I’m a pear !

I wear a Fitbit every day. My kids bought it for me as a birthday present a couple of years ago. I have found it definitely makes me walk more. I have set myself the target of at least 10,000 steps a day this year. So far I am averaging over 11,000 a day. It makes me go out for a walk everyday and I feel much better for it. I will park the car further away from the shops, use the stairs and get up and move to make sure I hit the 10,000. My husband thinks I'm crazy!!!

Lols to wildswan16 I’m a bit like that, but a sort of puffy banana. sheilasue have tried looking for that blog on apples and fashion, no luck. Please update!

Excellent Fourormore good half stone weight loss. Isn’t lovely when you put on an item of clothing and it swivels round on you ?

Hello Panache good to see you are keeping an eye on us all. Yes I am happy to give my weight too, but I do realise others would prefer to keep it to themselves and that is fine. Thank you Panache for your PM which I will reply to this weekend. I have been rather absorbed in things dietary today, making a food journal, downloading the NHS Calorie Counter and the My Fitness App.

So I am 10stone 13lbs. If I followed the advice which tells me I am overweight and need to get down to the low 9 stone mark, I would say to them No Thanks I would be more than happy to get down to 10 stone which is what I was when I got married in 1971. I am 5 foot 2 and a half inches.

WildSwan16 just be grateful you are what my mum would have described as a streak of pump water, no offence meant, because you do not have to battle big time like some of us to shift a few pounds/stones.

So I am signing off for the night but will be checking up tomorrow on all those who said they wanted to join the Onward and Downward Club.

I feel a bit left out - I am not a pear, or even an apple, more sort of straight up and down and a bit on the scrawny side. I guess I could be a banana but don't have the bend, maybe a cucumber, or a carrot would describe me better.

Anyway, good luck to all who are trying to shrivel your apple or pears.

Thanks NanKate for your welcome.
Once you start on MFP it becomes clearer but to be honest I only use it as a focus - I'm not bothered about profiles etc.
It is useful to be able to record 'tonight's fish and chips' or whatever earlier in the day because you then know what you have left for the rest of the day.
As for the suggestion of setting a target I am happy to go along with that but fear it could make it easier for those who only lose a bit at a time to feel hopeless and give up? Best to lose a bit at a time and reach your target eventually that put pressure of achieving the target by a certain date?
Obviously any individual can set their own target date.
At the moment I want to lose some weight before my holiday at the end of June but as (ideally) I want to lose a couple of stone in total eventually I do realise I won't lose that amount in my limited time.
I started my latest weight chart on 8th April when I weighed 188.8lbs (nearly 13st 7lbs)
Last Sunday morning, four weeks later, I weighed 182.4 so have lost nearly half a stone so I'm ok with that.
I am happy to log in my result every Sunday or Monday.
Go for it folks! Nag me if I go astray!

I have been standing awaiting patiently in the wings before taking over my position as umpire.... as your groups dieters take their places Nankate.

I will leave the Fitbit query for others to answer .......whilst I will quietly stand back........clapping the ones who do well.......and coming down hard on those that are not taking their diets seriously!!
It matters not which method you each choose,what matters is your dedication and the scales will ultimately speak out at the end of this exercise............I don`t think that this has yet been mentioned?
May I say mid June initially??............and then perhaps reassessing the situation if needs be?

Flowers restricted until that person sheds the weight that reaches their targate.

Perhaps all 4? of you would like to state your target weight, so we can set in stone before you all get down to the serious business of denying yourselves I mean getting yourselves all trim again!

May I also add........Good luck to you all.

Now can anyone tell me what a Fitbit is, which I think looks like a watch ? Is it worth having and what does it do please ?

Yes Fourormore you are most welcome. I have just downloaded My Fitness Pal at the recommendation of Teetime and now yourself. I must admit I am a bit daunted by it as it is not as User friendly as I would like but at least I can ask you two how to navigate around easily. I was a bit disappointed I couldn't find a Calorie Checker but there is one on the NHS Diet website which they say you can download like an app so I will try that later. Thank you for the flowers to be honest I need you all to motivate me as much as you need me, so flowers all round.

I suggest MawBroon that we check in on the day that suits us best, so it will be a Thursday for me. However if I saw someone else check in on a Monday it would keep me motivated to keep going.

I am not the fount of all knowledge on things dietary so we must try and pick up tips from each other which will help us move Onward and Downward.

Nice to have such a positive bunch of dieters to work with.

I am a little disappointed to have found that I have put on 1/2 a pound but sometimes I know that happens before I have a bigger loss next week so I am trying to be philosophical.

Hi Nankate - please can I join in your weekly check in!
My system is that I record my daily calorie intake on My Fitness Pal - this keeps me focused and also highlights any excesses such as sugar!
We were in contact with the 'getting out of the chair and walking thread' which has now fizzled out I think? On the whole I am walking 'something' each day - probably nowhere near enough but every little amount is better than nothing.
I always weigh myself on Sunday mornings and record it on a chart on my laptop - this also highlights when there is a drop but also if there is a rise!
Sadly the key to all of this is will-power and that is in short supply. However, if we all encourage each other I am sure we can get results. I go on my holiday at the end of June so I do have a target.
Thank you for all your efforts to motivate us

Have we set a particular day of the week to clock in?
Monday for example?
BTW I have found in the past that weight loss can often be delayed which is disheartening at the time.
Weight gain on the other hand tends to be instantaneous
I automatically weigh myself every morning when I get up and think I may be detecting a teeny weeny downward turn but am curbing my excitement

Hello there Grandmama how I envisaged this thread running is that we say the type of diet we are going to follow and report back once a week the results.

