Finally doing it...

[loumoo]

Day 2

Thanks Louise24 - hope you have a good one too

Strange day today - woke up at 6.30 then thought I'd stay under the covers for a bit.....and woke up at 12.37!!! Pleased as I properly feel rested and chilled out. Anyway, I put the kettle on, booted up the computer and logged on to find out that I had an invitation to a 'dynamic pilates' session at 3pm. So I went and i loved it! I will try and build that into my iife from now on. Painful but worth it.

EE day

a Milk
b bread
Breakfast - ummm...slept through that
Lunch - WW beans on toast
Dinner - Cottage pie and green beans (loads of veg in the mince)
Syns - oh dear. Wine has come out again. 25.5
Syns for week - 31.5
Snacks: roast chicken; fruit salad

 

[loumoo]

Oh man - am feeling that pilates session from yesterday. I keep sneezing (hopefully not start of the cold that everyone seems to have) and each time IT IS AGONY for my stomach!! Still, at least I suppose that means I was doing it properly! I will have to go again in the week - maybe Tuesday.

Don't know whether to make salmon fishcakes and salad for dinner tonight or sausage and mash with onion gravy. I think I'm veering towards the sausage and mash....I really want to try that recipe from this month's mag. Salmon fishcakes can be made this week as I have all the ingredients in.

Right that's settled, this was a useful stream of consciousness - thanks for being part of it!! Off to tesco to get their healthy living pork mince and some cabbage

Hope you're all enjoying your weekends

 

[Spanx]

Well done on the pilates loumoo, I've done it a few times and it really does kill the next day! Makes me laugh that a girl from work (who is very fit and does running, spinning and body combat) always said it was a wussy exercise - until she tried it one week! If you do it properly, it's really good for your stomach - I was prescribed it by a physio to strengthen my stomach muscles after a caesarian. Hmmm, thinking about it, I should probably take it up again!

Have a lovely day! x

 

[loumoo]

Thanks Spanx - hope you had a fab day too I really hope I keep up the Pilates; my balance and posture (as well as stomach muscles!) are shocking so it will definitely be a good addition to my life. My usual is to find some kind of excuse to stop going to things like this so I'll have to be tough on myself.

Another EE day today. Think I'm getting used to them...will be interesting to see what the scales have to say for themselves on Thursday.

a Milk
b Bread
Breakfast - scrambled eggs with salmon on toast
Lunch - none, late breakfast and earlier dinner
Dinner - Home-made sausages (from the Oct mag), mash and cabbage with onion gravy. YUM.
Snacks - grapes, muller light
Syns - 0
Syns for week - 31.5

Dinner was gorgeous - really pleased I made the effort. I have sausages in the freezer and fridge now though, the recipe made a LOT. Plus I used the 454g packs of turkey and pork, which is more than the recipe asked for, but seemed a shame to waste it...

I have a lunch interview tomorrow and I've just looked at the menu online...bit concerned as there doesn't seem to be any easy options for the SW plan. The best I can see is either seabass and get all high maintenance about the 'extras' and sauces or the steak, with the same attitude to sides and sauces. Don't want to come off as mental/ too demanding since it's the first time I'll have met these people. But...as my SW counsellor says, I've got to focus on me and how much I want this. I think that STS last WI really knocked my confidence, but I'm trying to not focus on it and just focus on each day separately.

 

[loumoo]

I know I shouldn't, but I hopped on my scales this morning and I seem to be putting weight ON! I might go back to mostly red days...not sure that rice/ potatoes/ pasta are the way forward for me. I'll try and stick to EE until Thursday but if there isn't a loss then I'm reverting back.
:cry:

 

[Louise24]

Hmm, that is what I'm scared of to Lou, I reckon give it till Thursday and see how it goes, loads of people lose loads of weight on EE though... just don't believed that I could though? x

 

[loumoo]

Louise24: I'm not feeling positive, but as you'll see I'm not doing myself any favours!

Today didn't really go to plan - I had a lunch interview and there was very little SW potential without completely reinventing the dishes (I'll have the fried chicken wrapped in bacon in a creamy white wine sauce baked in cheese, served with fried potatoes but can I get the chicken without the bacon, with no sauce and can you grill the chicken and just boil the potatoes? Thanks, you're a doll). So I went with the monkfish wrapped in bacon served on spinach with a port 'jus' and about a sliver of potato. The monkfish portion was tiny (think of a fat finger) - small mercies! And they ordered wine, which I didn't decline. So I figure 8.5 for the wine (about 1/3 of the bottle) along with a guesstimate of 20 for the rest of the stuff for 28.5 syns. Also need to take previous syns for the week up to 45.5 so that's 74 in total. Less than some weeks when I lost loads (got up to 135 booze syns in one week!!) but I'm not positive.

