Who is up for 40 good days on plan before the summer hols

[thenewaveragebear1983]

My goal this year was to lose 23lbs in 2023, and prior to coming away on whitsun holiday I had lost around 14 of those… I dread to think how many I have regained while I’ve been away but 🤦‍♀️

Anyway- I turn 40 about 6 weeks after I get back, and this is my final strong push. I’m challenging myself to have 40 good days on plan before I turn 40, which conveniently ties in with the dc breaking up from school and our summer holiday.
the plan:

• I am going to try to cut UPF out of my diet completely
• try to reduce alcohol down to a very occasional drink.
• I already exercise a fair bit but I’m going to do a specific 30 days programme alongside my running and classes.
• i need to control my portion sizes, my snacking, and my overall calorie intake.
• I like IF and especially on weekdays it really works for me to skip breakfast
• I’m going to eat real food, (no protein shakes or things like that)
• I need to eat more veg
• I’m going to cut out dairy and bread, both of which I really shouldn’t eat and do, so I always feel better when I cut them out.
• I’m going to track on nutracheck with a goal of 1500 cals

I have more than 40 days to play with so that does buy me a couple of ‘nights off’ for significant events if needed.

and this is the biggie…… I’m not going to weigh myself. I’ll weigh at the start and hide the scales. Maybe do measurements as well.

anyone who would like to join me for a chat thread and accountability please do!
for reference, I’m 5’7, and prior to this week I was 154lbs. I’ll update my starting weight on Monday 5th June.

I'm really glad you're feeling better about everything @thenewaveragebear1983
Yes, bodies are weird!

I weighed this morning (I know, I know!) and I'm 63.9kg. I am delighted with that.
Down from 65.2kg 24 days ago 🙌

I weighed yesterday and I was back up to 157.7lbs which is stupid really. Bobbing around gaining/losing- and that’s exactly why I didn’t want to weigh myself, but also I find if I do, it gives me a bit of a wake up as to the fact I’m basically going to end these 40 days weighing exactly the same as I started 🤦‍♀️
I did manage to end yesterday on 1609 cals, which included wine and I didn’t snack or graze, my meals were good. I wanted to run this morning but dh has arranged to go out with his mate for a 15km and I think it’s going to be too hot by the time he gets back. We are out with friends for a picnic lunch this afternoon at our boys football club, again, perfect opportunity to take my food and stick to my plan. Plus I feel quite hungover today so I may not drink tonight.

food plan today:
b-chia, yoghurt, fruit, maybe blended up as a smoothie
l- salad, hard boiled eggs. Mayo.
D- stir fry- chicken, loads of veg, Katsu sauce. Kids/dh having noodles as well.

Have a great Saturday!

Well done @MakeYourself that's a great loss

Gahhh, just lost my long message but the gist of it was that whilst you may not have lost much on the scales @thenewaveragebear1983 your food does always sound so tasty and healthy.
I also weighed today after beers and chippy tea (after school sports day) - has totally demotivated me as I'm 10st 7.4!! How??? Fighting the urge to throw the towel in this weekend and start again Monday as got a birthday thing tomorrow too and am knackered after a bad night with the youngest.

Aah @Jeds55 I'm sorry that's given you a knock ☹️

My weight fluctuates so much. I know when I catch it inexplicably on the "up" it sends me right that headshots you're describing. So I have nothing but sympathy for those feelings ❤️

I'm off to a friends for dinner and drinks this evening. Then I've got a lunch out with family tomorrow and another dinner out on Monday!

So I certainly won't be motivated to hop back on those scales any time soon! But it's going to be really lovely and sociable so I'll enjoy it and eat lighter next week to balance.

@thenewaveragebear1983 I agree that your meals sound so nutritious and tasty.

Day 19.
I got myself into a real funk about not losing any weight and I’ve been really glum all day. It’s given me a real opportunity to look closely and where I am and what I’m doing- I think being totally truthful, I haven’t really been sticking as closely to plan as I wanted to. I basically eat too much. I think if I want any noticeable weight loss I need to fully knuckle down now, I have 3.5 weeks and I could certainly get below 11 stone by then but I am going to have to really work hard and be very honest with myself.

my food today has been really good, I have tracked every single morsel. Closing up the kitchen on 1044 cals and 34g carbs , I ran 8km and have just been for a slow amble for 45 mins with ds.

tomorrow I’ve planned all my meals out again, very thoroughly. The weather is turning cooler from tomorrow, much as i like the summer, the endless 26* days have been quite tiring and I struggle to get my exercise in when it’s that hot. So my plan is to run every day this week now it’s cooler, even if it’s just a short one. And I know I keep saying this but I’m going to start my 30 day Abs programme again.

