I’m a Pear ? the sequel part 3 - Wow!

Hi everyone,thought I would pop in!
Flaxseed your post highlighted a few issues for me. Self sabotage is something we have all struggled with at some time or other. I think it can be when you feel you are denying yourself something and are not particularly enjoying the diet plan.
I have tried both weight watchers and slimming world. I particularly liked Weight watchers from the late 90s and many of the methods of cooking and recipes I still use regularly. Slimming world just didnt work for me and I found very inflexible.
I now prefer calorie counting. I think it helps me to gain a better realisation of what a normal portion size is. I would rather eat a smaller portion of something good than a larger portion of a diet food. I agree with your comment about yoghurt. So many diet ones are vile. I would rather have a small portion of full fat greek yoghurt with berries.
I totally identify with your being tired after work. I find myself in the bizarre position where I feel to tired to best-ever though I have low calorie meals that I just have to heat up. I just dont feel hungry. Yet if someone put a chinese meal in front of me I would eat it?.
Many years ago a friend who had lost weight and kept it off shared an interesting bit of info.
Often when crave high fat/ sugar foods it can be a sign of tiredness-or occasionally we are thirsty.
This can often be the case- do I need that biscuit or cheese and crackers or just need to go to bed?
We often lead busy lives-all we can do is our best-and plan ahead as best we can! I know the sort of foods I will overeat in the evening so I simply dont have them in the house!
It's a work in progress but on the whole I make better choices./ have less opportunity to overeat high sugar / fat foods. I also remember a bbc documentary about weight loss about five years ago where they described how certain combinations of fat and sugar trigger pleasure receptors in the brain and can make it harder to eat in small amounts. Makes sense really-I dont think there are many people who sneak into the fridge and find themselves unable to stop snacking on carrots?.
So calorie counting and an honest knowledge of portion size are the best method for me.
Everyone likes a treat sometimes-which is fine. I have been surprised how it is possible with a few tweaks to bake. SUKRIN is probably the best sugar substitute I have found. Home made savoury muffins are not low calorie but they are lower calorie than bought ones and dont have any ingredients I cant pronounce ?.
My team leader is currently singing my praises Whiff-which is good.
Have a good week everyone. Try not to deny yourself that bring you pleasure-incorporate them. I think it's worth including a portion of cake/ pudding rather than denying and feeling miserable and eating half the cake-and then feeling miserable!

The only way that works for me is to weigh and measure everything I eat and drink and count calories. And write it down . I don't buy foods which I have no stop when it comes to eating them. So no ice cream, chocolate,biscuits ,bread products and the only cheese I buy is cheddar which I buy 400g and cut into 8 and freeze . I only take out a cube when I am making a lasagne. But when I make a lasagne it makes 6 dinners. Because I live on my own and not always well. I make a stew that lasts 6 dinners if it's chicken I use 3 chicken thighs 150g pearl barley and loads of veg . I use 300g Quorn mince in my lasagne but only 4 lasagne sheets cheese sauce only on top. When I use 300g Quorn chicken pieces or 8 Quorn sausages . I brown the sausages and cut each on into 8 . Make a stew with loads of veg and last 20 mins add 150g pasta .

My lunch is homemade lentil and whatever soup. 150g red lentils plus whatever veg I have in. Lasts 6 lunches.
50g dry weight oats and coconut milk porridge for breakfast.

Not for everyone but works for me.

Madgran and Shirley snap, I have put on the 2lb I lost, but I deserved to. I make myself eat fruit but I would rather not.
Whiff that’s brilliant nearly 2lbs, usually you slow down the loss after a long time dieting.
Back to being good and doing a daily walk again, can’t walk too far at present. I measured myself and was horrified, I didn’t need to write it down it was all the same, I have officially lost my waist. I feel thinner, that is probably hunger though. I have always been thinking of dessert whilst eating the main, but now its fruit, not my lovely steamed puddings etc. Hopefully if I try really hard I can get the 2lb off by next week.
My aim is just 4lbs for February, just so I can knock a number off the stones, that would be a proud moment.
Well done everyone you’re an inspiration.

Thanks Whiff and Violet onwards and downwards eh!

as I am so weak around fatty foods.

