Hello fellow maintainers and a Happy New Year to you all ! How are you doing, are you within range or rushing scarily away from it ?! Have you a plan to get back on track in the New Year? Do you have any New Year's Resolutions or top tips for this time of year? I must admit I am excited to be hosting the very first Maintainers of 2023 and seeing how you have all got along after the festive period.
The lady represents balance and I wonder how others plan to get back in balance or are planing to maintain their balance in the New Year.
Looking forward to a chatty January.
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Bee-bop
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Happy and Healthy New Year everyone. My first very simple aim is to log what I eat for a 7 day streak to restart good habits. I am on day 4, though was tempted by a small cider and some dry crackers yesterday (while watching Jane Austen's Mansfield Park). I keep swapping between kg and imperial and confusing myself about my healthy weight goal 😕. The top end is 60.2kg (9:7). I am 61.5kg today. Not far off, really.
Good plan to restart your good habits as you come into 2023 and for managing to get to day 4 so far. Sounds like you are so close to the top of your target too. How are you finding logging your foods?
I have many food portions already stored so it is only the odd thing I have to look up. I am not counting calories to scientific accuracy, rather trying to limit portion sizes by weighing if I am not sure. If I don't shift this weight this month, I will concentrate on less carbohydrate next month. In a week's time I am going to stay with family, that's when it gets more complicated, as the food changes there.
Ah, so you have a few tricks up your sleeve 🙂 It can be harder when visiting family as their way of eating can be harder to work around, will you take any of your own food with you? I tend to more out of necessity (wheat and dairy free).
good luck- grazing whilst watching the TV is a problem I have but my snack of choice are crisps
Hi Bee-bop , and Happy New Year to you too! I haven't got on the scales yet, but I hardly need to - I can feel my waistband telling me I need to get a grip! I have probably overeaten through most of the past month, but now we have finally finished all the festive fare, it will be easier to get back into a sensible routine. It's hard sticking to it when you have eaten too many sweet things recently - just proves how addictive sugar is! But one day at a time, hopefully by next month, I will be back where I should be, or at least somewhere near my maintenance range! Good luck to everyone doing the same. 😘
I can honestly say that I have fallen into the same trap with sweet things-the festive season is not good for waistlines! Good luck on getting back to your maintenance range by next month 👍
hello Bee-bop and thanks for hosting this month. I was doing fairly well over the festive period- eating some snacks but though I had gained some weight I was still within my range. However yesterday I went a bit mad and now nearly 2kg outside my range So also the unhealthy snacks have been eaten (by me) so I don't plan on buying anymore- must admit feeling a bit sluggish this morning so hopefully if I keep remembering this feeling it will help maintain my focus🤞 I have been using Noom to keep me on track and after a not so good first half last year the second half was a lot better with the help of Noom- recording all those cups of tea, coffee and latte amazing how the calories added up I will be finishing with Noom mid Feb and then it will be me relying on remembering what I've learnt and being honest and recording everything that passes my lips. It will be interesting to see how it goes I have been directed to couch to fitness website and started the Bhangra programme- did my first one on Saturday and it was good fun though it did leave me breathless
Good luck to everyone and hope you didn't cause too much damage over your maintenance goals over the festive period. If you have I am sure it has helped you to refocus for the new year
I have also been on a bit of a less healthy approach over the festive period and was already over my target range and am now 2kg over too 🙄 it is amazing how easy it is to slip from maintaining to gaining and this is the most I have been over my range even though still well within the healthy BMI range.
Does Noom give you a target calorie range ?
The online exercise class sounds interesting, is being breathless a good thing 🤔😀
breathlessness is good when doing exercise shows it’s cardio! As long as you don’t collapse😀 Noom does have a calorie target which adjusts depending on you exercise and steps
I think we can all expect to gain some over Christmas and New Year - even people who don't watch their weight regularly (like we do) gain weight and then go back to their normal regime and lose it again. Obvioulsy we weight watchers are understandably slightly more paranoid about that weight gain! But some of us have been maintaining long enough now to know not to panic, and getting back into sensible eating patterns again is the only way to deal with it. Good luck with leaving Noom, I'm sure all the good habits you have learned will stand you in good stead.
