6 weeks until Christmas Day - who wants to lose half a stone?

[Hollyhead]

I have been trying to lose the same half a stone all year, I’m sick to death of it, and if I’m honest I haven’t really tried. I’m not even that bothered about the weight number being exactly half a stone, it’s 2 inches I want to loose from bum/hips/stomach.

I know what I want to do - steps, home weight workouts, some 16:8 fasting and following a set regime of the following diet choices
Breakfast - eggs &a vegetable OR yoghurt with seeds/fruit OR porridge

Lunch - salad OR homemade soup OR plant based tray bake type thing (such as lentils and roasted veg

Dinner - small version of what we’re having with veg replacing carbs where possible - so for instance instead of rice with a stir fry do an extra portion of steamed broccoli.

Anyone want to join me with any weight loss method permissible? Whether it’s vanity pounds or getting a big weight loss kickstarted let’s do this! My wardrobe is full of clothes I love that I can only just get on, I want them back 😁

I don't need to eat right now. I don't need to eat right now. I don't need to eat right now.
Why is it so hard.

I will have some nice tea. I have red bush with vanilla which is quite pleasant and desert-y

Stay strong @StarShipControl you can do this - think how you'll feel in the morning when you've been so strong.

I have had a couple of slip ups this afternoon, but had a small and healthy dinner so hopefully I'm not too derailed.

Thank you @Hollyhead
You're so right. I would wake up tomorrow really annoyed if I eat now. I'm not even hungry. Just feel like snacking.

I have had a huge sugar craving today and gave in slightly but mini haribo bags and having an options hot chocolate.

I'm a bit over calories today but still under 1500 for today.
Hopefully tomorrow will have curbed the sugar craving - when I'm fatigued I crave sugar and have been bad today fatigue wise.

Had a pretty good day juicing then came home from work and had homemade butternut squash soup 🍜 I may have had some chunks of cheese and garlic bread (homemade!) with it too, plus a few massive chocolate covered Brazil nuts afterwards. Definitely not weighing myself tomorrow. 😳

Good choice! I am also using nice teas to try to curb snacking. I have a slightly weird biscuit-flavoured malty tea which I like, and I've had cinnamon tea before which feels like a nice alternative to a chai latte.
I'm also planning to do things like paint my nails or a face mask when I feel snacky in the evenings (need to buy face masks). Still a treat, but I won't physically be able to eat. I generally feel snackiest while working though, and it's partly wanting an excuse for a break

Wow amazing work everyone! And that must be so motivating @OldFatLadyTriesAgain ,

Would be really interested in what the biscuits/malty tea is @Toomanyemails

I’m on a work trip tomorrow, should be realitively easy to fast until 1pm but after that all bets are off - no idea what the food plans are!!

That's the best feeling @OldFatLadyTriesAgain well done!

I'm so glad I didn't give in to food yesterday. I'm 14hrs into a fast and by 1.30 I'll be on 20.
I'll be busy with work until then and I'm not hungry at all so should be fairly straightforward.

Just marking my place for a new day. Yesterday was better than the two days before, but ate chocolate in the evening - waaaah! I know this about myself, that on my period I want to eat crap, but I must say it's discouraging to feel like I have zero willpower all of a sudden.

I've tried my dress on for DD's godforsaken white party at the weekend. It fit, and not too snugly, thou I can't say its what I would choose to wear outside of her decreed dress code! I feel a tiny bit better today, i think. Though my period is on its way-it's very late I think disrupted by being poorly-my cycle is weird like that, so I expect to bloat up a bit, (and it will all happen bang in time for the sodding party).

@Hollyhead it's Yorkshire Tea Malty Biscuit Brew. Seems to be love it or hate it amongst people I know, but skewed towards love!

@OldFatLadyTriesAgain well done and hope your day improved! I also had a string of bad news today - nothing terrible but enough that combined I feel very 'ugh what's the point' which usually sets me off on a chocolate or wine spiral. I feel grumpy, but didn't reach for them. Progress!

