Editing now to say - hmm, maybe there IS a difference, appears to be a definite change to my sticky out tum profile shot - and who knows re. the other ones as I didn't take them up close enough (doh!).
Monday, 28 September 2009
Progress (?) pictures
OK so maybe it's too soon to see a result, I don't know if we can or not. But anyway - here are some pictures from today. I guess it's been 3 weeks since I started this - thereabouts...
Editing now to say - hmm, maybe there IS a difference, appears to be a definite change to my sticky out tum profile shot - and who knows re. the other ones as I didn't take them up close enough (doh!).
Editing now to say - hmm, maybe there IS a difference, appears to be a definite change to my sticky out tum profile shot - and who knows re. the other ones as I didn't take them up close enough (doh!).
Harumph, I'm a gainer :-((
I know I haven't updated in a while, but I've been so so busy, trying to get loads done on the PhD and whatnot... anyway my crappy news of the day is - I've gained a pound since last week :-(
And I don't know WHY which has me mightily peed off. I've been SO disciplined - staying within my calories most days and doing more than my target amount of exercise (all walking). I guess I may have built muscle, and perhaps also not having been properly to the toilet for days hasn't helped..... I've also just finished my "moon" of the month. So perhaps I'll be able to weigh in in the morning with a different result.
Anyway other than the crappy scales (which I hate hate hate today), things have been going rather well I feel. I'm actually quite amazed at the loss of weight loss! I've been reacquainting myself with the gorgeous hills that surround my home - always with a 16 month old toddler strapped to my back and often with my 4 year old in reluctant tow (and sometimes with her hanging on to the bar at the back of the backpack on the way up the hill - making for even more fitness building surely).
Determined I certainly am, and I really hope that this set back with the scales doesn't ruin that as I'm emotionally quite a volatile person. I wish wish WISH I'd been taking measurements, at least tummy ones. Maybe I'll start today. Also I think my tummy needs a little help and I perhaps need to start doing situps, oh joy.
Maybe not the most positive post today.
Anyway I had a good week I feel, I've been a bit remiss on taking pics and notes on what I have eaten but every day we've had good wholesome food usually including veg from the garden. Here's one picture to tickle your tastebuds: tilapia fillet with home made pitta (my husband is amazing) and borani - a recipe for a beetroot yoghurt drink from Iran (I think) which the owners of Moro have turned into a lovely sauce for chicken and fish. Also sprouting brocolli from the garden - with I'm afraid a bit of a suprise - juicy steamed caterpillars - oops. I've been obssessive compulsive about washing my veg since then ;-)
Maybe, just maybe I'll take some more pics of my tummy and so on - progress ans all that *sigh*
And I don't know WHY which has me mightily peed off. I've been SO disciplined - staying within my calories most days and doing more than my target amount of exercise (all walking). I guess I may have built muscle, and perhaps also not having been properly to the toilet for days hasn't helped..... I've also just finished my "moon" of the month. So perhaps I'll be able to weigh in in the morning with a different result.
Anyway other than the crappy scales (which I hate hate hate today), things have been going rather well I feel. I'm actually quite amazed at the loss of weight loss! I've been reacquainting myself with the gorgeous hills that surround my home - always with a 16 month old toddler strapped to my back and often with my 4 year old in reluctant tow (and sometimes with her hanging on to the bar at the back of the backpack on the way up the hill - making for even more fitness building surely).
Determined I certainly am, and I really hope that this set back with the scales doesn't ruin that as I'm emotionally quite a volatile person. I wish wish WISH I'd been taking measurements, at least tummy ones. Maybe I'll start today. Also I think my tummy needs a little help and I perhaps need to start doing situps, oh joy.
Maybe not the most positive post today.
Anyway I had a good week I feel, I've been a bit remiss on taking pics and notes on what I have eaten but every day we've had good wholesome food usually including veg from the garden. Here's one picture to tickle your tastebuds: tilapia fillet with home made pitta (my husband is amazing) and borani - a recipe for a beetroot yoghurt drink from Iran (I think) which the owners of Moro have turned into a lovely sauce for chicken and fish. Also sprouting brocolli from the garden - with I'm afraid a bit of a suprise - juicy steamed caterpillars - oops. I've been obssessive compulsive about washing my veg since then ;-)
Maybe, just maybe I'll take some more pics of my tummy and so on - progress ans all that *sigh*
Monday, 21 September 2009
I'm a LOSER, whoop whoop!
