Louise Parker method anyone? I know it's a bit old fashioned now ..

[HardRockOwl]

But I've decided to give it a go

The food is the sort of stuff I like to eat although I'll have to make some substitutes as I'm a vegetarian. But I love Bircher, porridge, all her snacks and salads etc

I'm starting tomorrow and wondered if anyone had some advice regarding the method or stories

Thanks!

@TheWreathLady welcome! Of course you can join. You say you're more or less at a normal weight? I would suspect this is why you've only lost a few lbs. Are you feeling better in yourself in week 5?

@TheWreathLady and would you say you've more done the plan to increase fitness as opposed to lose weight? Sorry for questions, just trying to get a feel for what you're experiencing

Thanks, @HardRockOwl. It's toughie because I do find I get extra hungry when he's on a feeding mission.

I know you shouldn't, but I weigh daily when I'm looking to lose. For me, I need to see the trend, rather than a weekly total. More motivating.

@TheWreathLady I find it extremely difficult to shift weight when I'm already in the healthy zone. Maybe you need to focus more on body conditioning than loss?

@ElvenDreamer sounds wonderful but tiring too. What instrument do you play/ teach (sorry if I have missed that)

@TheWreathLady welcome. I am perimenopausal too although a few years younger and it is really hard. My weight loss before joining this plan has been painfully slow, which isn’t helped by the fact that I end up having hormone infused cravings which I cave Stomach fat is so stubborn and mine seems determined to stay, no matter what I do. However, I have heard that low carb/ sugar is best for shifting those inches so I am hopeful that this plan will help in the long run.

Not really to do with the plan but I hope it’s ok to share here… went to do my usual workout and peeked in the mirror this morning. I am getting the very beginnings of abs! It’s barely visible and mostly hidden by fat 😆but I am quite proud of that. I have only started working out consistently this year and even when I was a stick in my late teens/ early 20s I never had any definition due to being a lazy couch potato. Now I have biceps (small), and am actually forming abs!

Anyway, back to the plan:
Breakfast was decaff coffee and couple of oat cakes
Lunch: homemade seitan steak, asparagus, garlic tomatoes and quinoa
Snack: soya yoghurt, blueberries, walnuts
Dinner: protein shake

Thanks all for the lovely welcome and I've been enjoying reading all your updates.

@EssexLioness That sounds amazing, it gives you the motivation to carry on when you can start to see things changing doesn't it?

@HardRockOwl @RinklyRomaine I am heavier than I've ever been but I'm just trying not to focus on that because I know it can be muscle through my kettlebells workouts. I don't feel any different because I was eating fairly well before. My waistbands have been getting a bit tight so I'm just trying to nip it in the bud now and going low carb/minimal sugar/good fats etc etc should help me lose the inches. I think I just need to be patient and keep on with it. I'm on school hols now so I've no excuse not to try and move a bit more. You're all doing so well!

Lunch is quinoa, goats cheese and salad in a tahini, lemon juice and olive oil dressing. Tastes better than it looks 😜

@TheWreathLady thank you, yes it does! I just need to reduce my belly fat so I can see the muscles clearer.

That looks lovely @HardRockOwl. I’ve just had quinoa for lunch too.

HardRockOwl your meals are really inspirational, thank you for posting them. Your loss so far is amazing, but I know how you feel. I weighed 1lb more yesterday than the day before and was fed up, although I know full well that that is well within the realms of daily fluctuations. You are doing so well!
I wondered about the lemony water's effect on teeth EssexLioness so good to have it confirmed. Well done on the workouts.
Sutra I think that's the idea of the prep week, to ease into it and to see which bits need more attention.
It's a long time since I BF my DC RinklyRomaine but I would be inclined to go easy on yourself and be guided by your appetite, eating slightly larger portions and/or having extra snacks as needed. If it's all good, nutritious food, you won't go far wrong.
Elven it must be hard when you are working irregular hours but it sounds so interesting!
Hi WreathLady and welcome. I am postmenopause and it (depressingly) only gets harder. It sounds like you are doing well though.
I am at my danger point now, as my usual pattern is to lose weight in the week and put it back on at the weekend. However, I skipped the wine and nibbles I would usually have on a Friday night and have been eating pretty much on plan so far this weekend (although I might edge out of the circle to have a glass of wine with my dinner tonight).

@Topazpearlagain funny how we all have our danger points isn't it? I'm firmly in my danger area now that's for sure. Luckily I don't drink alcohol so that's something I don't have to grapple with - I'd be absolutely hopeless at sticking to any plan if I liked a tipple I thank god I don't.

Snack this afternoon was a cherry smoothie and I'm just off to look in the fridge for dinner inspo!

Halloumi, pepper + red onion kebabs.

Doesn't look like the biggest portion in the world though

Hi all, in between shows here, band meal was pizza, def not on method, I compromised by only having 2 pieces and sticking to drinking water so not too bad! Just to avoid late night snacking now...will catch up and read everyone's comments ts properly later, looks like everyone's doing amazingly 🙂

Well done on only having 2 slices @ElvenDreamer. I love pizza and would find it really hard to control myself.
@HardRockOwl your kebabs look nice. I find it’s surprising how little food we need to keep ourselves satisfied, as long as it is the right stuff.

Hello came across this thread a couple of weeks back and ordered the Lean for Life book on kindle on the basis that your meals and snacks sound really yummy.

