Just weighted myself and I am...

[Givemestrengthorvodka]

Drumroll please...15st 12lbs 😥. I'm tall so can get away with it to some extent but i went on holiday recently and felt the whole time feeling uncool and uncomfortable.

I've been struggling with my weight since coming off the pill over 10 years ago but this is an all time high (or low!) point.

Where to go from here?! I love exercise, and when I'm good with my diet I'm good, but I have such a sweet tooth and can eat a massive bar of chocolate every night. Time to chance though as this is ridiculous.

Anyone fancy joining me to have some accountability?

@Blowyourowntrumpet that's amazing, well done! Did you have to change your diet radically or just a few small tweaks?

@Appalonia low carb is always where I go when I 'start again' but I just struggle to maintain it. I need to have a look at the thread you mention.

I have such an 'all or nothing' attitude with it, wish I could just be a bit more consistent for the long term.

@Blowyourowntrumpet well done that's amazing progress!

@WeKnowFrogsGoShaLaLaLaLa I feel tired out just reading all your activities from today. I started a les mills class on the TV and then realised I was knackered and would much rather get an early night. I did a big walk this morning though and eaten well so pretty happy overall.

And hello @wetwiped glad you can join us!

Is anyone tracking calories? I've got the nutracheck app which seems good, especially the barcode scanner. I looked at joining WW or slimming world but they seem so expensive now. SW was looking for £60 upfront minimum.

Can I tentatively saying hi?

I'm 5.8"
And since May I've been trying to eat sensibly, increased exercise, etc.
I've lost a stone and a half, but I'm going on holiday on Thursday and have zero intention of being sensible while I'm away.
But if it's ok, I'll join you when I'm back?

I'm also all belly (and arse) and dreading being in a bikini 😢

Hi @Rogue1001MNer a stone and a half since May is brilliant and makes you my hero right now...I would love to achieve similar. Have a great holiday, enjoy ALL the food and come say hi when you are back!

I didn't drink alcohol for 6 weeks, which I think swung it.

Noooo intention of being dry on holiday., will probably put most of it back on.

Good luck everyone x

I'm similar - only 5ft 7 but people seem surprised when I say I am 15st and a size 16/18.

What annoys me is I can be really good, eat no treats, eat like a rabbit and lose a pound or two, or eat a load of bad food that tastes lovely, and still hover around the same weight 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

I have been following some people on Instagram and Facebook who have had the gastric sleeve and have been considering it. I have spent most of the evening looking at the gastric balloon, thinking if I could just lose a couple of stone, I would be lighter and more easily able to exercise. I don't think I would be able to have the sleeve as my BMI is 34 and they only do it for BMI over 35. It's also life changing, never being able to eat normal again and I don't think I want that either 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️

Going to join I am 5ft 3 and 78kg down from 82kg, I gained a lot of weight a few years ago on a medication that is known for weight gain and I have pcos so its hard. Trying to walk more amd eat healthier have managed to mainly cut takeaways out which was a big thing for me.

Yes I'm tracking calories with My fitness pal, I have used it on/off for years and I'm normally successful in losing weight whilst using it, it's just the sticking to it!

@Rogue1001MNer well done on the weight loss so far! Don't beat yourself up about sticking to it on holiday though, I certainly won't be. It's good to have a plan already in place for when you get back. I think cutting out alcohol makes such a difference which is why I'm not going to drink for the whole of august (have an event this Sunday hence I'm not starting until Monday). I can lose 3lbs between Monday and Friday but even 2 small glasses of wine over the weekend means I put those 3lbs back on and I'm back to square one coke Monday.

Popping in to say that when I have a chocolate craving I make a mug of cocoa in the way I make instant coffee. One teaspoon cocoa, hot water, milk to top up the mug, no sugar.

Chocolate fix for about 20 calories.

Morning everyone. I definitely ache from the gym yesterday but I'll be going back today. 😂

I may potentially do an OMAD day today, just because of how my day is planned out. My one meal will be a huge rump steak so certainly enough protein for the day. If I do chose to have breakfast it'll be a mushroom omelette.

Have a great day everyone.

I'm not surprised you ache from the gym!

I was just coming on to say that I remembered I have a fasting app on my phone so I'm going to throw a bit of intermittent fasting into the mix (every little helps right??), mainly 16:8 but I might build up to some longer ones in a few weeks.

