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.

Hi everyone 👋

I completely forgot to add my food for yesterday 🫣, but I had a roast dinner, some mac and cheese and some chocolate that roughly came in at 1500cal - so not too bad.

Today I had.

Breakfast. NA

Lunch. Cottage pie and baked beans. 600cal

Dinner. Bowl of curly fries. 400cal

Snacks - Slice of Chocolate cake 400cal
Rocket Ice Lolly - 40cal

Drank only water today. 0cals

Total 1440cal

@Bloodylovetelly, I’m sorry but I don’t know of any good beginner weight training/videos - hopefully another poster can help soon.

An ok start to the week for me. Food has been ok not the best but I haven’t gone over the top and I’ve not snacked after my dinner. Went to the gym this evening too.
I've been trying to make a big effort to drink more water this week too.
Hope everyone is well and the week has got off to a good start

Managing to go for decent walks, even though I'm not allowed to run again yet (hip is improving though, so soon!) However I have managed to stick to my calorie limit. Even on days when I think I've binged, I add it all in at the end of the day and it's actually been within limits, or very close.

Al this means I've managed to lose half a kilo! I'm now 70.2kg down from 70.7kg at last weigh in and 73.7kg in September when I started.

Super pleased and may actually get sub 70kg (which will also be sub 11 stone) before December which I was beginning to think was impossible!

Slammed at work, DP is away for work, kids are being awkward wee buggers, but by god I'm managing to stick with it.

Actually managed 4 workouts this week, not done that for a while! Is this a sign of my motivation returning...? Hope so 😊
Well done all!

Stayed the same this week, happy with that 😊

Well done @Backinthedress and @Gemzee
I've had a bad couple of days, binge eating chocolate and other rubbish. I did have a personal training session on Thursday and I went to a gym class last night too so hopefully that’s a bit of damage limitation! So cross with myself after a good start to the week!

Hello everyone, 👋

Just dropping in with my weigh in from Friday!

Start Weight 14.4st
Last time Weighed 13.12st
Current Weight 13.13st
First Goal 13.4st
UltimateGoal 10st-9.7st

I still keep swinging between 14st and 13.12st 😳

Writing out everything I’m eating and thinking about it all the time is not helping and I ended up overeating over the last few days so I’m going to drop that and try something else instead.

Well done @Backinthedress and @Gemzee 😊

Hope everyone else is doing ok

Well done @Backinthedress and @Gemzee

I'm so impressed by all of you doing lots of exercise. That's definitely my downfall. I am currently operating on a ludicrous ly small amount of sleep thanks to my sleep thief baby. So I'm just knackered and can't be bothered. But equally I barely get chance to sit down as she's now discovered rolling/commando crawling generally wanting to move.

However, on a positive note I was VERY excited to have broken the 8/9 stone barrier and got back into the 8 stones (JUST!)

Hopefully this will motivate me to keep trying. Went to the ballet at the theatre last night and resisted ice cream so yay for small wins!

SW 10st 5lbs (65.7kg)
CW 8st 13.8 (57kg)
TW 8st 8lbs (54.5kg)

Absolutely broken! Since I went sub 93kg about ten days ago. I've not weighed myself until today (monthly weigh in day) and come up at 95kg. I have definitely not gone over maintenance calories on any day. I've done better with exercise, despite my limitations and it's just so heartbreaking.

Despite the figure on the scales, I do feel slimmer. It is just so annoying when I'm doing my absolute most to sort this weight issue out. I've not drank alcohol since July. I'm not eating junk food. It seems the last thing I can do is give up is the milk in my tea!

Is this what Perimenopause does? Because it used to be so easy to lose weight. I would have definitely lost weight in the past on this regime.

I suppose it s a case of keeping going and hoping for the best at next months weigh in.

@Yocal Have you ever had your thyroid tested? I couldn't lose weight for years then late last year was diagnosed with underactive thyroid (& put on levothyroxine) and now lose weight when I try and maintain my weight loss without huge effort.

@Yocal, I completely get it. I’m through the menopause now but am still coming to terms with having a body that wants to hold on to every last ounce! I’m on levothyroxine for an underactive thyroid, but still find losing weight so much harder than I used to.

Weekly weigh in

SW 154
CW 150 (again!)
GW 140

I’m up 1lb. On the positive side, I’m still down 4lb from the start of October and feel better in myself. Will keep plodding on but realise that I’ll need to do more than I am currently doing to get to 140lb.

Have a good day everyone.

Thanks for the advice re thyroid. I will give it another month until the next weigh in. If it's still so unfair, I will go for a check in the New Year.

Do you think this time of year is really hard time to lose weight because our bodies are wintering?! I'd love to know if this really does play a part, but don't know if any studies have ever proved it.

Hey everyone!! I've not been posting recently as I've felt about down about it all, like I'm not making the progress I ought to be. I weighed myself just now and I'm down to 11.9 so I AM losing weight, it's just all coming off my boobs (which have shrivelled away to nothing!) whereas my size 16 jeans are as snug as ever. 🙄I suppose the answer is exercise (which I've done none of, none at all!) to target the areas I'd like to flatten. It's borrrriiiiinnnggg though!!

