MWWWD (or Moonwatcher's Weight Watchers Diary!)

[moonwatcher]

Forgot to report WI result from this morning. Well it's not an official dieting WI really as I am doing the reset, but am keeping a weekly check on what is happening on the scales. I weighed in at 15st 3.2 lbs, so up 2.2lbs since last week, but have been over my TDEE every day and expecting some small gains over the reset period.

Stats so far over the first three weeks of the reset:

Week 1 + 0.6lbs. Average daily calories = 2268 (average 108 calorues over TDEE per day)

Week 2 - 1.2lbs. Average daily calories = 2137 (average 23 calories less than TDEE per day)

Week 3 - +2.2lbs. Average daily calories = 2323 (average 163 calories over TDEE per day)

Average daily calories over the first three weeks = 2243. Have gained only 1.6lbs over those three weeks eating over 2200 calories per day! Very keen to see what the remaining five weeks of the reset will bring.

 

[UKSerena]

Your Figures are intriguing but your Food definitely caught my eye more ;-) No change there then!!! OMG at the Monster Piece of Stilton! Did u manage to finish it? I really enjoyed my Cathedral City earlier, was the first cheese Ive really had in 20wks and it tasted oh so good! X

 

[moonwatcher]

Your Figures are intriguing but your Food definitely caught my eye more ;-) No change there then!!! OMG at the Monster Piece of Stilton! Did u manage to finish it? I really enjoyed my Cathedral City earlier, was the first cheese Ive really had in 20wks and it tasted oh so good! X

I did manage most of it minus the edges, but struggled a bit towards the end. It was about the size of a prepacked piece you buy from the supermarket. Even though I am somewhat of a cheese fiend it was a bit too much even for me.

 

[UKSerena]

I did manage most if it minus the edges, but struggled a bit towards the end. It was about the size of a prepacked piece you buy from the supermarket. Even though I am somewhat of a cheese fiend it was a bit too much even for me.

Too Much Cheese! Shocking! How's your Monday been? X

 

[moonwatcher]

Too Much Cheese! Shocking! How's your Monday been? X

I know. I never thought I would write the words 'Too much' and 'cheese' in the same sentence!

Had a bit of a confidence crisis today actually. The scales this morning show me up 'overnight' by 4lbs! My rings are tight today so I'm sure it is water/salt, but it did spark a sort of 'What am I doing?' day. It reminded me that at the moment I am up by a stone more than the lightest I got down to earlier this year and it all seems to have gone back on to my waist and stomach, which has made me feel like the Goodyear blimp today. Not helped by the fact that the new pair of trousers which I washed as per the instructions have shrunk (lengthwise only!) I had turned them down to get an extra inch of length out of them - good job I had, or they would have been flapping around my calves instead of my ankles!

I found myself thinking that maybe I should have a couple of really low calorie days to drop a few pounds, which I know is exactly what I should not do. Weight is such an emotive issue though - even though I fully believe I am on the right track with this reset, and I know that one day of water/salt retention is an unreal result, it doesn't stop the emotional feeling of being fed up of being so fat for so long and of just wanting to see tangible changes. I daren' t even take my measurements, but it is not good!

Logically, I find that when I eat three meals a day, plus two snacks, include fruit and veg and a good range of food and flavours, that when I tot up my food intake I am more often than not around my recommended calorie amount, even if I don't work it out in advance, which gives some weight (oh haha!) to the idea that my body is doing what is right for itself, and 'knows' what to do when it is given the chance. Am just fed up of being patient I suppose.

Am also still really tired, and although I remember reading this is quite common during a reset, around week three - four, I can't find where I read it, to read through what it says about it. I don't have any energy to exercise, can sleep at the drop of a hat, and feel like I am dragging myself through the day at the moment. You would think with fuelling my body better than I have been doing for ages, that I would have more energy, not less, which is why I wanted to read up on it again.

Well I think that is my moaning done for now! Will update today's food in a minute or two, then having an early night.

 

[moonwatcher]

Food update for Monday 7th October

Need to add a packet of crisps to yesterday's total, plus some more calories for the slab of choc cake (OH cut it!). Total calories for yesterday were 2165, 5 calories over TDEE.

On to today...

