Moonwatcher's Primal/Calorie Counting Adventure!

[moonwatcher]

Saturday 15th March

WI this morning after a very mixed few weeks and I am up by 0.6lbs since the last WI. Not too surprised about this really. I can't say I have been faithfully sticking to primal or my calorie level 100%. On the other hand, 0.6 lbs is probably a 'normal' fluctuation.

I need to have a few good weeks now to give the TDEE calorie level and the primal way of eating a chance. I'll admit I am feeling a bit fed up at how long I seem to have been standing still or going backwards though. There is a huge temptation to cut the calories down just to see a quick result, but realistically that will probably only be for a few weeks and if I am not careful I will be back to where I was last year again.

I find it very interesting that when I stick to cooking (or eating out) real meals with a variety of foods, eating sensible portions, varied veggies etc., that my calories naturally average the TDEE figure, which does suggest the whole idea carries some weight (no pun intended!)

A couple of food pics to follow in a minute.

 

[moonwatcher]

Aargh! Have been trying to upload pics direct from phone again, but it still keeps crashing on me. Trying again after sending them to my kindle...
Dinner from last night - cauliflower cheese bake with leeks, olives and bacon, just out of the oven.

Today Saturday 15th March

Ah, the weekend is here! Lazy morning, then drove to nearby town to get shopping. Had only had a cup of tea and a piece of cheese so we stopped at Costa for an iced latte and a piece of cake. I have experimented a bit over the last few weeks - after about 7-8 months gluten free I can now tolerate small portions occasionally - have had a piece of victoria sponge last week and today a piece of lemon cake. I am not planning to go back to eating normal bread/pizzas etc., as they always did affect me more (think it may be the yeast/wheat combo), but it is nice to know a normal cake is possible now and again.

Mid morning - lemon cake and iced latte (822 cals)

Dinner - lamb steak fried with butter, rosemary and black pepper, served with baked veg - aubergine, tomatoes, shallots and red pepper with garlic, rosemary and oregano and a small salad of lettuce, cherry toms, black olives and coriander leaf. I made a dressing of greek yogurt, mint, orange juice and tahini to go with it. (503 cals) Here it is:




Snacks - wensleydale with mango and ginger, a handful of cheese and onion crisps, one square of dark chocolate, four black grapes (268 cals)

Drinks - water, the Costa coffee (already counted), milk in earl grey tea, small glass red wine (150 cals)

Costa lemon cake is most certainly not primal, but calories today were 1743/1750, carbs were 146.

Got plenty of shopping in for primal cooking next week, including some reduced pork steaks, watercress and figs. Also picked up a 600g log of goats cheese at half price (just over £4). I feel a goat's cheese, fig and watercress salad with an orange and balsamic dressing in the air for Monday lunch!

 

[MinnieMel]

Morning!

Your food looks very artistic and tasty. I was just talking about lemon cake with my friend: she had marmalade cake and coffee on her visit to Angelsey Abbey this afternoon and I said, "I'd have preferred lemon cake."

 

[moonwatcher]

Morning!

Your food looks very artistic and tasty. I was just talking about lemon cake with my friend: she had marmalade cake and coffee on her visit to Angelsey Abbey this afternoon and I said, "I'd have preferred lemon cake."

Thanks Mel. OH had actually plated it up tonight, so I did wonder how it was going to look, but he made a pretty good job of it. Lemon cake or coffee cake are my usual choices when we are out. We went to Angelsey Abbey a few years ago - lovely gardens.

 

[Atomic pink]

I reckon 0.6 of a lb is definitely in the normal fluctuation range. But I do share your frustrations. I was having a similar conversation with myself yesterday. I know this is the right way to get where I want to be but I really want to be there now or in the near future :/

The cauliflower bake looks and sounds lovely. Interesting idea to put the olives into it, wouldn't have thought of that but bet they had a very nice salty burst to it.

 

[MinnieMel]

Morning MS VWL --

My "go to" is carrot cake (no raisins), Lemon Drizzle, Coffee or Chocolate . . . I like cake!

