rhuba's tell-all food and exercise diary - comments and suggestions welcome!

[rhuba]

lucky thing, you!

i could'a stayed a-bed this morning for sure! tis always the way that during the week i crave a lie-in, then at the weekend i'm up at the crack of dawn, wide awake and getting the most out of the day! i never seem to get a lie-in any more! can't bring myself to waste the weekend somehow.

good luck with your eating today

 

[Little Noo]

yeah i see what you mean about not wanting to waste the weekend, although at the moment ive got absoutely nothing to do as ive finished uni and my work have cut my hours
so i only work 7 hours a week! so needless to say ive got a lot of time on my hands! its good for the diet though - lots of time to plan meals and concentrate on eating right, plus doing the odd bit of exercise when i feel the urge!!

 

[rhuba]

yesterday i felt funny. a little bit tired and feint, as if i hadn't eaten enough. i decided to up my calories to 1500 per day until the end of the week, to try and re-gain my flagging energy levels. note to self: do not take it as an invitation to eat 200 extra cals a day of choccie! make sure it is good, wholesome food that will replenish energy

i couldn't face the gym last night - i felt absolutely shattered, like my limbs were really heavy. i think i need to make more of an effort to get earlier nights when i'm doing so much exercise. nothing is worth getting sick for. i think a few early nights will do me the power of good, and i'll be able to get back on track with my gym regime.

anywho, yesterday's food:

2 weetabix w/100ml skimmed milk: 165
20 cherries: 80

lunch box including:
150g cucumber
150g mushroom
150g pepper
80g cos lettuce
80g cauliflower
ryvita thin w/ 50g mashed avocado
TOTAL: 245

minestrone slim-a-soup: 55
nut/seed mix: 150

3 quorn bangers: 180
100g smashed potatoes: 75
100g steamed green beans: 30
75g steamed sweetcorn: 80

small banana: 80
20g popcorn: 100
4 x breadsticks with hoummus: 180

TOTAL: 1420

Exercise: none (see above :sigh

 

[serafyn]

I get exceptionally shattered on diets too. Arn't they supposed to give you energy?

 

[rhuba]

i felt great the first couple of weeks that i upped my steps - really energetic and healthy. however i have also upped other exercise and been having a few late nights recently.

i think that coupled with low calories is going to deplete anyone's energy levels. i don't want to run myself into the ground, so i'm upping my cals for a few days and skipping the mid-week gym session. won't help to get obsessed, now!

maybe your cals are a little low serafyn. if i'm feeling knackerd on 1,300 you must be shattered on 1000! i don't think i could go much lower than what i'm on atm

plus, i think it depends on what you're eating. if you're not getting all the vitamins and minerals and nutrients you need, that'll make you feel crappy as well.

hope you feel better soon, lovely!

 

[rhuba]

Right, yesterday. i didn't so much fall off the wagon, as dive!! it was a concious decision. my calories have been pretty low for a while and my exercise levels pretty high. i felt like i needed a boost, as for the last few days i have been lethargic, headachey, woozy and a little dizzy. so: i skipped my mid-week gym session, upped my cals quite a bit (for one day only) and had an early night. (in fact i was so tired i had to go to sleep for an hour when i got in from work!! )

yesterday's food consisted of:

2 x weetabix / 100ml skimmed milk: 165
125g blueberries: 75

granny smith apple: 100

lunch box including:
170g tomato
200g mushroom
100g spinach
140g broccoli
120g sweetcorn
80g tin tuna with sundried tomatoes and basil
TOTAL = 380

soya yoghurt: 80
cup of tea & 3 biscuits : 200 (guess)

245g potato: 200
50g avocado: 95
sauce w/ tinned toms, green pepper, garlic & 50g prawns: 130

flump: 50
green & blacks cereal bar dipped in 70% choc: 240
2 x ice lollies: 150

TOTAL: 1865

Exercise: 12,636 steps. went for a walk at lunch time and after my tea. was too tired to do anything full-on at the gym.

I am now pleased to report that i am back on track. i have reduced my cals again to 1300, as i feel much better for the boost in cals, rest and a good nights sleep! will be going for a jog this evening, and jogging and playing tennis tomorrow, so the week's exercise will not be interrupted too severely. fingers crossed i haven't scuppered my chances of loss or even of STS!!

 

[Little Noo]

hey rhuba, ur diary looks fine from yesterday, glad ur feeling much better after upping your cals! i would imagine all the exercise you are going to do would definately mean that you wont sts this week! and if you do - its better than a gain!

 

[rhuba]

ARRRRGH! just wrote a maaaaassive post and lost it! grrrrrrrrrr!

will repost shortly....