EE day - day 4 of week
a Milk
b
Breakfast - none
Lunch - monkfish wrapped in bacon etc ( tasted lovely though)
Dinner - leftover from yesterday: 2 home-made sausages, potato and cabbage fried in frylight, steamed broc and onion gravy
Snacks - apple, muller light
Syns for day: 28.5
Syns for week: 74

I'm not feeling hopeful. I think this is the point I normally get to on diets and then it all goes to pot. The difference this time is that despite my occasional downward spiral in mood/ confidence I am on the whole positive about the eating plan. I do see it more of a 'lifestyle' rather than a one-off 'diet'. I've got to focus on the longer term...I'm already getting stressed about the fact that my sister is coming over this Thursday (yay!), which means we'll likely be consuming some booze and potentially eating out at restaurants a lot (not so yay) (although it will all be enjoyable, and she's following - and being successful on - SW as well). Week to week blips will hopefully even themselves out in the month to month take on things...

I'll have to just get myself out for more long walks and eat more fruit and veg.

 

[loumoo]

Today I woke up full of the joys of cooking. I'm going to a friend's tonight for a girlie get together and to avoid the joys of 'snacks and nibbles' I'm going to bring my own bit of tupperware. I'm going to make Moroccan chicken and looking at various recipes, I have come up with the below:

• Chicken (skinless thighs preferably)
• onion
• carrot
• celery
• garlic
• courgette
• paprika
• cumin
• ground coriander
• tumeric (pinch)
• cayenne
• root ginger/ ground ginger
• cinnamon stick/ ground
• passata
• chicken stock
• green pepper (not sure if will add them, but want to bulk up veg)
• chickpeas (might leave out if want to freeze as a red dish)
• couscous
• spring onion
• lemon
• fresh coriander to serve

1. Fry onion, celery, carrot in frylight
2. Add garlic and spices and fry off
3. Add chicken and brown
4. Add passata and chicken stock (and chickpeas if using)
5. Bung in oven for a bit
6. Add chopped courgettes and bung back in oven (don't like them too soft)
7. Make couscous: cover with boiling water, then add chopped spring onions and juice of lemon
Fresh coriander to serve

That sounds alright, doesn't it? And should be free on EE and original (without chickpeas/ couscous). I'd normally add flaked almonds and sultanas to the couscous and maybe dried apricots to the stew, but I can't afford the syns...

 

[loumoo]

ps: what exactly is image therapy?? I'm not sure we have it. After weigh in, our consultant goes round and says what everyone lost (hurrah - claps) or put on (never mind, let's get a loss for next week) and that's about it. Is that the image therapy bit that I keep hearing about?

 

[loumoo]

Ok - been a busy lady so no meal diary for yesterday. I did make the Moroccan chicken (no chickpeas) and it was lovely Dashing around going to interviews and feeling sorry for myself the past few days. Having a red day today and I'm much happier. Think I'll stick to majority red with the odd green/EE day in when I feel a carb fix coming on....

Tues 21 Sep Day 5 of week. EE
a
b Bread
Breakfast: Beans on toast
Lunch: None (bad)
Dinner: v early at 4.30pm!!! Moroccan chicken and spring onion couscous
Snacks: Carrot, red pepper and cucumber sticks
Syns: 0
Syns for week: 74

Managed to avoid all the onion bhajee/ samosa/ quesidilla/ burrito snacks that my friend had provided so am quite pleased about that.

Weds 22 Sep - Day 6 of week. RED
a Milk
a
b Bread
b 2 alpen light
Breakfast: Bacon and tomato sandwich with home-made ketchup
Lunch: 2 egg omelette with ham (tesco light choices, pack of....)
Dinner: Moroccan chicken
Snacks: Fruit salad box (apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, melons); 2 quorn sausages
Syns: 0
Syns for week: 74

Am on a serious food binge today - prob after not eating toooo much yesterday. Keeping it all free food so hopefully it doesn't further impact tomorrow's WI. Have already written it off in my head....I'll be disappointed with a gain, but shocked if I don't get one. For some reason I have felt very heavy in myself these past few days and my scales at home are not my friend at all. Dust myself off, night out with the girls on Fri night then back at it I think.

 

[loumoo]

WI today and another STS Better than a gain, yes, but still not massively motivating. Need to focus on things I can do better....drink less wine (the horror!) and exercise more I guess because I'm pretty good at being 100% on food other than the odd restaurant trauma. Got to keep looking forward and not let myself use this as an excuse to think 'sod it' and eat all the pizza (massively tempting thought that is). Also, looking back over my diaries, I might need to eat more - there have been a few missed lunches or breakfasts and that won't help.

Decided today was an EE today, potentially my last for a while, as I wanted rice with my curry.

