5 stone 26 weeks - Anyhow that works for you

[stillplentyofjunkinthetrunk]

If you have a bit more to lose and will be doing this for a while and want a nice supportive crowd to hang out with while you're at it this might be the thread for you.

Hello!
0.4kg weight loss for me for this week, 84kg. Slow progress for me, it’s a progress nevertheless. I keep doing workouts , at least five times per week.

@Scrabblingaround I have also finally found the scales in the cupboard of doom and stood on them...

omg, well done. I genuinely get how bloody hard that can be. And well done on your 1/2 an inch measurement drop.

Well done on your loss @owlyboo and great going on meeting your steps challenge.

Every bit of fat you burn is a step in the right direction @Turefu well done on your loss.

Thanks @stillplentyofjunkinthetrunk. Well done @Turefu every loss is a loss!

@Scrabblingaround well done for being brave and handing a starting point! Just think that'll be the last time you ever see that number. The only way is down now!

Wow, day 1, i stayed under my calories goal and was very mindful with food choices. I even bought some headphones and got out for a brisk walk 💪

perfect. Now you just need to do it again.

I had a terrible day yesterday, I ate too early, too late and too much. But new day new start and today is going well.

Hello everyone! I have been reading and lurking and cheering you all on from the sidelines!!

I’ve been really good since New Year-have stayed within calories, tracked what I have eaten, made sure I stayed hydrated etc, and went to the doctors for a BEEP referral. They may do different schemes in different areas but basically you get 52 weeks help and guidance to get you into exercise and to make you take it up regularly. I have my first meeting with them on Valentine’s Day and I am over the moon!! I used to love exercise pre-kids, then I became unfit and obese and couldn’t face going back to it because I wobbled and hurt and made the equipment at the gym creak and it was just horrendous.

In rubbisher news, we got stuck in the house for 4 days due to ice. I was pre-menstrual with a very hyper 6 year old and didn’t see another soul from Tuesday until this Monday. School was shut because the roads were not drivable and the car couldn’t get off the drive because it was slick with ice and on a gradient. I had a paper that I had to get in for today that I was meant to be researching all of last week, but because dd was home I got nothing done on it, so the stress was immense. We couldn’t get to the supermarket for good, healthy foods and I managed to eat two extra long packets of chocolate hobnobs in 3 days. I have also gained 2 kilos this week. I think the two may be related. I am so, so angry at myself for going back to old habits when I had told myself that I had a handle on them and that they were behind me.

However, the paper is done and I got it in, the school is back open, I have spoken to another adult today and I have made it to the supermarket, so we are back on track!!

wow @Nocakeinthishouse that's a lot to deal with!

All support is really welcome, it sounds like you've been doing great and well done for going to the doctors. Gyms can be intimidating places when you're feeling self conscious and unfit. Being house bound can mess with your head and your meal planning. Don't worry about the blip just give yourself credit for getting yourself back on track so quickly. Well done on getting your paper in.

@stillplentyofjunkinthetrunk the gym I signed up to a few years ago was very slick and intimidating and I stopped going very quickly. This is a council run gym and will hopefully have more people like me attending. Just having the support of a plan and someone to keep me accountable is so good-I am really excited and envigorated.

I had a lovely chicken breast for tea, with some roasted cauliflower and broccoli dusted with cumin and salt and pepper, it was delicious. I then brushed my teeth to “close” my eating window for the day and am feeling much more positive than I did last week.

You are such a lovely group of people, I’m so glad to be on the journey with you.

I'm counting calories and do intermittent fasting. I drink a lot of water,it helps with hunger. I do workouts , half an hour- 45 minutes, with YouTube. I really want my weight to go down. I had just over 1000 kcal today.

I'm also finding calorie counting, IF, water and workouts to be a winning combination.

I don't know why but I'm really struggling this week. I have remained on track but the food choices haven't been the best. Everytime I eat something I probably shouldn't eat in my head I'm convinced that I'm suddenly going to undo the weight loss I've achieved so far! I seem to be having conversations in my head over everything I eat at the moment! Does anyone else do this or is it just me? I said at the beginning that I was trying to do this as a new way of life and nothing was really off limits. I'm hoping moving forward that the better choices will be automatic. The fact I'm thinking about what I eat is an improvement as in the past I would mindlessly graze all day long. We don't drink alcohol. Food has always been our thing so my challenge has been no take aways. We could easily have 2 or 3 a week before. DS wanted to take me to kfc but I explained to him that I've gone over 3 weeks so far and I don't really want one. I worry if I get a taste for it I'll want it more. Sorry for rambling on. Well done everyone on such positive results this week. I find it keeps me motivated reading how you're all doing so well.

@Gabriella83 sorry you're struggling!

