Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

LOSE IT! June 2021

549 replies

TheRealHousewife · 31/05/2021 19:08

Hello & Welcome 😊 WOW 😯 June already! What a start to meteorological Summer; stunning weather and easing of Lockdown.

Firstly a massive Thank You to @SunshineCake who has done a stellar job in taking charge of May’s thread 🙏🌟❤️. I was happy for sunshine to carry on but she kindly invited me back to start the new month, so we agreed to make it a joint effort. (I’m still battling ill health and will post when I can).

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 & Articles

NHS Free 12 Week Plan

MFP

Water & Weight Loss

LOSE IT! June 2021
OP posts:
Thread gallery
36
SunshineCake · 28/06/2021 07:07

Morning all.

Another bad nights sleep and when I did sleep I had a bad dream. I am struggling today. My body feels like it needs a day in bed, a rest from exercise and having to do all the jobs we do as mums, a day for me as I'm sad. On the other hand I'm worried about my well being if I miss running as I need it for time where I don't have to think, for space away from people, for time alone and something for me.

I will get up and I will go running I expect. Dh will take DS2 to school and walk the dog if I want him to but I might say not to and I'll take her for a long one while dh sorts the garage.

I need to keep busy. Feeling so fragile. Need reminders that DS1 is coming home this week, Wednesday or Thursday, as that will make things better.

Hope everyone is well and has a good day. I'm weighing on Wednesday as usual. Not expecting great things but hopefully haven't gone up too badly and will register a loss for June even if only a small nett one.

TheRealHousewife · 28/06/2021 09:26

Good Morning All

@SunshineCake sorry to read you’re feeling fragile … do what you need to do but if I was you I’d listen to my body and have a duvet day. Could you immerse yourself in an audiobook or movie? Be kind to yourself ❤️

@swampytiggaa congrats on your bionic pelvic floor 😬. Impressive! Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery!

@Graphista that’s appalling dialogue from a therapist! Words are so powerful and people can be so careless. They don’t realise they make a lasting impression and can cause further harm.

I’ve not weighed but I know I will have bounced up due to loosening the reins a bit 😈. I regret nothing 😬.

Wishing everyone a positive week!

LOSE IT! June 2021
OP posts:
Crazzzycat · 28/06/2021 10:47

Morning all! No weigh in for me today, as my numbers have been all over the place over the last few days. Probably the result of recovering from food poisoning and getting pretty dehydrated yesterday. I’ll post whatever the scales show on Wednesday.

Sorry to hear you are still feeling rough @SunshineCake.

@swampytiggaa, that’s such a shame that you had to cancel your half marathon. Are you making plans for the next one yet?

@Graphista, those are some shocking examples of what MH “professionals” are coming out with. I’m really sorry you had to put up with that 😔

@TheRealHousewife, I like your “no regrets” motto. Sometimes going off plan is definitely worth it!

SunshineCake · 28/06/2021 15:59

Hi everyone

I went running and got pretty wet. Disappointed to have only done 13km but I ran out of road and met DH and our dog. I loved that I wasn't going backwards and forwards as it was a kind of circuit but I won't do it again as it was pretty scary running on a road with no pavements!

Fell asleep watching tv at 2.20 so dh sent me to bed while he picked up DS2 but I couldn't sleep so I laid there for half an hour and now I'm hoping to do nothing much else but watch the 🎾 . Dh is making a very early tea as DS2 is hungry and there's no other urgent chores.

I went out shopping to get some mental health meds and treated myself to some proper sports socks and Colin caterpillar sweets as well.

Definitely need more time for me this week. Might go back to an hour in bed with a book after lunch that I used to do as I enjoyed that.

Hope everyone else is doing well. I feel like we are missing quite a few members Sad.

swampytiggaa · 28/06/2021 17:51

I’m ready to go running with my group to test my leg out in a minute. They know I’ve been struggling so we are going to keep it local and flat and probably a circular route so we can cut short if needs be 😊

Got a virtual 10k to do on Sunday. It’ll get done even if I walk it 👍

Actual races… think I have a 20 miles in August at least one 10k in September potentially a half marathon and then the virtual London marathon in October.

