Losing weight/fitness thread

[Bazz]

First weigh in of the year and I'm happy with the result, just a couple on, starting the year at 14st 12lb (or 94kg ish for the weirdos).

2 goals for me:

1. 13st by holiday in July, managed to get to 13st 11lbs back in 2023.

2. The furthest I've ever run is 14.5miles about 11 years ago now. So I'm going to beat that this year.

Will check back in when I knock either goal off or December 31st, when I'm 22st again.

 

[Mudball]

It's really plastered all over social media by various fitness influencers, but tracking your calories is really the very best thing you can do. Even if you cut out snacking and reduce portion sizes, you may well still be consuming more than you burn.

It takes a bit of planning and getting used to so it doesn't consume hours on end, but it is worth it. We stopped doing it late last year and surprise, surprise, the weight loss stopped. Again, this is drummed in by a lot of people online, but hitting your protein/macro targets, coupled with some regular exercise/movement will get you the best (and most maintainable) results.

A few tips/suggestions based on personal experience;

- Calculate what your macros should be - the free James Smith Calculator here is a good place to start: https://www.jamessmithacademy.com/calculator/

- If you want fitness influencers/PT's to follow to help motivate/suggest tips and recipes etc, they're mostly all much of a muchness, but the two that I think are really much better than the rest are DAVE FELL FITNESS and SEAN CASEY. Dave has two ebooks full of meal prepping, cheap, quick and healthy recipes with all of the ingredients and recipes for scanning into MyFitnessPal so you can track the calories. Sean is just a sound bloke who puts a lot of stuff into perspective to help with actually changing habits but not becoming some miserable grump who just eats lettuce and hates their life (life is for living after all!). Both, I think, are really good at what they do and offer something genuine for people looking to lose some weight and generally start making lifestyle changes.

- In terms of what's helped me (and my wife) - hitting protein goals each day goes a long way to help with not getting cravings between meals.
- I LOVE overnight oats in the morning. I've made my own recipe which is full of protein and keeps me full for literal hours and is less than 500 calories - happy to share the recipe (which you can tweak for personal flavour perferences) if you want it.
- Aldi is your friend when it comes to high protein foods. They have a really good range. Some of it is a bit rubbish and full of crap, but when you're looking for treats that are better than cramming 6 chocolate bars, they've got some great options like the protein mousses and puddings in their yoghurt section. Their 0% greek yoghurt is also much cheaper than FAGE or similar branded greek yoghurts.

In terms of meal replacements for convenience. The Huel hot and savoury stuff is hit and miss. The Mexican chilli is really nice, as is the Cajun Pasta and the bolognaise smells awful but tastes ok. The Mac and cheese is awful. The shakes are expensive and taste absolutely horrendous. If you want meal replacement shakes, then the best ones by a very long way are these: https://www.theproteinworks.com/die...2bhUj0t8kyfqNPLITvCu0cfUQunrnIM8aAnipEALw_wcB. I sometimes still use them for breakfast (although I do a portion and a half to keep me fuller for longer and it's still around 350-400 cals).


In terms of my own fitness/losing weight - I made a resolution (before new year) to start swimming again this year (after a 5 year absence since I stopped training after completing my Ironman)....went for my first swim this morning, and felt great to be back in the pool. I also plan to start running a bit - again after a long absence - just to do some meaningful exercise I enjoy and get some fitness back. Less days eating rubbish and more eating healthy, unprocessed food, coupled with the exercise will go a long way to helping me feel generally much better, hopefully.

Good ole Mike Harris had written about his weight transformation couple of years ago.. i thought his journey was amazing and inspiring

 

[chellie]

The meal replacements are garbage.

 

[chellie]

Good ole Mike Harris had written about his weight transformation couple of years ago.. i thought his journey was amazing and inspiring

Has he kept it off?

 

[Aztecs27]

Has he kept it off?

Yep.

 

[Aztecs27]

The meal replacements are garbage.

If you're completely replacing actual food with them, yes.

But if I don't have time to prep a full lunch, I'd much rather have a meal replacement shake (or something like one of the Huel hot and savoury things) instead of ending up getting a shite meal deal from the supermarket. As an occasional one off it can help people stay on track.

 

[Marshy77]

Ok so officially into week 2

Weigh in came at 5.1kg loss in the week. (Only weighed myself because I wanted to make sure I log each week)

Second jab taken just now (defo more uncomfortable in the side of belly than the thigh but manageable)

Still not overly hungry, had dinner at my sister's with the kids so left over their food. Ate a fraction of what I normally with

Going forward want to try and see 1.5kg a week loss, that would be a stone a month roughly. But wouldn't be unhappy with half of that

See what week 2 brings

5.1kg seems a huge amount to lose in just one week! That's crazy. As someone who's trying to lose weight through diet and exercise, for me that blows my mind lol.

I need to up my game again after the Xmas excess. Back and hip has stalled me a bit over the last month but so a chiropractor yesterday and he's definitely eased it a little. Going again next week for more treatment. Half a stone to lose by the summer so meal planning is really needed to hit this target.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Half a stone to lose by the summer so meal planning is really needed to hit this target.

