Any Louise Parker Lean for Life fans?

[Katrinawaves]

I’ve just dug out my old Lean for Life books and decided time to get back on the wagon. I followed her plan 2 years ago and lost about 3 stone very quickly and managed to keep it off without too much difficulty until a change in lifestyle (lots more travel for work) combined with a really stressful and shitty year has led to me abandoning her principles and putting on 2 stone.

But I know I feel good using her ways of eating and exercising more, I know it works relatively quickly for me and I enjoy her recipes. I also need badly to conquer the stressors and regain fitness levels so am going to start again. 2 weeks before Christmas may sound insane but as she says there is never a good time to start so why wait. Also I’m off work for 3 weeks from Tuesday of next week so have plenty of time to get some good habits imbedded before I need to get back to long commutes and frequent overseas travel.

So anyone else in - either to do the plan or just to read my posts and give me some encouragement along the way?

Today was more of a prep day as I didn’t really eat any of her meals though I wasn’t too far off her plan.

Brunch of scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast with bacon and a cup of tea

Snack americano coffee with milk

Dinner sausage casserole with beans

Lots of mineral water

I also ran (very slowly) for 2 miles this morning.

[TeachesOfPeaches]

So the food is working a treat, my appetite has reduced immensely.

Before, I was living off chips, rice, pasta and wine and always starving hungry but now I'm full most of the time. It's magic!

[Katrinawaves]

It’s fab isn’t it @TeachesOfPeaches

I had another day inside the circle. I went for a run at lunchtime and for meals I had

B - scrambled eggs on toast
L - salmon and Greek salad
D - chicken stuffed with red peppers and feta cheese with roasted butternut squash and braised kale

S - apple and a few edamame peas and roasted chickpeas from a Graze pack.

I also had a sneak peek on scales and I’m down 4lb since last Wednesday.

[lunarpossum]

Congrats @myohmywhatawonderfulday on your four day streak!
The Amelia Freer lazy dhal recipe was a huge hit - can imagine it being lovely with a bit of chicken stirred through too if you wanted to add a bit of something.

Ive got the leftovers packed up for lunch today. Managed to go for a run last night, was planning on going again today but it has snowed here overnight so I shall do some of the exercises from the books instead and if it lingers for a few days I'll go use a treadmill at the gym to keep up my training. I do feel like i've started to notice the mental health benefits from running - it's helping to blow the cobwebs off after a day sat behind my desk, sleeping better, not tempted to snack in evenings. Before every run I question if I can be bothered but I do feel better for it when I go.

On today's menu:
B - Porridge with stewed cinnamon apple
L- dhal with rice
D - Lemon cod with green veggies
Snacks will be monkey toast and later on some vanilla skyr mixed with choc powder and fresh raspberries. I didn't feel I needed my usual 3pm pick me up yesterday though! I seem to be ravenous in the mornings, and can last a bit longer in the afternoon.

I need to weigh myself but the batteries have gone dead in the scales, and if I am honest I'm a bit too scared! I might have to bite the bullet through so can measure progress. I did manage to turn down some lemon loaf last night so have managed to stay in the circle.

[Katrinawaves]

It was my friends baby shower tonight and I caved and had a slice of cake. Just now telling myself it’s only cake not a disaster and I need to get back in the circle. I did stick to the Diet Coke so things could have been worse

I also haven’t paid my rent today though I did have a lovely lie in this morning as I was working from home today.

B - poached egg on toast
L- chicken with kale and butternut squash
D - pork chop with spinach and left over butternut squash. It’s now finished thank goodness as I’ve had it for 3 main meals in a row to use it up!

Snack - the cake. And blummin lovely it was too.

[TeachesOfPeaches]

What do you mean by 'pay your rent'? It isn't in the book I've got. I've lost 5lbs so far

[Katrinawaves]

It’s how she describes doing some daily exercise @TeachesOfPeaches

[myohmywhatawonderfulday]

@TeacherOfPeaches - congrats on the 5lb weight loss!

Hello, so I had an inner circle day yesterday and I am on track for one today. But since beasting myself in Body Attack yesterday morning I feel so tired. Like lead.
I am hoping this will pass in by the end of the 6 weeks I will feel energized.

[TeachesOfPeaches]

@myohmywhatawonderfulday thank you, I'm VERY fat so it's not much of an achievement but at least going in the right direction for once!

[Katrinawaves]

5lb is great however much you think you have to lose. Well done! She has a great metaphor in one of her books about turning the fat burning tap on and then leaving it running which I always like to imagine when my willpower is tested. It sounds like your tap is turned to full flow not just dripping a bit

[Tanaqui]

May I ask, does anyone know how the app works? I think I have downloaded it, but it is asking for an invite code? Have I got the wrong thing? Thank you!

[TeachesOfPeaches]

Thank you @Katrinawaves ! I'm trying to include exercise too and have dusted off my kettlebell and started doing some 10 minute workouts from YouTube.

[Katrinawaves]

@tanaqui

I downloaded the app a couple of years ago so may be out of date but I don’t recall being asked for an invite code. There is a paid for programme so there may be an app for participants of that maybe? The one I downloaded was free and you could make an in app purchase to obtain more recipes. I’ve attached a photo of how it looks in find App Store.

The app is good because when you add foods it has a circle which changes colour to show how far in the circle you’ve been. If you’ve only slipped a little the circle is still green just a bit lighter which helps with the mentality that one slip doesn’t mean the whole day needs to be a write off.

