The diary of a (not so-Little)Sausage

[LittleSausage]

I have decided that 2011 is so going to be my year. That includes shedding the huge amount of extra weight that I've been carrying around for years. I want to travel to see my family soon, so that is an extra incentive. But, mainly, I just want to feel good about myself instead of feeling so awful that I stay at home, don't go out with friends, shy away from the camera, blah blah blah.

So, tonight is my first ever Slimming World group. I am so scared, but also I can't wait! I really think that joining will give me the motivation I need.

 

[funcurls]

Hey LittleSausage! What a cute name!! Good luck for your first meeting!! It's natural to be nervous, but once you get going I'm sure you'll love it!! It's now 14 months since I joined and it's the best thing I've ever done! Even if you have a bad week (there will be many- sounds harsh but it's realistic!) just keep on going, face the scales each week and move on!! Remember that over time if you have lots more good weeks than bad weeks you will lose weight and get to target!! Focus on all the wonderful things you can eat lots of, not the things you can't eat much of! Allow yourself treats within your syns and don't beat yourself up if you exceed them! It's not the naughty moments and the damage we do that's the issue, it's what we do afterwards to put it right and our attitude in moving forward!! That's basically it in a nutshell!! Minimins is a wonderful forum and you'll get loads out of it!!XXX

 

[skinnydawn]

Good luck Little Sausage, u will be fine xx

 

[slimmingworldboy]

Little Sausage! I did it on the 31st December and it's been brilliant! Don't be scared though, I was but I shouldn't have been have a look on my blog if you want to know what the first time is like!

Good luck!

R x

 

[LittleSausage]

Thanks to you all for your kind words!
The weigh-in was not as bad as I had thought. Of course I'm EXTREMELY overweight, but the number that flashed up was definitely less than I had anticipated, having made a point of not weighing myself at all over the past couple of years. 10st to lose. ARGH! It CAN be done though. And I am now so determined to do it...

SO... I thought I'd start on EE today:

Breakfast:
Fruit salad (with a banana, grapes, a plum and two passion fruit) FREE
2 cups of coffee with skimmed milk (even though it was literally two splashes, I'm counting this as HE-A)

Lunch:
"Super Green" soup from M&S (bought before joining SW, and before I realised that this low-cal, low-fat soup was 11 SYNS!!)
4 sticks of celery FREE

Supper will be a chicken breast baked with soy sauce and veg in foil in the oven, served with a baked potato (no fat/oil) and some brocolli. It is my understanding that this would all be FREE, too. Can someone confirm?!

I really think that keeping a food diary here will help.

 

[LittleSausage]

Yesterday was a great success! While I did feel like some chocolate after supper, I had a Muller Light and was totally satisfied. I went to bed neither hungry nor bloated and felt a lot better for it this morning!
So, today is already off to a good start:

Breakfast:
Fruit salad (2 passion fruit, plum, banana, handful of grapes)
Muller Light

Coffees (I drink too much coffee in the morning) with skimmed milk (using my HE-A)

Lunch:
Leftover vegetables from last night, plus a LOT of cucumber (my FAVOURITE!) with some prawns

Supper:
No idea yet! I have some new potatoes at home, and some brocolli. Will have to pick something else up at lunch time. Maybe some fish.

I started SW on Monday, and with starting work at 7am and not getting home til late, shopping is the last thing I want to do in the evening. I'll manage with what I have/Tesco runs at lunch time and go shopping on Friday evening/Saturday morning. Have started making a list, using the SW book as a guide, and it means I can look at it and edit over the next couple of days. Once that first shop is done, I think subsequent ones will be a lot easier.

