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 😊

Welcome @overthecorona and @epponnee!!

Well Done @squashbanana125, I also can't wait to get into the 9s!!!
Well Done @Puffalicious!

Lots of losses going on 👏🏻

Day Four of no sugar today! Headache has completely gone. I felt so much better yestday! Had lots of energy and was in a great mood!!
Have felt a bit irritable today but otherwise all good.

Breakfast - Berries
Lunch - Veg Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Dinner - Beetroot & Cous Cous Veg Salad

Keep going everyone 😃

Good morning All

Welcome @overthecorona @Epponnee. Epponnee I am a slow loser too. I share your frustration. There are so many variables that affect progress:- health conditions (thyroid in my case), hormone levels, macros (proteins carbs fats), medications, sleep quality, stress, mental health, age, gut biome, activity levels. Everything is interlinked. It’s never just a case of calories in versus calories out, especially as we get older. Time and diligence will see you through. Slow and sustainable. What affects weight loss

Thank you for the link @fallfallfall! Very useful.

@poshme don’t be too hard on yourself. Weight does naturally fluctuate but as long as the trend is downwards you’ll get there.

@Squashbanana125 Well done on your loss! I sympathise re:- Headaches can be so disabling. Here’s to a better day today.

@Puffalicious well done! Great progress. Yes I agree we will all get there. Get rocking that waist of yours!

@CescaNicole congrats on being sugar free and now headache free! Awesome.

Not weighed today. I’m trying to wait until next Wednesday.

Have a great day everyone. Stay safe & mindful. Reports today that in some areas numbers of covid cases are rising again.

Hey everyone

Well done on your losses 👏🏻👏🏻

I'm Not off to a great start - 2lbs on for me

But! I've cut down on tea & juice and am drinking 6 glasses of water a day instead. My skin is much nicer for it even if I'm a little heavier Baby steps x

Thanks OP! Feel so positive today. It's amazing what a boost weight loss gives you, and all the great peeps on here.

CescaNicole great stuff on the sugar free front. I went completely sugar and caffeine free about 5 years ago for over a year. It felt fabulous. I've stayed caffeine free but the sugar crept back in...I don't think I could do it right now, sticking to low sugar as I know I'll stick to that. Well done you.

Day 59
SW:151
CW:139.5
GW:132
0.25lb off - the fast worked but for how long?
11.5lbs in 59 days

Went over my calories yesterday, oops!

Today has been interesting, worked in the office in the morning for the first time in months, was lovely seeing people. Then this afternoon I was at the hospital having a consultation for cataract removal. All booked in to have the surgery 9th April so excited at the prospect of regaining some vision in that eye.

Gosh HalfShrunkMoreToGo it sounds like you have a lot on your plate already. (No pun intended). Well done for persevering!

Hello @Epponnee. What you said really resonated with me. I have done Diet Chef, Pig to Twig and the 5:2 plan and each time I lost a stone and then nothing. I couldn't get passed it. I went up to a high of 14 stone due to being unwell with food intolerances and once they were cut out I lost 1.5 stone very quickly and easily. I then lost the same half a stone half a dozen times. I then had covid and it scared me so at 12 stone nine, in May I started Couch25km. It has taken a very long time but I did achieve ten stone 11. Currently I am 11 stone 3.2 and run 6-7km four or five times a week and I am also doing IF. I think I am doing well if I lose two pounds a month at the moment but I take a huge win from emotional progress due to food and eating issues. Hang in there. Check in with us as often as you want and we will all do this together.

Well done @joysmoy66. A loss is a win .

Don't fret @poshme. Is your DH supportive of your quest? Could he buy less treats? Hide them? When mine wants an evening snack he offers to eat it in the kitchen to help me. I normally say no it is fine but I have had a couple of evenings where I have had a piece of cheese or a few crisps so I will stop that. And make him stay in the kitchen .

@Squashbanana125 congratulations!! I haven't seen nine stone anything for decades . To think when I was 21 I would stress when I went up to nine stone seven in period times .

@Smarshian I think slowly off means it stays off. Hang in there.

