⭐️LOSE IT! February 2023 Edition⭐️

[TheRealHousewife]

⭐️Open to previous members as well as new members⭐️

Fresh new month, fresh new start, fresh new habits. Jump right in to reset & refresh to become a healthier version of yourself. These threads are for those who’d like to lose and those who wish to maintain whilst eating a healthy varied diet.

As no one size fits all, members need to follow their own way of eating. This thread aims to offer guidance, support and a bit of hand holding.

We generally have 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).

I calorie count based on a lower carb Mediterranean diet. I intermittent fast and eat twice a day. Im a long time healthy eater and overall I’ve lost over 3 stone. After having been on the wrong side of 12st Im now hovering around 9st. I had a blip a couple of years ago when my thyroid went wonky but now back on track.

Are you in😊 What food plan will you be following? What do you want to change and why?

Feel free to share your own links, tips & recipes 👍

Morning all

A huge well done to all the WoWers, some amazing results so far today 💪

I had an insane 6 hour shift last night - the management at this new place of work seems to be a lot a bit all over the place so it was eye opening, but I'm experienced enough to cope with it, and actually got some really lovely comments from customers, which was nice. Feel dead on my feet today though; I wish I had a step counter to see what ground I covered!!

Anyway, I caught up with all of your lovely messages when I got home and felt really overwhelmed with support. Thank you all so so much ❤️ I also had a long message from DH which I read but haven't absorbed fully yet. He seems to be accepting that he has messed up, which is good, but we had exactly the same issue and fallout at the end of 2021 and the fact he's done it again has exacerbated things (it's all to do with finances, not infidelity or anything like that). We will work it out, I'm sure, but it's going to be a complicated one to resolve, and my trust in him is damaged at the moment. But I do feel more comfortable that things will get better this morning.

I'm sorry to hear you've had difficulties too @Cloudberries123, I'm glad you're back in a happy place now.

You're all right @buzzofthebumblebee @TheRealHousewife @AutisticLegoLover one bag wasn't anything to stress over, really. Crisis most definitely equals crisps!

Really sorry to hear that @Weatherwax13 sending hugs back to you ❤️

Sorry if I've missed anyone else who sent me support, I'm finding it hard to scroll back through the messages to namecheck. I really do appreciate all of you though.

Right, back to business....
Plan today is a bit up in the air, as I only have DS today so I might treat him to a cafe lunch. I was starving this morning, (probably because of the shift last night??) so have had one crumpet with marmite for breakfast. Dinner also not planned yet, but going to log in MFP so I can keep a watch on calories to try and mitigate the inevitable half term gain on Friday. I'll drop back in later with a food log!

@SingaporeSlinky .... yes! I lost a reasonable amount (about 3 stone) originally and I am now permanently cold! I sit with a heater at work and a blanket at home!

@ImALittlePea I'm glad to hear there is some light at the end of the tunnel

@Bumblebeehum pup was me... here she is to make you smile !

I was walking back up through the woods thinking to myself about how I'd thought originally that I'd be tempted to eat lots of whatever I fsmcied

Ffs.
Fancied, when I hit my goal. But I'm not very hungry today at all. I've had my usual porridge and a packet of snackajacks, two cups of tea, 3 glasses of water. I'm just not fussed. This is good of course, just unexpected.
Well done to all the wowers today and keep going to everyone, you're doing great.

You have had it tough @Bumblebeehum ! Hopefully the worst is behind you and you soon settle into your job and the situation gets better for your son ❤️ Congratulations on your weight loss to date! 👏👍

Well done on your loss @buzzofthebumblebee 👏👍

@Cloudberries123 Halloumi salad 😋

@AutisticLegoLover ❤️It’s good you’re not craving or not taken to eating ‘treats’ as a reward for reaching goal. Not that I’m discouraging it … it just shows how your are educating your appetite to want different things 👍I actively crave veg and soup and stuff … I’m weird like that 😬

Actually @SingaporeSlinky yes I find I’m colder and the cold affects my muscles/joints more too. I didn’t know if it was my health issues or losing weight. Perhaps a mix of the 2. Hot drinks, water bottles, extra jumpers all help 👍 My OH bought me an heated gilet at Christmas, very cosy.

@ImALittlePea Im pleased you’re feeling more settled with your home situation. You’ll always have our support! Great ladies on here ❤️ PS could you not get a cheapo step counter via Amazon or can you download an app to your phone. My phone measures my steps taken 👍

@ginsparkles Loving the Paws Photo … so cute 🥰 Keep them coming 👍

Hope I haven’t missed anyone … as you were 😊

@TheRealHousewife I've downloaded step counters onto my phone before but they don't seem to work, it's an odd one as I can't see why it wouldn't, it's a pretty new Google phone. I think my SIL has an old Garmin for me to try out but it's one of those things we keep forgetting about, will try and get it before my next shift though.

@SingaporeSlinky are you eating a sensible amount of calories? your body needs energy to keep itself warm so if you are having a very low number of calories a day that could cause the extra feeling cold.

Whoops forgot to reply @TheRealHousewife Thankyou for the advice, I think you might be on to something with the macros as I haven't upped calories but I have stopped loosing and I probably need more protein with the amount of exercise I do.

@TheRealHousewife ooh heated gilet sounds nice. A lot of my Christmas gifts revolve around keeping me warm too 😂 I am a generally cold person, and find that once I’m cold, I stay cold for hours, even once back indoors with heating and blankets etc. My hot water bottle is often out too. Yet my DH and kids are always warm, and all thin. Assume they’re using up loads of energy with their internal heating systems that I’m just not! I’m noticeably colder this past few weeks though.

