⭐️ LOSE IT! February 2024 ⭐️ Fit & Fabulous Edition ⭐️

[TheRealHousewife]

⭐️ Open to All ⭐️

Following on from the January thread.

February 2024! Start to get Fit & Fabulous by adopting healthy eating habits & moving more. Join-in to reset & refresh and become a healthier version of yourself. These threads are for those who’d like to lose and those who wish to maintain whilst eating a healthy varied diet.

As no one size fits all, members need to follow their own way of eating. This thread aims to offer guidance, support and a bit of hand holding.

We generally have WOW (weigh on Wednesday) day each week. However post and share your progress as often or as little as you prefer. Do what works for you.

The important thing is not to think of it as a diet (based on deprivation and unsustainable) but more a way of life (sustainable & enjoyable).

I calorie count based on a lower carb Mediterranean diet. I intermittent fast and generally eat twice a day. Im a long time healthy eater and overall I’ve lost over 3 stone. After having been on the wrong side of 12st Im now hovering around 9st. I had a blip a couple of years ago when my thyroid went wonky but now I’m back on track.

Are you in😊 What food plan will you be following? What do you want to change and why?

Follow along to get Fit & Fabulous in readiness for the long awaited Spring and a bit of sunshine ☀️

Thank you @ThreeRingCircus 😊🤞

Just had a lovely early lunch (starting work in half an hour) of a wrap with some low fat houmous, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and sweet chilli Quorn 'chicken'. Didn't add cheese as I normally would, weighed it all out and it came in at 341 calories. Going to have some greek yoghurt and pomegranate now - that should keep me going nicely until dinner time.

Still not sure about dinner but got over 900 cals to play with so should come in nicely under for today. On my second large glass of water too and I always get through a few on shift too - so hydration on point.

Focus focus focus!

Did a short Joe Wicks work out this morning, then spent the rest of it baking! Managed to colour one thumbnail blue, so looks like I've had a horrible accident! My big base cake broke taking it from the tin, hoping to push it back together and cover it enough with icing to work.

Does mean I have eaten the overspill cake from the half sphere tins, so that it will press back into a proper sphere to ice. Hot cake is so good I can hardly manage to feel guilty.

B: black bean burrito
L: leek, cabbage, tahini siracha lentils
D: lentil bolognaise, broccoli, cheese

Hi everyone, checking in with today's menu.

B - one slice of seeded toast, scrambled eggs, teaspoon of flax seeds
L - home made leek & potato soup, pear, small portion of leftover chicken from Sunday for protein
D - veggie bolognese and spaghetti

S - so far I've had a mini Kit Kat (colleague brought back from holiday) and might have something tonight. Including tonight's dinner I am at 23g of fibre, so very pleased with that.

Exercise - planning a bodycombat class later.

I had a completely unprecedented NSV today. Thought I would drive to the optician appt, then realised I wouldn't manage to use the parking app. So I walked. Took around twenty minutes, and my wonky ankle did not let me down. Wondered whether I would get back okay, as it is all uphill, thought about a taxi or bus, then started thinking about something else, and was halfway up the hill before I remembered about the bus again. I ended up walking all the way home. I'm really pleased with this achievement, and feel so much more confident about walking.

SW 81.5kg
CW 76.4
Change from last week - 0.7kgs
GW 69kg

I usually wait until it’s Wednesday in the UK to post but it’s Wednesday now for me so am posting a bit early. Definitely reflecting I have been out and about over the week but happy to have still lost weight!

Well done @Gemstonebeach !

B - Protein yoghurt, banana
L - Lentil and bacon soup, clementines
D - Bunless cheeseburger with salad, protein yoghurt
S - 3 babybel lights
E - Dog walk, yoga, weights at the gym

I upped my weights at the gym today which I was pleased with. Felt very snacky tho and it took a lot of willpower to stay away from the crisps. If I’d had biscuits in I’m not sure I would have resisted them!

Thank you @TheRealHousewife @WhatWouldTheDoctorDo @Stripyunicorn
and hope you’re all doing ok.

Good luck @ImALittlePea for your interview.

Just popping on to share my meals for today:

Salad of: roasted butternut squash and cauliflower in spices and olive oil, salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, salmon, feta, pomegranate and a homemade basil dressing. Was amazing!

Frozen pineapple

Jacket potato with homemade bolognese (onions, garlic, smoked paprika, peppers, courgette, spinach, bone broth, lentils and tinned tomatoes) and a bit of grated cheddar cheese.

A couple of coffees with milk and a bit of coconut sugar.

Might have some yogurt, fruit and nut butter and/or melted dark chocolate in a bit.

I'll try and catch up again, I'm not great at keeping up!

Bad day for me, on my period and was starving craving all the junk so I caved. Could have been worse and tomorrow is another day though. Not expecting a loss tomorrow.

Also tmi but I'm really struggling with constipation 😫. Anyone any foods that help? I eat tons of veg already.

