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?

Hello all can I join in? I lurked a bit and posted rarely on previous threads but was mostly a million miles from the circle. I’ve managed to lose about half a stone with intermittent fasting but I’m finding it a struggle and I really think Louise’s method is just so much more sensible for the long term for me. I can fast fine mid cycle, but pre and around my period I just struggle so much and end up eating too much to compensate, I think. I’ve got Louise’s 6 week book and Lean for Life so I’m going to have a read through today and gently start.

I’m a vegetarian which complicates things - I got really annoyed when she said in one of her books that over half of her recipes were accidentally vegan or vegetarian: but they’re the breakfasts and snacks!! Most of her main meal ideas are meat and vegetables. So I’ll need to look at that and work out what I can adapt. Anyone else veggie?

Hello @MikeHannigansStripyShirt, great timing. I’m jumping back in on Jan 1st - and I want to go fully veggie. I was looking at the Amanda (?) Freer books which have some veggie and thinking of mixing those in. I think it is harder if veggie and stick only to LPM meals but I guess you can mix and match the salads but not really the weather for that :)
I like Anna Jones books (I might be getting all the names wrong) and she does a fair few simple dishes that look on plan. Be great to share ideas.
I also jumped on the scales @ElvenDreamer and not too bad so that has given me a bit of a lift!

I forgot to add @MikeHannigansStripyShirt the LPM cook book is good and I use that a fair bit-more veggie stuff in there.

Hi @MikeHannigansStripyShirt , I'm not veggie but try to eat veggie or vegan at least 3 days a week. I do use some LP recipes (and as @Compelled says, most of the veg ones are in the cook book.) However, I don't use her recipes all the time as some are for me a bit time consuming. I love the Roasting Tin books and there is a Green Roasting Tin for veg/vegans. Most of the recipes in these fit well with the method or take very little tweaking I find.

Hello @MikeHannigansStripyShirt ! Welcome along.
A lot of the main meals are meat based. Would thinking about how to "method" your normal faves help? Basic principle is a dose of protein, lots of low G.i. veg and a wee bit fat.

I too am up a couple of lbs. Not great but I'm flexing back into the habits of moving more - between sickness, terribie weather and general holiday vibes I've not been getting an exercise session in as regularly. I need also to get back into not picking at random stuff - it's too tricky to keep track.

I have bought a load of new workout clothes in my new size, and in true Scottish hogmanay style I'm thinking I'll get a clear out done this afternoon.
Also need to get messages in and have the fear of grocery shopping as everyone goes a bit mental because shops are shut for 1 whole day... might send my husband. Making chicken soup just now and need to plan next week's food.

Thanks for the welcome!

@Compelled you’ve reminded me that I have the recipe book too! Someone on the original thread had a link you could download to your phone. I’ll have a scout for it.

@Megasaur5keeper method-ifying what I usually eat is what I did last time. So some form of protein (a ball of mozzarella, a few eggs, some Quorn) then added veg to make eg roasted veg and mozzarella/an omelette and veg or salad, or a stir fry. I would do things like veggies sausage and mash for the kids, but not have the mash myself and instead just have a massive heap of all kinds of veg.

i remember feeling very light and nourished doing this, I just kept buggering it up eating sweets at work!

The cauliflower, brocolli and paneer curry is good from 6wp @MikeHannigansStripyShirt .
Yes to light and nourished! It does feel like that which is what is needed right now I feel.

I have 4lbs to get to 9 St. Then I think I'm going to hang around there for a bit and lifestyle scares me a little. Like- how do you know what to eat to maintain weight ? Regular weighing I guess.

Happy new year! I’ve had a very “worth it” evening and have tidied up the wine 😂all ready for tomorrow. I spent a bit of time this afternoon cleaning my bedroom too, so the living beautifully bit is coming together.

