UK Mommies- Let's shed the baby bumps!

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Laurajp86

9:09 am
4 Feb 16
Permalink

Sorry I missed weigh in last week. I wasn’t at home for the weekend and didn’t want to use different scales.

Ive had a good week but need to be better on nfd’s.

This week I’ve read up a bit more on recommendations of the diet. I invested in the 5:2 recipe book. My real weakness is carbs and had got in the habit of eating toast on fast days. The book and diet recommend eating plant and protein on fast days. I find this difficult as I was bought up in a potato and pasta kind of house. Lol.
Anyway this week for my two fast day evening meals I tried protein and plant. It was great! Plate full of colourful food and really filling. Much more inspiring. Monday was a chicken and feta salad with two grilled portobello mushrooms. Wednesday was lemon sole Gillet with broccoli asparagus and mushrooms.

Anyone else got any ideas for tasty fast day evening meals?

Weight in tomorrow x

Jo15

10:03 am
4 Feb 16
Permalink

The chicken and feta salad sounds yummy! I know what you meant about toast, it’s so easy when you are tired and hungry just to go to the carbs… They are so comforting! If my husband isn’t at home I tend to just have a poached egg and piece of toast as my meal. I love fish so we eat a lot of baked fish with veg on fast days. I find sweet potato is also great to add as it doesn’t have the calories or carb overload of normal potato but you still feel like you full. Also find stir frys are great, loads of veg and I normally add prawns as they are low cal but lots of protein.

I’m on a fast day today, might try that chicken salad tonight, sounds so good, thank you!

Laurajp86

9:55 am
5 Feb 16
Permalink

Friday weigh in.

12 stone 1. No change for me this time. Hope you’ve all had a good week. X

Hope you enjoyed your salad jo x

Jo15

10:07 am
5 Feb 16
Permalink

I suggested the salad to my husband and he said absolutely not! He is allergic to salad apparently! So anyway I will try it next week when he is out.

I’m 9st 11 today so a pound loss this week. Off on a hen do this weekend so I don’t hold much hope for next week!

Laurajp86

9:55 am
12 Feb 16
Permalink

Friday weigh in!

Well I’m very happy this week 🙂 2lbs loss whih im pleased about but most importantly I’m in the 11’s! Ive been hovering around 12 stone for ages with christmas etc.

I’d like to lose one more stone and then see how I feel at 11 stone.

Hope you’ve had a good week everyone. Xx

Jo15

10:12 am
12 Feb 16
Permalink

Well done Laura! That’s great. Also good to have the next goal, you will be at 11 in no time!

I’m 9st 9 this morning which is a 2lb loss which I’m really pleased with. I don’t think I ever set myself a weight goal at the start of this but I think I’m going to aim for another half a stone and then see how I feel, I think 9st 3 is my happiest weight.

Hope everyone else has had good weeks x

Mysticfox

3:24 pm
12 Feb 16
Permalink

Hi everyone,
Jo and Laura it sounds like you are both doing really well. I didn’t weigh-in last week as I was poorly all week so didn’t eat much but didn’t fast properly either. Back on track this week and 3lb loss altogether so 13st3lb now. Not sure what my goal is but was 11.5 stone ish before having children so getting back to that would be a good start.
Hope everyone has a good week,
Mary x

Jo15

4:10 pm
19 Feb 16
Permalink

Hi all

Hope you have had a good week.

No weight loss for me this week, still 9st 9. Not entirely surprised, I would be lying if I claimed I had been totally dedicated this week! Think it’s the cold, all I have wanted is biscuits! Anyway hope you have all had a more successful one!

Jo x

Laurajp86

8:32 pm
19 Feb 16
Permalink

Weigh in.

No change this week but happy to have maintained 11 stone 13.

Hope everyone has had a good week.

Xx

Jo15

1:43 pm
26 Feb 16
Permalink

Hi all

Friday weight in! Seems to come around very quickly!

9st 8 this morn so a loss of a pound.

Hope you have all had a good week

Jo x

Laurajp86

7:36 am
27 Feb 16
Permalink

A good week for me- stayed strong!

11 stone 12- 1 lb loss

Next two weeks are really hectic for me. A lot of celebrations. It’s mine and husbands 30th birthdays. We’re also away for a weekend. I want to enjoy it without doing a lot of damage. If I can maintain that’ll be good.

Well done jo in another lb loss x

Jo15

3:27 pm
27 Feb 16
Permalink

Well done Laura! Hope you have a lovely birthday, enjoy it! X

Austrian

7:43 pm
29 Feb 16
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Hi, can I join up with you guys since you are a post-pregnancy group?