Hi Bb and fellow members old and new. Happy new year to you all. Well not too much damage done over the festive season with only 2lb gain. I am feeling very positive and hoping for a healthier new year. I am out walking everyday and intend to return to swimming. Last year with back problems I couldn't do much exercising. I am trying to get back to healthy eating but still having invites to friends and family. I have lunch with a friend this Wednesday then an evening meal out on Thursday and a lunch out booked for Sunday for a birthday. This week is not looking good to start but once the children go back to school I should be more in control. Good luck to all who are trying to get back on track after the Christmas gain. X
Thank you Bb. Yes I look after my two Grandchildren during term time. Its just the school runs now but it gets me out of the house and I walk more. I don't look after them during the holidays so meet up more often with friends which includes eating or drinking. Once I get my head in the right place I am very strict so know it wont take me long to get back on track. I love routine and that helps me to focus.
Yes with the school run I have to walk everyday and am more focused . We take them to school by car but hubby stops the car 2 miles from our home on our way back and I walk the rest of the way home. The same when we collect them from school so thats 4 miles a day that I walk. This then makes me feel good about myself so I am in the right frame of mind not to over eat.. X
Well done Carer53 - keeping up the walking has obviously worked - even if the weather hasnt been that great. Enjoy swimming - I hope 😀 the nice warm indoor variety
Yes they are and if I had one I would never be out of it. I am still walking and am now focused on being healthy. Been really good for the last two days so thats the hard part done. Making soups and eating lots of vegetables' and fruit for snacking. I feel better already. Not tired or bloated . I am not weighing yet as if no weight loss I get disheartened . I will weigh at the end of the week and hope to lose those 2lb which will put me back in target range.
Thanks for hosting and a happy and peaceful new year to you and everyone.
I have had far too much chocolate, biscuits, bread and alcohol over an extended festive period and have gained of course. I am further over my target range than before at my Friday weigh in. We still have a lot of treats in the house and I have found myself reaching for them out of habit.
Meals have been ok throughout - I seem to have got that part sorted. It is the snacking that I need to get under control now and I know from past experience that will not be easy.
I will not panic or despair though - that is my path to starving and bingeing. I need to lose about 4lbs to get back to target weight and I will take it easy. I will continue to weigh in on Fridays and up the exercise. I will conquer the snacking with temptation all around - but out of sight - and not expect to get there overnight.
Last year I entered Jan in a much better position weight wise and decided I wanted to lose another half a stone over the year. With another year of maintenance experience I don’t think that is realistic. I struggle to stay within my current range and don’t want to add any more pressure. I am happy at that weight - I just need to get back there now!
Happy New Year to you too! I have also been a little more indulgent over the festive season ! Luckily, there are less treats in the house here and I am trying to get back into my healthier eating. I also weigh on Friday and am hoping for a small loss at least.
Have you set a new target since last January ? I am thinking of changing mine once I get back to my target range as I am a few pounds over that right now 🙄
I did intend to aim for a new lower target than the range I set when I first became a maintainer (May 21) but I struggle to stay at the top end of that so anything lower would be unsustainable. I don’t like being heavier so the current target is good for me at the moment.
Hi walkthisway. I agree not setting too high a target as that normally sets us up to fail. The more pressure we are under leads to binge eating when we cant reach our target. I lose one pound at a time and if I succeed I try to lose another. My original plan was to get down to 9 stone which I was about 20 years ago. I got down to 9 stone 3 lbs but could not maintain unless I starved myself. Now I am happy with anything below 9stone 7lbs . I know after the festive season I went 2 lbs over that but once I get back into good habits that will go. I am not setting myself a time to do it but taking one day at a time. Good luck to you X
Seems we have very similar weaknesses ( mincemeat pies, bread and alcohol) over the festive period but now Ive stopped that and am heading back to the gym today.
