What steps are you taking today/tomorrow (and how did it go)?

[Peae]

An accountability/planning/thinking-out-loud thread. State what you'll be doing today or tomorrow towards your weight-loss and health goals. Then check-in afterwards and let us know how you did.

Please say hello and tell us a bit about yourself...

I think I’m more inclined to do more of a total overhaul over a month or so.

From what I understand, that's far more likely to be successful (I just didn't want to put a downer on a weekend's effort). So you're thinking of using the weekend to plan and prepare?
(I listened to this last weekend on my sick bed. Might be worth a glance https://drchatterjee.com/breaking-the-sugar-cycle-how-to-use-food-as-medicine-the-science-of-metabolic-health-the-truth-about-detoxification-with-dr-mark-hyman/ drchatterjee.com/breaking-the-sugar-cycle-how-to-use-food-as-medicine-the-science-of-metabolic-health-the-truth-about-detoxification-with-dr-mark-hyman/ ).

My plans for today are:

• drink plenty of water and no pop.
• salmon salad with plenty of seeds, sauerkraut etc. for brunch.
• DP's cooking a sweet potato and turkey curry thing for tea. I'll probs have a pack of plain crisps with this.
• plenty of rest and a day time bath (one of my biggest pleasures in life).
• no sugar. I'm back at work this afternoon for a couple of hours and this will be the biggest danger zone for being distracted from my goals.

Oh god I'm missing walking and weightlifting.

@Peaethanks for the pod recommendation, I will definitely listen to that! I have done things before and find a full overhaul actually easier after the initial few days, moderation is so much tougher I find. My plan for the weekend is to eat up some of my prepped meals to clear some space and get myself sorted, I could start Monday but I may decide to wait until the following week as we are away next weekend.

I would also be missing exercise, I had a full month off everything except walking when I was ill at Christmas and I found it really hard. When will you be able to resume some gentle walking?

Evening everyone, room for one more?

After months of thinking about it and weight not moving with 'Eat Less Move More', I'm due to start WLI next week (Monday night, because I'm not starting 2 days before Easter!).

I've also today received an order of collagen protein powder, so have started taking that. I've never been tempted before, because I don't like thick shakes, but they now do clear powder that's just like drinking juice.

I'm planning to have a couple of those a day and cut carbs.

Tomorrow is fish and chips done in the deep fat fryer, so it'll be a write off calories-wise, but I'm hoping the calorie deficit I've built up the rest of the week will mean it doesn't equal a gain. Gym classes aren't on, but I could maybe do a home workout beforehand 🤔

I like the sound of your plans @thenewaveragebear1983 !
I actually had a short walk last evening, and managed to get my daily steps above 6k for the first day.

Welcome @YippeeAbsentmindedly we certainly do! Will you get a home workout in today??

Yesterday was a success all round. I ticked off all my habits and I am STILL Diet Coke- and sugar-free. Whoop, whoop.

Today:

• drink plenty of water and no pop.
• tuna salad with plenty of seeds, sauerkraut etc. for brunch.
• Nieces staying over and apparently it's pizza/burger/chips for tea. I'm not sure what to do. I'd happily share some pizza and some chips, but don't want an upset stomach.
• plenty of rest and a daytime bath if DP takes the nieces out for an hour to give me some time to recharge.
• no sugar.

SW 14st
CW 12st 9 (is that a pound off? Hard to say after last week's illness).
CGW 12st 7

Sounds like you had a good day@Peae.
I had an absolute carnage day yesterday, I do not know what happened to me. I’ve regained several pounds of water weight and generally feel very annoyed with myself, I wanted to have a good week and then be able to relax a bit over the weekend and instead I’ve had a dreadful week and if I continue over the weekend I’ll be seriously regaining. Anyway.

steps today-
listen to my hypnosis - sometimes when I’m in this horrible bingeing mood it’s the only thing that snaps me out of it.
1 drink lots of water, eat properly- it’s only bank holiday, I don’t need to go completely wild.

2 plan my menu for next week and go shopping (I always mean to go to Lidl but never normally gave time as it’s out of town, but I will try to go over the weekend)

3 try to get a couple of runs in, a short one and a longer one.

