nvielufm wrote: »

Sharon7986 wrote: »

I'm not sure how active members want to be, but I will start the ball rolling with a little background. If you feel that you want to introduce yourself, please do. If you don't that's fine too - it's just nice to share ideas, recipes and offer support to each other. Here goes...... I'll be 60 in Dec and am married with three sons 29, 27, 23 and two dogs. At my heaviest I was 20 stone 7 pounds (287 pounds) or 130 kg and I'm now 10 stone 7 pounds (147 pounds) 66.6 kg. I stopped eating meat and poultry when I was 21, and just have a little fish to supplement my mostly vegetarian diet. I follow my own plan, which works for me. Look forward to hearing from you

Hi Sharon, I think background is a great idea I'll be 53 in October. I've been divorced for 13 years and have 4 kids: 27, 25, 22, 21. I'm not exactly sure what my HEAVIEST was, but it was over 300 lbs. I've been up and down and all around--usually I do extreme things, so this time I'm just trying to eat relatively low-carb, not much processed food, working on staying under my calories and moving around some--I want to get used to living in a healthy way. Eventually I'd love to get back to kickboxing, I REALLYYYYY love that. I would also like to date! But I've noticed the guys I attract at this weight aren't quite the guys I prefer, at least so far.

I reallyyyyy need friends. COVID, not being at work, not getting out doing things regularly, and not drinking & eating like crap--I'm not quite sure what all has factored into it, but it seems like the only person I talk to regularly is my sis! I'm introverted so for most of this time I've been fine being alone, being home, but I KNOW I will not be able to do this without some support from like-minded people. That's why I'm SO GLAD you shared your story and started this little group. I'm so glad to meet you!

Hi there nvielufm (sorry. Don’t I know your name).
These last 18 months have been tough, especially if you suffer with anxiety/ depression as I and so many of us do. I wouldn’t call myself introverted, but I’m happy in my own company and am never bored. I do, however, love chatting and making new friends. I stick to a very calorie limit of 726. I know, weird number. I have very specific meal goals and concentrate on protein and fibre. It’s not for everyone but I have plenty to eat, it’s pretty much unprocessed apart from Quorn (do u have that in USA? And I’m eating far more nutritiously than I’ve ever done before. My carbs/starch/sugars are naturally low so no blood sugar spikes. I don’t want to foist any suggestion on anyone, but always happy to chat about anything specific.
Glad you found the group and hope to speak with you regularly

So meal goals are 1st meal 112 cals -

135g egg white omelette with 104g mushrooms, 14g vivera (vegetarian bacon), 80g spinach. This meal is a plateful, super nutritious and packs 20.5g protein. I tend to eat it at 1pm, just drinking in the morning.

Next meal 120 calories at around 4pm is a salad, with various leaves, red cabbage, radishes, sugar snap peas, babycorn, raw asparagus, pea shoots or sprouted lentils and 100g fat free cottage cheese (63) with very low calorie dressing. I adapt this depending on fridge. Occasionally I use Quorn deli slices, or 1/2 smallest tin of tuna (no mayo) and may have pickles (daring!!) This meal is around 15.5g protein (or more if Tuna), and is HUGE as per group photo.

In the evening my 3rd meal is 230 cals, and is usually 2 quorn fillets either cooked with mushroom, leeks or made into a casserole with swede and celeriac, or a fat free curry.I also make a fat free chickpea ratatouille style dish and I mostly have green vegetables such as broccoli, spring greens, runner beans, fine beans, courgettes or cauliflower with my meal. When I have fish, it is either cod, tuna steak or sea bass and I would have a salad with that as the fish is a little higher than Quorn. Protein count for this meal is between 23 and 37g.

An hour or so later I have dessert 150 cals. This is always fresh blackberries, raspberries and strawberries (varying amounts of each) with around 130g Fat free yogurt (I have Skyr Vanilla, strawberry, honey or plain varieties). Another 13g+ of protein.

Finally late evening I will have a big hot drink with a myprotein hi fibre bar for 98 cals and another 4.5g protein.

I allow 52 cals for my vitamins & minerals and for some skimmed milk for tea/coffee.

