☀️LOSE IT! July 2022☀️

[TheRealHousewife]

Fresh new month, fresh new start, fresh new habits. Jump right into July! Reset & refresh to become a healthier version of yourself! It’s going to be 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 a 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). It’s a journey, not a destination.

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? You can do it, if you really want too!

Well after losing 3lbs the first week I have lost nothing in the second. The first week I literally didn’t touch carbs. Second week I did eat some but really small amounts like a dessert spoon of pasta with a big portion of homemade chicken in vegetable sauce, chicken cooked in an air fryer, couple of teaspoons of feta crumbled on the top and a huge salad.

I have cycled at least 6km every day and also walk in the evening. I’m post menopausal and that’s what’s got to me. Looks like practically no carb at all is the way forward for me.

@Adversity It doesn’t mean you need to low carb. I lost in a similar way. Your body is adjusting having just dropped 3lbs. It’s trying to conserve and rebalance. Just keep going and you will lose again. 3lbs then 0lbs is a loss of 1.5lbs a week which is great

Been away from thread a few weeks waves

Had some stalled weeks, one where I was ill so didn't keep up diet for a few days, then another with some big events, but it's all started to work again the last few weeks.

Heat is helping as I'm not very hungry, but as of this morning, actually down to 8 stone and a single figure of lbs - just under 8st 9. I might actually reach 8 and a half stone this month after all, which was basically my target.

Hi everyone just checking in!

Still feeling a little drained but getting better.

I need to do a meal plan for next week, it's going to be so hot so I'm thinking quick salads. I should definitely be well enough to start exercising too. Atm my exercise only consists of walking the dog and walking to school (my Fitbit says I do around 10k steps a day). I should really use our exercise bike that's just gathering dust and I'd like to try doing beginner Pilates as gentle exercise is good for pcos.

Hope you all have a lovely Thursday evening!

Thankfully, they did @TheRealHousewife

I agree with others @PinkStarAtNight try a variation of I/F that you can make work for you. 600 cals every day is too low to sustain it. @TheRealHousewife has given some great advice - we all find our own balance and you will find yours too!

Well done on the NSVs @Slightlystressedbride @fallfallfall @123ROLO I find these are the real motivator for me, not the number on the scale (although that certainly helps too!)

And on the losses @Chatterbox89 @Adversity (and I second what @Benjispruce4 has said - don't focus too much on week-by-week) and @Echobelly

Glad you're feeling a bit better still @bambi1132

Today has been a happy one for me. Been pretty on it plan wise, although dinner isn't super healthy... Hash browns, Quorn nugget and beans (late, quick one to have with DH after football shortly). I'm convinced I'll be gaining tomorrow morning. I want to be wrong, of course.. we shall see!

Have a lovely evening all ❤️

And a lovely evening it is, too! And yay for happy days, Littlepea - if only every day could be that way!

Epic stuff there, Echobelly - really great to get within touching distance of your goal.. you must feel great.

Sounds like you're getting a fair few steps in already, Bambi, but never hurts to stretch your goals. I'm going to head out for a little hike before I start work - agreement not to start until lunch but have my half-year appraisal straight off... fun 😑

My back pain has really ramped up today but looks like the scan could take up to eight weeks! I need to drink more water as that certainly seems to help (although could be psychosomatic) and I'm also on my period which doesn't help but its pretty miserable.

The house we looked at was gorgeous... but the two standard bedrooms were teeny and one didn't even have a window so no chance. Shame as I was in love with the kitchen...

On diet news, it's my weigh day tomorrow so hoping for a decent loss given last couple of weeks haven't been great.. not hideous but we're halfway through the month and I haven't really lost anything! Fingers crossed 🤞

I had one of those moments of madness tonight and decided to tackle my wardrobe. Normally I try clothes on and feel like total s**t afterwards but tonight has been the opposite. All of the size 12 and medium clothes were too big on me so they're off to the charity shop tomorrow and the size 10s all fitted like a glove. We're off abroad in a few weeks so I've planned all of my evening outfits out for that and I've ordered a couple of new (new to me!) size 10 summer dresses from Vinted. Although the scales have been going down I haven't actually looked at my figure to see the changes but tonight the weight I've lost was obvious. I've still got 2lbs more to lose until goal weight but I feel really inspired. Keep going ladies we can do this!!!!! X

i'm currently doing 16/8 not 5/2.
we slightly delay breakfast to 0930 and have supper at 5pm, finished by 1730.
this is a very easy schedule for us which only involved bumping an 0830 breakfast to one hour later. i'm avoiding bread products for the most part and all pasta dishes are cut back with extra veggies blended in (eggplant or zucchini).
and then managing the portion size to keep me under 1000 and hopefully closer to 800.
b: cottage cheese, fresh raspberries (from the garden), almonds and chia seeds
l: half and avocado, one boiled egg and cherries
s: some mystery chickpea dish dug up from the freezer, halloumi on swiss chard and a home made biscuit.
normal walking 8,000 steps but no "exercise", this evening once it cools off a bit i'll go for a short bike ride (an electric assist bike so i can pick a nice pace, not too intense).

