The big ship sails on the Alli Alli Oh...

[herewego]

Hi All,

I have just joined SW online after faffing about with my old books for a week or so but really not committing. This morning I was planning on joining a meeting at the weekend, but when it comes to diets I can change my mind at the drop of a hat and after reading a few diaries decided to join online and have done with it.

I have been a member before - both group and online and done well on it. I've never stuck with it for long enough to reach goal though so am hoping that having paid for 3 months I will see those 3 months through which should take me to goal.

I lost weight using the Cambridge Diet in 2009 and went from 13st 9lbs to 10st 9lbs and I felt great. I managed to maintain pretty well until October last year and gradually put on 7lbs and then another 7lbs over Christmas and ended up 11st 9lbs. I'm now 11st 7lbs so despite trying to find a diet to stick to since January I have only lost 2lbs . Oh well - I could have continued to eat like I did at Christmas which would have seen me close to my start weight by now so I'm not doing too badly.

Anyway, after spending £65 on the SW online membership I'd better stick to it, cause I've just spent my children's clothing budget for this month .

Since I only decided to join half way through the morning I'd already had a Slim Fast this morning (I keep some in the fridge when I need something to just grab & go) and as I hadn't yet joined at lunch time I had a Starbuck's pasta dish which I later found out cost me 8 1/2 syns . It will get better and I have Spag Bols planned for tonight which will be completely free.

I find the evenings really hard as I love snacking throughout the night. I will have to ban nuts from the house as there is no way I could stick to the meagre portions allowed as HEB so I'd rather not tempt fate...will have a good search on here for good alternatives!

I'm not convinced starting this diary is a good idea. I'm the queen of lapsed diaries but will really really try to come back here as I do find writing things down and reading it back really helps!

Ramble over I will get more organised both diary and food wise - promise!

 

[Chelsea Lou]

Hi Alli,

I shall be making the move also, but still keeping tabs on all those other lovelies

I will write a diary when I am a bit more clued up as to what I am supposed to be doing I still can't 'get it' when I read the SW book about everything you can have on EE and just can't quite seem to 'trust it'. Reading all the diaries on here is helping though, especially the food diaries. I am not very adventurous when it comes to food, so I need plenty of help and inspiration.

What I liked yesterday was the fact that a bag of Maltesers counted as syns and therefore didn't stress me out at all. Yay!!!!!!!

You'll be fine hun. You'll see xxx

 

[herewego]

Check me out - I'm posting twice in one day!!

So my first 3/4 day has gone well! I had an Alpen light and a couple of syns left to play with so mushed my Alpen bar into a ramekin and topped it with quark mixed with an option sachet that I found in the cupboard (a year past its sell by date - I'm sure I'll survive ). I've stuck it all in the freezer and will be digging in shortly - am hoping it will taste like cheesecake but would settle for it tasting like quark mixed with drinking chocolate LOL...

Food all planned out for tomorrow -

B: Shape 0% and banana
L: Massive chicken & pasta salad (1 syn)
D: Paella with chicken and prawns, M&S lemon mousse (4 syns?)
S: Fruit, 2 x Alpen light, milk and more yogurts if needed

 

[herewego]

Good Morning Diary

Am feeling very positive this morning and it had me wondering why one day I can feel so sure I'm going to stick to this way of eating and the next morning I'm deliberately setting myself up to fail. Most of last week I felt as if I couldn't do SW at all. I hadn't joined online but used the stuff from last year but I just kept eating rubbish. This week so far is completely different. I'm nearly worried about getting a good loss after this week as I know a good loss often sets off a binge - don't know why but it's a pattern I've seen now for years. Small losses are good and I can even cope with STS but whenever I get a great loss (like the first week of a diet) I end up messing up the following week.

I'll need to figure out how I'm going to cope with this as I think I will have a good loss next Monday based on how I feel at the minute.

