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
im a similar height to you- 5ft 1. But a higher starting weight!
my idea weight for my height is 7.5 stones which I’d never be and think I’d look ill on

Hi. I’m a bit late to the party but I would also like to join you all.

My diet was always atrocious, I never eat cooked meals… just snacks, somedays a lot, other days I eat nothing to try to counteract the binge from the day before. A truly vicious cycle which just made me feel like shit all the time. It is not unusual for me to sleep between 12-17 hours when I am not working.

Mid March I started training for a 10k, it’s been over 10 years since I ran. I also decided that I might as well try and improve my diet just a bit. I downloaded Myfitnesspal and have been consistently tracking.

Happy to report that I am about 10lbs down!

SW: 147.5lbs
CW: 137.5lbs

GW: 112lbs(ish)… I am only 5ft 1 though. I remember dieting down to 116lbs and still had an itty bitty more to go. No end date in mind, but I am only really trying to lose about 1lb a week. So if I can get to 130lbs sometime in summer I will be chuffed.

Whilst I definitely look a bit better already, I don’t know if I actually feel better, I have never struggled so much on my night shifts. I used to just be able to power through them without eating at all on the 12 hours shift, but since I started eating a bit better (still not great, but more protein and less sugar) I find myself falling asleep on my breaks.

Hopefully it is just an adjustment period since my body has always been so carbed up and it isn’t used to not having those huge energy reserves.

Wishing you all the best on your own fitness and/or weight loss journeys! I have a feeling that this year will different! (Positive thoughts)

Mixed day for me yesterday as I went out for lunch and I don’t know how many calories were in what I had, though it wasn’t excessively large. Also had a bit of short bread my Mum
had bought over (sabotage!). That said I walked 4 miles and also did reformer Pilates last night, so whilst not in defecit, maybe I just about broke even.
I’ve got 2 eggs on a bit of sourdough toast for breakfast, salmon salad for lunch, chicken stir fry for dinner (with spray oil and lots of veg), and then probably a little bag of 60 cal popcorn because I’ve got a terrible sweet tooth. Couple of satsumas for snacks. So if I stick to that it will be a decent day.
Im an outdoor therapist so Im hoping I have the client I think I have today, (we don’t find out until we get there sometimes) because with him the day consists of walking at pace around a big farm and beyond and I can easily do 15,000 steps at speed which is knackering but also good for the weight loss!

@Chocolatecoffeecup its annoying putting it back on and loosing yet again. We did a dream holiday about 2.5 years ago and I got to this weight and then put the stone and a bit back on ever since.

@itispersonal 7.5 stone 🫣 😢 wow! That’s tiny. I’m not sure I want to go that low, but current plan is to take it half a stone at a time - when I get to the 9.5 stone mark. I’m saying when not if!

@Fidgetbottom hi and welcome! It sounds like you have already made amazing progress, night shifts must make make everything harder, is there a possibility of getting away from those?

@piscofrisco it’s so hard being around family members! I hope you get the client and the steps that you want!

So I’m back in the 9 stones again! 9st 13lb 🥳 I also managed to get 12k steps in yesterday which is really good for me at the moment. I have overnight oats with chia seeds and peanut butter powder for brunch and lots of veggies with some tofu maybe for dinner. I might try doing a few light weights or something today. We are going to stay with the in laws next week so that’s going to be really tough as MIL is a feeder at the best of times and has huge plates and puddings every day. I’m looking forward to seeing them but dreading the you will waste away type comments that I know will be coming. I know penis portions are a thing hated on Mumsnet but I really wish she did those 🤣 instead we get the big oval plates heaped with food that she made specifically for us with love. Can you feel the guilt?

Another latecomer to the party if I can join too please? I've had a lot going on both in personal and work life and as a result have been comfort eating and put some weight on..

I've also adopted a dog in December which means I've swapped regular strength workouts for dog walking. I can see the lack of tone in my body and would like to do something about that. I'm also suspicious that the extra walking is making me more hungry than usual.

Plan is to scale dog walking back to once a day rather than twice (DP will do the other) and add a strength workout in at least three times a week instead. Heather Robertson is my go to at the moment.

I need to cut calories a bit too so will go back to filling in my Nutracheck diary daily.

I haven't weighed and will give myself a couple of days of abstention before I do (to lessen the shock hopefully 😂) so will probably brave the scales on Monday morning.

Summer is very busy at work so I usually go away in September and would like to be 9st 10lbs by then. I suspect I have around 10lbs to lose to get there but will confirm on Monday.

