Monday 2nd July weigh in

Well done susie not far to go now

Juts a little half pound off for me tis week but went away for a few days to Dorset. I was mainly good but did have a slice of carrot cake in the River Cafe in Axminster which was lovely. It rained all the time so not enough walking but managed a 18 holes of golf yesterday but pouring again today.

Sounds interesting when let us know how it goes.

glass the evening fridge-surfing has stopped! (sighs with relief). I've just been treading water, though, but eating responsibly. Will keep you posted about this app - people are saying it's far better than Weight Watchers app.

when that should keep you on track as long as you enter everything that passes your lips and put a lock on the fridge door in.case of evening raids!

I've been coasting and not making much progress at all, but this morning my motivation is renewed because I've been introduced to an app called MyFitnessPal which is free for iPads and iPhones. You register your weight and age, and how much you want to lose, and it allows you to input everything you eat and drink, together with how much exercise you take, and it gives you a breakdown and prediction of your weight loss, charts your progress, and highlights how you can reduce your fat and sugar intake, or optimise your nutrition by adjusting the ingredients of your meals. It charts the days when you keep on target so you can read your progress. Just what I need to get moving again.

I'm going to try that fritatta at the weekend [never heard of a fritatta!]. As for today, it was work, home for a very short time just in time to make a couple of rice cakes with marmite on and back to work..got home so tired at 5 that I fell asleep and have just woken up! Having a glass of milk and going back to bed [working longer hours tomorrow....]. If I, again, go straight to bed when I get home tomorrow it might stop me munching stuff. It's a cunning plan but it might just work ....

Lunch time:-

Spicy chicken and roasted vegetable tortilla wrap
The night before: pop chopped courgette, pepper, mushrooms and strips of chicken breast into a roasting tin.
Lightly brush with olive oil, paprika and ground chilli and put in the oven on a low heat until the chicken is well cooked and veg is tender.
In the morning: pack into a plastic container and take to work with a tortilla wrap and a handful of ready-washed salad leaves.
For just-made freshness, assemble your wrap at lunchtime.

Couscous mixed with chopped vegetables and fresh herbs
Low-fat yogurt
Couscous is as versatile as pasta and takes just five minutes to cook.
Try it with a variety of raw or cooked vegetables, chopped avocado, walnuts or beans and stir in plenty of fresh herbs.

Roast beef sandwich on rye bread with horseradish and rocket leaves

Baked tortilla salad baskets
Serves: 4
Prep. time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8-10 minutes
Total time: Less than 30 Minutes
Syns per serving: Slimming World
Green: 4.5
Original: 4.5
Extra Easy: 4.5

4 x 28g/1oz soft tortillas
a few crisp salad leaves
6 radishes, sliced
6 ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
1 yellow pepper, grilled, deseeded and sliced
227g/8oz fat-free natural cottage cheese
torn fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

juice and grated zest of 1 large orange
1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
a few coriander leaves, chopped

2 garlic cloves
3 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 small red pepper, roasted, skinned, deseeded and finely chopped
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
juice of ½ lime

Baked vegetable frittata
perfect for alfresco dining and lunchboxes too! Most vegetables would work well so swap and change depending on your mood or the time of year.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: Ready in 45-50 minutes
Cook time:
Total time: Less than 30 Minutes
Syns per serving:
Green: FREE
Extra Easy: FREE

low calorie cooking spray
8 spring onions, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
6 tbsp drained and finely chopped bottled roasted red peppers
200g can sweetcorn kernels, drained
200g fresh or frozen peas
6 eggs, beaten
4 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
250g cooked macaroni
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Spray a medium-sized ovenproof flan or pie dish with low calorie cooking spray.
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Season well and transfer to the dish.
Place in the oven and bake for 25-40 minutes or until the eggs have set and the frittata is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and stand for 15-20 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with a crisp green salad.
Tip: This dish would also work well using spaghetti instead of macaroni.

Classic BLT
Serves: 1
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cook time:
Total time: Less than 30 Minutes
Syns per serving:
Original: FREE*
Extra Easy: FREE

(*Add 6 Syns if not using bread as a Healthy Extra)

6 tbsp fat-free natural fromage frais
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp granulated artificial sweetener
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 slices wholemeal bread from a small 400g loaf
Iceberg lettuce, shredded
tomatoes, sliced
2 rashers of grilled lean bacon with all visible fat removed

To make the mayonnaise, mix together the fromage frais, white wine vinegar and artificial sweetener. Blend the mustard powder with the water and stir into the dressing. Season with the salt and pepper.
Lay out the bread and assemble the sandwich by firstly spreading on the mayonnaise. Add as much as you want – any leftover mayonnaise can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to five days.
Layer the lettuce, tomato and bacon onto one slice of the bread then top with the other slice. Serve on its own as a lunchbox filler or alongside a huge crispy salad.
Tip: If you fancy it, add cooked chicken and sliced red onion to make it into a mega sandwich.

