Lost 4lbs in a year!!!!!!!!

[drumsrevolver]

I have 2 easter eggs and cookies and cream kit-kats and my vanilla cake on easy view right now - the mind is definitely the boss as feeling virtuous and strong! Obviously that ain't gonna last forever but am quite enjoying the high you get from starting a diet and being 100%.

On the other hand I have an ongoing dull headache and feel a bit rubbish in general but have been feeling cold-like for a few days so it's probably that and TOM is on soon too.
Do you still have an Easter egg stash? I ate all my mini-eggs a few days ago and now have a whole Wispa egg and 2 Wispa bars hanging about. I don't fancy them but might stick them upstairs out of view in line with your "change your environment" task.

Do you flip ahead to see what each days task is? or take each one as it comes? I think seeing each one each day is probably more effective - at least it would be for me.

I have always eaten from a small plate - kind of like a soup bowl with sides but had developed a "pile it high" mentality without realising it - think this harks back to the days when I used to go to Pizza Hut at college and you could get a side salad for £2.99 inc. potato salad, coleslaw, bacon bits etc and I devised a way to get the maximum into that bowl for my 3 quids worth!

I have a mental image of you with your emergency banana in a gun holster ... ready to whip it out at the first sign of hunger! ... yes I think the lack of food is leading to hallucinations!

 

[bellybling]

I have a bright yellow banana guard that I would have considered so uncool ten years ago but now love.

You are supposed to take as long on each 'day' as you need to. So far a lot of them are changes I've already made. I know I need chocolate etc to be out of sight. So far they've been quite easy but I sense that there will be more challenging ones to come.

Day 8 create time and energy. Again that is already dealt with and would have been more of a problem when I was younger.

Day 9 select an exercise plan. Snagging at this one for 2 reasons. 1. me foot. 2. I am commited to aquacise on Wed and swimming once a week but I need something else, not sure what or how to fit it in as choices around here are limited. DVD's etc are fine as extras but I know I'd do more at a regular class.

Managed to give my eggs away. 14.5 syns worth of thorntons was all I had. :innocent0002: really hoping for a loss this week, a small one will do.

 

[drumsrevolver]

Bravo - giving your eggs away - you're a better person than me! I've discovered you can't eat anything these days without being subjected to the calorie count so I know my wispa egg is 267 per quarter so am less likely to scoff with gay abandon ... or will scoff and just think about the waste of cals. Surely the hollowness should mean they're less cals than a normal Wispa . They are still upstairs though untouched :angel09:

First day done - still going well. I think I've been worried about being hungry and yes I was but in slight waves which passed and when dinner came along - i enjoyed every mouthful but without the usual triggers of having a sweet treat after etc. I realise I tend to eat for all sorts or reasons, mostly just fancying something, keeping warm, habit ie whilst reading or watching telly - snacks have just become part of life plus meals. It's interesting and slightly freeing to not be continuously eating - I certainly feel no worse for it.

I was in our city centre today getting my eyes tested and I realise why I don't go anymore because of the grimness of trying on clothes. I tried a few bra's on today and there was no escaping me in the three-sided mirror. I felt fine in my coat scarf and boots but know as soon as the weather warms up and I wear less clothing I'm going to feel more fat and self-conscious. This would have depressed me if I was off plan but as I'm on plan I'm just taking it as added motivation.

You're doing really well with the exercise - what sort of thing would you like to add in? Something like a BLT or an aerobics class?
We did have Nordic Walking classes around here using the sticks which I had been interested in but were only on during the day when I work - is that sort of thing useful to you? Or perhaps a dance class - zumba or ceroc or something - maybe something that's not actually exercise but gets you moving?
I think with spring starting [well kind of!] there will be more classes happening. I used to fancy belly-dancing but will look into it once I get a proper waist! I have always secretly wanted to be a ballet dancer and despite having none of the necessary attributes used to do Balletcise at home which gives you painful but tighter bum cheeks and was good for toning. Again I was less fat when i did this but once you have an emerging shape it's great for helping it along. Sadly I didn't have a tutu but did alwears wear a swishy skirt

 

[bellybling]

It sounds like you're doing really well on this one. Good for you.:clap:

I've never found meals to be the problem it's always the evening munchies that get me.

