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've just logged in to myfitnesspal to start tra king. Annoyingly I'm 4lbs up since my last log in - June this year.

I've set the cals to 1700 which I might decrease if I'm not loosing but at the same time I don't want to live in misery.

Went for a short walk today - my house is quite large so if I do a bit of house work and hoovering I'll hit 10k

Me please! Tracking on myfitnesspal from today. My protein goal is 95g with a calorie target of 1,700. Starting weight is 141 lbs and I’d like to get back to 130. Working out 3 x per week. Feeling motivated today and hoping it lasts!

Me!
I've been trying to get into the zone but unsuccessfully. The time is now.
I'm going to do pretty much what you're doing.
I fasted til 12.30 today but have eaten too much already because I didn't have anything prepped and got lazy grabbing baguette with cheese and some crisps. Argh.
Better choices from now.

I'm having a very similar day- started off strong signed up to this thread but then almost immediately fell off the wagon with a takeaway sausage and bacon panini as I didn't fancy the healthy lunch I prepped. Gah! Breastfeeding hunger is intense. But I've managed to resist my daily mocha and have started tracking on myfitnesspal again. Need to get back on track with a healthy dinner.

Me please! I weighed myself this morning and was horrified. I’m starting a 6 week boot camp tonight and looking forward to it

I'm in, I lost 2 stone in 18 months but struggling with not binge eating when I am due my period I'm currently between 12st 4 and 12 St 7 but would love to lose half a stone by the end of the year. Currently using Orlistat and calorie counting, just need to key an eye on my emotional eating and binge eating. Think I might start with 18/6

Please can I join. I've lost just under 5 and a half stone this year ans I really want to make it to 6 before Christmas. My aim is 7 but I seem to have become quite lax since hitting the 5 and a half stone point and just keep pingponging between 5stone 5 and 5 stone 11.

Yes please. Going to try 16:8. Low carb , no alcohol and steps. That's worked for me before. BUT I have two weekends away and three meals out planned 😬
Two are ok as I will drive and have a look at the menu first.
The other one is a celebration so but trickier.
Good luck all.

I've dusted off my Wii and set a weekly target of calories to burn on Zumba.

I was really into it during lockdown and then my schedule became very erratic, so it went out the window. My schedule's settled down now, so Zumba will return!

Me please. I currently weigh 11st8, the same as I did on 1st Jan. I have been down to 11st1 for the odd day this year but never reached 10st10 which was my aim (and still in the overweight category). I have generally hovered between 11st 6 & 11st4.
I have no idea what will be different in the next 6 weeks which will make it happen other than, hopefully, some will power. Darker days, more mince pies on offer and meals out won't help!

Me please! I've never joined a thread like this before. I've lost a stone since September doing 18:6 fasting but I've stalled a bit now.
Would love to loose the last half a stone before Christmas (but I fear it might be hard work)
Have dusted off my Fitbit - and will try to cut out beer and do more exercise.

Wow what an amazing afternoon response. Welcome to everyone who's joined! I knew I'd find my people here :)

I had a really good success this afternoon, I was really hungry about 4ish and instead on picking on shit that would add up to loads of calories, I found some leftover fajita filling and beans from Saturday in the fridge. It was a really small portion - probably 2 tablespoons of beans, and 4 chunks of chicken. It was much healthier (as it was homemade) and more filling and more satisfying than a bag of crisps, a pengin and then a piece of toast, and it stopped me wanting to snack on anything else. Steps wise I'm only up to 6300 and sadly I don't think my house is as big as yours @TakingTheHorseToFrance , but I am going to try and get to 7000 with housework and then if I get time maybe a yoga video as I've been feeling really stiff lately.

@tweetypi how did your day go? did you stick to the plan? I always think getting into a new stone bracket is quite motivating.

@Starwarslover all methods that work for people welcome here, you just have to do what works for you - and I'm sure we can all help each other sharing tips.

@piscofrisco a white themed party! I would find that challenging!

@Justmeandmyself sounds like you've done great - don't let worthless junk food derail you now! I sometimes find when I've fallen off the wagon, it's easier to get back on track by allowing myself delicious luxury, but non-junk food for a couple of days first. For me that would be something like some smoked salmon to have on granary bread with butter, or a salad but with some stilton in, or a box of mango etc.

@Captainobvious35 I have considered a protein goal but I'm not sure if I've got the patience in reality to actually log it, but I really want to get in to strength training so it would be really beneficial.

@StarShipControl hope you managed to keep your day on track, but there's always tomorrow if not. I always find it harder to stay on track after a bad start too. And yes @Newnamesameoldlurker I've also disguarded healthy options I've prepared in favour of something much more delicious and derailing!

@Loseitfor2024 good luck for your bootcamp

@delilabell what amazing progress so far, I'm sure you can get more off for Christmas

@greyhairnomore celebrations are always tricky in my experience, I find it easier sometimes to just fast the next day and enjoy myself at the time.

@BippityBopper excellent progress - hope the wii exercise went well - you've inspired me to do my yoga workout tonight.

@wideawakeinthemiddleofthenightagain welcome, what do you think your downfalls are - maybe we could use the hive mind to come up with some easy steps for you?

Welcome @JofraArchersFastestBall I agree 1/2 stone feels like it might be hard work, but even just some progress would still be progress. I'm trying to focus on half way to my target would still be closer than I am now!

Well I managed to do 20/4 fasting today. Snack at 5pm was a tangerine, dinner at 7pm was chicken fajitas (one wrap and a sprinkle of cheese) may have a desert before 9pm probably a cup of tea and some biscuits 🥰 then fasting starts again until 5pm tomorrow. No fizzy pop this time!!! Will face the scales in the morning.. god help
Me!

