Going on scales

[maggie123]

I started out at 12 stone 8 3/4 lbs 1 week ago, happy to say I've lost 8 lbs

Great start, my next goal is to lose another 8 lbs. Even if it's 1 or 2 lbs per week, that will do me . Good luck all.

maggie

[eechristmas]

Eight? Wow, did you measure your starting weight in the evening and then weigh in in the morning? That kind of loss the first week is insane! I'm sure you're thrilled, though, good for you, nearly until 12 stone your first week in, doens't it feel great?

You losses probably will slow right down now, but don't get disheartened! Also, be sure to take measurements of your waist and hips at the very least. There may come a time when the scales stop moving and you'll want to see just how much you've lost around there to show that you're still progressing. I wish I hadn't waited a few weeks before taking measurements, as I'm sure I've lost more than I know.

Good luck and keep up the amazing work.

[Hidden]

Hi maggie123,

It is better to try to average out at about a kilo a week (2.2 lbs), but people often lose weight faster in the first couple of weeks, so I wouldn't fret too much.

After say, four or five weeks, you could work out your average weekly weight loss to date and if it's a lot over the recommendation then adjust your routine to slow down the weight loss if and as necessary. If it carries on, you might just be doing something as simple as over-counting calories in things or perhaps need to make a snack or two a bit more generous.

Be aware that rapid weight loss isn't very healthy and usually results in the weight being regained in the longer term.

On the other hand, different bodies do different things and the weight loss thing isn't mathematically perfect in every case.

Personally, tomorrow is the end of my tenth week and I've actually lost 13 Kgs, so I'm a bit ahead of the game, too.

But do keep an eye out for things like excessive tiredness, listlessness and other things that might be as a result of not taking in enough calories and do ensure that the food you are eating has a full range of nutrients and that you are keeping yourself appropriately hydrated. More info on that sort of thing - nutrition, the eatwell plate, etc - on the NHSChoices live well lose weight pages.

My view would be if you average no more than about 30/40% over that recommendation AND you feel fit and o.k., AND it's not causing you any of the problems associated with losing weight too fast - then it's not a problem for a 12 week programme. Though you probably wouldn't want to keep up that higher rate of loss up for much longer than that.

If any of those caveats don't apply, then it's probably not so O.K.

Good luck with your weight loss journey.

[maggie123]

I started this diet because I didn't like the look of myself, overweight fat and very uncomfortable. I joined a weight loss program and am following the 12 week pain.

I am weighed once a week at my local chemist who is keeping a very close eye on my diet and exercise, I won't be weighed the same time every week, but it will be on same day.

I haven't measured myself, I will know if I lost in inches, I've gone from a size 14 to a size 18 in the past 2 years, when things start feeling loose around my waist, I will be happy to go buy some new skirts and trousers. For now i am happy for what I have lost, I should think things will slow down, always fast at beginning of any diet, so I'm now hoping to shed 1 lb per week and I will be happy with that.

I started my exercises the way I mean to go on, a life change for me is what I want and hard work will get me there. I walk for 1 hour in morning, weather is no problem I love walking in the rain too, I spend at least 1/2 hour doing warm ups, mid afternoon then use my step up for about 20 mins, then 1 hour on treadmill, and walking 2 to 3 miles every night. I go swimming every Sunday. I'm 66 years old and have a goal in life to be fit and happy with myself. I am enjoying life right now, something I haven't done for some time.

Maggie

[Hidden]

Hi maggie123,

You've probably not got the most accurate methodology of weighing yourself, but that's probably not too much of a problem.

I weigh every morning, after getting up, after my first pee and before eating or exercise. The logic of that is that I've been asleep for several hours before that and therefore - unless I've been sleepwalking and raiding the fridge - I've not been eating. Even that isn't totally perfect - but it's a fairly good way of ensuring some constancy, If you go beyond that point, then the room for variance increases, just because living human bodies go up and down in weight duirng the day.

I mean, if I went to the doctor's this afternoon and was weighed there, I'm not going to be exactly the weight I was first thing this morning (92.9 Kg). I'd probably come in at about 93.5 Kg or so.

But that's fine, because you're really mainly interested in the overall trend.

What actually matters? That I'm this or that side of 93 Kg, or that I've lost 2 stone over the last 10 weeks?

And I also sneakily suspect that the trip to chemist is all part of the regime for you, and that's fine too.

Good luck.

[Lottalotta]

Well done, just the inspiration I needed to convince me to give it a shot.

Off to look at week one and take those measurements.

Thank you for posting

[maggie123]

Doikosp, I'm interested to know what exercises you do daily, what is your calorie intake.

