Weight Loss and Healthy Living #6 Tattlers Transformation

[Sven]

How long have you been weight training @Sven? I know that when I started my weight actually went up for weeks. (it is a real thing, when you start new or increase exercise your body holds on to more water. I will never understand the science but there is an excellent post on reddit about it if you Google PSA exercise).

I first started in April so I feel like it should have sorted itself by now

 

[hydeist]

Hello everyone! Day 1 calorie counting (again) for me. I have been like a yo-yo over the last year. I do well then fall off the band wagon at the slightest excuse ie a party, shift work, time of the month! My stats are 5ft6, and this morning I weighed 168.2lbs. Target weight is around 140lbs.

I'm a couple of days behind on the thread but I am posting just to say I'm coming from exactly where you are to where you're going! Same height, I started at 171lbs and I'm heading for 140-147 ideal weight. I've been stuck at 160 for about six weeks though - about to take a week away from the counting to go on a holiday and restart again when I'm back, hopefully that kick-starts me!

 

[xx3221]

Weeks 36-37: -3 lbs
Total: 5 stone 1 lbs (71 lbs)
BMI: 24.7

Got a bit emotional when I saw these numbers on the scale this morning!


Big thanks to everyone who's joined in on this thread, all the way back to the beginning. It's not easy, no matter what method you're using. My method has been calorie counting and walking for most of the year, with HIIT added in only recently to help tone up. I lost 2 lbs/week on average, sometimes 3 lbs, and as the weight dropped, sometimes 1 lb. If you're struggling, all I can say is keep coming back here. This place has been my main source of support and made all the difference!

I'm going to stick to my routine until October 1st, at which point I'll switch over to maintenance mode for the rest of the year. Nine months is a long time to be on a diet and I can feel my body telling me it's time for a break! My goal will be to end the year around the same weight and then tackle the last 13 or so lbs.

Well done you! I have a question if that’s ok - what did you do on the weekends? I’m okay in the week, but in the weekends I eat everything

 

[Officedoor123]

Oooh, I've never seen TDEE before. Is it reputable? I've just worked mine out and as Im working from home and quite sedentary it's giving me 2.032 calories a day, BMR is 1,693 a day.

Im currently using NutraCheck and aiming for 1800 a day. I'm losing a pound a week ish (when I stick to it).

Any advice please?

Sorry, should have read more of the TDEE page! My cutting calories are 1500 a day, so best I get cutting!

 

[Scotty06]

If you're on a local faceook page see if you can get a few others to join you, it makes it easier to stick to it if you're lacking willpower

Thank you, I will have a look

 

[WilmaHun]

I wish I could not have snacks in the house, but I think my partner would have a complaint to make about that He's one of those reaaaaaaaaalllllly annoying people who can eat whatever they want and never put any weight on. I can't remember the last time I saw him eat a piece of fruit or a vegetable, he lives on junk! So I'm up against it a bit having someone living with me who eats crap all the time, it's sooo hard to have the will power not to just have the same as him

 

[anon0503]

MFP gives most women 1200 as standard, but if is too low for most people. If you look up TDEE and use a calculator online (there are lots) and take off 500 calories a day to lose roughly 1lb a week. (500 x 7 days a week roughly equals 1lb of fat).

I will look that up, thank you!

I use my Samsung phone and regularly push a buggy . Use Samsung health app.
Only managed 6 k steps yesterday as was so hot.
Really want be productive around the house today as its a mess.

I have the Samsung health app on my phone but it says I've only taken 1.3k steps but a pedometer from the app store says 8k which is more accurate not sure if I'm doing anything wrong with it! I have the galaxy watch but it's a bit pointless wearing it with the pushchair.

MFP always suggested 1200 to me as well… and then I’d try snd play a game to try and get under it

This is what I'm doing at the moment, I feel guilty when I go over the 1,200 and I don't think it's healthy

It shouldn’t be a one size fits all for calories, which is how these calorie tracking app treats it!

