Out on my broomstick and flying light as a feather

[Mally]

I don't have a diary no, do you think it would be wise to invest in one? That sounds delicious it really does, I absolutely adore coffee. I am glad there is a booklet coming otherwise I would be at a complete loss, ahaa. x

 

[slimsarah]

Haha just start a new thread on here 'mallys diary' and you can write all your thoughts in it. Love having mine to record my losses, have a whinge and a moan lol. I love reading people's diarys xxx

(sorry for hijacking your thread Lisa

 

[Lisa-Ann]

Hi Minimins peeps, just a quick update to say that I'm still around and have just been too busy to update my thread. I weighed myself this morning (a day late) and I've lost 8lbs on my first week on Exante. I'm really happy with this as I wasn't 100% and followed more of a working solution plan in the end great results. Hope everyone is okay? speak to you all soon. Lisa xxx

 

[slimsarah]

Wow well done love xxxxx

 

[slimsarah]

Hi how's it going for you? xxx

 

[Lisa-Ann]

Out on my broomstick and flying light as a feather - Lisa-Ann's Atkins diary

Hey all, I thought I would come and say hello at the start of my Atkins journey. It feels as though I have tried everything to lose weight recently without success and this is the final straw. I have never followed this plan before so Atkins is completely new to me. After being told to do Atkins at a recent medical appointment I went out and bought the book and have been reading and trying to get my head around it over the last few weeks. Today is day one and I've eaten the following:

B-3 small egg omelette with mushrooms, tbsp of cream and cooked using olive oil.
L-cup of raw spinach, Chinese leaf, celery, cucumber, green pepper and 3 slices of ham.
D-2 frozen beef steaks, cauliflower mash with tbsp butter, courgette, leek, flat beans and 2tbsp cream (see picture)
S-1 baby bel, 7 large green olives, 4 radishes, litre water, 3 peppermint teas, 3 coke zeros



I think it's going to take a while to get my head around it even after reading the book. I'm trying to track nutrition using an app on my phone although that is a little confusing when it comes to weighing vegetables. I'm not sure I got the veg right today and everything seems so green but I will continue. Off to bed now and can't work out if I'm hungry, craving crap and having carb withdrawals or just tired. Looking forward to meeting you all along the way.

Lisa-Ann xxx

 

[Lisa-Ann]

I can't wait to be slim - one day at a time eh. So day two is tough and I'm not feeling great. I'm finding it difficult to get any water down me and I'm missing caffeine. I keep thinking ummm will have a (yoghurt/piece of fruit/toast) in a minute and then I remember that I can't. Have put my fitness pal on my iPad and it is so much easier to use with Atkins than my net diary was and that app was expensive! It's now 39 days until my holiday - will be fab to be a bit trimmer by then and even to come home having lost (plan on eating the Atkins way if I can). What does everyone else do when they go on holiday? I need to have a wardrobe de-clutter and get rid/bag up for charity anything I don't wear/don't like/don't feel good in. My wardrobe ranges from a size 10 to a size 18/20. Will not allow myself to buy any bigger sizes. Although weight and clothes size makes no sense. I would have thought for my weight and height I'd be buying bigger than 18/20, but I fit into new look size 18 linen trousers the other day - weirdly bizarre. Anyway, I want to section my clothes in to sizes so I can see what I've got as I go down. I would hate to miss out on wearing all those bargains I bought to fit into because I was too busy wearing clothes that were too big it will be nice to like my body again. I dress in black every day at the moment. Tunic style dresses and tops with black leggings and cardy uggs. I want to wear nice irregular choice shoes and funky tights with little dresses with neat fitted belts around my waist. When slim I had an hour glass figure, it's not seen hour glass for the last couple of years and side on I look like three people. Anyway, positive mental attitude, my waist is about to shrink and it can't come quicker. Lisa-Ann xxx

 

[Lisa-Ann]

So I'm coming to the end of day two now and I've eaten the following:

B-2 egg omelette, including 4 brown mushrooms, 3 slices ham, grated cheese, and 1tbsp cream (much nicer than yesterday)
L-cooked and peeled king prawns, 1tbsp salad cream (didn't have any mayo at time)
D-pork belly slices, 1tbsp mayonnaise (been shopping now), leftover veg (green beans, courgettes, leek)
S-coffee with cream and sweetener, water, chorizo, coke zero, coke zero cherry






