Moonwatcher's Atkins Diary

[Atomic pink]

Sounds like you've been mega busy at work. And are going to be for the foreseeable future!

Its difficult to get back on plan when you've got all of that going on, and you feel like you aren't getting anywhere. I am sure you will manage the re-restart though. Just concentrate on the non-scale positives you were getting from Atkins. And it did seem that you felt very in control of things while being on plan.

Sweet potato, turkey and spinach curry sounds utterly lovely by the way. As you say - a very healthy meal.

 

[ladyfelsham]

I think your dinner sounds fab - and I also think you've been pretty restrained food-wise, considering how hectic everything has been for you! :clap:

 

[moonwatcher]

Sounds like you've been mega busy at work. And are going to be for the foreseeable future!

Its difficult to get back on plan when you've got all of that going on, and you feel like you aren't getting anywhere. I am sure you will manage the re-restart though. Just concentrate on the non-scale positives you were getting from Atkins. And it did seem that you felt very in control of things while being on plan.

Sweet potato, turkey and spinach curry sounds utterly lovely by the way. As you say - a very healthy meal.

I think your dinner sounds fab - and I also think you've been pretty restrained food-wise, considering how hectic everything has been for you! :clap:

Thanks Atomic and Susie. I suppose we are often too hard on ourselves really. I have long had a theory that us 'regular' dieters have a strong perfectionist streak in us, which makes us beat ourselves up about our perceived failures and also contributes to that all or nothing mentality, also known as the 'sod it' approach! I see it all the time at school with some of the pupils I work with, who will try really hard to work through their issues until they get to a test or an assessment, then they decide that messing about and not bothering is the thing to do, as if they try and don't do well, they have failed in their opinion, but if they don't even try they can say to themselves that they didn't bother, and to them that is a better option that feeling they have failed. Obviously it is less extreme on the dieting front, but I think it is a similar thing.

Anyway, in the spirit of being good to myself, today is re-start day, *after* I have finished these delicious dark chocolate coated soft prunes, which my sister-in-law has just brought us back from France. She did bring some biscuits too, but they are in the bin. Prunes will be breakfast and then the re-start proper begins. I am a bit low on salad veg, so not quite sure what I will be having until I have had a good look in the fridge and got some shopping in over the next couple if days, but won't fall into the trap of 'leaving it for another couple of days until I have enough lettuce!'

 

[moonwatcher]

Oh yes, I am up another two pounds - which puts me at 14st 13.6 lbs, which I'm not happy with, but deserved I suppose. I won't change my posted weight but will work now to get back there!

 

[ladyfelsham]

You'll do it hun! I was the same - put on loads during and after my holiday, but didn't change my stats - just kept that as my short term goal and it has all gone yaye

 

[Atomic pink]

Hey moonwatcher, sorry to hear about the gain but I am sure you will get back down again. Falling off the Atkins wagon is a bit harsher on the scales but at least there are hopefully bigger losses once you are back on track.

I think you are probably onto something about the perfectionist streak. I don't think its something I have as much when it comes to food as I used to. I generally seem to be able to see the bigger picture with food choices so one indulgent choice doesn't automatically have to lead to a day of them just because I have blown it. I definitely have it in other areas of my life. The gym being a good example with me. If I am going I feel I have to go 5 times a week at least or else I'm not doing enough. And the story about your students struck a chord with me. There is a real safety for me in not trying my hardest at things because then i never really know whether I am capable of something or not. I approached my degree very much like that. I didn't attend lectures, I didn't do any reading until the night before exams and my dissertation was completely last minute and rushed. I ended up being 2% below a first in the end and in hindsight am really annoyed I didn't actually do some work :/ 11 years later I am not sure I have changed that much.

I look forward to seeing what you have on the menu this week. I love how inventive you are with low carb.

By the way those prunes sound utterly gorgeous. I am not surprised you aren't re-starting until after those.

 

[Goldilukes]

Oh yes, I am up another two pounds - which puts me at 14st 13.6 lbs, which I'm not happy with, but deserved I suppose. I won't change my posted weight but will work now to get back there!

We have all been there and purchased the ugly t shirt. You will get back to where you want to be if you stay clean and green, I know easier said than done but like Jim says it works. Or why don't you give a fat fast a go and see if that restarts scale movement? I read about on the Atkins website for stalls. Just a thought.

hope you are well n yourself apart from that?

 

[moonwatcher]

You'll do it hun! I was the same - put on loads during and after my holiday, but didn't change my stats - just kept that as my short term goal and it has all gone yaye

Well done on getting it back off again Susie. I hope I'm as successful. Feeling good about today - even though I didn't start properly until after my chocolate covered prune breakfast!

Hey moonwatcher, sorry to hear about the gain but I am sure you will get back down again. Falling off the Atkins wagon is a bit harsher on the scales but at least there are hopefully bigger losses once you are back on track.

