First (and last!) Journey to Success Diary!

Hi (to anyone out there who happens to be reading!)

I have decided to finally start a diary after hiding in the shadows for a number of months. I have tried numerous diets in the past with success in some not in others, but always, slowly but surely end up back where I started!

I have always been able to stay focused when it comes to exercise and enjoy going to the gym 3-4 times a week but have always had issues with food...well since I was about 16, this has unfortunately ended up in periods of binge eating which understandably are really disheartening and proof that what I am doing with my diet is clearly not right. I have decided its now time to start doing things properly which means slow and steady, its not a race and if it is I have already wasted a good 10 or so years going round in circles!!

I have been reading up on TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) based on calculations my maintenance calories is 2091 so a suggested 15% reduction would be 1777 giving me a steady weightloss! So this is what I am going to do, I am going to post my calorie intake for each day for the next 6 weeks or so (no weighing!) and see how I get on! 1777 sounds like ALOT of calories to me based on some restrictive diets I have been on in the past so I am hoping this is more manageable and also may but a halt on the binges or at least reduce them!

Starting weight is 154lbs, would ideally like to be down at 140lbs in however long it takes!

Would love to hear from anyway else who has tried the similar slow and steady method!

Hmmm I seem to have managed to post 2 diaries!! This was the original so sticking with this one Let the calorie counting commence!

So Day 1 done , made sure I got as close as I could to 1770 and also tried to get as close as I could to the suggested breakdown of carbs, proteins and fats that goes alongside it, which was approx. 200g carbs, 145g protein and 45g fat. So I am going to track this aswell, it will be more tricky than just cals but will be interesting to see if it helps things along. So........


Day 1 (MFP)

Calories: 1750
Carbs: 173g
Protein: 106g
Fat: 70g (24g sat)

Surprising how difficult it is to eat 150g protein!! Doesn't sound like much but I struggled to get to that today. Exercise went as planned:

Exercise
Gym classes (Bodypump & Step)

Hi there
I'm here to sub if that's ok?
I'm using MFP too, but have to work out how many calories I'm going to have first. I don't think I'll get anything like as many as you have, but I'm a bit of a couch potato lol.

*skinnyme* said:

So Day 1 done , made sure I got as close as I could to 1770 and also tried to get as close as I could to the suggested breakdown of carbs, proteins and fats that goes alongside it, which was approx. 200g carbs, 145g protein and 45g fat. So I am going to track this aswell, it will be more tricky than just cals but will be interesting to see if it helps things along. So........


Day 1 (MFP)

Calories: 1750
Carbs: 173g
Protein: 106g
Fat: 70g (24g sat)

Surprising how difficult it is to eat 150g protein!! Doesn't sound like much but I struggled to get to that today. Exercise went as planned:

Exercise
Gym classes (Bodypump & Step)

Click to expand...

I have enough with counting calories without tracking all the other stuff. I used to use MFP but kept forgetting so only look now when I want calorie values.

sewsmaller said:

Hi there
I'm here to sub if that's ok?
I'm using MFP too, but have to work out how many calories I'm going to have first. I don't think I'll get anything like as many as you have, but I'm a bit of a couch potato lol.

Click to expand...

Hi Sewsmaller

That's fine I am new to MM so cant subscribe to any threads yet boo! Yeah I like MFP usually enter everything on the phone app but found doing it on the laptop gives you much more features, like importing recipe links etc. saves a lot of time!

Like I mentioned above I am trying to do this reeeeally slowly so eating 1770 is only going to give me a 1lb loss a week max! So will depend how quick you want to lose I guess!

Look forward to hearing how you are getting on!!

systema said:

I have enough with counting calories without tracking all the other stuff. I used to use MFP but kept forgetting so only look now when I want calorie values.

Click to expand...

Haha I know what you mean, I doubt I am going to be very good at sticking to the right carbs/protein/fat amounts too, need to get calories right first - thought it might be interesting to track though!

Right Day 2 done, as I finish off my cuppa

Day 2 (MFP)

Calories: 1747
Carbs: 203g
Protein: 117g
Fat: 63g (39g sat)

Exercise
Spinning (am)

*skinnyme* said:

Hi Sewsmaller

That's fine I am new to MM so cant subscribe to any threads yet boo! Yeah I like MFP usually enter everything on the phone app but found doing it on the laptop gives you much more features, like importing recipe links etc. saves a lot of time!

