Wow I will look on eBay! Figured they are hundreds of pounds.

I won’t go to a class because I have to wear a 3 inch heal to walk. I have no muscle tone and no dorsol flex in my foot so I can’t wear flats, the heal gives me a more normal heel toe action though I still have a slight limp. I’ve terribke balance, I’m sure I look drunk sometimes lol. I used to go to Aqua but the struggle to get the splint on that I need so I don’t go over and crack my ankle just makes it impossible to go now. So a wi game would be great, even sitting I would still get some cardiac benefit from it.

Btw, I am in the north west, just outside of Lancashire but have lived all over.

It would be nice to put picture up of ourselves in here, for those of us that want to. Put a face to chat, I would add the pic that pushed me to the edge when I saw how fat I looked.

Hi all you inspirational, lovely ladies ! I too have a lot of weight to lose, over 100 lbs. when faced with that much, it’s pretty hard to be optimistic about your chances of success. The way I’m trying to look at it is like this—— every single pound that comes off your body makes breathing, walking, housekeeping, dressing etc. a little bit easier. So each and every day is making your life a little more comfortable. So this way, every morning is a bit more exciting than the day before, and brings you another step closer to your goal. That may sound silly but it’s starting to work for me. I just don’t want to make life more difficult so I tend to be careful about sticking to it. I’m also faced with numerous health issues which are directly associated with my obesity. I have high blood pressure, high colesteral, pinched nerves in my neck, arthritis in my back, knees, ankles, and hips, sciatica, blocked veins in both legs, hiatus hernia, and a fatty liver, and type 2 diabetes. I can barely climb the stairs and exercise is practically impossible. One might think that with all of this, I would have done something about my weight long ago, but as we all know, it’s ever so much easier said than done. This is why I’m so thrilled to have started this long journey, and why you are now so important to my overall success. Sharing our ups and downs ( literally as well as figuratively ) is exactly what I’ve missed in every other diet I’ve attempted over the years. I never had the urge to get up during a weight watchers meeting because I was too shy to bare my soul while in public. But talking to you has given me the confidence to push forward and hopefully succeed in the end. Take care everyone Fran

Morning/afternoon Ladies.

Welcome Fran, sorry to hear about your health issues but fantastic to hear you are in the right mind set to now do something about it. As Ginny (can never spell Ginette) without checking it lol, said it will help with your diabeties. I am presently staving off diabeties, other family members have it. Like you I have arthritis and pain walking, stairs etc and even with 11ilbs down I can now get my socks on without a sock aid lol. Losing some weight around my middle means even though I can’t bend my knee I can reach my foot!!!

I think you have a great attitude Fran and wish you the best of luck.

Ginny I can’t find a wii at that price. I think you are finding ones on auction? The cheapest I see are £40 for a basic consol with nothing with it. About £70 with the accessories. Not in my budget at the moment so will have to put money aside. Looking forward to your exercise updates.

I’m off to the doctors, fingers crossed that my bloods show I’m a little further away from becoming a diabetic, it is only a matter of time if I don’t keep losing.

Btw for everyone that gained over the weekend, I gained a well deserved 2lbs for my sins. Copious amounts of wine on Saturday along with a Chinese take out. I thouroughly enjoyed it though as I haven’t had any naughty food like that for months. I’m more than happy that this week I will have to make do with taking that back off. And a at least I know I can take it off!!

Good luck all, today is my fast day.

Hi Jayegirl

Just sent you an email.

On my fast day today. I am sure that many of you are as well. Going to a pot of food in slow cooker to keep me going on non fast days. This used to work a treat. Lots of vegetables worked in and was really tasty.

The basis was 12% fat mince 500gm, 2 onions, frozen peppers, whole small button mushrooms, 2 tins of tomatoes, garlic, cauliflower (that takes on the taste of everything else) herbs and spices of your choice. I use fajita seasoning medium hot or hot. I know that probably seems strange but I have had Quorn occasionally and when I first started using it I found it didn’t have much flavour after adding many spices to it after experimentation I came across the fajita seasoning in the cupboard and it was really nice. I had only ever used it on chicken before. Also I add gravy powder.

Strange mix I know but much nicer than it sounds. I like to use things already in my cupboard. I served the meal with vegetables and occasionally a small potato. So I really did get my portions of veg!

