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.

All is well here! Life is going to get busy. Due to a nearby fire, we’ve been asked to house 4 puppies. A large kennel has been evacuated. The owners are staying to fight the fires and well it’s a little something we can do to help.
BTW, ranchers have cattle to re home.

@swampytiggaa I like it sliced and pan fried as an addition to a "picky" meal like quiche, salad, meats and cheeses kinda deal. Not very low cal though - would be great with just a salad though! Likewise as a meat substitute in a stroganoff or in any recipe that calls for paneer instead. Just make sure not to overcook it as that's when it goes squeaky.

Well ladies, last week I was great with the exercise but definitely ended up at maintenance most days. Honestly I want to blame it on it being the last week of my cycle where I always go ravenous. CD1 here today so hopefully should be able to get back on the wagon and see some loss by the end of the week :)

Dinner tonight will be salmon teriyaki with tenderstem broccoli and garlic rice. If anyone needs any other fish inspo I had the bbc good food zesty haddock on Friday - it's one of our favourites in this household: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/zesty-haddock-crushed-potatoes-peas

I feel a need a change. I don't miss breakfast at all and feel my appetite is less at times. I miss eating for the enjoyment of eating as I've learnt to eat when hungry and eat my feelings a lot less. As I don't do calorie counting I have no idea if I am eating enough. I need to run less I think for the sake of my body but it helps me mentally and think I need it for weight loss. But I'm up about six pounds on my most recent lowest and don't want to give up or think it is the end of the world. I am certain none of this makes sense but hoping enough does for someone to understand what I am saying. I feel a bit on edge. To add to it someone has said something to me today I'd never have believed in a million years they would feel never mind tell me, it was very positive but it has shocked me.

@SunshineCake you sound like you need a really massive hug. I’m trying to send one over to you 💕 you have such a lot going on and you are such an inspiration. We are all here for you 😊

@swampytiggaa and @TheRealHousewife of course, here you go:
Preheat oven to 200c.
Whiz 1 red onion, 200g of mushrooms, 100g rye bread & 1tsp ground coriander in blender until fine. Drain and pulse in 1 x 400g tin black beans, season with salt/pepper. Divide mixture into four patties approx 1 inch thick, rub with olive oil, dust with more ground coriander and put on oiled baking tray. Cook 20-25min.
It’s a Jamie Oliver recipe originally if I remember rightly.

@SunshineCake that sounds understandable, feeling on edge with trying to assess how you are doing with everything and if you need to be adjusting things. Add unexpected anything from other people, even positive, and you will probably be needing some calm to process everything fully.

@fallfallfall how are the puppies????

@swampytiggaa not a recipe as such as I make a lot up 😬I like my Halloumi pan fried in a little butter until a bit brown and crispy. Then add to stir fry. Its really tasty.

@fallfallfall please keep safe and how delightful to have 4 little puppies 🐶 to Keep you busy.

@Juno231 interesting recipe TY.

@SunshineCake no advice to give but I can send ❤️ and a hug.

@UnLunDun TY 🙏. I can adapt that thank you as I can’t have gluten. I’ve got black beans in cupboard so will try later in the week. I’m having more meat free days. TBH it’s been a natural progression due to increasing the amount of veg and legumes I eat.

Adorable especially the white ones!
Their poops this am were not well formed. Not sure what they were fed. At noon we fed them, they were ravenous. I’ll need to organize that better. I’ve picked up 4 collars with our phone number on them, in case they dig or jump the pen. Next will be bathing them, they will spend the night inside and they smell…like fresh manure and wood smoke.
I’m certainly getting a different work out.

Gah. Motor has gone on the treadmill. Again. Husband is grumbling and looking to see if it’s worth replacing (again) need to find another way to get my exercise in. I’m nervous about running outside on my own since I fell and broke my arm.

@SunshineCake, do you do any weights/ resistance training? I’m not going to pretend it’s fun, but I quite like the burning feeling afterwards 😂 I only use small weight (2 and 3 kg) and body weight exercises, but even at that low intensity progress is fast, which in turn is pretty motivating. I keep looking at my arms, wondering where those muscles came from!

Re. the diet, when I do 16:8 properly, I often end up not eating enough. Do you have any snacks, or do you just eat two meals? And do you have any healthy foods you really enjoy? Could you add some of those to make your diet more interesting? E.g. I really love olives and dark chocolate, so try to have at least one of those each day.

Checking in

Ended up not having lunch yesterday only dinner of sausage, mash, broccoli and gravy

Got an "early night" for me! Was asleep just after 1am and was awake 10am this morning so I'm trying to maintain a better sleep pattern momentum

@UnLunDun I'm glad I'm past that stage good luck with it!

@Crazzzycat well done on the loss! It matters not it's a "small" one it's still a loss!