 

[rhuba]

righty-ho here goes:

i'm not very proud of my weekend's indulgences, but as this is a tell-all food diary i must tell-all! saturday was not so bad, but sunday was horrendous. i'd appreciate any comments and/or telling off!! i have no idea how many cals i consumed yesterday, so i'm just going to use it as an opportunity to admit to them and move on....

friday:

3 x weetabix w 100ml skimmed milk: 230
apple: 100

3 x ryvita w/tuna: 205
lunchbox including:
100g spinach
60g green pepper
150g mushroom
170g carrots
130g red cabbage
150g celery
TOTAL: 150

cocopops chocolate snack bar: 85 (HIGHLY RECCOMMENDED FOR LOW-CAL CHOCCIE CRAVINGS!!)

3 x quorn snausages: 180
100g smashed potatoes: 80
100g broccoli: 30
100g cauliflower: 30

large cappucino: 100
weightwatchers cheese puffs: 75

TOTAL FRIDAY: 1295
Exercise: 40 min jog with OH, 13,227 steps

Saturday:

50g porridge/ 250ml soya milk, 15g raisins & 6 crushed hazelnuts: 345

apple: 100

falafel pita bread with salad, hoummus and feta: 450 (worth every calorie, absolutely scrummy!!)

soya yoghurt with blueberries and almonds: 125
fanta zero: 15

satsuma and teeny nectarine: 60
50g popcorn: 180
2 x weightwatchers cheese puffs: 150 - was having a savoury binge! shouls only have had 25g popcorn and one packet of cheese puffs, but i couldn't stop myself!!

TOTAL SATURDAY: 1425
Exercise: 12,744 steps

Sunday: :cry: :sigh: :wave_cry:

50g porridge/ 250ml soya milk, 30g raisins, 50g blueberries: 380

nectarine: 50
caramel snack-a-jacks: 100
flump: 50
satsuma: 30
small tin of dressed lobster: 45
pickled onions: 50

salmon fillet with salad: 300

now then, i bet you're all thinking that this looks fine! binge, what binge? ha. just wait for it........

after my delicious salmon fillet and salad the m-i-l brought out the most AMAZING trifle. layers of home-made sponge cake soaked in marsala wine, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries with a mix of organic vanilla yoghurt and double cream.

it was absolutely sensational and i felt completely justified in having a bowl as i had just jogged for 50mins from our house to theirs.

i then went to visit my pa to give him a fathers day card and a cuddle. my sister had made theses 'father's day cookies': white chocolate and orange. shouldn't have, but i had one. it was divine. i had another. everyone was gushing about my weightloss, my sisters asking for tips etc. i had another. i felt a bit sick, so you guessed it, i had another!

:break_diet:

after visiting my grandad and stopping for a cup of tea and a cuddle (seeing all four of us girls absolutely made his day so i was really pleased that i went) i went back to the oh's parent's house.

why did i do it? i had another cuppa, and another massive bowl of trifle!!!! WTF???? i was already full and felt sick coz of the sugar overload. even after that i wanted more , despite my bulging belly and that horrible full-to-the brim feeling.

TOTAL SUNDAY: have absolutely no idea, but probably horrendously high!!
Exercise: 50 minute jog/power walk, 11,591 steps

anywho. with that admission over, i would like to leave you. please feel free to comment on my awful indescretions. i fully expect a gain tonight after that shameful lack of control. however, although i have a sugar hangover today, i have given myself a strict talking to, and i almost feel like i needed it, as i am full of renewed energy towards the diet, and my excerise plan is in full swing!

am going to do 100 lengths tonight to make me feel a little better, and the mini challenge for me is to stick 100% to my diet until my holiday starts on the 3rd july - when i will start my 2 week maintenance plan, before resuming with the diet upon my return.

i have a plan. and i fully intend to stick with it to the bitter end.

sorry for the ramble. thanks for reading if you got this far!!!

rhuba xx

 

[sandyk]

Hi Rhuba

Right well I don't think I can tell you off in any way as I've had the most horrendous weekend (to which I can also add today)....All I can say is that even if you have eaten an extra couple of thousand calories (god it sounds awful but I'm standing there with you!) on a given occasion, it doesn't automatically equate to you putting on in weight what you have a consumed. For occasional binges, the body doesn't work like that....it's not as mathematical as we we would like to think - particucularly when we've painstakingly calculated a calorie deficit only to find our weight plateaued....

Anyway I'm kind of waffling now! I really wanted to ask you about this lunch box diet. It sounds really interesting, and I'm desperate to make my diet a lot healthier...

