🥳LOSE IT! 🥳Christmas 2023 Countdown Thread 🥳

[TheRealHousewife]

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN EDITION.

8 week countdown to Christmas. November brings a fresh new month to become a healthier version of yourself. If you’re up for being your best self in time for the festivities you’ve come to the right place.

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 8st 12lbs. 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 few lbs 😬 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 of a 1lb - 2lbs per week you could be a half a stone to a stone lighter by Christmas 🎄🥳

Hi everyone. Life has been hectic so not benefited from this thread over the last week, but despite a few treats (though fewer than usual), a few sneaky weigh ins have been very encouraging, so fingers crossed for tomorrow's WOW. Starting to get back into a good exercise regime too - just did a Les mills Shapes class which was tough but satisfying!

I’m another fallen weekend soldier succumbing to ice cream and a bag of peanut m&ms ☹️

but have tried to pull it back and not fall further by doing a weights for women class at the gym today and minimising carbs (had chicken and salad for lunch and stuck to fasting hours too! But worried for tomorrow but feeling positive to be back on track either way

Tomato tuna pasta bake for dinner- could have done with a smaller portion. I’m trying my best with portion control but it’s definitely still a work in progress. I am being more mindful generally though.
No snack tonight and will be sipping on my herbal tea as I read your updates.
Looking forward to tomorrows weigh in!

I was so hungry this late afternoon/early evening I ate my exercise calories. I'm not fussed but I was so hungry. Proper hungry not just wanting to eat something nice. My stomach is still complaining too 😩 I have walked nearly 16 miles though so eating 300 exercise calories isn't the end of the world. My maintenance calories are 2100 and I'm in at 1900 today.

Welcome to all the new posters! I think you'll like it here 😊

Got woken by a hungry cat, so an early weigh in for me today!

SW: 12.2
CW: 11.3.5
GW: 10.7

1.5 lbs off this week :) Making 12.5 in 7 weeks. I’m close to that first stone and still aiming to be in the tens by the end of the month.

Good luck everyone!

Well done @MarzipanKnees that's amazing!

I've somehow gained a pound although when I re-weighed myself last Wednesday from the weight I was when I first got up, it was higher the second time so maybe the second time was my true weight. The scales are sometimes being weird and being a pound out from the first weigh to the second only one minute apart. So 57.1kg today. Which is less than the second weigh last week.

Hope everyone gets good results!

SW 77kg (October 2023)
CW 73.6kg
GW 68kg

Loss of 0.8kg this week 🎉and 3.4g in the last 5 weeks. Another kilo and I'll be half way to my goal. - I think that's a realistic goal to have by the end of November...72.5kg.

Having a rotten cold apparently makes me really hungry - so yesterday added an extra snack in the afternoon of pear, cheese and unsalted nuts. Drank lots of water. Called in sick for today as I feel rubbish.

B - boiled egg and rye toast, coffee
L - spicy butternut squash soup
D - split pea soup with bread
S - pear, yellow pepper, handful unsalted nuts.

Have stopped counting calories on MFP now that I seem to have reset myself with portion size and UPF.

@ImALittlePea I love my Garmin forerunner. I wanted something with built in GPS that could track runs/walks without always having to take my phone (strap is only just hanging on in there and scratched to shit after 5 years of use so might be time for an upgrade).

@coffeecupslinedup it's motivating me to clear out my wardrobe and see what treasure I can find. Found a pair of size 14 wide leg velvet trousers I bought in the FatFace sale last spring which now fit perfectly (I have a size 12 pair somewhere in there for in a few months I hope).

@SalsaStark just re-reading GoT books and your name made me laugh. I always worry with making big goals for losses (It took 3 years for me to pile this weight on so I'm in it for the long haul) BUT I've already lost 3.5kg in 5 weeks, so 4 kg by Christmas is totally doable if you're consistent.

@JustACountryMusicGirlInCowboyBoots being properly hungry is good. I think if you've been overindulging for a long time then we forget what it feels like! I really can't function if I'm starving (which is why I've struggled with IF) but I think if you're filling the gap with whole foods as much as possible and not UPF then it's okay.

After no loss last Wednesday, I'm down 1.2lb this morning. I'm quite bloated due to the time of the month so hoping there's a larger drop hiding as I've been on track with my food, but a loss is a loss.

