Louise Parker fans - fancy getting getting together again?

[ChocChipOwl]

Fresh thread for a fresh start! It's me, Hard Baked Owl if anyone remembers me from our previous threads

Anyway, I've been off in the wilderness for the past month. I don't know why I have done this but I want to stop the rot before I put the weight back on

I've lost 2 stone since April and by some miracle, I'm still at a 2 stone loss. Despite eating magnums and crisps daily

So tomorrow I'm back to it. Back in the circle where I felt good and I'd like to lose one stone between now and the 19th November

This feels ambitious. Yet it's something to aim for isn't it?

Anyone fancy joining in or hopping back in the circle with me?

Well today I have eaten so much haribo, caterpillar cake and party rings that my teeth hurt. Also a large amount of pizza and chips. I did not u turn quickly enough!!!!
Keeping it in the day, I have chicken patties and cabbage slaw for dinner so at least there are some veggies there....

And bircher for breakfast with cocoa and raspberries . Will plan food tonight for next week.
Any good plans/news from the week?

That's the story of my life at the moment 🤣 I think I'm unlikely to have got the ability to so much atm until the next 2 weeks are out of the way, I know LP always says there's never a good time to start so just start, but I think she seriously overestimates my organisation, I need a live in chef I think! Not helping also I've pranged my ankle so exercise is proving difficult. Think I may try and do some calm rereading of the books and get my head in the right space to regroup after half term.

That sounds sensible. I omitted the planning and dived in then realised planning was important... which is the story of my life
Definitely take care of ankle!!

I can really relate to that. I got the six week plan today so will read it carefully. I have also injured myself so can’t exercise and can’t really cook either. I’m going to start when I’m better and really understand the principles.

Welcome along @MidnightConstellation .

I think I'm needing a reality check; I'm feeling a bit fed up, stale and like chucking it. I'm not even sure why to be honest. I'm really really trying not to go "ah you ate a ton of food on Friday so you are doomed to falling back to old ways" - logically I know this is not the case, bit I did go "sod it, I might as well carry on with the haribo" and I was ashamed of myself.

I had trouser on on Saturday that I thought would be baggier by now. I'm feeling just a bit down to be honest and not sure what to do to get out of it. More sleep and carrying on - fake it to make it?

Today was not to bad food wise
Shakshuka breakfast,
Satsuma and almond snack
Brocolli soup with pistachios
A croissant and an apple, bite of a cheese Sandwich for no real reason, oatcake, butter and cheese
Back on the Method with chicken, chorizo and bean stew with green veg

Did yoga this morning.

I'm still here but I've been bad. Very very bad. I need to draw a discrete veil over it tbh

Ugh - just finding it all such a struggle like you @Megasaur5keeper and wondering what will be different tomorrow? What will make me eat properly? I don't feel good at all for eating all this crap

@ChocChipOwl - what has worked before to get you motivated? I remember you saying on the previous thread you'd never stuck to anything so long, so you are already beating your previous goes at fat loss.

I may have had unrealistic expectations this weekend about what could be achieved in terms if autumn nice walks, and the impatience spilled over a tad.
Today I'm focusing on leaving work at a time I will not end up in a panic getting nursery pick up done and not eating left over haribo that will have been sitting out over the weekend- so not chic.

@Megasaur5keeper no idea I've just got to find the determination from somewhere!

Todays food

Porridge, chia seeds, oat milk, berries, cashew nut butter, banana

Plum + very small piece of cheese

2 pieces of sourdough with hummus, plant kitchen sausage and tomato

Quinoa, black rice, veg with marinated tofu and a little feta

So amazingly I've managed to have a day in the circle ⭕️

Great work @ChocChipOwl ! Sounds very delicious and nutritious. I'm heading to bed really soon.
Today I ate
Porridge with apple, brambles, hazelnuts and tsp almond butter
Yogurt and 3 satsumas
Brocolli soup
Almonds and a pear
Warm winter roast salad from lfl cook book. It was sooo nice.
A fruit kebab my girl made me, a ritz cracke and small piece of parmesan. Not too bad.
I really need to bear in mind that I am not a bin for my child's food.
I chucked all the haribo that had been lying out all weekend in the office.

