Well I suppose the best way to start this is to explain why it was created.
After getting to my ideal weight a few years ago, various hormone treatments, operations and yummy food have brought me to a point where I am unhappy with the way I look and it is getting me down. Up until early this year I had managed to lose 2 and a half stone but hit a rut where I began kidding myself I was managing my weight.
Six months and nearly a stone and a half later I am at that point where enough is enough, I am fed up of seeing 12 and a half stone on my scales and am ready to put in a whole load of effort to be 9 stone again, not only for vanity but also for health. I'm not going to lie, an upcoming trip to Barbados in near 6 months time is also a huge motivation as it'd be lovely to have some holiday photos I can put up around the house and be happy with. I know I'm by all means not the biggest woman in the world but I want to feel confident and be able to go in to a shop and not get upset when styles I used to suit, make me look like a heffalump.
So that brings me to now, this blog, me and my mum last week were having the discussion that we had both put on weight (she looks great by the way but we all have our own hang ups) and she was saying that shed love to find something where we could motivate each other. We settled on the idea of a blog where we could both say how our days eating and exercise had gone and put tips on for each other to try as well as spur each other on.
Christmas was decided as our first target, I would like to lose 2 stone whilst mum would like to lose a stone and so it begins! Both of us have tried numerous diets and at least from my point of view, although some work short term, I always find they aren't entirely realistic to keep to as a life plan for eating, so my plan is to cut down on calories but being a keen cook and baker, finding a way to do so where I don't find I'm surviving on a lettuce leaf!
I inputted my details on to various different websites for diets and weight loss and although each came out at different ends of the scale with calories, the most sensible ones all seemed to say the same thing; to lose 2 pounds a week, your best bet is to reduce your food intake by 500 calories per day and the obvious....exercise (my slight pet hate)!
My other issue I always find, is that trying to eat excessively healthy means I am more likely to binge and also it turns out ridiculously expensive (yes I am a bargain hunter). I know that if anyone is reading this then they might think here we go, does she not realise all you have to do is cut down on crap and carbs (tried carb free by the way, works really well until you try to include a slight amount of carbs back!) but I still want the flavour and enjoyment I can get from a takeaway or home cooking without the guilt afterwards!
So finally after rambling on, I am ready to start, jens diary on how to lose weight on a budget without losing enjoyment in your food :)
Enjoy the ramblings of two crazyish women and you never know, maybe we can help someone else out there!Xxx
Julie's beginning:
Well off I go. Determined to lose a stone by christmas. I'm 47 and a scary 165 lbs, sadly with the best will in the world, a lb a week is the most I can lose, so there's just about enough time. So target pre Christmas is 151 lbs and then after Christmas another 7 lbs.
My gorgeous daughter Jen is 21 and is going to do this as well, but wants to lose two stone by Christmas or 2lbs a week and wee are both hoping that crating this blog will help us.
My plan firstly is to try and get on the treadmill or exercise bike 3 or 4 times per week, to mostly eat low carb, to try to stick to about 1200 cals per day may be 200/300 more at the weekend and to try to break my really bad habit of drinking every night by having at least two night a week off and building up to eventually stopping alcohol Monday to Thursday.
So, day one yesterday, got up too late to go on treadmill and no way I will do after work sommustbget up early tomorrow. Missed breakfast, not good, so snacked on 2 biscuits (100 cals) mid morning. Had tuna mayo salad for lunch and an apple (350 cals), v.good. Got home from work and snacked on 2 ryvita, but spoiled with butter (at least low fat, 100 cals). For dinner had plan fried chicken breast with spray oil and ginger and chilli with mash and manger tout, v.good (500 cals) but with large glass of red wine (200 cals), so clearly not a non drinking day. So overall about about 1,250 cals, so not best start as no exercise but not too bad.
Day two today, better. Managed 20 mins walking at 4 mph on treadmill with incline. Needs to be more but at least I got up. Straight into meetings at work so no breakfast again, really must work on this. Managed or to snack though as too busy and good lunch again, tuna salad on and tangerine (350 cals). Had a small apple mid afternoon (50 cals). Went out for dinner, but very good, stuck to diet coke, well done Julie :), baby steps. Ate chilli and rice with a handful of tortilla chips, quite small so I think about 600 cals. Had a cube of dark chocolate and 3 jelly beans when I got home, about 70 cals, so overall 1,070 cals and some exercise, a good day.
My gorgeous daughter Jen is 21 and is going to do this as well, but wants to lose two stone by Christmas or 2lbs a week and wee are both hoping that crating this blog will help us.
My plan firstly is to try and get on the treadmill or exercise bike 3 or 4 times per week, to mostly eat low carb, to try to stick to about 1200 cals per day may be 200/300 more at the weekend and to try to break my really bad habit of drinking every night by having at least two night a week off and building up to eventually stopping alcohol Monday to Thursday.
So, day one yesterday, got up too late to go on treadmill and no way I will do after work sommustbget up early tomorrow. Missed breakfast, not good, so snacked on 2 biscuits (100 cals) mid morning. Had tuna mayo salad for lunch and an apple (350 cals), v.good. Got home from work and snacked on 2 ryvita, but spoiled with butter (at least low fat, 100 cals). For dinner had plan fried chicken breast with spray oil and ginger and chilli with mash and manger tout, v.good (500 cals) but with large glass of red wine (200 cals), so clearly not a non drinking day. So overall about about 1,250 cals, so not best start as no exercise but not too bad.
Day two today, better. Managed 20 mins walking at 4 mph on treadmill with incline. Needs to be more but at least I got up. Straight into meetings at work so no breakfast again, really must work on this. Managed or to snack though as too busy and good lunch again, tuna salad on and tangerine (350 cals). Had a small apple mid afternoon (50 cals). Went out for dinner, but very good, stuck to diet coke, well done Julie :), baby steps. Ate chilli and rice with a handful of tortilla chips, quite small so I think about 600 cals. Had a cube of dark chocolate and 3 jelly beans when I got home, about 70 cals, so overall 1,070 cals and some exercise, a good day.
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