SunshineCake · 28/06/2021 19:27

How was your run @swampytiggaa?

Today I thought how much easier it would be if I had a treadmill!

swampytiggaa · 28/06/2021 19:35

It was lovely 😊 very slow and flat in very good company. Hopefully I’ll be ok in the morning after it!

I have a treadmill and use it when I’m on my own to run. It’s very boring tho

SunshineCake · 28/06/2021 19:37

You'll be fine!

I have a bike in the garage with a tv so I think I'd be okay but I'm not good at spending money.

Graphista · 28/06/2021 21:08

Hi all, sorry I've not been on thread for a few days

Trying to drink more especially as it's now hot here and I woke with a headache this morning which I'm fairly sure was due to dehydration. An old fault of mine.

@swampytiggaa hope dd is feeling better

@SunshineCake sorry you're still feeling so low and fragile. Does it have to be a run? Can it be a walk?

@TheRealHousewife the mh service where I am at the moment is pretty bad, the worst I've experienced definitely but those comments came from hcps in other areas too, there seems to be at least one like that in each team!

@Crazzzycat thank you. Nobody should have comments like that you're right, unfortunately even if a patient complains, because we're mentally ill we're rarely believed/taken seriously - even by mh professionals

I'm thinking if/when I move I may get a treadmill or cycling machine to exercise so that even if I get housebound again I can at least do decent exercise. This flat is too small plus other issues why I can't get these kinda things just now but I will definitely plan that for the future

I know some may think/advise "don't plan to be housebound" but honestly this is my 4th bout and each one lasts longer, I think it's more realistic and more sensible to account for the possibility than it is to deny the reality, plus it's not like this is something others have in their home anyway. Plus exercise meant to be good for mh as well as physical and while I can only walk on a treadmill these days it's better than nothing and tbh if I stick it in front of tv I could walk "miles" without noticing! Grin

Cycling machine might be better though as it's seated. Something to think about.

My legs work it's not the muscles at issue it's the nerves! So what can happen is I can bend knee or kick out in front involuntarily so that's why walking outside even without the agoraphobia is not a practical option.

I'm being advised not to move onto crutches/mobility sids as yet in order to maintain muscle tone and control for as long as possible. Starting to have similar issues with arms/hands on occasion. Hands loosen grip involuntarily, arms jolt in a weird direction. That's why I'm thinking seated/cycling might be a better option

SunshineCake · 28/06/2021 22:14

It is good to plan for what you can do @Graphista. Very positive. I happily cycle for ages on the bike once I find something good to watch on the tv. I has walked the dog twice a day for nearly four years and didn't lose any noticeable weight so need the running plus IF to make it happen. These days the dog only goes out once a day most days but I do stay out longer. I do want to get back into the habit of two walks a day though as I know she loves it. I blame dh as he says he'll play with her as doesn't want to go out again but she needs more than that and tbf she doesn't always want to play with him as she loves me best Grin.

swampytiggaa · 29/06/2021 08:07

Girlchild is hobbling around on crutches gaining sympathy from her siblings so that’s ok 😂😂

I’m knackered 😴 did my double shift yesterday with 9 deliveries and today I have 12 😱 got the next 2 days off tho which is good 😊

Feel ok after my run last night. Was planning a short run this morning but I’m going to go back into work earlier so that hopefully I finish at a decent time so I cried off. Doing it tomorrow instead.

Being in the van is stopping me from snacking 😂😂 just did a sneaky weigh in and I’ve lost 2lb since Thursday 😱 not expecting it to stay off yet…

swampytiggaa · 29/06/2021 08:10

Posted too soon!

@Graphista indoor cycling is good 😊 we used to have a cross trainer which you could use sitting down as a bike or standing up as an elliptical. Bloody loved it but it died on us and we don’t really have room for another since H keeps acquiring weights 😂😂

Crazzzycat · 29/06/2021 10:10

I have a cross trainer and absolutely love it. It was hard to get started on, especially as I don’t naturally have much strength in my upper body, but I’ve slowly worked up to doing 30-45 minute sessions on it.

