Team UK - August2010

TMLS

Hello, I'm new - ok if I join up? I'll do my story as quick as possible as it's in greater detail in my profile and blog... I'm male, was 26 stone this time last year, got diagnosed with diabetes at christmas after I'd dropped to 24st7lb for no reason, am now 18st10ish - 82lbs lost since Christmas, since I don't count that first couple of stone or so as I wasn't trying.

I lost about 9lbs last month and have lost about 7 so far this month. I walk a lot, and go to the gym a few times a week. I don't follow a particular diet, I just try to eat well and after initially controlling my calories I stopped doing so between February and last week, until I found this place and started doing it properly.

That should condense it nicely, look forward to meeting some more fellow brits!

sdscouser

Welcome to the group TMLS.

nessaj

Hi all

I've been having a really great month so far. Have lost about 5lb so makes my total almost 10lb since I started at MFP towards the end of July so I'm feeling very happy and motivated. I've also found an acceptance of the gym. I used to hate going and would just walk on the treadmill (I've always had a bit of a dodgy knee from an old skiing injury so haven't done things that I thought would hurt it), but I've pushed myself up to doing 18 mins on the cross trainer and 65 mins on the exercise bike in the same session some days.

I have found some giant white chocolate buttons (from Montezumas yummy!) which are a great mini treat. If I have 3 of them they are only 22 calories and that just curbs my sweet cravings.

I now have an issue in that on Sunday I am flying over to Chicago to stay with my best friend and her family for a week. She knows I've been losing weight so hopefully we'll be able to cook some healthy dishes but my biggest problem is around the flights. My husband isn't coming with me so I'm going to be let loose (and bored) at Heathrow for 3 hours before a daytime 8 hour flight and I'm really going to have to push myself hard not to succumb to the piles and piles of chocolates available. Eeek, I'm sure I'll be able to cope.

queenmedusa

Well Nessaj if I were you I'd just enjoy walking around and looking at all the expensive stuff I can't afford to buy! Or watch the planes flying about. Def more fun than eating chocolate (and I'm being serious!) V jealous of you going on your trip so hope you have lots of fun and healthy food!

James - don't put so much pressure on yourself hon. You've done amazingly well so far and are bound to plateau at some point so any loss is good but concentrate on being fit and healthy rather than the numbers :flowerforyou:

I'm about to have a 'naughty' couple of days as I'll be out and about with family tomorrow and having a girls night out with my best mate on Friday. Am going to aim for the healthiest options (whilst not feeling like I'm depriving myself or being boring) and reassure myself that I can repair the damage next week. Hope everyone else has a good few days (and hi to all the new newbies!)

James_H

Nice to hear everyone's success stories - but just as nice in a different way to hear where people have slipped up, it makes me feel I'm not alone!

After a couple of weeks of being stuck on 6lbs loss, I finally went in the right direction this week and lost half a pound. Not exactly happy with that though, when I still have a fair bit to go. Still, people are starting to comment that my face looks thinner, which is nice even if my jeans aren't fitting any better!

My problem has been that I moved to London about a month ago and have been catching up a lot with old friends. One of my friends likes to play golf, which is a big positive, as it burns a surprising number of calories. Unfortunately, the others like to go out for dinner and drinks, which pretty much negates all the goodness of the golf!

I'm ok with dinner because I try to pick the healthiest option (normally some kind of fish or chicken, avoid creamy sauces!) but there's inevitably a bottle of wine or two as well, after which comes the inability to resist dessert, and then the munchies on the way home (damn you, 24-hour McDonalds!)

So I'm mostly being ok (and god knows, if I wasn't being mostly ok I would have PILED it on in the last month...) but I just need to work that extra bit harder to really make this happen. And I do want to!

James

sdscouser

Well just thought I would drop in and say hi to everyone and glad to see that people are using this place to find the support and motivation they need.

I'm off for a few weeks now on holiday, so I have a challenge of balancing the fun things with the healthy living I am trying to reach.

I hope you all have a good few weeks and that you will all continue to work towards you goals for the month. I have read that some of you feel that you really struggling this month but dont worry we all have times when we struggle and think is it all worth it, believe me it is. The main thing is to stay focussed you CAN do it.


Good luck.

