Diet for Christmas Challenge 2023

[bigdecisionstomake]

This is a continuation of the Diet for Christmas Challenge thread started by @OhFatty in 2022 and the Diet for Summer Challenge thread started by @Dashel earlier this year. Thank you to them both.

It is open to everyone, whether you have a lot to lose, just a small amount to go or you're at target but facing the enormous challenge of maintaining your loss ongoing.

It is a thread for positivity, support, cheering each other on and the very occasional kick up the bum if and when requested.

Hopefully previous members of both threads will join us again and new members are always welcome.

Yay for rediscovered mojo. Well done.
I,likewise, seem to have pulled my socks up and stopped beating myself up. Managed a run at 7am today (unheard of. I'm not great at getting going first thing) and have been eating well recently.
Reward is 200g down and 71.1kg. So damn close to that 70.something that I can taste it. But I won't, because I don't need the calories!

Love that your DS is making dinner thoigh. Can't wait until mine can manage something more.complex than scrambled egg or pot noodle. He is only 11 though. How old is yours?

@Backinthedress just wanted to say I know how you feel, I struggled with eating disorders for a very long time. Like you said, it never really goes away and can rear its ugly head when I’m stressed out about other things. I can’t calorie count because it’s always a downwards spiral for me. I try to focus on one achievable thing at a time - at the moment it’s drinking more water. In the past it’s been avoiding sugar, cutting out booze, making protein a priority at every meal. I find if I focus on habits that make me feel better, I’m less likely to slide back into old bad habits. It’s so hard though. X

Morning all

Glad you're feeling more positive too@Backinthedress and well done for getting out for a run. The dark mornings make it difficult but I joined you with another 5000 step walking workout this morning, albeit from the comfort of my lounge!

My youngest DS (who still lives at home with me) is 23. I've always enjoyed cooking and he has enjoyed helping out even from quite a young age which has made him a confident cook now. My DP is really picky with food so tends to sort himself out with ready meals/takeaways so most nights it's just DS and I for an evening meal and we share the cooking pretty much 50:50. He's actually probably been doing more than 50% since work went a bit manic a couple of weeks ago. I'm really lucky he has grown up to be a thoughtful and practical young man. I was determined not to lumber some poor girl with a useless DP/DH when the time came though so brought them both up to be able to look after themselves 😂

Sorry to hear you've had struggles with food too @EllaWallace and thank you for sharing your experience and what has helped you 🙂

So, my mojo remains firmly in place for the moment. Eldest DS who lives quite a way away had a bit of a meltdown on the phone last night which is always upsetting when I'm not there to talk him down in person and give him a big hug. I came extremely close to reaching for chocolate and wine but the thought of coming back on here this morning and confessing to falling off the wagon so quickly again made me stay strong in the end - so thank you all for that!

How is everyone else doing now we're at hump day?

Thanks Ella. It's different every day, isn't it? I decided against weighing myself this morning because I really really wanted to. Either I've not lost weight which would mean I would spiral and either binge or severely restrict OR I would have lost weight which would mean I would spiral and.... Well, same effect.

It's better to just try and stick to my sensible eating and not know whether I've lost weight so I need to carry on for that steady loss. Also, maybe by the next time I weigh myself I'll come in at sub 71kg which would be a lovely boost and a reward for being sane and sensible about this.

I also got round to making some homemade soup for lunch today which will help with getting extra veg down me and allow me the burger and oven chips I have planned for dinner! Am feeling very proud of myself and, in many ways, realising how little food I actually need on a day to day basis, which I think is what I've seen someone else saying.

bigdecision - love to hear about your DS2, it's what I hope for from my DS when he's older. DP and I both work FT, DP is often travelling, I work for a v large corporate firm and am close to promotion which will mean working more hours, so it would be great if he could start pitching in more with food prep. I'm currently training him in bathroom-cleaning technique - also a vital life skill!

Determined not to partake in "wine Wednesday " today....two workouts done so far this week and I'm determined it will be at least 3. If I drink wine tonight the workout will not happen in the morning so I must stay strong.
I'm also doing a 30 day squat challenge (just for myself), currently on day 8, I did a similar one about 6 months ago and enjoyed how toned I got.
It's a worrying time at work at the moment and that will remain the case for the foreseeable unfortunately- I need to try to cut down on wine, I'm known to self medicate with too much wine! Tonight I'm staying strong.
Just keep swimming.

@Gemzee love the idea of the squat challenge, is it an app?
I’m trying to cut down on wine too, it’s so hard sometimes isn’t it. Do you like kombucha? I’ve been having one in a wine glass in the evening so it feels a bit special and so I have something to drink when my husband has wine!

