Good evening all, another slight change to the plans, and I shall be your host tonight/tomorrow. Bear with me as I do have to do some work too tomorrow, so please support each other as brilliantly as you always do.
Any newbies, take your lead from others, post what you plan to eat on Thursday, with calories and your target calorie total if you're calorie counting. Add in exercise and helpful tips if you'd like.
Today's picture is for me to try and illustrate my thoughts today about how eating really healthy foods stops you craving the unhealthy stuff, and vice versa. When I eat cake and biscuits I just want more and more and find it harder and harder to stop. When I cut it out totally, I stop craving it as much. But I can't imagine a life without the occasional treat. So, do any of you people have the answer about how to manage this?
Another working at home day for me tomorrow, looks like this:
B - bacon, avocado and apple - 300 cals
L - Chicken and veg casserole - 300 cals (apologies to regulars, this is going to feature a lot on my menu for the next few days - but it is so yummy I'm happy about that!)
3pm danger zone snack - cashew and date bar - 200 cals
D - Jacket potato with butter, veg chilli, cheese and sour cream. 600 cals
Total 1400 cals.
Can't wait to see what you're all up to.
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Salcheq
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Love the sound of your brunch wakywoo, do you make the tortillas yourself? I always thought the almond milk latte was a coffee of some description and I don't like coffee, but seeing your recipe made me think again. How do you froth the milk? I fancy trying something like that.
I do make the tortillas. Water and chickpea flour with a pinch of cumin. Cook in a non stick pan for a few minutes each side.
For the latte I mix either coffee or cocoa with a little hot water. I have a stick frother for the warm almond milk. Mix the two together and sprinkle cinnamon on the top.
Hi, salcheq and thanks for hosting. Your menu sounds very nice. It's been a funny day today, been feeling very tired and wondering if it's the low carbs regime. Succumbed to 4 quality streets, which I don't suppose will make that much difference. Stuck to my food plan otherwise. Tomorrow I'll be having
B- overnight oats with full fat milk, little cream, peanut butter and seeds - one of my favourites at the moment 350
L- salad with lettuce, avocado and tomato 200
D- not sure yet, will have to think of something in the morning, but will keep it to 500. Will be going out to see friends in the evening which will involve cake, so I'll keep 400 for that.
apple, orange and carrot for other snacks. Hope everyone has a good day
Hi Rutheliza, I hope the tiredness passes soon. Love the sound of your porridge, I have recently fallen in love with porridge with peanut butter, but your version sounds like the deluxe version!
Sensible planning to keep calories back for cake if you know there is no way to avoid it.
Hey,,sounds super. I really like porridge but had not heard of overnight oats so am going to put this on my "try" list. And i love you saving cake space. I am new to this and have decided to quit snacking before i start calorie counting but am allowed cakes on special occasions - having lunch at friends this weekend so am thinking of seriously good food choices elsewhere to allow forpudding there.
Your salad sounds lovely, but then I love avocados and generally eat them daily.
Hey Salcheq and thanks again for posting!
I so agree with your cravings wisdom. I'm finding it out first hand at the minute.. I'm finding the junk food I've let back in has caused hunger pangs, mood swings, cravings and lethargy. So I'm being careful now.
Back to work after 3 days off with a killer migraine. Still feeling drowsy and block-headed.. So my tip for the day is to listen to your body. I'm hearing mine say that the food I'm choosing is not working for me. I feel out of control of my appetite and under the weather and I know it's because I've not been discerning in my food choices.
My day today has gone well. Really well. I actually stuck to the plan - lo and behold! It can be done!
Tomorrow plan 1500 max -
B - bio yoghurt, blueberries and coffee (150)
L - carrot soup 'beefed' up with loads of chunky veg, onion and butterbeans, currently in the slow cooker (250)
D - my mama is taking me out for dinner. I'm planning on fish and veg... Determined I'll be picking something light whatever menu I'm presented with. (Max 900)
Evening snack if needed - one slice wholemeal toast with peanut butter and a big mug of camomile tea (150)
Oh I do hope you feel better soon HappyBeee. Isn't it strange how it's so hard to stay on plan when feeling under the weather or tired, which is exactly when you need those super good foods most.
Anyway, that menu looks right on track, slow cooker delights, so perfect for these chillier days. Butter beans going on my shopping list now!
