🍁LOSE IT! October 2022🍁12 WEEK COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS 🎄

[TheRealHousewife]

Hello and Welcome

Following on from the LOSE IT! September Thread here’s October’s Thread.

Dare I say it’s officially the 12 Week Count Down to Christmas 🎄😬 There is still time (for those who want to) for a complete body/mind/fitness overhaul before the festivities and family get together commence 🥳 Plus, who doesn’t want to start 2023 feeling more energised, fitter and svelte!

Jump right into October! Reset & refresh to become a healthier version of yourself! 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!

@milkfromthesleepycow actually my username has nothing to do with weight loss, just a coincidence. It was sort of a pun on the drink Singapore sling, long before I started getting fit. I was never and still am not anything near slinky and I hope it doesn’t sound in any way conceited, now that I think about it.

I don’t know where my iron is either! Sometimes if a guest is staying and asks to borrow it, I have to go hunting for it and they are shocked 😀

I also had last night which is rare for me - two of the mini snickers type bars from Asda, so probably just over a full size one.. oh my God - they were so fantastic and just what I needed. I've been over calories the last few days (only by about 100 a day)amd I'm not sure I'll be out walking much either as got another busy week and Wednesday is another Secondary Visit for DS... ah well - I'll blame my cold if things look bleak come Friday!

And I was a resolute non-ironer for years - didn't even own one - but then DC happened and I used to love having smooth, soft baby clothes; their little vests and baby-gro's and teensy little tops... and it's sort of spiralled 😆 I have to iron DSs school polo shirts anyway as they're just cheap Asda jobs and I've just got into the habit - wish I could give it all up as I let it build up and build up until its an absolute beast of a job!

I'm staying to WFH today rather than going into the office so I don't spread my lurgy which means temptation... might have eggs for breakfast as that always sets me up well! Lunch will likely be crackers and yoghurt and raiding the freezer for dinner, I expect... hope everyone has a good Tuesday!!

@SingaporeSlinky I was meaning that your last holiday was to Singapore! If I've gotten completely confused with that and you didn't go to Singapore then I've made it sound like I was suggesting you weren't slinky 😱 My brain doesn't always fire on all cylinders 😂 sorry

On the ironing theme- I remember a friend showing me around her new house when my DD was about three. She had her ironing board set up in a utility room and my DD innocently pipes up 'mummy what's one of those, do we have one?'
No we don't dear but I could have lived with you not pointing that out!

Got a work/ running around with kids activities day today. Will stick to the meal plan, I hope

@milkfromthesleepycow no it was Mexico but don’t worry!

I iron 5x aged 12-13 school shirts every other week (alternate with DP) and that is it…unless I dry my favourite jeans weird and the bottoms get scrunched.

Speaking of my favourite jeans - they aren’t going to fit in two weeks, if all goes to plan 🥹

What's the plan for today? I’m going to eat the same breakfast and lunch as yesterday then a child’s portion of an air-fried something for dinner, same as yesterday 😇

Not bragging or anything but I’ve been privileged enough to have one or two Singapore Slings in my time. One time was in Singapore, Raffles (I think it was called the long bar) 🍹 Eye wateringly expensive but a nice experience ❤️

@SanFranBear sorry to read you’re still lurgied up 🤧

I agree with all the appreciation coming your way @TheRealHousewife - this thread has been a game changer for me this year. A constant and accessible forum of kindness and support. Thank you Real for keeping it going and for everyone who is part of it ❤️

I too wonder how Sunshine is. I hope things have become easier for her.

I wasn't feeling brilliant yesterday. Strange headache (think possibly a migraine - never had one before though so not sure), went to bed early but slept terribly, and still got a low level headache this morning. But off to soft play we go 😭

Feeling sheepish here, but.... We used to be the same, never had an ironing pile, did bits as we needed them. Then for some reason I decided I wanted everything ironed... Fast forward and we now have an ironing lady 😂 it's our only middle-class-esque indulgence and I'm hoping we can carry on with her as the cost of living rises!

Not going food shopping until this afternoon so we're a bit low on supplies but I think meals today will be:
Lunch - loaded scrambled eggs (onion, pepper, the measly dregs of my tomatoes and cheese)
Dinner - either risotto or bolognese pasta bake.

I had a NSV a few days ago - my bras that don't fit when I've put on too much weight now fit again - hooray my breasts are a more manageable shape and size!

We have an iron. We even bought a new ironing board recently as the old one kept folding up at inconvenient moments. Only time ironing happens is when DS has a gig and wants to wear a shirt.

@TheRealHousewife yes me too! I had a Singapore Sling in that bar too! Where they encourage you to drop your monkey nut shells on the floor! So delicious and none have come close since.

So I opted to get some dumbbells from Argos.
I thought I'd go for 5kg. Ordered. Went with my 2 year old pick up. Could barely lift them off the counter 😂 the woman was like, "do you need some help" as I said "god they're heavier than I expected" 😂 So once I'd staggered back to the car carrying 2x5kg's in one arm whilst holding my toddlers hand with the other; I promptly ordered some 2kg's and went straight back in to collect them , they must have thought I was bonkers!! My thinking is I'll use the 2KG ones for HIIT type workouts where it's just to add a bit of resistance to cardio; and the 5KG for isolated "weight training". Clearly I'm far weaker than I realised!!

