I’m a Pear/Apple - Part 5. Still going!!

I am in shock. Just had a look at my new SW food optimising book and if I were 6’8” I would be the perfect weight for my height.
I am only 5’1” and sadly don’t have the time to grow another 1’ 7”. SW book says my weight should be 7 stones 8 lbs.
That’s never going to happen and I have set myself a hard enough goal to lose one stone.
Trying to remain positive.

Nannykin57 If you're not keen on meat and fish you could have chickpeas (curry with chickpeas, mushrooms, spinach for example) and red kidney beans, lentils, tofu, cottage cheese and eggs.

Nannykim57

Thanks keeping quiet,
I do love my veg!.. like you it’s all around my middle.. thanks for all your ideas, I’ve stocked up on chicken, eggs, veg and fruit!
How much have you lost since you started?..

I've lost almost a stone- just a few more stubborn pounds to go! Also lost a couple of inches from my waist.
That's in about three months so very steady but it is about slow changes not quick fix.

Yes, just a couple of eggs scrambled in a pan with lots of black pepper and no bread is another regular quick breakfast/lunch.

Thanks keeping quiet,
I do love my veg!.. like you it’s all around my middle.. thanks for all your ideas, I’ve stocked up on chicken, eggs, veg and fruit!
How much have you lost since you started?..

Ihave just messaged my friend who is coming to stay tomorrow. She is on the 800 diet which I have yet to look at.
Has anyone tried this?

Nannykim to lose weight you need to eat 3,500 cals per week than your body needs to lose a pound . But if you eat to few cals per day your body thinks you are starving and holds on to the fat reserves . As we get older our metabolism slows down . It's trial and error to get the right balance between what you need to lose weight and what your body needs . I eat 1,200-1,300 per day . But I weight and measure everything I eat and drink and count cals . I have blips and put weight on but I haven't given up since 2017 . My way of eating won't suit most people but it works for me as I can't cook fresh everyday. But I do cook from scratch. I have 60g dry porridge and 300ml of oat milk and cooked in microwave. My lunch is home made veg and red lentil soup make enough for 6 lunches . My dinner is a stew or lasagne or pasta bake enough for 6 dinners . I either use chicken breast or Quorn mince, chicken pieces or sausages which I brown in little oil and cut into pieces. . . In my stews I use pearl barely as it bulks it out . When using Quorn use 300g or mince or chicken pieces or 8 Quorn sausages. Chicken breast use around 400g. Plenty of veg . I eat this way all year round even on the hottest day. My pud is Easiyo low fat yogurt or fat free depending on what I have in to make . I don't buy foods I have no control over unless I have guests and they take leftovers home . I love to bake but I take it to my craft group so I can have a piece or a couple of biscuits depends on what I have made. but never bring anything home. When I bake with my grandsons they take it home with them. But it's my way . We all have our own way and foods we can't control.
Best thing about the Pears it's free and no judgement .

Nannykim57

Hi I’m new here!.. I’m an Apple!
Have always lost weight in the past by eating 2 meals of 200 cals and 1 healthy meal. Doesn’t seem to be working anymore, also tried cutting out carbs but as I’m not a lover of meat and fish it’s hard to find what to eat! Looking forward to tips from everyone here to spit me on..

Hi Nannykim!

I came here a few months ago because I knew I had to shift some weight around my middle. It is an ongoing challenge to eat healthy food but I have lowered my intake of bread and sugary stuff, especially biscuits!

I now follow a mediterranean diet which has helped a lot, and I have grown to love meat and fish which is high in protein and stops the craving for carbs.
I have a George Forman grill which I use almost every day- it is so easy to put on a bit of fish or meat and cooks so quickly. You can marinade both fish and meat in your favourite herbs/spices or just sprinkle some on top to add as much flavour as you like.
I also grill vegetables and have fresh fruit in a morning. I have really upped my intake of vegetables and eat veg only dishes at least three times a week.
For me it is all about changing those bad habits into better ones, but also adapting the basic fresh food to your own tastes as I don't see the point of eating food you don't like!
I also make a pudding of meringue and yogurt with fruit, nuts and dark chocolate. Delicious! Not for every day though.
I hope you find lots of good advice here and find the right path for you for losing weight and being healthy at the same time!

Oh thank you Whiff, you are a life saver.
Take care and hope you are feeling better .

silverlining veggie lasagne but only put cheese sauce on the top . I make my cheese sauce with 30g plain flour into a cold pan with 200ml of cold skimmed milk and 50g mature cheddar crumbled in . Using a whisk bring it to the boil whisking all the time . If it's to thick use bit more milk. Because of the fat in the cheese you don't need and spread or butter . I have made it using grated mozzarella and parmesan for guests same way but used more cheese but they aren't watching their weight and they took all the left over with them .