Firstly - you basically don't eat any starchy carbs in the middle of the day right? How do you keep your energy up? And you go to the gym a lot? I try to run a few times a week and/or gym/exercise DVDs, but I don't think I'd be capable - or I have it firmly planted in my head that I wouldn't be capable- of doing that without a good sized portion of bread in the middle of the day....Are you telling me there's another less calorific way?? Also do you exercise before dinner, and if so do you need to snack beforehand?

Secondly - you mention the likes of mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli in your lunchbox...are these raw? And no dressing of any kind?

And lastly - do you still really find yourself in the mood for more veggies in the evening?? Wow...

I'd love to hear some more of your healthy recipes....And also if you could tell me the secret to hight energy on a low calorie diet...I don't ask for much I know!! x

 

[Little Noo]

hi rhuba, i wouldnt feel too bad about the over-indulgence over the weekend - i know i definately wouldnt have resisted!! we are only human after all! and at least its given you a boost to stay on track for this week. when do you weigh in?

 

[rhuba]

thanks for replying sandy - i'll reply to your questions in a second, when i've spilled my guts about yesterday!

i had my weigh in last night and apparently i've put on 4lbs!!! :sigh:

i reckon it's got a lot to do with daily fluctuations, and the fact that last week's weigh in was ridiculously low. i was expecting to put some on even if i'd stuck to the diet to the letter. plus, even with my binge, i'm still in the 10s so i'm happy

another thing i've been wondering about is whether i subconciously sabotaged myself, as i'm pretty sure i'm not readyt o get to goal and start maintenance - i want to keep up the momentum of my cals etc.

anywho, enough of that rambling. it's over, in the past and i've moved on. yesterday i was very good:

monday 22nd june:

2 x weetabix w/100ml skimmed milk: 165
apple: 100

lunchbox including:
150g tomato
140g red pepper
140g cucumber
160g red cabbage
100g celery
TOTAL: 130

3 x ryvita w/half tin crab meat = 155
jelly: 30
7up zero: 10

mixed nuts: 200
skinny cow hot choc: 40 (had this in place of colleague's bday cake- it worked!!)

asian style pork and radish salad (with steam carrots and green beans, tablespoon of rice to soak up juices): 350

satsuma: 25
teeny nectarine: 40

snack-a-jacks popcorn: 30

TOTAL MONDAY: 1275
Exercise: nearly 13,000 steps (don't know exactly coz i forgot my bloody pedometer today! grrrr!)
also did 100 lengths of the pool in 63 mins. want to get this down to under an hour. we'll see what next week brings!

 

[rhuba]

sorry darling, crossed posts!!

 

[rhuba]

I really wanted to ask you about this lunch box diet. It sounds really interesting, and I'm desperate to make my diet a lot healthier...

Firstly - you basically don't eat any starchy carbs in the middle of the day right?
- not really, although the book tells you to add carbs such as oatcakes, rice etc on days that you are exercising. eg yesterday i had 3 ryvita with rocket and crab, as well as the veg.

How do you keep your energy up? And you go to the gym a lot?
- i find that i'm not hungry before i go to the gym. if i'm starving and feel like i can't do it without eating, i have a banana or something, but you can see from my diary that it rarely happens. i go to the gym monday, wednesday, friday and in between i go for jogs or long walks, depending on whether or not i feel like it!

I try to run a few times a week and/or gym/exercise DVDs, but I don't think I'd be capable - or I have it firmly planted in my head that I wouldn't be capable- of doing that without a good sized portion of bread in the middle of the day....Are you telling me there's another less calorific way??
- i used to have bread with my soup, but just found that it bloated me up and i hate feeling bloated when i exercise. the diet focusses on continuous grazing to keep your metabolism ticking over. i'm not following it to the letter at the moment, should be having more protein!

Also do you exercise before dinner, and if so do you need to snack beforehand? - i exercise between 6-7pm before my dinner. normally i'm fine to eact around 8ish, as the exercise keeps my hunger at bay for an hour or so afterwards.

Secondly - you mention the likes of mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli in your lunchbox...are these raw? And no dressing of any kind? - all raw, although you can steam them if you like. i've got a taste for raw veg though and i like to know that i'm getting all the nutrients i need from my 5-a-day in the book you can have dressings - homemade etc. i think i explained on the first page of my diary the principal ideas of the plan, have a ganders as i havent got the book in front of me now

And lastly - do you still really find yourself in the mood for more veggies in the evening?? - always! i'm one of those lucky people who absolutely love their veg!! one thing i am missing is all the fruit i used to eat, but you get much more veg for your calories, as they don't contain all the natural sugar that fruit does. i still manage to get a couple of pieces in. i've got a bit of ocd and can't do without my 11-o-clock apple!
Wow...