Great uplifting thread and my first time on one like this! I’ve got 2 lots of baby weight to loose, after failing to lose any in the last year.

CW: 62kgs
TW: 55kgs

I love the idea of your healthy eating and I think I’ll aim for that too. More protein, more vegetables, more water and less carbs. I also need to try and get to at least 10K steps a day. I essentially intermittent fast anyway.

My main problem is processed crap - I need to avoid it all together or I start bingeing and cannot stop!

Fingers crossed for us all! X

@Millie2008 sorry I haven’t rtft back yet, but just reading your post and do not worry! I go to gym classes where we use weights, and 5kgs are heavy! We use a bar with 2.5g on each end. That’s plenty! One PT leading the class for a few weeks made us all switch to 5kg on each end and it was so tough, even for those of us who’d been doing it for months by then. Now we all use the 2.5kgs again.

Day 15
SW:143.2
CW:139
GW:126
4.2lbs in 15 days.
I honestly do not know why it is so slow this time as those first 7lbs normally drop off quickly
These threads have been amazing and so welcoming even when we drop the ball rather than the pounds.
Shout out to Sunshinecake indeed.

@Millie2008 5kg dumbells are pretty heavy, I go to crossfit and also sometimes hiit with weights and most people start on 2kg and build up to 5kg over a few months. Even after a year of classes I still use 5kg for most things because the7.5kg are to much. Start slowly you will get there, you can always add in more reps with the lower weight if the heavier ones are to tough

@Millie2008 that made me smile. 5kg! Ya I’m using 1lb ones this week during fitness walking. Tiny by comparison!
@TheRealHousewife i received an email of new Walk at Home routines for this week, I managed 15minutes with 1lb weights.

Thanks everyone!! This afternoon I did one of the HIIT routines (15 mins) recommended on here (Caroline someone)- I enjoyed it, tough but felt the right level- used the 2Kg dumbbells. I did a short yoga vid after to stretch (20 mins). Anyway, when I stood up after yoga- my GOD! My leg muscles are SO WEAK! Like, I can hardly walk- and down the stairs is ridiculous! No pain at all, just ridiculously weak- feels like they could give way at any point! I thought this would improve after an hour or so but no! Still just as bad now and the hiit was 6 hours ago! Is this normal?! I hope I haven't done any permanent damage 😬 I am going pretty low carb and IF so don't know if that has anything to do with it... but my leg muscles feel totally depleted! Has been a real struggle looking after the children this eve- really hoping it's better after a nights sleep...

Don't worry, it's normal with any new form of exercise, or if you haven't done it for ages 😊 Drink lots of fluids and keep on gently doing your normal day-to-day stuff. 'Tough but the right level' sounds good. Eating or drinking some protein within about 30 mins of lifting weights also aids recovery.

Today has been good foodwise, well instructive is maybe a better word! I delayed breakfast (loose IF) but then had some chocolate and brownie left over from my DP's baking project. It's not so much what I ate, just more that it wasn't planned and I felt like I ate it mindlessly.

This afternoon has been good though, just coffee and fruit, plus a slice of cheese as dinner is late.

Good luck to everyone who is weighing tomorrow!

@Millie2008 cloudberries is right- water and lots of it, then something with protein. You may feel...a little stiff when when you wake up tomorrow. Totally normal and it will get better if you're like me when I started you'll spend most of the day wishing you had a downstairs toilet

Busy day today but food fairly on plan. Dinner was a really nice bowl of butternut squash soup followed by a yogurt- must be autumn!

@Millie2008 it does take more time to refuel your muscles if you’re on a low carb diet, but the good news is that your body will get used to it and become more efficient at refuelling if you keep up the exercise.

I’ve just finished a 10 km row and had a high carb dinner to celebrate (pasta with chilli, courgette & Parmesan) 😋 In my defence, I’ll be rowing the same distance tomorrow morning, which doesn’t leave much time for refuelling. Pasta it is!

Today’s the first day in weeks that my silly bug hasn’t made me want to eat everything in sight. I even forgot to have breakfast, so I may actually end today on a calorie deficit! That’d make a nice change 😂

@Millie2008 peak discomfort is at the 24 hour mark. water, protein and occasionally tylenol helps.
yesterday i was short on my "move" calories (set at 550 on my apple watch) despite 13,000 steps and 45 minutes of exercise (obviously too low impact) so in my pj's i ran around the kitchen island, jogged on the spot and lastly did squats...i'm such a goof.
knowing that i don't want to do that today i snuck in a quick bike ride.

Aw thank you everyone for your reassurance and advice; really helpful. I've drunk tons of water but im still dreading tomorrows pain 😂 might focus on arms tomorrow and give the legs a rest; will still be moving plenty with looking after the children etc...

@Jammymare two toast ideas; toast and egg salad or my current fave toast cream cheese and roasted red pepper!

WOW

SW 90.9kg
CW 65.7kg
GW 60kg

Just shy of a lb off this week, slow and steady! Good luck to anyone weighing today

WOW

SW: 18st
CW: 17st 8lb
Interim GW: 17st

1lb gain this week but expected more. Head cold all week so lots of poor choices and quick teas because couldn't face cooking. Feeling more human so working hard to get back on track.