LOSE It! March 2021

[TheRealHousewife]

HELLO & WELCOME! March already and the start of Spring! We’ll all feel better with the onset of warmer weather ☀️.

This thread is for those of us who enjoy healthy eating, exercising and feeling motivated to reach (or maintain) a healthy weight/bmi. The founding members of these threads are inspirational and supportive in equal measure. I’m sure @SunshineCake & @halfshrunkmoretogo won’t mind me using them as Poster Girls.
They have both demonstrated that if we eat right, get outside & move more your mental health will heap the rewards. Better mental health = better choices. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

There are so many enjoyable lifestyle options out there without the need to resort to extreme measures. Whatever way you choose, it needs to be enjoyable & sustainable for the long term. This is a long term commitment rather than a quick fix. I rarely drink alcohol and keep sugar to a minimum. I exercise by doing walking vids & strength sessions with light weighs.

As no one size fits all members need to follow their own way of eating. Nonetheless this thread aims to offer guidance, support and a bit of hand holding.

There is no shaming, competition or harsh words to be found on these threads. We are in this together.

Jump right in! If you’re not too shy, post a bit about yourself 😊. How do you plan to do it? What do you want to achieve? What excites you about your future self? Together, we can create a whole new you!

You’ll be glad you got on board this time next month 😊

oh @CescaNicole I love weddings!!!! how wonderful.

I remember so well Cesca, you were all set to go and then all cancelled at the last minute! That is brilliant news, I'm so excited for you.

I remember too @CescaNicole. Planning my outfit right now.

What do you mean, I can't come?!.

Oh yay @CescaNicole so exciting!

Sorry for being so quiet lately. I'm having a bit of lockdown fatigue which is generally making me feel like I don't want to bother too much with much of anything.

I also realised today that I'm struggling with a bit of a body image confusion issue.

I know logically that I'm a lot thinner than I was, I've lost 4 stone and 4 sizes. I'm wearing size 14 jeans, I was wearing size 16 when I was 16 years old and they were tight then.

But.... I still feel like a fat person in my head, I look at other mums in the playground and think how good they look and really have no idea if they're a similar size to me or not but I feel huge compared to them. It's like my brain hasn't caught up with my body.

None of this is helped by being unable to really buy new clothes because I need to try stuff on and we can't do that and only have supermarkets available to look at clothes in.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll get there and I'm enjoying the increased fitness, me DH and DD did a Joe wicked video together yesterday and unlock the last time we tried back in lockdown 1.0, I didn't feel like I was going to die half way through, was able to finish it and actually could have gone on longer.

I've attached my weight loss graph seeing as how they've been mentioned below. Been reasonably static really since Xmas so I do need to find a way to reinvigorate the efforts.

Look at that graph Halfshrunkmoretogo! It's phenomenal! You have been an inspiration to me. I had less to lose and I'm finding it slow and difficult- so no wonder you're finding it mentally tough right now. We're about the same weight: I've noticed such a difference in my mere 22lbs so you must be so different in that mirror.

It's a very common thing to still feel like your old body, and very common to compare others to yourself. I do it all the time and it only leads to self doubt. I think it will come in time. You'll have that moment where you think 'God, look at me!' and it's for you to have that moment, it's not for anyone else.

Put those jeans on today, shake your gorgeous toush and remember your journey. We're all here to tell you how fabulous you are.

Thankyou all I'm so excited!! And I think I need my dress taking in a bitwhere I have lost a few more inches 🎉

I was wondering where you was @halfshrunkmoretogo! Hope you're OK!! Your graph is amazing!! Even where you say it's been static a bit, it's still a downward trend overall 👏🏻

Such exciting news @CescaNicole and you will feel amazing on your big day.
@HalfShrunkMoreToGo you are an inspiration and as the weather improves the weight loss will kick in again.

In the interest of honesty and accountability I must declare that I have really enjoyed the weekend and I am 3.75lbs heavier this morning than I was on Friday which is quite a change in 3 days. However I am hopeful I will have better news tomorrow - it is not great but onwards and inwards!