4 listen to the podcast with RC that was recommended above.

I’m not sure what to do about alcohol, I am now on day 107 alcohol free, I never intended to be teetotal however I don’t actually want a drink yet. We have a few family things where alcohol will definitely be around and it’s the first time really this year where it will be a decision 🤔 dh and I are away next weekend and do think there will be more pressure to drink then. I’m really not that fussed to be honest, but I am enjoying my hangover free weekends.

@Peae I went to pilates at the gym last night and they'd put up a sign with the opening hours. It's just classes that aren't on over the long weekend, the gym is still open, so I went swimming instead. Swam 40 lengths, which is 1km, and burned 200 calories 🤨

I usually do a cardio class on a Friday morning which is only 15 minutes longer than today's swim and burn 400-500 calories!

Still, better than being sat at home on my bum. And I walked there and back, though in the interest of full disclosure it's only about 1000 steps each way 🤣

Plan for today is to limit the number of chips I have with my fish and try to have just lean protein and veggies for dinner. DH and DC are having bacon sandwiches, but I didn't buy enough bacon for me to have any.

@thenewaveragebear1983 Spirits with a low calorie mixer ie gin and tonic are better for you than beer/cider/cocktails.

But if you don't fancy it, can you just say that? Or just drink eg tonic water instead of gin and tonic? (I'm not obsessed with gin, honest 😂)

@YippeeAbsentmindedlyto be honest no one will pressure me to drink, it’s just that it’s the first time this year really where I have actually had the option, the others will all be drinking. No one will be drunk. I don’t really want one enough to be honest, now I’ve done so many weeks it seems silly to break it for one or two lukewarm Chablis….

Is there room for a little one?!

I didn't have loads to lose but after continually trying (and failing!) to shift the kilos that were creeping upwards, I bit the bullet and re-subscribed to Nutracheck at the end of January.
I've been deliberately taking it slowly (not least due to the fact that my cycle grinds to a halt every time I try and lose a bit of weight - and it's happened this time too🤦), but just as I get within sight of where I want to be, I'm starting to slip back into bad habits (grazing while I'm doing jobs in the kutchen and hoovering up leftovers).

I need a kick up the bum to keep me
on track. Particularly as I gave up chocolate for Lent and I fear the floodgates will open on Sunday. 😂

@thenewaveragebear1983 honestly, I'd just stick with some naice non-alcoholic drinks. I'm not a drinker, I can really take it or leave it but because I don't like hangovers I tend to leave it.
It took me ages to accept that I could no longer get away with five good days and 'treats' on a weekend. I was just in a cycle of losing and gaining the same couple of pounds. But like I say it took me ages to accept this.

@YippeeAbsentmindedly remember swimming has benefits that no other cardio has. Might not be the same burn, but less impact on your joints and something about stretchy, elastic blood vessels. Prevents against heart disease!

Welcome @SaggyOldClothDog (what a username!). What steps have you taken today?

And everyone, any tactics for the weekend ahead?

PS. The nieces are exhausting. And they're such lovely girls. How do parents do this??

Tactics? Reduced the number of eggs we buy hugely! And upped the quality.
I’m cooking so can make some reductions in calories at source. We don’t drink at home really. So other than chocolate Easter is an easy to manage food holiday for us. It’s Christmas with all the cinnamony baked goodies that gets me!

Saggy I am in awe of anyone who actually manages to give anything up for Lent, never mind chocolate!

DS has given up his favourite food. He had no concept of how long Lent would last and I doubt he will do it again, but we're very proud of him. He's checked with me a dozen times that I've ordered it with the Easter shop so he can have it for breakfast on Sunday 🤣🤣

I managed 8 (chunky) chips, 1 slice of bread and my fish. I can feel my stomach is still full, but my head is telling me I'm hungry 🙄 I'm having a protein shake and ignoring it.

Average that's a good mindset to have, it means you're eating/drinking mindfully!

Peae you just keep telling yourself, it'll get easier soon. And then palm them off on their auntie 😜 Tomorrow is a pretty normal day for us, so I should be able to stick with it, but Sunday will be a massive roast dinner with fizz, (though I'll have prosecco, which I find quite dry, so I won't get through it as fast).

