Long term calorie counting/exercise diet. Starting Monday 17th August. Anyone care to join me?

[surprise]

Had no luck with posting this in chat! Must be a skinny bunch in there. Seriously need to shed some weight. After lots of failed attempts over the past few years I'm determined to stick to a long-term plan, reducing calorie intake by a small amount and doing more exercise.

My plan is this - I'm reducing my calorie intake to 1600 per day (to maintain weight I should have 2100) and aim to do a 20 min brisk walk 3 times a week, plus 20-30 mins aerobic exercise 3 times a week (fitness video or Wii fit or swimming).

If anyone is interested in joining in, with maybe a weekly weigh-in then I'd be very glad of the company and support!

Bought some body fat measuring scales yesterday and my body fat percentage is almost 39% which I don't think is good somehow.

no pub lunches (did have a sneaky pint, but it was a 4 mile walk to get there, pushing dd2 who wanted to run to keep up with all the other kids, so i did feel i'd deserved it)

sooooo. i've lost 2 lbs this week! and i'm absolutely amazed, because i have eaten one or two things that i then wished i hadn't... hopefully the exercise is working!

looking forward to hearing how everyone else is doing! (is it just me that is counting days until school, or....)

2happy - dh was asking crafty questions about davina too - in a 'is it really girly' sort of way, and seemed interested when i said one of the personal trainers was a bloke, who did all the exercises... so we'll see what happens next time i'm away!
medogs - effect... closet pedant.
it will affect it, or it will have an effect...

oh hello bling! cross post!

it's helpful to know that your instincts are right though? could you maybe fit in a quick ten minute walk a couple of times a day at work, just to get you moving (you're now going to tell me you're a traffic wadden and walk all day or something ridiculous)

i know how much difference it made to my weight when i starteda job with stairs lol - my office was upstairs and everyone else's down, and i spent all day like a yoyo, it was unbelievable in terms of instant waistline!

stay positive!

Morning all.

Well done Romy on the loss.

MeDogs, BlingLovin don't be too disheartened - the idea is that this is a long term plan. The fact that you were aware that the week hadn't gone so well and know how to make changes is all good. We are all going to get weeks when life just takes over and priorities change - hopefully as we get further along we will develop some good habits which will help us in the tough times.

I have lost 4lb this week (total loss of 9lb) but I have been really careful with my food and really increased my gym (6 out of 7 days). I can really feel the difference myself although no one else has commented, (only dh and 1 friend know i'm trying to lose weight)

I'm expecting to stick for the next week or so, my initail flab has drastically decreased and now I am going to be working on the hard to shift fat. This is the time i'm really going to struggle to keep going.

My dc's back to school tomorrow so a day of trying to get bags, pe kits etc sorted.

well done tibni! 9lbs is amazing! i'm going to up the exercise a bit more this week i think - you're doing very well to get 6 out of 7 - are you keeping a 'rest day'?
we're orgainising today too... dd1 and 2 school haircut this afternoon, and must get pe bags organised... not back until weds, but i know i'll be in a flap tomorrow lol.

Romy my trainer at the gym said it is important to have rest days. However, I tend not to be very good at taking this advice. I know I burn 600+ cals in every gym session which makes such a difference on foodfocus. I will book for a proper review when the dc's are back at school and i'm sure I will get nagged! LOL

I have most the school things done but now have to finalise things I have been putting off. I have finished ds's school passport (he has a new to school teacher so have to do document on his condition, likes, dislikes, how best to help him etc) and I have always supplied Speech and Lanuage resources for his TA's (More than his therapist does). I keep thinking of extra things to add and dashing to pc. LOL

Morning all!

As I thought, 1lb back on. But I'm not disheartened - it's still 2lb lighter than 2 weeks ago

Like tibni said this is a long term plan.

Well done tibni and Romy.

Bling - sorry you've gained but it could have been a lot worse.. I neglected Food Focus a lot last week as well, just got so fed up with inputting - I think you and I have to officially class this as 'back on the wagon' week.

I've had sultana bran and melon so far today.