Maybe I should have loads of free food prepared so that I can eat lots and lots and still remain on plan....maybe some "cheap" treats as well so that I can pretend to go off the rails without actually doing so. I'm not sure that's the best way though . I guess I could plan the first day or two (I think if I manage to stay on plan on weigh in day I'll be OK) in minute detail and really make sure I have nothing else - but would such a restriction set me off as well? It's such a minefield but I really don't want to repeat the good week-bad week-good week pattern of past diets so will need to have a good ponder! If you are bored enough to be reading this feel free to offer suggestions.

I've just had a Cadbury mini egg - I loooove them and at only 1.5 syns for 2 I've got my morning and my afternoon treat sorted. I suck on mine so they last for ages. Wouldn't trust myself with them at home - here in the office I'm good at rationing but at night - no chance...

Food today:

B: Activia Snackpot (Cherry) + plum
S: 1 mini egg (1.5syn), grapes
L: Home made chicken & pasta salad (1.5syn)
S: 1 mini egg, 1 Alpen light (1/2HEB)
D: Chicken & Prawn paella, M&S CoU lemon mousse (4.5syn)
S: Alpen light (1/2HEB) +quark + options (2syn) = cheesecake!!

Total: 9.5 syns

 

[.Nicki.]

Hey hun, i would have lots of yummy free food to pick on and lots of low syn cheat food. You could stick an unflattering photo or something your aiming for on the fridge or cupboards to remind yourself why your doing this (mine has pictures of baby stuff and of myself) and if all that fails come on minis to distract yourself! x x

 

[Minus3.5]

Well done on taking the hardest step of all: joining.

I'm an onliner too. I did it last year and really struggled. Just approaching my 2nd WI and feeling positive. You seem to have your head in the zone so far. I think that's the difficult bit with a diet, if you're hearts not completely in it you'll allow yourself a slip up here and there.

We have buddies thread of mostly recent starters if you fancy somewhere to go and have a random rant and some support: http://www.minimins.com/slimming-world/201014-weight-loss-buddy-anyone.html

And finally - THANK YOU for the revelation about mini eggs. 2 for 1.5 syns is great. I've been using mini creme eggs as my nightly treat and they're 2.5 each. May have to switch my choc egg loyalty now.

Zoe x

 

[herewego]

Hey hun, i would have lots of yummy free food to pick on and lots of low syn cheat food. You could stick an unflattering photo or something your aiming for on the fridge or cupboards to remind yourself why your doing this (mine has pictures of baby stuff and of myself) and if all that fails come on minis to distract yourself! x x

Thanks - I will get lots of nice food to have around so that I feel as if I'm treating myself without actually getting off plan. Maybe I'll try the lasagne out of the March/April magazine....

Photos - I don't have many photos of me big. I used to avoid being in them whenever possible. I do have some of when we were in Spain and I looked like a telly tubby...I wonder if I could dig them out. Thanks for taking the time to post! It's lovely that people are reading my drivel, let alone replying to it

Well done on taking the hardest step of all: joining.

I'm an onliner too. I did it last year and really struggled. Just approaching my 2nd WI and feeling positive. You seem to have your head in the zone so far. I think that's the difficult bit with a diet, if you're hearts not completely in it you'll allow yourself a slip up here and there.

We have buddies thread of mostly recent starters if you fancy somewhere to go and have a random rant and some support: http://www.minimins.com/slimming-world/201014-weight-loss-buddy-anyone.html

And finally - THANK YOU for the revelation about mini eggs. 2 for 1.5 syns is great. I've been using mini creme eggs as my nightly treat and they're 2.5 each. May have to switch my choc egg loyalty now.

Zoe x

Ooooh will check out your buddies thread shortly - Bleurgh to cream eggs - not worth the syns - I wouldn't eat them if they were free! Actually that's not true...I hated jammy dodgers the first time I had them, but as they were the only biscuits DH ever bought (he's not daft - he knows what would happen if he bought biscuits I liked!!) I taught myself to like them. It was hard work but I'm nothing if not tenacious . I'm sure I could come to like cream eggs if I needed to but at 2.5 syns each for the teeny ones I doubt that need will ever arise!

