Deflating the Bouncy Castle
- Thread starter spangles
- Start date
Morning! Spangles! Hope you are still tucked up in bed right now! I am a grump because I'm up and about. And it's freezing!!
Had another peek at your fantastic photos and I just feel so genuinely thrilled for you and your achievement. I know you've talked about maintenance and the various options you may consider once you go the next stage. However, I wanted to ask whether you are considering giving yourself a "buffer" zone? For example, I would feel comfortable at 8st 7 weight and size wise though it wouldn't get rid of all my lumps and bumps and that's fine but I found previously that my weight crept to 9st quite easily so I am considering setting myself a buffer of maybe 8st so I can have a buffer of 7 pounds to play with if you like.
I haven't quite thought it through as I'm pondering about it. Just that last two times i successfully lost weight on CWP I didn't set myself a buffer, mind you I didn't do a lot of things like the steps! This time I really don't want to come back to a vlcd either! Catch you later hon!
Had another peek at your fantastic photos and I just feel so genuinely thrilled for you and your achievement. I know you've talked about maintenance and the various options you may consider once you go the next stage. However, I wanted to ask whether you are considering giving yourself a "buffer" zone? For example, I would feel comfortable at 8st 7 weight and size wise though it wouldn't get rid of all my lumps and bumps and that's fine but I found previously that my weight crept to 9st quite easily so I am considering setting myself a buffer of maybe 8st so I can have a buffer of 7 pounds to play with if you like.
I haven't quite thought it through as I'm pondering about it. Just that last two times i successfully lost weight on CWP I didn't set myself a buffer, mind you I didn't do a lot of things like the steps! This time I really don't want to come back to a vlcd either! Catch you later hon!
spangles
Bouncy Castle
Well now - the answer to that is quite complicated so bear with me.
Originally, I calculated my BMI being under 30 (which is what i need for IVF) as being 169lbs (12st 1 - 18lbs away). But I knew a carb rebound was likely, plus I started planning a holiday, so I set my official target as 160lbs - a 9lb buffer zone.
But - because of the timing of my holiday (we depart march 31st), and because I want to do the whole seven week step programme, Its's pretty certain that I won't have got under 169lbs before I start stepping up (18lbs in 5 weigh-ins?), and likely that I won't have got down to 160lbs before we go. Because of this, and because I cannot mentally let myself come back to CD (if i do, then I know I will spend my life telling myself that it's ok to gain a stone and a half cos a month on CD will sort me out), I have planned to do at least 3 months dietchef when I come back from New York. Three months is prob more than i would need to get down to 160lbs, but I see it as a good solution for weaning myself onto the freedom and danger that making food choices represents. I also plan to allow myself one meal off plan a week, one evening of alcohol, which will allow me to participate in special occasions properly. With this much wider road, it may well take three months (or longer!) to get down to 160lbs.
However, none of that withstanding, as I mentioned before - i have discovered that my doctor has my height as 162cm, instead of 160. Which means I only have to get down to 172lbs to scrape below my BMI 30 target, which means I only have to lose 15lbs in the next five weigh-ins, and anything I can lose on the steps will provide a cushion of sorts. Which means, in theory, that I could come back from NYC with nothing urgently needing to be lost. I'll still do the 3 months dietchef, though, and 160l will still be the goal - it's just that if I come back from holiday under BMI 30, the actual buffer zone becomes less important...
does that make sense?
Originally, I calculated my BMI being under 30 (which is what i need for IVF) as being 169lbs (12st 1 - 18lbs away). But I knew a carb rebound was likely, plus I started planning a holiday, so I set my official target as 160lbs - a 9lb buffer zone.
But - because of the timing of my holiday (we depart march 31st), and because I want to do the whole seven week step programme, Its's pretty certain that I won't have got under 169lbs before I start stepping up (18lbs in 5 weigh-ins?), and likely that I won't have got down to 160lbs before we go. Because of this, and because I cannot mentally let myself come back to CD (if i do, then I know I will spend my life telling myself that it's ok to gain a stone and a half cos a month on CD will sort me out), I have planned to do at least 3 months dietchef when I come back from New York. Three months is prob more than i would need to get down to 160lbs, but I see it as a good solution for weaning myself onto the freedom and danger that making food choices represents. I also plan to allow myself one meal off plan a week, one evening of alcohol, which will allow me to participate in special occasions properly. With this much wider road, it may well take three months (or longer!) to get down to 160lbs.
