I’m a Pear ? the sequel part 3 - Wow!

Good morning everyone. I am not a pear but more apple. I think 1lb is good Pixie, it’s 2 packets of butter.
I agree with what is said about January being dreary, in a few weeks with the longer days coming now, there will be promise of spring, that keeps me going.
I have for health reasons been housebound for most of last week and was surprised to find I had lost a pound. I had however a few weeks ago put on 3lb in one week due to getting rid of my butter on crusty bread.
I have found rice cakes to be useful, I know you can’t have them Whiff which is a pity, if I couldn’t eat a rice cake I would have a seeded crisp bread, which I leave overnight in a Tupperware box until it’s soft and then put 1 tsp peanut butter on it when I fancy a nibble. Eat my fruit but can’t get excited about it except for small English strawberries, they are too hard now and pineapple, I have tinned in juice with Greek yoghurt.
I don’t expect to lose a pound every week but as long as it’s not going on that’s fine.
Have a great week everyone.

Dorset sorry you are feeling out of sorts and anxious . Are you feeling well or worrying about anything? If I feel out of sorts I try and analyse why I am feeling a certain way. Sometimes I can put my finger on it other times not. So I give myself and talking to and talk to my husband . It helps me voice things out loud. But it makes me feel better. Of course my husband never answers me but I like talking to him everyday and have done so since he died.

We are living in uncertain times and there is supposed to relaxing of mask wearing this week. But my mask will stay plastered on.

Also soon we will be having a new Covid variant it's the nature of viruses to mutant. So we have just to carry on taking precautions and keeping ourselves and loved ones safe as best we can.

But try and think of something you want to do could be a new hobby ,a book you want to read or any plants or veg you want to grow in the garden this year. Give yourself something to look forward to. And it will hopefully take your mind of things . The other day things got on top of me so I was looking at the garden and had to laugh a magpie when to land on my fence and fell backwards onto the garden . It was ok but made my day. Silly I know . But silly is maybe what you need.

Hope you are feeling yourself soon . ??

Allsorts we crossed posts. Well done losing the pound especially as you have health problems.

There is nothing nicer than British summer fruits especially Scottish raspberries . I only buy fresh soft fruits out of season if my grandson's are coming for lunch. Otherwise I buy them frozen as they are picked and frozen not long after picking.

I don't like any crispbreads but seeded bread is one of my weaknesses so I can't buy it. The loaf would go in a day.

Hope you feel better soon. ??

I will get some frozen raspberries, they freeze much nicer than strawberries.?

Good morning all.?. Feeling much more like my usual self today! Yesterday was most peculiar.
Thank you Whiff. Like you I try and explore what's behind such feelings.
I have no doubt the uncertainty about whether my contract will be made permenant is an element. Its tiring but I'm doing really well in my job and enjoy it so it's sad to think of the time and effort coming to nothing. Also there are obvious financial implications. I have 7 years left to work so some certainty would be nice.! That said my job with the council was a years contract and I ended up being there 30years ?.
Practically I know it's no good fretting about something that is pretty much out of my control! Tbh after 30years of the same job since 2017 I have had 4 including this one! In every job I have found myself to be in the right place for various reasons-I was where I was needed to be for my own needs or often for others. Very strange! Fate? What will be will be.
There was however a strange feel to yesterday. Several colleagues had what was in their own words the day from hell! January blues? The current uncertainty and confusion both politically, healthier and for many people financially?
Fortunately for me the day was very positive. Already feeling glum my line manager announced she needed to observe some of my appointments. It wasnt unexpected and she really lovely. That said mentally I was saying to myself"really-just what I need". It went exceptionally well. Maybe that's what turned the day around.
On arrival home my daughter had given my bedroom a quick make cover-up looked lovely!
I had a healthy tea which is good. That said I missed the end of Bradley Walsh and son and the first part of Corrie as fell asleep on the sofa!?. At least when I'm asleep I dont nibble!
Heres to a good week everyone ?

