⭐️LOSE IT! January Jumpstart 2026⭐️

[TheRealHousewife]

⭐️ Open to All ⭐️

January 2026! Following on from LOSE IT! 8 Week Christmas Countdown

Fresh Start, New Habits! To reach optimum health and vitality (as well as a trim body) we need to focus not only on our food intake; but movement, our mental health and sleep quality too!

Who doesn’t want to feel good and energetic as well looking great!

Get on board to reset & refresh and become a healthier version of yourself.
These threads are for those who’d like to lose weight and those who wish to maintain whilst eating a healthy varied diet.
As no one size fits all, members need to follow their own way of eating. This thread aims to offer guidance, support and a bit of hand holding.

We have a WOW (weigh on Wednesday) day each week. However post and share your progress as often or as little as you prefer. Do what works for you.

The important thing is not to think of it as a diet (based on deprivation and unsustainable) but more a way of life (sustainable & enjoyable) that’s based on several sensible principles including:-

1. Eat a variety of real whole foods such as fresh vegetables, salad, berries, beans, nuts, eggs, lean meat, good fats etc.

2. Reduce sugars, simple carbs, alcohol and UPFs.

3. Plan your meals & log your intake. Also be mindful of portion control.

4. Intermittent fasting - research suggests (Zoe study) that adhering to an eating window of 10 hours can have a positive effect on health, wellbeing and weight loss. I personally have a eating window of approximately 7hrs - 12:00 - 19:00.

5. Stay hydrated! 💧

6. Move as much as able. Particularly strength based exercise. Muscle keeps you strong as well as revs up your metabolism.

7. Get the fibre in! Great for your gut biome as well as 💩

8. SLEEP! Good sleep hygiene and a regularly sleep routine can be beneficial to weight loss. I’m always more hungry following poor sleep.

9. Be mindful about your own mental wellbeing and try not to eat your feelings. We’ve all been there!

10. Be kind to yourself. One or two slip ups won’t undo all your previous efforts. Just check-in with yourself, reinforce your good intentions and carry on.

I calorie count based on a lower carb Mediterranean diet. I intermittent fast and eat twice a day. Im a long time healthy eater and overall I’ve lost over 3 stone. After having been on the wrong side of 12st Im now hovering around 9st 2lbs.

Are you in?😊 What food plan will you be following? What do you want to change and why? Any recipes/workouts that have worked for you, you’d like to share?

@Fellsbells I can hear your frustration. I think you’ve been at this a while like me and had some stalls? Late last year you and I were a bit stuck?

I’ve thrown in 14/15 hour fasts now and it’s working again. But remember that 2lbs will be water and salt and carbs not fat

Well done @RedBlackBlue . @Fellsbells it is so so so frustrating but as you say, if you weren't keeping track...

I’ve had a great few days, a lovely loss of over 1lb this morning. For some reason I’m struggling to hit my calories this week! I don’t know if it’s because I am eating filling, nutritious meals so am just not hungry enough for other things. Last couple of days has been under 900 and just over 1000 yesterday.

Can’t remember who it was that was worrying about sugar and carb but I’d say focus on calories (within reason) and if it’s working it’s working. If things start to stall maybe take a look further into the splits.

I don’t know what was up with me last night, but I had two bowls of cereal during the night when up with DC… 🤷‍♀️ I’m gonna try to eat a more filling dinner tonight and hope that I’ll skip the midnight feasting overnight 🙏

@Determinedloser that was me! I am focused on calories for now, in the hope that gets me some decent loss in the coming weeks 🤞

Today's been a better day:
L - red pepper and lentil soup, bread with cheese spread
D - spaghetti Bolognese, tiny sprinkle of parmesan, large side salad. Greek yogurt, fruit and blueberries
S - bag of skips, and tea

1275 cals all in for the day.

Got a bad foot now, and on some quiet strong medication. Hoping it doesn't cause me to cling onto water overnight so I can weigh. Also hoping it resolves quickly so I don't have to miss my workouts for another stretch! My body is not telling with 2026 very well yet 🙄

@socks1107 thank you, glad to hear fasting is working for you. I do think it helps me too. Although this morning I had breakfast in the hope it might stop the late afternoon overeating and it worked.

B- egg on toast
D- bolognaise and crusty bread
S- gut shot

I’ve walked and run 12km.

Plan for tomorrow is to eat a high protein breakfast again and not do any baking because I have no self control.

I slightly worried myself yesterday - had my first KIT day, and DH is away so I’ve had all the kids by myself all week, and my god I was on my knees with exhaustion by the end of the day, and just hit the snacks - I’m hoping it’s just because I’m out of the habit of going to work and not a sign that everything is going to get much, much harder diet-wise when I go back properly in March. Any words of wisdom for managing much appreciated!

You'll get into some sort of rhythm @biscuitcat but I'd imagine if you can batch cook some meals that would help. Will the smalls need feeding or eat in childcare? Is DH away every week? Don't know how you do it!

Morning. I'm coming on here to be accountable. January has ended much the same as every month for the past year, with me putting on any weight I may have lost and making bad choices. I am very much a routine person, so going on holiday, followed by a 2 week school holiday, elder kids back from uni, cooking endless food to fill them up, buying the crisps etc they ask for.... and then eating it all too has been a disaster. But, I am determined that February will be better.

Luckily only my eldest needs feeding, as nursery takes care of the little two @FridayNighFeeling - I’m quite good with batch cooking, so now need to also be organised enough to defrost it in advance too! And yes, he is most weeks - I’m very used to it so we’ve got a nice routine, and I get all the lie ins when he’s home!

