LOSE IT! January 2022

[TheRealHousewife]

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022 🍾 🎊 🎉 🍾

Fresh new year, fresh new start, fresh new habits. Jump right in to reset & refresh to become a healthier version of yourself.

As no one size fits all, members need to follow their own way of eating. 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. 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).

I calorie count based on a lower carb Mediterranean diet. I intermittent fasting and eat twice a day.

Are you in😊 What food plan will you be following? What do you want to change and why?

Useful Link - more to follow

Reset After Over Eating

I'm here, all 11 stone 6 of me at 5'2. Officially starting today as have been dipping in and out of getting started.
So my plan is not to say no crisps or choc because it isn't sustainable for me. Once I'd have them I'd feel like throwing in the towel on all the rest as I'd feel I failed. So low cal crisps in cupboard and skinny whip bars are bought.
Plan today
Meal 1 slim bagel with tomato and cheese triangle
Meal 2 chicken skewers with cucumber, spring onions etc.
Meal 3 spaghetti bolognese homemade sauce.

I have 200 cals left for snacks.
Will try a little ramble but so unmotivated. I know once I'm out there I'll be fine. Will also do measurements.
Thanks for the link to the dance this looks right up my street @goodjoujou
@FireworkParrot my kid was the same, it does sting but my DS hit a few home truths with me
Good luck everyone.

Joining in. Lifestyle change back to how I used to eat (I’ve been comfort eating during the pandemic due to various stresses).

I started a couple of months ago with low carb & high protein. I haven’t lost a huge amount of weight but feel better and clothes are not so snug on me.

This year I’m going to add a few Ayurvedic diet tips and a daily yoga practice from home (10 - 20 mins of Yoga with Adriene).

Would love to fit into my jeans from pre-pregnancy times (2018) by the end of the year. I reckon that’s about 1 or 2 sizes down from now.

Not planning to weigh myself and I will have 1 treat a week :)

Good luck everyone

Should add that I’ve been doing 15k steps w day since September which I plan to continue… this has been great for my mental wellbeing - I highly recommend it!

I find the steps so hard. We did 3/4000 on a fairly short walk yesterday and I just don’t know how I would do 3/4 times that on a normal day with work (wfh desk job) and the kids. I already feel my day is so full.

Hi all I'd like to join you please. I've got ooh probably 7 st to lose but I'm not thinking of the big number hoping to lose 1/2 a stone a month. Had lost a stone in December but Christmas saw me gain 5lbs. Starting again today with calorie counting, 16/8 and using the nutracheck app. I'll be here for the long haul here's to a new start 🥂 ps that's water in a champagne glass 😉

@2022weightlossusername I struggle with a desk job and long hours too, tried exercising/walking after work but it was very sporadic as I’m up at 4.30am and don’t get home until 4.30pm by which point I’m mentally fried and have other things that need doing. I’m in bed by 8pm & if I do anything in the evening I can’t sleep. Going to try doing something in the morning instead & maybe something in my lunch hour at work.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the steps @2022weightlossusername. I’m a keen walker (just did 6km in the rain!), but on a normal day in winter I often don’t make it to 10k. There’s just not enough daylight hours!

Also I don’t think that the 10k step thing is based on anything scientific. If I remember correctly, someone thought it sounded like a good number to aim for and it’s since taken on a life if it’s own.

Don’t get me wrong. If you were to do 10k steps a day, it’s likely to be beneficial, but so would 8k or 6k, or even 4K depending on what your current activity level is. If you aim to be a bit more active than you usually are, you’re likely to see some results.

30 minutes of light exercise most days (a brisk walk, an YouTube exercise routine, or anything else that gets you slightly out of breath) is a really good number to aim for. It’s a little more realistic and, unlike the 10k step thing, actually backed up by science!

I forgot to add, the 30 minutes exercise most days thing doesn’t need to be a continuous block of time either. You could break it up into 2x15 minutes or 3x 10. Whatever works for you.

Weighed in this morning 10st 4lbs - I'm 5"2. This seems to be my set point as whenever I lose, I gain back up to this point. I read about this is dr chatterjee's lose weight feel great book and he suggests eating "real food" helps to reset this.

My problem is I can go without eating but then choose unhealthy stuff when I do eat.

Anyways I'm making very small steps then plan to go to phase 2 once established.

Phase 1:
Increasing protein incl adding in protein shake
Eating more veg
Sticking to 14:10 where I can
Aiming to Eat more calories in the first half of the day
Upping water intake
No caffeine after noon
20 walk or cycle most days
Continuing with gym twice a week (mainly strength training)

Phase 2:
Calorie counting
16:8
Add in 2 x fast days

Hope I can do this. I have fibro /
Chronic fatigue, anaemia and a possible underactive thyroid and a 4 and 2yo! Some days I can only manage to do the very basics and it's survival but I am trying to be more mindful where I can. It won't be perfect everyday but it doesn't need to be

I'd like to join please

I don't have masses to lose - around 9lb - but I have quite a small frame and 9lb is a lot on me. If I lose 3lb people look concerned and ask me if I've been ill, if put on 3lb people start telling me I look "well" (by which they mean fatter!)