Meal planning is a turn off to some but we do it and it makes a big difference to us. Less food thrown away, less food bought that sits at the back of a cupboard, fewer 'rubbish teas' because you can't be bothered to think about what to make, actual thought goes into what you eat. It isn't fully rigid, flexibility is there but it's a big help. For anyone trying to lose weight or eat more healthily I'd say it was essential.

 

[BrianM]

Meal planning is a turn off to some but we do it and it makes a big difference to us. Less food thrown away, less food bought that sits at the back of a cupboard, fewer 'rubbish teas' because you can't be bothered to think about what to make, actual thought goes into what you eat. It isn't fully rigid, flexibility is there but it's a big help. For anyone trying to lose weight or eat more healthily I'd say it was essential.

100% this, makes a massive difference.

 

[BrianM]

5 miles in 47mins this morning, brutal conditions again, but it’s done and out of the way.

 

[Neilds]

Meal planning is a turn off to some but we do it and it makes a big difference to us. Less food thrown away, less food bought that sits at the back of a cupboard, fewer 'rubbish teas' because you can't be bothered to think about what to make, actual thought goes into what you eat. It isn't fully rigid, flexibility is there but it's a big help. For anyone trying to lose weight or eat more healthily I'd say it was essential.

We always make a list of the weeks meals before shopping, never understand those who go shopping without a list. They must get so much stuff ‘just in case’ and waste so much food.

 

[Mudball]

Ok so officially into week 2

Weigh in came at 5.1kg loss in the week. (Only weighed myself because I wanted to make sure I log each week)

Second jab taken just now (defo more uncomfortable in the side of belly than the thigh but manageable)

Still not overly hungry, had dinner at my sister's with the kids so left over their food. Ate a fraction of what I normally with

Going forward want to try and see 1.5kg a week loss, that would be a stone a month roughly. But wouldn't be unhappy with half of that

See what week 2 brings

Sorry must have missed post... what are u doing to lose that kind of weight? Walking instead of taking the train?
jabs?

 

[PJ87]

Sorry must have missed post... what are u doing to lose that kind of weight? Walking instead of taking the train?
jabs?

Just on the weight loss jab, eating less in cons to that. Averaging 1800 a day calories but I'm reminding myself to eat at 0830 13:30 18:30 ISH rather than feeling hungry

I do 100% admit I'm completely cheating for this tho with the jab. I'm not in these guys leagues so zero advise offered on the subject because I'm a fraud

 

[PJ87]

5.1kg seems a huge amount to lose in just one week! That's crazy. As someone who's trying to lose weight through diet and exercise, for me that blows my mind lol.

I need to up my game again after the Xmas excess. Back and hip has stalled me a bit over the last month but so a chiropractor yesterday and he's definitely eased it a little. Going again next week for more treatment. Half a stone to lose by the summer so meal planning is really needed to hit this target.

When you start on 126kg tho it's easier! I am very interested to see week 2 because first week is just water weight probs. I don't think it will be anywhere near 5 . I'm predicting 1kg.

 

[Bazz]

5 miles in 47mins this morning, brutal conditions again, but it’s done and out of the way.

Feet up now Brian, I got lost this morning and did 2 more miles than I wanted to.

 

[Beezerk]

When you start on 126kg tho it's easier! I am very interested to see week 2 because first week is just water weight probs. I don't think it will be anywhere near 5 . I'm predicting 1kg.

I was averaging 2-3 pounds a week when I started but that has slowed the nearer to my target weight I get, less fat to burn off I'm guesting. I'm not going to lie the last stone is hard to shift but I'm putting that down to Xmas

 

[AmandaJR]

Science - the heavier you are the more energy consumed just living. Bit like golf. The better you get the harder it is to win

 

[Crazyface]

I can't believe this myself, but, I've joined a gym today. It's at the footie ground, so literally round the corner. I've even been this afternoon! Just a gentle break myself in mess about on some equipment. Added bonus, the upstairs overlooks the pitch so we can watch the game! It even has a punch bag room. This will come in handy! Very quiet as well.

 

[Marshy77]

Full lunch meal prep in action

5% mince steak chilli and a veg soup on the go. Should get 5 portions out of this. Added carrots to the base of the chilli as I don't eat enough veg plus a load of spinach along with the mixed beans. Mixed veg soup again to try get more veg in.

Bought some cottage cheese to try this omelette and cottage cheese!! Anyone tried this yet? I'm not exactly looking forward to it!

 

[Neilds]

Full lunch meal prep in action

5% mince steak chilli and a veg soup on the go. Should get 5 portions out of this. Added carrots to the base of the chilli as I don't eat enough veg plus a load of spinach along with the mixed beans. Mixed veg soup again to try get more veg in.

Bought some cottage cheese to try this omelette and cottage cheese!! Anyone tried this yet? I'm not exactly looking forward to it!

Why even try it? Losing weight is hard enough without eating things you don’t like.

Agree with bulking up meat with veg, think vegetables will be lacking in a lot of diets.