If I was out out it was really easy. I separated it into two lots. Froze one and ate one during the week. I remember this was a good weight loss week. Perhaps because it was easy. Perhaps coincidence. Obviously add salt and whatever else you like to it.

The nicest meals I find arrive by accident. I do remember when I belonged to slimming world people talking about cauliflower a lot. It seems to take in other flavours. I like cauliflower but I know some people don’t.

Quorn has much lower fat and calorie content.

Good luck for this week all you healthier people out there.

Ginette

Thanks Ginette! That sounds lovely, I have a slower cooker for one! My worry is that it will make me hungry smelling it cooking all day? Have you worked out the calories for the whole pot?

I use all my calories for my main meal, I eat at 8pm then I have done a 24hr fast. So far I’m not suffering too badly on fast days. If I can’t get past the hunger pangs I have a miso soup for 18 calories about 5pm. I love this soup and because it’s beefy tasting it satiates me. Otherwise I drink just soda water and the odd Ginger & Lemon tea. I like to buy my meals on Sunday ready for Monday and Wednesday. It has to be something quick. Ive said before I buy the plastic pots of chinese food with noodles on the salad counter. It says heat in the microwave but I dry fry it. They are very tasty and I find them low enough in calories I can have a lot of green beans and broccoli and an apple after. I might try your one pot next week, or in fact in the week. I do love one pot meals and not had much mince since I started this. I just don’t like Quorn. I might buy a small bag of the frozen stuff, try it on a none fast day. I will fail if I make it on fast day and don’t feel I’ve had something satisfying.

Cauliflower is great in curries, it takes on the flavour very well and bulks the dish up.

I love hearing about quick, tasty low calorie but filling foods if anyone has any favourite dishes they want to share. My first 2 weeks I had 4 egg omelet with prawn and veg every fast day! I was so fed up of it by the end of the second week but it was bulky and filling.

Jaye

Hello All

I didn’t like the look of the quorn although I had heard so much about it that I wanted to try it. For those of you who have never tried it here is my experience:

Frozen Quorn looks good on the outside picture……contents look completely different a bit like a cardboard version of Bran Flakes. I carried on…… Read the instructions and was mindful of what people had told me it doesn’t have any flavour of its own so you have to add all of the flavour to it.

I did it in a big pot added 2 tins of tomatoes for 2 packets of Quorn. Added stock cubes, gravy and seasoning during cooking. I added mushrooms, peppers and onions also a can of kidney bean. Still not much flavour…….added some different herbs and spices, I can’t remember which, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, basil and rosemary are some of my favourites. I was told to leave it overnight as it always tastes better on the second day. The next day I had a portion, I ate it and it was still bland, the second portion didn’t improve it. At a loss I opened cupboard doors and saw fajita spice……well it couldn’t make it taste any worse (I had only ever used it for chicken before) I was so desperate and I try never to throw anything away…..so added the spice, really not expecting much……what a surprise, it was so tasty and something I looked forward to eating….really nice and such an improvement.

As you see my cooking wasn’t any particular style just my own. There are different levels of heatin the spices, mild, medium and hot. I use the medium and the hot one. It depends who is eating it with me.

If you have never tried this spice try it on chicken first. I use the red packet 50p in tesco at the moment. If anyone needs the name I can check my kitchen cupboards.

I now use it in mince if I want a spicy mince.

Any other quick, unusual recipes out there. Obviously low calorie.

I also bought a fish and vegetable ready meal, from Aldi flavoured with mince sauce. 304 calories I just add more veg up to 400 calories, my last 100 calories is used on milk in tea as it is only that which keeps me going all day.

It would be nice to get some ideas of of people, especially one pot food as I have only just started using slow cooker in the last 3 months. Ideal as the more time I take preparing food the hungrier I get, and the more likely I am to pick. This is my coping strategy…..stay out of the kitchen as much as possible.

On a fast day I weigh and measure everything.

Ginette

Hi Fran

What great news!! Even if some of that is water it is a real encouragement. I bet you are so pleased. I would find liquid only too difficult. Have something at hand in case you need something early evening. Counted of course. On one of Michaels programs they found that soup kept you fuller for longer.

I always have a tin or packet of soup on hand for fasting day. Although I make my own soup sometimes I like the fact the the other soups are calorie couted for me.