Steve

Matt_S_1978

My first weigh in day tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing what kind of drop (if any). I spent loads of money the other day on food and thought I was doing myself a favour buying certain foods but turns out there quite bad for you. Particularly peppered mackerel filltes which I thouht were really good for you but are really high in calories and fat. Boo

James_H

My first weigh in day tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing what kind of drop (if any). I spent loads of money the other day on food and thought I was doing myself a favour buying certain foods but turns out there quite bad for you. Particularly peppered mackerel filltes which I thouht were really good for you but are really high in calories and fat. Boo

Isn't it "good" fat though? Not saturated fat. I'm pretty sure the oils in mackerel actually are really good for you.

On another note, I just went back through my diary and although I've mostly stayed within my calories every day for the last week, I've gone over on Sat Fat and sodium several times - and it just generally looks like the diary of someone that eats healthy all day and then ruins it all by eating crap last thing at night.

Must do better!

Matt_S_1978

It might well be which is why I am not that overly worried it was just a shock to see 300 cals appear for 100g of the mackerel.

James_H

Yeah, I was the same when I looked at olive oil!

Trying to put as little as possible in my meals now...

emc2003

Hi everyone,

It's great to read how everyone is getting on. My biggest downfall is if I have something 'naughty' I think I've blown it and continually eat until bedtime. I really need to sort that out!

Anyway, 1st weigh in today and I have lost 3lb. That was my target for the end of August, so I'm hoping to lose another 2lb now.

MistahLee31

Hey all,

Hope everyone is okay. Not been on here recently, been absolutely snowed under with work as there are lots of people off, plus I've had a few things going on like looking for houses as we're due to move soon. I've still been trying to eat healthily and stick to this mini detox.

I'm away next weekend in Wembley for the Challenge Cup Final as Warrington are playing, so thinking of doing another detox next week to get my weight down before going away, as I'm bound to be stocking up on the alcohol!!

Good luck to everyone for whatever targets they have, and I'll try and post more regularly soon!

Cheers

Lee.

Matt_S_1978

First weigh in tonight after the gym. I wonder what the results will be.

Matt_S_1978

I didn't lose any weight but that I think is due to buliding muscle mass. We shall see next week.

kpnuts23

Juuust checking in... Ive been about... i had a really good week food wise this week... but last night i totally ruin it by having the binge of my life... you name it i ate it!! lol ok NOT that bad.. but it was a lotta biscuits and brownies... maybe some icecream thrown into the mix..!! Anyways... ive accepted my actions and im going to the gym today, eating well and having a low cal chinese tonight..! lol if they are low cal! haha

Anywhoo I will log on tomorrow and chat properly... hoping to get to the gym then!

Lovies x x x x

Plantpot

A big hello to my old and new friends!!!

Not posted for a while as mad busy. Had my hen do in Ibiza, which was amazing. The wedding is 3 weeks today so manic at the mo getting everything sorted!!!

Was 10.3 this am which I am pleased with. My heaviest is 12. So am gonna work really hard now. Not done any exercise for a while as had a bad ankle but am gonna get back into it, and will just have to deal with the pain!!

Planning to do Mels Amazing Detox again from Monday, so fingers crossed for good results!!!

I would be happy to be 9.10 for the wedding, which I think is achievable. The lady at the dress shop said brides naturally loose weight from stress and adrenalin, so fingers crossed!!! Ha ha!!!

Good luck with your goals everyone and keep up the good work.

xx

yvonnej1

Finally got round to clothes shopping today. First pair of size 10 trousers I tried on fitted great but I decided to try some different ones as I wanted pockets. Sooo I tried them on in a 10 and they were too big! I have ended up with a pair of size 8 trousers :laugh: I think it's just because the style came up bigger but hey it made my day. I've gone from bulging out of a size 12 to fitting nicely in a size 8-10 in 4 months :bigsmile:

beckiboo

Yvonne - congratulations! That's fab!

Plantpot - what does the detox entail? I'm thinking of doing one. Good luck with it x

Kpnuts - I ate a big bar of galaxy yesterday. Oh the shame! I wasn't hungry after though so didn't have dinner, so I was under my cals for the day - but not the healthiest ways to go about it! I've been clearing out the house for a boot fair today, so hopefully I've burnt a fair few calories doing that.

Mat - I'm sure you've been putting on muscle. Have you measured yourself so you can compare instead of relying on the scales?

Matt_S_1978

I don't have a measure. Will do after pay day.

I had a bad day today on the calories and carbs. Had to go dentist today so didn't ride to and from work today so no exercise at all today. Will hit gym tomorrow hard !!

lilmissy2

Hi Everyone!

