⭐️ LOSE IT! August 2023 ⭐️

[TheRealHousewife]

⭐️LOSE IT! August 2023⭐️

Healthy eating in the summer can be tricky to navigate. Summer barbecues, holidays, get togethers with family & friends makes it tougher to stay on track. No one wants to miss out on all the goodies on offer or be seen not joining in. However with forward planning and by setting your intentions you can mitigate any serious undoing of your endeavours. For example having a lighter lunch if you know you’re going for a slap up meal. Eat lighter the following day and keep hydrated to compensate.

Another new month to embrace and re-set to become a healthier version of yourself. These threads are for those who’d like to lose weight as well as those who wish to maintain; to encourage a healthy & varied diet and exercise.

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 9.5st. I had a blip a couple of years ago when my thyroid went wonky but now back (mainly) on track. I Would love to wave bye to another half a stone 😬 The main thing is to never give up! Keep going!

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

I'm getting really close to my goal weight. What a funny feeling! I never thought I'd get close, but I have. Patience is the hardest part sometimes. And perseverance!

I wore some trousers out and about on Sunday and they fit and I could easily sit down in them without being cut in half by them. Honestly I've been trying them on often, and I could tell they were too tight for quite a few weeks, but that they were getting better. It's really so strange! I'm glad I've got photos! It's like your brain doesn't exactly remember.

Someone asked me how long my walk was the other day, I think it was about two hours. I say any amount of walking is good. Just fitting it around a busy family can be hard, but it's very beneficial. It calms my brain and that's really good for me.

B: two boiled eggs with a teaspoon of spreadable butter, one slice of toast with marmalade and butter.

L: homemade lentil soup

D: beef olives with veg (and one tiny potato).

S: porridge oats with semi skimmed milk and blueberries.

Once schools go back I will be out cycling twice a week and have the morning dog walks to do again.

Thank you for the encouragement @TheRealHousewife it is really appreciated. I have done this before, and can do it again. There's no such thing as failure 😬😂

i ended up with stomach pains yesterday afternoon (didn’t eat enough at lunch) so I had 3 slices of cake, a bag of crisps and a coffee. Not my best choices

any suggestions for better snacks welcome…

todays plan

B: toast
L: out with my elderly uncle
D: Picnic plate (sandwich, veggie sticks, fruits, crisps cheese and crackers)

Good Morning

What a lovely update @greenspaces4peace. So pleased your artisan honey is selling well! When at market can’t you and your husband take it in turns to have a wander around the market to get your steps up … or are you too busy on your stall?

That’s a great NSV (none scale victory) @DownUdderer 👌Well done!

You’re welcome @Vettrianofan . You’re putting all the hard work in and will soon reach your goals! 👏Well done!

@esormirP I’d suggest ensuring you eat protein at each meal to help in keeping you satiated. Feeling a little bit hungry is ok but try not to allow yourself to get too ravenous before eating to avoid falling into a cake face first 😬 Also it’s important to keep hydrated! Water, water, water 💧. If snacks are needed in between meals what about a few nuts, dark chocolate, a piece of fruit?

Menu
Meal 1 - Minestrone soup. 2 boiled eggs.
Meal 2 - Baked hake, carrots, mini corn, mange tout.
Tea, black coffee and water.

REMINDER

• Set your intentions and plan meals.
• Stay hydrated.
• Get quality sleep.
• Eat protein at each meal.
• Include healthy fats.
• Watch portion size.
• Eat enough fibre.
• Eat a variety of fruit, fibre, nuts, seeds and legumes.
• Exercise if able.
• Don’t sweat the small gains. Fluctuations are normal.
• If you fall off the wagon, don’t chuck the towel in.

@greenspaces4peace are you standing the whole time you are at the market? You are getting in some activity by just doing that, similar to the concept of standing desks etc.

Ended up changing lunch yesterday and didn't have the quorn in the freezer, so coconut lentil curry with straw mushrooms instead.

Today, been shopping already, my children are "swapping" with friends, so I'm having the younger ones here, the older ones going there. They want tuna sandwiches for lunch, so I'll just have the rest of the tuna on a salad. Just realised I forgot burger buns for veggie burgers for the rest of my family for dinner, just going to have to have sausages in sliced bread instead, they've seen it with sausages on Bluey, I'll tell them it's Australian night!

