Optimistic October

[Octopus37]

Says she, thought I would start a new thread. After yesterday's triumph, I ended up eating rubbish yesterday (lack of time and planning) and weight out for a Toby (bar snacks) last night to get my Dad out of the house to give DS1 space. Weigh 9st2 this morning, but confident that I didn't eat the 8,000 calories needed to gain over 2 pounds. Aim for the end of October is 8st13.5 (rather than .75 which was my new low yesterday), the sky is the limit

@Lalanbaba It was called 'Grilled Chicken & Avocado Salad'. Sadly I don't think it was very light. There was a grilled chicken breast, some avocado, lots of salad leaves and there were tortilla chips on top. I've estimated it at 650 calories, based on one chicken breast, half an avocado, 10 tortilla chips (there were 5 but they were big), and 130 calories worth of dressing. I hope I'm not toooo far out.

If you find out, please let me know! It doesn't appear on all the menus online, or on any of the nutrition lists I found.

In any case, it's not going to make much difference. It leaves me 400 calories left for dinner, and I wouldn't manage any less than that, whatever I'd had earlier.

Hey hey, i hope everyone is well. Have you seen www.mybodygallery.com/? It's a repository of non photoshopped, non professional models bodies. Ordinary women! Funny how thats a rare thing. Anyway, it's interesting.

@IDontMindMarmite Those stories!

So it would be interesting to know how we are bringing our children up not to have body issue images. Mainly I'm trying not to comment on appearance, or talk about appearance as though it's something that matters - so no complimenting my children on looking beautiful, for example, but talking mainly about their achievements instead. Any other ideas and thoughts?

Yes I find melatonin helps - much better than over the counter stuff for me. Can't buy it in UK anymore (think it came with the change in EU laws about supplements etc). I have it shipped from US so postage is a bit pricey but I bulk buy to make up for it.

Fitbit uses heartrate. I've found it useful to know what my lazy days burn compared to busy days compared to exercising etc. I don't count calories in but do count calories out.

Eg. Today has been a very low activity day - slept in and then did lots of marking and planning sitting in bed and have only really moved about to make cups of coffee, cook dinner, take the dog out for quick wee etc. Therefore today I've only burnt 1469cals so far. Think it'll end up at about 1800 so below target but that is normal for Saturdays which are my zonk days after work.

Have had a nice big dinner of fish and rice and broccoli so feeling quite satisfied. Got my period yesterday which may explain why I'd been craving junk the last couple of days and being an emotional stress-head.

Will see what the scales say tomorrow. Off to look at marmites website.

It does help you to feel the worth in even short regular bits of activity.

Thanks all for the reassurance. Long walk this AM, run tomorrow. Need to sleep well as tiredness has done a number on me and it's all a vicious circle. Onwards and downwards!

9st1.5 today, ate a bit rubbish again yesterday and not that much exercise. My Dad moves on Tuesday so aiming to get a bit more in control with everything then. Just very tired at the moment (aren't we all), despite having more sleep this weekend. Hope everyone has a good Sunday

That's good octopus wrt your dad. I got a great sleep thankfully, though could have slept on. A pound gone anyway overnight, hopefully be back where I was by the end of the week. 8st 13 today.
B: berries, banana and Greek yoghurt
L: salad with beetroot, dressing and seeds, apple
D: chilli with brown rice, creme fraiche and grated cheddar.

Hi all, been eating maintenance (1700) all week, but been away this weekend for a lovely spa break. Wine / cocktails / dinner and breakfast plus a roast this evening...

Will brave the scales in the morning and plan to stick to 1400 next week to balance out. Will have to really focus as 1400 has felt very difficult lately, despite managing on 1200 during my weight loss.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

@monochrome4 I could not find the salad is a new one I think
Starting my period so the weight seems to be stable (also the midweek restaurant with pudding)
B: pancakes with blueberries. Tea
L: glazed Korean chicken, rice, broccoli
D: pasta bake
Tomorrow is my birthday so will be cake and booze, not even going to record it

Thanks for checking @Lalanbaba!