@swampytiggaa can you "hide" the. Biscuits or get in ones you don't like but the rest of the family do? Mine are buried under my baking equipment which is murder to get out. Good luck on hitting goal. Re halloumi I had skewers one night (I have metal skewers in my kit) sliced halloumi into cubes, threaded on to the skewers alternating with cherry tomatoes and thickly diced mushrooms. Sprayed with fry light and Seasoned with garlic grinder and smoked paprika and grilled for 20-30 mins turning once (can't really remember) served with couscous with some sweet chilli sauce stirred in. I removed from skewers at this point as I have learned the hard way if I don't I end up with burnt fingers/lips cos I forget the skewers are hot!! Another night just used as salad cheese, another night had as part of a tray bake with sweet potato and butternut squash chunks. So there's a few ideas

@MarmaladeToastAndAMarmaladeCat we all have moments of weakness

@CarolinaWeeper well done on the loss

@CescaCesca what kind of sugar? Maybe we can come up with lower cal alternatives?

@TheRealHousewife thanks I managed to sort the laptop out. Maddening when tech goes wonky! Thank you for being so kind about my posts too

@fallfallfall those puppies will keep you busy! Well done you for stepping up

@SunshineCake could you maybe benefit from different recipes? Shake things up a bit to reinvigorate the appetite? I need that sometimes so easy to fall into a rut

I need to get back to being active after a couple of less active days

Lunch today was sandwiches with Italian style ham, cheese and cucumber, carrots and humous, strawberries and a milk slice

Dinner - pasta with broccoli and reduced fat pesto sauce

Good Morning Everyone

It’s so dark and rainy here today. I’ve lit candles so it’s at least cosy looking. Shattered after a poor nights sleep but pleased to report still having negative LF tests. I must have the luck of the devil not to have contracted c19 after it being reported the current variant is very contagious. Planning on doing a LS video today, just a short 15 minute one. I’ve got out of the habit and need to get it back into my routine.

You’re welcome @Graphista and I’m pleased to read you’ve sorted your tech troubles out.

Oh my goodness @fallfallfall they are adorable 🥰. You and your husband are so kind and generous to do this! Stay safe!

@swampytiggaa sorry to hear you’ve machine breakdown. Are there any green spaces you could use for outdoor exercise. Grass is softer and wouldn’t hurt so much in the event of a tumble.

@SunshineCake How are you feeling today? ❤️

Menu - unusual for me but it’s the same as yesterday as I’ve the rest of the sauerkraut to use up and the butter beans. Plus OH is having the other half of a steak and potato pie with suet crust for his main (leftover from yesterday).

Have a great day!

@TheRealHousewife I hate running on grass 😂😂 I’ll get over myself and find another activity. Should have done a long run with a friend today but she has a sickness bug.

Just done a 10 minute Zumba workout. It’s a start. Considering digging out my skipping rope but not sure my pelvic floor is up to that 😂😂

Thank you @swampytiggaa. I think I am missing hugs.

I think you are right @UnLunDun. I don't think I had ever thought about a positive experience being unnerving but this has been as it has really made me think. Typing this has also made me roll my eyes, now I'm remembering that for years whenever I have had moments of feeling happy I stop the feeling as it unnerves me. I'm not used to being happy and worry it won't last - as it never did as a child - so I stop it so that I have some control.

Lovely puppies @fallfallfall.

Thank you @TheRealHousewife.

Dh has just got some weights @Crazzzycat but I haven't had a go yet. I will do though. Mostly I have two meals with the odd thing in between. I've got out of the habit of having my 3pm snack and think maybe I should do that again. I have tried to have more lunch but I am struggling a bit in the evenings, though last night there was an element of eating my feelings plus the horrible triggers I had years ago and took years to realise. For dinner I am having smoked haddock fish cakes, dauphinois potatoes and lots of vegetables.

I think I am having a good variety of foods @Graphista but I'm going to try a few new things I have made a list of that I have the ingredients in all ready.

I feel a bit better today @TheRealHousewife thank you but keep doing this weird thing where I realise my eyes are full and it is like I am silently crying without knowing. Sometimes I am thinking about what is in my head.

After my improvement in my 5km time on Sunday I decided to just do the same distance and try and get faster. Thwarted a bit by stopping to chat and my iPod wire getting caught in a branch but I knocked fifteen seconds off my Sunday time so it was my fastest ever 5km and I felt fine. Sometimes I feel like I needed to run for longer because of my mental health but I was so excited - I misread and thought I'd knocked 64 seconds off! - that I just ran home. I plan on taking tomorrow off then go fast again in Thursday. In other news I have only woken once for the last two nights, dh is getting blood tests this week and dd has her date for moving out . She's .

