StillTryingJoJo
Silver Member
Does it feel all alien eating so many calories?? How long do you think you will do it for? xx
MWWWD (or Moonwatcher's Weight Watchers Diary!)
- Thread starter moonwatcher
- Start date
moonwatcher
Gold Member
I think the recommended reset time is a minimum of 8 weeks. To be honest it hasn't been too difficult physically as I often used quite a high proportion of my weeklies at the weekend, so Sat and Sun weren't too bad apart from feeling stuffed on Sunday night. Then since last night I have had the hungry bug, which is said to be an indication that my metabolism did need the reset.
Psychologically it has been tougher I think. I am so used to dieting levels of food that having over 2000 cals for 4 days in a row without feeling guilty or under pressure to get back 'on plan' is quite strange. I keep reminding myself that 2000 ish calories isn't actually that many - only the recommended level for a non dieting woman to eat for health. It just seems so high to us because we are used to calorie counting and cutting down our food.
I have also spent part of every day wondering what the h*** am I doing, have I gone completely mad etc. That is how difficult it is to get out of the dieting mentality and makes me hopeful that this is going to be an important shift in my thinking, as well as long term in my weight/health.
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moonwatcher
Gold Member
Tuesday 17th September (day 4 of metabolism reset,eating to my TDEE level)
Interesting day today as we had the education correspondent/reporter from the local paper in the school 'being a pupil' for the day. Could have been a bit of a risk because you don't know how the day will go, but I think it went OK. Bit nerve wracking as he was in one of the classes I was in, and you wonder what he is writing in his note pad! Good job I kept moving around, or he may have wondered where the stomach rumbles were coming from!
Anyway, food for the day
Just after mid-night when woke up on the bed, really hungry - one white hot choc options, made with milk and a dash of cream
Breakfast - greek yogurt with maple syrup and chopped mixed nuts
Lunch - 1 1/2 gluten free white rolls with a little butter, cheese and pickle, one gluten free treacle tart, cherry tomatoes, Apple
Dinner - veggie curry night! Creamy coconut chick pea and veg curry, green lentil and onion dhal, saag aloo with lime, dollop of yogurt to serve
Snacks - one warm gluten free jam tart with a squirt of spray cream
Drinks - water, three cups of earl grey tea with s/s milk, one large shot of home made sloe gin
Total calories 2097/2160. 63 calories short, but may have a white hot choc option in a minute or two with a dash of light evaporated milk, which should take care of that! Shan' t worry if I don't have it though as I was around 30 cals over my TDEE on Saturday, so that will even it out.
Although I am certainly not expecting a loss I have been keeping an eye on the scales to see what happens. I immediately went up from 15st 1.6lbs at Saturday's WI to 15st 3lbs on Sunday morning and have stayed at that weight yesterday and today. That is pretty similar to WW weekends when I have had quite a few weeklies, although I have had a lot more calories than that on Saturday and Sunday, and again Monday and today. Will be interesting to see what happens later in the week.
Interesting day today as we had the education correspondent/reporter from the local paper in the school 'being a pupil' for the day. Could have been a bit of a risk because you don't know how the day will go, but I think it went OK. Bit nerve wracking as he was in one of the classes I was in, and you wonder what he is writing in his note pad! Good job I kept moving around, or he may have wondered where the stomach rumbles were coming from!
Anyway, food for the day
Just after mid-night when woke up on the bed, really hungry - one white hot choc options, made with milk and a dash of cream
Breakfast - greek yogurt with maple syrup and chopped mixed nuts
Lunch - 1 1/2 gluten free white rolls with a little butter, cheese and pickle, one gluten free treacle tart, cherry tomatoes, Apple
Dinner - veggie curry night! Creamy coconut chick pea and veg curry, green lentil and onion dhal, saag aloo with lime, dollop of yogurt to serve
Snacks - one warm gluten free jam tart with a squirt of spray cream
Drinks - water, three cups of earl grey tea with s/s milk, one large shot of home made sloe gin
Total calories 2097/2160. 63 calories short, but may have a white hot choc option in a minute or two with a dash of light evaporated milk, which should take care of that! Shan' t worry if I don't have it though as I was around 30 cals over my TDEE on Saturday, so that will even it out.
