LOSE IT! August 2021

[TheRealHousewife]

Good grief, I’m sure the year is speeding up! July has passed so quickly!

This is a space 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

LOSE IT July 2021 Thread

NHS 12 Week Weight Loss Plan

Fast 800 Diet & Fitness Plan

Water Intake & Weight Loss

MFP

26 Evidence Based Weight Loss Tips

The Psychology of Weight Loss

😬. Better than reaching for the snacks.

Good Morning All

I’m loving the gardening posts. Inspiring! Being out in the garden pottering is so good for MH and growing things is awesome! I’ve missed it this year to be honest. I wonder what can be planted out now? I know I need another blueberry bush. Thank you @Crazzzycat🙏 !

@Graphista your dinner sounds so delicious 😋 All my favourite flavours. I love Halloumi but only pan fried in a tiny bit of butter.

@swampytiggaa sounds like you’re having a great time. I went to Clovelly years ago. It was lovely.

@fallfallfall the honey 🍯 sounds like it could be a well deserved treat. A little bit drizzled on ff Greek yoghurt? Even though it’s carby it is nutritious being anti viral and anti bacterial.

Menu

Meal 1 - Large Salad (need to use up fridge contents before tomorrow’s fresh food delivery)

Meal 2 - Home made jalfrezi chicken curry. Cabbage cooked down with a bit of butter.

Cashew nuts, 2 home grown plums 😬, pecans. Nuts = I usually have about 10grams.

Have a great weekend! … just off to do my LF test. Hate them!

[quote Graphista]@SunshineCake I have a challenge for you, and I think it will be a challenge for you but I also think it would be good for you and I'll do it too.

Every day, think of 2 things you like about yourself.

I'll go first

1 my determination - I'm like a dog with a bone on some issues

2 my smile - my looks aren't great these days but I do still have a nice smile I'm told. I smile with my whole face not just my mouth

Problem with hugs is I haven't experienced human touch in almost 4 years as a result of my stupid mental illness. I am looking forward to once again being able to hug dd.

I'll tell you the positives I've noticed about you -

You're thoughtful
You're compassionate
You're intelligent
You're funny! I know you won't think so but you really are. I suspect in real life you have a quick wit.

@TheRealHousewife don't worry about forgetting the mfp thing no biggie.

If it's ok with you guys I may well write down my food diary tomorrow as I said I would and come here with questions. I need to get a handle on things as it's clearly not simply a case of calorie counting.

I think I need to increase activity - even if I'm just walking up and down my hall!
[/quote]
Hi @Graphista. so sorry to have taken ages to reply to your lovely message. My head was in a mess when I read it so all I could do was read it and know I have time to reply properly. I feel like I am two people. I know I am a good mum as I kept my kids and didn't dump them for the reason she did me so never mind everything else I have done, that in itself makes me good. I know I am strong because I still get up every day and no one would know the turmoil in my head but in other ways I feel very weak. If people knew certain things about me they would think I was weak, an idiot, a mug, stupid, pathetic. The list could go on. Having just typed that what came to my mind was the fact my children come before everything as I may have made different choices without them.

I used to be very clever and was very funny but after two traumas in months, one so shocking it has definitely affected my mind/brain, being ill with long covid, menopause stuff and emotional turmoil, I feel my intelligence has diminished and I haven't the energy to be funny. I did make dh laugh last week though which felt lovely.

I feel a bit daft posting all that now, and I have a headache, but I didn't want to be rude when you had posted such a lovely message to me.

Ultimately, I am beyond tired. I'm not very happy at the moment. I feel things will change for me and not in a good way. I'm still worried about DH and at best it will be a battle to get him help and at worse nothing will or can change and then I will be left feeling very conflicted whilst also feeling I have no choice.

I have literally spent all day cleaning the kitchen. I was talking to dh this morning about how I felt and I suddenly got the urge to do a deep clean so I have. Everything out of the cupboards, all wiped down, both fridges cleaned and pulled out to clean behind. The washing is done. I just need fo clean the windows and doors, wipe the skirting boards and mop the floor. Have hardly spent any time with dh and I need to walk the dog as well as dh walked her first thing and I haven't even played with her, but I have kept busy and I have a clean and tidy kitchen.

Sorry for the indulgent brain spill .

Does the flower look better to anyone else?

@SunshineCake, that flower looks fine, it’s a male flower, now you need a female flower. The male flower will not give you zucchini. But I see more flowers coming :), hopefully two at a time a male and female!

What does a female flower look like @fallfallfall? This is all news to me!

@SunshineCake, the tread moves so quickly :)
if you look on page 13 i posted a photo for you. B is boy and G is girl
the girl flower is on a mini zucchini like stem vs the tall skinny boy flower.
i'll go outside and see if i can take a better photo of one

Oh yes. I remember now. Sorry. Thank you

I am having a very frustrating day! For starters Tesco driver turned up early DESPITE my having it clearly stated on delivery instructions not to do so. I was barely ready!

