Loafer to Half Marathon and MooMoo to Skinny Jeans

[Teddi]

Hi, I'm Teddi. A few weeks ago I decided to change my life.

I started exercising (just light walking, I literally did nothing before), watching what I ate and got myself a new job I was actually happy to go to in the mornings!

I have now decided to make it more of a set routine type thing and do food and exercise plans for each week.

I am 5'8 and my start weight was 23st 8lbs and I am 22st 11lbs today. I am happy with having lost 11lbs in 5 weeks without having tried much to be honest and still eating biscuits everyday but I want to be losing 11lbs every 2-3 weeks, not 5.

So, my exercise plan starting from next weekend (I don't get paid until thursday and that is when I start swimming and this week is 'eat everything from the cupboards' to clear it out so it is hard to do a healthy food plan) is:

Saturday - walk younger dog (120 mins), walk older dog (30 mins), exercise video (20 mins)
Sunday - walk younger dog (120 mins), walk older dog (30 mins), exercise video (20 mins)
Monday - walk to and from station/pool/home (75 mins), swimming (90 mins)
Tuesday - walk to and from station/home (45 mins), exercise video (20 mins)
Wednesday - walk to and from station/home (45 mins), exercise video (20 mins)
Thursday - walk to and from station/pool/home (75 mins), swimming (90 mins)
Friday - walk to and from station/pool/home (75 mins), swimming (90 mins)

All dinners are going to be home cooked from scratch and at least a 3rd vegetables, my lunches are going to be cupasoups for the first week, moving onto home made soup in the second week (I am waiting for my tupperware I ordered to be delivered), breakfast is going to alpen light bars for the time being as I can have them on the train easily before work but I am looking to replace this with something lower in sugar and home made. My calories per day are to be under 1500 to start with. This will drop slowly to 1200 and I will stick there for the foreseeable future.

My first main goal is to be under 20st, although it was still very over weight, I was happy with my body at the 17-18st mark so I can't wait to get back down there. My ultimate goal would be 12st.

Unfortunately December is a really bad month for me going out wise (I have a wedding, 4 birthdays and obviously christmas and new years!) so I am not expecting miracles between now and the end of the year but hopefully another 11lbs at least.

I am looking forward to charting my change in both body and mind, I have really enjoyed the exercise I have started and have found it very relaxing.

Nice to meet you all.

 

[Kuromi Jenkins]

Hi Teddi and welcome,

Sounds like you are getting off to a good start and it's always a good idea to chart out a plan as you are more likely to stick to something once it's written down in advance.

Is there nothing you can have instead of cupasoups mind as they are not very good for you and if you are trying to loose weight there must be a healthier option you could have that is as easy to make? My OH used to drink them a lot but once I started my diet and he took an interest he started reading the labels and came and told me how bad they were. That was a break through moment as he's always just eaten whatever he wants without a care in the world about it's contents.

Good luck with your journey and keep updating your diary with your progress

 

[TracyGWill]

Hi, I'm Teddi. A few weeks ago I decided to change my life.

I started exercising (just light walking, I literally did nothing before), watching what I ate and got myself a new job I was actually happy to go to in the mornings!

I have now decided to make it more of a set routine type thing and do food and exercise plans for each week.

I am 5'8 and my start weight was 23st 8lbs and I am 22st 11lbs today. I am happy with having lost 11lbs in 5 weeks without having tried much to be honest and still eating biscuits everyday but I want to be losing 11lbs every 2-3 weeks, not 5.

So, my exercise plan starting from next weekend (I don't get paid until thursday and that is when I start swimming and this week is 'eat everything from the cupboards' to clear it out so it is hard to do a healthy food plan) is:

Saturday - walk younger dog (120 mins), walk older dog (30 mins), exercise video (20 mins)
Sunday - walk younger dog (120 mins), walk older dog (30 mins), exercise video (20 mins)
Monday - walk to and from station/pool/home (75 mins), swimming (90 mins)
Tuesday - walk to and from station/home (45 mins), exercise video (20 mins)
Wednesday - walk to and from station/home (45 mins), exercise video (20 mins)
Thursday - walk to and from station/pool/home (75 mins), swimming (90 mins)
Friday - walk to and from station/pool/home (75 mins), swimming (90 mins)

All dinners are going to be home cooked from scratch and at least a 3rd vegetables, my lunches are going to be cupasoups for the first week, moving onto home made soup in the second week (I am waiting for my tupperware I ordered to be delivered), breakfast is going to alpen light bars for the time being as I can have them on the train easily before work but I am looking to replace this with something lower in sugar and home made. My calories per day are to be under 1500 to start with. This will drop slowly to 1200 and I will stick there for the foreseeable future.

My first main goal is to be under 20st, although it was still very over weight, I was happy with my body at the 17-18st mark so I can't wait to get back down there. My ultimate goal would be 12st.

Unfortunately December is a really bad month for me going out wise (I have a wedding, 4 birthdays and obviously christmas and new years!) so I am not expecting miracles between now and the end of the year but hopefully another 11lbs at least.

I am looking forward to charting my change in both body and mind, I have really enjoyed the exercise I have started and have found it very relaxing.

Nice to meet you all.

Hi Teddi, welcome to the forum! I've found it to be enormously helpful in terms of motivation amd support. I'm 5'8" too, and started out at 21.5 stone, hoping to lose 10 stone ultimately. In terms of your calorie goal, my advice would be that you're aiming a bit too low really, for your height and the amount you have to lose. I started at around 2,000, then down to 1,800, then 1,500 (with zero exercise). I'd never contemplate going as low as 1,200 to be honest - maybe at the end when you're close to target, but not anywhere near the start of the journey, especially if you are exercising. You need plenty of room to reduce very gradually, or you'll stop losing, and a starting point of 1,500 doesn't give you that. That's my take on it, anyway!

