Hi everyone and welcome to October's Maintainers' Club. This is where if like me you are trying to maintain your weight. We chat and support each other and everyone is welcome. Please come along fellow members and newbies. We are a friendly bunch and very supportive.
I cant believe it is October already. We will soon be planning Christmas so lets get ready together.
September was a good month for me but I have a few stressful weeks coming up as I have sold my house and am planning to move. HELP. It is also my birthday during October so some celebrating to do.
What do you all do about Halloween . Will there be treats to avoid.
Do not forget to save the post and I look forward to chatting to you all.
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Hello Maintainers, here's the link to The Christmas Challenge, we already have a few of you there making some room for some Christmas Fayre, jennilou and I would love you to join us! x
Cant believe we are talking about Christmas already. I will be learning from my mistakes of last year and not buying so many treats . I forgot about the ones people buy for us and ended up with too many. Will be more focused this year. I wish you well with your challenge. X
Hi all and thanks Carer53 for hosting this month's maintainers' club, normally I'm late to the party when it comes to posting here but thought I would get in early this time.
I still find it hard to believe that it's been over 3 months since I started maintaining my weight and apart from the odd blip, have stayed within my range 👍
I don't usually celebrate Halloween, our kids are both grown up so no need get lots of sweets. Plus my wife and I do have Saturdays as our treat day when we relax our diets to allow us to enjoy food that would normally be off limit during the week 😀
I do need to be mindful of Sundays though as they seem to be becoming a transition day from our Saturday treat day to Monday's full on being good day. Thankfully this hasn't led to any weight gains but I do need to be careful in case it leads to bad habits creeping in.
So for it's 🤞 for another good month for all us maintainers.
Good morning Tank. Glad your on early. Its encouraging for us hosts if people join in early. I actually had a lie in today as I do not have my Grandchildren and I have not been sleeping well lately. Stressing about the house sale. Anyway all sorted now and papers all at solicitors so just a matter of waiting. Anyway enough about me and congratulations on your maintaining. My hubby and I used to treat ourselves to treats on a Saturday when we first maintained but we even dropped that after a while. We now leave treats for eating out or special occasions We do not celebrate halloween either so no treats in this house. I do find the whole thing a bit scary. I seem to be staying in my maintaining range so I hope you have a good month too. Keep us posted. X
All the best with the house move, no wonder you are feeling stressful. My daughter and son-in-law moved yesterday so we are looking forward to seeing their new home 👍
Well done on staying in your maintenance range, I hadn't realised how much work it takes. I've never managed to manage my weight before so these last few months have been a revelation 😀
I'll be keeping my 🤞 for you and the house sale and to getting a good night's sleep
Thank you for your kind words. Yes maintaining is hard but this site has really helped me so stay with us and you will learn tips and get the support you need. I have tried all sorts of diets but ended up putting the weight back on. This is the first time I have kept it off. I had never heard of maintaining before. I dieted then when reaching my target went back to eating normally so back on went the weight. I have learnt that its an on going process and learning to eat healthy rather than calling it a diet. Making life time changes and sticking to it. I enjoy my new found eating habits and embrace it rather than see it as a chore. I enjoy cooking and experimenting with spices and herbs and look forward to my meals . I try and plan ahead what I am going to eat and prepare so I don't get hungry. X
Your past experiences sound so similar to mine, cut back on food, lose the weight, go back to eating as I had beforehand and put all the weight back on 😢
I think the word diet has taken on a negative connotation rather than just meaning what we eat. So when I refer to my diet I just mean my eating plan.
When my wife and I started to lose weight this last time we decided from the beginning to try and make this a life long change and to make it sustainable. Our treat day is put of that sustainable change.
I'm also getting braver in my cooking and looking at homemade curries at the moment. At the moment they are definitely falling into the treat category but I'm hoping as I understand more about the flavours I can start adapting them to make them healthier 👍
Batch cooking is my next adventure and we are looking at getting a small chest freezer to help with this.
Great plan. I must say you sound so determined. It was the same for hubby and I. It was covid that made us realize we had to change. When I make a curry I add vegetables and less meat. It tastes just as nice and you don't notice less meat as its the flavour that counts. I also serve on a bed of shredded cabbage instead of rice. Cabbage has become my new pasta and rice. I use my slow cooker for most meals and cook enough for 3 days. I have loved experimenting and you will too. Good luck and share your ideas. Your right its not a diet its an healthy eating plan. X
That's the main thing that it works for you both and 3 months maintaining is the proof ! Plus you have your park run on a Saturday so something to look forward to after that too 🙂
That sounds a good idea to have a treat day. I will try that. We went to Blackpool illumination on Saturday I had fish & chips & ice-cream. Will have light days in the week to maintain.
Gosh is it that time already. I have not been to Blackpool since my kids were small. I understand the fish and chips . It has to be done. Back on track now though. A treat day is a good idea but its making sure one day doesn't go into two etc. Hope you have a good month. X
Hi Carer53 the illuminations well the whole trip was enjoyable. I hope my mindset is changing. It used to take one time of breaking the eating routine to put me on the binge eating and then I was too frightened to get back on the scales. I would then put on more than a stone or 2 and the diet then repeat. This week I'm back to normal with no gain
That sound positive W6. I am the same I have one night out and then it is hard to get back on track. I also am afraid to weigh and then the whole cycle starts again. So for me its learning that I can have a day off or a treat but I have to get straight back on it before too much weight is put back on. Its all a learning curve and its the not giving up that counts. I try and think of all the positives and not be too hard on myself. This is the first time I have lost the weight and kept it off. Good luck to you on maintaining this time. X
That sounds a lovely treat day. I haven't been to Blackpool just for the illuminations for some time! I wanted to go last year but with the restrictions none of the children wanted to just "drive through" they'd have liked the chips too 😀
Hello everyone and thanks Hidden for hosting this month. I feel you regarding your upcoming move. I moved a few weeks ago and I can confirm that it is definitely stressful And my move did not even involve selling the house (I'd been renting), which I would expect to have an additional layer of stressful activities and emotions involved... I hope all is going to go smoothly for you.
October is typically a difficult month for me emotionally. I lost my brother to a brain tumour when I was twelve. He was born in October and also died in October, exactly a week after his birthday. It's a time when I'm more vulnerable to turn to food for comfort, especially since it's also getting darker and colder..
I'm contemplating this year to maybe do the total opposite and attempt a few day fast between those two dates.. Haven't decided yet to go ahead but the thought did enter my head, especially after I read that a longer fast once a year can be useful tool for cancer prevention.
I'm starting October bang in the middle of my maintenance range, which is 65-67 kg. This morning my scales showed 66.0 kg. I will aim to be at 65 kg at the end of the month, as I signed up for Christmas challenge committing to be around 63 kg before Christmas, so I can afford to gain a few kg over the festive period
Good morning N o r d i . I cant even imagine what you must be feeling. We all have triggers but October must be particularly difficult for you. I am here for you if you need to talk and will be thinking of you and sending you loads of hugs. It is good that you are planning ahead and thinking about how you will cope. I am glad you joined the Christmas challenge it will give you a focus You are doing well with your weight maintaining so well done. It is my birthday next week and not sure what to plan. A meal out probably with hubby. Take care and chat anytime I will be thinking of you X
Thank you very much for your warm response, there must be a reason why I like people who are born in October 💕 Have a good birthday next week and plan a very special exquisite meal!
That sounds a tough time N-o-r-d-i but, it sounds like this year you are using your awareness of turning to food for comfort to maybe plan something completely different which sounds a good idea. Let us know if you do decide to do your longer fast. Good luck with the Christmas challenge too 👍
I can't tell you how frustrating it is when all that awareness still does not stop me from overeating... I keep telling myself that as long as I don't stop recording honestly everything that I eat as well as my weight, I still stand a chance not to let things slide
We all let things slide from time to time. Its getting back on track that counts. We all go through a time when although we know what to do we still over eat or crave. Something always happens to me to bring me back to the plan and I start again. Its the never giving up that is important. You have a tough month to deal with so be kind to yourself. X
I can understand that! I was eating more things because I hadn't weighed in and wasn't sticking to my plan for a couple of weeks but, decided I needed to get back on track. I think going back to college and my daughter being ill didn't help so, now things have settled a bit, I don't have an excuse. I had nearly doubled my chocolate intake 🙄 As Carer53 says, it is getting back on track that counts.
I'm sorry to hear about your late brother, and I understand how these dates can upset your equilibrium and will power. My mum died on Armistice day, a whopping 52 years ago , but that date is still quite difficult for me even now. Fasting between your two dates might be one way, just as long as you don't feel weaker than you need to.
