☀️LOSE IT! August 2022☀️

[TheRealHousewife]

Hello & Welcome!

Fresh new month, fresh new start, fresh new habits. Jump right into August! Reset & refresh to become a healthier version of yourself! Summers well under way and the kids are out for the summer. Not an easy time to navigate healthy eating! Being mindful, planning ahead and few tweaks here and there it’s not impossible!

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. I try not to drink calories and have very little processed food or sugar. I meal plan, set my intentions daily and exercise most days.

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!

I will, I know I need to do this properly this time for my health more than anything.

I'm married, two late teens and a pretty stressful job. I seem to go through these self destruct times and that's what I seem to be doing right now. I know I'm drinking far too much. I don't want to see friends (who are lovely and I have a really nice social life) because I have nothing to wear that fits me anymore and to be honest, I'm embarrassed by how I look right now.

Thank you for being so absolutely lovely, it feels like a lonely journey, but your post made me feel that it's not. 🙂

@Womblealongwithme I was exactly where you are in December. Didn't want to leave the house really, felt like invisibility would be better than anything else. You're definitely not alone in feeling like this.

Top tips

• get on the scales and make a day to weigh in. Suggest a morning
• calculate your tdee (type it into Google) and knock 300-500 calories off
• meal plan for the first few weeks concentrating on protein and veg
• aim to drink at least 2L of fluid a day
• get your DH on board
• log your calories into a calorie counter for the first few weeks until you get a feel for it (weigh everything!)
• pick one exercise you enjoy and start doing it

That's the basics and after that you can experiment to see what suits you. For example I do intermittent fasting with an eating window of 12-8, avoid processed foods and try and strength train 3 times per week

Most importantly keep posting! Lots of support here

The last thing you can be on this thread is lonely @Womblealongwithme ! There is so much support and good advice. Many of us have been where you are today, refusing to step on the scales because we are frightened of the numbers. Be brave - whatever the scales say now there will be lower numbers in the future. And then you'll be able to be proud of what you've lost.

You don't need to tell us, or anyone else, what the scales say. You could just set yourself a little goal - e.g. to lose 5lbs - and then let us know (if you want) how you're progressing towards it.

Have you thought about what you want to do? Intermittent fasting, low carb, calorie counting?

Thank you so much, I'm actually feeling quite tearful now! I've weighed myself now - probably a silly time to do it but I know if I waited til the morning I'd probably find another excuse to talk myself out of it.

I need to make sure I plan, if I do I know I have a much better chance. I'm just not very good at it but I'll just need to get good!

My tdee works out at 1800 a day so I'm going to cut that to 1300, do you think that would be ok? I used Lose It before so I'll fire that up again.

I feel like an idiot but I also feel positive. I'm so glad I found this thread.

well done @Womblealongwithme now what is the plan if you get hungry/nibblish? have you put all the junk treats securely away (tupperware bin that you

oh my only half my post...
...that you WILL NOT open) maybe place a sticky note on top with a postive intention?
now what is the plan for when you get hungry nibblish? can you stock up on cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrots etc. those are in season here and very low cal.
great news about the weigh in, the best part is tomorrow you will weigh two pounds less already ;)

Well done to everyone who WoW'd today - whatever the outcome! It's hard when we don't see what we want but the continued accountability and focus on what we do about it is so inspiring 👏

Well done for hitting your August target @Lizsmum!

It's most certainly harder in the holidays and with parties @GonnaGetGoingReturns, I know I'll get back on it when normality returns, it's just about trying not to make the process harder than it needs to be at that stage.

Welcome to the newbies 👋

Yes I meal plan weekly for dinners @Womblealongwithme, I find it helps with deciding what to have for lunch and also eliminates food waste better. I also second what @fallfallfall says about weighing in now - you want to see progress so a starting point is helpful, even if you're worried about what it will say.

Welcome to the thread @Womblealongwithme ! I’m another one who’s been where you are now, except that I wasn’t brave enough to get on the scales for a good few months, so you’re already doing better than I did.