Would Keto work for you then? As its based on earing more fat and protein and less carbs? A friend is on it and it's working for her. She is also a bit addicted to fatty foods!

Beings as I am a bit late to the party, please can I ask you all what plan you use, and why it suits you?
Over the years I have done Rosemary Conley, Slimming World, Weightwatchers and Slim fast
I now calorie count, and finally feel at peace with myself
I still work full time and need/like three meals a day. As much as I can, I plan ahead logging everything into the Nutracheck app. I know the pitfalls of calorie counting (pigging out on low calorie but low nutrient food and the constant weighing of everything) so I am mindful of what I use my calories on.
It’s definitely cheaper (app only £3.99 pcm) and I like that I can eat what I like within reason. I.e I have just eaten a decent yoghurt instead of an artificial tasting low calorie one.
I hated being dictated by SW what bread I could eat for a HEb or cheese for a HEa.
My diet is far from perfect as I still like to share a bottle of wine at the weekend and indulge in rubbish occasionally, but I can’t imagine doing anything else now.
I do really need to work on my willpower, as I am so weak around fatty foods.
When I am being good, I’m very good, but when I lose willpower I self sabotage.
Any advice on that issue would be fabulous!
I moved in with DP September last year and he’s been a good influence. He’s extremely fit and rarely eats rubbish. He never comments on my ever expanding waistline, but his good habits have had an impact as I would often binge eat after work because I was too tired to cook. I simply wouldn’t come home to him now and polish off a packet of biscuits!
I would love to hear of your choices and why.
If anyone thinks I should create a separate thread, please let me know!
Thanks and sorry I write a lot ?

Madgran it's a blip we all get them. Just keep going. That's why I have to weigh and measure everything as I have no concept of how much anything weighs by looking at it. It's the only way I can control the size of my meals. It's not just you can over estimate how cals you are eating but you can be taking in less than you think. And if your bodies not getting enough cals to function it holds on to your fat reserves. It's a vicious circle.

Keep going Madgran, your hard work will show up

Hi all, not a good week for me....appear to have put on 2 lbs though I am aware it does fluctuate! I am determinedly trying to cut back portion sizes!
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Hello and Good Luck to all the new members.
I am British but live on the West Coast of North America where we are 8 hours behind GMT so right now it's 10pm on Sunday here and 6 am on Monday in the UK.
Brilliant loss Whiff.
Good to know things went so well with your line manager Dorset and that you are back on track with food.
Good to hear you are much better Sarah
To those of you who gained, you are not alone. Having lost 20 lbs last year I have regained 4lbs since Christmas.
I tend to comfort eat when I am worrying about something and I am not good at being consistent with exercise, except for walking my dog twice daily. Must try harder!
My family here all had Covid a couple of weeks ago but they are all better now. My 10year old GC was the worst and spent 3 days zonked out in bed. He's only had one vaccination. His 2nd shot is next week.
Enjoy your week everyone.

Well done for reporting in Dorset we’re an understanding lot, as you know. You will be back on track shortly. ?

ShirleyW Unfortuately it will take a while to tone the flab I have! But exercising does give me a bit of a buzz after, albeit short lived.
Shazza I need to be more grateful for losing a pound! If I can do 1lb per week, I might be able to fit into my summer clothes this year!
Sarahmob I’ve known a few people who have had Labyrinthitis and they have found it so debilitating. Glad it’s resolving now.
Whiff that’s a brilliant loss you have achieved over the years!

I am working tonight, and it would have been so easy to laze about all day. However, myself and DP decided to walk to somewhere for breakfast. Whilst he tucked into a Full English, I had poached eggs on toast and we achieved 8000 steps. I’ll easily do the last 2,000 here at work tonight. So I am feeling quite virtuous today

NanKate we need one of those lovely barrows that sell fruit. So many new members. Shows how lovely this thread is.

