Mission to lose 5st (10/70 lbs and counting)

[zeke]

Ooooh - really hope you get to swap another for a tomorrow!

Have to say that on the rare occasions I am moved to do exercise I don't eat back the calories suggested by any of the various online calculators because I don't believe a word of it, lol! Anyone whose weight has yo-yo'ed up and down to the extent that mine has over the years won't burn as much as a "normal" person of the same weight/age/gender, so I just eat the same as usual and consider the exercise as a bonus deficit (unless I'm feeling rebellious for some reason, then I'll have earned some chocolate)

I use MFP and also ignore the extra cals they give you and make up my own mind about what extras I will have. Was reading on MFP pages yesterday where they had given someone 1200 extra cals for 4 hours gardening and was asking what she should do about it as she was tempted to eat some of them and everyone told her to hold off having too many.
:cross: for later today.

I tend to work on using no more than half of the calories that mfp gives me for exercise just to be on the safe side x

Thanks for the advice regarding exercise on MFP

I think I've decided not to add exercise now, after all that! I like how it tells you how many kcal you have left each day so if you add in exercise and then don't eat those kcals it messes that up a bit. I can see me going back to just having maintenance as the goal (not the real goal but the avoid me stressing/max in a day goal!) at this rate though.

Disappointed to say that yesterday continued with my high weight loss kcals and I had a STS today (so no extra today!), partly because of those exercise kcals being there (well maybe not but I can fling that in as a partial excuse). The main thing is that I am losing weight though, even if it will be at a slower pace as a result. It could well be a plan to stick to the 'no junk' during the working week rule that my slim friend has, unless it is REALLY needed (like a square or two of chocolate that will stop you binging etc). I guess it is going to be trial and error to find a long term 'plan' that suits me. I know I've done well on self-imposed rules like that in the past though so we'll see!

Talking of self-imposed rules...I still want to crack this internet one. Hard as it is, fail as I do, I need to keep trying. I can see quite clearly what a negative effect it is having on almost every area of my life .

I've just put a stop watch on my desk. I'm going to time (starting just then) how long I spend, at my desk, on the internet (excluding updating MFP, updating FG & checking email). Things like FB, MM, checking up on the Duggar family (which I have a bizarre fascination with despite my views and life being completely the opposite to them), Daily mail (why?!) etc. Hopefully that will reduce it before I even start on deciding on a reduction strategy!

 

[lass321]

I like your goal progress chart. I hadn't really noticed it until today. Simple to follow and very motivational - will steal it. Will think about paying you copy-write or at least crediting you for it.

Thought about it - have decided just to steal it .

 

[zeke]

I like your goal progress chart. I hadn't really noticed it until today. Simple to follow and very motivational - will steal it. Will think about paying you copy-write or at least crediting you for it.

Thought about it - have decided just to steal it .

I look forward to seeing it!

 

[zeke]

I've clicked the finished for the day button on MFP - 1420 kcals

Think I should brush my teeth and get into bed before I change my mind! Possibly a bit early yet though.

Another angst-ridden day about work - which helped! I resisted the urge to open a bottle of wine (only because there was none in the house - thank goodness for that!). Decided that I really need to stay late at work at least one night a week - the way I do part-time is really stressing me out. Easy to blame the job but having looked at alternatives - it looks more attractive now...maybe the grass isn't that greener! What needs to change is my attitude .

Hope that 0.2 lbs shifts tomorrow

 

[systema]

I read the DM every day and wonder why I have just wasted all that time on the trashy stuff that is in there. Stopped reading Digital Spy as that was becoming addictive and I have so many Kindle books I want to read but reading rubbish instead.

 

[zeke]

I read the DM every day and wonder why I have just wasted all that time on the trashy stuff that is in there. Stopped reading Digital Spy as that was becoming addictive and I have so many Kindle books I want to read but reading rubbish instead.

LOL! Yep! I have a load of kindle books I want to read too. I guess it is easy, and above all a habit to go to the trash.

 

[zeke]

Happy days! I am down 0.8 lbs today so met that 5 lb target

I just need to make two sad faces happy before I'll really notice a difference with my clothes and start to wear things in my wardrobe that I haven't worn for a while!

I'm up early today so should be able to manage a relaxed morning. I've already spent nearly 17 mins on the internet though!

 

[zeke]

Just bought myself some medicinal wine - Got a mini bottle for myself and one for DH. I almost got a whole bottle - Midweek!

Not great as neither of us should have wine during the week (DH doesn't know yet but, believe me, he won't complain - well maybe that I didn't get a full bottle). Maybe I won't open it...

