Louise Parker Method

[ElvenDreamer]

Hi, anyone following the Louise Parker Lean for Life method? I'm just starting (using her books) and could do with a group to swap thoughts with!

Oh @GloryLory I'm sorry you're feeling rubbish. If the weather is a nightmare and you're stuck in your apartment that does make it hard. Weather has just changed here after weeks of rain so hopefully some sunshine coming your way too. In the mean time, they a run in the rain, just once, it's actually quite fun! Ok you get soaked, but its quite a giggle and you come in to a nice warm shower. Don't beat yourself up about your steps though, you know that's a temporary thing. I continue to do well in the day and then crash and burn in the evenings. Yesterday was a classic case, I was so productive in the day, actually had no jobs or anything that needed doing in the evening. I could have gone to bed early with a book or anything really. Instead of which I had a large gin and tonic without really thinking followed by a massive plate of cheese and biscuits. So cross with myself again! I think I need a plan each day of what I'm going to do in the evening so I don't stop to think and can then hopefully avoid carnage. On the upside I make the Greek avocado toasts for lunch 1 day this week, I highly recommend them, they were really tasty and actually filling too.

*Try a run in the rain, not they a run in the rain, typing too fast and didn't read back!

Yep I've fallen out of the circle here as well. Exercise is gradually improving to be fair, I am trying to get out for a walk twice a day and so far am keeping to that. And I've not touched alcohol since I started this.

But I am struggling with food. I feel like I'm depriving myself and then I binge on stuff I've been avoiding - bread, pasta, biscuits. Not good.

Although I've been doing this for a fortnight now I daren't look at the scales...

I reckon all 3 of us need to celebrate the small wins to avoid 'stinking thinking'. So it sounds like we've got the exercise bit going nicely, maybe with the eating the trick is to focus on one bit at a time, so for me the good breakfast is now definitely a habit, I think I may try not overthinking lunch and snacks and let whatever happens, happen, in the hope that then I've not been thinking about food all day by the time I hit the evening which is my big danger time. I'm thinking to put my main focus on that evening bingeing, and not worry about the odd biscuit or pasta dish during the day because I forgot to plan a better lunch, if I can get those evenings into habit territory then that will be the biggest hurdle overcome. I really want this to work as I feel like it's the most sensible thing I've ever tried, it does just make sense. Trouble is pushing through the first bit to detox all the foods that are addictive. I really hope if I can get that put of my system it will make a difference. So, will be back on here for some accountability tonight, today's goal is no late afternoon/evening bingeing!

Right, updating on today. So sugar free pancakes for breakfast, morning snack was a slightly uncontrolled eat 2 cereal bars with chocolate on fiasco, I chose to ignore it and move on! Lunch was homemade curry, I had mine without rice, evening I had a big salad. Have eaten nothing more since the salad at 8pm and removed myself from the kitchen and temptation. 15k steps today, a short workout involving plank etc using an app, drank plenty of water. Feel proud of what I've done today.

Hi @ElvenDreamer you are doing great and have every right to feel proud of yourself.
I've had a nice weekend with lots of steps, outdoor picknick and sports but i did not manage to eat on the method. I weighed myself, put a little weight on, but not too much and i wont let stinking thinking kick back in. I will focus on my meals this week because i dont struggle with the rest - and i am proud of it. i am much more active than i have ever been and i am not as lazy as i always thought of myself.
After weeks on binggeing i also feel my desire for fresh fruit and vegetables again
the method gives me so much energy and a positive vibe, i think you said you notice this too, and its just worth it.

Gladly we have nice weather here which is lifiting my mood immeaditely

I hope you both are heaving a good day!

Oh my god, i had sort of a break through today! When i was shopping i saw some "puddingteilchen" (i dont know if there is any english translation for this nice treat). I stopped and asked myself if i really wanted it. if so, i could have it. but i didnt need it and made myself a nice bowl with hig protein pudding vanille, crumbled cookies and fresh strawberries which was absolutely delicious and filling. so proud of myself!