Day 7 of week - EE (ish)

Breakfast: Bacon sandwich with tomato and home-made ketchup
Lunch: Pack of tesco healthy living ham
Dinner: Beef kofta curry and basmati rice
Snacks: None
Must eat some fruit...actually, must buy some fruit.

Glum tonight, but tomorrow is day one of week all over again so will wake up with a new attitude.

Am going out with some friends tomorrow night and there will be some wine...I'll try to keep a handle on it, but I could use a good night out to be honest so I'm not going to beat myself up. Rest of week can be rectifying any badness tomorrow...

 

[loumoo]

I've not been on here in a few days - running about a bit. Trying to get my 'mojo' back and I didn't want to be too whiny on here! It's not quite there, but I thought I shouldn't hide away so here I am...

Friday was a bad syns day as I met up with a good friend whose girlfriend has just finished with him and copious amounts of wine were called for. I didn't feel like I could sit there and ask for sparkling water so I indulged with him. He's also going to cook me dinner on Tuesday and again I don't think I can pick at his food - he knows I'm doing SW, but how he'll interpret that, I don't know. So I'm already writing off WI on Thursday and hoping that I don't gain too much. I'm also already panicking about October because I have 2 hen weekends that month....again tricky to SW on.

I feel out of control and I don't like it. I was so in charge the first 4 weeks and now I think things are running away from me. Maybe that's just the old excuses coming in to play though....hmm...Food/ snacking isn't the issue I think - I'm trying to eat more this week as I think I might have been a bit lacking the past weeks - it's the booze I need to get a handle on, but with lots of nights out planned it's tough. But again, that's what my consultant keeps saying: what's more important. I just have to try and re-educate my friends as to what I'll be like on a night out I suppose- still having fun, but not drinking in the same way. That can be my challenge. Yes...I will look at October as a personal challenge - try to negotiate all the nights out/ weekends and keep within plan as much as possible whilst still having fun. No one can physically pick up food and put it in my mouth or pour drink down my neck, can they. It's me that does that....

Ok, so what have I been eating

Fray - day 1 of week - RED
a Milk
b Bread
b New potatoes (about 2)
Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs, bacon and tomato sandwich
Lunch: Prawn salad (lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, radish) in a fat free yog, coriander and lime dressing.
Dinner: [restaurant] swordfish, rocket and new potatoes
Snacks:
Syns: 47 boozy syns
Syns for week: 47

Sat - day 2 of week - EE
a Milk
b Bread
Breakfast: Beans on toast
Lunch: [restaurant] tuna salad (green beans, cannelini beans, lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber) with balsamic vinegar
Dinner: Moroccan chicken (from the freezer), spring onion couscous
Snacks: Bag of grapes from 'Eat', fruit salad (strawbs, melon, orange, apple), Slices of roast chicken, fat free activia
Syns: 0
Syns for week: 47

 

[loumoo]

Met my cousin and some friends in town for lunch today. Had a great time, although the pub we chose had a VERY poor SW choice. Since it was rainy and blustery, we couldn't be bothered moving so I tried to pick what I though was the best option.

Sun - day 3 of week - Red
a Milk
a 42g reduced fat cheddar
b Bread
b Bread
Breakfast: Bacon and egg sandwich
Lunch: [restaurant] Linda McCartney sausages, peas (no mash/ gravy)
Dinner: Stew (from the freezer...must make another batch, was lovely)
Snacks: Muller Light, cheese on toast
Syns: 4 (2 sausages x 2 syns)
Syns for week: 51

Might have an EE day tomorrow and make the salmon fishcakes from the magazine for dinner - have been wanting to try that for ages now! Probably serve them with salad and yog/coriander/lime dressing...or maybe tzatziki.

 

[Spanx]

Hi there Loumoo. I know exactly what you mean about feeling out of control because of social occasions, or, often in my case, work commitments with lunches or dinners. I have despaired some weeks, but I have come to realise that I don't have to write the whole week off because of one or two things I can't control so well. Last week I managed to lose 1.5lbs despite it being my birthday, which involved a lunch at pizza express, and also having a hen night, which involved lots of red wine and thai food!

I just try to compensate by keeping to as few syns as possible on the other days of the week. It can be done and, what's more, it shows us that we can keep this healthy-eating plan up for life!

Good luck chica, you can do it! x

 

[loumoo]

Blimey that's impressive Spanx!!!!! Congrats on the loss and belated happy returns for your birthday. Ok. That's settled it, your words have given me the kick up the **** I needed. I WILL BE IN CONTROL!!!!!

Thanks

 

[loumoo]

This morning I had a tough interview - met 3 people and was under attack (so it felt) for 2 hours. I felt pretty shattered after and the confidence had definitely taken a hit. So I went home and have been pretty much eating non-stop since. I feel a bit depressed that I turned to food, but it's all been free or Hex so that's something I suppose. I still feel pretty rubbish and I am STUFFED.

