LOSE IT! September 2023🍁Autumn Edition🍁

[TheRealHousewife]

Schools are returning, most holidays are over and Autumn is fast approaching; A perfect time to re-set the mind, outline goals and affirm intentions. There is definitely a cool nip in the air!

Another new month to initiate a fresh start to become a healthier version of yourself. These threads are for those who’d like to stay healthy, lose weight as well as those who wish to maintain; to encourage a healthy & varied diet and to 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 9st 3lb. 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?

PS - Positive thought:- If you were to lose on average a 1lb per week you’ll be at least a stone lighter by Christmas 🎄

Wednesday check in. Lost 1/2 a lb.

Thanks for sharing that @TheRealHousewife -it’s so easy to forget how far you’ve come. I think we all need to give ourselves a pat on the back for being on the journey!

<Shuffling into the back row hanging my head in shame>

Morning all. I feel bad this morning after having both my flu and covid vaccines yesterday. I've got some very stressful family stuff going on with my DDs and haven't been in the headspace at all. My stomach is very bloated thanks to a diet very high in sugar the last week. Still having porridge and chia for breakfast and often having soup for dinner but the eating chocolate or sweets for meals is not helping at all. Must do better today.

Weight is around 56kg.

I'll catch up later.
Have a great day and don't forget your 🍾 although now it's not hot it's not as easy to remember I find.

Happy WOW everyone.
The scales have shifted for my first weigh in - 0.7kg off.

SW: 97.5kg
CW: 96.7kg
5%: 92.5kg

I have successfully avoided the 'share bag' pitfall this week. Need to remember that as I go forwards! I think the swimming has also helped.

Clothes are a big motivating factor for me as well. In my 20s I couldn't afford anything nice. In my late 30s, I can afford nice things, but can't really fit any of them... I'd really like to wear something lovely on Christmas Day. I think that might be my first non scale goal!

Down 1/2 lb today. It's moving at last.

Successful week for me with a new low after last week’s slight gain. I’m now back to the weight I was about a year ago. Still a few lbs to go before I reach my target weight.

Now the weather is feeling more autumnal (sideways rain at present), the key thing is not to lay down fat stores for winter hibernation.

SW 128 lbs
CW 122.4 lbs
TW 119 lbs

Not doing well with exercise this week. I did a youtube video Monday, but yesterday I had a migraine I managed to stave off the worst of by taking the prescription I have at 4AM when it hit. So didn't do much for the day, and today I feel fragile, would love to go for a walk outside, but it is pouring sideways!

Yesterday:
B: Black bean burrito
L: Dry vegetable curry
D: cauliflower/potato mash, "black badgers", piccalilli, veggie sausage
protein yogurt for snack

Today:
B: Kidney bean burrito
L: Quorn, vegetables, lemon sauce
D: probably beans on toast late, have a high school visit,
Protein pudding for snack (from Lidl really good!)

Will weigh in tomorrow, I'm all over the place this week.

SW 173.4 lb
CW 168.6 lb (-3.2)
TW 158 lb

Happy to have lost this week but feel I need more balance. I'm either eating very little or over indulging at the moment which isn't really sustainable. I'm wondering if fasting is the way forward for me. Maybe it's easier as I find moderation hard at times.

Happy WoW to those of you stepping on the scales today! Some excellent results, and some good NSVs as well, well done everyone. I'll do my WoF update on Friday as normal 😁

@WeirdPookah what is a "black badger"?! Hope your migraine subsides soon.

@DomesticElf similar to @WhatWouldTheDoctorDo when I'm logging on MFP I will enter and save an entire recipe, so the leg work is only happening once. It isn't exact, but close enough for me. Worth the upfront effort if you're keen on calorie tracking for a while.

@Kazziek ahh the cup-a-soup special is mine! Hah. It's really not special, it just became my shorthand for what I have for lunch most days to save me writing the same thing out every day. It's basically a regular cup-a-soup with a plate of salad veggies (normally a handful of halved cherry toms, a wedge of cucumber, about 1/3 a pepper) with 3 or 4 thin crispbreads and a dairylea triangle. If I have houmous in the fridge I'll have a tablespoon of that too.

I've been pretty on plan the last couple of days 👍 yesterday's lunch was the rest of the frittata with a spoonful of beans. Dinner was a baked potato, a small grating of cheese, a spinach and leek lattice and lots of peas and green beans. I had a little bit of dairy milk after, all within my eating window.

I've been very stressed and anxious over a work issue the last few days, which nearly left me reaching for some wine last night, but I quickly reminded myself of all the reasons why that was a bad idea. Not just weigh, but health, and my desire to not turn to wine as a comfort measure. So I put my PJs on early, had a tea, and went to bed early. Little wins 😊

Today's plan:
Lunch was (drum roll) cup-a-soup special 🤣
Dinner - chicken, bacon and greens salad, with some crushed new potatoes

@ImALittlePea they are a Lancashire thing, or at very least a Northern thing (I'm from down south!), parched peas/pigeon peas, they are really dark. You have them with butter and vinegar on. First time I've tried them this year, found them in Booths.

Lost a tiny bit more! I did a happy dance this morning 😀
CW: 55.5 kg

I lied! 75.5 kg 🤣

Despite all the stressful binge-triggering emotions, I’ve lost half a kilo since my previous weigh-in. Now 113.5 kg. I postponed tomorrow’s supermarket delivery until Friday, as it was just a bit too tempting.

