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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

* * * * * SLIMMING WORLD - NEW YEAR, NEW YOU!!! * * * * *

967 replies

Sparkler · 01/01/2008 15:13

Hi everyone. New thread as promised. A little later than planned but I'm blaming celebrating too much last night.
I wish I could say it was a good start but I'm feeding my hangover today so looks like I'm going to start tomorrow.
Is everyone feeling motivated?

OP posts:
Fireflyfairy2 · 16/01/2008 17:06

Hi again everyone.

I'm biting the bullet now I have my exams and everything over me & heading back to sw tonight!

Have signed up for 2 spinning classes a week so if that doesn't shift the weight I dunno what will!!

Will probably have to pay a re-joining fee though!!

Will read through the thread later for inspiration!!

thisisRialifebaby · 16/01/2008 17:14

hi again. BAD day today (toast, quiche & sod it I might as well enjoy my tea and sneak in a tiny choccie bar later) and I am so cross because I had been perfectly behaved until DH mentioned fry-ups this morning (I didn't have one, but had too much toast to compensate).

It's only week one (again), but I need to be focused as I have a bit of a family reunion in July and am hoping to have DS3 christened then too. Also I'm 30 in March...

I think I have put on over a stone since I had my contraceptive implant in September. I am still BF, but am fatter than the day after DS3 was born. 3 stone off will do to start (or just 1/2...).

Back to it tomorrow, I haven't been too naughty so I should be able to get back on track for Monday.

sugarlumps · 16/01/2008 18:41

hi all! well done on your losses so far, i think i might be able to lose 1lb-2lb this week, not as much as i was hoping but we'll find out for sure 2moro. been good all day with no syns. its been quite easy today actually. does anyone else find some days are much hrader than others? ran out of inspiration for tea tho lol so i had a baked bean and sweetcorn ommlet which was actually suprisingly nice think i will have to have that one again seeing as it was so quick and easy to make. good luck to everyone weighing in tonight

lurcherlass · 16/01/2008 19:26

Welcome back Firefly, Sure you'll soon be back on track, remember we're behind you all the way (and some of us have more behind than others LOL) x

nikkid21 · 16/01/2008 19:40

For everyone who's feeling a bit down or struggling to stick to the plan - it could be worse.

I was helping weigh people today and one women who had her first weigh in since Xmas (4 weeks off) had put on 12lb! She had been doing sw since May 07 and today weighed 1lb more than she started.

Diege · 16/01/2008 20:57

Noooo NICKI, 12 1bs! I've seen people in class gradually slip back to their starting weight, usually after an initial loss of a stone or two! Think SW is certainly more of a healthy eating lifelong plan than a quick fix diet (which is as it should be I suppose!)
ANDY - you are very organsied with your snack times! I do find that the temptation at work (with only vending machines for the munchies)is to eat the lot of fruit at once , or certainly before lunch. Think I will try taking a baked potato for mid-afternoon snack next week (I always do green!)BEAD, sounds like we have v.similar eating patterns and motivations when it comes to food! I'll certainly try out those Sainsbury's cereal bars! I still think the max satisfaction I can get out of my biccies is 5 rich teas a night (10 syns) but I am prepared to experiment! (a life lived on the edge...)

thisisRialifebaby · 16/01/2008 21:07

Just popping back to say my tea was delicious

DH made a pasta bake with chicken breasts, pasta(obviously), sweetcorn, mushrooms and a can of campbells low fat condensed chicken soup, with low fat mozzarella on top. Scrummy. And I think if the chicken was a HEB, not too bad syn-wise on green? (could the cheese be a HEA? I get confused with cheese cos I don't really eat it)

So not too bad a day and I'll be back on track tomorrow.

Fireflyfairy2 · 16/01/2008 21:21

Well, I'm back.

Won't tell you all what I have gained, but i'll just say, Nikki, I'm glad it wasn't you who weighed me

Back to the drawing board tomorrow & well done to all of you who got straight back on it after Xmas & are doing fab! At this rate I will still be losing Xmas weight at Easter egg time

Shhhh · 16/01/2008 22:38

easter eggs ....... did someone mention easter eggs...???? .

fakeblonde · 16/01/2008 22:43

Hi
I`d love to join you all.
Will start sw tomorrow but cant go to the classes as i work on the night they are on.

Does anyone please have the password for the week so i can start to track on line ?

I need to lose a stone and i`d be over the moon.

dh has bought me a years memebership at exclusive health club and have managed to exercise most nights now for abut 2 weeks but then coming home and eating big time !