I think you are probably onto something about the perfectionist streak. I don't think its something I have as much when it comes to food as I used to. I generally seem to be able to see the bigger picture with food choices so one indulgent choice doesn't automatically have to lead to a day of them just because I have blown it. I definitely have it in other areas of my life. The gym being a good example with me. If I am going I feel I have to go 5 times a week at least or else I'm not doing enough. And the story about your students struck a chord with me. There is a real safety for me in not trying my hardest at things because then i never really know whether I am capable of something or not. I approached my degree very much like that. I didn't attend lectures, I didn't do any reading until the night before exams and my dissertation was completely last minute and rushed. I ended up being 2% below a first in the end and in hindsight am really annoyed I didn't actually do some work :/ 11 years later I am not sure I have changed that much.

I look forward to seeing what you have on the menu this week. I love how inventive you are with low carb.

By the way those prunes sound utterly gorgeous. I am not surprised you aren't re-starting until after those.

The prunes were totally delicious. It is a good thing she only brought us a small pack!

I empathise with what you are going through x My body has decided to put weight on instead of losing it despite sticking to plan. Guess we just need to keep going till it works :hug99:

Yep Frona, you're right - keeping going is the only way. I have just posted on your diary - I like your positive plan!

We have all been there and purchased the ugly t shirt. You will get back to where you want to be if you stay clean and green, I know easier said than done but like Jim says it works. Or why don't you give a fat fast a go and see if that restarts scale movement? I read about on the Atkins website for stalls. Just a thought.

hope you are well n yourself apart from that?

I'm back on the wagon now Goldi. Don't suppose I'll be perfect but I'll give it my best shot. I'm really cold today, but OK apart from that. Do you have any plans for tomorrow? I'm planning to be in the garden and the greenhouses. Hope it is better weather than today though - we've had blustery winds and storms, alternating with blue skies.

 

[moonwatcher]

Food for today, Saturday 15th June

Pre re-start non Atkins breakfast - 5 chocolate covered French prunes

Lunch - home-made asparagus and spinach soup with lemongrass and one oz cream cheese

Dinner - long sweet pepper stuffed with beef mince, fried with a shallot, garlic, smoked paprika, lemon herbs and oregano, sprinkled with one oz feta, served with lemony wilted buttered spinach and guacamole

Snack - one small cube of comte cheese and 20g of cheddar with chilli and lime

Drinks - one coffee and cream, one tea with splash of almond milk, plenty of water

I know that there is no way I'll be low carb today with chocolate prunes, but the carbs for the rest come in at 23 -24. The proportions of salad and other veg are out I know, but to be honest I'm happy enough with eating a bit more spinach than technically allowed! Will post some pics later or tomorrow.

Tomorrow's planned food is bacon and egg cooked breakfast and roast beef and veg, so looking forward to that!

 

[Goldilukes]

(I'm back on the wagon now Goldi. Don't suppose I'll be perfect but I'll give it my best shot. I'm really cold today, but OK apart from that. Do you have any plans for tomorrow? I'm planning to be in the garden and the greenhouses. Hope it is better weather than today though - we've had blustery winds and storms, alternating with blue skies.)


That's great to hear! Cold seems to be part of this diet, even in the sun I can get cold...strange. Hot water bottle helps
sounds like you have a nice day planned pottering in the garden, hope the weather holds out for you. It's been drizzly and grey here too oh Nd I herd thunder last night too...love thunder. But hate the weather that goes with it.

Im just catching up on work today because tomorrow I'm up early and heading down to London to meet my friends. Will take some cream with me for the Starbucks Nd prets

 

[Goldilukes]

Love your menu for today lots of lemon and lime....I closed my eyes to the chocolate but seen the prunes they are meant to help take you for a walk to the park

 

[Atomic pink]

Food from yesterday looks lovely, Moonwatcher. Well done for getting back on plan in such delicious style. I wasn't aware that there was a limit to the amount of things like spinach you could eat on Atkins. I find the idea of limitting veg more off-putting than limitting other stuff for some reason. I guess its just such an integral part of diets like SW and WW to eat veg freely.

Hope the weather is better today for your gardening. It was truly vile yesterday. Felt far more like late autumn than June. I am not really a fan of very hot sunny weather and really enjoy rain and grey skys but even I have got fed up of the lack of sunshine over the last couple of years.

 

[Emmaline]

Such a nuisance when those pounds go back on after all the hard work of losing them but I'm sure they will go in no time with your menu..which looks great!

Had similar experience as despite being totally on plan plus two days of going swimming I haven't lost a thing this week!

Still..we have to keep plodding on no matter what if we want to get to our goals hey?!

 

[moonwatcher]

Too true Em. I'm definitely a plodder at the moment, but better that than a quitter!

 

[moonwatcher]

Love your menu for today lots of lemon and lime....I closed my eyes to the chocolate but seen the prunes they are meant to help take you for a walk to the park

I was pleased with the lemongrass in the soup. As lemon/lime juice is restricted and I like a good splash in my water now and again, it was a good way to get that lemon kick in. Prunes were delicious, though carb laden. No other effects though!

Food from yesterday looks lovely, Moonwatcher. Well done for getting back on plan in such delicious style. I wasn't aware that there was a limit to the amount of things like spinach you could eat on Atkins. I find the idea of limitting veg more off-putting than limitting other stuff for some reason. I guess its just such an integral part of diets like SW and WW to eat veg freely.

