Learning to stay Thin Inside and Out

Thanks Sean. It's lovely to hear from you and great to hear you are back in your comfort zone and still maintaining well. I'm delighted for you! Thanks for your lovely comments and continued support. xx
 
sean well done on maintaining the WL
it feels good to feel healthy :)
 
Week 1 Day 2

Well, a stressful experience tonight, completely different to last night and, in part, my own making. Bit of a saga so bear with me.

Mum had been away for the weekend and arrived home last night. Her brother, my aged uncle, has been staying with us since Friday and will move over to stay at Mum's house from tomorrow, so I decided to invite Mum over for her tea and make them haggis, neeps and tatties. An easy meal which is mostly about getting the timing right so it's all ready for dishing up hot at the same time.

Monday night is a bit of a schedule juggle with the kids. Two arrive home with OH at about 5.45, the third needs to be collected from dancing at 6.15 and then one has to be taken out at 6.10 for Judo. In amongst all this they, and we, need to be fed. So, not really the best night to have my Mum over.

I got home early so I could prepare, but Mum beat me to it and set off on her normal non-stop talking approach to life. I did get everything prepared and ready to be cooked. Then OH arrived home and I started making tea for the two kids - they don't eat haggis (yet!). Meanwhile Mum and my uncle started to fall out and tempers were rising. Sheesh, kids are easier! I put the neeps on to cook and lovingly prepared my chicken ready for the oven with the aim that I would be sitting down to eat with Mum and uncle.

In between all the action Mum decided to go to the local shop for something and I forgot that I would need to go out to collect the eldest. I made the fatal error of putting my chicken in the oven just as OH reminded me I was running late - as he dashed off on the Judo run. Too late, mum had gone and taken my uncle with her so I couldn't ask her to collect in my place.

Here's where I should have taken the chicken out, but I didn't. Instead I dashed off and dashed back with child. Now my chicken was almost cooked but I hadn't got the tatties or haggis on. Adult decision. I will delay feeding the elders until I have enjoyed my meal. Got tea for hungry child and put out my chicken to eat with her. At this point Mum comes back and says she has to leave at 6.50pm for a meeting. Arghhh! Got up from the table and put tatties and haggis on to cook.

Sat down again and picked up my knife and fork. Child has finished eating and wants her pudding. 'You can wait a while' I say as I start cutting into the chicken and my tastebuds start to go mental. Three fairly satisfying mouthfuls in and Mum reappears, comments on the fact I'm eating and asks what time her tea will be ready. I said it will be ready in five minutes but I was trying to enjoy eating my own meal now it was ready. Mum then proceeded to talk across me to my daughter who started waving her homework in front of me.

Exasperated I put my knife and fork down and took my plate over to the side and concentrated on getting the haggis etc ready. As I was mashing the neeps, mum turned round and said she had cancelled her meeting and there was no longer any rush. I think murder was a distinct possibility at that moment!

Finally I put out their meal, got pudding for child and found myself with a piece of cold chicken in hand stuffing it into my mouth. Really, really not the way to do it. The portion had looked big - about 110g - but I didn't really have a chance to consider how I felt while eating it. I really think I overate and should have left some, but as I was eating on the hop I was eating without thinking. Bad, bad, bad. This must NOT be allowed to happen again.

As I say, an unsatisfactory experience largely of my own making. Arghhh. Now I feel really depressed.

Tomorrow I am away for the night working. I will find a supermarket to buy some salad leaves and either smoked salmon or cottage cheese and eat in my hotel room. I have some chicken marinading in lemon juice, ginger and chillies ready for Wednesday night.

I have learnt an important lesson tonight.
 
Goodness hun you didn't have any time for yourself in amongst that and it is so important to us to be able to do that at the moment isn't it?

It is a huge learning curve this RTM lark but we need those experiences to learn from them. Please try not to feel depressed - easier said than done I know.

Tomorrow night will be a totally different experience - yes you will be in a hotel room but you will have the opportunity to take your time and think.

Hugs

Kat xx
 
oh my gosh, one meal and so much going on wow, at least you survived it :)
it must be so hard with having kids around, im lucky in that sense i can put my nephew/niece to sleep and concentrate on my cooking w/o any interruptions :) cottage cheese is one of my favourites now, never liked it, how taste buds change :)
you'll do great on rtm im sure of that T_I
 
Babe hang in there, sounds like your day was manic. Next time, lock yourself away ;P At least tomorrow you are on your own to savour the food at your own leisure.

