Aspiring August

[Octopus37]

Here's our new thread.. 9st0.75 this morning, had some pub tapas last night and a couple of pints, was truly delicious. Will be having a couple of days when I'm away, going to my Sister's for a couple of days either today or tomorrow. I'm sure nobody can guess what my aim is for this month lol

I did stop at a deli and have cake along the way!

When I said I 'ate at maintenance' today, it covered up a number of sins

Ate way more than the 90g of pasta a proper portion should be plus absolutely put my back right into a bottle of wine, and now breaking off chunks of chocolate every time I open the fridge 😬

Definitely in a 'fuck it, it's the weekend and I'm on annual leave' mood 🤣

I have actually avoided pasta altogether since taking weight loss seriously at the start of May. It wasn't conscious or deliberate it's just gone that way.

I kind of think the whole point of pasta is to have a yummy and satisfying fix of heavy carbs so trying to eat less of it would undo the point of it for me.

My ultimate comfort and lazy food of the last 20 years has been a big plate of pasta pesto with grated cheese and ideally anchovies mixed in. Maybe subconsciously I've decided none is better than a teaser.

I'm still drinking lager and on the internet (normally beer is banned). Just had the thought that sometimes, nowadays as in compared to our species origins, we exhaust ourselves with mental work and feel tired despite the fact our bodies haven't had much exercise.

If so then mental ease will be a key to having the energy to exercise and control diet. Which might explain why I have found weight loss easier during lockdown.

Like literally on a day where I've had to do a lot of admin/banking/pension/whatever sorting I will exhausted. In reality my body has barely moved but my exhaustion levels are probably similar to if i'd done a day of hard manual labour.

Mental health and stress levels and quality of sleep definitely feeds into weight because even choosing healthy foods takes a degree of energy and preparation to have those foods in, be willing to prep and cook them etc.

The biggest feed in to weight gain for me is lack of energy I think.

I absolutely agree about mental fatigue Badger.

TheHoneyBadger my pasta portion seemed tiny tonight, 45g raw but with all the roast veg and generous cheese 25g it absolutely felt like the delicious carby hit, didn't feel was being cheated on at all.

I am really trying to up the fruit and veg. Would anyone be interested in adding a f&v count alongside their day/steps/exercise etc? Not portion based but number of f&v you manage to get in? It would keep me conscious of it I think.
Today I had 10.

Re: pasta portions - I added cauliflower to my regular mac and cheese recipe and it seriously levelled UP. I love mac and cheese, I love cauliflower cheese, it's a match made in heaven. It turns my 4 portion meal into 6 portions, reduces calories, is filling and doesn't feel like i'm being cheated of pasta. I recommend it.

So I'm loving a feature on Nutricheck that allows me to have easier days, so perfectly falling in line with my plan of easing up on weekends. Down side is i'd have to ditch MFP and start again inputting recipes etc. And I had a 134 day streak. With all the progress charts...But i don't want to pay for MFP premium.

You can go through your nutracheck diary and choose days you want to be able to eat more and it will adjust the cals for the rest of the week accordingly.

That's interesting Monstera. Heard lots about Nutricheck after I'd paid for MFP 🙄 MFP has started to niggle me. Seems like lots of times it can't find my item, and I hate it suggests thinks in cups!

I paid for it but don't use any of the paid for features. Think I'll switch over when the annual subscription runs out.

I love gone completely off the wagon tonight. Tomorrow is a new day!

@Heygirlheyboy your pasta dish sounds lush.

Hey all,
Mind if I join you for August? Delurking but followed the July thread and have been inspired by you all!

I've managed to lose 25lb during lockdown and I'm now at a healthy BMI and weighing in at 9st 6lb (started at 11st 3lb)

I'd like to lose another 3lb to get the full 2 stone which I think will help mentally and then I'll be trying to maintain.

I feel much better in myself but need to tone - I walk around 5 miles a day but I don't think that's doing anything anymore as it's not a challenge being the same route everyday.

