Lost 9kg since January AME

[LondonLovie]

I have lost 9kg since January. I have gone from size 14-16 to a 10-12 (I'm pear shaped so smaller up top!)

Well done. What did you do? Presumably calorie controlled diet and exercise
how did you transition from sedentary to active

I have tried and failed on everything- WW, slimming world, Keto. This time did it a little but differently.

I haven't done a set 'diet' but I did calorie controlled. Took my calories slowly down by 200 a week and my standard is now 1400 and i struggle to eat that now on some days.

Protein, protein and more protein. I have eaten ALOT of eggs, prawns and chicken!!! My go to snack now is a protein smoothie.

Not or calories as created equal. I don't eat any rubbish stuff so no calories on crisps... I'll have an boiled egg or crab stick as my snack.

Thank you btw I do feel so much better for it.

I now do strength based training and a circuits class twice a week at my local gym. This was my game changer. I do run or walk about 1 x 4K a week as well, but the strength training has been amazing and transformed my arms and shape of my body.

Do you mind if I ask your starting weight? Its a great amount (I'm honestly really impressed and no matter what I type it sounds goady or sarcastic I'm not being rude I promise!) I'm a 16 and a 9kg loss would still leave me very over weight indeed but also nowhere near a 10 I suspect I'm a right shorthouse. Clothing sizes cover so many body types!

Well done! My kettlebell is 10kg that’s a huge amount of weight

On getting motivated with exercise, I do it twice a week at a class, same time every wee, and it's booked and set so my family know it's my protected time. I have missed just two classes since January due to illness.

I have.. whispers.. pretty much cut out alcohol and I don't miss it. Now I am at my target I am looking forward to getting my social life back a bit!

I started in January 81kg. I wouldn't mind loosing another 1-2 kg. That would put my firmly in the healthy weight range.

Brilliant work. I'm two weeks in to finally getting myself motivated again for the first time in a long while and this makes it feel more possible - thank you!

Safari- well done for getting started again.

I would say, I have been fully committed, I've not been doing it Mon-Friday and then letting go at the weekend a bit (which I have done before) this time I have done it slowly for 7 months but fully focused, very few slip ups. I would say you need to do it 99% if the time tbh

Just following for the tips.

Well done OP!

How tall are you? I'm 5ft 1 and 78kg and need to lose weight, but just can't seem to do it. Or do it for a week and give up. I'm quite lazy, I need to up my cooking game to make healthier options for snacks.

Well done.
What is in your smoothie?

Well done! This is what I have been meaning to do but I just can’t cut the calories. You said you cut down your calories slowly by 200 a week - what calorie intake did you start at and how did you manage the slow cut? Did you meal plan?

Well done!

What was it that made this work for you where other diets have failed? I've tried them all

Amazing!

What do you eat and drink on a typical day?

Please could you tell us some of your meals?
And how do you have the self-discipline to have a boiled egg as a snack? I have such a sweet tooth! 😭

Amazing work OP! Do you think strength training is something you can do at home? My big issue with exercise is in a lone parent and can't get out easily in the evenings, plus if I'm paying for say an hours class I would normally have to pay a minimum of three hours of babysitting fees with the agency I use so it ends up being very very expensive and unsustainable!

I'm desperate to get into strength training because I think it would work for me (I'm naturally quite weirdly strong) and could well be an exercise I actually stick to. But I need stuff I can do at home either on YouTube or streaming on an app or something

Plus, you know, sorting out my eating and actually accepting I need to cook properly rather than grabbing crumpets or toast when I feel hungry enough 🙄🤦🏼‍♀️

I will come back with example of food and calories and tips x

Well done!

Could you share your protein smoothies?

Great results, well done.

Well done OP!

I am 84kg and need to get down to 70kg , I am 5”6 and a size 18 , and would like to be able to get into size 14-12 again.

I need to do it as a change in lifestyle- healthy habits I can stick to for good , unfortunately I had very disordered eating in my teens/twenties (one of the reasons I am aiming for 70kg and no lower) so need to be careful about calorie counting etc, fitting in exercise is a struggle as well in between work and life etc!

Disclaimer- I am not a nutritionist. I am a very normal mum of 2, in my 40s in good general health. These are just things have worked for me and I do feel like I’ve cracked it this time. They may not be for everyone, which is cool, do scroll on by if that’s the case

Tips
Count and weighed everything. Smoked salmon, chicken breast, rice? Weigh it and calorie count it. I like my fitness pal but any good calorie app that monitors protein intake as well. I never have more than 50g of rice, it doesn’t look much, it wasn’t much at first! But now I’m full on that much rice.

Good quality frying pan and 1 cal spray has been essential. Because frying a stir fry is so quick and easy it’s hard to reach for the bad stuff or grab a sandwich. A good pan means I use a lot less things like oil, butter etc

There will be weeks your weight doesn’t seem to move. Or even goes up a little. It’s fine, it’s normal. It’s about being consistent LONG TERM. I weighed myself every day at the beginning and I stand by that. It means I could modify the next day if I needed to. Now I weigh once a week.

I don’t fundamentally believe anymore, that you can feed a sweet tooth and loose weight. I can’t eat refined sugar, feed the craving and be slim. I cut it down and cut down and now pretty much cut it out. Something sweet is an occasional treat- It has no nutritional value. It’s why I hate things like WW in hindsight .. I used to have a piece of cake point it and then starve myself, or indulge myself. But it comes back to bite you on the bum down the line because it’s not good for me, it doesn’t fill me up and I just fall off the wagon at some point. If I eat refined sugar now it kind of feels ‘’wrong’, it’s 10 seconds in my mouth - then gone- then it’s 10 years on my hips!! I just don’t see the value in that anymore, it’s not worth it. I really don’t miss it, because I love being slimmer more than I love the taste of sticky toffee pudding for that 10 seconds.

Not all calories are equal. 400 calories on a slice of cake or 400 calories on a stir fry.

Protein smoothies are fairly simple tbh.
I have ended up with three flavours, which I rotate. Chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla
[[https://www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/impact-whey-protein/10530943.html
www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/impact-whey-protein/10530943.html]]

I freeze a lot of fruit as it is easier to grab when chopped up and tastes nicer cold. Fruit can be expensive, but a whole pineapple is £1, bunch of banana £1. I buy fruit at end of life or on offer, cut it up and freeze it. A smoothie is roughly 125 calories with fruit added, using water & blender

Vanilla powder with banana and pineapple.
Chocolate and cherry or strawberry
Cinnamon and banana (tastes like a cinnamon whirl to me)
I have Grenade bottles on hand for when I am on the move and love cookies and cream flavour.