Sorted that.

Then have been pottering about and went to watch a film on Netflix and got an error code. Called Netflix who messed me about so much I ended up hanging up! Then I ended up locked out of my laptop due to THEIR troubleshooting and couldn't remember nor could I reset my pin. I couldn't login with usual face recognition. Called my supposed care plan people and frankly the guy was thick as 2 short planks! He could barely operate his computer (could hear him typing Veeeery slowly probably one finger) and I had to repeat my name etc several times inc spelling them several times. He was unable to help (unsurprisingly) finally found a workaround online but ill have to contact someone (goodness knows who!) on Monday to fix the PIN issue - unless anyone here is technically adept?

Sigh!

@UnLunDun that's adorable of your dd. Bless her Enjoy

@swampytiggaa you seem plenty active even without the treadmill!

@TheRealHousewife thanks I like well flavoured food. Drives me demented when eating out or even ready meals that the veggie ones are so often very very bland! Veggies still love food!

It's NOT an "indulgent brain spill" it's how you process things. I'm the same. But please please stop doing yourself down! You make me smile/laugh most days, you inspire me with how you keep going DESPITE how you feel and how much you HAVE been through. Many many others would have given up!

This is what my mum and dd always tell me. That even though my achievements are "small" in "normal" terms they are actually massive for me.

Eg going to corner shop - piece of piss for normals - Everest to an agoraphobe!

Since lockdown I have started cooking again - where I was at before lockdown I was living on one small meal a day (and somehow I was still fat! GP at this point thought likely cos I wasn't eating enough, and a few days I checked cals and I was around the 800-900 cals mark I felt awful physically) the nearest I got to cooking was boiling the kettle for a pot noodle (not even kidding!) I was eating cold ready made food all the time, if I made sandwiches that was a good day! I was forced to return to cooking as I couldn't get hold of my usual ready made items cos every other bigger was buying them! It was hard enough just getting a delivery slot!

Thanks to the frugal foodies on here I even got back into proper cooking and baking

Also thanks to lockdown a friend linked me to a video "pub quiz" that happened weekly during lockdown, it's finished now and I really miss it. I too thought my brain was screwed - this made me use it again and realise actually it wasn't buggered. That's got me back into doing puzzles and crosswords (I started with piss easy sudoku) and now I'm even back to my rather complex logic puzzles

It's also what got me back into cross stitch cos I was seeing loads of sm posts by my friends where they were getting back into their crafts. None of them cross stitch they do all different things but it was all crafting

You CAN turn things around AND you are STILL doing miles better than me! Are you a neurotic agoraphobe with ocd who is basically living terrified in one room? No!

You're doing good and you can do better when you're ready to.

i loved your post @Graphista, amazingly well done on the progress.
btw i started a cross stitch that is too fussy :( so it sits!

@Graphista that was a brilliant post, I think you’ve done wonderfully coming back to things - I know that can seem insurmountable at times. I try to accept the person I am now, though I am very different to how I used to be, it can be difficult…even tiny things like being in my own garden (on my own) are achievements and we should all be proud of our personal strength and perserverence.

Today I’m doing the annual sewing-name-tags-into-everything for the kids going back to school tomorrow, a job I actually find relaxing. For 25 years I’ve always bought black-threaded ones, I forced myself to buy rainbow coloured ones this year not sure what I think of them but I’m incredibly proud I managed even that minuscule change in routine. 😂
Today’s food: B - stewed apple & ginger porridge made with water, L - haricot bean salad, D - mushroom barley risotto. A banana at some point.

@SunshineCake, I’m so sorry to read how hard things are for you. You, and @Graphista and @UnLunDun (and I’m sure others on this thread) are clearly fighters and you should be proud of that. But that obviously doesn’t take away from your current situations being extremely challenging .

In other news, I’ve been indulging my love for hillwalking this weekend. I’m very lucky to live walking distance from the foothills of Snowdonia, but haven’t visited them often this Summer because first it was too hot, then it was too wet and then my walking buddy (DH) developed a leg injury.

I don’t normally like to go by myself as I have dyspraxia, so coming down hills can be a bit of a challenge. This weekend, I thought sod it! I’ll just go by myself and worry about how to make it down later! (Obviously I did choose paths that I knew would be relatively easy. I’m not completely crazy! 😂)

It was just so lovely to be out there. I saw so many birds, hares and wild ponies and not a single human being! I also earned my first FItBit Skyscraper-badge (100 or more floors climbed in a day) on Saturday and then earned it again today. I’m going to give my knees a rest now!

@Crazzzycat thank you. Sounds like you had a great time in the hills and well done coming down - one of my daughters has dyspraxia and I know how it can be challenging.

