10 day lesson

Today is the 26th, and ten days ago I clocked in at 11 stone 13 lbs, and today I weighed myslelf and I’m now weighing 11 stone 12 lbs.  10 days to lose one pound!

Now, I could blame the slow down of the weight loss on a few things.  Namely, the pancakes and maple syrup I had for brunch yetsterday morning, or the toffee crisp I had last night…

However,   I must admit that I went off the rails a bit yesterday , but, I was meeting up for brunch with a friend I hadn’t seen in over a year.  I didn’t want to be sat there with a bowl of porridge.   Part of making the diet work, is that I have to make sure that I am flexible enough to stick with it – it is no good sticking to it religiously 100% of the time, as I know I would end up giving up out of frustration and boredom.

Instead, I’m trying to look at the last ten days in a positive way.  I’ve made a loss, I haven’t STS.  I’ve also managed to work in some ‘within calorie limit’ treats and alternatives to the DC meals.  I can’t keep eating pouches forever, so I need to start eating in the ‘real world’ and making good choices.

I’m going to be going ‘off menu’ again this weekend, as the boy and I are going to be enjoying our 1 year anniversary!  We’re going to London, and we’re going to eat Mexican food, and visit Patisserie Valerie.  This might seem an awful thing to do when you’re dieting, but I’m trying to look at things in a broader perspective.  Previously, I’d eat endless calories in a mindless way – but now I’m planning my more decadent moments, and the knowledge that they are on the horizon helps me make healthy decisions in the ‘here and now’.  I know that I’ll be tucking into Black Forest Gateaux on Saturday, so I’m going to go and play in the park every night this week.  I’m also going to make sure that I stick to my 1200 calorie limit Mon-Fri, so that I can really enjoy the weekend.

I’m only going to shift the weight, if I’m flexible, focused … and I don’t give myself too hard a time!

Now, I just want to try to get down to a total 14lbs loss before I go on my holiday.  25 days to go!

Monday

Breakfast

Pink Apple & Cinnamon Granola (190 cal)

Lunch

Parsnip and chili soup (102 cal)
3 ricecakes (92)

Dinner

Tomato and Vegetable Pasta (264 cal)

Courgette (30 cal)
Red onion (50)

Snack

Nakd bar (100)
Yog (90)

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)

Total 1043

Tuesday

Breakfast

Treacle & Pecan Granola  (196 cal)

Lunch

4 corn crispbreads (81)

Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup (147 cal)

Dinner

2 Sausages (90)

Potatoes (140)

Beans (103)

Toms (30)
Snack

Cheese sandwiches in the pub (300?)
Half a pint of milk (125 cal)

Total 1212

Wednesday

Breakfast

Pink Apple & Cinnamon Granola (190 cal)

Lunch

Chunky Veg Soup (105)

4 corn crispbreads (81)

Dinner

2 Sausages (90)

Potatoes (140)

Beans (103)

Toms (30)
Snack

Milk 125
Chocolate Chip Snack Bar (99)
Cheese Oat Bakes (130)

Total 1093

Thursday

Breakfast

Treacle & Pecan Granola  (196 cal)

Lunch

Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup (147 cal)

4 corn crispbreads (81)

Dinner

Tomato and Vegetable Pasta (264 cal)
Snack

Yog (90)
Egg custard (238)

Milk (125)

Total  1141

Friday

Breakfast

Chocolate Granola (195 cal)

Lunch

Chunky Vegetable Soup (105 calories)
3 corn crispbreads (61)

Dinner

Three Bean Chilli (195)

Rice (215)

Snack
Milk (125)
Cornetto (190)

Total  1086

Saturday

Breakfast

Cocoa Nib Porrige (159)

Lunch

Minestrone Soup (123 cal)
2 rye crackers (82)

Dinner

Beans (103)
Chips (200)
Fish (187)

Snack

Cheese Oat Bakes (130)

Milk (125)

Total 1109

Sunday

Brunch of pancakes – lunch of cheese on toast, and dinner of a toffee crisp!!!

Monday

Breakfast

Original granola (248 cal)

Lunch

Parsnip and chili soup (102 cal)

1 yeast extract rice cakes (30)
Dinner

Chips (200)
Macaroni Cheese (247)
Salad (50)

Snack

Milk (125)
Yog (90)
Choc Chip bar (100)

Total 1190

A weekend away from DC…

This weekend was a bit strange, and has left me feeling a bit odd.  On Saturday, the boy and I had a date at Pizza Express, and by choosing their lighter options, I managed to come in at just over 1300 calories.  A bit naughty, but not terrible.