@Hollyhead good choice on replacing the junk with proper food. Hands up I'm guilty of that. When I'm hungry and im working I dont make lunch and insted have half a pack of biscuits.

I'm trying to eat more mindful. I had a ceral bar after dinner and tried to savour it instead of wolfing it down.

I'm using an app called Zero for intermittent fasting and my window ends at 11am but if I'm hungry I might end at 10am.

Same here and another IFer. My aims are

• 16:8 daily
• 1 fast day a week
• no booze (not drinking much anyway)
• higher protein meals
• move every day including twice a week swimming, extra long dog walk once or twice a week, strength training 3x a week and some form of yoga/ balance etc

Kudos to you for tagging everyone @Hollyhead !

my day was good, definitely upped my water intake which I’ve been struggling with and left half my dinner as I was full and just didn’t really fancy it.

how does everyone else deal with treats in the house? Im finding I just can’t have them here or I’ll eat them! So the kids are now only getting treats that I don’t like 🤣hopefully they won’t moan too much

Hi @Hollyhead I quite like Noom. I signed up for it a couple (probably more?) years ago and found the approach helpful, but then life got very complicated with big stressful events and I just didn't have the brain space. Now I'm back on an even keel I thought I'd give it a whirl again and they sent me a special offer so I have a year package. It's been updated since I first did a little of it - the annoying American bits have vanished, it's not quite as 'perky' sounding as it was (this is good!) and the coach contact is much less annoying.

I like the psychology approach to help me understand motivations and it works well for me - can still eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day making sensible choices as I don't do well missing meals. It's helped me balance out energy levels and stop feeling hungry. I'm in danger of becoming pre-diabetic so this works well for me.

I'm trying to avoid treats in the house, as too tempting. Today went well and I was on target at the end of the day but that's with planned out meals and I was in back-to-back meetings at work so couldn't sneak off for a snack which helped!

I’ll be in this, please. I need to get a hold of myself. Hugely stressful year but realised recently I haven’t done any exercise since last July 😳.

Half a stone would be an excellent start. Don’t have that much to lose but the thought of returning to exercise is making me want to cry. Have began afresh today in a small way by eating two sensible meals and nothing else. Am also knocking booze on the head (unless I’m out). Am away to google intermittent fasting.

Hello can I join! I'm feeling a little discouraged right now because I've lost 3 stone and I still have such a long way to go, and I'm worried it's going to get harder and harder as the weight comes off. Averaging a little less than 1lb a week, so half a stone by Christmas would be amazing. I'm on a work trip right now and there is SO MUCH FOOD available, breakfast, fancy snacks (like chicken and waffles, pastries, parfait, cookies!) huge lunch with dessert, fancy snacks, huge dinner with dessert etc. I'm doing intermittent fasting and have actually made really good choices so far (no snacks, salads for all meals so far, no alcohol) but I'm so nervous that I won't be able to maintain my resolve. I've been drinking too many coffees with milk, normally I just have one, but the days are so long and the trip is so long! I have to get through another 4 days, please give me strength! I don't have a scale here so I'm anxious even about the salads because they're definitely "loaded"/more caloric than I would make at home. Agh! I feel like I'm missing some opportunities to network/socialize too because I'm trying to avoid temptation. Sorry to rant, just worried I'm going to put back on weight I've already lost while I'm here :(

Morning everyone, ready to start a new day staying on track. Today I will;

• go to bootcamp again tonight
• get 10k steps in
• drink 2L water
• eat proper meals, high in protein
• limit snacks to healthy snacks only
• no sugar in my tea

hope everyone has a good day!

@SweatpantPotato that does sound tonight but also sounds like you’ve done a really good job so far with amazing weight loss and avoiding temptation on the work trip - you can do it! Keep up your protein and veg and enjoy not having to cook for yourself (or wash up!) after so much fresh food I bet the waffles and fried chicken would taste disappointing anyway

Ended yesterday on 1445 calories. Was starving when I got home at 11 pm and ended up eating a protein bar. Could have been a lot worse. Scales say 2 pound off which will be water obvs

Morning everyone, I'm feeling motivated after a good first day yesterday - managed 7000 steps in the end so not bad, and had salad instead of rice with my beef stirfry which was also a sensible portion. Today's plan is to try and fast until 12 again, then have a plant based lunch, and then a sensible dinner. If I want a snack in the afternoon I'm going to have a small portion of one of my breakfast options of porridge or yoghurt with fruit/nuts/seeds. Not sure if I'll manage as many steps today as I'm busy at work so not doing the school run (which is 1 mile round trip), but I should be able to get out for a lunchtime walk.

@Rinkydinkydoodle what sort of exercise do you like? I find when I'm out the exercise loop just committing to a 20 min daily power walk really helps. I was reading a medical journal recently, and apparently if everyone did a 20 minute walk every day and changed nothing else, it would reduce rates of stroke and heart disease by 10 % or something! I found that really motivating, I wish I'd kept a link to it.

@SweatpantPotato work trips can be hard, and yours sounds intense! Just focus on maintainance and keeping up healthy habits. Is there any opportunity to fit in some movement/exercise? If you're sticking to good options like salad, even if they're more calorific than normal you're unlikely to undo much of your good work. If coffees with more milk than normal keep you on the straight and narrow I'd say that's a good choice - both nutritionally and calorifically (much better than hitting the cookies!), sounds like you're doing great :)