Good luck with today, it seems a lot of people do Mondays but the other day changes depending on the person. I always do a Wednesday. I normally go out then but I take all of my food with me.

I am so pleased for you. Such a good start. Remember to measure yourself, I think the tracker has a place where you can register measurements. Water fluctuates so much in our body it is difficult to tell. If you use a smart phone there are many apps out there. Out of interest I have weighed myself over two weeks nearly every day and there has been a difference of 5 pounds. I always weigh at the end of the week and put that weight on my tracker. I can see how people get disheartened if it isn’t showing up on the scales. That is why the measuring is a good way. Sometimes a few pounds don’t show up in your clothes, depending on what you wear. Sometimes elastic waist skirts are really practical if you are going down through the sizes but don’t pick up a few pounds lost. I initially find my skirts get longer. Tops are looser as well. Keep up the good work.

I have the mail online on my iPad and they were showing the different amounts of sugars in things. Even in Muller light there are 2.5 spoons of sugar.

Here is the link to check out other foods.

Pasta sauce with as much sugar as a Mars bar and soup as sweet as cider: We reveal how much of the white stuff is lurking in your favourite foods
http://dailym.ai/1HU0HQ3

Ginette

Hi All

Has anybody else got sugar contents in anything. I am not diabetic but a lot of people on theses forums are and these facts are really useful.

At least with them we can make choices. Given how good some of the cereals are for us. If it was a toss up between cereals and cake I know which one would win.

I normally only ever eat porridge, wettabix and occasionally honey nut cornflakes (bought a packet yesterday) and occasionally muesli.

Had I known this I would probably have avoided the ones I bought yesterday.

This is a rough calculation obviously depending on the size of your teaspoon.

Sugars: 4 grams equals 1 teaspoon

Ginette

Hi Jayegirl

Really interesting.

Another article in the telegraph here, containing lots of different juices and smoothies:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/10746588/Fruit-juices-and-smoothies-contain-horrifying-sugar-levels.html

Hi Debbie

Well done. It is difficult to exercise after having a knee injury. Take it slowly when you start exercising or it will push you back again. You may always have a weakness there. The 5:2 is working at the moment and if there are weeks without loss don’t worry. You and Fran can cheer each other on and your success helps other people on the forum.

Even if it is a quick post it is good to do it as it shows the effort you have put in has results. Even the weeks where you haven’t had weight loss encourages people. If they haven’t lost they can see that maybe you don’t lose on a regular basis but if you stick at it you will get results. If I don’t lose although I am disappointed I look back over the past month and it encourages me to keep on going. I didn’t lose last week so I am ready to start exercising. I shall take things easy at first as it is so easy to get carried away. I love tennis on the Wii, but it affects my knee badly.

If you have an exercise video game or dvd you can do this while you are waiting to for the weather to change. The beauty about these is you can do as long as you want, 5 mins, or 45 mins or any amount in between, you can then stop to have a rest and start again later. This will allow your body to get used to exercise again.

We are lucky in England that the weather isn’t so severe. The north of England seems to get the worst weather here. I am lucky that I am from the South and also live by the sea. The only snow we have had laid for about an hour. Of course there are years that are exceptions. The summers are too hot for me. Maybe with a little less weight on me I won’t suffer so much with the heat. I better speed up that weight loss.

Good luck and keep posting!

Ginette

Hi I have also noticed that my weight is not going down on the scales so thought I would do measurements. I cant work it out but my measurements have decreased and my clothing is fitting much better, really getting loose. This is enough to keep me on track I also keep a closer eye on what I eat on non fasting days. Hope this helps you to keep going.

Hi Funny Face

Yes all positive. I can notice changes in clothes subtle but for example a bra I normally wear is a bit looser. So everything helps. Maybe we will have a bigger than normal loss one day. I live in hope.

Going for my six weekly weigh in with my health trainer so at least I will have lost there.

I hope to be at my 10% loss soon. Not this time but hopefully next time.

Keep up the good work.

Ginette

Hi Jayegirl

Well done on the Wii try the tennis. Those pesky computer opponents are set to be about the same ability as you so if you are competitive it is a great game.

