Sorus's Mulled Wine Musings

[CyberRuby]

Oh pants, I'm sorry you're having a crappy time. I'm no stranger to the doldrums, and they suck the big one.

I'm a big (heh) believer in the need to 'reset' your body as regards dieting (or food optimising, or whatever the heckins you want to call it ;-) This week has proven it for me. Weeks and weeks of going at it 100% resulting in several STS and tiny losses has been suddenly jolted into a satisfying loss by loosening the reins a little and just trusting in the abilities that SW gives you to make 'sensible' choices. Also exercise. I think that's indispensable.

Feeling crappy won't help - I hope it passes soon so that you can focus on feeling good for a while rather than feeling virtuous (is this making any sense?!)

Healing vibes your way
x

 

[OzzieMoz]

But it would be nice to have a couple of weeks off plan. Not off off plan, if you see what I mean, just slightly off plan. ie not worrying about it, not thinking about it, just being sensible.

Maybe I'll try that. After I've finished the tub of ice cream.

Remember when I was spitting the dummy a few weeks back and huffing and puffing away and decided to go off-plan for a few days. That is exactly what I did, I ate in a carefree manner not thinking red/green/EE have I had my Hexs etc.... However, having been sloggin away for about 4 months at that time, I found that I was making some instinctively good choices when I looked back on my few days off - but having the pressure off was glorious. The few pounds that I had put on disappeared, I was tempted to carry on following this but decided it was too risky and went back on plan after about 5 days off. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing for you to try but at a point where you are mainly going to be at home so there isn't too much danger of you going crazy.

I think you got the lurgey before I did, so I'm going to blame you. I feel totally crap - so we are united by a global lurgey!

Hope you get better soon, enjoy your ice-cream - I might try that as a remedy this afternoon, since it has been recommended by an expert!

 

[Sorus]

Well I'm still feeling utterly crap and I'm so sorry you're feeling poorly too Ozzie! I hope you feel loads better soon.

Well I've been lying in bed most of the day alternating between sleeping, sweating, reading and browsing the internet on my phone. And what I have been browsing is The Other Side. ie the Weight Watchers forum. Now, despite having tried nearly every diet known to man I have never tried WW. Mainly because, I realised today (illness is great for a spot of navel gazing) I have this antipathy towards it cos of all the ready meals etc they sell. That seems to me to be more to do with profit and less to do with teaching people how to eat healthily. Who the hell wants to live on ready meals and cereal bars etc? I want to eat normal, fresh, healthy food, cooked in a normal healthy way that is good for me and good for my kids. That's what I've always done really, I've just cooked with too much fat in the past and eaten too much of what I've cooked!

So WW never appealed to me. Till possibly now. My body needs a jolt - as CR was suggesting above. All diets work if you follow them. I lost quite a lot on a low carb diet. At first. Everything works for me for a time. Then - I don't know - either I get bored I guess or my body gets used to what I'm doing. Probably a bit of both. My body works best when it's surprised.

So I thought I might surprise it with WW! I'm still at the 'research' stage. This stage may go on for some time. And if I do I'll probably follow it for a month or so then return to the homeland. So to speak.

I was all fired up with enthusiasm for this idea this morning. Since then though I've been looking at a few food diaries of those on WW and they scare me! Most of them seem to live on WW products. Not all, admittedly, but enough to make me think hmmm, is this what I want? Do I really want to be weighing meat? Counting fruit? Basically pointing just about everything? I'm not knocking it - I can see it works really well for many people. I have no doubt it would work for me IF, and it's a big if, I can stick to it.

Think I'll do a little more thinking first. The way I'm feeling at the moment that's quite exhausting enough.

 

[OzzieMoz]

I've done WW in the past - probably about 14 years or so ago. I did alright with it and lost the weight I wanted to lose although I think I stopped before I got to target .... I don't think I've ever got to target, I usually get happy before I get there Diets are a very personal thing and everyone is different, but I don't think I would ever go back to WW and it's more of a fault within me, than a fault with the diet program itself.