Sorry about your mum, however many years go by, on some days it still feels very fresh... If I do go ahead with the longer fast, I'm going to take it really careful. I know that I'm absolutely fine up to nearly 30 hours - this long occasionally happens to me without planning. And then I will just see how I feel and will not do anything crazy
I am glad you are being sensible about your fasting and listening to your body. We would not want you to make yourself ill. You have to do what you think is right. I can not go without food too long or I feel sick. I think I am a grazer. I eat little and often. I usually carry a banana in my bag in case I need food. X
Hi N-o-r-d-i , I am sorry about your brother. I struggle with October too. I hate Halloween, partly because it’s an American thing which has embedded itself here, and it grates on me when people say they ‘celebrate’ it, as it was traditionally the night before All Saints Day when you drove out evil spirits. Hardly a celebration. But also because my (first) husband died on October 31st. He died suddenly when we were in France at half term in 2003. The French people we were staying with were so lovely to me back then. They celebrate All Hallows’ Eve by taking chrysanthemums to their relatives graves, and you don’t see much of the stupid costumes etc over there, except in the big, cosmopolitan cities. I never buy sweets and as no one knocks on our door (we are very rural) I don’t have to worry about being branded a mean old so-and-so.
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I am with you on everything you say about Halloween. It is a celebration of evil and was was once a few kids dressed up as witches but now the costumes and items are so much worse. It is American and has now turned in to trick or treat. I was terrorized one year with teenagers throwing eggs at my window and rotten apples because I didn't give them a treat. I now politely put a notice on my door asking them not to knock. I am glad when it is all over. If others wish to participate it is up to them but I for one do not. I understand if you have children they wish to join in . I do not think I am an old misery I just don't enjoy evil . I cant even watch a horror movie. My neighbours are very understanding and usually check up on me to see if I am alright. It must be even harder for you at this time of year and I send you Hugs and lots of Love. I will be thinking of you. X
sorry to hear about your first husband, it must be so awful when it's sudden and out of the blue.. I don't like Halloween either, I don't even remember being aware of it as I was growing up. I grew up in Lithuania and we mark the All Saints Day by visiting the cemeteries to light candles on the graves of the loved ones who passed away. It's always quite an amazing sight to see all those candles burning.
Hi Nordi, I am so sorry about your brother. I lost my mother in October 6 years ago so this time is a strange mix of feeling sad but also feeling closer to her which is comforting. My mother‘s ashes were put in the sea and we usually go to the sea this time of year for some quiet contemplation. We didn’t do it last year because of Covid so it’ll be good to go again this year.
On a more upbeat note, I joined this forum in June this year after reaching target weight and I am still on it! I think this is the longest I have ever maintained after weight loss and it really feels like this time it’s for good.
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Hello B P I am sorry about your Mum . It is lovely that you can do something to remember her. It was tough last year for everyone but hopefully you will get to the sea this year. I too joined this forum after reaching my target and thanks to all the support have now been maintaining for over a year so stay on board with us and you too will get lots of encouragement and tips. You are doing really well. Have a lovely day X
that is a lovely tradition to go to the sea for contemplation, I hope you will get to do it this year. I try to keep in mind that losing someone always means we had them - and having had them is the most precious thing, so grief is never just a loss.
Good morning N o r d i Well my birthday has come and gone. I had a lovely time with an evening meal out with hubby. You have been on my mind and I was wondering how you are doing. I know this is a difficult time for you and I wanted you to know we care. Hugs and love sent to you. X
Thank you so much for your kind words, it means a lot. I'm doing reasonably ok, apart from Tuesday when I randomly ate the whole pack of musli bars which I don't even like that much and bought them only because they were on offer and I was planning to leave them at work, so I have something there when needed. Note to self - anything meant to be kept at work, should be bought on my way to work and left there, rather than taken home The following morning this took me up to 66.8 kg (from 66)), but other days went as planned and this morning I was 66.1 kg so no damage done, really. I've decided to go ahead with a longer fast starting on Monday, but not yet sure how long. I'll aim for 36 hours first, then if ok, extend to 48, and then if still ok maybe to 72 hours.
I'm really glad to hear you had a lovely time for your birthday. What did you have for your meal?
I had steak with a sauce very naughty but nice. Followed with ice-cream. I was very full but fasted for hours the next day. Yes I am with you on the muesli bars. If it is here I will eat it. I try not to have temptations in the house. I do however keep plenty of fruit for when I find I have to have something. I am glad you are ok. I am here if you want to chat. Please let me know how your fasting goes. That seems a long time but only you know your body. X
When is a better time to be a bit naughty if not on your birthday? I'll let you know how the fasting goes and as I said, I will be careful. I've done nearly 30 hours a few times without any planning - it just worked out like that, so 36 doesn't sound too long to me, anything after that - I will observe myself carefully and play it by ear. Do not worry
A quick update. I am 54 hours into my fast right now and I am feeling surprisingly normal I'm not even hungry, let alone weak. No headaches, no light-headedness, no fatigue . If anything, I feel relieved to not have to think about what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat. It feels like a very welcomed break. So I don't suppose there will be much difficulty to reach 72 hours - only 18 remain
Good morning. You have done so well. You set yourself a target and you stuck to it. Is your plan to fast for 72 hours and then to return to your normal eating plan. I once fasted and I found it hard to return to eating so I hope the same does not happen to you. I do not want to sound negative it is only out of concern and I am definitely no expert. You sound in complete control and you must do what is right for you so good luck on completing your challenge. Sending you best wishes X
Thanks for your concern and I can see where you are coming from. Since I feel ok there’s a big temptation to extend the fast 😊 some research says that after 72 hours the body starts regenerating the immune cells, so that would be a scientific excuse to extend it 😁 but since it’s my first one, I’m very mindful to not overdo it, and I think that I’ll eat something light and nutritious today once I get back from work. That will give me about 77 hours fast.
Oh N o r d i I am so pleased to hear that. You have done so well and I know this is a difficult month for you. I have taken some of your ideas on board and fast during the day but always eat a healthy meal around 5pm. I do listen to my body and some days will eat fruit at lunch time if I feel I need to. Please let me know how you are doing. X
I’m really happy to hear about you taking some ideas on about having longer breaks without meals. The more I read information available from currently ongoing research, the more sense it makes to me, I have to say. One lady was intrigued by my weight loss and wanted info how I did it. I told her a bit about intermittent fasting and insulin resistance. Didn’t hear from her for a while and after half a year of so I met her again and she said she read up and tried and it was going really well for her and then she got pregnant. She said she had been trying to get pregnant for a long time!
Thank you. I have done really well today. I managed to go until 4.45pm and then I had a bowl of chicken vegetable stew. I do not miss eating during the day but I am ready by tea time. I do not overeat as I find my healthy meal satisfies. I might have a yogurt later or fruit. I will not eat after 8pm and then see how long I can go tomorrow. I will listen to my body and eat if I need to. How are you doing. X
That sounds good. I ate after work, as planned - so you will be pleased to know that I didn’t go off the rails with some crazy ideas of extending the fast significantly 😊 felt very hot after eating and then a bit sleepy, now feeling back to normal. And will have to be back to planning daily food… well, the few days have a bit of a rest from planning and thinking about food 😊
Well done N o r d i You achieved what you set out to do. I am sure you will soon get back to your plan. I still have good days and bad days and no idea why. Yesterday was a good day for me and I plan to be good today but who knows . I would love to understand why some days it is easy and others I struggle. I suppose if it were that easy we would all be going around with a perfect weight . I have to keep reminding myself how well I have done and how much I do not want to go back to how I was. How do you keep going ? How do you keep motivated? X
What you say here is very familiar - some days are absolutely fine, some days are difficult. I abandoned the idea of motivation because the motivation fluctuates 😊 I’m trying to say to myself that certain things I just do, regardless whether I’m motivated or not… sometimes it works better than other times, but not depending on motivation as such is quite freeing. And when it gets difficult, I go back to the bare minimum that I promised myself to ‘just do’, regardless of motivation (you know, like going to work, for example, you just have to and you do, whether you feel like it or not) - record everything what I eat and weigh myself no matter how much I’ve eaten.
