Moonlights' (temporary) Maintenance

[moonlights]

Ugh bodies, why can't we push a button and get the one we want?

Food today:

Cocoa bark

Roast pork, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, leeks, butternut squash

Garlic mushrooms

Almond cupcake

Mfp: 33g carbs

Totm trying its best to start - most likely waiting for my commute tomorrow. Feeling bloated right now.

 

[stubbsey]

i have that problem right now, staying off the scales til its over lol... i had some cream, cocoa and sweetener, omg feel sick!!! plus i made it too thick. xx

 

[moonlights]

yeah, natural light is hard to get, especially at the hours I end up cooking. I had no idea my iphone had camera settings! I'll have a look at those and maybe dig up one of my real digital cameras buried around here somewhere. If all else fails I'm decent enough in photoshop, I can poke around there.

totm started! Amazing timing as always, I hope it's not too ouchie tomorrow.

 

[moonlights]

My mother is huffy because I've been hesitant about going to a relatives big celebration meal next week. It's a Chinese buffet - you know what those are like - and no one but my mum and dad know I'm on a diet so I wouldn't be able to ask for special food or anything, my family obviously know I have no allergies to wheat etc.

Mum says it's 'worth' coming off the diet for. I wanted a clear run through to the end of october or possibly early november (when I have another occasion to go to).

It's a saturday evening so possibly I'd be able to take any gain back off by that friday, but it might take longer, so it would either set me back a week or two weeks...

argh.

I hate not being able to do things and my mother will be furious with me if I don't go, but I refuse to tell the rest of my family I'm dieting because anyone talking about my weight in public triggers severe panic attacks for me and I will, quite literally, end up sobbing under the table. It has happened before. At a wedding.

So either I go, eat what everyone eats (it's the kind of buffet where the dishes are put in the middle of the table and everyone eats from them, not a go up and help yourself buffet, so they order 5 or 6 dishes for the table, won't be a huge choice) and gain water weight and put myself back trying to lose it.

Or I don't go, miss yet another family occasion and have my mother upset with me.

Sigh.

 

[stubbsey]

Oh no poor you, i hate pressure from others, especially those that are meant to support us! I recently had that wedding which i came off for, there was a birthday at same time too. I did come off diet in the end as there were two separate things, but i really did contemplate filling myself up with atkins legal food and then just picking at ok bits while i was there! Difficult with chinese tho. I came off then felt like i struggled to get ketosis back, it wasnt that long really, just me having a panic.

Are the rest of your family not supportive? What is it that gives you panic attacks?

Its a dilema for you for sure. Just do what you feel is right. If you come off for the doo, its not the end of the world, you will pick up again where u left off. Or if you choose not to go make sure your mum knows that you love her and there will be plenty of other times.. People never really understand why its important for us not to cheat! Or get it wrong. Thats why i was mad at Frankie n Bennys before, they just took it so lightly that they accidentally gave me a drink loaded with sugar, its only one drink, just a diet... Hmmm

Hope you manage to sort it out xxx

 

[ladyfelsham]

Taking stuff with you sounds like a plan to me - but will you be concerned that this will set off a load of questions?

Maybe it is simpler just to eat what's offered, then do strict induction for a few days and glug lots of water...

I'm just so sorry that these situations make you feel so anxious hun, and I wish there was some way I could help, or something I could suggest? I take St John's Wort and Rescue Remedy when necessary, but I know you've tried everything out there.

 

[moonlights]

Taking food, eating before and pushing food around isn't an option. My family are obsessed with this restaurant, I'm the only one who hasn't been and they're always telling me all the things I have to have when I do. Basically my uncle orders and you take what you're given. Not eating would also raise questions.

And yeah I use rescue remedy now and then but it's no use on an actual panic attack. I can't take medication for them because the meds lower blood pressure and mine is already too low.

I get so anxious because I have anxiety and panic disorder and it's a trigger point. Some of the psychological issues mentioned above re: qualifying for surgery.

Sigh I don't know, I'll see how much more of a fuss my mother makes about it.

 

[coffeelover]

That is a difficult one ML. I would see how you feel on the day. Maybe think about the carb lovers diet. It's where you eat low carb all day and eat whatever you want once a day as long as it's only during a one hour period. I tried it years ago and didn't lose weight, but didn't gain either.

 

[slaj]

Like the thought of Val's carb lover diet. A difficult decision ML and you will decide what is right for you. For what it's worth, I would say eat very low carb during the day, go for the meal and enjoy the food and then back on induction for the next few days .

 

[YukCeleriac31]

Hey Moonlights! I too sympathise with your upcoming dilemma..normally you could just pick the meaty things and leave the rice - but I see what you're saying about there not being much choice with only six plates on the table.

I can't help thinking that your mum ought to understand how upsetting this is for you. You can spend time with your family any time, but a diet takes work for weeks to see good results and some people can gain the weight they lost in the last month in a single weekend. If it were me I would play a heavy hand of the guilt card 'you know how much my weight has affected my life' etc and maybe make another plan to include them all which doesn't involve eating bad food. I mean when it's about spending time together context shouldn't matter. What about afternoon tea? You could showcase your (secretly low carb) cakes and cookies (or mix them surreptitiously between the naughty ones, so no-one notices you're not eating them)?

B xx

 

[Alpaca]

Evening ML... What a dilemma - but I am super confident that if you went and ate off plan you would jump straight back on the next day and it might not set you back much at all ... A difficult decision and with so many restaurants to choose from its a shame that our worst nightmare - Chinese - is the one you have to go to! Hugs xxx

 

[moonlights]

Thank you all for the suggestions - cant arrange an alternative or invite them over, it's not my celebration. I'd have picked a steak restaurant!

Also: I can't do induction, I take daily medication containing at least 11g of carbs.

