Sustainable and not overly ambitious weight loss 2025: 1 stone by June - anyone care to join?

[OMGitsnotgood]

Happy New Year!
I started this thread back in June in an attempt to lose a stone by the end of September. I wanted to do this through making better food choices and exercising more, rather than following a rigid diet. (Read the old OP for more details). Posting made me feel more accountable and made me rethink my eating after a calorific day (or week! )
I didn’t lose a stone but did continue to lose weight slowly, gaining some weeks but overall a reasonable loss.

Time to refocus after the excesses of December, and it would be great to have some company.

Welcome back to those who kept me motivated on the old thread and welcome to anyone new - you don’t need to ask to join, just introduce yourself and tell us what you are trying to achieve, and hopefully the encouragement and support we can give each other will help us all.

This is my info, feel free to post whatever helps you to keep track and use this thread as you see fit.

Height: 5’4
Heaviest ever: c 13st 4
Weight June 24:: 12st 8
Lightest since June 24: 11 st 11
Current weight: 12 stone 1/2lb - which is hardly surprising, i didn’t watch what I ate or drank for most of December. I think some of that will come off easily when I refocus. Going to have a few days away visiting various friends so expect that won’t help but I don’t want to be able to enjoy those times, and be extra careful at home .

My short term goal is to get back under 12 stone by the end of January..

My dream would be a stone by June. I'm not optimistic but a reasonable goal to aim for.

Well done @twoforj0y, that's fab. It's nice to hear of people's progress and appreciating the slow and steady, kind to ourselves mindset of this thread - it's definitely helped to reset my mindset with regards to eating and I've noticed I've been more moderate without really trying so hopefully some positive long term habits are forming! That said, I'll be bowing out of this thread now as I recently found out I am pregnant with #2 😁 My diet is now predominantly toast, crackers and rich tea biscuits with occasional fruit for health 😂 best of luck to you all going forward!

Oh many congratulations @jill5676. Hope you're keeping well and do pop back with your news if the thread is still going when the time comes x

Congratulations @jill5676 that’s lovely news.

1lb off in last 10 days. V happy. I’m nearly at the thinnest I’ve ever been, which I really didn’t think I would be going in to my late forties…especially as I gained so much in early forties. What’s even better, it’s not muscle I’m losing - that’s slowly going up 💪. I owe so much to discovering yoga, wish I had years ago.

Aims for this week - up vegetables and continue drinking plenty of water.
Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

That's great @MadamTeapot 🙌🏼

My victory this week is that I made myself get on the scales and I haven't gained any weight, despite eating so much recently. Maybe my body was just telling me that I needed the calories.

Hi all, it looks like everyone is doing well - that's great!!
I'm trying again - had a massive fail during February and put on weight not because I was having fun, but because I was feeling down. I'm now having a few stomach problems so trying to limit my eating time and calorie count in a more strict way for a while.
Today - eating window 12:30- 7:30
Lunch - chicken soup, fruit yogurt with granola
Dinner - cup of pasta with tomato, chicken & chorizo sauce and ginger nut & watermelon juice
Total calories about 1200

I'm out to dinner tonight so all my hard work of the last week will be undone. Which makes me sad. BUT in a sustainable pattern that should be ok as i can go out to dinner and enjoy it because most of the time i am being healthy.

Just wanted to say. I have been plotting my weight in the 5 weeks since I started dieting. I have lost an average of 0.44lb per week. If i can keep that up I will be at target weight by the start of August, and well within my success zone by July. So summer I will be in better shape that I have been for the last few years. That gives me the motivation to continue, and in reality its not been too hard. Just need to remember that portion sizes and quality of food are important.

Well done to those who have lost weight.

@Hoolahoophop PLEASE don't feel sad, as you say you can enjoy your dinner because most of the time you are eating healthily and are doing well overall.

I have gained a couple of pounds in the last few weeks . I know why - will power has been lacking and we've had a few meals out/people staying so have eaten and had more alcohol than usual. I've also been eating too much cheese leftover from having guests. Shouldn't have bought it really but it is a useful standby - and we all enjoy it. We've a party and another meal out at the weekend. Need to try to eat sensibly on the other days. I am consoling myself with the fact I have lost quite a bit of weight slowly over the last year and people are commenting on it, just need to make sure it doesn't creep back up again.

Sounds like everyone is doing so well!!! And congrats to @jill5676 - wonderful!!

i’m another lb down this week. Finally I think clothes are dare I say it, looking nice again… I feel different, i think my face looks different, like I recognise that person in the mirror again 😆 hello me!! Almost a stone off. Still working on making the healthy option the go-to option.

i hope you are all having a good week.