Flaxseed if I remember right from when I went to the Age UK community fit club. It takes eating 3,500 cals less than your body needs to lose a 1lb. If you weigh a pound of something it's a lot. As you do exercises make sure you measure yourself as sometimes you don't lose weight but inches. Muscle weighs more than fat. I was a size 32 but didn't measure myself until after 2 months into dieting. I wish I had measured myself when I started. It's taken me from 2017 but have lost over 7st . I realised it's a marathon not a sprint was happy if I lost quarter of a pound. I am a 16 now still want to lose a stone and half. But have lost 8" from my bust,12" from waist and 15" from my hips. When I looked at that in a straight line I was disappointed. So decided to put the tape measure round my body using my old measurements. It was a shock to think I was that big.

But my late husband loved me no matter how big I got. It wasn't until 2017 my mom had died and finally I had no one dependent on me. But my wake up call was getting jaundice that year through some tablets I had taken for years. 5 months of being seriously ill gives you a lot of time to think. So only 3 things I wanted move house, lose weight and get fit. So that's what I did and am doing.

Eating less for life is hard but well worth it. We all have blips where we put on but the important thing is not to give up. If you stay the same weight for weeks or lose that's a bonus.

This week is a bonus week I have lost 1.75lbs. Next week it might be a blip week but I will keep going.

Allsorts you haven't given up. And got back on healthy eating. But if you weigh yourself tomorrow you will probably see you weigh is less that today. I weigh myself everyday but only take what I weigh on a Sunday as my weight. And everyday my weight is different.

Shirley grandchildren give you a great workout. Well done staying the same .

ShazzaKanazza losing a 1lb is great. I take it Friday is your weigh day. So what you had last night you have a week to work off. We all need a treat.

Dorset you worked out why you put on. That's good so you know what not to have. But your muffin sounds yummy ?. Did you have the review with your supervisor?

Four bet your house is looking lovely. Has the decorator got much more to do? When I was having work done it was what I could grab for the quickest and it was usually calorie laden. It's a blip.

Sarah glad you are feeling better. I never thought I would like exercise but I love it. I have cellulitis in my left leg luckily it didn't get worse until Thursday so I could still do all the exercises on Wednesday. GP gave me some antibiotics on Friday and it's feeling bit better.

cornernan well done with the loss. We all have to find our own way of eating less for life. We are all different so no plan will work for everyone.

As usual I have rambled on. Have a good week everyone. ?

Hello everyone. Room for another? A few years ago I’d have said I was a pear, now I’m edging towards being an apple. A confused fruit that’s me. .

A very successful TKR last September slowed me right down and had me eating more, then Christmas came along - no hope. I’m left feeling uncomfortable with tighter clothes. Making a beginning last week 1 lb seems to have left me.

No real strategy other than no biscuits or cake and lots of veg which I love. Most days I don’t eat until lunch time as strangely if I have breakfast I feel hungry mid morning. There are some physical issues that reduce stamina, pacing is my friend but strenuous exercise isn’t for me physically. I also know I want to eat when I’m bored. Not good.

I’d be grateful for any thoughts and general support to keep me going. Losing 9lbs would make me very happy, a little more I’d be ecstatic.

Thanks for listening and good wishes to you all.

Good morning all,
Welcome Flaxseed to what is a friendly and encouraging group. Dorset, congratulations on your honesty, I’m up too this week, 3 days of eating out has done for me, so a pound on. But it’s just a blip and will soon come off. I’m dertermined to restart exercise this week, stopped when I had Labrynthitis over Christmas, as just standing up straight and still was a challenge, even walking made me feel sick! But I am feeling so much better now (most of the time) I must start moving again.
Hope you all have a good week, congratulations to the losers.

Happy Sunday all

I have weighted the same this week which is good as last week was bad and full of stress eating and I didn't weight myself.

I've been using the NHS app and find it quite easy to use so far even if I do have to look some things up.

I'm trying not to pressure myself as I now know I will end up stresswalking to the kitchen which seems to be exactly like sleepwalking except I'm conscious.

Wishing you all a good day ahead

Well done for coming back Dorset ?

You and me both Dorset - I have put on 1.2lbs but admit that I have sinned several times this week! However, like you I feel my Sunday morning 'report' on this thread is important whether or not it is good news as we all have ups and downs.

I am going to take an hour this afternoon and plan my week!
This is the 4th week in a row that I have either put on or stayed at the higher weight - not good!

