I’m a Pear/Apple - Part 4. Yabadabadoo !

Well after the scales told me that I need to lose at least 2.5 stones I abandoned any thoughts of the tape measure for a few days! A girl can only cope with so much bad news🙄 Anyway I made a big pot of veggie soup yesterday, plenty to freeze for future use. Kedgeree tomorrow and probably a kidney bean curry on Saturday. I will be out for lunch on Sunday but it's at a restaurant which has a terrific salad bar so I should be able to have a good meal. I just hope I can resist the desserts! I won't eat more than a slice of toast or a couple of boiled eggs for dinner, if I have anything at all. So glad all the chocolates are gone, though not so happy about where they went. Onward and downward!!

Our campaign will not start until mid month, partly because we are away next week but also because DH seems determined to really lose some weight and Michael Moseley is bring out a low carb eating plan to defeat diabetes. at the weekend, through the DM

DH lost several stone about 8 years ago and put his diabetes into remission, but then seemed to lose motivation. When, almost inevitable, he regained the all the weight and had a heart attack and bypass surgery, complicated by picking up a nearly fatal infection in hospital, he came out of hospital 3 stone lighter than he went in, but then because of the really appalling rehabilitation and hospital follow up (or lack of it), he has put it all back on again.

He has now of his own volition decided that he really must lose weight and knows that it was low carb that worked last time, so I am tiptoing round trying to be encouraging, but not too much and at the same time to everything I can to make sure he gets off to a really good start.

Hi MOnica this is a tricky one. Can you make sure that the food your DH shouldn’t eat is not lurking somewhere in the house.

Often when I feel on the verge of over eating I have a hot drink instead. I also have a bag of no sugar mint humbugs in the cupboard that takes away my need for sugar. These old fashioned style Sweet Shops I think called Mr Simms have a whole raft of sugar free sweets.

The 15 minute rule helps too. When I have a longing for some calorific food I say to myself if I feel the same in 15 mins I can have it. Usually the craving has gone by then.

NanKate is right a hot drink can take away the need to eat. Sometimes we can mistake hunger for being thirsty.

My brother can always lose weight when he follows a low carb eating regime . Bread he cuts out completely.

MOnica sorry your husband has been through the mill. Hopefully eating less for life will help you both.

Well true to their word I have an appointment with my cardiologist on 24th after my appointment got cancelled in December due to my cardiologist had Covid. Seeing my neurologist on 20th. On 13th got to book more blood tests at my GP surgery. But at least the healthcare here is brilliant compared to where I used to live .

My brother and sister in law are hopeful they can still come the weekend. Friends they where with on Monday tested positive for Covid so they are testing daily to make sure they are Covid free. I have been lucky not to have it so far even though have I have been exposed to it several times including before I had my first vaccine but know my luck will run out one day. So keep wearing my mask and do weekly LFT .

EllieRose I always put red lentils in my soup another veg but also a source of protein and low in cals. I always blitz my soup and keep it in the fridge in a large container and does me for 6 lunches. Because of the lentils it thickens up so always add some water when I reheat my portion.

Take care all.

NanKate I wish it was that easy. DH does not have a sweet tooth. Nor does he snack a lot. His usual snack, may be once a day, is a large piece of cheese. He has always drunk a lot - and I mean non-alcoholic - he always has a glass of water on his desk.

Part of the problem, now, is that following his bypass operation, he also cannot take much exercise because the infection he picked up in hospital damaged his lungs and because of the complete failure to follow this up after he was discharged, he has made no progress since, despite requests for help.

But more than anything it is a psychological problem, rather than an eating problem - and I will leave it at that without further detail.

Last of the chocs here given away so none in the house. My problem is wine so I have swapped that for a small g &t or whisky in the evenings. Off to golf in the wind today but it's use it or lose it. Have a good day.

Thanks for the explanation MOnika. I think a lot of weight loss/gain problems are psychological.

Whiff, I am a great lover of lentils - in fact all pulses - but on this occasion it was a handful of barley I added. Great for thickening a soup. My plan for kedgeree yesterday was well and truly sabotaged by finding out late morning that I was expected at a birthday lunch. There was some confusion over who should have told me I was invited (as the only non-family guest)! It was at a spectacularly good restaurant and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed everything but did manage not to go overboard with all the fantastic veggie dishes on offer. Luckily I am not a trifle lover s just stole some of the fresh fruit decorating the top of the huge one brought out and I beat a retreat before the chocolate birthday cake was cut. Needless to say I ate nothing else after that. Today was back to normal with breakfast of porridge, made with water and a little salt and topped with low-fat yogurt, and sardines on a small slice of toast for lunch. Definitely having my kedgeree for dinner!! Must make a little side salad too. Have to keep up the veg count 🙂

I am about to on make a stew/soup from red lentils and veg.
Just tip some in and it all thickens up, though as Whiff says, add water before reheating as it will thicken when it’s cooled down.
I will add some of my Christmas gammon and it keeps in the cool fir days. Very healthy, though admit to dicing a few potatoes (because they are my favourite veg ) which help make the soup thicken with starch. Cheap cheerful healthy and filling. Lasts for days but can easily be frozen.

