Scrumbles' diary...life after losing a third of me...

[Scrumbles]

^^^

Feeling better for this gorgeous weather - really lifts the spirits, doesn't it?

I forgot to log yesterday's food here, but I know it came in at about 1550 calories and 24g carbs, so pretty much where I want to be for the moment. This is now my fourth day back on plan, but I can't say I've noticed any "flu" type symptoms, or even things I'd associate with ketosis (excessive peeing/thirst, mostly). Still too soon, perhaps?

I'm trying to eat as clean as possible, though I haven't eliminated my daily mug of tea with milk yet (finding it really hard to do that ). I can drink weak black tea, or green tea, but I can't seem to make myself do it at the moment. I suppose it gives me something to blame if I still haven't lost any more weight by next week, lol.

Today's food:

B - coffee with cream, cheese omelette with frankfurter

L - tuna with cabbage stir-fried in coconut oil and madras curry powder

S - Edam and a mug of tea (with milk )

D - smoked mackerel fillets with herb salad, tomatoes and mayo

1540 cals, but only 16g carbs which is not ideal. Must plan a bit better tomorrow...

 

[TinaLouise]

The only thing holding you back at this point may just be the milk
I use cream (35% fat) with my tea and it doesn't separate with a layer of fat, which I find with dbl cream.
xx

 

[Scrumbles]

The only thing holding you back at this point may just be the milk
I use cream (35% fat) with my tea and it doesn't separate with a layer of fat, which I find with dbl cream.
xx

Yeah...it could be. I was having it and still losing weight a while back, but things change, it seems .

I can't take any kind of cream in tea, and I don't like soya milk either. Looks like I'll have to have it weak and black - though with the weather we're having right now I could probably just not bother with tea at all. Been using it to warm myself up during the horrid cold spring we've been suffering, but no need now!

I'll maybe replace it with extra water instead.

 

[Scrumbles]

Well, I did it - no milk in my tea yesterday! I don't enjoy it as much without, but eh. Better than nothing.

I'm virtually back to Induction foods at this point: I've ditched the yoghurt, the berries and rhubarb, the peanut butter, the milk and the starchy veg (except for the odd carrot). I've also gotten rid of artificial sweeteners - pretty easy to do when I'm not eating the fruit and yoghurt. I'm really hoping this will be enough and I don't have to get any more extreme - don't fancy ditching cheese or cream, for example, because they comprise a fair few calories and fats in my daily diet and I would struggle to replace them.

Still haven't had any "flu" symptoms. In fact, I feel better than ever. The transition looks like being completely painless at this point...quite surprised by that.

Yesterday's food:

B - coffee with cream, cheese omelette

L - tuna and mayo (wasn't very hungry)

D - ham with lettuce, tomatoes and red pepper, 1 tblspn french dressing

S - steamed cabbage with shrinki's cheese sauce

Gallons of water.

Looks like there's no way I'd have had enough veggie carbs there, but I did thanks to my evening cabbage snack, lol. Came in at 1530 cals and 20g carbs, so not too bad.

Off to enjoy another beautiful sunny day - hope everyone has a good one!

 

[Alpaca]

Will be interesting to see how the loss goes now you're back!

 

[TinaLouise]

Good luck scrumbles! I know what you mean about cheese! I have to be careful...max 60g most days, if I have 120g in one day I have to be really careful for the next few days!

 

[Scrumbles]

Thanks, TL. I usually don't have more than 90g of cheese a day, and I've gotten on fine with that amount in the early days of following this diet, so I'm hoping it still works for me.

Di, I do kinda feel lighter - raced up the stairs yesterday so quickly I surprised myself! - but at the same time I know I'm carrying excess water from this heat we're having, so I'm reluctant to weigh myself and be disappointed. I may do a full 2 weeks of Induction before I weigh again to give my body a proper chance to respond (if it's going to!) and to ditch this extra water. I'll see.

Yesterday's food was more or less identical to the day before, so I won't repeat myself. Came in at 1600 cals and 19g carbs which is a little low on carbs (I want to be nearer 25g) but it's okay.

I imagine I must be in ketosis by now, but I'm still not really feeling it. I definitely haven't had the appetite crash that I experienced when I started Atkins and I'm having no trouble eating all my calories for the day - I could probably eat more, if truth be told. I'll be over the moon if I find I can lose weight eating this much because over my many years of dieting I've convinced myself I can't lose on any more than about 1300 a day, and I'd love to prove that wrong!

Fingers crossed...

 

[Kat1e]

Hi Scrumbles, interesting to read your experiment and now see how it works for you. Good luck!

 

[Scrumbles]

Thanks, Katie! I nearly stepped on the scales this morning, then thought, well, I was still eating non-Induction food last Sunday, so it hasn't really been a week yet. In fact, I didn't truly clean up my act properly until I ditched the milk midweek, so I could leave it a while longer.

