Need to lose 1 stone? Gather around....

[froidIci]

Not sure if this will get any clicks, but I wondered if there are folks who need to lose about a stone or a bit this way or that who might want some accountability?

BTW When I say "need to lose a stone" this means basically a stone to get to your own, individual target (which could be a random number, a random BMI point, just anything).

For me - 1 stone off takes me to weight before conceiving Baby 1, and 1.2 stone off takes me to my lightest adult weight and a very comfy size 10-12 as opposed to a size 12-14. I have added motivation that a 40th birthday tails off 2024 for me, so I've got a deadline.

My downfall? Carbs. Salty carbs. My body absolutely magically loses if I cut out rice, pasta and potatoes. And yet, alas - it specifically is those that I crave.

Anyone want a loose accountability thread?

Non-scale victory this morning!

I'm off out for a run, and couldn't find my favourite (less structured) running bra. I have two others with more scaffolding, one of which I have to do up at the front and swivel round. For months now it has been a massive struggle to twist it round as my fatty ribs cling on for dear life. This morning, I had to put on the sticky bra, and it turned around with no problem!

I know this seems like a silly thing but to me it's significant. The scale is moving very slowly and this is my first real solid sign of progress.

@Swearwolf not silly at all! The scales don't always reflect what's actually happening so that's a great win

Scales are showing another 0.5lb drop so now 5.5lb down in total so far. Last time I lost some weight I got to 6lb loss then fell off the wagon and put it all back on so I must NOT do that again!

I had a lovely trip to a garden centre with my 2yo and mum yesterday, enjoyed a latte and shared a bit of a cookie with my son. Calories all tracked and guilt free but a nice little afternoon treat to share with him after he'd been an angel all day Little things like this make it feel sustainable, previously on diets I would've just restricted myself and had nothing.

Well am up a pound this week but my wagon call carried on all week to some extent. Actually I still ate better just added in more calorific food. There was a lot of cheese and sour dough toast plus some booze and no running. It was a stressful and busy week so I am back on it this week. Well after the birthday cake. Well done to all who stayed good!

Well done for off-the-scale and on-the-scale losses but also for allowing oneself treats and off weeks - this is a LONG haul.

Being Ill has reduced my appetite but am sure it will return!

We've just had a week of family birthdays and there's still cake in the fridge. I'm a few pounds down though with fairly minimal effort and planning to start being a little more strict with myself this coming week.

Cake aside, my water intake is up, snacks are more nutritious and better planned and I haven't been snacking in the evening! I'm also hitting about 15,000 steps every day.

Good luck with Ofsted! Definitely have a treat to celebrate it bring over. You’ve got so much willpower!

My reduced alcohol commitment has meant 10 units (740 calories) this week (about half what it was before). I currently have a mug of herbal tea next to me so water intake is also improving. I look and feel so much better.

Wish everyone well for the coming week, particularly those with challenges like ofsted to face.

Hi all. I hope everyone had a good weekend. It’s great to catch up on everyone’s updates. I’d love to reply to all of them but there’s quite a few (and I’m trying to get my toddler to sleep) so I’ll just say well done for the weight loss and non scale victories!

I have a few pounds over a stone to lose until I’m my lowest pre kids target but I tend to plateau and it comes to grinding halt when I’m about a stone above this as I tell myself “I’m just a stone over my pre pregnancy weight.” This is of course absolutely fine but I’m still not confident/happy with how I look. I can feel myself getting a little complacent tbh so I need a good loss this week to keep me motivated. Therefore today I decided to put the number of pounds in a “to lose” jar using mint humbugs. I have another jar for “lost pounds”. I really hope to remove two of them to the second jar by next Monday. I hope to remember to update here next week.

To hold myself to account, here are my goals for this week:

1. 2lb loss by next Monday
2. 10,000 steps a day
3. Well hydrated
4. Minimise ultra processed foods and have healthy snacks
5. Better sleep

I look and feel so much better.

So lovely to read! Well done.

Thank you @Philippa7 I like your jar method, I might have to adopt that.

I weighed again today, 53.1kg. So that's around 5 or 6 kg to lose, in 6 months. I know that should be totally doable in theory but in practice it's hard!!! I'm hungry right now but had planned not to eat after 6pm. I had half a bagel with cream cheese and a chocolate biscuit at 5. Serves me right for eating such junk but what should I do now??? Eat something small? Or stick with the plan and wait for breakfast? Bleugh. I'm just not feeling it this evening. Or any evening tbh. Motivation is low.

@Cathy31 Could you drink a herbal tea and get an early night?
I am pretty much an identical weight to you with a similar target weight. (I'm guessing you're also quite short?) What's your plan? I'm really struggling to lose anything. I'm struggling to know why/what I'm doing wrong.

