LOSE IT! July 2021

[TheRealHousewife]

Hello and a warm welcome to new & established members. July already! Lockdown easing and an end in sight! Hallelujah! Let’s embrace the summer and extending freedoms feeling like our best selves.

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 reap the rewards. Better mental health = better choices. It becomes a healthy cycle.

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. Personally, I rarely drink alcohol and keep sugar to a minimum. I try to not overload on carbs etc, include a protein source with most meals and aim to glug enough water. 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. We generally have WOW (weigh on Wednesday) day each week. However post and share your progress as often or as little as you prefer. I’ve weighed daily at times and weekly at other times. Do what works for you.

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

June 2021 Thread

NHS 12 Wk Weight Loss Plan

Fast800 Recipes Free Content

Benefits of Water to aid Weight Loss

MyFitnessPal

Evidence Based Weight Loss Tips

The Psychology of Weight Loss

@Graphista an actimel a day sounds great. We all need more probiotics! I sometimes have yacult which is a similar product. Both are really good for improving gut health. Dr Micheal Mosley has also written a gut health book which has some great recipe ideas in. Clever Guts Diet

I take these, as I got a bit fed up of the often shortish dates on the probiotic drinks. These keep in the fridge for a long time:

www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-acidophilus-chewable-tablets-60005721

Good Morning Everyone

They look interesting @Crazzzycat, I’ll take a closer look and thank you 👍.

Menu

Meal 1 - Large salad with tinned salmon and boiled Charlotte potatoes (potatoes skin on, lettuce, red pepper, yellow pepper, spring onion, tomato, cucumber, tinned mix beans, pine kernels, red onion = 10/30 varieties of veg)

Meal 2 - Chilli bowl with shredded cabbage & fine green beans. Conference pear, pecans. (Kidney beans, garlic, chilli, cabbage, green beans, pear, pecans = 7/30)

17 varieties of veg/legumes in one day. However I don’t have many more varieties left to choose from. I need to identify another 13, I have apples, oranges, almonds, butter beans, green lentils, green pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, strawberries. That’s another 10. I’ll add celery, blueberries & sweet potato to shopping list. That’ll make 30. It does make you think more about what you’re eating. My diet is predominantly vegetables/legumes anyway with some fish & meat thrown in.

Have a good day whatever you’re doing.

Hello. May I join? I’ve read this thread from the start and it seems kind and non-competitive on the weight loss which is what I need. I would like to lose half a stone but I’m really struggling. I’ve spent the last few months losing and gaining the same two pounds! I think I need some accountability and a lot of help!

Hi All, hope everyone's doing well!
I have had emotional/anxious week and my diet has really been awful. My skin is reflecting it and I feel awful, plus not being able to sleep properly I know i need to balance it out again. I will weigh as usual tomorrow but I'm not hopeful.

The 30 veg fruit thing sounds really good! I'm going to try it next week 😁
Interesting it says on the news about people should be prescribed fruit and veg as well.

Swampy - 48 K steps is INSANE. Well done you!!!

Welcome @QueenMabby. You'll be okay with everyone on here.

Thanks for the links for the veg menus.

Weigh in day, 1lb off. 1 of the 3 I maddeningly put on over holidays: one week to go on, probably a month to go off!🐢🐢🐢
But on I go.

Big dinner out on Sat, so need to be extra good before and after.

I’ve had a pretty good day today food wise. Probably not enough veg but did have pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes and olives at lunch and spring greens and broccoli at dinner. Banana, nectarine, apple and cherries on the fruit side of things.

We’re out tomorrow Puffalicious. I may try and check out the menu online so I can guide myself to a healthier (but no doubt equally delicious) option.

I shall try too Queenmabby but as soon as I see a chip I'll forget all good intentions

I find as long as I have one a day they get used in time @Crazzzycat That said current batch has expiry date of 27th July

@QueenMabby welcome. This is a lovely supportive and non pushy/competitive thread. We all have different approaches, methods and goals and how far along the journey we are.

Despite being veggie I don't think I can manage the wide variety of fruit and veg you guys are attempting due to the delivery/living alone/food waste thing.

