☀️LOSE IT! April 2023 Countdown to Summer☀️

[TheRealHousewife]

⭐️Open to previous members as well as new members⭐️

Summer countdown starts here! The holidays are 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!

Thanks all for kind thoughts & words. Yes, it was only chocolate. Had good run yesterday and work meeting went well today so feel like the cloud has lifted.

Sending positive thoughts your way now Pea .

B - chopped apple & yoghurt (greek-style keffir - yum)
L - left over salmon & roast veggies
D - left over roast chicken & veg from last night

Well done resisting treats at work Puff. Not needed, especially on a monday ; )

One of my kids had a health condition which meant things could go south if he was poorly so I completely understand the stress
@ImALittlePea

Embarrassed to say the cry turned into several cries today @Puffalicious 🤦‍♀️ I feel so daft for struggling so much, but it just feels like a pile on - of course the kids will have a spate of not sleeping well and then get ill while DH is away (and is unlikely to be in any fit state to take over in any competent way when he gets home, either 😏). Thankfully DS avoided hospital - for now - in favour of antibiotics at home. I think DD will be next to the GP tomorrow now, with mirroring symptoms. Really hope I don't follow! Just got to hold it together for the next 36 ish hours 🥴

Anyway - I did indeed have sausage, chips and beans for dinner, but I didn't count the calories beforehand. Thankfully the day has come in at 1260, so under my limit (which I got wrong earlier - it's 1330, according to MFP). I've had LOADS of water, and even though part of me wants to keep saying f*ck it and have the crisps/wine/whatever, I know that's the last thing I need, so I've avoided it... Today, anyway.

@ImALittlePea I hope things get easier and that your dc recover quickly 

@Xmasfairy86 I'm not sure if you're new to the thread or have name changed but hello and you are not alone in your hungry days.

@Karatema welcome! You'll find no judgement here. Well, we judge ourselves harshly at times but never others.

11 miles walked today. Calories below limit. Plank challenge commenced. Someone posted a thread about 3 planks a day. I thought why not🤷🏼‍♀️ It's good for toning and will add to my weights routine if I ever decide on one and get back to using them. Not long til sleeveless top season and I want my arms to be less flag in the wind and more flag pole.

AF is awol but I'm full of headaches, backache, abdo aches, tiredness and wanting to eat less than ideal foods. It will arrive when it sees fit.

Welcome to anyone new I have missed the last few days. This thread is great 😃

Been lurking and I'm delurking to send love to @buzzofthebumblebee and @ImALittlePea

Little wave to everyone else... back to hide under my rock.... will return in May with a more sensible head

Much love 💕

Thank you @ginsparkles . I'm all good and had a minor wobble. So I'll send mine on to the wonderful @ImALittlePea who has far more on her plate (with a share to @Weatherwax13 too for good measure) .

Pea - you have it tough. Hang on in there. Hope the little people get well soon and you don't catch it

Forgot to say nice to see you @ginsparkles . Catch up properly soon. Hope you are OK too ; )

@TheRealHousewife yes, I've been on these threads a couple of times in the past! I lost weight both times but it crept back on again!

Yesterday I made tomato and mozzarella salad and it was so tasty and yum and quick to make.

@ginsparkles we will be glad to see you back. Some weeks or months are just like that and it's impossible to get in the zone. A break can be a good thing.

An AF pound has appeared despite no actual AF. Peri-menopause is such a lark 😩 I am so tired these last two mornings and keep waking up at 5.50am which is 40 minutes before my alarm. Grrr.

The usual diet planned today for breakfast and lunch. No idea about dinner. Yesterday I had the same for lunch and dinner because I enjoyed it so much. I need some inspiration for meals.

@ImALittlePea hope today is a better day.

Have a good day and remember to keep your fluids up 🍾 mine were low yesterday and it definitely helps shift the weight when I drink more.

Good Morning

Great progress @ThreeRingCircus 👍Well done!

