1000 plan, more or less.

[hollycat]

Hi GG,

Just read through all your previous posts, must have missed them at the time. Still I find it hard to keep up with all the different forums sometimes. I am pleased to see that the CC has started picking up over the last week or so.
You said you have had a hectic month, but how has your weight been, have you been able to keep up your plan?
Congratulations on the uni place, where/what are you studying?

 

[girlygirl]

BA HONOURS PERFORMING ARTS.

If I hadn't lost a total of 9stones over the years I wouldn't be going and certainly not to study this subject!

I only lost one pound over the month but that is a good result.

Hey.

I just found out you can freeze SF into ice cream. I made up the powder with a little less milk and WOW.

Creamy vanilla ice cream. Now I will buy the other three flavours on half price offer!!

Will weigh-in again Monday as first August one.

 

[Eclipse]

Hi GG

Welcome back.

I am not following WW as my weight crept up a bit over the past few weeks, for no apparent reason, other than eating! lol But I was eating healthily. But I decided to rein it in and do something to address the eating side. So I have 11.5lbs to lose to get to 10 stone (but that is an evening weigh in and fully clothed). Hopefully will only take a little time, but it is quite fun decided what to eat and when!

 

[hollycat]

BA HONOURS PERFORMING ARTS.

If I hadn't lost a total of 9stones over the years I wouldn't be going and certainly not to study this subject!

I only lost one pound over the month but that is a good result.

Will weigh-in again Monday as first August one.

Congratulations on the 9 stone loss and also being accepted for the uni course.

I think in a hectic month 1lb loss is fabulous.

Are you still trying to lose or hoping to maintain?

 

[hollycat]

I am not following WW as my weight crept up a bit over the past few weeks, for no apparent reason, other than eating! lol But I was eating healthily. But I decided to rein it in and do something to address the eating side. So I have 11.5lbs to lose to get to 10 stone (but that is an evening weigh in and fully clothed). Hopefully will only take a little time, but it is quite fun decided what to eat and when!

Hi Cheryl,

You said you are not following WW, are you CC, or just eating healthily?

 

[Eclipse]

Hi GG

Welcome back.

I am not following WW as my weight crept up a bit over the past few weeks, for no apparent reason, other than eating! lol But I was eating healthily. But I decided to rein it in and do something to address the eating side. So I have 11.5lbs to lose to get to 10 stone (but that is an evening weigh in and fully clothed). Hopefully will only take a little time, but it is quite fun decided what to eat and when!

What a plonker, this post made no sense whatsoever, as I typed "not following WW" instead of "NOW following WW" Sorry for any confusion GG!

 

[Maintainer]

I understood that perfectly the first time! It just shows how our eyes can deceive us and we can read what we expect to see...

I wish you much luck with your last little bit. You look fabulous in your photos.

 

[girlygirl]

What a plonker, this post made no sense whatsoever, as I typed "not following WW" instead of "NOW following WW" Sorry for any confusion GG!

LOL!

I only lost 1lb during July BUT I had a great time. Mid-month was my birthday, I also went to Scotland again, went out with mates LOTS, went to the theatre in London twice... and, yes, ate/drank a little bit more than I should.

However, I am now back on the straight and narrow. 1000 cals per day or a teensy bit less wherever possible, and full speed ahead.

I am chuffed today because I've just tried on a flattering size 16 lined pencil skirt. It comes from the days when a 16 was called a 14. I spotted it on eBay, thought it looked classy and well-priced and vowed to 'slim into it'. Today it fits perfectly, and makes me look pretty darn slim(mish)! So that's good. This will give me encouragement for the rest of August.

Good luck with WW, good luck to all braving the calorie counting trail, good luck to everyone!

It's worth it.

 

[girlygirl]

I understood that perfectly the first time! It just shows how our eyes can deceive us and we can read what we expect to see...

I wish you much luck with your last little bit. You look fabulous in your photos.

Yes Cheryl you look gorgeous in that pic!

XX

 

[girlygirl]

Congratulations on the 9 stone loss and also being accepted for the uni course.

I think in a hectic month 1lb loss is fabulous.

Are you still trying to lose or hoping to maintain?

I have about 20lb to lose. That should take me to just under 10st. I'd like to be just under 9st - I am 5' 4" - but accept that 10st would be reasonable and healthy.

Part of my strategy in counting calories at this stage - and moving away from low carbing and ketosis - is that I see this stage as being geared towards maintenance AND loss. The last weight should come off more slowly if you want to maintain easily afterwards. So much of this is patience, and we are mostly impatient! We can't help it.

For those who can do a VLCD, stick to it, get all their weight off very fast then move up the steps to maintenance and stay there, I say, very well done. I couldn't get past the 'sticking to it' bit. Not for long, and not without a lot of stress lol. But CD helped me lose again after a difficult 'stuck' patch.

Now I have to move on, not least because I am in the financial doldrums at present and every single penny counts.