Long day here, had a good chat with my CPN so feeling calmer which is nice. Hoping for a good night's sleep as I’ve lots of gardening to do tomorrow.
Breakfast was shreddies with skimmed milk, lunch was a slice of rye toast with chocolate honey, dinner a humongous salad with cottage cheese. Tomorrow I’m doing fish pie for everyone but not sure if it’ll be low enough fat for me…does anyone know of a way to make nice low fat mashed potato I could use as a topping?

I only add olive oil to my mash now. Haven't used milk or butter for ages. No one has noticed. Still really nice. As a kid an egg used to be added.

@UnLunDun, my suggestion comes with a massive disclaimer, which is that I haven’t eaten mashed potatoes since I was about eight, so really have no idea what I’m talking about!

But anyway, I wondered if it would be possible to make mashed potatoes with low fat Greek yoghurt and found this recipe. Not sure if it’s any use to you as it still has olive oil in it, but I guess you could reduce that?

www.cabotcheese.coop/recipe/greek-yogurt-mashed-potatoes/

I have had a ridiculous few days - I can't tell you any details because it's incredibly outing (!) but please take my word when I say you would all have a jolly good laugh with the crazy situations I have found myself in since Saturday But anyway, DC back to school/nursery today and I'm back to my normal work routine tomorrow, so hopefully some sense of calm will prevail. I will not be weighing this week at the sheer ridiculous of the last few days has resulted in lots of medically necessity food (again, I really wish I could tell you!!!) but hopefully things are now resolved and I'm back in the game, with a clear view ahead to my next weigh in next Friday.

Hi. Sorry I’ve been AWOL for a bit. Everything’s just been a bit crazy. Weighed in this morning. A gain but only 0.4lb so that’s ok considering that I’ve done no exercise, have mainlined bread and chocolate and have my period!
Hope everyone’s doing ok.

Went awol yesterday, had a shitty day for other reasons and ended up eating my feelings/having a blowout.

Dreading weigh in tomorrow but not gonna avoid it

Feeling bloated and sluggish now too.

Nobody's perfect right?

I was just really stressed and fed up and angry!

Drawing a line under it and moving on getting back on track today

@SunshineCake good to try new things stimulate the taste buds

Need to take my own advice right ?

Good Afternoon Everyone

Hi @Graphista please don’t be hard on yourself. You are human and humans need to do what they can to manage the anxious moments. Anxiety/disability sucks! You’ve returned to the thread which is the hard bit and have intention to get back on track. You’re awesome 👍❤️🌟

Hi @QueenMabby welcome back. That teeney weeney gain will soon be dust 😬

@20FlowerPower I’m glad you’re still around! Sounds like you’ve had a time of it. Hope calmer waters prevail.

@Crazzzycat how on earth have you swerved mashed for decades 😬

@SunshineCake hope your feeling a bit more settled ❤️

Weigh in today shows a tiny loss. That’s 2 weeks on the trot I’ve lost which doesn’t sound much but it’s unusual for me. Fingers crossed I can make it a hat trick next week.

Menu

Meal 1 - Butterbean and Halloumi stir fry.
Meal 2 - Fresh tuna steaks and spicy quinoa.

I’m actually laid down on bed as have an hum dinger of a headache 🤕

Enjoy your evenings.

Sorry you had a crap day @Graphista. We have all been there and I think it is the right kind of self care on certain days when we just eat what we want and not over think it.

Hi @TheRealHousewife. Sorry you feel rubbish. I have a headache too. Sucks, doesn't it?

Still not sleeping right through and today have felt awful. Everything hurts, weird eye thing like silent crying when thinking about stuff, had a bad headache, weird pain in my chest, side and stomach at different times. Had a sensible lunch but I've also had chocolate and chewing nuts and I am not even bothered. DD is making chicken pasta for dinner.
I have cleaned the en suite and vacuumed upstairs, all the washing is done, walked the dog twice and had a boost when ds1 reminded me he is coming home on Friday. Sadly the cat is poorly again but I will speak to the vet tomorrow and she'll probably put SunshineCat back on her meds. I felt today that I am living in the edge. Can't really explain it. Things don't feel real. I have stuff going on only my oldest friend knows and it feels like it will all go horribly wrong. In good news I will run tomorrow and hopefully do a good time.

We are all doing well even when life is against us we are still trying.

@Graphista, if it makes you feel any better, I also went massively off plan yesterday. It involved the eating of most of a tub of Ben & Jerry’s 😬 What can I say, it was a crap day and I actually felt much better after doing it, so I have no regrets! Today is another day and the ice cream is gone, so that definitely won’t be happening again today.

@TheRealHousewife, congrats on your loss. Long may it continue! I hope you feel a bit better soon.

Re. mashed potatoes, I have a pretty serious intolerance to a type of starch that can be found in potatoes, especially when they’re reheated. Fluffy potatoes really don’t appeal to me for that reason!