Do you weigh everyday. I do as although it fluctuates it gives me a guide. I must admit if I have over eaten I don't weigh as I then feel annoyed which then stresses me and I eat even more. I give myself a few days to get back to eating healthy and then weigh . If I put on a few pounds I do struggle to keep at it as I get frustrated with myself. I suppose we all have our ways of coping and who knows what life throws at us along the way. Its the keep going that counts. Baby steps. X
Since I reached the weight I want to maintain, I do weigh every day - gives me an idea. However bad the day is, I can’t really do too much damage in one day, therefore for me it’s save just to bite the bullet and step on the scales next morning, knowing that it’s not going to be good. If I left it for a few days. it could be a slippery slope 😊 my reasoning here is that the most important thing that I needed was to be honest with myself. If I overeat - being honest with myself is to enter everything I ate and see the number on calories on myfitnesspal, even if it’s 8000 😊 the same with the scales. It’s just being honest with myself - if I don’t look at the number, that doesn’t mean I haven’t gained 😊 never worked like this for me before, but now it seems to work. As you say, we need to find what works for us. We also need to keep an open mind because what works can actually change xx
Thank you. That is what I am going to try . Being honest with myself. If I over eat I wont be so hard on myself and just try harder the next day. Have a lovely day X
My colleague just told me that I would be better off using the word ‘overindulged’ rather than ‘overate’. She says that overindulging happens to everyone, be it on special occasions or not, but it doesn’t have that negative connotation of ‘overeating’. 😊
I love Halloween and so do the kids so, we have a bit of a party 🎃
I changed my target recently but, am within my new target after a weigh in today. I am maybe going to start weighing weekly just to keep on track. I still have super skinny fingers which I am not so happy about but, hopefully things will level out.
Like you Carer53, there is a birthday in the house in October. What are your plans for your birthday? There will be cake here !
Hi Bee bob. Lovely to hear from you. You seem to be doing well on maintaining. I weigh quite often as it helps me stay on track although I know the scales vary from day to day and only use as a guide. I understand you having a halloween party if you have kids but as I have got older I find it a bit scary. It has all changed over the years and the costumes and items you can now buy are more realistic and can be frightening to older people although kids seem to love it. I do however love pumpkin soup. LOL I hope you and the kids enjoy your party. My hubby has booked a meal at our favourite restaurant for my birthday but I probably wont buy a birthday cake. Take care and have a good month. X
Thankyou, I am hoping to stay on track now I have changed my target. I don't have scales at home so have to go to my SW group to weigh in. I have just been too busy the last few weeks to do that.
We like to dress up for any trick or treaters and get things in for them. Some years I have made Halloween biscuits, cupcakes etc, others I just buy sweets or Halloween treats.You have reminded me that I shall have to make pumpkin soup this year as my youngest really likes it. I agree that the masks and outfits can be quite scary now.
That sounds a nice treat for your birthday. Hope you have a lovely day when it arrives
Thank you Bee bob. You enjoy your Halloween too. You can obviously bake. I am rubbish at baking. I once attempted to make a cake for my Grandson as he was coming to tea. I had to fill in the hole with chocolate. LOL. He never noticed and said it was yummy. I am however a good cook and love experimenting with herbs and spices and make up my own soups. X
I think it was possibly even better with chocolate in the middle for your grandson 😀
I think baking was a big part of my childhood and we were encouraged to join in so, I have an understanding of it but, it doesn't always turn out well! I like cooking and my mum wasn't so good with vegetables (over cooked in the pressure cooker) so I think I made it my mission to prepare good veg and have a decent variety with plenty of colour and tastes. I am lucky in that the kids all have a joy with baking which means most of the time they create better things than myself. We are a wheat and dairy free family where myself and my youngest daughter are both wheat and dairy free, another is vegan and the other two dairy free but, they can now tolerate milk, they choose not to at home. So, baking can be more of a challenge. I have just found a baking site that caters for all our needs which sells donuts! I know it wont be good for my waistline but, it has been years since I have had one 😋
Thats lovely that you learnt to bake with your Mum. I never got to do that so maybe thats why I am not good at it . My 3 children love cooking including the boys. It must be hard when you have to consider everyone when you bake but then you must be used to it. I must agree with your mum everyone used to cook vegetables to a pulp. Now we are told not too overcook as they lose their goodness. I actually like my vegetables a little crispy rather than overcooked but thats something I have got used to over time. X
I guess our experience in the kitchen can shape us. We didn't really make bread when we were growing up and although I have tried, I never seemed too great at it. I bought a bread maker instead which means I feel like I have half made it ! I guess the children have taken onboard your love of cooking. My son likes cooking too, although he has certain things that he makes. I was stunned recently when he decided to make a lemon drizzle cake-something he had never made before, for a friends birthday. I made a lemon polenta cake for myself at the same time. Must admit, mine was lovely.
I am used to doing the different dietary requirements as it's been 25 years with the dairy free and only a little less with the wheat free for myself. I must admit that things have gotten easier to find things to cater for us over the years. I am amazed at home main stream vegan food is now as it makes things a lot easier although many things still have wheat so I do check.
Yes, over cooked vegetables were the "thing" when I was growing up but, my paternal grandma did not have a pressure cooker and things were less mushy when we went there 😀
Oh fresh baked bread. You just reminded me as a child we lived opposite a bakery factory. You could knock on the door and they would sell you bread straight from the oven. By the time I got it home some would be missing and my mum would always say the mice have been at it again. I did make some bread rolls in my cookery class at school and you could throw them at the wall and they still didn't break. Lol. That was my only attempt at making bread. X
Haha, yes-my attempts just never turned out well either. We had a bread van that came around and you could buy deserts too. I used to love the individual trifles with cream and green angelica on top. They were such a special treat !
Fresh bread is so much better for sure, no wonder you'd have a nibble on the way home 😀
Good morning Carer53. Hard to believe it is already October, though the weather certainly confirms that it is ! We had a short hotel break last week in Chichester/Emsworth area with enough sunshine to enjoy a crab lunch by the sea, plus the ice cream , drinks, cooked breakfasts... not my usual choices but very enjoyable. I weigh in today at 10st, so that is 2 lbs up , but i will address this asap.... although my son from London is home for two days , so I won't be fully back on the wagon til monday.
Hope everyone else has a successful month maintaining. X
Welcome back elliebath. Glad you had a good holiday. Sounds lovely. Not too much weight gain either. You must be having the same weather as me. It hasn't stopped raining for days. Have a good weekend and keep posting. X
Hope it is not like this when we move. We have a few weeks yet but today we got rid of some unwanted furniture and got soaked in the process. I also do the school run 3 times a week and trying to get the children to school dry is a challenge X
Thanks Bee-bop I have eventually accepted (albeit reluctantly) that this is where my body now wants to be, as I have been 9st12 / 10st for the past year. That's nearly 5-7 lbs above my original maintenance during 2015 - 2020, but try as I might, I can't get back there .
It is tough to work out how these things happen sometimes. Like you say, maybe this is where your body wishes to stay now. Was it lockdown that changed things for you?
Not obviously so. I weighed 9st 7 in February 2020 , but by end May I was 10st, and as far as I could see nothing had really changed... same sort of meals, walking for my lockdown hour every day ( which I did anyway), no mad baking sessions etc etc . I just got heavier. Had some medical checks and nothing untoward. All a mystery. However I've since read that once you lose weight it's always going to be very hard to maintain that basal metabolic rate (BMR) and very few people manage it long term. Sigh.... 😕
I guess so, except that I thought that longterm would be forever...
However, we are all different so maybe some people manage it better. Or maybe it's just a case of age and a lower BMR that causes us to gain weight ( unless we have a 24/7 personal trainer or a liposuction therapist at our disposal .😄😄).
Oh my goodness, something we have in common again! I have such fond memories of Emsworth, elliebath ! Although I live in Yorkshire now, I grew up in Mid-Sussex, and my first holiday away from home with friends when I was 16 was in Emsworth! It wasn’t Ibiza, and it wasn’t that far from home, but we still had the best time! I’m glad you enjoyed your break.
Quelle surprise! Another coincidence indeed. It is such a pretty place.
Good afternoon everyone. I did my weekly shop today and could not believe that one aisle was full of Christmas treats already. I expected Halloween treats but not the Christmas chocolate and cakes and even party food. I managed to walk past but wondered how do you all resist. If I bought now I would eat it LOL . I have never been able to have chocolate in the house and not eat it so I don't buy it. I read that some people can eat just 2 squares a day but I could not do that. I am doing very well on resisting chocolate and crisps at the moment as they were my downfall. What is your downfall and how do you resist. X
If you have a bar of very dark chocolate with a high cocoa count ( 80 -95%) I really doubt you'll want to eat that in one go. A couple of squares really does satisfy . Have you tried it?
( PS my weakness is usually after Christmas, when there is still rich fruit cake in the tin )
I like the high cocoa chocolate like elliebath. Sainsbury's did have a pack where you could get 5 small bars of 85% cocoa in a pack which I found helpful as you have the wrapping of the single bars to remind you not to eat too much.