You could make a baseless cheese cake using low fat or fat free cream cheese and low fat or fat less Greek yogurt sweeten with icing sugar to taste and poured into small dishes or cups ,or small mugs topped with fresh fruit . Still tastes like cheesecake but without all the fat.

Veggie curry or using Quorn mince with just rice no naan or poppadoms . Cottage pie using Quorn mince and plenty of veg topped with sweet potato mash or combination of sweet potato and butternut squash . Goulash made with just veg or with Quorn mince and served with bulgar wheat . To be honest anything high cal can be made low cal . Even a pie with pastry top just make a crumble uses half the ingredients and as it bakes it joins up.
Summer pudding can be made with low cal bread and this time of the year use autumn fruits just serve with low fat or fat free Greek yogurt. I use granulated sweetener for this . 2 cal per teaspoon and it's sweeter than sugar.

Does anyone have any suggestions for easy meals for our visiting friends? They both need to lose weight and know it but want to do something which is tasty and maybe a treat
Thanks 🙏

Oh and I am a pear 🍐

Hello 🙋‍♂️
I re joined SW last night. After 10 years of maintaining a 1.5 stone loss am back to within a whisker of my old weight. I cook from scratch eat healthily etc but It’s crept up over the last year gain one lose one so slowly and now I have to start again. I am just 5’ so every pound shows.
We have friends coming tomorrow for a few days and they like to eat.
I Havnt had a chance to look at the SW books I got last night and really need to focus on meals til Tuesday.
Then it’s back for my first weigh on Thursday . Feeling nervous.

Hi I’m new here!.. I’m an Apple!
Have always lost weight in the past by eating 2 meals of 200 cals and 1 healthy meal. Doesn’t seem to be working anymore, also tried cutting out carbs but as I’m not a lover of meat and fish it’s hard to find what to eat! Looking forward to tips from everyone here to spit me on..

I'm with you on that one Allsorts! If I can see it I can eat it! I'm out today with friends so no chance of resisting temptation there either.

Not hopeful I've lost anything this week- even one pound would be good!

Whiff, please don't overdo it. Your body took a bashing.
MayBee I always have about 12 hours from 6 pm until about 7 am without food but I am overweight, my downfall is biscuits and crusty bread and what I put on it. Today when I shop no biscuits, no bread just Seeded Ryvita which I have to soften first as they are too crunchy. I am not a person who can keep anything I like in the house even a present for anyone. Thank you for your tips NanKate I will try.

To all the losers well done ,to the stay that same that's an achievement. And any like me who put on the weight I lost in hospital but only lost quarter pound of it this week. Just keep going .

Saw my GP yesterday and she reluctantly gave me a week's worth of Furosemide a water tablet. But my sodium levels are still very low and having a blood test week tomorrow. I took on board all she said about the water tablets could reduce my sodium levels. Once home did some research into the dangers of low sodium and decided not to take the tablets. And wait until after my blood test to see what my sodium levels are then. So my weight it's up and down everyday but still keep weight , measuring and counting cals and not giving up . She did give me a spray to use when I get breathless but will only use it if I can't get my breath back under control but taking extra breathes. But at least having it means I can use it if I need it .

Managed to do 150 on my static pedals on Sunday and that was my limit. Thankfully my tum is back to it's normal colour and wrinkly again but the skin is very dry so plenty of cream . And been able to do my morning exercises the way I used to do them. Will try my pedals again today .

Monday it was circuit training at sit fit and did all the exercises with my usual gusto. And on Tuesday joined a 'move it or lose it' class at the church same place my sit fit class is . Which is round the corner from where I live. We did different exercises and used different things to help . It was fun but trying to get round my head moving my arms and legs together I got into a jumble but like with my sit fit I will get used to them . It's due to my HPX effecting my cognitive function. Our instructor was a physiotherapist for 30 years. I am glad I decided to go and know doing the 2 classes will help me . I have lost strength in my arms so hoping to build it back up since my hospital stay but can't fault the care I had. I will see how I am in a months time and may need to up my medication for my HPX as my mobility has been effected . But hoping with the 2 classes that will improve. If not I only have to phone my neurologists secretary to say I need to up my tablets . He's registrar who I saw before Christmas asked me if I needed it increasing but said no but he said just phone if I feel it needs to increase. That's the brilliant thing about having something rare my neurologist leaves it up to me as I know more about HPX than he does and know my own body and trusts me to know what it needs.

