Last Monday I weighed 13 stone 1.4 pounds, and today I weigh 13 stone 5.4 pounds, so I've gained 4 pounds this week! I think the Christmas and New Year excesses have caught up with me, and I know I overate at New Year in particular - I tracked my calories for New Year's Eve and I had 3,096. New Year's Day I ate 3,449. I know where the extra pounds have come from but I hadn't expected to gain 4 pounds...
I've looked back to see what my weight was this time last year - i.e. what I weighed on 5th January 2014, and I was 14 stone 4 pounds, so that means that over the year I've lost just under a stone. My measurements last year were 42 chest; 34.5 waist; and 43 hips. Today they are 40 chest; 32 waist and 41 hips, so it's good to see a couple of inches off each measurement.
It's been a very slow loss, but a steady loss - and my goal for this year is to get to 12 stone 7 pounds. Therefore I've got 12.4 pounds to go. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself to lose that within a specific time-scale, but I think I'd like to aim to lose a pound a week from now on. Hence it would take me about 13 weeks to achieve my goal. So by the end of April I might achieve it - all being well.
I've considered my weight loss goals for 2015. I'd like to:
a) try to eat healthy foods
b) exercise regularly
c) track my food and drink intake
d) continue this weekly weigh-in thread
Thank you to everyone who has joined in this thread over the past year (some of you have been there longer). Your enthusiasm and support is amazing, and you're a great community.
I hope you'll join me for this Monday weigh-in (and future weigh-ins) to share your experiences. Good luck with all your goals. Here's to a lighter and healthier 2015 for all of us.
Lowcal
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Zest
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Thank you for your usual honest and positive post. Not losing sight of what you have achieved and what the end goal is. Blimey how easily those pounds slip on - as you said to me last week - 4 measly pounds - you will soon shift those off
I have managed to lose one of those measly pounds this week - despite significant provocation over the new year period. My goals for 2015 not dissimilar to your own - but I am not as tall as you - so I need to heading towards the lower end of the 11's. Reaching our goals for April - what a marvellous thought- something to think about today.
Hi Lowcal and all, happy new year!! Lowcal, 4lbs over the holiday period is not so bad, and you've got a grounded approach to shifting it so good luck for the 1st lb this week I have gone up from 16st7lbs to 16st12&1/2lbs so 5&1/2 on for me. I was fearing a higher number so that was a relief to me! I have already picked my exercise levels up so am hopeful that this combined with healthy eating and no alcohol will start a downward trend by next week. Good luck everyone
Hi everyone and a very Happy New Year. I was pleasantly surprised this morning to have lost 0.5 kg since I last weighed in 2 weeks ago. Don't ask me how I did that with all the celebrations and our 30th and friends 50th wedding anniversaries.
Today I weigh 81.6 kg (12 stone 11 and 1/2). My overall target is 60kg ( quite ambitious) I know this will take time as I am not Good below 1400-1500 kcal. My initial target is to get to 12 stone which I would like to do by my birthday in July.
Wishing everyone great success in weight loss in 2015.
Congratulations on losing 0.5 kg - that is really great! Hope you enjoyed your 30th Wedding Anniversary Celebration and your friend's 50th Wedding Anniversary as well.
Great that you've set your goal for 2015, and wishing you a great week.
Thanks very much for your encouraging words. I hope the 4 pound will shift fairly soon. I have started my period today as well, so I suspect some of the weight gain is hormonal (hope so anyway!).
You've gained some holiday weight as well, and let's hope that it will come off quickly - I think it will. It's great that you've already picked your exercise levels up - I'm sure that will help combined with healthy eating and no alcohol.
Weighed in this morning!! Put 3lbs on over Christmas, which isn't as much as I thought!! Back on my 5:2 today, booked in for gym class tomorrow!! Time to get back on track... Good Luck everyone x
Happy New Year to you, and also a warm welcome to this weigh-in. Really pleased you've joined us.
You've had a relatively small holiday gain, and you're getting back on track, so I'm sure that gain will soon convert to a loss. Hope you enjoy your gym class tomorrow, and the 5:2 diet plan.
