Scrumbles' diary...life after losing a third of me...

[Scrumbles]

Good luck with the experiment! Wonder if last night was about carbs?

Thanks, LF! I think it probably had more to do with the half bottle of red I downed . I felt well sozzled after less than a glass - Atkins has made me such a cheap date these days, lol

Sounds a good plan a protein breakfast will keep hunger away.

Sure does! I'm determined never to go back to cereals/toast/porridge for breakfast no matter what happens - they just don't last me long enough, apart from anything else!

Got a touch of heartburn this afternoon - probably still the consequences of last night. I'm struggling a bit to get things right at the moment - it's not as easy to keep my ratios where I want them as I thought it would be. Just now I seem to be sacrificing more protein than fat for an increase in carbs, and that's not what I wanted to do. I wanted to decrease the fat, increase the carbs and leave the protein more or less the same, but I didn't manage it yesterday, and I won't today either. Need to plan a bit better it would seem...

 

[moonlights]

It really is amazing how long a big bacon and egg breakfast can fill you up compared to toast and jam. I'm enjoying living without the sugar mood swings right now.

Your plan looks sensible and moderate. I hope it goes well for you and gives you a bit of a break xx

 

[Alpaca]

Hi Scrumbles ... Hope the plan works for you! You seem to have a really balanced sensible approach! Good luck! Xx

 

[Scrumbles]

Thank you, both! It's certainly more sensible than what I did at Xmas when I did allow myself sugary treats - saw off a whole big box of Lindor in a week if memory serves How I got away with that I will never know! I want to do enough to shake things up good and proper whilst retaining my new, improved eating habits - I see no sense in going against all that re-training that's been happening over the months.

Yesterday's stats: 1990 calories, 77g carbs. Still a little low on carbs, but I'm getting there.

Today's weight: 196.0lbs (no change)

You have no idea how tentative my weigh-ins are: breathe out, step on carefully, think light thoughts! lol As much as I know that weight gain could happen - fluctuations happen all the time anyway - it's still not something I'm going to enjoy seeing. Who does?!

I don't appear to have re-introduced any trigger foods thus far. I had a few crisps on Saturday night but they didn't do anything. Mind you, I already know they're not a particular weakness of mine. We hardly ever had them when I was kid - same with fizzy drinks - so they've never been a habit for me. Biscuits, on the other hand.......an open packet left near me very soon becomes an empty packet. Not good.

Roast pork tonight...really looking forward to that. Might have to go easy on the crackling now I'm trying not to eat as much fat, but eh. I get potatoes instead, so it's swings and roundabouts

 

[Kat1e]

Evening scrumbles - hope your experiment goes well. My trick to lose weight is simple - cut carbs, cut wine and stay off the s-f goodies...that's what makes it hard

 

[Alpaca]

Yes ... Agree with Katie... Nothing seems to beat clean and green and water... It's a nightmare when introduce anything that might have sf in it... Good luck xxx

 

[Scrumbles]

Oh, I agree 100%. But that's what I was doing for a whole month before this, and nothing was shifting. I felt in my gut that I was heading for a lengthy stall, and I wanted to see if I could break it deliberately rather than waiting for it to end of it's own accord. I guess I'm one of those people who just has to feel that they're controlling things. I think I'm also a frustrated scientist wanting to test a theory, lol.

So, this is Day 4 of my (sort of ) break.

Yesterday's stats: 1730 calories, 90g carbs. Carbs are better, but too few calories - just couldn't eat any more.

Today's weight: 195.8lbs (still no movement)

I'm quite surprised that after 3 days of adding in a lot more calories and about 4 times as many carbs, nothing is showing up on the scales. Maybe I'm being too tentative with this? I feel a bit bloated most of the time, so I was expecting a water-weight gain by now. Where is it?

I'm going to try to eat nearer the 2000 calorie mark today - maybe even overshoot to make up for yesterday. If I were eating the addictive sugary junk I used to eat, it would be a doddle. I mean, last night, all I would have needed to make up the deficit would have been, say, 4 chocolate digestives, and I could have scarfed those down in a couple of minutes, no problem - then added a few more for good measure. But because my intended snack was tuna with mayo, it just seemed too much, and I couldn't face it. A stark reminder, if I needed one, that sugar is my enemy and will force me to overeat if I allow it back into my life.

ETA: Forgot to mention that nothing I've eaten yet has triggered cravings or false hunger. Had half a tin of reduced sugar baked beans yesterday thinking they might do bad things to me, but nope. Nada.

One thing I have noticed, though, is wind. Lots of it . Don't think I realised how little wind I've had since starting Atkins. Also, a slight return of mild indigestion of an evening. Not enough to need to take a remedy (I used to get through packets and packets of Remegel), but enough to be aware of it. Will definitely be keeping an eye on that.

 

[moonlights]

Atkins totally makes me a wind-free zone too. I used to hear all the time that meat and fat were hard to digest but it seems to be the carbs that my gut dislikes.

 

[Scrumbles]

Day 5

Yesterday's stats: 1940 calories, 92g carbs.

Today's weight: 196.4lbs (slight upward movement, but nothing significant)

Pretty much spot on with my food yesterday, but I felt like I was eating all day to achieve it!

I really am finding it quite difficult to eat this much without using junk food. I'm sure I could get there no problem with pizza and ice cream , but sticking to "real" food and no sugar/grains makes it a lot harder. It probably doesn't help that I'm not particularly a lover of fatty meats and fried stuff - I prefer chicken and steamed fish for the most part.

New additions yesterday to up the carbs in my diet - kidney beans and oatcakes. I was in two minds about the oatcakes (being a grain, and all) but they didn't have any wheat or added sugar, so I thought I'd risk them. I didn't notice any effect (hunger/craving for more) so I guess I'm okay with them in moderation.