Hello All

Great results being posted. Congratulations to everyone and a massive well done to those who keep doing their thing but waiting for the results to show ❤️

WOW - 9st 3lbs. Should have posted yesterday when I was 9st 1.5lbs 😬

Keep on it ladies! You’ll be glad you did.

I was baking with my toddler today and couldn't resist eating the end product (biscuits). Now kicking myself. I need to learn some self discipline as there will be more baking on the horizon.

First weigh in since my return. 10st 12. GW 10st, but to be honest, I'll be happy maintaining at 10 1/2 stone. Bit annoyed to have sustained an injury in return to exercise this week, but I have my fingers crossed it will heal quickly: I've been able to carry on with the flexibility programme I've started, so that's something!

Well done everyone who has made progress this week!

SW - 70kg
CW - 68.2KG
Interim GW - 60kg
Forgot to post yesterday - other posters' success stories keep me on track.
My version of intermittent fasting is continuing to motivate. Twice a week I miss my evening meal as I am busy teaching. A few times a week I will skip breakfast and then have my breakfast at lunchtime. I have 2 days a week where I eat 3 meals. I like to 'surprise' my metabolism!
Keep going everyone - whatever works for you.

Weighed in today! 2.2lbs down this week. ⭐

Total down 59.6lbs (so close to next neat number!!)

@DomesticElf if you are interested, I have a recipe my girls love for lower fat/sugar banana muffins we freeze and reheat for breakfasts, tasty but healthier and fun to make.
You could also work on early knife skills by making a fruit salad!

Been for a walk, bit hot! Roll on proper bright, dry COLD mornings!

B: Kidney bean burrito
L: Pierogi and cabbage with mustard
D: Roast butternut, peppers, tomatoes, chicken
apple for snack (finally found new season English apples, plums vanished after a week, seems a bad year for some things)

Hmm. Yesterday went a bit skewiffy. Ended up having one of my spells of feeling a bit faint, and needed something more substantial, so we had burger and wedges 🤦‍♀️ and a bit of choc too.

Today's not been brilliant so far either, took DD to a group but someone there was poorly so we quickly left, and ended up going to a cafe. She wanted a cake but it was too big for her to have solo, so I shared it 🤦‍♀️ along with an oat latte. Back on track now though for the rest of the day... 🤞

Lunch - wrap with houmous, cheddar and lots of salad
Dinner - yesterday's chicken and greens salad

Got my exercise class tonight, and drinking lots and lots of water. Not expecting to lose tomorrow... I've kind of resigned myself to having a fair old slog to get back to where I want to be after my holiday so it already feels pointless to do too much now. I know that's massively counterintuitive though, so I'll try and make good choices where I can 😬 trying to turn that negative mindset off but it's overpowering my good voice at the moment.

SW: 17 st 10lbs (248 lbs)
CW: 16 st 13 lbs (237 lbs)
TW: 11 st 7 lbs (161 lbs)

Had my first wobble at work last night-felt dizzy and tired, so munched 4 triangle brown bread and corned beef sandwiches- then realised i was about to launch myself at the left over cakes and was able to stop by accepting that food is fuel for me now, and not a comfort thing.😱Also could have had a banana instead, but chose to salivate after cakes, so still a long way to go, but so worth it !!!
Making sweet potato and spinach dhansak tonight and will be having veg not rice or naan 😅-sticking with 16:8 until 24 November!!!

ffs ie 2 slices of bread in total!!!

@WeirdPookah I would love that recipe please!

Today:

B - scrambled egg and toast
L - lentil soup, and 2 slices of ham (this is because I was in back to back meetings until 4 which is when I had lunch, so was starving and scoffed the ham while I waited for my soup to heat up - fewer calories than a biscuit)
D - Cuban beef, orzo pasta, greens (freezer tea night).

That leaves me just over 100 calories for a snack later: no exercise again today, still recovering from injury earlier in the week. It is getting better so I am hopeful for tomorrow. I will do a stretching session later to keep on with my flexibility goal though.

@DomesticElf this is the basic recipe, I put them in silicone muffin cups as they stick like mad to paper being so low in fat. Also easier to freeze and reheat when they are popped out free.

2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
2 cups wholemeal (or 1 white, 1 wholemeal, I personally use chapatti flour)
1.5 tsp baking powder
enough fruit juice or milk/alternative to make thick batter (depends on the bananas)

And that's that! Mash banana, add eggs, add flour and baking powder, mix and add any liquid needed. Gas 5/6 for 15-20 mins, depends on size you make them. They are extremely forgiving!

Pop out of cups and freeze, they reheat beautifully in the microwave, they are much nicer warm due to the lack of butter, makes them softer.

Variations= endless! I have done all of these: add a cup dry fruit, add a can of fruit cocktail, dried seeds/nuts, replace some flour with oats/ground almonds/bran stick cereal, add grated carrots or apple with mixed spice or cinnamon, half fill cups and add dot of nut butter or jam in middle then top off, add a can of mandarins and some chocolate bits, soak and mash chopped dates and add them.

Thank you @WeirdPookah ! Can't wait to try them 😊

A very unexpected but very welcome 1lb off this morning!! So now under my ceiling weight once more, and 2lb over my pre summer holidays weight. One week until we go abroad, so I'll take that!