Bit of exercise (very minimal but pretty sweaty) . 13000 steps or so.

It's been OK. Chatted with husband last night about it all which cheers me up a bit.

@Megasaur5keeper sounds like we are both getting back on track! Long May it continue eh?

I like the sound of that warm salad - may look that one up

I'm quite pleased with my day although I am having some honey and lemon now as I have covid . I'm hoping Louise would allow one teaspoon of 'very good' honey as a one off!

Hi all, it's been marginally better for me yesterday too.
Yogurt with bran, flaxseed and blueberries.
3 biscuits (ok, def not in circle but homeade and importantly, 3 not 10!)
Chilli bean open lasagne (low sugar recipe book and less pasta in mine)
Salad
Cheese and oat cakes
Managed to do some bits of life admin and try and start organising my scattered thoughts. My biggest barrier to myself is still always stress eating, continuing my calm re read of books, trying not to overthink this week, then hope to make next week a bot of a prep week again and hit the ground running after.

@ChocChipOwl nooooo! Covid is miserable and I have to say a lot of people I know who've had it have felt fed up and down before symptoms came on properly, so it might not have helped feelings of fed up ness
Honey is definitely allowed in the circumstances.

Today has been nice- went to beach with my child and just pottered. Wedding anniversary meal out tonight and I'm going mindfully off method.

Did bodypump this morning.
Had a ham and cheese toastie for breakfast
No snack as I was driving
Bean and Barley soup for lunch
And I'm off to try to organise snacks/lunch for tomorrow as I'll be out late

@ElvenDreamer feel you with the stress eating. It's so hard to break out of it as well as how do you get rid of the stress????

Right, coming to the end of a ridiculously busy period of work time so am determined to get back on it and try and get a hold of myself stress eatingwise before next busy period of life hits. Calling these next couple of days prep days and trying to get the house in order so it feels like a calmer environment again and make sure I have good snacks in. Snack time is def my downfall, I don't have the time/can't be bothered/actively dont want to as I don't like cooking do Louose Parker style snacks so I need to have lots of stuff that fits the method that I can just grab. Fruit obviously, occasionally happy to spread stuff on an oatcake, nuts, any other grab and go suggestions? Also hoping to up my exercise again, been struggling with an ankle injury and had to make the decision to rest it completely for 3 weeks, feels a lot better now though fingers crossed.
How is everyone else?

Hello! Simple is definitely best- some of the snacks are a bit on the OTT side tbh. Easy grab and go snacks- crispbread and cream cheese, apple and A 25g bit of hard cheese, nut butters on cut up apple, smoothies with yogurt if you can be arsed, small pot of yogurt and some fruit? I've been enjoying that recently. Yogurt with a tsp almond butter mixed in?
If its not too much like cooking the dark chocolate brazils from lfl cookbook are delicious if you've a sweet tooth.

Glad your ankle is better and you made it through the busy time. I'm heading into the weekend with a plan of batch cooking things for the freezer.
Stole delicious chips from a colleague today to go with otherwise not too bad of a day of food .

Scuttles in - bit shame faced!

Christ I've been on a bender! However, unlike a bender you might like to go on featuring fags, weed and alcohol, this particular bender involved food. Bad food.

Some people say there is no 'bad food' .. I think we all know there absolutely is!

OK so I've stacked back in half a stone and I HAVE to stop this

So I re started again today.

Berry compote, yogurt, tablespoon granola, chopped banana and pumpkin seeds for breakfast

Low carb wrap with a tofu hotdog and salad for lunch

Snacks were cherries and mixed nuts and 150ml kefir

Quinoa, feta, tomatoes, salad and plant kitchen BBQ pieces for dinner

So I've finally managed a full day on plan. I could nit pick over the little bit of granola but meh. It came with the yogurt and compote!