I'd love to hear some more of your healthy recipes....And also if you could tell me the secret to hight energy on a low calorie diet...I don't ask for much I know!! x
don't worry about it honey. i like to share my ideas and recipes when i can. i've got a book that i write my favourite recipes in, a lot of them are modified to be around 400-500 cals ie) reducing the amount of oil the original recipe states, while still making it taste yummy!!

hopefully i've been of some help, but i'd definitely recommend getting the book as it explains in much more detail what things you have. he also gives a 28-day plan with lunch box 'recipes' and all the recipes for home made dressings etc. when i up my cals for maintenance i may follow it a little more to the letter, but for now i sub my dressings and a little of my protein for extra fruit.

i'll start a recipe thread if people are interested? need to dig out my cookbook that is full of my scribblings - will do it this week

rhuba xxx

 

[rhuba]

I had to guess at my calories for dinner, i went for a meal out with my friend - made excellent choices and had a boost because she hasn't seen me for about 3 months and called me skinny but also consoled me on the loss of my boobs!

Tuesday went something like this:

2 x weetabix w/100ml skimmed milk: 165
100g blueberries: 60
apple: 100
jelly: 30

lunch box including:
150g celery
200g cherry tomatoes
150g cabbage
100g spinach
TOTAL: 105

3 x ryvita w/half a tin of crab: 155
mini nectarine: 40

dinner at tampopo: (calories estimated)
rare beef salad with a lime and peanut dressing: 250
cup jasmine rice: 205
wok fried greens (v small amount): 50

scoop of icecream: 150

cheese puffs: 75

TOTAL TUESDAY: 1385
Exercise: 11,042 official steps (would have been nearer 17,000 if i had managed to put my pedometer on before 6pm!!)

Although i went over my cals, i am still classing this as a 100% day because i walked loooooads on a non-gym day (so i reckon i defo burned off those extra 85!!) plus, my estimates were generous, so that i know i wouldn't be under

happy with tuesday: i managed to make really good choices, and really enjoyed it too!

 

[rhuba]

right, wednesday and thursday. here we go. have noticed the cals creeping up gently, so will reign it in:

wednesday 24th june:

40g branflakes w/ 100ml skimmed milk: 170
apple: 100

lunch box comprising of:
170g red cabbage
50g spinach
70g carrot
150g celery
250g cherry tomatoes
100g broccoli
TOTAL: 145

60g avocado on 2 ryvita: 185
jelly: 30
haribo sweets: 150
ice pop: 15

homemade pizza: 320
sweet potato and parsnip chips: 170

TOTAL WEDNESDAY: 1285
Exercise: 100 lengths in 65 mins at the gym and 9,661 steps

Thursday 25th June

2 x weetabix w/100ml skimmed milk: 165
apple: 100

lunch box comprising:
130g red cabbage
130g celery
200g broccoli
150g cauliflower
100g cucumber
TOTAL: 150

95g mixed beans: 100
jelly: 30
mushrooms: 35
biscuit + a 2 finger kitkat 200
2 x ice pops: 30

pan fried seabass with salsa verde style crushed potatoes: 400

banana: 80

TOTAL THURSDAY: 1310
Exercise: 100 lengths in 65 minutes at the gym and 9,470 steps.

I am going away to north wales for the weekend this weekend, so will be doing plenty of walking. must make sure that i make my walking target for the week!!!

has been a tempting week, there have been lots of biscuits and cakes knocking aorund the office, and today is 'full fat friday' as my (all-male) colleagues have christened it. this involves them going to the chippy and indulging in a massive plate of fish, chips, curry sauce and mushy peas. i have to say that so far, the smell of it has knocked me sick. i had one chip and i think eating all this fresh, raw veg has really refined my taste buds - all i could taste was fat and grease, it was disgusting!

am v. proud of myself

 

[sandyk]

HI Rhuba

I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to reply to your really helpful email...absolutely manic of late...I'm feeling very inspired by your posts so have ordered LB Diet book, should hopefully arrive tomorrow!

Would love to hear some of your healthy recipes, everything in your diary sounds lovely. I've been incredibly bold this week with my food choices, but planning to start afresh with tonnes and tonnes of veggies next week.

Thanks again! : )

 

[harriet2]

i wanted to say that your diary is very inspirational and if you could give me an idea of where i could find a book calorie counting book when i get to the calorie counting part in my weight loss, id be really grateful...every one ive looked at in the past is per 100g and i find it a real pain having to convert it..either that or is doesnt even list the item i want

anyway, just wanted to say thank you for being so truthful with your postings and im hooked!

oh the other thing was, how do you work out what level of calories you set yourself per day?

all the best

h xx

 

[harriet2]

where did ya go? lol x x