I’m a Pear ? the sequel part 2 !

Good morning fellow pears.?. I hope you have all had a good week and managed to stay dry over the past few days! I had a hair appointment yesterday,it always seems to rain when I have my hair done ?.
Much to my surprise I have lost 1/2 a pound?.
Once again I will admit to not following a closely monitored plan. My excuse is that I'm to tired ,which isnt really an excuse at all!
I find it to unpalatable to eat breakfast as I'm up so early so just have an actimel. I have a snackx2 during the working day of 100 calories each and a sandwich for lunch. My evening meal varies. This week I did have a take away and on one occasion my daughter made a curry. I must admit the rest of the week I have dug deep into my freezer and had home made low calorie meals all of which have been veg and pulse based such as parsnip and pepper goulash with dumplings-an old favourites from my weight watchers store cupboard cook book and a Nigel Slater caramelized onion,lentil and pancetta recipe. I have felt the benefit of these which are tasty and nutritious. Especially with colder days I'm looking forward to digging out my slow cooker and batch baking as much as possible.
I must admit my biggest lesson learned over the past 6 months or so is how my attitude to what I eat has changed. Since 1995 I have worked part time. This had advantages in that I would have a day a week where I could plan and cook for the freezer. Now I have just two precious days a week I am so time limited its frustrating! For a few months in the summer I was reliant on low calorie ready meals which are effective but not healthy!
I think for me the biggest change has been my attitude to food. Whilst at home more my calories were planned carefully to get the most out of them . I would say almost to the point of obsession-I had planned a snack so I had it whether hungry or not!
Now-probably for the first time in living memory food is fuel. I eat when my tummy rumbles?.
Of course a balance needs to be struck. I still need to lose 3 stone and maintaining and or losing the odd pound isnt really appropriate.
I think adapting to a new working pattern has been difficult but I'm getting there. On the very positive side I am physically tired but not stressed. Work days fly by and there are never enough hours in the day. Which is something to be grateful for in these difficult times.
Over the last month I am physically slightly less tired and so hopefully with a bit of focus I can start making adjustments. I think my attitude to food is slightly healthier,I rarely comfort eat and the foods that I would over eat such as ice cream I dont even consider buying. Cheese can stay in the fridge for weeks on end!
Maybe theres hope for me yet?.
Have a wonderful week fellow pears whether the scales go up or down or stay the same. I suppose what is cheering is that we are always capable of new insights and changing life long habits-however bumpy the ride!

Thanks for the kind posts fellow losers and occasional risers ?
The cream slice was yummy but I’m glad I no longer regularly eat food like that.
Back on track ‘hopefully’ ?

Well done Four or More and Sarahmob for your losses. A belated Happy Birthday from me too, Nan Kate, along with many thanks for this thread. And congratulations on not murdering your omnivorous other half. I think if my DH ate whatever he wanted without consequence I would find it very hard to bear. As it is, he started his weight loss journey a couple of years before me, and lost around 11 stone. ( Although he has put 2 back on, mainly due to strong medication, and he is battling to get that off again). He has been such a support and inspiration.
The soup recipes sound very tasty, Cocopops and Whiff - I’ve had a few days of adding lentils to veggies and soups - it must be that Autumn hunger thing, craving something a bit more substantial. And lentils are filling and fairly low cal.
Have had good week, stayed in the zone. Braved the White Trousers with no major problems- but they are in the wash now, and am anticipating a squeeze when I next try them on. I know the only real way ( weigh?) to tell how I’m getting on is to get on those **##%& scales again, but I’ve been much calmer ( and still sticking to my programme) without my morning appointments with the ( expletive deleted) things. Maybe I’ll dare next week. That thought should keep me on the straight and narrow on Friday when we babysit again up in London- I will plan ahead to take sensible food so as not to go off piste. Good luck to you all.

A belated very happy birthday Nankate ????. I hope you had a lovely dayxxx

Happy birthday NanKate, enjoy your day and savour your treat. ???

Happy birthday NanKate. Enjoy the cream slice in one sitting as you know it will keep calling to you if you don't ?.

Not fair I was married to a man who could eat anything and not put weight on.

Have a fabulous day. ??????

Happy birthday nankate...have a fabulous day....and enjoy that cream slice.

Happy birthday NanKate Enjoy the day and the cream slice!!!
Thank you for all the help, encouragement and support you have given us over the years on this thread!
from us all!