@ImALittlePea Don’t sweat the calories, eat what you need to get through. Hopefully your children are on the mend now. Sending ☕️ & ❤️ and an extra pair of hands.

Welcome back then @DownUdderer , not that you weren’t welcome before.

Hi @ginsparkles lovely to see you pop up 😬. Hope you’re ok my lovie!

@Xmasfairy86 your pitta filling sounds tasty! What is bilbong?

Menu
Meal 1 - Homemade spicy vegetable & bean soup. Apple. Pecans
Meal 2 - Salmon and spicy Cauli rice. Greek yoghurt & strawberries.
Tea, black coffee and water.

Exercise
Session 1 - Yoga
Session 2 - Core

I need to join you! Will read the whole thread later as I am sure there will be lots of great ideas.

I am 57 and fat. I don’t expect to be thin but want to be a healthy weight. Even nudging top end of healthy BMI would be fantastic.

Starting weight 13:6
Target weight 11:7 for starters.

I am 5ft 4 and have a disability that makes exercise very difficult aside from slow walking, so I am aiming to do at least 5000 steps a day. I know that doesn’t sound much but it’s a lot for me due to disability.

Going to use MFP for calorie counting and possibly 16:8 IF but maybe not every day as my job makes that a little tricky.

I have a beach holiday in September that is my target date.

Hi please may I join? I find having people to talk to really helps me stay focused.

I starting Fast800 back at the end of October 22. I have 4 kids and was not long back at work after mat leave. I lost 2 stone pretty quickly but since January have yoyoed around. I now want to lose that last stone to get back to my happy weight. We've got a big group holiday mid July so that's my goal date but I also just want to try and be healthy long term. I'm done having babies so feel it's time to reclaim my body.

I've done my 12 weeks of Fast800 and was finding it a bit restrictive anyway so I've gone back to good old WW. It actually fits well with the principles of the Mediterranean diet and I'm trying not to go mad for carbs.

My stats:

SW: 13st 5 lb
CW: 11st 7 lb
GW: 10st 7lb

Today's menu:

B: Overnight oats with banana, almond milk, Peanut butter powder, quark and passionfruit
L: Seeded bagel thin with homemade smoked mackerel pate, cherry toms and sugar snap peas, orange
D: Cod with a bacon and lentil casserole

I do want to cut down to only having refined carbs with one meal but I bought a pack of bagel thins so need to eat them up. Will try to do salad and protein for lunch the rest of the week.

Thanks everyone. Honestly I feel so embarrassed and a bit pathetic for finding the last couple of days so tough. My anxiety does rocket when DS gets ill (well, with both kids, obviously, but with his background it's much worse), so I guess it's natural that after a few days of broken sleep and no support that it would knock me sideways.

Anyway. New day. Better sleep last night, eventually, so feeling more capable today. DS off again, so can't take DD to her normal activities, but we're about to go for a walk so the fresh air will help. Fancying some houmous so I think today's menu is going to be...

Lunch - 3 x ryvita with a spread of houmous and topped with veggies. I'll have a cup-a-soup after if I need it.
Dinner - chicken Caesar salad. Going to try and avoid adding a carb (other than maybe croutons if I have them)

Lovely to see you @ginsparkles 💕

Hope you're feeling a bit better today @AutisticLegoLover

Sounds so simple but delicious, right up my street @DownUdderer I'm really looking forward to salads in the warm sun - if it ever appears!!

Cheers again @TheRealHousewife 🫖

Onwards, upwards and onwards!

Cross posted! Welcome @greencheetah @tiredandbaggy 🤩

(also, that should have been 'onwards, upwards and inwards' on my last post. I'll buzz off now!)

Hello, can I join please?

since my second pregnancy my weight has gone up and my energy has gone down. Turns out my thyroid is buggered. Now finally getting some energy back. Sitting around 72kg (will weigh tomorrow to confirm starting weight). I’m short and happiest around 60kg so plenty to go. First target is to get below 70kg.

I was previously v active - still walk a lot but putting back in more structured exercise too now I’m feeling more human!

