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!

Sounds lovely @HardRockOwl!

My go to dinners are what I've always had minus the carbs... so spag Bol minus the spag!

Which GOOD vanilla paste do you use? I'm finally going to get it this weekend

Hi all,
so pleased to find this thread.
I lost 3 stone with this method and managed to switch my whole lifestyle for 5 years. I’ve totally lost my way during the lock downs. I’m determined to get back into the good habits again.

You have all inspired me so much I have bought 2 of the books - The Lean for Life Cook Book and the 6 week programme. I wonder if I need the Lean for Life Method book as well? Are you all just eating recipes from the books or are you following the principles and making up your own ideas? I am feeling unsure about portion size for snacks etc if I was just to do my own. Advice would be much appreciated as I am feeling overwhelmed and don't know where to start!

Welcome Mrs Bartlett There does need to be portion control. It can seem vague at times, but if you follow quantities exactly you will get it right. Most meals are filling but not huge, with plenty of veg and portion controlled protein & fat.
After my wobble yesterday, I did hop on scales & I am down slightly, so no damage done. I had the bouillabaisse -delicious, and so filling. I do some corner cutting : that recipe calls for exact amounts of various fresh fish, but I just chucked in a bag of Tescos frozen seafood mix & it was fine. There are limits to how much I am willing to spend to follow LP!
I also find I am sleeping really well.

@NinetyNineRedBalloonsGoBy I use this one HEILALA - Pure Vanilla Bean Paste - Hand-Selected & Ethically Sourced Bourbon Vanilla - Gluten Free - 65g https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01HJHSVG6/ref=cmswwrcppapiiiC5E1H90X3CR0ADBAJ0T6?encoding=UTF8&psc=1

However I'm going to say that I don't think it's particularly a necessity? I can never taste it!

Welcome @MrsBartlet - hope you love the plan and the thread!

Regarding portion size ... to start with, stick to what is said in the books. That way you won't go wrong

Snack portions are as follows ..

2 tablespoons of mixed nuts + piece of fruit

3 oatcakes with a tablespoon of nut butter

1/2 wholemeal pitta , made into a mini pizza

1 Ryvita with nut butter + fruit

So that kind of thing

Sorry I’ve not checked in for a few days as I’ve been quite hectic. I’ve been sticking to the principles of the meals with some substitutions / alterations to make things meat free. I’ve definitely done 10k steps most days but I’m a bit behind on LP’s exercises. Will try to do them on Sat and sun to catch up.

Ooh @WineNoMore20 that was a fantastic loss! Can I ask how long it took you , what you ate and how strict you were?

Does anyone have a sense of roughly the daily calorie count - I know LP doesn’t count calories but when I am subbing in say cannellini beans for chicken, it’s useful to have an idea of what the broad daily count is, so I can be sure that if what I’m subbing is more calorific I can reduce the quantity proportionately.

Thanks, that is very useful. Great to hear you are sleeping well - the whole evening routine sounds very appealing!

Thank you!- That is just what I needed to know re portions sizes for the snacks.

@HardRockOwl It took about 4 months, by then I was totally immersed. I was completely in the routine and had completely kicked the sugar cravings.
I wasn’t deliberately super strict but some days only ate about 900 calories. Other days more so. I’d just stopped constantly thinking about food. It’s by far the best woe I’ve ever followed. Damned lockdown derailed me completely but I feel crap because of it 😞

Food wise, I ate Greek yoghurt and fruit for breakfast, occasionally the Greco eggs or messy eggs. Salad or soup for lunch. Evenings I tend to eat a piece of fish with roasted veg or steamed veg during the week and would cook whatever I fancied at weekends but no pasta or potatoes.
never really snacked, but nuts if I was peckish.
It was super easy to stick to 80% once I’d lost the weight.

@WineNoMore20 well on the plus side, you know this works for you so you can do it again! I get why you're so pissed off though - bloody lockdown did nobody any favours.

And I agree with you - sometimes I can't be bothered with dinner as I feel quite full so on occasion I've just sort of had another snack or something

@MrsBartlet I was initially astonished when I learned how many nuts I could have. And not in a good way 😅 But its plenty really. You soon adjust

Watch bananas and other tropical fruits too. Don't eat every day, try and stick to berries, apples,

@Lostmyunicorn I have deliberately not thought about calories but if I was to hazard a guess, I think it's in the region of 1400 BUT this depends on what you're eating. If you have 2 snacks a day of say, the oatcakes and then a Ryvita and you've had a wholemeal roll for lunch ... I can see how it could be a higher calorie day than if you'd had a smoothie, mixed nuts and a chicken salad

Oh dear! Sounds like it may take some getting used to. Thanks for the warning on the fruit as I do tend to eat banana every day so that will need to go. I wish there was a list in the books of what is good and what to avoid.