I have found these sort of threads really helpful in the past to stay motivated so here's hoping we can do it together!

@CarelessWimper
sorry just checked on nhs
we have the range of 7 stone and 9 stone 6
lowest I’ve been for the last decade is 10st 4 (and I felt big still)but hover around 11st/12st mark don’t want to get in the 12 stones again. I would like to stay in the 10st but I find it tough to get there and even more to stay there.

@itispersonal 7st even better 🤣😂🤣 I don’t see that for me. I will be crying happy tears if I ever had a weight starting with an 8 and that would be a miracle! Unless I focus on my weight I am high 10s.

@bigdecisionstomake so good to see you on here, I was Dashel on our previous threads but name changed now. I sympathise with the dog issue, great for steps but so hard when you are short on time. I do two or three walks a day and struggle to fit everything in, waking up at 6 has been the only option. I think these threads really help too. Otherwise DH gets bored of my weight loss chat

Interesting there’s quite a few of us shorties on here. I always maintain it’s hard to keep the weight off when you’re 5ft 1.5! Not had a bad day too but it’s BH weekend and I do find it hard when socialising and we have a bbq to go to on Monday. I’ve been trying to stick to chicken but that’s always risky when someone else bbqs it

I would be grateful to be down to 9st 6. I can’t imagine ever being any smaller than that. I am currently nearly 1.5stone above that at the moment.

Please can I join?
Another shortie here so every pound makes a difference, especially with a menopausal tummy.
I need the last half a stone to go, and stay gone, not keep bouncing back!
Trying to eat variety of veg, high protein, more fibre- which is proving difficult-I am tracking on nutra check at the moment, and less carby sugar.
Wine is my downfall- when I get to below TDEE, I then celebrate with a glass of wine and undo all the good work.
Exercise wise, I love pilates and yoga, but pushing myself to strength build and add in some hiit- which I detest!
I want to look leaner, healthier, and glow.
I think that's impossible at this menopausal age, but it's my motivation at the moment.
Thank you, if you read through it all!
Here's to the summer!

Welcome @Fidgetbottom Well done on losing 10lb!

Welcome @Buntyforgirls I'm hoping to lose about half a stone too.

Sounds like a good day @piscofrisco How was today?

@CarelessWimper Well done on the weight loss!

At least you got your dream holiday to blame! I don't really have a good reason for putting it on other than being less stressed which I'm thankful for.

I haven't eaten amazingly today. I had brunch at 11ish, a toasted cheese sandwich, just because I was short on time. I also had a Kit Kat. In the afternoon I had some carrot and pepper batons with humous and some potato salad. I did a 20-min step workout before work and I do martial arts so did an hour this evening. I was hungry when I got back so had some egg fried rice with chicken. I feel okay as I did two workouts.

Also had a chocolate mousse!

Not a great day here- couldn’t resist the office cake. Another one who is 5 1 ish and currently 11 stone 8 so there is no way that 7 stone is happening. My happy weight is about 9 stone but a mixture of stress, menopause and loving food means that’s a long way off. I’d like to be 10 something by the end of June.

Yes, I have put on over a stone since i stopped working 18 months ago. I have a photo shoot booked for July and would love to be nice and slim or at least slimmer for it. I am still waiting on a referral to the weight management clinic. I can't exercise due to disability, I have tried every diet, plan and fad going but i love my snacks and junk food.

Hey all, I’m 5ft 3 and currently around 10stone 3. I look and feel best at around 9stone so I’ve got almost one more stone to lose.

I’d love to lose 4 pounds a month starting this month.

The lowest I ever was 8 stone 7 and that didn’t suit me too well. I looked good in the face IMO but lot of people thought I was unwell and I looked very scrawny.

I’ve lost 3 stone over the past few years so
this is the final stone countdown I guess lol

It was ok ish-ended up in the pub but had a lime and soda and two gin and slims. So again probably not in deficit but might have broken even? I don’t usually drink in the week however so need to make sure that doesn’t happen again for a little while. Nothing night out ish planned this weekend at least so will avoid the wine as much as possible!
My biggest issue apart from sweet tooth is that if I don’t see results quickly I start to give up, need to retrain by brain to a slow and steady wins the race sort of vibe!
Hope everyone else is doing ok -at least the sun is out which helps with getting out and doing steps and what not.