It's years since I was in a shop changing room. The last time I tried on this huge damask dress, one of the few things I thought might fit, and it made me look like an overstuffed armchair! Not a pleasure.

Enjoying shopping for clothes is on my list of advantages to losing weight. One day I'm going to steal all my daughters size 8's and 10's, hee,hee,hee.

To me BLT is bacon, lettuce and tomato? Is this a new kind of negative calorie regime? If it is then count me in.

I'm moving swimming, though I don't know where to, and going to yoga Monday nights instead. Not a great calorie burner but it's more fitness that I'm after. I know I enjoy it and it will make me more flexible.

Tutu's I know how to make so just say the word.

 

[drumsrevolver]

Wow that corset is truly stunning! You made that? That's truly amazing - I had no idea you were a seamstress! Though that skirt would need to be a good 10" longer to cover my rear

BLT me dear stands for ... Bums Legs and Tums! It comprises of lots of lower body work including twists, squats and lunges ... doesn't include lifting a bacon sarnie to your mouth - though that's kinda a tricep work-out I'm sure

Good idea to focus on fitness as well as fat burning, we're a whole package after all.
I have been genuinely hungry today and have had to focus in order not to eat my arm off . To be fair I'm starting hardcore and really shouldn't do 2 consecutive days as understandably it's a bit tough. You are able to spread your cals but I'd rather have a decent dinner than low cal breakfast and lunch.

Plus I'm on first day of TOM and am making home-made foccacia so know that if I can stay fast today, tomorrow I can have a normal eating day. But as I put on a massive 3lb this week- updated stats in the interest of honesty - I'm hoping for a good/any loss initially and then modify from there. I'm changing to Tuesday weigh-in too as then I can have a proper week loss rather than 5 days.

Been really good for my hydration - drinking lots of hot ginger and green tea. Measure my genuine waist the other day ... 37" :cry: How can this be?? - horrified - I'd guessed about a 33" but yes that was a shocker - I remember being a 28".
Apparently your waist should be half your height in inches maximum - so for me under 30" which makes sense - seems a long way to go but my belly is one of the early places I lose and will hope to see a good loss with another stone off.
I'm focusing on 1 stone as a first goal as that will make me merely overweight instead of obese and psychologically be a massive boost. Do you make mini-goals? I remember you used to but found it counter-productive, certainly your monthly loss in your sig seems to be a much better focus - especially as you're always on the way down

 

[bellybling]

What's for dinner? I'm thinking I might do some sort of fish curry. Not really what I want but I've got this bit of haddock and no room in the freezer, it's Wednesday so well stocked up.

I wish my waist was 37" :sigh: but yes it is too much from a health point of view. You start getting all sorts of things wrong with you as you get older. Carrying extra weight and not being as fit as you could be really makes them all worse. I don't want to be negative but middle age seems to slip into old age really quickly, getting fit and slim keeps you younger for longer.

I think the 4lb per month is reasonable. Any more is a bonus and it probably allows me a few totm wobbles. It was target dates I had a prob with. I know they work for some people but I don't like the pressure. I'm not sure what the difference is but it feels different to me. Those old mind tricks strike again.

Day 10 set a realistic goal.

 

[bellybling]

Had a Tesco shepherd's pie instead. It tasted fantastic! Something I'd have in for when I don't feel like cooking, not something I'd usually relish, but tonight it just so hit the spot. Synned of course. I'm not over yet, but I probably will be by bedtime.

 

[drumsrevolver]

Shepherds pie sounds yum - must make one - although somehow I always end up using beef mince and end up with cottage pie - though not complaining about the taste!
Spooky that you're thinking of making fish curry - that's what I'm making tomorrow using salmon. Haddock also makes a nice fish pie or fish cakes - which I find a bit of a faff to make but bound to be a hopefully simple SW recipe for them.

