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?

ive got another month till a mahoosive trip halfway across the world to see parents and family. Really wanted the full stone gone by then but alas I have been stuck for a month and still half a stone to go :/

@froidIci yes, that's what I meant, simply that I've been following but not really posting and then suddenly posting - I worry this might give the impression that it's easy to do, but it's not (and we all know that!!!) like you say, it's not about flashy "before and afters" but more about the everyday ups and downs of these sorts of things (lord knows we have them).

Thank you very much! I do have a question: anyone else struggle with emotional eating? When im having a bad day I just want to fill my mouth with crisps and need to figure out a way to substitute this.

I had a rather off track week and put two pounds back on, but probably just bloating etc from period.

Have set myself a goal of half a stone off by the end of March, that will have me in the 11s which I haven't seen for some time. I have some trips with work but March is usually a good diet month for me.

Welcome @doodlepants . Oh god, I’m the very definition of an emotional eater: when I’m sad, depressed, frustrated, excited, happy, in love…

Another honest update, all. It’s day 3 now of still not being back on track fully. BUT the line is drawn on day 3 and there’s no way this is extending beyond today as that could cause a few pound weight gain which would be so annoying to have to lose it all over again! I’m feeling a bit crap atm and lacking motivation. I’m getting very little sleep with my little one so apparently lack the self control to make good choices the day after. Oh and my period is late which is prolonging my insatiable appetite. I’ll probably avoid the scales for a little while as I get back on track and lose this water weight and maybe even a pound or two of fat. 🙈

Well done @doodlepants great achievement!

I am definitely another emotional eater, my brain thinks I deserve a treat when things go well or when they go badly, so basically all of the time 😂

I think my period is due probably around the end of the week so I'm feeling the bloat and the sugar cravings. Determined to stick within my cals this week after last weekend's blow out though. I'm up 1lb compared to Sunday morning which I know is likely water but it's still annoying and I can't wait for it to shift!

Well I've been travelling with work for the past two days - long hours, extra cappuccinos and I partaked in a Dominos pizza social today at lunch! 😂 I have still managed to avoid alcohol, cans of coke, dessert in the hotel last night and boxes of Krispy Kreme today!!! So it could have been worse!

Really interesting but the Domino's was nice at the time but was hungry quite quickly. I've eaten an early chicken salad and felt so much fuller! Definitely back on it tomorrow 😬

@doodlepants that's a great success! What IF regime are you following (ie 5:2, 16:8, OMAD)?

I had a lot of success losing baby weight with 5:2 about 10 years ago but it hasn't worked for me since. At that time I was BFing and on mat leave so was burning a lot of calories through being constantly moving (and bfing) and not sat at my desk all day. When I've tried it again I haven't lost anything, I think because I'm unconsciously compensating for the low calorie days.

1/2 a pound loss for me this week so now 10 stone 9lb.
Had 3 days with lunches out with family visiting but tried to make good choices. Had a rare evening out with DH too back to my fasting and tracking now.

Aim is to go back to my homemade soups for lunches this week and up my veg content more.

So, after feeling a little deflated at the glacial pace of my weight loss, I weighed in at 10st 6lbs today. Really pleased with that, but also perplexed as to why the scales didn't budge for over a month, then show a 3lb loss over a matter of days (maybe they are faulty?) Does this happen to other people? Weird, but I'll take the wins whenever I can!

God I pray and hope this is me - been stuck for a month!

Congrats @lisam78 that's great! I don't know why the "whoosh" of loss happens sometimes but it's definitely a thing!

@froidIci You're doing so well, hang in there 💪🏻 do you feel any better in your clothes/any other little non scale victories? Weigh ins can be so demoralising but we're all improving our health no matter what the scales say.

Another new low for me this morning at 9st4.5lb (nearly 2lb less than just yesterday morning!! Water retention/weight fluctuations are wild). My next mini goal is 9st3lb to get below the 130lb mark, hopefully nearly there now and almost at 10lb lost in total.

