I'm into week 6 of the plan, and I just wanted to share some thoughts and get some feedback, if that's OK?
A large part of me feels guilty and down about the whole thing - I haven't lost any weight overall, although I have lost a couple of inches off the waist. I'll do my best to be balanced (I have a tendency to be black & white and hyper critical)...
I know exactly why - I have not so much a spotty record on eating as large slabs of, well, black and white. Positives...well, I'm a bit more active than I was, but nowhere near as much as I'd like to be. Breakfast and lunch have largely (not always) improved significantly. I suppose I should be pleased my weight stopped going up.
Negatives...evenings are still a huge issue. As I've mentioned before, I have a mentally demanding job and trying to either motivate (in my mind) force myself to cook meals is still a big issue. Depression is at its worst at that time. I know exactly what I have to do, I have a plan to do it, I have meals I like, and then inexplicably do something else. Trying to battle against myself in these situations feels like whacking your head against a brick wall. I can't understand why I'm so bad at it.
Then of course, there is the demon drink....a battle not won of ten years. I suppose I drink less than I did, and I can't decide whether to be pleased at the improvement, or critical that I still do it. While I do, it's pretty much impossible to hit calorie limits.
I also find it difficult to calorie count, so I tend to have groups of meals and a rough idea what that is (eg porridge and a fruit juice ~ 300 cal in the morning). Again, I don't know whether to obsessively count more, or to not be so concerned.
I'd say onwards and downwards to conclude, but I'm more onwards and flatlining at the moment!! I just wondered what others made of my irrelevant rambling...
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Lofters
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Hi, you sound pretty normal to me! If you haven't lost weight in 6 weeks, I would go back to basics, check your calorie allowance on the bmi calculator and record everything you eat and drink - have you tried using myfitnesspal, that makes it easy to record everything. If you like a couple of drinks in the evening to unwind try swopping to something with less calories. Good luck!
I agree with Cal28 that using myfitnesspal makes all the calorie counting easier. It also helps me to keep on track as I log absolutely everything, even if I am going off piste a bit and eating the wrong things.
I am also treading water at the moment, but think it is because I am probably eating bigger portions, so need to watch that.
Planning and preparing all my food helps, as does planning healthy treats.
Keep up the exercise, that sounds really good. Also I think it is brilliant that you have lost a few inches off your waist, that sounds amazing! Every day is a new day, so keep re-focussing and just do your best each day....
You've made some really positive changes and while things aren't perfect you have to congratulate yourself for making the effort to make the changes that you HAVE made so far. eventhough you still drink and this really is terrible for calories, well done for drinking less and well done for moving more than you used to also well done to you for simply trying, as this is where all battles start.
Can you batch make your food? maybe make a whole bunch of soups and stews that you can freeze. still plan to cook what you've planned but when you get home and cba or don't want it, you can divert to a safer option than something unhealthy or reaching for a take away it is SO hard to cook when you've got a demanding job, so having these stored options (after the initial effort of finding time to batch make them) might help relieve some stress and pressure.
Unfortunately part of the plan is that you do have to quite strictly count everything you have otherwise you'll have no idea when you've gone over your calories and it's so easy to slip up! and this comes down to motivating yourself to put the effort in because it isn't always easy. have a think about how much you want to change and how it's making you feel having "flat lined" and if you don't want to feel this way anymore it's about finding a way to take small steps to positive changes
Don't be too hard on yourself but sometimes we have to realise that what we get out of something depends on the effort we manage to put into it.
Ultimately you should feel good about the whole thing because you're doing better than before you started and that's a win in my opinion
Hiya. Dont feel bad, youve made some great changes and youve stabilised your weight. Now you can build on that. Maybe prioritise other changes youd like to make into a list, and tackle one at a time. If alcohol is scuppering your plans, then i would tackle that one first. Obv its not an easy one, so perhaps you need to mention it to your GP- perhaps they will have some help or advice. Or you could try weighing up the pros and cons of drinking, and decide if its something you really want. Sometimes having it written down in black and white helps.
Remember youre doing this for yourself- everything is your choice, so dont feel pressured or beat yourself up. Dealing with depression is a big challenge by itself.
Hello Lofters 😊 Congratulations on being human!! A wonderful human being full of emotions and moods. We are not machines, every day is different, every hour for that matter. 😊
My opinion for what it's worth, firstly this journey is a learning curve, nobody gets it right straight from the start, each day, each week you will master a new skill. Well done on not gaining, on mastering health breakfast and lunch, on increased exercise and most important, not giving up 😊😊😊
Next step is just tweaking calories a little more to create bigger defecit. Perhaps reduce evening snacking and swap to lower calorie booze. 😊
Then think about the next step 😊 Trying keep strong mentally is a big battle every single day, you are doing amazing 😊 Rome wasn't built in a day 😊
Ps. I also don't count individual calories but follow a portion counted plan. Have a look at British Heart Foundation "facts not fads" for similar plan. 😊
Just wanted to say a thank you to anyone who read and/or responded. It does make a difference. I often prefer not to be human but thank you for the reminder that I am, er, actually one. Please don't spread that widely... =)
Sadly, I don't have a freezer (or my own house) so I cannot really do that one, but I do tend to make two meals in one and have the remains the next day. I think I do need to find a better system of recording - sadly, I don't see a MyFitnessPal app on a Windows phone, like many other apps, but I may be replacing that soon. It might help a bit.
For me, I think it's about admitting your mistakes and trying to draw a line underneath it. I cannot help but have good and bad days, so I just have to try and capitalise where I can. I would like to find a better way of dealing with the bad days, however...
I'll finish on my lunch - large bowl of vegetable soup (no milk, I'm allergic) - 200 calories. I be stuffed!
Thank you all. Until next time...hope things go well for you
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also well done to you for simply trying, as this is where all battles start. 
week 3
Oh dear, no wonder we gain weight.. Lesson learnt:)
counting calories accurately when cooking for the family
It's been a while, back on the wagon!
It works for me
