but I've taken the leap (financially) and am back on the Cambridge Diet. What a bloomin' relief! Food is a blinking minefield for me (clearly something I'm going to have to tackle very soon). Low carbing suits me best - it's satisfying and makes me feel better - more energy, less digestive problems - but it aggravates my gallbladder. I could get my gallbladder taken out, of course - they wanted me to get down from my then-21 stone to 18 before they'd operate a few years ago. Now I'm 15 stone (yes, that's my weigh-in today), they'd whip it out at the drop of a hat!
When I eat any kind of grains, they make me very hungry very soon - some say it's a degree of insulin resistance and a purely physiological reaction to blood sugar rising too high and subsequently dipping - and I want to eat all the more. Even complex carbohydrates - wholemeal bread, brown rice, porridge - make me feel this way. The low-carb lobby says it's the result of a messed up metabolism after years of "carb-addiction".
On top of that (or is it alongside it?!), I know I'm an emotional eater. I eat more when I'm hungry, when I'm happy - any excuse! - and, worst of all for someone with ME, when I'm tired - my thinking around food goes very awry and I don't make good decisions then...
I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that I will need professional help with my food choices in the long term.
Today's weigh-in has me at 15 stone, unfortunately. I'm hoping I can get a stone off before Christmas, IF my finances allow me to continue on the Cambridge Diet...
Thursday 26 November 2009
Monday 23 November 2009
Low-carb is off the agenda
My gallbladder is grumbling so low-carb (high fat) is out the window.
I'm not feeling too confident about weight loss on an ordinary diet. I do have problems with wheat so I'm avoiding that and sugar, in the meantime, keeping to low GI / GL foods, and will see how that goes.
I'm contemplating (some will be dismayed to hear!) returning to the Cambridge Diet if I can work it out financially, as I'm spending just as much on "ordinary food". I still feel that I'd rather struggle at 11 stone something than where I'm at just now, but I'm also only too aware that I've hovered around 15 stone since early August, in spite of several weeks on Cambridge.
A decision will be made in the next couple of days!
I'm not feeling too confident about weight loss on an ordinary diet. I do have problems with wheat so I'm avoiding that and sugar, in the meantime, keeping to low GI / GL foods, and will see how that goes.
I'm contemplating (some will be dismayed to hear!) returning to the Cambridge Diet if I can work it out financially, as I'm spending just as much on "ordinary food". I still feel that I'd rather struggle at 11 stone something than where I'm at just now, but I'm also only too aware that I've hovered around 15 stone since early August, in spite of several weeks on Cambridge.
A decision will be made in the next couple of days!
Wednesday 18 November 2009
Phew!
I'm relieved to say that I've lost 5 lbs in weight since last week. That's one week of low-carbing under my belt, so that's comforting too, that it's going to work!
I'm not ecstatic because I actually feel as if I'm filling out, which is rather odd... but it might be due to eating decent food and higher calories. Only time will tell!
Another reason I'm not ecstatic is because I'm aware I've been overeating. This seems to happen particularly when I'm tired, which is a lot these days, due to the downturn in my health... It's a struggle that I'm going to have to get to grips with. And a struggle that I'm struggling to get to grips with!
I think I've had a daft idea in my head - that I'd lose all that weight I put on the week before when I stopped eating carbs (that all the water retention would go) and that I'd lose more on top of that with low-carbing. But the more I think about it, the dafter that idea gets! I think I'm just so scunnered with myself for putting so much on and am not happy that I'm not as light as I was a few weeks ago. 14 stone 6.5 lbs felt very good! Especially because I could say I'd lost just short of 8 stone; now it's back to being just over 7.5 stone. Still, I'm below 15 stone again so that's a positive.
And I do keep reminding myself that this is for the long haul and there's bound to be a certain amount of flux while I transition back onto real food. I have to get used to it - mentally - and my body is having to make a big adjustment too.
Another aspect is that several people have told me I look great as I am and don't need to lose any more weight. I have to keep my original targets in mind - to get back to what used to be my normal weight - 11 stone 5 lbs (actually 11 1/4 stone but I rounded off the stones to make it easier!) - and getting back to a size 14.
