Keep strong over the weekend!

[muffintop67]

Well its the weekend. Husband and kids are at home all day and eating what they want when they want. I find it so much easier in the week when its just me and I can keep temptation at bay. However finding the strength to not have a muffin with morning coffee or choc chip cookies with afternoon tea at the weekend is so much harder when your family is sitting around you stuffing their faces. Don't get me wrong they don't do it to taunt me but food is so much more a feature of the weekend. Just need to be strong and remember how my jeans will feel so much better when that muffintop is smaller!!! Hope you all stay strong over the weekend and the sun shines for you.

[Adheela]

Hi muffintop, good luck, I just jumped on scales and checked my weight. I have actually gained so not happy about that. Mind u I haven't done much exercise. This weekend am hoping to do some walking. And eat less. I know what u mean about the kids - try and go for a walk when They'r having their treats or read a book in another room. Good luck! Hopefully wel have a good weekend x

[Venusflytrap]

Hi, Muffin,

Well at least you are thinking about it and that is a step forward. I bet once upon a time, you would have said to yourself, this is too hard and joined in. I am with Adheela on this one. Get yourself out of the danger zone. How about a phone coffee with someone you've been meaning to get in touch with? Or into another room for your coffee. Or put earphones on. Or get them all out for a walk round the park, then you would still be having the chats, but with no treats tempting you. I am having my worst week in years. Put a mysterious half lb on at the end of last week, when I had been even better than the week before when I lost a lb. I know a half is neither here nor there in the great scheme of things. But it is about the 10th time I have lost this one recently! And I really want to get back to my goal weight for my one year at goal anniversary at the end of April. I know this half lb loves me, but I really want it to fly the nest. Might get out for a walk in a minute as headache is lifting. It's like having a constant hangover without ever getting to go to the drinks party the night before! Oh what a moaning Minnie, I have become. It's a lovely day and not even rain in the forecast. So get yourself together, woman. That's me told. Off to lead a better life. Hope they finish all the biscuits so there's no more to tempt you!

[muffintop67 in reply to Venusflytrap]

I like the idea of making a phone call and in another room while having coffee so I can get away from the munching. Sorry that half pound is being too friendly. The sun was really shining today so hope you managed a nice walk and it helped clear your head a bit.

[Venusflytrap in reply to muffintop67]

Thanks, for your good wishes, Muffin. Didn't manage any exercise but totally stuck to my eating plan so Yay! Another lovely day today. Must get active. At least the pedometer is on now so... tick. I think if busy you has managed to write inspirationally to me, then it is up to me to be inspired. So thank you for that too.

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Hi Muffintop67,

I think many of us find the weekends more challenging, as routines do vary, and having your husband and kids around all weekend and seeing them eating around you must be really tough!

Although I joked earlier that your icon makes me smile (and it does) - I am also aware that you've chosen a name 'Muffin' top, and that your icon is also a very visual picture of a delicious looking 'muffin' and so maybe the feature of food is following you a bit - please don't think I'm being judgemental here, as a 'muffin' has a good place in life, and there are some lovely muffin recipes around that are really delicious and healthy. But having a picture of a muffin as part of your identity might be challenging, as it is a reminder of food.

I think the weekends can be worse for the fact that there are lots of adverts for food on all evening, and so 'reminders' and pictures of food are there constantly - and it can make us reach for things that we might normally not go for. Hence for me, I try to minimise exposure to those things as much as I can, and part of my choice of name (Lowcal) was to help me to think about trying to consider my calories carefully and essentially choose lower calorie foods - I eat quite a lot of calories daily though, as I am a tall person, and therefore there is also some sense of irony to my own name choice. Just offering some 'food for thought' - again ironic, as much of our language focuses around the social aspects of food! (e.g. 'breaking bread together'; 'chewing the cud' and lots of expressions that are social but involve mention of food!).

