flyingpig checkin

Counting carbs/calories is a drag. Obsessive scale stepping is a recipe for despair. If you want to count something, "days on habit" is a much better metric. Checking off days on a calendar would do just fine, but if you do it here you get accountability and support. Here's how. Start a new topic in this forum called (say) "Your Name Daily Check In." Then every N day post a "reply" to that topic as to whether you stayed on habit. A simple "<font color="green">SUCCESS</font>" or "<font color="red">FAILURE</font>" (or your preferred euphemism if that's too harsh) is sufficient, but obviously you're welcome to write more if you want. On S-days just register that you're taking an S-day. You don't have to do this forever, just until you're confident you've built the habit. Feel free to check in weekly or monthly or sporadically instead of daily. Feel free also to track other habits besides No-s (I'm keeping this forum under No-s because that's what the vast majority are using it for). See also my <a href="/habitcal/">HabitCal</a> tool for another more formal (and perhaps complementary) way to track habits.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Mar 19, 2018 11:33 pm

Mark it and Move On.
Yep, and avoid the WTH effect. :)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue Mar 20, 2018 6:27 pm

20th March: red

Breakfast: cheese omlette
Snack: cake
Lunch: cheese sandwich, grapes and an unnecessary jammy dodger
Dinner: a stray slice of cheese, chicken and mushroom risotto

Urgh. What is wrong with me? I have a serious case of WTH, and I'm tempted to let it continue for the rest of the day and start afresh tomorrow... But we'll see.

Edit to add: so I made it about an hour after dinner till I caved and made a microwave cookie. And then ate two big pieces of dark chocolate. I don't even like dark chocolate... :oops:
Last edited by flyingpig on Tue Mar 20, 2018 7:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Mar 20, 2018 6:32 pm

It would be interesting to know what the tipping point is between having wild-ish times makes us want moderation and having the body seem to wake up and ask for more because it got used to it.

But the remedy is the same. Hold out, or slip, mark it and move on. :)
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed Mar 21, 2018 6:35 pm

21st March: green, so far

Breakfast: cheese omlette
Lunch: cheese sandwich, cucumber, red pepper
Dinner: veg curry and two slices of bread

Finally! It's only 6:30 though, but I'm going to make myself a giant cup of tea and then get on with lots of housework etc to not think about food.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu Mar 22, 2018 6:23 pm

22nd March: green

Breakfast: Porridge with blueberries
Lunch: cheese and cucumber sandwich, red pepper, grapes
Dinner: chicken, leek and mushroom risotto

I was offered a biscuit at lunch and refused. Hoorah, normal green service has been resumed.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:39 pm

23rd March: green

Breakfast: toast with peanut butter and blueberries
Lunch: cheese and cucumber sandwich, red pepper
Dinner: falafel and salad in pitta bread, pineapple

I had packed some grapes for lunch but they seem to have disappeared! Better hunt in my work cupboard on Monday or I'll find some raisins in there in a few months time. :P

I weighed myself for the first time in two weeks yesterday and thankfully I had lost a bit of weight (just over half a kilo) despite the four day blip.

Also "ran" a mile with the children this morning. It was really quite fun, even if I did noble-y volunteer to stay at the back encouraging stragglers. We did some skipping, tried a bit of hopping and everyone (including me) stayed pretty smiley throughout. Hooray for exercise being fun!

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:55 pm

flyingpig wrote: Hooray for exercise being fun!
I'll second that!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:10 pm

And it was for charity! It's called Sport Relief, it's a charity week raising money through sport. If only I always had 400 children to run with...

Oh, I found my grapes! They were on my bedside table all day. No idea why my lunch came up to my bedroom this morning :shock: :D A snack ready for tomorrow...

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:59 pm

I have a more embarrassing story about found fruit. I knew I had not finished a pear I was eating one day, but could not for the life of me find it. A couple of days ago, I bought a used couch and was vacuuming my old one to give it away. What did I find wrapped in its cloth napkin between two cushions? The partly eaten pear, squished and decaying. I cleaned the spot as well as I could. The couch was already worn where I sat all the time. Made me think of a bachelor's Barcalounger. But the person who took the free couch was fine with it the way it was. I hope I do better with my new-to-me one. I've got to remember to sit on different spots...and know where my food is!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sat Mar 24, 2018 10:09 pm

24th March: sensible s day

Breakfast: toast with coconut peanut butter and banana, grapes (from yesterday :P ) and blueberries
Lunch: cous cous with cherry tomatoes and onion, lots of green salad leaves, some cheese, pineapple, grapes, blueberries
Snack: two pieces of dark chocolate and a slice of bread and butter
Dinner: veg curry and rice

Nice to know that I'm still capable of a sensible s day. Mostly because I was feeling to lazy to go anywhere to get any Ss, but I do have a load of Easter eggs on my wardrobe that I did not break into. But also because I really didn't want anything. I had a lengthy internal argument about the slice of bread but I really love buttered bread so it was worth it.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:56 pm

25th March: s day

Breakfast: toast with coconut peanut butter and banana
Snack/lunch: 2 egg custard tarts
Lunch/snack: salad sandwich (only one slice of bread), bowl of fruit
Dinner: veg curry and rice, two small chocolates

And that, my friends, is why you should not go into a shop with the sole aim of breaking a note just before lunch time. Custard tarts will be reduced, you will eat them both in one go, and yes that was before I (I mean you) even get home. Oh well, thats what s days are for.

26th March: green
Breakfast: toast with coconut peanut butter and banana, pineapple and blueberries
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich and grapes
Dinner: veg curry and rice

I made ten portions of veg curry on Saturday :oops: Luckily the rest fitted in the freezer because I'm feeling a little out-curried now...

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:07 pm

Send some of your curry to me. I like anything that someone else fixed. :)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:06 pm

And did the dishes afterwards, too. :wink:
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:33 pm

How well do frozen curries travel in the post? :P I'm going through a vegetarian phase (it's cheap, it makes me think more carefully about what to cook etc, but I'm not bothered enough to fully commit to vegetarianism), so the curry is quite lentil-y. Oh and chickpea-y. All started to use aup a butternut squash, which is just about still the main ingredient...


You can tell I grew up in a big family - cooking for one does not come naturally to me. But that's what freezers are for, and most of the portions are frozen with rice so extremely easy dinners.

I really do enjoy cooking(when I can be bothered), but glad to have a very kind housemate who actually did most of the dishes :o :oops: :D

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:46 pm

I almost never cook a meal that I eat right then. I don't think I could have done what I have without batch cooking of plain food and then doctoring at the end. I'm lucky I'm the only one critiquing the results.

Don't you have the devices to freeze dry the curry? :roll: :wink:
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

Friyay
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 4:16 pm

Post by Friyay » Tue Mar 27, 2018 4:39 am

flyingpig wrote:You can tell I grew up in a big family - cooking for one does not come naturally to me. But that's what freezers are for, and most of the portions are frozen with rice so extremely easy dinners.
I don't think it comes naturally to anyone. Anyway, if you live by yourself, you need lots of freezer meals because you can't take care of everything by yourself, all the time.

jenji
Posts: 661
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2017 5:00 pm
Location: Cambridge

Post by jenji » Tue Mar 27, 2018 3:40 pm

flyingpig wrote:How well do frozen curries travel in the post? :P I'm going through a vegetarian phase (it's cheap, it makes me think more carefully about what to cook etc, but I'm not bothered enough to fully commit to vegetarianism), so the curry is quite lentil-y. Oh and chickpea-y. All started to use aup a butternut squash, which is just about still the main ingredient...