I have 3 weeks left before family start descending and the diet goes in the bin. I'd love to be down to 11.4, and be able to put my fist in between my jeans waistband and my tummy (even if I have to breathe in while I do it!) by that point!!

@SnuggleBuggleBoo why is it easier to lose weight from all the places you least want to and bloody impossible to get rid of the stubborn parts?!
Still, a loss is a loss so well done!

Exercise is the one thing I need to up really but it's just.so.dull 🙄

I wish I was rich and owned my own pool. I'd gladly swim every day then! But public swimming (and changing) and shared showers and getting all cold and wet to get home is just 🤢 not that I'm fussy 😄

Morning all

Haven't had a chance to catch up on all your posts yet but will do that later when I get a minute. Hope you've all been smashing it!

I had a great weekend with the Irish clan last weekend but then came back to a monstrous week work wise and also a few challenges in my personal life. I have been off the diet wagon fully.

If I carry on like this I will be back where I started in January before long so I need to stop now. I've decided that avoiding the scales isn't working for me - I need to go back to full accountability.

So.....deep breath.....I am 10st 8.6lb this morning. There are 4 weeks to go until Christmas and I want to be back at the top of my happy range which is 10st 3lb by then. I think it should be doable as fingers crossed there will be a couple of pounds of 'easy loss' to come off this week to get me started again.

The workload and personal challenges haven't gone away but I need to find a way to manage them that doesn't include eating and drinking to get me through. I'm going to try to use this thread to stay accountable.

Wish me luck everyone 🙂

@bigdecisionstomake sorry to hear life is throwing some challenges your way, totally understandable that the diet goes on the back burner. I need regular weighing for accountability too, otherwise I bury my head in the sand! But great that you're back on it, and hopefully you'll see some downwards movement this week to keep you motivated.

....turns out I have a blood test to go for and a thyroid check is on there so will find out soon if that is playing a part.

@Imtootiredtothinkofausername you are so right - I have been burying my head in the sand. Fingers crossed for downwards movement all round.

@Yocal hope the blood tests are helpful. Thyroid issues are a nightmare with regard to weight so hopefully your levels are normal for that at least.

Is there any way you can make exercise more fun? I listen to an audio book when I walk or run and that's the only time I'm allowed as I only get a set number of hours a month. It's very motivating!

I'm also planning on starting a dance or pilates class - something with other women that's local and easy to get to.

Morning all

I woke up with a massive headache this morning which I'm pretty sure is the lack of alcohol last night and sugar yesterday - I had really been overindulging the previous week. Fingers crossed it will go soon.

I really didn't want to exercise this morning but when I got on the scales first thing and they had dropped to 10st 7.6lb it was all the motivation I needed to get my kit on and get going. Caveat - I know this isn't real weight loss just my body losing some of the stored water as I cut right back on carbs and did some exercise. Still it's quite motivating 😂

I kept it fairly gentle and did a 40 minute walking workout with Yana Official which ended up being fine. I drank lots of water but head is still a bit throbby.

I agree with others that the key to exercise is to keep it fun @SnuggleBuggleBoo Like you I tend to lose from my boobs first and my stomach last and I really wish it was the other way round 😡 Weight training helps a bit though to firm everything up - I do a lot of chest sets to try to help. I think I'm going to start Caroline Girvan's Advent series on Friday. They are only short 15-20 minute workouts so fairly easy to fit in.

Have good days all.

Hi everyone 👋

I needed a few days to reset, and I know it’s a tad early, but I decided I’d distract myself by getting the house decorated for Christmas.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

Morning all

Yay for Christmas decorations @LostNoMore I love it when the house is all trimmed up (although I don't enjoy having to play jenga in the garage to get the boxes of trimmings out!)

A good day for me yesterday again - taking each good day as a win now as I've fallen off the wagon so many times since September.

I've done a good walking workout with Burpee Girl this morning. This is a new channel for me and apart from more ad breaks than I'm used to I enjoyed it.

I've got a busy day workwise then am away overnight with a meal out. Going to try to eat (and drink) mindfully. I looked at the menu yesterday and there is a fish option that doesn't look as if it should be too bad calorie wise.

I've weighed in at 10st 7.2lb this morning so another small loss but again I'm sure that's just water weight coming off. Hopefully the fat loss will start to kick in in the next day or two. Thankfully the headache has gone this morning too which is a bonus.

Have great days all.

Hi. Please can I join. I'm currently stuck at 12.8 for last few months after doing a low carb diet. Fallen off the wagon recently and need the motivation to keep losing. Aim is 11 stone.

Hi all, slowly getting back on track after the weekends binge fest! I did a spin class last night and I have my PT session tomorrow so I’m keeping up with exercise. Due on my period and am finding it hard to get back on the healthy eating train!