Banting and banter - making less of ourselves into February!

[WellErrr]

Banting is my favourite old fashioned word. Means slimming, and I got it from Agatha Christie

@Octopus37 yes, it felt a little bit starvy tbh. 9st6 is fab - I'd love to get down to that!

I am at work today so decided to go high protein for breakfast. 2 scrambled eggs. Urgh. An hour later and still feeling a bit sick. Anyone got any high protein palatable breakfast ideas?

@octopus that's fantastic!

@everycowandagain thanks so much for the video that makes a lot of sense. I will factor in breaks and deficits, I hate the guilty feeling of thinking I'm failing so actually deciding when to diet and when to take a break should really help with that. Sounds very sustainable too as I can factor in family events etc

@Patchworksack if you lost weight by doing the same thing that you're doing now then the weight loss should happen, just a blip. However you said you're not being super strict so that could also be why. Have a break and start afresh with more motivation? That's what I'm planning to do

You're doing so well @WellErrr my dp is brilliant at giving honest opinions, I bet you look a lot better than you realise?

Oops didn't mean to press post. I mean can you ask someone honestly what they think? Obviously you have to be happy too but sometimes it's harder to see the changes in ourselves

Mediterranean diet - my favourite! It's really well regarded in nutrition as one of the best diets. It's based on how people used to eat in the Mediterranean a long time ago, olive oil, oily fish, nuts, abundance of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains. It's a wonderful diet full of all the wonderful things that you can eat (rather than a big list of things to avoid) has huge health benefits too which is where I first came across it, but study after study has shown its protective factors against numerous mind and body diseases, so much so that I think it's recommended by the WHO and numerous doctors etc. It's basically common sense but I like having it written down and I like having all the science to support why it's so good for us

The Breaking up with sugar book is making me realise its is all about the sugar for me, if my blip didn't already tell me that so it's gone for me now, I'm sad about it but I can't manage moderation :( Away next week so will have to be careful without my weighing scales!! Will aim for healthy breakfast and salad or eggs for lunch.

Octopus you've reminded me I got down from mid 9s to 8/11 wnd 2018 but put it back on again plus plus :/ running was a big part of the loss abd motivation at the time.

Meal prep for me fir weekend includes creamy mushroom soup, ratatouille and halloumi and goats cheese frittata. Yum!!

Right, I've looked at the calendar and will carry on with my break for now, we have a lot of things going on this month (things which are contributing to my stress) but hopefully next month things will be looking better so I will restart 4th march. Until then I won't be counting calories but will try to eat sensibly, not binge etc. will be interesting to see if / how much weight I gain too, which I think will help me decide on a target too. No point having an unsustainable target!

I'll still weigh in weekly, have my 5 a day etc

You may not gain... iwill be interesting alright! My book says weigh once or twice a month!!!

So I have lost a pound this week. 2.2 kg or nearly 5lbs since we started. I am pleased

But.... but I thought losing 5lbs would put me into supermodel territory.
Instead I am still a bit wobbly, my stomach more so if anything as it’s a bit smaller but more saggy.

I have been telling myself that a bit less fat on the outside = a bit less fat inside which is great.

I’m now reaching the healthy weight bracket. So my goal is 4 kg altogether or 2kg/ 5lbs over next 2 months maybe.

I’m at the age where I have to weigh up “face or figure” and think if I got to my ideal body shape I would look a bit gaunt in the face.

Also trying not to see a fail as a fail. Lunch one day this week was a Greggs cheese white baguette and a hot chocolate. I just enjoyed it and moved on. Noticed it probably did make me feel a bit hungrier later but had lentil and veg Dahl with brown rice for tea.

It has to be sustainable long term or I’ll be spending every January doing mix of 16:8 and less carbs and no s!

Gave myself yesterday off and had cake, chinese take away, wine and chocolate !! But i enjoyed every bit so was worth it 😂 fasted until 4pm today then had salad so might even out. Scales didnt budge all week.

I have had
Ono
Two egg wrap with chicken, salad and mayo. Delish
Ratatouille with halloumi and salad, quel surprise, also yum. That leaves me way under but I think I'm done and feeling v full. My scales is not.moving either...I am going to weigh Mon as usual and maybe leave two weeks then as per my new bible lol.

@Canklesforankles I am right with you, you cannot fail at this, it's not good or bad, on plan or off, fail or succeed, it's a series of choices. Getting away from the idea of failure or messing it up is so important for me in making it the way I live rather than a diet.

Oh and also I have the same situation where my "ideal" lean body makes me far too scrawny in reality, and my face will look too thin. I need to stop comparing myself to unrealistic expectations and fitness models who are in their twenties!!

@wastingtimeworrying yesterday I had donuts for breakfast, pizza for lunch and we went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner!!

Today I have done a 55 minute fitnessblender HIIT workout before breakfast and I feel so much better for it, although I didn't much fancy it beforehand. Had a breakfast wrap afterwards, passed on seconds. Definitely feel like I want to eat vegetables and salad after yesterday, my body isn't used to so much sugar and salt.

Still 9st5.5 after Friday night's take away despite an upset stomach.
Yesterdays food:
Breakfast - usual
Lunch - Had a Super Wholefood salad in O'Neills (the boys wanted to watch a football match). Don't know how many calories, but the only fun bit was the roasted cauliflower.
Snacks - 1 chocolate biscuit, 1 mini babybel light
Dinner - Rice with fajita stew

Reasonable day but not much exercise cause of the awful weather. Have had my usual breakfast today and done some housework. Feel hungry and moody. Really wanted to take the boys out today but it is raining so hard. Also hankering for the days 10 years ago or less when we used to go out a lot and I could stop and have cake breaks etc and not need to worry about my weight (unbelievably I was around 8st then). Just feel like I want to eat my body weight in chocolate, think I might be due another period judging by the dates since my first once, but have had another one in between. O the joys of being middle aged. Will make a plan shortly.

Totally relate to all.of that octopus!

In the nicest possible way, its a relief to know I'm not on my own

I understand. You're really not. :)

Nice egg recipe if anyone interested..fry off veg of choice, crumble 100g goats cheese on top in baking tray, 8 eggs beaten on top, 20 min@200c. Yummy frittata!

Weigh in day for me!!! I've lost 1.5lbs!!!! 💃🏼 Very pleased for my first week of dieting!!

Am off on holiday next week, so i suspect I might put it back on, but at least I know I can do it!!!!

Well done ndo. You can do it. Enjoy your holiday.

Well done!

Well done ndo that's great. Have a good holiday. Weighes in at 9st5.5 this morning, a bit fed up tbh, I was't amazin over the weekend but wasn't terrible either. That said I didn't get much exercise cause of the storm and it might be a fluctuation. Still awful weather here, need to go out in half an hour.

9,7.75 for me, anoyher .75 pounds off. It's going to be slow and steady for me. Early May I should be just right!! Tbf a month and a half so I need to just keep going. Unfortunately octopus a small sway through me last week as well. You're going in.right direction and I keep thinking of the pounds I'm not gaining that I would be if I'd kept going the way I was.