149 days until our holiday

[timeforchange2022]

So far in 2022 I have gained a stone despite trying to lose weight. I separated from my husband at the end of the year so trying to work out my new routine/life and my weight and eating habits have suffered. It's time to do something about it.

I have 149 days until I take my children on holiday. That's scary enough alone, but I really want to look back at the pictures and feel good.

My meals are good on the whole. Balanced and not too high in calories (obviously varies from meal to meal) but my snacking is the big issue. I snack because I'm bored. I snack because I can. I snack because I want to eat. I very rarely snack because I'm hungry.

My method for trying to lose some weight is to calorie count my snacks. It may not be enough, and if that's the case I will calorie count everything. However if this does work, it'll be a lot less pressure on myself.

I have zero interest in slimming groups, fad diets, low carb, etc. They work for some, and that's great, but I won't be following them.

I have no idea how much I want to lose, but think 21lbs is a good starting point. That should get me near to a healthy bmi. If anyone wants to join a motivational post for accountability (regardless of your method) then please do.

Exercise wise, I have an apple watch and aim to close my rings every day (have managed every day this month so far). I walk the school run every day so that's 40 minutes of walking a day without thinking.

So, here goes day 1........149 days to go

I've weighed this morning and today weigh 12st 8.4lbs. I'm going to start by eating no more than 400 calories worth of snacks a day and see how that goes. It won't work for everyone (it may not work for me) but I'm quite happy with my meals that I hope this will be enough to drop a few pounds fo start. Here goes day 1/149...

Day 1 done!

Today I have eaten:
Breakfast: Bacon and egg bagel
Snack: fruit salad
Lunch: cheese and pickle sandwich, rolo mousse and snack a jacks
Snack: iced gems
Dinner: Tacos with salad
Snack: fruit stack lolly, mini fingers.

Snack calories came to 307.

Today hasn't been the 'healthiest' of days, but I stuck to my plan.

I would advise counting all your calories, at least for say, a week. Otherwise, you might find you don’t lose anything to start with, and might give up. If you get a handle on how many calories you’re eating overall, you can start off the best way.

I know you said today wasn’t the healthiest, I’d say that’s quite a lot of calories. Did you include the rolo mousse in snacks, or did you not count that, because it’s technically lunch? 3 meals and 3 snacks seems a lot.

Out of interest I've just added up the calories for the day and it came to 1751. That's about spot on for me to loss a pound a week.

I am not interested in eating fewer calories to lose quicker. Restricting for me always ends up with binging/over eating/gaining. I try and eat what I fancy (within reason) and if I can do this and lose weight by just keeping an eye on what I eat in between meals then I'm onto a winner!

Today's lunch was unusual for me. I very, very rarely eat sandwiches but really fancied one today.

I know this may seem a bit ridiculous to some and will mean zero weight loss. I'm going to give it a try though because if it works, I am not being too restrictive which means I'm more likely to stick with it. If I'm not losing then I'll need to look again.

Day 2/149:
Weight 12st 8.2lbs
Weight loss: 0.2lbs

I weigh daily. Some people like to, some people dislike it. I am fine with fluctuations and prefer it that weighing once a week. I am also due on towards the end of this week so not sure what to expect this week but will give it a couple of weeks and then re-evaluate.

I also know that I won't be in a deficit every day. I'm just going to keep an eye on the general trend and hopefully it will be a downward one.

Day 2 food:

Breakfast - bagel and scrambled eggs, berries
Snack - fibre now bar
Lunch - pitta with leftover taco meat, cheese and a big salad on the side. Salt and vinegar chipsticks
Snack - mini whirlz lolly and fruit
Dinner - chicken goujons, homemade chips (actifry) and veg
Snack - rolo mousse.

Today's snack calories come to 268.

To drink I usually have sparkling water, pepsi max cherry or squash.

Day 3/149

Weight: 12st 7.2lbs
Weight loss: -1.2lbs

It's very early days and weight naturally fluctuates, but this is encouraging!

Day 3 done

Breakfast: poached eggs on toast
Snack: fibre now bar
Lunch: stuffed jackets and veg, chipsticks and a penguin bar
Snack: fruit stack lolly
Dinner: pasta and sauce with salad
Snack: iced gems and mini finger.

I am due on in a couple of days and can already see that I'm hungrier. I'm going to make sure that I'm eating plenty during my meals for the next few days to make sure I don't over snack! I'm also aware that I should be eating more fruit/veg but I'm just getting through the next few days and I'll make a bigger effort next week.

My snack calories today are 325.

Day 4/149

Weight: 12st 6.2lbs
Weight lost: 2.2lbs

Not a bad week so far. The weekend will be a challenge (always is), but I'm really happy with how things have started. It has been easy with only counting snacks and eating what I want during my meals.

Day 4 done

B: bagel with butter
S: fibre now bar
L: chicken and vegetable soup, chipsticks
S: mini whirlz ice lolly
D: Korean beef bulgogi
S: large glass of wine

My snack calories today are 316. The weekend will be infteresting. I'm due on tomorrow. Myself and the children have a pizza and film night every Friday they're with me. We're out for a meal on Saturday for a birthday celebration. We're out for Sunday lunch this weekend too. I don't eat out loads usually but this weekend there's no cooking at all for me to do.

I know it means I won't be in a deficit but I'm hoping that by keeping an eye on snack calories I'll have a little control and will have an overall loss this week.

Well done keep up the good work!!

@MushroomHunter

Well done keep up the good work!!

Thank you

Day 5/149

Weight: 12st 6lbs
Weight lost: 2.4lbs

Yay for Friday!!

Well Done! Keep it up over the weekend x

@Cantdoitallperfectly

Well Done! Keep it up over the weekend x

Thank you

Day 5/149...

Not awful. Could have been a lot worse. Could also have been a lot better.

B: buttered bagel
S: fibre now bar
L: super noodles. Chipsticks
D: pizza
S: wine and iced gems

There has been a rather large shortage of any fruit/veg today but I'm blaming that time of the month! My snack calories have gone mainly to wine today. 552 calories.

Out of interest I have added up my calories for everything today and it has come to 2,550. This means I am not in a deficit but not ridiculously so. I'll probably gain tomorrow due to what I've eaten, but I won't have eaten enough to gain much fat.

Day 6/149

Weight: 12st 6lbs
Weight lost: 2.4lbs

No change since yesterday but that isn't a surprise and I'm happy. I just want to see on Monday that my weight has gone down over a week as I know the next 2 days aren't going to be easy!

Day 8/149
Weight: 12st 6.4lbs
Weight lost: 2lbs

I'm really pleased that I've lost 2lbs in the past 7 days.

I didn't post over the weekend as food was dreadful(ly nice). I ate out quite a but, had a few drinks, etc.

But back on Monday morning showing a loss and starting a new week.

Day 9/149
Weight: 12st 6.4lbs
Weight last: 2lbs

I'm not surprised that the scales haven't moved but not disappointed either. I'm hoping that they'll start to move again in the next couple of days.

Calories for snacks yesterday: 363

Day 10/149

Weight: 12st 5.8lbs
Weight lost: 2.6lbs

Nice to see the scales moving down. I also slept until my alarm this morning which never happens. I did count all my calories yesterday as found myself really hungry mid morning and knew if I ate all my snack calories then I'd struggle for the rest of the day. I ate 1,836 calories yesterday so definitely not a low calorie diet!