Trying to lose!

12th Sept 2019 – good food day.

Another day down, another good food day 😊

Monthly meltdown is now in full, pill popping swing, I feel bloated, grouchy and achy. I’m hoping for a short one as we have three monsters this weekend and the older two don’t get on! I fear there might be some telling off this weekend!

I didn’t get the job I applied for, would have been a great post I could have really sunk my teeth into, it’s fine though, I do like the job I have, and the people I work with.

Now, to business!

Usual morning food, cherries, strawberries, grapes, nuts and egg, then salad.

We we’re supposed to have liver today, turns out we bought kidneys instead! I say we, I didn’t go shopping 🤣

We found out a recipe online (Thank goodness for the internet!) We didn’t have Worcester sauce, Paul added bacon and sour cream because that was for the liver. And served with boiled spuds rather than on toast. It tasted alright! Link following: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/devilled_kidneys_58867/amp

I did have to run to the loo straight after dinner, not sure what’s made me need to do that with dinner, will try to remember this episode when we next have liver and compare. That way I’ll know if it’s the kidneys, or the saucy stuff.

I’m used to runs to the loo, so I’m not bothered. I am sorry that I’m not getting a good iron hit.

I’ll have to look up the benefits of kidney. As with all offal I’m assuming it’ll be lean and it would have been inexpensive. And of course it’s a bit of the animal which now hadn’t been unnecessarily wasted.

Fluid – I’ve had two cups of tea with one halfspoon in each, about a litre of water and 200ml lactose free milk. I’ll be having at least 300ml more of water before bed.

Exercise – I’m on a rest day, so none today.

And the love of my life? – Paul had exactly the same as me but with 2 hard boiled eggs not one, and breakfast of jumbo oats, Greek yoghurt and fruit. He also played ping pong during his lunch break.

We might have Greek yoghurt with honey and seeds later, I’ll see how I feel.

Just had another dash to the loo, I hope whatever my body doesn’t like is now gone!

So far now fair folk, I shall leave you in peace and update you tomorrow.

Let’s talk – Let’s combat hunger!

Paul, my beloved, said something last week which I disagree with. He was talking about how hungry he was, and then added, but then he’s on a diet, so that’s what is expected. Now I disagree with him on both points.

As far as I am concerned, I’m looking for a lifestyle change, what I eat now, I expect to be eating when (and I do mean when!) I’ve lost weight. Just as I expect to still be doing at least 150 minutes of moderate activity each week.

And I don’t believe anyone should be hungry when trying to lose weight – that’s counter intuitive, and in my case leads to hugely calorific binge eats. Besides, I’m not a masochist – why would I want to put myself through that horrible hungry feeling!

There are loads of us trying lose weight, and we all use lots of different methods. My method is the most boring, eat less, eat well, move more. I only have a limited amount of self discipline, so fasting wouldn’t work for me, and shakes and the like wouldn’t work for me (even though I read how loads of you are doing really well :))

So for anyone who is not on the strictness of the shakes, I thought I would do a little post about how to try and combat those growling pangs!

Just a reminder – I’m no health professional 🙂

Satiety

The feeling or state of being sated.”a molecule that seems to regulate satiety”synonyms:satiation, satisfaction, sufficiency, repleteness, repletion, fullness; More

Protein – it’s recommended we eat 0.8g of protein a day for every kg we weight. Having too much protein is not good for diabetics.

Protein helps you feel full because it changes the levels of our satiety hormones. The body does not store protein, so we are best to eat it throughout the day.

Good sources of protein include: Lean meats (cutting off visible fat), nuts, fish, cooked eggs, beans and pulses.

Fibre – it’s recommended we eat about 30g or fibre a day.

Fibre helps us feel full because it changes the levels of our satiety hormones. It is usually stored in foods that take longer to eat, and are harder for our bodies to break down

Good sources of fibre include: wholewheat serials, oats (jumbo oats are best), wholewheat breads, pastas and brown rice, spuds with skin on, peas, beans, pulses, nuts (unroasted/unsalted), seeds, fruits and vegetables

I have a handful of nuts and an egg every weekday morning, plus fruit, I can go quite happily until about 2pm before I start to feel a bit hungry. I do want more food earlier, but I definitely do not need more food.

Water – UK NHS recommendation 1.2l per day unless hot or exercising – our climate isn’t hot enough for the recommendation to be 2l apparently – though I am still aiming for 2l total fluid consumption

When feeling hungry try to drink some water, it’s likely we might just need a drink rather than food.