You can add second hand games to it from ebay as and when. A friend of mine does the Zumba. I warn you those games are addictive but at least you are exercising. I won’t buy any game that isn’t exersise as I don’t want to get hooked on anything that won’t help me get fit.

Did you get a balance board come with it?

Well done on your loss. Today was a non fasting day but I went out and to my stepmothers and I wasn’t very good. I normally go on a fast day so I am not tempted. Just got to be better in between time.

Ginette

Hi Fran

Save yourself something for the evening if this is your weak time. I will freeze a low calorie chocolate dessert as It takes me much longer to eat it.

Keep up the good work.

Ginette

Fran, thanks. There are a few acronyms I’m unsure of as a new poster here

Ginette, no it’s second hand and this is all there was for £30. I wouldn’t be able to use a wobble board because I’ve got awful balance and a weak ankle. Same with the dance mat, I wouldn’t be able to move my feet quickly without something to hold onto :s But I like the wii sport, 🙂 think that will be useful and will look out for other games later on.

Today should have been my 2nd fast day but I have swapped it to tomorrow. Had a breakfast date which was nice. I had an English breakfast, 1 sausage, cut all fat off the bacon, poached egg, mushrooms, tomatoe, didn’t touch the hash browns and said no to the toast. Perfect slimming world, no carb meal. I have switched to a drop of cream in my coffee and ditched the sugar I used to have. That will take me through to early evening when I’ll have a light meal.

Bathroom will be finished today! Can’t wait, my apartment is a mess! I will use some energy cleaning today and putting everything back from the storage cupboards the electrician had to go into. Horrible task, the dust is EVERYWHERE 🙁 lol. My living room looks like a storage room.

Back down to 17.5lbs today so back to where I was before Saturday night and will fast tomorrow and hopefully will lose another pound so I’ve made some headway this week.

Hope everyone’s day is going well.

Jaye 🙂

Hi everyone I am home overnight from mums so thought I would check in.
well done fran on your great weight loss I am soo happy for you after all your earlier struggles you succeeded.
I couldn’t wait till morning so have had a quick weigh in tonight and think I am on target for 3 lbs loss. I usually weigh in on Monday though so that is why it’s so much but I am chuffed to bits I am almost ready to try on the dreaded wedding suit again!

I will write again when I am back home and on line again but keep up the good work everyone.
Ginette I too am within striking distance of my 10% weight loss isn’t it great people are starting to notice I look a bit thinner, hope it’s the same for you keep in touch.
Audrey

Hi all, After over a week of doing relatively well, I’m sad to report I’ve been completely derailed today. Now I realize that bumps in the road are most likely a part of even the most successful weight loss diet, and my day wasn’t completely without some good moments. I did some exercising this morning using a rubber rope I got when exercise was part of my daily routine. I didn’t eat until this afternoon and then it was a piece of chicken and some cucumber and tomatoe slices. After lunch I took Lacey, my little toy poodle, for a decent walk but it was after I got home that it all came to a crushing end. For some inexplicable reason I got into my car and headed for the nearest grocery store. I zeroed right in on the fresh from the oven cinnamon raisin bread, drove home and proceeded to eat almost the entire loaf. I’m completely at a loss as to what was my motivation but here I am. I know what I have to do. I must not let this be my undoing. So, thank -you all in advance for your support. You are the reason I’m not going to give up. And Ginette, I also plan to start freezing a few low cal options for when I get the urge to cheat again. Most likely this won’t be the last time I falter, I just hope it’s the worst slip up I go through. Now I will soldier on. Have a good rest of the week everyone. Fran 🙁

Hi Fran

How frustrated you must feel with yourself. Just choose another fast day. It will sort itself out. We all have blips. Remember it is only one day at a time. The following day you can eat what you have been craving and most probably won’t feel you need to.

I think you must be feeling deprived on fast days, you need to change this feeling to feeling empowered. You are doing something for yourself that other people who haven’t been there will think is really difficult. You need to overcome your cravings and know that it IS only a day.

It will get easier and then it will just become habit. I like the planning bit. I even plan for the week in a general way. I make sure that any treats I buy I can either resist not to eat big portions or cut into double portions and then freeze.

You have to feel better about yourself, you are stronger than you think. Always build in things you think of as treats into a week. That way you always have something to look forward to. Have you thought about seeing a health trainer. They are free on the NHS. I see mine at my local surgery although they do have them in community centres and everywhere. You get 8 appointments and then 2 x 3 month follow ups. Then three months after the last follow up, you can reapply to see him/her again.

