Flaming Healthy June!

[Healthstartshere]

June arrives tomorrow. I’m planning a super healthy (but realistic) month and would welcome anyone who would like to join me on 30 days of self improvement.

My aims are weight loss and cultivating a healthier body and mind. I plan to do this by adopting a healthier diet, reducing calories, increasing exercise, reducing alcohol intake, being kinder to myself and enjoying more fresh air and sleep.

I am jotting down a plan of how to do this right now (whilst finishing off the crisps). Come and join me for mutual encouragement of the likeminded, whatever your personal goals for June! 😊

I’ve been hungry today, although a couple of things I am noticing : I’m not craving sugar and junk when I’m hungry, it’s real food. Today I had one chocolate digestive and did not even want another, a few weeks ago I’d have ended up eating 6!
I feel hungry ish at 1500 calories but previously I was STARVING when I stuck to 1500 a day, my calorie limit is obviously dropping.
I’ve lost a few pounds but I can really see it on my shape, particularly round my lower thigh/ round my knees etc when I sit down. My legs are looking great 👍 and tanned!

All this being said, it’s my birthday on Saturday! I am planning to stay on plan tomorrow, but then Saturday is a day off, and I’m hoping for a long run on Sunday morning as I’m getting new running trainers from dh. I am going to weigh on Saturday (hoping for my 10’s again!) but then will give myself a few days to reset. I then have 3 weeks until holiday, and I’m going to be super strict. I can get out for running now there’s no school drop offs in the mornings.

i made my birthday cake after work today, I love baking 😋 raspberry ripple cake with whipped white chocolate ganache (made with double cream 🤦‍♀️) but hey, it’s one day. I will have to make sure I serve up big slices to everyone to get it eaten!

Happy birthday @thenewaveragebear1983 enjoy your cake, it sounds lush!

Happy birthday @thenewaveragebear1983 your cake sounds amazing. Enjoy!

Guys, I won’t lie, the cake was bake off standard. Annoyingly so, because now I am going to want to eat more of it 😋

@thenewaveragebear1983 that looks fabulous!!

I think I’m doing okay food-wise, went out for fish and chips yesterday but I just had fish and salad and it was SO good. Didn’t miss the chips at all. Also had a lovely hour walk, got closer to a deer than I ever have before, didn’t get a great photo as was trying not to scare her…

Feels like we're on the downward slopes of July now - how is everyone doing?

@Monveloi’ve struggled to get properly back on track since the weekend, I had quite a few treats over the last few days. I’m determined to get back on track though, I have 18 days until my holiday!

how are you doing?

It's only Tuesday, get yourself feeling tip top, you have time.

In summary, I'm holding steady. I'm keeping up the physio despite copious complaining about it. I think I'm seeing some benefits as I've done quite a few walks that would have had me limping and was all good. I don't mean hikes, I mean keeping up with colleagues across a city, a 1hr walk up a hill with the kids, and some high step count days. Not sure I have a peachy bum quite yet but instead seeing some hints of an odd muscle in the thigh, a handful of tone above the knee - really odd place! Also holding steady on the weight. Ideally I would like to be 1 or 2lb lighter to be a bit safety netted from chocolate. Which I ate today. Or indeed cheese. But holding steady is definitely a good thing, thinking about the starting point!

@Monvelofunny you say that about the knee toning, I noticed the other day that my inner knee/bottom of thigh area was looking a lot slimmer too!

Hi everyone! Lovely to read your updates. Sorry for going AWOL. I had great intentions and then life got in the way. Loving the (truly bake-off standard!) cake - Happy belated birthday @thenewaveragebear1983 !
what a beautiful reindeer @Poisonwood . Nice one in the muscle tone @Monvelo . I think I’m slightly more toned around the belly (I guess I mean slightly more toned than a jelly fish 😂).

I’ve been stressing over holiday countdown (I know, talk about first world problems) and new job good but v busy with longer hours than I’m used to.
keep up the good work everyone. I’m starting few pounds down on start weight but finding it all a struggle. Have been trying on holiday swimwear and realise the weight loss seems to be 3lb off each breast (the opposite of what I’d wish for!). Keep at it everyone!

