Jo’s 2022 (hopefully final!) plan

[Jo1989]

Beginning of day 13 and still lazing in bed with my daughter. Will get up shortly but wanted to log what just occurred to me and feels really positive.

I’ve got a decent amount of disposable income but a huge amount of it seems to be spent on takeaways, deliveries and snacks (my guess would be around £500 a month which is HORRIFYING).

So for the last few months when I’ve been trying to get on plan, I’ve been trying to bribe myself by deciding to spend £200/300 on rewards when I complete each month; things like new leather laptop case, some nice leather belts, handbags etc (I have plenty of gorgeous clothes in my goal size, which have of course had limited wear ). For whatever reason, wrong mindset I guess, the bribery was not working!

However, I was feeling really good driving home from my haircut yesterday and decided to buy some new sunglasses on a whim, and yesterday evening I bought some professional shampoo and conditioner. Despite being quite vain (!) I’m absolutely awful at self care when I’m overeating so I think this would be a great new habit- to reward myself when I’ve maintained as well as while I’m dieting. So I’m seeing those purchases as my 2 week treat. Roll on week 4 treat!

 

[Jo1989]

I just wanted to add to my last post that I’m still thinking about, that the weekend before I got on plan I ate takeaways and junk all weekend and spent around £75 in total over two days and one evening and was OK with it.. and yet, I thought twice about spending £45 on haircare. What is that all about?!

 

[Jo1989]

GOD I’m grumpy today. My daughter has been whingy, C was out this morning as and usual, pushed his luck with the time he came back, and I came downstairs to give my daughter lunch and the house was a bloody tip.

I don’t think it’s diet related so much as hormonal but I know a binge would certainly be of (temporary) comfort. I’m not going to binge, which feels good, but doesn’t cheer me up!

My daily peeking at the scales tells me I’m still losing weight despite bloating but it struck me this morning that in the past that by now I’d be in the 13s not 15s, and that’s a bit sobering.

 

[Jo1989]

Eeek day 14! Two weeks down.

Went to the seaside with my daughter and husband and had half a jumbo sausage and Diet Coke. Clearly not strictly on plan but allowed low fat sausages and Coke Zero and I don’t find Diet Coke knocks me out of ketosis so I’m counting that as on plan and it made me feel included while they were eating fish and chips!

Much better mood today and slow cooked some Mexican spicy pulled beef while we were out and big thumbs up from husband so that was satisfying! In addition to getting E out and about and batch cooking for her yesterday, and getting a decent amount of cleaning done in the kitchen, feeling like a v successful weekend.

Also wore a lovely coat today I’ve never worn (can’t believe it fit actually) and started to wear in my lovely FF Chelsea boots so that felt like a win too. Very tempted by a Joules coat in the sale - can I count that as a 4 week treat if I buy it in week 2?!

Suddenly feeling VERY positive! I’m hoping this means I’m now fully in the zone (or it could just be my hormones have settled!).

 

[Jo1989]

Day 15 passed without much happening.

I weighed earlier than usual (9 instead of midday) and have lost a further 2.6lbs. This is around 2lbs lower than I hoped / have achieved in the past but weighing earlier will explain about a third of that, and also, I’ve never done plan when I haven’t been on the pill so hormonal fluctuations are bound to impact me.

Funny though, after a small shot of disappointment I moved on and had forgotten until now! I guess I’m off the view all I can do is be 100% on plan and the rest will follow.

My Cambridge consultant is coming tomorrow - will be interesting to see how that goes. With her, a buddy group, journaling and maintaining hydration / sleep, working to better hours and doing my OA workbook, I reckon I’m standing myself in good stead to achieve the loss AND the maintenance.

 

[Jo1989]

Day 16 - it’s been a good day!

Was 1.2lbs down this morning so think I was def retaining water. Will see how tomorrow looks.

I saw my CDC and she’s lovely. Couple of bits super encouraging for me.

Firstly, she’s got super duper fancy medical grade analysis scales (way better than the body analysis ones I have) which is a great motivator for progress, and will also be good in maintenance with exercise.

Secondly, I don’t struggle to drink tons of water at all, but she gave me some water flavouring samples I really like so they add a nice bit of variety.

