Step away from the pizza! 64lbs to go...

[MarianH]

EE day today and (polishes halo) an hour on the cross trainer even though it was such an effort to make myself do it!

Food:

Low fat yogurt, raspberries and black cherries (defrosted), fruit and fibre
Bean mix up: dry fried mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, quorn steak strips, 1/2 can baked beans, half can chopped toms, oregano and seasoning
Salad: tuna, capers, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, 1/2 can mixed bean salad, lots of ground pepper
Snacks: melon, crab sticks, couple alpen light bars

Don't feel like I've lost much this week. I've stuck to it; I've been active, but I feel like tomorrow might not be very impressive on the scales. As long as I lose something, I will be happy.

 

[MarianH]

This week is obviously being sent to test me. I have gained 0.5lbs even though I have stuck to it all week, 100%. I am very, very fed up. I think it is possibly a bit of my body catching up with the big loss from last week, but it doesn't stop me feeling rubbish about it. I've been really active too.

I'm one of those dieters who does get easily knocked by things like this. Next week is going to be tough, and I'm away too.

I will keep coming on here and updating so that I stay motivated.

:cry::cry::cry:

 

[MarianH]

Right. I am away at parents again for the next two weeks. I have exercised restraint by going straight to the supermarket on my arrival and buying food I can eat rather than succumbing to the chocolate. I am going to go to a different group to weigh in this week rather than just take the holiday. I'm not expecting much though as it will be an evening weigh-in on different scales.

I have also taken up sewing again. I used to do bits as a kid, and I was thinking that I need a hobby to keep my hands busy, so I have been patchworking. It might sound a bit naff to some people, but I haven't snacked on an evening in the past couple of days so it is certainly doing the trick. I want to learn to use a sewing machine, and to crochet. My home might be transformed from cluttered disaster to soft-furnishing heaven!!!

 

[strictlycomedieting]

This is a great idea, I too find I snack less when I'm hobby-ing. Hi, I've read your story with great interest and think you're an inspiration -meals look good too don't be dis-heartened with your teeny gain, stick with it and your loss will be good this week, wishing you well x

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[MarianH]

This is a great idea, I too find I snack less when I'm hobby-ing. Hi, I've read your story with great interest and think you're an inspiration -meals look good too don't be dis-heartened with your teeny gain, stick with it and your loss will be good this week, wishing you well x

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

Thanks

 

[MarianH]

It seems the crafting on an evening is paying off.

Have weighed in as a visitor, 2 days early, and have lost...

4lbs!!!



I am pleased. That's 10lbs in just under 3 weeks. I know it will slow off a bit now, but feel like I'm starting to get back on track.

 

[MarianH]

First proper diet break on Saturday night. Now, normally when I break a diet, that is it. I lose a few pounds, feel a bit better and start wanting to go out and do things which inevitably mean food and drink. I have eaten out already on the plan, and stuck to it, but my husband wanted to try a very nice Italian. There wasn't much in the way of pasta choices on the signature menu, so I ate:

Olives marinated in orange and almond with some of his pesto bread, then some bread from basket too. They were lovely.
Gnocchi in a tomato sauce with peppers, garlic, tomato.
Panna cotta with cherries, accompanied by a little bit of banana ice cream.
Coffee and a mint.
Large glass white wine. Lots of vodka, lime and soda.

Was lovely.

I didn't flexi syn as I have no idea how many were in anything. It would be loads and loads.

However, I have pulled it back and been spot on with my plan all day yesterday. Will be going to the supermarket today, so lots of salad, fruit and stir fries. I have a party to do for later in the week, but I am organising it so will make sure that there are some nice syn free choices for me to enjoy.

 

[MarianH]

Another 1.5lbs off. I'm pleased with that after eating loads of quorn last night at a bbq (I have quorn belly today). It's wasn't nice, low syn quorn - I was cramming the very lovely bbq sausages at 2.5 syns each...

I'm home on Monday anyway, so will be doing a bit more exercise and more varied eating. I plan to have a go at some of the free green recipes.

 

[RosieKat]

Well done on your loss so far, you are doing really well especially with all you are having to deal with.

 

[MarianH]

Well done on your loss so far, you are doing really well especially with all you are having to deal with.

Thank you .

I am back from my time away and now I have my frugal head on. I need to pay for our holiday next year, so we have some tight months ahead of us. I will add that I feel lucky that we don't need to be frugal for necessity, and I don't mean to sound flippant as I know so many people are struggling through very tight times.

So, in a nod to frugality I am on green days. Extra Easy is fab, but costs a lot in fruit and veg. However, I would strongly recommend buying things like frozen berries and frozen veg to bulk out your EE days as these are much cheaper than fresh. I was getting into my frozen raspberries (thawed a bit) and greek mullerlights.

I am doing green as we already eat a lot of vegetarian and it is much cheaper than buying fish. So, tea tonight is a roast veg (frylight), pasta and butter bean bake with some grated mozzerella on top.

And it's working: 2.5lbs off this week and my first stone award.

 

[MarianH]

Right folks. Some frugal green recipes if you are happy to welcome a vegetarian approach. These would serve around 4, depending on appetite.

Jacket potatoes with baked bean mix up: fry onion, mushroom and diced red pepper until softening. Drain a tin of chopped tomatoes (through a sieve is best as they have a habit of escaping with the juicy bit) and add to the pan. Chuck in a tin of baked beans (I like Branston and 4 cans are often £2 in Lidl). Add some dried mixed herbs to the mixture - I like basil and oregano. Heat it all through and serve over the jackets. You can add some grated cheddar as a healthy B. You can also (if you are feeling a bit more flush) chop some quorn sausages up and bung them in too. Yum. Tasty and filling.

