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.

Morning all

Just had my shopping receipt through for my online delivery today and the staffordshire oat cakes were unavailable @Yocal This is (first world problems I know) most annoying as I was very much looking forward to one with banana and peanut butter for my breakfast tomorrow morning 😋 Will have to try again next week. Please report back - did it keep you full until 1pm?

That was a good day food wise @SnuggleBuggleBoo well under calories and two good walks too - a solid start to the week. 😊

Enjoy your new perfume and don't feel bad @Openmouthinsertfood you have a lot on your plate and it is good to value yourself in the mix too. I did dig out the mint tea but didn't have a cup in the end as I was in the office yesterday and ended up being there until much later than expected. I'm working from home today though so will definitely have a cup when the afternoon munchies hit. On the positive side I had a really good night's sleep last night so am feeling a lot more with it today.

I've had a small drop on the scales this morning to 10st 2.4lb, a step in the right direction but I just need to stay on plan more consistently now and hopefully I can be in the 1s again by Sunday. I'm out Weds and Thurs night so I'm going to try to look up the menus in advance to work out if there are any options that will fit into my calorie allowance. I want to relax a bit but not take my eye off the ball completely so am happy to eat up to maintenance calories if need be but I really don't want to be over.

Have good days all 🙂

Oh no! I wonder if there is a run on them! 😂word has got out.

YES, Yes it did keep me full until lunch and then I had two at lunch and I wasnt even bothered about tea come 7pm. I did though because I needed to get my calories up!

Hi everyone, just quickly adding my weigh in here.

Start Weight 14.4st
Current Weight 14.3st
First Goal 13.4st
UltimateGoal 10st-9.7st

I know it’s only 1lb since I started a few weeks ago but I’m happy with that. Will push harder this week in hopes of a further loss for the next weigh in

Also, I actually weighed myself yesterday but I was at a family celebration and everything else went out the window!

All the maintaining and loosing weight is great😊 Keep it up everyone!

Thank you for your kind words @bigdecisionstomake I'm glad you got a better nights sleep. 👌I was awake till gone 3am but it was my own fault for drinking too much PepsiMax yesterday. (I've tried the caffeine free version but my stomach doesn't agree with it. Gives me acid reflux.) Well done on the dropped weight!
Had a bit of a snackcident last night. Because I couldn't sleep I had a protein bar, then another...I had 3 or 4. Hangs head in shame. It's an old habit of mine. I used to find if I couldn't sleep, if I had some chocolate or something sweet it got me off to sleep. I can't remember what I was thinking last night but if I have one, more is sure to follow! Try again today.
Congrats on the lb @LostNoMore . ⭐A loss is still a loss!

Ok start to the week for me yesterday. No snacks between meals or after dinner and managed to get my water intake up a bit! Was supposed to go to an exercise class but didn’t as ended up having to log back on to work once the children were in bed, will try to do a YouTube video tonight.
I’m intrigued by these oatcakes, will have a look when I’m next at the supermarket!

I was doing so well today but it all went a bit tits up at dinner time!

Snack: 1/2 bag mini gingerbread men - 50

Snack 2: Bag of popcorn - 50

Lunch: Chilli and quinoa - 300

Snack 3: Multiberry shot - 50

Dinner: Large flatbread - 200
Smashed avocado - 250
Red pepper - 50
Sweet potato falafels - 350
Cheese - 200
Sundried tomatoes - 100

Dessert: Yoghurt - 150
Plum - 50
Cake bar - 100

Oh dear. I don't even feel like I've been indulgent, it was just one of those meals stuffed full of calories without you noticing! 1900 calories and no real exercise at all. Back to the drawing board!

Oh my you must be starving. You need to add more protein to your meals and snacks! This will fill you up so you can eat fewer calories.

Morning all,

A very quick one from me this morning as I have to be out of the door in a few minutes.

@Yocal perhaps there is staffordshire oatcake stockpiling going on as with toilet rolls during lockdown....I'll try again next week but good to hear they kept you full for the morning.

Congratulations on the 1lb loss @LostNoMore slow and steady wins the race in my book so well done!