B: Kidney bean burrito
L: Tuna salad
B: Richmond vegetarian sausage in sandwich thin, salad
English plums, iced protein coffee

I weighed in this morning, 1lb down. I can’t feel the difference just yet and I know it’s in the right direction but I was still a little disappointed.
Heading out for a walk tonight once the kids are in bed, keeping up the exercise and good choices and hope to loose another pound this week.

@MamaGhina Thats a 1lb in the right direction 👌A 1lb loss each week, week on week will soon add up!

Thanks @TheRealHousewife. I went out for my walk and feel like exercise is what I need to focus on right now to start seeing some changes to my body shape.

dh is a big help and i do get some walking in, but nothing like what i would be getting around and about the house and yard.
proper weigh in
multivits
water
exercise
and food...not the best choices as i'm using up left overs but all in all i'm content fingers crossed as it's just mid day.

My week so far seems like it's going well. I need to make cupcakes tomorrow so dd1 can take them into school to sell for a fundraiser. I'm not sure if I'll eat one to see if they're nice or not.

@esormirP I have a sweet tooth and love cake but this is what I’ve been eating for snacks lately :

apple slices and peanut butter,
dark chocolate rice cakes

a few squares of dark chocolate and tea
low fat high protein yoghurt with a teaspoon of honey if desired
homemade smoothie eg. frozen blueberries & banana blended with milk and cinnamon and chia seeds sprinkled on top

So yeah I’ve been okay the past few days, trying to get minimum of 7k steps in and have largely stuck to my meal plan which has been things like salmon, chicken, granola and high protein yoghurt and Turkey bacon.

I have a body fat scale that gives several measurement, I’m sure it’s not super accurate but I feel if I use the same scale it will be accurate-ish, in the sense it’ll show changes.

I’m up in % muscle mass, body water, protein (all good things) and down slightly in weight, body fat and most importantly visceral fat levels are now down to normal range 🎉When you’re in the recommended range the % is displayed in green so it was good to see that turn green.

There’s a fitness influencer who is 5ft 3 and weighs over 13 stone ( 83Kg )- I’m the same height and was very fat at that weight but she is slender, has a tiny waist and is clearly slim/muscular. It’s a good reminder that body weight doesn’t tell the whole story.

So those of you who are naturally muscular or are doing weights this may be the reason your fat loss isn’t reflecting on the scale as much as you’d like .

I am really proud of myself yesterday.

I had lasagna and salad for my lunch out, and when the kids and my uncle had pudding, I just had a decaf coffee.

also stuck to the plan for tea and resisted making popcorn to snack on while reading my book once the DC had gone to bed. (DH is away for work)

@Oatycookies thats a really helpful list of snacks, definitely trying some of them when the hunger strikes!

todays plan
B: toast
L: bacon roll and fruit
D: chicken pasta of some sort

Good Morning

I had a total flip out yesterday. I’d been out for most of the afternoon after an early lunch (had pain meds too as in quite a bit of pain) and when I returned I had a gnawing hunger. I had a yoghurt, slice of gf toast with butter & Brazil nuts. I more meds, a cuppa and lay down. Later OH woke me, he prepared what I’d planed for tea but his way. He made a batter, coated the fish and deep fried it! I was more impressed than annoyed 😮. He’d also made chips! Like proper chip shop chips! I ate it all up with gratitude and it was delicious 😋❤️ Today (and rest of the week) I’m on super tight mode to compensate.

@MamaGhina Exercise can really help sculpt your physique. I do light arm weights and they have made a difference to my upper arm tone 👍

@greenspaces4peace It sounds like you are making the best of a situation that is out of your control albeit short term. Here’s hoping for another positive day for you.

@DownUdderer What a temptation 🧁 😋

@Oatycookies Excellent reminder about weight/body composition and body weight. It’s almost impossible to accurately compare yourself to another in this way. I am petite framed and not very tall. When I was match fit and very active I looked a slip of a thing but was very strong and was solid muscle. I don’t know the fat % as scales that measured that didn’t exist then. People were shocked I was 7.5-8.5 stones as in their opinion I looked nearer to 6 stones (in their opinion). I was tiny.

@esormirP Well done on swerving dessert! I also enjoy a black coffee to end a meal 👍

Menu
Meal 1 - Minestrone soup. 2 Boiled eggs.
Meal 2 - Chicken stir fry. Greek yogurt & pecans.
Tea, black coffee and water water water! 💧

I've been on holiday. Lots of good food, drink and exercise!

Weighed myself before I went and had undone all the good I'd done ☹️

Came home and jumped on scales expecting to cheer myself up and the battery is defunct!

