Christmas Chub Club! 2021

Still time for anyone new to join. Just add your name to the bottom of the sheet and pull the formula down.

Well….. I’ve filled in my figures in for the last two weeks as we flew away on holiday early doors on Friday the first. Makes depressing reading for me – I’m sure it’s hilarious for other folks though 🙂

I was 87.9kg on the first, when we came back at the weekend I weighed in at 91.4!! A whopping 3 and a half kilos gained in a week or 7 and three quarter pounds. Ooft, that’s got to be some kind of record. We weren’t even all inclusive! 🙂

Back on it again at the weekend, keeping under my target calories on Nutracheck, hoping to shave a few lb off before Friday again. It never comes off quite as easy though…..

It’s Friday….. still 200gms off my target weekly loss.

900g loss for me this week, which is not bad considering we went out for a meal last night. I tried to be good and stuck with a few AF beers and just a main course.
Overall I’ve been in a deficit everyday according to MFP, not had any alcohol for 24 days so far. I have the doctor on Monday for another appointment about my liver. I’d obviously like to hear that everything is good and there’s nothing to worry about, but part of me worries that will just mean I end up back where I started.

After the first week of Snackageddon while we have the kitchen replaced, I have remarkably stayed steady at 82.2kg.

Feels like a win.

Not a really good week for me.

Went up 1kg mid week then back down to an increase of ‘just’ 300g on last Friday.

Not going to make any drastic changes like I would have done previously. Instead will stick with it and see what happens next week.

If I get 3 weeks on the bounce of the same increase/fluctuations, will look deeper into eating patterns and food types.

Weigh-in today revealed that I’m 3KG off-target.

Hail Chub Club. I need the goals. Just invested in some walking poles in effort to break stasis/plateau. They should help me walk faster and further.

As I expected with this chub club I’ve been up and down like a fiddlers elbow. Away at a festival at the start of Sept, away on holiday last week, etc, etc. Taken aback this morning when I stepped on the scales and was nearly 3kg off last weeks total, meaning that my extra holiday weight has ….. erm ….. evaporated?? Weird. I’ve been under my calorie total for the day all week since we got back but certainly haven’t been starving myself – as it’s ‘nearly’ Xmas there are now iced mince pies in the house that need attention. Still on track to be down to 85kg ish by Xmas but in reality only just under a kilo lost since the start of Sept.

The running total for me is just under 30kg off since last year which I still feel really good about. One downsides of being obese for so long (most of my adult life), losing a chunk of weight and now being in my 50s is wrinkly skin on my tummy, tops of my thighs, etc which doesn’t seem to be going. I’ve tried taking collagen supplements etc but nothing seems to make a difference. Just going to have to live with it I guess. Small price to pay to get into 34″ jeans though! 😀

Up a bit in last week, but then I’ve not been working much this week so the snackage has gone up a little together with less moving. What’s been the killer is that the work I have done this week has been to a bakery in Cornwall that has a staff shop on site that’s very hard to resist while sat on my break!

Busy weekend and next week so that should get me back in the right direction, less time to be tempted by treats.

Going well, but off on a family holiday tomorrow! How much could I gain in a week? I’m guessing 2kg up.

Markie
Full Member
Going well, but off on a family holiday tomorrow! How much could I gain in a week? I’m guessing 2kg up.

Posted 9 minutes ago
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Think I’ve got the current record with 3 and a half kilos – can you rise to the challenge?? 😀

A slight drop to 84.0.kg, which is a little bit surprising as I had a weekend away with friends last weekend and didn’t exactly hold back on the pub food and cooked breakfasts!

Aim next week is to be well into the 83 zone.

Good work RJ. That’s something that I’ve struggled with in the past if I have a bad couple of days then I can just let things slip. I too went a bit off the rails at the weekend. Not overly bad but in terms of calories maybe half way between what I should and have been consuming and what I used to consume. Didn’t let it bother me this time though and just got back on track Sunday and kept it going through the week.
Lost 1.3kg this week which is pretty good seeing as I’ve not really been out on my bike that much.

Still coming down… erratically when looked at closely.
This last 5 days has seen almost zero change, but I seem to have a pattern of spells up around 4-5 days of very little change followed by a fairly sudden drop, then repeat and another plateau.
I’m really curious about what’s behind that !

After another week of no kitchen and very little exercise, still 82.2kg.

I’m calling that a win.

Hmm. Up (400g) again for me but have started back in the gym after years away.

If it’s up again next week, actions to be taken.

s t a s i s

Walking poles acquired. Kick-bike rust-proofed, resprayed, rebuilt, new grips and ready to roll. Let’s see what more daily exercise can achieve in tandem with MFP diary/calorie-counting/deficit (max 1700 per day)? I’m already cycling everywhere (but not far/fast enough obv) Pork sausages are now banned. As are chips. Onwards…

What are people doing to try and lose weight? Keto, calorie deficit, intermittent fasting?

