Diet for Summer Challenge 2024

[bigdecisionstomake]

This is a continuation of the previous Diet for Christmas and Diet for Summer Challenges started by myself, @OhFatty and @Dashel

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.

Your target doesn't need to be summer - you can set if for as soon or as late as you like. There are no rules other than being supportive and cheering each other on. Occasional kicks up the bum are available as and when requested.

Hopefully previous members of these threads will join us again and new members are always welcome.

I will update shortly with my start point for this challenge.

[bigdecisionstomake]

Right - a bit about me.

I'm 55 and have been a fairly steady healthy eater and exerciser all my life until around 5 years ago when menopause hit and around the same time life threw a few other health and personal challenges at me.

My weight crept up and up - I think what's known as a 'gradual creep' - until I hit my all time high this time last year. I decided I needed to do something about it and joined last year's Diet for Summer Challenge where I lost around 20lbs but never quite made it to target. A late summer holiday, challenging work life in the Autumn and then Christmas meant I gradually put a bit of that loss back on although not all of it thankfully.

Now I'm starting to think about summer holidays again and want to get back into the swing of a more healthy lifestyle again.

My plan is some form of daily exercise either a walk or a YouTube home workout plus a calorie deficit of between 250 and 500 calories a day which should give me a loss of around 0.5lb to 1lb a week. As you can see I am a fan of the slow and steady method of weight loss 😂I am starting with gentle cardio for my exercise but want to get back into some form of weights workouts too in the near future.

My starting weight is 10st 9.4lb and my target is between 9st 7lb and 9st 10lb.

I've started today with a 40 minute Olivia Lawson metabolic walking for weightloss workout and have my calories planned for the day to stay within my target deficit.

Hopefully some more posters will join me and we can motivate each other as we go 🙂

[Yocal]

Thanks for starting the new thread @bigdecisionstomake

Sw. 101kg
Cw. 91kg
Gw 81kg (by summer - June end)

Managed to lose 10kg in six months and would like to repeat the result by Sunmer. Overall goal is to get to healthy BMI, but taking it in 10kg chunks.

A bit about my dieting challenge
Strengths. Enjoy healthy food
Weaknesses. Convenience. Opting for the unhealthy stuff because it's easier.

To achieve the weightloss I need to get more organised i.e. meal planning, always having healthy options to hand. Not buying the unhealthy snacks and having them in the house.

Edit. I should add that exercise is limited due to chronic health issues, so need to do weightloss by diet alone. In the name of not living an utterly miserably life I'm taking a slow and steady approach to weightloss. 🐌

[LBB2020]

Morning and Happy New Year, thanks for the new thread! Just place marking and will be back later!

[Me1987]

Hi.

Started Feb 20th 2022 at 14st 5.6
Started Orlistat July 2023 currently at 12st 6.8
Goal weight is 10 stone.

Giving myself until April 2027 (my 40th birthday)
Have an underactive thyroid and not the best relationship with food so I'm taking it step by step and not punishing myself if I put a bit back on.
Currently using Orlistat and calorie counting.

[OkyDoke]

I'll jump in please! Summer holiday booked for mid June and would love to be a few stone lighter/less wobbly.

IF for me and gy 3 x per week, plus one home workout.

Started on 1/1/24
SW: 217.4
CW: 214.8
GW: ?? 168lbs to start

[Gemzee]

Hi 👋

I was on the previous threads last year that @bigdecisionstomake mentioned.

I started Jan 2023 at 10st 4lbs with a first target weight of 9st 4lbs, I hit that target then set new targets until I hit 8st 8lbs for the first time in 6 years 😳 (I'm a shorty by the way so wasn't super tiny at this weight, just healthy - size 10 jeans).

I bounced between 8st 8lbs - 8st 10lbs for Autumn 23 and went into Christmas at 8st 10lbs. I stopped exercising over Christmas and went a bit crazy on food for 2/3 wks which has caused a half a stone gain but I'm back on track from today (it's also my first day back at work after Christmas break).

So...

CW 9st 3lbs
GW 8st 8lbs - by the end of March ideally.

I tend to find losing weight easyish (when I'm motivated!), it's maintaining I find harder so I'll be sticking around after I hit my target as I'm convinced posting on the weight loss threads is what kept me motivated last year.

I did a 30min home workout today and plan to do that at least 4-5 times a week as well as 10k steps at least 5 times a week

I weigh in on Friday mornings so normally check in then.

We can do this!! 

[ElliesMum16]

Can I join please? For me it's the 'Diet for Winter Challenge' - doesn't quite have the same ring to it!

My weight has slowly crept up over the past couple of years as a result of convenience-eating due to a stressful job.

After a few false starts I started calorie counting on 27th Dec and have lost nearly 3kg so far. I want to lose about 15kg more, but my goal for now is 10kg.