However, none of that withstanding, as I mentioned before - i have discovered that my doctor has my height as 162cm, instead of 160. Which means I only have to get down to 172lbs to scrape below my BMI 30 target, which means I only have to lose 15lbs in the next five weigh-ins, and anything I can lose on the steps will provide a cushion of sorts. Which means, in theory, that I could come back from NYC with nothing urgently needing to be lost. I'll still do the 3 months dietchef, though, and 160l will still be the goal - it's just that if I come back from holiday under BMI 30, the actual buffer zone becomes less important...
does that make sense?
lastbiscuit
Full Member
hey just wanted to say you look STUNNING in those pictures - you are an absolute inspiration x what a fabulous loss and a fabulous figure too wel jel of your waist too xxx
Sapphireblue
Full Member
sounds like a good plan!
back to the photos again, i think we all judge other people's size based on our own shape. as a struggling apple, i looked straight at your pretty flat stomach/small waist and thought you looked slim (although of course the rest of you has obv. shrunk as well). whereas you would probably look at my arms (which have never actually been that big) and think that i looked slim.
i need to remind myself that sometimes, that even though it seems i will always have an issue with my proportions, it doesn't mean other people will notice.
when i saw a friend at new year's eve who lost a load of weight the year before, i was surprised to hear she did want to lose a bit more, because she is a pear and is looking pretty slim apart from the hips/bum/thighs as per her shape and they weren't massive or anything. similarly, she was surprised that i intended to carry on dieting this year, as apparently i have nice slim legs (who knew?).
back to the photos again, i think we all judge other people's size based on our own shape. as a struggling apple, i looked straight at your pretty flat stomach/small waist and thought you looked slim (although of course the rest of you has obv. shrunk as well). whereas you would probably look at my arms (which have never actually been that big) and think that i looked slim.
i need to remind myself that sometimes, that even though it seems i will always have an issue with my proportions, it doesn't mean other people will notice.
when i saw a friend at new year's eve who lost a load of weight the year before, i was surprised to hear she did want to lose a bit more, because she is a pear and is looking pretty slim apart from the hips/bum/thighs as per her shape and they weren't massive or anything. similarly, she was surprised that i intended to carry on dieting this year, as apparently i have nice slim legs (who knew?).
bettiesrevenge
Gold Member
Meticulous precision as always!
I think SB is spot on. If we went on looks alone then surely it would be another stone and you would be happy! But it's about reasons, what you actually want to achieve, and the longevity.
That's why when I finally got myself back to it, I decides it could never be just about weight. I am fairly happy with where I am now, almost at pre pregnancy weight. But I want to do so much more! It's about changing my mentality, changing my outlook on fitness and managing the reasons I gained weight in the first place. Doing CD the first time was easy, but that's why so many people come back, because they just carry on post CD with all the wrong things they did before! Then think it's ok CD worked for me before. It will NOT be that easy the second time around!
I like your idea of diet chef even for 3 months, I think thats a sound plan !
I think SB is spot on. If we went on looks alone then surely it would be another stone and you would be happy! But it's about reasons, what you actually want to achieve, and the longevity.
That's why when I finally got myself back to it, I decides it could never be just about weight. I am fairly happy with where I am now, almost at pre pregnancy weight. But I want to do so much more! It's about changing my mentality, changing my outlook on fitness and managing the reasons I gained weight in the first place. Doing CD the first time was easy, but that's why so many people come back, because they just carry on post CD with all the wrong things they did before! Then think it's ok CD worked for me before. It will NOT be that easy the second time around!
I like your idea of diet chef even for 3 months, I think thats a sound plan !
Gosh!Complicated but that makes sense (ok so I had to read it a couple times!).
I was reading through the CWP steps and I think I could manage 810 and be ok. However, after that where one has two CWP and a meal of X many calories may be more tricky...not sure? I think I would have to plan each single meal and maybe have the same thing each night....mmh?
Will have to have a re-think or consider the CWP ready meals initially. Excuse the pun but it is literally food for thought. I can sense I am getting impatient....so I need to be very careful.
I was reading through the CWP steps and I think I could manage 810 and be ok. However, after that where one has two CWP and a meal of X many calories may be more tricky...not sure? I think I would have to plan each single meal and maybe have the same thing each night....mmh?
