Tipperary wobbles into 2024

[tipperary]

Morning, went swimming yesterday and got back to my usual 40 lengths, feel good for that. Haven't been for a walk though, husband has been busy and it was very foggy yesterday. And need to get down on the ground and do my physio, I have 2 new exercises thrown in including nerve flossing to try to help with the travelling leg pain.
I've started my Christmas cooking and stacking the freezer. Staples in our house are homemade sausage rolls and quiches. The sausage rolls are made and frozen uncooked. I have mincemeat made and in a giant bowl in the fridge, we make our own as we have apple trees and also prefer it without all the added fat or sugar, fruit only, some spices then cooked in cider and a splash of brandy. The pastry I've also made and is chilling so today is a baking day. I've made lots of stuffing, have been saving bits of bread in the freezer and the poly tunnel has a huge amount of herbs, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary and oregano went into it along with a mountain of butter, onions, leeks, celery apple and apricots. All chilled now a ready for the freezer. Only thing is I don't eat any of these now. I will have a mince pie Christmas Eve and some stuffing Christmas Day but need to find some savoury nibbles for me, things that can be prepared in advance and are keto friendly. I like to be able to pull things out of the freezer and pop into the oven as needed. I might make some chicken liver pate but then need something to put it on. I might make some chicken goujons with almond flour and coconut, same with mozzarella sticks. Hmm, need to think about that.

 

[tipperary]

Aaaargh...so frustrating. My BMI is bang on 30, great news. But my app is still counting it as obese as it needs to be UNDER 30 to drop from obese. And even more frustrating this is the third day in a row it shows 30 even though each day I'm 100g less. I know it's just rounded maths and a random arbitrary number....but still

 

[Torn_Tranquility]

Ah I get your frustration! But you're doing so well, don't let a number get you down.

I'm impressed with your Christmas prep. We're not big on Christmas, and usually just spend it on our own. But my sister moved house recently, so we've agreed to go to hers. I didn't think OH would want to, but he loves my niece and nephew (1 and 3) and basically gets to be a big kid. So it's chance to tick off family time with my side of the family as well. His all live fairly locally, apart from his younger sister. But she's in London, so we may be able to see them as well. I've booked the coach, and we'll be there for four days... with my parents as well. I mean what could possibly go wrong...!

My sister is a great cook though, and I know she's been doing a lot of prep as well.

 

[jules1981]

@tipperary, Sorry catching up hun.

Wow the wedding sounds amazing glad you had the best time and you did so many steps.

I honestly don't know what I read ( I am going to blame my MH) I didn't realise you did keto. I've been looking into it. For my ME/CFS, but want to get more bloods done. As my inflammatory markers are always up. I suspect RA maybe. Also my diabetes markers in end of Aug were 42. So I probably need to organise another blood test.

Sounds like you have done amazingly. Love all the Christmas prep too.

Xxxxx

 

[tipperary]

Morning, well BMI is now at 30...great news. Nope, not yet, app is still showing as Obese, I need to be below 30 to hit the magic number of 29.9 and drop to overweight. And I've discovered that 100g won't do it. I was 69.2kg yesterday and still at 30 and will be a bit up today.
Trigger warning, I'm going to talk about Christmas and food.
So I've started the Christmas food prep, our freezer now has 5 boxes of stuffing, 64 sausage rolls and 84 mince pies. I'd been so good, I didn't even taste the mincemeat, I knew by the smell it was perfect and I never even licked my fingers once. Made all the mince pies yesterday and was packing them for the freezer, I left 12 out for all to eat, the cracked ones that wouldn't freeze so good. Finally I gave in and had one, then a second one and then a slice of apple tart that I had made with the leftover pastry....oooooo it was so good. It will probably take me the rest of the week to undo the damage but I reckon that's me done with mince pie temptation until Christmas Eve.
I always make lots of savoury treats to have in the freezer for over Christmas, usually quiche and sausage rolls. This year I need to think of some keto treats to prepare. So sausage rolls done and will do quiche at the weekend, I can eat them without the pastry. I might look at Fathead pizza dough and use that for keto sausage rolls and indeed mini pizzas. Another option is twice baked savoury souffles, chorizo and spinach is very good. Also pulled chicken is an option to have on lettuce boats, I need to keep thinking.
So over Christmas I have dinner out with some friends, then maybe a work lunch. We have Christmas Eve ( we dress fancy and have a nice meal, it's French Christmas) then Christmas Day. Then we have the wedding part two, a big party in our local for extended family, and then New Year's Eve and my birthday. I decided a new outfit would be appropriate, I know I have lots of pretty things from the wedding/ holiday but they are all summer clothes. I've ordered two outfits from Next, a jumpsuit from the party wear collection and a short dress from the sale items. Both similar style as are off one shoulder, I still have a bit of my tan left and more importantly have the correct undergarments as that's the style I wore to the wedding. I've ordered a size 16 as according to the Next website that's the size my waist will fit, and great news the jumpsuit is available in a petite. Though my bottoms are now a 12 and in M&S clothes I'm a 14 dress size. They can always be changed, they arrived today and for the first time I'm excited about trying something on rather than apprehensive

 

[tipperary]

Sorry catching up hun.