I lost 4 stone by following 16:8, which may be worth looking into. Once I got used to it, I found it a very easy way to limit calories without being hungry all the time.

The general advice is to not cut more than 500 calories from your TDEE, so 1300 should be ok. If you’re going into it for the long run though, I’d personally aim a little bit higher (1400-1500) and add some gentle exercise. That way you’re more likely to stick to your plan, plus if you find that weight loss is slowing, you still have some extra calories you can cut.

@Womblealongwithme see your making progress already!! Baby steps
(And follow @fallfallfall advice- it's always the snacks that get you!)

@Womblealongwithme back in February I had one pair of work trousers that fit me and luckily my work was flexible enough with hybrid working I think I got away with it, even so I felt so disappointed looking at my wardrobe feeling crap.
February really doesn't feel very long ago but I'm in such a different place, I love shopping now because I actually feel good in things!
The key is consistency consistency consistency. Even if you have a shit week, keep going. And in a couple of months sticking at it you'll feel completely different!

@milkfromthesleepycow has it spot on 👏

I'm going to stock up on veggies for snacks. I think my main meals will be ok because they're usually ok but my problem is snacking. And I'm greedy.

I'd love some ideas for a variety of healthy snacks if anyone can say what works for them?

@Womblealongwithme i visualize the next number on the scale that i hope to see. i look at my 32 oz water bottle and make sure i'm on schedule with my 2-3 liters of water a day. i do a 15 minute fitness walking video. i go in front of the full length mirror and look at myself...and if i'm still succumbing i eat tomatoes.
ohhhh and i put myself to bed; yup pj's and blanket over me while i scroll mn at 8:30 pm if need be. oh i can also call a friend.
i try any trick in the book to not snack because i love calorie rich stuff and i can't stop at 5 nuts or 10gms of pumpkin seeds (no joke at some point i realized i was eating 300 calories easily of pumpkin seeds AND wondering why my otherwise fab food choices was not leading to weight loss)...
the past few days i have been putting on cuticle oil and rubbing it into my nail base (smells great, keeps my mind distracted, and easily wastes 30 minutes) meanwhile knowing the nibbles urge always passes.

Carrots
Dates
Fancy nuts - the kind that have salt/lemon/ cinnamon on them. I pour a 'portion' into an egg cup then into a dish to prevent oversize portions
Chicken with satay marinade- keep some chunks in the fridge
Ice lolly's (keeps me off the ice cream! There's one from Lidl that's an orange filled with orange sorbet that's just over 100 calories)
Fruit- usually have 2 a day

But snackings often boredom. Find something to occupy your hands and mind. And as you often hear on here - delay not deny. If there's something I really want, I'll have it but sometimes later that day if I'm still hungry or the next day if I still want it

I can empathise with the alcohol. I've been sober for 3 years in September. Tonic water with blood orange syrup is my current tipple. Find something you like

I thinking snacking definitely is boredom for me too. I used to do cross-stitch bit haven't got ages, maybe that would be a good idea to pick up again.

I was just looking in my wardrobe and I have some lovely clothes in there that I just can't wear. One pair of work trousers and one pair of jeans. That's all that fits me just now, I'm so disgusted with myself.

@Womblealongwithme don’t be disgusted with yourself. Give yourself credit for taking this first step. Well done!

@TheRealHousewife thanks for your motivational words about keeping on even though the scales aren’t moving. I’m going to really try this week.

Good Morning Everyone 😊

A warm welcome to @Womblealongwithme … great to see you’ve settled right in on the thread 😬. It’s lovely to have you join us. If you have the motivation and drive to stay the distance, the ladies on here will support you all the way! 👍You’ve had some great advice already and also I posted some photo info earlier yesterday which might prove useful.

Thank you @fallfallfall . Hope you have a great trek. Is there an outbuilding you could leave them padlocked in? Very generous of you to donate to family. My dream is a small electric quad bike 😬

@Daffyaboutdaffs i know it can get tough and the feeling of chucking the towel in becomes ever stronger. But it is just not worth it. There is a saying ‘a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips’. The weight never comes of as quickly as it goes on. If only it did.