Well April was an ok month, considering we had Easter, 2 weeks off work, I started a new job, and it’s been sunny. I have run over 100km which is the highest in a long time, maybe a year. I feel better and leaner actually although the scales don’t always corroborate that, and I reckon I may scrape a maintain (although possible not as end of March I think I had a fluke low weigh in so I may have gained!)

my may needs to be a bit more structured, and I need to stick to my plan more consistently. I am going away at the end of the month and while I don’t think there’s any hope of dramatic weight loss before then, I can certainly be feeling better and have had a few pounds off.

I am also going to challenge myself to an “every day in May” challenge where I do 10 mins of strength training every day- only simple body weight things, but press-ups, core, squats etc at home, just in addition to what I normally do.

Morning All

I just weighed myself and I weigh exactly the same so I've lost nothing this week. I really thought I might have lost something as I actually feel slimmer (which might be because of all the abs exercises as I think my diastasis recti has improved)

My period is due today so I suppose that could affect my weight...

I'm aiming for about 9 stone too @Theotterside

@thenewaveragebear1983 I love a challenge like that. I started an abs challenge in April and that's when I realised I still have the ab separation so I modified it so I was doing DR friendly exercises every day. For April, I'm thinking of doing a steps challenge...

I did not scrape a maintain, I have gained 2lbs in April (ffs)

@thenewaveragebear1983 sorry about the gain.

@Chocolatecoffeecup sounds great about the abs and feeling slimmer.

I had a horrific nights sleep which never helps! I also have a catch up curry with some friends tonight, so I’m expecting to have gained tomorrow. I want to go out and be sociable but meals out are always hard. At least I won’t be drinking which helps and will try and avoid poppadoms and breads.

I had a small loss of 0.2lbs this morning. I have a RENPHO scale and it’s fantastic, so much better than my Fitbit one. I would really recommend them if anyone needs a new set of scales. Lots of data, although all taken with a pinch of salt!

Morning all,

@CarelessWimper really good to see you here and hope all is well with you and DH. We have had a rough start to the year with DFIL very ill and then sadly passing away and my parents (who are hoping to move nearer to me) having their buyer pull out two days before exchange of contracts meaning they lost their onward purchase and have had to start looking again. They are both 83 so needing a lot of support with the process. I'm still working full time too....

I need to really get a grip now though as the slow creep is starting to be noticeable and my clothes are feeling uncomfortably tight.

Everyone on here seems to be doing really well. I am going to buck the trend at 5' 8" but would still like to see a number in the high 9s which would put me smack in the middle of a healthy BMI according to my GP notes.

I tried to be mindful of food yesterday and definitely cut back on some sugar intake but was probably still over maintenance calories by a small degree. Easing myself in gently...

Its period time for me so taking a couple of days off from workouts. Still fasting and eating ok. Even though I want to gorge on sweet stuff. It feels ever so difficult to stay consistent as a woman/parent if it's not my period it will be school holidays that throw my routine into disarray.Since adding in workouts I don't think I've lost any weight at all but I've enjoyed the working out benefits so I'm going to keep it. Surely at some point my body composition will change. I know I need to do measurements rather than solely rely on the scales.

@CarelessWimperI have renpho scales too they are great for tracking everything.

My period is due today so I suppose that could affect my weight...

I’m typically around 2-5 pounds heavier starting from the day before I start my period until a few days after! I think water retention/hormonal change weight is very common, so you’re doing well in my books if you’re only just the same weight at the start of your period.

I'm aiming for about 9 stone too

how tall are you if you don’t mind me asking ? @Chocolatecoffeecup

@thenewaveragebear1983 The number on the scale isn't everything as we all know but it's frustrating isn't it

@CarelessWimper Sorry you didn't sleep well. I have renpho scales. Someone recommended it to me years ago. Enjoy your curry!

@bigdecisionstomake Sounds like you've had a lot on! If you don't mind me asking, I'm curious why you take a break from exercise during your period? I'm due on today and can feel a bit low energy so just wondered!

Thanks @Theotterside I'm 5'4 and I currently weight 9 stone 7lb. I was about 9 stone 2lb this time last year but weighed less before I had my kids etc. I feel slightly bigger round the middle than I'd like but I like to think part of that is due to the ab separation.

I've had a banana and hot chocolate for breakfast. It's my Friday treat. I haven't decided what to have for lunch but again I'm in the Friday treat day mentality. I'm reminding myself I felt so good for my salads the other day so I should find something healthy yet exciting if such a thing exists!

@Chocolatecoffeecup I think you're getting me mixed up with @MightyGoldBear I am 57 so well past all the period malarkey although still on HRT currently for menopausal symptoms - I'm never sure if that helps with weight or not.