I am on 1,300, I exercise well every day, I don't weigh myself every morning because I don't want to get fanatical weighing myself before or after I pee.

I don't think it's productive thing for me to do, but saying that if you or anyone feels the need to weigh yourself every day, that's your way. And good luck to you.

I know I'm doing very well at the moment, I also know my weight lose will slow down, in fact before I started my diet I told myself, I was going to enjoy this journey, I am very determined to eat sensible, count my calories and do what I am advised. Exercise hard.

(I will lose weight)

Maggie

[mikethepark]

well done maggie

[Hidden]

Hi maggie123

I do it all a different way around. I don't precisely count calories, but I do understand what foods are the more and less calorific and choose accordingly.

My main thrust has been to chuck all the rubbish out of my food intake (fizzy drinks, sweet / fat /creamy things, fried food, etc.), replace super-size portions with human sized ones and up the exercise / activity. Although I have a fairly sedentary job, I am fairly active as I have a big dog that needs quite a lot of walking and I've been doing a lot of isotonic / isometric stuff too.

And then, as I weigh every day, I can see at any point how I've done over the last week or fortnight or whatever. So I assess my progress not by counting calories in and out, but by using the scales.

I'm NOT suggesting that weighing every day is everyone's cup of tea. I originally got the idea from the Hairy Dieters, actually.

What I am saying is unless you choose a fairly constant time/situation to do it then your weight could vary by a couple of pounds or so just because of the point in the day you weighed, whether you weigh daily, weekly or whatever.

However, let's keep that fact in proportion. How much does that really matter? As I've said several times on these blogs, weighing living human beings isn't a marvellously precise science. So, if at the end of five weeks, say, a person doing things your way thinks that they've lost 5 kgs, then they have actually lost somewhere between about 4 and 6 kgs and THAT is the important thing - the fact they ARE losing weight, not the exact detail of how much they weigh at the moment!

It's the trend that really matters much more than the details of the weight you or I are at.

So in my case, how much does it really matter whether I'm 92, 93 or 94 kilos? The thing that matters is that over the last 10 weeks I've lost 13 kilos (ish) and I'm therefore carrying around significantly less body fat than I was at the start of January.

THAT's the bit that makes the difference to my health,

[maggie123]

Doikosp , Sorry not wanting to offend or upset anyone but you typed

"weighing living human beings isn't a marvelously precise science"

I just couldn't stop laughing "living"

Maggie

[Hidden in reply to maggie123]

Hi maggie123,

But that's the reason why it's not!

Because they're alive, they're eating, drinking, urinating, having bowel movements, exercising, perspiring, and have all sorts of fat burning, fat storing, muscle building, hormone producing and other biological and chemical processes going on inside them.

So their actual weight goes up and down through the day, and - usually - down over night as they sleep (because they're not eating for a few hours). That being more or less the idea behind the early morning weighing.

But as you know many things can change the norm on weight loss journeys, and that's why any weight loss journey will also have it's share of blips and spurts. Just because the body is such a complex contraption and always doing such a wide range of things.

We're talkng real living humans here - not computer applications or mathematical formulae.

And I'm sorry if I upset anyone here, but each time someone tells me they've got this super, high tech, really accurate set of scales for weighing themselves, I'm afraid I always slightly smile to myself and think ... but why?

[eechristmas in reply to Hidden]

Completely agree about the weighing thing. Ia while ago I did a test where I weighted myself every morning and evening for a week. It showed that I was usually at least 1kg heavier at night than in the morning, and sometimes more! I wanted to get a better idea of how my weight fluctuated from morning to night and it was very helpful for me. I then kept weighing in every morning, and only now am I slowly going back to weighing weekly.

One thing I learned was that you can definitely weigh 'less' than the scale tells you, but it's impossible to weigh more. For example, one morning I weighed in 2 lbs heavier than the morning before and I'd stuck to my calorie intake and I'd been very good. Knowing that it would have been impossible for me to have put on 2 lbs of fat in 24 hours made me less upset about the weigh in result!

[Bkkbull]

Hi

Well the other type of human beings are easy to weigh and their calorie intake is DEAD simple to count

[maggie123 in reply to Bkkbull]

Your to funny

[Aussieblues]

Wow that was intense! Well done maggie agree that we all need to find the right way to lose weight and monitor it. We didn't wake up one day with all our weight gain and an obsession with weighing more one day to the next is just plain bonkers, even what you ate day before can have an effect so lets not get paranoid. I love the idea of seeing weight loss not just on scales but by measurements and I am with maggie on this not by tape measure but the fit of my clothes will tell me. Also looking forward to fitness level improving with loss as for me also its about being fit and healthy, wow love your exercise levels you sound totally inspiring to me

[maggie123 in reply to Aussieblues]

Thank you for your comments Aussieblues, I'm sure you will do great, good luck and best wishes.