One big downside is that I don't think this is working out any cheaper than CD, in fact it might be working out more expensive. I've stocked up on food in the freezer so it's going to be a case of seeing how long all that lasts before I know if I'm right. If I am right, I'd be as well going back onto CD and getting my weight down to my target that way.
Alternatively, I could just stay with low-carbing (if I can afford it) until I reach my target weight or until my weight stabilises (which apparently can happen on low-carb), as this has to be a long term way of eating now, not a diet.
I think I should start feeling happier about that 5 lb weight loss!
I'm not ecstatic because I actually feel as if I'm filling out, which is rather odd... but it might be due to eating decent food and higher calories. Only time will tell!
Another reason I'm not ecstatic is because I'm aware I've been overeating. This seems to happen particularly when I'm tired, which is a lot these days, due to the downturn in my health... It's a struggle that I'm going to have to get to grips with. And a struggle that I'm struggling to get to grips with!
I think I've had a daft idea in my head - that I'd lose all that weight I put on the week before when I stopped eating carbs (that all the water retention would go) and that I'd lose more on top of that with low-carbing. But the more I think about it, the dafter that idea gets! I think I'm just so scunnered with myself for putting so much on and am not happy that I'm not as light as I was a few weeks ago. 14 stone 6.5 lbs felt very good! Especially because I could say I'd lost just short of 8 stone; now it's back to being just over 7.5 stone. Still, I'm below 15 stone again so that's a positive.
And I do keep reminding myself that this is for the long haul and there's bound to be a certain amount of flux while I transition back onto real food. I have to get used to it - mentally - and my body is having to make a big adjustment too.
Another aspect is that several people have told me I look great as I am and don't need to lose any more weight. I have to keep my original targets in mind - to get back to what used to be my normal weight - 11 stone 5 lbs (actually 11 1/4 stone but I rounded off the stones to make it easier!) - and getting back to a size 14.
One big downside is that I don't think this is working out any cheaper than CD, in fact it might be working out more expensive. I've stocked up on food in the freezer so it's going to be a case of seeing how long all that lasts before I know if I'm right. If I am right, I'd be as well going back onto CD and getting my weight down to my target that way.
Alternatively, I could just stay with low-carbing (if I can afford it) until I reach my target weight or until my weight stabilises (which apparently can happen on low-carb), as this has to be a long term way of eating now, not a diet.
I think I should start feeling happier about that 5 lb weight loss!
Friday 13 November 2009
Reassurance
Judging by my unclothed weight this afternoon (post-breakfast but pre-lunch), I've already lost at least 3 lbs as the retained water disperses by steering clear of grains and sugar. It's quite astonishing now how I can track the level of water retention - I can feel it round my hip bones first!
I'm feeling very happy with my food choices and have realised that (to quote a certain famous deceased pop star) - this is it! This is when, being back on real food, I need to learn to make the food choices that are best for me, not just to lose weight or to maintain it, but also to maintain my health - sugar levels and energy levels, as well nutrition.
I've also realised that, when I was eating food all the time, I allowed my hunger to govern when I ate. (I also allowed just about every other sensation to govern when I ate!) Now I've got used to feeling hungry, I'm learning to integrate that into my day to day as well, so that I don't overeat. It doesn't kill me to wait an hour to eat and I actually like the "clean" feeling that being a bit hungry gives me. Don't worry anyone - I won't starve! I don't suffer from hypoglycemia either (which I did used to think I might but I honestly think that's induced by a high carb diet, at least for me) and, whenever I feel too hungry, I will and do eat! I'm not into starving myself - but I also don't want to get back into my old habits of eating at every opportunity.
Tis a steep learning curve but I'm feeling really fine about it - for just now!
PS Weight loss won't go on the tickers until my "official" weigh ins on Wednesdays.
I'm feeling very happy with my food choices and have realised that (to quote a certain famous deceased pop star) - this is it! This is when, being back on real food, I need to learn to make the food choices that are best for me, not just to lose weight or to maintain it, but also to maintain my health - sugar levels and energy levels, as well nutrition.