Like I mentioned above I am trying to do this reeeeally slowly so eating 1770 is only going to give me a 1lb loss a week max! So will depend how quick you want to lose I guess!

Look forward to hearing how you are getting on!!

Click to expand...

Is this because you do not have 50 posts yet. If so go to Chit Chat and do some of the games there - it will not take long to get your post number up.

Morning!
Well done on day 2
I'm only going to watch the calories, I'd get too confused trying to get everything else right too.
Have a good day

Lady_Amalthea said:

Haha, I just posted in your other, accidental diary *oops*

How are you doing today?

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Hi Lady_Amalthea!

Haha I know not sure how I managed to post 2 diaries!! And apparently I cant delete it myself I need to get the administrators to do it? - should really get round to that!

All went well today, just about to post my cals! Keen to start catching up on other peoples diaries too - looks like you have had some pretty good success so far!

Day 3 done and dusted

Day 3 (MFP)

Calories: 1739
Carbs: 172g
Protein: 129g
Fat: 57g (22g sat)

Exercise
Rest day

Day 4 boxed off - sightly over today which is strange cause I didnt feel like I had as much food as I have on previous days - also fab workout at the gym - think I am about ready for bed!! Ha

Day 4

Calories: 1784
Carbs: 135g
Protein: 108g
Fat: 90g (30g sat)


Exercise
Gym (step + body pump)

Go girl!
You're showing me up - I need to pull my socks up!

sewsmaller said:

Go girl!
You're showing me up - I need to pull my socks up!

Click to expand...

Ah I don't know about that I am only on Day 5 - weekends are where it gets really tough for me - just trying to plan everything so I have some little treats to keep me on track but not go overboard!!

Seems m&s like you had everything planned for today too looking at your diary - hope you have had a good one!

Yeah, it's weekends when I usually mess up too.

Day 5 done - managed to fit a glass of wine in the sun into my calories so a little treat to keep me going. Totals for the day:

Day 5



Calories: 1758
Carbs: 155g
Sugar: 21g
Protein: 129g
Fat: 59g (26g sat)




Exercise

Rest day

Added sugar as another item to track, I am not anti-carb but I am a bit anti-sugar so the lower the better!

So nearly at the end of my first week and so far so good!! Today was a bit more carb filled but that was kind of planned as for some reason the past couple of Fridays have unfortunately resulted in some mini binges, not horrendous but definitely waaaay over maintenance cals so just wanted to make sure today was at cal target regardless of what it was made up with in terms carbs, fats etc.

On a Friday I go to the gym before work and I think learning from the past few weeks is that if I don't eat enough during the day my hunger just builds up so I get in on a Friday night with massive cravings and if the chance arises this will likely end up in a binge so managed to plan a bit better today.

Tomorrow is slightly more tricky as I am off out for lunch which will almost certainly involve wine and will also be difficult to track so going to do my best. Light breakfast then make lunch my main meal and light snack in the night then straight back on on Sunday (with a gym visit to get me back on track!)

Day 6
Calories: 1721
Carbs: 255g
Sugar: 43g
Protein: 91g
Fat: 45g (9g sat)

Exercise
Body pump class (pre-work)

Also i have noticed on a few other diaries people have avoided weighing which is my intention too however the temptation is creeping in!! Determined not to tho as it may throw me off track if I have STS and the main thing is developing a healthier more sustainable attitude to food (that was my little self pep talk!)

Hope everyone is having a lovely Friday

Right, as predicted I have had wine and made some questionable meal choices today BUT it has not ended up in a binge and I feel sober enough to be able to hit the gym in the morning and get right back on track so I am taking that as a positive. Was tricky to track today so not posting carbs, protein etc as I am pretty sure they are wrong as they seem far too low for the amount of tasty food I had!! So instead posting menu so if anyone thinks I have been to generous/harsh with calorie prediction let me know (I did use info on MFP - how right it is though I don't know?!)

Total cals: 2517

Breakfast: Boiled egg on wholemeal toast w/ reduced sugar ketchup + tea

Lunch: None (preparing for the food onslaught!)

Dinner: (Jamie's Italian)
- Main: Meatballs + polenta chips
- Dessert: Epic Brownie (and yes it was epic!!)
- Drinks: 4 glasses of white wine

Now drinking a very virtuous sparkling water and getting my gym bag ready!!!