My books are back out and I'm head down and posting every day this week

Come back!!!!

@Megasaur5keeper @ElvenDreamer how are we both?

Hello can I join? I need some accountability. I’ve found your original thread @ChocChipOwl and been reading through whilst sort of doing my prep week. Managed to lose a kg despite finishing the chocolate in the pantry!
I have 10kg to lose, have all the LP books ( although no access to them atm as we have just moved countries) but never really applied the method just adopted a few recipes.
I’ve been impressed and inspired by all of your results and resilience so far!!

So plan for today:
Bircher with berries
apple with almond butter
we are out for lunch but having checked the menu I’ll be having a noodle salad( vegan-I’m vegetarian but try and be as plant-based as I can )
wont want an afternoon snack
black been and beetroot burgers with a salad and no bread.

probably quantities of food too much today but it’s a start.

oh and my daily soya flat white!

Hi all, welcome @Soyacappuccino , come and join us. Good luck with your day, black bean and beetroot burgers sound tasty.
Hi @ChocChipOwl , I've definitely had ok days and truly self-sabotagingly awful days recently. Have been trying to get back in the swing this last week after a super busy period of work where I relied on late night snacking and too little sleep way too much. I've also had an injured ankle so not been running for 4 weeks and I've really noticed the difference, I've been much more irritable and inclined to eat and doom scroll. This morning I ran again (4kish, maybe just over) carefully and did a good stretch session after and my mood has instantly rocketed! Bircher with berries for breakfast for me and husband is making a mixed grill sort of lunch. Not sure about the rest of the day yet.

I've also been trying to remember the things that worked best for me before, and 1 was on a Sunday making a few lunches and sticking them in Tupperware ssh don't tell Louise! in the fridge so I may try that again. Breakfast I also am thinking about trying to make a couple of days at a time. Basically, I just need to find ways where I don't have to cook and prep all the time, I'm really not a fan. I love all the meals but I hate that it takes so much time every day meaning I'm then thinking about food more often which definitely doesn't help!

Hey hey!!
Welcome along @Soyacappuccino .
All fine here but the freezing dark mornings are more of a challenge to the exercise habits. I've been finding myself making excuses to stay in bed; and also I've been picking at food - which even if it is good stuff I.e. crisps - is still the opposite of intentional eating of small delicious portions of well thought out and mindful eating.

@ElvenDreamer the only food I have not in tupperware on a daily basis is breakfast and dinner. Everything else goes with me to work. I prepare it the night before- sometimes making lots of wee packages of things at the weekend. It's a pain for sure but I think it's worth it.
I'm hovering around 9st 7lb. I'm considering trying to balance and head to lifestyle start of December which definitely seems sensible 🤔 🤦‍♀️. That'll have been about 5 months I think for me. And here are the progress shots with sophisticated editing techniques applied. The one with the crop top is the after!

I can't decide if the bit I've drawn a shit arrow pointing at is the annoying fat pocket I need to live with or another 7lbs would get shot of it.

Had an intentional glass of wine and creamy pasta dish last night which was excellent but really upset my tummy later so was both "worth it" and wholly not. So that's one to take on board!! I need to get back on the digital detox- I've been scrolling late for no sensible reason and it's noticeably tiring me out .
Other than that, mainly been circling but I need a bit of accountability re nibbling random stuff.

So for your interest...
B- skinny benedict
S- apple and cheese
L- chicken pesto salad
S- 2 satsumas and 2tsp winter spiced nuts
2 chocolate Brazil nuts, spoonful of savoury granola and some extra nuts.
T- salmon and broccoli bake. Oh and a wholemeal tortilla chip

Off to make aubergine ricotta dip.
And to drink herbal tea and sort tomorrow bag out.