This is my first post on here. I feel like a big Bramley apple and need to lose some of this flab. My motivation is zero but I hope that by coming on here I can get some and ideas to get me on the path to being a bit slimmer.

AGAA4 by coming on here shows you do have motivation. You will get support and friendship here. Bramley is a lovely apple and soon you will be a juicy Braeburn .

Been cooking up a storm today. Chicken breast with loads of veg for a pie . Didn't make the pastry as my rolling out days are over . Hands to painful. Made sweet potato and mango chutney samosas, chocolate chip biscuits, fatless tea bread, dauphinoise potatoes and cheese biscuits and ginger biscuits. Tomorrow just be steamed golden syrup sponge with custard to make. My brother and sister in law and Aggie are coming. So no sticking to cals tomorrow or until leftovers eaten.

Silverlining I always use sweet potatoes in my soup as I don't like potatoes as they go gloopy.

Strangely my last two soups have been gloopy so changed to different potatoes and the one on the stove now is doing fine. Will be testing it out shortly but sweet potatoes are a good option so will try them next time.
Dauphinois ears my favourites though.....

Dauphinoise are.... predictive text !

Wow whiff’ you have been busy in the kitchen. I wish I liked sweet potato as those samosas sounds delicious. Have a good time with your brother and family
. I’m gonna make pea and mint soup later .

AGAA4 you are most welcome. We are a lovely lot of Pears and Apples here and we have been going since 2018!

You will have your ups and downs but just hang in there. We all support each other.

All the treats from Christmas have been 'hoovered up' (thank you for that phrase Shinemae) and I have put on just under four pounds since my pre-Christmas weigh-in so I'm ok with that.
We have a couple of 'dates' over the next couple of weeks but will be careful in between - realistically I'm not expecting any real progress until February but I won't give in!
It's great to see a few new names joining us - welcome to you all - you will get nothing but support and encouragement from your fellow fruits!
Good luck everyone as we enter the new year

Happy 2023 all and hello to new members of our lovely, lively group. I had a big shock on the scales & I’m now trying my best to undo the damage & get back to healthy eating. I’ve lost 1lb this week but I have a lot more to go just to get rid of my Christmas & New Year gain never mind the rest. I have eaten or given away all the goodies so temptation is no more. Agree with Whiff about measurements, sometimes you can lose inches but not pounds, I never quite get that but I know it’s happened to me in the past. I must knuckle down this year, I can feel the difference the extra weight is making to my aches & pains, my joints are carrying too much of a load around. Good luck and have a great week everyone.

Hi! I have been using my Fitness Pal to monitor cals and I need to lose weight for an operation. I lost 5kg in 6 weeks but slowed down just before Christmas.

A friend recommended “Slimpod” so I am giving that a go. It is free for 10 days and then 3x subscription with the offer of money back within the first 30 days.

I have only been doing this for 12 days so far but it seems to be making me think twice about how I approach food and I resisted all the leftover mince pies and Roses chocolates when going back to work after the break.

On this programme I am supposed to stop cal counting and ditch the scales and rely on waist and bust measurements instead but too scared to go that far just yet. Also my Consultant only goes on BMI so I need to see a reduction on the scales

Happy to let people know of my progress over the next three months (or lack of it)!

Thanks for keeping the thread alive NanKate. Welcome newcomers. I am back on track with New Year resolutions after over indulging on Christmas grub.
So it's lots of veg, reduced carbs and no desserts other than fruit. Have a good week everyone.

A new member wanting some encouragement. I'm not overweight according to the charts but I've put on about 6lbs in the last 6 weeks - not much I know - but it's round my waist, my clothes are tight and I can't wear the three lovely skirts I made a year ago. I walk a lot, sometimes up to 20 miles a week but on the other hand I can't resist sweet things and comfort eating in the evenings is my downfall. I'm really cross with myself for bingeing on biscuits etc so I'm trying to muster the willpower to do TRE - time restricted eating. Anyone else doing this?

I was desperate to get back on my 16.8 diet after Christmas but then started feeling hungry in the evening: something that wasn’t happening before Christmas. I’ve rejoined my gym and am going for an induction tomorrow ( I have to do that because everything has changed in three years including having to use a mobile phone to access everything. I’m a complete technophobe and, even though I have a phone I only use it to call people. Thankfully they still have a few little cards that people like me can use). I haven’t been to many indoor places because I still haven’t had covid so I’m a bit worried about it but I’m just not getting enough exercise and the weight training machines help my arthritis. I’m hoping it motivates me. I can’t believe it’s three years since I last went there. It’s like being in some sort of time warp.

It’s always the evenings isn’t it. My problem too. Have just finished more than one it two of my favourite tang fastic haribos even though I am about to go to bed, and should know better.
Still tomorrow is another day.

Morning all, evenings are the worst for me too, I have to watch it. Stayed the same this week, but surprised as I have cut down and dropped the carbs so a bit despondent atm. Hey ho….Think I will pop on scales daily like I used to to keep tabs. Have a good week.

I weigh every day Shirley just to keep focused. It helps me.

Evenings are definitely the worst for me too. Is it because I can relax then? I noticed it less in summer when we walk our dog late in the evening.
An early morning weigh in is what I do, but only a few times a week.