LOSE IT! March 2022 🌼

[TheRealHousewife]

WOW 😯 Where did February go … A Warm Welcome to New and existing Members alike! Fresh new month, 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 fast and generally eat twice a day.

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

February 2022

Useful link if you’re unsure where to start:-

NHS Weight Loss Plan

More links to follow.

Happy Monday everyone... hope everyone is doing well and can see there's been some impŕssive losses over the weekend. I only weigh once a week at the same time, in roughly the same clothes as I think daily check ins would not be healthy for me. Perhaps that's an idea for you, 8stone13, to see if perhaps every other day means more consistent loss/maintenance?

That said, it's the NSV's which are great, isn't it - similar to you, Forever, I seem to lose more from my upper body before my legs/bum get with the programme. My collar bone is starting to show after being buried beneath a significant layer of fat and there's something so satisfying about that. I doubt I'll ever be as thin as my youth but just seeing some shape to my body is so pleasing.

Enjoy your time off, Holbein, sounds more than well deserved after such a long stint. I hope everyone has a good start to their week

Morning all! I had a bit of an erratic weekend food wise, but the scales didn’t show a gain this morning, so I’m ready to leave it all behind me 😄

Just a quick update on my 2022 km in 2022 challenge - I completed 51.17 km last week. I thought I was much less active than usual, but now realise it’s just the x-trainer sessions I dropped. The mileage on those is practically zero anyway, so the total number of km hasn’t been affected too much.

@ImALittlePea, I find focussing on health so much more motivational than the numbers on the scales. I’m unlikely to put on lots of weight after eating a packet of biscuits, but I feel the difference in my energy levels almost straight away.

Well done on that loss @CumbrianExile! That’s huge. Congrats to you too @youdoyoutoday and @Foreverlexicon. Always nice to start the week with a loss! Sounds like you’re making great progress too @Ambushedbycakeinmydreams.

Everyone else, just hang on in there and keep trying! We can do this.

Good Morning All

Headachy today and I feel it could be due to my body processing the salty crisps and fruit & nut. On the other hand it could be I’m not sleeping well as I’m feeling quite anxious about the situation in Ukraine 🇺🇦 ❤️ (absolutely barbaric & unlawful), the death toll, displacement of citizens as well as the long term global affects. I’ll not go on but you’ll get my drift.

Menu
Meal 1 - Roast Chicken dinner, Greek yoghurt & raspberries (could be OMAD)
Meal 2 - ?
Tea, black coffee, water.

Enjoy your Monday ❤️

Checking back in after a week off. Proper indulgence, actually more like gluttony to be totally honest. So true about weight loss being psychological.

What I have learned:
that despite being "good" for 6 months, I still can't regulate snacking, and am still all or nothing - whether that's crisps, cake, wine, chocolate etc
That the sugary "treats" achieve nothing apart from the initial taste euphoria; left me with big crashes, and bigger cravings
Extra food and larger portions has made me feel tired and lethargic, rather than energised
The alcohol (I think) has really messed with my emotions; I've been far more emotionally volatile, lots of tears, and generally feeling rubbish

So all in all - my 6-month clean eating lost me 2 stone and got me to 50 feeling fit and fabulous. One week back to old ways has made me feel rubbish again!!! Was it worth it? probably not, but was lovely to feel indulgent. I'm not cross with myself which is a good thing, and progress, as I gave myself permission to indulge. But now I am frightened to weigh-in though, so may leave it a few weeks until I know it's safe to do so ; )

So as of today I'm back on it - no sugar, no crisps, no snacking, and no week-day alcohol. Lots of protein and vegetables. Lots of tasty nutritious food. I'll get out running again, and maybe throw in a swim too.

Well done on getting into the next stone bracket @Foreverlexicon - I hope to see you in the 10s fairly soon.

Great loss @youdoyoutoday. And keep going on the exercise @Crazzzycat - good to have some variety. Sorry your job is so demanding now @HouseofHolbein (Swampy), and the shifts seem so long and disruptive to a regular exercise pattern. Hope you can get some nice runs in on your days off. Big hello to @SunshineCake1 and hope the headache shifts soon @TheRealHousewife It is such a depressing situation with Ukraine. Big wave to everyone else!

@buzzofthebumblebee
I do that from time to time and really enjoy having a chunk of time off - sure my weight goes up a bit but not so much that I cannot get back on here with all you lovely chums - that week off was fab and you know you'll be doing a week off here and there with hols etc. so it is fine.

So.... 134.2lbs this morning and I also had a lovely weekend but will be back on it today having already had a delicious but low cal lunch.

The sun is shining beautifully here and I would love a long walk this evening but have managed to get on an online interview tonight through my surveys and in these expensive times don't want to turn dow £75 for 50 minutes talking!

Hope everyone has a super day and weighs in lighter in the morning.

Ahh, thanks for wise words @129orbust - it's so reassuring to know you're not all alone, and some lovely person is there nodding and not judging ! You sound so positive and upbeat - and well done on the extra cash injection. You are right - can't turn down work at the moment. Even for a bit of sunshine!

Just a quick thought. All of us thinking what is the point, I've lost so might as well have ... we need to find a replacement for the takeaway, crisps, chocolate that is just as nice and at the same time will stop the takeaway = treat when actually it is not good for us. I'm not saying we will all suddenly think salad = treat but actually why not? A lovely salad with lots of different leaves, some fish or chicken, tomatoes, decent cheese etc. would be much more satisfying, clean, fresh than a takeaway.

You are right @SunshineCake1 💕 we need to find better replacements for junk food.