Not an app, just a pic I found online 😊
Not tried Kombucha, will give that a try thanks!

I obviously don't do them all in one go, got 100 to do tomorrow .. Will probably split it into 25 x 4 😊

God today was shit. Some bits were really good, but the overall impression it gave was just... shit.
Turned down for a job I really wanted, a colleagues death was announced, my sciatic nerve is tweaking and I only just got back into running.
I had kebab and sooo much chocolate for dinner. Amazingly didn't exceed calories for the day, but hardly the nutritional content I was aiming for this morning.

@Backinthedress I think when days like that happen you have to let it go. Have the treats and get back on track the next day. Sorry your day was so bad.

Thanks Gemzee. It was absolutely needed yesterday.

Weighed myself today and I've lost 300g. God knows how but I'm 70.8kg!!!

September SW - 73.7kg
CW - 70.8kg
Total lost - 2.9kg

And from my heaviest recorded weight of 85.7kg in 2018 that's 15kg. Yikes!

Sorry you had such a rubbish day @Backinthedress, hope today is better.
Well done @CatMattress!
Past couple of days have been ok here, lots of room for improvement but not too bad! I did a spin class Tuesday and I have a PT session today.
I can’t believe we’re already a week into November, this year has absolutely flown by!

God I'm so rubbish with the namechange. It keeps flipping it back to my previous one when I post in here 🙄
Apologies for any confusion.

It's bonkers that we're so close to Christmas already. I am not at all prepared for any of it. Have bought precisely one present, advent calendar contents (we have a refillable one) and some chocolate coins for stockings and that's it.

I also need to confess - I got engaged recently(ish) and this weekend I'm going for my first try on of wedding dresses, so this weight loss is not just about Christmas parties. I feel a bit old and a bit silly (second marriage) to wear a big white dress, but I need to go try some stuff on anyway. First wedding was 15 years ago so my tastes have changed somewhat since then.

Morning all

A slightly later one that usual for me today as we had a bit of a work emergency first thing - all sorted now!

@Backinthedress You should be rightly really proud of yourself and your soup sounds great, I should try something similar to up my fruit/veg fibre intake too. It's a bit of a revelation when the penny drops and you realise you don't actually need as much food as you thought isn't it. Well done on bringing DS up to know how to clean a bathroom too - in all of his student houses my eldest DS was the only one who could confidently do this and it served him well and meant he always got his deposit back in full!

Sorry you had such a rubbish day yesterday. Put it behind you and move forwards. During the workout I did this morning the trainer said stop looking at what's happened in the past, the only thing you get from looking back is a crick in the neck. I'm not usually one for sayings or mantras but I thought that was quite appropriate. Amazing news for getting into the 70s though - huge congratulations 😁and on the upcoming wedding - that's such a good motivation for losing weight.

Hope you managed to avoid the wine @Gemzee and so sorry to hear that it's a worrying time at work at the minute. Being distracted with those types of anxieties definitely isn't diet friendly. Good luck with the squat challenge - you smashed it last time 🙂

@EllaWallace I do the same thing! I often pour a bit of a low cal flavoured tonic water into a wine glass to drink early evening to stop myself reaching for the wine (or the gin!) Fever Tree Cucumber is my current favourite.

Haha @LBB2020 I can't believe we're almost a third of the way through November now - I'm not sure where it's gone! I need to get some Christmas planning done...

@Openmouthinsertfood and @SnuggleBuggleBoo how are you both doing?

Another day with my mojo intact here (baby steps) although there was a small Tyrrells indiscretion yesterday afternoon. I was very active yesterday though so I'm hoping that will make up for it. I've done a 30 minute dance workout this morning with Up to the Beat fitness - I was short of time and needed something a bit more high intensity this morning.

I am desk bound today so will have to try to make an effort to get up and get a few steps in here and there.

Have good days all.

@Backinthedress congratulations on your engagement! Enjoy your dress try on!
I loved planning my wedding, such an exciting time! (our wedding was pretty low key and relaxed so not stressful planning it at all).
@bigdecisionstomake sounds like you’ve definitely found your mojo! Well done on the work out!
My PT session was hard but I feel so good for going as I didn’t feel like it this morning (time of the month!). Food has been good so far today, let’s hope I can keep it up and not ruin it this evening!

Hi - sounds like we are in the same place current weight and weight goal wise only I had more weight than that to loose. In February this year I was 13st 1lb! If you need any help with your weight loss journey just let me know!