Everyone has their vices and when you're looking to lose weight it's about balancing them. If you have quite a lot to lose not indulging at all in what you love with probably ultimately makes you cave so I definitely think you're doing the right thing having a little of what you fancy! If you're staying in plan calorie wise that's all that matters! A small treat won't hurt!

I've found upping my exercise has helped with the 'guilt' feelings when you indulge. I don't eat back my calories burnt but I do have a few glasses of wine at the weekend! Makes my 20k steps worth it today hopefully!!! I restrained from any wine for the first two weekends but caved last weekend!

@Gabriella83 Everytime I eat something I probably shouldn't eat in my head I'm convinced that I'm suddenly going to undo the weight loss I've achieved so far!

Totally relatable! I think this falls into the categories of all or nothing thinking (a.k.a. black and white thinking) and catastrophising. https://www.thechelseapsychologyclinic.com/mood-management/thinking-traps/

Changing your diet long term is requires perseverance and a good sense of humour as much as self discipline. If you reach your goals a day later or a week later or a month later not a big deal really in the scheme of things. You're trying to create a calorie deficit so that your body burns fat a 7000 calorie deficit = 1kg of burnt fat. Eat 7000 calories too many and you'll put a kilo of fat on.
Whilst I totally get the feeling of needing to avoid fast food / kfc entirely it is ok in moderation. Your calorie targets don't need to be the same every day of the week or every week of the 6 months. You could give yourself one day at maintenance calories per week or per month, and just create the deficit on the other days.

In KFC terms about the healthiest option seems to be the grilled chicken drumsticks. 100 grilled chicken drumsticks @70 calories = putting 1 kilogram of fat on (or losing 1kg less) so one meal is really not going to undo all your good work. or original recipe drumsticks are almost double the calories at 130 each but you'd still need to eat 53 to put a kilo on. So it's absolutely ok to decide to have kfc, just explain it has to be more of an occasional treat rather than 2-3 a week.

Thanks@stillplentyofjunkinthetrunk and@owlyboo for putting it into perspective for me. I do need to increase my exercise and how much water I drink. I'll probably feel less guilty about having a treat if I've done more exercise.

SW: 223.6 lbs
CW: 216.6 lbs
GW: 153.6 lbs
Weight loss aim: 70lbs
Weight loss to date: 7lbs
Percentage of weight loss: 10%

Hoping to achieve GW by Christmas which is double the time I usually 'allow' when I do well for a month because I crash diet but then give up for a month because it's not sustainable then restart the cycle again ad infinitum. A year on I'm in exactly the same place as I was the previous year, heavier even.

Taking it slower this time, working on getting out of an all or nothing mentality. This will be the last year I'm treading this path.

Sounds like a good plan @24Seconds2Go 70lbs in a year is a really good goal, ambitious but achievable.

To lose the other 63lbs before xmas you'll need to create an average calorie deficit of around 600 calories a day.

It's a tricky week at work this week, and so I have ended up with a Chinese takeaway in addition to the carefully budgetted pizza I had at the weekend! Worked really hard at not catastrophising this (thanks for the post about black and white thinking @stillplentyofjunkinthetrunk) and got back on the wagon properly yesterday with OMAD and plenty of water. I haven't broken my morning fast yet today - I'll see how I go and I have a banana and plenty of healthy lunch options waiting so hopefully today can be a good day too.

I'm using Noom to track my progress and it suggests I'll hit my target early August but like 24Seconds2Go I'm aiming for Christmas. Usually, I'd probably be aiming for late February 😂

I was really, really tired yesterday and got a huge need for sugary crap. I baked a tea loaf. Which is definitely not 'diet' food but I had a small slice and froze the rest. I'm really pleased as these are the changes that I need to be making. This evening DC asked for take out pizza but we're having a home cooked meal even though I was so, so tempted. We're away this weekend and I want to relax a bit so need to stay on track today. I won't be weighing in on Monday but will be reporting a (slight) increase on Tuesday

/have a lovely weekend @Penguinpairs I'm impressed with the home baking

Really enjoying get out and about and getting my steps in. I moved to a new area in the summer (following a divorce) and pushing myself to find and try new areas for walks. Today I did 5 miles around a national trust grounds within a 10 minute walk from my new house. Currently sitting on over 22k steps and stayed on plan with eating. I am looking forward to a nice glass of wine tomorrow though!

That sounds amazing @owlyboo well done on going on such a nice long walk.

I cooked guys! In honour of Burns' night I made leek and potato cakes from scratch! My kitchen still looks like drunk teenagers had a food fight but they were delicious with veggie haggis and gravy.

@stillplentyofjunkinthetrunk they sound yummy! The mess is definitely the worst part of cooking!

Yes it was lovely. Makes me excited for summer and not having to walk in the drizzle and be slipping and sliding in the mud 😂

@EnglishGirlApproximately I had my first ever coconut milk cappuccino today! Really nice. I wouldn't have thought coconut and coffee would work as a flavour combination but they do.