Can I dip my toe in, please?

[junoesque]

Hi Jenny.
I was just coming on to find out when you were getting the good news!
4.5 LBs is excellent considering, and the best thing is that next week should be the exciting one!
I refuse to weigh myself until thursday, so as to avoid obsessive weighing (which I am prone to )

I'm still fighting these carb cravings, but coping pretty well. I don't feel deprived at all..I ventured into the pork scratching things yesterday.. That made up for a lot!!

I love everything but the dinners, which seem to be not much more than sauce, and the chicken curry I had on Friday was downright nasty.. is it just me?
Last night I made fajitas for my husband and I, and I had mine over lettuce as a sort of nachos, with creme fraiche, avocado and salsa.. It was gorgeous!! and the best thing was no bloated feeling afterwards. All it was was chicken, peppers and spice plus the rest.

What do you think? I not sure if I'm being stupid or adaptable..

Juno..x

 

[junoesque]

Hello Stephybaby and Goinggoinggone and welcome!!

I'm afraid I don't know much about xenical or the WLS route, but there are certainly people here who do !!

There are separate categories for both of them on the main page and all the people who can help you are gathered there, waiting to help. There is a lovely group here, all united in one cause. Everyone here has been down the same path or is on their way, and it' a great place to get inspiration or support or to have a moan..

Good luck to you both!

Juno ..

 

[IreneH]

Welcome back

Irene xx

 

[jenpen]

Hi Juno,
Hows it going? Hope the carb cravings are subsiding. I no longer feel hungery very often and seem to have a much smaller appetite altoghether. I do keep getting killer headaches though, despite being on d11 now and keep popping the paracetomol to dull them down. Just begining to get a bit bored by the meals and did myself and hub steak and salad last night for a change. I think its all the sauces that are putting me off a bit, i normally eat quite dry foods, if you know what i mean. Got a few days off work now as well so will see if this has any adverse affect.

Is it your WI Thurs??
Keep thinking of that amazing holiday to Africa!
Hope it all goes really well and please let me know how you do first week.

 

[junoesque]

Hi Jenny,
Yes, weigh in is tomorrow and the urge to weigh is HUGE!!!

..but..must...not..weigh.. myself..yet...

The carb cravings are subsiding and and I'm not hungry at all (ahh the warm blanket of ketosis descends..) but I want to eat during the day.. by the evening I can barely face it.

I know exactly what you mean about the sauces.. I love the bars, the breakfast and even the soups are great, but the main courses are beginning to ick me out. I have been char grilling chicken and having that with cauliflower cheese (scrummy scrummy) or ratouille, and I even went out for dinner the other night and had steak and swapped the chips for veg.. I have established that wine (dry white) has quite a low carb content so have had white wine spritzers when out. and I'm working on a way to have spag bol!!

All in all I'm finding it very easy to fit into my life (but the main courses may never be used).
How are you managing? Have you managed to get through the acid test of the weekend ok??

Juno ..

 

[junoesque]

Well weigh in was today, and my first weeks loss is...

9 lbs !​

I'm very pleased because I don't feel like I have had to change my life to fit the diet, which means it may .. just .. work!

Whoopee!!

Juno ..

 

[jenpen]

Hey Juno.....thats Fantastic!!!!!!
wow, wow, wow:happy096::happy096::happy096::happy096:
you have really got rid of your first bitesized chunk ( I think thats a really clever way of thinking about doing anything big and scarey).You are right about not having to change your life for this diet, it fits around what you and your family normally do- and we can eat real and tasty food ( what more can we ask for). arty0049:

Big respect to you.
What a boost for next week.
Well done again.
Jenny. x

 

[junoesque]

Hi Jenny,

I have been having killer headaches too, but I think it might be coffee withdrawal. I haven't been having as much coffee (because the coffee was really so I could have the biscuit ) and I think that might be it..

I had a fantastic dinner last night involving fake mashed potato!
I made proper cottage pie for the troops and made mine with the meat, veg bit and then made "mashed potato" from cauliflower!!

I thought it would be yuck, but did it anyway. Really well steamed (microwave!) cauliflower in a blender with salt, pepper and cream cheese, and it was a sensation! Much lighter texture than potato, but that just meant I wasn't stuffed to the gills afterwards.. whoopee!