Everyone’s maintenance calories will be different, everyone’s BMR will be different and the amount of calories you’re eating should never fall below your BMR.

Always use a TDEE Calculator to work out your maintenance calories and go from there as others suggest, it needs to be tailored to you as a person.

Do TDEE calculators take into account your BMR? Going to use one now!

 

[Sven]

Been eating so well this week, trying to stay off the wine for a bit to really get my arse in gear. Last night had 3 wines and dinner in a Thai restaurant!

I know one day won't ruin it but I wish I had more willpower!

Sometimes you’ve just got to enjoy it! Sounds lovely )

 

[smellsofbiscuits]

Sorry for the waffle but I read about a specific calorie calculator on one of these threads. Now I cannot remember what it was called Something Estimated Something Calculator? I liked it as it suggested I needed 2000 calories a day to lose weight instead of MFP's usual 1200 for everyone.

 

[Moonflower]

Has anyone tried any of Caroline Girvan’s YouTube workouts?

Yes! I've done epic 1 and on day 40 of epic 2. She's brilliant

 

[Pinkoctopus]

I know exactly what you mean. I felt bad too and like you it was circumstances. I was homeschooling but not working. I've had a couple of people tell me I made them feel inadequate (which was horrible and I felt awful).


Hi @Pinkoctopus which app are you using? Maybe you could start by tracking what you eat normally for a week before you jump into calorie counting to get used to the app etc. It's a little eye opening when you realise how many calories are in certain things!

Then maybe start to calorie count a healthy breakfast and do a meal at a time? Add more vegetables to your evening meal, a glass of water with every meal? I've found that the small changes are the ones that stick the most.

I think you just have to trust it and give it a good amount of time (at least six weeks, I say this because for me the scales didn't budge for 4 weeks and I could have given up at that point but I didn't). It absolutely works, I promise. I've lost 3 stone all calorie counting. Once you get in the swing of it just becomes part of your day. People say to me, oh I couldn't do that it takes too long but honestly it takes me about 3 minutes a day, because after a year I have all my recipes saved, I tend to eat a variety of the same meals etc etc.

thank you for replying! I have nutracheck, I have been familiarising myself with the app (I like that they do more UK based shops MFP just didn’t make sense to me I really didn’t like it

 

[rivermonster]

I must admit that I used to batch cook years ago, back when it was just the two of us. It was manageable but I used to always find excuses not to do it I do have the fear that I accidentally make the children ill if I batch cook and don't freeze/defrost things properly. It's not as bad this time round but I was awful with my eldest.

I do love a big plate of roasted veg. I have a Morrisons click & Collect booked for tomorrow so might nip on and see if they do a Wonky Box at that store. If someone else chooses for me then I'm more likely to cook it, if that makes sense!

Thank you for your advice and kind words x



See, we eat so much processed food that I can't give it to the baby. That's why I need to change my eating habits too so I can feed the children better.



My mum bought me a slow cooker when I finished uni ten years ago (!) and I was a pretty faithful user. However recipes I've recently made have not gone down well with my eldest so I stopped using it. Can you leave a pressure cooker unattended, like you would with a slow cooker?

The eldest is back at nursery soon so that does buy me extra time to throw ingredients together before I head out the door to collect him. I could weep for the days when I just had one kid and claimed I had no time

Yes with the electric pressure cooker the joy is leaving them once everything is in there. Just as an easy example I put brown rice in along with water, turn it on and know that 22 mins later there will be fluffy rice. Dhal takes 10 mins plus release time of 10 mins. When I am on my laptop will post you a cooking sheet. Pity there is no private messaging on here.

 

[bellinibobble]

Woohoooo thanks for replying

You’re very welcome!

 

[Notworthy]

Sorry for the waffle but I read about a specific calorie calculator on one of these threads. Now I cannot remember what it was called Something Estimated Something Calculator? I liked it as it suggested I needed 2000 calories a day to lose weight instead of MFP's usual 1200 for everyone.