Good question. My youngest gets really frustrated when Christmas things are in the shop when we haven't had Halloween yet!
For me, I had to cut down my sugar due to pre diabetes which helps me not go too overboard at Christmas but, I then find myself searching for things I can have and have to then be careful to not eat too many. I can get sugar free, dairy free chocolates and I was a bit greedy with them last year. I wish I could find a free from and sugar free Christmas pudding though.
I too decided not to go overboard last Christmas and only bought a few treats but forgot to account for the gifts we get. Also catered for visitors which of course was cancelled . Will be far more careful this year. I will however still make my home made sherry trifle. We are booked to go out for Christmas dinner. I have family coming on boxing day so need to buy for that. I will also be in the process of moving so that will be fun. X
Sounds like you have a good plan for the treats this year. It is difficult to account for things other people may gift us. I just found some vegan and keto bars for a friend who is following that diet and I think will be really pleased it's not going to throw them off plan.
Wow, that sounds like a very busy time for you this Christmas with the move as well !
Yes we are hoping to move in plenty of time for Christmas but things do not always go to plan. So long as I can find the Christmas tree and Christmas dishes we will be fine. I do not have children living at home now so that is easier. Grandchildren come on boxing day. I do not stress about things so much now I am older I always think that there is another day tomorrow and things can wait. X
I couldn’t believe it when we saw Christmas adverts on television on October 1st! I’m not a killjoy and I love Christmas, but you can actually be sick of it long before it arrives!
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I know still wont be long to Easter eggs next. LOL I love Christmas but the January sales now start in December. Before long we will not know what time of year it is. X
Afternoon folks. I would be ignoring Halloween completely except that I've somehow been talked into doing some programming to animate a 1/2-size skeleton to go in a friend's shop window. That's Halloween. And then for later in the year it will be an animated Santa who reads a story out when someone stops in front of the window. I used to be a lot better at saying "No" but they do say using your brain can fend off dementia😊. Nothing to do with maintaining but at least while I'm designing and programming I'm not eating.
Weigh in today and it was a bit of a surprise to see that I've lost a couple of pounds so I'm in the middle of my range. There's a lot medical going on at the minute with major changes of medication and some rather unpleasant investigations so I've not exactly been concentrating on food or exercise. That's having to sort itself out and seems to be going a good job without me paying much attention😁🤪.
I would love to see that Santa. You must be very talented . I wouldn't know where to start. I do however love decorating my tree and it has to match the room décor. Good that you have managed to lose a few pounds but sorry to hear you have medical issues. Hope things get sorted for you. Yes keeping busy definitely helps to stop us thinking about food constantly . Have a good month and keep posting X
Wow what very interesting things to do. I would love to see the skeleton in particular. They featured heavily in my career! I'm so un-arty but appreciate other peoples work. My energy mostly goes into music activity. Glad that your weight is settled, but hope that your health improves so you can enjoy life to the full. Best wishes.
Good morning Carer 53 and allThanks for the lovely start to the month. Moving home is one of the most stressful things, try to get as organised as you can as that will give you a sense of some control. Good luck and hope it goes well.
Yes, it is October and I’ve just come back from a short hotel holiday, really eating and drinking well and I have over- eaten all weekend too- the batteries in my scales needed replacing. Just put the new ones in and I’m only three pounds over my target weight. I knew I had gained weight, it was just a case of how much it was!
If I’m staying with one of my daughters and family, eating over Halloween can be a problem but think I’ll stay home and try to get my weight back to my target. I usually buy treats for my grandchildren or for callers if home, so this year I’ll not buy any. It is too easy to eat any which are left over. It may be a bit mean but sensible.
As for Christmas, last year we were in lockdown and I don’t think I gained a lot over the holiday. If there is going to be a shortage of turkey, I don’t mind not having having it.
Good morning Moreorless. Lovely to have you on board. How nice that you got to have a holiday. It is a time to enjoy and as long you get back on track after then no harm done. You didn't gain a lot so good luck on getting back to your eating plan. I have a lot of help with packing from hubby. We make a good team. He has done all the shed and is about to start on the garage. I am packing 2 boxes a day rather than making hard work of it. We are having removal men to move us and a friend is having all my garden items until after we move. There is only the 2 of us so we can take our time unpacking and we are going to do work on the house so can take our time. I will have Christmas then make a plan. It is my birthday on Wednesday so we have booked a special meal out so no doubt there will be a few pounds gain for me this week . Have a good month and keep posting. X
You seem very organised re the move, so have a lovely relaxing birthday meal, you deserve it. Happy birthday for Wednesday!🛍🎊I’m now on the cusp of healthy/ overweight line, holiday is over, need to get back to healthy eating.🥗🥦
Glad to see you are still keeping up with maintaining - I think we reached our target weight around the same time.
Well done on only putting on 3 pounds after a few days away - I think we all need a rest from the regime now and then. But we do need to keep it all under control and it is good to avoid Halloween excesses 😊
Hi walkthiswayI hope to be a lifetime maintainer- what about that for planning?
I did enjoy everything when away and am now going to try to get down to at least my target weight, that would be going in the right direction at least!
I am also maintaining for life - sounds a bit daunting when it is put like that 😂 but better than having to lose 3 stone again (again).
I am still doing lowish carbs - adding a few more in now to see what happens. It seems to suit me and I can manage any gains by just reducing carbs again.
I’m not counting calories but weighing every day (did not take scales on holiday!) I was better at lower carbs in the summer but now it is getting chilly- it is more difficult. I’ve had a big bowl of porridge and fruit this morning and will try to watch the carbs for the rest of the day- will go for more fruit and veg.!
You are doing really well. A way of eating more vegetables in winter is making soups. I make my own there are plenty of recipes out there. I also experiment with different herbs and spices to liven them up. You can use any veg you have in the fridge. Also vegetable curries is another way to add more vegetables. You do not miss the meat as the flavour is so good. X
Yes I know what you mean - carbs are more a must have for winter.
I also make loads of soup - it is my go to lunch - filling and comforting and can also be packed with all sorts of goodies 😊 Also love veggie curries or any spicy dish - just don’t have the rice or accompanying carb ☺️
Spicy food is my choice too. You can make lots of dishes with vegetables and spice them up. I prefer winter food as I do get a bit fed up of salads although you can add lots of variety to them. Nothing like a warm hearty soup during the cold weather. X
Weighed in today at 9 st 7 lbs; right at the bottom of my maintenance range, but I was tested yesterday. The stress of trying to juggle everything in my life really got to me and I was seriously tempted to buy a big bar of chocolate and binge on it. I didn’t, but I need to reflect on what I can do to stop feeling like that again.
Well good morning. First you need to stop being so hard on yourself. You need to focus on how well you have done. So congratulations for being at the bottom of your target range. Also you were tempted but didn't. Thats another positive. It is not always easy and we all get tempted but its the getting back on track that counts and so long as we keep trying we are all doing well. I get bad weeks where things go wrong but do not give up stick with what works for you and be proud of what you have achieved. Hope all goes well for you. Good luck and have a good month X.
I always find it tempting to eat chocolate but remember you are at a very good weight now and think how long that has taken. However, if you do ‘treat’ yourself, it will hopefully be enough to satisfy that need. I try just to eat a few squares of 70% cocoa solids chocolate.
I do have a planned chocolate treat every Saturday night which I enjoyed, so I know it wasn’t a ‘ooh I fancy that’ kind of a feeling. I think I am just terrified of going back to where I was with the cycles of bingeing, followed by guilt and restriction
If you feel like that again, just buy a very small bar. I bet it will cheer you up and at the same time make you feel rather smug that you didn't need the big bar. My go-to at times like that ( fortunately only occasional) are the little Green & Black bars of dark chocolate, I think about 85p , and it hits the spot!
You sound like you are doing really well. There will always be the odd temptation - we are only human - but you dealt with it well.
Enjoy what you have achieved and don’t worry about the odd lapse of focus - you know what you are doing and can deal with it. Although I appreciate part of your concern is just letting go and putting all the weight back on. As a yo-yo er that is definitely my concern 😊 Just keeping on top of it all is the key and you are doing that.