Italian chicken and tomato soup

Serves: 4
Prep. time:
Cook time:
Total time: Less than 30 Minutes
Syns per serving:
Original: FREE
Extra Easy: FREE
ingredients
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 lean back bacon rashers, all visible fat removed, finely chopped
2 large skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
600g canned chopped tomatoes
400ml chicken stock
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
method
Place the onion, carrots and bacon in a large non-stick saucepan and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken, tomatoes, stock, rosemary and lemon zest and juice. Bring to the boil, stir, then cover and simmer on a medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

crimson for evening snack how about:-
If you have to have chocolate craving a fat-free frozen fudge bar.

Sugar-free hot chocolate (the 25-calorie kind) made with water and a dollop of fat-free whipped topping (5 calorie kind)

Carrot sticks with hummus.

Apple slices with low-fat peanut butter.

Fresh berries with fat-free whipped topping.

Precut veggies ready for "snacky" moments.

Frozen fruit is a refreshing snack (and easy to prepare if you think ahead). Frozen grapes and bananas they're great to have on hand when that sweet tooth strikes.

Parmesan popcorn - 2 cups air-popped popcorn sprinkled with 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt and 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese - only 80 calories.

A mini-sandwich with a high-fiber cracker and a wedge of light cheese - only 60 calories.

Make smoothie with 1/4 cup vanilla soy milk, fresh strawberries or blueberries, and a spoonful of fat-free vanilla yogurt.

Peanut butter spread a tablespoon on celery sticks for a filling evening snack.

A little smoked salmon on a whole grain rye cracker you could also add mustard or horseradish

crimson I am going to come back to you probably this evening with a few ideas.

Horses?

crimson I can't wait to hear the outcome of your investigation into horses!

Seems to mean more tired of putting up with something and ready to explode [as in having eaten too much] rather than the just feeling a bit down and miserable which is what I tend to think of as being fed up. I do feel both physically and mentally sluggish when I'm eating too much. This weather is NOT helping either.

Wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't something to do with horses...I'll investigate. Funny thing, weight loss/gain, a sort of viscious circle...you eat because you're feeling miserable then feel miserable because you've put weight on.

poor crimson I feel so much for you as you seem so down and fed up. I am a bit like that at the moment as I thought I had cracked it and was beginning to lose again, had a really good week last week diet and exercise-wise yet lost absolutely nothing. It is so disheartening isn't it!
You mention taking codeine - I believe codeine and other similar medications have a constipating effect - not saying that that would be a cause of weight gain but it could be contributing to the 'resolve' by making you feel sluggish?
Just a thought because if that is the case a dose of syrup of figs or similar dynamite may make you feel better in yourself?
You seem to recognise some possible causes that you can't avoid such as the eating late at night - perhaps our wise old glass could suggest something to eat with your late tablets that would work better for you?
Wish I could cheer you up but I know when these things happen only the scales can do that but hang on in there - we are all behind you
Just read this post in preview and realised something - why is it that when we are feeling DOWN we are fed UP? Just a thought, night night all!

Disgusted with myself; the weight is still piling on...I'm sure the codeine I'm taking for my leg isn't actually putting on weight but doing something to my resolve and I'm eating late at night as I don't like taking tablets on an empty stomach. This has got to stop, like, as from now. And, you're right glass; you mentioned a while ago that I probably wasn't drinking enough water; when I'm at work I just go from one cup of tea to the next and hardly drink water these days. I've done dettox's over the years, drank loads of water and felt amazing. And I haven't been able to cut out the bread, because working long hours sometimes a sandwich is the easiest thing to tuck into.

Went out for the day with a friend yesterday and I was so good, even when I came home and then today I tried the granola and dried cranberries I had bought and they were just so scrummy that I not only had them for breakfast but for lunch as well! Only a small bowl but I just know they must have been groaning with calories as there was nothing on the pack to tell you how many! [guilty emoticon]

I await you all berating me and I know I deserve it.

Yes, it works well on dental plaque, as my dog's pearly whites will testify. I add Plaque Off to her food and it alters the saliva to remove plaque, recommended by the vet. Can't see any slimming effcs, though!

Research about seaweed and weight loss is interesting. Seaweed scones, seaweed jam & seaweed cream anyone?

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/8579472.stm

There was also an article about adding seaweed to toothpaste as it's supposed to prevent the build up of plaque. Maybe seaweed is the new black?

ella for your breakfast

jeni its not a gain, so well done

Same again!

I have to confess that last weekend in Wales, I had the most fabulous homemade scones with jam and thick cream. They were so good that we had them for breakfast on the last day!
Hence the fat middle!

I was good at lunch today though, salad and sticky beef, no pudding and Earl Grey tea.

@Whitewave (it's "charabanc" by the way - means a vehicle ('car') with bench seats)

Cornish clotted cream - that takes me back! I lived for a while in Polruan, and it was a feature of our afternoons, that glorious cream with the crusty top! Proper job...

ella come and join us butter has been loosing without using her scales so it can be done, enjoy you lunch

white I have never tried cream on jam and bread, but I suppose I will have to have a cream tea for you all while I am away, I will be thinking of you all.

Can I please join this thread? I've put a lot of fat on around my waist (very bad) in the last year or so of looking after my dad, and I've only just been able to get my head in gear.
I'm trying to start walking again as often as possible, one hour of brisk no cheating, and I go to an exercise class twice a week.
I'm feeling positive!

However...... I don't own any scales
I always want something sweet after meals

Today I'm meeting friends for lunch but I am determined to be good!