Very pretty here, today. Are you going out for ride in your bug?

 

[moonwatcher]

I reckon 0.6 of a lb is definitely in the normal fluctuation range. But I do share your frustrations. I was having a similar conversation with myself yesterday. I know this is the right way to get where I want to be but I really want to be there now or in the near future :/

The cauliflower bake looks and sounds lovely. Interesting idea to put the olives into it, wouldn't have thought of that but bet they had a very nice salty burst to it.

Yep, I go through phases of being fed up with having to bother - if that makes sense! The alternative is worse though, so just have to get on with it!

Morning MS VWL --

My "go to" is carrot cake (no raisins), Lemon Drizzle, Coffee or Chocolate . . . I like cake!

Very pretty here, today. Are you going out for ride in your bug?

I could go for all of those cakes too Mel. Not all at once! Chocolate cake is probably my least favourite, but it is an easy one to make as a flourless option. I'd usually rather have the chocolate itself than a chocolate cake.

Yes we did take the bug out to the coast yesterday. We went for a walk along the sea front, then parked up to wait to watch the most amazing sunset. I also picked up a multi coloured granny square crochet travel rug in a second hand shop for £4.50. I can crochet and could have done it myself, but couldn't resist it. It is perfectly quaint enough to lay over the back seat! It's also a bit of money towards mental health research. That's my excuse anyway!

 

[moonwatcher]

Sunday 16th March

Breakfast - blueberry baked pancake with arrowroot and coconut flour, a dollop of greek yogurt (397 cals)

At the coast/en route - packet cheese and onion crisps (156 cals), one ounce mixed chilli seeds, nuts and cranberries, coffee cake, coffee and cream (576 cals)

Dinner - three gf sausages, two rashers bacon, one fried egg, tomatoes and mushrooms (641 cals)

Drinks - coffee with cream while at the coast (already counted), water

Total calories: 1770/1750, carbs 109

 

[moonwatcher]

Monday 17th March

Breakfast - greek yogurt (145 cals)

Lunch - fig, goats cheese and watercress salad, lettuce, red pepper, coriander, sweetfire beetroot, cherry toms, orange, honey and balsamic dressing (468 cals)

Dinner - roast pork, roast parsnips and carrots, green sprouting broccoli, apple sauce, gravy, primal yorkies, a few black grapes (847 cals)

Drinks - milk in vanilla chai and earl grey teas, coffee with milk, one coffee with cream, water, half a bottle alcoholic ginger beer (318 cals)

Totals for the day: calories 1778/1750, carbs: 115

No lamb for St Patrick's Day as I needed to use the roast pork.

Feeling very tired today, so off to bed in about10 minutes.

 

[MinnieMel]

Monday 17th March

Breakfast - greek yogurt (145 cals)

Lunch - fig, goats cheese and watercress salad, lettuce, red pepper, coriander, sweetfire beetroot, cherry toms, orange, honey and balsamic dressing (468 cals)

Dinner - roast pork, roast parsnips and carrots, green sprouting broccoli, apple sauce, gravy, primal yorkies, a few black grapes (847 cals)

Drinks - milk in vanilla chai and earl grey teas, coffee with milk, one coffee with cream, water, half a bottle alcoholic ginger beer (318 cals)

Totals for the day: calories 1778/1750, carbs: 115

No lamb for St Patrick's Day as I needed to use the roast pork.

Feeling very tired today, so off to bed in about10 minutes.

Lamb for St Patrick's Day? In the US the tradition is corned beef and cabbage.

 

[Atomic pink]

Yep. Know exactly what you mean about being fed up of having to bother.

Sounds like a very yummy couple of days. Especially like the sound of the fig and goats cheese salad. I think I still have a couple of figs lurking in the fridge from last week, lunch maybe

 

[moonwatcher]

Lamb for St Patrick's Day? In the US the tradition is corned beef and cabbage.

I think lamb or pork/bacon is more traditionally Irish. Some say that the corned beef and cabbage evolved as the American tradition and that the Irish wouldn't have eaten it as part of St Patrick's Day meals. On the other hand, the Irish were apparently big exporters of corned beef (mainly from Cork, I think) to the US, so who knows for sure, for sure? ;D

My Dad would have gone for lamb, but that may well have been simply their family tradition.