I started last week at 11st 2.5 lb and just got weighed and I'm 10st 13.5. Really pleased to have got below 11st in the first week as it's a bit of a psychological thing. I'm watching what I eat and doing Dry January as well and although I'm not a big drinker I think it helps with mood, sleeping and less calories. Knowing I was going to log in here today has kept me focused and motivated so a big thank you to you all for being here. If I can manage to lose a pound a week that would be really good but I've tried in the past and get stuck (or is it bored?) after a few weeks and put the weight back on - must try harder this time, really want to get to 10st 4lb ☺️.
It's great to see you. A very warm welcome to this weigh-in group, and brilliant news that you've lost 3 pounds in your first week! Congratulations on getting into the 11's - definitely a psychological booster.
I think it is a good motivator to participate in a weekly weigh-in - and I hope it will help you to keep focused and hopefully achieve your goals.
Are you following the NHS 12 week plan? It has good structured advice.
Hi. Just got off the scales surprised at my 2lb weight loss. It's my first week on the nhs choices 12 week plan and I really thought I has put weight on. Hope to lose another 2lbs by next Monday,
A very warm welcome to you, and thanks for joining us today for this Monday weigh-in. Congratulations on your 2 pound loss, that's a really great start! Especially as it's just been the New Year. Really good!
Hope you enjoyed the first week, and that the second week will also be positive for you.
I haven't been following a diet plan over the hols surprisingly it looks like I've put on one pound since 15th December!! I don't know how it's possible. My knicker elastic is certainly saying different.
I've decided to start again today in the hope I can lose one stone before half term. Healthy eating/dirt always goest oear shaped in the kids holidays.
My aims are pretty much the same:
Eat healthy, exercise 4-5 times per week & log all my food.
My current weight us 10 stone 5. Hopefully I'll return with good results next week.
Oh & do keel up the thread. I've tried doing weekly weigh ins on here in the past but keel losing where they should be logged.
Welcome to you! Great to see you at this Monday weigh-in. I try to consistently post on Monday mornings between 7am and 7.15am, and so that is a way to find the post, but the other option would be to 'follow' me, and you'd be notified of when I post it.
You've done incredibly well to only put on 1 pound since 15th December - and you've not been following a plan during that time - wow. You've set your goals for the year, and they sound good!
Hope you have a great week, and look forward to catching up with you at next Monday's weigh-in.
As for wow 1lb....think I'm just expecting "the clumps" effect....I think that's the movie....Eddie murphy plays all the characters which bulge out!!!
I digress....see you next week!
The twelve holy nights are nearly over, and for the less churchy ones: spring is lurking through the gates... The first hazelnuts are pollinating since mid December. Happy Spring 2015 to you all !
Weight slightly up: 86,1kg this morning to before last week achievements of 85,7kg but better slow than nothing at all... and who knows what the full moon is doing to us as well ,haha ;-D Happy weighing in to us all...
Glad to hear your weight hasn't gone up by much - you'll soon get that off again. Like you say, better slow than nothing at all - slow and steady is good!
Hi Lowcal, It is never easy over Christmas and New Year, but I am sure you will do well this coming week. I did put on 1/2lb over Christmas, but this week I lost 2.4lb and have reached my 3 stone lost goal. I am hoping to lose another 2stone by my holiday in June.
Wow, you've done really well losing 2.4 pounds, and Congratulations on reaching your 3 stone lost goal - that's so great!!! Also, only putting on half a pound over Christmas is amazing.
Very inspiring to hear you've lost 3 stone. Really well done.
Wishing you another great week ahead. Thanks also for your encouraging words - I do appreciate them.
Hi lowcal, I've lost about 0.7 lb this week which I'm quite pleased with as I've slacked off on my exercise over the holiday period. My goals gor the coming year are to keep recording my calorie intake and to get bk to swimming twice a week.
I'm glad you're keeping doing the weigh ins, I think it keeps me on the straight and narrow if I feel I'll have to admit it later on. Good luck to everyone with their goals
Great to see you! Congratulations on losing 0.7 pounds this week, especially considering you'd slacked off exercising over the holiday period. I can imagine that most of us have slacked off a bit - I definitely did this week.
Your goals sound good for the coming year, and hope you enjoy your twice weekly swims - great exercise!
Glad you're going to be joining in the weigh-ins, and glad it helps. I enjoy doing them. I don't like it when I report a gain - so I'm hoping to be able to report a loss next week!