 

[Boing-a-roo]

Sounds like you are doing great I only joined at the end of November and I already think it's the best thing I ever decided to do! The food diary really helps me too so I'm sure it'll work for you. Good luck hun! xXx

 

[funcurls]

Hi Lil' sausage, glad the first WI went OK! It's fantastic that you didn't weigh as much as you thought! I'm sure it's usually the other way around! I remember being horrified! I was about 1 stone more than I thought I was and hadn't weighed/been weighed for about 3 years so had a bit of a shock! But anyway, whatever the number on those scales, you have to tell yourself that you will NEVER see that number again!! And you won't! I'm sure you will see some amazing losses and before you know it you'll be feeling all the amazing benefits of losing weight! 10 stone is indeed a lot to lose, but when broken down you'll be surprised how managable it will seem! Every single pound is a pound closer to target and it's incredible how they mount up! Good luck!X

 

[LittleSausage]

Boing-a-roo and funcurls - thank you both so much for your kind words!
The amount I have to lose is huge and is so daunting. But the support here has been overwhelming and it really is a boost - I know that there are people who have successfully lost a lot more than I have to so, if they can do it, so can I!

X

 

[funcurls]

Boing-a-roo and funcurls - thank you both so much for your kind words!
The amount I have to lose is huge and is so daunting. But the support here has been overwhelming and it really is a boost - I know that there are people who have successfully lost a lot more than I have to so, if they can do it, so can I!

X

Yes this is such a great forum for being inspired by people who have already lost loads! Just think by losing 1lb per week on average that's 7 1/2 stone in 2 years, 10 stone in just over 2 1/2 years! I think that's pretty amazing considering it's a long term lifestyle change anyway!! And 2 years totally flies! I've been at this 14 months already and it has whizzed by!X

 

[LittleSausage]

Another good day on EE!

Breakfast:
Fruit salad of mango, melon and grapes
Muller light

Lunch:
Left over vegetables from last night with a couple of left over new potatoes and lots of cucumber
Muller light

**Supper: Spaghetti with pasta sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, 1Tbsp 0% Total Greek yoghurt) and 2 slices of wholemeal bread (HE-B)

Have no idea what to do for supper... the thought of going to the supermarket fills me with dread! Fish last night, supper the night before... I have some carrots and a couple of courgettes at home, so I'll try and dig out some frozen veg from the freezer and make up a quick veg soup. That could be interesting - I tend to have soup with a couple of slices of bread but am determined not to syn today at all. Maybe I'll make a veg sauce for some pasta, instead.

I know that no syns is not a good idea - I'm sure I'll crave them at some point but I am trying to test my will power. I'm so desperate to get a good loss at my first weigh in. Fingers crossed!

 

[funcurls]

Another good day on EE!

Breakfast:
Fruit salad of mango, melon and grapes
Muller light

Lunch:
Left over vegetables from last night with a couple of left over new potatoes and lots of cucumber
Muller light

Have no idea what to do for supper... the thought of going to the supermarket fills me with dread! Fish last night, supper the night before... I have some carrots and a couple of courgettes at home, so I'll try and dig out some frozen veg from the freezer and make up a quick veg soup. That could be interesting - I tend to have soup with a couple of slices of bread but am determined not to syn today at all. Maybe I'll make a veg sauce for some pasta, instead.

I know that no syns is not a good idea - I'm sure I'll crave them at some point but I am trying to test my will power. I'm so desperate to get a good loss at my first weigh in. Fingers crossed!

I think you'll have a great loss at your first weigh in simply by sticking to it!! Your syns are there to be eaten- you can cut them down when you get closer to target, and it's an absolute fact that eating plenty and regularly helps with losses so don't be afraid to eat decent portions! No need to go hungry at all!! Enjoy!X

 

[LittleSausage]

I think you'll have a great loss at your first weigh in simply by sticking to it!! Your syns are there to be eaten- you can cut them down when you get closer to target, and it's an absolute fact that eating plenty and regularly helps with losses so don't be afraid to eat decent portions! No need to go hungry at all!! Enjoy!X

Thank you! It's quite difficulty to get my head around this being a new way of thinking about food than a diet... I think that's why I'm loathe to use my syns. Also, the fact that there is so much support here has really got me thinking positively about it - so much so that I want to make a good start. The Club 10 award is my first major goal and I want it!

