I’m a Pear ? the sequel part 3 - Wow!

I have Graves too doodledog it turned my life upside down for a while, hope things improve for you

Doodledog, I did manage to do my exercise class yesterday, but because of new restrictions we now have here, live classes are banned yet again, so our instructor is doing them via Zoom. That actually suited me, as I didn't feel embarrassed in front of others at the fact that it was rather a struggle for me. I had a chat with my instructor beforehand (I know her well, and she knows my issues), and she told me just to do whatever I could, and if anything was too difficult she gave me ways to modify it. It was quite a gentle class, but it still made me realise how much the little flexibility I previously had has disappeared! She told me not to worry, just keep at it, and it will come back ... fingers crossed! There are lots of great videos on You Tube that you might find helpful. I particularly like the Pilates Classes. One of my favourites is Jessica Valant 15 minute Full Body Workout for Women over 50. She has lots of videos to choose from. They're quite gentle, and don't make you breathless.

notgran & NanaAng14, good luck to you both at Slimming World! When I lived in the UK years ago, I had success with SW. Sadly, they don't do classes where I live now, so I've always had to 'go it alone', which isn't always easy! I'm hoping that by joining this group it will help me to stay on track!

MayBee70, you've eaten all the chocolates, so now they're out of the way. I always feel such a sense of relief when all the Christmas goodies have gone! Now, just go for it and hop on those scales! You'll feel better once you've done it, and you can make a new start to getting back on track! Good luck!

I only plan to weigh-in weekly, but I was intrigued to find out whether or not my plan in working, and if I've already managed to lose any weight. I started my plan on Monday, and decided to weigh myself today (Friday), just to see ... I'm very pleased to say that I'm 4.8lbs down! Yaayyy! This has given me the motivation that I so desperately need to carry on. I'll continue to weigh-in each Friday from now on, and hope the scales continue to go down!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! It may be a challenge for some (Me!), but it's only two days, and we'll get through it!

Thanks, NanKate, I'll check that out. I've been doing a 30 day yoga challenge - well, I say 'doing' - I have to sit out about 50% of it. It is clearly designed for those with far more core strength and basic fitness than me. Before I was ill I used to do pilates every week, so it is a big disappointment that this is so difficult. The one for over 50s might be a bit more realistic, I think.

I went to my Pilates class today - first time face to face since the start of the pandemic. Cold as all windows were open in the large church hall, but all socially distanced. It was great to be back. I started Pilates 4 years ago after a serious back injury from a bad fall. It certainly helped with the aftermath of that and seems to help me with flexibility. Thanks for the online 15 minute workout suggestion Nansnet, I think I would find that useful between face to face weekly classes so am going to take a look.

I am spending some time working out calorie content and reasonable portion size of some of our regular meals. Many are home cooked (as we both like cooking) and I am trying to be really accurate with them to get a proper picture. I think I underestimate calories and as said previously I know I find getting portion sizes right very difficult.

Not sure if anyone has ever used the My FitnessPal website - I think it might help me with calorie counting so am going to give it a go.

Haven't weighed myself yet...want to get the calorie stuff done first!

Oh well, not much luck in booking chair yoga or any swimming classes as they are all full by the time I get through. No worries, I’ll keep trying. May not join WW or SW as I've actually lost 3lb by restarting the 16:8 eating plan. It must be the torturous exercise bike physio !

Morning all…..lost 3 and 3/4 lbs this week. Very happy with that.

Well done * pixie* for losing 3lbs .

Well done Shirley and Pixie you have started off 2022 in an excellent way for us Pears. Onwards and downwards. ?

Good morning fellow Pears! Well done all of you?Which ever way the scales have gone you are here which is a positive move!
I stayed the same this week,which I'm happy with . I have been WFH and tbh my diet as been as hybrid as my work! Some days very good and calorie counted-others not so!
I have eaten breakfast ,or shall I say a more substantial breakfast. Unfortunately it has been a slice,ok 2 slices of soft white Hovis with Lurpak and lemon and lime marmalade. Utterly delectable, fortunately I think I have got it out of my system now! I never eat bread usually ?.
As a little aside has anyone else found at this time of year initially you are genuinely pleased to see the back of festive treats and when the coast has been clear for a few days you find that you would even quite fancy the unloved bounty celebration? Fortunately all I have in the house is a mini chocolate rice cake?.
Apps can be very helpful. My daughter paid for the Nutracheck one,it has a few months to go so I'm using it. It is a lot quicker and an excellent place to keep recipes etc. The ability to scan items is quick and convenient to. Would I pay for it? I'm not sure. I have my trusty notebook in which I still record weight/ recipes etc. A little bit more time consuming but fine!
Also it's always there! When the subscription to an App runs out you potentially lose info.
I am a big fan of BBC Good Food website,I also use their App. I find there recipes totally reliable and have saved many on the App. To be fair i do remember a notification saying it was changing. I logged in yesterday and now its subscription only,all the recipes i saved have disappeared unless i pay! You can still use the website of course,i was however relieved that i had written down long term favourites!
Have a good week all.?.