On Sunday, I went to a 50th Birthday party.  I knew this day was coming, and after a granola breakfast, I had a day off the diet.  I treated myself to things like bread, cake, cheese and booze!  I tried to eat more salad than I normally would – but I still felt guilty for a day that I know would have been well over my 1200 calorie limit.  (Although I think I ate much more sensibly than I would have pre-DC.)

Going off the diet for the first time has made me feel a bit weird, and very guilty.  But going over the 1200 cal limit had to happen one day I suppose.  One day over 1200 calories, in 19 days of dieting isn’t too bad going!  My goal is to weigh myself on Friday, and to have held on to my 11 stone 13lbs weight!  I don’t mind staying the same, but a gain would be rubbish!

Wish me luck!

Weekend food:

Friday

Breakfast

Treacle & Pecan Granola  (196 cal)

Lunch

Minestrone Soup (123 cal)
2 rye crackers (82)

Dinner

Three Bean Chilli (195)
Rice (215)

Snack

Nakd bar (100)
Yog (90)

2 rye crackers (82)
Babybell (50)

Total 1133

Saturday

Breakfast

Treacle & Pecan Granola  (196 cal)

Lunch

3 rye crackers (123)
Tomato Soup (159)
Babybell (50)

Dinner

Pizza 500
Frozen Yog 174

Snack

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)

Total 1327

Sunday

TOO MUCH NAUGHTY FOOD!

Another weigh in…

Woohaa!  I walked past Boots today, and I couldn’t resist another hop on the scales.  Anyway – *drum roll* – I’ve lost another 2lbs since Monday!  Meaning I’ve lost 8lbs in total, and I’m now out of the 12 Stone bracket, and into the 11 stone club, as my weight is now 11 stone, 13 lbs!

I’m really hoping I can keep this up, and that I can be down to 11.5 stone for my holiday.  Today I arranged to go shopping with my mum on the 12th August, so I’m hoping I can be a little lighter to buy some nice beachware!

Right – here is yesterday’s food:

Thursday

Breakfast

Chocolate Granola (195 cal)

Lunch

Butternut Squash Soup (135 cal)
3 rye crackers (123)

Dinner

Vegetable Curry (153)

Rice (215)

Peppers(30)

Babybell (50)

I made all of the dinner ingredients into some curry stuffed peppers with melted babybell on top.  It sounds weird, but it was fairly yum!
Snack

Choc chip cookies (90)
Jelly and strawbs (50)

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)

Total 1176

Bread, bread, lovely bread….

I’ve had a craving for a cheese, salad and mayo roll, that just won’t quit.  After talking it through on the Diet Chef forum, I decided not to give into temptation.  Instead, after going to the cinema last night, I came home fairly late, and D made a couple of boiled eggs and some toast.  This was the first time I’d had bread since being on the diet – and it was good!  However, this seemed like a more nutritious option than the cheese roll.  I love a dippy egg, and they are a good source of protein as a veggie.  My calories came in a bit low yesterday.  (Despite having a bag of oatcakes and a Club bar!)  I should start having a bit of fruit in the day – it is no good if I’m not making up my calorie total.

Here is the breakdown of yesterday’s food:

Wednesday

Breakfast

Pink Apple & Cinnamon Granola (190 cal)

Lunch

Chunky Vegetable Soup (105 calories)
4 corn crispbreads (81)

Dinner

2 eggs (130)
2 slices of bread (188)
Marg (50)

Snack

Chilli Oatbakes (128)
Club (115)

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)

Total 1112

Tango Tuesday…

Tuesday was a pretty good day food wise – I still find the mac cheese a bit artificial tasting, but I served with a good portion of dry roasted veg, and it was pretty good.   I also got the other half to spray me with the fake tan I bought as my ‘well done’ treat for losing more weight this week.  I was slightly worried that I would wake up looking like I’d been tangoed, but D did a pretty good job.

Tuesday

Breakfast

Chocolate Granola (195 cal)

Lunch

Parsnip and chili soup (102 cal)
4 corn crispbreads (81)

Dinner

Macaroni Cheese (247)
Salad (50 cal)
Courgette (30)
Red Pepper (40 cal)

Snack

Nakd bar (100)

Yog (90)

Slendips (150)

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)

Total 1175

Another loss…

I’ve lost 2 lbs!  Bringing my total loss to 6 lbs, and my weight down to 12 stone,  1 lb!  Gah, I want to be 11 stone something!

