Support thread : Spring Weight Loss

[DespairingHomeowner]

Following on from thread started by @tigerbird, I’m starting a new thread for

@spicedsoup
@WutheredOut
@Thedailyfailx
@SparklingLime
@SkinnyCoffeeBean

And anyone who wants to join us

Intros:

Mid 40s. I’ve already lost 20 pounds or doing whole food plant based & exercising
2 week pause due to Covid

Am ready to get back into it … 1st proper day of work today so just a walk and reasonable eating planned

My goal is to lose a further 20 pounds, which I am targeting by June

Anyone else who’d like to join us for support/accountability is welcome

@73kittycat73 definately go with the 2lbs. Well done!

Sun is shining here and I've just done another 45min walk during my lunch break and feeling great for it. I weighed in today at 10st 6lbs (starting weight was 10st 13lbs) just over 2 weeks ago. Really feeling much fitter and I looked in the full length mirror today and I was happier (not happy!) with how I looked - I feel like I can see that I've lost 7lbs so that was nice. Back to work now and then mowing the lawns after work and a kick around with my ds today to rack up some more exercise. Roll on 9st 6lbs!!!!

Wow, you're doing great! 7lbs in two weeks is amazing. It's good that you can see the difference, it really helps with motivation, doesn't it?
Good going with all that exercise. We did the sheds today, which I thought before starting would take a couple of days at least. The scooter was right at the back and the battery was at the bottom of the last large trunk I got out to check. Still, it's all done now, and it's all activity!

Congrats @73kittycat73 and @Riddlediddle! Great losses and also keeping active

I haven’t lost anything since I last weighed (I think that was last Monday?), not really surprised, not that I’ve been doing anything especially indulgent, but I’ve not been pushing myself as such to lose. I’ve been focusing on moving back to adequate nutrition for me and I’ve got well and truly into the swing of that now which is great as that is the hardest mindset shift. I can’t do much more right now, but last week I was out 3 times instead of once so seeing some improvement (yay!). My problem is my thyroid, and it dawned on me today that being under medicated can slow my weight loss. So never mind that, I’m just going to focus on my nutrition, gradually increasing my activity levels (which partly depends on my meds now being correct, and they’re awfully slow to act, pah), but it’s all progress and the weight will go eventually!

Thanks. Well done on the swing to healthy eating, and getting out more. My mum has an underactive thyroid and struggles to lose weight. She lost 3lbs in the first month and was so down about it, bless her. She has had her medication upped though so hopefully she'll see a bit more come off next Monday when she's weighing again.
Good luck to you, sounds like you've got this though!

A cheeky weigh in this morning and I'm now 10st 4.5lbs. I now need to motivate myself to go out for my daily walk in this freezing hail and snow

Well done on the weight loss Riddlediddle! I understand about not wanting to go out for a walk in this weather. I think we were spoiled last week, we had so much sunshine and warmth. Yesterday especially it seemed to go right back to winter! It was overcast and freezing. If you don't want to go out, you could find a walking workout on YouTube?

I hate home exercise i just can't motivate myself to do it. I went for the walk and feel so much better for it - it must be my lucky day as I found a 40 minute timeslot where there wasn't any snow or hail. As soon as I got back through my front door the heavens opened again. The winds certainly blew all my cobwebs away! X

@73kittycat73 hope it all goes successfully for your mum! I’m about 2 weeks or so into my meds change so hopefully over the next month I’ll see more progress but I did weigh… can’t remember when, yesterday?! And I’ve dropped half a pound so that was a nice motivator after not shifting anything last week. I’m now being more focused on eating for weight loss, in addition to nutrition, so let’s see how it goes…

Fab @Riddlediddle! DH and our eldest DCs were out this morning and came in looking rather windswept I also like an outdoors walk, seeing the world go by makes it much easier and more enjoyable for me than indoors. However I do like doing Pilates at home. Not that I’ve restarted that yet, baby steps!

Apparently a real cold front is coming in so I’m expecting more chilly walks than warm ones.