It’s not a machine for people who like to hit big numbers. I think I did just over 2 km in 45 minutes yesterday. But it works about 80% of your muscles, so great for cardio and exercising legs, arms, back and core.

So, if you’re looking for an exercise machine @Graphista and @SunshineCake, a cross trainer might also be worth considering, especially if you can’t run sometimes because of injuries (cross trainers are low impact on joints etc) or are looking for more of an all body exercise.

That’s the end of my sales pitch 😂

swampytiggaa · 29/06/2021 10:25

I agree with @Crazzzycat. I’d really love another cross trainer but we don’t have the room. If the treadmill packed up I might be tempted to get one instead

SunshineCake · 29/06/2021 10:47

Good sibling bonding there @swampytiggaa! Well done on the weight loss and glad you feel okay after your run. Hope work is okay.

I need to look up cross trainers as don't know what they are really. As well as the bike dh has a rowing machine and iirc something to do with sit ups.

I ran a new route today but was disappointed when I got home and it was only 9km. Took the dog out for an hour and quarter and have just weighed in. I'm logging a 2lb nett gain since June 1st but I can't be bothered to be upset by it. I haven't been as strict with my IF so at least 2-3 times a week I haven't fasted enough to burn fat and emotionally I'm using all my energy to stay upright. I'm getting fitter even if I am getting fatter.

Millie2008 · 29/06/2021 11:59

Hi lovely people!
I realise I don't add much to this group and just ask questions 🙈
But you're all so knowledgeable and helpful 😊 so here goes, another question!
Can someone explain intermittent fasting to me? I'm totally ignorant. My assumption would be that it messes with your metabolism a bit - but am assuming this isn't the case as it sounds like a lot of you have good success with it... TIA !

SunshineCake · 29/06/2021 12:05

I use the Zero app as recommended by @TheRealHousewife. My average is I fast 5.30pm to 12.45-1pm. Mostly I do okay and it didn't take long to get used to not eating breakfast. I've only struggled a bit these last couple of weeks because of other stuff. I'm learning to have a bigger lunch as happy without a pudding after tea but find I want something an hour later if I've not had a good enough lunch, this is annoying as I lose fasting time.

Crazzzycat · 29/06/2021 14:28

There’s nothing particularly special about IF (I say this as an intermittent faster myself!). It mainly works because it’s surprisingly difficult to eat a huge amount of calories in an 8 hour eating window. It’s not impossible, but it takes a fair bit of effort to eat too much (e.g. by eating junk food and constant grazing)

There’s some research that suggests it actually speeds up your metabolism a little, but I’m not sure how much of a difference that makes compared to the impact of just having less time to eat! Here’s a link that explains more:

www.cookinglight.com/healthy-living/healthy-habits/how-fasting-affects-metabolism

Main benefits I’ve found is:

  • it allows me to have 2 proper, healthy, filling meals rather than 3 meals that are all almost guaranteed to leave me feeling hungry
  • it’s good for reminding yourself what feeling hungry actually feels like. It’s made me less likely to reach for a snack when I’m a little bored etc because I’m now better at distinguishing between when I WANT food and when I NEED food
  • it’s worked wonders for my IBS. Generally the advice for IBS is to eat little and often, but for me having a 16 hour break from eating seems to work better 🤷‍♀️
Graphista · 29/06/2021 16:00

@SunshineCake I am trying to be positive thank you it's not something that comes naturally to me at all!

Therapist yesterday but after several weeks of nothing everything I'd been thinking/worrying about kinda came out in a rush!

Sure the dog would appreciate more walks. I'd love to have a dog but couldn't cope with picking up poop.

@swampytiggaa glad girl child coping well and well done on 2lb loss

I used to (when I could!) go to the gym and I'd do a mix of treadmill, cycle and cross trainer, rowing machine and fixed and free weights. As I said it's not muscle that's the issue it's the bloody nerves! If I were to try and use free weights now I'd be at risk of involuntarily throwing the damn things!

