General Weight Loss Support Thread

livedadream

Makapakka wrote: »

Faith wrote: »

I gave up sugar for about 6 months a couple of years ago, and the withdrawal was awful. It was a good month before I felt okay again. I had headaches, was exhausted all the time, had vicious cravings, was irritable... but I got through it. And you will too. Just stick with it!

Did you cut out completely everything that had sugar in it?

Same, I got the shakes was like a druggie!

I gave up everything even natural sugar for 3 months(wasn't allowed anything with over a certain amount of natural sugar in it so fruit some veg etc). It was hard. Cooking everything from scratch but it retrained my brain and I needed that.

Faith

Makapakka wrote: »

Did you cut out completely everything that had sugar in it?

No, because I wasn't interested in an unsustainable fad diet. I cut out processed sugar as much as possible, but I continued to eat fruit and carbohydrates. I didn't eat honey or other natural sweeteners, and I avoided all sugar replacements (like diet drinks).

I basically tracked everything I ate and tried to stay to less than 30g of sugar a day. I didn't mind if I went over that due to fruit, but most days I only ate about 15g because I'm not a huge fruit eater anyway. I didn't eat anything, where possible, that had more than 5g of sugar per 100g, and I tried to avoid buying or eating anything that had sugar as an ingredient.

The Raptor

Lost two pounds in my first week. I'm happy with it, I gave up in the second half of the week as I have an awful cold. But it's a start, I intend on getting back again once I have more energy.

Wellywoo

Faith wrote: »

No, because I wasn't interested in an unsustainable fad diet. I cut out processed sugar as much as possible, but I continued to eat fruit and carbohydrates. I didn't eat honey or other natural sweeteners, and I avoided all sugar replacements (like diet drinks).

I basically tracked everything I ate and tried to stay to less than 30g of sugar a day. I didn't mind if I went over that due to fruit, but most days I only ate about 15g because I'm not a huge fruit eater anyway. I didn't eat anything, where possible, that had more than 5g of sugar per 100g, and I tried to avoid buying or eating anything that had sugar as an ingredient.

I think I'm going to copy you Faith, that sounds far more reasonable. I agree with you saying it's unsustainable. I know if I stay being so restrictive it will only suck the life out the bit of willpower I have

sheeply

Wellywoo wrote: »

Faith wrote: »

No, because I wasn't interested in an unsustainable fad diet. I cut out processed sugar as much as possible, but I continued to eat fruit and carbohydrates. I didn't eat honey or other natural sweeteners, and I avoided all sugar replacements (like diet drinks).

I basically tracked everything I ate and tried to stay to less than 30g of sugar a day. I didn't mind if I went over that due to fruit, but most days I only ate about 15g because I'm not a huge fruit eater anyway. I didn't eat anything, where possible, that had more than 5g of sugar per 100g, and I tried to avoid buying or eating anything that had sugar as an ingredient.

I think I'm going to copy you Faith, that sounds far more reasonable. I agree with you saying it's unsustainable. I know if I stay being so restrictive it will only suck the life out the bit of willpower I have

[font=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]This is what I have been trying to do too - now on Day 7. I have also been sticking to 3 square meals a day with no snacks. Once I made it past Day 3 on no sugar it got so much easier, I just had to get over that first hump. I have never in my life been off sugar for an entire week I don't think, and surviving this long is helping me to keep going. I got advice off someone to eat plenty of protein/healthy fats and this advice has been really helpful for me - I'm a vegetarian, but have been incorporating lots of eggs and avocado into my diet and it has made such a difference in terms of cravings, energy and hunger levels and feeling full and satisfied. [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]I don't have a weighing scales in my apartment and went out on Friday and bought one that measures body fat and BMI as well as weight. I don't know how accurate the body fat measurement is but it says I have 54% body fat which is terrifying and about as big a motivator to make some changes as it gets.[/font]

Dolbert

8lb off since the start of January :cool: Granted, a lot of that was Christmas weight but I'll take it!

The Raptor

Lost 6 pounds in two weeks. I still have a long way to go but I'm happy with that. I have cut back on food (my weakness is pastry and buns), and tracking everything. I spend the most part of my day on my feet and I hope that is enough for exercise but I intend on introducing it slowly, I do get awful back pain, so I don't want to put myself out either, so I'm taking small steps. It's tiring tracking everything but I'm seeing results on the scales, so I'm happy with that.

Shelga

Like Faith, I'm trying to do a common-sense approach to minimising sugar as much as possible- I've reduced the amount of stuff with added sugar by 95%. I'm not drinking diet drinks or sugar free squash that's filled with sweeteners anymore, and I'm watching calories.

Yet I drink a lot of milk and this is showing on my trackers as a fair amount of sugar in the form of lactose- is this just as 'bad' as the sugar in a chocolate bar? I wouldn't have thought so, but some lines of thinking are sugar is sugar, be it in milk, an apple, or a bowl of a Coco Pops.