@Healthstartsherewhen do you go away? We go 9th August and I cannot wait. I understand the stress about the holiday countdown though- checking the weather at our destination in case there is some freak snowstorm due (if I go abroad for the first time in 10 years and it’s not sunny, I will lose my shit) plus the feeling of I’m inevitably going to regain X pounds while away so feeling a bit deflated about that. I guess that’s the problem with a holiday / bikini diet 🤷‍♀️ I also know that I really don’t want to drink every day for 10 days, my anxiety will be sky high as alcohol really affects me, but I know that will be challenging as we will be in France with loads of delicious wine.

i will say though, I have enjoyed this “diet” the last few weeks and after making my peace with tiny losses I have made progress that previously I was just not getting. The next thing I need to focus on is building some muscle and doing some strength training, I think that will be the thing that really gets me the results I want. Might be a 2026 goal though!

I’m doing okay, just ticking along…I looked at my stats and I’m 10lb down in last 3 months which I think is a good long term, steady amount. I’d still love to lose another 9lbs, but happy for it to be slow. I’m enjoying my food habits these days, lots of oats/chia/pumpkin seeds/quark/friir/veg and like that I can manage a single portion of biscuits/cake…that’s huge as I’ve been an overeater and binged all my life. It takes a lot of discipline sometimes but focusing on health rather than weight really helps.
Plan was to start walking more this week but two kids with chicken pox has put that on hold!

@Poisonwoodthats a great loss in 3 months, well done 👏

Oh @thenewaveragebear1983 I really hope you get sunshine, bet you will! It’s just the stress of so much being invested in it isn’t it? I relate to post completely! Especially the alcohol and stress. Thankfully we’re not fully all inclusive this year so hopefully I can behave with the food and drink rather than that (pathetic) ‘I paid for it I will have it’ mentality (not classy or healthy 😂 ).

We are away from Saturday. I’ve been thinking of weight training for muscle on my return too (yoga is great but not enough). Lets enjoy our holidays and then get back to it.
Ive loved the thread too, and hope we can keep it going 😄
You are doing great too @poisonwood, you seem to be totally nailing the healthy eating, good on you! I hope your kids are ok and not demented with scratching.

I’m really finding it hard to get back on track after my birthday weekend. I am in sequential HRT as this half of my cycle always harder anyway, but these last few days I’ve felt totally exhausted and completely carb crazy. My last period was really early so I now don’t know if/when I’m due on either, I may find it’s that as well. All in all I feel completely hormonal and the last few days I’ve eaten my meals but then ended up eating several hundred calories of rubbish. I feel really cheesed off with myself.

I’ve planned all my meals for tomorrow, I’m going to squeeze in a little run tomorrow morning and try try try to keep out of the kitchen!

@Healthstartshere thanks, one is absolutely covered bless her…she’s not finding it easy at all.

@thenewaveragebear1983 would it help to fully accept you need more carbs/more calories than usual the next few days but make them healthier than the crap hormones make us reach for first? Bowls of homemade muesli for example, or peanut butter on wholemeal toast. I’ve been making homemade chocolate protein puddings each month when I’m struggling, with quark and options hot chocolate powder, fills a need very well tbh.

@Poisonwoodpossibly, although I’ll be honest and say I am not hungry, I’m just eating for the sake of it. It’s that insatiable bingey feeling that no amount of healthy food will get rid of, unfortunately.

@Poisonwoodand totally you have my sympathy with the chicken pox! My two had it terribly, it’s not nice for them.

@thenewaveragebear1983 that’s the awful type! Hope it’s calming for you a little.

I had an acquaintance who hasn’t seen me properly for a couple of months tell me I’m looking fantastic today, which was lovely. I don’t get that many compliments from DH, he loves me and fully supports me being slim for my health but I know he preferred the old curvy me….so it was nice to hear I’m not quite a wizened old prune lol
Did an hour of core-focused yoga.

I’ve gone completely off track the last few days. I’ve been having the most awful pain in my face, and in my eye socket, finally went to the dr today and I have a sinus infection which is what is causing this pain, but also probably the exhaustion and general feeling tick that I have had all week. I was so tired yesterday that I lay my head on my desk and went to sleep! So clearly it’s been brewing and I had been feeling really rough. I started my antibiotics today and hopefully will feel a lot better soon.
menu is planned and food shop done, I cannot continue eating rubbish because it makes me feel so crap and I risk regaining all the weight I’ve tried so hard to lose these last few weeks.

That sounds rubbish! I'm sorry you're feeling rough.

@thenewaveragebear1983 you have all my sympathy!! DH gets sinus infections, and they completely floor him. Hope the antibiotics kick in quickly, be really forgiving and gentle to yourself, it’ll take a wee while to recover.

Busy day today, eaten but just grabbed stuff…had Special K, a piece of rye toast and peanut butter, an ice cream cone and a bowl of frozen berries with whipped quark. Will try for more everything tomorrow!