Awesome April

[Octopus37]

Thought I would start a new thread. Hoping that April will be a better month for all of us, especially with places opening up again and hopefully continued better weather.

Weighed in at 9st4 this morning. I'm not setting a weight goal this month, instead I'll be focusing on trying to improve my fitness and general well being. Hoping that a bit of weight loss might follow.

Wow those desserts sound lush. Steps down today cause its so cold and diet a bit carb heavy cause of the cold. Aiming for more steps tomorrow.

Still too much cake in the house! My bike needs fixing but I might see if I can do a long walk tomorrow. DCs are having a nice chilled holiday, might get one of them out for a bike ride later in the week but don't think I'll persuade them to go for a lengthy hike.

Tyres slashed and wheels have fallen off the wagon here I'm afraid but I am going to try to sort myself out, again. Hope you're all well. The easter stashed can't last much longer!!

I feel you @HeyGirlHeyBoyheygirl. Easter is tough!

Thanks Nutella. I'm afraid it's not just Easter, it's that habit of sugar for anything that ails you, boredom, tiredness, disappointment, stress etc... Not good. I know best thing I can do for myself is ditch it completely again but have to get into right frame of mind. Going to do very best from today.

Scales back down a bit here today thankfully. Yesterday's upswing was epic.

Can't believe it's Wednesday already. Hopefully I can still manage a loss by Friday even if just a sliver.

Well done HB. I will be up Fri but I will weigh it and log it nonetheless.

Is there anything you could replace the sugar with when the need to eat feelings happens HeyGirl? Obviously it's no good saying eat carrot sticks but maybe there's a food that is still high value to you but a lesser evil?

I sometimes eat a whole 250g bag of prawns and/or have a load of pre-boiled eggs that I just have to peel and salt. Is there anything like that iyswim - something you're allowed to comfort eat? JS likes watermelon - doesn't work for me but at points I've eaten whole cans of pineapple. Doesn't appeal currently but easy protein appeals.

Ice poles?

Unfortunately I don't have that savoury longing HB, great you do. I am more determined than I've been in a while though. I will need to leave my wallet at home for a while. Made a lovely batch of hummus and have soup basics roasting in oven. My taste buds are utterly corrupted at the moment but I know I can sort that in a few days. I deserve better than filling myself with crap.

I find dried fruit is sweet enough but not actual added sugar IYSWIM.

Yeah - sounds like a dopamine hit you're after which I get. I even considered taking up smoking again at one point. Sex?

HB that could be the issue..!!

Drspouse, thank you, again dried fruit can set off the craving unfortunately. I feel so dreadful today after sugar last night that it's the last thing I feel like at least. Think day one is mot going to be too hard!

I too tend to feel shit afterwards HeyGirl. I think the protein options with me are less about replacing the sugar than pushing back the urge and even if I do still end up hitting ds's lunch box chocolate stash I hit it less hard.

I still drink pretty much daily so being able to 'treat' myself with long gin and slimline tonics staves things off to a degree. When I gave up alcohol for a couple of years I ended up bingeing on Haagen Daas and having to then break that addiction next.

I suspect I may have adhd and keep toying with the idea of a diagnosis - adhd brain is very much looking for the dopamine hit and no doubt treating that would help with the food compulsions as well as the more obvious issues. Meh.

We keep on plodding!

Ooh interesting! But were you always like this? I definitely always had the pull towards sugar, it was athonginmy family, but I have reinforced that habit sooo much in recent years so brain needs sorting. I barely drink alcohol at all.

My family were awful for sugar on everything, well, it was the 70s but even so, I only really noticed when I met DH who has diabetes and has to count all the carbs and watch the sugar.

Heygirl its so hard isnt it with the sugar thing, think there is something in the dopamine thing. I nearly bought a book a while ago called 'The Dopamine Diet' but it had sold out. Think the biggest part of not eating sugar is psychological, personally I feel quite panicked about not eating chocolate etc and instantly hungry and deprived, obviously not physical. Think that practicing self-care helps to some extent but not entirely, also harder when there is loads going on, but not sure thats ever not the case for any of us. Hang on in there. Your humus and soup sound great.

Thank you all so much for your understanding and advice It is really a case of one leads to a hundred more for me so I know what I need to do.. And I will feel a million dollars for doing it but it is a hard slog with the voices in my head!!

Alcohol is a sugar source so a lot of people experience sugar cravings when they cut out alcohol.

I think I probably was always like this in some ways. I can remember collecting (stealing?) small loose change from around the house for the day the fruit and veg van came to our street and working out how much chocolate and crisps I could get for my money and hiding the wrappers. I’m assuming that’s not normal

Yes and I can remember eating raw jelly and old style cooking chocolate... I wasn't ever really a drinker HB so definitely not an effect of that. Still have a splitting headache. Oh well, at least I've had no sugar today. Onwards and upwards!

Interestingly serotonin and Vit B6 levels low in adhd which is connected to adhd, according to studies I just googled. I eat plenty of those vitB6 foods which is worth keeping an eye on. Not that I query adhd but just in relation to the dopamine hit and what lacking certain foods might do.

Yes I didn’t mean alcohol related to you just that when one addiction goes sugar often follows because of that brain chemistry hit. For many it’s always been sugar in it’s obvious form rather than more recognised addictions.

I do think dopamine will continue to be proven to be a big factor in these issues. It’s thought of as a high but I think in those with low levels or not sensitive to it it is possibly just an I’m ok, it’s going to be ok feeling that they’re chasing.

We have to use will power to a degree to lose weight but I doubt it’s the key to why we gain it or crave sugar etc.

I do find lecturing people about weight whilst bombarding them with advertising for crap that promises to make you feel better is a bit sickening.

I think it’s especially difficult when you have children in the house and therefore do have snack stuff around for between meals and packed lunches etc (despite what some imply many kids energy needs would see you cooking ten times a day and bankrupt if you never gave them biscuits or granola bars or some better sounding but basically sugar snacks).

Don’t get down about it. You’ve been on top of it before and will be again

Really interesting and thank Honeybadger for believing in me!

More cake... But a long walk...

Hey, just about meeting my water targets lately. I'm hiding things from myfitnesspal which I know is only fooling myself.