Follow the Yellow Brick Road 2023

LadyWithAPlan

Hopefully its the extra muscle thats keeping your weight the same. Its great if you feel better and leaner - just keep on those beans and greens!

SandyShores

Thanks LWAP.  I weighed myself the next day at a more reasonable time - 7 am rather than 5 am and I was actually slightly down.  So I'm not going to let myself get down about it .  Keeping on with the beans and the greens - spinach planned for three meals this week, and my 5-a-day target is being exceeded.  

Muscles are definitely growing and I've upped the weight of the dumbbells I've been using.  Its great to see some shape in my arms and shoulders coming back again.  Nice to think the shopping bags etc. will be easier to carry too.  I was quite tired this afternoon and nodded off in front of the tv - felt deserved after all the fresh air and exercise I've been getting.  Back to work tomorrow to a slightly toxic environment that's been developing.  Trying to keep it neutral and positive though - not my circus not my monkeys.  I'll leave the clowns to it as much as possible.

South_coast

SandyShores said:

not my circus not my monkeys. 

Ooh, love this as a mantra!

savingholmes

Hope work was okay.

SandyShores

savingholmes said:

Hope work was okay.

Thanks savingholmes, yes work is fine.  I enjoy the work I do, but I'm not invested in staying there forever which I think has the advantage of allowing you to see things from a different perspective.  I'm in no rush to leave so taking time to mull over what I'd really like to do - its scary the thought of leaving something very secure, but there are so many possibilities.

ps I am also walking loads now, and have started using some hand weights as well to get more arm and shoulder strength.  Its amazing the difference its made, I'm fitting it in between other things as I was never going to make time to get to the gym.  

SandyShores

The scales don't seem to have moved much again this week, but it all depends at what time I weigh and whether I stand on one foot etc etc.  I'm starting to see why they say not to go by the scales, but how your clothes feel.  There's something exciting about seeing the scales going down, but I can't rely on that as a motivator.  I love my new healthy diet and don't want to change that too much as its working for me.  So I've tried on some of my 'too small' trousers and they felt pretty good.  Its definitely a good motivator and I'll be well chuffed when I can wear those into work again!  

Although overall I'm eating less than the calories I've burned each week, I'm not sticking to a daily target and its become inconsistent and confusing.   So to sort that out, I've just recalculated my BMR calories (for light exercise) and added that as a maximum limit into the calorie app i.e. if I stick to that I won't gain or lose.  I've decided I'm not going to eat my exercise calories - as it varies so much each day.  That means that any exercise calories burned will equal weight loss.

There's a weekly view on the app and I'll aim to burn 3500 calories weekly, which should equal 1lb loss.  I'll be going by the app rather than relying on the scales and see how I go for the next 5 weeks.  I've just got to keep reminding myself that I'm not going for quick weight loss, just consistent and slow while getting stronger too.

SandyShores

Edit to my post above.  I've added my BMR calories to the app - which is the amount of food I can eat to remain the same weight if I don't do any exercise at all.  After a trial day I've made a bit of a change to my approach.  So I will then aim to exercise off 500 calories per day; or reduce eating 500 calories per day (or 3,500 per week); or most probably a mix of both.  Some days will be less of a deficit if I don't get out and exercise, and I'll try and make up for it in the week.  But if not, at least I'll know why I haven't lost as much weight.  It simplifies it for me (which I need) and will also motivate me to keep exercising

SandyShores

Weigh day today and the scales are showing a 1lb loss this week.  I didn't expect that at all and I can't help feeling really pleased.  Still not going to rely on the scales though.  I've lost a total of 4lbs in 5 weeks and feel so much better.  Exercising is a lot easier and I'm excited to start fitting comfortably into my smaller clothes.  The plan is to lose at least another 7lbs by the end of May pre-holiday.  Along the way I will be ditching my baggy clothes, freeing up wardrobe space and maybe making a few pounds back on fleabay or v1nted.

We've had some quotes for remortgaging in the summer.  Just mulling over our options, but it was good to see a couple of banks had lowered rates.  

LadyWithAPlan

Well done on the weight loss -hopefully the rates are pointing firmly downwards soon 

SandyShores

Thanks LWAP.  I want to say 'here we go again', but I'm determined not to let my weight yo-yo this time.  I'm feeling happier and more focussed than I have for a very long time which helps. Losing weight is now just the icing on the cake rather than starting with 'if I lose weight everything will be better'.  Its becoming a habit and a life-style.

Yes please to lower mortgage rates.  We're waiting for a few pieces in the jigsaw puzzle which, if they fall into place, could make a huge difference.  But one thing I've learned over our debt-free and now mortgage-free journey is not to overthink things and just keep heading in the general direction.  Before you know it you're either there or you've found somewhere more interesting on the way