I've had a really strange week with my diet. Saturday I went totally overboard, pigged out on garlic bread and a whole bloody pizza followed by ice cream, then felt pretty rough Sunday and Monday and barely ate anything. The last couple of days I've eaten a normal amount (for a diet) but worrying about calories more than I'd like to. I feel like I'm getting a bit obsessive over it, keep poking my squidgy middle and getting on and off the scales as if it's going to say something different the second or third time! I don't really know what's up with me! I think it's because I'm around a stone heavier than I normally am at my heaviest when in an 'overweight' phase and know I'll gain at Christmas so just hating myself a bit for letting myself slide into this situ. Anyway, I went shopping today and stocked up on healthy food. I'm going to go back to logging it all.

Today:

Breakfast: Cereal bar - 100

Lunch: Soup - 150
Popcorn - 50

Snack: Immunity shot - 50

Dinner: Avocado - 300
Pitta breads - 300
Cheese - 200
Red pepper - 50

Dessert: Activia - 50
Strawberries - 50
Cake bar - 100

Total: 1400

No exercise at all. It's so much harder now it's dark after work and I come home knackered. Exercising is literally the last thing I want to do.

@SnuggleBuggleBoo you sound like me week before my period! Glad you're back on it anyway. I've missed judging your daily protein intake 😂

I had a bean chilli yesterday with cheese sprinkled on top, and thought of you! 😄

I lost a pound this week, not really deserved but very happy with that! 😊

Hi, I have been very much awol and so am posting again for accountability. I did that typical thing where you have a blip and kind of give up and avoid weighing to avoid the guilt! But actually I braved it this morning and although I haven't really lost anything in the last month, I haven't gained either. I will take maintenance!
But determined to get back on it and continue my efforts to be healthier.
There is still time to get a few lbs off before Xmas if I put my mind to it! Will have a little read back now and see if I can be inspired by how well you're all doing!

10st 5lbs (65.7kg)
CW 9st 1.2lbs (57.7kg)
GW 8st 8lbs (54.5kg)

I've been for hypnotherapy. I had what seems like a really good session. All about replacing those learnt behaviours around food - eat everything on your plate, eat till your stuffed etc and replaced with food is fuel, don't under fuel or over fuel. It was an interesting session. I supppse in a week or so I will be in a place to report back on if I'm subconciously managing my eating habits with ease.

Thank goodness for Friday!

Still working but taking a quick break and already have a glass of wine at hand 😳

@LBB2020 stay strong and well done on the PT session.

@Refire Tips and tricks always welcome, let us know what worked for you.

@SnuggleBuggleBoo so sorry you've had an odd week, that sounds difficult. Looks like you've taken yourself in hand and got back on it now though. I think the accountability of this thread really helps. I can totally relate to worrying about being heavier than you're used to being going into Christmas when you know food and drink are going to feature much more than heavily than usual. That exactly sums up where I am. Lets give it a push together to see if we can see some change on the scales in the next few weeks.

Whoop whoop, well done on the 1lb lost @Gemzee glad you're keeping it all together.

@Imtootiredtothinkofausername If you've not been feeling it but have managed to maintain that's a good result, I would be happy with that! As you say there's still a few weeks to go to get a bit more of a loss. Keep us updated with your progress.

Oooh that's really interesting @Yocal I'm very much a believer in the subconscious playing a large role in our lives in lots of different ways so it would be great to hear if that works for you or not in subtly changing your eating cues.

I have already fallen at the first hurdle of staying off the wine this weekend but overall feel like this week has been a good one so far. Just not got to let it all unravel over the weekend. In an effort to make it as easy as possible my kit is already out and waiting for me for tomorrow morning's workout although I have an eye test at 9am so am going to have to be up and about quite early 😥

Have a great weekend everyone.

Today:

Breakfast: Green smoothie - 100

Lunch: My mum's home made minestrone - no idea how many cals but it was 95% pasta and potato so I'm guessing on the higher side as soups go! Let's call it 400

Snack: Ginger immunity shot - 50

Dinner: Houmous - 200
Cucumber and lettuce - neg
Pitta with butter - 200
Olives - 150

Dessert: Banana - 100
Activia - 50
Cake bar - 100

Total: 1350

An hour's walk today.

Has anyone else noticed a real improvement in their skin? Mine is looking so much healthier these last couple of weeks! I can't put my finger on exactly how, just clearer/smoother/English-Rosier or something. I've always drunk buckets of water so it's not that. I guess it's less sugar or fewer additives or something? I'm still eating UPF but I suppose less of them!