Monday is my birthday and I'm not sure how it's going to go. On the one hand, it's my birthday, on the other I really want to keep up the momentum, on the third I'll be starting the injections, on the fourth I will have had two big meals already over the weekend (today's fish and chips, Sunday's roast) 🤔 Going to see how the weekend goes then decide, I think.

Grammar Christmas does it for me, too. Zimtsterne and Florentines and chocolate covered marzipan and Nigella's Christmas morning muffins and soooo many parties/catch ups!

I'm not really in to food at Easter. Growing up it would be lamb Easter Sunday and a couple of Easter eggs. Nowadays I don't eat lamb and I must have eaten 12 eggs already since February. Talking of which, I'm day 12 of no sugar.

I hit all of yesterday's goals. Today I plan to:

• drink plenty of water and no pop. Everyone else had a can of pop last night and it was the first time I'd considered having a Diet Coke.
• eat poached egg and avocado on toast for brunch. We're trying it with sourdough in order to remove another source of UPF.
• nieces will be gone by tea time and we're having turkey fajitas. I'm going to try aubergine in an effort to add another vegetable to my diet.
• no sugar.

Well done on keeping off the sugar, Peae.

My goals for today are:

• Don't eat until at least 11am
• Start with a protein shake
• Salad and lean protein for lunch *Tea is freezer surprise, but I've ordered cauliflower rice with the shopping so I'm prepared.

I officially weigh myself on Friday mornings at the gym using their posh scales that measure body fat etc, but I often weigh myself at home in the meantime. Despite fish and chips, I have apparently lost 1lb since yesterday (based on home scale weight, I don't compare to the gym ones because they're always different 🙄). That is pretty unheard of for me, it usually takes weeks to lose any weight at all, so the protein powder seems to be working!

Yeaterday went ok, other than all the mid-morning grazing (I got my workout in and a mid-afternoon walk took me beyond my steps target).

Of course I then spent the afternoon baking. We had some home grown rhurbarb that needed(!) to be turned into a crumble, then I made some custard (followed by a pile of meringues to use up the egg whites😆).

Most of it should be hoovered up by the kids (and I console myself with fact it's homemade rather than UPFs), but I'm also planning on baking an Easter cake this afternoon... I don't make it easy for myself at times.

I rolled out of bed early doors this morning (football) but managed to get my workout in.

Breakfast was greek yoghurt and kefir, protein powder, fruit, nuts and seeds.
Lunch was chickpea curry and a slice of sourdough topped with cottage cheese and avocado.

Plan for the rest of the day is:
make sure I hit a minimum of 10k steps (preferably more though).
Avoid mid-afternoon snacking
Stir fry for tea, going easy on the carbs
Make a start decluttering one of the (many) cupboards i've been meaning to do the entire school holidays.

@Peae that's brilliant with the no sugar! Have you stopped craving it? Although I've been giving up chocolate for Lent for years, weirdly it's the only time i can ever stick to it, so I fully expect this year will be no different.

@YippeeAbsentmindedly have you decided how you're approaching your birthday yet?

Weirdly enough I haven't craved sugar. It's like chocolate and biscuits have ceased to exist. I think this is in large part because a chocolate bunny (Smarties) and Diet Coke were the last things I had before the vomiting started. Even writing that sentence out has made me feel revulsion. I can't even say it out loud.

Good day today in some ways. 17 hour fast. Lots of water, no pop. Eaten lots of plants and protein, only UPF was some protein wraps. Operation Aubergine was a success. Still no sugar!!

Tomorrow I'm going to have a bit of a refeed and recharge:

• 16hr fast
• eat three meals, plant-based, low UPF etc.
• lots of water
• really take relaxation seriously. This morning there was a massive family stressful event and my symptoms were hugely triggered. I really need to put some boundaries around other people's drama impacting on my stress levels.

I can't wait until I can drive again; I'm going to book myself in for a spa day even though I have a holiday booked in three weeks. Hmm. Maybe that's unrealistic actually.
How's everyone else's weekend going?