Mini eggs on the other hand...:drool:

 

[Curvalicious]

welcome Alli you can do it.

 

[Chelsea Lou]

Alli, you look very organised for today and your choices look very yummy!!

I'm with you on the Creme Eggs....bleugh and yuk!!! If that was the only chocolate you could get then I really wouldn't have a chocolate problem Having said that, I had a bag of Maltesers last Saturday and because there was no guilt attached and no feeling like I had 'blown it' I haven't fancied any choc since, so yay to that!! It makes such a difference knowing that you can have some if you want/need it. xx

 

[herewego]

Good Morning Diary & Anyone else reading this (well my diary isn't reading this but you know what I mean)

I did reasonably well yesterday. I had a bag of mini cheddar bakes late last night that were not planned in and took me up to 17 syns for the day. That's OK - I can live with that.

I feel really bloated today - not sure why but it could be because of the large portion of paella I had last night. All free, but I did help myself to seconds and I probably shouldn't have. Oh well, this week is all about sticking to plan. I will worry about quantity once I have settled in a bit.

So my food plan today is looking like this:

B: Alpen light, Fruit & Shape 0% yogurt
S: 4 x mini eggs (3)
L: Pasta Salad with chicken & veg (1.5)
S: Fruit
D: Spagetti Carbonara with green beans and tomatoes (1)
S: Yogurt, walkers baked crisps (5), Alpen Light

Syns: 10.5
HEA: Skimmed Milk
HEB: 2 x Alpen Light

I'm not planning on straying from this plan AT ALL today as DH is out tonight and I know this is a high risk time for me as I used to binge when on my own in the evening. Will probably post here lots...

 

[Minus3.5]

Oooooooh, carbonara. I miss carbonara SO much.

Your menu looks great. Very impressed at your planning ahead. i fail hugely on this.

Glad to see you're getting on well with everything

Zoe

 

[herewego]

Oooooooh, carbonara. I miss carbonara SO much.

Your menu looks great. Very impressed at your planning ahead. i fail hugely on this.

Glad to see you're getting on well with everything

Zoe

Hi Zoe - Why can't you have Carbonara? Are you doing red days or is it a food sensitivity thing?

I plan well, but mostly fail to follow through! I'm the queen of useless lists that never gets done...

 

[Minus3.5]

I probably can have it - I just need to go through my big pile of recipe books and find a low syn one.

I'm very suggestible today - until I read the word I didn't realise I missed it at all. Now I'm madly craving it.

:gimi:

 

[Chelsea Lou]

Good Morning Diary & Anyone else reading this (well my diary isn't reading this but you know what I mean)

I did reasonably well yesterday. I had a bag of mini cheddar bakes late last night that were not planned in and took me up to 17 syns for the day. That's OK - I can live with that.

I feel really bloated today - not sure why but it could be because of the large portion of paella I had last night. All free, but I did help myself to seconds and I probably shouldn't have. Oh well, this week is all about sticking to plan. I will worry about quantity once I have settled in a bit.

So my food plan today is looking like this:

B: Alpen light, Fruit & Shape 0% yogurt
S: 4 x mini eggs (3)
L: Pasta Salad with chicken & veg (1.5)
S: Fruit
D: Spagetti Carbonara with green beans and tomatoes (1)
S: Yogurt, walkers baked crisps (5), Alpen Light

Syns: 10.5
HEA: Skimmed Milk
HEB: 2 x Alpen Light

I'm not planning on straying from this plan AT ALL today as DH is out tonight and I know this is a high risk time for me as I used to binge when on my own in the evening. Will probably post here lots...

