1 month in, Kg vs Stones!

[cornucopia55]

Hello - I've been really enjoying reading the posts over the last month, but this is the first time I've posted. So many great tips on this forum! I've been sort-of aiming at the NHS calorie calculator thing in a guessy way, and sort-of doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting, and I've lost 5Kg in the month, which I'm really pleased with. I was 76 Kg, at 5'6", and now I'm just under 71Kg - Yay! I'd like to get to 65Kg but I'm in no rush - it took 6 kids and 20 years to put this on, after all! It's been harder this week, though, so now I need to start being careful or I can see it will all creep back.

I have been doing 16:8 because I have lots of self control early in the day, but little in the evening. I rarely feel hungry until noon anyway, so I'm having something filling like spicy lentil soup (all the supermarkets seem to do lovely fresh ones which are about 170Kcals for half a pot) and some salad for lunch, loads of herbs tea, and then have a "sensible" dinner. Mostly this seems to be working. It would be hard to count calories in the evening as I'm cooking for the family. When not in a diet, I tend to binge on carbs in the evening, so now I'm trying to fill up with lots of veggie curry, salads etc, but sometimes I do binge on something sweet after dinner. I'm not buying any new sweet things, but it's amazing how good you get at finding something tasty when it's 10pm and you're in zombie sugar-hunter mode! Any tips apart from cleaning my teeth after dinner?

A couple of years ago I tried the 5:2 diet and weight came off quickly, but it wasn't for me - I kept getting migraines and felt so grumpy :-(.

The Kg vs Stones thing - I bought new electronic scales and all weighing in Kg rather than stones. I think it's helping! Because - 1) I'm not constantly thinking of what I weighed in my 20s, as I don't really know what the "old money" equivalent of my weight is, and 2) The scales weigh in 100g increments, so they come off faster than lbs! It's like a fresh start, and my baseline is my weight in my 40s, not my weight in my 20s. I'm weighing at the same time every morning - after a wee, before a cup of tea - and it really is interesting to see how a meal out or a careless evening makes the difference. A bit sobering as I realise I'm going to have to get used to eating less long-term, not just for a few months, otherwise it's all going to go straight back on.

I'm getting 10,000 steps a day just through normal life, but have been adding some "power walks" where I just walk as fast as I can, and that's invigorating. Also the kids have a chin'up bar that just hooks onto the doorframe (Argos - no screws involved!) and that's good as I can just *try* to do one when I pass. Generally I can't! Also found that two parts of my kitchen worktop are the right distance to be used as parallel bars, so I put a hand on each side and bring my knees up a few times. I'm keen to hear other examples of fitting strength exercises into daily life - looks like there is lots of resourcefulness on this forum.

Thank you to those who do post - sorry I've lurked for a month, but it really has been motivating and helpful to read so many contributions.

[Hidden]

Nice to hear from you, Cornucopia! 😊

[YellowRose55]

Morning cornucopia55

Welcome to the weight loss forum.

Take a look at the Welcome Newbies post in the Pinned post section at the right hand side or at the bottom if on a mobile. Have a look at the nhs 12 week plan, many members have had success losing weight on this plan. Use the BMI checker to work out your daily calorie allowance.

Below the Pinned posts are the Topics where members share a range of weight related subjects.

Take your measurements at the start along with a photo so you can see the changes when the scales don't move.

We have daily weigh-ins so why not come and join us. You can find the weigh-ins on the Home page in the Events section on the right. Just click on the post to open it and just state your starting weight, what your aim is for the week and any loss/gain/maintain.

To get the best out of the forum be active. Share experiences, ideas and tips. Read through some of the posts in the Topic section there are inspiring and motivating.

Good luck with your first week.

Rose

[Ceals]

Love the idea of improvised gym equipment in the kitchen - which is where we mums, and in my case grannas, spend most of our time.

Sounds like you know your demons and are getting on top go them. Well done.

[Cuddlygran in reply to Ceals]

By the time the grandchildren have been round l feel like lv done an hour in the gym! Great motivation knowing l have lost equivalent weight of my three and half year old grandson who weighs 2st 7lbs. 😇

[Ceals in reply to Cuddlygran]

Well done, can't wait to join you with such a weight loss. Alas it is a long way off. Actually that isn't quite true as I lost almost two stone when I was very ill over Christmas but I am not really counting that as it was a bi-product of being ill. It now seems that my body is getting used to eating again and wanting to hang on to every bit of food, indeed I put a couple of lbs on once I started eating. Probably not quite sorted itself out yet! Maybe i should count that loss, it would certainly make me feel better. I have walked every day for two weeks but was too tired to do it today so needed to rest. I do feel better for eating healthily.

Aren't grandchildren the most amazing blessing!

[Cuddlygran in reply to Ceals]

They certainly are. And re your weight loss, it is what it is, a loss is a loss. Own it, as our American cousins would say. Well done you.

[Ceals in reply to Cuddlygran]

Thank you, I will.

[cornucopia55 in reply to Ceals]

You certainly should count that loss - you suffered from the illness, so you should at least get some benefit!

[Ceals in reply to cornucopia55]

Never thought of it like that. It is wonderful what a different take on things can do for you.

[cornucopia55 in reply to Cuddlygran]

Wow, that is a great visual to have! Thank you for the encouragement

[ianhtf]

I weigh and measure in metric too, much easier to work with and losses and distance all seem greater.

Evening snack attacks are my achilles heel too. To counter this I have popcorn in the cupboard and just do 50g of it air popped. Sometimes put some maple syrup through it too.

Good luck with the weight loss.

[cornucopia55]

Popcorn sounds like a great idea, thanks! Not sure about the male syrup though

[ianhtf in reply to cornucopia55]

Ooops, my "p" on the keyboard is sticky - post edited now.