Sorry so short but long day and early start, more tomorrow hunni bun and big hugs

Jez
xx
 
Awww, sending you hugs!! That's a really harsh day for your second day of RTM! I really wish you a better 3rd. :)

But this is an important lesson too, life *does* get in the way, no matter how much we wish it wouldn't. Because you were on abstinence for so long - you haven't had to consider yourself in the 'eating' agenda even though there may very well have been hectic days like this previously. Now; you need to start planning out the time for YOU. And if there is no time - don't panic. Never ever panic. If there is no time in the present - you can always warm up your meal grill in the oven again for 5 mins (and make it all crispy with a sprinkle of Marygold's and herbs!) - and you could have had it with the rest of the family. :) Remember, slow down, and think... there are always options and other choices!


And Oh My God your kids don't like Haggis! SHAME ON THEM! ;) Heee, nah they'll grow into it. I know my taste-buds are definitely NOT the same at the age of 23 as they were at about 10. :D
 
Because you were on abstinence for so long - you haven't had to consider yourself in the 'eating' agenda ....

This is so true. I haven't had to prepare meals for myself and the shakes and soups took seconds to make up and not too much longer to take in. There has not been any 'me' consideration in meals for too long.

Never ever panic. If there is no time in the present - you can always warm up your meal grill in the oven again for 5 mins... Remember, slow down, and think... there are always options and other choices!

Thanks Min! I need to remember this. I did panic and get annoyed. I so wanted time to think about the food I was eating and enjoy every mouthful.

Much better experience today though.
 
I was finding food and the preparation of it a major hassle and pining for the no brainer days of food packs. However I guess we need to adjust ourselves back to the real world of food. However tough it is!

I was never much of a planner with food - just troughed whatever was to hand or in the fridge. Sooo many things we have had to rethink on this diet :)
 
Week 1 Day 3

I'm a happy bunny. Today I had a relaxed and enjoyable eating experience.

Hot shake for breakfast. Later in the morning I set off for Edinburgh. Stopped on the way for a coffee and decided to have a bar with it as it was about five hours since I'd had breakfast. Ideally I want to avoid the bars, especially as I'm not even enjoying them so much now. Guess I've OD'd over the last couple of weeks :eek:.

Worked from the hotel for a couple of hours and then went to Ocean terminal for a spot of retail therapy where I bought a few Christmas gifts and something for tea. There was an M&S food store so I let my tastebuds have a wander and took a bit of time before selecting 100g of Greenland peeled prawns, an 80g bag of babyleaf herb salad and a bottle of balsamic glaze.

Back at the hotel I put my food purchases on the windowsill (coldest place in the room) and got ready for the evening awards bash I had to attend. I had a third of a soup pack at 5.30pm just to put something in my tum before I headed off.

At the event there were drinks and canapes provided. I took the water and had quite a few glasses while there. I looked carefully at each plate of canapes as they came round and was very impressed with the selections of various meats and prawns on sticks with herbs/ spices and/or bits of veggies such as peppers. One cracker with cream cheese and smoked salmon was about the only carb I saw. I think I could have had an RTM week 1 compliant tea from what was on offer, but not knowing the exact content I politely declined each time. And I was looking forward to my prawns :D.

Back at the hotel, with no one else to think about, I set out the foods, bowl and fork and placed half the bag of salad in the bowl, followed by a shake of black pepper and a dash of balsamic glaze. Then I admired the colours and the quantity, wondering if it was too much. I tried one or two prawns from the packet... mmm sooo delicious and tasty and the texture was amazing.

In my own time I added the prawns to the bowl of salad and another shake of pepper. Oh I was drooling just looking at my first 'full' meal in over 10 months. It looked wonderful. As I tucked in I noted the intensity of flavours and textures and I thoroughly enjoyed every single mouthful. I took my time and although I expected to feel full, I didn't reach that feeling. Instead I feel comfortably sated and my mouth is still tingling from the burst of flavours and textures experienced.