I think it's Starlight, one of the Moderators here who often points out that WW isn't all about convenience food, those products are just there as an aid to dieting for occasions where you might otherwise fall of the rails if you didn't have a quick easy accessible option. They are there to be used on occasion rather than as a way of life. I agree with her on that. My problem with WW is to an extent the same as the problem I'm now having with SW but worse. WW meant that I always had to be thinking about points and food and dieting all day long just about. To try and counter that, I started eating more or less the same food all the time so I wouldn't have to count points as I knew it fell within my limits, but then of course it all got boring! I just found I was incapable of keeping point values in my mind - I have lots of unnecessary clutter floating around my grey cells and that clutter just seemed to drive WW points out! I think the way to counter that would be to do weekly plans, so you'd only really have to do your sums in detail once a week or so. Planning of course is not my forte!

I'm not trying to put you off WW as I still think that for many many people it's a most excellent plan - just letting you know the problems that I experienced with it.

Anyway, that's all far too serious and it's making my head hurt

Hope you are starting to be on the mend. I don't think my throat is as sore today although I'm still being irritating in the cough department. Fingers crossed that I'm on the road to recovery .... and not the road to perdition and fingers crossed for you too!

Didn't go for the ice-cream cure yesterday as I'd already eaten my syns - but I might just do it today!

 

[Sorus]

Actually Ozzie you've hit the nail on the head and described exactly what I was going to write! ie if I'm fed up with SW for the reasons you've described above - which I am - then WW is hardly the answer!

So that mad idea has gone right out of the window already. The moment I started looking at WW recipes and realising I can only have one chicken thigh for example was the light bulb moment. Jeez - I'd actually feel like I was on a diet! That would never work for me. The moment someone tells me I can't do such and such I go and do it. So WW would never work for me.

It would also be completely unsustainable long term. For me personally that is. So I guess yesterday I was looking for a quick(ish) fix and I know from decades of experience that that's pointless. Yes I may well lose weight short term but I'd only put it back on again when I gave up. And give up I most certainly would do, at some point. So why the hell I was even going down that mind route I don't know. Must be my fevered brain.

So I'll keep on trucking on. Like us truckers are so good at doing. When I'm feeling better I'll vary things a bit, re-read the bumph, try a few new recipes - all that sort of thing.

Yesterday I just ate what I felt like (being poorly makes me want different things to normal) but kept it sensible and weirdly the scales seem to have shown a loss this morning. I'm very into Tesco's Light Choices Lemon Drizzle Cake Slices at the mo. Gorgeous! I'm reckoning on 4 syns a slice as they're 80 cals.

Just hastily finished son's GCSE English essay. Well I was meant to be proof-reading it but it was so terrible I couldn't resist the odd tweak here and there. If he doesn't get an A* I'm going to be really offended.

 

[OzzieMoz]

This dieting malarkey does my head in sometimes, but I genuinely think that SW is the way to go. In some ways I wish I had the fiery belief of the zealot that I had when I did SW in my younger days, now I tend to take a lot of what is written with a pinch of salt (not literally as that could lead to heart problems, high blood pressure and/or stroke .... not that I've been brain-washed by an ad campaign here or anything! ) I find a lot of what is written makes me giggle particularly on the subject of where your veggies/fruit should go..... "in your mouth" is usually my thought! I stick to plan mainly, muddle along and sooner or later the pounds go, and if that means it follows the pattern of 3 off then 2 on then more off .... as long as the trend is downward then I'll stick with it. I have never come across a diet that fits in better with normal eating. I think what you and I need to do and I don't know how we will achieve this, is to stop over-thinking it yet still remain on plan. Come on Brains (that's you by the way!) think of something! I've come up with a concept, you have to do the detail

On the subject of your son's homework, that reminds me of my brother and I doing homework with my niece - we used to love homework days and were very disappointed when she didn't have anything we could "help" with. Sometimes I think she lied about her homework, just to avoid our "help" I was particularly proud of our Geography project - it was superb - a work of art! She was in charge of the content - I just reformatted and re-wrote the illiterate bits! We didn't get it back either as it was deemed a fine example to be used to show future students .... which wasn't fair as we wanted it.... well I wanted it! I'm such a big kid! Good luck with your essay - I'm sure you deserve your A*

 

[Sorus]

Ha! Love the homework story! I'm getting it in the neck from my daughter. Apparently I didn't help her with her GCSE coursework at all. So it's completely unfair that I'm helping her brother. But then this has been a recurrent theme since, ooh, time began I think. That I favour her brother over her.

