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.

2Happy - no - you have to add the milk separately as calorie content will vary depending on what type of milk.

right.

10 stone 8 1/2
body fat 33.6%

can't find a tape measure, which i'm seeing as a Good Thing, but will post waist size when it surfaces amongst the rubble. the fact that i can fit into dh's trousers round the waist and he wears a 36 waist i am seeing as a Bad Thing. i'm 5 ft 2. i would like to fit into my trousers round the waist, which are a size 12. this is my first goal!

my target weight I think is 9 stone 7, and i'll review when i get there, as it wasn't scientifically worked out - anyone who can tell me what i should be from a scientific point of view, please feel free!

today i am walking the dogs and will attempt to unwrap davina and see if she's as good as everyone says. do you think '30 minute workout'? or 'power of three'?

i will also avoid the m&s choc and orange rolls tub in the cupboard and focus on the glass of water. they gave me toothache last week anyway.

if no weight loss in the next two weeks, i calorie count. eek.

good luck all!

(and where is surprise? do you think she's coming back for a weigh in?)

Am going to throw my hat in too. Need to lose about 2 stone.

I have everything in place (fitness dvd/strider machine thing) but it's my diet that is a shambles.

Just been on the food focus site which looks really good and recommends how many calories you need to get to your goal weight.

Have tried other diets before (with a bit of success) but never done calorie counting so will give it a whirl.

Weighed myself this morning and I am ......
12st 4lbs. Would like to get down to 10st.

Do I get a prize for being the fattest one to weight in?!!?

i will weigh more than that martha, but im puttimg it off atm because i dont want to know.

will do it and post before tonight though. have signed up to one of those calorie counting sites and will do my 20 mins bike after lunch.

I beat you Mutha - 12st 13 at the moment. I was down to 12 8 but then had a holiday last week. booze and eating out take its toll.

still - I was 15st 2 at the beginning of the year so I've been doing something right!

Off out with the dog soon.

Can't belive how many of us there are - checked this message yesterday and no takers! Glad so many people are up for it. Weighed in at 12 10 this morning, and have set myself a goal of 1 - 1.5 lbs per week. I think because I always set myself high goals I give up too easily, so that's why I want to take it slowly. Haven't done much exercise today unfortunately as had to visit friends.

I can second Weight Loss Resources - I did really well when I signed up with them before. However, I'm a bit strapped for cash at the moment and as I bought the calorie and fat bible I can do all the working out for myself. (give me something to do in the evening other than eat ).

My worst time is in the evenings. Sometimes I can go all day without even noticing I'm dieting but sitting down in front of the telly is always fatal. Planning an early night with my new book and a cup of Ovaltine Light (all within my calorie limit!)

Good luck to everyone with this. Even losing a pound is better than gaining one. Someone once said to me "nothing tastes as good as slim feels", so I always try to think of that to help spur myself on. That and the horrible fat photo of me on the fridge door........

will do my weigh in tomorrow i promise, had a bitch of a day and just not had chanece yet.

Looks like i'm the heaviest on here

Weighed myself this morning and i'm ashamed to say its 14st 7lbs. Take note I did say in earlier post that i'm aiming for 3stone loss to start with, I do realise that i need to lose more so.....

Salads nd fruit from now on.
NO more chocs or fizzy drinks for me.

'nothing tastes as good as slim feels'. I like it.

needstodiet - I admire your discipline, only weighing yourself every 2 or 3 weeks, I find it difficult to stay off the scales for a week!

So are we doing the weigh in on a Monday?

If everyone's happy with weighing in on Mondays? needstodiet, don't worry - no one has said how tall they are, so it's all relative. I'm actually only 2 ft tall .

Have to say, I'm finding it okay so far, as I'm not cutting down much on calories. That food focus site is excellent too, and it's free, so may well use that. I find it helps to focus me if I have to log my food intake each day.

Just think, this time next week, we will all be a bit lighter!

i did! i did! i'm five feet two! and eat the same as dh, who's six feet two...

monday is ok for me.

does anyone know how you work out cals for home-made veg soup? i burnt mine yesterday so i'm off to make some more...

Mondays are fine with me. I've always been a weigh every day when i'm dieting kind of girl (and avoid the scales when I am carrying extra weight) but I think the once a week will be better long term.

Had a good day yesterday, both food and exercise wise. I think my body is used to over eating and it will take a while to get used to eating just what I need. I use food (and coffee) as rewards and as stress relief which is not a healthy attitude; my youngest is disabled and it is since his birth and diagnosis that my weight has crept up.

Will have to start thinking about healthy meals to keep this long term - I'm vegetarian and can over rely on cheese.

Sorry no idea on cals on homemade soup. For my salad I just typed in all the ingredients to get the total.

Well have started using the food focus site, which is fab as it's free and works everything out for you.

I actually need some decent scales - any recommendations? Don't want to spend a fortune though.

I used to weigh 14st 4lb and lost two stone over 6 - 8 months but since this time last year I've been stuck in a rut (read can't really be arsed).