I had my baby in September and now I’m finally able to do 5:2.
I started out a week ago and lost 1.2 kilos.

Jo15

7:44 am
5 Mar 16
Permalink

Morning and welcome Austrian. Well done on the initial weight loss, that’s really good.
Hope this week has gone as well! We weigh in on a Friday (forgot yesterday!).

So my weight yesterday morning was 9st 9 which means I’ve put on a pound which I’m disappointed about but not surprised. I’ve found my fast days this week really hard for some reason and have not been careful on non fasts so I deserve the gain! Oh well, next week is. New week.

Jo x

Jo15

7:28 pm
11 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi all

No change for me this week. Hope everyone else is doing ok? Seems to have gone a bit quiet!

Jo

Austrian

9:05 pm
11 Mar 16
Permalink

Thank you, Jo!
So I’ll make Friday my weighing day as well.
Today I weighed 96.9 kilos, really nice, weight is coming down on fast days and going up a bit on days after fast days, but there is a clear downward trend – which feels SO LIBERATING after this lousy pregnancy in a 35 degree Celsius summer.

Oh well baby is crying, I need to check on her.
Good luck everybody, and have a great weekend!

Austrian

Mysticfox

1:06 pm
12 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi everyone,
Sorry I haven’t posted for a while, have been struggling with fasting last few weeks as very tired and stressed. Children up a lot at various points due to illness and under pressure at work. I have stayed the same weight wise so at least not gone up again. Need to make a big effort this next few weeks as we have a family wedding comming up ☺.
Hope everyone doing well x

Jo15

7:15 pm
19 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi all

Hope everyone is well. Well done Austrian on the fast days, it’s so satisfying when then weight comes down! Mystic Fox I hope you are getting a bit more sleep. It is so hard to fast on limited sleep, you just keep craving sugar so well done for not gaining anything!

My weight yesterday was 9st 7 so a 2lb loss this week which I’m so happy about! Hope everyone else has had a good week? x

SheffSoph

9:57 pm
19 Mar 16
Permalink

I hope you don’t mind me joining but I have just decided to do 5:2 and registered. After looking through the forum this seems like the perfect thread for me! If I could post progress in here I think it would keep me on track.

I’m 36 and have a 15 month old daughter, and work 3 days a week. My weight has always fluctuated and I *think* I’m about 14 stone at the moment, at 5 11″ (need new battery for scales!). Feeling sluggish and my clothes are tight etc… I lost some weight and toned up just eating well and doing the ’30 day shred’ not long after my daughter was born but I feel it creeping back on. There’s a history of diabetes type II on my mother’s side so there’s another reason to get going with this!

We eat good food as a family, but we too often get the crisps and dips out in the evening, plus the wine, and the chocolate after supper. Usual suspects!

Family party coming up at the end of May so I hope to lose at least a stone by then – 9 weeks. Realistic I hope!

Am thinking of fasting Monday and Wednesday but will see how it works out! Fingers crossed!

Mysticfox

11:58 pm
19 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi everyone,
Sounds like you had a good week Jo and Austrian. Hello to sheffsoph ☺.
I have had a better week with fasting although not with sleep as my daughter is going through a period of separation anxiety so doesn’t sleep well on my work days (when I really need the sleep!). Despite this I managed 2 fasting days one of which was a total fast for 24 hours. Feeling really good to be fasting again and lost 2lb this week even though we had a chippy tea on Thursday. So I am now 13st1lb and excited to be nearly back to 12st in time for family wedding next week.
Hope everyone has a good week,
Mary x

sara261

8:35 pm
20 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi

I just wondered how soon after having your little ones did you you start the 5:2?
I have had my little boy 4 weeks ago and really want to start back on 5:2 after putting 2 stone on? Is it wise? I have been diagnosed with PND and not sure if to start 5:2 or wait a bit longer?

Hope someone can advise without judgement

Jo15

9:57 pm
20 Mar 16
Permalink

Welcome sheffsoph, I think a stone in 9 weeks is very doable, nothing like a goal to work towards! Well done on the loss Mary, lack of sleep is such a killer isn’t it. Hope the seperation anxiety doesn’t continue for too long, my daughter went through that stage and it’s pretty exhausting!