@GloryLory that's great! And I'm so glad you have some better weather now too, it can be such a mood lift. Well, I'm off camping in the Peak District tomorrow for 4 days of our half term holiday so eating may be hit and miss as husband has planned everything, so strictly on method definitely wont be an option but on the other hand there won't be binge opportunities and my steps will be freakin' amazing as we will basically hike for the whole of each day 🤣 I don't plan to have the phone on much and have no idea if I'll get much signal, if I do I'll try and check in, if not then I'll catch up at the weekend, have a good one everyone 🙂

That sounds lovely and i wish you so much fun, freedom from food-overthinking and a great time with your family! Enjoy it.

Hello both! Hope you had lovely weekends! I have been quite active the last few days and with a few exceptions have been pretty on method with my eating too. But alcohol in the sunshine is too tempting, not going to lie!

Have also continued my big tidy up of the house, I'd say I'm halfway there now and it's looking better for sure. Whether that has any impact on my physical health I'm not sure but it makes me feel better in my home so that's a huge plus for me!

Anyway have a great week!

Are either of you weighing yourselves? Louise mentions going on the scales once a fortnight but I just don't dare do it

Ok, I an on day 3 of our holiday, finally found a signal 🤣 today and yesterday we hiked around 12.5k up in the high peaks. So steps are amazing! However, it has been 'holiday food', so wine has been consumed and today I ate the most ridiculously enormous pub dinner, the scales are not going to look pretty for sure! @MrsToadlike I havnt been weighing recently, I think I get hung up on numbers if I do. That being said I think when I get home on Saturday I will, I'll see how bad things have got this week 🤦‍♀️ and then go full method with renewed vigour for 3 weeks and weigh again then only.

I'm weighing myself every few days... i couldn't stand that fortnite thing. I need this sort of control somehow. My weight is stable for weeks now despite all my snacks, alcohol and all that. I am moving every day, steps and exercise, but meals on the method...... only once and then.
I will write my exams in 4 weeks so i have to focus on that again. I try to keep up my good habits and will do another round of tranform after this.

Do you have a nice recipe for scones? I am really looking for a simple but delicious recipe, i baked some on the weekend, but they didnt turn out PERFECT. Thank you in advance

I took the plunge and weighed myself, I seem to have lost 2lbs, going from 11st 9 to 11st 7. I'm happy that I'm heading downwards. I'll leave it another 3 weeks before I weigh myself again.

Re: scones, my only recipes are unhealthy ones! www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/classic-scones-jam-clotted-cream/amp

Hi folks, I'm back! So, after a few decadent days I've definitely gained a couple of pound. Currently weighing in at 10 stone 4 (65ish kilo) . I started at 11 stone when I did my first round of transform which I think might have been back in February, got to 10lb 2 in 3 weeks and then plateaued and in spite of some reckless eating days, have not really gained much so that feels good. My plan is to get myself just under 10 stone, aiming for around 9 stone 12 (62ish kilo) in the next round of transform. Had a pretty good day today, 3 meals, mostly on method, and 2 snacks. 4.6k run this morning. Feeling positive, even with a stupid stressful start to the morning, (washing machine broke down, then oven door shattered into a billion pieces, don't ask!)
Re scone recipes, I'm no baker but have various recipes, are you looking for sweet or savoury ones @GloryLory?

hey, thanks for the recipe, i will try it on the weekend i think. i prefer sweet ones but i will try savory too :) i like it mixed sometimes.

My eating habits are going downhill atm. I'm sugar craving, sleep-deprived and dont get my steps in for a variety of reasons. I really need the next transform in 4 weeks.. When will you do your next round @ElvenDreamer?

@MrsToadlike glad you are doing good :) dont be stressed out by thr weight, it takes 2-3 weeks but when you stick to it, it will get faster and feel so much easier!

Well, I'm supposed to be starting another round of transform this week but it hasn't exactly happened, ended up with an unexpected job inter view amongst other things so it all got a bit stressy and went downhill rapidly! So, sort of treating this like a prep week I guess now. Have had some nice food though, the Bridgen Beef Stew from the 6 week book is lovely, also filling. I made double so there's now some in the freezer. I think I need to do things like that a bit more often. If I do get this extra work I'm going to have to be a lot more organised with food so need to be in the habit of a bit of batch prep. Exercise wise I did my usual run on Sunday, and class on Tues. Been a bit fatigued in the last week though, combination of needing to rethink sleep and also just been a bit down in my mindset. Planning to work a little on some self care time this week to get my head back in the right place. House is continuing to get gradually cleaner/tidier and therefore nicer to live in which should help! Feel like I'm slowly finding my rhythm again there.

