Diet for Christmas challenge

[OhFatty]

I know it’s boiling hot and far too early but does anyone want to start a Christmas diet?

I’ve got a LOT to lose and in June I set myself a target of 4 stone by Christmas. So far I’ve lost 1 stone 3, so starting today my new target is going to be 40lbs by Christmas (although more would be very welcome 😀) My weigh day is Monday. I’ll update here every week, and hopefully some others will join me?

How is everyone today?

He’s getting there thanks @Isyesterdaytomorrowtoday slowly but surely. His breathing is definitely better. He’s shared his germs with me though and I now have yet another chest infection. One of those things. Those nursery germs really are relentless aren’t they?

Never mind. Just hoping not to be out of action too long, as I’ve really missed going for runs, especially I’ve not been able to go back to the gym due to the hernia. I’m with @Dashel as exercise makes me happier too. I do miss it and am keen to get back but will be sensible to avoid further setbacks. Hope you’re feeling better @Dashel - glad to hear you’ve had some wins today.

Well done to @WutheringShites86 and @SnowyMouse - great to see positive updates from you both too!

Do you like dark chocolate @Stepcount? I’m not a huge chocolate fan but in case I have cravings I keep a stash of dark chocolate. If you like it, especially the 80% + stuff. It can be really good, as even if you really like it, you usually don’t want too much, as it’s more bitter than milk chocolate. There have been a lot of studies that show it can help reduce ghrelin and decrease appetite too, but smallish sample sizes for the most part so yeah - wouldn’t take it as gospel but encouraging nonetheless. I like the 100% stuff, but well aware I’m usually in the minority there! The dark chocolate trick saved me from many a diet slip up when I was competing regularly.

Here’s hoping for a good week all round! We’ve got this😊

Hi everyone. I ended November on a 2lb loss for the month. Not the best but better than a gain. I’m going to loosely keep my ‘diet’ in place for December but it is only so that I don’t lose complete focus. Hoping worse case scenario to STS and then give it my renewed attention in the new year. Too difficult for me this time of year to be too strict on everything.

hope Everyone’s having a good week?
I’m definitely finding there’s more temptation around as things start to feel Christmassy. Got 3 meals out this weekend alone.

on the plus side I got some new size 14 jeans today and they fit perfectly which feels like a win! There was once a time I’d have been horrified but today it felt like a real milestone

Another 1.5lbs this week, down to 13st 0.5lbs

target for Christmas was to get below 13 so feeling very close now

I still have 1.5st to go to actual target so must keep plodding on

Well done @Isyesterdaytomorrowtoday. That’s awesome! Know the feeling, as I’m really happy with my progress, but still a little way off my real target too. You’re doing amazing though and I have every confidence that you’ll get there.

I weighed in unofficially today and realized I’m now 30lb down since starting with you all and 42lb total since the start of the year. Apparently that’s 3 stone in a year, but I’m actually a metric girl, so going to aim for a nice round 20kg now (which should only be another 2-3lb, so hopefully doable). In clothes sizes also now down to a 12 from 18, so the only downside is pretty much all my clothes are too big now!

Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement 😊 it has been truly appreciated and really has made a huge difference thanks.

@Isyesterdaytomorrowtoday @TheBatwoman @Stepcount you have all done amazingly well.

No change for me on 10st 5lbs, I really need to focus hard as this week has been tough. Work has been super busy and I didn’t walk as much as I should and with my back issue, other exercises have been impossible. Still I could have done better. There is still 3 weeks to Christmas so still time to loose a few pounds!

IN 5 months I will be in Mauritius and I still have so far to go to get to where I want to be.

Hi Everyone, I'm not weighing in today ad I'm giving myself a long weekend off for my birthday 😁

I'm glad to hear there have been some great losses for many of you this week. You've been extremely determined @Dashel, I'm sure things will pick up for you again.

@WutheringShites86 hope you had a fabulous birthday 🥳

I hope my scales are ok, I’m still the same weight on the last 4 weigh ins! They are Fitbit scales and so only a few years old.

I have been really good this weekend. 27k steps on Saturday and 17 yesterday and not over eaten at all, so a little disappointed not to have had even a tiny loss. I even tried my best with a 55min body balance class. I took all the easy options and there were some bits I changed as I didn’t think my back would appreciate the move.

I have done a bit of batch cooking to help this week, which should help and I think DH is going to join me in a 24 hour fast to see if that helps.

Happy birthday for yesterday wuthering!

I have been ill again, I can’t believe how awful this autumn has been for illness. It has completely destroyed my attempts to lose weight. Will need to restart in the New Year and hope for better health :(

Thank you for the birthday wishes @Dashel and @DreamingofItaly2023.

It's so hard when you don't feel on top form isn't it? Hope everyone has a good week

Hope you’ve had a lovely birthday @WutheringShites86 and enjoyed your long weekend.

You’re right there, it’s so much harder when you’re not feeling well. This time of year there seems to be so much going around as well.

Thanks @TheBatwoman.

Back to the real world tomorrow!

I think Winter is a terrible time to loose weight. Apart from illnesses, the cold and dark doesn’t encourage exercise or light meals. A lot of people crave hot, filling meals and stodge. We tend to be less active in general as it gets darker and the weather often gives us an excuse not to go out as it’s raining or cold. Then add Christmas to the mix. Even my cat puts on a little winter weight and she pretty much refuses to leave the house for most of the winter.

I managed 15k steps yesterday 🥳 which was hard as it was dark and wet for most of them. I lost 0.1lb this morning but at least the scales moved!

All meals are made so chocolate protein oats, chickpea curry and quinoa for lunch and a Joe Wicks vegan chicken tikka masala for dinner followed by chia seed pudding (frogspawn yuck, but seriously good for me and made with high protein soya milk)

I also need to get my steps in and I suspect there will be walking workouts involved as the weather is due to worsen this week.