Sorry to hear about the snackcident @Openmouthinsertfood it happens to all of us occasionally. Put it behind you and move on, today is a new day 😊

@LBB2020 well done on a positive start to the week - your post was a timely reminder that I need to drink more water so that's my new habit this week.

@SnuggleBuggleBoo sorry you feel you've had a bad day but nutrient wise (apart from the gingerbread men and cake bar) your food was really healthy and probably still just under maintenance calories even if not quite the deficit you were hoping for. Put yesterday behind you and look forward to a new day today 🤗

I've had another small loss this morning to take me to 10st 2lb, so tantalisingly close to the 1s which is my target for this week. I'm out tonight for a meal with some old friends and annoyingly when I checked yesterday the pub's website was down so I couldn't check the menu in advance to see what my best options were calorie wise. I know it's controversial but I'm really happy when food outlets put the calories on the menu as it helps me choose appropriately. I certainly don't always go for the lowest calorie option but I do weigh up if a dish is worth the calories for me which is really helpful. Fingers crossed there will be some good options when I get there. Just got to get through a busy day at work first....

Have good days all 😃

Good luck getting to the 1's, and enjoy your meal!
Good luck today everyone. Boy, did I have cravings last night! Didn't give in but it was constant.

Nope, not leaving myself hungry! I think that's the problem, and one probably SHOULD be feeling hungry when dieting!! I think the protein was ok? Bean chilli and quinoa are both reasonable sources, and I had cheese and yoghurt later in the day. I think cutting back on volume is probably the way forward, it's just hard!

@Yocal ME/CFS is a bitch. I've had it forever but not doing too badly at the moment. I can really emphasise with how hard it is to up your exercise when coping with the bloody stairs is an achievement.

@bigdecisionstomake Aren't you lovely with your supportive comments for everyone! This 'weight loss' lark is hard and threads like this really help!

Another 'cheat day' for me today as I went out for lunch with a friend. To be fair I did ask at the restaurant for a calories breakdown but they couldn't give me one. I know I could have got salad but I object strongly to paying extortionate prices to munch on bloody green stuff when I'm supposed to be having fun! I did exercise self control over the dessert menu though, and stuck with water!

So,

Lunch: Katsu curry with rice - no idea, going to guess 1000
Most of my friend's chips - 300ish?

Snack: Double multiberry shot - 100

Dinner: Vegetable soup - 300
Large flatbread - 200
Cheese - 200

Dessert: Pear - 100
Cake bar - 100

Total - 2300

Some diet this is!! I only had a 15 minute jog for exercise too. Tomorrow WILL BE DIFFERENT!!!

Are you vegetarian?

Can anyone recommend any food swaps that are way lower in calories? Like Popcorn for crisps etc? I just remembered the 'Light and Free' yoghurts you can get from Tesco which are literally half the calories of other brands.

Yeah

@SnuggleBuggleBoo i'd sack the popcorn, cake bars and large flatbreads.

These lack the nutrition that will make you feel good. There are a lot of ultra process foods being marketed as diet food at only 100cals etc, but you'd be far better eating wholefoods and protein.

It's very easy to end up eating snack a jacks, pom bears, cereal bar and zero fat yoghurt etc and it coming out at 600cals.

You'd be better eating
Peanut butter on seeded toast for breakfast
Egg and veggie tortilla for lunch with a side of apple and grapes
Then for tea have a plate full of steamed vegetables, nut roast and gravy

A portable snack could be nuts, banana and 0% greek yoghurt in a tub.

I promise you will feel the difference eating those types of food regularly compared to popcorn and processed "diet snacks" daily. I know they are convenient, but they are a lie!! 😂 absolute marketing bollcks.

