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I think everyone is different with this. When I first started, I used to control my portions but after a while I stalled, so started to calorie count. I know I have a tendency to make my portions bigger than I should and counting calories is a way of retaining control. Most days I know...

Super well done on the weight loss. It's also a great bonus when you actually feel better too eg no heartburn etc :)

:D :D :D

I'm coming the other way, Shoegirl - I used to be veggie so I can only eat non-meaty tasting meat. :)

I agree with Cali and Molly, Plum. You've done really well so far and you are so so so close to your target weight. I too am very concerned about my tum -I am the classic apple shape (heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes and other lovely things waiting to happen :D) - so once I reach...

Well, I have exercised for 2 days so far. Have to exercise today and tomorrow to reach my target.

Congratulations on your weight loss, that's great news. :) I wouldn't mind eating your food today, it looks good. Like you I'm not a great at eating red meat. I also don't like shellfish and egg makes me ill. I do eat chicken and fish though. I'm always on the hunt for different chicken...

Welcome on board, Tammy. :) Sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with diabetes. My dad has only recently been diagnosed with it and I know it's not a bundle of fun. However, it's great that you have started on the GI diet. I think you will enjoy eating the GI way, and you can use...

Plum, was it the starchy stuff that surprised you? Yes, they do have protein but it is thought of as incomplete protein if you eat say, just rice. That's why if you eat plant based protein you always need to mix it up, (starch+legumes, legumes+dairy or starch+dairy) to make a complete protein...

That was a very positive food weekend, Molly. :)

What a positive day you had yesterday. You are doing really well. :)

Nice quote. You're up early to be finding quotes. :p

I know what you mean about finding replacement for the carb snacks. I think snacks are the hardest part of the diet and I tend to eat the same thing over and over. I eat peanut butter with my banana or apple (although fruit does not feature much in my winter diet), hummus, and a lot of cottage...

OK, this isn't a recipe but directions to an inspirational food blog called Kalyn's Kitchens, which I found a few days ago. She does recipes for the South Beach Diet: a good carbs, good fats diet. I know Plum uses recipes from/inspired by South Beach Diet. I think this blog has fantastic...

Waitrose also do nut bars which are good - very filling.

That's great, Molly. :) Am loving your proud ofs too.

Lovely, delicious, healthy day today. :)

Well done, Lauren. Fantastic achievement. :)

Yay, you're back. :) Good to see you, Cali. With your mindset and your amazing discipline and determination, you will have no problems shifting that weight. :)

Hi Jane. Welcome to the forum. Hope you are feeling better. Sometimes the body takes a few days to adjust to the eating plan. If it carries on though, it might be worth re-assessing the amount of calories you are taking in. It looks like you are aiming for 1200. That is very low indeed - I...

Apart from the little blip for snack time, you kept to GI/GL so good on you. Let's not focus on the blip, esp as you came in under your calorie goal. :) Hey, that's super with the Wii fit weight loss (although I have no idea what Mii is). Am assuming its an image of your body shape. :D

Lauren, not to worry. We have the 20% rule to help us out. :) We try to be perfect when it comes to eating low GI/GL but actually we live in the real world and no one can be perfect. For those times when low GI/GL is not an option or we just fancy a treat or whatever, the 20% rule comes...

It all sounds yummy, Coffee. Let us know what the buckwheat crispbreads are like. :)

It's a bit of trial and error at the beginning but it is very easy to get into the GI/GL groove. :) Your salad looks great. I wish I could be a salad girl but in the winter months, I go for stodge :D Also, would it be cheeky to point out that your start date needs to change in your signature?

Gosh, I'm not surprised you want to tell the guy next to you about GI/GL, how have you resisted for so long? I am the same, I have to admit. I really have to rein in my evangelical tendencies when it comes to GI/GL. My family just roll their eyes now and have started talking over me (how...

Happy new year, Molly and thanks. You will lose that weight in no time at all. :)

That's a fantastic start to your weight loss. Well done. :)

Well done, Plum. You may say that it was an unremarkable day but actually it was a solid low GI day. :) Love your small victories too, am VERY impressed that you went to M and S and only bought veg and eggs. Their naughties are very tempting. :) And boo at people at work being muppets. A...

That's a great start, Lauren. Love the sound of your salad :) When you have a snack, try to eat a little protein with it, especially if you have dried fruits. Maybe a little yogurt or a few of your favourite nuts/seeds. It'll slow the breakdown of the sugars and keep you fuller for longer...

Don't take any notice of those unofficial weigh-ins - they are just there to make you feel bad. :D I think the best advice I can give you is EAT YOUR BREAKFAST!! You seem to go a bit haywire when you miss your breakfast (although you have done alright today! :rolleyes:). It's usually a sign...

Yay@all the challengees and their challenges. Just to let you know, my week for the exercises will be running from Wednesdays to tie in with my weigh-in date.

I'm glad that you had a lovely time. Hope the whole hosting Christmas for the in-laws wasn't too traumatic. :p I know what you mean about it being easy to carry on and graze on the sugary, high GI foods. I have been doing my best to rein in my eating from yesterday but I have not been too...