I had a takeaway curry on Sunday.

My husband has had Covid and we’d been sitting and sleeping in separate rooms all week, trying not to be in the kitchen together. He wanted something that he would be sure to taste through his germs, and I was sick of cooking and eating on my own.

I made it last two days though. I got chicken pathia, onion pilau, daal masala and a peshwari naan, so not a diet option, but I split it into 3 and had one portion on Sunday evening and the rest for lunch and dinner on Monday.

Good idea Doodledog splitting your meal into portions. Hope your DH recovers soon and you can get back together.

Dorset I can understand your concern about renewing your contract but you sound like a conscientious worker so fingers crossed. There is so much uncertainty in the world at present.

Allsorts Sainsbury’s sell bags of frozen Summer Fruits. We just sprinkle a few over our breakfast and they are delicious, especially the blackcurrants.

Iceland sell a limited selection of frozen fruits too but we have found that very often Lidl have more choice. Their mango and their pineapple are especially nice. I tend to buy a bag of several different fruits then 'decant' a few pieces of each fruit into several food bags making an assortment in each bag.
There's no waste as I'm finding fresh fruit tends to go off quite quickly these days?

Been to Peterborough today to meet my DD and DGS - we took him to the museum to see the plesiosaur skeleton they have as he’s dinosaur mad. Lunch out, but picked carefully and checked calorie content when I got home, their chicken, bacon avocado salad is 377 calories so am pleasantly surprised - I’ve not derailed today after all ?

Everyone seems to have much better ideas about eating healthily and portion control than I do, I've just been trying to eat less but that's not really working for me

Have a look on the NHS Healthy Eating Plan, or some similar name, Violet. Some of us have been investigating different ways of eating over a number of years.

I would recommend you concentrate on portion size and reduce calories that way.

Thank you Nankate I will have a look now

The first thing I saw was an NHS weight loss app. So I downloaded that and it looks quite good. Will have a proper look tomorrow as tired.

It did get me to do my BMI and I am in the overweight category which I knew I would be but still not fun to see.

It does calarie counting and a fiid diary so will check it out and let you all know if it's good because as far as I can see it's all free!

Doodledog I hope you husband is a lot better.

Sarah glad you had a nice day out. When I eat out go for vegetarian options but make sure they aren't loaded with cheese. That was a low cal count for your salad .

I get my frozen fruit from Sainsbury's or Aldi. I opt for Sainsbury's basic mixed berries they are cheaper and as I stew them with low cal granulated sweetner and then blitz it doesn't matter that some are broken.

When I was young and once I was married we used to go fruit and veg picking at pick your own places. Don't even know if they still exist anymore ? The children loved it so did my husband. He never did it with his family.

Dorset glad you are back to your usual self.

We had to use 1kg hand weights in exercise yesterday. Feeling it in my left arm today. But it was a fun lesson and tea and biscuits afterwards and best of all a chat . Since my move I live my life to the full. And love it. Funny how life turns out.

Have a good day everyone.

Violet it would be interesting to know if NHS app does calories calculations I'll keep a look out for your feed back then might have a look.

I'm still working on portion size. One of my problems is working out uncooked portions to get tge right cooked portions if you see what I mean, things like pasta and rice!

Madgran I think I would starve to death on recommended portions

So far some things are available on it and some you have to look up the calories yourself but you can then save it for next time. I did the day in advance so I would know if I had spare calories or if I needed to avoid the staffroom snacks today lol

Also it doesn't ask for any personal information which is a nice change!

Please can I join the group.

I am an apple rather than a pear, but I feel like a sack of spuds - as my mother would say.

I am 5'4" and currently weight 15 st 2lb. I am 64. This is the heaviest I have ever been. I have never been skinny and weighed about 10 stone in my 20's.

I have been working from home and have gained about a stone during this time.

