LOSE IT! November 2021

[TheRealHousewife]

Hello & Welcome

October has flown by and now November is upon us! The outside temperature is actually warmer than this time last month, so feels quite unseasonal. Still have bumble bees and lady birds in the garden 😮. I for one do look forward to cosy nights by the fire and prepping for the coming festive season.

With just 59 days until Christmas there's still time to svelte up for the Christmas holidays. A part of my Christmas prep includes dropping a few extra lbs ‘to make room’ for a little foody extravagance… and a Baileys or two 😬

Carrying on from October’s thread, 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. The important thing is not to think of it as a diet (based on deprivation and unsustainable) but more a way of life (sustainable & enjoyable).

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

Blood Sugar Diet based on Mediterranean Recipes

Intermittent Fasting

MFP App also available.

25 Tips to lose weight & improve health

The Science behind sleep & weight gain

Holistic approaches to Eat Sleep Move Be

The Importance of Fibre

The Importance of Water for Weight Loss

Sorry you have had a tough time @Graphista. I wish I could help.

Congrats on breaking through your weightloss plateau @Youdoyoutoday! And well done on your loss too @MyAnacondaMight

Sorry to hear you are struggling @Graphista. This time of the year really sucks 😞 I presume you are already taking vitamin D, but if not, get some. Another thing that helps me is spending some time outside, as early in the day as possible. I also have a SAD lamp. The jury is still out on whether that works for me. I definitely notice a difference when it’s on, but once I switch it off, the effect wears off pretty soon. A lot of people rave about theirs though, so it may just be that I’m the exception.
Also, weird but true... I find that aromatherapy makes a bit of a difference. I have a cheap electric diffuser from Amazon and a few uplifting essential oil blends (grapefruit, orange etc). I can practically feel my head get a dopamine hit when I switch it on.

@murmuration, weight set points are a definite “thing” so you’re probably right that aiming for one of those set points makes more sense than aiming for something in between. When I was stuck on a set point, I found that I could eat as little or as much as I wanted and the scales just didn’t move, so that kind of weight is definitely easier to maintain!

Hi Everyone

Late post.

Great to see you back @Graphista. I agree about what pp have said about VitD, light therapy and aromatherapy. Hope you find some comfort ❤️

That’s fantastic @Youdoyoutoday. You do work really hard and are very committed and now you’re reaping the rewards. Well done 👍🥇👏

Just a quick post as very tired and going to go to sleep. Night All x

Thanks all

I have high dose vit d in...but you have to take it is that right? but seriously I have to get in the habit of that!

SAD lamp is something I have considered for a LONG time I may ask for one for Xmas as I can be hard to buy for.

I only get out once a week and that's a HUGE improvement that it's taken 4+ YEARS of meds and a year of therapy to get to THIS point after being completely housebound for the majority of that time

I've literally spent most of this week asleep it just sort of hit me! Although it wasn't unexpected as I'm like it

Every
Flipping
Winter!

I'm a pound down this morning! Yey.

I need to take a break but also don't want to as like chatting and reading everyone's posts.

@Graphista I set my phone to go off to remind me to take my vitamins as one is GP prescribed. I don't mind the winter now I have proper warm gear but occasionally it just makes me feel low.

I'm going to go running shortly as need to be alone. I'm desperate to get back to the point of being able to run further/for longer. Really struggling with stuff

Seeing a friend tomorrow but not looking forward to it though I know it will be lovely to see them. Seeing another friend later in the week if they haven't forgotten then hopefully next week going back to where I lived as a child to see really important people. Will be lovely but also really hard as need to talk to them about hard stuff. Just wish I could take a break from life tbh.

Hope everyone else is doing better 💐

Well done @DownUdderer

I'm the same as on the 24th and the 14th. Maybe I'm due a whoosh.

Thanks ladies,

I had another cheeky weigh in this morning as I went out last night and was worried I'd over done it but I'm another lb down so 13.11 today!

@Graphista I was also going to say a SAD lamp so definitely ask santa for one.