Breakfast - gluten free cereal flakes, milk and sweetener, with a cup of tea

Mid morning - Mrs Crimble's coconut macaroon and a coffee with milk

Lunch - cheese and tomato sarni with 2 slices of brown gluten free bread, more cherry tomatoes, an apple, a clementine and a pack of Mrs Crimble's baked potato cheese and onion snacks

At home after school - small piece of flourless chocolate cake with raspberries and a dash of cream, a cup of vanilla chai with milk

Dinner - pork chop with spicy lemon, cream and wine sauce, caramelised sweet potato wedges with tamari and lime juice, and apple sauce, runner beans, carrots, beetroot and cherry tomatoes, followed by fresh pineapple chunks, stem ginger with a little of the ginger syrup, and a dollop of greek yogurt



Several glasses of water. Total calories 2127/2160 (33 under TDEE, but slightly over on Saturday, so it will help to balance that out)

 

[Sweet as pie]

Weight can be so dishearting cant it, but this is obvioulsy what your body needs right now to help you in the long run, try and stick with it. How long do you do this stage for?

 

[UKSerena]

I was actually wondering the same?!? Is it different for everyone?!? X

 

[Atomic pink]

Try and keep your chin up Moonwatcher. You are doing something very scary and its the opposite to everything you have thought and been told for years about weight loss - your brain may rebell from time to time! Seeing the scales go up and feeling the inches get a bit "squishier" is really really difficult but you need to try and remember that you are doing this because your previous approach hadn't worked properly. The negative days do pass. I still have the odd moment of doubt myself, but they are few and far between these days. Stick with it. You will get where you want to be. And your body will be better nourished with more energy once you get there

Also: EPIC stilton picture!

 

[moonwatcher]

Weight can be so dishearting cant it, but this is obvioulsy what your body needs right now to help you in the long run, try and stick with it. How long do you do this stage for?

I was actually wondering the same?!? Is it different for everyone?!? X

The recommended time for the reset is 8 weeks - more if you are still gaining/losing and therefore need to adjust your calories. You need to be at a reasonably stable weight for your calorie intake before you start to cut your calories. I have just started week 4, so not quite half way through yet. I think (hope) it is unlikely that I will continue to gain the whole way through!

Try and keep your chin up Moonwatcher. You are doing something very scary and its the opposite to everything you have thought and been told for years about weight loss - your brain may rebell from time to time! Seeing the scales go up and feeling the inches get a bit "squishier" is really really difficult but you need to try and remember that you are doing this because your previous approach hadn't worked properly. The negative days do pass. I still have the odd moment of doubt myself, but they are few and far between these days. Stick with it. You will get where you want to be. And your body will be better nourished with more energy once you get there

Also: EPIC stilton picture!

I thought you would appreciate the stilton, Atomic!

I quickly talked myself out of the idea of some low calorie days as I am still committed to the reset. You're right though, it is not just about the food, it is about re-wiring your diet-brain too!

Any thoughts on the tiredness? I do find some days low on my figures for protein, but still higher protein levels than I was eating before, so don't see how it could be that?

 

[moonwatcher]

Tuesday 8th October

Breakfast - greek yogurt with some baked puffed rice/dried fruit/ginger/syrup mix (AKA failed rice 'flapjacks!), cup of earl grey with milk

Mid-morning - a Mrs Crimble's macaroon and a coffee with milk

Lunch - mediterranean style veg soup with beans (this was actually last week's leftover ratatouille with half a tin of beans stirred in - do love making a meal from leftovers), packet of plain crisps, an apple, a clementine, a cup of earl grey with milk

At home after school - a gluten free ginger cake slice with some of the ginger/rice/fruit mix and a splash of cream, one coffee with cream

Dinner - Warburton's gluten free wrap pizza with BBQ sauce, herbs and tomato base, cheddar, sweet peppers, jalapenos, garlic, olives and chorizo - everything that is essential on a 'basic' pizza, I think! Fresh pineapple, stem ginger and ginger syrup with greek yogurt

Several glasses of water.

Calories so far for the day -2010/2160. 150 calories left. Not sure what to use them on yet - maybe a chocolate options made with milk?

 

[UKSerena]

The recommended time for the reset is 8 weeks - more if you are still gaining/losing and therefore need to adjust your calories. You need to be at a reasonably stable weight for your calorie intake before you start to cut your calories. I have just started week 4, so not quite half way through yet. I think (hope) it is unlikely that I will continue to gain the whole way through!

I thought you would appreciate the stilton, Atomic!

I quickly talked myself out of the idea of some low calorie days as I am still committed to the reset. You're right though, it is not just about the food, it is about re-wiring your diet-brain too!

Any thoughts on the tiredness? I do find some days low on my figures for protein, but still higher protein levels than I was eating before, so don't see how it could be that?