Hope people have enjoyed their meals out.
Yesterday I went a bit off track in the evening, ended up having to work again and snacked on chocolate while working which made me feel pretty gross when I went to bed so won’t be doing that again in a hurry! (also due my period any day so was craving chocolate!). Today was better and I got to a gym class this evening, I have a personal training session tomorrow too.
@SnuggleBuggleBoo apple and peanut butter is a delicious snack, babybel cheese, handful of nuts, Greek yogurt with some berries on

Morning all

Congratulations on not giving into the cravings @Openmouthinsertfood small wins 😃

Aaawww thanks @SnuggleBuggleBoo I think you never know what is going on in other people's lives and what challenges they are facing so the best way forward is to be positive and encouraging. I'm finding life quite tough at the moment so coming on here and chatting to you lovely lot about food/exercise/weight loss is a few minutes each day when I can forget about the serious stuff and relax a bit so it's as much for my benefit as anything 😊

My day was very much like yours yesterday - I too begrudge paying restaurant prices for salad so ended up having fairly calorific gnochi and prawns (although it was still one of the lower calorie options on the menu). Followed by...ahem...a chocolate brownie and clotted cream ice cream... whoops 😳Not regretting it however - I had a lovely time with friends and had a chance to offload a bit so it was worth every calorie in that respect.

@Yocal that menu you suggested sounds delicious - the egg and veggie tortilla is definitely something I could do for lunch when I'm working from home. I'm going to add some peanut butter with fruit into my regular snacks too for a bit of variety.

Sorry you ended up working in the evening @LBB2020 that's pants and sometimes happens to me too. It is a definite high risk snacking thing. Great news on the gym class and personal training sessions though. I second the suggestion for babybels as portable snacks - I always have these in my fridge.

My weight is up again this morning to 10st 2.6lb...sigh... but only to be expected given yesterday's over indulgence. I think restaurant food is often saltier than I would have at home too so that won't have helped...nor the glass of wine. I'm out again tonight so will try to do better at balancing healthy choices with relaxing and enjoying myself.

I am still getting up and working out each morning so that's a positive to hang on to plus we're on the downward run to the weekend now 🙂

Happy Thursday everyone.

The spanish egg tortilla is a great snacking food to have in the fridge at all times as well. It can also be jazzed up with lower fat cheeses like goats, feta, cottage! Pile on a side of veggies, salad, pickles and you have a high protein and nutrient dense meal.

I'm all for really easy to grab and prepare food. It requires a bit of cooking to start with but then it's in the fridge waiting for when you need it.

Lentil dahl is another great one to make. Really, healthy, filling and enjoyable. Plus it gets better with age so I don't feel like I'm eating the same thing. I never seem to get bored of it. If you make a pot up with 500 of lentils it will provide a good steady stream of easy meals and hardly makeva dent in you daily calorie allowance.

Sorry I haven't checked in on this thread for a couple of weeks.

Just noting my progress so I have some accountability!

Last weight 130.5
Weight today 127.8

Loss - 2.7lbs

Slow but steady!

Today:

Breakfast: Mango immunity shot - 50

Lunch: Houmous - 300
Falafel - 200
4 x stuffed vine leaves - 150
Spinach parcel - 100
Cucumber/onion/lettuce - negligible

Snack: Multiberry shot - 50

Dinner: Spinach & ricotta cannellini - 400
Peas - 100

Dessert: Plum - 50
Yoghurt - 100
Cake bar - 100

Total: 1600

Still a couple of hundred more than I'd like but we're heading in the right direction! And I've had 2 decent walks today.

Woke up very disappointed in myself. Binged on protein bars again last night. Why do I self sabotage?!!! Have over eaten today too. Not by much but the night is still young!

Hi

A bit late to the party but can I join please? I want to try and lose 2 stone from now to xmas...I've been doing stoptober and continuing this into November also eating healthily and Low Fodmap (this suits me best) and also exercising everyday..I've been doing this now since 1st Oct just waiting for some results! Started off at 14.1 st I'm 5ft 5 so chunky all over and I'm sick of it - really in the right headspace though and looking forward to my next work out!

Do we have a group weigh in thing going on or just regular updates and support/tips/advice etc

@Sammy900 welcome. I just do a once a month weigh in on payday. On that date I calculate my weight loss, money saved on alcohol (I've gone AF as well), and save what a I can. My goals are for my weight to go down and my savings to go up. But I don't like to think about it all the time, so that's why I have my "numbers day" on payday and then get back to living my life without obsessing over the scales. I'm in this for the long haul so trying to get the balance right and let continuity do the magic.