Although I am certainly not expecting a loss I have been keeping an eye on the scales to see what happens. I immediately went up from 15st 1.6lbs at Saturday's WI to 15st 3lbs on Sunday morning and have stayed at that weight yesterday and today. That is pretty similar to WW weekends when I have had quite a few weeklies, although I have had a lot more calories than that on Saturday and Sunday, and again Monday and today. Will be interesting to see what happens later in the week.
Sweet as pie
Silver Member
Food sounds yum must be weird eating 'so much' food but as you said it will do you good in the long run and great you havnt put on much weight so far.
Atomic pink
Gold Member
It all sounds very familar so far but you are doing really well. The curry looks delicious and sounds like you are spreading out the calories well through the day - an essential when The Hunger has struck.
I had several times where I would almost wake up in a cold sweat wondering what the hell I was playing at eating so much when I wanted to lose weight, that surely I was deluding myself and it couldn't possibly work. What I tried to tell myself if doing what I had been doing wasn't working and this approach did seem to have worked for several people who had been in the same boat as me. And as you say eating 2000-odd calories really isn't that many at all. That's NORMAL, its pretty much our previous eating that wasn't when we restricted ourselves so much. It is a big psychological barrier to get over though. I remember fairly on in my reset I was starving mid afternoon at work and had hundreds of spare calories for the day i got a wispa from the vending machine. I felt really self-conscious eating it in the office at the time but wouldn't now. I am very comfortable in how much food I am eating now and don't give a rat's arse what anyone else thinks about it!
Did you end up having any elderflower liquer? You have reminded me i have some in the cupboard as well. I think that's probably the hardest thing about the reset - being firm with myself that calories should not come from alcohol more than once or twice a week. It was very very very easy at the beginning to have a small glass of wine or a vodka and tonic 3 or 4 evenings to use up some calories. And it was a glorious novelty as well! Now moving back to it being a more occassionaly treat. Which is also easier having 300 less calories to play with now I am on "cut" calories.
I had several times where I would almost wake up in a cold sweat wondering what the hell I was playing at eating so much when I wanted to lose weight, that surely I was deluding myself and it couldn't possibly work. What I tried to tell myself if doing what I had been doing wasn't working and this approach did seem to have worked for several people who had been in the same boat as me. And as you say eating 2000-odd calories really isn't that many at all. That's NORMAL, its pretty much our previous eating that wasn't when we restricted ourselves so much. It is a big psychological barrier to get over though. I remember fairly on in my reset I was starving mid afternoon at work and had hundreds of spare calories for the day i got a wispa from the vending machine. I felt really self-conscious eating it in the office at the time but wouldn't now. I am very comfortable in how much food I am eating now and don't give a rat's arse what anyone else thinks about it!
Did you end up having any elderflower liquer? You have reminded me i have some in the cupboard as well. I think that's probably the hardest thing about the reset - being firm with myself that calories should not come from alcohol more than once or twice a week. It was very very very easy at the beginning to have a small glass of wine or a vodka and tonic 3 or 4 evenings to use up some calories. And it was a glorious novelty as well! Now moving back to it being a more occassionaly treat. Which is also easier having 300 less calories to play with now I am on "cut" calories.
moonwatcher
Gold Member
Deleted as posted too soon/twice,
moonwatcher
Gold Member
Was exactly the same on the scales this morning too! Initial reaction to that is that it seems pretty miraculous - even though I have read the science and can understand how it is supposed to work, to see the scales staying the same when I am eating over half as many calories again as I was before is quite amazing, Especially remembering weeks totally on plan when the scales insisted on going up. I even changed the battery in the scales this morning just to be sure!