Hi everyone. Can I join in too please? I'm the heaviest I've been for the second time in my life and struggling to loose and keep motivated this time. Think some support from this thread might just do the trick and keep me accountable. I've got 2.5/3 stone to loose. Have lost 2lbs this week by cutting out all crisps, chocolate, biscuits etc. May have 1 treat per week. And I've decided no alcohol for a few months. It's making me feel rubbish anyway at the moment. Have 3 small DC and we try to eat as a family when we can. Trying to get more veggies (quantity and variety) into our collective diet and have less meat and dairy but my no means cutting it out.
Exercise wise I've got a gym class once a week and I walk the dog varying length walks the rest of the week but struggling to fit in another meaningful session. DH quite busy at the moment with work so hopefully when he's quiet in a few weeks I can step that up.
Today I've had
Breakfast - fruit with sprinkling of museli on top and yoghurt
Lunch quick salad thrown together (wfh) with chickpeas and a very limey dressing
Dinner is to be a veggie curry

Well done everyone who's been keeping on track 😊

Welcome @Neverendingwashingpile! (I feel your name ) It sounds like you have a plan and a clear goal, hopefully the thread will help with keeping the mindset! My thing I always go back to is think about how you’ll feel in a year if you keep going. I feel like a year is very realistic for making such a big change, but that time flies by, and it feels easier (for me) to commit and motivate. I have just over 3 stone to lose.

Good day today, coffee, protein shake, and then meat and salad. And cups of tea!

Thanks @spicedsoup

That's good advice. Definitely been quietly wondering why I'm not already thinner after a week of this

As some of you were saying further up the thread it's a marathon not a sprint.

You did have a good day! Well done.

Plan for today is same as yesterday except curry is now made so just will be easier!

I can I join? I have 2 stone to lose and know what I need to do just struggle with the motivation to keep going if I’m not thin after first day of a diet. Consistency is what I struggle with and have trouble sleeping which doesn’t help.

Hi @readytostartagain

I've just joined too. Sorry to hear you have trouble sleeping. It's extra hard eat well when you're tried and you crave sugar!

We were just speaking about how it's difficult to keep motivated after the first week or 2. What's your plan?

Thanks for the welcome @Neverendingwashingpile. Plan for first week or do is to tackle snacking but not to try and change meals too much. I think if I can get out of the habit of mindless snacking that would be a major step forward

Haha yes @Neverendingwashingpile the desire to see it all goes in an instant can be very real! Having food made already can also make life so much easier. I’m not a meal planner as such, but just knowing what we have, or what is already cooked, makes a big difference to avoiding my lazy weakness of takeaway

Welcome @Readytostartagain! That sounds good, it can be surprising what we consume without thinking. Forming sustainable habits is so important, as otherwise even if we lose the weight it won’t stay off once we default back to our ‘normal’.

Well, windy and chilly here! Having a fairly relaxed day with family which is nice, so may have something more treat-y. But again, can’t live my life never having a treat so building it all in as sensibly as possible!

Welcome to all of the new joiners. Hopefully we can all support each other on our journey's.
Bad day for me today (yes I know it's only 1pm). This morning I got out of bed and something in my back felt like it snapped, hence me now being in absolute agony and doubled over unable to walk. I'm also due to start my period over the next couple of days and feel all bloated and sorry for myself so I consoled myself by eating a whole Easter egg while layjng in agony on the sofa. Feeling pretty crap about it all now and really regretting it but nothing I can do about it now so just going to not eat for the rest of the day, drink lots of water and try and rest my back so I can hopefully get back to doing some light exercise again over the weekend!

oh no @Riddlediddle! Hope you’re feeling better soon. FWIW if you’re hungry later it might be worth eating, just my personal perspective, but I think food is for nutrition, which we need, and sometimes for enjoyment/celebrations (and hopefully we can enjoy nutritious food too!). Don’t deprive yourself of something your body needs from a feeling of guilt, look after yourself and give your body what it needs, accept you had a chocolate moment and then move on to whatever choices are good and sustainable for you

@spicedsoup thank you. I hear what you are saying however I am very much an all or nothing type of person and if I know if I eat anything more today I will then just think f**k it and end up going on a binge. I need to stay strong and then back on track tomorrow. How are you doing?