I've been very absent of late - a couple of medical things (and a weekend away) have meant that I've mainly been sitting on the sofa eating ice cream. Feeling pretty gross but more motivated today. I did some exercise this morning and have been very good at drinking water. I also though basically spent all afternoon snacking and we've just had GU cheesecakes after dinner. Tomorrow is a new day, I like the renewed enthusiasm @thenewaveragebear1983. We're only half way through the 40 days so plenty of time to get back on track 💪🏻

Well unsurprisingly I did blow the diet on Sunday too. 3 day binge and weighed in today at 10st 6.8 (somehow lower than Sat morning! Weight is definitely weirdly fluctuating @MakeYourself but I'll take that!)
On the plus side a few people I hadn't seen since April told me I'd lost weight so something positive.
Back on it today. Little motivation but have kept it low calorie.
Glad you're feeling more positive @thenewaveragebear1983 I'm definitely aiming to run now the weather cooler.
@mynameiscalypso it feels so much longer than half way through but that's reassuring, we still have time!

@Jeds55 that's exactly the sort of weird and illogical weight fluctuations that screws with my head!! 😂

Glad you had a bit of a boost from people noticing 🙌

I went for dinner with some friends last night and slept so badly last night 😩

Think a combination of eating later than usual, a big meal and being on my period. This all made me feel very hot and uncomfortable in the night.

Back on eating better today after an indulgent few days.

I’ve had 3 really good days on plan, 2 days under 60g carbs and today just under 100g. Tomorrow I’m aiming for under 50g again, lots of protein, lots of water.

Day 22- I’ve continued with my streak of good days, today coming in at 1525 and 71g carbs. I ran this morning but there then that have had a pretty slow day, only clocking 8.5k steps and I feel so tired I can’t even force myself out for a short walk to hit 10k.

i weighed in this morning and I’m really pleased to say I’ve had a really nice loss this week, I’m now 153.3lbs (yes, I am under 11stones!) and that’s a total of 7lbs down in 22 days which I’m really pleased with. I know it’s mostly the effect of slashing carbs this week but it just shows what I need to actually do, and it just seems to have come from nowhere as I was having a terrible week last week. I really needed the boost. I’m determined to protect that loss over the weekend now and not go crazy.

food today has been good, food tomorrow all planned although it will be a little uninspiring as we are running low and not doing top up shops!

Well done @thenewaveragebear1983 you're in the zone!

I've had a couple of sensible days eating but nothing too light. Probably up to tdee.

I've got 10 days until the music festival I was aiming for 🙌. I'm definitely going to be feeling more confident and good in my clothes.

Day 25 today. I did go a bit over on calories yesterday, ending on 1700 ish, but I did stick to carbs thereabouts.
I feel really unwell today so I’m staying in bed and drinking lemsip and feeling sorry for myself!

Morning all.
I seem to be relying on the scales to chart my progress, which is not what I was intending/aiming for 🫤
I'm aware I can put too much emphasis on that "number" and disregard other important aspects.

However, it's day 32 for me and I did weigh this morning. I'm 63.5kg which is brilliant, especially as I've had a few food/drink things on last week.

I'm not aiming to lose more now I think. I just want to focus on continuing to feel confident and comfortable 🙌

I'm shopping and lunching with a good friend today. Might buy some new clothes for the festival next week 🥳

Oh I'm sorry you're not well @thenewaveragebear1983
Feel better soon.

Weigh in 156lbs so back over 11st! But inevitable as I ate loads of carbs yesterday. Back on track today!

I ate my body weight in sugar yesterday so definitely need a better day today. We've got a lunch planned with my family today but my DM is cooking and she normally is a pretty veg-focused, healthy cook so it should be fine. Just have to stay off the wine.

I had a really shit few days, literally ate everything in sight and more. Felt really unwell as well. Still not 100% and have a whopping sore mouth ulcer and a chesty cough lingering, but I slept better last night and feel better today. Time to get seriously back on it now. As is always my problem, it’s the weekend drinking that throws me off every time. I am tempted now to not drink til my birthday, that would be 2 weekends, just to give myself a push. Certainly I could try to reduce what I have but I’m not a great moderator so I think zero will work better for me. 🤔

Back on the low carb wagon today, yoghurt and fruit with chia, chicken salad and fish and salad for dinner so hopefully can get back into the nice zone I was in last week.

Will join you for the first half, going away in 20 days. I'm 53 and 5'3. I managed to get down from 9st 10 to 9st 3 for my wedding in October but it's been creeping up lately. Weighed myself this morning and I was 9st 8.

Sorry to hear you've been feeling rough @thenewaveragebear1983 glad you're on the mend now though
Still ticking along here, as with others it's the weekends that threaten to ruin all my efforts. Ate everything in sight and then some Sat and Sunday.
Weighed Mon but can't recall it now, it's written down upstairs so I'll update in a bit - think it was around 1lb off so it's headed in the right direction but could be so much better.

@MakeYourself that's really good! Hope you got some new clothes. I've tried in a few dressses for the wedding and I'm between sizes now but felt so much better in them

Welcome @Netcam I think most of us are now a couple of weeks away from our events so it's a perfect time to join.
The weight creeps so easily doesn't it! Sounds like you can definitely get back to where you were, though

@mynameiscalypso hope you managed to stay off the wine! It's so tempting on a weekend isn't it?!