Dinner was my OH's chicken and chorizo pasta with my home-made foccacia using this recipe. I used my Kenwood with dough hook though - I know Paul Hollywood bangs on about the satisfaction of making your own bread but I find it just as satisfying and don't have to pick dough out of my fingernails It was really nice to eat proper home-made bread and not think it was synned or out of bounds. OH ate about three-quarters of it, so I'm not making it for a while as he's just too greedy around it! Though I might make naan to go with it instead.

TOM bellyache is kicking in a bit so it's bed with a hot water bottle for me. Not sure how it will affect my eating - will see how the day goes. Did get a lovely bath bomb from Lush today so might treat myself to hot bath tomorrow ... as else will be honking of fish curry!

How'd you get on with syns after your shepherds pie? ... did you get some tasty treats in your Tesco shop?

 

[bellybling]

Whenever I make it myself I like to fry leeks in butter and add that to the mashed potatoes. It makes it yummy.

I'm still under 15 syns, so well done me (giving myself credit as Dr Beck instructs).

I bought both chicken and choritzo as it goes. Also got steak, xtra lean mince and pork chops. Spent £75 so hopefully it will last a while. Food is so expensive these days and unless I want to drive miles there's not a lot of choice, smallish Tesco express and even smaller co-op. Asda and Tesco will deliver which is great sometimes but they don't choose the freshest and best like I would myself. You can give them back to the driver, believe me I do, but then you are left without the thing you wanted. It's just rural living I suppose so I will stop moaning now.

Homemade bread :drool:

 

[drumsrevolver]

When I used to live on my own I used to get Sainsbury's to deliver as it was cheaper than a taxi and the quality of fresh and chilled goods were shocking! They'd always pick milk/cheese/yogurt with only a couple of days to go and limp veg. As for their substitutions - random! ie Jaffa cakes instead of satsumas ... although actually I didn't send those back

Food IS expensive and veg here is pricey from a supermarket but much cheaper in the asian food stores though not so convenient to get to. I did try to grow my own veg last year but ended up with 2 tiny peppers - one of which went black and some very bitter tomatoes. Unless you've got a greenhouse or are very green fingered it's difficult - the recent poor weather isn't much help either.

Having said this it IS cheaper and tastier to make your own bread - effort required of course and yogurt too. Yesterday's foccacia was from quarter of a pack of a 49p kilo bag of floor with rosemary which we have in the garden and probably the most expensive thing being 2 tbsp of virgin olive oil but which I bought on offer. That would have cost me at least £1.50 to buy. But then if I'm working i don't have the time or inclination so it does really depend.

You can make your meaty supplies go quite a long way using pulses especially with chicpeas/butterbeans etc. Also they're good for making dips - I've done houmous and also a butterbean dip with thyme. Very satiating too. Life aint all beans and pulses though - hence my cakes!

Do you live near farmland? I'm wondering if they sell fresh milk/honey/spuds etc? I'd love to live rurally and keep chickens etc. There's a garden centre nearby with some lovely fat hens - I always feel like shoving a couple under each armpit and running away!

How's your Pilgrimage of Harold Fry going? I have bought Michael Moseley's Fast diet book as well as that has more of the science based theories in so am reading that at the mo. Very interesting how his bloodwork improved significantly and the importance of big gaps between food so the body can do it's housekeeping rather than continuously feeding it which keeps insulin and growth factors high.
Like you I'm concerned about health as well as weight, being fat and forty isn't what I want. I felt really energietic yesterday eve before my meal and it was really great. Today I have bad TOM pains so will take it asy whilst my guts feel like their being punched in.

And also huge well done on keeping under with the syns - one Wednesday won!

 

[bellybling]

arty0051:Munch, Munch, Munch, Munch, Munch, Munch, Munch, Munch, arty0051:

 

[bellybling]

Well I got through Wed but Thurs was another matter :sign0007: half a box of weetabix chocolate chip minis disappeared into 'thin' air!!!! as did white bread, butter, chocolate and crisps!!!! Famished!!!! Totm decided to make an appearance today, almost two weeks early! Does not feel fair :sigh: I might start weighing just once a month because there really isn't any point during * week and if * week is going to start being most blinking weeks

I'm going to have breakfast now and will try to post a more positive offering later.