Hi lowcal. Sorry to hear about your gain, but that is not a surprise over the Christmas holidays and I'm sure you will soon lose them again. I have somehow managed to lose a pound this week which takes me to 4 stone lost! I am amazed at this as I think I have only been under my allowance once this week, though I have always been under 2000cals so thatmay have helped. I need to get back on track this week and get back into the habit of sticking to my allowance as I only have about half a stone to go to my target. I'm still running 3 times a week so that will help, as will the yoga class I have signed up to start in a couple of weeks. Almost there!
Congratulations on losing a pound this week - that's really great! You've achieved a 4 stone loss and that's incredible! Really well done.
It's great that you've only got half a stone to go to reach your target - and I'm sure your three runs per week will help towards that, as well as your yoga class and keeping within your calorie allowance. Hope you enjoy the yoga class once it starts.
Thanks for your encouragement. Wishing you a great week ahead.
I can't even remember the last time I logged in. Was full of good intentions when I first started here the end of last year. Weighing in at 13st i needed to shift some weight. I was going well and lost around 10lbs! I think this was mostly due to the support of everyone on here that encouraged me to keep on track for every Monday weigh in.
Then I had some good news that an offer we had put in on a house had been accepted! But since moving in at the end of November, I have been surprised at how little time I have had to do things! I know it is not much of an excuse, but everything went out the window! I stopped watching what I ate, and slowly, my exercise days dwindled down to nothing.
Only now is every box unpacked and most things in order that I realised that I need to get back on track!! I got on the scales this morning determined to get back in on the Monday weigh ins and get motivated again!
My heart sank a little when I realised I had put on 6lbs since November 20th, when I stopped keeping track, bringing me back up to 12st 10lbs... I am annoyed with myself that I let so much progress slip away. But as they say, new year, new you.
I will get back on top of this and have a goal to at least reach the 12st mark by my birthday in July. I have even convinced a work colleague to join in with me as he has been complaining about his weight for a few months.
Well done to everyone for doing well over the holidays! Keep up the good work!
It's great to see you again, and it's great to hear that you've unpacked all your boxes now, and that you've made the house move successfully. Never underestimate the stresses of a house move - I think it's a major stressor, and there is so much to undertake at such a time.
Don't worry about that 6 pound gain since 20th November - you are significantly lower than you were this time last year, and you know how to lose the weight - it will come off again so you can reach your 12 stone mark by your Birthday in July - you sound determined and motivated, and you'll do it!
Great that you've inspired a work colleague to join you with the weight loss goals. It definitely helps to have like-minded people around you.
Hope you enjoy settling into your new home, and wishing you a great week ahead.
It's great to see you again, and it's great to hear that you've unpacked all your boxes now, and that you've made the house move successfully. Never underestimate the stresses of a house move - I think it's a major stressor, and there is so much to undertake at such a time.
Don't worry about that 6 pound gain since 20th November - you are significantly lower than you were this time last year, and you know how to lose the weight - it will come off again so you can reach your 12 stone mark by your Birthday in July - you sound determined and motivated, and you'll do it!
Great that you've inspired a work colleague to join you with the weight loss goals. It definitely helps to have like-minded people around you.
Hope you enjoy settling into your new home, and wishing you a great week ahead.
4lbs at this time of year is nothing really, once you're back into your routine and the temptations stop (or at least reduce) the gain will fall off.
I have to confess that I missed last week, so on 21st Dec I weighed 14st 5lbs and this morning I weighed 14st 1lb. I have finally hit the 4st loss. I have achieved this by being very blunt with my family about the fact that I am losing weight and by putting unhealthy options in front of me were obviously trying to disrupt my progress. I have never tried this approach before but it worked My family usually comment on how fat I am but then put loads of bad choices in front of me and get offended if I don't have second helpings. I've finally had enough and stopped taking their crap, I feel fantastic
I got my map my walk stats back for 2014 this morning, this is my past year (well from April)
Workouts - 362
Hours 359.1
Miles 925.67
Calories 175848
And, I can now run for 25 minutes.
I started my weightloss journey at 18st 4lbs on MFP (more like 20st before I started logging), very unhappy and unable to handle exercise, or any sort of physical activity. This has been a great year, my goals for next year are to continue as I have been and continue losing weight, I would love to lose the next 38lbs by my birthday in May to reach the overweight BMI section but I think that may be a little optimistic, so i'm hoping for the best but i'm not going to be upset if I don't make it.