Tomorrow is your weigh in day, isn't it.
Please let me know ASAP. It's great having someone just in front, blazing the trail!

Juno ..xx

 

[jenpen]

Hi Juno,
Well, week 2 over and 3.5lbs off this week.
I am pleased, but not "so excited I want to burst"

However, keep having to remind myself that its a maraton and not a sprint...... Must keep jogging along. I really want to lose 1 stone in a month and I know wt loss slows down after the initial splurge so I have 6 pounds to loose in the next fortnight to make this target. I will keep to the plan and keep chugging along...I am determined to get this weight off!!
The best bit is that i am now feeling very good. Satisfied by meals and not hungry or tempted inbetween. Killer headaches gone and yes, I think I have more energy. Being able to have cheese ( my all time downfall) and meat to nibble on is fab ( I have developed a passion for corned beef of all things- keep getting myself 2 slices to eat when Im in supermarket. I did have half a bottle of wine last night and really loved it. Felt quite lightheaded after it mind but it was my first alcohol for 2 weeks so to be expected. Have also had a few meals out this week, as off work few days with hub, but did not deviate from the plans.

I have found myself wondering if I am going to continue with Golower after this first month as its so expensive and I do think I could maybe continue low carbing following the guidelines of atkins or nerys and indias idiot proof diet. Am currently looking at both of these books and trying to decide. Would make eating with my hub more "normal" and I am quite a reasonable cook. I also am getting a bit tired of the runny sauces and having eaten everything at least once ( yes they are mostly very nice) feel ready to experiment a bit more myself.
What do you think? I only commited to GL for 1m and did not want to take out a longer financial commitement. Are you planning to stick with it long term?
You are doing so well Juno, Its great to have you as a friend on here. Your posts are inspirational and so well written and insightful.

Hope you are having a good weekend anyway
I'm having a quietish one at home and strangly for me- enjoying cleaning the house! Weird?
Speak soon. x Jenny

 

[jenpen]

Juno- Have added a pic of me in disguise.
Its me waiting to see Lady Gaga at glastonbury this year.
Yes, Im 43 and still go to glastonbury.

Next year I dont want to be hiding behind the mask

 

[junoesque]

Hi Jenny,
I was AWOL yesterday with family stuff.. sorry I couldn't get on to say :talk017: WELL DONE.

In the normal scheme if things 1-2 lbs a week is a pretty good effort. Don't lose sight of the fact that you've lost over half a stone in 2 weeks, without too much pain or self denial.

I know the losses under a VLCD are very seductive, but after the initial jaw dropping loss, they also settle down to 3ish lbs a week, only no food!

You are doing brilliantly..
(and by the way, the initial splurge is over, so 3.5 lbs is quite likely to be a normal loss.. wouldn't THAT be great!)

I also had a couple of meals out, and a couple (well more than that yesterday ) of glasses of wine, and I was able to do that whilst sticking to my guns which felt really good.

For me, obsessing about the diet and weightloss is always my downfall, so I planning on just treating the whole thing as though it isn't there.. I just don't eat carby things anymore... shhh..It seems to be working

I was at a little children's birthday party over the weekend, sat in front of the brownies, sticky buns and the extra gooey chocolate birthday cake with ROLOs on it, and I turned it all down!! Didn't even pick at it!! Wow, was I impressed at myself!

I don't think I'll continue with the GoLower plan after this month either, but I might still buy the bars and soups (which I really like) and the breakfast museli stuff.
I can't face the dinners, and it makes it really hard when I am cooking 2 different dinners every night, when all I get is a plate of watery sauce. I would much rather adapt what I'm making for everyone else..
After lengthy label reading in M&S yesterday, there are loads of things that my husband and I can both have (I just don't have the potato/bread/pastry element), and if I choose the sauce carefully, I can have that too.. (peppercorn sauce less than 1%!), so I would rather have a chargrilled chicken breast with peppercorn sauce than one of the main meal GL pouches!
I think what we are doing is closer to the southbeach diet than atkins, but really if you don't eat sweets/cakes/chocolate/bread/potato/biscuits that seems to just about cover it. I have had all veg and all fruit (just so happens that strawberries are the Diet Fairy's gift to all dieters!) and it all seems to still be working.