Thanks @132orbust @CescaNicole and @Puffalicious

Forgot to mention a new food I've discovered and love. Quark!

Always chose something else as just assumed I wouldn't like it but decided to give it a go yesterday and it's bloody lovely. Low calorie, high protein, like Greek yoghurt but creamier and less tangy.

Nestle do a white chocolate flavoured one that's like having a tub of cheesecake without the biscuit layer and only 85 calories.

I feel a supermarket shop coming on, @HalfShrunkMoreToGo. That sounds delicious! Well done on all you have achieved and your head will catch up with your body.

I've been for a run today, first time since Thursday as I've felt awful but apart from being cold and having a cod I feel okay today. Was very good and didn't weigh myself. I'll do that for WOW.

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo

🎉🎈🎉🎈177lb this morning🥳

I've lost 4 stone exactly now. And less than a stone to go to hit the healthy BMI range!

Please tell me how you did it! Well done!

I’m starting today . 13 stone and theee quarters. I need to lose four stones.

Just caught up on the posts. Well done to all the amazing loses and to those sticking at it. That’s half the battle I feel.

Must admit it’s a struggle at the moment, works extremely busy and finding myself making bad choices food wise.

It honestly feels like my body weight is all over the place.

On 4 March was 9’13 3/4
Then didn’t have a brilliant week
The following week 11 March 10’0 3/4- which I thought was ok considering.
Well last night I decided a line needed to be drawn and weighed myself this morning and was 10’6. How the heck can I be 5 1/4 lbs up in 4 days since Thursday. That’s why I just think my body is all over the place. I mean I have been indulgent but that seems excessive weight gain.

So I have said to myself to take it day by day. I will weigh next on Thursday. I know how down I feel when I get over a certain weight as my body shoes it in my face and arms and belly and I become self conscious and I don’t want to go back there.

Anyway I am back. Monday let’s be having you......

@GoLightlyontheEarth for me it's about tracking my food intake so I use MyFitnessPal, I've logged everything I've eaten for the last 227 days according to my profile.

I set it for 1lb loss a week and try to stick to the calorie limit it gives me. I'm not perfect so there are days I go over, but I still track it and just try better the next day.

I've cut carbs because they are high calorie and I have PCOS so my body doesn't handle them well. I generally just replace the carb part of a meal with veg like sugar snap peas, asparagus, mushrooms, babycorn, green beans. All of those are less than 40 calories for a cup full and can be grilled, dry fried, steamed or roasted with garlic or other seasoning.

Today's lunch for example was left over bolognaise with a load of steamed green beans and sugar snap peas.

I also aim for 3 x 30 min workouts a week. Not always done but that's the goal.

The other really important part for me is that I don't completely deny myself the things I like. Obviously can't have chocolate, cake or pastries every but if I really want it, I have it and then just try to be more careful with meals that day and load the plate with veg.

I am really missing being able to go swimming and will be there as soon as they announce the pool is open!

I had a sort out of my wardrobe over the weekend and discovered that the reason that I keep wearing the same stuff is not (just) because I’m lazy. There really are only a handful of things that fit and they all make me feel like a bit of a slob.

I’ve decided not to wait until I’ve lost more weight and ordered a few new items of clothing. I hope that will make me feel a bit less like a slob and actually motivate me to keep going!

[quote HalfShrunkMoreToGo]@GoLightlyontheEarth for me it's about tracking my food intake so I use MyFitnessPal, I've logged everything I've eaten for the last 227 days according to my profile.

I set it for 1lb loss a week and try to stick to the calorie limit it gives me. I'm not perfect so there are days I go over, but I still track it and just try better the next day.

I've cut carbs because they are high calorie and I have PCOS so my body doesn't handle them well. I generally just replace the carb part of a meal with veg like sugar snap peas, asparagus, mushrooms, babycorn, green beans. All of those are less than 40 calories for a cup full and can be grilled, dry fried, steamed or roasted with garlic or other seasoning.

