Opinion and Advice on weight loss

Zebrano

Hi All

I’m looking for a bit of advice on my current exercise and diet. I’m female, 27, 5ft 10 and currently weigh 65kgs, with a BF of 24%. I’ve lost 2 stone over the past year (emotional eater) and gone from a dress size 12 to an 8 (also down 4 cup sizes and my back thanks me for that!)and I feel much better for it. My goal is to lose another 3 or 4 kilos if possible and somehow lose the little pot belly that I have! I was 63.5kgs before Easter, but I have gained weight since then.

Currently, I swim 3 times a week (3x40 mins sessions) and do about 2kms each session (I do a spinning class if I can’t make it to the pool – that’s maybe once/twice a month).
I do 2 boot camps a week, which is a mixture of cardio, weights etc, run once a week and do between 5-10km each time. I did the mini-marathon recently and did it in under an hour, and signed up for another 10k in July so that I keep up the running (was never any good at it). I may cycle to work once or twice a week but that really depends on the weather, that’s about 16km round trip –takes about an hour. Also signed up for a 50km cycle at the end of July to make sure I keep that up to. I also walk the dog every day, but that’s more of a stroll. By Saturday I am quite tired, so I normally take that day off and only walk the dog.

I don’t think my diet is the best, and this is definitely my downfall (sugar addict). Typical day would be:

Breakfast: 30g porridge made with water and low-fat milk, honey to taste or branflakes with low fat milk.
Lunch: Wholemeal sandwich with chicken or turkey or egg and lettuce. I may have a bagel or wrap if I get sick of the bread. Lunch at the weekend would be scrambled eggs and toast (Wholemeal).
Dinner: Chicken stir-frys with lots of peppers and veg/ chicken curry made with the Uncle Bens sauces/ baby potatoes, veg (broccoli and carrots mainly) with chicken fillet or salmon/spaghetti Bolognese with quarter pound lean mince.
Snacks: Apple or banana or pear and 2 cups of tea with one sugar/the odd nutri-grain bar and sometimes a biscuit in work.
If I am in pain, I may have one or two protein shakes a week.

At the weekend I try not to eat chocolate, but I have been giving into temptation lately and may have a bag of giant buttons and a moro or some extra bread. I drink about 2litres of water a day.
I am cutting out the chocolate from now on as that’s the reason I gained weight.

So my question is, what can I cut or add from the diet to help get rid of the gut. I am going on holiday in September and really want to look a bit better for that. Could I change my exercise routine? Swimming clears my head and I really enjoy the bootcamp. Sorry for the long post, but I need all the help I can get to reach my goal. Thank you so much for reading!

Tefral

At a quick glance i think you need to add more lean protein to your diet. It helps you feel a little fuller for longer.

Get rid of the Uncle Bens sauces, they are full of sugar. Is there anyway you could make your own sauce if you badly need to include it?I would cut out all sauces to be honest.

Also your snacks are fairly unhealthy like biscuits and the nutrigrain bars. Try swap your snacks out for a handful of mixed nuts or something better for you someone posted a recipe for a homemade protein bar here before. Look that up and have them instead.

Keep your cheat meals to once a week and be sensible with them, after all you need something to look forward to.

Do you drink much on the weekends? if so what do you drink?

Personally speaking I cut bread completely from my diet and I lost the spare tire fairly quickly.

Also well done on the weight loss, you've come down to the part now where its hard to shift the last few lbs and that requires a little more discipline.

Zebrano

Thanks Cronin j, I will cut the sauces and biscuits and the bread. I will look up some recipes for homemade sauces and give that a go. Had a chicken salad for lunch today, so that's a startI don't drink at all so alcohol isnt a problem for me. And you are right about being even more disciplined! I have signed up to myfitnesspal to start to track the calories too.Thanks so much for the advice!