I'm so pleased that you are feeling great, too, because that's half the battle to forgetting that you are meant to be depriving yourself.

I still feel really positive about the whole thing!

Enjoying cleaning the house?.. I hope that side-effect comes my way!!

How was your weekend??

Juno ..x

 

[junoesque]

Juno- Have added a pic of me in disguise.
Its me waiting to see Lady Gaga at glastonbury this year.
Yes, Im 43 and still go to glastonbury.

Next year I dont want to be hiding behind the mask

When we stop going to things that we like because we think we are too old, then we need to reassess.

You go girl!!

(incidentally, I bought my husband tickets to see Paul Weller for his last birthday. It was mostly men, mostly over 55 and all of them playing air guitar and singing along.. now THAT was tragic! )

Juno .. x

 

[jenpen]

Hi Juno,
Wow- what amazing control at the kids Bday party. You should be very proud of yourself for not giving in ( even for that last rolo! )

I'm not having any fruit apart from Berries and I'm missing apples sooo much. Oh to have a lovely red crunchy apple to sink my teeth into. How can an apple be bad for me? But if I have one ( my carb counter book says they contain 21g carbs) will this not take me out of ketosis??. What other fruit are you eating? I know nothing about southbeach diet- and have been able to find out very little on here- Do you think its worth me getting this book to read to add to my enormous collection of diet books ( I do seem to have collected alot through the years- maybe oneday they will be collectors items and valuable!).

Have given into temptation this am and done a mid week WI. Shock / Horror I AM THE SAME WEIGHT AS SUNDAY- no lower. :sigh: My own fault really I know I shouldn't have but dunno how to get things moving more towards a loss for Sunday. Maybe I should try and increase fluids more- but already feel waterlogged with the 2lts per day.

Difficult few days ahead for me. I'm going to see my M+D this weekend which involves a 7.5 hour train journey on friday ( temptation and boredom personified) and then meals with parents for 2 days before home sunday PM. Have not warned them about my diet yet- they will think it another faddy nonsence and likely not be over supportive. Any tips???

Am feeling good in myself and still very positive.
Really glad you are doing sooooooo well and good luck for the WI tomorrow!

Let me know how your doing Juno.

Jenny xxx

 

[junoesque]

Hi Jenny,

I may not have given in to the cakie hell on Sunday, but I gave into the wine and I think that might be as bad. I had the headaches yesterday, so I probably threw myself out of ketosis and got back in yesterday :break_diet:
As a result not expecting fabby results this week ..Bad Juno!

Ooo, I don't envy you your weekend. I hate telling my family about diets and so forth, because, god bless them, they automatically go into sabotage mode.
"go on, have one.. one won't hurt" "it can't be healthy, not eating bread" "potatoes aren't fattening.. it's what you put on them"and so on.
If you mainly have meals out, then ask to swap carbs for veg (I have found that really helpful, and I haven't had one restaurant even give me a second glance, so I'm guessing thin people do it all the time ) but if you mainly eat at home :sigh:...

Just say you are trying to eat more healthily (they all understand that) and eat everything but the potatoes.. and watch out for the gravy!! It's runny evil!
Maybe offer to cook and go wild with the cauliflower and broccoli, or make brussels sprout soup (mmmmmmm) - slice sprouts thinly and pan fry in butter, when cooked whizz it up with some stock (chicken or vegetable) and cream (or sour cream) and serve with pine nuts.. yummmo. Or spinach with garlic butter (cooked it in the bag, melted butter in little plastic bowl and added garlic out of the jar, squeezed out the spinach in the bag after cutting little hole, put spinach in bowl and chopped with scissors.Mix.Serve)
.. or just break down and tell them..

Now, about this staying the same business. There is nothing wrong with staying the same, especially if you've been less than angelic on occasions.
You've been eating really good food, enjoying yourself and you haven't put anything on!! .. what's more, it's only 2 days into your week! All your little fat cells are only just sorting themselves out to mobilise..
I remember on a VLCD, any lapse and you could put half a stone on.. now that's demoralising!