The Hunger has definitely been upon me today Atomic. After breakfast, lunch (seconds of last night's curry, an apple and a treacle tart) and then half a graze box with two cups of tea about 2 hours ago, I am now starving again and tonight's duck breast with plum sauce and wedges (yum) is still a while off, so I am heading to the kitchen for half a gluten free roll with cheese and pickle, This is still in the fridge from yesterday's lunch packing, as I couldn't fit it in my lunchbox. This has an appealing irony to me!
One thing I have noticed is that if I feel hungry now just having a hot drink doesn't stop the hunger. On WW and other diets in the past I could often stop the hunger with just a tea or coffee, but that hasn't been enough this week - it has to be fooooood!
Didn't have the elderflower liqueur in the end as I had the sloe gin instead - so important to get an adequate fruit intake!
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moonwatcher
Gold Member
Wednesday 18th September
Tiring day today - several 'challenging' classes, but always some funny/touching moments to help make up for it!
Weight unchanged since Sunday, so far so good I think!
Breakfast - onken set yogurt with a little evaporated milk stirred in (bit tart otherwise), maple syrup and chopped mixed nuts
Lunch - leftovers from last night - saag aloo with lime, green lentil dhal and creamy coconut chick pea and veg curry, an apple and then later a gluten free treacle tart at the end of lunchbreak
Snack with a cup of tea when I got in from work - half a free graze box, shared with OH, It was salsa fresco with cheese corn biccies to dip in, chilli lime pistachios, apple trifle mix - dried apple pieces, raisins and cinnamon honey almonds (my favourite of the four) and a mix of fudge pieces, choc drops, dried cranberries and white choc almonds. All very tasty! Was hungry again within a couple of hours, so had half a gluten free roll with cheese and pickle.
Dinner - roast duck breast with five spice and honey plum sauce, thin spicy wedges and peas
Drinks - 3 cups of tea with milk, water, small home made plum vodka
Total calories - 2110/2160 - so 50 calories left - may have a tea or coffee later, again am not worried if I don't use them as I am sure I will be slightly over/under daily calories regularly.
Tiring day today - several 'challenging' classes, but always some funny/touching moments to help make up for it!
Weight unchanged since Sunday, so far so good I think!
Breakfast - onken set yogurt with a little evaporated milk stirred in (bit tart otherwise), maple syrup and chopped mixed nuts
Lunch - leftovers from last night - saag aloo with lime, green lentil dhal and creamy coconut chick pea and veg curry, an apple and then later a gluten free treacle tart at the end of lunchbreak
Snack with a cup of tea when I got in from work - half a free graze box, shared with OH, It was salsa fresco with cheese corn biccies to dip in, chilli lime pistachios, apple trifle mix - dried apple pieces, raisins and cinnamon honey almonds (my favourite of the four) and a mix of fudge pieces, choc drops, dried cranberries and white choc almonds. All very tasty! Was hungry again within a couple of hours, so had half a gluten free roll with cheese and pickle.
Dinner - roast duck breast with five spice and honey plum sauce, thin spicy wedges and peas
Drinks - 3 cups of tea with milk, water, small home made plum vodka
Total calories - 2110/2160 - so 50 calories left - may have a tea or coffee later, again am not worried if I don't use them as I am sure I will be slightly over/under daily calories regularly.
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moonwatcher
Gold Member
Can't upload any pics through the phone app tonight for some reason, so here is tonight's duck with five spice and honey plum sauce. There is a duck breast somewhere under the sauce!
wendycroxs
Silver Member
Looks well yummy 
Atomic pink
Gold Member
Oh yes - very important to keep the fruit intake up
And know exactly what you mean about the delicious (pun intended) irony of eating more and being more hungry. I hadn't really registered that hot drinks didn't work to curb the hunger, but I definitely recognise it now that you have said it.
The duck looks and sounds gorgeous. My favourite meat. I have some duck breasts in the freezer. Think they may have to feature in the very near future.