I think it is important as well as thinking of a target weight you also check on how you are feeling in yourself- do you feel able to do what you want to do without getting breathless, are you happy with your body and how your clothes fit. If you feel good in yourself then even if you've not reached the weight you'd decided on I think you should be happy with that and reconsider your target weight
I am quite fit and don’t get out of breath although I still struggle with my hip injury. All my clothes fit well and I am happy how I look. But I do feel fatter and I did prefer my lighter weight.
I will keep my target weight under review though - I don’t want to stress about it too much 😊
I know what you mean about the snacking I have been sticking to my meal plans on the whole but then I go mad with the snacking (crisps and wine gums) Had an unexpected trip to see my parents this weekend (my dad spent a few hours in A&E due to his breathing) on Wednesday so I decided to drive up Friday and came back yesterday. So biscuits and sweets galore So I had been doing well getting back into the 53kg range but now in the mid 55kg range but I am hoping I will loose the sudden weight gain as quickly as I put it on since I'm back in control with what I eat (hopefully🤞)
Sorry to hear your dad was having trouble breathing. I guess this extra worry plus not being at home, added to your eating pattern changing. Fingers crossed that those two extra Kgs come back off in no time🤞
well buying no sweets crisps or biscuits and sticking to my calorie allowance. We are out had a take away (fish and chips). and dad cooked a main meal so I didn’t bother recording what I ate since I’m rubbish at estimating! Though i did have a cod bite instead of battered cod (they only do large) and the large chips were shared between 3! No going to greggs though to be fair I only go to greggs when im visiting my parents to get stotties to Dring home so I usually get vegan and meat sausage trolls for mid morning snack before I leave
Sorry to hear your dad has been having health problems. A lot of very sweet snacks over a couple of days can soon add up. Hopefully the weight will drop again fairly quickly when you are back in your normal routine.
Snacks are very sneaky as everything else can be in place but they can really add up. They are definitely my undoing when I can’t lose any weight.
First weigh in for 2023 this morning and Ive put on 1kg over the festive period which isnt as bad as I had expected and still within my range.
Things that I have now stopped - mincemeat pies which were a daily treat with coffee, red wine with dinner and also bread - lovely freshly baked baguettes hot from the oven which were very bad for the calories especially the garlic butter variety.
Back on the straight and narrow with a week or so of lighter dishes planned - Ive having a baked potato with (low fat) creamy mushrooms and salad tonight for dinner ,No bread or wine.
Sounds like you have really enjoyed yourself food wise and have snapped straight back into healthy eating! Mince pies are just so tempting, I was having them at Costa where they are twice as big too 🙄 good luck on getting back on the straight and narrow 👍
The ones as Costa were hard to resist - thankfully when I went for a coffee yesterday they had were on their last box. Thats a sign the festive season has officially ended .
Hi, everyone. Glad I am not the only one tempted by all the festive extras. I bought too much marzipan, left it in the fridge but discovered it a couple of nights ago. I only ever have it once a year. It's nearly gone now, so one temptation fewer, it's so sweet...I have achieved my intention of food diary for 7 days, so hopefully will keep it up next week. I doubt I have lost weight this week.
We still have some chocolates in the house and I am trying to dwindle them down. I did wonder about doing myself a food diary, I might start tomorrow after my weigh in. Are you going to see what the scales say this week?
I have started the Easter Challenge at 61.7kg with a goal of 59kg. That's quite a challenge, as it would bring me back to my Summer weight. But it is achievable.
I've purposely not weighed myself too often lately, as I've not felt 100% and don't need scales to tell me how I am! Just a bit of a bad spell health wise, with flu, a back injury ( still lingering) and an issue with my cardio/pulmonary system, which is under investigation.
However, I had an excellent Christmas, 8 days in total, spent with both sets of family. So that was lovely. We ate well but not excessively, and I'm still (just) on the cusp of healthy 25 BMI. That's ten pounds more than a few years ago, but nothing too tragic.
My aim this month is to eat more veggie meals and minimal meat.