And thirdly (and prob most encouraging) is I was talking about my worries about off plan meals leading to full on off days and she suggested I just see those days at stepping up to Step 3 and having two shakes and a low carb 600 cal meal which psychologically feels so much better then feeling I’m coming ‘off plan’ and then thinking ‘sod it, I’ll have a day off’.

Finishing a week of S&S products and then swapping to the Cambridge products next week and looking forward to it. I ordered all shakes as that’s what I’ve always used but my CDC did say I could swap if I get bored. I don’t think I will, but it’s a good option.

It’s funny, I never had ‘extras’ like water flavouring before as I thought it was pointless to have extra ‘treats’ on a diet but that’s ridiculous. It also kind of reflects my usual food eating mindset - if it’s not junk I don’t want it and don’t feel I’m getting binge ‘value’ out of it so I often don’t have extra bits and pieces I actually like (orange juice for example) because I feel it’s a waste of cals DESPITE probably managing 5000 cals on a weekend day (and clearly not cal restricting!). One to think on.

 

[Jo1989]

End of Day 17 and I think it’s starting to go quickly!

I’m absolutely in the zone although I had two lots of odd compulsive specific cravings today, though only for about a minute each. The first time I was procrastinating and bored and the second my daughter was annoying me. If I hadn’t been on plan I wonder if I’d have given in to those thoughts and started planning a binge? This time I just let them flow through me and ignored them with no engagement at all. Hopefully I can practice that to the point it’s habit.

Starting to bloat again although my period isn’t due til next week so not hugely impressed with that, but on the positive side, I’m firmly powering through my mission to get back to normal sensible hours and I’m loving it and am not as tired as I expected to be.

 

[Jo1989]

Aghh I forgot to update for Day 18! Good productive morning at work followed by lovely afternoon out with my Mum and sister for Mother’s Day. Had a couple of small sausages for ‘lunch’ and got some strange looks ordering that as meal but genuinely couldn’t care less as it was lovely to be eating but ‘on plan’. Felt hungry yesterday but seem to have lost my ovulation bloat and back on track with weight loss today so all good. Very positive on tackling today and moving into weekend.

 

[Jo1989]

Day 19 done and dusted! Very hungry today but not craving food as such. Putting it down to hormones and the point in my cycle.

Minimal news to report but interested in how I’ll get on tomorrow with a play date and pub lunch. Hoping l count it as a success.

 

[Jo1989]

Day 20 done and planned meal went really well - sausage, bacon and beans with total carbs of around 25g / cals 600 which was pretty much bang on what I wanted. I managed to resist the chips them came with (with the exception of two really crispy bits just to get the flavour) and I’m super proud as it’s the first time I’ve had a normal meal while dieting without just saying **** it for the rest of the day. Day included playdate at barn with cafe that sold delicious looking cakes but I just had water and was content with that.

Feel stupidly full tonight but also proud of myself. Drank an ok amount of water but now back loading two litres before bed so my sleep may be a little disturbed but I’m so pleased I don’t even care!

Happy happy.

 

[Jo1989]

Day 21 has been pretty good - fairly relaxed and easy although I have had some minor hunger pangs on and off which were probably more like boredom than actually hunger.

However, I went to sit outside with my husband and daughter after I’d finished all my usual Sunday sorting, and I got the most vivid flash backs to last spring / summer when I was on a diet (surprise!) but was doing a VLCD 6 days and then allowing myself whatever I wanted on a Sunday when we’d just laze about in the sun from 10/11 to 5 and then binge watch series all night. I was eating my very favourite foods - subway, crisps, cookies, chocolate, sweets and toasted baguettes and felt totally blissed out spending all Sunday stuffed knowing I was on plan in the week and still in control.

I have no intention of going back to that plan (I’ve got too much to lose and the losses prob took 6weeks for every 4weeks on full plan) but I thought I was totally happy I’d accepted never having crisps again and yet I feel totally gutted that if I do that I won’t have those super satisfied bingey days (which would of course have to balanced out to maintain). I think I’m doubting my choice on that front because I feel like moderation (maybe only allowing crisps on a Sunday) would be so much easier than abstinence but am I just trying to talk myself around?? I just don’t know.

Ive got 13 weeks to go of the diet so it’s not an immediate issue to tackle but for now I just feel so sad at the prospect of abstinence from my absolute fave food (and planned binges).

