Posts by stormgirlz

i agree you can target muscle groups but spot fat reduction is not possible.  i'm with pgeorgian, if you're going to buy trousers that don't fit then anything you have, fat, skin, whatever, is going to stick out over the top of them.  i've seen size 8 girls look bad because they bought size 6 jeans (UK sized).  just buy trousers that fit!

you're metabolism is a homeostatic mechanism, that means it like to be in balance, if you stick to 1200 calories a day thats what your body will get used to and even though it says on the side of all the food cartons "recommended daily allowance for women 2000kcals" that won't apply to you because you've shrunk you're intake. 

i'm currently trying the zigzag method mentioned above (havent been on it that long but will update after a couple of weeks and let you know if its worked) and its actually pretty enjoyable, today i'm up to 1400 cals and i've been doing some extra snacking because my evening meal is quite light.

you might just be slowing down because you're reaching your goal weight, at 5ft your current weight is ideal, you dont need to be any less.

On my regular days I aim for 1200 calories with 100 cals of flexibility but occasionally dont make that, today being a good example - I'm only going to make it to about 1000 (not through under eating, just have lots of bizarrely low cal foods today).  I cycle to and from work (total of about 4 miles a day) BUT my weight gain began while I was still cycling (that's when I decided to start calorie counting).  So I suspect whatever exercise I'm doing at the moment (essentially just the cycling) is the level my body is used to and therefore doesnt really help with weight loss, does that make sense?

On my days off I just dont count calories and have what I want, it tends to be Fridays because they give away the leftovers from the canteen at about 3 so I treat myself to a nice plain scone and a pastry and I won't deny myself a wine or beer in the evening if I fancy one :)

thanks guys, have been consuming heaps of soup and anything that perks my energy up and doesnt hurt my throat to swallow (sucking maltesers has been particularly therapeutic!).  definately feeling perkier and back to calorie counting today :)

i never get rice, i always find i get too full.  a nice spicy dish like chicken pathia gets a good sweat up mopped with one naan, maybe a side dish of some lentils all washed down with a diet coke does me well.  again, if its a once in a while thing dont worry about it.  i give myself a day off the calorie counting a week so my body doesnt get into a routine anyway, if we end up having a spontaneous meal out then that is my day off!

I'm fortunate enough to live in a city where EVERYONE cycles everywhere so I can get a bit of a workout in that way but I absolutely hate going to the gym mainly because of the skinny girls and because I look daft when I run so I do all my workouts at home, I have all the current Davina McCall DVD's which are great and I'm thinking of buying the ones by The Firm which are supposed to be similarly good.  Working out at home is great because you can shower and then just get straight into PJs, people would stare if you did that at the gym!

Why don't you get some of those scales that show body fat and water?  If you're UK based Sainsbury's are doing deals on a lot of them at the moment.  That way if you're not losing weight at least you can see whether you're losing fat!

I am up early but am a little too lazy to make sandwiches for myself.  Also I tend to like salad in my sandwiches and if they're left for 6 hours with tomatoes in all you end up with is soggy bread - not pleasant.  We have a microwave at work so I just bring a New Covent Garden soup and two slices of Hovis Seed Sensations (I'm on Rich and Roasted at the moment but Light and Nutty is equally nice).  The soup will last me for two days and the preparation time is the amount of time it takes me to cling film two slices of bread and chuck them in my bag with an apple and a carton of OJ.  Filling AND warming :)