Happy maintaining ☺️
We are a Christian family and we hold a light party for the children at the church on Halloween and my Grandchildren do not go to the Halloween party in school. They have never asked to go . When my grand daughter was 3 she walked past a shop decorated for Halloween and she said that will make God sad. I was shocked as she was so young. I am always glad when it is over. Have a good day X
I love figs. Do not think they are loved by many. I love dates as well. I eat lots of fruit. Not sure if you can eat too much. Fruit has replaced my crisps and chocolate so I tell myself it has to be better. X
When ever I crave something I pick up a plum or peach and it does the trick. Cabbage has also become my favourite vegetable. I use a bed of shredded cabbage to replace rice or spaghetti. X
I roughly chop it and only cook for 10 minutes so its still crispy. I serve it with curry or bolognaise instead of rice or pasta. I have heard people use chopped cauliflower too but not tried that. X
That's a good idea thanks. But I do love pasta but not chocolate really that's one thing that doesn't tempt me. Aren't we all so different!
Hi Hidden . I just realised that I had replied to various posts here, but not actually posted my monthly update. After a week’s holiday, I am at the highest I have been for a year! I am half a stone over my maintenance range. I have already started careful planning for this week, and I feel my head is in the right place. I do calorie counting, so I am aiming to stay under 1600 cals per day. I just hope nothing unexpected derails me in the next few weeks, as I know I can pull things round. I shall check in every week, and let you know how it’s going!
Having the head in the right place is the most important thing
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That sounds a positive attitude Tt so good luck. You know you can do it . It will give you encouragement to keep checking in here. We all fall short some times but its getting back on track that counts During the summer its the holidays that distract us but we all need a break. Have a good week and keep posting. X
Hi TT, hope you had a good holiday. I share your pain about the extra pounds, but at least you know the holiday was the cause and you know how to tackle it. Unfortunately I've no such excuse, and I've been stuck at my highest for the entire past year 😭. But I've every confidence you will crack this TT .
Well to be honest, it had been creeping up before our holiday! Everything was getting tighter and has been all summer! But I’m tackling it afresh, and feel if I can get through October without falling off the wagon, I might be able to crack it. Funny how it takes such an effort to break bad habits but it only takes such a short time to reacquire them! Good luck with your efforts to lose those holiday pounds too.
Thanks for hosting this month. Hello everyone 😊 you all sound like you are doing well with maintaining and have plans to deal with temptations and triggers. Sorry I am a bit late to the party 😊
I have been maintaining since the end of April and have been doing ok for most of that time, a few blips over time away and celebrations etc which I have managed to drag back to my target weight range - 10 5 to 10 10. I spend most of my time at 10 8 ish. I have generally been eating more carbs - experimenting really to see how much I can get away with. I see this as quite fundamental to my current lifestyle being sustainable into the long term and preventing any more yoyoing - I am too old for that.
I am still weighing in every Friday - I was only going to do it for a few weeks but have found I need it to keep me accountable. I am also weighing myself most days - I have big issues around weighing myself and can easily slip into not doing it at all - then kidding myself- and we all know how that ends….
I do find myself slightly up this week after a week away and a few too many treats. We did a lot of walking which helped counter the worst effects.
We also have a birthday next weekend and then a few more days away so I need to get back to mid target range asap. I have hankered after losing more weight and may still do that when I have maintained for a few more months. I need to make sure I can maintain at each level I reach. At the moment I am in the normal weight range for my height and that was always my objective.
Sorry to hear that some of you have sad anniversaries in October and glad to see you all have plans as to how to deal with the occasions. October is a happy month for me as it is my daughter’s birthday - so I have to be careful for different reasons.
Good luck with your maintenance for another month 😊
Hello walkthisway. Lovely to have you on board. You seem to be doing well. It is all about experimenting and finding what works for you. It took me ages to work it out but it does come with time. Holidays birthdays etc do distract us but we have to have some treats. Just remember its getting back on track after that counts. It is my birthday tomorrow and I will enjoy it without worrying about calories but the following day I will be back on track. I weigh everyday as it helps me to focus but I do not take the scales too seriously and go on more about how I look and feel . The scales differ from day to day. Good luck for this month and keep posting. X
No I don’t worry too much about the scales anymore - the hard earned result of weighing myself almost daily for 15 months 😂 If I stopped weighing myself that would be a different story. When I am back from a holiday or haven’t been able to weigh myself I have to jump straight on the scales or who knows what might happen 😊
Thank you. Isn't it funny how we all have our own little ways of coping . If I have been on holiday I wait at least 2 days before weighing by which time I have already lost some weight and do not feel so bad. I have a special relationship with my scales and would miss it if I didn't have one. X
Eating intuitively is about satisfying physical hunger and trusting your body to know when you are full just like we did as toddlers. There are a lot of articles on the web about it- it sounds really good but I don’t know anyone who eats like that and keeps in the healthy weight range.
That sounds interesting . I will look it up. To be honest I never eat because I am hungry . I eat out of habit and times. I have breakfast at 7.30 and lunch at 12 and evening meal at5pm. In the evening if I pick it is not because I am hungry its boredom. If I ate until I was full I would definitely over eat. Since healthy eating I have learnt to eat smaller portions. I will certainly look this up as I love to find out new ways of maintaining. X
I think most of us eat and have our mealtimes to suit our/ others routine. I think some of the ideas are good, it is the emotional side of eating I need to look at.
Me too. I eat for all my emotions. If I am stressed I turn to food but also if I am happy and contented I can turn to food. If I see food I fancy it even if not hungry. I try to keep busy and not focus on food so much. The TV does not help with all the adverts about Christmas food. The government is suppose to be focusing on getting us to eat healthy especially the children but the adverts are full of crisps and burgers and not a lot of healthy food to be seen. I only watch TV in the evening after my main meal so not tempted but it is not helpful when you are trying to lose weight and all these chocolate ads come on. X
Keeping well is my main concern too. Hubby had his 3rd vaccine yesterday and I should have mine soon. Last year with wearing masks and self distancing I actually had the best winter ever. I am going to try to keep to some of those rules as I believed they helped. We are both going for our flu vaccinations next week. I believe what you eat has an important part to play on our health so I am with you on that. X
Just thought I'd update you with something that amazed me and cheered me up at the same time. I have minor heart disease and so I get regular check ups for BP, Ecg, bloods etc. Had one yesterday and my weight was up a kilo and my height was down half an inch. Eek! This unfortunately raised my BMI to 24. However, the (plumpish) nurse was actually more than pleased. She said " Wish I was your size, how do you do it?" So I told her about HU for weightloss and healthy eating ( she confessed to still buying low fat yoghurt) and it all seemed a surprise to her. I do wonder how many NHS professionals know as much as we do!
It is nice when we get complemented especially by NHS staff. I often find that a lot of them are plumpish but put that down to the overeating in the staff room. They should all join us on this forum they like me could learn so much. X
And I was told by a nurse a few months ago to go and put some weight on This advise I'm not going to follow. She should go and lose some, but I didn't tell her that
Isn't it funny how everyone gives us advise they should be following themselves. People are always quick to tell me I need to lose a few pounds but when I do they forget to compliment me. Then after a while they say you need to put some weight back on you look awful. Who needs these people. Thank goodness for this forum. X
Honestly, if anyone tells me I need to put on some weight (or lose some), I will politely ask what their BMI is. I have decided that if people feel they have a right to comment about my weight, by this they automatically give me their permission to express my opinions about theirs
Im sure you will continue to follow your own research SC. Who knows where I'll be in fifteen years , but best of luck to you for your continued good health well beyond your 70s.
You have a good attitude to being healthy and I am sure you will continue this for years to come. Try not to look too far ahead and take each day as it comes. Enjoy the moment X
Well maintainers' It is my birthday today. Not a special one but I think its time to celebrate. I am having a good day so far. Not eaten anything off plan yet but I am sure that will change later. We have booked a meal just for hubby and I to celebrate and spend some quality time together. I am sure there will be a few drinks involved too. No birthday cake has been bought so no temptation there but I am sure there will be a special desert on order. How are you all doing ? Hope you are having a good week or are temptations giving you a hard time. X
Happy Birthday, Carer53, have a fabulous day! 🎉🥳🎊🍾🍹🍸🥃🎁
Well I had a lovely birthday yesterday. I had a lovely evening meal which I struggled to eat as I am now used to having smaller portions but some how managed to make room for a large dish of ice cream after. I am fasting today to give my tummy time to recover. I have not eaten yet but will have a small evening meal later. I hope you are all well and managing to stick with your plans. X
Thanks for hosting Carer53 and hi everyone. Hope everyone's doing OK. I'm not doing too bad, trying to get back to my maintenance range of 8 stone 5 +/- 3. 8. Calorie counting again, approximately 1570 kcal per day, and I'm doing the challenge which will help.