Your post today is extremely inspiring - many Congratulations on losing 4 pounds, and in reaching your 4 stone loss. Your walking stats are phenomenal, and I am particularly impressed by the fact that you stood up to your family and helped them to see sense and support you in your weight loss goals. No wonder you feel fantastic - it's really great! Really well done!
Running for 25 minutes is great too. I hope you enjoy your runs.
You've set yourself a good goal for 2015, and having your Birthday as a goal-post is good. Something concrete to work towards.
Thanks also for your encouraging words to me - I am feeling so inspired by everyone's posts today, that I am gaining a good sense of motivation to work hard to get my excess pounds off again.
Wishing you a great week.
Happy New Year!
Lowcal
I'm looking to lose around 2/3 stone this year. Going from a dress size of 12/14 to a 10.
Last week I weighed 77KG and today I weigh 75KG. Happy with that since I didn't do as much as I would be doing from now on as I'm starting the NHS 12 week weight-loss plan.
Great to see you, and thanks for joining us for today's Monday weigh-in. Congratulations on losing 2kg in your first week, that's a really good start! Hope you enjoy the NHS 12 week plan, and that you have a great week ahead.
Hi, I'm new to this - not to losing weight but to any forums etc. today I weight 14st 11.5 - far to heavy for my height of 5' 1" and this year I am determined to get this down. I have no target weight in mind but would just like to reduce my dress size by a couple of sizes to 14/16. Monday seems to be a good day for a weigh in as it is so easy to be complacent at the weekend and think that you have the rest of the week to diet if you are weighing in at the beginning of the weekend!
Good luck to all here and thanks to Lowcal for starting this.
A very warm welcome to you, and thanks for joining us today for this Monday weigh-in. You've taken the first step to weigh-in. Are you using the NHS 12 week plan as a structure? It's really good.
Hope you have a really good first week in the Forum, and good luck with your weight loss goals. Will look forward to catching up with you at next week's weigh-in.
Shame about the 4lbs but being as it takes 3500 calories per lb of fat you put on, I think it may be more likely that 2lbs is fat 2lbs water retention from increased salt. So give it a week or two you may find it comes off abit easier than you think so head up.
Good goals always smart and realistic
And pls do keep doing your weigh In we all love it lol
For me I weiged 12.3 or 12.4 was hard to see on older scales, either way iv lost the extra weight I put on during exams Nd I did it over xmas so I'm happy, back to the lowest weight iv been in 7 years.
Starting weight 13,9
Current weight 12.3/4
Starting waist 37.5
Current waist 34
I want to lose another 9-15lbs which im hoping to get by June and maintain it. Ofc easy if 1lb a week but there will be some slip ups or weeks where I don't lose so realistically it can be done if I maintIn this course.
I need to eat cheaper though at uni so will be a challenge to find new ways to eat especially lunch as lunch I find gets really boring.
Finals goals would be a 32-33 inch waist 11-11.5 stone
Great to see you! Thanks for sharing all your stats - they make really good reading!!! Congratulations on your progress, which is excellent, and for reaching your lowest weight in 7 years. Brilliant news!
Thanks for your kind words about my gain, and also for reminding me that only 2 of those 4 pounds are likely to be fat - having extra water due to higher salt is something I can definitely live with, and I hope to get the extra weight off again as soon as I can. I was getting close to being in the 12's before Christmas, and I'd love to get there again soon.
I'm sure you can still eat healthy foods on your Uni budget - I find that there are some good bargains in many supermarkets, especially if you buy when the items are close their sell-by date. They are still fresh, but the reduced price makes them very affordable. If I see a good buy like that, then I'll buy to make soup with the produce, which is always a good staple to have available, and very filling and warm in the Wintry months.
I was reading about someone who had bought some of the stilton cheese after it was reduced after Christmas, and had made lots of batches of soup with it. That seemed a good idea. I have some frozen carrot and coriander soup and some frozen leek and potato soup in the freezer currently, and it's great to know it's there if I fancy something quick and healthy for lunch.
