LOSE IT! January 2022 - Thread 2

[TheRealHousewife]

Following on from January Thread 1

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

You are right @campingqueen121. I have no clue about the science but drinking enough water definitely helps with losing weight and I do think it is more than just filling yourself up. Water is all I drink really with an afternoon hot chocolate as my treat when it is so cold. I had some lemonade a few weeks ago and it was unpleasantly too sweet.

Everything you are doing will help @Akitamum and hopefully you will get a whoosh, aka weight loss bonus.

7lb in three weeks is amazing @ImALittlePea. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would give a lot to achieve that. Well done and I hope you feel more positive soon.

I'm feeling pleased with myself as I did 5.6km on the treadmill. So much better after yesterdays failure or only 2km. It was easier than expected and while I would have loved to have made it to 6km I was being sensible. I thought my thighs looked slimmer and less wobbly so I am happy with that. I've been up and down emotionally this morning with two important people in my life but I am just taking some time in my bedroom for myself and hope that will help.

Have a good day everyone and don't forget an extra vegetable and some water.

I never ate back my calories when I did MFP @SingaporeSlinky. I didn't see the point as I wanted to lose weight so why would I eat more than I needed just because I had earned more.

@SingaporeSlinky, for me it depends on how much, how regular and how intense the exercise is. If it’s occasional exercise, I wouldn’t eat back the calories I burnt, but if for example you did that kind of exercise everyday, then I’d up the calories a little. But also, I’d go with how you feel. If an exercise session leaves you really hungry, or a little bit shaky, then I’d have a small snack.

A big word of warning though about calories burnt estimates. They are notoriously inaccurate! For example, when I did my one hour x-trainer session yesterday, the machine itself estimated calories burnt to be 720, my FitBit thought it was 482.. That’s a huge difference! So even if I have a day when I feel I need to eat more, I try not to up the calories by more than 50% of the lowest estimate.

Well done on those losses @8stone13 @ImALittlePea and @campingqueen121. And good job on the exercise @SunshineCake1!

I didn’t get much sleep last night, as my head was still thinking about work when it hit the pillow. It lasted throughout the night, so I’ve requested an urgent meeting with my manager. Unfortunately that won’t undo the big bar of chocolate I had yesterday, but who knows may be something else will change 😬

My plan for today:

Lunch: Thai Green Curry soup, pitta bread with peanut butter
Dinner: Veggie sausage, kale and chilli pasta

I haven’t yet worked out how many calories that is, but I’m pretty sure there will be some left over for some fruit, or some other kind of snack.
If I have enough energy, I’ll do some rowing, but I might skip it today 🤔

Thank you Crazzzycat and SunshineCake1

Yes I’ve heard the estimated cals burned can vary wildly, and depends on so many factors. It wasn’t exactly high intensity, just moderate walking, so I’m glad I stuck to the 1200.
I think you’re right, if I do a proper workout, I’ll up it a little by having a healthy snack, but just a small one.

Morning all.

Well done on the losses @ImALittlePea @8stone13 and @campingqueen121 ... also well done on the maintenance @Akitamum

Not doing so well on the exercise front here. Been at work every day since last Thursday so I'm way too tired to factor in exercise too.

Yesterday was definitely over calories but I'm back and refocused today.

Lunch is salad with giant Cous Cous and feta, yoghurt and banana
Dinner Thai chicken and basil sizzle.
Have a apple bake bar for afternoon snack and will have a baby bel or two between getting home and dinner time.

Feeling a bit run down, anyone have any recommendations for something to eat/drink/take to boost my immune system a bit? Got another week before my team at work is back to full strength so needed something to help give me energy and a boost!

@ginsparkles I swear by effervescent vitamin c with zinc. I take at least a quarter of a tablet every morning, & increase it to half over winter & a whole one when my kids are breathing cold germs over me! The zinc is the most important, it's not present in enough quantities in even the best diet (so I'm told by doctor/scientist/dietician friends) & is the thing our immune systems really need, so if you get some make sure it's not just the usual vitamin c tablets but the ones with zinc too. Aldi & Lidl do packs of them for around £1 I think.