There’s also theories advising to drink water before a meal, though some reports state just before a meal, and others state upto half hour before – so a bit confusing.

Mindful Eating – I keep hearing the term ‘mindful’ and i’ll be honest, I thought it sounded a bit hippyish for me, turns out I’m wrong!

I am a scoffer – no idea why, the food doesn’t taste any worse for the waiting, and no-one would dare try to pinch my food! I have made a concerted effort to slow my eating down and enjoying each mouthful. This gives my stomach and brain a chance to talk to each other, stomach letting brain know I’ve had enough.

I’ve also been making sure to listen to those messages, so rather than stuffing myself senseless, I stop when I know I’m satisfied. I’ll admit though, even now, I hate leaving stuff on my plate, it’s easier some days than others. I just keep doing it to try and train myself.

Anyway, there’s my little snippets of information, please do comment any other tips and practices you have 🙂

Hunger and Satiety – Which is Better Fat, Fibre, or Protein?

Here are the sites I looked, there’s loads of extra information on each link:

https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2013/03/14/Protein-fiber-and-flavor-key-to-producing-satiety-expert-says

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/

https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/basics/fibre.html

https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/ask-dietitian-normal-always-feel-hungry/

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/extra-protein-is-a-decent-dietary-choice-but-dont-overdo-it-201305016145

Lean Protein 101: Why We Need It and the 10 Best Sources for It

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/extra-protein-is-a-decent-dietary-choice-but-dont-overdo-it-201305016145

https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html?start=3

Lean Protein 101: Why We Need It and the 10 Best Sources for It

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/extra-protein-is-a-decent-dietary-choice-but-dont-overdo-it-201305016145

Until my update post later…

Hunger and Satiety – Which is Better Fat, Fibre, or Protein?

11th Sept 2019 – another good food and exercise day!

Tried my lactose free milk today… NO TUMMY ISSUES – YAY!

Had my usual daytime food, 1 egg, 1 handful of nuts, grapes, cherries and strawberries, then my salad for lunch.

No sneaky oven baked crisps today!

The girls came round for dinner today, so I cooked chicken breast in a Maggie bag, with peppers, onions and garlic. Katie doesn’t like mushrooms, so cooked those separately, and she prefers cauliflower as it comes, so that was steamed. This was with my usual oven cooked spuds. I left some of my chicken.

We shall have our Greek yoghurt with seeds and honey a bit later.

I’ve had about about 1.2 litres if water in total, including the glass I’m now on. And half a cup of tea with one halfspoon sugar.

I was working from home today, so I did my three exercise programmes during my lunch break. I shan’t be doing them tomorrow, rest day. Thankfully!

I’ve noticed a few sore patches, under my rib cage and on my side, I believe it’s muscle soreness. I have also noticed my arms are actually showing a bit of definition, not a lot mind you, the muscles look as big as Brazil nuts 🤣. Oh, and the bingo wings aren’t quite so flappy!!!! YAY!

Eating my way through pain killers for period pains (still not started yet) and coccyx pain.

Now on to my beloved – Paul is still doing well, his breakfast 40g oats with Greek yoghurt and frozen fruit, prepped last night. Salad for lunch. Fruit and eggs during the day, no nuts today. At least 1.5 litres of water, and he cycled to and from work.

All in all I feel quite pleased with today.

So that’s me for now, I’ll update again tomorrow. Night

My thoughts on Blogging as a Newbie

Good Morning 🙂

Sometime ago, I was chatting to my daughter and my mum (separate conversations – I can chat inanely!) about starting a diary recording my ‘weight loss journey’, I tried and failed, both in my diary and my weight loss…. again!

Then a couple of months ago I was chatting my poor daughters ears off, yet again, and I happened to mention that maybe a blog is the way to go. She agreed, she said if I had a blog, I might be held more accountable. My thoughts were I just prefer to type than write – it’s quicker 😀

But my daughter has a blog, only 2 updates on it, discussing her mental health, and that helped her. So, all those weeks ago, she helped me to set up this. It was frustrating, give me a type writer and I’m fine, give me something totally out of my depth and I’m screwed! That afternoon, I nearly gave up in frustration (hasten to add, it’s me, not WordPress!), but my daughter kept me going.

Then, after a couple of hours… BAM I had a blog set up and live!

And then I got a couple of likes, and follows, and that’s when I understood what Amy meant by accountability!