That said this weeks veg was :

Celery
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Salad leaves
Mushrooms
Peppers
Sweetcorn
Carrots

Fruit
Apples
Bananas
Clementines (I can eat these but not proper oranges as they go straight through me! Sorry tmi)
Grapes
Strawberries

So I'm doing better than I used to which was peppers, mushrooms and Bananas just

@CescaCesca it's really hard to mitigate mh effects, just do the best you can until the feeling passes. There's a theory that "alkaline" foods are calming - dairy, root veg, soya, nuts...

I've not had a good week in terms of choices and times but I did stick to 1600 cals or less - a few days a lot less which has translated to a disappointing...

1lb loss!

Not so much 🐢 as 🐌 !

Any advice guys?

I think it's cos even though the cals were in check they were being "spent" on crisps and biscuits! Thoughts ?

Off to review Tesco order accordingly and hopefully have a better week next time

Wish me luck!

Just caught up, how are you feeling today Graphista? I'm sorry you are suffering so with your nerves. I have diazepam too. I usually have it prescribed if I have to go out, like to the dentist. I really hope you are feeling much calmer today?
Physically I am feeling better today, back to normal. I'm upping my calorie allowance though. I think I should have heeded your words TheRealHousewife, about diet being more of a way of life and sustainable. I really fell off the wagon yesterday, and I think I have been pushing myself too much on the exercise. So have decided after checking with a BMR/TDEE and the NHS BMI calculator that I'm upping my calories from 1200 a day, to 1400. I'm going to carry on doing my yoga classes on a Mon and Wed, and only doing exercises for my stomach (My most hated spot!) on a Tue, Thur and Friday and having the weekend off. Hopefully that will all be a lot more manageable and will have no more binge/restrict/binging going on. It'll take me at least a minimum of 17 weeks to lose what I want to lose, at 1lb a week, but as long as it's coming off, it's all good!

I'm having a fairly good day today thanks for asking, but I've got a stressful week next week coming up.

I get anxious about people coming INTO my home too. I hate taking the diazepam but will when I need to.

I think I've been too easy on myself this week. I need an exercise schedule and to make healthier choices on the food. But I think I'll just do best I can this week.

@Graphista, my new book on calories says that there are significant differences in the amount of energy that your body can absorb from different foods. You are, apparently, not what you eat, but what you digest 🤔

For example, in the case of almonds, your body is only able to absorb about 85-90% of the energy that’s in the nuts. So if you eat 200 calories of nuts, you’ll only absorb about 170 calories.

Generally speaking, the more processed the food is, the easier it is for your body to get more of the energy out. KitKats and crisps probably fall in that category, but..l did notice you mentioned Twiglets the other day. Those are whole grain, more than 10% fibre and a source of B-vitamins, so as far as crisps go, they’re not that bad at all.

Not sure if that’s any help, or just adds to the confusion 😂

@CescaCesca, sorry to hear you had a hard week. I hope you bounce back soon!

@73kittycat73, 1200 calories sounds like a real challenge. You may find you loose weight a bit faster now that you’ve increased the numbers to 1400 calories. That’s what happened to me when I increased my calories!

@QueenMabby, welcome to the thread!

Glad you're feeling a bit better today Graphista. I understand about not wanting people to come into your home. It's your safe spot. A place to run away from the world from. Other people being in there you can't run away from! I really hope you manage to have a good week, and don't stress too much. Easier said than done I know.
Oh, I hope it does mean that Crazzzycat! Can I ask what book that is you are reading? I understood what you were saying about absorbing calories. Sounds really interesting.

@73kittycat73, it’s a book called “why calories don’t count”, by Giles Yeo

@Crazzzycat that definitely helps. The twiglets are higher cal but I can see sense in what you’re saying

@73kittycat73 you understand exactly. I can control the environment at home but others coming in I can’t control.

Evening All

A warm welcome @QueenMabby, you’ve come to the right place for empathic & none judgmental support. The less we have to lose the more resistant our bodies become … frustrating to say the least. You will get there!