I’m just going with good old fashioned calorie deficit combined with a daily walk of around 5km plus a couple of rides per week.
I’ve been a long term user of MyFitnessPal, but I usually start off with a few days maybe a week of logging everything and making sure I stay under the target; then it tails off and I just log the meals and leave off the beers until I eventually get to a point where I just don’t bother using it at all.
Since I started this 4 weeks ago though I’ve been logging everything daily, even on the couple of bad days I’ve had where I end up over the target. I know that if I wasn’t logging it it’s so easy to lose track and eat more than necessary. When I first started I was eating super healthy but I was still eating too much. I know it doesn’t work for everyone but it’s helped me.

Think I’ve got the current record with 3 and a half kilos – can you rise to the challenge?? 😀

I was thinking of this through the holiday! Ate well, with a bit more moderation than I might normally have, but marginal. Drank well too. Up 2.1kg! I’m a contender, but not the champion…

What are people doing to try and lose weight? Keto, calorie deficit, intermittent fasting?

Moving more, eating less. Being back at work (although sporadic, stupid agency work) is really helping as it not only gets me moving more but I also completely resist the urge to buy any snacks during the day. Trying to get at least 2 Zwift sessions in a week too but that just balances out the fact that I’m riding the bikes outdoors a lot less than I used to, partly down to not commuting by bike any more but also due to lack of motivation to go out on my days off. That’s something I really need to fix as it helps in so many ways but I just can’t get past the stage of getting out of the flat. Kit is there waiting, bikes are ready to go, I just don’t have the urge to go for a ride! It’ll come back at some point but I’d rather play with my RC cars at the moment.

Markie
Full Member
Think I’ve got the current record with 3 and a half kilos – can you rise to the challenge?? 😀

I was thinking of this through the holiday! Ate well, with a bit more moderation than I might normally have, but marginal. Drank well too. Up 2.1kg! I’m a contender, but not the champion…

Amateur 😉

muggomagic
Full Member
What are people doing to try and lose weight? Keto, calorie deficit, intermittent fasting?

Calorie deficit’s been the only thing that’s worked for me. Logging everything (apart from when I’ve been away) is the thing that seems to work the best to help me make healthier choices. Even little things have made a difference. We used to have coleslaw with most evening meals – hardly ever have it now because, y’know, calories.

^ I’d agree with all of that. And that’s what I was doing, also losing effectively until began backsliding/letting the beige and fats in.

Even little things have made a difference. We used to have coleslaw with most evening meals – hardly ever have it now because, y’know, calories.

Same with me for potatoes and bread. Used to have daily. Now realise that having them *at all* is a surefire way of putting brakes on any weight loss.

Conversely, I lost/lose weight more effectively by making a healthier homemade ‘superslaw’. Eat it as the largest part of lunches or dinners. It’s (IMO) far tastier than coleslaw so there is a ‘reward’ thing happening.

1 x grated carrot
1 x chopped red onion
1 x grated raw beet
1 x finely chopped apple
1 x handful of crushed (or whole)
mixed nuts, sunflower seeds, etc
1 x small handful of sultanas
1 x small chopped orange
1 x teaspoon dried dill
1 x shake of dried garlic (or 1 x clove of fresh crushed/finely chopped)
1 x sprinkle of caraway seeds or fennel seeds
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 x heaped tablespoon of Hellman’s (or homemade) vegan mayonnaise
Season to taste.

Will sometimes add shredded white cabbage if there is any around.

Mix all together in a mahoosive tub or bowl. Eat generous portions stead of bread or taters. Keep in refrigerator it tastes even better next day.

Anyway it’s super tasty and filling and pretty gosh darn healthy. Am working towards cutting the mayo component down little by little as per the boiling frog analogy yet in reverse gear 🐸

Sounds good! Have you tried this yet?

https://www.hellmanns.com/uk/products/mayonnaise/hellmann-s-lighter-than-light-squeezy-mayonnaise.html

Alright, it doesn’t taste nearly as nice as home made mayo or even regular Hellmans. And it has eggs and milk in it so it’s not vegan. But hardly any calories…..

^ Good tip thnks Chris. Although it has to be non-dairy so was thinking about trying Creamy Oat Fraiche + cider vinegar + dijon instead, as the Oat Fraiche too is about 6 x less fat and calories of the regular vegan mayo. In fact that’s todays dinner sorted. Onwards and upwards downwards…

I’ve been mostly avoiding potatoes (occasionally have a jacket for dinner) mainly because I always liked to have them with salt which is something I’ve had to cut out due to the fatty liver. Been having wholegrain rice instead or just taking a leaf out the keto book and having chicken and lot of green veg. I’ve still not really found a good lunch alternative to a sandwich but I’m not too worried about that atm as I do enjoy a good sandwich or roll as they’re tasty and convenient and things are still heading in the right direction.

83.3kg this week, very happy. Solid progress and hopefully I can continue it through to the end.

Down 2.2kg this week which was a more than I was expecting tbh. Been out on the bike a bit more and still sticking to the calorie counting, just off to get a McDonald’s breakfast and put most of it back on now.