Will definitely consider a cross trainer if I have the room and money

Just to weigh in with an opinion here - I've been unwittingly intermittent fasting for years due to a messed up sleep cycle and the knock on effects on my eating patterns and I gained! So I don't think it's as simple as just not eating at certain times, as with any weight loss it's also what you eat and how much. My sleep pattern improved for a time and I was having breakfast lunch and dinner but I was eating different foods and amounts and I lost weight. Then the sleep started to deteriorate again and now I'm back to a very late dinner followed by a lunch type snack at 3/4am BUT I am eating less and more healthy options so 2 weeks in 3 I've lost weight.

Admittedly that is just a few weeks so far.

Different methods of reducing cals intake work for different people but intermittent fasting alone won't work from what I know of metabolism and calorie burning (which while I have issues applying the knowledge as a former nurse I have some understanding of the metabolic system)

You wouldn't lose weight if you only ate within 8 hours a day BUT in those 8 hours you're eating lots of deep fried carbs and fatty foods and sweets and puddings etc. (Which is basically what I was doing before!)

Calorie density is a more logical way of approaching things I feel

It's a lot harder to eat 5 apples in one sitting than one doughnut for example.

As I say different things work for different people - which is why I love this thread as there's not a "one size fits all approach"

There are cons to various weight loss methods too, there are certain ones which over the decades have been popular and worked for some but caused major health issues for others.

Eg Atkins - my mum tried this one and ended up with gall bladder problems, someone else I know tried Keto and that made them very ill.

But I also know people for whom those regimens work/worked well.

People need to research and assess whether a plan is suitable for them based not only on dietary habits and preferences (inc when they like to eat as with me) but also prior medical history and risk factors.

Personally I wish the nhs was much better informed and knowledgeable on this stuff, whenever I've been referred to a dietician (or even worse a nutritionist - which is not a protected and regulated profession) on the nhs I've found them woefully ill informed and outdated on their knowledge - and quite often fatter than me! Which while I know SHOULDN'T affect how I feel but it certainly doesn't inspire confidence nor motivation when you're being lectured at on losing weight by someone who clearly cannot do so themselves! That's one of the reasons I liked ww - the leaders have been there and have not only lost the weight but kept it off. I understand some of the other weight loss clubs have the same set up and that totally makes sense to me because someone who's been fat, lost the weight and kept it off is an expert in the matter. Whereas someone who is fat but never lost weight OR someone who has always been slim and never had to deal with losing weight themselves can only possibly know theories and cannot know how it feels and what actually works.

Bit of a rant but it frustrates me that we STILL cannot get quality and well informed support on this from the nhs when it is so important to health. And especially when many of us that need to lose weight have other medically complicating factors like medication, mh issues, metabolic disorders (that seem to go massively undiagnosed and untreated) and genetic factors.

Sorry just drives me nuts!

Graphista · 29/06/2021 16:06

@Crazzzycat I have ibs plus endometrial tissue on my bowels which nobody in the nhs seems to "get" and some of the advice I've had has been not only stupid but actually made me more sick!

I know myself now what foods to avoid altogether (mainly spices, citrus fruits, certain alcohol), which I can only have in moderation (cruciferous veg, onions, nuts, beans, lentils) and which I can have freely and if anything calms my stomach (milk, certain yogurt, cheese, eggs, bread, rice)

And I know eg I can't eat when I'm v anxious as I end up with horrific heartburn and diarrhoea for days.

But I've had supposed experts telling me the foods that calm my stomach are bad for me, to eat more of the foods I can only tolerate in moderation etc - clueless!

SunshineCake · 29/06/2021 17:19

I agree with @Crazzzycat. Half the beauty of IF is that you can't physically eat too much, hence me planning on a chocolate lunch as I miss out now I'm just eating two meals a day and only eating when I'm hungry. All of us on here are trying to lose weight so no one is going to be eating lunch and a takeaway then a cake etc. I'm not calorie counting in any way but these days I won't eat the whole bag of sweets or bar of chocolate as a given whereas before I'd eat it all for the sake of it. I've started buying chocolate with squares to make it easier as opposed to all in one bars like a double decker or wispa.

My biggest win is not hating myself for being hungry and not getting upset if I go up a pound or three.