My trainer is pleased if I have lost something. The aim was 5% he suggested that, my aim was always 10% now I am only just over 1lb away from the 10%. First of all I started seeing him every three weeks, I now see him every 6 weeks as it makes the overall time longer. When I finish these sessions I will refer myself back to him for a second time. Hopefully I will continue to lose weight. If I lose an average of just 3lb a month that is just over 2.5 stone a year. If I only lose an average of 2lb then that is still nearly 2 stone. Even with a few bad days or weeks I should be able to achieve a substantial loss.

I only normally work towards half a stone targets as they seem more achievable. I hope to lose half a stone in 2 months. As the next two months have 31 days in it should be quite achievable.

Climb back on that horse girl and show who’s boss.

Just type in health trainer and the area you live in and you can get more details.

Ginette

Latte up to 20 teaspoons of sugar. How shocking. I think this is all in the program mentioned.

Oh dear. I think we may all get a bit of a surprise. Last week I bought some honey nut cornflakes, then I found about about the sugar content. I could easily have two bowlfuls instead of a meal. Now it will be one bowl as a treat.

I only buy them about three times a year as I don’t eat cereal often and usually have either porridge or weetabix.

Oh well. I shall now eat them less. The program talks about hidden sugar in ready meals, this is something I only have occasionally now, I did eat them three of four times a week once.

At least these programs raise our awareness.

Hi Fran

Didn’t realise you weren’t in England. A health trainer is nothing like a personal trainer. It is just someone who monitors you and what you eat, checks your BMI and your waist measurement and gives you some advice about what to eat.

Personal trainers here are people who work you to your endurance levels.

Made me smile though….

I have family living in Ontario, Toronto, Niagra and Kitchener.

Good news about your physiotherapy.

Take things slowly at the gym at first my son joined about 3 months ago and has worked himself so hard he now has problems with his back. Now he can’t go until it is better. I am sure it is just temporary but easy to overdo things.

Be positive and not so down on yourself. Next time you go to those non fast day foods – tell yourself it is a moment of weakness, go and do something to take your mind off it. Anything will do. Tidy a drawer but not a kitchen one as you have to get out of that kitchen….it is a true danger zone at times of weakness.

You will get there don’t worry.

Ginette

There is a new book that has just come out in the UK by Damon Gameau called ‘that sugar book’. He changes his diet to include the 40 tsps of sugar a day for 60 days(the average sugar consumption in Australia) and monitors the effects on the body. BUT he cannot have chocolate,sweets,ice cream or cake. The sugar must come from healthy food.

Hi Ginette,
I thought so too.

I have been out shopping and now checking the sugar content of ketchup, chocolate mousse, chilli cooking sauce and even full fat yoghurt. The most depressing of all though, was Easter eggs. Most of the eggs alone were 56g of sugar without the chocolate bars!

I am going to keep tabs for a week and write everything down that I eat and drink. Then calculate both the calories and the sugar content.My aim is to get to the 24g/6 tsp of sugar a day, which will be interesting as I have a total of 3 tsps of sugar in tea/day!

Annette

Is this 3 spoons of sugar in each cup? Try stevia it is meant to be the best of the artificial sweetners.

I saw a program on it.
I would see where you are now and maybe try to cut down bt a quarter at first, then half and so on. You don’t want to have to go cold turkey. I will be interested to know results.

I have a small chocolate button Easter egg waiting for me at Easter. I will see how many grams of sugar there are in it. I want to reduce sugar but still be able to have treats.

Jaye

Keep up the good work…..I told you the Wii would be addictive.

Ginette

Well done Annette for cutting down I would have about 9/10 cups of tea now I have between 5/7. I don’t drink anything else apart from in the summer.

I too am looking at labels. As yet I haven’t been too shocked. I will keep checking though.

That ginger beer was bad. I would never have thought that.

I think that over a period of time I will have less and therefore have less of a sweet tooth. Although my Dad used to like his strawberries with sugar on….I like them just as they are. He also liked stewed fruit with too much sugar in, I couldn’t eat eat.

Ginette

Homemade meusli and plain yoghurt works out to be about 8g sugar.