@OMGitsnotgood i empathise with the cheese dilemma!!! I miss delicious cheeses.

That's brilliant progress @Hoolahoophop ! Don't feel sad about the dinner - enjoy it!
Today's food
Eating window 12-8
L. Chicken soup, jacket potato with cheese
D. Chips, pardon peppers, two figs & a n elderflower drink
Total calories 1100
My stomach is feeling a bit better and I'm glad to be back on the wagon.

Well, after several large glasses of wine and a very, very tasty meal celebrating my Dad's birthday I feel sleepy and very full and not guilty at all. Tomorrow I shall be back on the wagon. Light, healthy food
But today was indulgence and we all had a lovely time.

Today's food
Eating window 12- 9
L. Vegan patty, watermelon juice
S. Wafer biscuit
D. Salmon, peas, jacket potato with butter
Total calories 1450

Today's food
Eating window 12:30-8:30
L. Tofu bibimbap & plum tea
D. 4 cheese and potato pierogi, 3 glasses rose
Total calories 1700

Surviving on rehydration salts and water over here due to a horrible tummy bug 😭 I'll be so cross if the scales don't shift downwards a bit this week 😂

Despite a couple of celebratory meals this week I am not doing too badly.

Have a family party with 'picky lunch' at the weekend so that could be a minefield and might sneak a glass of fizz.

Today's food will be
B: Shredded wheat
L: Small bit of left over lasagna with spinach, beetroot and cherry tomatoes
D: Fajitas - going to try to have it as a salad rather than in a wrap to cut out some carbs, or at least just the one wrap rather than my usual two.
S: Its been a long hard week. Posh chocolates and depending on how the day goes, a nice glass of cold white wine or if I am feeling virtuous, a slimline tonic with alcohol free gin.

@Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket I'm going to have to google both your meals today!

@Hedonism sorry about tbe tummy bug, not a pleasant experience. Hope there is a silver lining with a drop in weight.

In awe of those of you who are staying focused, really well done. I've had a bad few weeks food wise, partly for lovely reasons spending time with friends and family, partly helping some loved ones through a difficult time. Back to the old comfort eating I'd almost managed to leave behind. Don't know why I do it as it doesn't reduce the stress.

We've a party tonight and meeting friends at a lovely pub tomorrow night. I'm going to drive as it's out in the country, a bit far for a cab and at least then I won't be drinking.

@OMGitsnotgood its tricky isn't it. We have had a few meals out recently, but i have been surprised that the 'healthy' option at the pub has been really enjoyable. So I've been having no more than 1 glass of wine and picking the fish dishes!

@OMGitsnotgood the comfort eating is a killer. I am still in the same boat.
I'm really struggling, I was travelling for work, it was impossible to keep calories down ... I was checking the sandwiches in the airport and a some were over 1k calories, just for a sandwich, pure crazy. What are we being fed??? I was left hungry and irritable and now I just want to binge on chocolate. Three days of not eating properly has left me in a ferocious mood.

I ate two mini snickers today. But I could eat another 30 right now.

I'm so disappointed by how generally shit the quality of food is when you're on the road. It's hard to win.

Ha, yeah, I didn't cook either of them myself.

Comfort eating is a big thing for me too. I don't really know how to combat it long term, but solidarity

@twoforj0y that is an insane amount of calories! It’s definitely not easy to eat well whilst travelling.

I’ve had an okay week, kept up with eating well and exercise but need more protein and still struggling to drink water. Will keep trying…just tea is so much nicer 😆.
Plans for the weekend: horse riding, yoga and protein yoghurts. Actually horse riding is a huge NSV…last year I wasn’t wanting to ride her, she could have managed but I didn’t want to put that on her; now I know I’m not too heavy at all.

Yesterday I managed to do 1800 calories - not terrible as it was a night out.
Today sticking with the IF approach, it's really helped my stomach and makes it easier to have a lower calorie count for the day.

@MadamTeapot hope the spin on your mare went well. You must be feeling very different!

I got a bike ride in today (50km), I am trying to get back to fitness, and a walk to loosen up after. it was/is a beautiful day!

@twoforj0y it was lovely, we went for a good ride on the beach and she was very happy. I, however, was incredibly stiff after and needed a hot bath! Won’t take long to get back in the habit though. Bet your bike ride was lovely in good Spring weather.

I’ve lost half a pound this week, happy with that.