So hard to know what's best! I can't cut down on my cups of tea though!!

Faith

At the end of the day, sugar is sugar. But you have to look at the nutritional value of rest of the product. A chocolate bar or can of coke doesn't offer any nutritional value. A glass of milk or an apple does. So the sugar itself is the same, but the benefits of consuming the thing outweigh any negatives of sugar (presuming moderator is applied).

It's more about mindful eating than anything - really considering what you're eating and drinking.

Dolbert

Delighted to have another 4lb off this week! This lark is so much easier in January when everyone is in the same boat

The Raptor

Down 3lbs this week. Down 9lbs since the beginning of the year. January is almost over and then February. It's not easy. Am I allowed to eat something nice if it fits into my calories for the day. I feel like some banana bread.

Alf Veedersane

The Raptor wrote: »

Down 3lbs this week. Down 9lbs since the beginning of the year. January is almost over and then February. It's not easy. Am I allowed to eat something nice if it fits into my calories for the day. I feel like some banana bread.

Yes. You don't have to forego everything 'nice'.

If it fits and your diet is largely good then you're golden.

The Raptor

I made banana and oreo bread today. I left out the sugar though. It's in the oven. I think I can get around 12 slices out of the tin I used which works out to be around 210 calories per slice. I'm allowed this, right? Not the whole thing at once obviously.

Alf Veedersane

The Raptor wrote: »

I made banana and oreo bread today. I left out the sugar though. It's in the oven. I think I can get around 12 slices out of the tin I used which works out to be around 210 calories per slice. I'm allowed this, right? Not the whole thing at once obviously.

Why wouldn't you be allowed it?

I remember Hanley saying on a Sigma Nutritionalism podcast that he had a saying "if it fits your 10%", ie if your diet is 90% good then there's 10% there for an indulgence (once it's not over indulgence).

If eating that banana bread - which is within what you're allowing yourself calorie-wise by the way - helps keep you at the races, psychologically, then it's doing a hell of a lot more good than bad.

15YemenRoad

The Raptor wrote: »

I made banana and oreo bread today. I left out the sugar though. It's in the oven. I think I can get around 12 slices out of the tin I used which works out to be around 210 calories per slice. I'm allowed this, right? Not the whole thing at once obviously.

You're allowed anything you want! You could eat nothing but banana bread and still lose weight if you're still at a deficit. Wouldn't be healthy, but would still work.

As long as it fits into your calorie goals it is fine. I find it helps to move away from the idea of being "allowed" certain foods, and having good foods and bad foods etc. Its just food.

I'd question putting oreos and bananas together, but that's your choice!

Sexual Chocolate

Down 7 pound since new years. Had first chinese takeaway yesterday as my cheat meal and I felt like ****e after it. Hoping to hit the stone mark by the first week of February.

Heat_Wave

Anyone here on WW?

How many extra weekly smartpoints are you allowed? Is it 30? It used to be 49 propoints.

Makapakka

Heat_Wave wrote: »

Anyone here on WW?

How many extra weekly smartpoints are you allowed? Is it 30? It used to be 49 propoints.

I'm allowed 42 but my mam is only allowed 28 or something so not sure how to works!

Precious flower

For a 5ft 23 year old woman. 112 pounds is the lowest I've ever been able to get down to (maybe a little under 8 stone once) without trying (not that I want to be actively trying because that's unhealthy). I'm small boned so how is it that I read of people my height that are 100 pounds and sometimes less? And that some charts recommend 100 pounds in the still healthy weight category? I couldn't get to that kind of weight without skipping basic meals and I feel like if I did, I would be fairly skinny.

Penny Tration

Still slogging away. Been sick since before Christmas and with some family issues, things haven't been great. That said, I haven't had any gains, just smaller losses than usual. 5lbs gone this month, though, so I'm happy.

Wellywoo

Precious flower wrote: »

For a 5ft 23 year old woman. 112 pounds is the lowest I've ever been able to get down to (maybe a little under 8 stone once) without trying (not that I want to be actively trying because that's unhealthy). I'm small boned so how is it that I read of people my height that are 100 pounds and sometimes less? And that some charts recommend 100 pounds in the still healthy weight category? I couldn't get to that kind of weight without skipping basic meals and I feel like if I did, I would be fairly skinny.

In my opinion height/weight and BMI etc etc are guidelines and not to be taken too seriously. I was very fit and slim yet I was still closer to the top of the weight range for my height according to that scale. If I had lost more weight to achieve their recommendations I would have looked unwell and not attractive.

