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

I'm also thinking of doing no-sugar-Lent.

My gym instructors are telling me I need to eat more. I'm not so sure about that!

Excellent work @heygirlheyboy! very satisfying numbers :)

You're back on the wagon now @patchworksack so it'll be no time before you've more weight off again :)

Plodding away here at a snail's pace...I didn't do too badly over the weekend so that's something. I think I'm going to move my weigh in to Thursdays. Mondays are too cruel for a weigh in!

Ok guys, here are the main tips to take on board from the book 'Breaking up with Sugar' -Molly Carmel (caramel! lol)

• sugar and flour out completely for 66 days to break the habit; the theory is that even a little keeps that drip drip of sugar going in so keeps the cravings going. I'm not a flour/bread fiend by a long shot but going to try avoid as well as the sugar and see

-no cheat days- she likens them to an alcoholic having a cheat day and it's so true for me, slippery slope. My last slip lasted 4 days...not good

-she would highly approve of our thread here as she says support so important

-weigh but don't overweigh, once or twice a month!!

-Don't let a slip up become the end of the road; she says don't burn the house down when the tap is broken! Keep going and make it as short-lived as possible ie no in for a penny, in for a pound attitudes!

-be calorie mindful but not overly calorie counting

-enjoy three meals and one snack with 3.5-4 hours between meals.

-have a plan for when things get tough: exercise, talk to a friend, bubble bath etc. I mentioned above the 'noticing' of the craving, she says they last 30 mins tops and you'll get through, the more you fend off the more the habit of not giving in is strengthened as is vice versa of course!

-no more diets, no 'end game' no quick results, no starvation etc. Basically what we're after here.

Lots of testimonies to this and she says it's a relief for her, she was 240 pounds and had a lifetime of fat camp etc. and I agree, it feels a massive relief to me as sugar had taken over. She says it's like an abusive relationship and it's not our fault as it's our bodies' reaction to sugar. She also mentions seeing a photo of herself and she looks haunted, and this resonated with me also!

Ok, think those are the main points, haven't completely finished. Bar my slip, I have no processed sugar since Jan 1st but the no flour is new to me, I would usually have soda bread, brown, with soup say but I'm not going to and I'm going to have plenty of brown rice and potatoes instead and see.

Over and out! :)

Thanks heygirl

I should say the above is for the sugar addicts amongst us, many can have their cheat day, their dessert, one biscuit etc.

Today I had:
Overnight oats
Granny Smith
Goats cheese and veg 'frittata'
4walnuts
Roast chicken with roast med veg (delicious) and roast potato.

Done for the day, heading for a walk now. Here's to a good week ahead for us all.

Well done all the losers! So happy to see lots of us carrying on, new faces and hope old faces doing ok too.

@Heygirlheyboy thanks so much for that so interesting. Sugar is definitely a slipper slope for me! I've read a few of those books (quite possibly that same one) and think I managed about 3 days before giving in and having sugar! Personally my experience tells me that I'll never have a sugar free life, it's my favourite thing! But interesting tips with relaxation and waiting half an hour to lessen how much we have, I'll definitely be trying to keep them in mind.

Interesting about being calorie mindful too. I'm back on the wagon as of today! Watched one of Jordans videos about not calorie counting (only once you have a good idea of how many calories are in foods, which I feel like I do for my regular meals) not counting meticulously has given me the head space to start again. I'm having about 300kcal for breakfast, about 400 for lunch and 600 for dinner - all from my regular calorie counted meals with room for a 100 calorie snack if and when I feel like it. E.g. some breakfasts are less than 300, some a little more, but overall I should be able to stick to 1400 a day. Jordans calculator said I can have 1500 a day which is a little more than I allowed myself last time BUT I'm hoping that by allowing myself those extra calories on Fri, sat, sun I'll be able to stay on track and not feel like giving in because of going over my allowance. Basically I'm trying to be a bit more realistic and a bit more "real life" because, like all of us, I'm trying to make changes for life.

Anyway thanks for reading all that haha! I'm back after my break, a couple of pounds up but not upset about that, that's just life. Onwards and downwards

Laughing at a "slipper slope"

Dont that idea of a bit less in the week and a bit more on the weekend is helpful. It’s kind and sustainable sounding.

I can do 16:8 in the week when working but find it much harder on the weekend.

Thanks Hey for that summary. I love, love, love nice bread with butter. Yum. I do try not to eat it though.

