So far so good :)

[Minnow]

Hi everyone

I'm on day 11 of doing the Tesco version of Slimfast and so far so good. To my huge surprise I'm finding it really easy to stick to, but then I suppose when you really want to do something you find it within you to do so. Last weekend was hard though when the rest of the family were having our usual weekend goodies, but I knew I'd be angry with myself if I gave in and I am so glad I didn't.

Five years or so ago I lost eight stones in ten months, mainly by calorie counting. It's been the usual story of the weight slowly going back on interspersed with a couple of attempts to lose it again but my heart wasn't really in it so I failed. My weight started to affect my health so I thought enough is enough and on Jan 1st this year I started calorie counting again. My losses have been much slower this time (my daughter's wedding and me being laid up for a couple of months after a knee op kinda got in the way) and I ground to a halt in the low 17's so I thought I'd try Slimfast to kick start things. I lost half a stone my first week (why can't all weeks be like the first?) and my second weigh-in will be on Monday.

My 'lifesavers' are sugar free jellies and low calorie hot chocolate drinks. I couldn't do it without them.

Anyway, hi to everyone, and I raise a mug of hot chocolate to success for us all.

Alison

 

[Kev Newman]

Well done Alison! Glad to hear it's going well so far. I just started Slim-Fast on Wednesday and have managed to keep it up so far. At the moment I'm mainly sticking to Slim-Fast's own snacks but I might have to look at the sugar free jelly as well.

My first weigh in is on Monday so I hope I manage to have the same first week results as you have. Half a stone would feel like an amazing achievement.

Can I ask though, why choose Tesco's own brand over Slim-Fast? Is it cheaper? I've just ordered a pack of 3 tins of milkshake powder from Amazon for £12. Seemed like a reasonable deal.

Keep up the good work.

Kev

 

[Minnow]

Hi Kev. Fingers crossed for good weight loss for you too.

I chose Tescos own brand as I was in Tescos and it was on offer. lol You sound like you got a good deal. I shall have to look into buying from Amazon. Do you know off hand how many shakes you get from one tin?

I forgot another lifesaver for me - sugar free Werthers. Ten sweets are 100 cal so as I am a grazer they're perfect for me to pick at throughout the day, and luckily I seem to be immune from the laxative side effect. I hope that's not TMI. lol

Roll on Monday's weigh-in.

Alison

 

[Kev Newman]

Hi Alison,

Good tips with the Werthers as well. I'll have to keep an eye out for them (and their effects!! )

As for the Slim-Fast tins, apparently one will provide 12 shakes so it's not bad value when you compare it to the ready made at least. I'll have to check what the Tesco's own brand costs next time I'm there. I think the regular Slim-Fast I bought the other day was £5 something.

I'm looking forward to the weigh in indeed. Keeping my fingers well and truly crossed.

Kev

 

[Minnow]

The Tesco ones were three for £10, and there are ten sachets in a pack.

I bet there will be lots of offers on after Christmas.

Alison

 

[fluffybunney]

Well done Alison

I have just done my first week on slim fast and i have lost 4lbs, i do not feel hungry and i am feeling really positive, bring on week 2 "!!

 

[Minnow]

That's a great start fluffybunney. It's odd how you don't feel hungry isn't it? I'm the same, and yet when you think about how much you're eating it doesn't look enough and you think you're going to be starving. It just shows how much my portion control was off. I ate healthy food but too much of it.

Well, on my second week I lost 1lb. Obviously I was hoping for more but I'm not beating myself up about it. I lost half an inch off each of my 'vital statistics' which after not losing any last week I am very pleased with. Does anyone else find that you lose more inches on the weeks you lose less weight? There's very little that's logical about this weight loss game.

So onward to week three.

 

[Minnow]

I've got several friends visiting for the weekend for a big Christmas get together which is going to mean me eating out both tonight and tomorrow. I always hate eating out when I'm dieting as I feel out of control not knowing exactly what's in the food. It takes more will power to leave the less healthy bits on your plate too doesn't it? So I've weighed myself this morning to see how I'm going, and also, if it isn't too defeatist, with the aim of not putting anything on over the weekend and I've lost 2lb. Yay!

 

[Minnow]

Well, those 2lb I lost last Monday to Friday were regained when I weighed myself this morning. I wasn't surprised as after being able to stick to plan on Friday (the restaurant had 500 cal options on its menu ) the places we ate on Saturday and Sunday most definitely didn't, and a bunch of us were staying over at a friend's house on Saturday night so you can imagine what it was like. All in all I'm not too upset and I'm sure I'll get rid of those pounds again reasonably quickly. What has really pleased me this morning is that I've lost another half inch off both my hips and my waist. Oh, and I saw two other friends on Friday who both said how great it was to see me skinny again. How can I be 'skinny' when I weigh 16st 11lbs is beyond me (maybe they should both go to Specsavers lol) but it did make me feel good.

So onwards and downwards. I'm back on plan now until Christmas dinner.

Alison

 

[Kev Newman]

I like your attitude to the fact you regained 2lbs. I think we have to keep our chin up and not let it bother us. As long as we stick to the plan when we can, over time we will have a downward trend.

I only lost 1lb when I weighed myself on Monday. Unfortunately I've not been on Slimfast since then as I was admitted to hospital that night (completely unrelated). I was discharged today so the plan is to get back on it tomorrow. I'm sure hospital food won't have made me too fat anyway.