I feel good but will have to shop on way home so I can WOW in the morning 😀

Making good food choices today and went out for my walk at lunch time so already got that under my belt. Hope everyone else is having a good day.

Welcome back @Karatema Give yourself a fresh start and clean sheet. You’ve got results before, you can do it again 👍

@MamaGhina Well done on sticking to plan and getting a walk in already. Excellent 👌

Shuffling in with a new name and Kate to the party as usual.
Appalling eating habits lately but that period of being ill gave me a good buffer so hanging in around 55.5kg.
I think August needs to be a month of recharging for me. Earlier nights, lots of reading, more soup, less sugar at least the heavily processed stuff, and try to get some miles back on the clock. The lack of school run isn't good for me as I'm 5 miles down without it.

We have lots of new Lego sets after a trip to Legoland 😉

I need to catch up as always.

@Ninjachicken and @Weatherwax13 I hope August treats you better and that you find happiness and freedom this month.

Welcome new posters and thanks as always to @TheRealHousewife for the new thread.

Damn it. Spelt my new username wrong. I'm such a dime bar.

You’re very welcome @JustACountryMusicGirlInCowboyBoots 👍I love Lego … apart from when I stand on a piece 😣😬

I've made the cupcakes. I don't think there are enough. I might make another batch after school pick up. I think the recipe said 12 but I only got 10. I couldn't eat one because that'd only leave 9. It's supposed to be a fundraiser! I don't really bake very often so I guess I genuinely don't know if they'll taste good.

I've managed some good steps today. I've had scrambled eggs for lunch with a side salad.

I think I'll cook up some chicken breast for dinner.

Tomorrow I've got my youngest's sports day. Last year the parents had to participate. So I'll be ready for it this year. I'm grateful that I'm able to attend and join in. I'm grateful that my weight loss will be in my favor. I won't have so much belly in the way for bending over to pick up the Frisbee this year. Last year my jeans nearly cut me in half every time I needed to bend over.

For me personally I wanted to lose weight to look good, to be able to wear all my clothes in my wardrobe that didn't fit me anymore. I wanted to feel fitter and lighter on my feet. I guess I wanted to feel young. And it's nice to feel like literally, my belly won't get in my way. And I've got a little bit of my confidence back. And eating good food makes me feel good. I used to be having sugar highs and lows and felt quite tired and fed up and grumpy.

Thanks everyone for keeping me going :)

May I please join?

I currently need to lose about 6 kg to get back into green bmi.

Have had a period of terrible stress in my life with one of the dc struggling a lot at school and my dh has got into a habit of eating a lot of treats in the evening to try to help him manage through the day. I never initiate this or buy anything but find it hard to say no.

I want to try to exercise more, completely opt out of these evening snack sessions (as far as possible) and eat healthier and more sensible portions.

Thankyou @JustACountryMusicGirlInCowboyBoots
I wasn't sure which user name to reply to😆
I'm hanging in there but barely. Another terrible week. Having a lot of therapy thank fuck.
I'm at 71.2kg again today which is pretty much bang on my original TW.
All new clothes are size 10 jeans/skirt and 12 top so I've gone down from (a very tight) 14 jean and 16 top. I'm happy with that.
Probably good if i don't lose much more as my face looks absolutely gaunt. Still too reliant on ice cream as most proper food is turning my stomach.
How's everyone else going?
@Ninjachicken how are things with you?

SW: 76.7kg
TW: 65kg
CW: 74.9 kg

Really pleased with my progress so far. I am aware I have had my period, which always makes me fluctuate by 1/2-1 kg but feels good to be loosing weight rather than hiding from the scales.

B: Toast
L:sandwiches
D: sausage and potatoes (think this might change and my youngest doesn’t like to sausages we have in

Hello All, Just checking in, August has been hectic and I fear I am going to gain and loose the same kilo over and over again as back up to 66kg today 😞

In good news I am doing much better mentally and have really got back into my exercise routine so I am getting stronger if not skinnier which is a nice feeling. Hoping to start looking a bit toned soon.

Morning all. I’m enjoying reading everyone’s updates.

@MissHavershamReturns snacking in the evening is by far my biggest challenge and sitting next to someone who is stuffing is really hard. I totally understand being unable to say no. I think it was @TheRealHousewife who suggested to me that I brush my teeth pretty early in the evening, which helps!

I have a big lunch to attend today and I’m not going to be able to demonstrate self control because it’s a carvery this will effectively be my treat this week and then I’ll get back on plan. I will still head out tonight and do my walk so might try and tag on an extra loop to minimise the damage.