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.

Thanks, sounds like great timing. Yesterday wasn't great, but not terrible either as a start. Was going to go out for a walk but I was doing various jobs at home and my tax return most of the day (I'm self employed) it was raining, so no exercise although my watch tracked about 3500 steps at home, better than nothing! Will walk today.
Yesterday:
Breakfast: chopped banana with kefir, a handful of almonds and coconut chips.
Lunch: salad with tomato, cucumber, apple, a piece of camembert and a handful of peanuts.
Afternoon snack: 2 squares 85% green and black's chocolate.
Dinner: salad nicoise with baby new potatoes from the garden, fresh tuna, green beans, tomato, olives, 1/2 hard boiled egg, small piece sourdough toast, a little dressing made with freshly squeezed orange juice, olive oil and honey and a blob of mayonnaise.
Dessert (I know, but we had some left!): Home made cheesecake with raspberries from the garden.
Will try harder today......

Thanks!

I won't weigh before the weekend now, just in case I hormonally fluctuate up and it ruins my confident vibe!

Well done on your loss @Jeds55 keep going.

@Netcam your good looks delicious. I am jealous of your homegrown raspberries. My grandmother used to grow “rasps” and they are so delicious when home grown.

I maintained this week, which although is annoying, it’s sort of expected as I ate crap half the week and didn’t exercise. I’m feeling much better now but I have been unwell all week, and incredibly tired. I’m fully back on the low carb wagon now though, my food is all planned and I’m feeling determined to stick to it properly.

today I’m going for a run, just a 5km to get myself out there. I also really want to start doing a core/abs programme which I have done before and had great results from I just need the motivation to start the 30 days. Today might be the day….. I’m going for a nice mooch round town this afternoon as well so that will get the steps in.

food: yoghurt, chia, berries- I’ll make it before my run and eat it after; lunch will be salad and tuna or cheese, dinner: we have another spice tailor kit and some chicken and ds wants to cook again, however this time I won’t have the rice or naan breads. I think I will make some cauliflower rice to go with mine.

have a great weekend.

How's everyone getting on?
Weigh in this morning- 10st 2lbs
Happy with that as was off work Friday so ate a lot!
Wedding is this Sat so trying to gather the last of my motivation for the next few days and allowing myself to eat whatever Fri, Sat and Sun. I had a target of under 10st by the wedding but that was already optimistic, impossible with the weekend binges, so not disheartened.
Have a holiday booked for July 31st so determined not to undo all the hard work but to continue to eat healthily for the future and to start running again!

@MakeYourself hope the festival was fun and you felt fab!

@Jeds55 I’m doing well thank you. This morning I weighed in at 154.5lbs, so tantalisingly close to the 10’s again, and I am so determined to stick to it this week to make that happen. I have 9 days til my BIG birthday so if I can have a really good week and a bit now, I could be a few pounds under 11, which could give me a pound or so in the bank to play with over my birthday celebrations!

I just worked that out in stones - you are so so close!! Definitely doable

Thanks for thinking of me @Jeds55
The festival was incredible and I felt really confident and comfortable in my skin, which was great!

I'm so tired and jaded today though😂

@MakeYourself glad you had a great time

@Jeds55 yep, so close I can almost smell it…. 😂 I know me though, being that close means I cannot take my eye off the ball even for a minute

How is everyone?

I've eaten like a wild animal all week, to heal myself after the extreme fun of my festival experience 🤣

I need to stop now! I'm going on holiday in 3 weeks so I can't fall face first into food for too much longer!

@MakeYourself 3 weeks you could make a massive difference! Draw a line and start tomorrow.

I’ve had a horrible week, I had an anxiety episode and just felt horrific all week, absolutely fragile emotionally and wave upon wave of anxiety all day every day. I don’t know what causes it, whether it’s hormones or just coincidence or an underlying condition but last time I had an episode like this was a year ago and I was just a wreck for a week and then it went away. So since last Saturday I’ve just been feeling really glum, tense and exhausted by it all. I’m living on my jangling nerves and feel really drained.

my food has been ok and when I weighed myself yesterday I was under 11 stone for the first time in ages. I intend to stick with it this weekend, my birthday is Wednesday so I’m going to keep going til then and it would be lovely to be another pound or so down so I feel a bit more confident in photos etc. I’m not sure if I fancy a drink tonight, the fact that nothing is chilled is helping to dissuade me. I’m running in the morning with my friend but it won’t be a long one as we’re both feeling dreadful.

I am really hoping I wake up tomorrow feeling a lot better.

@thenewaveragebear1983 I'm so sorry you've been feeling so anxious and overwhelmed. I really hope you feel more yourself in the morning.

I'm really happy with my weight loss over the past couple of months and I'd like to maintain where I am.......or where I was a week ago! 😂

So I agree, I need to draw a line and just get back to eating like a normal person tomorrow!

I just weighed myself and I actually weigh the same as I did last week!

It just goes to show that my body image is so psychological 🙃

felt much better yesterday and today. I ran 14km this morning and weighed in afterwards at 152.8lbs! Very pleased with that, although yes a post- run weigh in is a bit of a cheat. I might not weigh again now before my birthday so that could be my final weigh in of the 40 day challenge! I didn’t manage 40 days on plan, I reckon I probably managed 32/33 ish, but even so I have focused myself a bit more than I had been and I’ve got results.

after my birthday I’m back on it for another week, then we are on holiday for a week. Then when I get home, I’m planning to do a whole30 reset and really get myself feeling good to go into the autumn/winter. I am determined that by the end of the year I will be 10.5 stone, it takes me a long time and a lot of focus but I’m really determined. I look very slim at that weight so it’s a good target for me.

Oh and just scrolled back and my starting weight was 161lbs after whitsun holiday (started June 4th) so that’s 8lbs off in 6 weeks which I’m really pleased with

That's great @thenewaveragebear1983 🙌

I'm bowing out now as I've reached my target but hope you have a good birthday.