Getting in shape for the big day!!

Ooh the star for each day you do something is a great idea! That really appeals to me I'm gonna pop into the art and hobby shop now and get some stars.

I'm joining in here too! Rejoined slimming world today and joined the gym yesterday. Have had two days on track and one workout done.

55 weeks to the wedding and I'd love to lose 4-5 stone.
I lost 5 stone a few years back and have put back on 3 stone in the past 3-4 years.

Also LoughC is my fiancé so we will do it together!

Have been lurking on this forum for months now getting ideas and finally signed up to an account so I could join this thread! Love it.

Wedding is just under 3 months away and I'm the heaviest I've ever been. I'd love to lose 10-15kg in that time. Have done it before when I've got the discipline and routines going, and maintained that for a couple of years, so have the head down and going again. Much happier when I'm eating healthy and doing more exercise anyway, this is just a great excuse to have a deadline.

Went to try out my new local gym today (was living abroad until a couple of years ago which is when I last had a gym membership, which I used all the time!) but really didn't like the atmosphere - too big and impersonal for me, so trying to think of other easy exercise routines I can get into.

So happy to be posting with you all!

buffin wrote: »

Have been lurking on this forum for months now getting ideas and finally signed up to an account so I could join this thread! Love it.

Wedding is just under 3 months away and I'm the heaviest I've ever been. I'd love to lose 10-15kg in that time. Have done it before when I've got the discipline and routines going, and maintained that for a couple of years, so have the head down and going again. Much happier when I'm eating healthy and doing more exercise anyway, this is just a great excuse to have a deadline.

Went to try out my new local gym today (was living abroad until a couple of years ago which is when I last had a gym membership, which I used all the time!) but really didn't like the atmosphere - too big and impersonal for me, so trying to think of other easy exercise routines I can get into.

So happy to be posting with you all!

The deadline is always great to have, and you seem really motivated! Even on a very disciplined diet, most people tend to lose 1-2lbs a week (0.5kg-1kg). The first weeks if you overhaul the diet might be more, and towards the end it gets harder, so don't worry too much about the number on the scales, a loss of 10-15kg takes quite a long time if you want to go about it in a good way.

gossipgirl10 wrote: »

Hi everyone going to jump on board this thread too! wedding is just under a year away and I don't have a huge amount to lose I'd say max 1 stone it's more toning up than anything but I don't want to leave it to the last minute and be crash dieting I want to try and make a lifestyle change not go on a diet and then maintain it as I am a notorious yo yo dieter.

Going dress shopping in a few weeks time and want to try and lose a few lbs before then.

Just finished week 3 of couch to 5k I've started it so many times over the years but never once finished it so this time I am determined to do it. Have signed myself up for a 5k fun run in August so that I have something to work towards. I'm actually enjoying it I have to say and normally I have hated running because I'm dying after about a hundred metres.