Love the challenge. Plumfoodie: 4 weeks of planned meals (0/4 complete) AshieFan: Exercise for at least 30 minutes, 4 times a week

What a good Plum you are, a weightloss before the big weekend. Well done, you. Have a fabby time. Make sure you go for that nap and enjoy the rest. Happy Christmas. :)

I think Irish Molly is spot on. Let's make a couple of good choices a day, pat ourselves on the back for making those choices and, like she said, enjoy the rest. Never give up. And well done on passing on peanut butter stuffed pretzel (wow!) and all the rest. Not easy to do but you did it...

I am very pleased to hear that your boss has backtracked with regards to you. What a horrible man. Well done you on holding your ground and it's nice that you don't have this stress while dealing with Christmageddon. It's funny, isn't it? One knows the signs of when you feel stress eg you...

That weight gain is mad - perhaps you need to throw out your scales or perhaps get new batteries? That's what I am thinking about my scales. Completely understand you skipping the weigh in today - it's totally crazy. What are almond pocky sticks? Food looks good, as always. :)

Horrid man. Thank goodness there are processes in place to stop people like him from exploiting the situation. Stay strong to fight your corner (cue Rocky music).

Cali, I know how frustrating it is to STS but actually, given the season we are in, it's pretty good. You are doing all the right things and the advice you gave me was "hang on in there" and I'm going to give that advice right back to you now :p. You are right, trying to lose weight now is...

Good day today, Cali. Breakfast is always good at any time of the day. :)

Aw, Plum that is awful. So sorry to hear this. Are we talking about redundancy here or being pushed out? Not that it makes much difference really in the end. :bighug: Hope someone manages your boss out instead. (Shame they don't a do smiley for a rude gesture.) Well done on limiting your...

Those dorayaki look delish, Cali. Yum yum. I really like the idea of red bean paste. Is it very sweet? Food looks yum.

Hope you are feeling better today, Molly.

Wow@ all the planning. It makes a big difference, doesn't it? Food is looking good and yay at muffin overload :D I am so jealous that you have juicy juicy mangos - they are my favourite fruit. I heard that banana was pricy in Australia because of the floods earlier this year? Is that correct?

It's lovely that you received compliments, especially as you have said, that the Swedes are so reserved about things like that. You've done really well, Cali, you should be proud. I really like your dedication and determination. You will get there!

Well done on avoiding alcohol and good luck with the outings. :)

Food looks great. I really like the sound of your fish dinner. What is Pure Blonde? It sounds like hair dye!

Great work, Cali on your weight loss. That's very good news. being in-between sizes is weird isn't it? Like you, I feel big some days and slim other days - I think it entirely depends on how we are feeling in ourselves and maybe the food that we have eaten recently. The fact that you can...

Given all that food that like to prance in front of us all at this time of the year, I think you are doing pretty good. :)

Sorry to hear that things are so stressful. Work has been stressful for a while, hasn't it? Are things getting worse? What job do you do BTW (being nosey again!)? I don't blame you for not having an official weigh-in as it seems a bit bizarre that you have put on so much weight overnight...

Well done on the loss, Ruth, that's great. :party0049: From the other thread: Your Christmas story from last year was funny. Did you stress at the time? Or were you chilled about it? I think my stress levels would have hit the roof. :D

Hope your day was as successful as you hoped. It's great that you have lost the craving for McD food and had a healthier choice. :)

I am sure you are back on track. :) I guess you just have to put the beer down to the 80/20 rule. :D

Ah, Plum, well done for being so organised. Wrapping the presents too. Great that you are starting to feel in a festive mood. :)

Hope today was a successful day today, Molly.

Plum asked me if my job was physically challenging. It is not sedentary but not incredibly active either, although I am on my feet a lot. I found this article, which is interesting. But the last line is a classic. :D Slimming while you work? It's worth thinking about | Mail Online

I know how you feel Plum. I have not been able to keep on track this past week.

I've uploaded the Christmas card photo on my profile album. :) All the cutting, glueing, sticking on, glitter was done by my LO, with only a little bit of help from me (mostly verbal I have to say!). My input was putting the tiny blobs of glue around the card. :D Sorry about the quality of...

I've been a bit quiet on this front, haven't I? There has been some progress. I am trying to work out how to upload photos on to minimins for the Christmas cards. The presents are a bit of a problem because I was going to sew them. I found the sewing machine in the garage but not the lead...

Happy Birthday, Plum. Hope you have a wonderful day. :)

Super fantastic on your weight loss, Cali. You are doing great. :)

LOL. Maybe we were wishing you happy birthday for tomorrow as we were not expecting you to read it tonight. Had you thought of that? :p

Leftovers are great. :) Looks like a good day, Cali. Well done. :)

Happy Birthday, Plum. :) Banana bread. Yum. I used to make banana bread in the past but haven't made it for years.

Ooh, that's cold! Brrr. Your food is looking great. Hope you are eating enough. :p

Well done, Plum on the weight loss. Its 170.4 so you have to round down to 170, it's the law! :D It's jolly hard, I can tell you and I cheat by doing 1250 calories. And my maintenance calories will be only about 1500 too. :cry:

Well, Plum, here's hoping you hit the goal that you set for Friday. I have my fingers crossed for you. Nothing wrong with being focussed on it. You know though that whatever the outcome, you should congratulate yourself because you have done so well, regardless. When it comes to my breather...