James, you thought you wouldn't make it last month and YOU DID IT!! Try to remember that to motivate you

Nessaj, usually when I fly I try not to eat anything before I go to the airport (which just about kills me because I hate travelling on an empty stomach on the train or whatever) then I have a cup of tea and some toast and a little scrambled eggs in one of the little cafes there. Makes me feel like I still get to have something but distracts me from all the naughty stuff that I might have as a snack if I had already eaten. Have a good trip :flowerforyou:

Mat, try not to be too discouraged. To be honest it took me quite a while to get into the swing of things... which is just always the way my body is. But if you stick with it, eventually the results will come. Oh and I love smoked mackeral too... I try to use just one fillet and chop it up and use it for a pasta sauce or something so I can still taste it and it doesn't seem as 'small'. But yes, you are right it is very good fat, full of omega 3s but it will still pile the cals on if you don't watch the portions.

I lost 1.7lbs this week and I'm ok with that although I was hoping for more after a small loss last week. I'm starting to settle in my job which helps but I've only got 2 weeks left and then I'm off somewhere else haha always the way!

I'm headed to Nice for 4 days straight after the job for a conference but I think I will probably do ok with food since i will be there on my own. I'm much worse when I'm with my fiance and go out for tea and stuff.

Then, I have a renal dietitian job in Wales that is looking promising but they need to check that they have the right amount of funding for it so fingers crossed for me!

Happy to be back in London for the weekend, although wishing there was a bit more sun! What is everyone up to this weekend?

:flowerforyou:

lucy9994

Hellooooo the Uk!
I'm new and one of you kindly saw my 'confused goal' posting and recommended Londonite me to here. Phew! Completely inspired by how much everyone has lost, but equally relieved to read the 'naughties'! I've gathered an unwelcome and lumpy extra stone over the last couple of years, I guess through general slippage into oversized portions, lack of exercise and one glass of wine never quite being enough! The final 6 lbs only loaded on about 4 weeks ago, after a particularly well catered shoot I worked on. So when the scales shot up, so suddenly did my head - out of the sand that is, and possessed with unbridled determination and powered by shame, I vowed to change. No longer would I listen to anyone who said I was fine as I was. I'm tallish and darn good at the whole big tops over jeggings disguise thang. I mean how were they to know about the dreaded bulging muffin top that lurked beneath! So here I am, having taken drastic action, beginning to see some hope (as well as a surprising emergence of something resembling tummy muscle!). The goal: a stone in 6/8 weeks. So far the gym actually recognises my face rather than a wasted direct debit. I trot or stagger in at some ungodly hour 4 mornings a week. I spent a revealing hour with a hypnotherapist to get my head in gear andsentenced my diet to 4 weeks of 'bodychef' deliveries. Just for good measure I bought a cold turkey pack - inspired idea - and proudly wear my bracelet, tick off the days on the cold turkey chart I downloaded. 12 days in, all was going swimmingly until my body completely revolted. I think it decided that meat deprivation (I signed up for the detox) was a step too far. The loo became decidedly over familiar. Before I knew it, I became a diet escapee and was found with a bunch of work friends in the local wine bar consuming volumes of wine and chorizo, pate and dream of dreams...fluffy White french bread. Bliss! Up went the line by 1.5 lbs on the MFP progress weight chart app and I hung my head in shame (and hangover) all day yesterday as I slopped back to the diet. Still, changed off the detox and onto 1200 caps a day package and rejoiced at the sight of previously forbidden goodies - ham, cheese and even a breadstick! The scales have slipped back down (6 lbs lost and it's day 15) so I guess no serious damage done and hey, a girls gotta live. I have to go it alone without the help of bodychef in a week, and this app is already a gosend and will undoubtedly become more so. What I hadn't bargained on, through my mad headlong rush into healthier ways, was the support from this site. Thanks to all those who post here and travel this funny ol' calorie controlled road. Lucy x

jodie_t

ooo I only just noticed this! Team UK <<cheer>> :drinker:
Can I play ?

What are the rules?

