Last time diary

[lornameg]

Good to see you as well. What part of La Belle France are you visiting?
things here are getting much easier for healthy eaters...
there are no mullerlites, but activia 0% fruit yogurts are good. Fruit and veg...lots of choice, but dearer than the Uk. No flavoured cottage cheese.
Are you driving here, in which case, bring baked beans, low cal salad dressings, pickles, ww bread, brown sauce and english mustard, all are difficult to find and v expensive.
if you are coming to the Dordogne, there are specialist shops for the English, much like the Polish shops in the Uk.
eating out can be awkward, as the French love their sauces and oils...
you can ask for dishes "sans sauce"...without sauce, "cuit sans huile"....cooked without oil, salads always have vinaigrette dressing on, again, pas de vinaigrette should get you a dry salad...if thats what you want.
you can ask for cheese...Hea... Instead of the gorgeous puds, if you are very strong willed.
hope that helps a bit, come back to me if I can help some more

 

[lornameg]

Day 3
have done the shopping, SW friendly, so no excuses. Its cherry season, they are everywhere, so fibre rich ss days coming up
B 1 shredded wheat with a sprinkle of all bran, hea milk and chopped banana and pear
L jacket spud, tuna and vlf mayo...1syn, with salad
D bought a turkey leg, will slow cook it then make a curry...3 syns, with rice.
Activia 0% fruit yogurt and options choc...2 syns for the evening.
hmmmm, sounds like a good day!

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

That sounds like a very good day!

Thank you for such an informative post. I'm delighted to hear about Activia O%s being available - they're much nicer than Mullers. I'd forgotten about WM bread, so that's useful although I'm planning to take Ryvitas and Finn Crisps and I thought our own cereal. I'm looking forward to fruit and veg shopping in the markets - love mooching around those. We're going to Normandy - at the bottom of the Cherbourg peninsula near Avranches, so we look towards the back of St Michel; lovely beaches and little market towns and not too far for us to travel. We've always wanted to vist the Dordogne, but never made it!

Mmmm - cherries. Love them but the season may be over by the time we get there.

 

[lornameg]

Woke to a grey morning, but things change quickly, yesterday afternoon was 28 degrees. DH will hoover the pool this morning, so that I can start my daily swims, I do it straight from bed, as otherwise life gets in the way and it doesn't get done.
i gave in to a few squares of chocolate last evening...got by the evening munchies again, so need a couple of super good days,
B Heb bread, vlf spread, dry fried egg and 1 teasp ginger marmalade...2 syns. Banana for fibre
L 2 crispbread, low fat philly, roast chicken and half an avocado...10 syns. High, I know, but I love avocado and they have loads of good fats.
D chicken dinner with new potatoes , carrot, broccoli and gravy...3 syns.
E activia yogurt, and fresh cherries from the garden

 

[lornameg]

Cloudy day, but lots to before family come on holiday for 3 weeks
b 1 shredded wheat with 14g allbran, half Hea milk and a banana
l chopped salad bowl, all the usuals, with 7 olives, 1 syn, vlf mayo, half a syn, lean ham and a tin of salmon. I use veloute of balsamic vinegar for a dressing.
d omelette and SW chips with baby tomatoes microwaved with balsamic and mushrooms
thats 1.5 syns so far.....

 

[lornameg]

Late breakfast today, Heb bread, vlf spread 1 syn, dry fried egg and 1 tsp marmalade 2 syns. Orange.
no lunch, just a big plate of fruit mid afternoon, with 2 figs and 3 prunes 3 syns
Dinner was home made fish pie, 3 syns with broccoli and carrots
9 syns today, and no nibbling this evening as I have a fasting blood test in the morning

 

[lornameg]

Missed a couple of days but am back again.
B 0% activia cherry yogurt with defrosted berries and a banana
L salad bowl with usual veg, low cal vinaigrette 1 syn, 7 olives 1 syn, half a small avocado 6 syns
D beef casserole, SW friendly with boiled rice
syns 8, may have a small chockice. Sp..5 syns

 

[lornameg]

Back again...have had family visiting (am in France till Wednesday) then back to the UK. So much more healthy food choices in the UK, I am an Aldi convert...and so much cheaper.
anyhow...
DH has finally accepted that he needs to lose weight as well, so with two of us doing SW, mealtimes will be easier.
B HEB bread, vlf spread, dry fried egg and 1 tsp ginger marmalade....3 syns. SS fruit to follow.
L sliced smoked filet mignon (on promo, don't know what its like) salad and sliced cold potato with 2 tbsp vlf mayo ...1 syn
D salmon steak, frozen peas and mash. Ff fruit yogurt
evening...big bowl of chopped fruit to munch on.

 

[lornameg]

Missed yesterday, don't quite know how. It was a good day though...
B HEB bread, egg, vlf spread and 1 tsp marmalade...2 syns
L Half HEA Feta cheese in salad with 2 tbsp vlf mayo ...1 syn
D Roast lamb, all fat off, mash and veg. Gravy...2 syns. Mint sauce...2 syns

 

[lornameg]

Busy day today, getting organised to go back to the UK.
B egg and toast again...2 syns for marmalade and vlf spread
L chicken noodle soup from SW magazine
D spag bol with 15g strong cheddar on top.
i always use half HEA on milk for my cuppas.
loads of fruit, as always.

 

[lornameg]

B porridge HEB with 1 tsp agave nectar and milkfrom HEA . Banana....1 syn
L jacket spud, cold lean roast lamb and cherry tomatoes cooked in thick balsamic vinegar. 0% activia fruit yogurt
D thai duck curry from old SW magazine. DH loves cooking and now he is doing SW with me, we get more exotic dishes.
well, apart from 1 syn, I seem to be syn free....may have to buy a bar of chocolate!