@murmuration weight plateaus are definitely a thing, someone else, sorry I can't remember who, posted this article and I found it really helpful so have a read www.secondnature.io/guides/mind/motivation/weight-loss-plateaus-explained?campaignid=8918399894&adgroupid=87186600622&adid=411990390160&gclid=CjwKCAiAv_KMBhAzEiwAs-rX1JrbfsoA0UO8-3riolFSbAYpPhquqQ8aN_GpoGFbtCDSy8OoLYJUAhoC0m0QAvD_BwE

Keep at it is my advice because it will change, it just takes time

@Graphista, I don’t actually take a vitamin D tablet, I add a teaspoon of nutritional yeast to my dinner.

www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/engevita-yeast-flakes-b12-60009142?skuid=009142&utm_campaign=shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7oyNBhDiARIsADtGRZZMBskZxhM18TgbgMImuoo33zjQBQd-qrBUt_S6G_I7kpyLfNd6ioMaAv1jEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Nutritional yeast is often recommended for vegetarians and vegans as it’s an easy and natural way to get a whole range of vitamins that are difficult to get enough of in a vegetarian diet (vitamin B, vitamin D and zinc). I keep a tub of it next to the hob, which makes it a bit easier to remember.

B vitamins are also essential for the production of dopamine, so if you’re feeling low it’s worth making sure you get enough of those.

The scales were showing 76.9 kg for me this morning. My weight has been going up and down all week, but as I’ve consistently stayed under 77.5 kg, I think I can finally declare myself to be in the healthy weight category 🥳 I’m feeling a little emotional about it. It’s taken such a long time and so much effort, that I didn’t think I’d ever get there, but I did!

My main goal for the rest of the year will be to stay in the healthy weight bracket. I’m sure that will be enough of a challenge, with Christmas just around the corner…

This thread has really helped me to stay motivated and pick myself up again whenever I fell off the wagon, so a big thank you to all of you. You’re the best! 🤗

Well done @Crazzzycat. I'm really pleased for you.

I felt my tummy looked smaller this morning so I risked a weigh in. Same as the last three.

OMG bootcamp this morning was freezing!! I honestly thought I was going to throw up!! It was -3 when I got in the car and -2 on the drive home.

I'm still so cold, I'm sat on the sofa under a blanket ignoring my chores!!

Congratulations on that breakthrough @Crazzzycat !

I think aiming to maintain rather than gain over Christmas is a realistic plan. I’m hoping for a couple more pounds off in the next few weeks, but agree that avoiding gaining is the real win at this time of year.

Well done @Crazzzycat

Good Morning All

Only a couple of days left of the month … December is fast approaching.

@Crazzzycat Thank you for the reminder about nutritional yeast. I often add a couple of tsp to soup, gravy etc. It’s migrated to the back of the cupboard and will be adding some to my soup later.

@Graphista that’s great that you’ve progressed to going out weekly. That must have been a huge step to take but you’ve taken it now. Well done! 👏⭐️🥇 Good idea about popping light lamp on to your Christmas list.

@Youdoyoutoday that’s a nice surprise! Whatever you’re doing it’s working. Well done on getting out in the very cold weather! I hope you’re having plenty of warm drinks ☕️.

@MyAnacondaMight My plan will be the same as yours. I’m going for maintenance rather than loss in December. We have to be sensible and realistic. It’s been such a crappy year, we all need to let our hair down and enjoy the festive fare with our loved ones.

@SunshineCake1 ❤️

Menu
Meal 1 - Spicy chicken & Cauli soup.
Meal 2 - Roast goose breast & roast vegetables.
Tea, coffee and might have a small port whilst starting to Christmas decorate.

Have a great day everyone!

@SunshineCake1 don't be disheartened, I spent 5 weeks at the same weight but my body has changed a lot.

I did a 7km walk yesterday. That felt good. My legs are a bit tired today. My food choices feel good at the moment.

I'm going to get a chicken casserole in the slow cooker in a minute.

Good Morning All

Sparkling new thread for you 😊

LOSE IT! December 2021

Menu
Meal 1 - Spicy Chicken Soup
Meal 2 - Sausages, broccoli, carrots, green beans, gravy.
Apple, white tea, coffee, water.

Have a great day!

@DownUdderer 7km 😮 that’s great! I find if we up the exercise/activity that naturally leads into wanting to make healthier food choices. Although for some (like me) getting active can be challenging. Nonetheless I try every single day. That’s all any of us can do. How was your chicken slow cooker dish?

My chicken dish turned out great! I'm relieved! Like I've said I can be very hit and miss with cooking! I'll go and join the new thread, can't believe it's December already.