I've been cleaning the bathroom this morning. I know the idea of being off work was to relax and take it easy - and now I can a bit as the bathroom has had a good clean! I'm deliberating whether to sort out the toy mountain now....

tibni - dd2 starts for the very first time, so all of her paperwork and info is brand new shiny and up to date! she had a day visit last term and met both LSAs who are job sharing, so all we have to do is turn up lol. (oh, and remember all the equipment, which somehow i have ended up moving from the nursery to the school...)
at least i know it will be there though
i am beyond excited - practically since birth we have been working towards getting her ready for this moment. i don't know whether to be thrilled that we have made it or terrified that it's all going to go wrong!
right, off to the shops. work hard ladies xx

haven't been on for a week or so, had one of those weeks. always get like that the weekd before AF due, can't be arsed and want to eat crap. haven't filled in food focus either, but have still been thinking about what i've been eating to a certain extent.

Anyhoo...... somehow have managed to lose another 2lbs!!! That's 4lbs in a fortnight. Woooo!

That has spurred me on to carry on filling in food focus and doing exercise. As someone said, tis a long term thing so the odd hiccup happens.

Keep going ladies, it'll be worth it in the end......

Bollocks.

Is that a general insult or a I've not lost weight comment 2Happy? Hope you are ok.

2Happy - Bollocks???

tini Romy and Mutha - well done!

God, I had a bingetastic weekend.

Friday - Thai food, lager, wine
Saturday - Bacon sarnies, Chicken pie (double cream and cheese)red wine
Sunday - BBQ, coca cola, appletinis, mojitos, vodka, pizza.

I didn't even try putting it into Food Focus. But I had pizza for breakfast and am having spaghetti and toast for lunch and salad for dinner!!

I think I've lost a couple of pounds but the weekends get me every time!

Sorry, it was a reference to my weight, followed by me immediately throwing myself into Davina in miserable desperation. Suffice to say I have not only regained the (small) amount of weight I lost last week, but have gained an extra couple of pounds to keep it company . I shall buy nothing but ryvita and cottage cheese when I go shopping later in the week.
Well done to everyone who has lost weight, though, you're all giving me inspiration!

No apologies needed - we have all been there and know how disheartening it is. I'm really worried it will be me next week, weight has come off too fast and not sure that I will be able to maintain.

I think the big difference for me is foodfocus - seeing how much a snack is calorie wise and then knowing how long it takes me to burn it off at the gym. I seriously didn't have a clue!

Ok, halo for me please...

just had work lunch - the kind where you don't get to choose and they bring you giant plates of whatever. I ate the soup and the steak (nice small portion - I was impressed), but left dessert (had one spoon to be polite) AND declined the cheese. I did have one truffle which was the most delicious thing I have ever eaten, I swear it, but resisted urge to snaffle the other 12 that were sitting on the plate that the waitress left next to me. Cow! I guess I was the only woman in the room so she felt that I was the one most likely to eat them! [she was probably right, if I hadn't gained 100g this week! ]

Now I just need to keep this up. After that lunch, and bearing in mind I'm unlikely to leave the office tonight before 7:30, I guess it's beans on toast for dinner anyway!

Oh, and now that I'm not excitedly telling you all about my lunch, well done to Romy and Tibni on the weight loss. Medogs - let's commit to watching foodfocus again? It seems to make a huge different to us?

As for everyone else, no long faces . As I think Romy said, it's a long term strategy this.

well done well done to you all. crap again here, no change, but now kids are back at school I can get to gym easier, so did 2 classes tday.

Evening ladies, just a quickie to say well done to those of you who've lost (9lbs is MOST impressive!), and for those who didn't it seems that food focus was something that was missing. I've not lost a thing, but I am not despondent .. weekend BBQ led to me scoffing virtually my own body weight in chocolate and dessert-y type things, and I only vaguely recorded it on food focus (wasn;t really worth it to be honest as it was horrifying!). Anyhow, am back on the wagon now and reckon that a full week of dieting will be just the ticket for me this week.

Off out for a run now - get together enough calories for my dinner!

Oooh, quick food focus question - what defines one's lifestyle activity / basic activity level? I have a desk job 18.5 hrs per week, but look after a toddler all the rest of the time so I am running aroundlike a blue-arsed fly ... medium activity (I originally started off with "light activity" but not so sure now).
Thanks all.

