Anyone else looking to get in better shape for the summer?

[Chocolatecoffeecup]

I'm in my 40s and have a big family wedding in July I'd like to get in better shape for. I'm trying to cut down on the sugary snacks and exercise more. Anyone else interested in a support and motivation thread.

@CarelessWimper I know, men are naturally way stronger and it’s way easier for them to lose weight and to build muscle.
It’s why I rarely take advice from men/male fitness influencers online unless they specifically address the differences between men and women!

I quite like ELF makeup. I tend to use ELF and MAC! I’ve found that some makeup websites do colour matching tools where you can upload a photo or use the camera to virtually apply the makeup shades on the image of your face.

Yeah hopefully it’ll be a loss! Trying to stay healthy this week and not give into to any sugar cravings that may come up. I mean one bar of chocolate is fine but a whole cake or pack of doughnuts is not!

I’m having fish and brown rice for lunch then pork mince and sweet potato fries for later.

My weight has been on the steady incline for the last 4 days, even though I have been in consistent deficit. I have been eating extra carby foods though.

Doing my best to just trust the process and keep doing what I have been doing. Frustrating though! Hoping it’s hormone related but the timing isn’t adding up.

Hope everyone is doing okay and enjoying the weather!

Well done @Theotterside I'm also on day one of my period today. I'm due to weigh tomorrow but I've eaten out again today so I'm not expecting anything good!

@CarelessWimper It's difficult. I have a rough idea of which shade I am so depending on how they're described I can sometimes work it out. I'm usually a medium warm or medium golden tone and I tend to buy the same things. Could you go into a shop to buy foundation and get a decent match? Even Boots has loss of options these days.

I’m away on holiday this week, I’ve been keeping up with my steps, running each morning so far, and my food has been ok but there’s been quite a lot of wine. I’m going to try not to drink tonight 🤔 Tuesday is always a rest day running wise, but I might do a little stretching and strength session later in the sun ☀️ I’m not going to be too hard on myself anyway this week, holidays are rare and we’ve had a long year.

This is me! I would like to lose 8kg before 1st August but need to stick to healthy eating. My willpower for avoiding sweet things is terrible
i am thinking of replacing lunch with a Huel type shake as I want to kickstart weight loss. Does anyone have thoughts on which ones are better? I prefer vanilla and berry flavours HATE banana and chocolate and all those sickly artificially sweetened ones.

I think this thread has already had a bit of huel chat (maybe it was a different one, I get confused) - but I was surprised to learn that they don’t taste great and aren’t like milkshake.

when I return from this holiday I am going to be doing Zoe plan for 10 weeks until I go away, I’ve paid for a 3 month subscription. I did a week before I came away and I was genuinely impressed, within a few days my appetite calmed right down and I felt so good on it, and I was naturally curtailing at around 1500-1700 calories which for me is a decent amount. I’m so tired of constant dieting a restriction it was really nice to finally feel I could do something long term and sustain it long enough to maybe lose weight.

@thenewaveragebear1983 Enjoy your holiday! It's hard to find that balance between actually letting yourself enjoy the break but also then not feeling guilty cause you've gone overboard but sounds like you're staying on track to some degree. Even if you don't, don't be too hard on yourself.

I looked at the Zoe app but you can't actually see anything unless you pay and sign up. Does it basically tell you what you should be eating in terms of types of food or macros?

@OldCat79 I'm the same and I recently tried the huel drinks. I really didn't like the taste and couldn't drink them. I tried the banana original one first and it didn't taste horrible and strangely didn't have an aftertaste but I couldn't drink more than a few sips. Tried the vanilla the next day and that was worse but I made myself drink 3/4 of it and I was hungry an hour and a half later. I didn't drink the full thing but I thought three quarters should have filled me up! I then tried the chocolate black huel one and it was disgusting. I thought they'd chocolate flavour would mask whatever I hadn't liked in the others but no.

I've got a few others still at home. It's a shame we're not all near each other (I'm in West Yorkshire) as I could have just passed them on to you to try. I feel I've done what I can in trying three times!