Great news at waist discovery @Puffalicious! I do feel proud I didn't weigh this morning after my run and I feel liberated. I am a bit worried I might put loads on without the check but I am willing to give it a good go.

When I gave up coke I remember the headaches and day four being the day the headache went, @CescaNicole. I was craving one so DH picked up a bottle when he went to Asda and I hope I don't regret it. I have coke rarely so hoping that makes a difference but I think this will be the last bottle. It really is evil stuff.

Don't fret @sconenotscon. We are all behind you and you've made great changes re water drinking etc.

Every little bit counts @132orbust.

April will soon be here @HalfShrunkMoreToGo.

Take care everyone.

@TheRealHousewife hope I'm not stepping on your toes as I do long replies. I am grateful for the support and friendship and want to try and support others. Plus I remember the excitement when I got a mention .

Thanks sunshine-appreciate the support 😊

Day Four of no sugar done. And I'm very pleased with myself as I had some family drama and anxiety going on so I really wanted to eat the massive bar of Galaxy the DH has in the cupboard (😖)! But I have resisted and got myself through my emotions by chatting with a family member on the phone, a walk and lots of tea.

@SunshineCake argh yes Pepsi Max is my choice of poison. I think that's even zero sugar actually but I have given it up nonetheless. I do love a fizz!! I'm not sure what to do long term. I don't know if I can give up forever - ( or maybe I can 🤔) but one occasionally seems more realistic! Not sure. Like you say there really are evil!!! 😈

Well done on day four.

My treat is sparkling water. I can't bare our tap water so I buy the bottled stuff, plus still, and when it is cold it is just as nice as a coke and obviously much better for me. I have lemonade maybe twice a week which feels like a treat. Years ago we would drink coke all the time.

meanwhile up in the not quite so frozen north, besides the chocolate husks tea, i've discovered a lovely licorice spice one.
giving up the honey/lemon water that i really enjoyed in the cold of winter seems okay now that signs of spring are in the air.
@SunshineCake and @CescaNicole, all we can ultimately do is to keep on tweaking what we eat and what activities we do within our comfort zone.
my lunch is not on the fast 800 menu but it's a cream based soup of pork ribs and sauerkraut, certainly within the calorie count of 250 ish.
got in a long outdoor walk and will fit in some yard work.
positive thoughts everyone ;)

Hi, I was wondering if it would be ok to join this group?
I restarted watching what I eat last Monday week.
I'm 5ft 2 and my starting weight was 10st 3pounds.
Today, after 10 days, it is 10st.
I'm being very strict and disappointed not to have lost more as the first week is supposed to be the biggest loss.
My goal is 8st 7pds so I have a long journey ahead of me as I'm a slow loser averaging 1 pound a week.

welcome @Bluenightowl, yes my experience is that it's a slow journey and slower the older you are. explain a bit more about what you mean by watching what you eat? strict on what aspects?
but 1 lb a week is great nearly 5 lbs a month.

Hi again.
I'm following WW (loosely). I am addicted to crisps, biscuits more than choc. although I eat choc too.

Since I started, I haven't had any of this food I consumed every single night previously. I have been going to bed very early to prevent late night binging.

I'm eating bread but I'm conscious of how much and try to only eat it every second day.

I love pastries and have cut them out completely.
I eat a lot of turkey and bananas.

I guess I'm more aware of what I'm putting into my mouth. I know too that I can't 'cut down' or 'cut back' on sugary/salty snacks. I'm very much all or nothing but my plan is to give myself special days to eat whatever I like eg Mother's Day, an upcoming birthday.

I have a theory I need high calorie days occasionally to reset my metabolism but that could be entirely in my head.

I'm mid 40s and other than when I was pregnant I have never been this weight.
When I was younger,, up to by 30s, I ate very badly and always stayed around 8 st. After my second child, I never went back to my pre pregnancy weight. That was 8 years ago!
Since lockdown in summer 2020, I was very down and went from 9st 7 to 10 st 3 frighteningly fast.

My weight is very visible as I'm short and it is mainly on my already big chest, bum, thighs and stomach.