 

[drumsrevolver]

Maybe you psychologically felt you'd "missed out" on your usualWeds treats? Patterns can be hard to break out of atback:

Getting TOM 2 wks early isn't fair - I do feel for you - sounds like you have a real rough time with them x
Being a slave to hormones is rough and you either have to make accept this will happen and make allowance in your month ie a couple of CC days to counteract or set yourself up with a tub of carby snacks to cope with it. The randomness it appeared with obviously meant you couldn't plan around it.

Why not go with a fortnightly weigh-in? Might free you up mentally from thinking the weeks b*ggered if you overeat due to hormones. CDon't beat yourself up - if you can manage have a lighter day maybe soup and crackers/toast. It will calm down over the next couple of days and you can get back on track.

You lost your amazing 17lb this year :wow: by cracking on everytime you had a setback and I'll know you'll push on through this!

 

[drumsrevolver]

Have had horrible TOM pain today well yesterday too but found a bit of porridge has really helped - so yes carbs for the win! How's your afternoon going bb?

 

[bellybling]

I've actually had a very fun day. Went to the 'pictures' in Dumfries to see 'Wreck it Ralph' via a cafe, chocolate and walnut traybake, and a farmshop, touristy and expensive but really, really nice.

I don't know what it is about oats and wheat but there is something in them my body craves during TOM, maybe it's b vits?

I should finish Harold tonight. Cetainly enjoying it more than 50. Cloud Atlas is next, it's a recommendation from someone else, so I'm hoping I enjoy this one.

Hope your cramps get better. :bighug:They are such a bummer.

 

[drumsrevolver]

Sounds like Fun Friday has put a spring in your step! Glad you had a good time - farmshops are always pricy but they do the best bacon - I got some a few weeks back and it was mega thick and juicy - no "rainbow film" on them or leaking white juice when you grill them - yum yum wish I had some now! Chocolate and walnut traybake sounds absolutely scrumptious - i'm sure walnuts have got zinc or B vitamins or something useful so reckon you're perfectly justified eating them

Oats and wheat sound tasty as .... I think they're the primary ingredients in ... Hob Nobs! Apart from that I think you're right - they're high in B vits but I don't know if that causes cravings? But it genuinely did help and I've gone on to have a lentil soup with wholemeal rolls so you may have something there. I've also gone on to have a Wispa mind!

Am feeling better now ta - though have just experienced sharp stabby pains in my hoo-haa - tmi i know sorry :ignore: but really painful though shortlived - only a minute or so.
Still in a good frame of mind dietwise and can enjoy my weekend of eating well. I found even this eve that had my dinner and choc and that was it - no more nibbling. Be interesting to see how the weekend goes.
WI isn't until Tues now and be interesting to see how it goes - I imagine up as it's "normal" eating days - you're supposed to eat to your total daily energy expenditure - TDEE, which for more is about 1700 but seems a bit high to me. I'm sure it'll even out to that with general weekend eating.
Have just checked my Kindle and realise I have ... 204 books to read !!! I dunno where to start!

 

[bellybling]

1700 sounds nice. As long as you weigh and measure everything it should be fine. I don't think it will be quick though but it really is better slow even if it doesn't feel like it. I'm preparing myself for another STS. I'm getting a bit of exercise now but not as much as my foot still gets a bit sore if I'm walking and the 2 * month has probably ruined my chances of a loss. It's just a case of carrying on though, I know that. Plod, plod, plod.

I'm child free until tea time, I've done enough babysitting this Easter to feel an inner yeah!! when I get time off and don't have to watch dinosaur train or cbeebies or play octonauts.

Making chicken and choritzo for dinner, wee bit dangerous using so many syns on choritzo while I'm still carb daft but really fancy it.

Finished Harold, not a must read but good.

