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?

Actually I dropped another 0.2kg today. However DH started talking about how much weight he’s dropped in the last 2 weeks without trying because I’ve changed our meals slightly. It’s so unfair.
He is also currently the weight I was in 2020! I should be lighter than him.

Thank you. The antibiotics are causing nausea so that might compel me to eat less sugar.

I'm really going to have to take this seriously now because a lot of my lovely clothes are too tight under the arms and at the waist and I don't want to buy new clothes.

Good job to everyone who is doing well.

@OMGitsnotgood partly the meals out, I think! we go on holiday tomorrow but we can cook for ourselves so hopefully it won't be too damaging, plus I expect to get my steps in while we are there!

@ItsBinDayToday that's frustrating. I guess men are generally taller so can consume more calories than a smaller woman can without it having the same effect? Annoying though.

@HowIrresponsible I'm also trying. Not to buy clothes. I have lost weight over the last year and nothing is more satisfying than being able to fit into some lovely clothes that have been packed away. I have sorted mine according to how far off fitting me they are, with those that are just a bit tight at the top, those with a bit more to go in the middle, and those nowhere near at the top. I am now back in a couple of things which has made me really happy.

@SheilaFentiman I hope you have a lovely time. Are you going somewhere warm? I find it easier to eat sensibly when it's hot because I find salads and plainer meats etc more enjoyable in the heat. On a cooler break, I'm tempted by pie and chips and other such British pub grub!

So yesterday I was down another 0.4kg (back up today but I’ll ignore).
But the best news is my knickers fit better, it was one of the reasons I realised I was just getting far far too fat!
also 2 weeks I could only do 5 minutes on the exercise bike and today I did an hour. Fitness comes fast.

That’s amazing progress on the bike!

@ItsBinDayToday that is fantastic progress, well done!

Well I've lost half a pound this week. But I've had 2 meals out and a BBQ, all with alcohol and I did over indulge on creamy desserts at the BBQ so to lose anything at all is a bonus.

I've lost a total of 5lb since starting this thread. Not massive in just over a month but with lots of social events, I'm feeling ok about that.

My aim this week is to make really sensible choices when eating at home and no alcohol at home. I have a meal out and a party to go to later in the week, so I want to 'front load' my sensible eating!

@OMGitsnotgood 5lb in a month is fantastic! That's proper sustainable progress. 👏🏼

Thank you @Hedonism. I don't think the stone by September will materialise but another 5lbs would make a huge difference. What is encouraging is that it has happened without a very restrictive diet. I tried a dress on that would be ideal for the party, didn't touch me this time last year but I can get in it now, it's just a little snug at the back. I've a week to see if I can shake another pound or so and whether they go off in the right places to allow me to wear it but it's had a hugely positive effect on my desire to make slow, sustainable weight loss work.

@OMGitsnotgood well done, five pounds is an excellent result😀

Weigh in ---
1st July 10st 9.2lbs Start
29th July 10st 4.6lbs

Target 9.12 by 27th August, 4 weeks to go and 6.6lbs to go.

I am pleased with the 4.6lbs loss so far, have been out a lot socialising which does not aid weightloss --- sadly! This week we are out for lunch on Thursday and for dinner on Friday so trying to plan that into the mix. Have a great week everyone😃

Monday weigh in:
Monday 8th July: 67.0kg
Monday 29th July: 66.1kg

Not a lot but it's in the right direction.

Morning! I fell off the thread. I am still 12 stone which considering I have not been paying any attention to my weight and have just come back from holiday I am pretty pleased with.

But I am attending a family Christmas with relatives I have not seen for a while this year and they are extremely fat shaming so I'd like to get back on the wagon. I'd be pleased with 11 stone by then, but even happier at 10 and a half stone.

I want to focus on really good quality food, but small portions. So my planned for dinner is pasta with basil pesto and walnuts with a side salad. Not low cal- but packed with nutrients.

@hedonism right direction is good! Well done x

@ApresSailingQueen1 welcome back, hope you had a great holiday and well done on the weight maintenance. Suggests you were making some good choices, even if you weren't aware of it?