And know exactly what you mean about the delicious (pun intended) irony of eating more and being more hungry. I hadn't really registered that hot drinks didn't work to curb the hunger, but I definitely recognise it now that you have said it.
The duck looks and sounds gorgeous. My favourite meat. I have some duck breasts in the freezer. Think they may have to feature in the very near future.
moonwatcher
Gold Member
Well so far today I have eaten at 7.00, 9.00, 1.00 and 4.00! Every time because I have been soooo hungry! A bit difficult today because I have had the most awful headaches, dizzy spells, dodgy stomach etc., which normally would mean I wouldn't eat much. Although my head etc has made me feel that I don't fancy food, I have been starving hungry at the same time!
So, food so far for today, Thursday 19th September
Breakfast - 2 ounces gluten free muesli with milk
At 9.00am - one small piece of flourless chocolate cake (cut it into six, which only comes out at 108 cals a piece!) with evaporated milk light (the regular appearance of evaporated milk over the last few days is because I have run out of cream, and once the tin was opened I thought I would use it up)
Lunch - two white gluten free rolls (yep, two!) halved and made into open pizza toasties with a little butter, 3 ounces of cheddar, tomatoes, thyme and oregano, tbspn of HP woodsmoke bbq sauce, more cherry tomatoes with it, one apple
At 4.00pm - two gluten free crispbread with peanut butter and honey - too sickly really, but have no maple syrup or jam left
Drinks so far - water and green teas with vanilla
Haven't totted up all the calories yet. Not sure what we will have to eat tonight, but I have a real hankering for some Heinz cream of tomato soup, so that is a possible.
So, food so far for today, Thursday 19th September
Breakfast - 2 ounces gluten free muesli with milk
At 9.00am - one small piece of flourless chocolate cake (cut it into six, which only comes out at 108 cals a piece!) with evaporated milk light (the regular appearance of evaporated milk over the last few days is because I have run out of cream, and once the tin was opened I thought I would use it up)
Lunch - two white gluten free rolls (yep, two!) halved and made into open pizza toasties with a little butter, 3 ounces of cheddar, tomatoes, thyme and oregano, tbspn of HP woodsmoke bbq sauce, more cherry tomatoes with it, one apple
At 4.00pm - two gluten free crispbread with peanut butter and honey - too sickly really, but have no maple syrup or jam left
Drinks so far - water and green teas with vanilla
Haven't totted up all the calories yet. Not sure what we will have to eat tonight, but I have a real hankering for some Heinz cream of tomato soup, so that is a possible.
moonwatcher
Gold Member
Looks well yummy
Thanks Wendy. It was very, very good. I love duck. Although the duck breasts are small they are very 'solid!'
Welcome to my diary btw. Although I am in a WW diary I am eating to my recommended daily calories at the moment to reset my metabolism after years of on/off dieting. Thought I had better just mention it in case you where wondering about the calorie counts!
moonwatcher
Gold Member
Updating yesterday's food...
Dinner - large tin of Heinz cream of tomato soup with one and a half slices of gluten free bread. Hmmm, not as good as I remembered it. Have they changed the recipe I wonder, or have I been spoilt by home made soups?
More snacks - one packet of cheese and onion crisps, two fingers of twirl and a galaxy honeycomb crisp bar (this was gorgeous)
Drinks - water, green teas with vanilla, one earl grey with s/s milk.
Total calories for the day - 2547! Ahem - more on that in a minute.
Dinner - large tin of Heinz cream of tomato soup with one and a half slices of gluten free bread. Hmmm, not as good as I remembered it. Have they changed the recipe I wonder, or have I been spoilt by home made soups?
More snacks - one packet of cheese and onion crisps, two fingers of twirl and a galaxy honeycomb crisp bar (this was gorgeous)
Drinks - water, green teas with vanilla, one earl grey with s/s milk.
Total calories for the day - 2547! Ahem - more on that in a minute.
moonwatcher
Gold Member
Metabolism reset - the story so far.
I know a few of you are interested in how this goes, so some facts and figures for you.