Will have to have a re-think or consider the CWP ready meals initially. Excuse the pun but it is literally food for thought. I can sense I am getting impatient....so I need to be very careful.
loved-up
Is determined and focused
Hi spangles
I have just spent the weekend reading your diary from start to finish,and I just have to say wow! It has been such an inspiration (and I'm sorry because you must be so sick of hearing that
)
You look amazing, and tbh you always have. In fact reading this has been somewhat of a revelation to me, I am the same height as you, the same starting weight and the same sort of shape (though your curves are much more fabulous). I look, quite frankly, a mess, once I got past a certain weight I just stopped bothering to look nice, now I see that was not inevitable
I am also losing weight for reasons other than looks, though mine is just for health reasons as I've been lucky enough to have children. Again I thought that I had no choice but to see this through till I was 'slim' but now I'm thinking, hmmm a size 14 or even 16 is where I'm happiest,it's more 'me', so thank you again for making me think about things a little more
Wishing you the best of luck to get where you want to be
I have just spent the weekend reading your diary from start to finish,and I just have to say wow! It has been such an inspiration (and I'm sorry because you must be so sick of hearing that
)You look amazing, and tbh you always have. In fact reading this has been somewhat of a revelation to me, I am the same height as you, the same starting weight and the same sort of shape (though your curves are much more fabulous). I look, quite frankly, a mess, once I got past a certain weight I just stopped bothering to look nice, now I see that was not inevitable
I am also losing weight for reasons other than looks, though mine is just for health reasons as I've been lucky enough to have children. Again I thought that I had no choice but to see this through till I was 'slim' but now I'm thinking, hmmm a size 14 or even 16 is where I'm happiest,it's more 'me', so thank you again for making me think about things a little more
Wishing you the best of luck to get where you want to be
BordersGirl
Feeling great in 2012!
Hi Spangles, I'm not familiar with the CD refeeding plan but when do you come out of ketosis? I say that because in my experience having had 2 breaks on my VLCD journey so far you get an inevitable weight gain as your glycogen stores refill with 3 parts water 1 part glycogen which means gaining in the region of 7lbs almost instantly if you come out all of a sudden. If you come out of ketosis early on and still manage to keep losing before your holiday then you'll probably be fine but if you come out when you're on holiday you're probably going to need to accept that there will be some associated weight gain along with it. So if you get your referral when you hit BMI 30 before your hols then how long does it take to actually get an appointment because no doubt you'll need to be BMI 30 then too so you may need to factor in some time to get back down to that.
spangles
Bouncy Castle
so, you do one week of 810cals and no extra carbs, so you should stay in ketosis - i did this for my 13th week, as per NICE guidelines, and lost 1lb
then 2 weeks of 1000cals inc a lower carb breakfast, and a 40g carb dinner (plus 2 products) - which means goodbye keto
then 2 weeks of 1200cals inc a lower carb brekkie, lunch and dinner (plus 2 products)
then 2 weeks of 1500cals inc more carbs but still following GI principles (plus one product).
From reading people's experiences (shrinking violet did it quite recently) weight over those seven weeks vaires from +2 to -2lb a week, and most people have a small net loss over the seven weeks - tho some STS. I've certainly not seen any diaries of anyone regaining all their water weight in one week, or ending the seven weeks with a gain - perhaps because carbs come in so gradually, or perhaps because cals are kept so low to start with.
The steps are pretty carefully worked out, but are not well written and options in the book are very limited. I have ordered the cookbook which CD have brought out for the steps, but I can see myself eating the same one or two options every day for each step.
then 2 weeks of 1000cals inc a lower carb breakfast, and a 40g carb dinner (plus 2 products) - which means goodbye keto
then 2 weeks of 1200cals inc a lower carb brekkie, lunch and dinner (plus 2 products)
then 2 weeks of 1500cals inc more carbs but still following GI principles (plus one product).
From reading people's experiences (shrinking violet did it quite recently) weight over those seven weeks vaires from +2 to -2lb a week, and most people have a small net loss over the seven weeks - tho some STS. I've certainly not seen any diaries of anyone regaining all their water weight in one week, or ending the seven weeks with a gain - perhaps because carbs come in so gradually, or perhaps because cals are kept so low to start with.
The steps are pretty carefully worked out, but are not well written and options in the book are very limited. I have ordered the cookbook which CD have brought out for the steps, but I can see myself eating the same one or two options every day for each step.
spangles
Bouncy Castle
reharding the time between doc sending the referral to getting an appointment it could be anything between one and 18 months. I should get the letter with plenty of notice, though.