Please make sure your future weight loss is for YOU and your health, not just to satisfy fat shaming family members. I have some of these too but they would fat shame until I was too slim to be healthy.

I need to get back on the wagon too, I've slipped into the cheese and cracker bad habit (bought when we had people coming round and finished off by me....)

Today is a new day and I am going to try to find my will power again.

Thanks @OMGitsnotgood you are quite right. Even when i was at my thinnest (9 stone) I was known as the 'hobbit'. It's the way my body is constructed - short and squat.

I've reading up about Blue Zones diets and became really inspired by it so really want to focus on nutrients and plant-based foods and legumes.

I think you are right as well about unconsciously making better choices! I've 'gone off' fried foods and also have been eating to my hunger. Which after 30 years of disordered eating is revolutionary for me!

That is great news about your dress as well. Yesterday I tried on a sleeveless blouse that used to be too tight and it fits really well - even a little big so it was hugely motivating!

Gosh so a month has run away and lost nothing. Will need to start again and maybe extension tif the deadline for the stone.

I didn’t even weigh myself today. I feel so hot and bloated.
so I took myself off for a walk for an hour and will do some time on the bike later. It’s 3 weeks until I go away and my focus is to try and shrink my top half a bit more so the clothes I own fit more comfortably.

I do forget that when I start dieting I struggle with hunger and then after a few weeks I get used to what I am eating. In fact I probably won’t even eat my calories today and be fine with it. I still have 20 kilos to lose so I need to be!

Hi, please can I join? Have been struggling on my own, losing a few pounds and regaining them. Would love to get into some of my summer clothes that are too tight. I’ve not got much to lose but it’s difficult as my calorie requirement is only about 1400 per day. Any tips welcome.

TODAY SW 10 stone 3 1/2 lb

TARGET 9 stone 8 lb

I don't know if I've joined this thread before or not, but I'm so annoyed with myself, may I please join? I had got down to a mere few pounds of my goal weight last year. This was the result of a medical issue, not healthy choices. But I was so pleased that I looked in to how to maintain that, and I managed that for a little while. I also joined the gym last December and go 3 to 5 times a week, but I know I'm doing this for health rather than weight loss, and I can feel the fat loss and muscle gain, so a little increase in weight was not unexpected. Anyway, steadily over the last few months I've been gaining weight, and July in particular, I have put on nearly 10 pounds in total. I'm so disappointed with myself. This morning I woke up thinking I needed to turn this ship around and that I had to start today. So I set out my plans before breakfast. For a month I'm going to eat from a select menu of calorie counted dishes that I can easily cobble together and that I know I enjoy. I've put them all onto a sort of spread sheet thing tat I've printed out like a daily menu, and as the day progresses I'll just tick what I've had as I go along. I know for me that if I have to measure out each meal I won't be able to sustain that. So far I have two meals out planned for August, and I will enjoy them, but I will try to manage calories around these unknowns, maybe with a corresponding fast day?

Sweets for me are a slippery slope. I can happily never have sweets, but if I then have them a few days in a row the craving sets in, so I'm going to nip that in the bud. My only sugar aside from fruit with be of the fermented kind - my current wine measures at 118 cal a glass.

Grrrrrrrrrrrr. I'll have a read of this thread in bed later as I try to manage the first night without a little bed time snack.

@HowIrresponsible you haven't lost any, but did you gain any?

@ItsBinDayToday well done on the exercise . Hunger is my worst enemy, that's when I cave. But it's also why I'm trying this 'better choices' approach so I can eat relatively normally and keep the hunger at bay hopefully.

Welcome @Patagonia21
1400 calories isn't a lot. I guess it's finding filling foods which aren't too high in calories. I have Weetabix with fruit for breakfast and that generally keeps me going til lunch. Not everyone likes it but I find it more filling that other cereals.
I occasionally have salad for lunch but find I'm fuller longer with homemade vegetable soup or boiled eggs.
Hopefully others will have some tips!