@Cherryblossom81 thanks for replying, weight twin! I caved, had a bowl of muesli, which I regret. Your suggestion would have been a better plan!

I am pretty short, yes - 5ft 3 (just about!) And also breastfeeding, and sleep deprived as I have a 6mo baby and two other young kids. I blame my lack of progress on these things. I think that last stone or so can be very difficult if you're already not big (height or weight). But it also shows so much more than it would on a taller person.

Tomorrow I plan to fast until at least 9.30am, which would be 12 hours or so. Then just 3 meals and no snacks, stop eating at 6, and early to bed. Lots of water. If I start the day with water, and have a meal planned for dinner, I tend to do ok. It's winging it that's my downfall...as well as snacking. I'll weigh again on Wednesday I think. I just want to see a little bit of downward movement on the scales.

Hi Cathy. Solidarity with the young kids and breastfeeding although I won’t be for much longer hence the dieting now. There’s not a chance I could have when I was feeding regularly as I was permanently eating. These two things, young kids and the breastfeeding, make it so hard.

I’m also 5ft3. I also imagined you were about 5ft if not less as you want to be 6kg below your current weight of 53kg. My lowest target is 55kg which puts me just in the lower half of the healthy BMI range - it’s about 21 though so about half way in the healthy range. Have you checked this as your current weight is obviously lower than 55kg? I’d love to be your weight! 😂 I know how it feels though to still not be quite happy despite the numbers being fine and healthy. In the past when this has happened, I hit the gym instead and focused on getting really strong and ignored the numbers when I knew I was at a totally healthy weight.

@Philippa7 solidarity!! Yeah bf gives me a crazy appetite. I haven't actually checked the BMI for my current or goal weight. I know I'm in the healthy range already, but my prepregnancy clothes are no where near fitting, and I just don't feel comfortable/confident yet. I am starting to do some exercise as I think you're right, the numbers aren't really the issue. But I have very small/ narrow bones if that makes sense, and weight doesn't sit 'well' on me the way it does on some women, so really do look my best at quite a low BMI.

Having a black coffee now, after 500ml of water, and feeling pretty good about today. I weighed again this morning, 52.6kg. mysteriously lost half a kg in one day!?

Oh I hear you both on that! I'm 5'2" and extra weight really doesn't sit well on me at all. An extra few kg makes a huge amount of difference, and I'm hoping that it works the other way too and that as the weight comes off (optimistically assuming it will) I will start to look visibly more fabulous!

Urgh, I've just weighed in at 0.4kg up on last time. I did eat a lot yesterday so I'll weigh again in a couple of days and see if it goes back down.

No move on the scales for me this week which I'm taking as a win as period due in 2 days and I'm bloated like anything!

@Cathy31 It's nice to have a weight twin! I also have narrow frame/small bones and the extra pounds really show. (I have found it hard that other people generally don't understand why I need to lose weight!) It would be great to track our progress towards our goals.
Do you count calories?

I'll have gone about 1200 calories over my allowance for the week by the end of today, but at the same time I'll have done 5,000 calories worth of exercise apparently, and only did 3600 last week, so we'll see.

@Cherryblossom81 yes let's be weight loss buddies! I don't count calories, just don't have the headspace. I'm just trying to limit snacks and chocolate. If I could stop snacking between lunch and dinner I think I'd be at my goal weight soon. What's your strategy?

I am having a bit of a motivation wobble today. A combination of bad sleep/period/very busy work day I think.

I'm about 150 cals over my allowance which isn't terrible, but because of work being hectic I've been pretty sedentary today too. Ah well, tomorrow is a new day so they say! Must get back on the wagon, 1 more pound to go til I've lost half a stone.

Not been a good day for me either. I had a small glass of wine with dinner, which made me a) ravenous and b) sleepy, so I ate lots then sat on the sofa scrolling Pinterest. Ah well. Booking our holiday this week, which will hopefully give me a bit of a kick!

Can I join in please? I’m 11 stone 2lbs and would like to get to 10 stone, or back into my size 12s… whatever comes first. Am tired of losing the same 3lbs over and over again!

Well done to everyone who has lost and also well done to everyone who has had some treats etc over the weekend but not given up! Got to take every day as it comes, I indulged a lot on Sunday, but back to my good habits yesterday and today! I was feeling demotivated by the scales the other day, but I know that I’m eating healthier, snacking a lot less and keeping under my calorie count most days so should start seeing bigger improvements soon! Also sticking with daily yoga and loving it, been doing that since the start of January (I do enjoy yoga in general but I haven’t done it even regularly and certainly not daily since being pregnant with my youngest who is now nearly 3) and I feel good from that!