I feel really fat right now - very puffy from the heat/water-retention. My fingers are like little sausages and my bracelet watch, which normally slides up and down my wrist, is stuck in one place like it was when I was a stone or so heavier. Hate that feeling. Although it's been a lovely interlude after all that cold, horrid weather, I am looking forward to it cooling down a bit next week...could do with some rain for the garden now, too!

Yesterday's food came to 1650 cals and 17g carbs. Think I need to address those sinking carbs, though the good thing is that most of them are coming from Induction-allowed veg. Since I took away the berries, yoghurt and milk I find it much harder to get the carbs in - shows that those OWL extras really add up!

Spent most of the day in the garden following the Test match on the radio - lovely!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

 

[coffeelover]

Morning Scrumbles, your very disciplined. Your menus look fab. Back on induction for me today too. x

 

[Scrumbles]

Morning Val, I think "obsessive" probably describes me better , but I'll take "disciplined", lol. Going back to Induction is a bit of a wrench (I do miss yoghurt and berries - not gonna lie ), but it's worth it IMO, so good luck!

Sooooo, I bit the bullet and stepped on the scales today, and I am......192.5lbs!! That's almost 5lbs down from my last posted weight after the break, and about 3lbs down from my lowest weight thus far Really chuffed right now!

And the best thing is, I know for an absolute fact that I have been eating at least as much if not more than I was before I went on my break (when I was losing nothing) and more than I've ever eaten to lose weight on any previous diet. How cool is that?!

Thing is, was it really the break that did it? I can't actually say for a couple of reasons:

- I might have been due for a whoosh anyway - though I've only lost this much in a week twice before, both times after coming off a higher carb regime.

- stripping my diet back to Induction foods may have done it. Something I introduced in OWL may have been stalling me without me realising it, and now I've eliminated all the potential baddies, my body can let go of more fat.

But to be honest, as long as I've busted through my stall, I'm not too bothered! I'll do a second week of Induction-only foods, then see where I'm at. I'd really like to re-introduce berries again, not least because they're in season (!), but I'll be very cautious before adding anything else.

Yesterday's food came in at 1600 cals and 17.5g carbs - still low on the carbs, but I'm eating my veg like a good 'un, so I won't stress about it.

Have a great day, everyone!

 

[ladyfelsham]

Wow that's a fab loss Scrumbles! Well done

 

[Alpaca]

Amazing Scrumbles!! What a really successful experiment! I'm chuffed for you - well done! Xxx

 

[moonlights]

Wow fantastic! Long may it continue going down!

 

[Scrumbles]

Thanks guys!

As I say, I don't know how much of this is due to my attempted system re-boot - I think various factors have been in play - but it's all good, as long as it sticks!

I actually think the hot weather has helped quite a bit because in the past week I have been drinking truly EPIC amounts of water - upwards of 3 litres a day, plus a fair bit in coffee and tea as well. I never drink that much normally, so I bet that's had something to do with it.

Yesterday's food came in at 1600 cals and 22g carbs, so I'm happy with that. I'm out all day today, so I won't be totally in control of my food, but I'm going to do my best to track - don't want to go off the rails now

 

[Kat1e]

I do think water really helps - keep it up

 

[Scrumbles]

I'll try! Won't be getting much help from the weather we've got coming, by the looks of it...we'll all be shivering again by the bank holiday

Yesterday was a bit chaotic, but it was all legal food and I reckon I came in at around 1600 cals and 25g carbs. I did a lot of physical work during the day so I hope that burnt a few more calories than usual!

I'm wondering what the chances are that I'll lose anything this week - probably looking at a STS, I reckon. I'd really love to knock off that half pound to get me to 50lbs lost (nice round number!) but I never lose much after a big week, so, realistically, I expect I'll have to keep waiting.

Next target will be getting into the 180's - bring 'em on!

 

[moonlights]

Gosh, 50lbs (let's round it up) what a spectacular loss. Fingers crossed for that little half lb to drop off.

 

[Kat1e]

Morning scrumbles, fingers crossed for 50lbs - fabulous

 

[Scrumbles]

Morning!

I know...50lbs is a drop in the ocean compared to what some people have lost, but it's still a heck of a lot of weight. Just so I could visualise it, I googled height/weight charts for kids, and 50lbs is apparently the weight of an average 7 yr old child. In effect I was permanently carrying a 7 yr old child around with me - no wonder my knees were complaining!! Any time I'm feeling very fat and big still, I need to remember that I've offloaded a whole child's worth of weight in the last 7 months, not to mention giving my body a chance to heal from all the abuse it was getting. (I must be in count-my-blessings mode this morning!)

Yesterday's food totalled 1590 cals and 20g carbs. I'm also making sure I hit my target of around 100g of protein a day as I feel that not getting enough protein has been a problem for me in the past.

Hope everyone has a great Atkins-friendly day!