Awesome. Keep up the good work!
Flav drops from my protein is recomended by many - I find them too sweet but I never had much of a sweet tooth
Well done! I like the idea of an official weigh-in once a week and not recording the inbetween ones. I think I’m going to start doing that. I like to weigh myself more or less daily (it helps keep me on track) but it can be a little depressing sometimes
Good luck! I started today!
Good work @DJBenson!
It is great to see that you are constructing a habit and a change in your lifestyle. I believe that if you keep taking it with that mindset you will reach your goal all the way.
I also like the idea of having milestones in your journey. It helps you psychologically to affront the challenge, while reducing the stress and increasing the sense of achievement. Everyday (week) you don’t fall in old habits is a win.
Good job on findind some cardio (sport) that suits your needs. You could also try to find an outdoors activity that you like to do, so you don’t always need to do the same (easier said than done).
I’ll be watching your progress and I wish you all the best.
I’ve wrote down few tips in about how to lose weight with meal replacement, getting the idea to help similar trends, but you seem to have a good grasp on the issue.
You got this!
Date : 06/09/2018
Weight : 20 st 4.5 lbs
Loss : ~8lbs
Notes : One month Hueliversary! Huge milestone today, I’ve lost 1 st since I started. Clothes are starting to feel a little looser (especially jeans) and my belly is less pronounced. Worked from home this week so much less active than previous week so losses this week are purely down to calorie deficit. Average calorie intake over period 1766.
I’ve got 6 lbs to go to reach my first target of being under 20 st which is just an incredible thought.
Date : 14/09/2018
Weight : 20 st 2 lbs
Loss : ~ 2.2 lbs
Notes : Tough week this week, working away again and had a real attack of the hunger pangs in work - got through it by eating more fruit but it’s the first time since I started that I actually felt hungry.
The dreaded constipation has hit and right now its like passing house bricks - nothing in my diet has changed in the last 5 weeks so I don’t know what is going on - perhaps by digestive system is just starting to panic
Finally I had a bout of self pity (which in my old regime would result in my hitting the fridge of a having a mixing bowl full of sugary cereal) - I know it’s totally normal but after massive losses early on, I was feeling a bit miffed that I wasn’t losing more - a couple of people commenting on how my appearance is changing gave me a well-needed confidence boost.
I’ve now lost 1 st 5.4 lbs - I’m hoping to break that huge psychological barrier next week of being under 20 st - I think that will make a massive difference to my drive to continue on this path.
Average calorie intake over period 1756.
You should find that drinking more (plenty of) water helps with the constipation. A couple of mugs of hot water first thing in the morning too.
Date : 25/09/2018
Weight : 19 st 12 lbs
Loss : ~ 4 lbs
Notes : Didn’t update last week but I think I’ve found a rhythm now and the losses continue. Had a week at home this week so the mid-week exercise was virtually non-existent but made up for it at the weekend. It seems even with less than perfect exercise habits and also a couple of cheat days it’s still possible to lose 2 lbs a week (for my metabolism anyway - YMMV).
So I’m now finally less than 20 st (280 lbs) for the first time in a long time and my target has been smashed. I’m now aiming for less than 19 st (266 lbs) by Christmas. It’s going to be tough as that is 14 lbs in 12 weeks at arguably the hardest time of the year (colder, darker, wetter and the season of indulgence). I’ve already said I will be having two days off for sure (Christmas Day and Boxing Day) where I will not be calorie counting but I’m sure in the days before and after I will be subconsciously offsetting the calories I will/have consumed.
On my latest shipment I split my delivery between berry, vanilla and coffee and I really like the coffee Huel “raw” (with nothing added other than a scoop of chocolate flavour boost, the mocha and caramel was also lovely). I’ve been experimenting with flavours and flavour boosts to find something which works for me when away from home/a blender and have two which I really like now; the coffee + a flavour boost and the vanilla + the chocolate flavour boost - both a really nice.