I'm in too! I'm just over 14st and 5ft 7. We're trying for a second baby and I'm 2 stone heavier than when I got pregnant last time which terrifies me for where I'll end up! I would love to get back to 12st..

The annoying thing is I was back to 12 st just 4 months after baby was born 18 months ago - not the best way as had a terrible post partum period of Illness with pancreatitis - I wouldn't wish it on anyone but the weight loss was a bonus.

Starting tracking on my fitness pal and need to up the exercise - although have terrible neck and back at the moment which isn't easy but I have to find a way around it

I want to get back into fasting. I'm my best when I do. I find if I have breakfast then I will eat everything I see/am offered all day and be ravenous. If I don't then I'm absolutely fine and can go to teatime quite easily. 🤷🏻‍♀️

However with the level of exercise I'm trying to do this summer, I want to make sure I'm eating enough protein to sustain me so will eat breakfast on some days to ensure this.

Fasting only works when you do it constantly, and protein is best consumed after exercise to help with muscle development, so you should be fine!

I'm in! Hi everyone.

I'm 5'9 and I'll be honest, I don't know what I weigh. I think it's probably about 14 stone.

Diet isn't too bad, but I don't exercise anywhere near enough.

A few things going on in life at the moment where I've turned to the sweet treats or the odd glass of wine to fill a void. I know it's not the right thing to do - it doesn't help and the waistline doesn't appreciate it

Walking gets the weight off me. I just need to get doing it!

*consistently, not constantly!

Morning everyone. Fresh start today. I've had success in the past using MFP so will be tracking calories again.
I'm aiming for three meals and no or very little snacking. Evenings the worst time so going to head out for a walk to distract myself and put together a new Spotify list as encouragement.
Going to try and keep it simple and try to distract myself from thinking about food all of the time - I think I'm over loaded with different ways of eating/diets/healthy options. I need to strip it back to basics maybe.

Sorry @Givemestrengthorvodka for the late reply.
I was told by my doc after some routine bloods that my blood sugar was creeping up. My family have type 2 diabetes & all the associated health concerns so it scared the shit out of me. That definitely helped!
I was in such a cycle of pastries, chocolate etc. and constantly hungry. Eating lots of protein and fats - chicken, eggs, lovely Greek yoghurt etc helps keep me full. Loads of lovely interesting salads - Moroccan chicken with hummus, Caesar, ham hock with pickles etc I look forward to my packed lunch but have to make an effort to keep them interesting and high in protein.

I don't track calories generally now I'm in the swing but it's useful if I plateau or slip into bad habits

Ha ha, fasting would definitely get the weight off if you did it constantly!

@catfunk those meals sound delicious! I might get chicken and houmous in for my dinner now, yum.

@ButnotforLola welcome aboard!

@wetwiped I'm going to try and start getting out more in the evening too.

I read a Joe Wicks thing recently where he said if we would look at the bit picture all the time we get easily overwhelmed. Aim to think about just one thing you can do to improve your health today, no matter how small. I'm trying to keep that in mind and think, even just a 10min walk is something worth doing. We had a dog until last year who was great for getting us out on walks....harder now I'm not obligated to do it.

I'm just back from 2 hours in the dentist chair so looks like I'm fasting for a while whether I want to or not while i un-numb my face

And hello @jalu47 , sounds like you have had a rough recovery but on the mend now!

I'm trying to think if I have any good recipes that I go to for when I'm counting calories. The miso soup one is great:

300 mls of water
One miso soup paste sachet (get them in most supermarkets)
One chopped up pak choi
2 chopped mushrooms
Big handful of coriander
About 10 large cooked prawns.

Boil water, add paste, pak choi and mushrooms and leave to boil for a minute or two.
Add prawns (already cooked) and boil for another minute (make sure prawns are heated through)
Add coriander, season and serve.

You could add cooked chicken instead of prawns of preferred.

Its much tastier than it sounds and only around 100 calories, depending on what meat you use

If anyone is looking for good people to follow on social - I really rate munro_nutrition. His philosophy is all about balanced eating, nothing radical but really focusing on macros, making sure you have enough protein to keep you full and good fibre intake. He's all about tracking and conscious eating which resonates with me and I did really well when I was paying attention to it - rather than scrolling on past 🙄

@Givemestrengthorvodka thanks for the miso recipe - I've had a jar in the cupboard I've not really known what to do with for ages!