Hi Sara. Congrats on your little one! I think I started about 6 months.
Don’t know if you are breastfeeding, if you are I would think you might struggle with energy on fast days. Also being up in the night so much (I remember those days vividly!) you might struggle keep up your energy supply. I also struggled with pnd and I really feel for you, the early days are really tough and I wouldn’t want you to put the added pressure of trying to loose weight on top of everything else! Saying all of that you could of course give it a go for a week, see how you feel and then make a decision, everyone is different and reacts differently to the diet. I found getting out and walking really helped me, if you don’t have the energy to start the 5:2 a bit of gentle exercise will help you feel better in your self. Let us know what you decide xx

Laurajp86

8:34 am
21 Mar 16
Permalink

Hello ladies and welcome to the new members of thread. Great to have you all.

It’s so nice that six months after starting this thread people read it and find it useful and want to join in. Having a baby is tough and then to find time for yourself as they grow can be a real challenge!

Ive fell off the wagon you could say the last couple of weeks. It was a conscious decision really as I wanted to enjoy my 30th which I did with too much food and lots of bubbly but it was worth it. Ive two weeks now to sort myself out before a weeks hol. Going to do low cal day today then fast tues/ thurs and weigh in friday. Not sure if the damage Ive caused but had put 3 lbs on over birthday- oops. Will be really good this week and see what the scales say friday.

Have a good week everyone. Laura xx

Laurajp86

8:41 am
21 Mar 16
Permalink

Note for Sara.

Welcome to the group 🙂 it is entirely up to you when you start 5:2 but just remember your body has been through a lot and needs time to recover. Like jo said you need all your energy to look after your little one and yourself.

Eating well is important so it might be better to just increase your water drinking and the amount of veg you eat. Stop any bad habits you may have and start some gentle exercise. Then look at doing 5:2 a little later.
Good luck and feel free to chat to us about it if you need to. Take care x

K- Lo

11:12 am
21 Mar 16
Permalink

sara261, are you nursing? That’s a very big consideration in how much you eat. If you are, you may find you’re burning off a lot naturally.

SheffSoph

9:31 am
22 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi everyone and thank you for your warm welcomes!

Sara- totally know that feeling of wanting to reclaim your body and get in shape after having a baby! Although i was lucky not to have PND so i can’t speak about that. I think Laura and Jo make some good points. Perhaps you could talk to your GP or health visitor or whoever else might be a support for you going through this? Wishing you well again whatever you decide is best for you and baby. Xx

I had my first fast yesterday and I think it went well. Apart from when I put my daughters shoes on the wrong feet! Grated carrot and some left over roast cauliflower for lunch and some stir fried veg with grilled cod in the evening. Ginger and lemon teas, water and espressos. Amazing how many times I had to stop myself eating bits of my daughters food- can see how this will improve my general awareness of what I’m eating.

Next fast tomorrow. I’ll check in with my weight on Friday – starting was 13st 11lbs.

Hope you all have a good week.

Xx

TBM700

9:32 am
22 Mar 16
Permalink

Since when has it been Mommies???

sara261

3:31 pm
23 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi

Thank you ladies for your comments, I have finally stopped breastfeeding after realising I’m only producing 1oz of milk in 24hrs (I had a breast reduction).
I really want to shift the weight as its getting me down but thought of starting a fast day is depressing me (only getting 2-3hr sleep at a time, hoping this will improve now my 4/5 week old is having bottles/formula).
I will speak yo GP first when I have my 6 week check up, when I mentioned it to my counsellor she wasn’t very impressed with me starting a diet/new way of life just yet.

Hope everyone is well

Sara

SheffSoph

4:56 pm
23 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi all,

2-3 hours Sara! 😢 it’s so hard to find the energy to do anything on 2-3 hours sleep! I’m on a fast day and feeling like a bit of a ‘weedy pigeon’ as my other half says when he’s v hungry. Since I am (only recently) getting a bit more sleep now my daughter is 14 months it feels just about manageable.

On a positive note, i might be imagining it, but I think my skin looks a bit brighter?! And jeans a tiny little bit looser?!

This weekend wil be quite indulgent I think but I probably should reign in it a bit as don’t want to undo any good work I’ve done!

Sophie

Xx

Laurajp86

8:44 pm
23 Mar 16
Permalink

fyi tbm700

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/mommy

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/mommy?q=mommies

Austrian

9:56 am
24 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi Sara,

my heart goes out to you, PND at a time when every new situation is a challenge anyway – that’s really hard. I hope your family and doctor are supportive. If the thought of fasting depresses you, maybe you could do some preparatory stuff, for instance start a three-meals-a-day-no-snacking regimen (if you don’t do that already) or slowly look for low carb options for stuff you want to phase out (e. g. sugary cereals). Even that should help your body. And then, later, when you feel less stressed out and depressed, you could start with fast days.
You know, baby steps, baby steps, leading up to “real” 5:2 days.