Actually in this case she has a point. My son is slightly more academic than my daughter but he is the laziest 16 year old in Christendom. Whereas my daughter is/was very conscientious when it comes to school and college work.

Faced with the fact my son might well end up with no GCSE's because he didn't hand in any coursework I'm afraid my moral high ground slipped from under my feet. I even sent one essay off to my Dad who happens to have an English degree from Oxford for 'a spot of tweaking'. Now my Dad is as desperate to know what grade he's going to get for The Crucible as I am for Great Expectations.

Sorry - I digress. Where was I? Oh yes, food. Diets. Well yesterday I 'relaxed' as is my wont at the mo and had what I felt like. But what I felt like was generally good stuff. And lo and behold the scales seem to be tipping once again in my favour. Bizarre.

So I think you're right, Ozzie. Just need to stick with SW and not beat ourselves up if we have a few days not thinking about the plan. We're old enough and ugly enough to know that it's better to do that than give up altogether. Well I speak for myself when it comes to the ugly bit, obviously.

When this irritating bug disappears I'd like to start running a mile a day again. I'm doing the Sport Relief run a mile thingy on Sunday. The plan was to run every day leading up to it getting faster and faster each time. The best laid plans...

But... great excitement today. I tried a new breakfast cereal! *pauses for gasps of astonishment and admiration* Oatibix! And very nice they were too. Could even become my new favourite cereal. And to think I thought my life was becoming dull.

 

[Sorus]

Yesterday was a gorgeous day and I ran my Sport Relief mile. It was fab! I even managed to run all the way without stopping. Which, considering it took a total of 7 or 8 minutes, is a really quite pathetic achievement to be proud of! My OH also ran all the way - and I don't think he's run anywhere in his entire life and is still several stones overweight so I'm dead proud of him.

We then went on to meet his son (who lives in Bristol so we don't see him that often) and the son's fiancee. Jesus. You know the scene in Four Weddings and a Funeral where Simon Callow is banging his head in agony listening to that awful duo singing? Well that was me yesterday. I've met comatose slugs with more personality than the fiancee has. (Sincerely hope OH never reads this.)

They are both 21 and planning a wedding. And that, frankly, is all they are doing. They have no ambition beyond getting married, having a dog, babies and a house and moving back to Cornwall as quickly as possible. When I asked what their respective dream job would be (was desperately trying to make conversation as they had none) neither of them knew.

How can a 21 year old not at least have dreams??!! I really was quite depressed and next time I have to spend any time with them (hopefully not for ages - in fact I'm pretty sure I've blown an invite to the wedding so as far as I'm concerned that's a result) I'm going to have to take copious quantities of drugs and a good book with me.

One thing in their favour though - I was planning on having a post-run treat by way of a sticky toffee pudding. However I had so lost the will to live before even the main course had arrived that I couldn't face having a pudding. Would have meant spending another 15 or 20 mins or so at the table and I honestly think lives would have been at risk had that happened.

I came back home and fell on my own two dearest, gorgeous, most wonderful children. They have a personality! They have wit! They can hold a conversation! They have dreams beyond getting married at 21 and working at Tesco! No offence intended to anyone who actually does work at Tesco - I've done plenty of checkout work in my time - but jeez - at 21 I at least had dreams!

Right - will get off high horse now. I have checked anal spreadsheet and I am losing on average a quarter of a pound a week. Wow!! But... that's better than gaining a quarter of a pound a week!