@Cudz that's brilliant, well done!

@Cudz :), well done! I love a good closet clear out.

Echo the congrats, Cudz - rediscovering old clothes and treating yourself to new ones is such a treat and makes the hard work so worth it.

I'm also feeling good this morning as my weigh in has gone well, with just over 1kg lost this week:

SW: 104.7kg
CW: 76.9kg
July GW: 74.7kg

I'm not convinced I'll hit my GW this month but keeping at it as, why not? But today's weigh in only puts me at a teensy bit over 12 stone which I never thought I'd see so I'm delighted. I'm also out in the Forest again this morning - hoping to see some lovely wildlife!

Happy Friday 😊

Well done @SanFranBear!

I'm flabbergasted - I've not gained this week! I was convinced I would, even dreamed last night that I went up 5lb 😂 I was classing this as STS but DH has told me to bank any loss, however small - so I'm 2oz down!

On reflection I've done a LOT of walking again this week, and continuing to follow 16:8 which must be doing enough to counter going more off-plan this week. It's also nice to know that weeks like this (where I haven't been as strict, particularly with lunches, during the week) don't automatically cause me to pile on.

Love that @Cudz, what a buzz!

Lots of positivity and weight losses on the thread this morning which is lovely to hear. Well done ladies!
@SanFranBear being out in the forest sounds amazing in this weather. Lots of shady areas to cool down in too. I'll be sat working in a boiling office so I'm very envious of you! X

Good Morning Everyone 😊

Sorry to read about your continuing back pain/no scan yet and your house seeking endeavours. I hope your scan comes sooner rather than later and your new home is just around the corner 🤞But a massive well done on your loss this week, we’ll done 👍👏🏅

@123Rolo Pleased that your taste etc is returning and I’m sure your appetite is on its way back too.

@PinkStarAtNight I remember feeling utterly shocked to read the word ‘obese’ on weigh in charts when I started out at over 12 stones/barely 5 foot tall. It shocked me into action tbh. I’m sure once you find your way of eating you’ll reverse that. Re:- the maintenance calories, you don’t need that figure, you need the lose/cut figure. It’s on the next tab along on the TDEE cal.

@Welshgirl1234 Welcome back. Even if you don’t exactly meet your ambitious target you can still make a significant difference in six weeks! You’ve already lost over 2 stone, well done! 👍

@Adversity I share your frustration. I can eat the same calorie amount on each day but the ‘carbier’ days I gain every time. Waste and water is all it is. Nonetheless I generally only eat complex carbs like beans, quinoa and lentils etc. I only have gf bread a couple of times a week, gf once or twice a month etc. I actually prefer the none processed mostly plant based diet I eat now as I feel so much better on it. @Benjispruce4 made a good point about your average weight loss too. It is natural for weight to fluctuate as frustrating as that is.

Welcome back @Echobelly sorry to read you’ve been ill. Well done on your loss and I’m sure you’ll reach goal in no time 👍

Pleased to read you’re feeling a little better at @bambi1132 👍

Someone at the door … be back laters …

Hey everyone, it's so good reading all your positive updates/losses/healthy routines! Its really helping me to start feeling positive about my own journey, which is just starting. I'm classing this Wednesday as my official start date (I really mean it this time and I feel more committed to it this time round). I weighed myself and stayed on my healthy eating plan, and then managed to keep it going yesterday.

Yesterday was:
Breakfast bar
Salad and quorn bites
Soy sauce tofu, carrots, broccoli
A little bit of chocolate
Lots of water

I actually really enjoyed the food which was surprising - I'm loving tofu. If you prep it/season it well its really tasty and filling but low calorie too.
I'm feeling positive about keeping it going. Tonight I'm going to treat myself to quiche and herby potatoes for dinner, and at the weekend I'm going to have a bbq - BUT different to how I usually do BBQs. Instead of having lots of sides like crisps, dip, chips, breaded mushrooms etc I'm just going to have a couple of sausages and a burger and leave it at that. Calorie count it, include it in the plan and keep it balanced. I'll probably go over my calorie limit slightly but its a treat

I've decided I will aim for 800 cals a day (but still not counting veg and salad so will have loads of that), but not worry too much if I go a bit over. I will allow myself a treat every now and then as long as I never go over 1000 for the day (again not including veg and salad). This way I'll always have a calorie deficit from my maintenance calories, but I'm not going too extreme with the 600.