Sounds like you've had quite a lot going on health wise and don't blame you for ignoring the scales ! It sounds like you've had a great festive period though and have a plan to get back on track in 2023, good luck with making your changes 👍
Happy New year elliebath . I'm sorry you're still not feeling at your best. I hope the back injury continues to improve. It sounds as though you had a lovely Christmas, as we did too, and my new year resolution is also to eat more veggie meals, and to cut out any snacks altogether. I'm still four or five pounds above my target range, but I have been for so long now, it feels normal! I am pleased to say that my clothes don't feel quite as tight as they did after Christmas though. Just keep on a sensible path, that's all we can do!
Thanks TT, and a HNY to you too. I'm glad you had a fab Christmas. I'm sure you're now back into your healthy plan, as per previous years, but omg don't these years tick by quickly? This grey, wet January doesn't do much to lift the spirits, but it has been very mild down here, so fingers crossed we might soon see some signs of an early Spring. All the best to you.
Hi Elliebath - great to hear you had a lovely Christmas. I like your January goal - nothing too drastic - I'm trying to keep to meat only a couple of times a week, and fish once a week. I got a pasta machine as a gift so it will be lots of veggie pasta for me
No, not yet RG07. X-ray found a shadow on lung. Was then due a spirometry ( test for lung function) but appt got canx at last min as machine broke down !! Rescheduled for 6Feb so will see which route then follows. Thanks for asking.
Hi everyone just popping in to see how you are all doing. Everyone seems to have a plan for post Christmas. Mine was to get back into healthy eating which so far I have managed to do. .I am also doing 2 walks a day for 30 minutes each. I am not weighing yet although I know by my clothes that I have lost weight. I had a terrible year last year with my health but the doctors seem to have got my pain under control at the moment so I am able to walk more. I know once the weather gets better I will be busy in my garden so wont be thinking of eating so much. The winter is always harder for me . Take care everyone and hope you all have a good year. X
I like the sound of not weighing yet but, knowing that your plan is working as your clothes are fitting better. Pain can affect us in many ways and getting it under control will probably be helping as you say with walking more. I know I can't throw my healthy eating out of the window when I am in pain!
Hopefully you can be back in the garden soon. I managed to do a little in my pots before the freeze started again. Do you have New Years Resolutions or is it New year new habits for you?
Well I have not called it my new years resolution but every January I reflect on the year thats just past and although it was good for me weight wise it was not good for me health wise so this year I am focusing on getting fitter and more healthy. That way the weight should take care of itself. I spent last year struggling with back and hip pain so this year I am hoping for a better year. X
Good luck with getting your health sorted - its no use (I feel) getting your weight sorted if your health suffers as a consequence or makes it difficult to loose weight since you are just leading yourself to disappointment
Im impressed with your walking and getting out twice a day. So nice to get out in the fresh air, especially if you'd usually be out working in your garden in decent weather. Ive not made any major plans for the year - just to keep up with going to the gym and my weekly outdoor exercise class in my local park. Food wise I got a pasta machine as a gift so Im going to try and make my own - that will be my challenge for this month!
Reading this you made me think of the days when I used to go to the gym. That was many years ago. Due to age and ill health I am impressed now if I can go for a walk. I have improved so much over the last 3 years from walking with a frame to now power walking so I am happy with that. Hope to have a good year with my health continuing to improve. Good luck with your pasta machine. X
Similar to you I also can no longer go to the gym and am thankful for being able to go for a walk. Getting away from having a walking frame sounds sounds a huge step forward 👍
Thank you Bb. Its been a long old struggle because of covid but seeing as I was taken into hospital last year the doctors had to see me. Its been hard to get a doctors appointment but now they have managed to get my pain under control. I walk everyday so that my joints get exercise. I also meet people along the way so in these long days it does me good. X
Its been a couple of weeks but just checking in with the club. All back to normal on the scales Im pleased to say - bang in the middle of my maintenance range which is where I was pre- Christmas. Only post Christmas thing I have left to get through is a box of chocolate liqueurs which I am having only one a day which is easy as thats about all I can stand! 🤢
I got a pasta machine as a gift so my challenge this month is to make my own. The machine looks easy enough to use its the making of the dough which could be the hard bit. Wish me luck🤞
Hi Ironqueen,That sounds a great positive getting back to your pre Christmas weight and in the middle of your range. I love chocolate so, one a day would be harder for me for sure.
