margyparkers vegan diary

To be honest I haven't even looked at red days - I will have a look. Thanks for that. No I didn't increase syns I did things like adding boiled rice to yogurt instead of having just yogurt. Or having bigger baked potatoes for lunch etc. So I tried to do it by increasing free foods rather than increasing syns.
 
So I had a look at red days but as far as I could see the only difference it would make would be that I have to weigh stuff like spuds and beans. not really interested in that - I could do that on any diet surely?

Anyhoo today the shitest of days for a long while but family matters and not diet related.

Breakfast - 2 weetabix and milk

Mid - 4 caramel snackajacks

Lunch - home made lentil soup

Mid - apple, banana, melon

Supper - tofu fried in oil, 4 ryvita thins and vegan cream cheese with garlic and herbs

Syns 8 - snackajacks 8 for ryvita and 4 for cheese making a grand total of 20 syns
 
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15th October 2010

Breakfast - 2 weetabix and soya milk

Mid - 4 snackajacks

Lunch - Apple - melon.

Mid - fruit and nut bar

Supper - chow mein from the chinese

Syns 8 for snackajacks, 5 for fruit bar and 6 for chow mein = 19 in total
 
Hellooo!!

I wouldnt dismiss the idea of red days out of hand - a change is as good as a rest and sometimes this can tip the balance, particularly if you are of the sort of body make up that stores carbs - limiting them via red days can be an excellent way to get things moving again.

Other things you need to think about -

bananas - yes, they are superfree but not a speed food and they are very high in sugars. Eating a couple of bananas a day really throws extra calories in there - plus if you ARE the sort of person who stores carbs, bananas are adding to the pile.

Secondly - when you do your food diary for this week - please detail every single thing including the brands, so you can check syn values of stuff. I can see that you are quite regularly oversynning, but I also think you might be consuming additional syns that you arent counting - perhaps the chicken slices you had the other day. If they were the Frys type, for example, they are very high in syns for what they are, so it would help us to work out whats causing the problem if you could put some extra detail in.

Are you mixing rice in with your yogurts or are they a type of yogurt that comes with rice in? Not really familiar with whats available in the vegan yogurt product range.

I understand that its frustrating when you arent losing well, but also consider that you are only a stone from your target, it isnt like you have 8 stone to go or something, so things may well be slow progress.

My suggestions are to go into your book, choose a range of super speed and speed foods and incorporate them this week when you would be having fruit. Also, you need to have 2 Hex Bs, but dont carry them over from one day to the next - if you miss one, for whatever reason, forget about it, dont then have 3 the next day. Cut back on the bananas, one a day max, preferably every other day - I would have those on the days you go to the gym because they are a great recovery food for after working out.

I would also try and bring yourself down to 10 syns a day, and stick to it, regardless of whether or not you exercise. If you find yourself sticking still, then up the superfree first and foremost, preferably with speed foods. For now, dont syn over a week, do it on a day by day basis and dont go over 10. Replace some of the snack-a-jacks with superfree too, if you can.

Other things to note, melon is superspeed unless its watermelon, when its not. Dont over eat either, eat till you are full but dont be forcing food down for the sake of it. If you are using olive oil as a Hex B - measure it before using it and measure your Hex As too.

PS, the vegan bacon is lovely :D
 
16th October 2010

Breakfast - 2 weetabix with soya milk and 2 apples

Mid - sainsburys cereal bar, strawberries

Lunch - Mushrooms and a small potato fried in frylight, 2 tomatoes nuked and a slice of wholemeal bread. One third of a melon and an apple.

Supper - Lentil soup made with 1 liter of water 6 oz of lentils a large onion and 2 knorr vegetable stock cubes. Half recipe eaten. Yogurt alpro cherry with strawberries.

HEB - nuts - 3 hazel nuts, 2 brazil nuts and one pecan nut.

Syns - Sainsburys cereal bar - 6 yogurt 2 syns.

475 calories burned at the gym - woo!
 
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Hello minxie and thank you for your copious reply! Here are your comments in black and my responses.

bananas - yes, they are superfree but not a speed food and they are very high in sugars. Eating a couple of bananas a day really throws extra calories in there - plus if you ARE the sort of person who stores carbs, bananas are adding to the pile.

Funny you should say that about bananas for some strange reason I forgot to buy them in the shopping this weekend. Ok I will try a week without bananas or if I get myself to where they are sold I will only have one every other day.:)

Secondly - when you do your food diary for this week - please detail every single thing including the brands, so you can check syn values of stuff. I can see that you are quite regularly oversynning, but I also think you might be consuming additional syns that you arent counting - perhaps the chicken slices you had the other day. If they were the Frys type, for example, they are very high in syns for what they are, so it would help us to work out whats causing the problem if you could put some extra detail in.

ok

Are you mixing rice in with your yogurts or are they a type of yogurt that comes with rice in? Not really familiar with whats available in the vegan yogurt product range.

