⭐️LOSE IT! March 2023⭐️Get Ready for Spring Edition⭐️

[TheRealHousewife]

⭐️Open to previous members as well as new members⭐️

Spring is right around the corner so it’s time to embrace a 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

How did you find the fast 800 by the way @Weatherwax13 ?

i love reading too @AutisticLegoLover always got a book on the go but don’t always have the energy to read in the evenings!

i love baking for people , I wish I could send you some @ImALittlePea 😁

@Ninjachicken i did the fast800 online program a couple years ago and loved loved loved it.
i'm seriously considering doing it again. a few of the recipe's are fab most of the meal ideas are very good.

Evening everyone!
Today was weigh day, but my scales are broken 😱. So winging it!!
@AutisticLegoLover sorry you are suffering with endo, I have it too, it’s horrible. Have you tried Fibrogel for the constipation pain? I found it’s the only thing that helps, along with pain meds.
@Weatherwax13 im so glad you little pooch is safe at home, I can’t imagine the worry. We have a tracker on our dog, only time I’ve ever had to use it sue was in next doors garden watching their ducks!
@TheRealHousewife your holiday snaps look fab!
@MKD1 toy poodles are gorgeous, I’ll let you know if I hear of any available 🐕‍🦺
@Remindmeofababe welcome to the group, I’m new too!
@ginsparkles sorry to hear you are feeling low, your dog will give the best cuddles I’m sure. If you ever need extra dog pics, just ask!!
Todays dog photo is Skyla, one of my regulars xx

Evening All

Todays snapshots.

Also found an artefact on the beach. It looked like a part of a granite/stone lid to a pot or jar. On closer inspection it’s actually translucent like glass when you hold it up to the light. Never seen anything like it before. It’s quite unique.

oh @TheRealHousewife that looks so peaceful and relaxing. the artifact sounds cool, no photo?

Had a whoosh for Wednesday weigh in.
SW 88.8
CW 76.8
TW 76kg
So 1.4kg loss this week and almost at first target:) then I'll move onto the next target of 72kg. I broke it up to make it less intimidating . My goal is 27th May when I go overseas so it's doable. 70kg would be brilliant as I'll definitely be down another dress size then, but we'll see. I want to keep it manageable.
Also takes me into healthy BMI range although GP just told me to take that (and the scales) as a guide and concentrate on waist measurement .
Has anyone else heard that?

Fast800 is excellent @Ninjachicken

I lost 6.5kg in 4 weeks but then moved onto 1200 calories as I cook for DH too and he couldn't cope with it.
I'm still averaging 0.9kg loss per week.
DH lost the plot a little over the crisis with the dog and I don't think I've ever seen anyone eat that much sugar in three days! It's his stress reaction like some people turn to alcohol.
Hopefully he gets back on track as he's lost 10kg and was doing so well. And as,we know once you feel like you've failed it's a danger point for giving up.

@Weatherwax13 well done on your whoosh! And being so close to your goal must feel great.

@TheRealHousewife lovely photos. Whereabouts are you in the world?

@Carolinedogwalker I'm going to ask the GP for something. My bloods from 2 weeks ago came back clear for thyroid and coeliac. I'm not usually constipated, just since really reducing the volume of food I eat.

57.5kg this morning so that's a loss of 1.5lbs since last Wednesday. Almost at 9st exactly.

Have a great day everyone and I hope the hard work has paid off for those weighing today.

Thank you all for being lovely. It's the anniversary of my dads death, so I don't think that's helping my current mental state, but am definitely thinking HRT might help.

@Weatherwax13 congrats on the woooosh! And to @AutisticLegoLover for your loss too! Well done both.

Good luck to all the WOWers today. I'm managing to maintain currently which given Mother's Day and my funk I'll take!

@ginsparkles hugs to you. Anniversaries are hard. My dad has been gone 10 years and it gets easier but still upsetting. Look after yourself. Try to eat as wholesome it as you can manage, walk, rest, sleep as best you can. I'll also repeat my recommendation of blasting out some tubes and singing and dancing along. Or maybe you need a good cry to wash it from your system? Do you know that tears look different under a microscope depending on what kind of tears they are? So tears of grief look different to tears of relief or from onions? It's fascinating. Maybe a good cry followed by a good sing and dance in the kitchen where nobody is listening or watching 😁

Thanks @AutisticLegoLover .... that's fascinating about the tears! Off to work today and then two days off with the pooch.