Yeah I love carrot and corriander soup I should probably learn to make my own, I only know a curried parsnip which is pretty good
Great idea on buying when reduced and batch making with it. My local tesco is really bad at reducing prices literally on the same day it goes off. So it's difficult to time it right to grab some deals.
Hi Lowcal - completely disregarding your 4lb gain as with your motivation and enthusiasm you will have that off in no time! Being a relative newcomer to your post it's good to see what you've achieved over the past year, you should be proud of yourself as starting is only part of the battle - it's sticking at it week in, week out which is the hardest part which you have obviously done and is an inspiration to us all. Setting goals seems like a good idea also, I must give some thought to those...
However, back to the here and now, the last time I weighed was the 15th Jan and I was 12 stone 0 pounds, today I am 12 stone 1.5 pounds which I am actually not unhappy with considering that the amount of food I ate over Christmas could probably have fed a small country! I have been alcohol-free since 1st Jan (dry-January and all that) and have tried to be careful food-wise also since the 1st Jan so think I may have already lost a bit of festive weight. There is no way I only put on 1.5 pounds over Christmas but my damage limitation tactic has paid off a bit.
My first goal is to get back into the 11's and hopefully post it on here next week!
I hope you have a great week despite the dreary January days.
Thanks very much for your encouraging words - I do appreciate them.
Well done to you for only putting on 1.5 pounds over the Christmas and New Year period - that's really really good. Great to hear you've been focused since 1st January, as that will mean you'll already be losing some of that festive weight. Like you say, damage limitation tactics are smart!
Good luck with considering your goals - you already have your first one - being back in the 11's by next week - good luck with that goal, you sound like you're getting ever closer already!
Have a great week.
Happy New Year!
Lowcal
Hi this is a bit late, but I'm starting again with the 12 week plan this week. I lost 5 lbs doing it a few months ago but after a few weeks I got back into old ways and worse over christmas and NY. So the scales today read 16st 5lbs, not good! But had a good day today, despite an early star this morning and 6 hours travel (which I usually graze and use the excuse to eat!). Aiming for 2 lb loss this week and make some soups and healthy meals ready to eat for a few nights this week.
I'm sure you'll get those 4lb shifted in no time Lowcal, as someone said before, over the holidays that is not bad, probably average for most, and you know what to do to get back on track. Best of luck for the week ahead, I'm excited to start this again and see real results, I have to take this seriously now!
Please don't worry about 'lateness' - occasionally people join this post a few days later if they haven't been able to weigh-in on the Monday - as long as I see your post I would reply to it. Great to see you back again, and hope that you enjoy re-starting your journey on the 12 week plan. You did well previously to lose 5 pounds on it, and like you've said yourself, it's fairly typical to gain over the Christmas and New Year holidays - and hopefully that extra weight will come off soon. I appreciate your encouragement by the way.
You sound like you've got renewed focus and motivation, and that determination to see real results will hopefully pay dividends, and you'll see those results on the scales.
I haven't posted here for a couple of weeks as I have been away. Happy New Year! This thread helped me get on the scales today and face the music, thank you for organising LC.
I knew standing on the scales this morning wouldn't be good news - Christmas and being on holiday just meant I ate and drank whatever came my way with no thought to what negative effect it would have on my waistline. So, I gained 2.5lbs in the last fortnight. So I am 12st 9lb. Feeling tubby and aware I could continue to indulge if I am not strict with myself (she says with a packet of chocolate biscuits at her side and yes I have been munching away on them - oops. NO MORE!) I did manage a few long walks whilst away and one or two runs so that should help re-ignite focus of getting to 12st. Aiming to lose 1-1.5lb per week. Here's to a successful year....! As you say LC, steady and slow.
(BTW I am learning.... - put leftover cheesecake in the freezer in slices as you suggested I do with my birthday cake earlier in the year. Works for me. Just gotta get rid of the biscuits now!)
Happy New Year to you too! Glad you're back, and great to see you! Hope you enjoyed the Christmas and New Year - you did well to only gain 2.5 pounds over that time period. Providing you ditch those biscuits, it should soon come off again.
Seriously though, regarding those biscuits - you could either smash them up to make a base for another cheesecake which you could then freeze and eat in controlled portions - but maybe they've already gone and you don't have that temptation anymore!
