10 weeks to shift the pounds

[Addicted2Sugar]

Got a holiday booked for the beginning of August, think it's actually 11 weeks away but 10 seems a nice round number for a challenge.

My head keeps saying, just 2lbs a week you can lose that no problem. That would be 20lbs. BUT I don't seem able to do it. I try week after week. I lose 2 or 3 pounds and it goes back on at the weekend. I don't feel that I go crazy at the weekend. Isn't it something like you need to consume 3500 extra calories to put a pound on! I must really inhale those calories at the weekend.

So I am going to do the following for the next 10 weeks...

Track everything
Keep carbs low
Aim for calorie deficit of 300 minimum a day but hope for 500 a day
Drink 1.5 litres a day
Try and convince my head that I am on a weight loss injection and appetite less
I have an injured leg so can't batter the exercise but aiming for minimum 6000 steps a day.
Cut out all nighttime sofa snacking

Anything else I could be doing/watching?
I am very aware that I have so much diet info spinning round my head I don't know if I am coming or going.

Anyone had a really good 10 week success story to motivate me with?

SW 12 st 6lbs

500kcal deficit a day is a pound a week (500×7=3500)

I think 2lb a week loss is really ambitious unless your really tall and able to exercise every day. And I mean intense like running, hiit or weights.

Agree, 2lb a week loss would be like 800 calories on Fast800 and initially only losing water weight from low carb. Your plan sounds realistic.

Balanced macros will help with hunger, make sure there's a decent amount of protein on your plate and don't skimp on healthy fats.

Other tip is find something you want to wear but doesn't fit and try it on every week. I've done that before.

But even getting 10 or 11lb gone would be good going. With the rest gone for Christmas.

Thank you so much. As much as part of me is gutted that I realistically can't drop 20lbs in 10 weeks the reality check is needed. Otherwise I could get deflated and self sabotage so thank you @Needspaceforlego

Maybe I will start looking for a dress now to aim for @GreenFressia . Good tip re macros, I try to watch the protein macros and top up with greek yogurt. Even though I am dieting I still go for the full fat version..the Lidl Milbona greek style is my favourite.

Thanks both of you, you have settled and spurred me on in equal measures.

@Addicted2Sugar I know what you mean though. The diet industry is always advertising "lose up to 2lb on this super duper diet" Coupled with the advice 1-2lb a week is a safe weight loss.

It makes it sound like dropping 2lb a week, week after week is easily done.

Reality is if your shortish in a seditary job your BMR is lucky to be 1400kcal. Even adding some exercise every day getting your burnt calories to 1900kcal.

Means the odds of you being able to get a 1000kcal deficit every day is remote.

However I'm a similar weight to you. If you want to try and spur each other along.
Like you im calories counting, thinking about dabbling in fasting. And trying to up the steps and exercise levels.

Yes please to the spurring and a bit of accountability!

@Addicted2Sugar - also not sure if any other poster mentioned this but how how old you? Age impacts weight loss

Hi OP, I've got an event coming up with a similar timeframe in 8weeks, 2days and counting. I'm trying to drop as much as I can but find losing weight difficult. I don't think mumsnet will like my plan but it may give you a couple of options if you fancy something snacks etc.

I've bought some 2lt bottles of water from Asda to drink when I'm spending most of the day at home so I can make sure I drink the full bottle and can see how much I'm having.

I'm taking a multi vitamin every day to try get most of what I need if I'm missing it from my diet (which I will be).

Lunch: For when the weather is nice a salad with spinach, baby Tom's, pineapple, pepper and a 1/4 of a pack of quorn ham/ chicken etc or a sandwich with weight watchers Danish bread (55 cals a slice), flora lightest and quorn slices.

For most dinners: a ready meal (I know, I know but it's only temporary until I get to party) mns have some at about 320-360 cals, quorn frozen are quite light on cals and Tesco, Asda all have low calorie meals. This is just for ease and so I don't have to weigh everything. I know I won't do it if I have to make it from scratch or I'll make it with lot's of butter, cream, cheese and huge portions - that's how I cook and why I'm where I am.

Snacks: alpro strawberry fake Greek style (126 cals), milky bars (65 cals), Cadbury buttons (76 cals), skips (71 cals), transformer bbq (61 cals). Like I said I like food and if It helps me to have some lower cal versions of crisp/ choc available. Obviously fruit.