I hope I’m not so hungover tomorrow that I have to eat crisps all day. That is not very inner circle……

Happy New Year.
Taking ‘light and nourished’ as my mantra for 2023.
Hope they are Bircher flavoured crisps @MikeHannigansStripyShirt

Happy new year all!
Here's to circling and feeling light and nourished!!!!

Happy New Year all, today has been so far nicely in the inner circle. Yogurt with seeds, fruit, bean cassoulet with green veg, just need to decide on tea. Have done some yoga, need to up my water a little more but otherwise feeling good. I went out for a bit of fresh air 1st thing and saw a beautiful rainbow which felt like a lovely good omen to start the year.

Room for a (not so) little one?

Happy new year all

Hi @ChocChipOwl I’m also a not so little one, here for the long haul :)

Hi all! Checking in for a tentative first day On Method proper… I didn’t eat crisps all day yesterday, but could definitely have tried harder. I didn’t need to say yes to every sweet the kids kindly pressed upon me!

There’s a slight snag in that the fridge is looking a little bare but I’m sure I can be creative and come up with eg a frittata and a soup for lunch and tea, and nuts, fruit, stuff like that for snacks. When do the supermarkets open again?!

Weighed in this morning only 3.5lbs up from my lowest weight before Christmas and I’m on a mission to lose another 7. That’ll take me to just under 8 and a half stone (I am a short arse. I’d say tiny but my tummy is not!) which just suits me. Using intermittent fasting to lose that first half stone felt so full of effort. I really think this, once I get into it, will feel effortless and that’s what I’m aiming for.

Morning all, started the day with a 3.92 k run, normally I run on a Sunday but dd tired after new years eve so we ran today instead. Food for today has been/will be:
Breakfast: smoked salmon, rocket and scrambled eggs on a slice of wholegrain.
Main meal: curried nut and lentil roast. (Nosh Vegetarian book.)
Tea: sweet peppers with mozzarella and herbs.
Snacks: either fruit, yoghurt or nuts. Possibly all 3.
I'm making the decision right from the start this time that I will have 3 snacks in the day, I always need something in the evening due to working later so I'm going to plan for it rather than it be a massive free for all!

Morning everyone. I'll have a good read through the whole thread later on and bring myself up to speed on who is who. Good to see the familiar faces and I'll try and stop starting threads and then just fucking off!

So I'm fully back today and feeling determined. I've started with an in circle breakfast of yogurt, strawberries and a little muesli and oat milk. Currently deliberating lunch which I think will be two slices of sourdough with hummus and salad

Hi @ChocChipOwl !
Today we tidied away the last of my birthday cake...
January is the trickiest month here as all the birthdays sort of pile up.

Need a bit of accountability and to get organised so here we go. Think I need to concentrate on organisation as towards end of the year all was going a bit chaotic !

TODAY -
Went to body pump
Had skinny benedict
Piece of chocolate cake
Fruit smoothie.

Lunch will be soup and dinner is risotto which is not brilliant method wise but I shall eat delicately. I've really missed it and it is one thing that my mini megasaur reliably eats so it does need to be on the meal rotation for my mental health!

Clear out is getting there.
Today is dusting, hoovering and inking.

Hello All,
I’m really struggling to get started. I keep thinking, ‘read up, food plan and then get on it’ but I just can’t get the push to start. I know it works, I know it’s not a diet as it is healthy eating but I just seem to not be able to jump in. Would really welcome some tips or hints to just start!

Getting started is the hardest but in a couple of weeks you'll be in the groove and it will be becoming easy. Honest.

I've had a baaaaad day - period has just destroyed my energy but having been parkering since May I know it is a baaaaad day and I'll be better tomorrow and the habits are there to help.

Bad day included 2 x packs of crisps and a cinnamon and raisin bagel. And too much risotto. I've stopped now and am trying to get to bed. Yes it is 8pm...

@Compelled would focusing on sleep and nourishing yourself for a week help? It is so hard to start if you are knackered and low energy.