Checking in for the end of the month and I’m 5.5lbs down (though 6lbs down from my January high as I continued a small gain into the new year, whoops!), and feeling good for it. Onwards to lighter evenings and lovely spring flowers coming up!

Happy end of January. Hope everyone is feeling positive about their progress or plans for February.

End of the month round up:- I’m practically the same as the start of the month, but I am 12lbs lower than Jan 2025. December and January have been my lowest ever average weights so I’m celebrating maintaining and not gaining.

I've not weighed because of feeling crappy so no end of the month result for me. Just got to navigate a weekend where I can barely walk and have a dodgy tummy and not take in too much stodge 🙏

End of January I am 6lbs down.
I hit 11 stone this morning but not on moving average so a few days till I own it, once I get there I will set my final goal of this weight loss journey ( hate that phrase but can’t think of another)
hoping to see the 10s this week a figure I never thought possible when I started this a year ago 😊

into a new month everyone, Christmas chocs all gone and the nights are getting lighter - all signs of a good month for weight loss

Plan lunches and dinners a day ahead, stop eating at a set time every day and easy to say but don’t buy high calorie snacks in, if they are in the house I eat them because I can’t stop but if they aren’t here they don’t get thought about. The routine will probably help rather than hinder

Welcome @FreshLemonZest! This is a lovely friendly thread with no judgement but lots of great ideas. We are all doing lots of different things to lose weight. For me it's all about calorie counting to a deficit, finding the right foods to keep me full, and making allowances and adaptations for planned over-calorie events. This year I've added in gym sessions which are helping me get slimmer and more toned (plus my shoulders don't ache so much!). I also use chatgpt quite a lot for things like setting me a basic exercise plan which works with the machines actually at my gym, and for emotional support when I'm tempted to binge eat, which is having a huge impact on me as a life-long emotional eater. Others are doing one meal a day, intermittent fasting, etc. What's your preferred approach or are you still figuring it out?

Not quite sure what's going on with my weight the past few days - think I've been a bit ill and it's ticked upwards. But it's been a good month and judging from last WoW I'm on the right track. In February I want to keep going and be consistent as much as possible even though I am coming out of hibernation a bit more with birthday lunches, work travel, half term, etc.

Definitely batch cooking things and taking it out in the evening for the next day @biscuitcat

I haven't weighed again. I'm just maintaining roughly where I was pre Christmas - trying not to be too harsh on myself, own worst critic!

Have a good weekend all

Went to Costco today and can you believe the pizza slice was the better option calorie wise than the baked potato with cheese? No tea for me tonight after that!! Might have some tomato soup later.

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.

January has been a bit of a disaster to be honest 😂 1.5lbs off overall. Have been a lot more sedentary because of the bad weather, and vaguely avoiding the gym during the new year craziness. Also too much tasty left over Christmas food!

Looking forward to February being a fresh start. Have made weather-proof plans to start using the gym again, and have sorted healthy lunches.

Well done to everyone who has powered through January. Hardest month is definitely behind us now!

@LemonDrizzle23 it's been a disaster for me too!

I need someone to give me a kick up the arse for February 🤣 I have a lot going on, putting house on the market with two little kids and a husband working long hours. I'm fully aware I need to cut myself some slack but equally, I feel so rubbish and sluggish just now that I need to make a bit more effort. How do you motivate yourself when you have nothing left to give and no time to yourself? I keep reaching for snacks because I feel it's the main treat I have at the moment (tragic but true!)

⭐️ LOSE IT! February Fitness 2026⭐️

Zoe Update

My weight has increased! I might be getting my macros, healthy fats and fibre in but the weight gain is very much unwanted. My own way of eating prior to Zoe included around 20g fibre and now my intake is around 30-35g. The recommended daily amount is 30g.

The whole premise of Zoe is not to count calories but I have been dual entering food into my Nutri Check app. I’m eating around 200 - 300 cals a day more and it’s resulting in a gain (obviously). I need to trim back my portions (although they aren’t massive) and I’m mainly eating twice a day, occasionally 3 times.

Previously when I was doing my own thing at least I was maintaining.

I’ve always said we DO know what works for us and I think Zoe doesn’t work for me. It’s not promoted as a weight loss tool par se but in the online assessment at the start it asks you questions/goals etc and you enter your numbers. Mine said I could lose 7-10lbs (which I want to reach goal) To be honest previously my diet was as good as it could be for my calories and I’m eating very similar with Zoe but more in order to reach the macro targets.

I think for someone more active with a nutrient poor diet it could be a useful tool to help change eating habits but for me it’s proving counterproductive. That said I am having more fermented foods, which previously I had occasionally but now have each day 👍

So interesting to hear your experiences with the Zoe diet @TheRealHousewife thank you for sharing. It's not an easy task to balance intake of nutrients with intake of calories!

Looking forward to joining you and everyone on the February thread ❤️

Hi all, I’ve been a bit absent as I did not do great over Christmas
SW 89kg
Post Xmas 87.1kg
CW 86.6kg
GW1 80kg by Easter
GW2 75kg by August

so I am going to give up chocolate and biscuits for lent as well as concentrate on these goals. Off to the gym!

I haven't posted in the last week and a bit. DH had his birthday so we had take away and wine and a 3 course meal out with wine. I tried really hard to eat well all round the treats and the take away was the healthiest option and less than usual but still gained.
Seem to have recovered now though and hit a new low weight this morning, even if it took quite a while to get there.

SW: 62.3kg
CW: 59.6kg

Doing dry February now as wine really seems to be too many calories for me. And no special occasions in February to deal with.