Last time diary

[NotsofattyPatty]

My word, you're doing well with your Syns this week!

I do a mix of Red, Green and EE - I find I do better with Red days but if I do too many I start to crave carbs, particularly if I don't use my second HExB choice for potatoes and if I do that, then the day might as well be EE! Green days are useful if I want something like cauliflower cheese and chips, or macaroni cheese as I prefer to make a decent cheese sauce rather than one of the SW 'imitations'. I believe that the original idea was to alternate Green and Red days to get a good balance between protein and carbs, but many people seem to do a lot of whichever day they prefer. I can understand veggies doing Green days, but I know I wouldn't lose much weight if I had too many as I'm not good at judging when I feel full.

 

[lornameg]

Hi
i prefer EE really, much more flexible, and like you I would overdo the carbs on green
how are things in the UK, still grey and stormy here, it takes great courage, or foolishness to get in the pool with no sunshine....brrrr

 

[lornameg]

OK here we go.
i used an extra 9 syns last night, had my one, allowed small cereal bar, then ate two more...how stupid is that.
b porridge with half HEA milk, 1 tsp honey and a banana...1 syn
L JP and salad, yuna and vlf mayo and a ff fruit yogurt...1 syn
D penne, pepper and mozzarella bake with broccoli....6 syns for mozzarella.
thats 8+9 from last night...32/105
will save 20 syns for tomorrow, I love doing my syns weekly, happy to save some for a splurge.
so a few more syns to enjoy tonight.
? When we go back to live in the UK, DH wants to join a group...what is SW policy on doing weekly syns?

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

I've never been to group, but started off with online membership. As I understand it, Syns are like HExs ie use or lose them on a daily basis. For odd occasions, when you feel you need extra Syns, you are encouraged to Flexi-Syn ie set yourself as many Syns as you think sufficient - 30, 40 or whatever - and stick to your limit. However, you are not supposed to compensate on other days. Personally, I think a weekly Syn allowance is better because it encourages you to balance high and low Syn days. I would say that if a weekly allowance works for you, then it's a tweak worth doing. If your weight loss slows or stops then that is the time to reconsider.

You may get some interesting replies if you ask on the main forum for members experiences of the attitudes of Consultants to weekly Syns.

 

[lornameg]

Penne and mozzarella bake was delicious, will make it again.
B HEB toast, egg, scrape and scrape, banana...2 syns
L batchelors pasta and sauce with added peas and mushrooms....free
D turkey madras and rice....free.
snacks....2 tsp mango chutney....4 syns
cereal bar 5 syns
weigh in tomorrow!

 

[lornameg]

STS a bit disappointing, but heyho, in for the long haul.
B shredded wheat, banana and half HEA milk. 2 apricots
L mixed salad with ham and tinned salad, vlf mayo...1 syn. Ff fruit yogurt
D lean pork chop, new potatoes, broccoli and cabbage. Gravy granules...? 2 syns
S cereal bar 6 syns.
Making a good start as DDIL and boys come over next week!!
96/105

 

[hunnybee]

A sts is always disappointing but its just a practice at maintaining for when you reach your goal

 

[lornameg]

What a lovely, positive way to think about it..thank you

 

[lornameg]

B HEB toast, scrape and scrape, 3 fresh apricots...2 syns
L mixed salad, ham, tinned mackerel in mustard sauce, balsamic vinegar, apple....1 syn
D omelette, 15g grated cheddar, SW chips, baked beans and tomatoes cooked in balsamic vinegar
S lots of fruit, ff fruit yogurts
syns tba

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

I always tried to take the same attitude towards a STS as hunnybee - and a STS is far better than a gain! Our bodies can also be a bit slow to show the result of a good week so you may get a nice surprise next week. It helps if you can take a sort of ' che sera, sera' attitude. This is why I refused to put myself under any pressure to lose x amount in y period of time, as I knew that would lead to an overwhelming sense of failure on my part. Instead, I tried to focus on the overall picture, which showed the numbers going down, even if they lurched up and down like an erratic lift rather than moving serenely in the right direction like an escalater!

 

[lornameg]

Lurching up and down like an erratic lift describes my life, I think, not just my weight loss!!
the farmer next door has just started harvesting his plums, acres of them, en route for making into prunes...we are encouraged to pick as many as we want, so no more fruit buying for me for a couple of weeks!!
can you eat too many plums, I wonder?

