MileSTONE!

Well, it has taken me 26 weeks to lose a stone and as you can see from the chart I've had my ups and downs along the way. Biggest 'up' was when friends came to stay for two weeks - that threw my routine out and I need routine! I have a few more pounds to lose but I'm confident I'll reach my goal. I've mainly made small changes to lose this weight nothing drastic. I was already running 5K three times a week before I started and that has stayed the same. However back in September Hidden started a strength challenge which I've kept up - before my runs I now spend about 10 mins doing some strength exercises (currently planks, toe stands and tricep dips). Then, Caz28 introduced me to Leslie Sansone walking videos, I bought a cheap pedometer and for the past five weeks I've been clocking up at least 10,000 steps a day. The exercise in turn helps me eat sensibly as I don't want to undo my hard work - I think twice before I eat something and about 90% of the time that keeps me on the straight and narrow. I have stopped drinking diet coke (before I would drink upwards of 2 litres a day!) and coffee and unless I'm having the very occasional dessert I've stopped eating anything that contains sugar. I'm very boring so normally have the same things to eat throughout the day this has stopped me from snacking mindlessly:

porridge with fruit (chopped apple or pear), (350 cals),

fromage blanc with sugar free jelly and berries (100 cals),

veggie juice with tabasco and black pepper (35 cals),

a piece of fruit (currently oranges as they are in season) (50 cals)

Then I have a 'normal' dinner which I don't calorie count, on Monday for instance I had homemade (suet pastry) corned beef pie with kale, last night I had a mountain of cauliflower cheese with crispy bacon. Usually, on a Saturday I have a chorizo and jalapeno pepper pizza which probably contributes to my slow weight loss but I'm fine with that as I'm trying to work out a way to eat forever not just until I reach my target weight. Finally, I have this wonderful forum and our delightful and tireless administers helping to ensure I reach my goal. Wishing everyone a 🎅happy 🎅healthy 🎅holiday.

[Hidden]

Well done I don't want to sound like a parrot but "that's the way to do it"🕊👍

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Aye, slow but sure Hidden mind I think if I'd been losing this slowly on my own I might have given up by now. I find being active on the forum and taking part in challenges helps keep me focussed.

[Hidden]

You (and a few others) put me to shame with that strength! I still really believe that strength makes a massive difference on this journey. Great downward trend, looking forward to hearing about the successful last leg of your journey

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I was aiming for 137 pounds however I'm now thinking I'd like to get another inch off my waist taking it 28" so I might have to go a bit lower. I think the planks and the toe stands give a really good return for the time they take. I have a little stick about 30cm long which I use to do a tricep stretches at the same time as I do the toe stands - it's like stretch, balance and strength at the same time - I wish I could find other combinations like that. Too soon to see results from the dips which I find quite a challenge I'm thinking maybe six weeks to see an improvement to the old batwings. The biggest problem I find with strength is BOREDOM - trying to crack that by doing a mini circuit of exercises.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Strength exercises are definitely super super boring. They're more fun with others around e.g. at circuit training classes. Or some kind of happy home gym set up like Ottomummy does, with her partner in tow too...

[Ottomummy Healthy BMI in reply to Hidden]

More like partner towing me around at the moment! I'm hopeless with exercises, he wants to join a gym now.... i'm not wasting my money. I'm doing a 10 day challenge building up repeats of planks (ok), push ups (what!!!), squats (can do whilst teeth cleaning i've discovered), crunches (nah, ok, don't mind them, at least I'm lying down) and bicep curls.... using a door stop as a weight - trouble is, it's in the shape of a duck and I think his legs are about to fall off.

My home gym is my home built outside sauna - a place of sanctuary, not exercise. I'm supposed to build up to 10 repetitions, but me being me, just started with 10 reps and am adding 1 a day for 10 days!

[Hidden in reply to Ottomummy]

Hi Ottomummy push ups (yikes) not going there planks are bad enough. Do like your thinking on the crunches - I'm going to tell myself I could be doing pushups - those are going into my little routine from Monday - thankfully exercises and run done for today Be careful with that duck be sure you don't use him for overhead presses.

[Hidden]

Diet coke is loaded with artificial sweeteners, which trick the metabolism into thinking sugar is on its way, which spikes insulin levels, and shifts the body from a fat-burning to a fat-storing state. And although diet drinks are calorie-free, they're also nutrition-free! So ditching the nasty stuff was the best thing you could do.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

You are right Hidden and I really should have ditched the diet soda years ago. I'm not missing the coffee either but I mainly dropped that (coffee machine packed away!) due to the fact my hubby has a heart condition and really should be avoiding coffee altogether.

[Caz28]

Well done on losing a stone! It actually doesn't matter how long it takes, I think you have done it very sensibly, and you have got so much fitter along the way, I bet you look great! If you lose too quickly I think it shows, as in you don't look so well. I've lost 2 stone and none of my friends or family have commented, it's been a gradual process so they either didn't notice I'd put it on in the first place or haven't noticed me losing it! Either way, I feel better, and I'm sure you do too.

[Hidden in reply to Caz28]

Thanks Caz28 and I'm glad it's gone as most of it was sitting around my middle. I feel great, don't think I've been this fit in my 62 years! The icing on the cake is the fact that my bottom now sticks out further than my belly!

[Grannynise 6lbs]

I'm was very inspired to see that you are the same age as me. I keep hearing about how much harderby it is to lose as you get older but you've done it! I have a great deal more to lose than you but I'm sure that I'll do it.

[Hidden in reply to Grannynise]

I'm sure you will do it too Grannynise There are a number of people on this forum around my age who are successfully losing weight it may come off a bit slower but it does shift.

[IndigoBlue61]

Very well done Hidden 😊 You have done very well to stay on track and motivated 😊 Not long to target now 😊😊😊

Merry Christmas

[Hidden in reply to IndigoBlue61]

Thanks IndigoBlue61 I don't think I would have been so motivated if not for this forum. It's difficult to keep going when you're losing little or even nothing some weeks but healthy eating and exercise do pay off in the long term. Not long to target then maintaining now that will be interesting Have a great 🎅Christmas🎅 - who needs chocolate when you can have cheese. I'm really looking forward to my trifle and cheese on Sunday - I could easily forgo the first two courses and go straight to dessert.

[IndigoBlue61 in reply to Hidden]

Your story gives me hope 😊 I think I am where you started and it's getting tough but I will get there 😊

Enjoy your cheese and trifle 😊

[Hidden]

Very sensible and sustainable way to do it! I am trying to emulate your approach as I am so short that when I reach goal I'm not likely to be on many more calories than I am at the moment. Slow and steady wins the race!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hidden I've lost these same 20 pounds so often in my lifetime it's embarrassing. This time I've been much more mindful of my longterm goal which is to STAY in the 9s. I know I'll have to both exercise and eat healthily to do that - forever. My friend Liz has been overweight all her life about five years ago she lost four stone (not the first time she'd lost that four stone) she's managed to keep the weight off but she won't go to bed until her fitbit shows 10,000 steps - I'm almost in that same frame of mind.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'm the same with my Fitbit! It really keeps me on track.