LOSE IT! May 2022

[TheRealHousewife]

☀️THE SUMMER COUNTDOWN THREAD ☀️

Fresh new month, fresh new start, fresh new habits. Jump right in to reset & refresh to become a healthier version of yourself in time for a Sizzling Summer!

As no one size fits all, members need to follow their own way of eating to LOSE or MAINTAIN. 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?

A little bit late to the party but tentative hello! 👋 trying to finally lose the last half a stone left over from babies and get a bit fitter.

I craved tomatoes on toast when pregnancy with my first child @SanFranBear . Sliced tomatoes on bread, drizzled with olive oil and some black pepper ground on top then I grilled it. Absolutely yummy. If I had run out of tomatoes I would have tomato soup but it wasn't as good.

Welcome @Canteloupez. What is your plan for losing and exercise?

DD is home. She has bought presents for everyone. Has had a lovely time. Has just made herself a pizza and gone to her room. Now we just have to cope when she goes away next weekend.

Thanks. I’ve been loosely following a low processed carb/low saturated fat completely made up at home plan for the last week. My big downfalls are crisps and cheese so trying to limit those (and limit the wine!). Doing a bit of yoga and the odd YouTube workout but I’ve got a sore throat (thank you for the gift kiddos) so have given myself a couple of days to recover from that without too much exercise.

I have crisps in a bowl as otherwise I would eat a whole big packet without thinking. Dh has suggested we just buy the small individual packs but today we bought our usual big ones Oops.

Crisps are very much my downfall as well, Canteloupez - I just can't stop once I start. I now have stupidly low calorie, corn type versions ie space raiders, ringos etc as I can't bear to not have any at all but potato chips are banned for now. A bowl would no doubt just mean 4 trips to the kitchen rather than helping me stop - you have better willpower than me, Sunshine... I just can't seem to say no!

Ah @SunshineCake thats great that’s she’s had a good time and come home having thought of you all. I hope it’s a turning point for her and you all.
Well done all the losers!

@SanFranBear im the same re filling the bowl. I don’t buy them unless it’s an occasion. I’ll have a few nuts instead as they’re doing more for me for the calories.

@SunshineCake if I buy the small bags, I just eat multiple small bags! I have zero will power when it comes to crisps. So I’m with you @SanFranBear and @Benjispruce4! I’d probably have a bowl, abandon the bowl, and eat the rest of the bag anyway. I don’t think there are any crisps I don’t like! I had a few almonds today instead.

Sounds very positive@SunshineCake I'm pleased.

Well done @Canteloupez . Well I was too cold for my king prawns and was craving baked beans . I wen to put a couple of fish fingers in the oven but after comparing the calories (158x2)with 2 quorn sausages (154 total)I switched. Just as filling and comforting with a small baked sweet potato. I’m dry tonight and not even missing it. Have a family gathering tomorrow and I’m undecided whether I’ll have a drink. The longer I go without, the less I fancy it.

@Benjispruce4 thats great! Well done. I had lentil bolognaise with wholewheat pasta and a small glass of red. Perfectly edible.

@Benjispruce4 hope you were/are ok

@TheRealHousewife thank you for the congrats I'm still doing well on water side yes almost finished my first litre today

@HouseofHolbein over complicated pool timetables seem to be a thing these days and is another thing that's putting me off a bit.

Also that there's no buses from the pool to where I live after about 6pm but I NEED to figure it out.

Both for health and weight loss but also because now I'm going out and about (sometimes) I've ended up falling into a habit of shopping for leisure - and I can't afford to sustain that either!

Plus if I'm shopping I'm eating out which means high cal consumption too. I have a new bag that's big enough for me to take a packed lunch (ideas for things I can make to eat at the shops that don't make me look too much of a weirdo most welcome) I already have a "chillys" style bottle and a flask for hot drinks (which I am thinking to use in winter, would be perfect for earl grey tea as I don't need milk with this just sweeteners which I can also carry with me) and also would work for cinema trips so I can take a small bag of multipack popcorn etc with me.

But basically I need to stop shopping so bloody much! I was gonna maybe start a thread on that from the money side of things but maybe you guys can help?

I used to be a fairly frugal person and I seem to have forgotten how! I need ideas things to do that are me going out but that aren't spendy! I'm very lucky that I live very close to glasgow city centre so off the top of my head there's the museums and art galleries. During the summer there are nice parks and gardens to visit - could take a picnic.

Swimming and possibly swim fit classes may be a possibility. The leisure centre concerned also runs seated exercise classes but you have to be referred by an hcp. Just got around to registering with gp so will discuss that with them.

I've also rejoined "meetup" app to try and make some friends locally although that's proving quite hard too. Any tips on making friends in a new area when you don't work and no kids would be good I find it gets harder as we get older.

@Flowers111 does sound like scars need a reset or new batteries

@TheRealHousewife I didn't see the deleted post but echoing what others are saying that you are not alone in having had a shit childhood - it's something I noticed was VERY common in those of us who need to lose weight when I went ww and the leader and I discussed on occasion, she had been through similar too. You do not/could not bring the thread down by discussing such things we would be more thank happy to hear you and maybe help if we can. For my part food was a reward in my home and withheld as punishment - cliche but true. In addition my abuser made much of my physical attractiveness meaning he "couldn't help himself" which is BS I know but still...

Well done on the 1/2 lb loss!