SW 77.9kg
CW 75kg
GW 65kg (ideally 60kg)

I'm currently off work for the summer holidays, and I know my biggest challenge is going to be maintaining my calorie deficit once I go back to work. I don't enjoy cooking and am a bit of a fussy eater! When I try batch cooking I just end up with a whole lot of stuff in the freezer that I never end up eating. But I'm using this time that I'm off work to generate a list of 'recipes' (I use the term loosely!) that I can make quickly and enjoy - hopefully that will help me to resist the lure of takeaways when I'm tired.

[LBB2020]

Hello, just caught up!
I was dreading weighing myself after going off the rails over Christmas but was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I weighed in at 10st11lb.
I would love to get to 10st by June which I think should be doable. My ultimate goal is 9st10lb which is what I weighed before having DC2 who is now 3yrs old (I did get down to 10st after having him but the weight crept up after I returned to work and turned 40)

[bigdecisionstomake]

Morning all

Glad to have you back on the thread @Yocal your goal seems very achievable. Meal planning works for me on many levels, not least of which is sticking to a healthy diet. I think that for most of us there are so many different competing demands for our time and energy then at least if your food is organised in advance there's one less opportunity to slip up and reach for unhealthy snacks. Good luck with your next target!

Welcome to the thread @Me1987 and congratulations on your loss so far, that's awesome. Thyroid issues are tricky <speaks from bitter experience> but it sounds like you've got a plan that works 🙂

Glad to have you join @OkyDoke and well done on the 3lbs lost so far. Summer holidays are a great motivation aren't they! We haven't booked anything yet but will probably do so in the next month or so. Keep us updated with your progress.

Good to see you on the new thread @Gemzee It sounds like your Christmas was a bit like mine 😳Just got to get back on it now and keep swimming!

Welcome to the alternative 'Diet for Winter Challenge' @ElliesMum16 I'm envious that you have longer days and warmer weather 🌞 Well done on the 3kg lost so far, that's really great. Fingers crossed you can find a routine that works for you when you go back to work and your new recipe file helps with that - best of luck 🙂

Welcome back @LBB2020 and well done on your post Christmas weigh in. I think 11lbs loss by June is eminently achievable if you stay consistent. Keep us posted with your progress 😃

I've woken up with a pounding headache this morning which I'm sure is my body protesting the fact there was no alcohol yesterday and very little sugar. Hopefully this will pass soon.

I had a good day yesterday food wise although I only came in at around 7.5K steps which is a bit less than I'd hoped for. My job can often be very desk bound but I try to aim for a minimum of 8K a day if possible and 10K ideally.

I've done another walking workout this morning and have weighed in at 10st 8.6lb, a loss of 0.8lb. Obviously this is just water weight not actual fat but at least it's a start 😂

Have good days all.

[Backinthedress]

Morning all! Took me a while to track you down 😊
I'm back down to pre-christmas weight of 69.8kg (ish) and am aiming for my ultimate goal weight by August of 65kg. I chose August because my jib contract finishes then, so it's as good a reason as any! Starting weight back in September was 73.7kg

I'm losing weight theough calorie cou ting on MFP, running 2 or 3 times a week and I've now started Pilates, too, which will be a weekly lesson, plus I'm aiming for 3 youtube sessions per week of at least 10 minutes. I'm trying to build up my exercise slowly so it's part of my routine and achievable.

I also do some walking as part of day to day life, but would love to find a local body pump class as that was great fun when i did it at my old gym.

Christmas was a bit relaxed. But I didn't completely lose control of my eating and it's meant the weight has dropped back down again which I'm happy about.

Nice to see some old names here. Hoping to keep posting regularly as it helps me stay accountable x

[flutterby1]

I'm in. ! My goal is to lose the belly fat so that I can wear dresses. I am skinny fat and have worn jeans all my life and I'm bored of the look ! I won't wear dresses because my tum sticks out.

[Backinthedress]

Oops. 360 calories over today.
I blame hormones. And my lovely team leader has just announced she's leaving the business which has made me feel really crap.

Never mind. Run day tomorrow and I've just batch made a load of veggie lentil soup to make lunches easier.

[Jigglemonster]

Hi there, great losses already for some of you. Can I join you too please? I'm starting this week after having my second child 4 months ago. I can't even blame kids/pregnancies for weight gain - my weight has been creeping up for years now. I've done various 'diets' with some working better than others but I really want to create some good habits more than anything else and lose weight gradually and keep it off.

CW: 96kg
GW: 80kg
I'd like to aim for 85kg by June with an increase in fitness levels and then try to get to 80kg by the end of the year.

I'm aiming to cut out junk during the week, limit alcohol to one night per week, increase my protein, get my steps in and get consistent at logging my calories each day so that I'm more aware of what I'm eating. I'm also gradually returning to exercise by doing one yoga and one pilates class per week so hopefully this will help to get me motivated and into a better mindset. I really want to get a handle on my weight this time, and to fit back into my size 12 clothes!