Fair enough @Riddlediddle! I have the opposite problem (not sure if opposite is correct but that’s not the point!), I get too restrictive and it just spirals a bit so more power to you and here’s to getting on track! Doing well, bit tired as had a bigger day out and about yesterday but gradually regaining the use of my muscles and doing much better on the food front and keeping myself focused, feeling sated and not deprived but eating ‘well’ for me so hopefully will see some sustained losses

spicedsoup You should write a book! The advice you give out is amazing. Ie,
My thing I always go back to is think about how you’ll feel in a year if you keep going.
That's really good advice!
But again, can’t live my life never having a treat confused so building it all in as sensibly as possible!
Easter weekend has been decided as definitely off plan! We are having a take a way and Easter eggs.
Congrats on your 1/2lb loss. My mum is weighing in tomorrow or Sunday. Good going on doing your walks. I haven't braved it out yet...
Hi Neverendingwashingpile, and welcome. Sounds like you've got the exercise bit figured out. I started with about 3st to lose. Going off slowly now, but at least it's coming off! Are you going with any particular plan?
Definitely been quietly wondering why I'm not already thinner after a week of this grin
There's a meme on instagram (Sorry, don't know how to post pics from there.) that always makes me laugh (And nod!). It's a picture of a very sad looking Kermit the Frog looking in the mirror and quotes, I've been at this 15 minutes, am I slim yet?!
Know the feeling! lol
Hi Readytostartagain, and welcome to you too. I hear ya with the insomnia! I've just started HRT and am hoping that will help. My trouble is getting off to sleep, though I know a lot of people can fall asleep and wake a few hours later. Good luck with curbing the snacking.
Ouch Riddlediddle, sorry to hear about your back! I hope it feels better soon for you. I think with that, and TOTM, you can be forgiven for your egg. I wouldn't beat yourself up too much about it. I know it's frustrating afterwards, but you could draw a line under it and start again tomorrow. I always think of that tag when you're trying to give up smoking: Never stop stopping.

Doh, the other post is now showing up! MN, why are you doing this to me? lol

Hi @73kittycat73

Thank you! yes that's me! Though been good this week so that's progress for me. weekends are trickier for me so determined to keep on track this weekend.

No particular plan I'm following. I'm plagued by headaches and fatigue at the moment so like @spicedsoup I'm eating for nutrition, whole foods lots of veggies and cutting down on carbs/portion sizes. I've got the deliciously Ella app and trying one or two things from it each week. Even the carnivorous husband is enjoying the recipes.

Agreed @ spicedsoup has good advice and Good idea to plan that your off Easter weekend so you can look forward to it. Definitely have to factor in the occasional treat otherwise it's a bit grim if you can't enjoy family occasions etc.

@riddlediddle I hope you're feeling a bit better today!

Good luck for the weekend then. Sorry to hear you are suffering with headaches and fatigue. Do you know what's causing them?
How's everyone else doing? I'm really struggling at the moment, but have just been having a nosy on another thread and a PP has stated they've come back after 3 months and haven't lost a pound. I'm trying to say to myself that if I keep at it, and even if I only lose 1lb a week in three months, I'll be 12lb closer to my goal, and won't be fed up or disheartened. I guess what I'm saying in a round about way (I'll get there in the end...lol) is that time passes anyway, so what do you want to do with it?

Really chuffed today, lost 3lbs. The exercise is obviously helping!

Thank you @73kittycat73 @Neverendingwashingpile well hopefully I can be helpful! I have found this thread already to be a good reminder to me, a lot of what I say here is also telling myself the same so I keep focused

Fantastic @73kittycat73! You must be so chuffed, especially after feeling a bit of a struggle. Keep it up!

I haven’t weighed yet as I’m useless for doing that regularly (I remember one day, then end up weighing three days in a row, then forget for another week and a half, and so on!). But I’m feeling better overall and more positive and well and truly back on track nutrition-wise. I’ve bought some clothes, not loads but just a few things, in my current size. Part of me feeling a bit rubbish about things was not being able to fit my pre-pregnancy clothes, which I had assumed I would be able to by now. I’m now back out doing various bits (when energy allows for it) and I felt self conscious that I didn’t have much to wear outside of joggers so I’ve realised I probably need a few bits, and not just waiting until I’m 40lb down!

I’m at a stage now where roughly, I can do stuff every other day. I’m still taking it easy when I do but it’s all progress