weight loss group

[Graye]

Here's mine.

How much weight have you lost since you started - 2stones 12lbs
How many weeks or what date you started - Not sure, since February so about 26 weeks
how you feel about your achievments -Pretty pleased but it's a long road!
What have you learnt joining this "club"- That it does help to write down honestly what your weight is and not feel too bad about yourself when you have a bad week because everyone does at some time or another
What do you want going forward from yourselves and the "club" - I have another 1 stone 4lbs to go so I just hope for the willpower to see it through. I'd also like the "club" to carry on when i get there so I'm inspired not to back-track. I've also enjoyed seeing the various tips and tricks people employ. I have a strange diet to work around (mainly vegetarian but eating some fish, allergic to nuts) so I mainly invent my own food regime. Also I've had to completely give up buying cheese otherwise it sits in the fridge screaming at me to eat it - 24/7!

[prison break fan]

I have definitely lost weight, but don't have scales. Clothes are looser, stomach flatter.
I have been with the club since the beginning.
I feel fitter, having taken up walking at least 3 miles a day.
I like the fact that we share our successes and failures with each other, and Big Al is always there.
Long may we continue!! pbf.

[Big Al]

Also I've had to completely give up buying cheese otherwise it sits in the fridge screaming at me to eat it - 24/7!

There's a loverly cheese shop in the Sizergh barn on the outskirts of Kendal... My son and I can devour maybe 12 pounds of cheese between us from this shop.... I know it's not helping much but you have a kindred soul in the imaginary cheese shop.

I'm going to make my own and try to keep the fat content down where I can but then I think that if it's a really hard, full fat very mature cheese then I'd only have to eat a small bit to get my fix...... and I also have my fingers crossed behind my back.

[lazyspice]

Here's mine.

How much weight have you lost since you started - 2stones 12lbs
How many weeks or what date you started - Not sure, since February so about 26 weeks

Wow! Well done Graye! I admire your dedication, I really do Sticking to it is sooooooo hard and climbing back on the wagon is where I struggle.

I think giving up cheese is going to be something I will have to consider as moderation goes against my nature! If it's not in the fridge then I can't scoff it, can I?

[Marmalady]

How much weight have you lost / gained since you started -- net loss 10 lb - comprising total weight loss of 22 lb off-set by gains of 12 lb
How many weeks or what date you started -- been here since beginning, so 7 months
how you feel about your achievments. -- ambivalent -- could have done better but at least some of the weight is gone
What have you learnt joining this "club" -- i'm not the only one with a weakness for nibbling on cheese!
What do you want going forward from yourselves and the "club" -- continued support and encouragement to keep on going past my initial target of 11 st (only 2 more pounds to go!) and towards my new target of 10 stone

[wabbit955]

been needing to lose some weight for a while due to bad hip joint
would like to lose 2 stone
so started the hardcomb diet 4 days ago
and already lose 3 kg hopefully this is the one for me
you get to eat lot buts but is quite restricted no sugar wheat or dairy lot of meat and veg
my main problem is sticking to any thing i am a pastry chef and spend all my days working with chocolate and desserts not to forget the cheese and the wines to match the dessert
hopeing this time it will work
good luck the rest of you px
and have to taste stuff all the time

[Marmalady]

my main problem is sticking to any thing i am a pastry chef and spend all my days working with chocolate and desserts not to forget the cheese and the wines to match the dessert
and have to taste stuff all the time

I'm with you there!

My "job" is baking cakes & preserves for my farmers market stall

So any unsold cakes at the end of the day have to be eaten - not good for the diet

[prison break fan]

Marmalady that is really good! Well done. Any loss is a plus if you know what I mean! pbf.

[Graye]

I think everyone is doing brilliantly on this group. It's certainly hard work though.

I started this mainly because of a particularly hard time my doctor gave me about potential diabetes, blood pressure problems (now solved thanks to the diet!) and so on. He brought it home to me by saying I was walking around with the equivalant of a nine year old child permanently strapped to my back. Not a nice thought! I'm hoping, once I get to my target, that I will keep it off.

I like the idea someone else mentioned about setting realistic targets and then setting new ones once you get there. If you have a lot to lose then setting am apparently unreachable goal would probably make a person think they are beyond redemption, which is really not true.

On the cheese issue, I really think it's a big culprit. All those pizzas, cheese sauces, big chunks of mature cheddar on crusty bread and so on. Makes my mouth water just thinking about them. So I just walk past the cheese counter now, which I must admit is not getting ANY easier really. Even the block of parmesan for sparing use on spagbol is not safe from me I'm afraid!

[RuthG]

The secret to keeping it off is not to see this as a 'diet' after which you can 'eat normally', but to see it as re-educating your eating habits - smaller portions, more veg/less carbs, less sugar, etc. These need to become a way of life so that what you eat now IS 'normal'.

As an example, when people give up sugar in coffee, they do it bit by bit (usually - there are those who go cold turkey). But they dont see it as an interim step - I wont have sugar now but I can have 'normal' coffee when I reach my goal. The plan is to re-educate their taste buds so they no longer want sugar in their coffee. Should and can be the same with eating - you no longer want those burgers and fries (though there is nothing wrong with an occasional one - but if your taste buds are properly re-educated, you wont enjoy it half as much as you used to and will wonder why you bothered to have such a thing as a 'treat')

Hope this helps someone.

[bonniethomas06]

I know this flies in the face of your very true and sensible advice Ruth, but I have just finished my first week on the Dukan diet.

Flip, I am down 6lbs!! Total since April when I joined this group is 1st 4lbs. I know, I know, no-carb diets are not a long term thing, nor is eating so much protein. But it is a bit of an emergancy due to bridesmaid dress (september wedding) being 2 sizes too small - so I am prepared to to anything at this stage!

I know that most of this weeks loss will be water, but tbh, it all takes up room in a dress (fitting monday - I don't expect to fit it just yet and will get a rollicking from the shop owner).

Fo anyone not in the know, this is a protein rich carb low diet, whereby one day is solely protein (including fat free dairy) (good when you have an abundance of eggs) and the next is protein and vegetables.

It is easy to stick to - I haven't been hungry once as protein is quite filling, I am less bloated and I find the 'all or nothing' approach to carbs is easier than trying to limit myself sensibly.

Also, there is a phase after the weight loss bit when you gradually introduce other food groups (including carbs) in a bid not to put it all back on.

Although I know there is a crepe van at the wedding. It will all be worth it to eat crepes in a dress that fits!!!

[RuthG]

For a quick weight loss plan for a specific purpose, there is nothing wrong with (some) diets. I prefer the hay diet myself, which simply put is you eat carbs and veg, or protein and veg, but never protein and carbs. There are of course exceptions and variations within that, but that is the basis of it. This diet does it for me (and I prefer to eat this way now, so it has been a long term thing) and it keeps the bloating away by and large. I also find it clears the mucussy feeling some people get (like having just drunk a glass of luke warm milk - yuck).

[prison break fan]

Really well done Bonnie, can the Dukan diet be adjusted to fit vegetarians? I'm not, but daughter is and I can't be bothered to cook two meals! pbf.

[bonniethomas06]

Well pbf, theoretically you can do the Dukan diet if you are a veggie - you can have soya and most basic quorn products, plus eggs and fat free dairy. It would reduce the variety of things you can eat though, as I think lentils are banned for some phases of it.

Does she eat fish? That would help - it is hard to feel deprived when you have garlic chilli prawns for dinner, or tuna nicoise salad (without the salad)!

[prison break fan]

Thanks Bonnie, she does eat fish, so I shall look into it. Good luck with the dress fitting. pbf