Kev X

 

[Minnow]

When I've lost weight before it has been with a specific goal in mind, ie fitting into a dress for a long anticipated night out. Once that moment has passed my resolve to keep the weight off slides away and I fall into my old bad habits. This time feels a little different in that I'm primarily doing it for my health. For similar reasons I've also shied away from setting a goal weight. I don't want to reach whatever weight and think 'that's it' and slide back again. I don't want to get too single minded about it all either. I don't want this to take over my life the way diets have in the past. Obviously I intend to stick at it but at the same time I don't want it to mean I am excluded from my usual social life. Even though this diet is far from a normal way of eating (whatever the heck that actually is) I need to figure out how much of what foods I can eat without piling the weight back on (portion control is always my weak point). Taken as a whole I've been very pleased with my weight loss in 2014 but perhaps the most satisfying months have been when for various reasons I've not been actively pursuing losing weight but at the same time I have managed to keep my weight pretty much stable.
Oops, sorry for rambling on so much. <blush>

I was so glad to read on another thread that your hospital visit wasn't anything serious, but bear in mind if your weight loss is excellent this coming week then we'll all be tempted to start 'Kev's hospital food diet' ™ .

 

[Minnow]

I've lost 4lbs this week. Yippee!!

 

[Kev Newman]

Well done Minnow!! That's an excellent loss. Keep it up!!

 

[Minnow]

Thanks Kev.

I'm starting to have to work hard to stay on plan and keep my eyes on the prize and all that, which given how well things are going is ridiculous. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by Christmas, and it doesn't help that my birthday is coming up too. With it being so close to Christmas it is usually a bit of a non-event but yesterday I was asked what sort of cake I would like and if I'd like to go out for dinner. All very nice, but all very eek, scary and off plan too. So do I take my birthday as well as Christmas Day off plan? It's so tempting to say forget it for a week but I know I'd regret it big time, which keeps me going.

 

[Kev Newman]

I wouldn't stress too much about the upcoming festivities Alison. I think taking a day off when you need to is healthy. It keeps you from getting too resentful of the plan. I wouldn't take a week off though. Only take what you need such as your birthday and Christmas day. Keep to plan on every other day. No sense in taking other days when you don't need to. Instead of a whole cake, why don't you go for cupcakes? That way, you can control your portions much more easily. Plus, sponge freezes very well. You can dip back in any time you feel you've deserved a treat! Just stay focused on that goal.

Kev

 

[Minnow]

Thanks for that Kev. Excellent advice.

It's been a odd week, but I have learned a couple of things. One is that societal expectations are very unforgiving when you want to stick to a tightly controlled diet, and two is that when I've eaten the foods that I was missing/craving I've enjoyed them, but not as much as I thought I would which is going to make life much easier going forward. I was starting to wobble, but my resolve to stick with it has been restored.

I ended up being unable to avoid eating out on my birthday but I didn't stress out about it and just ate as sensibly as I could. They got me a small cake too, but between six of us that didn't last too long. Then my Sunday morning walking partner bought along a flask of hot chocolate and mince pies this week. She struggles with her weight too but isn't in a good place regarding doing anything about it at the moment so I don't talk about what I'm currently doing so she had no idea how much her lovely gesture was potentially scuppering me. We were out Sunday evening too. Anyway, it feels like I've spent more of the week off plan than on, but I have been watching the calories as much as I can without being obsessive (ie I'm not eating my cake until it is weighed!) so it was with much apprehension that I stepped onto the scales this morning. So anyway, long story short I was thrilled to find I have only put one pound on. I expected/was dreading much more than that. I've even lost half an inch off my hips. So, it's back to being strictly on plan this week (other than my Christmas dinner) and hopefully that pound will soon be gone.

Alison

 

[Kev Newman]

That's really good news Alison. A pound is nothing really. Most of the weight you put on will just be waste products I'm betting so getting back on plan will soon get rid of that.

I know what you mean about your old treats not being as special as they were. I was quite naughty and had a Chinese takeaway last night. I would have had no issue in the past with shoveling the whole portion down my throat. Last night I couldn't even manage half of it before I was full!! Very pleased with that.

Anyway, I hope you have a lovely Christmas and don't feel too guilty about an occasional indulgence. We're only human.

Kev X

 

[Minnow]

Thanks Kev. I weighed myself the following day and the pound had already gone. Unfortunately since then a few more have crept on but it has been one heck of a week. Our beautiful granddaughter was born on Christmas Day so we had our little grandson staying with us, and he brought with him a d&v bug. I'm the only one in the house who hasn't gone down with it so I feel like I'm a dead man walking. It has been a crazy week and I've found it impossible to stick to plan. That worries me because if I can't get a grip on my emotional eating then I am forever doomed to fail. Anyway, things are calming down now, my focus is back and I'm treating today as day one again.

 

[Minnow]

I weighed myself this morning and I was two pounds down on yesterday. If only it was this easy all the time.

 

[Minnow]

As I started trying to lose weight on January 1st this year I just had to weigh myself today. I have lost exactly three stones, and twenty inches (which includes 7.5" off my waist). As I am an emotional eater and the year has included a house purchase, my daughter's wedding, a new grandchild and a knee op (that meant me being bored and inactive for a couple of months) I'm chuffed to bits with how I've done. I'd be thrilled to bits if I could do the same again in 2015.