Morning folks. I’m giving myself a WHOLE. Day off from eating less for life as I am the grand old age of 75 today, but am still a youngster in my brain. I’m not going to go mad food wise but DH has bought me a cream slice. I’m tossing up whether to eat it in one go or cut it in half.

Just to add DH is 10 stone and eats what he likes !!

Cocopops your soup sounds lovely. I love asparagus but only buy British when in season. Well done staying the same. My soups are always whatever soup. It depends what fresh veg I have in. But always use my largest saucepan 5 veg oxo's and 150g red lentils. Today making leek and sweet potato soup. Found normals pots make the soup to starchy.

Have even used frozen cauliflower, broccoli and sprouts to make a soup if I haven't any fresh in. Tasted lovely.

I always buy extra peppers,courgettes, leeks,mushrooms and tomatoes to have in the freezer no need to blanch them.

Was going into the garden today but it's been raining heavily all night. But have plenty to do inside. Good job I planted my bulbs yesterday.

?

Well done Four and Sarah
Thanks for the Dorset
JoMarch1962 Thanks for the konjac info. I will give it a go. I love trying new foods.
Whiff I'm having soup at lunchtime too. I made asparagus soup today.
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped
1 small onion
1-2 cloves garlic
I small potato (optional)
veggie stock.
pepper and lemon juice to taste
usual method and blitz.
Hope your daughter recovers soon.
Weight the same.
Have a great week everyone.

Brilliant weight loses Four and Sarah.

My daughter is ill so she has rebooked the tickets for the exhibition next month. She sounded awful. Had my first proper talk on the phone with my grandson. I said to him make sure mommy goes back to bed and help daddy with his brother. My daughter text lunch time he did make her go to bed as soon as she ended the call.

If you want to sob your heart out watch a film on BBC iPlayer called A Monster Calls. I was a sodden mess after watching it but it's a lovely film.

Planted my bulbs and as usual ended up spending 2 hours in the garden. At least it worked some calories off. ?

Good morning fellow pears,
It’s been good to be back in the rhythm of eating less for life this week and the scales have thought so too with a pound and three quarters off (although they are the ones I’d put back on whilst away, so no smugness here either fourormore ?). It’s been good to read your messages and have a bit of a catch up, I had a busy week at work last week so have really only just taken the opportunity to glance back to see how everyone’s getting on.
Hope you all have a good week ?

Well done everyone for hanging in there - we will never surrender!!!
I am delighted this week to have lost 2lb but, before I get too smug, I need to remember I put on when we went away for our weekend break!
However, I am just a fraction lower than I've ever been in the three years I have been on my mission so I am happy with that.
Keep up the good work everyone and we will all get there!

JoMarch glad you had a good time with your grandson. Just wait until he's crawling he will give you a workout. My 10 month old grandson gives me a workout when I am at their house on Fridays as he is crawling and goes straight for wires and the stairs. The little devil can open the front of the fire . At least he now knows what no means. His brother 3.5 also gives me a workout playing especially if he wants to play in the loft room. I differently have bunga knees.

Ready meals are handy but must admit I despair when I read the ingredients and amount of calories. Even the low cal ones. I do use them if I have been away . Handy to have in the freezer. I only buy vegetarian ones as find meat and fish ones disappointing.

That's why I batch cook. Yesterday made a Quorn chicken piece stew with lots of veg and pasta 220 cals portion enough for 6 meals. My soup at the moment works out at 88 cals per bowl.

Sarahmob glad you had a lovely holiday in Cornwall. Can you still get homemade ice cream with some clotted cream on top? Yum.

Four glad you had a nice break. Full English breakfast is something I could never resist a full Irish one is even better. We had a lot of holidays in southern Ireland our favourite place. Have promised myself an Irish holiday when I get my pension in 3 years. Will have to be a city break as I don't drive. Maybe Cork or Galway.

It's a very strong willed person who doesn't put weight on holiday. It's a chance to have all the treats we don't have a home.

Cocopops it's differently got autumnal here. Leaves are starting to change and it's getting darker at night earlier. Definite chill in the air. Put my thicker duvet on yesterday. Hope all goes well with the specialist next month.

Shirley hope you had a good week.

Dorset I am the same as you this week my weight has stayed the same. But ok with that. I look at it this way at least it shows we can maintain a weight. Ok not the weight we want but shows we can maintain when we get to the weight we want to be.