@Chocolatecoffeecupno, you enter your food each day (either by typing or by photo) and it calculates the number of plants, additives, fibre, quality of protein and carbs etc- you can include calories in the totals but it’s not actually recommended by the plan). It gives you a score each day. The aim is to eat at least 30 different plants each week and to move towards a more varied, higher quality diet. I actually really like it, it’s a good mindset for me. Thinking eg. I will have x,y,z but I will add these extra plants to it (salad, veg, fruit etc) to help balance out the less healthy parts.

I think you can do a one week trial? I don’t think the camera/ photo analysis is very accurate, certainly on quantity so I have here overriding it a fair bit to track my calories. I did it for the week before I came away and lost about 3lbs, and yet I was averaging 1700 calories a day which is way more than I usually aim for

@thenewaveragebear1983 Thanks. It does sound quite good actually and I have been trying to eat more of a variety of things. I'll have another look and maybe trial it.

@Chocolatecoffeecup if you do decide to go for it, I am happy to dm you a 20% off code

@thenewaveragebear1983 i hope that you are enjoying your leave and making the most of your holiday. I wouldn’t stress too much. I like the idea of Zoe. It does seem like a sustainable and healthy way of eating for the long term. I’m about to go on my holiday on the weekend so I will look into it more. I watch a lot of their podcasts

@OldCat79 We did mention Huel. I love it for the convenience and protein. I like the taste but it is a bit artificial but for me, but the positiveS outweigh the negative and it was better than the bowl of cereal or two packets of crisps that I used to have for lunch. I know it wasn’t for everyone but I would try it. I have never had a milkshake so I can’t comment on that.

@Chocolatecoffeecup I think I probably need to learn how to use makeup. I wander around Boots or somewhere like that and it just freaks me out and when I was younger there would be women on the counters and there is no one to even ask now.

@Theotterside i know men have all the advantages with strength it’s just frustrating that I can work harder than him but his results are so much better. I know if he tried harder he would have proper muscles, where as me, not so much 😂 I struggle with moderation. I wish I could have one biscuit but I can’t.

@Fidgetbottom My weight has also been going up but it’s hot, and carbs and salt and hormones etc etc. Maybe see where you are next week?

I had another gain this morning but I’m keeping the faith. It was a hard weekend and good to not be lugging stuff about.

Thanks! @thenewaveragebear1983

@CarelessWimper There are people at some of the counters especially if you go outside peak times such as during a weekday but I do know what you mean. This sounds odd but if you watch qvc they're good at explaining the shades since it's all online / by phone.

Conveniently forgot to post that I was up to 9 stone 7.8 this morning. It's the first day of my period and first day after the bank hol so I'm just ignoring it! I'd love to say I've been on it today...

I’ve definitely put on weight this week! My food is really good but oh the wine! In fairness to me I am doing lots of exercise, and I’m not snacking loads but I am definitely consuming way over my calories.

I won’t even try to pretend I am going to rein it in 🤣
i’m just having a coffee and then heading out for a run, then we are going to blackgang chine today. I’ve been having fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, and taking pack lunch. Dinner tonight is going to be steak and salad. So nothing too dangerous.

@thenewaveragebear1983 Sounds like you're not doing too badly! You've got to enjoy yourself as well. Many people would not do any exercise on holiday...

I'm 9 stone 7.6 this morning so marginal improvement!

I still have a stone to go but am feeling so much better. Lost 1.5 stones so far. The weight loss has slowed down a bit now which is quite annoying but the hot weather has definitely affected my appetite.

@Chocolatecoffeecup I will keep a look out but they never seem to have anyone but a security guard anywhere near there. Congratulations on the small loss, I would take that as a win.

@thenewaveragebear1983 have fun, enjoy your holiday and then worry about it later - unless you are having a port day for a 90 day round the world cruise. If you are running and doing a lot of walking, I think you will offset a lot of it.

@ApricotRow 1.5stone is amazing. I think I’m in the same boat with a stone to go.