Millie2008 · 29/06/2021 21:04

Thank you so much for all the info and your experiences (both pros and cons). I thinking on balance I might give a 16:8 type thing a go (but might start with more like 14:10 and ease into it and see how I feel). Thanks for the link, I've read it and find it really interesting. I've had it drummed into me for such a long time that " breakfast is the most important meal of the day" and that it "kick starts your metabolism"- but this seemingly isn't the case. All food for thought! I shall see how tomorrow's weigh in goes and make a decision from there I think...!

BrioLover · 29/06/2021 22:09

Hi everyone 👋

Sorry I dropped off the thread for a couple of weeks - had a lovely anniversary dinner and night away (bought myself two dresses in AllSaints too as my anniversary gift to myself) and then got overwhelmed with life (job, kids being ill, COVID tests - thankfully negative, ASD DS being very stimmy and needing extra attention due to the illness setting off all his sensory stuff).

I'm a couple of kilos up I think but will weigh in tomorrow to confirm (and will do in old money too!). I feel ok about it though as I've been doing walking, running and also enjoying wine and cake at weekends. And my clothes are fitting better so I'll take that as I've not been that strict. Next month I get all my wisdom teeth taken out so maybe a few days on a liquid diet will help?! 

@Graphista I have IBS and find the FODMAP diet (always trotted out by the NHS dieticians) just doesn't work for me. I can tolerate things like onions and garlic just fine for example.

Graphista · 30/06/2021 03:10

@SunshineCake I could eat plenty of cals in a short period of time no problem! 

More serious note - you aren't Calorie counting but you are limiting your intake, you clearly know which foods are more calorific and which aren't

When I started ww I was shocked at certain foods and especially drinks being much higher cal than I would have thought! I was terrible for drinking lots of cals

I need to work on not "beating myself up" as a general thing - not just weight loss related.

@Millie2008 I believe the "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" quote was originally due to an ad campaign of some kind, I can't remember who, maybe Kellogg's, maybe egg council something like that? To sell a breakfast product anyway

I've never been able to eat breakfast AT a breakfast "time" without ending up with an upset stomach - and I was raised on cooked breakfasts! If not a full fry up as parents both worked and were busy then porridge (which I loathed!), or toast and eggs some way (scrambled, dried, poached), or french toast or pancakes or a bacon buttie (I'd strip all the rind/fat off though simply as I didn't like the taste/texture)... you get the idea

By the time I got to my teens I'd make out i was late grab a slice of toast for mums sake but bin it as soon as I was out of sight of the house.

I was a really skinny kid - like got bullied/teased about it - yet I was eating crisps and a Mars bar at break time, with full sugar coke, fish fingers, chips and beans or similar and a doughnut for lunch and another can of Coke, another Mars bar or similar on way home, soup and buttered rolls when we got in from school, then a meat and two veg dinner with bread and butter on the side and a traditional pudding most nights at home (jam roly poly and custard type things, very often custard)

I've often remarked to mum
"How the hell was I skinny?!" And she laughs and reminds me I was also like a Duracell bunny at this age too! I swam competitively so was training most days, I also did several dance classes, aerobics classes, cycled/walked/ran everywhere (we were always pretty rurally located so eg the high school I had the shortest distance to get to was 2.5 miles away)

Nowadays I so much as look at a chocolate bar I gain 5lbs!! 

@BrioLover - ugh I've moved around a lot so every time I get a new gp surgery and the ibs comes up they try and get me on bloody fodmap! Which I HAVE tried in the past and makes me worse! The nhs is very much "one size fits all" out of curiosity I've just looked at their current "advice" for ibs and one treatment thats recommended? Bloody cbt! They seem to think THAT cures everything! I despair I really do!

Graphista · 30/06/2021 03:13

Ugh not dried eggs fried! Blooming auto correct

Boiled eggs featured a lot in our diet too, particularly "Chucky eggs" which is boiled eggs mashed in a cup with butter and is what we were regularly given when we were poorly especially if diarrhoea featured as they were supposed to "bind you" not sure how true that is but it's become a comfort food for me.

Swipe left for the next trending thread