Ooooo 8wks is quite a nice amount of time to eat all those yummy foods ;-) x Ps-Well Done on talking yourself out of those naughty calorie cutting days! X

Tuesday 8th October

Breakfast - greek yogurt with some baked puffed rice/dried fruit/ginger/syrup mix (AKA failed rice 'flapjacks!), cup of earl grey with milk

Mid-morning - a Mrs Crimble's macaroon and a coffee with milk

Lunch - mediterranean style veg soup with beans (this was actually last week's leftover ratatouille with half a tin of beans stirred in - do love making a meal from leftovers), packet of plain crisps, an apple, a clementine, a cup of earl grey with milk

At home after school - a gluten free ginger cake slice with some of the ginger/rice/fruit mix and a splash of cream, one coffee with cream

Dinner - Warburton's gluten free wrap pizza with BBQ sauce, herbs and tomato base, cheddar, sweet peppers, jalapenos, garlic, olives and chorizo - everything that is essential on a 'basic' pizza, I think! Fresh pineapple, stem ginger and ginger syrup with greek yogurt

Several glasses of water.

Calories so far for the day -2010/2160. 150 calories left. Not sure what to use them on yet - maybe a chocolate options made with milk?

Another fab day MW I never knew that Warburtons did GF! Learn something new every day Loving the sound of the Pizza toppings too (Minus the Chorizo of course!) Did u 'spend' your remaining 150cals? X

 

[Candygirl69uk]

I must admit, the thought of eating a 'normal' diet would give me the colley wobbles, I think it would take an enormous amount of will power not to worry about it and I think you're doing great. You have such a varied and interesting range of meals and your weight isn't really fluctuating that much when you take into account the fact that everyone's weight naturally goes up and down on a daily basis.

As for the tiredness, not sure, but I do know from my own experience as a type 2 diabetic, sugar affects my energy levels, I'm actually more tired when I've eaten sugary foods, sounds odd as the first thing most people reach for when they're flagging is sugary food but I actually feel more energetic and alert when my sugar levels are stable. Maybe you could swap one of your snacks for something savoury instead of sweet, see if that helps.

Hope I don't sound preachy, I think you're very brave and I don't think I would have the nerve.

 

[Atomic pink]

Glad you managed to talk yourself round. Not sure about the tiredness. It wasn't something I really experienced with the reset. I felt really "energised" and bouncy at the beginning and then sort of just got used to having more energy. I did keep the protein reasonably high though. I aim for 100g a day and usually get there which might help with the energy. Are you tracking your macro nutrients like carbs, protein, sugar etc? The suggestion to watch the sugar certainly is worth thinking about. Looking over your food diary it does seem like you might be eating bread products more often than you did (obviously not counting Atkins!) and they *might* have some effect on energy levels. Although I have to say the most likely candidate is surely having been ill and returning to school after the summer holidays and just being genuinely knackered!

 

[moonwatcher]

Ooooo 8wks is quite a nice amount of time to eat all those yummy foods ;-) x Ps-Well Done on talking yourself out of those naughty calorie cutting days! X

Another fab day MW I never knew that Warburtons did GF! Learn something new every day Loving the sound of the Pizza toppings too (Minus the Chorizo of course!) Did u 'spend' your remaining 150cals? X

They (Warbys) do quite a good range of gluten free stuff, but I think ther wraps are the best. Yep, I had the options, with half milk, half water. Very yummy.

 

[moonwatcher]

I must admit, the thought of eating a 'normal' diet would give me the colley wobbles, I think it would take an enormous amount of will power not to worry about it and I think you're doing great. You have such a varied and interesting range of meals and your weight isn't really fluctuating that much when you take into account the fact that everyone's weight naturally goes up and down on a daily basis.

As for the tiredness, not sure, but I do know from my own experience as a type 2 diabetic, sugar affects my energy levels, I'm actually more tired when I've eaten sugary foods, sounds odd as the first thing most people reach for when they're flagging is sugary food but I actually feel more energetic and alert when my sugar levels are stable. Maybe you could swap one of your snacks for something savoury instead of sweet, see if that helps.

Hope I don't sound preachy, I think you're very brave and I don't think I would have the nerve.

You are right about it not being wild fluctuations. I think it is just getting that brain reset to 'take.' Years of diet conditioning have had an effect I'm sure.

I was actually thinking today about changing my mid morning snack. Savoury snacks are not so quick and easy in the time I have (well, not the savoury snacks I would fancy) but I will have a think about what I could do to cover that morning gap... maybe some small crackers with a cheese triangle (gluten free 'ritz' crackers!) ,quiche, cold sausage, ham wraps... hmmm. Don't have a lot of savoury stuff in at the moment
but am just making a gluten free earl grey fruit loaf. Still sweet I know, but I do find a lot of the shop bought gluten free cake/biscuit type stuff is too sweet for my tastes anyway, and at least with home made I can cut down on the sugar/use sweetener. I have got into the habit of buying the shop ones to 'try them out', but a lot of them I wouldn't buy again - prefer my own!

