Sustainable and not overly ambitious weight loss: 1 stone by September- anyone care to join?

[OMGitsnotgood]

I’m 5’4 and 12 stone 8lbs.
I exercise regularly now, and am slowly losing weight ( almost a stone over a year), I now need to reduce my calorie intake to increase the weight loss. I enjoy my food and drink, so a very restrictive diet isn’t going to work for me, plus I want it to be sustainable.

I want to try to lose a stone by September. In itself that shouldn’t be too much of a challenge but that time period includes a holiday and lots of social activities which will involve food and drink.

The approach I want to take is making healthier or at least lower calorie choices.
So for example, Weetabix and fruit for breakfast instead of toast and lashings of butter; soup or salad for lunch, with the occasional sandwich rather than sandwiches every day (and always tempted to have crisps with sandwiches); evenings have a ‘normal’ meal but consider the calorie content when meal planning or when eating out. Gin & slimline tonic instead of wine etc
I don’t want to be counting calories but am aware of what foods/cooking methods are higher in calories than others.
I’m good at not making or buying cakes/biscuits/ puddings - but if on offer will eat them - and want to be able to within reason.

I don’t want to join a group such as Slimming World, but know the weekly weigh ins have helped friends stay focused and accountable, so thought I’d give it a go on here to see if there are any other reluctant dieters who would find this gentler approach in the company of others helpful.

Anyone want to join in?

Sadly I loathe swimming. My local pool
is a ‘fun pool’ anyway, I think if I could afford a posh gym I might feel differently.

Oh that's a shame.

I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of formal exercise full stop, but I do what I need to do to be able to cary on eating cake and drinking wine. Obviously I've got the balance slightly off recently or I wouldn't be on this thread!

I can't stand swimming, and to be honest if it weren't for a health heads up last year I wouldn't have started at the gym either. I'm not proud of it, but I had consciously decided I just wasn't going to be moving so much anymore. I'm thankful that's no longer the case. I thought I would be doing lots of classes, they sound fun, but the reality is I need to go flexibly rather than at the specific time of a class, and I hate being told to do something, a move or whatever, that I don't want to do. Out of curiosity I just calculated my gym visits and am a little disappointed that they haven't resulted in more of a loss, but I am older and in menopause.

And I've decided what to do with the gross looking 2% fat turkey, I'm going to make it a chilli with it. Currently defrostig it in the oven.

i am going to try and go to classes a lot when I have the membership. I can’t think I will enjoy the actual gym that much but I think I need to add more weights in to get strength and tone up.

I lost another 0.1kg today, hope this continues. 14 days till I go away.

I've only been on this thread a few days but you seem to have had a steady 0.1 loss most days? I'd like to know what you're doing for any tips that might suit me. Do you think you will feel a noticeable difference in the fit of your holiday clothes?

I've only been at this for 6 days, and it was a spontaeous decision whilst weighing in that morning, so I've been cobbling together ideas all week. Today I went back to the TDEE idea and put my stats into a few different calculators just out of curiosity, and sadly learned that the one I chose 6 days ago turns out to be the one that affords me the most calories. Also realised I have to count fruit and veg as I have very little meat and no dairy and am having less bread, rice and pasta, so I would be eating for free if I didn't count it.

@dudsville we use turkey mince a lot but buy the 7% fat turkey thigh mince, much tastier and not a crazy increase in calories.

I've put on a pound again this week, I know exactly why so am not worrying about it too much. What I've eaten at home has been generally healthy, it's just another week of several meals out/drinks etc. I've two separate weeks away this month, so it's looking very unlikely I'll achieve the 'stone by September', but this thread is helping me to keep going, the weight gain could have been so much worse, and overall I've still lost weight since I started the thread. Appreciate the company on this bumpy journey! Thank you

I was drawn to your thread because of the word "sustainable", so it sounds like you're heading in the right direction whilst living a good life! I also have a meal out this week. We can make good decisions in and around the fun.

Good to hear about the 7% turkey... I also need to consider the sat fat, so I'll have a Google of that.