Morning everyone - and again a very warm welcome to all our newbies! Please stay with us - we're a great group with nothing but support and encouragement.

I was pleasantly surprised this morning - we went away for Christmas and were fed as if we hadn't eaten for months! It was so lovely to be away and be waited on - I must admit we did partake - would have been rude not to after all

Unfortunately, with the uncertainty as to whether we would be able to go away we had bought in enough for us to survive should the trip be cancelled at the last moment. We never really stop eating during 'Twixmas' but to be fair, we didn't go overboard.

Last weekend we had a major shock when I tested positive in our covid home test - I was very worried as my hubby is in the vulnerable section but he was fine. We immediately ordered the PCRs on line - we ordered them on Sunday and they were delivered the next day which was a bank holiday Monday! I had 'symptoms' but only as if I had a cold - we did the tests and posted them back the same day. Poor hubby had to sit across the room and I wore my mask if I moved about - we're in a tiny house so I couldn't isolate completely - nowhere to go! Thank God the results came back on Wed and we were both negative. It was a horrible few days tho.

Naturally the medication for this kind of stress is chocolate biscuits etc. that kind folks gave us for Christmas - but to be honest I didn't care! I was so worried while we were waiting, then so relieved I just did whatever I wanted!

To my surprise I weighed this morning and I am 2.8lb heavier than I was on 19th Dec. before Christmas. We have a busy week ahead with a decorator starting so it may be haphazard this week but, weather permitting. I hope to get some decent walks started again and will be back on track soon.

Good luck to all my fellow losers - some amazing results have come in but whether we lose, gain or stay the same we are all in it together!!!

I hop you both get well soon, fourormore. They say that this time round the virus is less serious, and I hope that holds true for you.

I am looking for some 16/8 advice, please? I have been trying to stick to that, but my sleeping is all over the place, and it's really difficult to have the same 'eating period' every day. Some days it just means putting off eating for an hour or two after getting up, but on others it can mean 6 hours before 'breakfast'. Does it matter if you shift your 8 hours around, so long as you stick to the principle, or do you have to commit to the same hours each day?

I am not a porridge fan, but I made some in the slow cooker last night so I could get up to it this morning, and it is really tasty. You could do it in the microwave if you don't have a slow cooker or want more immediate results . I put 80g of rolled oats in a 1litre pudding basin, and grated in an eating apple (unpeeled), then added a heaped teaspoon of cinnamon and a few sultanas (I have a sweet tooth, but you could miss them out of you want to cut the sugar), mixed them together and stirred in 70ml of semi-skimmed milk. I put the basin into the slow cooker and poured water into the cooker to come about half way up the pudding basin, then cooked on low overnight. I stirred it before I went to bed, which adds to the cooking time but doesn't matter when it's so long.

This morning it was very thick, but I just added a bit more milk to thin out the portion I put in a cereal bowl. The recipe makes four big portions, and according to my app works out at 223 calories per portion including the sultanas. I have eaten a bowl of it and feel much more full than I would after my pre-diet toast, butter and honey, and the full feeling should last longer. The rest is in the fridge, and should last me for the next three days.

(sorry if this is teaching you all to suck eggs - it's all new to me )

Hi Doodledog, your porridge sounds lovely. Only problem for me is that I find that if I eat porridge at breakfast time I always end up really hungry by about 1.00pm. I looked into this and it appears to be about the carbs giving me a sugar spike and then dipping. Has anyone else on here experienced that?

It doesn't seem to happen like that for everyone, my friend has porridge every day and it keeps her going all day! She rings the changes by sometimes adding dried fruit, sometimes berries and sometimes kiwi fruit.

Anyway enjoy!

I don't know if fasting is a good idea with a thyroid condition as it impacts the thyroid.

It's been a stressful week, both AC positive and now my little one too. He is the most poorly which I didn't expect.

I thought I would weigh today rather than in a rush Monday mornings.

I've lost 6 pounds which was a shock but I was also ill despite testing negative by PCR and lft. There are tummy bugs going around so could be that.

So I have decided to start from now to lose a stone in weight. I know that first loss can be mostly water and I don't want to set myself up to fail by expecting to drop that quickly every week.

Dam just lost my post. Here we go again. Pixieboots and Shirley brilliant weight lose. Well done staying the same Dorset. Four your gain isn't that much. With going away and then the added worry of you might have Covid especially with Mr F. Glad the PCR was negative.

Doodledog I have 50g of porridge made with coconut every morning make it inthe microwave. It keeps me going until my lunchtime soup. If I fancy something in it add 20g of my homemade jam or marmalade. I don't like either to sweet so don't add the full amount of sugar just boil it longer.

Well I know why my weight gain was so little the battery was on its way out. As I only count what I weight on a Sunday since my last official weight in put on 3.25lb. Which makes sense the amount I have eat . But not worried about it.

Exercise class starts again on Wednesday but upped my exercises at home.

Hopefully see it go down next week.

Have a good week everyone. ?