 

[Kikikisses]

I loved this post So many of my friends are ambitionless (probably not even a real word) and I try to encourage them to look past their job at minimum wage. I've always loved fashion/textiles and so I've gone back to college to do just that so I can do Bridal design. I do hope I don't meet too many get married, have kids, dog and house people but I guess I'll be too busy getting the bride into dresses

Good job on avoiding dessert there even if it was only to maintain some sanity

 

[Sorus]

Good for you kikkikisses! I'm a firm believer in the cliche 'what the mind can conceive it can achieve'. If it can only conceive working at Tesco's for the rest of its life then there's not much hope! I've been a lurker on your diary, too, btw - and am really enjoying it. I wish you loads of luck in your career - it's so nice to hear someone having a passion for what they do.

Tonight I made home-made burgers. Usually they're pretty nice but for some reason tonight's were utterly tasteless. My daughter described them as 'probably nicer than dog food, but only just'. Note to self: either take cookery lessons or get new daughter.

Rest of the day I've stuck to plan: had Oatibix for brekkie (my new fave brekkie), and taco beans, tomatoes and pasta for lunch. Tea - as mentioned - was entirely bland homemade burgers with salad and SW chips. 9 o'clock will probably bring forth a Tesco light choices lemon drizzle slice. I ran a mile again today. On the treadmill this time. I've got the bug! Nothing to do with tomorrow being weigh day of course....

 

[OzzieMoz]

"what the mind can conceive, it can achieve" is a very good saying! However, it is somewhat scary when applied to some of the things that my mind conceives

Glad all went well with your Sports Relief mile - well done!! I don't think I could run a mile - I struggle to run a few yards when I think I might miss the pedestrian lights in the morning on the way to school! I'm very unfit!

Your encounter with the comatose slug did make me giggle, you do have a way with words! I usually can chatter away with anyone but some people are just hard-work and you feel as if you are wading thigh deep in porridge trying to keep a conversation going!

Re the tasteless burgers, I think it's a lot to do with the fat content in the mince. I think sometimes if it's too lean, it can end up dry and tasteless, and a bit gritty, but that's just my opinion and god knows, I'm not a cook! Fortunately I now have an imaginary goat friend who can eat all the food I make that's inedible!

Anyway, my friend, keep on keeping on safe in the knowledge that my progress is about on a par with yours, but we will get there in our little convoy with our FatNavs set to Slimsville! <--- that sounds like a song title, I might write a ditty this aftenoon

 

[Sorus]

Ha! "FatNavs set to Slimsville"! Ozzie that's brilliant! Inspired! That is us indeed.

Well my scales are showing a pound and a half loss today which I'm extremely happy with given my daughter's obsession with cooking date scones this week (some of which might possibly have wafted my way) and my general apathy towards the diet.

I've changed my sig to show months only. Realised that at the rate I'm losing weight my poor reader will soon have to scroll through 5 pages of my signature before he/she even gets to my pearls of drivel. Sorry, wisdom.

Off on an 8 mile walk today through woods, down dale, up mountain etc, etc. Will be taking packed lunch with me of wholemeal pitta, Laughing Cow cheese, ham and tomatoes. And the usual gallon of black tea.

 

[OzzieMoz]

Laughing Cow cheese always makes me feel as if I am being mocked by a cheese triangle, taunting me that it's not real delicious cheesey cheese. I miss proper cheddar cheese - that's on my list of things I miss. Actually, I'm a bit off cheese really since yesterday.... mouldy cheese story in my thread. Ewwwwwwk!

Anyway, hope you enjoy your walk - I'm quite envious! I really fancy going on a hike, but somewhere not hot! Oh and try and stay upright! I seem to recall that you have troubles staying vertical when you hike

 

[OzzieMoz]

I was just thinking about Reginald the goat ... as I do now.... and I had a sudden moment of clarity! Walking with Llamas! Is this place very far from you - my geography is bad and I can't be bothered to get a map out! It's supposed to be very therapeutic and there are syn-free Danish pastries, well maybe I made up the syn-free bit, but I can believe anything! I want to go walking with llamas, I have no idea why! If it's not too far, then we can do it when I come to visit .... oh yes, have I mentioned I'm coming to visit when I'm back in the UK next time

Here endeth my moment of clarity .... such as it was

 

[CyberRuby]

Ha! "FatNavs set to Slimsville"! Ozzie that's brilliant!