Today's dinner looks too much like yesterday's but was much nicer and my fitness pal is helping me to figure out whether I'm on the right track. I just hope I'm inputting it correctly. Hope everyone else is on the right track today and focused xx

 

[PogMoma]

Hi, just popping by to subscribe. Keep up the good work

 

[Lisa-Ann]

Thank you MissAshleyK. I'm definitely going to give Atkins a good whirl by trying to take each day as it comes. Are you following Atkins too, if so how are you finding it? Do you have a diary? Lisa-Ann xxx

 

[Lisa-Ann]

Day 3 and I really fancy something stodgy and preferably containing sugar. It's psychological I know as my body doesn't need sugar/carbs and if I continue to cut it out I will lose weight. I just hope these cravings disappear soon. I was in Asda last night with a list in my hand thinking ooh wow those goodies are on offer should I just pop them in my trolley and then realising oh no you can't you're abstinent, good job you've remembered. Putting how tough this is to one side, it's made me realise how much in the recent past I've put into my body without thinking, even forgetting later that I've had it, almost like I should be on channel fours secret eaters!! When I was told recently at the hospital to do Atkins my consultant suggested I must have been eating about 6000 calories to maintain my weight. I don't believe I was eating anywhere near that 2000+ maybe, but I suppose all this hidden/forgotten about calories do add up. So today I've eaten the following:

B-bit of a mix including leftover belly pork sliced, five slices chorizo, 3 cherry tomatoes, 4 green olives, small cheese cubed, tbsp mayonnaise
L-chicken breast, cup of salad including mixed leaves, cucumber, red pepper, pickled silver skin onions, olives, cherry tomatoes, tbsp mayonnaise
D-not planned this yet so will see what I fancy in a few hours
S-tea and sweetener, coffee, dash alpro soya milk, cherry coke zero, baby bel



I'm up to about 1000 calories so far but I know that with Atkins we don't need to worry too much about them, we just need to get the percentages right. My fitness pal has calculated I've had 15g carbs 6% and my fat is 57% and protein 37%, so I'll just try to be mindful of this a bit later and keep the carbs down to 5%. I'm worried I'm not strictly within induction as I've had mayonnaise and coke zero etc but I'm confident that I will crack this and learn as I go, but please let the scales show. Big weight loss next week, pretty please haha, hope everyone is doing well. Lisa-Ann xxx

 

[PogMoma]

I'm trying to get my head around Atkins at the moment. I lost a lot of weight on Dukan a couple of years ago but I didn't reach my target weight and didn't maintain properly so the weight has crept up again. Dukan was so hard and Aktins seems a lot "nicer". I know low carbs works for me so I will try stick to it. I don't have a diary here tho, maybe later on... The only thing about Atkins is that I need to count the carbs. I don't do well with counting anything, I tend to get obsessed with it all! I know it's not been long since you started but are you finding it easy to follow?

 

[Lisa-Ann]

I'm trying to get my head around Atkins at the moment. I lost a lot of weight on Dukan a couple of years ago but I didn't reach my target weight and didn't maintain properly so the weight has crept up again. Dukan was so hard and Aktins seems a lot "nicer". I know low carbs works for me so I will try stick to it. I don't have a diary here tho, maybe later on... The only thing about Atkins is that I need to count the carbs. I don't do well with counting anything, I tend to get obsessed with it all! I know it's not been long since you started but are you finding it easy to follow?

I'd say I'm learning as I go as this way of eating is completely new to me :-/ I've read the book and made notes but I think I might need to be stricter with measuring carbs. I'm using that app on my iPhone my fitness pal and it calculated 3 cherry tomatoes as 3 carbs earlier today and this really surprised me!! I'm confused by the guidance on salad and veg, do I weigh and calculate the nutrition for each item separately or chop it all up and see what fits in a cup? I guess I'll have a better idea when I step on those scales next week. I'm just a bit worried that without the guidance of a real person I'm making silly mistakes and not going into ketosis as I really want to start burning fat and lose all that water weight to begin with. So what is the main difference between Atkins and Dukan, I must admit I don't know anything about Dukan, have always followed mainstream plans before like slimming world, weight watchers, slim fast oh and Cambridge for a week. You'll have to keep me posted on how you're getting on. Have you stocked up the fridge with Atkins friendly foods yet? I've stocked up but not feeling there's much variety, I used to eat fruit and yoghurt for breakfast daily and I'm missing this now, I don't really know what to eat for breakfast - I avoided egg this morning as I wouldn't have been able to eat it on day three. I'm sure we'll get there xx