Good morning lovefabric You seem to be doing well. You have a plan so thats the most important thing. So good luck for this month to getting to be where you would like to be. Remember its not a race so slow and steady. Good luck with your challenge. X
Question. Do you set a target weight to maintain at? What method do you use to keep at this? How big a range of weight is in your maintenance method. This is all new to me. I'm usually a eat too much, binge or diet sort of person. I want to keep this weight for good this time. Thanks for any advice. Is there any published advice on maintenance ? Also I'm still at the top of my BMI green and feel slim really. I don't want to be any thinner than this and am well generally. How do I know that this weight is suitable for me?
Good morning. W6 Maintaining is not easy and can be as hard as losing the weight . Maintaining is finding the ideal weight for you. First it has to sensible and not unrealistic. For instance I know I could not be any thinner than I am at the moment. I would look awful scrawny and ill. So set yourself a weight to suit you. Then its a matter of experimenting to see how you can keep to that weight. I have a maintenance range of 5lbs so If I go over that I cut back on certain foods. You will find what suits you. Wanting to maintain is the first step and sticking with a plan is the next step. Stay with this forum and you will pick up support and tips along the way. Good luck X
As Carer53 suggests, Save this post and then you'll get an Alert when anyone replies on it and can join in the chat.
As with losing weight, maintainers have different approaches so read through some of the replies above and ask any questions you want: they're a friendly and supportive team
Hi, I'm still experimenting and trying to find my balance in maintaining. In a way maintaining seems more difficult to me than losing weight because there is an additional need to keep an eye on not going too low in weight. I personally kept changing my target weight along the line, but now I seem to have settled at 65-67 kg. But my weight fluctuates quite a bit from day to day. So recently I started thinking about it almost as a traffic light system: 65-67 kg is green, 61-65 kg and 67-69 kg is yellow and then anything below 61 kg and above 69 are red. I can identify with what you say about yourself - being eat too much, binge or diet sort of person. I don't have a problem with not eating for quite a while and then I struggle to stop eating when I start. From that point of view intermittent fasting suits me quite well - I make sure not to eat anything for at least 16 hours and then eat rather large portions for my meals. I also record calories in order to monitor quantities of food. It's not easy, but mostly bearable
I enjoyed reading your post. Yes maintaining is harder and the scales definitely very from day to day. I like your traffic light system. I tried your fasting for a few hours this week. I didn't think I could do it but it has worked for 3 days now. I try not to eat in the day and then eat a small evening meal . It allows me to eat in the evening then which is my hardest time. I never struggle with eating during the day as I am always busy but evening is my worse time. I wouldn't say it is for everyone and we must all do what suits us. Also I do drink plenty of fluids during the day which I think is important. X
Good morning N o r d i I hope you are ok after your fasting. I have been trying some of your ideas and it seems to be working. I now call it intermittent eating rather than fasting. Although it was your idea of fasting that made me think of it. i always thought that breakfast was the most important meal of the day but because of having to take medication I always felt sick afterwards so now I do not eat in the day until I feel hungry. So do not eat for a number of hours then have a healthy meal when I need it. I usually go about 16 hours. I will look up more information about this way of eating. I was certainly pleased when I weighed this morning. How is this month going for you. X
Intermittent eating! I love it I had also fallen for 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day' and in the past whenever I tried to address my diet I would force myself to eat breakfast. I say 'force', because I'm naturally never hungry in the morning. Unfortunately, eating breakfast would make me hungry much earlier during the day, I would hardly be able to wait until lunch and would snack mid morning. Worst of all, it still would not stop me from eating a lot in the evening. So by trying to address the weight I would virtually end up either eating all day or feeling ravenous most of the day and still overeating in the evening, which would mean I'd be consuming probably double amount of calories that I would without breakfast. Apparently this slogan comes from advert for breakfast cereals, only was repeated so many times that everybody took it to be true. Funny, that in English languaged 'breakfast' does not even refer to morning. It's the meal that 'breaks your fast' whenever that may be - morning, afternoon or evening. And as such it probably could count as the most important meal of the day I'm glad to hear that you were pleased with the scales this morning. My fast went really well, I think the most important outcome being that I had some space away from thinking what to eat and how much. Now I don't find it as difficult to stick with my plans and my limits. After I ate following those 77 hours, my body felt as if there was some kind of furnace that started in me - felt so hot for quite a while, not unpleasant at all, just unusually hot I guess in a way that 'furnace' actually started. The weight dropped by a couple of kilos over those three days but interestengly, didn't go up after I started eating, which I expected, only because you do add some actual weight into yourself when you consume food This morning my weight dropped even a bit more, to 63.5 kg (Monday morning it was 66.1, then 65, 64, the morning after I had my dinner was only 64.1, then 64.1 again and 63.5 this morning, as I said). It's quite interesting to observe.
Thank you for all the information. I am certainly going to stick with it for a while to see how I do. Like you I find once I eat I want more but when not eating I don't even think about food. The scales thats another topic. Mine varies from day to day so I use it as a guide only. I will continue to weigh everyday to give me some idea of how I am doing. I always thought that you had to eat breakfast to start your metabolism going. I used to have cereal and cereal also became my snack that I would turn to if hungry. I have not bought any this week so that I don't get tempted. X
Good morning N o r d i. How are you doing? I know October is tough for you. I wanted you to know I have been trying your recommended intermittent eating and it has worked for me. I set myself a few hours of eating time and the rest fasting. Sounds drastic but it works for me. I never worry about eating during the day and breakfast has always made me feel sick so I tried your way and so far so good. I eat a sensible meal at 5pm and then I am able to eat fruit and yogurt during the evening without worrying too much about calories. I am at the lower end of my target weight so pleased with that. I did look it up on line and there are a number of ways of doing it so I chose the one to suit me best. Hope you are well X
I’m so happy it works for you! This way of eating is definitely suitable for me and I know everyone is different and need to find their own way, but it is nice when someone finds the same way helpful to them too
Thanks for checking on me, I’m not in a good place at all and can’t seem to get back to my newer ways of controlling food. This week was particularly bad as I can’t control my food intake at all, almost like the old days… I plan and think in advance and then some sort of a switch goes off and it’s as if I’m not there and just half an hour later I’m back but the huge amount of food is in me. Can’t seem to get out of it. Yesterday was a better day, but tonight it happened again. I can’t quite pin point why none of my discovered techniques are working at the moment. My weight was still 66.3 kg (maintenance range being 65-67 kg) this morning, so I’m still mostly within my range but if I carry on, this won’t last very long... It may even be over 67 kg tomorrow. I do remind myself that it doesn’t mean all is hopeless and that this should pass. As long as I’m logging everything and have my eyes open, I’m more likely to get things back under control. I was hoping I turned the corner last week, but apparently not… well, tomorrow is a new day and I have a plan for food, wish me luck sticking with it. I’m invited for lunch at my friend’s on Sunday as we are celebrating two birthdays and it should be possible to remain reasonable as the friend who is cooking is on his own weight loss journey. It may be worth considering not to eat at home for a while… not eating is always easier for me than trying to stop eating once I start… sorry for this novel
Oh N o r d i I feel your pain. You sound just like me. I can go without food no problem but once I eat I want more. October has been particularly hard for you but this time will pass. Your intermittent eating has helped me so much and for that I thank you. I am able to go without eating in the day time allowing me to eat in the evening which is my worst time. I only snack on yogurt or fruit so no harm done. If I have have eaten out and overindulged it then takes me a few days to get out of the habit but I do get there. You will too. You will work out what is best for you and I am here to chat anytime. Enjoy your lunch on Sunday and talk to your friend as she is also on a weight loss journey. I am here for you anytime. Sending you hugs. X
Hi N-o-r-d-i and also Hidden , you both seem to experiencing a similar issue.
Believe me, I'm no expert and certainly no saint when it comes to how best to maintain. I started by doing the same as in weightloss, which was calorie counting ( mostly good choices but often not !). While I had enough fat deposits to shift, this worked very well. But as we all discover, with less fat on our bones it's easy to gain and harder to lose!
But do not despair.. whether it's intermittent fasting, calorie counting or whichever method, you can find the right balance for you . I use a mix of methods .... intermittent fasting ( between 12 and 7pm ), plus a couple of veggie days, three no sugar days, five no alcohol days.... it might sound a bit haphazard but it fits fine with my social life and I stay roughly the same weight. Also 5 days exercise.