Have you discovered the WEMITTS part of the forum? It's specifically for people with a lot to lose, regardless of how they're doing it. It's under Slimming Clubs.

All the very best. xx

 

[Teddi]

Thanks for the replies, the cupasoups are just for the first week or so as I have loads in the cupboard, I will be making all my own soups from scratch after that. Just waiting on my soup tupperwares to arrive.

In regards to calorie limits, that is still up for a bit of self negotiation, I know 1500 is more than enough with just the walking but plus the swimming as well I may need more so I will see how I feel after my swimming next week and make a calorie decision.

I am still working on getting things right for me, I don't think it is a good idea to stick to stupidly rigid diets that do not allow for any personal need so my healthy eating and calorie watching will evolve as and when it need to.

I hope to update next weekend with a good loss.

 

[TracyGWill]

I totally agree about not sticking rigidly to strict diet plans - you're more likely to fail if you do that, definitely. I probably break most diet "rules" going - I don't exercise, don't eat breakfast, don't drink water, eat really late at night etc. - but at the end of the day I've still lost 9.5 stone so far, so I'm all in favour of finding your own path. Glad to see you found the WEMITTS by the way! xx

 

[Kuromi Jenkins]

I totally agree about not sticking rigidly to strict diet plans - you're more likely to fail if you do that, definitely. I probably break most diet "rules" going - I don't exercise, don't eat breakfast, don't drink water, eat really late at night etc. - but at the end of the day I've still lost 9.5 stone so far, so I'm all in favour of finding your own path. Glad to see you found the WEMITTS by the way! xx

That was exactly my problem.

 

[TracyGWill]

That was exactly my problem.

You mean trying to be too strict? xx

 

[Kuromi Jenkins]

You mean trying to be too strict? xx

no, not following any of the good eating guides. I was eating at 11pm then going to bed and not eating breakfast, eating the wrong foods, basically breaking every health guide going.

 

[TracyGWill]

no, not following any of the good eating guides. I was eating at 11pm then going to bed and not eating breakfast, eating the wrong foods, basically breaking every health guide going.

It's been the secret of my success, definitely - we just have to find what works for us. xx

 

[Teddi]

Made a lovely lasagne with extra veg tonight, 718 calories, 2 servings of vegetables. I then had an alpen light bar for desert, 70 calories.

Unfortunately due to a last minute big project at work I haven't eaten anything else today.

788 calories total for the day.

 

[Kuromi Jenkins]

Which depending on what diet you are following is the daily calorie allowance for some of us

 

[TracyGWill]

Which depending on what diet you are following is the daily calorie allowance for some of us

But, it's important to point out, only if you're on a proper VLCD, it would be much too low for a non-VLCD plan. xx

 

[Teddi]

Which depending on what diet you are following is the daily calorie allowance for some of us

I don't really get the point of this post? Are you trying to make me feel bad for wanting to have more than that? That is how it sounds to be honest.

I made it clear I was not 'on a diet', I am making a complete lifestyle change and a hopeful side effect of that is weight loss.

 

[Kuromi Jenkins]

I don't really get the point of this post? Are you trying to make me feel bad for wanting to have more than that? That is how it sounds to be honest. I made it clear I was not 'on a diet', I am making a complete lifestyle change and a hopeful side effect of that is weight loss.

No I wasn't trying to make you feel bad, Infact I was actually trying to say dont worry if that's all you managed if you aren't actually hungry. I didn't remember you weren't on a diet plan so there was no malice intended. Some days you might find you have less than others but as long as you are happy and not forcing yourself to eat or worse still wanting to keep eating because you were hungry then you are doing what's right for you.

 

[Teddi]

No I wasn't trying to make you feel bad, Infact I was actually trying to say dont worry if that's all you managed if you aren't actually hungry. I didn't remember you weren't on a diet plan so there was no malice intended. Some days you might find you have less than others but as long as you are happy and not forcing yourself to eat or worse still wanting to keep eating because you were hungry then you are doing what's right for you.

I'm sorry for my reaction, it sounded very different at first but I understand now.

Trust me, I wish I ate more! I was starving walking this afternoon but as soon as I got into this project it was hard to get a second away to go and get something, I am just glad I didn't go for the communal biscuit tin as that would have ended in disaster!

I am all ready tomorrow to have 3 meals, just need to pick up some fruit if I get a chance.

I remember when I could never work out how people got in their 5 a day, now I can see how easy it is and how stupid I was before.

 

[TracyGWill]

I don't really get the point of this post? Are you trying to make me feel bad for wanting to have more than that? That is how it sounds to be honest.

I made it clear I was not 'on a diet', I am making a complete lifestyle change and a hopeful side effect of that is weight loss.

Just make sure you don't have less than 1,200 calories a day hon, but if I were you I'd have more than that, as I mentioned. That way you'll stay healthy and be able to keep going with your weight loss more easily. I know sometimes it's going to happen that you eat less, just don't do it regularly (been there, done that, enjoyed the decades of ill health and yoyo dieting that followed, lol). Take care. xx

 

[Kuromi Jenkins]

I went back and retread what I'd said incase I'd mistyped a word or something that sounded bad, but I think I just didn't make it too clear what I meant. It is important to try and keep your calories up, but sometimes I used to be so busy at work that my calorie intake was low but providing it's not every day it won't hurt (it wouldn't hurt daily if it was a LCD plan with the correct nutrients but you get what I mean) as our bodies can cope with the odd dip. The most important thing is as long as you are starving then you are less likely to get in and resort to binge eating to make up for it.

Little tip regarding fruit if you didn't already know - try not to have any after 2 pm as it's high in natural sugars so your body needs time to burn it off over the day. Best time is breakfast, mid morning snack or lunch.