Here is a quick catch up of what I’ve been eating for the past few days:

I went to a comedy night again on Friday, it was quite a low-calorie day food wise, but it was topped up with three vodka and diet cokes.  I got very tipsy, very quickly, probably because I wasn’t eating anything at the same time to soak up the booze!

Friday

Breakfast

Treacle & Pecan Granola  (196 cal)

Lunch

Chunky Vegetable Soup (105 calories)
4 yeast extract rice cakes (122)

Dinner

Mixed Bean Pasta Salad (300)
Courgette (30)
Mushrooms (30)

Snack

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)
3 x Vodka and cokes (150 cal)

Total 1158

This was a weird day food-wise.   I wanted to go to the Co-Op and buy the healthy pre-made salad again, but the shelf was empty.  Therefore I made my own salad up, and had some splendips too.  The boy and I went to an airshow on Saturday – it was baking hot, hence the buying of two ice creams.  However, I chose low cal options.   When we got home, we had to go straight back out again to go to a comedy show (we’d got the times wrong) and I ended up just eating 3 rice cakes before we jumped in the car.  That does not make a dinner!  Therefore, when we got home at about 10pm, I ended up eating a yog and a nakd bar.  This was a weird old day, but I came in under calorie…

Saturday

Breakfast

Treacle & Pecan Granola  (196 cal)

Lunch

Salad (60)
Raspberries (50)
Baby bell (45)
Splendips (150)

Dinner

3 ricecakes (92)

Yog (90)

Nakd bar (100)

Snack

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)
Mini milk (30)
Solero (99)

Total 1067

This was a nice yummy food day.  I love the cheese oat bakes.

Sunday

Breakfast Cocoa Nib porridge (159)

Lunch

4 yeast extract rice cakes (122)
Tomato Soup (159)
Babybell (50)

Dinner

Three Bean Chilli (195)
Rice (215)

Snack

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)
Cheese Oat Bakes (130)

Total 1155

On Monday, I felt a bit nauseous all day.  I really didn’t fancy my soup, and I could only manage two rice cakes.  By the end of the day, I was really low on my calories, and D ended up suggesting I might fancy a club biscuit with a cup of tea.  I ate that whilst watching the Damnbusters.  I know it isn’t a healthy option, and it isn’t a good GI food, but I didn’t half enjoy that little chocolate bar,  and, I came in under calorie again!

Monday

Breakfast

Original granola (248 cal)

Lunch

Minestrone Soup (123 cal)
2 yeast extract rice cakes (61)

Dinner

Tomato and Vegetable Pasta (264 cal)
Courgette (30 cal)

Snack

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)
Chocolate Chip GI Biscuits (90)
Yog (90)
Club  bar(115)

Total 1146

You have to laugh…

Yesterday I went to the local comedy festival, and watched Andrew Lawrence – who has scary black beetle eyes of doom.  He was very, very funny.  I love live comedy – I was saying to my friend afterwards, that part of the reason I think I enjoy it, is that a comedian making you laugh is quite similar to the act of someone flirting with you.  You’ve got someone trying to make you giggle, trying to connect with you, and trying to be witty – the same kind of persona that people often present on a first date.  (All of this reminds me of a pseudo-famous comedian who asked me out on a first date by offering me tickets to one of his gigs – what a tosser!)     We also saw Carl Donnelly, who was also a very good comedian – very chatty and rambling, but sweet.   Normally the festival throws up some right stinkers, so that might happen tonight, when I’m off to see another couple of acts.

Anyway, the comedy was all good, but it was hot, hot, hot last night.  In the break between the two comedians,  we headed to the ‘beer garden’ area that the festival have set up.  This was the first time that the whole ‘do not drink booze calories’ aspect of DC really came to bite me in the ass.   Especially when someone in the queue in front of me ordered a Strongbow – my chavy cider downfall!  However, I remained strong, and stuck to my bottle of water.

One weird aspect of dieting, is the whole ‘keeping it private’ side of things.  At the moment only D knows that I am doing the DC diet.  Last night I mentioned to my friend that I was not drinking as I was hoping to lose weight before my holiday, but I didn’t go into it anymore than that.  I think that I maybe feel this way as I really don’t want to be seen as ‘that fat lass who is going on about her weight’.  I never really talk about my weight to anyone – yet is one of the things that preoccupied my mind the most.  It seems such a trivial, egotistical thing to be consumed by.  It is only since deciding to order DC that I’ve really started talking to D about my weight and how it makes me feel.  I still find this a very private and sensitive subject – I often don’t want to share my weight concerns with him, as I want to be a confident girlfriend,  not the cliché of a plump girl who hates their body and is obsessed with calories.   He clearly likes me – and I don’t want to sully that with my own distorted view of things.