Today's lunch for example was left over bolognaise with a load of steamed green beans and sugar snap peas.

I also aim for 3 x 30 min workouts a week. Not always done but that's the goal.

The other really important part for me is that I don't completely deny myself the things I like. Obviously can't have chocolate, cake or pastries every but if I really want it, I have it and then just try to be more careful with meals that day and load the plate with veg.

I am really missing being able to go swimming and will be there as soon as they announce the pool is open![/quote]
Sorry just to clarify when I sat cut carbs I mean reduced not cut them out completely. I enjoy bread, pasta etc as much as the next person and have definitely not eliminated it, I just try to make sure it's more moderate rather than 90% of my diet 😁

@Squashbanana125 I know the feeling- I managed to gain 7lb in a week on holiday last year and I'm still trying to lost it!

It's so easy to gain and so hard to lose!

I was doing well last week but totm so up a lb but that will hopefully settle down again in a day or two.

Feeling positive today and already done 10,000 steps today so gave into a hot cross bun but otherwise have done well in terms of lower carbs.

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo
That’s what I did ten years ago and I lost 2 stones quite easily. Unfortunately I just can’t seem to get into the groove now. You’ve inspired me to try again!

Very quick check in to say 2lbs of my 3.75lb(!) week-end weight gain has gone. Anything like bread, potatoes and pasta seem to make me weigh in heavy the next day and take about 24 hours to go.
I will attempt to get rid of the rest by Thursday but I am having my first vaccination today so I will have to see how I feel over the next few days.
Fingers crossed I feel tip top but just in case I don't I'll go easy on myself.

@poshme it’s so true, so easy to put on and so hard to lose

@132orbust well done on getting that gain off.

I was tempted to weigh in today but didn’t want to fall in to a trap of being sad if it didn’t say what I wanted. To be honest yesterday was good up to about 8pm when I then craved and did have some things I shouldn’t . But the plus side I did some boxing on the pads and circuit training at home which is the first time in a while.

I think I need to get out my head I need to be like an angel all of the time. I mean yes I want to lose weight but if I have one bad thing with food it’s a downward spiral to then have all the bad things. And it shouldn’t be like that. So going to try work on that.

I hope the vaccine goes okay @132orbust. I took 3-4 days to feel back to normal. I recommend rest, fluids and nice food to make yourself feel better.

@Squashbanana125. You have got this. As long as the majority of your choices are the best for you you'll do fine. I am fasting so eat between 12.45-5 ish but I allow myself a treat at three. Yesterday was a bit awry and I had crisps, chocolate and biscuits.

Today I ran 6.7km then walked the dog for an hour and half. I have only lost 0.4lb since last week but it is a loss and I haven't had the emotional torment of going up and then down. Sorry @Puffalicious but I might not be able to run tomorrow and I like to weigh in run days so I can't join in WOW.

So much positivity and inspiration here, what a great bunch we are!

i had a good loss last week, 2.2kgs, taking me to 91.6kg. Can't wait to break into the wonderful 80's!

So...another 5 day plateau...
I’m not cheating and I’ve increased my exercise. Since the “diet” plan is not a massive mind boggling change to my usual diet I’ll continue to follow along BUT, my expectations have plummeted as to this being a fab fast way to drop my weight.
But I guess the crux is there are some things I’m not willing to try, ie dropping to two meals a day or exercising before breakfast.
So for someone reasonably fit who doesn’t eat tons of junk not sure the fast 800 plan is worth the $$.
Still 148.8, at 5’3”. 135 should be reasonable.

It’s a long journey

Your loss rate might be disappointing, @fallfallfall but positive is the fact your head isn't getting fried with it and you seem to be in control.

I've no idea if my losses properly started when I started running or the fasting but I am happy doing both so while I'm a slow loser I am keeping it off.

Well done Sunshinecake resisting daily weighing seems to work for you. Brilliant 👏 👏 👏