I've lost 3 and a half pounds this week, I'm so so chuffed! And I've had some lovely food and great walks in the countryside along the way.
On Saturday I took both kids (Sam was in a backpack) on a walk from the house which turned out to be far longer than anticipated. Largely because we were enjoying it so much, and it had been so long since I had done that walk (possibly even before the kids came along). It's so beautiful where I live. I took them to the "secret cottages" and then on to the forest, and eventually back again - all in all 1 hour 40 minutes which is very good for Laura - especially considering she's only 4 and a great deal of it was steep hill.
Once I've finished this post I'll be getting up the boy and we'll be off again on another walk - this time perhaps an hour. And it's a beautiful day :-)
I've eaten some lovely lovely food over the last few days, particularly noteworthy were the following - hand-picked chanterelles with garlic and parsley, served with toast and a poached egg:
And the soup I made for lunch today from the Moro East cookbook (which I highly recommend) - courgette, yoghurt and mint, with courgette flowers:
Delicious - I had it hot with bread for my lunch, then chilled from the fridge as an afternoon snack!
On Saturday I took both kids (Sam was in a backpack) on a walk from the house which turned out to be far longer than anticipated. Largely because we were enjoying it so much, and it had been so long since I had done that walk (possibly even before the kids came along). It's so beautiful where I live. I took them to the "secret cottages" and then on to the forest, and eventually back again - all in all 1 hour 40 minutes which is very good for Laura - especially considering she's only 4 and a great deal of it was steep hill.
Once I've finished this post I'll be getting up the boy and we'll be off again on another walk - this time perhaps an hour. And it's a beautiful day :-)
I've eaten some lovely lovely food over the last few days, particularly noteworthy were the following - hand-picked chanterelles with garlic and parsley, served with toast and a poached egg:
And the soup I made for lunch today from the Moro East cookbook (which I highly recommend) - courgette, yoghurt and mint, with courgette flowers:
Delicious - I had it hot with bread for my lunch, then chilled from the fridge as an afternoon snack!
Saturday, 19 September 2009
It's the weekend!
Hi folks
Oops, I got a bit lazy and didn't post for a few days. So - instead of trying to do a daily food diary catch-up, I'm going to do a summary, and talk about all the nice things I ate plus any developments in the dietting world.
Firstly, food. I've eaten some yummy food since my last post. Largely I think it's been healthy. Autumn is setting in here and it's definitely porridge season :-) So here is some porridge with bluberries and raspberries (in fact I'm trying to have berries every day, they are so much yummier than sugar with cereal/porridge). I put some wheatbran in there too but am thinking of trying out some other healthy additions - wheatgerm? Ground linseed? Need to look into the health benefits of all this stuff.
Then there's been the Borscht, which lasted us for days. The pictures are awful, but look at the COLOUR of it. I love this soup - it's the business. Full of beetroot and other veg, and this one had chicken and chicken stock in it, too.
And the lovely emental cheesey bread we had with it:
Last night we had a "night off" - yet didn't go too over the top. Matt made the best curry I have ever, ever tasted (I always say that) - lamb shank curry. He also made a dahl with crispy garlic topping and we had a couple of poppadums and chutney, raita and spiced onions to start. I was so proud of myself for only having 2 glasses of wine though - I normally have MUCH more than that at the weekend....
Here is the gorgeous feast:
We do love a good curry night.
I've really upped my water consumption, it's funny how it becomes much easier and I'm now doing around 3l a day. I feel so much brighter for it. Also I've caved and joined up with a calorie/exercise counting site - it's called www.Nutracheck.co.uk It's helping me so much because I feel more motivated to keep my portion sizes down and to get enough exercises. Good news is I appear to be losing some weight - let's see what the scales say on Monday!