"Healthy extras ahead. Take the second Weetabix. Creme eggs ahead. Turn around when possible. Caution: Creme eggs. Turn around when- ... Too late. Never mind.'

 

[Kikikisses]

"Healthy extras ahead. Take the second Weetabix. Creme eggs ahead. Turn around when possible. Caution: Creme eggs. Turn around when- ... Too late. Never mind.'

Almost fell off my chair laughing!

But hey at least your daughter is attempting cooking I steer well clear of cooking desserts such as cake because I'm no baker!

 

[Sorus]

Tis the cream tea season - aaargh!

Yep - it's that time of year where cream teas are starting to abound. Nightmare. For those unaware of what a cream tea is (there probably aren't many on a weight-loss forum.... but I did have a friend who thought a cream tea was tea with cream on top.... not unreasonably) well it consists of scones (light, fluffy and warm out of the oven) topped with strawberry jam and clotted cream. We're probably talking 300 syns all in.

A friend rang me yesterday. Her brother is visiting Cornwall. He wants to go to the Tate (15 mins from my house), then the Sloop (famous pub also 15 mins from my house). Oh - and can they park their car in my drive and as they're doing that can they pop in and try one of the scones they've heard so much about? (Apparently I make nice scones.)

What can you do? So I will be making rather a lot of scones today. The house will be filled with scone-smells. Eek.

Not only that but the weekly walk I go on with my group ends in a cream tea somewhere from Easter to November. It's almost obligatory.

Not only that but son really wants to go to Morrish's tonight (lovely fish and chip place.) So - all told - nightmare dieting day.

On positive side - yes there is one - I have been half-heartedly sticking to plan all week. Have let the odd piece of coffee cake (daughter keeps flipping baking) pass my lips, haven't been quite so assiduous in the weighing of cheese and cutting off of fat etc, and guess what? Yep, scales showing a bit of a loss this morning.

I'm completely baffled. Haven't done any exercise either. Have started taking supplements again though. Weird!

Should imagine by tomorrow though scales will be showing a ten pound gain.

 

[CyberRuby]

... but I did have a friend who thought a cream tea was tea with cream on top.... not unreasonably

That's exactly what I thought until I was well into my teens!

I always think 'dieting would be so easy if it weren't for all the other people. And the food.' Those of us who've been at this game for a while know that there's simply no way around the sorts of days like the one you're describing. You just have to truck right through it and hope you don't get a flat tyre. Or that your FatNav doesn't run out of batteries. Or some other trucking-related metaphor.

Happy trails, and keep doing what you're doing - sounds like letting yourself relax a bit whilst keeping one eye on the plan (road?) is working okay for you.

x

 

[OzzieMoz]

Mmmmm cream teas... they seem to do Devonshire cream teas here but no mention of Cornish ones! They do a lovely one at the Botanic gardens.... I want one now! Fortunately the tea shop will be closed at this time and no-one else is up to go with me either... so I should be able to dodge this temptation!

Did you realise that you are nearly at the normal/healthy BMI? I know people place different importance on it, but it will still be good to get there!

Hope your picolinates continue to do you good! As I said on my diary, I'm going to go and investigate them later! I still have no notion as to what picolinate means I did look it up, but I'm suffering from goldfish syndrome this week and have forgotten!

I saw on one of the truckers' diaries that you might give red days another whirl. I'm really enjoying them. For ages I avoided them because I remember always feeling hungry. I must have been doing it wrong or not eating my HexBs at that point because I've not suffered hunger pangs this time at all!

Anyway, may the poundage not be with you. Amen.

 

[CyberRuby]

Hello! It's been a couple of days since you checked in and I was starting to worry that you had been consumed by a giant jammy-creamy scone! Hope all is going well, anyway - truck wheels firmly planted on the road and all that.
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