From UK.....new member feeling like a frump!!

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  • fat_harrie
    fat_harrie Posts: 59 Member
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    Well i've been using MFP for 2 weeks but only just discovered the message boards! Can't believe all this is free when I was considering paying £18 to join Closer diets for basically the same thing!

    Anyway, my stats......5'7, 200 lbs (yes I know!) and going on holiday in 4 weeks, now this is what instigated this whole diet thing but I am not expecting miracles in this short time but would like to feel at least a little better in my bikini by that time. But anyway, i have been eating about 1200 cals per day as per MFP but not really seeing any results yet.......i have done some exercise, mainly in the form of Jillian Michaels 30 day shred which is fantastic by the way!

    Do you think i am following the right procedure and should just stick it out? I would have liked to of at least lost 1lb by now!! I just feel like an ugly fat heffa and dreading the though of lying next to my 3 skinny friends on holiday ( one of which has lost alot of weight recently herself so i know she will be throwing it in my face)!! Girls huh, we are never happy!!

    Anyway, good to be here and have some support! Xxxx

    This was exactly the same as me! I'm 5'8 and my start weight was 199lbs. I lost most of my weight on the 2/3 week I dropped quite a bit! It just took some time for my body to stop freaking out! I have recently stepped it up again as I have maintained for the past month (I got lazy!) and it has started to shift. The trick is to make sure you get sweaty from doing an activity every day. When I started, I hated it and felt really embarrassed, but the results are paying off. Little by little and never feel bad about maintaining or a 'little' loss. It's movement in the right direction and you are doing great just by giving it a go!

    Feel free to add me if you want! All the best!
    X
  • Frankii_x
    Frankii_x Posts: 238
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    Hi Hun!

    I'm from York so not far from you at all :)

    I definitely found increasing my calories helped (sounds bizarre I know) but I set mine to 1575 (I was originally 199lbs and I'm now at 177lbs) and that helped kick start the losing - particularly if you're doing the 30DS you'll be burning quite a lot of calories and your body can go into starvation mode and retain water and fat etc :)

    Feel free to add me if you need a friend x
  • fat_harrie
    fat_harrie Posts: 59 Member
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    Sorry, forgot to say! Lol! I'm from London!
  • sarahf3092
    sarahf3092 Posts: 147 Member
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    See you have mentioned that you are trying 5:2 - how you finding it? I do the 5:2 and it has started my loss again after putting on more weight. Anyway - feel free to add me if you like.

    And welcome :)
  • xampx
    xampx Posts: 323 Member
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    I think generally, eat more, drink more and cut out salty foods.

    I am 5ft 4 & about 200lbs so not too far off you. I aim for 1650 calories a day PLUS all my exercise calories, I do heavy weight lifting 2-3 times a week and I am steadily losing about 1lb a week, sometimes more sometimes less. You should at least be dropping water weight in your first couple of weeks. I didn't look too closely at your diary but I would definitely up your water intake. Especially if you are exercising.
  • plummersmate
    plummersmate Posts: 30
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    Hi, (Yorkshire female living in Hampshire, UK). Have you tried measuring various parts of your body. I've found that when I don't actually lose any weight the tape measure tells me something completely different. Remember muscle weighs more than fat. I measure chest, below chest, waist, hips, widest point, widest point top and bottom of each arm,widest part of both thighs and calves. I run regularly so don't always see any weight loss but measuring every couple of weeks keeps me motivated.
  • echippendale
    echippendale Posts: 66
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    Hi hun im Emma, 29 from lancashire . You can do it hun, if i can you can,im also 5ft7 i ws 219lb, Nov 2012 id got down to 173lbs, im currently 158lbs. Ive baisically done it by cutting portion size down and becoming more active. im now eating a lot more healthly and feeling brilliant for it. As you can see by my diary i dont deprive my self of anything. i believe in everything in moderation.

    I do at least 30mins exercise 5 days a week. I mainly do workouts off you tube , im loving tae bo,dancing ,zumba even walking,also done some 30day shred.