Bilbong was meant to say biltong - beef jerky

Tuna salad for lunch followed by French fries
(I’d be a size 6 if crisps weren’t invented 😜)

Hey guys. Tough day- I've not stopped in work, like literally not stopped and work is a chore at the minute. I'm not sure if I'm losing the passion after almost 29 years. Mainly due to politics.🤔😒Sigh.

And had a v broken night as DS3 is ill. His seizures are a fact of our lives, but sometimes I worry. Thankfully family stepped in.

Had literally 15 minutes to throw lunch down my throat (humous/ crudités), so I've come home to a cuppa and a Fry's Cream - SO worth the calories and my favourite. No guilt at all after the day I've had.

Hope you're all well.

@Puffalicious

Hope you can relax a bit now. The work situation sounds tedious for you. And you must be worn out with DS3. I'm glad glad you have family support.
Wednesday weigh in
SW 88.8kg
TW 74kg
CW 75.45kg
Scales have been dramatically up and down this week but I'm 0.45kg down today so I'll take that.
Insomnia is appalling and I know it's making the weight loss harder. Have been up around 03.00 every day for months now and I'm starting to panic a little as it was my long overseas trip last year that started this and I'm leaving again next month. Ugh.

Thanks Weatherwax. Your insomnia sounds insufferable, you poor thing. It must be horrid knowing you can't sleep any longer but your body really needs it. Sending solidarity.

Welcome to the thread @greencheetah @tiredandbaggy @instantpotnoodle 👍

@greencheetah Im not very tall either and have a disability that makes exercise difficult so I really understand your frustrations. I do what I can and try not to worry too much. There are many aspects that impact on weight management including but exclusively:- medications, hormones, illness, disability, age, muscle mass, food intolerances, sleep quality etc.

@tiredandbaggy You've made significant progress to date so you understand what works for you. Well done and keep going 😬

@ImALittlePea Please don’t feel embarrassed; you’ve had it tough and been unwell yourself. We are all happy to lend an ear if it helps 😊

@instantpotnoodle I too have a medicated thyroid and I concur that it seems to make weight loss & management more difficult but not impossible. Pleased to read your energy levels are rising 👍. It does make a massive difference when you’ve at least got some energy 😬

@Xmasfairy86 I misquoted your spelling, you spelt it right in your post. Thank you, I didn’t know it beef jerky👍

@Weatherwax13 insomnia sucks! A little trick I’ve picked (forgotten where) is to take a slow deep breath in through the nose, hold for a second or two, then breathe in a little more, hold both breaths in before a slow exhale through the nose. Then repeat. I’ve never got past 6 or 7 breath cycles 👍 Sends me off back to sleep more often than not if I wake up in the night. Well done on nearing your goal! Try to not obsess about sleep as you’ll end up in a stress cycle that will become habit forming. Easier sad than done I know. Good luck.

@Puffalicious sorry to read your son has been ill. Here’s hoping you both have a more settled night.

Fingers crossed I haven’t missed anyone. I’m tired and ready for bed 💤

@TheRealHousewife @Puffalicious
Thankyou ❤️
@ImALittlePea you are absolutely not pathetic. Don't be hard on yourself.

@greencheetah should read ‘including but NOT exclusively’ … said I was tired 🥱😬

Evening all. 10.15 miles walked today, much better water intake, just under calorie allowance, AF still awol and boy are my abs and shoulders singing from those planks!

Sending positive and supportive vibes to those who need them

I'm dreading weigh in as nothing is moving this week and there's that pesky extra ghost of AF pound. Still, I'm trying not to let it bother me because that last goal of 60kg seemed to take ages when I got close to it and then I never saw it because I was 59 something. Maybe it will be the same this time but I'll just carry on regardless and l'll get there as will we all.

Lots of new faces lately which is lovely. You can do this!

I hope all the hard work everyone has put in has paid off when you step on the scales in the morning. If not, just keep going and you will get there.