 

[moonwatcher]

Yep. Know exactly what you mean about being fed up of having to bother.

Sounds like a very yummy couple of days. Especially like the sound of the fig and goats cheese salad. I think I still have a couple of figs lurking in the fridge from last week, lunch maybe

I love fresh figs. I have two left but haven't decided what to do with them yet.

 

[moonwatcher]

A couple of pics:

Sunday breakfast - blueberry clafoutis/pancake, in the pan.
North Norfolk coast sunset on Sunday evening.

Eyes closing. Will update today's food tomorrow.

 

[MinnieMel]

Morning!

That pancake looks fabulous. Stunning sunset.

 

[Emmaline]

Fed up?!! Know that only too well .. 3yrs and still 3st to lose to get anywhere near where I would like to be!

Pics are great Mw.. love the sunset one in particular and hasn't there been some spectacular sunset skies just lately?

Hope you have a good day.

 

[Atomic pink]

That sunset is absolutely spectacular. Definitely worth staying out to wait for

How is this week going?

 

[moonwatcher]

Morning!

That pancake looks fabulous. Stunning sunset.

Fed up?!! Know that only too well .. 3yrs and still 3st to lose to get anywhere near where I would like to be!

Pics are great Mw.. love the sunset one in particular and hasn't there been some spectacular sunset skies just lately?

Hope you have a good day.

That sunset is absolutely spectacular. Definitely worth staying out to wait for

How is this week going?

We do have some amazing sunsets over the Norfolk coast.

This week has been OK Atomic. I am just feeling a bit 'meh' about the whole 'dieting thing.' Sometimes I think I should just grow old and stay fat gracefully, instead of putting so much mental focus on it. The saving grace of this TDEE way of eating is the relatively relaxed calorie level, but of course along with that goes the s---l---o---w results! I think I am a bit fed up generally to be honest, and weight is the scapegoat. OH is still waiting for a response about the work procedural cock up a couple of weeks ago because the person who needs to deal with it has been off. That is still making me cross, because it could have had a really serious outcome for my OH and they don't seem to attach any importance to it. Have also had a few things going on at my work, OH's diabetes, more stuff of my brother's to deal with... generally a pretty crappy start to the year. There have been some really good things too and I am aiming to focus on those, but the whole weight thing has been hanging around for so long it becomes an easy target!

Will update food for today and yesterday in a mo.

 

[moonwatcher]

Tuesday 18th March

Breakfast - greek yogurt with teaspoon of dark brown sugar stirred through (151 cals)

Lunch - salad - lettuce, watercress, cherry toms, black olives, jalapenos, sweetfire beetroot, red pepper, goats cheese and roast pork marinaded in tamari sauce, jerk seasoning and garlic, greek yogurt, lemon and pepper as dressing. (512 cals)

Dinner - salmon fillet with watercress, coriander and basil cream sauce, butternut squash wedges, roasted in coconut oil, broccoli spears and tomatoes (597 cals)



Snacks - half avocado with a teaspoon of greek yogurt mixed with a little tomato puree, six squares of Green and Black 's Maya Gold chocolate (253 cals)

Drinks - water, one coffee with cream, milk in tea, small glass red wine (244 cals)

Totals - calories: 1757/1750, carbs: 74

 

[moonwatcher]

Wednesday 19th March

Breakfast - greek yogurt with soft dark sugar (151 cals)

Lunch - spicy carrot and parsnip soup with desiccated coconut (141 cals)

At home after school - piece of blueberry primal pancake and some leftover primal yorkshire pudding warmed up with some lemon juice and a little cream, (381 cals)

Dinner - cauliflower cheese and cold roast pork. I had planned to do something more exciting with the pork, but fell asleep on the sofa and then wanted something quick and easy (949 cals)

Drinks - water, coffee and cream, milk in teas (159 cals)

Total calories: 1781/1750, carbs: 30