That's wonderful that you felt pretty and good about yourself. It's a real boost and a motivator too. I'm glad that you are losing weight, which suggests that you were definitely not eating enough before. Way to go, Cali - you're back on track. :)

Well done, Plum on the weight loss. That's pretty good news, and as Molly says, it's in the right direction. Am glad you are feeling better about the day itself. 3 nights of in-laws! :D You are right, it's usually snacks and meals that can be the stress points. I usually take a big secret...

Aw, poor you. Being hungry on a diet is never a good thing, going to bed hungry is a no-no and being on GI, you should never go hungry as it's counter-productive to the principle. But you know this already. Oh Cali, you forgot the 80/20 rule. One meal with baklava and cola is not going to...

The pilaf does sound good and you are doing amazingly well. :)

Oh dear at your MIL. It sounds like that although she has officially relinquished responsibility for Christmas she still wants to be in charge of it and wants to make sure that they have a very traditional Christmas in terms of what her family has always done, or rather how she has always done...

Your walk sounds lovely. :) Cheese and crackers AND shortbread! Lucky girl. :D

Aw at your MIL :) She sounds like she is too embarrassed to bring up the subject directly (also with the whole Christmas thing). Bless her. You should put her out of her misery by talking about it so that she can say how wonderful you look! Remember also that she might not be saying...

Plumfoodie said: Ashie, the pots have arrived. The card that comes with them says that the smallest (blue) holds 55g uncooked basmati rice and the red cup holds 144g cooked, for the same amount of calories (ie the blue cupful turns into a red cupful when you cook it). The yellow pot holds 103g...

Aw, poor Plum. :bighug: I must admit that I hate this time of the year when it gets darker and colder - it makes me prone to being more tired and down. My mum suffers from SAD so I have every sympathy with you and she doesn't have to deal with ME either so I can't imagine what that is...

I've been reading Peter Kay's book recently and it reminded me of this little gem. Enjoy. Peter Kay discussing Fat Clubs - YouTube

Plum, let me know how useful they are. I watched RC's video and it sounds great but then she's a good saleswoman. :) I particularly want to know how much the raw rice actually weighs (grams wise) in her little cup. Thanks.

That pasta and ham casserole sounds interesting, Cali. :) esp with the aubergine in it. Love aubergine. Do you find it hard to eat salad and fruit in the winter? I do. I need something warm in the winter, I totally go off salad. Thank goodness for soups. :)

Glad you had a good day today and hopefully it will pay off for your weigh in tomorrow. Good luck! :)

Welcome back Plum. You must be in shock after the warm sunshine of the Med to come back to this horribly cold weather! Don't worry to much about the weight gain - I'm sure by Thursday most of that would have dropped off. :D

I know, I was so surprised by this when I first found out this was the case. :) Anyway, good to have a craving for salad. :D

I like the way you handled the whole Chinese takeaway thing. I do agree with you about how some countries just cannot manage some "ethnic" foods and yet others do it so well. For example, in the US, Indian curries (on the whole) are pretty horrific. I don't think UK gets it quite right in...

Well done, Cali. That is a very positive start to your challenge. :) Me? Well, I was not planning to start my Christmas cards and presents till November so no change there. My finances and paperwork: did some shredding (quite a lot actually), changed my energy provider so I pay less...

How lovely you were able to enjoy a walk today. I think it's the sensible thing to do - let your body rest from the yoga. Hopefully, you wont feel as sore tomorrow. Well, enjoy the cornbread while it lasts. Little portions are fine and it will probably a while until you cook them again...

How lovely you were able to go for a walk. That yoga you are doing sounds hard, but I bet you will see improvements in your strength etc very quickly. And it's sensible of you to work your way up from 30 mins, especially if you are sore. I think you are allowed to go a little overboard on...

Don't worry too much Cali. I am sure that it will be ok since you have eaten pretty well over the rest of the week. Hopefully that one meal will not make too much difference and at least it was healthy. Remember the 20% rule. I'm sure that you will be fine, as I reckon that you will be...

Sounds like my kind of day :) I think skipping breakfast slows down your metabolism. For example, if you eat dinner at 7pm and then not eat till 12 pm, your body thinks it's starving as it has not eaten 17 hours so will conserve its body fat. Eating breakfast kick-starts your metabolism...

I'm very impressed with your weightloss this first week. I am not surprised that you are feeling great. :) Tesco GI diet sounds perfect for you as it takes all the hassle out of shopping and planning your food. All you have to do is cook 9if you want to) and enjoy! Good luck with the...

Have a wonderful time, Plum. What is it that they say? Missing you already. :D

I can totally understand how you feel. You've worked hard to shed those pounds and it feels like if you don't exercise you will feel out of control again. But we are only talking about a few days. You will not balloon back up. You are too committed for that. Perhaps you could do just...

Cool. Is there a recipe somewhere? I may give it a go, I wonder if OH will try it? :rolleyes:

Is it not dry, though? Would you have gravy with it?

Congratulations on the extra push-ups. :) They say (whoever "they" are) that you need to shake your exercise routines every 6 weeks or so as your body gets used to the ones you do. I think extra push-ups and trampolining counts as a shake up, don't you think? Having said that though...