My calculated TDEE using 3 exercise sessions a week in the calculations is 2160 calories per day. There are different calculators and equations around, but this figure came up the most. One did give me 2235 calories a day, but initially I decided to go for the 2160. It was extremely difficult to accept I could possibly eat over 2200 calories a day and not pretty quickly regain all the weight I have lost so far!
Calorie stats:
Saturday 14th (day 1) 2194. (+34 cals) Start weight 15st 1.6lbs
Sunday 15th. 2166 (+6 cals) 15st 3lbs (expected a gain here - body replenishing glycogen stores)
Monday 16th. 2165. (+5 cals) 15st 3lbs
Tuesday 17th. 2170 (+10 cals) Didn't weigh
Wednesday 18th. 2110 (- 50 cals) 15st 3lbs
Thursday 19th. 2547 (+ 387 cals) 15st 2.2lbs
Friday 20th (today) Don't know cals yet. 15st 2.6lbs
Only managed one session of exercise. Was going on the school sponsored walk today, which is about 7 miles and I was going to count it as two sessions, but am actually off work today. Horrendous headaches and glands sore yesterday, aching all over today and generally feeling bleugh, so it is a duvet day for me!
Official weigh in tomorrow, but as I am so amazed by the scales this week, thought I would post this now.
So, a gain yes, but only one pound total as of this morning since Sunday, and look at the calories I have been eating! Plus it appears I may be on the way down slowly.
Now I need a bit more research, as I think possibly I may need to up my calories. Yep, you read that right - I may need to eat more! The metabolism reset is supposed to be around 8 weeks, with some weight gain - more at the beginning which then levels off to maintenance. If I stay roughly around 15st 1lb - 15st 3lb then I suppose I am OK, but if I drop below that I think I will need to increase my calories to maintain during the reset, especially bearing in mind I haven't burnt the calories I had allowed for from exercise.
I feel great about what I am eating. Last night OH came back from the shop with chocolate and crisps. I looked at my stats and thought OK, I can eat these. I knew it would go over my daily allowance, but as I had dropped nearly a pound that morning, it didn't matter - maybe I need more anyway! Even if I don't, it was 200 or 300 calories. Normal (ie: 'naturally slim' and non dieting) people wouldn't worry about it, and after all the aim of a metabolism reset is not just about the calories, it is also about letting go of the 'two bites of that will make me fat' mentality.
The other interesting thing is my attitude to the scales. I have always tracked my weight regularly, and generally it doesn't upset me if they fluctuate during the week, but obviously there is still an emotional attachment and that down feeling, for instance when they suddenly go up for WI, after showing a loss all week. I have found I am very detached about what they are going to say - recording my weight regularly is for analysis of how the reset is going. I don't feel that this week's overall gain defines me. I suppose because I am eating properly and there is not that hard done by feeling you get when you have been so good and don't see the results.
It is too early to say this is a success, but so far I am extremely happy with how it has gone - much more successful than I expected. Despite everything I had read, I fully believed and was resigned to the idea that I would easily gain half a stone the first week!
Nutrition wise, I have been a bit low on my protein intake, but that is mainly because I have been using up what is in the house. Once I have done a bit of shopping I will have some good protein-y snacks in.
Atomic - if you have got this far, what do you think about the calorie levels? I want to do this right, and if that means I need to increase my calories to 2235 a day, then I am prepared to suffer that! My average over the last six days is around 2225 after the chocolate and crisps last night, so I'm sure I could do it!
Starving now (again) and ready for my eggs on fried bread breakfast!
I know a few of you are interested in how this goes, so some facts and figures for you.
My calculated TDEE using 3 exercise sessions a week in the calculations is 2160 calories per day. There are different calculators and equations around, but this figure came up the most. One did give me 2235 calories a day, but initially I decided to go for the 2160. It was extremely difficult to accept I could possibly eat over 2200 calories a day and not pretty quickly regain all the weight I have lost so far!