[bigdecisionstomake]

Hello

Lovely to see you back with us @Backinthedress and well done on not going too mad at Christmas - wish I could say the same....😅Sorry to hear you feel crap about your team leader leaving, it's rubbish when something like that happens and it's someone who has a positive impact on a large chunk of your life.

Welcome to the thread @flutterby1 belly fat is my nemesis too. Skater type dresses are your friend, they work well to disguise a belly. Keep us posted with how you're getting on.

Your plan sounds excellent @Jigglemonster I firmly believe that consistency is the key, even if consistent means you have one day a week when you are a bit more relaxed about things. The other thing I think it's important to remember is that when life happens (as it inevitably does) that you don't throw the towel in but instead put it behind you and get back on it as soon as you can. Best of luck with it all, I look forward to seeing your updates 🙂

I had a good day yesterday except Hello Fresh sent me a free sample of Hu Kitchen Salty Dark Chocolate in my box. I thought I would try one square to see what it was like and ended up eating 4 squares throughout the day as it was actually delicious - so much for good intentions 🙄

I have weighed in again at 10st 8.6lb this morning which was slightly disappointing as I was expecting a little more water weight to come off to get me off to a good start. Last night's dinner was quite salty though so maybe that had an effect. I've done a 30 minute Eleni Fit walking workout this morning followed by another 15 minutes just walking up and down in front of the TV. Just got to try not to eat the other 4 squares of the Hu Kitchen chocolate now!

Have good days all.

[imustbepatient]

Hi everyone and thanks very much to @bigdecisionstomake for setting up this thread and commenting on everyone’s posts so regularly.

I was on the Diet for the Summer thread for a while last year, but had a pretty disastrous final half of the year and have ended up at nearly my highest weight again.

I just couldn’t get myself going again after my lovely summer holiday. Frustrating and disappointed but I have tried really hard to reflect on the whys and wherefores of what went wrong and also what were the positives that I can build on.

Anyway, I’ve been doing quite a bit of reflection and making a concerted effort to learn from the past year (good and bad) and work out a way to consistently lose and then maintain the loss. Slow and steady is fine (it has to be - that’s the only way my body goes! 😂), I just have to stay consistent and not let holidays derail me any more.

I’d love to join this thread, and have just finished reading through the last Diet for Christmas one, you are all so inspiring.

My current stats are (and I really thought about not putting them on here as literally no one knows what I weigh, I’m so embarrassed about it, but I think I need to face up to this - and thank goodness for the anonymity of MN!):

SW (3 Jan) 15 st 6lbs (gulp)
CW (as of today) 15 st 4.2 lbs
1st GW 14st 10lbs
2nd GW 13st 10lbs
3rd GW 12st 10lbs
Ultimate GW 11st 10lbs

So basically I’ll be on this thread and a fair few follow on ones thereafter! 😁

One thing that you said at the end of the last thread @bigdecisionstomake (paraphrasing you! I hope you don’t mind!) is that while you ended up the same weight at the end of that thread as you had started it, a) you had maintained the great loss you’d had in the first six months of the year and b) if you hadn’t been on the thread for the second half of the year, you know you would have ended it higher, rather than the same.

This resonated with me so much and is how I need to view things. I need to stay on this thread, and keep getting on the scales, come what may, even when my weight isn’t going the way I want. Not to do so only shoots myself in the foot head and brings me to an even worse position.

[bigdecisionstomake]

Morning all

Great to see you back on the thread @imustbepatient Like you I had all good intentions after my holiday in September but never quite managed to get my teeth into it. Using the thread for accountability really works for me - even when things were tough like the last three months of 2023. As you said, once you stop weighing and posting it's easy to ignore what you're eating/drinking and the effects of that. Well done on your loss so far, that's a great start. You have a great positive, measured and thoughtful approach so I'm sure you can do this and remember we're all here cheering you on - you can do this 🙂

I've had another whoosh of water weight come off this morning to take me down to 10st 7.8lb. From here on in I expect it will get harder as I try to start shifting some fat. I'm struggling a little with motivating myself to workout first thing (I hate the cold/dark mornings) so at the moment I'm focusing on things to help with that like leaving my kit out ready the night before.

Have good days all.

[imustbepatient]

Thanks very much @bigdecisionstomake for your very kind and welcoming words. This thread is so supportive and effective, I’m really kicking myself for hiding from the past ones last year!

But, it is literally a brand new year and I will learn from that mistake!

Well done on your further whoosh, and for persevering with the early morning work outs. You’ve obviously come up with ways to help make it easier to build the habit. I’m completely with you on the hating the cold/dark mornings thing! Indoor workouts for the win, at the moment.