Thank you Dudsville, you are absolutely right. I have lost a stone over the last year and am keeping most of it off, all without too much hardship so the approach does work, albeit slowly! I have massively increased my activity level (several gym classes a week) which has helped.

Weigh in ---
1st July 10st 9.2lbs Start
5th August 10st 2.6lbs

Target 9.12 by 27th August, 3 weeks to go and 4.6lbs to go.

I lost 2 pounds this week, so very pleased with that. Not sure I am going to hit my target but I would love to be under ten stone by my birthday.

Have a great week everyone😁

Weigh in

last week 10 stone 3 1/2lb

this week. 10 stone 2 1/2 lb

goal 9.8

quite pleased with this as just back from some birthday celebrations and 2 nights away. Aim to get on track this week. It would be wonderful to see some more pounds coming off.

@FiveShelties you are doing well. What does your daily diet consist of?

Keep it up everyone! 😀

@dudsville im calorie counting and exercising.
I was doing the odd walk but now I am going on the exercise bike and using hand weights, alternating each day. Every day I can manage I am also going for a power walk in the morning.
Im trying to get and surpass my active minutes on my fit bit everyday.

Id say my weight loss is much slower than it’s been in the past (I’ve been here before) but I’m pushing the exercise much faster and harder than I have before.
Yes my stuff is all looser already especially on the bottom half. I want to lose more weight as that’s what changes the top half of my body the most and the bit that upsets me the most. I hate being heavy on top.

Nothing off today though anyway!

Monday weigh in:
Last Monday 66.1kg
Today: 66.0kg

Teeny loss, but I'm on holiday this week so I'm not optimistic for next Monday's weigh in!

@Patagonia21 thank you. I try not to cut anything out, just cut portion size a little. I am also trying to reduce my wine intake which usually leads to a supper of ice cream or cheese and biscuits for some reason! I have previously tried to cut down carbs but then I usually pack it in after a couple of days. I log my calories on NutraCheck and try to stay under 1400 which works well.

Well done on your loss, excellent result when you have been away😀

Some really good progress, well done!

Sounds like you'll have a lot of muscle gain there @itsbinday!

Yesterday was hard! I'd stopped the evening snack. I'm doing low fat as it's the only thing that's worked for me, and I'd stopped snacking altogether, but yesterday was hard and the urge was so strong to have peanut butter, nuts, cheese, etc. I tried eating a carrot to quell the urge, that just seems silly now in retrospect, and then I caved but stayed low fat and made a sandwich from the turkey rashers. I'm hoping that was an anomaly, but I'm out for dinner tonight. I don't know where we're going to I can't plan on advance but I'll try to make a sensible choice!

and another 0.3kg off, wasn’t expecting that. It will stop this week as my period is due and I bloat loads and I won’t do anything for a few days.

I've managed to not eat sweets for a few days and trying to choose healthier options.

@FiveShelties thanks! That sounds like a sensible approach. We seem very similar. I’m cutting back on wine too and reducing portions. Am having Greek yogurt with fruit for breakfast without adding muesli, a small lunch and evening meal consisting mainly of protein and vegetables. Aiming for fewer carbs and some exercise each day.

Keep going everyone. We will get there 😀

I did 2 gym classes this evening. One was a crazy new static bike class. I cycled 11.5 miles and worked really hard. It was an interval training class.

That's impressive @HowIrresponsible . Carry on like that and you'll have to change your user name!!

I went to one spin class and that put me off for life!

Thanks! I guess I'm not that irresponsible going forward.

I did catch sight of myself in the gym mirror after the shower. I hate my body. I've got a huge tummy and love handles. Spurred me into action

Spin holds no appeal for me either @ItsBinDayToday , but I do enjoy Zumba and similar. But if we all liked the same things we'd never get in the classes!

I only went because my actual class was cancelled, I really wasn’t prepared for it at all!
Yes I like Zumba and things, I’m looking forward to joining a gym for them now.

Just catching up here, sounds like some good steps forward, and I'm in awe of your spin achievement @HowIrresponsible ! I've also been to only one of those classes!

I've carried on going to the gym and watching what I'm eating. I'm so curious to see what I'll have achieved by the end of August and wonder whether I'll be motivated to continue.