Glad you like the running now! Don't do something if you hate it though, that's never going to be sustainable. I've taken up weightlifting and I enjoy it so much more than the running although sometimes you can't beat a good run around in nice weather!
Jumping in on this thread as I have a bridesmaid dress to fit into in 8 weeks. Over the years have lost about 15kg since my heaviest known weight (I don't even know if I was heavier than that), and 8kg of that (1 stone and a bit) was from October 2015- now. The key for me has been taking my time, and then it's never been yo-yoing.
I got a nutritionist for October+November, it was the best money I've ever spent and I lost 4kg in 2 months, but it was a very strict plan. It worked for me though, I didn't know enough about nutrition and exercise to tackle my weight on my own, but even without a nutritionist now, I am way better educated about food choices and have been able to keep going with the plan without ever depriving myself of things I enjoy. I have a long way to go but I also want to enjoy life and so have made changes and enjoy eating the right foods for me now.
I use MyFitnessPal almost every day and weigh and log the foods I eat so I know how many calories I'm consuming. If your calories you're consuming are less that the calories you're burning, you'll lose weight, it's as simple as that. I eat a lot of protein and healthy fat like nuts, oily fish and avocado etc, because they keep me full and provide the body with energy, preventing us from losing muscle in the calorie deficit and instead focus on losing fat. I eat plenty of carbs too, especially when I'm working out. I eat chocolate regularly (if it fits my calories) and save up calories during the week for a nice meal at the weekend with himself (not an all-out binge!). It's that simple, eat less calories than you use up. Every week.
You might find low-carb works for you, you might not. There's a whole pile of diets out there like ketogenic, low carb, paleo, Lean In 15, and names like Motivation Clinic, juicing, "detoxing" (which is not a thing!!!) Herbalife, blah blah blah. Some work for some, many don't work (and I certainly shouldn't be tarring some of these excellent ones with the rubbish ones) - just be aware that some are rubbish and are some variation on Calories In, Calories Out (CICO). There's an excellent forum here on Boards over in Fitness, Nutrition&Diet for people who want to ask for help. Someone already posted the TDEE calculator here which is how you work out what your calorie needs are and what your weight loss goal should be (you can also check this on MyFitnessPal without ever logging food).
This forum is great as everyone has a common goal of being their best self for a wedding day which is lovely!!! Definitely giving me a kick up the bum to keep the wedding in mind and avoid any slip ups
Also I would add tips from my own journey (which is ongoing, I hope it doesn't come across like I'm trying to tell anyone what to do) that I wish people told me before:
1. It takes time. Lots of time. I set up long and short term goals and it's getting really hard to meet them as more weight comes off. I had one short term goal before Christmas which I hit, but I set up another one after Christmas and nearly hit it by Easter but am still not quite there, but I'll get there. Because....
2. There are more important things than the scales. I do hardly any running or cardio activities, I just lift weights and do a bit of interval training afterwards. I'm fairly active anyway, on my feet a lot of the day so just don't want to get home and go running. Weight training has completely changed how my body looks, my arms look toned and my legs look strong. Belly still has a big squidgy layer but it's significantly reduced, the composition of my body has changed and will continue to do so. Taking progress photos (I used to do it every week, now usually do it about every 2-3 weeks) has been so rewarding, as some weeks the scales don't move and it's so nice to look back on the journey each month. Even when I don't reach a number on the scale I can see the difference (it is TINY though, don't expect crazy transformations like you see people sharing their pics a year apart on Instagram)!

Again: take it slowly. If I had to eat 1,200 calories a day I'd go mad in a very short space of time. Calculate what works for you, and slow and steady weight loss will be much more sustainable. I eat about 1500 cals a day which is right for my height and activity level, and I know which foods to put in and take out on a particular day if I am eating too many/too few.
Also meal prep/planning has been a huge help to me, I plan ahead and know exactly what's for lunch so I don't just give up and get a deli roll or something. Also saves money with the wedding approaching so handy that way too!
Ok that's enough from me but this is something I'm really interested in and weddings and fitness coming together means this is my favourite thread in a while! 8 weeks to my sister's wedding abroad which means sundresses and swimwear for a week with the family, nowhere to hide! This thread is definitely good motivation, good luck to all of us

LynnGrace wrote: »

I would love to try out a bit of basic weight training, but haven't a clue where to begin.

I was the same, still am a bit! I started with liking Emily Skye on Facebook (you can see her vids on YouTube too if you're not of Facebook) and that was handy. Joe Wicks uses bodyweight exercises as part of his HIIT circuits so you can even include squats and push ups or bench dips to improve your legs and arms without having to buy dumb bells, but keeping it varied and progressive is important to challenge your body. I go to a gym which has dumbells of 1kg, 2kg, 3kg up to 10kg and then 12 14 16 so it's really handy for weaker kittens like me to have small increments like that available. My gym at home home (I live abroad) only has 2.5kg and 5kg and some exercises I struggle with 5kg! Bodybuilding.com also has lots of free training programmes you can try. It doesn't have to be as specific as what they outline, anything you enjoy, feel good with and can stick to is good. My nutritionist sent me a training plan and then I looked up on YouTube just instructional videos "how to do a lateral raise" etc. Most gyms offer a once off consultation with a member of staff who can show you how to use equipment, and there's plenty of help in the Fitness forum too here if you want to know how to do a certain exercise for a particular bodypart. It can be intimidating starting off but everyone has to start somewhere!