I'm doing a couple of walks during the week but I generally don't have the time and I know I could walk forever and tone but barely lose. For me my weight is lost by reducing my food intake.

I planned a couple of chocolate squares when I cake up to bed but I am proud to report I resisted. I might run tomorrow as I want to and I will enjoy that chocolate after lunch.

@SunshineCake, treats are nice. i'm already trying to plan when and what my next treat will be (dine out or delivered) and for reaching which benchmark. no wonder my weight goes down then up ;).
@Bluenightowl, you don't seem to have tons of weight to loose but oh my some of those food choices might not be the healthiest long term.
you can do this, small changes certainly will help.

fallfallfall Can I just ask what isn't healthy long term? Maybe you misunderstood me and thought i only eat turkey and bananas? :). I don't, I just substitute my previous hankering for bread with protein and my hankering for processed sugar with bananas. I eat normal food otherwise.
I have 1st 7 pds -10 pounds to lose.

indeed it sounded like a diet of turkey bananas crisps biscuits and pastries (i'm jealous as i'm seriously missing crisps biscuits and pastries). banana's and other tropical fruit are often not recommended as they are high in sugar. would you consider a switch to strawberries?
little changes will certainly help.
have you ever added in cardio to your exercise?
don't be discouraged and if i knew all the answers i'd be svelte and not needed to monitor my intake so much.
i like food.

No I don't eat any crisps, biscuits or pastries anymore ::). I eat a banana for breakfast as I find it filling. Strawberries wouldn't fill me up and our strawberries are mostly imported and taste terrible for many months of the year. I'm loosely following WW and did so two years ago and lost approx a stone in four months. I was the lightest I had been for many years and got very complacent. Christmas came and went and I forgot the season of indulgence had gone and continued eating whatever I felt like whenever I felt like it. This time, I know that I must continue to make better choices both during and after I lose weight. WW have a maintenance plan and I foolishly thought I could afford to put back on some weight instead of continuing to watch what I ate.

I have never lost more than a total of 1.5 pounds with exercise so while I walk a little, its more for my mental health. I know that exercise works very well for some people. Sadly it just doesn't make me lose weight at all. I'm very much a 'you are what you eat' weight gainer although of course i hope that walking might help me tone up. The other problem is I really don't have the time for long walks. Currently I'm looking at people who are doing the walking challenge and marvelling that they are walking 10-15K steps a day. That would take hours out of my day.

Thanks for the welcome all, and for sharing your stories @TheRealHousewife and @SunshineCake.

I definitely agree that recognizing and celebrating this emotional wins are just as important as the physical losses. I know I have stopped so many unhealthy habits over the past year and introducing daily exercise since March of last year has been a wonderful change for me too. I love how much stronger and fitter my body feels, I just really want to show off those muscles by losing some fat but that will come...slowly

My day went well with some yoga to start and I was able to stick with the two meals, although I did have a latte this afternoon, which I have about once every 3-4 weeks. I will weigh in tomorrow and hope for some progress.

You are welcome @Epponnee and I am relieved it wasn't a bore.

Sometimes I feel emotional wins can be just as important as physical ones. I started running after being scared when ill and I can't believe I have kept it up and are actually good at it. A real boost to my confidence having spent my life not feeling good enough. I don't think I will run today as feeling sore but I really want to for my emotional health but I am listening to my physical cues more now.

No idea what is for lunch or dinner today. Any ideas?

@SunshineCake I was just pondering the menu for today. I'm not working today, yippeeeeee!! And I have all the kids at home so DS1 will make a big pot of veg soup which is low calorie and delicious. (I count this as home schooling, he's 10)
And I will do a loaf of bread in the bread maker and have a slice as fridays are a weekend day in my world, and I'm just having bread at the weekends. Dinner will be roast veg with fresh haddock from the fish van if it comes today.

Weigh in today, 11 St 0.75lb, so... still plateaued, its been 5 months now. I did feel that this week has been better and I am about to come on, so perhaps I'll see a loss next week.

Happy Friday all!