Prior to that moment, I thought a blog would help me keep a check on myself, and that if anyone followed me (which I seriously doubted), they could track my (hopefully) progress, and if it worked for me, that follower might be able to take something away from my blog. I wanted a warts and all blog, so when I slip (and for anyone that follows me, there’s plenty) to also see I can get back up and keep going (as can they).

After that moment, it’s not exactly that my thought process has changed… It’s more that now I’m much less likely to become complacent, and that when I fall down, I pick myself up asap! As more and more people followed me, the more I feel the need to keep going.

This is fantastic for me, I mean, I was not expecting to feel… tut, not sure of the word… obligated is way too strong… No, correct word escapes me, basically knowing i have people who are genuinely interested in reading about my progress, and that sometimes there is something that may just give them pause for thought in their own journeys too, makes me want to carry on, to prove it can be done.

And of course, the joy of following has become a HUGE bonus to me. I mean, I really don’t even do facebook, so I wasn’t really aware what blogging involved – I love reading the updates from the people I follow, and I’ve incorporated loads of tips into my lifestyle change, and I know that when I’ve had a wobble, I have people who will comment on my wobble posts, giving me support and encouragement – makes me feel very, very positive.

One thing I have learned about myself is that I love seeing my little notification telling me there’s a new like and or follower! I’ve never taken myself for vain, but I think I obviously am 😀

And for every post I read and enjoy – i click that ‘like’ button! and when I find a new blogger I like, I follow! I try to go to that bloggers first post, but some of you guys have been on here for YEARS! My computer can’t cope with all that scrolling! Anyway, so I like and I follow, because I love, well, all sorts, could be the style of writing, could be the wit, could be the content, could be the openess shared about struggles, you’ve taken the time to write, I’ve had the pleasure of reading, obviously I’m going to like 🙂

There’s still loads I need to learn about blogging, I mean, loads!

Things I have learned:

untick the ‘uncategorised’ tick in catagories
add in categories relevant to post and add in tags
no more than total 15 categories and tags
bloggers want to be found – it’s not rude to search for them! (sounds stupid I know, but I felt like I might be encroaching)
I’ve learned not to check my statistics more than a couple of times a day – I told you I was vain! It will be what it will be, I’m thoroughly loving what I’m doing as follower and followee, I don’t need a statistic to give me some measure of how well others might think of me 😀

Things I’ll try to learn:

how to reblog another bloggers post
find out if there is a way, and how, to get to a bloggers first post without the slide bar getting smaller and smaller!
how to use sub-categories

So if you’re a brand new blogger – from one nearly brand new blogger to a brand new blogger – reach out – there are so many people out there, all with loads to share! We might not all agree with each other all the time, but everyone’s thoughts are valid. Do comment on blogs if you brain automatically formulates a response, it makes blogging so much more interactive and enjoyable. If you like seeing people like and follow you, then other people will like you liking and following them 🙂

There’s loads I know I still have to learn, I just don’t know what they are yet – I’ll find out as I’m going – I’ve tried to read a couple of the tutorials, but i’m so not technically minded, i’m always embarrassed as I just don’t understand 😀

Anyway, that’s pretty much it, although I would like to say, if you have any ideas on ways I can make my blog more interesting, please do let me know – i’m thick skinned, REALLY thick skinned, so unless your out and out insulting me, I won’t be upset and will love any tips you have to help me improve my content, look etc (although please don’t ask me to write more amusingly – I’m at my limit there – a lot of you are just AMAZING – you can have me in stitches or floods of tears – literally! – oh the power of words :))

Anyway, I think that really is it for now 😀 So, I’ll catch ya later.

10th Sept 2019 – successful exercise and healthy food day.

Today I was more thankful than usual for the time spent prepping my lunches. So glad that’s how I prioritised my time last night, rather than doing exercises. Don’t get me wrong, I felt rubbish for not exercising, but I don’t think the brain or body was willing or able to do both last night.

So this morning I had strawberries, cherries, grapes, 1 egg and my handful of nuts. Then my big tub of salad for lunch. I also had a pack of oven cooked crisps this afternoon.

We went to a meeting about our garages tonight, only to find the councillor had given us the wrong date, meeting was yesterday! Almost as though we’re deliberately being given wrong information so we can’t fight our corner! Shambles of a local authority GRRRRRR….

Anyway, I digress, back to my point, so, because of the meeting, we had a quickish cook dinner, gammon, oven spuds and frozen sprouts with a dollop of sweet chilli sauce. Don’t know why, but I particularly loved my dinner tonight.