All the best to you & baby,
Austrian

Austrian

10:02 am
24 Mar 16
Permalink

Oh, I forgot to state current weight – it’s 95.7, same as last week I think.
Which is okay really, given that I had a “cheat day” last week and ate nothing but cookies for a day, which resulted in a 1 kilo gain on the scales. I don’t understand why, I certainly didn’t eat one kilo of cookies?
Anway, today is the second fast day of the week, it’s hard for me to stay motivated as the dread trap of “Your weight is going down anyway, why not indulge in [insert name of fattening abomination here]!” looms. Technically, I am aware of the dread trap, but the flesh is weak and so on.
Okay, let’s see, I should be able to manage twelve waking hours.

Good luck to all of you and happy easter!

Austrian

10:57 pm
25 Mar 16
Permalink

Friday is weigh in day – I’ve got 95.6, yay me, 100 grams less than yesterday.
I botched yesterday’s fast day, thinking it would be a good idea to make candy for easter presents. Does anybody detect a slight error in judgement here? Exactly. I managed not even to taste the cardamom coffee truffles but I’m not strong enough to resist salted caramel candy, especially if salted caramel gunk has to be scraped from the bottom of the pot. This did it for me, and today I made breads for easter and cheese straws, so basically this was an all carb and no fast day.
For tomorrow, there MUST be a fast day and my wonderful husband knows that he must remind me of it frequently.
Let’s see how it goes. 🙂

Good luck to all of you, stay strong, may the force be with you. 🙂

Mysticfox

8:45 am
26 Mar 16
Permalink

Hiya,
I know the feeling Austrian – I start the day with good intentions then it only takes one person to offer or eat yummy goodies near me and the willpower wavers. I find that if I keep reminding myself that tomorrow I can eat what I want it gets me through (sometimes!). Sara you are going through one of the most difficult times at the moment with prolonged lack of sleep and all the worries that come with a newborn. I know when my children were that young all I craved was sugar filled snacks to keep energy levels up! I just tried to make sure we had plenty of fruit in to get my sugar fix in a healthy way and banned myself from snacking at night just having a drink instead (low cal hotchoc was a fav as very comforting). It does get better and before you know it you will be having 6 hours sleep again most nights (6 straight hours seems like a luxury after having a newborn) and you will feel more able to cope with everything including fasting. All the best for you and your baby.
I have fasted 3 days this week in preparation for calorie filled wedding feast this weekend. I have lost 3lb so below the 12st mark (until easter Sunday anyway!)
Have a good easter everyone x

Jo15

9:59 am
26 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi all,

Well done everyone on another week! I also messed up my Thursday fast day (unfortunate incident where I accidentally ate a lot of cake!) and now it’s Easter weekend so not holding out a lot of hope!

Weight yesterday morning was 9st 7 so no change from last week. Really want to get under the 7 mark for next Friday but with all this chocolate around it’s going to be tough!

Hope you all have lovely long weekends x

SheffSoph

3:27 pm
27 Mar 16
Permalink

Hi there,

Well done on losing and maintaining Austrian, Mystic and Jo. Sorry not to post until today but we have had friends staying with their 2 kids since Thursday and it has been chaos- Fun chaos though.

I did manage to weigh myself on Friday and was 13 7 which is a 4lb loss! BRILLIANT! V pleased, also feel appetite has shrunk already.

Friends left this morning – we were meant to be having roast lamb today but I am too tired so we are having it tomorrow instead! So fast days will be Tues and Thurs now – work days. I did want to avoid that as not sure if it will impact on my thought processes- does anybody else fast at work?

All the best

Sophie
X

Austrian

6:23 pm
29 Mar 16
Permalink

Sophie – 4 lb loss, especially in the days leading up to Easter,yay and congrats to you!

As to fasting while at work – somewhere here I read it’s recommended because you will be busy and that will take your mind off the fact that you can’t eat more than 500 cal. There shouldn’t be any negative impact.
However, my husband says he can’t work well if he doesn’t eat enough. I am not working currently, so I can’t say, but I didn’t feel ready to take on the world somehow on my fast days. Other posters felt energized, though.
I’m afraid this hasn’t been very helpful, in your place I would just try it out on a day that’s not super busy and see how it goes.