 

[girlygirl]

**sorry - long post!**

Talking about vegetables earlier started me thinking. So I went to the (almost) bare cupboard and unearthed a tin of marrowfat peas, a tin of sliced carrots, a small tin of sliced mushrooms, two tins of chopped tomatoes (had them for MONTHS) and a pack of Asda Smart Price lasagne sheets (had those for even longer!)

The other day I bought a 2-for-1 offer Ragu White lasagne sauce. Now I had the perfect opportunity to try it out. But it is no doubt high in calories and fats, so I decided to dilute it heavily - adding 40% water and mixing vigorously, and added a bit of extra seasoning to compensate.

I poured two tins of tomatoes into a big mixing bowl, added the three chopped onions, chopped carrots, marrowfats and sliced mushrooms. Also added salt, pepper and a generous amount of dried mixed herbs. Lined a rectangular baking dish with diluted white sauce, placed lasagne sheets neatly, poured tons of veggie mixture on top, added more lasagne sheets, then more dilute sauce, then some grated extra strong cheddar cheese, pepper and mixed herbs. It's in the oven now, and I suspect that it will taste yummy.

Estimated calories for a reasonably generous portion? Around 400, I'd say. Provided I can stick to my Slim Fast ice cream for supper, my day's total will be 850. Plenty of leeway for coffee with milk and a piece of fruit.

Only half of the mixture went into the recipe. The rest sits in a dish in the 'fridge. Tomorrow I will make some veggie sausage meatballs and cook up a yummy hotpot, to be served with baked potato if desired - or perhaps wholemeal spaghetti. Portion control and carefully reduced fat content seem to work wonders when calorie counting.

 

[Eclipse]

Thanks Maintainer and GG for your lovely comments. They should keep me on the straight and narrow. x x x

 

[girlygirl]

It's just a daily slog, really, losing weight/maintaining, and you need to also live as full and satisfying a life as you can! I've been in a burrow of my own making for too long, and only now am I determined to break out and rejoin the world.

I think once you've reached the stage of trying very seriously to survive on as little food as possible, you've done yourself real harm. But if so, you can undo it Each day a new beginning, etc.

By the way - on reflection and with hindsight I should have added less water to the white lasagne sauce. In fact I should have made my own! The Ragu one is tasteless. I should also have added fewer tinned tomatoes, and taken the trouble to chop the onion more finely. I should have added veggie oxo or similar for extra flavour. A few potato cubes, for 'body', wouldn't have gone amiss - likewise a bit of extra cheese. Oh - and I should have used better quality lasagne sheets. Apart from that, it was delicious... lol.

 

[girlygirl]

Update on the lasagne. After it had sat overnight in the fridge, and all the subtle flavourings had 'melded', it tasted great.

I made a fresh one last night - this time including veggie sausage-meat and one extra layer of pasta. Fabulous.

I've had a very good couple of dieting days, again using SLIM FAST for breakfast and either lunch or late supper (the second meal usually as ice cream). For dinner I have a nice portion of lasagne or a baked potato and cheese or perhaps some wholemeal pasta.

I am doing a major domestic clear-out. That keeps me busy during the day. My washing machine is broken so everything - duvets, covers, etc, and several pairs of huge curtains, had to be washed and rinsed in the bath. Then dried in the sun, and (curtains and covers) ironed! STRESS - lol. But all this extra activity is burning off calories and making the house fresh and sweet-smelling.

I hate housework usually. At the moment it is keeping me from feeling too lonely, so it's well worth the effort I'm putting in.

 

[hollycat]

GG,

I am impressed with washing all your stuff in the bath, remember doing that once before with something that was too big for washing machine, it was so hard to wring and rinse, nearly killed me off. You are obviously a domestic godess.

The meals sound great too. Keep it up.

 

[girlygirl]

Had a good week, diet wise, and have decided to wait until next Monday to weigh in.

This helps me a lot. I get a bigger loss and don't feel pressured to 'perform'. I can relax about my food intake. Two weeks is enough, mind you. Don't want an excuse to slack lol.

For vegetarians, Tesco has a few tasty quorn fillets, etc, and own-brand veggie stuff, going half price. Some of those offers end at close of business on Tuesday (tomorrow). I highly recommend the quorn cracked black pepper things. Reduced to 89p for two and they are thick and yummy.

Keep going, all. What counts is perseverence. If you slip, just start over. Each day a new beginning, etc.

And walk more! I walked into town (to Tesco!) and back. Total steps including walking around the store, and other stores, at LEAST 5,000. I counted them but kept losing count so had to keep (under)estimating. Yes I counted them in my head 'cos I am told that pedometers constantly reset themselves or are totally inaccurate.

 

[girlygirl]

Haven't posted in ages, but I've kept to my calorie limit most days.