    Dont give up , you will soon be smiling when you see the results. also take your measurements dont just rely on the scales . feel free to add me,that goes to anybody :)

    for got to say i started off at 1200 cals, i ate back at least half my exercise calories. i then realised i was actually netting under 1200 cals so ive upped it to 1530 ,that way i wont go under 1200 if i cant eat all my calories.
  • Sarah_L_S
    Sarah_L_S Posts: 121
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    Hello and welcome to MFP! Lots of advice and support here :-)

    I had a quick look at your diary and would recommend the following:
    1) It's painful, but itemise the foods in your meals - 'roast chicken dinner' had zero carbs/protein/sugar etc. Separate items, so ou can see what you are actually eating, not just calories
    2) Try to cut out all the highly processed/salty snacks (pringles, snack-a-jack) - see other posters' comments about sodium/water retention
    3) Aim to get your sugar intake lower - get more energy from veg than fruit for example
    4) Drink lots of water
    5) Weigh your food - you will be amazed at how wrong guesstimates can be. Afterf a while you will recognise what 40g of oats looks like etc, but useful to do this at first.

    Sarah
  • Tazzymk
    Tazzymk Posts: 45 Member
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    Welcome. I from the UK too and have sent a friend request. After quick view of your diary I would recommend increasing you protein intake. Thats what made the difference for me. In fact because I ate so much bread, pasta and potatoes I cut them out completely for 2 weeks and introduced them slow back in at a reduced amount and that really kick started my weight loss. I would also increase your cals to at least 1400.

    There is so much info on here so take the time to look around.
  • crafty30
    crafty30 Posts: 132 Member
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    Hiya and welcome!

    I’m from the UK too, nice to see some more British faces!
    You absolutely can do this, don’t feel disheartened that you haven’t lost anything yet, It took me about a month before I started losing any weight and seeing results..
    It is unfortunately a lot to do with diet, about 80% diet and 20% exercise! I think what really did it for me was cutting out processed food..I really saw good results with this, I then started excercising daily and once I got into the routine of it started to really enjoy it!
    Is there any particular exercise or sport you enjoy? I discovered a love of running (Although my back didn’t!! ) and Zumba and pilates…Find something you enjoy, it will make it so much easier!
    Anyway, feel free to add me if you want support, I am on here most days!
    Good luck!
    xx
  • michybee86
    michybee86 Posts: 12
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    Wow thanks everyone for your kind words and support, i literally just finished a session of 30ds and feeling good but thinking about lunch.....hmmmm what to have. Lol.

    Sarah thanks for the tips and advice and i know your right, especially with the snack a jacks but my one big weakness is crisps and i dont think i can quite live without them....and snack a jacks kind of satisfy that craving without making me totallllly guilty, i still try not to eat them all the time but hey noone is perfect!

    Have accepted most friend requests so thanks all, reallly overwhelmed by this place and still can't believe its free!!

    I took my measurements last friday but was advised not to measure every week, rather every 2 weeks as i might be disappointed if i dont see any difference, what are your thoughts/experience with this?

    The 5:2 diet is going well, the first fast day wasnt quite as hard as i imagined. I have decided my next fast day will be Sunday as i dont have anything on that day and i find it easier to fast when not out or visiting friends/family etc. i kind of just hibernate for the day, do the ironing or something or housework, anything to take my mind off the food, and drink lots of water!!

    Tomorrow is my weigh in day.........i will let you all know if i lost anything, 2 weeks in and nothing so far so fingers crossed!!!

    Xxx
  • kendrafallon
    kendrafallon Posts: 1,030 Member
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    Shocking!! So many Brits and no mention of the Team UK group http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/150-team-uk :tongue:

    From Leicester here.
    Have accepted most friend requests so thanks all, reallly overwhelmed by this place and still can't believe its free!!
    Easily done! Go slow and take your time, there are a load of different ways to lose weight and get fit, it's just a case of finding what works for you.

    Wishing you all the best! :drinker:
  • pyrowill
    pyrowill Posts: 1,163 Member
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    Welcome, consider your life changed for the better.
  • joyfuljoy65
    joyfuljoy65 Posts: 317 Member
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    Hi - from the UK too - welcome to MFP.

    If you log everything that you eat (whats the point of not putting it down, you know you ate it and you are only kidding yourself!) and keep to the weekly calories allocated (some days you can eat more as most days we all aim to be under!) then you will lose weight. I have found this the easiest weight loss method ever - and I have tried them all!