I had another downwards movement on the scale this morning, water weight of course, but still it’s encouraging and will keep me doing the right actions. It’s that whole motivation circle thing isn’t it, where you take the step, get a positive result (eventually sometimes!) which encourages and motivates you to take the next step, you get a further result (again, for a given period of time for ‘get’!), which encourages you etc, and on it goes.

I just have to keep taking the right steps, the results will turn up eventually.

Hope everyone has a good day.

[ChickenChipsandBeans]

Hi. Had a nice 0.5kg overnight loss, hope it stays, so I'm back in the game heading towards summer. I would love to reach under 70kg for the beginning of February, it's my first target of the year. That would bring me to a 2 stone loss since I started in the last week of September. Fingers crossed. I am focusing on feeling comfortable within myself again this summer, as last year I was the heaviest I've ever been and really just buried my head in the sand about how much I had actually gained. I live abroad, but last year the struggle to actually get into my swimming costume because of how fat I was meant I only swam a handful of times. Determined to get back in my old bikinis. Nice to read some of the updates from the previous thread's posters and welcome to anyone new.
SW 82.2kg
CW 72.8 kg
GW 60 kg

[Yocal]

@ChickenChipsandBeans You've done really well to lose 2 stone since September, that's brilliant progress. I really identify with you wanting to get back to your normal self weight wise, but I would still go swimming regardless of what I look like. If you enjoy swimming it would be a shame not to do so because you think you don't look good enough. At a cw of 72.8kg I reckon you look fit and healthy - even if you don't feel it.

I'm poorly at the moment with a cold which has really killed the appetite...so I feel dreadful but the silver lining is I'm probably going to easily drop 6lbs like I normally do when fighting a virus. That should kick start this round of weight loss 😂

[ChickenChipsandBeans]

@Yocal Thanks for those kind words. I do feel so much better now, but I did feel very uncomfortable last summer. It wasn't as much how I looked, as actually getting into the costume! I'd bought a shapewear type one and it was a battle to say the least.

[Yocal]

@ChickenChipsandBeans understood! I have a wetsuit that causes a similar battle.

[Jigglemonster]

@ChickenChipsandBeans 2 stone is a great result so far and the half kg whoosh too. Sounds like what you're doing is working. I always find that for me the first stone comes off easily enough and then I don't get much further so determined to keep focused, and the mini targets is a good shout, I need to set some interim targets because the full amount seems quite out of reach at the moment.

Great news on the water weight coming off @bigdecisionstomake , are you weighing every day? I've not decided how to play it this time, I've previously weighed every day but can't decide if it makes me more or less motivated to see the little fluctuations.

Have managed to do a pilates class yesterday and a yoga class today - both very easy, more stretching than anything else but at least feel like I'm moving my body a bit. I'm going to try to find an old fitbit that's knocking about somewhere in the house to start tracking my steps. I suspect at the moment I'm barely reaching a couple of thousand.

Have also managed to stick to my calories for the past couple of days though have been quite generous with my allowance compared to previous weight loss attempts. I need to just make sure to log everything - even the door of gingerbread house that I ate while tidying the kitchen earlier, I really need to get rid of that thing! 😂

[ElliesMum16]

Still going well here, and I'm enjoying pushing myself out of my comfort zone by trying new meals. I'm keeping breakfast and lunch pretty similar so I'm not overloading myself, and then putting some thought into dinner. I HATE cooking (and it's so hot at the moment the last thing I want to do is be in the kitchen) but I'm surprising myself with the quick but tasty meals I've been having.

I'm doing C25K and just finished week 3, so pleased with my stick-ability so far. I need to find a way to get into strength training, but thought I'd focus on losing some weight and increasing my fitness first.

[DietCokeandHulaHoops]

Can I join in please?

Am The heaviest I’ve ever been at 14st and a size eighteen. I’m hoping to lose around 3st overall - but hopefully drop a size by June this year.

My weak points are takeaways (I usually have at least two per week) and wine.

For the moment I’m doing 16:8 fasting - and using Gousto for dinners to try and make it easy. I do actually enjoy cooking but work is manic at the moment so don’t want meal
planning to be a massive faff.

looking forward to seeing how everyone’s getting on

[LBB2020]

Well done everyone sounds like you’re all off to a great start!
Hope you feel better soon @Yocal
My week is going ok, not bad but not great! I’ve upped my water intake but still not quite getting 2ltrs, I’ve done a spin class and a PT session so far this week and have another couple of gym classes booked for the rest of the week. I really need to improve my diet as I’ve still been picking at the last of the Christmas biscuits and chocolate (thankfully DH finished off the shortbread last night!). Going to dig out some cool books to look for meal inspiration over the weekend as we’re stuck in a bit of a rut at the moment (fussy toddler doesn’t help as I hate cooking multiple meals!)