Hello! Day One Done - anyone want to join me?

[SharkSkinThing]

Just wanted to say hello and see if any other new starters wanted to buddy up for support and advice?

I've got 3 - 4 stone to lose, all gained AFTER having my DS who is now - god help me - 5. All down to long-term sleep deprivation and sugar reliance, and forming terrible habits. And wine to help me cope with the sleep deprivation,

Anyway, hoping to finally turn things around now that he's finally sleeping (sometimes until 5.30am!). Would love to chat to others who are finding that this WOE works for them.

xx

How's your cold Shark? Hope it's on it's way out now. Funny old week last week wasn't it, I still wake up everyday thinking 'David Bowie is dead'.....I must be driving my husband mad by now, he's heard so many facts/figures/snippets about Bowie and we've watched videos and films daily that he must be very fed up by now. He is a fan but I fear that's because I wore him down over the years

Fav brilliant cm loss!! It's a great spur when you see and feel the difference, especially when you are comfortable in your skinny jeans. That's how I know I need to cut back, when I can't move properly in my skinny jean.

Fit how's the ankle? Did you have to have it strapped up? Hope it's on the mend, I knew no good could come from exercising

I've been good food wise but I have just had a cappuccino chocolate that a work colleague bought me, can't decide if she's being nice or just trying to sabotage my efforts. If I get another tomorrow I'll know for sure!

We've just had gammon and red cabbage for dinner, it was left over from yesterday but tasted much nicer today.

Does anyone have any tips for perfect poached eggs, I love them and make them on a weekend for a late breakfast but they are very hit and miss.

Ankle's good. Workout tonight and I think I should be able to do my run, just not for as long or at full speed.

I'm loving my new food processor, made homemade salsa last night, it was so yummy!

Good to hear about your ankle, Fit.
I could do with a new food processor, any suggestions?

How is your cold, Shark?

Collegue sabotage: maybe you want to say thank you by getting her a box of chocolate or a giant muffin!

The fresher the egg, the better poached egg. When the egg is first laid, the white sits tightly around the yolk but as the egg ages, the white becomes looser, runnier. A fresh egg, on the other hand, makes a poor boiled egg as the shell won't peel easily.
Apologies if already known.
Freshness test. Place egg in a glass/pan of cold water: a fresh egg will lie flat on the bottom, with age the egg's bottom will rise (a vertical egg is 20+ days old); if it floats is rotten.

Thank you for the idea: I made egg poached in tomato and basil sauce for breakfast. :)

I am failing at the moment, gang, I just don't what the matter with me is.

I think it's a combination of apathy, boredom, self-sabotage and feeling a bit down in the dumps. And telling myself that the weight I am at now is acceptable when I know it's not.

The scales haven't moved since before Xmas and it's depressing me, even though I know it's my fault, I'm not being 'bad', but I'm not being 'good' either. Just coasting.

I don't want my weight loss journey be a failure; I have never lost this much before. I know this works (and my bottom is thankful too!). Another 10 pounds is all I want to lose now.

Any suggestions? More exercise? A different approach? A kick up the arse from you lot?!!

xxxxx

I've always failed as I get down to that last 10 pounds. Because it never wants to budge! Maybe have a good carby binge week and then see if that breaks the cycle?

fit!!!! God, do you think I'd get away with it?! Sounds dangerous *but heavenly!).

xxx

I've heard that having a binge can jump start things. I'd google it a bit more though before you do anything.

Good thinking...thank you for the tip! xx

(hug) If the scales are not going up, you are succeeding not failing. Your weight loss journey is not going to be a failure because you have already attained a major victory, you have achieved more than a third of your goal.

There are different options to get you back into a downward trend:

1. you could post what you ate the last couple of days, so we can see if we can help to tweak a little.
2. a carb refeed but if you already had one at Christmas, then it might not work. Best done with increased protein and starches post workout.
3. add some fasting: the easiest form is to eat during set hours (eg 12-6pm)
4. eliminate dairy (butter should be fine)
5. fat fast or
6. egg fast
7. Carbs, protein and fat ratio tweak

Thanks ever so, fav. That has really helped me focus on what I have achieved. And to not give up.

And I appreciate your kind offer, esp as I know how busy we all are.

I like the idea of fasting; I am wondering if I am having too many calories. Does it matter what hours I do it, and do you do it every day (ie, only eat between 9am - 3pm Monday - Friday, leaving weekends flexible around family? But smaller portion sizes?

This would mean I can have a small breakfast to get me through spin, then lunch around 2pm, which would see me through?

Part of me thinks I need to cut down my portion sizes too.

So if I did only eating between 9am - 3pm, and only low-carb for those meals, it might help?

I will start tomorrow and weigh in a week, see what that does!