    Put your lifestyle as sedentary, put in the exercise you do and eat back those calories to keep to a healthy level (ie. above 1200). If you put down that you do 3 x 30 mins of exercise a week in your goals, MFP already builds these calories into your daily amount, so if you eat them back you are eating them twice!!

    I don't do much exercise, due to health issues that losing this weight will hopefully be part of the resolution, and I have lost over 50 lb in total (was 234lb to start with and now am 182lb (5'9")) just by doing all of the above. Ok its taken me 10 months - but its never going on again, and I am never yo yo dieting again. (Yes I know NEVER is a dangerous word, but that is my intention and I am not even going to contemplate anything else).

    Add me as a friend if you wish - I log in every day :D and all the best with your journey to the place where you are happy with your body.
  • MsEmmy
    MsEmmy Posts: 254 Member
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    You'll get all different kinds of advice, just pick what you feel works for you. I'm back on here after a few months off and have lost 5lbs in about a month and to be honest I was a bit half assed so could have done better!

    I'm doing 30DS (but not every day) but I do eat all my exercise cals back otherwise I'd be starving (when I do this and don't go over cals it DOES work and I usually lose 1.5-2lbs per week.) I also walk a few dogs each day so I log the exercise for the faster ones and eat that back. The reason I haven't lost more weight is cos I have gone properly over my cals quite a few times! However I've got my eyes on the prize now and am sticking to it..

    Personally, I wouldn't do the fasting thing, especially while you are doing other new stuff - for one thing you will have a lot of variables and won't be able to work out which bit isn't working if you don't lose. The other thing is fasting. I would be a NASTY woman if I had no food:laugh: :laugh:

    I'm currently 184 and hoping to be at least 170 when I go on holiday in two months, and then eventually get to 145/150. Feel free to add me - I do log on every day even if I ate one too many cookies:ohwell:

    Edited to add: I'm from near Liverpool
  • cambridgeacademic
    cambridgeacademic Posts: 1
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    Hia! :smile:

    I know what you mean about following the plan and not seeing results but I guess it took many months to put it on and it will take just as long to take it off. My estimated time for my goal of 143 pounds isn't until next january! :cry:

    I am not seeing many results on the scales and I started healthy eating plan a month ago and started mfp on 29 April. I have lost a few pounds but have not seen anything for days now. I do tend to undereat and wonder if that is the problem. My husband follows it to the letter and has lost a pound.

    Keep going each day at a time. Find a little (non food) treat to reward your hard work - a relaxing bath, good book, or even computer time.

    Pigeon steps means the pigeon still moves :happy:

    Uk member in Cambridge
  • ehbikki
    ehbikki Posts: 4 Member
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    Well luckily (or not so luckily) for me I have been suffering from IBS and I had to dramatically reduce red meat, white rice and bread. No more bacon rolls but - I have finally started seeing a weight loss!

    I've been on MFP for a while but only been logging food every day for a couple of weeks - and suprise, surprise - I've only just started to lose weight. Add me as a friend too if you like :)
  • MsEmmy
    MsEmmy Posts: 254 Member
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    Oh yeah, and check your macros! I'm doing a lot better energy and weight loss wise since I realised my protein was very low (mfp sets it too low anyway). I started having a protein shake after workouts and feel loads better. I don't even need as much sleep and my nails are growing like mad haha.
  • Diyah13
    Diyah13 Posts: 76 Member
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    From America . . .

    Stay with the program. I started at the end of June 2012 and didn't see results right away. I started noticing about three months into the program. I have been seeing slow, steady results as time went on. My doctor and a friend who has just become a personal fitness trainer tell me that slow and steady wins the race. Have patience, and it will happen. Trust me.
    :happy:
  • HappyKite
    HappyKite Posts: 36 Member
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    Hi Op, im also from the UK.
    I agree with most of the advice you have had here.
    I think one of the hardest things is learning some patience. We all want to lose our weight overnight. Well, we didn't put it on overnight, so aren't going to lose it overnight either!
    Good luck with the weigh in tomorrow. :flowerforyou:
    Feel free to add me (and anyone else who logs regularly who wants mutual support) I log in every day and have an open diary.

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