ChampagnePop wrote: »

I'm logging my food on MFP and have a question about macros- so far today is roughly even between the three; fats carbs and protein, 33% each.....
I'm trying to make sure my protein amount is above 20% recommended, but should I worry about how much carb v fat I have so long as I have a bit of both in my diet?

Short answer: no you don't need to worry.

If weight loss is priority than calories are the most important thing to count. If you have 1500 calories allowed, you could have 9 Creme Eggs for the day and still lose weight. Of course you'd feel rubbish and that's not a balanced diet, but that's the principle behind calories anyway. Macros are secondary; you should get a balance of all of them from a wide variety of sources to make sure you're getting all essential macro and micronutrients. Faith has correctly pointed out that 0.8g per lb of bodyweight is a good guideline for protein. I eat about 0.9g per lb, and then I eat about 0.4g-0.5g of fat per lb or so depending on the day, and higher or lower carb then depending on what happens. Mine are generally about 30% each with the 10% extra getting spread between all of them depending on the day (I do the bodybuilding type stuff but am not a body builder but carbs vary with daily exercise), but many people would eat a lot more carbs than me and a bit less protein and that's fine, we're all different. Don't stress about it anyway, it's one of those things that makes it a "diet" rather than a lifestyle... If you're eating a bit of protein, fat and carbs with every meal, you'll be fine. A mix of meat, (oily) fish, eggs, nuts, greek yoghurt, avocado, coconut oil, brown rice/oats/sweet potato/wholegrain pasta/quinoa and all that stuff, loadsa fruit and veg and a few treats within your calorie goal - that's all ya need!

Ah ladies and lads am I all on my own here?? :-O

How is everyone doing? :-D

Healthy eating is going great although typical as is i'm struggling to take my own advice and actually eat all of my calories!

Need to get more exercise in though but got a good walk today

Faith wrote: »

Re: snacks, I'm no help. I find it easiest to just not snack, personally.

I have lost just under 5lbs to date. It was the first weigh-in, so it was mostly water weight but it's still nice to see a change like that! I ate and drank rings around myself on Saturday, so I need to bike to work at least 3 days this week to atone for those calories.

Wow well done Faith!!

I won't weigh in until next week but I'm hoping I will be down a pound even, every little helps! The weight-loss is very slow the less you have left to lose I find but it's a good way to make you maintain a healthy diet.

Faith wrote: »

Oh yeah, mine flew off probably because it was the same 5lbs I piled on recently! It'll no doubt slow to a crawl now. It's so hard to stay motivated when you're not seeing changes.

Yep! I was looking at my history on myfitnesspal and this time 2 years ago I clocked in at 125lbs which depressed me! Now to be fair I was too thin, but when I looked back at how slow the weight came off that depressed me more lol. 0.5 -1.0 lb max per week sometimes nothing even with a a great week!

Faith: I'm crazy about greek yoghurt. Like I said I don't eat much fruit but if I chop up like 4 strawberries and throw 10g of chia seeds into it, it's filling and munchy! I add vanilla something usually because I like the taste of greek yoghurt but I LOVE the taste of vanilla in it. If I need more protein I mix protein powder in, if I don't, I add MyProtein FlavDrops which is just a no-calorie flavour which I realise some people won't want to include but that's what I drop in to make it more interesting, but I don't use it that often. Look up "flexbowl" and see the mental things people put over their oats or yoghurt haha! Your yoghurt can be fine on its own or you can really go crazy with it depending on how many calories you have left for the day.

GracieFacey, well done! Great start You might be happy with the inches so don't get too hard on yourself with the scale, take some progress photos and enjoy watching the real difference!