LOSE IT! April 2021

[TheRealHousewife]

Hello & Welcome 😊 WOW 😯 April came around so fast. The sunny Spring weather and easing of Lockdown brings so much joy and promise for the coming year.

This thread is for those of us who enjoy healthy eating, exercising and feeling motivated to reach (or maintain) a healthy weight/bmi. The members of these threads are inspirational, supportive and happy to share their progress (the ups and the downs).

We all know 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 😊

Useful Links

Useful Tips For Lockdown Weight Loss

Free Recipes

Free NHS 12 Week Plan

MFP

How drinking more water helps you lose weight

@ShakerMakerGirl you came to join us and you are now one of our merry band. You will receive all the support we can give.
Well done and a very big welcome.

I've thought about couch25K @SunshineCake - I think my boobs need to reduce a bit before I actually do the intermittent jogging part - I find running very uncomfortable no matter how supportive the bra I wear because my boobs have no natural buoyancy at all, they're like sacks of flour. I could do a walking version, though.

Good morning everyone, I’d like to join please.
I don’t have a lot of weight to lose but I need to find some self control.
Last night I ate an extra large Easter egg to myself. I woke in the night feeling nauseous and this morning I feel hungover.
I struggle to do anything in moderation. I need some encouragement to beat the binges. I generally eat well and exercise moderately but I struggle with willpower and have a history of using food as punishment/reward.
I’m looking to do 30 days of moderation. No weight loss target, a couple of pounds would be a bonus but I want to focus on eating well. Drinking plenty of water. Exercising regularly and feeling a positive difference in my mental and physical health.

Ooh found you!

Was in March thread but got a bit behind.

Sadly v little loss this week- DH off work so too much good food & wine.

But about 3lb off in March, so aiming for even more in April!

@Arbadacarba I occasionally try couch25k, and have found that the only way to keep my boobs in check is by wearing both a 'normal' underwired bra AND a sports bra on the top.
(Takes about 10 minutes to get into/out of, but significantly reduces bounce & movement)

Good Morning Everyone

How was your Easter break. I survived the chocolate temptations and not a bit of it passed my lips. TBH I was saved by my oh as we had just 2 eggs which other half scoffed over the past 3 days. Enjoyed a lovely roast on Sunday and home made burger sans breadcake yesterday, so those meals were a treat in themselves.

Welcome back @poshme, 3lb March loss is great!

A warm welcome @EasterEggBelly. Moderation is a very good basis in which to establish healthy eating habits 👍

@joysmoy66 good plan in waiting to weigh, especially if you feel you’d be disappointed.

A warm welcome @Crunchymum. You’ve made a great start 👍. 3 children and working is a lot of responsibility, it’s good you’re taking time for yourself & your health. I’m similar to yourself in that my health conditions limit what I can do. So frustrating. Nonetheless I do what I can when I can and I’m forever mindful that every little bit helps 😊

A warm welcome @ShakerMakerGirl, you’ve come to the right place. Congratulations on your new baby. You must be really busy as well as sleep deprived. All mums are my hero’s. You’re amazing!

Here’s to a great week Ladies 😊

Ooh, I haven't tried that @poshme - thank you for the tip.

I had a (planned) week off and had a lot of chocolate 😳 I’m back on plan today!

As much as I enjoyed this little bit of indulgence, it was interesting to note the difference in mood and energy levels. I clearly feel a lot better when I don’t try to eat my body weight in chocolate 😂

I’m planning to go back on my exercise bike too. I didn’t do that at all last week, but in my defence I did go on a 3-4 hour walk every day, so overall I didn’t do too badly on the exercise front

Welcome @EasterEggBelly. Your head sounds in the right place and I find that is a big part of the battle. I tried just having chocolate or crisps at the weekend but it became Friday and Saturday and Sunday counted as weekend. Now I eat chocolate whenever I want at my 3pm snack but I have a smaller amount. I mostly buy bars with snap off squares as opposed to a double decker or wispa where I'd have to eat the whole thing.

I only lost 2.6lb nett in March @poshme so I think you did great!

@TheRealHousewife you prove what I have been thinking for a while. That anything can be a treat for us if it is something we like or enjoy. It doesn't have to be stuff seen as bad, like chocolate, wine, bread etc.