You can tell I grew up in a big family - cooking for one does not come naturally to me. But that's what freezers are for, and most of the portions are frozen with rice so extremely easy dinners.

I really do enjoy cooking(when I can be bothered), but glad to have a very kind housemate who actually did most of the dishes :o :oops: :D
In my experience, many curries freeze well, but potato, squash, and pumpkin sometimes are mealy tasting after freezing. I may be just defrosting them too abruptly. Dals (lentils), chickpeas, and beans freeze and defrost well.
I'm a 53-year-old mom and non-profit CEO
I am 5' 7.5"
Began No S at 184#, BMI 28.4 - 9/25/2017
Current weight: 181#, BMI 27.9, 12/19/2022

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue Mar 27, 2018 5:44 pm

27th March: green

Breakfast: toast with peanut butter and banana
Lunch: cheese sandwich and grapes
Dinner: fish pie and peas

So when I said vegetarian, I meant pescatarian- I love fish :)

And I freeze everything. Maybe I'm just not picky, but I haven't found anything I don't like defrosted/reheated. Pasta goes a bit mushy, but even that doesn't particularly bother me...

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Mar 27, 2018 6:12 pm

Recently, I had some pretty tough turkey I had cooked awhile ago. I couldn't remember having that happen before, but maybe I wasn't sensitive to it. I'm eating up all the food in fridge and freezer and am more limited in choices so I may have had higher expectations!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed Mar 28, 2018 5:53 pm

28th March: green

Breakfast: coconut peanut butter and banana on toast
Lunch: cheese sandwich, grapes
Dinner: veg chilli and rice

There were so many cake and biscuit opportunities today but I resisted them all, despite going to bed far too late last night and therefore being rather tried. Half a day of work left before a two week holiday. Not going anywhere too exciting though (just visiting my parents for half the time), so sensible eating should still be achievable.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Wed Mar 28, 2018 6:28 pm

The refined flour/sugar offerings seem never to end.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Thu Mar 29, 2018 3:03 am

Can you even imagine what life would be like if we had to make everything from scratch? Wow, mind-boggling! And safe to say we'd be eating far less of the "particle food" as oolala has called it!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Friyay
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 4:16 pm

Post by Friyay » Thu Mar 29, 2018 4:39 am

Mmmm, adding coconut to peanut butter banana toast sounds amaaaaaazing. The sweetened shredded coconut of our youths, or the chunkier and less-sweet stuff you can get now?

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Thu Mar 29, 2018 4:44 am

I think it's the coconut oil, no?
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu Mar 29, 2018 5:37 am

The coconut peanut butter has oil added, like oola said. It's a very smooth, almost fluffy, texture, and isn't overwhelmingly coconutty, just a hint. It's nice, but I'm not sure I'd get it again as I like my peanut butter crunchier. Also it has honey added, which you can't taste (luckily- I don't like honey), but I'd rather have completely unsweetened peanut butter. Still, nice to try something new.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:31 pm

Just below your post today, there were adds for the coconut peanut butter in creamy and crunchy. The clairvoyant internet!

I've gotten pretty sensitive to just about any sweetness in PB and boy, does it make it seductive. I never get the idea to scoop the plain kind out by the soup ladle, but when I see an ad for a big jar of the mainstream kind, the image of doing that, and the sensation of what it would be like to eat it by the gobs (distressingly attractive) jump up. But as the recommended advice goes for dealing with a narcissist, having cultivated the habit of "do not engage" lets me move on. whew
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu Mar 29, 2018 9:39 pm

29th March:red

Breakfast: cheese omlette
Lunch: cheese sandwich and grapes
Snack: tiny packet of mini chocolate eggs, large packet of hula hoops
Dinner: fish and chips and fruit salad

Well. Maybe I should not have even tried to keep the last day of term a normal day. I was home from work by 3pm, and had spent most of the morning turning down chocolate. My mind definitely thinks leaving work is food time, even when I leave several hours earlier... I couldn't even eat dinner early as I was going out to a church supper. Probably just the mini eggs would have done, but they were so sweet they made me feel weird and the hula hoops did help with that. There was also the whole "well there will be two courses at the church supper, so may as well turn the day red so you can have fruit salad" thought....

Ah well, mark it and move on. And be grateful that I at least didn't eat all the cake that was in the staffroom at lunch time. Tomorrow is a new day, but one I am spending making chocolate nests with children so perhaps may not be the most successful!

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sat Mar 31, 2018 9:05 am

30th March so red

Yesterday was doomed from when I woke up and couldn't find my bread (I think it's still in the car...), had no milk and was in a rush so ended up buying a packet of rubbish croissants from the shop on the way to the church kids morning I was helping at. And eating too many of them. Followed by a lot of chocolate mini eggs and a hot cross bun or two. Slightly rescued the day from lunch time onwards (just a tuna melt toastie) though I did have another croissant and hot cross bun, but kind of as part of dinner, which was just salad.

I'm not sure whether to try and make today green (even though it's Saturday) or just give up till Monday...

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sat Mar 31, 2018 7:44 pm

31st March: s day

Breakfast: a hot cross bun, grapes, banana
Lunch: nut roast with tomato sauce, a slice of ham with parsley sauce, new potatoes, green beans, carrots
Snack: half an easter egg, a handful of cashew nuts

Well it was all going reasonably smoothly until I caved and opened my easter egg. I really just can't stop with stuff like that... But having said that, I did stop. And now I've left it in the car so I can't get it out and finish it while packing... I might have toast/pb in a bit but I'm not particularly hungry.

So, March is over. My most red month so far. What have I learnt?

1) I need carbs for breakfast. Almost all the red days I had run out of bread or milk so improvised with eggs and ended up hangry by 10am. So much as protein is supposed to fill you up, I need some bread or oats to keep me going.

2) I need to think about what kind of days could be s-days. Perhaps if I'd had one of Thursday or Friday this week as an s-day day, I would have been able to control myself a little better. Thursday was the last day of school and Friday good Friday. Maybe bank holidays should be s-days?

3) I can get back on the wagon! When I had those two red days together on a Monday and Tuesday, I thought that was it. I imagined months of eating whatever, but I stopped. I got back to green and it was fine. And I still lost weight because two slightly crazy days in a week is better than five.

I've not posted actual numbers before, because that's not the only reason I'm doing this. But if anyone is reading and wants to know if it works for losing weight, then yes. It's slow though, but it works.

Since January I have lost 7.4 kg.
My BMI has gone from 29.7 (almost obese) to 27.6 (solidly in the middle of overweight)

My aim is to get out of overweight, but not sure I've ever been out of it since I was a teenager... We'll see!