 

[drumsrevolver]

I confess to not weighing or measuring. On a non fast/low cal day the point is not to. As the theory [and in my case practice] is that you don't over eat to make up for it. As that's just been this weekend I have enjoyed my roast pork and stuffing, easter eggs, soup of yesterday and today my chilli, rocket, anchovy & prawn linguine, bit of pandoro, bread and wispa & yogurt and know that it's within 1700 cals.
That's what makes the other days doable and in reality you're only to have 2 stringent days a week - I'm only doing more as a kickstart and as it's Easter hols. It would just be too miserable if I had to focus on measuring and weighing on the other days. As it is have had lovely meals and can go back to have a stricter week.
Hope you enjoy your chicken and chorizo pasta - bit of fat in your diet is necessary and satisfying. Try not to be too down if you do get an STS - you're doing the best you can. Much more important to not overdo it whilst your foot is healing. The 2 TOMs will also make the scales unreliable at this time - maybe try weighing again on Thurs/Fri just to see if there's a mid-week change - just helpful for a mood boost even if you don't count it.
I actually had a NSV yesterday. My Joe Brown's jacket which I've had to give up wearing for the last 6 mths as I can't fit the top of my arms in - fits again! Bit tight but definitely on so really pleased. Also my DUO boots which I bought to the exact size of my calves definitely have at least a 1cm gap around the calf bit.
The strange thing is to me visually my upper arms and calves llok exactly the same to me, so it's been really good to see actual evidence of a slightly slimmer shape. Dead chuffed .
You earn a very loud cheer and pat on the back for being Superwoman :superwoman: and services to babysitting! When i used to have stepkids many moons ago - I used to have to watch Mickey in Fantasia, Song of the South and Dumbo in rotation .... on the same afternoon. Fun times though looking back - they don't stay little for long.
Am off now to check out cookers online ... rock & roll lifestyle me! Best of luck with WI tomorrow - :fingerscrossed:

 

[bellybling]

Well I cheated yesterday and weighed myself and got a sts but this morning I'm 1.5lb down so I'm going with that.

I feel fat, bloated and stiff and can really identify with what you said about not seeing the difference.

Managed to go over on my foot again so back to hobbling.:sigh: I had been playing on the obsticle course in the park, which was obviously deserted, with gson NSV. Didn't do it then but tripped over my feet walking back to the car.

Well done on the Joe Browns Jacket and the boots.:happy096: Looks like the 5:2 is giving you the boost you wanted. I'm thinking that when things go back to normal, son's bday 17th going out for a meal, so after that, I'll try 5 days ordinary sw 2 days sucess express to help me feel like I'm losing again and get over all the birthdays, falls and *'s.

I'd love a new cooker.

 

[drumsrevolver]

1.5lb down - well done ... always go with the lowest - it usually sticks at that for the week ahead. You've still got 3 wks to go and already have a loss for the month - brilliant!

I really think you're trying to doing too much with the foot. It's what I did a year ago and even this week I'm getting twinges and pain walking down the stairs - honestly much better to have some inactivity for a couple of weeks and let it heal itself properly.

The fat and bloatedness will also be because you're feeling sluggish and not eaten as you would like. Think it's a great idea you mixing it up - keeps it fresh and your body sometimes needs a kick to change the status quo. A couple of days SE will give you that mental and physical boost and then 5 days normal will feel fine as you've had those 2 days of being extra good. That's what's really working for me at the mo - I've found today's "fast" day easier - even though I'm cooking shepherds pie - none of the urges I had last week because I gave myself all weekend to get it out my system.

The cooker is THIS one which is either out of stock everywhere or if you can buy it online, it's from places that don't do fitting so bit stuck at the moment - might have to try again in a couple of weeks. It's a long time coming mind .... OH has never bought one - he kept the same cooker the old lady had when he bought the house 22+ yrs ago . It's got one of those overhead grills, the oven door never closes and the gas burners keep blowing out so leaks gas - I'd feel a hell of a lot safer with a decent one!
Also going all out and getting a microwave - it's blowing his mind that you can warm beans up in it in a mere 15 seconds in the same dish you can eat it from!