I have a before photo from when I'd lost the first few lb's and comparing it to a photo I took today in the same outfit, is the first time I realised how far I'd come!

Welcome @alwaysinpjs (love that username) and major congratulations on your achievement!

You could start jogging some of your route? That's what I do sometimes (but not most of the time if i'm honest, the mental energy thing has played into that).

I'm tempted to do an after photo but am still kind of scared of the camera....

Definitely hear you on the mental energy and lack thereof. I get serious diet fatigue after a while. And then eat too much, like yesterday.

Today we're going to a local beauty spot with the kids.
B bacon sandwich
L picnic - will try to just have fruit as sandwich is filling
D red pepper and olive hash - Much More Veg recipe I've not tried before.

@MonsteraCheeseplant I don't intend to let anyone see either photo

9st 6 for me today.

B: berries, Greek yoghurt and quinoa crunch
L: omelette and salad
D: not sure yet.

Reading the new Happy Pear cookbook here, hope will add to my options.

@Heygirlheyboy is the book good? We've done a few of their recipes online and always been good! Tempted to get it, and also Taste of Nom.

@alwaysinpjs welcome! Sounds like you've absolutely smashed the weight loss! Are you calories counting? You much feel amazing. I started at 11st2 and now 10st. Would love to be in the 9s but lost a bit of energy to keep losing so focusing on maintaining and exercise for a month or so. I reckon I'd only want to get to 9st10. I'm 5'8

We're doing roast pork for lunch. Going to enjoy it, and a bit of dessert but hoping to do a work out later today and will TRY to avoid the chocolate this evening. Last night was out of control...blaming the wine A couple of glasses and I lose all diet will power!

Have a lovely Sunday everyone

@Hangoverstruggles yes calorie counting via MFP! I'm really pleased, genuinely never thought I'd see a 9 again but to get to here feels amazing. I'm sure it could have been a quicker loss but I've had lots of cheat days - the difference this time is that's exactly what they've been... a day and I'm back on it.
I think it's a lot to do with mental state and I'm in the zone for the first time in my life!

Sunday dinner is my downfall so your lunch sounds fabulous to me!

Hello, can I join please?

I've finally got going after lots of half hearted efforts over the last couple of months. Started last Monday and have lost 5lbs so far. Doing Louise Parker method which is basically reducing complex carbs.

I'm 5ft 8, started at 12st 1, now 11st10 (just snuck under BMI 25!). Want to lose another stone.

Welcome to newbies.

Macaroni and cauliflower cheese sounds heavenly. Would love the recipe if it included instructions on how to make a cheese sauce.

I’ve swung up by 1.6lbs since my new low a couple of days ago. Expected it anyway as it was a new low plus I’ve been a bit crap for a couple of days.

Going to aim to do a good fast Monday and/or Tuesday to get in some loss before af. I still have a couple of beers and some leftover pizza in the house (if ds didn’t scoff it already) so it won’t be today.

Adding a messy lunch photo but it was delish. 499 cals so it had to be worth it!
2 egg omelette with red and yellow peppers and mushrooms, 1tsp butter. Feta, hazelnut and broccoli salad with 1tsp French dressing. Stuffed, again!

That’s a huge plate of yum for less than 500 cals.

Right! After spending a good half hour trying to add my bloody dinner on MFP, I am officially done with it. Fuck the fuck off you glitchy, slow, crashing bastard.

Have downloaded nutracheck. Ignoring forums and such things. The display is good and seems much much easier to enter British branded foods too.

Will give it a go for the week and see what happens.

I like Lose it also honeysuckle. I'm at just over 1200 so have logged it, no hunger. Had cod, peas, broccoli and sweet potato cubes for dinner.
F&V: 10
Steps: 13k

I'd be happy to post the recipe but there's no cheese sauce, it's more of a cheesy tomato pasta bake.

Here's my gorgeous little kittens