@ImALittlePea good luck for your interview! When is it?
@VallesMarineris that's brilliant, well done! Walking is such good exercise too, especially uphill!
@Gemstonebeach well done for the loss, every little counts, especially if you've been out a lot!

maybein2022 your salad sounds lovely

Good luck ImALittlePea

Was so hungry mid morning, which makes no sense since I had a larger breakfast than usual. Good job I was at work so I couldn't give into it.

B Seeded toast with houmous. Yogurt, strawberries & granola
L Quorn & rocket roll, 2 rice cakes
D Sweet chilli tofu, cauliflower, rocket & peashoot salad with a jacket potato
S Wine, crisps, plant cadbury

I've only realised today after 42 years that I've been spelling houmous wrong 😳

Your menu sounds lovely @HighlandCowRose It’s so weird, I always feel hungrier if I eat breakfast, very strange!

@Stripyunicorn are you drinking enough water? Also fruit especially kiwi, prunes etc is good.

Can I jump in with a self-pitying moan? I'm on holiday and it's fab but I'm so upset with my body. The swimming is my favourite thing about being here but I hate wearing swimwear and being exposed. In clothes I look ok but in swimwear I look awful. After lockdown I'd bought a 3 piece tankini with shorts. I loved it to start with. This time last year it was much looser and this year looser still but stays in place. Just. There's mirrors in the huge changing area that are hard to avoid. I'd say 90% of the other women have smooth skin of an even tone regardless of their weight. Mine is slightly lumpy, with corn beef-like wobbly thighs and I feel fucking ugly. My BMI is 21 something and I don't seem to look any better than when it was 26 something. I know I need to tone up but I didn't think it was as bad as it all looks in those mirrors. My face is ok bar my now slightly scraggy neck but my body looks alien to my face. I walk 50 miles a week up big hills ffs-why aren't my legs more toned? I think my skin tone makes me look worse with being all pale and pinky purple. I look better once I've been in the water a while. A different swimsuit wouldn't change my awful thighs but I don't think it's very flattering. It was bought to cover up as much as possible but now I'm thinking I'm making myself look bigger especially now it's too big. Maybe I'm one of those people who needs to be at the bottom end of their bmi bracket to lose the lumpy lard and look decent when half naked. I feel ashamed of my body but I'm usually of the mindset of how awesome it is to be able to walk so much week in week out. I'm also conscious of how I was investigated for cancer last year and was so relieved when it came back all clear. How my blood pressure was at stroke or heart attack level 2 weeks ago and how I'm bloody lucky that I'm essentially fit and healthy but it's knocked me so much the reflection in the mirrors.
When I get back from holiday I'm going to see what I can do. I can't afford a PT or the gym so that's out but I can look at a cleaner diet and toning up. Maybe get my bike dusted off as that should help my thighs. Riding it, not the dusting it 😬
I think I need a slap really.
Sorry for the huge downer but you lovely lot are the only ones I know who will understand.

Lots of you will be wowing in the morning and I hope you get good results. If you don't, don't give up, don't beat yourself up, just keep going and you'll get there. You can do it😃

@LegoTherapy Sorry you’re feeling that way, especially on holiday. Try not to compare yourself to others, it never feels good. I’m hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday.

2lbs lost today which is good and I’m happy with, seem to lose 1-2lbs a week so as long as I keep going at the same rate I should be half way there come summer. 1 stone down, 6 more to go (gulp).

SW: 17st 10
CW: 16st 10
TW: 10st 10
Loss this week: 2lb
Total loss: 14lb

@LegoTherapy I'm so sorry you feel like that about your body. I know it's hard but it sounds like at the moment you are in good health, healthy BMI and get lots of activity in. It's okay to say that what you felt comfortable in 2 years ago, you don't feel comfortable in now. Find yourself some new swimwear that makes you feel more confident (I used to cover up in baggy T-shirts a lot but now I am a little trimmer and feel better about my body I've realised that well-fitted tops suit me better).

For improving skin tone and how you feel about it then maybe a combination of diet/water (as much whole foods, veg, and as little sugar/UPF as possible), strength/resistance training to tone up, and body brushing/exfoliating/moisturising (I don't do any of that!) would help (in that order). Don't try and do everything at once.

@maybein2022 I drink about 3.5l a day, water is the one thing I've never struggled with haha! I don't eat much fruit really, I'm not a fan. I might need to add some more in. I've got bananas and apples that I could have.

@LegoTherapy I bet you don't look as bad as you think, and nobody else will notice at all, they'll all be more concerned with how they look. Buy I know how horrible it is feeling you look awful. I don't really have any suggestions to help though. Maybe weight training? And body brushing is supposed to be good for cellulite I think. My 5 year old said to me the other day "mum why are your legs all bumpy and wobbly at the top" so I get it!

SW 13 stone 2
Feb SW 12 stone 8.2
CW 12 stone 7
GW 10 stone 7
Loss this week 1.2lb
Total loss 9lb

Meals today:
L - Egg salad
S - Protein yoghurt
D - Chicken Kiev with veg and ?chips

Oh I'm sorry @LegoTherapy virtual hugs. Easier said than done, but try not to pay attention to how other people look and try to stop catching unflattering glimpses of yourself.