 

[Lisa-Ann]

I have to say that as much as how nutrition is calculated is confusing I'm enjoying adding foods to 'my fitness pal' and letting it work this out for me. Summary to end day 3 - I had 1350 calories (slightly less than yesterday) and I don't feel like I want to eat my arm so something is working. I was slightly over on my carbs (unlike yesterday which was spot on) by 4g so 7% of my nutrition today came from carbs, I'm obviously making a few silly mistakes and will need to watch this. On a plus, I feel like updating this diary is helping me to stay focused and keeping me out of the kitchen picking. My boyfriend had a chicken casserole for his tea and one foot in the kitchen and I'd eaten a couple of tablespoons of said casserole straight from the oven dish I had to make myself some dinner to prevent more picking.

D- salmon fillet cooked in the oven and served with 2tbsps Philadelphia and side of asparagus.


I hope tomorrow brings a burst of energy, decreased appetite and a craving for eggs lol night all and sweet dreams xxx
Ps. Picked up a cauliflower yesterday to use as mash it was £2.50!!!

 

[Lisa-Ann]

Day 4 and I've not stopped eating and updating my food diary all day. In summary, I've had 1430 calories which is more than 'myfitnesspal' recommends for me (based on the amount I would like to lose) but in terms of Atkins my percentages for carbs, protein and fat are spot on and I've had only 18g of carbs I've eaten the following:

B-chorizo, 3 baby bels, 2 gherkins
L-3 spiced lamb and mint sausages, mixed leaves, 1tbsp mayonnaise, omelette including mushrooms, tomatoes, red/green peppers, grated cheese and cream
D-a bit of a mix including gherkins, olives, chorizo again, phillidelphia cheese, smoked salmon slices
S-coffee, sweetener, coke zeros lots, dash alpro soya


I hope my appetite and cravings for sugar stop soon. I scanned a cadbury moose in my fridge earlier, it is low fat at 90calories but has 9g of carbs ouch. I threw it back in the fridge for my boyfriend, lucky get! I wish I didn't need to worry about how food affects my blood sugars. It would seem carbs/sugar are in everything. Any tips or advice welcomed. Hurry up weigh in day I need a nice loss to spur me on. Lisa-Ann xxx

 

[Lisa-Ann]

I'm going to turn in shortly and pray for a weekend where food is not the focus. I'm so used to the 80/20 mindset of dieting - good all week and weekend off. Evenings and weekends are my danger zones and this evening has been hard because I'm craving something I don't need and can't have namely sugar. I keep seeing stupid food adverts - chocolate fingers sweets etc. I think that's why I've picked so much today. Anyway, I'm going to see a friend in Liverpool tomorrow afternoon so that will keep me away from the fridge. If I remember when I get up I will try to boil some eggs to take with me. I've got some mince out of the freezer tonight to defrost as I'm going to attempt to make lasagne without pasta and using aubergine instead for lunch. Not sure how I will get on with the tomato sauce as I've always liked using a jar previously. Will keep you all posted on this. In general, I don't feel as bloated on Atkins, had no heartburn and I've started taking a multivitamin. In some respects I think I'm still searching for that full cant fit anything else in feeling that you get when eating carbs, I just need to take my focus away from food all the time as we eat to live not the other way around. Anyway sweet dreams all Lisa-Ann xxx

 

[Mis-behave]

When I make the sauce for lasagna - I use extra lean mince 500g, onions, mushrooms, coconut oil to cook it in, add 2 tins chopped tomatoes 1/2 tin water- knorr stock pot (not sure if ok with Atkins) and a few herbs and loads of garlic - cook on stove for 30/40 mins till nice and thick

Makes enough for 4/5 people less mince use less tinned tomatoes ..

Eggplant is lovely in it.. Grilled or baked before adding

Hope it works out!

following primal blueprint and experimenting with the 5:2 fasting diet

 

[Lisa-Ann]

When I make the sauce for lasagna - I use extra lean mince 500g, onions, mushrooms, coconut oil to cook it in, add 2 tins chopped tomatoes 1/2 tin water- knorr stock pot (not sure if ok with Atkins) and a few herbs and loads of garlic - cook on stove for 30/40 mins till nice and thick

Makes enough for 4/5 people less mince use less tinned tomatoes ..

