Onwards and Downwards March 2012

[AB Editor]

Have to say a special THANK YOU to xsticher for those yummy recipes last month and thanks to maggiebee for the humorous poem.

March is a tough month, it can be easy to be good in January and February after the excesses of Christmas but keeping going can be tough.

Do you have any particular motivation tips we can share?

Here is last months thread

[Maydup]

((((Hugs Jan)))) sorry to hear you've had a horrible week and wish you a much better one to come.

[Maydup]

Thanks to you all and especially to Spotit3 for coming here with me for the first time last week, I have lost a whopping 6lbs this week.

Its the pattern for newbies I know but its mighty encouraging. Last week I weighted in the evening and this week I weighed this morning so I had to wait until tonight to weigh again to make sure it was still the same! And it was.

I'm not one to drink alcohol, I don't eat meat and I always have my 5 a day, but nevertheless I've been huge for ages now. I was getting down about it but still comfort eating on bread, cheese and biscuits. I couldn't face joining a slimming club, but coming here has had an unexpected and instant impact on my attitude. I seemed to have kicked the evening nibbling quite easily and moved at mealtimes over to cereal, rice, potatoes and noddles in place of bread, cheese, cakes and chocolate.

I've started to half a glass of grapefruit juice (thanks for that suggestion) in the evening where I might have reached for a biscuit and eaten a yoghurt when I'd have given in to chocolate. I haven't been hungry once but nor have I been perfect - I had a small piece of cherry cake to celebrate OH's birthday this week so I've kept it very real.

Once again, thank you everyone for being here and for sharing your experiences, it has made a life changing difference to me. I have a very long way to go but I'm delighted to have made a start at last.

[wendilla]

Jan sorry to read you have had a bad week. For weeks now you have done excellent in fact you are tops with the most weight loss. It is understandable that you are having a bad time but you know how to rectify it . You cannot undo all the good work you have done so hugs from me and I am sure you will get back on track. Good luck for next week. 2 good weeks and you will have rectified it so you have only fallen 2 weeks behind you can easily catch up. Onwards and Downwards

[wendilla]

Well done Maidup. Yes you certainly deserved that treat of cherry cake. It is nice to hear that we have been helping some people with ideas as we only give out suggestions that we have tried ourselves .Keep up the good work .

[Jan1957]

Thanks Maidup and well done you for keeping on the right track. Thanks wendilla, I know exactly what I have to do and this week has just been a bad blip. Will be back off the naughty step next week (I hope). xx

[spotit3]

Congratulations Maidup, you have done brilliantly!! You seem to be finding it quite easy too. Congrats to everyone who has lost this week and to anyone who hasn't tomorrow starts a new week so get stuck in again - not literally!

[BAKERS DOZEN]

Message to Maidup re exercise - I am the same as you and have never been in a gym in my life but took stock of myself at the beginning of the year and decided to do something about it. I found the above on Youtube and it is really basic and easy. There are more videos there as well and best of all they are all free. I have been counting calories since the start of the year and have lost 3st 2lb. I have not joined a slimming club but go to my practice nurse for regular weigh-ins and check ups. Starting was the hardest part but once you get going and start to see results it does spur you on. Have a lot more to lose yet but onwards and downwards my way of life now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm18EExPhWo&feature=related

[Maydup]

Just what I needed - thanks Bakers Dozen. I'll have a look for the other clips too. You never know I might even learn to enjoy it!

Congratulations to you on your acheivements so far, you're an inspiration, really you are.

[TheOtherHalf]

On the naughty step for another week. Half pound on. Not as bad as my scales showed though. Zumba again last night, tonight and Friday morning. And getting Strictly to It from now on. I have to lose thiese small amounts I keep putting back on.

Well done everyone. Keep going x

[wendilla]

Thank you for that Bakers Dozen. I too have never been a gym person but I will certainly be doing some of these.

[wendilla]

The otherhalf you will get there. I get a few weeks of staying the same and then a small gain but I get there in the end.

[xstitcher]

I'm going to incorporate those exercises into what I do already....Rosemary Connley's flat stomach book (red) Does anyone have an idea what you can use instead of weights...cans of soup maybee?????

[Lillymoon]

The Other Half.....you are doing Zumba right? Im just guessing, but if your building muscle up.....muscle weighs heavier than fat. Try measuring yourself, it might be your losing inches rather than weight?

Xstitcher.....yes cans of soup are good if your hands are big enough not to drop them, bit heavy on the old toes. I speak from experience!

Love the link! I always went into excersise far too fast and way too much
it just shows just a bit regularly is as good...if not better.

Ok now my turn......I have stayed the same for the second week running. Sigh.

Well done the losers......!!!

[xstitcher]

Don't give up Lillymoon....I know how frustrating it can be, but it is still better than going up. Have a look at what you are eating....are there some larger portions sneaking in....they are good sneakers, or something extra during the day???? Good luck next week.

[Lillymoon]

Thanx hun, yes there are sneakers. I really need to get tough with myself. As you say,its better than going up!

[wendilla]

Yes Lilymoon it's the little sneaky bits that do the damage. Have you tried a glass of unsweetened grapefruit juice in the mornings. That helps to break body fat up .I watch my bread intake as that is fatal for me. Good luck for next week.

[TheOtherHalf]

wendilla, You are saying what a few others have said, that I am building up muscle as I go to Zumba 3-4 times a week, plus I cycle and walk. Im quite active really which is why I cant understand why Ive put on weight over the last few years anyway. I often used to say to OH, I dont know what Id be like if I sat behind a desk all day which I did in my late teens and 20s and then I was 3 stone lighter. Its harder to get off as you get older anyway. My wedding dress in 1974 was size 10 and just over a year ago I was size 18 !! I can now get into size 12 or
14 so Im on the right track I know with inches but I still need to get rid of at LEAST another stone.
Well done Lilymoon for just staying the same. It does feel frustrating but IT IS better than going up. I found that small bottles of water were quite good as weights. You can just fill them to the weight you can manage.

Good luck everyone over the weekend

[wendilla]

Theotherhalf think you read it wrong I didnt say about building muscle that was Lilymoon and yes I agree with you it is harder to maintain your weight as you get older. Good luck for next week

[wendilla]

Theotherhalf reading your post again why do you want to lose another stone. What is your height? I know you know yourself what you are comfortable at but size 10 is nothing . lol . I am comfortable at 14 which I am at the moment but I do need another stone off so in saying that I guess I feel the same way as you.

[TheOtherHalf]

sorry wendilla about that wendilla. That reply should have been for Lilymoon.
Wendilla, I am only 5`.2". Over a year ago I started SW at 13 and half stone am now 11- 11and half. I really still have a way to go but would be quite happy just losing another stone but have been going up and down like a yoyo for a few months and cannot seem to get below 11 stone no matter what I eat or do