I'm enjoying cooking things I've missed eating as there is plenty in for everyone. Dh just had soup and toast whereas I have a huge boil of roasted veg with some penne and Parmesan. I have been feeling out of it a bit in the morning, usually fasting hour 17-18.5 so think I need to eat a bit more but I'm not using it as an excuse to eat all the chocolate. I'm also going right off crisps . Just don't enjoy them in the same way I used to.

Tonight's dinner is roast chicken with wedges and wraps. Kids complained about weekly roast dinners and with having a mini one on Sunday I don't want another one today and this is a meal we have had a lot and everyone loves it, plus it is an easy cook.

Very impressed, and envious, about your 3-4 hour walk @Crazzzycat. I walked the dog today but only managed an hour and a quarter. We had a nice walk though and it cured me of my mood.

Checking in and giving a special wave to @ShakerMakerGirl. Today is the first day of the rest of your life young lady and we will all be here for you. Remember little changes counts too. Did you weigh in this morning? If not do it now so you know what you are dealing with and then set yourself a mini goal.
Not surprisingly I am 2lbs up on my lowest pre-easter weight but that is fine. I'm fasting until a really good dinner tonight at 6.30 so that will help to balance things again.
Will update tomorrow - onwards and inwards.

Thank you @132orbust
I have got weighed but stupidly had another binge on easter eggs, drank coke and just had an ice cream from from freezer. I had about an hours sleep but it's no excuse as with a 5 week old this will probably be the norm for a while! I don't know why I sabotage myself so much!
Making my 4 year old daughter have an apple whilst I sneak snacks in the kitchen!

What else have you eaten today @ShakerMakerGirl? what's a binge on easter eggs - a bit of one? a whole one? more? Was the coke sugared or diet coke? What was the ice cream?
While it is not ideal it cannot be changed now you can only move forward.
The reason I ask is half an easter egg, strawberry cornetto and a pint of diet coke is between 600-800 calories which if you haven't eaten much else is not a disaster ( though not exactly a good way to get your calories) What made you do it?
As I said yesterday if I feel tempted I come on here and seeing the successes keeps me on track until the urge passes.
My DC have easter eggs but I don't so it wouldn't be an option, there is no sugary beverages in the house and there is certainly plenty of ice creams and I do et them from time to time but only if I feel they are worth the hour long walk it will take to burn them off.

Yes that's true. Diet coke and some ice cream and egg. I've had no other food or drinks. Really not ideal but I will draw a line under it.
So when ny husband gets back I am going to go for a brisk walk and cut up some fruit and veg for the fridge to pick at instead!

Does anyone have any advice on how to alter your sense of identity around food? I have always been able to eat loads and stay slim partly through youth and partly through being very physically active. I love good food and eating is one of my chief pleasures. Now that perimenopause is hitting I clearly (through my ever expanding girth) need to become someone else... I need to have a more pragmatic functional relationship with food perhaps instead of a love affair. In my minds eye this is a big part of me though and I am really struggling to alter my outlook. I definetly don't want the qualiuty of life changes that come with being too big for your frame and gasping for breath trying to tie your shoelaces etc (which is kinda where I am) I also can't afford to buy new clothes for this new apple shaped figure I've got, I can (just about) squeeze into my previous clothes (should by something else but money is tight currently) just about but I don't look good anymore, so I am grateful for having been able to hide away a lot in lockdown.
How do I embrace small portions and take a different view etc etc when I see my days as intervals between lovely meals. Has anyone felt similar and succeeded in doing this? Please point me in the right direction

@RealisticSketch I like food, I like to feel full and if I'm hungry then I just end up binge eating chocolate or bread.

Instead of reframing to like small meals, could you reframe to eat lots of something else?

Vegetables, especially ones grown above ground are very low calorie, you can have heaps of the, eat till you're full and meet your calorie target.

The trick is to make them taste great so you don't begrudge eating them.

Like:
-steamed but then add a tsp of real butter and plenty of salt and pepper.
-Roasted with olive oil and garlic or paprika or chilli flakes.

They then take the place of carbs/high calorie sides and you still have your planned meal. An example today is that we're having pork loin steaks, instead of chips or onion rings I'm having baby corn and asparagus roasted with a spicy seasoning mix.

Then avoid creamy, calorie laden sauces and instead have dry rubs or marinades like lime juice and coriander.

I tend to buy big trays of meat, and then break them down into portions in freezer bags so 12 chicken breast broken into 4 portions of 3. One will have lime juice and coriander, one will have soy sauce and garlic, one will have honey and mustard, one will have a dry jerk seasoning. Then freeze them. Grab one out in the morning and stick it in the fridge then it's defrosted ready for cooking for dinner.