Oops, I got a bit lazy and didn't post for a few days. So - instead of trying to do a daily food diary catch-up, I'm going to do a summary, and talk about all the nice things I ate plus any developments in the dietting world.
Firstly, food. I've eaten some yummy food since my last post. Largely I think it's been healthy. Autumn is setting in here and it's definitely porridge season :-) So here is some porridge with bluberries and raspberries (in fact I'm trying to have berries every day, they are so much yummier than sugar with cereal/porridge). I put some wheatbran in there too but am thinking of trying out some other healthy additions - wheatgerm? Ground linseed? Need to look into the health benefits of all this stuff.
Then there's been the Borscht, which lasted us for days. The pictures are awful, but look at the COLOUR of it. I love this soup - it's the business. Full of beetroot and other veg, and this one had chicken and chicken stock in it, too.
And the lovely emental cheesey bread we had with it:
Last night we had a "night off" - yet didn't go too over the top. Matt made the best curry I have ever, ever tasted (I always say that) - lamb shank curry. He also made a dahl with crispy garlic topping and we had a couple of poppadums and chutney, raita and spiced onions to start. I was so proud of myself for only having 2 glasses of wine though - I normally have MUCH more than that at the weekend....
Here is the gorgeous feast:
We do love a good curry night.
I've really upped my water consumption, it's funny how it becomes much easier and I'm now doing around 3l a day. I feel so much brighter for it. Also I've caved and joined up with a calorie/exercise counting site - it's called www.Nutracheck.co.uk It's helping me so much because I feel more motivated to keep my portion sizes down and to get enough exercises. Good news is I appear to be losing some weight - let's see what the scales say on Monday!
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Hungry Tuesday
Picture taken from BBC Good Food website
Today has been quite good, but I've been very hungry. I need to get this right. I've also not done nearly enough exercise, another thing I am struggling with. Problem is I am trying to complete a PhD and I have two very small children. The weight loss odds are seriously stacked against me. I have to spend every spare minute on my research.
Anyway, enough whining. Here is my day:
Breakfast: muesli with raspberries, blueberries and milk
Lunch: Bulgar wheat and left over filling from yesterday (sweetcorn, mushroom, kidney beans etc.)
Snack: wholewheat crisp snack things (anyone know what they are called? Can't remember!)
Dinner: thai chicken and rice hotpot
Snack: cereal bar
Drink: 2l water
Exercise: Mushroom picking in woods - hardly an exertion!
I guess I need to find a way to up the protein, do more exercise and so on. I do wonder how on earth I am going to do this without measuring/weighing and counting/pointing things but I really don't want to go back there again.
To be continued!
Monday, 14 September 2009
Monday's log
Breakfast: porridge with raisins and tsp brown sugar
Snack: small handful raspberries from woods during walk
Lunch: baked sweet potato with a chanterelle, marrow, sweetcorn and kidney bean filling with 1tsp l/f creme fraiche
Dinner: Pasta with nasturtion pesto, courgettes and chanterelles (the pesto was made with cashew nuts and I tried to go steady on the oil and parmesan but even so, perhaps not the greatest choice)
Snack: popcorn with small amount sugar
Drinks: 2 litres water
Exercise: 1 walk round woods - 40 minutes (with intermittently dawdling child and toddler in a backpack) and a 10 minute blast up the hill with toddler on shoulders!
As an aside, I'm struggling to know what to do when I crave something sweet. I would like to try and avoid the low cal hot chocolates etc. with sweetener in, but what to have instead? Fruit just doesn't always hit the spot - hence the sugar on the popcorn. Any ideas welcomed :-) (Although I know that now I've bought blueberries, my breakfast is safe - I love them so much, no need for sugar).
Pictures, as promised.
OK here goes. I have had to be very brave to do this!
My side shot: you can tell I've had two babies, and perhaps it looks like I'm going to be having another sometime soon ;-)
My bottom shot: fingers crossed my new regime and healthier diet may do something for my cellulite ;-)
And the front on tummy shot: yes, those are stretchmarks. Sadly, nothing I can do about those except love and live with them!
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