Updated my scales data today so I’m at 25% body fat, which still seems like a lot, but down 1.3%, and BMI was 22-something.

@Allthegoodnamestakken I’m aiming for around 1200 cals a day. Some would say it’s not much, but if I go much over, I don’t seem to lose.

@AutisticLegoLover I'm in much the same boat re friends IRL. In my case massive issues with my bipolar since the death of my son has left me just unable to deal with all the expectations and I know it's a clichė but you really do find out who your friends are after a terrible bereavement.
@ImALittlePea I feel for you. One of the long-standing issues with DH has been around gambling so I understand loss of trust re finances
@TheRealHousewife Thanks as always for the cheerleading
@Cloudberries123 I gave up work completely when my DS's mental illness became really serious and remember the feeling of losing myself for the sake of my child. Emotional eating must be such a common response to that kind of situation.
Keep going everyone 💖

@Weatherwax13

@Weatherwax13 flowers ❤️

I tried to post flowers @Weatherwax13 💐

@Weatherwax13 
@SingaporeSlinky if your intake is too low then yes, you will feel colder.

love love love the support on this thread.
i did not weigh in but my supper last night was so reasonable!
no appy for me as planned dh had the crabcake. dessert was shared.
the portions were not massive and i had no problem leaving stuff on my plate.
prior to leaving i fit in a few more minutes of exercise than usual.
came home to deer in the yard, photo to come :)

The deer

Oh wow @greenspaces4peace! That's awesome!

Amazing @greenspaces4peace

@Weatherwax13 💐❤️

Today has been a write off. I don't feel like I'm eating my feelings, but I obviously am - a (most delicious) bacon sandwich at a cafe for lunch, and DH is out getting me chippy tea and wine for tonight. Any damage this week can and WILL be fixed next week. I'm filing everything as it stands into the 'f it' box and leaving it there 🤷‍♀️

greenspaces Absolutely beautiful out where you live! Love it!

LittlePea I'm very much in the same boat atm though I can't really figure out why. Thought it was just celebratory eating for Valentine's and being away from home, but I've gone right back into snacking on sugar and feeling 'mind hungry' (not tummy hungry), just wanting to eat eat eat all the time. And having quite a bad body image day today 😕

Hugs to all of us who are battling various things at the moment. Health is mental as well as physical 💪🏻

Think I’ve ended the day on 1000 cals but didn’t bother weighing everything today so parts of dinner were estimates based on previous entries in MFP.

Lunch was greek yoghurt, goji berries, granola and seeds
Dinner was Ikea frozen meatballs (which I stock up on each time I go), spaghetti and homemade tomato sauce.

Had a few Roses chocs yesterday that I hadn’t realised we still had from Christmas, but only 2. Surprised at my restraint. No snacks at all today. 2 coffees, a green tea and water. Now if I can just keep this up!

Haven’t managed to get to the gym this week, so actually quite looking forward to getting back on Monday. Once I get into the routine, I do miss it when it’s half term.

Think my appetite is adjusting as I’ve just not been hungry.

I had 2 left over Christmas chocolates today too. I had a Mexicana grilled cheese sandwich and crisps for lunch and wanted something sweet. I'd saved them for holiday because they just didn't get eaten. I really didn't enjoy them as much as usual this last Christmas. The quality is poor compared to years ago. Normally I'd eat them regardless but I was very restrained this time round. We still have a box of matchmakers! Ds has a box of his own and a bag of heroes my brother gave him, plus his chocolate coins and the last chocolate orange biscuits from the M&S selection. I've a big bag of mini eggs and creme eggs, neither as good as they used to be but that's not stopping me. I still love them.

I've finished the day on 1442 calories and 10.4 miles. Fitbit says I've burned 2572 calories but people tend to say that isn't accurate so I don't pay much attention to it. I don't eat my exercise calories either except on very hungry days. As long as I've walked at least 5 miles and kept to my calorie goal I'm happy. I do feel hungry tonight though after not being particularly hungry all day. I didn't eat my crusts so I can probably take 100 calories off that total.

I've been rushing about trying to get sorted with the packing, washing, organising and logistics of going away. You'd think we were going for a month rather than 3 nights! One more day of school to go and boy am I glad of it.

Sweet dreams to you all and remember sleeping burns more calories than sitting 😁

2pm, 8000 steps and 47 minutes of exercise. more to come.
drinking back the tail end of my first liter i'll have no problem getting the second liter in.
breakfast was oatmeal with fruit no honey.
lunch a simple half sandwich
supper is an eggplant casserole (that will not be repeated as the flavor was very bland but the technique was interesting) with a green salad and roasted beets.
@AutisticLegoLover you're husbandectomy made me chuckle.
strength coming your way @ImALittlePea
@Weatherwax13

Over 13,400 steps. 78 minutes of fitness.
water fiber etc all under control.
most likely calories as well as no pre dinner snacking.

@ImALittlePea glad you are slowly sorting things out with DH, definitely try your sisters Garmin, it is so satisfying seeing all your steps. @AutisticLegoLover husbandectomy also made me chuckle, I hope you have a lovely break!
@greenspaces4peace I love that you have deer in your garden how cool! we get monkeys and guests think thats great but they're actually a nuisance because they like to acrobat on the internet cable and pull it down
@Weatherwax13 I am so sorry about your son, you are an incredibly strong person to be putting yourself and your health first now

Weighed myself again today and down to 65.1kg so hoping you are all right and my 3 big meals out wont have done any lasting damage. I do seem to be in a cycle though of loosing all week and then putting it all back on at the weekend meaning maintaining overall so need to break that!