You've set a good goal for the New Year, and an awareness that you might still over-indulge if you're not strict with yourself, means you probably need to be strict on yourself as you move forward.
You've done really well with your weight loss to date, and providing you keep your focus and motivation up, and stick to healthy eating and exercise goals, then you'll be on your way to a much lighter 2015. You can do it! Ditch those biscuits if you think they will hamper your progress further.
2.5 pound gain is minimal for the festive season - it should soon be gone!
Morning folks, my behaving badly has finally caught up with me I weigh in today at 10.13 exactly the same as last year! I have to say I feel smaller than I did last year in my head beginning 2014 I was a size 12 and I am definetly a size 10 now? Alas I am on holiday to Barbados for 2 weeks starting Friday, so I will be joining for support but no weight recording, my goal to maintain for the next two weeks. And just off to make sure I can still fit in my party frock for my sisters 50 th on 18 jan good luck to you all and have a great week
Happy New Year to you! Great to see you, and I hope you've enjoyed the New Year celebrations etc.
You are in maintainance, and you've maintained your weight over the year - that's amazing! Also, it sounds like you've toned up with all those exercise classes so your size is smaller. Changing from size 12 to size 10 suggests a definite change!
Have a fantastic time in Barbados, and I hope you fit into your party frock for your sister's 50th - lots to celebrate!
Just tried the frock on fits like a dream monsoon size 10, to be honest it probably fits nicer than me @ 10.6 as that weight seems to come off my chest! sis has some runs lined up for me - if if can drag myself away from the pool, we did the 5 mile race New Years day and just like 5 jan 2014 will be training for 1/2 marathon, only this year have a time to beat☺️ 1.59.50 last year!
Glad that the dress fits fine - you'll look great I'm sure! Great that you did a 5 mile race on New Year's Day, and good luck with training for your half Marathon, you did an amazing time last year! - Have a lovely relaxing time on your holiday - I can imagine it will be hard to drag yourself away from that lovely pool.
Hi Lowcal - well - I started week 2 of the NHS losing weight programme on 5th Jan and have ONLY put on one pound over the New Year week! Great considering the amount of food I've tucked away! I now weigh 12st 5 lb (5ft 4). This week I'm trying to exercise more as well as stick to the 1400 cal daily intake. My knees are starting to play up, so have to great cracking with this! You're right - slow weight loss is the key, so if we keep at it, we'll be fitter, healthier and more gorgeous than ever by the end of this year ! See you next week
Well done for only putting 1 pound on over the New Year week - that's really good!
You've got your goals set for the week, and you sound keen - that's a great formula, and like you say, hopefully we'll all be fitter, healthier and more gorgeous by the end of the year!
Look forward to catching up with you next week. Have a great week!
Happy New Year! It's been ages since I last posted - life events and moving home got in the way - and I've gained a bit while I've been away. I'm back here to keep me accountable and on track. My weight crept up from a low in Sept of 9st5lbs, up to 9st12lbs as measured yesterday. Having said that I've started weight lifting, so a small part of those additional pounds are muscle gain, I think. This time last year I weighed 11st12lbs, so I should be happy with the net 2stone loss in 2014 (which was achievable thanks to this forum and following the common sense in the 12 week plan). My goals for 2015 are to do the weekly weigh-ins here, do a chin up, run a marathon (ARGH!) and to get back down to about 9st7 (while remaining toned). Hope everyone's week goes well. LC - 4lbs gain in the grand scheme of things isn't bad and as JSports suggested, hopefully some of it is water retention that will slip off.
Happy New Year to you! Great to see you again, and it's great to hear you have started doing some weight training. That sounds really good!
I hope you are feeling settled after your house move - that's a big stressor for most people, and along with Christmas and New Year as well, you've coped with a lot. You'll soon lose the few pounds you've gained - and some of that will be water retention (as JSports has mentioned about such excess).
Congratulations on losing 2 stones in 2014 - that is really great.
I hope to incorporate some weight training into my weekly exercise - I intended to do so in 2014, but didn't manage it very often. I'd be interested to hear what kind of things you're doing with your weight training, and what kind of weight you're using, if you are happy to share those details.
You've got a great list of goals too for 2015. Good luck with them all.
Wishing you a great week ahead.