Hope you feel better soon 🙂

@8stone13 thanks! I'm ok just feeling a bit low and knowing the shop can't open without me, mean I feel the need to be on top form! I'll put some on my weekly shop. X

You're absolutely right @SunshineCake1 I've had a few quite big things to deal with re my eldest which have put me in a bit of bad place, and my youngest hasn't slept the last two nights, so that's all clouding my judgement. I'm definitely proud of myself, just need to reframe my mindset overall at the moment and lift myself out of this funk.

Hello all. I was on the first thread of 2022 but had to abandon ship as I ran into an unexpected situation (covid related) which left me stranded away from home with no cooking facilities, self isolating with young adult DC who can easily consume 3000 calories a day and still look like a model

I am now back home and starting from scratch almost. My starting weight was 12:12 and I had got down to 12:6 but I weighed myself this morning and I am 12:11

Determined not to give up. I have to do this. Still feeling poorly from Covid despite being past ten days, and have a raging sweet tooth.

So, back on 12:8, no alcohol, and not going over 1200 calories a day.

I have an interview for a new job next week (online) and want to look bright and smart for that, not grey and haggard as I do now.

sorry to read about your covid blip @2022success. You CAN do it. We're here with you.

So tempted to snack this evening, but instead I've switched to drinks. 1 tea, 2 decaf coffees and 1 camomile tea, plus 2 slimline tonics earlier and 1 water. I'll double my daily step count with loo trips tonight

@2022success, i like the game plan!!
@SingaporeSlinky, i'm another one who doesn't believe the count (lots of overestimating in my experience) and save any extra eating to intense workouts.

all is going well here based on only a few days of focus. exercise routine started and so far a daily occurrence. i'll up the intensity based on the boob, she's a tender girl today.
supper is baked eggplant with spag sauce. dh disappointed with the apparent lack of pasta (he prefers 1/2 eggplant 1/2 pasta) and i will seriously need to curtail my cheese application!!

Just catching up with this thread again!

Well despite all my determination last week I've got off to a bit of a shaky start. Trying to do this and cope with some quite difficult evenings with my now-12 week old is HARD. We're still not even in a massively established routine yet so I'm finding it tough.

However.

Weighed myself today so that's the first big hurdle. I have 5.5 stone to lose. Eek.

Is anyone else using my fitness pal? Not sure how easy it is to use? My husband is doing all the cooking really at the moment so not sure how easy it'll be to weigh everything!

Anyway. Going to do my best tomorrow and at least start tracking my food and exercise so will come back and report.

Posting this at 5 to 6 in the morning as baby decided to party between 3-5 leaving me wide awake obviously!!

pixiedust21 I use My Fitness Pal and I think it does take a while in the beginning, because you have to spend some time making sure you’ve picked the correct things, and yes, weighing out portions, if you want it to be as accurate as possible. For example, if you search yoghurt, there are probably hundreds, so you need to check brand, type, flavour etc and there can be a big difference between them.
If your DH is cooking, can you ask him to let you dish up your own? I did that initially for the days my DH cooked, and although I looked and felt silly, I had no idea what my portions were otherwise. For example, my first Sunday roast, I just estimated a ‘cup’ of each veg, because they’re not many cals, but the roasted potatoes and chicken did matter, so I put my plate on the scales and added the chicken and quickly noted it down. I don’t do it anymore because I know I’m roughly having the same size portions.
Once you’ve logged a food, it does remember it, which makes it much quicker, if you use the same foods often. Also, you can swipe to add the previous day’s breakfast, for example, if you have the same.

@SingaporeSlinky Thanks for that, yes I was thinking I'd probably serve up my own food so I can check it. I'm sure I will get the hang of it.

I'm actually up having proper breakfast today instead of skipping it / having biscuits as soon as I woke up again I was like... oh can't be bothered to do this, but figured I at least might as well have breakfast anyway so porridge it is

That was my problem too, I’m not hungry in the morning, so used to have a coffee, take the kids to school, then come home and eat custard creams 😂
Lately I’ve been planning meals the day before, so rather than take the easy option, I make sure I have fruit or scrambled eggs or porridge around 10am, and then I don’t feel hungry again until about 1.30. No snacks at all.