Was going to Manchester today with my daughter to the Grayson Perry art club exhibition but she is ill. She was going to take a lateral flow test. I took one it was negative. She sounded awful. I would rather her be well than go to an exhibition. She said we may be able to tickets for another week. Spoke to my grandson our first phone conversation. He has promised to look after mommy and help daddy with his brother. My mom would say old head on young shoulders.

I have started my Christmas shopping had 6 parcels come this week. I asked my daughter as usual if there was anything they wanted. So she sent a list and always says the same thing don't go mad spending. I spilt the presents I get the boys between Christmas and birthdays and give some clothes money as well. Youngest grandson will be 1 in November and his brother 4 in January.

Having blood test at my GPs this week and 2 hospital visits the week after. If they are happy with me at the AF clinic it will be monthly visits. I feel ok. Not stopping me doing what I want to do.

Sun's just come out . So after a mug of tea I am going to plant my bulbs.

Have a good week ?

Good morning fellow pears ?.
It feels very autumnal here, which I love??. Cocopops three years ago today I was in Canada,on this particular day heading for Niagara Falls-such happy memories ??. I hope all is okay with your lip?.
Well I have stayed the same which is not at all surprising as I have been doing the same things?. Still I suppose at least I'm maintaining! Have a lovely week one and all?xxx

Hello all. Well done to all who have lost, maintained or returned from holidays with only minimal gains. I still haven’t braved the scales, but have tried on some tight things without major issues (although I’m leaving the White Trousers of Truth til next week.) Have had a good week foodwise, think I’m back in the zone. Made good choices at the weekend when we went up to the Smoke to babysit number 1 ( and as yet only) grandson (4.5 months) as his parents had their first night out since April. He is still alive, and we have been asked back, so all is well. Took an M and S ready meal with me, as knew DD would not have thought to provide dinner ( still has baby brain in, I think- or would have expected us to get an UberEats- these metropolitan types, I don’t know….) and had delicious salmon with broccoli and new pots for less than 350 cals- win win. Also tried very hard to be good the next day when we went to the William Morris Museum, where there happened to be an artisanal foodie market going on in the park. ( See above for comment re metropolitan types, and millennials in particular!) Chose a steak salad box as the least ruinous lunch ( absolutely gorgeous, but sadly calorific no doubt)- but at least I tried, I really tried! Have been going lower than usual last couple of days to try and balance it out. Have just eaten what I call my “ No rice mackerel risotto “ very nice and filling, as I added pumpkin- in season, 26 cals per 100g. Adds unctuousness. ( Not sure if that is actually a word.) The no rice is a mix of cauliflower rice, konjac rice, and a tiny bit of couscous- not everyone’s cup of tea, but it works for me! Have a friend visiting overnight on Thursday, but I will feed her prawns and noodles, and I shall have konjac noodles, so should stay on track. Am also back with my Leslie Sansone You Tube Walk at Home videos, and really recommend to those who like me don’t want to spend good money and time doing something (exercise) they don’t much enjoy. You choose your length of workout- 1,2 ,3 or 4 miles for 15,30,45 mins or an hour, and off you go, moving all of your body. Her greatest skill, I think is going back to a basic walk just at the point where her “enhanced movements” are beginning to burn. Clever. Good workouts, but never too much. And when I say I don’t enjoy exercise, I really don’t, but I do enjoy having done it!!
So onwards and hopefully downwards for the next week. Good luck to you all.

After a lovely holiday in Cornwall, with lots of walking but also quite a bit of sitting and watching the sea, I braved the scales today - 21/2 lbs on, but I’m now back on track, with a relatively clear run to Christmas. To all the losers and maintainers this week, well done.

Stayed the same this week, happy with that.

Well done on the loss whiff.

Ooh such encouraging posts from everyone. Thank-you all.
Yes, some things have returned to normal here in BC Canada too. To enter some places eg. restaurants, we have to show our ID and vaccination certificate. We are still wearing masks in shops, libraries and on buses.
I sallied forth to see my dentist who noticed a possibly suspicious lesion on my lip and my Dr. has arranged an appointment with a specialist next month. So a bit worrying and the old weight remains a couple of pounds over target due to some comfort eating (peanut butter being my downfall!).
Meantime, autumn is on it's way and the maple trees are changing to their glorious reds which are a joy to see when I'm out dog walking.
Have a great week everyone.