Good luck to all of you – if you lost track during the Easter holiday, stand up, readjust your little crown and keep on keeping on (as the German saying goes).

Austrian

Jo15

12:55 pm
30 Mar 16
Permalink

Sophie…4lbs… Amazing!

Re fasting at work I actually find it much easier. I find there are way to many temptations at home and at work there was normally so much to do that I sort of forgot about food! Saying that I don’t find myself too tired on fast days generally so didn’t effect my work but if you do it might be an issue. Try it and see! x

SheffSoph

6:14 am
1 Apr 16
Permalink

Hi all, hi Katie I have also just started!

Second week and another 4lb loss so now at 13St 3lbs!

I fasted at work on Tues and it was fine- I have also had a stinking cold and a some bug where I was nauseous and weak yesterday so my fast was not a problem and I was in bed by 6!

Must go have a good week all!
X

Hope

Austrian

7:55 am
1 Apr 16
Permalink

Hi everybody,

Sophie, wow, another 4 lb loss. Yay! Very motivating, isn’t it?
Hope you are feeling better already and you can use the weekend to rest and recover.

Today I’ve got 96.1, which is half a kilo more than last week, but since the dreaded Easter holiday with its carb fests is over and my second fast day is tomorrow, I’m not too miffed about the gain. It’s my own fault, and what to expect when one bakes cakes, makes candy and eats three homemade croissants for lunch? (Public service announcement: do NOT make homemade croissants, unless you want to impress your mother in law or prospective boyfriend/husband. They’re too delicious and snarfed up much too quickly.)

Good luck to all of you, have a lovely weekend!

Austrian

CrazyTrying

6:33 pm
1 Apr 16
Permalink

Hi all.. would yu guys mind if I join ur group? I ve delivered a healthy baby boy weighing 9pounds last aug.. he’s 7 months old now. planning to start 5:2 o mostly 6:1 for a start now.. I ve about 15 kgs to lose to go my pre – pregnancy weight n about 10 kgs more for my ideal weight.. but let’s take a small goal first.. so starring with the 15to lose now.. height : 5′ 7″, current weight 98. lost 7 kgs in past 3months with walking,light exercise.. still breastfeeding so not much on diet past few months.. but now I wann start..

Laurajp86

7:50 pm
1 Apr 16
Permalink

Hi ladies.
I’m back after the indulgence of March and me and hubby turning 30.

I weighed in this morning at 12 stone 2. I’ve had a good week and managed to have two good fast days plus be sensible on other days. A bit disappointed to be back in the 12s after working so hard to break the stone barrier a few weeks ago. However the good thing about this wol is I know if I stick to it I can get back to my lowest weight. So a 4 lb gain for me but no more birthdays to celebrate so should be easier.
Well done to Sophie a great loss.

If possible crazy trying could you let us no your real first name as it gives the thread a friendlier feel. Welcome to our little group. Which is getting bigger each month 🙂
Have a great week ladies. Xx

SheffSoph

4:01 pm
4 Apr 16
Permalink

Hi all,

Happy birthday to you and your husband Laura! As good as excuse as any for a plateau!
Austrian I take yr advice – no home made croissants!

I feel a bit disappointed as I stupidly weighed myself yesterday and the figure has increased by 6lbs?!?! I know I should stick to weighing 1 day a week but…. 🙁 I am thinking it may be due to a)time of month and b)had sushi with quite a lot of soy sauce on Say night- maybe the excess salt to blame for water retention. Am hoping that it is all just normal fluctuation and the scales will be at or below 13. 3 again on Friday.

We will see…

FYI Crazytrying I am also still breastfeeding 3/4 times a day although it seems mostly for comfort now. I have not noticed any changes since starting 5:2.

Sophie
X

Austrian

6:26 pm
4 Apr 16
Permalink

Hi Laura, and happy birthday! Don’t be too disappointed about gaining a little, it’s only to be expected under these circumstances.

Sophie, good luck with your next weigh in – 6 pounds plus after two or three days can only mean a) scales are broken or b) water retention, I think?

My next fast day is on Wednesday, I hope I can stick it out, as I’m on my own with baby this week – husband on business trip, yay. Could be stressful.

CrazyTrying

9:56 am
5 Apr 16
Permalink

hi.. belated happie bday Laura..
ohh that’s great Sophie.. hope it works for me as well. fx..

Well need guidance. april-july (mid) how much can I expect to lose? my hubby is in Zurich.. n I m waiting for my visa which is in process.. do ya think I can lose 15 kgs in this time? is it feasible? o am I expecting more.. any tips/advice welcome. .Tia.

aarya.