I hope everyone has a good day

@OhFatty how are you doing?

Morning hope everyone is getting on ok.

What are your plans for the next few weeks are you still going with the diet?

I'm hovering around 160lb and just aiming to maintain at this point. Diet fatigue and easing off the pressure for a bit and will be back to it properly in the new year.

Definitely not a green flag to eat what I like and trying to be careful in the week.

Did @OhFatty ever come back?

I hope they're ok. Even if not strictly on the wagon it'd be good to hear from them.

Have 2 weeks off work from this evening but hopefully won't go off track.

I was told again how I appear slimmer so really motivated to lose even more before I come back.

@TalkToTheHand123 I hope you have a wonderful two weeks off work. Maybe try to do some meals planning and prep so you can keep on track easily and avoid some of the temptation? I sound like a fun sponge 😫

Being told that you have lost weight is really motivating. I was told on my work do a few weeks ago and I was super pleased .

We haven’t heard anything recently from ohfatty. I hope she comes back.

@christmas2022 I have a couple of meals out pre Christmas which I will try and be reasonably careful on. I am planning on a careful festive period except on Christmas Eve evening, Christmas Day and a nice Boxing Day. However we usually walk for a couple of hours each day which limits the damage. Unlike previous years, there have not been any mince pies, advent calendars, or Christmas treats in general and we will be going for quality over quantity when we do indulge.

It sounds pretty grim, but I don’t want to get on the scales on January the first and undo all my hard work.

I managed 15k steps yesterday, but no change on the scale 😤 I would like to see some change soon! Another meal prepped day.

This time of year can be really challenging cant it with the diet side especially. My DW bought me a coffee advent calendar this year, which was thoughtful and very much appreciated, but it is hard to avoid the treats just about everywhere we go!

Aww thanks for the advice @Dashel . I'll try!

Fortunately I don't have much of any treat food in the house now and haven't for a good few months. As long as I remember to have a big drink of soup first, I should be ok.

Planning is definately a key to success.

Lost about a stone this year and eating and drinking habits are much improved. Exercising too. So just need to be patient.

Sponges are good and have a good shape! 🤭

Good morning,

I had a very busy day yesterday and only managed 11k steps but it couldn’t have done that much damage as the scales finally moved… 10st 4.6lb and a new lowest weight for me! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

On the 6th November I was 10st 4.9lb for one day before bouncing up to the 10st 5s. Oh well I feel a bit more back on track now. I have been eating a lot of salad this week so don’t know if that’s what did it but I don’t care. I’m pretty happy to be making progress again.

I wanted to be under 10st for Christmas but I can’t see me loosing 5lb in less than three weeks so if I got to 10st 2 or 3 I would be happy.

Only drawback is that I have run out of bananas so no prepped breakfast and DH has been suffering with a really heavy cold and his snoring meant that I had a terrible nights sleep so will be really hungry today anyway and going to have to be careful. Thankfully I have lunch and dinner sorted 😀

@Dashel

11k steps is still great!

Well done on being your lowest weight for ages. How does it feel?

It feels really motivating 😊 Thank you @christmas2022 Are you up to much on your two weeks off?

My body fat has gone up as I’m not doing the exercise that I was before I hurt my back so it’s not all good news but I’m trying to see what I can do without my back hurting and have started easing myself back into things.

I can only use my lightest weights 1.5kg each without my back feeling painful and can only do a few exercises but it’s a small step in getting back to where I was. I am under instructions not to do anything if it’s painful. Stiff and walking is fine but pain is not and I don’t want to make it worse. I want to dive on holiday and there is no way I could carry an air tank now, so I need to be careful to build up my core and muscles without doing any damage.

I hope that didn’t come across as negative as I’m trying to be as positive as possible. I just get frustrated as I have to ask DH for help lifting or moving items like a shepherds pie or a bag of shopping.

Good morning

TFI Friday 🥳it’s been a long week!

So yesterday went off plan as I had meetings and a manic day so I forgot
breakfast and then lost my appetite and by the time I was going to get lunch it was 2.30pm so I thought screw it, I will do a 24 hour fast so I did. Then had a vegan steak salad wrap with extra salad, fried onions and peppers for dinner followed by a 62 calorie bag of popcorn and my high protein Alpro chocolate milk heated.

I only managed 12k steps yesterday but it could have been worse!

I have another new figure on the scales this morning 10st 3.9lb 🤩 much as I know I won’t break the stone barrier before Christmas, I might by the end of the year…..

It feels so good to be loosing again.I do have a planned meal out tomorrow and I have had to pre order as there is a few of us. There were no diet options so I went for bruschetta and pasta arriabiatta. Hopefully if I get my steps in and avoid alcohol it won’t do too much damage.

I have food prepped for today and I think that has made such a difference this week.

Hope you are all ok x

Well done @Dashel and I think you should enjoy your meal out and not worry too much, tis the season!

I've had a really busy week and haven't weighed since before my birthday treats 😬 so not sure what the damage has been yet.

I'm going to be on good behaviour until I finish work for Xmas then have a diet break until new year. This is a long term thing for me so I'm not too hung up on slow progress and life is too short to count calories at Christmas!

P.S. I had one of those this day x years ago photos pop up today and comparing to my recent birthday pics I look much better now! I'm about 1st 10lbs down from the old picture 😁

Hope everyone’s having a good week. Well done @Dashel and that’s great @WutheringShites86 - well done!

Totally agree about the long term process thing. Which actually brings me to another question, is anyone up for continuing after Christmas/new year? I’ve really appreciated all your support and it would be great to continue