[Tanaqui]

Thank you Katrina - I can't find one that looks like that (I'm not using an iPhone) so maybe I can't get it . It looks good!

[myohmywhatawonderfulday]

Hello everyone,

How has your Saturday gone? Every 10 minutes adds up..its all good.

I have planned all the meals for next week and gone shopping. I do feel so much more 'in control' when I do that. It's also one of the first things to go out the window when I get a little bit busy. I keep re-reading bits of her book and trying to think successfully and like this is a lifestyle and not an on/off thing.

Anyway, I am too scared to weigh myself but I did take a progress picture and my jeans are starting to fit better. So I am happy!

That is the app I downloaded at the start of this month and I didn't need a code either but I did pay for increased access to the recipes

[TheAccidentalTourist]

May I join you all? I got the Louise Parker 6 week plan book for Christmas and I'm hoping it's what I've been looking for - a lifestyle rather than hopping on and off the endless diet train. As Louise recommends, I'm trying to find a tribe!

[myohmywhatawonderfulday]

@TheAccidentalTourist welcome! The more the merrier always!

So I wanted to let you all know I faced my fear and got on the scales I have lost 4lbs. I won't do it again for another two weeks though!

[lunarpossum]

Hi everyone!
Whilst I have not completely fallen off the wagon I am really struggling this week. I have been recording everything I eat and there are definitely a lot of potatoes sneaking in without me even realising. I probably would have thought I was doing really well but through recording I can see exactly what I need to pull back on & have more discipline about.

I did get a battery for my scales, but then they malfunctioned and stopped working. My new scales arrive today so hopefully next week I will see some movement on the numbers!

[myohmywhatawonderfulday]

@lunarpossum you have just stepped in and out the inner circle! I like that analogy she uses.

Hello everyone! So how is everyone doing?

I have tried loads of her recipes now. I really like them because they are simple and mixing up what I usually do.

Coconut and rosewater porridge...it was an acquired taste.
Many oatbran birchers
A chicken and chorizo stew - very tasty and different from my usual dinners.
A ramen dish (but I didn't add chicken). Again super simple and very flavourful.
Tonight was a chorizo frittata which I basically improvised around different suggestions in her book so I added peas and cheddar cheese because I didn't have any manchego lying around!

I also went to poundland and got some placemats today. They are actually nice! I am trying to eat beautifully!!

So far I am still streaking!!

[TeachesOfPeaches]

Hello, I'm still feeling full and not craving all of the junk I was living off before. Perhaps because I'm now getting all the nutrients I need?

[lunarpossum]

@myohmywhatawonderfulday yes I love that! I have to remember that I all I need to do is step back in again - one step out doesn't need to turn into a bad day or a bad week, or a bad month. It is one meal!

I have managed to lose 2lbs since Saturday!
I had another step out last night -I left making tea a bit late only to find out I had forgotten the key ingredient (Joe Wick's Chicken Pie - got some filo pastry and spinach to use up) so we got a chinese takeaway.
I was feeling guilty but actually it's just food. I don't think I'd crave another anytime soon and it's one meal out of however many I have in a week. I did think afterwards that I could have easily made some eggs on toast or something .I need to get out of the mindset of good/bad, can't do everything perfectly and really this is my first proper week. The bad habits will become less and less, and I have still lost weight this week so far. Stepping back into the circle today!

I also made one of the pitta pizza bites as a snack when I got home from work - very nice, definitely satisfied my cheesy pizza craving and not faffy to make at all!

[myohmywhatawonderfulday]

@lunarpossum another 2lbs is brilliant!
@Teachesofpeaches - I think its probably a mixture of things like getting the nutrients, balancing blood sugar, the protein/fat content of the food.

What I like about this method is I still get to keep coffee...other diets I have done you have to drink it black and its totally gross to me. The focus on really enjoying eating is making me think that hopefully this time I can sustain it.

Has anyone set themselves some goals?

[Katrinawaves]

I’ve had a week mostly outside the circle. Just really stressful and busy on lots of fronts which meant I didn’t plan meals in advance or have time for exercise and now I feel blah.

I’m travelling for work next week so need to make a plan for how to get back on the horse. On the plus side I’ll be staying in a hotel with a gym so should be able to work out but I need to plan to eat well and not drink too much alcohol.

Well done to those who lost this week.

[myohmywhatawonderfulday]

@Katrinawaves - great to hear from you. Sorry that it's been stressful. For me, meal planning and food and eating all goes out the window and so I do understand.

You will never know how many times I have started this losing weight/healthy eating thing.

I am having workout gear problems. I realised today at the gym I looked like I had stepped straight out of 2003. My bootcut yoga pants look rubbbbbisshhhh compared to everyone's pretty leggings with matching crop tops. Only I can't wear leggings because my legs are very large... and I last wore a crop top in 1999. It is so far proving impossible to find attractive work out leggings that are not too tight.

[TeachesOfPeaches]

Quick question - I started my period this morning and normally I would be in a lot of pain and have horrific rages but this time it hasn't been too bad. I winder if diet is linked?

[Katrinawaves]

Take the win @TeachesOfPeaches

You may be right. Years ago as a young teenager suffering badly with period pain I read a book which claimed that dietary changes could help. I can’t remember any of the recommendations now apart from that bananas and walnuts were both supposed to be very good, and that they recommended starting to take pain relief from the day before you were due to try to avoid letting pain get a hold. Not sure if that would be considered good advice these days though!