For breakfast/lunch dippy eggs with asparagus spears instead of toast or scrambled egg with spring onions, chilli and hot sauce, or omelette with onions, ham, peppers and mushrooms.

These are good suggestions thank you! I think swaps might be a good approach so I don't feel deprived. I don't eat junk, but I do eat carbs with dinner etc so a way to cut those back is a good starting point. :)

Hi @RealisticSketch and welcome. I'm not sure I've seen you before and it is nice to have you in our group.

It took me years but I realised I was not hurting myself when I was eating more than I needed. I went without a lot as a kid so in the evenings I would panic if dh said he didn't want a snack or supper and if would become this huge up yours to the people who didn't look after me. It took years and years for me to realise they neither used or cared whether I ate or not. I also was shocked when my BIL said no when I asked him if he ever ate when not hungry. I like to eat sometimes for the enjoyment of the food ! Everything has changed in the last eleven months for me and it can change for you to once you find what works. I'm very much that food is fuel and needs no more power than that. We've just had our dinner and with me feeling anxious and tearful I was going to have the treacle pudding I bought at the weekend. I got it out, looked at it and thought I don't really want it, certainly don't need it and had two pieces of chocolate Easter egg instead. I'm fasting now and won't eat now until lunch time.

I used to use all sorts of excuses for eating when not hungry. I'm already fat, I've ruined the diet this week, I'm sad, I'm bored, more up yours-ing, the kids have driven me mad, I'm shattered etc etc etc. Now it's, you've lost so much, you've been running, you've had enough. It is more in the mind than the tummy! Good luck.

Well done @ShakerMakerGirl for picking yourself up and walking.
The OP of this thread introduced me to this lady for at home exercise:

It is great for getting some steps in when the weather is miserable or you cannot get out for any reason. Just try and keep moving even if you don't do all the exact steps. There is range of her videos on You Tube and you can mix and match as you fancy.

Oh my @SunshineCake you post made me cry. Even more well done for looking after yourself and I am so sorry that you did not get the care you deserved as a child. I'm sending that little girl a hug not that the adult you needs it - as DD1 would say You Rock!

Hi @RealisticSketch! I did 16:8 for a while and it really changed how I felt about food.

I calorie count and found that trying to stretch those calories over 3 meals just meant I was hungry all the time. I snapped when one day I was really craving a banana and realised that I’d never be able to fit such a “calorific” (but very healthy!) fruit within my calorie allowance. That just didn’t seem right!

When I do 16:8, I eat the same amount of calories over 2 meals. As I have more calories to spend on each meal, I find that the meals are often a lot more interesting, tasty and filling than they were when I had 3 meals a day. Plus I can have a banana, or whatever snack I want!

One of the other benefits of 16:8 is that, for me, it takes a lot of this urge to constantly think about food away. Once the clock strikes 8 in the evening, I know I won’t be eating until 12 the next day, so there’s little point thinking about food. It wasn’t a conscious decision to stop those thoughts. It just happened naturally.

Thank you for the hug @132orbust. Adult or not I always need a hug and never say no.

Should have said neither knew nor cared...

I remember counting slices of bread to see if I could have one without it being noticed. Was relieved if a loaf was just over half as felt a slice or two would be less noticeable.

The two things for my kids are they would never go hungry and always have shoes that fit and for DD she'd never have to ask for sanitary towels or run out of them.

Can't believe my childhood tbh and that I'm still here.

And also, was only hurting myself.

Hi @RealisticSketch - How do I embrace small portions - my advice is to focus on the type of food you eat, rather than how much you eat. You can still have big portions, just ensure they're made up of lots of veg and protein.

@SunshineCake Your story is an inspiration.

This:

One of the other benefits of 16:8 is that, for me, it takes a lot of this urge to constantly think about food away. Once the clock strikes 8 in the evening, I know I won’t be eating until 12 the next day, so there’s little point thinking about food. It wasn’t a conscious decision to stop those thoughts. It just happened naturally.

I don't manage 16:8 every day (esp weekends and holidays) but during the week it makes it much easier.

Sunshinecake . I had no idea you were carrying this history around with you. You're so positive and really rally us when we're feeling defeated. You have shown those who didn't care that you are worth much more than their feeble care. Today you're strong, capable, caring and bloody marvellous. Hugest of huge hugs.

I work with lots of children who are living how you did. Thankfully there's lots more help out there these days.

sunshine