Wow the wedding sounds amazing glad you had the best time and you did so many steps.

I honestly don't know what I read ( I am going to blame my MH) I didn't realise you did keto. I've been looking into it.

Hi @jules1981 , great to see you back. Yes I've had a lot going on and posting a lot here so it's easy to miss stuff. Yes, I have been keto since coming out of hospital in June and doing well on it. I've lost 16kg which is 20% of my body weight. I've also taken my Hba1c from 56 to 33, that really shocked a doctor who assumed I had done that with medication. I've gone from an XXL to a medium or an 18 plus to a size 14 (top). I feel fitter and look better, I have mental clarity and energy and my skin looks good. However it is an effort and takes time meal planning and prepping and I'm very lucky as my husband is doing the same, it makes it so much easier. I used to hide the fact I was trying to lose weight and not let anyone know I was weighing myself, now each weekend we race to the scale to try and out do each other.
I am exercising too, physio, swimming and walking. But it's important to note all of this is mainly due to the fact I am still off work and have the luxury of time to invest in me...and that is exactly what i am doing.
I regularly listen to a Podcast, Two Keto Dudes, and it's full of great information particularly the science behind it.
I do think with keto though you need to commit, random days on and off will really mess with insulin levels. It's the up and down spikes you really need to control, and for some people starting keto flu and weight plateau after a few weeks are enough to put people off.
I think going and getting blood tests is a great idea for you to know where you are at before going down a new route, and take medical advice too before making major changes.
Best of luck

 

[tipperary]

More good news, I spent over 5 hours in the kitchen yesterday....and....my hips didn't hurt, I didn't even realise that until I went to bed last night

 

[tipperary]

Morning, well the two outfits arrived. Tried the dress on, as I said I got a size 16 as recommended by their website. It goes on easy, it looks good but not fabulous, the skirt part is a bit wide and looks frumpy. The top looks good but possibly a bit loose under the arm. Thinking of getting the bottom taken in but I think I hold onto it for now but also order it in a size 14 to try then return one of them. It's a sale item so not too pricey. As for the jumpsuit , it's MASSIVE on me, and I'm not saying that too brag. I got the petite version thinking waist, hips etc would be in proportion to me. Well the crotch is swinging around my knees and it's at least a foot too long, the waist is hanging around my hips and the off shoulder displays a breast. I was so disappointed as it looked fantastic online and even on the hanger it's very dressy. I'm returning it and thinking about ordering a size 12 and see if the proportions on that are any better. Though this one is pricey and it's up to two weeks before I get a refund, hmm. I have it in my mind now I want a jumpsuit so been looking at others on the website to see what they have. I've already been in store and they have no jumpsuits and very little petite other than jeans and black work trousers. Hmm, decisions.

 

[Torn_Tranquility]

Wow - I'm exhausted just reading about your kitchen efforts! I wish I could get excited about Christmas, but I'm just not a big fan. Although I am looking forward to seeing my niece and nephew.

It doesn't sound like bragging at all! It sounds like hard work is paying off, and well deserved. I find it a nightmare ordering stuff online. I'm petite as well, but naturally curvy. And you're right, the proportions just don't match up!

 

[tipperary]

Thanks @Torn_Tranquility , I've gone online now and ordered more items to try on at home. I picked sale items, mid range items and the dressy jumpsuit I liked. I've ordered 7 but only plan on keeping two items in total. Darling husband has loaned me his card to get to them knowing most will be returned. I actually don't enjoy buying to return but the petite items just aren't available in store to pick or try.
Found a recipe for keto dough for sausage rolls and going to try that today,might also use it for quiche too if it works.
Chat later

 

[Torn_Tranquility]

I know what you mean! Even living in Cardiff, the range in the shops isn't great. And so many stores seem to be mainly online now. I get lucky in M&S with trousers/jeans sometimes, but not so great for dresses and jumpsuits!