Good morning pears, it’s been good to read of all the successes of the week. I jumped on the scales this morning for a 1 and 3/4 pound loss, so I’m nearly back at target which I achieved just before Christmas. I’ve been working all week (a colleague has Covid so I was doing supply cover for her) and have been really tired in the evenings which has made things difficult as I’ve been having to battle the munchies, but I managed to resist the chocolate and reach for the fruit bowl which must have helped.
Doodledog that porridge sounds yummy, I’ll definitely be giving that a go, although I don’t eat breakfast but would happily take it to school to warm through for lunch. I’ve been looking for some nice ‘hot’ lunch ideas.
Have a good week everyone

Madgran, I thought that oats were slow release carbs, so should keep you full for longer, but I'm no expert. I do know that Instant Oats aren't the same as rolled oats (and steel cut ones are better again than the rolled ones), so maybe that's the difference?

I'm having a sweet potato chilli for lunch, which will be my main meal. I'll put off until about 3.00pm, so it will last longer, and I'll have about 300 calories left if I'm hungry later. I was thinking of scrambled eggs for the protein, but I'll see how I feel.

Is that 50g dry weight of oats, Whiff, or of the cooked porridge?

Doodledog 50g dry weight. I use coconut milk as don't need anything to sweeten it . But it doesn't taste of coconut but gives a nice texture. But like I said I do add my jam or marmalade if I want. When I am out of coconut milk use skimmed and 10-15 g honey .

Sarah that's brilliant almost back to target . I always have my homemade soup for lunch. My daughter doesn't normally have soup for lunch but when I am there on Friday's she always buys some fresh soup for us . So I have my usual lunch. She is so thoughtful.

I have been watching this thread for a little while wondering about joining. my dieting experience is not very successful but I'm finding all the comments very helpful reading through them thank you

Another porridge fan here! I do mine with almond milk and cinnamon, and either have it with berries, or a sliced banana, plus a few chopped walnuts and sunflower seeds. I also love overnight oats, which I do with almond milk, grated apple, cinnamon, and sultanas. I make a big batch, and just leave it in the fridge, enough me and DH to have for 2 or 3 days. I find it so filling, and it keeps me from snacking before lunch!

My weekend wasn't too bad, food-wise. I did succumb to a small 30g bar of good quality dark chocolate on both Saturday & Sunday night, whilst watching a film! Hopefully, it won't cause any damage, and I'll look at it as my weekend treat ... we need the occasion treat ... right?

Wishing you all a good week ahead!

Another fan of oats here, overnight with fruit or cooked with water and almond milk. However school start here was delayed a week because of Omicron and my GC have stayed with me and it's been pancakes every morning at their request! Good for my waistline that school reopens tomorrow!
Have a great week everyone.

I couldn’t measure myself this morning because I popped on the scales and I had put on four pounds! I have had crusty bread each day, no butter though, know that had to go and I won’t eat any Monday to Friday now. Weekends a small loaf, just three slices a day and freeze the rest. Made enough soup for 5 days, just vegetables and lentils, no sugar foods in the house, so will see how I go. I think the increase is due in part to a health flare up and haven’t walked or exercised for a week. I will stick at it, buoyed up with your posts which I read each day I only weigh myself of a Monday, I wasn’t prepared for an increase though.
I have a list of all the foods I can eat freely, lovely if your vegan, I’m not so will moderate those portions too.

Madgran, I thought that oats were slow release carbs, so should keep you full for longer, but I'm no expert. I do know that Instant Oats aren't the same as rolled oats (and steel cut ones are better again than the rolled ones), so maybe that's the difference?

They are Doodledog that is why I am so confused by why I get hungrier. ?

Allsorts my system seems to work for me and it may work for you?

In 'normal' times I try my best to be good all week - Mon to Sat. inclusive. No biscuits, cakes, sweets etc. but good sensible meals.

On Sunday mornings I weigh first thing and then Sunday becomes 'Sinday' I try not to go too mad, but on 'Sinday' I allow myself a pudding and some chocolate. That way I have the incentive to behave through the week! We cannot and must not ever deprive ourselves of treats or it becomes impossible and we give up!

I can't say it works every week - it depends on moods and what's going on but but I find that in general I can behave through the week if I have treats to look forward to!

This thread is great because we all have different methods and none of them are right or wrong - we are all different after all. My saying is that we are all in the same boat but some of us can paddle faster than others!

Stay with us all you newbies - good luck everyone!

Fourormore, Thank you. I like the idea of a Sin Day. I am missing carbs on this first day without and hope I get to love apples and oranges instead of bread and biscuits. My Sin Day will be Sunday and it will be crumble and custard, Monday my weight day. Know it’s going to be long haul, but even a pound a week would be good as it’s a stone in four months. I’ve put a picture of me on the fridge.

Allsorts I always weigh first thing on Sunday mornings - that way any damage I do on Sinday hopefully has gone by the time I weigh in the following weekend!
Remember it's a marathon not a sprint and we're all here for support - we all feel like chucking the towel in at times so stick with us especially if we don't get the results we want!
I plateaued before Christmas which was very frustrating but I'm still here!!!

I did my weigh-in today, and . . . . .

I have lost 0lb, 0kilos and 0oz

So, that's a great start.

Never mind, I shall carry on regardless, and hope for a better result next Monday [goes down the garden to eat worms]