@TheLastStark welcome

That's as far as I've got need to pop out for a min will catch up more later - @SunshineCake I haven't forgotten nor ignoring you I'm
Waiting till I've read all your posts to respond lovely

@Canteloupez I love lentil bolognaise. I started making it when my DD turned vegetarian and didn’t want to cook separate meals. I also use wholewheat pasta and rice most of the time. Occasionally only white spaghetti or basmati rice will do!
@Graphista I’m fine thank you. No signs of rash or illness so far.☝

That’s was supposed to be 🤞🏻

Meant to add that I’m sorry to read that you also had a horrible experience in your youth. You’re all amazing survivors!

Great to hear all the losses and positivity.

I didn't have a hungry day but bit snacky. Day ended with taking DS3 and his BF to the fancy ice-cream parlour for BF's birthday. I resisted the sundaes/ waffles/ cookie dough they had, my 2 scoops were delicious and worth the 400 calories! Ended 1450 cals for the day, so not horrendous.

Have birthday brunch on Sunday for my friend's 50th. Will be great to celebrate, but don't want to over-eat😖! The big dinner is in a few weeks too! Why are celebrations always about food?!😁

Ps His best friend had my favourite sundae (banana split) and I didn't even want it! Result!

What brought me back to the thread was this:

I'm really struggling with finding weighing and measuring and cal counting SO Tedious and impossible when out and about.

I was wondering if anyone on thread knows of methods where weighing and measuring isn't necessary?

At this point I am thinking that in truth I know what I should and shouldn't be eating and how much. I am wondering if I have the foods and meals that I know are low cal and lead to weight loss PLUS get the exercise and eating out more organised if we think that could lead to weight loss still? Maybe I'm just feeling lazy/fed up but I don't really know what else to do at this point.

I'm just wondering if CONSCIOUSLY eating sensibly and having a good routine health wise will be enough?

Recently each time I try the cal counting method I end up having too many "fuck it" moments as I just get annoyed!

@SunshineCake

These are friends from when I was 14 and I now live hundreds of miles away from them and don't see them enough.

I am in exactly the same situation and miss them so very much. Wish I could move to where they are but it's a very expensive place to live and I couldn't afford the move - believe me I've tried to figure it out! I haven't even been for a visit in nearly 20 years.

So glad dd is home and well today this is why I didn't want to post earlier to you in case I said something out of turn. She's done well and so have you

@Canteloupez welcome hope this thread helps

@Benjispruce4 good to know re tic bite. Thanks re childhood stuff there are far far too many of us

@Puffalicious are you my neck of the woods?

@Graphista I don’t weigh or measure unless it’s something really calorie dense. I‘be done slimming world in the past where you rarely weigh or measure and I guess it’s sort of based on that. Things like cheese, nuts, chocolate, alcohol, bread etc I would pay particular attention to. I have fruit or veggies only for snacks and make sure that at meal times, veggies (excluding potatoes) make up at least half of my plate, eat lean meat/fish/pulses, stick to low fat dairy and I avoid processed food. Seems to work well ( I don’t have time to weigh and measure everything I eat) but is fairly restrictive.

@Graphista I'm rubbish at calorie counting! I do have mfp but I get so bored of logging everything. I stuck to it rigorously for a month to start off with then kept following roughly the same plan since then.
There's been a couple of weeks where I didn't lose any weight so then went back to logging everything for a couple of weeks then back to freestyle.
My theory is I've no intention of strictly calorie counting for life so need to get into a state where it's done subconsciously? I'm making good progress so fingers crossed!!

My issue at the minute is exercise. I took a few weeks off strength training and restarted this week- it's totally screwed me for my cardio workouts as I ache so much! Hoping it's just a readjustment. I also want to get better at running and swimming!!

@Puffalicious that is some serious will power! Well done!!!!

I feel totally the same re calorie counting. It definitely helps me in making better decisions, but it's such a faff! I agree with you both @Graphista @milkfromthesleepycow that I'm nearing a point where I can manage low enough calories through practise. I also want to get back into making a bigger batch of something, portioning it up and shoving in the freezer; the calorie counting exercise is done once to cover a few meals. A bit better, I guess!?

Another one with zero crisp control here! We buy the big bags, sometimes pour into a little bowl, but more often than not we just chuck the whole bag in a big bowl 🤷‍♀️ I have, thankfully, managed to break my weekday consumption pretty much altogether over the course of the year. Used to have a bag every day with lunch but they're now just saved for weekend snacks now. Little win?!

So pleased to read DD came home and had a great time, and was thinking of you all while away @SunshineCake of course it doesn't magically undo all of the worry that's built up, but hopefully it's a step in the right direction for you all.

@Graphista I do want @Canteloupez does. I eat 3 meals a day and they are roughly 200,300,6-700 cals give or take. Sometimes breakfast is more and the others are less. I check the odd thing I’m ot familiar with but have learnt how many cals in most things. I’m careful with calorie dense foods.So if I want dark chocolate I’ll have one square and savour it. Almonds, I’ll count out. I’m not eating any other treat foods at the minor drinking so that helps. The other main thing for me is portion size. So a boiled egg with one piece of toast, 30g oats not 60 , one serving spoon of rice not 3.

• I do what

@Graphista I feel the same re calorie counting but i know it's the only way I stay in control. Haven't logged for 2 days and I know it's because I'm being an ostrich.

Back to work today which makes life easier, but Monday is DD's 10th birthday so the next couple of days will be hard, cake, meals out, party food. Ugh! It feels like one thing after another, so healthy when I can, and mindful when I can't that's my plan for the next couple of days.