I figure with this i can keep to about 900 cals a day. I know it's not balanced or a good diet but it's only temporary to get me through 8 weeks.

Ps best of luck 🍀

Put into ChatGPT your height, weight age etc and how much you need to loose then it will work out calories per day. Then you can ask it to make a meal plan for that. Try and keep your protein at least 100g a day to loose fat not muscle. I even add in my wine consumption at the weekend and it evens it out for me - game changer!

I actually did lose this amount of weight recently- started as 87kg on 9 Feb, was 75.5kg on 9 May.

Two meals a day, went for volume eating (such as lots of high fibre veg soups, giant salads with lettuce base), and ate within 6-8 hours each day. Lots of black coffee.

But - I am 178cm. And (just) under 40.

I'm 50, been carrying this extra 2 stone for about 4 years.

@JustGoClickLikeALightSwitch it is so handy if you like veg/salad. I do but unfortunately like naughty stuff too.

@Perzival I get it, for the ease and controlled calories it makes it easier for you. Good luck to all of us.

I am the biggest crisp fiend ever. I hit a “fuck it, needs must” stage and dug deep.

One thing I found when doing 1000to 1100 day that helped was it down to 2 meals - one around 11.45am and then again at 7pm - plus a banana or a satsuma in the middle - it just gave me way more options of what I could have - tend to do 450 at tge11.45 one and allow around 600 in evening

@Crikeyalmighty I think this is good advice and the 2 meal with a snack is certainly doable. I am not much of a breakfast person TBH.

I'm 50, been carrying this extra 2 stone for about 4 years.

Me too, are you my lost twin?
I'm a whole 5ft 2
At my absolute heaviest I've hit 13st
But for long enough I've bouncing around 12.5 stone

@Addicted2Sugar yep if you aren’t breakfasty it’s easy to do and makes the 2 you do have feel a little more substantial to last you through - so for example I will have a bowl of Greek yoghurt plus berries plus 2 hard boiled eggs or 4 crisp breads with baba ganoush plus tomatoes , hard boiled eggs and a banana at 11.45 or whole carton of fresh soup like tomato and 2 crumpets

Today I managed on a granola yougart, a bit of plain salad, coleslaw and a half pizza. Which adds up to about 700kcal.

And a load of water

Today I hit 1390 cals - did a lovely Hello Fresh🤣 but missed lunch and had a lovely omelette for breakfast.

Stocked up on mushrooms and spinach for an omelette tomorrow! But just remembered I am out with a friend after the gym. She is watching her cals too which will make it easier.

@Needspaceforlego it does sound a bit twinnish. Right, we can do this!

Good luck sleeping in this heat everyone 😂

The whole carton of soup and 2 crumpets sounds really satisfying and satiating! You definitely wouldn't feel hard done by on that!

@Addicted2Sugar yep today I had a chicken and vegetable nourish one (215 cals) plus 2 crumpets and scraping of spread - so 470 in total at brunch and very full - a banana mid afternoon and a prawn salad tonight with nice dollop of coleslaw 1100 in Total - and all delicious

I'm here in solidarity as I'm sturggling too. Started dieting with 19 weeks to go, and have consistently lost and gained a few lbs each week so I'm still at the exact weight I started at.

I now have 8 weeks to go and need to do something drastic but my heads just not in it, life keeps getting in the way and making food decisions harder.

(Parenting, working full time, over night stays, family events)

I have also been playing with the same few pounds for far too long @Indianapolice and am at the end of my tether. I know what to do but just don't seem to succeed.

Can you up your exercise? Drink more water? Are you an evening snacker?
These are all the things that I will be working on.

@Addicted2Sugar I'm exactly the same, I know what I need to do but I can't resist making "bad" food choices.

I'm exercising regularly, running and lifting weights but the problem is it's making me hungry so I'm eating more!

I have had another day of poor choices, in fairness to myself I was restricted with what I could have due to staying away from home with work, and a "working lunch" paid for by the business today 😩 nothing is ever low calorie or healthy but I'm also restricted time wise and couldn't go out to get anything different.

I've had a firm word with myself this evening, exercising is futile if I can't keep the unnecessary calories out of my mouth and I know if I don't do something drastic over the next 7/8 weeks I'll feel miserable on holiday.

@Indianapolice that is it, remember you can't outrun a bad diet.

I'm feeling positive today, managed to keep the calories under control. Although probably too many carbs but not enough protein.

Trying to drink plenty water.