@MrsBartlet Yes, it's a little frustrating there's no ' don't eat this stuff!' list but I believe the thinking behind that is that nothing is off limits once you've completed the initial phase. And you're encouraged to 'step out the circle' on occasion

I've noticed that there are no recipes which contain .:.

Pasta
Potatoes
White rice
Honey
Dates
Dried fruit like apricots

So it's a sugar free plan (barring fruit sugars) and naturally lower in carbs

@HardRockOwl That makes sense. I think I need to read the books more to get a real feel for it.

Morning, I have been following the thread and would like to join. I bought the books a few years ago, didn’t really stick to the plan but loved the food - it’s really what I want to eat. Contrary to others I stayed the same weight in lockdown but have since put on a stone going back to the office for the past year so not great.
I lost three stone post pregnancy with WW and running and had ten pound ish increases which I’ve then done 800 per day and another success was OMAD. This time I’m peri menopausal and I just can’t stick to either although I also feel they are pretty unsustainable.
All your posts resonate with me - I’ve been on a sugar rush for the past year I think and I’ve followed now since Monday the plan. I had a few days of headaches but other than a bit of late night hunger it’s been good.
have done the exercises and my whole body is still really sore - I hate those types of exercise.
have bitten the bullet this morning and weighed myself for starting weight of 10.12 and really want to get under 10 initially. I’m not an unhealthy bmi but have very small features so I look flabby with my face seemingly lost in a cushion.
Also took a body photo which I’ve never actually done
biggest problem will be evening hunger as don’t get hungry till at least noon most days. I have been trying to save the snacks to have them then.

I just found this thread and have now ordered the cookbook. It sounds like just the kinds of foods I love!

How easy or hard is it to meal-plan and shop for, and is it something that can be adapted to a family? I find when I am having to make different meals for different people it derails me.

I am in the fortunate position of not being too worried about budget, but don’t want to spend hours and hours sourcing the ingredients. Is it feasible to do based on a weekly Tesco/Sainsburys delivery?

@Intothecircle welcome - do join us. I'm almost envious of your small amount to lose but I know it's all relative!

One thing that stood out to me in your post is saving up the snacks until the evening. Have you considered adding them on to a meal? So, for example, if you had the bacon, tomato and salad wholemeal roll for lunch, have a 'dessert' of mixed nuts and a piece of fruit. That takes care of one snack and you could do the same again with dinner. I'm just thinking it may help to regulate your hunger

It also may not of course - you've got to do the plan in a way that suits you best. My downfall is I run out of steam at dinner time and never really fancy anything!

@PrincessRamone hello, do come and join in.

I'd say it's really easy to adapt to a family. So, you could do the roast chicken or the salmon or the beef etc etc and you just add in a side of potatoes or rice or pasta for the others, whilst you stick with a side or two of veg / salad for example. So basically you're giving yourself the protein / fat / veg element and just adding in the carbs for them if that makes sense

I assume you do your own thing for breakfast and lunch? If so, then it's super easy

And I agree - it's my sort of food too. There isn't anything that's tricky to source.. the only way tend I've bought that I wouldn't normally think about buying were vanilla paste and stevia and tbh, for me, neither are totally necessary although I've surprised myself by appreciating the stevia in a smoothie once or twice

@PrincessRamone

I have 3 dc and they eat what I eat but with a carb added, eg pasta / chips / rice / bread. I do all my shopping at Aldi.

Sneaky weigh in this morning and it's my day 5 and I've lost 5lbs!! Delighted!

Plan for today:

B: oat bran with raspberries and cashew nut butter

S: apple and almonds

L: deli plate with mozzarella, prosciutto, olives, artichokes and tomatoes

S: green smoothie

D: lasagne made with aubergine sliced long instead of pasta

Lots of water too as I've been a bit lax. Proud of myself for resisting Prosecco and cake at a birthday dinner last night

Thanks @HardRockOwl that’s helpful.

I tend to get stuck doing all breakfasts and lunches too 🙄but the kids are old enough that I could just put a meal plan for the week up on the fridge with a statement of “This is what I am making. If you want anything else then make it yourself”. Husband wants to lose a few kg anyway.