away fast is pretty overwhelming.

The other book, I still have. It's called "Why am I so disorganised" by Marilyn Paul. It's probably very dated now but I found it helpful. it's a bit hippy though.

The news thing - are you happy with that? My sister likes being a news addict which is fine, but if you're not happy with it, it's different.

I can relate to that constant feeling of 'wasting time' @GwendolineWindowlene. I keep looking at the house and think "I could clean it" but never getting round to it.

My days are spent in a constant state of dithering about what I'm not doing. It can be very demoralising. Non-lockdown me is all about 'doing jobs'. It gives me peace and happiness to do a job and tick it off the list. I hate on-going projects which is what lockdown is.

Today I was moping and dh invited me to download all of my numerous worries. It was very cathartic!

@AcornAutumn I get lots of interest in a piece of furniture and a whole heap of questions about the width, height etc, which is always on the listing. I listed an Ercol Studio Counch us as 'original' in the title and description and someone messaged me to ask if it was original

Those who buy are lovely and I like hearing where the sofa/armchair is travelling to and why. Most of the things I sell are mid century day beds/sofa beds (I LOVE them!) so they go off to holiday homes, new flats, people with guests stopping over. Makes me happy to contribute something which is beautiful and comfortable!

Your work sounds lovely, Bob, I’d love to work with my hands.

Today I am being strict! I’m setting myself 2 hours for non-stop work and 3 hours for house stuff.

I’m also going to go for a walk even if it’s raining, otherwise today would be my third day of no exercise. For me exercise really helps with weight loss.

Mad busy next couple of days so not likely to be in here....hope it goes well.

Was wondering how Sing was getting on with new meds...I had an adjustment this week and I thought it was okay but woke up in the night feeling really odd. very annoying.

Morning all, hope the busyness is going well, Acorn.

Very dank and wet here, but I'm going to get out there. I feel if I don't exercise then the wheels have really come off the wagon.

Gwen hope you got out. We had sun till about 2pm but
I had loads of work to do so only managed a brief potter outside. Proper workout coming shortly!

I had to do a hard workout two days in a row because of my schedule yesterday. I wouldn't normally do those back to back but although I really felt it, it was doable.

I am feeling more optimistic about finding better ways of eating as well.

I think I'm going to watch At Eternity's Gate tonight - about Van Gogh. Anyone seen it? I rather like Willem Defoe.

Hi guys - dh has made me a really lovely chicken, avocado and bacon salad for dinner, it is really delish!

I am extremely excited about pudding because I am having a mint magnum - whoop!!!!!!