Austrian

4:29 am
9 Apr 16
Permalink

Hi, how are you all getting on?
Sophie, what happened to those pesky 6 lbs? Gone already?

CrazyTrying, as far as I know you can expect about half a kilo loss a week, but if I were you I would read the “tips for newbies” thread. Lots of useful information there!

I did my “official” weigh in this morning, and it’s 94.7 kilos.
Ahahaaaa.
Ahahahaaaaaaaa.

Now, this is a number I haven’t seen on the scales for a long time –
I’m now 10 kilos away from Peak Pregnancy (when I looked like a balloon on legs, most awful summer of my life) and have lost 5 kilos off my post-pregnancy weight.
Well done, you. *pats own back

Good luck everyone, have a great weekend.

SheffSoph

7:55 am
9 Apr 16
Permalink

Hiya,

That’s brilliant, Austrian well done! Great feeling!

I put my weigh in on my tracker yesterday but forgot to check in here! Yes- the 6lbs have gone, thank goodness, plus one more, which puts me at 13 st 2 lbs- not as dramatic this week but heading in the right direction!

I found I had lots of energy on Thursday evening after my fast. And also definitely getting full up more quickly.

Happy weekend to everyone

Sophie
x

Austrian

7:17 pm
9 Apr 16
Permalink

Sophie, that’s great; not just the weight, also the other changes.

Keep on keeping on everyone, have a lovely weekend!

Laurajp86

11:29 am
11 Apr 16
Permalink

Hi ladies,
Weighed in after holiday and still 12 stone 2 so no change which I was pleased with for a holiday week.
My first fast today and going to stay strong and not eat until my evening meal. Planning lemon sole with ratatouille. Plant and protein!
Now our celebrations and holidays are complete hoping to lose some real weight and get securely into the 11 stones.
Have a good week. X

Laurajp86

12:13 pm
11 Apr 16
Permalink

Copied from fast diet email. A good reminder.

The Time Is Now

The dawn of British Summer Time always brings with it some positivity – the prospect of the evenings getting lighter and our vitamin D levels getting that much-needed boost.

But why stop there – why not use the clocks going forward as a spur to step things up a bit on your Fast Diet programme? A trigger for changing bad habits, and re-calibrating our health for spring.

Aristotle once said, ‘We are what we repeatedly do’ – and it makes perfect sense. If we let bad habits steer our course, we’ll go off track. If we cultivate good habits, we’ll remain on path towards our goals.

This can be easier or more difficult depending on what habits you are looking to make or break – a study at UCL found that it took 66 days to adopt the habit of eating fruit daily, while the habit of drinking a glass of water after breakfast took just 20 days to install. But whether the habit gets cemented quickly, or needs time to take hold, the important thing is to repeat, and repeat, and repeat.

Here are a few of Mimi’s key habit-changing ideas you can try to alter the way your body and your mind work:

1) Change the record

Try to change little things that help you recognise how you are in control of your day-to-day life. Don’t rely on autopilot. You have the power to choose. Perhaps it’ll be something small like turning left rather than right, or reading a book on your commute rather than checking your phone – but just think about how a small change can make a big difference when it comes to not turning on the TV when you sit down to dinner, or taking the stairs instead of the lift. Recognise each individual moment where you can improve something for yourself, rather than letting autopilot take you down the same old route.

2) Be specific

Vague plans fail. That’s just the way it goes. So make sure your plans aren’t vague. Don’t just decide to cut back on treats, decide exactly what you will cut out – ‘I won’t include chocolate in the weekly shop’; ‘I’ll have an apple rather than a mid-morning muffin’. Extend that to weight loss – how much exactly do you want to lose? And by what date? For what event? Make it specific – then you can make it happen.

3) Think carrots not sticks

If you go through a tough patch in your diet, or eat something you shouldn’t, what do you do? You probably, like most of us, take it out on yourself. But it happens. Don’t think about the blips. Instead, think about all you’ve achieved in your new way of eating. Rightfully be proud of your achievements – you deserve it.

4) Water, water everywhere

Get into the habit of drinking water. Have a glass before and after Fast Day meals, and generally whenever you feel hungry too – it really does help; a glass of water can stop you mistaking thirst for hunger. At the most basic level, drinking water keeps your mouth occupied when it would otherwise be anticipating a snack. At work it’ll have the added bonus of reminding you to stand up once in a while when you need to go to the bathroom!