SB - although I have a 37 hour a week desk job (dh is SAHD) I put light active FF examples are:

This is the general level of activity in your day-to-day life
(not including specific exercise - you will log that separately)
Sedentary - e.g. desk job with little or no movement
Lightly active - e.g. desk job with some walking/standing
Moderately active - a lot of standing or walking e.g. retail or hospitality
Very active - physical job with standing, walking or lifting e.g. tradesperson
Extremely active - strenuous physical job e.g. labourer

well done everyone weighed myself this morning with much trepidation but I have lost 6lbs!!!! Thats with a KFC the other day too!

Just shows how much I was eating (and drinking) over the hols!

2 kids back at school tomorrow, and ds1 want sushi as the last lunch of his school holiday tomorrow so thats not too bad. Will be going to the gym on Wed, honest

wooooo!!! congrats bird!!! bet you look like this when you stepped on the scales!

Hello everyone? it's been a bit quiet... how are we doing? I have had a vrey bad last two days but am entirely back on the wagon and feeling good about the rest of the week. Only two more days of this awful week to get through and after Friday, even if my boss has slated my work (which I'm expecting) at least it will be over. The anticipation must be worse than the fall out!

So, I'm determined to get some exercise over the next few days, watch what I eat and lose another pound!

Hey Bling, impressed you're still aiming to lose weight after what sounds like a really rubbish week! I went shopping today, so am feeling completely happy and full after my tasty lunch of ryvita and cottage cheese... Didn't I say something at the beginning about wanting to lose weight mostly through exercise/portion control because I don't like diets

Hi, Bling hope your week gets better. 2Happy - ryvita and cottage cheese and feeling "completely happy and full" - you are taking this very seriously.

Well I seem to have stuck this week so far (I may have just fallen onto the scales) - I have been so good as well, eating under my net cals and doing at least 5 - 700 cals of exercise everyday. I knew this would happen so trying not to get disheartened.

But...... I am in clothes that didn't fit a couple of weeks ago and am feeling good about myself and generally healthy.

Still with the foodfocus thing. 2 dry wholemeal toast and poached egg less cals than 2 wholemeal buttered toast! I have so much to learn cal wise!

oh and my mate bought me a box of chocolates, I have not opened them yet, that will certainly be a self control exercise once they are open.

Hope you others are having a happy and healthy week.

Hi all, just signing in.

I've had the period from hell this week - lasted 8 days so far and I'm just feeling exhausted.

So, I'm not back on the wagon . I think eating has been ok but exercise has gone out of the window for one reason or another. I'm feeling so tired and a bit down tbh. Not really the best frame of mind at the moment.

But I do want to do this and I'm going to keep trying.

I think I need some motivation (a huge kick up the arse more like).

urgh urgh. i'm having one of those weeks too - stomach cramps kicked in for the first time in about 3 years and have spent all week eating instead of exercising... i know that is completely the wrong way round, so hoping that the weekend will see a reversal! flipping kids all over the place starting school and different hours and times and blah, so no idea which way is up really. boss called me at home and wants me to do some brief or other on his behalf, but he won't give me the presentation until 'early next week'... the brief is on weds ffs, i'd quite like a chance to read it before i make a complete pig's ear of it in front of half of the south west. so massively stressed and eating more to compensate
aaaarrrggggh. next week am intending to 'davina' in the mornings after the school run, as my beautiful baby (well, ok, she's nearly 5) will be at school in the mornings. i can't wait until next month when she's in full time - i'm going to spend this whole month toing and froing, and the childminder for the big kid has booked a week off... in september....? wtf? and dd2 can't start after school club until oct, as she's mornings only...
actually, i think i'm going to eat all weekend and start again on monday lol.
grandad still in hospital and getting worse (he's now nil by mouth and they can't get his meds into him) and mum goes in on monday for her breast cancer op...
yuk yuk yuk. someone tell me this will all magically resolve?
so, i suppose, back to the taking control of something you stand a chance with...
peppermint tea anyone?