I've been seeing a lot about C25k on here so I googled it and I think I might start the plan. I know I need to get some exercise in above and beyond the walking I'm doing and it seems pretty achievable and it'd be great to be able to go for a 3 mile jog which is the aim of the plan! It's good that it doesn't rely on a gym and it's something I could build into my days relatively easily. I just need to go and get a stopwatch, which I shall be doing tomorrow.

Mon - day 4 of week - GREEN
a Milk
a 42g reduced fat halloumi
b Bread
b 57g wholemeal roll
Breakfast: Beans on toast
Lunch: 2 quorn burgers in a bun with onions and tomatos
Dinner: Quorn chilli (kidney and pinto beans, courgette, onion, celery, onion, tomatoes, onions) with brocolli and brown rice
Snack: LOTS of SW chips, grilled halloumi, corn on the cob
Syns: 0
Syns for week: 51

 

[loumoo]

Feeling a bit better today - food under control again and not too much snacking Not had both my HexB but am looking forward to a Fibre Plus and a cup of tea later. Bit of a random breakfast, but it was exactly what I wanted and tasted lovely. Feel just right on the full stuff and not STUFFED like yesterday.

Also excited that I will be catching up with myself on the weekly syns as of tomorrow!!! I can even treat myself to some celebrations or a packet of crisps. BRING THE SYNS ON....wooooo

Phase one of C25k complete: I have purchased a stopwatch. Now I have to get my backside in gear and get out tomorrow morning for the first session. I'm not going to build it up in my head though because then I'll get stressed and won't do it. I have to just 'be cool' and treat it like something normal that I'd do because I like to exercise. I have a healthy relationship with food and I exercise (repeat after me....)


Tuesday - Day 5 of week - RED
a Milk
a 5 laughing cow light
b 4 original ryvita
b [fibre plus]
Breakfast: 4 ryvita with smoked salmon and cream cheese
Lunch: 3 egg omelette with ham and onion
Dinner: Roasted cod with roast veg (courgette, onion, green pepper, cherry tomato in garlic, rosemary, oregano and a bit of basil)
Snacks: Roast turkey slices with cherry tomato
Syns: 0
Syns for week: 51

oh - and I didn't go round to my mate's house so no SW shocker on dinner. Must eat more roasted fish actually, I forget how easy it is and how lovely it tastes!

 

[Louise24]

Hi Lou, glad you're feeling brighter - go you with the C25k girl, good luck not that you need it as you are at one with exercise. Hehe. x

 

[loumoo]

Yesterday was a strange day - another interview, met 5 people all at once but not as stressy as it sounds. Got feedback today that they like me, but they really like another chap and I'll get more info next week. Bit glum as I really like this job, but I've done all I can at this stage. Hopefully it's the two of us in the final round and I can knock their socks off!!

Went out for my 20 min jogwalk yesterday so that's something at least. Not feeling hopeful for WI, but again I've done all I can. And drank lots of wine. I was at my friend's last night for a cooking event thing, but I brought my own dinner in tupperware and again managed to avoid the samosas, bhajees, pizza, baked cheese dip and fabulous smelling crisps that were on offer. I did however cave and have 4 glasses (not vats this time) of wine, which was a blip in willpower, but life goes on.


Weds - day 6 of week - EE (ish)
a Milk
b Bread
Breakfast: Turkey rasher toasted sandwich with tomato
Lunch: Some cajun chicken
Dinner: cajun chicken, roasted veg and cous cous
Snacks: none
Syns: 4 glasses of wine (4 x 6 = 24)
Syns for week: 75

 

[loumoo]

Hello all. Let me start this with some good news: I LOST TWO POUNDS AT WI TONIGHT!!!! Thank goodness for that - I was getting a bit fed up with all this STS nonsense. I haven't done anything different this week from the last two. What I have done different is stick at it - I'm so pleased I didn't fall into the trap of thinking 'bugger it all' and going for the pizza and crisps and takeout and just stuck to my guns. Yay me! ps: not sure if I've confessed this before or not....but when I used to order chinese or indian, I'd pretend there was someone else with me so that the person on the end of the line wouldn't realise what a greedy wotsit I was, I'd talk about "we" and sometimes I'd pretend to talk to them. That's embarrassing. Anyway...that was then....

Thursday - day 7 - RED
a Milk
a [rf cheddar]
b Bread
b [bread]
Breakfast: Toasted sandwich - 2 rashers turkey bacon, fried egg
Lunch: Packet of roast turkey slices
Dinner: Beef madras from the curry book (YUM) and green beans
Snack: Might have cheese on toast later
Syns: 8.5 boozy wine
Syns for week: 83.5