I was doing this when I was trying to eat more calories - I am not doing it any more but I just added boiled rice and some sweetener to my normal soya yogurt.

I understand that its frustrating when you arent losing well, but also consider that you are only a stone from your target, it isnt like you have 8 stone to go or something, so things may well be slow progress.

hmm patience is a virtue - but I am not virtuous.:eek:

My suggestions are to go into your book, choose a range of super speed and speed foods and incorporate them this week when you would be having fruit. Also, you need to have 2 Hex Bs, but dont carry them over from one day to the next - if you miss one, for whatever reason, forget about it, dont then have 3 the next day. Cut back on the bananas, one a day max, preferably every other day - I would have those on the days you go to the gym because they are a great recovery food for after working out.

I would also try and bring yourself down to 10 syns a day, and stick to it, regardless of whether or not you exercise. If you find yourself sticking still, then up the superfree first and foremost, preferably with speed foods. For now, dont syn over a week, do it on a day by day basis and dont go over 10. Replace some of the snack-a-jacks with superfree too, if you can.

Other things to note, melon is superspeed unless its watermelon, when its not. Dont over eat either, eat till you are full but dont be forcing food down for the sake of it. If you are using olive oil as a Hex B - measure it before using it and measure your Hex As too.

I always use measuring spoons for oil - I bought a special quite small jug for the milk measurement but I stopped measuring it because I was having about 270ml at the most if I had it on cereal and then a couple of cups of tea. As I only use the soya milk as my HEA and I could have 2 if I wanted to - I didn't really see it as a problem.:rolleyes:

I have just been eating a lot less in general since tuesday and the scales are already showing a pound down although all this may change on tuesday next.
Thanks again for your help Minxie. Much appreciated.
 
Just realised that I had 3 x HEB yesterday - oops! This is going to be my speed stew week.
i have made a cauldron of stew and put as many speed and super speeds in it as possible.
Ingredients
borlotti beans (S)
half a tin of baked beans left over in the fridge (SS)
turnips(S)
fist sized potato
onions (S)
lentils (S)
peas (SS)
pearl barley
carrots (S)
Soya mince (defatted)
2 knorr vegetable stock cubes
Marigold Engevita nutritional yeast (half a syn for each serving, marmite, soy sauce, vecon stock.

17.10.2010

Breakfast - weetabix and soya milk and a third of a melon (SS)

Mid - half a mixed berry trek bar - and two apples (S)

Lunch - Left over lentil soup from yesterday

Mid - apple (S) and plum (S)

Supper - Speed stew, spring greens, sprouts, runner beans, 2 roast potatoes. Yogurt and strawberries (SS)

Total syns 5 for half a trek bar, 0.5 syn for flakes in stew, 2 syns for alpro blueberry yogurt and 5 syns for roast potatoes. = 12.5 syns - working down to 10 syns a day.:O)

300 calories burned at the gym - couldn't be bothered today to do any more. :eek:
 
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18th October 2010

Breakfast - 2 weetabix and soya milk

Mid - 2 apples and 2 caramel snackajacks

Lunch - fist sized potato nuked - a level teaspoon of pure margarine and half a can of baked beans and a narna.

Mid - apple and kiwi

Supper - speed stew and loads of garden peas. Yogurt and strawberries.

No exercise today.

Syns - half a teaspoon of marg - 2 syns - 2 snackajacks - 4 syns - yogurt -2 syns = 10 syns in total.
 
It appears......

I HAVE LOST TWO POUNDS OF UGLY FAT
:whacky068::banana dancer::0icanfly::party0023:

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS THREAD AND AN ESPECIAL THANK YOU TO MINXIE! THE SITE WONT LET ME ADD ANY MORE REP TO YOU M'DEAR BUT YOUR HELP IS V MUCH APPRECIATED. **FLOATS OFF ON CLOUD NINE**
 
Congratulations!
Im glad I found your diary and will be keeping an eye :)
 
19.10.2010

Breakfast - 2 weetabix with soya milk and 2 small apples

Mid - one third of a melon and a small apple

Lunch - rather a large potato and half a can of baked beans and a tablespoon of margarine.

Mid - 2 small apples and a snack a jack

Supper - Speed Stew and garden peas - Alpro cherry yogurt.

Nuts for HEB 2 = 3 hazels 2 brazils and one pecan. Maybe grapefruit later.