I've also realised that, when I was eating food all the time, I allowed my hunger to govern when I ate. (I also allowed just about every other sensation to govern when I ate!) Now I've got used to feeling hungry, I'm learning to integrate that into my day to day as well, so that I don't overeat. It doesn't kill me to wait an hour to eat and I actually like the "clean" feeling that being a bit hungry gives me. Don't worry anyone - I won't starve! I don't suffer from hypoglycemia either (which I did used to think I might but I honestly think that's induced by a high carb diet, at least for me) and, whenever I feel too hungry, I will and do eat! I'm not into starving myself - but I also don't want to get back into my old habits of eating at every opportunity.
Tis a steep learning curve but I'm feeling really fine about it - for just now!
PS Weight loss won't go on the tickers until my "official" weigh ins on Wednesdays.
Wednesday 11 November 2009
Eeek....!
In the interest of honesty and an accurate record of weight loss, I have to embarassingly admit to a weight GAIN of a massive 9 lbs!! My eating has gone haywire and I've been eating wheat and sugar - high carbs - resulting in massive water retention. I could even see it in my feet this morning! I was sooo bloated today, my stomach was enormous and I was in a lot of discomfort for a long time...! My CPAP machine makes me swallow air as it is, but this was something else!
So today I spent quite a lot of money on food and am embarking on low carb eating from now on. I'm looking forward to it, lots of yummy and, importantly, satisfying food. I still have food packs left but they're all soups so will use them for lunch. I can't quite face a bowl of artificial broccoli soup first thing in the morning! :-p
Here's hoping I can stick to it and keep away from sugar more successfully than I have been this past week.
So today I spent quite a lot of money on food and am embarking on low carb eating from now on. I'm looking forward to it, lots of yummy and, importantly, satisfying food. I still have food packs left but they're all soups so will use them for lunch. I can't quite face a bowl of artificial broccoli soup first thing in the morning! :-p
Here's hoping I can stick to it and keep away from sugar more successfully than I have been this past week.
Saturday 7 November 2009
I lost 1.5lbs this week
So I'm back where I was 2 weeks ago!
However - I've been eating since my weigh in on Wednesday and know my weight has increased...
I have to come off the Cambridge Diet because, being back on Incapacity Benefit, my finances are dire and I just can't afford it. So... I'm having to look at low-carbing long term, with real (very inexpensive) food. Frankly, I'm very concerned about it, on both the financial and the emotional/addiction sides. But I do need to get to grips with real food again so now's as good a time as any, I guess! I just cannot put back on all that weight again. I mean, I just can't let that happen, can I?!
However - I've been eating since my weigh in on Wednesday and know my weight has increased...
I have to come off the Cambridge Diet because, being back on Incapacity Benefit, my finances are dire and I just can't afford it. So... I'm having to look at low-carbing long term, with real (very inexpensive) food. Frankly, I'm very concerned about it, on both the financial and the emotional/addiction sides. But I do need to get to grips with real food again so now's as good a time as any, I guess! I just cannot put back on all that weight again. I mean, I just can't let that happen, can I?!
Sunday 1 November 2009
I put on 1.5lbs last week
which doesn't surprise me in the least (other than that it wasn't more!) as I ate every day for 4-5 days while Stitches was on. It was easier to give into the desire to eat while I was so busy and so tired. Not good, I know, but that's how it is. I've stuck to the packs since (can't remember the number of days) except yesterday, when I went a bit nuts...!! Here's hoping I can stick to it for the next couple of days til my next weigh-in!
I cut my hair the other week and folk keep telling me how much younger I look! I think it's also made people notice my weight loss more too, for some reason. I'll need to get a new photo up here. Suffice to say that the size 20 trousers that I squeezed myself into so proudly in July(?) are now loose.
I know I've miscalculated somewhere, as 2 weeks with half pounds should leave me with an whole number but I've still got a half pound floating around! Anyway, last week's weight (14 stone 7.5 lbs) is accurate so we'll take it from there.
I cut my hair the other week and folk keep telling me how much younger I look! I think it's also made people notice my weight loss more too, for some reason. I'll need to get a new photo up here. Suffice to say that the size 20 trousers that I squeezed myself into so proudly in July(?) are now loose.
I know I've miscalculated somewhere, as 2 weeks with half pounds should leave me with an whole number but I've still got a half pound floating around! Anyway, last week's weight (14 stone 7.5 lbs) is accurate so we'll take it from there.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
