Piglet to Gazelle - My weight loss journey

purpleshoes_2

Try having a protein based breakfast, I know you have done it before, I do eat oats even though they are technically a grain, but if you are training, its better to eat a protein based breakfast rather than a carbs one.

Also, when you are doing press ups, I dont know what position you do them from, try and avoid the box press up shape, it really doesnt do anything very much for anyone. You want a decent 3/4 press up with the knees back and the hips forward, if you can get someone to make a fist underneath your chest, you ideally want your chest to touch their hand, that is one repetition. Might feel harder than you are used to.

Also, if you can get on your toes and do a full press up and get the down, but not the back up, go down, drop to your knees and push back up, that will get you to full press ups quicker than doing 100s of the ones at 3/4.

First_Trouble

Monday food & exercise

B: Egg on toast
L: Greek medley
Chilli with guacamole, salsa, sour cream and cheese
S: 1/2 pack blueberries, coffee
E: Walked 5,062 miles 1.91, burned 1755, ate 1521cals (est), carbs 82g

First_Trouble

Tuesday food & exercise

B: Apple pie Bar (Nakd) & some cheese
L: Chilli, peas and avocado
HM Mushroom risotto - (celery, garlic, onion, closed cup mushrooms, chesnut mushrooms, thyme) - pretty good if I say so myself.
S: 25g cashews, 25g raisins, coffee
E: Walked 2,408 miles 4843, burned 1708, ate 1960cals (est), carbs 150g, exercise as below

30 seconds burpees, 10 seconds rest
30 seconds plank, rest time as before
30 seconds press ups
30 seconds squats
30 seconds sumo hold
30 seconds pommel jumps/jack planks (same thing)
30 seconds toe touches
30 seconds squat jumps
30 seconds mountain climbers
30 seconds elbow to hand plank
30 seconds tuck jumps
1 min rest

I can do the above so far will build up to the 10 mins over the course of the week. I had to look up what some of these were and I have to say I didn't think it would be so hard! Elbow to hand planks are tough!

purpleshoes_2

Yes they are. Try and get to 20 mins over the next few weeks, it will really make a difference to your fitness. Id advise 3 times a week times 20 mins. Make sure you do a warm up, even if its just jogging on the spot and some burpees and a stretch at the end.

If you have spotify as I said before, theres a company called bootcamp.com download and they have loads of different workout music mixes with the work and rest timings given.

First_Trouble

purpleshoes wrote: »

Try having a protein based breakfast, I know you have done it before, I do eat oats even though they are technically a grain, but if you are training, its better to eat a protein based breakfast rather than a carbs one.

Also, when you are doing press ups, I dont know what position you do them from, try and avoid the box press up shape, it really doesnt do anything very much for anyone. You want a decent 3/4 press up with the knees back and the hips forward, if you can get someone to make a fist underneath your chest, you ideally want your chest to touch their hand, that is one repetition. Might feel harder than you are used to.

Also, if you can get on your toes and do a full press up and get the down, but not the back up, go down, drop to your knees and push back up, that will get you to full press ups quicker than doing 100s of the ones at 3/4.

I'm trying to reintroduce some eggs to my breakfasts again and maybe some fish, I think I just had the same type of food all the time and I got a bit sick of it. I can do a full press up but can't get myself back up after a few if I go that deep (usually get to elbow level) so that is helpful thanks.

First_Trouble

Weigh in today! I also realised I forgot to post my last week weight. nevermind

I have put on 4lbs but I was expecting this for three reasons.
1. I have tried to eat more than I usually would
2. I have done more body weight/weights exercises
3. Not walked as much as I would usually.

I have lost inches and I know my body takes a period of adjustment so I'm just focusing on eating right and exercising. It will fall into line eventually.

I have also requested a blood test from my doctor to check my thyroid levels are within the correct ranges.

Measurements last week
Bust - 40
Chest - 34
Waist - 38
Hips - 40
Thighs - L24/R24
Arms - L12/R12

Measurements Now
Bust - 38.5
Chest - 34
Waist - 37
Hips - 40
Thighs - L23/R23
Arms - L11.5/R12

First_Trouble

tesuhoha wrote: »

Hi

I hope you don't mind me saying this to you. I've been reading your diary.

