another attempt to gain control over the lbs and £'s

ali-t

I am needing to drastically overhaul my health and spending and essentially get a grip in both areas and regain control. I have joined a number of challenges here in the past and either miserably failed or not quite succeeded in them. This year so far I fell off the 100lbs in 2015 wagon after about a month, am around 3/4 of the way through sell £1k in 2015 but have run out of things to sell. I am going to set some challenges along the way that fit with my life and try to make some swaps so I don't feel like I am missing out which is my usual cue to fall of the wagon.


Here goes...I have a lot of weight to lose (maybe a whole person worth) and am planning the holiday of a lifetime for next year for my 40th which will require the flashing of flesh and I want to enjoy every minute of it. The issue is that with my current spending I have no means to pay for it - hmmm.


So essentially the challenge is to lose weight, get fit and stop spending money - sounds easy when it is written down like that! I don't want to be fat, frumpy and forty so the prep needs to start now...


If anyone wants to come along for the ride and give me some support - everyone is welcome. If anyone has any ideas to help me on my way or shatter the excuses I am likely to come up with please come on and give me a gentle verbal beating.


£5K and 5 stone by next summer is the plan

ali-t

I will start with the easy stuff first and a few ways to trim the fat off the budget.


I can save £130 a year by not buying the local paper every night
I can save £160 a year by stopping buying magazines every week
I can save £780 by not spending money when I am working on snacks or lunches


That is a total of £1066 if I can stick to that.


Don't think I am ready yet to work out what I would save by giving up chocolate entirely but that will come. 1 step at a time.


I have a gym in the house with bike/elliptical trainer, weights and powerplate so need to plan a workout that I can and will stick to. I am better in the mornings but don't think I can face getting up any earlier than 5:45 so might have to leave that until the evening.

Katiehound

In the saving money mode: do you have the time and resources to play the "cycle the money" round game with current a/cs?
I know it's not big bucks but TSB pay approx £6 interest per month on their online a/c with £2K invested and no DDs. Or there is Halifax Reward a/c. It's amazing the places that £1K can visit in a month in order to grab some spondoolies! If you haven't got a big sum to play with then force yourself to get some money saved each week, each month. Physically move it- cash in hand or over the telephone into a different a/c. Sorry it won't be earning loads of interest.. but it will be growing!
I am sure there are ways you may be able to save on the food shopping- I always cruise past the yellow sticker items- if it is something I use then I will buy it!

if you really want a magazine treat now and again look on the "shop don't drop" thread. Best buy recently was Glamour mag- 3 for £1 plus gift worth £16! that may still be valid. Once the DD has been set up, money taken then cancel (They are relying on the fact that most folk can't be bothered!) You might ask for a mag subscription for a present- they work out cheaper than of the shelves prices but they generally don't come with the cover freebies.

5 stone sounds a little bit drastic.......in a year? Perhaps just think I will lose weight from now on....every week... and celebrate that! yes, I am sure it is possible but if you have set challenges and fallen off the wagon in the past so to speak maybe you need a realistic goal, one that you can and WILL achieve!

Just stick in there and stay motivated.!

ali-t

Thanks Katiehound. I have a Santander 123 current account and credit card and get interest and cashback on those. I will have a look at the TSB and Halifax and see if I can set those up to cash in on some additional interest. I would have to do most of the moving online as I am starting a new job soon which won't allow for any skiving opportunities to do banking business in the work day. It is also less money and less perks but will give me a much better work life balance which should help with the health and wellbeing and hopefully the spending and overeating - most of which is emotional based.


I think I probably can do the 5 stone as it tends to be easier to lose to begin with and slows down when I get closer to a healthier weight. Its time to start some good habits. I was helping move some furniture today and climbing 3 flights of stairs each time to get to the flat nearly killed me. I have been kidding myself for too long so now is the time.


I have skirted around cutting down fizzy drinks and go through phases of drinking lots of diet coke so that is the first thing to go. the added bonus of that is the money saving - tap water = free diet coke = £1.20 a bottle. The minimum amount of diet coke I would drink a week is 2 bottles but often much more which equates to £124.80 a year. wow the savings will really add up if I can find more no pain swaps.


All the diets I have been on before I have spent my time trying to work out how to cheat them but now is the time to use the resources I have to hand and start treating my body with respect. I have chickens so can have lots of egg based meals for next to nowt. We have been buying meat from muscle food so will focus on padding that out with veg and salad rather than with processed food.


Any tips from anyone about how to change my tastebuds so I don't crave or even like sugar or sweet things? Hypnosis or a miracle springs to mind!

trolleyrun

My top tip:

If you don't buy junk/sweets you can't eat them. Saves you money as well. I'm not saying never have a treat, but don't buy the big chocolate bars and multi-packs of crisps etc. Allow yourself a treat a couple of times a week. That way it'll be special.
My weakness is crisps, so I don't buy them unless it's a special occasion, such as drinks with friends.
I used to drink a lot of cola max, as in bucket loads. I went cold turkey and replaced the max with fizzy water & apple juice so I wouldn't miss the fizzy bit so much. I then went on to plain water, which I find very boring so I use a tiny bit of dilute juice in it.
5 stone weight loss is achievable, as it's less than half a stone per month. 5 stone is 70 pounds. If you lose 6 pounds per month, that will see you lose 72 pounds in total. You have the home gym, which is a good start. Instead of using it in the morning, can you manage to get up just 5 minutes earlier and put some wild music on and dance like a demon for 5 minutes? It'll kick-start you for the morning

Good luck with it all - I bet you'll do better than you think you can.

ali-t

Thanks trolleyrun. I live quite rurally so if I don't buy any junk food it is an 8 mile round trip car journey to get some. Not buying newspapers will help this too as I would often get a paper and some chocolate and crisps at the shop on the way home for that evening.