Thanks, Fav and fit.

xxx

The other thing, and I sound like a right princess here, is that no-one has noticed.

Not one single person, even family members who I hadn't seen for a few months (not counting my Mum, she swore she could tell).

So it's made me a feel a bit despondent...1.8 stone is not a small amount! I was sort of feeling, what's the point?!

The other thing, and I sound like a right princess here, is that no-one has noticed.

Not one single person, even family members who I hadn't seen for a few months (not counting my Mum, she swore she could tell).

So it's made me a feel a bit despondent...1.8 stone is not a small amount! I was sort of feeling, what's the point?!

Sorry for tantrum double post.

1.8 stone, that's over half of your smaller goal and almost half of your bigger one!

I'm not sure it matters your window of eating, I guess it would depend on what time you go to bed and get up: the principle behind is that you burn the most fat whilst asleep and you continue to do so until you eat again.

I guess I fast ~14hrs most days but this week has been more like 18-20hrs. By the time I sort ds, wash the dog's bed and blanket and clean her mess (she is old and not managing through the night very often) it's basically lunch-time or beyond.

I'm not sure if you are having too many calories, it could be too few (starvation mode), maybe too many carbs and/or proteins.
As for portion sizes I eat roughly 100g of meat/fish per meal -which will be cooked at the very minimum with 15g fat- or 2-3 eggs or ~50g of hard cheese and I don't limit the veg at all. For lunch I had 2 large courgettes with generous amount of olive oil for and 3 fried tomatoes and chicken breast cooked in goose fat; I also snacked on a bowl (~100-150g) of olives and 1 square of 85% chocolate. (No idea what's for dinner, it's dh's turn to cook!)

Well done to everyone for not putting weight on. I am back to being very good but the scales haven't budged in the last 5 days

Friday is my weigh-in day, so I was hoping to miraculously lose 1 or 2 pounds by then but it doesn't look likely now.

Has anybody tried "Heck" chicken sausages? I bought a pack in Tesco at the weekend, they claim to be only 75 calories per 2 chipolata sausages, which seems very low. Minimal carbs as well. I was thinking I could cook up a pack and then use 3 or 4 chopped up with some salad etc for packed lunches.

Am going to try Favis delicious-sounding tagine at the weekend.

Again, fav, many thanks, I am mulling this all over and am going to get back to basics and write it all down. I am not as vigilant as before and I expect small amounts are creeping in. Like sneaking a fish-finger off DS's plate today!

So sorry to hear your dog is struggling, it must be hard. She's lucky to have you looking after her so well.

pax - you never know! I will keep my fingers crossed for you. xxx

Ended up working till 8pm last night (with an hour drive home on top of it) and was so hungry I broke down and had a McDonalds :( Felt sick immediately afterwards.
Weigh in day for me, so I will let you know how it goes.

Oh no fit. Hope my apathy isn't spreading. Let's hand hold today...I'm determined to get my groove on!!!

Anarchy! Fish fingers, macdonald's?!

Let's get into the groove Will, what have you done? I can't get Madonna's songs out of my head!

Pax, the sausages seem fine, I think Sainsbury's does some with no sugar and no rice flour (potato starch instead). I'll post some homemade sausage mix recipes next week when my guests are gone.
Even if the scales haven't moved, your body composition will have changed. :)

As encouragement, my weight didn't move for a couple weeks +...Weighed in today, 1.5lb down. That's 1 kg less than before Christmas, 1/3 of the way from my target and an average of ~1lb a week (holidays included). :)

You make me laugh, fav!

And well done on your loss, you have inspired me to not loose faith. This woe DOES work, we all know it does.

I am in the mood for some soup, creamy mushroom, so am going to make some when I get home after work.

I want to go and see the new Tarantino film tonight, but it's 3 hours long!!!! Perhaps take a flask of decaff coffee, or ginger tea!

xx

I am back on bored and the scales say I'm a 1/2 lb down. Not great, but better then nothing. :)

Just realized I wrote bored instead of board, LOL. Freudian slip? :D

It all counts, fit! LOL at your slip!! xx

Good morning, all. It is vile here, really wet and miserable.

Weighed today and still 13.10, but feel ok about it. I'm going to get my cooking groove on (damn you, Will), I think this is the cause of my apathy. I have pretty much eaten the same thing since October, time to shake it up.

Last night I made creamy mushroom soup, and tonight I'm going to have roasted veggies and fish. Also going to make a huge Thai green curry with tofu and shredded cabbage, and generally experiment a bit more.

Spin class today, always helps!

How is everyone else doing today? xxx

Thanks for the poached eggs tips everyone. I very just made some and they were blooming delicious. I ate two but could probably have managed three