That view looks so nice @crazzzycat

I've just been for a walk too (unfortunately not as lush views!) but was good to get some fresh air. All the gardening talk is rubbing off on me as i listened to Gardeners World podcast, it was fascinating!!

Tomorrow im going to go buy my 2nd blueberry bush 😊

I had a pistachio & mint smoothie for breakfast, and got a chicken stir fry for dinner 😋
Hope everyone is doing well!

Aww thanks guys

Snowdonia sounds amazing, I used to live near Dartmoor and it sounds very similar, beautiful and peaceful. Used to go on guide camps there and had an amazing time

Having a chilled day today (was gonna say "lazy" but it's not, it's recharging the batteries/self care)

Planning a sandwich for lunch with veggie pastrami and cheese and cucumber

Dinner I can't decide, possibly sausage and mash with broccoli

Feeling tired today, and it’s a busy day with our schools starting back too…lots of fluids and an early night tonight I think.
B - porridge with water, L - salad & nutritional yeast pitta, D - black bean burger with cherry & basil salsa. Snack - fruit

Weekly weigh in for me and the scales registered a small-ish loss of 0.3 kg. I still can’t quite believe that I dropped below 80 kg last week, so I’m more than happy that the scales have stayed under 80 kg this week ☺️

Morning! I’m back on it from today after relaxing last week on my week off 😊

Treadmill isn’t working properly need to get the husband to have a look at it so that’s out for now unfortunately.

I keep getting close to my (arbitrary) goal then going up again so I’m definitely going to work on my steps water and sensible eating again. A few biscuits have crept in 😬 and more chocolate than I should eat really so I’ll cut those out again.

I’m not actually at work until Wednesday but I’m on days off today and tomorrow.

Right. I’ve weighed in. Currently 9st 8.4lb so not really done any damage with my relaxed weeks…

My birthday is 10/9 and I’m wondering if I can hit 9st 7lb by then? I’m back to running and have a few races coming up too which should help with my motivation 😊

Hi all, I keep catching up with all the posts on this thread, meaning to post, then get interrupted by a small child and don’t get a chance!

Weighed yesterday and I was down to 10 st 5 but ended up having takeaway pizza and wedges last night and am up 2lb this morning. Hopefully just water weight and not actually gained that much overnight!! Was a bit frazzled as DH went away for the weekend with his friends and I’m a stay at home mum so had been looking after the children all week and then all weekend alone and usually I get a bit of a break on weekends so was a bit burnt out 2 year old is in a very demanding phase, he got back and suggested pizza and the thought of not having to cook… well I enjoyed the pizza anyway. Going to be more careful and stick to my calories this week.

Sorry all, feel like I've been away from the thread a while. We had visitors for the past few days which has kept me busy but have tried to build in healthy options i.e.we went out to a café yesterday and I chose panzanella salad which was absolutely lovely. It really did reinforce to me how nice healthy food can be and I felt good after eating it rather than bloated and sluggish. We also walked 6 miles yesterday which is unheard of for me but my DS aged 4 did brilliantly and only needed carrying by DH for a bit at the end.

So even after the cheese and wine last night I've weighed and am 1lb down.

SW: 14st 5lbs
CW: 13st 12lbs
GW: 11st

Marmalade i am totally with you in the demanding 2 year old phase. I find myself constantly counting to 10 and deep breaths... Some days are relentless! Well done for surviving the weekend!!

I really cant get my head in the game recently!! Keep caving to the sugar 😔

Good Afternoon All

Hope you all had a good weekend.

@Graphista sorry to hear about your techno woes. Hopefully it’s soon resolved! I cant offer any advice myself as I don’t fully understand what’s the problem. I can get by with the basics but beyond that is beyond me. I always enjoy your posts. Thank you for trusting us all enough to share ❤️

@CarolinaWeeper no apologies necessary. Lovely you’ve come back though. I love a hearty flavoursome salad! Dressing on the side if eating out so I can control intake.

Hi @MarmaladeToastAndAMarmaladeCat it must be so difficult with a little one pulling on your time and energy 24/7. Not easy. Well done on your loss and I’m sure the pizza gain will soon go!

@swampytiggaa sounds doable 👍

@Crazzzycat double victory. Weight loss and remains below your magic number 👍🌟👏. Stunning scenery ⛰

@UnLunDun black bean burger sounds interesting. Do you have the recipe please 🙏

Menu

Meal 1 - Sauerkraut, chopped apple and goats cheese salad. Small slice GF bread & butter.

Meal 2 - Butter bean, Halloumi, mixed peppers, red onion, courgette and cabbage stir fry.

Have a lovely evening.

Oh yes @UnLunDun I’d like the black bean burger receipe too please! Daughter has recently turned veggie and me and H are eating less meat in support 😊

I’ve got a chunk of halloumi in the fridge. Apparently only me who likes it. Any suggestions gratefully received 👍