Compared to you and Cali, I seem to be eating loads of food. :rolleyes: What a great way to start the day. Sounds lovely. I've never had meatloaf, I wonder what it is like? It's an American thing, isn't it?

I will keep things REALLY simple for the Christmas cards. My LO and I are going to make the cards (only need to make about 10) - it's basically a simple tree shape that he can cut out and stick on to card. We will then cover the card with sequins or seed beads and put a glittery pompom on for...

Plum, your 2.4lb is actually not that bad is it? You lost an incredibly 5lb last week, so it's still a net loss of over 2lbs, and if you average it out over the last two weeks, it's a net loss of over 1lb a week. That's pretty good in my book. :) I agree with you about Chrimbo Challenge...

Erm, I don't do pork either. :( But I'll come on a chicken or tofu night for sure. :) (Just to explain, in case you think I don't like anything. I was a vegetarian for years and I still am not able to eat a lot of the different meats! I love all veg [except bitter gourd], all beans [...

I love the fact that your food is influenced by different regions, countries and areas of the world. I would love to come to a dinner party at your house (except on a red meat night!) :) PS. And shellfish night! :o

Perhaps you could post them to me and I could finish them off and charge you money to buy them off me so that you could pass them off as your own. I see a win win situation. :D:D

I admire my goals too :) I'm not sure how I will get on but hey, you gotta try. I must admit I have loads of things that could have been goals and my first instinct was to put them all down. Unfortunately, I am a bit of a procrastinator, especially about things I find uncomfortable to deal...

Ah, Plum. Let's put it down to a blip and start again tomorrow at BREAKFAST time :D

A weight loss is a weight loss is a good thing. :) Well done, Cali. That's one step closer to 150 lbs.

At least you had low GI pudding, mine was out and out high fat, high calorie and high GI custard!

Plumfoodie: lose 10lb AshieFan: sort out paperwork and finance AshieFan: make home-made christmas cards and presents

I keep meaning to try this but have not been out except the once. I cant see why it would be a problem for them to be honest.

This is completely random: According to the Steve Wright programme on Radio 2, women on diets think more about food than sex AND 1 in 10 women feel more guilty about eating more than they should than they do about having an affair. Obsessed? Us? It did make me laugh!

I keep meaning to tell you - I dreamt about you Plum. It was last Friday so I've actually forgotten what it was about. I do remember thinking "this is so weird!"

Interesting breakfast. :D Soup and dinner sound nice and very filling. Is that it for the day? You not going to eat any more?

Your meals sound really good actually. No wonder you had bigger portions. :)

Plum, you said exactly what I wanted to say. I had to google your dinner as I had no idea what chicken bulgogi was, it looks delicious. :)

Well done on going for a walk and doing yoga especially as you did not feel like doing it earlier. :) Do you have the heating on in the evenings? It could be the dry air that is effecting your throat. ETA: I must do a stir fry sometime this week! :D

Food sounds absolutely lovely. Loved your lunch - wish I had eaten it too. :) How are you feeling? Is the fierce (intimidating) tea working? I've got to say when I have a cold all I want is spicy, zingy-zangy food.

Wow, Plum. They sound yummy and I will def be making them.

I agree with Cali about the clothes, Plum. At least you can get into them. Pretty soon you will fit into them really well. I have to say that I gave all of my clothes away. Mostly to my sister in law as height wise we are the same. I started losing weight before going on to GI and I was...

Not that we want a nice round figure. :D

I think your approach of aiming for 160 and then seeing what you feel like that at that weight is pretty good. Very sensible. :) I know what you mean by a nice round figure because I am aiming to lose exactly 10 kgs. :D

Well, I worked it out on what BMI I wanted to be. I wanted to be around 22 on my BMI and a weight that I could maintain long term. I have been skinnier but it was not a weight I maintained for longer than a year (I didn't diet to get down to that weight, change of life circumstances got me...

Is it looking fierce? "Fierce" is my Lo's favourite word at the moment.

Oh dear, who said anything about personally endorsing it? Heehee :p If I remember rightly, I ate it like a soup with a teaspoon.

Ah what a shame you had to postpone your holiday because you were really looking forward to it. However, I do think it's the right thing to do because you dont want to be ill during your holiday - it's one of those things best done in the comfort of your own home. :) I've had the ginger tea...

Glad you enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather. Take advantage of it while it lasts. How very fantastic that your Hello Kitty pj bottoms are so baggy and you can fit into your old pair of jeans comfortably - when was the last time you could get into those? I dont think its silly to almost...

Oops, I meant 175 :) Oh what a shame about having to go in. Well, in that case, show everyone how ill you are and then leave. :D

Oh no, not another sick person :p Actually, its no joke feeling ill, is it? Hope you are feeling better and keeping warm. As well as sounding yummy, your stir fry should help you with your sore throat too. :)

Oh Poor Plum :(, maybe you ought to take the day off as sick? I know its not great before you go on holiday but you need to take care of yourself. Pretty amazing on weight loss of 5 oz whilst being sick (not that you'd recommend it, of course). I know mum of one lost weight during a...