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Sun Apr 01, 2018 6:03 pm

It's very good to see that you CAN stop compulsive eating. It works against us to keep saying "I just can't stop when I start," instead of just recognizing that it's really hard and we haven't practiced it much. At the same time, we can also think, well, it takes a lot of effort to stop, so maybe I'll just not engage in the battle by starting. It's a subtle difference in thinking, but I believe it's significant. It involves more pride than thinking that you're too weak.

I have seen more people fail at trading S days than succeed, but it's your call. I ahven't made a scientific study, but I'd say it works more with people who have at least one weekend day on which there is almost never a reason to want an S- no habitual social events or strong rituals of enjoying S's. If you do it, take the whole month to experiment. Try not to flip back and forth because it gets hard.

In any case, the most important thing seems to me to be to work on not letting WTH take over if you do fail.

All just IMHO. :)
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sun Apr 01, 2018 8:41 pm

1st April: s day

Breakfast: a hot cross bun, a croissant, a banana
Snack: two small biscuits, a packet of crisps
Lunch: ham, mashed potato, mashed swede, cavalo Nero, Apple crumble and custard
Snack: a couple of pieces of chocolate
Dinner: ham sandwich

Happy Easter!

Definitely an s-day day but not as wild as it could have been.

I wasn't really that serious about swapping Saturday this week, and the needing to think about which days could be s-days was about special s-days... Saturday and Sunday work well as s-days for me.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon Apr 02, 2018 9:52 pm

2nd April : green

Breakfast: ham sandwich, fruit salad, banana
Lunch: Ham sandwich
Dinner: beef and bean stew with rice

So much for vegetarianism- we have a lot of ham leftovers! I'm visiting my parents and today we drove up to their new house. It had flooded while they were away at their old house (they're splitting their time until my mum retires in the summer). I can really recommend mopping floors and pulling up carpets for distracting you from food!

Hopefully this green Monday will have set me up for a green week, and probably a busy one making sure this house is dry!

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue Apr 03, 2018 10:17 pm

3rd April: green

Breakfast: porridge with banana and peanut butter
Lunch: Staffordshire oatcake (it's like an oaty savoury pancake/crepe) with bacon and cheese
Dinner: roast veg and cous cous with harissa dressing

And let's try this again, while the going is likely to be good for a while
Steps: 16,000

Had a funny conversation with my mum this morning when she asked what I couldn't eat. I think it's a sign that I really don't see no s as restrictive when I couldn't work out what she was asking. It took a while for her to get the answer she was looking for, but in my head it's not really no s, it's "one plate, three times a day". Not quite as catchy though!

Glad my dad suggested oatcakes for lunch. A holiday treat, but one that fits easily with no s. I was a bit worried it wouldn't fill me up till dinner (as an oatcake is a bit smaller than a crepe, although quite a bit thicker), but they're surprisingly filling especially with lots of cheese in! I was definitely hungry by dinner time, but we had been on a good walk in the afternoon.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed Apr 04, 2018 7:02 pm

4th April: green

Breakfast: porridge with banana and peanut butter
Lunch: halloumi, red pepper, onion, green salad, baguette
Dinner: salmon, potatoes, broccoli, carrots

Steps: 10,000

I watched my mum eat a scone earlier. Complete role reversal, but I survived. Also dinner was tough. My parents linger over the dinner table, which is lovely and sociable, but a little tough when they get out the cheese and crackers. After the ice cream. But I can say no. And I'm glad they don't feel like they can't eat what they want. And I've posted here now to stop myself giving in to any further temptations. I think all my meals were quite light today so n that's why I'm still a bit peckish...

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Thu Apr 05, 2018 1:53 am

May I ask how it was a role reversal with the scone?

No S can confuse people who are used to fussy diets. Was she asking so that she could accommodate you, which would be touching?

I would have a hard time, too, with people continuing to pick at food during a sweet social time after dinner, but it's doable and worth it. That being said, I asked for a to-go container at a restaurant last weekend right when my entree came and then forgot to divide the portion right away. Over conversation with a new friend, I ended up eating somewhere between a little and way more than I would have if I had not been looking at the remaining raviolis still swimming in sauce and the bread basket still half full. Well, at least some of the raviolis are in the freezer and on the list for lunch Friday.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu Apr 05, 2018 8:58 am

It was a role reversal because my mum is not normally one for sweet things/cake/scones and is happy to just have a coffee in a cafe, whereas I find it hard to turn down a scone!

Yeah, she definitely thought it was a fussy thing. She is used to catering for vegans/people with allergies etc so maybe she was a bit disappointed that it was so straight forward :P

Marina
Posts: 61
Joined: Sat Jun 03, 2017 2:37 pm
Location: Brazil

Post by Marina » Thu Apr 05, 2018 11:51 am

My parents spent easter with me and it was a xomplete role reversal as they were snacking all day long and must've eaten around 12 times!

Being able to say no was a discovery for me. It' s hard when everybody is still eatings bits of everything and you're still seating together at the table though. I usually try to drink a big glass of water slowly and sometimes it helps.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Thu Apr 05, 2018 2:44 pm

I try to think of my brother and nephew-in-law. When they're done, they're done. They can sit at the table on and on and not take another bite. It's not discipline in their cases, though. I think eating any more would just cross the line of discomfort and they subconsciously don't want to do it. I am not like them, but it's okay. It didn't stop my brother from becoming pre-diabetic. He was a thin sugar freak. I say was because in his senior years, he has gained some weight Still not really overweight, though.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu Apr 05, 2018 8:08 pm

5th April: green

Breakfast: oatcake with cheese and mushroom
Lunch: club sandwich (chicken, bacon, egg, lettuce, tomato) with chips
Dinner: boiled duck egg, toast, celery, grapes

Steps: 5,200

Much easier green day... Probably helped by the big meals. Had a very light dinner as I was still full from lunch...

The low step count can be blamed on my granny :P She's pretty mobile for someone in their 90s, but not quite up for any trekking across fields!

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Apr 06, 2018 11:11 pm

6th April: red, technically

Breakfast: porridge with peanut butter and banana
Lunch: Thai sweet potato soup, bread, cheese, a couple of chunks of ham
Dinner: Turkish mezze and grill selection (lots of meat, quite a bit of cheese, falafel, hummus, pastry things, some rice, some salad), a tiny bit of Turkish delight

Steps: 10,000

So I was so impressed with how green that had stayed (despite a lunch at my cousin's (see above about slow, sociable lunches) and a train journey (I never realised till today how much I associate train travel with snacking)), then my sister (who I am now visiting) suggested her favourite Turkish restaurant for dinner and I agreed, forgetting that it is somewhere where it is easiest to share dishes...
My sister and I shared a mezze platter and then a mixed grill. I probably had slightly more than half and ate a little more than I should have (I feel a bit stuffed), but it was all so delicious that I don't regret it. I'm glad that the rest of the day was sensible and that I didn't get back from the restaurant and eat a load of chocolate (my sister always has a bowl of chocolates out as she is able to just taken one every now and again).

Perhaps I should have suggested we ate there tomorrow (Saturday) or I could have decided that it would be an S Event, but I'm keeping it red because I think I need to learn to stop in a restaurant when I'm full, not carry on and clear the plate just because it's delicious! Also I did try the Turkish delight (it came with the bill), which is definitely sweet. I was just curious as to what it tasted like, but I could (/should) have left it. But not really a red red day, just an event that was ok but could perhaps have been greener...