Not preachy at all btw.I know my BS levels are normal because I keep a check on them, but that still doesn't mean too much sugar is good for me!

 

[moonwatcher]

Glad you managed to talk yourself round. Not sure about the tiredness. It wasn't something I really experienced with the reset. I felt really "energised" and bouncy at the beginning and then sort of just got used to having more energy. I did keep the protein reasonably high though. I aim for 100g a day and usually get there which might help with the energy. Are you tracking your macro nutrients like carbs, protein, sugar etc? The suggestion to watch the sugar certainly is worth thinking about. Looking over your food diary it does seem like you might be eating bread products more often than you did (obviously not counting Atkins!) and they *might* have some effect on energy levels. Although I have to say the most likely candidate is surely having been ill and returning to school after the summer holidays and just being genuinely knackered!

Will reply properly a bit later Atomic. Bangers and mash are sending their siren call from the kitchen!

 

[Candygirl69uk]

I now what you mean about finding quick savoury snacks, it's something I struggle with all the time. I get about 10 to 15 mins at work in a morning, I'm up at 5.30 and can't eat at that time, so by 10ish I'm starving and needing to eat, I usually end up with fruit because it's easy but I need to watch how much fruit I eat. Trying to tell the nurse this and it doesn't seem to get through to her, sometimes I get no break at all and rarely get to sit down long enough to eat something lie a sandwich. There's no wonder people don't eat properly nowadays, my meal times are always messed up and all over the place lol!

 

[moonwatcher]

Glad you managed to talk yourself round. Not sure about the tiredness. It wasn't something I really experienced with the reset. I felt really "energised" and bouncy at the beginning and then sort of just got used to having more energy. I did keep the protein reasonably high though. I aim for 100g a day and usually get there which might help with the energy. Are you tracking your macro nutrients like carbs, protein, sugar etc? The suggestion to watch the sugar certainly is worth thinking about. Looking over your food diary it does seem like you might be eating bread products more often than you did (obviously not counting Atkins!) and they *might* have some effect on energy levels. Although I have to say the most likely candidate is surely having been ill and returning to school after the summer holidays and just being genuinely knackered!

I track on MFP. Most of the time most of the levels are OK, but obviously when my protein is low, then either fat or carbs go up to make up the difference in the percentages. I wouldn't need as much protein as you because you need more for your gym workouts/weights etc., but I would still feel happier if it was consistently 'right' so will keep an eye on it over the next couple of weeks. Comparing to pre reset though, gram for gram my protein levels are higher, so 'go figure' as they say!

Yes, noticed the Gf bread creeping up - I really don't enjoy 'meal' type packed lunches as opposed to 'sandwich' types though. I think I got a bit salad-ed out on Atkins salad lunches, and hot food is a bit of a pain because of the queue for the microwaves in the staff room, so sandwiches are the easiest option, but I have tried to cut out the breakfast toast that I noticed was creeping in!

Re the tiredness - I actually felt more awake this morning than I have for ages. Was talking to a work colleague today and she commented on how much tougher my timetable is this year. I am still doing the same hours, but a lot more of the time is spent with more difficult classes/pupils, and this is definitely more tiring. I hadn't really thought about it until she commented on it. Have only just stopped feeling dizzy the last couple of days, from the bug we had, plus the whopping cough saga last year, and the medical stuff that has been going on in the summer hols (blood test tomorrow, which I hope is going to be the last one, unless my levels have risen again) so I suppose all of that takes its toll, regardless of the reset or not!

 

[moonwatcher]

I now what you mean about finding quick savoury snacks, it's something I struggle with all the time. I get about 10 to 15 mins at work in a morning, I'm up at 5.30 and can't eat at that time, so by 10ish I'm starving and needing to eat, I usually end up with fruit because it's easy but I need to watch how much fruit I eat. Trying to tell the nurse this and it doesn't seem to get through to her, sometimes I get no break at all and rarely get to sit down long enough to eat something lie a sandwich. There's no wonder people don't eat properly nowadays, my meal times are always messed up and all over the place lol!

I would happily snack on fruit mid morning but have to be careful when I eat fruit because of my IBS (generally have to have it with a meal or within about an hour of a meal) Grapes are usually OK any time, but grapes just don't seem to go with a coffee! I technically get a 15 minute break in the morning and a 50 minute lunch break, but it rarely actually happens like that! Looks like I am luckier than you with the breaks I do get though!