Only thing - I still have 2/3 of a pack of soup to have but definitely don't feel hungry or in need of it. I do have some work to finish off, but I feel like I'd prefer something sweet if I have anything at all. Will see how I feel in a couple of hours.

xx
 
mmmmm cant beat the prawns i love them :)
t_i your doing great :)
 
TI hun, I totally adored your description of that meal!!! It was like I was eating it myself. I am glad I am not the only one who got the mouth tingling!! It is all the intensity of flavour I think. The salad really maeks a difference and from now on it just gets more and more exciting. I am just so damn thrilled for you hunni, you have no idea :) Well done on turning down the canapes and sticking to water - you go girl!!! You must have felt great feeling all slinky and slender at an awards bash.

So proud of you hun and so happy, happy, happy you had such a great meal.

Jez
xx
 
I think I will be having prawns a lot :D. Much preferred them to the chicken last night, but that may be down to the more relaxed atmosphere :rolleyes: or possibly the salad.

Yes, I felt good at the awards ceremony. I don't feel like I have to apologetically put myself out of the way in a corner any more.

Just adding on that I have not had any tummy problems to date. Reading some of the previous RTM blogs most folk seem to have felt bloating or discomfort or windy or worse at some point in the first week or so. Long may I continue to feel this good. xx
 
Hey TI, so glad you had a much better eating experience this evening.....it sounded a lovely meal.

Can't believe you were at Ocean Terminal, my work takes me just 5 minutes from there. Was not working today mind.
 
Staying in the Holiday Inn Express at Ocean Terminal tonight. Are you working tomorrow - send me a pm. Could meet earlyish am?
 
Good stuff T_I and yes prawns are just the most divine of foods.

RTM is an exciting time, enjoy every mouthful.
 
Staying in the Holiday Inn Express at Ocean Terminal tonight. Are you working tomorrow - send me a pm. Could meet earlyish am?
While you are at Ocean terminal you should treat yourself to the PURE Spa, it is lush, me and SIL go there a couple of times a year for a treat.
 
Week 1 - Day 4

Woke early and decided I would shift my butt and go for a run, so left the hotel at 6.40 am and did a 24 min jog/walk (as per my 5km beginners schedule) around Ocean Terminal. I felt really invigorated afterwards despite being buffetted by the wind and rain. Horrible weather today.

Breakfast comprised a coffee and hot vanilla shake in my room. I'm looking forward to being able to join colleagues and eat some fruit and yoghurt at the hotel breakfast rooms in the next week or two.

Spent the morning at my computer then headed off to site where the driving wind and rain continued. It was after 3pm before I left site and got on the road home. By then I was starving and so decided to eat a bar whilst driving. I really am going off the cranberry bars, but I'm kind of pleased about this.

Home by 6pm and straight onto the scales for a pre-meeting check. Looking good.. but do I eat before the meeting or do I wait in the hope of officially seeing goal? Waiting would mean eating after 9.30pm, which is too late for me. So I decided what the heck, I'll eat before I go and maybe I will never see goal or maybe it will be next week, but does it really matter? Nope, definitely not in the long term.

Food then. My chicken had been marinading in lemon juice, ginger and chillis for two days and smelt amazing when I took it out of the fridge to bake. I had the remaining half of yesterdays baby leaf herb salad and a dash of the delicious balsamic glaze and freshly ground black pepper - a veritable feast! The chilli was hot hot hot! Wow. I sat down to eat with my youngest and enjoyed her company and every mouthful of my tea, but found the chicken a bit chewy. At the moment prawns are streets ahead as favourite food.

At the meeting I officially lost 4lbs and am delighted. Now I'm just 1.5lb away from my goal and I can definitely achieve this next week - especially if I continue the running as planned. The girls in Developers were lovely and we discussed crooked thinking again. I'm definitely more aware of my thoughts and actions now. I feel like I'm getting somewhere. I also picked up a few of the new chilli pack to try this week. Might be nice as a lunch instead of the soup.

Just rounded the night off with a coffee and a hot banana shake. I love these and am struggling to imagine life without them - having had them daily for at least the last 40 weeks!

Going out for a meal with my uncle and mum tomorrow night. I hope I will be able to order something suitable, but if not I'll take a bar as back up. Tomorrow I may try a cup of tea with a dash of skimmed milk since I just realised this is now allowed. :)

xx
 
TI sounds like you are doing fabulous! Well done. I agree with the chicken vs prawns! I love them, and salmon!

Keep up the good work hun.

Kat xx
 
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