WOW 1lb loss this week so pleased enough with that, though a sneaky peak on the scales yesterday had me at 2lb down 🤔.

Wow

SW 77kg (beginning October 2023)
CW 68.9kg
Interim GW 68kg
GW 63kg

No change this week but happy with that after a takeaway, apple pie and ice cream this weekend (and to dod go up at one point - 0.8kg range in weight this week).

Currently in the middle of a week from hell at work. I'm so stressed I can feel it in my body, can't sleep and waking up in the middle of the night with my head whirring for hours. I hope that after today everything will settle down again but I don't feel good. Just a combination of too many important things happening at once. Am putting off what I can (school play can wait!) but some are happening whether I like it or not (exam class performance, special project with a colleague/2 classes this week). All I can say is roll on half term!

Today:
-boiled egg and rye toast, buter, coffee
-pumpkin pancakes with greek yoghurt and honey
-tinned soup with added veg and bread (DH is cooking...if it was up to em we'd have homemade soup!).
-whatever fruit is on offer at school his morning.

5:2 and 12 hour fasts.

Started 01.01.2024
SW: 74 Kg
CW: 70.9 Kg
Loss this week: 0.1 Kg
1st GW: 63Kg (June holiday).

A disappointing loss, but really I’m surprised it’s a loss.
After successfully completing DJ, I went back to my old ways over the weekend. Lots of wine, cheese and nibbles. I put on a kilo between Thurs and Sunday!! No booze, lots of exercise and 500 cal days on Monday and Tuesday and I’m now back down to my pre-blowout weight.
Moral of the story. I’m not going to lose weight in time for my holiday if I go back to my old ways.

Hope everyone had a good week. I’ll read everyone’s updates after work.

Sorry you're feeling bad @LegoTherapy I've very much admired your walking distances! It does seem unfair that you're not as toned as you would like.
For what it's worth, changing area mirrors are about as evil a mirror as the world produces. So please don't judge yourself by those either!
We are our harshest critics. I'm sure you look better than you feel.

No change for me this week, but I'm aware that calorie intake was over, for more than half the days this week.
Really want to see a loss next week! Will get meal planning.

Good luck on WOW everyone.

Good Morning All

WOW - 8st 13lbs. I’ve bobbed up and down a 1lb all week. That’s natural fluctuations for ya 😬

@PatienceOfEngels That sounds very tough ! I hope it all settles down soon ❤️

@WhatWouldTheDoctorDo @Stripyunicorn @Flowerchild547 Well done on your losses 👍👏⭐️

@LegoTherapy Im saying this with kindness. You have worked hard to become fit and healthy and that’s to be applauded 👏 In regards to how you look (I sure people aren’t seeing you like you see yourself) it doesn't sound like it’s a lack of exercise thing. Could it be food intolerance related. Some foods hold water in your tissue. If I have too many carbs I know I’m definitely more jiggly. What about having a self tan treatment to even out skin tone? Try to accept yourself however you look… then that contentedness will reflect in how you hold yourself and you’ll look blummin glowing and lovely. Enjoy your holiday ☀️❤️

Menu
Meal 1 - Broccoli ginger coconut soup. GF low carb bread.
Meal 2 - Home made lasagna and large salad.
Tea, black coffee and water.

@LegoTherapy please don’t be so hard on yourself. I doubt very much that you look as bad as you think. A bmi of 21 is amazing - you have done so well.
I personally don’t think swim shorts or tankinis look good on anyone. I know that even at my heaviest, I looked better in a hip bikini. I’ve had two operations (cancer) on my abdomen, so have lots of scars. No one bats an eyelid. I’m sure you will look fab in one.
As for toning, I started Pilates in December. It is changing my shape. Might be worth a try.

Wow today
0.8kg loss from last week, feeling very pleased with that
SW 81.2 kg
CW 75.4 kg
Mini goals 75 kg then 73 kg
GW TBD

Sorry you are having a stressful week @PatienceOfEngels, I hope it passes swiftly and smoothly and you can relax a bit soon

I am 2.5 lbs UP today, which I know is not down to 2 gin & tonics, pasta friday and a few extra potatoes on sunday. Very busy week with work, not getting out to walk let alone exercise, and being sedentary has ground my digestion to a halt. So I'll keep on going and hope that everything gets moving again soon ; ) Good luck to other WoW's.

SW- 11st 6Ib
CW- 11st 3Ib

Same weight as last week but at least haven't gained! Been working more last week and had stressful work day on Monday. End up drinking wine and eating too much when stressed after work, need to rein it in. Fasted 14 hours since last night.

Hope everyone has a good day!

I hope the interview goes well @ImALittlePea

@LegoTherapy I hope you enjoy your holiday; you don’t know what the other people are seeing when they look at themselves in the dodgy mirrors - we all have bits of our bodies that we would like to improve and chances are no-one else even notices it.

Tiniest loss possible this week - 0.2lb!

SW 128 lbs
CW 116.8 lbs
TW 114 lbs