I skipped last week's weigh in after a bad week, so first weigh in for ages this morning: 51.9kg. I'm really pleased with this - it's the 51 at the start, makes the weight seem so much lower than say 52.1 😂

Not sure if it's cutting out chocolate (with a few slip ups, but no where near as much as I usually eat), or the exercise, or what. But I can feel the loss, in my jeans and just generally. Feeling positive for today as I have already batch cooked some healthy meals and written A good meal plan for next week. Going for a swim on Saturday, without my kids, which will also help!

Hi I'm late to the party but can I join? I could do with losing three quarters of a stone or so. My scales seem to vary depending on which bit of the bathroom floor they are on, so I'm either 10st 7 or 10st 4! Ideally would like to be 9st 11.
I never used to have much of a sweet tooth, but find I'm eating far more chocolate and biscuits than I used to and I think that is where the problem lies. think it ramped up when I cut back on alchohol a couple of years back, I think I replaced the sugar from wine with chocolate instead.
Work is stressful at the moment and I'm not putting enough effort in to cooking, so I'm hoping to improve that too.
I've no particular plan, but want to cut out most of the sweet stuff and hope being on here will keep me accountable

Hi all. I haven’t checked in for a few days but it’s great to hear about how everyone is doing. I wasn’t going to share this but I have grown to really love this little community we have here and if it helps another woman, that’ll make me feel better.

I’m stuck in a bit of a rut atm as my period has gone. I even did a test although - TMI - we don’t DTD much since having our baby! And we use contraception. It was negative as I expected. In the past, my cycle has been really sensitive to weight loss and exercise. A long time before I got pregnant, I suspected I had hypothalamic amenorrhea. I was a lowish weight (low 50s) and loved to exercise and suspect I didn’t always ovulate. Since having my baby, I’ve lost 2 stone. I had half a stone to go, maybe a stone for my pre baby weight but I wasn’t too bothered about reaching this as it was quite low - and sustained through a load of exercise which I don’t have the time for nowadays. I lost the majority before I started this group though. I wonder if it’s been lost too fast which has disrupted my cycle. I think I’m going to have to maintain my weight for a little while then v v gradually chip away as it once things are regulated. It’s been quite stressful as I definitely haven’t completed my family yet.

So ladies, please don’t feel bad about losing slowly, as this is so much better for your hormones, skin elasticity and loads of others things I am sure but not qualified to say!

For now, I have become even more aware of the importance of my diet for my health - not to look good or get back into my size 8 stuff. Our bodies are incredible and pregnancy and breastfeeding really reminded me of this. I need to be kind to myself as my body shape has changed so much and I need to remember I’m not the same person and I can’t have quite the same lifestyle I did before becoming a mother, doing several classes a week. So I’ll be focusing on reducing my UPFs but certainly not in a restrictive way. I love cake and chocolate far too much. Everything in moderation. It was actually when I stopped being so restrictive that I actually got pregnant.

Hello everyone 👀 I've been following this thread pretty much since you started it but only now am I in the right head space to join you. Hopefully I'm not too late and the momentum keeps up!

Very briefly, I don't have a lot (left) to lose, having lost a stone over the of Summer 2022. Yes you read that right! I am a slow loser and go through periods where I only really try to maintain. I read a bit about weight set point and I'm gradually trying to lower mine- so far so good (ish).

I think I'm currently about 10st and want to be in the lower 9s and a bit less wobbly. At my height this is an ideal BMI too.

Just to follow what @Philippa7 has said above (sending and hope you're feeling back on form soon!) I'm deliberately losing at a sloths pace and really focusing on doing it "properly", nourishing my body with food and movement not punishing myself. Following a traumatic event several years ago I lost approx 3st very very quickly. Whilst being very slim was nice/novel, I also lost my periods, my hair, my muscle mass and my perception of a good, healthy diet.

The weight came back, along with my periods, but my hairs still wrecked, I have no strength and if I'd gone to the GP and been honest I'd likely have been diagnosed with an eating disorder too.