You have food plans- are you following them or is something causing you to hit the buffers at that point? I find I need to get food anyway so it might as well be on method!
What draws you to lpm? Does focusing on that help at all? What is your end point?
One of louise tips is write down your obstacles and also the solution- could that help?.

Thanks @Megasaur5keeper. Interesting about sleep and low energy as both are issues. Also lots of little things are becoming obstacles; wanting to clear the freezer, get rid of Christmas foods, do some basic decluttering (I’m pretty good at this but just recently things are a little less organised). I think a focus on what I want, I’m drawn to the whole lifestyle of the plan-it’s calm and healthy. I need to sit down and focus. I write the food plans but just don’t stick to them…

Evening all,
Today has been ok, been a little sluggish, definitely needed to move more, lots of pointless scrolling today so was my own fault really. Got out for a decent walk in the afternoon though.
Food was:
Porridge
Cheese, ham and salad sandwich and other salad veg bits
Turkey and tarragon pot pie and broccoli
Snacks were nuts (slightly more than strictly a potion) and fruit

Have been blitz cleaning my kitchen and getting on top of some work admin. Your clearout has inspired me @Megasaur5keeper . Have been journaling again over the last few days too, trying to write down positive things as well as small things to aim to do the next day etc. Think in ink and all that!

@ChocChipOwl great to have you back with us. Let's do this together, you led us amazingly through 2022!

@Compelled I did a sort of prep few days coming in to starting back, stopped alcohol one day, cut back on the excessive evening cheese board habit the next, started changing up my lunches the following day etc so I built up gradually, perhaps that could help? Just pick a meal or a habit to focus on 1st so it doesn't feel too much? I feel creating habits is really what we must be ultimately aiming for, lifestyle not diet so am really trying hard to find ways to make things feel truly sustainable.

Happy New Year everyone!

I’ve been AWOL but back now and determined to get back in the circle.

welcome, belatedly, @MikeHannigansStripyShirt , I am also vegetarian , indeed would like to be entirely plant-based but it is difficult to manage so I do the best I can.

@Megasaur5keeper great start! And great advice about focussing on one or two things for a week. I’m a huge believer in the importance of good sleep and in my work I see many people who have an issue with it and how it impacts on other aspects of their life. And I’m very aware of that with me also.

@Compelled how is it going a few days in? I feel a bit the same about how to get started-everything makes total sense until I am tired, hungry , cross or discombobulated and then I can’t say no to bread, I’ve realised!! But I am not scared of carbs and always eat good bread and don’t want to be the woman who avoids carbs. I also really need to ditch alcohol as it makes me snack as well as the empty calories.

@ElvenDreamer that sounds like an amazing start and you’ve reminded me of the value of journaling. So I’m off to buy a beautiful new notebook! I’m feeling a little sad as I’ve just dropped my daughter and her new fiancé off at the airport and won’t see them until April! They got engaged whilst staying with us over Christmas! So I’ll stop moping around and being jealous of her seemingly great relationship with her prospective mother-in-law and make some lists!!

@ChocChipOwl hello again-as the OP, and recalling your original successful use of LPM , it’s also good for me to see that even very successful people struggle sometimes. LP herself makes it look so easy ( I know she’s had a difficult last 18 months or so and seems to have stopped posting much on Instagram) but no-one is perfect and I sometimes wish she would post about eating 3 croissants and washing it down with a doughnut and then getting back in the circle!! That would inspire me!! 😂

so today I will:

1. buy said notebook
2. sort out guest room so it is ready for the next time we have visitors
3. Clean out the fridge
4. Plan meals and snacks for tomorrow
5. get my 10K steps
6. get to bed early

And start tomorrow refreshed and motivated!!

A little piece of artwork I have called 'Today, the Circle, and Me.' ....

That’s beautiful @ElvenDreamer puts Banksy to shame.

🤣🤣🤣