Anyhoo, with that all on the table, here is what I put in my belly yesterday:

Thursday

Breakfast

Treacle & Pecan Granola  (196 cal)

Lunch

Lentil & Vegetable Soup (156)
4 yeast extract rice cakes (122)

Dinner

Mushroom Stroganoff (202)
Rice (215)

Snack

Chocolate Chip GI Biscuits (90)
Yog (90)

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)

Total 1196

First slump…

Well, it had to happen.  All of a sudden, I seem to have run into a wall of negativity.  Now, I haven’t fallen off the diet wagon, but yesterday I was grouchy, argumentative, and hungry all day.  I really fancied a big slice of key lime pie – something I haven’t eaten in a couple of years! – and I felt really glum.  D and I wanted to go out, but we were both really tired, so I just fell into being really moody.  He ended up heading out on his own, and came back with a toothbrush for me, as he wanted to get me a little gift, but not one with calories in it – bless!

I hoped I was going to wake up this morning feeling full of the joys of spring again – but this dark cloud seems quite determinedly over me.  I feel bloated and full, despite sticking to the diet religiously, and I know that as of only a couple of days ago, I’ve already lost 4lbs.   Perhaps I just have the day 8 blues.

Anyway, I managed to stick to the diet yesterday.  I’ve only just totalled up the calories, and I was a little low.  Maybe that was why I was so hungry yesterday?  Anyway, here’s what I had:

Wednesday

Breakfast

Pink Apple & Cinnamon Granola (190 cal)

Lunch

Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup (147 cal)
4 yeast extract rice cakes (122)

Dinner

Three Bean Chilli (195)
Rice (215)

Snack

Cocoa Bar (100 cal)

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)

Total 1094

Pasta win…

The last time I had the pasta for my main meal, I was not impressed – it was quite bland and squishy.  However, pasta is one of my favourite ‘normal’ meals, so I really wanted to find a way to make it work.   So, I chopped up some mushrooms and a courgette, and dry roasted them, I also added to them some thyme, basil, salt and paprika.  After about 15 minutes in a hot oven, I then added this mixture in to the pasta, and also a little chopped chilli.  I then heated on the hob as per usual, and served, with a tiny shake of vegan parmesan on top.   This was perhaps the nicest dinner I’ve had so far.

I know that DC is designed to be heated in the microwave, but we don’t have one at home.  We have a tiny kitchen.  (However small you’re picturing, divide it by at least 4).  So, I’ve ended up heating all my food up on the hob.  The good thing about this is that I think it encourages you to add flavourings/spices to the food as you’re heating it up, rather than just waiting for the ‘ping’ of the microwave. Also, if I’m stood at the hob heating the meal, it is no extra effort to cook some veggies at the same time.

The rest of Tuesday looked like this:

Tuesday

Breakfast

Original granola (248 cal)

Lunch

Parsnip and chili soup (102 cal)
4 yeast extract rice cakes (122)

Dinner

Tomato and Vegetable Pasta (264 cal)
Courgette (30 cal)
Mushrooms (30 cal)

Snack

Chocolate Chip Snack Bar (99)
Yog (90)

Half a pint of milk (125 cal)

Total 1110

First weigh in….

Right,  my weigh in day is not officially until tomorrow, but I just couldn’t wait any long.  I really wanted to know if the weight loss I thought I was feeling was real, or just wishful thinking.  Well, I am pleased to say that I have lost 4lbs!

Also, I had the parsnip and chilli soup just now for lunch, and it is the nicest soup so far.  Hurrah!

;

So has that weight ‘ticker’ thing worked above?  It looks as if it has.  I decided to go for an aeroplane theme, as I’m going to Morocco on August 21.  I’m really hoping I can keep losing so that I can look lovely on the beach!  If I could lose a stone before going, I’d be really happy.  (And I think at that weight I’d be confident enough to be out and about in my swimsuit.)  However, I think I’m already walking a little taller – being on the diet, and feeling like I’m taking some control over my body, makes me feel a lot better.  (I think my very slow weight gain was really making me quite unhappy.)  D said to me last night that he already sees a change that has nothing to do with weight, but that I seem ‘radiant’.  (Hmmm, isn’t that what people usual say about pregnant women? :/)