I've lost significant weight (which for me is over 2 stone) three times in my life - once after my doctorate, and twice after each of my kids. Until 2018 I maintained a good weight at around 9 stone. I've since got into a very happy relationship with some one who loves food even more than me (if that were possible) and that, combined with comfort eating and a much more sedentary lifestyle due to wfh/Covid has pushed me back up to 9s 9lb+. I'm just not comfortable at this weight, I don't feel like me. I've managed to get nearer to the 9s 3lb mark a couple of times in the last three years but it creeps back up much more easily these days, I suspect my metabolism is also shifting at age 46 as it seems to take a lot more to lose a pound than it ever did previously.

I'm not planning on any particular strategy other than cutting out sweet stuff and snacking, eating smaller potions, and only eating when I'm hungry. I cook from scratch so there's little processed food to cut out, and I'm tee total so no issue with alcohol. The main thing I need to watch out for is turning to sugary things for energy when I'm tired as opposed to hungry. I have a terrible sweet tooth and I've decided that if I don't have chocolate in the house I can't eat it Initially I'm still going to allow myself one mug of hot chocolate per day as if I don't have that you may see me wanted on the news for murder

Sun 2nd Jan - 9s 9 & 1/4lb

Good luck everyone

Well done everyone for your efforts - great start to the new year!!

I am focusing on making small changes at a time. I am awful at drinking water, so am making a conscious effort to do that. I'm also making sure I do at least 10k steps a day. I did a 40 minute interval class last night too.

Tbh, I feel things will be easier when kids are back at school and nursery and I can get back into a proper routine around work.

*portions, not potions. Though if there was a potion that worked, I'd drink it

Me too @8stone13. A magical potion would be awesome at this point!

Thanks everyone for your kind comments regarding what my mom said. In hindsight I felt awful because I undoubtedly ruined Christmas Dinner but I just couldn’t sit there in that room with all those people watching me eat and wondering if they all thought the same. I can’t even explain how humiliated I was. My husband followed me as I was in absolutely tears whilst my dad shouted at my mom for what she’d said. I didn’t go back in whilst everyone else finished their meal, I just sat in the bathroom crying. Unsurprisingly the rest of the meal was incredibly awkward (so I was told) and so was the rest of the day. All I wanted to do was go home but for the sake of my children I stayed.

My husband is a PE teacher so he’s being really supportive and we’ve sat down today to look at meal options and exercise patterns etc and so I’m hoping I can stick with it.

Yesterday I only had cereal at breakfast and stew in the evening whereas normally I would be snacking on chocolates and biscuits throughout the day.

Today I’ve had my cereal and a bowl of tomato soup for lunch, and again I’ve had no naughty treats. There are so many tasty naughty foods around because of Christmas and it’s so hard staying away from them but all I keep thinking about is the way my mom made me feel and it keeps me going.

I’m going to replace my cups of tea with drinking squash because when it comes to cups of tea it means having sugar. I don’t like tea without sugar in.

I also want to weigh myself but my scales are broken.

@DontWantTheRivalry

Thanks everyone for your kind comments regarding what my mom said. In hindsight I felt awful because I undoubtedly ruined Christmas Dinner but I just couldn’t sit there in that room with all those people watching me eat and wondering if they all thought the same. I can’t even explain how humiliated I was. My husband followed me as I was in absolutely tears whilst my dad shouted at my mom for what she’d said. I didn’t go back in whilst everyone else finished their meal, I just sat in the bathroom crying. Unsurprisingly the rest of the meal was incredibly awkward (so I was told) and so was the rest of the day. All I wanted to do was go home but for the sake of my children I stayed.

My husband is a PE teacher so he’s being really supportive and we’ve sat down today to look at meal options and exercise patterns etc and so I’m hoping I can stick with it.

Yesterday I only had cereal at breakfast and stew in the evening whereas normally I would be snacking on chocolates and biscuits throughout the day.

Today I’ve had my cereal and a bowl of tomato soup for lunch, and again I’ve had no naughty treats. There are so many tasty naughty foods around because of Christmas and it’s so hard staying away from them but all I keep thinking about is the way my mom made me feel and it keeps me going.

I’m going to replace my cups of tea with drinking squash because when it comes to cups of tea it means having sugar. I don’t like tea without sugar in.

I also want to weigh myself but my scales are broken.

💐💐

@DontWantTheRivalry maybe measure yourself with a tape as I think when u see inches or pounds come off, you get that high that spurs u on. I know sometimes it can have a reverse effect but it is good to have a starting point so next Christmas you can sit at the dinner table with a smug face and a middle finger up under the table (sorry Mum)

@DontWantTheRivalry as I'm just starting out today I took a photo of me in my underwear stood in front of the mirror and then noted the date and my weight on it. That may be an idea rather than weighing? I've lot weight before and am really bad at noticing the difference so I'm hoping having the pictures there in front of me may help me stay motivated.

For the PP mentioning struggling to get 10k steps, funnily enough I've been reading the Fast 800 book today and Michael Moseley was saying that HIIT exercise has been scientifically proven to have a similar beneficial effect to much longer periods of moderate exercise. Obviously it's much easier to fit into the day so could be worth a try?

