My journey to feeling fit :)

[downtownsuzie]

Ok, now I know not to believe everything you read on the internet. However, having done some research I have discovered that my body fat percentage is 6% above average. I would like to bring it down by 11%, to 20%.

I've looked into Basal Metabolic Rate, calories needed to maintain or lose weight, types of food needed to burn fat while maintaining lean muscle mass - I've literally gone round in circles reading all sorts of conflicting information, so I've decided to do it my own way.

I will continue to follow Slimming World, but I am going to try Green days for a while as I have heard that people have good losses on Green as opposed to Extra Easy. I am also going to increase my exercise - running for 30 minutes, 3 times a week plus 1 day a week of the 30 Day Shred. After 4 weeks, I will increase to running 4 times a week until I reach target.

This is all going to be a bit of trial and error - I don't really know how it is going to pan out, but all I know is that if I'm going to shift this last stone, something needs to change. As of tomorrow, I will be posting a daily food diary - any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks for reading x

 

[kim63]

Ok, now I know not to believe everything you read on the internet. However, having done some research I have discovered that my body fat percentage is 6% above average. I would like to bring it down by 11%, to 20%.

I've looked into Basal Metabolic Rate, calories needed to maintain or lose weight, types of food needed to burn fat while maintaining lean muscle mass - I've literally gone round in circles reading all sorts of conflicting information, so I've decided to do it my own way.

I will continue to follow Slimming World, but I am going to try Green days for a while as I have heard that people have good losses on Green as opposed to Extra Easy. I am also going to increase my exercise - running for 30 minutes, 3 times a week plus 1 day a week of the 30 Day Shred. After 4 weeks, I will increase to running 4 times a week until I reach target.

This is all going to be a bit of trial and error - I don't really know how it is going to pan out, but all I know is that if I'm going to shift this last stone, something needs to change. As of tomorrow, I will be posting a daily food diary - any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks for reading x

It can get a bit 'head spinny' with all the info out there & if you're anything like me, I research everything to the death & then get completely bogged down with it & stress myself out.
So, Annie you know SW works, you know running works.....you go girl x

 

[downtownsuzie]

Thanks Kim, that sounds exactly like me! We have a member in our group training for the marathon and her running seems to impact negatively on her losses - I'm hoping thats because of the number of miles that she's running, cause I don't want the same to happen to me!

 

[kim63]

I think we are all guilty of being a slave to the scales, instead of the tape measure &/or clothes. So whats the answer...give up exercise to see the numbers go down on the scales.....big fat no, as we know the advantages of exercise. When I took up cycling last year, my losses increased, so maybe running tones the muscles more??? Mmmm, not sure about that either, as my legs were very toned & muscley & I even had skinny arms!
So, have you measured yourself? Do it again in a months time & let us know the results.....dont forget I lost 29cm's in 2 months with little exercise apart from walking......so Im sure you will see a huge difference & also on the body fat %.....thats given me an idea for our thread...... x

 

[downtownsuzie]

I think we are all guilty of being a slave to the scales, instead of the tape measure &/or clothes. So whats the answer...give up exercise to see the numbers go down on the scales.....big fat no, as we know the advantages of exercise. When I took up cycling last year, my losses increased, so maybe running tones the muscles more??? Mmmm, not sure about that either, as my legs were very toned & muscley & I even had skinny arms!
So, have you measured yourself? Do it again in a months time & let us know the results.....dont forget I lost 29cm's in 2 months with little exercise apart from walking......so Im sure you will see a huge difference & also on the body fat %.....thats given me an idea for our thread...... x

You're right

I'm going to take my measurements and post them up tonight, both here and on our thread.

My arms and my legs are my two biggest problem areas, so I really hope it makes a difference. I'm prepared to sacrifice the number on the scales for a few weeks if I can physically see the benefits of my exercise.

I'll be posting my food diary tonight - although I've realised that I don't eat nearly enough superfree food! Going to try eating more and throwing some speed foods in there as well!

 

[kim63]

Ill be interested to see what you're eating as have a feeling you're not eating enough especially with the increase in exercise x

 

[downtownsuzie]

Sorry for the delay with this! Here we go:

Friday 15th March:

Breakkfast - 2 slices 400g Warburtons wholemeal bread (B), 1/2 30g tub of chocolate Phillidelphia (2.5)
Lunch - jacket potato with a tin of vegetarian ravioli
Tea - 35g bran flakes (B), 250ml SS milk (A), 2 light Laughing Cow triangles and 15g cheddar
Snack - 2 Jacobs crackers (3), 1 original ryvita (2)

Total syns: 7
Exercise: 30 mins of jogging


Friday 16th March:

Breakfast - 2 original ryvita (B)
Lunch - Wetherspoons 5 bean chilli (4.5)
Dinner - Noodles, chicken (B), peas, sweet potato and gravy (1.5)
Snacks - Cadbury's chocolate eclair (1.5), one mouthful of OH's ice cream (1)

Total syns: 8.5
Exercise: rest day

--

I know I'm not eating enough superfree and I'm struggling to fit in all my HE's - I'm so used to only having one of each!