I have a bad knee and back problem which, while not caused by being overweight, is most definitely exacerbated by it. I'm just hoping that by losing 10% of my body weight these problems will lessen and allow me to exercise more.

 

[-Tally-]

It's actually been said that you'll see more improved losses if you have at least some of your syns...Plus if you don't have any then you'll have nothing to barter with should you hit a plateau.

Well done for joining and congrats on your first loss!! x

 

[x_stacey_x]

Sounds like your doing great so far Like you I had about 10 stone to lose when I first started 12 weeks ago. Ive lost almost a stone and a half since then. Good luck with your journey x

 

[funcurls]

Thank you! It's quite difficulty to get my head around this being a new way of thinking about food than a diet... I think that's why I'm loathe to use my syns. Also, the fact that there is so much support here has really got me thinking positively about it - so much so that I want to make a good start. The Club 10 award is my first major goal and I want it!

I have a bad knee and back problem which, while not caused by being overweight, is most definitely exacerbated by it. I'm just hoping that by losing 10% of my body weight these problems will lessen and allow me to exercise more.

I bet it will make a huuuge difference!! I used to have a bad left knee and when I exercised, even if just gentle walking it was quite painful! The problem has now completely vanished! It's no coincidence! We were designed to be a certain way and to hold a certain weight (maybe give or take a stone or so) and our joints, infact our bodies generally start to struggle if we carry far too much! I used to be defensive and in denial when people said things like that because of course it hurt to hear it, but it's true!X

 

[LittleSausage]

Sounds like your doing great so far Like you I had about 10 stone to lose when I first started 12 weeks ago. Ive lost almost a stone and a half since then. Good luck with your journey x

Thanks, Stacey! I just love hearing about people's successes

 

[LittleSausage]

It's actually been said that you'll see more improved losses if you have at least some of your syns...Plus if you don't have any then you'll have nothing to barter with should you hit a plateau.

Well done for joining and congrats on your first loss!! x

Thank you! I totally get the logic behind the syns... I just feel at the moment that I'd rather try and minimise them. I spent all of Christmas and New Year synning! This is almost like a detox. And I'm so in to all the free and superfree foods at the moment!

Supper tonight was spaghetti with homemade pasta sauce: frylight, onions, tomatoes, peppers and oregano. I put in a tbsp of 0% Total Greek yoghurt, too, which was delicious.

Maybe someone can help me: the Total 0% Greek yoghurt is not in the starter booklet with syns. It has low fat Greek yoghurt (100g is 1 syn) but not the fat free one. I calculated 0.5 syn for a tbsp. Does that sound right?

X

 

[LittleSausage]

I bet it will make a huuuge difference!! I used to have a bad left knee and when I exercised, even if just gentle walking it was quite painful! The problem has now completely vanished! It's no coincidence! We were designed to be a certain way and to hold a certain weight (maybe give or take a stone or so) and our joints, infact our bodies generally start to struggle if we carry far too much! I used to be defensive and in denial when people said things like that because of course it hurt to hear it, but it's true!X

Definitely it'll make a difference! Mine, although an old equestrian injury, is definitely aggravated by my weight. The same accident also destroyed half a disc in my lower back so am overcompensating on my right side. With less weight to carry around, the less aggravated it'll be!

X

 

[LittleSausage]

Woop woop!

I <3 Extra Easy...

Breakfast:
Fruit salad of mango, melon and grapes
Muller light

Lunch:
Baked vegetables (mushrooms, courgettes, tomatoes) with what was left of the tomato pasta sauce I made last night for supper (tomatoes, peppers, onions, 1Tbsp 0% Total Greek yoghurt)
3 Scan Bran (HE-B) - which I will NOT be buying again, I'm sure

Supper:
Think I'll try and make the 12 Speed soup! Am going to the supermarket tonight after work, so will be stocking up on loads of fruit and veg. And some Mini Babybel lights!