 

[lornameg]

Awake very early this morning, having a cuppa in bed, so thought I would get my diary done.
B while the bread is fresh, egg on toast with scrape and scrape...2 syns. Fresh apricots.
L jacket spud with tuna and mayo(vlf) 1 syn and salad
D salmon steak with mash and peas. 2 heaped tsp tartare sauce...4 syns
7 syns so far.

 

[hunnybee]

Breakfast sounds lovely

 

[lornameg]

Proper fed up today...don't know why, just one of those days!
B special K HEB with mixed berries.
L jacket spud, a bit of tinned chilli....3 syns, amd salad
D paprika pork with rice..2 minute rice...1 syn, had half with dinner, the other half with ff vanilla fromage frais and berries.
syns to play with tonight. Going shopping, tempted to buy chocolate....here they have yummy chocolate with salt crystals in....beyond good. Will I stay at one piece, will I heck as like...do I care today...well, yes I do, am working really hard other days! Watch this space.
i actually had my hand on the chocolate bar when DH, bless him, said he would post to my mentor, notsofatpatty if I took it. Needless to say, I left it there!
syns were a slice of home made granary toast, scrape and scrape...8 syns
so, 12 today.
The imp who inhabits my skin in an evening ate 2 choc ices at midnight....NO...so 24 syns today.

 

[lornameg]

Must do better today. Have a loft to clear out, that should burn some calories!
B HEB cereal with half HEA milk and banana
L mixed salad with ham. Ff yogurt
D chicken breast stuffed with 15 g blue cheese...3 syns, wrapped in bacon. Mixed roasted vegetables.
snacks...going plum picking, so mainly plums today. 5 syns for choc/coconut bar
8 syns. Will try to keep at that to make up for yesterday

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

Ah - sorry you had a tough day yesterday. I know the feeling only too well, unfortunately; good thing DH was able to stop things from being too bad!

I usually find a night's sleep sorts things out and I hope it has for you.

Regarding today's food - which sounds delicious - it looks like a red day, unless you're having potatoes in your roasted veg? If no potatoes, then you can have a second lot of HExs in which case the cheese for the chicken may be a part A choice, depending on type. If you are having potatoes, you could count them as your 2nd B choice. A B portion is, off the top of my head, 200g of new pots, or 180g jp/wedges but both types must have their skin on.

I hope I've explained that clearly!

 

[lornameg]

Thanks, all very clear. I must relearn my red and green days, but I think I will take your advice and have a red day today.
a good red day, what good advice...
HEA x milk
HEA x 15g St Agur blue cheese, 125 mls milk
HEB 35 g cereal
HEB not decided yet
Syns...mackerel in mustard....1 syn
Vlf creme fraiche 30g.......3 syns
Small individual choc bar 140 cals = 7 syns

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

How did your Red day go?

I'm flattered that you call me your mentor! I'm pleased to help and give advice where I can, but I still make mistakes and although I've been an online member, I've never been to class, so don't take everything I say as gospel and, if you can, double check any quantities/Syn values etc I quote just to be on the safe side.

 

[lornameg]

Hey, you know so much more than me!
i thought red days were restrictive, but with 2 x HE's its not really that different to EE.
THE DAY WENT WELL, DINNER WAS LOVELY.
TODAY WE ARE GETTING READY FOR THE INVASION OF THE OTHER SET OF GRANDKIDS, DON't know if its us or the small outside pool that they love! Sorry for caps, not shouting, honestly.
B last of the bread, egg and scrapes...2 syns
L salad bowl, surf and turf, 1 syn for vinaigrette
D home made free chilli, DH speciality, with half a bag of 2 minute rice...1 syn
S we picked plums yesterday...warm from the sun, gorgeous, no worries about the superfree content of todays menu!
This will be the last long holiday with the children here, as we return to the UK at the end of Sept. The house will still be here, though, belongs to our son, so, best of both worlds for us.

 

[lornameg]

Won't have much time to write my diary this coming week, but will do my best to stay on track!
today..
B 1 shredded wheat and 15 g all bran with milk and banana
L lots of salad, ham, sliver of crusty baguette with a ripe Brie....no butter. 0% fruit yogurt
D pasta bake with free tomato sauce, 1 scoop of ice cream.
will be in touch when I can...spent an hour in the pool this pm, holding very lively 18 month old who was convinced that I should let go of him as he could swim!! Very lucky, temp 32 today.