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sat Apr 07, 2018 11:32 pm

7th April: most definitely an s-day day

Breakfast: toast and scrambled egg, pain au chocolat
Lunch: a couple of chips, sausage roll, cake, soup, small piece of bread, hot chocolate
Snack: tortilla chips (handful)
Dinner: chorizo and red pepper risotto, Cornetto ice cream, small chocolate egg

Steps: 15,000

Quite a bitty lunch as we were at an open air museum so limited by when the queues for the food places were shortest. At least it made for a lot of steps, and the bakery stuff (sausage roll especially) was delicious!

Also, my sister has so much sweet stuff in her house! She is very slim (as is her husband), and can just leave it/have one, so it's everywhere! She's also a grazer (doing day trips with her is often a continuous stream of snacks), which I struggle to do sensibly. Good job I'm only at her house for the weekend! Also good job that she's pretty active (they don't have a car, so lots of walking out of necessity and also because they like walking) so I'll definitely get lots of moving in while I'm visiting.

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Sun Apr 08, 2018 12:08 am

I often wonder how much of slim vs not has to do with genetics/metabolism, and how much with "getting into a thing." Does your sister go light on the chocolates because her body isn't prompting her to eat more, or because they don't have the "you mustn't" label on them, or because when she does eat them her body deals with it gracefully? The great mystery.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sun Apr 08, 2018 10:44 pm

8th April: S day

Breakfast: boiled eggs and toast
Snack: half a slice of chocolate cake
Lunch: fish and chips
Snack: cornetto ice cream
Dinner: half a jacket potato, tuna mayo, leeks

Steps: 13,000

So that looks like quite a lot of food, but it's been a busy and active day so it doesn't feel like that much... I'll be interested to see if I've lost weight this week after a slightly heavy weekend food-wise but with lots of walking. I'll find out on Tuesday when I'm back with my scales.

As for my sister's slimness- I think I'm her case it's a combination of lots of things- she was ill as a child and had lots of allergies, so that might still have an impact. She is also constantly moving (she is a fidgeter and terrible at doing nothing), which must burn some calories. It's a bit frustrating that she can think so little about what she eats (she does try to eat lots of veg etc, it's not like she has an unhealthy diet) and stay slim, but if we were all the same, the world would be a very boring place.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon Apr 09, 2018 8:43 pm

9th April: green

Breakfast: two fried eggs and toast
Lunch: pork burrito
Dinner: chicken salad sandwich, crisps, smoothie

Steps: 18,000 (but I'm not home yet, so will probably go over 19,000 by the time I get to bed)

Been waiting for that burrito ever since I got to my sister's- there's so many great food places in her city. I managed to avoid any of the cake places, even though it was tempting. The great weather helped, meant I walked (and walked and walked) rather than sitting in cafés. Considering I was by myself all day and I did a lot of traveling (I'm on the train home now), I'm pleased I stayed green. Worth not buying a packet of chocolate to get me through the last part of the journey-tea will be enough!

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue Apr 10, 2018 7:16 pm

10th April: green

Breakfast: porridge with banana and peanut butter
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, cucumber, grapes
Dinner: veg curry and rice

Steps: 15,000

Back to cooking for myself. I've stayed at exactly the same weight since I went away (just over a week ago). I was surprised by how frustrating I found that, so have given myself a talking to (the point is not to lose weight, you would have put weight on during a week away in the past, you've probably gained a little muscle etc etc). I'll get over it.

Still another few non-work n days before it's back to the grindstone on Monday.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:23 pm

10th April: green

Breakfast: one slice of toast, peanut butter and a banana
Lunch: sushi
Dinner: salmon, potatoes, green salad, cucumber

Steps:9,600 (edit 20 mins later: 10,000)

Technically lunch was not all on one plate as my brother was making it as we were eating (and then I had a go, then my sister and my brother-in-law). But it would have fitted all on one plate and I was left a bit peckish (I don't find sushi that filling, but it is fun to make). I'm still a bit peckish now, so pretty pleased I have not succumbed to chocolatey temptation.

Steps were hard work today. First day I actually had to make an effort as I had no active plans. So I walked 2/3rds of the way to work with my brother then looped round back to my car. I also walked to church for a meeting and walked back even though I was offered a lift (it's only an eight minute walk). I wish I could get to 10,000, but running up and down the stairs at 10:30pm strikes me as a little obsessive. I might get a couple of hundred more in if I go down for a cuppa before bed... Do some purposeful striding while the kettle is boiling :lol:

Edited to add: made it ten thousand steps. Only a couple of goes up and down the steps while the kettle was boiling

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Wed Apr 11, 2018 10:50 pm

Gratz on the 10K steps!

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu Apr 12, 2018 5:10 pm

12th April: green

Breakfast: two little croissants
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich and grapes
Dinner: veg chilli and rice

Steps: 7500

I'm weirdly stiff now, so not bothered about getting any more steps in. I spent a good chunk of the day at work sorting out my horrible cupboard (it's more of a small room and I've been letting the chaos build up since I started working at this school nearly two years ago), which might have caused the stiffness (lots of crawling around on the floor/reaching up high etc). It also made me tired and quite grumpy (because I didn't finish so I have to go in again tomorrow) so I'm glad not to have treated my grumpiness with chocolate.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Apr 13, 2018 6:05 pm

13th April: green

Breakfast: porridge with coconut peanut butter and banana
Lunch: bread and butter, cheese salad sandwich, grapes
Dinner: fish pie with green beans

Steps: 4000 ->7000

I'm so hungry today. Hence the tower of bread on my lunch plate. I could eat a whole other plate of fish pie. But I'm not going to. I might, however, go for a walk while the sun is (vaguely) shining, before some friends come round. To watch the final Masterchef - well that will really help with the hunger :?

Edit to add: So I made it for a quick walk, and then people arrived with many snacks (crisps and strawberries). I almost had a strawberry (on the "well they are healthy" reasoning), but I restrained. And it is now past midnight so technically Saturday, but I've decided a late night strawberry/chocolate/crisp feast is not a good precedent to set. So still green. Phew.

ladybird30
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by ladybird30 » Sat Apr 14, 2018 12:48 am

Well done on resisting the snack with friends temptation. Food + friends is hard for social eaters to deal with. The "healthy snack so it is OK" is a common rationalisation for eating more than we need.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sat Apr 14, 2018 7:19 pm

14th April: S day

Breakfast: French toast and strawberries
Lunch: cheese and bacon burger and chips
Dinner: berry and banana smoothie, more strawberries, crisps, chocolate

Steps: 11,000

Not exactly the healthiest, but it could have been worse. Plus all those steps were from a lovely walk in the sunshine so I am very cheery 8) :)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon Apr 16, 2018 6:05 pm

15th April: An s day that involved a whole packet of chocolate chip cookies for lunch. Enough said...