 

[lornameg]

Well, here I am in the UK. We are in the process of moving home after 9 years of living in France.
it is SO much easier to SW from here, much more choice. When we are both finally back, we will join a new SW group nearby, but till the we plod on alone, well, not really alone thanks to this site!
B HEB bread with dry fried egg, vlf spread and 1 tsp marnalade...2 syns
L portion of Hairy bikers Jambalaya, quick and easy to defrost...3 syns
D going shopping to Aldi this pm, so probably bacon, egg and mash, with cherry tomatoes cooked in thick balsamic vinegar
0%. Fruit yogurt for pud, then 1 square of chocolate...7 syns
total....12 syns

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

Welcome back! Will you miss France?

It is easier to do it here as there is so much more fat-free stuff available. I think you'll also find shopping in general a bit cheaper too and clothing is definately cheaper. we were also surprised by the cost of petrol - it used to be a lot cheaper in France.

Your food is looking good , but 7 Syns for one suare of chocolate? It must be a very luxurious square!

 

[lornameg]

Hi Patty
my 10 years in France were a real adventure, kids were all married, parents had died, seemed to be time for US at last.we had a great time, but for me the dream ended before my husband, but we have got that sorted now.
SO
B HEB porridge with 0% vanilla yogurt, mixed berries and a banana
L salad with ff vinaigrette and crispy smoked bacon pieces and 20g reduced fat cheddar...half a HEA. Other half in 5 cups of tea.
D salmon steak with mash, broccoli and carrots. 1 heaped tsp tartar sauce...? 3 syns, will have to look it up.
E 2x small choc logs from Aldi, 5 syns each, and loads of fruit

 

[lornameg]

100% day yesterday. My new resolve to be able to eat just a small amount of chocolate a day is holding....so far.
B HEB bread, vlf spread, dry fried egg and 1 tsp marmalade....2.5 syns
L as yesterday, as it was delicious
D chilli and rice, 1/2syns. 0%. Fruit yogurt with mixed berries
E. Options hot choc....2 syns
1 small chocolate bar....5 syns
that leaves a few syns, so I can use them during the day.

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

Congratulations on the 100% day. It feels good, doesn't it?

Having smaller amounts of chocolate does get easier with time. I was a real chocoholic but I can go for days or even weeks without it now, although I admit I do still have the occasional binge on it. Generally though I find I actually enjoy it more for having less, if that makes sense? I did find that having indiviually wrapped things helped as actually unwrapping the portion seemed to act as a brake, perhaps because it gave me time to consciously think about whether I really wanted any more. The same worked for biscuits - another failing of mine - too.

 

[lornameg]

hi Patty,
thanks for your support. Something is just different this time, I have no desire to cheat, I want, and need to make this work. I am immobile at the moment, so I feel I need to be really precise. I was trying to eat as few syns as possible, but having read some of the posts on here, I now have them and enjoy!
how long have you been maintaining, people say it is harder than losing?
I am on my own for the next 3 weeks, DH tying things up in France before we come back here to live at the end of September. I find it easier just doing meals for myself, if I want to I can save my cereal and have it in the evening, and I DON'T have to eat meat every day.
best wishes

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

I'm sure it's easier when you're by yourself. OH and I have very different tastes and they've become more marked since I embarked on SW, so I often end up cooking two meals for at least 50% of evening meals? I don't eat breakfast and as I work but OH is retired, we also have different lunches. Many, but not all, of the 'naughties' I eat are as a result of the OH wanting to spoil me (and maybe himself as well)! If he were not around, I think I'd do better as I've got pretty good at avoiding the dangerous shelves in the shops!

Do you know I actually had to look up when I started maintaining? You'd think it would be writ large in coloured lettering in my mind, wouldn't you! The answer is since November of last year. I was trying to get to 10st, but it just wouldn't happen, so in the end I decided to settle at 10st 7lb and, except for a couple of blips (usually holidays), I've stayed within target range. Recently, I've been towards the lower end of the range. Basically, I've maintained by continuing to follow SW - I've learnt that you never really stop, but if you have a bit of time off, then you just get back with the Plan at the first opportunity.

It must be hard for you being immobile at the moment and I hope you soon get back to normal. Yes, absolutely have your Syns so that you have a bit of lee-way towards the end of your journey if you need it. I don't have all of them everyday, just what I feel I need, and I often use them on things which make a meal nicer - salad cream, gravy, aerosol cream etc. - so if I don't have biscuits or chocolate, my Syns for the day tend to be a bit on the low side. You'll soon find out what works for you.

 

[lornameg]

missed posting yesterday, but ended up with 11.5 syns, not too bad.
today is all planned,
B HEB toast with vlf spread, dry fried egg and 1 tsp ginger marmalade, and a banana....2 syns
L chopped mixed salad with cooked chicken. Vinaigrette....free with an Aldi free greek yogurt and some grapes
D lean lamb steak, broccoli and mash made from potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrot. 1 tsp mint sauce in natural yogurt....1 syn
I seem to be using my syns on rubbish foods, I must try to mix them in my meals a bit more

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

That looks like a good day.

As for using your Syns on rubbish things - at the moment I would say don't worry about it. If using them on that type of thing helps you stick to plan then that is better than using them on 'good' things but falling off plan. Once you're used to doing SW, then you can concentrate on making changes to how you use them as it will probably be easier because tastes do change as a result of the plan.