@OldFatLadyTriesAgain I have pair of trousers from 2004 that are hanging in the cupboard as my 'do these fit?' test. I've been avoiding trying them on so I don't get discouraged, but think I'm going to try them on today so that I can have something to compare it to in a couple of weeks when the lb have fallen off!

Place marking for another day. Managed OMAD yesterday - felt v good and the meal was so satisfying - actually couldn't eat too much/didn't want anything sweet after which felt encouraging.

@Toomanyemails, sorry about the bad news - well done on avoiding the wine etc. I've realised that my instinctive response to anything stressful is often food/wine related - it's difficult to rewire the brain

@piscofrisco I've never heard of a white party sounds like a expensive cleaning bill with a glass of red involved somewhere!

I'm still managing 16 hour fasts and just found out that actually it's recommended to try with long covid as a immune system boost. I have had much less pain in my legs the last few days so managed 2 walks so this thread has not only encouraged me to lose some weight but it also seems to be improving some of my long covid symptoms so double win health wise!

Checking in- I've been avoiding the scale and this thread as I went off the rails with snacks. But weighed in this morning and have lost another 1.5lbs so it can't have been too bad. Great to read everyone's updates.
I'm going to focus on getting lots of protein at breakfast and starting to make a green smoothie every day again.

@Scottishskifun I've heard of it in Ibiza. Not in Hertfordshire in bloody December!

That's interesting re the fasts and long covid. I've been ill on and off for months since having covid badly at Easter. This latest round of ear infections etc is just this months edition. If I ever feel better enough I might give it a more concerted go! As it is after an uptick the last few days I've woken up with a heavy chest and a cough and now back in bed for the morning, working from there. Flips sake. Until my online food order comes I've got nothing to eat by yoghurt (good) and Tiramisu (bad) but frankly I need the energy today.

Busy busy day for me and I'm not sure I'll manage my exercise or 10k steps, especially as I don't have a local gym or good street lighting and likely won't have spare time until after dark. It will be disappointing to break my streak but I'll see how I go and focus on what I can control! Maybe some evening yoga to get a bit of movement but also stress relief.

Food so far has been Skyr with berries, and scrambled eggs and baked beans on toast for a quick high protein lunch.

Good to read everyone's updates and thank you @Ohyesthankyouglitter 😊
I'm intrigued by OMAD and 16hr fasts, seems to be working for lots of you. I don't think I'd manage within feeling so so hungry, is it something people build up to gradually?

Hi checking in! I'm quiet but I check the thread everyday, love to see how everyone's doing! I should have made note somewhere but I think I've lost about 2.5lbs since joining the thread. Hoping for 1lb a week till Christmas! I know a lot of sources say you can lose 2lbs a week safely but I've just never been able to shift it that fast. I'm not expecting a big backslide during the holiday, I don't really have much time off so not a lot of time to cook delicious things and eat them! I did make some great meals over the weekend that felt very indulgent but didn't set me back so that makes me feel really good.

I haven't been so good at the intermittent fasting since I've been home, I usually have a few bites of whatever breakfast I make my daughter and a milky coffee in the morning, then TRY for nothing till dinner, probably successful about 50% of the time. I know I should give up the coffee but it's such a calming treat, I really love the ritual. It's so much easier not to overeat when you only eat one meal a day though! No calorie counting needed then... just rambling now. I think of this thread and you all as my "accountabilibuddies" :)

3.5 off this week!

@Toomanyemails I didn't build up to it but we usually eat very early (around 5ish with the kids) so I basically got rid of my later snack and then in the morning I have black coffee. You can use sugar free syrup or sweetener if you don't like black coffee.

I then have lunch around 12 so some days I will have a coffee with milk to break gast at 10.30 or if busy it becomes a 18hr fast.

Hi everyone, I haven’t disappeared off the face of the earth, but just got back from work trip which involved a really delayed train so just about ready to collapse now. Managed to keep the work trip based snacking under control so keeping everything crossed for a loss tomorrow (I weigh in Monday and Friday)