No exercise today.

Syns - margarine 6 syns - caramel snackajack - 2 syns - yogurt 2 syns. = 10 syns total.

I'M IN THE ZONE PEOPLE! :D

The caramel snackajacks probably have no nutritional value whatsoever but I have been vegan for years and not had caramel in all that time so these are really delightful for me. :eek:
 
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If you like caramel i have something amazing for you!
In asda they do a hot butter fudge bath syrup and the small is divine. honestly i just want to pur it all over icecream but will have to make do with having a bath in it (and i have to wait till xmas for that as its a OH pressie!)
 
If you like caramel i have something amazing for you!
In asda they do a hot butter fudge bath syrup and the small is divine. honestly i just want to pur it all over icecream but will have to make do with having a bath in it (and i have to wait till xmas for that as its a OH pressie!)

ooooooo! Btw do you have a food diary cupcake?
 
I do but its a bit of a shamble lol

Im going to add a link into my siggy :)
 
20 10 2010

Heh just realised it's 20 10 20 10 - anyhoo

Breakfast - 4 weetabix and soya milk - starving after the gym:eek:

Mid - grapes and 2 caramel snackajacks

Lunch - soup and salad that I am munching/ slurping throughout the afternoon.

Supper - not hungry so 2 snackajacks and a third of a melon and 2 apples.

Syns - 8 = 4 snackajack

Burned 500 cals at the gym - v proud of myself finding it easier to keep running for longer now on the treadmill. Whereas before I was walking a lot and running for a short while - I am now running and walking for about half and half of the time. Not bad for a 58 year old! I run till my heart rate gets to 164ish and then walk till it goes back to 120ish. I now realise why folk don't tend to look at each other in the gym. It is embarrassing to feel people looking at you when you are making funny exertion faces or in extremis. :D
 
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21.10.2010

Feel as if my kneecaps are going to drop off today - apparently I need to develop all the muscles round my knees if I want to keep running - so it shall be - I like running.

Breakfast - 2 weetabix and soya milk and 2 mandarins

Mid - cereal bar and 2 kiwis and a mandarin

lunch - lentil soup home made 2 snackajacks and a narna

Mid - kiwi and apple and mandarin

Supper - sw chips, speed stew and yogurt.

No exercise to day but I have sent off for a pedometer - that should be fun. I work in a unit and it gets v cold in the winter so I think getting the pedometer will encourage me to move around which will burn up calories, make me fitter and also warm me up. WIN!

Syns - yogurt 2, snackajacks 4, cereal bar 5 making 11 in total.
 
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22.10.2010

Bad day so far...

Breakfast - 4 weetabix

Mid - Cinnamon raisin bagel and 2 snackajacks

lunch - lentil soup and a third of a packet of lovehearts

Mid - 3 more snackajacks and an apple

Supper - starters - pakoras with spicy tomato sauce. Mains moroccan stew with adorable veggies. Sweet - apple pie and soya creem. NO I RESISTED THE LATTER YAY! Glass of wine and 2 glasses of cranberry juice.

Syns - 11 in bagel and 5 in marg for bagel 4 for snackajacks and 3.5 for lovehearts. 23.5 so far and out for food this evening and all because I didn't like what the scales said this morning. Oh well onwards.:(

No idea how many syns but it was lovely to spend time with my daughter and her family. Good company & good food. Against my better council I weighed myself this morning and I am half a pound lighter than yesterday. That means I am firmly back on track.
 
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23rd October 2010

Good day today but life intervened. I had to go and have my car repaired today so I planned in advance and made some lentil soup for my lunch before I went. I waited at my daughters house and as the car took longer than expected, she made me lentil soup for lunch. Yummy.

I then went out in the afternoon and bought myself a step thingy that you do step exercises on and proceded to do the exercises on the excellent runners world website.

Then it got quite late and I couldn't be bothered to make any food so I had..... more lentil soup - glad I am on my own in bed cos there will deffo be some blanket raisers this night.

Breakfast - 4 weetabix and soya milk.

Mid cuppa tea.

Lunch - small bowl of lentil soup.

Mid - cuppa tea - 3 snackajacks and 2 apples

Supper - lentil soup a larger bowl and two apples. Really need to go shopping as no decent fruit in the house and that makes me miserableish.:eek:

No excercise today that I can measure the calories burned on but I am doing the exercises that strengthen your legs for running at the moment.

I want to keep running as I like it and at the moment it is hurting my knees - have the correct shoes so it must be the muscles that are the problem.

Am keeping away from the gym this week and doing these exercises in the hope that all will be well if I start gently next week.

syns today - 3 snackajacks - 6 syns.
 
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