Rachel's brain dump

[OrangeRachel]

Thanks Jules. This is why I love this forum. Losing weight can be a lonely experience but it is so comforting to know that there are other people out there going through exactly the same thing!!

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[Pommette]

I can get into size 14 trousers in a couple of shops but only if I breathe in and let a huge roll of flab hang over the top of them.

That sounds like me. I call it my muffin top lol. Some of my 16's are loose but my 14's are like a straight jacket.

How I can identify with this! The flab that gets pushed out of my size 16's is ridiculous - but my 18's are hanging off me. :sigh:

... This is why I love this forum. Losing weight can be a lonely experience but it is so comforting to know that there are other people out there going through exactly the same thing!!

Me too Rachel - I did it completely solo 4 years ago and it was VERY lonely indeed. Minis has made a big difference this time round - knowing that we're all here for each other.

The biggest "number" struggle I am having is with BMI, not weight or clothes size particularly. I don't understand how the scale can be relevant to everyone.

I take it you've read my "rant" about this? There are lots of us who will probably never get into the "healthy" BMI range and are just happy to accept that we aren't in the "normal" category (lol - my hubby would certainly agree with that).

On a completely separate note. How long have you lived in Spain? We had hoped to move over there a few years ago but the economies in both countries crashed and it wasn't really feasible. Maybe one day the opportunity will come about again.

We moved here in August 2006 although we've owned our house since 2002. The economy here is dire at the moment - even worse than the UK in many aspects - so not a good time to move.
We're lucky - we don't have a mortgage on this house and we manage to live reasonably on our pensions (albeit they're not very big). We also have the capital from selling our UK house to help when we need it, which fortunately we haven't had to use too often. You made the right choice staying where you are. Unemployment is rife - mostly affecting the younger Spanish - and there are very few Brits who have jobs (even if they speak fluent Spanish) unless they run their own business.

If you get the opportunity in the future I would say go for it - Spain is a fantastic place to live. BUT do your research first and make sure that you have everything taken care of - especially health care, as many who come out find they aren't covered and have to pay big private health policies or shuttle backwards and forwards to the UK.

 

[OrangeRachel]

See this....
---------------------------------------------------------

....this is the line that I am drawing under the last few weeks.

I know I have been on and off, up and down for weeks now and it is definitely time to go back to basics and start again.

Hubby didn't lose weight this week and he always does! So it was a bit of a shock.

I've cancelled my gym membership because of various things (including health reasons) so I need to address the exercise thing. Any tips on this would be gratefully received! (I work full time, have a very busy life outside of work and can't do any high impact exercise)

Weigh in is Thursday so watch this space...

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[Pommette]

Swimming! It's the best form of non-impact exercise around. One of the few I can do with my arthritis.

 

[OrangeRachel]

Have been on plan all week (apart from one flexi meal out at the weekend - so much better than usual!). Fingers crossed for WI tonight!!

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[OrangeRachel]

Only lost 1lb. I was really hoping for 2 to get my 3st award. I know that the rate of weight loss slows down the nearer you get to target but this is getting very frustrating. I have decided to change my target to 11st12. It will still mean that I am "overweight" in BMI terms but at least I will be much healthier than I used to be and it should be a maintainable weight.

So 9lb to go to target...

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[OrangeRachel]

1.5lb lost this week. Only 7.5lb to go. It's actually starting to feel like I might get there!!

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[Pommette]

Yippee !!! Well done Rachel. You are getting there.

Don't be depressed with a pound - it's all some of us can ever manage. 1 pound a week is 3 st 10 lbs a year!!! Not a shabby weight loss for anyone.

 

[OrangeRachel]

Thanks Pommette

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[OrangeRachel]

WI tomorrow :-S
Not sure which way it is going to go.

Weekend away, loads of naughty food and alcohol (gain?)
Loads of walking (cancel out the food to STS?)
* week (gain?)
On plan 5 days out of 7 (small loss?)