While we have the decorator in (alternate weeks) it is so easy to just grab whatever is closest - I don't know why (it is him doing the work not us!) but I must get my act together now.

Welcome to all the lovely new additions to the fruit bowl - you will definitely benefit from the encouragement that we all give each other. This thread keeps us focussed but also makes us realise that when we slip up (and we all do!!!) we are not alone and there is no need to give up - we just put it behind us and start again.

Good luck everyone as we start another week

Good morning lovely pears and apples-in fact the whole fruit bowl♥️.
Oops 2 and 1/4 pound on! It was very tempting not to get on the scales and also not to report in. I've always felt it is important to be honest here though. Its makes me accountable and I think it's important to record gains to support others on their journey.
I think many of us have struggled a bit at times this month.
The past week I know I have been tired-it was my Saturday in office so a long week! It's been a week of healthy choices combined with some definitely unhealthy choices!
One difference I have noted is I had a home made savoury muffin for breakfast. They were made in as healthy way as possible. Normally I leave the house to early for breakfast and have a healthy snack about 10am. Having that muffin seemed to open up floodgates for snacking!
I think we all have our different ways but I need to rein it in and no guesstimates!
Although its chilly the sun is shining here and feels like the promise of Spring around the corner. A good time to think ahead to warmer days and the prospect of less ( disguising) layers! Have a great week everyone-be kind but firm with yourselves?

Welcome Flaxseed I only joined last week and everyone is very friendly and supportive. I have a food diary and it says that one to one and a half pound a week is a healthy weight loss. So you’ve done great. I lost a pound on Friday but then last night we had friends over as we usually do Saturday and it was takeaway alcohol and nibbles so time to crack right back on with it today. But life is for living so it’s finding the balance.
Shirleyw it was so wild up here in East Yorkshire yesterday it was so hard to walk outside. Nearly blew you off your feet. Have a lovely Sunday everyone.

Morning all……
Welcome flaxseed, , a 1lb is good but I know what you mean after working at it for a week, you’ll probably lose more next week, bet you toned up a bit with your extra fitness!

allsorts, it’s good you bit the bullet and got on the scales, you might not like what you read but it can be a wake up call, it will come off next week I’m sure…it puts one into action.

Well, I’ve stayed the same this week, I’m sure ive toned this weekend though as we have our ‘over active
‘ granddaughter for the weekend ?

Weather not quite so cold which is good….not good for you folks in the north with the wind and storms…

.take care and have a good week…..springs on its way

NanKate Thanks for the welcome to the fruit bowl!

You are very welcome Flaxseed.

15 years ago I saw a photo of a friend and sitting next to her was this fat person. I honestly didn’t recognise myself. It was a real wake up call.

I agree it takes far more effort to lose weight, to put it on is a doddle ?

You’ll meet some great pears and apples here.

Onward and downward ?

Hi, I hope it’s ok for an Apple to join you all!
Photos taken at Christmas disgusted me.
I have done all sorts of diets but am now settled on simply less calories in than out.
I have a Fitbit to monitor calories used and use Nutracheck to count what I eat. At first I decided to not weigh myself, but just go by my clothes, but I spotted a decent set of scales at the gym last weekend so decided to face the facts!

I am now (according to NHS) officially overweight with a higher risk of stroke/heart attack and diabetes.
Weighing myself has actually made me more focused so, as well as two gym sessions, moving more at work and counting calories I lost a 1lb this week.
Honestly, it seems like such hard work for a measly 1lb but I guess that’s what it takes when you are post menopausal

Thank you for your support, we are all doing the best we can most of the time. I did what I said I would not do, weighed myself, 2lbs on, how can that be for one day? I’m not stressing about it though. Being super strict today, plus I haven’t been able to exercise for a week, so a lot of sitting around. I look at it as the long haul, in the worst scenario, if I did just half a pound a week, it’s better than putting it on, plus it adds up to a stone in 8 months.. As for the inches, I measured myself, they were so bad I couldn’t believe it, I remember being 8 st and slim as a reed. I’m not ever measuring myself until I reach a weight I’m happy with because they will still be more than I would like, know that I won’t ever, ever be any where near 8st, I would look anorexic if I did anyway. However it would be nice to slip into something without spilling out of it.