Fireflyfairy2 · 16/01/2008 22:49

p/w is onion

zippychick · 16/01/2008 23:54

started this last year but took sick so havent been able to do it. Now im back in full force but not going to classes.

Some talked about a fry up ... so why dont you have one. I always allow myself things. You could have two thick sausages (5 syns each) , beans (HEB) , bacon (free on red), fried eggs (free) , and a slice of french toast or normal toast (other HEB) , fried mushrooms, tomatoes, even get 84g of potato and make slimming world chips (2 syns per 28g) so thats 16 syns. For breakfast you could have melon and yoghurt and a banana. Lunch could be a bacon omelette with cheese (HEA) and peppers and onions and tomatoes . Nibble on ham as the protein will fill u more or chicken or tuna in a salad with lunch too.

I ate super free today, so am now having two baked potato with HEA cheese for the day . I fried some bacon , then took the baked potatoes out (two HEB on red - 227g per healthy extra) , mushed up the insides with cheese and fried back , then back in the oven for 20 minuets to melt slowly. Yummy. Ive had 4 syns today on a stupid biscuit, so im also going to have a packet of french dry crisps (4.5 for 22g ) and a mini snickers from lidl - worked the grammes out and theyre 5 syns per mini as a big snickers is 16!) SO muching with crisps and chocolate after, and in total i will have a HEB left as ive only had one portion of potato, so i could have a round of toast with a skinny laughing cow as well. Added chilli flakes to the skins of the baked spuds as well.

Ive been doing the carol vorderman detox until yesterday for two weeks, so this is all DEVINE! Im into using pulses more now, so am going to try making spicy chick peas for a green day to nibble on. All free if you use fry light.

Note, I do cook dry chick peas since they are so much cheaper than the canned kind, and as I've noted above they cook relatively fast compared to other beans. If you are in a hurry or can't be bothered, use canned, drained chick peas.

  • 1lb or 500g bag of dry chick peas
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1-2 tsp (or more or less, depending on how spicy you want it) dried red chili pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. black onion seeds (also called nigella seeds)
  • 1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp. black mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
  • Juice from 1 small lime or 1/2 lemon
  • Sea salt

Sort the chick peas (take out any discolored ones) and soak in water for several hours or overnight. Drain, and place in plenty of water for about 2 hours or until tender. Drain. You'll have about 6 cups of cooked chickpeas.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.

Peel and chop the garlic cloves rather coarsely.

Toss all the ingredients together thoroughly. Spread evenly over a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring around midway through. Take out and let cool. [Edit: this baking time turns out peas that are a mix of crunchy ones and ones that are still a bit soft - I like this variety. Since all ovens vary, you will need to test the doneness. If you like your peas to be a bit soft, bake them for a shorter time; if you like them very crunchy leave them in longer.]

Store this in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes a great beer snack.

You can make it sweet-spicy by sprinkling over some brown or raw sugar to while it's still hot from the oven.

If anyone tries them befor ei do let me know how they are. I love savoury so i need a good nibble on a green day. I also have a lentil curry recipe which is reaaaaaaly filling and free on green. Yum.

I also have a nice spicy rice recipe if anyone wants it just ask. If stuck on red definitely eggs for breakfast . My favourite is saving up all day, so i can have a massive steak for dinner, and roasted veg. Throw some peppers onions, garlic, rosemary or thyme , black pepper, sweetcorn (measure it for syns), courgettes, and spray oil in a caserole dish and mix it all. Cook for about 30-40 mins or until the veg cookd how you like them.Baked potato as HEB and some pepper sauce as syns or 4 tbspns of gravy granules made up for 1 syn. Have an ice cream mars for 10 syns, and mix it up with strawberries .

I love food and i love that this plan enables me to eat so much. For people imcreasing or just starting exercise, it will show in the scales. Lately, ive bumped mine up and my clothes are a lot looser and i cxan fit into stuff i havent fitted into for months, but the scales only say ive lost 4lbs whereas ive been building up muscles with cycling walking and yoga. Sorry for the essay, im motivated!

For people who struggle with red, i found i lost moer weight and enjoy them more.

Also, the syns calcuylator is the best way for me to check syns. YOu put in the nutritional value off the packet. LIke i checked the rich tea caramel i ate earlier was 4 syns by checking there. Its when you log in, under "eat and slim"

I try to trick my brain into thinking its not on a diet. Each morning i measure my milk and cheese out in to a separate container, so i know if i need to use some later, i dont have to be measuring stuff. psychologically its less diety for me anyway. I also use the smaller grateing bit for the cheese so it goes even further.! Sad, but i love my cheese and if i didnt measure either out i would definitely go over all the time, and spend careless syns without realising.