Looks fab Alli and I am now drooling Keep up the good work hun x

 

[LittleSausage]

Your food looks great! And I seriously admire you (and you, Zoe!) for joining online. I would not have the willpower to make it work. I NEED the weekly group and the thought of a kick up the a*se to keep me on plan. A failure when I have only myself to answer to? No problem! Who cares! A failure in front of a group of women? Hell to the no. My hat is well and truly off, ladies.
x

 

[herewego]

Your food looks great! And I seriously admire you (and you, Zoe!) for joining online. I would not have the willpower to make it work. I NEED the weekly group and the thought of a kick up the a*se to keep me on plan. A failure when I have only myself to answer to? No problem! Who cares! A failure in front of a group of women? Hell to the no. My hat is well and truly off, ladies.
x

Hold on to that hat for a while yet! Joining online is easy - I've done it before! Sticking to it without the pressure of group weigh-ins will be a massive challenge for me but I am feeling really committed at the moment.

Your user name has made me hungry (doesn't take much!) - I'd better get my pasta salad out now before the birthday doughnuts being advertised via email just now become impossible to resist!

 

[LittleSausage]

Mmmm... doughnuts. Deep fried carbs with extra sugar. I wish the good things weren't so damn bad for you!

 

[Chelsea Lou]

I'm feeling very virtuous, someone came up to me a couple of hours ago and said there were cakes on their desk because it was her birthday. I said "Thanks but I won't" without giving it another thought. How good am I? lol

 

[herewego]

I'm feeling very virtuous, someone came up to me a couple of hours ago and said there were cakes on their desk because it was her birthday. I said "Thanks but I won't" without giving it another thought. How good am I? lol

You're great Chels!!


:break_diet:Unfortunately I was not great this afternoon :break_diet:

We had one of those "staff engagement" type meetings today where we discussed how to make the working environment better and more enjoyable to be in etc.

The people who chaired the meeting said that there would be a chocolate price for whoever gave the most valid contributions to the discussion and unfortunately I'm fairly good at that kind of cr*p . I'm also decidedly poor at not voicing my opinion at every given opportunity and so I won the chocolate (Terry's chocolate orange). I shared some out and then took the rest to the bar, where I had planned to have a black coffee before heading home. When asked what I wanted to drink my brain said black coffee but my mouth said "a large glass of Rose please" . Inevitably a few more segments of orange slipped into my mouth inbetween sips of wine and I'm now not quite sure what to do.

I had the evening planned and was going to spend a few syns on a bag of crisps. My DH is out tonight and I often go off the rails when he's not around so that's why i bought the bag of crisps especially for tonight (can't keep it in the house) but bought it at lunch time before my slip up.

So.....do I draw a line under this afternoon's blip and continue with tonight's plans or do I try and avoid eating the crisps in the hope of doing some damage limitation? I reduced my portion of Carbonara and increased superfree so have had a decent meal but can't decide about what to do about tonight. I was so looking forward to watching America's Next Top Model (yes, sad I know ) with bowl of crisps (Walkers baked) on my lap...I guess I could stick to grapes.

Apart from that today's been good . I had a meeting with our IT director at lunch time and a buffet lunch was provided but I just nibbled a teeny chicken skewer and some fruit - my wings were still firmly attached at that time :break_diet:

Oh well - there's always tomorrow!

Speaking about tomorrow - I'm going out on a girl's night out to Zizzi's on Friday. Having looked at their menu it looks like the "Linguine Gamberi" (pasta, king prawns & tomato) or "Penne Vodka" (pasta, king prawns, tomatoes & splash of vodka) are good choices. What do you reckon?

 

[LittleSausage]

Hmmm... Slip ups are tough and absolutely brilliant at making you feel bad. I'd probably forgo the crisps tonight. SW is as much about healthy eating as it is retraining your brain out of those bad habits that make us put weight on in the first place. I know that it has really made me think about everything I'm putting in my mouth. Now, for me anyway, it's a case of always thinking do I really need that? Can I justify splurging on an evening sat at home? Do I not have that chocolate bar and, instead, have a couple of drinks on Friday? It's all a case of learning that our actions have consequences. Or for me it is, anyway. Sounds simple, but overeating is either forgetting or ignoring that fact, and it needs to be relearnt!

X