Google TDEE and it'll come up

 

[Lalalala1212]

Calories will depend on your current weight and height, plus your level of activity - it varies per person. If you look up a TDEE calculator online you can put all your stats in and it will come up with a number for you. Whatever your maintenance number of calories is, you need to subtract 500 from that daily number to lose 1lb a week, or 1000 a day to lose 2lb (that’s what I’m doing).

Thank you!

 

[hrh89]

Well done! One day at a time, and we’re all here if you need some help/ a sounding board

aw thank you.

 

[Sven]

If you're not 'eating back your calories' at all, I think that's probably why you're so darn hungry, as your deficit is going to be far greater than is advised - if you were just existing, 1500 could be enough - but you aren't; you're running around after a 3 year old AND exercising AND weight training, which will also increase your need. If you did 200 kcals walking and 200 weight training, for example, you're already lower than 1200, which isn't taking into account the daily running around/cleaning/cooking/playing/park which will burn even more; add to that any increase due to increase muscle mass and your deficit could be far, far too great.

Just try more water and more good food for a couple of days - you'll feel better and it could even give a boost to the strength training.

I wear my Apple Watch and it doesn’t seem to think I burn more than 5 or 600 cals a day. That’s my move one so includes exercise and my movement. I thought that watched etc tended to overestimate as well. When I do my strength training (20 mins at least a day as I often do 10 mins walking/exercise getting to and from work and running about the house) it only registers that I’ve burned about 30ish calories. I’m not sure whether that’s the truth or just the watch or whatever. This is all really difficult to figure out! No wonder I’ve struggled all of my life.
while I’m putting on muscle, I’m not sure I’m actually losing fat. I just don’t know what to do!

 

[simonsays]

This paper is looking at different variables. It doesn't assess the effect of not eating gluten on the body, which is what the papers I saw were assessing, so not really comparable. The link between the gluten free diet and the 'heathy dietary pattern' also seems dubious to me. Here they defined this as 'higher consumption of fruit, vegetables and lower consumption of dairy products, salty/sweet and fatty foods and alcohol.' I haven't got time to read this paper in full at the moment but I imagine it would be very difficult to guard against confounding factors here e.g. how many of those people already ate this way?
Worth pointing out that they also found these people were more likely to be female (haven't looked for this, but a sensible guess is that women are probably more likely to buy into fad diets because of ED culture) and people with a lower educational level (who might not know how to assess the evidence).

Here's one paper which is open access:

Cutting out gluten where not clinically indicated can result in a decrease in fiber consumption, potential decreases in mineral and vitamin consumption, including calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B12, folate, and vitamin D, and potentially increased exposure to dietary hydrogenated and saturated fatty acids, and arsenic

There are always going to be variables in everyone's lifestyle and diet. Hard to pinpoint sometimes what makes the difference. It is fairly explicit when it states that 'a healthy dietary pattern was positively associated with total gluten avoidance'. This shows that taking into account variables following a gluten free diet was healthy.

Yes, I take your point about gender and lifestyle. I think around 80% of vegetarians and vegans are female, for example. I imagine many people who follow a gluten free diet already lead a fairly healthy lifestyle and many would probably be female.

I also accept that there are concerns about following a gluten free diet. You need to make sure you take in grains from other sources. Do your own research and talk to nutritionists! I understand you seem unsure about nutritionists and that is your choice. Look for qualifications and find reviews on them like you would if seeing a physio, for example.

 

[Sven]

I had a day like that yesterday. By 1000 calories I was full. I'd had fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, chicken salad for lunch and cod and veg for dinner.
Made some yoghurt, fruit and nuts for pudding to push calories up but found it really difficult to eat when I wasn't hungry.

It is hilarious to me that before I would have cried and cried about only eating 1500 but now I’m struggling to eat more than that.

 

[so_u_thinkimskinnyyy]

This is crazy! I feel like I’ve got a motivation buddy now as our goal is pretty much identical

yey! oh that makes me happy, we’ve got this!’