16th April:green

Breakfast: porridge with coconut peanut butter and banana
Lunch: cheese and cucumber sandwich, grapes
Dinner: fish fingers, baked potato and baked beans

Steps: 10,000 thanks to a meandering walk to the shop for milk

Could have done with some more veg, but oh well. Back to work with a bump. Urgh work is tiring. And we have two parents' evenings this week, which mean leaving work a good hour or so later than usual. Which will make me hungry hungry by the time I get home... Luckily my freezer was getting rather full so I'm just reheating things for dinner this week.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:51 pm

17th April: green

Breakfast: porridge with banana and coconut peanut butter
Lunch: cheese sandwich, strawberries (stewed) and yoghurt
Dinner: veg chilli and rice

Steps: 8200

Made it through parents' evening. I had a long break in the middle with no appointments though, so I walked in some of that time. Round and round the staffroom (past the biscuit tin), to the library, past the printer... A scenic stroll indeed! Normally Tuesday is my least active day as I have planning time all afternoon so I'm not even walking round the classroom, so I'm pleased I've got to nearly 10,000. I really did intend on walking to work, but I just can't make myself get out of bed in time!

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:48 pm

18th April: green

Breakfast: toast and two eggs
Lunch: cheese sandwich, yoghurt and stewed strawberry
Dinner: ham, mashed potato, cavalo Nero and swede

Steps: will be well over 10,000 by bed time. Currently at 9,800

Half way to the weekend!

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu Apr 19, 2018 7:27 pm

19th April: red

Breakfast: toast with peanut butter and banana, a few slices of peach
Lunch: cheese sandwich, more peach slices, yoghurt
Dinner: half a pizza, spinach, carrot, a milkshake

Snack: another slice of pizza, peaches, a taste of fruit cake, Easter egg

Steps: 14,000

It is summer here now, we seem to have skipped right over spring. So I walked to work, which was nice. And treated myself to a more summery dinner as all my warming meals in the freezer didn't really appeal. The milkshake is totally s- just milk, yoghurt and berries. But I did eat (/drink) it before the pizza was done cooking :oops: Ah well, I'm sure I could have squeezed the glass onto my plate, if I'd shuffled up the spinach leaves.

Edit to change from green to red: so turns out pizza is my gateway drug. I mean food. Or it might have been peaches. I went back into the kitchen to put away the leftover pizza and somehow a sice made it into my mouth rather than my lunchbox. I was kind of happy to justify it as a "well you'll have less lunch tomorrow so that will serve you right", but then the peaches were calling my name. It's just a can of peaches but so juicy and delicious. Probably too sweet to really count as not an s anyway (although they were just canned in juice, not syrup), so maybe I'll avoid completely in the future. Then it was a WTH ten minutes.

Not sure why that happened, but to be honest I don't massively regret it. I think it's partly that getting home at 7:30 is too late and I'm tired from too much work. Also it's so warm that it feels like the holidays and time to relax. And maybe my dinner was not s-enough...

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:11 pm

April 20th: red

Breakfast: toast with peanut butter and banana
Lunch: pizza, spinach and carrot
Dinner: Chinese dumplings, chicken wings, greens and rice

Steps: 8,800

Until I started typing, I was going to count today as green. But then it just didn't feel honest, so red it is... My friend brought a few different things from the Asian supermarket over for dinner, and because some of them I hadn't tried before, I just put one of each thing on my plate first to try, to see which I wanted more of. That would have been fine (a kind of virtual plating), except not black and white enough for me so I ended up topping my plate up several times and definitely ate a little too much.

But on the positive side of things, I managed to be home from work for two hours without eating anything (normally as soon as in walk in the door, I start getting dinner ready). I didn't finish the rice off, even though there was a finish off-able amount left. And I didn't get out any chocolate after dinner.

On another positive now, someone at work commented on my weight loss. Now altough I'n not doing it for other people, it was surprisingly encouraging to hear that there is a noticeable difference happening.
Last edited by flyingpig on Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

Soprano
Posts: 1184
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:56 pm
Location: UK

Post by Soprano » Sat Apr 21, 2018 5:28 am

Sounds like a good day despite the red. One red in a sea of green is really nothing to worry about.

Well done on your progress :)

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:10 am

Thanks for the encouragement, but it was actually two reds in a small pond of green. :P
But a controlled-ish red so not too bothered.

idontknow
Posts: 814
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:43 pm
Location: UK

Post by idontknow » Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:45 am

Hi - I’m a teacher too and struggle with late meetings, parents evenings etc. One solution I’ve found is to eat lunch at the end of the school day. I have a cup of tea at lunchtime but I’m usually so busy that I don’t notice if im hungry. Things are usually a bit less manic at the end of the day too so I get a bit of a breather. I then find that I can easily wait until later to eat dinner. Just a suggestion - it will be harder if yours is the type of school where everyone gathers to eat lunch together. :D

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Apr 27, 2018 6:03 pm

So I decided I was spending too much time online, so going for a weekly summary instead:

Weekend: extremely chocolate-filled s days
Monday: red (a child in my class made biscuits for their homework, so obviously I had to try one.... which would have been fine, except then I ate a slice of cheesecake too)
Tues-Fri: green

So any future homework baking I will "save for later".

I was sure I couldn't have lost any weight (I ate so so much chocolate at the weekend), but I'd lost a whole 0.2kg. Yay! :P And now there is no chocolate in my house so should be ok.

Oh and I have considered eating lunch later, but I think I'm grumpy enough with my class in the afternoon when I've eaten. Think I'd be a little too hangry to be patient! And I do usually go to the staffroom, though I have just shoved my sandwich in top speed the past few days...

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue May 08, 2018 6:10 pm

Well weekly summary was a bad idea! Last week was an absolute disaster. A combination of trying too many new things at once, losing all motivation, not sleeping properly, hormones and a complete lack of planning led to 3/5 weekdays being red and one of the green ones involving McDonald's.... I put on weight and I felt rubbish.
So I had an S weekend, not just food-wise but lots of sleep, sun and strolls too. I included the bank holiday yesterday as an s day and now I'm ready to go! Back to daily check-ins till I am back on the wagon properly.

Tuesday 8th May: green

Breakfast: 2 Weetabix with blueberries, milk and a banana
Lunch: cheese sandwich, cucumber, orange pepper, cherry tomatoes, grapes
Dinner: salmon, potatoes, broccoli and carrots

Steps: 14,000

Weetabix are my new go to breakfast, especially in hot weather. So much quicker to eat than porridge, so that's a bonus, but they're not delicious. Better with a generous handful of blueberries to make them more exciting. They fill me up more than I thought they did, although today I was very hungry by lunch time. Probably didn't help that I wasn't actually teaching in the hour before lunch so no children to distract me from my hunger. And also that I've had a second breakfast the past two (s) days :oops:
Walking is easy in the beautiful weather we've been having since Friday. Sunshine makes me wake up super early so yesterday I had an early morning wander round central London- I can really recommend sightseeing before 9am on a bank holiday. And today I had plenty of time to walk to work. The clouds are coming tomorrow though (and the temperature dropping by ten degrees) so we'll see how walking goes in less glorious weather.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu May 10, 2018 5:29 am

Wednesday 9th May: red

Breakfast: Weetabix, blueberries, banana
Lunch: cheese sandwich, orange pepper, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, grapes
Dinner: pasta with roasted vegetables and mozzarella
Snack: cheese sandwich. Only one slice of bread but lots of cheese.

