Moderate March

Has anyone been watching the new Back in time for Dinner series? It's no wonder so many of us struggle with our weight; once ready meals were available and people owned freezers etc it became to much easier to overeat and snack on rubbish. My big downfall used to be ice cream; when feeling down I could eat loads of the stuff.

I saw it last night and agree with you completelyTegan If I had had a busy day at work,I would dive into the nearest Wimpy for a burger which tasted lovey because of all the salt etc that was added. I don't add salt to anything now but still really miss it.

Yes, agree totally. It’s the freezer that’s to blame in the main.

And that’s a very important point about work. With more women working, yet they were still expected to be the provider of a hot meal at night, they could hardly be blamed for resorting to ready meals .....or popping into the local Wimpy for a burger.

Made myself a smoothie for lunch as I was running late. I found a bag of frozen smoothie mix I’d bought last month from Tesco. It was mainly kale with a few green beans and the odd slice of kiwi fruit and a few lumps of mango.

I blended it with just 100ml of apple juice and 100mls water and .....surprise! it was quite drinkable and refreshing.

Feeling virtuous with all that raw kale inside me.

Then I washed and dried the dogs! That was certainly up to one of your gym sessions Tegan. Wrestling match to get them in and out of the bath and stop them jumping out, while holding the shower head in one hand, and shampooing with the other. Then drying them with the hairdryer (one hand) holding them still (2nd hand) and brushing them (3rd hand). I’m totally knackered now.

My dog [whippet] just needs wiping over with a cloth every now and again; perhaps I need a dog that uses up more calories . She also doesn't like going out for walks when it's wet or cold...

Get a Newfoundland or better still, get two!

?

They're gorgeous; someone I know breeds them. He says the different colours have totally different personalities.

A friend of mine had a Newfoundland, bugger to take to the beach.

Would insist on trying to rescue people swimming, whether they wanted rescuing or not!

My friend has the Newfoundland’s not me. She currently staying with me for her classes at Crufts. I was helping her bath and groom them - it’s a 2-person job as you can imagine.

PS She noticed I had lost weight.

I feel so much better this month and, even though the weight on my scales hasn't come down I know that I've lost inches. I'm sure I was on the way to being pre diabetic etc. My joints feel better and I'm sleeping better, too. Even the tinnitus I was suffering from seems to have gone [touch wood]. I'm determined not to let this happen to me again.

Strong motivation Tegan

Well done Tegan2 - that's good to hear! Hard work but so worth it for those kinds of rewards!

I am still muddling on but getting a bit tired of the Slim Fast, especially when we had the snow. I have pulled out my soup maker and have been making veg soup: 1 chopped onion, 1/2 a leak, 3 carrots, chunks of swede, a large cabbage leaf, small potato, stock cube and S and P. Top up with water. Makes enough for 4 and quite delicious. I have also made lentil and tomato soup. 1 chopped onion, 200g of lentils cooked. Add to soup maker with a tin of chopped tomatoes, S and P and top up with water. Both soups are tasty and filling and I have managed to resist having a bread roll with them. I am feeling very virtuous. I am also eating grapes, strawberries and apples and 1 Slim Fast. One day I had an omelette with wafer thin ham and another day a small piece of steak and mushy peas. I am banishing the carbs and fats. Lost another 2.3k since last post beginning of March. Been for walk today. I am still motivated and testing myself to a Fitbit when down to 110k. Am almost there.

Have had DGD over for a sleepover which didn't involve much sleep and when I'm tired I eat so I daren't get on the scales today. 3 year olds are exhausting! I find Slimfast doesn't fill me at all; in fact liquid food in general doesn't. I have to chew stuff. Just remembered I ate a large bowl of nuts and raisins mid afternoon; still, at least it's good for me.

Just been reading an article in a science magazine about genetic responses to carbs.

Put simply, in lay person terms, not everybody responds to carbs in the same way. There are several different copies of genes involved. Depending on how many of these you have you can either process carbs very effectively or very poorly/inefficiently.

Those with fewer copies of these genes are therefore more prone to diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

Hope that wasn’t too boring. But I could explain why some people find losing weight more difficult than others and are drawn to eating certain foods.

It could explain ...

I have been doing slimming world for 4 weeks now and have lost 8.5 pounds. Not that great a loss, but I haven't been hungry.

I haven't been doing exactly what SW say, as I like to eat "good fats" and I want to avoid too many artificial sweeteners, and Muller yoghurts.

I made a lentil and chickpea burger, and was amazed how filling it was. I took 2 thin cold ones for lunch at work with a salad. Delicious. I really want to use pulses and lentils much more. I'm veggie and quorn doesn't agree with me, so these are a good protein. If anyone has a good pulses recipe, I'd love to see it please.

Weigh day tomorrow night, I don't feel thinner, but fingers crossed!

I used to cook a very tasty Lentil Shepherds Pue seacliffe and a great Lentil Curry. Recipes long since lost but you might find them online.

Well done on that amazing weight loss. I’m stuck at the moment but that happens.

Thanks Old Meg

I've just been given a shepherds pie recipe for veg and lentils, must try that.

I had put on an extra 1.5 stone quite recently, so until I lose that (and more) I won't feel I'm getting anywhere! Longing to feel my clothes looser and one day, able to run up stairs again easily without puffing.

I often make a veggie moussaka replacing the minced lamb with lentils.

I don't like exercise but yesterday walked 3.8k to fetch a child from school instead of collecting in car. I did feel virtuous. Weight is going down but slowly and I have not even had a glass of wine for two months.

Have just found Moderate March thread. Lost 2lbs in Feb but could have lost more. Mod March not off to a good start but 2 and a half weeks to Easter so a serious thrust now to loose another 2 or even more pounds. Usually walk instead of taking the bus but being very strict now - no buses for the next couple of weeks. TBH I am within the weight range for my height but at the top end of it and feel more comfortable when my weight is a little lower.