November loss so far: 1.2lb
October loss: 1lb

Day 2 of being accountable. Yesterday was ok, bearable.

I'm a serial snacker so changing habits is hard

Day 4 yesterday. I didn’t manage to hit 10k steps but I did stay within my calorie allowance.

Annoyingly I’m heavier today for weigh in day than I was yesterday but hopefully that’ll even put in a day or two.

SW 70.7
CW 69.25
GW 60

I can’t really complain about a 1.45kg loss in 4 days even if it is probably mostly water!

I’m going to try to take some walks to break up the work day today, and up my water intake.

@PatienceOfEngels 4kgs is ambitious but I'm also secretly hoping it slides off as I'm already quite large as it is.

My weight gain is also from a slow burn over 2/3 years (I was an unfortunate sod who gained a ton of weight from breastfeeding - never been so hungry in my life 😮)

Good morning! No change for me since yesterday. I did not resist a waffle in the evening...
SW - 61.2 kg
CW - 57.7 kg
Only 0.6 kg or 1.3 lbs this week.
I cannot stop myself from eating leftovers on my children's plates!

It's great to see so many people feeling so motivated by this thread! It really does feel like a team that has your back!

No loss for me this week, I've had a stinking cold and feeling very sorry for myself. Hopefully feeling more human over the next week or so.

@PatienceOfEngels if you're looking to upgrade your Garmin see if anyone you know has a Blue Light Card as you can save as much as 20% through them on Garmin. I got my Dad the Golf version and saved him around £100.

Well done to everyone who has WoWed today - regardless of result. It's never a linear thing so continuing to be accountable needs to be celebrated too 🥳

It really is a team here @LemonDrizzle23 ❤️

I am so proud of my willpower last night. I was literally stood at the fridge staring at a bar of dairy milk... And also at the leftover sweet cones from the party at the weekend. I made myself a tea, closed the kitchen door and didn't cave. I think had I not put everything into MFP and knew I was so close to my calorie limit, I'd have had something.

Today's plan:
Lunch - cup-a-soup special 🤩
Dinner - cottage pie, veg, gravy

According to MFP this is coming in ay 792 cals, so I need to up this as I have work tonight. I'll add a spoon of houmous to my lunch plate, and maybe a banana after either lunch or dinner.

Sw 85.5
cw 85.2kg

not as big a loss as I’d hoped but I did have a few cheat days so have to be stricter this coming week and hope for a bigger loss next week.

in other news I’m feeling soreness in my muscles after gym workout yesterday and that does stop me from wanting to reach for the sugary treats so will focus on getting the activity levels up for the coming week!

@SalsaStark I wish I could blame bf but my youngest DC is almost 9! The pandemic really did it for me - I live outside the UK so couldn't see my family for a long time. It was incredibly isolating and I was just emotional eating (and stress eating - was completing my Master's degree alongside working and family). I just kept putting off 'being healthy' until I'd finished my qualification and I pushed myself too much, was the heaviest I'd been except when pg with DC2, and led to some long term health issues that I've been trying to resolve over the last year. Definitely a wake up call for me!

@ImALittlePea I have been known to stand int he crisp aisle and say "No" firmly out loud to stop myself from giving in!

@PieonaBarm thanks for the tip (Unfortunately I'm not in the UK so no blue light cards here!)

@ILikeItHere put leftovers in tupperware for lunch the next day? I have a stash of small containers for just this.

SW- 11 st 6lb
CW- 11 st

Have lost a pound since last week, have been a bit careful but yesterday didn't have good food choices. Have done more exercise in the last week though. Could do better!

Well done everyone, this group is definitely motivating me to keep going!

SW - 70kg
WOW - 64.1kg That's 0.4kg down this week. Still moving in the right direction albeit slowly.
I am still doing a 'sort of' 5:2 fast every week. My 1 meal of the day is a mix of full fat yoghurt, fruit, nuts and seeds. No idea of the calories but it keeps me full. Other 5 days I eat 3 normal meals a day (no snacking)
Went to my first ever NHS health check yesterday. Pleased with my results.
2% chance of developing diabetes in the next 10 years. 5% chance of having a cardiac event. Blood pressure is good. blood sugar good.
Total Cholesterol is high (6.5) was told that I could opt for statins but, as I had no other risk factors, I was OK to continue without.
I do use butter for cooking (don't use seed oils) and probably eat too much hard cheese. Eat very little processed or red meat. Should eat more oily fish.
Will try and make little changes.