Have finished reading the books and the meals look quite simple to make. I have visualised myself looking very slim and beautiful and 20 years younger . But then I came to the exercise chapter! I'm 58 and my current exercise programme involves one slow dog walk a day of about a mile and one Pilates class a week. There is no way on earth will I be able to do those exercises! I wondered what others were doing regarding exercise?

Meals today which are not following any particular recipe but using food I have in the house which seem to fit along the lines of the programme

B - overnight oats with chia seeds, raspberries, 0% Greek yogurt and a teaspoon of almond butter.

L - tuna, chickpea and cherry tomato salad with olive oil and lemon

Snack - 2 rice cakes with peanut butter and sliced banana (1/2 a banana)

D - salmon with brown rice and spinach . I would have had mashed celeriac but I had half a microwave rice sachet that needed eating- I don't think that's too bad? Although I thought, reading the book, that the evening meals seemed small in comparison to the other meals/snacks.

Welcome @shinynewapple22. I think your exercise sounds fine. Personally I am ignoring the chapter on exercise but adopting her idea of ‘paying rent’ by moving every day.
I have been working out for around 1- 1 1/2 hours most days, mostly weights and workouts from my Les Mills subscription. However, I am perimenopausal and also only used to doing that amount of exercise fairly recently and I have been feeling wiped out the last couple of weeks and I think it’s because I have been over training. So I am going to try a new regime for the next couple of weeks to see if that helps. My new plan is to walk around an hour each day (plus dog walk but dog is elderly so that is a 10 minute plod) + weights 4 times a week. Then pilates/ barre 1-2 times a week. If I feel I have more energy some days I may add on an extra 1/2 hour dance workout. For context I am 44. I used to do much less than this and I think as long as you try to move then it is all good - we have to do what feels good for us

To be fair @EssexLioness I know I could do with increasing the exercise I do - but I was thinking more along the lines of a slightly longer walk and putting some music on and dancing for 10 minutes ! And maybe trying to do some of the Pilates moves in between classes.

@shinynewapple22 welcome. Yeah, I've been visualising myself looking 20 years younger. Hmm, it's a tall order for sure

I have not even glanced at the exercise pages in the books. I've been resolute that I won't but who knows? Maybe I will one day.

I swim 5-6 days a week for about 40 odd minutes or until I burn 500 calories. And that's it. I know it won't set the world on fire but at least it's regular and it's something

@shinynewapple22 that sounds like a good plan to me. Pilates and walking are some of the most efficient exercises, especially as e get older. I am fairly new to Pilates but already noticing a difference in my flexibility (although I still resemble the tin man most days 😆). I also have an old back/ shoulder injury which is benefitting from it. I also like it as it is good for bone strength and I was diagnosed with osteopenia last year so this is a concern of mine.

@HardRockOwl sounds like you have something you enjoy that works really well. I wish I could swim but I am very nervous in the water and can just about manage to flap around for a few seconds!

After a setback this week I am definitely starting tomorrow!! Is everybody managing 10k steps a day?

Hi all, back on it this morning, just been for a run which I like to do on a Sunday morning and have actually formed it into a habit now, just over a year and only the odd Sunday missed. @clpsmum stepwise I find that I'm hit and miss, some days work dictates me being quite static, I'm trying on those days to do more of a hit based work out. I've got a couple of exercise apps on my phone (just free ones) which are all short workouts of similar type stuff LP has in her books and most importantly they only take between about 8 to 15 mins to do so nice and easy to fit in. About to have my major menu plan session and really get on it! Lovely sunny day here, doing a bit of a spring clean, feeling positive 🙂🌷

No I rarely manage 10k steps a day but I do workout for 1 - 1 1/2 hours most days. I am going to try and mix things up next week though and focus on building up my steps.

So far today I have had a couple of oatcakes and a coffee for breakfast. Lunch will be cauliflower cheese with veggie sausages (not on plan) and lots of steamed veg. I am doing roast potatoes for DH so may pinch one from his plate. Then for dinner I will have my protein shake. Snack of yoghurt with pecans and blueberries. If still hungry I will have a banana

@ElvenDreamer

Hi all, back on it this morning, just been for a run which I like to do on a Sunday morning and have actually formed it into a habit now, just over a year and only the odd Sunday missed. *@clpsmum* stepwise I find that I'm hit and miss, some days work dictates me being quite static, I'm trying on those days to do more of a hit based work out. I've got a couple of exercise apps on my phone (just free ones) which are all short workouts of similar type stuff LP has in her books and most importantly they only take between about 8 to 15 mins to do so nice and easy to fit in. About to have my major menu plan session and really get on it! Lovely sunny day here, doing a bit of a spring clean, feeling positive 🙂🌷

Please share your menu when done I need inspiration!!

I have made mashed potato for DH instead of roasties which means I will no longer be tempted to have a bit.

Afternoon all

I'm working out the house today helping a friend in her cafe so it's 8am- 4.30 basically doing my steps - which incidentally I don't count as a rule!

Food is a bit hit and Miss

Strawberry bircher

Nuts & mango snack

Apple slices with peanut butter and watermelon wedges

It's best I can do as only other lunch type things here are toasties and chips!

Day 1- please tell me if you think I'm on track?

B: Greek yoghurt + handful of nuts and seed mix + 3 strawberries

S: 1 and a half (normal sized not mini) oatcakes + banana

L: cheese and mushroom omlette and salad

S: smoothie from the book

D: roast beef, cabbage, carrots, gravy (no roast potatoes or Yorkshire pudding!)

Sounds perfect @NinetyNineRedBalloonsGoBy. I am not 100% sure about the beef though as I don’t eat meat, but if it’s in the book it will be fine