I also caught Michael Moseley on the radio say that lots of 5-10 mins chunks of fast walking is the same (or better maybe?) than the equivalent minutes in one big chunk. So I'm also trying to get up from my desk at least 5 times a day to walk around for 5-10 mins. Definitely a good excuse for a break from the computer too!

Don't think of them as naughty foods and restrict yourself too much. You can still have them, just not as often and make allowances for them. If I tell myself I can't have something because it's 'bad' then I just want it even more.

Also, try out some fruity herbal teas if you still want the warmth and sweetness. It's never as good as a normal cuppa but it might help?

Sorry not often on MN do not sure how to reply or tag a person. Tried to reply to Fireworkparrot comment but failed! Will have to read up!

@marmilade92

Don't think of them as naughty foods and restrict yourself too much. You can still have them, just not as often and make allowances for them. If I tell myself I can't have something because it's 'bad' then I just want it even more.

Also, try out some fruity herbal teas if you still want the warmth and sweetness. It's never as good as a normal cuppa but it might help?

That was to @DontWantTheRivalry

I was also composing a post about naughty vs good food and that mindset. It really doesn’t help, it ties food into your emotions which as we know is self sabotaging.

I’ve joined a 5k a day rowing challenge. Bought myself one during lockdown but didn’t adjust my diet so got fitter but no weight loss. Then once back in the office i lost the motivation. But back on it now so done 5k yesterday and today. If I can keep my new eating habits up that should speed up the weight loss a bit.

Hi all,
So glad to see this thread busy, I think it will be really motivating! @DontWantTheRivalry so sorry that happened. my family are awful about my weight and it’s so horrible.

Another good day so far, really enjoying weight watchers and it has worked really well in the past. Have done 8K steps, trying to get to 10K a day BUT as a previous poster said, it is hard to manage every day! Might try and get it up to 10K by the end of the day if I can.

As well as Weight Watchers, within my points I’m really trying to avoid too much sugar at all, by that I mean added sugars and empty calories as they waste points and don’t make me full. Trying to have smaller quantities of higher calorie but healthier foods, eg some nuts with my lunch today instead of a packet of low fat crisps.

Really determined to do it this time.

Can I join please. On 1st January I weighed my heaviest ever (including two pregnancies) at 10st 5lb, 5ft 1in. I had done really well with Slimming World three years ago, and got to target weight- but lockdown etc has really got me back into bad habits and 21 lbs gained. My problem is emotional/comfort eating in the evening when bored. Determined to stick to two healthy meals a day, (can't eat breakfast) small portions, lots of veg and fruit. And no snacks in the evening! I am very old indeed (older than the rest of you) and remember when hardly anyone in this country was obese, or even fat. We ate proper home-cooked meals, lots of veg and no snacks that I can remember, except the odd biscuit with a cup of tea. I am going to weigh every week, have given up alcohol for January and will report back. I will be thrilled if I can lose 1 or even 2 lbs a week as that will see me back to fitting in my size 12 jeans by Easter.

Well done on your run @swampytiggaa. I don't think I'll be up to running tomorrow but I have just got back from walking SunshineDog so have started my 2022km in 2022 challenge. Only walked 2.83km as I was soaked to the skin and just couldn't face staying out any longer. Annoyingly it stopped ringing on the way home but I was so wet I thought I should go home. I'm glad I took her though as mentally it did me good as I haven't been able to walk her since Thursday. I'll take her tomorrow for a proper walk and go in my wellies!

What a lovely thing to say @twinkydink. Thank you. Even when we feel like we keep going up instead of down I still think we are winning as none of us have given up.

I hear you @Crazzzycat. We still have so much Christmas food left as no one ate as much as normal plus dh and I weren't well so not wanting to eat big meals but I can not throw it out so it will get eaten. Our plan now is try and have at least one thing from the freezer each day to empty it so we can fill it with fish and Mediterranean vegetable bags for when we can't get out for fresh stuff.

Welcome @goodgodlemon and good luck. It's great you are starting at only ten pounds over.

I remember the days if slow walks with a puppy @Akitamum. She will get faster. Bare in mind her home is where she knows and you are trying to take her away from warm and safe into cold and new with lots of new, weird, confusing sounds and smells. Before you know if she will be pulling you along .

Welcome @DontWantTheRivalry and please forget what your mum said. There was no reason to say it. If she wanted to help there are kinder ways . We all have your back and we will support you in your quest.

@FireworkParrot you can say anything you want on here. No judgement. But you also don't have to share more than you want to. I have posted a lot, and sulked, about stuff but even I have held back on something as I know no one can help but there is no pressure. Join in as much as you want whenever you want. Thank you for your kind words. I agree with you that your child is only four and therefore has no real clue what she is saying but how sad that she knows the word. I'm not blaming you btw. They pick so much up from everywhere. My dd said I am lucky she has no eating issues as I say too much about being fat. She's 18 but it was still a slap in the face as I know she is right and I should never have talked about how I feel in front of the kids.