 

[Jo1989]

Day 22 and 4.4 lb loss. It’s funny, I’m weighing daily as usual, and I’m pleased with the loss but I’m not overly fussed by it. I guess because I’ve still got a good while to go?

Had a good day. I needed a mid morning nap as I was shattered (pos PMT, maybe hour change?) but I was still really productive and had tons of energy this afternoon.

Started my Cambridge shakes today and really not keen on them but I do feel I need my CDC for accountability, not so much now, but more for maintenance.

Nothing else of note to report!

 

[Jo1989]

Day 23 done and dusted. I let myself down a little going back to bed for a nap this morning and as a result was really restless and useless at work for most of the day, but diet on track so I’ll take that as a win.

Getting used to the Cambridge shakes now but they need tons of water to make them work.

Nothing else of note to report.

 

[Jo1989]

Day 24 (!) all good. Bit hungry today but nothing too bad and actually starting to like the Cambridge shakes which seem to fill me up more (they’re about 20% higher carb overall).

I ordered a gorgeous new notebook and pen from Kate Spade and they arrived today and I LOVE them. Going to start journalling on paper from 1 April and may use this diary less (or weekly / monthly perhaps?) but haven’t decided yet whether it’ll feel psychologically different to do it on paper with no chance of anyone reading it.

Regardless, ploughing on and almost quarter of the time I’ll need on plan done.

Managed to stay up this morning despite strong temptation to nap and feeling v pleased with that. From next week I’m planning on adding in some exercise (nothing drastic, just a 30 min walk three times a week), and I’ll increase the level every 2 weeks from there. Feeling very reluctant to do it at the moment but I imagine once I’ve started, I’ll enjoy being on the move again. Always the way!

 

[Jo1989]

Day 25 and weighed by my CDC on her fancy scales - apparently I have a metabolic age of 15 years over my actual age and a disgusting BF %.. however, it’s dropping off, so I won’t be disheartened.

Hungry today with pretty bad Thursday night emotional cravings as I was working late, but kept strong.

 

[Jo1989]

Day 29 and still going strong.

Journalling on paper instead but wanted to update weight - only 2.2 lbs this week but pretty sure that’s down to period bloating. Roll on next week.

 

[ProseccoLover]

Day 29 and still going strong.

Journalling on paper instead but wanted to update weight - only 2.2 lbs this week but pretty sure that’s down to period bloating. Roll on next week.

Well done you Jo! I hope you’re having a great week & enjoying journaling on paper. I’m a new member, started exante on Monday & I have found your diary really helpful so thank you & keep it up

 

[Jo1989]

Day 37 and down a further 4.2 lbs as of yesterday.

Doing fairly well still but bit picky last week (100 cals max generally but still not good!) and feeling a little tired. Still firmly on plan but feeling a bit bored of it and very aware I’ve got a long way to go.

Time will go regardless though, and I’ll be soon getting to weights where I fit back into old clothes and feel much happier physically so on I go.

 

[LeLe's Journey]

Day 37 and down a further 4.2 lbs as of yesterday.

Doing fairly well still but bit picky last week (100 cals max generally but still not good!) and feeling a little tired. Still firmly on plan but feeling a bit bored of it and very aware I’ve got a long way to go.

Time will go regardless though, and I’ll be soon getting to weights where I fit back into old clothes and feel much happier physically so on I go.

This is amazing

I'm new to this site and have started a thread on s&s myself called Slim and Save April 2022 start - have a look to learn a bit more about me. I have read through all the pages of your posts but the little I have seen looks amazing. Day 37 - well done. What are you have in terms of packs? I'm on 3 packs a day with 200g of veggies and I've replaced my protein allowance with 1 or 2 packs of thier very low carb tortilla chips and I'm on day 5 and I am 11lbs down already! I know it's a lot of water but still very please especially since my SW was 12 stone 4lb. Last friday i bought enough packs and snacks for the next 28 days and I promised myself I'd stick to plan no cheating or making excuses. Well done to you and we'll done to all

 

[Halley]

Great diary, I identify with alot of what you say, I personally cannot do any sort of plan that keto is a part of as it sends me beyond crazy but I’m so delighted it’s working for you.