Menu
Meal 1 - Chicken stir fry with broccoli, home grown red pepper, carrot, red onion and cabbage.

Meal 2 - Home made roasted vegetable soup. 3 gf Nairns crackers. Walnuts. Apple.
Tea, black coffee and water.

Exercise
Session 1 - Floor exercise
Session 2 - LS Video.

Anyone have a link for the LS one that includes squats please🙏

Enjoy whatever you’re doing! And do it with gusto! I self check my posture multiple times a day and also hold a tight core as I go about my day. Every bit helps.

LS firm 30 has lots of squats.

@Womblealongwithme I've had to cut out snacks as I just don't make the right choices. If I really, really need one I try and choose an apple as they take ages to eat 😄 I have a cuppa or a glass of water if the pang hits, and generally that does me through.

In terms of what I do, I started in Jan and have lost just shy of 1.5 stone so far. I don't know what my target is but I think I'm nearly there, a few more lb to go. Generally what works for me is 16:8 I/F, so I don't have breakfast (but I don't like breakfast anyway). I don't eat bread or crisps or drink wine in the week. Have low calorie lunches and just a normal dinner. We're generally busy at the weekends so I just go with the flow and have whatever. School holidays things tend to go more out of the window, but I know I'll reset and get back on it when routine resumes, so I don't beat myself up about it (too much).

Having said that... I stupidly decided to open a large bag of very nice crisps just to 'have a handful' with lunch. I just kept dipping back into it all afternoon; I didn't finish them, but now they're open I know I will today. I don't know what bloody possessed me, but there it is. At least they'll be gone soon.

Lunch yesterday ended up being lovely though: the very nice crisps 🤦‍♀️ and a wrap with cheddar, sweet chilli houmous and loads of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and orange pepper.

Plan today:
L - accidentally made too much P&P last night so having the leftovers with extra added salad and some mozzarella
D - veggie curry

Have a good day everyone! It's (currently) so much cooler where I am today, a thankful break, but it's due to warm up again over the weekend!

How is your OH today @TheRealHousewife?

Morning all! I weighed myself this morning and am pleased to report there was no change from last week 😅

I’ve finally finished my book on sport nutrition and have decided that there are going to be some changes around here..One of the ideas it introduced, which sounds so obvious that I can’t believe I didn’t think of this myself, is to never cut calories on hard training days (>1 hour intense exercise), but do it on the other days instead. I guess I’m just so used to hard and fast rules like “have 1400 calories a day, every single day” that I never thought of switching it up.

Some of the other big lessons are around hydration. I drink more than enough during the day, but as I exercise first thing in the morning that doesn’t actually help much. I’ve massively increased how much water I drink before exercise and now no longer feel like I’ve hit a wall once I’m finished. I thought it was a food/calorie issue, but it seems that drinking more water solves about 90% of it 🤯 Fascinating stuff!

Morning all and welcome to @Womblealongwithme well done for getting on the scales! Hope your DH is on the mend soon @TheRealHousewife I have a friend having a similar issue it can be so stressful particularly with long wait times.
Plan for today is fasting until 1pm if I can manage it (and just as I typed that DH comes home from the fancy bakery with a shortbread and fancy coffee for me so thats out )
Lunch - halloumi salad
Dinner - Roasted Squash, corn on the cob, greens and quinoa

@CrimsonAlligator which book was it? Sounds like a good read. I'm struggling a little extending my long runs, as well as finding I'm getting proper grumpy pre- meal so I think I need to fuel myself better.

@milkfromthesleepycow it’s The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition, by Anita Bean. It builds on all the latest research in this area (the list of references is 40 pages long!) but is written in an accessible, practical way.

I bought it after spending a lot of time googling what and how much I should be eating and getting really annoyed by the amount of contradictory and “clear as mud” advice that’s available on the internet. This book felt like a breadth of fresh air in comparison!