Listen, sugar also my favourite thing and often my best friend but it wasn't a healthy relationship lol! Good idea re not bothering to weigh regular meals etc. I will do that too once down to 9 stone tho it does keep me motivated. Looking forward to getting on the fancy scales in next two weeks. Dont you sound in a really good place now. Tomorrow's menu here is my jumbo ono, ratatouille and salad with halloumi and chicken curry with brown rice and some roast veg. No pancakes :/

Twixes love to know more about gym instructor's view on eating more!

Good morning. Disaster has struck!!! I have somehow put on 3lbs since last Thursday!!!!! Not sure how this has happened because I was trying to be reasonably good. I had a big bowl of pasta last night because I was starving after spinning so maybe it was that (clutching at straws!)? Anyway, I’m really annoyed as I’m off to a wedding on Friday and last week I was marvelling at how good I looked in my dress. Back to Uber strictness day!! Pancake Tuesday not helping!!!

Is it your period Wineloffa? Can cause fluctuation.

Not due for another 10 days Porpoises! I’m perplexed! I’m considering doing a couple of fast days between now and Friday. Emergency measures..,

I’m sure it will be water. Weighed 9st4.25 this morning. Not great today, might have PMT.
Usual breakfast (315)
3 Turnocks tea cakes (318)
Soup and a mini baby bel (272)

903 calories. Having a roasted courgette and feta pancake for dinner. Going out for a meal tomorrow night, need to be careful as I feel as if I could really fall off the wagon. Need to resist alcohol and crisps at football training now

I've my period again next week and I fell at the end of that last time so I'll have to be careful. Octopus I wonder would it help to eat something more filling for the calories? Do you like natural yoghurt and fruit, say? I added a bowl.of that to my day to day, finished me off nicely.

Evening! How’s everyone doing?? I’ll have a read now!

I fell off the wagon and had to step back for a bit. I knew maintaining would be the worst :(
I’m between 8st8 and 8st9 but creeping up because I keep just stuffing my face with crap food.

So I’m starting again!! Really starting again! And I’m giving up chocolate for lent because it’s like my kryptonite.

Aiming for 1200 tomorrow and I’m so determined. I will be gutted to put all this weight back on.

heygirl that’s so interesting, thanks so much for posting. I needed to read all that!!

@wineloffa at least some of that gain is the physical weight of the pasta, it isn't fat! Just stick with it, it will come down again.

I am back to 131.8lbs, lowest since Christmas, had a couple of weeks of maintenance and am now doing a last smash before my holiday. Wore a dress yesterday that was a lot less tight on the hips than it was before, which was encouraging.

Have a good day all.

Well done everybody. Managed ok ish yesterday, Avoided alcohol and crisps at training. Had one pancake with lots of roasted courgettes and some feta cheese. 9st3.75 this morning, have period. Hoping for 9st3 by Saturday morning but we'll see.

Brill octopus and everycowandagain. I have the day logged which helps hugely, have a good one.

Thanks for all your supportive comments!! Weighed again this morning and I’m down half a pound so feeling a bit better! I’m going to be super strict today and tomorrow and have a spin class tomorrow night so will hopefully be closer to 9 st by Friday. Well done everyone on all your losses. I’m determined to post more on this thread from now on. I leave you all for a few days and put on 3 pounds... it definitely keeps me accountable.

I leave you all for a few days and put on 3 pounds

Welcome back!! @WellErrr sure you'll get back on track soon. Maintaining is definitely the difficult bit! Good luck with lent!

Fingers crossed @Octopus37

Fantastic! @everycowandagain

@Heygirlheyboy I would love to know as well! He's telling me I need to eat 1700 a day which is absolute shite. I'm not tracking anymore but doing the whole mindful eating thing and exercising a fair bit. I've done two HIIT classes and 3 spin classes in 5 days. Go me :) I'm down 0.5lb on my own scales but the gym ones have me yoyoing all over the place. So I'm going to try and ignore them from now on. I saw a new low this morning which is great. The pattern for me is that on a Wednesday or Thursday I see a new low number, it might pop back up then over the weekend and then the following week I start to see the low number again and maybe if I'm lucky another new low. Make sense?!

It must be water weight or food in your digestive tract @Wineloffa Don't let it get to you! There's no way you could overeat 9500 calories!

In other news, any thoughts on how we'll manage to maintain healthy eating and exercise if we're on lockdown because of covid-19?

Awesome @octopus37, I hope the success is lifting your spirits!

welcome back @WellErrr

Good work on the dress @everycowandagain