Morning all 🙂

Day 21 - Sat 22nd Jan - 9s 2lb
BMI 21.2
BF 23.4

Another small loss of 1/4lb. I really like where I am now, I'd be happy to not lose any more. Might have to change my username 😀

My first Good Food magazine has just arrived so hopefully that will give me inspiration for food shopping later 🛒

Have a great Saturday 👍🏻

@pixiedust21 Honestly I didn't lose my baby weight either time until both of mine were 2. I'm not sure I could have managed it much before, I didn't have the headspace! I wouldn't worry too much at only 12 weeks post-partum. It'll come off when it's ready 🙂

Yeah I know it's still early, it's just I wasn't actually a healthy weight pre baby either so I'm at least just trying to get back to some sort of healthy eating even if I only manage 2/3 meals or just reduce my snacks a tiny bit! Ha!

@SingaporeSlinky I don't enter my exercise in to MFP and just stick to 1400 calories a day.

Though I'm so off my game at the minute, food wise I'm not doing too badly but I didn't give up the booze ad I said I would last Monday, we actually I didn't drink Monday but did from Tuesday onwards!!
This Monday I'm starting again!! Promise!!

Good luck @pixiedust21! I have a 6 month old and everyday still feels like eating to survive. My baby is very hard work and needy so it's all about fitting in food that is quick to make and eat. That's why I've gone with the slim fast plan. I used to count calories on MFP before had him but there's no way I'd have to time to sit and measure things out and log, so big props to you if you can do that! Maybe you can try meal prepping after baby goes to sleep in the evening so you can get a head start?

As for me, I thought I'd weigh myself before the weekend but I haven't lost anything again. So that's two weeks of no change and maintained. That 4.6lb loss the first week gave me false hope! Starting to get put off now :(

i just cook meals and recipes from jamie oliver and other sites where the calories and portion sizes are pre calculated.
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/satisfying-veggie-bake/?fbclid=IwAR2-AxxpHtF6wplv5FzGSLWDABiLwRFSrvnOvWS7N-K5ShxhsgdiPLp1ZaI#.YeiN9kibPAc.facebook
i'm doing this one up today with some veggie alterations (i have a parsnip and a fennel bulb to use up) crimini mushrooms vs portobello etc.

@marmilade92 yeah I'm starting to find this very difficult!! Just the energy to think about what to have 😴 never mind....

Hey everyone! It’s been a few days since I posted. Sounds like everyone is doing well 😀

I’ve averaged 17k steps a day for the last three days.

Meals today are gloriously glutinous as it’s my day off from kale, flaxseeds etc (although I genuinely love those things too).

Breakfast: buckwheat pancakes, stewed apples and whipped cream

Lunch: warm salad of roast sweet potatoes, cauliflower, swiss chard, peppers and feta

Dinner: pizza!!

Snacks: 1 flat white, 1 black coffee, 1/2 choc chip cookie and I have a bag of smoked paprika crisps + pistachios awaiting for movie night 🎥

@TheRealHousewife I put butter in and on a lot of things. I now eat cheese occasionally since doing a cheese making course - it’s that classic thing of make it yourself to see what goes in and you will eat things in moderation. I was so shocked by the sheer volume of milk it takes to make a block of cheese!

Everyone is different but I made myself quite ill following a vegetarian diet for many years and then became pescatarian as I wasn’t feeling too good. I had a lot of hair-loss and dizzy spells and was luckily taken seriously by my GP who referred me for lots of tests and then a nutritionist. Basically I needed to eat meat as my iron and ferritin levels were so low. It took a year to recover and a whole new way of eating. A side effect was I lost lots of weight on my new diet! I actually hated eating meat and had to learn to like it.

Anyway, long story but I think moderation is so important and I hope society doesn’t make itself ill eating all the highly processed vegan stuff. Some of it feels a bit like the margarine fad in a new guise to me.

Having said that I aim for 1 vegan day a week and my go to meals are baked tofu, broccoli and avocado in teriyaki sauce, miso soup and dhal + aubergine curry with rice on that day.

I have loads of walnuts which I bought on offer so I’m planning to make this Syrian dip which I once had in a restaurant… it’s so good: www.bonappetit.com/recipe/muhammara-2

I feel like I need to pay attention to my sugar intake next week as last week I had cake for breakfast one day and a bit too much chocolate 😬

@Raspberry12, my brother and his spanish wife introduced me to muhammara in october of this year!! glorious stuff :)
i'm another who tries to eat everything in moderation. i weigh some stuff and add up some stuff but honestly after a few years have a good idea of calorie dense foods and days when i'm not as active as i could be/should be.