It was so not worth going red for a cheese sandwich. I was making a week's worth of sandwiches to freeze and I accidentally put too much cheese on the bread and didn't have another slice of bread to put on top. So I made it into a sandwich anyway but instead of freezing it (my thought was "when will I ever use one slice of bread's worth of sandwich?"), I ate it. Foolish...
Note to self: pay more attention when making sandwiches. And just freeze any amount, it would have been fine to have half a sandwich with soup or something....
Last edited by flyingpig on Thu May 10, 2018 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu May 10, 2018 7:02 pm

Thursday 10th May: red

Breakfast: Weetabix, blueberries, banana
Lunch: cheese sandwich, cucumber, pepper, cherry tomatoes, grapes
Snack: cake
Dinner: chicken, mashed potato, veg

Urgh. It was so easy in January. Now one late meeting and I fall at cake temptation. I even considered taking my dinner to work to eat in the four hours between school finishing and the meeting starting. Then I thought I should stop being silly and that 8pm wasn't even that late for dinner. Well, turns out it's pretty late if you know there's cake in the staffroom and you've had a bad afternoon. I should have come home and eaten in those four hours. Why am I getting worse at this rather than better?

Tombo
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 2:18 pm
Location: UK

Post by Tombo » Thu May 10, 2018 7:05 pm

Sorry to hear about that flyingpig, looks like you didn't let it derail you for the rest of the day though!

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri May 11, 2018 6:54 pm

Friday 11th May: green

Breakfast: Weetabix, blueberries, banana
Lunch: cheese sandwich, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, grapes
Dinner: veg curry and rice

Steps: 9000

Woo made it 2/4 green. That's better than last week's 2/5... And I ate dinner at the amazingly late 7:30pm. Woop.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sat May 12, 2018 10:22 pm

Saturday 12th May: s day

Breakfast: croissant and a custardy pastry with fruit on it
Snack: hummus and red pepper
Lunch: poached egg and bread
Dinner: butternut squash and chickpea tagine with couscous
Snack: a few spoonfuls of cheese sauce and meat sauce while making lasagne for tomorrow

A rather sensible s day. Very sedate though, only left the house to collect my shopping (didn't even walk round the supermarket as I'd ordered online and then just had to collect). Not even 3000 steps. But I enjoyed my lazy day and not using it as an excuse to eat all the things.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sun May 13, 2018 8:19 pm

Sunday 13th May: s day

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana sandwich, a bit of fruit while making fruit salad
Lunch: lasagne, garlic bread and salad followed by fruit salad and ice cream
Dinner: small plate of lasagne, large bowl of ice cream. And then a bit more ice cream.

All going pretty controlled and fine until the ice cream called my name. I was tempted to eat all of it but I did stop after one helping of seconds. So just got to resist it all week! I don't normally have stuff like that in the house, too tempting, but this is the disadvantage to having people round for Sunday lunch. Ideas for desserts that will not give me delicious leftovers to resist very welcome!

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon May 14, 2018 5:55 pm

Monday 14th May: green

Breakfast: one slice of toast, one poached egg, fruit salad
Lunch: cheese sandwich, green salad, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, fruit salad
Dinner: lasagne and salad

Steps: 15000

I have salad leftovers (of the fruit and leafy variety), can you tell?

Walked to work and took a scenic detour on the way home. We've been told we're "only" allowed to work between 8 and 5:30 or 7:30 and 5 for the next two weeks so hopefully that will cause more walking to work..

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue May 15, 2018 5:12 pm

Tuesday 15th May: green

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast, blueberries
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, cherry tomatoes, red pepper, fruit salad
Dinner: butternut squash and chickpea tagine, cous cous, grapes

Steps: a lowly 6,300...

Two green days in a row, been a while since that's happened.
Rubbish step count- made a vague attempt at cycling to work but couldn't get my bike tyre to pump up so ended up driving. I have done a bit of standing outside (it's lovely and sunny again) so at least got some fresh air.

I was super super hungry at the end of the work day but made it home and added a little serving of grapes to my dinner to bulk it out and keep me going till evening.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed May 16, 2018 5:19 pm

Wednesday 16th May: green

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast, blueberries
Lunch: cheese sandwich, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, grapes
Dinner: chicken, mashed potato, stuffing, cauliflower cheese, broccoli and carrots

Steps: 7600 so far

Three greens. I was hungry today. Hungry hungry. Luckily I was on playground duty at morning break, so no time to find any snacks. Unluckily it was someone's birthday so there was much cake in the staff room at lunch time and the after school staff meeting was also a birthday party with snacks on all the tables. I played with a party hat instead... and managed to resist the temptation to pull party poppers all over the birthday guy's classroom.

Right, just got to make it through this evenings church home group without eating any cake!

ladybird30
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by ladybird30 » Thu May 17, 2018 2:39 am

Congrats on resisting cake.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu May 17, 2018 5:04 pm

Thursday 17th May: green

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast, blueberries
Lunch: cream cheese and cucumber sandwich, cherry tomatoes, grapes
Dinner: roast vegetable pasta with mozzarella

Steps: 8100
Edited 3 hours later: 9600

The green continues. As does the hunger. I was so hungry after work today I wolfed down my dinner so fast it didn't seem to fill me up. Hopefully some cups of tea and keeping busy will do the job.

... and filled my evening with car cleaning (just a quick rinse to slightly de-pollen) and a supermarket shop. The shop wasn't the wisest idea, but I walked quickly down the bakery aisle with all its reduced cookies.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri May 18, 2018 6:20 pm

Friday 18th May: green

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast, blueberries
Lunch: cream cheese and cucumber sandwich, grapes, cherry tomatoes
Dinner: butternut squash and chickpea tagine, cous cos, a pitta bread and mozzarella

Steps: 8400

Woo, a whole green week. It's been a while!
I didn't even think about the ice cream (last mentioned on Sunday) till today on my drive home. I considered having a "woo it's Friday" moment but decided "woo it's Friday" can mean putting a pitta bread and mozzarella on the side of your plate before eating rather than scavenging in the kitchen after dinner.
Last edited by flyingpig on Wed May 23, 2018 9:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sat May 19, 2018 9:10 pm

Saturday 19th May: most definitely an s-day

Breakfast: Weetabix, blueberries, banana, milk
Snack: a few small cakes (those ones that come in tubs)
Lunch: baked potato with beans and cheese, salad, tuna, a few cashews, a veg crisp or two, a cracker with some cheese, strawberries and cream
Snack: ice cream
Dinner: half a tuna and cheese toastie, salad

Steps: 8300 (but I'm not home)

We had a bit of a gathering for the royal wedding, hence the rather snacky and large lunch. I love that I can do that and not feel guilty at all because that's what s days are for. I do wish I hadn't eaten the ice cream because I think I only had it to make myself feel better when I cut my hand washing up. Ah well, at least it's finished and not in my freezer any more.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon May 21, 2018 5:50 pm

Sunday 20th May: definitely an s day

Went to a big BBQ, a bring and share one. Let's just say it was a good job it was an s day.