I suppose it feels like more of an issue to me right now because I'm close to my first target, I know I'll have a week off either end of oct or early nov and I also know my reserve weakens around Xmas. (will be having 2 weeks off over Xmas but all the markets and stuff before then - I adore visiting them but they're hard to navigate on a diet and starting to feel resentful over not being able to have things can be my undoing).

So I'll see what happens with mum. I do want to go to this restaurant they all rave about - its just rubbish timing.

Have to say I think the carb lovers diet is horsefeathers - it's one of those 'if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is' diets. I've seen lots of people try it and no one lose on it or even stay on it long. I don't believe eating carbs in a 1 hour slot minimizes their impact - though if you are starting out from a position of eating carbs at every meal then it is at least an improvement on that.

No, if I go off plan it tends to set me back a minimum of a week and I wouldn't go into anything hoping for better.

Ugh I think I'm coming down with a cold, throat hurts, head hurts... totm hurts and I am an all round grumpy bear.

Food today:

Almond cupcakes

Cocoa bark

steak, scallops and spring onion

Mfp: 20g carbs inc meds

 

[moonlights]

I was just laying here thinking about low carb convenience food. I always think what makes this diet tricky is not the diet itself - we are allowed to eat great, tasty food and lots of it - it's the fact that it's not catered for in the wider world.

Train stations frustrate me. The one I change at on my commute - and have a 20 minute platform wait at - has:

Cafe Nero - sandwiches, biscuits, cakes
Starbucks - ditto
AMT coffee - ditto plus fruit
Cornish pasty company - pasties and potato wedges
Upper crust - baguettes, pastries and cakes
Burger joint - pizza, chips, burgers
3 different news agents - sweets and crisps

So where's my option? When I get to the station, cold, tired and starving? I usually take food with me but even then it would be nice to have a choice if I wanted something different. I have sometimes felt like throwing in the towel, at that station, like standing there and screaming because I want a sandwich.

But I don't want a sandwich. I don't. All I want is something just for me.

I don't want to buy one of the cheapandnasty frozen burgers and eat it without the bun.

I don't want to pay four quid for a tuna mayo baguette and just pick out the filling.

I want something for me.

I want the baguette place to have a salad box option - any baguette filling on a salad base.

I want the pasty company to sell hot crispy bacon strips, or a small carvery option, or hot chicken legs or wings.

I want even one of these places to cater for me.

You go into a convenience store in london and you'll find cream, sweaty mini cheeses, pepperami and processed sausage I won't eat, and possibly if you're very lucky fridge raiders which I could vomit just from the smell of.

Well, there are nuts. If you're very careful about how many portions are in the bag, and you're not on induction, nuts are probably the closest to convenience we get.

Would it be so hard to find a viable, convenient option, just for us?

I have to say though, all the marks and Spencer's popping up at train stations now are lifesavers. They are a low carber's dream. At least there I know I can pop in and get prawns with a mayo dip, or a chicken leg from their sandwich and snacks section. I can get bigger, nicer prawns, smoked salmon, sliced chicken or ham, or nice, properly chilled mini cheeses from their deli aisle.

Thank goodness for marks. Saved my diet on many occasions.

Theres also pret a manger's breadless crayfish salad - and their miso soup is low carb too.

If you're very lucky and live or work near a Mexican place you can often get the burrito ingredients in a salad box - no beans or rice just spicy meat and salad. There's a wonderful place near Paternoster Square I should revisit.

How about everyone else? Are there other convenience options I'm missing? How about something hot?

 

[Alpaca]

Yes, completely agree ML! I try and do a quick shop at Marks before getting trains - there's one at Charing Cross, Waterloo, Euston, Kings Cross and St Pancras. I also love AMT because they do unsweetened lattes!

Susie and I will most likely be meeting near Paternoster Sq next month if you fancy joining us? xx

 

[ladyfelsham]

I love Markies too, there's one here in Greenwich, and I get unsweetened soya lattes from Paul Rhodes - which is a test of wills because it's the most gorgeous patisserie!

Yes come and meet us ML!

 

[sammy1]

I live m&s toi, unfortunately my local is very small, but last week I got the calvados cheese bake and it was gorgeous. Also got a feta and cream cheese dip. Slightly high in carbs, I intended to only eat a little....but finished the lot...won't buy that again for a while.

I hope you get your family do sorted to your satisfaction...could you come up with an excuse to arrive late, when food is finished, that way you get to meet family and you won't have to eat.
I hope your fav is going ok.

 

[coffeelover]

Marks saves my bacon too, (no pun intended) Love the prawns with dip, and chicken, cooked bacon, deli fillers etc.

Your right ML there really is nowhere else to go that's not carb laden. It's very frustrating. I found quite a few places in america that cater for lc and even have ready boiled eggs. Maybe one day over here

 

[YukCeleriac31]

Hey Moonlight, I just thought I should mention - we popped to a big Tesco's near us last night and I found a pot of organic coconut oil for £6.99! It's nearly a tenner to buy on Amazon. Can't wait to try your coconut bark!!x

 

[moonlights]

If only you could get mini markses inside stations, like you do all the coffee shops, so you could go while waiting for trains. But why can't the coffee shops offer chicken legs or prawns, or at least salads without bloody couscous in them.

Don't you find that frustrating? Why does every salad need a carb portion added? Potato at least is pick-outable but rice and couscous get eeeverywhere.

Di & Susie - let me know when you've picked a day and I'll see what I'm up to? End of oct will be a little odd for me but shouldn't be too occupied for the rest of it. I think. Lots of suitable places in that area, too.

LadyB - ooh will have to see if I can get to a tesco as am running out! Thank you, and I hope you like the bark.

 

[Alpaca]

Would be so great if you could make it! Hope you have a great evening! Xx