There has been some research that suggests that having food on the work surfaces in the kitchen (i.e. 'in view') can make us eat more than we would if we kept those foods in the cupboards behind closed doors. Having a fruit bowl however in view can be helpful as it helps us reach for healthy fruit rather than reaching for something else. We can alter our relationship to food by how our environment is planned, and the supermarkets are very adept at product placement - often encouraging us to buy things that we weren't 'planning' on buying, purely by putting them next to the till etc or in more prominent shelf positions and locations.

I'm not suggesting you change your name or your icon by the way - merely remarking that being reminded of food, or having it around you can be sorely tempting, so I think all those suggestions by Venusflytrap are great, as they are encouraging you to think of things to help distract you from your family's eating.

Good luck!

Have a great weekend.

Lowcal

[muffintop67 in reply to Zest]

I never really thought about looking at the picture of the muffin all the time. But I guess you are right and it does kind of seem ironic that I am trying to lose weight but my icon is of a muffin!!!! I am very pleased with myself as have been super good over the weekend. Even went to friends for dinner yesterday and kept within my points. Will see what the scales say in the morning. Hope you had a good weekend - the sun has been shining and managed a walk on both days too.

[Zest Healthy BMI in reply to muffintop67]

Hi Muffintop67,

It's brilliant to hear you've had a good weekend, and I also enjoyed mine too - I was nearly tempted to grab a Chinese take-away on the way back from a super long walk this afternoon, but thankfully I thought that it would probably undue things, so I'm having some fish with quinoa and some lovely roasted vegetables in a tomato based sauce - it smells great, so I'm looking forward to it.

Great that you have also enjoyed some sunny walks. I hope this weather continues! Spring is hopefully here.

Good luck for tomorrow's weigh-in!

Lowcal

[muffintop67 in reply to Zest]

Well done for resisting the take away. Your dinner sounds much better. If we have a take away I enjoy it at the time but after a few hours usually regret it as I feel sluggish and bloated. Healthy option much better in the long run. Good for you for resisting the temptation.

[Zest Healthy BMI in reply to muffintop67]

Thanks so much. I am feeling good for my choice tonight, as it was really delicious. I'm glad I stopped myself from giving in to the Chinese. I've got plenty of vegetable mixture left to add to some wholemeal pasta for tomorrow evening's meal now, which is great, so I'll probably have some more fish alongside that.

Have a great evening!

Lowcal

[muffintop67 in reply to Zest]

Hi Lowcal. Just wanted to say that I have been thinking about my icon today and totally agree with your comments. I feel I would rather look at a different picture and think it is not fair maybe to keep showing picture of a muffin when they are not really that healthy. So a fruit and vegetable heart is much more positive for me now. Thanks for your thoughts.

[Zest Healthy BMI in reply to muffintop67]

Wow, Muffintop67,

I am loving your new icon. I'm glad you didn't find my comments judgemental in any way, as I was in a 'reflective mood' on Saturday and sometimes I do just say what I think - I really liked the muffin icon, and it did make me smile, but I really do love the fruit and vegetable heart.

Really good!

Lowcal

[Trierisme 1st 7lbs in reply to Zest]

Great post LowCal xx trier

[DartmoorDumpling Restart Feb 2024]

I used to buy garibaldi or gingernut biscuits for the family, as neither of these "call to me" - definitely no choc chip cookies allowed in my kitchen - far too tempting.

Do make sure you have some low-cal swaps available such as rice-cake snacks or oatcakes to nibble on and include in your calorie count. Get the kids to help you make some banana sugar-free flapjacks - lots of sugar-free and low-fat recipes can be googled. Chat on this forum while you have your tea or coffee - it does give you strength to hold out to the next meal.

[Trierisme 1st 7lbs]

Me too ! Exactly the same problem ....... I don't feel deprived at all in the week, but oh boy, the weekends .............. 🙃

[Sandy-123]

Hya tomorrow will be my first weekend on this 12 week plan.......i'm already wondering how i'm going to get through it!!!! .......but perhaps I should be imagining how my clothes will fit much better or may be too big and I'll need a new wardrobe!!!!

wishing you all the luck to keep strong x