Personally I’ve just found a pattern for some little baskets to put crème eggs in so I’m planning on knitting some for my team and possibly for my daughters brownie troop which will stop the evening snacking and get me off my phone at night 😊

@SunshineCake1

Just a quick thought. All of us thinking what is the point, I've lost so might as well have ... we need to find a replacement for the takeaway, crisps, chocolate that is just as nice and at the same time will stop the takeaway = treat when actually it is not good for us. I'm not saying we will all suddenly think salad = treat but actually why not? A lovely salad with lots of different leaves, some fish or chicken, tomatoes, decent cheese etc. would be much more satisfying, clean, fresh than a takeaway.

@SunshineCake1 - what I’d do is be good for a while and have eg date with peanut butter for snack or low cal jelly in a pot. But god that gets depressing after a while!

I do have cheat days at the weekend when I either go mad or eg if I’m out I’ll order pudding etc.

A few years ago but this was walking fast for 10-15 mins first thing, then out at lunch and walking in office a lot well after 4 months I’d lost 1 stone or 1 and a half stones easily. I had soup and bread for lunch etc so no vast changes but eg our team would bring in snacks like mini sausage rolls and those flapjack and brownie bites so I’d have the odd one too.

I walked a lot more after work too though.

@HouseofHolbein

You are right *@SunshineCake1* 💕 we need to find better replacements for junk food.

Personally I’ve just found a pattern for some little baskets to put crème eggs in so I’m planning on knitting some for my team and possibly for my daughters brownie troop which will stop the evening snacking and get me off my phone at night 😊

@HouseofHolbein - I think a naughty snack every day or every other day isn’t terrible!

The other day I ate a whole pack of Mikado Daim and I don’t even like mikados normally! They’re not being repurchased anyway…!

I did have a cheese snack a Jack as a snack last night - as big as a normal sized large rice cake. Wasn’t delicious but was ok!

It's hard to resist snacks, I know!

I find drinking a glass of water and then some sort of distraction does help. Carrots, celery sticks and apples are good for the crunch factor which I think help with feeling satisfied.

I hope you enjoy your time off @HouseofHolbein. Don't spend it all doing chores!

Well done @CumbrianExile that is an excellent start.

Doesn't matter @Lzzyisgod it is gone now. A new week.

Well done on your loss @youdoyoutoday.

Well done on your loss too @Foreverlexicon. Thanks for asking re DD. We've just had her call us in tears. They are making her leave. I'll spend the next few days before we can get her worrying. She wants to stay a couple more days and they have said she can. I'm worried about what she might do now everything is going wrong for her .

You might have felt rubbish @buzzofthebumblebee but you have done so well and learnt an important message. Hello 👋.

I'm not saying give up chocolate etc. I eat some most days. Just stop seeing them as the fix ti a bad day, a lovely treat. It isn't a treat if we are putting sugar and chemicals in our body. Just a change of mindset needed. No just, as I know it is hard.

I ran 6.5km on the treadmill in a decent time then walked the dog for over an hour and half.

Feeling very anxious now because of dd. Just don't know what to do.

A good snack is to have some greek yoghurt with a small amount of granola, I find. At least you’re getting the protein, calcium etc, and the granola has a nice crunch, and if you check the labels, there are some healthy ones, particularly using prune juice instead of pure sugar.

I like ryvita crackerbread with some spread on too.

Ryvita with low fat philly and half an avocado is my fave!! I sometimes have this for breakfast

Cheese like mini baby bel or cheese strings with grapes is nice too! Those cheeses are only 60 calories per portion

totally flat weight chart. again not even any movement on muscle mass or water :(
just enough tiny fluctuation to not think the scale is wrong and some days a tiny dip but then right back up.
a bit disheartened today .

@fallfallfall you will get there, I plateaued for a couple of month long twice last year and it is disheartening but you really do have to keep at it!

I found these articles helpful, not sure if you've seen them on here before but here's the links

www.secondnature.io/guides/mind/motivation/weight-loss-plateaus-explained?campaignid=8918399894&adgroupid=87186600622&adid=411990390160&gclid=CjwKCAiAv_KMBhAzEiwAs-rX1JrbfsoA0UO8-3riolFSbAYpPhquqQ8aN_GpoGFbtCDSy8OoLYJUAhoC0m0QAvD_BwE

www.secondnature.io/guides/mind/motivation/overcome-weight-loss-plateau

Thank you @youdoyoutoday. I’ll read that later today.

Any way, @fallfallfall you also have to remember that you are maintaining what you have lost so far! That is a massive win!

I know that you probably don't want to hear that but it's true, maintaining losses is almost as hard as losing the bloody weight in the first place!

You're doing great 👍

Loving all the snacks ideas!

Not necessarily satisfying but Jelly Pots (I make them beforehand and keep in fridge) and dates with peanut butter (low sugar best) - I have one date and sometimes 1 jelly pot separately.

Been an utter pig today if I post what I ate you'd all be ashamed of me!

@youdoyoutoday

Cheese like mini baby bel or cheese strings with grapes is nice too! Those cheeses are only 60 calories per portion

@youdoyoutoday - I have the baby bel lights but the cheese strings is a good idea.

I sometimes have the laughing cow light triangles.

@Lzzyisgod - oh that sounds nice the ryvita and half an avocado but isn't the avocado fatty?

M&S used to sell crispbread which looked like cardboard but tasted yummy with margarine on it, I've got the similar ones - will check to see the make of it.

No shame here @Gonnagetgoing. We all support each other.

@fallfallfall. You are winning as you haven't gained. Keep going. You are doing great.

I’ve been for a run and now I’m eating chocolate fingers 😊

@Gonnagetgoing true but I think it counts as "healthy " fat so I only have half. I'm sure read you shouldn't have a whole one everyday....... but I could have made that up