Zingy Zangy Chickpea Salad This is yet another recipe involving our humble friend and this time its a snack idea. It's very quick, versatile and yummy. Serves 1 20 g dried chickpea or 40g canned chickpea or 20 peanuts 1 tomato, deseeded 1/4 cucumber, deseeded 1/2 spring onion or 1/4...

Salad sounds lovely :)

There's always an upside to everything :D Got my fingers crossed for you too.

Good to hear that you have your appetite back and you have managed to eat a fair (right!) amount too :) And well done on completing your goal for the day. :D

Oh, that's great :):)

Oh you poor thing. Being on antibiotics is not fun but hopefully you are on the road to recovery. Along with yoghurt, Actimel helps, doesn't it? If it's a strong dose of antibiotics, it will wear you out no matter what. Look after yourself.

Congratulations on the weight loss, that's fantastic news. :) I think each person is different when it comes to weight loss, what works for some does not work for others. It is good that you have found what works for you - that's brilliant. I'm not sure that I have worked out what works...

Menu looks fabulous. What kind of roast was it and how did it turn out?

Hello Emlivisla Congratulations on starting the GI diet :) What we normally do is have a daily food diary, which really helps to focus us. We do our weigh on a day of our choosing. Mine is Wednesday because that is the day I began living the GI way. We all support one another and...

Hi Plum, hope you are okay and recovering from the cold/flu. Get better soon.

Yay on being able to take a walk. And yay at the good food. It's nice when a day comes together :)

ps thanks Cali. Some very good ideas re: breakfast protein.

I was thinking about compliments today. Plum was talking about what her boss's boss said. That got me thinking about odd or back-handed compliments we get. The other week, my cousin came to visit and he said to me "Wow, you've lost weight. If you lose a bit more, you'll look slim". Err...

It sounds like you had a good workout with the sanding. :) I do like your food, Cali. Your breakfast/lunch/dinner are varied, interesting and sound yummy.

Those are both good ideas. Unfortunately, I cant face seeds in the morning and eggs actually give me tummy ache :(

I was feeling quite hungry this morning, I'm not sure if it was my body reacting to eating the high GI food yesterday. But thinking about it, recently I've been pretty hungry most mornings, even after 50g of porridge. Maybe I need to reduce porridge and add more protein? What do you guys...

being around brothers turned me into a totally girly- girl :)

Yes a little odd but it's all for the good. :) And, seriously it does work. Use a tiny pinch of tumeric if you want!

Thanks for clarifying the dl business and, oh, the jugs business as it stopped me posting another "eh? what?" post.

I'm getting really confused. What is dl? never heard of it before. Am I being thick?

Sorry to hear that you have a cold. You should try a pinch or two of turmeric in hot milk or hot water. It works wonders. Trust me. :)

Well done on your weight loss, Cali. That's brilliant. :)

Well done, Plum. I'm so pleased you have lost weight especially as you were not expecting you to. BTW, I'm really getting jealous of you eating so much olives including Manzanilla and Cuquillo Olives - they sound so exotic that I think I need to investigate what they are and buy some. :)

I thought only teenagers watched Glee, Plum :p Actually, I've never seen it but people love it, don't they? I dont watch too much TV but I do like The Apprentice when its on and I enjoy Snog Marry or Avoid - totally trashy but I love the transformations! :D

Spicy Falafel Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins sunflower or vegetable oil 1 small onion , finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 400g can chickpeas , washed and drained 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander (or use more cumin) handful parsley , chopped, or 1 tsp dried...

Ok, to make the sticky stick I've copied and pasted the following for a quick low GI/GL meal: I think a can of beans (cannelloni or blacked eyed) or chickpeas, thrown in a pan with a little olive oil, a can of plum peeled tomatoes ( I crush the tomatoes with my hand as I take them out of the...

Talking of high GI/GL, I just had a couple of home-made scotch pancakes, which I made with LO. I am still hungry. He ate half a one and the rest are still there looking at me. Hmmm. Must. Stop. Thinking. About. Them. Arrgghhh :eek:

All this talk of peanut butter got me to raid the cupboard for some. :)

I've not come across the nutty superfood salad - is this new ( I try to avoid M and S these days as their foods are so tempting) or is that what you call it:)? Your food does look very yummy today, Plum. I love fried rice. That will be on the menu within the next couple of days :D

Plum, I think you've had a pretty positive week. Well done on the following: - the compliment :D - the weight loss :talk017: - meeting your mini goals over at least and well over 50% of the time :) - being around your calorie limit ( I class being over by 12 a success!) on most days...

That meatloaf looks interesting. I found this - will definitely try with w/ less oil though: Pistou ETA: I made this and it was a real success. I made half the amount and it was plenty enough for 2 servings. On mfp the calories come out at 286 per serving. I did make changes to the...

Oh, I wish I hadn't googled Cali's link cos I know what the chocolate mini pots are and there on the site is the pannacotta - I'd actually forgotten about M and S pannacotta. It used to be my treat of the weak (pun intended :)). Just divine. Cali, UK has the best supermarkets in the world...

WHAT? I never have days where I don't fancy much. NEVER. EVER. :sigh: Yoga is great for making you feel re-energised, centred and feeling at one with the world. I hope you don't mind me saying this, but Cali, it looks like you have not eaten enough calories today . Sorry for bringing it...