Lowcal
burntsunMaintainerRestart Feb 20246kg• in reply toZest
Hi Lowcal,
Thanks for the encouragement - so far so-so this week!
Regarding the strength work, for the last 5 weeks or so, I've been doing "The Rules of Lifting for Women", which was recommended to me by a few different people. It's a book, with lists of exercises, photos and descriptions of how to do them, and a programme (split over 7 stages) that takes about 6 months to do, if you do it 2-3 times per week. You can either do it in a gym or (if you have the equipment and do slightly modified versions of the exercises) at home. I already had some dumbbells and a swiss ball, and I bought a second hand barbell and weights from Gumtree.
It is heavy lifting, and the exercises include squats and deadlifts. I got a friend who is an ex personal trainer to talk me through the form, which was helpful because I didn't have a clue.
This is the first time I've done heavy lifting and I'm really enjoying it! A few weeks in and I'm already seeing some results: biceps and hamstrings mostly.
I'd recommend it to anyone who's interested. There's also a "New Rules for Lifting", which is aimed at men.
Thanks for that info re: the weight lifting - I'll look out for that book. Sounds really good.
Glad you're enjoying it, and that it is already making some differences.
Have a great week.
Lowcal
Hi Lowcal your weight experience and goals are very similar to mine! I am 13.4 slone at present having put on 5 0ponds and lost 3 last week. I lost 1 and a half stone last year, hoping to do the same thi year. HHere's hoping! ! Good luck this year and well done so far! (-:
Congratulations on losing 1 and a half stone last year - that's really great. Good luck for your weight loss goals for this year - and thanks for your encouraging words to me too. We have very similar goals - really hope we can keep the progress going!
Great idea to have a Monday weigh in - I will post mine tomorrow
Started new eating plan on 8 Jan - aim to reduce Glucose levels and get my cholesterol level down -got 12 weeks to make a significant start before Doc considers prescribing medication. My BMI is 31.9 and starting weight 13.0 stone. Losing weight hopefully will make a difference.
Live on my own so at the moment only buying food that is good for me:
Salad - need a recipe for low cal simple dressing
Veg
Fish - Tinned and Frozen
Lean meat - mostly Chicken - although do have a few lamb steaks in the freezer
Eggs
I think one of my main problems is PORTION SIZES.
Exercise - going to use my stairs at home - running up - 3 times Day 1: knackered
Now 6 times: knackered - but if at home will do several times a day
Stepping - on bottom step
Starting Walking today: Went to Retail Park - walked to each different section and chose the route which will take in the most stairs - hill climbs -(didn't manage the higher levels so no hill climbs or stairs will do this every Sunday before the shops open and get into a routine - cheaper than shopping:-0 Parks will be a better option when we get more daylight hours
Really great that you're going to join us for the Monday weigh-in tomorrow. A very warm welcome to you!
Sounds like you've got a good plan with regard to your food and your exercise. Hope you enjoyed your walk at the retail park today, incorporating stairs is great! Let's hope there are more daylight hours for you soon, so you can also enjoy going to the parks.
Look forward to catching up with you tomorrow at the weigh-in. I aim to post it between 7am and 7.15am - all being well...!
Thanks for the encouragement - weighed in 12.11 - lost 3lbs - I know 'they' say its mostly water to start with but not going to weigh myself until next Monday - boiled an egg to take in a granary roll for lunch plus keeping an apple and small banana in my handbag. Always starving when I leave work at 5.00 for thinking of having a bowl of porridge as soon as I get in - bit strange I know - but no one is watching so if I have chicken breast and salad for breakfast .....................
Congratulations on losing 3 pounds this week. That is great! Your lunch sounds tasty, and you've got some healthy snacks too. I love having porridge for breakfast - I find it really sustaining and enjoy the taste too.
The new weigh-in post (dated 12th January) is online now, so hope you'll post your loss in there if you have time and want to do that. Then you'll be able to see how everyone is getting on today.
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to you all !
but better slow than nothing at all... and who knows what the full moon is doing to us as well ,haha ;-D Happy weighing in to us all... 
and yes I have been munching away on them - oops. NO MORE!) I did manage a few long walks whilst away and one or two runs so that should help re-ignite focus of getting to 12st. Aiming to lose 1-1.5lb per week. Here's to a successful year....! As you say LC, steady and slow. 