900 cals should allow you a really decent choice from the menu, enjoy your meal out.
Hey Happybee, oh gosh, poor you. I sympathise with your post completely: i have also noted, in the short time i have been here, that food really does affect my mood and my mood swings and my happiness levels. I have thought this for a while but it has taken me sooo long to tackle this, but here i am and i can honestly say that week 1, i have been in such a good mood with far less mood swings and i think ghis is down to food choices and oh does it feel good not to feel guilty the whole time. Have a fabulous day.
Ah I agree! Well done on tackling it now and feeling such quick benefits! I usually feel the good of a positive change really quickly too Claire! Then I wonder with so much irritation at myself why I slip back to foods that make me feel terrible ! Sigh!
in reply to
Well done on staying on plan yesterday sorry you are feeling unwell, hope you feel better real soon x x
Ooo I love a chunky veg soup, never thought to cook it in the slow cooker though - will be giving that a go
Enjoy your meal out tonight
in reply to
The whole house smells very cruciferous this morning.. this soup better be worth it ha! I.e. let's hope it tastes better than it smells!!!!
I feel for you Happy Bee migraine's can be bad I have had them. Glad you are getting over it now. Try to stay stress free that can cause migraine I know it is not easy. Sending my love to you.
Are you getting enough good calories Hidden I know you are trying to lose weight just like the rest of us but don't be too harsh on yourself when you are under the weather.
Great to get your exercise in that way ShadowDee, do you have a nice route to walk? Sandwich and soup for lunch is a great combination, not something I ever think of.
Thanks Salcheq. It's just over a mile to work. Good warm up too. My colleagues are usually cold at work whist I have my fan on the moment I sit down. 😂
I don't think there is a magic answer Salcheq . As long as there's more fresh than stodge we're doing ok.
Am pretty pleased that I have got through the day on less stodge today. Feeling hungry now but am in bed. Weigh in tomorrow! Fingers crossed for maintenance. I'm kidding myself if there's a loss!
The plan is:
B. Overnight oats
L. Feta salad
D. Pan Haggerty lite
Snack. Apple.
Approx 1800
Exercise. Gym and yoga. Let's hope I actually make it this time. There's been a distinct lack of me time so far this week!
I have been browsing everyone's meal ideas for a while and they all look so yummy. Thank you all: I needed this kick/reminder because I seriously love healthy food and it is a shame that it "seems" to be so much more effort to prepare than quick, unhealthy snacking that then does not satisfy me. And that is a big idea for me to grasp and i think I nearly have it: spend some time planning and then prepping and no awful food choices even a remote possibility on the day in question.
Am not currently calorie counting but this is my menu:
B: creature of habit: bran flakes, semi milk, tangerine
L: porridge made with water with frozen raspberries and blueberries
D: vegan sausages, green veg lots of and little mash
I also would find it a chore to try and cook the meals I like, on a daily basis. I make large weekend batches that mostly get frozen down.
I'm not an expert by any means and I appreciate you're not counting calories, but your menu looks pretty low which can have a negative effect in a number of ways.
Hi Clare, so true what you say about food affecting your mood. I think that happens with me, but it takes me ages to recognize it. Enjoy your menu today and I hope your day goes well
Hi Clare and welcome to the daily diary, nice to see you here. Planning meals for me has been a big turning point in getting control of my bad eating habits.
I know you've mentioned your inclination to snack and don't want to calorie count, but it may be worth checking you're eating enough - there is a lot of advice on here I've seen about eating enough calories to ensure your body is not in starvation mode and storing fat, and also it really helps with the snacking craving.
Love the sound of your menu though, right up my street.
Are u vegetarian Claire? I have cut meat out and am always keeping my eye out for meat free menus that I can plagiarize! I like your menu, breakfast for lunch is quite a cute idea! I would second tigerrr's note that it seems to be very very low calories for the day. I'd add more fat and protein in somewhere. Good oil on the veg will help you absorb their nutrients, butter in the mash, maybe some avocado on seeded crackers as a snack? Just my ten cents of course!
I agree with you Salcheq that life should contain treats (although that word is personal to each individual). I still want to have a bit of dessert most days. Don't have a very workable answer as to how to moderate, as sometimes I can and sometimes I can't. The only thing I can add is that I'm still finding out how my body and mind works and that's coming from someone who always thought he was pretty good at self analysis.
