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

Thanks Graph for your thoughts and ideas. My problem is my snacking 🙈 I haven't been very good with it at all recently and even though my main meals are good and healthy - my snacks aren't always. It's boredom mostly, I'm looking forward to going back to work in a few months (although during a pandemic? Not so much), so hopefully I will be less likely to boredom/habit snack. I hope. 🙏🏻

Update to my fruit/veg/plant list:
23. Pear
24. Paprika
25. Cayenne Pepper
26. Pumpkin Seeds

4 to go before Monday!!

PS. Big Well Done for the NSV and your 3.5lb loss 🥳

@CescaCesca ahh thank you.

Re snacking/boredom -

usual tips apply of course - occupy hands and mind so you can't snack, so...

have a pamper evening (bubble bath, deforest (maybe that's just me), deep condition hair, face mask then when out of bath moisturise and do nails)

do crosswords/sudoku type puzzles (I'm partial to sudoku and logic puzzles myself) NOT on the phone proper paper ones - different effect on the brain

do you do any crafting? If so or if you used to get back to that. I've gone back to cross stitching and it's very soothing and distracting and can't eat while doing it as need to keep the work clean. Friends and family of mine knit, crochet, sew, paint, make greetings cards, do rug making, one makes corn dolls! Another makes wooden Knick knacks as gifts she will make items that fit with a recipients hobbies/interests so eg she made a tinkerbell for a Disney fan a yoda for a Star Wars fan, another makes ceramic/pottery thingies.

And yes healthier options on the snacks - my "infamous" salty carrots? (Good crisps sub), crudites generally with or without a low cal dip, lower cal fruit, low cal cereal bars, yoghurts etc may not be for everyone but I can easily eat cottage cheese by the spoon and that's pretty low cal or you could have a few cheese thins with them (Tesco ones are only 21 cals each) I love them with a slice of cucumber and a spoon of cottage cheese on

I'm also up weight wise but also don't care partly as I don't believe it but even so, not stressing. Have faith it will come off.

Took doggy to the beach but the tide was in so she rolled around on the pebbles instead. Refused to get in the car when I was cold as she hadn't had her chips . Last time we went to the beach with her we had to leave before the chippy opened and she absolutely refused to get in so dh had to pick her up. She wasn't going without them again .

Nodded off on the way home. I was driving .

Planning on a massive salad and roast beef sandwich for tea. Running tomorrow.

All of that sounds great Graph
I do like crafting and I haven't done anything for a while. I feel I'm just settling down after a mad couple of years pregnancy/babies/pandemic wise. I will give some of your ideas a go!!
I do usually have the healthy snacks in, but I am a greedy guts so eat them and then still have a biscuit or ten with my tea etc. I am still feeding the baby so maybe its that too!

I've buried the biscuits! Under a ton of baking equipment I hardly ever use and is awkward to get out. I'm using my fundamental laziness to my advantage

I'm doing a lovely colourful beach themed cross stitch at the moment which I'm thoroughly enjoying. I stick the rookie on to watch, except I'm really just listening so it's cutting my screen time down too or I ask Alexa to stick an audiobook on and stitch away. When I finish a length of thread before I rethread needle I drink water to try and do better there.

When dd was a baby/little and crafting could be tricky to get peace for I did small projects like bookmarks and coasters.

Hello everyone! Had a lovely day out yesterday with my husband to Tintagel and Boscastle lots of hilly walking and a huge ice cream!

Have been hitting all my goals which I’m pleased about 😊

Today I’ve worked 5am to 4:30pm again 😭😭 done 23.5k steps just at work. Absolutely knackered. Same hours again tomorrow. Oh well pay day will be good next week!

I’ve added a few pictures 😊

Btw saw this today and thought it was interesting 😊

Beautiful pictures @swampytiggaa 😍

@CarolinaWeeper

Beautiful pictures *@swampytiggaa* 😍

It was absolutely gorgeous. We haven’t been since they put the walkway in which was amazing to walk over. It’s about an hour away from us well worth the trip

The walkway and me and Mr Tiggaa 😊

Gorgeous pics swampy!

How do you have the energy for all that walking?!

Anyway I've been thinking smoothies and I thought carrots!

So I googled but all the recipes have ingredients I don't have in.

I'm thinking to make my own, I have the carrots, apple juice, ground ginger, then will add some fruit

I have in

Fresh

Apples, bananas, satsumas, strawberries, grapes, nectarines

Frozen
Grapes, strawberries and some kinda frozen mixed berries (need to check)

So probably carrots, satsumas, apple juice and ginger?

But I'm not sure on proportions, it's also hard to make one smoothie as it were will it keep? I'm thinking yes as citrusy so maybe a day or so?

I’ve always walked everywhere. If it’s within a couple of miles I’ll automatically walk unless I have something heavy to get. Always been the same tbh.

Can’t help with the smoothie sorry 😂😂 don’t like them so don’t make them.

swampy how lovely. I have fond memories of holidays to Cornwall as a child. Tintagel & Boscastle were both places we regularly went to! I haven't been for years now though. Enjoy!!