"Feel like I'm slowly finding my rhythm again there."
That sounds great! I will start my next tranform in the mid of july when my exams are over (and hopefully i passed them all and can enjoy summer).

I'm trying to eat only when i am hungry and i try to incorporate more and more LPM meals again - i made some breakfast tortillas with beans and eggs for example, lentil salads etc. But i still have sweets and not every meal is on the method... I still drink the lemon juice first in the morning, altough i still dont know if it makes a difference, it feels nice.
I dont get my steps in tough the weather is nice - have to work on that again. Sports are still no problem, which is great for me.
Sleep is a good point for me too - definitely have to improve that, constantly feeling tired is kicking in again :D But i am having such a nice time with family and friends in the evenings... you know.

What really botters me - i will by hungry most of the time on transform again

How are you both getting on?

I think I have cracked the idea of confusing hunger and thirst. Now whenever I get hunger pangs I reach for a drink rather than food. I think it is starting to become routine for me now but a few more weeks of doing this should help the routine to stick.

I've spent the last week or so building up my activity levels more and more. The last few evenings in a row I've been going for a power walk around my village at 8.30pm - it's not quite 2 miles round trip but it just gives me a nice 20 mins blast of exercise to finish off my evening. Still not doing Louise's exercises yet but I don't think I'm quite there yet, in terms of strength and stamina. Soon though I hope.

Anyway hope you're both having a good weekend!

I've also been doing the reach for a glass of water first thing to check if I'm actually hungry, it does seem to help. The last few days I've been doing pretty well, I actually think I may be getting fitter, my daughter and I have decided when we next run we're going to try adding a little bit more on. I have also found myself buying way too much nice exercise wear, but I refuse to feel guilty because it's helping me feel good about it all! Food wise I found a fab recipe for a sugar free cheese cake. Base was nuts, oatcakes and coconut oil, then the top was made from cream cheese, mascarpone, vanilla essence, coconut oil and sweetened with stevia. The whole thing was topped with blueberries.

Hey girls, sorry for my long absence.
Firstly i want to say thank you for the scones recipe, that was really nice!
The drinking-instead-of-eating-thing does not work for me to be honest. Maybe it's because i drink more than enough for years, but after drinking a glass of water i still feel hungry.
My problem seems to be the emotional eating while i'm learning for my exams. Starting to feel nervous....alotugh i'm learning pretty okay i guess.

This week it's really hot here in Germany which affected my eating habits for good. somehow i've also managed to make steps on a daily basis. I missed some sports this week, but i will try to do some on the weekend.

How are you both doing? I cant wait to step fully back into the circle in about 2-3 weeks. I really miss the routines and the high energy.

Good luck with all your exams @GloryLory. It's tough to try and eat well at those sorts of times, I remember it well! I'm going through stress of a different kind as had a job interview that I wasn't sure I even wanted (invited to apply, it wasnt an advertised post) and now waiting to hear. Its killing me, I'm still not sure if I want it or not, in one way I do, it's a great job, but in another way not as it will impact quite significantly my time management which with 3 kids to consider is never straight forward. But what is driving me mad is the waiting, Im a planner, and I will make it work either way, but I need to know!! Consequently my anxiety is in overdrive and I've been binge eating like crazy, so safe to say I'm not succeeding on many of the pillars right now. 😭😭

Hi @ElvenDreamer, how did your job chance work out?
I'm in my exams week and feeling tired of eating and sleeping badly, i'm excited to do more for myself within the next week :)

I still notice some habits changed for good and for all time, i am still doing my sports, walks outside and beauty routines. i still dont like some foods i loved before like pasta and so on, so definitely nice.

How are you doing?

Hi, well, best case scenario on the job front for me, I got it, but they've split it between 2 of us so not the scary workload that concerned me, very happy! All the angst played havoc with my diet sadly. However, I am back on track a bit, prepping and eating some really nice stuff. Found some new favourites! I agree with you about some habits that have definitely stuck though, I'm just not interested in the pasta or white rice. Generally remaining more active etc. Hope the rest of your exams go well @GloryLory , here's to next week! 🥂