I've been maintaining for 6 years and am still learning. Just remember we are in this for life... hopefully a much longer life❤
yes, definitely for life. This is where I was going wrong before I also mix and match. I use calorie counting and intermittent fasting, I'm also aiming to reduce highly processed carbs and leaning towards higher dietary fat. I do 3 and a half minutes plank every day as well as minimum 10000 steps. This week has gone significantly better for me than the previous one, so there's hope
Hi N o r d i Glad you have had a better week this week. I am about the same weight and thats good as I have had one night out. I ate less the following day to compensate. Still doing the intermittence eating X
Hi ellibath. Lovely to hear from you. It is knowing that this is for life that keeps me going. I have been maintaining now for over a year. I lost 2 stone and seem to stay now at 9 stone to 9 stone 4lbs. I am happy with that. My problem is that I get bored. I lost the weight calorie counting then got fed up of that so started eating more vegetables like soups stews etc. Lately I have been trying intermittence eating and that has been going good so far. I like trying different ideas as I like the change. If the weight goes up I have a few veggie days and that works. It is good to read how other people cope with different situations. I hope I will still be chatting in 6 years time like you. X
Good morning W6. I was wondering how are you getting on with your maintaining. Are you still experimenting to see what works for you. It took me ages to work out what works and even now I change the way I go about it. Did you set yourself a target range. Make sure it is realistic and maintainable. I wish you the best of luck on your journey X
Hi Carer53 it's so far so good. I feel good at this weight having lost 10kg to get here. Guess about six weeks I've been maintaining. I'm trying not to go above my kg. The week I did and used a 'light day' as suggested by a Rosemary Connelly book. This was also how I lost the weight!Gradually stopping feeling frightened of food, but I would class myself as a professional dieter but a totally unsuccessful maintainer. However as long as I can weigh weekly hopefully the tide has turned. It's great to have a group to turn to.
You are doing really well. I think we all find it easier to lose the weight rather than maintain. Once we reach the required weight we think we no longer have to keep going but this is where the hard work starts. If we go back to our old ways the weight will go back on. This is the trap we nearly all fall into . I have done this many times in the past. This time like you I am determined to keep it off so now see it as a life commitment rather than a diet. That does not mean I have to give up everything but treats in moderation works for me. There are certain things that have gone for ever but I just keep an eye on the weight and adjust accordingly . This forum is such a good support especially if you are struggling. It is good to know that we all go through the same thoughts and process and there is always some one to chat to. The biggest lesson I have learnt is if I have a bad day its about not giving up and getting back on track. I wish you well and look forward to chatting again. X
Morning everyone. Well the weekend is here. considering it was my birthday not too much harm done. Has anyone any plans for this weekend. I am busy packing for my move. Slowly but surely I will get there. Tomorrow I am hoping to do some gardening weather permitting. Have a good one what ever you are doing X
Just weighed in at 9 st 6 lb, a pound under my maintenance range (9 st 7 - 9 st 12 lb). Going to stick with my usual Mediterranean approach but will make a mental note that I can be a bit more liberal with my cheese and nut portions.
Anyone else feel the cold more now you are down to a lower body weight? So funny that I’ve spent all my life trying to eliminate excess fat and now I feel like I could afford to have a teeny weeny bit more😂
Good morning W Y Y You are doing really well. Congratulations on your weight maintaining. You are very encouraging. Yes I do feel the cold but going for a warmer jumper rather than fat LOL. I had a lovely birthday. It extended to more than one day as friends wanted to spoil me so today being the beginning of a new week its back to serious concentration on what I eat. It is also very cold so some warm hot vegetable stew is on the menu. Hope you have a good day. X
Glad you enjoyed your birthday. Yes, casseroles, stews and soups are on my menu. Having to wear base layers for rock climbing and running now to warm up my muscles. Think I need to buy a fluffy dressing gown in my new size - my trusty hot water bottle had to make an appearance last night
The days of climbing in my vest and shorts seem like a distant memory😂 I was quite scared of heights when I first gave it a go, but now I absolutely love it😀
You must need strength to do that. Amazing. Well done . X
Hi everyone. How are you all doing this month. We are about half way through the month and I hope you are all well. I am still busy packing so not much time to think about food. The winter is creeping in and it is time for soups and stews. What do you eat through the winter to help you maintain your weight. It is said we eat more in the winter. Do you find this true. X
Even though I saved the post, I still aren't getting notifications. I have some health issues at present as well as the children being ill and needing PCR tests yesterday! So, not too much of a focus on my food although I aren't going overboard.
Good afternoon Bb . Sorry to hear you and the children are not well. It is awful how children have to go through these tests. My 5 year old Grand daughter has had to have a few and the last time she screamed and begged not to have another one. I have to be honest the promise of a cake treat worked. There are also a lot of common colds and coughs back this year . Sometimes things come along and distract us from thinking about food and what we eat and for a while they have to take priority. I hope things get better for you soon. I am busy packing for my move. How much stuff we accumulate in just a few years. Still a good time for a good clear out. Take care X
Thanks Carer, that sounds a good incentive for your granddaughter ! Mine are a little older but, my youngest struggles with the lateral flow ones and wasn't good with this one but, managed. I was just glad they were negative.
Are you excited about the move? Yes, we seem to end up with so many things over time. We just had a good clear out as one of my other daughters has come to stay too and we needed the space! When do you officially move in? Hope it goes well 🙂
Hello everyone well after a break since I was visiting family which led to the inevitable weight gain- well g=outside my maintenance range when I got back. maintenance range 54-56kg and weight when I got back last week was 57.3kg However after reducing my daily calories by 100 and NO crisps though have been getting craving for wine gums which I managed to resist by changing into my PJs early I am now back in range 55.6kg so a weight loss of 1.7kg which I thought may have been help with dog sitting for a couple of days so an increase in my average steps from around 11000/day to 25000 steps/day! I am participating in the Christmas challenge to help get me focused and I am hoping that I will reach the 54kg which I have not been at for well over a year🤞
Welcome back RG It is good to hear from you. Glad you had a lovely time with family. You have done so well since your return. I usually find it hard to get back on track after a few days off but you are back into it already. Dog walking is good . I am doing dog walking voluntary for neighbours who work all day. It makes me walk whether I feel like it or not. Well done on resisting your crisps I know how hard that is for you. Good luck with the Christmas challenge. X
You might have read that I am in the process of moving so I might have to find some more dogs to walk. I will have to get to know my neighbours first. I look after 3 dogs at the moment so have to go out no matter what the weather. I also do the school run 3 times a week for my 2 Grandchildren. I make them walk no matter what the weather bless them. Although when I move it will be too far so it will be a car journey. I try and walk as much as possible as with my age and arthritis that is about all I can manage, Although I have started back swimming since restrictions have been lifted. Hope you have a good day. X
Thank you- hope the move is going to plan and no hiccups happen to disrupt things Have you sold and bought your new place and just waiting for contracts and checks to be completed or are you still looking?Good luck with finding some more dogs to walk- would it be too far to keep walking your current ones?
We have sold and bought. Waiting for contracts to be sorted now. I am living in cardboard city right now.. Boxes every where. I am not stressed yet but I am sure that will come. I am quite excited actually. We are taking on a project. It helps me not to focus on food so much as when I am busy I do not have time to think about what to eat.. I am going to be looking after one of the dogs that will come to my new house during term times. There is a forest walk at the end of my road so looking forward to that. The Grandchildren will love that too. X
Whatever the weather they will be going for a walk in the forest! I used to go dragon hunting with my brother’s children to help get them motivated for a walk. Or when I took my friend’s son to Sherwood forest we went I g hunting for Robin Hood bmnever found either dragons or Robin Hood sad to say but they had a good time. Unless they were just trying to keep silly ‘aunty’ Ruth happy🙄
Ha Ha now I know I am not the only silly person. When I took my Grandchildren last week I was singing When you go down to the woods today etc. She said why are you singing that and I said the bears are having their picnic today. All through the walk she was adamant she could hear bears growling . I love it when they are an age when they are so innocent. We came home with a load of conquers which with a bowl a wooden spoon and a cup kept her happy for over an hour. Who needs toys. Now my grandson would prefer dragon hunting or he looks for footprints to follow. Yes I can see me in those woods a lot. Maybe a healthy picnic would be nice. X
Yes it feels good to be back in the pool again. It was closed for 18 months due to covid . Then it was difficult to book a time slot but now you can just turn up and swim. I am retired so can go in the daytime when it is quiet. X
I used to try to go at quiet times anyway and haven't been since before lockdown. hopefully as things settle down at home I can look into it again. They have a Jacuzzi and steam room too which I used to enjoy.
I used have it for my treat while the kids were swimming ! A while ago now though. Definitely go for it !