The way we are eating less for life and not giving up is the best way to lose weight even with blips . I hate to think what long term damage those weight loss injections are doing to people . Trouble is they want a quick fix and not put in the hard work. Reading the thread about it shows it doesn't work for some people because they haven't changed what they eat .

Anyway Pears hope those who aren't feeling well feel better soon and keep up the good fight we will win in the end . 🤸

I must make a note of the way you make cheese sauce, Whiff, as I use cheese sauce mix which isn’t very healthy. I do like macaroni cheese and also cauliflower cheese but I think the latter gives me terrible indigestion. I, too, am drinking a lot more water. First thing every morning I have a cup of hot water and I’ve just had one now instead of a cup of coffee, which is what I was going to have. I’m worried about getting on the scales as I over ate last week, so I’m doing a 12-14 hour fast each night as I know that’s an easy way to get my weight down.

Hello Pears and Apples.

I was listening to a radio programme on weight loss and the expert said that when we diet we hopefully get to our target weight and then our bodies try to get us to the weight they think we should be, which is usually heavier 😳. Therefore we need to keep to our Eating Less for Life mantra as, imo, we don’t want to return to our former weight or more ☹️

I’ve decided when I get to 10 stone (I’m 5 lbs away) I will very gradually increase my calories and check weekly if I am maintaining my new weight or if my body is trying to increase my weight.
Losing weight is a hard slog but the benefits are many.

Allsorts please don’t feel ashamed. It took me two years to feel able to start calorie counting again!

Here are a few things I do now when it is an hour before we eat at night and I have hunger pains.

Drink a glass of fizzy water with a slice of lemon or lime in it.
Or
A favourite fizzy drink like ginger beer, a third ginger beer and two thirds water.
Or
A few gulps of my favourite Kefir

No one need beat themselves up on this thread.

CocoPops

Keepingquiet and Nankate Wow! you are both getting close to shifting a stone.
Take it easy Whiff
I lost 1.4lbs this week. Must try and keep motivated!

Well done and spoke too soon! I put on 2lbs this week!! Maybe not so inspirational after all...

I have been away though and not on my meal plan- some bad habits have crept back in and I have eaten a lot of bread. Pizza and pasta two days in a row too!

Now I'm home I should be able to get back to what I now consider normal- lots of grilled fish and meat and keep off the bread...

keep going everyone!

Keepingquiet and Nankate Wow! you are both getting close to shifting a stone.
Take it easy Whiff
I lost 1.4lbs this week. Must try and keep motivated!

Over last few weeks because of a health issue and bring housebound all my weight piled back on, it goes on tar try tines quicker than losing it but gave started again today as feel bloated.
Well done everyone, Shirley you have done well, I skyways feel much better when I lose just 7 pounds.
Keepin quiet and NannaKate you are ispirationl, I'm hanging my head in shame again.

You certainly have been through it whiff, glad you’re back home. Hopefully your strength will improve quickly.

Lost a pound and a half and done my second week of C25k.

That’s great nankate, over 10lbs since October. Since losing weight I find my right hip and lower back dosent ache like it did, also I have tons more energy, just shows being a heavy weight has a lot to answer for lol

Thanks NanKate.
Keepingquiet my diet is the same everyday apart from Christmas day.porridge made with oat milk or if skimmed milk 20g honey. Home made veg and red lentil soup, dinner stew made from either ,chicken , Quorn mince, chicken pieces or sausages pearl barely lots of veg and yogurt for pud. Because I can't cook fresh everyday I make enough soup for 6 lunches and stew for 6 dinners. Occasionally I make lasagne enough for 6 dinners . But my cheese sauce is made from 30g flour ,200ml skimmed milk and more if needed and 50g mature cheddar crumbled..put all into a cold pan bring to boil whisking all the time.. Doesn't need butter or spread enough fat in cheese . Only put it in top of my lasagne and use 4 sheets of pasta . Been eating this way since 2017. But I cook from scratch.
Since coming out of hospital haven't used my oven everything reheated in the microwave as I can't handle my oven proof dishes to heavy for me now . I need to build my limbs back up again but my HPX is worse than before the TIA if that is what it was .
But I never give up.

Thanks for the update Whiff and hope you continue to recover steadily and stay well.

I would focus on eating healthily rather than thinking about losing weight for a while. Lots of protein and fresh fruit and veg.