Thanks for the welcome @ElvenDreamer and @Megasaur5keeper ! Congratulations on the before and after progress shots @Megasaur5keeper , you must be very proud!! I think I’d be tempted to keep going but appreciate it’s been a long haul!
well done on getting back to running @ElvenDreamer , that’s something I am planning to try again! I just find it so dull!! But that’s an excuse.
Yesterday was not such a good day for me.
B: bran flakes, blueberries, spoonful of Greek yoghurt, spoonful of mixed seeds and nuts.
L: cauliflower salad with pearl barley, aubergine dip and flatbread. Thought it was in plan apart from the flatbread but had awful bloating later in the day! Glass of Chardonnay.
Snack: two mini pumpkin seed crackers with goat cheese. Two rows of vegan white chocolate 😬
Dinner: not really hungry but beans on toast. I know that’s not on plan but haven’t worked out how to tell DH to sort his own dinner out without sounding churlish as I usually like cooking!
Snack: rest of the bar of white chocolate. Gin and tonic. Glass of Chardonnay.

okay so now that I’ve been brave and written it all down I can see the value of planning. I didn’t plan yesterday properly. I also acknowledge that I need to do something about the sugar cravings when an apple or some fruit just doesn’t cut it! Any suggestions?

Also no alcohol in the week. I know LP says none at all. 😞

on the plus side, I’ve hit at least 10,000 steps a day all week-for the first time!! And managed two BodyBalance sessions.
Weigh in this morning shows at loss of 1kg. But I am now fully signed up to this and believe I can do it!!

@Soyacappuccino what about Brazil nuts dipped in plain chocolate ? I've been enjoying those a little too much lately. Which is a departure for me as I generally prefer cheese.
Obviously in the post above when I said good stuff I.e crisps I meant "not crisps".

Thanks re pics. And well done on the 1kg off. Bodybalance is fun !

I think I will hang on for another 7lbs off. I'm not quite there yet and it's easier to keep going than stop and start.

Today I have
B- tex mex beans, wholemeal tortilla chips snd 0%greek yogurt and a 1/4 avocado
S- apple and mixed nuts
L- mackerel salad with beetroot and orange
S- aubergine ricotta dip and tortilla chips.
D- chicken curry and cauliflower rice

Did a morning yoga video but was running too late to get as much of walk to work as I usually do. Sigh.

Thanks @Megasaur5keeper for the suggestion-I love Brazil nuts but don’t like chocolate ( only white ) but will see what I can adapt.
yes keep going!
I did not have a good day yesterday. We did a big trip to buy furniture which meant 6 hours in the car and then a congratulatory bottle of wine shared in the evening!
but did some clothes shopping as well which plunged me into a slough of despondency so am now back on it!
I am determined to stay in the circle today!
I didn’t actually eat badly yesterday but only 5000 steps
B: scrambled eggs and one slice wm toast
L: a poke bowl with roast pumpkin, brown rice, apple, walnuts, almonds, avocado and a dressing. Delicious and filling!
D: veggie sausages, green salad with lime juice, asparagus spears, beetroot
I think portion sizes are my downfall but I do find LP recipes vary. Sometimes you make it and think “where is the rest of it!” And then other times you would be stuffed if you ate a portion eg the “ Grumpa’s dahl”.
hey ho.
today will be better!!

I think white chocolate could work to dip.

I also ate a couple of poppadoms, 2 tiny chocolates from a hotel chocolat box that had been abandoned in the office, a couple of slices of baguette and an oatcake with cheese. This was all largely "ooh that looks good" so totally unnecessary.

Breakfast today the same as yesterday- tex mex beans and tortilla and I did a body pump class.

I'm looking to get an online exercise subscription- I enjoy the lp exercises but I think I would like someone telling me what to do first thing, rather then having to think myself. Might try a les Mills one.
Anyone have any suggestions?

I’ve got Les Mills on Demand subscription @Megasaur5keeper

they’ve just added Pilates which I want to try although I love the Bodypump and used to do Bodycombat too. They also do the trainers set sequences which I did in lockdown successfully. That would fit the remit of telling you what class to do each day! I find the LP exercises too boring so don’t bother.