Monday 21st May: green

Breakfast: Weetabix with blueberries and a banana
Lunch: cream cheese salad sandwich, cherry tomatoes, red pepper, grapes
Dinner: salmon, a baked potato, sweetcorn, tomato and mozzarella salad, watermelon

Steps: 10,000

I cycled to work today. I am tired out now! It was quicker than walking, and a lovely route along the canal, but not sure the palaver as worth the fifteen minutes time saved each way. Much more sweaty after cycling though, so probably much better exercise than walking... We'll see if it becomes a regular thing.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue May 22, 2018 7:43 pm

Tuesday 22nd May: either a red or an S for sick day

Breakfast: weetabix, blueberries, a banana
Lunch: cream cheese and cucumber sandwich, red pepper, grapes, mango
Snack: small piece of cake
Dinner: chicken nuggets, chips, oreo mc flurry

My throat feels like sandpaper. But I'm not entirely sure cake and ice cream are good treatments for sore throats. Hopefully an early night (along with the 2 hour nap I had as soon as I got in from work) will do me good and I'll be back on green tomorrow.
Last edited by flyingpig on Mon May 28, 2018 10:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed May 23, 2018 8:10 pm

Wednesday: still a bit sick but green

Breakfast: toasted pitta bread, peanut butter and banana, blueberries
Lunch: cream cheese and cucumber sandwich, mango, watermelon
Dinner: roast veg pasta and cheese

I woke up with no voice but feeling much better. A cup of tea and a cough restored my voice, but I felt worse as the day went on. Shame I have a job where I have to talk. But a green day was still achievable, even if I did accidentally have a nap rather than go to my bible study group.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu May 24, 2018 5:27 pm

Thursday 24th May: still sightly ill, still green

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast, blueberries
Lunch: cream cheese and cucumber sandwich, carrot, watermelon, mango
Dinner: ham, mashed potato, sweetcorn and peas

Throat a bit less sore, but voice a bit more croaky. I also ache like I've run miles, but I've moved as little as possible. Hopefully I'll be better by Saturday when the holidays start. Can get myself into work (because being off sick is more stressful, I don't like it when my class are not in my control :lol: ), but not sure I'd be up for much holiday fun at the moment...

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon May 28, 2018 10:52 pm

Friday 25th: red

Part of me wonders why I even try keeping the last Friday before a holiday green... had cake after lunch and chocolate éclairs after dinner.

Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th: s-days

Reasonably sensible ones, though with plenty of ice cream as it is once again lovely and hot here. Did 15000 steps on Saturday and 10000 on Sunday, so at least I didn't just sit still while eating the ice cream (on Sunday I genuinely did walk while eating ice cream... I melted nearly as much as the ice cream 8) )

Monday 28th May: green

Breakfast: weetabix with blueberries
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, carrot sticks, cucumber, strawberries
Dinner: mackrel, rice, green pepper, onion, spinach

Steps: 16000

My quest for the week off is to stay green and stay active. So far so good, especially considering today was a bank holiday. I went on a day trip with a friend and packed a really big lunch so I wouldn't be tempted to partake in cake or ice cream stops. It was a success and I didn't even eat all my lunch (there were lots of carrot and cucumber sticks left over, and a pot of radishes and cherry tomatoes I didn't even open). I did have a can of lemonade to drink, but I don't really count drinks as Ss even though they're sweet because they're not a regular habit. The main thing is not having a piece of cake with said lemonade.

In other news, I have now officially lost over 10kg. My BMI is still solidly in overweight, but it's in the lower half of it. I was getting a bit frustrated with the number of reds this month, but thinking about it even most of the red days aren't as bad as a normal day was before no-s. And clearly it is working.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue May 29, 2018 10:09 pm

Tuesday 29th May: I'm going to count it as green

Breakfast: coconut peanut butter and banana on toast
Lunch: crackers and tortilla chips, dips, veggies, melon, satsuma
Dinner: fried egg sandwich

Steps: 6200

So lunch was way more nibbly than usually allowed, but we were having a picnic provided by my aunt and the plates were really small so I had to improvise. It was all really healthy stuff, the kind that takes up lots of space while not being that filling, so if I'd put it on my plate I would have had to pile it high and look rather greedy. So I I nibbled, but not too crazily. I also said no to a shortbread biscuit twice and to a slice of cake later in the day.
Couldn't do more steps as was busy all day helping clear my great aunt's house. Tiring (and time consuming as it took nearly two hours to drive there and two hours back) but not much walking involved.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed May 30, 2018 7:08 pm

Wednesday 30th May: green

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast
Lunch: cream cheese and ham sandwich, blueberries and strawberries with greek yoghurt
Dinner: butternut squash tagine with cous cous and extra spinach

Steps: 7400

Boy was I hangry by dinner time. Probably because we had lunch bang on midday and then I spent the late afternoon/evening driving (which I do not enjoy) and it was well past seven by the time I got home. I would have liked to do more steps, but not had time. Did do some fridge lifting (the driving was to pick up a new fridge) so that's exercise I guess.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Jun 01, 2018 7:28 am

Thursday 31st May: green

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast, blueberries
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, carrot and cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes, radishes
Dinner: falafel in pitta bread with red pepper and tomato salsa and spinach

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Jun 01, 2018 9:56 pm

Friday 1st June: green

Breakfast: eggy bread and ketchup
Lunch: falafel in pitta bread with red pepper and tomato salsa, lettuce and spinach
Dinner: chicken fajitas with salad

I was offered ice cream several times after dinner and I turned it down every time. Go me. Glad tomorrow is the weekend as I'm at a training weekend for the summer camp I help at and I'm sure there will be pudding after every meal. Which has got me thinking about what I'll do at camp itself - think it'll just have to be an S-week as food/meals are an important part of camp. Maybe I'll make temporary camp guidelines, like pudding is ok but not snacking or seconds? Got a while to think about it anyway as camp isn't till August...

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed Jun 06, 2018 9:53 pm

Well the weekend was pretty S-y and then the last three days have been a disaster. Monday I ate a packet of cookies after dinner, yesterday I had microwave cake after dinner and today I ate a (sharing) packet of crisps on my way home followed by a packet of Jaffa cakes :oops: My only excuses (I mean reasons...) are starting back at work, work stress, hormones and tiredness. But I really need alternatives to eating my feelings...

Hopefully admitting my failure here will mean I'm green from tomorrow.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:38 pm

Thursday 7th June: green

Breakfast: weetabix with blueberries and strawberries
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, cucumber and red pepper, cherry tomatoes, grapes and strawberries
Dinner: roast vegetable pasta with cheese, two little oranges

I wonder if the much fruit is maybe confusing my body because its sweet? I'm hoping it's just a coincidence that buying lots of fruit has coincided with a major loss of will power, because I like fruit...
At least today was green...