I need to lose about 15lb but it doesn't get easier mid life, your bod *really* doesn't wanna let it go :sad:



BTW how do you post picson these threads, anyone?

lucy9994

Hi jodie, No idea how you add the pics (only just cracked a smiley!) as i'm a bit new too. However, I do share same weight loss goal. 15lbs. I've shed 6 lbs in just over 2 weeks - bit of roller coaster though (as per previous overly long post) so 9 lbs still to go. You're so right - was easy in my 20's but much harder now. Seems a long way to go until you read how much so many on this site have lost. Inspiring stuff. Anyway, loads of luck with your goal lucy

yvonnej1

Jodie and Lucy (hope I got your names right!) think we all joined MFP for the same reasons. Much to my surprise I've managed to lose my weight despite thinking it was impossible since I hit 30! I've found that it wasn't necessarily what I was eating but how much. I started weighing things like pasta and rice and realised that I was cooking nearly twice as much for myself as I should have done. I've also been super good and prepared food to take into work rather than ending up eating sandwiches and crisps, this has also meant I've been eating breakfast as not being a morning person I could never face eating before I left for work.

Lucy, if you haven't already, I'd suggest getting some digital scales so you can weigh food once you are cooking for yourself. I'm sure you'll be fine without bodychef. IMO it's all about making small but sustainable lifestyle changes so we can meet our goals but also keep the weight off long term. Good luck :happy:

James501

Just to prove i aint out i will post at 00.17 am lol First time in 4 weeks i haven't been drinking on a saturday night

Have had a great week and soooooooooooooooo want the next 5 weeks to fly by with the same result as i have had the last 8 weeks. Not long now and every goal i set back in August 2009 will be completed.
Don't want to start my emotional thank you to everone just yet but when you can see the goal weight it feels so good, Just the pick up i need.:happy:
Anyway 5 weeks of hard work before my weight is what i will be happy with.

In my personal life have had some great news this week, i am going to be an uncle.

Welcome newbies this is by far the best ever turn out for team UK. One final push everyone before end of month check in. Good luck xxx

queenmedusa

Congratulations James! Great news on all levels. You'll be down to your goal weight in no time and will be fit and healthy and energetic when your niece or nephew arrives

Have just had breakfast and looking forward to a brisk walk down to my parents house in a while. Thankfully the sun is shining as I have to carry their anniversary gift which weighs 4kg (I may or may not take their marble pestle and mortar which I need to return!) Have been off programme since Thursday so I really feel like I need the exercise as my system feels sluggish. Am being a good girl and taking a birthday box of chocs into the office tomorrow as I don't want to eat them myself (think there's about 40chocs in the box! Eek!) Have decided not to weigh in until next Saturday as I want my body to get back to where it was on Wednesday (according to the scale this morning I've gained 5lbs in 4days!)

Gonna make a nice fruit salad and some houmous and crudites for lunch tomorrow to get some healthy stuff back in my body and start to cleanse. As well as lots of water of course! :bigsmile:

Hope everyone else has had a great weekend.

wizzywig

Hi everyone

Welcome Lucy and Jodie I'm quite new to this site too. Good Luck with your goals.

Well done Yvonne Size 10 too big. :flowerforyou: I can only dream of fitting into size 10 but I suppose it is something to aim for.

I agree that it is harder to lose weight the older you get. My weight gain snuck up on me in my 40s so now I need to get it under control. Unfortunately in my battle "weight" is winning at the moment it has joined up with "lack of willpower" and between them they are giving me a good pasting. I am trying not to be discouraged though and have asked "determination" to help me but he's a bit fickle and comes and goes :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

Congrats James on the news you are to be an uncle, and well done on your good week, hope the next are as good for you.

Queenmedusa I'm sure the weight gain will soon go once you start back on the programme and good on you taking the chocs in to work.

Better go just noticed the time and I haven't started on dinner yet so better get a move on.

Have a good Sunday.

sim247

Hope everyone is having a good weekend and for once, the sun is shining!

I am happy for those of you who have done well this week. And for those of you like me who haven't had the best of weeks, tomorrow is the start of a new week. I have had a really bad week (in my personal life) so I am really grateful for my mfp friends who were so supportive and kept me going when I could quite easily have given up. I lost 1lb this week and was pleased because I wasn't expecting a weight loss and almost didn't weigh myself.

I am back at work a week on Wednesday so would love to lose a few more pounds by then! Might have to buy some new work trousers though.......

Kellbro

HI ALL

IM A NEWBIE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO USING THE SITE REGULARLY AND UPDATING MY PROGRESS.
HERES TO BEING SUCCESSFUL

James_H

Monday morning weigh in and I've finally busted through the plateau I'd hit after my first week - I was stuck on 182 for about 3 weeks but I'm finally down to 180.

Still some way to go but I'm glad to finally see some results! Have done more exercise this week (even if it was only walking most days) and I wasn't exactly perfect every day, but it just goes to show that even if you do go over one day it doesn't ruin your entire week!

James