Glad to hear you managed to ditch the brown stuff - I drink loads of fizzy water too but have read (on the daily mail so came with a pinch of salt) that it is just as bad as other fizzy juices. I tend to drink it with diluting juice for fake tango or fake fizzy Ribena. Always trying to cheat the system lol.


I could definitely do a bit of dancing in the morning. My new job doesn't start until 9am whereas the previous one I was in at 8 and I also get a lunch hour so can go for a walk at lunchtime rather than eating more. I am feeling really positive that I can make some real and lasting changes and need to keep my signature in mind.

Katiehound

The TSB (think it is Classic) a/c pays 5% on up to & including £2000. You have to pay in £500 per month ( cycling in... and out- just a suggestion!) To get that great rate of interest you have to have paperless billing and paperless correspondence so that would fit your bill. No DDs needed either (that's a bonus!) once the a/c is open you can just set up a SO. I move the interest out every few months as otherwise they send me e-mails telling me I haven't been online to it!!!

Halifax pays you £5 per month. Thinks.. £750 in and 2 DDs going out. One of these could be Tesco internet saver @ £1 per month!!
There are lots of ideas on the banking thread. It might be described as recycling money!

Instead of plain water to drink you could try a few squeezes of fresh lemon or orange with a couple of slices of the fruit as well- must be loads less calories than a fizzy drink. I don't think fizzy water is that bad... would make a change from the flat stuff but flat is cheaper!

ali-t

It has been a couple of days since I posted and have been busy trying to get active. I have been on the powerplate every day, have started lifting weights (thanks to the weightlifting guide to women) and had a brief shot on the elliptical trainer - brief because I was breathing out my !!!! after 2 minutes. The poor old dog has had good length walks every day.


I have managed to avoid buying any magazines or newspapers and haven't bought any chocolate - but have eaten every bit of chocolate in the house. I also returned 2 items of clothing from different shops totalling £58 whereas previously I wouldn't have bothered even though they didn't fit or I didn't love them - definite progress!


I have looked at the bank accounts for moving money around but not sure if I can do this as at the moment I live hand to mouth each month so it would defeat the purpose if I get overdraft fees. I might set one up to save for the holiday to boost the coffers a bit.


I am going to meet a friend today and when previously we would have gone for lunch I suggested we could go for a walk rather than go to eat anything or spend money - get me! New leaf is officially turned over.


I saw on another thread on here someone who uses an app while she is running that is a story that involves being chased by zombies. I am not a zombie fan but could do it walking with a jog (or fast walk lol) when getting chased by the zombies. That sounds quite appealing and might get me off the sofa.


no movement on the weight front but heres to up with the £ and down with the lbs

lantanna

I lost 6 stone in exactly a year, so it def can be done. Going from a 22/10 to a 12/10.

lessonlearned

May I join you.....

Imwas going to,join SW this week but have thought better of it.

I can't stand the happy clappy stuff, I begrudge the money and the the time so I'm going the diy route.

I need to lose 4 stones by next May for my sons wedding.

I also have just booked myself a cruise in November, long story but Monday was the 1st anniversary of my husband's death, so I booked a holiday - as you do.....:D

Anyhoo I'm going to lose 1.5 stones by November, just 12 weeks, very tight but I'm going to give it my best shot.

I also need to save money so I can have lots of nice spending money for my holiday.

Like you I am setting up a bit of a home mini gym, cross trainer/bike arrived this week just need to get it set up. I also have. WII with a Zumba dvd so will get that organised. I also have a Swiss ball, yoga mat, resistance band and some hand weights so I should be able to get active with that lot.

I can't run, never could, so will try and start walking more.

So........ Here goes us :beer: make that champers when we hit our first 1 stone......:rotfl:

ali-t

Welcome to the elite club lessonlearned. I have had a mixed day today - very enjoyable but didn't go as planned. 40 minute dog walk and 10 minutes on powerplate followed by 30 mins x 2 walk with my friend although she planned for us to go for lunch to break up the walk so I had a sausage sandwich and oreo cheesecake aaaargh. I have no willpower.


Lessonlearned, if we do this properly and not leading by my example 1.5 stone should be easily doable by November. I hope to have at least 2 stone off by then. Being on holiday this week has me in holiday mood munching everything in sight. I have a couple of fitness games for the xbox and need to look out my billy blanks tai bo dvds as he is great for motivating me but not sure I am at that stage yet.


Off to do some weights and maybe another few minutes on the elliptical trainer.