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Jun 08, 2018 10:07 pm

8th June: green

Breakfast: Weetabix with blueberries and strawberries, a banana
Lunch: cheese and cucumber sandwich, red pepper, strawberries and grapes
Dinner: chicken, new potatoes, roast mediterranean veg, salad, a little orange

Technically I had seconds for dinner, but it was because we had someone round for dinner and we sat at the table for a while. I'm leaving it green because I survived an awful day at work without resorting to food, and even managed to come home and cook properly for our guest without buying any snacks to tide me over. I also resisted the temptation to get/make pudding. I adon't think I ate masses, I didn't put much on my plate to start with so even though I picked at things that were in the table it was almost definitely still one plateful. And I stopped eating long before I was stuffed, so got plenty of leftovers. The chicken said it served three, there were three of us and there's still a portion left. Theres loads of veg etc left too. In days gone by I would definitely have carried on picking at things while tidying up, and I didn't do that either :-)

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon Jun 11, 2018 6:09 pm

So Saturday was almost green except for added fruit. And then a bag of Doritos before dinner and a small chocolate bar after.
Sunday was a bit more of a free for all. I was extremely tired for no obvious reason, so that meant I felt it was ok to eat an ice cream, a sharing bag of crisps and a big bar of chocolate. Ah well, it was an S day.

Monday 11th June: green
Breakfast: Weetabix with blueberries and strawberries
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, cherry tomatoes, red pepper, melon
Dinner: lasagne with cucumber, lettuce and a crusty white roll, a little orange

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue Jun 12, 2018 5:36 pm

Tuesday 12th June: green

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast, strawberries and blueberries
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, cherry tomatoes, red pepper, melon
Dinner: mackerel, rice, veg

Another horrible day at work. I usually like my job but at the moment it is stress central. I'm off to visit a friend to avoid eating my feelings. And also to avoid writing end of year reports.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed Jun 13, 2018 8:32 pm

Wednesday 13th June: red

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on toast, strawberries and blueberries
Lunch: Cheese and cucumber sandwich, cherry tomatoes, red pepper, melon
Dinner: Tofu stir fry with noodles
Followed by all the bread

Seriously self? Work stress is seriously getting to me. And bread is what I have... urgh.
At least I walked to work... but got a lift home...

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:07 am

Thursday 14th June: green

Breakfast: a banana
Lunch: cheese sandwich, red pepper, cucumber, melon
Dinner: salmon, new potatoes, peas and sweetcorn

I accidentally on purpose woke up late hence the lonely banana at breakfast. But I didn't let it throw me, even though I was really hunger by 10am. In a way, a bonus of work being stressful. No time to actually think about snacking during the work day.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:16 pm

Friday 15th June: green

Breakfast: Weetabix, strawberries, blueberries, banana
Lunch: cheese and cucumber sandwich, cherry tomatoes, grapes
Dinner: chilli con carnae with rice and cheeeeese

Another week done. 4/5 days successful... Not too bad.
Next week could be interesting, going away for a residential trip with school Mon-Fri. Probably no internet or time to post. We'll see how that goes..

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon Jun 18, 2018 10:19 pm

Two s days for the weekend

Monday 18th June: green

Breakfast: Weetabix with blueberries and strawberries, banana, grapes
Lunch: cheese roll, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, grapes
Dinner: lasagne, garlic bread, salad

I think this week away will be achievable. We've told the children they're only allowed to the serving area once (the portions are generous), so I shall lead by example. And there are puddings but I can easily not take one of those. Only problem will be continuously being offered snacks by the other teachers. Today I turned down a fruit pie (twice), fruit and pringles.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:37 pm

Tuesday 19th June: green

Breakfast: bacon and sausage sandwich
Lunch: chicken korma, rice, mixed veg
Dinner: fish fingers, chips, baked beans, salad

I miss fruit. Boo for not being in control of your own food. One of the other teachers does have some fruit with them but taking it when offered at random snack times seems a bit S-y.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:43 am

Wednesday 20th June: green

Breakfast: bacon, sausage, hash brown, beans
Lunch: macaroni cheese, cauliflower, salad
Dinner: burger, chips, salad

I'm pretty sure if I ate like this constantly I would definitely not lose any weight. But hey, technically still green.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Sat Jun 30, 2018 5:54 am

Oh whoops, not posted in ages.

Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd were red. I was so tired and kept being offered chocolate, not a good combo.

The weekend was S.

Then this week:
Monday green
Tuesday red
Wednesday green
Thursday red
Friday green

I'm definitely getting worse at this rather than better. I know being tired is a problem for me - when I'm tired I make terrible food choices. But I have had whole weeks green before and I'm almost always tired by Thursday so I can do it. I have a paper calendar where I've marked red days etc and every month has more red than the month before... How do I go back to January's ways???

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Mon Jul 02, 2018 6:59 pm

Monday 2nd July: green

Breakfast: weetabix with blueberries and strawberries, a banana
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, carrot, red pepper, a single cherry tomato, grapes, little orange
Dinner: noodles with courgette, cherry tomatoes, spinach and mozzarella, melon


We're mid-heatwave here so it's all about the minimum cooking involved meals.
As an aside, I didn't really think about how much I link food to the weather before I started posting here, but seems like I do! I am British after all. And we don't normally have snow and then weather so hot and dry there are wildfires all in 3 or 4 months...

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Tue Jul 03, 2018 6:20 pm

Tuesday 3rd July: green

Breakfast: weetabix with blueberries and strawberries, a banana
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, carrots, cherry tomatoes, grapes
Dinner: mackerel, rice, carrots, green pepper, a little orange

And I'm watching a football match without snacking :o
I'm not really the biggest football fan, but feel I should pay vague attention to the world cup. Snacks normally get me through football matches, but I'll be sticking to cups of tea tonight.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Wed Jul 04, 2018 5:37 pm

Wednesday 4th July: green

Breakfast: weetabix with blueberries and strawberries, a banana
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, carrot, cherry tomatoes, grapes, little orange
Dinner: noodles with courgette, cherry tomatoes, spinach and mozzarella, melon

Wow, almost identical food to Monday. In fact, I copied and pasted and then just took out the pepper from lunch and added more tomatoes. But on Monday I was fine and today I'm distinctly peckish. Oh well, cups of tea and an early night it shall have to be.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Jul 06, 2018 6:36 am

Thursday 5th July: green

Breakfast: weetabix with blueberries and strawberries, a banana
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, cherry tomatoes, grapes, little orange
Dinner: chilli con carne, rice, spinach, melon

Almost a whole green week. Sort of cheated yesterday, had a bottle of vanilla milk after dinner, when I went to the supermarket for the weekly shop. But although it may be sweet, it's much better than a tub of ice cream or packet of cookies, both things that seemed to be calling my name as I was shopping... And that was it, I didn't then eat anything else to turn it definitely red, so I'm counting it as green.

Just got to survive feeding my brother today. I've told him if he wants dessert he's got to bring it with him. Hopefully he doesn't bring anything so amazing I can't wait till tomorrow to eat it.

flyingpig
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:43 pm

Post by flyingpig » Fri Jul 06, 2018 8:11 pm

Friday 6th July: green

Breakfast: weetabix with blueberries and strawberries, a banana
Lunch: cheese salad sandwich, cucumber, carrots, cherry tomatoes, grapes
Dinner: steak, chips, salad, two little oranges

Managed to resist my brother's peanut butter kitkat bites. Even though he thought they tasted funny and wanted me to check. I refused. Go me. I am now going to put them in the fridge though because if I keep looking at them, I'll eat them.

Post Reply