<<Insert Clever Diary Name Here>>

[clevagirl73]

I decided I needed a diary to help me stay accountable especially since I'm in the US and there are no SW groups in my area.

I first learned of Slimming World when my husband took me to England to propose and meet his family (He's from Manchester; I'm from Los Angeles). I bought a copy of SW Magazine when I was there and was fascinated by the talk of unlimited potatoes and rice but without a group in the US, I stuck with WW. I lost and regained with WW more times than I care to remember.

I hoped with the introduction of their new program, I would finally start losing again. Didn't happen like I had hoped. After 7 months and doing the P90X workout system (weights, plyometrics, kickboxing and power yoga), I only lost 8lbs. Tired of starving myself and feeling neurotic about counting points, I decided to join SW Online.

The Online site isn't very US food friendly but I am managing and luckily since there is a big British Ex-Pat community here, I can get things like English-style bacon, Heinz Baked Beans, Bovril and Quorn products fairly easily (although a bit more pricey). Luckily, I like to cook and have been adapting my recipes (posted some SW Friendly American Soul Food recipes in the Overseas Section) to work for the program.

I am 38, married, no children yet (working on them ) working as a university lecturer (African American and U.S. women's history). My short term goal is to lose 1.5 stone and ultimately I'd like to get down to 11 stone (about 3.5 stones to lose).

Donna

 

[Stitchy]

Hello, I'm new here myself

I'm impressed that you did the P90x thing - I've seen videos of that before and it looks hardcore!

Good luck with your weight loss journey

 

[blubex]

Hi Donna,

Good luck, I am forever on one fad diet or another but have always found SW to be the one I lose steadily on and fine easy to stick to.

I am back on it again and hoping it will stay for the long term now, once you get your head around it it really is quite simple.

There are loads of recipes and bits of advice on this site and I have always found it a good resource if you're looking for a bit of variety x

 

[clevagirl73]

Stitchy - The first week of P90X was brutal but my body quickly adjusted and I dropped a dress size in 30 days. After that I didn't lose more weight but my cardio endurance increased. I still do P90X workouts along with Cardio Kickboxing and Zumba.

Thanks Blubex for good luck wishes. I am having fun learning how to modify my recipes to make them as syn-free as possible. I haven't felt hungry at all which is a definite improvement.

Workout: 45 Minutes Zumba for Wii

Meals - 19/07/2011
Breakfast - 2 crushed Weetabix biscuits (HEb) with 1/2 cup 2% milk (0.5 HEa) plus 1 nectarine
Lunch - Diet Pepsi Chicken (no cans of Coke at home), rice and steamed petite peas
Snack - Chobani 0% Greek Yogurt with Blueberries (2 syns on EE)
Dinner - Leftover Diet Pepsi Chicken, Rice and Peas
Snack - 2 crushed Weetabix biscuits (6.5 syns) with 1/2 cup 2% milk (0.5 HEa)

 

[Clavicles]

Hi Clevagirl73, best of luck with everything. It must be very difficult trying to do it alone and adapt it to American foods.
I'm sure you'll do great though, you sound determined

 

[Clavicles]

Just to say, what plan are you doing? Is it EE? If so, your food looks a bit lacking on 1/3 superfree with each meal. Peas are SS and Free, but aren't superfree

 

[clevagirl73]

Pigcity - Yes, it's sometimes a challenge adapting to American foods but I just do the best I can. I am following EE but guess I wasn't paying close attention about the peas. Thanks for alerting me that they aren't super-free.

 

[clevagirl73]

This morning I had my very first SW weigh-in and I'm down 3.5lbs :happy036: While I know others lose tons more during their first week, I am very pleased. This has been the easiest 3.5lbs pounds I've ever lost and considering Aunt Flow made her monthly appearance last night, I'm positively ecstatic

Still need to work on my Super-Free intake with each meal and now that I've made my research article deadline, I can go back to my regular exercise routine.

 

[blubex]

Well done on the loss Donna, Keep up the good work x

 

[clevagirl73]

Becky - Thanks so much hun. Good luck to you as well.

What a day!!! I was supposed to spend the night with a friend who had surgery to remove a malignant capsule in her kidney.

But my husband came home early complaining of chest pain. He had been to see his primary physician yesterday but apparently the pain worsened. He has an extremely stressful job and high blood pressure and an enlarged heart as a result. Well, he went into the emergency room and was admitted to stay overnight. The doctors want him seen by a cardiologist and he's scheduled to take a heart stress test in the morning. My husband is very fit and eats well about 80% of the time. The only thing we can think of causing this is his job .

I had planned to spend the night at the hospital with him but he begged me to go home to be comfortable since we live less than 5 minutes away. Home alone, I normally would binge eat but luckily I had made enough turkey bolognese to stay on track and not down a box of Magnum Bars.

20/07/2011
Breakfast - Weetabix (HEb), Semi Skimmed 2% Milk (0.5 HEa), 2 Rashers English Bacon and Nectarine
Lunch - Turkey Bolognese with Penne Pasta, Steamed Spinach
Dinner - Deli Turkey and Ham on 1 Slice Jewish Rye Bread (3.5 syns), 1 tbsp mayonnaise (4.5 syns)
Late Night Nosh - More Turkey Bolognese with Penne and Nectarine

Total Syns (8)
No exercise today

 

[clevagirl73]

Spent better part of the day at the hospital with hubby. Stress test revealed no damage to his heart but he has to continue taking pills for elevated blood pressure. Still no exercise. Eating could have been better but considering my stress levels, it wasn't horrible.