This comes out at 726 , around 80g protein and 30g fibre. The routine helps. I don't have to think about the first two meals. I prep 6 portions of each of my evening meals ( one to eat fresh and five for the freezer) so less work - all the recipe info is input into MFP so I don't have to keep working it out. On friday nights the family have fish and chips or turkish and I have grilled sea bass (weighed) and salad, or falafel and salad. If I need to I can drop the fibre bar to give me an extra 98 cals for supper.

I know it sounds really mechanical, but my plates are filled with colourful food, it's all tasty and there's plenty of it. Now that I'm around target weight, I can tweak it a little 1 or 2 days a week ( a few new potatoes, a special meal, a few nuts, a couple of crackers with a little cheese, a small banana). I try to make the extras good food rather than junk. I love pickled food (gherkins, sandwich type pickle spread, anything vinegary actually), and can now add that on some days which makes me happy. That was a long message!!

Jem594 wrote: »

I'm afraid to get weighed this weekend, even though I've been under my calories since I started this plan. I lost 2 lbs at first, then I gained them back. I just hope I can lose again. I'm on a very high calorie goal because of my weight and lack of movement. I've set it to lose 1lb a week. If I don't lose this week I might set it to losing 1.5 lbs a week/lower calorie goal. What do you think? Just jumping ahead so I have a plan and don't panic.

Hoping you’ve faced the weigh in and that you were happy with the result. If you feel like sharing the basics of your plan, I’d love to hear about it.

jaded989 wrote: »

Hello all, Rachelle here, thanks for the invite. I'm 64 and have been married twice, guess I'm technically a widow now although we'd been separated since 2001,we had little to no contact over the years ( I never got around to divorcing due to finances, minor children complications & a major health crisis) I found out in 2019 he passed 2 years prior. Anyway I have 4 children ranging in age from 45-24. The two youngest (28 & 24) still live with me.
I have about 90 lbs to lose, have a couple health issues and I'm not especially active. I have struggled with weight all my life. Although I believe perspective has changed over the years. Looking back at my weight in high school, I was definitely chubby, but I believe it would be a more acceptable weight today. People used to be thinner (no judgement btw).
I lost a little weight in high school maybe 10-15 lbs and got married the following spring. I had by first child about 15 months later and gained too much weight. I found myself at 190lbs a month or so after giving birth. Within a year (I really don't remember the exact time frame) I was down to 123, the lowest I have ever weighed in my adult life. I really didn't look good, my bones stuck out everywhere. I went up to around 130 and stabilized there until I got pregnant again about 3 years later. Found myself at 195 after that pregnancy. Got back down to about 135 and stayed there for about 5 years, rinse and repeat a couple times, always getting back to the 135 range.
In the mid 2000's I had an ovarian cyst which caused kidney issues which led to a stroke. (I have some residual paralysis) While rehabbing from the stroke I was hit by a car while crossing a street. Luckily only a badly broken leg (tib, fib) and broken teeth. Well it's all been downhill from there, highest I've gotten is 245 lbs and lowest 180lbs.
I don't really go out, haven't really since the stroke, not because of it though. Started working from home when covid came along and haven't returned yet, I don't really plan to. I was concerned about weight gain from staying home and finally stepped on the scale to see how bad it was. I was actually relieved it was only 220 as that meant I had only gained about 8-9lbs since we went under lock down.
I think I've gotten a little long winded here, so I'll leave it at this for now.
Good Luck to all on our journeys.

Welcome to the group. I hope to reply properly in the next 48 hours as tied up at the moment and it’s 1:00am here. Thank you for joining and will catch up soon

Jem594 wrote: »

Hey Sharon, what part of the UK are you in? I was born in Chesterfield and lived in Sheffield. We moved to Canada when I was 5. I live in Ontario now. Don't worry about the time difference, we all understand. Good luck with your week

Hi Jem,
I live in Loughton, Essex. It borders Greater London. My eldest son studied Osteopathy in Leeds so not a huge distance from your birthplace.
I didn’t expect so many people to contact me (76 so far!!!). I have a few people I need to send extended answers to and am struggling to find the time. My husband and I are in the process of buying a boat (arriving next week) and having a pottery studio installed in the garden in the next 3-4 weeks plus my college course starts tonight and I work a 12 hour day. It’s mad here! Hopefully things will settle down as I genuinely want to support anyone who is looking for it.
Hoping everyone bears with me x