Closing in on Target

[Phoenix_Girl]

Okay so I'm not that close, I changed my target in-group to 11 stone rather than 9 stone 13 lbs as I think if I ever fluctuate around that weight, it may look a tad exaggerated.

I have about 2 stone left, I will re-evaluate whether I set it too high but I am getting SUPER frustrated.
I accepted that my weight losses will be slower the closer I get to target but I seem to be yo-yoing a bit, a loss or two then a slight gain and it just makes me feel like I'm trying to swim through treacle :/

I do two days of EE and the rest as EE SP but I keep getting stuck and it's irritating the hell out of me.
Portion control may be an issue but I need more self-control (not on Syns though as I use 5 on my SP days and about 10 on EE days).

Anyone at the same stage as I am or have any advice?

 

[Trixicle]

I have a stone and 4 lbs to go - just adjusted my target down slightly from 11 stone to 10 stone 10 to take me into a healthy BMI range.

I feel like I have lost momentum this week for the first time. It was my mum's birthday at the weekend and it was a special one so I had a few meals out and it has left me feeling sluggish and bloated. I don't want to give up now when I'm over half way! My online membership expires at the weekend too. I'm thinking of letting it as I know the diet inside out now and will keep a written diary.

Good luck on the last part of your journey - you have done amazingly well!

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

When did you re-set your target? If it's recently, it might just give you the spur you need to achieve it as it probably feels more attainable than your initial one.

I note you're doing a mix of EE and SP days. Given that SP is a new plan, you've only just started doing them. Have your losses slowed since you started them, or had they already slowed and SP is giving you a boost? SP does seem to be getting mixed results.

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence on here that people have better losses when they have more Syns - have you cut down too much too quickly? Consider upping them, particularly on SP days as you are being very strict with yourself and it doesn't leave you much room to manoeuvre when you get even closer to target.

I know SW is not about portion control, but I think there does some a time for many of us when we have to think about this. Do you eat a lot of fruit and/or free yogurts? If so, perhaps cut one or two portions out. On non-SP days could you, perhaps unconsciously, be having slightly larger portions of potatoes/pasta/rice? I also think that in the enthusiasm of starting a 'diet' we naturally reduce portions - perhaps you did this, but you've now increased them.

If you keep a food diary, why not look back at a week when you had a particularly good loss and replicate it, bearing in mind my last comment about portion control.

I don't know when you started SW, but you've had a fantastic loss so far. Perhaps your body (and brain) just needs to come to terms with where it is for a little while, before it starts losing again. I found I plateaued quite a bit on my journey - I chose to think of it as 'practising maintaining'!

Finally, however frustrating it is - and believe me, I know just how frustrating it is! - keep plodding; any loss (or even a STS) is better than a gain. Good luck.

 

[Phoenix_Girl]

Hi Patty, I'm pretty careful with the portion control, I'm looking at filling less of the plate although I do note that my brain tries to rebel and make me think about being deprived so I'm thinking of another downsizing of the plates.

I don't really go bonkers on the carbs either but I have noticed that SP is in fact doing less than an its predecessor, success express.

In terms of the Syns, I actually struggle to spend them most of the time and end up eating things for the sake of eating them as they contain syns.
I guess I could work something out but I like free food a lot!

I am probably eating a lot of fruit which has increased the amount of sugar I am consuming overall but I am monitoring my calorie intake as well as counting Syns and measuring Healthy Extras.
The app on my phone recommends that I eat between 1,200 and 1,457 calories per day to obtain a loss of 1 pound (allegedly) however it hasn't worked out as that, even with the exercise I am doing!

Logging foods is a good practice though as it makes me more mindful of my consumption but I am frustrated with things not being so straightforward.

I got a pep-talk from my Dad who reassured me that I am working through this, that it is a sustainable weight-loss as it hasn't pinged back on and that I need to keep working away at it.

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

I know what you mean about filling (or not filling) a plate! Have you noticed, though, how few plates have a definite rim? If your's are like this, why not treat yourself to a pretty dinner plate with a broad rim? It looks big and full, but the actual food area is reduced. Pasta plates are also good for meals like shepherd's pie as well as pasta dishes - again, the food area is a bit smaller than with a rimless dinner plate, so a smaller portion still looks generous!

You say you're struggling to use Syns - I assume you do have things such as ketchupmayo/salad cream/gravy/yogurts with Syns (eg Danios or Muller Greek style yogurts)? I try to use most of mine on this sort of thing rather than sweets/chocolate/crisps etc.

Yay for Dad's pep-talk - I hope it helps!

 

[Phoenix_Girl]

I tend to give the condiments a swerve actually.
Having followed the plan for some time, I am actually finding the majority of what I had reached for in the past is actually unpalatable and makes me violently ill these days.
My solution to the issue is to make my own condiments, I buy mustard powder rather than mustard readily made in a jar. I have a Colman's mustard pot specifically for mixing some up from scratch and it's actually a LOT stronger made specifically from the powder. The ready made stuff is dampened with the sugar and vinegar in the mix.

Ketchup isn't really that much of a draw anymore but I can always make my own sauces.

Mayo is something I really have to be in the mood for and I tend to mix that with fat free yoghurt.

As for yoghurts, I tend not to buy them. They are really expensive for what they are and generally filled with junk, it's either too sweet or just plain wrong. The packaging annoys me as the branded yoghurts generally have pots made from plastics difficult to recycle (boy do I sound like a complete hippie!) so it just makes them a major headache.
It's generally way cheaper to cut fruit on demand or drizzle with honey and have to chuck a bowl in the dishwasher.

I guess I could look at nuts or cheese but I really don't want to go too overboard as the calorie count on those is pretty darn high.

Reading what I wrote, I sound like an annoying goody-two-shoes but I suppose the plan has really ingrained into me and my life reflects the lifestyle change.
It has rubbed off on people though which is a super-positive bonus! ^_^