My back keeps twinging (shooting pains) and I've got mild sciatica after physically breaking up a fight this morning and then stopping it re-starting (not just me - this took three of us). No idea I did anything at the time - the symptoms just gradually appeared. I haven't pull anything it is just simply that my back is 'fragile' still and prone to this.

Just feel a bit 'emotional' I guess and in need of a alcoholic hug. I got the wine because I thought it may stop me having a hug of the 'multiple snack' variety.

 

[lass321]

Poor you, I hope your back gets better, these kids don't realise how far consequences go for others not just themselves.

Re: the wine - if you don't drink it you can feel virtuous and have a nice shiny halo. If you do open it at least it is only a mini bottle .

 

[lass321]

Oh and yay for the loss!!

 

[zeke]

Thanks Lass

Another loss today - 1 lb this time That is two pounds this week so far and three days to go.

I also stuck to less than 1500 kcals again, which must help - despite having that mini bottle of wine (I think I was right - it did actually curb the calories).

 

[zeke]

1396 kcals today

LOVE calorie counting now. Can't believe it has taken this long to find it (properly) - to be fair, MFP has made all the difference.

Oh and I had wine again, ended up in the pub with DH for an hour and didn't fancy another diet coke - I was very careful to have a small one though (125 ml).

 

[lass321]

I think that's the beauty of calorie counting, you can have what you like, within reason, as long as it stays under the upper cals. My problem is that on some days I would be able to have no food as I would have used all my cals on cider . (Eeks I had originally mistyped 'counting' without the 'o' - I'd have been chucked out of minimins!).

 

[blubex]

I totally agree, nothing is off limits which is fab

Well done on your daily cals x

 

[systema]

The trouble with those small bottles is I always want another one when I have had one of those and never only buy one - I might as well have bought a 70 cl bottle - but if I don't open it in the first place I don't miss it. If that makes sense.

 

[zeke]

Another 0.8 lbs off - that's 2.8 lb so far this week! Gotta love weeks like this!

I'm not that strict Lass, and I think that is why it is working for me - my upper calorie limit is 2150 (maintenance) and I really avoid going over that, but I have a couple of times in the last 7 weeks (on days when I had less control over what I was eating and estimated too). Then dieting calories is anything underneath that but more than 1200 - massive range. Last week I averaged 1800 kcals (because I was having a hungry week), my lowest week I averaged 1350. My target calories at the moment is 1450 - but I have only been under that ONE day out of five this week (and I am perfectly fine with that) - most days were very close, but only yesterday was I under and I had one day nearly 1900. This is why I love it - I can do all of that and not feel like I have broken a diet or failed. It is ok to have a 'non-dieting' day but I do still count because I need to master that non-dieting should not be weight gain and I need to learn what these calories look like. Some weeks I will be more focused, less hungry and it all seems easy - other weeks it will be struggle enough to stay under maintenance calories. I'm just going with the flow with it!

Yeah - the mini wine - the key thing is definitely to just buy one bottle! I try to just have one or two bottles at the weekend, if I fancy it and avoid it mid-week so this was a bit of an exception. Ironically both of those days came out as my lower kcal days. I guess because I had what I really wanted straight away rather than trying to compensate with snacks/other things.

My big challenge is going to be sat and sun, as I am away in the camper again (D of E). I've got some ideas to make it more successful than last time though!

 

[systema]

What a great week - well done. :bananalove::bananalove::bananalove:

 

[lass321]

Yay!!! Great losses

 

[zeke]

Thank you!

Down another 0.2 lbs this morning - just - it did that undecided thing before settling. I am expecting that to be it for the week now, so motivation is there today to keep it low so that I hold on to it for weekly WI tomorrow. Quite fancy reporting a 3 lb loss this week!

Going to have to give serious thought to what food to pack for this camper trip at the weekend. I will have loads of free time so I can cook there. When it is a small group of staff we have taken to cooking as a group for the evening meal - I've excused myself from that this time though - feel a bit anti social doing it but I guess we can still eat together. I don't want a repeat of last time (although really that as fine - I want to hold on to the current ease of keeping my kcals lower if I can for as long as possible).

Now I have lost a good chuck of weight I think I am more motivated as I can see mini goals other than numerical in the near future - starting to fit into clothes in the next size down for a start! I haven't attempted to try any on in my wardrobe yet, as it isn't quite time yet. I did order a couple of things from Joules in the next size down though, which are coming today. Joules are very generous with their sizings so I am hoping I will be able to fit into them today! We'll see!

 

[Scrumbles]

Good luck for that 3lb loss, zeke! You are doing so well and sounding so positive - it's lovely to read

Sounds like you have a plan for the weekend and that's half the battle won. Even if it doesn't turn out quite how you want it to, I always find it's better to have had some kind of preparation in advance so that you feel more in control from the outset.

Hope you have a great time!