Also we would give tips to others on what works well or recommend low calorie food.

I reported yesterday that disappointingly after one week of serious food reduction I hadn’t lost an ounce. I have been thinking hard how I could change things so reluctantly I think I must COUNT my calories not just select low calorie foods.

We all have different metabolic rates so we can’t compare ourselves with others as it could be disheartening if our own weight loss is slower than others.

So my job for today is to set up a chart of food I regularly eat and estimate the calories and then put them in a calorie diary.

As I said before for me cutting out certain foods does not work I just crave them all the more, but I know for others the Low Carbs, or the 5.2 etc diets work.

So onward and downward fellow dieters.

I thought that yesterday I said I would join NanKate but perhaps I forgot to post my message. The weight lost with OldMeg in February and March has crept back on. Are we keeping in touch with each other?

Thanks GrandmaKT this is just the sort of info we need.

sheilasue I’d be most interested in learning name of that blog. I’m also an Apple, and getting more apple-ish as I age. Weight remains the same, but waist increasing as bum and thighs diminish. Which is most annoying. So any tis would be handy.

Hi NanKate,
You asked for a few tips. Well, I do think the Slimming World diet is an easy one to follow. I did it two years ago, and lost one and a half stone, but it gradually started to creep back on. (All my own fault, as I just went back to my old ways!) |With SW there is no need to ever actually be hungry. I do find when I go to the group though, that there are a lot of excuses - "It's my birthday/my husband's birthday/ the dog's birthday" etc. I've tried to avoid going out for meals while I've been dieting. Going to friends for dinner is the worst because there isn't a choice and you don't want to offend. In restaurants, I order a steak and salad, a couple of times we've had fish and chips but I've just had fish and mushy peas and taken off (most of!) the batter. I snack on fruit and veg (raw carrots are a good standby if you feel the need for something to chew on!) I allow myself a small glass of wine a day for my treat. Usually I have porridge with frozen fruits of the forest for breakfast. All lean meats and all veg including potatoes are allowed. If I want something sweet I'll have a fat free yoghurt with extra fresh fruit. I have definitely found that the longer I have been on the diet the less I feel like eating sweets and chocolate. I tell myself that I have eaten plenty of sweet things in the past and I'm not going to deny myself forever, but I'm not eating them at the moment. There is a good Facebook page with loads of recipes: www.facebook.com/pinchofnom/
Good luck everyone - you CAN do it! x

Candelle,actually I am more than a little touched that you and several others should be so concern ed about a newcomer,that is so kind of you all.

There are a whole range of issues here,some have been investigated,others are on going but as yet no real answers ............and although the weight loss has slowed down,I am still losing mainly a pound a day.

I am due to undergo very complicated Surgery in under 3 weeks,this failed previously so we can but hope for success this time,and it may then in due course,give us some pointers.

It has meant a complete new wardrobe but the problem left.......as I am sure your friend will confirm...........are the rolls of empty unsightly flesh all over!!!

Whilst Please ladies,your "interference" is pure joy to my ears............and if I can help others on the way, then indeed I shall truly be happy.

Panche
Thank you for updating us. Fast weight-loss without any diet restrictions is always a worry and although I was fairly sure you were aware of possible concerns, I just had to mention it,

I have a friend who has had rapid weight-loss, too - without any input from herself! She has had every test under the sun and continues to be monitored but 'they' are, as yet, unable to find any cause.

As rapid weight-loss can be a symptom of nasty conditions, I am pleased that you didn't mind 'interference' from GN-ers!

Keep well!!

NanKate, when I lost 4 stone a few years ago, all my family kept on about was how big my head looked in relationship to my body. I was totally demoralised at the time but would relish those comments now!

Well done Jane, too early for me to tell (started on Tuesday) but I am sticking to no alcohol which must be a help.

First two days have gone well but going alcohol free is a privation to far so it was a small measured G & T last night and 175ml glass of red- total calories under 1400 for both days- salad weather thankfully. Trying not to weigh myself until Tuesday morning.

Thanks Ican good advice I shall measure myself later. Now where did I put that measuring tape ?

Excellent news JaneD3 are you swivelling round in your clothes.

Glad you are ready to oversee us Panache and give encouragement.

I remember when I lost a lot of weight before someone came up to me and said 'You've gone all thin in the face' I could have lobbed her one.

First of all signing in as Nankate`s "friendly and understanding" umpire..........
Whilst rather disappointing results thus far NaKate do not be disheartened as it is VERY early days yet...........but please keep your eyes * onward & downward*

Pamelaji.

I am like the proverbial brick wall,offence bounces off me!!
Now you do have me intrigued although I think I get the gist of what you are proposing.............

I think I might stick with my very trim figure thank you............however,now if you know of a way to transplant faces............I am your guinea pig!!!

I have lost 4lbs since Monday so now total loss of 2st 8lbs. Low carb is the only diet that works for me and lets me have goodies like egg and bacon for breakfast! Now just need to wash up

NanKate, sometimes you need to use a tape measure too to find out if things are going the right way. I know some people change shape before they actually lose the weight and the tape measure will show you are heading in the right direction which keeps you on track.