That's good advice
@AutisticLegoLover
Sometimes if I'm upset I go for a drive with the music absolutely blaring. Really helps get it out of my system.
Mind you, people must think I'm a loon. Middle aged woman with techno thumping at the traffic lights 😁

2lbs gone this week, which takes me up to a 20kg total loss and approximately half way where I want to be.

I’m 3lbs off my next mini-goal (20kg wasn’t a goal, just an excuse to celebrate!)

Thats interesting @Weatherwax13 what waist do they want you to be?

I’m on a FB group for bariatric surgery (as did consider in the beginning). Many of the members after huge weight loss get skin reduction surgery and the weight loss from that is massive (like more than a stone, just from skin removal) - just wonder if that’s why a waist measurement might be more helpful?

Morning All,

I'll go and check out that author @AutisticLegoLover it was me who asked. I like trying new genres and new authors so always asking people what they are reading. Well done on your loss!

@Weatherwax13 Fabulous loss to you too!

@ginsparkles Thinking of you

So my week hasn't been good (mostly food wise but ill kids too).

I can't blame anyone but myself (and possibly my hormones) I had a binge yesterday (which usually happens just before my time of the month). I'm hoping that I can just put that to one side and try again today. Although annoying for me my hormones haven't settled yet since I had my daughter a year ago so I'm having 8 days between periods and therefore lots of binge days. But I've stuck to my goal of closing my rings on my apple watch every day and today (due to DD having an ear infection and spending the day (yesterday) walking back and forth to the drs and pharmacy having no time to prep food) I've bought loads of salads from M&S and checked it's not too high in cals. I feel more positive today.

So

SW 63.4kg
CW 63.2kg
GW 57kg

Gain of 1kg this week.

Will keep going (thanks to you lot, I would definitely be giving up if it weren't for this thread!)

@Bumblebeehum well done on your loss! Very interesting about how much skin gets removed and how much is weighs!

Thanks @greenspaces4peace and @Weatherwax13 this is all very encouraging! From what I have seen it looks like the type of food I like to eat minus the rubbish. I am looking forward to it, not looking at as restriction but as a healthier lifestyle change.
i know @TheRealHousewife also recommended it’s principles. Love the pics @TheRealHousewife i want to live by the sea
great loss btw weather congratulations !

thinking of you @ginsparkles

first local strawberries in the shop yesterday so strawberries and yoghurt for breakfast today. Sushi for lunch. Fish for dinner with pak choi
no wine, no unhealthy snacks. I’m getting my motivation back!! I feel particularly big and bloated atm and it is depressing me a little. Going to weigh in on Friday 🤞
was it you @Lionnose who said you find it difficult not to eat cake for example if someone brings it round? I feel exactly the same. And even though I know it will sabotage my efforts, I always eat it because would feel so rude to refuse. Same if I go to someone house (which we are doing on Friday), if I know they have made loads of effort, I just feel I have to eat loads in appreciation (or maybe that is just an excuse) 😁 but how does everyone else deal with this??
i am really looking at this as a long term thing but so much of socialising etc is based around food and drink. So I have one ‘bad’ evening and it kind of feels like I have to reset myself and find my motivation again each time. I know self-control is a big part of it. But unfortunately I do not seem to have been blessed with much of that 😂

anyway good luck to everyone weighing in today. Sun is out and spring is in the air 🌷🌞 let’s do this!!!!

to @ginsparkles and everyone else who needs some.

Amazing losses @Bumblebeehum , @Weatherwax13 and for those not lost, even a maintain is a good thing.

I'm in the unable to WOW today camp - bathroom had to be ripped out to find the leak. No idea where scales are buried. I was fluctuating between high 11 2 and low 11 0 1/4, so OK (until I hit the chocolate last night ... big oops, but hormones also to blame I think).

The beaches where you are look utterly idyllic @TheRealHousewife . I've never been to Northumberland, but def want to go to get that sense of space and peace. I will have the pics etched in my mind for some mindfulness later (as I try to drown out noise of builders in bathroom).

Last push for March. You are all fabulous! And well done to those carrying on despite out-of-control stuff. It's hard.