Present day; I'm overweight now but I'm still not looking at that chart to gauge where I need to be, I know what weight I felt good at psychologically and physically and that's what I'm focusing on. Slowly but surely....very slowly

FizzleSticks

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Precious flower

FizzleSticks wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

It was the doctor who weighed me actually. I haven't weighed myself in months. I go by how I feel really. When I get to a certain weight where I feel uncomfortable (I can't describe it, it's like I can feel it) I know it's time to stop eating and lose some weight!:pac: It's never much only ever a few pounds. My comfortable/happy weight is about 8st 3. The doctor made no more mention of it, other than to state my weight. I've been swimming a bit and cutting out junk food so my weight has naturally dropped, but other than that, I've been keeping to the regular meals

The Raptor

Down 12 lbs since the beginning of the year. Reached an even stone but still have 3 more to go. Not bad for January.

Michellenman

So I've been plugging away for about 5 weeks now. I've been staying under my normal calories 6 days a week and then one evening having a nice dinner where I go over my normal calories but don't exceed my normal cals + exercise cals. This generally means that i actually get up and about and do some excercise so that I can have more calories for dinner later that day


I started back running 4 days a week ( I'm up to 7km now!) and trying to be a little bit active every other day by getting out on my lunch for a walk.

For the last year or so I've been losing and gaining the same 5/6 pounds over and over but now I'm 12.4lbs down (9lbs since January) and finally starting to feel and notice the difference in myself. Last night I went out with family for dinner and drinks and my dad took a picture of me that I didn't hate! I know it sounds like such a small thing but to me it's huge. Even though I'm a bit hungover and sore from parkrun yesterday it's given me the motivation to not have today as a write off and eat crap but to get up and get out and have good meals. \o/

patmac

Hi folks 55 year old male 16st 3lbs. Starting today on a healthy diet. So may pop in hear from time to time to let you know how I am doing my goal is 3 stone. Good luck to all.

Birdie086

Glad to see this thread is going, its great for support for all.

I used to post here, was a good long way into my overall weight loss when found out I was expecting last year.

I had finally found my niche re weight control via weight training plus 75 to 80% very clean eating.

I kept up the training right up in till I was six months pregnant, eating was ok, not perfect but ok.

I only put on a half stone while pregnant but my bump grew healthily.

While on maternity leave however the weight flew on, my appetite went through the roof while breastfeeding and I ate a lot, that the wrong times, and the wrong food. My husband has been fantastic, he took over all housework so I could spend time with baby.

I was supposed to return to work a couple of weeks ago, and find a gun I could fit in around my job, but my position was made redundant. To my delight I must say, I had grown to hate the job but would have been slow to move.

Knowing that for me training comes first and the food follows I have found a strength and conditioning gym that does classes late enough thank can go when my husband is in from work, so be excuses.

The place I have found seems great, I have an assessment tomorrow to test mobility and where I am fitness wise, plus a factoring mission so they can tailor a nutrition plan. I am excited and nervous, can't wait to lift some weights again but dreading the met con/ fitness side of things.

I am back to square one weight wise but from tomorrow game face back on I know now that especiallywith proper weight training plus food awareness the inches won't be long shifting. ( well they won't be gone overnight but it works best for me)

Birdie086

Had my assessments the new gym yesterday. They took a load of measurements and spent about 15v!minutes on mobility tests. Back tonight for an introduction evening plus food plan.
Looking forward to getting stuck back in and hopefully before long back to lifting heavy weights again.
Dreading the hitt side of things cos I have barely even been out walking the last six months!.
A few baby steps for the next few weeks and hopefully will bring fitness levels back up soon.

Sitting at home spending time with the baby has been wonderful but I am really looking forward to getting back to gym properly.

Michellenman

Got my first stone down as of this morning!! Delighted! One more to go Took about two weeks to lose the last pound to get me over the stone mark and I was losing hope but feel very motivated now!

Birdie086

Started back at the gym Tuesday night. It was great to be back. Got a few new tips on form for a few things. Its amazing when someone can give you one little tip and it makes such a difference to performance on an exercise.
I haven't started the gift classes yet, gonna leave that till this week, just spent last week getting to grips with new program and being back in the gym itself. I did walk 5k each morning this week though to keep the body moving.

Tracking has been seamless, its amazing the difference being back in the gym does for my entire outlook. I was really struggling with the food until now.

Looking forward to the next few months getting back into some sort of shape and hopefully back to lifting serious weight again.

Anyone here, struggling, especially the ladies I would urge ye to find the time and good instruction and learn to lift weights three times a week. It gives you a little wiggle room to eat more while losing( not carte Blanche to eat all around you mind).
I find that muscle built in me was never bulky but if I lost give pounds it looks like ten pounds lost in the difference to my shape. I can't afford personal training so I go with semi private. Its usually about 2/2.5 times more expensive than conventional gym membership it pays back dividends. I kept my search at my own side of town, I am based in limericks, so that minimal travel time required. I also avoided any place promising miraculous fat loss e.g. 20 pounds in three weeks etc.

Sorry for rambling, I am just very excited to be back at it!