Breakfast - Grilled chicken breast sandwich on whole wheat roll (HEB), bag of regular crisps (7 syns)
Lunch - Spicy string beans with ground turkey ( garlic, onion, chopped string beans, mint leaves, red chili peppers stir-fried using soy sauce, rice vineagar and 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil (4 syns), rice
Dinner - Turkey Bolognese with penne, apple,
Snack - Skinny Cow Caramel Truffle Ice Cream Bar (5 syns)

Went slighty over with my syns but It should all balance out as the week goes on.

 

[HPSaucy]

Hi Donna, where abouts in the States are you from? It must be so hard doing it without the support.. We're all here for you though.

Your Aunt Flow comment made me laugh though.. Never heard that saying before lol!

 

[clevagirl73]

HPSaucy (love that name, btw). I live in Los Angeles and the nearest SW group is about 3000 miles away in Texas. The biggest challenge for me is that I don't have access to the American healthy extras and syns lists even though I am an SW Online member. Apparently, those who go to group meetings have access to these materials. It would have been helpful on a day like today while I was out shopping and doing other errands.

Speaking of which, I went over my syns today because I was away from home and sort of walking blind as I made meal choices. Once I did get home, I got so busy with marking papers for the online classes I teach that I let myself get hungry and binge on bread and butter

Breakfast - Weetabix biscuits (HEB), 1/2 cup semi skinned milk (1/2 HEA), 2 rashers English bacon, nectarine
Lunch - Chicken Fajita Pita (1/2 HEA for cheese, 3.5 syns for half pita; comes with grilled onions, lettuce and tomato)
Snack - Plain non-fat yogurt mixed with packet of sweetner (Truvia), 1 cup chopped mixed berries
Dinner - Turkey Bolognese with Penne Pasta, Broccoli
Dessert - Skinny Cow Caramel Ice Cream Truffle Bar (5 syns)
Late Night Noshing (2 Slices Wholemeal Toast (9 syns), 2 tbsp light butter (7 syns)

Total Syns: 24.5 :break_diet:

 

[ginlin]

Hi Donna,
Just read your diary, and really well done on your 3.5lbs loss!, and working really hard at adapting the SW lists to what you can purchase in America
Hope your hubby is doing well, and look forward to reading more of you diary entries x

 

[Eternal Optimist]

Hi Donna, all the best with your weight loss journey but like any long 'walk' it's so much nicer and easier to have company along the way. Hope all is well with your hubby and I too liked 'Aunt Flow'

 

[HPSaucy]

What a shame they don't let you access those details, it must be hard for you, to be honest I don't really use the website that much as I search on here as it's easier than logging in! But if I can't find it I do have a look. As for Healthy Extras how do you even begin knowing what they are!

You almost need to befriend someone (not quite sure how you'd do that!) from the Texas group and get them to send you a list of Healthy Extras, I'm quite surprised Head Office won't do it for you.

Keep up the good work though x

 

[clevagirl73]

Lynne - Thanks. It has been a little tricky with branded foods so thank goodness I like to cook. Otherwise, without those lists, this would be very difficult.

Eternal Optimist - You are right about having company. That's why I posted a diary. Although I'd love to go a group meeting, this is the next best thing.

HPSaucy - I just made contact with a SW Consultant from Texas. I'm planning to ask her for those lists by email soon.

I completely forgot to post my food yesterday (23/07/2011)

Breakfast - English bacon, turkey sausage links (1.5 syns) baked beans, mushrooms, small scone (5 syns)
Lunch - BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad (grilled chicken breast, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheddar cheese (HEa), BBQ Sauce (2 syns), Ranch Dressing (5 syns)
Dinner- Slimming Eats Baked Cheese Cake (3 syns) - Yeah, I had cheesecake for dinner since my salad was so huge and filling.

Total: 16.5 syns

 

[Fredderfy]

Oh wow, cheesecake at 3 syns a slice! Where did you get it from? What flavour was it?

 

[clevagirl73]

Fredderfly - I found it on BritMum's site at Baked Vanilla Cheesecake | Slimming Eats - Slimming World Recipes It is called Baked Vanilla Cheesecake (although mine had a strawberry flavour from the non-fat yogurt I used). It was fantastic!

 

[clevagirl73]

I have no business being up this late (2am Pacific Time) but I really lost track of time doing more marking of papers. Eeek!!

Here's my food for 24/07/2011
B - Baked Vanilla Cheesecake (3 syns), Apple
L - Turkey Bolognese with Penne Pasta
D - Grilled Beef Burgers (extra lean 96/4 ground beef/mince), slice cheddar cheese (HEA), whole meal burger bun/roll (HEB), green salad with non-fat Zesty Italian vinaigrette dressing, SW chips, ketchup (2 syns)
Dessert - Baked Vanilla Cheesecake (3 syns)

Total Syns - 8