SW:- 10 stone 9lb
CW:- 10 stone 11 lb I think.

Breakfast porridge oats skimmed milk and blueberries

@JustACountryMusicGirlInCowboyBoots , I think I’m going to cut porridge oats down to 20g and no skimmed milk or water and then splash of skimmed milk when cooked.

As of yesterday I caved and had a Lindt hazelnut chocolate bar plus skinny popcorn. Need to ditch chocolate or have it less often as a treat.

good luck everyone!

@PatienceOfEngels which rye bread do you have? I used to like black bread (pumpernickel) but don’t think that can be toasted!

Good Morning Everyone

I agree with all the posters who say our members are a Team! You are all inspiring, supportive and just plain lovely to each other 🥰

Some fantastic losses being shared. Well done👏👏👏 If you’ve STS or gained don’t panic just keep going because it will happen!

WOW - 8st 9.9lb. My weight has fluctuated up and back down this week by 2lbs. Yesterday MFP Congratulated me on losing 45lbs in total. 45lbs extra weight which I didn’t realise I was even carrying but I’m sure it’s better for my spine/joints to not be carrying that extra weight.

Ive shared a photo of my lunch yesterday; minestrone with a splash (15ml) of fresh cream and a gluten free thin spread with Benecol Olive Oil spread (antidote to cream 😅) Came in around 500 calories. You don’t have to sacrifice tasty food to do this 👍

@coffeecupslinedup Weight as often as is useful to you👍. Currently I’m weighing daily as I don’t want to slip into gaining but at other times I weight weekly.

Welcome to the thread @wheresmyshoe @SalsaStark

@JustACountryMusicGirlInCowboyBoots Ive never heard of a Dirty Oreo Bubble Tea so no idea … but it sounds intriguing 😬

@icingonthecake7 Try not to be so hard on yourself. Having what we fancy sometimes is good for the soul. If it’s too regular for you to not be making progress could you shave some calories from the week days and have more to play with at the weekend. It could help dissipate the guilt.

@MarzipanKnees You are doing fantastically well! Congratulation's on your loss to date 🥳

@RedPony1 I agree changing habits is hard. Eating more protein, healthy fats & fibre at each meal and drinking more water will help to keep you satiated between meals. Well done 👍

@LemonDrizzle23 Theres a few bugs and viruses doing the rounds at the moment. Hope you soon feel better!

@ImALittlePea Im so proud of you! That is awesome restraint and it’s to be commended 👍👏👏👏

Menu
Meal 1 - Minestrone soup with a splash of cream & gf thin spread with Benecol.
Meal 2 - Chicken curry and basmati rice.
Tea, black coffee and water.

PS - anyone not receiving Mumsnet notification of posts emails?

Cross posted.

@fedupofbuilders Sounds a positive health check 👍 I still don’t fully understand cholesterol readings but I thought it isn’t so much as the total number but the ratio? I might be wrong. No matter how much I try to educate myself around cholesterol readings it doesn’t seem to stick😬. If the doctor isn’t worried that’s a good sign isn’t it? I was told oats are good for lowering the bad stuff too. Understanding Cholesterol Readings

@ThriceInALifetime Well done on your loss 👍

Weigh in day !

Starting weight: 75kg
Current weight: 68.9kg
Target weight: 65kg

Really happy with todays weigh in- a loss of 1.4 kg from the last time I weighed. I do find this often happens where I’ll lose a significant amount (maybe water weight?) in the first week or so of trying and then it stops or I regain the weight so this coming week is going to be the real test for me.
I am going to try and do an intermittent fast again at some point this week if I can as I think that helped me quite a lot last week.
I’m really hoping to see some big results for this month as I think December may just be about maintaining or not much loss as it’s just a tricky time of year!

Well done on your will power @ImALittlePea I find it so hard to resist chocolate.
@TheRealHousewife that lunch looks lovely I do love soup.

Have a great day all! This thread is really helping me stay on track.

I'm in op! I'm trying to be healthier, not really cutting out stuff but being healthier and making better choices . I have about 4 stone to loose so I've a fair bit to go !