Oh your poor friend and her little ones. My best friend died a few years ago from cancer and it was heart breaking to see someone with such vitality and lust for life to being so sick. Under the circumstances, you are doing so well. You will have times filled with sadness and you need to do...

Also, well done on measurement on knee. I don't know why, but I think it's really cute that you measure your knees. :) Oh and you need to change the signature so that the goals you have achieved are highlighted, as it still looks like you have not achieved any of them! It confuses me :(

Oh well done Cali on sts during totm. :) This is a big deal since you have said in the past that you always put on weight during this time. Your strategy of just eating small amounts of "naughties" worked and you did not crack under the pressure. :D Super, super well done.

Yummy food, plum. I love the idea of veggie pate. I don't think I have heard of the Tartex brand.

Food sounds good today, Cali. Good luck with the weigh-in tomorrow. x

Thanks, Plum. I do think you can do loads w/ tinned beans. It's pretty endless and fairly quick. Puy lentils: warm up and make it into salad w/ tomatoes etc, maybe add feta or halloumi or mozzarella and whatever fresh herb dressing that goes with the cheese Black beans: burgers. Smash...

I think a can of beans (cannelloni or blacked eyed) or chickpeas, thrown in a pan with a little olive oil, a can of plum peeled tomatoes ( I crush the tomatoes with my hand as I take them out of the tin) and adding harissa paste, olive paste or curry paste is always quick and tasty. You can...

Well done Cali on showing restraint and indulging ever so slightly in your cravings :D Food sounds delicious and I too like the idea of a healthier macaroni cheese. Yum. We have German market here for most of December. It's a lovely atmosphere but mega expensive so I end up just doing...

LOL, I bet you have some tales to tell.:D

Plum, I'm actually not the person to advise you on sausages as I only ever eat chicken sausages - never liked the real stuff (have you worked out yet that I am a VERY fussy eater?) but I saw Joe's sausages which are supposed to be low fat. I think they do have fillers in but they have...

I've added a signature. Hip Hip Hooray. You may have noticed that I have put in goals already achieved. :D Nothing like a little boost to make myself better. Actually, I do think it's important do a little self cheerleading.

You know, we've become like nuns don't you? It seems our cycles have started to synchronise together. :D

As quoted from "How Hormones Affect Your Nutritional Needs" on How-To Help and Videos - For Dummies Hormones affect your resting energy expenditure (REE) —the amount of energy (calories) you use when your body’s at rest. Men and women need different amounts of calories and different types of...

LOL but not really on the burnt tongue. It's the sort of thing that is funny when someone else has it but not when it's you. :rolleyes: Raspberries are great aren't they? Gorge away on them because they are low GI and low calorie and full of fibre. My son ate most of my raspberries of my...

Its wonderful that you are getting fitter, Cali. A fitter, healthier you. If I were you, I would not worry too much about the naughty things as you are burning too many calories. I'm sure it won't become a habit :D I too have cravings and it takes over your life almost doesn't it? I don't...

First of all, Plum - I hope you are feeling better. Taking plenty of rest but also being active - I love it when doctors say that. :D Secondly, go you for putting on muscle. Woohoo. :D That is definitely a victory. I know from mfp that you have been exercising so it's all paying off. Well...

Hey Bondgirl. Fantastic weight loss so far, well done. I'm sure you'll enjoy doing GI. You've taught me something new - on your plan you had St Dalfour bean salad. I had no idea that St Dalfour did savoury French Gourmet meals, I thought it was just jams and spreads. Thank you for...

Good luck with the studying and the exam. :) Enjoy the weekend away. See you back here soon. Don't be a stranger :D

Super work on your weight loss, Cali. That's fantastic news. :) Salt and vinegar crisps - I'm glad you found some you liked. It's ok to eat it occasionally, isn't it? I am lucky that I don't like them but then again I always seem to eat whatever I am baking with my LO. He does enjoy...

Yup, me too. :(

I'm finding it difficult to hack 1200, but remember, to maintain my weight I only need 1502 calories! 1200 is actually a 20% reduction of the maintenance calories, so it's very safe amount of calories for me. I do like the idea of soup plus a little protein, perhaps some yoghurt or cottage...

I think there were a few of us who ate food for inexplicable reasons yesterday. Chocolate popcorn for you, strawberry scone for me (m and s have a lot to answer for) and fries for Ruth. Maybe there wa something in the air yesterday? Let's blame it on atmospherics! :D

Ruth, you do remarkably well for someone who does shift work. I would find it hard to be organised. I don't like tinned soups but I know what you mean about having saviour food that you can always rely on. Everybody needs a stand-by food. I think mine must be cottage cheese but I went...

Cheers, Cali. Good old wikipedia :D

Cali, that is too funny. :D Talking of different foods and being unclear about things - what exactly are steel cut oats? I think it was mentioned in another thread but I can't remember. How is it different to "normal" oats and is there a brand in the UK that does them? And most...

Ruth, your day of lounging on the sofa watching re-runs of Grand Designs sounds like my dream day :D I never watch TV during the day as I am busy with my LO. I like keeping busy but I occasionally do hanker for a slouchy day ;) I agree with Plum, getting back on the saddle and eating...