So yes, slow and steady ftw 😊

💐 for @Philippa7 and anyone feeling like things aren’t picking up pace.

as you know I lost nothing for a whole month and appear to now have lost another 1.5 kilos (as it often happens to me after a period). What I am trying to say is that it really is SLOTH like - the progress.

but all evidence also says I think that SLOTH progress is more sustainable than CHEETAH progress?!

this month is my last month toll trip to Asia to see parents (one of whom is awaiting a heart bypass and I am trying to keep a lid on the anxiety as an only child continents away). Nevertheless - my plan this month is to realise that the cutting carbs thing does absolutely work for me and when I slip by introducing them unfortunately my digestive problems return. last month every time I allowed gluten into my body, every time I ate pasta etc even if gluten free I really genuinely suffered and not just on the scales.

everyone is different of course. My body is really unable to handle carbs and I speak as a south Asian woman who was raised on endless carbs.

anyway this month I will tighten the softly softly approach a bit and genuinely truly do the no exceptions rule for the main starchy carbs that do me down. This means I need to plan for yummy delicious things I can eat at various weekends and celebrations and date nights. Thank sulky my spouse is also cutting his carbs so we can do the same stuff.

goal for March: Tighten the rules just a little bit - and plan for yummy alternatives for having fun.

do others want to share their March goals?

Wishing you well for your visit @froidIci

I'm also on sloth like progress but I'm delighted there is genuine and sustainable progress.

Goals for March include a continuation of the reduced wine consumption. I will stop slipping up on the post 8pm snacking. I was doing well but crispy salty snacks are a serious temptation. As the weather improves I want to up my outdoor exercise to at least three times a week.

Great post @Philippa7 and really thought provoking  @froidIci Well done for sticking at it and I hope your trip goes well, and your parent's surgery!

This week has been tough due to TOTM, I've had no energy and have craved everything sugary. Also had a day out on Friday so I ate more than usual (Krispy Kreme donut included) and missed the gym that day, although I did rack up 20k steps!

I've managed to stay within my weekly calories (so far) by making Friday my "easier day" and being back to lower calories this weekend instead of having the higher cal day today. I was tempted to just say "sod it" and stop tracking for the week but I'm glad I didn't, I'd only have annoyed myself. I haven't weighed myself since my period started because I can feel how bloated I am so what's the point!? Business as usual next week though.

Off for a walk today whilst the sun is shining, least I'll get some steps in! Happy Sunday all

@froidIci I sound very much like you with the carbs. I have a wheat intolerance and if I eat bread I get very bloated and tired, however I've found that even the gluten free options still make me bloated and I think I'm really going to have to cut out the carbs entirely this week. I can eat sourdough and not suffer but my weight has actually gone up again this week :(
Not been exercising due to dodgy knee but I will at least do my physio exercise this week, some gentle walking and arm weights. And absolutely no carbs and will increase my alcohol free nights.

I hope it goes well with your parents. I know how hard it is when you're family are far away

Wish I had found this thread in January! Right am joining you! I desperately need to lose 10 lb before the end of March. Feel terrible and can't stop eating... Am going to start your micro goals; smaller portions, more water and walking - thank you!

Right, I'm back in! I dipped a little as my appetite massively went up with my period, so I spent two weeks eating more. Combined with two planned nights out, last weekend and this weekend, with massive meals out and lots of drinks, I felt I'd properly fallen off the wagon.

Just weighed myself and I've only gained 0.2kg! I suspect the real gain might come later as I always take a little while to catch up, but mentally it's helpful and I think I can get back into the right headspace. I would like to get below 66kg this week (currently 66.2, first weighed in mid Jan at 67.5 but that was after two weeks of covid so suspect my actual start point was higher). I'm short so that's still overweight, but I'm happy as long as I'm going in the right direction.

My big win is that in February, I ran more in total than in any other month for the whole previous year!

Also, welcome @Lou197! 10lb in a month is a lot but even if you lose less, it's still a better place to be than when you started.

I work from home so I'm trying a new shortcut to make sure I get some exercise in. I'm at my computer in workout kit with a nice smart jumper on. I think I'm more likely to do a fast 5km walk during lunchtime if I'm already dressed for it.

I've not done my usual Monday weigh in got accidentally glutened at the weekend (via a vegetable soup of all things) and ovulating so I'm extremely bloated and sore. I know I will be up and even though it's likely to go in the next few days I don't want it to be a slippery slope of going whats the point!

Will wait til everything settles down again.

New low of 9st3lb today which was my next mini goal, 129lbs  I found last week really hard but this has given me a motivation boost. Definitely agree dressing in gym stuff early helps @wheresmyshoe!