The last stone mission......ROLL UP!!!!

[Maintainer]

oooh we have some sloe gin "cooking" too... it's in the kitchen, being turned regularly...

We were all talking generally about the "news" this morning. I expect they'll pass the cost onto the unsuspecting customer, as usual!

I've been weighing every day, even though I'm not to take account of it. 100g cooked pasta isn't a huge amount, but I've had bread and cheese Mon-Wed (just the 50g bread and 40g cheese allowed) AND one piece of fruit a day, so I'm adding in half the carbs/fat and fruit that I'm allowed for now...

I shall move some carbs to lunchtimes next week. I still have over high protein lunches so that will have to change cos I'm not hungry enough to eat the bread afterwards. One of the key advantages of eating so much protein is that it really does fill you up but now, moving back towards "normality", I need to (probably slowly) reduce the protein intake as I increase the carb intake - except Thursdays of course!

I think that if you're staying stable over a week period, you should continue exactly as you are doing. Not overly obsessed by it all, as I am, eating as you wish, yet still staying stable week by week. I hope you can still have the odd three course meal and wine though without guilt. That is my aim, once a week!

 

[clairejen]

I'm afraid I'm eating rather too much at the moment, but it is hard to know when I'm not getting on the scales. The truth will come out on Saturday, after all how much damage can one week do? Hmmm, quite a lot I suppose, must be well behaved tomorrow. It would be better for me if I did have three course meals I think, at the moment I am either dashing out and missing meals then nibbling when I get home or else eating too much at meals because I feel I missed out the day before. You've done really well with the losses on this diet and the concolidation seems to be going smoothly too. Have you had a gala meal yet?

Sloe gin is a favourite of mine, I keep meaning to try some other fruit liqueurs but haven't got around to it. We picked the fruit back in the autumn, I froze it then because we were just getting a small amount at a time plus freezing helps break it down and have only just got it out again. And that was only because I was in desperate need of freezer space for the chicken stock.

 

[Maintainer]

Morning, and busy busy here this morning (and new boss arrived in the Firm, while old one not yet left, so you can imagine!)

No gala meal yet - will probably wait until my other half joins me next week. It seems a bit unfair sneaking myself something extra (in addition to my bread, cheese and apple!) in front of him!

For me, where food is concerned (be I on a diet, "consolidating" or in the final stage, "stabilisation for life") I will always have to be organised with meals planned and food at the ready. Leaving things to chance, last minute, for me will always be dangerous. I live very close to numerous delis, take outs, and in fact walk past a load of them on the way back from work! Popping in would be far too easy! I'm out of the habit now so won't pick it up, but leaving things to chance is dangerous for me.

I bet you've not gained. You'd know if you had by your clothes, I'm sure...

Have a great weekend - colder here but sunny so very nice hopefully (leastwise looking good out of my office window for now)
x
TASH????

 

[clairejen]

Saturday weigh in and I'm still the same, I can't understand why because I seem to be constantly eating - certainly not complaining though. Maybe the cold weather means I am using more calories or something, or perhaps my body which is so good at adjusting to lower calorie intake can do the same when it goes higher. You are right about dieting being for life now, I don't think I will ever give up the DDs except for holidays which are special and therefore exempt. It is so much easier to concentrate on not gaining than to try to lose.

I've been trying to get our holiday booked, the first place we tried wasn't available so I have now emailed the tourist office about another one. If that isn't possible I shall ring them next week and see what they can find for me.

We are trying to get some decorating and other DIY stuff done this weekend, somehow everything stalled for a few months but now we have the new windows in there is really no excuse for not getting on with it. I shall paint the bathroom wall which got a bit smudged and had damp penetrate over one of the old windows (I've already treated that area) and maybe feel that is an achivement for the day.

Are you getting any snow? We haven't even had frosts here, but our worst weather tends to be mid February so plenty of time yet!

 

[Maintainer]

Morning, and delighted that your weight is staying stable. I think you would have known by your clothes, particularly your dance outfits, had you been gaining much. They're rather unforgiving, particularly if standing in front of a mirror!

No snow yet - it was minus 7°C Saturday morning when we left the house to go shopping, which was a bit of a shock as it had been so mild in the city all week, but I hear it was much the same here too. At least it gave us a lovely sunny weekend, and same today although the temperatures are no longer arctic.

Where are you off to for your holiday?

I have booked Easter week off, and two weeks in May (as we have four bank holidays, so it'll only "cost" me six days). Theoretically all to be spent in the house. The thought of living in someone else's place (ie my Dad's!) in England does not appeal, as I so like my independence, and finances don't permit us to rent somewhere. So best stay at the house and get some more DIY work done.

I had a bit of a strange food weekend. We bought mussels, prawns, code, trout - all on offer at the supermarket, and had some lovely meals based around them, plus my bread and fruit now allowed, yet still I was hungry. I picked and picked and picked, seemingly nonstop, on "D***n diet-friendly foods like chicken, yoghurt and homemade "flans", but I feared a gain today. Nope. All well. Another week of slow reintroduction for me.