I'm starting to really get my head around the idea that its about finding something sustainable and that its a long term journey rather than a quick fix. Feeling a lot more positive and healthy about it and you guys have helped with that so just wanted to say thanks :)

Hope everyone keeps positive and has a lovely weekend (also hope we all survive the impending heat, which I am dreading!)

@TheRealHousewife just seen your last post after posting mine. I've gone back on the TDEE and my cutting cal figure is 1352. That still seems high to me and its surprising that I could lose weight by only doing a deficit of 500. But, I'll trust what I'm told! I'm thinking I should just do the 800/1000 plan for a couple of weeks as a kick start, then increase it to the 1352. I think when I looked at The Fast 800 plan it said you do the 800 for first two weeks only.

So my diet for today:

special K with 80g blueberries and skimmed milk
4 Ryvita crackerwheat with pro active spread and Quorn smoked chicken slices plus cucumber, cherry tomatoes and lettuce plus Batchelors slim a soup (minestrone).
ryvita sunbites Thai small bag
Starbucks dark chocolate small bar (says 560 cals for 100g but it's 40g so prob 280 cals) - oops - it was just staring at me...

@ImALittlePea - I think the odd off day isn't bad as long as you eat less/exercise more to make up for it.

@SanFranBear sorry re back pain and house bedrooms being too small and a forest hike sounds lovely in this weather!

@Cudz - well done on the weight-loss - I think I'd keep my clothes back though and not just charity shop them but well done!

@TheRealHousewife - I think that's exactly it - you need to find your own way of eating/exercise and then it works.

For me this week one of my feet (left) has been killing with Plantar Fasciitis no matter what I do - I think it needs an operation, and then I stubbed the big toe on the same foot - I still managed steps as was in work but it was hard!

@PinkStarAtNight - be careful with the 800 calories a day - if it's a kickstart for you then it sounds good for 2 weeks at most.

I'm tempted to do Slim Fast for 2 weeks or so and then healthy eat from then on but another friend said it was very sweet.

Hi @PinkStarAtNight Loved your positive attitude that's radiating from your recent posts! You'll defo find your groove in the coming weeks. Remember weight loss isn't linear so if you sts or gain a little one week and you're eating to plan it'll probably be natural fluctuations. Re:- TDEE calculators. I find they can give an idea of where you need to be at calories wise but it isn't a one size fits all concept. My figures for instance are slightly over what I know I can eat to maintain or lose so I try to not go over 1200 a day. My weekly cals = 8400 so I definitely try to not exceed that.

@GonnaGetGoingReturns we've all had those moments where the chocolate just jumps into your gob ... 😬 I know I have on occasion and when it happens I regret nothing.

@ImALittlePea Hahaha I'm pleased it was just a dream!

On my phone and I keep missing peoples posts. Sorry if I missed anyone!

@TheRealHousewife - I just need to have it jump into my gob less . Have got a Yorkie and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in fridge - Yorkie meant for DB when he pops over, Reese's for me - so will prob save for when I've been good !

You sound so positive, PinkStar - and upping to 800 for a couple of weeks and then having a bit higher sounds sensible to me... my daily limit is 1,400 and it seems high but some days it can be tricky to stick to. I'd rather have a bit more leeway and take a little longer to go downwards than constantly thinking about food, like on my lower calorie days!

Have you tried the Skinny bars, GonnaGetGoing? I just love the mint ones and they're about 75 calories but they have a huge selection and give me that chocolate fix! Although, nothing beats a Crunchie!!

And just for you, RealHousewife, a couple of Forest pics (spot the baby pony in the water!).. was just lush out there!

Oh my @SanFranBear utterly lovely views 😍. Thank you for sharing, it’s very thoughtful of you! Is this the area you’re looking for your new home in?

welcome @PinkStarAtNight I’m doing similar to you and trying low cal for a bit, the heat is helping as dont feel like eating as much as usual! Dreading this heatwave though as I really hate the heat and worry about the dog in it.

Sounds like everyone on here is making great progress! Ive been managing to stick around 800-1000 cals for the past week (500 today), so hopefully that will have made a difference to kick start things a bit. Have slipped on exercise but in the severe heat I don’t think it’s sensible anyway.

Oh, if only! The Forest is so far out of my reach, financially - even a small cottage is beyond me. Plus, whilst I would love it and and likely thrive - and possibly so would DS - my DD is a proper city girl and would hate it! One day though, I shall have a little bolthole somewhere rural!