I know I need to lose weight but am finding it difficult to motivate myself, especially when I am at home all day and the fridge is next door.

Mid last year I lost some weight doing the 16:8 diet - where you eat in an eight hour window each day. However, in the run up to and including Christmas, I put back on what I had lost.

I find it hard to motivate myself when it is dark and cold outside. I barely do any exercise.

I have some scales that have an app which tracks your weight loss, which is good.

I have been to Slimming World and Weight Watchers in the past. I can lose weight for the first few months when I feel motivated but it is so easy to fall off the wagon when you are only losing half a pound a week.

We have a couple of weddings in June so I would like to lose weight for those.

I am planning to start my diet again on the 7th Feb as we are away next week. I don't have a sweet tooth. My downfall is wine and portion sizes.

Wish me luck.

Madgran try 30g dry weight for rice,pasta and bulgar wheat. And once cooked see if it's enough to keep you satisfied. If not increase it by 5or 10gs dry weight.

PinkCosmos welcome to the fruit bowl. Good that you have already worked out a plan. But don't be hard on yourself. It's a marathon not a sprint. And take your measurements. As some weeks you might not lose weight but inches especially if you do exercises. Don't set yourself a set amount you want to lose every week as if you don't lose what you want you will be disheartened. I am happy if I lose quarter of a pound. NanKate has renamed dieting eating less for life. And that's the best way to view it.

Look forward to reading about how you get on.

Another welcome from me Cosmos.

Very sensible advice from Whiff as ever. Many people think of weight loss as something you do for a set amount of time until you reach the weight you want. However we Pears and Apples have learnt through experience that it is an ongoing process with ups and downs. However Eating Less for Life is a good mantra to go by. Your body will become accustomed to expecting less food. As Whiff so rightly says ‘It is a marathon not a sprint’.

Good luck and welcome Cosmos from another apple.I am afraid I was very naughty yesterday, I had two glasses of wine, steak and chips with all the trimmings and a steamed pudding and custard. I met up with friends and had what they had and must have eaten a weeks calories. Now of course I’m back to porridge and healthy eating as I did enjoy it and can’t undo it. Put myself back a lot though, so might not weigh myself this coming Monday. Biggest wobble since I started nearly a month ago.

Don’t worry Allsorts we all fall off the wagon at times, the key to weight loss is to return to your healthy eating plan the next day. Don’t beat yourself up. We’ve all been there. Keep going.

Hi everyone i wondered if I could join the group I’ve been reading all the posts and love all the encouragement on here. I’m not especially overweight but I’m always trying to lose weight. I’m a pear ?. I’ve done slimming world but stopped in the summer it was just all consuming. My fave foods are olives olive oil humous and avocados so all healthy but not good for slimming world so thought I’d take a break. Anyway put a stone back on in four months then add Christmas into the mix. So I bought a food diary which is good to just keep an eye on what I’m eating and drinking. I love a red wine. It’s also a motivation diary too. I’m using some of the tools I leaned from slimming world but not especially counting syns but also I’m also food combining a little so I’ll try not to mix my carbs and protein in my evening meal. It seems to be helping but it’s slow. I do exercise as well. But I’m much more relaxed about it this time. Weekends are when I fall off the wagon but they are to enjoy aren’t they but I get right back on on a Monday. Good luck to everyone.

ShazzaKanazza an other additional to the fruit bowl. Weekends are always difficult. I try not to eat more calories until after my Sunday weight but that doesn't always work depends what sort of week I have had.

Same advice I give measure yourself because sometimes you lose inches and not weight . I didn't believe it until my daughter told me and it's true especially if you start or increase your exercises. Muscle weighs more that fat. Look forward to your journey.

Allsorts I envy your lovely meal. I would eat it all minus the wine as I don't drink. Not because I don't like it but because of the amount of tablets I take. It's nice to have a treat . Then back to sensible eating as you have done.