The pasta machine sounds an exciting challenge! Does it come with a recipe book ? Good luck and hopefully you will post some photos?
I like the chocolate too its the liqueur fillings I'm not so keen on .
Very basic dough recipe included but I had the advantage of OH having been a chef. He got me the same machine that they have at the restaurant so I can ask him for help if required.
Hi Bee-bop - the pasta machine had its first outing last night and I was pleased with the results - and I did it all without help from OH who was out. I laid it out on a chopping board to dry but I hear you can buy special 'hangers' for the job. When I asked OH at the restaurant they used broom handles hung up round the pastry kitchen., so maybe Ill use a couple of wooden spoons next time
Not quite, a clothes airer where it has a few different rungs. We used to call them clothes horses here. Could you use wooden spoons resting across a couple of boxes perhaps?
Hi everyone, I just can't get motivated at the moment to rein in my eating or get outdoors. It's been bright but cold and the snow we had last week hasn't melted in the shade yet. Too many cosy evenings in front of the log-burner as nowhere else is warm! So now I am 0.4kg heavier than last week. I am hoping that posting here will do the trick. I bought an exercise bike last January. Just need to get on it! PS: posting on here is working! I just dusted off the bike, it's in the sitting room and I did 6 minutes to start with 😊.
That's fantastic regarding getting the motivation with the bike just by writing about it, result !
It is very cold still out there. I went swimming earlier and still snow outside there ! feel better for doing a little and hopefully can get back on track 🙂
Did you swim indoors? When my daughter lived in Estonia, she went ice swimming. Two minutes swimming a length along the hole in the ice, followed by a sauna 🥶
Good luck Brumosa . I too have found January hard to motivate myself. I get out and walk every day - having a Border Collie means I can't have a duvet day! But I think it's the weather and the short daylight hours, and the anti-climax after Christmas and New Year - it all conspires to make us feel sorry for ourselves. True for me anyway - I am a good two pounds heavier than I was at the start of the month, and every day I tell myself I will take myself in hand, and every day I give up by lunchtime and treat myself to a piece of cake I made for OH who can eat what he likes and not put on weight. Today I will take my example from you - not the exercise bike, but grab the reins to rein in my eating. See you in February!
It is very hard to get back on track after all that indulgence. I too struggled to get motivated but posted on here and gave myself a month to get back to pre Christmas weight My clothes were tight and the mirror said it all. .I gave any left over chocolate and treats to food bank and set myself a plan. I can now post and say I am already back into maintenance range and do not miss all those extra calories. I eat lots of vegetables and fruit and am enjoying the way I feel and look. I walk twice a day and cant wait for the warmer weather to get in my garden. Keep up the bike and you will get there. X
Well despite me going mad every now and then with wine gums and crisps I am getting back on track- back in lower quarter of maintenance range though I have splurged a couple of times on treats with the resulting weight gain I am hoping that by the end of the month I will be back at my target weight🤞
lost the battle yesterday despite a very intense conversation between the 2 halves of my brain about why I shouldn’t buy them (and the large bag of crisps) and what the heck! The what the heck side won🥲
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So also the unhealthy snacks have been eaten (by me) so I don't plan on buying anymore- must admit feeling a bit sluggish this morning so hopefully if I keep remembering this feeling it will help maintain my focus🤞 I have been using Noom to keep me on track and after a not so good first half last year the second half was a lot better with the help of Noom- recording all those cups of tea, coffee and latte amazing how the calories added up
Maintainer's Club November 2023
Maintainers catch up
DAILY DIARY FOR w/b Monday 20 March 2023