As for your chicken & veg, nothing wrong with making the best of a good thing. It probably tastes better as each day goes by.
B: 40g porridge, fruit, honey & cinnamon. Tom juice & worc, chai latte and coffees
L: 50g mature cheddar and beetroot sarnie with salad cream and wholemeal seeded.
S: Chilli con carne and white rice. Small piece of marbled choccy cake (I've now gone 2 days with only eating a small piece each evening).
Thanks cracker. Forgot to add that supper will include my left over malaysian runner beans from yesterday
I've got my chili head back on, which might be because I've got a dozen plants in the greenhouse burgeoning with chilis that I'm just about to harvest. I've still got quite a lot in the freezer so I'll make more chili sauces *drool*
Mmmmm, I could eat your lunch now tt. I would love to have a small treat each day, but then I just want more and more, so find it easier not to have any. Maybe when I get to my target weight and am maintaining I can use the extra calories for a little treat.
It's only my personal feeling but I think that as time goes by for most of us here, we WILL get stronger and more sensible and be more able to incorporate such foods.
It's just not an easy road. I've found this last 5 months of maintaining so much harder than losing but then I've got decades of living a certain way to reprogram myself. Why should it take months or even years for it all to happen without thought. That's the beauty of this forum as it's a permanent aide to a much longer journey.
I think I'm in manic mode this morning :)... figures... the sun is shining
That's really what I'm hoping Tiggerr. I can see small signs of it. I was thinking last night, it took me around 3 - 5 years to develop my poor eating habits, before that I was pretty good, I ate well, but kept an eye on it. So now I'm thinking it may take the same amount of time to reverse the ways of thinking and habits. Seems like a long time, but would leave me heading towards 50 with a really healthy outlook on life.
Give me a shout when you're 50 and let me know how it went. I'll just have another 30 years to go I have never eaten mindfully but was always very active and of course, younger.
The great thing is that we're creating that mindset that allows us to play the long game without taking the troughs too much to heart (I wrote that with my toes crossed )
Tiggerr love it, always working ourselves out as we go!
I like your menu, chilli is such a perfect autumn dinner. Its something I get a real craving for now and then. Its filling in a way that other things can't compete with!
Would you consider swapping out your white rice with brown? Or a brown rice quinoa mix. I mean for next time rather than for today. Much healthier and lower GI meaning that sweet tooth might not be so problematic later! Hehe!
Thanks for the feedback. I'm cool with that but the OH wouldn't be. We've still got about 10kg left over of a large bag but when that's finished I'll need to see if I can come up with something that suits us both.
My chili has two different types of beans plus lentils in it, apart from the mince. Only got into lentils this year... and I didn't die
Love lentils - delighted you have survived them Tiggerr!
Thanks for stepping in and hosting Salcheq in answer to your question no idea but if you find the answer please share
Lovely menu
As I am on holiday off work this week I have not been keeping to plan at all and am disgusted with myself for yesterdays choices of food - total junk day - so back to planning and being on track (I see a gain coming on the scales this week )
B - 2 naughty coffees, 1/4 of the crustless veg quiche 225 cals Ok so breakfast ended up being 2 coffees and the remaining donor kebab meat - 327 cals
L - Homemade Cesar salad (no croutons) 447 cals
T - Stuffed Green pepper (stuffed with mince and courgette) 403 cals
Drinks - water and 1 mug of Bovril 17 cals
Snacks - Mr Scratchings pork Crunch 163 cals
Total cals = 1255 Updated to 1357 cals due to change in breakfast still plenty of room for other snacks, as i am at home that is good may have some yogurt and frozen fruit mid morning
NHS BMI Calculator range 1454 - 1869 - so will make it up to 1500 somehow later
hi, cracker10. Well done for getting back to planning. I always wonder what's in your coffees that makes them naughty. All your food sounds lovely, especially the yoghurt and frozen fruit
Cracker10, after all your good work last week getting me back on track, I'm sure you can do the same. We shall all be watching you!! Let us know how you get on today.
Love the fact that you appear to have pork scratchings as a snack - how yummy!
I am back.....just realised I didn't put down my menu for today so here goes:_
B - porridge with raspberries and two coffees
L - out with friend but shall do my best to be sensible
S - either baked salmon or something on toast - it all rather depends what time I get back from visiting my elderly friend in hospital. Am hoping to find an nice Italian magazine for her but don't hold out a lot of hope!