Morning fellow strugglers! Well done Whiff and any one else who manages to lose this week.
Kim you are so encouraging - thank you for joining us!
I was absent last weekend as we had our much needed short break. It went well but 3 x Full English breakfasts plus 3 x three-course evening meals have made their presence felt.
I won't say what the scales said when I took a sneaky look the day after we got home, but today (my official weigh-day) not surprisingly I am up 1.4lbs.
I'm happy with that though - it could have been much worse and the change of scenery just sitting in the fresh air watching the sea etc. more than outweigh the weight gain!
Back on the mission this week though - this is a blip and I will soon get back to normal.
I had sort of reached a plateau so I am hoping this gain will jolt me back into steady weight loss once again.
Good luck everyone and well done to ALL of us whether we've lost, gained or stayed the same as we are all trying and that's the main thing!

Hi fellow pears?. I have stayed the same,not ideal but could be worse!
Welcome all newcomers. ?
Well done on weight loss Whiff?. You certainly have been busy! Its lovely that activities are returning-long may it last.
Have a good week everyone xxx

Kim19 what a wonderful example you are. When I reach 11st my target I will need tips on maintaining it. I have already decided to carry on counting calories for life. It's the only I can control my food. Been doing it for 4 years so it's become natural to do it
.

JoMarch glad you had a good holiday and your batteries should be fully charged. Think we all feel at times our bodies are fighting against us.

Glad to say lost 2.25lbs this week . My right leg isn't as swollen but left is. It's really annoying me as it's making me limp more than usual. Had an appointment for AF clinic come on Friday for Tuesday afternoon..

Had some could news Wednesday my craft group started again on Thursday. But didn't go. My daughter and grandsons where coming over. My daughter painted the mortar round my second bedroom window. The windows where from the 70s and the fittings where hard to get out. My youngest grandson had fun as he is crawling and could crawl everywhere in my bungalow. Finally got an update to date pic for his brother. The magic word was it was for Aggie who is my brothers and sister in law's dog.

So my week is getting back to a routine. Wednesday exercise class, Thursday craft group and Friday at my daughter's . U3A meeting every second Month in the month.

Painted the bedroom window ceils with one coat gloss yesterday as the new windows aren't quiet as deep as the old ones. Going to touch up the walls once I have finished this with emulsion. At least that dries quicker than the gloss. Much to my surprise didn't get any down me or anywhere else.

My brother and sister in law have had sales memorandum for both their house and the bungalow. Her dad has accepted an offer on his house. All the paperwork is with the solicitors. Both busy packing and decluttering. Fingers and toes crossed all goes well and they will been in the bungalow long before Christmas.

Next Sunday have a lovely treat . I loved Grayson Perry's art club. The exhibition got cancelled last year due to Covid but my daughter got 2 tickets a couple of months ago for us. So off to Manchester and I am treating us to a lovely lunch somewhere. I will pick sensible things but will have a pud.

Well have a good week pears .. ?

So glad to hear your words of encouragement, Kim19! 9 years and counting gives me hope that keeping it off can be done! Whiff is right, Daisytwoshoes and all other newbies, this is a really positive place- we all know how hard weight loss and maintenance is. And Whiff, I hope the cooler weather this week has helped your legs a bit- mine balloon with immobility and heat- always have done- and it is so uncomfortable.
Last week was on hols in Wales in glorious sunshine, really felt like had gone abroad- went for another wild dip in the sea, just off Caernarfon. Sooo happy I am slim now- but also now must abandon the holiday eating and get back to the eating less for life, so I can remain so! At least I realise that weight gain isn’t my body’s personal vendetta anymore- I just need to find the balance! ( Now, where did I put it?)

Morning all! Don't contribute here but dip in regularly. You are a stalwart lot and have my sincere admiration. Your attitudes to the odd setback and your sense of humour warm my heart. I am a story of encouragement in that my weight loss was nearly nine years ago and I've managed to keep it all off. It was inspired by various tips here on GN and I opted for my kind of 8\16 which I had never even heard of. If anyone had told me what I would have been eating now (and enjoying) I would have said they were bonkers. It's a whole new regime for me. I do have the questionable 'advantage' of living alone with no one else to cater for or be tempted by. Stay strong. The health benefits are definitely beyond belief. You're an impressive lot. Good luck.