Will be going for a run today and will update later x

 

[kim63]

Sorry for the delay with this! Here we go:

Friday 15th March:

Breakkfast - 2 slices 400g Warburtons wholemeal bread (B), 1/2 30g tub of chocolate Phillidelphia (2.5)
Lunch - jacket potato with a tin of vegetarian ravioli
Tea - 35g bran flakes (B), 250ml SS milk (A), 2 light Laughing Cow triangles and 15g cheddar
Snack - 2 Jacobs crackers (3), 1 original ryvita (2)

Total syns: 7
Exercise: 30 mins of jogging


Friday 16th March:

Breakfast - 2 original ryvita (B)
Lunch - Wetherspoons 5 bean chilli (4.5)
Dinner - Noodles, chicken (B), peas, sweet potato and gravy (1.5)
Snacks - Cadbury's chocolate eclair (1.5), one mouthful of OH's ice cream (1)

Total syns: 8.5
Exercise: rest day

--

I know I'm not eating enough superfree and I'm struggling to fit in all my HE's - I'm so used to only having one of each!

Will be going for a run today and will update later x

Try & eat a bit more Annie! Ref your Hex's, on the 15th you could have had more cheese as an A or B & on the 16th you didnt have any A's!
On the Syn front, ryvitas are only 1.5, choc phili is only 84cals which works out about 4 syns, & what ravioli do you use as I would love a no syn ravioli.
Hark at me telling you to eat more, when I didnt lose this week coz I hadnt eaten enough, but you get my drift! x

 

[downtownsuzie]

I use Sainsbury's own vegetarian ravioli

Saturday 17th March:

Breakfast: 1 slice of Warburtons small loaf (1/2 B) and 15g cheddar (1/2 A)

Lunch: 2 slices of Warburtons small loaf (B), 15g cheddar (1/2 A), Hifi light bar (1/2 B) and packet of Skips (4)

Dinner: mashed potato with a dash of milk, 3 x reduced fat sausages (4 each), chicken stock as gravy and toffee mullerlight

Total syns: 16
Exercise: 30 mins of jogging

 

[downtownsuzie]

Still not enough superfree! (None in fact :S)

 

[downtownsuzie]

I'm trying to figure out whether I could get away with having this as a red day instead of a green day - only thing is, I tried measuring the potato but OH's Mum's scales are the old style ones that look like the ones from the Libra starsign - not at all accurate, but a red day would save me 9 syns!!!

What do you guys reckon? x

 

[icklerockchick]

Heya popping by to subscribe x

 

[downtownsuzie]

Sunday 18th March

Breakfast: cheese on toast (HEA + HEB), banana
Lunch: jacket potato with beans and small salad
Tea: SW curry (chicken, onions, chicken stock, spices and fat free natural yoghurt) with rice and 2 mini poppadoms (2.5 each), toffee Mullerlight)

Total syns: 5
Exercise: rest day, but walked a lot while shopping

Might as well have had today as an EE day, cause I didn't have 4 HEx's (again)!

 

[Nikki<3]

Oooo I've found you :-D

 

[downtownsuzie]

Haha! Nothing exciting here, I'm afraid! Not enough superfree and not always enough HEx's. I'll get it right eventually x

 

[downtownsuzie]

Monday 19th March

Breakfast: 35 g bran flakes (HEB) and 250ml SS milk (HEA)
Lunch: Rice, homemade SW curry sauce and mini poppadom (2.5)
Tea: SW chips, 2 fried eggs and spaghetti hoops
Snacks: 2 x Hifi light bar (HEB), Pombear crisps (4), apple

Total syns: 6.5
Exercise: rest day
__

I got paid today, so I have no excuse - I am going to make a conscious effort to include superfree into my diet. I am going to write a food plan and also include 7 speed foods per day into my meals.

 

[downtownsuzie]

Tuesday 20th March

Breakfast: 35g bran flakes and 125ml SS milk (HEB and 1/2 HEA)
Lunch: cheese sandwich (2 slices of 400g Warburtons bread + 15g cheddar = HEB and 1/2 HEA), packet of Pombear (4), funsize Curly Wurly (3)
Dinner: small sweet potato with lettuce and cucumber
Snacks: vanilla Mullerlight, 2 x Dairylea light slices (HEA)

Total syns: 7
Exercise: 30 mins jogging (with less walking intervals this time!)

 

[downtownsuzie]

I will be making a food plan for the next week today. I will be having a go at the Red plan so any advice gladly accepted!

Will be squeezing in as many superfree and speed foods in as I can

 

[kim63]

If it helps Annie, what I tend to do is see what meat I fancy & then work the recipes round the meat
e.g mince = burgers, meatballs, chili (no rice)
chiken = roast chicken dinner no spuds, chicken & salad, stirfry, chicken 'pizza', curry, thai curry
pork = stirfry, thai curry
lamb = somesort of slow cooker dish, curry
beef = curry, stirfry
I dont mind not eating rice with say curries, but dont forget if you do want pasta etc you can always have them as a Hex or Syn x

 

[downtownsuzie]

Fab idea, thank you! I'm going to have to see how this ties with with everyone else's eating lol

Usually they eat with me, but meat is expensive! So hopefully they might help x