Cheap bolognaise: fry onions and garlic with mushroom, carrot and red pepper, celery too if you have it (any of those 4 can be missed out, but you need your onion and garlic base). Add a can of green lentils. Add a carton of passata (not fancy, normal one is 29p in T's). Dried herbs - basil and oregano - a dollop of tomato puree and plenty of salt and pepper. Cook it down for about 20 minutes. Pour over pasta of choice, with grated cheese too.

Vegetable stew: chop onions, swede, carrots, parsnips, celery. Add good handful of pearl barley (cheap as chips - love this stuff) and cover with boiling water. Add two vege stock cubes. Bring to boil and simmer for about 20 mins until soft. Stir in a can of butter beans and heat through. Add couple of tablespoons of gravy granules. It won't be thick, but will make a nice gravy. I serve over quorn sausages and mini yorkshire puds (value ones). These are obviously syns. If you want to miss butterbeans, then do as they aren't essential but will add another 70p to your recipe. We will be eating lots of this in autumn.

I will post more.

Best cheap meal is syn free chips with beans and egg. Love it.

 

[MarianH]

I've had a week of not really following the plan. I couldn't weigh-in last week as I wasn't well (but home scales - shhhhh! - said I'd lost). But, starting back at work has well and truly thrown me off track again. I haven't lost my mind and started eating through the entire contents of the cupboard (has happened before), and I haven't had six takeaways (has happened before). But, I have eaten things that aren't SW, like more bread, pizza for tea (tesco not dominoes) and chocolate. I am weighing in today. I hope I have maintained or even lost, based on the fact I should have lost last week. I hope I have. But I doubt it.

I got up this morning, weighed out cereal and started writing out a food plan. Today I will reread my books, and buy a SW magazine for inspiration. I will also stock up of free foods. Budgeting on this plan is tough.

 

[MarianH]

Lost 1.5lbs, which I am pleased about.

I've also accepted that if this is going to work for me, I will have to buy a bit more fruit and snack stuff. I know I will spend much less in the long run as I am cooking from scratch (passata at 29p versus stir in sauce at £2) and not buying takeaways.

My fridge looks like a health-nuts dream today: lots of fruit and veg, low fat yogs, eggs, etc. So I am set and ready to go.

Hoping for 3lbs this week to take me under my next stone threshold. At least I am under 200lbs now.

 

[MarianH]

This week I have had a revelation

Really pleased this week - I lost 3.5lbs and am now in the 13s.

That deserves a bunny dance!



So, what did I do differently? I ate quite a lot. I stuck to the plan. I ate a lot of traditional dinners - two veg, roast potatoes, gravy and quorn of some kind. I went out for a couple of walks. I haven't starved. I haven't exercised to within an inch of my life. I have lived quite normally.

This has made me very happy as it has shown me that being a little more active, and changing just a couple of food things, really does work.

I often start a plan and feel like I have to live clean - no syns, or very low syn, limited portions, etc.

This week has shown me that SW can really work for me.

So, 8 weeks since I joined, I'm 19lbs down.

 

[bilsat]

Hi Marian.
I also worried about what happens to the skin when I lost my 6.5 stone as I am over 65, but to be fair, most reduced over the year it took to loose the weight, I do aquatone once a week, cycle as much as possible, walk sometimes but I have cut out all the "rubbish" food!
May I suggest that when your cupboard is empty that you only fill it with SW friendly food! That way you don't get temped to "cheat"
As regards the offer of the fish & chip supper you could have had it by removing the batter and only have a small portion of chips, I have done this in the past and not gained any weight in that week.
I tend to stick to Ee as I enjoy the veg, fruit. I also make all my own recipes (see below, follow the link) Stay positive and think of the future.........
Pete

 

[MarianH]

Hi Marian.
I also worried about what happens to the skin when I lost my 6.5 stone as I am over 65, but to be fair, most reduced over the year it took to loose the weight, I do aquatone once a week, cycle as much as possible, walk sometimes but I have cut out all the "rubbish" food!
May I suggest that when your cupboard is empty that you only fill it with SW friendly food! That way you don't get temped to "cheat"
As regards the offer of the fish & chip supper you could have had it by removing the batter and only have a small portion of chips, I have done this in the past and not gained any weight in that week.

I tend to stick to Ee as I enjoy the veg, fruit. I also make all my own recipes (see below, follow the link) Stay positive and think of the future.........
Pete

You have done so well! Thank you very much for your post. I will have a look at your recipes.


Well, I maintained last week as I had a very stressful week with son and daughter's ill health - son got a bug and daughter felt unwell (which usually results in a stint in hospital). Thankfully, a few days away from us at her dad's kept her well. But the combination of stress from that and stress from work meant I did struggle. However, I still haven't fallen horrifically off the wagon, even though I'm 4 weeks back into term.

I got weighed today, and have lost 2.5lbs. So that means 21.5lbs in total, and my Club 10.

Another bunny dance for me, I think:



So, 12 weigh ins until Christmas, and I need to keep strong and try to get my 13.5lbs off to meet my 35lbs by Christmas interim target.

 

[MarianH]

Another 1lb after a less than perfect week. I'll take that.