No indigestion last night, but my stomach feels blown-up like a football this morning. Can't help feeling that I am retaining a fair bit of water, but it just isn't showing up on the scale somehow.

 

[Karen]

sounds like you are doing really well with your plan, good on ya! Hope it helps long term xxx

 

[Scrumbles]

Thanks, Karen...certainly seems to be going okay for now.

Day 6

Yesterday's stats: 1950 calories, 97g carbs.

Today's weight: 196.4lbs (no change)

Okay, so that's 5 days completed, and I really thought I would have seen a couple of pounds go on by now. I'm not in the habit of weighing daily so I'm also quite surprised that my weight doesn't seem to vary more from day to day. Maybe I'll be getting a big upwards whoosh any moment?

I'm adding houmous into the mix today - Sainsbury's roasted red pepper houmous to be exact - yum!

I'm trying to make the most of this break to eat things I like and that will probably be harmless in my future life, but haven't been able to have for a while because of the carb restriction. I'll be making lentil, carrot and onion soup tomorrow which was always one of my favourites but way too carby for early phases of Atkins. I just hope I can give these things up again when I have to at the end of the two weeks (!) - I did at Xmas, but I guess there's always the possibility that something throws me off track. I ain't perfect!

I'm still deciding exactly what to do at the end of this break. Post-Xmas I went straight into strict Induction levels of carbs, less than 20g per day. I think I might not cut back as far this time, possibly having 30g as my upper limit. That would give me some wiggle-room if nothing shifts. I'll aim for 1500-1600 calories per day as I don't want to eat less if I can lose at that level.

All fun and games, eh?!

 

[Scrumbles]

Day 7

Yesterday's stats: 1950 calories, 95g carbs

Today's weight: 197.0lbs (about 1lb up on starting weight)

Maybe the start of an upward trend, or maybe just a bigger than usual daily fluctuation? Not convinced either way. I had to weigh in later than normal after eating and drinking, so that could account for it. TOTM is also fast approaching so that's another factor to consider.

I won't be changing my ticker until the two weeks are up - whatever I've landed at will be my new start weight. Hopefully I'll still be under 200 but ya never know...

 

[Scrumbles]

Day 8

Yesterday's stats: 1911 calories, 91g carbs.

Today's weight: 197.4lbs

Up again, but today is the first day of TOTM, so I still don't know if it's a *real* gain. Will have to wait and see what happens for the next few days.

Don't know how I'm going to manage my food today because I'm feeling like death warmed up at the moment . It's 11.30 and I haven't eaten a thing yet - can't face it. I suppose I'll have to choke down some scrambled eggs as they're probably bland enough not to upset me. I have a beef casserole already cooking away in my slow cooker for tonight - just hope I can eat it!

With hindsight, I think I could probably have picked a better time to do this...

 

[coffeelover]

Your doing great Scrumbles, just keep it up. TOTM will put a few pounds on. You will be rewarded.

 

[Kat1e]

Hi scrumbles, well documented experiment. Hope you figure it all out

 

[ladyfelsham]

Hope you're feeling better Scrumbles xx

 

[Scrumbles]

Thanks, ladies!

I ended up feeling a lot perkier during the day and getting through all my calories - though the half bottle of wine I had in the evening accounted for quite a few of them . I'll be laying off the booze when I'm back on Atkins proper, so I'm making the most of it now .

Day 9

Yesterday's stats: 1980 calories, 89g carbs.

Today's weight: 197.2lbs

Hmm. My gut feeling is that I'm going to put on at least a couple of pounds during this experiment. "Calories in:calories out" theory would suggest that, given that my calorie increase over the two weeks will be about 7000 (3500= 1lb of fat). It will be interesting to see if I put on significantly more than that, and how quickly it shifts at the end of this (assuming it does!).

I have to say that psychologically this feels like it was the right thing for me to do at this point. Barring a handful of days, I ate to plan SO strictly since Xmas that I think it was beginning to get to me. It was okay while the weight was moving, but not so much when it stopped. I'm also feeling oddly liberated that for these two weeks I am neither expecting nor hoping to lose weight: even though I am still totally controlling things, I am under no self-imposed pressure to achieve any particular result for this fortnight, and that makes me feel much more relaxed. Even if I get no physical benefit from this ultimately, I think the "holiday" for my mind will have been worth it.

 

[Karen]

Sounds like the break has done you good! xxxx

 

[Scrumbles]

^^^ Not so sure after the weigh-in I just did, lol

Day 10

Yesterday's stats: 1950 calories, 91g carbs

Today's weight: 199.4lbs

Yikes...up 2 from yesterday. Mind you, I didn't manage to weigh in this morning like I usually do (before eating and drinking). This was early evening after eating breakfast, lunch and a snack, and drinking several pints of fluid, so for all I know, maybe I normally go up a couple of pounds during the day . Guess I won't know until tomorrow morning!

I'm feeling quite bloated right now, but I still have dinner (chilli con carne with kale and potato) and another snack (3 oatcakes with philly and edam) to plough my way through. I do feel like I'm force-feeding myself a bit at times, and I'm pretty sure I didn't eat as much as this at Xmas, but I'm not going to back off now. Only another 4 days and I'll be returning to Induction (or close to it) then I'll see what's what.

Good things to note: I haven't had rampant indigestion/heartburn like I feared I would, and none of the foods I've re-introduced have given me problems such as cravings or out-of-control hunger, so that's something I can take away from this.

 

[Alpaca]

Really interesting experiment... My weight can fluctuate by as much as 4 or 5lbs during the day that's why it's so important to weigh first thing x