Graph a smoothie can really be whatever you want it to be! I've never used carrots or satsumas in mine but it's worth a try 😊 see how it turns out. I'm not sure about keeping it - I have always made one serving at a time. I'm sure it would be ok overnight in fridge in airtight container, and might need a stir or something before you drink next day? I'm not 100% confident on this though!

Smoothies can be frozen. Just don't full the cup to the top.

I had a banana and satsuma smoothie the other day. Tasted fine but dh hadn't blended it completely so I had bits of the satsuma pieces skin.

Does anyone know if it is safe to run in a thunder and lightning storm???

I really like that info graphic you shared @swampytiggaa. After almost 5 months of dieting, I’ve certainly found that watching the numbers on the scales doesn’t make me particularly happy. Progress never seems to be as fast as I’d like! It’s much better for me to focus on my exercise and nutrition, because that actually makes me feel good!

Having said that, my 30 plant foods a week challenge came to a screeching halt yesterday after I ate some sweet potato. It turns out that if you cook sweet potatoes and then reheat them, they contain a relatively high amount of resistant starches. I didn’t know that, and as I am hypersensitive to resistant starches, I now feel like I’ve eaten some shards of glass that are slowly working their way down my body. The pain is horrendous and based on experience can easily last for days. Clearly I need to be a lot more careful about introducing new plant foods 😔

@SunshineCake, please don’t go running in a thunderstorm. It’s not safe and no matter what precautions you take, it will never ever be safe!

Lovely pictures swampy! I think I've been to Cornwall once. Will have to go again when LO is old enough to appreciate the scenery.

Thank you for the heads up about the sweet potatos crazzycat introducing LO to foods and have frozen a portion for another time. Will throw it out to make sure he doesn't get a funny tummy

Morning/afternoon all. I had a NSV last night. I had some Skinny bars delivered yesterday with some other bits and didn't have time to get them out of the flat. About 10pm I was hungry so I had one. I went to bed and couldn't sleep (A trigger to binge.) so about 1.30am went and got another bar. Then two more. Then I convinced myself to stop, and I did! I've not managed that before. Normally I binge until there's none left or I feel super full. I had you words in my head too Crazzzycat, about preferring to be slimmer/healthy. Thank you.

I survived @Crazzzycat as the storm had passed but I had decided not to go anyway if it carries on. Ran super fast but felt awful after a while so came back early.

@swampytiggaa my dd is like that! In any weather too. Drives her friends demented cos it'll be pelting it down or they're coming home from a night out and they're like "right time for a cab" and she's like "nah we can walk it, it's not far" and it's like 4 miles! In heels! 

She's now living in a less wet part of the country studying and she understands the friends there not walking even less. Keeps saying to me "and it wasn't even raining!" 

@CescaCesca googling says it's ok in fridge for 1-2 days but may need a shake/stir first if it separates. I'm only just awake (shattered after last few days and had a bad night) so might get one going soon to wake me up (still feeling sluggish)

@SunshineCake I'll bear freezing smoothies in mind for the future at the moment freezer is full

@Crazzzycat and swampy - I'm trying to focus on how I FEEL rather than scales etc. Wore a dress thu I haven't in ages and while it's a very forgiving dress (floaty maxi dress) I know how I normally feel/look in it, it wasn't clinging in certain places as it used to, and my tummy is definitely less bloated. I also generally (not today!) feel I have more energy.

@Crazzzycat sorry about the sweet potatoes! Ouch! That's how I get with certain foods, then horrific trapped wind and then diarrhoea. That is what happened with the bean dip. Hope you feel better soon 

As you guys were saying we can include herbs and spices in 30 plant foods challenge I've been thinking I may manage it.

Thu - clementine, banana, nectarine

Do ready made foods count? I had falafel that day too

Friday - melon, rocket, baby, spinach, fresh basil, cucumber tomatoes

So I'm at 8?

And no not safe to run in lightning storms sorry

@73kittycat73 well done on self limiting

Yesterdays food:

Breakfast I just had a skinny latte (I'm often not hungry in the morning.)

Lunch - chicken salad wrap

Dinner - stir fried noodles with peas, broccoli, garlic and spring onions

Today:

Breakfast - another skinny latte

Lunch - ham salad wrap, a few crisps, carrot sticks and hummus

Dinner - aubergine, courgette and tomato pasta

DH had pick and mix tonight so will have some of that later but portion mine and leave him with the big bag

I am so sorry ladies. I need to take some time away. My world has fallen apart today. The love of my life has thrown me an unexpected curved ball and it’s looking like the end of our relationship. I’m totally bereft and heartbroken and feel utterly utterly alone. The tears just won’t stop falling. The big splashy wet ones. Just keep tumbling down. I can’t even think straight. Take care and hug your loved ones ❤️

@TheRealHousewife omg I am so so sorry that's awful! Have you real life support? If you need ANYTHING just shout.

@TheRealHousewife I’m so sorry to read this! We are all here for you 💕thinking of you with love and sending strength

@realhousewife
Oh gosh I'm so sorry. Hope you have the support you need x