 

[clairejen]

Oops, sounds like ketosis has let you go. I think a combination of that and the cold which always makes us want more is what is giving you the munchies. Me too, I've been picking constantly for the past week. I must get back into the habit of having a drink instead, on CD I used to have hot water a lot, it was strangely comforting. Your weight is keeping down well, and fancy forgetting about the diet, that's is progress. I've ignored the scales quite happily, but that's starting to worry me, I musn't get complacent.

We are booking a gîte at Bellême in the Perche, somewhere cheap and rural which takes dogs but isn't too far from a town with shops and restaurants. This is it http://cluster.itea.fr/GDFv3/fiche_...721bd41471b7829c26cdab53d5d6&instance=gites61 and we will then be camping for the other week. You get more bank holidays than we do, four in two weeks is a lot. We are taking the second two weeks in June, having to fit around my amateur dramatics and DH's saiing events is always problematic.

I'm busy trying to make a glass-working station, some time ago I bought a torch for it but recently found I could use it with propane so I am converting the torch and setting up a clamp and workbase for it. Whether I take to the hobby is another matter, I love the results that most people get so here's hoping.

 

[Maintainer]

I'm afraid that link didn't work... when I say 4 x Bank Holidays, what is actually happening is that the 1st and 8th of May are Thursdays this year, so we get the Friday off too (and "pay" for them from our "credit account" for working more than the 35 hour week at my Firm). The Firm sets four of these days so they're not always to our liking date wise, but these two are good

I was reading over Christmas about the UK getting fewer holidays than anywhere else in Europe, and I admit that I chuckled (as I do so often when reading papers in the UK, particularly when they talk about France!). People do "forget" the annual close downs over Christmas in their calculations don't they! Over here, Christmas Day is all people get and only then provided it's not a weekend! People I know usually get the Christmas week as closure, if not the two weeks when it falls as it did this year. Some days are counted as holiday ok but not all as I have to!

You are lucky with your hobbies. I don't believe I have a hobby!

 

[tashy100]

Hello Girls

Glad to see that you are both doing AMAZINGLY well with maintaining - less weighing and less thinking about food - all sounds fantastic to me.

Havent posted for a while as have been a bit preoccupied!!! Started w8 matters (they are vile by the way) and started to feel a bit sick - thought it was the diet but it turns out I am pregnant!!!

So - no more strict dieting for me!!!!

Oooh all that talk about holidays - makes me yearn for the warm weather of the med - roll on summer.

Been soooo busy at work with the tax return deadline - all the rubbish work comes in the last 2 weeks of January - cant wait until Friday!!!!

Keep up the good work!!!

Tash

 

[clairejen]

Tasha, huge congrats, definitely not the time to be thinking about dieting. If you can manage not to put on too much it might be easier to lose afterwards, nothing like a new baby to get the pounds off you. I'm with you on the tax return thing, still got one to submit today.

Joanne, most of the people I know get the Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year's Day bank holiday and any time between them comes out of their annual holiday, even if it is compulsory. We get 8 bank holidays and usually 20+ days holiday depending on where you work. Germans get loads of holidays, I think 30 days is normal. I've never understood the French 35 hour week, it seems to work for civil servants but people in the private sector I have spoken to work the same sort of hours as we do here.

I'm not getting much done today. A close friend is going through marriage problems and has been taking up a lot of my time, I'm not ideal shoulder to cry on material, more the "I'll lend you a shotgun" type really. And tonight we have auditions so I need to prepare for that. Now off to the market before it closes at lunchtime.

 

[Maintainer]

CONGRATULATIONS indeed Tash! WOW!! So we'll not be seeing you as a dieter/maintainer any more but please still pop in for a chat!

Interesting what you're saying about holidays at Christmas Claire. I must have "lucky" friends whose firms give them extra days perhaps? I don't know! I thought it must be the norm. As for holiday entitlement, I think 20 days is the bog standard minimum for new employees and again people I know have far more than that but on the whole have worked a long time in their jobs, I admit. Working hours here tend to be 35 hr, even in private sector, but we don't count the lunch hour here, even if worked. So 9am to 5pm would be 35 hours, for instance. 7 working hours a day. I work 9.30am to 6pm; not my choice, that late start, but obligatory for US firms to be open later. Because we work more than 35 hours, we get 8 extra days off a year (4 fixed by the Firm). I have a friend who works 39 hours (previous French "norm" of 9am to 6pm, 5pm Friday) and gets 24 days extra off! That would be my dream!!! That's the sort of thing that Sarko is going to try to get rid of, I'm sure... my friend has trouble fitting her vacation days in, so many "RTT" (reduction de temps de travail) days does she have!

Getting peckish and glad it's nearly lunch time!

 

[clairejen]

Morning, and I am feeling so tired. Barely slept last night as the songs from the auditions were going round and round in my head, and I was feeling really stressed from the auditions. We had some fantastic auditionees, most of the casting was straightforward. But I still have a couple of quandaries to sort out, hence the insomnia.