Hope the weather is better today for your gardening. It was truly vile yesterday. Felt far more like late autumn than June. I am not really a fan of very hot sunny weather and really enjoy rain and grey skys but even I have got fed up of the lack of sunshine over the last couple of years.

On Atkins veg are split into 'salad veg' and 'other veg', and on induction are basically limited to 2 measuring cups of the salad and one of the other veg. I don't think anyone got fat by eating too much spinach though (!), and it isn't a particularly high carb veg. I don't always measure my veg, although I am careful with the higher carb induction allowed ones, like onions and tomatoes. Until pay day I am using up what I have in the house, so am just doing the best I can with what I have.

Weather was great yesterday - got loads done in the veg plot (plenty of mega weeding round the edges and the paths) and the tomato greenhouse planted up. The weather is ridiculous though - I'm still in boots at work!

 

[moonwatcher]

Quick update for food as falling asleep with my nose in my kindle! Food yesterday was bacon, scrambled eggs, toms and mushrooms for brunch, beef, gravy, kale and a couple of roast turnip chunks, snack of cheddar with chilli and lime, and a little cooked pork. Drinks were coffee and cream (two), plus loads of water.

Food for today - Monday 17th June

Breakfast - two ounces cream cheese with splash of lemon juice and sweetener

Lunch - from the canteen - huge pile of tuna mayo with miniscule portion of salad - they must have had plenty of cans of tuna, but no fresh salad delivery!

Dinner - bowl of chilli - beef mince, quarter of a fried onion, mushrooms, courgette, chillies, tomatoes, herbs, sprinkle of cocoa powder and a ladle of the stock from yesterday's beef. Sprinkled with one ounce cheddar and a dollop of sour cream

Snacks - teeny cube of cheddar and two thin slices of pork sausage (matteson's style)

Drinks- one coffee with cream, one black coffee and loads of water

Interesting day - 'Sex and Science' with year 7s at the moment. You can imagine...

Once home, had a quick coffee, got changed, and fitted in a couple more hours in the veg garden before cooking the chilli. While the OH dug over the large greenhouse I planted a couple of pumpkins, four courgettes, 50 red salad onions, twenty french bean plants, sowed some radishes, rocket and perpetual spinach. Also put up the new runner bean support - a recycled display stand that the OH liberated from the skip at his work. Hoping the rain holds off tomorrow afternoon so I can clear the last two beds and plant/sow them up. If not, there are aubergines, melons, cucumbers and chillies to go in the big greenhouse - at least that will be in the dry!


No pics of today, but a couple from Saturday:

The asparagus, spinach, lemongrass and cream cheese soup

Mince and feta stuffed peppers with lemon buttered spinach and guacamole

 

[Goldilukes]

Your menu always looks amazing! I'm hungry now after reading it hope you are well?

 

[Atomic pink]

Food looks and sounds lovely. Excellent restraint with staff canteen and choosing tuna and salad, although the proportions do sounds a little odd.

Really admire your dedication with your garden. Would be lovely to see some pictures of it. Might even give me the kick up the bum I need to do something with mine!

 

[moonwatcher]

Will try and remember to get some pics Atomic. To be honest I think it is desperation rather than dedication this year, as it has got into such a mess, but we are gradually chipping away at it.

Food for yesterday - Tuesday 18th June

Breakfast - two boiled eggs with butter and black pepper

Lunch - I took in something to heat up for a change from salad- Turkey, turnip and courgette curry

In the evening - still quite full from lunchtime so had a couple of small pieces of flax loaf with a lot of butter and a little marmite

Drinks - water, black coffee and one coffee with cream

Snacks - cheddar cheese

Food for Wednesday 19th June

Tried one of Goldi's bulletproof coffees for breakfast as was pushed for time and was quite intrigued by the idea. Well it was a slightly adapted version as I didn't have any unsalted butter, so used salted. I also added a good sprinkling of cinnamon and a really tiny splash of cream - about a teaspoon. I was very impressed and the butter and coconut oil obviously did their job as I wasn't at all hungry for the morning. I liked it so much I had another one when I got in from work.

Lunch - cold beef salad with sweet mustard dressing - olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper and half a tspn of sweetener.

Dinner - omelette with grated cheese, bacon and fried tomatoes

Snacks - none

Drinks - water and the two coffees, one black coffee

Good news at work today - I am getting my contract renewed for the next school year. So, so pleased, as I love the job, and love the school too. Anyone who can say that after they have spent several science lessons this week with year 7s, on the aforementioned 'Sex and Science' subject must *really* love the job. Especially with the two boys who are trying soooo hard (without success) each lesson to embarrass me - bless 'em - they asked me yesterday if I would finish explaining what an orgasm was, as the teacher 'hadn't really answered their question.' All in a day's work...

 

[Emmaline]

Had a really good laugh at the two boys putting you to the test!! :8855:Little varmints!! (Better you than me) My daughter is a teacher ..in case I haven't mentioned before.. and she really loves her job too. Great that you have your new contract too.

Menu looks delish. Well done after your busy days.