I realised that I’m now two stone down from my heaviest. Thinking about carrying that in dumbbells is scary. I was 9st 7.4 this morning so lost my small gain from yesterday. I was hoping to be comfortably under 9st 7lb by the holiday but I’m really not complaining. DH said I can sign us up for a tough mudder and hydrox next year 😳 he said sign him up for anything else too. We are going to have to do the couch to 5k asap. I know a couple of people who are into Hydrox so just need to catch up via a miracle of epic proportions. I guess we carry on with the strength trainer (but harder) and crack on with running. I like smart targets so I guess target 1 is to complete a park run without stopping.

Baby step 1 completed - couch to 5k app downloaded. I’m practically race ready

@CarelessWimper Yes I think I will! Especially as I ate half a tub of ice cream yesterday...

That's really good @ApricotRow !

Good luck with couch to 5 k! Downloading the app is half the battle! I might do park run this weekend.

My 10K is in 2 weeks on Saturday and I haven't trained very much! I need a run this weekend ideally 7-8k and then maybe some HIIT in the week for fitness.

I've had a good good day so far. I've been at work and had a Berocca before I left, 2 bananas at work, a salad for lunch from chick-fil-a and one piece of dark chocolate. I feel motivated to eat well this evening so if you have any ideas send them by way please as I can't decide what to eat...

Morning,

@Chocolatecoffeecup do you do a lot of running events? Just wondering whether they would help to keep me on track? There is a 5k event in 3 and a half weeks, which I realise would be insane to try and run it all, but it does say walk- runners are welcome and there is a finish time of 5 hours. Short of picking up a nasty injury, I can walk it in much less than that.

I finally bit the bullet and got blood tests taken for rheumatoid arthritis (my mum and both grandmas had it) and one to check on whatever my menopause bloods are at. The arthritis thing has played on my mind since I was young on and off. I also want to know if I have it or am very likely to get it soon, what else I should be doing or should not be doing. I already have back issues so I know I need to be careful, but I’m also aware that medical advice errs on the side of caution.

I have doms in my butt from yesterday’s leg day 😂 but managed 18k steps and also back into the 9st 6s this morning at 9st 6.6lb. So as well as working I feel like yesterday was a productive day.

@CarelessWimper I don't do a lot of running events, no. I did a half marathon years ago and I signed up to this 10k with some people from work and it was partly to make me run and do a bit more exercise and it has done that.

When will you get your bloods results? My mum has rheumatoid arthritis as well. It hadn't occurred to me to get tested but I sometimes think I'll get it as I get random pains in certain joints like in an elbow when I'm in bed but hopefully not. It's caused my mum a lot of trouble over the years.

I think the results should come back today or tomorrow. I have tried to prevent it but there is only so much you can do if you are prone to it. I am not good with the stress factor though or sleep. I have noticed as I’m not as stiff now first thing and that’s a sign but I don’t know if it’s the weather or the weightloss.

I hope the 10k goes well for you and you enjoy it

Typed this this earlier but it didn't post

I weighed this morning and I'm back to 9 stone 7 which is okay. My skeletal muscle is up slightly too and I do feel like I'm getting slimmer and my waist is getting smaller. I have eaten out a lot over the last couple of weeks so I'm fairly happy with that.

@CarelessWimper Fingers crossed for you 🤞🏼

No results yet, I’m still in the do I really want to know mindset 99% of the time.

@Chocolatecoffeecup do you notice that every time your waist gets a bit slimmer it makes your tummy look bigger? Or is that just me? Congratulations on the loss to before and it does sound like you are making progress.

DH mentioned about getting the more expensive set of scales and apparently they tell you the body fat and results of each area individually so you will know if your right arm has more fat that your left one 😳 He is also grumpy as despite me saying for the last 6 weeks check your clothes for the holiday fits, he left it till the last minute and most of them are huge. He then tried all his suits on and they also need to be rehome and replaced. I did say at least it’s not the other way around and he needs bigger. I was delighted to need smaller clothes and have been buying bits for a while but we leave on Saturday morning so Vinted is no help. Probably shopping tonight but we have very few clothes shops near here.

My scales have reduced my metabolic age by 1 so I am now younger than my actual age. No idea how accurate that is, so it’s being taken with a smile but a very big pinch of salt. I had a huge drop to 9st 5.8lb so 0.8lb! I do know that I have worked too hard to go away and put loads of weight back on, so I will be relatively careful but I won’t be taking scales.