I so agree about the water.... I have no problem drinking it. It's the coming out that gets me down. I was going to write a piece called "In praise of elasticated waisted trousers in relation to easy removal".
After the 10th time, undoing buttons and zips it gets a little samey..

If you are at your parents, is weighing in going to be difficult?
Now here's a dilemma.. weigh in on Friday and only have 5 days of weightloss, or weigh on monday after a weekend at Mum and Dad's.. Talk about Sophie's choice!

I'm waiting with bated breath to hear how you get on.. This is better than eastenders..

Juno ..x

 

[junoesque]

Hey Jenny.. I just found an iPhone app for carb counting!!

WooHoo!!!

 

[jenpen]

I ve never even seen an iphone Juno!

We live in the backwaters of west wales and technology has not yet found us. Often have to walk down a couple of fields to even get a phone signal!
Lucky you- is it good???

BTW. PLEASE, please , please write the piece on elasticated waists- that is soso funny and i'm right there with you.
x

 

[junoesque]

:sign0007:

Weigh in results for this week are a whopping 1 lb!

So.. I know where I went wrong and I won't do it again..
:sigh:

Juno ..

 

[jenpen]

Juno,
Thats great. 10 lbs in 2 weeks! Wow.
Thats 10% of your total target gone---Just like that. :happy096:

Dont be fed up or disheartened, after last weeks hugh loss it is prob your body catching up and needing some time too carry on. I don't think you've done anything wrong and if you had some wine- so what- think of all the things you didn't have like cakes, sweeties, bread etc.
Its a maraton, not a sprint.
Spirits up now girl - in the words of Scarlet O'Hara - Tomorrows Another Day and we will have lots of days to support one another on this journey.

Well done!

 

[junoesque]

Thanks, Lovey.. I needed that.

I think I've been careless. I haven't wanted breakfast for the last few days, so I haven't had any (which is apparently a cardinal sin.. you mustn't let your body go into famine or it starts hanging onto everything it gets), I had the wine (lots ) and I have been freely eating all fruit.

So, nose back into the wind, and off we go again!

Also apples are 10-15 carbs (you subtract the fibre) so you could easily calculate one into your life . I was eating grapes pretty freely.. I may as well have been eating chocolate!!

.. but as you say, I wasn't. That alone is a huge step forward!

I'll be thinking of you at your parent's this weekend. Good Luck!! Don't waste 2 weeks worth of effort on 2 days of pressure..
What a baptism of fire!

We are off to Greece for the first week of half term, weekend after this, but I'll be around next week. I'll catch up with you on Monday to hear how your weekend went!!!!

Juno ..

 

[jenpen]

Hello Juno, :wave_cry:
Well I'm back from my 600 mile round britain weekend ralley and have managed to put on half a pound :sigh:

Disappointed with myself and it wan't that I ate anything I shouldn't have- sticking to low carb food was actually quite easy. I even avoided a Chinese Take Away and had a steak and salad instead.
It must have been the Wine! And there was quite alot of wine involved over the three nights! Its very difficult to say no to really nice champagne and merlot and NZ savignon blanc- but i'm paying for it now.
I have checked and am still in ketosis so I am a bit p*ssed off with myself- but you know after my mid week stay the same- I am really not that suprised as I don't feel any thinner or slimmer.

What a pain though, half a pound on, after 8 days of not cheating on food at all! Only 6 days till my next WI and then I will have completed a whole 4 weeks of GL. I'm not gonna reach the stone in a month at this rate am I?

Does that matter though, I ask myself? In the grand scale of things. I am trying to optomistic about it and not wish for the impossible but rather stay on the straight and narrow (no wine at all this week now). Don't wanna beat myself up about it and loose heart.

Had a smashing time with the folks, they were not critical at all about diet and very positive actually. Was a very busy weekend, helping them move house after 40 years and transporting lots of furniture back to my home in Wales. Quite emotional at times, last time in my childhood home etc, but seeing their new place was great as I know they will be happy their for their future years.

How was your weekend?
Hope you managed to avoid the vino better than me!

Jenny. x