B - avocado & salmon
L - veg soup
D - fish pie and lots of veg

Good to read updates. @AutisticLegoLover @wannadisc0 I usually have the same goal weight for my birthday each year as a way of making sure I don't let things get out of hand. It's a bit above my ideal weight and as I'm an autumn baby corresponds to my DoB. I've been way above for last couple of years though.
@Weatherwax13 about bmi - it's a fairly useful tool for me with my frame. However I was talking to a teenage girl at the weekend who was stressing about weight. I was trying to encourage healthy habits without worrying about weight loss and wanted to show her she didn't need it. I was shocked to see she is in the overweight category for her age on bmi so now I regret looking. Not helpful.
@TheRealHousewife loving the beach pictures and the delicious looking food.

WOW
Maintaining same weight as last week. It proves what I already know, in that I cannot do this without tracking on mfp or similar.

Crossed post with you @Ninjachicken - I struggle with self control too.

All or nothing. Hence I am nothing 95% of the time. I need to learn to stop at one or two, or small slice, and not feel that as I've caved for that small portion, I then chastise myself and finish the lot. Not good nor a healthy attitude really. (And very very guilty for the chocolate binge last night - haven't done that for a long while - won't tell you how many kit kats I ate. I am utterly ashamed with myself. In fairness there must have been something driving the binge, rather than me just blaming hormones. I will have a good listen to my heart and body when I walk the dog soon) Opps - sorry that was a bit of an unexpected offload !

Good Morning Everyone

Hi @buzzofthebumblebee try not to feel shame; you're human. Try to put it behind you and embrace the new slate that each day brings. Easier said than done I know.

@Bikechic I am the same; I aim for at least the same weight or even less if needed.

No WOW for me as still away and do t have access to scales. Will WOW next Wednesday.

Menu
Going out but intend fish/chicken with salad and perhaps a few fries on the side.

@Ninjachicken yes it was me. I had 3 cakes last week because people brought them over for a coffee at mine. I didn't know how to say no. I worry that they would then feel too guilty to eat it. I know I would if I took cake to someone and they said they didn't want a piece. But I guess my goal is to be healthier and eating high fat & high sugar foods when I'm feeling strong isn't a good plan so I should really find a way to deal with it. So when I fall because I'm not feeling strong it won't be such a problem.

@buzzofthebumblebee I had a huge binge last night so even if you told me how many kitkats you ate I was probably in the same boat. Hope you are feeling strong today. Sidenote - I am dairy free and I am very unhappy (read secretly ecstatic) that they make DELICIOUS vegan kitkats!

On app on phone and only just seen there are quite a few posts since yesterday but weren't initially viewable to me.

@greenspaces4peace I'll try to get a clear photo for you.

@AutisticLegoLover Northumberland.

@Ninjachicken I'd love to live near the sea or at least within walking distance. It's so rejuvenating.

@Ninjachicken I was like that for a long time but now I try to view my weight loss in a more long term fashion. You don't throw out a bunch of flowers if one stem dies. One slice of cake won't back huge differences to your weight loss. One slice every day might. So if you are seeing you friend once a week say allow for the cake in your weekly meal planning. If I know I'm meeting a friend, I tend to plan very low calorie meals for that day, to offset the cake calorie intake.

The trick is for to accept it's one day/meal and not let it become one week (which is where I have fallen down this week!)

I've been a huge advocate for everything in moderation, food is fuel; enjoyable fuel, don't let it make you feel guilty.

I'm currently not practicing what I preach but even writing it down has given me hope and a reminder

1lb back on this week, which is expected given the takeaway and chocolates I’ve been eating. Very frustrating that it takes so much effort to lose 1lb and it can be so easily gained.
Have done 3 gym classes this week so still on track, fitness wise. Although it’s amazing how flabby my stomach looks and feels with just a few days of unhealthy eating!

SW 9st 12
CW 9st 3
TW 8st 12

Hi all

Sorry I can't name check, only got 2 mins before school run! But wanted to virtually high five everyone who WoWed today 🙌

This is my second to last Wednesday with childcare.. rather than spending it banking some decent chill time, I've been out volunteering, done a food shop, given all the bedrooms a thorough deep clean and dealt with the cat litter (and subsequent clean of the kitchen). Now for the school run, quick dinner, and evening shift. Note to self - next Wednesday must be PLAN FREE (unless the plan is indulgent 😁)

I did stop at a cafe for a coffee.. which turned into a bacon sandwich for an early lunch 🤦‍♀️ I still feel bloated from it, but OTOH I'm glad I had something more substantial than normal given I've been non stop cleaning since getting home. Hoping I've worked off some of the additional calories and it won't impact on Friday's weigh in 😬🤞

Laters gang!