scb515 Member

I found walking into my gym for the first time absolutely terrifying. The reality was a lot less scary! Book an induction - even if you have to pay - it's important someone explains what the hell it is you should do. It helps take sone of that feat away! Make sure you bring a bottle of water and a little towel so you can…

For those in the UK, Pizza Express is amazing. My go to restaurant choice is around 415 calories (admittedly the middle has been cut out and replaced with salad) and 1/2 a store bought version is only 290. Now, if I eat just 1/2 of a pizza from my favourite takeaway - I'll gain several pounds. I miss that pizza an awful…

Sorry to hear you're feeling a bit down. I don't know where you live, but aren't there any restaurants where you can eat out and make good choices? Here in London there are a few chains which publish nutritional info - I can eat 2 or 3 courses and still stay within my calorie allowance. My friends who aren't watching their…

It took me 3 months to lose 2 stone. How much are you losing each week now? At the beginning, I lost weight really quickly but then it got a bit more normal. If you're still losing quite a lot now, you may need to increase your calories a little.

Based on experience, I'm happy to eat back walking/running calories (calculated by RunKeeper) and wii fit calories (not that I use wii fit much these days) but I've underestimated my gym calories, so technically I'm not eating back all my workout calories. I just think it's harder to accurately calculate my gym calories…

Well, I live in North London - I've just met my original goal, but I may look to lose a little bit more. I'm determined to stay on the wagon - treating this as a lifestyle change rather than a faddy diet. I've done emotional eating and lack of portion control in my time - I can understand your battles, Elisabeth! So much…

I weigh daily so I can understand the impact of food, exercise and time of the month on my body weight. It's better to take a weekly average IMHO as that gives a more representative figure. I only get upset by a fluctuation if I don't understand it. 9 times out of 10 there's an obvious reason.

M&S are doing 'taste of summer' picnic food at the moment, 3 for £6. I love the spiced butternut squash pastries (125 cals for 2) and the red pepper and feta rolls (130 cals for 2). They taste like treats and fit into my calorie allowance easily.

I think I have an ideal weight in as much as I've already put my body through a lot, if I lose another stone, I think I'll be into loose skin territory and that won't look good. Happy to be at the upper end of healthy and not to have too many stretchmarks.

I've noticed my legs do look more toned from all the crosstrainer/exercise bike that I do at the gym. It did take absolutely ages to see it though. Was a nice surprise one day! I think I'm at the point now where I need to consider lifting and classes, because I don't work out any of my tummy muscles at the gym and I need…

Wow, thanks for all the comments, I felt quite low when I wrote the OP! It's nice to know I'm not alone. I assume it's jealousy because I know they both need to lose weight for medical reasons (I'm not being rude, they've both told me this) and haven't made any kind of effort, just asked me how I've done it and said that's…

Losing weight has reduced my back size, so my band has gone down and cup size gone up. I don't think my breasts are any smaller, but because I work out, my posture is better and thus my backache reduced. It's not weight loss that has helped, it's been going to the gym. Of course, I have a really expensive specialist sports…

I did my first 5k last week. It's a good feeling, isn't it? Signed up for your next race yet?

Try taking a few days off from the exercise (adjust your calories accordingly) and see if the scales move.

I don't normally see gym results straight away - takes my body a few days of resting. I think there may be something in that "water retention" theory!

Thanks, I'm really pleased with my progress (the run was today!) and most importantly, it feels like a real lifestyle change, not another faddy diet.

Near enough. I lost the first 12lb without going to the gym/running, I was working out for the remaining 17lb. You don't need to exercise to lose weight, but it helps with toning and if you work out, you can eat back those exercise calories and thus eat more food. I love my food still, but I've got the hang of portion…

The pizza vita pollo is 547. I checked with the staff once. The pizza vita olive is only 518. Don't know about the others!

My initial goal is 147 lb, because that should take me to a BMI of 25 and thus make me "a healthy weight". I'm about 1.5 lb off! So getting there soon. Once I hit goal, anything further is a bonus. I don't think I'll ever have a BMI close to 20, but maintaining just below 25 would keep me content.

You're a 34GG and you live in the UK? Go to Bravissimo and get fitted for a proper sports bra. When you're that top heavy, a proper sports bra makes working out a million times easier. Get someone at the gym to show you how everything works. It's the unknown which is scary, so let someone show you it's not that bad. Use…

I log everything - sometimes I prelog to make sure what I'm thinking of eating won't tip me over. I have a low basic calorie allowance but I eat back my exercise calories. (I like eating, this lets me eat more and thus motivates me to do more walking/go to the gym.) I found a gym I like and I schedule time in my busy diary…

Hey, another Brit! Hello! You don't have to eat clean, you just need to eat fewer calories than your body demands to maintain weight. When I first started this journey, I was a big fan of Mr Kipling slices. They're individually wrapped and around 140 calories, so easy to plan into your food dairy for the day. May help if…

You can't undo a binge. But the next day, you can work even harder to make sure you don't repeat the same mistake. Then once it's over, you've managed a whole day of being healthy - and if you can do it one day, you can do it the next. The trick is to stop beating yourself up. All that does is make you hate yourself and…

I wasn't married, but I came out of a 7 year relationship recently myself. It was a pretty rough time, but now I'm out the other side, it was the right decision for both of us. We weren't making each other happy or ourselves and I can acknowledge that now. Do you want the marriage to work? Does your husband? A relationship…

Is it towards the start of your journey? I lost 5lb one week, it happens. If you're a month in and you're still losing rapidly, you may have a problem and need to adjust your calories. A few weeks in? Relax. It takes a while for your body to settle.

I really want a high quality black leather jacket. Maybe some over the knee high boots. I think my skinny self likes leather. Can't wait to meet her.

You shouldn't still be getting hunger pangs - how many calories are you on? Are you fitting your meal times around your lifestyle or someone else's? Are you eating extra on your gym days? I find my workouts go better if I eat something small beforehand (not just fruit!) and I eat back some of the exercise calories.

If I'm seeing a friend I haven't seen in a long time, or going to a special event like a wedding, I eat the food available and don't get hung up on it. However, I make sure I stop when I feel full, and I make an effort to do more exercise that week than I normally would. I wouldn't have a 'cheat day' for the hell of it,…

Ignore conventional mealtimes. Plan your food around your lifestyle - if you go to bed late, eat late. There's no rule you have to eat at the same time as your neighbours or coworkers - as long as your calories in over 24 hours are fewer than your calories out over the same period.

I ignore those warnings because I don't weigh my food, so just because I'm 'under' doesn't mean I'm starving. The app doesn't know that. I'm losing weight at a safe level so I'm clearly not eating as little as MFP thinks I am. (Using scales is not a sustainable lifestyle choice for me!) I do eat back my calories because I…