[maggie123]

Doikosp, been unwell for few days, So just read your comment. Don't take this the wrong way but omg you really do go over board, I know that our weight goes up and down during the day, I am a grown up now, that's why I choose to get weighed once a week, to be honest, some people really don't want to know if you pee before you weigh yourself, I did try to bring some fun into your last message but again, you went on and on, where on earth did you get his from.

"And I'm sorry if I upset anyone here, but each time someone tells me they've got this super, high tech, really accurate set of scales for weighing themselves, I'm afraid I always slightly smile to myself and think" ... but why?"

Don't think anyone least alone me spoke about high tech scales, ok come on, your reading something that's not been said, not to upset you, but I don't want to read about urinating or having bowel movements, instead of answering everyone's comments with a long drawn out comment with why and how's, how about a simple well done or if there is a question answer it.

When I joined this Health Unlocked I thought it would be good to hear from people who are on the same journey I'm on, and simply chat and swap idea's, chat about our ups and downs which we all have at some point, but it's nothing like that. such a shame. I wish everyone the very best with their weight lose, very very good luck.

I'm sorry if I have upset anyone, this is absolutely not my intent.

[Aussieblues]

Funny I got a long drawn out comment too which basically said losing weight too quick but if he had read my blog he'd have understood that I'm old enough to know that 1 to 2 lbs is a weekly aim! Well I think you sound like you know exactly what you are doing, and are doing what's right for you. So no apologies think you maybe saying what a few are thinking lol ps wish we could dodge Easter but figure extra session down gym and if weather permits walking might keep Easter bunnies choc eggs at bay.

[maggie123 in reply to Aussieblues]

oh yea Easter omg chocolate, I love Easter eggs, I'm hiding under bed until it's all over

xx Maggie

[punchdrunk]

WHAT did you do/follow?

[maggie123 in reply to punchdrunk]

What did you do/follow? who's the question to punchdrunk lol

[punchdrunk in reply to maggie123]

Sorry Maggie it was to yourself to see what you "diet/eating plan" you were following. I agree with your comment on the person who went on and on, what are they? are they academically certified as a nutritionalist/dietician? I think not and we are all unique so just because one person loses on average 2lbs per week doesn't mean we all will. that's why it is AVERAGE!!!!

[maggie123]

I am on week 2 of my diet, I have chosen not to follow the 12 week plan, I'm using my own diet plan, I'll give you some idea's of what I eat. this is different every day.

Mornings, 7.30 am

Oat so simple porrage

1 cup of tea

1 glass of pure Orange juice.

Lunch time 1 pm

Large glass of water with fresh lemon juice

Chicken soup with 1 slice of brown wholemeal bread.

Dinner 6 pm

Glass of water with fresh lemon juice

Steamed salmon

with either lots of Mixed Veg

2 small boiled potaoes with skins on

OR

salad, and plenty of it.

I do still have tea during the day also, semi skimmed milk and 1 sweetner.

The hardest thing for me is to make sure I eat enough calories during the day.

if I'm hungry in between meals I drink a glass of water and I eat an apple

This is not right for everyone, and along the way I too have my days when I want to eat enough chocolate to fill a castle ha ha but when I get those urges I go stand in front of my mirror and I know straight away not going there Grrrr ha ha.

I also allow myself a little cheat once a week, oops shouldn't be telling you this but I eat 4 quares of chocolate every sunday as a little treat for being good all week.

I try to fit in as much exercise as I can at least 3 times a day, short bursts seem to be the thing for me, I belive this is why I have lost my weight, it's hard work and at my age I'm sure I could just sit back and relaxe and let the world go by, but I want to live on a few more years in a healthy way and be happy with myself, so I made a choice to get as fit as I can and let my body do the speaking for me, I.E. if I ache a little it's exercise well done, if I hurt I'm doing to much or doing something wrong which I will read up on and so I'll slow down a little. I don't eat after 8pm and only drink water with a little queeze of fresh lemon. Hope that helps a little punchdrunk. take care xxxx Maggie

[yasminekhalifa]

It's great to be in this community. I'm picking up tips by just reading comments. It's quite endearing to know I'm not the only one! I can't wait to get started. I feel totally inspired by the people in this community. ??

[maggie123]

Yasminekhalifa, I wish you the very best, any tips along the way helps, I always read messages blogs ect, daily as the encouragement helps too, my 2nd weigh in today, not till 4pm though, here's hoping.

Good luck xxxx maggie