Good luck with the dough - you have much more patience in the kitchen than me. I love cooking, but I'm useless when it comes to prepping in advance like that!

 

[tipperary]

Thanks @Torn_Tranquility , I do like cooking. I've been cooking most of my life and have worked in many kitchens, I'm also taught cookery for a while in the community and loved it. I'm actually missing being in the kitchen now and making big family meals. I made the pastry, a Diet Doctor recipe, and left it chilling. Them made 4 sample sausage rolls last night. I found it too cheesy and fatty and rich, the pastry and sausage together were too much. I also covered a piece of Brie in it to bake but the Brie just melted and ran out. I've another piece of Brie wrapped in it and might try dry frying that to see if it works. I still have some of the pastry left so thinking of just flattening balls of it, sprinkling with sesame seeds and baking, a sort of cracker to dip in guacamole.

Keto sausage rolls recipe - Appetizer Recipe - Diet Doctor

Savory sausage rolls are a favorite appetizer in the UK at Christmas or special events. But there's no need to give up this popular comfort food when you have this easy keto version. Almond flour and grated mozzarella create the pastry blanket. Use good quality sausage, but it's your choice...

www.dietdoctor.com

 

[tipperary]

Returned the items to Next yesterday but on the way stopped at TK Maxx...oh I shouldn't have. I found the perfect black jumpsuit there, well perfect as in it fits me perfectly (it must be a 3/4 length ) which I got, plus a woollen dress and best of all a long wool cream coloured coat. I also got Christmas wrapping paper and gift cards, some decorations and stocking fillers. Yep, in case you haven't guessed I LOVE CHRISTMAS, I really do and am getting ready to do the full house clean up this weekend ready to start decorating (and have started to watch the cheesy Christmas films on TV ).

 

[tipperary]

Drum roll please


View media item 4928

I'm overweight
I'm overweight
I'm overweight

I'm no longer obese

 

[Torn_Tranquility]

wooohooo congratulations! And loving the TKMAX bargains. I really should pop in there again soon, although mainly avoiding town at the moment. Two weeks until pay day!

I need some of your motivation. This week has been a bit meh. But then with work upheaval etc, I suppose it's not unexpected. Need to be kind to myself. Pastry looks interesting. I have some almond flour, so might give it a go.

OH's mum kindly gave me a load of stewed apples last night. So going to pick up some pastry and make a strudel. Although I think I will layer, rather than rolling!

 

[tipperary]

The pastry wasnt great to be honest, very rich. I've made four flat "cookies" with it and will try them later with something on it and see how that is. But they are too cheesy to have as a cracker with cheese

 

[tipperary]

Hi all, official weight loss for this week is 900g, so happy with that. For a while I thought it would be zero, I'm on track.
Clothes arrived and have tried them on, the pink dress is so much better in the 14 so returning the 16. The jumpsuit in size 12 also works well but so does another one I got in a 14, will keep one of them and return one but will check husband's and daughters opinions first.3 items just not suitable,one too big, one too small and one fits but makes me look fat...so they are being returned. And finally one midi red dress, it fits and looks good but not 100% sure about it, again will let someone else decide.
Some kitchen cleaning this morning and just having a rest now after first meal of the day, mince, spinach and a fried egg. Then going to start a blitz of the sitting room later.
Take care

 

[tipperary]

Morning all, my digestion hasn't been great the past 36 hours and I made a decision to eat toast. I felt that would settle it for some reason, toast has always been my comfort food and haven't had any in 6 months. I was very busy yesterday tidying the kitchen and getting lots done in the sitting room in preparation for Christmas decorations. So at about 6pm I lite the fire and found a film to watch. I had two slices of toast with lots of butter, a slice of ham and some homemade coleslaw, and a glass of wine. It was delicious and surprisingly filling, I had to force myself to finish it. ( previously I would have been in the kitchen making more). I've no idea what effect it has had on my weight or blood glucose but am happy to report I haven't had to rush to the bathroom.
Chat later.

 

[tipperary]

Morning, hoped on the scales this morning and I've managed to put on a kilo. I'm wondering did I read it wrong yesterday too. Instead of saying 68.6kg which it definitely did on Saturday, it's showing as 69.6kg. Not going to overly worry about it and just get back on track. I do accidentally seem to have taken almost a week off all exercise, particularly my physio, so that could easily have affected it. Ah well, I know now.

 

[Torn_Tranquility]

Sometimes that little wake up call is what we need to nudge us back to it! I think the darker mornings and cooler weather are definitely making it harder to stick to a routine.