Diege · 17/01/2008 07:17

Wow ZIPPY, great post . You sound really motivated, and are so right about the exercise too!
Well weighed myself this monring and 31bs off which is about as good as it gets for me . V.pleased indeed! I'm taking dds to McDonalds later, and was going to give in myself if I hadn't lost (warped logic I know) but now feel very motivated to stick as well as I can to the plan! Veggie risotto today I think!
Welcome FAKEBLONDE - wow, lovely pressie from your dh!
SHHH: there are cream eggs already in my station shop - think they are something like 9 syns? Certainly something nice to save up for cup of tea!

sugarlumps · 17/01/2008 08:04

morning everyone! well 2 lbs off this week which isnt too bad, ive lost 9lbs in 2 weeks so im quite happy. well done deige on your loss! gonna have to try your chick peas zipppy they sound lovely! could you put your lentil curry recipe up too? is that free? i love lentils! yum! i'd best go and find something to take to work with me today as after reading that post im feeling quite motivated!

Beadmum · 17/01/2008 08:53

well done diege and sugarlumps on your losses

Hi fakeblonde and zippychick

fakeblonde · 17/01/2008 09:43

Thanks fireflyfairy2

Thanks beadmum-looking forward to it actually.

Right i`ve messed up already-i want to save my syns for my evening glass of vino but i just had largeish bowl of ready brek with semi for breakfast.
Seemed quite healthy at the time as was a choice of that,buttery toast or nothing as need to go shopping.

How can i get round that if at all ?
Can i count ready break as HE ??? x

MamaVonG · 17/01/2008 09:49

Lurcherlass - 1/2 a lb to go, to hit that 2 stone mark [grins competitively]

Diege · 17/01/2008 09:54

Congrats on weight loss sugarlumps
FAKEBLOND, tbh I'd count the readybrek as a healthy extra, and maybe stick to 8 or so syns tonight? I am incredibly lax when it comes to things like cereals (ie, I count cornflakes and rice crispies which aren't classed a HEB as they don't contain enough fibre apparently, but there again I wouldn't blame a weight gain on a bowl of cronflakes . So I have them. . Enjoy your wine!

fakeblonde · 17/01/2008 10:12

Thanks Diege-will do , and do extra few lengths on pool tonight !
Hoping to lose 2 lbs this week.

thisisRialifebaby · 17/01/2008 10:18

wow zippy, if you could bottle your enthusiasm and sell it you would be very popular

Will be trying the chick peas as I like a savoury nibble with a glass of wine.

Started today well... fingers crossed

Fireflyfairy2 · 17/01/2008 10:21

Breakfast was a good start: 2 boiled eggs & a few grapes.

Must do some shopping!

Am going to make veg soup for dinner & have an hour spinning class tonight too.

Did any of you get this month's magazine? There is a girl who lost 3 stone in 3 months!!!!!!!!!!!

MamaVonG · 17/01/2008 10:41

FF2 i haven't got this onth's mag but thats a great loss isn't it.

Two people from another group in our area (long standing members) followed the 7 day planner in this month's mag. Onel ost 7lb and the ohter 9lb in a WEEK

I'm going to have a look at it next week

Shhhh · 17/01/2008 15:53

well it won't be me who loses 3 stone in 3 months .

Been this morning and another 1 lb off....hey ho..going in the right direction BUT I am gutted its not more.

Consultant suggested introducung a different "HEB" as have either bread or weetabix..so this afternoon for lunch I had soup from the HEB list....

She also has my food diary so will see how things look. Im gutted tbh as (yeah yeah I know I shouldn't) I weighed myself on my scales as I did last week and again my loss was around3 lb for the week........ I just want it quicker..Peeves me off esp when people at the meeting say "oh I haven't stuck to it as I went out and drank and ate loads" FFS I have stuck to it 110%, have not had a drink since new years eve and im only 2lb lighter for it.........

lurcherlass · 17/01/2008 19:11

Mamma- I just weighed and I've lost my Christmas gain, but still the 2lb to go to my 2 stones.
I'm doing quite well, but find meeting up with mates for lunch at the pub tricky. As it's a treat, I can't bring myself to have something "ordinary" like a jacket potato, (which I'd have at home). I don't go mad, so I always try and be sensible, but it b*ggers up my weeks loss.

thisisRialifebaby · 17/01/2008 20:58

shhh, don't lose heart, you might well get a massive loss next week, and if not, it's another 1lb in the right direction (and more than I'm going to lose the way I'm going - already

I might have to give in to temptation and buy the new magazine. Does it have any exciting new recipes in it or is just the same old ones slightly changed?