I had three cups of tea with 1 spoon of halfspoon sugar in each. I want to reflect on this a bit. I did, once upon a time, used to have 5 sugars per cuppa, and loads of cuppas each day. I thought I was doing great dropping to 3 sugars. And I actually kicked up a stink when our tea boy (My manager) tried to cut me down to 2! I’ve come a long way.

I’ve also had 1.5 litres of water and will probably have another 450ml glass before going to bed. I’m surprised that I’m not missing my fizzy, surprised and pleased.

I haven’t yet tried my new milk, I’ll try that tonight instead of (or maybe as well as) the water. Paul thinks he’ll be up for yoghurt in about an hour, I hope I am too, I really do want to keep going with my dairy increase.

Exercise, yes, I kicked my lazy arse into gear and did all three programmes! I wish I could enjoy the thought of doing them as much as I enjoy the feeling of having done them!

My monthly hasn’t quite gone into full gear yet, despite the cramping and general grumpiness, I’m hoping to continue exercising throughout. Strangely, things are much worse for me at this age, as a school kid, nothing would have stopped me playing netball, rounders and hockey!

Oh, and Paul… he was definitely not hungry today! In fact we’re going to cut down the leafy part of his salad from next week, shouldn’t be an issue as we have a minimum of 6 portions fruit and veg a day, 7 when I’m cooking. Oh, and he’s been on two runs!

So a good day for my healthy hopes 😊.

That’s enough gabbling from me for one day, night all.

9th Sept 2019 – what a day!

My day has been long and hard, and anyone I’ve spoken to feels exactly the same! Here’s to hoping the rest of the week us better than today!

Anyway, on to my daily log.

Today was a salvaged food day, I had 1 hard boiled egg, 60g raisins, 25ishg nuts, a couple of mouthfuls of Greek salad and 50g brown pasta mixed with half a small tin of tuna, mixed together with peas sweetcorn and lighter than light mayo.

I managed 1.5 litres of water and 2 teas.

This evening we tried quick cook wild rice and beans (very enjoyable) with peas and sweetcorn added, plus salmon, which tastes better than the picture looks.

Then prepped salads for us both, swapping tomatoes for peppers for Paul. I’ve added quinoa to the salads, never had it so it’ll be interesting to see if it works.

Paul has done our yoghurt, bless him 😊

All day I was thinking I’ll do my exercises tonight, but I’ve just sat down, time is currently 9.03pm, I’m knackered and my ovaries feel like tight, painful elastic bands flexing and pulling inside me trying to snap, really all I want to do now is curl up and not move.

So I’m gonna indulge in a bit of self pity for now, and wish you all a good upcoming week. Ta ta for now

8th Sept 2019 – family feast!

What a lovely day!

My side of the family was here for dinner today, all bar my daughter’s other half, who was unfortunately working. My aunt is flying up to my cousin tomorrow, so she was also able to join us today.

Somehow we all managed to fit round two tables 👏

I’ve cut off my daughter’s head 😥. And my second youngest niece decided not to be in photo 🤣

Anyway, I started my day with a cup of tea and five bean baked beans on toast, it was white bread unfortunately.

Well actually i started my day in a panic, i dozed in bed at about 9.30 (its Sunday, lay ins are allowed) and then remembered i needed to get the kleftiko in the oven – it takes hours to cook!

Breakfast was made by Paul after I had prepped and thrown dinner in the oven, and whilst I was showering.

Then it was getting everything ready, another quick hoover, organising more chairs, cutlery and another table!

Anyway, we started with a bit of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and slice or two of olive bread, moved on to kleftiko with Greek salad, and finished with fruit and fat free vanilla yoghurt. There was a glass of wine and a glass of full fat coke.

Everyone absolutely loved dinner, there are plenty of vegetables, but I used lamb shoulder which is quite fatty, and the overnight rub on the meat has olive oil. If you fancy giving it a go, here’s the link. http://www.thegaurdian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2016/aug/18/how-to-cook-the-perfect-kleftiko

It was so lovely having the family round. But after everyone and clearing up,we had to come up with ideas for tomorrow’s day time food. I wasn’t expecting the salad to be such a huge hit, and wrongly assumed we would have some for our lunches 😄

So, it was an emergency prep tonight. Brown pasta with tuna, sweetcorn and peas, all mixed together with lighter than light mayo. 1 egg which I’ll have, there’s a bit of cucumber and pepper left which I’ll stick in the remaining salad. Paul’s taking jumbo oats mixed with Greek yoghurt, and lots of fruit which will defrost over night, ready for his brekky. We have nuts.