Firstly I think you have amazing self discipline and determination and a wonderful positive attitude. Because of this I would like to see you succeed in your goal.

Your diet and exercise programme sounds like tremendous hard work and takes up a lot of your time. Your life seems to be quite food orientated. Have you thought about trying something easier and at the same time more effective? Certainly you have so much willpower that you could easily do the 5:2 diet and I have heard that people with a thyroid condition are able to do it.

I'll tell you from personal experience that the 5:2 is the easiest and most effective diet ever. There are only the most basic rules and it means that you can relax around food. Also there are many health benefits to enjoy with this way of eating.

Basically what you do is choose 2 days a week (i.e Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday) and on those days you eat no more than 500 calories. On those days you should drink lots of water and eat healthy food. The other days you can eat whatever you like. No rules, no calorie counting.

I'm not sure why it works but it does. Personally I have never been able to lose weight by dieting but a couple of years ago I decided that I really needed to do something. I watched the Michael Mosley Horizon programme and thought I would try the 5:2.

I was aged 62 at the time and over about 5 months I lost over a stone in weight and the roll of fat around my stomach. Sometimes it was slow going, only losing 1lb a week. Other times it plateaued and stayed the same for weeks but I kept the faith and the weight gradually fell off. I went from 10st 2lb to 8st 6lb. My weight has now stabilised at 9st 3lb but I think I might lose a few pounds again for the summer. It is that easy.

I think you might find some relief in doing this as I read about that binge day you had a while ago. Its very difficult to keep to a diet and really instead of dieting you should find a way of eating for life. With the 5:2 once you lose the weight you can maintain the weight loss by doing 6:1. I didn't do that hence the slight gain but I would add that I now don't diet at all and eat whatever I want without calorie counting. I just weigh myself now and again and if I have put a few pounds on I go back to fasting.

Anyway, fasting 2 days a week is surprisingly easier than dieting 7 days a week and the effect is still an overall calorie deficit and more effective weight loss. I think maybe the non fasting days kick start the metabolism. What you don't do on those days is count calories so it stops you obsessing about food. What with fasting and not counting calories I quite often find myself forgetting to eat!

I am not suggesting for one moment that you do this immediately. I'm just wondering if you have thought about it or would give it some thought? Perhaps you could do a bit of research on it. Its just that I get the feeling that you are trying so very hard and you are not getting a lot of reward for your huge efforts. Incidentally I hate exercise and I lost weight without doing much more than a bit of zumba and then I had to stop that when I injured myself.

I know the hour is strange but I'm being kept awake by a party next door.

Thanks for commenting. I have considered this but if I don't eat for a certain period of time I can get quite dizzy and drunk like (down to the thyroid) and its not a very pleasant experience. It also makes me binge eat because I am so hungry I just want food and a lot of it. I'm glad that it has worked for you though.

First_Trouble

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I have also been reading your diary and my heart goes out to you.

Like Tesuhoha I would like to add some comments as I have to agree with a lot of her post.

First of all, I also have an underactive thyroid and have struggled with my weight all of my life. I have been a typical yo yo dieter - take some off, put some back and never reach my goal - until now.

I swear to God that my genes mean that I have some sort of craving for sweet and fatty food - I am one of those people who cannot eat one biscuit but needs to eat a packet!

I hate exercising and never see the point of people who go to the gym or spend time lifting weights/whatever. A walk is the most exercise that I do.

6 weeks ago I signed up to Diet Chef and during those 6 weeks have lost one and a half stones. I have gone for walks but have not upped my exercise in any way.

So why am I suggesting this? What has being on Diet Chef taught me?

The main thing is that my portion sizes have always been far too large. When I saw the size of the portions I was given I was amazed. They are tiny (well to me they are)

You get a breakfast, a lunch, a dinner and a snack. You add your 5 portions of veg and fruit and your dairy allowance.

The meals are not wonderful but perfectly OK. The best thing is that I do not have to calorie count, think about what to eat, only buy fruit, veg and milk, and they take minutes to prepare and are filling.