I realised today that I really enjoy eating 'normally'. Real food, tasty veggie products, vegetables, salad, fruit, etc. And simple things like veggie hot dogs and Heinz baked beans, which I had for supper tonight. The simple pleasures! I check the packs for calorie values of pre-prepared food and estimate those of fruit, veg and other loose items.

The long black fake but very convincing 'leather' skirt I love is now baggy on me. It was bought on eBay and is an 'old' size 16 - ie would now be regarded as a 14. I recently purchased a size 12 long skirt to 'slim into'. When I tried it on last week I had to lie down to do up the front zip - but it fitted elsewhere (darn tummy 'apron'). I still have at least one stone to lose and probably, ideally, two to be really slender, but I am pleased to be talking in terms of size 14.

Weight loss slows down as you near goal. We all know that in theory but usually find it hard to accept in practice. However this time around I live my life day by day, and don't worry unduly about the odd slip or about what I will eat tonight, tomorrow or the next day. I am establishing new eating habits and attitudes towards food and am happy to let nature take its course at whatever speed suits. I eat well and enjoy my food - the secret for me is not just calorie counting but portion control. You can have anything you want if you count the calories and keep the portion moderate.

Tomorrow morning I have to go to the dentist's. I am a dental phobic and haven't been in at least fifteen years. Sadly this is reflected in the state of my teeth - those I still have. I was bulimic for many years and this too shows in my ravaged mouth. Never mind. I will pray that the dentist can save most of the remaining teeth, and try very hard to be brave. I am also phobic about toothbrushes and the sound and sight of teeth being brushed. Just the thought of either makes me shudder. Likewise nail brushes... but tooth brushing is worse. Lately I have started to brush more regularly. It's not quite so bad when I do it, just ghastly when I see and/or hear others brush. Ugh!

Wish me luck, guys. I'll need it.

And good luck with the diet, whichever plan you may be following.

 

[girlygirl]

Dentist's was great! No work done yet ha ha.

Going back next week. To my relief my teeth can be saved. Phew! I will need a partial denture for hidden gaps but I can handle that. Bulimia is death to teeth. So it was with mine.

I walked into town and back today. Bought fresh salads at Tesco. Checked the calories etc and realised the vast difference between innocent looking pasta salads. It pays to look at the fine detail.

I was wearing a tight black calf-length slit skirt and black cowboy boots with metal things on them. A slim fitting black t-shirt and black pvc long mac. I caught a glimpse of my reflection. I looked NORMAL. Size 14. Not fat.

I know where all my lumpy bits are, and my awful tummy apron. I know my teeth have seen better days and that without hair dye my long hair would look way less attractive. But... I look normal. Sexy, even.

Every bit of calorie counting, walking, 'sensible' decision-making around food is worthwhile. This is our LIVES, my friends. The past is gone. Learn from it, let go of the sad bits, and live now. We have a future, we can make it what we want it to be, bit by bit.

My body will never be the tiny dancer's body it once was. But it is a woman's body, one who has borne two fine grown sons, one who has lost, regained, lost, regained and RELOST a ton of weight. This time around I have been lighter for six or seven years. I am close to goal. I can shop without feeling like a mutant who should not show her face.

I am going to uni to study Drama. I will be studying Italian and French, too. I will be facing audiences and working very hard. And all because, at last, I have lost weight and kept it off.

In other words I am getting my life back. There is no better motivation for losing the extra weight.

Keep on keepin' on. In the long run we will all win!

 

[girlygirl]

Getting into cooked salad at the moment. Have been experimenting with Tesco ones. Yum is all I can say.

The pasta and cheese salad is delicious and costs only 98p BUT since it has 530 calories or so one must go easy. Half a pot, or even one third of a pot, goes well with lettuce etc or thin sliced wholemeal bread.

I bought a big bag of chargrilled mediterranean vegetables - only 85 calories per portion - to add to home made salads. Delicious and so good for health. The Tesco cous cous and chargrilled med veg prepared salad is really tasty. I ate half of one yesterday. Today I've added two chopped veggie hot dogs, some salad leaves, two chopped tomatoes and a generous portion of chargrilled (bagged) med veg to the other half. I will be scarfing it shortly, for supper. MMMMM.

Eating well need not be expensive, nor calorie dense, nor boring. Variety is the spice of life. I am now free to try many foods I'd never have considered before. I once regarded salad and fruit as dull, diet food. Now I see them as delicious and endlessly versatile. As with so many other things in life it's a question of outlook and approach.

I've also planted some little gem lettuce and other salad veg - carrots, too - in big deep pots in my garden. A nice sunny position, plenty of water and they should do nicely. Home-grown lettuce is scrummy. And cheap.

For vegetarians - Tesco do a DELICIOUS own-brand chicken-style burger. Only £1 for four right now. Just over 100 calories each, thick and satisfying. I love them - and they go very well with salad, chopped or whole.

 

[Eclipse]

Hiya GG, you're sounding to upbeat and on top of things, glad to hear the "diet" is going well x x x