An ok week but was it enough to lose weight for tomorrow's weigh in !!!

[Indigorouge]

What a week. I am hoping that I have at least lost a pound this week .Tbh my days are so busy that I really have problems fitting everything that I want to do in any given day . I work between 45 to 50 hours at work a week and lunch breaks I take whenever I can which often is a 10 minute slot before you get called out again .

I sleep from 12am till 6 am and my waking hours are always busy with either work or housework or being a teacher for my little one there isn't any'me 'time . So sometimes I wonder when one works to this extent and is eating a cereal for breakfast , porridge for lunch and then an evening meal of something pretty basic why isn't one losing weight more rapidly ??? By the end of every day I am physically and mentally exhausted sometimes I just don't understand why it takes so much effort to lose weight !!!!

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

Your days are certainly very full!!

Do you ever have time to do any batch cooking, so you know you have something healthy and tasty to take out of the freezer in the evening and add in some veg? You will find it difficult to lose weigh while relying on cereal and porridge. Something like this would be quick and easy from the fridge healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

If you're relying on calorie counting alone, you are likely to struggle as this post explains healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

[Food4Fuel 7lbs]

I really hope you get the loss tomorrow Indigorouge. I think some weeks you need the motivation more than others. I lose slowly too so feel your frustration.

My only question is do you really have cereal for breakfast and then porridge for lunch - I’m a big fan of both but would question if you are getting enough nutrients? (Although when you describe how busy you are I’m guessing maybe you don’t get a minute to yourself to cook?). I’ve found some great and quick lunch ideas via the daily diary section which are helping me.

Hope you can have a good week 😊

[Indigorouge in reply to Food4Fuel]

I never really liked sandwiches, never enjoyed them as a packed lunch .

So I wake up at 6 am and have rice Krispies and Tea .

Then at 1 pm I have porridge. At least porridge is good for maintaining good cholesterol levels ...otherwise I have weetabix, before this I was having half a sandwich crisps and chocolate .

Then at 8 pm I have whatever I have in at that time .

Maybe I'll try rethinking what I have this week !

[IndigoBlue61 in reply to Indigorouge]

I would question that having cereal twice a day really is a healthy diet indigorouge . . . I know you’re busy but could you have salad, eggs, cheese, nuts, soup? There’s an awful lot of advice out there regarding what exactly constitutes a healthy diet but they ALL suggest we eat more vegetables and salad, and what could be quicker to make?

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

[Indigorouge in reply to IndigoBlue61]

Well I guess I could have salad , but I find salad boring and not very filling .

I don't eat eggs or meat and i'm not a nutty person . Ha ha . So in a salad I would have cucumbers tomatoes lettuce sweetcorn then I'm stuck what to do with it what else should I add ? Chickpea's ?

[Indigorouge]

Thanks I'll have to really read and consider this . Thing is now I absolutely love porridge with strawberries ... I never had this for lunch prior to this nhs weight loss and now I have started having it I have become addicted to it !!! It's going to be hard to come off it it's the one thing I enjoy ....

I'll read the articles thank you !

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Indigorouge]

You're welcome What it does show is that your tastes can change

With your busy life, I think it will come down to planning, and making sure you have easy, filling, healthy meals to hand

[Food4Fuel 7lbs in reply to Indigorouge]

That’s so funny! I’ve just read about someone having porridge with raspberries and strawberries for brekkie and decided to give it a go too as it sounds delicious (I usually add blueberries) 😊 Maybe keep this as your breakfast and skip the cereal?

My quick lunch ideas are: make a big pan of soup and divide it up into individual portions and freeze it. Then you just have to grab one and heat it up. I sometimes have it with a chunk of cheese to fill me up. Or I do a platter of hummus, veggies, cheese, ham and olives and eat on the go if needs be (I calorie count so have to be careful with portion size but it takes about 5 mins to prep it 😊).

Have a good week!

[Indigorouge]

I tried skipping cereal for a week but by the time it came to Friday I had left the house without breakfast aiming to eat porridge at 1 pm but by 11 am I felt so weak and I just couldn't concentrate nothing made sense at work and I broke and ate a banana. Then had the porridge at 1 pm.

I like soup though never made this maybe I could give it a try but I would need to have it with something... Maybe I could have porridge at 6 am and soup at 1 pm.

[Food4Fuel 7lbs in reply to Indigorouge]

You work such long hours it sounds like you need your breakfast 😊

[Subtle_badger in reply to Indigorouge]

Do you like overnight oats? I used to mix oats, yogurt, maybe some fruit in a secure container, and take it to work with me. The oats get soft after about 20 minutes, and it will stay fine for hours. Whenever I finally got the munchies in the morning, I would eat my breakfast. It usually was about 11,and then I would have lunch a couple of hours later.

[Indigorouge in reply to Subtle_badger]

Ah thanks I'll give it a try ! Although I don't like yogurt ... I'll give it a go though ! Xx

[Subtle_badger in reply to Indigorouge]

It doesn't have to be yogurt. Whatever you like. Could be just water.

Or cream 😋

[Indigorouge in reply to Subtle_badger]

Ah now that sounds better ! Xx

[Subtle_badger in reply to Indigorouge]

Google overnight oats, you will get lots of suggestions.

I don't like porridge because to me it is gluey, claggy. I like overnight oats because the oats keep their shape.

(given it all up for low carb, sad but totally worth it!)

[zinza]

I've been reading "The Obesity Code" since my GP suggested it.

This book can show you answers for some of your doubts, for instance how stress and lack of sleep can impact your weight loss.

It's a must read. You should give it a try.

[Indigorouge]

Ah thanks . I definitely will !