Snacks - fruit
Water - as much as possible
Exercise - brisk walk into town and quite a bit round the hospital as HUGE!
Tip - I have finally realised I must stop bottling things up and talk them through with friends. I have found that once I do that those huge mountains gain perspective. Does this make sense?
Good morning vdp, busy day for you, hope the visit goes well and you find that magazine. Your tip completely makes sense and is one we could all do with following at times - making huge mountains into hills we can walk over.
we are all here to support in whatever way we can. I don't believe our weight is somehow separate from out life - it is all part and parcel of the same thing.
Steak for dinner woo! Rib eye was always my favourite cut.
I love those blue triangles! They're not as "blue" tasting as I would want when I'm craving stilton but they're definitely a compromise I can feel ok with! So low in cals!
Thank you for hosting Salcheq. Your menu looks brilliant - everything on there designed to be delicious. Enjoy
I'm working in town today but am taking a lunch that can be heated up in the microwave. My menu is not calorie counted but I've found just committing to what I'm going to eat in advance keeps my maintenance on track.
Here goes...
B porridge with almond milk and peanut butter
L left over baked charlotte potatoes and veg mix with lentils, tomatoes and hummous
Snacks 2x coffees with soya milk, nine bar
D frittata with sweet potato, courgette, dill and red onion. Salad on the side.
Evening drinks: tomato juice with worcestershire sauce, chai tea with soya milk
Exercise: just walking in town, I ran yesterday so today is a rest day
Leftover lunch sounds lovely Hidden , I'm a fan of dinner leftovers for my lunch the next day too, a great time saver, good to be able to heat it up at work. I'm pinching the peanut butter/porridge idea today Have a good day and enjoy your walk.
Thank you for hosting Salcheq. There are some great ideas on here.
I'm having a bit of an odd day and always struggle when I can't fit meals in at regular times. I'm obviously more of a creature of habit than I realised.
Going to the cinema at 1pm, which means going out about 11.45 to meet friend for a cuppa before, so do I have lunch, brunch of a snack and if so when? I'll probably be home about 3.
Then I'm out for the evening - local theatre is trying to get people in who don't go as much as they would like because they don't have anyone to go with. This is their first event, so they're starting with a gallery viewing before, starting at 6. I'd need to leave about 5.40 at the latest. So I'm going to be having my "main" meal mid-afternoon, which is very odd for me.
All of which adds up to I don't quite know what I'll be doing, but I hope putting this down here will keep me on track. I've just had my standard breakfast - Tesco muesli, fruit (grapes today), a dollop of Skyr and semi milk, plus a coffee, approx 200 cals. I'm thinking of crispbreads, cream cheese and avocado before I go out and have got a piece of cod out of the freezer - too nice to waste so I'll have to do something with it this afternoon.
Oh, forgot to mention, the theatre deal comes with a drinks voucher for the interval, so I need to leave some space for a glass of wine!
What a lovely treat to be going to the theatre marymanc, hope you really enjoy it, and sensible to leave space for that wine. And the cinema too, an exciting day for you. I know what you mean about the odd timings though, does make it awkward to plan. Your plan sounds sensible though.
The film was great, best I've seen all year (The Party). Just taking a breath now and then I'll sort out a meal so I'm not rumbling through the play. (My life isn't usually this full, but I appreciate it when it is!)
Morning all and thanks for hosting Salcheq . I still have celebration or holidays where I eat too much of the wrong things, still learning and in 2nd year of maintaining. I think the trick is to rethink what your 'usual' meals are and get back to them quickly.
This week has gone well so far, have enjoyed everything, not been hungry, weight heading in right direction again.
Today my plan:
B: Porridge with hot water and a tsp peanut butter, ff yoghurt, seeds. 300
L: Yesterday's chicken and veg, smaller portion 350
D: Cottage pie with sweet potato mash and broccoli. Will allow 600
Leaves enough for a snack of a few nuts, milk in drinks, maybe some cheese if hungry. Aiming for 1500.