Sending a hug @CescaCesca, anxiety sucks! It’s easy to get in a downward spiral … anxiety = poor food choices = feel stressed = impact on sleep = sleep deprived = poor food choices … and repeat. Try to up protein & water, lower carbs & sugar. Don’t go to bed hungry and try to get some zzzzzs. Hope you soon feel better!

@Graphista that’s a great variety of veg! That’s more than a lot of people manage. Did you know you can also include nuts, seeds, beans and pulses in the count.

@73kittycat73 I think your wise to up your cals. You need to be nourished and satiated for any eating plan to be sustainable. You’re doing great! You’re trying different ways until you find your fit! 👍👏

@Crazzzycat we read the same stuff 😬 I agree with all your posts about the theories of weight loss/ weight gain.

Night all, sleep well 😴

NSV to report. Beautiful day so headed to a rural park to meet best friend with DC3 in tow. Met a friend I haven't seen since before lock down and she raved about how great I looked - I'd lost loads of weight and younger! Result!

Yea I know nuts etc count but I’ve not had any of those this week. While they are healthy they are very calorific too!

@Puffalicious that’s an excellent nsv!

My skin is improving - on my face at least! The heat is making it act up elsewhere.

The face skin is a combo of eating better, drinking more, sleeping better and resisting picking! (I have dermotillomania too)

Hair is doing better too.

Haven’t taken any measurements this week might do that tomorrow

Weigh in this morning-9 st 10.2! Lost 2.8lb this month. Only 0.2 from what was my ultimate goal. I have been extremely good this week after overeating Sunday. Really wasn't expecting that though and weighed 3 times lol.

Dare say I shall put some on over the weekend though as out Sunday

Morning all - thanks for all the lovely welcomes.

After my “good” day yesterday I have to resist (a) getting on the scales to see if that one day has magically lost me half a stone 🙄 and (b) totally undoing it all by treating myself with food because I was so good yesterday! 🤣

I do struggle with the middle path. If I want to lose weight I just restrict portions but often go too far and end up rebounding after a few days because I feel so awful. Must work hard to try and avoid doing that this time.

@73kittycat73 - I’m with you on the exercise. I used to do five hard core hiit/weights workouts a week but was really struggling with stiffness etc. I went for a massage and the therapist said that I really needed to work on lengthening muscles and that I needed to vary my workout more so I dropped two of my workouts and replaced with yoga and my body is much happier for it!

@Graphista glad you’re doing ok - sleep and water can do wonderful things!

Hi, I'd like to join. I started a thread yesterday on whether anyone had lost weight using a simple, sensible plan.

I'm horrified at what my body has become. I used to be skinny and since the age of 40 have slowly gained weight till now I'm obese.
I've tried low carb and fasting and they make sense and work for a while but I just can't stay on them. I'm tired of trying diets that are difficult to follow .
What I plan to do is to eat only at mealtimes, ensuring lots of protein and fibre and gradually reduce portion size. Only have the occasional glass of wine, get lots of sleep, daily exercise and use a food and mood tracker journal ( which might help me figure out why I fall off the wagon??)
I think part of my problem is I lose motivation along the way and slide slowly back to square one.
I need to lose about 3 stone to get to a normal weight .

Well done Puff for 1lb loss and a NSV🎉
Thankyou Graph interesting about the alkaline foods. There's a lot more science to nutrition than I ever realised!! Sorry to hear you are also having some stressful times too 💐
Thankyou every1 for well wishes too 🙂

That book sounds quite interesting Crazzzzy, I'm adding it to my "to be read" pile!!

I have weighed this morning and stayed the same, which is more than I could have asked for after what I've eaten this week!! So happy with that. Miraculously my body fat percentage is lower than last week (only by 0.3% but I'm taking that as a win 🤣) and my metabolic age is the lowest its ever been! It's 3 years below my real age now, so I'm happy with that!!!

SW: 12 st 1 lb
CW: 9 st 12 lb
GW: 9 st

I'm off to formulate a meal plan for next week with hopefully 30 veg/fruit etc. in.
Have a good Friday everyone!!