I'm keeping everything crossed. I'll be happy with a 0.5lb gain. I'll be over the moon with a loss!!

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[OrangeRachel]

0.5lb loss :-D *happy dance*

Half a stone to go to target. It's so close now!!!!

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[Pommette]

Whoop - Whoop - Whoop
Only 7 lbs away - blumin fantastic!

You and I now have virtually identical targets. Like you I adjusted mine too (now at 11-13 as I felt 11-5 was probably too low) and I'm still 12.5 lbs away. I'm currently stuck . . . only lost 1 lb in last 4 weeks !!! :wave_cry:

 

[OrangeRachel]

But just think of all the things you have done in the last 4 weeks. That could so easily have been half a stone on so a lb off is a great achievement. And even if it carried on at the same rate you would still be at target for next summer!

I have a date in mind for my target weight but as long as I get there eventually and I don't let it creep back on I will be happy.

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[OrangeRachel]

On Thursday night my consultant talked about making changes to boost your weight loss, particularly about breakfast. I always have chocolate weetabix for breakfast and many people said a similar thing so she suggested trying something different. She also said that eggs were a great way to start the day and we discussed the different things that you can make with eggs; omelette, scrambled, boiled, poached on toast, etc.

The raffle prize was the recipe and ingredients for a chocolate cake; all bran, cocoa powder, sweetener and egg. (1 HEx B + 2 syns)

I don't think she meant for the 2 things to be related but I made the cake and had that for breakfast

Well it contained eggs, it was something different to my usual breakfast and I had a banana with it to make up the third of superfree!

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[Pommette]

The raffle prize was the recipe and ingredients for a chocolate cake; all bran, cocoa powder, sweetener and egg. (1 HEx B + 2 syns)

I don't think she meant for the 2 things to be related but I made the cake and had that for breakfast

Well it contained eggs, it was something different to my usual breakfast and I had a banana with it to make up the third of superfree!

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Love it Rachel!:8855:

Any chance of you posting the recipe? I need good puds to do when people come for dinner and my hubby adores chocolate cake!

 

[OrangeRachel]

42g All Bran (1 HExB) softened with
120ml boiling water add
1tbsp cocoa powder (2 syns),
1 cup of sugar (half a cup would probably do as it was a bit sweet)
2 eggs
Whisk together and pour into a plastic container.
Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
Turn out on to a plate.
Easy!

Or replace the cocoa powder with mixed spice and grated carrot.

I wondered about using a stewed apple and a tbsp of mincemeat so that the whole cake was 2 HExB's and no syns. I'll let you know what it's like if I try this.

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[Pommette]

I wondered about using a stewed apple and a tbsp of mincemeat so that the whole cake was 2 HExB's and no syns. I'll let you know what it's like if I try this.

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Thanks for the recipe Rachel.
Doesn't stewed apple have a syn value anyway?

 

[OrangeRachel]

Doesn't stewed apple have a syn value anyway?

Yes unless it is a HExB (369g). Just checked the book and it is a baked apple (227g) and 1 tbsp of mincemeat that counts as a HExB.

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[57Varieties]

42g All Bran (1 HExB) softened with
120ml boiling water add
1tbsp cocoa powder (2 syns),
1 cup of sugar (half a cup would probably do as it was a bit sweet)
2 eggs
Whisk together and pour into a plastic container.
Microwave on high for 4 minutes.
Turn out on to a plate.
Easy!

Or replace the cocoa powder with mixed spice and grated carrot.

I wondered about using a stewed apple and a tbsp of mincemeat so that the whole cake was 2 HExB's and no syns. I'll let you know what it's like if I try this.

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Hi OrangeRachel,
I made this earlier today and my microwave broke! I did wonder why the middle was a bit wet! I didn't realise it was undercooked! It should be okay as I only had the solid bits on the side. I think it would be really nice to have in colder weather in the mornings, straight from the tub.. would be very warming! Thanks for posting up the recipe.

 

[OrangeRachel]

3lb loss!! Cake for breakfast obviously does the trick ;-)

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