Unfortunately the constipation continues - I am drinking a significant amount of water compared to normal (2-3l a day excluding the water used to make my Huel and also cups of tea throughout the day). It could well be my medication as that is known for causing constipation.
Average calorie intake over period 1841.
Date : 11/10/2018
Weight : 19 st 08 lbs
Loss : ~ 4 lbs
Notes : Another two weeks, another 4 lbs. I reset my personal goal to 19 st 7 lbs and I’ll pass that next week hopefully and then onward to my next goal of being less than 19 stone. At this rate, I’ll be edging towards sub 18 stone by Christmas which would be phenomenal. As I changed my goals in this period, MyFitnessPal dialled down my calories so I’m now on 1900 (down from 2100) and regularly have a deficit on that. I’m still maintaining a 2-a-day routine; Huel at breakfast and lunch and a “proper” cooked meal, not only does it help me fill up and have something to look forward to, but it’s also something we do as a family, sit down to a meal together.
I had some bad new this week, I had volunteered for Huel’s 100% study, but due to a complex mix of medication I take for arthritis and other conditions, the medication would likely have affected the study results so I’m unable to join. I’m slightly disappointed as I was really looking forward to that trial, both from the point of view of helping Huel with their study but also as a mechanism to stick to a very strict Huel-only diet for the 5 week duration. I am still going to follow a personal period of 100% Huel from Monday but I don’t think it will be 5 weeks. I’ll probably go one week, then build up to two and so on.
I’ve seen some slight cracks of weakness this week, some snacking on sugary snacks and crisps which I’ve not done for a long time, but at least I’ve not binged which was my normal course. Not too worried though, I’d have fallen off the wagon long before now if I was going to (plus I’ve got enough Huel to last until the middle of next year and there’s no way I’m wasting that )
One thing I’ve noticed recently, as I alternate between working away (where I can only drink Huel + flavour boosts) and working from home (where I drink Huel blended with fresh fruits) - the flavour boosts appear to cause me headaches. I’m not sure if I’m sensitive to the Stevia used in the boosts or something environmental which gets triggered in the office I work in, but going 100% across the two will help me narrow it down a bit.
Average calorie intake over period 1701.
I’ll be going 100% from Monday, so I’ll be joining you on the journey.
Great job @DJBenson!! Dont let the Huel trial get you down- wasnt meant to be!!!
@MarkyT Are you going to start a thread for your 100% Huel time?
@Watsername I started one a couple of weeks back (Newbie & Going 100%), back when I planned to start. I will update my progress on there from Monday.
Thank you. Good luck with your journey too. Not that Huel need it. Sorry.
Date : 25/10/2018
Weight : 19 st 03 lbs
Loss : ~ 5 lbs
Notes : Two weeks closer to Christmas, another milestone smashed (19st 07 lbs) so time to reset the goal (next 19 st 0 lbs). I didn’t start my 100% Huel stint as I wanted to, for numerous reasons but it just didn’t feel like a good time to start, when I do, I want to be in a good frame of mind to see it through. However I have done a number of days on 2/3 just Huel (instead of Huel + fruit/berries). I’m loving the coffee Huel at the moment, with either the Mocha or Caramel flavour boost.
What I have enjoyed recently is people telling me how much weight I’ve lost. I know how much I’ve lost on paper but to hear people tell you how obvious it is an how good you look is a really nice confidence boost and something which makes me more determined to keep going. Add to that the fact that my clothes are starting to get baggy - that XXL t-shirt which Huel sent me when I signed up, was skin tight when delivered but I made it my goal to make it fit and it does now.
I think I’m still on track for being < 18 st by Christmas. It’s going to take a bit of a push, so I’ll be upping the 100% Huel days and also the exercise.
Average calorie intake over peiod: 1758.
Well played sir. Keep it up!
Huh? HUH? 100% Huel trial? How did I miss this? Sign me up.