Good to see you make so much progress, mum of one. And your food sounds good - I like your lentil and spinach concoction. :)

Lovely food day, Cali. Chinese food sounds great, and how wonderful that your husband enjoyed it too. :) I am also amazed at the amount of work you are getting done around the house. Go Cali!

Ruth, I had grilled tomatoes but it still needed a little more substance. Love the idea of bacon. Will try that for sure. Thanks.

So, Nakd bars. I just bought them for the first time the other day as they were on special offer. Slightly odd taste but I can get used to that I guess. It's quite calorific isn't it? 156 calories. But good when you are on the go. I do find it filling. How often do you eat a Nakd bar...

Re: watching weight everyday. As you know I don't have scales at home as I can get a bit obsessive. I think daily weight watching is fine if you don't get hung up about it, but I think that most people do get hung about it OTHERWISE THEY WOULD NOT WEIGH THEMSELVES EVERYDAY! The thing is...

What a great day. Well done. :)

Wow, Cali. That's a lot of inches and who would have thought that inch loss around the knee could be that significant? Definitely, not me. And an average weight loss of 1.6 lb per week is pretty good, especially with all the exercising that you are doing. Well done.

Ruth, you food looks lovely today, including (especially?) the brownie. Actually, I love the idea of a mexican chicken casserole. Would you happen to have a recipe for it?

Is it a long weekend in Ireland too? Perhaps she's off galavanting somewhere.

I liked the sound of your lunch, Plum. I like open faced sandwiches (as opposed to closed face or should that be two-faced sandwiches :D). You can go overboard with the toppings, can't you? Rest of the day looks good too. When are you off to London?

It's so nice to have a perfect food day isn't it, especially when you've had a few iffy days. Well done, Cali. :) As for tomorrow, I am sure that you will be fine.

It took me a while to work the Nancy Reagan reference out. You're showing your age Plum :D But then again, so am I :(

How about *mini muffin *toasted teacake - its still a cake! *Weight Watchers Carrot Cakes - slice of 27g=71 calories *Marks and Spencer Dark Chocolate Jaffa Cakes :D Calories and 1 Serving=1 Cake=43 calories

I can just imagine the queues of desperate, jittery (mostly) women now and the fights breaking out as their addiction sends them overboard. :D (I'm sure its all controlled w/ methadone and people don't get withdrawal symptoms, but I quite like the above image.)

Since we can basically talk about anything on this thread, I thought I would take the opportunity to talk about calories since the minor mfp trauma :D My BMR came out as 1252 from Plum's website. If I want to maintain my weight, which I obviously don't, I would need to eat 1502 calories a...

Yum, quesadilla and chilli. It's ten twenty at night and I feel hungry just thinking about it. Anyway, your food looks good today, Plum.

Did I tell you guys that I don't have scales in the house? I use my mum's one at her house. Why? Because I can get a little obsessive about weighing myself not only everyday but a couple of times a day. :rolleyes: I was thinking of changing my weigh in day to Tuesday instead of Wednesday...

I dont think you did too badly today, especially since you were out of routine. And I hear you on the legs pumping away while rain threatens - I had the same problem today! :)

Thanks, Cali. <quickly exits to see if I have any butter> NOT :D

Really? Deep fried butter - wouldn't it melt? Excuse my naivete. Is this like the often-heard-about-but-never-seen deep fried Mars bars in the UK? I would actually love to see these for the sheer grossness. A bit like a horror movie - you don't want to watch but can't help yourself!

LOL, Cali. I hope that did not surprise him too much :) How wonderful to get a compliment and yay@clothes too big for you. It's a really nice feeling. It's a excuse for you to do some shopping. :)

Ugh@feeling grumpy and bloated. We get so used to eating healthy food that when we don't, it really effects us.

Sounds like you had a lovely day and how wonderful that you got a compliment :) It's a bit hit and miss isn't it, when you are out and about, what you will end up eating? Good on you for not eating the clotted cream and the thick crust :D I am so glad that your cat feels better, which...

Wow! I've not heard of half the stuff but it sounds great. I've never eaten Korean food. I'm so glad you enjoyed it all. :) And the rest of the day looks good too.

Well, from one STS to another, well done. :p

Those beans look delicious. Do I have to put in maple syrup or will it not taste the same without it?

The butternut squash recipe looks yum, but I probably would substitute a bit of the squash for cannelloni beans, so that there is some protein in there. ETA: Actually the tahini has protein in it, doesn't it?

Right behind the reflection of the chickpea will be you lot holding a food processor and evil grin on your faces. :D

Or what about butternut squash hummus? M and S do them and I'm sure it would be easy to do at home. They use a mixture of butternut squash and cannelloni beans and harissa paste and the usual herbs and spices.

Splodge or scraping of hummus is great! Honestly one of these days I will wake up and look at the mirror and see a chickpea :D

Ugh@hypoglycemic grumpiness fit. It's not fun at all and you feel so out of control as well, don't you? Hopefully the dinner sorted that one out and hopefully your OH is still alive :D The lunch looked very healthy and so does the rest of the day - maybe you will be very close to your...

Here here, Irish Molly. Totally agree with you :D Super well done, Cali. Its great what you have achieved so far. :D And remember, the slower you lose weight the less likely it is you will put it back on.

You did really well with your food during night shifts :) Super, in fact.