Your recipes today sound yummy. I am going out so I've packed my dinner (vegetarian meatballs with whole wheat pasta). The day adds up to 1596 calories. I think it might be the first day for a while I'm below the target of 1600. I will probably be ravenous by the time I get home.

Checking in
B: overnight oats
L: chicken stew
D: mushroom and spinach risotto (which is miraculously coming in at 400 calories a portion! It's my favorite risotto as well)
S: lil cakey thing, mini Reese's piece
Somehow this is coming in at 1,084 calories so the rest I'll eat in more snacks

"D: mushroom and spinach risotto (which is miraculously coming in at 400 calories a portion! It's my favorite risotto as well)"

Recipe please!

Sure, it's this one with no butter or oil, plus a slug of mushroom ketchup as it gives it a little bit extra. I also used pearl barley instead of risotto rice which doesn't make a big difference in calories but is more voluminous and i like it (more al dente though fyi)

Oh my! That risotto got my attention and I have everything I need for it. That's lunch tomorrow solved!
Nom, nom, nom

Another day of marking and laundry and not much movement and I've just eaten pizza. I'm a bit crap at this at the minute. It's been about a month and a half without any real loss - just bouncing around.

Work and grotty weather definitely makes this harder but I really need to stop eating crap due to tiredness.

My goal for tomorrow is to get lots of steps in, fast all day and hopefully go to the gym in the evening if friend is up for it and then just eat something light and healthy.

I am quite jealous of the foodies in here and their motivation to make great meals. I think in some ways that would be easier as you'd get into new recipes and enjoy the challenge of making tasty dishes with lower calories etc.

I am wondering if it's possible to get JustEat to ban you?

Evening. I've tried to be less strict this weekend to see if I can have a bit more flexibility - but mostly because my weekend bacon sarnie is 480 cals which doesn't leave much left over for the rest of the day!

Today...
B bacon and sausage sandwich
L sardines on toast, houmous and cucumber
D chicken casserole and cous cous
S rocky road x3

Back to 1200 tomorrow

(today comes in at 1650 ish)

Ha Honeybadger definitely worth having a few nice dinners that don't blow the budget! Thanks those who have posted recipes, good to have them. I have hit target at 1454 plus 16k steps. Back in it to win it! Really enjoyed my run/interval training this morning, one of those ones where I felt more comfortable as time went on rather than it feeling like a total slog. Long cliff walk in the afternoon and then disaster, the planned chilli had been frozen by dh So went to my favourite 'fast food' which was omelette with plenty of veg, cheddar and baked beans. Saved! Here's to a good week ahead for all. Ono x3 awaits me in the fridge, yum.

What's ono? Been meaning to ask you for a while.

Overnight Oats! Best ONO on the block in this house!

Go on then, share your ONO recipe!
I like a pot of Muller light coconut and vanilla yoghurt with 24g rolled oats and 50ml skimmed milk 182 cals.

My ono + oats, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, golden linseed, sunflower seeds, almonds, dried cranberries and sultanas plus a spoon of protein powder and skimmed milk. Teaspoon of honey stirred through before eating.

I will make some in the morning in case I come home from work ravenous.

Oh no Idontmindmarmite, none of your skimmed milk or Muller light here, mine is 400cals category! 40g oats, Chia seeds, 50g Greek yoghurt, 100ml full fat mill, mashed banana (half as I make double at a go), blueberries and chopped Strawberries on top... Mmm..

Lots of goodness there Honeybadger!

That's a lot of seeds @TheHoneyBadger. I bet the honey is super tasty.
@Heygirlheyboy, mine sounds pitiful in comparison but I like it!

I found this recipe but haven't tried it or done a calorie count on it yet but raspberry and vanilla sounds good.

1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1-1/2 teaspoons dried chia seeds
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon raspberry jam, preserves, or spread
1/4 to 1/3 cup raspberries (cut each berry in half), or enough to fill jar