You work a very long day. If you started Diet Chef you might be able to leave later in the morning after having breakfast and you can literally get home, pop on your veg (buy prepacked and peeled) and hey presto it is ready.

My husband kindly agreed to do it with me but only has the evening meal with me and has his own breakfast and lunch. He has lost 7 pounds without even trying!

Before I started I got rid of all my naughty things from the fridge and larder (so I wasn't tempted) Since your day is long you should have a piece of fruit when feeling hungry as you are going a long time in between meals.

The best thing about it is that you will lose weight at a steady rate and see an immediate effect. This gave me the impetus to continue week after week.

My husband is amazed that I no longer 'crave' those naughty foods (well I do a little bit!) but the weight loss has out weighed the cravings.

Although I know that many people can do fasting , this is just not for me because I would have to calorie count for my two fasting days. I am not good at calorie counting - I tend to ignore the dollop of mayonnaise, the little extra butter and so on.

I can honestly say that Diet Chef has not been difficult like other diets I have tried. It is not for everyone I am sure but for anyone who needs someone else to sort it for them it is excellent.

Give yourself a break. Stop the exercising (keep up the walking) and give it a try. Get hubby on board (at least for your evening meal).

Lastly, but also importantly, if you want to continue with your present regime, get your doctor to check you are on the right dosage of medication for your thyroid problem. If you are only eating what you say you are eating and doing that amount of exercising then you should be losing weight.

Good luck!

Thanks for your long post. If I said I wasn't tempted by Diet Chef I would be a liar. Please don't take offence but I really want to do this on my own, I want to be able to make the healthy choices on my own and I love to cook so I don't want this little pleasure taken away. I do think my portion sizes have been too large so I am downgrading the size of my plates and I haven't been eating very clean lately. I do enjoy eating the way of Paleo it makes me feel very clean, full of energy and strong. I do enjoy exercise too just the motivation can wane after a long day. Morning/while dinner is cooking is my way forward.

First_Trouble

Westvleteren wrote: »

Another one who has been following you since your first post for various reasons. An observation if I may The bigger the muscle the bigger the calorie burn. A lot of the above seems to focus on the smaller muscles in the arms shoulders or core, I think you need give more focus to your legs as that is where our big muscles are to get a bigger calorie burn. I'm also in favour of body weight exercises rather than !!!!ing about with 5kg dumbbells or whatever. Bodyweight exercises with good form and range of motion is the key I think.

Secondly, your walk to work could be done using the principles of HIIT. Walk really fast and I mean you'll really have to give it some and then a slower pace for a time then go again. I tend to average under 12 mins per mile. I tend to think if your just ambling along it doesn't really do anything.

purpleshoes has offered some really good advice all the way along - I have listened and implemented into my life. Some times you need people poking holes in what you do - they do that to help, so that you can learn and make progress.

The walk to work is around 2 miles I can do this in 25-30mins but that is a good idea to incorporate speed and rest in walking I hadn't thought of that.
I do appreciate all the comments. I have come a long way in my eating habits already but I still have a way to go. *shudders to think I would quite often eat spaghetti hoops on toast*

Looking forward to what the rest of the month has to offer.

pmlindyloo

First_Trouble wrote: »

Thanks for your long post. If I said I wasn't tempted by Diet Chef I would be a liar. Please don't take offence but I really want to do this on my own, I want to be able to make the healthy choices on my own and I love to cook so I don't want this little pleasure taken away. I do think my portion sizes have been too large so I am downgrading the size of my plates and I haven't been eating very clean lately. I do enjoy eating the way of Paleo it makes me feel very clean, full of energy and strong. I do enjoy exercise too just the motivation can wane after a long day. Morning/while dinner is cooking is my way forward.

I am not offended at all

I admire your determination and understand your desire to eat healthily and feel 'clean, full of energy and strong.'

As I said, I read your thread from beginning to end and just wondered if doing Diet Chef for a couple of months would give you that extra motivation with the pounds coming off in a relatively short time.

Personally I believe that my body has now adjusted to having less food and has certainly lessened my cravings for sweet things.

I wish you success and hope you achieve your goals.