You're doing really well, Cali. :) It's great that you are losing inches as well as weight. I wish I had your willpower to exercise!

Food sounds good, Plum, well done. I like your goals and may copy them :p

To be honest with you I am always amazed when people regularly lose 2 or 3lbs. If I lose weight, its mostly 1lb or less. When I was younger, in my 20s, I was diagnosed with having under active thyroid and I used to take thyroxine. I dont know how but it corrected itself. I am still tested...

Wow Plum, 8lb in 2 months is awesome. Well done you :) I'm sure you will keep up the weight loss. I second Irish Molly when she says to attempt the goals next week. You achieved one goal (yay!) and the wheat one is hard but it's worth giving it another shot. I too have a problem with...

Well done Ruth for sticking to your mini-goal this week. It must be so hard to do night shift - do you get more hungry because your body clock is all over the place? And do you have to eat when you can? You are doing great!

How lucky are you to have so much Mexican food. Yummy!! Can you post me your leftovers? :D

Well I was in my mum's garden today. Little one ate all the raspberries before I could get to to them ( he is so quick) but I did have some damsons today and some orange thingies - not sure what they were but they were delish!! She has inspired me to think about growing my own vegetables...

Fruit from the garden deffo does not count, especially since I had loads today ! Cant agree with the fruit from the farm shop though :D

Thanks for that, Plum. It will definitely go on my shopping list.

Poor Cali. Hope your day was chilled out and relaxed, and you feel full of energy very very soon.

Yum, your food sounds delicious. Feel very jealous. Wasabi almonds - where are they from? Love wasabi...

I'm with you on soup in August - it's so cold :sigh: I can completely understand what you mean about not organised and then eating whatever is at hand, but actually, I think you did pretty well.

Food looks good today, Plum. :) Ruth, thanks for the tip about stuffed fresh pasta.

Hi Ruth It's really important to stay positive, isn't it, especially with weight gain. It's frustrating and maddening and makes you go grrrr at yourself but there comes a point where you think I've just to get on with it. I guess what I'm trying to say is well done for keeping your eyes on...

Hi Cali Your food today sounds yum, especially your lunch. I am still craving fish all the time - I must be missing a nutrient only fish can provide :) Well done for losing weight even though it was your totm.

Well done, Molly for staying the same weight. It just seems so effortless for you. I am looking forward to the days when I too can be a maintainer. :) All this talk of oatcakes reminded me of my pregnancy. I used to keep a couple of Nairns oatcakes next to my bedside to have as midnight...

Go Cali, go Cali, go Cali <does dance> Well done, on 2lbs AND inch loss. Hope you are feeling great and proud of yourself cos you should do. :D

That's a fantastic food day, Cali. Well done :)

Like Irish Molly says dont worry as the slight weight increase could be for a number of reasons. Also, it's not your official weigh in day so things may change for the better. Keep positive.

Welcome back Plumfoodie. I've arrived since you while you have been away. Sorry to hear about your loss, but am awestruck that you tried to maintain your calorie intake at such a stressful time. That's amazing. Well done, you. :)

Welcome back to GI, mum of one. Having a baby and looking after a little one, as rewarding as it is, means that we are constantly exhausted. We neglect ourselves and get into a situation where it's really hard to get off the cycle of convenience eating etc. I know, because I have a three...

:D at the peanut story. Heehee and yuk at the same time. I will definitely be telling this story to my friends. It will become an urban myth :D Yeah, I know what they sell at bowling alleys - it's not pretty. And well done for skipping the fast food before bed time too.

You've done really well today and yesterday, given that you were out and about. I know what it's like to forget snacks, for myself and my toddler. On Friday I did the same classic thing that you did of preparing snacks for myself and my toddler and then leaving the house without them. My...

Hi ransch Welcome. I'm sure you will enjoy GI/GL once you get the hang of it - and it's not that hard to get the hang of. Easy-peasy. As I have never done Atkins I have no idea about what Atkins bars are, but someone will be along who is more knowledgeable about these things and GI/GL...

Chickpeas are definitely low GI, have a look on the glycemicindex.com website. Thanks Molly, will give that a go and let you know how it went!

If you are looking at getting a Rick Gallop book then Living the GI diet is the only Rick Gallop book you need. I like the book as he is easy to read and it all makes sense, but I do think there are a few things that I don't agree with - he loves his sugar substitute and I'm a great believer...

Food's looking great, Cali. How much rice are you actually eating eg is it about 1/4 of a plate? I had not realised you had only switched to this diet 5 days ago! I might be completely wrong but perhaps you are feeling hungrier because of this change. Your body is used to eating lots of...

Well done for STS, Molly. I noticed that on your menu that you don't seem to have any wheat products - is that because you are wheat intolerant? Also, I know you don't follow Rick Gallup but he does say to eat half an energy bar as a snack. Perhaps that might be a way forward? And...

Well done Cali. Sounds like you had a fab day. I looked up ajvar on google because I had no idea what it was. Wow - it sounds fantastic as I love aubergines and peppers. Do you buy it in a jar or do you make your own? I think that doing 80% full is probably a good idea but as long as you...

Cali, I don't think you can go wrong with salads - the more the merrier because you are filling up on low cal, low fat food, jam-packed with nutrients.