Still coming down at the same rate… measured 93.4 this morning but logged 93.8 on the tracker sheet as that’s an average trend rather than the daily noisy measurement.
I just realised that 93.8kg is my target for this round of Chub club !
It’s not the “real” target though – am ultimately aiming for 80kg ish (I’m 6’1″) and I suspect that this will get harder not easier the closer I get to that.

Levelled out this week for me.
Hopefully that will be the start of the decline once again.

I’m trying not to make any drastic changes as time after time I have proved to myself I just don’t want to keep them going. The initial motivation always drops off, no matter what the consequences.

Maybe some here can associate with this, most will likely think I’m just daft and low willed.
Whatever the case, I will find something that suits and ultimately it will be smaller portions and watching calories – as what else is there really !

Maybe some here can associate with this, most will likely think I’m just daft and low willed.
Whatever the case, I will find something that suits and ultimately it will be smaller portions and watching calories – as what else is there really !

Yeah I know where you are coming from. This is the first time in a while that I’ve been really motivated to lose weight and kept it going beyond the initial couple of weeks. It’s helped that I’ve been told that I have to lose weight for the sake of my health as I’ve no doubt if it wasn’t for that I’d be back on the booze and eating all the things again.
Unfortunately though if you really want to get to your target weight by Christmas then I don’t think small changes are going to get you there. You’ve had some really good weeks where you’ve lost a decent amount, whatever you did those weeks was working so stick to that.
I hope that doesn’t sound harsh, I’m really just trying to help as I know it’s not easy.

Hi All – I am a bit late to the game in adding my details to this thread but hopefully you don’t mind a late joiner.

I started a little before you guys in mid-August so the initial dramatic loss doesn’t show on the group spreadsheet but I started at 120kg with the target of 90-95kg as a sustained weight to be achieved by the middle / end of February 2022.

My approach has been quite simple, and driven by health benefits rather than the actual aim of weight loss, to cut out all booze. This is not a minor under taking as I have been known to enjoy a jar but it has been quite effective.

Given that my diet has remained pretty constant in terms of what and how much I eat then I assume the calorie deficit driving the weight loss has also been constant. But when I look at the graph below, the weight (in blue) seems to go in cycles of big drop followed by a plateau to form an average scalloped line (in green).
Question : Why is that? Why isn’t weight loss a fairly straight line (ignoring minor daily fluctuations)?

Been away to catch up with son at uni. I’m blaming Premier Inn breakfasts for the 200g gain this week.

…smaller portions and watching calories – as what else is there really !

There are other factors than portion size, ie

-type of foods/drinks?
-regularity/intensity of activity/exercise?

I can eat very satisfying large portions of homemade slaw and healthy meals and still lose weight.

Or I could slash portions (yet continue eating) of my old fiends/foods (imagine the British ‘beige’ diet, replete with half-packets of biscuits between meals and beer at bedtime) and be never ‘satisfied’ nor healthy.

(It’s been really difficult to cut/quit the processed carbs and resultant sugar-cravings, it’s been like quitting smoking again but harder IME)

Onwards and upwards! Organising good nutrition and being ‘filled’ is an ongoing re-education but I’m finally, hopefully beginning to enjoy it and see some results. Just over a kilo gone this week, have not been going to bed hungry and only one (major) workout session. I credit: Homemade super slaw, sushi, dal, fresh fruit and oats for breakfast, bananas for ‘snacks’, Ghost Ship 0.5 and 85% dark choc for evening ‘treats’.

*correction

Homemade super-slaw, baked potatoes, sushi, dal, whole-grains, veg chilli, more greens etc type of ingredients for main meals

Always cycling (not driving) to the shops to get groceries/whatever doesn’t hurt, either now I can do it.

@worldclassaccident – First, and most importantly well done mate – that’s an impressive loss and trend – you should be rightly proud.

Re your question

weight … seems to go in cycles of big drop followed by a plateau to form an average scalloped line (in green).
Question : Why is that?

I don’t know and am wondering the same myself. I also cut out booze – also dropped all junk food and got “back on it” in terms of exercise but see similar trends. There are periods of 4-7 days of no change – total plateau, and periods of rapid drop. I can’t correlate it with anything in particular but really want to know what’s behind this – not for any health reason but just being a “typical bloody engineer” want to know how this works.

weight trend 29 oct 2021 by markwsf[/url], on Flickr

I read something years back which said that the plateaus are down to the way your body reacts to weight loss and then it works to avoid you losing more weight

A slight gain of 100g this week, so essentially held steady. Haven’t been particularly active the last few days though so not massively surprising.

200g loss so back on the down.

Still going to tweak calories down to 2000 a day and see if that brings it down faster.
Currently at 2100 with 2300 being my ‘weight wise stand still’ requirement.

Not going too far with the limit as that’s when I get fed up and just quit after a few weeks.

400g loss for me this week, which I am pretty surprised about as I went to the gym for the first time since lockdown 3 on Monday and I was completely ruined afterwards to the point of not being able to do anything else all week as I was so sore.
Was sticking to the calories in MFP but was sure it was going to be an increase this week as every morning I was hovering just above last week’s weight, but last night I went to bed with no pudding 😀 and voilà.