Evening everyone. I managed to have a protein shake at 10.57, then didn't have lunch (salad with lean proteins) until 1.30. I finished my fish and chips at 2 yesterday and didn't feel like eating supper, so went nearly 24 hours without food. Would not recommend, I got hangry!!

Tea turned out to be chicken curry with lots of veggies, with cauliflower rice. It was actually really nice with the curry, I'd definitely have it again as long as it was a saucy curry. I do like cauliflower, though.

Saggy I haven't decided yet. Think I'm going to see how I feel and what I want on the day. I have bottomless brunch booked for next Saturday, so I'll definitely be having a treat for my birthday even if it's not actually on my birthday.

Peae do you do meditation/yoga? They might help with relaxation.

Good morning all. How are you feeling now @Peae? Dh and I have a spa weekend next week, I absolutely cannot wait. We don’t even have treatments, just lounge around in the warm by the pool.

I went to my in laws last night. I didn’t drink, food was ok actually and nothing too calorie crazy. Unfortunately something did not agree with me, I spent the night with the most awful stomach cramps like I was going to throw up 🤮 but actually didn’t, which probably made it worse. I’ve just eaten some dry toast and water and feel really really fragile. So annoying as this was to be my last day of indulgence before getting strict tomorrow!

Oh no @thenewaveragebear1983 that sounds rubbish! That's two of us taking things easy today. And you have your spa weekend to look forward to! I don't bother with treatments either, I just love being somewhere hot, permission to relax, and water to dip in and out of. All day.

@YippeeAbsentmindedly any tips for the cauli rice? I've never really got on with it before but I think Lidl have an offer coming up soon on frozen pouches.
I do like yoga, but have missed two classes now and not done anything at home beyond breathing exercises due to this 😡vertigo.

Peae we had it with homemade curry that was very sauce-y, and DH and I both thought it was nice enough we'd have it again . I reckon you could use it as a mince substitute in tacos as well. I often do celeriac tacos, and it had a similar consistency.

Or if it's the flavour you aren't keen on, you could try roasting the cauliflower rice.

You could probably use celeriac instead of cauliflower rice, come to think of it, but only if you like it as it's a stronger flavour than cauliflower. You'd need to put it in the food processor to get it small enough.

Average that's annoying about your last treat day. Fingers crossed you're feeling better by this afternoon so you can at least have something!

Plan for today:

• Swim (with kids, so not proper exercise but still) ✅
• Fast until protein shake at 11 ✅
• Limit carbs at lunch to one Yorkshire pudding and 3 roast potatoes, fill up on protein and veggies.
• Small helping of rhubarb crumble and ice cream
• Drink gin instead of prosecco at lunch
• Small treat for supper.

At some point in the last 40 days I promised the kids pancakes for supper after Easter dinner. I clearly was feeling benevolent that day 😂 I tend to do thin crepes rather than thick American pancakes, so not too bad calorie wise. I just need to decide if I want a pancake or some Easter chocolate as my treat for the day.

I used to have a terrible evening chocolate/sugar addiction. I seem to have cracked it in the last week or so, and similar to Average I'm not sure I want to break my run.

Swim (with kids, so not proper exercise but still) ✅
Fast until protein shake at 11 ✅
Limit carbs at lunch to one Yorkshire pudding and 3 roast potatoes, fill up on protein and veggies ✅
Small helping of rhubarb crumble and ice cream I didn't have any! 😇
Drink gin instead of prosecco at lunch - DMIL had already poured the prosecco, but I only had a 150ml glass, and gin and low calorie tonic in the small glass, so total alcohol calories less than 250, so I'm counting that as a win ✅
Small treat for supper ❌

I had to give my head a bit of a wobble tonight.

I weighed at the gym again this morning, and I've lost a further 3.5lbs since Friday think I've lost a small appendage somewhere and not noticed. It got to 8pm, which is outside my usual eating window, and I was thinking about just not having anything despite being hungry, because I got on the scales when I got home and had (pretty obviously 🙄) gained. I had only had 1000 calories at that point, including the alcohol.

I don't want this to become unsustainable, or turn into an eating disorder, so I had some sliced chicken and carrots with hummus. It was only 200 calories, so still within my deficit.

I need to remember starving myself is not a plan for long term sustainability!