I also intend to do a structured (cardio) exercise programme as soon as i'm eating carbs again, to maximise losses during the steps.
I also intend to do a structured (cardio) exercise programme as soon as i'm eating carbs again, to maximise losses during the steps.
BordersGirl
Feeling great in 2012!
spangles
Bouncy Castle
yup - and they're counted in your protein and carbs for the day.
Great incentive to maintain then when you get to goal
well quite. that, and i'm selling all my old clothes at half term. If i don't maintain I will have nothing to wear!
Lily
Gold Member
This reminded me of a post I read a while back, back in the days when KD used to grace us with her presence (now deserted us for the shores of the official website - she posts as Triotime there
. Anyway, makes for interesting reading.http://www.minimins.com/cd-1000-maintenance/108817-giving-yourself-leeway.html
Now I'm a way off maintaining, but it doesn't hurt to plan it now, I reckon.
And Spangles - you look fab in your latest set of piccies. :clap::clap::clap:
spangles
Bouncy Castle
interesting stuff - though i think it's naive to think that you're going to do those daily compensations for what you've eaten while on holiday, and come back exactly the same weight as when you left. maybe some people can enjoy a holiday that way, but it doesn't sound fun to me. which is not to say i want, plan or predict a two-week, dawn-til-dusk eating frenzy (i've given a lot of serious thought to what choices i can make)... but i do expect that i will gain a few pounds on holiday, and so pre-emptively creating a 'buffer zone' before i go seems logical to me.
i think a lot of people expect a 7lb water gain at the end, as BordersGirl mentioned - either because they don't plan to step up properly, or because they're scared it will happen anyway. that's another reason why people aim below their real goals.
i think a lot of people expect a 7lb water gain at the end, as BordersGirl mentioned - either because they don't plan to step up properly, or because they're scared it will happen anyway. that's another reason why people aim below their real goals.
BordersGirl
Feeling great in 2012!
Yes, definitely that but I think it's also about giving yourself a little leeway without going about your 'real' goal from the get go so that you can have that weekend break or whatever without going above goal which is always disheartening, and whilst I know that some people can have 'weight loss' days whilst on holiday to offset the indulgent days I know that's not for me.
My maintenance goal is 160lbs but I hope to continue to lose about another half stone below that and fiddle about with maintaining from there, allowing myself some leeway to make a few mistakes along the way as I have no doubt that will happen. The thing I did wrong last time having maintained quite well for 2 years was to go above the 'top' weight I had set myself before I had intended to go back into weight loss mode again. I just kept saying to myself that it didn't matter if I went a bit over the top as I could just do a VLCD again to lose it. Of course that didn't happen (for a few years anyway until now) and I ended up creeping up and up and doing nothing about it. Then you get into the cycle of telling yourself that you're so big anyway that it doesn't actually matter what you eat as it'll make no difference. It's hard to break that cycle. It'll be hard but I don't want to do another VLCD again after this one so I need to maintain for longer than 2 years - I need a maintenance plan for life. And that's definitely the hard bit - not the losing of it!
Spangles you look amaze balls in your pics! You have just given me the inspiration I needed to keep going! I was feeling a bit blue this evening but just popped on here to catch up and saw your photos!
Honestly you look gorge lady and I think you are making a very wise choice with your steps- take it from me you don't want to have to come back to CD if you can help it and after all this time I to have learnt he only way to do it is to do it properly and go up the steps!
Thank you for inspiring me this evening!
Honestly you look gorge lady and I think you are making a very wise choice with your steps- take it from me you don't want to have to come back to CD if you can help it and after all this time I to have learnt he only way to do it is to do it properly and go up the steps!
Thank you for inspiring me this evening!
I read the link from Lily's (KD posts on the buffer/leeway) last night. Having pondered over it, I think irrespective of any water gain once moving up the steps, I personally need the buffer because in the past it clear that I have never taken heed of my jeans or dresses getting tighter and tighter because I simply wore the next size up. Then I ignored they were getting tighter, got myself depressed and before i knew it i binged some more and then when out and bought bigger sizes. So in reality, at least for me I did not cut back on food when I knew I had over eaten on holiday or my jeans got far too tight. I definitely need the scale number as a reminder to keep my within my buffer zone.