Calorie stats:
Saturday 14th (day 1) 2194. (+34 cals) Start weight 15st 1.6lbs
Sunday 15th. 2166 (+6 cals) 15st 3lbs (expected a gain here - body replenishing glycogen stores)
Monday 16th. 2165. (+5 cals) 15st 3lbs
Tuesday 17th. 2170 (+10 cals) Didn't weigh
Wednesday 18th. 2110 (- 50 cals) 15st 3lbs
Thursday 19th. 2547 (+ 387 cals) 15st 2.2lbs
Friday 20th (today) Don't know cals yet. 15st 2.6lbs
Only managed one session of exercise. Was going on the school sponsored walk today, which is about 7 miles and I was going to count it as two sessions, but am actually off work today. Horrendous headaches and glands sore yesterday, aching all over today and generally feeling bleugh, so it is a duvet day for me!
Official weigh in tomorrow, but as I am so amazed by the scales this week, thought I would post this now.
So, a gain yes, but only one pound total as of this morning since Sunday, and look at the calories I have been eating! Plus it appears I may be on the way down slowly.
Now I need a bit more research, as I think possibly I may need to up my calories. Yep, you read that right - I may need to eat more! The metabolism reset is supposed to be around 8 weeks, with some weight gain - more at the beginning which then levels off to maintenance. If I stay roughly around 15st 1lb - 15st 3lb then I suppose I am OK, but if I drop below that I think I will need to increase my calories to maintain during the reset, especially bearing in mind I haven't burnt the calories I had allowed for from exercise.
I feel great about what I am eating. Last night OH came back from the shop with chocolate and crisps. I looked at my stats and thought OK, I can eat these. I knew it would go over my daily allowance, but as I had dropped nearly a pound that morning, it didn't matter - maybe I need more anyway! Even if I don't, it was 200 or 300 calories. Normal (ie: 'naturally slim' and non dieting) people wouldn't worry about it, and after all the aim of a metabolism reset is not just about the calories, it is also about letting go of the 'two bites of that will make me fat' mentality.
The other interesting thing is my attitude to the scales. I have always tracked my weight regularly, and generally it doesn't upset me if they fluctuate during the week, but obviously there is still an emotional attachment and that down feeling, for instance when they suddenly go up for WI, after showing a loss all week. I have found I am very detached about what they are going to say - recording my weight regularly is for analysis of how the reset is going. I don't feel that this week's overall gain defines me. I suppose because I am eating properly and there is not that hard done by feeling you get when you have been so good and don't see the results.
It is too early to say this is a success, but so far I am extremely happy with how it has gone - much more successful than I expected. Despite everything I had read, I fully believed and was resigned to the idea that I would easily gain half a stone the first week!
Nutrition wise, I have been a bit low on my protein intake, but that is mainly because I have been using up what is in the house. Once I have done a bit of shopping I will have some good protein-y snacks in.
Atomic - if you have got this far, what do you think about the calorie levels? I want to do this right, and if that means I need to increase my calories to 2235 a day, then I am prepared to suffer that! My average over the last six days is around 2225 after the chocolate and crisps last night, so I'm sure I could do it!
Starving now (again) and ready for my eggs on fried bread breakfast!
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moonwatcher
Gold Member
Hi Nessa, nearly missed you there as I was inputting my mammoth post! As you can see I am currently doing a 'metabolism reset' so am eating up to my calculated calorie allowance for maintenance at the mo. I have kept my WW diary going though as I like it here!
Nessa29
Gold Member
All sounds and looks very interesting I will be following to see how it goes. Good luck Hun xxx
wendycroxs
Silver Member
Hi looks like your doing a good job
Look forward to reading more of your diary.
Good luck hun x
moonwatcher
Gold Member
Hi looks like your doing a good job
Look forward to reading more of your diary.
Good luck hun x
Thanks. It is very interesting after years of dieting, and so far going a lot better than I expected. Fingers crossed it continues to work as it should and then in a few months I can start slowly and steadily losing again!