Good morning Salcheq and thank you stepping in at the eleventh hour and hosting 😊
I agree with others that ‘banning’ foods makes me crave them, so I eat everything but moderate quantity, ie cake/dessert once a week. Over time I’ve come to realise how much I can eat, and not gain weight, but it takes practice. I managed to eat out three times in 4 days and stay the same weight, but it’s tough. I focus on eating slowly, enjoy every mouthful, and have lots f water with it. Really enjoyed my Pizza yesterday, ate 1/4 son had 1/2 and the rest came home for hubby. However, the Chicken salad had dough sticks that were amazing!! Eeek! But I was full and felt satisfied so had very light evening meal when I got home.
Today I am quite tired after a horrendous drive around Aberdeen last night due to the new Bypass they’re building, just no way around 😕 tiredness tends to make me extra hungry
so breakfast will be my usual banana with full fat Greek yogurt and seed and nut sprinkle.
Lunch is vegetable soup, grated cheese oatcakes and an apple
Dinner is Moussaka, quite calorific but so satisfying, served with salad. Orange for dessert (peeled and eaten slowly!)
Taking time over food is such a good practice, I need to do the same. Much more enjoyable and less likely to feel peckish and unsatisfied. All the same well done on leaving the pizza for your husband. My willpower hasnt been the best lately so I can't imagine stopping myself at 2 slices.
another day is on us now and looking cold outside. It makes me want to stay in be under the duvet. I do hope everyone will have a good day.
Breakfast is porridge with some mixed seeds. 200 calories
Lunch Cheese omelette and a yogurt 350 calories
Dinner. Sausage and mash in onion gravy. 400 calories.
It is low in calories but I am finding it a bit difficult to decide what I want it eat as at the moment I feel a bit low and this is when I tend to make my mind up on what to eat at the last minute and sometimes I just do not bother to eat after lunch time.
Don't thing I will be going out today. At the moment I fell very tied.
Good morning Caroline62, sorry to hear that you're feeling a bit low. Make sure you nourish your body and mind, maybe just add some quality snacks to your already lovely menu.
Wishing you a good day and do take care of yourself.
Sorry to hear the appetite isn't there at the mo, maybe add fats to the diet to up the cals. They leave the stomach quicker than protein so you'll be less inclined to feel too full for your next meal and you'll have gotten the cals in! Maybe add cream to porridge and avocado to your omelette?
I have fallen off the wagon last night/this morning, which doesn't happen to me often, so posting here to keep accountable, and by way of confession!!! Most of my weaknesses centre around dairy, cream and butter especially. So, the remains of a pot of double cream in the fridge has been siren singing to me for the past 12 hours. I have been eating it with sugar puffs, which is clearly a terrible terrible thing to do. And now its all gone. Big sigh, move on....
Breakfast. Sugar puffs and double cream. Ye gods. Maybe 300 cals? (it was quite a small bowl thank goodness!)
Lunch. BACK ON TRACK!! Veg casserole (last night leftovers), 2 hardboiled eggs, 1 kit kat = 455
Dinner. Dahl with 3 home cooked poppadums. Melon. = 505.
Well done for pulling it back so quickly - I confess I did giggle a bit at your sugar puffs and cream breakfast - it looks so out of place with the rest of your lovely menu!
Its out of place in my life !!!! I just totally lost it last night, quite surprised there was even any left this morning to be honest, and then I ate that too. Oops. I've been out for a run now, and feel all righteous and purposeful again!!!
It is great to see everyone's plans for the day. Everyone seems so organised, I have never thought of planning my meals in advance, I normally just go with what I fancy during the day, this may be my down fall. This week I have not even done a proper food shop so I guess that is also a mistake. If I can I will try to have a think about tomorrow and plan a bit more.
I'm glad you've been motivated, Lenfry and I hope that you'll be sharing your menu and exercise plans with us, on tomorrow's DD. It will be posted this evening, by wakywoo
hi, lenfry, hope your planning goes well for tomorrow. I find it really helps me to spend a bit of time in the evening thinking through what I'll be eating the next day and working out the calories. Then I post it on the daily diary. It is time consuming but having it written down on the forum is helping me to stick to my plan. Good luck
I wish my husband would cycle to work in the summer. I pass by his work cycling to the rowing club. What makes it worse, he keeps saying he needs to be more active.
It's tough at times when it's his turn to cook. I'll come home to chippy food. And I feel so bad after. I'll work on my will power.
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sorry you are feeling unwell, hope you feel better real soon x x 
no idea but if you find the answer please share 
Daily Diary for Tuesday 5th October 2021
Daily Diary for w/b Monday 20 March 2023 - Part 2