I have a horrid job on the list for today, sorting out the packing room. It becomes a repository for all sorts of junk and every so often needs a blitz, somehow I am always the onewho has to do the clearing up but most of the contents has not been left there by me. Funny eh?

 

[Maintainer]

You know what they say, Claire: "if you want something done, ask the busiest person to do it!". That sounds like you.

 

[clairejen]

Hi, hope you are OK. It is seriously windy here and the forecasts are threatening snow tomorrow. Just what we don't want. This morning my car has to go to the garage for the scratches to be resprayed, I'm not sure how long I will be without it and have to be borrowing DH's.

Did you enjoy your treat of sausages? I was on a DD yesterday but not feeling particularly hungry today, more tired really. Your weight seems to be still dropping, your bmi is lower than mine now (but I'm not getting competitive, that way madness lies).

 

[Maintainer]

Morning,

It was windy indeed, and darned breezy, as I walked partway to work this morning, brrrrr! But, as not raining, I made myself walk and always feel better for it as it seems to blow all cobwebs away.

Thanks for asking, Claire. Sausages were lovely. I love them straight off the George Foreman grill, hot and caramelised somehow on the outsides, served over a plate of cold salad. mmm! I added a squidge of ketchup even, and enjoyed that too. Then 5 Celebration chocolates, carefully meted out by he who doesn't lose the plot when he opens a big tin of chocolates leftover from Christmas.

Then I was silly later on and ate my apple too. That was a "habit" thing... definitely not hunger. I shall watch that because it's silly my continuing eating when not hungry!

Today is the Thursday strict pure protein day (PP), so rather strange looking lunch without any carbs, veg, salad or fruit! (prawns, crabsticks, boiled egg, chicken breasts, fromage blanc).

I'm at the lower end of my (personal) range at the moment but that's because I haven't dared add in half the extras I'm allowed in this reintroduction process. I "gained" 300g yesterday but today's PP day is supposed to sort that out, yet I am allowed 2 x gala meals per week with wine too... slowly slowly I think because, for me, having none of something is easier than "some" still...

And don't forget Claire - you have boobs... I do not!

 

[clairejen]

Sorry, I didn't manage to get back here during the day, I've been having a major tussle with HMRC. Their website messed up the submission of a tax return I sent on Tuesday and I'm trying to get them to sort it out, no joy yet but at least the deadline has been extended by one day.

You are being good to be so careful, some days I think I have lost the plot as I take no care at all. But then I suppose the DDs make up for it, though some of them have gone a little awry too!

 

[Maintainer]

I think that's why this diet is the right one for me (at least at the moment). As it's SO strict, with absolutely no room for manoeuvre or a bit of this or that, I find it easy to follow. I don't have *little voices* in my head telling me that just a little of [whatever] won't hurt, cos I know deep down that it'll mess up the chemistry of this diet. So perfect for a *child* such as myself who needs strict rules!

Looking forward to some mussels, prawns, fresh fish and a big roast beef, plus lots of fresh veggies!

ONE YEAR A NON SMOKER TODAY! Have a great weekend (and thanks so much Claire!)

Joanne
I stopped smoking 365 days ago (1Y 14h 47m ago) and have saved £1,868.29 by not smoking 10,237 cigs. Last EVER cig: 31/01/2007 21:30. I stopped cold turkey. I have lengthened my life by 1M 1W 13h 5m

 

[clairejen]

Yay :happy096:, what a tremendous anniversary, well done. So that's your weight sorted, the smoking well and truly kicked, what's the next project ?

 

[Maintainer]

Thank you!!

I think this stabilisation is the current if not "next project"! It's not going to happen overnight. Going into a proper boulangerie this morning to buy my pain complet, queuing up while eyeing the fresh croissants etc (oooh the smell!!), was very painful indeed...

I've always dieted by cutting down on carbs. This time I cut them out. I have NEVER ever eaten them every day and not gained weight. This will be a real trial and error process.

[All the above to avoid having to say that I'll, say, learn Chinese by Easter!!!]

 

[tashy100]

ONE YEAR A NON SMOKER TODAY! Have a great weekend (and thanks so much Claire!)

Joanne
I stopped smoking 365 days ago (1Y 14h 47m ago) and have saved £1,868.29 by not smoking 10,237 cigs. Last EVER cig: 31/01/2007 21:30. I stopped cold turkey. I have lengthened my life by 1M 1W 13h 5m

WOW Thats wonderful - a real reason to pat yourself on the back. £1,868 amd 10237 really brings it home - wish I could get my husband to quit - got to come from him though. Very well done Joanne!!

 

[Maintainer]

Thanks Tash - good to see you're still around and about.

The price per pack I put, incidentally, was merely the price I paid my friends/colleagues who tended to buy them in bulk for me in the U.S. or Asia. Occasionally I bought them in France. The UK price is so horrific that I could never have paid that (of course I could have! had I had to!)

You're right that it has to come from within though, Tash.