Eggplant is lovely in it.. Grilled or baked before adding

Hope it works out!

following primal blueprint and experimenting with the 5:2 fasting diet

Thanks Mis-behave I'm going to try this tomorrow now (Sunday) as my trip to Liverpool meant I didn't get much time to cook today. I hadn't actually thought about grilling the aubergine, so this is a nice tip. I think stock pots are fine so long as they're low carb and low salt, but I can just count it. I'm still learning so I need to experiment as I go. Will keep you posted on results xx

 

[Lisa-Ann]

Day 5 - quick update before bed. It's been a long day that started out well and on plan. However, too many visitors later I didn't actually make time to boil some eggs and pack some Atkins friendly snacks. On a plus, I had peppermint tea and not my usual saturday tassimo latte treat. When I started this plan I decided to cut out caffeine, in reality I've switched most of my cuppas to herbal but the odd black coffee with a dash of cream/unsweetened alpro soya has now snuck back in there.

I weighed myself 2 days early today, I put a battery in my old WW scales and they showed a loss of 6lbs putting me in the 17s As I initially weighed on my wii fit board last Monday I got that out too and was disappointed to read of only a 4lb loss keeping me in the 18s for now I guess I have to stick with the wii fit board reading. Anyway, will not officially record weight until Monday as it might be better to read after a full week. Food wise today I have eaten the following:

B-2 egg omelette including onions, cherry tomatoes, grated cheese, tbsp cream, cooked using olive oil, side of mixed leaves, 2 gherkins, 2 olives and tbsp mayonnaise
L-Weatherspoons with my hungry pregnant friend I had a half roast chicken with small ramekin coleslaw, I didn't touch the chips or peri peri sauce (what is in peri peri?)
D-bad decision - boyfriend ordered a kebab when I got home, I joined him and ate some chicken tikka, lamb tikka, salad, mayonnaise and the worst bit I nicked some of his fries and ate them in a bit of naan bread (size of my palm x2) I'm now terrified about the damage I've done carb wise and I've paid for it as I've already upset my stomach!! Lesson learned, mind you it hasn't stopped the sweet craving in the back of my mind.
S-peppermint teax3, coffee/cream, diet coke (no zero at spoons), sugar free gumx1

Boyfriend asked me if I would sabotage my healthy eating plan now, I told him no I'm straight back on it. Got too this has to be something I crack day by day. I've had four and a half good days out of five so I must take this as a positive. As Will Smith said in an inspirational video (can't remember exact words but you'll get the gist) 'to build a house, you only have to lay one perfect brick each day'. So you see we are all a work in progress. Sweet dreams everyone Lisa-Ann xxx

 

[Lisa-Ann]

Day 6 - I'm going to back track now and fill in my diary from Sunday as I want to remain accountable to myself even when I'm slightly off plan. So, Sunday wasn't off to a great start as I didn't eat breakfast and according to myfitnesspal my calorie intake for the day was too low at just over 1000. I spent most of the day cleaning and breaking into a sweat. My kitchen definitely thanked me for it and while I cleaned I also prepared my low carb lasagne, albeit not quite as low carb as I would have liked, but it was fun weighing and writing down ingredients and nutrition as I prepared. The end result was lovely and even boyfriend liked it this is after he'd commented in the kitchen that it wasn't his kind of thing! So Sunday food intake was as follows:

B-nothing which I know is very bad as it will not help my weight loss one bit
L-2 baby bels, some pitted green olives
D-my new version of lasagne including mince, onions, courgettes, leaks, celery, tin chopped tomatoes, Italian herbs, topped with aubergine and cottage cheese and grated cheese (see picture), garlic bread (I counted it)
S-Tassimo costa latte, chocolate (didn't want to write that bit), coke zero, peppermint tea, trifle sponge (found one in a nearly empty cake tin)

I won't beat myself up about today, it wasn't an Atkins day and I won't be burning from fat stores but I'm learning as I go and I'm finally thinking about food in a more positive way than someone who would have normally just sabotaged everything by now. I've realised that if I want to be slim then I have to start being present where food is concerned. I suppose keeping this diary and logging nutrition with myfitnesspal is strangely therapeutic in someways. I'm also pleased that I got in the kitchen today and made a lasagne without using pasta, hopefully this little burst of let me create nice healing food will continue. Right I'm off to fill in my diary for day 7 now. Lisa-Ann xxx