I do find it hard when I'm off work and in the evenings not to eat crap. I also love bread and am really trying to cut down on that.

Did 30 mins on my strider y'day as well as a 10 min fast walk to try to get to the pictures on time. Have done 20 mins on strider today and going for a stroll around the park soon to feed the ducks.

Good luck everyone!!!

tibni - i'm also a bit of an 'emotional' eater and eat for a 'treat' or when I'm fed up. I also need to get back to eating when I'm actually hungry and stopping when I'm full.

Is it too late for me to join in? I weighed myself yesterday and I'm on the bigger side: 12 stone 2. (hope that's right - I think in KGs so had to do a conversion). It's the exercise that gets me - so hard to do. But, as I posted elsewhere today, even once a week is good. But if you're all doing it, maybe I can too! And I'm about to go look at that Divina video!

tibni - my youngest, dd2 is disabled too after a difficult birth - she's nearly five now and i haven't honestly managed to sort out my exercise/ eating since then really...
i haven't got any bread in the house, so i'm not planning to buy any until the weekend - will see if i can manage without
i'm going to have to try and add up the ingredients for my soup i think - i wasn't planning on cal counting at this point, but with no bread (!) i think i need some idea of ballpark 'lunch' cals... don't want to starve lol...

mutha - you've been doing really well! you can kick all our butts now you're back at it!

Have typed in my food on the food focus - disturbingly high in fat ....

joined food focus.

have decided not to tick the 'lose 2lbs a week' option as it reduced my intake to less than 1000. and i am not playing that game!!

seems quite straightforward to use though - although it did take me about 20 minutes to work out my veg soup

it also very kindly informed me that at my height, to be mid-range healthy bmi, i should be 9 stone exactly.

i don't think i've been 9 stone in 20 years. i'm not sure if i should stick with just getting into the healthy range, rather than aiming for the optimum?

it did say i could do it by the end of november though we wish you a merry christmas!

Mutha - you are very right I am an emotional eater and its something I would like to re-learn (if that is possible). RL friends wouldn't believe it (I go from a small 12 to a large 12 verging 14 max) and being tall helps. I am seen as strong, calm and controlled and often get "I don't know how you cope" type comments.

Romy when my ds went into yr1 (reception was a nightmare) I joined a gym and it has been a wonderful escape and essential "me time". However I have got comfortable in my programme and am no longer really pushing myself so I am seeing a trainer after the holidays. My son is wonderful but demanding and a true trash monster - you would think I would lose weight by chasing after him and trying to keep on top of the mess! LOL

oh dear. she starts yr R next month.
i can't wait. is that very bad?

i wish i was tall. sigh.

Romy - I felt the same. My ds needed school, I found it easier sending him than my elder dd who was very shy. I also needed him to be at school School and his Newly Qualified teacher didn't know what had hit them when he landed. It was a learning curve for us all.

Tall does help hide the extra pounds but tall and slim would be better

dd2 has been for a day's visit to meet her LSAs (shiny new statement about to be tested) so they know what's coming
she is more than ready.
no NQT here, thank goodness - her teacher is also the SENCo
although apparently there are 10 (TEN!) kids with ishoos appearing in yr R out of a 60 intake...
i may need chocolate at some point in september - i think i need to work really hard in the next 3 weeks!

Romy , Tibni - my ds is also disabled, and i can totally realate to the emotional eatin thing!

What details do you need for the weigh in? did it this am - 9st 12 lbs, 5 ft 8 tall.

hi mabs! how old is ds? i think whatever you want to post for weigh-in - i put my body fat and also my bmi down somewhere, but only because i want to refer back to them at some point - depends if you want to focus on inches or pounds, maybe? i'm hoping to post 'losses' by weight, but whatever suits you? if you're looking to tone rather than shed, maybe inches? (eek!)

i've got 3 brand new pairs of jeans that have been looking at me and mocking every time i open the wardrobe (i can't even get them over my butt, but i ordered a damn 12 and refuse to send them back), so i'm thinking in inches but measuring by the scales, if that makes sense...

right, i unwrapped davina this evening, ladies, and headed straight into 'the power of 3'. if i can't see that thing working over a month them i'm giving up and going back to chocolate and crisps. it was fun, in a sort of masochistic way, and easy enough (i am eternally gratefully to the lovely Jackie for getting me to just walk along with her on the er... testing bits) - and nothing too technical. i'm a bit 'left arm never knows what right leg is doing', but i coped with the co-ordination mostly... my favourite part was that Davina was also finding it difficult, too, which always makes me feel slightly better about huffing and grimacing. it was slightly complicated by the fact that the dogs had no idea what was going on, and kept getting under my feet in a 'which way is she going to swing her leg next' manner. they soon shifted.

i have a feeling i may not be able to get out of bed in the morning though.

sending 'exercise' vibes... although, i have to say, there's something about putting exercise kit on and standing in front of a mirror that is... motivational...