Anyway, my tummy’s complaining a bit, probably with the oil I’ve had today, but if it calms down I’m hoping to do my step exercises.

That’s it from me tonight, wishing you all a good upcoming week. 😊

7th Sept 2019 – a fairly good day

Well, what a day!

Meeting with councillors this morning, still trying to stop them taking loads of our parking spaces away from us… another meeting on Tuesday!

Went to see my mate, had a good old catch up. I had a cuppa with one sugar and one sweetener.

Came home, started housework, then when Paul came back from picking up (yet another) bike, went to get weighed – as per previous post – 7lb LOSS! Still can’t believe it 😁

Then had a sausage roll, it was a white roll with a scraping of real butter and veggie sausages.

Completed housework, top to bottom, while Paul did a bit of mowing and then just played with his new bike 🤣. Probably for the best, our standards are a little different!!!

Then Paul cooked curry and rice. There was cream in it, but other than that made as healthy as possible, using 1cal spray, chicken, onions, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, curry paste and brown rice. I did also have a poppadom with a tablespoon of mango chutney. I didn’t eat all my dinner, stopped when satisfied.

I now have a glass of water and a spiced rum and Pepsi max.

I’m gonna relax, phone in hand, reading all your fab posts 😊. this is my calm before the storm.

Tomorrow’s gonna be a big family meal. I’m cooking kleftiko for 9, I’ve already dry rubbed the lamb.

So, goodnight to you all, I’ll update you tomorrow night, regardless of how frazzled I am 🤣

7th Sept 2019 – HUGE SUCCESS!

OMG!! I can’t believe it!

7lb off this week!

I know we’re supposed to lose 1 to 2 lb each week for healthy maintainable weight loss, but I can’t help but be ecstatic!

So what have I done this week so differently?

– exercised regularly. I promised myself I would do the you tube videos 4 times – I did it! I kept my promise. I even walked on my rest day.

– Dairy. I’ve had Greek yoghurt almost every night and persevered with milk most of the week. That’s more calories in, but maybe the extra dairy is helping my gut bacteria?!? Who knows!

– water. I’ve not been drinking my Pepsi max, I’ve been drinking water instead, and plenty of it!

Even Paul lost 5lb!!! Sooooo chuffed!

It’ll be interesting to see what happens next week.

Will do daily update tonight.

Byeeee

6th Sept 2019 – LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT! Great day!

I feel so energised!!!!

Today has been a totally different kind of day. Had a job interview, don’t think I’ve got it, but that’s ok, it would have been an interesting job, but it’s not as though I don’t already have a job I enjoy. I’ll know next week.

So, to business…

Started the day with a handful of cherries, nuts and two hard boiled eggs. Ooh, and a cup of tea with halfspoon sugar.

And had lunch with mum, aunt and daughter. Mum and aunt had battered fish and chips, my aunt’s been living in Canada for the last 13 years, she hasn’t had proper fish and chips in all those years! Daughter had halloumi wrap and chips. I stuck to my guns!

Lunch, salad bowl (pineapple, olives, raisins, couscous, pasta) chicken salad, (menu states salad is 400 calories) plus 1 chip and Pepsi max. I really enjoyed my salad. There was not a single ounce of remorse as my family tucked into their meals and I crunched down on salad 😊

Then brought a new loo seat as mine broke! No idea how, it cracked, my thigh got stuck and pinched badly! I squarked… loudly…. very Loudly!

Then dinner, healthier fish, healthy oven spuds and mushrooms cooked with a knob of butter, garlic puree (I love garlic 😂) and dried herbs.

Our yoghurt is prepared, ready.

Exercise – should have been the three exercise programmes I like to do, but Paul fancied a walk, so we did a combo… the 15 minute strength training, and then a 17 minute hard walk, with 106 feet elevation, and 0.9 miles…. So when I say “walk” i mean a bloody hard march which meant I was breathing and sweating like a sod!

I feel knackered, but really, really great!

Now on to the love of my life, Paul, fruit, yoghurt with oats and honey, good so far????

THEN… scampi, chips and beer! Hmmmm. BAD Paul 🤣

As usual, we’ve got a full-on weekend now. But will update tomorrow as usual, and probably a separate post for my weigh in.

Hope you all have a fab weekend! Teddy-bye