Going on a diet...

[Tracey]

Thanks Two Sheds

[moggssue]

Interesting Two-Sheds, thank you for that. It helps to break things down into easy to manage chunks rather than being overfaced with a massive weight loss plan and no chance of keeping to it.

Alcohol (wine or gin) is my downfall as well - slipped well and truly last night at a friends 50th birthday party *sighs*.

[flowerofshona]

I have lost nearly 7 stone since October, mainly by getting off my fat bum and going to the gym 3 times a week still have a lot to lose but cutting my plate size down and the exercise sure works and the £5 i would have wasted on a 'diet' club i spend on fresh fruit ect, cant wait to get my own veggies coming off the lottie

[Nessie]

This is brilliant! So many motivational stories (am impressed with the 7 stome weight loss flowerofshona - fantastic!) and loads of good stuff from u all...
Well, thanks to your help in keeping myself positive and inspired, I am doing pretty well even though I've only done 1 week.
Have been walking loads (sometimes with the dog, sometimes I have to leave him behind as he's an old boy and can't do too much) and went on a nature trail yesterday... My reward was seeing 4 seals at the beach! They were too far away to get any decent photos, but still lovely to see!
Am already feeling heaps better, lots more energy too. Am still having a tipple most nights but a couple of units instead of too many.
Continued good luck to everyone!

[Two_Sheds]

I got out of bed for my "run" this morning...more of a toddle really, but it was exercise, and I did it. I have to do it before I'm properly awake, and definitely before I sit down with a coffee! Then it's all over and I don't have to spend all day dreading my exercise.

[kirsty b]

OK me too.

Carrying a couple more stone than I should and really need to change my habits.
Also starting to suffer with bloating and cramps depending on what I have eaten, so am taking a really careful look at what I eat and how much.
Another motivator is the nuptials planned for next year. Don't believe crash diets work, so would like to get healthier habits now.
Going back to the gym, let it slide when I first got lottie but now thats more under control I can start going again. The weird thing is, I enjoyed going as its a little place, everyone is friendly and all different shapes and sizes!
THanks for the link Two Sheds, going to check it out now.

[Two_Sheds]

Also starting to suffer with bloating and cramps depending on what I have eaten, so am taking a really careful look at what I eat and how much.

I know it's fashionable to have "allergies and intolerances" but I have definitely found shop bread to bloat me and cause abdominal pain. I suspect too much yeast, because home-made bread is fine.
Chocolate gives me IBS symptoms too.
Alcohol makes me fall over

[kirsty b]

I find it happens mostly after breaks at work, probably because we talk and eat at the same time!! Also we eat at times when we wouldn't normally at home, also the chocs left by grateful patients and relatives are a HUGE downfall of mine.
I love bread, spuds and pasta. Methinks smaller portions and eating slower to start with.

[borage]

I feel too uncomfortable with my shape to go to the gym instead I have found my old exercise videos and I have used those for the last few days.

Also found the Times Health Club site very useful for charting my calories and exercise.

[flowerofshona]

I used to HATE exercise big time but now i love it and treat it as 'my time' and the swim at the end is the best bit, i get to the gym at 7am 3 mornings a week and get home around 9.30am to be honest if you are not in the right frame of mind to lose weight it is a waste of time, i have been there many times and got many t shirts (all very big LOL)
Im doing the race for life this year, 2 years after my womb cancer and 3 years since my sister died of cancer took me 2 years to get my head sorted to lose the weight and i soooooo want to win theis time
Good luck to all its flipping hard work !!!!!!!

[flowerofshona]

Hey !! if i can wobble my way round a gym anyone can !! i started at 27st !! I even force myself to go swimming and thats NOT a pretty sight but i go to the adult only time and most people there know me now and we all speak and pass the time of day
I could only use the treadmill to start with but i was sooooooo determind i can use everything now (some i swear are trying to kill me LOL).

[lottie dolly]

flowerofshona,,,WELL DONE,,and all the best to you,

[Winged one]

I am working on it at the minute too. I have lost one and a half stone already, but still need to lose at least one more (preferably about 20 more lbs).

I swim 2/3 times a week on the way to work - about 20 lengths (but it's a short pool) and more when I can create a few extra minutes, and use the stairs at work rather than lifts (can end up going up and down over 20 flights a day that way). I actually started properly almost by accident last summer, when I was eating my own lettuces so bringing salads for lunch to work. And eating more veg in general at dinners. I joined weightwatchers in Spetember, and am following the core plan there (no pointing for me as I am useless as real dieting!).

So I try to avoid bread except for the weekend, eat as much fruit and veg as possible, stop eating once my tummy says I am full (meant learning to listen again rather than having to clear the plate every time). I am bad at the minute as I am stress eating so lots of sugar again - but the stress should be finished in 4 weeks and I should also be starting to get ore from the garden then as well. I am still managing to bring my salads to work a few days per week all winter (big box of stuff, usually something like 2 carrots, 2 sticks celery, couple tomatoes, 4/5 olives for flavour (no dressing), some lettuce, half a sweet pepper) and I have switched to using skim milk in my cereal and tea (I even bring in a pint to work everyday, rather than using the teaclub full fat version).

That said, I still enjoy proper dinners, the odd pudding, a few glasses of wine per week, occasional bits of choc etc. I am not into deprivation. (And I find if I eat really good choc - like the Leonidas dark squares or a couple of squares of one like Lindt 70% - I only need a small bit rather than a whole bar or 2 of a cadbury's).

[HeyWayne]

We recently bought a cross trainer and I've been doing 15 (sometimes 16) minutes every morning before work, sometimes in the evening too. I usually cover about a mile or so (just over) and burn around 250 calories.

Not really doing anything else differently, but especially felt the difference from lack of exercise during the winter months. We cancelled our gym memberships as we'd find it hard to get motivated to go, as we have a "gym" in one of our bedrooms it's hard to find an excuse.

I'm not one for weighing myself, I'd rather use the mirror as my "scales" - according to the charts being 6ft 7 and 17.5st is borderline obese. Personally I just want to get back to a 36 waist (I'm now nearer 38).

Good luck one and all.

[Tracey]

I've just calculated that the litle 15g green and black's choccie bars are just 35 calories. That's ok with me as a choc fix when needed.