The kids are still coughing and kindly staying in their rooms and hopefully better soon. My health issue is dietary and need to see what the tests come back with. At present I am a bit wary about what I am eating and watching out for any issues. I am trying foods on the low fodmap diet and seeing if any trigger foods cause a reaction.
Oh bless that sounds hard. Hope your tests come back with an answer for you. There are a lot of coughs and colds around at the moment so hope the kids feel better soon. Yes I will look into that Jacuzzi especially after all the packing I have been doing. I hope the move goes ahead before Christmas or I will be unpacking Christmas crockery and decorations. X
Yes your right there is so much to learn and understand about what we eat. The main thing I suppose is to find what works for you and stick with it. My motto is never give up. I feel I worked too hard to get here and not going to give up now. X
Hello everyone. Not a good start to the month for me. I had a cold which made me want to eat more and did not exercise as I didn't have the energy. The dog went to the vet to be spayed so no there was no dog walking as she had to rest. All of which resulted in a gain taking me to 66.3kg. I have been struggling to get back on track and last week was STS. ,
This week the dog is recovered and there have been more longer walks and I have played tennis twice. Disappointingly only a tiny loss this week taking to 66.1 kg today. I joined the Christmas challenge at 65.7 kg to give me some leeway for Christmas but am not doing very well. I am away for the weekend next weekend which will mean eating out so I need to start focusing more on healthy eating. We are taking the dog so hopefully lots of walking will help.
Hi Giz. Lovely to hear from you. First I am glad your dog is better and able to go walkies again. Sorry to hear you have had a cold. I tend to eat more if I am ill. I know where you are coming from. Once you go off track its hard to get back on. One night out for me can turn into three days of over indulging. You will do it though even if it takes you a while. The Christmas challenge will help and I wish you well for that. I am already planning for Christmas with only a few treats planned. I am busy packing to move so Christmas is not at my foremost thoughts. Remember we all have good days and bad days. Its the not giving up that counts. Good luck and hope you feel better soon. X
I try not to read too much into what is said on the TV one says this and one says that. One says this is good for you another says its not. I think advertising has a lot to do with a lot of obesity. Not a night goes by without crisps chips and burgers being shown thats without how sexy they can make chocolate look. We will soon have to see all the Christmas food being advertised. It is so annoying when you are trying so hard not to put weight on. X
Yes they are everywhere. If you are waiting for a bus you have some sort of burger staring at you. The train stations are the same. Then you have to walk past the chip shops. Also there are so many take a way meals available now. When I was a lot younger a take a way was a Chinese meal and we could only afford one as a treat. Now you can order anything. My neighbour gets a chocolate waffle delivered to her door. No wonder we find it so hard to resist when its pushed in our faces every where we go. X
Good morning all. Just to let you know I am going to be off line all day today. We have a day out with friends. First to Ross On Wye for coffee and then on to Westbury On Seven for lunch. I will catch up later and tell you how it goes. Chat among yourselves and have a good day. X
I had a lovely day out yesterday and the weather was kind to us. I did however have a pub Sunday dinner of lamb and gravy with ice cream to follow. Not too much harm done and I will cut back today to compensate. Did you all have a good weekend and did you manage to stick with your eating plans or like me having to restart today. X.
7 weeks into maintenance now and a very welcome STS at 9 st 6 lb (1 lb under maintenance range of 9 st 7 - 9 st 12 lb). Really don’t want to go any lower, as I have a low body fat percentage and would just be losing muscle mass. Last week I noticed how much colder I am feeling after the weight loss; something I’ve noticed this week is just how much louder my stomach gurgling seems to be when my body is digesting meals - all that extra fat must have been insulating the sounds 🤣
I have had to make a real, concerted effort to get my planned exercise into my hectic life this past week. I have switched to pounding the lit streets on week nights, rather than in the park or woods, as I don’t feel safe in secluded places when I’m running alone in the dark. Wish a friend would join me but they all seem to have switched to autumn/winter hibernation mode (recreating Bake Off recipes in their kitchens!!)😂
Well done W Y Y . You should be so proud of yourself. Yes it is much harder to walk in the winter especially during the dark nights. Its cold and usually wetter so need to push ourselves. It is easier to stay in and eat instead so well done on your will power. Don't get taken in by your friends remember after winter comes spring and you will be so glad you stuck to your routine. I have to do the school run twice a day so I have to go out . I also walk dogs for neighbours. I moan some days but always glad after my walk. I wrap up warm and off I go. X
Yes, I’ll be really chuffed with myself to have stuck at it😀 I’m doing really well at resisting the bakes they keep bringing in to the staff room. You sound very active too - good on you!
Oh that must be hard for you if they are bringing goodies into the staff room. I go to a coffee morning every Tuesday and I must say I find it hard to resist the biscuits but when I leave it gives me a good feeling that I did. The longer it goes on it is easier. I find I prefer fruit now instead of the crisps I used to consume. It does become part of my usual eating pattern. Thats not to say I succeed every time but its the not giving up that counts . This forum has definitely given me the strength to keep going. X
Good morning everyone. How are you all doing. Are you getting ready for Halloween. Remember the treats are for giving away not eating. Its half term here for our school children so hope you all have lots of plans. Its a rest for me. No school runs to do so I will need to motivate myself to get out. I do not have the children during half term as mum is a teacher. I am managing to stay at the lower end of my target range so pleased with that. How about you ? X
I was looking forward to enjoying a restful half-term break but then was in a car accident on Saturday- broke 2 ribs and my wrist☹️ My pain threshold is usually very high but this was another level! The painkillers are doing their job but was in a lot of pain when I woke up this morning.
I did do my weigh in this morning and was still at the very bottom of my maintenance range (9 st 7 lb) with my plaster cast on. I still feel I need the accountability to make sure I don’t fall back into bad habits. It will be a long time before I can run, rock climb or lift weights again, but the one thing I can control is what goes into my body. Focusing on getting plenty of calcium, vitamin D and protein rich foods in my meals to aid my recovery.
Oh no thats awful news. That must have been so scary. There is not a lot can be done for broken ribs just wait for them to heal. I am so sorry to hear that half term has not turned out well for you. You do however sound positive about your eating plan so well done for that. I wish you a speedy recovery. I have managed to stay at the bottom of my target range this month so I am happy with that. I am still busy packing for my move. Where does all the stuff come from. Sending you love and hugs X
Thanks for your best wishes. Good luck with the move. I did a big clear out and charity shop run when my ex moved out and I was shocked how much I had accumulated over the years, especially for a woman who went backpacking for a year - back then, all my worldly goods fitted into one bag😂
There is nothing like a good clear out. I have been back and fro to the charity shop for weeks. Your right it is surprising how much stuff we do not need. I have emptied all my kitchen cupboards and am down to one but I am still managing to cook and eat without all the other stuff which is now in boxes some where. Back packing that sounds exciting. My son went to Australia back packing and thoroughly enjoyed it. X
Good morning W Y Y How are you doing. I hope the pain is easing and you feel better. You must be missing your activities. Are you managing to stay on track? Best wishes for a speedy recovery. X
Feeling much better today, trying to keep my spirits up and doing a study session today as my pain is subsiding. I really, really miss my exercise and feel gutted that I won’t be able to climb again until at least Easter!
Ohh thats a long time. I felt the same when the swimming pool closed during covid. You seem to be keeping yourself busy and hopefully this time will pass quickly for you. Take care X
Good morning on the last day of October. I started this month at 66 kg which is the middle of my maintenance range and I was aiming for 65 kg at the end of the month, as I thought it could be a good idea to get below my range before Christmas. This morning my scales showed 65.2 kg, which I think is quite incredible considering the month I had with many days where I went significantly over my limits... This week has gone much better though, so I am happy with that. Thanks everyone for your support this month!
Good morning N o r d i Congratulations on your weight and for getting through this difficult month. I have enjoyed sharing your journey with you and learnt a lot from you. I am about the same weight as I started the month so happy with that. I look forward to catching up in November. X
Well done Nordi - glad this week has gone better for you and your hard work to keep things under control has shown on the scales😀
Good morning everyone. It is my last day for hosting. Thank you to all who have come along to share your experiences. I have enjoyed chatting and look forward to catching up in November. It is getting closer to Christmas so I am sure there is lots to discuss. I am surrounded in boxes as my move draws nearer. Have a good day all X
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This advise I'm not going to follow. She should go and lose some, but I didn't tell her that 
However after reducing my daily calories by 100 and NO crisps though have been getting craving for wine gums which I managed to resist by changing into my PJs early
Daily Diary for Friday 30 October 
Daily Diary for Tuesday 5th October 2021
Daily Diary for Wednesday 18th August 2021
